Browsing: players

The Knicks make it official.

At Saturday’s 5 p.m. deadline, New York announced they have waived Alex Len, Garrison Mathewsand Matt Ryan, leaving Landry Shamet as the player to earn the final roster spot ahead of the 2025-26 regular season.

Shamet was the clear-cut favorite to get the final roster spot, especially after the sudden retirement of veteran Malcolm Brogdon earlier this week.

The 28-year-old guard was a solid bench option for the Knicks last season. Shamet appeared in 50 games and averaged 5.7 points and 1.2 rebounds in 15.2 minutes of play. His usage was lower in the postseason, appearing in 11 games and averaging just 2.4 minutes in 7.5 minutes per game. He was huge in the Knicks’ Game 3 win over the Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals. In that game, Shamet posted just three points and dished two assists in his 11:23 minutes of play, but was a plus-12 when he was on the court as the Knicks avoided an 0-3 hole.

As for those waived, SNY’s Ian Begley reported late Friday that the team was set to waive Mathews. Mathews spent the last two seasons with the Hawks while Ryan was on the Knicks a season ago, but only appeared in 19 games and logged just 68 minutes.

Len spent parts of last season with both the Kings and Lakers. He appeared in 46 games combined and averaged 1.6 points per game.

With the roster set, the Knicks now prepare for the season to start next Wednesday, when they host the Cavaliers for an Eastern Conference showdown.

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Arsenal should have sold Leandro Trossard over the summer, really: it would have made sense.

The coldest decisions often prove to be the best ones: a fact that has seen Bukayo Saka enjoy an ascendence to the throne of English football, and Mikel Arteta shift his crosshairs to bring in physical beasts over technicality in recent years.

For under £25m, Arsenal’s acquisition of Trossard over a flashier name in 2023 ranks as another example of sensibility over passion – especially when considering the trajectories of the Belgian and some of the other names the Gunner have been linked to in the years since.

Another set piece goal for Arsenal!Leandro Trossard gives the visitors the lead! pic.twitter.com/jhd5yTROWmOctober 18, 2025

It makes his start to 2025/26 all the sweeter, and Trossard has a new role.

The former Brighton man has always excelled in tight spaces, and with Arsenal finding even less room in the final third, Trossard has left his touchline-hugging role to come inside and combine with Eze, Saka and others – yet he hasn’t lost his penchant to drift, find space and play the ghost at the back post, as he did for Arsenal’s winner at the Cottage.

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But more significantly than that, Trossard was Arsenal’s oldest starter against Fulham. Arteta lost Jorginho, Raheem Sterling and Neto as his elder statesmen over the summer, while Martin Odegaard has been in and out of the team following injury.

Seniority matters. Arsenal have more vocal leaders but in the experience of Trossard, Arteta has found a calm presence who has a chameleonic knack of twisting his game around his team-mates.

When Riccardo Calafiori overlaps, the Belgian adds numbers in the centre. When David Raya plays long, Trossard is a runner looking to catch Gyokeres’ second ball. Even when truly on his game, he never does one thing exceptionally: he just does an exceptional amount to a good standard, getting the best out of Eze, Saka and even Martin Zubimendi with his movement and license to roam.

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Trossard controls the ball against Fulham (Image credit: David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

And nothing’s particularly changed for Trossard either. This is simply a version of Arsenal that suits him so much more than ever before – he’s not the star, he’s a foil for others.

He is still the pint-sized, silver-haired hard-runner who put in wing-back shifts at the Amex, the false nine who impersonated Gabriel Jesus after signing for Arteta, the wingfielder who filled Odegaard’s time-sheet last term and the man who struck against Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Manchester United, Tottenham and inevitably, Brighton.

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This weekend, players across the Premier League are taking a knee in solidarity with the No Room for Racism campaign.

Players across Europe began taking the knee in 2020 following the murder of George Floyd in the United States, with the return of the Premier League following its COVID-19-enforced break seeing players donning ‘Black Lives Matter’ on the back of their shirts in support of the movement.

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BBC

A large crowd gathered for the players’ funeral on Saturday

Afghanistan will no longer take part in an upcoming cricket series after it says three players in a local tournament were killed in an air strike.

The Afghan Cricket Board (ACB) said it would withdraw from November’s tri-nation T20 series out of respect for the three, who did not play for the national team, who it said were “targeted” in an “attack carried out by the Pakistani regime” on Friday evening.

