Damian Lillard was a shocking addition to the NBA's 3-point contest during All-Star weekend, given that the 35-year-old, nine-time All-Star hasn't played a single minute of NBA basketball this year.
His inclusion in the event was head-scratching to many fans. Still, there's no denying that Lillard is one of the best shooters in NBA history.
Not only has he shot over 35% from 3 in nine of his last 10 seasons, but he has won the 3-point contest twice already — 2023 and 2024. He was aiming to become just the third player in NBA history to win the event three times, and the first to do so non-consecutively.
Larry Bird won the event every year from 1986 to 1988, while Craig Hodges won the event each year from 1990 to 1992.
Lillard had a chance to make history. So, did he do it? Here are the full results from the 2026 NBA 3-point contest:
2026 NBA 3-point contest results
First round
*-advanced to the final round
Devin Booker* - 30
Damian Lillard* - 27
Kon Knueppel* - 27
Donovan Mitchell - 24
Norman Powell - 23
Jamal Murray - 18
Tyrese Maxey - 17
Bobby Portis Jr. - 15
Finals
Damian Lillard - 29
Devin Booker - 27
Kon Knueppel - 17
Booker missed the final three shots of his last rack, wasting three opportunities to tie and possibly win the event. Lillard's win makes him the third three-time champion.
What did Damian Lillard score in his prior two wins?
In 2023, Lillard scored 26 points in the finals. His competitors, Buddy Hield and Tyrese Haliburton, scored 25 and 17 respectively.
In 2024, Lillard, a model of consistency in this event, scored 26 points yet again, beating Trae Young (24) and Karl-Anthony Towns (22).
Lillard's 29 points in 2026 mark the most he's ever scored in a 3-point contest win.
Feb 14, 2026; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) competes in the three point contest during the 2026 NBA All Star Saturday Night at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Devin Booker came in second-place in the three-point shooting contest during All-Star Weekend. He had a chance to win the event for the second-time in his career, but missed his last three shots that would’ve given him an opportunity to tie or take win the even over eventual champion Damian Lillard.
While he lost, the 57 combined points he scored is 12 more than he won the contest back in 2018. Credit, the scoring system is different than it was eight years ag0, but he made 7 more threes this time on just two extra shots.
In the first round of the contest, Booker had the highest score of any contestant throughout the contest. His 30 points in round one was the 30-point performance in the contest.
While Booker didn’t take home the victory, he’ll have a chance to come away with one on All-Star weekend tomorrow when he participates in the All-Star games for team stripes, and with Phoenix hosting All-Star weekend next year, don’t be shocked if he participates in the three-point contest again.
STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — Jadyn Wooten scored 16 points, Amari Whiting added 13 points and 11 rebounds, and Oklahoma State outscored the Lady Raiders 22-9 in the second quarter to beat No. 16 Texas Tech 75–65 on Saturday.
Oklahoma State (20–7, 9–5 Big 12) took a 36–24 halftime lead, holding Tech scoreless for the final 3:18 of the half. The win marked the Cowgirls’ second victory over a ranked opponent this season and secured their first 20‑win campaign since 2022–23.
Wooten shot 7 of 10 from the field and added seven assists, while Whiting posted her second double‑double of the year. Achol Akot scored 13 points and Stailee Heard added 12 for the Cowgirls, who shot 54% overall and made eight 3‑pointers.
Texas Tech (23–4, 10–4) opened the second half with five straight points to cut the deficit to seven, but OSU answered with an 8–0 run to push the margin back to 44–29. The Lady Raiders trailed by double digits for most of the second half before a late push trimmed it to 66–60 with under three minutes left.
Bailey Maupin led the Lady Raiders with 19 points, and Snudda Collins added 18 off the bench. The Lady Raiders shot 4 of 21 from deep and were outrebounded 36–26. Texas Tech entered a half‑game out of first place in the Big 12 and is on the road for three of its next four games.
Up Next
Texas Tech faces No. 12 Baylor at home on Wednesday.
