Washington Wizards season preview: Lineup, roster and prediction

The Washington Wizards had an interesting way of building toward this season.

Trae Young played just 15 games last season, a career low, and only five of them for Washington. He called it "a blessing in disguise," the deal that sent him out of Atlanta after the Hawks never offered him an extension. The Wizards then gave him four years and $212.8 million – the most any team could have offered him – and agreed to it the day before they used the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA on AJ Dybantsa.

Nobody was actually bidding against them though.

The Wizards had already landed Young and Anthony Davis in midseason trades, then won the lottery after losing 26 of their final 27 games. Dybantsa led the nation in scoring as a BYU freshman.

Deandre Ayton came from the Los Angeles Lakers for Jaden Hardy and two second-round picks. Khris Middleton arrived in a six-team sign-and-trade at three years and $17.6 million, but only the first year is fully guaranteed.

Washington has gone 50-196 over three seasons and has not won a playoff series since 2017.

Here's a breakdown of the Washington Wizards' offseason moves and what to expect from them heading into the 2026-27 NBA season:

Washington Wizards offseason review

  • Record last season: 17-65 (15th in Eastern Conference)
  • Playoff finish: Did not qualify
  • Coach: Brian Keefe (fourth season)
  • 2026-27 title odds: +15000 (per BetMGM)
  • Projected record : 30-52
  • Offseason grade : C+

Key roster additions

  • F AJ Dybantsa (draft, No.1)
  • F Khris Middleton (sign-and-trade)
  • C Deandre Ayton (trade)
  • G Tre Mann (trade)

Key roster losses

  • F Cam Whitmore (trade)
  • G D'Angelo Russell (free agency)
  • G Jaden Hardy (free agency)

Biggest question entering training camp

Do these guys fit on the same roster?

  • Young is 27, Davis is 33, Middleton is 35. Dybantsa is 19, Alex Sarr is 21, Tre Johnson is 20. Keefe has to get all of them shots without stalling any of the development that got him a fourth season in the first place. His record so far is 43-160. Then there is Davis, who wants a max extension. If Washington declines, a trade request is the logical next move, and it would land in the middle of the season the Wizards have spent two years setting up.

 AJ Dybantsa of the Washington Wizards walks on the court during a break in the first half of a 2026 NBA Summer League game against the Utah Jazz at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 09, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Projected starting lineup and rotation

Starters

  • G Trae Young
  • G Kyshawn George
  • F AJ Dybantsa
  • F Anthony Davis
  • C Alex Sarr

Rotation players

  • G Tre Johnson
  • G Bub Carrington
  • G Tre Mann
  • F Bilal Coulibaly
  • F Khris Middleton
  • C Deandre Ayton

What to expect in 2026-27 season

Thirty wins would be progress. Washington finished 30th in defensive rating at 122.7 and 30th in net rating at minus-11.8, and it has finished last in net rating in back-to-back seasons. Young and Davis alone should move both numbers several points, and Davis, Dybantsa and Sarr give Young three pick-and-roll partners who can all finish, easily the best supporting cast of his career.

The defense will still be a problem. So will the East, which is no longer anybody's soft landing.

Washington opens at home against the Milwaukee Bucks on Oct. 21. General manager Will Dawkins, asked in April whether the coach who went 17-65 would be back, did not hesitate. "Yeah, I anticipate Brian Keefe to be here," he said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Washington Wizards season preview: Lineup, roster and prediction

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Chicago Bulls season preview: Lineup, roster and prediction

The Chicago Bulls underwent drastic changes this offseason, adding three new starters, a new front office leader and a new coach. This makes better days easier to envision even though the Bulls once again appear positioned as neither a legitimate Eastern conference contender nor a doormat entering the 2026-27 NBA season.

First-year coach Tiago Splitter, who successfully led the Portland Trail Blazers to the NBA playoffs in an interim capacity last season, takes over for Billy Donovan. Bulls executive VP of basketball operations Bryson Graham arrived from the Atlanta Hawks and acquired impact veterans in Norman Powell and Nic Claxton. The biggest reason for optimism, however, might be forward Caleb Wilson, the No. 4 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

After years of holding on to a core that was only good enough to be a play-in team, the Bulls have finally turned the page while retaining potential foundational players in Matas Buzelis and Josh Giddey. If Wilson has an immediate impact, Chicago can suddenly look forward to one of the East's most intriguing young trios.

Here's a breakdown of the Chicago Bulls' offseason moves and what to expect from them heading into the 2026-27 NBA season:

Chicago Bulls offseason review

  • Record last season: 31-51 (12th in Eastern Conference)
  • Playoff finish: Did not qualify
  • Coach: Tiago Splitter (1st season)
  • 2026-27 title odds: +75000 (per BetMGM)
  • Projected record: 40-42
  • Offseason grade: A-

Key roster additions

  • G Norman Powell (free agent signing)
  • F Caleb Wilson (No. 4 pick in 2026 NBA Draft)
  • F Dailyn Swain (No. 15 pick in 2026 NBA Draft)
  • C Nic Claxton (trade)

Key roster losses

  • G Collin Sexton (free agent)
  • G Anfernee Simons (free agent)
  • F Guerschon Yabulsele (free agent)
  • C Nick Richards (free agent)

Biggest question entering training camp

Is Caleb Wilson the franchise cornerstone the Bulls have been searching for since Derrick Rose?

