The off-field politics are toxic, Wales are on a terrible run and England are flying, but everyone needs Saturday’s game to be competitive at Twickenham
Are you a Wales fan reading this on the train to London? If so, let’s huddle in tight and try to stay positive. In round one of the Six Nations everyone starts equal. There is rain around and England have a couple of significant injuries. Steve Tandy is a capable guy and there are some talented individuals at his disposal. In this grand old championship miracles have been known to happen.
C’mon boys, believe. That red jersey still represents something special. All that history, all that fabled lineage. Gareth, Gerald, Jiffy, Alun Wyn … they’re all right with you. It’s only 80 minutes and opportunity knocks. Under the radar is a useful place to be. And, look, it’s not even called Twickenham these days. Allianz Stadium could be anywhere.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 25: Jasson Dominguez #24 of the New York Yankees celebrates his seventh inning three run home run against the Washington Nationals at Yankee Stadium on August 25, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
MLB | Bryan Hoch: As Jasson Domínguez’s playing time cratered in the second half last season, the Yanks considered sending the former blue-chip prospect down to Triple-A to get consistent playing time. Ultimately, they opted not to. But that doesn’t mean El Marciano is guaranteed a big league roster spot in 2026. On Thursday in fact, Jon Heyman reported he was set to start 2026 in Triple-A, “barring something unforeseen.”
Although an injury opening a spot for Domínguez doesn’t feel like that much of a reach, it’s still worth noting that reading between the lines of what GM Brian Cashman and manager Aaron Boone say in the article, it feels like they’re trying to tamp down expectations for The Martian as Opening Day approaches.
Associated Press | Ronald Blum: Chances are that you’ve probably seen this news by now, but in case you missed it, 2025 Yankees first baseman Paul Goldschmidt is returning to New York on a one-year deal worth at most $5 million. Check out Andrew’s article from shortly after the news broke for more, but it is expected that he’ll primarily be a platoon bat against lefties, with Ben Rice seeing most of the time.
The Athletic | Brendan Kuty ($): Spring training nears. And the Yankees roster takes shape. Most of the roster seems settled but there are some position battles that should play out this spring. The Yankees bench could still use a right-handed hitting outfielder. Oswaldo Cabrera will return from his season-ending injury last season, but Ozzie is a better hitter from the left side. In the bullpen, what is the plan with Paul Blackburn? And can Jake Bird find his form? We still have a couple week before spring training games begin so there is plenty of runway remaining for the Yanks to make moves before Opening Day.
MLB | Bryan Hoch: One spot not up for grabs is center field. That belongs firmly to Trent Grisham, who accepted the Yanks’ qualifying offer, keeping him in pinstripes to start the 2026 season. Grisham had a breakout 2025 season, setting personal career highs in several offensive statistics. Now, having extended the QO and having had him accept it, the Yankees hope Grisham has an encore performance in him.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - NOVEMBER 23: James Harden #1 of the Los Angeles Clippers passes around Dean Wade #32 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the third quarter at Rocket Arena on November 23, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Clippers 120-105. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers may have to wait a little longer for James Harden’s debut with the team. Harden was initially expected to play on Saturday against the Sacramento Kings. According to the latest injury report, he may have to wait.
Harden is listed as questionable for Saturday’s game with the reason being “trade pending.” This designation isn’t uncommon for those who were recently traded. Currently, 18 players are on the league’s current injury report with the designation of “trade pending.”
Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can find this comfortable Cuyahoga Valley National Park hoodie HERE. All of Homage’s Cavs gear can be found HERE.
If Harden can’t go on Saturday, he would have to wait until Monday when the Cavs conclude their Western Conference road trip against the Denver Nuggets.
Reports that the Cavs traded for Harden came through on Tuesday. The official trade announcement from the team came the following day.
Harden hasn’t played since Jan. 30. He missed his last two games with the Los Angeles Clippers for personal reasons — which was due to the impending trade — and he wasn’t available for Cleveland’s first game since the trade was announced on Wednesday.
