Passion MLB Roster Update: Week 26

Here we are. It's already the final week of action in the 2026 Major League Baseball season, with the playoffs set to begin next Tuesday.
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 (2)
3 – Tampa Bay Rays (3)
4 – Atlanta Braves (4)
5 – Chicago Cubs (6)
6 – New York Yankees (5)A tough blow for New York. https://t.co/OOi0Ou

What do you think of Kirby Dach’s camp?
Good? So-so? Terrible?
I'm kind of torn between “so-so” and “lousy,” personally. He hasn't shown anything spectacular so far… and let's just say it's hard to defend him because we're not necessarily seeing the Kirby Dach we should be seeing.
But as far as he's concerned, there doesn't seem to be any problem.
Today, after team practice, Dach said he doesn't feel any extra pressure. He also mentioned that he knows who he

I know that the new rules designed to encourage stolen bases mean that a season with 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases isn't as rare as it used to be, but…
But to see a player make history and reach such a milestone is still a remarkable feat.
For the past few weeks, we'd suspected this was coming for Pete Crow-Armstrong. And now it's official.
With his 40th stolen base of the season, PCA has added his name to the prestigious list of players who have reached the 40/40 milestone. He current

Things are happening in Columbus today.
Adam Fantilli has signed his contract: now, all eyes are on Kirill Marchenko… because we know his situation.
And speaking of which, Don Waddell has provided an update on that very matter.
Basically, the Jackets' GM said he wasn't going to shop his player around. If a team wants him… all they have to do is call and make an offer. And on that note, Waddell said he wouldn't accept future assets in a trade.
Waddell also stated that Marchenko coul

The Verity premiere happened tonight in London but without Anne Hathaway who was photographed around the same time in New York. Annie would never skip out on promotion if she could help it… and there’s an obvious explanation. Air travel is typically not recommended in the final weeks of pregnancy and Annie is likely within her final weeks of pregnancy, given that she announced the pregnancy over three months ago, presumably in her second trimester. There will be a premiere in New Yo

One of the National League's hot topics has just been resolved.
Adam Fantilli has signed his new contract.
It's reportedly a six-year deal that will pay him (on average) $13.75 million per season. Some might say that's a lot of money… but it's part of the new reality of the National Hockey League.Adam Fantilli
6 x $13.75M
Columbus
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) September 24, 2026Fantilli hadn't shown up for his team's training camp because he didn't have a contract in hand&helli

Everything points to Oliver Kapanen starting the season as the Montreal Canadiens’ second-line center.
I know, I know…
It's not necessarily the ideal scenario. Kent Hughes wasn't able to land a center capable of playing in the top six this summer, so now we have to make do with what we have on hand with the Habs.
But things can always change as the season goes on. The Habs could make a move to acquire a player who can help the team right away.
And according to the latest rumors, the

Just a few days ago I was grousing about The Family Stone and now that Jean Smart has signed on? Brilliant, best idea for a sequel ever, I have no idea what everyone is talking about I’ve been behind this since day one.View this post on InstagramA post shared by @hannaheinbinderRyan Murphy has confirmed he just finished writing the Glee reboot and the original cast is “enthusiastic” about it. Glee ran for 6 seasons and in typical Ryan Murphy fashion, started off fresh and inter

An extravagant feast at an eccentric millionaire’s mansion turns into a meal of murder served with a side of silly.Just how the madcap mystery plays out depends entirely on the audience’s ability to wrangle up the best possible whodunit at the Deadly Dinner Party.The world premiere of this new themed performance launches the 45th-anniversary season at The Improv Centre (TIC).For artistic director Alan Pavlakovic, a twisted take on crime solving makes complete sense. After all, this

The Montreal Alouettes are getting ready to celebrate their 80th anniversary in style, with two iconic figures from their history in attendance: Ben Cahoon and Marc Trestman.These two legends of the Montreal franchise will take part in the celebrations organized for this historic occasion.
The event is scheduled for October 1 at the Maison Principale, where fans will have the chance to meet Ben Cahoon and Marc Trestman during the evening dedicated to the Alouettes' 80th anniversary. Their presen

