BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - SEPTEMBER 23: Jeremiah Jackson #82 of the Baltimore Orioles forces out Nathan Lukes #38 of the Toronto Blue Jays to start a double play in the fifth inning during game one of a double header at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 23, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It is the last off-day of the regular season, before the series with the Reds.
I forgot that today was an off-day. I went to see what time tonight’s game was starting and whoops there isn’t a tonight’s game.
And there isn’t much for Jays news. Everything is about Vlad’s interview, and I think I said everything I need to yesterday. It was a clunky answer to a question, likely with a clunky translation. Everyone is stuck on that one answer.
He also said:
Every at-bat that I fail, I think about my contract, I know all these people who come to the games, they pay to see me being successful, to do something good every at-bat.
He said he’s disappointed in his season and in the team’s season.
Why do players hate doing interviews? Because they know one bad statement will be all that people will notice. I’ve only interviewed players a very few times and I always can see them trying to parse the question to see how I’m trying to screw them. It is hard to get them comfortable enough to get anything of interest. I understand that players don’t see the upside to doing interviews.
Anyway, I’m sure everyone’s tired of that particular story. Yeah, right.
Anyway, use the thread to chat about whatever you’d like. Baseball or not baseball.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 22: Pitcher Bryan Baker #47 of the Tampa Bay Rays celebrates clinching the AL East title during game two of a doubleheader against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on September 22, 2026 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Tampa Bay Rays won 6-1. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the benefit of the first-round bye, the Rays will have an opportunity to set their rotation exactly as they want it for the ALDS. A postseason rotation really only needs to have three true starting pitchers given the abundance of off days within and bookending a series.
The Rays will almost certainly begin their postseason with Drew Rasmussen taking the ball in game one followed by some combination of Freddy Peralta and Nick Martinez in games two and three. Griffin Jax and Ian Seymour make sense as potential bulk options behind the rotation, or they could work in short relief. The rotation seems pretty clear, but the bullpen situation gets a little murky.
We’ll start with what we know: Bryan Baker will be closing games. Kevin Kelly has enjoyed a fantastic 2026 season and will see high-leverage innings. Cam Booser has been lights-out after beginning the season in Durham to refine his cutter shape, and he will also pitch in big spots. Manuel Rodriguez is with the team again after a brief IL stint and has not yet been activated at the time of writing this, but would certainly be on a postseason roster with his high-leverage experience.
So far that puts us at nine pitchers, and the Rays can carry 13. Shane McClanahan has been ruled out of the ALDS, but may return later. Tyler Wells and Garrett Cleavinger are dealing with similar injuries and could be on track for the ALDS. Assuming Wells and Cleavinger are good to go, that fills 11 of the 13 spots.
Here are the options to fill the remaining two bullpen spots:
Cole Sulser
Steven Matz
Casey Legumina
Ty Johnson
Brody Hopkins
Joe Boyle
Jesse Scholtens
Jake Woodford
Mason Englert
Alex Cook
Alexander Alberto
Sulser and Matz are a pair of experienced veteran arms who have quietly been lights-out lately. Since returning from the IL, Sulser has filled up the zone and pitched to a 1.29 ERA in seven innings, picking up a save. Matz sat out for a little over a week in August, and has since thrown 11 innings across eight appearances with a 1.59 ERA. Both offer solid and safe middle relief profiles given their strike throwing.
Legumina is another strike thrower who might not blow anyone away with his stuff, but his advanced feel for multiple shapes gives Cash and the Rays a reliable reliever in the middle innings. He has converted all seven of his hold opportunities with the Rays this season with several of his outings lasting multiple innings.
Hopkins and Johnson are a pair of rookies with significant upside. Hopkins combines elite stuff with emerging command and is simply unhittable when he’s in the zone and throwing strikes. He has maintained average strike and zone rates since converting to a relief role, but has yet to see any high-leverage opportunities in the majors. Johnson has already pitched in some key spots in the majors with underlying data that suggests he has been much better than his 4.05 ERA. In his limited time, Johnson has the highest whiff rate on the team and is a nightmare against right-handed hitters – he could be a real weapon in October.
If the Rays wanted to add a multi-inning arm, they could turn to any of Boyle, Scholtens, Woodford or Englert. Boyle has the highest ceiling of this group with plus-plus stuff across the board, but has struggled with command. However, Boyle has recently found a new breaking ball shape that has allowed him to maintain average command over his last month in Durham and could be a real weapon in October. A Rays home-field advantage would also give opposing teams limited time to train on Trajekt (a pitch replication system that simulates almost any pitcher’s release and shapes) against his new pitch. Scholtens and Englert represent safer, strike-throwing profiles with each having solid feel for their plus offspeed pitches. They’re fairly platoon-neutral and could help navigate a lineup one time through before handing the ball over to the leverage relievers.
Woodford is interesting because he has some incredibly unique stuff along with over 250 innings of major-league innings. His offspeed pitch fits the Rays philosophy this season very well, and he throws plenty of strikes to work in a bulk role. It may be difficult to prepare for someone as unique as him, so that could give Woodford an advantage when pitching at home.
Cook and Alberto appear to be on the outside looking in, but still represent significant upside. Cook has a strong track record of throwing strikes, and his cut-ride fastball comes in from a low release that makes 95-96mph look even faster. His arsenal is platoon-neutral, so he could be a potential high-leverage option some day. Cook has spent some time in the majors in low-leverage as a rookie. Alberto is a dark horse, and that could work in his favor as opposing teams would be unfamiliar with him. He’s not on the 40-man roster so there would need to be some maneuvering to get him on a playoff roster, but it’s possible. Alberto has one of the most unique releases in baseball thanks to his 6’8 frame and low three-quarter slot with plus extension. His upper 90s fastball has touched 100 in the past, and it’s cutter shape is incredibly difficult to square-up from both sides of the plate. He has been able to throw strikes at an average or better rate all season while still maintaining plus whiff rates. In addition to his ability to miss bats, Alberto has a career ground ball rate around 60% in the minor leagues and has only allowed seven home runs in over 230 innings. Unfortunately, five of those have come in Triple-A this season, but the run environment is relatively high-scoring and the ball really travels in those small International League parks.
