ATLANTA, GA - JULY 21: Pitching coach Jeremy Hefner (85) of the Atlanta Braves confers with pitcher Jr. Ritchie (60) and catcher Drake Baldwin (30) during the Tuesday evening MLB game between the Atlanta Braves and the San Diego Padres on July 21, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
It wasn’t exactly a banner day for JR Ritchie or Owen Murphy last night, as both got knocked around by the Cubs. Ritchie was coming off some really dominant outings in Triple-A, but that didn’t translate at all. They’re also not the only somewhat-promising arms that have floundered for the Braves this year.
JR Ritchie: 23 years old, 62 2/3 IP, 119 ERA-, 135 FIP-, 116 xFIP-
Ritchie has gotten a fair bit of rope this year, and done very little with it. His xFIP- isn’t that bad but it’s still not a guy you really want throwing a bunch of innings in the majors, especially since he’s also been homer-prone. Waldrep had a lot of success down the stretch in meaningless games in 2025 (1.2 fWAR), but his career has been upended by injuries (surprise, surprise). Smith-Shawver at least looked okay at times last year before his arm blew up. Murphy has had very little MLB exposure, but isn’t showing much to dream on, either.
I think in some ways, Ritchie is the most disappointing to date, since he doesn’t have the injuries to blame like Smith-Shawver and Waldrep. I guess I’d say that he might end up with the best career among this quartet, but he’s really gotta figure out a way of pitching that actually works. He has some decent building blocks, but the command is so abominable that it’s almost hard to believe that he was getting 50 FVs and all the other accolades with mechanics in total disarray basically from the jump.
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 15: Phillies pitcher Cristopher Sanchez (61) reacts after a pitch during the Philadelphia Phillies versus Washington Nationals Major League Baseball (MLB) game on September 15, 2026 at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.. (Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Perhaps no one personifies the rollercoaster that has been the 2026 Phillies better than Cristopher Sánchez. The ace lefty has gone from breaking hallowed records to getting hit around and back again. Just look at his monthly splits so far for 2026:
Sánchez’s historic May coincided with the Phillies rise from their early season skid to find themselves back in contention. Conversely, his rough July came in conjunction with the Phillies 9-15 record that caused their lead for a postseason spot to dwindle. But yet again, Sánchez rebounded in August, and the team did with him as they went 21-7. Now in September, Sánchez is off to a rough start, and the Phillies are clinging to a postseason spot. His most recent outing on Tuesday ended up being a brutal loss to the Nationals in which Sánchez was charged with five runs and the Phillies failed to take advantage of a golden opportunity to give themselves more breathing room in the race.
Not only is Sánchez giving up more hits than he did in his strong August, he’s also seen his walk rate slowly climb dating back to June. He’s struggled more and more to throw strikes as the season has worn on, leading him into deeper pitch counts than usual and preventing him from pitching as deep as is usually expected of a pitcher of Sánchez’ capabilities. Perhaps most concerning is the collapse in whiff rate against Sánchez, particularly on his signature changeup. It’s obviously a small sample for the month of September, but the whiff rate on the changeup has plummeted to 31.1%, down from 54.5% in August and even down from the 43.4% in July. As the season has worn on, Sánchez has thrown the pitch in the zone less and less, and it appears that now hitters are laying off of it and remaining disciplined. That’s depriving Sánchez of his out pitch and leading to those deep counts and innings where numerous seeing eye base hits get through.
Sánchez’ recent struggles are amplified now not only because it’s the stretch run, but because the injury to Jesús Luzardo will force Sánchez and Zack Wheeler to carry a heavier load as the team tries just to get into the postseason. He has of course shown that he can rebound, but time may be running out for Sánchez to get himself right. The team can’t afford to wait another month for their ace to right the ship.
So, do you think Cristopher Sánchez will rebound in time?
Send in your questions now for this week’s episode of The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast to discuss everything Pistons. Submit your question in the comments section here or on Twitter to @TheRealWesD3 and/or @RobbieBettelon. If you’re on BlueSky, you can also send to @RobbieBettelon.bksy.social.
Join us live on Friday afternoon as Wes and Robbie discuss Pistons news late into September. What questions would you like to add to the show?
Plus, The Pindown has a phone line where you can leave a message and hear your voice on the show. Call (313) 355-2717 and leave us a voicemail with your question. Please try to keep the message around 45 seconds or less so we can fit everyone into the show.
The podcast will be uploaded to all audio platforms the following morning.
The Mets open up the final home series of the 2026 MLB season with a four-game set against the Philadelphia Phillies, starting with Thursday night's 7:15 p.m. on FOX. Here's what to know about the game and how to watch...
Mets Notes
Nolan McLean carries a 3.24 ERA and 1.176 WHIP over 166.2 IP into his 30th start of the season
Despite a rough go his last time out, in 10 starts since the All-Star break, the right-hander has a 2.73 ERA in his last 59.1 innings, including six shutout innings of two-hit, 10-strikeout ball against Thursday's opponents
A.J. Ewing went 5-for-11 in the three-game set with Baltimore and has started off slashing .383/.444/.617 for a 1.061 OPS in 13 games in September
Ewing also recorded his 24th steal of the season on Wednesday night, tying Mookie Wilson's franchise record for most steals by a rookie
Aaron Nola has struggled this year with a 4.69 ERA and 1.370 WHIP in 161.1 innings over 30 outings
Nola has been bitten by the long ball once again, allowing a league-leading 34 to give him 251 allowed over his 1,877 career innings. He's allowed five in 11 innings against the Mets this year: Juan Soto (2), Francisco Alvarez (2), Brett Baty (1)
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Dereck Lively II works out at the Duke University campus during Duke Brotherhood offseason sessions. | Courtesy Dallas Mavericks
We polled the Mavs Moneyball readership a couple of weeks back on how many games the readership expected Dereck Lively II to play in 2026-27, a year removed from a lost season of just seven games.
I was shocked at how many of you answered “zero” and seemed to mean it.
