Mat Barzal will be sidelined two weeks with an injury and could miss the start of the Islanders' season.
The Islanders will open training camp without Mat Barzal — and it looks like the season as well.
Barzal won’t skate for the next two weeks after aggravating a prior injury, casing inflammation, the Islanders announced on the eve of training camp.
Given that opening night in Toronto is Sept. 30, exactly two weeks from Wednesday’s announcement, and that beginning to skate does not equate to returning to play, it seems that he will miss time to start the year as well, though how much is not clear.
Mat Barzal will be sidelined two weeks with an injury and could miss the start of the Islanders’ season. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
“He is actively working to get back to full health. There is nobody more committed than Mathew to getting his body to the level where he thrives on the ice,” the Islanders said in a statement. “We expect him to continue getting healthy and back in the lineup as soon as possible.”
Regarding the immediate impact on camp and the start of the season, Barzal’s absence punches a hole in the Islanders top six, and disrupts coach Pete DeBoer’s plan to move No. 13 back to center. Someone else — likely Brayden Schenn or Calum Ritchie — will have to fill the second-line center job in Barzal’s stead.
There is now a clear spot open as well for Victor Eklund, who is expected to push for an NHL job at training camp after a superb week at rookie camp. Eklund’s game looks like it fits best in the top six or perhaps the third line, and at least for the time being, the Islanders are in need of someone who can produce points in Barzal’s absence.
Eklund, then, has a golden opportunity to prove himself irreplaceable.
Barzal’s situation, though, might be more worrying than merely missing two weeks.
Though Barzal played 81 games last year and was never injured enough to miss games, he dealt with issues behind the scenes related to a left kneecap problem that required surgery, ending his 2024-25 season. He did occasionally miss practices or morning skates due to maintenance.
slanders center Mathew Barzal (13) looks for the open man as Tampa Bay Lightning center Curtis Douglas (42) and Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point (21) defend. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
“Obviously with my injury there was stuff all year that I had to work through,” Barzal said on breakup day. “But every second of my day, really, off days or when we weren’t playing was just about managing my body. That’s just how I am.
“Injuries like I had usually take a year or two years to really start to settle in and feel normal again. I definitely had my own program of staying healthy. I could have played every game this year.”
The Islanders did not indicate in their statement whether this is related, and in response to a text asking, a team spokesman said only that it is “a previous injury.”
Barzal initially committed to play for Team Canada at World Championships last spring, but pulled out in what Hockey Canada said was “a precaution due to a minor, preexisting injury.” At that time, the Islanders released a statement saying Barzal was expected to be ready for camp.
The nature of that injury was undisclosed as well, making it unclear whether it was related to his knee.
In 2023, Barzal also missed the last seven weeks of the regular season with what was suspected to be a right knee injury.
Barzal’s production last season, at least, did not appear impacted. He scored 19 goals and assisted 53 — the total of 72 points was the third-highest of his career. He was the Islanders’ leading points-getter, with no one else breaking 60.
After an offseason in which the Islanders did not make any major additions, instead hoping that Kyle Palmieri’s return from an ACL injury would help buttress their scoring, Barzal is too critical a piece of the puzzle to lose for an extended period.
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 15: Daniel Duarte #54 of the New York Mets throws to first for the out in the tenth inning during the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Mets at Citi Field on Tuesday, September 15, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Hailey Leonard/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Mets are placing Robert Stock and Daniel Duarte on the injured list today and recalling Xzavion Curry and Jefry Yan from Triple-A Syracuse. Stock will be placed on the 15-day IL, retroactive to September 13, due to numbness in his fingers. Duarte will also be on the 15-day IL due to a left hamstring strain.
Stock last started against the Marlins on September 9. He allowed three runs on five hits and two walks in the four innings that he pitched. His ERA currently sits at 5.93, and his WHIP is 1.75 through seven starts and one relief appearance. Stock previously had surgery in March for thoracic outlet syndrome, which delayed the start of his season as well.
Duarte pitched last night in the tenth inning against the Orioles, and while trying to prevent a run on a wild pitch, jumped over Christian Encarnacion-Strand sliding into home plate and landed awkwardly. However, he finished the tenth inning without allowing any more runs to score. His ERA is 2.12, and his WHIP is 0.81 in 29.2 innings pitched in relief for the Mets this year.
Curry has worked out of the bullpen previously for the Mets, and he will get the start tonight in place of Stock. His ERA is 3.44 in 18.1 innings pitched, and his WHIP is 1.31. Yan will return as a relief option, having pitched 12.2 innings in his previous major league stint. His ERA sits at 5.68, and his WHIP is 1.89.
Sep 15, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Detroit Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson hits a double against the Toronto Blue Jays in the eighth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Detroit Tigers (72-79) vs. Toronto Blue Jays (75-77)
Outfielder Scott Bandura's first games in Major League Baseball this week included a reunion with the player who made him part of Little League World Series history.
“This has always been his dream, to be in the bigs,” Davis said, according to MLB.com. “So for me to come watch him play is pretty cool.”
Bandura's father, Steve, first started coaching Davis in several sports when she was seven years old, and eventually coached the Taney Dragons Little League World Series team a dozen years ago. Davis later lived at Bandura's home for five years when her family moved to New Jersey from the Philadelphia area.
Twelve years after playing as teammates in the Little League World Series, Mo'ne Davis came out to support her former catcher, Scott Bandura!
Davis went on to play softball at Hampton, while Scott Bandura played baseball at Princeton and became a 7th-round pick for the Giants in 2023. He began this year with the franchise's AA affiliate in Richmond, Virginia before being promoted to AAA in Sacramento early in the season.
