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Canadiens Will Spend Break In Second Place In Atlantic Division

While the Montreal Canadiens were not playing on Thursday night, 14 teams were in action, including direct divisional rivals Buffalo Sabres, Boston Bruins, Ottawa Senators, Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning.

With a win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Sabres would have overtaken the Canadiens in second place in the Atlantic Division. Still, Lindy Ruff’s men were unable to pull it off against Sidney Crosby and company. The Pens won 5-2, which meant Buffalo stayed at 70 points in the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. The Canadiens have a two-point lead on them and must manage to maintain a lead over the Buffalo outfit, since the Sabres would, in all likelihood, have the first tie-breaker at the end of the year; they have 26 regulation wins, while the Habs only have 21.

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As for the Senators, they currently trail the Bruins, who hold the second wildcard spot, by six points, thanks to a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. While the Senators are not mathematically out of the playoff picture, a six-point deficit will be hard to make up with 25 games to go, given how strong the Atlantic Division has been this season.

Meanwhile, the two-time champions Panthers are trailing Boston by eight points after taking a 6-1 beating at the hands of the Lightning on Thursday night. The Cats’ frustration was evident as 147 penalty minutes were handed out to the Florida rivals. Matthew Tkachuk got a two-minute minor for abuse of officials and was looking for trouble all night, especially when he interfered with Nikita Kucherov, which led to a full-blown brawl in the third frame, when the Bolts were already up 4-0.

With the win, the Lightning now have a six-point lead over the Canadiens and have two games in hand. The Detroit Red Wings also have 72 points, like the Canadiens, but they have played one more game, which is why they find themselves in third place in the Atlantic.

If the Canadiens can keep the same pace, making the playoffs shouldn’t be a worry, but they’ll likely be jockeying for position right up till the end, and the first-round matchups won’t be clear until everyone has played 82 games. For now, though, the Habs can enjoy the break sitting in second place in the division and won’t have to worry about scoreboard watching until the end of February.

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Clase Alleged Pitch-Fixing Might Have Been Broader Than Federal Indictments Revealed

Emmanuel Clase scandal
IMAGN/Brant James illustration

Former Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase, who is to stand trial in May on federal sports corruption charges, allegedly conspired to rig far more pitches than originally revealed by federal prosecutors, according to a document filed on Thursday in the Eastern District of New York (EDNY) and quoted by ESPN.

That’s part of the reason why his co-conspirator, former Cleveland pitcher Luis Ortiz, is attempting to have a separate trial.

The indictment unsealed in November against Clase and Ortiz alleges that Clase had conspired with bettors to manipulate prop bets by intentionally throwing pitches that were errant or at agreed-upon velocities in nine games from 2023-25. Ortiz allegedly began doing the same in June.

A filing by Ortiz attorney Christos N. Georgalis asked that his client’s case to be severed from Clase’s because of “markedly different levels of culpability,” and their expected conflicting defenses. Georgalis noted that Clase had been much more invested in the plot, specifically serving as the conduit to the alleged Dominican Republic gambling ring.

ESPN reported on Thursday that the court filing claimed that Clase had manipulate pitches in 48 games. That had been redacted from the docket entry on Friday.

Another court filing notes that at least 250 pitches are in question.

Clase, conflicts, contentiousness

Ortiz’s attorneys argue that a jury would be prejudiced against their client by association as it listens to “26 months of alleged criminal conduct” by Clase. They contend that because of the small scale of alleged misconduct against Ortiz, his trial could wrap in days. Sitting through Clase’s trial, they argue, incriminates him by association.

It also appears that Ortiz attorneys will stress how little time the pitcher was involved, and that he never communicated, they say, with gamblers. Prosecutors claim that each accepted bribes from two gamblers in the Dominican Republic, who won at least $460,000 wagering on their pitch outcomes.

“Given the defendants’ likely mutually antagonistic defenses,” the request continues, “severance is warranted because prejudice to Mr. Ortiz likely will arise.”

According to Ortiz’s attorneys, Clase lawyers Michael Ferrara, Michael Bronson, Lindsay Gerdes, and Riley Able of the law firm Dinsmore & Shohl participated in pre-indictment interviews with four potential government witnesses and would be called to testify in Ortiz’s trial.

Clase and Ortiz each pleaded not guilty to wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, and conspiracy to influence sporting events by bribery charges. They could face upward of 65 years in federal prison.

While Clase was originally charged with conspiring with bettors from 2023-2025, Ortiz was accused of rigging pitches in two games over a 12-day span in June. Both were placed on administrative leave in July through an agreement with MLB and the player union.

Clase led the American League in saves from 2022-24, and was third in Cy Young voting in 2024. He had 24 saves in 2025 when he was placed on leave.

A court filing from Jan. 16 described the federal investigation of Clase as “ongoing.” The EDNY must file its reply in opposition to Ortiz’s sever request by Feb. 17.

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2026 Fantasy Baseball First Base Rankings: Can you still trust Freddie Freeman and Matt Olson?

Spring training is just around the corner, and fantasy baseball drafts are kicking into gear. That means it's time to start diving into our positional rankings for the 2026 fantasy baseball season. We're going to kick things off with the big boppers over at first base.

Last season, there were 17 first basemen who earned at least $10 of value, according to Fangraphs' Player Rater. That was the most for any infield position, which hints at the depth we have at first base. Some of that is the old stalwarts like Freddie Freeman, Matt Olson, Bryce Harper, Vladimir Guerrero, Pete Alonso, and Yandy Diaz. However, we also had young players like Nick Kurtz, Vinnie Pasquantino, Michael Busch, and Tyler Soderstrom emerge as consistent producers this season.

When you add to that, players like Rafael Devers and Willson Contreras gaining first base eligibility, this is probably the deepest the position has ever been, and we haven’t yet talked about Christian Walker, who is coming off of a down year, Spencer Torkelson, who made the most of his second chance, and Ben Rice, who figures to get a chance to be the everyday first baseman for the Yankees now that they have moved on from Paul Goldschmidt.

As it stands, all is well with the first base landscape, and while it’s tempting to try and lock in one of the elite bats at the position, this might be the best position to wait on in drafts and still find value with a middle-round starter. So, who could some of those options be?

 Coming soon: MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason, and much more.

⚾ 2026 Fantasy Baseball First Base Rankings

** Rotoworld staff consensus rankings **

RankPlayerPouliotSamulskiSchianoShortMontanezBissellShoveinCrawfordConsensus Avg
1Guerrero Jr., Vladimir132111411.75
2Kurtz, Nick211332121.875
3Alonso, Pete323223653.25
4Harper, Bryce455445765
5Freeman, Freddie567767335.5
6Olson, Matt846556585.875
7Devers, Rafael1274674846.5
8Naylor, Josh10912999278.375
9Pasquantino, Vinnie78812810998.875
10Soderstrom, Tyler9119111011111010.25
11Rice, Ben1110118118191211.25
12Busch, Michael161214101213141112.75
13Diaz, Yandy151310141314121613.375
14Stewart, Sal61715171915101814.625
15Perez, Salvador171516131612241315.75
16Contreras, Willson141413151716231515.875
17Torkelson, Spencer191920181818171417.875
18Aranda, Jonathan251817161517201718.125
19Walker, Christian252518191419131919
20Burleson, Alec131619202525162019.25

Editor's Note: ALL THE PROJECTIONS YOU SEE BELOW ARE COURTESY OF OUR OWN MATTHEW POULIOT

⚾ 2026 First Base Projections and Previews

1) Vladimir Guerrero Jr - Toronto Blue Jays

2026 Outlook: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is an elite hitter, but he finished as the 5th-ranked first baseman in 2025, behind Pete Alonso, Josh Naylor, Nick Kurtz, and Rafael Devers. Most of that can be attributed to a step back in power. Vlad hit .292 and continues to hit the ball incredibly hard, but his fly ball rate remains under 33%, which has always made it hard for him to reach his power ceiling. At this point, he probably isn’t changing who he is as a hitter. He’s going to push a .300 average with around 25 home runs and has the potential to top both 90 runs and RBI in a good lineup. However, he’s not going to steal many bases, and the power ceiling is something you need to plan around with the rest of your roster. Getting only 25 home runs from your 1B means you have to prioritize power in other places in your draft, but that’s a plan that can work.

