Browsing: questions

Adam Coleâ€s in-ring future with AEW is more uncertain than ever, and a new update makes it clear—heâ€s still not close to coming back.

During a Fightful Select Q&A, Sean Ross Sapp responded to a fan asking about Coleâ€s status. While many hoped the former TNT Champion was on the mend, Sapp painted a much more serious picture.

“Nowhere near returning last time I checked. I donâ€t want to get into too much private stuff, but he knew he was going to face issues dealing with this concussion and he has.â€

Cole isnâ€t doing any coaching, producing, or behind-the-scenes work either—and for good reason.

“Iâ€ve not heard of him doing coaching or anything like that and I donâ€t think traveling would help him recover.â€

This backs up what many sources have been hearing privately for months: Cole is dealing with a tough recovery, and AEW is giving him all the time he needs. But what happens next is unclear, especially with his absence already affecting the companyâ€s direction.

Back in July, Dave Meltzer revealed on Wrestling Observer Radio that Coleâ€s abrupt exit from AEW All In: Texas wasnâ€t part of any storyline. It was a legitimate scare that played out in real time. According to Meltzer, Cole was cleared to compete as late as Friday night. Then everything changed overnight.

“So what happened is, again, itâ€s like—I donâ€t know that itâ€s a concussion, but what happened to him would lead one to believe it was a concussion, OK? But I donâ€t know that. Like, look, Friday night he was still doing the match. And it wasnâ€t like it was touch and go. You know, maybe yes, maybe no. I mean, if he was diagnosed with a concussion Friday night, heâ€s not doing the match. Thatâ€s just reality. Theyâ€re not going to let anyone—especially with his history—go out there. Absolutely not.â€

Meltzer said Cole woke up Saturday feeling symptoms that made it impossible to wrestle, and there was no internal debate about whether heâ€d perform.

“Saturday morning, he woke up and something had happened. And it was just like—he canâ€t do the match. And he needs to take time off. And it wasnâ€t a debate. It wasnâ€t his call. It wasnâ€t Tony saying, ‘Can you just go through and drop the title?†It was like, no. It was a no.â€

Both Cole and Tony Khan were visibly shaken during the post-show media appearance. Meltzer added:

“Tonyâ€s reaction, as best I could tell, was—he was really shaken up. And Adam was shaken up. You could tell from the interview. I think what he said was that he doesnâ€t want to make a rash decision or anything, but it was a scary situation.â€

With no firm timeline and no backstage involvement, Adam Coleâ€s role in AEW is effectively frozen. While Khanâ€s loyalty may keep him employed, itâ€s unclear what the future holds—especially if his recovery continues at this pace.

What do you think AEW should do with Adam Coleâ€s role while he recovers? Should they bring him on camera in a non-wrestling capacity or give him complete space to heal? Sound off in the comments below.

Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.

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WrestlePalooza was supposed to be WWEâ€s grand debut on ESPN, but instead of kicking off a new era in triumph, it turned into a storm of streaming headaches, negative reviews, and fan frustration. Now, a new report sheds light on how WWE leadership has reacted to the criticism — and one line from Triple H is already sparking discussion.

According to Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, there is growing concern behind the scenes at TKO. Even though many believe WWE is running smoother without Vince McMahon, thereâ€s unease that the new leadership doesnâ€t understand the fundamentals of wrestling storytelling or its history. There are also fears about AI integration leading to jobs being cut, whispers of record-low ratings, and the perception that WrestlePalooza was a flop as WWEâ€s first ESPN show.

Amid all of that, Meltzer noted that Paul “Triple H†Levesque addressed the backlash during a production meeting. Rather than showing frustration, Levesque doubled down on WWEâ€s approach.

“We work them (the fans). They donâ€t work us.â€

That line came after WrestlePalooza was hammered with complaints. Fans who paid $29.99 to watch through the ESPN app were locked out by error messages, while others complained about confusing subscription tiers and being pushed into higher-priced bundles. On top of the tech fiasco, ESPNâ€s own review called the event “average,†giving it a lukewarm C grade and criticizing matches like Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena for falling flat.

Even so, WWEâ€s business remains financially strong. The company is still reporting packed houses and record revenue, even as some internally believe the boom period for wrestling may have already peaked. The fear among longtime insiders is that Silver Lake and TKO could respond to a slowdown with cutbacks and more reliance on AI.

Triple Hâ€s comment makes it clear that, at least from his perspective, WWE isnâ€t letting the negative reaction dictate their creative direction. But it also raises questions about how much the company is listening to its fans versus controlling the narrative.