He was in the lineup as San Francisco's right fielder when the team faced the Cardinals again during an afternoon game on Sept. 16. He has two hits in his first eight MLB plate appearances.
From Williamsport to the Major Leagues.
12 years after Scott Bandura caught for Mo’ne Davis during the Taney Dragons’ unforgettable Little League World Series run, Davis was at Busch Stadium tonight to watch her longtime friend live out his big league dream. pic.twitter.com/ds0gBrzi3F
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 8: Freddie Freeman #5 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on from the dugout during the fifth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium on September 8, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Melina Pizano/Getty Images) | Getty Images
gambit – noun
a chess opening in which a player risks one or more pawns or a minor piece to gain an advantage in position
Now, if your mind immediately went to the Marvel Comics character and you were confused, fair enough. Here’s the clip you likely thought of, so we can all feel better and get to the heart of the essay.
And for the record, Freddie Freeman is hardly a minor piece, but giving up a major piece for tactical advantage is called a sacrifice, which wouldn’t be appropriate given the circumstances here, as Freeman returned to the lineup for the September 15 game against the Cincinnati Reds.
A funny thought occurred to me while watching Freddie Freeman these last few months:
“Where did his power go? He sure seems like he’s hitting into more double plays than I remember.”
Looking at Freeman’s stats for the year, apart from the power and RBI numbers being down a bit, nothing looks amiss. Honestly, I originally dismissed the feeling that something was wrong because Freeman was hitting up a storm for about a month after the All-Star Break.
There wasn’t much power behind it, but when someone has a slash line of .367/.402/.411 over 24 games starting from the All-Star Break, pointing out fault feels like searching for a fly in the ointment. Yes, Freeman only had four doubles, eight RBIs, and nearly three times as many strikeouts as walks, but the overall body of work looked pretty good.
Freeman had a solid couple of games in Denver where he hit for doubles power and used the entire field. However, since the Denver series, where Freeman was hitting for average, he’s just not.
When you aren’t hitting for either average or power, alarm bells tend to finally ring.
Power drained
On September 9, Freeman was kept out of the lineup for right knee soreness and was considered day-to-day. To his credit, Dave Roberts did mention Freeman’s slump on September 9.
Roberts said there was no one incident that caused Freeman’s knee soreness, but he believes it has impacted his performance at the plate lately.
“Freddie does a really good job of hitting against his front side, and then when you can’t do that with your front side, your right knee, then you’re compromised,” Roberts said. “I see there’s a lot more swing-and-miss the last few days. That’s just not who he is.”
In the 18 games since the Colorado series until the start of play on September 15, Freeman has a slash line of .215/.338/.292. He does have his only home run of the second half, and his strikeouts-to-walk ratio is about 1.5/1 instead of 3/1 earlier in the year.
The problem is more of the eye test: Freeman is starting to finally look, and maybe move, like his age.
I’m not a hitting expert, but having a diminished knee would make it harder to rotate to hit stuff middle in. On the September 13 broadcast of the finale against the Miami Marlins, Dontrelle Willis pointed out how Freeman is compromised rotationally generally, as pitches he would normally drive the other way are being weakly hit.
Even after Freeman hit a career-high and now league-high in double plays on Sunday, the Dodgers are not seriously entertaining putting Freeman on the injured list, per Katie Woo of The Athletic:
“I think it’s one of those things where we’ve got to manage it … just pick spots to give him an off day here or there,” Roberts said. “Again, we’ve just got to make sure he’s at optimal health when we finish the season. So I think that he might not love it, but giving him a day off here or there might be beneficial.”
The Dodgers don’t believe an IL stint is necessary. Instead, Roberts is working in frequent off days. That’s rare for Freeman, who hasn’t played in fewer than 147 games in any season as a Dodger. Freeman had a scheduled day off over the Dodgers’ previous nine-game homestand and also served as the designated hitter twice in that span. He wasn’t in the lineup in the last game of the homestand on Wednesday, and following a team travel day, he also sat out Friday’s game.
[Emphasis added.]
Freeman insists he feels fine.
Freeman hitting into two double plays and having a key miscue that contributed to the season and series loss to the Miami Marlins seems to indicate otherwise. It’s worth noting that Freeman hit another tailor-made ground ball to second on a pitcher’s pitch in his final at-bat that likely would have turned into another double play had Mookie Betts not doubled earlier in the frame.
“Just talking to him today, he said he felt good,” Roberts said. “Obviously, the swings don’t indicate that, don’t validate that. On the defense, he’s obviously not moving as well as he’s used to.
“I think that he’s doing anything and everything he can to prepare. But yeah, the last week, it’s pretty obvious that he’s not himself in the box.”
Freeman won’t be in Monday’s starting lineup, Roberts said, but should play Tuesday…
[Emphasis added.]
Much like the sense one had when watching the Americanized remake of the original 1954 classic Gojira, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, one would expect a sense of deja vu right now, even with character actor Raymond Burr long dead.
Japanese Original, American Remake
I am typically not one to mince words, and I shall not do so here. Along with Dustin Nosler of Dodgers Digest, I was dead on the money regarding the Dodgers’ malpractice in not acting decisively on Ohtani and his reluctance to admit injury in the face of personal dogma of success.
I argued that the Dodgers had bungled spectacularly, and events worked themselves out to prove my initial hypothesis correct on all fronts. Now the team has backed itself into a corner regarding Ohtani.
Contrary to what some might think, I did not enjoy being right. Frankly, I am correct often enough that I do not need the constant validation, unless it comes from either the Dodgers broadcast team or national media. (In which case, gimme.)