2026 projection: (Mixed $38): 602 AB, 104 R, 30 HR, 101 RBI, 7 SB, 35 2B, 1 3B, .304/.388/.515

2) Nick Kurtz - Athletics

2026 Outlook: Nick Kurtz was the fourth pick in the 2024 MLB Draft and had played just 12 minor league games before the Athletics sent him to Triple-A to begin the 2025 season. It seemed like an incredibly aggressive promotion, but Kurtz responded by crushing Triple-A pitching for 20 games and forcing his way into a promotion. In his first 28 MLB games, he hit .245/.315/.447 with five home runs and a 33.3% strikeout rate. It wasn’t a terrible start, but it certainly didn’t indicate that he would catch fire as quickly as he did. From June 1st on, Kurtz hit .304/.403/.669 with 31 home runs and 71 RBI in 89 games. He did strike out 30% of the time, but that’s always going to be a part of his game. He doesn't chase outside of the zone, so he's not going to get himself out, which will help to mitigate some of his swing-and-miss risk. He’s still just 22 years old and will play another season in hitter-friendly Sacramento with a young and improving lineup around him. It’s hard not to get excited about his future.

2026 projection: (Mixed $35): 555 AB, 103 R, 41 HR, 99 RBI, 4 SB, 32 2B, 2 3B, .270/.370/.557

3) Pete Alonso - Baltimore Orioles

2026 Outlook: Pete Alonso had his best season yet in 2025, setting career highs in batting average, plate appearances, and barrel rate while posting his sixth straight full season with at least 34 home runs. In non-COVID seasons, Alonso averages 41.3 home runs per season, which is tremendous consistency and value from a power standpoint. The big reason why his fantasy value jumped last year, in addition to hitting behind Juan Soto and driving in 126 runs, was that Alonso went to a more all-fields approach and trusted his power to play regardless. He had the lowest pull rate of his career and the lowest fly ball rate of his career, instead focusing on hard line drives. That approach should help him in his move to Camden Yards, where he will hit in the middle of an order that lacks a Juan Soto but is deeper than what the Mets put out last year. The new park may also help him from a base hit perspective and stave off some batting average regression.

2026 projection: (Mixed $34): 594 AB, 92 R, 40 HR, 119 RBI, 2 SB, 30 2B, 1 3B, .261/.340/.517

4) Bryce Harper - Philadelphia Phillies

2026 Outlook: Are we seeing a moderate decline from Bryce Harper? He will be 33, and his batting average has fallen each of the last three years. His batting average and OPS have dropped for three years in a row, with his OPS falling to .844, which was his worst mark since 2016. His barrel rate rebounded slightly from 2024 but is still below his peak, and his line drive rate was the second-lowest of his career. This doesn’t mean Harper will be bad, but his swinging strike rates are up, and his raw power numbers are down, with last year also being his lowest maxEV since 2016. This may be who Bryce Harper is right now, a .270 hitter with 25+ home runs and 10 steals in a pretty good lineup, but unlikely to play over 145 games. You’re fine with that production on your team, but you don’t need to reach for it.

2026 projection: (Mixed $18): 533 AB, 88 R, 30 HR, 84 RBI, 12 SB, 31 2B, 1 3B, .270/.366/.501

5) Freddie Freeman - Los Angeles Dodgers

2026 Outlook: Will age ever catch up with Freddie Freeman? The team context is great, and the results have been there. Last year, he basically gave you the same production as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for far less of a draft cost. The 36-year-old played in 147 games last year, marking the seventh straight non-COVID season that he has played in at least that many. He also has nine straight years with at least 20 home runs and at least a .282 batting average. Freeman also posted his second-highest barrel rate since 2021 and his highest maxEV since 2016, so the raw power numbers are still there. I know people want to get off the train before it stalls and don’t want to draft Freeman when he finally craters, but I don’t see any signs that it’s going to happen next season. He should continue to hit in the middle of the order of perhaps the best lineup in baseball, and that provides a lot of value.

2026 projection: (Mixed $15): 572 AB, 89 R, 24 HR, 91 RBI, 6 SB, 34 2B, 1 3B, .281/.368/.470

6) Matt Olson - Atlanta Braves

2026 Outlook: Our consensus rankings may be a bit low on Matt Olson.Yes, we’re now three years removed from the last time Olson topped 30 home runs, but he just posted his second-best exit velocity ever and registered a 14.3% barrel rate that’s his second-best mark since 2019. His fly ball rate dropped, and groundball rate increased, which may have impacted the home run totals, but we’re talking about just 3%, so it’s not a major change. He chased less outside of the zone and had his second-lowest swinging strike rate ever, so I don’t think the batting average was a major fluke.This Braves offense is going to be better in 2026, and Olson could push for a .260 average while hitting in the middle of it (I know our projections disagree). He won’t steal bases, but you could get 30 home runs and 90+ runs and RBI, so I’m not entirely sure why that’s a profile people aren’t more interested in drafting.

2026 projection: (Mixed $10): 588 AB, 95 R, 31 HR, 89 RBI, 1 SB, 32 2B, 1 3B, .248/.351/.464

7) Rafael Devers - San Francisco Giants

2026 Outlook: After all that drama in Boston, Rafael Devers is now first base eligible, which is the role he figures to occupy for much of the 2026 season. The bigger question is what impact Oracle Park will have on him. Devers was somebody who often went to the opposite field in Boston, using the Green Monster to his advantage, so he struggled initially when he had to change his approach in San Francisco. Overall, Devers hit .236/.347/.460 with 20 home runs in 90 games with the Giants, striking out 29.4% of the time and pulling the ball 45% of the time, which is 8% higher than his career average. He did make tons of hard contact, so the power and counting stats should remain solid, but there are legitimate questions about whether or not the 29-year-old can shift his approach so drastically and still maintain his .276 career batting average while playing in San Francisco.

2026 projection: (Mixed $8): 574 AB, 86 R, 28 HR, 88 RBI, 2 SB, 30 2B, 1 3B, .256/.348/.458

8) Josh Naylor - Seattle Mariners

2026 Outlook: What a wild season for Josh Naylor.We knew his 31 home run season in 2024 was fluky, but he found new ways to produce fantasy value by improving his batting average and shattering his career-high in stolen bases. Without making a drastic change in approach, Naylor saw a huge increase in his batting average, which sounded a few alarm bells. He was a bit more aggressive outside of the zone, but his contact rate was identical to 2024. He did see more pitches in the zone, so perhaps being in a deeper lineup helped him, but his pull rates and fly ball rates were all pretty similar to 2024, while he also posted his lowest full-season barrel rate since his rookie year. It’s hard to see Naylor keeping up this .290-plus batting average, and his previous career-high in steals was 10, so stealing 19 bases in just 54 games with the Mariners is doing a lot of heavy lifting with his fantasy value this year. He seems like a clear regression candidate, but could still provide top ten value at the position.

