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Fantasy Baseball 2025 Catcher Breakdown: Cal Raleigh’s power surge and 2026 rankings

With the 2025 MLB regular season behind us, it's time to review what we learned from a fantasy perspective and how we can apply it to next year.

In the coming days throughout October, we'll be breaking down the standout seasons, the breakout candidates, the prospects to know, and our early 2026 rankings.

We'll start at the catcher position, where one historic season stood out from the pack.

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It’s never too early to look ahead. The Rotoworld Baseball crew and friends conduct an early 2026 mock draft to reflect on the 2025 season, identify risers and fallers, and set the tone for next year.

2025 POSITION BREAKDOWN: CATCHER

️ STATE OF THE POSITION

This probably won’t gain a ton of traction, but 2025 could be described as the Year of the Catcher. Cal Raleigh hit 60 homers and will finish first or second in the AL MVP balloting. Will Smith had a shot at the NL batting crown and finishing in the top five in the circuit in OPS until missing most of September. Salvador Perez and Shea Langeliers became the first catchers since 1999 and just the 11th and 12th all-time to finish with 30 homers and 30 doubles. Drake Baldwin is the favorite to win NL Rookie of the Year, with Agustín Ramírez and Carlos Narváez also posting top-five finishes in their respective leagues.

In all, catchers had an OPS just 19 points lower than the league average of .719. That’s easily the closest mark in the years since the NL adopted the DH and pitchers stopped dragging down the league average. They produced most homers (604) than any position besides DH, first base and right field.

One imagines that OPS gap could narrow even further in future years, what with the ABS challenge system debuting in 2026 and devaluing catcher framing at least a little. It won’t produce a revolution -- the Giants probably won’t be casting Patrick Bailey aside just yet -- but if the number of challenges granted increases from two misses per game in year one to three or more down the line, framing will become less of a priority in selecting backstops.

2025’s Top Five Catchers

1. Cal Raleigh (Mariners)

.247/.359/.589. 60 HR, 110 R, 125 RBI, 14 SB

An outstanding real-world player who received AL MVP votes in both 2023 and ’24, Raleigh used to be held back for fantasy purposes by his struggles to hit for average while playing half of his games in an extreme pitcher’s park. His incredible breakthrough saw him best his previous career highs by 26 homers, 25 RBI, 32 runs scored and 15 points of average. He even stole twice as many bases and he did in his first 3 1/3 seasons combined. He’ll enter 2026 as the highest-drafted catcher this decade.

2. Hunter Goodman (Rockies)

.278/.323/.520, 31 HR, 73 R, 91 RBI, 1 SB

Goodman opened 2025 as a popular sleeper dogged with questions about playing time; just 19 of his 57 starts for the Rockies in 2024 came as a catcher, and he spent the spring battling for a spot to back up Jacob Stallings. Fortunately, the Rockies made the right call for once, turning Goodman into an everyday player between catcher and DH, and he wound up becoming the team’s All-Star rep. Goodman’s plate discipline remains an issue, but with Coors helping him along, he should again put up excellent power numbers, perhaps with a reduction in batting average.

3. Shea Langeliers (Athletics)

.277/.325/.536, 31 HR, 73 R, 72 RBI, 7 SB

It figured that the move from Oakland to Sacramento would give A’s hitters a nice boost, but that wasn’t the driving force here; Langeliers hit .278 with 12 homers at home and .274 with 19 homers in 29 fewer at-bats on the road. The big change was that Langeliers struck out just 20% of the time, down from 29% in 2023 and 27% last year, and he obviously did so without losing any power. Statcast thinks he was rather lucky, particularly in collecting 31 homers with 42 barrels. He also remains subpar defensively, though it’s not going to cost him playing time in the short term.

4. William Contreras (Brewers)

.260/.355/.399, 17 HR, 89 R, 76 RBI, 6 SB

Fantasy baseball’s top catcher in 2023 and ’24, Contreras suffered a finger fracture in May and simply spent the rest of the season playing through it. He was already off to a slow start before the injury and he did little for the two months after getting hurt, but he did pick it up in the end, hitting .293/.380/.510 with 11 homers in his final 51 games. Given that his decline is easily explainable, there’s good reason to think a bounce-back is in store for his age-28 campaign.

5. Salvador Perez (Royals)

.236//284/.446, 30 HR, 54 R, 100 RBI, 0 SB

The .236 average, his second lowest ever barely ahead of a .235 mark in 2019, suggests that Perez was in decline at age 35. Still, it’s really the only thing in his numbers that gives rise to the theory. He had a whopping 70 barrels in 155 games. That’s barely behind his career-best total of 74 from his 48-homer season in 2021. His 46% hard-hit rate was also better than his career average, and his 19.5% strikeout tare was his lowest mark since 2017. Statcast gave him a .365 xwOBA for his high mark since 2021 and third highest in the 11 seasons of Statcast. He’ll be back as an everyday player in 2026, and with Carter Jensen’s emergence in Kansas City, he figures to spend more time at DH, which shouldn’t be a bad thing.

