Kevin Garnett is the greatest player in Timberwolves franchise history. The 2004 MVP when with the team was a nine-time All-Star and seven-time All-NBA player while in Minnesota, and remains the franchise leader in points, rebounds, blocked shots, assists, and steals. His Timberwolves team was the first in franchise history to reach the Western Conference Finals.
His jersey retirement is long overdue, but it will happen on Feb. 28 against the Boston Celtics — an NBC Sunday Night Basketball game, which will have plenty of coverage of the event.
"Minnesota is home. That's never changed," Garnett said in a statement announcing the retirement. "This is where it all started for me, so seeing No. 21 go up in Target Center and sharing that moment with the fans, my family, teammates, coaches, and everyone who's been part of this journey means everything.
"But I don't see this as the end — I see it as a new beginning. Retiring the jersey is just the start of the next chapter in Minnesota, about building something that lives beyond the game... But 21 being retired is forever — and it's also just the beginning of something new. I can't wait to be back in that building, feel that energy, and celebrate it with everybody. Let's get it."
This should have happened long ago for the Hall of Famer, but Garnett's feud with former Minnesota Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor ran so deep that he wasn't around the team and wasn't honored. That strain in the relationship started around Garnett's trade to Boston, where he did go on to win a ring (the Celtics have retired his No. 5 in green).
One of the things new Minnesota owners Mark Lore and Alex Rodriguez did was patch up that relationship.
"Over the course of his career, Kevin Garnett became much more than the greatest player in Timberwolves history. He became the embodiment of what it means to compete, to lead and to represent Minnesota," Timberwolves & Lynx Co-Chairmen Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez said in a statement. "Bringing Kevin back to the organization as Team Ambassador has allowed us to celebrate his legacy in a new and meaningful way, and retiring No. 21 is the ultimate recognition of everything he has meant to this franchise and our fans. We are thrilled to celebrate this incredible moment with Kevin, his family, our fans and everyone who helped make his legacy possible."
It may have taken a while to get here, but this is finally getting done, as it should. And it's happening on a night with what should be an entertaining matchup, with Jayson Tatum and Anthony Edwards going head-to-head.
DYERSVILLE, IA - AUGUST 12: A general view of the Welcome to MLB at Field of Dreams sign during the media batting practice at Field of Dreams movie site on Wednesday, August 12, 2026 in Dyersville, Iowa. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
If you build it, they will come. And Royals fans may be headed to Iowa next year.
MLB announced today that the Royals will face the Red Sox in the “Field of Dreams” game in Dyersville, Iowa on August 12, 2027. The Phillies defeated Twins in this year’s event, held last night. The game will air exclusively on NBC Sports, with the Royals serving as the home team. Next year will be the fourth year MLB has hosted the event, commemorating the 1989 baseball film Field of Dreams starring Kevin Costner.
Past Field of Dreams contests
2021 – White Sox 9 Yankees 8
2022 – Cubs 4 Reds 2
2026 – Phillies 7 Twins 1
“We are thrilled to showcase our athletes through one of Major League Baseball’s most cherished events and help to grow the game to a worldwide audience,” Royals President of Business Operations Cullen Maxey said. “Royals territory already covers the Midwest, including Dyersville, so this is a natural fit that provides Royals fans a chance to cheer on the home team in a magical setting.
The Royals will play the game on a Thursday, followed by a Friday off-day, before they resume their series against the Red Sox on Saturday and Sunday at Kauffman Stadium.
A permanent Field of Dreams ballpark opened this year featuring 3,000 seats that can expand to 8,000 seats temporarily. The dimensions are 335 down the lines, 380 to the alleys, and 400 to center with any ballpark references to old Comiskey Park in Chicago. In the past, tickets have been subject to a lottery with registration available only for Iowa residents, with some ticket allotments to each participating team.
According to Royals historian Curt Nelson, this is the third neutral site game played in club history. They played the White Sox at Milwaukee County Stadium in 1969, and the Tigers at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha in 2019.
Head to NBC and Peacock for an exciting day of MLB coverage. First, at 12:00 PM ET, the Baltimore Orioles take on the Tampa Bay Rays in the MLB Sunday Leadoff game. Then, at 7:00 PM ET, the Houston Astros host the Seattle Mariners on Sunday Night Baseball. See below for additional information on how to watch both games.
2001 World Series champion Brian Anderson, two-time All-Star second baseman Brian Roberts, and reporter Ashley ShahAhmadi join play-by-play voice Dave Flemming for Sunday's Orioles vs Rays game.
MLB Sunday Leadoff is a weekly Major League Baseball showcase featuring live Sunday daytime games. It highlights marquee matchups throughout the regular season and streams primarily on Peacock, with some games also airing across NBC Sports and NBC.
MLB Sunday Night Baseball is a weekly primetime Major League Baseball showcase, featuring marquee matchups each Sunday night during the regular season. The games air on NBC and Peacock and anchor NBC Sports’ Sunday night programming lineup.
NBC Sports will also stream one out-of-market game each day of the 2026 MLB season nationally on Peacock. Telemundo Deportes will present all NBCUniversal-produced MLB games in Spanish, with Universo televising all games broadcast on NBC.
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The Knicks are losing a valued member of Mike Brown’s coaching staff.
Jordan Brink, an assistant who served as the team’s director of video services and player development, was hired by the Bulls to be an assistant on Tiago Splitter’s staff, The Post confirmed.
Brink was notably in charge of the Knicks’ challenges the past two years (under both Tom Thibodeau and Brown) – an area in which they were incredibly successful and often held a clear edge over opponents.
Jordan Brink (L.) spent the last three years as an assistant with the Knicks — and was in charge of their challenges the last two years. NBAE via Getty Images
It’s a significant loss, as they’ll now need someone else to fill that role.
“Jordan, he’s been a master at this,” Brown said previously.
Fans will remember his effect on Game 2 of the NBA Finals, when Brink instructed Brown to challenge a call late in the fourth quarter of their dramatic 105-104 win over the Spurs at Frost Bank Center.
The Knicks were crumbling and had rapidly blown a 14-point lead, and with the game tied 97-97 with 2:37 left, refereess had ruled that the ball went out of bounds off OG Anunoby.
But under Brink’s instruction, Brown challenged that Anunoby had been fouled while attempting a 3-pointer on the play.
After a review, the call was reversed and Anunoby received three free-throw attempts. He made all three – instead of the Spurs having possession with a chance to take the lead, the successful challenge re-established the Knicks’ lead and halted the Spurs’ momentum.
“He’s been doing this now two years in a row,” Brown said of Brink after that game. “I rely totally on him. Every once in a while I lose my mind, get emotional, and try to stick it to the refs, even though I like all of them. But that never works. So, I try like heck to follow Jordan’s lead, and it was 100 percent his call.”
Brink’s contract was up, and the Bulls’ job will represents a promotion.
The Knicks’ coaching staff is crowded, and there is no room at the moment for a promotion.
The Post previously reported that his Knicks’ future was uncertain, though Brown’s front-of-the-bench assistants are expected to be back.
The Knicks also lost a lower-level assistant, Carson Shanks, earlier this offseason, as his contract was up.
Jordan Brink (R.) was the Knicks’ Summer League coach last year. NBAE via Getty Images
Brink has ambitions of becoming a head coach, and this move presents a clearer path toward that goal than staying with the Knicks would have. A Dyer, Ind. native, it also brings him closer to home.
He played collegiately at Calvin College and got his NBA coaching start as an assistant for the Pistons under Dwane Casey.
Brink joined the Knicks in 2023 on Thibodeau’s staff and was retained by Brown when he took over last year.
He spent three years with the Knicks – the past two in charge of their challenges. He was also the Knicks’ Summer League coach last year.
Brink leaves the Knicks as a champion – and with an important role they’ll now have to replace.
NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 23: General overview of center court prior to the game between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Brooklyn Nets on November 23, 2012 at the Barclays Center in the Brooklyn Borough of New York City. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2012 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
As noted in the first iteration of this poll, aesthetics mean a lot to Brooklyn Nets fans. The team has moved and rebranded each time — from Long Island to New Jersey to Brooklyn. They turned from the elites of the ABA to laughingstock of the NBA, but don’t get it mistaken: the Nets and Dr. J (Julius Erving) are often credited with the red, white, blue vintage look of the ABA. Look no further than the Orlando Magic schedule release for the Nets.
