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“Other teams have asked about” the many catchers in the Cardinals organization, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote as part of a lengthy chat with readers. No specific names are mentioned, yet since youngsters Jimmy Crooks, and Leonardo Bernal seem pretty untouchable at the moment, Ivan Herrera, Pedro Pages, and Yohel Pozo are the likelier trade candidates, to varying degrees. While the focus of the Cards’ offseason will be moving veteran talent and creating opportunities for young players, the wide-ranging nature of this rebuild means that president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom is likely to explore every possible avenue for upgrading the roster. Given this youth movement, it is safe to assume that Bernal and Crooks aren’t going anywhere, unless Bloom swings a relatively rare prospect-for-prospect type of swap. The Cardinals could conceivably package one of their own prospects along with a higher-priced veteran (i.e. Nolan Arenado, Sonny Gray) to convince a rival club to take on more salary, yet dealing a well-regarded prospect just to save money isn’t happening unless the other team also offers a good prospect package that can more broadly address the Cards’ needs. MLB Pipeline ranks Bernal as the 92nd-best prospect in baseball, and the fourth-best prospect in the St. Louis farm system. As Goold notes, the Cardinals will have to add him to the 40-man roster to protect him from being selected in the Rule 5 Draft, so Bernal’s inclusion would give the Cards five backstops on their 40-man. Goold suggests that Pozo will be the odd man out, perhaps designated for assignment and then re-signed by the Cardinals to a minor league contract. Such a move would allow St. Louis to free up a 40-man spot and keep Pozo all at once, though a trade or waiver claim is a possibility in that scenario. Crooks was ranked as the sixth-best Cardinals prospect and outside Pipeline’s league-wide top-100, though he received some top-100 attention from Baseball Prospectus and Fangraphs this year. Crooks also made his MLB debut this season, but did very little at the plate in batting .133/.152/.244 over his first 46 plate appearances in the Show. He has hit considerably better in the minors (including a .274/.337/.441 slash line in 430 PA in Triple-A), but Crooks is generally viewed as a glove-first type of catcher. Beyond this duo, the Cardinals also have Rainiel Rodriguez, the 18-year-old who finished the season in high-A ball and who ranks 55th on Pipeline’s top-100 list. It isn’t hard to view Rodriguez, Bernal, and Crooks within a broad “catcher of the future” category, which naturally creates questions about how the Cards could approach the catchers currently on the big league roster. It should be noted that none of Herrera, Pages, or Pozo are exactly seasoned vets. Herrera won’t become arbitration-eligible until next offseason and he is controlled through 2029, while Pages is controlled through 2030. If Pozo is possibly DFA fodder, that alone could clear up the catching backlog to some extent, but could the Cardinals go a step further and move Herrera or Pages to create playing time for Crooks? Describing Herrera as a catcher is perhaps a topic of debate unto itself, as he suited up behind the plate in only 14 games this season. Herrera missed time due a bone bruise in his left knee and then a Grade 2 hamstring strain, plus he was slated for offseason surgery to remove loose bodies from his throwing elbow. These health issues led the Cardinals to make Herrera their primary DH, and he also made a few cameo appearances in left field. The team’s plan is for Herrera to spend the offseason healing up, and then to return in Spring Training as a viable catcher once again. There were some questions about Herrera’s long-term ability to stick at catcher even before his injury-plagued 2025 season, but there’s no doubt he can hit. Herrera batted .284/.373/.464 with 19 home runs over 452 plate appearances this year, and his 137 wRC+ was the 16th-best of any player in the league with at least 450 PA. Moving such a potent and controllable bat this early in the rebuild process doesn’t seem too likely for Bloom, unless a major asset could be obtained in return. If the Cardinals still have misgivings about Herrera’s defense, that could leave the door open a crack for a possible trade, yet it is fair to guess that Herrera is pretty far down the list of Bloom’s potential trade chips. Pages ended up becoming the Cards’ primary catcher in 2025, and his profile is basically the opposite of Herrera. Pages has hit only .233/.275/.368 over 607 career PA in the majors, but he is a superb defender in every aspect of catching except his blocking work. This could appeal to clubs looking to improve their glovework behind the plate, though Yadier Molina’s shadow runs long in St. Louis, and the Cardinals themselves have long prioritized having strong catcher defense. View the full article

Paramount Pictures has released the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Chrome Alone 2 — Lost in New Jersey clip, previewing the upcoming short film set in the world of TMNT: Mutant Mayhem. What does the TMNT: Chrome Alone 2 clip show? The new clip shows the quartet walking through the streets of a wintry New York City all while debating what to buy Splinter for Christmas. Before they can decide, they see a commercial for toys based on their likeness on a TV in a shop’s window and decide they have to go to New Jersey to get to the bottom of it. Check out the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Chrome Alone 2 — Lost in New Jersey clip below: Taking place in the same universe as 2023’s Mutant Mayhem, Chrome Alone 2 will see the brothers traveling to New Jersey for the first time. Along the way, they’ll go up against a “mysterious toy company:” that “exploits the turtles’ newfound fame” and stumble upon a “shocking discovery” along the way. The short film sees the cast of Mutant Mayhem returning, with Nicolas Cantu as Leonardo, Micah Abbey as Donatello, Brady Noon as Raphael, and Shamon Brown Jr. as Michelangelo. Further casting information is unavailable as of now. It’s unclear exactly where the short film takes place in the timeline of the world that Mutant Mayhem has created. A sequel to Mutant Mayhem has already been greenlit and will release on September 17, 2027, with Shredder said to be the main antagonist of the movie. Originally reported by Anthony Nash on SuperHeroHype. The post New TMNT Video Teases Short Film Ahead of SpongeBob Movie appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More. View the full article

(Photo Credit: ComingSoon) ComingSoon spoke with Maintenance Required stars Katy O’Brian, Madison Bailey, and Matteo Lane about their new movie. The trio discussed some of the film’s funniest scenes, their characters, and more. The movie, which also stars Madelaine Petsch and Jacob Scipio, is out today on Prime Video. “Charlie, the fiercely independent owner of an all-female mechanic shop, is forced to reevaluate her future when a flashy corporate competitor moves in across the street. Seeking comfort, she turns to an anonymous online confidant – unaware she’s confiding in Beau, the very rival threatening her business. As sparks fly both online and off, the truth threatens to blow everything apart,” says the official synopsis. Tyler Treese: Katy, your character in Maintenance Required is like a reverse Lothario. You’ve got all these men on rotation. What was most fun about playing with that aspect of your character? Katy O’Brian: I just always look so gay [laughs], and this is probably my gayest looking character ever. So we were like, it’d be funny if you just had all these guys on the back burner [laughs]. So there we go. And the guy that I was making out with was so sweet, and I think it was just like the first film or something, but he was just very nice. It was a good time. Madison, I had to ask, it’s a small scene, but I love when you were all rapping along to “Super Bass” by Nicki Minaj. It looked so fun. How is it filming that? Madison Bailey: Equally fun. I mean, I didn’t have to learn the lyrics for the scene. I was off-book when I got there. I mean, Izzy definitely picked the playlist. It was fun. It was great. O’Brian: I felt like it’s a giant in the backseat of that car. I took over the whole backseat. Bailey: But it’s also a little awkward lip-syncing over and over. Matteo, I was introduced to you years ago by you and Stavros Halkias doing those great photo shoots. The Mario and Luigi one is ingrained in my mind. Matteo Lane: We were naked, me and Stavros. Bailey: So when you say ingrained in your mind… Lane: We did a whole calendar. I love that you got to do Abbott Elementary and now this, you’ve got a book out. What’s been most rewarding after these years of really grinding in the New York comedy scene and getting to test yourself with acting and doing big films now? Lane: Honestly, it’s just, I know this sounds so cliche, but it is fun. Because after almost 18 years of standup, you’re just at some point like, is anything gonna happen? Like my friend Janelle’s on Abbott, and I go in for one day, and we’re all like, it just feels like you’re hanging out. Like even this, I’ve never really done a movie, and then all of a sudden I’m in Leeds, England, and you make new friends, you hang out. I just love being on set. I’m like, “Well, this is cool.” I hope I get to do more of this. It’s a little bit of that, you know? Hopefully, we’ll see a lot more films coming up. Lane: And nude photos with Stavros. I’ll call him and tell him. We’ll do another calendar. Katy, you’re always giving Madelaine’s character a hard time in Maintenance Required. It’s tough love. What did you like most about their friendship in this film? Katy O’Brian: Well, I think that’s how I operate, too. I have only brothers, and it’s a lot of tough love. So that’s how I like you, I guess. So it was fun to be able to play with that. Then it was one of those things where I started to wanna make Madelaine break, but she was just so good at not breaking, which made me push harder, and it just was like, “What weird thing can I do to make her break?” It almost became a challenge on that end, too. But yeah, it was just really fun to play around, and her character is so very teaseable, so that’s great. So innocent and such bad choices. Madison, what I liked about your character is that despite being in a male-dominated industry, she’s really embracing femininity, and she’s coming up with business ideas like the nail salon while people are waiting for their cars. What did you like most about her ingenuity? Because I thought that was such a cool aspect. Madison Bailey: Yeah, I mean, Izzy said, “There is money to be made.” I think I really love that about her character. I mean, she’s the receptionist and otherwise just waiting there. I think it’s her side hobby that Charlie gives her the freedom to do, and eventually it’s like helping the business, and then eventually saving the shop itself. I think that’s awesome. Thanks to Katy O’Brian, Madison Bailey, and Matteo Lane for taking the time to talk about Maintenance Required. The post Katy O’Brian, Madison Bailey, & Matteo Lane Are Hilarious Talking New Movie Maintenance Required | Interview appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More. View the full article

