Vaughn Dalzell breaks down his best bets for the College Football Week 1 schedule, including Arch Manning's passing prop, an Under in a primetime matchup and much more!
Top 10 Players In NHL 26
EA SPORTS has announced the top 10 overall players in NHL 26.
Connor McDavid sits a top the list at 97 overall followed by Nathan MacKinnon, Leon Draisaitl, and Nikita Kucherov at 96 overall.
Two defensemen and one goaltender crack the top 10.
The 10 highest rated players in NHL 26 are:
- Connor McDavid - 97 overall
- Nathan MacKinnon - 96 overall
- Leon Draisaitl - 96 overall
- Nikita Kucherov - 96 overall
- Quinn Hughes - 95 overall
- Cale Makar - 95 overall
- Aleksander Barkov - 95 overall
- Sidney Crosby - 94 overall
- David Pastrnak - 94 overall
- Connor Hellebuyck - 94 overall
Jack Eichel, Auston Matthews, and Kirill Kaprizov are all also 94 overall.
The full list of the players and their attributes can be seen here.
NHL 26 is set to release Sept. 12, those who pre-order the deluxe edition get access Sept. 5.
For more NHL Gaming news make sure you bookmark The Hockey News Gaming Site or follow our Google News Feed.
Schwarber showcases golf skills following historic night
Schwarber showcases golf skills following historic night originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Kyle Schwarber’s performance on Thursday night will be discussed for years to come.
So it’s understandable that Schwarber’s four-home run outburst a 19-4 win over the Braves was still the talk of the Phillies clubhouse on Friday afternoon.
“Incredible,” Jesús Luzardo said of Schwarber becoming the 21st player in MLB history to hit four home runs in one game. “I’ve never seen that. It was one of a kind. He’s such a good dude that I think everyone was on the top step rooting for him.”
Schwarber missed the opportunity to hit a fifth home run in the eighth inning, flying out to shallow left field with Braves infielder Vidal Brujan on the mound.
“Even when he got out he handled it so well,” Luzardo said. “He was able to laugh about it. He’s such a good sport so it’s easy to root for him when things are going good like that. Last night was one for the history books.”
Schwarber will take aim at more history on Friday.
The Phillies’ record for most home runs in a two-game span is five, set by Mike Schmidt in 1976. Schmidt hit four home runs against the Cubs at Wrigley Field on April 17th of that season then added another homer the following day.
Schwarber Stays Hot
One day after clubbing four home runs, Schwarber added a golf championship to his resume.
The Phillies held a closest to the pin competition before batting practice on Friday to determine the draft order for their fantasy football league.
A group of players that included Schwarber, Trea Turner, J.T. Realmuto, Bryson Stott, Alec Bohm, Jesus Luzardo and Harrison Bader hit pitching wedges from home plate to a makeshift flag in center field.
The winner?
‘Who do you think?” Bader asked afterwards.
That would be Schwarber, who put his wedge within 10 feet of the flag.
“He had to do it after his big night,” Bader said with a smile.
“I’m going to ask him to buy me a lottery ticket,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson joked. “He’s hot.”
The expectation in the clubhouse is that Schwarber – a Bengals fan who grew up in the Cincinnati suburbs – will take wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase with the first pick.
Outfield Shuffle
Deciding the Phillies’ starting outfield on a daily basis is a delicate balance.
“The challenge is really trying to figure it out,” Thomson said before Friday’s game. “Just really trying to figure out what the rotation is, matchup history, how hot a guy is at the time, (batting) splits, putting all those things together and trying to figure out who the three guys are in the lineup that day. It’s difficult.”
So far the Phillies manager is pressing all the right buttons.
Thomson gave Max Kepler the start in right field on Thursday and Kepler responded with a two-run home run in the first inning. Kepler is hitting .342 with two home runs, six RBI and a .912 OPS in his last 10 games.
Nick Castellanos will be in right field Friday while Kepler moves to left field and Brandon Marsh starts in center field. Castellanos is 4-for-8 with four home runs in his career against Braves starter Bryce Elder.
Harrison Bader is the odd man out Friday despite collecting four hits on Thursday night. Bader is hitting .538 with five extra base hits in his last seven games.
“It was just basically the numbers Nick (Castellanos) has against their starter,” Thomson said when asked why Bader isn’t in Friday’s lineup. “It was a tough call, to tell you the truth. Bader has played the last six in a row and we have a long stretch (of games) ahead. He could probably use the day off.”
On the Hill
Reigning NL Player of the Week Ranger Suarez takes the mound for the second game of this four-game set against the Braves.
