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How has the NBA’s landscape changed after the draft and free agency?

The biggest shocker came on draft night, when the Los Angeles Lakers sprung a deal with the Washington Wizards to land former MVP Russell Westbrook. The move created the league’s newest superstar Big Three of Westbrook, LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and the Lakers would later add Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard to the mix.

Two of the biggest stars to change teams during free agency were Kyle Lowry, who joined the Miami Heat via sign-and-trade with the Toronto Raptors, and DeMar DeRozan, who went to the Chicago Bulls in a sign-and-trade deal with the San Antonio Spurs. (The Bulls also landed Lonzo Ball in a separate trade with the New Orleans Pelicans.)

The defending champion Milwaukee Bucks kept their roster mostly intact, albeit losing 3-and-D forward P.J. Tucker to Miami, while the New York Knicks signed Bronx-native Kemba Walker to a team-friendly deal after the former All-Star was bought out by the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Where does that leave all 30 teams, and how much of a shakeup will we see following our post-NBA Finals power rankings?

Note: These rankings are based on where the members of our panel (ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, Nick Friedell, Andrew Lopez, Dave McMenamin, Kevin Pelton and Royce Young) think teams belong heading into next season. Title odds for 2022 by Caesars Sportsbook by William Hill.

MORE: These are the games we can’t wait to see next season

1. Brooklyn Nets
2020-21 record: 48-24
2022 title odds: +225
Post-Finals ranking: 2

If the Nets’ offseason priority was to simply get healthy, it might’ve been enough to be next season’s Eastern favorite. But with impact additions Patty Mills and James Johnson, Blake Griffin‘s re-signing, plus Kevin Durant‘s recommitment to their future, the Nets might have had the best offseason in the conference. — Young

2. Milwaukee Bucks
2020-21 record: 46-26
2022 title odds: +800
Post-Finals ranking: 1

Fresh of winning their first championship in a half-century, the Bucks made some moves around the edges in free agency, watching P.J. Tucker go but bringing back George Hill and trading for Grayson Allen. The Nets might be the favorites to both win the East, and the title, but the Bucks are a comfortable second in both categories. Meanwhile, now that the pressure of breaking through and winning a title has been lifted, does Giannis Antetokounmpo have new levels to reach? — Bontemps

3. Los Angeles Lakers
2020-21 record: 42-30
2022 title odds: +400
Post-Finals ranking: 4

After trading for Russell Westbrook and acquiring Dwight Howard and Carmelo Anthony in the offseason, there have been two extreme schools of thought in evaluating next season’s Lakers: Some view them as an elite collection of talent with six potential Hall of Famers, while others point to their average age — 31.8 years old — as a team nearing its expiration date. — McMenamin

4. Phoenix Suns
2020-21 record: 51-21
2022 title odds: +1500
Post-Finals ranking: 3

The biggest move that the Phoenix Suns made this offseason was locking up Chris Paul to a four-year, $120 million deal that will expire when Paul is 40 years old. Paul was instrumental in helping Phoenix to the NBA Finals last season and now has a chance to get there again. Phoenix also re-signed Cameron Payne, Frank Kaminsky and Abdel Nader from last year’s Finals squad. They swapped guard Jevon Carter for Landry Shamet, and brought in center JaVale McGee and point guard Elfrid Payton, as well. — Lopez

5. Utah Jazz
2020-21 record: 52-20
2022 title odds: +1500
Post-Finals ranking: 6

In the wake of their disappointing second-round exit with the league’s best record in the regular season, the Jazz largely stayed the course. Utah re-signed All-Star point guard Mike Conley, a necessary move, while tinkering with the second unit. Out are frontcourt backups Derrick Favors and Georges Niang, replaced by combo forward Rudy Gay and center Hassan Whiteside. The Jazz hope a little more scoring punch in reserve and better health in the playoffs for Conley and Donovan Mitchell will produce better results than we saw this spring. — Pelton

6. Philadelphia 76ers
2020-21 record: 49-23
2022 title odds: +1600
Post-Finals ranking: 5

There is only one thing anyone is talking about when it comes to the 76ers: What’s going to happen with Ben Simmons? Philly president of basketball operations Daryl Morey has shown throughout his career that he isn’t going to trade a player for less than what he thinks he is worth, and he isn’t going to make a trade for the sake of making one. So as long as a certain All-NBA point guard in Portland remains off the market, the expectation here is that Simmons will remain in Philadelphia — which could make for plenty of awkwardness when training camp opens next month. — Bontemps

7. Denver Nuggets
2020-21 record: 47-25
2022 title odds: +2500
Post-Finals ranking: 7

As soon as Austin Rivers officially re-signs, the Nuggets will bring back nine of the 10 players who saw at least 50 minutes of action in the 2021 playoffs, swapping out one veteran forward (Jeff Green) for another (Paul Millsap). Of course, Denver’s biggest possible addition will be the return of point guard Jamal Murray from the ACL tear he suffered last April just as the Nuggets were serving notice as contenders to win the Western Conference. If Murray is near 100% for the playoffs, a core led by him and MVP Nikola Jokic will be tough to beat. — Pelton

