The New York Rangers’ Wednesday night game against the Calgary Flames will mark the first time Brennan Othmann faces off against his former team.
Othmann had high expectations upon being selected in the first round of the 2021 NHL Draft by the Rangers.
However, his game never quite translated to the NHL level, as he spent a large chunk of his tenure with the Blueshirts playing in the American Hockey League for the Hartford Wolf Pack.
The 23-year-old forward spent his final two seasons with the Rangers organization getting sent up and down from the AHL to the NHL, playing a total of 39 NHL games while struggling to carve out a permanent role in New York.
During the 2025-26 season, Othmann played in 17 games with the Rangers and 26 with the Wolf Pack, a stretch he described as “egregious.”
On Mar. 6, Othmann was traded to the Flames in exchange for forward prospect Jacob Battaglia.
Othmann described his departure from the Rangers as a “mutual thing,” while expressing frustration with the organization over a lack of opportunity.
“Just opportunity, I feel like,” Othmann said about why it didn’t work out with the Rangers via Mollie Walker of The New York Post. “I felt like when (ex-head coach Peter Laviolette) was there, I played a couple of games with (Panarin) and (Trocheck). I thought I played really well. You lose some games and stuff changes around. And then last year, I played a few games with (Will Cuylle) and (Noah Laba), and I thought we were playing well. And then a lot of people look at the product on the ice and look at stats and stuff like that too.”
All these months following the trade, Othmann is excited about the opportunity to face off against the Rangers and his former teammates.
“I’m looking forward to playing against those guys, for sure,” Othmann said. “I think it’s going to be an exciting game for everyone, for myself too, selfishly, … a couple guys already giving it to me this morning, so it’s always fun when everyone rallies around you for a game like that.”
Despite making the Flames' opening-night roster out of training camp, Othmann played in just six games before suffering an upper-body injury on Oct. 28 against the Edmonton Oilers.
“Obviously, it doesn’t feel good anytime you sit out when you’re hurt or a healthy scratch, so just been trying to grind, get back in the lineup as fast as I can,” Othmann said. “I’m just happy to be back and a full-go…
“I thought I was playing well. I know a lot of people look at … the stat sheet at the end of games, and I know it may not look like the prettiest, but I feel like I was playing pretty good hockey. I was getting good feedback from the coaching staff.”
Likely playing in a fourth-line role on Wednesday night, Othmann will have a chip on his shoulder, and he didn’t shy away from it.
Othmann has been searching for a permanent NHL role for years with the Rangers and now has the opportunity presented right in front of him in Calgary.
“The goal at the start of the year was,” Othmann said. “To win the trade, in a sense, I guess. To make the team and prove that I am an NHL player. I think I have been doing that and I just want to keep doing that. … There’s definitely a little fire going into (Wednesday), so I’m looking forward to it.”
Hank Wyse poses with Virgil Trucks of the Tigers, his opponent in Game 2 of the 1945 World Series | | Getty Images
Hank Wyse made his Cubs debut on September 7, 1942 and it appeared he was on his way to a fine Cubs career — except it was partly derailed when he suffered a back injury when he fell off a welding platform while working in the offseason in a war plant in Miami, Oklahoma. The injury gave him 4-F draft status during the war, so he was one of the few players in the primes of their careers who were not eligible for military service. He also had to wear a corset while he pitched.
Wyse was a part-time starter and part-time reliever (15 starts, 23 relief appearances) in 1943 — that during an era when the roles were different than they are now; many pitchers would spot start and throw out of the bullpen between those starts. Then in 1944 he became a mainstay of the Cubs’ rotation, going 16-15 but with a 3.15 ERA, and in 1945 was one of the best pitchers in the National League, finishing 22-10, ranking fifth in NL ERA at 2.68. He was selected to the All-Star team but no game was played due to wartime travel restrictions; it was his only All-Star selection. He also finished seventh in MVP voting in those pre-Cy Young Award days. On April 28, 1945 he took a no-hitter into the eighth inning against the Pirates; Bill Salkeld broke it up with one out. At the time no Cub had thrown a no-hitter in 28 years and it would be ten more seasons before Sam Jones would break that drought.
Wyse’s 20-win season in 1945 made him the only Cubs pitcher with a 20-win season between 1940 (Claude Passeau, 20) and 1963 (Dick Ellsworth, 22).
In the 1945 World Series Wyse started and lost Game 2, 4-1; that loss tied the series 1-1. For some inexplicable reason, manager Charlie Grimm wouldn’t go back to his second-best starting pitcher behind Hank Borowy to start the rest of the series. Borowy had started Game 1 (and won), and Claude Passeau, at 36 still solid but aging, started and shut out the Tigers in Game 3 on one hit. Ray Prim, who at 38 had led the NL in ERA, started and lost Game 4; the Series was now tied at two games each.
It made sense to start Borowy in Game 5, but when he lost and the Cubs needed a win in Game 6, Grimm turned back to Passeau instead of Wyse. The game went into extra innings and Borowy was used in relief, as were Wyse and Prim. The latter two pitched poorly and allowed the game to be tied; Borowy heroically threw four relief innings only a day after starting Game 5.
The Cubs won the game in the 12th inning, tying the Series again. Wyse would have been the logical choice to start Game 7, but Grimm, apparently not trusting him after his poor outing in Game 6, went with Borowy. You know what happened next. To his dying day, Wyse always claimed that the Cubs would have won the 1945 World Series if Grimm had started him instead of Borowy.
Wyse pitched well in 1946 but declined in 1947, possibly suffering the effects of the back injury. The Cubs sold him to an independent minor league team in Shreveport, Louisiana on May 10, 1949. Later he pitched a couple of mediocre years for the Philadelphia Athletics and Washington Senators and retired from the major leagues after 1951. He posted 14.6 bWAR in six years with the Cubs, peaking with 4.9 in the pennant year of 1945.
He pitched three more years in the minor leagues before retiring to private life in Oklahoma. Wyse died in Pryor, Oklahoma, aged 82, on October 22, 2000.
SCOTTSDALE, AZ - NOVEMBER 08: A general view of the 2026 Fall Stars Game logo on the video board prior to the 2026 Arizona Fall League Fall Stars game between the American League Fall Stars and the National League Fall Stars at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on Sunday, November 8, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Jill Weisleder/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
This past Sunday was the 20th annual Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game, featuring 63 prospects from across the Fall League. The Arizona Diamondbacks had two Fall Stars – left-handed pitcher Joe Ariola and infielder Demetrio Crisantes. Crisantes started at second base and batted third, while Ariola entered with one out in the eighth inning after Mets’ prospect Ryan Lambert walked Rangers prospect Julian Brock. Ariola ended up earning the win after finishing the inning with a hit and a strikeout.
