DETROIT, MI - JANUARY 19: Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons drives to the basket during the game against the Boston Celtics on January 19, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. 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 Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
DETROIT — The Celtics will be at near-full strength when they face the Detroit Pistons for their first game of the year on Tuesday at 3pm ET.
The only exception is Devin Carter, who is listed as out with an illness. Carter, who signed a two-way contract with the Celtics on Sunday after beginning the year on an Exhibit 10 contract, was diagnosed with mononucleosis and could miss several weeks.
Devin Carter has been diagnosed with mononucleosis and could miss a few more weeks. #Celtics did announce he has signed their final two-way deal.
The rest of the roster is good to go. In the two preseason games in which the Celtics were at full strength, they started Derrick White, Jordan Walsh, Jayson Tatum, Paul George and Mitchell Robinson, though it remains to be seen if that will be their go-to starting lineup when the regular season begins.
The Celtics went 4-0 in preseason, racking up two wins against the Philadelphia 76ers, a win against the Cleveland Cavaliers, and a win against the Charlotte Hornets.
The Celtics face the reigning No. 1 seed in the season opener
The Celtics went 1-3 against the Pistons during the regular season last year. The Pistons finished the season with the Eastern Conference’s best record at 60-22; the Celtics’ finished with the second-best record at 56-26. Detroit’s season ended at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals.
This Pistons team is different than the one that dominated last year’s regular season; they lost two key rotation pieces in Tobias Harris, who left in free agency to join the San Antonion Spurs, and Isaiah Stewart, who was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies.
Their biggest additions are forward John Collins, who they acquired via trade from the Los Angeles Clippers, and Isaiah Joe, who they acquired via trade from the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Pistons, who went 3-1 in the preseason, are expected to start Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, John Collins and Jalen Duren when the two teams face off on Tuesday.
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 21: Nationals owner Mark Lerner, left talks with Washington Commanders new owner Josh Harris several hours before Harris is to throw out the first pitch before a game between the Washington Nationals and the Atlanta Braves at Nationals Park in Washington, DC on September 21, 2023. (Photo by John McDonnell/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
The biggest complaint many Nationals fans have about the organization right now is the lack of spending and questionable commitment from ownership. Since winning the World Series back in 2019, the organization fell into a malaise. Payroll was slashed, stars were traded and last place finishes piled up. Now, after the team took a step forward under Paul Toboni and Blake Butera, the time to show commitment is now.
If the Nats do not spend serious money this offseason, it is very hard to believe that it will happen ever again. The team enters the offseason with the smallest payroll in the sport by $25 million. Spencer Nusbaum wrote a great story about this and took a look at some offseason possibilities.
The Nationals will enter the winter with the smallest payroll in MLB by about $25 million, per @EthanHullihen. That is a wide margin.
So which players are at their disposal at different spending limits? Free to read: https://t.co/GL2uNhm88W
After an 11 win improvement and so little money on the books, it feels like the perfect time to spend. The Nats could spend around $70 million this offseason and still only have the 20th ranked payroll in the sport. That sort of spending would give the Nats the ability to sign a big fish in the rotation and the bullpen while still having money to play with.
We have written about some of the possibilities including Kevin Gausman, Michael King and Tyler Mahle. The Nats could realistically sign two of those guys and still be a bottom 10 payroll. This is about as financially flexible as a team can be. The only question is whether the Lerner family wants to spend any money at all. Or is having the lowest payroll in the league the whole point?
Since the 2020-21 offseason, the Nats have been one of the least active teams in free agency, at least when it comes to handing out real money. They have not spent more than $15 million since that offseason. The Nats have not given out a free agent contract worth over $10 million per year since 2022.
Even the Rays, a notoriously small market club, gave Nick Martinez 1-year $13 million. Martinez rewarded the Rays for that investment with a 3.10 ERA in 180 innings. At the very least, the Nats need to be making deals like that. If the Nats shopped in that aisle of free agency instead of settling for Miles Mikolas and Cionel Perez, this season could have been a lot different.
Of course, spending money for the sake of it is not wise. The teams remaining are all smaller market clubs, but they pick their spots to spend as well. Milwaukee has locked up Christian Yelich, Jackson Chourio and Cooper Pratt among others. The Rays have extended Yandy Diaz and made the Martinez move. Meanwhile, the Guardians extended Jose Ramirez and Tanner Bibee.
Another factor that could loom large here is the lockout. In any world where a salary floor is implemented, the Nats will be well below it. That will force them to spend money, and agents will exploit that. Why not get ahead of it and spend like you should anyways. This is not a small market club!
This post is a good guide to where teams sit financially and what they would need to spend to get to a floor. As you see, the Nats would need to spend some serious money. If a floor is implemented, the Nats will sign players to reach it and take on contracts other teams do not want.
Whether the Nats spend will be the ultimate question this offseason, along with the lockout. Sure, you can have success with a smaller market, but the Nats are just limiting themselves by being so cheap. You are closing the door to talented players.
I also think the sales pitch to free agents will be easier this offseason. After the new regime’s first season, the arrow is pointing up for the first time in a while. This team is not 5 years away anymore. Nats fans have been waiting for a good team for a long time. Now that is finally within shouting distance. It is time to strike and aggressively push to make this team better. The money is there, now spend it and spend it wisely.
With direct access to Lakers memorabilia, the franchise’s global fan base and eBay’s live-commerce infrastructure, Goldin is drawing on decades of auction expertise to bring sports history to mainstream fans and established collectors alike.
Magic Johnson signed his name three times across a purple Los Angeles Lakers jersey before Ken Goldin brought it to auction.
The five-time NBA champion was among the Lakers legends participating in an invitation-only gathering at a private residence in West Hollywood on October 13. Public figures, private collectors, athletes, and industry figures, including Rob Veres of Burbank Sports Cards and members of the Trove Media team, gathered for an evening of live signings, historical memorabilia and auctions streamed through eBay Live.
Johnson’s signed jersey was auctioned, with proceeds benefiting the Magic Johnson Foundation. Lakers legends Kurt Rambis and Derek Fisher also participated in the evening, while Goldin presented an assortment of collectibles spanning generations of Lakers history.
Elsewhere in the residence, a Wilt Chamberlain jersey photo-matched to Game 3 of the 1972 NBA Finals stood alongside a Magic Johnson jersey worn during his 1989–90 MVP season. Kobe Bryant’s twice-signed Nike Air Zoom Huarache 2K4 sneakers, worn during his 42-point playoff performance against the San Antonio Spurs in 2004, were also on display. Five championship rings belonging to longtime Lakers public-address announcer Lawrence Tanter represented the franchise’s championship runs from 2000 to 2002 and 2009 to 2010.
The evening marked the first major activation of Goldin’s multiyear partnership with the Lakers, announced in July, which named the eBay-owned company the franchise’s official auction house sponsor. Beginning October 28, Goldin will introduce weekly Wednesday auctions on eBay Live, bringing together historical memorabilia and equipment used during the current NBA season.
For Ken Goldin, the choice of partner was deliberate.
“Look, for me, I wanted to start at the top,” Goldin told Sam Goodman, Mantel contributor and founder of SOMOS Index, pointing to the Lakers’ championship history, international recognition and generations of culturally significant players.
The agreement represents more than an opportunity to sell memorabilia associated with one of basketball’s most recognizable franchises. It connects Goldin directly with the organization producing and preserving those objects, while opening access to the global audience that gives them cultural and commercial significance.
The Goldin Advantage
Auction houses have traditionally relied on private collectors, dealers and consignors to bring valuable memorabilia to market. A historically significant jersey might remain in a personal collection for decades before its owner decides to sell.
