ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 15: Kris Bubic #50 of the Kansas City Royals pitches during the sixth inning of the MLB All-Star Game at Truist Park on July 15, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Gene Wang - Capture At Media/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Bubic faced several hitters during the live batting practice. He showcased his pitching arsenal and had a few minor self-critiques. Overall, he felt his fastball command was there and that his changeup could’ve been a little sharper. Yet, the gravity of his performance was noticeable. He didn’t miss a beat, and that bodes well for the Royals as they enter Cactus League play on Friday.
“Getting back out there is step No. 1,” Bubic said. “Just hearing the feedback, too, right away has been great. You know, just seeing a hitter in the box is great as well. It’s great to always have the support of my teammates. They saw me quite a bit last year and was with me too when I was doing the rehab towards the end of the year. But I’m excited and I know they are excited. Obviously, we just want to keep it going.”
“It was amazing,” Perez said. “I don’t remember the last time I played. Last December, I played 22 games and Jose Alguacil was the manager. I played for Caracas, my mom’s team, so she was super excited. You know, I think it’s going to help me. It’s kind of different to face some pitchers and not wait for a month to face pitchers here in live BP (batting practice) in spring training.”
Now, Kudrna is ready to seize his opportunity this spring.
“It’s a dream come true,” he said. “You know, now being here, I look at it as a big opportunity to learn. You’ve got guys that have been there and done that. They have illustrious careers, and you don’t stay in this game that long unless you’re doing the right things.”
“I don’t think pitchers should challenge any call,” Sweeney said. “Let the guy behind the plate … who has the feel for it. I’m sure we are going to see it over there right away. …
“It’s a process that we are trying to understand. And talking with R&D (research and development) and the guys in the minor leagues that have used it before, it’s, OK, when do we use our challenges and who calls them?”
The two to really watch are Avila and Falter. The Royals still believe in Avila as a starter, but there are enough voices on the Major League side saying he could make an impact as a reliever right now. The stuff ticked up when he got a chance in the ‘pen last year, and his curveball was devastating. Falter is out of options, so the Royals need to decide how and where he fits. He had a rough time last year when he was moved to the ‘pen, ultimately ending the season on the IL, but Falter could be another lefty out there.
The most important thing Caglianone worked on this offseason was swing decisions. He felt he got himself out “a lot more than the pitchers did,” he said. Whether that was because he was seeing the best stuff he’s ever seen in his life at the Major League level or because of the subconscious pressure he put on himself — or very likely both — Caglianone wanted to be more prepared for what he was going to face in 2026.
“One of the biggest things I took away from last year was these guys are really good at throwing strike-to-ball pitches,” Caglianone said. “Out of the hand, it looks really good, and it ends up being a 58-foot curveball.”
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 13: Chase Dollander #32 of the Colorado Rockies delivers a pitch during a spring training bullpen at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on February 13, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Kyle Cooper/Colorado Rockies/Getty Images)
Scottsdale, Ariz. – Chase Dollander was drafted ninth overall in the 2023 MLB Draft and skyrocketed through the Colorado Rockies’ minor league system, finally making his MLB debut on April 6 last year against the Athletics.
Dollander had an up-and-down season, but he ended on a strong note when he went head-to-head against Tyler Glasnow in September before ultimately straining his patellar tendon during the game and finishing the year on the IL.
But Dollander is ready to take on 2026 with a new approach and a coaching staff.
“I’ve got to throw strikes,” Dollander said of his biggest 2025 takeaway.
“I’ve got to get in the zone early, which is something we’ve really honed in on. Especially with this new staff, they’ve been really big about just throwing strike one. You put a hitter in a defensive mode, and it’s not good for them. So that’s been a huge focus of mine this offseason – command, making sure I’m getting strike one, and going from there.”
That was something that Warren Schaeffer echoed, as well.
“I think the main thing is getting in the strike zone early in the count,” Schaeffer said. “That’s something he did not do very well last year with any of his pitches, specifically at Coors Field.”
Dollander spent his offseason making adjustments to ensure he could command the ball, both physically and philosophically.
“[I’ve made] a couple of mechanical adjustments,” he said, “being more direct to the plate, making sure my energy and everything like that goes towards the plate rather than away from it, which I think just in its own right has helped a lot of other things as well. So it’s been cool to kind of see the changes and stuff like that.”
And now that he’s gotten to work with the new coaching staff, he’s impressed.
“I like a lot of them so far,” he said, grinning.
“It’s a big change from what we had last year, and I think all of us are very excited. Some are more outspoken than others, but it’s definitely a change. It’s just exciting!”
In addition to a new coaching staff, the Rockies rotation is also shaping up to be dramatically different from 2025. Just in the last week, they added veterans José Quintana and Tomoyuki Sugano after bringing on Michael Lorenzen in January.
And Dollander is taking full advantage of the new brainpower.
“I’ve been talking to Lorenzen a lot, picking his brain and getting to know him as a person rather than the player, as well,” he said.
“I haven’t gotten to talk to Sugano all that much, and Quintana the same thing, but I’m looking forward to getting to know those guys and really talking to them and picking their brains. Obviously, all three of them have a lot of experience – along with [Kyle] Freeland – so I feel like there’s a lot to learn, and I have the right guys around me to do it, so I’m going to do it.”
Dollander said his head is hurting a little bit from all of the information being thrown at him, but “in a great way!”
“I’d rather have too much information than not enough,” he said. “I think they’re really good at just making sure that we’re all understanding and making sure we’re all on the same page. I think it’s going to be great.”
Schaeffer also praised the new veterans and what they can bring to a young pitcher like Dollander.
“I think just that attitude and being around new people and being around a lot more veterans – not just Kyle Freeland and [Antonio] Senzatela, but now it’s Michael Lorenzen and Sugano and Quintana. These are all guys that can help him with getting in the zone. His stuff is nasty – if he gets the ball over the plate, he’s going to be really good for a long time.”
And, of course, Dollander is working on a new pitch.
“The other day, we were playing around with a sweeper,” he said. “Obviously, the sinker got added last year. That has taken off in its own right. And then it’s just refining everything else, making sure that the slider stays hard with more of a downward action rather than side-to-side.
“I feel like my stuff is good enough,” he continued. “If I throw strikes, it’ll be a tough time for hitters. So that’s been my focus: Just command the zone.”
Looking ahead to 2026, Dollander is looking the most forward to working with the staff and veteran pitchers.
“[I’m most looking forward to] picking their brains more, especially as games go on, like, ‘Hey man, what did you see here? What would you throw in this situation?’ That kind of stuff,” he said.
“I think that’s when I’ll start to really learn a lot. It’s hard now just because we’re all doing different things – we’re all throwing live (batting practices) at these different times and stuff like that – but once games start, I’m in learning mode.”
To say Brenton Doyle had a difficult 2025 is underscoring things. Between personal tragedy and professional challenges, it was a rough one. But Doyle is looking to bounce back in 2026, hopefully to reclaim himself at the plate and in the field (and perhaps at the MLB Honors once again).
The Rockies have always struggled to attract free agent pitchers, but something changed this year and they’ve had an influx of pitchers eager to sign with them. Sam Blum spoke with them, as well as the new pitching coaches and PBO Paul DePodesta, to see what the difference is in 2026 compared to years past.
Defensive whiz Dru Baker is on the bubble to break camp north with the White Sox. | (Photo by Ben Catapane/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Yesterday was the first official full practice for MLB teams, and for non-roster invitees (NRIs), it’s the official start of their fight for a position on 40-man rosters. Although 10 of the 26 White Sox NRIs have already inked contracts with the club, roster shifts are expected before Opening Day on March 27.
With invitations extended to new faces, a few veterans and even some familiar faces, who has the best chance of breaking camp with the White Sox?