“It’s awesome. I feel honored,” Ariola said of his selection before the game. “Honestly, it’s an amazing experience to be here today. I’m really excited for it. I mean, we’ve got a bunch of people from all across the orgs that are considered your top talent, and being able to pick these guys’ brains and just have a day with them is awesome. I’m super excited for it.”
He was especially excited to be able to talk in depth with Atlanta Braves left-hander Briggs McKenzie.
“I’ve had some short interactions with him outside of the field, and I’ve heard a lot about him,” Ariola said. “I’ve seen he’s been doing really well this Fall. He’s a young guy. I’m just interested to be around a guy like that that’s of a young age – maybe in the game as long as some of the other guys that are here, but still a top talent type of guy and just seeing where his head’s at under certain things, so that should be good.”
After only sending Jansel Luis to the Fall Star Game in 2025, it was nice for Ariola to be able to share the roster with Crisantes.
“That’s awesome,” he said. “I mean, he’s an absolute stud. I spent the first half of the year with him in rehab, unfortunately, but got to know him as a person off the field – not just the baseball side of him – and I enjoy hanging out with him all the time, every day. So it’s good, I’m excited for it.”
And Crisantes had high praise for his teammate, as well.
“It’s awesome,” he said after the game. “We got a lot closer this Fall League. He’s been doing really good, and [I’m] hoping the best for him next year, as well.”
Crisantes was also happy to be named a Fall Star after “a lot of hard work.”
“It’s been a long season, but to get recognized and be in the Fall Star game and represent the Diamondbacks, it’s awesome,” he said.
Crisantes had one goal in mind: “Just have fun.”
“Stay healthy, just have fun, enjoy this moment,” he said. “It’s a blessing to be here, and it was awesome.”
Ariola, meanwhile, had a more technical goal in mind.
“Come in, throw strikes, get in and get out, do my job.”
There is just one game left in the Arizona Fall League season before the long, dark offseason officially begins. The Rafters currently are in fourth place, just half a game out of third behind the Scottsdale Scorpions and half a game out of fifth ahead of the Mesa Solar Sox.
The Championship tournament begins Thursday and runs through Saturday. You can stream all of the remaining games on the AFL website, and the final will be broadcast on MLB Network at 6:00pm MT.
DENVER, CO - AUGUST 4: Colorado Rockies pitcher Parker Mushinski pitches during a game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Coors Field on August 4, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Gavin Liddell/Colorado Rockies/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to the 2026 edition of Ranking the Rockies, where we take a look back at every player to log playing time for the Rockies in 2026. The purpose of this list is to provide a snapshot of the player in context. The “Ranking” is an organizing principle that’s drawn from Baseball Reference’s WAR (rWAR). It’s not something the staff debated. We’ll begin with the player with the lowest rWAR and end up with the player with the highest.
No. 23, Parker Mushinski (0.2 rWAR)
Parker Mushinski was drafted by the Houston Astros back in 2017. After a long climb through their minor-league system, he made his Major League debut in 2022. He spent the next three seasons shuttling between the Astros Triple-A affiliate and the big-league roster before becoming a free agent following the 2024 season.
After spending the entirety of 2025 at Triple-A for the Cleveland Guardians affiliate, Mushinski again tested free agency last offseason.
Mushinski was originally invited to Major League spring training but was released after allowing 10 runs in just 8.2 innings. After failing to find a big-league deal with another club, he returned to the Rockies just two days later on another minor-league contract.
LHP Parker Mushinski showed a nice breaking ball in camp. Orher scouts watched him closely and he was able to consider leaving. However, the #Rockies needed him for depth and signed him. https://t.co/41BtnfulhI
Mushinski found himself starting the season in Triple-A, hoping to earn a spot on the Major League roster mid-season. This was a familiar situation for him, having gone through this exact song and dance in three out of the past four seasons.
In the first four months of the season, Mushinski threw 48 innings for the Albuquerque Isotopes and recorded a stellar (for the offense-forward Pacific Coast League) 3.38 ERA. What’s more, those great results came despite a very fluid role that saw Mushinski open six games as well as sometimes acting as a long reliever.
For his first assignment with the Rockies, Mushinski entered at the start of the seventh inning against the Tampa Bay Rays. He was able get through the frame without allowing a run… but not before allowing some traffic on the basepaths in the form of a single from Ben Williamson and a walk from Yandy Diaz.
Mushinski’s first appearance for the Rockies was an example of his entire tenure with the team.
Over the course of eight games for the Rockies, Mushinski was only the pitcher on record for a total of two runs despite allowing many baserunners. His great 2.70 ERA was not backed up by a 2.10 WHIP and 5.35 FIP. It did not help that Mushinski was not able to record a single strikeout in his 6.2 innings pitched.
As the end of August approached, the Rockies decided to avoid continuing the high-wire act that had been a hallmark of Mushinki’s time with the team.
The Rockies announced today the following transactions:
– Selected the contract of LHP Mark Manfredi (#54) from Triple-A Albuquerque. – Reinstated RHP Jaden Hill from the 15-day IL. – Optioned RHP TJ Shook to Triple-A. – Designated LHP Parker Mushinski for assignment.
The…
— Rockies Club Information (@RockiesClubInfo) August 19, 2026
After clearing waivers, Mushinski went on to finish out the season with an additional 10 appearances for the Albuquerque Isotopes, but did not get another chance with the Major League team.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: Bo Davidson #94 of the San Fransisco Giants bats during the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Oracle Park on September 27, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Scott Marshall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I suspect that from here on out, most of the elections in the 2027 Willie McCovey Memorial Community Prospect List, which will see us rank the top 44 prospects in the San Francisco Giants organization, will be tight. But the last one? Not so much.
Giants fans, it seems, see a line of delineation between the top six prospects and the next batch. That was apparent on Monday’s ballot, as the result was a blowout. With an overwhelming majority of the vote, outfielder Bo Davidson has been voted as the No. 6 prospect in the system, it what will almost certainly be his final year of eligibility. It’s a drop of two spots for Davidson, who was No. 4 a year ago, and that says much more about the names ahead of him than it does about him, because it was an absolutely exceptional season for the left-handed slugger.
Davidson, who was an undrafted free agent in 2023 and has been one of the best success stories in all of Minor League Baseball the last few years, kicked off the 2026 season with AA Richmond, where he had ended 2025. He had hit well there during his stint the season prior, but he took it up a notch this year … but not before spinning his tires a little.
It was a slow start to the year for Davidson, who missed time early in the season with an injury, and also to welcome the birth of his first kid. Those absences seemed to throw him off rhythm a bit, and he ended May with just a .664 OPS through the first two months of the season.
