Mathew Barzal “still has a chance for opening night,” even as the Islanders opened training camp Thursday morning without the star centerman, general manager Mathieu Darche said.
Darche confirmed the absence is related to a left kneecap injury Barzal suffered two seasons ago. Barzal played 81 games last season while managing the issue behind the scenes, but it flared up a couple offew weeks ago.
“We’re playing the long game here,” Darche said. “We’ll have to manage it all the time. He did have an injury in his knee, and that’s fine. There’s a lot of players that manage stuff every day throughout their career. That’s just something we’re gonna manage.
New York Islanders center Mathew Barzal (13) looks to pass during the third period against the Calgary Flames at UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y., Saturday, March 14, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
“We had a meeting after the physical [Wednesday], meeting with the doctor, with Mathew, with his agent … and let’s make sure we control that information and hopefully we’ll be good to go.”
Barzal’s knee was what led him to pull out of World Championships in the spring, Darche confirmed. Darche said that over the summer, Barzal “skated a few times” and “a couple times, it flared up.”
In the past couple of weeks, it did so again.
Mathieu Darche, general manager of the New York Islanders, speaks with members of the media at the site of a new community and kid-designed playspace at the Cross Island YMCA in Bellerose, N.Y., Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026. Heather Khalifa for NY Post
The Islanders said Wednesday that Barzal wouldn’t skate for two weeks, a timeline that runs into the Sept. 30 opener at the Maple Leafs. Darche said that two weeks was an approximation, thus the possibility he plays in Toronto.
Nevertheless, that still appears a long shot. Even if Barzal returns to the ice, skating is not the same thing as being ready to play.
In his absence, Cal Ritchie is getting the first shot at centering the second line, skating Thursday between Mattias Maccelli and Brayden Schenn.
“He wants the opportunity to play center if he can,” coach Pete DeBoer said. “I think he sees himself as a center. … We talked about, if you’re gonna play center, you have to go 200 feet, goal line to goal line. Some of that’s conditioning and skating, things like that. I thought he worked hard this summer.”
Mathew Barzal (13) of the New York Islanders reacts after scoring a goal during the first period of a game against the Nashville Predators, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, at UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Though it’s easy to overreact to training camp lines and pairs, there were a few things of note Thursday.
The Islanders opted not to start camp with Matthew Schaefer on his off side, instead reprising last year’s usual top pair with Schaefer to Ryan Pulock’s left. Tony DeAngelo was to Adam Pelech’s right, Alexander Romanov to Scott Mayfield’s left, while Isaiah George skated with Matt Kessel.
Bo Horvat centered Kyle Palmieri and Simon Holmstrom on a de facto top line. JG Pageau skated between Emil Heineman and Victor Eklund. Ondrej Palat, Casey Cizikas and Anthony Duclair formed a line, as well.
Aside from Barzal, the Islanders were healthy on Thursday. Romanov, Palmieri, Pierre Engvall and Semyon Varlamov — the foursome that spent most of last season rehabbing together — all practiced without limitation.
After another summer that featured several changes to this still-retooled roster, training camp is officially here.
The Blueshirts hit the ice for the first time on Wednesday.
Camp is shorter with the changes made to the NHL schedule this year, but there are still some big storylines going in.
Here are five of the biggest to keep an eye on…
Shortened camp
One of the big things to watch, not just for the Rangers but the entire league, is how this shorter camp changes things.
Head coach Mike Sullivan said that it should switch things up significantly.
“When you look at starting [Thursday] to Opening Night against Boston, we have 12 days,” he explained. “We have four exhibition games and two off days built into those 12 days, so we essentially have 10 practices, six when we’re not including a game that night -- so, time is of the essence.”
There are 13 fewer players on the camp roster this year compared to last, none of whom are on professional tryouts, and no junior-level players have been invited.
Again, every team is facing the same schedule, but getting off to a slow start could be costly for a revamped team looking to return to the playoffs after back-to-back down seasons.
The backup goalie competition
There’s no question that Igor Shesterkin will be back in the No. 1 spot for the Blueshirts, but the team has a two-way battle for his backup.
Sullivan said that it will be a “fierce, internal competition.”
Rookie Dylan Garand seemed like the favorite after his strong late-season cameo, but the front office felt goalie was one of the areas they needed to add veteran depth.
Because of that, Joonas Korpisalo was brought in in a summer deal with the Bruins.
Korpisalo is coming off back-to-back down campaigns in Boston, but his $3 million cap hit over the next two years likely puts him in the front seat for the spot.
With the shorter preseason schedule too, Garand may not get too many opportunities to unseat Korpisalo, as Shesterkin will likely appear in at least two of the four games.
It’ll be interesting to see what the Blueshirts do if that’s the case, though, as the 24-year-old may need to pass through waivers if they try to send him down to Hartford.
Who rounds out the revamped d-core?
Adam Fox and Vladislav Gavrikov are back leading the way, and Marcus Pettersson and Sean Durzi were brought in in offseason trades an effort to solidify the second pair.
Braden Schneider remains in the mix on a one-year deal after being floated in trade rumors again, but who slides in next to him on that third pairing still isn’t set in stone.
Alberts Smits reacts beside NHL commissioner Gary Bettman after being selected with the fifth pick in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft by the New York Rangers at KeyBank Center. / Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
Matthew Robertson seems like the favorite heading into camp after his breakout campaign in his first real opportunity at the pro level last year.
Sullivan already said that 2026 first-round pick Alberts Smits will have the chance to earn himself a spot out of camp too, but the team will also play things smart with him.
21-year-old Drew Fortescue could be in that mix as well, or they could turn to Urho Vaakaninen or Justin Dowling if they are looking for more experience in the lineup.
Right-handed d-men Scott Morrow and Vincent Iorio are back on one-year deals and figure to be in the mix for the seventh spot on the depth chart.
All in all, this group has strong depth and should be sharper this season.
Will any youngsters crack the team?
For the first time in a long time, the Rangers have some intriguing young talent knocking on the door at the NHL level.
Some of the youngsters have already been mentioned above.
Smits, Fortescue, and Morrow are the most notable to keep an eye on as things progress in the defensive battle.
As far as the forwards, the offseason additions may make it a bit tricky to scratch out anything more than a bottom-six spot, but you never know.
Just look at Noah Laba last season, carving out a regular role for himself during his rookie campaign after coming into camp as one of the longer shots.
Taylor Raddysh and Matt Rempe appear to be favorites, but someone like Jaroslav Chmelar could unseat them with a strong camp showing. Keep an eye on Liam Greentree and Cole Beaudoin, as well.
What will the top six look like?
Out with the old, in with the new.