The strike hit a home in Urgon district in eastern Paktika province, where the cricketers were eating dinner together after a match, eyewitnesses and local officials told the BBC.

Eight people were killed, the ACB said. Pakistan said the strike targeted militants and denied attacking civilians.

The ACB named the three players who were killed as Kabeer, Sibghatullah and Haroon, calling their deaths “a great loss for Afghanistan’s sports community, its athletes, and the cricketing family”.

The attack came hours after a temporary truce between Afghanistan and Pakistan was due to expire following days of deadly clashes on the border between the two nations. Dozens of casualties have been reported.

Pakistan said it had targeted Afghan militants in the air strike and that at least 70 combatants had been killed.

Pakistan’s Minister of Information Attaullah Tarar said claims that the attack targeted civilians are “false and meant to generate support for terrorist groups operating from inside Afghanistan”.

On Saturday, large crowds of people were seen gathering at the funeral for the strike’s victims.

In a social media post, Afghan national team captain Rashid Khan paid tribute to the “aspiring young cricketers who dreamed of representing their nation on the world stage”.

Other players for the Afghan national side joined the tributes, including Fazalhaq Farooqi who said the attack was a “heinous, unforgivable crime”.

The strike came after Pakistani officials said seven soldiers were killed in a suicide attack near the Afghan border on Friday.

The 48-hour truce between Afghanistan and Pakistan, which began on Wednesday at 13:00 GMT, has reportedly been extended to allow for negotiations.

An Afghan delegation arrived in the Qatari capital of Doha on Saturday for peace talks with the Pakistani side.

The Taliban government said it would take part in the talks despite “Pakistani aggression”, which it says was Islamabad’s attempt to prolong the conflict.

Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Pakistan should “reconsider its policies, and pursue friendly and civilised relations” with Afghanistan.

Pakistan’s Foreign Office said on Saturday that Defence Minister Khawaja Asif would lead the country’s delegation in Doha.

It said the talks will focus on ending cross-border terrorism and restoring peace and stability on the Pakistan-Afghan border.

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Injury Report and Waiver Wire Targets

The Rams have already announced that star receiver Puka Nacua won’t play in Week 7 because of an ankle injury. Since L.A. plays on Sunday morning, managers should go ahead and adjust their lineups ahead of time.

Calvin Ridley, Josh Downs, Terry McLaurin, Christian Watson and Ricky Pearsall qre also out, while Jets wideout Garrett Wilson is listed as doubtful. Jakobi Meyers, Stefon Diggs, Jalen Coker, Dontavyion Wicks and Deebo Samuel are among those listed as questionable.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers haven’t made designations for Monday night yet, but Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Emeka Egbuka have all missed practice time this week.

Denver Broncos wideout Troy Franklin might be the most enticing waiver target this week, as he’ll face a New York Giants defense that has surrendered the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing receivers. Franklin has logged at least three receptions in three straight games. He’s rostered in just 22 percent of Yahoo leagues and 33 percent of ESPN leagues.

Kayshon Boutte’s matchup with the Tennessee Titans isn’t quite as attractive, but the New England Patriots receiver is coming off a 95-yard, two-touchdown performance. He’s still available in over 60 percent of Yahoo leagues and 70 percent of ESPN leagues.

Other wide receivers to consider this week include Kendrick Bourne, Tre Tucker, Elic Ayomanor and Christian Kirk.

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  Victoria MatiashOct 17, 2025, 02:00 PM ET

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  Victoria Matiash is a contributing writer for fantasy hockey and betting at ESPN. Victoria has been a part of the fantasy team since 2010.

Trust me, it’s never too early to compile trade candidates, especially not in light of how many fantasy managers panic prematurely every single year. Five shots and zero points through four contests? I guarantee, no matter how rich the history or reputation, that player will be volleyed via trade to others in leagues everywhere. Having access to the cold data offered by ESPN Fantasy’s background transaction numbers, I can assure you as much. You should see some of the big names being shifted back and forth already.

With that view, in such cases of hasty hysteria, here’s a quintet of underperforming big names to target via trade. Plus, a handful of over-rostered figures that show less promise of turning matters around.

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Trade for

Elias Pettersson, F, Vancouver Canucks: I know, I know. As Yogi Berra would suggest — also popularly mined as a title for many serial television episodes — it certainly does feel like déjà vu all over again. But not in the light and bouncy fashion Mr. Berra communicated, especially for Canucks fans. With two assists on four shots through a quartet of contests, Pettersson is underwhelming once more. After last season’s drama-flavored thud of a campaign, the center’s fantasy managers and frustrated Vancouver fans alike have every right to feel irritated.