If Lively plays zero games this year, keeping him around for the promise of “next year” after two straight full seasons lost would seem like a fool’s errand.
But perhaps you were wise to keep your expectations at a minimum. After all, our Feed post came roughly a month after Lively himself admitted, on June 26, that he’s “not able to run and jump yet” and that he’s “taking my time… more time than I need to make sure that I don’t have to deal with this foot again.”
Dereck Lively talks about how he’s feeling physically:
“I’m not able to run and jump yet. I’m taking my time. I’m taking more time than I need to make sure that I don’t have to deal with this foot again.” pic.twitter.com/oSnInhFXoy
Those were not inspiring words at the time. Lively played his final game of the 2025-26 season on Nov. 21 last year against the New Orleans Pelicans, in what ended as a 118-115 win. The team announced Lively’s season-ending surgery on Dec. 10 after persistent discomfort and swelling dogged his recovery.
So what do these photos of Lively working out on campus at Duke, where he played his lone season of college basketball, as part of this year’s Brotherhood offseason sessions, mean? Lively certainly appears to have put in some upper-body work while his right foot has been out of commission.
Mavericks center Dereck Lively II works out on campus at Duke University in September 2026. | Courtesy Dallas Mavericks
Sure, the photos of Lively from last weekend are still images. He’s not featured in the scrimmage highlights that the Duke social media team has put out there, like his teammates Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg are. He’s still not ready for that kind of run, which, yes, still gives massive doubt as to whether and when he’ll be able to return to full-speed action on an NBA court any time soon.
But we’re searching. We’re seekers. We’re searching for any signs of optimism in Lively’s recovery arc here. And we’re finding it at the Gun Show. He looks absolutely yoked, relative at least to the skinny, athletic youngster we knew him as when he last consistently gave the Mavs any real minutes.
We love to see it. They put a little more wind in our sails as the offseason begins to feel more and more like the preseason.
Dereck Lively II works out at Duke University’s offseason Brotherhood sessions. | Courtesy Dallas Mavericks
Irving and Lively are our last link to that recent iteration of the Mavericks that made fans feel anything at all. We need to see them contributing to something worthwhile on the basketball court, if only for our own sanity at this point.
The next hopeful signal from the Mavericks’ front office or coaching staff concerning Lively’s recovery from the foot injury will be the first. We don’t expect him to be ready to go when the season starts on October 21 at the Houston Rockets, which is just over a month from now, by the way.
But we need to see more from Lively in relatively short order, and these recent photos are the only thing delivering at the moment. There’s literally more of him, get it? Because of all the added muscle?
Dominican professional baseball catcher Will Smith and his wife Cara Smith attend the Harold & Carole Pump Foundation 26th Anniversary Celebrity Dinner honoring the 2025 World Champions Los Angeles Dodgers at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California on August 20, 2026. (Photo by Connor Terry / AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images
Dodgers catcher Will Smith was the team’s nominee for the 2026 Roberto Clemente Award, the annual honor that recognizes players for their contributions both on and off the field, named for the legendary Hall of Fame former Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder.
Smith and his wife Cara founded Catching Hope, “a nonprofit organization working to help underprivileged children with critical skills needed for leadership, self-advocacy, and self-sufficiency.” Among the projects by the organization this year include an art installation at Marquez Elementary School in Los Angeles in April, a comedy night in Beverly Hills in May as part of the Netflix is a Joke Fest, a community clinic for an elementary school at Dodger Stadium in May, and a visit to UCLA hospital in August.
Will Smith stopped by the @UCLAHealth Santa Monica Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Clinic to surprise some special Dodger fans. 🥹 pic.twitter.com/3FpwRKY7Y0
Fans can vote on the Clemente Award through September 27, the final day of the regular season. The fan vote will count as one vote in a panel that also includes members of the MLB commissioner’s office, MLB.com writers, MLB television media partners, and members of Roberto Clemente’s family.
Old friend Justin Turner, who won the Clemente Award in 2022 and was also the Dodgers nominee for the honor in 2017, 2018, 2020, and 2021 as well, won another title on Tuesday night. His Tijuana Toros beat the Tabasco Olmecas four games to two to win the best-of-7 Serie del Rey to win the Mexican League championship.
The Columbus Blue Jackets have 14 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #14.
Let's take a look.
Ray Whitney - 2001-2003 - Drafted by San Jose in 1991.
Whitney played 151 games as a Jacket and was the Captain for one. During the one year he was the Captain, he scored 24 goals and totaled 76 points, which set a CBJ record. Ray Whitney is the best player to have worn #14 for the Blue Jackets.
When Ray Whitney was traded to the Blue Jackets, the 28-year-old had already played 528 games in the NHL spanning 10 seasons. But he had never played a full 82-game season; he only averaged 53 games a year. So, when the CBJ traded for him in 2001, fans were as excited as ever for the fledgling franchise. They were getting a goal-scorer and a relatively young playmaker.
After his time with Columbus, he went on to play for another 10 years and a total of 1,330 games. He played a total of 22 seasons in the NHL and had over 1,000 points. He would retire in 2015.
In a game at Nationwide Arena in November 2001 against the St. Louis Blues, Whitney scored this goal, which is still a legendary goal in CBJ history. The radio call from play-by-play icon George Matthews, with his partner Bill Davidge, still gives me chills.
Greg Mauldin - 2004 - Drafted by Columbus in 2002.
Played 6 games for Columbus and had no points. He went on to play 30 more NHL games after leaving Columbus.
Mauldin left for Europe in 2012, where he played in Switzerland, Russia, Germany, and Norway. He played until 2024 before retiring.
Raffi Torres - 2009-2010 - Drafted by the New York Islanders in 2000.
Torres played 111 games for the Jackets and had 51 points. He was traded to the Buffalo Sabres on March 3, 2010.
Torres retired on November 5, 2016.
Grant Clitsome - 2011-2012 - Drafted by Columbus in 2004.
He played 93 games for Columbus and had 36 points before being put on waivers on February 26, 2012.
On June 1, 2016, Clitsome retired after suffering a serious shoulder injury.