With all of this being said, the Nets play a bigger part in the culture of the game than most probably realize. Their uniforms, court designs, etc. have been at the center of a lot of conversations. It’s fun. And yes, it does matter — to the fans!
As noted, the Nets moved to Barclays Center in Brooklyn and the team needed a distinct identity. They introduced the NBA’s first herringbone court — a fresh visual design that quickly became synonymous with ‘Brooklyn Grit.’
“We wanted a court that was identifiable and different, so that when fans turn on the TV at home they’ll realize they are in Brooklyn,” said then-Nets CEO Brett Yormark.
Fast forward to 2019: Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving just joined the team. The Brooklyn Nets were/are trying to attract Gen Z and young audiences — this was their opportunity to shift to a trendy “millennial gray” type of vibe. The current court still has herringbone designs, though they aren’t quite as clear as the original court. Furthermore, the New York Liberty’s seafoam is an absolute beaut during summer hoops in Brooklyn.
The idea was probably correct, and Sean Marks emphasized a desire to make Barclays Center “brighter without using super bright colors.” Unless the Nets are shuffling a throwback court, Coogi trims, KAWS themes — anything without color seem to fall flat on TV.
Simply put: An overwhelming amount of Nets fans (on NetsDaily) want the original herringbone court back.
The Verdict on the Nets Court Design
We turned the floor over to you to settle a long-standing debate: should the Brooklyn Nets return to their inaugural herringbone hardwood, or stick with the current “industrial” grayscale aesthetic introduced in 2019? Out of 92 voters, 85% favor the original design, and fans are calling for a return to the roots of the Barclays Center identity.
Here is how the NetsDaily community feels about the state of the court.
The Duke of Earl: “I’m a Sean Marks fan boy. A big fan. I believe he’s done a fantastic job here in Brooklyn. However he made a mistake on this one. I like and understand the concept of the gray court representing the city game of street basketball(playground basketball)that was started here in Brooklyn in fact. That makes a lot of sense. However he had a really good and unique thing going with the beautiful herringbone. It was becoming Brooklyn very much like the parquat in Boston. Not to compare the respective franchises mind you. In retrospect the herringbone had become much more identifiable and attractive than the gray court will ever be. All the fans hate it. That should be enough quite frankly. Admit a miscalculation. Correct it and bring back the herringbone.”
NetsInSwish: “The Herringbone created a Brooklyn identity…the Grayscale is just another boring version of Millennial Grey for the sake of current thematics with my generation lol”
BKtoDuval: “The herringbone had the chance to be iconic, if this team ever got good. I liked it better. Also love the Coogi court”
The Case for Grayscale
CaryNC: “Grey for sure! It looks better with the logo too.”
jrichter8: “The current court IS herringbone, it’s just been stained a greige (grey-beige) color which goes better with the black and white uniforms.”
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MAY 08: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles the ball during Game Three of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs against the New York Knicks at Xfinity Mobile Arena on May 08, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 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 Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On Saturday, Amar’e Stoudemire, Doc Rivers and Mike D’Antoni will be among the latest inductees to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
LeBron James is an absolute lock to join them in the next few years. Players now have to be only two years removed from their retirement to become eligible for enshrinement, and James will undoubtedly be a first-ballot Hall of Famer as soon as he’s eligible.
He might not be the only member of the 2026-27 Sixers who finds himself in the Hall of Fame one day, either. Joel Embiid is already putting together a convincing resume, although he still may have work to do before he becomes a lock.
Basketball Reference’s Hall of Fame probability model—which is based on height, NBA championships, peak win shares, All-Star selections and appearances on statistical leaderboards—currently gives Embiid roughly a 66 percent chance of becoming a Hall of Famer one day. LeBron, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Nikola Jokić, Anthony Davis, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard are all viewed as locks, while Karl-Anthony Towns, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler and Klay Thompson are among the active players ahead of Embiid in the model.
So, would Embiid already be a Hall of Famer if he retired tomorrow? If not, what else does he need to accomplish to become a lock?
Is Embiid already a Hall of Famer?
Every eligible NBA player who won at least one Most Valuable Player award is already in the Hall of Fame. Derrick Rose may eventually put that to the test, but based on that alone, Embiid should be in.
Rose got off to a meteoric start in the NBA. He won Rookie of the Year, was named an All-Star in his second season and became the youngest MVP in NBA history in his third year. But an ACL tear during the 2012 playoffs upended the trajectory of his career. He never received another All-Star nod upon his return, although he did emerge as a Sixth Man of the Year contender late in his career.
Injuries have also plagued Embiid throughout his career, but he’s sustained his greatness far longer than Rose did. He finished as the MVP runner-up in back-to-back years before finally outdueling Nikola Jokić in 2022-23, and he already has seven All-Star nods and five All-NBA selections to his name. He also led the league in scoring in back-to-back years and has yet to average fewer than 20 points per game across any of his 10 active seasons.
Only four players in NBA history have at least seven All-Star nods without making it into the Hall of Fame: Chris Paul, LaMarcus Aldridge, Joe Johnson and Larry Foust. CP3 just announced his retirement in February and is a Hall of Fame lock as soon as he becomes eligible for enshrinement, and it wouldn’t be surprising if Aldridge and/or Johnson eventually wind up in the Hall as well.
Embiid’s lack of playoff success is the major knock against his Hall of Fame candidacy, but luckily for him, it’s the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, not just the NBA Hall of Fame. Players’ college and international accomplishments get considered as well, and Embiid helped Team USA win a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Embiid’s NBA peak alone might be enough to earn his ticket to Springfield one day. His Olympics exploits should only be the icing on the cake.
Does he still have work to do?
If Embiid isn’t already a Hall of Fame lock, two main things will be holding him back: injuries and a lack of playoff success.
Embiid missed his first two seasons due to injuries and has played in only 490 of a possible 801 games since he made his debut. He combined to play only 96 games over the past three seasons combined.
Embiid went into this past season thinking he “was done” because of the knee injury that submarined his 2024-25 campaign. However, at the end of the year, he was optimistic that he and the team “found something” that should have his knee in better shape next season. (His new svelte look can’t hurt, either.)
With LeBron James and Jaylen Brown now in the fold, Embiid isn’t likely to average 30-plus points per game again anytime soon. The Sixers don’t need him to do that anymore, and reducing the wear and tear on his body during the regular season should be one of their top priorities. But even if his per-game averages dip, staying healthy could go a long way toward addressing the other major knock on his resume.
Embiid has yet to drag the Sixers past the Eastern Conference semifinals, although he’s had plenty of heartbreak and near-misses along the way. While the East looks loaded this year, the talent around him makes this arguably his best-ever chance to go on a deep playoff run.
If the Sixers make it to the conference finals or beyond before Embiid retires, his Hall of Fame case will be that much more iron-clad. If Embiid ever helps the Sixers win a championship, the Hall might as well start working on his plaque right then and there.
But if injuries rear their ugly head again and Embiid never makes it past the conference semifinals, the “what if?” aspect of his career might be the only thing that could hold him out of the Hall.
As if the Sixers needed any extra motivation heading into this all-in season, a championship would go a long way toward cementing Embiid’s Hall of Fame candidacy—and Brown’s as well, for that matter.
Aug 8, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) smiles on the field before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Your 2026 New York Mets: It might look like [the Mets] are taking a step back, but [they’re] not.
