Opener said it is unfair for ex-players to criticise modern batting lineup
Australia’s vice-captain eager to open in Tests against South Africa
Travis Head has accused Australia’s golden generation of being unfair in “putting a bullet through” current players, saying the game has changed significantly since they played.
Just a day after Matthew Hayden slammed selectors and accused them of promoting “the greatest pile of mediocrity” after calling up Nic Maddinson, Head took his own stand in South Africa.
Legendary broadcaster Mike Breen is walking back a story about LeBron James criticizing Joel Embiid after James called it out as “lies.”
“I’m so disappointed how the story was interpreted,” Breen told ESPN. “The whole intent was praising LeBron for already having an impact on the team’s professionalism and accountability, even something so benign as a player getting on the court for practice a minute or two late.”
LeBron James (23) of the Philadelphia 76ers smiles during a game against the New York Knicks on Monday, October 5, 2026, at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia. NBAE via Getty Images
“Somebody told me before the game that they were out ready to practice, and Joel Embiid walked out on the court a couple of minutes late, and LeBron let him hear it,” Breen said.
The following day, James pushed back, writing on his Instagram, “He ain’t been late so stop the lies.”
NBA Finals broadcast team Richard Jefferson, Tim Legler and Mike Breen, before the Game 1. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“I thought it would be an interesting anecdote to show LeBron’s leadership already on display in Philly,” Breen continued. “For me, the fact that the teammate was Joel was meaningless. In hindsight, I should have realized the fact that it was Joel is what made it a story. I’ve always been a huge fan of Joel and feel awful that it put the focus on him the way that it did.
“I don’t know why the person who told me the story would make it up, but if LeBron says it never happened then I believe him and apologize for putting it out there.”
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) walks back to the bench as the Knicks lead by 29 points during the third quarter of Game 1 of the NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Semifinals against the New York Knicks, Monday, May 4, 2026, at Madison Square Garden. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
It’s not the first time Embiid has been at the center of reports about timeliness.
Two years ago, as the 76ers started 2-11, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania that his Philly teammates were calling Embiid out for lateness “for everything” during the skid.
Ayehsa Curry and Steph Curry watch the match between Jannik Sinner of Italy and Carlos Alcaraz of Spain at the Men's Final of the US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, New York, on September 7, 2025.
Before the Warriors’ first preseason game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night, Steph’s wife, Ayesha, posted an Instagram photo of them in each other’s arms while poolside. Ayesha put the spotlight on their drinks of choice in the caption.
“Game day tomorrow! 1 Hugo spritz and a water for the gentleman please,” the post was captioned.
Steph and Ayesha Curry pose for a photo next to the pool before the Golden State Warriors’ season.
Steph doesn’t need any special urging from Ayesha. He has said in the past that he only drinks during celebrations and in the NBA offseason, which means that this decision for “a water” instead of some boozy drink would have been his to make.
Ayehsa Curry and Steph Curry watch the match between Jannik Sinner of Italy and Carlos Alcaraz of Spain at the Men’s Final of the US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, New York, on September 7, 2025. Annie Wermiel/NY PostNBA star Steph Curry and his wife, Ayesha Curry, walk to their seats before Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus plays against Jessica Pegula of the US during the women’s final match on Arthur Ashe Stadium at the Billie Jean King Center. Jason Szenes for New York Post
That’s definitely worthy of a celebration. Good thing Curry got that deal done before the season began, so that he could toast it with whatever beverage he wanted.
Warriors fans are hoping any alcoholic drinks they have this season will be a cause for celebration rather than for sorrow.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 06: Michael King #34 of the San Diego Padres pitches in the eighth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers in game three of the National League Division Series at Petco Park on October 06, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Wild Card Series between the San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs was the most stress-free and lopsided playoff series the team has ever been a part of. The offense was relentless, and the pitching was dominant. It is unrealistic to expect that against the Milwaukee Brewers.
What we experienced instead was the most stressful and exhausting baseball of any playoff series in recent memory.
With the Friars kicked in the gut the first two games in Milwaukee, losing after being ahead in both games, the team had their backs against the wall in their return home to Petco Park for a must-win Game 3.
Outstanding and a grind
The Friar Faithful likely witnessed the best game of the season in the 4-3 win over the Brewers on Tuesday night. All phases of their game had to be on point. After getting out to a two-run lead, the Padres had to keep responding to a Brewers team that just never quits. Tenacity applies to both teams in this series, and it’s a battle to the end of nine innings to determine who is still standing at the conclusion.