The Rangers knew they needed to add some goal-scoring after moving on from their most consistent scorer, Artemi Panarin, ahead of last trade deadline.
So, Drury went out and landed himself a big fish, bringing in Pavel Dorofeyev in a blockbuster Draft Day deal with the Vegas Golden Knights.
Dorofeyev, who also immediately inked a seven-year extension, comes to the Big Apple seemingly only getting better and better with each passing season -- the big question that remains is who his new linemates will be.
It’ll be interesting to see if Sullivan decides to pair him with top center Mika Zibanejad and Alexis Lafreniere or bumps him down to the second line.
Zibanejad, Lafreniere, and young Gabe Perreault were clicking on all cylinders after being put together down the stretch last season. If Sullivan elects to keep that trio together, Dorofeyev would see himself skating alongside J.T. Miller and Oliver Bjorkstrand or Will Cuylle.
There are many different ways the Blueshirts can go; we'll see soon enough how they line up to start the year.
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR - SEPTEMBER 06: Luke Pelzer #6 of the Northwest Arkansas Naturals runs during the game between the Northwest Arkansas Naturals and the Arkansas Travelers at Dickey-Stephens Park on Sunday, September 6, 2026 in North Little Rock, Arkansas. (Photo by Caton Marsh/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
I am not a prospect hound. I don’t spend my time poring over scouting reports or watching tape. But that doesn’t mean that I am not interested in what’s happening on the Kansas City Royals farm. Those players playing in Omaha and Springfield and Davenport and Columbia have the potential to be future big leaguers, the potential to change the fortunes of the entire franchise.
So every year I like to peruse what I have access to: Minor League stats. And when I’m looking at those stats, I keep an eye out for guys with lines that interest me in one way or another. I have a system of sorts that I use, and though it’s basic I think it does pretty well. I look at four aspects of the stats:
Performance. I get that tools are important. But tools are meant to accomplish things on the field, and I value players who are productive.
Age. Until you get to the big leagues, you generally expect older players to dominate younger players. How often a player competes against older talent is an important indicator.
Skillset. How is a player accomplishing their production? Some skillsets translate better to big league play than others, and some deficiencies can be exploited more than others.
The Double-A line. Lots of guys are good in A ball. The upper minors are a crucible that separates guys who have a potential big league future and those who have a potential Banana Ball future.
Is this approach perfect? No. But I’m not in search of perfect. I’m in search of players who intrigue me and who I might want to spend time learning about because they could be future Royals.
Back in February, I applied this framework to Carter Jensen’s 2025 campaign. I argued that people were sleeping on Jensen, and that his track record and skillset at his age suggested that chances were really high that he’d end up as an effective big leaguer. Sure enough, Jensen has cruised to a 3.3 WAR season per Fangraphs this year–an incredible achievement for a rookie catcher. He’ll end up in the top three of the American League Rookie of the Year vote.
And now, I’m applying this framework to somebody a lot of Royals fans have no idea about: a 5’ 10” utility player from Wisconsin by the name of Luke Pelzer. What, you might be asking, is so interesting about a guy drafted in the 17th round from the University of Illinois Chicago? I’ll tell you what: dude just hits.
A .374/.450/.515 career slash line as a pro. Is that good?
After two full seasons in the minors with time in Columbia, Northwest Arkansas, and the Quad Cities, Pelzer has a robust .351/.429/.482 line. Oh, and this is coming off his senior year with the Flames where he hit .387/.455/.559.
Normally, you could chalk this up to a guy just being on a heater for a while–after all, batting average is a notoriously luck-dependent stat. Normally, you could chalk it up to your average late-round, no-power guy and point to Pelzer only having four home runs in those 565 minor league innings.
But I think there’s something there with Pelzer, for two key reasons. First: Pelzer’s swing is optimized to produce batted balls that result in hits. This year, Pelzer has posted a hilarious line drive rate of 27.5%. For context, there isn’t a single qualified hitter in Major League Baseball who has a line drive rate at 27% this season. Pelzer also limits fly balls, hitting them at a rate of 25.9% this year. And again, for context, only two of the 137 qualified MLB batters this year have hit fewer fly balls. Pelzer maximizes the types of batted ball events that could become hits and avoids the ones that become outs at a high rate.
The other reason is Pelzer’s plate discipline. Luke has walked 10.4% of the time this year and hasn’t walked below 10% in any of his three stops so far. It is pretty rare for a player with a contact-oriented swing to also have the eye to be able to take walks at the same time.
How rare is it? I took a look at all Minor League seasons dating back a decade with these qualifications:
Age 23 or younger season
Minimum 450 PAs
At least one plate appearance in Double-A
Batting average at least .300
Walk rate 10% or more
Line drive rate 27% or higher
Pelzer is one of only nine guys who qualify, and he has the highest batting average of anybody. Take a look:
Year
Name
Team
Level
Age
PA
BB%
K%
AVG
OBP
SLG
wRC+
2026
Luke Pelzer
KCR
A+,AA
23
482
10.4%
20.7%
0.336
0.407
0.466
128
2024
Kristian Campbell
BOS
A+,AA,AAA
22
517
14.3%
19.9%
0.330
0.439
0.558
177
2023
Vaughn Grissom
ATL
AAA
22
468
12.0%
14.1%
0.330
0.419
0.501
138
2016
Chance Sisco
BAL
AA,AAA
21
497
12.3%
17.7%
0.317
0.403
0.430
130
2025
A.J. Ewing
NYM
A,A+,AA
20
564
12.1%
18.6%
0.315
0.401
0.429
147
2025
LuJames Groover
ARI
AA
23
547
11.5%
14.4%
0.309
0.399
0.434
120
2026
Murf Gray
PIT
A,A+,AA
22
558
11.8%
20.4%
0.305
0.402
0.567
146
2026
Josue De Paula
LAD
AA
21
588
13.8%
14.8%
0.303
0.401
0.547
145
2024
Nick Yorke
PIT
AA,AAA
22
541
11.1%
18.7%
0.303
0.385
0.449
127
Now, none of those guys are world-beaters, at least not yet. But you know what they are? Big league players. Kristian Campbell, Vaughn Grissom, Chance Sisco, AJ Ewing, LuJames Groover, Josue De Paula, and Nick Yorke have all debuted with an MLB team. Murf Gray is a Top 100 prospect who is setting up a 2027 debut.
And then there’s Pelzer.
I want to be clear: I’m not saying that Pelzer is going to be the next Big Thing. The fact that he doesn’t hit for much power lowers his overall ceiling, and Pelzer is probably going to end up as a left fielder as opposed to a center fielder. That’s nice, but not a cornerstone defender or anything.
