Sha’Carri Richardson hails athletics ‘having its moment’
‘Innovative schedule also honours tradition,’ says Coe
The women’s 100m final will headline the first day of competition at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics as part of organisers’ plans to “open with a bang”.
The surprise decision, which will lead to all three rounds of the 100m taking place on the same day, was welcomed by the US sprint star Sha’Carri Richardson, who said it showed that “track and field is having its moment”.
Europa League prices last season praised as ‘sensible’
Trust asks Tottenham to make ticketing fair
The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust (THST) has said “unaffordable” ticket prices are behind the declining atmosphere at the club’s stadium.
Spurs have won three of 20 home Premier League games in 2025 in their 62,850-seat ground. Although the venue came alive during last season’s successful Europa League campaign, the club’s return to the Champions League has resulted in crowds of 54,755 and 49,565 for home fixtures against Villarreal and Copenhagen.
Michael Ray Richardson, a versatile guard who was banned from the NBA for violating its drug policy in the 1980s, died Tuesday. He was 70.
Richardson’s attorney and close friend, John Zelbst, confirmed his death to The Associated Press. Richardson, who had prostate cancer, died at his Lawton, Oklahoma, home, with his wife, Kimberly, present. News outlet Andscape first reported the death of Richardson, whose first name was alternately spelled Micheal over the years.
Richardson was a three-time All-Big Sky Conference player at Montana before being selected No. 4 in the 1978 NBA draft, two slots ahead of Larry Bird. He played for the New York Knicks, Golden State Warriors and New Jersey Nets. In eight years, he was a four-time All-Star who led the league in steals three times.
The NBA mourns the passing of four-time All-Star Michael Ray Richardson. Michael dedicated his post-NBA career to using his life story to teach life skills to young people. We extend our heartfelt sympathies to his family, friends and fans. pic.twitter.com/f3TnT80b81
He was banned in 1986 after violating the drug policy for cocaine use. He played in the Continental Basketball Association and then finished his career in Europe. He later won five championships as a coach in the Continental Basketball Association and NBL Canada.
“It was a life of redemption and winning,” Zelbst said. “Redemption and winning. It’s incredible.”
In 1979-80, Richardson averaged 15.3 points per game for the Knicks and led the league in assists (10.1 per game) and steals (3.2).
“He was just an incredible player, and no one had seen anybody like him at that time,” Zelbst said. “He was Magic (Johnson) before Magic.”
In 1984, he led the Nets to a stunning playoff upset of the defending champion Philadelphia 76ers and stars Moses Malone and Julius Erving.
In his best NBA season, 1984-85 with New Jersey, Richardson was named the NBA’s comeback player of the year after averaging 20.1 points and 8.2 assists and a league-best 3.0 steals per contest.
He played one more NBA season before his ban.
“He got kicked out of the league, got sober and never went back to it,” Zelbst said.
Richardson coached the Oklahoma/Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry to three championships - in the CBA in 2008 and 2009 and in the Premier Basketball League in 2010. He also led the London Lightning to two NBL Canada championships. He returned to Lawton and spent much of the time in his later years guiding young Black men in the area.
Zelbst, who owned the Cavalry and Lightning, said Richardson was one of the best people he knew.
“Anybody that ever met him would just be fascinated by him,” Zelbst said. “He was such a bright light and I’m going to dearly miss him. He turned out to be my best pal, and it’s just heartbreaking.”
The NBA season is off to a hot start with close games and soaring viewership under its new media deal with Amazon, ESPN/ABC and NBC. The league’s accountants are also expecting a big year with gross projected revenue of $14.3 billion, up 12% from last season’s $12.75 billion, according to someone familiar with the forecast.
This tally includes league and team revenue outside of the money clubs make from non-NBA events, such as concerts, at arenas they operate or own. The figures were shared with league owners in September. The NBA declined to comment on the financial projections.
The growth is fueled by the league’s new 11-year, $76 billion media deal, which bumps each team’s TV revenue from $103 million to $143 million this season. The payouts rise roughly 7% per year on average, putting each team on track for $281 million for the 2034-35 season, based on a 30-team league. Forty years ago, each NBA team received roughly $1.5 million from national TV.