(Photo Credit: Sony Pictures Classics) Sony Pictures Classics has shared a new trailer for Nuremberg, the upcoming historical drama led by Oscar winners Rami Malek and Russell Crowe. Following its world premiere at the 2025 Toronto Film Festival, the movie is now slated to arrive in theaters on November 7. “The Allies, led by the unyielding chief prosecutor, Robert H. Jackson, have the task of ensuring the Nazi regime answers for the unveiled horrors of the Holocaust while a US Army psychiatrist is locked in a dramatic psychological duel with former Reichsmarschall Herman Göring,” reads the official synopsis. Check out the Nuremberg trailer below (watch more trailers): What happens in the Nuremberg trailer? The video highlights the U.S. military’s efforts to get a confession from the Nazi officers they’ve captured, including Hitler’s right-hand man, Hermann Göring. However, this won’t be easy as Göring plans to evade punishment. To ensure that Göring and the rest of the Nazi officers would be fit to stand in trial, Malek’s psychiatrist character Douglas Kelley is tasked to oversee the prisoners’ mental health. The trailer also shows off some of the reviews that the movie has received after its world premiere. Nuremberg is written and directed by Zodiac filmmaker James Vanderbilt, based on Jack El-Hai’s 2013 non-fiction book The Nazi and the Psychiatrist. Joining Crowe and Malek are Michael Shannon, Richard E. Grant, Leo Woodall, John Slattery, Mark O’Brien, Lydia Peckham, Colin Hanks, Wrenn Schmidt, Lotte Verbeek, and Andreas Pietschmann. The movie currently has a Tomatometer rating of 60% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 20 reviews. The movie is produced by Vanderbilt, Richard Saperstein, Bradley J. Fischer, William Sherak, Frank Smith, Benjamin Tappan, Cherilyn Hawrysh, István Major, and George Freeman. Executive producers are Jack El-Hai, Brooke Saperstein, Annie Saperstein, Beau Turpin, W. Porter Payne, Jr., Paul Neinstein, and Széchenyi Fund’s Géza Deme and Tamás Hajnal. The post Nuremberg Trailer: Russell Crowe Leads Star-Studded World War II Movie appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More. View the full article

As a team, the Los Angeles Lakers are in a unique spot for the 2025-26 season. They’re trying to build for the future around Luka Doncic while cashing in on the time LeBron James has left. Since the Lakers drafted Dalton Knecht in 2024, the 24-year-old has been on the outside looking in. During the […] The post Lakers’ Dalton Knecht is viewed as a ‘negative asset’ around the NBA appeared first on Basketball Insiders | NBA Rumors And Basketball News. View the full article