8. Miami Heat
2020-21 record: 40-32
2022 title odds: +2500
Post-Finals ranking: 11

Kyle Lowry, P.J. Tucker and Markieff Morris joined a roster that has always prided itself on being mentally tougher and physically stronger than everybody else. The trio should fit in nicely behind Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. The Heat have the kind of roster that would be tough to deal with in a playoff series. The question is whether the veteran-laden team can get to that point with the health needed to make a deep run. — Friedell

9. Atlanta Hawks
2020-21 record: 41-31
2022 title odds: +4000
Post-Finals ranking: 8

The Hawks are mostly in run-it-back mode following their conference finals run last season, locking up John Collins with a five-year, $125 million extension. They brought in Delon Wright in a three-way trade with the Kings and Celtics, but their other main acquisitions — Jalen Johnson and Sharife Cooper — came in the draft. Johnson led the Hawks in scoring and rebounding in summer league, averaging 19 points and 9.5 boards per game. Cooper, who slid to 48th in the draft, averaged 14.8 points and a team-high 7.3 assists. — Lopez

10. LA Clippers
2020-21 record: 47-25
2022 title odds: +2000
Post-Finals ranking: 9

The Clippers were among free agency’s winners, managing to re-sign key playoff contributors Nicolas Batum and Reggie Jackson, despite being limited in what they could offer both players. The big change will be at point guard, where they parted with Patrick Beverley and Rajon Rondo to bring back Eric Bledsoe to where he started his career. Still, the Clippers’ season will be defined by whether Kawhi Leonard can return from surgery on his partially torn ACL in time for the playoffs. Although the Clippers beat the Jazz without Leonard, his absence in the conference finals showed that group’s hard ceiling. — Pelton

11. Dallas Mavericks
2020-21 record: 42-30
2022 title odds: +3000
Post-Finals ranking: 10

Rewind to the end of last season, when the Mavs were seemingly spiraling toward turmoil, with the infrastructure of the franchise changing as head coach Rick Carlisle and GM Donnie Nelson left their jobs and the reported discontent from Luka Doncic about staffing. All of those things are generally unchanged, but the Mavs did lock up Doncic to a max extension, hired Jason Kidd as coach and Nico Harrison as GM, and made one roster move of note, signing sharpshooter Reggie Bullock. The Mavs are a team with a spotlight on them because of Doncic’s star power, and as they enter the season with a minimally upgraded roster and still a basket of questions, things could turn quickly if it starts poorly. — Young

12. Golden State Warriors
2020-21 record: 39-33
2022 title odds: +1000
Post-Finals ranking: 12

New lottery picks Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody, second-year center James Wiseman and third-year guard Jordan Poole make up the young core the Warriors have to hope continues to improve as they decide whether it can help Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green sooner than later. The Warriors added veterans Andre Iguodala, Otto Porter Jr. and Nemanja Bjelica to try to stabilize a bench that lacked an older presence last season, but all eyes will be on Thompson’s attempt to return to form after missing two straight seasons because of ACL and Achilles injuries. — Friedell

13. Boston Celtics
2020-21 record: 36-36
2022 title odds: +5000
Post-Finals ranking: 13

The Celtics essentially swapped Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier for Al Horford, Dennis Schroder and Josh Richardson, opting for financial flexibility and better roster balance over keeping their two top free agents. It presents an interesting puzzle for new coach Ime Udoka to solve, as the Celtics still believe they haven’t done enough to move up the standings much beyond the seventh-place finish they recorded last year. — Bontemps

14. New York Knicks
2020-21 record: 41-31
2022 title odds: +8000
Post-Finals ranking: No. 14

After struggling offensively in their first-round loss to the Atlanta Hawks, the Knicks signed both Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier in free agency in an effort to shore up that part of their team. New York also brought back Alec Burks, Nerlens Noel and Derrick Rose, and made a couple of intriguing draft picks in Miles McBride and Quentin Grimes. It has taken only a couple of decades, but the Knicks have managed to put together solid back-to-back offseasons, and they should be poised to be in the middle of the East playoff picture once again. — Bontemps

15. Portland Trail Blazers
2020-21 record: 42-30
2022 title odds: +6000
Post-Finals ranking: 16

If the Blazers were feeling pressure to improve following the Damian Lillard situation, their offseason might not have relieved it all that much. Their additions were minimum-level signings (Cody Zeller, Ben McLemore, Tony Snell) with the major move being re-signing Norman Powell. The Blazers are banking on a coaching change, internal roster development and some better health to pay off for a leap back into the West’s top tier. — Young

16. Memphis Grizzlies
2020-21 record: 38-34
2022 title odds: +10000
Post-Finals ranking: 15

As the Grizzlies organically grow around a core of Ja Morant, a now-healthy Jaren Jackson Jr. and Dillon Brooks, they made savvy offseason adjustments. It seems like Steven Adams has been a Grizzly all along, and taking a flyer on 22-year-old Jarrett Culver in exchange for Patrick Beverley is smart business to possibly find a hidden gem that breaks out with the right fit. They moved up in the draft to select Ziaire Williams at No. 10 overall, adding more explosiveness to their backcourt. The Grizzlies are trending in a positive direction and have something to build on after their run through the play-in to the 8-seed last season. — Young

17. Charlotte Hornets
2020-21 record: 33-39
2022 title odds: +15000
Post-Finals ranking: 18

Charlotte continued adding to its young core with the signing of free agent Kelly Oubre Jr. and the addition of draft picks James Bouknight and Kai Jones. The Hornets have plenty of young players in place to get over the hump and back into the postseason — a fact reinforced by the decision to extend Terry Rozier on a four year, $97 million extension. This roster sets up as one of the more intriguing groups in the league behind Rookie of the Year point guard LaMelo Ball. — Friedell