Do you think Triple H is right that WWE controls the fans, or is this mindset going to hurt the company in the long run? Share your thoughts in the comments.

October 17, 2025 11:29 am

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Philadelphia Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski questioned whether star Bryce Harper can ever return to an “elite” form during comments made at an end-of-season press conference on Thursday, per ESPN News Services.

“He’s still a quality player. He’s still an All-Star caliber player,” Dombrowski said. “He didn’t have an elite season like he’s had in the past. I guess we only find out if he becomes elite or he continues to be good.”

“Can he rise to the next level again? I don’t really know that answer. He’s the one that will dictate that more than anything else. I don’t think he’s content with the year that he had. Again, it wasn’t a bad year. But when I think of Bryce Harper, you think elite, you think of one of the top-10 players in baseball and I don’t think it fit into that category.”

The 33-year-old Harper has played 14 seasons for the Washington Nationals and Phillies. His accolades include two National League MVP awards, eight All-Star Games and four Silver Sluggers. For his career, Harper has hit .280 (.905 OPS) with a per-162 game average of 33 home runs and 95 RBI.

Harper has certainly remained productive even as he plays in the middle of his second MLB decade. In 2025, the Las Vegas native hit .261 (.844 OPS) with 27 home runs and 75 RBI in 132 games. However, that .844 OPS mark was his lowest since 2016. In addition, the .261 average was his lowest since 2019. Harper also had a tough postseason, hitting just .200 (3-for-15) with no RBI.

Harper signed a 13-year, $330 million contract with the Phillies in March 2019. Philadelphia missed the playoffs in his first three seasons but fared much better in the last four, making the postseason each time. That includes the 2022 National League pennant, a 2023 NLCS appearance and back-to-back NL East titles in 2024 and 2025.

Harper has played a big role in all of that success. A World Series title has not transpired, but it’s clear how much he’s helped Philadelphia, which missed the playoffs from 2012-2021, rise to its current level.

Perhaps Harper never rises back to his elite form, ultimately, but he’s still quite good in his own right.

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Pat Murphy’s son answers reporter’s questions at NLCS

\n\n”,”providerName”:”Twitter”,”providerUrl”:” note from the heart** \nPat Murphy figures his players have heard his voice so much by now, it was better to put his thoughts in writing as they try to make a comeback from a 2-0 deficit in the best-of-seven NLCS.\n\nThe Milwaukee Journal Sentinel noticed a note from the 66-year-old Brewers skipper at players†lockers at Dodger Stadium for Wednesdayâ€s workout ahead of Game 3. It was a message of encouragement for a team facing long odds, historically speaking, and a reminder that the Brewers have been bucking expectations all year long.\n\n“Did you read it?†Murphy asked the reporter, Curt Hogg, who had noticed the note. “Well, if you read it, it’s encouraging and it’s from the heart. It’s like, you speak to them and sometimes your words, your voice, they’ve heard it so much for the last nine months.\n\n“Sometimes it’s better to not use your voice and just jot down a little something simple that they can read in 30 seconds. Yeah, it’s from the heart. It’s like, ‘Hey, greatness is formed from stuff like this.†This is more of an opportunity than anybody knows. If I was to tell this group after our 0-4 start with the worst run differential in baseball history, if I was to tell them, ‘Hey, you’re four games from the World Series,†you’d take it.\n\n“Whatever that mountain is, we’ll take it. Now let’s get to work. Whatever has happened in the past has happened in the past. Let’s roll. This is the best group to go through it with because they’ve had a special fiber all year long, so I’m pretty confident.—,”type”:”text”},{“__typename”:”Video”,”contentDate”:”2025-10-16T00:51:13.67Z”,”preferredPlaybackScenarioURL({\”preferredPlaybacks\”:\”mp4AvcPlayback\”})”:” Murphy discusses Milwaukee’s pitching plans going forward, the Dodgers’ pitching staff containing the Brewers’ offense and more”,”displayAsVideoGif”:false,”duration”:”00:02:28″,”slug”:”pat-murphy-on-the-brewers-pitching-plans”,”tags”:[{“__typename”:”TeamTag”,”slug”:”teamid-158″,”title”:”Milwaukee Brewers”,”team”:{“__ref”:”Team:158″},”type”:”team”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”vod”,”title”:”vod”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”team-featured”,”title”:”team featured”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”nlcs”,”title”:”NLCS”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”postseason”,”title”:”postseason”,”type”:”taxonomy”},{“__typename”:”TaxonomyTag”,”slug”:”press-conference”,”title”:”press conference”,”type”:”taxonomy”}],”thumbnail”:{“__typename”:”Thumbnail”,”templateUrl”:” Murphy on the Brewers’ pitching plans”,”relativeSiteUrl”:”/video/pat-murphy-on-the-brewers-pitching-plans”},{“__typename”:”Markdown”,”content”:”**No respect** \nMurphy is a lifelong fan of boxing, so he immediately recognized former champ Floyd Mayweather Jr. at the team hotel on Wednesday in downtown Los Angeles and was dared to make an introduction.\n\n“You always know somebody that knows somebody,†a member of Murphyâ€s entourage told him.\n\n“So I go, ‘Watch this,â€â€ Murphy said.\n\nHe indeed did know somebody who knew Mayweather, the uncle of one of Murphyâ€s former players at Arizona State who works in a gym that Mayweather frequents. Murphy ran the name by one of Mayweatherâ€s handlers and the whole group lit up with recognition.\n\nThen someone — Murphy didnâ€t specify whether it was Mayweather — noticed Murphyâ€s young sons with him and asked if he was in town coaching Little League baseball.\n\n“Yeah, sort of,†Murphy joked in response.”,”type”:”text”}],”relativeSiteUrl”:”/news/pat-murphy-son-answers-reporter-questions-at-nlcs”,”contentType”:”news”,”subHeadline”:null,”summary”:”LOS ANGELES — A national audience is getting to know some of Brewers manager Pat Murphyâ€s quirks as Milwaukee pushes deeper into the postseason, including his habit of having any unfamiliar faces introduce themselves at the start of press conferences, and the occasional presence on the dais of the two”,”tagline({\”formatString\”:\”none\”})”:null,”tags”:[{“__typename”:”InternalTag”,”slug”:”storytype-article”,”title”:”Article”,”type”:”article”},{“__typename”:”TeamTag”,”slug”:”teamid-158″,”type”:”team”,”title”:”Milwaukee 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This story was excerpted from Mark Sheldon’s Reds Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