2026 projection: (Mixed $9): 568 AB, 73 R, 24 HR, 91 RBI, 14 SB, 30 2B, 0 3B, .259/.321/.438

9) Vinnie Pasquantino - Kansas City Royals

2026 Outlook: We finally saw some high-end power from Vinnie Pasquantinoto pair with his typically strong batting average. Even before we knew that the Royals were going to be moving the fences in at Kauffman Stadium, I was buying into that being repeatable. Pasquantino has always had an elite approach at the plate with strong contact rates and few whiffs. On the surface, little changed with his approach. His chase rates, overall swing rates, pull rates, and fly ball rates all seem almost identical. However, there were a few minor changes that allowed him to increase his barrel rate by nearly 4% and his HR/FB% by over 4%. For starters, Pasquantino was more aggressive early in the count, falling behind in the count less. He also raised his launch angle slightly and meaningfully increased his Pull Air%, meaning that even if he didn't put the ball in the air much more often, he did pull it more often when he got it in the air. Pair that with an increase in bat speed, and you start to see how the power gains were real. Maybe 32 home runs isn't in the cards in 2026, but he should at least push for 25 while hitting in the middle of a solid lineup that could see him top 100 RBI again. That's a profile that works in all leagues.

2026 projection: (Mixed $12): 598 AB, 81 R, 30 HR, 96 RBI, 1 SB, 30 2B, 1 3B, .264/.324/.468

10) Tyler Soderstrom - Athletics

2026 Outlook: Tyler Soderstrom started the season on fire, and the perception is that he cooled off after April, but that’s not entirely true. Yes, most of his power came in the first 30 games of the season, when he hit .284 with nine home runs and 24 RBI, and, yes, his next two months were a struggle, but from July 1st on, Soderstrom hit .305/.351/.530 with 11 home runs and 46 RBI in 72 games. That's not somebody who just had one strong month or one hot stretch. Soderstrom also showed real gains with his plate discipline, not becoming more passive but being more intentional about what he swung at. His overall swing rate remained the same, but he improved his contact rate by over 6% and cut his swinging strike rate by 3%, down to just 10.8%. Yes, it would be nice to see him lift the ball more regularly, but he posted an 11.4% barrel rate and has the bat speed to do real damage. Given that he's going to play another season in Sacramento, we should expect his power to play even without an approach change, but there's a real chance he can surpass 30 home runs if he pulls the ball in the air a bit more. Another way to look at it is that he has slightly more raw power than Vinnie Pasquantino and slightly worse plate discipline, but plays in one of the best home parks in baseball.

2026 projection: (Mixed $10): 544 AB, 79 R, 28 HR, 89 RBI, 6 SB, 28 2B, 1 3B, .267/.339/.476

Syndication: Detroit Free Press
2026 Fantasy Baseball Top 300 Rankings: Judge and Ohtani at the top; Skenes and Skubal in Top 10
Michael Harris II, Sal Stewart and Luis Robert Jr. are on the rise in our 5x5 player rankings for 2026.

11) Ben Rice - New York Yankees

*Also covered by Matthew Pouliot in the catcher preview

2026 Outlook: Many expect Rice to bust out as the Yankees’ primary first baseman this season, but the breakthrough already took place, and Rice was just really unlucky it didn’t materialize more obviously. Of last year’s 145 batting-title qualifiers, Rice ranked 15th in barrel rate, seventh in hard-hit rate, seventh with a .557 xSLG and sixth with a .394 xwOBA. He did this with just an 18.9% strikeout rate. Of the six guys ahead of him on the hard-hit rate list, Aaron Judge had the next best strikeout rate at 23.6%. Pretty much everything beyond the fine-but-unspectacular .255/.337/.499 line painted him as one of baseball’s best hitters.

Of course, Rice didn’t face many lefties along the way, and it remains to be seen if he’ll be platooned this year. Rice had seven homers and a .752 OPS in his 119 plate appearances against lefties last season, but that came with a .208 average and a 27.7% strikeout rate. He projects to be adequate but probably below average against lefties this year. Against righties, though, he should be simply outstanding, and that he probably won’t be catching much or at all makes him a better bet to stay off the IL than pretty much everyone else eligible there. - Matthew Pouliot

2026 Projections: (Mixed $12): 487 AB, 78 R, 28 HR, 81 RBI, 4 SB, 24 2B, 2 3B, .265/.351/.495

12) Michael Busch - Chicago Cubs

2026 Outlook: In his second season as a full-time starter, Michael Busch started to make good on his prospect pedigree, clubbing 34 home runs while driving in 90 runs for the Cubs. What's more important, he cut his strikeout rate by over 5% while making small improvements to his overall contact rate. Busch didn't have an alarming swinging strike rate last season, and also didn't chase out of the zone that often, so there weren't massive weaknesses to cover up, but the 28-year-old was more aggressive early in the count, jumping on his pitch and not letting himself get behind in the count. We also saw him increase his fly ball rate and pull rate, which helped him make more damaging contact. He posted a 17% barrel rate, while increasing his hard-hit rate by over 7% and cutting his Oppo Air%, which means he hit fewer balls in the air to the opposite field and started pulling them more often. Considering his raw power is very real, this approach change helped him unlock the power ceiling that we knew he had. His moderate swinging strike rate also means he should always be a good bet for a batting average around .250 to go along with his strong power production. That makes him a safe option if you wait on first base in your drafts.

2026 Projections: (Mixed $4): 518 AB, 78 R, 27 HR, 81 RBI, 3 SB, 26 2B, 3 3B, .251/.339/.469

13) Yandy Diaz - Tampa Bay Rays

2026 Outlook: Yandy Diazfinally hit 25 home runs. Yay! He also played in a minor league ballpark and will move back to Tropicana Field next season. Underneath that career high in home runs is a hitter with similar barrel rates and exit velocities to what he’s always shown. He also pulled the ball at his lowest full-season rate ever and had his lowest fly ball rate since 2018. That is not a recipe for power production. At this point, we know who Diaz is and probably need to stop expecting him to be somebody else. We should continue to expect him to hit around .300 and score a decent amount of runs while hitting near the top of the lineup, but he can’t be counted on to surpass 20 home runs again, which dampens his fantasy value.

2026 Projections: (Mixed $5): 573 AB, 81 R, 19 HR, 75 RBI, 2 SB, 31 2B, 1 3B, .283/.361/.440

14) Sal Stewart - Cincinnati Reds

2026 Outlook: No, the arrival of Eugenio Suarez doesn't mean the end of Sal Stewart's fantasy value. Stewart is part of the reason that the Reds began playing Marte in the outfield late in the 2025 season and could easily hold down the starting first base job for the entirety of the 2026 season. The 21-year-old hit .309/.383/.524 with 20 home runs, 80 RBI, and 17 steals across 118 games in Double-A and Triple-A last year. He posted elite exit velocities and showed a good feel for the barrel with just a 10% swinging strike rate and 80% contact rate overall. His approach has always been solid, and the power gains he made in 2025 seem real. He has played multiple positions on the infield, but with Ke'Bryan Hayes at third base and Eugenio Suarez at designated hitter, Stewart will need to perform in spring training to lock down the first base job and keep Spencer Steer in the outfield. He's certainly capable of doing so and would likely hit in the middle of a solid lineup, and could also provide counting stats value. Yes, the playing time is a risk here, but the payoff could be special.