There are lots of names in consideration for those final two bullpen spots in the ALDS, and I think the Rays would lean towards the safe, experienced arms in Sulser and Matz. They both have enough in the tank to get big outs in the postseason, and the clubhouse presence of the veterans on this roster is a key reason for the team’s success this year. However, if there are more injuries or Wells and Cleavinger aren’t ready in time, we could see some high-upside guys work their way into the postseason bullpen. Here’s how I expect we’ll see the Rays lineup their starting pitching:
Rasmussen starts game one; he has flat out been their best starter this season.
Peralta starts game two; he has been great with the Rays after making some adjustments, and his fastball-offspeed combo plays exceptionally well in high-drag environment in the Trop.
Martinez starts game three; he could start game two, but I think the benefit of Peralta at the Trop along with Martinez’s mentality going into a hostile road environment makes him an ideal game three starter.
Jax and Seymour work in tandem in game four; they’re the top two whiff leaders among Rays starters, and they offer a nice contrast in slots and styles that make it difficult to plan a lineup against. The Rays could also opt to go with Ras here on four-days rest.
Rasmussen; should we see a fifth game, Rasmussen likely gets the ball, but it would also be an all-hands-on-deck approach. Everyone would likely be available to pitch – including Peralta and Martinez.
Here’s how I expect the bullpen to fill out:
Baker
Kelly
Booser
Rodriguez
Wells
Cleavinger
Sulser
Matz
If Wells or Cleavinger aren’t ready, I think Hopkins and Johnson would fill in those spots. Next up to fill any spots due to injury would be (in no particular order): Legumina, Boyle, Scholtens, Woodford. Englert, Cook, and Alberto. There’s a clear surplus of pitching talent and not enough roster spots. Some really talented players will inevitably get left off, but that’s a nice problem for the Rays to have as they look to make some noise in October.
Sep 18, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow (31) walks off the mound during the sixth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
After this matchup, the next time the Dodgers play at home, it will likely be hosting the winner of the WC series between the third- and sixth-place teams, and the theme of this game against the Friars is one. Having split the first two games of this series, the Dodgers are still one win away from that second seed in the National League, and for the Padres, it’s one win away from clinching a playoff berth—even though they currently occupy the fourth seed, one game up on the Phillies and Cubs.
The contrast between the importance of securing that one win in this specific game could not be bigger. For the Dodgers, visiting the lowly Giants at the end of the season, whatever happens here, only a travesty could prevent them from sitting out the Wild Card round. It’d take a travesty for the Padres too, but it’s a more real possibility given they host the Diamondbacks in the final series of the year. A sweep there isn’t particularly likely, but ideally, San Diego would like to play that series with the playoff spot locked up.
Carrying on the similarities, you have a pitching matchup with two names that could be defined as the X factors for these teams and their respective goals in postseason baseball. Nick Pivetta and Tyler Glasnow are both coming off injury-filled campaigns, with the pair combined falling short of 20 starts. All things considered, though, at least Glasnow has been fully built up for some time, while Pivetta has yet to crack 80 pitches in his three starts back, slowly working his way up.
CHICAGO — Pete Crow-Armstrong joined the 40-40 club when the Chicago Cubs star stole his 40th base of the season against Miami Marlins.
A favorite to win the NL MVP award, Crow-Armstrong became the seventh player with at least 40 homers and 40 steals in a season, joining a group that includes Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani and Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. Jose Canseco was the first with the 1988 Oakland Athletics.
Crow-Armstrong hit his 45th homer during a 9-1 win at Cincinnati, extending his career high. The 24-year-old drew a leadoff walk from Tyler Phillips in the first inning and swiped second base on the next pitch to Seiya Suzuki for his 40th steal in 47 attempts. Fans chanted “MVP” as the Wrigley Field videoboard proclaimed the feat.
Ohtani was the previous player with a 40-40 season, hitting 54 homers and stealing 59 bases for the 2024 Dodgers. Acuña hit 41 homers and swiped 73 bases for Atlanta in 2023.
Alfonso Soriano (2006 with Washington), Alex Rodriguez (1998 with Seattle) and Barry Bonds (1996 with San Francisco) are the other 40-40 players.
Sep 5, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; San Francisco Giants first baseman Rafael Devers (16) celebrates with designated hitter Bryce Eldridge (8) after hitting a solo home run during the first inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The San Francisco Giants’ wRC+, if you take out March/April, the first 14 days of May, and all of August, was #2 in baseball (112) behind only the Washington Nationals and tied with the Dodgers, Brewers, and Cubs. Sure, they were just 10th in runs, but when the weighted stats are on your side, you’ve gotta use ‘em! Anyway, all that to say that there was a moment in time this season when the Giants had a great lineup. We know their pitching was an ingrown hair that would’ve exploded in October, but how might their bats have stacked up against the field had they managed to make it to the postseason?
This pointless exercise is inspired by an article on Baseball Savant by David Adler that went up last week titled, “9 stats that will loom large this October.” The Giants do seem to have made their lineup meaningfully competitive in the modern landscape.
Occasionally, anyway.
And just going off the eyes & ears tests (mainly, the looks and sounds of Devers & Eldridge homers).