CINCINNATI — The Reds achieved a long-awaited goal by making the postseason with 83 wins in 2025 in their first year with Terry Francona as their manager. As important as that first step was, there is much work to do in order to win more regular-season games, go deeper in the playoffs and, ultimately, reach the World Series.

As Cincinnati begins its offseason with sights set on 2026, here are five questions facing the club.

1. Where and how can the Reds add offense?

The Reds ranked in the bottom half of MLB in most offensive categories this year, but among the ones that stood out were 21st in home runs (167), 24th in weighted runs created (92 wRC+) and 28th in hard-hit rate (38.2 percent). They were ninth in strikeouts. Situational hitting was a big weakness, with a 3-12 record in extra-inning games underscoring that issue the most.

“Obviously [with] more frequency of contact, youâ€ll be able to hit home runs in this ballpark. Thatâ€s something weâ€ve got to improve across the board,” president of baseball operations Nick Krall said.

Cincinnati will need to find a hitter, or two, for the middle of the order. Among positions in flux are left field, first base and designated hitter. Whether or not there is enough financial maneuverability will be a factor in the clubâ€s ability to make those additions.

2. Would trading Hunter Greene help bring back a bat?

Greene, a 2024 All-Star and two-time Opening Day starter, is signed through ‘28. The right-hander with triple-digit velocity has shown he can be a dominant force on the mound, but that ability has been stunted by extended stints on the IL in each of his four big league seasons. The injuries the past three seasons were considered relatively minor, including the Grade 1 right groin strain that cost him over two months this season. He’s never pitched more than 150 1/3 innings or made more than 26 starts.

Even after a disappointing postseason debut vs. the Dodgers in Game 1 of the National League Wild Card Series, Greene still could be an attractive trade chip in the Reds’ pockets. Moving him would free up salary to sign a bat this offseason or bring back a hitter in return, and a change of scenery could benefit him.

This can’t be a salary dump for prospects, however. If Greene is traded, Major League talent would have to come back to make it work.

