Kansas City Royals news: The City Council approves ballpark funding

The City Council approved a $600 million funding commitment for a downtown ballpark on Thursday.

More information about the financing will be published tomorrow ahead of the TIF Commission’s meeting, officials said. The City Council would be expected to vote on creating a TIF district and on formally issuing bonds for the stadium.

The council is also expected to vote on a related rezoning plan in September that would set flexible standards for future redevelopment in Crown Center.

The Royals are pursuing a $1.9 billion new stadium that would anchor a $3 billion entertainment district in the city’s urban core.

The Royals have committed to privately pay for $760 million of the project’s cost. The city and the team also plan to apply for state funding that could total roughly $540 million.

City staff said construction work could begin early next year and the completed stadium could open in time for the 2030 baseball season.

Kansas City Star columnist David Hudnall thinks the deal is being rushed through.

Consider these other giant red flags:

If the projections are wrong, that’s the city’s problem. The Royals aren’t guaranteeing the bonds. Kansas City is. If the taxes dedicated to the stadium fall short, the city still owes the money.

That’s what happened with the Power & Light District, where Kansas City has spent roughly $10 million a year on average since 2006 covering debt payments that district revenues couldn’t. If the same thing happens here, that money will have to come from somewhere else in the city budget. That means less funding for roads, parks, trash pickup, public safety or other basic services.

Maikel Garcia injured his hamstring in Thursday’s win.

Preston Farr updates his Royals prospect list.

Behind the top of the farm, the depth of the system has taken a slight hit. Sure, there are fringe prospects who could reach another tier, such as Ramon Ramirez (questions on position), Yandel Ricardo (inconsistent), and Justin Lamkin (injury).

For the most part, however, it’s a bunch of 40 FV prospects with a handful more who could blossom into better as they age. The largest upswing further down the farm has without question been the international influx. Since the arrival of Johnny DiPuglia in 2024, the Royals have done tremendously well. Gomez and Chourio headline that crop, but Ricardo and others such as Freddy Contreras, Jaider Suarez, and Warren Calcaño round out what’s becoming a solid international pipeline for the Royals. 

Matt Snyder at CBS Sports looks at which bad teams can turn things around next year.

I was burned by this Royals team in 2026, but there are plenty of good players here. Bobby Witt Jr. is capable of an MVP season, and we’ve seen enough from Carter Jensen and Jac Caglianone to believe they could be All-Stars next year if things break right. Vinnie Pasquantino is capable of a better season, too. On the pitching end, they’ll have Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha back, while Noah Cameron looks like a star right now. A midseason return of Cole Ragans will help bolster the rotation, and maybe they find outside-organization help or someone like Justin Lamkin hustles on his way to the majors. The AL Central isn’t exactly a juggernaut division, either.

Awful Announcing has their broadcaster rankings, with the Royals’ team at #25.

Additionally, some viewers feel there are “too many cooks in the kitchen” due to a large, rotating cast of secondary analysts. Sideline reporter Howard is noted as a “promising” addition who is still finding her own voice. Overall, one’s tolerance for Hudler appears to be the deciding factor in how one appreciates these broadcasts.

“Eric Hosmer has been an incredible addition to the team, adding new stories while also diving much deeper into the strategy and player mindset of the game than what’s been the norm for years,” wrote one grader. “Rex Hudler is still a lovable Kansas City treasure, but the Hosmer/Hudler contrast has been a welcome change of pace for KC.”

Yirsandy Rodriguez at Royals Keep thinks Steven Cruz has a fastball problem.

Craig Brown writes about the wins over the A’s and their bad bullpen.

The Phillies claim former Royals pitcher Andrew Hoffmann off waivers.

The Royals officially released Starling Marte.

Braves pitcher Grant Holmes loses his no-hit bid in the seventh inning against the White Sox.

Sal Stewart could soon become just the seventh rookie since 2000 with 100 RBI.

Dane Myers drops the final out, leading the Reds to blow a wild game against the Cardinals.

Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson is likely done for the year with a shoulder injury.

The Orioles are frustrated about replay involving home runs and the foul pole.

The Phillies sign former All-Star pitcher Nestor Cortes Jr.

Diamondbacks brass calls Ketel Marte’s absence “bizarre” and want an apology from him.

The AL Wild Card race is a competitive balance mess.

The players with high expectations that are running out of time to meet them.

What to know about the investigation into Dodgers owner Mark Walter.

MLS may be planning a drastic playoffs overhaul.

Walmart promises price cuts after a $2.9 billion tariff refund.

The Odyssey is now the highest-grossing R-rated movie ever.

South Korea wants to go to the moon.

Your song of the day is Ol’ Dirty Bastard with Shimmy Shimmy Ya.

Orioles minor league recap 8/21: Kjerstad stays hot, Eyanson keeps dealing

CLEARWATER, FLORIDA - MARCH 13, 2026: Heston Kjerstad #13 of the Baltimore Orioles bats during the third inning of a spring training game against the Philadelphia Phillies at BayCare Ballpark on March 13, 2026 in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images

Triple-A: Nashville Sounds (Brewers) 7, Norfolk Tides 0

Heston Kjerstad reached base in all four plate apperances, but Norfolk never managed to bring him home. Kjerstad tripled and also worked a walk. Bryan Ramos and José Barrero added the other two singles.

Tides starter Juaron Watts-Brown failed to complete three innings during a disappointing day. The former Blue Jays prospect allowed a two run homer in the first. He posted a zero in the second, but things unraveled in the third. Brown threw only 38 of 73 pitches for strikes.