2026 Breakouts

Ben Rice (Yankees)

If you put stock in Statcast’s expected stats, Rice already busted out; he finished 2025 with a .299 xBA and a .581 xSLG that were far about his perfectly solid actual marks of .255 and .499. He’ll likely be the Yankees’ primary first baseman next year, but hopefully he’ll catch often enough to maintain eligibility going in 2027.

Gabriel Moreno (Diamondbacks)

Moreno has been around long enough that it’s easy to forget he’s just turning 26 in February. His exit velocity numbers have gotten a little better each season, and he managed a .285 average and nine homers in 83 games while healthy this season. Durability is a concern, but a healthy campaign would probably make him a top-12 catcher in 2026.

Francisco Alvarez (Mets)

Alvarez opened the season on the injured list and probably should have finished it there, given the degree of the injuries he dealt with in September. He also spent a month in the minors due to a combination of subpar offense and defense. Still, when Alvarez was able to strike the ball, he usually crushed it, finishing with a 54% hard-hit rate that ranked 13th of the 309 players with 250 plate appearances. His contract issues haven’t gone anywhere, but he’s a 30-homer threat.

Kyle Teel (White Sox)

Picking up Teel from the Red Sox in the Garrett Crochet trade gave the White Sox two top-flight catching prospects, and Edgar Quero was able to win the race to the majors in 2025, joining the team in mid-April. Still, it was Teel who won out in the end, hitting .273/.375/.411 in 297 plate appearances and also looking more promising defensively, even if he still needs some polish there. That, as a left-handed hitter, he’ll probably sit against most lefties while playing for what still figures to be a rather weak team in 2026 dims his short-term prospects some, but he’s already pretty good and sure to get better.

2026 Prospects To Know

Samuel Basallo (Orioles)

Instead of bringing him up when the most needed him with Adley Rutschman and Gary Sánchez down, the Orioles waited until Aug. 17 to promote Basallo from Triple-A, just because they wanted him Rookie of the Year eligible next season. They then signed him to an eight-year, $67 million that took away any incentive for sending him back to the minors. It’s clear they think they can make it work with both Basallo and Rutschman for now (sending Ryan Mountcastle packing will likely be part of the deal), and Basallo could be a top fantasy catcher right away while spending considerable time at DH and maybe first base. In Triple-A last year, he hit 23 homers and posted an outstanding 58% hard-hit rate in 76 games.

Carter Jensen (Royals)

The Royals should have some regrets about not immediately promoting Jensen after trading Freddy Fermin to the Padres at the deadline. Jensen did come up in September and hit .300/.391/.550 in 69 plate appearances. He could have done even better; with his 10 barrels and 28 hard-hit balls in 48 events, Statcast had him with a .355 xBA and a .660 xSLG. Jensen might not play much against lefties as he likely alternates between catcher and DH in tandem with Perez, but he should be quite good while in the lineup, and it adds to his upside that he can run; he had 43 steals in the minors the last three years.

Moisés Ballesteros (Cubs)

Whether Ballesteros has a real future behind the plate remains in question, but there’s little doubt about his bat, which produced a .316/.385/.473 line in 114 games as a 21-year-old in Triple-A this year, He also came in at .298/.394/.474 in 66 plate appearances as a major leaguer. Still, the Cubs never really considered him at catcher while Miguel Amaya missed most of the year; he started 16 games as DH and caught just once during his time in the majors. If the Cubs lose Kyle Tucker and decide to make Ballesteros their primary DH next year, he could eventually be a top-12 catcher. First, though, he’d need eligibility.

Joe Mack (Marlins)

Ramírez should remain very much in the Marlins’ plans going forward, but it probably can’t be as a long-term catcher. Fortunately, the team has a superior defender on the way up, one who has made impressive strides offensively in hitting 45 homers the last two years. Mack, the 31st overall pick in the 2021 draft, has contact issues that aren’t ever likely to go away, but he’ll make up for it with major league power and strong defense, especially in terms of throwing. He might not ever be a No. 1 catcher in fantasy leagues, but he could be a No. 2, especially if he wants to have some fun on the basepaths; he was 9-for-12 stealing bases this season after trying just four and succeeding on three in his first two-plus years as a minor leaguer.