The 47,708 Padres fans in attendance joined the TV audience to fight through 3 hours and 22 minutes of grueling baseball. The competition was spectacular and exhausting.
Key pieces absent
What we didn’t know going into the must-win contest was that closer Mason Miller would be absent to attend the birth of his first child. And Adrian Morejon had a sore shoulder, which would keep them both away from competition.
Down their two most high-leverage relievers, the coaching staff had to put together a plan that would cover whatever innings starter Nick Pivetta left for the bullpen.
Their secret weapon was Michael King
At the conclusion of his start versus Milwaukee in the second game of the series, King told manager Craig Stammen that he would be available for the bullpen in games 3 and 4. After throwing 72 pitches on Sunday in their 4-3 loss, King was all in on providing more depth for the pitching staff. He was a reliever before becoming a starter, a perfect setup to provide reliable depth in the bullpen.
Instead of throwing his regular between-starts bullpen on Tuesday, King reported to the bullpen at the start of the game.
Bogaerts was as surprised as the Friar Faithful
Xander Bogaerts saw King starting to warm up before the eighth inning and couldn’t believe what he was seeing. In the postgame scrum at his locker, Bogaerts’ awe was obvious.
“It’s unbelievable him being available for that,” Bogaerts said.
Being available wasn’t the end of what King was intending. When it became clear that Miller would be away for the game, King became the de facto closer for the Padres. Called into action after Stammen used Jason Adam, Bradgley Rodriguez, and Yuki Matsui from the fifth through seventh innings, King was it for the last six outs. No one outside the organization knew that Morejon was unavailable. The Padres kept that piece of information very private before the game.
When the ninth inning began without anyone warming in the bullpen, it was obvious the burden was King’s to bear.
His six-out save was his first as a major league pitcher and kept the Friars afloat to fight another day.
A must-win Game 4
Manager Craig Stammen wasn’t willing to divulge the Game 4 starter at his postgame news conference on Tuesday night, but Walker Buehler would be the logical choice. That became official a couple of hours after the game, and pitching coach Ruben Niebla also said as much in his post-game scrum with the media.
Buehler last pitched on Sept. 26 against Arizona in the last series of the regular season. He allowed five hits and three runs over 3.2 innings with three strikeouts. He was unavailable to pitch in the first two games versus Milwaukee while attending the birth of his second child in San Diego.
Activated back to the roster on Oct. 5, Buehler should be fresh and tuned up for his start.
The big question now is who will be in the bullpen to back Buehler up. All hands on deck is the battle cry for any team in the postseason. Regular season constraints and workload considerations won’t apply. The staff can’t worry about saving anyone for the next game. There won’t be a next game without winning this one.
Niebla was optimistic that both Miller and Morejon would be a part of their plan for Game 4. He said as much during his postgame comments. The decision on Morejon won’t come until they evaluate him today. Niebla reported that he threw a bullpen session before the game on Tuesday, but he wasn’t healthy enough to pitch that day.
Gavin Sheets should return
The other player originally intended to be available on Tuesday was Gavin Sheets, who was penciled in to DH. He was scratched with a stiff neck that wasn’t responsive to treatment before the game. His availability for Game 4 will be assessed during pregame work. It was reported after the game on Tuesday that he had improved and was available in the eighth inning.
Luck and determination are needed
Hopefully, Morejon, Miller, and Sheets can all be ready for tonight, and the Padres will need more from their offense against the Brewers if they want to push the series to Game 5.
Fernando Tatis Jr. remains in a slump; he is 1-for-14 in the series. After chasing 10 of the 21 pitches he saw outside of the strike zone in the first two games, Tatis was more selective in Tuesday’s contest. He was able to make contact and drive in a run with a groundout in the third inning.
Jake Cronenworth hit a go-ahead home run to the Crone Zone in Game 3, his first meaningful contribution in the series after going 0-for-7 in the first two games. He also laid down a sacrifice bunt in the third inning that contributed to the team’s first run.
With contributions from the full lineup, the Padres will need their complete bullpen to step up. For these two home games, the entire pitching staff is available. Adam, Rodriguez, and Matsui carried the load on Tuesday. Joe Musgrove, Robbie Ray, and David Morgan will need to contribute for this series to continue.
King contends he is able to come in for Game 4 after throwing 41 pitches in his closer role in Game 3. It is likely his availability will be as an emergency-only option.
Luck and determination served the Padres well on Tuesday. They will need more of the same as well as increased contributions from their player depth. An offensive explosion would also be welcomed.