18. Indiana Pacers
2020-21 record: 34-38
2022 title odds: +10000
Post-Finals ranking: 17

As Rick Carlisle returns to Indiana, he’ll do so with a Pacers roster that didn’t experience much change from a season ago. Indiana signed Torrey Craig to a two-year deal in free agency but didn’t bring in any other veterans. They lost Doug McDermott (Spurs) and Aaron Holiday (Wizards) but brought back T.J. McConnell. They also added Chris Duarte with the 13th pick in the draft and brought in Kentucky’s Isaiah Jackson via trade. In four summer league games, Duarte averaged 18.3 points while shooting 48.3% from deep. In five summer league games, Jackson blocked 15 shots. — Lopez

19. Chicago Bulls
2020-21 record: 31-41
2022 title odds: +8000
Post-Finals ranking: 23

Chicago had one of the most interesting offseasons in the league — adding DeMar DeRozan, Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso — and picked up Illinois’ Ayo Dosunmu in the second round. With Zach LaVine‘s pending free agency next summer, it will be fascinating to see how all the new players fit together alongside LaVine and All-Star center Nikola Vucevic. The Bulls made headlines over the summer, but it remains to be seen if the organization’s all-in bet will pay playoff dividends. — Friedell

20. Toronto Raptors
2020-21 record: 27-45
2022 title odds: +10000
Post-Finals ranking: 19

Kyle Lowry heading to the Miami Heat in a sign-and-trade at the start of free agency officially brought the golden age of Raptors basketball to an end. But behind a young core of Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet and OG Anunoby, Toronto will expect to remain a factor in the Eastern Conference. The decision that will loom over Toronto for years to come, however, was the choice of Scottie Barnes over Jalen Suggs with the fourth overall pick. The futures of those two players will be tied moving forward as a result. — Bontemps

21. Washington Wizards
2020-21 record: 34-38
2022 title odds: +15000
Post-Finals ranking: 20

Sending Russell Westbrook to the Lakers for three useful contributors (Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell and Kyle Kuzma) and expanding the trade to bring back Spencer Dinwiddie and Aaron Holiday as replacements at point guard transformed Washington’s depth. The Wizards still look likely to be fighting for a play-in spot in a deep Eastern Conference third tier, but adding Dinwiddie to Bradley Beal (both 28 years old) in the backcourt gives Washington a path forward — provided that Beal, who can become an unrestricted free agent next summer, signs an extension or returns in free agency. — Pelton

22. New Orleans Pelicans
2020-21 record: 31-41
2022 title odds: +10000
Post-Finals ranking: 21

The roster that new coach Willie Green will lead looks a little different than the one that Stan Van Gundy had last season. The Pelicans let Lonzo Ball go and brought back Tomas Satoransky and Garrett Temple in a sign-and-trade. They replaced Ball with Charlotte’s Devonte’ Graham in a separate sign-and-trade deal. The Pelicans will also have a new center in Jonas Valanciunas, while rookie forward Trey Murphy will press for time, as well. New Orleans has flexibility to make another move or two before the season begins if something presents itself in the fall. — Lopez

23. San Antonio Spurs
2020-21 record: 33-39
2022 title odds: +25000
Post-Finals ranking: 22

It was an offseason of change for San Antonio, which watched several veterans move on. DeMar DeRozan went to the Bulls in a deal that brought back Thaddeus Young and Al-Farouq Aminu. Rudy Gay (Utah), Patty Mills (Brooklyn), Trey Lyles (Detroit) and Gorgui Dieng (Atlanta) all signed elsewhere. The Spurs did add shooting with Doug McDermott in a sign-and-trade with the Pacers, and took a chance on big man Zach Collins in the hopes that he can get healthy at this point in his career. San Antonio’s youth movement looks to be underway. — Lopez

24. Sacramento Kings
2020-21 record: 31-41
2022 title odds: +25000
Post-Finals ranking: 24

Davion Mitchell went from winning the NCAA championship at Baylor to being named co-MVP of the Las Vegas Summer League. And in between, the Kings nabbed the defensive dynamo with the No. 9 pick. He’ll join an already talented group of guards in De’Aaron Fox, Tyrese Haliburton and Buddy Hield. Sacramento’s main question mark comes down to its production in the frontcourt, where new big man Tristan Thompson will join the rotation with Marvin Bagley III and Richaun Holmes. — McMenamin

25. Minnesota Timberwolves
2020-21 record: 23-49
2022 title odds: +30000
Post-Finals ranking: 25

The Wolves are hoping their late-season momentum will carry into the 2021-22 season. When the roster has been complete, the Wolves have been competitive, and they progressed on both ends of the floor under coach Chris Finch. Their only offseason move was to deal for Patrick Beverley, bailing on 22-year-old Jarrett Culver — a head-scratching deal on multiple fronts. But Beverley gives the Wolves more toughness and leadership, and if Anthony Edwards can elevate toward stardom, they might be the kind of team that surprises the league next season. — Young