Nobody is blameless in the Shohei Ohtani injury saga. Not the Los Angeles Dodgers’ front office, which should have been more proactive in protecting the team’s biggest star. Not Ohtani, who downplayed the severity of his symptoms. And while hindsight is always 20-20, there were warning signs throughout the last few weeks that suggested a stint on the injured list was the safest course of action if the organization wanted to give its prized star the best possible chance at healing in time to begin the Dodgers’ quest to win three straight World Series.
As the Dodgers prepare to be without Ohtani until Sept. 23 at the earliest, their biggest concern has become a reality. When Ohtani — who is expected to be placed on the injured list on Friday — does return, there is no guarantee he’ll be in optimal condition for the postseason.
[Emphasis added.]
Um, excuse me? To quote one of the finest bits of media from the 2010s, I get to channel Chris Taylor for once and declare the following:
I know, Ms. Woo means nobody relevant, but words matter, and any excuse for referential comedy is a good one.
“I think that if it were a postseason game tomorrow, (Ohtani) would be in the lineup,” manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday afternoon, hours before announcing Ohtani would be placed on the IL. “I think that now you’re talking about two weeks, 14 days. I feel that that’s substantial. He’ll be in a much better place than he was today. Is it going to be to 100 percent? Probably not. But I do think that with this time that we’re taking now he’ll be in an adequate spot to finish the season.”
Adequate is a far cry from healthy. It is fair to question how Ohtani was handled in the second half. Should he have attempted a pitching comeback, knowing his physical health was limited? Should the Dodgers have stopped that push sooner, or placed him on the injured list earlier? In their first season of managing Ohtani as a full-season two-way player, there was always going to be some trial and error. That was acknowledged from the start of the season by both Roberts and president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman. And in fairness, there was a cognizant effort to keep Ohtani as rested as possible, including a season-long six-man rotation and an attempt to maneuver Ohtani’s starts to line up on games prior to a team off day, when possible.
Hindsight is generally 20/20. I am sure if the Dodgers were armed with foreknowledge in a do-over, they would not have Ohtani’s best pitching starts of the year be in Houston and San Francisco … in May.
At the risk of retreading previously covered ground, we shall conclude this portion with Roberts’ regret, especially considering that Ohtani tweaked his arm in his last played game and did not immediately tell anyone about it:
Looking back, it is something Roberts wish happened a week ago.
“I think if we look right now, here today, I would love to go back and put him on the IL,” the manager said. “But I did feel at that moment in time, we all felt that giving him four days was sufficient. He was agreeable. Getting him out there on Monday with the hope that he would be able to play tonight. But where we’re at right now, sure.”
The Dodgers should have followed their own advice or learned from their handling of Ohtani to send Freeman back to Los Angeles for ten days before arriving in Cincinnati.
They didn’t.
The Dodgers have calculated that whatever value Freeman can generate in the waning days of the season is greater than the potential benefit of having Freeman recuperate for ten days, having three days against the already-eliminated San Francisco Giants to use as a tune-up. Hence, the title of this essay: the Freeman Gambit.
Yesterday’s game showed promise, even with a couple of moments that made one grimace. Freeman talked about how his three-hit performance likely ensured he would play on September 16.
Fabian Ardaya of The Athleticreported Roberts’ comments on the health issues of players like Ohtani, Freeman, and Edgardo Henriquez after the Dodgers clinched their fourteenth consecutive postseason appearance:
“I think right now it’s front of mind, it’s not great,” Roberts said. “But I will say this: Once you get to October, athletes have a magical way of feeling better. It happens every single year, where there’s that extra adrenaline that athletes get when you get to the postseason.”
The Dodgers still boast what is likely baseball’s most talented roster and an established track record of postseason success that might be enough to make history. That was the heart of Roberts’ toast: that the Dodgers have not yet played their best baseball.
They still can.
“We just haven’t really gotten everyone all synced up at the same time,” Muncy said. “So it is a scary thought to think what we could possibly do if we did that. So hopefully that’s still ahead for us at the right time.”
Whether the Freeman Gambit pays off over the next two weeks before the upcoming postseason tournament is an open question. Gambits are risky, even when they work.
Apr 19, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) looks down the court against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second half during game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Training camp is approaching, which means we’ve reached the end of our preseason administrative duties and completed the process of ranking every member of the Phoenix Suns based on who we believe the best players are right now.
To everyone who took the time to vote throughout the process, thank you. These rankings give us a baseline for how we view this roster before the games begin. And once the season is over, we’ll come back, do it all again, and see how much those perceptions have changed based on what actually happened on the court.
So, without further ado, here is your final preseason SunsRank:
#
Community SunsRank
1
Devin Booker
2
Jalen Green
3
Dillon Brooks
4
Collin Gillespie
5
Miles Bridges
6
Mark Williams
7
Jordan Goodwin
8
Oso Ighodaro
9
Khaman Maluach
10
Rasheer Fleming
11
Luke Kennard
12
Haywood Highsmith
13
Koa Peat
14
Ryan Dunn
15
Pat Spencer
16
Jamaree Bouyea
17
CJ Huntley
18
Koby Brea
One of the most interesting aspects of the final rankings is where everyone ultimately landed on the Cornerstones. You want to talk about narrow margins? In the community rankings, the difference between Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks came down to one hundredth of a point, with Green barely edging him out. That’s about as close as it gets.
Here’s how the final Cornerstone rankings shake out:
Personally, I had Jalen Green comfortably ahead of Dillon Brooks. Again, this is all subjective, but if I’m looking purely at skill set, I think Green is the better basketball player. That doesn’t diminish what Brooks brings to Phoenix. The culture shift. The identity. The toughness. The attitude. The example he sets for younger players. A lot of that is unquantifiable.