Ben Peoples The Sox tapped into Tampa Bay’s pitching factory last year in the Adrian Houser trade, and it’ll pay off this season. Peoples spent his first three years in the Rays minor league system putting up solid numbers as a starter before he transitioned into a long reliever role in 2025. His 2.65 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 37 1/3 innings with the Durham Bulls showed much promise despite his performance slippage once he was traded to Chicago. While seven earned runs and nine hits in 10 relief appearances doesn’t look great on paper, consistency (especially in Charlotte) is hard to expect from a reliever. With nearly five-and-a-half seasons of sub-4.00 ERA ball under his belt, don’t reach too much into Peoples’ second-half 2025 stats.
Peoples is in a strong position to break camp with the team. He could easily steal a bullpen spot from incumbents Wikelman González or Prelander Berroa (who is on the Tommy John mend and could struggle in his initial return). After one of the worst bullpen years in recent memory (and that’s saying something), the Sox will be experimenting with their bullpen to find a crew that clicks, and Peoples could become a go-to guy in the fifth and sixth innings.
Dru Baker The Sox are in dire need of defense, and Chicago’s outfield could end up a mess. That leaves the door open for Baker to sneak onto the 40-man roster in March. Baker hasn’t produced jaw-dropping numbers, but he’s done enough to be given a chance. Coming off a strong 2024 campaign, Baker’s .245/.321/.343 slash line and 30 walks in 100 games in 2025 was serviceable. His real strength is defense: Baker has spent most of his time in center, but is no stranger to the outfield corners. He showcased excellent fielding several times last year. and was recognized as Tampa’s minor league player of the month last April.
There isn’t much separating a Triple-A outfielder from a major-leaguer in the Sox organization, leaving Baker a narrow window of opportunity. Injuries and Spring Training performance will play a huge role in whether Baker makes his MLB debut before June.
Jarred Kelenic The former 2018 first-round pick hasn’t lived up to his hype. Kelenic’s performance quickly dropped off following his career-high .253/.327/.419 slash in 2023 with the Mariners. He struggled to stay in the majors in his last two seasons with the Braves, batting .222/.279/.381 with 17 home runs in 155 games. His poor swing decisions (41.5% WHIFF in 2025) are hard to fix and don’t bode well for a fruitful career in the majors. However, it’s possible that Chicago’s hitting coaches can make enough tweaks to get him back to being a viable defensive sub option, as his strong arm beats Andrew Benintendi’s any day. At this rate, put me in left field, Venable!
Kelenic has a slim chance of making the Opening Day roster, but his big league experience and raw power could be enough to beat out the rest of the competition.
Wisconsin-Green Bay men's basketball coach Doug Gottlieb had some harsh words for the officials after a 75-72 loss to in-state rival Wiscosnin-Milwaukee on Sunday, Feb. 15. And the tirade he unleashed rivaled any hot take he ever had on his former national radio show.
The Phoenix had the lead for most of a foul-plagued second half, but Gottlieb was particularly upset by a loose-ball foul called on his team's best player, CJ O'Hara, with 4:25 to go. The foul, with the Phoenix up by four, was O'Hara's fourth and Gottlieb felt it changed the course of the game.
After getting called for a technical foul earlier in the half, Gottlieb was further incensed when no foul was called as his player drove for a potential game-winning shot in the final seconds.
"You had the exact same play at both ends on the last play of the game," Gottlieb said to reporters, pausing momtarily before aggressively slamming his fists onto the table.
"The exact same (expletive) play!" he yelled, "The exact same play!"
Following UWGB’s loss to UW-Milwaukee on Sunday, 75-72, Doug Gottlieb gave an intense postgame speech on the late second half technical foul. Full story in comments. pic.twitter.com/MsOxU8LNYz
He also took issue with the technical foul, which came with just under seven minutes to play.
"So I need the new commissioner of the Horizon League to explain to me what a technical foul is when I don't leave the box, I don't curse, I'm not demonstrative," he said. "There is nothing, nothing, that should have been called a technical foul. I know when I earn one. I did not earn one."
Milwaukee converted 22 of 24 free throw attempts during the second half of the game − despite being one of the worst-shooting teams from the line coming in at just 68.5% on the season.
The loss dropped UWGB to 15-13 overall and a tie for third in the conference at 10-7.
"All we ask is that there's a fair game," Gottlieb continued. "I need ... our new commissioner to explain to me the disparity in the officiating. That's what I need explained to me."
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Kyle Harrison (52) throws in the bullpen during spring training workouts Saturday, February 14, 2026, at American Family Fields of Phoenix in Phoenix, Arizona. | Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
While Brandon Sproat is my pick to be the next Brewers “pitching lab” success story, I started writing that article before the Brewers traded for left-hander Kyle Harrison (4.09 ERA in 2025). Harrison — the main piece acquired in the trade that sent Caleb Durbin to Boston— might have an even more intriguing profile. He’s a former top 25 overall prospect who the Red Sox liked enough to make him the centerpiece in the trade that sent slugger Rafael Devers to San Francisco. He seems like a perfect candidate for the Brewers “lab” to work some of its magic.
I don’t put very much stock in the fact that Harrison hasn’t exactly impressed in the majors, nor that he lost his spot in the Giants’ rotation to Landen Roupp (who, by the way, has a very respectable 3.73 career ERA). Harrison has a ton of potential but is in need of some more development. That might be worrying, maybe, if he wasn’t already ahead of schedule. When Harrison made his debut as a Giant, at 22 years old, he was the youngest pitcher to pitch in a Giants uniform since Madison Bumgarner. He’s already spent a full season in a major league starting rotation. It’s not like San Francisco desperately wanted to unload Harrison either; most general managers would have traded Harrison for Rafael freakin’ Devers.
Harrison was originally drafted in the third round by the Giants back in 2020. While he was drafted over five years ago, he was drafted out of high school, so at 24 years old, he’s still younger than a few notable Brewers prospects — Sproat (25), Craig Yoho (26), Robert Gasser (26), and Coleman Crow (25) are all older than Harrison. He’s not much older than Logan Henderson, Jeferson Quero, and Brock Wilken, who are all 23. Harrison is the same age as Tyson Hardin, and the same age that Quinn Priester was when Milwaukee traded for him.
To me, there are some Priester parallels with Harrison. Harrison, like Priester, was picked high in the draft and was a top prospect for a couple of years. Harrison didn’t exactly light the world on fire in his first full season in the Giants rotation, pitching to the tune of a 4.56 ERA with 118 strikeouts in 124 1/3 innings pitched. Neither did Priester, who lost his rotation spot to Richard Fitts (5.00 ERA in 10 starts in 2025). Fitts is now in St. Louis, and Priester just put up a 3.32 ERA in Milwaukee.
MLB statistics definitely matter when evaluating Harrison, but when you look at the big picture, the acquisition starts to look more promising. Numbers in this small of a sample size can also be somewhat misleading. If Harrison had simply not made his last start of the season (3 ER in 3 IP against the Tigers), he would have finished the season with a 3.58 ERA.
Think of Harrison like a prospect. He’s still as young as some prospects and is uber-talented, but comes with the added bonus of big-league experience. He’s already shown flashes of what he could be, but he hasn’t been consistent enough to justify a featured role thus far in his career. Now, Harrison is in an organization known for “unlocking” pitchers, of getting the most out of new acquisitions. With some tweaks, he could justify his former ranking as a top prospect in baseball as soon as this season. Here’s everything you need to know about Harrison’s current arsenal and how it might look different in Milwaukee.
Harrison’s Fastball
Harrison’s fastball is a “problematic pitch,” as put by Steven Kennedy from McCovey Chronicles. The “problem” is actually paradoxical — his fastball is really, really good, but in his only full season as a starter (2024), he threw it more frequently than any other starting pitcher in baseball. No pitcher is going to win a Cy Young throwing his fastball nearly 60% of the time, but part of the reason that Harrison’s heavy fastball usage became “problematic” is that his average fastball velocity declined from what it was in 2023. In 2023, Harrison averaged 93.6 mph on his fastball. In 2024, that number dipped down to 92.5 mph.