“I donâ€t want to speculate on anybody thatâ€s going to get traded or not get traded at this point,” Krall responded when asked about Greene’s trade potential. “Because we havenâ€t had any conversations with other clubs, I donâ€t know what the needs are out there. I donâ€t know what people are available as well.â€

3. Is there enough starting pitching?

Wait, wasn’t a case just made for Greene to be traded? Well, there’s a case not to trade him also. While Greene, Andrew Abbott, Nick Lodolo, Brady Singer and Chase Burns could all come back, three other young starters in Rhett Lowder (right forearm, left oblique), Julian Aguiar (right elbow) and Brandon Williamson (left elbow) missed all of 2025. Their innings — along with Burns in his second pro season — would have to be managed while protecting their arm health. Like Greene, Lodolo has never had an injury-free season as well. Zack Littell and swingman Nick Martinez will also be free agents with no guarantees of their returns.

“You can come up short real fast if you start looking to move pitching,” general manager Brad Meador said.

4. Will the bullpen need rebuilding?

The Reds†bullpen really found its groove down the stretch. Closer Emilio Pagán (2.88 ERA, 32 saves) and setup man Tony Santillan (80 appearances) formed a strong back end with several big arms leading up to them. But Pagán and Martinez will be free agents, while Scott Barlow and Brent Suter have club options for 2026. Pagán has expressed interest in returning, but without a known budget for next year, it’s unclear if it will happen.

Graham Ashcraft, Connor Phillips, Zach Maxwell and Luis Mey are among the hard-throwers returning, and all will factor for spots. A former starter prospect, Phillips especially seemed to find a home as a reliever the final weeks of the season. But Krall and Meador have often been successful finding veteran relievers via Minor League contracts and on the waiver wire. They could be pressed into finding replacements, including a new closer.

5. Can the defense be improved?

While there was a statistical improvement from 2024, the Reds still must do a better job defensively. For the second year in a row, shortstop Elly De La Cruz led the Majors in errors (26), and often in crucial moments, there were defensive lapses in making proper cut-off throws or just plays when they had to be made.

The trade for third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes — a perennial Gold Glove contender and 2023 winner — helped the infield. Spencer Steer played first base full time and developed quickly into a superb defender. But despite the solid work of center fielder TJ Friedl, the overall outfield defense ranked poorly in outs above average (-12) and runs prevented (-11).

“We were towards the bottom of the league in defense,” Krall said. “We did a good job with defensive efficiency, but our defensive range and everything could be better across the board.â€

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The injury suffered by Ibrahima Konate in Liverpool’s game against Chelsea at the weekend could add a new problem to Arne Slot’s current woes.

Konate was substituted at Stamford Bridge just before the hour mark and replaced by Curtis Jones, as the Reds went on to lose 2-1 to the Club World Cup champions.

It’s Liverpool’s third consecutive loss, after being defeated by Crystal Palace and Galatasaray over the course of the previous week.

Slot went on to say it was a substitution he had in mind to shift Ryan Gravenberch into the backline, which he said was desirable due to the amount of the ball the player in that position was getting.

But there may be some positive news for Konate, as according to a report from L’Equipe, the centre-back is expected back to France’s Clairefontaine base on Monday afternoon for further fitness checks, which surely would be avoided in the case of a significant injury.

In FourFourTwo’s opinion, this injury to Konate is, to some extent, exposing a slight lack of balance in Liverpool’s recruitment in the summer.

A further update will be required to know how long Konate may be out for (Image credit: Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images)

On Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike, they spent a combined £194m for two forwards despite both competing for the same position in Slot’s one-striker setup.

Meanwhile, they entered the new campaign with just four senior centre-backs, one of which being the 18-year-old Leoni, and another the injury-prone Gomez. Just a fraction of their striker outlay being spent on the defensive would likely have left them feeling much sturdier through their current plight.

Konate is valued at €60m, according to Transfermarkt. Liverpool next face Manchester United, when Premier League action returns after the international break.

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The 2025 MLB playoffs are here — and for some teams, October is going to last a lot longer than it is for some others.

We start with the wild-card round, where the Cincinnati Reds became the first team eliminated from postseason contention — on the very first day of October, no less — with a two-game series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The next day, the Cleveland Guardians lost their series to the Detroit Tigers, the San Diego Padres fell to the Chicago Cubs and the Boston Red Sox were knocked out by the New York Yankees in a trio of Game 3s.

What’s next for the teams and towns that won’t be celebrating a World Series parade this fall? As each contender is eliminated, ESPN MLB experts Bradford Doolittle, Alden Gonzalez and David Schoenfield will list that club’s key free agents and biggest offseason questions and make their predictions for the long, cold winter ahead.