“Every season that you lose a lot of games, it might look like you are taking a step back, but we’re not because there’s other things happening around it or behind it that are propelling us forward.” -Francisco Lindor [MLB]
Do you think the ‘bad times’ and this season has changed Francisco ‘Mr. Smile’ Lindor’s vibe…
“When I signed up here, it was to be in the good times and bad times and to win.” -Francisco Lindor [MLB]
…of course not…
“We have the right guys. Stearns is the right guy. That is No. 1. We have one of the best owners in sports history, because [Cohen] is going to go always with the energy that needs to be put into the team. When you are in a big market there is not such a thing as rebuilding. There is a little bit of transition, that is it. You can’t afford to rebuild in big markets, so I think we are working toward the right place. We have not taken a step backwards.” -Francisco Lindor [MLB]
…so to follow Lindor’s optimistic outlook on life, it’s Silver Linings Week…
The Mets have pitchers on the roster; some that are young, some that are old.
“You have the players you want to build around. You have the young pitching staff, along with a couple of pitchers that are a little bit older. -Francisco Lindor [MLB]
Also, it is accurate that Marcus Semien literally has two more years of his contract.
“You have got Marcus [Semien], who has still got a couple of years.” -Francisco Lindor [MLB]
The Mets do still have a Minor League system and Bo Bichette.
“You have Bo [Bichette, who can opt out after this season] — it’s going to be up to him if he stays. You have the young players, and then you look at the Minor League system, and you feel that we got better [at the Trade Deadline], so I believe that we are working forward.” -Francisco Lindor [MLB]
You know what, winter is long and full of no Mets baseball so enjoy getting to watch Nolan McLean starts…
“It was fairly executed [McLean said of the home run pitch.] I wasn’t trying to really punch him by any means for the strikeout there, but I would have liked it slightly more elevated. He made a good swing on a pitch that was pretty close to the outside corner, so I tip my cap.” -Nolan McLean [MLB]
…Carson Benge’s arm [Per Baseball Savant: 96th percentile arm value and 98th percentile arm strength]…
“I’ve always been blessed with an above-average arm, and it really helped that I also pitched in college to build up more arm strength. Having a strong arm makes a difference, and I think it’s really helped me this season to help get adjusted to the big leagues.” -Carson Benge [MLB]
…having new names to care about while drinking coffee and reading the Mets Daily Prospect Report…
“I just want to thank the organization for the opportunity. It’s been great with the guys. I’ve been getting along with everybody and I just feel like this right here is just a great opportunity.” -Jefferson Rojas [MLB] [I have to note that this quote cited that the quote was via “translator/Binghamton catcher” Chris Suero which makes me want to root for Suero to make it to the bigs one day even more]
…basically, enjoy what’s left of Hot Girl Bat Summer…
“The boys are swinging some hot bats, the bullpen is doing their thing, and the starters are always going to do their thing. It’s been fun, we’re rallying around each other, and we’ve just been playing some really good ball.” -Brett Baty [SNY]
…and, sure, enjoy the excitement of Luis Robert Jr…uh, um… being here.
“[Unable to sell Luis Robert Jr., president of baseball operations David Stearns spoke on Deadline day about] the excitement of still having him here for the next two months of the season.” -Anthony DiComo [MLB]
Let’s hear from Interim Manager Andy Green for some more Silver Linings
/Bandit Heller voice/ I agree, he has been doing great.
“[McLean’s] doing great. Eighty-five pitches, six innings and one run and one hit? That’s a good day’s work for him in August in his first year.” -Interim Manager Andy Green [MLB]
He will keep grinding.
“Some pitches in the heart of the plate have gotten hit pretty hard. [Dedniel Núñez] is going to be fine. The opportunity to get out there and continue to pitch, he’s going to get that. When we look forward to next year, he’s going to be a big part of what we do. He has good stuff. He has kind of paid for middle-middle mistakes right now. He will keep grinding and get it right.” -Interim Manager Andy Green [New York Post]
That was not his best stuff but he did continue to grind.
“It was a gritty performance for [Zac Thornton]. That was not his best stuff. It wasn’t his best strikes and he continued to grind.” -Interim Manager Andy Green [New York Post]
This game does not define him.
“I appreciate what [Robert Stock] has done to get here, and this game does not define him. It’s a rough outing, and it happens to pitchers all across the game all the time. He has talent. He earned a right to a second start.” -Interim Manager Andy Green [New York Post]
He does know he’s a part of the organization and that he’s going to be out there consistently, but not…umm…not that consistently but…uhh… yeah, that opportunity to play consistently, there is a ton of talent…umm…there. [It wasn’t Andy’s best quote and he didn’t quite stick the landing but he continued to grind and this quote DOES NOT define him]
“[Luis Robert Jr.] knows he’s a part of our organization. He knows he’s going to be out there consistently — not quite every day, but he’s going to be out there really consistently. And that opportunity to play consistently, there’s a ton of talent there.” -Interim Manager Andy Green [MLB]
/Count Rugen voice/ Get some rest, if you haven’t got your health, you haven’t got anything.
“When it comes to the numbers, sometimes you can’t really control all of that. But I think if I can stay healthy, the rest will take care of itself.” -Luis Robert Jr. [MLB]
“There has been good and bad from this whole process. I think when you have been out as long as I was it kind of takes a little longer to find your rhythm, to kind of find that execution. I haven’t been executing my fastballs as well as I wanted to.” -Dedniel Núñez [New York Post]
“It’s a great environment for myself. First of all, my body feels great. I’m able to go out and perform even in short innings, regardless of the situation.” -Kodai Senga [MLB]
I’m going to follow Kodai Senga’s example. Like Lindor, he’s finding the positive during a year that hasn’t quite gone the way he would’ve liked.
“Whenever it’s a first for anything, you don’t really think much of it in the moment or while you’re still playing. But when you skip ahead in years and retire, then I think it has a lot more meaning. So I wanted to have [the baseball from his 1st career save].” -Kodai Senga [MLB]
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 21: Robert Calaz #25 of the Colorado Rockies bats during the eighth inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on March 21, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Now that we’ve looked at the players who were on a single ballot, those receiving multiple votes (2-5 ballot players and PuRPs 43-36), plus the Honorable Mention PuRPs for mid-season 2026, it’s time to examine the players that made the list. As a reminder, in this edition of the PuRPs poll, 29 qualifying ballots were cast, with 30 points granted for a first place vote, 29 for second, etc.
For each player on the PuRPs list, I’ll include a link to individual stats and contract status (via Baseball-Reference), PuRPs voting stats, a note on the 2026 season to date, and a scouting report from national prospect writers where possible. I’ll also include where I put each player on my ballot. All ages are as of the date the article is posted.
Remember that the statistics pages are not the end-all, be-all when evaluating these players. Context is hugely important (such as the player’s age relative to the league’s average or the league average offensive numbers), as is the fact that injuries to prospects can affect both their tools and their stats. I’ll make sure and note where this is the case.
Andujar was the headliner of Colorado’s international free agent class in January 2024, earning a $1.7 million bonus as the 18th ranked international prospect at MLB.com as a well-rounded offensive and defensive player with good bat to ball skills who was likely to stay as an up the middle defender.
The 19-year-old 6’1” switch-hitting shortstop spent his first professional season in the Dominican Summer League as expected (since he was one of the youngest players in his signing class) and was above average offensively (105 wRC+). The Rockies liked what they saw enough to bring Andujar stateside to the Arizona Complex League in 2025, where he was 2.6 years younger than average, and he looked like a natural on a strong ACL Rockies team. In 217 plate appearances, Andujar again had good contact numbers without much power, hitting .319/.370/.356 with seven doubles and seven steals (which is a 97 wRC+).
In 2026, Andujar began the season back in the Complex League in May, hitting .260/.339/.300 in 62 plate appearances across 15 games before Ethan Holliday’s season-ending injury opened up a spot at shortstop in Low-A Fresno. Andujar moved up to Low-A, where he is 3.1 years younger than league average, in late May and he’s looked young for the level. In 273 plate appearances with Fresno, Andujar has a .247/.306/.344 batting line, including his first three homers as a professional (a below average 69 wRC+). Defensively, he has committed 13 errors at shortstop in 52 games at the position with Fresno.
This year Andujar was younger than the pitcher facing him in over 97% of his plate appearances. That’s one of the reasons Andujar’s offensive performance, despite a lack of thump, isn’t a disaster (another is a strikeout % around 18% with a walk % of 8%). The trajectory of his season was encouraging as well: he went from a .593 OPS in June to .677 in July and .712 so far in August.