Harrison has never thrown super hard, but his fastball (characterized by a late-rising movement) has always been effective as a result of its shape. The decline in velocity led to a decline in movement. Together, both led to a decline in overall effectiveness.
Here’s what The Athletic baseball writer Grant Brisbee said about Harrison prior to the 2025 season:
“If Harrison levels up with his offspeed stuff or with his command, or ideally both, his ceiling is where you might expect a former top-20 prospect’s ceiling to be. If it’s just a mid-90s fastball that carries him, he’ll still help the Giants toward the postseason. If the fastball is what we saw toward the end of last year and the offspeed stuff and command don’t improve, the 4.56 ERA (85 ERA+) doesn’t have to be a blip or something that can be written off because of inexperience.” Brisbee and Kennedy both characterized Harrison as someone who “can be, and has been, a serviceable starter at the back-end of a rotation purely on the merits of his four-seam. What prevents him from filling a more elevated rotation role is his secondary pitches.” From reading other scouting reports, most people seemed to view Harrison similarly — a back-end starter at worst, a high-end starter if he can develop his secondary offerings.
One good sign for Harrison’s development is that he got his velocity back — and then some — in 2025. Harrison’s average fastball velocity in 2025 was 94.6 mph (over 2 mph faster than in 2024). Unsurprisingly, his fastball also played better. Opponents hit .249 against it in 2024 and .195 in 2025. Simply put, I wouldn’t worry about the fastball.
Harrison’s secondary stuff, however?
Harrison’s Secondary Offerings
Harrison’s secondary offerings, for most of his career, have left something to be desired. The narrative on Harrison was exactly how Brisbee and Kennedy described him — great fastball, less-than-great secondary stuff. When he was traded to Boston last summer, however, the Red Sox reportedly “started to modify his arsenal, adding a cutter and sinker and tweaking his breaking ball.”
Harrison didn’t throw either pitch all that often in 2025 (22 and 12 times, respectively). Getting either pitch to miss bats consistently would change the equation entirely. The sinker averages a similar velocity (93 mph) to his fastball, but with an entirely different shape. Harrison’s fastball features arm-side movement (away from a right-handed hitter) and significant rising action, while his sinker has arm-side movement but… well, it sinks. Pitching is all about deception, so having two pitches that look very similar until the last 30-ish feet would go a long way towards missing bats. The cutter also shows a lot of potential playing off his fastball, as detailed in this September article from Over The Monster.
While the sinker and the cutter are both new additions, Harrison has also featured a slurve (thrown 27% of the time last year) and a changeup (8%). The slurve has been inconsistent, although it’s been consistently more effective against righties than it has against lefties. Before joining the Red Sox, Harrison’s slurve tended not to “finish its’ shape,” straightening out inside of continuing to break down and towards the glove side. With the Red Sox, however, Harrison was throwing the pitch slightly harder (82.2 mph as opposed to 80.6 mph) and getting an extra 1.6” of vertical break on average. In the Over the Monster article, author Jacob Roy wondered if a “harder breaking ball is the answer” — it seems the Red Sox were already making that adjustment. That may be something the Brewers have also pinpointed.
As for the changeup? Well, who better to hear from than Harrison himself?
“(The changeup) used to be similar to Logan Webb’s changeup — the way he throws his with a one-seam orientation — but I’ve switched to a kick,” Harrison explained. “That’s what I’m trying to harness. It is a little harder to get a feel for. Throwing a kick kind of takes away that being perfect, of trying to pronate a pitch and get to a spot. Now it’s, ‘Throw the pitch and let the kick take care of it.’”
It’s admittedly a very small sample size, and opponents did hit .300 against Harrison’s changeup last year, but they also only slugged .400 — lower than any pitch other than his fastball and his cutter (22 total pitches thrown). Fastball pitchers usually rely on changeups to keep hitters off balance and unable to sit on the fastball, since both pitches are generally thrown with a similar arm angle, arm speed, and release trajectory. A quality changeup would aid Harrison in the same way that a quality sinker would; batters can’t sit on Harrison’s rising fastball when he has a pitch that looks similar out of his hand, but reaches the plate significantly slower and drops inside of rising.
So, what does Harrison need to live up to his potential? Simply put, he needs better shape on his secondary pitches and a go-to secondary offering. As detailed in the Sproat article, Milwaukee has a (literal) pitching lab dedicated to, in the words of former Brewer Josh Hader, learning “how pitches should spin to get optimal drop or movement.” Using that data, they’ve gotten great seasons out of pitchers much less talented than Harrison.
I don’t know whether Milwaukee thinks they can make the slurve the (harder, faster) swing-and-miss pitch it should be, or whether they think the cutter, sinker, or changeup can become plus pitches with some tweaks. I do know that trading a valuable part of last year’s team (Caleb Durbin) and versatile infield depth speaks to their confidence in their ability to get the best out of Harrison. The Brewers think he can live up to his billing as a former top prospect leaguewide, and I’m excited to see how they get him there.
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Kyle Harrison (52) throws in the bullpen during spring training workouts Saturday, February 14, 2026, at American Family Fields of Phoenix in Phoenix, Arizona. | Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
While Brandon Sproat is my pick to be the next Brewers “pitching lab” success story, I started writing that article before the Brewers traded for left-hander Kyle Harrison (4.09 ERA in 2025). Harrison — the main piece acquired in the trade that sent Caleb Durbin to Boston— might have an even more intriguing profile. He’s a former top 25 overall prospect who the Red Sox liked enough to make him the centerpiece in the trade that sent slugger Rafael Devers to San Francisco. He seems like a perfect candidate for the Brewers “lab” to work some of its magic.
I don’t put very much stock in the fact that Harrison hasn’t exactly impressed in the majors, nor that he lost his spot in the Giants’ rotation to Landen Roupp (who, by the way, has a very respectable 3.73 career ERA). Harrison has a ton of potential but is in need of some more development. That might be worrying, maybe, if he wasn’t already ahead of schedule. When Harrison made his debut as a Giant, at 22 years old, he was the youngest pitcher to pitch in a Giants uniform since Madison Bumgarner. He’s already spent a full season in a major league starting rotation. It’s not like San Francisco desperately wanted to unload Harrison either; most general managers would have traded Harrison for Rafael freakin’ Devers.
Harrison was originally drafted in the third round by the Giants back in 2020. While he was drafted over five years ago, he was drafted out of high school, so at 24 years old, he’s still younger than a few notable Brewers prospects — Sproat (25), Craig Yoho (26), Robert Gasser (26), and Coleman Crow (25) are all older than Harrison. He’s not much older than Logan Henderson, Jeferson Quero, and Brock Wilken, who are all 23. Harrison is the same age as Tyson Hardin, and the same age that Quinn Priester was when Milwaukee traded for him.
To me, there are some Priester parallels with Harrison. Harrison, like Priester, was picked high in the draft and was a top prospect for a couple of years. Harrison didn’t exactly light the world on fire in his first full season in the Giants rotation, pitching to the tune of a 4.56 ERA with 118 strikeouts in 124 1/3 innings pitched. Neither did Priester, who lost his rotation spot to Richard Fitts (5.00 ERA in 10 starts in 2025). Fitts is now in St. Louis, and Priester just put up a 3.32 ERA in Milwaukee.
MLB statistics definitely matter when evaluating Harrison, but when you look at the big picture, the acquisition starts to look more promising. Numbers in this small of a sample size can also be somewhat misleading. If Harrison had simply not made his last start of the season (3 ER in 3 IP against the Tigers), he would have finished the season with a 3.58 ERA.