But what I am saying is that I think Pelzer is going to be a big leaguer, and it could happen as soon as next year. Keep an eye on him, because players with his performance and skillset don’t come along very often.
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 15: Daylen Lile #4 of the Washington Nationals is interviewed on the field after the game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Nationals Park on September 15, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As we enter the offseason, extensions will be a hot topic. Outside of Keibert Ruiz a few years ago the Nats have not really given out long term contracts to their young players. I hope that changes this offseason now that Paul Toboni has had a chance to evaluate everything.
Obviously, we would all love to see CJ Abrams and James Wood extended. However, those deals seem pretty difficult to pull off. A more realistic target is Daylen Lile. While Lile is not a superstar, he has established himself as a solid regular who still has room to grow. He is a well-rounded player who has the capability to carry the offense when he is rolling.
At 23 years old, Lile is still a player on the rise. After winning NL player of the month in September last year, Lile’s offensive production has been less consistent than expected. However, he has taken massive strides defensively, which has made him a solid ball player. Even with a streaky offensive season, Lile has posted 1.8 fWAR and 2.0 bWAR.
This just feels like the beginning for Lile as well. He has been more or less a league average hitter this season with a .251 average and .742 OPS. As he develops, I think he will be closer to a 120 wRC+ bat. If you can get that with his now above average defense, you have a very good starter.
Daylen Lile has 21 HR in his first full major league season. His OPS is up to .740.
Nats fans know what Lile is all about as a player at this point. The real question is what would an extension look like? When I looked over some recent contract extensions, I found a comparable deal. Before the 2025 season, the A’s signed Lawrence Butler to a 7-year $65.5 million extension with a club option for an 8th year.
Like Lile, Butler was coming off his first full big league season at age 23. His 2024 season was better than Lile’s 2026, but Lile has a longer track record of success. Butler’s 2024 success was propelled by a monster second half, he has been unable to replicate before or since. With Lile, we have a longer track record of at least solid production.
There are just so many similarities between the two. I think if you offered Lile that deal, he would have to seriously consider it. There is a chance that it could take a little bit more, but I think we are in the right range here. Jacob Wilson’s 7-year $70 million deal is another bench mark to look at too.
Getting an extension done this offseason would be a PR win for Paul Toboni and I think Lile is a good candidate. While it is unlikely that Lile explodes and becomes a mega-star, it is tough to see this deal just going off the rails.
Lile is not a Boras client and was drafted by the organization. All of these things make him such a logical extension candidate. I still think the ceiling is fairly high as well. If everything clicks, there still is a Michael Brantley type player in Lile.
One other thing I love about Lile is that he gets better as the season goes on. That has not been the case for a lot of the Nats key players. Lile can be a guy who can pick up the slack if James Wood goes into his customary August rut.
With his bat to ball skills, power and athleticism, Lile is also a very fun player to watch. He can fly around the bases and loves pushing the envelope. The youngster already has 19 triples in his career, which is a testament to his speed.
Even in a year that could have been better for Lile, he has still put up impressive numbers. 21 homers, 15 steals and 85 RBI’s is a good jumping off point. I still truly believe the best is yet to come for Lile though.
This year seems to have taught him a lot. He is known to be tough on himself and can get into ruts because of that. However, he has kept pushing and is peaking at the right time. Lile has an .823 OPS since the All-Star break.
Daylen Lile will never be the face of the franchise, but he is one of those perfect complementary players. I can totally envision him being a force on a good team. He also feels like the type of player who would rise to the occasion in a big spot.
He is not the biggest name on the team, but I think Daylen Lile is a prime extension candidate. I would love to see the 23 year old locked up and spend his whole prime in DC. He is already a good young player, but he has so much more left in the tank.
With those seven players heading back to junior, 17 players remain in camp and are expected to take part in the Flames’ main training camp activities beginning this week.
The roster will continue to take shape as Calgary’s coaching staff and management work through the next stage of preseason evaluations.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 11: James Wiseman #33 of the Golden State Warriors goes up to shoot and gets fouled by Drew Eubanks #24 of the Portland Trail Blazers during the third quarter of an NBA basketball game at Chase Center on October 11, 2022 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Knicks’ training camp suddenly became vastly more interesting this week when the team signed five veterans to Exhibit 9 deals: Bruce Brown, John Konchar, Ochai Agbaji, Drew Eubanks, and James Wiseman.
As Ian Begley (SNY) observed, “The veteran camp battles at this point are for a backup center spot (Eubanks vs. Wiseman) and a wing spot (Brown vs. Konchar vs. Agbaji).” Right on, a little MMA in the NBA! Are any of those names unfamiliar to you? Rest easy, friend: here’s a brief bio for each of the players named.
James Wiseman is a verrry interesting prospect. Drafted second overall by Golden State in 2020, he debuted as a promising center and averaged 11.5 points and 5.8 rebounds before a meniscus injury sidelined him for all of 2021-22. Traded to Detroit mid-2022-23 season, he showed flashes of efficiency (career 56% FG) but struggled with consistency and had limited opportunities. From there, he bounced to Indiana, where an Achilles tear cost him most of 2024-25.
Across 152 career games (56 starts), Wiseman has averaged nine points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Is this the case of a great talent, snakebit by injury, who is ready to finally prove his mettle on the biggest stage? Or is he damaged goods and a quick cut from camp? When a player profiles at 6’11”, 240lb—and since we just watched Mitchell Robinson leave for Boston—we’re excited to find out if he can fill out the center depth.
Drew Eubanks, an undrafted 6’10” big out of Oregon State, signed with the Spurs in 2018 and has carved out a steady NBA career as an efficient, defensive-minded big man across multiple teams. After four seasons with the Spurs, he moved to Portland (where he posted a career-high 14.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game as a starter in 2021-22), then dated Phoenix, Utah, the Clippers, and the Kings.
In 426 career games (86 starts), Eubanks has averaged 5.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks in 15.1 minutes while shooting 60% from the floor. He’d bring reliable rim protection and interior scoring off the bench, which would provide nice insurance behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond. (We have not confirmed if he’s related to the legendary Bob Eubanks.)
An undrafted 6’5″ wing out of Purdue Fort Wayne, John Konchar signed a two-way deal with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2019 and spent the bulk of his career there as a defensive specialist and sparkplug off the bench (and occasional starter). Over seven seasons mostly with Memphis—plus a mid-2025-26 trade to the Utah Jazz and his brief stop with Minnesota—he has appeared in 363 regular-season games (65 starts), averaging four-ish points, four rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 0.9 steals in 17.6 minutes. He’s shot 47% from the field and 35% from downtown. He’s a Josh Hart-style rebounder, capable of chasing down impossible balls and stuffing Anthony Davis at the rim (he has, Google it).