I was in Brossard this morning for the intra-squad game at the Montreal Canadiens’ training camp.
Let's talk about it!
Some guys played well, others were invisible… and I'd like to share my personal observations with you. Let's get started!
1. First off, note that the game was divided into two periods.
One 20-minute period… and another eight-minute period, which was played four-on-four on the ice. 
2. That said, even though the game wasn't SUPER long, it was easy to spot

This morning, Ivan Demidov was (once again) absent from practice.
He didn't train with the rest of his teammates, nor did he participate in the intra-squad game.
But the news regarding him is reassuring nonetheless.
After today's practice, the Canadiens told reporters on site that there are no concerns regarding the young player. Arpon Basu reported in a tweet that Demidov was injured while blocking a shot on Monday in Trois-Rivières and that he has spent the last few days resting.
Accord

By now, you've probably seen Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s comments about his 2026 season and his contract, right?
Let's just say it made the rounds in the media pretty quickly…
For those who haven't seen it, Vladdy said he's being paid for what he's done in the past, not for what he's going to do.
We talked about it on the Passion MLB podcast on Wednesday night.@passion_mlb podcast with Pascal Harvey and @SebasBerrouard Vladdy's comments, the Blue Jays' elimination, and the race for the playof

Martin St-Louis is a modern coach.
He isn't just a carbon copy of the coaches who led him 20 years ago. He's taken elements from his former coaches, but he's also learned to work with the younger generation.
Everyone has to adapt in 2026. #AdaptOrDie
If St-Louis is able to connect with the new generation, it's because he doesn't just impose his ideas—he discusses them with his players. He tries to convince them of the benefits of his ideas because that helps young players learn better.
Tha

Could the New York Giants offer Colin Kaepernick the opportunity he’s been waiting for nearly a decade?
The question takes on new significance following the injury that will sideline Jaxson Dart for the rest of the season.
In 2017, while he was still coaching the Baltimore Ravens, John Harbaugh reportedly wanted to bring in Kaepernick to bolster his quarterback depth. A few years later, circumstances could bring the two men together again, this time in New York.
Kaepernick, now 38, hasn't

Taylor Swift’s new new deluxe deluxe album, The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore, drops tonight with four new tracks including “Patient Zero”, the lead single. The full video for “Patient Zero” will premiere at the MTV VMAs on Sunday where she will also receive the inaugural Artist Director Award so it’s an additional exclamation point on the honour since she’s premiering her new directorial effort.  This morning she shared a 13-second teaser for

Another day of training camp has begun in Brossard. And it's going to be a busy one.
Before the intra-squad game, we noticed that Ivan Demidov was still absent from practice. He's been given another day off to undergo treatment.
But more importantly, Owen Beck and Florian Xhekaj practiced with the AHL guys. This comes on the heels of Martin St-Louis's comments regarding the role of young players in Montreal.
That doesn't mean they won't get their chance in the intra-squad game. But it does mean

What’s happening in Brossard?
There's a practice this morning. All the players at camp are on the ice at the same time since the players from both groups are each using one rink.
An intra-squad game is coming up shortly.
First of all, it's worth noting that, just like yesterday, Ivan Demidov isn't here because he's undergoing treatment. The Russian had a full day of treatment yesterday, and we know he's not 100%.
The Habs are being cautious, and no one is expressing concern. We'll continue

When New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone announced that Aaron Judge had suffered a moderate calf strain, it seemed clear that he would miss at least the Wild Card Series—and likely much more playing time.
However, the Bombers' captain told Jorge Castillo of ESPN that he plans to be ready for next week's series against the Boston Red Sox.Yankees star Aaron Judge told @jorgecastillo today that he intends to play in the Wild Card Series next week. Here's the news from Jorge, available for fr

Haaaappy bbbbbirthdaaaay, Su-pra! Haaaappy bbbbbirthdaaaay, Su-pra!
Or if you prefer: Go Supra, it's your birthday. We're going to party like it's your birthday.
Today is September 24, 2026—the first anniversary of the founding of FC Supra du Québec. Exactly one year ago to the day, Rocco Placentino announced the creation of his new baby: a professional soccer club based in the Montreal area that would rely on Quebec talent to set itself apart.
Where do we stand one year later? What