Suarez is 2-0 with a 1.32 ERA in his last two starts with 21 strikeouts and zero walks. He’s had success against Atlanta, allowing just one earned run in 13 innings (0.69 ERA) in two starts against the Braves this season.
Meanwhile Elder has struggled throughout the 2025 season. His 6.12 ERA ranks 107th out of 109 MLB pitchers with at least 100 innings pitched this year.
Elder allowed nine earned runs in just two innings against the Phillies on June 27th. He surrendered three home runs in that game, a 13-0 Phillies win.
No. 6 Notre Dame at No. 10 Miami prediction: Odds, expert picks, team overviews, key players, and stats
Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Miami Hurricanes Game Preview
Mets activate Jonah Tong ahead of big-league debut, option Kevin Herget
The Mets have officially added Jonah Tong to the active roster ahead of his big-league debut Friday night against the Marlins on SNY.
Tong dominated across two levels of the minors before receiving the highly-anticipated call.
The 22-year-old top prospect pitched to a 1.43 ERA and 0.92 WHIP while striking out a whopping 179 batters over 22 starts between Double-A and Triple-A.
He’ll now look to carry that success to the Big Apple down the stretch.
In a corresponding roster move, right-hander Kevin Herget has been optioned to Syracuse.
Herget threw well in his lone appearance back in the majors, striking out two over 2.2 scoreless innings at the backend of Thursday’s loss to Miami.
He's now pitched to a strong 1.13 ERA in just four games with the Mets this year.
New York cleared a spot on the 40 Man Friday by sending Ty Adcock outright to Syracuse.
NHL Insider Says Sebastian Cossa Still Red Wings Top Prospect
NHL Insider weighs in on debate between better goalie prospect in Detroit's Sebastian Cossa or Trey Augustine.
With the NHL off-season nearing its end, attention is beginning to shift toward the future of several franchises. In a recent episode of the Athletic Hockey Show, veteran writers Max Bultman and Corey Pronman took a deep dive into each team's prospect pipeline, offering rankings and in-depth analysis of how the league’s up-and-coming talent stacks up.
One of the most intriguing points of conversation was the debate between two of the Red Wings top prospects in goaltenders Sebastian Cossa and Trey Augustine. Since being drafted in 15th overall in the 2021 NHL Draft, Cossa has been routinely mentioned as one of the franchise's top prospects. However, this has changed as of late with a growing number of experts believing that Augustine is the netminder to look out for.
This became clear when in The Hockey News' recent Yearbook issue, writer Bob Duff ranked Augustine as Detroit's fourth-best prospect while having Cossa down at the six spot in the order.
More Red Wings:Danielson “More Toolsy” Than Marco Kasper Says NHL Insider
Pronman added to this debate with his recent ranking of the Red Wings prospect pipeline and put Cossa back ahead of Augustine. He explained his decision by questioning the size of the 6-foot-1 Augustine, saying few goalie prospects have succeeded at his size. Cossa stands at a towering 6-foot-6 and Pronman believes has shown more bright spots in his pro development.
"Cossa, I know he's been up and down as a pro, but he's a huge goalie who moves pretty well and has at least shown he can translate up a level a little bit at times," Pronman said "With Augustine, he's been a tremendous Junior goalie, a tremendous college goalie, but he's not a premier quick Twitch type, which at that size is a little concerning."
Pronman would go on to make comparisons to goaltenders like Boston's Jeremy Swayman, explaining that there are success stories at Augustine's size but views his player profile so far as having "some risk variables where I'd be hesitant to elevate him to that next level."
Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features.
This is an unpopular opinion as Augustine is coming off another dominant season with Michigan State, finishing with a 19-7-4 record along with a 2.08 goals against average and a .924 save percentage through 30 starts.
The 20-year-old Michigan native has regularly been viewed as the nation's best junior goaltender with six different appearances on the international stage. Playing for Team USA, Augustine posted phenomenal numbers, going 9-1-0 with a 2.09 goals-against average at the U-18 level, and following it up with a 12-2-0 record and a 2.42 GAA at the U-20 level.
More Red Wings:Red Wings Player Ratings Revealed in NHL 26: Larkin, Raymond Lead the Pack
Augustine may be an elite goaltender some day but he still is far behind Cossa in terms of development as he's two years younger and will likely return to NCAA hockey for one or two more seasons followed by his first pro season with the Grand Rapids Griffins in the AHL. This was the path of Cossa as he's already played in 84 games with the Griffins and has produced numbers like a 44-25-15 record with a 2.52 GAA and a .909 save percentage.