26. Detroit Pistons
2020-21 record: 20-52
2022 title odds: +50000
Post-Finals ranking: 26

Detroit got its man in Cade Cunningham with the No. 1 pick, adding the 6-foot-7 point guard out of Oklahoma State to a group that already features an emerging wing in Jerami Grant. But after going 20-52 a season ago, the Pistons still have a long way to reach respectability. The speed in which the Pistons can move from the cellar to the ceiling will largely be determined by how fast their young core of Saddiq Bey, Hamidou Diallo, Sekou Doumbouya, Killian Hayes and Isaiah Stewart can find their footing in the league. — McMenamin

27. Cleveland Cavaliers
2020-21 record: 22-50
2022 title odds: +50000
Post-Finals ranking: 27

Cleveland landed a talented 7-footer in Evan Mobley with the No. 3 pick, with Cavs brass insisting he can coexist with center Jarrett Allen. Cleveland’s chances of making it back to the postseason for the first time since LeBron James left town will hinge upon Collin Sexton, Darius Garland and Isaac Okoro‘s continued development and the team developing a defensive identity after ranking 25th in defensive efficiency a season ago. — McMenamin

28. Orlando Magic
2020-21 record: 21-51
2022 title odds: +50000
Post-Finals ranking: 28

Jalen Suggs falling to Orlando on draft night gave hope to an organization that is in desperate need of a new star around which to build. The Magic are hopeful that fellow rookie Franz Wagner can have a strong impact as Markelle Fultz and Jonathan Isaac return from serious knee injuries. Suggs’ arrival has the chance to create some much-needed buzz around a team that has been dormant for almost a decade. Veteran center Robin Lopez should be a solid role model for the young group. — Friedell

29. Houston Rockets
2020-21 record: 17-55
2022 title odds: +50000
Post-Finals ranking: 30

Although it’s a long shot to be reflected in the standings this season, a strong NBA draft has given Rockets fans reason for hope. Houston needed some lottery luck to retain its own pick, which landed No. 2 and yielded Jalen Green — perhaps the most impressive rookie during the NBA summer league in Las Vegas. The Rockets also traded to take statistical standout Alperen Sengun at No. 16 and added two more first-round picks in Josh Christopher and Usman Garuba. A youthful core will take its lumps in 2021-22 while hopefully developing into the next great Houston group. — Pelton

30. Oklahoma City Thunder
2020-21 record: 22-50
2022 title odds: +50000
Post-Finals ranking: 29

The Thunder’s offseason didn’t go according to plan in many ways, with their draft slot coming in lower than they had hoped, and the opportunity to land two top-five picks disappearing when the Rockets’ pick stayed in Houston. Then Josh Giddey, whom they drafted with the No. 6 pick, tweaked an ankle five minutes into summer league. They locked in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — who had a better season than most people noticed — to a max extension and bought out Kemba Walker’s contract to clear a roster logjam. The Thunder are patient and process-driven, and committed to developing their young roster, acquiring assets and being ready to pounce when luck tilts their way. — Young

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eBay gloves, cursing pitchers and unhittable splits: The magic chemistry of the Blue Jays

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October 24, 2025

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eBay gloves, cursing pitchers and unhittable splits: The magic chemistry of the Blue Jays

In the 15 days in October we spent with the American League champion Toronto Blue Jays, you learn a lot about the team. Here is a sampling:

  • The game glove that infielder Ernie Clement uses was purchased a few months ago on eBay. “Mine was getting worn, so this one looked good on eBay, so bought it,” he said. “I have to wear a glove underneath my glove because this glove is so old, it has no padding in it.” Even with a glove purchased on eBay, Clement is a terrific defender. He is an AL Gold Glove finalist at third base and as a utility player. He personifies the flexibility of the Blue Jays, an elite defensive team that moves several players around the infield, and has others who play infield or outfield equally well. Clement can really throw on the run, and his transfer on the double play from second base is lightning fast. He has 18 hits and only two strikeouts in 42 at-bats in this postseason in which he has shined as a damn good player. His aggressive hitting approach comes from Coach Pitch when he was 6 years old. “We got three pitches per at-bat,” he said. “My dad would say, ‘You’d better swing.”’ Clement also happens to look exactly like a young Aaron Boone. “I’ve heard that,” Clement said, smiling. Boone said, laughing, “So have I. I’ll have to meet him someday and tell him that this [his face] is what he has to look forward to someday.”

  • Reliever Louis Varland will pitch whenever you give him the ball. His preference would be to pitch every day. He pitched in 10 of the 11 postseason games for the Blue Jays. He started as an opener against the Yankees in Game 4 of the AL Division Series one day after pitching in relief. “He would have pitched nine innings if I would’ve let him,” manager John Schneider said. That competitive nature comes from his time as a high school wrestler in Minnesota. Varland wrestled as a freshman at 106 pounds and 160 pounds as a senior. His junior and senior year in baseball, he played at 185 pouonds — he would lose 25 pounds to make weight for wrestling, then gain it back for baseball. “I would lose 20 pounds in a week,” he said. “I did it the unhealthy way. We’ll just leave it at that.”