http://blogs.fangraphs.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/USATSI_27271634.jpgWendell Cruz-Imagn Images NEW YORK — The ovation that Devin Williams received from the crowd of 47,399 at Yankee Stadium as he departed in the eighth inning on Tuesday night after recording five crucial outs — his longest outing in more than two years — did not go unnoticed. “It’s nice to feel appreciated sometimes. It was definitely a lot better than what I’ve heard for much of the year,” said the 31-year-old righty in the wake of the Yankees’ dramatic 9-6 comeback victory over the Blue Jays in Game 3 of the American League Division Series. Acquired from Milwaukee last December, the two-time All-Star was supposed to serve as the closer of the defending AL champions, but early struggles bumped him out of that role, and he was booed vociferously. Over the past month, he’s tried to salvage his season, and with the Yankees in danger of being swept by their division rivals, he was one of five relievers who held the Blue Jays scoreless over the final 6 2/3 innings while the Bronx Bombers bashed out eight unanswered runs, six of them against Toronto’s bullpen. When starter Carlos Rodón left Game 3 with one out in the third inning, the Yankees trailed 6-1 and appeared perilously close to being eliminated. They quickly clawed their way back against a wobbly Shane Bieber, however, chasing the Blue Jays’ starter with two outs in the third with the score 6-3. From there, a unit that was torched for 14 runs in 10 1/3 innings in Games 1 and 2 in Toronto won the battle of the bullpens. While Fernando Cruz, Camilo Doval, Tim Hill, Williams, and David Bednar quieted an offense that had been humming on all cylinders, four straight Blue Jays relievers allowed runs, with Louis Varland serving up both Aaron Judge‘s game-tying three-run homer in the fourth inning and Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s go-ahead solo shot in the fifth. Now, while the Yankees will call upon Wild Card Series hero Cam Schlittler to start Thursday’s Game 4, the Blue Jays — gulp — counter with a bullpen game started by Varland, a development that could help send this series back to Toronto. “That’s just what’s on the table,” said Williams of the bullpen’s collective mindset given the situation when Rodón departed. “We really don’t have any other option but to put up zeros and give our guys a chance to take the lead.” Williams, who posted an ugly 4.79 ERA (but a 2.68 FIP) in 62 innings during the regular season, has put up a whole lot of zeroes himself lately. After being charged with four runs in two-thirds of an inning against the Astros on September 3, he closed the regular season with nine consecutive scoreless innings, yielding five hits and two walks while striking out 12. During this postseason, he’s tacked on 3 1/3 scoreless innings, with two hits, one walk, and three strikeouts. Williams entered Tuesday’s game in the seventh, after the Yankees scored their final run of the night against righty Brendon Little thanks to an intentional walk of Judge, a double by Cody Bellinger, and then a sacrifice fly by Ben Rice. He began by retiring Vladimir Guerrero Jr. — to that point in the series 8-for-11 with three homers and an intentional walk — on a popup, then kept Alejandro Kirk in the ballpark on a 101.6-mph drive to deep center field. Williams closed the inning by fanning Daulton Varsho (7-for-11 with three doubles and two homers to that point) on four pitches, the last a 97.1-mph four-seamer well above the strike zone. Williams hadn’t worked more than one inning since September 1, 2023, but manager Aaron Boone sent him back out to start the eighth. While he allowed a leadoff single to Ernie Clement (his fourth hit of the night and seventh of the series), he punched out Anthony Santander before handing the ball off to Bednar, who retired the final five batters he faced to nail down the victory. “I was honestly expecting to go a little further than I did,” said Williams. “But it’s all hands on deck right now, so we’re just trying to push it and get it to the next guy.” As Michael Baumann noted last month while dissecting Williams’ rough outing against the Astros, despite his gaudy 5.60 ERA at the time, his underlying peripherals (a 2.90 FIP and 3.17 xERA at the time) were quite sound, with the gap between his ERA and other two indicators both among the four largest for a pitcher with 40 innings to that point. Odd splits, including a .904 wOBA allowed on changeups in the zone with runners on first and a .455 AVG on pitches outside the zone with runners on any base, helped account for the discrepancy. “That’s baseball sometimes, you know?” said Williams when asked about the contrast between his predicted numbers and his actual ones. “You hope that the math starts math-ing and stuff starts to go your way on balls that are typically outs. Instead of finding holes, they’re finding gloves.” The math on the Yankees’ bullpen entering the postseason was not good. Ahead of the trade deadline, general manager Brian Cashman focused on upgrading the unit, acquiring Bednar, Doval, and Jake Bird, but the results were mixed at best. Yankees relievers put up a 4.74 ERA and 4.07 FIP from August 1 to the end of the regular season, with Bednar emerging as a strong closer, but every other reliever with at least 10 innings over the final two months (including Williams) carrying an ERA of 4.15 or higher. “If you’re looking for the Yankees’ Achilles heel, you’ve found it,” I wrote in my preview of the Wild Card Series between the Yankees and Red Sox. Aside from Luke Weaver being charged with two runs while failing to retire any of the three Red Sox he faced in the Wild Card Series opener, the bullpen rose to the occasion as the Yankees won in three games, with Bednar, Cruz, Hill, and Willams combining to allow just one run in 6 2/3 innings. Weaver had another awful outing in the ALDS opener, again going 0-for-3 in retiring hitters and this time being charged with three runs, with Cruz and mop-and-bucketman Paul Blackburn yielding five more over the final two innings to turn what had been a tight 2-1 game into a 10-1 laugher. Weaver finally retired a hitter (Varsho) on his lone pitch in Game 2, but by that point starter Max Fried and starter-turned-long man Will Warren had combined to allow 13 runs. Weaver, who displaced Clay Holmes as the Yankees’ closer late last season, was notably absent from the brigade that kept the Blue Jays in check on Tuesday night after Rodón was cuffed for six hits and six runs in 2 1/3 innings. Cruz took care of business, stranding the inherited runner on first by striking out Addison Barger on a foul tip and then getting Andrés Giménez to ground out. He returned to strike out George Springer and Davis Schneider to start the fourth, departing after yielding a two-out single to Guerrero. Like Williams, he’s been rolling lately, allowing just one run and six hits in nine innings since September 16, albeit with three out of 12 inherited runners scoring. Doval recorded the final out of that frame on a Kirk groundout, then covered the first two outs of the fifth, sandwiched around a double by Clement. Though he put up a 4.82 ERA and 4.10 FIP in 18.2 innings after being acquired from the Giants, he’s riding a streak of eight scoreless innings, with just two hits, two walks and nine strikeouts dating back to September 14. Hill, the only lefty in the Yankees’ bullpen, struck out Barger to end the fifth, then worked a 1-2-3 sixth, the Yankees’ first clean inning of the night. Given that the Yankees are still on the brink of elimination, Wednesday night will be another all-hands-on-deck situation, but Boone expects the five relievers he used on Tuesday to be available. Aside from Williams’ 26 pitches — a total he matched or exceeded six times this year, albeit usually while struggling — Bednar threw 21, Cruz 19, Hill 16, and Doval 13. The first four Blue Jays who followed Bieber — lefty Mason Fluharty, righties Varland and Braydon Fisher, and then the lefty Little — each surrendered runs, while righties Yariel Rodríguez and Tommy Nance turned in scoreless outings. Fluharty took over from Bieber with two outs and runners on first and second, extricating the Blue Jays by inducing pinch-hitter Amed Rosario to pop foul to Kirk but getting a spot of bad luck when Barger dropped Austin Wells‘ wind-blown pop-up in the fourth; both he and Trent Grisham, who worked a walk, were on base when Varland served up the game-tying homer to Judge. Varland was making his third appearance of the series. He faced just one batter in Game 1, striking out Giancarlo Stanton with the bases loaded, and then was called upon by Blue Jays manager John Schneider to restore order in the eighth inning of Game 2 after the Yankees had turned a 13-2 deficit to 13-7. Judge noted post-game that while he hadn’t faced Varland lately — not since April 14, 2023, when he was a starter for the Twins — he had been briefed by Stanton. “Big G saw him in Toronto… I wanted a brush-up,” said Judge. “I’ve seen all the videos, seen all the appearances, but it’s a different perspective when you step in the box and see him live. So I was talking to [Stanton] about what certain pitches were like, what it felt like. Any info you can get like that kind of helps you sharpen your game plan a little bit and gets you locked in a little bit better.” As Ben Lindbergh wrote at The Ringer two years ago, just as there is a times-through-the-order penalty for starters, studies (including one by PitchingBot creator Cameron Grove) have shown that there’s a repeat-reliever effect, though it pertains to facing the same hitter multiple times in a postseason series. Still, that’s of particular relevance with Schneider anointing the 27-year-old Varland, whom the Blue Jays acquired from the Twins on July 31, to open Game 4 given that he’s guaranteed to face Judge, who bats second for the Yankees. Gerrit Cole, who while recovering from a March Tommy John surgery has served as a quasi-assistant pitching coach, spoke to colleague Matt Martell about the repeat effect with regards to both starters and relievers. “There is a sense of familiarity and generally, I’d bet the numbers would suggest that OPS climbs the more often you see a player, the more often you see the pitch,” he said. “Pitchers can use it to their advantage too. But with that comes execution and being creative and staying one step ahead. Sometimes we see how a [starting] pitcher can face a team… and then five days later face the same team. Generally, I’d guess the OPS would rise, but at the same time, I personally have had games where I’ve pitched well and stayed ahead of them, pitched poorly and then responded, [or] pitched well and then didn’t. “The nature of a postseason game is the deeper you get, that’s the reality for both teams. And still it’s about execution regardless of how familiar you are.” In Cole’s view, the fact that most relievers work primarily with two pitches and may be called upon to handle the same sequence in the lineup multiple times during a series is a factor with familiarity. “A reliever faces the same lane over the course of five games, you’re likely to be looking at five at-bats over five days. It’s probably comparable to back-to-back starts,” he said. “The deeper you go, the more you’re going to have to throw strikes when you want to throw strikes [and] throw balls when you want to throw balls. [You] pay attention to how you got to this point, but the hitters are doing the same thing.” Of the other relievers Schneider used, Fluharty, Fisher, Little and Nance were all making their second appearance of the series. Little faced the top four hitters in the Yankees lineup (including Grisham, the leadoff man) in Game 1, working around a one-out double by Judge. Nance faced Judge, Bellinger, Rice, and Stanton in Game 2, retiring only Bellinger while allowing hits to the others, two of whom scored (as did an inherited runner). Though he loaded the bases in the eighth inning on Tuesday, Nance kept the Yankees off the scoreboard; among the batters he had previously faced in this series, he retired Judge and Stanton on either side of an intentional walk of Bellinger. The Blue Jays chose a bullpen route for Game 4 after leaving both Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt off their roster. Scherzer struggled down the stretch, including in a September 7 start against the Yankees, while Bassitt hasn’t pitched since September 18 due to back inflammation that required a cortisone shot. After Tuesday’s loss, Schneider declared that all of his relievers would be available for Game 4. Varland’s 20 pitches were the most thrown by any of them, with Fluharty adding 19, Nance 18, Rodriguez 15, Fisher 13, and Little nine. Schneider will have to hope that the Yankees hitters haven’t grown familiar with that bunch; in an ideal scenario, he’ll call upon closer Jeff Hoffman (who pitched a scoreless inning in Game 1) and setup man Seranthony Domínguez (who retired Anthony Volpe and Wells in that game, and worked around walks of Judge and Rice as he tackled the top of the lineup for a scoreless ninth in Game 2). The Blue Jays’ familiarity with the Yankees’ A-list relievers could help their lineup as well, but Schlittler’s potential to work deep into the game, as he did against the Red Sox, may prove to be the Yankees’ biggest advantage — and the key to extending this series. Source View the full article