His recent play has inserted himself into the conversation for the Red Wings backup goalie job behind John Gibson with Griffins head coach Dan Watson telling The Hockey News that he believes Cossa will be firmly in the conversation for the role this upcoming season.
More Red Wings: Sandin-Pellikka Can’t Contain Excitement For Red Wings Training Camp
As the Red Wings continue to build toward a competitive future, the battle between Cossa and Augustine remains one of the most fascinating storylines in their prospect pipeline. While the debate between these two promising netminders will likely persist for years, one thing is clear: Red Wings fans won’t have to wait long before NHL numbers start rolling in for at least one of them.
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Predicting The NHL's Central Division Rankings In 2025-26
The NHL’s Central Division is super competitive. We’re predicting how it will end up by April.
Not only will you find this writer’s rankings of the divisions, but you’ll also see where each team was placed in The Hockey News’ Yearbook & Fantasy Guide 2025 and their odds of being Central Division winners, according to BetMGM.
We predicted four teams from the Pacific Division would make the playoffs, which means we predict four will make it from the Central.
1. Colorado Avalanche
The Hockey News Yearbook Division Rank: 2nd
BetMGM Central Division Winner Odds: 3.10 (+210)
Why I've Ranked Them First: The changes the Avalanche made last year and this summer put them at a slightly higher level than the Winnipeg Jets and the Dallas Stars, which were picked in the Yearbook to win this year’s Central title.
Whether it’s Colorado getting a full year from captain Gabriel Landeskog, second-line center Brock Nelson, newcomers Brent Burns and Victor Olofsson or starting goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood, the Avs are stronger all around.
Colorado’s defense corps might be the strongest in the league. Their forward group is also stellar. And they’ve got a very capable goaltending tandem. No team is perfect, but the Avalanche has so few holes – and they still have $1.3 million in salary cap space, which could increase to $6 million by the trade deadline. They have to be considered a Stanley Cup front-runner, let alone the favorite to be the Central’s top regular-season squad.
Why I Could Be Wrong: We’re still not sure how durable Landeskog will be this season, so his impact could be muted by any challenges he faces.
Burns, meanwhile, is the oldest active player in the NHL at 40 years old, and he can no longer be seen as a high-impact, top-four blueliner. Colorado also parted with veterans Jonathan Drouin, Charlie Coyle and Ryan Lindgren. So if the Avalanche’s additions don’t meet expectations, they may not leapfrog the Jets and Stars.
With The Avalanche Adding Olofsson, The Rich Get RicherThe Colorado Avalanche made another solid addition to their lineup this week with the free-agent signing of veteran left winger Victor Olofsson.
2. Winnipeg Jets
The Hockey News Yearbook Division Rank: 3rd
BetMGM Central Division Winner Odds: 6.50 (+550)
Why I've Ranked Them Second: Full disclosure – in last season’s Central predictions, we had the Jets finishing fourth in the division. That was a mistake, as Winnipeg rode an MVP-caliber season from goalie Connor Hellebuyck and terrific depth on all fronts to the Presidents’ Trophy.
The post-season proved to be another story, as the Jets fell to Dallas in Round 2. But as far as regular-season prowess goes, Winnipeg had the horses to assert itself as a top squad.
We’re not making that same mistake this time, even if we do see the Jets falling one spot in the Central standings.
With stars such as left winger Kyle Connor, defenseman Josh Morrissey, center Mark Scheifele and newcomer center Jonathan Toews, Winnipeg’s depth will once again be a strength. The Jets still have something to prove in the playoffs, but in the 82 games leading up to the post-season, they have few peers.
Why I Could Be Wrong: What happens if Toews’ much-ballyhooed comeback doesn’t pan out? We’re not predicting that will happen, but you have to allow for the possibility.
And what happens if the Jets can’t keep up with the Avalanche and Stars and fall to third place in the Central? That would mean Winnipeg loses home-ice advantage in the 2026 playoffs, and given that the Jets were worse on the road than at home, that could be a problem.
It would be a massive shock if the Jets fail to make the playoffs, but that’s a far-fetched possibility. Instead, we see Winnipeg setting the standard for other Central franchises.
Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has doubled down on his core, and this may be the year Winnipeg’s players reward him for his faith in them. So first place in the Central certainly is possible for the Jets – and so is the type of breakthrough playoff performance Jets fans have forever been aching for.