Blake Comeau - 2013-2014 - Drafted by the New York Islanders in 2004.
Comeau played 79 games and had 21 points for the CBJ. In the summer of 2014, he left in free agency to join the Pittsburgh Penguins.
He would go on to play 909 games in the NHL and retired during the 21-22 season.
Dean Kukan - 2015-2022 - Kukan is undrafted out of Volketswil, Switzerland.
Dean Kukan made his NHL debut in March of 2016 after playing the majority of the season with the Lake Erie Monsters. After playing in 8 games near the end of the season, he was sent back to Lake Erie and would help the Monsters win their first-ever Calder Cup. He had 5 points in 17 playoff games.
Kukan would bounce up and down between Columbus and Cleveland until 2022. He would play a total of 153 games for the CBJ and total 30 points. He excelled in the minors, though. He played in 142 games for Lake Erie/Cleveland and totaled 59 points as a fairly skilled two-way defenseman.
After the 2022 season, Kukan made the decision to return to Europe. He returned to his home country of Switzerland to play for his original club, the ZSC Lions, on a five-year contract.
Kukan is also routinely chosen to represent the Swiss in international competitions. He played in the 2025 IIHF World Championships, where he scored 9 points in 10 games. He also played in 5 games for Switzerland at the 2026 Olympics.
Gustav Nyquist - 2020-2023 - Drafted by the New York Islanders in 2004.
Nyquist played 200 games as a Jacket before being traded to the Minnesota Wild in 2023. During his time in Columbus, which included a missed season due to injury, he scored 43 goals and had 117 points.
After being traded to the Wild, he would leave that summer and sign with the Nashville Predators in 2023 on a two-year deal. On 1 March 2025, he was traded back to the Wild to finish the season. On 2 July 2025, Nyquist signed a one-year contract with the Winnipeg Jets. He is currently unsigned.
Gus Nyquist and his family still live in the Columbus area.
Joseph LaBate - 2025 - Drafted by Vancouver in 2011.
LaBate played a total of six games for the Blue Jackets during the 2024-25 season. He originally signed a PTO with the Cleveland Monsters, but in November, the CBJ signed him to a one-year deal, which allowed him to play for Columbus.
LaBate signed a one-year deal with Vancouver this past offseason.
There are 14 days left until opening night at Nationwide Arena.
Well, if you have a burr under your saddle about how a player is doing, send me a note. I’ll write a few paragraphs about how bad they are doing. Then in the next game, he will explode (i.e. PCA, Monday night). You’re welcome.
In the meantime, I’ll work my “magic” on Seiya Suzuki. PCA’s problems were prominent as the lead-off hitter. Suzuki’s troubles were slightly covered up by PCA and Alex Bregman’s successes, but actually are worse.
Suzuki cruised through August, where he hit .303 (33-of-109), 25 R, 10 2B, 6 HR, 20 RBI, 17 BB, 26 K, 2 SB. September has been a totally different story. Suzuki is hitting .170 (8-of-47), 7 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 12 BB, 11 K, 0 SB. My calling on PCA was that he having a lack in power — this is a much better example of that. Eight hits, just three XBH, and a drastic decrease in runs scored or driven in. Come on, Seiya, prove my “lucky” comments does work out for you in the next few games.
The Cubs split two games with the Braves Monday and Tuesday, and had a 50% success percentage while having two excellent starting pitching performances, one marred by the One-Bad-Pitch error. I’m sure that every team has this problem, especially sporadically, or in short bunches. This has been an entire-season event for the Cubs.
If not for PCA’s big game, David Peterson would be the easy winner of Player of the Game Monday — I just might name him so, because it was his biggest performance thus far with the Cubs. Six innings of one-run ball, three hits, three walks and seven strikeouts, with 56 of his 85 pitches for strikes.
Kevin Gausman was on his way to an even better game. He entered the sixth inning Tuesday, having allowed just two hits, no walks and five strikeouts before it became unraveled. After his sixth strikeout, Gausman gave up a single, a two-run homer and an infield single before leaving with a 3-2 lead.
Daniel Palencia did his job, stranding the inherited runner and got the out to end the inning. But Jacob Webb and Edward Cabrera imploded, having each given up a two-run home run to put the game out of reach.
Offensively, outside of PCA’s 4-for-5 night with a double, home run, stolen base and four RBI, there wasn’t much there. The closest to having a good two games this weekend was by Michael Busch, who was 1-for-6 with three walks and three runs scored.
On Monday, Nico Hoerner went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two RS. Michael Conforto and Carson Kelly had RBI hits. Tuesday, Matt Shaw was 2-for-2 with a walk and a run scored. Pedro Ramirez had a hit and RBI, and Miguel Amaya had an RBI.
Tuesday, the Cubs didn’t get a runner in scoring position after the fourth inning and managed just five hits in the game.
Peterson, Gausman and PCA were definitely the stars of the two games. They just needed a bit more help on Tuesday.
I appreciate your reading.
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Jordan Bastian (MLB.com): PCA joins Hall of Famer Williams with 42nd homer on 4-hit, 4-RBI night. “Dating back to his early days with the Cubs, Pete Crow-Armstrong always showed a level of respect for the team’s icons when they would visit Spring Training or make a stop by Wrigley Field.”
Matthew Trueblood (North Side Baseball): Nothing the Cubs Have Tried with Edward Cabrera Has Worked. “When the Cubs acquired Edward Cabrera from the Marlins over the winter, everyone agreed that the team would make some interesting changes to his pitch mix. Unfortunately, none of the ones they’ve implemented have turned out well.”
Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): Jacob Webb’s Water Needs to Find Level Before Cubs Drown. “If the Cubs had the benefit of an even moderately reliable bullpen, Jacob Webb might have to be worried about finding a red tag in his locker soon.”
Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): The Cubs’ Farm System Grade is Passing, But Barely. “There are always bright spots and hopefully some longer-term progress, but it’s inarguable that the system, on paper right now, doesn’t look like it’s one of the better ones.”