So why try to snag him for your own fantasy squad? Because the ceiling remains high. Still only 26 years old, Pettersson is three years removed from 102 points and two from 89. On Sportsnet radio this week, former Canuck Jannik Hansen put forward that the club’s top center has to be better for Vancouver to go anywhere this year. He’s right. So while a trade for No. 40 could fall terribly flat, the gamble still makes sense if your fantasy roster is middle-of-the-road. Who cares about finishing fifth?

Alex Ovechkin, F, Washington Capitals: This guy is no stranger to sluggish starts. The NHL’s leading scorer earned only two goals in his first dozen games two seasons ago and still ended up with 31. He potted all of two in his first seven last year, then rolled for 44 in 65 games. With sights set on 900 and well beyond, Ovechkin isn’t winding down his career with a whimper. Fully recovering from a minor injury suffered in camp, and shooting on net more often, will help.

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Artemi Panarin, F, New York Rangers: Maybe he’s still a bit banged up after suffering a pair of minor injuries in training camp. Perhaps ongoing contract negotiations, and related trade talk, are more distracting than either side would like to admit. Either way, a pair of assists on 13 shots through six contests isn’t going to cut it. On the upside, the Rangers’ top power play, including Panarin on the point, looks pretty good. They won’t be hovering near an 11.8% success rate much longer. Plus, the 33-year-old can’t be hobbling too badly when logging more than 21 minutes per game. Panarin hasn’t paced out at less than a point per game since his second season in 2026-17, averaging 1.27 between then and now. The Rangers face the Montreal Canadiens, Minnesota Wild, San Jose Sharks and Calgary Flames this coming week. Toss out an offer.

Evan Bouchard, D, Edmonton Oilers: It hasn’t been a pretty opening for the Oilers’ top defender. Never mind the point drought to date, Bouchard’s been far from brilliant otherwise, serving as a well-rounded calamity in Thursday’s thoroughly earned loss to the Islanders. Nevertheless, we’ve seen such shaky play from the gifted offensive-defenseman before. As long as he’s logging heavy minutes, earning quality chances with the club’s best up front and anchoring Edmonton’s top power play, Bouchard will start steadily denting the scoresheet again soon enough. As fellow blueliner Mattias Ekholm put it, “I’m pretty sure we’ll see a different Bouchard on Saturday.” Fantasy managers might consider lobbing a reasonable offer for the top-10 blueliner before he gets back in scoring gear.

Editor’s Picks

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Darcy Kuemper, G, Los Angeles Kings: Big breath please, the sky isn’t falling in L.A. as some might suggest. Essentially losing their past three games by a single goal (the Pittsburgh Penguins added an empty-netter), the club can largely blame a shoddy special teams’ effort, and in Thursday’s case, uninspiring netminding by backup Anton Forsberg. Promisingly and fortunately, the Kings’ 5-on-5 play is starting to appear solid. Once they clean up other matters, the ship will right itself in southern California again. Also, nominated for the Vezina last year, Kuemper finished in the top three in ESPN Fantasy standard leagues. How far to you expect the guy to fall? If your goaltending corps lacks fantasy pizzazz, chase L.A.’s No. 1 down via trade while he recuperates from a minor lower-body injury.

Trade away

Carter Verhaeghe, F, Florida Panthers:We often become too influenced by a player’s accomplishments in the postseason. Following up an impressive run the year before, Verhaeghe’s 23 points in 23 games this past spring went a long way in helping the Panthers secure their second straight Cup. While appreciably clutch, an irrelevant sum in the regular-season fantasy sphere. Collecting 20 goals and 33 assists (-14) in 2024-25, the Florida winger averaged only 1.6 fantasy points per game in ESPN standard competition. Now the team is without top center Aleksander Barkov (months), Matthew Tkachuk (many weeks) and blueliner Dmitry Kulikov (months). In trying to fill another roster need, try to mine Verhaeghe’s name value and playoff reputation for a reasonable return.

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Carter Verhaeghe stuffs one home on the power play

Carter Verhaeghe gives the Panthers the lead with a close-range finish.