Teams eliminated in wild-card series

Eliminated by: Dodgers

Key free agents: RHP Nick Martinez, RHP Emilio Pagan

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Biggest offseason priority: Flipping their home run differential. The Reds badly need middle-of-the-order power, the kind that will better align their lineup with the long-ball-friendly vagaries of Great American Ballpark. The Reds gave up 25 more homers than they hit in 2025, postseason included, the fifth-worst differential in the majors. That differential was minus-18 at home. The Reds have the pitching they need to win the NL Central, but they need a major uptick in firepower to support the arms. With Martinez’s salary coming off the books, Cincinnati has a wide-open payroll, which — one would think — means lots of flexibility, whether it’s a free agency splurge or a high-impact trade.

Is it time to really unleash this rotation? The Reds have collected quite a collection of high-upside young pitchers. Some of them have established themselves in the majors — Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo, Andrew Abbott. Abbott had a career season in 2025, but Greene still hasn’t paired his dominance with season-long durability. Lodolo produced 28 mostly excellent starts but has plenty of room to grow in his innings count. Then you have Chase Petty, Chase Burns and Rhett Lowder, along with the veteran stability of Brady Singer. The ideal for 2026 would be for manager Terry Francona to push this group of seven for a full season and perhaps lighten up a bit on the innings management side of the equation. This has the potential to be among MLB’s best rotations.

Offseason prediction:The Reds will get aggressive. No, they won’t go wild, of course, but besides having a contention-worthy rotation and a star in Elly De La Cruz who is edging toward his prime, they have a 66-year-old future Hall of Fame manager in Francona who isn’t going to be around forever. — Doolittle

Eliminated by: Tigers

Key free agents: OF Lane Thomas, C Austin Hedges, RHP Jakob Junis

Biggest offseason priority: The term “Guards Ball” caught on during Cleveland’s unlikely second-half run. It was fun to watch and even inspiring. It’s also not generally how championships are won in baseball these days. The Guardians need more firepower on offense, and while there are a lot of promising bats in the system, maybe for once the team will splurge on a middle-of-the-order anchor? Yeah, that’s probably wishful thinking.

What will Cleveland get from its young hitters? It’s not hard to imagine some of the Guardians we saw on the playoff roster getting better — Kyle Manzardo, CJ Kayfus, Johnathan Rodriguez, Jhonkensy Noel. It’s not hard to see Chase DeLauter becoming an AL Rookie of the Year favorite. Given his numbers at Triple-A, it’s a little harder to see Travis Bazzana being part of the Opening Day mix, but it’s not difficult to envision him making a leap during the 2026 season. The crucial question the Guardians have to answer is: What will this group do to lift the offensive profile of a lineup led by Jose Ramirez and Steven Kwan? The Guardians won a division title despite scoring more runs than just two other teams. That’s not a sustainable formula.

Offseason prediction: The Guardians, with prospects on the way and the roster full of players under team control, won’t do much in the offseason. They certainly can afford to with so little future guaranteed funds tied up — a big pillow contract to someone like Ohio native Kyle Schwarber would be amazing — but it’s not likely. So, take heart, Cleveland fans, and enjoy the Guardians’ still-spewing fountain of youth. — Doolittle

Eliminated by:Cubs

Key free agents:1B/2B Luis Arraez, SP Dylan Cease, SP Michael King ($15M mutual option), CL Robert Suarez ($8M player option), 1B Ryan O’Hearn, OF Ramon Laureano ($6.5M club option), INF Jose Iglesias, RP Wandy Peralta ($4.45M player option), C Elias Diaz ($7M mutual option), SP Nestor Cortes

Biggest offseason priority:Cease and King will venture into free agency, and the Padres will have to replace them in the rotation. San Diego will have Joe Musgrove back in 2026, but he’ll be coming off Tommy John surgery. Yu Darvish will still be there, but he’ll be in his age-39 season, having accumulated fewer than 100 innings each of the past two years. The depth beyond them, outside of Nick Pivetta, is suspect. First base will also be a priority unless the team brings Arraez back.

Will they spend again?The Padres lost their local-television contract in 2023, then missed out on the playoffs despite fielding arguably the most talented team in franchise history. Shortly thereafter, Peter Seidler, their beloved, free-spending owner, died. The Padres dropped the payroll by roughly 30% the following year. A 25% increase followed in 2025, putting them at roughly $215 million. Where will they go in 2026? It’s hard to say. But Manny Machado’s salary will keep increasing — from $13 million in 2025 to $21 million in 2026 and $35 million thereafter. If they want to keep surrounding him with talent as he ages, they’ll have to keep spending.