2026 Projections: (Mixed $13): 553 AB, 79 R, 28 HR, 87 RBI, 8 SB, 29 2B, 1 3B, .271/.333/.479

15) Salvador Perez - Kansas City Royals

*Also covered by Matthew Pouliot in the catcher preview

2026 Outlook: Perez slipped to .236/.284/.446 in his age-35 season after coming in at .268/.312/.484 over the previous five years, and given his age, it’d seem reasonable to project continued decline, and, yet, his age really seems to be the only reason to do that. Perez’s EV numbers last year were all better than his norms, especially his 14.7% barrel rate, which compares to 10.2% for his career. Just 43% of his barrels became homers, compared to 56% the previous three years. His strikeout rate was also down. That his BABIP plummeted to .251 from a .290 career mark (.295 the previous three years) just doesn’t make much sense.

Perez also has two significant new positives to consider here. First, the presence of Carter Jensen means that Perez should be doing more DHing than ever, keeping him healthy and strong. Second, the Royals have moved in their fences down the corners, something that’ll probably earn him a couple of extra homers over the course of 81 games. All things considered, he just might be the best value pick among the top 10 catchers. - Matthew Pouliot

2026 projections: (Mixed $5): 567 AB, 62 R, 32 HR, 95 RBI, 0 SB, 24 2B, 0 3B, .245/.292/.457

16) Willson Contreras - Boston Red Sox

2026 Outlook: Willson Contreras is aging but safe and a solid later-round gamble at this position. He has remained incredibly consistent over the years with his OPS+ numbers from the last four seasons ranging from 123 to 138. Despite being 33 years old last year, he still had 95th-percentile bat speed and is moving into a nice home ballpark for a player with a 41% career pull rate. Contreras also spiked the highest fly ball rate of his career last year and the highest barrel rate he’s ever posted. The Red Sox have already announced that he will likely hit clean-up for them, which means Contreras could be a 25 HR bat with a .270 average on a good team that will give him solid counting stats. The consistency he provides can’t be overlooked.

2026 Projections: (Mixed $6): 519 AB, 79 R, 25 HR, 87 RBI, 4 SB, 28 2B, 1 3B, .258/.349/.461

17) Spencer Torkelson - Detroit Tigers

2026 Outlook: After struggling so much in 2024 that he was sent to the minors, Spencer Torkelson was given another chance due to injuries to his teammates early in the 2025 season and rebounded in a big way, slashing .240/.333/.456 with 31 home runs and 78 RBI in 155 games for the Tigers. The former number one overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft was a little more selective at the plate, cutting his chase rate and his overall swing rate, which led to an improved swinging strike rate and lower strikeout rate. Of course, he still only hit .240, and batting average will never be an asset of his. Still, he had a 13.5% barrel rate and has above-average bat speed, so power will likely always be a consistent part of his game. His max exit velocities are below those of other big power hitters in the league, but Torkelson has optimized his approach, with 72% of his batted balls being in the air and 32% of his batted balls being pulled in the air. That will allow him to continue to produce 25+ home runs despite not having elite exit velocities, but we should expect him to hit closer to .220 than the .240 mark he put up last year.

2026 Projections: (Mixed $1): 535 AB, 74 R, 26 HR, 81 RBI, 2 SB, 28 2B, 1 3B, .234/.321/.436

18) Jonathan Aranda - Tampa Bay Rays

2026 Outlook: Jonathan Aranda was a popular sleeper heading into the 2025 season, and he made good on that hype, posting a .316/.393/.489 slash line with 14 home runs and 59 RBI in 106 games. The Rays didn't want to give him many at-bats against left-handed pitching, limiting him to just 98 plate appearances against southpaws on the season, but Aranda did hit .274/.378/.345 in those appearances, so perhaps he gets a bit more of an opportunity there in 2026. He would need to in order to pay off for fantasy managers because he'd otherwise be limited to around 450-500 plate appearances. Despite posting a 13% barrel rate and 93 mph average exit velocity while playing in a minor league ballpark, Aranda hit just 14 home runs. He did have a 24% Pull Air%, but he doesn't put the ball in the air a lot, posting just a 27% fly ball rate. That kind of approach, when paired with his quality of contact, will enable him to post high batting averages, but will likely cap his power ceiling. Our projections have him for 20 home runs, but I'd feel more comfortable assuming 15 from him. That will also come with no speed, so that could make Aranda more of a corner infield option.

2026 Projections: (Mixed $1): 521 AB, 72 R, 20 HR, 75 RBI, 1 SB, 27 2B, 1 3B, .263/.341/.434

19) Christian Walker - Houston Astros

2026 Outlook: We may have just seen the cliff for Christian Walker. The 34-year-old is coming off a year in which he posted his worst batting average, strikeout rate, contact rate, and swinging strike rate since he became a full-time starter in 2019. He also had his second-worst OPS and ISO over that same time period. There are some concerns that he is struggling to catch up to fastballs as he gets older. He hit just .215 against four-seam fastballs last year with a 32% strikeout rate while producing his worst Run Value against that pitch since 2021. Those are all worrying signs. However, he also posted a nearly 13% barrel rate, had exit velocities in line with his normal production, and slugged 27 home runs. In fact, he posted a .799 OPS after the All-Star break, which was far and away the best mark on the Astros. What's more, he continues to pull the ball in the air a lot, which will lead to home runs in his home park. At the end of the day, the batting average may only keep trending down, but Walker could still push for 30 home runs while hitting in the middle of a good lineup, so there is value there in the right builds.

2026 Projections: (Mixed $1): 531 AB, 71 R, 28 HR, 78 RBI, 2 SB, 22 2B, 1 3B, .230/.311/.433

20) Alec Burleson - St. Louis Cardinals

2026 Outlook: Alec Burleson figures to move to first base full-time next season after the Cardinals traded Willson Contreras to the Red Sox this offseason. The 27-year-old Burleson has hit .279/.328/.439 with 39 homers, 147 RBI, and 14 steals in 291 games over the past two seasons. He had a respectable 9.4% barrel rate and 91 mph average exit velocity in 2025, but he also increased his bat speed and increased his fly ball rate nearly 6%, which should allow him to continue to push for 20 home runs despite not having plus raw power. Burleson does have a strong approach at the plate and makes consistent quality contact, so he should produce strong batting averages with double-digit steals, but his counting stats will be hampered by a rebuilding lineup around him. The Cardinals also tend to sit him against left-handed pitching, which could cut into his overall plate appearances, but Burleson should remain a borderline mixed-league starter at first base and a great corner infield target in all formats.

2026 Projections: (Mixed $6): 576 AB, 74 R, 22 HR, 83 RBI, 5 SB, 30 2B, 1 3B, .280/.332/.450

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Would You Extend St. Louis Cardinals Manager Oli Marmol or Fire Him?

ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - APRIL 4: St. Louis Cardinals manager Oli Marmol looks on during a game against the Miami Marlins during the home opener at Busch Stadium on April 4, 2024 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Joe Puetz/Getty Images) | Getty Images

I don’t want to give away my age, but let’s just say that I’ve lived long enough to witness 11 St. Louis Cardinals managers. Of all of them, I can’t remember any that were more polarizing that Oli Marmol. My question for you is would you extend Oli or let him go as your next move?

I will admit that I have been very conflicted about how I feel about the job that Oli Marmol has done during his tenure as manager of the St. Louis Cardinals. I thought he did an outstanding job managing the team during the 2022 season when Albert Pujols returned for his final year, but that was also the last time our beloved team has seen the playoffs, too. I have been less thrilled with the past 3 seasons, but that’s more of a roster gripe than a reflection on Oli’s managerial skills.