Think of Harrison like a prospect. He’s still as young as some prospects and is uber-talented, but comes with the added bonus of big-league experience. He’s already shown flashes of what he could be, but he hasn’t been consistent enough to justify a featured role thus far in his career. Now, Harrison is in an organization known for “unlocking” pitchers, of getting the most out of new acquisitions. With some tweaks, he could justify his former ranking as a top prospect in baseball as soon as this season. Here’s everything you need to know about Harrison’s current arsenal and how it might look different in Milwaukee.
Harrison’s Fastball
Harrison’s fastball is a “problematic pitch,” as put by Steven Kennedy from McCovey Chronicles. The “problem” is actually paradoxical — his fastball is really, really good, but in his only full season as a starter (2024), he threw it more frequently than any other starting pitcher in baseball. No pitcher is going to win a Cy Young throwing his fastball nearly 60% of the time, but part of the reason that Harrison’s heavy fastball usage became “problematic” is that his average fastball velocity declined from what it was in 2023. In 2023, Harrison averaged 93.6 mph on his fastball. In 2024, that number dipped down to 92.5 mph.
Harrison has never thrown super hard, but his fastball (characterized by a late-rising movement) has always been effective as a result of its shape. The decline in velocity led to a decline in movement. Together, both led to a decline in overall effectiveness.
Here’s what The Athletic baseball writer Grant Brisbee said about Harrison prior to the 2025 season:
“If Harrison levels up with his offspeed stuff or with his command, or ideally both, his ceiling is where you might expect a former top-20 prospect’s ceiling to be. If it’s just a mid-90s fastball that carries him, he’ll still help the Giants toward the postseason. If the fastball is what we saw toward the end of last year and the offspeed stuff and command don’t improve, the 4.56 ERA (85 ERA+) doesn’t have to be a blip or something that can be written off because of inexperience.” Brisbee and Kennedy both characterized Harrison as someone who “can be, and has been, a serviceable starter at the back-end of a rotation purely on the merits of his four-seam. What prevents him from filling a more elevated rotation role is his secondary pitches.” From reading other scouting reports, most people seemed to view Harrison similarly — a back-end starter at worst, a high-end starter if he can develop his secondary offerings.
One good sign for Harrison’s development is that he got his velocity back — and then some — in 2025. Harrison’s average fastball velocity in 2025 was 94.6 mph (over 2 mph faster than in 2024). Unsurprisingly, his fastball also played better. Opponents hit .249 against it in 2024 and .195 in 2025. Simply put, I wouldn’t worry about the fastball.
Harrison’s secondary stuff, however?
Harrison’s Secondary Offerings
Harrison’s secondary offerings, for most of his career, have left something to be desired. The narrative on Harrison was exactly how Brisbee and Kennedy described him — great fastball, less-than-great secondary stuff. When he was traded to Boston last summer, however, the Red Sox reportedly “started to modify his arsenal, adding a cutter and sinker and tweaking his breaking ball.”
Harrison didn’t throw either pitch all that often in 2025 (22 and 12 times, respectively). Getting either pitch to miss bats consistently would change the equation entirely. The sinker averages a similar velocity (93 mph) to his fastball, but with an entirely different shape. Harrison’s fastball features arm-side movement (away from a right-handed hitter) and significant rising action, while his sinker has arm-side movement but… well, it sinks. Pitching is all about deception, so having two pitches that look very similar until the last 30-ish feet would go a long way towards missing bats. The cutter also shows a lot of potential playing off his fastball, as detailed in this September article from Over The Monster.
While the sinker and the cutter are both new additions, Harrison has also featured a slurve (thrown 27% of the time last year) and a changeup (8%). The slurve has been inconsistent, although it’s been consistently more effective against righties than it has against lefties. Before joining the Red Sox, Harrison’s slurve tended not to “finish its’ shape,” straightening out inside of continuing to break down and towards the glove side. With the Red Sox, however, Harrison was throwing the pitch slightly harder (82.2 mph as opposed to 80.6 mph) and getting an extra 1.6” of vertical break on average. In the Over the Monster article, author Jacob Roy wondered if a “harder breaking ball is the answer” — it seems the Red Sox were already making that adjustment. That may be something the Brewers have also pinpointed.
As for the changeup? Well, who better to hear from than Harrison himself?
“(The changeup) used to be similar to Logan Webb’s changeup — the way he throws his with a one-seam orientation — but I’ve switched to a kick,” Harrison explained. “That’s what I’m trying to harness. It is a little harder to get a feel for. Throwing a kick kind of takes away that being perfect, of trying to pronate a pitch and get to a spot. Now it’s, ‘Throw the pitch and let the kick take care of it.’”
It’s admittedly a very small sample size, and opponents did hit .300 against Harrison’s changeup last year, but they also only slugged .400 — lower than any pitch other than his fastball and his cutter (22 total pitches thrown). Fastball pitchers usually rely on changeups to keep hitters off balance and unable to sit on the fastball, since both pitches are generally thrown with a similar arm angle, arm speed, and release trajectory. A quality changeup would aid Harrison in the same way that a quality sinker would; batters can’t sit on Harrison’s rising fastball when he has a pitch that looks similar out of his hand, but reaches the plate significantly slower and drops inside of rising.
So, what does Harrison need to live up to his potential? Simply put, he needs better shape on his secondary pitches and a go-to secondary offering. As detailed in the Sproat article, Milwaukee has a (literal) pitching lab dedicated to, in the words of former Brewer Josh Hader, learning “how pitches should spin to get optimal drop or movement.” Using that data, they’ve gotten great seasons out of pitchers much less talented than Harrison.
I don’t know whether Milwaukee thinks they can make the slurve the (harder, faster) swing-and-miss pitch it should be, or whether they think the cutter, sinker, or changeup can become plus pitches with some tweaks. I do know that trading a valuable part of last year’s team (Caleb Durbin) and versatile infield depth speaks to their confidence in their ability to get the best out of Harrison. The Brewers think he can live up to his billing as a former top prospect leaguewide, and I’m excited to see how they get him there.
The former Ireland hooker on his rugby family, why Andy Farrell’s side need to rebuild and the physical toll of touring with the Lions
I have known Keith Wood for nearly 30 years and so it’s easy to talk about life and death long before we move on to rugby. But the game always provides context and, last Friday afternoon, the 54-year-old former Lions hooker and Irish captain drove to Cork to watch his youngest son, Tom, play for Ireland against Italy in the Under-20 Six Nations.
The previous weekend Tom made his first-team debut for Munster to match his dad and the grandfather he never met. Gordon Wood played for Munster, as well as Ireland and the Lions, before he died, aged 50, in 1982. Keith was only 10 when that first tragedy occurred but he went on to play for the same three teams as his dad.
The Hockey News’ Frank Zawrazky caught up with Montreal Canadiens prospect and Laval Rocket Goaltender Jacob Fowler at the AHL All-Star Classic and asked him about a couple of topics.
The 21-year-old is in his first full professional season and has spent most of the season in the AHL with the Rocket, but the Canadiens’ goalie woes have led to a surprise call-up to the big team, where he played his first 10 NHL games. Still, he spent enough time in the AHL to earn his first invite to the All-Star Classic with a 17-7-0 record, a 2.21 goals-against average, and a .916 save percentage. Asked about what it meant for him to be an All-Star, he replied:
Yeah, it’s special. Obviously, every time you get to be a part of something like this, it’s cool. It’s the first in my career, and I’m just proud to represent this organization. There are a lot of people who have helped me get here, and I want to have a positive reflection on the organization.
- Fowler on taking part in the AHL All-Star Classic
An upper-body injury kept him from taking part in on-ice activities, but he still made the trip, sporting a brand-new mask for the occasion. Asked why that new mask features a Quebec license plate on the back plate, the goaltender explained:
It was a little touch: I’ve always had a license plate on the back with Florida, which is where I’m from, and for an event like this, I thought it would be cool to do the Quebec license plate because it’s my new home now. I think it’s turned out pretty nice.