  • Infielder Andres Gimenez is “the best defensive player I’ve ever seen at any position,” said Guardians manager Stephen Vogt, who coached Gimenez in Cleveland in 2024. “He is incredible.” Clement, a brilliant defender himself, said Gimenez “is the best I’ve ever seen. He makes plays no one else can make.” Gimenez is the best defensive second baseman in baseball, but after the injury in early September to Bo Bichette, Gimenez moved to shortstop where he has been tremendous. During infield practice, Gimenez takes ground balls from his knees, and uses a miniature glove, each of which trains him to focus his eyes on the ball. He has great feet in part because he played soccer growing up in Venezuela, a la Omar Vizquel. Gimenez loves soccer. “It is my hobby, I watch it all the time,” he said. Gimenez hit cleanup on Opening Day 2025 — and made 18 other starts there — for the Blue Jays. He also started 34 games out of the No. 9 spot in the order during the regular season as well as all 11 games the Blue Jays have played in October. He is one of seven players in major league history to start at least 15 games out of the cleanup spot and 15 out of the No. 9 spot in a season. And during his postseason, he became one of seven players in history to hit home runs in back-to-back games out of the No. 9 spot in a postseason game.

  • Pitcher Max Scherzer remains an extreme competitor at age 41. “He found out that I played basketball,” said Jays pitcher Chris Bassitt, who was a great high school basketball player. “So Max told me, ‘We’re playing one-on-one. And we’re playing full court.”’ Bassitt laughed and said, “Max, I’m not playing full court one-on-one with you.” Scherzer started the critical Game 4 of the ALCS against the Mariners, becoming the first pitcher to start a postseason game for six different franchises. He hadn’t pitched since Sept. 24. No one had any idea what he was going to give them, so, of course, he gave a sturdy 5⅔ innings. Schneider went to the mound to check on Scherzer in the fifth inning. “I’m f—ing good!” Scherzer barked at Schneider. “Let’s f—ing go!” Schneider said with a smile, “I was scared,” then added, “you should have seen the conversation we had between [the fourth and fifth innings]. I asked him if he was OK. He said, ‘What, are you f—ing kidding? Get the f— out of here!” The next day, Schneider’s comments were relayed to Scherzer. He smiled, half-embarrassed, half-proud, and said, “I just can’t help it.”

  • Addison Barger swings the bat as hard as any player in the game, and his plan is to do so on every pitch. He takes relentless batting practice every day. His nickname is “Bam Bam,” but it comes from the name of his mother’s dog, not how hard he hits a baseball. He plays third base and right field — more Toronto defensive flexibility. “He has the best throwing arm of any third baseman I’ve ever seen,” Clement said. In an 8-2 victory in Game 4 in Seattle, Barger’s tremendous throw from right field cut down Josh Naylor at third base for a crucial third out in the sixth inning. “He threw 98-99 [mph] in high school,” Schneider said. When I asked Barger if he could throw 98-99 mph today if he were asked to close on the mound, he laughed and said, “I’d throw 100.”

  • Catcher Alejandro Kirk, at 5-foot-8, 240 pounds, looks less like an athlete than anyone on the field, the catching equivalent of Bartolo Colon. But “he has tremendous bat-to-ball skills,” Schneider said. “And the first time I saw him catch, I saw that he had elite hands. And he never gets too excited. And he never gets pissed off.” Kirk blocks balls in the dirt as well as any catcher in the game, and is exceptionally adept at catching pitches down. Kirk hit two home runs on the final day of the season when the Blue Jays clinched the AL East title, then became the first player in major league history to follow two homers in the season finale with two home runs in the first playoff game. Kirk is immensely popular in Toronto. “Everyone just loves him here,” Clement said. “When he stole his first base of the season, I was at the plate. I had to step out of the box because the cheering was so loud from the fans.”

  • Ace Kevin Gausman has one of the best split-fingered fastballs of any pitcher in the game, but the grip on that pitch can occasionally cause a blister so Gausman usually doesn’t throw his split during his bullpen sessions between starts. “That’s rare,” Bassitt said. “But he is so comfortable with the grip, he doesn’t need to practice it.” Gausman pitched in relief in the clinching Game 7 against the Mariners. “I can get loose in a hurry,” he said before the game. “I grew up in Colorado. It was cold. To get warm, and to get loose quickly, I would put hot stuff all over my body. It really worked, but when you I started to sweat, whoa.”

  • First baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., one of the best hitters in the game, went to a new level in the postseason, going 19-for-43 with six homers, 13 RBIs and only three strikeouts. “He has power, and he’s a pest at the plate,” Blue Jays outfielder Myles Straw said. “Not many hitters are both. He’s one of the best hitters I’ve ever played with. Bottom of the ninth, need a hit, I take Vladdy every time.” Guerrero was a wrecking ball against the Yankees in the division series, and equally destructive against the Mariners in the ALCS. “He has a long swing, but he can cover anything,” Gausman said. “Not many hitters can do that.” Clement was asked to explain how anyone can hit with such power, and also put the ball in play as often as Guerrero. “There is no explaining him,” Clement said. “He is on a different level.” Guerrero is also a very good defensive first baseman, he has already won a Gold Glove, and is a Gold Glove finalist this season. He also runs so much better than people think, which he showed when he scored from second on a single in the ALCS. There is a perception that Guerrero is a heavy-set, unathletic first baseman. “Nothing could be further from the truth,” Clement said. Guerrero, the son of Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero Sr., is an instinctive player “with a really high baseball IQ,” Schneider said. “He had that when he was 18 years old.” Indeed. In Game 6 against Seattle, he got a great read on a ball in the dirt, advanced to third, then scored on a throw in the dirt by Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh. On the key throw by Barger in Game 4 of the ALCS, the throw could have gone home or to third. Guerrero was aggressively signaling Barger to throw it to third. Guerrero gets those instincts, that feel for the game, from his father: They are the other father-son combination to each have a four-hit game in the postseason.