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Tae Davis had 19 points, Nijel Pack and reserve Kuol Atak both scored 18, and Oklahoma used an 18-0 second-half run to beat Georgia 94-78 on Saturday.
Davis made 7 of 10 shots and 5 of 7 free throws for the Sooners (13-12, 3-9 Southeastern Conference), who beat No. 15 Vanderbilt by a point on the road last time out to end a nine-game losing streak. Pack hit 6 of 10 shots with four 3-pointers and Atak did his damage on 6-for-7 shooting from beyond the arc. Reserve Dayton Forsythe scored 13.
Blue Cain scored 20 to pace the Bulldogs (17-8, 5-7), who have lost two straight and 5 of 6. Marcus Millender had 16 points and Kareem Stagg scored 10.
Pack hit two 3-pointers and a jumper and Atak added another 3 in the Sooners’ 18-point run, turning a seven-point deficit into a 60-49 lead with 13:36 remaining.
Atak and Pack made consecutive 3s to push the advantage to 16 and the Sooners led by double digits over the final 11:30.
Georgia led 11-7 when play stopped for a few minutes after a popcorn machine caught fire at a concession stand.
Forsythe hit a 3 to put Oklahoma up 12-11 and the lead changed hands 13 times over the final 14:30 before halftime. Atak hit a 3 with three seconds left and the Sooners trailed 43-41 at halftime.
Georgia made its first nine shots and went into the break shooting 71% — 17 for 24. The Bulldogs shot 38% in the second half.
Tom Banton’s unbeaten 63 led England to a five-wicket T20 World Cup victory over Scotland in Kolkata on Saturday that kept Harry Brook’s side on course for the Super Eights.
PHOENIX –– The reality dawned on Max Muncy near the end of last season.
Austin Barnes and Chris Taylor were gone. Clayton Kershaw was headed toward offseason retirement. And every other player around him in the Dodgers clubhouse had arrived after he did in 2018.
The title of “longest-tenured Dodger,” Muncy realized, would suddenly belong to him in 2026.
“It was a wild thought,” the 35-year-old third baseman told The California Post on Saturday. “But it’s definitely a blessing. It’s something I’m really grateful for.”
epa07123223 Los Angeles Dodgers batter Max Muncy celebrates after hitting a game-winning walk off home run against the Boston Red Sox in the bottom of the eighteenth inning of game three of the World Series at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, USA, 26 October 2018. The Red Sox lead the best-of-seven series 2-1 to determine the champion of Major League Baseball. EPA/ADAM DAVIS EPA
Indeed, ever since he resurrected his MLB career with the club almost a decade ago, Muncy’s goal has been to stay in Los Angeles for the rest of his playing days.
It’s why he bypassed the arbitration system to sign a three-year, $26 million deal in 2020. Why he twice agreed to club-friendly extensions, rather than test the free agent market, in the three years after that. And why, after the team exercised a club option in his latest contract this winter to bring him back in 2026, he expressed immediate interest to the front office in inking another extension –– ultimately resulting in this week’s $10 million pact through at least 2027.
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“I’m very happy with where I’m at,” Muncy said. “It’s just one of those things where, I wanted to get something done, they wanted to get something done, and we reached an agreement on something we both felt was fair.”
Muncy, of course, could have pursued a potentially more lucrative path moving forward.
Though the two-time All-Star and three-time World Series champion has been limited by injuries the last couple seasons, he remains one of the most productive third basemen in baseball, coming off a 2025 campaign in which he hit .243 (his best mark in four years) with 19 home runs and 67 RBIs in 100 games.
If he posts similar numbers in 2026, he almost certainly would have been able to earn more than the $7 million salary his new Dodgers contract will guarantee for next season.
“I know I’m leaving some money on the table,” Muncy said Saturday. “But I want to be here. I want to end my career here. I know who I am as a person, and I wouldn’t be happy trying to chase money somewhere else. I’ve never been comfortable trying to do that. And I wouldn’t be comfortable now.”