Yaqui Rivera tossed 2.1 scoreless innings of relief. Nick Raquet added a pair of zeros, and Yaramil Hiraldo did not allow a run in the ninth.

Double-A: Richmond Flying Squirrels (Giants) 2, Chesapeake Baysox 0

Anthony Eyanson continued to look the part with seven strong innings. Eyanson held Richmond off the scoreboard until they broke through with a broken-bat RBI single in the sixth. Eyanson finished the day with 7 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 8 K, 0 BB.

Eyanson was technically outdueled by Richmond. Yunior Marte, San Francisco’s 25th ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline, pitched six scoreless frames. It’s a tough way for Eyanson to pick up his first loss at Double-A.

Anderson De Los Santos singled to bring the tying run to the plate in the ninth, but the Baysox failed to make it more interesting than that. Wehiwa Aloy pinch hit and grounded out to end the game.

Thomas Sosa finished 2-for-4 with a double. He was the only Chesapeake player to record multiple hits or anything more than a single.

High-A: Frederick Keys vs.Wilmington Blue Rocks (Nationals) — PPD

“Wet Grounds” was the official designation. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader today.

Low-A: Hickory Crawdads (Rangers) 7, Delmarva Shorebirds 4

Harrison Kreiling started the game with 3.1 scoreless innings, but Connor Gehr coughed up seven runs (six earned) over 3.2 innings of bulk relief. Gehr was done in by three Hickory home runs.

Ty Head finished 1-for-3 with a walk and solo homer from the leadoff spot. Eric Booth Jr. singled and added a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning. Jemone Nuel and Adriander Mejía both doubled, and Jaide Lo Re managed a walk in four plate appearances.

Box scores

Friday’s Games

Norfolk: vs Nashville, 6:35. Starter: Cade Povich (1-4, 6.40 ERA)

Chesapeake: vs Richmond, 7:05 pm. Starter: Patrick Reilly (0-2, 5.60 ERA)

Frederick: Game 1, at Wilmington, 4:30 pm. Starter: Kyson Witherspoon (4-5, 4.46 ERA)

Frederick: Game 2, at Wilmington, TBD Starter: TBD

Delmarva: at Hickory, 7:00 pm. Starter: Esteban Mejia (0-7. 9.13 ERA)








MLB News: AL Wild Card, Jacob deGrom, Fernando Tatis Jr., Paul Skenes, Ketel Marte

Happy Friday, everyone! We’ve made it through another week and we’re closing in on the end of August. Still hard to believe that the end of summer and the end of the regular baseball season are now just over a month away (howww????). This, of course, brings us to the weird and wacky position the wild cards are in, where it looks like several teams below .500 might be queued up to make it a very strange race to the finish to see who will make it to the postseason.

In today’s links we also dip a toe into a potentially controversial topic: is it time to shut Paul Skenes down for the season? The former ace pitcher for the Pirates hasn’t been himself this season and no one can say exactly why, but some are suggesting that letting him rest as much as possible might be the key.

We get into that and much more below, so let’s just jump right into it.

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster. Make it so.

Diamondbacks move Ketel Marte to 10-day IL after puzzling absence

Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte has been moved from the restricted list to the 10-day injured list following a puzzling absence that saw him miss Monday night's game in Boston.

The decision came after Marte met with general manager Mike Hazen and manager Torey Lovullo to address the circumstances surrounding his disappearance, which neither party disclosed.

Lovullo explained Marte returned to Phoenix to undergo medical tests on his knee earlier this week. However, Lovullo expressed frustration that Marte did not communicate his whereabouts or status during this period, leaving the coaching staff and teammates unable to reach him.

On Thursday night, Marte met with Hazen and Lovullo to discuss the events that led to his absence and the missed game against the Red Sox. Following the meeting, Hazen provided an update, stating Marte received a knee injection to address inflammation discovered on an MRI.

"I'm not going to get into specifics," Hazen said regarding his discussions with Marte. "I feel the conversation and meeting were productive. We addressed everything that happened over the past week, but I won't share the details publicly. Marte will speak to his teammates soon, and from there, we'll focus on moving forward as a team."

Because Marte was on the restricted list, his time on the injured list cannot be retroactively applied to Sunday, when he last played in the Diamondbacks' 2-0 win over the Atlanta Braves. Instead, the 10-day injured list period will begin Thursday, and Marte will be sidelined for at least the next 10 days.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Diamondbacks move Ketel Marte to 10-day IL after puzzling absence

Mets Daily Prospect Report, 8/21/26: Amick hits another home run

Brian Metoyer throws a pitch in a blue Syracuse Mets uniform.
Brian Metoyer | (Photo: Syracuse Mets)

Triple-A: Syracuse Mets (61-61)

SYRACUSE 5, WORCESTER 0 (BOX)

Syracuse went with a bullpen game and wound up shutting out Worcester, and eight of the nine Syracuse hitters who played in the game had at least one hit, and Billy Amick continued his home run hitting ways with his eighth since coming to the Mets organization at the trade deadline.

Double-A: Binghamton Rumble Ponies (51-66)

ALTOONA 7, BINGHAMTON 5 (BOX)

Kevin Parada hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth, but Binghamton came up two runs shy of a comeback.

High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (50-65)

ASHEVILLE 13, BROOKLYN 6 (BOX)

This was a rough one for Brooklyn in a season that’s seen the team lose far more than it’s won. Recent trade acquisition Sammy Stafura struck out three times in four at-bats.

