DETROIT, MI - SEPTEMBER 13: Vimael Machin #25 of the Colorado Rockies bats against the Detroit Tigers during the second inning at Comerica Park on September 13, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to the 2026 edition of Ranking the Rockies, where we take a look back at every player to log playing time for the Rockies in 2026. The purpose of this list is to provide a snapshot of the player in context. The “Ranking” is an organizing principle that’s drawn from Baseball Reference’s WAR (rWAR). It’s not something the staff debated. We’ll begin with the player with the lowest rWAR and end up with the player with the highest.
No. 34, Vimael Machín (0.0 rWAR)
On one hand, Vimael Machín had the best MLB season of his career — one that’s spanned five big league seasons and 10 minor league seasons.
Playing in his first season for the Rockies, he hit .500 with a .500 on-base percentage and 1.000 OPS as well.
The only problem was that Machín only had six at-bats in three games.
The Rockies signed the 33-year-old infielder to a minor league contract on Dec. 21, 2025 and extended an invite to spring training. After being assigned to Triple-A Albuquerque, Machín had a successful year with the Isotopes. In 438 at-bats in 113 games, the Puerto Rican hit .288/.367/.438 with an OPS of .805. He hit 12 homers, 22 doubles and four triples, scored 61 runs, drove in 73 more runs, drew 53 walks and struck out 71 times.
He seemed like a great candidate for a September call-up, but the honor went to Adael Amador and Blas Castaño. Then, infielder Willi Castro got hurt and was placed on the IL on Sept. 5. The Rockies turned to Machín for some late-season infield depth, while optioning Tyler Freeman to the Isotopes.
From Sept. 6 to Sept.13, Machín started two games — against the Detroit Tigers and St. Louis Cardinals — at third base, going 2-for-5 with two strikeouts. He also went 1-for-1 as a pinch hitter against the Yankees.
When starting pitcher José Quintana was ready to rejoin the rotation on Sept. 19, Machín hadn’t proven enough to stay on the roster for the final eight games of the season.
This season proved to be much like the majority of Machín’s career has played out: success in the minor leagues that doesn’t always translate to the big leagues.
Machín was originally drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 2015 out of Virginia Commonwealth University. He then went on a roller coaster ride of climbing the Cubs farm system before being put on the waiver wire in 2019. He was then picked up by the Philadelphia Phillies and traded to the Oakland A’s on the same day in the 2019 offseason.
He made his MLB debut in 2020 and moved back and forth between the A’s and the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators throughout 2021 and 2022. He played in 73 games in 2022, but never found his way at the plate, hitting .220/.300/.287 with a .587 OPS. In 2023, Machín played his entire season with the Aviators and chose free agency afterward.
In 2024, he played for the Charros de Jalisco in Mexico, then signed a minor league deal with the Baltimore Orioles before the 2025 season. He only played in four games, going 1-for-11 at the plate. Meanwhile, in the for the Triple-A Norfolk Tides, he hit .286/.347/.476 with an .823 OPS.
The same scene played out for the Rockies in 2026. On Sept. 19, the Rockies designated Machín for assignment. After clearing the waiver wires, he was outrighted to the ACL Rockies on Sept. 22. Considering Colorado signed Machín to a 1-year, $780,000 deal for 2026, and the Rockies have lots of infield depth ahead of him, Machín faces an uncertain future this offseason.
MLB owners have, as you know, been pushing the idea that the sport needs a salary cap for teams to have better competitive balance.
You would think, then, that the Brewers/Rays World Series matchup, between two teams with modest payrolls (I’m not calling them “small market” because that term is filled with conditions), would change that mindset.
“People can be entrenched wherever they want to be entrenched. We’re prepared to commit ourselves to the process,” Manfred said. “It’s easy to say, ‘I’m here, and I’m never moving.’ That’s not a particularly skilled approach to the process.
“The small markets operate at a disadvantage economically. They just don’t have the resources that our bigger markets do.”
Mark Attanasio, owner of the Brewers and a member of Manfred’s labor committee, said the league’s cap proposal “not only will help us compete, but more importantly, all of the teams with lower payrolls too, which is something also I think the fans want.”
Let’s be clear here. Owners don’t want a salary cap because they want more teams to compete. They want it to increase profits and to increase franchise values. Period, full stop.
You can imagine how that’s gone over with the MLBPA:
Bruce Meyer, the interim head of the union, called a salary cap “a nuclear bomb” and said “there’s no reason whatsoever” that the Pittsburgh Pirates can’t compete the same way the Brewers and Rays have.
“These teams have been successful doing it one way,” Meyer said. “They would be even more successful if they went out and spent more money. Tampa would probably have a few World Series under their belt if they had at any point gone out and signed some free agents.”