Goldin’s Lakers partnership introduces a different approach, establishing a direct relationship with the franchise rather than depending exclusively on owners bringing memorabilia to auction.
“How does working with professional sports organizations change your approach to sourcing inventory?” Goodman asked.
“For us, it gives us a guaranteed supply without competition,” Goldin responded.
The agreement gives Goldin access to selected memorabilia from the Lakers’ historical archives alongside contemporary game-used equipment, including jerseys, basketballs and nets. Rather than competing for those objects once they enter private collections, the auction house can source them through the organization itself.
That relationship is particularly important in a market where an object’s value depends not only on who used it, but also on the ability to establish its history.
“To us, provenance and authenticity is the number one thing,” Goldin explained. “Is it real? Is it authentic? We are getting it from the source.”
Acquiring memorabilia directly from the franchise provides a clearer chain of custody, connecting an item’s documented use to its eventual sale. For collectors, that provenance can be as important as the athlete or performance associated with it.
Direct sourcing also changes how quickly memorabilia can reach the market.
Goldin described how equipment associated with a significant performance could potentially reach auction as soon as the following day, rather than spending years circulating through private collections. The same relationship could allow collectors to pursue objects before their significance has even been established.
He outlined plans for a service allowing fans to arrange the purchase of game-worn memorabilia before an upcoming matchup. A collector, for example, could request an Austin Reaves jersey without knowing whether the player will deliver an ordinary performance or a career-defining night.
The distinction is significant. Historically, collectors have often pursued memorabilia after an athlete or moment has become important. Goldin’s approach could allow them to acquire objects tied to moments whose place in sports history has yet to be determined.
For an auction house built around bringing desirable collectibles to market, the Lakers relationship provides a closer connection to the athletes, games and organizations responsible for creating them.
The Power of the Purple and Gold
The Lakers offer Goldin something beyond a collection of historic jerseys and game-used equipment.
Few professional sports franchises have a cultural identity as recognizable as the Lakers. From Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant to LeBron James and Luka Dončić, the team’s history extends across generations of basketball, entertainment and popular culture.
That recognition also gives Goldin access to an audience far larger than the established sports memorabilia market.
“Part of our deal is that this is going to be promoted to the millions of fans that are in the Lakers database and maybe not in my auction database,” Goldin explained.
For an auction house accustomed to reaching customers through collectors, dealers and existing marketplace participants, the franchise relationship creates another path to potential buyers.
A lifelong Lakers fan may have attended games, purchased jerseys and followed the team’s biggest moments without ever participating in a memorabilia auction. Through the partnership, that same fan could encounter an opportunity to own an object directly connected to a favorite player or memorable performance.
Goldin has previously used entertainment to introduce collecting to audiences outside the traditional hobby.
Netflix’s King of Collectibles: The Goldin Touch, which premiered in 2023, brought viewers inside the auction house, following the personalities, historic objects and competitive transactions that define its business.
The Lakers partnership approaches audience development from another direction.
Where Netflix introduced collecting through entertainment, the franchise relationship allows Goldin to reach potential customers through their existing attachment to a team and its players. Rather than asking viewers to become interested in collectibles generally, Goldin can introduce memorabilia connected to athletes and moments they already care about.
The inventory itself is intended to serve a broader range of buyers.
“We’re going to have something for everybody and we’re going to have something from every player,” Goldin said.
Alongside premium game-worn jerseys and historically significant artifacts, Goldin plans to offer more accessible collectibles and unusual objects connected to players throughout the roster. Potential offerings include media-day jerseys, game-used basketballs, locker-room nameplates and equipment associated with the franchise.
For established collectors, that creates another source of rare and historically significant memorabilia. For Lakers fans unfamiliar with auctions, it introduces collecting through a relationship they already have with the team.
Exposure to the Lakers’ global audience does not guarantee that those fans will become collectors. But it gives Goldin a direct channel to potential customers beyond the people who already participate in its auctions, expanding the audience for the memorabilia the partnership brings to market.
Beyond the Auction Block
Ken Goldin’s experience with live selling dates back decades. Long before the rise of livestream shopping, he sold sports memorabilia to television audiences through QVC and the Home Shopping Network.
In 2024, eBay acquired Goldin, connecting its established auction business with a global marketplace and digital commerce infrastructure.
The Lakers partnership brings those capabilities together with something traditional auction houses cannot always count on: a continuing source of memorabilia tied to a franchise whose history is still being written.
Beginning October 28, Goldin will introduce weekly Wednesday Lakers auctions through Goldin on eBay Live, offering historical collectibles alongside contemporary game-used equipment throughout the NBA season.
“We’re doing so much more than an auction; we’re creating a real show each week that is entertaining, fast-paced, and interactive,” Goldin said in the company’s October announcement.
For an auction business historically organized around consignments and scheduled sales, recurring programming introduces a different rhythm.
Rather than waiting for individual collections to become available, Goldin can organize regular auctions around memorabilia sourced through the franchise. The NBA season provides a natural calendar, with each game creating the possibility of another significant performance, while the Lakers’ archives offer decades of material beyond the current roster.
The October 13 activation offered an early example of how those elements could work together.
Magic Johnson’s live jersey signing placed one of basketball’s most recognizable figures directly into the presentation of an object associated with his career. Ken Goldin brought the jersey to auction, while eBay Live extended participation beyond the collectors and guests gathered in West Hollywood.
The athlete, the memorabilia and the transaction became part of the same event.
Goldin’s traditional auction platform will continue offering Lakers memorabilia alongside its eBay Live programming, allowing the partnership to serve established collectors while developing a recurring format for new audiences.
For Ken Goldin, whose career has spanned televised selling, high-end auctions and digital marketplaces, live commerce represents another way to connect collectors with the objects and stories that have long defined his business.
The difference now is that Goldin has a direct relationship with the franchise supplying those stories.
A League of Opportunities
The Lakers are not the only professional sports organization Goldin is pursuing.
The company has also announced a partnership with the Detroit Pistons, reflecting a broader effort to establish direct relationships with teams rather than relying solely on traditional consignment channels.
During his conversation with Mantel, Goldin discussed the possibility of expanding the model across major professional sports leagues. But he made clear that the company is not interested in accumulating partnerships simply for the sake of increasing their number.
Instead, Goldin described a selective approach focused on franchises with established histories, strong fan communities, recognizable identities and championship potential.
The Lakers provide a particularly compelling starting point. Their decades of championships, internationally recognized players and extensive historical archives offer valuable inventory, while the team’s global audience creates opportunities to reach collectors and fans well beyond the existing auction market.
Whether other franchise relationships can deliver similar results remains an open question.
For Goldin, the success of the Lakers partnership will depend on more than the number of objects brought to auction.
“I think success is going to not only be determined by sales,” he explained. “Success is going to be determined by selling prices. Are we getting good prices?”
The company is also looking at whether the partnership attracts new bidders, increases Goldin’s visibility and generates interest from other professional sports organizations.
“How much do we raise our profile? Did we gain X number of tens of thousands new bidders?”
Those measures offer a clearer picture of the company’s ambitions. Strong auction results would demonstrate demand for the memorabilia itself. New bidders would suggest that access to the Lakers’ fan base is translating into customers. Additional franchise relationships could indicate that the model has applications beyond one of basketball’s most recognizable teams.
None of those outcomes is guaranteed. But the partnership gives Goldin an opportunity to test how direct access to professional sports organizations can change both the supply of memorabilia and the audience participating in its sale.