Matthew Trueblood (North Side Baseball): Can Pete Crow-Armstrong Resist the Temptation to Try to Save the Cubs? “It’s not selfishness. At this point in the season, it might not even be voluntary. One way or another, though, Pete Crow-Armstrong is back in swing mode, trying to single-handedly win games that must be won, instead, as a team.”
Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): PCA Sets Several New Precedents in Monday’s Win. “He set or tied at least two team records, joined an elite group of franchise superstars, and essentially created a new category for repeated offensive excellence during Monday’s win.”
Leo Morgenstern, Joey Peterson, Taylor Greenhut (Just Baseball): Who Matches Up Best To Take Down the Dodgers in the Playoffs?. “Simply put, while there are questions surrounding the pitching staff, this is the one team that could get past the Dodgers thanks to its ability to hit better than anybody else.”
Sam Caulder (North Side Baseball): The Biggest Winners and Losers in the Cubs’ Farm System in 2026. “From breakout performances to disappointing seasons, there was no shortage of storylines across the Cubs’ farm system this year. With the season nearly in the books, here are some of the biggest winners and losers from 2026.”
Since making his debut on CD as a singer/songwriter, John Fusco has proven himself to be as equally as talented a bandleader as he is a screenwriter and movie/TV producer. The filmmaker who gave us Young Guns, Hidalgo, Thunderheart and The Highwayman, he’s a storyteller with few peers as this disc, which delivers a blues-filled saddlebag of what he terms the “Wild West Soul of America” shows.
Raised in Prospect, Conn., Fusco spent his early adulthood in the South as a laborer and blues singer. He delivers a film-noire mix of blues and roots held together by gritty lyrics – in this case, the description of folks who find themselves trapped between past mistakes and an uncertain future. The songs unfold like a film script and are infused with coyote howls, mariachi horns and much, much more. Fusco plays keys throughout. His pleasant, well-worn voice fits perfectly with the theme of his material. Blues takes many forms, and John Fusco has a style that’s truly all his own. Check out this pleaser and I’m sure you’ll agree. It’s a winner on all counts.
Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series.
Sep 4, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies center fielder Jake McCarthy (31) reacts with first baseman TJ Rumfield (7) after being driven in on an RBI in the first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The first article I wrote for Purple Row was a look at the 2025 Rockies base stealing prowess… or lack thereof. In general, the 2025 Rockies were a very fast team across the entire lineup that kept running into outs on the basepaths despite their speed. I posited that the main issue had to do with their conservative approach to taking leads before attempting steals.
On the positive side, while the 2026 Rockies still remain near the bottom in the league in their lead distance they have managed to improve their overall base running by a pretty substantial margin.
The most surface-level means of assessing base running success is to look at a team’s stolen bases. With roughly two weeks remaining, the 2026 Rockies have stolen more bases (100) than they did last season (87). What’s more, they’ve done so with a higher overall success rate (72.5%) than they had last year (68.5%).
Stealing bases, however, is only one component of running the bases.
Fangraphs Base Runs above Average (BsR), which is an attempt to calculate the cumulative baserunning value, is the widest lens through which to get the full picture on the basepaths. Using BsR, we can see obvious improvement for the Rockies this year. While the 2025 version of the team was 30th in MLB at -10.3, this year’s squad has jumped all the way to 14th with a respectable 0.3.
The interesting thing is, almost all of their baserunning gains can be traced back to one player: Jake McCarthy.
Removing his 7.5 BsR would drop the Rockies from 14th in the Majors down to 28th.
Removing his 30 stolen bases would drop the Rockies from 15th in the Majors down to 27th.
Although McCarthy’s legs have lifted the entire team up, the legs of fellow newcomer TJ Rumfield appear to be dragging it down.
Last season, every single Rockies player that got at least 100 opportunities on the bases graded out with a sprint speed above the league average line of 27 feet per second. The highest was Brenton Doyle with a sprint speed of 29.5, and last was Hunter Goodman, who just barely clocked in above league average at 27.2 ft/sec.
This season, the team has a much larger disparity between the fastest and slowest runners on the team:
It should not come as a shock that Rumfield is the slowest runner on the 2026 Rockies by a wide margin. We’ve all seen him run. He’s a hitter not a sprinter.
The margin of his speed difference with the other players on the team, however, is noteworthy.
Rumfield is more than a full foot per second slower than the Rockies second-slowest runner, Troy Johnston. He’s a whopping 5.1 ft/sec slower than the Rockies aforementioned McCarthy, the fastest Rockie. Only four teams have a wider disparity between their fastest runner and their slowest, with the Kansas City Royals taking the crown for the incredible 6.4 ft/sec difference between the sprint speeds of Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez.
As covered this past spring, pure sprint speed isn’t everything when it comes to baserunning. For Rumfield, though, the results do not get prettier when looking beyond his raw speed tool.
While Rumfield hasn’t been caught stealing this season, that’s a result of his decision not to attempt stealing bases. At first glance, it would seem that he knows his limitations as a player and sticks to moving station-to-station on the basepaths.
Baseball Savant attempts to count a player’s full contributions on the basepaths with “Baserunning Runs.” This is counting stat that combines the total outs made on the basepaths (including caught stealing and thrown out trying to stretch hits) and successful advances (including both stolen bases and successful attempts to stretch hits into more bases) and translates them into an equivalent number of runs. Even without having been caught stealing a single time, Rumfield’s negative six Baserunning Runs are the worst in the league.
McCarthy’s six Baserunning Runs are tied for sixth overall in the Majors.
Conclusions
The 2026 Colorado Rockies base running looks wildly different than it did just last year. This is no longer a team full of only speedsters without the ability to make use of that tool effectively.
They are, instead, a team of extremes on the base paths. They are buoyed by a single baserunning star at the same time they are anchored by one of the least-valuable runners in the league.
Given the high value that both McCarthy and Rumfield have brought at the plate and in the field this season, both should be expected to remain fixtures in the lineup heading into next year. This dichotomy of extremes at either end of the baserunning spectrum is likely here to stay for the foreseeable future.