But if I’m asking myself which player I would rather have on my team, regardless of contract, I’m taking Green. And I think the larger point is what each player means for the Suns’ ceiling. If Jalen Green is your second-best player, I believe Phoenix can go further and accomplish more. If Dillon Brooks is your second-best player, you’re probably looking at a much lower ceiling. You know, like getting swept out of the postseason.
I also factor upside into the equation with Green. If he can finally turn the talent and athleticism we’ve seen in flashes into consistent production, it changes everything. It raises the Suns’ ceiling and creates some interesting decisions for the front office when it comes to his future and a potential extension.
For anyone who ranked Brooks ahead of Green, I don’t fault them at all. What Brooks brings to this team is incredibly valuable and hard to quantify. I just don’t know if I see him as the second-best player on a team that wants to seriously compete.
And that’s ultimately what SunsRank is supposed to capture. Not who has the better contract or who we appreciate more, but who we believe is the better player today. Green has more to prove, while Brooks has already shown exactly how valuable he can be. Now the rankings are locked, the debates are documented, and the baseline is established. The fun part comes next. Basketball gets to tell us how wrong we were.
TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 14: Brett Bateman #21 of the Toronto Blue Jays reacts after hitting a single in the first inning during a game against the Detroit Tigers at Rogers Centre on September 14, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Just win, ok?
I hate weekday day games, but today it is ok. I kind of needed a day of letting the little aches and pains ease off. Most of the time I think I’m still 30, but occasionally
Wednesday afternoon’s game against the Cleveland Guardians might be the biggest one of the season for the Chicago White Sox.
The South Siders entered play on Wednesday just a half-game ahead of Cleveland in the AL Central standings, and with meeting representing the final game between the two teams this season, it was an opportunity for Chicago to put some distance between their rivals in the division.
It was also a chance for Tommy Pham to try and get back into the lineup.
Pham, acquired by the White Sox in a trade back on September 1 with the Philadelphia Phillies, has only appeared in a handful of games this entire season, and entered play without a hit to his credit all year. He was also placed on the 10-day injured list back on September 6, due to a left calf strain, after appearing in just one game for the White Sox.
But the veteran outfielder bumped into White Sox general manager Chris Getz in the elevator on Tuesday night and made his pitch, telling Getz he was ready to play:
Tommy Pham (calf) activated and batting cleanup for the White Sox. He said he ran into Chris Getz in the elevator last night and told him he was ready. “What happens if you don’t run into him?” “Probably wait till this weekend.”
As luck, or the baseball gods, would have it, Pham came to the plate with a pair of runners on for the White Sox in the top of the fifth inning, with two outs. Chicago trailed 2-0.
That’s right. Hours after convincing his general manager that he was ready to play, Pham recorded his first MLB hit of the season, a go-ahead three-run shot for the White Sox in perhaps their biggest game of the season.
So there is a lesson here, friends. You are your own best advocate. Speak up for yourself. Make that elevator pitch.
Even if it is a literal elevator pitch, like Pham did.
Wiseman was the No. 2 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft by the Warriors. He has failed to live up to expectations after opportunities with the Warriors, Pistons and Pacers.
The Knicks are currently at 13 standard NBA contracts – one under the required 14.
James Wiseman #13 of the Detroit Pistons looks on during the game on February 10, 2024 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NBAE via Getty Images
Teams are allowed up to 15, though the Knicks only have room — unless other moves are made — for one more deal to stay under the second apron.
So, it’s a battle for that 14th spot. Whoever wins the competition will convert to a standard contract ahead of the season.
It’s similar to what the Knicks did last year, letting a few veterans – mostly Landry Shamet, Malcom Brogdon and Garrison Matthews – compete for their final standard contract.
Bruce Brown #11 of the Denver Nuggets reacts after a dunk against the Phoenix Suns in the fourth quarter at Ball Arena on April 29, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. Getty Images
After Brogdon’s sudden retirement, Shamet beat out Matthews and ended up being a key bench piece during the team’s championship run. The last roster spot is certainly something that can matter down the line.
NBA training camps tend to be boring in terms of the roster. Nearly every team enters camp with 14-15 standard guaranteed contracts and little drama about who will suit up on opening night. This isn't "Hard Knocks" (at least back when that show had drama).
New York Knicks training camp this year is going to be spicy.
New York has agreed to terms with veteran guard Bruce Brown, bringing him into training camp on a non-guaranteed deal, the team announced.
Brown played in all 82 regular season games for Denver last season, averaging 7.9 points per game and shooting 38.5% from beyond the arc.
This comes a day after the Knicks signed veteran guard John Konchar to the exact same kind of deal. The Knicks also signed big men Ochai Ogbagi and James Wiseman to Exhibit 9 deals on Wednesday.
What that means is that Brown, Konchar, Ogbagi, Wiseman and Drew Eubanks all will enter Knicks training camp on non-guaranteed deals and be fighting for essentially one final roster spot. While there will be some agent spin that the Knicks could keep two of them — they have just 13 standard contracts and two open roster spots — the reality of them staying below the second apron (as mandated by owner James Dolan) means only one roster spot is truly available.
The Knicks did something similar a season ago, with Landry Shamet winning the camp battle and then going on to play a meaningful role in the team's championship run.
It will be interesting to see how this year's Knicks training camp plays out. Will the Knicks lean toward guard depth or another big? Is it simply who plays best? It's going to be an interesting camp in New York.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - SEPTEMBER 06: Christian Encarnacion-Strand #32 of the Baltimore Orioles drives in a run with a double in the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 06, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It has been a week filled with an odd sort of pride for the player development wing of the Cincinnati Reds organization. Whether they felt their seats getting warm, or not, we do not know, but this week revealed the news that team isn’t planning a major overhaul of baseball operations this winter despite another woeful season in just about every big league category.