Goldin has spent decades building a business around bringing pieces of sports history to auction. Its partnership with the Lakers creates an opportunity to connect that business more directly with history as it unfolds.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JULY 22: Ildemaro Vargas #6 and James McCann #8 of the Arizona Diamondbacks celebrate a 15-5 win against the Athletics at Chase Field on July 22, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s time to start looking at the decisions to be made with regard to the Diamondbacks for next year. Normally, I’d be starting off with a look at the team, player and mutual options to be exercised. But there’s only really one of note, and it is easily the least interesting kind (we’ll get to it later in this article). I suppose technically, we could include the Corbin Burnes opt-out option. When he signed the six year, $210 million contract, it included the ability to opt out after 2026. But he has made only fourteen starts over the two years so far, and barely came back from injury this season. On that basis, here’s the SnakePit’s carefully considered opinion on whether Burnes will exercise the opt-out.
No.
Want a second opinion?
No, but in italics.
There. That’s all sorted, so moving on. There will be a fair amount of money coming off the books for the team, with many players from the final roster (or injured list) becoming free agents at the end of the season. However, a significant chunk of that will be earmarked, either for pre-contracted obligations, or for increases to our arbitration eligible players – we’ll be covering those in a future article. And, of course, players may be worth more or less money than they received in 2026, depending on their performance. Here are the men, in descending order of salary, mostly taken from the Baseball Reference contract page for the team. Might they be back in 2027?
Zac Gallen ($16.2m)
I am very tempted to go with “No, but in bold“, and leave it at that. The disaster which was the re-signing of Zac Gallen will hang around until the last of his deferred payment is sent in the middle of the 2034 season. Not many one-year deals include eight years’ worth of deferrals. Mind you, the Tigers will be paying Justin Verlander for his one-year deal through 2039, so Gallen’s not the record holder there. And while not one-year deals, the Dodgers will be writing checks to Edwin Diaz until 2047, and the Guardians to José Ramírez through 2051. That’s getting up ito Bobby Bonilla territory. Anyway, where was I? Oh, yeah: No, but in bold.
Michael Soroka ($7.5m)
This is the one mentioned above where there is a “mutual option” for next year, at $10 million, with a $1 million buyout. These are exercised incredibly rarely, because a player either does well and wants to test free-agency, or does badly, and the team goes in another direction. The last mutual option exercised which I could find was more than a decade ago, when Aramis Ramirez and the Brewers did so for 2015. And that was because Ramirez knew it would be his last season. Soroka will hit the free market, and get more than $10 million. But the team could certainly use a starter. Whether they pursue Soroka probably depends on how much Mike Hazen spends on a left-handed power bat.
Ryan Thompson ($3.95m)
Became something of a forgotten man, though of all the relievers used by Arizona in 2026, only Kevin Ginkel has made more appearances for the D-backs. Thompson had a solid start, with a 2.76 ERA and FIP through July 1st. But the subsequent month was a disaster, before going on the injured list in early September with a strained lower back. If those struggles were a result of the back problem, I’d certainly kick the tires on a return, regardless of what Reddit might think. Over his 174 appearances here, Thompson has an ERA+ of 120, and age 34, there’s probably still some gas left in the tank. However, Gambo has suggested it probably won’t be in Arizona.
Dennis Santana ($3.5m)
Santana had a dire start to the season in Pittsburgh, posting an ERA north of six across 44 appearances. After being released by the Pirates in late July, he was picked up by the D-backs and was significantly improved. He had a 4.20 ERA, much in line with his FIP (4.23). While that is still basically only league average, a similar price to the above is probably about the going rate for a middle reliever. His poor start might depress the market for the pitcher to a helpful degree. But he certainly would not be the worst free-agent signing called Santana, made by the Diamondbacks in recent seasons.
James McCann ($3.25m)
With hindsight, I could perhaps have included the signing of McCann as one of Mike Hazen’s best moves of last season. By pure WAR he didn’t move the needle much – 0.3 bWAR and 0.5 fWAR. But a backup catcher with an 111 OPS+ across 51 games is pretty good, and Torey Lovullo often spoke of McCann in glowing terms, especially in regard to his handling of the pitching staff. The salary figure above is an estimate, including playing time bonuses. I think McCann did max out, despite missing seven weeks with a strained quad. That’s never a good thing for a catcher, and he is now aged 36. But we’ve spent more on worse catchers previously, e.g. Carson Kelly in 2023.
A.J. Puk ($3.1m)
Almost exactly at this point last year, we were speculating whether the team might non-tender Puk, as he recovered from Tommy John. Turns out, they should have done so. Instead, he spent the entire year on the IL, his return proving elusive. If life was fair, after getting paid without pitching in 2026, A.J. should pitch without getting paid in 2027. However, life is not fair, so he’ll still get a check. By Opening Day, it will be close to two years since his last major-league appearance, and I’d not be surprised if he has to settle for a minor-league deal, to prove his health. That might be the only way Arizona takes him back.
Kevin Ginkel ($2.75m)
Safe to say Kevin has done pretty well for a 22nd-round draft pick. No pitcher has appeared in more seasons for the D-backs than Ginkel (and only two – Brad Ziegler and Andrew Chafin – have played more games). But he might lose that honor next year, when Merrill Kelly takes the field for his ninth campaign, because Ginkel may well be in pastures new. I do think Kevin took more fanbase flak than deserved, given an ERA+ of 101 this year, over a team-leading 74 appearances, and a better FIP than Taylor Clarke. Finally hitting free agency at the age of 32, this will likely be his best chance at a decent contract, and I expect him to get a nice payday elsewhere.
Taylor Clarke ($1.55m)
I might be cautious about resigning Clarke, despite a very impressive 2.96 ERA. His K-rate was flat-out terrible: just 5.5 per nine innings, ranking him 196th of the 200 pitchers with as many innings pitched [still ahead of Zac Gallen though…] Outside of a low walk-rate, his Baseball Savant page has a concerning amount of blue, including an xERA of a considerably less impressive 4.42. This year and last, he has benefited from a low BABIP of .228, compared to the MLB average of .293. While he did a good job of avoiding hard contact this season, I’m not sure he would be worth a market price perhaps 2-3 times what he earned this year.
Jonathan Loaisiga ($1.5m)
It’s always nice to put one over on the Yankees, and after they let him go last winter, the D-backs got a real bargain in Loaisiga. He was worth 1.7 bWAR, compared to 0.5 bWAR from 2022-25 combined in New York, courtesy of an ERA and FIP both below three. Johnny Lasagna is going to get paid, potentially a multiyear deal somewhere in eight figures. With the team’s limited resources, needs elsewhere, and Mike Hazen’s (understandable) aversion to paying big for relief help, I don’t see Arizona being in the competition. Hazen is more likely to be looking for Loaisiga v2.0 elsewhere than re-signing the original.
Ildemaro Vargas ($1.25m)
Vargas’s fifth go-around with the Diamondbacks was easily his most successful. He appeared in 142 games, far more than a previous career high of 95 (with the Nationals in 2024). That’s almost one-quarter of his entire career total since he first reached the major in June 2017. Ildemaro started at all four infield positions plus DH, was NL Player of the Month in April after batting .378, and is a Gold Glove nominee. On the other hand, after May 1 he had a .557 OPS, so that month was more fluke (.384 BABIP) than breakout. There may not be room for him on the Opening Day roster, with Tim Tawa having more upside as a utility infielder, though Vargas would be a nice depth piece.
What do you reckon? Who do you think will be back in 2027?
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - SEPTEMBER 28: CJHuntley #21 of the Phoenix Suns poses for a portrait during NBA media day on September 28, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Huntley originally joined Phoenix on a two-way contract after going undrafted out of Appalachian State in 2025. In November of last year, the Suns terminated that contract, making him a free agent. He continued playing with the Valley Suns, however, and following the conversion of Jamaree Bouyea’s two-way contract to a standard NBA deal in March, Huntley was brought back on another two-way contract.