2026 Top 12 Catchers

1. Cal Raleigh: The slam-dunk No. 1, but probably not worth what it’ll take to draft him.
2. William Contreras: Still the closest thing to a five-category catcher in the league.
3. Ben Rice: So much hard contact. Could hit 30 homers and maintain a .270 average.
4. Salvador Perez: He’ll catch less but still play as much as anyone here.
5. Adley Rutschman: The hype is gone, but his EV numbers haven’t changed as his production has waned.
6. Shea Langeliers: A little lucky in 2025, but he could still run it back as a 30-homer guy.
7. Will Smith: Would be higher if someone else wasn’t always hogging the DH spot in L.A.
8. Hunter Goodman: With Coors helping, the likely step back shouldn’t be especially severe.
9. Drake Baldwin: Probably not yet enough power to be elite, but he’s getting there.
10. Samuel Basallo: Some risk if he gets off to a slow start, but the 21-year-old has a top-five ceiling.
11. Agustín Ramírez: Surprised with 16 steals as rookie. Value would jump if moved to first.
12. Yainer Diaz: Down season not backed up by EV numbers. 25 HR, 90 RBI within reach.

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Revisiting the Red Wings’ Stumble in Blashill’s First Season and Datsyuk’s Costly Injury

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Staring Down The Streak - Sept. 14 2015 - Vol. 69 Issue 3 - Bob Duff

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A decade, the Detroit Red Wings will answer to a new coach, as Jeff Blashill takes over for the departed Mike Babcock. And a lengthy search for a skilled, right-handshot defenseman ended when Detroit signed Mike Green via free agency. You could make a case either will prove the key addition as the Wings seek to extend their playoff streak to a quarter-century. Based on more recent developments, however, Detroit’s other free agent acquisition, center Brad Richards, might be the most important newcomer.

Pavel Datsyuk announced that the ankle surgery he underwent in June, which was supposed to sideline him only four to six weeks, will leave him out four to five months. Suddenly, at least to start the season, Richards has been thrust into the role as Detroit’s No. 1 center.

Wings GM Ken Holland acknowledged the signing of Richards was partially driven by Datsyuk’s status. “We were looking for a No. 2 center iceman and maybe even a No. 1 center, not being sure how long Datsyuk will be out to start the season with his ankle injury,” Holland said. “So in Richards we added a guy that’s a winner with two Stanley Cups.”

Latest Valuation Sees Red Wings Franchise Value Doubled Over Last Four SeasonsLatest Valuation Sees Red Wings Franchise Value Doubled Over Last Four SeasonsA new valuation from Sportico has the Red Wings team value having doubled over the last four seasons, ranking ahead of notable sports teams. 

Even after Datsyuk is healthy, the Wings see Richards playing a vital role. “When we’re all healthy the thinking is it’s going to be ‘Z’ (Henrik Zetterberg) and ‘Pav’ together on one line, and Brad centering another line,” Holland said. “We’ve got lots of different wingers here.

“With Riley Sheahan in the three hole, we’re hoping – believing – that when everybody’s healthy we’re going to be able to roll four lines and three lines that can really provide offense on any given night.”

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

Green isn’t the same guy who scored 31 goals and 73 points for Washington in 2008-09, but, at 29, he still has lots of hockey left in him and brings a skill element to Detroit’s back end that’s been absent since Nicklas Lidstrom retired in 2012. “We were really fortunate to have guys like Lidstrom and Brian Rafalski and Chris Chelios and Larry Murphy going back,” Holland said. “We always wanted to have defensemen who could join the rush and get the puck moving. That’s part of how we’ve been able to accomplish what we’ve accomplished.”

Green’s 45 points last season would have led the Detroit defense. Niklas Kronwall (44 points) was the only Red Wing to finish among the top 40 blueliners in scoring. Green also provides the right-handed point shot the Wings have sought for their power play.

As for Blashill, Detroit always viewed him as Babcock’s successor, doubling his salary as Grand Rapids coach to $400,000 last summer instead of giving him the freedom to pursue offers from other NHL teams. Blashill has coached almost every player on the Wings roster, so the transition should be smooth. He shepherded Grand Rapids to a Calder Cup crown as AHL champ in 2012-13, and that club’s key contributors included current Wings Sheahan, Tomas Tatar, Gustav Nyquist, Tomas Jurco, Luke Glendening and Petr Mrazek.

New Father Of Twins James van Riemsdyk Happy To Be With Red Wings New Father Of Twins James van Riemsdyk Happy To Be With Red Wings As one of the more active teams in free agency during the offseason, the Detroit Red Wings signed multiple new players for the 2025-26 NHL campaign, one of them being veteran James van Riemsdyk. 

While Blashill subscribes to many of the same philosophies as Babcock, he shouldn’t be viewed as a Babcock clone. “I coach similar in a lot of ways to how ‘Babs’ has coached here and in a lot of the same approaches as to who we play,” Blashill said. “But I’m my own person in how I deal with players and how I deal with things on a daily basis. I’ll have my own approach, and with my own approach will come change.”