  • Wilson was widely regarded as one of four elite prospects in the 2026 NBA Draft, and he's the most likely to emerge as a star from the Bulls' rebuilding pivot. The success of Chicago's new direction will largely depend on Wilson's development over the next several seasons and a productive rookie campaign is especially important for this new regime after 2025 first-round pick Noa Essengue struggled to gain traction last year.

Projected starting lineup and rotation

Starters

  • G Josh Giddey
  • G Norman Powell
  • F Matas Buzelis
  • F Caleb Wilson
  • C Nic Claxton

Rotation players

  • G Tre Jones
  • G Isaac Okoro
  • F Dailyn Swain
  • F Patrick Williams
  • F Noa Essengue
  • F/C Jalen Smith

What to expect in 2026-27 season

It's been more than a decade since the Bulls won a playoff series and that's unlikely to change this season. But the franchise has more optimism than recent years with the arrivals of Wilson and Powell to help Buzelis and Giddey. Expect this group to hover closer to .500 than last year, with the chance to push for one of the East's last playoff spots if the new pieces come together quickly.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Chicago Bulls season preview: Lineup, roster and prediction

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Indiana Pacers season preview: Lineup, roster and prediction

The Indiana Pacers are poised to return as NBA championship contenders after a one-year hiatus following the Achilles injury suffered by star Tyrese Haliburton in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals. But Haliburton is set to make his long-awaited comeback to start the 2026-27 season, and the Pacers are a leading candidate to make a dramatic jump in the standings.

Haliburton will have a new center to play with after Indiana acquired Ivica Zubac at last February's trade deadline and mostly kept him under wraps as the franchise chose to position itself for a lottery pick. The strategy backfired; the selection fell just outside the top-four protected range and the No. 5 pick was conveyed to the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Pacers should nonetheless be in the playoff mix again, with much of the core that won the Eastern Conference finals less than 16 months ago still intact. If Haliburton is healthy enough to once again be one of the NBA's best playmakers, Indiana will quickly re-emerge as a title threat.

Here's a breakdown of the Indiana Pacers' offseason moves and what to expect from them heading into the 2026-27 NBA season:

Indiana Pacers offseason review

  • Record last season: 19-63 (14th in Eastern Conference)
  • Playoff finish: Did not qualify
  • Coach: Rick Carlisle, 6th season
  • 2026-27 title odds: +6600 (per BetMGM)
  • Projected record: 53-29
  • Offseason grade: C

Key roster additions

  • F Kelly Oubre Jr.
  • F Larry Nance Jr.

Key roster losses

  • G Kam Jones (trade)
  • C Micah Potter (waived)

Biggest question entering training camp

Can Tyrese Haliburton return to all-NBA form?

  • Haliburton missed the entire 2025-26 season rehabbing from an Achilles injury and also dealt with a frustrating case of shingles that slowed his recovery. He appeared to be at the peak of his powers before getting hurt, hitting game-winning shots and orchestrating Indiana's high-powered offense throughout its run to the 2025 NBA Finals. Advances in Achilles rehabilitation and Haliburton's diverse skill set provide reasons for optimism, but last season only reinforced that the Pacers are counting on him to remain a franchise star. Indiana's roster is built around Haliburton's ability to create shots for himself, and his ability to bounce back from injury will determine this team's outlook.

Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton, shown here during the 2025 NBA Finals, is expected to return from an Achilles injury to begin the 2026-27 NBA season.

Projected starting lineup and rotation

Starters

  • G Tyrese Haliburton
  • G Andrew Nembhard
  • F Aaron Nesmith
  • F Pascal Siakam
  • C Ivica Zubac

Rotation players

  • G T.J. McConnell
  • G Ben Sheppard
  • F Kelly Oubre Jr.
  • F Jarace Walker
  • F Obi Tobbin
  • F Larry Nance Jr.
  • C Jay Huff

What to expect in 2026-27 season

Nobody in the NBA should improve their record more than the Pacers this season, even if Haliburton isn't quite what he once was in his first year coming back from a major Achilles injury. That's how strong the combination of Pascal Siakam and Zubac could be in the frontcourt and how much the team's record suffered while tanking in Haliburton's absence. But Haliburton's re-emergence as a star is the key to this group separating itself from the other Eastern Conference contenders trying to challenge the Knicks this season.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Indiana Pacers season preview: Lineup, roster and prediction

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Why Bruins need another elite Jeremy Swayman season to reach playoffs

Why Bruins need another elite Jeremy Swayman season to reach playoffs originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Bruins returned to the playoffs in the 2025-26 NHL season after a disastrous 2024-25 campaign that saw the Original Six franchise finish with the league’s fifth-worst record.

The turnaround was powered by many different players. David Pastrnak tallied his fourth straight 100-point season. Morgan Geekie scored a career-high 39 goals. Charlie McAvoy posted a career-high 61 points. Young forwards such as Fraser Minten and Marat Khusnutdnov showed improvement.