On the season, Harden is averaging 25.4 points, 8.1 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per game on .419/.347/.901 shooting splits.
Harden isn’t the only Cavalier who may be missing Friday’s game. Dean Wade has also been added to the injury report with a left ankle sprain. He is listed as questionable for the game.
Wade is averaging 5.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game on .417/.340/.750 shooting this season.
The Cavaliers will also be without the services of Evan Mobley (calf), Max Strus (foot), and Emanuel Miller (G League).
Over the past several years, there has never seemed to be a shortage of fireworks when the Florida Panthers and Boston Bruins get together.
Between multiple playoff series’, big hits, fines, suspensions and Brad Marchand switching sides, there has been plenty to fuel the fire between these two divisional rivals.
In that regard, the latest meeting between the Cats and Bruins did not disappoint.
During the first period of Florida’s 5-4 shootout win over Boston on Wednesday night in Sunrise, Panthers rookie Sandis Vilmanis caught Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy with what appeared to be a straight elbow to the head.
As McAvoy was carrying the puck out of Boston’s zone, Vilmanis came across the ice and then slowed down just before making contact. He then turned and braced his body, raising himself up and catching McAvoy in the side of his face with force.
Charlie McAvoy goes down the tunnel after a high & late hit from Sandis Vilmanis
Vilmanis was issued a two-minute minor penalty for an illegal check to the head while McAvoy was helped off the ice, though fortunately he was able to return to the game.
McAvoy will also represent Team USA at the Winter Olympics this month.
On Friday night, McAvoy decided to take to social media and make a little statement about the hit.
In a post on X, McAvoy sent out the video of the hit side-by-side with a photo of the swollen face he’s been left with as a result of said hit.
There was no comment to go along with the video and photo.
The perception is that McAvoy isn’t happy that the NHL Department of Player Safety did not decide to issue any supplemental discipline to Vilmanis for the hit.
No fine. No suspension. Just the initial two-minute minor, which actually didn’t even help the Bruins, as Boston was called for a pair of minors on the same play, one for roughing up Vilmanis and one bench minor for unsportsmanlike conduct.
While many fans are quick to take McAvoy’s side, others are calling out a player who has also handed out his share of controversial hits.
That includes several against the Panthers, like these two that occurred in the same game.
Charlie McAvoy is given a match penalty for this hit on Oliver Ekman-Larsson. pic.twitter.com/pZx16EXupZ
When asked about the hit by Charlie McAvoy on Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Paul Maurice said, "I thought it was exactly like the hit on Verhaeghe in the first."
These things, for better or worse, are part of the game.
Thankfully, McAvoy did not suffer anything major or long-term, and he will be able to live out a childhood dream and put on a United States jersey at an Olympic Games.
Sure, he might have to wear a fishbowl for part of it, but that’s hockey too.
Photo caption: Feb 4, 2026; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy (73) is helped off the ice by right wing David Pastrnak (88) after an apparent injury against the Florida Panthers during the first period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
PRINCETON, N.J. (AP) — Olivia Hutcherson had 19 points, seven rebounds and five steals, Skye Belker had 16 points and four 3-pointers, and No. 23 Princeton beat Pennsylvania 69-50 on Friday night for its 16th straight victory in the series.
The Tigers have never lost to Penn in the Carla Berube era (14-0).
Princeton trailed 30-28 at halftime before scoring 24 points in the third quarter to take a nine-point lead. The Tigers started the fourth on an 11-3 run to make it 63-46.
Madison St. Rose added 15 points and six assists for Princeton (19-2, 7-1 Ivy League), which improved to 9-1 at home this season. The Tigers have won 17 of their last 18 games.
Mataya Gayle and Simone Sawyer each scored 16 points for Penn (13-8, 3-5). Tina Njike grabbed 10 rebounds to go with nine points.