The Isotopes lose their second game in as many days to the Salt Lake Bees. Unlike Tuesday’s game, where the Isotopes lost in heartbreaking fashion in extra-innings, the Bees were in control from the very start of this one.
Jack Mahoney (No. 15 PuRP) continued his struggles at Triple-A. Mahoney started this game and only managed to get through the first two and a third innings before being pulled due to a right-leg injury sustained while fielding a grounder. On the whole Mahoney was charged with three runs, all earned, on four hits and a walk while striking out no one before departing in the third.
Valente Bellozo took over after the unexpected exit of Mahoney in the third and did his best to keep the Isotopes in it. Bellozo pitched until the ninth inning, five and two third innings all told, and allowed a further four runs on nine hits. Evan Shawver took the ball in the ninth, when the game was already out of hand, and threw a scoreless frame.
At the plate the Isotopes struggled to score runs all game long. They scored their first run in the bottom of the fourth when Sterlin Thompson (No. 16 PuRP) walked, advanced to third on a single by Vimael Machín, and then driven in by a Chad Stevens sacrifice fly. The only other Isotopes run of the night occurred after Tyler Freeman led off the eighth with a double and advanced on a couple of ground outs.
Every year MLB names a Roberto Clemente award winner for best representing baseball on and off the field through positive involvement within their community. This year the Rockies have nominated Kyle Freeland for his continued work supporting Special Olympics Colorado. Maddy Dickens of SI.com digs into what qualifies Freeland for the award now that voting has officially begun.
The MLB Pipeline crew go through every team in the league and name their biggest breakout prospect of the year. For the Rockies they have named Cristian Arguelles which shouldn’t be much of a surprise considering the 19-year old earned the DSL MVP award.
Ian Cundall goes through each organization in MLB and assigns their minor league systems with grades for the year. This isn’t comparative rankings between the systems, BA has already done that recently, but instead an assessment of how that system performed and improved from where it was at the start of the year. While the Rockies system only managed to reach the 23rd rank in BA’s midseason farm system rankings, Cundall gives them a high B+ grade for 2026 thanks to the improvements and talent influx this year.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 16: John Rave #16 of the Kansas City Royals reacts after hitting a two run home run in the fourth inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on September 16, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the Guardians beating the White Sox yesterday, the Royals were mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.
Just in case you missed it, the Royals High-A affiliate, the Quad Cities River Bandits won the Midwest League championship on Tuesday night, capping an incredible second half.
Carter Jensen is wrapping up a one-of-a-kind type of season for the Royals.
Justin Lamkin named as the Royals breakout prospect of the year.
Brian Burrows of Kings of Kauffman talks about Bobby Witt Jr.’s all-time status as a Royal.
CLEVELAND, OH - SEPTEMBER 16: Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez (11) celebrates after driving in a run with a double during the sixth inning of the Major League Baseball game between the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Guardians on September 16, 2026, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Cleveland baseball is back to its September highs and excitement. After taking the AL Central back from the White Sox in yesterday’s exciting game, Cleveland finds themself in first place and with a first round bye. Today is an off day for the Guardians, leaving plenty of time for scoreboard watching:
Kansas City @ Houston Astros – 7:15 EDT Detroit @ ChiSox – 7:40 EDT Boston @ Texas – 8:05 EDT
The Athletics will come to town for a weekend series, the last home series of the regular season, starting Friday. The pitching rotation is looking to be Espino, Bibee, Williams.
Guardians probables this weekend
Friday: Daniel Espino (likely opener) Saturday: Tanner Bibee Sunday: Gavin Williams
Last bit of good news for the morning – Ralphy Velazquez returned to the Clippers lineup last night.
Velazquez (lower body soreness) had been out of the lineup since Sept. 6 for precautionary reasons, given where we're at in the season. He's back in there today. https://t.co/ufEVKjok5n
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 29: A detailed view of the Jeff Kent Forever Giants patch featured on the hats of the San Francisco Giants during game two of a doubleheader against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Oracle Park on August 29, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Scott Marshall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
We are on the second to last week of the season for the San Francisco Giants. There are any number of ways to feel about this. Relief, joy, freedom. That’s kind of how I feel about it. Around this time of year, I usually tend to feel the same, but I try to remind myself that come December or so, I would usually start to miss it. But I don’t think that will be the case this year.
But we’ll have plenty of time to give our introspections about this season once it’s over. For now, there is still one question mark hanging over us. And that is what I want to talk about today. As you’re all likely aware, the Willie Mac Award will be given out before next Friday’s game, as is tradition.
Usually I’m pretty decent at guessing who will win these, but I must confess that I have absolutely no read on it this year. That is partially because of how cruddy the season has been, partially because of how cruddy some of the players have been on a human level, and partially because most of the team is…well, gone.
I don’t usually ask you guys to make a prediction that I won’t counter, but I am stumped this season. Not as to who deserves it, I could probably make a couple of solid guesses. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that that is how the team voting will play out. I am trying not to become so cynical as to believe that they will hand the award to a player like Landen Roupp, as one last middle finger to the fans. But at this point, it would not surprise me.
So forgive me, this one time, for not wagering my own guess. Instead, I’d like to know who you think will win this year’s Willie Mac Award?
What time do the Giants play today?
The Giants get a day off before heading to begin a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers this weekend. Gird your loins.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 04: Ryan Dunn #0 of the Phoenix Suns controls the ball during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Footprint Center on November 04, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the 76ers 118-116. 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 Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Every day, we’ll take a closer look at another member of the 2026-27 Phoenix Suns, examining what they bring to the roster and what their role could mean for the season ahead as we count down to training camp and the preseason.
Ryan Dunn
Forward, 6’7”, 217 lbs., 23 years old, 3rd season
Oh, Ryan Dunn. Where do we start with you?
Dunn has had a very up-and-down two-year career thus far. The highs have been high, and the lows have been low. He enters a pivotal third season. This will be the first season he has had the same head coach since Budenholzer was canned after his rookie season.
