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AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) — There are only two certainties heading into NASCAR’s title-deciding season finale race: Rick Hendrick or Joe Gibbs will be the winning car owner, while the driver will be in either a Chevrolet or a Toyota.
Beyond that, the winner-take-all showdown Sunday at Phoenix Raceway is a guessing game with no obvious favorite among Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe from Joe Gibbs Racing, and William Byron and Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports.
Hamlin leads the series in race wins (six), while Briscoe is the series leader in poles (seven) and top-five finishes (15). Byron was NASCAR’s regular-season champion and led a series-high 1,278 laps, while Larson has the second-most top-10 finishes in the series (21). Byron and Larson are tied for the series lead in stage wins (10).
Hamlin is probably the sentimental pick. The three-time Daytona 500 winner is already regarded as the most accomplished driver to never win a Cup Series title, an unwanted moniker previously held by Hall of Famer Mark Martin.
But with 60 race wins and at least five blown opportunities to win the championship, Hamlin has seized the bridesmaid role away from Martin.
“Mark Martin didn’t have nearly the same amount of misses as me, there’s just no way,” Hamlin said before rattling off a list of bad luck, bad decisions and bad timing that has caused him to finish second to Jimmie Johnson in a 2010 head-to-head race, then fall short four separate times in the “Championship 4” format in 2014.
He’s made it back to the finale this season for a fifth time, first since 2021.
Larson is the only driver in the field with a Cup title — he won it in 2021 in his first season driving for Hendrick. He was runner-up in 2023, but is making just his third appearance in the championship race.
Byron, the two-time reigning Daytona 500 winner, is back in the finale for a third consecutive year after winning last week at Martinsville Speedway to grab one of the two open slots in the championship field. Larson took the final spot on points over Christopher Bell, who just missed out on giving Gibbs three shots at the Cup.
Briscoe, in his first season driving for Gibbs, is in the final four for the first time in his career. He did race in this format for the second-tier Xfinity Series championship in 2020 when he won a series-high nine races, but Austin Cindric took the title by winning the race.
“I guess when I was a little kid I dreamed about winning a NASCAR championship, but it was just a pipe dream, you know? It wasn’t something I thought I’d ever actually get a chance to do,” Briscoe said. “My goal was to just race one race in NASCAR — at any level — just being able to do that was already a dream come true.”
It is the second time in four years that the championship field is an even split between the two winningest playoff teams in NASCAR history. Hendrick got the win the first time, in 2021 when Larson defeated teammate Chase Elliott, as well as Gibbs drivers Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr.
“We got one race. We know what we’re up against, somebody that’s really, really good,” Gibbs said. “Two cars in there for them. Two for us. Hopefully this will be good for the fans and everybody and the excitement. Probably won’t be good for me. I’ll be so nervous.”
Team Penske won the last three championships with Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney, but when both failed to win at Martinsville, Logano lost a shot to defend last year’s win and Ford was locked out of the finale. That means Chevrolet can win its first title since 2021, and Toyota has a chance at its first since Kyle Busch won driving for Gibbs in 2019.
Hamlin, Briscoe and Byron all won playoff races to advance this far, while Larson did it on points as he’s mired in a losing streak that dates back to Kansas in early May before Larson’s second try to complete the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day.
“There’s a lot of races he was leading the race, and a caution came out and something happened,” said Hendrick, noting that Larson was leading when he ran out of gas at Talladega and Briscoe got the victory and the automatic berth in the championship.
“I think he’s got the bit in his teeth right now,” Hendrick continued. “The guys have worked hard on our flat track, short track program. Kyle’s ready, and so is William. I’m looking forward to this weekend and trying to get another championship.”
ESPN analyst Bill Barnwell listed the Arizona Cardinals in the “Should probably deal players for picks” tier in his trade deadline preview, one step behind staying neutral and one ahead of the definite sellers.
The 2-5 Cardinals are approaching a juncture with one game left before Tuesday’s deadline, a Monday Night Football matchup with the Dallas Cowboys.
This is the time if year when teams on the outside looking in have to evaluate whether it makes more sense to reload for future seasons or push their luck to go on a run.
Barnwell called the Cardinals the NFL’s “coinflip team” considering all seven of their games this season have been decided by one score. They have played some really good teams closely (San Francisco, Seattle, Indianapolis and Green Bay), but losses all count the same at the end.
The Cardinals have the toughest remaining strength of schedule in the NFC with an opposing winning percentage of .574.
The Cards’ playoff odds are down to 4.4%, per the FPI. After Sunday’s game in Dallas, their next five games are against teams with winning records. I still believe Arizona can make a run, but it hasn’t looked capable of running the ball like it did in 2023 and 2024, and that has really caused the offense to stagnate.
The Cardinals get Seattle, San Francisco, Jacksonville, Tampa Bay and the Los Angeles Rams after their primetime date in Dallas. That’s a tough schedule but one with opportunities to face division rivals and climb back into the race. Arizona is three games back, as Seattle and L.A. sport 5-2 records.
The Rams play the lowly Saints this week, the Seahawks visit the banged-up Commanders and the 49ers take on the last-place Giants, so help coming to Arizona before the deadline would have to materialize via upset.