3. Dallas Stars
The Hockey News Yearbook Division Rank: 1st
BetMGM Central Division Winner Odds: 3.20 (+220)
Why I've Ranked Them Third: Few pundits have been as high on the Stars as we have in recent years. Dallas GM Jim Nill has won the GM of the year award for good reason – he’s assembled a terrifically balanced, experienced roster that made a phenomenal mid-season addition with the trade acquisition of former Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes right winger Mikko Rantanen.
A full season from Rantanen will certainly help the Stars’ cause, but Dallas does have an obvious weakness – their depth at right defense. Miro Heiskanen is terrific for the first pairing, but Ilya Lyubushkin and Nils Lundkvist in the bottom four is concerning.
Even with new coach Glen Gulutzan in tow, the Stars’ questionable depth on ‘D’ may be all that separates them from finishing ahead of the Avalanche and Jets.
Don’t get it twisted – this Dallas team could finally break through in next year’s Western Conference final and get to the Cup final for the first time since 2019-20. However, we see them as having a tougher challenge to outlast Winnipeg and Colorado in the regular season.
Why I Could Be Wrong: There’s absolutely a world in which the Stars dominate to the point the Jets and Avs are playing catch-up with them all season long. They have elite players at every position. So yes, the Stars deserve to be in the conversation as Central winners.
The way Dallas’ season ended last year – with now-former coach Peter DeBoer throwing No. 1 goalie Jake Oettinger under the bus and leading to DeBoer’s firing – doesn’t sit well with some of us. But the Stars are going to judge their season by the way they play in the playoffs, and there’s every possibility they can shake off the doubters and emerge as one of the favorites to win the division and the Cup.
4. Utah Mammoth
The Hockey News Yearbook Division Rank: 4th
BetMGM Central Division Winner Odds: 11.00 (+1,000)
Why I've Ranked Them Fourth: Utah’s first season was a letdown, finishing sixth in the Central. However, the Mammoth had one of the NHL’s better off-seasons, adding up-and-coming sniper JJ Peterka from the Buffalo Sabres, hard-nosed bottom-six winger Brandon Tanev, and former Florida Panthers blueliner Nate Schmidt. Those are all high-quality moves that will give the Mammoth more firepower and grit.
They still have $6.6 million in cap space. By the trade deadline, they can spend a lot to help them secure the first playoff berth for this core since the Arizona Coyotes squeaked into the playoffs in 2019-20.
In sum, the Mammoth have the depth of high-end talent and an ownership group determined to make a splash as soon as possible, and we see Utah breaking through and giving Mammoth fans their first taste of playoff hockey.
Why I Could Be Wrong: For quite some time now, the Mammoth/Coyotes have specialized in underperforming. Since that 2019-20 playoff appearance, the Coyotes finished no higher than fifth before the hockey operations left for Utah.
Mammoth GM Bill Armstrong has been painstakingly putting together this roster, but if Utah can’t handle the pressure and misses the playoffs again, Mammoth management will have major questions about the future of this core.
Another factor for Utah is the quality of competition in the Central. Two of the teams we’re ranking below the Mammoth – the St. Louis Blues and Minnesota Wild – were playoff teams last season, and they could be playoff teams yet again in 2024-25. Unless Utah shows they can be a consistent threat to win night in and night out, they’re going to be passed in the Central rankings.
5. St. Louis Blues
The Hockey News Yearbook Division Rank: 6th
BetMGM Central Division Winner Odds: 13.00 (+1,200)
Why I've Ranked Them Fifth: After nearly burying themselves early in the 2024-25 season with subpar play, the Blues became one of the league’s hottest teams in the second half, finishing fifth in the Central and securing a wild-card berth.
Although St. Louis fell apart in the first round against Winnipeg, they’ve made some tweaks to their roster, picking up former Vancouver Canucks center Pius Suter, veteran center Nick Bjugstad and young defenseman Logan Mailloux.
However, we’ve got a nagging suspicion the Blues will fall out of the playoff picture this coming year. The competition is one reason why, but their defense corps also has three members who are 32 or older and moving away from their primes.
Other parts of the Blues’ roster have young players who’ll be fixtures for many years to come, but the stresses on their veterans could prove to be too much to handle.
Why I Could Be Wrong: Before the 4 Nations Face-Off break, the Blues had a 25-26-6 record. From that point onward, St. Louis went 19-4-3. If that’s the Blues team that kicks off the 2025-26 campaign, St. Louis will be one of the biggest threats in the Central.
The Blues will likely go as far as their starting goalie, Jordan Binnington, carries them, but as we saw at the 4 Nations, he can come through with high-impact performances. St. Louis will need more of those outings if they’re going to excel in the regular season.