Frank Vatrano, F, Anaheim Ducks:He’s averaging 12:35 on the third line, seeing essentially zero time with the extra skater (35 seconds total thus far), and “leading” everyone with a team-worst minus-4. Vatrano’s 37-goal/60-point 2023-24campaign was a long time ago now. Sure, try to trade the guy and best of luck. There are still likely better options for the grabbing on your wire.

Brock Faber, D, Minnesota Wild:Without question, Faber is a heck of a hockey player, one any NHL team would relish to have on board. But rookie Zeev Buium is currently anchoring the Wild’s top power play, while Jared Spurgeon patrols the second. So unless the defender starts blocking a lot more shots than is his habit, fantasy managers should consider putting him on the block. Good chance another manager will feel enticed by his rookie output of 47 points (2023-24) and current robust 86.2% rostership in ESPN Fantasy leagues.

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Ilya Sorokin, G, New York Islanders:Of course, the Islanders play their best game of the season when backup David Rittich is in net. The three losses preceding Thursday’s 4-2 win against Edmonton, in which Sorokin looked far from fantastic — and worse, terribly unconfident — were wildly different tales. It’s one thing to enjoy the advantage of shaking off feelings of doubt and uncertainty behind a well-oiled machine. Sorokin is a great goalie, who doesn’t feel great at present, playing for a definitely not-great team. You decide how patient you want to play it here.

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The Knicks may not have Josh Hart(back), Mitchell Robinson (workload management), Karl-Anthony Towns (quad) and OG Anunoby(ankle) for their preseason finale on Friday night.

Robinson was held out of practice on Wednesday and Thursday due to workload management.

Due to his injury history, New York plans to manage Robinson’s workload for the foreseeable future. That means he will miss games during the regular season when healthy.

Robinson has been dealing with some soreness in the preseason. Maybe the Knicks hold him out on Friday due to precautionary reasons ahead of the regular season. (It would be a surprise if the Knicks’ workload management plan kept Robinson from playing in Wednesday’s season opener).

ESPN NBA analyst Richard Jefferson sees Robinson as a key to this Knicks season.

“You look at Mitchell Robinson; how healthy is he going to be? What is their big depth? Especially when you look at what’s coming out of the West. Most likely what’s going to come out of the West is a team with at least two or possibly three very good bigs,” Jefferson said on a conference call Thursday to preview the NBA season.

“Mitchell Robinson has to be healthy. If he’s not healthy and Karl-Anthony Towns is your primary big and you’re going to try to win a championship against all of those bigs that are floating around… if he’s not healthy during the season, they’re going to have trouble in my opinion.”

Jefferson would also like to see the Knicks’ offense a bit more balanced this season under Mike Brown. He believes it will pay dividends in the postseason.

“I’m talking about a fraction (of a change to the offense). I like the ball in Jalen Brunson’s hands – he’s the type of player that can do all the things,” Jefferson said. “But just a little bit more balance can take pressure off of him. That’s what I think will allow him a little more burst. You don’t want him working as hard – especially if you’re planning on playing until June. Because that’s a different monster.

“Playing all season takes a special player. Playing a couple rounds in the playoffs, as the main guy, is another level. Playing all the way to the Finals? If you’re having to do that, that’s very very difficult. So even relieving some of that pressure …I think will help because they’re minutes will be down throughout the regular season because of the coaching change.”

Fellow ESPN NBA analyst Tim Legler will be watching New York’s pick-and-roll defense closely throughout the season.

Legler said on Wednesday that the Knicks “need to be much better defensively than they’ve been in defending ball screens. That was a major problem from them a year ago. They can get physical with (OG) Anunoby and (Mikal) Bridges and things on the wings, the way they can guard one on one.

“But their ability to defend ball screens is going to be challenged every night. They’ve got to figure out how they defend that. Because they were taken advantage of a year ago, everybody knew that, they attacked it.”

Both Legler and Jefferson agree that the Knicks’ health in the postseason is incredibly important. You can say the same for every team. But the Knicks need a healthy Robinson in high-stakes playoff games. Without Robinson, the club can’t play its double big lineup and it would presumably ask Towns to play center.

“The talent is there, the opportunity is there. The Knicks should be thinking ‘Get to the Finals,’” Legler said. “Anything short of that this year should be a disappointment for the New York Knicks, that’s the way they should view it because of what’s in front of them in the Eastern Conference.”