All this as the prize of their process over the last half dozen years, Elly De La Cruz, soars while playing the best baseball of his still-young career.
Wear that one on your lapel, player development and scouting. This one you have earned.
The rest of the Reds offense, though, has flopped at an epic rate. Yesterday’s loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers means that in 4 of their last 6 games the Reds have either a) been shut out completely or b) Elly drove himself in for the team’s lone run scored. The players they’ve chose to deploy up and down the lineup outside of Elly, Sal Stewart, and the second half surges from Eugenio Suarez and Tyler Stephenson simply haven’t gotten the job done at all for most all of 2026, particularly of late.
Through that frustration came the news yesterday that the Baltimore Orioles were going to roll out a lineup featuring Rece Hinds at leadoff and Christian Encarnacion-Strand batting cleanup. You may recognize those names. You may also recall one Jose Barrero, who was added to Baltimore’s taxi squad on Tuesday after bashing 23 homers at the AAA level before Norfolk’s season came to a close.
CES wasted little time making sure folks noticed his day yesterday, homering off New York Mets lefty Sean Manaea in his first PA of the game.
For the season, CES is hitting .266/.317/.485 (.802 OPS) across 184 PA, his 9 homers and 10 doubles fueling a 125 OPS+. Those aren’t too dissimilar to the .270/.328/.477 (.805 OPS) marks he put up in 241 healthy PA with Cincinnati in his rookie year in 2023 before a wrist injury seriously screwed with his swing. On top of that, Baltimore is regularly leaning on him at 3B – not 1B – while the Reds have since thrown money at Jeimer Candelario, Ke’Bryan Hayes, and Eugenio Suarez to try to solve the hot corner since CES debuted.
(Is this where I mention the Reds rank dead last as a team in Defensive Runs Saved this season? That’s probably worth a totally different article altogether.)
Anyway, it has hardly been a rose-smelling season for the Orioles at 74-78, but one thing they’ve been able to pull out of this murk and mess is another promising young, controllable player cast aside by a different, impatient franchise. That’s precisely what teams who are trying to build themselves up on the cheap need to find, and in this instance the Reds gave one away for just about the most ridiculous reasons imagineable. For those who think JJ Bleday has ended up being ‘found money’ for Cincinnati this year, well, imagine if Bleday hit better and played a more premium defensive position, because that’s what the Reds gave away this year, too.
NHL training camps are getting underway, and it's time to see how all the offseason moves will pan out.
There certainly were plenty, with the U.S. Olympic gold medal team playing center stage. Brady Tkachuk was traded to Florida to join brother Matthew, Columbus' Zach Werenski turned down a trade and Dylan Larkin and Connor Hellebuyck both requested trades.
Big money was the other story. Kirill Kaprizov was scheduled to enter the season as the NHL's highest-paid player at a $17 milion cap hit, but he was passed by Anaheim's Leo Carlsson ($18 million offer sheet), Macklin Celebrini ($18.8 million extension) and Cale Makar ($20.4 million extension) during the summer.
Here are grades for all 32 NHL teams on their offseason moves:
Anaheim Ducks
The Flyers' five-year, $90 million offer sheet to Leo Carlsson threw off the Ducks' salary cap situation. Though Anaheim matched, it had to overpay defenseman Pavel Mintyukov and initially lacked the room to re-sign Cutter Gauthier. The team and Chris Kreider agreed to terminate his contract to create space and Gauthier signed for six years at a reported $13.5 million cap hit. The team's defensive depth is diminished after Radko Gudas, Jacob Trouba and Olen Zellweger left, though Nick Jensen is a good addition.
Grade: C-
Boston Bruins
J.J. Peterka was acquired from the Mammoth, his second trade in a year, for two first-round picks, and Viktor Arvidsson left in free agency. Boston tweaked its defense, reuniting with Connor Clifton in free agency and acquiring Will Borgen in a trade, and also dealt backup goalie Joonas Korpisalo to the Rangers.
Free agent Alex Tuch left in a sign-and-trade and the Sabres haven't replaced his 33 goals. They missed out on Patrick Kane but got Zach Benson, Peyton Krebs and Noah Ostlund re-signed. The defense will look different, too, with Bowen Byram traded to Chicago, little-used Michael Kesselring traded to San Jose and trade deadline pickups Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn allowed to go to free agency. Zellweger and Louis Crevier are newcomers on the blue line.
Grade: C-
Calgary Flames
Defenseman Simon Nemec, the 2022 No. 2 overall pick, gets new scenery after a slow start to his career in New Jersey, and Jake Middleton also joins the blue line. Blake Coleman went to Minnesota in the Middleton trade. They'll be heading for another playoff miss.
Grade: C
Carolina Hurricanes
They traded for John Carlson's rights but couldn't get the defenseman signed and he went to Tampa Bay. Frederik Andersen left in free agency, giving the net to Brandon Bussi, who finished off the Hurricanes' Stanley Cup run. Captain Jordan Staal signed a one-year extension, but restricted free agent Alexander Nikishin is unsigned. The defending champions remain a repeat threat but their offseason was quiet and Seth Jarvis will miss time early.
There was chaos surrounding Zach Werenski after it leaked out that the team tried to trade him to Dallas, which he vetoed, but things have settled down and he "ideally" wants to stay with the team long term. Word also leaked that the team was listening to offers on Kirill Marchenko. Columbus is still working to get Adam Fantilli signed. The Blue Jackets did trade for Nichushkin, who can put up points but also misses time. Goalie Cam Talbot was signed to back up Jet Greaves while Elvis Merzlikins recovers from shoulder surgery.