Here is a recent slo-mo look at Andujar’s left-handed swing:
Here is some video of Andujar before he signed with the Rockies, including some looks at him at shortstop and his swing from both sides of the plate:
What do the scouts say?
Keith Law of the Athletic wrote this about Andujar in February while ranking him 13th in the system:
Andujar is a switch-hitting shortstop with plus defense and maybe 20 power right now. He hasn’t hit a home run as a pro yet in 104 games and his career ISO is .049, with that boosted a little by his above-average speed. He does have good bat-to-ball skills, and if he can gain enough strength to hit some hard line drives, he could end up a regular in five years or so. It’s more likely he ends up a utility guy who can offer plus defense all over the infield but doesn’t hit enough to stick as an everyday player anywhere. He only turned 18 in July, so even if he keeps running back to the dugout after most of his at-bats, time is on his side.
FanGraphs ranks Andujar 18th in the system as a 40+ FV prospect with a plus run grade and a 55 future hit and field tool evaluation:
Andujar signed for $1.7 million as part of Colorado’s 2024 international class. International scouts liked his glove and feel to hit, and both of those have translated to pro ball. Last year, he hit .319 and ran an 80% contact rate as one of the youngest players in the ACL. Defensively, he has above-average range at short and a strong arm.
How much power can Andujar develop? Physical projection looms large for every teenage prospect, but the gap between where he is now (thin with 20 pop) and where could go (he’s a projectable 6-foot-1 who could grow into anything from 30 power to 50) makes him a prospect of extreme variance. Presently, his lack of strength is apparent from the way he needs extra hand movement to generate the modest bat speed he has, and his flat swing produces plenty of singles but not much else. There’s real upside here if he grows into even fringy power, though, and even some of the messier parts of his offensive game, like the indirect start to his bat path, may fall into place as he gets stronger. And in any case, with his contact skill, speed, and defensive chops, he doesn’t have to do much damage to profile as an everyday bat. Were I scouting for a team, I’d put a low-conviction 50 on him, with nods to a volatile offensive future and the long developmental timeline ahead. For us, he belongs in this FV tier as a slow-burn person of interest.
When’s he going to get to the Rockies and how good will he be once he’s there?
As an up-the-middle player who was a seven-figure international signee, Andujar is joining a recent tradition of PuRPs, including Adael Amador and Robert Calaz. Also fitting that category is Dyan Jorge, whose all-around game except a lack of power is reminiscent of Andujar’s batting lines so far. Then again, Jorge didn’t even sign until he was 19 and didn’t make it to the ACL until he was 20, so Andujar has more runway ahead of him.
The scouts are consistent — Andujar needs to build more strength for his offensive game to translate to the big leagues. He’s a long ways away, but his athleticism provides a good foundation for him as a potential regular, so long as he doesn’t end up a Punch-and-Judy hitter. The potential and performance so far were enough for me to rank Andujar 25th on my list in the 40 FV tier.
29. Roynier Hernandez (115 points, 10 ballots) — Preseason Ranking: NR — High Ballot 13, Mode Ballot 13, 17
How did he enter the organization?
2022 International Free Agent, Venezuela
Why did he make the PuRPs list?
Hernandez signed for a $100k bonus out of Venezuela in 2022. Hernandez possesses a compact, line-drive swing that is built for contact — he relies on finding holes and using his 5-foot-10 frame to stay short to the ball. After hitting .339 in rookie ball in 2023 and .305 in the ACL in 2024, the 21-year-old lefty-batting, righty-throwing second baseman made his full-season debut with Low-A Fresno in 2025 and continued to hit well with a .293/.358/.366 line (106 wRC+).
This year, Hernandez was promoted to High-A Spokane, where he is 1.5 years younger than league average, and has stayed there outside of a weeklong visit back to Low-A Fresno in late July. Hernandez entered this year with zero professional homers, but he’s changed that in a big way this season with seven long balls among his 26 extra-base-hits en route to a .294/.406/.417 overall line in 402 plate appearances, good for a 115 wRC+). Notably, Hernandez has walked more times this year (64) than he’s struck out (59) — he’s about even in those categories across his entire professional career. On defense, he has committed 11 errors in 73 games at second base.
Here is some video of Hernandez in Fresno last year, including some slo mo looks at his swing near the end:
Of all the interesting infielders Colorado had at the lower levels last year, Hernandez has a case for the best hit tool of the group. He hit .293/.358/.366 with an 85% contact rate as a 20-year-old at Low-A Fresno, good for a 106 wRC+, with strong pitch recognition and bat-to-ball skills. For a guy who hasn’t homered in more than 1,000 career plate appearances, he’s not completely punchless either, as his 30% hard-hit rate and 101 mph EV90 attest. But his swing is flat and the path is long in a way that directs a lot of his contact into short left field. Singles hitters have a pretty low ceiling if they’re not complete freaks in the Luis Arraez mold, and it’s taking nothing away from Hernandez to take the under on that.
Defensively, Hernandez is a smooth fielder at second and has dabbled at third as well. If he could play short, he’d grade out as a traditional 40 utility infielder. His arm is light, though, which makes this a tricky skill set to fit onto a roster. His ability to hit and cover a middle infield spot should carry him to the upper levels, where he projects as an up-down guy, with paths for more if he finds a way to get to more power.
When’s he going to get to the Rockies and how good will he be once he’s there?
Hernandez offers something that has been all too rare among Rockies prospects: high-level bat-to-ball skills and a disciplined eye. He’s a reliable glove with high baseball IQ, though his lack of elite twitch means his long-term fit is likely as a utility infielder and as a 35+ FV player for me, off my top 30 list. Hernandez will be Rule 5 eligible after the season, the Rockies will need to decide if that profile is worthy of a 40-man roster spot.
Eaton — a 23-year-old lefty pitcher who signed for a full-slot bonus of $378.9k after getting drafted in the sixth round in 2024 — has intriguing size and athleticism. He throws in the lower half of the 90s and boasts a slider whose late horizontal movement is effective against hitters from both sides of the plate. Eaton has a durable frame (6’3”, 210 pounds) that projects well as a traditional starting pitcher. His delivery is athletic, though he has worked on simplifying his mechanics since turning professional to improve his overall strike-throwing ability.
After seeing some action in his draft year up to High-A Spokane, Eaton was assigned back to High-A Spokane in 2025. The left-hander was a rotation stalwart for Spokane, starting 23 games and throwing 121.1 innings with a 3.56 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 9.3 K/9 rate, and 3.1 BB/9 rate. That includes quality starts in seven of eight starts between mid-June and early August. In mid-August, Eaton was promoted to Double-A Hartford, where he was 2.7 years younger than league average. He took the mound for another four starts in the Eastern League, throwing 18.2 innings with a nice 11.6 K/9 rate, albeit a 5.30 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, and 4.8 BB/9 rate.
This year, Eaton returned to Hartford, where he is 1.9 years younger than league average. He’s made 18 starts and thrown 80 innings with a 4.73 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 9.0 K/9 rate, and 5.2 BB/9 rate. Eaton has struggled of late though, with five of his last six starts not lasting past three innings, including a nine run shelling last week. That streak notwithstanding, Eaton has five quality starts on the year and has held his own against more advanced hitting.
Here’s a look at Eaton’s 2025 highlights:
What do the scouts say?
Eaton is currently ranked 19th in the system by MLB Pipeline as a 45 FV prospect with a 55 grade on his slider and 50s on the fastball and changeup:
Eaton is now showing an ability to throw three pitches for strikes and that, along with showing acumen for finishing hitters, gives him a chance to start. His fastball sits around 93 mph and he can reach back for 95-96. He’ll carry his velocity deep into starts, and the pitch has occasional cut or tail to it. His mid-80s slider is his best pitch, eliciting a miss rate north of 40 percent last year. He’ll manipulate its shape, sometimes throwing it with sweep, sometimes with the tilt and depth of a more traditional slider. A big reason for his success thus far has been his conviction in throwing his low-80s changeup more.