If the Cardinals indeed go down the seller’s path, one name keeps popping up as a speculated trade chip.
Defensive lineman Calais Campbell is 39 years old, on a one-year deal and still playing high-level football. With the Cardinals are getting healthier at defensive line, Barnwell pointed to Campbell as a player whom contenders would love to have.
With Walter Nolen III and BJ Ojulari theoretically set to return at some point during the second half of the season, the Cardinals have more defensive line depth than just about anybody else in the league. Campbell is continuing to play at a high level, and he might want to simply finish his career where it started in Arizona, but the 39-year-old is good enough to play meaningful snaps on a team that’s competing for a Super Bowl. He would be a great fit for a team like the Chiefs or Bills, both of whom could use extra depth up front.
ESPN’s Seth Walder also mentioned Campbell as a trade target for Baltimore. ESPN is not the only national outlet that have put Campbell in trade rumors, as PFF and The Athletic have done so, as well.
From The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec:
He’d help the Ravens in several areas. The Cardinals, though, have not indicated that they intend to be sellers, and it’s not certain that Campbell wants to be anywhere else in what could be his last NFL season.
Campbell spent his first nine years in the NFL with the Cardinals and returned to the Valley this past offseason. A team captain and potential future Ring of Honor member, Campbell being traded at the deadline would be a somber note for a franchise looking to take the next step.
This is a big week for the Cardinals to better their position before the deadline. Can a streak-breaking victory in Dallas change their trajectory? Another frustrating loss could close the window on coming back and contending this year.
From Calais Campbell returning to the Cardinals, DeWanna Bonner’s comeback with the Mercury and Steve Nash rejoining the Suns in an advisory role, Valley sports reunions have been a recent trend.
And there is enough noise surrounding possible Diamondbacks returnees to explore whether or not they make sense.
Paul Goldschmidt is interested in playing another season, and the Diamondbacks have been brought up in the media as a fit. Merrill Kelly could fill a rotation spot after the D-backs traded him for prospects.
What about Mariners postseason heroes Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suarez?
Major League Baseball free agency begins after the World Series, and there is a group of players Arizona has a history with on the market.
Let’s shuffle through them after we already cover impending free agents Zac Gallen, Jalen Beeks and James McCann:
(Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro has said he expects the Diamondbacks to kick the tires on a Goldschmidt reunion this winter.
The Athletic’s Jim Bowden listed the Diamondbacks as the sole fit for Goldschmidt in free agency this winter.
Age and decline have caught up with him but he should have another year or two left, especially if he accepts a job as a platoon player, which is his best role at this point in his career.
Goldschmidt is the most valuable position player in franchise history via bWAR at 39.9 across eight seasons. His No. 44 should one day hang above Chase Field alongside Randy Johnson’s No. 51 and Luis Gonzalez’s No. 20.
The Diamondbacks traded Goldschmidt entering the final year of his contract after the 2018 season. The D-backs missed the postseason and opted to retool with younger players coming back. Arizona acquired catcher Carson Kelly, pitcher Luke Weaver and infielder Andrew Young from the St. Louis Cardinals for the face of their franchise.
The deal looked somewhat promising in that first season, but it quickly became lopsided as Goldschmidt won the 2022 NL MVP while Weaver and Kelly struggled with injuries before they were unceremoniously moved on from.
Goldschmidt is 38 years old now and a diminished player. He hit .274 with the New York Yankees in 2025, earning a .731 OPS in 145 games. He only hit 10 home runs, his fewest in any season during which he played more than 60 games. The Yankees used him in a platoon role down the stretch, as he finished with a .619 OPS against righties and .981 OPS versus southpaws.
Goldschmidt admitted after New York’s postseason run that he was interested in continuing his career.
Bowden projected he land a one-year deal for $10 million, while Spotrac was a bit more frugal in its estimation of a one-year deal worth $7.2 million.
Arizona could use first base help this winter. Pavin Smith remains on the roster, while Tyler Locklear is expected to miss the start of next season due to elbow and shoulder injuries.
Goldschmidt has been about a league average hitter over the past two years after dominating from 2020-22. But in a short-side platoon role, he would fill a void while bringing back a respected voice in the clubhouse.
Bowden and MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand listed the Diamondbacks as a best fit for Kelly, and this partnership is very logical if the price is right.
From Bowden:
Kelly grew up in Arizona and played his junior college and college ball in the state. Don’t be surprised if he re-signs with the Diamondbacks to finish his career with them.
Kelly threw 184 innings with a 3.52 ERA this past season.
The Diamondbacks need starting pitching with Gallen entering free agency and Corbin Burnes recovering from Tommy John surgery, and Kelly has been reliable for years. He pitched for Arizona from 2019-25, with a two-month hiatus after being traded to the Texas Rangers in July. It’d be like he never left in some ways.
Kelly has been open about being open to returning to Arizona and reaching 10 years of major league service time. For Arizona, adding three pitching prospects just to pick Kelly back up a few months later would be a home run.