According to the St. Louis Cardinals, here are the most recent 11 managers and their records:

Oliver Marmol 2022-present: 325-323
Mike Shildt 2018-2021: 252-199
Mike Matheny 2012-2018: 591-474
Tony La Russa 1996-2011: 1,408-1,182
Mike Jorgensen 1995: 42-54
Joe Torre 1990-95: 351-354
Red Schoendienst 1965-76, 1980, 1990: 1,041-955
Whitey Herzog 1980-90: 822-728
Ken Boyer 1978-80: 166-191
Jack Krol 1978, 80: 2-2
Vern Rapp 1977-78: 88-89

When you compare Oli Marmol to other St. Louis Cardinals managers of the past several decades, you see that he’s not the only one with a mediocre win-loss record, but his win percentage is lower than both Mike Shildt and Mike Matheny.

It’s a part of our written record that I balked at the idea that the St. Louis Cardinals had already started talking about an extension of Oli Marmol earlier this winter. Now that I’ve had a chance to dwell on it a little more, I’m now not as much against the idea as I was previously. I still don’t believe that Oli Marmol will be the manager who helps return the Cardinals to greatness, but if I’m being honest with myself that isn’t a likely result for the next couple of years anyway. I think I’m now fine with an extension of a couple of years maybe, but that’s all I’m willing to commit. I’m much more interested in what you would do. Would you extend Oli Marmol now and, if so, for how long or would you give him his walking papers? I’m willing to alter my viewpoint if you can make the case for what you believe.

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Ben Rortvedt back with Dodgers, who DFA Anthony Banda

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 18: Anthony Banda #43 talks with Ben Rortvedt #47 of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the eighth inning of play against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium on September 18, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The long and winding road of the Ben Rortvedt offseason boomerang has returned once again to Los Angeles. The Dodgers claimed the catcher off waivers from the Reds, the inverse of what happened way back on November 12. To make room for Rortvedt on the 40-man roster, pitcher Anthony Banda was designated for assignment.

Cincinnati designated Rortvedt for assignment on Tuesday when they finalized a one-year deal for slugger Eugenio Suárez.

Rortvedt has played in the majors of four of the last five seasons (2021, 2023-25) for the Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays, and Dodgers. Los Angeles acquired the catcher in a three-team trade on July 31, when Rortvedt was off the 40-man roster.

With injuries to both Will Smith and Dalton Rushing in September, Rortvedt not only found his way back to the majors but also started 15 of the Dodgers’ final 21 regular season games behind the plate. He also started the first four postseason games for Los Angeles until Smith was ready to return from a broken hand, and Rortvedt remained active for the entirety of the postseason.

Rortvedt signed a $1.25 million deal for 2026 in November to avoid salary arbitration, and per the collective bargaining agreement all such deals for arbitration-eligible players outside of a hearing are guaranteed.

Rortvedt is out of minor league options, having used options from 2021-23, so the Dodgers will be in the same boat with him as before if Smith and Rushing are both healthy and active come opening day, as expected. The Dodgers tried to get Rortvedt through waivers in November, hoping to keep him around as catching depth off the 40-man roster, before the Reds claimed him.

Banda also avoided salary arbitration this winter, signing a one-year, $1.625 million contract in January. Banda is used to bouncing around, having pitched for seven major league teams in his first seven seasons before finding some semblance of stability in the Dodgers bullpen.

The veteran Banda is also out of options, though that didn’t hinder him from sticking around and pitching in important games over the last two seasons.

In 2024-25 in Los Angeles, Banda had a 3.14 ERA and 3.46 xERA in 119 games, with 111 strikeouts and 52 walks in 114 2/3 innings, his best two seasons by ERA, games, innings, and strikeouts. The left-hander was a workhorse in the last two postseason, pitching in 17 of the Dodgers’ 33 games.

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Emma Raducanu into first final since 2021 US Open at Transylvania Open

  • Briton beats Oleksandra Oliynykova in three tough sets

  • British No 4 Katie Boulter also makes final in Ostrava

Emma Raducanu has reached her first final since the 2021 US Open. The ­British No 1 beat Oleksandra ­Oliynykova 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 in a tough semi-final to take her place in Saturday’s Transylvania Open final in Cluj.

She now has a shot at winning her first title since her incredible success at Flushing Meadows in 2021 when she announced herself as a real force on the WTA Tour.

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Nashville's Michael McCarron Fined For Slash On Washington's Trevor van Riemsdyk

In the Nashville Predators' last game against the Washington Capitals, Preds' forward Michael McCarron slashed Caps defensemen Trevor van Riemsdyk.

The NHL announced on Friday that McCarron has been fined $2,343.75, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for his slash.

In the third period of the game, McCarron whacked van Riemsdyk on the forearm way after the play. There was no penalty on the play but the NHL's Player Safety program has fined McCarron for the slash.

Nashville is four points outside of a Wild Card spot and will head into the break 3-4-3 in its last ten games.

The Predators first game after the break will be against the Chicago Blackhawks on Feb. 26 at Bridgestone Arena.  

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Clippers vs Kings Prediction, Picks & Odds for Tonight’s NBA Game

Both the Los Angeles Clippers and Sacramento Kings remade their rosters at the trade deadline, and now the division rivals will face off.

The Clippers flipped James Harden into Darius Garland. While the Kings brought in Garland’s former teammate, De’Andre Hunter. But my Clippers vs. Kings predictions are banking on the old guard to have a big impact on this game.

Those and more NBA picks for this Pacific Division clash set to tip off at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento at 10 p.m. ET on Friday, February 6.

Clippers vs Kings prediction

Clippers vs Kings best bet: DeMar DeRozan Over 16.5 points (-120)

There are plenty of new faces in new places in this matchup, but I’m betting on an old face who has found the fountain of youth recently.

Sacramento Kings veteran DeMar DeRozan has been on one of his classic heaters lately. He’s averaging 23.4 points over his last five games, topping the 30-point plateau twice in that span.

The Los Angeles Clippers defense has regressed a bit lately, surrendering 122 points or more in three of their last four games, and they still rank 21st in defensive rating for the season.

DeRozan’s point total is a modest 16.5, which is a number we can attack.

Clippers vs Kings same-game parlay

The Kings traded for Hunter because they’ve been so bad defensively. They rank 29th in defensive rating this season. But he won’t help in the paint where they allow the second-most points per game.

That has me looking at John Collins. The Clippers' power forward is averaging 16.4 points over his last 15 games, topping 16.5 points eight times over that stretch.

I’m expecting both teams to get buckets in this one, so the Over looks like a solid add to this SGP.

Clippers vs Kings SGP

  • DeMar DeRozan Over 16.5 points
  • John Collins Over 16.5 points
  • Over 222

Our "from downtown" SGP: Buckets in bunches

We are going to see more scoring than oddsmakers expect in this Pacific Division matchup.

Clippers vs Kings SGP

  • DeMar DeRozan Over 16.5 points
  • Domantas Sabonis Over 14.5 points
  • John Collins Over 16.5 points
  • Brook Lopez Over 9.5 points

Clippers vs Kings odds

  • Spread: Clippers -3.5 | Kings +3.5
  • Moneyline: Clippers -170 | Kings +145
  • Over/Under: Over 222 | Under 222

Clippers vs Kings betting trend to know

The Clippers have hit the moneyline in 17 of their last 23 games for +12.75 Units and a 27% ROI. Find more NBA betting trends for Clippers vs. Kings.

How to watch Clippers vs Kings

LocationGolden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
DateFriday, February 6, 2026
Tip-off10:00 p.m. ET
TVPrime Video

Clippers vs Kings latest injuries

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Reggie Smith to join Legends of Dodger Baseball on August 15

LOS ANGELES, CA - 1989: Reggie Smith #2 of the Los Angeles Dodgers takes batting practice before a game at Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Former Dodgers switch-hitting outfielder and hitting coach Reggie Smith will be inducted into the Legends of Dodger Baseball on Saturday, August 15, the team announced on Friday.