Statistically, they’re 23rd in runs scored this season and 21st in runs scored over the past five seasons combined. But this season they were (briefly) intriguing enough to spark my imagination! Rafael Devers swaying the outcome of a short series with his bat? Bryce Eldridge and Jonah Cox doing things, too? And what if Matt Chapman and Willy Adames were in the mix? What might a healthy lineup do?
Let’s go through the 9 stats that Adler spotlights.
Bat speed + fast swing rates
This is a highlight of Atlanta’s lineup, with Ronald Acuna Jr., Austin Riley, Drake Baldwin, Michael Harris II, and Matt Olson all averaging bat speeds of 74.8 mph to 75.8 mph. That puts them all in MLB’s top 50, though none land in the top 20. Bat speed isn’t the be all end all, but it’s worth noting that the top 20 features a lot of great hitters:
What does this have to do with the Giants? Well, to Adler’s point, the key hitters in Atlanta’s lineup are all within the top 50 in terms of bat speed. No other team has five players in the top 50. The Dodgers have 1. The Giants have 0. But the Giants do occupy a lot of slots on the next tier (or four if you want to count Heliot Ramos):
Bryce Eldridge, 73.4 mph
(Heliot Ramos, 72.7 mph)
Casey Schmitt, 72.5 mph
Willy Adames, 72.3 mph
That’s pretty good! They’re in good company. Bat speed is required to counteract the increased velocities featured in the postseason. But when it comes to fast swing rate — defined as how often their swing is 75+ mph — the Giants don’t measure up. As a team, they have the fourth-lowest rate in the sport (20%). Atlanta is #1 (33.5%). Meaningfully, though, the three “worse” teams than the Giants: Cubs (19.4%), Dodgers (17.6%), and Guardians (16%). The Dodgers and Cubs seem to be doing just fine, offensively, so why should fast swing matter? Per MLB.com,
Similarly to how a hard-hit ball is one with 95 MPH+ of exit velocity as that’s where it begins to “matter,” 75 MPH of swing speed is where you see per-swing production reach league-average, with gains then accruing as swing speed increases (to a point). The difference between a hard swing and any slower swing that did not reach 75 MPH was considerable – there is great value in swinging harder.
Fast swing
.307 BA // .603 SLG // .389 wOBA // 52% hard-hit rate // +0.6 run value per 100
Not a fast swing
.246 BA // .369 SLG // .266 wOBA // 35% hard-hit rate // -3.2 run value per 100
Not referenced in Adler’s article is a look at the quality of contact. The Dodgers lead the sport in Squared-Up contact rate (34.6%). The Giants are #4 (33.4%). Squared-Up is something that only data science could quantify:
A swing’s squared-up rate tells us how much of the highest possible exit velocity available (based on the physics related to the swing speed and pitch speed) a batter was able to obtain – it is, at its simplest, how much exit velocity did you get as a share of how much exit velocity was possible based on your swing speed and the swing of the pitch.
[…]
For Statcast purposes, any swing that is at least 80% squared up is considered to have been “a squared-up swing.”
That means about 1/3 of the time, the Giants attained at least 80% of the highest possible exit velocity on contact. Combined with their lower fast swing rates, you can see how much pitching they’d need to be competitive, as that combo suggests lots of strikeouts and runs scored through dingers.
Lineup diversity
In this section, Adler points out that the Rays’ diverse lineup makes them harder to handle by highlighting their extremes: Junior Caminero’s power and Chandler Simpson’s contact and speed. He has a great image of the two players’ Statcast summary pages with the red and blue bars interlocking, or complimenting each other. The Giants don’t quite have that (because those two players are quite extreme), but here’s the closest they come:
He concludes, “Home runs matter a lot in October, but so does having different types of hitters in your lineup. The Rays can beat you with a bloop or a blast.” Theoretically, the Giants could have done that, too.
Defense is a big difference maker
The third point is that the Cubs’ defense stands out and makes them unique in the playoff field.
And the 2026 Cubs’ advantage in the field is like none we’ve seen since Statcast started tracking. They’ve now prevented more runs with their defense than any team of the last 10 years.
Highest team Fielding Run Value, Statcast era
2026 Cubs: +70 runs prevented
2018 D-backs: +64 runs prevented
2022 Yankees: +58 runs prevented
2019 Guardians: +58 runs prevented
2022 Astros: +52 runs prevented
2019 D-backs: +52 runs prevented
2024 Blue Jays: +50 runs prevented
The highest-rated Giants team on this list is the 2023 squad with a +28, good enough for 39th in the Statcast era. You can thank Patrick Bailey and Thairo Estrada for that (and a little bit Brandon Crawford).
The 2026 Giants are 24th in MLB with a -18. The only playoff team in the bottom third is the Philadelphia Phillies (-15, 23rd). So, here’s where the defense part of the “playing winning baseball with pitching and defense” shows up as a huge drag on the Giants.
Wait, we’re not talking about pitching
Okay, 4 of the 9 categories are about pitching. Nobody wants to talk about the Giants pitching or imagine what it would’ve been like had this group stayed healthy and somehow made it into the playoffs. But, Adler’s emphasis is on unique qualities, the big pitches that can swing a short series. He talks about Skubal’s dominant changeup and how it has been one of the best secondary pitches in the game over the past two postseasons (and past three seasons). How Jacob Misioroski’s fastball velocity as a starter should be a difference maker (“In the regular season, two out of every three fastballs Misiorowski throws are 100 mph or faster. Over 40% are 101 mph or faster. Over 20% are 102 mph or faster. Almost 10% are 103 mph or faster.“). The Yankees’ fastballs have different shapes and movements from pitcher to pitcher, and while that doesn’t scream dominance like Misiorowski’s velo, it’s sort of like the Caminero-Simpson comp above, where there’s simply quality extremes that can be hard to stop. And, finally, he mentions how dominant the Padres’ bullpen has been all season.