Muncy’s current contract situation includes the opportunity to make more.
According to a source, he has incentives for up to $2.25 million for this season (he will earn $15,000 for every plate appearance he makes between 401 and 550) on top of his $10 million base salary. His new extension includes salary escalators of up to $3.75 million extra for 2027 based on his number of plate appearances this year ($20,000 each for each between 401-500, and $35,000 for each between 501-550). And if the Dodgers pick up his club option for 2028, which is for $10 million and comes with a $3 million buyout, he will have the same salary escalator structure for 2028, based off his 2027 plate appearances.
Still, Muncy knows his new deal has been seen around the industry as below market value.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MAY 08: (L-R) Max Muncy and Kellie Muncy attend Netflix Is A Joke Festival Presents: Dodgers Comedy Night Hosted By Cedric The Entertainer at The Orpheum Theatre on May 08, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix)
Netflix Is A Joke Festival Presents: Dodgers Comedy Night Hosted By Cedric The Entertainer Getty Images for Netflix
For him, however, staying in Los Angeles was the most valuable thing of all.
“At the end of the day, for me and my family, you have to start putting your focus on some things,” Muncy said. “And it was, ‘Would we really be happy trying to chase money, watching these guys winning the World Series?’ No, we wouldn’t. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself knowing, well, I got a little bit of extra money, but now I’m not in the playoffs, or I’m maybe the last team into the playoffs, and then we’re getting beat by the Dodgers. I wouldn’t be happy with that. I’ve built too many relationships here.”
Muncy said family stability was a particularly crucial factor. He and his wife, Kellie, welcomed their third child last month. And while their offseason home remains in Muncy’s native Texas, the family has put down roots in the Southland, too.
“My kids were born in LA. The Dodgers are all they know,” he said. “They know the stadium. They know all the people at the stadium. They love being there. Every time we’re driving on the road and they see a Dodger blue color, they yell out, ‘That’s da-da blue. That’s Dodger blue.’ LA means something to them.”
Then there’s Muncy’s standing within the organization.
With the Dodgers, he feels like he has “real input” with the coaching staff and front office. He relishes his veteran role as one of the more experienced players in the clubhouse.
“That’s one of those things that was important, to know I’m really a part of this organization,” he said. “That’s something that I didn’t want to try to build somewhere else –– or maybe it’s not like that somewhere else.”
Now, Muncy won’t have to find out. If he plays through the 2028 season, he’ll be 38. At that point, he thinks he’ll probably be ready to retire, preferring to finish his career before his play declines to the point he is forced out of the game.
“More than likely, this deal is gonna be it,” he said. “I’m not looking to chase it forever. I’m looking to go out there and be competitive.”
Right now, that remains the case, making Muncy not only the longest-tenured Dodger but also one of their most important players as they go for a World Series three-peat this year.
“I want to decide really when I’m done,” he said. “And this (new deal) gives me a good opportunity to do that.”
Inglewood, CA - January 16: The 2026 NBA All-Star Game coming to the Intuit Dome in Inglewood on Tuesday, January 16, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
NBA All Star Saturday rolls out with…Adam Silver’s press conference!
Then it moves on to The (State Farm) Three Point Shootout, The (KIA) Shooting Stars, and then the AT&Love Slam Dunk. What better way to spend St. Valentine’s day with these contests? What, you say, with romance or love? Sure, but what about Shooting Stars? Isn’t that part of it? Maybe your love is already a slam dunk? Or best it’s a shot from distance? Anyway, the NBA and Valentines go together like sushi and queso.
Things start off at 4pm Central on NBA/Peacock and last as long as they last, I guess?
A player who hasn’t played a single minute of NBA basketball wins the three point shoot out. You may remember him from Rockets nightmares: Damien Lillard.
I don’t really know what the contest is. I’m glad KIA is sponsoring it, as I have definitely seen, and driven, KIAs. Honestly though, I prefer a kea.
Just like a season ago, the Yankees are leaning on their young arms to overcome injuries to the top of their rotation.