As we approach October and the trophy machine clicks into high gear, I don’t think there is a film I am more excited for than You Can See Everything, the Elizabeth Holmes documentary made by Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim.
We saw the first trailer last month, and now there is a new trailer, and…well… it looks like a horror movie, no?Maybe it’s the music, maybe it’s just that Elizabeth Holmes using her big baby eyes to manipulate people is both freaky and annoy

Dear Gossips,It was announced yesterday that a new Gremlins movie, Gremlins 3, has been pushed back to October 2028, almost a year later than the original release date which was supposed to be November 2027.
But Warner Bros did drop a teaser. It’s short, but instantly recognisable for those who know – you hear him before you see him. And then when he says “uh oh”, you hear THEM.10.6.28. Only In Theaters. pic.twitter.com/kZVLPrNd12— Warner Bros. (@warnerbros) Septemb

Sad news in the world of sports.
Andrei Kuzmenko, a player for the Pittsburgh Penguins, has lost his father, Alexander. Alexander died this week after being attacked by a bear.
He was taken to the hospital, where doctors were unable to save him.
Basically, he had gone fishing with friends, and that's when a bear attacked the group. The 62-year-old man was airlifted to the hospital in Kyzyl.
Several media outlets in Russia have confirmed the news.Tragic news. A bear attacked the father of Penguin

Being dubbed a “favourite internet astrologer” by the New York Times seems like pretty high praise.It’s a major callout for B.C.-born-and-raised Chani Nicholas, who wasn’t even sure if she would head down this particular career path in the first place.Born and raised in Nelson (Nicholas moved to Los Angeles in 2005 and now splits her time between L.A. and New York, travelling back to her hometown once a year), Nicholas was first introduced to astrology through a family e

On Wednesday afternoon, the Blue Jays were eliminated from the playoff race. The team had a disappointing season.
Naturally, this raises the question: Is this the end for Max Scherzer?
We know he's likely to make one last start on Sunday in front of the Toronto Blue Jays' fans—even if it's on short rest.
That would allow him to have a fitting farewell start in front of his fans.
We imagine he'll be looking, in particular, to surpass Justin Verlander (who will throw a few pitches on Saturda

Quebec City could take a major step forward in its quest to host a Canadian Football League (CFL) team.
A project led by the Trudel Group now appears to be far enough along for the CFL to seriously consider the possibility of expansion.
According to information reported by FM93 host Sylvain Bouchard, the CFL Board of Governors has reportedly given its unanimous approval to continue analyzing the possibility of a team in Quebec City. However, this decision does not mean that a new franchise has o

Did you see what Vladimir Guerrero Jr. said yesterday?
For those who didn't, the Blue Jays star (who is in the first season of a 14-year, $500 million contract) said that his contract was signed based on his past achievements and not to hit 40 home runs every year.
It happened during an interview in Spanish, but Vladdy confirmed to the media covering the Blue Jays that he truly meant what he said.He has no right to take fans for fools. https://t.co/qq8Ik3d1hb https://t.co/KkLGKwSYai
— Pass

The Las Vegas Raiders are off to a particularly strong start to the 2026 season, and much of their success is due to their defensive performance.
After two games, the Las Vegas team has a 2-0 record, and its opponents are already beginning to feel the pressure from its defensive line. (Yahoo Sports
⁠)
Notably, the Raiders have recorded eight quarterback sacks in their first two games, tying them for first in the NFL in that category. Five of those sacks came in the season opener against th

The Atlanta Falcons haven’t had the start to the season they were hoping for, and Michael Penix Jr.’s return comes at just the right time.
The quarterback will make his first start of the season on Thursday night against the Green Bay Packers, after missing the first two games of the campaign.
Atlanta is 0-2 and is struggling mightily on offense. Through two games, the Falcons are the only team in the NFL that has yet to run a play inside the opponent's 20-yard line. The team has sco

Ever since he left BPM Sports, Tony Marinaro hasn't stopped producing content in French. He's kept his column at TVA Sports, but has also added a French version to his podcast, The Sick Podcast. He's now also a columnist for 98.5 FM.
When does he sleep, you might ask? I don't know any more than you do.
Now he's adding another string to his bow as he'll host a postgame show for the Habs on 98.5 FM on Saturday nights. He'll be on the air for 21 or 22 of the 25 Saturdays when the Canadiens are in a