The 30 NBA teams generated $12.25 billion, or $408 million per club, in revenue during the 2024-25 season, including non-NBA events and excluding certain money that stays at the league level for investment and operations. The revenues ranged from $833 million for the Golden State Warriors to $301 million for the Memphis Grizzlies. The tally is net of revenue-sharing that transferred roughly $400 million to low-revenue teams last year, funded by high-revenue teams and 50% of luxury tax proceeds.
By comparison, NFL teams made $22.2 billon, MLB clubs made $12.75 billion, NHL franchises made $7.7 billion and MLS sides made $2.2 billion.
Basketball-related income, which is used to set the salary cap, was $10.25 billion last season, dinged by a choppy local media environment and multiple small-market teams reaching the conference finals, which impacted postseason gate receipts. It meant that more than $480 million went back to teams from the escrow fund set to ensure a 51-49 revenue split between players and owners.
The average NBA franchise is worth $5.51 billion, per Sportico’s NBA team valuations. That figure is up 20% versus last year and 113% from 2022, when the average was $2.58 billion.
The Yankees went into the 2025 season without an everyday third baseman.
Manager Aaron Boone started with Oswaldo Cabrera at the hot corner, but once he suffered a season-ending injury, he had to use youngster Oswald Peraza and even shift Jazz Chisholm Jr. from second to fill the spot.
Of course, it didn't work offensively or defensively, forcing GM Brian Cashman to finally address the position and trade for Ryan McMahon at the deadline.
Should the Yanks be content with McMahon starting at third base next year? It's an interesting quandary as there are many more pressing needs to address this offseason -- namely, the outfield -- but if an upgrade is available at third base, should Cashman take a look?
Alex Bregman, after a successful season with the Red Sox, is a free agent again and could be an intriguing option. Should the Yankees reach out to the All-Star?
Here are the pros and cons...
PROS
Bregman was a free agent last offseason and landed with the Red Sox after signing a three-year, $120 million deal, but opted out to test free agency again. Why would he do that? Well, Bregman was the Red Sox's MVP in 2025, at least for the first half of the season.
Bregman entered May batting .328 with seven home runs and was still hitting .299 by the end of the month. However, he suffered a quad injury that wiped out the third baseman's June and some of July.
Once Bregman returned, however, he picked up where he left off, finishing with a triple slash of .273/.360/.462 with an OPS of .822 to go along with 18 home runs and 62 RBI.
Bregman notched his third All-Star selection in 2025 and was the veteran presence a young Red Sox team needed. There are plenty of stories that showcased Bregman's leadership in the Boston locker room, and they needed it with the Rafael Devers drama -- something that started in spring training and seeped into the regular season.
Having Bregman there likely helped the Boston front office make the decision to trade their star slugger and it didn't deter the team. Bregman helped lead the Red Sox to the postseason and to a do-or-die Game 3 in the Wild Card series against the Yankees. That type of leadership wouldn't hurt in the Yankees locker room, especially for a young infield group.
In those three postseason games, Bregman was 3-for-10 with a double and two walks. His career postseason numbers are solid and he has the mental fortitude to not let the moment get too big for him.
And then there's the defense. While he may not be as good defensively as McMahon, he won a Gold Glove in 2024 and was in the 83rd percentile for outs above average (3) in MLB.
Compare Bregman's numbers to McMahon's. The left-handed bat slashed .214/.312/.381 with an OPS of .693 between the Rockies and Yankees in 2025 with 20 home runs, just two more longballs than Bregman in 40 more games. Simply put, Bregman's offense is an upgrade to McMahon's.
CONS
Bregman will enter his age-32 season next year, which, while not old, means his better years could be behind him. And they have McMahon (30) already under contract.
With age comes injury and we saw it in 2025. Bregman missed a good chunk of time and there's always risk for those soft tissue injuries as players get older. And while Bregman's offense hasn't really taken a step back, it's hard to deny he benefited from playing in Houston and Boston over the years. Those ballparks are great for right-handed hitters, which is the opposite at Yankee Stadium.