Gerrit Cole (Tommy John) and Carlos Rodon (elbow) will miss the start of the 2026 season, and New York is hoping youngster Will Warren can take that next step to becoming a fixture in the rotation and get them off to a strong start this year.
Warren, who will turn 27 in June, is likely to earn a spot on the Opening Day roster after making 33 starts in his rookie year. There were a lot of ups and downs for Warren in 2025. An occasional blow-up start -- he allowed five-plus earned runs in five starts -- marred his otherwise strong campaign. He didn't land on the IL and struck out 171 batters -- the most by a rookie last season.
Still, the Yankees hope the right-hander can be even better this season.
"Hopefully, there’s even more in there. He was a big reason why we were able to have success [in 2025]," manager Aaron Boone said after Saturday's workouts. "When you have starting pitchers making all of his starts, there's value in that. Frankly, a lot of good starts. Much talked about a couple of rough ones, but he showed the ability to always bounce back….there is so much that he learned, that he gained."
"Taking the ball every five days is a huge thing," Warren said of his 2025 season after his live BP on Saturday. "The ability to be available is a big part of playing in the big leagues, so I think that’s a successful season. There’s some stuff you can clean up…but going into this year, it’s taking that extra step."
Warren said he started throwing again a month after the season ended, and while he admitted he had to adjust to the long season with how he ramps back up, his offseason routine has largely remained unchanged.
He had two live BP sessions on Saturday. In his first run, he struck out Paul Goldschmidt swinging on five pitches, punching the former NL MVP on a high fastball. He allowed a single to Aaron Judge on a 2-1 pitch before Amed Rosario hit a groundball to where the shortstop would be.
In his second inning of work, Warren struck out Judge on six pitches after a 3-2 high fastball way out of the zone to get the reigning MVP swinging. He then fanned Jose Caballero after an eight-pitch battle on a 3-2 off-speed pitch running away from Caballero.
"[Warren] did a good job of learning from his experience and he’s a confident dude," Boone said. "He wants to be one of the good ones; that’s where his focus is. He’s a really valuable part of our team."
Warren mentioned a few times about eventually becoming one of the best in the league. When he was asked how he gets to that point, Warren reiterated that it's about posting up every five days, but also to give your team a chance, even when you don't have your best stuff.
"There were some games last year where I got ran out of there in the third, fourth inning because it wasn’t my day," Warren explained. "You see those guys on a day where they don’t have their best stuff, they go into the fifth or sixth and keeping us in the game. That makes a difference…that’s the difference."
For Boone, he preaches to Warren and other younger pitchers to slow the game down and to keep their emotions in check.
"As a starting pitcher…it’s really hard to be hair-on-fire out there, emotional. As a starting pitcher, you have to find that edge," he said. "A lot of things are going to happen through the course of a game and you can’t get emotional and ride that roller coaster. It’s a microcosm of the season…that’s critical for a starting pitcher to be able to navigate the game and things that come up.
"How do you not let that stuff snowball and he’s gotten better at that and learning to work through those things."
To Warren, that adjustment going into 2026 is about confidence and knowing that his stuff plays in the big leagues. He showed that for much of last season and flashed that in his live BP on Saturday.
"I learned last year on the days that I didn’t have my good stuff, how did I end up going five and giving up just two runs? It’s knowing you belong, trusting your stuff and not overdoing it," Warren said. "Just staying even keel, maintaining your focus and going out there and taking control of the game.
"A guy like Judge, you can get him 0-2, you have to find a way to punch this guy out without giving him something over the plate. That’s something I learned last year with 33 starts. You don’t always have to punch someone out. It’s about going deep in the game, that comes with getting soft contact and avoiding the big inning."
Until Cole and Rodon return, Warren will be part of a rotation that includes Max Fried, Luis Gil, Ryan Weathers and Cam Schlittler. What happens when the two All-Star hurlers return is anyone's guess, but Warren believes he's ready to show that he belongs.