Meyer is right, in this sense. The reason the Brewers and Rays are where they are is because both teams have smart baseball management teams. Look at the Brewers: They let top executive David Stearns go to the Mets, where owner Steve Cohen has dumped hundreds of millions of dollars into players. For that, the Mets had 74 wins this year and weren’t close to the postseason. They let manager Craig Counsell go to the Cubs, and well, you know that story. Counsell’s done well in Chicago. But the Cubs organization, despite theoretically having more resources, hasn’t put together the infrastructure to win. They could! But they have let scouts go and their pitching development system is, in a word, terrible.
The Rays are a similar story. Executive Andrew Friedman left Tampa Bay after 2014, which started the chain reaction that brought Joe Maddon to Chicago. Erik Neander, Friedman’s top deputy, took over and, as he had worked for the Rays since 2007, the transfer was seamless. The organization kept doing what it had been doing, and Kevin Cash, signed as manager to succeed Maddon, is now the longest-tenured manager in MLB.
Smart baseball management wins. Teams prove that over and over and over. When the Cubs won in 2016, they had it. Now? Not so much.
So Bruce Meyer says a salary cap is “a nuclear bomb,” which is pretty strong imagery, basically saying there’s no way players will go for it. This sentiment appears common among players:
Reliever Aaron Ashby, the Brewers’ player rep, was asked how long players are willing to sit out to avoid a cap.
“I guess as long as it takes,” Ashby said. “We’re gonna have a long season here, and I guess if that means having a longer offseason, so be it.”
In this article posted here earlier this month, I noted some discussion of what a “drop dead date” could be for owners before they blink. The TL;dr version is that about 60 games into the season is when owners could start to lose out on big TV money, because at that point the current TV deals could roll into another year and not expire until the end of 2029. That would delay the big money that owners hope to get from new national TV deals.
So we’re in a holding pattern. Neither side has changed its position, but we might get some more clarity from this, per the Drellich article:
The union holds an annual meeting with players near the end of November, which this year coincides with the final days of bargaining before the lockout. In 2021, the owners met the players where they were holding that meeting, in Texas.
These days, the union holds that same meeting in Arizona, where it opened an office in 2023. Which means this time, Arizona could be the site where Manfred announces that the sport is frozen.
“We’ve told them where we’re going to be,” Meyer said. “They haven’t confirmed, but I expect there’s a high likelihood we’ll be talking and bargaining, and you never know what’s going to happen.”
I am 99.9 percent sure that owners will lock out players when the CBA expires at 11:59 p.m. ET on Dec. 1. After that, it’s anyone’s guess when it will end.
Try to enjoy the rest of the World Series. We might not see MLB players back on the field for quite some time after that.
After a day off on Monday, the Pittsburgh Penguins returned to practice Tuesday in anticipation of their next tilt Thursday, when they host the Utah Mammoth.
And, given what their injury situation was prior to the day off, there was a sight for sore eyes.
Center Ben Kindel, who experienced a vasevagal episode on the team plane shortly after takeoff from Salt Lake City International Airport on Oct. 20 that prompted an emergency landing, was back on the ice for practice. The 19-year-old was full-contact, and he was working on a second line alongside Evgeni Malkin and Egor Chinakhov, who were also both out of the lineup for Saturday's 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators but skated Sunday.
It's only been one week since Kindel was hospitalized. Now, he is back on the ice, and he is grateful to be back.
"I've kind of just been getting back to normal. Obviously, a couple of weird days, but it feels normal now just being back with the guys. So, just excited for the rest of the year."
Kindel said he started working out a day or two after returning to Pittsburgh that Wednesday and that he started more intensive training over the weekend. Tuesday marked his first day back on the ice, although he had ample opportunity to get off-ice work in.
In recalling the experience, Kindel didn't reveal anything that wasn't already known to the public through GM and POHO Kyle Dubas's press conference as well as the team's official press release. But he's ready to put it in the past.
"I wouldn't say it's that tough. For me, it's in the past now," Kindel said. "It's out of my head. Can't control what happened, just got to move forward. That's where my head's at, just looking to move forward now. So, I'm definitely not dwelling on anything or have anything holding me back coming into this weekend."
Prior to his medical episode, Kindel had two goals and four points in nine games on the season, and he was a staple as the team's third-line center. Even in the two games that Kindel missed - Saturday's game and Thursday's 4-0 rout of the Florida Panthers - there was a fair amount of lineup shuffling that occurred, particularly within the middle-six.
The Penguins were coming off of a four-game winless road trip before Kindel's incident, and they have won both games since. Hendrix Lapierre and Elmer Soderblom reentered the lineup, and young forwards Rutger McGroarty and Avery Hayes pitched in during Saturday's win. Lapierre centered the second line in both games, and he and Ville Koivunen have developed some chemistry and were, arguably, the team's best line in those two contests.
So, that's a combination that will likely stick Thursday on the third line. Tommy Novak has been working on the first line with Sidney Crosby and Rickard Rakell and has seen some success there, so Kindel took Novak's regular spot between Chinakhov and Malkin.