Single-A: St. Lucie Mets (50-66)

LAKELAND 6, ST. LUCIE 2 (BOX)

Lakeland scored first with a run in the top of the first, but St. Lucie plated a pair in the bottom of the second. Unfortunately, that was it for the St. Lucie lineup, and Lakeland evened things up with a run in the fourth before taking the lead for good with a three-run fifth.

STAR OF THE NIGHT

The Syracuse bullpen

GOAT OF THE NIGHT

Joe Scarborough

Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony has the potential to make us all look like idiots

TORONTO, ON - APRIL 27: Boston Red Sox Outfielder Roman Anthony (19) reacts during the MLB regular season game between the Boston Red Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays on April 27, 2026, at Rogers Centre in Toronto, ON, Canada. (Photo by Julian Avram/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Something strange happened during the three months Roman Anthony was sidelined with a tendon tear in his right ring finger: He became both overrated and underrated all at the same time. There’s no great way to fully quantify both ends of that statement, but work with me here as we dive into the two extremes (hand up on one of them).

In one camp, we have the people who saw Roman Anthony in April and have decided that 30 games of underwhelming results followed by an injury is enough to toss him aside. I’ll only include three examples here from recent days, but we could have a field day with hundreds of posts echoing these sentiments from the last three months. (Maybe we’ll do that for a day during the lockout this winter.)

EL! OH! EL!

I’m extremely confident these people are going look like complete bozos in short order. Not only does Roman Anthony possess a ceiling higher than anybody else on the roster, but he’s also coming back into a completely different environment than he was in April.

At the start of the season, Anthony was in the middle of a whirlwind that in the previous ten months included getting called up to the majors, learning quickly and having success against the best in the world, getting injured and missing the end of the year with an oblique strain, watching Alex Bregman leave for the Cubs and having the leadership role dumped in his lap, trying to balance a torrent of media requests while preparing for his first full season in the majors, and then getting invited to play for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. And all this as a 21-year-old.

Now he gets to come back to something completely different. He’s healed, well rested (physically and mentally), and coming into an environment where his presence can elevate an already established roster as the missing piece that might put them over the top.

Furthermore, Roman Anthony strikes me as the silent assassin type. There’s little doubt in my mind he’s seen and heard what the clueless continent of fans are saying about him, and I hope he’s a little angry or annoyed by it (I know I would be!). We could be on the verge of a revenge tour for the ages, and I have my popcorn ready.

Additionally — and probably most importantly — the underlying metrics are all still there. Below is Anthony’s bat speed distribution from his baseball savant bat tracking page, and when you combine velocity like that with his pitch recognition skills, there’s zero reason to be any less excited about his ceiling. I won’t go into the gory math details today, but they all scream he could still soar has high as a mountain and fast.

To put it another way: I don’t really care what Anthony did in April at this point in the proceedings. Not when he spent the previous years rising to the No. 1 prospect ranking in all of baseball, spent much of last season in the majors posting a 140 wRC+, and then followed that up with a .920 OPS in the World Baseball Classic in March. April is clearly the outlier month here.

Also, not that he’ll become this guy, but if you take Roman Anthony’s 30 games at the start of this season (career games 72 through 101), they line up remarkably well with Barry Bonds’ career games 72 through 101. Bonds just turned 22 at that time he played those game, Anthony was about to turn 22 in the spring. Bonds hit just .200 over that stretch, Anthony hit .229. Bonds posted an OBP of .336 in those games thanks to the walks, Anthony posted a .354 OBP in those games thanks to the walks. Bonds had just six extra base hits over that 30-game span, Anthony had seven. Bonds had a .646 OPS, Anthony has a .675 OPS this year. Again, the ceiling is still there.

So to reiterate, Anthony’s April doesn’t faze me at all. I’m weirdly confident we’re at the beginning of something remarkable, and I can’t wait to watch it play out. But you know what alarms me though? Anthony’s September and May. Those are the months he strained his oblique and torn a tendon in his finger, and both injuries upended his season. The only reason 2026 isn’t a total disaster is because the injury happened so early in the year, and he still has runway to do something special.

I wrote about this topic extensively in June, but the possibility of Anthony’s elite swing being the thing the might break him is the reason people like me might be overrating Anthony. Just like those posters above, we could also be made the fool in short order. It doesn’t matter how high your ceiling is if you can’t stay on the field, and even though I’m as confident in Anthony’s total package as any as player I’ve ever seen come out of the Red Sox farm system, I also spent years watching and writing about Troy Tulowitzki’s career, so I know how this can end.

The bottom line is somebody’s about to look really, really stupid really, really soon, and I’m equal parts thrilled, anxious, ecstatic, and terrified to find out what that entails.

Welcome to Roman Anthony’s comeback, where together we’re all probably about to live out a dream, or a nightmare.

Friday Posted & Toasted Notes: Hungry KAT, paid Hart, talkative Shaq

29 November 2023, Baden-Württemberg, Stuttgart: One of the two naked-nosed wombats explores the new enclosure at Wilhelma. After a two-month acclimatization period, the two marsupials can now be seen by visitors. They are three and a half years old and come from a zoo in Budapest and a zoo in Tasmania. Photo: Franziska Kraufmann/dpa (Photo by Franziska Kraufmann/picture alliance via Getty Images)

Not the strongest of posts, but better than none. Here’s the latest I’ve gathered from across the interwebs in the past few days. Enjoy and comment!

  • Karl-Anthony Towns is making it clear one championship has only increased his appetite for another.