The Quakers ended the first half on a 13-2 run to take the lead. Hutcherson made a free throw with 7:40 left in the third to give Princeton the lead for good at 35-34.
Up next
Penn: Has a week off before playing at Cornell on Feb. 13.
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 17: Julio Teheran #49 of the Atlanta Braves pitches against the Colorado Rockies in the first inning on July 17, 2016 at Turner Field in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin Liles/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Big thanks to everybody who rolled through for the Live Q&A session. We’ll be doing another one soon and it’ll be focused more on the big league side of things next time around, so keep your eyes peeled for that one in particular.
The floor is now yours for the open thread. Here’s a random clip:
Luka Doncic played only one half Thursday against the 76ers before coming out because of a hamstring strain. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Luka Doncic was diagnosed with a strained left hamstring and listed as out for the Lakers' game against the Golden State Warriors on Saturday at Crypto.com Arena.
The Lakers have not indicated a timetable for Doncic's return.
Doncic was injured late in the second quarter of the Lakers’ win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday night. He threw a pass to Maxi Kleber that was a turnover, turned to run back on defense and immediately grabbed his left hamstring.
Doncic went up and down the court a couple of times but was unable to play any longer. The Lakers called a timeout, and Doncic headed to the locker room and did not return.
After the game, Doncic was limping down the hallway. Coach JJ Redick said Doncic would undergo an MRI exam Friday.
Doncic leads the NBA in scoring (33.4) and is second in assists (8.7). He's missed eight of the Lakers' 42 games because of injuries and the birth of his daughter, and they're 4-4 without him.
“We need him,” guard Austin Reaves said after the game. “He’s our best player and the engine of a lot of the stuff that we do. Yeah, so, hopefully we get good news.”
NEW YORK — Paul Goldschmidt and the Yankees are working toward a one-year contract, according to a person familiar with the negotiations, another move by New York that makes its 2026 roster resemble last year’s team.
The person spoke Friday on condition of anonymity because the agreement was subject to a successful physical. The deal likely would be for $5 million or less, the person said.
A seven-time All-Star and the 2022 NL MVP, the 38-year-old Goldschmidt hit .274 with 10 homers, 45 RBIs and a .731 OPS after signing a one-year, $12.5 million contract as a free agent.
He tailed off badly, hitting .287 with eight homers, 36 RBIs and a .776 OPS before the All-Star break and .245 with two homers, nine RBIs and a .631 OPS after. The right-handed-hitting Goldschmidt lost playing time at first to lefty-batting Ben Rice and started just two postseason games.
A seven-time Gold Glove winner, Goldschmidt provides defense and a veteran presence to a team seeking its first World Series title since 2009. He has a .288 average with 372 homers, 1,232 RBIs and an ,882 OPS in 15 major league seasons with Arizona (2011-18), St. Louis (2019) and the Yankees.
Coming off an AL Division Series loss to Toronto, New York has had a relatively quiet offseason. The Yankees’ major moves were re-signing outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger to a five-year, $162.5 million contract, acquiring left-hander Ryan Weathers from Miami in a trade and retaining center fielder Trent Grisham with a $22,025,000 qualifying offer.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Pitchers Graham Ashcraft and Edwin Uceta won their salary arbitration cases Friday, improving players to 5-0 this year.
Ashcraft was awarded $1.75 million rather than the Cincinnati Reds’ $1.25 million offer in a case heard Thursday by Keith Greenberg, Howard Edelman and Rob Herman.
Uceta will be paid $1,525,000 rather than the Tampa Bay Rays’ $1.2 million proposal. That case was heard on Jan. 29 by Janice Johnston, Alan Ponak and Melinda Gordon, and the decision was kept sealed until Friday so as not to impact Ashcraft’s hearing.
A right-hander who turns 28 next week, Ashcraft was 8-5 with a 3.99 ERA in 62 relief appearances last year, striking out 64 and walking 25 in 65 1/3 innings. He had a $780,000 salary and was eligible for arbitration for the first time.
