Passion MLB Roster Update: Week 22

There are only five weeks left in the MLB regular season. And more than ever, the standings are tightening, especially in the American League.
So without further ado, here's the very latest edition of Passion MLB's power rankings. Last week's rankings are shown in parentheses.
1 – Milwaukee Brewers (1)
2 – Los Angeles Dodgers (3)Andrew Friedman's future is also in doubt. https://t.co/VC5TAYdjNz https://t.co/dhk0CaDuvu
— Passion MLB (@passion_mlb) August 25, 20263 – Tampa

With just a few days to go before training camp begins, the Canadiens still have a few issues to work out.
Their goaltending trio is one of them.
Will Samuel Montembeault be traded before the start of the season? That might depend on Connor Hellebuyck. According to Marco D'Amico (The Starr and D'Amico Show), a trade involving Hellebuyck could unlock several other trades.Let's just say the Canadiens don't want to start the season with three goalies, but we know Kent Hughes is patient and wouldn't

The New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox will face off in their final regular-season game this afternoon (Sunday). This game could be of critical importance, as the longtime rivals have each won six games against one another this season and the tiebreaker is on the line.
And for the occasion, the Red Sox will get a major boost to their roster, as Roman Anthony and Trevor Story will finally return to action, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.The Red Sox are expected to activate Anthony an

Pop star Olivia Rodrigo communed with her musical idols, including Sarah McLachlan , at the inaugural all-women Daisy Chain Fields festival in Irvine, Calif., on Saturday.Vancouver’s McLachlan , the founder of the all-women Lilith Fair , joined headliner Rodrigo for duets of Angel and Building a Mystery. McLachlan dedicated their performance of Angel to Dolly Parton, who passed away on Aug. 25 at 80. Olivia singing ‘Building a Mystery’ with Sarah McLachlan at Daisy Chain Field

Earlier this summer, the Florida Panthers made a major decision regarding their team and their immediate future when they decided not to retain Sergei Bobrovsky.
The 37-year-old Russian goaltender subsequently signed as a free agent with the Toronto Maple Leafs to a three-year deal worth $7 million annually, while the Panthers turned to acquiring Jacob Markstrom from the New Jersey Devils.
The Panthers have thus filled a void left by Bobrovsky, but they may have done so too quickly.
Indeed, with

It's true that there's still a month left in the 2026 Major League Baseball season. But barring a major shake-up in the American League, we're headed for one of the worst playoff races in MLB history.
Yes, yes, you read that right.
Especially when it comes to the American League West and the race for the final “best second-place” spot.
In fact, if the season ended today, we'd have a division winner at .500 (the Houston Astros) and two teams with a negative run differential—name

Right at the start of the 2023–2024 season—three years ago—Connor Hellebuyck and the Winnipeg Jets agreed to the terms of a seven-year contract extension worth $8.5 million annually.
At the time, the deal caught many by surprise, as few expected the American goaltender to make a long-term commitment to the Canadian city.
Nevertheless, Hellebuyck did sign that long-term contract, and people began to believe he would stay in Winnipeg, Canada, to finish his career.
Well, here we a

Kaiden Guhle is truly a solid, defensively minded defenseman in the National Hockey League's top four, and at just 24 years old, he still has tremendous potential.
Unfortunately, since the start of his career, Guhle has more often than not been sidelined due to various—and often unfortunate—injuries.
That's a shame, and it's clear that this is a source of some concern for the Canadiens.
In four seasons with the Habs since his NHL debut, the young Canadian defenseman has played in jus

Paul Skenes hasn't been himself this season. The Pittsburgh Pirates' tall right-hander has lost a significant amount of velocity on his fastball and is no longer dominating the way he has since making his major league debut.
Before hitting the road with his teammates, Skenes took some time to discuss his situation with Justin Verlander, while the future Hall of Famer and the Tigers were in Pittsburgh.
Verlander reassured Skenes by telling him that he'd experienced the same concerns during his th

Not so long ago—just a few years back—contracts in the eight-figure range, or worth more than $10 million, were still fairly rare in the National Hockey League.
Carey Price was still among the highest-paid players even though he was no longer playing, and salaries weren't skyrocketing.
Well, over the past season or two, with the increase in the salary cap, NHL player salaries have skyrocketed, as we saw this summer with Leo Carlsson, Macklin Celebrini, and more recently, Cale Makar.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have decided to add a young quarterback to their roster by acquiring Quinn Ewers from the Miami Dolphins.
Both teams confirmed the trade on Saturday. In exchange for the 23-year-old, Jacksonville gave up a sixth-round pick in the 2028 draft.
Ewers was selected by the Dolphins in the seventh round of the 2025 draft. After earning a spot on the 53-man roster in his rookie season, he served as the third-string quarterback behind Tua Tagovailoa and Zach Wilson.
The young qua