[By] Statcast’s expected ERA metric, which takes into account a pitcher’s quality of contact allowed, strikeouts and walks, the Padres have three top-10 pitchers: Bradgley Rodriguez (10th), Adrian Morejon (seventh) and, of course, Mason Miller (first).
And talks about Miller’s dominant, unhittable slider.
My post is about the lineup, so I’ll just point out that not even Logan Webb’s arsenal ranks highly — and that’s with removing 2026 from the filter. They don’t have a Skubal, a Mis, or intriguing pitch design with multiple fastball types. In fact, one of the questions in-season was whether or not the rotation of Webb-Landen Roupp-Trevor McDonald simply let hitters become comfortable facing a specific arsenal. And the Giants reliever corps does seem to be a lot of sinker-slider guys, too.
The Giants plainly don’t matchup in the pitching area, at least for this year. They’ve had a lot of pitching injuries and been mostly bad when they were healthy, but I’m sure the front office feels pretty good about their pitching plan and acquisition model going forward, because it’s their plan.
The importance of catcher defense
Adler emphasizes Adley Rutschman’s game-changing defense (+11 Catching/Fielding Runs) but also mentions how critical his excellent ABS challenge “ability” could be in a playoff series, getting strikeouts in key situations. Would a healthy Giants team with Patrick Bailey been a big deal? Well… actually… while Bailey’s remains good (+6 Catching/Fielding Runs), his ABS skills aren’t special: 55% success rate, but also — and I’m not sure what this stat actually means, but it’s what Adler sorts the leaderboard by — just 39th in something called Net Overturns vs. Expected. Daniel Susac and Andrew Knizner measure as good or even slightly better than Bailey.
The power of power
Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper are significant power threats in the Phillies’ lineup because they’re among the best hitters against fastballs.
Highest batting run value vs. fastballs, 2026
Yordan Alvarez: +32 runs created
Kyle Schwarber: +30 runs created (27 HR, most in MLB)
Bryce Harper: +28 runs created (18 HR)
Willson Contreras: +25 runs created
Ben Rice: +23 runs created
They can slug velo, too. Against fastballs 97 mph or faster this season, Harper is slugging .523 with three home runs. Schwarber is slugging .525 with six homers, the most of any hitter.
Rafael Devers cracks the top 10 with a +20 (8th as of this writing). Bryce Eldridge is +11 and ranked in the forties and with an interesting group of other +11s: Freddie Freeman, Matt Olson, Nick Kurtz, Seiya Suzuki, and Sal Stewart.
Against 97+, Devers slugged .576 with 4 homers while Eldridge slugged .630 with a pair of homers. And just because you deserve something nice, here are both of them:
So, it’s not a stretch to say that the Giants had the offensive firepower to compete in the 2026 MLB postseason… if they’d stayed healthy. And if they’d had the pitching and defense to get them there. You can see the contours of what a successful version of this roster could be. Now it’s up to Zack & Buster to compliment its strengths with the right mix and the right coaching before those strengths age out.
The Minnesota Wild have trimmed their roster to 27 players, sending 15 to the Iowa Wild in the AHL.
Among the 15 players heading to the AHL, eight players will be placed on waivers.
Those eight players heading to waivers are Matt Kierstad, Carson Lambos, Roman Schmidt, Caedan Bankier, Dylan Gambrell, Justin Kirkland, Tyler Pitlick and Mason Shaw. Of those placed on waivers, Lambos is the most interesting case.
The former 26th overall pick of the 2021 NHL draft, Lambos, entered camp in a peculiar spot. At 23 years old, he's still quite young and developing, but his entry-level contract expired, and he lost his waiver exemption.
The Wild will hope Lambos clears waivers, but for the next 24 hours, any of the other 31 teams can claim him.
The other seven players heading to Iowa don't require waivers: Ben Dexheimer, Viking Gustafsson Nyberg, Jagger Joshua, Hunter Haight, Riley Heidt, Rasmus Kumpulainen, and Rieger Lorenz.
Lorenz, Haight, and Gustafsson Nyberg were among the standout performers during pre-season and could very likely earn call-ups during the NHL season.
Additionally, the Wild assigned Kayden Lemire to his junior team, the Prince George Cougars of the WHL.
With these cuts, Charlie Stramel and David Spacek appear to remain with the NHL club until the final cuts on Monday. Stramel has been impressive during pre-season and is fighting hard for a roster spot. He's not projected to be in the lineup in the final pre-season game, but getting additional reps in practice with the NHL club should bode well for his development.
The Wild will need to make four more roster moves to reach the 23-man roster limit. This could involve assigning players to the AHL, placing players on the injured reserve, or making trades.
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Pete Crow-Armstrong stole his 40th base of the season Thursday, Sept. 24, and with it, he did something no one has ever done wearing a Cubs uniform.
With the 40 steals and 45 home runs, Crow-Armstrong joined MLB's 40-40 club.
He becomes the seventh MLB player to steal 40 bases and hit 40 home runs in the same season. Jose Canseco was the first to get there in 1988, Barry Bonds did it in 1996, Alex Rodriguez in 1998, Alfonso Soriano in 2006, Ronald Acuna Jr. in 2023 and Shohei Ohtani in 2024, when he completely blew past it and became baseball's first 50-50 player.
Three of those members of the 40-40 club also won the MVP award that season. Crow-Armstrong is certainly the leader in the clubhouse for the NL's version of that award as well.