- Fowler on the new back plate on his mask
On the goalie coach changes in Laval and Montreal, the netminder said:
Obviously, I’m happy for Marco (Marciano), he deserves it, he’s great, he’s been awesome for me. Very fortunate to have the people that we do in our organization, it’s exciting times in Laval.
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The netminder added that he still keeps in touch with Marciano, but he wasn’t sure if he was going to work with him during the Olympic break as initially planned, since Ilia Ejov has now been named interim goalie coach with the Rocket.
Fowler was cleared to play Laval’s first game after the All-Star break, and he backstopped the team to a 6-1 win over the Hershey Bears, saving 23 of the 24 shots he received. On Valentine’s Day, he acted as Kaapo Kahkonen’s backup in the game against the Toronto Marlies.
The Rocket is currently first in the Northern Division and fourth overall in the AHL. Fowler is having a great first professional season, and with what he showed during his call-up with the Canadiens, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him in the NHL sooner rather than later. The future looks bright in the Montreal crease, not only because of Fowler, but there are two Canadiens prospects amongst the nominees for the Mike Richter award in the NCAA.
Mad respect to those who put this list of every assist he ever made.
His first assist was to PJ Brown and his last to Yanic Konan Niederhäuser. Here is a list of every player Chris Paul has assisted during his career (regular season and playoffs):
Blake Griffin – 1318 David West – 1188 JJ Redick – 701 Andre Jordan – 633 Deandre Ayton – 512 Peja… pic.twitter.com/LJ5UMCD60U
The way Chris Paul unceremoniously separated from the Los Angeles Clippers is unfortunate. It is widely believed he deserved better.
His final full season was with the San Antonio Spurs. I know many Pounders, myself included, had reservations about his fit with the Silver & Black, considering what a thorn he’d been in our side over the years as an opponent.
Alas, he was exactly what was needed for the young team. He exemplified leadership for Victor Wembanyama, he showed how to anchor an offense to Stephon Castle, and he offered the veteran presence]as they began to shape their future.
Throughout his career, Paul made the teams he played for better. During the Phoenix Suns only Finals trip this century, Paul was at the helm giving Devin Booker the support he and the team needed to make the leap.
While with the Spurs, Paul hit two of his career achievements, moving second all-time in assists and steals. In both he surpassed Jason Kidd and landed behind John Stockton.
His final All-Star appearance was also Victor Wembanyama’s first. The duo made waves in the Skills competition, effectively shutting it down for the foreseeable future.
There’s always hope that CP3 will find a home as an assistant coach. With his wealth of knowledge and his connections in the NBA, he’s bound to help another team improve their game.
Thank you, CP3!
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NEW YORK - JANUARY 25: Amare Stoudemire #32 of the Phoenix Suns looks to move the ball during the game against the New York Knicks on January 25, 2005 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The Suns won 133-118. 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 Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We have arrived at tier four, and up to this point, it feels like the temperature has stayed fairly steady. There have not a lot of pitchforks, not a lot of smoke in the comments, which makes sense when you think about how this has been rolled out.
Building the Phoenix Suns All-Time Pyramid has always lived on two tracks at once. One is that the top tiers and the group of players they include all have legitimate cases. Nobody is sneaking in through a side door. The other is the pacing of it all. Revealing this thing step by step makes it difficult to fully interrogate placement until more of the picture is visible, and that is intentional. You need the full shape before you start arguing about angles.
Once everything is out in the open, it is all going into one complete piece, and I am even toying with the idea of turning it into a small book that can live on my coffee table. Because an unreasonable amount of time, thought, and energy has gone into this project, and I want something tangible at the end of it. Something that proves this was real and not a prolonged basketball-induced fever dream.
Now that we are stepping into Tier 4, this is where the conversation is going to heat up. These are the names where you start sliding players up and down in your head, where you see someone here and wonder if they belong higher, or you look back at Tier 5 and feel the pull to move someone forward.
I have gone back and forth on several of these spots more times than I care to admit. And truthfully? I walk away still questioning where I ended up.
Tier 4. Revealed.
Yes, I can already see some of the folly in my ways, and I am comfortable saying that out loud. Tier 4 is labeled ‘Era Defining Stars’, and I am fully aware that I have two players here who occupied the same era, which on its face feels a little messy. You could easily make a case for someone like Mikal Bridges or Deandre Ayton landing in Tier 4 because they represent a recent era of success for the franchise, and I would not argue that framing outright.
Where I ultimately landed comes down to longevity and weight. Time matters here. Staying power matters. And in Ayton’s case, I do not see a path where he ends up among the greatest players in franchise history. If I were building a pyramid of disappointment, maybe he shows up there. But this project is filtered through my lens, my biases, and yes, a little bit of personal pettiness that I am not pretending does not exist. That is the privilege of being the one writing the thing, and in this case, I am owning it.
So this is the list. Amar’e Stoudemire. Paul Westphal. Dan Majerle. Alvan Adams. These are the names. Now let’s talk about what they did while they were here, how they shaped their eras, and why each of them earned this tier-defining designation.
Tier 4: Era-Defining Stars
Alvan Adams was one of the trickiest placements in this entire exercise, and I went back and forth on him more than almost anyone else. At one point, I had him a tier higher, leaning heavily into the idea that longevity should carry real weight in a project like this. At another moment, I had him a tier lower, sliding Jason Kidd into this spot and telling myself that peak impact mattered more.
Eventually, this is where Adams landed, and that decision is rooted in value, even if it took a while to get comfortable with it.
There is a delicate balance between longevity and productivity, and Adams sits right in the middle of that conversation. He was around forever by Suns standards, a foundational piece of the 1976 NBA Finals team, a Rookie of the Year, an All Star, and a player who mattered from the moment he stepped into the league. At the same time, his most effective stretch came early, and as his career progressed, the production slowly tapered. That reality is part of his story.
People who watched him closely will tell you he was a very good player, a smart player, but also one who embodied the limitations of the Suns during that era. In a league where size was currency, he was not overpowering physically, and that shaped both his role and his ceiling.
None of that diminishes what he meant to the franchise.
Statistically, his fingerprints are everywhere. He is first all-time in games played with 988, a massive gap of 222 games over second place. He is first in minutes, rebounds, steals, and fouls, third in points, third in assists, and fourth in value over replacement.
The big kid out of Oklahoma spent 13 seasons in Phoenix, the only NBA home he ever knew, and that matters more than it sometimes gets credit for. As this project progresses, you’ll find loyalty is something I value. His major accolades came early in his inaugural 1975-76 season, but his presence stretched all the way to 1988, bridging eras and teammates from Dick Van Arsdale to Kevin Johnson.
That continuity matters. His longevity matters. His place in the fabric of the organization matters. When I weighed everything, that is what ultimately kept him here in Tier 4. I spent a lot of time considering Jason Kidd in this spot, and that debate stayed close until the end, but in the final tally, this tier belongs to Alvan Adams.
Some of you might blink when you see Dan Majerle this high on the list, and at the same time, I know plenty of you nodded along without hesitation.
If you were around in the early 90s, you already understand. Dan Majerle was a vibe. He was grit and sweat and flying elbows. He was a defender who took assignments personally, a three-point shooter who showed up before the league fully knew what to do with that archetype, and he carried one of the great nicknames in Suns history. Thunder Dan.
How much of a vibe was he? Enough that it bled into real life. My uncle Steve Voita, a Valley artist who fed five boys through creativity, long nights, and sheer will, once painted Dan Majerle on the side of his 1985 Chevy K5 Blazer (which he still owns to this day) with the words “Feel the Thunder” running alongside it. That truck rolled around Phoenix like a moving shrine.
That is the kind of imprint Majerle had on this city. He was not only a player you watched, he was something you felt.