Of course, the Penguins practice again Wednesday, so these are not necessarily combinations that will stick. However, it is something to watch, given how the other lines have developed together in the games Kindel missed.
"You don't have a lot of these days where you get multiple practice days in a row, so it was an opportunity for us today to see some things," head coach Dan Muse said following Tuesday's practice. "We've still got to check some boxes in terms of some of the guys that are coming back, just in terms of how they're progressing, and I think that can dictate things a little bit for lines.
"But that was a thing today. Obviously, Geno and Chinny have played together in the past. I think 'Lappy' and 'Koivy' have been playing well together - very well together - so you got some pairs there that we're looking at and building some lines off of, but we'll take it a practice at a time here."
Of course, some things could change over the next couple of days. Kindel does have a very small sample size playing with Chinakhov and Malkin from last season, and he did see a brief stint in the top-six on Crosby's wing as well. It seems he may finally be getting another opportunity to be elevated in the lineup, should the combinations stick and everyone be ready to go Thursday.
Regardless of how it all shakes out, however, Kindel is ready to pounce on the opportunity to get back out there and help the team continue to string some wins together.
"I'm just going try and do whatever I can to help the team," Kindel said. "Obviously, if I get an opportunity to play with Geno and Chinny, that would be awesome. They're both great players offensively, and hopefully, we can see what we can do, if that is a line.
"Wherever they put me, I'm just happy to go out there and try and do my best wherever and help the team win."
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 27: Corey Seager #5 of the Texas Rangers reacts after hitting a home run in the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks during Game One of the World Series at Globe Life Field on October 27, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There are a few candidates for the greatest moment in Texas Rangers history. You could potentially including, I guess, Nolan Ryan’s no hitters or Kenny Rogers’ perfect game, but otherwise, pretty much all of them, I think, come in the 21st century, which says something about the first 30-something years of the team’s history.
As an Ian Kinsler stan, his 9th inning homer in Game 5 of the 2011 ALDS against the Rays, with him skipping out of the box on the way to first base, is still a favorite.
But to me, the greatest moment in Texas Rangers history took place three years ago today. Game 1 of the 2023 World Series, in Arlington. The Rangers, down 5-3 going to the bottom of the ninth against D-Backs closer Paul Sewald. Leody Taveras leads off with a walk, bringing the tying run to the plate. Marcus Semien strikes out.
And then, up steps Corey Seager, and first pitch…
I don’t know how many times I’ve watched that clip — dozens, at least. And it still gives me goosebumps.
“He could tie it with one swing…HIGH DRIVE…ITS TIED!!!”
I defy you to watch that clip and not have big feelings.
That was a $325 million dollar swing. That was the greatest moment in Texas Rangers history.
That home run just tied up the score, but at that moment I knew — much like I knew, when Mitch Garver homered in the second inning of Game 6 of the ALCS in Houston to tie up the game, that the Rangers would win the ALCS — that the Rangers were going to win, not just the game, but the whole damn thing.
Two innings later, Adolis Garcia won the game for the Rangers in dramatic fashion:
You know, we know, intellectually, that Adolis Garcia was a beast in the 2023 playoffs. We remember that he came up huge. But watching that clip, and the one of the ALCS homers, brings the feeling back.
Five days later, in Arizona, in a game where the Rangers didn’t have a baserunner until the fifth inning, and didn’t get a hit until the seventh, a gritty performance by Nathan Eovaldi kept the D-Backs off the scoreboard for six innings. Aroldis Chapman retired a pair of batters and issued a walk in the seventh before turning the ball over to Josh Sborz, who recorded the final seven outs.
And in an echo of 2010 and Neftali Feliz, Sborz ended the game with a backwards K:
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a Rangers fan. As a kid, I was desperate to see the Rangers win the World Series, to be crowned champions. As an adult — especially after 2011 and 2012 — I started to think it would never happen, that the Rangers were cursed, and that I’d never see them lift the trophy.
Sometimes I find myself wondering, why do I do this to myself? Why am I a fan of this team? Why do I subject myself to the heartache and heartbreak and disappointment that is such a regular part of our fandom?
And then I watch those clips above, and my question is answered. 2023 makes it all worthwhile.
SACRAMENTO, CA - OCTOBER 5: Jarred Vanderbilt #2 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket during the game against the Sacramento Kings during a 2026 NBA Preseason game on October 5, 2026 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers’ unbeaten start has been exciting, but there are still worrying signs that have emerged, perhaps none more so than the team’s lack of depth at center.
Kevon Looney has struggled in the opening three games of the season and hasn’t played in the second half of the last two contests. Naturally, that was a big talking point in this week’s mailbag, which included solutions for the problem either externally or internally.
Let’s dive in!
Does JJ think that Vando started the Pallisades Fires? Should be blink twice if Reddick has stolen his dog, too? Does Vando need someone to free him from JJ like Charles and Jake got Jay Chandrasekhar away from Nutraboom?