The big left-hander struggled with the strike zone throughout his college career, a big reason why the Rockies weren’t the only ones thinking he belonged in a bullpen. It’s not pinpoint command, but he’s around the zone enough where the organization thinks he might have the ability to stick in a rotation for a long time.
Eaton has a well-rounded mix of average stuff and strike-throwing. He has both fastballs, and while he touches 96 mph with the four-seamer, both have round-down shape limits their utility. His change and slider are both average and play a little ahead of that grade due to his ability to move them around the plate. The southpaw is also good at some of the old school stuff, like sequencing and changing speeds. In my looks, his control tended to be great right until it fell apart completely, and between that and the lack of an out pitch, he looks like more of a one-time-through guy than a reliable starter. There’s also a chance everything plays a half-grade better than this projection in short stints.
Lefty Konner Eaton misses bats with a plus slider, sitting 91-94, probably ending up in the bullpen because the slider is really his only weapon right now. He was excellent in High A and then struggled with his command and control in a brief stint in Double A. He does have a good delivery and may have more in the tank.
When’s he going to get to the Rockies and how good will he be once he’s there?
Eaton has proven so far in his professional career to be able to soak up innings, while his improving control has made staying in a starting rotation much more likely than it appeared when he was drafted. His profile is one of a back-end rotation pitcher from the left side, which to me is a 40 FV player who just missed my top 30. Eaton has fit well in Double-A and I could see him as a big league candidate by the end of next season.
Herrera is probably the Rockies’ top relief prospect, though he will miss a large chunk of time after tearing his UCL in early June with the big league club. The 22-year-old 6’0” Dominican lefty boasts a plus to plus-plus mid-90s fastball coming from an uphill angle and will again contend for a Major League bullpen slot once he returns from injury. Herrera, who signed in January 2021 for $200k, was a pop-up arm in 2024 in his first taste of full season ball after two years in the DSL and a season in the ACL.
In 2024 in Low-A Fresno, Herrera, employing a low arm slot from the left side and mid-90s velocity, was immediately dominant. He struck out an absurd 62 hitters (against only nine walks) in just 34 innings (16.4 K/9 rate) with a 2.38 ERA and 1.00 WHIP across 23 appearances at Fresno. Herrera was promoted to High-A Spokane in late June. Against higher-level opposition, Herrera’s rate stats were less strong (4.76 ERA, 3.75 xFIP, 1.41 WHIP, 9.5 K/9, 4.4 BB/9) in 23 appearances totaling 28.1 innings.
In 2025, Herrera went back to Spokane, where he quickly showed he had mastered the level. In 15 appearances and 18.1 innings, Herrera collected 10 saves with a sparkly 0.49 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, 14.2 K/9 rate, and 2.9 BB/9 rate. The Rockies promoted him to Double-A Hartford in mid-May, where he was 3.7 years younger than league average. In 37 appearances totaling 46.1 innings with Hartford, Herrera added seven more saves with a 3.50 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 13.6 K/9 rate, and 3.7 BB/9 rate against upper minors hitters. He also represented the Rockies at the prestigious Futures Game in July, where he got the final out to record the save for the NL squad. Herrera finished his 2025 with a strong stint in the prestigious Arizona Fall League and Herrera was added to Colorado’s 40-man roster shortly thereafter.
In 2026, Herrera was jumped up to Triple-A Albuquerque, where he faced hitters who were on average 5.6 years older than him in a tough pitching environment. He made 16 appearances totaling 22.2 innings with a 5.16 ERA, 1.72 WHIP, 13.5 K/9 rate, and 5.6 BB/9 rate. Herrera was called up to the Rockies in late May, where he seemed poised to stick in the bullpen long term after three scoreless appearances where he allowed only two hits and one walk in 2 1/3 innings. Unfortunately, Herrera suffered the UCL injury and now faces a long way back.
Here’s some video of Herrera from the Arizona Fall League last year:
Herrera’s fastball is 97-100 and he lived off the pitch in High A until the Rockies told him he had to throw his slider more, after which he was a little more balanced and dominated through the rest of the year in Double A. His profile is straight relief, probably the one-inning variety only, but he throws plenty of strikes and it’s a pretty easy delivery for that velocity. He could easily help the Rockies this year.
Herrera is a six-foot, three-pitch lefty. After years at the lower levels, his dominant 2025 season put him on the prospect radar. Herrera posted a 2.64 ERA with a 36.4% strikeout rate and a 4:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio, mostly at Double-A Hartford. His dominance earned him a spot in the Futures Game and the AFL, where he was wild. Control is a big question: Herrera is athletic and powerful for his stature, but he’s close to a max-effort guy with an unbalanced finish and a long stroke with recoil at the end. If he can stay around the plate, he’ll generate plenty of misses and chases, because the stuff is good. His tailing fastball has late life, and the slider either has very tight depth or runs away from lefty bats when he locates low and away. Even the change, which he rarely uses, looks nifty at its best, with bat-missing sink when he isn’t missing badly. He has late-inning ceiling if his command exceeds this projection; more likely, he settles in as a solid lefty reliever.
When you combine a funky delivery with velocity, you might get a very valuable left-handed reliever. Herrera cranked his fastball up to 99 mph in 2025, averaging around 95 and he throws it from a low three-quarters slot that allows it to carry above barrels, resulting in a lot of misses and chases. He leans on the heater, sometimes too much, and will have to keep using his slider more, because it has the chance to really have teeth. He threw it around 86 mph across all stops last year with depth to it when he finishes it and it missed bats at a 44-percent rate, according to Synergy. He actually has an upper-80s changeup that could be useful against right-handed hitters, but it’s not as consistent.
Herrera will still only be 23 for all of the 2027 season, when he’ll hopefully be able to return to the mound post-injury. If he can continue to hone his craft in areas like holding runners and fielding his position, not to mention committing to throwing that slider, he still has high-leverage reliever upside when healthy.
When’s he going to get to the Rockies and how good will he be once he’s there?
The overall value that can be added by a relief arm is limited, but Herrera seems like a potential late-inning reliever (and he’s a lefty to boot) once he returns from his injury next year. That performance and proximity, tempered by the injury, is why I have Herrera as a 40 FV player who was the last cut from my list.
26. Robert Calaz (163 points, 16 ballots) — Preseason Ranking: 6 — High Ballot 10, Mode Ballot 24, 26, 28
How did he enter the organization?
2023 International Free Agent, Dominican Republic
Why did he make the PuRPs list?
At the end of 2024, Calaz seemed to be on a rocket ship toward the big leagues after a season in which he was named the MVP of the Arizona Complex League and tore up the Low-A California league in a small sample. The next two seasons haven’t quite gone as planned for the the 6’2” toolsy right-handed 20-year-old Dominican outfielder, who has struggled mightily as one of the youngest players in High-A this year. Calaz, who was 24th on MLB.com’s international amateur free agent prospect rankings for 2023, received Colorado’s top international signing bonus in the 2023 January period at $1.7 million, which is similar to what fellow PuRP Sean Sullivan received as a second-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft.
Calaz began his professional career with a bang in the Dominican Summer League, producing a 149 wRC+ and playing center field with a bit of right field mixed in. In 2024, Calaz came stateside to play with the Arizona Complex League and flat-out murdered the ball with a monster .349/.462/.651 line, good for a 172 wRC+ in 210 plate appearances. He led the ACL in several major offensive categories (AVG/OBP/SLG/OPS/HR/RBI/TB) en route to a well-deserved league MVP award. The Rockies promoted Calaz to Low-A Fresno after the ACL season in early August, where he was 3.1 years younger than league average. That didn’t stop Calaz — he hit .327/.386/.571 with two homers, two triples, two doubles, and three steals in 57 plate appearances (147 wRC+).
In 2025, the Rockies chose to send Calaz back to Fresno for a longer run, where he was still 2.2 years younger than league average. The season started inauspiciously, as Calaz suffered an injury in the first game of the season that knocked him out for three weeks. In 424 plate appearances, Calaz hit .259/.338/.399 with ten homers among his 29 extra-base hits. He performed above average offensively (105 wRC+), but not nearly as high as Rockies fans were expecting considering his performance in 2024 at the same level. Additionally, Calaz struck out in 26% of plate appearances (9% walks), which is pretty high for low minors pitching (though he improved his contact % from 66% to 70% year over year).