When I asked my uncle why he did it, he stated, “How could I not? The Traverse City kid with deadly three-pointers capitivated the whole Valley, at critical clutch moments he lit it up. Thunder Dan’s defense against the best in the game was refreshing and relentless, the kids loved him from the start.”
“Daddy, daddy, please paint Thunder Dan on our Blazer,” he added, noting how my cousins spawned the idead. “They pleaded and how could one of Americas best sports artist say no? The kids made me park extra long at school everyday so all the other kids knew who the real Suns fans were, honking cars and anywhere the Blazer went was cheers and screams of ‘Go Suns!’”.
And the numbers back up the feeling. Majerle ranks fifth all time in steals in franchise history and tenth in win shares, but what really stands out is how far ahead of his time he was. He was the first true three-and-D guy I ever remember watching.
He sits third all-time in Suns history in made three pointers, and the last one he hit came back in April of 2002. Yeah, the league has changed since Majerle played, but the Suns still haven’t caught up to what he was doing 30 years ago. In the 1994-95 season alone, he knocked down 199 threes, only 27 shy of the franchise record that Quentin Richardson set a decade later. That was revolutionary stuff at the time.
Majerle spent eight seasons in the Valley, the first seven defining the core of his career. During that run, he earned three All-Star selections, made two All-Defensive Second Teams, and finished second and third in Sixth Man of the Year voting across the early nineties. He was eventually moved as the franchise reshaped its future, then returned in 2001-02 as a 36-year-old veteran coming off the bench, still defending, still spacing the floor, still Thunder Dan.
He helped define an era of Suns basketball from 1988 through 1995. Dan Majerle was not a footnote. He was a tone setter. He was culture. And whether it was on the court or painted on the side of a truck, Thunder Dan will always be a vibe in Phoenix.
This list is strictly about players, the ones who actually took the floor and wore the uniform, so owners, commentators, and coaches are left out by design. Paul Westphal is the rare exception in spirit, not in rule, because he managed to define eras in two different roles, first as a player and later as a coach.
Plenty of former Suns went on to coach, but none of them reached the heights Westphal did when he led the team to the 1992 93 NBA Finals, which is where my personal relationship with him began, stepping in for Cotton Fitzsimmons and guiding a team that had been circling the summit without quite getting there.
Still, this is not about the coach. This is about the player, and Paul Westphal, the player, was outstanding in a Phoenix Suns uniform.
He spent six total seasons in Phoenix, with the first five from 1976 through 1980 being the stretch that truly defines him. He did return for one final season in 1983-84, but his prime lived firmly in those earlier years, and those were the best seasons of his career.
His peak came in the 1977-78 season, when he averaged 25.2 points per game, and his 809 made field goals that year still rank second all-time in a single season for the Suns, trailing only Tom Chambers. That same season, Westphal averaged 29.2 points per 36 minutes, which remains the top mark in franchise history.
It is hard not to drift into a little basketball imagination when you think about Westphal’s game. He played almost his entire prime before the three-point line existed, and by the time it arrived in 1979, we only got one real season to see how he might have adapted. He attempted 93 threes that year and made 26, a 28% clip, which does not jump off the page, but that hardly tells the story. Westphal was one of the best shot makers the Suns have ever had, a true craftsman with footwork, angles, and touch.
Going back through film, the ease with which he turned and banked shots, the confidence he had taking attempts players rarely even consider today, it all feels surgical. He was a tactician, someone who understood space and timing at a level that feels timeless.
His first season in the Valley set the tone. He arrived and immediately helped lead the Suns to the 1976 NBA Finals, falling short of a title but announcing that something real was being built. From there, he kept producing, year after year.
He ranks eighth all-time in Suns history in assists, sixth in steals, averaging 1.6 per game, and logged 465 games played in Phoenix. His scoring average of 20.6 points per game places him ninth all-time, and he owns the second-highest single-season steals total in franchise history, swiping 210 in the 1975-76 season while averaging 2.6 per game.
We know what Paul Westphal meant to this franchise, and that meaning stretches beyond numbers, but the numbers alone are more than enough. During his first five seasons with the Suns, he never played fewer than 80 games in a year, a level of durability that feels almost mythical now. He was an Iron Man, a leader, a uniquely gifted scorer, and a foundational figure in Suns history.
Tier 4 feels not only appropriate, but unquestionable. Paul Westphal was an era-defining star, steady, brilliant, and essential to understanding what this franchise became.
Now it gets interesting, because this is where I know some of you are already moving names around in your head. Amar’e Stoudemire is one of those players who tends to drift upward the further we get from his playing days. Time has been kind to his legacy, and for good reason, because who he was in Phoenix was a physical, imposing force, a big man who attacked the rim with a level of violence and intent that this franchise has not really seen since he left in 2010.
He arrived as a rookie and immediately made his presence known, winning Rookie of the Year by living in the paint and daring defenders to meet him there. Who can forget the highlight dunks and the names plastered on the posters as they looked upwards as STAT came down upon them. Michael Olowokandi. Josh Smith. Anthony Tolliver.
As his career progressed, his game expanded. The jumper came along. The touch improved. And suddenly, he was not only finishing plays, he was punctuating them. The Steve Nash to Amar’e Stoudemire pick-and-roll became a nightly event, a reliable source of chaos for opposing defenses and a defining image of an era.
Standing tall and talented indeed, Stoudemire was one of the stars who defined the Seven Seconds or Less Suns. That style does not exist without him. The spacing, the pace, the freedom. All of it worked because Amar’e applied constant pressure. He was always threatening the rim, always forcing rotations, always pulling the defense inward. The team that helped reshape modern basketball had him at the sharp end of the scoring spear.
The 2004-05 season tells that story loud and clear. Stoudemire scored 2,080 points, the third-highest single-season total in franchise history. He made 7.3 free throws per game on 9.9 attempts, both the highest marks in Suns history for a single season. His offensive win shares that year were the best the franchise has ever seen, and he led the league in two-point attempts per game.
Zooming out to his full eight seasons in Phoenix, the résumé stays heavy. He ranks third all-time in rebounds, fifth in blocks, and seventh in total points. His 21.4 points per game sit sixth all-time in franchise scoring average. He is second all-time in free throws made per game at 5.9 and second overall in player efficiency rating. Calling him an offensive juggernaut barely scratches the surface of what he was at his peak.
So why is he not in Tier 3? That comes down to preference and definition, and it is something I will unpack more fully when we get there. Because Amar’e Stoudemire absolutely deserves his place high on this pyramid, and where exactly he lands says as much about how you value eras, longevity, and impact as it does about the player himself.
How are we feeling through three tiers with three left to go?
DENVER, COLORADO - FEBRUARY 9: James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers walks off the court during halftime at Ball Arena on February 9, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. 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 Chris Swann/Clarkson Creative/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers took a big swing at the trade deadline by swapping Darius Garland for James Harden. Initial returns are positive.
Harden showed up and blended in faster than anybody could have reasonably expected. His gifts in the pick-and-roll are obvious, and with them, Jarrett Allen is flourishing. Donovan Mitchell and Harden already have a burgeoning chemistry and have found each other in key moments. But the team is incomplete, and the regular season does not always resemble the playoffs.
Let’s dive into the details of what to watch as we evaluate the integration of James Harden down the stretch with an eye on playoff scenarios.
On offense
Offense is not just where James Harden excels, it is where the Cavaliers have struggled in the playoff series they have lost. Where could Harden help or hurt them?
One system or two?
We know Harden can run a pick-and-roll and will feed the bigs. We know he can get to the line. The greater question is how he will impact the overall flow of the offense.
In the Core Four era, the Cavaliers’ offense has looked its best when it was in continuous motion. They initiate, create advantages, the ball pops, and the defense never catches up. They’ve looked their worst when the ball sticks and the defense catches up and resets itself, or when they fail to break the shell and put the defense in rotation in the first place. We have seen the Cavaliers respond to this truth time and time again over the last four years.