And then came June. And with it, all of Davidson’s potential materialized. After hitting just one home run in May, Davidson went 29-94 with 11 dingers in June alone, while also drawing 14 walks. By the time the All-Star break rolled around, his slow start was a distant memory, he had an .861 OPS and a 122 wRC+, and it was time to test his talents in AAA.
A similar thing happened when Davidson joined the Sacramento River Cats. As is the case with most players, there was an adjustment period to the highest level of the Minors, and he was struggling a bit on offense early on. And then everything clicked, and it clicked in a huge way. In the middle of August, Davidson rattled off a 10-game hitting streak that saw him go 23-43 with six home runs and seven doubles.
At that point it was off to the races for Davidson, who ended up being one of the top hitters in the Pacific Coast League: in 53 games, he hit .309/.389/.534 for a .923 OPS and a 138 wRC+. Perhaps best of all, though, were the underlying metrics: Davidson’s AAA Statcast page is a sea of red (which is a good thing), and the hard-hit data jumps off the page. He was 94th percentile in average exit velocity, 95th percentile in 50th percentile exit velocity, 82nd percentile in 90th percentile exit velocity, and 94th percentile in hard hit rate.
There’s been a refrain among the organization that Davidson, who turned 24 in July, should have more untapped potential than one might expect of a player his age. That’s understandable given that he was a Junior College player, and really entered the Minors having never seen serious velocity or spin from pitchers. That belief is backed up by arguably the most promising thing to come out of Davidson’s season: he got better.
In 2025, Davidson hit 18 home runs; in 2026, in a nearly identical amount of at-bats, he pushed that number all the way to 29, tops in the system. His strikeout rate, of 22.8% against High-A and AA pitchers a year ago, dropped to 21.5% against more advanced pitching in AA and AAA, with his swinging strike rate decreasing as well. He even made mild gains on the basepaths, stealing 20 bags in 23 attempts, after needing 25 attempts to swipe 19 bases the year prior.
The only downsides in an otherwise brilliant year were that Davidson was moved off of center field upon his AAA arrival (though he proved to be a very strong defensive corner outfielder), and he didn’t make many gains in hitting same-handed pitching. Should he stick at the Major League level, there’s a high chance of being a platoon bat.
Speaking of the Major Leagues, Davidson got a cup of coffee to end the year, and hit 7-20 with a walk and seven strikeouts in his MLB debut. He’ll come to Spring Training (if there is a Spring Training) with every opportunity to win a job on the Opening Day roster … and even if he opens the year back in AAA (not the worst thing given that he only has played 52 games there), you can be sure that he’ll get ample opportunity in 2027 to prove that he can be a core part of the Giants going forward. The sky’s the limit when you have that much power, backed up with a strong hit tool, quality defense, and exceptional size and athleticism!
Now let’s add to the list, and a reminder that voting takes place in the comment section now.
JacobBresnahan — 21.4-year old LHP — 2.92 ERA/4.32 FIP in High-A (98.2 IP); 5.06 ERA/3.60 FIP in AA (16 IP)
ArgenisCayama — 20.1-year old RHP — 4.87 ERA/4.27 FIP in Low-A (57.1 IP)
DakotaJordan — 23.5-year old OF — .879 OPS/125 wRC+ in High-A (355 PA); .697 OPS/87 wRC+ in AA (88 PA)
GavinKilen — 22.7-year old SS — .811 OPS/112 wRC+ in High-A (349 PA); .811 OPS/112 wRC+ in AA (143 PA)
Note: Each player’s first name links to their Baseball-Reference page, and their last name links to their Fangraphs page.All stats are from the 2026 season.
Philadelphia 76ers' Jaylen Brown guards Boston Celtics' Jayson Tatum on Nov. 10 at Xfinity Mobile Arena. (Mitchell Leff / Getty Images)
Two days before playing his former team for the first time since being traded this summer, Philadelphia 76ers star Jaylen Brown told reporters he had “nothing to talk about” with ex-teammate Jayson Tatum.
Apparently he meant it — and it might have had something to do with lamb chops. Figuratively speaking.
Before Tuesday’s game at Philadelphia’s Xfinity Mobile Arena, Tatum approached Brown and gave him a tap on the arm and a few on the chest. Brown wouldn’t even look in the direction of the player with whom he won an NBA championship, made two NBA Finals appearances and played in five Eastern Conference championship series during nine seasons as Celtics teammates.
The pregame moment between Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
After the game, a 123-101 Celtics win, Brown implied to reporters that he didn’t notice Tatum’s attempt to interact with him.
“I’m just focused on coming out and doing what’s best for my team,” Brown said when asked about the apparent snub. “Everything else was just — to be honest, I wasn’t paying attention. But credit to Jayson, he played well tonight. Credit to the Celtics, they executed, they shot the hell out of the ball, and they were the better team tonight.”
Tatum also dismissed the pregame non-encounter as no big deal.
“No headlines about anything like that,” Tatum told reporters. “I was just getting ready for the game, ready for jump ball, go out there and compete, have some fun and try to get a win.”
Still, things have been a bit frosty between the two players in the aftermath of a July 6 trade that sent Brown to Philadelphia — after spending his first 10 NBA seasons in Boston — in exchange for Paul George, two first-round draft picks and two second-round picks.
Celtics teammates Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown share a laugh during a 2025 game against the New York Knicks in Boston. (Maddie Meyer / Getty Images)
In October, Bleacher Report posted a clip on Instagram of Tatum saying he was “caught off guard” by the trade. Brown responded in the comment section of that post with a blue hat emoji, which is often used to represent the word “cap” when being used as slang for “lie.”
Asked about the situation during an Oct. 23 news conference, Tatum insisted “there’s no beef” between the two players.
“I think he’s right. There’s no beef,” Brown told reporters. “Jason comes from a wonderful family. We’ve accomplished some great things. He’s a hell of a basketball player. He’s got a great PR team. There’s no beef but, you know, it might be a little lamb chops and some gravy, you know what I mean? He should stay ready at all times.”
Asked why he would say that, Brown responded: “Just, you know, that’s what it is. No beef. It should never ever be that. It’s just basketball. We’re both blessed, but it might be a little lamb chop. We’ll be all right.”
Brown was then asked if he had been suggesting that Tatum was being untruthful about the trade situation.
“Hey, look, like I said, it’s no beef,” Brown said. “The PR and all that type stuff is it is what it is, but I think we’re just both focused on what’s in front of us.”
George was the leading scorer in Tuesday’s game, with 36 points, while Tatum added 21 points, six rebounds and two blocked shots. Brown netted 13 points, his lowest output in 11 games with the 76ers.