Can we really spend a whole season with Vando and Hardy taking nearly $20 million of salary cap space like we had done with Kleber last year? — Johnny Tuttle
It’s pretty clear Kevon Looney is not going to be playable in most matchups this season and the Lakers are going to need a viable backup center.
It’s rare for trades to be made before Dec. 15, though not impossible. Still, the Lakers will likely have to look internally for the opening months of the season before most teams are willing to discuss deals.
So far, the solution has been playing Sandro Mamukelashvili at center. But there’s also been a growing call for Jarred Vanderbilt, who has been buried on the bench since the start of the preseason.
On the one hand, this is different from his usual situation. He’s not needed as a wing this time around. In theory, that means his weakness as a 3-point shooter wouldn’t be as glaring while his strengths as a rebounder could flourish. If the team is going to have five-out spacing without a traditional center, it means Vando won’t clog as much up offensively.
On the other hand, Vando’s shortcomings on that end of the floor are often summed up as an inability to hit threes. However, he also can’t finish around the rim, either. From a scoring standpoint, he’s a black hole offensively and hasn’t made any sort of gains on that end.
That remains the biggest issue for him getting playing time. Defenses are just never going to respect him offensively, which throws off the spacing on that end of the floor and negates the five-out offense they’re trying to run.
As things stand, things are working with Mamu at center and the Lakers don’t particularly need Vando to play. There is an argument for him to get a shot, and maybe it plays out a bit differently this time given the circumstances, but it’s also easy to see how the same problems causing many of the same issues again.
Everyone’s asking about finding a backup big. What options are available overseas, and more importantly, how does it work if the Lakeshow were to identify a player they wanted to sign (already knowing that they’d have to trade someone or release another player)? Is there a waiting period? If a buyout is required, is it counted against the cap? — Coops Knee Highs
It’s pretty unlikely the Lakers will sign a player overseas midseason, but it isn’t impossible. Most any player who signs in Europe who has any chance of playing in the NBA has a buyout in their contract. That buyout doesn’t count against the cap.
Having said all that, it’s unlikely the Lakers are going that route to address the issue for a number of reasons. If a player is going to Europe at this stage in their career, it’s almost always because the NBA interest is gone. There’s a reason you rarely hear about a player coming over from Europe or Asia in January and making an impact on an NBA team.
The bigs we’re talking about playing overseas who were recently in the NBA are players like Kelly Olynyk and Maxi Kleber. With all due respect as a blogger sitting in his home office, the drop in talent is quite large. Kendrick Nunn flamed out badly with the Lakers and is thriving in Europe as one of the best players. Talen Horton-Tucker is a borderline top-10 player.
There’s a career to be had for a certain level of player and I actually would encourage more players to make that jump to Europe. But it’s not a place teams find in-season upgrades.
With centers on contending teams like Jalen Duren and Joel Embiid already missing games, how urgent is the need to find and trade for another center behind Kessler and have the Lakers shown themselves to be enough of a contender that they should be be willing to overpay to beat teams like Philly and Detroit, who may have more tradable assets to work with, to the punch in order to acquire one before the market becomes even more limited?
An alternative phrasing might be, how viable is Mamu as a smallball, floor stretching, backup center instead of Looney? — SirTuppy
A backup center is so far the only glaring need through 3 games. I feel like there’s one more move they’ll need to establish themselves as true contenders, but what move is it exactly? Who are the potential targets for either move? — nesto2k
While I do think the Lakers need a backup center, it’s still too early to tell how urgent that need is. Through the opening three games, Mamu has been sufficient more often than not as a spacing five and the team is going to figure out ways to maximize those lineups as things go.
I also wouldn’t be surprised if the team is looking at potential two-way big men to potentially step in and get some spot minutes. That’s a lot easier path to find players and the team has had success with two-way signings in recent years.
As things stand, I don’t think there’s a race to get a backup big man, even with recent injuries. Neither Jalen Duren nor Joel Embiid is out long-term, though the Sixers are likely also searching for a backup big man after Ariel Hukporti’s injury.
We’ll see how things shake out in the coming weeks and months with rotations and playing time, but a couple names worth monitoring are Jericho Sims, who is not in the rotation for Milwaukee despite them wanting two second round picks for him, and Karlo Matkovic, who was linked to the Lakers previously and is on the edge of the rotation in New Orleans.
MIAMI, FL – OCTOBER 8: Karlo Matkovic #17 of the New Orleans Pelicans handles the ball during the game against the Miami Heat on October 8, 2026 at Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
I haven’t seen anything offensively from Kessler other than lobs. He’s been awesome, but does he have any sort of post-up game or offensive moves? Is that something that you foresee the Lakers using or is he just a lob threat? — KershawsLegacy
I wouldn’t hold my breath on getting a look at the post moves of Kessler. The asks of him offensively will be very streamlined in that he needs to roll to the rim and dunk.