Hamstring issues prevented Huntley from participating in the Summer League, but he put together a productive season with the Valley Suns last year. In 42 appearances, the 6’11” big man averaged 15.4 points and 7.9 rebounds in 27 minutes per game, shooting 63% from the field, 34% from beyond the arc, and 67% from the free throw line.
Despite that production, Phoenix has decided to move on from Huntley as it continues adjusting its roster ahead of the regular season. His departure, along with Brea’s, leaves the Suns with one open two-way contract spot and one standard roster spot.
Sacramento Kings guard Ben Simmons drives around San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama during a 2026 preseason NBA game. (Eric Gay / Associated Press)
Ben Simmons’ comeback attempt with the Sacramento Kings generated more than one blip on the basketball radar during the preseason before it came to an abrupt end Sunday when he suffered a torn Achilles tendon during practice.
Injuries had restricted the former No. 1 overall draft pick to appearing in only 107 games the last five seasons, but his return on a one-year $3.5-million, non-guaranteed contract had gone well enough that he was set to start in the regular-season opener Wednesday against the Clippers.
Simmons, considered the greatest player to come out of Australia, made news in August by taking part in the national team’s player-driven minicamp in Melbourne, a precursor to the 2027 FIBA World Cup and 2028 Olympics. Simmons, 30, has never played in a major tournament for his home country.
He also became an unwitting part of an embarrassing episode three weeks ago at Kings media day when open microphones captured an off-air conversation between female reporters discussing the physical appearance and personalities of Simmons and teammates.
A woman’s voice said, “That’s what comes with being Ben Simmons. He is cringe, cringe,” and another woman added that he is “lucky he’s so fine.” The first media member agrees, saying, “He’s a good-looking dude. His skin is, like, so smooth, I was like, damn, no tattoos?” The media members have yet to be identified.
He refrained from commenting on the exchange except to back teammate Zach LaVine, whose personality also was criticized by the reporters. But Simmons will be in street clothes from now on. The Kings said he will undergo surgery to repair the tear, which normally requires a recovery period of six to 12 months.
“I’ve faced challenges before that tested me mentally, physically, and emotionally, and I’ve found a way through every single one of them,” Simmons said in a statement posted to his Instagram Stories.
Being sidelined is nothing new for Simmons. He missed his entire first NBA season with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2016-2017 with a foot injury, missed the entire 2021-2022 season with a back injury and the entire 2025-2026 season to focus on his physical recovery from back and leg issues as well as his mental well-being. He last played for the Clippers in the spring of 2025, averaging 16.4 minutes and 2.9 points over 18 games.
That production was a far cry from the promise he displayed coming out of Louisiana State, where in his one season was a consensus All-American after averaging 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists a game. A 6-foot-10 point guard, Simmons was NBA rookie of the year in 2017-2018, joining Hall of Famers Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson as the only rookies to reach 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 500 assists. And Simmons was an All-Star the next three seasons before injuries began mounting.
His return this preseason was intentionally low-key, sliding onto the roster of the last-place Kings (22-60 last season) without much fanfare. Simmons was quietly repairing a reputation marred by his succession of injuries and the performance anxiety and emotional burnout he has openly discussed.
He also seemed keen on representing Australia for the first time. Simmons was forced to miss the 2024 Paris Olympics with a back injury after passing on the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2021 Games even when relatively healthy. Now any sort of return is again in jeopardy.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MAY 05: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics argues with referee Ben Taylor #46 against the Philadelphia 76ers during the fourth quarter in game three of the Eastern Conference Second Round Playoffs at Wells Fargo Center on May 05, 2023 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 Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Ladies and gentlemen, Adam Silver has done it again. The commissioner and the rest of his coroporate teammates at the NBA office continue to ensure the league’s viewers have the maximum amount of fun, thanks to the endless amount of jerseys each franchise wears.
That, of course, includes your Boston Celtics. Boston is one of eight franchises to have a “Specter” edition uniform bestowed upon them this season.
When I saw this, I almost spiked my phone. What a disgusting piece of moneygrabbing slop.
Now, I’m the defininition of a traditionalist, so there’s definitely some bias here. I think the home team should always wear white, and road teams can wear any of their more colorful uniforms.
With that being said, there’s simply no way that these should’ve seen the light of day. The Northern Lights-esque design doesn’t work. The small font that reads “Boston” (you might not even have noticed it on the chest of the jersey) looks ridiculous.
Who is this even for?
There are seven other fanbases who are likely asking themselves the same question.
The New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Lakers, Sacramento Kings, Philadelphia 76ers, and Golden State Warriors will all feature a similar looking monstrosity in their respective wardrobes this season.
Ironically, the league picked its eight oldest franchises to force these disguting unis on as part of this Specter series.
“The new Specter Edition uniforms open a new chapter in how team identity for the Sacramento Kings, Detroit Pistons, Atlanta Hawks, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics — the teams tracing their history back to the earliest chapters of the NBA — appears on court,” the league wrote in an official release last month. “Bringing forward the same obsession with the game that defines the NBA Standard Issue collection, each uniform features details inspired by the franchises’ history, city heritage and fan culture.“
You know what would’ve been a great way to honor history?
Maybe whip up some cool throwback jerseys.
It’s possible. We’ve seen the Celtics run with throwbacks in the past, despite not having changed much about their uniforms over the course of 80 years.
BOSTON, MA – FEBRUARY 10: Ray Allen #20 of the Boston Celtics celebrates after breaking the NBA All-time three point record against the Los Angeles Lakers during the game on February 10, 2011 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 2011 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty ImagesLOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 30: Kevin Garnett #5 of the Boston Celtics blocks the shot of Lamar Odom #7 of the Los Angeles Lakers during their game at Staples Center December 30, 2007 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2007 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Thankfully, every single post I’ve seen related to these jerseys has been a negative one. Having read through the full press release, it seems like the NBA is trying to capitalize on the hypebeast culture of wearing silly looking things just because they’re rare.
Featured several times throughout is the “1:1” tag.
More or less, the goal of the entire charade is to break into the fashion world by having players serve as models for this new line.
Does the league know that they can just release obscure merch without making the teams wear it?
There is some “good” news woven into this story, though. The Celtics will only put these things on three times this season. Three, by the way, is the bare minimum amount of games that teams are required to wear any special edition uniform.
In other words, the Celtics themselves know that these stink just as much as the rest of us do.
It’s tough because I was actually felling good about Nike heading into the season. They allowed teams to bring back their preferred City Edition uniform from the past decade, and Boston nailed their choice with the green and yellow unis from the 2018-19 season.
Jayson’s reaction is actually the opposite of mine when I heard this news.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – DECEMBER 25: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics reacts during the third quarter of the game to an officials call during the third quarter of the game against the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden on December 25, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Omar Rawlings/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Besides the St. Patrick’s Day uniforms off the 2000’s, these are probably my favorite non-traditional Celtics uni. So, good job, Celtics.
Boston won’t actually wear these beauties until Jan. 20, 2027, though. They do, however, understand how fire they actually are since they’ll be wearing them 11 total times throughout the back half of the season.
After the San Jose Sharks' loss to the Boston Bruins, a dejected Luca Cagnoni spoke to the media following a disappointing performance on both a team and individual level. He was then going to be a healthy scratch against the Nashville Predators in the Sharks' next game, but Darnell Nurse wasn't ready to go and he drew into the lineup, recording the second-lowest ice time amongst Sharks defensemen. Then, when the Sharks went to Detroit to face the Red Wings, he was out of the lineup.
Tonight, the Sharks are set to face the Toronto Maple Leafs and he's back in the mix.