“I was looking forward to this,” Brown said after the game. “I was looking forward to playing well, but you know, s— happens. You just get ready for the next one, I guess.”
PHILADELPHIA, PA - NOVEMBER 10: Paul George #13 and Derrick White #9 of the Boston Celtics high five during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on November 10, 2026 at Xfinity Mobile Arena 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
TORONTO — The Celtics and Raptors will each miss key players as they meet on Wednesday night.
For the Celtics, Paul George is out with an illness; the star is just a day removed from a 36-point performance against his former squad, the Philadelphia 76ers. Everyone else on the Celtics will play on the second night of a road back-to-back; the team flew from Philadelphia to Toronto late Tuesday night, and Mitchell Robinson and Jayson Tatum, both of whom have gotten one rest game this season, are among them.
George has been the Celtics’ second-leading scorer so far this season; he’s averaging 22 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 2.1 steals per game. He’s also been the team’s most efficient scorer, shooting 48.8% from the field and 44% from three. The Celtics are 0-1 without him so far this season; they lost by 16 to the Houston Rockets last Monday.
The Raptors could be significantly shorthanded; Scottie Barnes (left groin strain) and Kawhi Leonard (left knee injury management) are both out, while Trayce Jackson-Davis (illness), Colin Murray-Boyles (illness), and Immanuel Quickley (right hamstring injury management) are all questionable.
After blowing out the 76ers on Tuesday night, the Celtics lead the Eastern Conference at 9-2. The Raptors have the 6th-best record in the East at 5-5. The Celtics have won four straight; the Raptors are coming off a loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.
Jayson Tatum will once again play on the second night of a back-to-back
The Celtics are in the middle of their third back-to-back of the season, and Jayson Tatum has played in every single back-to-back game so far.
But last week in Charlotte, he said he’s receptive to conversations around his rest management.
“It’s my 10th year, so I understand the balance of wanting to play every game, and rest, and back-to-backs, three-in-fours, five-in-sevens,” Tatum said. “It’s always a conversation. We talk about it. We have a plan. I don’t really like sitting out on away games, but we just kind of figure it out as we go.”
Tatum said he does not like missing road games, and that has factored into his decision to play on the second nights of multiple back-to-backs this season.
Jayson Tatum explained that part of why he played in the back-to-backs was to go through the mental process:
"I used to always play back-to-backs… it was an opportunity for me to test myself out, to see how I felt."
“[That’s] part of it, and just kind of the mental aspect of it,” he said. “I used to always play back-to-backs, and obviously health is most important, and how I’m feeling physically. But it was an opportunity for me to test myself out, to see how I felt playing the back-to-backs, traveling, getting in at a certain time, and see how I felt after that. I kind of just really wanted to go through that for myself, and I felt really good.”
On Tuesday, former Winnipeg Jets forward Evander Kane has signed a new deal overseas, agreeing to terms with Sibir of the KHL. It will not be Kane's first stint in the Russian league as he played for Dinamo Minsk during the 2012-13 NHL lockout.
The move is surprising, given reports that the 35-year-old, who was selected fourth overall by the Atlanta Thrashers in 2009, had multiple offers to remain in North America. It is not clear whether those were NHL contracts, minor-league deals to play in the AHL, ECHL, or opportunities elsewhere.
Kane most recently played for his hometown Vancouver Canucks, finishing this past season with 13 goals and 18 assists for 31 points in 71 games.
Off-ice concerns have followed him throughout his career, including long-standing reports of conflicts in the locker room. This past September, former teammate Kurtis Gabriel described Kane as habitually late to team meetings and routinely unprofessional in how he dressed. Gabriel also called him a bully who leaned on his toughness to intimidate teammates.
Kane responded on social media with a cryptic message. "I can't wait for the day I decide to share my truths. The only difference? Mine will come with facts, receipts, and the actual truth," he wrote.
"A lot of people have become far too comfortable speaking publicly while relying on my silence. Enjoy it while it lasts. There are plenty of bombs with plenty of names attached."
Between 2013 and 2021, Kane also faced legal controversies, gambling-related debt and bankruptcy, and an NHL investigation into match-fixing that cleared him of betting on games, along with repeated reports of conflicts with teammates.
Now Kane will take his game to Russia, where he will face some of the best talent the country has to offer.
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SALT LAKE CITY, UT - NOVEMBER 10: Darryn Peterson #22 of the Utah Jazz handles the ball during the game against the Miami Heat on November 10, 2026 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Utah Jazz have officially lost 9 straight games. The team is getting close and closer to a win, but that still eludes them. 1-10 overall and 1-5 at home, Utah may be able to pull this one out after a gutsy comeback against the Miami Heat last night.
The good news is that Darryn Peterson is slowly breaking out. After scoring 25 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists yesterday, Jazz fans expect to see even more continue growth from their 2nd overall pick. He truly does look like a future star, with Ace Bailey very much looking the part of a do-it-all forward that is sorely needed in SLC.
But this team just can’t seem to get a win. Although it was an okay 4th quarter for both Svi and Isaiah Collier, the bench overall has been having a horrific season. Brice Sensabaugh has yet to show up, Kyle Filipowski continues to struggle with a back injury, and the injuries are mounting for this team. Once a promising season, this year has gotten out of hand quickly. The Jazz NEED a win and tonight against the Orlando Magic is a great chance.
The Orlando Magic are having a rough season themselves, sitting at 3-7 and seeing numerous injuries themselves. Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs have been out, Tristan de Silva missed last game, and a few of their younger guys in Izaiyah Nelson and Noah Penda have been struggling with injuries as well.
Much of the season has been placed on the shoulders of Franz Wagner, who has yet to truly find his outside shot, shooting 22.9% on the year. Desmond Bane has shot inconsistently, but Anthony Black has been a bright spot. It could be a competitive one tonight at the Delta Center.
Start Time and TV Schedule
Who: Utah Jazz vs Orlando Magic
When: November 11, 7:00 MT
Where: Delta Center, Salt Lake City, UT
How to watch: KJZZ, Jazz+
Injury Report
Jazz Injury Report (as of 11/10)
OUT – Trey Alexander (G League – Two-Way)
OUT – Keyonte George (Right Ankle; Sprain)
OUT – Harrison Ingram (G League – Two-Way)
OUT – Jaren Jackson Jr. (Right Knee; MCL Tear)
OUT – Jusuf Nurkic (Right foot; 2nd Plantar Plate Tear)
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - SEPTEMBER 19: Trevor Rogers #28 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches against the Milwaukee Brewers at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 19, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We have been doing this for a few years now: looking at the top free agents, using the contract Ben Clemens suggests he’ll get, and asking whether you would like the Jays to give him that contract. This year, the lockout makes it a little more complicated. Keith Law’s list is here. Ben Clemens’ is here.