THEY PRAYED FOR A MIRACLE. THEY GOT 25 TONS AND 18 WHEELS OF HOLY WEAPON. The Dark Ages… Demon hordes plague Europe as Hell invades Earth. The Six Petals, a secret sect of The Knights Templar, pray for a holy weapon to drive back the scourge. What crashes to earth instead is The Rig, a fully loaded tractor trailer. In the aftermath of its arrival, the only man left standing is an enigmatic former priest. He will become Trucker and lead the fight against Hell—with 25 tons and 18 wheels of demon-slaying machine. Created by Post Malone. Written by Post Malone and Adrian Wassel. Drawn by Barbaric co-creator artist Nathan Gooden. Admittedly, it’s been years since I played Dungeons & Dragons. Unless you include Baldur’s Gate 3. In that case, I just finished my second full playthrough. Either way, I have plenty of fond memories and have certainly read some fantasy novels that give me those distinct DnD vibes. A novel that is perfect for Dungeons & Dragons fans needs magic, monsters, powerful villains, and a group of heroes coming together for a common cause. That group is probably the most important part, too. DnD and many tabletop roleplaying games are about the party, after all. Playing DnD by yourself or just you and a DM? That just sounds sad. So here, you’ll find eight great fantasy novels that are all fun, all focused on dynamic parties of amazing characters, and full of those monsters and magic we all need in our lives. Dungeons & Dragons fans, these books are for you. The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman This book is full of monsters, magic, and mayhem. It’s also full of funny banter between the ragtag party members. Kinch is knee-deep in debt and needs a massive score to dig out of it. But of course, he picks the wrong mark. Not only does he fail to steal anything from Galva, handmaiden to the goddess of death, but he barely escapes with his life. Now Kinch and Galva are intertwined in a fantastical adventure and heist. The City Stained Red by Sam Sykes Big, bad, godlike villain threatening to destroy everything? A fated hero who cannot do it alone? Totally sounds like a DnD campaign. Lenk is once again intertwined with the powerful Khoth-Kapira, a demon who rules like an iron-fisted god. As Khoth-Kapira rises further into power, it might only be Lenk and his new group of friends who can save everything. The Deed of Paksenarrion by Elizabeth Moon This book and its sequels read like one of the greatest paladin backstories ever. Paksenarrion Dorthansdotter, better known as Paks, flees her small village and an arranged marriage. In a world of humans, dwarves, elves, and all kinds of danger, she soon realizes that she has a gift as a paladin. This headstrong young woman will rise to become one of the land’s greatest heroes. Delicious in Dungeon by Ryoko Kui Okay, so not all fantasy books for fans of Dungeons & Dragons are novels. Nor are they all serious. In this manga, a group of adventurers not only fails to slay the dragon, but the dragon eats one of them. Now, they’re on a quest to revive their fallen comrade, surviving on cooking and eating the monsters they slay along the way. Gideon the Ninth by Tasmyn Muir At a glance, this necromancers-in-space series may not seem very DnD-like. But really, if you take away the space part, it’s totally some DnD necromancer fun. The 9th Necromancer needs a swordswoman, and Gideon is just that. Doesn’t matter that Gideon is done with that life because that life isn’t done with her. Can she escape this life of servitude, or will she spend the rest of her life and afterlife swinging that sword? The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang Oh, the epic battles in this historical fantasy novel are right out of the best DnD campaigns. Based on the Second Sino-Japanese War, this book is about Rin and her friends, who survive a difficult military academy only to be thrust into the middle of a horrible and deadly war. Different schools of magic and combat keep these new soldiers separate, but they’ll need to work together to survive or win. Record of Lodoss War by Ryo Mizuno How much is this book for fans of Dungeons & Dragons? Not only is it the start of a series of Japanese fantasy novels, but the novels are also based on an original TTRPG. Parn is on a quest to restore his family’s honor. Along the way, he slowly gathers a party, starting with his childhood best friend, until eventually, they’re the greatest adventurers in all the land. Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed I like to think of this book as D&D, but with a more Eastern backdrop. Think djinn instead of dragons. In the Crescent Moon Kingdoms, wars and power struggles are pervasive. Djenn and ghuls are as common as warriors. When some horrifying magical murders start occurring, it’s up to a motley little group of adventurers to put a stop to them and find out how deep the conspiracies go. Okay, sure, I could have included some of the MANY Dungeons & Dragons licensed novels, but what fun would that be? What are some of your favorite DnD novels? View the full article

(Image Credit: 1-2 Special) 1-2 Special has released the first trailer for Dracula, a new and unique take on the iconic character from director Radu Jude that RogerEbert.com calls “f–king nuts.” Dracula is set to release in theaters on October 29, 2025. “What happens when a young and curious filmmaker challenges his creativity with the limitless possibilities of a fake A.I.? A surprising mix of various stories, from new and old times, about the original myth of Dracula: a vampire hunt, zombies and Dracula crashing a strike, a science-fiction tale aboutVlad the Impaler’s return, an adaptation of the first Romanian vampires novella, a tragic romance, a vulgar folktale, A.I. generated kitsch stories… and much more!” reads the film’s official synopsis. Check out the Dracula trailer below (watch other trailers): What happens in the Dracula trailer? The trailer highlights a litany of modern-day scenarios, all wrapped around in the story of Dracula. The film teases the return of Dracula mixed with critiques of things like romance, A.I., and more. Dracula stars Adonis Tanța, Oana Maria Zaharia, Gabriel Spahiu, Ilinca Manolache, Alexandru Dabija, Andrada Balea, Doru Talos, Serban Pavlu, Lukas Miko, and Alexandra Harapu. The film is written and directed by Jude, with Alexandru Teodorescu and Rodrigo Texeira producing the film. The post Dracula Trailer Previews ‘F—ing Nuts’ Horror Movie appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More. View the full article

12:21PM: DeBartolo will be staying on in Washington’s front office, Ghiroli reports in a follow-up. 12:19PM: Assistant general managers Eddie Longosz and Mark Scialabba won’t be returning to the Nationals in 2026, The Athletic’s Britt Ghiroli reports. These departures are two of what seems to be multiple changes made under new president of baseball operations Paul Toboni, as Ghiroli writes that “several scouts and members of the team’s staff in Florida” are also on the way out. It isn’t surprising that Toboni’s hiring has triggered a staff overhaul, as some prominent names left the organization even before Toboni was hired two weeks ago. Since the start of September, former scouting director Danny Haas and senior director of amateur scouting Brad Ciolek each left the Nats for jobs with the Orioles and Tigers, respectively. It is fair to wonder exactly how many members of Mike Rizzo’s front office will continue on with the Nationals under Toboni — most prominently, assistant GM and former interim GM Mike DeBartolo’s role with the team remains unclear. Rizzo himself shook up the front office and player development staffs a few years ago, but Longosz and Scialabba were two of the longtime Washington staffers who stayed put. Longosz started with the Nats in 2010 and worked as the club’s director of scouting operations for the eight seasons prior to his elevation to the AGM and vice-president role in 2023. Specifically, Longosz was the assistant general manager of player development and administration. Scialabba’s ties to the organization stretch back even longer, as he first joined the team in 2006. Working as the Nationals’ director of minor league operations from 2009-13, Scialabba took over the player development department in 2013 before becoming the assistant GM of player development following the 2019 campaign. View the full article