Smith is the third straight Legends of Dodger Baseball inductee to come from the team that won three National League pennants in a five-year span, culminating in a World Series win in 1981. In 2024, outfielder Dusty Baker was inducted, followed by third baseman Ron Cey last year.

The Dodgers got Smith from the Cardinals in June 1976, and he roamed the outfield for Los Angeles through 1981, and made three (of his seven career) All-Star teams in his five full seasons with the Dodgers. Smith hit a career-high 32 home runs in 1977, the year the Dodgers became the first MLB team ever with four players to each hit 30 home runs. He finished fourth in National League MVP voting in 1977 and 1978, both pennant-winning years for Los Angeles.

Smith with the Dodgers hit .297/.387/.528 with 97 home runs and 89 doubles in 542 games, and his 152 OPS+ is the fourth-best in the 142-year history of the franchise, behind only Mike Piazza (160), Gary Sheffield (160), and Jack Fournier (157).

Smith’s 314 career home runs are ninth-most by a switch-hitter in major league history, and his 97 home runs for the Dodgers are most by any switch-hitter in franchise lore.

After his playing days, Smith was a minor league coach for the Dodgers from 1989-93, and was the team’s major league hitting coach from 1995-98.

“I tell people I was a Dodger before I actually joined the team,” Smith said in a press release. “Being a young, African American player, I had such respect for Jackie Robinson while growing up. When the Dodgers came to Los Angeles, we had the opportunity to see them play. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see Jackie play because he had retired. He was my boyhood hero, so when I became a Dodger, it was very special.”

Legends of Dodger Baseball get a plaque in the center field plaza at Dodger Stadium. Smith’s induction will come on Saturday, August 15 before the Dodgers’ game against the Brewers at Dodger Stadium.

He’s the 10th to be inducted since its inception in 2019:

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Community Prospect List: LHP Jack Choate is the No. 37 prospect

Side view of Jack Choate reaching back to throw a pitch.
ALTOONA, PA - JUNE 19: Jack Choate #48 of the Richmond Flying Squirrels pitching during the game between the Richmond Flying Squirrels and the Altoona Curve at Peoples Natural Gas Field on Thursday, June 19, 2025 in Altoona, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Aidan Conrad/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)

Note: Today is nomination day! Head to the comment section to nominate the next batch of prospects for Monday’s CPL.

After today, there’s only one more Willie McCovey Memorial Community Prospect List chapter before Spring Training is off and running. And then we’ll start actually getting some new info and data on some of these players that we’re talking about.

The next name on our list is someone who I thought might be in Scottsdale on Tuesday as a non-roster invitee … but alas, he is not. But he is here, as our No. 37 prospect: it’s left-handed pitcher Jack Choate, who falls eight spots from his placement at No. 29 a year ago.

You might think that means Choate had a poor year, but that’s emphatically not the case. His 2025 season was actually quite swell, with the only real downside being that he spent the entire year in AA, despite having ended 2024 there.

Choate, who was taken by the Giants in the ninth round of the 2022 draft (on a sub-$100K signing bonus) made 29 appearances for Richmond, including 24 starts. The numbers were fairly strong: he had a 3.51 ERA, a 4.17 FIP, and 10.8 strikeouts per nine innings, while exceeding 100 innings pitched for the second straight season.

But questions remain for the funky southpaw, who will turn 25 at the start of the season. Despite the impressive strikeout numbers, Choate has a lack of fastball velocity that one rarely witnesses in the Major Leagues in this era of baseball. In an era where most pitchers need mid-high 90s to find success, Choate’s pitches are almost entirely unfamiliar with the number “9,” save for the occasional “heater” when that number follows an “8.” That hasn’t kept him from striking people out. He has an extremely deceptive release, in part because he pairs a fairly low release point with height befitting the Chase Center more than Oracle Park (he’s listed at 6’8). Add in some very impressive extension (not entirely surprising given his size), and Minor Leaguers have, to this point, struck out a lot against him.

Yet it’s unclear if more advanced hitters will share those struggles, and Choate doesn’t have a stellar backup plan if they don’t. Indeed, we’ve already started to see that: while Choate did a phenomenal job staying in the zone at lower levels, the more competitive at-bats in AA have forced him to expand, and the walks have followed. Despite walking just 2.2 batters per nine innings with High-A Eugene in 2024, he walked 4.8 in his eight-game stint with the Flying Squirrels to end the year … and only was able to lower that number to 4.5 last season. That, combined with his low groundball rate (36.8% in 2025) paints the picture of someone who will have a hard time succeeding without strikeouts. And the industry seemingly sees that being an issue, as there weren’t a lot of rumors floating around this winter when Choate was Rule 5 eligible.

The Giants did briefly try Choate in a relief role towards the end of last year, presumably to see if that would impact his velocity, but it did not. I’d assume he stays in a starting role in 2026, though his path to the Majors might require a hybrid role.

It will be interesting to see where the Giants place Choate in 2026. Will he return to Richmond for a third campaign, to try to pump up that velocity a little bit? It’s a tiny bit telling that he was not on the ship with Will Bednar and John Michael Bertrand to Sacramento when Richmond’s season ended. Or will he join the River Cats and their crowded rotation, and we’ll get our first glimpse of whether or not his slow-motion funk can still produce punchouts at higher levels? Either way, it’s a big year for him.

Now let’s add to the list, and a reminder that it’s nomination day. Both voting and nominating will take place in the comment section.

The list so far

  1. Bryce Eldridge — 1B
  2. Josuar González — SS
  3. Jhonny Level — SS
  4. Bo Davidson — CF
  5. Dakota Jordan — CF
  6. Luis Hernández — SS
  7. Gavin Kilen — SS
  8. Carson Whisenhunt — LHP
  9. Blade Tidwell — RHP
  10. Keyner Martinez — RHP
  11. Jacob Bresnahan — LHP
  12. Trevor McDonald — RHP
  13. Argenis Cayama — RHP
  14. Luis De La Torre — LHP
  15. Trevor Cohen — OF
  16. Jesús Rodríguez — C
  17. Parks Harber — OF/3B
  18. Carlos Gutierrez — OF
  19. Drew Cavanaugh — C
  20. Daniel Susac — C
  21. Gerelmi Maldonado — RHP
  22. Josh Bostick — RHP
  23. Lorenzo Meola — SS/2B
  24. Will Bednar — RHP
  25. Yunior Marte — RHP
  26. Joe Whitman — LHP
  27. Joel Peguero — RHP
  28. Alberto Laroche — RHP
  29. Trent Harris — RHP
  30. Carlos De La Rosa — LHP
  31. Diego Velasquez — 2B
  32. Lisbel Diaz — OF
  33. Maui Ahuna — SS
  34. Cam Maldonado — OF
  35. Victor Bericoto — OF/1B
  36. Reid Worley — RHP
  37. Jack Choate — LHP

Note: Clicking on the above names will link to the CPL where they were voted onto the list.