Number three on Clemens’ list is Trevor Rogers, which seems higher up than I’d put him, and higher than Keith Law has him (13th), but lets consider him now.
Trevor Rogers (whose Baseball Reference page doesn’t list him as Tyler’s brother, but Tyler’s does list him as Trevor’s brother) turns 29 Friday. A lefty, he’s pitched seven seasons in the MLB, making 132 starts, with a 34-48 record and a 3.88 ERA.
But he is coming in free agency off his best two seasons, with a 7.5 bWAR in 48 games. Most of that is from his 18 starts in 2025. In 2026, he was 10-11, with a 4.03 ERA in 30 starts. FanGraphs, on the other hand, has him at a 4.0 WAR in 2026 and a 3.3 in 2025.
He’s really only been effective in the last couple of seasons, and he has a worrying injury history. I don’t think he’d be the first guy I’d be offering a contract to, but the Jays have some pitchers in the upper minors who could fill in if he misses time.
Clemens writes:
Rogers has what teams want in a free agent starter. He’s currently effective – by fWAR, he was the second-best pitcher in this class in 2026, and a whole alphabet full of advanced ERA estimators agree. He has plus stuff and plus command, and he’s currently doing it with a ton of four-seamers, which means that any number of pitch design teams will think they can kick things up a notch. And he’ll be entering his age-29 season next year, which makes him one of the youngest free agents on the board in addition to being one of the best.
Law:
He still doesn’t have a clear identity as a pitcher; his changeup, once his best offspeed pitch and still effective in 2025, was awful this past year, worth minus-12 runs by Statcast’s pitch metrics, enough to make it one of the 20 worst pitches in MLB. As a result, right-handers smoked him for 18 homers in 169 2/3 innings, versus just one allowed to lefties. He’s had big platoon splits before, but in bad years, not good ones. Can a new team help him regain the tumble on that changeup to make him a real three-pitch starter who has plus control? And maybe mix in more sinkers and fewer four-seamers to make him less of the flyball-oriented pitcher he was in 2026? There’s a lot of potential here, and he can at least offer some reliability after three years without any arm injuries.
Clemens figures him to get 4 years at $26 million per, for a $104 million total. Free agent pitchers are risky, and Rogers seems riskier than most.
Mount Vernon native, and New York Yankee batting coach, James Rowson offers batting instruction to young baseball players as he is honored by The City of Mount Vernon for his outstanding achievements and contributions to the world of professional baseball at Brush Park in Mount Vernon on Thursday, August 29, 2024. As a youth, Coach Rowson participated in local baseball programs in Mount Vernon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
Jon Heyman (careful! Facebook!), Chris Kirschner, and Fansided’s Robert Murray have reported that the Giants are expected to hire Yankees hitting coach James Rowson to join their hitting group. The wrinkle is that it will be for the role of “offensive coordinator.” What is an offensive coordinator in MLB terms?
There are about five of these positions in the sport right now, and the general job description is to scheme a baseball offense: hitting, baserunning, and situations. This is the job that Donnie Ecker held when he left the Giants for the Rangers. Grady Sizemore assumed this role for the White Sox in 2025. Hunter Mense, who left the Giants to live closer to his family, is joining a Kansas City staff where Connor Dawson is the offensive coordinator.
So, it’s a catch-all offensive coaching position for the major league team. You can figure there’s a degree of instruction involved, too, and that fits Rowson’s skill set. Before serving as the Yankees’ hitting coach from 2024-2026, he was their minor league hitting coordinator for six total seasons, with stints as an MLB hitting coach for the Cubs (2012-2013), Twins (2017-2019), and Detroit (2023). From 2020-2022, he was the Marlins’ bench coach.
Hal Steinbrenner was pretty critical of the Yankees’ hitting group this past season, when — notably — Aaron Judge was unavailable for a good chunk of it. In their end of the year presser, he and Aaron Boone spotlighted this:
Steinbrenner said he would look at the coaching staff, and that he’s “definitely focused on the offense and hitting,” noting, “It was certainly a significant part of why we didn’t achieve what we wanted to.” Asked about hitting coach James Rowson, Boone said he has “been really impressed with the culture that he’s created.”
Steinbrenner said he would look at the coaching staff, and that he’s “definitely focused on the offense and hitting,” noting, “It was certainly a significant part of why we didn’t achieve what we wanted to.” Asked about hitting coach James Rowson, Boone said he has “been really impressed with the culture that he’s created.”
This new position seems to parallel what’s going on with the pitching group, where Buster Posey and Zack Minasian have mentioned that a lack of coordination and clean lines of communication probably worked against pitcher development at the MLB level. I don’t think it’s as valuable going through what happened to teams when Rowson was a hitting coach, because I think those results are, largely, personnel-based. But, the Yankees were 2nd in MLB in OPS (.757) and wRC+ (112), and over his three years they led the majors in walk rate (10.2%) and ISO (.187) while ranking just 15th in batting average. Again, that’s probably got a lot to do with Aaron Judge, and his absence this season hurt the team enough that the owner decided to weigh in on the coaching staff, barely acknowledging that Ben Rice had a great, breakout season for the Yankees. It wasn’t Rowson’s decision to re-sign Trent Grisham or count on Ryan McMahon or Giancarlo Stanton to provide offense.
Anyway, the Giants ranked 23rd in wRC+ (97), 26th in runs scored (669), 29th in on base percentage (.306), 15th in batting average (.245), 16th in Isolated Power (.155), 18th in slug (.400), 18th in strikeout rate (22.1%), 27th in baserunning (-5.6 Baserunning Runs Above Average), and 30th in walk rate (7.4%). There’s nowhere to go but up.
James Rowson has a lot of work ahead of him. It’s entirely possible that outgoing senior Yankees advisor Brian Sabean put in a good word for him with his former team knowing that he was the man for the job.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - JUNE 5: Mitchell Robinson #23 and Assistant Coach Mark Bryant of the New York Knicks talk before during Game Two of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 5, 2026 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
When the Knicks lost Mitchell Robinson in the offseason, there was not only a sense of mourning for losing the services of the longest-tenured Knick right after a championship, but also in the sense of what he provided on the court.
Even with his injury-prone nature, Robinson was a premier rim protector and an anchor for the Knicks’ defense whenever he was on the court, which would be enough of an asset on his own, but the biggest asset he provided was something entirely different.
As we all came to know and love, he is simply the best offensive rebounder of this generation and one of the best rebounders, period, in the NBA. His innate ability to gobble up boards helped turbocharge an offense that already had plenty of offensive weapons, but would sometimes struggle with inefficiency.