  • Pitcher Trey Yesavage, age 22, made three major league starts, then started Game 2 against the Yankees, becoming the seventh pitcher in history to start a postseason game having thrown 14 innings or less in his regular-season career. Of course, against the Yankees, he pitched 5⅓ innings, gave up no hits, walked one and struck out 11 — he is the first pitcher to strike out 10 in the first four innings of his first postseason start. He showed incredible poise, and has a presence on the mound like that of Gaylord Perry. Schneider never saw Yesavage in spring training. He was so far from playing in the major leagues, he was always throwing on a back field. “As he was moving up, I saw him on film and video,” Schneider said. “But when he got here, he looked different.” Film and video can tell you only so much about a player. Yesavage’s slider is thrown from directly over the top and that steep angle makes it very hard to pick up, a la Juan Guzman. “I have never seen a slider like that,” Kirk said. Backup catcher Tyler Heineman said, “Neither have I.” Yesavage also dominated the Yankees with his split, which also baffled the Mariners in Game 6. There is a rule in baseball that you don’t speak to that day’s starting pitcher on the day of the game. Yet there was Yesavage, before Game 6 against Seattle, talking to ESPN’s Karl Ravech about football. Yesavage went out and threw well for 5⅔ innings in an elimination game.

  • Utility man Davis Schneider is an above-average defensive second baseman and an above-average defensive corner outfielder. He doesn’t look like a baseball player with his mustache and thick glasses. But he is the personification of a baseball player. He hits every day with Barger, his buddy, and he swings almost as hard as Barger does. “He was almost released three times in the minor leagues,” Schneider said. “But he kept on fighting. He just figured it out.” He’s not the only Blue Jay player who figured it out.

  • Schneider is superstitious. Before Game 6, he walked to the ballpark. “I either drive or walk,” he said. “I walked yesterday. We won. So I walked again today.” When asked if he ran into any fans on the street, he said, “Yeah, a few. They all said, ‘Good luck.”’ Then Schneider smiled and said, “Last year, when we weren’t very good, I drove to the ballpark all the time.” Buck Martinez, a former major league catcher and former Blue Jays manager who has broadcast Blue Jays games for 15 years, said that Schneider reminds him “of Bobby Cox in 1985,” the year that the Blue Jays started to win.

  • Straw, like Clement, is considered a “glue guy.” Straw appreciated the compliment, but said, “We have 10 of those guys on this team.” Schneider said, “This is the tightest group I’ve ever been around.”

  • Designated hitter George Springer‘s three-run homer in the seventh inning of Game 7 of the ALCS, was one of the three biggest home runs in club history. Springer struggled terribly last year at the plate but worked with former Astros teammate Michael Brantley, a dear friend and a great hitting instructor, in the offseason. Springer, who hit sixth on Opening Day, raised his OPS .285 points in 2025, by far the biggest increase in the major leagues. He became an elite player again, he returned to the leadoff spot and probably will finish in the top five in AL MVP voting this year. “He is 36 years old, but he acts and plays like he is 20,” Schneider said. When told that the Blue Jays’ defense was exceptional this season, Springer laughed and said, “Well, that’s because they got the old guy off the field and let the young bucks roam around the outfield.”

  • The Blue Jays win because of an elite defense, good starting pitching and an offense that led the major leagues in batting with a .265 average. They changed their offense approach this season: use your “A” swing every time, or don’t swing. “Sell out,” Schneider said. “Or don’t swing.” In the postseason, the Blue Jays hit .296; the rest of the playoff teams hit a combined .218. They put the ball in play better than any team in the major leagues. “The major league batting average on balls in play is .300, that’s all you need to know,” Bassitt said. “In the game today, striking out is OK. Not here. For us, it’s not OK to strike out.” In the postseason, the Blue Jays struck out 65 times compared to 108 by their opponent. They struck out every 6.1 at-bats. All other teams in the postseason averaged a strikeout every 3.4 at-bats. The Blue Jays scored 71 runs and struck out 65 times. The last team to score more runs than they had strikeouts in 11 postseason games was the 2007 Red Sox, who won the World Series. And that’s why the Blue Jays have a fighting chance against the mighty Dodgers.

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    Jays’ Bichette, Dodgers’ Kershaw on WS rosters

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    October 24, 2025

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    Jays' Bichette, Dodgers' Kershaw on WS rosters

    • Jorge CastilloOct 24, 2025, 11:43 AM ET

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        ESPN baseball reporter. Covered the Washington Wizards from 2014 to 2016 and the Washington Nationals from 2016 to 2018 for The Washington Post before covering the Los Angeles Dodgers and MLB for the Los Angeles Times from 2018 to 2024.

    TORONTO — Bo Bichette, who has not played since spraining his left knee in early September, was added to the Toronto Blue Jays‘ roster for the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

    The Blue Jays also included first baseman Ty France on their roster for the first time this postseason. Outfielder Joey Loperfido and right-handed reliever Yariel Rodriguez, who were on the American League Championship Series roster, were not included.