One thing that won’t change? Expect the Wings to be playoff participants again in 2015-16. It’s one of the reasons Richards chose Detroit. “I’ve been in the Stanley Cup final two years in a row, and it gets addicting when you get a taste of winning,” Richards said. “I feel this team has a great chance.” 

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Canadiens Take 14th Place In NHL.com Power Rankings

Just like The Hockey News last week, NHL.com has included the Montreal Canadiens in its first power rankings of the new season. Where did the Habs land in those rankings? Two spots higher than on THN’s rankings, in 14th place.

Journalist Jean-Francois Chaumont writes that the rebuild is now a thing of the past for the Canadiens and that they are ready to make another push for a playoff appearance. For him, the summer’s new arrivals will be key to the Habs' fate this season. Montreal edged both the Minnesota Wild and the New York Rangers, who finished 15th and 16th, respectively.

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Given how well the Canadiens did in the preseason, this is not surprising. Although the Habs did have one game where they came out flat and didn’t put in the appropriate level of effort, they bounced back, and Ivan Demidov has been a standout in every game or scrimmage he has played in.

The young Russian has demonstrated that he can confound opponents with his ability to create space and time for himself through twists and turns. He’s also shown that even if he doesn’t have either, his deceptiveness can allow him to try a pass that very few players would attempt and even fewer would succeed in making. Looking one way, he can send a picture-perfect pass to the other side of the ice without breaking a sweat. His presence on the power play should really have a significant impact on the special team unit's success rate.

As for Zack Bolduc, he has impressed with both his speed and defensive play since the start of camp. He’s the perfect player to deliver the kind of play Martin St-Louis was after; he’s intense at both ends of the ice, and he worked on his defensive play in his rookie season, and it shows.

Noah Dobson made a good impression in his first preseason game, but unfortunately, he had to leave the second game with a minor groin injury. Judging by what we’ve seen at practice since then, though, it’s likely that he will suit up on Saturday for the Canadiens’ last preseason game.

On top of the new arrivals from outside the organization, I feel it’s important to mention the performance of Oliver Kapanen, Owen Beck, and Florian Xhekaj at camp. The three managed to see the Habs camp through the end, and whichever final decision is made by St-Louis, they can all be proud of their performance and how they handled themselves.

Right now, Kapanen appears to be the likely choice to stay with the team for the start of the season, but Beck and Xhekaj won’t be far behind on the call-up list if injuries start to complicate matters for the Habs. Beck has lost out to Kapanen because of the Finn’s better offensive game and readiness. The coach says he played a mature game and has taken a step in the right direction last season. As for Xhekaj, there’s still room to improve his defensive reads, but he has shown that just like his brother, he can bring some grit and sandpaper to the lineup. After the Washington Capitals and Tom Wilson roughed up the Canadiens in the playoffs, it’s a relief for the organization to see that they have a player who could eventually become their version of Wilson in their ranks in the younger Xhekaj.

On the blueline, Adam Engstrom has also shown interesting flashes, and he, too, saw the camp to the end, but the fact that Dobson and Kaiden Guhle dealt with injury helped in that respect. The 21-year-old Swede has developed very well in his first season with the Laval Rocket last year, but he can still use some seasoning and needs a lot of ice time, which he wouldn’t get now with the Canadiens.

For a second camp in a row, David Reinbacher didn’t end camp the way he would have liked since he sustained an injury against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Still, the injury is much less severe than the knee injury he suffered last season, and he’s only been ruled out for four weeks. However, even if he hadn’t been, he’s not ready for the NHL yet. The game was clearly coming a bit too fast for him in exhibition games. He needs to work on making decisions faster with the puck if he is to meet the lofty expectations the Canadiens have in him.

Still, the Canadiens have been impressive enough at camp to find a berth in the NHL’s Super 16, and it’s fully deserved. St-Louis wanted a more intense training camp that would see his men be ready for the season start on October 8, and that’s precisely what he got.

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Blackhawks Flavor Will Be All Over College Hockey In 2025-26

The Chicago Blackhawks have had a heavy presence in college hockey over the last couple of years. They have used first-round picks on college hockey players or young men committed to the NCAA  frequently since Kyle Davidson took over. 

Oliver Moore, Sam Rinzel, Artyom Levshunov, Drew Commesso, and Ryan Greene, amongst others, have all played in the college ranks at one point or another. 

This year will be no different. There will be a handful of Blackhawks prospects playing across the college hockey landscape, and their scouts will be watching all of the top prospects eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft with a close eye. 

At The Hockey News, our Ryan Kennedy ranked the top 100 NCAA players to watch in 2025-26. The Blackhawks and the players they will be scouting are all over the list. 