For several years now, the Knicks have built their offense around the expectation of extra possessions. They’ve game-planned to win games by simply getting more opportunities to score than their opponents by grabbing more rebounds and committing fewer turnovers. With Robinson gone, the former was in serious danger, even if the team signed Andre Drummond to bandage it.
Through 10 games this season, though, they seem to have not missed a beat.
The Knicks are impressively the No. 1 rebounding team in basketball so far. That’s powered by Drummond not missing a beat with his usual rebounding prowess, but also an elevation in the team’s process and scheme.
Karl-Anthony Towns, historically a great rebounding center, leads the NBA with a staggering 13.8 rebounds per game. While his defensive strides have been the most encouraging part of the start of this season, he’s been a huge part of winning the possession battle by hitting another level with a 36.6 DREB%, which also leads the league.
As a team, the Knicks have hauled in 55.5 percent of available rebounds, 73 percent of defensive rebounds, and 38.8 percent of offensive rebounds, all leading the NBA. They’ve done this despite routinely having smaller lineups on the court.
Over the last two years, the Knicks were an elite rebounding team, especially thanks to double-big lineups and versatility. They’ve gradually gotten smaller as a team, have played zero minutes with more than one player taller than 6’8” on the court, and are still dominating on the glass.
Towns, Drummond, and Josh Hart have combined to do a bulk of the rebounding on both ends, but it’s also been a group effort. OG Anunoby has been much more active on the glass, averaging 1.7 OREB/g. Mikal Bridges and Jordan Clarkson are grabbing more rebounds on a rate basis. Even Jalen Brunson is averaging a career high in offensive rebounds.
Everyone is feeding off each other. Of the Knicks’ 10 most-used lineups, nine of them have an elite rebounding percentage, with the lone exception being a shocker: the starting five (47.5%).
Their early-season struggles, particularly on offense, are worth monitoring, but some positive regression is due whenever Hart returns from his ankle/illness ailments, especially in the rebounding department. The team as a whole played poorly through five games and has only started to pick it up recently.
The synergy has allowed them to just take the soul out of teams in recent games, something that’s been pivotal to their success in recent years. Just look at last night’s game against Milwaukee, where, despite the plucky Bucks chopping a 26-point lead down to 11, they couldn’t overcome a 59-32 rebounding disadvantage.
Against Cleveland on Saturday, the Knicks took advantage of no Jarrett Allen to outrebound the Cavs, 49-40, to help stretch their second-half cushion. In the blowout of the Bulls last week, it was another 57-34 bludgeoning.
It even makes you think: was it the system that made Mitchell Robinson who he was, or was he just a superpowered cog in the wheel?
Let’s slow down. Robinson was always a generational rebounder, as evidenced by his work under previous head coaches, but his early struggles in Boston are notable.
As long as Towns continues to be consistent defensively and the team keeps rebounding like this… will they even miss him that much?
LAS VEGAS –– The Dodgers have made a habit over the years of capitalizing on market inefficiencies during MLB’s offseason.
And this winter, they have the kind of commodity that could be in short supply elsewhere.
Just like last year, there is high demand around the league for cost-effective right-handed-hitting outfielders, but precious few impact options available in free agency.
Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernández hits a single against the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday, October 15, 2026, in Los Angeles. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Trade speculation, of course, is nothing new for the two-time All-Star and three-time Silver Slugger. After the 2022 season, he was dealt from Toronto to Seattle ahead of his final year before free agency. Last winter, he was shopped again by the Dodgers during another offseason in which right-handed outfield bats were hard to find.
“As far as due diligence, we’ll always listen,” general manager Brandon Gomes said during the league’s annual GM Meetings on Tuesday, when asked if the Dodgers would explore trading in-demand pieces from their current MLB roster (that group could also include Alex Call, another right-handed-hitting outfielder who was squeezed out of playing time in the second half last year).
Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernández looks on before Game 3 of the NLCS at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Wednesday, October 14, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
However, Gomes also made clear that a trade is no fait accompli.
“We feel really good about our team as is,” he insisted, “and certainly don’t feel compelled to do anything along those lines.”
Indeed, for all the speculation that has already begun to swirl around Hernández this winter, it’s far from a guarantee he will be playing elsewhere in 2027.
While he remains an intriguing trade chip for the Dodgers to consider, there are also plenty of reasons to bring him back for a fourth season with the club.
That’s why the Dodgers haven’t committed to playing De Paula regularly in left field next year.
Long term, they are still bullish on his ability to eventually develop into at least a passable option at the big-league level (so much so, Gomes said there hasn’t been any consideration of moving him to another position, such as first base, up to this point).
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Josue De Paula sits with teammates in the dugout during a game against the San Francisco Giants in Los Angeles, Friday, September 18, 2026. Wally Skalij for CA Post
They could always redistribute more of utilityman Tommy Edman’s playing time from second base to the outfield, and find other ways this winter to bolster their depth on the infield dirt (where they are already looking to replace the newly retired Miguel Rojas).
Still, Hernández provides value in other ways too. Over the last three postseasons, he has led the club in playoff RBIs (28) and trails only Shohei Ohtani for October home runs (nine). Last year, he overcame a midseason slump following a hamstring injury to finish the campaign as one of the club’s hottest hitters over the final month (posting an above-league-average .267/.334/.425 slash line on the year overall).
Behind the scenes, he also remains an important mentor to some of the roster’s younger talent, most notably Andy Pages, but also De Paula himself late last year.
Thus, while it would be no surprise to see the Dodgers trade Hernández this winter, it might not be a shock if they kept him around for the final guaranteed season of his contract either.
“We feel really good about the core of this team, what our guys have done, and even looking forward coming in, knowing guys are hungry after the way things ended [last year],” Gomes reiterated. “So, as far as due diligence, sure. But actively looking to do anything, we feel really good about this group.”
From Dodger Stadium to Intuit Dome and now SoFi Stadium, founder Adam Derry is building a collectibles business around the places where sports history is made, connecting a growing marketplace with the culture, commerce and experiences that give its objects meaning.
At Dodger Stadium, collectors stepped away from rows of trading cards and memorabilia to throw pitches inside the same bullpen used by Major League players.
The Dodgers were approaching another postseason following back-to-back World Series championships, and baseball was still very much in season. Nearby, pitcher Will Klein practiced during his rehabilitation as children and longtime fans took turns throwing pitches in a part of the ballpark ordinarily reserved for professional athletes.