Although I believe Bregman is a hitter's hitter, and could change his approach to match his surroundings, it's hard to deny the numbers.
In 28 career games at Yankee Stadium, he's slashed .241/.336/.380 with an OPS of .716 and just four home runs. That includes going 7-for-20 (.438) in four games played in the Bronx in 2025.
And then you have to think about the contract. Bregman walked away from $40 million in 2026, so what will he look for this time around? The third baseman will look for, perhaps, his final big contract -- and the Yankees shouldn't dedicate that kind of money to a position that's technically already filled. They have to figure out their outfield, fill out their bullpen, and get reinforcements for the starting rotation before thinking about a third baseman.
VERDICT
The Yankees missed the boat when they didn't pursue Bregman more aggressively a year ago. Now that they have McMahon under contract through the 2027 season, adding the All-Star feels more like excess than filling a need.
Should Cashman reach out to see what can be done? Sure. But with payroll the way it is, and the holes still needing to be filled, adding Bregman doesn't feel necessary.
The Grand Rapids Griffins open a two-game homestand on Wednesday and Friday, beginning with a highly anticipated matchup against the Toronto Marlies. Grand Rapids has been dominant to start the season, winning eight straight games before falling in a shootout against the Chicago Wolves. Now, they shift their focus to the Marlies, who will feature the return of Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll on an AHL conditioning stint.
Woll’s return comes at a crucial time for the Maple Leafs, who have struggled defensively this season. Toronto has allowed 65 goals, tied with the Nashville Predators for the most in the NHL. The pressure has largely fallen on Anthony Stolarz, who has shouldered a heavy workload with Woll sidelined. Stolarz has started 12 of the Leafs’ 15 games, posting a 6-5-1 record with a 3.35 goals-against average and an .889 save percentage. Without Woll’s steady play, the Leafs’ goaltending tandem has lacked balance, making this rehab assignment a major storyline for both the NHL and AHL clubs.
Woll made his season debut last Saturday for the Marlies against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, stopping 21 of 24 shots in a 3-2 loss. He will get the start again on Wednesday as Toronto fans watch closely, hoping this appearance marks the final step before his NHL return.
The Griffins, meanwhile, continue to roll offensively with forward John Leonard as one of the hottest scorers in the league. With nine goals and three assists for 12 points in eight games, the 27-year-old is producing at a 1.50 points-per-game pace, the second-best average in the AHL. He has scored in six of his eight appearances and carries an active eight-game point streak that includes three multi-goal performances. Playmaker Amadeus Lombardi has also been a key contributor with assists in seven of Grand Rapids’ nine games, including an active five-game assist streak.
Grand Rapids will look to test Woll early and often, but they have goaltending concerns of their own. With both of their regular netminders injured in the last game, the Griffins will turn to ECHL call-ups Carter Gylander and newly signed Luke Pavicich to handle duties in goal.
Wednesday’s matchup promises high intensity and plenty of offense as the Griffins aim to make a statement against an NHL-caliber goaltender. Puck drop is set for 11 a.m. EST. Fans can listen live on WOOD 106.9 FM and 1300 AM or stream the action on AHLTV via FloHockey.
Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
The designated hitter spot is one of the positions that the Mets have struggled to get consistent production out of since it became a full-time spot in the National League in 2022. Outside of the second half and playoff run from Jesse Winker in 2024, the Mets have not extracted enough value from having an additional hitter in the lineup.
This winter presents an option that could provide elite production at the DH spot in the second-best pure DH in the sport (behind Shohei Ohtani) -- free agent slugger Kyle Schwarber.
In 2025, Schwarber slashed .240/.365/.563 (.928 OPS), was second in baseball with 56 home runs, and led baseball in runs batted in with 132. He was named an MVP finalist along with Ohtani and Juan Soto.
Despite turning 33 years old before the 2026 season begins, Schwarber should still have a healthy market. Most projections indicate he could be looking at a four-year deal, potentially reaching five years, with an average annual value in the neighborhood of $30-32 million per season.