Cagnoni's performance against Boston was certainly one he'll want to forget. "[It was] not very good," he said." A couple bad bounces, but gotta be better."
Analytically, the data backed up Cagnoni's assessment of the game as HockeyStatCards' Game Score Breakdown had him listed as by far the worst performing player on the ice:
With that being said, Cagnoni is a 21-year-old, 5-foot-9 defenseman playing in the NHL. Outside of rare exceptions like Lane Hutson with the Montreal Canadiens, there are going to be growing pains. "It's frustrating, but [it's a] long season, I guess," Cagnoni added.
So far, Cagnoni's rookie season has had exorbitant highs and very low lows. His first career NHL goal was an overtime winner, the type of goal that kids dream of scoring in their driveways. Just a few weeks later, he had the worst showing of his young career. With that being said, Cagnoni has overcome significant odds to even reach this point, so it wouldn't be wise to bet against him moving forward. He's shown glimpses of how valuable he can be in the long-run, he just needs to find consistency and he'll get there.
BOSTON, MA - OCTOBER 14: The sneakers worn by Paul George #13 of the Boston Celtics during the game against the Charlotte Hornets on October 14, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 04: A general view before the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves in game two of the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium on October 04, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ryan Sirius Sun/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers 2026 season ended last week, a few weeks shorter than they hoped. This was a shorter season than the last two championship runs because of not only playing in the World Series, but also starting spring training early and starting the regular season early with trips to Asia in both 2024 and 2025.
In that respect, 2026 felt more like a normal year. But seven months is a lot of baseball and there were a lot of moments that stood out, good and bad.
There were plenty of other moments I’m sure I have forgotten, but that’s why I’m turning to you. Let us know in the comments below what was your favorite moment of the 2026 Dodgers season.
Here's the first offseason edition of my top 300 for 2027. I'm just now getting started on my player projections, so this is a preliminary list that will change a great deal in the coming months.
Included are a pair of Japanese players expected to be posted this winter, third baseman/outfielder Teruaki Sato and starting pitcher Kaima Taira. Both should check climb the list after officially joining teams. I still think there's some reason for concern that the expected lockout could scare off some players looking to make the move to the U.S.
Free agents are listed without teams, and players whose contracts have options have asterisks next to their teams. Included in the rankings table is where I had each player listed in my mostly-for-fun 2027 rankings from the All-Star break.
2027 Fantasy Baseball Top 300 overall ranks
**Updated Oct. 19**
2027
Top 300
Team
Pos
Pos Rk
ASB
1
Elly De La Cruz
Reds
SS
1
10
2
Pete Crow-Armstrong
Cubs
OF
1
24
3
Shohei Ohtani
Dodgers
DH
1
3
4
Bobby Witt Jr.
Royals
SS
2
1
5
Junior Caminero
Rays
3B
1
5
6
Aaron Judge
Yankees
OF
2
2
7
Yordan Alvarez
Astros
OF
3
7
8
James Wood
Nationals
OF
4
4
9
Ronald Acuna Jr.
Braves
OF
5
9
10
Fernando Tatis Jr.
Padres
2B
1
16
11
Juan Soto
Mets
OF
6
8
12
Nick Kurtz
Athletics
1B
1
6
13
Tarik Skubal
SP
1
12
14
Cam Schlittler
Yankees
SP
2
26
15
Jackson Chourio
Brewers
OF
7
15
16
Jacob Misiorowski
Brewers
SP
3
14
17
Pete Alonso
Orioles
1B
2
22
18
Jose Ramirez
Guardians
3B
2
19
19
Julio Rodriguez
Mariners
OF
8
11
20
Corbin Carroll
Diamondbacks
OF
9
20
21
Cristopher Sanchez
Phillies
SP
4
17
22
CJ Abrams
Nationals
SS
3
25
23
Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Dodgers
SP
5
28
24
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Blue Jays
1B
3
13
25
Brice Turang
Brewers
2B
2
32
26
Zach Neto
Angels
SS
4
27
27
Kyle Schwarber
Phillies
DH
2
23
28
Sal Stewart
Reds
3B
3
30
29
Oneil Cruz
Pirates
OF
10
36
30
Jackson Merrill
Padres
OF
11
98
31
Kyle Tucker
Dodgers
OF
12
21
32
Gunnar Henderson
Orioles
SS
5
18
33
Michael Harris II
Braves
OF
13
34
34
Francisco Lindor
Mets
SS
6
37
35
Mason Miller
Padres
RP
1
39
36
Bryce Harper
Phillies
1B
4
31
37
Zack Wheeler
Phillies
SP
6
44
38
Matt Olson
Braves
1B
5
40
39
Miguel Vargas
White Sox
3B
4
94
40
Logan Gilbert
Mariners
SP
7
33
41
Ketel Marte
Diamondbacks
2B
3
35
42
Chase Burns
Reds
SP
8
46
43
Jordan Walker
Cardinals
OF
14
42
44
Ben Rice
Yankees
1B
6
58
45
Chris Sale
Braves
SP
9
52
46
Trea Turner
Phillies
SS
7
41
47
Kevin McGonigle
Tigers
SS
8
64
48
Cade Smith
Guardians
RP
2
56
49
Bryan Woo
Mariners
SP
10
43
50
Paul Skenes
Pirates
SP
11
29
51
JJ Wetherholt
Cardinals
2B
4
48
52
Jazz Chisholm Jr.
2B
5
62
53
Jhoan Duran
Phillies
RP
3
49
54
Hunter Goodman
Rockies
C
1
124
55
Dylan Cease
Blue Jays
SP
12
50
56
Riley Greene
Tigers
OF
15
55
57
Josh Hader
Astros
RP
4
59
58
Nolan McLean
Mets
SP
13
72
59
Jeremy Pena
Astros
SS
9
61
60
Konnor Griffin
Pirates
SS
10
87
61
Freddie Freeman
Dodgers
1B
7
45
62
Max Fried
Yankees
SP
14
63
63
Andy Pages
Dodgers
OF
16
71
64
Rafael Devers
Giants
1B
8
99
65
Drew Rasmussen
Rays
SP
19
78
66
Alec Burleson
Cardinals
1B
9
80
67
Joe Ryan
Twins
SP
16
57
68
Louis Varland
Blue Jays
RP
5
97
69
Randy Arozarena
OF
17
140
70
Garrett Crochet
Red Sox
SP
17
38
71
Cody Bellinger
Yankees
OF
18
53
72
Shea Langeliers
Athletics
C
2
77
73
Aroldis Chapman
Red Sox
RP
6
70
74
Drake Baldwin
Braves
C
3
67
75
Jesus Luzardo
Phillies
SP
18
88
76
Henry Bolte
Athletics
OF
19
232
77
Seiya Suzuki
OF
20
83
78
Parker Messick
Guardians
SP
15
118
79
Corey Seager
Rangers
SS
11
95
80
Eury Perez
Marlins
SP
20
93
81
Roman Anthony
Red Sox
OF
21
51
82
Andres Munoz
Mariners
RP
7
79
83
Carson Benge
Mets
OF
22
134
84
Byron Buxton
Twins
OF
23
92
85
Tyler Soderstrom
Athletics
OF
24
68
86
Logan Webb
Giants
SP
21
69
87
Jac Caglianone
Royals
1B
10
137
88
Ivan Herrera
Cardinals
C
4
65
89
Sonny Gray
Red Sox*
SP
22
90
90
David Bednar
RP
8
109
91
Jacob deGrom
Rangers
SP
23
66
92
Jarren Duran
Red Sox
OF
25
75
93
Gerrit Cole
Yankees
SP
24
54
94
Manny Machado
Padres
3B
5
89
95
Mookie Betts
Dodgers
SS
12
96
96
Mason Montgomery
Pirates
RP
9
NR
97
Mike Trout
Angels
OF
26
82
98
Willson Contreras
Red Sox
1B
11
108
99
Logan Henderson
Brewers
SP
25
182
100
Bo Bichette
Mets*
SS
13
81
101
Shohei Ohtani
Dodgers
SP
26
47
102
Wyatt Langford
Rangers
OF
27
73
103
Yandy Diaz
Rays
DH
3
107
104
Bryan Reynolds
Pirates
OF
28
102
105
Munetaka Murakami
White Sox
1B
12
100
106
Gavin Williams
Guardians
SP
27
127
107
Luke Keaschall
Twins
2B
6
119
108
William Contreras
Brewers
C
5
117
109
Cade Cavalli
Nationals
SP
28
222
110
Dylan Crews
Nationals
OF
29
76
111
Cal Raleigh
Mariners
C
6
105
112
Kade Anderson
Mariners
SP
29
132
113
Alex Bregman
Cubs
3B
6
162
114
Edwin Diaz
Dodgers
RP
10
114
115
Josh Naylor
Mariners
1B
13
104
116
Payton Tolle
Red Sox
SP
30
128
117
Brent Rooker
Athletics
DH
4
86
118
Daylen Lile
Nationals
OF
30
115
119
Blake Snell
Dodgers
SP
31
101
120
Otto Lopez
Marlins
SS
14
152
121
Jared Jones
Pirates
SP
32
172
122
George Kirby
Mariners
SP
33
91
123
Raisel Iglesias
RP
11
133
124
Teoscar Hernandez
Dodgers
OF
31
181
125
Jonathan Aranda
Rays
1B
14
149
126
Reid Detmers
Angels
SP
34
180
127
Sam Antonacci
White Sox
2B
7
161
128
Max Meyer
Marlins
SP
35
136
129
Kyle Stowers
Marlins
OF
32
103
130
Luis Garcia Jr.