There is enough to pull this out if the team continues to play as a cohesive group and the contributions come from all through the roster. Beating this Brewers team is a challenge but the Friars have been playing with resilience and togetherness.
The Los Angeles Dodgers utilityman hit his 17th career postseason home run Tuesday, Oct. 17, leaving him tied for 18th overall with sluggers Aaron Judge and David Ortiz.
Yet the feat by the 35-year-old Dodger is likely underappreciated.
It wasn’t just a home run Hernandez hit. It was a two-run blast that helped the Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves, 3-1, in Game 3 of the best-of-five NLDS as Los Angeles took a 2-1 lead.
On the all-time playoff homer list, Hernandez needs just one more to catch Reggie Jackson, the legendary New York Yankees slugger who earned the nickname “Mr. October.’’ Would Hernandez earn the right to borrow the moniker and any home run magic that comes with it?
He’s swinging for the fences on a star-studded list led by Manny Ramirez with 26 postseason home runs and populated by Derek Jeter (20), Albert Pujols (19) and Mickey Mantle (18).
Hernandez looks like he crashed the party, with Hernandez the only utilityman on the list of select sluggers.
But perhaps most impressive of all for Hernandez is this: During the regular season, he has averaged a home run every 28.4 at-bats. During the postseason, by contrast, he has averaged a home run every 17.5 at-bats.
This is his 10th season with the Dodgers. Of his 17 postseason homers, he hit 12 for the Dodgers. Perhaps his most memorable was a three-homer game in Game 5 of the 2017 NLCS that helped power the Dodgers past the Cubs, 11-1, and advance into the World Series.
Hernandez hit his other five playoff homers for the Boston Red Sox 2021. He has three World Series championships, all with the Dodgers (2020, 2024, 2025).
Kiké Hernandez further distinguished as fan favorite
Clutch hitting isn’t the only reason Hernandez is a fan favorite with the Dodgers.
In June 2025, after ICE raids hit Los Angeles, Hernandez was the only Dodgers player to address the matter publicly. It was a significant act given the large percentage of Dodgers fans who are Latino.
“I may not be Born & Raised, but this city adopted me as one of their own,” Hernández, who was born and raised in Puerto Rico, wrote on social media. “I am saddened and infuriated by what’s happening in our country and our city. Los Angeles and Dodger fans have welcomed me, supported me and shown me nothing but kindness and love. This is my second home. And I cannot stand to see our community being violated, profiled, abused and ripped apart. ALL people deserve to be treated with respect, dignity and human rights. #CityOfImmigrants.”
When the Dodgers visited the White House July 23, Hernandez was on a minor-league injury rehabilitation assignment for a strained left oblique. But he also told reporters, "If I was active, I probably wouldn't have gone anyways."
Other Dodger playoff sluggers
Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman and Max Muncy are tied for 10th on the postseason home run list with 18 playoff homers apiece.
Former Montreal Canadiens defenseman Alexander Romanov is going to be out of action for a long time.
The New York Islanders announced on Wednesday that Romanov needs to undergo surgery for an ACL tear and will be out for the next six to eight months because of it.
With this news, Romanov is set to miss a significant chunk of the season, at a minimum. If his recovery takes six months, he could return in April during the final stretch of the regular-season. Yet, if he ends up needing eight months to recover, that would likely be the end of his year unless the Islanders go on a long playoff run.
This is terrible news for Romanov. The former Canadiens defenseman was limited to only 15 games last season due to injury. Now, he is missing a significant amount of time again for the Islanders.
Romanov was selected by the Canadiens in the second round of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. In 133 games over two seasons with the Habs, he posted four goals, 15 assists, 19 points, and 365 hits. His time with the Canadiens ended when he was traded to the Islanders following the 2021-22 season.
PHOENIX, AZ - SEPTEMBER 28: Duop Reath #26of the Phoenix Suns poses for a portrait during NBA Media Day on September 28, 2026 at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
We’ve already covered why the Sixers can’t easily replace Hukporti. The TL;DR version: They’re hard-capped at the first apron and don’t have enough wiggle room under it at the moment to sign anyone other than an undrafted free-agent rookie. They’d have to waive Jabari Walker or dump salary to sign someone to a standard contract.
The good news is that they do still have an open two-way spot, which they could use to sign someone as a stopgap solution. After all, they initially signed both Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker to two-way deals last year before converting both to standard contracts, so there’s recent history of them making good use of those spots.
With that in mind, we’ve taken a brief walk around the league to examine some training camp battles that could help the Sixers solve their backup center problem for now. Fair warning: These are not for the faint of heart.