    The question is how limited is Bichette.

    A two-time All-Star shortstop, Bichette has not played in a game since injuring his knee in a collision with Yankees catcher Austin Wells on Sept. 6. He attempted to return in time for the AL Championship Series but could not run the bases without significant pain the day before the Blue Jays had to submit their roster.

    Bichette worked out at second base and faced live pitching Wednesday and Thursday. Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Bichette could play second base, shortstop or serve as the team’s designated hitter. If he is the DH, George Springer would likely move to right field.

    A free agent this winter, Bichette had a rebound season after posting a .598 OPS in 81 games in an injury-plagued 2024 campaign. The homegrown star, 27, finished second in the majors with a .311 batting average and hit 18 home runs with 94 RBI and an .840 OPS.

    Without him, the Blue Jays have played Andres Gimenez, their regular second baseman, at shortstop in the postseason with Isiah Kiner-Falefa getting most of the starts at second base.

    Los Angeles added right-handers Edgardo Henriquez and Will Klein while dropping lefty Alex Vesia and righty Ben Casparius. The Dodgers said Thursday that Vesia was not with the team in Toronto because of a family matter.

    Former closer Tanner Scott was not added. The left-hander was dropped from the National League Division Series roster following surgery on Oct. 8 to remove of an abscess from an infection on his lower body.

    Clayton Kershaw, who was left off the Dodgers’ wild-card series roster and did not pitch in the NL Championship Series, is on the World Series roster. Kershaw has said he plans to retire after this season.

    Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

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    Thamel: Five questions that will define a wild CFB coaching carousel

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    1 hour ago

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    October 24, 2025

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    Thamel: Five questions that will define a wild CFB coaching carousel

    On Oct. 20 of last year, college football’s first two firings unfolded with little fanfare — East Carolina let go of Mike Houston and Southern Miss dismissed Will Hall.

    By that date in 2025, there already were 11 programs — including seven major conference teams — that dismissed their coach.

    Those seven openings far outpace the final statistics from 2024, when just three coaches were fired for performance — Purdue’s Ryan Walters, UNC’s Mack Brown and West Virginia’s Neal Brown.

    Since this season started, there have been six firings at major conference schools — UCLA, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma State, Arkansas, Penn State and Florida. (Stanford’s firing of Troy Taylor came after off-field tumult this offseason.)

    So, how did we get to the point where there are 11 open jobs on the 2025 calendar — including UAB, Oregon State, Kent State and Colorado State — before the first open job in 2024?

    There’s a confluence of factors that range from the slow power conference cycle in 2024 to the professionalization of college programs demanding instant results. (One industry source said jokingly that Curt Cignetti’s instant success at Indiana ruined the expectation curve for all coaches.)

    How crazy will this cycle get? One industry source summed it up this way: “There’s not enough good coaches to fill all of these spots. It’s never a good year to be in the market, but especially not this year.”

    We dove into the numbers and asked industry sources how they see it playing out, as the busiest and most expensive coaching carousel in the sport’s history looms.

    Could this be the busiest coaching carousel ever?

    In short, yes. Especially with the early flurry of Power 5 jobs.

    Comparisons are tricky because of conference realignment and variables like season-long interim coaches. But the most major conference jobs open in a recent season happened in the 2021-22 cycle, when there were 14, per ESPN Research. That cycle included USC (Lincoln Riley), LSU (Brian Kelly), Notre Dame (Marcus Freeman), Florida (Billy Napier), Miami (Mario Cristobal), Oklahoma (Brent Venables) and Oregon (Dan Lanning).

    This year is shaping up to rival that, as in the modern era, this is the earliest we’ve seen seven power conference jobs open.

    Also on the radar are Auburn, Florida State and Wisconsin, with the latter two schools issuing statements about the futures of their coaches this week.

    There are also eyes on Deion Sanders’ health at Colorado, Kyle Whittingham’s potential retirement at Utah and Bill Belichick’s struggles at UNC. Kentucky is 0-4 in the SEC under Mark Stoops, but the Wildcats would owe him nearly $38 million within 60 days of firing him.

    And there are still six weeks left in the season. The legacy of Franklin’s firing at Penn State is that nearly every coach is a three-game losing streak from his job being in trouble. So, don’t be surprised if another school or two finds its situation untenable as the losses pile up. And never rule out a surprise retirement or two, as we’ve seen veteran coaches monitor the landscape and head off to their beach houses in recent years in college football and basketball.

    Combine current openings with potential ones and the inevitable dominoes of hiring away sitting coaches from other power conference jobs, and it’s clear that the recent benchmark of 14 power jobs from the 2021-22 cycle and 2015-16 cycle will be threatened. (That number is 15 in 2021-22 if you count SMU, which has since moved to the ACC, and 16 in 2015-16 if you count UCF and BYU. College sports never makes these things easy.)

    From a pure numbers standpoint, we’re likely amid a historic three-year run. The NCAA keeps annual tabs on new coaches in the FBS, and the past two cycles have been the first time in college football history, per the NCAA, that at least 30 new coaches have arrived in back-to-back years.

    There were 32 to start the 2024 season, and there were 30 to start this season. The only other time in the FBS era there have been more than 30 is 2013, when there were 31 new coaches, good for a record 25.2% turnover.