"For me, a personal goal, I want to be a starting pitcher in the big leagues, but I want to be Gerrit Cole in 10 years or Carlos Rodon," Warren said. "It’s about taking that next step to being one of the best in the league."
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Nate Bittle and Takai Simpkins each scored 22 points to help Oregon snap a 10-game losing streak with an 83-72 win over Penn State on Saturday.
The Ducks (9-16, 2-12 Big Ten) had been without a win since Jan. 2 over Maryland, their only previous Big Ten win of the season.
Bittle's 22 came on 6-of-9 shooting and 8 of 11 at the free-throw line with seven rebounds, five assists and two blocks. Simpkins made 4 of 5 from behind the arc, and all eight of his free throws. Dezdrick Lindsay added 16 points and five assists.
Simpkins scored 20 in the second half, after shooting 1 of 4 in the first half. He helped the Ducks turn a 38-32 halftime lead into as much as a 15-point second half advantage in which they went on 10-2 and 11-4 runs.
Kayden Mingo led the Nittany Lions (11-15, 2-13) with 24 points on 9-of-13 shooting. Josh Reed added 13 points and Freddie Dilione V had 10 plus three steals.
Oregon's bench outscored Penn State 27-5, with most of those points coming from Lindsay.
Their shared playmaking should be delightful, the kind of joy designed for an All-Star Game.
The U.S. “Stripes” team has similar top-end talent in Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Kawhi Leonard. However, which trio is more likely to push the pace out of pride, the trio of international stars or the NBA’s oldest guard?
NBA All-Star Game format
The NBA All-Star Game will kick off with the “World” facing the USA Stars; to keep things simple, view the Stars as the younger U.S. team and the Stripes as the more veteran squad.
Winners of that matchup move on to play the USA Stripes, while the first game’s loser also takes on the Stripes to complete the round-robin portion of the All-Star Game.
After the round-robin, the top two teams meet again in the title game, with point differential serving as the first tiebreaker if all three teams finish 1-1.
Doncic is not one to throw down highlight-reel dunks. His All-Star Game joys will come from either absurd passes or threes taken from downtown Los Angeles.
Note: The Intuit Dome is 11 miles from downtown Los Angeles.
Even in a 12-minute game, the exhibition that it is, Doncic may take four 3-pointers, likely all uncontested. In that case, betting on him to make multiple shots from beyond the arc should not be at plus-money.
Much of an All-Star Game comes down to motivation.
Some piece of LeBron and Durant refuses to relinquish their standing in the NBA hierarchy. Given the chance to beat Cade Cunningham, Anthony Edwards, and Tyrese Maxey, expect the old guard to do so.
There may be some variance worry in a 12-minute game, but that should also allow the veterans to play more aggressively without getting winded.
Frankly, the younger roster may have more worry about getting worn out; who is more likely to over-enjoy LA nightlife this weekend, the young players reaching their first All-Star Game, or players who have done this for more than a decade?
This may come as a shock, but game it out. The World is favored to beat the USA Stars, and if doing so, it would face the USA Stripes in the second game of the day.
A win would propel the World into the title game, while the Stripes would advance if they merely beat the Stars in the final game.
The Stripes may conserve their energy to then beat the young’uns, setting up a more earnest rematch between the World and the Stripes for the All-Star Game championship.
This matchup could become plodding, at least by All-Star Game standards.
Jan 31, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) reacts to his teams three pointer against the New Orleans Pelicans during the fourth quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
If you’re a Sixers fan who skipped out on Friday night’s All-Star festivities, you missed a heck of a time. Beloved rookie VJ Edgecombe took home Rising Stars MVP honors. Edgecombe showcased everything that has made him a legitimate building block for this franchise during his first pro season during the mini-tournament, mixing clutch scoring with hard-noise play and, simply, a knack for winning basketball.
The Sixers have had their woes as of late, and, really, for a time much longer than that, but Edgecombe has got the goods. That helps a little, right?