Photo Credit: Universal Pictures While M3GAN 2.0 bombed at the box office and debuted to such a polarizing critical reception, M3GAN 3 is still very much alive — at least for Jason Blum. M3GAN 2.0, starring returning cast members Allison Williams as Gemma and Violet McGraw as Cady, follows the titular AI doll as she faces off against another AI doll, Amelia. The sequel (or s3quel, if you will) not only flopped at the box office but was also far from a critical darling. Despite its fate, though, Blum — one of the producers behind the franchise — isn’t holding out hope for the third installment. What is the M3GAN 3 update? In an interview with Variety, Blum didn’t specify how the third installment of M3GAN will come to fruition. He simply said, “M3GAN will ride again. I’ll find a way.” In another interview with The Town podcast with host Matt Belloni back in July, Blum admitted they “over-thought” the second movie, saying, “We all thought M3GAN was like Superman. We could do anything to her. We could change genres. We could put her in the summer. We could make her look different. We could turn her from a bad guy into a good guy. And we classically over-thought how powerful people’s engagement was, really, with her.” M3GAN 2.0 debuted in theaters on June 27, directed by M3GAN filmmaker Gerard Johnston. It also stars Brian Jordan Alvarez as Cole, Jen Van Epps as Tess, and Amie Donald as M3GAN, with Jenna Davis lending her voice yet again to M3GAN. Newcomers include Ivanna Sakhno, Aristotle Athari, Timm Sharp, and Jemaine Clement. M3GAN 2.0 is set two years after the events of the first film, revolving around Williams’ Gemma, who went on to become an author and an advocate for the government’s regulation of AI. M3GAN’s technology, however, has been stolen, which led to the creation of Amelia — presumably a more evil version of M3GAN. Meanwhile, the Kate Dolan-directed M3GAN spin-off, SOULM8TE, is currently in development, set to hit theaters on January 9, 2026. The post M3GAN 3 Gets Surprising Update After 2.0’s Box Office Bomb appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More. View the full article

Photo Credit: Universal Pictures Following the completion of the recent Halloween trilogy, Blumhouse has set its sights on two other popular horror franchises it wants to have a hand in making. David Gordon Green directed a new Halloween movie for Blumhouse Productions in 2018. That was followed by two more movies, Halloween Kills in 2021 and Halloween Ends in 2022, both of which were also directed by Green. Speaking with Variety, Blumhouse Productions CEO and founder Jason Blum said that, while he would do another Halloween movie if presented with the opportunity, they only had a three-picture deal and no longer own the rights. There are two other horror franchises, however, that Blum is now hoping they’ll get the chance to work on. What horror franchises does Blumhouse want to make after Halloween? When asked if he had a white whale in the genre space, meaning a movie or franchise that he’d kill to be involved with, Blum said, “Friday the 13th and Freddy Krueger, those are my two white whales.” He added, “We’re always haggling. I make a run at them every day. I will never give up the quest. And if they make one without me, I’ll chase the next movie.” There has been some chatter about a new “Jason Universe” that will include several Friday the 13th projects, including short films, feature-length movies, and video games. A 15-minute short, titled Sweet Revenge, has already been shared on the Jason Universe YouTube channel, while A24 and Peacock have partnered up to create a prequel series called Crystal Lake. As for A Nightmare on Elm Street, there hasn’t been much forward momentum about a franchise revival. There was, however, a 7-film Nightmare on Elm Street saga that was recently released on 4K UHD. It’s also worth noting that the Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street movies crossed over in 2003’s Freddy vs. Jason — meaning, if Blum was able to get the rights to both franchises, a sequel or future crossover wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility, should that be the path they choose to go down. The post After Halloween Trilogy, Blumhouse Eyes 2 Iconic Horror Movie Franchises appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More. View the full article

Photo Credit: Amazon MGM Studios Amazon MGM Studios‘ upcoming Masters of the Universe movie has received brand new key art. In addition, studio executive Greg Coleman has also shared some new details about the live-action adaptation’s story. During a recent appearance at the Brand Licensing Europe, Coleman teased the movie’s “fun” and “entertaining” story. He also revealed that fans of the game will get to see Easter eggs throughout the adaptation. “Skeletor is one of the most delicious villains of all time, but there’s also a story of Adam, who is a regular person and has to grab the power. It’s always within him, and it’s revealed in a powerful way,” Coleman said. “We have this full-dimensional cast and [director] Travis Knight, who had a vision. Even if you have never seen Masters of the Universe, it’s a fun, entertaining story.” He continued, “For the long-term fans, there are Easter eggs in the film, but stepping back, the entry point for fans is broad. The entry point will be very approachable for everyone . . . This will be the film everyone will be talking about.” What is shown in the new Masters of the Universe concept art? The new Masters of the Universe concept art provides the audience with a first look at Snake Mountain, the lava-filled lair of Skeletor. The villainous character will be played by Academy Award winner Jared Leto. Travis Knight is directing the live-action movie from a screenplay written by Chris Butler, based on the initial draft by Aaron and Adam Nee and David Callaham. The movie stars Nicholas Galitzine as Prince Adam/He-Man, Camila Mendes as Teela, Alison Brie as Evil-Lyn, Idris Elba as Man-At-Arms, Morena Baccarin as The Sorceress, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson as Malcolm/Fisto, Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson as Goat Man, Sam C. Wilson as Trap Jaw, Kojo Attah as Tri-Klops, and more. It is a production by Escape Artists and Mattel Films, with Robbie Brenner, Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, and Steve Tisch as producers. “The movie follows 10-year-old Prince Adam, who crashed to Earth in a spaceship and was separated from his magical Power Sword—the only link to his home on Eternia,” reads the official synopsis. “After tracking it down almost two decades later, Prince Adam is whisked back across space to defend his home planet against the evil forces of Skeletor. But to defeat such a powerful villain, Prince Adam will first need to uncover the mysteries of his past and become He-Man: the most powerful man in the Universe!” The movie arrives in theaters on June 5, 2026. (Source: He-Mania.com) Originally reported by Maggie Dela Paz on SuperHeroHype. The post Masters of the Universe Movie Gets New Details, Concept Art appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More. View the full article

Photo Credit: HBO Max New photos from the set of the upcoming Harry Potter TV series share a fresh look at Dominic McLaughlin as the Boy Who Lived. The Harry Potter TV series, which is in production at HBO, was announced in April 2023. Although there is no exact release date attached to the project yet, fans can expect it to arrive in late 2026 or early 2027. Harry Potter TV show set photos show Dominic McLaughlin as Boy Wizard The new set photos of the Harry Potter TV series were recently posted on X (formerly Twitter), showcasing Dominic McLaughlin as the main protagonist along with other actors. As per The Daily Mail, the village of Cadgwith was transformed to match the aesthetics of the wizarding world. Fans can also spot McLaughlin in a green and blue colored jacket and the iconic round frame specs. Moreover, based on the post by Redanian Intelligence, “Harry Potter series filmed a dramatic scene in Cadgwith today. Filming kicked off at the Cadgwith Cove Inn before moving to the beach, where a dramatic scene in simulated rain was staged involving a car surrounded by fishing boats and extras in traditional Sou’westers. The scene reportedly featured Harry and possibly Bel Powley as Aunt Petunia being ordered out of the vehicle by a man wielding a gun.” The scene apparently also featured Amos Kitson, who plays Harry’s cousin Dudley, and Daniel Rigby’s Uncle Vernon. Many fans on the internet speculated that the cast is currently filming the hut on the rock scene. This scene from The Sorcerer’s Stone showcases Hagrid finding Harry on his 11th birthday and giving him the Hogwarts acceptance letter. Child actor Dominic McLaughlin joined the TV reboot of the Harry Potter franchise alongside Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley. Recently, there have been rumors that HBO is eyeing both male and female actors to portray the role of Lord Voldemort. Originally reported by Ishita Verma on SuperHeroHype. The post Dominic McLaughlin Dons Harry Potter Look in Reboot Series Set Photos appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More. View the full article