But no player made a more significant impact than Jeremy Swayman.

The 27-year-old goalie had a bounce-back season. He was voted a Vezina Trophy finalist for the first time in his career, earned a spot on Team USA’s Olympic gold medal-winning roster and established himself as an elite goaltender.

Swayman posted a 31-18-4 record with a .908 save percentage and a 2.71 GAA. Those numbers don’t jump off the page, but the analytics painted a very different (and more favorable) picture.

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If the Bruins are going to make it back to the playoffs in the upcoming campaign, they’ll need great goaltending again. They did not defend at a high level on a consistent basis last season. The B’s ranked 27th in shots against, 27th in scoring chances against and 29th in high-danger chances allowed in all situations, per Natural Stat Trick. They also went to the penalty kill a league-high 278 times. Swayman helped the Bruins overcome these defensive issues. He bailed out his teammates’ mistakes a lot.

Maybe the Bruins’ defense will be better this season. They added defensemen Will Borgen and Connor Clifton in the offseason. Hampus Lindholm is healthy. Frederic Brunet could inject some youth and playmaking ability on the back end. But relying on Swayman to overcome worrisome defending again and again is not an ideal strategy for long-term success.

The Atlantic could be the most competitive division in the league this season. Six of the eight teams, including the Bruins, have a realistic shot at the playoffs.

Four of the top eight teams in goals scored last season were in the Atlantic — Lightning (No. 4), Sabres (No. 5), Canadiens (No. 7), Senators (No. 8) — and that doesn’t include the Panthers, who are healthy again after being decimated by injuries a year ago. They also added top-six forward Brady Tkachuk in the offseason. The crazy amount of offensive skill in the Atlantic will make goaltending even more important for a team like the Bruins.

Even though the Bruins finished 10th in goals scored last season, you could still argue that they do not have the offensive firepower to win high-scoring games on a consistent basis, and therefore will need great goaltending again. The B’s scored the second-most goals above expected last season, per MoneyPuck. Several players had a career-high shooting percentage. It’s fair to wonder if last season’s surprising scoring uptick was an outlier and if a regression is coming.

We did see a steep regression in the playoffs. The B’s scored an average of 1.25 goals over the last four games of their first-round series versus the Sabres. They needed Swayman to be almost perfect to win that series, and he gave them a chance, including a brilliant performance in a Game 5 overtime win on the road. The regular season is not the playoffs, but it would be foolish to just assume that Boston’s offensive improvement from last season will continue.

David Pastrnak and Jeremy SwaymanJohn E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
Jeremy Swayman and David Pastrnak celebrate a playoff win.

Swayman posted great numbers while playing a career-high 55 games last season. Only eight goalies played more games than him. Karel Vejmelka of the Utah Mammoth was the only goalie to appear in 60-plus games.

Managing Swayman’s workload to keep him fresh but also maximize his production will be an important task for head coach Marco Sturm and his staff. He was asked about it last week.

“We’ll see, time will tell,” Sturm said at a press conference. “He had a pretty good run last year, and that’s why there’s a lot of nights we even talk about who’s going to be in net the other night or the next night. Sometimes we had to go with him because he was pretty hot for a while, so hopefully he’s going to have stretches like this again, regardless of who’s going to be the backup, a veteran or a young kid like Mikey [Michael DiPietro].

“We just want to give him the best opportunity, and hopefully he’s going to have another year like this, like he had last year for us, and get us a lot of good saves and a lot of points on the board.”

If the Bruins had gotten better and more consistent performances from backup goalie Joonas Korpisalo, maybe they wouldn’t have had to play Swayman in 55 games. Korpisalo tallied a lackluster .894 save percentage and a 3.15 GAA in 31 games played (28 starts). He had a few good stretches throughout the regular season, but overall, he wasn’t reliable enough.

Korpisalo was traded to the New York Rangers in July, and the new backup is expected to be Michael DiPietro, who excelled for the AHL’s Providence Bruins each of the previous three seasons and won the league’s MVP award last year.

DiPietro has more than earned his chance to be an NHL-level goalie. And if he can consistently give the Bruins a chance to win games while Swayman gets much-needed rest, it will significantly increase their chances of reaching the playoffs.

There are a lot of factors that will have to go right for the Bruins to make the playoffs from an ultra competitive division. One thing that has to go well is goaltending. Swayman needs to be the foundation of the team’s success. When he’s playing at the top of his game, the rest of the team gets a huge lift.

Luckily for the Bruins, Swayman has shown in the past that he’s capable of shouldering that kind of pressure. The B’s need that to continue if they’re going to build on last season’s success and get back to the second round of the playoffs.

Upcoming free agent Brandon Lowe has interest in returning to Pirates

PITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 16: Brandon Lowe #5 of the Pittsburgh Pirates rounds the bases on his two-run home run in the fifth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at PNC Park on September 16, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Brandon Lowe has been arguably the best player for the franchise this season. He leads the team in home runs with 33 and he leads the team with RBIs with 93. However, the bad news is that Lowe is a free agent in the offseason.

There could be some good news, as there is apparently mutual interest between the team and Lowe to sign a new deal. According to Lowe the team has not approached him yet about signing an extension but it is normal for teams to table those types of conversations until the season is over. 