6. Minnesota Wild
The Hockey News Yearbook Division Rank: 5th
BetMGM Central Division Winner Odds: 9.00 (+800)
Why I've Ranked Them Sixth: We make no bones about it – we haven’t been high on Wild GM Bill Guerin’s blueprint for success for some time now.
In the last two seasons, Minnesota has finished no higher than fourth in the Central. This off-season, their only somewhat significant addition is veteran left winger Vladimir Tarasenko, acquired in a trade with the Detroit Red Wings.
Consequently, Minnesota is a serious candidate for a step backward this season. The Wild have impressive talents – led by superstar left winger Kirill Kaprizov and defenseman Brock Faber – but when you compare their depth at just about every position, they could have trouble keeping pace with the rest of the division.
Why I Could Be Wrong: The Wild have been embarking on a youth movement in recent years, and with youngsters Matt Boldy, Marco Rossi, Zeev Buium and David Jiricek, they’ve got the makings of a team that will be fierce. They may need a couple of years before they take on the form that can make them needle-movers at the NHL level.
So while we don’t see Minnesota as a playoff team this coming season, the fact is we felt the same way about them last year, and they proved us wrong. The same thing could happen for the Wild this year.
Could Kaprizov Win The Hart, Rocket Richard And Stanley Cup With The Wild One Day?If Minnesota Wild left winger Kirill Kaprizov wasn't already a much-watch star, he will be this season.
7. Nashville Predators
The Hockey News Yearbook Division Rank: 7th
BetMGM Central Division Winner Odds: 34.00 (+3,300)
Why I've Ranked Them Seventh: Arguably, our biggest misstep in last year’s Central predictions was putting the Predators in second place.
Now, we weren’t the only ones who pegged Nashville as a playoff team last season and were severely let down, but we’re now putting them in “show, don’t tell” mode. Until they prove people differently, we expect them to be near the bottom of the Central.
The Preds have proud veterans who want to atone for last season’s letdown, but at best, Nashville looks and feels like a “mushy middle” team. The Predators could soon face a tough decision on how to move forward with their roster, but it will come as no surprise if they fail to contend for a playoff spot for the third time in four seasons.
Why I Could Be Wrong: Many Preds veterans were left with a bad taste in their mouths at the end of last season – most notably, left winger Steven Stamkos, defenseman Roman Josi and goaltender Juuse Saros. Could those experienced hands combine with some of Nashville’s younger players to put a scare into the Central teams we’ve listed ahead of them? Sure.
We suppose it’s plausible for them to finish sixth or fifth in the division. A lot would have to line up perfectly for that possibility, though, including the collapse of teams like the Blues and Wild, to give the Preds enough room to stick the landing. So we’re going to err on the side of caution when it comes to expectations for this Predators team.
8. Chicago Blackhawks
The Hockey News Yearbook Division Rank: 8th
BetMGM Pacific Division Winner Odds: 301.00 (+30,000)
Why I've Ranked Them Eighth: The Blackhawks were the second-worst team in the NHL last season, with only 25 wins and 61 points. They have foundational components, including Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar and Artyom Levshunov.
Still, when your biggest off-season acquisition was left winger Andre Burakovsky – who put up just 10 goals last season for the Seattle Kraken – it’s a telling situation that doesn’t generate reasonable optimism that this season will be much different for Chicago.
Once their youngsters mature into reliable performers at the NHL level, the Hawks will be able to begin climbing up the Central standings and be a year-in, year-out playoff team. Unfortunately for Chicago fans, the Blackhawks, as currently constituted, are many years away from reaching that point in their competitive trajectory.
Why I Could Be Wrong: Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson changed coaches yet again, and former Detroit bench boss Jeff Blashill is now in charge of squeezing more juice out of Chicago’s roster than his predecessors were able to. It would be a minor miracle for the Hawks to even get to fifth or sixth spot in the Central, so while anything can happen in professional sports, the chances of the Blackhawks being anything other than cannon fodder are extremely low.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.
Why did Red Sox release Walker Buehler? Craig Breslow explains decision
Why did Red Sox release Walker Buehler? Craig Breslow explains decision originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
It didn’t come as a surprise when the Red Sox moved Walker Buehler to the bullpen last week given the right-handed starter struggled in the rotation. But it was expected the two-time MLB All-Star would be given some time to gain comfortability in the ‘pen seeing how he started 162 of 164 games since 2018.
That was before circumstances changed, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said after the Red Sox released Buehler on Friday afternoon.