“I’m hungrier than ever to get the second one—I’ve said before, I’ll do anything to win that first one. If I was willing to do whatever it took to get the first one, what do you think I’m going to do for the second one?

“This was the first year where I was like, I’m going to put this in God’s hands. I’m going to work, of course, but I’m not going to stress about the things I can’t control.”

  • Josh Hart and the Knicks are expected to find common ground on an extension, The Athletic’s James L. Edwards III believes, and projects said “common ground” to be in the $60-to-$62 million ballpark. For now, Hart will make $20.9 million next season (he’s got a $22.4 million team option for 2027-28).
  • Hart and Jalen Brunson are taking the “Roommates Show” to a significantly bigger stage following the Knicks’ championship. Among those expected to appear on it: Jose Alvarado, Mariska Hargitay, Jimmy Fallon, Spike Lee and Landry Shamet, plus performances from Fabolous, Jim Jones, Maino and Dave East.
  • Kenny Kluska needs Jordan Clarkson to start doing something better if he wants to retain his spot in the Knicks’ rotation.
  • SI’s Joseph Randazzo rated the highest and lowest point of New York’s offseason. We all know and agree on the lowest. Can you guess the highest?
  • New York will have a significant scheduling advantage next season, as Canada Sports Betting did the research and projected the Knicks to travel just 35,135 miles during the regular season, the fewest of any NBA team. No matter that, most of us will keep our routine of couch-watching intact.
  • OAKAAK and Nova guard Ryan Arcidiacono is heading to Germany to hoop for the Frankfurt Skyliners.
  • Jeremy Lin posted tributes to both Mike D’Antoni and Amar’e Stoudemire following their Hall of Fame inductions. Lin credited D’Antoni with “changing the trajectory of my life” by empowering him during Linsanity and thanked Stoudemire for treating him with “acceptance and love” even when Lin was at the end of the Knicks’ bench.
  • Shaquille O’Neal sees Philadelphia as a legitimate threat to the Knicks, but not an automatic one because of the most obvious reason. Emphasis mine:

“The team has enough talent to make a deep run, but the question is whether everybody accepts their role, shares the ball, and stays healthy.”

  • Cleveland is paying 37-year-old James Harden a fully guaranteed $97 million over the next three seasons. Good luck making the Eastern Conference semifinals, folks!
  • I missed this one, so I’m not sure if it really went as viral as some are saying, but there was a report earlier this week claiming the Knicks had traded Mikal Bridges, Miles McBride and draft compensation for Zion Williamson and Jordan Poole. #lolwut

MLB playoff picture: Which wannabes can win the World Series?

There are few tasks more vexing than trying to find greatness lurking amid mediocrity. And that brings us to the final five weeks of Major League Baseball’s season.

The contenders are real: Congratulations in advance to the Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, Tampa Bay Rays, New York Yankees and, probably, the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox.

You’re going to the playoffs.

Four of those teams will receive first-round byes and thus avoid playing in the best-of-three wild card series, further enhancing their championship odds. But what to make of the mid, the uninspiring, the 12 teams lurking within four games of a playoff spot, yet far from guaranteed an October ticket?

More important, are they worth our time? Are they simply two-and-out fodder to provide television inventory to the networks and the league and the gambling-addicted masses?

Can they win the World Series?

Breaking down six teams within the disappointing dozen who absolutely can win it all – if they can simply get in the playoffs:

1. Philadelphia Phillies

Playoff odds (per FanGraphs): 90.3%

Yes, the Phillies can win the World Series. Probably have a better shot than many realize.

But that’s the kind of year it’s been in Philly, a season seemingly destined for just two outcomes: Surprisingly glorious or utter despair. It looked like the latter for several stretches of this season, but now, they’ve won 13 of 18 and put distance between themselves and the Marlins and Cardinals of the world.

Their chances are naturally enhanced by a starting trio that can stand up to the Dodgers and Brewers: Cristopher Sánchez, Jesus Luzardo and Zack Wheeler. Luis Arraez’s arrival added crucial contact to a lineup that can be too stationary. Yet their October fate will likely come down to the command of set-up men Orion Kerkering and Jonathan Bowlan. Kind of a scary way to live, and Phillies fans are in for either a soul-crushing or titillating ride.

2. Toronto Blue Jays

Playoff odds: 21.1%

For all the appropriate hand-wringing over Vladimir Guerrero’s lack of power and production, it’s easy to forget about the guy who really makes this club go: Alejandro Kirk. The catcher and hitting savant missed 62 games with a left thumb fracture, a period in which the Blue Jays went 29-33. Kirk is now far removed from that injury and on a heater, batting .393 with a 1.074 OPS over his last 17 games.

No surprise the Blue Jays are 13-4 in that span, including series wins over Boston, Houston, St. Louis, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay and the Yankees. They did the best job of any team in recent memory at playing the middle at the trade deadline, dealing rotation stalwart Kevin Gausman and reliever Jeff Hoffman yet getting an extra year of control with Jose Soriano in the rotation, while holding crucial pieces like closer Louis Varland.

The defending AL champs haven’t given off “don’t let them get hot vibes” all season. Yet just when everyone stopped paying attention, they’ve gotten hot. Beware.

3. San Diego Padres

Playoff odds: 53.9%

Speaking of getting hot, the Padres have left their early-season hitting miseries behind and are 20-12 since the break, trailing only the Cubs in runs scored in that span. Averaging 5.1 runs per game will help any staff and now deadline acquisition Casey Mize is starting to lock in, giving up two runs in 12 innings of his past two starts.

