Portland Timbers news
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Portland Timbers lost 2-1 to Austin after stoppage-time goal, falling to 11th in West. They sold top scorer Kevin Kelsy to Rangers for $13 million, weakening attack.
Background
The Portland Timbers are in the middle of a challenging MLS season, currently sitting 11th in the Western Conference. Recent results have been mixed, and the team made significant roster changes during the transfer window, including selling their top scorer Kevin Kelsy to Rangers FC for a club-record fee. This has left the attack depleted, and the team is looking to other players to step up as they push for a playoff spot.
How it unfolded
- Aug 29, 2026Portland Timbers lost 2-1 to Austin FC at Providence Park after a stoppage-time goal by Oleksandr Svatok. It was their second loss under new coach Martí Cifuentes and first at home under him.
- Sep 3, 2026Portland Timbers transferred forward Kevin Kelsy to Rangers FC for a club-record fee of $13 million. Kelsy had 9 goals and 4 assists in 20 matches in 2026.
- Sep 3, 2026Portland Timbers acquired defender Joel Waterman from Chicago Fire FC in exchange for $100,000 in General Allocation Money, with potential add-ons.
- Sep 3, 2026Portland Timbers acquired defender Ronald Hernández from Atlanta United for up to $150,000 in GAM, to address injuries at right back.
- Sep 5, 2026Portland Timbers are scheduled to host Minnesota United at Providence Park at 7:30 p.m. local time.
Who’s saying what
- Analysts
- The sale of Kevin Kelsy is a huge hit to Portland's attack, and with no apparent replacement, the team needs other players like Gage Guerra and Ariel Lassiter to step up.
- Official
- Timbers GM Ned Grabavoy said acquiring Ronald Hernández gives them another option at right back where they have experienced unfortunate injuries this summer.
Still unverified
The exact performance metrics for the additional $100,000 GAM in the Waterman trade are not specified. Also, the club-record transfer fee for Kelsy is reported by one source as $13 million, but not officially confirmed by the Timbers.