Rockies VP of baseball operations and assistant general manager Zack Rosenthal has resigned from the organization, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reports. Rosenthal has been in the assistant GM role since the 2014-15 offseason, and the VP position was added to his portfolio following the 2021 season, after Bill Schmidt was elevated from interim GM to the full-time job. Schmidt is now out after a disastrous four-year run, as Colorado has won only 231 games since Opening Day 2022. This year’s squad was simply one of the worst teams in MLB history, with an astonishing 43-119 record and the worst rotation ERA (6.65) and run differential (-424) in baseball’s modern era. Ownership has already stated that the Rockies’ next front office boss will be someone from outside the organization, which seems like a long overdue step for a club often criticized for being too insular and not in touch with analytical and developments trends are commonplace in the sport. With this in mind, it isn’t surprising that other longtime front office staffer like Rosenthal are on the way out, as the next top executive will likely have a wide berth to bring in their own personnel. Since Schmidt’s title was GM rather than president of baseball operations, Rosenthal was his de facto number two, as the Rockies’ only assistant general manager. Rosenthal told MLB.com’s Thomas Harding (multiple links) that he made his own decision to step away. “I feel incredibly lucky to have been able to stay with one single organization for 20-plus years,” Rosenthal said. “So many amazing experiences and memories. My first full-time season was the World Series year [in 2007]. That was magical…I want nothing but success for the Rockies. This city deserves a team that competes, because there’s nothing like Coors Field in October.” Starting his baseball career as an account manager with the A’s and as an intern with the Red Sox, Rosenthal arrived in Denver in 2006 as a player development intern. From there, he became a baseball ops assistant and then the director of baseball operations. Beyond just the baseball-specific duties, Rosenthal was also the Rockies’ assistant general counsel for much of his time with the club, dealing with legal matters related to front office matters and the team’s business operations. View the full article

Credit: Lionsgate Films Producer Jason Blum recently revealed a promising update on Saw 11, which is exciting news for horror fans of the iconic franchise. What was Jason Blum’s Saw 11 update? In June, Blum and his Blumhouse production company closed a deal for the rights to the Saw franchise. With Saw now under his control, Blum plans to reboot the franchise. The next installment would be Saw XI. While speaking with Variety, Blum teased the future for Saw, including how he plans to use the architect behind the franchise to “reinvent” it. “It’s really hard to make 10 movies in a franchise — I don’t take that away from the original series’ producers,” Blum said about the Saw series. “And I’m grateful to them for allowing us to continue. My creative outlook is what I always preach: Get the people who made the magic in the first place more involved. James Wan will be hugely involved. That’s how we’re going to reinvent it.” The first Saw movie was released in 2004. Wan directed from a screenplay by Leigh Whannell, based on a story conceived by the duo. Made for a production budget between $1 million and $1.2 million, Saw became a colossal hit, grossing $104 million worldwide. The success of Saw spawned an entire media franchise, which includes 10 movies, multiple video games, and comic books. The most recent movie, 2023’s Saw X, grossed $125 million on a $13 million budget. In December 2023, Lionsgate greenlit Saw XI for a scheduled release in October 2024. The film was eventually pushed to September 2025. In March 2025, Lionsgate removed Saw XI from the release calendar due to disagreements between producers and the studio. Blumhouse now owns the rights to the Saw franchise. Lionsgate still holds a 50% interest in the IP and will continue partnering on future Saw movies. The post Saw 11 Update Is Good News for Horror Movie Fans appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More. View the full article

Image credit: Netflix The hit Netflix series Ginny & Georgia has started filming for Season 4, creating an expected release window for the new season. Ginny & Georgia is one of the most-watched shows on the streaming platform, which was created by Sarah Lampert. It features Brianne Howey as Georgia Miller and Antonia Gentry as Ginny. Ginny & Georgia Season 4 begins filming, could get a 2026 release date Netflix recently released a clip announcing that Season 4 of Ginny & Georgia has started filming. Season 3 of this hit comedy show premiered on the streaming platform in June 2025. The clip featured Antonia Gentry and Brianne Howey announcing that filming has started. Howey addresses the viewers and syas, “Hi, you guys, Brianne here. Welcome to our first day of shooting Season 4 for Ginny & Georgia.” Gentry also joined in and stated, “It’s day one, and I’m so excited for you all to see what we’re getting up to.” A the end of Season 3, Georgia gets pregnant, but it is not disclosed who the father is. Creator Sarah Lampert spoke to Tudum following the Season 3 finale and said, “Ginny gets pregnant, Georgia fakes a pregnancy, and then Georgia really gets pregnant, and we don’t know who the dad is. And when you say these things out loud, you’re like, ‘What in the world is this show?!” Other plot details regarding the season are currently a mystery to fans. Howey talked to Tudum about what fans can expect from the upcoming season and said, “Sarah (Lampert) has some incredible things planned, and I can’t wait to see more about the circumstances that shaped Georgia.” Showrunner Sarah Glinski added, “We thought the biggest consequences are how her children are changed through the process. The burden she leaves on Austin and Ginny at the end of Season 3 is what we’ll have to deal with in Season 4.” The post Hit Netflix Series Gets Major Season 4 Filming & Release Date Update appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More. View the full article

The Phillies are still fighting for their playoff lives in the NLDS against the Dodgers, but whether L.A. completes the sweep today or Philadelphia mounts a comeback and makes it all the way to the World Series, the offseason is looming. Five days after the World Series concludes, teams will have to make their first major roster-related decisions of the offseason when club options come due. The majority of these options are lack much intrigue, but the Phillies face the interesting call of deciding whether to pay lefty reliever Jose Alvarado $9MM for his services next year or offer him a $500K buyout and send him to free agency. The 30-year-old Alvarado has accomplished quite a lot in parts of nine seasons as a big leaguer. Among 88 relievers to log 300 or more innings since the start of the 2017 season, Alvarado’s 3.45 ERA (37th) and 3.50 SIERA (40th) both rank in the top half while his 3.21 FIP (15th), 29.7% strikeout rate (14th), and 51.8% groundball rate (13th) all rank in the top-15. That look at his overall body of work casts Alvarado as a very solid relief arm, if a step below the elite tier. In a market where even one year deals for quality setup men often break eight figures, a $9MM option on a pitcher like that seems like an easy choice to exercise, particularly given Philadelphia’s difficulties finding quality replacements for key pieces like Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estevez this past offseason. Things may not necessarily be that simple with Alvarado, however. While Alvarado’s overall stats are quite good, he’s experienced a great deal of year-to-year volatility throughout his career. He’s been utterly dominant, as he was when he pitched to a 1.74 ERA in 42 appearances with the Phillies back in 2022. Other years, however, he’s been more pedestrian than anything else. Of his nine seasons in the majors, just five of them have seen him post an ERA below 4.00. That volatility makes him far less reliable than many other late inning arms around the game. With closers like Edwin Diaz and Devin Williams expected to be available this winter, it’s at least plausible the Phillies could feel their funds are better spent elsewhere. That’s all before considering Alvarado’s recent history, which has been ugly both on and off the field. Even when looking at his performance the past two years in a vacuum, his numbers haven’t been especially exciting. Since the start of the 2024 campaign, Alvarado has pitched to a 4.00 ERA (107 ERA+) with a 3.74 FIP. Those are the numbers of a decent middle reliever, but not someone you would trust in a high leverage situation. The elephant in the room that is Alvarado’s PED suspension earlier this year further complicates the decision Philadelphia faces. It’s impossible for anyone other than the Phillies themselves to know what sort of impact Alvarado’s suspension had within the clubhouse, but from a purely performance-related standpoint the suspension calls into question how well the southpaw will be able to sustain his previous success going forward. A string of eight appearances down the stretch where he posted a 7.50 ERA while surrendering three home runs in six innings before his season ended due to a forearm strain did little to inspire confidence headed into next year, as well. Even with all those potential red flags acknowledged, however, it’s still not hard to make the case for the Phillies to pick up Alvarado’s option. The club will surely be focused on filling the void impact players like Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto will leave in the lineup, and it will be a pricey endeavor to either re-sign or replace these free agents. The rotation may not be the stabilizing force that it once was, as Ranger Suarez is also a free agent, Aaron Nola struggled badly this year, and Zack Wheeler is still recovering from surgery to correct thoracic outlet syndrome. This all adds more pressure on the bullpen to perform than ever before in the team’s current window. Even in Alvarado’s weakest seasons, he’s been a viable middle relief arm, and it’s nearly impossible for him to be a worse investment than Jordan Romano and his 8.23 ERA were this season. Perhaps, then, locking in the combination of upside and a solid enough floor that Alvarado provides will make sense for the team as they look to 2026 with only Matt Strahm, Orion Kerkering, and Tanner Banks locked into the bullpen. Even if the Phillies don’t want to roster Alvarado next year, there’s the distinct possibility that another club in need of a left-handed arm for their bullpen might be interested in working out a trade for Alvarado given his relatively affordable salary and substantial upside. How do MLBTR readers think the Phillies will handle Alvarado’s upcoming option? Will they keep him in the fold to either work out of their bullpen next year or try to trade this winter, or will they cut bait and let him walk in free agency? Have your say in the poll below: Take Our Poll View the full article