No. 38 prospect nominees

Rayner Arias — 19.9-year old OF — .173 OPS/-42 wRC+ in Low-A (30 PA); .699 OPS/87 wRC+ in ACL (178 PA)

Sabin Ceballos — 23.5-year old 3B — .670 OPS/102 wRC+ in AA (420 PA)

Jakob Christian — 23.4-year old OF/1B — .950 OPS/155 wRC+ in High-A (92 PA); .815 OPS/119 wRC+ in Low-A (318 PA)

Reggie Crawford — 25.1-year old LHP — did not pitch in 2025; 1.04 ERA/4.07 FIP in AAA in 2024 (8.2 IP); 4.66 ERA/4.93 FIP in AA in 2024 (9.2 IP)

Note: Each player’s first name links to their Baseball-Reference page, and their last name links to their Fangraphs page. All stats are from the 2025 season.

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Cleveland will look different with James Harden. Will they be contenders?

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Kenny Atkinson knows his life is going to be very different with James Harden in Cleveland.

"I'll probably call less plays," the Cavaliers coach joked.

Atkinson and star Donovan Mitchell — not to mention Cavaliers fans and everyone else invested in the team — were frustrated with how last playoffs ended: A second-round exit, winning just one game from the Pacers after a 64-win regular season. They were frustrated with how this season started — 17-15 on Christmas Day and sitting in the play-in — and, on the basketball operations side, felt they needed to shake things up.

Mitchell used his leverage as the team's star who could be a free agent in 2027 to push for a roster upgrade at the deadline, league sources confirmed to NBC Sports, but their front office was already thinking that way.

One key issue throughout it all had been point guard Darius Garland, who sparked the offense last regular season but whose toe issues slowed him in the playoffs and those carried over into this season despite surgery (he's now dealing with issues in both feet).

All of that led to the Cavaliers trading Garland to the Clippers for James Harden.

"We're excited," Atkinson said. "We're excited to have James, he gives us a different dimension, obviously different type of player. But his resume speaks for itself."

"I think our ceiling is definitely higher when you have a guy like James Harden," Mitchell said. "When you look at it, you know what he brings, but with that there's definitely a higher expectation. Understanding that this is what we gotta do. For us, this is a part of it. We weren't able to get it done for the last three years now we gotta try and get it done now...

"It's not gonna always be pretty. You make a move at the deadline, there's gonna be bumps in the road, but for us this is the time."

Those bumps in the road are all about style of play.

Cleveland’s offensive adjustments

The adjustments are going to be real and start Saturday in Sacramento, when Harden is expected to make his Cleveland debut.

For example, Harden plays much slower than Cleveland prefers — the Cavaliers are top-10 in the league in percentage of offense started in transition, while the Clippers are dead last (stats via Cleaning the Glass). Atkinson trusts they can work this out.

"Great players fit together, usually. It's rare that it doesn't work," Atkinson said. "So now, like I said, it's, it's up to us as coaches, collaborating with Donovan and James on what that looks [like].

"How that looks? How do the rotations look? How do we stagger them? How do we play when each is alone in the court? How do we play when they're together? That's all things to be to figure out. But usually, when you have such talented players — and really, I can't emphasize this enough, high IQ players — it makes it a heck of a lot easier for the coaching staff to figure out."

Harden has attacked far more in isolation this season than any other player in the league and scores at an impressive 1.11 points per possession on those. Cleveland runs a lot of pick-and-rolls with its mobile big men — Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley — and Harden has thrived in that role as well, finding big men on duck-ins or rolling off dribble hand-offs. Atkinson said he reached out to Mike D'Antoni, who coached Harden in Houston, to discuss the best way to maximize Harden's skill set.

Mobley and Allen should thrive playing with Harden — Joel Embiid won his MVP when Harden was feeding him in Philadelphia, and more recently Ivica Zubac had his best years in Los Angeles with Harden at the point.

"When you watch his film, what really stands out is the passing," Atkinson said. "Everybody talks about ISO and pick-and-roll, but he's a great, great passer, and I can't wait to see how he interacts with our two talented bigs."

What Atkinson said he trusts most is that both Harden and Mitchell understand the game and want desperately to win. Atkinson believes the Cavaliers just became a much more dangerous playoff team.

"The number one thing that stands out is his IQ, his feel for the game," Atkinson said. "We're "big believers that IQ translates to playoff success. I'd say another thing certainly you have to add into this he's got great size for a point guard (6'5").

"Great size, makes others better. and obviously can score the ball when you need it. So kind of all those things I'm saying are stuff that translates to the playoffs."

Harden has had some brilliant playoff games, but also more than his share of duds in clutch moments. Cleveland is banking on its defense and Mitchell being able to handle any of those off nights and keep the team winning.

The East may be wide open but it's also no cake walk — New York is a very good team, Detroit has an elite defense and Cade Cunningham pushing them to the top of the conference, and Boston is a threat whether or not Jayson Tatum returns.

Cleveland believes with this trade, it is in that mix — and can be the best of them. Now the work starts to work out the style issues and prove that vision right.

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‘An experience you can’t buy’: Louis Rees-Zammit on his NFL adventure and fresh hope for Wales

Lightning-fast attacker lines up at full-back against England insisting that his gridiron tilt will only help his rugby

The late, great Tom Petty wrote the song that, ultimately, defined Louis Rees-Zammit’s American football adventure. “Runnin’ down a dream, that never would come to me …” Twelve months ago Rees-Zammit was in New Orleans watching the Superbowl and still hoping to carve out a multimillion dollar NFL career. Now here he is, back in a Welsh rugby shirt and eager to make up for lost time.

Sliding doors and all that. This weekend in America all roads lead to this year’s Superbowl in California: the Seattle Seahawks v the New England Patriots . But as Wales’s 25-year-old prodigal son prepares for the contrasting vibes and smells of a sodden Twickenham in February, he insists he still has no regrets about the gridiron flirtation that removed him from Six Nations circulation for two years.

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2026 Chicago Cubs player profiles: Seiya Suzuki

Eleventh in the series. Today we look at the Cubs’ veteran right fielder.

31-year-old Seiya Suzuki is a native of Arakawa, Japan, who came to the Cubs in 2022, with a reputation for good OF defense and a lively bat, after a storied career in NPB, where he played for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp.

In his four years as a Chicago Cub, he has proven that he has significant power. In 2025, his best season so far, he turned in a slash of .245/.326/.478, which is quite good, but the campaign could have been better. The whole team offense cratered when Kyle Tucker tried to play through his injuries, and Suzuki was one of the most affected. The season ended up being a mere 2.6 bWAR as he didn’t play much defense (also 2.6 fWAR) and that total was based on his excellent 32 HR/103 RBI results. Projections indicate somewhat less power (25 homers or so) and significantly fewer RBI (85-90).

Suzuki could reduce his K-rate, which is around 25 percent, and walk a bit more (10-11 percent), but in general, he’s a productive power hitter who is often rated among the top ten at his position in the game. Predictions in general say that the Cubs’ power numbers will regress — connecting the dots, they’re looking at the second half to base that on, when the team didn’t play as well with the loss of Tucker’s explosive bat and more or less limped into the playoffs on the strength of a spectacular first half.

No surprises there, and while it wouldn’t be too much of a surprise if Suzuki clouted 30+ long balls, odds are he won’t. We’ll see. Suzuki is likely to bat 2nd or 4th in Craig Counsell’s flexible batting order, and perhaps Alex Bregman’s potent bat will provide some of the same spark that Tucker did.

Seiya will most likely be ensconced in right field this year, and is operating under the same protocol as Happ — it’s the last year of his deal. The Cubs are unlikely to sign both players, and we’ll have to see how that shakes out. The Cubs’ relative lack of MLB-ready bats definitely makes this an issue, if the 2027 season does indeed happen.

In the meantime, right field can be an adventure at times for Suzuki. He drops balls right out of his glove and doesn’t take the best routes. Granted, Wrigley is a tough field, but his NPB reputation suggested that he was far better than he appears to be defensively. He does make some good plays, though, so perhaps there’s hope.

