Browsing: contenders

Oct 15, 2025, 07:00 AM ET

The NBA’s preseason is drawing to a close

The curtain will rise on the 2025-26 season in Oklahoma City on Tuesday, when the defending champion Thunder will celebrate their first title as they host former Thunder star Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets. And while much of the preseason is about rounding into shape and getting to the start of the season healthy, there are still things that can be gleaned from the early October action.

To take stock of where things sit after most of the exhibition slate has been played, our NBA reporters — Tim Bontemps, Jamal Collier, Vince Goodwill, Baxter Holmes, Tim MacMahon, Dave McMenamin, Anthony Slater, Michael C. Wright and Ohm Youngmisuk — provided their takeaways on several contenders from each conference, and what each franchise looks like heading into the upcoming season.

Jump to a team:
ATL | CLE | DAL
DET | GSW | HOU
LAC | LAL | MIL
NYK | OKC | ORL
PHI | SAS

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1:20

Barkley: ‘I wish a person loved me as much as the Bucks love Giannis.’

Charles Barkley weighs in on Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future with the Bucks after Milwaukee had trade conversations with the Knicks earlier in the offseason.

Eastern Conference

Editor’s Picks

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One of the early observations made by players during the first days of Hawks camp was that everyone was on the court, and the trainer’s room was empty. The Hawks are healthy and buzzing over new additions Kristaps Porzingis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luke Kennard. Being healthy again is vital to the Hawks’ success and growth. A huge factor for Atlanta this season is Jalen Johnson, who looked good in his first two preseason games back from left shoulder surgery that ended his 2024-25 season; Johnson made 7 of 11 shots and had 20 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in 25 minutes against Memphis.

Coach Quin Snyder said Johnson’s improvement on defense will be the next step for the young forward. If he can stay healthy and continue to grow as a playmaker to help Young and Porzingis, the Hawks could really take off this season. — Youngmisuk

The Cavaliers have a lot of depth, and they will need it. Max Strus is likely out for a few months with a Jones fracture in his left foot. Darius Garland will miss the opening weeks of the season as well after offseason turf toe surgery. New addition Lonzo Ball is not going to play back-to-backs, and he played 35 games last season for the Chicago Bulls after missing the prior two seasons with injuries. De’Andre Hunter has never played more than 67 games and has missed at least 25 games in three of his six seasons. And Dean Wade has eclipsed 60 games in only one of his six seasons.

So while Cleveland feels good about where it sits after claiming the top seed in the East last season, it is already navigating injuries — and likely will be throughout this season. — Bontemps

Giving third-year forward Ausar Thompson more responsibility has come into focus. The team began to take off last season when his health restrictions (blood clot) were lifted and his two-way prowess was unleashed. Now, the Pistons view him as a secondary ball handler, initiating offense as a change-of-pace guard to contrast the more deliberate Cade Cunningham.

Coach J.B. Bickerstaff noted how Thompson initiated some offense with Cunningham on the floor to present a different look. With Jaden Ivey (left fibula) still “dealing with some discomfort,” according to Bickerstaff, the team is bringing him along slowly, thus creating more opportunity for Thompson on offense. As for Cunningham, preseason is the smallest of sample sizes, but according to sources, “he’s proving last year wasn’t a fluke.” — Goodwill

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0:50

Cooper Flagg shines in preseason debut for Mavs

The 18-year-old rookie scored 10 points and contributed 6 rebounds, 3 assists and a blocked shot in 14 minutes.

The Giannis saga is far from over. Despite attempts from the Bucks to quell speculation over Antetokounmpo’s future since the start of camp, the two-time MVP has simultaneously emphasized his current commitment to the Bucks while leaving the door open that he could continue his career elsewhere.

Antetokounmpo has doubled down on his desire to compete for championships with an unwillingness to accept anything less. It has put the pressure on the Bucks this season to prove he can win another championship in Milwaukee. For a team that has lost in the first round in three consecutive seasons, not advancing further in the playoffs could lead to a day of reckoning. — Collier

Off the floor, the Antetokounmpo situation will hang over the team all season following the revelation that the Knicks and Bucks discussed a potential trade of the power forward this offseason. Several key players will be on notice and have an eye on what’s going on with Milwaukee to track Antetokounmpo’s frame of mind. On the floor, the Knicks want to play faster on offense and shoot more 3s, but it has been a work in progress through four preseason games. The Knicks have a favorable schedule to start the season, which should provide an early window into how the Mike Brown era will look in New York. — Goodwill

The Magic are getting healthier, and that is a big deal. Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner started camp healthy after both dealt with oblique injuries last season; they missed a combined total of 58 regular-season games. Orlando isn’t whole yet, though. Guard Jalen Suggs is still slowly making his way back from left knee surgery and Mo Wagner remains out with a torn left ACL sustained in December 2024.