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Welcome to Today in Books, our daily round-up of literary headlines at the intersection of politics, culture, media, and more. The National Book Awards Finalists are Here And we have our National Book Awards finalists! The National Book Foundation announced the shortlist yesterday and boy was I surprised to discover that Han Kang’s We Do Not Part fell off the Translated Literature list. I was also pretty confident Angela Flournoy’s The Wilderness would make the Fiction cut. Still, I was jazzed to see One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad make it through in Nonfiction, as well as some of my anticipated reads in Fiction, like The Antidote by Karen Russell, which I’m planning to pick up after I read The Wilderness, and Palaver by Bryan Washington, which isn’t out yet. It’s been fascinating to watch the awards lists roll in and clock which books make some lists but not others, and which books get all the critical acclaim, making multiple lists. Anticipate an analysis once awards season winds down! In the meantime, you can find the full list of NBA finalists here and the winners will be announced November 19th. The Fight for Kids’ Access to Books in NC This one’s close to home as I’m a North Carolina resident and parent. Carolina Public Press reported on the book banning battle happening in the state after the passage of House Bill 805, which began as a bill to place guidelines protecting people whose explicit content appears on pornography websites, but turned into a bill that, in addition to barring access to gender transition care in prisons, enforced the creation of an infrastructure that allows parents to make lists of books and materials their children are disallowed from accessing and a searchable database of library books available at schools. Moms for Liberty is, of course, involved in creating these obstacles for kids who want access to books, and for teachers and school librarians to do their jobs. In my own county, the database that collects books deemed “inappropriate” lists All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson, Beloved by Toni Morrison, and The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo, to name a few of the many excellent works that apparently don’t align with traditional American values (read as conservative, white-centered, Christian values). It’s an expansive, infuriating read that serves as yet another window to what’s happening in schools and libraries across the country. Major Library Distributor Will Shutter The largest distributor to libraries in the U.S. is shutting down. This follows the failed acquisition of Baker & Taylor by major distributor ReaderLink. Without the acquisition, B&T’s CEO Aman Kochar said he can’t find a financially viable way forward for the company, which has already laid off more than 500 employees. The news has left many publishers and librarians in a state of confusion. When the deal was still pending, publishers weren’t sure if their outstanding invoices would be paid, and publishers and librarians alike were uncertain about the fate of distribution through B&T. Publishers Weekly reports that there’s been little communication from B&T since the termination of the deal. What a mess. South Carolina Students and Librarians Sue State Education Superintendent Over Book Bans What are you reading? Let us know in the comments! View the full article

Coming off their first non-playoff season since 2016, the Astros will hold off on any major organizational overhauls. MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart reports that both general manager Dana Brown and manager Joe Espada will be back with the club in 2026, for Brown’s fourth season and Espada’s third season in their respective roles. The news isn’t hugely surprising, as Brown said during the Astros’ end-of-season press conference last week that Espada would return, and the GM believed he would also remain in his position. There has been no indication that team owner Jim Crane is dissatisfied with the job performance of either man, whereas by comparison, there were rumors for months in 2022 that Crane was clashing with ex-GM James Click (Brown’s predecessor). Sure enough, the Astros parted ways with Click shortly after the 2022 season, despite the fact that Houston had just won the World Series. Since winning that championship, the Astros’ win totals and finishes have gradually gone in reverse. Houston won 90 games and the AL West in 2023 but fell just short of another pennant, losing to the Rangers in a seven-game ALCS. In 2024, the Astros won 89 games and another division crown, but their streak of ALCS appearances was snapped when they were upset and swept by the Tigers in the wild card series. This season saw the Astros win 87 games, the most of any club that didn’t reach the postseason. The Tigers were again their nemesis, also winning 87 games and edging out the Astros for the final AL wild card berth due to the tiebreaker advantage (Detroit had a 4-2 record against Houston this year). Even with the Tigers in full collapse mode for much of September, the Astros came undone in the final stretch, going 3-6 in their last nine games. In this sense, Brown and Espada are somewhat victims of their own success — naturally, most teams would love to have a three-season run that included two division titles and 265 wins. For this season in particular, there was also a clear reason for the Astros’ relative struggles, as Houston was absolutely ravaged by injuries. Only four Astros players had more than 500 plate appearances, and Framber Valdez (192 IP) and Hunter Brown (185 1/3 IP) were the only hurlers to log more than 86 innings pitched. Within this context, Espada found himself garnering some buzz as a Manager Of The Year candidate before the bottom finally fell out on his injury-riddled club. It isn’t hard to imagine that the Astros would’ve made the playoffs if their team had been even reasonably healthy. However, just counting on fewer injuries in 2026 might not be enough, plus the Astros have a big pair of potential holes to fill if Valdez or productive backup catcher Victor Caratini leave in free agency. Going forward, Brown and Espada are both under contract through at least the 2026 season, though the specific teams of either man’s contract isn’t publicly known. If 2026 is the last year of their deals, Crane could explore at least a brief extension just to make sure that neither is a lame duck, or the owner might want to see if the Astros can firmly get things turned around before making a further commitment. View the full article

A study commissioned by the NCAA revealed Tuesday that sports betting-related abuse remains one of the most common forms of online harassment directed at college athletes, coaches, and officials, per ESPN’s David Purdum. Online Abuse Decreased By 22% Year Over Year According to Purdum, betting and match-fixing-related abuse represented 11% of nearly 4,000 messages flagged […] The post NCAA Study Shows Betting-Related Abuse of College Athletes Common Online appeared first on Basketball Insiders | NBA Rumors And Basketball News. View the full article