Indiana Pacers
The Pacers have two bigs signed to Exhibit 10 deals, Rienk Mast and Keba Keita. Of the two, Mast might be the better bet. Mast is listed at 6’10” and 250 pounds on the Pacers’ training camp roster, while Keita is 6’8″ and 230 pounds.
Mast spent his first three years of college at Bradley before transferring to Nebraska ahead of the 2023-24 campaign. He averaged 12.8 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 29.5 minutes per game across his 66 games at Nebraska, although he blocked only 26 total shots over those two years. On the bright side, he did shoot 32.5 percent from deep on 4.3 attempts per game, so he could add a floor-spacing element to the Sixers’ frontcourt.
Keita split his college career between Utah and BYU, but he never averaged more than 8.3 points or 7.9 rebounds in any of his four seasons. He was a better shot-blocker than Mast in college, but it’s hard to imagine that translating to the NBA given his height (or lack thereof).
The Pacers do still have one open roster spot, so they could always sign Mast or Keita to a standard contract if either impresses during the preseason. But if both get shipped down to the G League, the Sixers could poach one of them if so desired.
Milwaukee Bucks
Staying in the Central Division, the Milwaukee Bucks also have a pair of centers signed to Exhibit 10 contracts. They just signed Johni Broome (no thank you), but they also added Jake Stephens on an Exhibit 10 in mid-September.
Stephens spent most of his collegiate career at VMI before heading to Chattanooga for his final season. He averaged 22.0 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.2 blocks and 2.1 threes during that lone campaign at Chattanooga before heading overseas for the past few years.
Last season, Stephens played for KK Split in the Croatian A-1 League and Adriatic League ABA. He chipped in 9.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.4 blocks and 0.3 threes in 16.1 minutes per game while shooting 54.2 percent overall and 29.4 percent from deep across 61 appearances.
Stephens turns 27 in early November and has a few years of international experience, so he’s more seasoned than a typical NBA rookie. That could be appealing for a Sixers team that’s smack dab in a win-now window.
New York Knicks
Out of any camp battle, this is the one worth keeping an eye on, even if it wouldn’t necessarily provide immediate relief for the Sixers.
The Knicks signed all three of James Wiseman, Tony Bradley and Drew Eubanks to Exhibit 9 contracts leading up to training camp. That’s notable, as Exhibit 10 deals have ties to the G League, whereas Exhibit 9s do not.
The cost-conscious Knicks do have two open roster spots, and Stefan Bondy of the New York Postrecently reported that they’re planning to fill one of them with a center. Wiseman got the most playing time of the three in the Knicks’ preseason opener Monday against the Sixers, finishing with eight points on 3-of-4 shooting, five rebounds and one block in nine minutes. Bradley had two points and no other contributions of note in six minutes, while Eubanks had one point, one rebound, one turnover and two fouls in his six minutes.
The Knicks are less than $3.3 million below the second apron, which team owner James Dolan adamantly refuses to cross, so they don’t have enough wiggle room to sign two of Wiseman, Bradley or Eubanks. Regardless of which one they sign, the other two will head back into free agency, where the Sixers can keep tabs on them once the calendar flips to December. (Unfortunately, none of Wiseman, Bradley or Eubanks are eligible for two-way deals since they have more than three years of NBA experience.)
OKC Thunder
The last thing the Oklahoma City Thunder need is another center. They already have Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein, Thomas Sorber and Aday Mara taking up four of their 15 standard roster spots. That didn’t stop them from signing Christoph Tilly to an Exhibit 10 contract, though.
Tilly spent his first three collegiate seasons at Santa Clara before transferring to Ohio State ahead of the 2025-26 campaign. He averaged 11.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.5 blocks and 0.4 made threes in 26.0 minutes per game with the Buckeyes across 32 outings. He shot only 23.2 percent from deep on low volume, so he isn’t much of a threat from long range, but he’s not a complete non-factor, either.
The Thunder liberally rested starters in their preseason opener against the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday, which allowed them—and the rest of the league—to get a long look at Tilly. He finished with nine points on 4-of-7 shooting, four rebounds, two assists, one block, three turnovers and four fouls in 25 minutes.
Tilly is listed on the Thunder’s training camp roster as 7’0″ and 246 pounds, so he at least has the size to fill in behind Embiid and Bona. Stephens might be the more promising option based on his overseas experience, but Tilly could be an intriguing flier.
Phoenix Suns
Finally, someone with actual NBA experience!