Yankees
1B
15
184
131
Bryce Miller
Mariners
SP
36
123
132
Jo Adell
Guardians
OF
33
135
133
Braxton Ashcraft
Pirates
SP
37
116
134
Trevor Megill
Brewers
RP
12
160
135
Freddy Peralta
SP
38
209
136
Vinnie Pasquantino
Royals
1B
16
146
137
Ranger Suarez
Red Sox
SP
39
142
138
Nico Hoerner
Cubs
SS
15
122
139
Maikel Garcia
Royals
3B
7
112
140
Gabriel Moreno
Diamondbacks
C
7
205
141
Wilyer Abreu
Red Sox
OF
34
151
142
Brandon Lowe
2B
8
195
143
Justin Steele
Cubs
SP
40
143
144
Travis Bazzana
Guardians
2B
9
126
145
Hunter Brown
Astros
SP
41
74
146
Cole Carrigg
Rockies
OF
35
194
147
Bryan Baker
Rays
RP
13
234
148
Brandon Nimmo
Rangers
OF
36
125
149
Sandy Alcantara
Marlins*
SP
42
155
150
Isaac Paredes
Astros
3B
8
165
151
Geraldo Perdomo
Diamondbacks
SS
16
131
152
Cam Smith
Astros
OF
37
148
153
Luis Robert Jr.
Orioles*
OF
38
120
154
Austin Riley
Braves
3B
9
85
155
Carlos Rodon
Yankees
SP
43
186
156
Kazuma Okamoto
Blue Jays
3B
10
175
157
Chase DeLauter
Guardians
OF
39
196
158
Jacob Latz
Rangers
RP
14
211
159
Michael Busch
Cubs
1B
17
138
160
Kyle Harrison
Brewers
SP
44
113
161
Bryce Eldridge
Giants
1B
18
178
162
Nick Pivetta
Padres*
SP
45
192
163
Jake McCarthy
Rockies
OF
40
372
164
Chandler Simpson
Rays
OF
41
235
165
Jake Bauers
1B
19
225
166
Jordan Westburg
Orioles
3B
11
167
167
Tommy Edman
Dodgers
2B
10
141
168
Spencer Jones
Yankees
OF
42
396
169
Xavier Edwards
Marlins
2B
11
84
170
Framber Valdez
Tigers
SP
46
110
171
Ceddanne Rafaela
Red Sox
OF
43
169
172
Trevor Rogers
SP
47
306
173
Devin Williams
Mets
RP
15
106
174
Tyler Glasnow
Dodgers
SP
48
158
175
Dansby Swanson
Cubs
SS
17
188
176
Grant Taylor
White Sox
RP
16
206
177
Bryson Stott
Phillies
2B
12
185
178
Zack Gelof
Athletics
3B
12
411
179
Colson Montgomery
White Sox
SS
18
171
180
Christian Scott
Mets
SP
49
176
181
Ian Happ
OF
44
168
182
Teruaki Sato
3B
13
NR
183
Victor Mesa Jr.
Rays
OF
45
NR
184
Kyle Bradish
Orioles
SP
50
111
185
River Ryan
Tigers
SP
51
150
186
Garrett Mitchell
Brewers
OF
46
197
187
Michael King
Padres*
SP
52
228
188
Max Muncy
Dodgers
3B
14
221
189
Caleb Durbin
Red Sox
3B
15
203
190
Taj Bradley
Twins
SP
53
227
191
Josh Jung
Rangers
3B
16
218
192
Luis Arraez
2B
13
177
193
MacKenzie Gore
Rangers
SP
54
145
194
Carter Jensen
Royals
C
8
330
195
Christian Yelich
Brewers
DH
5
154
196
Corbin Burnes
Diamondbacks*
SP
55
164
197
Jeff Hoffman
Twins
RP
17
448
198
Christian Walker
Astros
1B
20
187
199
Ben Brown
Cubs
SP
56
198
200
Didier Fuentes
Braves
SP
57
231
201
Lawrence Butler
Athletics
OF
47
262
202
Ozzie Albies
Braves
2B
14
229
203
Charlie Condon
Rockies
1B
21
147
204
Steven Kwan
Guardians
OF
48
273
205
Curtis Mead
Red Sox
3B
17
309
206
Kevin Gausman
SP
58
139
207
Jacob Wilson
Athletics
SS
19
190
208
Roki Sasaki
Dodgers
SP
59
298
209
Adley Rutschman
Red Sox
C
9
278
210
Jordan Lawlar
Diamondbacks
OF
49
239
211
Nathan Eovaldi
Rangers
SP
60
163
212
Max Clark
Tigers
OF
50
291
213
Dominic Canzone
Mariners
OF
51
295
214
Trevor Story
Red Sox
SS
20
189
215
Joshua Baez
Cardinals
OF
52
202
216
George Springer
DH
6
156
217
Samuel Basallo
Orioles
C
10
129
218
Ryan Sloan
Mariners
SP
61
179
219
Kyle Karros
Rockies
3B
18
215
220
Josue De Paula
Dodgers
OF
53
207
221
Casey Schmitt
Giants
2B
15
226
222
Justin Martinez
Diamondbacks
RP
18
326
223
Dillon Dingler
Tigers
C
11
212
224
Jose Altuve
Astros
2B
16
157
225
Brett Bateman
Blue Jays
OF
54
NR
226
Trent Grisham
OF
55
243
227
Cody Ponce
Blue Jays
SP
62
325
228
TJ Rumfield
Rockies
1B
22
280
229
Trey Yesavage
Blue Jays
SP
63
121
230
Xander Bogaerts
Padres
SS
21
233
231
Jackson Jobe
Tigers
SP
64
263
232
A.J. Ewing
Mets
OF
56
216
233
Brendan Donovan
Mariners
3B
19
217
234
Taylor Ward
OF
57
219
235
Andrew Vaughn
Brewers
1B
23
210
236
Alec Bohm
3B
20
173
237
Shane McClanahan
Rays
SP
65
159
238
Spencer Steer
Reds
1B
24
249
239
Riley O’Brien
Cardinals
RP
19
252
240
Walker Jenkins
Twins
OF
58
279
241
JJ Bleday
Reds
OF
59
236
242
Ryan O’Hearn
Pirates
1B
25
244
243
Griffin Jax
Rays
SP
66
390
244
Royce Lewis
Twins
3B
21
265
245
Matt Chapman
Giants
3B
22
274
246
Daulton Varsho
OF
60
214
247
Spencer Torkelson
Tigers
1B
26
258
248
Pablo Lopez
Twins
SP
67
241
249
Jung Hoo Lee
Giants
OF
61
200
250
Cooper Pratt
Brewers
SS
22
308
251
Lars Nootbaar
Diamondbacks
OF
62
271
252
Clay Holmes
Cubs*
SP
68
294
253
Josh Bell
Twins*
1B
27
251
254
Tanner Bibee
Guardians
SP
69
183
255
Ty France
1B
28
NR
256
Matthew Boyd
Cubs*
SP
70
238
257
Jake Burger
Rangers
1B
29
318
258
Shota Imanaga
SP
71
174
259
Ryan Helsley
Orioles*
RP
20
201
260
Jackson Holliday
Orioles
2B
17
144
261
Braden Montgomery
White Sox
OF
63
296
262
Nolan Schanuel
Angels
1B
30
269
263
Jose Soriano
Blue Jays
SP
72
237
264
Matt McLain
Reds
SS
23
242
265
Joey Cantillo
Guardians
SP
73
261
266
Kody Clemens
Twins
2B
18
336
267
Ryan Weathers
Yankees
SP
74
253
268
Evan Phillips
RP
21
393
269
Brandon Marsh
Phillies
OF
64
153
270
Willy Adames
Giants
SS
24
223
271
Andrew Painter
Phillies
SP
75
438
272
Noelvi Marte
Reds
OF
65
230
273
Troy Melton
Tigers
SP
76
245
274
Eugenio Suarez
Reds*
3B
23
310
275
Daniel Palencia
Cubs
RP
22
170
276
Nick Martinez
Rays*
SP
77
268
277
Gleyber Torres
2B
19
224
278
Will Smith
Dodgers
C
12
342
279
Colt Keith
Tigers
3B
24
270
280
Emilio Pagan
Reds*
RP
23