Ashcraft is 25-25 with a 4.76 ERA in four major league seasons.
Uceta also was eligible for arbitration for the first time after going 10-3 with a 3.79 ERA in 70 relief appearances last year, when he had an $815,000 salary. He was a so-called Super Two, eligible because he has 2 years, 150 days of major league service — 10 days above the cutoff for this year’s arbitration class.
Baltimore left-hander Keegan Akin went to a hearing Friday, asking for $3,375,000 rather than the Orioles’ $2,975,000 offer. A decision by John Stout, Jeanne Charles and Samantha Tower is expected Saturday.
A 30-year-old left-hander, Akin was 5-4 with a 3.41 ERA and eight saves in 64 relief appearances last season, striking out 59 and walking 33 in 63 1/3 innings. He had a $1,475,000 salary.
Akin has a 16-22 record with a 4.48 ERA and 11 saves in six major league seasons, all with the Orioles. He can become a free agent after this year’s World Series.
Two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal won his case Thursday when he was awarded an arbitration-record $32 million rather than the Detroit Tigers’ $19 million offer.
In other decisions, right-hander Kyle Bradish was awarded $3.55 million instead of the Baltimore Orioles’ offer of $2,875,000, and catcher Yainer Diaz received $4.5 million instead of the Houston Astros’ $3 million proposal.
Two cases have been argued with decisions withheld until next week: Toronto left-hander Eric Lauer ($5.75 million vs. $4.4 million) and Atlanta left-hander Dylan Lee ($2.2 million vs. $2 million).
Five players remain scheduled for hearings next week: Kansas City left-hander Kris Bubic ($6.15 million vs. $5.15 million), Milwaukee catcher Willson Contreras ($9.9 million vs. $8.55 million), Los Angeles Angels left-hander Reid Detmers ($2,925,000 vs. $2,625,000), Miami right-hander Calvin Faucher ($2.05 million vs. $1.8 million) and Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson ($6.8 million vs $6.55 million).
LOS ANGELES — A jury has found former major league outfielder Yasiel Puig guilty of obstruction of justice and lying to federal officials investigating an illegal gambling operation, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Friday.
The verdict came after a multiweek trial that featured testimony from Major League Baseball officials and Donny Kadokawa, a Hawaii baseball coach that Puig placed bets through. Puig now faces up to 20 years in federal prison and is scheduled to be sentenced May 26.
Puig’s attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Puig, 35, initially pled guilty to a felony charge of lying to federal agents investigating an illegal gambling operation. He acknowledged in an August 2022 plea agreement that he wracked up more than $280,000 in losses over a few months in 2019 while wagering on tennis, football and basketball games through a third party who worked for an illegal gambling operation run by Wayne Nix, a former minor league baseball player.
Nix pled guilty in 2022 to conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business and subscribing to a false tax return. He is still awaiting sentencing.
Authorities said Puig placed at least 900 bets through Nix-controlled betting websites and through a man who worked for Nix.
Prosecutors said that during a January 2022 interview with federal investigators, Puig denied knowing about the nature of his bets, who he was betting with, and the circumstances of paying his gambling debts.
But he changed his tune months later, announcing that he was switching his plea to not guilty because of “significant new evidence,” according to a statement from his attorneys in Los Angeles.
“I want to clear my name,” Puig said in the statement. “I never should have agreed to plead guilty to a crime I did not commit.”
The government argued that he intentionally misled the federal investigators. They played in court audio clips of Puig speaking English and brought expert witnesses to testify on Puig’s cognitive abilities, the New York Times reported.
His attorneys said that Puig, who has a third-grade education, had untreated mental-health issues and did not have his own interpreter or criminal legal counsel with him during the interview with federal investigators where he purportedly lied.
Puig’s former attorney Steven Gebelin testified that during the January 2022 interview, Puig tried to be helpful in answering the investigators’ questions and the interpreter struggled with Puig’s Spanish language dialect, according to the New York Times.