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Overreactions are easy to make early in the fantasy hockey season. Some of your usual scorers aren’t scoring. A couple of your players are already on injured reserve. You’ve lost your first weekly head-to-head and are projected to go 0-2.

But you can’t drop proven performers after only a few games. Be patient. Give them time.

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If you’re still thinking about your (hopefully) temporary woes, here are a few readily available NHLers who can help right away.

Forwards

Elias Lindholm, BOS (Yahoo: 49%): Following two disappointing seasons, Lindholm is set to get back on track as Boston’s undisputed No. 1 center at both even-strength and on the power play. He’s rarely been injured throughout his career and will regularly get to skate with David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie, so somewhere in the 50-60 point range looks to be a solid baseline. Lindholm may often face the opposition’s best defenders due to the Bruins’ thin depth chart up front, but you can’t go wrong with sufficient scoring, a bunch of hits and a lot of faceoff wins.

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Nick Schmaltz, UTA (Yahoo: 33%): When you think of consistency, think of Schmaltz. After all, he’s managed to score 58, 59, 61 and 63 points his last four seasons. Schmaltz also leads the top line during all scoring situations while providing plenty of shots on goal and averaging between 18-19 minutes per game. He’s also set up three of Utah’s eight goals on an attack that should improve with the recent addition of JJ Peterka.

William Eklund, SJ (Yahoo: 31%): It’s way too early to get excited, but the Sharks have potted 10 goals in the first three games (let’s ignore the 16 they’ve conceded). And, surprisingly, only two have come from the four forwards on the first man-advantage. Eklund can claim one of those (Tyler Toffoli’s the other) alongside an assist, six shots and an average of 18:29 ice time per game — including almost four PP minutes. Based on recent production and current placement, it’s entirely possible he exceeds his 58 points from last season.

Teuvo Teravainen, CHI (Yahoo: 28%): Frank Nazar was discussed last week, and he’s already up to six points. One of his linemates boasts the same number, and it’s not Todd Bertuzzi. Teravainen has also notched two PPPs after 24 upon his 2024-25 return to Chicago. He won’t give you much else in terms of counting stats, though the offense should suffice. The Blackhawks’ second line deserves more love (Nazar’s coverage has more than doubled since being mentioned), so be sure to click on Teravainen’s name and reap the benefits.

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Jimmy Snuggerud, STL (Yahoo: 21%): Snuggerud carried over his NCAA success into a solid stint with the Blues to close out last season. And he seems to have continued that momentum via a two-goal, six-shot effort Monday at Vancouver. Snuggerud has also fit seamlessly in on St. Louis’ lead power play, where he’s tallied two points. As his minutes and responsibilities increase, so should his fantasy profile.

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Matthew Coronato, CGY (Yahoo: 19%): After finishing 29th in offense, the Flames keep struggling to find the back of the net with only nine goals. But Coronato can’t be blamed for this dry spell, as he’s fired home two markers in addition to 10 shots. The former first-rounder is usually centered by Nazem Kadri, with the duo finding significant success while up a man (39 combined PPPs last year). Watch for Coronato to eclipse the 50-point plateau.

Oliver Bjorkstrand, TB (Yahoo: 10%): It’s not often you’ll find a bottom-half, 5-on-5 forward here. At the same time, being on an elite man-advantage counts for a lot in fantasy. Bjorkstrand is coming off four consecutive double-digit PPP hauls across Columbus, Seattle and Tampa Bay. He’s teamed up with former Kraken teammate Yanni Gourde but gets most of his good looks on the No. 1 power play and struck for a PPG during the opener. Bjorkstrand’s place on that quintet seems tenuous with Brandon Hagel currently on the other group, but he’s there heading into Friday’s contest at Detroit.

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Zach Benson, BUF (Yahoo: 7%): If you weren’t watching hockey on Wednesday, you may have not heard about Benson’s season debut. After not being available for the opening three matchups, the 13th pick from 2023 dished out four assists — including one on each special teams unit — on a line with Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch. While that performance came against an Ottawa side that’s already surrendered 22 goals, Benson was already projected to skate on the top trio before getting hurt. With the Sabres facing a few tougher defenses the next couple weeks, monitor his progress before adding him.

Defensemen

Brent Burns, COL (Yahoo: 32%): Burns isn’t logging as much ice time compared to his prime years, yet the 40-year-old hasn’t lost his offensive instincts. And like with his time in Carolina, he’s not being asked to lead the blueline with the Avs. At just over a 20-minute average, Burns has produced three assists, 13 shots and eight blocks while joining Devon Toews on the second power play, where he’s supplied a PPA. As long as he stays in the top-four and man-advantage, he should deliver around 30 points and 200 shots on goal.