Grade: C-
Dallas Stars
Lots of buzz but little action. Thomas Harley was reportedly offered in a trade for Werenski. Jason Robertson reportedly turned down a sign-and-trade to the Kraken. He filed for arbitration and agreed to a one-year, $12 million deal that will take him to unrestricted free agency in July. Dallas didn't add anyone and promising forward Mavrik Bourque was traded to Nashville.
The Oilers' long search for a goaltender brought them the 2026 Stanley Cup winner. Frederik Andersen will be a big upgrade if he can stay healthy, but he already will miss training camp. The Oilers' other big moves were trading Darnell Nurse and bringing in coach Mike Babcock after getting the NHL's blessing.
Grade: B-
Florida Panthers
The Tkachuk brothers are together after Florida acquired Brady to join Matthew. Radko Gudas and Garnet Hathaway add to the team's grit. The goaltending will take a step back after Sergei Bobrovsky left in free agency and Florida traded for Jacob Markstrom and Akira Schmid. In the best news, captain Aleksander Barkov will return after missing last season following ACL surgery.
Grade: B+
Los Angeles Kings
Anze Kopitar retired and the Kings didn't address the center position. They added aging veterans Mats Zuccarello, Corey Perry and Erik Haula. Coach Peter Laviolette was hired to get the team past the first round since the team's 2014 Stanley Cup win. He's known for having success in his first year with a team.
Grade: C
Minnesota Wild
GM Bill Guerin says he's confident he can get Quinn Hughes signed to an extension, while the defenseman is preaching patience. Though the Wild were on Larkin's trade list, a deal couldn't be worked out. The Wild let Zuccarello go to free agency. Coleman will help, but the team still needs better center depth.
The Predators hired general manager Chris MacFarland from Colorado and he proceeded to acquire Avalanche players Ross Colton and Jack Drury, plus Stars forward Mavrik Bourque. They surprisingly traded Luke Evangelista after a breakout year, gaining a first- and a second-round draft pick.
Grade: B
New Jersey Devils
The Devils added Anthony Mantha and Luke Evangelista to give them needed scoring from the wing plus received versatile forwards Evan Rodrigues and Jesper Boqvist in the Markstrom trade. Will their goaltending be strong enough?
Grade: B
New York Islanders
Anders Lee left in free agency and Bo Horvat was named the new captain. Otherwise, things were relatively quiet with forward Mattias Macelli and backup goalie Vitek Vanecek joining the team.
Grade: C
New York Rangers
They traded for 30-goal scorer Pavel Dorofeyev and signed him to a seven-year, $77 million deal. Defenseman Sean Durzi was a solid pickup in the Vincent Trocheck trade and they also added blue-liner Marcus Pettersson, forward Oliver Bjorkstrand and Korpisalo.
The loss of captain Brady Tkachuk will be tough to overcome, but they did trade for 23-year-old forward William Eklund. They also added backup goalie Samuel Ersson, but he had been inconsistent with the Flyers.
The Flyers swung big for Leo Carlsson with a massive offer sheet, but the Ducks matched it. That means that the Flyers are still looking for a No. 1 center. They doled out extensions for No. 1 goalie Dan Vladar, Trevor Zegras, Tyson Foerster and Jamie Drysdale and upgraded their backup goaltending with Joseph Woll.
Grade: B
Pittsburgh Penguins
Evgeni Malkin is back for another season, and the Penguins signed Andrei Kuzmenko. They're counting on Dan Muse getting a big season out of him, as he did with Anthony Mantha last season. The Penguins also gave an eight-year deal to Ville Koivunen, who has 14 career NHL points.
Grade: C+
St. Louis Blues
The Blues moved Jordan Kyrou to Washington, getting back Connor McMichael. They also added Mason McTavish for draft picks. Robert Thomas, who was part of trade rumors last season, was named captain.
Grade: B
San Jose Sharks
Macklin Celebrini was briefly the NHL's top-paid player until Makar passed him. Drafting Ivar Stenberg allowed them to trade William Eklund. Sharks GM Mike Grier raised some eyebrows by adding expensive veteran defensemen Darnell Nurse and Jacob Trouba. He also added defenseman Michael Kesselring in a trade with Buffalo.
Grade: B
Seattle Kraken
Dallas' Jason Robertson reportedly turned down a $15 million contract offer, a setback for a five-year franchise still trying to find success. The Kraken acquired forward Mackie Samoskevich for a first round pick.
Grade: C-
Tampa Bay Lightning
Defenseman Darren Raddysh was moved to the Maple Leafs after his breakout season, but they signed John Carlson as a replacement. Newcomer Ilya Mikheyev kills penalties and provides depth scoring.
The Bobrovsky and Raddysh signings are solid but also come with questions. Bobrovsky is a decorated goalie but is coming off his worst season. Raddysh never topped six goals before getting 22 last season. But he'll get a big role in Toronto as he did last season in Tampa with Victor Hedman missing time. New GM John Chayka also revised the bottom six forward group, and No. 1 overall pick Gavin McKenna should make an impact.
The Mammoth boosted their offense with Lee and Trocheck, matched an offer sheet to Barrett Hayton and dealt Peterka after one year with the team. They also acquired promising goalie Sebastian Cossa as a backup.
Grade: B
Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks' biggest move was giving an eight-year extension ($9.38 million average) to Zeev Buium, a key acquisition in last year's Quinn Hughes trade. Manny Malhotra is the new coach and will try to get the Canucks out of last place. That will be tough.
Grade: C-
Vegas Golden Knights
Ryan Craig is the new coach after late-season addition John Tortorella took the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup Final but wasn't brought back. Craig will have to figure out how to replace traded Dorofeyev's goals.