It took him longer than it probably should have.
Crow-Armstrong had 36 steals by Sept. 8, including two in a game gainst the Milwaukee Brewers on Sept. 7, then didn't add another in the next four games before swiping his 37th of the season against the Atlanta Braves on Sept. 14. It wasn't that he stopped trying, but pitchers stopped giving him much to run on. He got there anyway with three games to spare.
The Cubs got Crow-Armstrong from the New York Mets in 2021, in a trade-deadline deal that sent Javier Baez and Trevor Williams to New York. Mets fans have had years to regret it. PCA debuted in September 2023, made his first All-Star team last year and won a Gold Glove in center field, and went 30-30 for the second consecutive season before doing this.
To be fair, nobody really saw this coming when the trade happened.
Crow-Armstrong was a top defensive prospect, but his bat was always in question. He has improved his bat speed, including nearly two ticks this year from 2025. He changed his batting stance, lowering his hands and shortened his swing path as he stood closer to the plate to change how pitchers attack him.
He also improved in the strike zone. His walk rate has nearly tripled from 4.5% to 11.5% and his chase rate on pitches out of the zone dropped from 41.7% to under 34%.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - NOVEMBER 30: Anfernee Simons #4 of the Boston Celtics shoots over Dean Wade #32 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first quarter at Rocket Arena on November 30, 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
In his first real move running the Sixers, new president of basketball operations Mike Gansey took Alabama guard Labaron Philon Jr. out of Alabama with the 22nd pick.
His first free agency move was to reunite with Dean Wade, a player Gansey helped find as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ front office. He moved quickly on signing former New York Knick Ariel Hukporti, a young big man with some upside. Then, after pulling the trigger on the Jaylen Brown blockbuster, he inked guard Anfernee Simons to a deal.
Upon successfully recruiting LeBron James to the Sixers, Gansey then signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, a former LeBron teammate and two-time NBA champ.
While Gansey has (rightfully) been praised for his splashy offseason moves, don’t overlook what he did to fortify the Sixers’ bench. Now the question becomes — how will head coach Nick Nurse use his bench pieces?
The starting lineup is set with Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Brown, James and Joel Embiid all locked into their spots. Based on their experience and when they were signed, you’d have to imagine Wade and Simons will be the first guys off the bench. Wade provides defensively versatility, good decision-making and decent spot-up shooting. Simons is arguably the best shooter on the roster and will provide some supplemental ball-handling and shot creation. It’s easy to see how both will play alongside the team’s starters.
With those two seemingly locked into the sixth and seventh spots in the rotation, the rest of the rotation is a bit murkier, with multiple competitions taking place.
One of the most intriguing competitions will be for the chance to back up Embiid. Adem Bona returns for his third season after the Sixers selected him in the second round in 2024. The team also signed third-year big man Hukporti away from the defending champion New York Knicks. It’s fair to say both players have their flaws and are to this point largely unproven. Can Bona improve his hands, finishing, defensive rebounding and fouling enough for his defensive impact to be felt? Will Hukporti unlock some untapped potential he didn’t get to show as the third-string big man with the Knicks? No matter who gets the first crack, the Sixers will need both big men to play — or perhaps Gansey will be looking for a more proven Embiid backup around the deadline.
Maybe a more under-the-radar competition could be for wing minutes. Justin Edwards also returns for his third season after signing a two-way deal with the Sixers after going undrafted in 2024. After signing LeBron, the Sixers quickly signed Caldwell-Pope. Edwards has long been a favorite of Nick Nurse. He plays hard, can get hot from three and isn’t a liability defensively. KCP is a proven veteran and two-time NBA champion, but he’s struggled with injuries and inconsistency the last two seasons. The guess here is the veteran gets the early nod, but Edwards will be in the mix.
It’s tricky to forecast Philon’s place. Before the blockbuster moves, Philon looked poised to take on a massive role. Things change. Still, the rookie should have a chance to earn minutes. All of Maxey, Edgecombe and Simons will miss time here and there. Plus, there still could be room for another lead ball-handler to take a few minutes. The big thing for Philon is finding the balance of his two seasons at Alabama. As a freshman, he was a guard stopper. As a sophomore, he took on a massive offensive role. Defense will be what gets him on the floor this season.
And don’t forget about Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker.
Surely Barlow won’t start 59 games like he did last season, but he can be a valuable player. His size, defensive versatility, cutting and rebounding could be enormous assets. Barlow has also been lauded for his basketball IQ, something that should endear him to a player like James quickly. There isn’t an obvious role for Barlow, but Nurse will likely find spots for him to contribute. If his three-ball improves — something he knows he needs to work on — it could change his trajectory entirely.
Walker is the one guy it’s probably safe to assume will be firmly on the outside of the rotation looking in. Still, guys like Walker have value. As the 14th man, you know he’ll be ready when his number is called. He’ll play hard, rebound, make some open shots and will never complain about his role. By all accounts, he’s also a great teammate.
This is unfamiliar territory for the Sixers. Yes, they’re still top-heavy, but this might be the best bench they’ve had during the Embiid era. They’re deep, versatile and have optionality.
The starting group will be exciting to watch, but don’t sleep on this bench.