In the meantime, Banchero, Wagner and the rest of the Magic will try to develop chemistry as quickly as possible with new addition Desmond Bane while hoping to drastically improve on their league-worst 31.8% 3-point shooting last season. The Magic have started out camp playing faster, focusing on getting out in transition and using defense to create offense. Through the first three preseason games, the Magic averaged 104 possessions. They averaged a league-low 96.5 last season. The most important thing will be going into the season with Banchero, Wagner and Bane healthy and hoping Suggs can add to the team once he is ready. — Youngmisuk

Joel Embiid might be healthy? That feels strange to say after everything that has happened over the past 18 months, but so far it has been a relatively stress-free preseason in Philadelphia. Embiid appears on track to be ready for the 76ers’ opener against the rival Celtics on Oct. 22. Anyone who has followed Embiid’s tenure in Philadelphia knows how quickly things can change, and he has had enough issues with his left knee that it’s fair to wonder how long it will last until another flareup.

Embiid said at the start of training camp they’re just taking things day-by-day. But unlike last year, when his preseason was a waiting game to see when his knee would be ready to go, Embiid has practiced regularly, participated in Sunday’s open scrimmage and is expected to play Friday against Minnesota in Philadelphia’s preseason finale. — Bontemps

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1:27

LeBron’s injury puts his Warriors-Lakers opening night in jeopardy

Dave McMenamin confirms that LeBron James will be sidelined an additional three to four weeks because of sciatica.

Western Conference

The mantra of Dallas GM Nico Harrison is “defense wins championships,” but the Mavericks have some things to figure out on that end of the floor, particularly on the perimeter. Coach Jason Kidd said he has to “continue to look at different combinations to see what gives us the best way to start the game” after the Hornets scored 95 points through three quarters as the Mavs played their starters into the second half. Klay Thompson was tasked with being the primary defender on Charlotte star LaMelo Ball, which is probably asking too much of a 35-year-old with his injury history.

The options are limited if D’Angelo Russell starts alongside Thompson. P.J. Washington typically took the toughest perimeter defensive assignment last season, but he came off the bench in the first two preseason games. Would the Mavs be better off starting Washington with 18-year-old Cooper Flagg as the primary offensive initiator? That’s the look Kidd went with against the Utah Jazz on Monday, when Russell rested. — MacMahon

The headliners aren’t showing any alarming signs of age at the moment. Al Horford has fit the culture and system well so far. One of the leftover questions is how exactly Steve Kerr will deploy his starting lineup around Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green. Horford will start at center on some nights, but Kerr said he wants to be careful considering Horford’s age and the need to limit his minutes.

“If Al were a little younger, he’d be in the starting lineup for sure,” Kerr said.

Kerr has hinted that he might employ a small-ball unit that includes Moses Moody and Brandin Podziemski. But Moody hurt his left calf in practice and his status is uncertain to start the season. Podziemski punctuated a great camp with a 23-point night in Los Angeles against the Lakers. Kerr wouldn’t officially commit to him as the starting shooting guard, but the presumed lineup for opening night is Curry, Podziemski, Butler, Green, Horford — though it is anticipated Kerr will change it around often. — Slater

Houston’s offensive initiation by committee approach will work out just fine in the wake of veteran point guard Fred VanVleet’s season-ending injury. Rockets coach Ime Udoka often throws around the term “KYP” (know your personnel) in news conferences. Perhaps that intricate knowledge of Houston’s roster played a major role in Udoka’s confidence that his group “can get the job done” in VanVleet’s absence.

Early returns in the preseason have been promising with the Rockets utilizing multiple players — mainly center Alperen Sengun and forward Amen Thompson — to initiate offense. Expect Houston to also lean on Durant to facilitate the offense along with second-year guard Reed Sheppard, who appears to be growing more confident in his role. — Wright

Playing beneath the cloud of an NBA investigation — and one centered around a team’s star player — is no small thing. But it appears the Clippers, for now, are resolved to not let that inquiry serve as a distraction. Through two preseason games, Kawhi Leonard appears in midseason form. He scored 18 points in 18 minutes in one game and 17 points in 19 minutes in the other. New acquisitions Brook Lopez and John Collins have seemed to fit in already, and Chris Paul’s reunion with the Clippers feels seamless.