After going undrafted in 2023, Duop Reath initially signed a two-way deal with the Portland Trail Blazers. The Blazers wound up converting him after the 2024 trade deadline to a three-year, $6.2 million minimum contract.
Reath appeared in 146 games for the Blazers during his three seasons in Portland, including 20 starts his rookie year. He finished his tenure there with averages of 6.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.0 threes and 0.4 blocks in only 13.3 minutes per game. The Blazers wound up trading him and two second-round picks to the Atlanta Hawks for Vít Krejčí ahead of last year’s trade deadline, and the Hawks promptly waived him.
Reath signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Suns this offseason, but they already have 15 players under standard contract and all three of their two-way spots filled. If the Sixers prefer to sign someone with NBA experience to their last two-way spot, the 6’9″, 245-pound Reath might be their best option at center, particularly since he overlapped with Anfernee Simons and Rayan Rupert in Portland.
Toronto Raptors
After spending five seasons at Oregon, Nate Bittle went undrafted this past summer and promptly signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Toronto Raptors. He averaged 9.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.8 blocks and 1.8 threes in only 20.6 minutes per game in his four summer-league outings while shooting 50.0 percent overall and 43.8 percent from deep.
That shot-blocking and three-point-shooting ability wasn’t an outlier, either. During his super-senior season at Oregon, Bittle averaged 1.8 blocks and 1.4 threes per game, although he shot only 31.9 percent from distance.
The Raptors do still have one standard roster spot open, although they’re less than $1 million below the first apron. They presumably won’t be willing to cross that and subject themselves to the first-apron restrictions to sign a 15th man, even if it means playing keep-away from a division rival.
Utah Jazz
After going undrafted in 2025, Jonas Aidoo signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Charlotte Hornets, who promptly waived him two days later. He latched on with their G League affiliate in late December and averaged 5.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 0.8 blocks in only 11.5 minutes per game while shooting 55.2 percent overall.
The 6’11”, 240-pound center signed another Exhibit 10 deal this offseason, albeit with the Utah Jazz this time around. He’s played sparingly over their first two preseason games, although he did chip in six points on 2-of-3 shooting, five rebounds and a block in only eight minutes against the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday.
The Jazz have plenty of breathing room under the aprons and do have an open roster spot, so they could choose to sign Aidoo to a standard contract or convert one of their two-ways to a standard deal and hand him that open two-way deal instead. But if he does shake loose, he has a year’s worth of G League experience that could give him a leg up on some of the other fresh-out-of-college options whom the Sixers might consider for their last two-way spot.
Again, none of these options are perfect. But the Sixers are desperate for a warm body who’s roughly 7 feet tall in the wake of Hukporti’s injury. Thankfully, they could have some half-decent options available in the next few weeks as long as these Exhibit 10 signees don’t get converted to standard contracts.
That drama landed in Philadelphia in the last few days, and it started with a guy who is the polar opposite of a rumor monger, Knicks and ESPN/ABC broadcaster Mike Breen. He was calling the Knicks vs. 76ers preseason game and said he had been told LeBron called out Joel Embiid for being late to practice.
Here’s Mike Breen saying it on the broadcast.
For the record, I don’t think this is negative at all.
It’s a great representation of the guys willing to hold each other accountable.
"I'm just surprised by what I was told before, and what you guys are asking me about, because he's been excellent. He's in great shape. He's been on the practice floor. He's worked very hard, and he looks really great. So it just surprises me that something like that came out right now."
“If LeBron says it never happened then I believe him and apologize for putting it out there"
Don't be surprised, this is life with LeBron in the locker room. Fair or not, he is a magnet for drama, and the bright spotlight he brings means things that would be shrugged off on other teams become a multi-day story on his teams. That's life.
Apparently LeBron didn't call out Embiid, but if he had done that for being late to practice, then LeBron would have been justified. That is the kind of thing a team leader should do. It apparently was just not needed here.
Chisholm is out of the lineup for Game 3 of the American League Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday at Yankee Stadium, two days after his wild throw opened the door in a 5-2 loss. Anthony Volpe starts at second base and bats seventh, his first start of the series.
The Yankees trail 2-0 in the best-of-five series and are on the brink of elimination.
Aaron Boone has benched Chisholm before this postseason. He started Volpe at second in Game 1 of the wild-card series against the Boston Red Sox, but that was a platoon split. Boston started left-hander Payton Tolle, and Volpe hits right-handed. Boone called it a tough decision that time.