As for Saturday night’s All-Star action, the highlight for Sixers fans is Tyrese Maxey taking part in the 3-Point Contest. Maxey will be joined by Devin Booker, Kon Knueppel, Damian Lillard, Donovan Mitchell, Jamal Murray, Bobby Portis and Norman Powell.
No Sixer has ever won the contest previously, which dates back to 1986. Hey, there’s a first time for everything, right?
Enjoy a night of hoops, which will also feature the Shooting Stars competition and, of course, the Slam Dunk contest. Chat about it all below in our open thread!
MIAMI, FL - JANUARY 29: Haywood Highsmith #24 of the Miami Heat dribbles the ball during the game against the Phoenix Suns on January 29, 2024 at Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Phoenix Suns are signing forward Haywood Highsmith to a multi-year deal, ESPN NBA Insider Shams Charania reports. With Jamaree Bouyea’s contract expected to be converted from a two-way to a standard deal, Highsmith’s signing signals that Cole Anthony, who was acquired last week from the Milwaukee Bucks, is not expected to stay on the team.
Free agent forward Haywood Highsmith has agreed to a multiyear deal with the Phoenix Suns, his agent Jerry Dianis tells ESPN. pic.twitter.com/UbkwghKYRL
Highsmith, 29, spent the last four seasons with the Miami Heat before being traded to the Brooklyn Nets this past offseason, but never played for them as he was recovering from a torn meniscus. According to reports, he’s healthy and was slated to make his season debut before being waived last week. Charania reported that he “considered multiple playoff teams,” before he signed with Phoenix, who sit seventh in the West, and 2 games out of the fourth seed.
During his time with Miami, Highsmith played in 35 playoff games and was a consistent contributor during their miraculous run to the NBA Finals in the 2022-23 season. Having shot 38% or better the last two seasons, looks to be a solid fit in Head Coach Jordan Ott’s three-point reliant system.
After acquiring Amir Coffey last week and now adding Highsmith, the Suns have made a concerted effort to beef up their forward spots as they look to make a playoff run.
The Dodgers' Edwin Díaz speaks during a news conference at Camelback Ranch on Saturday. (Brynn Anderson / Associated Press)
Dodgers closer Edwin Díaz has been settling in with his new team at Camelback Ranch, but in his first comments to the media since camp opened, he faced questions about his old team.
In an interview with team broadcaster Howie Rose on Friday, New York Mets owner Steve Cohen called Díaz’s decision to a sign a three-year, $69-million contract with the Dodgers “perplexing.” Though Díaz was caught off guard by the comments, he said Saturday he has no bad feelings toward the Mets or their fans.
“It’s a market and I was a free agent, so I got the chance to talk with everyone,” Díaz said. “I think the Dodgers did a great job of recruiting me, so at the end of the day, I chose to be here. I have a lot of respect for the Mets organization — players, staff, ownership — they treated me pretty good. I don’t have anything bad to say about them. But at the end of the day, I’m here, so this is a new journey for me. I’m happy to be with the Dodgers, so let’s see how it goes.”
Díaz participated in the Dodgers’ first day of official workouts Friday, throwing a clean bullpen session without any hiccups. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts likes what he has seen from the three-time MLB reliever of the year.
“I’m very excited to get to know him more,” Roberts said. “Just a great teammate, really good person, loves baseball, a good heartbeat. You can tell he knows what he needs to do to get ready. [He’s] likable, and at the end of the day, he chose to be here, so that’s something that is of a lot of value for us. High character. I’m really looking forward to getting to know him.”
One thing that attracted Díaz to the Dodgers was the team’s culture.
“That’s how they’ve been so good,” Díaz said. “They have a really good clubhouse… They’ve got different personalities in the clubhouse. They’ve got different players from different countries, and they all get together and have fun, so that’s something good.”
Part of having a melting pot of a clubhouse means missing some key ingredients for an extended period of spring training. The Dodgers will have several players participating in the World Baseball Classic, including Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Will Smith and Díaz.