Offseason prediction:The Padres will pay six players — Xander Bogaerts, Fernando Tatis Jr., Darvish, Musgrove, Machado and Pivetta — a combined $120 million in 2026. The team’s success will come down to the production of those players — along with Jackson Merrill and Mason Miller, who are still not in their prime earning years. But A.J. Preller will look for ways to acquire a front-line starting pitcher and will get creative if he has to. Last offseason, he landed Pivetta on a deal that paid him only $4 million in 2025. This offseason, that front-line starter might have to come via trade. — Gonzalez

Eliminated by:Yankees

Key free agents:3B Alex Bregman (opt-out), RHP Lucas Giolito ($19 million mutual option), OF Rob Refsnyder, RHP Dustin May, LHP Steven Matz

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Biggest offseason priority:Re-signing Bregman if he opts out … and improving the starting pitching depth. Bregman had a solid season, hitting .273/.360/.462 around an injury, but aside from the numbers he also brings fire and leadership to the team. It’s also possible Bregman will opt back in at $40 million per season (for 2026 and 2027), but he had a good enough season that he’ll probably opt out. Yes, Marcelo Mayer is a possible replacement — especially if the Red Sox direct that money instead to the pitching staff.

Giolito had a solid season as a low-volume starter in his return from Tommy John surgery, so there could be mutual interest there on a longer deal. But outside of Garrett Crochet, Brayan Bello and perhaps rookie Connelly Early, who looked good in four late-season starts, the projected rotation is unsettled.

Will the Red Sox trade any of their outfielders/young players?It’s still a crowded outfield picture with Roman Anthony, Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu (plus Masataka Yoshida, signed for two more years, as a DH option). It played itself out this season as Abreu and Anthony both missed time with injuries, while Rafaela played some infield. But Rafaela is such a wizard in center field, you’d like to keep him there. Throw in Mayer and Kristian Campbell, and the Red Sox have a deep group of young players who could be used to acquire pitching help. Craig Breslow refrained from trading anyone at the deadline, but let’s see what he does this offseason.

Offseason prediction:I think the Red Sox will play it safe and bring back a similar roster, starting with re-signing Bregman. They could then slide Mayer to second base. That still would leave four outfielders plus Campbell, who started the season with a lot of helium after making the Opening Day roster, but his defense at second wasn’t good, and he didn’t rip up Triple-A after getting sent down. If anyone is the odd man out, it’s probably him, so he’s the one most likely to get traded. Bringing back Giolito — assuming he’s healthy after missing the postseason with an elbow injury — also makes sense, as he wouldn’t break the bank but would fill a need. If he’s deemed too risky, a veteran such as Merrill Kelly or, if the Red Sox want to spend bigger, Framber Valdez or Shane Bieber, makes sense. — Schoenfield

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Assuming DonÄić, James, Reaves and Ayton are securely four of the five starters, who will Redick go with as a fifth (assuming full health)?

Rui Hachimura is the incumbent, bringing size (6’8″) and outside shooting (42.9 percent from three-point range last season). He’s more confident as a starter. Arguably, the Lakers get the most out of Hachimura when he starts, which was why, in part, he was in the rotation ahead of Dorian Finney-Smith last year.

Redick needs to maximize this roster, not just one player. Hachimura remains a viable option for what he brings to the court. While he’s not exceptionally agile on the perimeter defensively, he uses his size well and provides additional offense and spacing.

Redick has three reasonable options instead of Hachimura. Smart would provide a defensive upgrade, taking on the opposing team’s primary perimeter scoring threat. Upgrading the Lakers’ backcourt defense this season was a priority, and Smart is a former winner of the Defensive Player of the Year award (2021-22). While he shot well for the Washington Wizards over 15 games last season (39.2 percent from three), his career average of 33.5 percent is a significant drop-off from Hachimura’s. The most significant caveat with Smart is durability, averaging 57.7 games through his 11 seasons.

Another option is Jake LaRavia, who may be the Lakers’ most significant offseason acquisition after Ayton. He’s a solid 6’7″ forward, though Redick recently indicated he may earn rotation minutes at guard.

Almost 24, LaRavia has shown with the Memphis Grizzlies (and briefly with the Sacramento Kings) that he’s a willing, high-effort defender. Whether he can do that at a playoff level isn’t tested yet, but he could round out the starting five as a viable two-way player. LaRavia’s case begins by outplaying Hachimura, offering more versatility on defense without sacrificing outside shooting.