Wednesday night, after Chisholm's error it wasn't as hard a decision. Tampa Bay is is starting right-hander Nick Martinez, a pitcher Chisholm normally plays against. He also started Jose Caballero at third over Ryan McMahon.
Boone admitted he was hoping for a spark offensively and defensively from Volpe and Caballero, but he also said it was a gut feeling after Game 2.
"Look, postgame and sitting on the plane, I just felt like that's the way I wanted to go with (Volpe) and Cabby," Boone said.
In the bottom of the first inning of Game 2, Chisholm took the throw at second for the force out and then spun and fired off balance to first to try and get a double play. The ball sailed wide and Yandy Diaz scored. It was the first of three errors in the first four batters. All three of the Rays first-inning runs were unearned.
Chisholm is 0-for-6 with a walk and two strikeouts in the series. He is in a contract year and the Yankees do not seem likely to resign him. They can move Volpe, who lost his starting shortstop job to George Lombard Jr, to second next season.
As if Chisholm's bad decision in Game 2 wasn't bad enough, he wouldn't own up to it after the game.
"I'd probably still throw it honestly," Chisholm said.
ERIE, PA - APRIL 14: Seaver King #3 of the Harrisburg Senators looks on during the game between the Harrisburg Senators and the Erie SeaWolves at UPMC Park on Tuesday, April 14, 2026 in Erie, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Hayden Gazda/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
After a disappointing first full season as a pro, Seaver King was at a crossroads entering 2026. If he continued to struggle, the former top 10 pick would lose most of his prospect shine. However, he also had the chance to put himself back on the map. That is exactly what King did this season.
This season, Seaver King showed exactly why the Nats took him 10th overall in the 2024 draft. With some adjustments which we will dive into, King was able to tap into his explosive athleticism and power. After dominating AA and AAA this year, King is a consensus top 100 prospect and knocking on the door of the big leagues. It was truly a dream season for the 23 year old.
I’m certainly not the first to say it, but what an absolute 100th percentile season Seaver King has had. From looking just overmatched in the lower levels in 2025, to raking against the best minor league comp in 2026. Hats off to everywhere that was firm in their belief in him pic.twitter.com/oJQ26BvXQS
Even as early as Spring Training, Seaver King looked impressive. I remember seeing him take at bats in big league Spring Training games and I came away very impressed. However, I still had plenty of doubt because of his 2025 season and the fact we have all seen Spring Training mirages before.
In that 2025 season, King really struggled. In High-A and Double-A, King hit just .244 with a .631 OPS. That is not what you want to see from a top 10 pick, even with the fact that King was seen as more developmental than most first round college bats. King’s plate discipline was poor and he hit too many ground balls to tap into his power.
Those were the two things that King needed to fix, and he knew it. I wrote a story about King and talked to him in Rochester. In that piece, he emphasized how much he has been working on his approach and elevating the baseball.
As Matt Lecroy put it Seaver King “is just a spark plug man”. Here is what I saw from the Nats explosive shortstop prospect https://t.co/7srR36FNJI
Early in the season, we saw King come to AA with a borderline passive approach. That led to a lot of walks and much more production. As the season went on, he was swinging more, but his chase rate never got out of control in AA. When he got to Rochester, those chase issues appeared again, but they gradually got better as he adjusted to the level.
Seaver King is always going to have some chase in his game. That is just naturally who he is as a hitter. If you neuter that aggression too much, it could have negative effects. The key will be balancing his natural aggression with good enough swing decisions.
Along with fine tuning his swing decisions, King needed to hit the ball in the air more. He has always had impressive bat speed and exit velocities, which got even better in 2026. However, he hit the ball on the ground over 52% of the time last year.
This year that number was around 45%, which is right around average. With more balls in the air, King saw his slugging percentage go from .337 in 2025 to .516 in 2026. After hitting 6 homers last year, King launched 21 this season.
With an approach that is naturally geared towards right center field, King is not one of those hitters that pulls the ball in the air a lot. He told me that he just wants to elevate the ball, and he does not really care if it is pulled or not. That resulted in a lot of opposite field power like you can see with this home run.
This season, Seaver King was just a completely different hitter. In 2026, King hit .303 with 21 homers and an .898 OPS. After really struggling offensively last year, King now looks like a bat that can hit for power and average. In my opinion, King has the ability to be a .280 hitter that hits 20 homers and steals at least 20 bases. That is not something that seemed realistic after last season.
We should see Seaver King in the big leagues next season. The only question is what position he will play. King mostly played shortstop this year, but he spent time at second and third as well. While King is an elite athlete, his defense is still inconsistent. Even during my two days in Rochester, I saw this inconsistency. He made a couple unbelievable plays, but also airmailed a throw.