Here are the pros and cons of New York signing Schwarber…
PROS
Over the last four seasons, Schwarber has not hit fewer than 38 home runs and has exceeded 45 in three of those four. He is tied with Ohtani for second in baseball in home runs during that stretch with 187, trailing only Aaron Judge. Simply put, he is one of the most prolific power hitters in the sport.
As mentioned above, the Mets' primary designated hitters since 2022 have been names like Daniel Vogelbach, Darin Ruf, Winker, and Starling Marte. Schwarber would step right in and be a significant value add at the position.
If the Mets were to make a huge swing at Schwarber, it could allow president of baseball operations David Stearns to pursue his plan of improving the team’s defense. If that meant Pete Alonso departing as a free agent, the Mets would at least have the power that they’d be losing covered with Schwarber.
Beyond the baseline statistics, if you look under the hood, it might even be better.
Schwarber’s Baseball Savant page is mostly lit up red like Christmas lights. He was in the 98th percentile in average exit velocity, 99th percentile in barrel percentage, 100th percentile in hard hit rate, 98th percentile in bat speed, and 97th percentile in walk percentage. Pretty good.
Jul 15, 2025; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; National League designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrates with his teammates after hitting in the swing off after the 2025 MLB All Star Game ended in a tie at Truist Park. / Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images
CONS
The power numbers are gaudy, and the walks along with them help raise Schwarber’s floor.
I am personally not the biggest batting average proponent you will meet, but extremes in any category matter. The last two years, Schwarber has settled into hitting in the .240s, which would be perfectly fine in combination with his walk rate and power.
However, in 2022 and 2023, he hit .218 and .197, respectively, and he is a career .231 hitter. If the Mets are confident in the adjustments he has made over the last two years, that would work.
But if Schwarber is hitting near the Mendoza line and striking out at nearly a 30 percent clip while tied up to a long-term, big money contract, that won’t be received quite as well.
With Schwarber being essentially a position-less, full-time DH, it allows for zero flexibility to give Alonso or other players days as a DH unless you are sitting Schwarber.
Looking beyond 2026, is there a point in the next four to five years that Brandon Nimmo needs to be more of a DH? How about Soto? Ultimately, it would be a commitment that going forward, Schwarber is the DH and those two are in the corner outfield as they continue to age.
It is Stearns’ job to be pragmatic and operate in what he believes is in the best interest of the organization, but it would be naïve to think there is zero emotion attached to decisions that are made. Is he going to be willing to give a big contract to Schwarber that he could potentially just bring Alonso back for?
Unlike with Munetaka Murakami, who can play a couple of positions, I think Schwarber only makes sense if the Mets do not re-sign Alonso.
If Alonso continues to seek the reported seven-year type of deal, then a pivot to Schwarber makes a lot more sense. If not Alonso or Schwarber, the Mets may struggle to land a proven slugger this offseason. That would make the lineup just feel light, even if there are other pivots.
One of the big things to consider is timing.
It is realistic to predict Alonso’s free agency to last beyond the new year or maybe even into February. Schwarber’s market is likely much more defined, and a decision by the Mets to pivot would likely have to be made in the next few weeks.
Much like I believe the Mets cannot exit this offseason without a frontline starter, I don’t believe they can come out of it without a thumper in the lineup.
If Alonso is going to hold out and be patient, the Mets may not be able to have the same patience that they did last winter. And wouldn’t it be a statement move to pull Schwarber away from the division rival Phillies?
The NBA has announced a number of changes to the All-Star game for 2026.
The All-Star game is an annual mid-season exhibition match involving the best players in the league.
Traditionally, a team from the Eastern Conference faces a team from the Western Conference, although the format has changed multiple times in recent years.
The first All-Star match was held in 1951 and has taken place yearly since then, with the exception of 1999 due to the NBA league lockout.
But what are the new changes for February 2026's All-Star game?
What's new to the All-Star game?
Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors has been selected 11 times for the All-Star game [Getty Images]
In 2026 a three-team tournament will take place consisting of two American teams and one team of international players.
They will all play each other once, with the top two teams facing each other again in the championship game.