This year, Calaz moved up to High-A Spokane, where he is 2.5 years younger than league average, and has really struggled. In 349 plate appearances so far, he is hitting just .205/.284/.301 with four homers and 10 steals — just a 48 wRC+. He has struck out in 31.5% of plate appearances against 8.6% walks while contact % dropped back to 67%. It is of course important to remember that Calaz has only faced a younger pitcher than him in 2.5% of plate appearances this year, but at some point he will need to figure out how to beat pitching that can execute a scouting report. In the field, Calaz split time between all three outfield positions, totaling two outfield assists and three errors.
Here is a look at Calaz from 2025 in Fresno, including some slow-mo looks at his swing:
Calaz stands 6-foot-2 with room to add more strength to an already-mature frame. He brings explosive raw power to the plate, though his game remains a bit unrefined. Swing-and-miss concerns have followed him since signing—a common caveat with young, power-first hitters—but they’ve become more pronounced. Calaz’s swing starts with an extremely high hand-set, and he sometimes rests the bat on his shoulder before using a waggle to start his trigger.
Calaz got a lot of attention after he hit .349/.462/.651 in the Arizona Complex League in 2024, but he did so mostly on physical ability rather than a feel for the game, and that deficiency caught up to him in Low A last year. Still just 19, he hit .259/.338/.399 in Fresno with a 26 percent strikeout rate driven by high whiff and chase rates, including a 34 percent swing-and-miss rate just on fastballs. He wasn’t ready for the level and probably needed short-season ball — he would have put up stupid numbers in Grand Junction — so take some of that with a grain of salt, but his baseball instincts just aren’t that advanced yet. He’s going to be big and strong with 30-homer upside in an outfield corner, with a lot of work to do on approach to get there.
Just 20 for all of the 2026 season, there’s still plenty of time for Calaz to figure things out at the plate. He’s a strong, right-handed hitter with a ton of raw power, but he needs to figure out a gameplan to stick with in order to get to it. He likes to attack pitches early in the count and showed he could still do damage if he got a pitch to hit in the first two or three offerings, but if he chased early and fell behind, he was done. He needs to learn he can have impact in all counts and cut down his chase because when he does connect, he still registers elite-level exit velocities.
While Calaz saw considerable time in center field at the outset of his career, he’s starting to slow down as he fills out his frame. He’s working on his conditioning and nutrition, but it’s looking like right field, where he saw a lot of time in 2025, is the best spot for him long-term. He has the power potential to profile there if he can find a bit more discipline at the plate.
FanGraphs ranks Calaz as a 35+ FV player (35th in the system), highlighted by a plus-plus future grade on his raw power and a plus arm:
Calaz was a big-bonus prospect in the 2023 international class, signing for $1.7 million thanks to a powerful frame and the chance to grow into 70 raw. He had a great debut season in the DSL, ripped through the ACL in 2024, and after a great two-week cameo in Low-A to round out that season, he entered 2025 with no small amount of hype. On the surface, his .259/.338/.399 line, good for a 105 wRC+, is perhaps a tad disappointing but not especially illuminating. Beneath the surface, red flags lurk everywhere.
While Calaz held his own in the Cal League, his lack of feel in the box looms as a real problem. He’s an aggressive swinger with poor pitch recognition and strike zone judgement. His contact rate was just 66% last year, and he whiffed more than 30% of the time on both fastballs and breaking balls. He’s a see-ball, hit-ball hitter, and across several looks over the two seasons, he’s shown no growth in his ability to make adjustments mid-at-bat. His uphill swing is powerful, but also stiff and grooved; he’ll hammer a mistake in his wheelhouse to the moon, but there are a lot of ways to get him out.
While Calaz saw time in center field again last year, he’s slowed considerably in pro ball, and is ticketed for right. He’s presently poor there, as he often struggles to field bouncing or rolling balls, much less track stuff adeptly in the air. He has a cannon for an arm and a shot to be playable overall with a lot of reps, but as with his bat, he’s a long way off. Overall, his power and arm strength give him paths to help, most likely in a bench role. On both sides, though, his feel for the game is very raw and needs significant growth if he’s to have any chance of tapping into his power.
When’s he going to get to the Rockies and how good will he be once he’s there?
Calaz is much more likely to be in a corner outfield role and has some big plate approach and contact rate questions. Calaz is clearly a high-ceiling player who seems increasingly unlikely to actualize it absent an overhaul to his offensive approach. Still though, plus right-handed power is tough to come by, and the big signing bonus Calaz got is proof positive of its market value. Calaz is still young and has time to make corrections, but 2027 will bring a Rule 5 decision and he’ll no doubt be back at Spokane until he can prove some level of mastery there. I ranked Calaz 28th on my list as a 40 FV player because the ingredients are there for a monster but the recipe is yet to be found.
Stay tuned for the next installment of the mid-season 2026 PuRPs list!
After a huge momentum building series victory over the West leading Los Angeles Dodgers, the Dbacks looked to build upon not only their momentum but also their Wild Card lead over the Padres by taking advantage of a matchup against one of the weaker teams in baseball in the Colorado Rockies. The fellas and I discussed last episode that sweeping the series would be the most ideal outcome, but sweeping even the worst teams in baseball is no guarantee (they are still professional ball clubs so they aren’t just automatic wins) but a series win over the Rockies would be the minimum requirement since they are starting to run out of “easy” opponents on their schedule.
Merrill’s Rocky Road
The Diamondbacks went into the Mainstays start on Wednesday needing him to continue his stretch of solid outings and bring home a series victory for the snakes and end the homestand on a high note, unfortunately that would not be the case as Merrill surrendered 6 earned runs across 5 innings of work with most of the damage coming from Brett Sullivan’s 3-R bomb in the 2nd and Zac Veen’s 2-R pool shot in the 5th for the 24th and 25th home runs surrendered by Merrill in 2026 (most since allowing 29 HR in his rookie season in 2019).
Gabe, Brandon and I all agreed that the biggest issue that we saw from Kelly in this outing was mostly the lack of control on most if not all of his pitches. Merrill is the kind of pitcher who won’t blow the doors off many hitters, so location being as pinpoint as possible is always the best recipe for success for Kelly. When he is missing either over the heart of the plate or so far outside that the hitters can spit on it right out of the hand, leading to a lack of swing and miss and weak contact.
The Dbacks will need the Mainstay to get back to the kind of pitcher he was in July if they want to have any hope of making this push for October a success.
When Does Noot Get the Boot?
The Dbacks lone move from the deadline has been talked about endlessly by not only us here at Dbacks Dispatch, but by other writers and twitter accounts, and for understandable reasons. We all knew that we wouldn’t be getting a big power bat in lars Nootbar and that his best quality at the dish would be his plate discipline and ability to work the count and work walks. WHile that part has been as advertised in the first 8 games of his Dbacks tenure (7 walks to only 4 K’s so far), the lack of hits from the Noot has had us and other fans start to get frustrated and maybe even a bit worrisome with what we’ve been seeing.
It’s no secret that the Snakes have had a lack of offensive production from some key areas in their lineup, mostly at 1st base (.609 OPS, worst in baseball) and at DH (.621 OPS, 2nd worst in baseball) and it’s mostly why the fan base was so frustrated with the lack of moves to address those areas at the deadline. Lars wouldn’t have been the option first 1st base, but seeing as he has seen a majority of his starts in the desert as the Designated hitter it makes his .120/.313/.160 slash even more frustrating to watch, especially when the offense puts up a performance like they did in Wednesday’s loss.
The fellas and I discussed just how long of a leash we should give Nootbar and when we should really start to worry about what we are seeing. Granted its only been 8 games and just 25 AB’s, but this isn’t like an early season struggle like what we saw from Nolan Arenado where we at least have time to see him work his way out of it, this is a critical part of the season and having a black hole in the lineup as the DH isn’t the best plan for success in the tight Wild Card race.