The Hockey News (@TheHockeyNews) on XThe Hockey News (@TheHockeyNews) on XWe have one of the most highly anticipated college hockey seasons of all-time coming up! @THNRyanKennedy’s Top 💯 NCAA Players to Watch: https://t.co/9NNtvLKBiD

For one, forward Gavin McKenna of Penn State and defenseman Keaton Verhoeff of North Dakota are the undrafted players to watch if you're dreaming of drafting in the top two. For the Blackhawks, there is a chance that this is their reality in 2026. 

McKenna is the number one-ranked player on this list, and Verhoeff was fifth. Of course, although the latter is projected to be a great NHL player, the former is labeled as a generational talent. Getting their hands on him would be another franchise-altering draft pick for Chicago. 

Although the Blackhawks are incredibly strong when it comes to underage defensemen, it is hard to see them passing on Verhoeff if they had the second overall pick. In that instance, you may take the best player available if the gap between two and three is that large. You can address the surplus at the position for help in other spots later. 

As far as players already drafted, the Chicago Blackhawks have four players in this top-100 ranking. Those players are:

25. Vaclav Nestrasil, RW, U-Mass

Vaclav Nestrasill will head to U-Mass after being selected in the first round (25th overall) by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2025 NHL Draft. His game as a scoring winger in the USHL should translate to success in Hockey East, where he will prepare to become a contributor in the NHL.

32. Sacha Boisvert, C, Boston University

Sacha Boisvert was one of Chicago's first-round picks (18th overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft. He transferred to Boston University after an incredibly strong freshman year at North Dakota. Boisvert is a two-way center who should thrive in his development under BU head coach Jay Pandolfo. 

52. Julius Sumpf, C, Providence 

Julius Sumpf, a fourth-round (98th overall) pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, is already looking like a solid selection by Kyle Davidson. Sumpf playing for Providence will make this an exciting team to watch. The program keeps adding talented players who want to play for them, which adds to the competitive balance taking place in Hockey East. 

83. Adam Gajan, G, Minnesota-Duluth

The Chicago Blackhawks selected Slovakian goaltender Adam Gajan with a second-round (35th overall) pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. He is now entering his second season with the University of Minnesota-Duluth. Gajan didn't have a great year in 2024-25, so he is hoping that another year older will allow him to start looking like a highly drafted net-minder. 

This year's group of Blackhawks playing NCAA hockey might not be quite as strong as it was in recent seasons, but this is still a great group. All four of these guys will likely be given the opportunity to be Blackhawks one day, and playing well in college is a key to their journey to the top. 

The first weekend of the college regular season is coming up. For those looking to check out Gavin McKenna's Penn State debut, it can be seen on the NHL's YouTube or NHL Network. That is only one of many reasons to check out the game at this level. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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Rick Tocchet Issues Blunt Warning to Struggling Flyers Defenseman

(Photo: Marc DesRosiers, Imagn Images)

The Philadelphia Flyers may have lost to the New York Islanders in Thursday night's preseason game, but their continued struggles on defense are of much greater concern.

With prospects like Emil Andrae and Helge Grans, at least temporarily, out of the picture, the Flyers have left themselves with Egor Zamula, Adam Ginning, Dennis Gilbert, and Noah Juulsen as their options to comprise the third defense pair.

If head coach Rick Tocchet prefers to keep eight defensemen and the Flyers oblige, then all four players will stick around.

Zamula, 25, is the incumbent in that battle, but his status might not last very long after a series of poor and uninspiring performances in the exhibition games.

On Thursday night, Zamula struggled greatly with unforced turnovers and stumbled to the tune of a 5-1 scoring chance differential and 17-8 shot attempt differential at 5-on-5 on Thursday night - both in favor of the Islanders - according to Natural Stat Trick.

Both Ginning and Zamula are 25 years old and on expiring contracts, but one player is clearly trending up and the other down.

Flyers Working to Turn Nikita Grebenkin Into 'A Force'Flyers Working to Turn Nikita Grebenkin Into 'A Force'While it's still early, the Philadelphia Flyers may have found themselves a hidden gem in winger prospect Nikita Grebenkin, who continues to impress in the NHL preseason and training camp.

Tocchet has taken notice of Zamula's struggles, too, and bluntly addressed them after the loss to the Islanders.

"Yeah, he's gotta pick it up," Tocchet plainly assessed. "Yup, definitely."

That's not exactly a ringing endorsement from your head coach with as many as three teammates battling with you for playing time, a place in the lineup, and, potentially, a place on the roster altogether.

Much to the chagrin of Flyers fans, the organization appears to have already made their final decision on Andrae until something changes, and we're left to wonder what a healthy Oliver Bonk could do with this competition had he been available to play.

As for the injured Ethan Samson, I spotted him sporting a brace or cast of sorts on his right hand in the elevator after the game, and he was declared out 6-to-8 weeks by the Flyers last week anyway.