That’s obviously oversimplified, but they aren’t tossing him the ball on the left block and having him create a look for himself late in the clock. I do expect there to be growth with him in the short roll, which might lead to him showing off a bit of a floater or intermediate game.
Sexton has been off the ball quite a bit so far, even though he’s most effective with the ball in his hands. Is this a Redick issue, or is this a (foreseeable) fit issue playing next to two usage-heavy star creators? — Raison dBasketball
Sexton has played two basketball games alongside Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, so I struggle to have too many takeaways from how he’s used yet.
I don’t imagine the team brought him in to be a guard just standing around the perimeter watching Luka or Austin work. At the same time, Luka and Austin are going to have the ball a lot. The opening weeks and months of the season will be the team finding the right balance between optimizing him while also keeping the ball in the hands of your best players.
On Tuesday, New Jersey Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe announced that the newcomer will make his season and team debut in a tough matchup against the red-hot Dallas Stars.
It will be Hellebuyck's first start since April 13, when he made his final appearance as a member of the Winnipeg Jets, a loss to the Vegas Golden Knights in which he allowed six goals on 38 shots. The Stars enter Tuesday having won their last five straight games and will look to make it six versus the Devils.
The Michigan native has solid career numbers against Dallas, though they have soured of late. In 32 career meetings, Hellebuyck is 14-12-6 with a 2.59 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage. Over his last seven matchups with the Stars, however, the 33-year-old has just one win, with a 3.20 goals-against average and a .876 save percentage.
Now Hellebuyck gets a fresh start in New Jersey. The Devils acquired him in a six-asset trade package that sent Dawson Mercer, recent 12th overall pick Alexander Command, depth center Nick Bjugstad, depth goaltender Nico Daws and a pair of draft picks to Winnipeg.
Hellebuyck finished his tenure with the Jets with a 345-208-55 record, a 2.58 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage in 625 games. He leads the franchise in nearly every major goaltending category, including games played, wins, losses, overtime losses, shutouts, time on ice, goals-against average and save percentage.
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If Mitchell Starc had his way, Australia would wipe out everything that happened before lunch in an extraordinary opening day of the series decider against South Africa in Cape Town. But his finale will feature on highlights for a long time to come.
DALLAS (AP) — Connor Hellebuyck made his debut for the New Jersey Devils when the veteran goaltender started against the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night.
The start came four days after the 33-year-old three-time Vezina Trophy winner was traded to New Jersey after his suspension by the Winnipeg Jets for failing to report to training camp. His last NHL action prior to Tuesday came on April 13, a 6-2 loss at Vegas.
A fifth-round draft pick in 2012 by Winnipeg, Hellebuyck is fifth on the U.S.-born goaltenders list with at least 345 career wins. Among U.S.-born goalies with 300 or more career starts, his .916 save percentage going into Tuesday ranked fourth and 2.58 goals-against average ranked sixth.
“Sitting at home for so long was getting to me. For myself, I’m just really excited to play hockey again,” Hellebuyck said Saturday, when he spoke to reporters a day after the trade. “I’m joining a very skilled group. They brought me for a certain specific role. I’m really excited to fill that role, not only on the ice but off the ice as well.”
Hellebuyck was skating in Michigan before the trade was completed and went through one practice and Tuesday’s optional morning skate. He has five seasons left on a seven-year contract with an annual salary cap hit of $8.5 million.
He started Tuesday opposite No. 2 Dallas goaltender Casey DeSmith. The Stars’ No. 1 goalie, Jake Oettinger, was Team USA’s third-string goalie at the Olympics behind Hellebuyck and Boston’s Jeremy Swayman and didn’t see any game action.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 26: A general view inside the stadium during the National Anthem prior to game three of the 2026 World Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on October 26, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Tampa Bay Rays played 162 games in the regular season and easily proved they were the best team in the American League. They did this with effective pitching, amazing defense, excellent scouting, well worked at-bats, and fantastic fundamentals.
These are the things that allowed the Rays sweep the New York Yankees in the ALDS and then overcome the Cleveland Guardians in the ALCS.
And then these are the things that have eluded the Rays thus far in the World Series against the best team in the National League, the Milwaukee Brewers.
The Brewers have shown exactly why they are so great.
The hitters will absolutely wear down a pitcher with each at-bat seemingly taking a toll on the unfortunate soul on the mound; when a strikeout does occur, it’s only after an exorbitant amount of fouled off offerings. The Milwaukee pitchers have made quick work of the Rays, either striking them out with ease by expanding the zone or inducing weak contact to perfectly placed fielders. The only thing the Brewers haven’t done is crush the ball out of the ballpark, but there just hasn’t been a need; there have only been two home runs hit this World Series (Frelick and Hicks).
Now the Rays are on the brink of losing their 3rd attempt at a World Series in humiliating fashion, losing all four games, and forced to watch as the Brewers celebrate at Tropicana Field.