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Justin Faulk, STL (Yahoo: 23%): Faulk is another long-time defender whose scoring stats have declined while still providing enough to be fantasy-worthy. He may only have one assist so far, though no one is going to complain about the seven shots, nine hits and 10 blocks on 23:31 per game. And that lone helper came Saturday on a solid Blues’ second PP. Faulk is generally consistent, which should be enough to get him on more rosters.

Dmitry Orlov, SJ (Yahoo: 14%): It’s been a quick turnaround of teams for Orlov the last few seasons, yet he’s fit in well at every stop. And things are similar in San Jose, as he’s part of a veteran group that balances their promising youngsters. What’s different is a power-play spot that could increase if Orlov was to move up to the Sharks’ top PP with John Klingberg hurt, but he’ll still be in a favorable position based on output (three assists, five shots, seven hits) and significant minutes (22:19 average).

Sean Walker, CAR (Yahoo: 1%): It’s hard to understand how Walker remains available in 99% of Yahoo leagues. Maybe it’s because he’s never topped 29 points in any season or registered his only offensive contribution so far with a goal on Tuesday. Some fantasy formats use smaller rosters and/or less teams, but anyone who’s averaged 2:22 while up a man playing on the lead pair during both even-strength and shorthanded should be up for more consideration. And Walker could accumulate more stats, as projected regular partner Jaccob Slavin is slated to return soon.

Goaltenders

Cam Talbot, DET (Yahoo: 35%): Talbot may have been the Red Wings’ predominant starter during 2024-25, but John Gibson was clearly brought in over the summer to be the No. 1. The latter struggled during his Detroit debut and was pulled in less than two periods after allowing five goals. Talbot has since started the last three games and won each contest while only giving up a combined six goals on 84 shots. Even with Gibson set to face Tampa Bay on Friday, expect Talbot to operate as the lead netminder until he falters or is forced out of the lineup.

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Alex Lyon, BUF (Yahoo: 7%): Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has been sidelined the last month due to a lower-body injury, leaving Lyon as Buffalo’s top goalie and Colten Ellis (no NHL appearances since being drafted in 2019) the backup. And despite Lyon letting in nine goals over the last three outings, he made 94 saves while picking up his first win of the year versus the Sens on Wednesday. UPL will probably be eased into the rotation upon returning, which means Lyon should continue to carry a substantial short-term workload.

Players to consider from past columns:Leo Carlsson, Frank Nazar, Andrei Kuzmenko, Will Cuylle, Zachary Bolduc, Marco Rossi, Jake DeBrusk, Matias Maccelli, Brandt Clarke, Travis Sanheim, Philip Broberg, Simon Edvinsson, Spencer Knight, Charlie Lindgren

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It’s fair to call Max Scherzer a winning player. Besides his 221 regular-season victories, he has finished just three of his 18 MLB seasons on a team with a sub-.500 record. He has also reached the playoffs with six of those seven franchises, including the Blue Jays this year.

The two-time World Series champion got the ball for ALCS Game 4 on Thursday night in Seattle and came through with a stellar outing: 5 2/3 innings, two earned runs allowed and five strikeouts. That start made Scherzer the newest member of a very small group of well-traveled players with an enormous amount of playoff experience.

The Blue Jays are the sixth team that Scherzer has played for in October, along with the Tigers (2011-14), Nationals (2014, 2016-17, 2019), Dodgers (2021), Mets (2022) and Rangers (2023). Only four other players in MLB history have appeared in the postseason with that many clubs.

Here’s a look at that short list as well as the collection of players who have appeared in the playoffs for five franchises. Red Sox reliever Aroldis Chapman joined that group when he closed out Boston’s victory in Game 1 of its 2025 American League Wild Card Series against the Yankees.

Max Scherzer, six teams
Tigers (2011-14), Nationals (2016-17, 2019), Dodgers (2021), Mets (2022), Rangers (2023), Blue Jays (2025)

Scherzer has concluded five postseason starts with double-digit strikeouts, and his best such outing arguably came during the Nationals’ run to the 2019 World Series title. Scherzer struck out 11 Cardinals and allowed only one hit over seven scoreless frames in NLCS Game 2. The Nats would go on to win both of Scherzer’s starts during that year’s Fall Classic against the Astros. Four years later, he tossed three scoreless innings in World Series Game 3 for the eventual champion Rangers, although he had to depart that start early due to a back injury. Scherzer’s 26th and most recent playoff start — and his first as a Blue Jay — saw him deal 5 2/3 innings at age 41 in ALCS Game 4 versus the Mariners.