For LA Card Show founder Adam Derry, that proximity between the game and the collectibles marketplace has become the foundation of a growing business. After bringing collectors onto the Clippers’ court at Intuit Dome and into the Dodgers’ bullpen, his next stop is SoFi Stadium, where more than 750 vendor tables are scheduled for December 12 and 13, ahead of Super Bowl LXI.
The two-day event will include an on-field mini-camp for VIP attendees, extending a model built around access to the sporting environments where athletes compete and history is made.
At Dodger Stadium in September, more than 650 vendor tables filled the ballpark with sports cards, Pokémon, memorabilia and other collectibles. Beckett offered grading services, music filled the venue, and the Dodgers’ road game against the Miami Marlins played on DodgerVision. Fans explored the dugouts and walked the infield, trading their familiar view from the stands for the perspective of the players.
“Am I supposed to be here?” Derry recalled thinking during an interview at the event.
For Derry, the connection between the collectibles marketplace and the places where sporting history unfolds is fundamental to the experience.
“Sports cards are a relic. They’re an echo of moments that matter,” he said.
For an industry long associated with hotel ballrooms and convention floors, LA Card Show represents a different approach to the business of collecting. Derry is bringing the marketplace into professional sporting environments, making their history and cultural significance part of the experience itself.
The Business Behind the Game
Before establishing LA Card Show, Derry built his career in fashion, creative direction and brand development. Through his Los Angeles agency, ADBD, he worked on projects connecting consumer products with the communities and cultural identities surrounding them.
“We weren’t just creating a show,” Derry explained. “We were creating a platform with a branded purpose.”
That philosophy has shaped an expanding operation built around professional sporting venues, where the surroundings contribute something beyond exhibition capacity.
LA Card Show’s April 2025 edition at Intuit Dome advertised more than 250 vendors. That September, approximately 350 vendors participated at Dodger Stadium, followed by more than 500 at Intuit Dome in March 2026.
The company expanded again at the Los Angeles Convention Center in June, where more than 700 vendor tables shared the event with fashion brands, entertainment and sports activations. By September, LA Card Show returned to Dodger Stadium with nearly 700 participating vendors, according to DodgerBlue.
SoFi represents its next major expansion, taking the marketplace into professional football with more than 750 advertised vendor tables across two days.
The progression reflects more than an increase in exhibitors. Derry has paired the marketplace’s growth with increasingly ambitious access to the venues themselves.
“Dodger Stadium was top of our list, a place that we wanted to go and make sure that we built a relationship with,” he said.
At Intuit Dome, attendees could walk through the Clippers’ player tunnel and shoot on the NBA court beneath the Halo Board. At Dodger Stadium, the bullpen, dugouts and infield became part of the experience. The activities took place during the respective sports seasons, bringing collectors into facilities still actively associated with professional competition.
For Derry, access has become part of the commercial offering, alongside premium admission, exclusive merchandise and venue-specific programming.
“They trust us. They trust our community. They trust our structure that we’ve set up,” he said of the Dodgers.
The partnership illustrates a different approach to event production. Conventional exhibition venues accommodate the marketplace. Professional stadiums can contribute the sporting history, physical experiences and cultural identity surrounding the objects being traded.
“Even watching the games has changed,” Derry said, describing how entering the dugouts and bullpen affected his relationship with the ballpark.
The experience connects personal memories with the sporting history that collectors preserve through cards and memorabilia.
Where Performance Becomes Value, and Culture Becomes Commerce
The sports-card market has always moved in conversation with the games themselves. A breakout season can ignite demand for a rookie card. Championships and career milestones can renew interest in memorabilia tied to a player or franchise. Scarcity, condition and collector sentiment shape prices, but sporting performance remains a powerful source of attention.
That relationship now operates within an increasingly sophisticated commercial infrastructure. Auction houses, grading companies, authentication services, pricing platforms and independent dealers support a marketplace where objects are tracked, evaluated and exchanged with growing financial precision.
During the interview, Mantel contributor and SOMOS Index founder Sam Goodman pointed to platforms such as Card Ladder and the increasing availability of historical sales data.
“I think it’s become a bit of the backbone, to be honest,” Derry said of the technology supporting the market.
Comparable sales and historical pricing have introduced the language of financial markets into collecting, changing how buyers and sellers evaluate the cards they own.
“They’re basically trading like stocks,” Derry said.
Yet for all its financial sophistication, the culture surrounding collecting has never been confined to cardboard.
Sports fandom extends through jerseys, sneakers, music, food, fashion and the merchandise people wear, display and preserve. These interests share audiences and cultural references, often shaping what people consider worth owning.
At Dodger Stadium, hip-hop artist Westside Gunn joined the September event for a meet-and-greet presented by R&G Records and Producer Plug, with a performance also reported in post-event coverage. Producer Large Professor was among the musical talent Derry highlighted, while memorabilia partner Legends’ Attic brought former Dodgers All-Star Shawn Green and seven-time NBA champion Robert Horry for autograph appearances.
Westside Gunn’s presence was especially fitting. Beyond Griselda Records, the Buffalo rapper has built ventures spanning fashion, contemporary art and professional wrestling through Fourth Rope, reflecting a culture where creative identity, sports fandom and collectible merchandise frequently intersect.
That same sensibility appeared at LA Card Show’s June edition at the Los Angeles Convention Center, where brands including HYPLAND, Holiday, Vandy The Pink and Research Vintage participated alongside collectibles vendors and professional sports activations.
For Derry, these connections reflect the way people already participate in culture, rather than separate interests being assembled for an event.
“I think these things are intrinsically already together,” he said.
Derry recalled artist David Choe visiting an earlier show and designer Dr. Romanelli attending the September event. Contemporary artists have also explored the trading-card format as a smaller creative canvas, bringing artwork into a market built around physical ownership, authentication and resale.
Goodman also pointed to the different ways artwork circulates through traditional galleries and the trading-card market.
“Instead of being hung up in a museum or in someone’s living room, they can change hands at a higher volume and speed,” Goodman observed.
The same curatorial logic extends to the dealers assembling display cases. Each selects inventory around athletes, historical moments, aesthetics and rarity, presenting a personal interpretation of what deserves attention.
“That’s what it takes until you can come here and see a whole bunch of curators at once,” Derry said.
For all the attention paid to comparable sales and financial performance, he remains interested in the relationship between an object and its owner.
“This is art. Full stop. You’re buying art. Do you love it? Does it connect with you?”
The value of a collectible is not exhausted by its latest transaction price. LA Card Show reflects a marketplace where cultural appreciation and commercial exchange operate together, bringing athletes, artists, musicians, creative brands and independent dealers into the same environment.
The Marketplace Behind the Experience
A Dodgers fan might attend for the bullpen. A Clippers supporter might arrive for a chance to shoot on the team’s court. Someone following an artist or designer may discover the collecting marketplace through an interest that began elsewhere.