Lowe told Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette the Pirates have not approached him about an extension, though he added: “I think this team’s got a very bright future and a lot of good players, and there’s a lot of good baseball that’s going to be played in this park for a long time. [If] they want to talk, I’m all ears.” Post Gazette

In the event a multiyear agreement does not materialize before free agency begins in November, the Pirates will likely give Lowe a $23.1MM qualifying offer. If the Pirates do present Lowe with a QO and he signs for upward of $50MM elsewhere, they will receive a pick after the first round of the 2027 draft in return. 

Lowe was acquired in a three-team trade involving the Astros last December. In a swap that also delivered left-handed reliever Mason Montgomery and outfielderJake Mangum to Pittsburgh, the team shipped righty Mike Burrows to Houston.

One of the most important things that the Pirates need to take care of in the offseason is Lowe. He has been so good this year defensively and of course offensively. The power and leadership that he has brought to this young team has been apparent and that’s a guy that needs to resign. 

I understand the asking price could be a lot but a team that never likes to spend money should especially for a player that is producing and showing interest in returning.  

Henry Pollock saga ends after player signs ‘multi-year’ deal to stay at Northampton

  • ‘I’m happy. It’s an exciting place to be right now’

  • Prem champions have moved to tie down huge asset

England back row Henry Pollock has signed a bumper new contract with Northampton. The 21-year-old has agreed a “multi-year” deal, the Prem champions announced on Tuesday morning.

“I’m massively happy to re-sign with Saints, my boyhood club,” Pollock said. “It’s an exciting place to be right now. We’re in a great spot as a team, but it feels like there’s still so much more growth in us.”

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Yankees news: Sweep or weep

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - SEPTEMBER 20: Manager Aaron Boone #17 of the New York Yankees looks on from the dugout before the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on September 20, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images

MLB.com | Bryan Hoch, Adam Berry: The long and winding season is coming to a close, and the Yankees find themselves six games back of the Rays with just seven games remaining. The good news is that four of those remaining games will be against those Rays in the Bronx starting from Tuesday, giving the Yankees a very small chance to keep their division hopes alive. How small? Per FanGraphs, the Yankees have just a one percent chance of finishing first in the AL East. Given the way things have gone as of late, even that figure seems a tad optimistic, but as a wise man once said, it ain’t over ‘til it’s over.

Hoch and Berry outline the key details of this crucial homestand for the Yankees. Of note is the starting pitching matchups; Tampa Bay will send out their two best starters in the opening doubleheader — Nick Martinez for Game 1 and Drew Rasmussen for Game 2 — but they’re slated to rely on Ian Seymour and Freddy Peralta for Wednesday and Thursday, which is a step down in quality. Meanwhile, the Yankees will counter with Carlos Rodón and Max Fried for the doubleheader, then Gerrit Cole for Game 3 and Cam Schlittler for Game 4. If the Yankees can come away with two wins on Tuesday — a big if, admittedly — a four-game sweep might not be out of their reach.

New York Daily News | Gary Phillps: Of course, in all likelihood, the Yankees will have to settle for a Wild Card matchup with the Red Sox for the second season in a row. Phillips takes a shot on predicting the Yankees’ 26-man roster for the WCS. The most impactful decision looks to be who to start in center field, with Trent Grisham progressing in his recovery from a hamstring strain, while Spencer Jones continues to hold his own in the big leagues. Personally, I’d rather see Jones out there, but we’ll have to see.

The Athletic | Brendan Kuty: ($) There’s one Yankee in particular who is licking their chops at the opportunity to stick it to the Rays in the upcoming homestand, and that’s José Caballero. Having been traded from those Rays to the Yankees at last year’s deadline, the feisty infielder has used that to fuel his competitive fire, saying, “For me, it’s just, ‘All right, I’m going to show you that I was good enough to stay in this game. I was good enough to make you pay for it.’ That’s all.” While Caballero hasn’t recaptured the magic that saw him post a 133 wRC+ over last season’s stretch run, he nonetheless has been a valuable role player in 2026, accumulating 1.5 WAR over 131 games so far. Here’s hoping he backs up the talk and stings those Rays.

Former Avalanche Forward Is Back In Vegas — And “Happy To Be Back”

Victor Olofsson left Las Vegas looking for a fresh start. A little more than a year later, after stops in Colorado and Calgary, he has found himself right back where it all began.

The former Colorado Avalanche forward is once again a member of the Vegas Golden Knights, returning to the organization he left in free agency after the 2024-25 season. What followed was a whirlwind stretch that included 60 games in Colorado, the birth of his second child, a trade to Calgary and, ultimately, another opportunity in the desert.

Olofsson's wife, Taylor, gave birth to the couple's second child during the Olympic break. Just over a week later, Olofsson was on the move, joining the Flames in the trade that sent Nazem Kadri back to Colorado.

Before that trade, Olofsson had put together a productive season with the Avalanche. He scored 11 goals and added 14 assists for 25 points in 60 games, including the first hat trick of his NHL career on Oct. 28.