Finally, Jarred Vanderbilt has his first healthy summer in years after extensive foot problems. He’s a versatile, mobile defender at 6’8″, but he hasn’t provided any real offensive threat for the Lakers the past two seasons. Opposing defenses have often ignored him, shrinking the floor for L.A.’s other scorers.

Vanderbilt may be a more viable option when others are injured, barring a significant change in his ability to shoot.

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We’re back.

Training camp is hours away, which means the 2025-26 NBA season is upon us.

It’s been a long, particularly quiet offseason, not just for the Kings but throughout the entire league. Specifically for Sacramento, though, some questions need answers.

Some might be answered through training camp, some might require more time and carry into the regular season. While there are dozens of questions and concerns we can address, let’s break down NBC Sports California’s top three questions entering the Kings’ 2025 training camp, set to begin on Tuesday.

What does this roster look like?

The Kings’ roster construction was heavily criticized last season, especially after their trade deadline moves left them without a point guard.

There was a belief that under new general manager Scott Perry and assistant GM B.J. Armstrong, big moves would be made, and the Kings would “blow it all up” in the offseason. They, in fact, didn’t blow anything up and will enter the 2025-26 season with essentially the same roster as last season.

Sacramento’s big offseason acquisition was signing veteran guard Dennis Schröder, who instantly fills the void at starting point guard. The rest of the projected starting lineup, one would think, is Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Keegan Murray and Domantas Sabonis.

Here’s a roster breakdown as it currently stands:

Guards

Dennis Schröder
Zach LaVine
Malik Monk
Keon Ellis
Devin Carter
Terence Davis

Forwards

DeMar DeRozan
Nique Clifford
Keegan Murray
Doug McDermott

Centers/Bigs

Domantas Sabonis
Isaac Jones
Dario Šarić
Maxime Raynaud
Drew Eubanks

The question then turns to what the rotations will look like. After losing Jonas ValanÄiÅ«nas in the offseason, who will back up Sabonis at the center position? Who will be the first player off the bench for Sacramento in that “sixth man” role? Is it Monk, who has thrived in that role, or maybe Ellis?

Also, will the closing lineups be the same as the starting lineup? Or, will Doug Christie experiment with other players, such as Ellis, for defensive purposes?

This might not be answered until a few games into the season.

Expectations for Keegan Murray in Year 4?

As with most lottery picks, the expectations always have been high for Keegan Murray since the Kings selected him No. 4 overall in the 2022 NBA Draft.

But many people don’t believe he has lived up to the hype through three seasons with Sacramento.

A large part of that last season was that so many players on the Kings’ roster last season required the ball in their hands, limiting the amount of touches Murray got. As we stated earlier in this article, a vast majority of those players will return to the Kings this season, so the “issue” hasn’t been resolved for Murray.

While not being able to contribute consistently on offense as much as he — or the Kings — have liked, Murray has grown enormously as a defender since his rookie season. He now stands as the unquestioned best defender on the team, with the ability to defend one through five.

However, it isn’t something he wants to do on a nightly basis. At his exit interview following the 2024-25 season, Murray was honest about his ideal defensive assignments.

“Yeah, ideally I don’t want to be guarding the five-man,†Murray said in April. “It’s not the most fun thing in the world. If I have to do it, I have to do it, regardless of who’s on our team [or] who’s not. At the end of the day, team defense wins championships.”

The Kings have lacked wing depth for years, and even after Murray’s seemingly public cry for help, they still haven’t addressed it.

Defending Kevin Durant or chasing Steph Curry around for 35 minutes and then trying to contribute offensively is a lot to ask of a young player, but as Murray said, it’s something he’s willing to do if he must. Getting him some help along the wing, however, could unlock a whole other level for the 25-year-old who’s itching to break out and live up to his two-way star potential.

A report from the Sacramento Bee’s Jason Anderson earlier this summer stated that the two players the Kings kept out of trade talks were Murray and Ellis. So, if that’s true, how are the Kings’ decision makers laying out a clear path to stardom for these players they supposedly value so much if they aren’t giving them the right opportunities?

With all that being said, what are the Kings’ realistic expectations for their former No. 4 pick as he enters Year 4 with the team?

How will Dennis Schröder fit?

The obvious answer is that Schröder addresses Sacramento’s point guard void after the team traded De’Aaron Fox last February.

OK, cool. But how else will he help the Kings?

Schröder is a 12-year NBA veteran who’s played on nine different teams. He has been to the playoffs nine times in his career, including two trips to the conference finals. He’s an unselfish player who creates for his teammates, which should benefit players such as LaVine and Murray. He also can get his own bucket when he needs to.