Konchar chose the Knicks over several other teams after being waived by the Timberwolves for salary purposes. While the Knicks are flush with guards and wings, he brings a strong defensive skill set that could save some mileage on OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges during the regular season.
Bruce Brown, a wily 6’4″ guard-forward drafted 42nd overall by the Pistons in 2018, has built a reputation as a hard-nosed, cowboy-hat-wearing, multi-positional defender and connector over eight seasons. Following two terms in Detroit and two in Brooklyn, he thrived as a key bench piece for the 2023 champion Nuggets (he averaged 11.5 points that season), then bounced between the Pacers, Raptors, Pelicans, and a return to Denver.
In 539 career games (272 starts), he has averaged 8.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 0.9 steals in 24.8 minutes while shooting 47.6% from the field. Last season, he appeared in all 82 regular-season games (starting four), averaging 7.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, and one steal in 24.4 minutes per game while shooting 48% from the field and 39% from three. He’s also a fan of country music, so it’s only natural that he would get Robinson’s old locker, which, we’re told, still smells of hay.
Ochai Agbaji was drafted 14th overall by the Cavs in 2022 but was traded to the Utah Jazz before the season began as part of the Donovan Mitchell deal. He spent his first two seasons in Salt Lake City (2022–24), then was traded to Toronto in February 2024. In Canada, he posted career-best averages of 10.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 2024–25. After playing part of the 2025–26 season with the Raps, he was dealt to the Nets at the trade deadline. Through four NBA seasons he has averaged roughly 7.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game.
His shooting percentages are all over the map, but he’s another lanky, versatile defender who could lighten the load for the Knicks starters on the long slog to repeating a championship.
New York has room for two more standard contracts, but keeping two camp veterans would likely require a salary-clearing trade to remain below the second apron. The Knicks also have three open two-way spots—Kevin McCullar Jr. remains under consideration, while second-round pick Tyler Nickel is expected to receive one. Get your popcorn ready!
Following the Detroit Red Wings' prospect tournament, and with training camp and the preseason on deck, the organization will have plenty of young players getting a crack at the main roster.
With Detroit undergoing a changing of the guard, there's a real chance a few of these names make the jump all the way to the NHL sooner rather than later. Last season, three rookies made the opening night roster in Emmitt Finnie, Michael Brandsegg-Nygård and Axel Sandin-Pellikka. This time around we're looking at three more youngsters who could make the opening night roster.
Carter Bear
The Red Wings' 13th overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft has quickly established himself as one of the organization's most promising prospects and is expected to make the jump to professional hockey next season.
After gaining valuable experience in preseason games, Bear returned to the Everett Silvertips and helped lead the team to its best record in franchise history while shifting his game from primarily offensive to a more physical style. Although his regular season production dipped slightly to 77 points in 53 games, he showed his scoring ability in the playoffs with 22 points in 18 games.
At six foot, 187 pounds, Bear has become more effective physically and around the net without sacrificing his playmaking and scoring skills, making him a strong candidate to begin next season with Detroit.
Nate Danielson
Danielson, the former ninth overall pick back in the 2023 NHL Draft, posted seven points in 28 games as a rookie before a season-ending lower-body injury in February, and will look for a steadier role in his second full crack at the NHL.
The good news for Detroit is that the injury is not expected to linger into the new season, with Danielson expected to be fully healthy heading into training camp. Given that he's already tasted NHL action and shown he can handle the speed and physical demands of the league, along with his ability to play down the middle, Danielson may hold a slight edge over other prospects competing for a full-time role, and a strong camp could be enough to lock down a permanent spot in Detroit.
Michael Brandsegg-Nygård
He wouldn't be a new name on the Red Wings roster but the 20-year-old has a better chance than ever to make a lasting run at the NHL level. Through his first nine games with Detroit to begin the season, Brandsegg-Nygård recorded an assist and tied for the team lead in hits with 28, while averaging roughly 12 and a half minutes of ice time per night.
He would go on to play five more games with the Red Wings to close out the season, but the bulk of his year was spent in the AHL with the record breaking Grand Rapids Griffins.
Brandsegg-Nygård experienced his share of highs and lows in his first full North American professional season, but he found his footing as the year went on. He finished with 20 goals and 24 assists for 44 points in 60 games with Grand Rapids, and carried that momentum into the postseason, posting four goals and four assists for a point per game pace during the Griffins' disappointing eight game playoff run.
The hope is that he can put it all together, arrive at training camp and the preseason with solid work behind him, and crack the lineup on a full time basis, finally making his impact felt at the NHL level.
Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!
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 or creating your own post in our community forum.
With training camps kicking off around the NHL, a former Philadelphia Flyers forward who had enjoyed an impressive end to the 2025-26 season has finally landed with a new team.
After adding Noel Acciari, and with the expected continued development of rookies like Porter Martone, Alex Bump, and Denver Barkey, the Flyers had no real need to add another depth forward this summer.
That, of course, meant that they had to let go of some established depth forwards, including Rodrigo Abols, Garnet Hathaway via trade, and Luke Glendening.
Hathaway and Glendening were two veterans who played a pivotal fourth-line role for the Flyers down the stretch, and while Hathaway ended up in Florida, Glendening remained unsigned throughout free agency despite his positional versatility and faceoff prowess.
On Wednesday, that changed, though, as the former Flyers forward agreed to a professional tryout with the Stanley Cup contending Tampa Bay Lightning, reuniting with his former club after a one-year break split between New Jersey and Philadelphia.
Glendening, 37, played 158 regular season games with the Lightning between the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons, scoring 14 goals, four assists, and 18 points while adding a goal and an assist in 10 playoff games.
Glendening found his form after joining the Flyers late last season via waiver claim from New Jersey, scoring two goals, three assists, and five points in 18 regular season games down the stretch, and adding another goal in the Flyers' 10 playoff games.
Previously, the Flyers and GM Danny Briere left the door open for the veteran to return, but ultimately, as we now know, the two sides went in separate directions, especially with the Flyers having little need to add more bodies at the forward position in training camp.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 14: (Editors Note: Tonal effects have been applied to this image) Keaton Wagler #1 of the LA Clippers poses for a portrait during the 2026 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot at UNLV on July 14, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Keaton Wagler is the most important player on the LA Clippers roster.
That might sound ridiculous when we’re talking about a 19-year-old rookie who hasn’t played a meaningful NBA minute yet, but hear me out.
The Clippers’ future outlook is bleak after being handed the most substantial team penalty in NBA history. The punishment includes fines and suspensions, but the most damaging part is the loss of five first-round draft picks from 2029 through 2033.