Olofsson after recording his first hat trick as an NHL player. Credit: Isaiah J. Downing - Imagn Images
Olofsson after recording his first hat trick as an NHL player. Credit: Isaiah J. Downing - Imagn Images

His time in Calgary was considerably shorter. Olofsson finished with two goals and four assists in 18 games before free agency provided a familiar opportunity.

Vegas signed him to a one-year contract on July 1, bringing him back to the organization where he first experienced playoff hockey.

“I had a great time here last time around,” Olofsson told Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Danny Webster. “When the opportunity came, it felt like an easy choice. It was nice and quick. Happy to be back.”

There is also a new set of wheels waiting for him.

Cadillac of Las Vegas recently shared a photo of Olofsson picking up a brand-new Cadillac Escalade, posing alongside presumably the salesman. 

What better way to celebrate a return to the city of “lost wages” than by buying a brand-new car?

The Escalade is new. The opportunity in Vegas isn't.

Olofsson's first stint with the Golden Knights began with plenty of promise. He scored three goals in his first four games before a lower-body injury in October forced him to miss nearly two months.

This time, the circumstances could be different.

“I was a little bit in and out there the last time I was here,” Olofsson said. “I had a lot of good looks and chances, too, so we’ll see what happens this year. I’m ready for whatever and I’m excited.”

That is perhaps the biggest difference between Olofsson's first run with Vegas and his return. He has experienced another NHL organization, another trade and another season of trying to establish himself in a new environment.

Colorado was supposed to be a significant part of that next chapter.

Instead, Olofsson's time with the Avalanche ended before he could see the season through, with the veteran forward eventually becoming part of the trade that brought Kadri back to Denver.

Still, his 25-point season in Colorado gave him another productive stretch offensively, while his time in Vegas had already shown him what it is like to play for a team with Stanley Cup aspirations.

That experience appears to have remained important to him.

“The guys in the room, a lot of guys have won it one time and came close last year, too,” Olofsson said. “That’s the ultimate goal.”

For Olofsson, that goal was a major reason the decision to return to Vegas came together so quickly.

“That’s why I wanted to come back, too, was to win the Cup,” Olofsson said. “It’s always a team that’s in contention every year.”

Olofsson began his NHL career with the Buffalo Sabres after being selected 181st overall in the 2014 NHL Draft. He spent six seasons in Buffalo, including a 28-goal campaign in 2022-23, before eventually moving on to Vegas.

Since leaving Buffalo, Olofsson has played for Vegas, Colorado and Calgary, giving him three different stops before ultimately bringing him back to the Golden Knights. His chapter with the Avalanche lasted just one season, but it became another part of an NHL career that has taken several unexpected turns.

Now, after everything that has changed since he first left Vegas, Olofsson has another opportunity with an organization he already knows and a goal that has remained the same: winning the Stanley Cup.

And if his return to the desert needed one final touch, a brand-new hot rod isn't a bad way to start the next chapter.

Image

Giants get a 5-2 win, but lose another pitcher to injury

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 21: Bo Davidson #94 of the San Francisco Giants is congratulated by Drew Gilbert #0 after he scored during his Major League debut against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning at Oracle Park on September 21, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images

In a thoroughly depressing 2026 season for the San Francisco Giants, there was some hope about the future of the outfield Monday night. Drew Gilbert went 3-for-4 with 3 RBIs. Bo Davidson got a hit and stole a base in his big-league debut. And Jonah Cox continues to show he’s a plus defender at both second base as well as center field as the Giants won, 5-2.

Of course, the main theme of the 2026 season is that the Giants and their fans cannot have nice things. Blade Tidwell got his first win of the season Tuesday in St. Louis, then had to leave Monday’s game in the 4th inning due to ominous “elbow discomfort” one batter after allowing a Brooks Lee home run that just barely made it out of the park in right.

Tristan Beck (welcome back!) relieved Tidwell and retired all eight batters he faced for a much-deserved first win of the season. He even got his ERA below 6! Trent Harris got his second save with a perfect ninth inning, moving him into a tie for fifth among Giants closers this season. When the entire team has 30 saves for the season, you take them where you can get hem.

The Giants raced out to an early lead thanks to Gilbert and Davidson. Gilbert legged out an infield hit and Davidson followed up by lining a single to right on the 9th pitch of his first major league at-bat.

Davidson went on to steal second base, then scored on Brett Harris’ two-run single. Fun fact! It was Harris’ first two RBIs of the season, coming in his 9th game with the Giants and 13th overall. To his credit, he has not concussed himself on a doorway this season, though there’s still a week to go.

In the second, it was another infield single, this time by Osleivis Basabe, that started a rally. Christian Koss broke out of an 0-for-10 streak with a double, then Gilbert lined the ball over a drawn-in Twins infield to drive in both of his teammates.

Gilbert continued to torment Twins starter Zebby Matthews in the 5th, leading off the inning with his 11th home run. He’s been much better in the second half of the season, slashing .238/.339/.427 since the All-Star break and hitting unusually well (265/.365/.530) when he leads off an inning.

Later in the game, Duane Kuiper texted Mike Krukow that his call of Gilbert’s dinger was the “Worst home run call I’ve ever heard” and Krukow admitted the call was so stressful he may have wet his pants a little.