This core is on track for its third consecutive playoff berth and fourth in five years. At some point, that experience is going to matter.

4. Arizona Diamondbacks

Playoff odds: 37.3%

A relatively big unknown here with the Ketel Marte semi-annual absence, but assuming his knee is sound and he returns to the fold, Arizona remains a difficult out.

And pitching, not their All-Star second baseman, is the reason why. There’s suddenly a very good starting troika in the desert, led by left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez, who has covered 149 1/3 innings – fourth in the NL – with a 2.71 ERA. Brandon Pfaadt, a 2023 World Series starter, spent most of June in the minors but has reemerged as a new man, going 7-0 with a 1.79 ERA over 10 starts; Arizona has won nine of them.

It might be a bit patronizing to call them “pesky,” due to their .398 slugging percentage ranking 10th in the NL. But “pesky” is a very good thing when you strike out far less than your peers – their 936 punchouts are fewest in the NL, with only the Blue Jays and Rays fanning less often.

5. Seattle Mariners

Playoff odds: 30.1%

Have we given up on these guys? Just about. The Mariners continue to provide ample reason not to believe in them. But still.

They have the advantage of two races to run, lurking four games back in the awful AL West and three out in the wild card. There are 34 games left. That’s plenty of time.

And that vaunted starting rotation? It still covers more innings than any in the big leagues, while ranking fourth in WHIP and sixth in strikeouts. Why did it take so long for Kade Anderson to earn a call-up? Is Cal Raleigh that bad? Can they produce just their second winning month this season in this weird 7-10 August?

So many reasons not to believe. Yet we just can’t quit these guys.

6. Detroit Tigers

Playoff odds: 14.7%

They didn’t totally wave the white flag at the trade deadline – more a shade of beige – and it’s hard to prop up a club that traded the greatest left-hander in the game right now. But like the Mariners, the Tigers have two ports of entry to October, a hit machine who will come as close as any since Aaron Judge to pulling off a Rookie of the Year/MVP double and a manager who knows how to push the buttons this time of year.

Yet can Kevin McGonigle and A.J. Hinch fully prop up a depleted rotation and already-leaky bullpen? Probably not – particularly with Riley Greene’s hamstring strain putting him on ice at least a few more days.

But the Tigers sneaked into the playoffs in ’24 and ’25 and were very, very noisy both times. One of these days it’s going to click – even if Troy Melton and Keider Montero, and not Tarik Skubal, must be the rotation bulwarks.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB playoff picture: Which wannabes can win the World Series?

Maple Leafs NHL Prospect Ranking: No. 6, Alexander Bilecki

Sitting at No 6 in TheHockeyNews.com's Toronto Maple Leafs prospect ranking is Alexander Bilecki.

The players in this ranking do not have extensive NHL experience and are all under 23. Therefore, players such as William Villeneuve, Artur Akhtyamov and Easton Cowan, among others, won't feature in this ranking for either or both of those particular reasons.

In terms of where these players fall in the rankings, it is a mix of their ceiling and potential, as well as how they've performed in the past year with their respective clubs. 

The Maple Leafs selected Bilecki in the second round of this past 2026 draft with the 60th overall pick.

Bilecki, 18, is coming off his second season in the OHL with the Kitchener Rangers, with the left-handed defenseman's stock trending upwards with how his campaign ended.

His regular season was decent as he registered nine goals and 29 points in 66 games. Bilecki is a blueliner who can really move the puck and can be effective in power-play situations. This past season, he was further down the depth chart on the back end with Cameron Reid and Jared Woolley in the Rangers' lineup.

Maple Leafs NHL Prospect Ranking: No. 7, Noah ChadwickMaple Leafs NHL Prospect Ranking: No. 7, Noah ChadwickThe 21-year-old defenseman Noah Chadwick slots in at No. 7 in THN's Toronto Maple Leafs prospect ranking.

Luckily for Bilecki, Reid is joining the University of Michigan, and Woolley is projected to join the Ontario Reign in the Los Angeles Kings' system. So if he decides to remain with Kitchener for 2026-27, he'll be the No. 1 defenseman with all the power-play time and the other luxuries that come with that role.

Nonetheless, his numbers jumped when it mattered most. In 18 OHL playoff games, Bilecki posted a pair of goals and 11 points. In the Memorial Cup, the 6-foot-2 defenseman continued to provide for the Rangers with three assists in four outings.

'I'm A Winner': Maple Leafs Selected Memorial Cup Champion Alexander Bilecki At Pick No. 60'I'm A Winner': Maple Leafs Selected Memorial Cup Champion Alexander Bilecki At Pick No. 60With the 60th pick in the 2026 NHL draft, the Toronto Maple Leafs selected defenseman Alexander Bilecki. Here's what you need to know about the Mississauga, Ont., native.

Kitchener went on to win the J. Ross Robertson Cup as OHL champions, and the Memorial Cup later in the year. The Rangers finished the regular season atop their division and Western Conference. So even with just two seasons of junior hockey under his belt, the young blueliner can already call himself a winner.

Bilecki is still in the early stages of his hockey career, and it will certainly take some time before he's ready for the Maple Leafs. In The Hockey News' latest issue, it was predicted that Bilecki would be ready to enter the NHL for the 2030-31 season.

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The Flyers Free Agent Signing Nobody Is Talking About

While the 2026 offseason was, on the whole, a disappointment for the Philadelphia Flyers, they still managed to acquire some intriguing pieces nonetheless.