DENVER, CO - October 20: A traveler looks over a wall mural, part of an installation at the Denver International Airport entitled, Children of the World Dream Peace October 20, 2016. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post via Getty Images) | Denver Post via Getty Images
Today’s Lineups
DIAMONDBACKS
ROCKIES
Lars Nootbaar – LF
Jake McCarthy – LF
Ketel Marte – 2B
Connor Norby – 2B
Gabriel Moreno – DH
Hunter Goodman – DH
Geraldo Perdomo – SS
TJ Rumfield – 1B
Pavin Smith – 1B
Cole Carrigg – CF
Nolan Arenado – 3B
Kyle Karros – 3B
Corbin Carroll – RF
Brett Sullivan – C
James McCann – C
Jordan Beck – RF
Tim Tawa – CF
Ezequiel Tovar – SS
E. Rodriguez – LHP
Tanner Gordon – RHP
#NotDeadYet The Padres beating the Dodgers did put a cramp into the chances of beating them. But our playoff odds still ticked up fractionally, to 8.1%, thanks to the Phillies losing again – and, of course, the victory over the Rockies. We go into today, with the Padres and Cubs both having a magic number of 1, so a win for them OR a loss by the D-backs, would clinch them a wild-card spot. The Phillies sit at 2 for their number, so would need both results to go in their favor to eliminate us. As ever, we would like all three teams to lose, but the most important thing remains the D-backs continuing to take care of their own business.
More scoreboard watching in order eventually, though we are the first game to get under way today. The Phillies game against the Brewers has its first pitch scheduled for 3:05 pm, Arizona time. Meawhile, the Padres-Dodgers game will not get under way until 7:10 pm. So we may not know our fate until the end of the day. Though if Arizona don’t win, things could be over with a Phillies victory. Eduardo Rodriguez has the task of ensuring the D-backs keep rolling. He faced the Rockies twice in May, and went 0-1 despite pitching well enough, allowing three earned runs (all at Coors) over 12.1 innings. Here’s to his first W of the year.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MARCH 27: Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers celebrates during the first quarter against the Miami Heat at Rocket Arena on March 27, 2026 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
We are just two weeks away from the Cleveland Cavaliers’ first preseason game. But first, they’ll be conducting training camp in Spain. The Cavs announced their roster for camp today.
The standard roster, headlined by stars like James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen, and Evan Mobley, will, of course, be there. Newcomer Peyton Watson, as well.
In total, 21 players will be in Spain. This includes the full standard roster, as well as three two-way players and a handful of training camp invites.
Tristan Enaruna, Riley Minix, and Ernest Udeh Jr. make up the two-way spots. Minix and Enaruna have been with the organization since last year, while Udeh is their newest two-way player.
Rashaun Agee, Zack Austin, Curtis Jones and Kadary Richmond are the camp invitees.
Training camp is an opportunity to set the tone for the upcoming season. The building blocks of who this team will become should be laid during their trip to Spain. This not only allows them to learn the systems but also to form a closer bond as teammates.
Cleveland reached the Eastern Conference Finals last season after winning 52 games. The Cavs hope to replicate that success and go even further this year.
A full offseason of integrating Harden should help them. The 17-year veteran hardly had time to unpack his bags before the playoff run began. This season allows him more time to adapt and learn his role. That should help everyone around him.
Trading for Watson was Cleveland’s biggest move of the summer. The franchise is excited about the potential for Watson to help them in the immediate short term and in the future. Training camp will give them their first glimpse of how he fits with the roster.
As for the others, younger prospects such as Meleek Thomas and Tyrese Proctor have a chance to prove they belong. Training camp and preseason will be their time to step up. Nae’Qwan Tomlin, as well.
The Cavs are hosting media day for Koby Altman and Kenny Atkinson on Friday afternoon. The players will have their own media day on Monday. After that, it’s off to Spain for Training Camp.
ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Wild have placed defenseman Carson Lambos on waivers as the club continues to trim its roster ahead of the regular season.
If Lambos clear waivers, the Wild will be able to assign the defenseman to the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League. However, placing them on waivers gives the NHL’s other 31 teams an opportunity to claim him.
Lambos entered training camp in an interesting position. He is still young enough to be considered a developing player within the organization, but is not waiver-exempt anymore.
Lambos, 23, was selected by the Wild with the 26th overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft and has spent the past three seasons developing in Iowa.
Wild coach John Hynes said during training camp that Lambos’ skating, competitiveness and defensive ability have stood out, but pointed toward his play with the puck as an area the organization wanted to see continue to improve.
“I think Lambo is a very good skater. He’s very competitive. I think he defends well,” Hynes said. “I think it’s the puck play, just making sure that he goes back. He’s efficient with his puck movement, efficient with the puck play, good decisions with the puck.”
Despite his performance, Minnesota entered camp with significant competition on the blue line, leaving limited room for Lambos to crack the NHL roster.
Now comes the waiting game.
Lambos will be available to the rest of the NHL during the waiver period. If he goes unclaimed, the Wild can send him to Iowa and retain a piece of their defensive depth.
If he is claimed, Minnesota will lose that player without receiving anything in return.
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DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 17: Starting pitcher Tanner Gordon #29 of the Colorado Rockies delivers a pitch in the second inning against the San Diego Padres at Coors Field on September 17, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s been a tough year for the Colorado Rockies in their home ballpark. After another loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks last night, the Rockies are 32-48 at home this season and are 131-191 overall since the start of the 2023 season.
The obvious struggles at home have been the pitching. The Rockies have a 5.75 ERA at home, which isn’t the worst in baseball thanks to the Athletics, but that pertains to the pitching staff as a whole. The starting pitching has a 6.46 ERA at Coors Field this season, by far the worst in baseball. The first inning has also been a nightmare, where the Rockies rotation owns a 7.41 ERA, over a full run higher than the next team.
Avoiding the sweep seems like a tall task.