Gabe brought up the similar numbers that Lars Nootbar (.240 AVG and a .738 OPS in 1800+ career AB’s) and Pavin Smith (.241 AVG and .719 OPS in 1400+ career AB’s) have career wise in saying that we moved on from Pavin (another black hole in the lineup during his time in 2026) just to trade our #5 prospect for a different version of Pavin Smith. Even just using their numbers as Diamondbacks in 2026 (Yes Lars has about 1/3rd the amount of AB’s Pavin did so not a 1 to 1 comp), Lars has even worse numbers than what we saw from Pavin (.141/.236/192 slash in 78 AB’s) before his eventual DFA, so it doesn’t seem unfair from us or other fans to say that our frustrations could start to reach a boiling point and start to ask if there is any other options we have over Noot Noot.
Ups and Downs
While the Snakes were unfortunately unable to even win the series over the Rockies, mostly due to a lack of clutch hitting in the two defeats (especially Wednesday’s historically bad performance), there were still some positive moments that the crew wanted to highlight from this final series of the homestand.
Gabe was yet again impressed from what he saw from the bullpen, as the lone run the pen allowed in their 11.2 innings of work was off of Kevin GInkel in the 7th inning of Tuesday’s 3-2 defeat. Zack Littell provided some much needed length in relief of Soroka on Monday, leading to his first win as Snake, and Gerardo Carrillo continues to impress with his disgusting arsenal of pitches as he had 4 K’s in his 2 shutout innings on Wednesday thus lowering his ERA to 0.71. Adding Justin Martinez to the mixture of available arms out of the pen could make this bullpen one to truly fear come October (as long as we get there that is).
Brandon wanted to give his praise to the performance that Mitch Bratt turned in on Tuesday. Yes it ended up a no decision and a 2-R HR from Kyle Karros ended his impressive scoreless inning streak, it was back to back starts of Bratt going 6+ innings which is something that the 3 of us agreed is very important to see more of as he continues to adjust to Major League hitters and develop as the big league level.
All 3 of us also wanted to make sure Corbin Carroll got his praise as well for what he did in Wednesday’s frustrating loss. Corbin not only added another triple to his tally (14 on the season) but also continued to smash left handed pitching, sending a Brandon Bernardino sinker the opposite way for his 18th home run on the season, and the 100th of his young career. With that homer in the 8th Corbin became just the 2nd player in MLB history to have 50+ Triples, 100+ HR and 100+ SB within 650 games, joining the legend WIllie Mays.
The Diamondbacks head into Atlanta to face the 2nd best team in the NL record wise in the East leading Braves for the first time these teams since their series split back in early April. Brandon, Gabe and I were all in agreement that this is a series where you really have to pick your poison whether its Drake Baldwin, Ronald Acuna Jr, Ozzie Albies, Matt Olson or even Austin Riley, there is a lot of names in the lineup that can do some damage and put up crooked numbers.
This series is the start to a pretty tough stretch of ball clubs the Snakes will have in their way for the rest of the month of August, so getting a series win and starting off the last half of August on a high note is very crucial to this team regaining momentum and keeping up with the Phillies, Padres and even Cubs for 1 of the 3 NL WIld Card spots.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN. - APRIL 2026 Kevin Garnett acknowledges the crowd at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn., on Sunday, April 12, 2026. The Hall of Fame forward and all-time franchise leader in nearly every major statistical category walked into the arena after player introductions, receiving a roar from the crowd and patting his heart with his hand. Garnett, who had a falling out with previous owner Glen Taylor after his career was over, reached an agreement last year with the team to serve as an ambassador. His No. 21 jersey will be retired at a later date. Minnesota Timberwolves vs. New Orleans Pelicans, final regular season game. (Photo by Carlos Gonzalez/The Minnesota Star Tribune via Getty Images) | Star Tribune via Getty Images
On Friday morning, the Minnesota Timberwolves announced the day that Kevin Garnett’s jersey is finally going up in the rafters.
This will be just the second game after the All-Star break on a Sunday evening. The Wolves will play host to the team that first retired KG’s number (#5), and where he finally won a well-deserved championship, the Boston Celtics. He hasn’t been shy about how much the Celtics have meant to him, so one will have to wonder which team he’ll be rooting for that night. Is it possible he sits courtside dawning an abomination of a jersey like this?
I am not going to share the link to where to find this jersey.
All jokes aside, this jersey retirement is 10 years overdue. Had it not been for his long standing feud with former Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor, number 21 would have been up at Target Center right between the late Malik Sealy’s #2 and the Flip Saunders banner. The energy will surely be electric that night. You better believe that once single-game tickets go on sale, they’ll be scooped up immediately.
For those of you who were asleep for the last year, it was formally announced in December 2025 that new Timberwolves owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez were bringing Garnett back into the organizational fold. He would be coming aboard in a role on the business, community, and content side of the team. KG would also soon return to Target Center for a Timberwolves game for the first time in eight years, walking into the arena to a raucous standing ovation alongside his daughters.
KG’s jersey retirement ceremony will surely be filled with lots of emotions and special guests, but surely not many dry eyes.
Until then, I leave you with one of my favorite videos on YouTube. It’s a carefully curated 11-minute long pictorial video created by garnetttribute, detailing his career (until that point) backwards. It starts hitting me in my feels around the 7:55 mark. So many memories resurface in my head not just of KG, but my life around that time.
The Flyers are bringing back the majority of their defense from last season’s playoff team.
At the NHL draft in late June, Danny Briere wasn’t bothered by that idea. This offseason, the Flyers held onto Rasmus Ristolainen, who’s entering the final year of his contract. In a four-player trade two months ago, the club parted ways with Emil Andrae and acquired Simon Benoit. Other than that, the Flyers’ defense stayed mostly intact.
But the Flyers’ general manager did mention David Jiricek and Oliver Bonk, a pair of young righty shots who are vying for opportunities.
“You have a guy like Jiricek, who’s going to come in and battle,” Briere said. “You have a guy like Bonk, who’s about to get into battle. I don’t know that these guys are quite ready to take on 22, 23 minutes a night. That’s where Risto gets to protect them.”
While Jiricek won’t be rushed into significant minutes, the Flyers do have some pressure to have him in the mix. Jiricek, a product of last season’s Bobby Brink trade, is no longer exempt from waivers. There’s a good chance the 2022 sixth overall pick would be claimed by another club if the Flyers tried to send him to AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley. So the Flyers will likely have him on the season-opening roster.
The 22-year-old is trying to find his NHL footing with the Flyers, his third team after playing for the Blue Jackets and Wild. The offensive ability and instincts are there; the Flyers will look for him to be a confident skater and defender in his own zone. In 15 games with the Phantoms last season, he had two goals and 11 assists.
Benoit could be Jiricek’s biggest competition in training camp and the preseason. The defense’s final lineup spot on opening night could be between those two.
“I just try to be a two-way defenseman, support the offense, too,” Jiricek said in April, a day before playing in the Flyers’ regular-season finale. “I have a big shot, so I try to use it.”
A look at David Jiricek, the big righty-shot defenseman Flyers acquired in the Bobby Brink trade.
Not expecting him to play yet, but he was called up by Flyers and is getting his first skate in with big club. pic.twitter.com/7Hcv01qZQi
“I think he’ll challenge at camp,” Flyers assistant general manager Brent Flahr said in July. … “He may force his hand. To me, the moment’s never too big for him, just the way he plays the game. Doesn’t matter the level.”
The Flyers like the 2023 first-round pick so much that they trusted him to play in last season’s second-round Game 4 elimination loss to the Hurricanes. The 21-year-old had played just one NHL game before getting the nod for his pressure-filled playoff debut against the eventual Stanley Cup champions.
“It was a good experience to play against the best team,” Bonk said in July. “Next year, we’re going to go for even better and try to beat teams like that. We’ve just kind of got to learn from it, see what we did wrong. There was a lot of good stuff in the series, too, from Philly, so I’m excited to see the future.”
Bonk’s one career regular-season game came in last season’s finale. He played like an NHLer, recording a goal and an assist in the Flyers’ 4-2 win over the Canadiens. It was a meaningful game for Montreal, which was still jockeying for playoff seeding.