The Kawhi Leonard trade helped soften the blow. LA was able to get two unprotected future first-round picks from Toronto, but I don’t think it can be overstated how important it is for Wagler to become a legitimate NBA player.
Over the next seven NBA drafts, the Clippers have only those two Toronto first-round picks that aren’t tied up in complicated swaps, protections or forfeitures.
Unless the Clippers acquire more picks through trades, they simply aren’t going to have many opportunities to add high-level young talent through the draft. Even making those trades becomes harder when half the league can offer a pile of first-round picks and the Clippers are basically searching the couch cushions.
That’s what makes Wagler so important.
If Wagler develops into a star, the Clippers already have the hardest piece of a rebuild sitting on their roster: a young cornerstone they can build around.
If he doesn’t?
Well, then the Clippers have a problem.
They selected Wagler fifth overall in June, making him their highest draft pick since Blake Griffin went No. 1 overall in 2009. At the time, it looked like the Clippers had found an opportunity to inject some young talent into one of the oldest rosters in basketball.
Less than three months later, that pick looks more like a lifeline.
Wagler doesn’t have to become a Hall of Famer. He doesn’t have to become the best player from the 2026 draft. Honestly, he doesn’t even have to become a superstar.
But the Clippers desperately need him to become something.
A 20-point-per-game scorer. A legitimate long-term starter. A secondary creator. Ideally, an All-Star.
Because the normal safety net is gone.
If a normal NBA team misses on a top-five pick, it hurts. But eventually they get another shot. They go back into the draft, take another swing and hope they get it right the next time.
The Clippers don’t have that luxury.
It’s basically the basketball version of Michael Scott declaring bankruptcy. Losing five first-round picks doesn’t magically make all of your other problems disappear. You can’t just yell “I DECLARE A REBUILD” and suddenly have a bunch of 20-year-olds and lottery picks show up.
The Clippers’ next clean opportunities in the first round are years away, and there’s no guarantee those Toronto picks eventually land anywhere near the top of the draft.
That means Wagler’s development could legitimately determine what the next era of Clippers basketball looks like.
Fortunately, there are plenty of reasons to believe in him.
Wagler went from an overlooked recruit to one of the best players in college basketball in a matter of months. As a freshman at Illinois, he averaged 17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists while shooting nearly 40 percent from three. He led Illinois to the Final Four, became the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and played himself all the way into being the No. 5 pick in the NBA Draft.
Now the Clippers need him to make another leap. And this is where his rookie season becomes fascinating.
Nobody should expect Wagler to walk into the NBA at 19 years old and immediately become the Clippers’ best player. There will be bad games. There will probably be stretches where he looks completely overwhelmed. That’s what happens with young guards in the NBA.
The Clippers can afford patience with Wagler.
What they can’t afford is for him to eventually become just another guy.
Because this isn’t simply a team hoping its top-five pick works out anymore. Every team hopes its lottery pick becomes a star.
For the Clippers, the stakes have changed. They aren’t just developing a promising rookie. They might be developing the player who determines whether this franchise can survive the consequences of one of the harshest punishments the NBA has ever handed down.
Tampa Bay Rays designated hitter Yandy Diaz (2) singles to center field during a Major League Baseball game against the Houston Astros at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, on September 13, 2026. The Rays defeated the Astros 14-4 to sweep the series. (Photo by Kim Hukari/Image of Sport/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
So far this year the Rays as a team have produced just a 91 wRC+ against left-handed pitching heading into Wednesday’s game – ranking just 22nd in the league. After watching Martin Perez throw seven shutout innings against the Rays last week in Atlanta, I began wondering whether their struggles against left-handed pitching could become a problem in October. The short answer is no, and the current iteration of the roster suggests they should be better against lefties going forward.
First, that overall team wRC+ is skewed a bit. The problem is concentrated among the team’s left-handed hitters. They have combined for a 72 wRC+ against southpaws, while the team’s right-handed hitters have posted a 101 wRC+. Some left-handed hitters will still have to appear in a postseason lineup, but the Rays have enough alternatives that the weakest platoon bats do not all need to play.
Chandler Simpson should be in the lineup against lefty starters. He has transformed himself into an impact defender, and his skillset is platoon-neutral so there’s no reason his performance data should be as low as it has been against lefties. His contact rates are still near elite against them, but he does chase quite a bit more versus left-handed pitchers. Simpson’s underlying contact ability suggests there is room for improvement in his production against lefties, particularly if he can reduce the additional chase that has limited his results. It wasn’t an issue for Simpson in his minor league career as he maintained nearly identical chase rates against both righties and lefties, so I expect that to take shape in the majors with more time.
Jonathan Aranda is another player who could be in a lineup against left-handers. His approach is more passive against them; he gets his A-swing off about half the time compared to when he faces right-handers, but Aranda maintains similar contact rates against lefties. His results against southpaws have been roughly league average, and his batted-ball profile suggests he has leaned into contact toward left field and up-the-middle rather than trying to pull the ball. Here’s his spray heatmap against righties this year:
And then we can see how he’s going less pull-heavy when he faces a lefty:
That may not be enough to keep him in the lineup if Victor Mesa Jr. establishes himself as a viable everyday option.
Mesa looks like a potential everyday option for the Rays when healthy. He has similar contact and chase rates against both righties and lefties for his brief major-league career so far, and that trend extends back to his time in AAA since 2024. Mesa even gets to his best bat speeds when facing lefties, so he doesn’t appear to be overmatched by same-side matchups. I’m cautiously optimistic he could start and hold his own against lefties in a larger sample in the majors because of his underlying data. He plays near-elite defense in right field, so a configuration of Vilade at first base and Mesa in right field against lefties offers more impact on both sides of the ball compared to Aranda at first base and Vilade in right field.
Here’s how each position player on the current roster stacks up in the majors against righties and lefties from the start of 2024 through September 15th, 2026:
Player
Contact%(vs RHP and LHP)average ~77%
EV90(vs RHP and LHP)average is ~104mph
FB+LD% (vs RHP and LHP)average is ~48%
Yandy Diaz
85.8%, 88.6%
108.1mph, 108.2mph
39.5%, 47.4%
Jonathan Aranda
79.7%, 79.0%
105.9mph, 103.3mph
60.2%, 46.0%
Junior Caminero
76.4%, 78.4%
109.7mph, 110.2mph
43.0%, 43.2%
Liam Hicks
88.5%, 87.8%
101.1mph, 96.5mph
50.2%, 44.1%
Chandler Simpson
91.3%, 92.5%
96.7mph, 96.3mph
39.1%, 29.7%
Victor Mesa Jr.