283
281
Kris Bubic
SP
78
331
282
Adrian Morejon
RP
24
320
283
Michael Wacha
Royals
SP
79
386
284
Kaelen Culpepper
Twins
SS
25
240
285
Addison Barger
Blue Jays
OF
66
250
286
Robert Suarez
Braves
RP
25
191
287
Joe Musgrove
Padres
SP
80
301
288
Kaima Taira
SP
81
NR
289
Masyn Winn
Cardinals
SS
26
255
290
Randy Rodriguez
Giants
RP
26
293
291
Sean Burke
White Sox
SP
82
297
292
Kyle Leahy
Cardinals
SP
83
NR
293
Cody Mayo
Orioles
3B
25
NR
294
Ryan Pepiot
Rays
SP
84
304
295
Spencer Miles
Blue Jays
SP
85
381
296
Felix Bautista
Orioles
RP
27
130
297
George Lombard Jr.
Yankees
SS
27
346
298
Hagen Smith
White Sox
SP
86
NR
299
Ezequiel Tovar
Rockies
SS
28
256
300
Bubba Chandler
Pirates
SP
87
208
October 19 Notes
- My initial pass through here left me with 324 players for 300 spots. The near misses:
C: Moisés Ballesteros 1B: Ryan Mountcastle, Ralphy Velazquez 2B: Brett Baty, Pedro Ramírez 3B: Nolan Arenado, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Joshua Kuroda-Grauer SS: Carlos Correa, Andrés Giménez OF: Kevin Alcantara, Heriberto Hernández, Heliot Ramos, Anthony Santander, Ryan Waldschmidt DH: Jorge Polanco SP: Shane Baz, Robert Gasser, Emerson Hancock, Casey Mize, Spencer Strider, Justin Wrobleski RP: Ben Joyce, Abner Uribe
- I'm not nearly 100 percent sold on this, but Elly De La Cruz takes the top spot for now. His average bat speed went from 74.5 mph in 2025 to 75.2 mph in the first half of 2026 to 77.3 mph in the second half. His average exit velocity jumped from 91.0 mph in 2025 to 94.7 mph this year. In September alone, he averaged 99.5 mph off the bat with nine homers and 17 barrels. I think he's all set to make a run at 40 homers at age 25, and if that happens, maybe he'll want 40 steals, too. I would like the Reds get him a little more help in the lineup, but we'll see.
- I was already going to have Vladimir Guerrero Jr. higher than most (maybe all), but the revelation that he underwent LASIK surgery after the season got him bumped back up some here. It seems like another piece of the puzzle as to why the results weren't there for him this year even though his bat speed held steady and he finished with his best ever strikeout rate. His back likely had something to do with it, too.
- Here's a fun one: of all the Rockies with 200 plate appearances this season, who had the highest xwOBA? It wasn't Hunter Goodman (.321) or Jake McCarthy (.321) or TJ Rumfield (.333). At .338, it was Edouard Julien, who the team gave up on in August and who then passed through waivers unclaimed. Which was fine. I'm not going to try to sell anyone on Julien. And I have decided for now, at least, to go with what I assume will be the consensus and put Goodman as my No. 1 catcher. I don't imagine I'll be drafting him anywhere, though. Goodman's 41 homers this year came with a 30 percent strikeout rate that was considerably worse than last year. He had only 50 barrels, which was the same number from when he hit 31 homers in 2025. He finished the year tied for sixth in the majors in homers, tied for 26th in barrels and tied for 89th in hard-hit balls. I don't doubt that Goodman will remain a valuable run producer, but his exit velocity numbers aren't elite, the Rockies are probably going to have a poor offense yet again and the team might follow through on trading him next time around.
- The Athletics' Henry Bolte checks in at 76th for now. I'm scared of what kind of projection I might give him. We're talking about an outfielder with 95th percentile bat speed and 100th percentile sprint speed who will play one more season in a ballpark that's basically Coors Field without the road-game hangover effect. He's going to strike out too much and hit far too many grounders, but he could make a run at 30/30 anyway.
- Jac Caglianone is up to 87th here after placing 137th at the All-Star break. I imagine many will have him higher still in the spring, and maybe I will, too. However, I'd definitely feel better about him as a full-time first baseman or DH than I do as a right fielder. He missed bits of time with shoulder, groin, ankle and elbow injuries during the final four months of the season, and at least three of the four problems were the result of outfield mishaps.
- I'm putting Grant Taylor at No. 176 for now. He'd be higher if I assumed the White Sox would leave him in the pen, but I hope they'll try him as a starter. He'll probably be in the 210-230 range if that happens. I assume he'd have considerable mixed-league value as a starter early on, but he would be an injury risk, and, because of workload concerns, he probably would wind up getting moved back to the pen at some point if he remained healthy.
- I was initially thinking Royce Lewis (No. 265) wouldn't make the cut after a rough year that included a spike in his strikeout rate, and I'm still not sure the Twins shouldn't move on. However, his bat speed was back up to where it was in 2023, putting him in the 86th percentile of major leaguers, and he did wind up going 16-for-17 stealing bases. That he started swinging harder almost certainly did take a toll on his strikeout rate, but he was somewhat unlucky to wind up with just 15 homers on 36 barrels.