Dunn was selected 28th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, and was joined by Oso Ighodaro (pick 40) as a pair of young, athletic, defensive-minded prospects hitting a roster which at the time had approximately *checks notes* zero players like that.
Now, with a year in Jordan Ott’s system, we can only hope that everything starts to “click” for him offensively. On defense, he was good, but was not the defender we had all hoped he would be.
Last Season
GP
MIN
PPG
RPG
APG
STL
FG%
3PT%
FT%
OFFRTG
DEFRTG
+/- (TOTAL)
70
19.4
5.8
4.2
1.5
0.9
45.3%
33.1%
48.9%
110.4
108.7
+4
Ryan Dunn appeared in 70 games for the Suns last season, including 16 starts. He did not take the leap that many had hoped for in year two, specifically on the offensive side. His free-throw numbers remained atrocious at 48.9%, giving him a sub-50 FT% for the second consecutive season. His three-point clip slightly improved from 31.1 percent to 33.1 percent.
He only had two games of scoring 15+ points all of last season, once against the Spurs (17 points) in November and the other time being that April regular season finale game against the Thunder (20 points). Dunn had 8 games of 20+ minutes played with 2 points or less. It’s not all about points per game, but when the efficiency is shaky and teams are sagging off you entirely, it’s a problem.
There were some positive moments without a doubt, especially defensively. It was easy to see a vision of him and Rasheer Fleming wreaking havoc together defensively. He still has the ability to be a very useful rotation piece, and could get there as soon as this season.
Contract and Roster Context
Dunn, the 28th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, remains on a rookie contract. He signed a 4-year, $12,998,353 contract with the Suns, including $5,188,560 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $3,249,588.
In 2026-27, Dunn will earn a base salary of $2,784,240, while carrying a cap hit of $2,784,240 and a dead cap value of $2,784,240. Phoenix has a $5,025,553 club option for 2027-28 that they have to exercise by October 31st, 2026. The clock is ticking!
What He Brings
Right now, the one thing you know Ryan Dunn will bring is effort and energy. Defensively, he has some serious flashes, whether it’s being a pest on the perimeter, deflecting passes, or meeting people at the rim for a weakside block. One thing I never question is his hustle or heart when he hits the floor. It’s always there.
The defensive instincts are there, but he just needs to learn how to piece it all together more consistently, and not let his offensive struggles creep into his confidence when he’s on the other side of the floor. He brings athleticism and has put several stars on posters, including Giannis. His fearlessness when in attack mode is a strong suit, and I wish he pursued entering that mode far more often.
To put it simply, Phoenix needs Ryan Dunn to be a (bigger) bodied forward who can defend multiple positions and not hurt them offensively. If he can get to the point where he’s even justnet-neutral offensively, and his defense continues to strengthen with experience, then the path to get there could be sooner than you think.
What Needs to Improve
It’s pretty clear at this point that Ryan Dunn needs to improve offensively. More specifically, shooting the ball. He and Oso have been left wide open for extended stretches, which kills spacing and gives the defense an advantage to contain other offensive threats by sending extra bodies or having the help defense loom a couple steps closer. Those two steps could be the difference. He has to be a threat to the point where he at least has *some* respect from the defense.
As we noted above, his three-point clip slightly improved from 31.1 percent to 33.1 percent. Progress, right? Not exactly, once you realize it came on 1.2 fewer attempts per game.
Can we get the volume back up a bit on a 34.1% clip this year? I think most Suns fans would take that.
Confidence is everything for Dunn. He thrives off it. When it’s lost, it shows on both ends.
Prediction
I want to be optimistic on Dunn, but now with Koa Peat in the mix along with Miles Bridges and a more experienced Rasheer Fleming… it may be difficult for him to find consistent minutes. Royce O’Neale is gone and took a lot of his potential minutes, but Bridges figures to get more and slot into that same spot. Can those two co-exist?
Floor spacing is already a concern for this team, so that’s where things get tricky.
If he makes the rotation and gains confidence early, this could be a breakout season for Dunn. If he gets buried on the bench and doesn’t get consistent time and his confidence is shot, this could be a season where he fades into the background.
And that is why it is a make-or-break year for the Virginia product as he enters year three.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – JANUARY 14: Ryan Dunn #0 of the Phoenix Suns blocks a shot by Trae Young #11 of the Atlanta Hawks during the first quarter at State Farm Arena on January 14, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Final Word.
Success for Ryan Dunn looks like continuing to terrorize opponents defensively while showing he is not a complete offensive liability.
We don’t need him to shoot like Luke Kennard, but he must be some sort of offensive threat. If he isn’t, it will be tough for Jordan Ott to keep him on the court consistently.
Just play confident, show that you put a ton of work into your shooting with real results, and the rest will take care of itself.
TORONTO, ON - January 28 At the end of the game, former team mates Scottie Barnes (4) of the Toronto Raptors and OG Anunoby (8) of the New York Knicks head off the court together.The Toronto Raptors lost 119-92 to the New York Nicks in NBA basketball action at the Scotiabank Arena. January 28 2026 Richard Lautens/Toronto Star (Richard Lautens/Toronto Star via Getty Images) | Toronto Star via Getty Images
The NBA’s Eastern Conference has been clearly inferior to the Western Conference from the moment Michael Jordan called his second retirement after the 1998 Finals. That might finally flip this year. While the West is still home to the league’s top two title contenders in our preseason poll, the East feels stronger 1-10 entering the season for the first time since MJ won his sixth ring in Chicago.
There’s no doubt that the New York Knicks are the team to beat in the Eastern Conference come playoff time. Will that hold during the regular season? The Knicks won 53 games last year, good for the No. 3 seed in the conference. They didn’t find greatness until the playoffs, then put together one of the most dominant championship runs ever.
Let’s rank the Eastern Conference for the regular season only heading into the 2026-27 campaign. This was an incredibly difficult exercise. The Knicks might be the only team that feels like a lock to win at least one series in the East entering the season, and the teams ranked 2-10 in our projection truly feel like they could finish in any order. Check out our latest NBA power rankings for a full picture of the league based championship chances entering the season. Now, let’s predict how teams will finish the East this year.