“Our hope and our expectation was we were going to be able to provide enough runway to give him a chance to settle in and transition into that role and then contribute down the stretch and get some meaningful outs for us,” Breslow said before the Red Sox opened a three-game series against the Pirates. “But circumstances changed.”
A key factor, as Breslow indicated, was Boston placing Richard Fitts (right arm neuritis) on the 15-day injured list on Tuesday. In turn, the Red Sox needed a starter for the back end of their rotation and selected promising left-hander Payton Tolle from Triple-A Worcester.
Tolle is the No. 2 prospect in the Red Sox farm system, according to MLB Pipeline. He’s scheduled to make his MLB debut opposite Pirates superstar Paul Skenes at Fenway Park on Friday.
Red Sox setup man Justin Slaten was activated from the injured list Thursday, as well. Having not pitched since late May, Slaten’s return could help an already-dominant bullpen. He has a 3.47 ERA in 24 games this season.
Breslow admitted it was a tough decision to release Buehler, who the Red Sox signed to a one-year, $21 million deal just eight months ago. Buehler opened the season third in the starting rotation behind left-handed ace Garrett Crochet and right-hander Tanner Houck, whose mid-May injury opened the spot right behind Crochet.
Buehler, however, couldn’t take advantage. He went six-plus innings in eight of his 22 starts and the Red Sox went 12-10 in those contests. The 31-year-old departs Boston after compiling a 5.45 ERA in 112.1 innings across 23 games.
When asked why the Red Sox opted to outright release Buehler as opposed to designating him for assignment and thus give the ballclub time to plot its next move, Breslow expressed it was in fairness to Buehler.
“Just trying to be mindful and respectful of who he is and what he’s accomplished,” Breslow said.
Buehler now has an opportunity to latch on with a team in the midst of a playoff push while Boston believes the arrival of Tolle and return of Slaten to pay dividends down the stretch.
Malcolm Brogdon reportedly draws interest from Warriors, Knicks, Timberwolves
Malcolm Brogdon's landing spot for next season remains on hold because of situations out of his control.
Brogdon remains one of the best free agent guards still on the market — he was the Sixth Man of the Year just two seasons ago. His stock has slipped due to injuries, which limited him to just 63 combined games over the last two seasons (in Portland and Washington). However, when healthy last season, he averaged 12.7 points and 4.1 assists per game. This is a low-risk opportunity for teams, a healthy Brogdon could provide quality depth to a team that sees itself as a contender.
The Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks and the Minnesota Timberwolves have expressed some interest in Brogdon, reports Jake Fischer at The Stein Line. However, in all three cases, the teams are waiting on other situations to play out before signing Brogdon (or any guard). With the Warriors, that is the Jonathan Kuminga free agency drama.
"In Brogdon's case, Golden State's long-running stalemate with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga has contributed to the uncomfortable wait. We won't know if the Warriors emerge with more serious interest in Brogdon until the state of their roster and luxury tax bill becomes clear in the wake of a resolution to Kuminga's fate and the subsequent signings that have been long anticipated."
Once the Kuminga situation is resolved, the Warriors will know how much money they have to spend on expected signings such as Al Horford, De'Anthony Melton, Gary Payton II, and Will Richard (a second-round pick). Brogdon may or may not be one of the players signed.
With the Knicks and Timberwolves, the situation keeping Brogdon in limbo is the federal gambling investigation tied to Malik Beasley. He is no longer a "target" in that investigation — meaning a principal at the heart of the case — but remains a "subject" tied to the investigation and potentially could be charged with a crime. Both New York and Minnesota have been in touch with Beasley, who was second in Sixth Man of the Year voting for the Pistons last season. With there still being a month to go before the start of training camp, the Knicks and Timberwolves (and Pistons, and other teams with interest in Beasley) can wait to see how things play out, then make their move later. Brogdon could be a fallback for those teams.
That leaves a quality guard waiting for his opportunity. He's going to end up signing for the veteran minimum wherever he lands, a step down from the two-year, $45 million deal (from the Pacers) that he just completed.
Juan Ayuso bounces back to claim first Vuelta stage win as Træen stays in red
Spaniard triumphs after Thursday collapse in Pyrenees
Torstein Træen retains overall lead from Vingegaard
The Spaniard Juan Ayuso showed a remarkable recovery after his collapse in the Pyrenees only 24 hours previously to go it alone on the climb to the finish and triumph in stage seven of the Vuelta a España.
Torstein Træen retains the red jersey, holding a 2min 33sec lead over Jonas Vingegaard, who moved from fifth to second in the standings but without closing the gap to the Norwegian.