77.3%, 84.7%
105.4mph, 98.0mph
60.3%, 45.8%
Cedric Mullins
80.2%, 81.6%
102.8mph, 100.9mph
53.4%, 49.0%
Richie Palacios
79.4%, 80.3%
101.4mph, 97.8mph
50.6%, 39.4%
Taylor Walls
79.3%, 79.9%
100.3mph, 98.0mph
51.5%, 46.1%
Ryan Vilade
78.6%, 79.9%
106.8mph, 106.9mph
41.0%, 53.2%
Nick Fortes
85.3%, 86.1%
102.6mph, 103.0mph
37.7%, 40.7%
Jonny DeLuca
79.9%,75.8%
102.7mph, 102.2mph
44.4%, 47.5%
Jake Fraley
78.8%, 82.2%
102.9mph, 97.0mph
52.7%, 42.4%
Jorge Mateo
72.1%, 75.1%
104.5mph, 104.0mph
44.9%, 55.0%
Nick Madrigal
89.9%, 92.5%
99.1mph, 97.7mph
38.1%, 35.7%
Ben Williamson
80.2%, 84.0%
102.9mph, 104.4mph
39.4%, 38.6%
Simpson’s underlying contact profile is nearly identical against both handedness groups, while Mesa’s contact and batted-ball data provide reason to believe he may be able to handle left-handed pitching better than his limited major-league results suggest. His Triple-A EV90 against lefties was 102.8 mph, suggesting the major-league split may have room to stabilize. Also, it’s likely that Mateo and Madrigal won’t be on the roster when Walls and Williamson get healthy. The left-handed hitters whose overall offensive production is weakest against southpaws are Aranda, Hicks, Mullins, Palacios, and Fraley.
With their current roster, the Rays have to use at least two left-handed hitters in a lineup against a left-handed starter. Here’s how I’d lineup against a left-handed starter with the current roster:
Yandy Diaz DH
Ryan Vilade 1B
Junior Caminero 3B
Jonny DeLuca CF
Chandler Simpson LF
Nick Madrigal 2B (or Ben Williamson when healthy)
Victor Mesa RF
Nick Fortes C
Jorge Mateo SS (or Taylor Walls when healthy)
This alignment prioritizes right-handed bats and defensive range while keeping the weakest left-handed platoon options on the bench. Cash could still use Aranda aggressively as a pinch hitter. Even if an opposing manager responds with a left-handed reliever, Aranda’s ability to shoot a single into left-center may be more valuable in a late-game matchup than in several early at-bats against a left-handed starter due to the difference in leverage.
While the lineup they can run against right-handed starters is more impactful, the drop-off against left-handed starters is not as severe as the Rays’ overall numbers might suggest. The combination of right-handed power, platoon-neutral contact skills, and strong defense gives them enough flexibility to build a competitive lineup against southpaws. If Mesa can establish himself as an everyday option, the Rays may have enough depth to handle left-handed starters without compromising their defensive identity.
For the tea time scene in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, the “candy” flower cup that Gene Wilder chomped on was actually made of wax. Additionally, the chocolate river was made of actual water, chocolate, and cream that spoiled throughout shooting.
The smallest ocean is the Arctic ocean.
It is also the shallowest and the coldest ocean among the world’s five ocean basins. The Arctic ocean is about 1.5 times the size of the United States.
An episode of Peppa Pig was banned in Australia.
This was mainly due to the episode’s message that aimed to teach children not to fear spiders. For Australians, spiders found on the continent are much larger and deadlier compared to other parts of the world. This episode was banned in the country so that children would not harm themselves whenever a spider was around.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 16: Nick Madrigal #20 of the Tampa Bay Rays secures a catch over his shoulder in the top of the seventh inning against the Athletics at Tropicana Field on September 16, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Parker S. Freedman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Wednesday ended up producing one of the more frustrating Yankees’ games of the season. Having rallied to tie the game after being down to their last out, the Yankees took leads in the 10th and 11th innings, and had the bases loaded and nobody out in the 12, but couldn’t put up a crooked number on any occasion. That allowed the Twins to continue answering and then eventually walk the game off in the 13th. While the Yankees had already won the first two games of the series, that was another very winnable one that they let slip away.
While that was a missed opportunity, just how much did it end up hurting the Yankees? Let’s check in on action from around the AL playoff races on Wednesday.
Tampa Bay Rays (92-59) 4, The Athletics (61-91) 3
Well, New York didn’t get any help in the race atop the AL East, as the Rays scored four early runs and withstood an A’s charge to hang on and gain a game on the Bombers. They’re 4.5 ahead of the Yanks and could boost it to a full five with another win over the A’s this afternoon.
Tampa Bay seemed like they were going to walk away with an easy one early. They picked up two runs in the first inning on Jonny DeLuca and Chandler Simpson RBI hits. They then opened up a 4-0 lead in the second after Nick Fortes and Ryan Vilade drove home runs with hits of their own.
However, the A’s kept Tampa Bay off the board after that and got back into the game. Tommy White and Henry Bolte each hit solo homers in the third, halving the Rays’ lead immediately. A Shea Langeliers RBI single in the sixth then had the A’s within one.
After that though, the Rays’ bullpen kept the Athletics in check. The A’s managed just one more hit over the final three innings, and it was a single that didn’t lead to much.
Other Games
Cleveland Guardians (78-75) 6, Chicago White Sox (77-75) 3: The Guardians have taken over first place of the AL Central after rallying to defeat the White Sox. Petey Halpin’s three-run home run helped Cleveland put up four runs in the sixth, taking the lead for good. The Pale Hose had gotten their own key three-run homer from Tommy Pham, but they couldn’t hold onto their edge and have now dropped to second place for the first time since July 3rd. Chicago is half a game behind Cleveland now and also only a game up for the last Wild Card spot.
Texas Rangers (76-76) 7, Boston Red Sox (82-70) 3: The Red Sox failed to take advantage of the Yankees’ loss, while the Rangers — aided by the game below — won to draw even for first in the AL West (yes, at .500). The game was tied going into the seventh, where Texas scored three runs via RBI hits from Brandon Nimmo and Ezequiel Duran. Nathan Eovaldi also gave them four good innings out of the bullpen, helping the Rangers to a key win.
Kansas City Royals (67-85) 5, Houston Astros (76-76) 2: Meanwhile, the Astros failed to beat the lowly Royals, resulting in the aforementioned tie atop the AL West. Houston couldn’t muster much against KC starter Daniel Lynch IV, who allowed just two hits in five innings. The Royals themselves only managed two runs off Cristian Javier, but they tacked on some insurances runs late on, allowing them to hang on for the win. Houston does have the tiebreaker over Texas, but this division struggle should go down to the wire.