The Indianapolis Colts are facing some bad news as the new NFL season approaches. Their star wide receiver, Keenan Allen, was arrested early Sunday morning in Indianapolis on charges related to driving under the influence.
According to Indianapolis jail records, the 34-year-old veteran faces two misdemeanor charges. One involves driving under the influence while endangering another person, while the other relates to a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 or higher.
The arrest reportedly took plac

The Calgary Stampeders pulled off a major upset on Saturday night by defeating the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 28-23, despite the absence of their starting quarterback, Vernon Adams Jr.
With this victory, Calgary improves its record to 5-6 and remains firmly in the running for the Canadian Football League playoffs. The Stampeders can therefore continue to believe in a playoff spot.
The result is also significant for the Montreal Alouettes. Thanks to Hamilton's loss, the Montreal team is one step closer

Kirby Dach has been the talk of the town since his arrival in Montreal. Unfortunately, it's mostly for the wrong reasons.
Sometimes, he pulls off some really nice moves and makes a great play, like on that famous goal in the playoffs against the Buffalo Sabres:KIRBY DACH, OMGTHAT GOAL WAS FILTHY! #StanleyCup
: @NHL_On_TNT
: @Sportsnet & @TVASports pic.twitter.com/NPKelhycWF
— NHL (@NHL) May 7, 2026However, as we all know, he's been injured far too often, and that clearly hasn't helped

Yesterday, two prospects from the Montreal Canadiens saw action in preseason play.
Alexander Zharovsky and Gleb Pugachyov played their final preseason game in the KHL.
Vinzenz Rohrer also played a preseason game in Switzerland and performed very well.
What stands out the most, aside from the assists recorded by Rohrer and Zharovsky in their respective games, is the fact that Pugachyov was playing on the second line.
Here are highlights of Zharovsky's and Rohrer's assists:Alex Zharovsky and Vinny

A general manager who has been in his position for nearly 30 years in a market like New York is bound to attract criticism.
And Brian Cashman knows that all too well.
Yankees fans aren't always on board with the GM. His decisions are often criticized in New York.
His inaction at the 2026 trade deadline is a good example. After Fernando Cruz's injury, the bullpen isn't strong enough for the playoffs… and that was to be expected.Cashman decided he wanted Mason Miller at the deadline, and th

Montreal is a hockey mecca, and the Bell Centre is considered one of the best arenas to play in.
It's also one of the most intimidating places in the NHL for opposing players.
Yet the Canadiens performed worse at home than on the road last year, and one might wonder why the team plays worse at home.
Shayne Gaumond and Stu Cowan discussed the Canadiens' struggles at the Bell Centre on The Sick Podcast and the reasons why the team plays worse at home.Last year, the Habs (24-9-8, 56 points) tied fo

Has William Contreras been traded?
It's possible.
William Contreras is a name to “definitely keep an eye on” as a potential trade candidate this offseason, according to @ByRobertMurray(Via @JustBB_Media) pic.twitter.com/wwdJ3iVPjC
— Punchoutpitch (@Punchoutpitch) August 28, 2026
Will Byron Buxton undergo surgery?
That could happen in the coming months. The hip is the issue.
Byron Buxton Could Undergo Offseason Hip Surgery https://t.co/xBdlfgJXki pic.twitter.com/4JxA0GZRYo
&mdas

Brendan Gallagher's departure for Vancouver leaves an assistant captain position open in Montreal.
Two candidates are being considered to wear an “A” on their jerseys and support Nick Suzuki and Mike Matheson next season.
They are Josh Anderson, a respected veteran who has already filled this role in Gallagher's absence, and Lane Hutson, one of the team's rising stars who is increasingly establishing himself as a leader among the Habs' young core.
Personally, I'd go with Hutson, part

Odell Beckham Jr. could be on the verge of an unexpected return to the NFL. After participating in the New York Giants' training camp with something to prove, the spectacular wide receiver reportedly made a strong enough impression on new head coach John Harbaugh.
Harbaugh didn't hesitate to acknowledge the progress Beckham has made in recent weeks.“He's done enough to earn a spot on an NFL team—that's for sure,” the coach said, according to comments reported by ESPN's Jordan R