Secondary initiators who lean towards isolation, like Caris LeVert and De’Andre Hunter, stop the ball and let the defense reset. Even though they are capable initiators, it isn’t an elite skill for them, and it’s not efficient enough. The Cavaliers ask them to adapt their game to motion, but ultimately trade them away.
Role players are asked to be decisive the moment they touch the ball. When three-point shooters don’t shoot, it allows the defense to reset. Every Cavalier role player is asked to develop another option for when they don’t shoot. Sam Merrill’s leap this season is largely based on developing a more effective drive and dish game after not shooting. Both Dean Wade and Isaac Okoro struggled to develop the same skills along the baseline. When they would hesitate or be reluctant to shoot, they would fall out of the rotation. Both improved, but doing so in the playoffs is what matters.
Jaylon Tyson’s leap is the embodiment of this philosophy. His emergence is based on a do-it-all skillset and being one of the most decisive players on the roster. The moment the ball touches his hands, he already knows if he is shooting, driving, skip passing, or doing dribble-handoff right back to Mitchell. The defense never resets when the ball reaches him. They barely get to break stride.
Even Evan Mobley is not immune to this philosophy. The first third of this season saw the Cavaliers experiment with Mobley as an isolation scorer. They would throw him the ball and let him go to work. The results were poor, and the effort was abandoned. The old philosophy returned. Mobley is still a key offensive hub, but the Cavaliers know they need to get him the ball on-the-move with the defense in rotation.
This style of continuous motion is not the norm for Harden. As he once famously declared, he is not a system player, but is the system himself. How true this is on the Cavaliers remains to be seen. Harden plays slow and probes a defense. He is by far the most capable player at this slower, isolation-heavy style that the Cavs have ever had in the Core Four era.
Will Harden be asked to adapt and play Cavs ball? Or will he, at times, be the system?
We have already seen him play faster with the Cavs. But will he move more off-ball? Will he keep the defense in rotation, or will he let it reset and probe it himself when the ball returns to him? If he allows defensive resets, will this mute the impact of the motion-related leaps Jaylon Tyson and Merrill have made? These are all open questions.
The Cavs could attempt to exclusively play their motion-heavy style and fit James in. The man can do it if he chooses. They could also embrace Harden-ball and effectively run two systems, switching between them based on personnel and situation, especially when Harden is on the floor without Mitchell. One system or two? The correct answer to this question is unknown. Having a clear approach is critical though. The Cavs have the rest of the regular season to figure out what they believe is best.
Size matters
There are two truths of playoff basketball:
The intensity, physicality, and ball pressure will ratchet up
The space will diminish
Whether it is because of a tighter whistle, specific gameplans, or a willingness to simply not guard certain players, these two truths play out every year.
The Cavs’ offense always looked best with Garland healthy because he is a gifted initiator and playmaker. Harden is too, albeit in a different manner. But there is one thing Harden is that Garland is not: He’s big.
At 6’5”, 220 lbs, Harden can seal off extra pressure and throw over and around double teams in a way that Garland and even Mitchell cannot. He does not especially need to Nash dribble his way out of the paint like Garland when the opportunity isn’t there. He can stop, wait for the collapse, and bruise his way to a passing angle or a foul. He can also punish and back down smaller guards who attempt to defend him. These are the key playoff elements to watch for as the regular season concludes. Can teams blitz and double well beyond the three-point line with Harden handling? Can Harden better navigate a crowded paint with both Mobley and Allen on the court or when defenses ignore the corner shooter?
An extra Cavs-specific size-related item to watch is whether or not James can draw the strongest perimeter defender with Mitchell on the court. There are very few defenders with both the size and strength to stop Mitchell at the point-of-attack. There aren’t many guys built like Lou Dort. If Harden can use his size to force defenses into using their physically strongest perimeter defender on him instead of Mitchell, then defenses all over the league should be concerned.
DENVER, COLORADO – FEBRUARY 9: James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on during the second quarter of the game against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena on February 9, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. 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 Chris Swann/Clarkson Creative/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On defense
James Harden is not known for his defense, and that isn’t where he is expected to impact the game. That said, there are two important items to watch.
Cross-matching
While Harden is not a great defender, he is better on-ball than you might think. It is actually off-ball where he is weaker.
One of the lessons of the playoffs two and three years ago was that constantly hiding Garland and cross-matching his assignment was hurting the overall defensive shell as well as the rebounding effort. As a result, the focus of last season was on not helping Garland as much on defense. The Cavs asked him to step up with effort, if not ability, and take on his assignments and hold his own when defenses target him. Garland was even asked to hold up in isolation in detrimental matchups like one-on-one against elite wing players like Jayson Tatum.
What will the Cavs ask of Harden? Will they return to constantly cross-matching? Will they bring help early and often to tag him out? Or will they ask James to step up on defense in the same manner they asked Garland?
Off-ball attention
This is the big one and the one that takes specific effort to focus on during a game. Harden has looked lost on defense many times in his first few games with the Cavaliers. He’s been drifting and in locations completely unrelated to his assignment. This is understandable for a new player on a new team. It is also a hallmark of the James Harden experience.
The question is an easy but important one. When teams get wide-open three-point attempts and free runs to the rim for offensive rebounds, how often is it because Harden does not know where he is supposed to be or what rotation he was supposed to make? How often is he simply not there? And how quickly does he improve at this, if at all?
The James Harden experience in Cleveland is already looking like a year-one success. The question is how high the ceiling can be and how it all translates to playoff basketball. If we watch with a close eye, we should get glimpses at the answer down the stretch of the regular season.
Oct 6, 2025; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (left) and guard Kyrie Irving (right) watch the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half at Dickie's Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
The Dallas Mavericks are currently in the midst of their longest losing streak since before the calendar turned over to a new century. Having dropped nine straight games entering the All-Star break, Dallas is currently much better positioned for a high draft pick than they are for a Play In bid, and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to not find value in securing another young prospect come June.
Since that time, Irving has himself echoed the same sentiment. On Saturday during a Twitch livestream, he said an update would be coming post-All-Star break.
Kyrie Irving said via Twitch that an update on his recovery from ACL surgery will come after the All-Star break. pic.twitter.com/Ir1GYw8ZD5
It is unclear exactly why the update has consistently been targeted for after the All-Star game. Perhaps not wanting to distract from an important weekend for the league at large? Maybe an additional medical clearance is already scheduled for this timeframe? It might just be convenient timing relative to the unofficial second-half of the NBA season. Whatever the case, Irving afforded us some further insight and it may just be a spoiler for the answers we’ve been waiting for.
Kyrie speaks on his recovery from his injury:
“My rehab is going well. Whenever I’m 150% healthy, I’ll be back. I want to be better than where I was. So that's saying a lot. It’s a big hill to climb, but it's worth it.”
While Irving doesn’t give a day and date for his return, he specifically says “whenever I’m 150% healthy, I’ll be back.” It doesn’t take much searching online to find plenty of evidence that Irving is on the practice court, although not necessarily in five-on-five competitive scenarios. That, along with the “150%” desired level of recovery should give us pause that his return is not imminent, and possibly will not be this season.
As disappointing as this may be, it probably is for the best. Irving has always been in tune with his body and his overall game, and no one can question his dedication to the craft. The fact he wants to be better than he was should be music to Mavs’ fans’ ears. If we have to wait until Cooper Flagg’s sophomore season to see him paired with Irving, some measure of disappointment is warranted. However, the idea of Irving getting an entire second offseason of rehab before spooling back up in training camp and preseason has major appeal. The Mavericks’ shot at any post season play is slim at this point, so there is really no reason to get Irving back on the court with any immediacy.
With All-Star weekend having officially come to a close, we shouldn’t have to wait much longer for definitive answers.