The Sixers on Monday checked off the formality of exercising the third-year rookie scale option on VJ Edgecombe’s contract for the 2027-28 season.
The third overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft, Edgecombe stepped right into the Sixers’ starting lineup last year. The Baylor product averaged 16.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists and finished third in Rookie of the Year voting.
According to Spotrac, Edgecombe’s 2027-28 option is for approximately $12.2 million. He’s set to make $11.7 million this season.
The four players expected to start with Edgecombe on Tuesday night in the Sixers’ regular-season opener against the Knicks have all made multiple All-Star Games. LeBron James and Jaylen Brown have joined Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid.
Even with their collection of stars, the Sixers want the 21-year-old Edgecombe to stay vocal and confident in his game. And they don’t expect him to take anything resembling a step back in Year 2.
“He’s around a lot of great players, great people to learn from,” Embiid said of Edgecombe on Oct. 3. “He’s doing a great job leading, whether it’s by example or with his voice. He’s been amazing.”
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 03: Giancarlo Stanton #27 of the New York Yankees reacts to striking out against the Tampa Bay Rays during the ninth inning in game one of the American League Division Series at Tropicana Field on October 03, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A hitter whose menacing presence in the batter’s box was unlike any other, Giancarlo Stanton now sees what once seemed like a likely historic accomplishment looking further away than ever. Nearing 37 years of age and coming off a season in which he only accumulated 90 at-bats, Stanton looks bound for a retirement falling short of the 500-HR club. Currently sitting at 456 home runs, Stanton would need a significant turnaround to reach the mark that has been a benchmark for the Hall of Fame historically.
Prior to this season, Stanton’s many injury problems had limited his regular season exposure, but he had, ever since the 2020 campaign, found a way to muster up enough playing time to gain significant ground on this chase for 500 bombs. Bringing a specific number to the table, between the 2021 and 2025 seasons, Stanton averaged 28.2 home runs per year. Maybe that doesn’t sound like a whole lot given what we know of Stanton’s capabilities, but it’s more than Bryce Harper over the same period (26.2).
That level of production and availability kept the spark alive for him joining the 500-HR club, maybe even as a Yankee, but then 2026 rolled around and, by all indications, his calves gave out. Twenty-three games scattered between March and April were all that Stanton could provide in a season so worrisome that it has put his future with the Yankees in doubt.
Assuming Stanton had been able to carry on the pace he had between 2021 and 2025 for just a couple more seasons, so this one and in 2027, there was a realistic shot he might get to this number wearing pinstripes. Now, the Yankees are left to calculate if it’s worth it to dedicate their DH spot to a hitter who has spent more time off the field than on it in the past two seasons.
The specifics of Stanton’s contract show he is owed $25 million for the 2027 season, out of which only $15 million is covered by the Yankees, with the other $10 million coming from the Marlins. For 2028, Stanton has a team option worth the same amount, with a $10 million buyout. Overall, the Yankees still owe Stanton $25 million.
Although it isn’t the specific point we must address here, any Stanton-related cut has to take other factors into account—such as the flexibility the DH slot could provide if a more reliable hitter was slotted in but also keeping it available for other players to spend time rotating into the role. When it comes to the figure owed to him—although it’d represent a significant hit—we’re at a point where it’s well within reason for the club to cut the cord should it deem it is too unlikely he can play regularly in the near future.
Technically, if Stanton can get back to the availability of even 2025, he could still fight for this immense achievement, not to mention other team-oriented goals such as winning his first championship. That being said, the likelihood of this happening puts him more distant than close to the Yankees’ long-term plans. An accomplished star in this game and one whose continuous hamstring injuries have taken their toll, it’s worth pondering how much Stanton is willing to push this.
Ten years to the day that the first two picks in the 2016 NHL Draft, Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine, faced one another for the first time in the NHL, the first picks in the 2026 NHL Draft will do the same. Tonight, we'll see San Jose Sharks forward Ivar Stenberg face off against the only player picked ahead of him at the draft: Gavin McKenna.
Stenberg and McKenna are two of the favorites to win the Calder Trophy this season, alongside Anton Frondell and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard:
With that being said, Stenberg and McKenna are the youngest players in the race as well. They're the only players from the 2026 draft class to record a point in the NHL at this point and only five players were able to crack an NHL roster right after the draft in general. Points wise, Stenberg and McKenna are on a similar pace. Both have scored two goals so far, but Stenberg has six points compared to McKenna's five, despite the Maple Leafs forward having an extra game played.
Despite being the most effective part of their game to this point in the season, the Sharks won't be able to rely on special teams to help them in Toronto. The Maple Leafs have a nearly perfect penalty kill through nine games, as they lead the league with a 96.4% success rate. Their power play isn't anything to disregard either, as they've converted on 26.7% of man advantages, the seventh best rate in the NHL.
The Maple Leafs do have a few major injuries though. Chris Tanev and John Tavares are amongst those on the injured reserve and William Nylander is set to be a game-time decision due to an illness that kept him out of the morning skate.
Toronto's Matthews has scored at nearly a goal-per-game pace against the Sharks in his career, lighting the lamp 14 times in 16 games. If Nylander is out due to his illness, that'll be huge for the Sharks as well considering he has 21 points in 16 games against the team in teal. Surprisingly, defenseman Nick Blankenburg also scores against the Sharks at a high rate, with five points in six games.
As for the Sharks, captain Macklin Celebrini has just two points in four games against the Maple Leafs and has yet to score a goal. Mason Marchment and Alex Wennberg have had considerable success against Toronto throughout their careers. Michael Misa, who had one point against the Maple Leafs in his only appearance against his hometown team, is the only player on the Sharks who has scored at a point-per-game pace against the Leafs.
Sergei Bobrovsky is expected to be in net for the Maple Leafs, and he's been dominant against San Jose. In 23 games, he has a 15-6-2 record with a .932 save percentage and a 2.25 goals against average. Yaroslav Askarov, who will be starting for the Sharks, has yet to play the Maple Leafs in his short career.
The Buffalo Sabres returned to home after a mildly successful road trip involving Atlantic Division foes, earning four of a possible six points in an overtime and shootout loss to the Montreal Canadiens and a 5-4 overtime victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The club practiced at KeyBank Center on Monday morning and had defenseman Rasmus Dahlin back.
The Sabres team captain was injured one week ago against Florida on an offensive zone faceoff early in the second period while winding up for a slapshot on Panthers goalie Akira Schmid. After a week of treatment on the unspecified injury, Dahlin feels ready to go.
"I knew it wasn't gonna be long. Let's just say that. I didn't think it was gonna take a full week," Dahlin said after practice. ready. "I think I'll be ready, and we'll see here (on Tuesday) and go from there."
Owen Power leads Sabres defensemen in scoring and has a pair of overtime winners.
Buffalo without Dahlin fell behind in all three games against the Canadiens and Leafs, but came back in each contest, something Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff says shows how resilient his club is.
"We we're able to handle some of the adversity we've been in, whether it's getting behind in games, whether it's maybe some key personnel being out. Giving the other team the lead is not easy to always play from (behind) ." Ruff said. " I think we've learned that , if we stick to our game, we can get back in it……We've done the right thing. We've been rewarded, and we've found ways to win games."
Ruff also provided an update on some of the other players who are dinged up.
On Justin Danforth
"He's just got a little bit of an upper body. We kept him off the ice with just did some work with him and (we'll) see how he is."
On Tyson Kozak
"Kozak (was) his first time back at practice (after suffering an upper body injury). Just got a look at him today again, too. I thought he did well ."
The Sabres take on Philadelphia on Wednesday before heading on the road to play Washington and the three California clubs.