Not to mention, he’s fresh off leading Germany to the EuroBasket gold this summer and was named the EuroBasket MVP after averaging 20.3 points, 7.2 assists and 3.4 rebounds per game.

His energy, tenacity and leadership should be a welcome addition to the Kings, especially in a locker room full of several young and inexperienced players.

Defensively, his contributions should be an immediate upgrade. Schröder isn’t a lockdown defender by any means, but his effort and commitment on the end of the court never is something coach Christie will have to worry about. Fox, for example, became a much better defender over the course of his eight-year career with Sacramento. With a player like Schröder, though, it’s not something Christie and the Kings coaches will have to teach him, but rather, something already instilled in him.

One area we’re curious to see is how he meshes with Sabonis, who isn’t your typical five-man. As we’ve seen with other Kings guards, it usually takes them some time to adjust and adapt to Sabonis’ play style. But when it works, it works and it’s beautiful basketball. Hopefully for the Kings, a full training camp together will allow them the time to figure it out.

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SEATTLE — Locked in as the National League’s No. 3 seed with the regular season winding down, the Dodgers have been able to spend the weekend series at T-Mobile Park preparing for the NL Wild Card Series.

That has involved resting their regulars — Shohei Ohtani and Teoscar Hernández sat out of Saturday night’s 5-3 win, while Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman were out the prior game — and taking a critical look at their roster to decide who should make the cut for the postseason.

“Now you see guys playing, competing for an opportunity to be on the postseason roster and also potentially getting innings,” manager Dave Roberts said. “I like that fight, and they’re leaving it all out there. That’s all I ask. And not be afraid to fail. Leave everything you have out there on the field.”

The Dodgers won’t find out which team — either the Reds or the Mets — will seize the third NL Wild Card spot until after Game 162. That could influence some of their decisions. Here are some of the biggest roster questions facing them before their postseason begins on Tuesday at Dodger Stadium:

Could Tyler Glasnow be available out of the ‘pen?
Friday ended up being a bullpen game, giving L.A. a look at seven arms — including an electric Roki Sasaki — who could be part of the postseason relief picture. Saturday’s starter, Glasnow, had a planned short outing, pitching three scoreless innings. He will likely be on the roster for the Wild Card Series, Roberts said.

“I think that right now, where we’re at, we want to go with our best,” Roberts said. “However that looks, that’s kind of the reason why we shortened Emmet [Sheehan], shortened Tyler.”

The team has not announced its rotation for the Wild Card Series, but Ohtani, Blake Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are lined up for the three games. If Glasnow makes the roster, he would be used in relief for the first time since he was with the Pirates in 2018.

“If you boil it down, pitching is pitching,” Glasnow said. “Just try to go out there and treat it like another inning. Maybe have a little bit more adrenaline. But I’m looking forward to it.”

What’s the latest on Will Smith, and could he make the roster?
Roberts said the other day that he was “hoping,” rather than “hopeful,” that Smith would be available in time for the Wild Card Series. Smith hit foam balls in the cage on Saturday, his first time swinging since imaging revealed he had a hairline fracture in his right hand.

The Dodgers could opt to carry three catchers if they feel Smith is close, but time is not on their side.

“It’s a balancing act because, obviously, he’s incredibly talented and we want to do everything that we can to have him in there,” general manager Brandon Gomes said Friday. “But we may get to a point where, hey, it may not make sense that some percentage of Will is worth putting on the roster. So we’ve got a few days. I don’t want to close the door on him yet. But we’ve got to go fast in the next few days to see where we’re at.”

How about others dealing with lingering injuries?
Tommy Edman (right ankle) and Max Muncy (lower body) are both dealing with some lingering discomfort that has limited their playing time recently. Edman returned to the lineup on Saturday, albeit as the DH, while Muncy has not played since Wednesday. Both are expected to be ready to go on Tuesday.

If either Edman or Muncy is compromised during the postseason run, then that could open the door for more playing time for Kiké Hernández, who hit a go-ahead two-run double off Mariners closer Andrés Muñoz in the ninth inning on Saturday.

Either way, Hernández could feasibly earn himself more playing time going forward. He’s a proven postseason performer, with an .875 OPS in the playoffs, compared with .708 in the regular season, in his career.

“We needed to finish the season strong,” Hernández said. “October is all about whoever’s playing the best baseball at the end of the season. And that’s a really good team over there.”

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