Puig batted .277 with 132 home runs and 415 RBIs while appearing in seven major league seasons, the first six with the Dodgers, where he earned an All-Star selection in 2014.
Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully called Puig the “wild horse” for his on-field antics and talent at a young age, joining MLB at 22, a year after escaping his home country of Cuba.
He played for the Cincinnati Reds and the Cleveland Indians in 2019 before becoming a free agent. He then played in the Mexican League and last year he signed a one-year, $1 million contact with South Korea’s Kiwoom Heroes.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 27: Paul Goldschmidt #48 of the New York Yankees in action during the game against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium on September 27, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On January 28th, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman addressed the media after Cody Bellinger’s return to the Bronx became official. When inevitably asked about the Yankees deciding to essentially bring back the same roster that lost the AL East and the ALDS to the Blue Jays in 2025, he said that this wasn’t the case:
“It’s not the same roster. … I disagree it’s the same team running it back. … Not afraid to run with the quality and talented roster of players that we do have. I think we’ve been consistent with that throughout the entire winter”
Well here we are a week later and news just broke of the Yankees officially bringing another dude back from the 2025 team, and someone far less essential than Bellinger: first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. ESPN’s Jeff Passan had the report of the 2022 NL MVP accepting a one-year deal to play a second season in New York. A later report from Ronald Blum of the Associated Press had the financials at “$5 million or less.”
First baseman Paul Goldschmidt and the New York Yankees are finalizing a one-year contract, sources tell ESPN. Goldschmidt, 38, returns to the Yankees after hitting .274/.328/.403 for them last season.
I know that it is not hip at all in the year 2026 to do reaction GIFs or clips, but I’m sorry. I can only be who I am.
Is there an argument that it makes sense to bring Goldschmidt back since up-and-coming first baseman Ben Rice didn’t hit that well against lefties in 2026? Sure. But here’s the dirty secret: Goldschmidt stopped hitting lefties after Memorial Day, too.
Paul Goldschmidt, a righty swinger, had a .981 OPS against lefties last year. But that number fell to .676 from June 1 through the end of the regular season. #Yankeeshttps://t.co/gqffjOhr9S
For the record, Ben Rice’s season OPS against lefties was .752. So that’s neat.
The 2025 World Series was a seven-game classic between two great teams: the Dodgers and Blue Jays. The Dodgers became MLB’s first back-to-back champion since the 1998-2000 dynasty Yankees. They still bolstered their roster this offseason by signing two All-Stars in closer Edwin Díaz and outfielder Kyle Tucker. If one bounce went another way in that Fall Classic or if Isiah Kiner-Falefa got a better lead at third base late in Game 7, the Blue Jays would’ve won it all. They didn’t; although they lost Bo Bichette to the Mets, they’ve still responded this offseason by signing Dylan Cease to boost their rotation and bringing aboard infielder Kazuma Okamoto from the NPB.
The Yankees are running it back. Cashman can try to get cute in his responses by acting like Trade Deadline moves for relievers and bench players make it so that’s not quite the case because well, well, uh, well, they weren’t there in the first half! And Devin Williams and Luke Weaver are gone, so that’s different! Ryan Weathers is here and will totally stay healthy and reach his highest potential! Getting Gerrit Cole back after Tommy John surgery will be like a Trade Deadline acquisition! No one’s ever had a tricky time finding their rhythm again after a year and a half away from the game. And we tied for the most wins in the American League so we’re great! It’s fine! Championship-caliber and all!
Look, the AL is not inspiring and the Yankees should remain good. That is a fact. Still, I come back to this other fact: The 1998 Yankees were probably the best team in baseball history. After winning it all, they shook it up a bit anyway because there was still room for improvement, trading fan favorite and playoff standout David Wells in exchange for Roger Clemens. They then won two more championships.