Marcelo Mayer, acquired in the Erik Miller trade, also made his Giants debut. It wasn’t great, as he earned himself a Golden Sombrero by striking out all four times he came to the plate, the first three coming on 3-2 pitches.

Old friend Taylor Rogers pitched 1.1 scoreless innings in relief and became the first Minnesota pitcher to retire Gilbert. Sadly, his twin brother Tyler may have ended the Toronto Blue Jays’ slim hopes of a playoff berth by giving up a game-winning two-home run homer to Pete Alonso on the same night.

Five more games. Please, no more injuries.

The champagne is on ice as Phillies get set to open final homestand

The champagne is on ice as Phillies get set to open final homestand originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Champagne showers are in the forecast as the Phillies open their final week of the regular season Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park.

The six-game homestand features visits from the top team in the National League (the Milwaukee Brewers) and the top team in the American League (the Tampa Bay Rays).

The Phillies will enter Tuesday night’s game against the Brewers with a magic number of 3 to clinch their fifth straight trip to the postseason. That means Garrett Stubbs could be doing the backstroke in the Phillies’ clubhouse as early as Wednesday night.

The Phils control the third and final NL wild-card spot with a four-game advantage over the Arizona Diamondbacks, currently the last team out. Any combination of three Phillies wins or three Arizona losses would put the Phils in the postseason.  

While Baseball-Reference.com gives the Phillies a 98 percent chance of making the postseason, it’s still unclear where they will play a first-round Wild Card Series next week.

With six games remaining, the Phils are a game behind the Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres, who are tied for the top NL wild-card spot. The Phils still have a chance to claim the first wild-card spot, which would make them the NL’s No. 4 overall seed and keep them at home for the best-of-three first-round series.

Finishing as the second (No. 5 seed) or third (No. 6) seed would put the Phils on the road for the first round. Based on the standings today, the Phillies, as the No. 6 seed, would travel to No. 3 seed Atlanta for the first round. Atlanta clinched the NL East on Sunday. The Braves went 9-4 against the Phillies this season.

If the Phils finish as the No. 5 seed, they would open on the road against the No. 4 seed. Based on tiebreakers, that team would currently be the Cubs, who won their season series with the Padres.

If, by chance, the Phillies, Cubs and Padres all finish with the same record, the Cubs would claim the No. 4 seed with the Phillies as the No. 5 seed over the Padres, based on season-series tiebreakers.

On Sunday, Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said the team would prioritize making the postseason ahead of striving for the home-field advantage in the first round. So, if the Phillies lock up a postseason berth before the weekend, Zack Wheeler would not pitch Sunday’s regular season finale. He instead would be in place to start Game 1 of the playoffs. Cristopher Sanchez could also be a candidate to start that game, provided the Phillies sew up a postseason berth before his turn comes up again on Saturday.

Wheeler (13-5, 2.99) pitches Tuesday night against Milwaukee’s Dustin May. Aaron Nola (7-10, 4.49) will start Wednesday night.

Here’s a look at what the final week of the season looks like for the teams the Phillies are battling.

CUBS – They are 87-69, tied with San Diego for the top wild-card spot, with six games to play, three at home against Miami and three at Boston.

PADRES – They are 87-69, tied with the Cubs for the top wild-card spot, with six to play, three at the Dodgers followed by three at home against Arizona.

DIAMONDBACKS – They are 82-74, four games behind the Phillies, the current No. 6 seed. They finish with three at Colorado and three at San Diego.

Giants 5, Twins 2: Sleepy baseball

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 21: Emmanuel Rodriguez #21 of the Minnesota Twins points to the sky after hitting a home run against the San Francisco Giants during the eighth inning at Oracle Park on September 21, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Well, after making fun of the makeup of the Giants’ current roster in my game thread, it’s only fitting that the Twins blew this one. That’s baseball for you.

Zebby Matthews was on the mound for the Twins and was less sharp after a silencing the Yankees his last time out. It was a rough first two innings especially. Zebby was able to get to two strikes on most hitters he faced, but struggled to put away batters from there, as we’ve seen him do in some of his bad starts in the past. He threw 35 pitches and allowed two runs on three singles in the first, and then 28 and two more runs in the second. However, Matthews was pretty strong after that, allowing just a single run in the final three frames on a solo homer while striking out five Giants. A nice rebound from the young starter after a rough beginning.

The offense was a different story. The hitters looked like a group that is just out of gas, barely putting up a fight against a bunch of AAA pitchers. To be fair, the lineup the Twins are running out currently is a bunch of young players who have never played this far into a season before (Jenkins, Rodriguez, Keaschall, Lee, Roden, Sabato) along with Kody Clemens, who is essentially in his first season as a regular, and Ryan Jeffers who broke his hamate bone a few months ago and then has caught nearly ever game since returning. They truly might just be out of gas.

The Twins managed only four hits and five baserunners all night. They never had an inning with multiple hits. The only runs came on solo homers. The first was a classic Brooks Lee wall-scraper, but the second was an incredibly impressive bomb to right-center off the bat of Emma Rodriguez, an impressive feat in San Francisco’s cavernous ballpark.