The Clippers boast one of the league’s oldest rosters, but it’s also among the deepest, which should help some of their more veteran players as the season moves along. There are a few preseason games left, not that those offer concrete evidence of the season to come, but despite the small sample size, the rebuilt Clippers appear especially promising. — Holmes

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1:27

LeBron’s injury puts his Warriors-Lakers opening night in jeopardy

Dave McMenamin confirms that LeBron James will be sidelined an additional three to four weeks because of sciatica.

The extra time to practice and jell together that the team pined for after last season’s abrupt first-round exit was not to be. Unfortunately, training camp didn’t provide the opportunity everyone hoped for. LeBron James was limited to being a vocal participant in the Lakers’ scrimmages from the sidelines because of sciatica down his right side, which also kept him out of the preseason.

Luka Doncic was purposely held out of the majority of L.A.’s preseason slate and was given a modified workload for a handful of practice days, with the medical staff cognizant of his EuroBasket duty over the summer. Marcus Smart, signed in the offseason, was out with Achilles tendinopathy. Maxi Kleber, who was only healthy and available for one game after being acquired from Dallas in the Doncic trade in February, missed most of camp with a quad injury. Rookie Adou Thiero was also limited because of knee swelling.

“These are the cards we were dealt,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “I surely would like everybody to be healthy.” — McMenamin

All-NBA wing Jalen Williams is unlikely to be ready for the start of the regular season as he continues to recover from surgery on his right wrist, an operation he had on July 1, after playing the entire postseason with torn ligaments.

“I would have cut my right hand off to win a championship,” Williams told ESPN.

He has only recently begun to shoot with his right hand again and has yet to be cleared for contact work. The Thunder and Williams have not publicly discussed a timetable for his return as they take a patient approach.

“Whenever I feel like I can be a hundred percent and do that whole thing, then I’ll rock out,” Williams said. — MacMahon

The Spurs will look different this season. Team president and former coach Gregg Popovich has always encouraged new coach Mitch Johnson to be himself. It’ll be apparent on the floor this season as Johnson incorporates more of his own principles in San Antonio during his first full season on the job. Victor Wembanyama made that point clear in describing how the staff put together “a more extended plan” over the summer that emphasizes “better recognition of our roles together.” Veteran Harrison Barnes pointed out, “We have a lot of new stuff that we’re doing,” adding, “We’ve changed some of the processes of how we’re doing [things]. That comes with Mitch implementing his style, which I think has been well-received by players.”

Expect the Spurs to flex their collective youth and athleticism to play a faster style. — Wright

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The WWE NXT Vs. TNA Showdown is in the history books, but this won’t be the last time fans see Superstars from both brands face off. In the closing moments of Showdown, NXT GM Ava and TNA’s Director of Authority Santino Marella met to talk business. The pair agreed to a battle royal next week that will feature NXT and TNA talent. The winner will earn a shot at the NXT Women’s Championship at Halloween Havoc.

This is interesting…

NEXT WEEK, we will have a No. 1 Contender’s Battle Royal to determine the next challenger to the NXT Women’s Championship at Halloween Havoc, AND the @ThisIsTNA Knockouts Division has been invited to take part! ? pic.twitter.com/DpyRbWL8LN

— WWE (@WWE) October 8, 2025

There’s no shortage of TNA Knockouts who could seize this opportunity. TNA is home to former WWE talent, including Cassie Lee, Jessie McKay, Lei Ying Lee, Mara Sade, and Steph De Lander. There are also stars who’ve never signed with WWE who would love to make an impact by winning the battle royal. These include Myla Grace, Harley Hudson, Rosemary, and Jody Threat, among others.

The NXT Women’s Championship is currently held by Jacy Jayne, who dethroned Stephanie Vaquer in May 2025 in what many at the time called an upset. Shortly after, Jayne made history by winning the TNA Knockouts title, becoming the first wrestler to hold WWE and TNA gold simultaneously. Her reign would end at Heatwave.

Time will tell who earns a shot at Jayneâ€s title, but whether the challenger comes from WWE NXT or TNA, one woman will walk into Halloween Havoc with a golden opportunity. WWE NXT Halloween Havoc takes place on Saturday, October 25, 2025, at the Findlay Toyota Center in Prescott Valley, Arizona.