So whatever. Congrats to Goldy I guess. This is no dig at him personally as he seems like a very nice fellow. But this is all just so silly — and that’s using a kind word.
DENVER — As criticism swirled around Sam Girard for his recent mistakes, Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar stepped up Wednesday night to defend his defenseman.
Girard faced intense backlash on social media after an offensive blueline turnover led to a breakaway goal for San Jose Sharks forward Phillip Kurashev, who buried a shot past Mackenzie Blackwood. The Avalanche, however, managed to overcome the error to win 4-2 at Ball Arena.
Not only did Bednar draw a clear line, but he also pushed back on the narrative that Girard hasn’t been performing well, insisting that his play has actually been improving in recent games.
Credit: DNVR. Jared Bednar defends Sam Girard, but didn't let him off the hook entirely for making a costly turnover.
"I actually think his game has been turning around recently," the coach stated regarding his puck-moving defenseman. "He's been playing pretty good. That (play with Kurashev) was just a bad decision.
"There's no way you're going to get back on that. The puck comes, it's sort of a broken play, it's trickling out to the point, the pressure's coming. A good decision would have been just punch it back down behind the net. You don't have to try to make something out of nothing, especially at the time and what just happened."
Colorado outshot San Jose 31-13 through the first two periods and entered the third with a 2-0 lead, but that advantage evaporated early in the final frame. Timothy Liljegren scored 43 seconds into the third period, ripping a slap shot from the point that Blackwood misjudged to make it a one-goal game. Less than three minutes later, Girard made the turnover that allowed San Jose to tie the game.
"They just got a quick one; they're starting to want to pour it on, and then we make that mistake and next thing you know the game's tied," Bednar said as he continued to analyze Girard's play. "I don't know if Cale (Makar) would have gotten back on that one.
"Once you turn it over and the guy's got a step on ya for the length of the ice, he's going to get a scoring chance. That's more decision than not being able to catch the guy."
Avalanche Attempts to Replace Girard Have Fallen Short
Acquired from the New York Rangers last season prior to the trade deadline, Ryan Lindgren was intended to serve as Girard’s replacement—a defense-first option who might sacrifice some offensive output in exchange for reliability on the back end, and at a more cost-effective contract. In the days leading up to July 1, the start of free agency, the Avalanche attempted to re-sign Lindgren before he became an unrestricted free agent, but Lindgren ultimately signed with the Seattle Kraken on a four-year, $18 million deal.
In the 18 games Lindgren appeared in for Colorado, he became the team's second-most-utilized left-shot defenseman behind Devon Toews. After Lindgren’s departure, the Avalanche added Brent Burns on a one-year deal. Meanwhile, Sam Malinski received a contract extension, and Girard has seen less ice time this season than at any point in his nine years with the team.
Girard, viewed as the centerpiece of the Matt Duchene trade, was acquired from the Nashville Predators in November 2017, with Duchene moving to the Ottawa Senators as part of the three-team deal.
The 27-year-old, who hails from Roberval, Quebec, has 37 career goals and 198 assists for 235 points in 588 NHL games. He is signed with Colorado through the 2026-27 season, but it will be interesting to see if the Avalanche commit through the end of the contract despite Bednar's recent comments about his improving game.
Oct 16, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz guard John Tonje (17) drives with the ball against Portland Trail Blazers guard Jrue Holiday (5) during the second half at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Peter Creveling-Imagn Images | Peter Creveling-Imagn Images
BOSTON — Amid all the chao of Thursday’s NBA midseason tradeline deadline, the Celtics traded for two-way player John Tonje.
Tonje, who was drafted by the Utah Jazz 53rd overall in June, was in the middle of standout season with the Salt Lake City stars when he learned he was traded. He ultimately landed in Boston as part of the trade that sent Chris Boucher to the Jazz.
For Tonje, the Celtics mark a new opportunity, but also a reunion of sorts.