Josh Donaldson, six teams
A’s (2012-14), Blue Jays (2015-16), Cleveland (2018), Braves (2019), Yankees (2022), Brewers (2023)

The 2015 AL MVP collected three homers and six extra-base hits in 11 playoff games for Toronto that season. Donaldson was even better the following year, slashing .417/.462/.667 with seven XBHs through nine games. Alas, the Blue Jays’ World Series hopes were thwarted in the League Championship Series by Kansas City and Cleveland, respectively. Donaldson, who never reached the Fall Classic, couldn’t replicate that level of production with any of the other clubs he played for in the postseason. Outside of those two trips with Toronto, he batted .193 (21-for-109) with one homer and 38 strikeouts in the playoffs.

Fernando Rodney, six teams
Tigers (2006), Rays (2013), Cubs (2015), D-backs (2017), A’s (2018), Nationals (2019)

Rodney’s postseason résumé is pretty spotty: 5.71 ERA, 5.46 FIP and a 2.02 WHIP over 17 1/3 innings (20 games). He also went 0-for-2 in save opportunities after racking up 327 saves during the regular season. But he did get the final out in two win-or-go-home games, first for the Rays in their 2013 American League Wild Card Game at Cleveland and then for the D-backs in their 2017 National League Wild Card Game versus Colorado. Two years later — Rodney’s final one in MLB — he was merely a low-leverage reliever during the playoffs for the Nationals, but he was able to retire as a World Series champion.

David Wells, six teams
Blue Jays (1989, 1991-92), Reds (1995), Orioles (1996), Yankees (1997-98, 2002-03), Red Sox (2005), Phillies (2006)

Wells’ ERA was nearly a full run better in the playoffs (3.17) than it was during the regular season (4.13). Granted, some of that can be credited to when he was in the Blue Jays’ bullpen in 1989, ’91 and in their ’92 World Series title year. He allowed only two earned runs across 13 October innings over those three seasons. But once Wells was a part of a playoff rotation, first with the ’95 Reds, he was often reliable as a starter, too. The left-hander allowed one unearned run and struck out eight batters over 6 1/3 innings in his first postseason start as Cincinnati triumphed in Game 3 of the 1995 NLDS against the Dodgers.

His greatest playoff successes came with the Yankees, especially during their dominant run in 1998. Wells finished third in the AL Cy Young voting that season and was then named ALCS MVP after tossing 15 2/3 innings through two starts and striking out 18 Cleveland batters. His 11 K’s in Game 5 were his personal best in the postseason.

Kenny Lofton, six teams
Cleveland (1995-96, 1998-99, 2001, 2007), Braves (1997), Giants (2002), Cubs (2003), Yankees (2004), Dodgers (2006)

Lofton was playoff-bound in all but two years from 1995-2007. A prolific speedster, his 34 stolen bases in the playoffs are the most by any player, and his 11 bags for Cleveland in 1995 matched Rickey Henderson’s total for the 1989 A’s as the most in a single postseason. In Game 6 of the ’95 ALCS, Lofton’s speed put the finishing touches on Cleveland’s first pennant since 1954 as he scored from second base on a passed ball in the eighth inning against Randy Johnson and the Mariners. But his most impactful postseason moment arguably came with the Giants seven years later. That’s when Lofton lined a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the ninth of NLCS Game 5 to send San Francisco to the World Series.