Once King gets to the show, I think he has the chance to be a fan favorite. I was struck by the energy he plays with and the passion he has. This is a player who lives and dies by every game.
When Paul Toboni took over, a big part of his plan was to revitalize this farm system. He is doing that not only with his trades, but also through development. The story of Seaver King is the best example of that. King was a distressed asset, but with hard work and player development, he looks to be a huge part of the Nats future.
Both No. 1 overall picks (Ovechkin in 2004 and Crosby in 2005) entered the league in 2005-06 and are the top two in the league in points during that time. Barring a playoff meeting or injury, they will meet four times this season.
USA TODAY will provide live coverage of the first of four regular-season meetings between Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby. Follow along:
Where to watch Capitals vs. Penguins: Channel, live stream
The Capitals vs. Penguins game at Capital One Arena is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Oct. 7.
The two have met 100 previous times between the regular season and the playoffs. Crosby leads in regular season points 97-71 during their meetings and Ovechkin leads 33-30 in the playoffs.
Alex Ovechkin stats vs Arturs Silovs
06:00 PM ET, October 7 2026, Mike Brehm
Ovechkin holds the NHL record of most goalies scored against with 189. But he has never scored against the Penguins' scheduled starter, Arturs Silovs, in two games. He has never faced Penguins backup Sergei Murashov.
Alex Ovechkin can break another Wayne Gretzky record
05:45 PM ET, October 7 2026, Mike Brehm
Ovechkin passed Gretzky's 894 goals during the 2024-25 season. This season, he can pass Gretzky's record of 1,016 combined regular season and playoff goals. Ovechkin is just 10 behind entering Wednesday's game.
Alex Ovechkin records
05:30 PM ET, October 7 2026, Mike Brehm
Total goals: 929
Power play: 331
Empty net: 72
Game winners: 141
Overtime goals: 27
Goalies scored on: 189
30-goal seasons: 20
40-goal seasons: 14
50-goal seasons: 9, tied for first
Protest planned outside Capitals arena
05:15 PM ET, October 7 2026, Mike Brehm
A Washington-area group said it plans to protest outside Capital One Arena from 5:45 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. ET after Alex Ovechkin appeared in a political video for the United Russia Party, which supports President Vladimir Putin.
"They asked me to do this, and I said yes," Ovechkin said, adding, "I'm Russian and I support my country."
Alex Ovechkin farewell tour
05:00 PM ET, October 7 2026, Mike Brehm
Ovechkin realizes that Monday's announcement will set up a farewell tour for him. He says he won't let that be a distraction.
"I'm going to focus on my game," he said. "I'm going to focus on helping my team to win. Obviously, if some different teams want to do something, yeah, why not?"
Why is Alex Ovechkin retiring after this season?
04:45 PM ET, October 7 2026, Mike Brehm
He cited his two sons as a reason.
"I have to heal my body," he told reporters on Monday, Oct. 5. "I'm not 20 years old. I want to play with my kids when they're growing up, play hockey, play soccer, play basketball. I want to be healthy to do that kind of stuff."
Penguins make trade before game
04:40 PM ET, October 7 2026, Mike Brehm
The Penguins and Oilers pulled off a small trade earlier Wednesday. Pittsburgh sent forward Filip Hallander to Edmonton for defenseman Spencer Stastney. Hallander had three points in two games this season. Stastney hasn't suited up this season. He had one goal in 36 games last season with Edmonton.
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As the NBA continues to pursue its expansion into Europe, the existing legacy league rejected a formal merger offer earlier this week.
Yet, that isn’t halting any plans for NBA Europe to forge ahead.
Membership groups from EuroLeague, which has been operating in the region since 1958, rejected a merger offer from the NBA that would have lumped operations under the proposed NBA Europe umbrella, a person with direct knowledge of the matter confirmed to USA TODAY Sports.
Despite that, talks are expected to continue as the NBA works toward a collaborative approach with EuroLeague.
The person spoke under the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the negotiations, which have not been made public.
Yet, despite the failed merger offer, the NBA will not pause its plan to create the new, 14-to-16-team NBA Europe league across a dozen cities in Europe, some of which do not have permanent EuroLeague teams in place.
NBA plans for Europe: League format
The NBA has maintained that its NBA Europe plan will be a European basketball franchise for European fans, and that its structure would align closely with existing European sports infrastructure.