The 24-year-old doesn’t know a ton of people in Boston, but he does know one: Celtics guard Baylor Scheierman.
Tonje and Scheierman were AAU teammates in high school, years ago at the Omaha Sports Academy. That club no longer exists, but its legacy lives on: for the first time, the Celtics have two players from Nebraska.
When Scheierman found out that Tonje was coming to Boston, he immediately texted him to congratulate. The two reunited on Friday morning at the Auerbach Center, as Tonje got his first time of the new organization.
“We kept in touch a little bit throughout college — not like a whole lot,” Scheierman said. “But, so it’s cool to have someone from Nebraska, for sure.”
Plenty of people from Omaha were excited to see Tonje and Scheierman reunite.
“I had a bunch of people from back home blowing up my phone,” Scheierman said. “All my old AAU teammates. It’s cool that he’s that he’s here with us. He’s a talented player.”
Tonje appeared in 32 games for the Salt Lake City Stars this season, averaging 18 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. That came on the heels of a big-time NCAA Tournament run with Wisconsin Badgers, in which he averaged 19.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Before Wisconsin, he spent four seasons at Colorado State, and one year in Missouri.
But, before all of that, Tonje was another very talented Nebraskan basketball player, just like Scheierman.
“He can score in a variety of ways,” he said. “He’s a good defender. I think those are the two biggest things that stood out to me back in those days. I was completely different player and build back in those days, but I think those are the two things that stuck out the most, was just his physical maturity, it was just the ability to score.”
Tonje’s locker room at TD Garden sits across the way from Scheierman’s, and two will undoubtedly have plenty of time to catch up in the coming months.
But, for now, Scheierman has gotten a kick out of a pretty unlikely reunion that emerged amid the chaos of a busy trade deadline.
“It’s a cool thing,” Scheierman said. “Just for Nebraska to have two Nebraskans on the same team.”
New York Yankees first base Paul Goldschmidt strikes out swinging during the third inning of the Rays vs Yankees game at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York, USA, Tuesday, July 29, 2025.
The Yankees really are running it back.
Add Paul Goldschmidt to the list of returning players to The Bronx after the Yankees agreed to a one-year deal with the veteran first baseman, sources told The Post’s Joel Sherman.
Goldschmidt gives the Yankees a right-handed bat who can fill in for lefty-swinging Ben Rice, who is expected to be the primary first baseman this season.
New York Yankees first baseman Paul Goldschmidt is coming back on a one-year deal. JASON SZENES/ NY POST
Goldschmidt, the 2022 National League MVP with the Cardinals, first signed with the Yankees last offseason and got off to a good start before he fell off in the second half.
But he remains solid defensively and gives the Yankees some much-needed balance in an infield that skews lefty, with Rice, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Ryan McMahon all hitting from the left side, along with catcher Austin Wells and outfielders Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham.
Goldschmidt also should be a valuable mentor to Rice, who is still learning how to play first base after coming up through the Yankees system primarily as a catcher — where he may still get time, along with Wells and possibly J.C. Escarra.
Although the 38-year-old Goldschmidt’s performance fell off in the second half, he still ended the season with an OPS of .981 against left-handed pitching and he can also serve as a defensive replacement for Rice.
Goldschmidt was also highly respected in the clubhouse and expressed a desire to return after the Yankees were knocked out of the playoffs.
Paul Goldschmidt joined the Yankees last season. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
They’ll hope the continued development of young players like Rice and Wells, along with the return of Gerrit Cole from Tommy John surgery by midseason and a full season of their acquisitions at last year’s trade deadline will put them in position to at least get back to the postseason.
The bench now consists of Goldschmidt, Amed Rosario and perhaps Escarra and Jasson Domínguez — unless the Yankees find a right-handed bat for the outfield, since the switch-hitting Domínguez struggles from the right side and in left field.
And to start the season, José Caballero figures to fill in for Anthony Volpe at shortstop while Volpe recovers from offseason surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder.