Bowden predicted Kelly would land a two-year, $30 million deal. Spotrac had him at one-year, $15.8 million. That’s not a crazy number given his productivity and a free agent market with more expensive options. Kelly will be 37 years old next season, after all, although this is his opportunity to cash in what he can.
The Mariners are reportedly going to make bringing back Naylor a priority after trading for him at the deadline. He was great in Seattle with an .831 OPS and 19 stolen bases in 54 games, along with a .417 batting average in a seven-game ALCS loss to Toronto.
The D-backs acquired two pitching prospects for him.
Naylor is 28 and on the next rung below Pete Alonso and Cody Bellinger in the first base free agent market.
The Diamondbacks could use a first base upgrade, but pitching is the top priority, which paired with a payroll expected to decrease makes this reunion a long shot.
(AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Suarez’s market is such a fascinating free agency plot.
On one hand, Suarez is coming off an All-Star season in which he crushed 49 home runs, 36 of which came with Arizona before the trade deadline. The last third baseman to hit 49 home runs in a season was … Suarez for the Reds in 2019. Before that? Alex Rodriguez for the 2007 Yankees, according to Stathead.
Suarez is a great vibes clubhouse presence and just hit arguably the biggest home run in Mariners history, a game-sealing grand slam in Game 5 of the ALCS.
On the other hand, Suarez is 34 years old and hit just .189 with Seattle after the deadline. He clubbed 13 home runs but struck out 36% of the time, which is astronomical considering league average is 22%.
His defense also took a step back this season.
The Diamondbacks rolled with Blaze Alexander at third base after the deadline, which worked out pretty well. Whether he is the answer at that spot moving forward is uncertain, as is the positional future of Jordan Lawlar.
So, the D-backs have options at third base already on the team, and while Suarez was electrifying and a fan favorite in the Valley, there are bigger holes elsewhere on the roster.
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Wouldn’t this be wild?
Scherzer was drafted by the Diamondbacks in 2006, made his debut in 2008 and pitched in 46 games for the club before being traded after his age 24 season in 2009.
It was a complex trade that sent Ian Kennedy and Edwin Jackson to Arizona, Curtis Granderson from Detroit to the Yankees and Scherzer (among others) to Detroit. Scherzer went on to build a Hall of Fame resume with three Cy Young awards and eight All-Star Games.
Scherzer is 41 years old and pitching in the World Series for Toronto. Injuries held him to 17 games in 2025 after he threw in nine games last year.
Like Goldschmidt, Scherzer is getting toward the end of the road, but there are some numbers that show he has something left even if that something is a back-end starter. He maintained above average walk and strikeout numbers with a solid exit velocity. His fastball remains at 93.6 mph, right around where it had been in 2022-23.
Still, his availability is a real question, so a reunion with Kelly looks like the more secure option. Spotrac estimated Scherzer’s next deal around $9 million for one season.
“I’m in the World Series right now having too much fun. I’m just enjoying this moment. We’ll talk about 2026 after this,” Scherzer told MLB Network regarding next season.
(Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
Weaver has had a roller coaster career in MLB from an optimistic start in Arizona to injury issues, a move to the bullpen and eventually a trade to Kansas City for Emmanuel Rivera in 2022.
From 2020-23, Weaver delivered a 5.95 ERA. But then came 2024, and he broke out for the Yankees as a reliever who tossed 84 innings with a 2.89 ERA. He overtook the closer role late and saved four postseason games.
Weaver picked up where he left off with a solid first half of 2025 (2.91 ERA) before struggling in the second half (4.40 ERA).
He still throws a mid-90s fastball while deploying a changeup that draws whiffs. Both Bowden and Spotrac have him making around $10 million for next year.
Feinsand listed the Diamondbacks as a fit for Weaver.
Some late-season pitch-tipping concerns might have been a part of Weaver’s second-half struggles, which extended into a rough postseason, but his overall performance the past two seasons should have clubs interested. Weaver, who was a starter for much of the first eight seasons of his career, has said he’s open to a return to that role in the right situation.
The Diamondbacks need bullpen help while A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez rehab from elbow surgeries.
There are various veteran options on the market from Kenley Jansen to Raisel Iglesias to Devin Williams, but Weaver over the past two years has improved his reputation as a potential back-end option.
Keller never pitched for the Diamondbacks in a major league game, but he was with the organization from 2013-17 before getting poached in the Rule 5 Draft by the Royals. Since then, he’s built out a pretty solid career, first as a starter in Kansas City and more recently as a reliever for the Cubs.
In 69.2 innings this past season, Keller delivered a 2.07 ERA with three saves and a 2.94 FIP. He kept his WHIP down to a career-best 0.96 with the best strikeout rate of his career at 27%.
A key difference: Keller’s fastball jumped from 93.6 mph in 2024 to 97.2 mph in 2025.
1B Wilmer Flores (2018) – Flores would essentially fill the role we talked about with Goldschmidt earlier, although he is coming off a worse season offensively.
OF Tommy Pham (2023) – A standout from the World Series team, Pham has played for four teams in two seasons since then. He’s put up mediocre offensive numbers (.686 OPS) with better peripherals, but he is 37 years old at this point.