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With the Florida Panthers winning consecutive titles in 2024 and 2025, itâ€s officially more common for teams to win back-to-back Stanley Cups than consecutive Presidents†Trophies.

If something feels counterintuitive about that fact, itâ€s likely because weâ€re so conditioned to think of the post-season grind as this gruelling endeavour that breaks even the best teams. The regular season, relatively speaking anyway, can seem like a bit of a breeze.

Ten years ago, there was a lot of evidence to support the idea winning back-to-back Cups was simply too much to ask. After the 1998 Detroit Red Wings hung a second straight banner, we went nearly 20 years without a repeat champion.

However, the 2016 and â€17 playoffs belonged to the Pittsburgh Penguins, who blazed a back-to-back path followed by the Tampa Bay Lighting (2020 and 2021) and, of course, the reigning Cup champs from South Florida.

By contrast, just one team has finished first overall in consecutive years during that same span, as the Washington Capitals topped the table in 2015-16 and 2016-17.

In eight seasons since â€16-17, seven different franchises have finished first overall, with nobody turning the trick in consecutive years. In fact, since the shootout era began 20 years ago in 2005-06, the only other club to win consecutive Presidents†Trophies was the Vancouver Canucks (2010-11 and 2011-12).

We surface this information only to underscore the point that, while the second season gets all the glory, the regular season is a grind, too, and being the best squad over a full 82 two years in a row is a remarkable achievement in itself. Ahem, Winnipeg Jets.

This regular-season talk is also a good reminder that our weekly power rankings — which weâ€re kicking off right here — begin as a window into whoâ€s at the top right now, with puck drop on opening night just hours away. This isnâ€t a take on who has the best chance to succeed seven months from now when the playoffs begin; itâ€s a ranking based on how we think clubs could look coming right out of the gate.

So, as we leap over the boards for a new season, hereâ€s our ranking of all 32 NHL squads:

1. Dallas Stars: New coach, new vibes, same fantastic roster with Mikko Rantanen getting a full rip in ‘Big D.â€

2. Vegas Golden Knights: Why does it feel inevitable that one of Jack Eichel or Mitch Marner will wind up a Hart Trophy finalist?

3. Carolina Hurricanes: What a great development it would be for this team if Logan Stankoven wound up being a perfect 2C behind Sebastian Aho.

4. Colorado Avalanche: Yes, Mikko Rantanen is gone, but Gabriel Landeskog is back, Valeri Nichushkin — unlike last year, when he was suspended — will be with the team out of the gate and the Avs should have much better goaltending from the outset this October than they did last year, assuming Mackenzie Blackwoodâ€s injury doesnâ€t sideline him for long. And, oh yeah, they have Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar.

5. Edmonton Oilers: Itâ€s hard to see the Oilers putting the pedal to the metal in the regular season. The goal will be good health and gas in the tank come April.

6. Toronto Maple Leafs: A transition year in Toronto, for sure, but this is still a strong team with a late-blooming stud goalie in Anthony Stolarz. Write them off at your peril.

7. Winnipeg Jets: As noted, a first-overall repeat is asking a lot. But the Jets shouldnâ€t slip too much with their strong structure, lethal power play and reigning MVP Connor Hellebuyck in net.

8. Washington Capitals: Washington had a lot of things lock into place last year and will surely regress a bit. But the Caps have good players all over the lineup, a great 1A/1B goalie situation with Logan Thompson and Charlie Lindgren and a rookie, in Ryan Leonard, who is going to make the opposition feel it every night.

9. New Jersey Devils: The Devils are this yearâ€s high-variance squad; you could see them scrapping it out for the playoffs again just as easily as challenging for the Metro title. Recall, this squad had 112 points two years ago, so a big season is most definitely in play.

10. Tampa Bay Lightning: If Andrei Vasilevskiy is OK health-wise, Tampa is going to be right there, challenging for the Atlantic title.

11. Florida Panthers: Even with Aleksander Barkov out for the regular season and Matthew Tkachuk gone for — we assume — nearly half of it, we canâ€t put the two-time defending champs any lower than this.

12. Los Angeles Kings: After striking out on a big move in the summer, the Kings feel like a club to watch when it comes to the in-season trade market.