1. Boston Celtics
I’ve convinced myself the Jaylen Brown trade was the right move for Boston after initially being lukewarm on it. Brown took a lot of shots and wasn’t super efficient with them, his off-ball defense has never been good, and he turns it over a little too much. The Celtics are basically replacing him with a full season of Jayson Tatum, plus Paul George and Mitchell Robinson. This team is really good in the regular season every year, and I don’t expect that to stop. I really think Derrick White is going to shoot the ball better this year, and I could easily see a big leap for Payton Pritchard with more usage. The Celtics’ formula of chucking threes, crashing the offensive glass, and playing tough defense is hard to beat. I wouldn’t pick them to go to the NBA Finals, but I think they will win a lot of regular season games.
2. New York Knicks
“Knicks or the field” is a fair way to frame the playoff race in the Eastern Conference. Mike Brown found something special with this group during the last postseason, and with most of the rotation back and no one expected to fall victim to age-related decline, the Knicks should be a juggernaut again. The Knicks can get the 1-seed if they really want it, but they don’t need it. Regardless of where they enter the playoff race, this is still the team to beat when the games count for real.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland has averaged 53.75 wins per year in their four seasons with Donovan Mitchell, with one first round exit, two second round appearances, and finally a trip to the conference finals last year. Do the Cavs have one more step left in them? Last year’s playoff run wasn’t all that convincing, and at this point Cleveland needs a few things to go right just to avoid being passed up by their conference rivals. Can James Harden stave off age-related decline for one more year at 37 years old? Will Evan Mobley show any growth in his offensive game from last season? Peyton Watson is the only real new addition this year, and it’s possible he can be the athletic wing defender and spot-up shooter the Cavs have always lacked in the Mitchell era. I’m not sold that Watson’s hot January last year is proof he’s a totally new player from earlier in his career, but he better be because Cleveland paid a heavy price to get him. This feels like Cleveland’s weakest bench in the last couple years, and that puts a lot of pressure on the stars to stay healthy. The Cavs will be tough again, but I could see them taking a small step back this year.
4. Orlando Magic
There’s a surprise team in the East every year based on the preseason over/unders, and I feel like that team is usually young and athletic. Orlando was my preseason Finals pick last year, which proved to be a terrible call. Yet when the playoffs rolled around, the Magic looked like a different team, and they should have pulled a 1-8 upset on the Pistons if Franz Wagner didn’t get hurt with a 3-1 lead. I truly believe Jalen Suggs is the skeleton team that unlocks this team. Suggs has battled constant injuries during his short career, and at this point it’s fair to wonder if he’s best deployed in a smaller role a la Alex Caruso. If Suggs can stay on the floor, the Magic could regain their status as an elite defensive team under new head coach Sean Sweeney. Sweeney was the only real change Orlando made over the offseason, and he has a ton of pressure on his shoulders to make this team work given their high payroll even before Anthony Black starts his extension talks. The pairing between Paolo Banchero and Wagner just shouldn’t be this bad even if both are poor shooters. I’m going to guess the results are finally better this year .
5. Toronto Raptors
Toronto had a top-5 defense last year behind Scottie Barnes and Collin Murray-Boyles, and they earned some valuable playoff experience by pushing the Cavs to seven games in the first-round. The main thing the Raptors were missing is someone who could score against a set defense in the halfcourt, and it’s hard to do better than adding Kawhi Leonard. The upgrade from Brandon Ingram to Leonard could make the Raptors a legit Finals contender … provided Leonard can actually finish the season healthy for once. It’s not a great bet. For whatever it’s worth, Leonard did cross the 65 game threshold in two of the last three seasons, but finishing a full playoff run might be an even tougher test. The Raptors could have a hole in the middle if Jakob Poeltl remains troubled by a bad back, which would mean CMB small-ball five minutes could essentially go from a changeup to a fastball. The shooting is a concern for sure after finishing 25th in three-point rate and 21st in three-point percentage last year, and it’s critical that Barnes keeps trending up in that department. The Raptors will make every game a rock fight, but it’s going to be really hard to score on Murray-Boyles, Leonard, and Barnes when it matters, and the offense has a real late-game scoring plan now. A lot can go wrong, but I’m buying the Raptors as one of the East’s top title contenders.
6. Philadelphia 76ers
I’m higher on the Sixers’ playoff ceiling than their regular season projection. It’s hard to count on LeBron James to play a full season at 42 years old, and it’s hard to count on Joel Embiid at all. The Sixers have some nice bench pieces, but they don’t really have a reliable backup center unless Adem Bona or Ariel Hukporti takes a step forward. I’m worried that this team will be soft defensively during the regular season until LeBron turns it up in the playoffs, and I’m a bit skeptical that a player like Jaylen Brown can take to a more off-ball role with so many other scorers around him. This team made the second round last year, and they feel significantly improved this season. Anything less than the franchise’s first conference finals trip since 2001 will be a disappointing, but you can’t blame Philly fans for thinking this season is championship-or-bust.
7. Detroit Pistons
The Pistons smashed their over/under last year by winning 60 games to claim the No. 1 seed, but it was easy to see the problems they were bound to encounter in the playoffs. After nearly losing to Orlando in round one, Detroit remade the look of the team a bit over the summer by adding John Collins, Isaiah Joe, and Taurean Prince, and subtracting Tobias Harris, Isaiah Stewart, and Caris LeVert. I’m not sure it’s going to be any easier for the Pistons to score in the halfcourt this year, and Harris feels like he could be missed as the second-best creator on last year’s team. The spacing is always going to be an issue with Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson sharing the floor, and while I’m bullish on the Joe addition, he won’t change the geometry of the floor by himself. The Pistons should win a lot of regular season games again, but I’m not convinced they took a step toward making it out of the East this summer.