Grade: C
Washington Capitals
The Capitals brought in three-time 30-goal scorers Alex Tuch and Kyrou and had enough room left over to bring back all-time leading goal scorer Alex Ovechkin. Newcomer Boone Jenner can also score and defenseman Vincent Desharnais will help the team cope with the injury to Rasmus Sandin.
Grade: A
Winnipeg Jets
Award-winning goaltender Connor Hellebuyck asked for a trade and later made it public. The two-time Vezina Trophy winner is signed long-term, so Winnipeg needs to get a strong return. Free agent signee Stuart Skinner will be the No. 1 goalie if a Hellebuyck trade don't bring back a goalie. Viggo Bjorck was a solid draft pick.
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While chances of the West’s No. 1 seed are mighty slim for the Los Angeles Lakers, with the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder seemingly lording over the conference, the possibility of a top-four seed and hosting a first-round playoff series is assuredly on the table — despite some skepticism in mainstream circles.
Yet plenty of other teams are contending for one of those spots in what should be another busy Western Conference middle class this season. Mainstays like the Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves and Houston Rockets will once again be in the picture. Upstart, youth-laden teams like the Utah Jazz and Portland Trail Blazers are aspiring to assert themselves. The Golden State Warriors are old and highly flawed yet talented and still led by a top-10 player in Stephen Curry. The Phoenix Suns will hope to build on their surprising 2025-26 campaign.
To sort this all out, I’m ranking four teams I deem as Los Angeles’ grandest rivals for securing a top-four seed and home-court advantage this spring. Let’s get to it.
4. Utah Jazz
The Jazz are very young. They’ve won 39 games combined over the past two seasons. A top-four seed would be an incredibly dramatic improvement from last year’s 22-60, 15th-place finish out West.
But I am not particularly enamored with the Phoenix Suns, whose starting five feels incongruent (Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and Miles Bridges lack reliable shooting and high-feel decision-making), or Portland Trail Blazers, who have major unknowns in projecting what key players such as Ja Morant and Damian Lillard may look like and how they’ll mesh.
Plus, both teams are already bitten by the injury bug; Mark Williams is out indefinitely with a torn labrum while Shaedon Sharpe will be re-evaluated in roughly five months following a torn right meniscus (though this unfortunate setback could help declutter Portland’s guard room).
More than anything, this is a bet on the talent and offensive upside of Utah’s roster. Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., Keyonte George and Darryn Peterson ooze shooting and should fit snugly into head coach Will Hardy’s offensive scheme rich with off-ball movement. Youngsters like Ace Bailey, Kyle Filipowski and Isaiah Collier can fill useful roles. Veteran wings in Josh Okogie and Josh Green will inject athletic and defensive juice into the roster. Jusuf Nurkić‘s screening, passing and rebounding are valuable commodities.
This team will be hard-pressed to vie for home-court advantage but is certainly the most likely of its play-in peers to rise above that tier.
3. Denver Nuggets
The steady erosion of a championship-winning core reached a nadir for Denver last season when the injury-riddled Timberwolves bounced them in the first round. During that series, the Nuggets required more secondary ball-handling, point-of-attack resistance and sprightly athleticism, the latter two of which Peyton Watson, if healthy and available, could’ve instilled. Now, Watson has departed for the Cleveland Cavaliers, leaving them light on the wings and defensively.
In an attempt to remedy some of those shortcomings this offseason, Denver added DeMar DeRozan, Marvin Bagley III, Lonnie Walker IV and Alpha Diallo, all of which feel like fairly half-baked solutions. Despite the Nuggets’ drop-off from title contention, they remain a formidable foe out West.
Nikola Jokić churns out All-NBA First Team campaigns every year. Jamal Murray enjoyed a career-best season in 2025-26 and is just damn good. Aaron Gordon is perhaps the pinnacle of the league’s role player realm: not quite a star but much more than a mere starter. Cam Johnson needs to assert himself more offensively this year but is still a good player whose shooting and movement lather up the Nuggets’ attack.
Although their depth is pretty unproven and Christian Braun must bounce back from a disappointing fourth season, they’ve won at least 50 games and been a top-five offense the past four seasons. They will likely be right back in the mix for a top-four seed alongside Los Angeles.
2. Houston Rockets
Were this a ranking of each team’s postseason prospects, I’d consider dropping Houston down a spot because of my doubts about its playoff offense, even with Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams back healthy. However, VanVleet should stymie some of those turnover woes while Adams can keep mashing on the offensive glass.
Regardless, the Rockets’ brash, athletically charged style of play on both ends is a winning recipe for the regular season. They’ve hosted a playoff series and won 52 games each of the last two years. I expect them to win a ton of games in 2026-27. VanVleet, Adams, Kevin Durant, Alperen Şengün, Amen Thompson, Tari Eason, Marcus Smart, Jabari Smith Jr. and Reed Sheppard is a tremendous top nine.
VanVleet’s return should slot Thompson and Sheppard into more favorable offensive roles and reduce Durant’s ball-handling load, treating him as a premier play-finisher rather than someone expected to initiate tons of possessions. Adams elevates Houston as an all-time great offensive rebounding group instead of simply a very good one. The Rockets are going to rack up wins this regular season and hope healthier playoff fortunes enable them to finally break through that first-round barrier.
1. Minnesota Timberwolves
I do have some reservations about Minnesota. Donte DiVincenzo’s injury and the departures of Julius Randle and Naz Reid do leave it light on 3-point volume (and the point-of-attack depth is shaky), both in terms of those who can get them up and create them. LaMelo Ball satiates some of that need but cannot do so alone.