And maybe he’ll get better strike calls.

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50 Most Notable Yankees Free Agent Signings in 50 Years: Jacoby Ellsbury

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 19: Jacoby Ellsbury #22 of the New York Yankees celebrates after scoring on a sacrifice fly by Carlos Beltran #36 in the third inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium on June 19, 2014 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Contrary to the prevailing sentiment of today, teams like the Yankees and Dodgers need to succeed in various areas in order to build perennial contenders, and it goes beyond simply letting your money secure a postseason ticket. Nothing quite helps corroborate that, as a trip down memory lane to the 2013 season, one in which the Yankees lucked into an 85-win campaign and decided to do something about it, strengthening themselves all while weakening their biggest rivals by signing Jacoby Ellsbury on the open market — a deal that has lived on in infamy for the Yankees.

Jacoby Ellsbury
Signing Date: December 7, 2013
Contract: 7 years, $153,000,000

With the benefit of hindsight, who knew the Yankees would’ve been better off re-signing Curtis Granderson, who was coming off the worst season of his career, rather than diving in the deep end of the pool of the free agent market for outfield help? It was the thing we often ask teams to do. Ellsbury was the signing that didn’t pay off, but the Yankees could’ve just as easily gone after Shin Soo-Choo and been underwhelmed with his solid but still disappointing numbers as a Texas Ranger. In fact, one might argue that Choo would’ve been a better fit, considering the sole productive player remaining on the Yankees lineup from that previous campaign was Brett Gardner, a traditional center fielder. Adding top players is always welcomed, but at the time, it was irrefutable that part of the value of both Gardner and Ellsbury lay in what they delivered as hitters while playing center field — move them to a corner spot, and it’s an entirely different ballgame with those hitting stats, which is what the Yankees ultimately decided to do.

The comment about Gardner is true in part because Robinson Cano, the Yankees’ best player in 2013, had reached the open market as well. When Ellsbury was signed, there were some reports that didn’t rule them out from bringing back Cano, but as we know now, the Mariners delivered an offer New York was unwilling to match, putting even more pressure on Ellsbury to deliver as one of the key pieces of that new-look Yankees team. Much like there ultimately was a rather large gap between what the Yankees were willing to offer and what Cano ultimately received, the same could be said of Ellsbury and the Red Sox to an even larger extent — it quickly became clear he wasn’t coming back to Boston.

It should be noted that rather obvious concerns directly affected the perception of Ellsbury’s signing, one not necessarily welcomed with unanimous approval. The risks were rather evident for a player who relied heavily on speed as a part of his game and who had missed large chunks of two of his previous four seasons before reaching free agency. Unfortunately, even the short-term gain the Yankees thought they were acquiring didn’t last nearly as long as the team originally hoped.

Following in the footsteps of Johnny Damon, who also left the Red Sox to move to the Yankees in free agency as a speedy outfielder with a great hit tool, Ellsbury’s opening year in the Bronx was anything but a preview of what was to come. Ellsbury registered the most games he had since that runner-up MVP campaign in 2011, playing in 143 of 162 for the Yankees in 2014. Repeating the struggles of 2013 as a team, the Yankees labored their way through a mid 80s win campaign with Ellsbury’s addition nullified and then some by Cano’s departure. An aging lineup struggled to produce, particularly in the infield, wasting an outstanding debut season from Masahiro Tanaka, who really provided a boost to the starting staff.

During the 2015 season, the injury issues started to creep in, and while he was still able to play well over 100 games, Ellsbury’s numbers took a dive following a strained right LCL, leading to a career-worst .663 OPS and only 21 steals on 30 attempts, severely lowering his success rate on the basepaths. The Yankees managed to return to the playoffs that year as a Wild Card team, but Ellsbury didn’t feature in the starting lineup against the left-hander Dallas Keuchel and the Houston Astros; instead, he was a pinch-hitter for Chris Young.

Through a variety of factors, even before the injuries truly started to sideline Ellsbury for massive chunks, his numbers had already regressed to the point of making his contract a poor investment. Ellsbury remained healthy for the 2016 season, but his 88 OPS+ and disappointing numbers on the basepaths led to a pretty mediocre campaign. The Yankees, as a team, also took a step back and missed the playoffs for the third time in four seasons.

Following a similar path to the 2015 campaign, Ellsbury once again missed a little under two months in 2017, this time due to a concussion tracking a fly ball in center field in Kansas City in early May. Ellsbury had shown some promise before getting hurt, and he wrapped that year with a solid .750 OPS, a complementary piece in a Yankee team that went all the way until Game 7 of the ALCS against the Astros. Despite those numbers and Ellsbury being healthy for the playoffs, it was Aaron Hicks starting in CF for the Yankees throughout the duration of that postseason — Ellsbury got a limited role coming off the bench and didn’t record a hit in nine plate appearances.

In Game 4 of that ALCS, Ellsbury entered as a pinch-runner and came around to score in a 6-4 win—that would be his final play as a Yankee, with a plethora of injuries preventing him from ever taking the field again, unable to perform for the final three years of his deal. Ellsbury came into spring in 2018, having lost his starting center field role to Hicks. Sidelined due to an oblique injury, Ellsbury later had to undergo hip surgery that kept him out for the remainder of 2018. He was never able to return to a big league field, rehabbing without success for the entirety of 2019.

Unable to get on the field for two years, the Yankees released Ellsbury after the 2019 season in a move that later spurred a legal battle between the player and organization for the compensation of the remainder of his contract. The Yankees filed a grievance in an attempt not to pay the remainder of roughly $26 million they still owed Ellsbury, claiming the player had gone outside of the organization without adequate permission to get treatment. Eventually, a settlement was reached for an undisclosed amount. On top of saving some of that money, the Yankees got out of luxury tax problems, as paying the full figure to Ellsbury would’ve meant going over a second luxury tax threshold, resulting in a loss of draft picks.

When you sign any big-time free agent, there is always an assumption you’re paying for the present while assuming a certain loss down the line. The problem with Ellsbury is that both the short-term and the long-term went well below expectation, making for one of the worst free agent contracts this franchise has ever handed out — and if you want to add salt to the wound, the Red Sox selected Michael Kopech in the 2014 MLB Draft with the compensation pick they received for the departure of Ellsbury. Kopech didn’t do much with the Red Sox, but he was a key piece in the Chris Sale trade, the ace of Boston’s 2018 World Series title.

See more of the “50 Most Notable Yankees Free Agent Signings in 50 Years” series here.

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Battery Power Live Q&A: February 6

ATLANTA, GA - JULY 13: The Nike RBI kids announce Tate Southisene as the twenty-second overall pick by the Atlanta Braves during the 2025 MLB Draft presented by Nike at Coca-Cola Roxy on Sunday, July 13, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Welcome to our latest Live Q&A session, which will be focused on the minor leagues this time around. We will begin the live portion of this Q&A session at 7:30 p.m. ET but before then, now is your chance to get in your questions as early as possible so that you can be assure that it’ll be answered.

Gaurav Vedak, Matt Powers and Brady Petree will be around to answer any of the questions that you have when it comes to the state of the Atlanta Braves farm system. I’ll be around as well if you’ve got any questions about the Braves in general but we’re also asking to keep the questions focused on the farm, since we’ll have a Live Q&A on the Braves in general coming later this month.

But yeah, the floor is now yours to get your questions in. The earlier you get ‘em in, the more likely it is that you’ll get your questioned answered so make sure to be punctual. We’ll see you for the live portion this evening!