The Heat are winless through their first two preseason games in 2025-26. Miami is at home on Wednesday, October 8, to face Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs. Ahead of that matchup, head coach Erik Spoelstra is asking for more from one of his younger players. He wants Kel’el Ware to impact winning on […] The post Miami’s Erik Spoelstra wants Kel’el Ware to be focused on ‘impacting the game’ appeared first on Basketball Insiders | NBA Rumors And Basketball News. View the full article

http://blogs.fangraphs.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/USATSI_26836850.jpgVincent Carchietta-Imagn Images The projection system OOPSY made its major league debut this year. So how did it do? OOPSY’s methodology mirrors that of the other FanGraphs projection systems, with a few twists — most notably, the inclusion of bat speed for hitters and Stuff+ for pitchers. Projection systems are comprised of many different components, however, including aging curves, major league equivalencies to account for minor league and foreign league performance, recency weights, regression to the mean, league run environment, and park factors. There are many ways for projection systems to stand out or lag behind their peers beyond just the inclusion of a particular variable like bat speed. Projection systems are comprised of hundreds of small methodological decisions. Given the sum total of the decisions that went into OOPSY, did it hold its own in 2025 relative to its more established peers? To review the projections, this article follows industry best practices as outlined by Tom Tango, MLBAM’s senior data architect. I have conducted this review process for pitchers before, as my pitching projections have been featured by Eno Sarris in The Athletic since 2023, but this was my first year publishing a full set of hitting projections. This review focuses on wOBA for hitters and wOBA against for pitchers (an alternative to ERA, further defined below). These metrics are typically the focus of projection system reviews, the most important hitting and pitching rate statistics for projection systems to get right from a “real-life” perspective. Both are catch-all rate statistics that measure, respectively, a player’s offensive and pitching value. The various component projections, e.g., K% and BB%, feed into these catch-all metrics. As a guide for anyone aiming to replicate the projections review process, I’ll walk you through the steps I took, borrowing from my 2023 review. First, I grabbed all the 2025 statistics from the FanGraphs leaderboards. I removed the hitters who pitched from the pitching data, and vice-versa (though I kept Shohei Ohtani in both data sets). I also downloaded all of the preseason projections and merged them with the 2025 statistics leaderboard. I left any missing projections blank, returning to them later on. Next, I rescaled all of the projections so that they assumed the same league run environment. Other prominent projection reviews may sometimes skip over this, but sabermetricians view it as a non-negotiable step. If you fail to do this, the performance of your projections may be dominated by the assumptions you make about the league run environment, which are impacted by decisions that fall outside the typical scope of a projection system, e.g., decisions about how the baseball is manufactured. If you are still curious about league run environment, e.g., you want to see which projections best accounted for the effects of a new rule change, it’s best to reserve it for a separate exercise. For demonstration purposes, here’s how I rescaled OOPSY’s wOBA projections. I looked at all of the 2025 major league hitters with an OOPSY projection. I took the average of their wOBA projections weighted by their actual number of plate appearances in 2025; for OOPSY, this was .316. Next, I rescaled all of the projections to assume the same .313 2025 league average wOBA. To do this rescaling for OOPSY, I subtracted .316 from each wOBA projection, then added .313. To convert ERA to wOBA against, Tango’s preferred catch-all metric for pitchers, I divided each pitcher’s ERA projection by their projection system’s league average ERA, took the square root, and then multiplied by the 2025 league average wOBA, .313. Next I had to choose a strategy for addressing the missing players. Some projection systems cover a broader population of players (e.g., ZiPS), while others focus on relatively more established players (e.g., THE BAT X). You can project all of the missing players to be league average, the MARCEL approach, or slightly worse than league average, which is typically a bit more accurate. I chose a combination of these strategies, which I detail below. Finally, I calculated the root mean square errors (RMSE) for each statistic from each projection system. I could have also calculated the mean absolute error, but RMSE is more typical. RMSE represents the standard deviation of the residuals, a measure of the typical distance between a forecast and an actual result. I weighted the RMSE by 2025 plate appearances for bats and total batters faced for arms. Following instructions from an exchange with Tango, I also calculated the difference between each projection and a naive projection, with the naive projection assuming everyone has the same projection. To calculate the difference between a projection and a naive projection, I squared both, subtracted the smaller number from the larger number, and then took the square root. Following these steps, the table below shows the RMSE of the preseason forecasts for the full sample of hitters and pitchers in 2025 (a lower RMSE is better). The naive forecast assumes everyone has a league average projection. The composite forecast is the average of the four standalone systems (OOPSY, THE BAT X, Steamer, and ZiPS). For missing players, I imputed a projection that was either league average, 5% worse than league average, or 10% worse than league average. I chose whichever option resulted in the lowest error for each system. Hitters without a Steamer were given a league average projection. For the other systems, hitters with missing projections were given a projection 10% worse than league average. Pitchers without a THE BAT or ATC projection were given a league average projection. For the other systems, missing pitchers were given a projection 10% worse than league average. Table 1. Forecast accuracy for full sample. http://blogs.fangraphs.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/full-sample-rmse-comp-table-1-10-6.png Across the full sample, Steamer was the most accurate standalone projection system for wOBA against for pitchers — as it often is. ZiPS was the clear best system for wOBA for hitters. Steamer’s pitching projections were .0216 wOBA better than the naive projection. ZiPS’ hitting projections were .0238 wOBA better than the naive projection. OOPSY held its own, ranking second of the standalone systems for both pitchers and hitters. Notably, all of the systems were grouped closely for both hitters and pitchers. The composite projection, an average of the four standalone systems, was the runaway winner overall for both arms and bats. This is no surprise, as averaging the “experts” is typically a winning approach in terms of forecast accuracy. Next, let’s take a look at how the projections did for rookies. Note that for rookies, the naive forecast gives everyone a projection 5% worse than league average. Table 2. Forecast accuracy for rookies. http://blogs.fangraphs.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/rookie-rmses-table-2-10-6.png Of the standalone systems, Steamer led the way for projecting rookies in 2025, followed by OOPSY. (OOPSY’s most recent top prospects list, based on long-term projections, can be found here.) Steamer doesn’t publish long-term projections, but I’d love to see them if they ever decide to. Once again, the composite projection is the clear runaway winner overall. Next, we’ll exclude rookies and just look at veterans. Table 3. Forecast accuracy for veterans. http://blogs.fangraphs.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/table-3-10-6.png For pitchers, the results are similar to the full sample. For hitters, ZiPS still finishes first of the standalone systems, but THE BAT X jumps to second place. ATC also improves when focusing only on veterans. THE BAT X was much more accurate for veterans than for rookies, perhaps a sign that it is making good use of Statcast data that is more readily available for major leaguers than it is for minor leaguers. THE BAT X was also best-in-class last year for hitters overall. In my early explorations, it appears that THE BAT X may include variables like sweet spot and sprint speed that OOPSY does not yet include. Finally, as a robustness check, the table below looks at OOPSY versus each system, but excludes missing players — the RMSEs below only focus on players who had a projection from both systems in each comparison. The results are similar to Table 1. Table 4. Forecast accuracy for full sample, alternative approach. http://blogs.fangraphs.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/table-4-10-6.png Overall, I would have liked to have the best forecasts in terms of accuracy, but it wasn’t a disappointing debut season for OOPSY. I am glad to fit in with the other FanGraphs projection systems. I have had the privilege of talking with each of these forecasters a bit over the years, and I have already learned a great deal from them. I continue to rely on their systems heavily. There is always more to be learned in the pursuit of slight improvements to forecast accuracy. I still need to look into the accuracy of my component forecasts to see where the biggest improvements can be made. I already plan to consider additional Statcast metrics to help project hitters, potentially sweet spot, sprint speed, attack angle, and horizontal spray tendency. For pitchers, there is less low hanging fruit, as my projections there have a longer history, but I may tinker with the recency weights and incorporate pitch-level metrics into the projections. I am not the only one making tweaks each offseason, however. Irrespective of the improvements that any one of us makes, users of projection systems are very likely to be best served by simply averaging the forecasts from the different systems. Source View the full article

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Tarleton State has reinstated men’s basketball coach Billy Gillispie, who was placed on temporary administrative leave Friday following an investigation into an anonymous complaint. “We’re thankful to the Texas A&M system for working expeditiously in addressing this anonymous complaint,” Tarleton State athletic director Steve Uryasz said in a statement Monday. “The welfare of our student-athletes […] The post Tarleton State Coach Billy Gillispie Reinstated After Review appeared first on Basketball Insiders | NBA Rumors And Basketball News. View the full article