Specifically, the Flyers do have a logjam on the wings, for example, but they paradoxically had some openings to address as well. What do I mean?

Prospects Denver Barkey and Alex Bump are graduating to the NHL level full-time next season, and veteran tough guy Garnet Hathaway departed Philadelphia via trade earlier this offseason.

Plus, journeymen Rodrigo Abols and Luke Glendening were left behind, Anthony Richard signed overseas, and Bobby Brink was traded for David Jiricek at the NHL deadline.

Quietly, the winger (and center, speaking to the versatility of Abols and Glendening) position underwent a facelift in 2025-26, and that wasn't without consequence for the Flyers.

The AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms, who ranked just 23rd in the league with 210 goals and missed the Calder Cup playoffs as a result, badly needed help offensively, and that is especially true now without Bump, Barkey, Richard, and leading scorer Lane Pederson.

While they may have missed out on Leo Carlsson with their aggressive offer sheet attempt, the Flyers did make some beneficial signings still, adding Nolan Foote and Danila Klimovich as organizational depth to help the Phantoms.

Foote, 25, brings some intrigue as a former first-round pick, but Klimovich is the name people need to be talking about more.

Rick Tocchet reunites with former Canucks prospect

Klimovich, 23, is still quite young and comes with the pedigree of being a former second-round pick (41st overall in 2021), but he has yet to make his NHL debut after four full seasons with the Vancouver Canucks organization.

Sure, it is a bit of a head-scratcher that the bottom-feeding Canucks cut the Belarusian winger loose at his age before finding a role for him at the NHL level, considering Klimovich has scored 43 goals for the AHL Abbotsford Canucks over the last two seasons.

At the same time, Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet, obviously, came to Philadelphia from Vancouver last year, and he's someone who has had Klimovich at his training camps multiple times over his years there.

The Flyers, with Tocchet's familiarity, went out of their way to sign this player for a reason.

Conceivably, with a big step that never came in Vancouver, Klimovich could carve out a depth role for himself at the NHL level if the Flyers' development staff taps into his potential.

The 6-foot-2 winger's game is built around his hard shot and puck skills, though he has long struggled defensively and isn't that great of a skater.

To make a name for himself, Klimovich will have to continue to learn to impose himself physically while improving defensively; the latter is the hallmark of any successful depth forward in the big leagues.

Fortunately, the Flyers have had some success with this in the past, even with veterans.

Players like Rasmus Ristolainen, Jamie Drysdale, Trevor Zegras, Owen Tippett, and Tyson Foerster all stand out as examples--none of those guys were drafted to play defense, but they all improved considerably in that aspect upon arriving and spending some time in Philadelphia.

With his traits, Klimovich is not dissimilar to Foote, but time is on his side being two years younger. 

If absolutely everything goes right, though, Klimovich could find his path in the pros as a Foerster lite: a big-bodied winger who makes up for his lack of pace and playmaking with details, dogged defending, and a powerful shot.

The once-promising Canucks prospect is only under contract with the Flyers for one year, but with so many outgoing players at his position, Klimovich will have all the opportunity in the world to make an impact with the Phantoms, and then, potentially, with the Flyers.

NBA 2K27 shows love to Hawks in official attribute ratings reveal

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 23: Dyson Daniels #5 of the Atlanta Hawks blocks a shot by Jordan Clarkson #00 of the New York Knicks during the third quarter of game three of the Eastern Conference first round playoffs at State Farm Arena on April 23, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Yes, it’s that point in the offseason where there isn’t much to talk about, but NBA 2K always comes through at the right moment. NBA 2K27 is set to release on Sept. 4 (Aug. 26 early access), and for the entire month leading up to the date, the company always gives tidbits of either new game modes, fresh face scans, and player ratings.

One of the first things that they decided to release this year was attribute ratings, and several Atlanta Hawks players were part of the list. Here are some of the attributes where those players rank top 10 in the game.

Jalen Johnson – No. 2 in driving dunk

In all honesty, this should come as no surprise, as Jalen Johnson is hard to stop when he has a head full of steam. Adding to that, he’s caught a couple of poster dunks throughout the past few years that some people won’t forget, and it’s obvious that NBA 2K didn’t need to be reminded.

Johnson’s driving dunk is rated at a 96 overall, and he’s just behind Anthony Edwards for the No. 1 spot. This is the perfect spot to put Johnson, and he’ll show at times during this upcoming season why he’s rated so high when it comes to throwing the ball down. It might even motivate him to participate in the dunk contest.

Kingston Flemings – No. 10 in speed with ball

Having a rookie in this category is huge, especially when looking around the league and thinking about all the other fast players. Most of the players on this list are point guards, and Flemings fits right in with them after realizing how fast he actually is. One of the things that was mentioned about Flemings coming out of the draft was his speed, and he’s said that he models his game after guards like Derrick Rose and Tyrese Maxey.

Maxey has already found himself on this list at No. 2, and Rose has always been known as one of the more athletic guards to play the game. Flemings’ speed with ball is a 90 overall, and he’ll be blowing past a lot of defenders in real life and on the game.

Dyson Daniels – No. 4 in perimeter defense

This is another rating that shouldn’t be a surprise, but it could almost feel disrespectful in a sense. Dyson Daniels has proved over the past two seasons that he’s one of the best perimeter defenders in the league, so much that he could be rated higher than fourth on the list.