The swing, approach, and raw power displayed by Rodriguez there are exactly why the Twins have hung onto the Dominican outfielder as long as they have, despite his checkered injury history. There are very few players that have the strength to hit that home run at all, let alone one who has the power and speed that Rodriguez also features. Maybe he’ll flame out like some other talented Minnesota top prospects, but swings like that make me hesitant to use Emma as a trade chip this offseason.

Unfortunately, the home runs were really the only bright spot for the Twins tonight. Taylor Rogers had a scoreless outing in what could be his final season, while Travis Adams continued to flash just enough stuff to make the Twins comfortable with him as the final bullpen option for 2027. But here on out is all about getting the kids reps and keeping everyone healthy heading into the offseason. If we look at it that way, mission accomplished, I suppose.

STUDS

  • Emmanuel Rodriguez: mega bomb
  • Brooks Lee: mini bomb
  • Final three innings Zebby: 3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 5 K

DUDS

  • The lineup: 4-31, 2 R, 1 BB, 8 K
  • First two innings Zebby: 2 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 K

Tomorrow is Taj Bradley’s final start of the season as he looks to put the finishing touches on what has been a strong first full season in Minnesota. Five more to go until a long winter, let’s enjoy them!

Darryn Peterson is about to shock the NBA

LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 14: Darryn Peterson #22 of the Utah Jazz poses for a portrait during the 2026 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot on July 14, 2026 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas campus in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by Zach Barron/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

It’s clear that a lot of the NBA is starting to figure out that the Utah Jazz might be on the verge of a special season. But they’re not getting just how good it might be.

But they’re missing the biggest point of all of this. Utah has a team that would have been a playoff team last year if they’d pushed as hard as they could. That core, which added a former DPOY/All-Star in Jaren Jackson Jr., is adding a player who could be a top-ten player in the NBA. If anything, it’s very likely.

Darryn Peterson is not getting enough buzz for how good he’s going to be this upcoming season. You name it with Peterson, and he’s able to do it at a high level. Even the numbers that aren’t as high as you’d like have context that shows a chance to improve once he steps on the floor with Utah.

For example, everything that Peterson did in college has to be viewed with the understanding that Peterson was the #1 option with an extremely high usage percentage of 30.9. You also have to remember that Peterson was dealing with documented cramping issues, an ankle sprain, and a hamstring pull. All those injuries had him playing tentatively for multiple games. When he did play, opposing offenses focused on him, and he still managed to put up awesome efficiency.

For the college season, Peterson shot 38.2% from three. That was off the bounce and off the catch. It’s the stat that has to make Jazz fans as excited as anything. That ability to shoot the ball regardless of pressure will only get better. It’s safe to assume that Darryn Peterson will be one of the best shooters in the NBA.

Some numbers show a player with the potential to develop into one of the elite three-level scorers in the league. Peterson shot 48.7% from two. It’s a slightly above-average number, but it’s nothing to sniff at. Also, Peterson shot 59.7% at the rim. That’s also above average, but not necessarily elite. As I mentioned, Peterson was dealing with cramping, an ankle, and a hamstring, and still put up solid numbers at the rim and on 2PT shots. What happens when Peterson is on the floor with elite talent around him? Utah has the potential to have 5-out lineups with shooters all over the floor. At Kansas, Peterson was playing with multiple non-shooting bigs. The paint was almost never open. When it was, Peterson would take advantage. And even with a clogged paint in the stifling college basketball setting, he still put up good numbers. The pull-up two was good for him, and he finished at a good percentage.

Again, what happens when he has NBA spacing with elite talent around him? What you’re going to have is a season that will shock the NBA. There’s a lot of attention being given to Cam Boozer, and he’s leading in the odds at FanDuel to be the ROY, with Peterson not too far behind. But that’s a mistake. Darryn Peterson is going into a winning situation, and he’s not going to put up empty stats. His stats are going to be high-level, and they’ll be the type of stats that lead to winning. Those stats should also improve. Don’t be surprised if Peterson not only has a ROY season, but an all-star caliber season as well.

Yes, I’m about as positive as they come, but the numbers paint a picture of a potentially incredible season. If Peterson is as locked in as he appears, Jazz fans are in for a fun ride.

Recap: Avs bested by Winnipeg in second preseason contest

WINNIPEG, CANADA - MARCH 26: Gabriel Vilardi #13 of the Winnipeg Jets skates during second period action against the Colorado Avalanche at Canada Life Centre on March 26, 2026 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images

The Colorado Avalanche and Winnipeg Jets met at Canada Life Center in Downtown Winnipeg for a preseason matchup. Winnipeg held on to a 3-1 win, but against an Avalanche squad that sent just 8 opening-night-roster-level players.

The Game

Things got off to a slow start, as this one definitely played out like a preseason game, with both squads not sending a full onslaught of talent onto the ice. Eventually, Gabriel Vilardi opened the scoring, with an assist from Isak Rosen and Vladislav Namestnikov.

Zachary L’Heureux couldn’t play the puck effectively along the boards; it got caught behind the net, and once Christian Wolanin got it in the corner, two Jets converged on him. Isak Rosen won the puck, found Vilardi in the slot, and he fired it home.