It will likely be all hands on deck for the Rays regarding the pitching strategy but Griffin Jax is the probable starter. Over the regular season, Jax had a 3.53 ERA | 3.76 FIP with a 25.3 K% & 7.6 BB% over 112.1 IP. Thus far in the postseason, Jax has a 6.00 ERA | 4.77 FIP with a 23.1 K% & 11.5 BB% over 6 IP. It has been 12 days since Jax last took the mound, taking the loss in game three of the ALCS against Cleveland, allowing three runs on five hits over four innings of work.
The Brewers will have the majority of their pitchers available including the trio of fearsome arms in the backend of their bullpen: Trevor Megill, Abner Uribe, and Aaron Ashby.
Their official starter hasn’t been announced but there are several options. Possibly southpaw Ktlye Harrison, who hasn’t pitched yet this postseason. Milwaukee could also go with Shane Drohan or Dustin May. It will be anyone’s guess as to who Pat Murphy will call upon to try and get the 27 outs needed to secure a World Series title.
Kawhi Leonard’s return to Toronto has started off with a familiar feel.
Just two games into the two-time NBA champion’s return to Canada, Leonard, whose signing by the Clippers resulted in the franchise being punished for salary-cap circumvention before getting traded back to Raptors, is out indefinitely with a swollen knee.
An MRI revealed that Leonard has no structural damage, and it will be about rest and rehab to get him back on the court.
“Yeah it’s always frustrating missing time,” Leonard wrote in an X post Tuesday afternoon. “I came back to compete with this team and I’m focused on getting back to 100. Toronto, I’ve appreciated the love since I’ve been back. Returning soon.”
Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors dribbles the ball during a game against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC, Friday, Oct. 23, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
Leonard, 35, has had problems with his left knee before, missing time last season with what was called irritation.
This is not the same knee that he’s had surgically repaired multiple times, as he tore his right ACL in 2021 and later his meniscus in 2023.
Leonard missed Sunday’s loss to the Timberwolves after being a late scratch due to fluid buildup around his knee joint.
The star forward has not played more than 70 games in a season since the 2016-17 season when he was a member of theSpurs.
It is unclear how much time he will miss, though ESPN’s Shams Charania called it a “period of weeks,” making it almost certain that Leonard will not play 70 games again this year.
This also makes it unlikely he will be featured in any awards or All-NBA teams, as those mostly require at least 65 games played.
Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard, middle, looks on during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Minneapolis, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. AP Photo/Bailey Hillesheim
Clippers owner Steve Ballmer was fined $30 million and banned from the team for a year as a result of the transgressions.
The Raptors will rely heavily on former Knicks RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley to help them replace some of the offensive production lost with Leonard’s absence.
Scottie Barnes will be the team’s focal point as their lead wing.
The Raptors are 2-1, with both wins coming while Leonard played limited minutes, topping out at 28 minutes spanning those two appearances.
It wasn’t that long ago that Alexander Georgiev was the guy in net for the Colorado Avalanche. He was winning games, made the All-Star Game and played a huge role for a team with Stanley Cup hopes.
Now he has no job.
Georgiev enjoyed some success in Colorado. He tied for the NHL lead with 40 wins in 2022-23, then led the league outright with 38 victories the following season.
Of course, the numbers weren’t always great. His save percentage dropped to .897 in 2023-24, and things plummeted the following year.
After struggling in Colorado, Georgiev was traded to the San Jose Sharks, hoping a change of scenery would help him get back on track.
It didn’t.
He finished his time with the Sharks with a .875 save percentage and a 3.88 goals-against average across 31 appearances.
After a brief stint in Buffalo, Georgiev eventually headed back to Russia and joined Spartak Moskva in the KHL. And honestly, he looked better.
He finished the regular season with a 2.37 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage in 24 appearances.
His playoff run wasn’t quite as successful, as he went 1-4 in five appearances, but he still managed to post a .918 save percentage.
So, it’s not like Georgiev completely forgot how to stop pucks.
The bigger question is whether NHL teams believe he can do it consistently over here again.
Is Another NHL Chance Coming?
The season is already a month old and Georgiev remains out of the picture. The New York Rangers might need an extra hand as well as the Edmonton Oilers, but Mike Babcock would likely have him run out of town if we’re being honest.
The end of his NHL tenure, as far as we know, was rather bad. So you can’t blame teams for wanting to avoid Georgiev like the plague or I guess if you want to use a recent example, COVID-19.
For now, the former Avalanche starter remains homeless in the NHL, and with the season already underway, the clock is ticking on his chances of getting back.
DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 20: Jayson Tatum #0 and Paul George #13 of the Boston Celtics box out during the game against the Detroit Pistons on October 20, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
BOSTON — The Celtics will not sit Jayson Tatum, Paul George, or Mitchell Robinson when they face the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday night. All three players — who have dealt with major injuries in recent years — are available to play after also lacing up on Monday night against the Chicago Bulls.