This is all to say that the Flyers have what they have at this point, but if Zamula doesn't tread carefully, Tocchet's patience with him could run out sooner than later.

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Buster Posey plans to spend Giants' offseason focused on pitching for 2026

Buster Posey plans to spend Giants' offseason focused on pitching for 2026 originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO — Buster Posey hit .302 in the big leagues and won a batting title in his first full season as the Giants’ catcher. Through one year as an executive, his batting average might be even higher. 

It’ll take years to get a full view of how the Willy Adames contract will work out, but the first season was a strong overall one. For all of the grumbling about Justin Verlander early in the season, that one-year deal ended up being a positive, too. There were misses on some moves, and the Giants certainly paid for their inactivity with certain position groups, but they also felt really good about the in-season moves for Rafael Devers and Dominic Smith.

Thus far, the Posey front office has seemed to make pretty solid decisions. But the work this offseason will be a bit trickier. 

It is generally easier to hit on veteran position players because there’s less injury risk and the year-over-year swings aren’t as dramatic, but this offseason, Posey will be focusing on the other half of the game. Asked about the team’s biggest needs on Thursday’s “Giants Talk” podcast, he said the goal is clear. 

“I think our focus is going to be on pitching, to try to fortify our starting staff,” Posey said. “The same goes with the bullpen. I believe that pitching and defense wins, so that’s where we’ll probably start looking this offseason when free agency does happen.”

The offseason will start with a focus on the rotation, and as the Giants learned this year, that push should never really end. Posey felt great about the organization’s depth going into his first season, saying often that the strength of the franchise was young pitching. By August, it was clear that was no longer the case. 

The Giants traded Kyle Harrison and watched Jordan Hicks and Hayden Birdsong pitch their way out of the rotation. Landen Roupp became a reliable piece but got hurt. Other young options were inconsistent, and by the end of the season, the Giants had multiple TBAs in their rotation every time through. 

 “You always hear it: You can never have enough pitching. I feel like we came into the year thinking that we had a nice amount of depth, and then by the end it didn’t feel like we had a lot of depth,” Posey said. “It was definitely a learning experience for me to learn that that old adage — you never can have enough pitching — is definitely true.”

Posey, general manager Zack Minasian and the rest of the front office will have multiple avenues to building depth this offseason. If the past calendar year is any indication, the initial lean will be to go big. Posey talked often last October and November about his desire to get a shortstop upgrade, and he went to the top of the market with Adames. When the lineup needed a boost, he traded for Devers. 

The free agent pitching market includes Dylan Cease, Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Framber Valdez and others who have pitched at or near the top of a rotation. There will be the usual array of potential reclamation projects like Walker Buehler, Dustin May and Jon Gray. Other notable names like Shane Bieber and Michael King could be available depending on whether options are picked up this month. 

Posey needs two starters, and given that Roupp had an elbow scare during the summer and the Triple-A depth got decimated, he might feel the need to add a third option. When that’s done, he’ll need to rebuild just about an entire bullpen.

Ryan Walker is a good bet to return, although likely not as the closer, and Jose Butto and Spencer Bivens should feel pretty safe, too. Others like Joel Peguero, Tristan Beck and Joey Lucchesi showed flashes. Erik Miller was fully cleared from a health standpoint by the end of September and should be back as the top lefty. But it’s not overstating it to say that the Giants might need about a half-dozen new relief options in camp next spring as they try to sort everything out.

Posey said they first will look internally, and while young starters are never turned into relievers until it’s the last resort, guys like Birdsong, Keaton Winn and Carson Seymour could end up filling out the bullpen. Trevor McDonald could take Roupp’s path, helping out in the bullpen for a year before getting a real shot at the rotation. 

The Giants also plan to be active on the minor league free agency front, which is an area where Minasian and assistant GM Jeremy Shelley have had plenty of success over the years. You don’t want to spend big on relievers in free agency, but that’s an option, too.

The Giants currently have 22 pitchers on their 40-man roster, and the vast majority of them are young, under team control and will be back in some role. The oldest of the group, Verlander, is about to hit free agency for a second straight year, and after a huge second half, he will likely be far more appealing to contenders. 

Verlander has been coy about what he’s looking for, and he said after his final start that he hasn’t even given it much thought. He admits, though, that the push for 300 wins is still something he’s thinking about, and in that respect, a season filled with poor run support and bullpen collapses might not have left the best taste in his mouth. 

Verlander loved the clubhouse, though, and the Giants loved having him as a leader. Posey said they’re “open” to a reunion with Verlander, who likely will be looking for another one-year deal. 

“He’s been great. He was a great teammate,” Posey said. “I personally felt like he pitched — even when he was probably receiving a lot of criticism early in the year — I felt like he was still in a place that was putting us in a spot that we could win games. 