I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 13: Red Sox CEO and president Sam Kennedy talks to manager Alex Cora #20 of the Boston Red Sox looks on before a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park on April 13, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As players report to Spring Training the Red Sox brass are showing their faces as well. And for some reason they are deciding to speak publicly.
While availability to the press is definitely a better than the Where In the World Is John Henry? (Do it Rockapella!) game that has been played the last few seasons, the continued attempts to spin things to their benefit just keeps reaching new levels of silliness. This shouldn’t be a story. This shouldn’t have been a press conference.
But we did get a press conference from Sam Kennedy yesterday. And instead of looking to the future in 2026 we got more of the same nonsense about the past. Specifically, we got this nonsense from Kennedy about Alex Bregman’s free agency:
“If Alex Bregman wanted to be here, ultimately he’d be here.”
First of all, in September the very same Sam Kennedy had no problem saying this about Bregman:
“That’ll all take care of itself. He wants to be here, we want him to be here, and I’ll leave it at that.”
It’s actually understandable for Kennedy to not know what was coming in September, well before Bregman opted out. Heck, all Kennedy needed to say in September was “let’s finish the season, we’re focused on getting to October.” That far ahead of free agency, why would the the Sox want to set expectations?
I’m not even that upset they didn’t sign Bregman. After another year of mixed performance marked by injury, 2025 was more proof that a long-term deal was a risky proposition. But that is entirely beside the issue. At the end of the day we know that the Chicago Cubs acquired his services for five years and $175 million. It’s believed the Red Sox topped out at 5/$165. Chicago offered a no-trade clause and Boston, presumably, didn’t.
The Cubs have Spring Training in Arizona, Boston in Florida. Was that a factor? Sure. Maybe. Many MLB players make a lot of sacrifices to be on the road most of the year. Maybe it was the extra $10 million. Maybe he developed a fear of Wally. But again, this isn’t the point.
Sam Kennedy didn’t need to set himself and the team up for this by saying “That’ll all take care of itself.” He could have ignored it. Why did Bregman sign a deal with the Red Sox that had opt-outs instead of the rumored deal with the Tigers? Because he was always opting out. After a year in Boston, maybe they’d be the top of his list but that’s it. If he really, definitely, wanted to stay in Boston for five more years, surely he could have arranged that.
It’s too bad. Because the Red Sox went out and added two staters (Gray, Suárez). They added some infielders (IKF, Durbin). Willson Contreras was acquired. They are getting a full season of Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer. Obviously those last two spent time on the IL but for Anthony especially that’s not the expectation.
There is a lot to be excited about and the Sox brass are stepping on rakes. He wanted to make one more comment about Bregman, sure, I guess. But having it be his words from the fall in reverse and used to defend not re-signing their third baseman? Who is that for? What reasoning?
The Red Sox play Northeastern University on Friday and then it’s a rocket ship of major league opponents until Opening Day. Let’s just look ahead. This is a team to promote. If mistakes were made in the fall, that time has passed.
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 13: Red Sox CEO and president Sam Kennedy talks to manager Alex Cora #20 of the Boston Red Sox looks on before a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park on April 13, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As players report to Spring Training the Red Sox brass are showing their faces as well. And for some reason they are deciding to speak publicly.
While availability to the press is definitely a better than the Where In the World Is John Henry? (Do it Rockapella!) game that has been played the last few seasons, the continued attempts to spin things to their benefit just keeps reaching new levels of silliness. This shouldn’t be a story. This shouldn’t have been a press conference.
But we did get a press conference from Sam Kennedy yesterday. And instead of looking to the future in 2026 we got more of the same nonsense about the past. Specifically, we got this nonsense from Kennedy about Alex Bregman’s free agency:
“If Alex Bregman wanted to be here, ultimately he’d be here.”
First of all, in September the very same Sam Kennedy had no problem saying this about Bregman:
“That’ll all take care of itself. He wants to be here, we want him to be here, and I’ll leave it at that.”
It’s actually understandable for Kennedy to not know what was coming in September, well before Bregman opted out. Heck, all Kennedy needed to say in September was “let’s finish the season, we’re focused on getting to October.” That far ahead of free agency, why would the the Sox want to set expectations?
I’m not even that upset they didn’t sign Bregman. After another year of mixed performance marked by injury, 2025 was more proof that a long-term deal was a risky proposition. But that is entirely beside the issue. At the end of the day we know that the Chicago Cubs acquired his services for five years and $175 million. It’s believed the Red Sox topped out at 5/$165. Chicago offered a no-trade clause and Boston, presumably, didn’t.
The Cubs have Spring Training in Arizona, Boston in Florida. Was that a factor? Sure. Maybe. Many MLB players make a lot of sacrifices to be on the road most of the year. Maybe it was the extra $10 million. Maybe he developed a fear of Wally. But again, this isn’t the point.
Sam Kennedy didn’t need to set himself and the team up for this by saying “That’ll all take care of itself.” He could have ignored it. Why did Bregman sign a deal with the Red Sox that had opt-outs instead of the rumored deal with the Tigers? Because he was always opting out. After a year in Boston, maybe they’d be the top of his list but that’s it. If he really, definitely, wanted to stay in Boston for five more years, surely he could have arranged that.
It’s too bad. Because the Red Sox went out and added two staters (Gray, Suárez). They added some infielders (IKF, Durbin). Willson Contreras was acquired. They are getting a full season of Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer. Obviously those last two spent time on the IL but for Anthony especially that’s not the expectation.
There is a lot to be excited about and the Sox brass are stepping on rakes. He wanted to make one more comment about Bregman, sure, I guess. But having it be his words from the fall in reverse and used to defend not re-signing their third baseman? Who is that for? What reasoning?
The Red Sox play Northeastern University on Friday and then it’s a rocket ship of major league opponents until Opening Day. Let’s just look ahead. This is a team to promote. If mistakes were made in the fall, that time has passed.
On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Bleed Cubbie Blue is pleased to present a Cubs-centric look at baseball’s colorful past. Here’s a handy Cubs timeline, to help you follow the various narrative paths.
“Maybe I called it wrong, but it’s official.” — Tom Connolly, HoF Umpire.
1952 – Hall of FamerHonus Wagner, 77, retires after 40 years as a major league player and coach. He receives a pension from the Pirates and the number 33 he wore as a coach will be the first to be retired in Pittsburgh. (1,2)
1956 – Major League owners announce that the players’ pension fund will receive 60 percent of World Series and All-Star Game radio and TV revenues. (2)
1980 – While taping separate interviews at KNBC-TV studios in Burbank, CA, Giants coach Jim Lefebvre and Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda trade punches after a brief argument, leaving Lasorda with a bloody lip. Lefebvre had been a Dodger coach in 1979 until he was fired by Lasorda. (2)
2003 – His body temperature having soared to 108 degrees, Orioles 23-year-old pitching prospect Steve Bechler dies of multi-organ failure after a spring training workout. Early speculation is the expectant father’s death may have been caused by ephedrine, a dietary supplement linked to heat stroke and heart attacks. (1) Malcolm Allen of SABR wrote this up.
2015 – U.S. District Court Judge Darrin Gayles sentences Anthony Bosch, the man behind the BiogenesisPED scandal, to four years in jail for masterminding the operation that led to a dozen major league players receiving suspensions of 50 games or more. Ironically, the poster boy for the guilty players, Alex Rodriguez, issues a handwritten apology to fans today as he is about to head to spring training with the Yankees following the end of his suspension, but the text does not go into any detail besides expressing general regret for his trespasses. (1) More about this here.
2022 – After a short deliberation, the jury in the trial of former Angels employee Eric Kay, accused of supplying the drugs that led to the overdose death of P Tyler Skaggs in 2019, returns a guilty verdict. Kay now faces a minimum jail sentence of 20 years. (1) The straight dope from the DoJ.
Some of these items spread from site to site without being fact-checked, and that is why we ask for verifiable sources, in order to help correct the record.