OF Starling Marte (2020) – Marte hit pretty well in 2025 with a .745 OPS in a part-time role, although the 37-year-old hardly played any defense.
OF Randal Grichuk (2024-25) – Grichuk was great for the D-backs in 2024, closer to average in 2025 and struggled mightily after getting traded to Kansas City (.566 OPS).
LHP Patrick Corbin (2012-18) – Corbin bounced back with a 4.40 ERA in Texas this past season. He will be 36 in 2026.
LHP Andrew Chafin (2014-20, 2023) – Chafin’s last stint with the D-backs did not wield great results, but he was effective in 2025 with a 2.41 ERA in 29 games.
RHP Paul Sewald (2023-24) – Arizona’s closer from 2023 pitched in 22 games this past season with a 4.58 ERA and career-low 9.2 strikeouts per nine innings (excluding 2020).
Arizona Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort hasn’t stood pat when it comes to the NFL trade deadline.
In each of his first two seasons in Arizona, he cooked up a deal, whether it be adding draft capital or talent.
This year shouldn’t be any different, with the Cardinals staring at a 2-5 record as trade chatter heats up less than a week from Tuesday’s deadline. Just look at the pair of trades New England made Tuesday night and what Philadelphia reportedly did on Wednesday.
If the Cardinals are going to dig themselves out of the hole they’re in, getting in on the trade deadline chaos is a must.
And it’s on Ossenfort to prove last year’s addition wasn’t a one-off, which could be just what the Cardinals need to right the ship with 10 games left and playoff hopes dimming with every loss.
Ossenfort took a chance on an underutilized pass rusher out of Denver and hit the mark last year.
Yes, it took some time to get his bearings, but Baron Browning has been well worth the 2025 sixth-round pick Arizona dished out for his services around this time last year in a trade with the Broncos.
Rounding out Arizona’s starting pass-rushing duo with Josh Sweat, Browning sits second on the team in quarterback pressures with 19 to go along with three tackles for loss, a pair of sacks, an interception, a pass defensed and five QB hits in seven games this season.
He’s got a legit sack celebration, too.
“He understands the defense better. He’s a smart guy, so I’m not saying he didn’t understand, but just the know-knowing everything that’s going on and what we’re looking for from him,” head coach Jonathan Gannon said last month.
Re-signing with the Cardinals last offseason on a two-year deal that could reach up to $19 million, Browning’s production so far has outweighed the price tag.
Can Ossenfort double down in 2025 and find another diamond in the rough?
If he does — potentially in the offensive tackle, tight end, wide receiver or running back department — it could pay dividends the rest of the way, especially with Arizona getting healthier by the week.
After all, the common phrase of the franchise throughout most of the year has been “we’re close.” Maybe some new blood is exactly the type of boost this team needs to truly get over the hump.
At the very least, a win-now type of move would signal there’s still plenty of confidence in this year’s team while boosting the morale that’s been leaking during Cardinals’ five-game skid
The Arizona Diamondbacks’ starting pitching rotation going into next season is arguably the biggest question mark on the roster, and free agency will present options once the World Series comes to a close.
The market could experience a talent influx depending on how several options are decided for starters such as Shota Imanaga and Chris Sale.
Longtime Diamondbacks Merrill Kelly and Zac Gallen are unrestricted free agents, making reunions a possibility.
The trade market may be considered a more effective avenue for the Diamondbacks working with a payroll that is expected to be lower than its $188 million in 2025, albeit how much so is uncertain.
The Diamondbacks have spent big dollars on starting pitching over the past two offseasons, inking Eduardo Rodriguez and Jordan Montgomery to deals after the 2023 season and Corbin Burnes to a club-record $210 million contract last winter. These contracts have not worked out so far, with Burnes needing Tommy John surgery after 11 starts while Rodriguez and Montgomery underperformed (Montgomery is a free agent, Rodriguez has two more years).
When Burnes returns, he will join Rodriguez, Ryne Nelson and Brandon Pfaadt in the rotation with whomever the Diamondbacks add to it, externally or internally.
Here’s a tiers list of free agent starting pitchers with player movement to kick into gear after Dodgers and Blue Jays duke it out in the Fall Classic:
(AP Photo/Paul Beaty)
Cubs LHP Shota Imanaga (32, so many options) – This contract is complex. The Cubs face a three-year, $57 million club option for the 32-year-old. If the team declines, Imanaga then has a $15 million player option for 2026 with further options tacked on later. He would seem poised to turn that down for more money in free agency. Imanaga was a top five Cy Young candidate in 2024, but he took a slight step back this year with injuries limiting him to 25 starts. He worked a 2.65 ERA going into the All-Star break and a 4.70 ERA in 13 second-half starts. Still, after a decorated career in Japan, Imanaga owns an impressive 3.28 ERA in two major league seasons.
Braves LHP Chris Sale (37, $18M club option) – The 2024 NL Cy Young winner continued to dominate in his age 36 season with a 2.58 ERA and 32.4% strikeout rate for the Braves. League average is 21.2%, for reference. It seems unlikely Atlanta turns him down.