Each major leaguer competing in the WBC runs the risk of an injury that could curtail their season, something Díaz knows all too well. Moments after striking out the side to send Puerto Rico to the quarterfinals in 2023, he sustained a season-ending knee injury.
Despite that bad experience, Díaz told reporters it was a no-brainer when he was asked to compete for his country again.
“It wasn’t in my mind,” Díaz said of the injury. “I have the chance to play in front of my family in Puerto Rico. It was an easy decision.”
Díaz’s fearlessness is one trait Roberts admires in his new closer. Díaz faced Roberts’ squad in the 2024 National League Championship Series, in which the Dodgers managed only two hits off him across 51/3 innings, scoring no runs.
“He’s not scared,” Roberts said. “When he’s in the game, it’s an uncomfortable at-bat for lefties and righties, and when we did see him in the postseason, [we were] really trying to keep him out of the game, knowing that he can go one, two, even three innings. That he’s done against us in the postseason; [he’s] just a great competitor.”
Díaz should stabilize the back end of the bullpen. Since bidding farewell to Kenley Jansen after the 2021 season, the Dodgers haven’t had a closer tally more than 25 saves in a season. Over his nine-year career, Díaz has 253 saves.
With Díaz expected to be the regular ninth-inning guy, Roberts looks forward to having more flexibility when managing his bullpen.
“It’s huge,” Roberts said. “I don’t think that there’s one way to manage a ’pen, but when you have a guy like Edwin Díaz as your closer, I do think it frees up other guys, myself included. Not having to worry about matchups for the ninth, I think that’s freeing for me and allows for getting the matchups we need in the prior innings.”
Dodgers staying cautious with Graterol
One key relief weapon Roberts hopes to have in his armory is Brusdar Graterol. The hard-throwing right-hander underwent surgery on the labrum in his right shoulder shortly after the 2024 World Series and hasn’t pitched in a game since.
Roberts provided an update on Graterol’s recovery Saturday.
“He’s in the picture, but I do think that coming back from the shoulder, it’s going to take some time,” Roberts said. “He’s in the bucket of, we’re going to slow-play him. I think yesterday he threw off the mound, and the velocity is not near where it’s going to be, so I think that it’s a slow progression. I just don’t know where that puts us, but it’s a slow process.”
Staff writer Anthony Solorzano contributed to this report.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 14: Germán Márquez #48 of the Colorado Rockies pitches during the first inning of a gameagainst the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on September 14, 2025 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Diego Padres, who have been relatively quiet throughout the offseason, made a lot of noise Saturday with signings of Nick Castellanos, Griffin Canning and now, German Marquez. According to reports, the right-hander joins the Padres on a one-year deal.
Source: SP Germán Márquez and the Padres are in agreement on a 1-year deal.
Márquez, 30, looks to bounce back from a rough first year back from Tommy John surgery and will do it in a far more favorable environment. Not long ago, he was one of game’s most durable starters.
Marquez has spent his entire 10-year major league career with the Colorado Rockies pitching his home games at Coors Field under former manager Bud Black, who is now a member of the front office in San Diego. Marquez has a career 4.67 ERA and has thrown more than 1,100 innings. His best season came in 2018 when he made 33 starts and finished with a 3.77 ERA over 196.0 innings.
Marquez had a difficult 2025 season, returning from a stress reaction in his elbow that he suffered in 2024. He posted a 3-16 record with a 6.70 ERA over 126.1 innings with 83 strikeouts last season. Marquez was diagnosed with biceps tendonitis in July of the 2025 season, which caused him to miss additional time. He missed much of the 2023 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in May of that year. Durability and health are questions for Marquez heading into 2026, making him a buy-low candidate who could add depth to the San Diego rotation if he can remain on the field.
Victor Wembanyama
Jaylen Brown
Tyrese Maxey
Cade Cunningham
Jalen Brunson
Luka Doncic
Kevin Durant
Devin Booker
Donovan Mitchell
Steph Curry
Damian Lillard
Kawhi Leonard
Anthony Davis
Russell Westbrook