Tanner Gordon (1-5, 6.01 ERA) will make the start for the Rockies. Coors Field has been a struggle for Gordon this season, where he owns an 8.20 ERA in 12 appearances, including seven starts. In 56 innings, he has allowed 15 home runs and given up 82 total hits. He hasn’t had much trouble in the first inning alone, but through the first three innings, he has a 7.71 ERA. He struggled in his last outing against the San Diego Padres, allowing seven runs on 10 hits over three innings of work. In September, Gordon has a 12.34 ERA in 11.2 innings, failing to throw five complete innings and giving up at least eight hits in each start. Gordon throws a lot of strikes, which is good, but oftentimes to the point where he becomes too hittable over the plate.
In three career starts against Arizona, Gordon has a 13.94 ERA in 10.1 innings. He made two starts in 2025, allowing 13 runs on 17 hits over 9.2 innings with eight strikeouts and a walk. He has strikeout potential, but a gritty team like the Diamondbacks that will take advantage of pitches over the zone has been an issue he’ll have to fight against today.
Eduardo Rodriguez (15-7, 2.89 ERA) starts for Arizona, trying to end his regular season on a high note. Rodriguez has had an incredible bounce-back year, serving as the rock of the Diamondbacks rotation amid the injuries and underperformance of other players. He has been a workhorse, tossing 183.2 innings, the second-most in a season of his career. In his last start, Rodriguez gave up seven runs on five hits over 5.1 innings against the New York Yankees. His command has been shaky all season, but the strikeout totals have remained strong to mitigate the danger for the most part.
He last faced the Rockies on May 21 when he threw seven shutout innings, allowing just four hits while striking out four against one walk. In his career against the Rockies, he’s 3-1 with a 4.21 ERA over eight starts, while boasting a 3.42 ERA over four career starts at Coors Field.
LJUBLJANA, SLOVENIA - 2026/08/23: Luka Doncic arrives with members of the Los Angeles Lakers delegation during the team's visit. (Photo by Andrej Tarfila/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Welcome to our Lakers Season Preview Series! For the next several weeks, we’ll be writing columns every weekday breaking down the biggest questions we have about every player the Lakers added this offseason. Today, we look at Luka Dončić.
Luka Dončić keeps playing at a ridiculous level season after season. He has a slew of accolades in his NBA, European and international careers, but one thing is missing.
He still hasn’t won an MVP award.
Last season, he finished fourth in MVP voting, receiving one first-place vote. We’ve seen him lead his former team to the NBA Finals in 2024, winning Western Conference Finals MVP along the way. He finished as the leading scorer during the 2024 and 2026 seasons, and pulled off incredible performances like scoring 100 points in 24 hours last season.
He also helped the Lakers put together an incredible March last season, finishing the month with a 15-2 record. Now, with a team full of new faces and him holding the keys to the franchise, is this the season he finally gets the actual MVP?
What is his best-case scenario?
In August, Luka arranged a trip to Slovenia for his teammates, where they not only played basketball and golfed, but also bonded in other ways. Luka’s best-case scenario would be building on the chemistry he created with the team, which would, in turn, strengthen his MVP case.
We’ve seen how well he plays alongside his BFF Austin Reaves, as they finished last season as the league’s highest-scoring duo, averaging 56.8 points per game. Luka also turned Jaxson Hayes into a serviceable backup big, mostly by connecting on alley-oops. LA’s new big, Walker Kessler, is significantly better and will be part of the future to develop something special with Luka.
Opposing teams will always focus on stopping Luka, leaving teammates open for plenty of scoring opportunities. Luka averaged 8.3 assists per game last season. That number could rise as he’ll have the ball more after LeBron James’s departure and with a team built to get the best out of him.
The team has many new players, several of whom haven’t been under the bright lights before. If Luka can turn a Lakers team that many don’t see as legit championship threats into a contender, his MVP case won’t be ignorable.
What is his worst-case scenario?
Luka’s worst-case scenario would be having to do too much heavy lifting, causing him to miss an extended period of time… just like last season. The talent surrounding him now is built to take some of the pressure off his workload, which could hopefully give him an extended stay on the bench when he’s taken out for rest.
However, he has a history of hamstring injuries. The Lakers didn’t have a bench that could produce enough to give Luka more rest.
They’re going into a new season with a younger bench, but the pressure still remains on Luka. Even if they have more ball handlers this season, like Collin Sexton and Quentin Grimes, Luka determines the Lakers’ ceiling. And if some of those bench players aren’t up to snuff and the minutes start piling up for Luka again, it could be déjà vu all over again.
He’s a superstar, so it’s not shocking that he will always have a heavy workload, as all MVPs do. But if it doesn’t result in the Lakers having a good record, that will his worst-case for MVP.
What is his most likely role on the team?
Well, that’s pretty obvious, isn’t it? He’s the leader. The MVP, if you will.
For all eight of LeBron’s years in the purple and gold, he was always considered the leader. Now Luka enters his first season tasked with guiding LA back to the promised land. He’s got a team with players signed to multi-year deals that will create continuity,and his sidekick in Reaves, so the ball is in his court to do something exceptional.
Luka is the point guard and maestro of the team. He’ll have the scoring responsibilityon his shoulders. He will facilitate. He’ll knock down insane triples and do whatever else is asked of him.
If he can do that while leading the Lakers toward the top of the Western Conference, then an MVP might finally be added to his trophy cabinet.
ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 12: Tyler Mahle #54 of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the first inning during the game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Truist Park on September 12, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jack Casey/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s hard to believe, but today marks the final home game of the regular season for the Atlanta Braves. Where does the time go?
For Atlanta, it will be trade deadline acquisition extraordinaire Tyler Mahle who makes his final tune up start of the season before (presumably) pitching game two of the National League Wild Card Round next week.