Brewers RHP Freddy Peralta (30, $8M club option) – Not happening. Peralta is going to be a top five Cy Young contender (2.70 ERA) set to make nothing compared to his value. The bigger question is whether or not the light-spending NL Central champs would weigh trading their ace before he hits unrestricted free agency following next season, like they did with Burnes two years ago. Could the Diamondbacks work out a blockbuster trade for the All-Star, instead?
Tigers RHP Jack Flaherty (30, $20M player option) – Flaherty worked a 4.65 ERA this past season with better peripheral numbers such as a 3.85 FIP (fielding-independent pitching) and above-average 27.6% strikeout rate.
Red Sox RHP Lucas Giolito (31, $19M mutual option) – Giolito bounced back from a lost 2024 season as he recovered from Tommy John surgery and rewarded the postseason-bound Red Sox with a 3.41 ERA in 26 starts. He outperformed mediocre peripherals (4.17 FIP), however.
Padres RHP Michael King (31, $15M mutual option) – King finished seventh in the Cy Young voting in 2024 after coming to San Diego in the Juan Soto trade, and he was on track for another strong season before suffering a pinched thoracic nerve injury in May. He only threw in five games afterward, but his foray into starting over the past two seasons has led to positive results (3.10 ERA).
Blue Jays RHP Shane Bieber (31, $16M player option) – Bieber was traded to Toronto right before his return from Tommy John surgery and made seven regular season starts. The 2020 Cy Young winner got through at least five innings in each outing, finishing with a 3.57 ERA. He also threw a quality start in Game 3 of the ALCS. As he moves further past his surgery, a question will be whether his stuff continues to tick back up.
Brewers RHP Brandon Woodruff (33, $20M mutual option) – Injuries kept Woodruff off the mound from the 2023 postseason through June 2025, but he looked pretty good after coming back. He made six quality starts in 12 games down the stretch, although a lat strain has kept him out of the postseason. Woodruff is a two-time All-Star with a career 3.10 ERA, but there is a lot of injury baggage here.
Brewers LHP Jose Quintana (37, $15M mutual option) – Quintana signed with the Brewers after Opening Day for $4 million. For a bargain, Quintana ate 131.2 innings with a 3.96 ERA, and the Brewers went 15-9 in his outings.
Cubs RHP Colin Rea (35, $6 million club option) – Rea has been a useful swing man over the past three years, as he ate 159.1 innings with a 3.95 ERA for the Cubs in 2025.
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Astros LHP Framber Valdez (32) – Spotrac expects Valdez to land the most lucrative pitching contract of the winter with a $33M average annual value. The Athletic’s Jim Bowden predicted a six-year, $190 million deal. The southpaw was a top 10 Cy Young contender from 2022-24 and put together a 2025 campaign with 192 innings, a 3.66 ERA and elite 59.4% ground ball rate. He has pitched in two World Series and four ALCS.
Phillies LHP Ranger Suarez (30) – Suarez went on a tear through the middle of the season with 10 straight quality starts and a 2.13 ERA in 15 games. He finished with a 3.20 ERA and a 95th percentile hard hit rate and exit velocity, missing barrels with an elite changeup. Suarez has averaged 147 innings with a 3.59 ERA over the past four years.
NPB RHP Tatsuya Imai (28) – Reports suggest Imai is expected to be posted by the Seibu Lions in Japan, adding to the free agent class a 27-year-old hurler who worked a 1.92 ERA with 178 strikeouts in 163.2 innings pitched in 2025. He sports a mid 90s fastball and a wipeout slider. He does not come with the same cache or accolades as Roki Sasaki last winter or Yoshinobu Yamamoto the year before, but Imai is the next high-upside Japanese starter expected to draw interest from big league clubs. Bowden predicted a $154 million deal over seven years.
(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Padres RHP Dylan Cease (30) – Cease finished second in AL Cy Young voting in 2022, recorded a 4.55 ERA in 2023, finished fourth in NL Cy Young voting in 2024 and produced a 4.58 ERA in 2025. Perhaps the even-year magic returns in 2026. Cease has a 3.37 FIP over the last five years, as his peripherals are typically strong considering he misses bats and doesn’t give up tons of hard contact. He is prone to walks that can put him in precarious positions, which bit him in 2025.
Diamondbacks RHP Zac Gallen (30) – Gallen from 2019-24 was a 3.29 ERA pitcher with three top 10 Cy Young finishes for the Diamondbacks. He really struggled through the first four months of 2025 with walks and home runs piling up, but he righted the ship down the stretch with eight quality starts in his last 11 games.
Orioles RHP Zach Eflin (32) – Eflin was the Orioles’ Opening Day starter in 2025 after he worked a 3.76 ERA in 108 games from 2020-24. After a really good finish to the 2024 campaign, Eflin was brutal in 2025 with a 5.93 ERA in 14 starts before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury.
Padres LHP Nestor Cortes (31) – Cortes’ Yankees tenure ended sourly, as he allowed the notorious Freddie Freeman walk-off home run in Game 1 of the 2024 World Series. But the funky lefty was a solid Yankee for a long time, pitching to a 3.77 ERA from 2021-24. He was traded to Milwaukee after the World Series, but injuries held him to eight appearances in 2025.
(AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)
Rangers RHP Merrill Kelly (37) – Since 2021, Kelly is 19th in MLB in innings pitched and 21st in bWAR, as he he’d been a consistent presence in the Diamondbacks’ rotation until getting traded to Texas this past deadline. He finished the 2025 campaign with a 3.52 ERA in 184 innings.
Giants RHP Justin Verlander (43) – The three-time Cy Young winner and future first-ballot Hall of Famer will be 43 years old by Opening Day, but he wants to keep going. He was solid for the Giants in 2025 (3.85 ERA) with a terrific second half (2.99 ERA), particularly September (2.08 ERA). He is not the strikeout machine he once was, but he threw well enough to warrant another chance.
Blue Jays RHP Chris Bassitt (37) – Bassitt has been quietly one of the more consistent starters in the league, ranked sixth in innings since 2022 with a 3.77 ERA in that span. He has not worked fewer than 170 frames since 2021 and finished the 2025 season with a 3.96 ERA.
Reds RHP Nick Martinez (35) – Martinez has been a reliable swingman over the past four years in San Diego and Cincinnati, eating 524 innings with a 3.67 ERA.
Reds HP Zack Littell (30) – Littell became a full-time MLB starter over the past couple years. He puts the ball in play with a top-tier walk rate and low strikeout clip, which worked in keeping his ERA down to 3.73 (albeit with a 4.42 FIP).
Rangers RHP Tyler Mahle (31) – Mahle worked a 2.18 ERA in 16 starts in 2025, but injuries have held him to 47 starts over the past four years. He’ll be 31 next year and provides some upside if he can stay healthy.
Cubs RHP Aaron Civale (31) – A strange year for Civale involved him asking out of Milwaukee, being traded to the lowly White Sox, getting waived, being picked up by the Cubs and pitching against the Brewers in the postseason. He tossed 4.1 scoreless innings, but the Cubs were eliminated by his former team. He’s eaten innings, but his numbers have been pretty mediocre since he was traded by Cleveland in 2023 (4.55 ERA since 2024).
Angels LHP Tyler Anderson (36) – Anderson has already pitched for three NL West teams (LAD, SFG, COL). He had an up-and-down three seasons with the Angels, finishing 2025 with a 4.36 ERA and 5.60 FIP.
Rays RHP Adrian Houser (33) – A ground ball specialist, Houser bounced back from a brutal 2024 season with the Mets to pitch to a 3.31 ERA in 21 starts in 2025.
(Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP, File)
Blue Jays RHP Max Scherzer (41) – At 40 years old, Scherzer made only 17 starts for the Blue Jays to a 5.19 ERA. He has shown signs of life, however, particularly with a 5.2-inning gem in Game 4 of the ALCS, a must-have game for Toronto against Seattle that contributed to the Blue Jays making the Fall Classic. His strikeout rate this year remained above average, as did his walk rate.
Orioles RHP Tomoyuki Sugano (36) – After an accomplished career in Japan (eight-time All-Star), Sugano came stateside to pitch for Baltimore at 35 years old to mixed results. With a low strikeout rate, low walk rate and high home run rate, Sugano worked a 4.64 ERA in 30 games.
Phillies RHP Walker Buehler (31) – Buehler’s career trajectory looked quite differently coming off 2021, as he was a two-time All-Star with two top 10 Cy Young finishes in his mid-20s with the Dodgers. After missing 2023 following Tommy John surgery, Buehler worked a 5.10 ERA over the past two seasons and found himself designated for assignment by Boston before being picked up by Philadelphia down the stretch.
NPB RHP Kona Takahashi (29) – Takahashi is another right-hander from Japan expected to be posted this offseason. He threw 148 innings with a 3.04 ERA for Seibu in 2025, albeit with only 5.4 strikeouts per nine innings.
Cardinals RHP Miles Mikolas (37) – Mikolas is a two-time All-Star who has stayed durable over the past four seasons, but his numbers have dropped off with a 4.98 ERA since 2023 in St. Louis.
Rangers LHP Patrick Corbin (36) – After years of gaudy ERA numbers in Washington, the longtime former Diamondback evened out in 2025 for the Rangers, pitching to a 4.40 ERA and 4.25 FIP in 31 games. After some arsenal tweaks, Corbin improved a previously dreadful hard-hit rate to keep the Rangers competitive.
Mets RHP Griffin Canning (30) – It seemed the Mets found success in their reclamation project of Canning, who threw to a 3.77 ERA in 16 games before suffering a torn Achilles fielding his position. The 29-year-old would not be ready for Opening Day, having gone down in June.
Red Sox RHP Dustin May (28) – After making 20 MLB appearances from 2021-24, May set a career high with 132.1 innings in 2025 for the Dodgers and Red Sox, although it was his least effective run in the big leagues (4.96 ERA). His arsenal has changed, as he does not throw as hard as he did as a younger pitcher and leans more heavily on his sweeper, which was his best pitch.