The only players on Tuesday’s injury report are Devin Carter, who remains out with illness, and Derrick White, who is listed as probable with right hip synovitis.
Celtics Injury Report vs. Brooklyn (10/27):
Devin Carter – Illness – OUT Derrick White – Right Hip Synovitis – PROBABLE
Robinson typically did not play in both nights of back-to-backs as a member of the New York Knicks, but in an interview with Knicks Fan TV earlier this month, he made clear that would not be the case in Boston.
“It ain’t going to be the same in Boston [as it was with the Knicks]. I’ll be able to play back-to-backs,” Robinson said. “I’m very excited for that; it’s been a long time coming. Now I can go out there and play basketball, just go out there with a free mind and just hoop.”
George has also made clear he’s as healthy as he’s felt in years; he badly hyperextended his knee two years ago, and never fully recovered during his two-year stint with the Philadelphia 76ers.
“This summer really was a chance to continue to work: strengthen my body, strengthen my knee,” George said on Media Day. “It’s almost like a kind of rebirth, or reborn again — to be in a system, to be in a winning culture, a winning environment, and to feel good. To be able to work, to be able to train again in the summers — my summers the last couple of years were dedicated to rehab.”
Tatum, meanwhile, has looked like his old self so far this season after tearing his Achilles 17 months ago.
Joe Mazzulla did not specify Monday when asked how the team would manage back-to-backs.
“It just depends,” he said. “We trust the sports science team that we have, we trust the competition of those guys. At the same time, our locker room has built on 1-15, 16, or 17 being able to impact winning. It’s just a combination of all those things. At the end of the day, we have to do what gives us the best chance to win. At the same time, keep those guys healthy and validate the whole locker room by putting guys in situations where they gotta win games for us.”
The Celtics have gone with the same starting lineup every game so far
The Celtics have used the same starting lineup in all three full-strength preseason games and in their three regular-season games so far—a loss to the Detroit Pistons, a win over the New York Knicks, and a win over the Bulls. That lineup has consisted of Derrick White, Jordan Walsh, Jayson Tatum, Paul George, and Mitchell Robinson.
The Celtics play on the second night of a back-to-back after beating the Bulls 134-99 on Monday night at TD Garden. Pritchard exploded for 28 points in 21 minutes, while Tatum added 23 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists.
Celtics-Nets tips off on Tuesday night at 7:30pm ET.
Things were looking up for the Philadelphia Flyers when Rasmus Ristolainen returned from a three-week absence, though the defenseman's comeback was ultimately short-lived. Fortunately, though, the Flyers just received some good injury news, and reinforcements are on the way.
With Ristolainen expected to miss approximately two more weeks with a re-aggravation of his previous injury, the Flyers played the Finn on injured reserve, retroactive to Oct. 24.
By creating a roster spot with that transaction, the Flyers paved the way for Cam York, who has been out since Oct. 8 with a hand injury, to return from injured reserve.
York, 25, had only played in five games for the Flyers this season and got off to a slow start, recording no points and stumbling to a -6 rating.
This hasn't been York's first rodeo with the injury bug, either. The Flyers' top-four defenseman played just 66 games in 2024-25, and 74 games last season.
But, now that he's back once again, it's a big boost for the Flyers, who need to reduce Travis Sanheim's workload at some point.
Sanheim has been averaging a whopping 26:39 of ice time over the Flyers' last five games, playing top penalty kill minutes in addition to serving as the second unit power play quarterback with David Jiricek a healthy scratch for the last two games.
York, who scored a career-high seven power play points last year, could jump right back into that role to replace Sanheim if he's feeling up to it in his first game back. and Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet and assistant coach Todd Reirden will have more options at their disposal with York entering the lineup for Tuesday night's game against Columbus.
In another move at least partially related to injury, the Flyers recalled forward Jacob Gaucher from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
Gaucher was assigned to the AHL on Sunday; Owen Tippett, who has been day-to-day since Oct. 15, could have returned, but he's not quite close enough to returning to action. Tippett has been skating away from the rest of his Flyers teammates as of late.
The Chicago Blackhawks (3-8-0) had a better showing against the Florida Panthers on Sunday afternoon, but they still managed to skate away with nothing in the standings.
Now, the Blackhawks will end their 7-game home stand by welcoming the Los Angeles Kings (3-5-2), who haven’t been doing much better. The Kings have played one fewer game than the Blackhawks but still slightly edge them out in the overall league standings.
The Kings are closer to the Blackhawks in overall talent than some of their previous (and future) opponents, which should allow both sides to gain some confidence in certain areas of the game.
Scouting Los Angeles
The Los Angeles Kings are coming into this game after playing the night before. They defeated the New York Rangers 6-3 at Madison Square Garden and now have to play the Blackhawks after a long night of travel from New York.