Toronto Blue Jays (76-77) 5, Detroit Tigers (72-80) 1: Max Scherzer turned back the clock, allowing just one run in his five innings to help the Blue Jays to a win. The Tigers scored first, picking up a run in the top of the first, but that was all they got. Seven Toronto position players recorded at least one hit as the Jays overtook Detroit in the fourth inning and held on from there. The Jays are a game and a half back of the White Sox for the final Wild Card.
Baltimore Orioles (75-78) 7, New York Mets (69-83): Pete Alonso homered against his former team again as the Orioles picked up a necessary win for their slim playoff hopes. Mets’ starter Xzavion Curry was crushed to the tune of six runs in three innings, as the O’s went up big early and never looked back. Baltimore is still alive at two and a half games behind Chicago, but there’s no margin for error as they welcome the NL Central-winning Brewers to town tomorrow.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 28: Kyle Schwarber #12 of the Philadelphia Phillies runs the bases after his seventh inning two run home run against Kodai Senga #34 of the New York Mets at Citi Field on June 28, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The New York Mets (69-83) began their 2026 home schedule on MLB Opening Day by beating up on 2025 NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes, which filled fans with hope and excitement even beyond what we imagined was possible, for a team coming into the year with playoff expectations. The team will now conclude their home schedule with four games against the Philadelphia Phillies (84-68) after being mathematically eliminated from playoff contention and as a club just playing out rest of their schedule. For what little it’s worth, the Phillies lead the season series 5-4 and have won two of the three games at Citi Field.
The Mets are coming off one of the most surreal home series in recent memory, to say the least. Franchise Home Run Leader Pete Alonso took center stage in his return to Citi Field after leaving for Baltimore in the offseason, and the fan reaction sparked much lively debate on the radio waves, on podcasts, on social media, and everywhere else where sports discussion takes place. Mets fans, unsurprisingly, gave Alonso a hero’s welcome, but perhaps some, including the Mets’ players, did not expect just how resounding the applause would be. Alonso was cheered early and often, as his chase for 300 home runs seemed to be at the forefront of the fans’ mind.
In the end, he reached the feat at the most opportune time for his club, tying the game in the top of the ninth of Kodai Senga on Tuesday. The moment resulted in a standing ovation and a curtain call, which stunned many. For what it’s worth, I had very little problem with the Mets fans celebrating Alonso the way they did, and I thought it resulted in a nice moment with the fans who returned the ball, and that is the last we’ll say about that. Oh, and the Mets got swept, losing 2-1 on Monday, 7-5 in 11 innings on Tuesday, and 7-1 on Wednesday, which, at the very least, helped their tankathon odds. So it goes.
The Mets and their fans will go from celebrating and recognizing an icon who left the organization to two icons who remain within the organization during the final home weekend of the season. First, the club will recognize Carlos Beltran, who recently was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, by retiring his number and putting him in the Mets’ HOF on Saturday, September 19. On the following day, the team will appreciate long-time radio voice Howie Rose, who is retiring at the end of the season, with a special pregame ceremony on Sunday, September 20, which also represents the final Mets’ home game this year. The hopes are that, despite the bad record and despite being mathematically eliminated from playoff contention—this formality took place after Monday night’s loss to the Orioles—the Flushing Faithful will turn out to show their love for both Beltran and Rose, who each have a special place in Mets’ history.
The Phillies are in a completely different spot from the Mets, still fighting for their playoff lives but firmly in a spot at the moment. It’s a stark contrast between the two clubs, both of whom began the season pretty wretchedly. The two stories diverged when Philadelphia fired manager Rob Thomson on April 28, two full months before New York relieved Carlos Mendoza of his duties. The Phillies never looked back, and with Don Mattingly at the helm, they find themselves one game up in the Wild Card race. If the season were to end today, they would be the second NL Wild Card club, meaning they would travel to Wrigley Field for a date with the Cubs. However, both the red-hot Padres and the Diamondbacks, who sit on the outside looking in, are right behind them, so every game in this series is of the utmost importance to Philadelphia. The Phillies just split a two-game set with the Nationals.
Thursday, September 17: Nolan McLean vs. Aaron Nola, 7:15 PM EDT on FOX
For McLean to win NL Rookie of the Year, he basically had to end the year on a flawless run to make headway in the race. His chances took a big hit in his last start, as he allowed five earned runs on a career-worst 10 hits over five innings at Yankee Stadium. He only struck out five, which makes his quest for 200 Ks a bit challenging, as does his chance of reaching 180 innings. He likely has just one start left after this one against the Phillies, which means he’ll need to go 13 1/3 innings and strike out 16 across these two outings to reach two numbers that might make the voters take notice. In any event, he has been, by far, the best rookie hurler in the NL, though he still has a lot of things he can focus on fixing heading into his 2027 sophomore campaign, including his walks issued and his home runs surrendered.
It’s been a tale of two halves for Nola. In his first 21 starts of the year, he posted a 5.82 ERA and a 5.06 FIP in 108 1/3 innings. In nine starts since then, he’s posted a 2.38 ERA and a 4.44 FIP in 53 innings. Five of those nine outings have qualified as ‘quality starts’, and Nola has looked a little bit more like his old self. His last two starts have come against the Braves, and he went a combined 13 1/3 innings and allowed three earned runs on ten hits, with eight strikeouts and four walks. Despite the back-to-back quality starts, the Phillies lost both games, those Nola settled for a no decision in both. This is his third time facing the Mets this year and 33rd time in his career. He owns a 3.46 ERA with 230 strikeouts in his 32 appearances against New York.
Friday, September 18: Zach Thornton vs. Alan Rangel, 7:15 PM EDT on Apple TV+
Thornton is coming off one of his most impressive major league start. In the hitter friendly Yankee Stadium, he limited the potent Yankees’ lineup to two earned runs on five hits. He struck out four, walked one, and tossed 75% of his 81 pitches for strikes. He peppered the strike zone all afternoon and kept the Yankees’ bats at bay, while the Mets’ offense did more than enough to get the left-hander his fourth career win. Thornton has two more outings left to showcase his stuff as he looks to improve his standing within the club in the hopes of securing a spot in the 2027 rotation.
Rangel will step in for Luzardo, who hit the IL and will not pitch again in the regular season. He made three starts this year, all in July, with one of those outings coming against the Mets. New York treated him rather rudely, putting up five runs on seven hits in four innings to hand the right-hander a loss back on July 19. Overall, he’s given up eight earned runs on 13 hits over 11 1/3 innings as a starting pitcher in 2026.