Ausar Thompson, Derrick White and OG Anunoby are all ranked above him, and it’s well deserved. Daniels’ perimeter defense is a 94 overall in the game, and he’ll continue to be a pest on the floor. It is a little surprising that Lu Dort didn’t make the top 10 in this category, but his former teammate, Cason Wallace, cracked the list.

Dyson Daniels – No. 4 in steals

Daniels may need to be ranked top 10 in all defensive categories, and it is also not a surprise that he’s high on this list. At the same time, he could have a high rating in this category, considering the fact that he averaged the most steals per game last season, which was also tied with Ausar Thompson. Some of the players on the top list in this rating weren’t even top 10 in steals per game last season.

Daniels led the league in steals per game two seasons ago, and he basically followed it up again by doing the same thing. He’s rated a 98 in steals along with Wallace, Thompson and Matisse Thybulle, but it wouldn’t have been a stretch to give him the 99.

Kingston Flemings – No. 8 in rookie rating

This is a fair rating, considering that Flemings was actually drafted with the No. 8 pick. All of the other players above him are rated where they were picked in the draft as well, so it looks like everyone may have gotten a fair rating when it comes to rookies.

Flemings is a 74 overall in NBA 2K, and it will be interesting to see if he can bring that rating higher during the season. It will all depend on what he does with the opportunity when he gets in the game, and how much he actually plays throughout the season.

Why have private equity firms taken an interest in buying professional sports teams?

Fans cheer as Lakers guard Luka Doncic takes the court before a game against the Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena.
Fans cheer as Lakers guard Luka Doncic takes the court before a game against the Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena on March 10. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

One of Los Angeles’ celebrated professional sports franchises was owned by one local family for more than 45 years. Catering to Hollywood royalty and leaning into its “Showtime” charm, the Lakers became synonymous with the star-studded city. Two quick transactions later, the team now belongs to a New York-based venture capital titan who made his billions in technology and software.

Joshua Kushner, founder of venture capital firm Thrive Capital, and former Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger agreed to buy a majority stake in the Lakers last week. The Buss family’s grip on the NBA’s glamor franchise loosened in 2025 when they relinquished their majority share to Mark Walter. His businesses are under federal investigation for undisclosed insurance loans and Walter flipped the team after just 14 months.

In 1979, Jerry Buss bought the Lakers, the Forum and the Los Angeles Kings for $67.5 million. Now the Lakers alone are worth $12.5 billion.

“It used to be, ‘Hey, I’m in this for the love of the game,’” said Ross Williams, a private-equity attorney and partner at law firm Reed Smith. “Like I measure the success of my investment based on whether we win championships. … And now it’s becoming apparent that these are really, really good financial investments.”

Mark Walter, left, talks with Jeanie Buss while the Lakers play the Bulls at Crypto.com Arena on March 12.
Mark Walter, left, talks with Jeanie Buss while the Lakers play the Bulls at Crypto.com Arena on March 12. Walter sold his majority share in the Lakers, while Buss is fighting to keep her family's minority stake. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

The booming business of sports has attracted a flood of private-equity investment, and even the most notable franchises require the influx of cash to keep up in the arms race.

As of May, more than 74 North American professional teams had some level of private-equity involvement, according to the CFA Institute, an organization providing finance education to investment professionals. Private-equity-backed consolidators have been responsible for 61% of all mergers and acquisition transactions in the sports industry since 2019, according to Oaklins, a global M&A and financial advisory company.

“The real attraction of professional sports is it seems somewhat recession-proof,” said James Adams, director of CFA program curriculum and an adjunct professor at New York University. “It has had a very successful run, a high rate of growth, it’s not as subject to the fluctuations of the business cycle as maybe other things are.”

For private equity — in which investors buy into companies that aren’t available on the public market — sports offers safe harbor. Media deals provide predictable revenue over several years. The NBA’s current deal that stretches to the 2035-36 season is worth $6.9 billion per year. Additional revenue streams with merchandise, sponsorships and ticket sales pile on. Owning an arena, which the Lakers do not, opens the floodgates for concerts and events that add to the revenue.

“Sports is one of those rare instances where you can invest in something cool that also makes money,” Williams said.

Read more:The Dodgers are Mark Walter's crown jewel. Can he hold on to it amid federal probe?

The appeal of owning a sports team is growing.

The NBA averaged at least 22 million fans during each of the last three seasons, according to Sports Business Journal. Last season’s nationally televised games drew 170 million viewers, the most in 24 years and an 86% increase from the previous year. The NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs were the most-watched Finals since 1998. And the outlook for future profits is strong, if fans’ appetites are any gauge.

The trend is prevalent across many sports. WNBA viewership is at an all-time high. Fox and Telemundo dominated the summer with their FIFA World Cup broadcasts. Of the top 100 TV broadcasts in 2025, 96 were sports, according to Neilsen data, including 48 NFL games and seven World Series games (between the Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays).

Investors are clamoring to find the next venture that will hit it big with consumers. Live sports already have a dedicated market and more stability than other ventures constantly affected by technical developments.

“You read a lot about AI and there are a lot of companies that their fundamental existence is being questioned because of AI and what it can do,” Williams said. “We don’t want to watch robots play basketball.”

The NBA adopted its first private-equity ownership framework in 2021. Individual firms can own up to 20% of an NBA team, according to Sports Business Journal, and 30% of a single team can be owned by private-equity firms. Such firms were limited to five teams in 2021, but the number grew to eight in 2025.

Read more:Inside the Buss family's long, painful history of sibling rivalries running the Lakers

Private equity even infiltrated the most exclusive ownership club in 2024 when the NFL was the last major U.S. league to open its doors. The league allowed preapproved firms to own up to 10% of a single team, up to six teams total with each stake being at least 3%.