Winnipeg’s next mark came off the stick of Cole Perfetti, who did well to wait patiently at the back door as the Jets went low to high, found a streaking Mark Scheifele, and got it over to Perfetti for an easy goal. That made it 2-0 Jets after two periods of play.

Dylan Demelo’s point blast gave Winnipeg a commanding 3-0 lead in the third period, and Brett Kulak and Fabian Lysell finally helped Georgii Merkulov earn Colorado’s lone goal of the evening, bringing us to our final score of 3-1 Jets.

Takeaways

I was happy to see that Fabian Lysell had an apple on Colorado’s lone tally. His arrival in Colorado has some interesting dynamics, but his skill is clear. I noticed at camp that Bednar was pretty active in communicating with Lysell, and if that can foster some maturity in Fabian, he could end up panning out.

Netminder Ilya Nabokov’s stat line wasn’t great, letting in two goals on just five shots. The group in front of him did well to limit the opportunities, but he couldn’t have done much on Perfetti’s goal. I’d imagine he’ll keep getting ice time throughout the preseason so management can get a feel for his current capabilities in the North American game.

Only four of the players that were featured tonight for the Avalanche played in preseason game number one. It’s pretty common for the big guns not to travel for a road preseason game, so I’d expect more NHL usuals to be featured on Friday when the Jets come to Ball Arena.

Upcoming

The Avalanche will get back to Colorado and, as mentioned, welcome the Winnipeg Jets to Ball Arena on Friday at 6:30 p.m. MT.

Let us know what you thought of this contest in the comments!

Dylan Garand makes his case in uphill battle to be Rangers backup goalie

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows New York Rangers goalie Dylan Garand making a save against Arseny Gritsyuk of the New Jersey Devils, Image 2 shows New York Rangers goalie Dylan Garand makes a save against New Jersey Devils player Stefan Noesen during a hockey game

Dylan Garand’s group placement throughout the opening stretch of training camp has captured his uphill battle in the competition with Joonas Korpisalo to serve as Igor Shesterkin’s backup. 

But Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan gave Garand a full preseason game to make his case Monday, and Garand held his own for nearly 58 minutes — with a group of mostly AHL players in front of him — against the Devils’ NHL lineup. And then Jack Hughes, with his 35 points in 26 regular-season games against the Rangers, snuck the game-winning goal past him in the Blueshirts’ 3-2 loss at Prudential Center in the exhibition opener. Garand finished with 27 saves and flashed plenty of good before Hughes’ tally with 2:12 remaining. 

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tRY IT NOW

“Yeah, maybe,” Garand said when asked if he thought he made a statement. “I mean I’ve just tried to, every day just try and give it my best and work hard and compete. … There’s so much out of my control, so I’m really just trying to limit that outside noise inside my head and just battle and lay it all out there.” 

There were plenty of moments where the 24-year-old maximized getting a full game. With the game tied at 2 in the third period after Drew Fortescue equalized, Garand stopped Hughes when the Devils star had an open shooting lane. When New Jersey had a power play late in the first period, Garand helped the Rangers escape without allowing a goal. The Devils had shifts with strong chances, Sullivan said, and “I thought Dylan made some timely saves in those scenarios.” 

The Devils produced their first goal with just over eight minutes remaining in the second period. Meier’s pass hit Dennis Cholowski and went to Nico Hischier, whose shot bounced off Urho Vaakanainen and in. Then, after Anton Blidh tied it, Meier gave the Devils the lead in the final minute of the frame when he curled around the net and snuck the puck past Garand. 

Dylan Garand of the New York Rangers makes a first period save against Stefan Noesen #11 of the New Jersey Devils. Getty Images

In a condensed preseason, his three-game cameo from 2025-26 — when he produced a .948 save percentage and a 1.62 goals against average — might not be enough to avoid hitting waivers. It might be enough for the Blueshirts to endure the logistical nightmare of carrying three goaltenders going into the season. 

But for nearly 60 minutes, he continued to make his case. 

“We’re trying to give them an opportunity to make an impression,” Sullivan said of giving Garand a full game, “and so given the nature of the shortened training camp, less games, we just felt it was the right thing to do.” 

Dylan Garand #33 of the New York Rangers makes a second period save against Arseny Gritsyuk #81 of the New Jersey Devils. Getty Images

When the Rangers worked on special teams for the first time in training camp Monday, plenty of pieces from the past remained. But there was also an element of intrigue when Pavel Dorofeyev and his left-handed shot joined Adam Fox, Mika Zibanejad, J.T. Miller and Alexis Lafrenière. Defenseman Sean Durzi quarterbacked the second unit alongside Gabe Perreault, Will Cuylle, Oliver Bjorkstrand and Eeli Tolvanen, and Sullivan said he thinks the unit once again “can be a difference-maker for us.” 


Forward Adam Sykora and defenseman Vincent Iorio were both being evaluated for lower-body injuries, Sullivan said postgame. Sykora exited midway through the first period after taking a crushing hit in the corner and appearing to favor his right leg. 


The Rangers announced that they’ll wear a Garden of Dreams Foundation patch as their official one this season, replacing Mark Messier’s “Game 7” patch from 2025-26.