Last season, captain and franchise icon Anze Kopitar hung up his skates after a Hall of Fame-worthy career. Now, with Drew Doughty finishing out his playing days as the team’s captain, they are retooling on the fly. They don’t like being one of the worst teams in the Pacific so far, but it’s the reality of the situation until they pull themselves out of it. The Kings expect to be in the playoffs every year. Most of the time, they get their wish.
Panarin - Laferriere - Kempe
Moore - Byfield - Ward
Laughton - Haula - Armia
Lee - Helenius - Perry
Gustafsson - Clarke
Edmundson - Doughty
Anderson - Dumoulin
Forsberg
Darcy Kuemper started in goal for the Kings against the Rangers, so the Blackhawks are likely to see Anton Forsberg in this one. They will be without Mats Zuccarello, Kevin Fiala, and Alex Turcotte, who are all working their way back from injuries.
At forward, the Kings don’t have Kopitar anymore, and a few guys are on the IR, but that doesn’t mean that they have no talent. This group is led by former Blackhawks star Artemi Panarin, who brings a dynamic ability to generate offense as well as anyone.
On defense, Doughty is still a notable player, but Brandt Clarke is their new number-one guy. Having the elder future Hall of Famer on the same team is quite helpful. If the young Blackhawks want to beat the Kings, pushing the pace against their aging group is one of the keys.
Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago
The Blackhawks are right there with the Kings at the bottom of the NHL standings. They've lost 3 straight games, and a couple of them have been lousy efforts. Now, they have a chance to bounce back against a team that should be less fresh than they are.
Kantserov - Bedard - Greene
Bertuzzi - Frondell - Donato
Moore - Nazar - Kane
Smith - Greenway - Teravainen
Vlasic - Cole
Kaiser - Levshunov
Korchinski - Rinzel
Knight
Spencer Knight is going to make his 7th start in a row, and his 12th start out of Chicago's 12 games so far. Jeff Blashill said he is going to find time to play Arvid Soderblom at some point, but there have been no back-to-backs yet. That has allowed them to keep going with Knight, who gives them the best chance to win.
The lines are in a blender again. Ryan Greene, who scored his first goal of the season last time out, is going to be on the top line with Connor Bedard and Roman Kantserov. Greene spent a lot of time with Bedard last season, and it was a decent line. Jordan Greenway will go down and be the fourth-line center in Greene's place.
Patrick Kane is moving down to play with Frank Nazar. Oliver Moore will be the third forward on the line as he returns from being a healthy scratch. Andrew Mangiapane comes out for Moore.
On defense, Bowen Byram is not ready to come back yet. He has been skating in a non-contact sweater, but won't play against the Kings. Kevin Korchinski played well enough to earn another game, but it was fair to wonder if Jeff Blashill would agree to do it. Well, Korchinski is going to be in on Tuesday night with another chance to prove himself.
Chicago's Power Play
The Blackhawks are going to try the 5-forward top power play unit again. It hasn't worked well for multiple reasons, but Jeff Blashill is sticking with it. The two units will look like this to start the game on Tuesday:
Unit 1:
Bertuzzi
Kane-Kantserov-Bedard
Teravainen
Unit 2:
Greene
Nazar-Donato-Frondell
Rinzel
The change that Blashill made to address the issue is flipping Patrick Kane and Connor Bedard. If that doesn't get the top unit going, it will be time for them to make more changes to the personnel within the units.
If they don't get out of the basement of the power-play rankings, it is going to be incredibly difficult to turn their season around. After going 0/7 against the Florida Panthers on Sunday, look for them to work hard to finally get one.
The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. It can be seen locally on CHSN. Nationally, you can stream it on ESPN+. The puck will drop shortly after 7:00 PM CT.
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But hosts all out for 329 after being 140-0 at lunch
For a time, it was heading up there with the worst. David Gower at Leeds in 1989, when Australia topped 600 and declared. Nasser Hussain in Brisbane, 2002, when Australia were 364 for two by the end of the day. Edgbaston 2005, where England lamped 407 from 80 overs. Those were the looming comparisons for captains deciding to bowl at the toss, after Pat Cummins did the same in the third Test at Cape Town, only for South Africa’s openers to smash 140 by lunch. Yet, by day’s end, Australia had taken 10 for a further 189, Mitchell Starc destroying the tail with four wickets in six balls, 329 all out constituting a serious Australian comeback.
What a rollercoaster. The Australian setup has looked frazzled on this tour: confused player selections for the squad, then for the XIs, confused shot selection in the middle, players bouncing around the order with nightwatch duties and injury absences. Here they chose to leave out their best player from the second Test, Scott Boland, for Nathan Lyon, and were forced to leave out their best player of the last decade, Steve Smith, for Josh Inglis, as well as dropping Nic Maddinson and Beau Webster for Cameron Green and Cooper Connolly. The last time a touring Australian side made four non-disciplinary changes was in the West Indies in 1984.