The permanence of sports franchises were behind the formation of Kushner’s Thrive Eternal venture, a permanent holding company launched under Thrive Capital in April. Although venture-capital firms generally focus on turning profits from the most early stage companies, Thrive Eternal is “concentrated in a small number of assets that we can own and steward over many decades,” the company’s website says.

“These are assets with qualities that cannot be replicated by technology,” the homepage reads. “Iconic franchises and cultural institutions rooted in tradition, identity, and shared experience.”

How Kushner and Iger plan to finance the purchase of the Lakers has yet to be determined. Kushner, already a minority owner in the Miami Heat, must first divest from that team before the Lakers sale can be finalized, and the transaction must be approved by the NBA board of governors.

Read more:Jeanie Buss contests family sale of Lakers ownership stake to Bob Iger, Joshua Kushner

The board of governors announced last year that Jeanie Buss would remain in charge of the Lakers’ decisions after the Buss family’s sale to Walter. The family’s future is in limbo as Jeanie Buss contests her five siblings’ plans to sell their remaining stake of the team. The family feud over their remaining 17.8% stake is not expected to influence the sale from Walter to Iger and Kushner, a source familiar with the situation but not authorized to speak publicly told The Times, although it could affect who would represent the team on the board of governors going forward.

While analyzing the sale transaction, the board could look at where the money is coming from, Williams said: how much money from Kushner and Iger personally, how they are moving assets to provide the billions of dollars, and how much potential private-equity money from Thrive.

Thrive Enternal’s first entry into sports was purchasing a noncontrolling stake in the San Francisco Giants. Four months later, it is set to add the Lakers.

Private-equity firms can have a sliver of a team, but are not to have a controlling voice. Their influence trickles down to fans in other ways. Deep-pocketed new owners can help build stadiums or upgrade existing venues to maximize revenue from luxury suites. Ownership decisions also can lead to signing or retaining star players as teams hope to contend for championships. The influx of cash into sports has helped women’s sports take off with unprecedented investment and growth.

But just as a team’s valuation goes up, so has the price tags for fans. Just getting in the door to Dodger Stadium can cost a family of four nearly $250. In one season under Walter, season-ticket price increases rankled Lakers fans. A second row of courtside seats during the Lakers postseason changed what used to be an exclusive feel to a game.

Yet at each game, the seats were full.

Lakers star LeBron James hugs governor Jeanie Buss after winning the 2020 NBA championship.
Lakers star LeBron James hugs governor Jeanie Buss after winning the NBA championship on Oct. 11, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Douglas P. DeFelice / Getty Images)

“Passionate sports fans are not as price sensitive,” said Arianna Uhalde, an associate professor of clinical marketing at USC’s Marshall School of Business. “I think not as sensitive to some of these decisions that are getting made by ownership. It doesn’t mean that fans are not going to get upset, but they love their teams. They’re likely to still show up in good times and in bad.”

The business of sports has been great for owners, but isn’t guaranteed to last. A change in state or federal administrations and policies could affect tax laws that are advantageous for team ownership, said Mark Conrad, a director of the sports business concentration and professor of law and ethics at Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business. Labor issues such as the one threatening Major League Baseball could put a freeze on valuations. A recession or another global pandemic could tank the economy. Even the NBA Finals ratings during the COVID-19 pandemic were at an all-time low, averaging just 7.45 million viewers for the Lakers’ six-game, bubble series win over the Miami Heat.

Fans have steadily marched back ever since.

“They’re going to pay for it,” Conrad said. “They can. They do. … And if that’s the case, the lords of the sport are going to be mighty happy.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Cavs Reacts: Fans slam the over on Cleveland’s win total

CLEVELAND, OHIO - DECEMBER 31: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts during the first half against the Phoenix Suns at Rocket Arena on December 31, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cavs fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Fans haven’t lost faith in the Cleveland Cavaliers. Nearly 90% of Fear the Sword voters said they believe the Cavs will pass their 47.5-win total prediction on FanDuel.

And that was before the Peyton Watson trade was finalized.

This is a roaring seal of approval for Cleveland. The fans aren’t feeling discouraged by whiffing on LeBron James or the widespread improvements made to the Eastern Conference this summer. The Cavs are still operating with a fanbase full of hope.

Passing the 47-win mark won’t be easy. The East has gotten stronger and new lottery reforms mean the teams at the bottom of the conference have fewer incentives to tank games. The schedule won’t get much easier in the dog days of the season as every team will have something to play for.

That puts the Cavs in a tight position. They’ve won more than 47 games in each of the past three seasons. But they’ve never had to face an Eastern Conference that was this loaded.

Still, there’s plenty of reason to think Cleveland will win 48+ games that aren’t rooted in homerism.

For starters, the Cavs have some of the best continuity in the conference. Their star trio of Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen has been together for years. James Harden, who arrived last year, has fit right in. That type of chemistry matters, especially in the regular season.

Then there’s the trade for Watson, which gives the Cavaliers a dose of athleticism and three-point shooting on the wing.

Previously, we polled fans on which trade target they would prefer. Jonathan Kuminga or Peyton Watson. A whopping 85% of fans voted in favor of Watson. It seems they got their wish.

Watson should help push the Cavs to more wins in the regular season despite all of the factors working against Cleveland.

In fact, FanDuel has already increased the Cavs win total to 48.5. A small difference, but worth noting nonetheless.