For an industry whose specialized vocabulary can intimidate newcomers, those experiences provide familiar points of entry.
“There’s got to be bridges or no one can enter,” Derry said, describing the complexity of pricing, comparable sales and market terminology.
Beyond the spectacle is a substantial marketplace of independent businesses, many built by entrepreneurs balancing collecting with other careers.
“We’re creating these massive entrepreneurial moments,” Derry said.
He described vendors maintaining full-time employment while sourcing inventory, preparing for shows and developing collecting businesses during evenings and weekends.
The event brings those sellers into direct contact with buyers who can examine inventory, negotiate transactions and build relationships with specialists across different collecting categories. Stadium access and cultural programming create opportunities to reach audiences beyond established hobbyists.
The demand to participate extends beyond the available exhibition space. Derry reported approximately 4,200 prospective exhibitors on a waiting list for future events, reflecting interest from independent sellers seeking access to the company’s growing marketplace.
That demand indicates exhibitor interest rather than independently verified transaction volume or profitability. The commercial opportunity lies in connecting established collectors and independent dealers with audiences drawn by professional sports and cultural programming.
The range of participation remains broad. Experienced collectors pursue scarce inventory using increasingly sophisticated market information, while others acquire objects tied to childhood memories, favorite players or cultural interests.
Derry sees a parallel with the identity surrounding professional sports teams.
“I think you could argue that we’re literally doing the same thing,” he said when asked how LA Card Show fits into the broader fan experience.
Fans wear team jerseys as an expression of belonging. Derry wants the LA Card Show identity to carry a similar connection, supported by merchandise, recurring events and a community that extends beyond any single transaction.
SoFi Stadium and the Next Evolution of the Card Show
LA Card Show’s upcoming SoFi Stadium edition brings its largest announced marketplace into professional football during the NFL regular season, two months before the venue hosts Super Bowl LXI.
Scheduled for December 12 and 13, the event will feature more than 750 vendor tables spanning sports cards, memorabilia, trading card games, fashion, toys and other collectibles. Programming includes music, special appearances, grading services and limited-edition releases, alongside an exclusive VIP on-field mini-camp.
The setting carries significance beyond its scale.
In February 2022, the Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium to win Super Bowl LVI on their home field. Five years later, the stadium will host another championship, bringing the NFL’s biggest game back to Inglewood.
LA Card Show’s December event arrives between those moments, placing collectors on a field that has already produced a championship and is preparing to host another.
The move also completes a progression across three professional sports. Baseball offers the bullpen and infield. Basketball opens the court and player tunnel. Football brings participants onto the playing surface itself.
Each venue contributes its own sporting identity, while the business remains anchored in independent commerce, cultural programming and access to experiences normally associated with professional athletes.
Derry intends to carry that model beyond Los Angeles.
“We’re trying to be away game versions of our show, but as LACS,” he explained.
His ambition reflects a background in brand development rather than conventional event promotion. LA Card Show is building an identity intended to travel through partnerships with sporting venues, regional collecting communities and creative collaborators.
He also envisions larger multiday festivals incorporating fashion, food, music and entertainment, developing an experience that reaches beyond any single collecting category without abandoning the dealers and collectors at its center.
For Derry, that ambition remains grounded in the motivations that brought collectors into the market long before pricing platforms and portfolio tracking became commonplace.
“It’s about the love of the game,” he said, describing how financial analysis and personal attachment can coexist within the same collecting culture.
Collectors can search for rare inventory, negotiate trades and meet dealers at shows throughout the year. Far fewer opportunities allow them to throw pitches inside the Dodgers’ bullpen, shoot on the Clippers’ court or step onto an NFL field preparing to host the Super Bowl.
A card show brings collectors closer to the objects they want to own. LA Card Show is bringing them closer to the places that made those objects worth collecting.
HOUSTON (AP) — Brad Ausmus was named manager of the Houston Astros on Wednesday.
New general manager Randy Flores made the announcement, which brings the former catcher back to the place where he spent 10 years of his playing career.
“We are thrilled to welcome Brad back to the Astros organization,” Flores said in a news release. “Brad impressed us throughout the interview process, demonstrating the leadership, energy, and expertise critical to driving a winning culture both on and off the field. I am excited to work alongside Brad and happy to have him back in an Astros uniform.”
Ausmus said he is excited to return to Houston.
“The Astros and the city of Houston have been a huge part of my life, and I’m thrilled to create a new chapter as the team’s manager,” he said. “I’d like to thank Randy and the entire Astros organization for this opportunity, and I can’t wait to get to work.”
He replaces Joe Espada, whose contract wasn’t renewed after the Astros were swept by the Chicago White Sox in a Wild Card series. Ausmus is the 21st manager in franchise history.
Former St. Louis Cardinals star Albert Pujols, former Astros player Morgan Ensberg and Texas Rangers bench coach Luis Urueta were among other candidates Houston considered before landing on Ausmus.
His hiring leaves the Angels as the only team without a manager after they fired Kurt Suzuki following just one season. The Mariners hired Jason Kanzler last week to fill the role from which Dan Wilson stepped down at season’s end.
This is the third different managerial job for Ausmus, who managed the Angels in 2019 and spent 2014-17 leading the Tigers. He most recently worked as the bench coach for the Yankees from 2024 through last season.
The 57-year-old Ausmus went 72-90 in his one season with the Angels and was 314-332 in four seasons in Detroit. His best season came in his first with the Tigers when they went 90-72 to win the AL Central before being swept by the Orioles in the AL Division Series.
He has also worked in MLB front offices, spending 2011-13 as a special assistant to baseball operations for the Padres and 2018 as a special assistant to the GM for the Angels.
Ausmus spent 18 years as a major league catcher. He played for the Astros from 1997-98 and 2001-08. He won three Gold Gloves while with the Astros and was named to the All-Star team in 1999 with the Tigers. He also played for the Padres and the Dodgers before retiring after the 2010 season.
He played 1,971 MLB games, including 1,259 with the Astros, the most by a catcher in franchise history.
Ausmus played in 35 career postseasons games, all of them with the Astros. He was the team’s catcher when the Astros reached the World Series in 2005 for the first time. He had a big home run earlier in that playoff run when his shot tied the game with two outs in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the NLDS against the Braves that the Astros went on to win 7-6 in 18 innings.
He was a 48th round pick of the Yankees in 1987. He attended Dartmouth while playing in the minors for the Yankees, graduating in 1991 with a bachelor’s degree in government.
The two-day event will include an on-field mini-camp for VIP attendees, extending a model built around access to the sporting environments where athletes compete and history is made.