Players who made the postseason with five teams

• Don Baylor (Orioles, Red Sox, Angels, Twins, A’s)

• Carlos Beltrán (Astros, Mets, Yankees, Cardinals, Rangers)

• Bobby Bonilla (Braves, Orioles, Marlins, Mets, Pirates)

• Chad Bradford (Red Sox, White Sox, Mets, A’s, Rays)

• Ellis Burks (Red Sox, White Sox, Cleveland, Rockies, Giants)

• Orlando Cabrera (Red Sox, White Sox, Reds, Angels, Twins)

• Aroldis Chapman (Red Sox, Cubs, Reds, Yankees, Rangers)

• Octavio Dotel (White Sox, Tigers, Astros, Mets, Cardinals)

• Alan Embree (Braves, Red Sox, Cleveland, Padres, Giants)

• Curtis Granderson (Tigers, Dodgers, Brewers, Mets, Yankees)

• Rickey Henderson (Mets, A’s, Padres, Mariners, Blue Jays)

• Jason Heyward (Braves, Cubs, Astros, Dodgers, Cardinals)

• Danny Jackson (Reds, Royals, Phillies, Pirates, Cardinals)

• Craig Kimbrel (Braves, Red Sox, Cubs, White Sox, Phillies)

• J.D. Martinez (D-backs, Red Sox, Tigers, Dodgers, Mets)

• Pat Neshek (Rockies, Astros, Twins, A’s, Cardinals)

• John Olerud (Red Sox, Mets, Yankees, Mariners, Blue Jays)

• Tommy Pham (D-backs, Royals, Padres, Cardinals, Rays)

• Reggie Sanders (D-backs, Braves, Reds, Giants, Cardinals)

• Jim Thome (Orioles, White Sox, Cleveland, Dodgers, Twins)

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October 16, 2025

(by: Major League Table Tennis)

MLTT WEEK 3 PLAYER POWER RANKINGS

Major League Table Tennis†top Season 3 players arenâ€t the names you would expect. Some are rookies, others are improved players, and a few crack the top ten due to a few things they do very well. But these players have shaped not just their teams, but MLTT as a whole so far. Here are the 10 top players so far in Season 3.

1.ÂKang Dong-Soo: Portland Paddlers

SPINDEX: 2788

Singles: 14-4 (77.8%)

Golden Game: 18-18

Power Rating: 784.1

The Portland Paddlers made a massive investment in Kang Dong-Soo, drafting the Korean doubles champion in the second round of the 2025 MLTT Draft. Itâ€s hard to imagine that Christian Lillieroos expected his rookie to contribute like this. When matches seemed lost — especially against the Los Angeles Spinners on Friday — Kang would come in, decimate his opponent, and turn the momentum. His 8-1 singles record in Week 3, as well as his Player of the Week honors for Week 3, further cement him as the best player in MLTT at this moment.

2.ÂKoki Niwa: New York Slice

SPINDEX: 2815

Singles: 6-3 (66.7%)

Doubles: 4-2 (66.7%)

Golden Game: 12-10

Power Rating: 772.2

Koki Niwa is not a mere rookie. Heâ€s one of the most decorated table tennis players in Japanese history. Heâ€s a two-time Olympic medalist. He retired from international competition because he wanted to “pass the torch†to younger Japanese players, many of whom looked up to him. Now, heâ€s in MLTT. And he willed the Slice to a 2-1 record in Week 2, using the quickness and intensity that make him one of the best chop blockers in the world. Singles? Doubles? Heâ€s dominated both events at the MLTT level, and he did so with style.

SEE TOP 10 POWER RANKINGS

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🎤 MLTT Coach Interview: Romain Lorentz – Los Angeles Spinners

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New Episode of Around The Net with Kanak Jha

WATCH NOW

Robert Gardos vs. Player of The Week
Kang Dong-Soo | MLTT Week 3 (Portland, OR)

Enzo Angles vs Kou Lei | MLTT Week 3
(Portland, OR)

Chicago Wind To Host Next Weekend

Major League Table Tennis hits Bensenville Oct 24–26 at Energy VBC. The home team Chicago Wind (Robert Gardos, Emmanuel Lebesson, Alex Cazacu, Sean Zhang, Daniel Tran, and Mo Zhang), led by coach Eric Owens, defend home court against the Portland Paddlers, Princeton Revolution, Chicago Wind, and one of the new expansion teams New York Slice.

Be sure to visit Tickets.MLTT.com to secure your seats.
All matches will be streamed exclusively on TableTennis.TV.
Subscribe to TableTennis.TV to take advantage of your first 30 days on us with the code: MLTT30

WEEK 4 TICKETS

TABLETENNIS.TV

Chicago Wind Track Suit Jacket

The new seasonâ€s here – and so is the gear. Jerseys, tees, and more, built for whoever you rep.
Check the selection of the Chicago Wind!

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  Stay “In The Loop†with Butterfly professional table tennis equipment, table tennis news, table tennis technology, tournament results, and We Are Butterfly players, coaches, clubs and more.

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