“To see how he played, the swagger he played with, it’s great,” Flahr said. “I think he still needs to get stronger, which he’s working at. But he’s just such a smart player. I think if we probably put him with better players, NHL players, he might just take off. So we’ll see where that one goes.”
Lehigh Valley head coach John Snowden called Bonk an “extremely smart hockey player.” At development camp this summer, Snowden liked the improvement he saw on Bonk’s shot.
“Just the last couple of days, watching him shoot, I even went to him on the ice today and said, ‘Your shot has got some pop on it right now,'” Snowden said in June. “He’s scoring from distance, he’s doing those things that you have to have on the blue line nowadays in the game, you have to be a threat to be able to shoot from the top.
“I think he has made those gains. I know he’s putting in a ton of work, I know his brain is very, very, very high and it’s going to suit him as he starts to go up and he starts to play in the NHL here eventually one day. He’s making all the steps that are going to be vital for his development right now.”
We all know Igor Shesterkin will be the New York Rangers’ starting goaltender, but who will take on the backup position?
For the past three seasons, Jonathan Quick served as Shesterkin's backup, but his retirement at the end of the 2025-26 season left a vacancy in the Rangers’ goaltending room.
At the end of last season, Dylan Garand got an audition with the Blueshirts, playing in three games and recording a .948 save percentage and a 1.62 goals against average.
“It was great, such a good experience,” Garand said of his time with the Rangers to close out the season. “Obviously, waited my whole life for an opportunity like this, and yeah, it was everything I dreamed of.”
With Quick retiring, the tides seemed to be shifting in Garand’s direction to secure the backup goaltending role for the 2026-27 campaign.
The Rangers gave Garand a two-year contract extension late in June, which seemed to prove further that he would be on the NHL roster once training camp rolled around.
“As far as Dylan, I couldn’t be happier for him, coming up and playing as solid as he did,” Rangers’ president and general manager Chris Drury said during his exit interview. “I was excited about what we saw, and we're certainly looking at him and among other options as to see who could be backup.”
Despite all of the positive signs leaning toward Garand, the Rangers acquired veteran goaltender Joonas Korpisalo from the Boston Bruins on July 1 in exchange for a 2028 fourth-round pick.
Korpisalo comes in with a $3 million cap hit for the Rangers over the next two years, with the Bruins reportedly retaining $1 million per season from his current contract, which expires after the 2027-28 season.
Between Garand and Korpisalo, who will serve as the Rangers’ backup goaltender?
While the Rangers are viewing the backup position as up for grabs and a competition between Korpisalo and Garand, it’s hard to imagine the Blueshirts not handing the job to Korpisalo.
Drury specifically sought out Korpisalo and used draft compensation to acquire him.
The 32-year-old goalie’s $3 million cap hit and 334 games of NHL experience make it more likely for the Rangers to give him the job over Garand, who’s on a league-minimum contract and has only 3 games of NHL experience.
If there were to be an early favorite to secure the backup goaltending role behind Shesterkin going into training camp, it would be Korpisalo.
Oliver Kapanen had a surprising rookie season with the Montreal Canadiens last year. After Martin St-Louis put him on the third line with Ivan Demidov and Alex Newhook to start the season, the coach realized the youngsters were ready for a bigger workload, and shortly after the start of November, they moved up to the second line.
The 64th overall pick at the 2021 draft put up 37 points in 82 games, including a whopping 22 goals. Nobody expected that kind of output from the then-22-year-old Finn, but playing with a player as talented as Demidov sure has its advantages. However, Kapanen hit a proverbial wall midway through the season, and after returning from the Olympics, he was only able to put up six points in 25 games.
In the playoffs, he struggled with the game’s speed and intensity and soon found himself on the outside looking in. He was only dressed for seven games, four against the Tampa Bay Lightning, one against the Buffalo Sabres and one against the Carolina Hurricanes. Obviously, that wasn’t a great confidence builder for the youngster, and if he wants to bounce back, he’ll have to get over the disappointment of his playoff usage and performance. This is where a player needs to show that he has a short-term memory to be in the best possible mental frame to bounce back.
If St-Louis elects to use Kapanen with Demidov once again this season, the young centerman may be able to avoid the sophomore slump. Still, if he decides to give yet another chance to Kirby Dach as a top-six center, things may get more complicated for Kapanen. There’s a possibility that St-Louis will be asked to showcase Dach if he’s still a member of the Canadiens to give him some value on the trade market, since Kent Hughes is not one to sell low, but one had to think that Dach would be on a short leash, so to speak. In fact, given the opportunities he’s had in the past and the fact that he’s unlikely to be part of the long-term picture in Montreal, it would make more sense to give Kapanen the better opportunities.
If Kapanen spends much of the season with Demidov, we can expect some growth in his offensive production; if not, he may become a candidate for regression this season. In the long term, it would be surprising if Kapanen hung on to a top six spot. On a contending team, he’d be best suited to a third-line center role, but right now, as a placeholder for Michael Hage until he not only joins the Habs, but proves he’s able to take on a top six role, Kapanen appears to be the most viable option.
Jeff Skinner's hockey career in the NHL might be over. At least, for the 2026-27 season, he'll be playing overseas and not on one of the 32 NHL franchises.
The unrestricted free-agent winger signed a one-year contract with EHC Biel-Bienne in the Swiss league, the team announced Friday.
Der EHC Biel freut sich, die Verpflichtung des kanadischen Stürmers Jeff Skinner bekanntzugeben. Jeff unterschreibt beim EHCB einen Vertrag bis Ende April 2027. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/QBOaplYgMX
Oiler fans will know Skinner from his brief stint with the team during the 2024-25 season. He scored 16 goals and 29 points in 72 games. Given how little ice time he was offered under then-head coach Kris Knoblauch, it wasn't a bad season. He also saw the only playoff action of his 16-season NHL career in Edmonton, playing in five games.
A six-time 30-goal scorer, Skinner was limited to 13 points in 32 games with the San Jose Sharks last season, averaging a career-low 12:21 per contest.
If this is the end of his NHL run, he finishes with 379 goals and 712 points in 1,110 games.
Former Buffalo Sabres winger Jeff Skinner surprisingly did not find a home after having his contract terminated last February by San Jose. This summer, the former 40-goal scorer did not latch on with an NHL club and he has opted for a sure thing instead of a professional tryout at training camp.
On Friday, the 16-year NHL veteran signed a one-year deal with HC Biel-Bienne in Switzerland.
Skinner signed an eight-year, $72 million contract in 2019 after scoring 40 goals in the final year of his contract. The club’s coaching change to Ralph Krueger was not a good fit for the offensive winger, who was relegated to a bottom-six role and scored only 21 goals in 112 games the next two years, but his goal scoring returned under Don Granato, with 33 and 35-goal campaigns in 2022 and 2023.
Der EHC Biel freut sich, die Verpflichtung des kanadischen Stürmers Jeff Skinner bekanntzugeben. Jeff unterschreibt beim EHCB einen Vertrag bis Ende April 2027. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/QBOaplYgMX
Who had the best and worst offseasons in the Atlantic Division?
After dropping to 24 goals in 2023-24, the Sabres bought out the final three years of his contract; something that has resulted in over $6 million in dead cap space this season. The 34-year-old hooked up with Edmonton in 2025, and played in his first postseason games during the Oilers run to a Cup Final loss.
In other news, the Sabres announced the hiring of five to their management and scouting staff: David Warsofsky as Defense Development Coach, Chris Knieste as Data Engineer, Eric Weissman as Director of College Recruiting and Reserve List Scouting, Jack McNaughton as Goalie Scout and Emergency Replacement Goaltender, and Ariel Amaral as Data Scientist.
Warsofsky, 36, is a former NHL defenseman who played for four clubs (Boston, Pittsburgh, New Jersey, Colorado) and served as head coach and Director of Hockey Operations of the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays last season. McNaughton, 24, played four WHL seasons with the Calgary Hitmen, and another four years in Canadian college hockey at Western Ontario.
Brendan Tuma