If you are reading this, congratulations — you have survived the fantasy football Byepocalypse. Whether you grabbed a win in the process or just managed to escape with your life, there’s no time for looking back. This article is all about looking forward to the best fantasy football waiver wire pickups for Week 9 (or at least the best ones that have already revealed themselves). Without further ado, here they are.
Normally, I try to keep my recommendations to players rostered in fewer than half of fantasy leagues. But Oronde Gadsden’s last two performances have been so impressive that he deserves mention even at right about two-thirds rostered.
Over the last two weeks, the rookie tight end has caught 12 passes for 241 total yards and two touchdowns. He was the overall TE1 last week in half-PPR formats, and he has a real shot to finish there again this week. If he’s still available in your league, add him, even if you don’t think you need tight end help.
Unfortunately, Giants rookie running back Cam Skattebo suffered an ugly-looking injury on Sunday. He is likely to miss extended time, if not the rest of the season. In his absence, sophomore Tyrone Tracy Jr. should step back up as the Giants’ starting back.
Tracy Jr. finished with 10 carries and two receptions for just 53 scoreless yards in Week 8. But don’t let that lackluster final stat line dissuade you — he is a must-add in all formats.
Cam Skattebo wasn’t the only exciting rookie back to suffer an injury today, as Quinshon Judkins went down with a shoulder issue. His injury is less likely to be long-term than Skattebo’s, but he was still ruled out early in a competitive(ish) game. In his absence, the Browns’ other rookie back, Dylan Sampson, took the lead in Cleveland’s backfield.
The Browns were trailing big by the time Judkins exited, so Sampson only handled three carries for a total of zero yards. But he was involved in the receiving game, catching five out of six targets for 29 yards. Meanwhile, veteran Jerome Ford saw zero carries and just two targets. Especially if we get info that Judkins is likely to miss a week or two, Sampson is a priority add this week.
As a long-time Malik Washington truther, I wanted to get excited when he led the Dolphins with a 78% route participation rate last week. That was a big difference from the part-time role he had previously played, and he also caught five of his seven targets. However, he was still seeing primarily low average depth of target (aDOT) designed looks and, more importantly, the Dolphins as a whole seemed to be imploding.
Well, Miami bounced back this week, absolutely dominating the Falcons 34-10. And Washington was involved, catching four of his five targets for 36 yards and a touchdown. Early data does indicate that his routes trended back in the wrong direction, but the game script may have had something to do with that. Given his playmaking ability, the sophomore receiver is worth adding in deeper formats.
We are back above the 50% rostered threshold here, but close enough that Joe Flacco still deserves mention. Today, the veteran had a solid outing against the Jets’ defense to the tune of 223 passing yards and two passing touchdowns. He even scored a rushing touchdown (a quarterback sneak from the one-inch line). He’s leaning heavily on the elite receiver duo of Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, who accounted for 135 of those passing yards and one of the two touchdowns.
In his three games as the Bengals’ starter, the 40-year-old has now scored 18.8, 26 and 24.3 fantasy points. And he hasn’t even had particularly soft matchups (Packers, Steelers, Jets). Flaco won’t record a rushing touchdown (or even a rushing yard) in most weeks, but it’s not at all absurd to expect him to continue to put up borderline QB1 numbers as long as he is Cincinnati’s starter. If he is available and you need quarterback help, he’s worth adding.
Saquon Barkley departed this game early with a groin injury, last touching the ball late in the third quarter. To be fair, this was likely precautionary, as the Eagles were winning big by that point. But Tank Bigsby stepped in as the team’s primary back, handling nine carries while Will Shipley saw three. Bigsby made the most of his carries, too, racking up 104 yards with multiple chunk gains.
If Barkley misses time, Bigsby could become a must-start player in fantasy as the lead back in the Eagles’ offense. More likely, Barkley will be good to go by next week, but that doesn’t mean Bigsby isn’t worth adding. His usage this week clarified that the former Jaguar is probably the handcuff to roster in this offense, ahead of Shipley and A.J. Dillon. That makes him one of the league’s most valuable handcuffs, so he might be worth stashing in deeper formats even if Barkley is good to go.
Selected in the second round of this year’s draft, Jayden Higgins has had a relatively slow start to his NFL career on the Texans’ struggling offense. But with Nico Collins sidelined by a concussion, he had a breakout game against the 49ers. He led Houston’s wide receivers in both targets (eight) and routes (34) on 42 C.J. Stroud dropbacks.
Higgins only caught four of those eight targets, but he finished with a solid 11.4 half-PPR points thanks to his second NFL touchdown. Going forward, Collins will likely be back next week. But if Higgins can use the momentum from this game to remain ahead of veteran Xavier Hutchinson and if the Texans’ offense can stay competent, the rookie could be due for a classic second-half breakout. That is a couple of ifs, so he’s not a must-add, but Higgins is worth stashing in deeper leagues.
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Ted Chmyz is a fantasy football contributor for FantasyPros.com. Find him on Twitter and Bluesky @Tchmyz for more fantasy content or to ask questions.