“He didn’t get a ton of run support and the bullpen gave it up for him a little bit in some of those stretches, but then he really turned it on towards the end of the season. It was pretty remarkable, for a guy that turns 43 in the spring. To be able to go out and compete against guys that some are half his age, it was pretty impressive.”

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Sonay Kartal’s breakthrough China Open run halted by stellar Noskova

  • Briton overwhelmed 6-3, 6-4 by the Czech world No 27

  • Kartal leapfrogs Boulter as GB No 2 after tournament

Sonay Kartal’s impressive breakthrough run in Beijing came to a difficult end as she was overpowered by Linda Noskova, who eviscerated every last ball and played a stellar match to reach the semi-final of the China Open with a comfortable 6-3, 6-4 win.

The defeat ends the most significant tournament of Kartal’s career to date as the 23-year-old Briton showed, with a series of excellent performances in one of the biggest events in the world, that she has the game to trouble the best players in the world, reaching her first WTA 1000 quarter-final with a superb three-set win over Mirra Andreeva, ranked No 5, for her first victory against a top-10 player.

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The pundits' verdict after Rangers lose to Sturm

Former Scotland forward James McFadden on Sportsound

First half was disappointing, Rangers were the architects of their own downfall going behind.

They were far better in the second half, but why do you wait until it looks like the game is gone to make changes? The players look like the shackles are off when they change formation.

They look a danger to themselves at times when they have the ball. The goals the concede, and have conceded, have been really poor. Every goal is avoidable. It's frustrating to watch.

Ex-Rangers striker Ally McCoist on TNT Sports

There has to be a serious level of criticism at Rangers defensively - as players and as a team.

Former Hearts manager Robbie Neilson on BBC Scottish football podcast

Things start to spiral and we're getting to that point now where the negativity towards the manager is definitely having an effect on the players. There's no doubt about that.

The only way to turn that is to win football matches. I don't know if they've got the squad to win six, seven, eight in a row, but that's the only way they'll turn it.

It looks like Russell Martin has taken as much pressure as he can on himself to try and get it away from the players.

But I think at the moment it's coming back on the players as well now because it's got quite an extreme stage.

Ex-Rangers full-back Alan Hutton on TNT Sports

Rangers can't continue this way, if I'm honest. This is unheard of for a Rangers team. It's the manner of the way they are conceding. And when they go forward, the cohesion isn't quite there.

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Seth Curry's unique NBA journey leads back to Warriors reunion with Steph

Seth Curry's unique NBA journey leads back to Warriors reunion with Steph originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – Multiple players have tried their hand at joining the Splash Brothers lore with the Warriors in one way or another. 

The combination of Steph Curry and Klay Thompson can never be replicated. There never has been, and never will be, a more skilled shooting backcourt in the NBA. But the Warriors now have a literal Splash Brother on their roster, Curry’s younger brother Seth. 

“It’s definitely special,” Curry said Thursday at his introductory press conference. “It feels like a good time in both of our careers for me to be here.”

Curry, 35, signed an Exhibit 9 contract with the Warriors on Wednesday that will allow him to be with the team throughout training camp and the preseason. They then will have to waive him to remain below the second apron. The first day the Warriors can sign a 15th player – Curry – and stay under the second apron is Nov. 11. 

Despite the contract oddities and having to wait the entire offseason, Curry knew this was the right time for him to join his older brother in a Golden State jersey. Curry admitted coach Steve Kerr and general manager Mike Dunleavy continued to ask him the past few offseasons if he ever would be open to the idea after years of him not wanting to.

Going into his 12th year in the NBA and his 10th full season, now is when teaming up together was best for both. 

“Just feels right for both of our careers,” he said. “For me coming from Charlotte the last couple of years, for me to have the opportunity to come back to a winning organization, everybody pushing on the same path and trying to win a championship is good for me.” 

Curry went undrafted in 2013 and signed a non-guaranteed contract with the Warriors but never played a regular season game for Golden State. He did, however, play 38 games for their D-League (now called the G League) affiliate in Santa Cruz, averaging 19.7 points and 5.8 assists per game. It took Curry years to establish himself as a pro as his older brother jumped to superstardom. 

Ironically, the same season Steph won his back-to-back MVP unanimously in 2015-16, Seth got his first big break down the road. Curry played 44 games for the Sacramento Kings that season and showed signs of a player bound for a long NBA career. He then played 70 games the next season with the Dallas Mavericks, starting 42, and averaged 12.8 points while shooting 42.5 percent from 3-point range. 