    That 30-coach benchmark appears likely to be eclipsed again. Even with a handful of duplicate jobs those years, it means somewhere over 60% of the sport is destined to turn over in three years.

    How large will buyouts loom?

    For decades, coaches were the largest talent expense for a program. And because of the competition to hire and retain them, it became standard practice for schools to offer lengthy guaranteed salaries.

    And that has led to piles of dead money being paid to coaches. An ESPN study found $533.6 million in dead money in athletic departments for coaches over an 11-year period from Jan. 1, 2010, to Jan. 31, 2021. There’s already more than $100 million in buyout money owed this year, although many contracts are subject to offset and mitigation. (If Franklin gets a job for $25 million over five years, for example, that would be subtracted from the $49 million he’s owed through the 2031 season.)

    But there are also a few more big figures potentially looming — Mike Norvell’s $58 million with Florida State, Freeze’s $15 million with Auburn and Luke Fickell’s more than $25 million with Wisconsin. Those will factor into decision-making at those schools.

    As another industry source adds: “Look at the candidate pool. If it’s close and you think you might have the right guy, you don’t go in.”

    What became apparent through calls this week is that the fervor over coaches is unlikely to translate to changed behavior in contracts. Restraint and discipline don’t often coincide with desperation.

    Could a coach who makes the playoff jump to a new job?

    Technically, sure. But in reality, that would be a hire that redefines awkward. ESPN spoke to a half a dozen sources about this, and the answers vary. With the transfer portal not opening until Jan. 2, there’s certainly a chance that a school could wait out a playoff coach.

    But two looming factors would be difficult to overcome, even if there’s a proverbial “deal in the drawer” that a coach has agreed to in advance.

    The first is that the coach would put his current team’s title hopes at risk, as his team would be suspicious if a major job remained open and he dodged answers about it. (Not to mention, didn’t sign a new deal with his current school.)

    The second is simple — what happens if a coach wins a few games? A coach could play in the first round Dec. 19 or Dec. 20, lose the game and leave a day or two after to set up his roster in time for next year. But a win or two could extend his season into mid-January, and any athletic director who waits a month and doesn’t have a coach in place for the start of the portal would get squeamish.

    “The tough part will be, if you have that search open, how do you keep it quiet?” an industry source said. “You’re going to have to keep a process going. The only way I see it happening is that school would have to keep a search going all that time.”

    The portal might officially open Jan. 2, but most deals will be done long before. Even with a strong general manager at a program, the ambiguity would undercut the first year’s roster tremendously.

    Essentially, the coach and school would have to announce that he’s leaving. The coach would then coach out the playoff, with the idea that the players are all free agents at the end of every season. It would be awkward and heavily criticized, but that might be the only option.

    So, if a program wants a coach projected to reach the playoff — think Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin, USF’s Alex Golesh or Georgia Tech’s Brent Key — there would be some hard conversations.

    Who are the big names who could move?

    Kiffin and Nebraska coach Matt Rhule will be the biggest names looming over the carousel, as they are the speculative favorites for the jobs at Florida (Kiffin) and Penn State (Rhule).

    There are three former power conference coaches who could factor into the major jobs this year — former Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald, former Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson and former Florida State/Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher. The opportunity to go early and avoid the dangerous game of musical chairs may make those coaches attractive.

    There are plenty of sitting power conference coaches who’ll generate interest and could move.

    In the ACC, SMU’s Rhett Lashlee, Georgia Tech’s Key ($4 million buyout), Louisville’s Jeff Brohm ($1 million) and Cal’s Justin Wilcox ($1 million to leave after regular season) all have been bandied about.

    In the Big Ten, Rhule, Minnesota’s P.J. Fleck and Washington’s Jedd Fisch are being discussed. (Rhule’s buyout is $5 million, Fleck’s is $5.5 million and Fisch’s is $10 million.)

    In the SEC, Missouri’s Eliah Drinkwitz’s buyout drops from $5 million to $4 million after Dec. 1. Clark Lea has Vanderbilt 6-1, and the Commodores are the toast of the country this year. South Carolina’s Shane Beamer ($5 million buyout) will remain a name at Virginia Tech until that job is filled.

    In the Big 12, the buzziest names are Iowa State’s Matt Campbell ($2 million buyout), ASU’s Kenny Dillingham ($4 million) and BYU’s Kalani Sitake (unknown).

    Any of those would create further ripples.

    How did we get here?

    Well, everything changed. So, it makes sense that the coaching cycle would, too. There will be PhD projects and books written about the past handful of years in college athletics.

    If you consider the entire player procurement and payment model being overhauled, it makes sense that there’s constant turnover on the landscape.

    And with bigger investments by schools come more urgency for results. And acquisition mistakes are magnified because they come with an actual price tag.

    “I think in the last three or four years, because of NIL, I just think it’s changed so much,” an industry veteran said. “If you’re going to lead a bunch of 18-to-23-year-olds, the relationship part is so different now that money is involved. Coaching and getting the most out of kids is so different because of the financial implications.”

    Combine that with bosses stressed over money and boosters having more sway because they are footing the NIL bills, and the coaching market is haywire. Another industry source joked that “every school’s Cody Campbell” now has bigger sway in hires, referencing the ubiquitous Texas Tech booster.

    With investment and uncertainty on parallel tracks, it only makes sense that volatility follows.

    Marisa Dowling contributed to this report.

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