Mahle has been incredible since the trade in early August, making eight starts with a 1.28 ERA, 2.85 FIP and 3.27 xFIP. He’s done a tremendous job of keeping the ball in and around the strike zone with 44 strikeouts and just seven walks over 49 innings, and he’s limited hard contact with just four batters hitting a baseball over the fence since joining the Braves. Mahle’s run of excellence extends to even before the trade; since returning from an injury on June 24, the veteran righty owns a 2.37 ERA, 3.19 FIP and 3.60 xFIP over 15 starts. As a pending free agent, Mahle has made himself some serious money over the past three months. We’ll see if his future involves Atlanta.
The Reds will counter with Brady Singer, who has had a dreadful season with Cincinnati. The 30-year-old righty has career-worst numbers across the board (or pretty close to it) with a 5.67 ERA, 5.55 FIP and 4.67 xFIP. His biggest issue is the home run ball, where he has surrendered an astounding 31 of them in 154 innings. We’ll see if the Braves bats, which have been pretty lifeless in the series so far, can get to Singer on Thursday night.
First pitch from Truist Park is set for 7:15 p.m. ET. In addition to all the usual places to watch and listen to the game, it will also be broadcast on Fox Sports 1.
The Yankees were officially eliminated from the AL East title race by the Rays’ win in the second game of the doubleheader on Tuesday. They managed to temporarily stave off elimination thanks to a dominant performance by Carlos Rodón in the first game of the day’s twin billing. With eight scoreless innings, he equalled his longest outing in a Yankees uniform to lower his season ERA to a sterling 2.67. Given the gravity of the performance and the game, it was a no-brainer to select Rodón for our Sequence of the Week.
We join Rodón facing Liam Hicks to lead off the top of the second. With one of MLB’s best run suppressors in Nick Martinez on the mound for the Rays, the task ahead of Rodón is a tough one. Hicks has proven an inspired pickup from the Marlins by the Rays at the deadline, batting .305 with a 143 wRC+ in 123 plate appearances since making the switch from the Atlantic Coast to the Gulf Coast, which explains why the catcher is batting cleanup for Tampa Bay.
Rodón starts Hicks with a first pitch four-seamer at 93 mph, Ali Sánchez setting a target low and away.
Rodón nails his spot with this fastball, painting the corner for called strike one. Hicks must be looking for something on the inner half, because he watches it go by without a thought of offering.
It appears Rodón is satisfied with the way that pitch felt coming out of the hand, because he goes right back to that pitch-location combo.
Same pitch, even better execution. Rodón paints the bottom edge of the zone with this 93 mph four-seamer for strike two called. It’s obvious at this point that Hicks is hunting something he can pull given the bat has not left his shoulder, and this is the last pitch you want to be trying to get out in front of.
At this point, Hicks has to defend that corner of the strike zone. Establishing the four-seamer for called strikes there has Hicks perfectly set up for the wipeout slider down and away out of the zone as he’s now forced to look away.
It’s the right idea but just without the execution to match. Rodón pulls this slider a hair, bouncing it beyond home plate for ball one. It looks like a ball low out of the hand, making for a pretty easy take from Hicks.
Rodón is still in the driver’s seat with the count 1-2. He’d be well within his rights to try another slider low and away, this time trying to execute it closer to the zone. However, he elects to go back to the four-seamer, if not for the strikeout then to set up a future slider.
Even though Rodón fails to elevate this four-seamer where he wants it and ends up leaving it in a pretty dangerous place, the 19 inches of induced vertical break keep the pitch above Hicks’ barrel, leading to a foul ball rather than a ball in play. What’s more, as we are about to see, this fastball is the perfect setup pitch for a chase slider.
By continuing to prove that he can land his four-seamer on the outer edge of the zone, Rodón keeps the door open for Hicks to chase a slider.
Rodón unleashes a dandy, this slider looking like a strike out of the hand before falling off the table for the swinging strikeout. This kind of slider is so tough to lay off because it remains over the plate for the entire journey toward home, the sharp downward movement carrying it into an unhittable location. Rodón can thank the prior four-seamer for the outcome of this slider.
Look at the way the slider and the four-seamer that immediately preceded it look exactly the same coming out of Rodón’s hand. Rodón landing that four-seamer where he did set a perfect target for him to tunnel the subsequent slider. Hicks really never had a chance at distinguishing the two pitches from each other and goes down with a weak hack.
Rodón is hitting his stride just in time for the playoffs. Over his last eight starts he has a 1.67 ERA with less than one home run allowed per nine, allowing two or fewer runs in all eight of those appearances. He really can’t do much more when it comes to making a case for the postseason rotation. The competition is fierce, with Cy Young frontunner Cam Schlittler starting early on and Aaron Boone looking likely to pick 2024 ace Gerrit Cole and 2025 ace Max Fried for the two other Wild Card Series starts. Even with Rodón’s recent excellence, he could be out of luck unless they advance. Still, Rodón has certainly earned the opportunity and is someone I would absolutely feel confident handing the ball.
We’ve written a lot about Rodón’s evolution as a starting pitcher to being a more well-rounded complete package thanks to the mastery of changeup and sinker. I certainly do not want to downplay this transformation and how key it is for his longevity. However, this outing was something of a throwback start for Rodón — a glimpse of the peak version from his days in Chicago and San Francisco. He whiffed over 30-percent of batters on his four-seamer and over 40-percent on his slider, that deadly pitch pairing the hallmark of his earlier years. This AB in particular was vintage Rodón, with each four-seamer exhibiting at least 19 inches of induced vertical break — well above the threshold that is considered elite — and his slider dropping two inches more than its season average. If he can hold onto the feel of this start, the Yankees will have a real weapon in the playoffs, be that out of the rotation or the bullpen.