13. Minnesota Wild: This club made the playoffs last year with both Kirill Kaprizov and top-line centre Joel Eriksson Ek each missing about half the season. With Brock Faber and rookie Zeev Buium on the back end, the arrow is pointing up on the Wild.

14. Ottawa Senators: Forget the wild card, the door is open for Ottawa to grab one of the top three slots in the Atlantic.

15. Montreal Canadiens: If Ivan Demidov can help drive another wave of offence after the top line, this team will be cooking with gas. Thatâ€s a lot to put on a rookie, but thereâ€s universal agreement the kid is just that good.

16. New York Rangers: Thereâ€s no doubt the Rangers have bounce-back potential, but donâ€t make the mistake of just slotting them in the playoffs. It will be a tooth-and-nail fight in the East.

17. St. Louis Blues: The best team after the 4 Nations Face-Off last spring should be in better shape this year with a full campaign under coach Jim Montgomery.

18. Columbus Blue Jackets: With all that top-six size, the Jackets could be a tough out in the playoffs; they just have to find a way to get there, first, and that might require Jet Greaves grabbing the starterâ€s job.

19. Utah Mammoth: New team name, new top-six winger in JJ Peterka and all kinds of positivity around an organization on the rise.

20. Anaheim Ducks: The Ducks made a 21-point jump last year and will need a leap nearly that large this season under new coach Joel Quenneville to crack the top eight teams in the West. Anaheim looks good, but thatâ€s asking a lot.

21. Detroit Red Wings: Now-or-never time, right? Change is coming if Detroit misses the second season for the 10th straight campaign.

22. Vancouver Canucks: The Canucks would likely be happy to split the difference between 2023-24â€s 109-point showing and the disappointing 90 points they posted during an all-around miserable campaign last season. A healthy Thatcher Demko, motivated Elias Pettersson and 80 games of Quinn Hughes would certainly make that a reasonable goal.

23. Calgary Flames: Yes, the Flames could absolutely challenge for a playoff spot again, but itâ€s going to require goalie Dustin Wolf being every bit as good as he was last year during a remarkable rookie season.

24. Boston Bruins: Donâ€t write Boston off as a team with no shot at the playoffs. Even with a franchise re-set going on, thereâ€s plenty of bounce-back potential — at least to being a competitive outfit night after night.

25. Nashville Predators: Better? Yes. Back-in-the-playoffs better? Not so sure…

26. New York Islanders: If it is another non-playoff year on Long Island, at least fans can dream on something better down the road with 2025 first-overall pick Matthew Schaefer already in the mix.

27. Buffalo Sabres: Maybe they can snap the playoff drought. But, at this point, who is going to predict that before it happens?

• 
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28. Seattle Kraken: Itâ€s going to get tough to believe in Matty Beniers as a top-line producer if we donâ€t see it this season.

29. Chicago Blackhawks: Hawks fans will feel a lot better about this entire rebuild if Spencer Knight goes out and shows he can be a No. 1 puckstopper this season.

30. Philadelphia Flyers: If the goaltending is even average, Philly can be decent. If not, the Flyers will be a bottom-feeder.

31. Pittsburgh Penguins: If there is a sell-off at some point, this roster is going to get grim fast.

32. San Jose Sharks: Could you imagine if the Sharks added top 2026 draft prospect Gavin McKenna to its stable of young studs?

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In the end, the Red Sox werenâ€t good enough.

There were, along the way, illusions to the contrary. Take, for instance, a scintillating performance from ace Garrett Crochet in the AL wild-card opener that put Boston in the driver’s seat. Still, it proved to be false hope. The Red Sox faltered late in a goose-bumping Game 2 before being absolutely dominated by rookie hurler Cam Schlittler in an all-deciding Game 3.

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Why exactly Bostonâ€s topsy-turvy 2025 season ended early can be chalk-talked into oblivion. A series of unfortunate, late-season injuries to star rookie Roman Anthony and No. 2 starter Lucas Giolito undoubtedly played a role in the teamâ€s downfall. So did a string of critical mistakes in Game 2 that tipped the scales toward the Yankees, namely a failed bunt attempt by Ceddanne Rafaela, a botched diving catch by Jarren Duran and an overly passive baserunning decision by third-base coach Kyle Hudson on what would’ve been the go-ahead run. And sure, maybe manager Alex Cora left rookie southpaw Connelly Early out to dry a little too long in Game 3.

But overanalyzing such minutiae is a waste of time.