Beyond Ball, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Rudy Gobert and Ayo Dosunmu, the rotation is thin and in flux. A few names from the Bones Hyland, Terrence Shannon Jr., Jaylen Clark, Joan Beringer and Jonathan Kuminga quintet must solidify themselves as trustworthy contributors, particularly in the frontcourt.
But man, those first five names are dynamite and I’m delighted by the Ball-Edwards backcourt. That’s two offensive infernos who will symbiotically operate together to mitigate each other’s flaws and ease life for the litany of surrounding play-finishers.
Maybe Ball and Edwards don’t gel immediately and Minnesota’s youthful depth doesn’t hit the ground running. The Timberwolves’ win-loss record will suffer as a result. I still believe in their core, though, and expect a big season ahead, one that should pose quite the challenge for Los Angeles to topple for home-court advantage.
The Mets have placed Robert Stock -- initially Wednesday night's scheduled starter against the Orioles -- on the 15-day IL due to numbness in his fingers.
Xzavion Curry was called up to replace Stock on the roster, and will start Wednesday's game.
Additionally, Daniel Duarte was placed on the 15-day IL due to a hamstring strain, with Jefry Yan called up to replace him.
Duarte appeared to injure himself while covering home plate on a wild pitch in the 10th inning on Tuesday night, but remained in to finish the inning.
With the regular season ending on Sept. 27, Stock and Duarte will not return this year.
Duarte stood out for the Mets after their trade deadline sell-off, posting a 2.12 ERA and 0.80 WHIP while striking out 30 batters in 29.2 innings, and will likely enter spring training next year as an option in what should be a revamped bullpen.
Carolina's long-awaited Stanley Cup breakthrough has given Nathan MacKinnon a reason to believe the Colorado Avalanche shouldn't abandon what they've built.
For the better part of two years, the Avalanche have faced difficult questions after disappointing playoff exits, with each loss bringing renewed scrutiny to the direction of the franchise. Following Colorado's first-round elimination by the Dallas Stars in 2025, much of the attention centered on the decision to trade Mikko Rantanen and the consequences that followed, particularly after Rantanen helped Dallas eliminate his former team.
Last season brought a different kind of disappointment. Colorado put together a 121-point regular season, captured the Presidents' Trophy and entered the Stanley Cup Playoffs as heavy favorites. Those hopes disappeared four games into the Western Conference Final, however, when the Vegas Golden Knights swept the Avalanche.
Once again, questions followed, including whether Jared Bednar remained the right coach and whether Colorado needed to change its approach.
MacKinnon offered a different perspective Wednesday during the Avalanche's media day at Ball Arena, pointing toward the team that just finished its own long journey through postseason disappointment.
The Carolina Hurricanes have spent years coming up short under head coach Rod Brind'Amour, reaching the playoffs consistently but failing to get over the final hurdles. There were conference-final appearances, second-round exits and, most recently, a four-game sweep in the conference finals last season.
Carolina didn't respond by abandoning Brind'Amour or dramatically changing its identity. The Hurricanes stayed with their coach, stayed with their system and continued pushing forward.
This time, that patience ended with the second Stanley Cup championship in franchise history.
“I think that's just a little bit of inspiration, maybe, of our mentality that has to be,” MacKinnon told reporters. “Obviously, we had the Dallas thing last year. I'm not sure we can just make up something. Obviously, getting swept is awful. It sucks, but it doesn't feel like it's the same type of motivation as the Dallas series was.”
MacKinnon isn't dismissing Colorado's loss to Vegas or suggesting the Avalanche shouldn't examine what went wrong. Rather, he appears reluctant to let one disappointing series convince the organization that everything it has built needs to be torn apart.
That belief starts with the people inside Colorado's locker room.
“We have such an amazing group of guys,” MacKinnon said. “It's so fun to come to the rink with each other. Yeah, it's all we can really do. I don't know, I hope we win. I think we can, and we have a good chance, and just, you know, it's a long year.”
Bednar appears to share that belief, although he isn't approaching another season by simply running back the same formula and hoping for a different result.
The longtime Avalanche coach acknowledged Wednesday that he intends to evolve his approach, particularly with a veteran group that has heard many of the same messages over the years. Rather than spending as much time on analytical and opponent-specific preparation, Bednar wants to put greater emphasis on his own players and finding ways to help them continue developing.
“I do have intentions of changing my approach a little bit this year,” Bednar said. “You're always kind of sort of evolving as a coach.”
Bednar said he wants to “dial some of that back” and spend more time focusing on the Avalanche themselves, including individual players and areas where the team can improve.
That distinction is important. Staying the course doesn't have to mean refusing to change, just as making changes doesn't necessarily mean abandoning the identity that has made Colorado one of the NHL's most consistent contenders.
Bednar has spent nearly a decade behind the Avalanche bench, and he understands that coaching a veteran group requires evolution. His players know what he expects, but he also recognizes that a message can lose some of its impact when it has been repeated for years.
His goal is to find new ways to reach the same players and squeeze more out of a team that still believes it can win.
“I try to operate like I'm trying to prove myself every day,” Bednar said. “I don't care if I'm considered one of the top coaches in the league or not. The only thing that I want to make sure is that our players feel like I'm the right coach for this team.”
That may be the clearest connection between MacKinnon's belief in Bednar and Carolina's championship blueprint.
The Hurricanes didn't abandon their foundation after years of postseason frustration. They continued to believe in their coach and their identity while finding ways to improve, eventually turning that persistence into a Stanley Cup.
MacKinnon isn't suggesting Colorado is guaranteed to follow the same path. But after another painful ending, Carolina has provided the Avalanche with something they may need just as much as another tactical adjustment: perspective.
Colorado can acknowledge what went wrong against Vegas without convincing itself that everything is wrong.