After Arizona State’s loss to Houston on Saturday, the Sun Devils find themselves facing an uphill battle for a chance to get to the Big 12 Championship game.
With Cincinnati and BYU undefeated in Big 12 play, ASU (5-3, 3-2 Big 12) would likely have to win out and get some help to reach the Big 12 title game for the second straight season.
The loss on Saturday also knocked the Sun Devils out of the AP Top 25 Poll. Arizona State has four games remaining on their schedule against Iowa State, West Virginia, Colorado and Arizona.
Meanwhile, the Arizona Wildcats are off to a 4-3 start to the season. Arizona has lost three of their last four games after starting 4-1. The Wildcats have five games remaining on their schedule against Colorado, Kansas, Cincinnati, Baylor and ASU.
Here’s a look at where ASU and Arizona are projected to play in the 2025 college football postseason.
ESPN: Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl vs. Duke, Sun Bowl vs. SMU
Athlon Sports: Sun Bowl vs. Clemson
CBS Sports: Alamo Bowl vs. USC
Pro Football Network: Sun Bowl vs. SMU
On3: Alamo Bowl vs. USC
ESPN: Isleta New Mexico Bowl vs. UNLV, New Mexico Bowl vs. New Mexico
Athlon Sports: LA Bowl vs. Boise State
CBS Sports: Rate Bowl vs. Iowa
On3: Rate Bowl vs. Iowa
Arizona State football dropped out of The Associated Press’ Top 25 Poll following its loss to Houston on Saturday.
ASU (5-3, 3-2 in Big 12) did not receive any votes, either. Last week, the Sun Devils returned to the poll at No. 24 after their win against Texas Tech.
The Sun Devils also dropped out of this week’s Coaches Poll after landing at No. 25 last week.
Houston (7-1, 4-1 Big 12) appeared at No. 22 in the latest poll following its win on Saturday.
Following the loss, ASU will travel to Jack Trice Stadium to face Iowa State (5-3, 2-3 Big 12) on Saturday. Iowa State is coming off a 41-27 loss to the undefeated BYU Cougars on Saturday. The game will kickoff at 10 a.m. and can be seen on TNT.
Five Big 12 teams appeared in the latest AP poll with the highest being BYU tied at No. 10 with Miami (Fla.) following its win against Iowa State on Saturday.
Cincinnati jumped up four spots to No. 17 following its 41-20 win against Baylor on Saturday. Utah appeared at No. 24 following its win against Colorado.
Others receiving votes: Navy 86, Tulane 59, Washington 46, Iowa 27, South Florida 22, San Diego State 14, LSU 11, James Madison 9, North Texas 4, Illinois 3, Pittsburgh 1.
Arizona Wildcats basketball’s Jaden Bradley and Koa Peat were listed in the top 100 of the best players in college basketball ahead of the 2025-26 season, per ESPN’s Jeff Borzello and Myron Medcalf.
Borzello listed Peat as the 47th best player in college basketball headed into the season. He noted Peat as one of the most college-ready players in recent memory and his skillset makes him one of the top players to watch out for.
If Cameron Boozer is among the most decorated high school prospects in recent memory, Peat isn’t that far behind. He also won four state championships but also added four gold medals with USA Basketball to his trophy collection. Peat is physically ready for the college game, can score in a variety of ways, is a high-level rebounder and is unselfish.
Peat enters his freshman season at Arizona after winning his fourth high school championship with Perry High School during his senior year. He also won his fourth gold medal with USA Basketball at the FIBA U19 World Cup in July.
Peat was a five-star prospect coming out of high school and was ranked the top prospect in Arizona and 11th in the nation, according to 247 Sports. He was recently listed by ESPN as the 17th best newcomer in college basketball ahead of the season.
Bradley was listed by Medcalf as the 60th best player headed into the season. Medcalf said the senior guard’s play was a big factor behind Arizona’s run to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament last season.
The version of Arizona that got hot at the end of 2024-25? Bradley was a factor. Caleb Love deserves the praise he received, but Bradley averaged 12.8 points and 3.1 assists while making 53% of his 3-point attempts over the Wildcats’ last seven games of the season. The 6-3 guard should carry that momentum into 2025-26.
Bradley is coming off a strong 2024-25 campaign where he averaged 12.1 points, 3.7 assists and 3.4 rebounds while shooting 46.7% from the field and 32.1% from 3-point range. Bradley had a strong showing in the NCAA Tournament, averaging 15.3 points, four assists and 3.7 rebounds per game.
The Phoenix Suns have ruled center Mark Williams (right knee injury management) out for Saturday’s road game against the Denver Nuggets.
In addition to Williams, guard Jalen Green remains out with a right hamstring strain, per Saturday’s injury report.
Williams played 14 minutes in the Suns’ 129-102 loss against the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday, scoring two points and grabbing six rebounds.
After playing 24 minutes in the Suns’ season opener against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday, head coach Jordan Ott said Williams felt well after the game and that the team would evaluate his ramp-up a game at a time, especially with back-to-back games coming up.
Suns-Nuggets tips off from Ball Arena at 6 p.m. and can be listened to on 98.7 and the Arizona Sports app.