Continue reading...Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Payton Tolle, Jake Cronenworth and Sal Stewart
FANTASY BASEBALL WAIVER WIRE PICKUPS
Payton Tolle (SP Red Sox): Rostered in 20% of Yahoo leagues
We’re getting two top pitching prospect debuts Friday with the Mets calling up Jonah Tong and the Red Sox promoting left-hander Payton Tolle to face the Pirates, Tong’s already been picked up in most active leagues, but he comes highly recommend. Tolle, one of the year’s biggest surprises in the minors, probably isn’t quite as good of a short-term bet, but he’s still well worth trying. A 2024 second-round pick out of TCU, Tolle made his pro debut at High-A Greenville this season, opening up with a 3.62 ERA and a 79/14 K/BB in 49 2/3 innings over 11 outings. That earned him a bump to Double-A, where he posted a 1.67 ERA and a 37/7 K/BB in 27 innings. He’d since moved up to Triple-A, where he had a 3.60 ERA and a 17/2 K/BB. It’s not quite as impressive as Tong’s resume, but his overall 3.04 ERA, 36.5% strikeout rate and 6.3% walk rate is still pretty remarkable.
A low-90s guys in college, Tolle has been working at 94-98 mph this year and often reaching 90 mph on his cutter. His slider is the best of his three breaking balls, and his changeup isn’t bad, though he hasn’t used it much in Triple-A. Standing 6-foot-6, he gets about as much extension on his pitches as anyone in the majors, making everything function as though it’s a little faster than it actually is. His low arm angle would seem to give righties a pretty good look at his pitches, but one wouldn’t know it from the numbers. Both lefties and righties have batted .203 against him this year. Righties have slugged .327, compared to .339 for lefties.
The Red Sox will be cautious with Tolle’s workload, though since he’s at just 91 2/3 innings, he shouldn’t have to be shut down at any point. Mostly, it’s an in-game issue; Tolle hasn’t thrown more than 90 pitches in an outing this year and has been pulled before hitting 75 in each of his last eight starts. It’s probably going to make it tough for him to complete five innings against major league hitters, and he might actually have more fantasy value if the Red Sox gave him the Bubba Chandler treatment and brought him in mid-game. Still, best to pick him up and see what happens.
Jake Cronenworth (2B Padres): Rostered in 15% of Yahoo leagues
There’s definitely nothing sexy about grabbing Cronenworth. He doesn’t steal bases, he doesn’t really hit for average and he has only middling power, which has produced 10 homers and 47 RBI in 108 games this season. What he does have is seven games against the Rockies over the next 2 1/2 weeks, and barring an injury, there’s a good chance he’ll start every one of them. He and Ryan O’Hearn, who is 32% rostered at the moment, make for great short-term pickups who can probably be dropped come Sept. 16.
It’s not just the Rockies, either. The Padres are in Minnesota this weekend and then get the Orioles at home in the first half of next week. Their other non-Rockies series comes at home against the Reds. That’s a lot of mediocre arms to take advantage of. One probably doesn’t want Cronenworth rostered over a Jackson Holliday or Xavier Edwards for the rest of the season, but it’s worth making the switch now and figuring out something else for the final two weeks.
Sal Stewart (3B Reds): Rostered in 2% of Yahoo leagues
The Mets and Red Sox are going for it, and it’s time for the Reds to do the same and bring up their No. 1 prospect in Stewart. Pretty strictly a third baseman in the first half of the season, Stewart has recently been getting starts at second and first as the Reds try to figure out how best to fit him in. Even if he’s cooled off this week, Ke’Bryan Hayes’ solid play for his new team has made third base less of a concern. Second base is the team’s biggest issue right now, and though Spencer Steer has been better of late, the Reds still rank near the bottom of the league in their production at first base.
Stewart opened this year by hitting a fine .306/.377/.473 in 80 games for Double-A Chattanooga, but he’s really taken off since a promotion to Triple-A Louisville; he’s batting .313/.397/.642, and he has as many homers (10) in 156 plate appearances for his new team as he did in 329 for Chattanooga. He’s striking out just 16 percent of the time, and he’s even gone 17-for-20 stealing bases.
It’d be a big mistake if Stewart isn’t the Reds’ offensive addition when rosters expand Monday. They probably shouldn’t even wait out the weekend. Even if they don’t trust him defensively at second, they have the ability to plug in Gavin Lux there and use Stewart mostly at DH. There’s no lack of options for a team playing so many averagish bats. Maybe Stewart won’t be a big upgrade immediately, but he’s earned a shot, and in a nice situation for hitters, he should be picked up in mixed leagues when it comes.