8. Indiana Pacers
The Pacers are the hardest team to project entering the season, and I’m already worried I have them way too low. Tyrese Haliburton impacts winning nearly as much as any player in the league, and I’d expect Indiana to be really good again once he gets comfortable coming off a torn Achilles. Most of the 2025 Finals team around him remains in place with a couple key changes. Ivica Zubac won’t space the floor like Myles Turner did, but he does add more toughness and better rebounding on the interior. The bench feels a bit thinner than the last time Haliburton was healthy, but Kelly Oubre Jr. could be a decent free agent addition. The Pacers were a good-not-amazing regular season team when they reached the Finals two seasons ago with 50 wins, and I could see them outplaying their regular season record again come playoff time once Haliburton gets into a rhythm.
9. Miami Heat
The Heat have the most talented front court in the East with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo, but neither of them are outside shooters, and that’s bound to present some spacing problems offensively. Miami did well to land some shooting around them by signing Klay Thompson and Tim Hardaway Jr., but it still feels like Giannis will be seeing a lot of bodies in the paint this year. The Heat are arguably the best team in the league at finding hidden gems, and they will need to do it again this season to bolster the depth. I like Pelle Larsson as a potential deep breakout guy, and Ryan Conwell and Dru Smith should get plenty of opportunities, too. If Giannis is the best player in the East and Erik Spoelstra is the best coach in the NBA, then why is Miami so low? I don’t really trust Giannis to stay healthy for an entire regular season, for one. I could see Miami being really tough in the playoffs, and we already know they can reach the NBA Finals from the play-in because they did it in 2023. The Heat have some real questions, but chances are Spo will figure things out.
10. Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks missing the top-8 of the East playoff bracket in this projection might be the best example of the conference’s improvement. Atlanta is a very solid team that had a strong offseason coming off a playoff appearance where they were the only team to take multiple games off the Knicks. The trio of Dyson Daniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and newly added Lu Dort might be the best group of perimeter defenders in the league. Onyeka Okongwu started to turn into a legit stretch five last year, and Jalen Johnson could be a perennial All-Star as the team’s closest thing to a franchise player. I just worry that Atlanta will be really dependent on CJ McCollum again for halfcourt creation until rookie Kingston Flemings is ready for primetime, and he’s still a cut below the other star creators in the East. It’s possible I’m too low on Atlanta, but hey! The East is really good.
11. Charlotte Hornets
I hated the LaMelo Ball trade for Charlotte, but even I can see the vision long-term … especially if Ball’s ankles can’t stay healthy. The Hornets were the best team in the league by net-rating after Jan. 1 last year, so it feels odd to trade your best player for not the greatest haul of assets. There’s still plenty of reason to think this year’s Hornets will still be competitive even without the star point guard. Head coach Charles Lee has built a strong identity with a team that will chuck threes and crash the offensive glass. Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller should be able to pick up a little bit of the creation burden, and Coby White is a solid veteran replacement at point guard. The Hornets lacked toughness inside last year, and while Naz Reid can help add more offensive firepower, they still need an enforcer down low. If Charlotte exceeds expectations, they have tons of assets to make a big deal. It sure seems like the Hornets are comfortable playing the long game, though.
12. Washington Wizards
I wish I could buy into the Wizards this year with Anthony Davis, Trae Young, A.J. Dybantsa and a slew of interesting young players in tow, but I can’t fully get there. Davis is famously unreliable, and I’m not convinced he’ll be on the team the whole season. Head coach Brian Keefe hasn’t shown me anything. I like Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson, and Will Riley, but it’s usually pretty hard to develop that many young players and still have playoff expectations. The Wizards finished dead-last in defensive efficiency last season, and they still have tons of questions on that end even with Davis. Dybantsa will be awesome, but I’m not solid on the Wiz yet.
13. Brooklyn Nets
I trust the Nets to beat their very low expectations coming into the season … provided they don’t trade Michael Porter Jr. before opening night. Porter enjoyed a career-year under Jordi Fernandez in Brooklyn last season one year after Cam Johnson enjoyed similar success. Fernandez is one of the best young coaches in the game, and he has a little more talent to work with this season with the arrival of Julius Randle. Add in a potential sophomore leap from Egor Demin, a possible center upgrade with Day’ron Sharpe taking over for Nic Claxton, and the arrival of rookie guard Mikel Brown Jr., and I like Brooklyn more than the early prognostications. Fernandez will get the most out of this group as long as it doesn’t sell off parts.
14. Chicago Bulls
The Bulls are beginning yet another rebuild under new lead executive Bryson Graham, but this one is already off to a more promising start after moving up in the lottery for Caleb Wilson. Wilson has the tools and the mentality to eventually become the franchise player Chicago has been desperate for, and his sudden improvement as a three-point shooter during summer league feels like a great sign for his ability to continue to improve. Wilson and Matas Buzelis should produce tons of above-the-rim plays on both ends of the floor this season, but the Bulls are still staring down a long road to contention. This team could be pretty weak on the glass after landing Nic Claxton as their new center, and the perimeter defense is going to be an issue with Josh Giddey and Norm Powell at the point of attack. The spacing around Wilson remains a question mark, and it’s likely going to produce an ugly halfcourt offense. No one is expecting the Bulls to be good this year, but it’s important that new head coach Tiago Splitter can show progress with this group as the season goes on. Expect the roster to look quite a bit different a year from now as Graham continues to put his stamp on the team.
15. Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks are going to be pretty sad in their first season without Giannis, but you don’t have to search too hard to find a few reasons for optimism. Kel’el Ware was a nice get in the trade as an athletic big man who can space the floor, rookie lottery picks Brayden Burries and Nate Ament will get a long runway to show their long-term talent, and new coach Taylor Jenkins has a history of getting the most of his teams. I love Ryan Rollins as a lead guard with more untapped upside, and I’m willing to buy Kasparas Jakucionis as an upsdie gamble for the backcourt. Milwaukee would do well to trim the fat here, starting with moving off Myles Turner and Kyle Kuzma. It’s hard to know what to make of Tyler Herro as he enters a contract year, but I’d be surprised if he’s around long-term. For now, the Bucks will probably be pretty bad, there’s already a decent collection of young talent on the roster with more assets coming down the pipe from the Giannis trade.