Ten to 12 of the proposed teams would be permanent, with a merit-based pathway for teams in FIBA-affiliated domestic leagues to have the chance to qualify; the structure is similar to promotions in European soccer leagues, for example.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in September that the NBA would want to start operations for an inaugural season as soon as 2027-28.
NBA Europe hits various issues
The most pressing issue, therefore, now becomes a potential deadline by which the NBA would be forced to move on without EuroLeague.
Given that the NBA would ideally want to begin competition as soon as next year, it is not in the league’s best interest to wait for an agreement with EuroLeague, should merger talks fail to progress. That likely creates a potential hard out of merger talks within the next six months, should an agreement not materialize before then.
Reports out of Europe have been that there’s dissension among the EuroLeague membership groups, with some franchises in favor of the merger and others against. In any case, the measure was put to a vote that did not pass.
One interesting element in all of this is the relationship of EuroLeague Basketball CEO Jesús “Chus” Bueno with executives in the NBA league office; Bueno spent 12 seasons with the NBA as vice president of Europe, Africa and the Middle East and the director of NBA Spain.
Back in April, a person with knowledge of discussions told USA TODAY Sports that the NBA had fielded more than 120 bids from investment groups for non-binding consideration, with some bids surpassing $1 billion.
One issue EuroLeague has had to navigate is that some of its existing benchmark franchises have explored the notion of joining the new NBA Europe league. The rejection of the merger offer isn’t necessarily a surprise, as some EuroLeague membership groups have been at odds with the NBA and FIBA, the NBA’s partner, over the process in forming the new NBA Europe league.
For the benchmark franchises that are interested in joining NBA Europe, there are mechanisms in their membership charters that allow them to exit their contracts with buyout payments.
Front Office Sports was the first to report the news of the merger rejection.
With one preseason game in the books and three to go, the Sixers provided several injury updates Wednesday.
According to a team official, Dominick Barlow, Anfernee Simons and Adem Bona will all miss the Sixers’ upcoming road games Thursday against the Nets and Saturday against the Celtics.
Barlow has a back injury, Simons a hamstring issue. Sixers head coach Nick Nurse had indicated Monday that both injuries are minor, saying he expected Barlow and Simons to play “any time now.” Bona has progressed to on-court activity in his rehab from a left foot sprain.
“It’s super tough. … We were super excited by what we’d seen,” Nurse said. “He’s really active and athletic, really coachable and really engaged. We were really excited by what he could bring to the team. It’s always a bigger blow for him personally, but it’s certainly a blow for the team, especially this early on.
“And he’s somebody that’s still young. The coaching staff was seeing a guy that had an (upward) trajectory … which he’ll get back to, but this kind of delays him for now.”
When healthy, Bona would presumably be the next traditional center in line behind Joel Embiid as things stand. Barlow and Walker both received the occasional center stint last season.
“Dean (Wade) would be another candidate,” Nurse said. “I don’t know if you’d call him a small five; he has pretty good size. I think LeBron (James) is another candidate. He’s played some small-ball five as well. That’s four or five guys. We’ll probably go with that crew unless something else emerges.”
As far as the Sixers’ projected starters, Jaylen Brown and VJ Edgecombe were the only two to play vs. the Knicks.
The Sixers plan to ramp up steadily toward opening night on Oct. 20. That will likely mean more players available Thursday night in Brooklyn.
“We should be able to get the majority of the guys out there tomorrow,” Nurse said. “Again, we’ll see. It was pretty rough and physical today at practice, so we’ll see how everybody comes out of it. We should be able to get them out there tomorrow.
“It’s usually first half type of stuff for the first (game). … And then hopefully, if you can in one of them, you can try to get them through the halftime routine, kind of starting the engines again as well, so that hopefully, the next time they’re out there, they’re able to do that.”
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Nick Foligno played just 3:29 against the Buffalo Sabres in a 3-2 overtime loss and left the game with an upper-body injury.
“Just something that’s bothering Nick, and he just couldn’t handle it anymore,” Marcus Foligno said. “So, yeah, it’s unfortunate. You go down — now you’re playing a little bit short-handed, right?”
The 38-year-old is considered day-to-day at the moment, but while he nurses his injury, the Wild have made a roster change, recalling forward Tyler Pitlick.
The 34-year-old skated in two pre-season games before being sent down to the Iowa Wild, notching one goal.
In two AHL games, Pitlick has recorded a goal and three points, tying for the team lead in points. Pitlick stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 199 pounds.
If Foligno is held out of the lineup on Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Nico Sturm is expected to step in for Foligno, and Pitlick will serve as the 13th forward.
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