Saturday, September 19: Christian Scott vs. Andrew Painter, 4:10 PM EDT on SNY
Scott was really impressive against the Yankees, completing six innings of work for just the third time since the All-Star break. He allowed two earned runs on three hits and struck out seven while allowing two walks. Unfortunately, two solo homers and a lack of offense against Cam Schlitter handed the right-hander his fifth loss of the season. Despite that, it was an encouraging outing for the right-hander, who looks to cement his spot in next season’s rotation with a strong finish to his first season coming off Tommy John Surgery.
The Phillies picked Painter in the first round (13th overall) in the 2021 MLB Draft, and he finally made his debut for the club this season. He’s had an up-and-down rookie campaign though has shown signs of promise as of late. He picked up a win in his first career start on March 31, as he held the Nats to one earned run on four hits with eight strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings. From then on, he went 0-8 and posted a 7.06 ERA and a 5.53 FIP in 53 innings across 14 starts, which earned him a demotion to Triple-A. Since returning on July 31, he’s been much better, posting a 3.58 ERA and a 3.77 FIP over 50 1/3 innings in nine starts. His last time out, he held the Braves to one earned run on six hits over five innings as he settled for a no decision. This will be his first taste of the Mets-Phillies rivalry.
Sunday, September 20: Jonah Tong vs. Cristopher Sánchez, 1:10 PM EDT on WPIX
Tong is coming off arguably the most impressive start of his young career, for many reasons. For one thing, it was the first time going six innings while not allowing an earned run. For another thing, he had to deal with the unique situation of having Mets fans loudly cheer an opposing player, and he handled it about as well as could be expected without appearing rattled. In all, he finished the outing allowing just one unearned run on four hits, with six strikeouts and one Polar Bear-sized walk. With a strong finish, he could put himself in a place to earn a spot in the rotation coming into spring training.
Through the end of June, Sánchez seemed to be the NL Cy Young frontrunner. The left-hander had an 2.00 ERA and a 2.30 FIP, with 136 strikeouts in 117 innings heading into July, but after that, he’s been much more pedestrian, posting a 4.34 ERA and a 3.54 FIP, 79 strikeouts in 76 2/3 innings. His strikeout rate has dropped from 28.6% in March-June, to 23.9% in July-September, while his HR/9 has jumped from 0.62/9 to 1.06/9 during those same stretches. He is also walking more batters, going from a 4.8% BB% from March-June to a 6.4% BB% in July-September. His struggles have been front-and-center across his last two starts, where he’s allowed 11 earned runs on 18 hits across 12 1/3 innings, with eight strikeouts, two walks, and three home runs allowed. With Luzardo hurt, it is imperative for Philadelphia’s World Series chances that Sánchez gets back to pitching like he did in the first half of the regular season.
FT. MYERS, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 15: Executives Mike Groopman, Eddie Romero, and Brian O'Halloran of the Boston Red Sox look on during a spring training team workout on February 15, 2024 at jetBlue Park at Fenway South in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Morning A’s fans!
The A’s have cast a growing net in their search for their next General Manager. Looking to replace their former long-time GM David Forst with someone capable of getting the A’s back to the playoffs, the first names to emerge were former GM’s James Click and Mike Rizzo, as well as current A’s assistant GM Billy Owens, who has been with the organization for the better part of three decades.
Well now we can add a couple more names to the list of potential new voices for the front office. Joe Doyle of OverSlotBaseball threw out a post a couple of days ago naming Red Sox assistant GM’s Mike Groopman and Taylor Smith as the newest candidates to lead the Athletics heading into Las Vegas:
The Athletics are casting a wide net in their search for their next general manager. According to multiple sources, they’ve had conversations with Boston Red Sox SVP/AGMs Mike Groopman and Taylor Smith about the role.
The AGM’s have been speculatively connected to bigger jobs over the past couple of years, especially Mike Groopman. The 41-year-old originally worked under current Mets PBO David Stearns in Milwaukee in their international scouting and player development department before getting a promotion and joining the Red Sox in 2022. He’s done a bit of everything with Boston but was especially involved in roster building, and is largely credited within the Red Sox’s organization for pushing the Garrett Crochet trade over the top.
He originally was in charge of analytics under then-GM Chaim Bloom, who famously delegated different duties to his lieutenants. But he would eventually secede those responsibilities to the other name connected in Joe Doyle’s report, fellow assistant GM Taylor Smith. Smith is yet another graduate of the Rays’ organization, joining the AL East rivals in 2024 after being Tampa’s director of “predictive modeling”. Since he’s been with the Red Sox for a shorter amount of time it’d be fair to assume he’s lower on the totem pole within the Boston front office but many in the league think it’s just a matter of time until he gets to build his own team somewhere.
Both of these guys have had interviews for full GM spots before with Boston, though these might be their first for new organizations. Between the two, Groopman seems to have more hands-on experience while Smith might have more of an analytical mind. If the A’s want a first-time GM, and one who comes from outside of the organization, you could do a lot worse than starting with these two guys. Is that the direction the team wants to go though with Las Vegas now just a year away? We’ll have to wait and see but there’s rumors they might pick their man before the season is over.
Fantastic development for Ryan Lasko leaving the hospital!
22 strong, always 💚💛
Ryan is heading home today after spending time in a rehab facility and he received a special surprise clap out from everyone along the way! He will begin out patient therapy and continue his journey to recovery.
No Devin Taylor this Fall League. Instead Breyson Guedez getting extra work this offseason:
A's are sending OF Breyson Guedez, catchers Cole Conn & Davis Diaz and pitchers Kenya Huggins, Tucker Novotny, Jared Johnson, Jay Dill & Grant Richardson to the Arizona Fall League. Originally planned to send Devin Taylor instead of Guedez but decided to give Taylor a rest.
Positive signs but definitely not enough to prevent the team from adding pitching this offseason:
“I said, ‘Look, if you get back here and get this opportunity, you need to take advantage, because you haven’t taken advantage yet.’ Tonight was a big step.”
Jack Perkins’ best start as a big leaguer Tuesday in Tampa could not have come at a better time. https://t.co/MxDwnwB94m
DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 16: Ethan Salas #8 of the San Diego Padres hits his first career home run in the second inning during the game against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on September 16, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning everyone and happy Thursday!
The Mariners managed to secure a victory in the series finale against the Angels, winning 7-2. The team has an off-day today as they head to Denver for what is sure to be a high-scoring affair with the Rockies.
In Mariners news…
Everett is in danger of losing the AquaSox with its stadium project hitting major hurdles. Neetish Basnet at Puget Sound Business Journal has more.
Felnin Celesten is taking home some hardware following a breakout season with the AquaSox.