The 2025 Red Sox were simply not capable of winning a World Series. They didnâ€t have the arms, they didnâ€t have the bats, and they didn’t have the gloves. The roster, all along, was too flawed to overcome. Against the Yankees, the Sox were effectively rolling out a lineup of Alex Bregman, Trevor Story, a defensive specialist in Rafaela, a solid catcher in Carlos Narváez and five platoon players. Crucially, nobody in the lineup except for Story instilled anything resembling fear in the hearts and minds of Yankees pitchers.

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I wonder if Rafael Devers watched the wild-card series.

[Get more Red Sox news: Boston team feed]

And while the rotation showed admirably in the wild-card round, it was unavoidably obvious that even with Giolitoâ€s unexpected absence, the staff was an arm or two short. That void on the roster shines a spotlight on the clubâ€s underwhelming trade deadline. Yes, the teamâ€s premier acquisition, starter Dustin May, spent the series on the IL, but he was far from the game-changing, needle-moving force that might have swung the thing in Bostonâ€s favor.

So where do the Red Sox go from here? Are there encouraging conclusions to draw from this most tumultuous season? Or are the Sox paper tigers in a division that remains an unforgiving jungle?

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Letâ€s start with the good.

Garrett Crochet proved to be a foundational piece to build a team around. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

(Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox via Getty Images)

Anthonyâ€s emergence was the most important development of Bostonâ€s season. Anybody, fan or professional ball-knower, who saw the 21-year-old in person this year knows that he is a difference-making hitter. Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, who has earned criticism for some of his maneuvers since taking over in the fall of 2023, deserves kudos for signing the powerful outfielder to a long-term deal. Anthony will make a ton of All-Star Games and serve as the centerpiece of Bostonâ€s lineup for years to come.

The arrivals and successes of a pair of young southpaws, Early and the mustached Payton Tolle, also provide reason for optimism. Both hurlers should compete for rotation spots next season, evidence that Bostonâ€s pitching development apparatus has taken a nice step forward. Storyâ€s offensive bounce-back, even though heâ€s under contract through only 2027, makes the near-term outlook rosier than it might have been. Bregman was a great fit as well, despite the seven-week quad injury that derailed his season.

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But there are reasons for concern as well.

Kristian Campbell made the big-league club out of camp and showed flashes at the plate in April before falling off a cliff in May. He was demoted on June 20 and never reappeared in the bigs. Campbell is currently a defensive liability without a real position, which gives him a shorter leash to find consistency with the bat. Getting him back on track is crucial. The same is true for fellow big-name prospect Marcelo Mayer, whose 2025 ended early due to a wrist injury. Mayerâ€s inability to hit left-handed pitching is a real worry spot, as is his inability to stay on the field. He needs a healthy 2026 to get back on track.

Bostonâ€s offensive position-player group still resembles a puzzle with no edge pieces. The Red Sox probably need to trade one of their two lefty-hitting outfielders, but both Wilyer Abreu and Jarren Duran took massive steps back this season, hurting their trade value. Players such as Nick Sogard, Nate Eaton and David Hamilton were helpful at times but are not impactful enough to form the backbone of a World Series contender. Masataka Yoshida finished the year hot but isn’t a particularly valuable player as a DH with no power who struggles against same-sided pitching.

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Oh, and Bregman is a sure bet to activate his opt-out and retest free agency. Even if the Sox re-sign him, the lineup feels at least two bats short.

And while the club has more financial flexibility after dealing away the Devers contract, there is legitimate skepticism that Breslow and the ownership will be aggressive enough in free agency to add the necessary pieces. That dynamic, plus the disappointing seasons from Campbell, Mayer, Duran, Abreu and Yoshida, calls into question whether this core is talented enough to compete for a championship.

Thatâ€s unfortunate, given just how magnificent of a win the Crochet trade and extension have proven to be. The southpaw is an aceâ€s ace, the type of pitcher strong enough to carry the hopes and expectations of a city as demanding as Boston. But as weâ€ve seen with Paul Skenes in Pittsburgh and Tarik Skubal in Detroit, one Cy Young cannot singlehandedly win a title.

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As such, Bostonâ€s front office needs to be more proactive in taking advantage of this window. Simply employing an arm such as Crochet makes the Red Sox a force to be reckoned with, but itâ€s reasonable to doubt that they will make other necessary moves on the margins, as their half-measure approach at this yearâ€s deadline showcased.

Thereâ€s an enticing foundation here, but whether the building gets built remains an open question.

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