Waiver Wire Quick Hits
- The Brewers’ Abner Uribe is still available in more than half of Yahoo leagues and could rate as a top-10 closer while Trevor Megill is down with a flexor strain.
- David Hamilton is getting an opportunity at second base against right-handers and is 8-for-18 with a homer and a steal in Boston’s last six games. Those looking for steals might want to give him a try. Hamilton is 18-for-23 swiping bases in 164 plate appearances this season.
Islanders Prospect Daniil Prokhorov Signs Deal With Dynamo Moscow
New York Islanders prospect Daniil Prokhorov has signed a two-year, two-way deal with the KHL's Dynamo Moscow.
Appears that Dynamo Moscow has signed #Isles prospect Daniil Prokhorov to a two-year, two-way deal.
— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) August 29, 2025
His PTO expired today.
First on this: @HockeyNewsHubpic.twitter.com/19d3UJBrPi
The 18-year-old second-round pick (No. 45) by the Islanders in June was with Dynamo on a Professional Tryout, which expired on Friday.
So, what does this new deal mean for Prokhorov?
The Russian forward, who had played the last two seasons in the MHL, a junior league in Russia, had several options for where to play during the 2025-26 season.
He could have played in the MHL again. He could have signed with a KHL team or, after being selected by the OHL's Sarnia Sting in the second round of the 2025 CHL import Draft, he could have come over to North America.
There was a strong belief that Prokhorov would be coming to Sarnia, but it was also a bit of a shock to see him, at such a young age, with no VHL experience (KHL's AHL), get the PTO opportunity.
Here's what Dynamo's head coach Alexey Kudashov had to say about Prokhorov (translated):
"Everything is going fine. Some of them played matches in the youth team, and some are playing for Dynamo Saint Petersburg. Everyone is in the squad, everyone is preparing, and everyone is in good shape. The question is whether someone will need a little more time, like, for example, Prokhorov. He is a very young guy and is only taking his first steps in adult hockey. It so happened that he practically did not play in the VHL. Everything is new for him now. All the players are ready; the only question is when the dream will start to be realized." (H/t Dynamo Website)
Due to his role on the PTO as a fourth liner and 13th forward, it is likely that Prokhorov plays a majority of this season, at least, in the VHL. Perhaps next year, he can secure a spot on a KHL team.
Once his contract comes to an end -- that would be following the 2026-27 season -- Prokhorov will have a choice to come over and join the Islanders organization or stay in Russia.
If Prokhorov does choose to come over, he'll be 20 and eligible to play in the AHL.
There are ways for players to get out of contracts. Still, the expectation is that he'll be in Russia for the next two seasons and hopefully, if his development goes well, prove to be a valuable prospect and potentially one of the steals of the 2025 NHL Draft.
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Can Florida State finally triumph over Alabama and all its ghosts on Saturday?
After a miserable 2-10 record last season, the Seminoles can get right immediately with a win over the No. 8 Crimson Tide.
Premier League team news: predicted lineups for the weekend action
Liverpool and Arsenal clash at Anfield on Sunday while a beleaguered Manchester United host Burnley on Saturday
Saturday 12.30pm TNT Sports 1 Venue Stamford Bridge
Continue reading...Giants' All-Star reliever Randy Rodriguez recommended to have Tommy John surgery
Giants' All-Star reliever Randy Rodriguez recommended to have Tommy John surgery originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
As the Giants make one last playoff push, they sustained a massive blow on Friday.
All-Star reliever Randy Rodriguez has been recommended to have season-ending Tommy John surgery by multiple doctors, the Giants announced a few hours before opening a three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles at Oracle Park.
Rodriguez will decide on the course of treatment this weekend.
The Giants placed Rodriguez on the 15-day injured list on Tuesday due to a right elbow sprain, and now he’s likely to miss the entire 2026 season if he undergoes surgery.
The 25-year-old Rodriguez was in the midst of a breakout season when the elbow injury initially popped up. In 50 2/3 innings in 50 appearances this season, he posted a 1.78 ERA with 67 strikeouts and four saves.
Before the MLB All-Star break, Rodriguez was practically unhittable, posting a 0.86 ERA in 41 games. But things didn’t go well after his first Midsummer Classic nod, as he racked up a 6.00 ERA in just nine games.
The Giants likely will use Ryan Walker as the primary closer with Rodriguez done for the season and Camilo Doval in New York after a trade-deadline deal to the Yankees.