You may have noticed over the past few days that TJ Friedl and Eugenio Suarez have been placed on waivers by the Reds.
Basically, this is a tactic used by teams at the bottom of the standings when they want to save some salary.
Players who won't be returning in 2027 are placed on waivers in the hope of saving on payroll if another team claims them.
Obviously, it's a blow to the guys' pride. Especially when they aren't claimed…
This inevitably happens more often than people realize in Augu

Lane Hutson is such a weirdo.
He's always on the ice as soon as he gets the chance.
Sometimes, even on December 25, he goes out to skate with fans.
We know he loves Montreal and its fans, but he also makes time for his community.
On this Saturday morning in late August, the young defenseman was spotted at the “Stick to Us” fundraiser, as reported by Tony Marinaro.Lane Hutson is on the ice at 8 a.m. on Saturday morning for a charity hockey game. pic.twitter.com/s0r4NA5Ofs
— /r/H

Former Montreal Alouettes player Étienne Boulay hopes to contribute to research on the effects of concussions, even after his death.
During his appearance on the LCN show Dans le blanc des yeux, Boulay revealed that he intends to donate his body to science so that his brain, among other things, can be studied by researchers.
This decision comes as concerns about the long-term effects of concussions on football players continue to grow. The former linebacker was responding in particular to

A new challenge begins for Samuel Adjin. After leaving Quebec to continue his development in the United States, the offensive lineman from La Pocatière is about to experience a major milestone in his young career.
On Saturday, Adjin will play his first NCAA game with the Eastern Michigan Eagles, who will host the Sacramento State Hornets. After several weeks spent training and adjusting to his new environment, the Quebec native says he's ready to make the most of every opportunity.
Even t

Following last week's rankings from 6 to 4, today marks the conclusion of our annual list of the CH's 15 top prospects.
You'll find a summary of our analysis series at the end of this article.
But for now, let's dive into the final top 3!
3. Jacob Fowler, GPotential: 35.5/40
Confidence: 16/20
Usage Value: 16/20
Trade Value: 15.5/20
Total: 83/100
I won't be very original here, and like many talent evaluators—even though I've been analyzing hockey seriously for over 25 years—I'll admit

The Blue Jays are trying to make the playoffs in 2026. It won’t be easy, since the players have been on a roller-coaster ride.
In any case, it's getting harder and harder to believe they can do it.
Could the team get some help from players returning from injury? It's a question worth asking.
We'll take a look at the injured players and see who might be able to step in and help.
Before we begin, it's worth noting that Bowden Francis, Jose Berrios, Cody Ponce, Yimi Garcia, and Addison Barger

Tua Tagovailoa had a night in Miami that was unusual, to say the least. Five months after being released by the Dolphins, the quarterback returned to Hard Rock Stadium—but this time in an Atlanta Falcons uniform.
Despite a hostile reception from some of the fans, Tagovailoa tried to put his emotions aside. His main goal was to use this game to prove that he can become the Falcons' starting quarterback.
Atlanta ultimately won the preseason game 17–12 against Miami. Tagovailoa particip

Everyone remembers the three-goalie rotation we saw a few seasons ago with the Montreal Canadiens, featuring Samuel Montembeault, Jake Allen, and Cayden Primeau.
It was a truly uncomfortable situation for the three players, management, and the fans—and let's just say we really don't want to go through that again.
The Habs ultimately chose to keep Samuel Montembeault and Cayden Primeau at the expense of Jake Allen, which turned out to be a bit of a mistake in the end.
Well, now, as the 2026

Noah Kahan made me cry.OK, he didn’t. But the slogan printed on the back of one of his tour Tees certainly rang true with many in the crowd at B.C. Place. I Sang Along to Every Song at Noah Kahan should definitely be a future merch slogan.Not even Taylor Swift has fans belting out every lyric to every single song all night long quite like Kahan fans. Not only do they know all the words, they harmonized in key as well. It made the whole vibe of The Great Divide Tour date in Vancouver as mu

There hasn’t been much good news in Queens this season, but hearing Bo Bichette talk about his vision for the future with the Mets is enough to reassure many fans of the New York team.
Yesterday, Andy Green's team once again fell 3-1 to the Astros, suffering their 75th loss of the season in the process. The silver lining to this season—which has been difficult, to say the least, in the team's locker room—is that a new generation of players seems to be emerging among the group t