Curry missed the entire 2017-18 season because of a stress fracture in his lower left leg. He returned as a key bench contributor for the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2018-19 season. In a three-year span from the 2019-20 season through the 2021-22 season, Curry averaged 28.9 minutes, 13.3 points and shot 44 percent on threes. He has since become a 3-point specialist off the bench, and a very good one at that. 

He led the entire NBA with a 45.6 3-point percentage last season, and his 43.2 career 3-point percentage is second among active players – one spot ahead of Steph. The Currys are the First Family Of Shooting A Basketball. But Seth believes other parts of his game continue to be underrated. 

“I feel like an all-around offensive player,” Curry said. “I mean, look at my numbers. I can obviously shoot the ball well from three, but I can score off the mid-range. I can do enough off the dribble where you can’t just run me off the line. It’s kind of stuff I had to develop over my career to be impactful in a lot of different situations. 

“And then on defense, I’m in the right spots and compete. I played for [Warriors assistant coach Terry Stotts] for that one year in Portland and he had me out there in a lot of situations, a lot of big-time moments. There are a lot of underrated parts of my game that people don’t realize. They might not have watched me, especially the last couple years in Charlotte, but they’ll be on display.” 

Seth has walked out of the shadows of being Steph’s little brother. But that still always will technically be what he is, and the elder Curry had to remind him somehow. Jokingly, Seth said he tried to buy Curry’s famous No. 30 jersey off him and his request was quickly denied, which is why he’ll be wearing No. 31 on the Warriors. 

“He said he didn’t need the money,” Seth responded. “I don’t think the NBA would have liked that either.” 

The thought of playing together in the NBA was always Steph’s dream more than Seth’s. The two grew up together in NBA locker rooms and could spend hours together shooting the ball. Parents had to have thought ‘If only, if only.’

Paving your own path, as Seth has, is commendable. He’s his own person and basketball player, as is Steph. They’re now part of an exclusive list of brothers to play together in the NBA and will do their all to downplay any memes and play on words, keeping the focus on basketball first. 

The obvious also can’t be ignored. The timing is right, and the coolness factor of two Curry’s on one team is undeniable. The moment both are raining threes in the same game is a storm the Warriors and the entire Bay Area are ready to embrace.

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Why Steve Kerr believes Warriors' Steph Curry can benefit from NBA rule change

Why Steve Kerr believes Warriors' Steph Curry can benefit from NBA rule change originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The greatest shooter in NBA history might be getting a bit of help from the league.

A new rule change that will go into effect this season should keep Steph Curry – and other 3-point shooters – from getting intentionally hit in their arms, and Warriors coach Steve Kerr made note of the changes on Thursday.

“The biggest one is the high-five rule, which the [NBA] Coaches Association was part of in collaboration with the league,” Kerr told reporters. “The last few years, we’ve really let defenders get away with fouling jump shooters on the hand. We call everything down low, but guys have been allowed to foul jump shooters and so they’re tweaking the rules on that.

“They’re not allowing as much contact. The shooter is now able to follow through. The reason for the high-five rule is, the guy’s shooting, they literally would get high-fived and that’s now going to be a foul.”

But that’s not the only tweak that’s being made by the league, as Kerr notes.

“The other one where you release the shot and the guy comes in and just hammers you on the wrist a full second after,” Kerr said. “That was a play that the players were just taking advantage of because of the rules and we’re not going to allow that anymore, which is great because I think there was a risk of players getting hurt, so protecting shooters seems to be the main theme.”

While Curry has proven that he doesn’t need help from officials while earning the NBA 3-pointers made record, Kerr believes the change will definitely give him an advantage he hasn’t had for years.

“I think it’ll help Steph every game because of the relaxed rules on that the last few years, everybody’s out there just trying to hammer him on the arm,” Kerr said. “It’s a good change for him, it’s a good change for everybody, I think it’s just, that’s a foul. To me it should have been called for the last few years, it just got away from everybody and I’m glad that the league addressed it.”

When the season starts, Curry and other shooters will not only be more safe when attempting jumpers, but they could reap the benefits of these new rule changes performance-wise, as well.

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Sporting sisterhood struggles to overcome nationalistic diktats as India face Pakistan | Emma John

If the two captains fail to shake hands at the Women’s Cricket World Cup it will deliver another blow to ping-pong diplomacy

It is mere years that women in the subcontinent have been taken seriously as cricketers. For generations, they faced scorn, disapproval, ostracism – even the threat of violence – to pursue their passion. Now India is hosting a World Cup in which the prize fund is $13.8m (£10.3m) and the home nation’s players will become national treasures if they secure their first tournament victory.

It would, then, be a travesty if this weekend’s talk focused on their male counterparts. And yet, when India face Pakistan on Sunday, comparison is unavoidable. And not because the home side are highly favoured to triumph, but because they are not expected to shake hands with their opposition. Handshakegate, if we must call it that, will have a fourth instalment.

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