Last year a four-team tournament took place, with the two winning semi-finalists facing each other in the final - deemed the championship game.
The starting fives for the two United States teams and the Rest Of World are picked via a combination of fans (50% of the vote), current NBA players (25% of the vote) and a media panel (25% of the vote).
The reserves to make up the three teams of eight are decided by NBA head coaches.
Like previous years, the squads will consist of 12 Eastern Conference players and 12 Western Conference players.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver will add extra players to fulfil the necessary quotas should a scenario arise where the 24 players do not consist of 16 United States players, eight international players and 12 from each conferences. It would mean that at least one team would have more than eight players in their squad.
When is it?
All four of the All-Star games, that last 12 matches each, will all take place on Sunday, 15 February 2026.
No regular season games take place during this period.
The All-Star matches will take place at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California - the home of the Los Angeles Clippers.
Who could feature?
LeBron James holds the record for the most All-Star selections, appearing in each of the last 21 games since 2005.
James, 40, missed the 2025 game due to injury and is yet to play this season, also because of injury.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, James Harden, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant, who have won 10 of the last 12 NBA Most Valuable Player awards between them, were all selected for the 2025 game.
Antetokounmpo missed last year's match due to injury.
San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama, who was named Defensive Player of the Year two years ago, made his All-Star debut in the 2025 game and is among those likely to feature again in 2026.
This article is the latest from BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team.
What is Ask Me Anything?
Ask Me Anything is a service dedicated to answering your questions.
We want to reward your time by telling you things you do not know and reminding you of things you do.
The team will find out everything you need to know and be able to call upon a network of contacts including our experts and pundits.
We will be answering your questions from the heart of the BBC Sport newsroom, and going behind the scenes at some of the world's biggest sporting events.
Our coverage will span the BBC Sport website, app, social media and YouTube accounts, plus BBC TV and radio.
Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani pitches during Game 4 of the World Series at Dodger Stadium. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Leading off the 2028 Olympic Games: Shohei Ohtani, at Dodger Stadium. On deck: The lighting of the Olympic torch.
That is how the Los Angeles Games could look, based on the revised schedule announced Wednesday by LA28 organizers. In another sign that Major League Baseball is headed toward an agreement to allow its players to participate in the 2028 Games, LA28 adjusted its baseball schedule after discussions with the league.
Under the new schedule, the baseball competition would start on Thursday, July 13, 2028 — the day before the opening ceremony, rather than the day after.
That would give MLB the option to hold the 2028 All-Star Game on its traditional Tuesday date — most likely in San Francisco — with the Olympic baseball competition starting two days later in Los Angeles and ending on Wednesday, July 19. The major league schedule could resume the following weekend.
In past Olympic baseball tournaments, MLB has declined to stop its season, so minor league and college players have populated the rosters of many countries, including the United States. For 2028, MLB had no interest in canceling its All-Star Game and replacing it with the Olympic competition.
No final deal among LA28, MLB and the Major League Baseball Players’ Assn. has been reached, but MLB commissioner Rob Manfred all but telegraphed this resolution in July, one day after LA28 said its baseball competition would begin on the day after the opening ceremony.
“They put out a schedule,” Manfred said then. “They tell you it’s not going to move. We’ll see whether there is any movement on that.
“It is possible to play the All-Star Game in its normal spot, have a single break that would be longer, but still play 162 games without bleeding into the middle of November. It would require significant accommodations, but it is possible.”
Report says franchise model could save up to £1.9m a year
‘Smaller clubs are spending way above their means’
James Haskell, the former England international, has likened English rugby to “Thelma and Louise heading off a cliff” after an independent report found that Prem clubs made a combined loss of £34m last season.
The report by a leading UK corporate recovery and insolvency firm, Leonard Curtis, suggests the game should consider adopting a franchise model, which it says would help Prem clubs to save between £1.1m and 1.9m a year.
The Boston Celtics’ late-game execution woes have masked — or at least diminished — some of the more encouraging trends the team has produced through the first 12 games of the season.
Over the past week, perhaps nothing has been as notable as the rather unexpected emergence of third-year wing Jordan Walsh.
Walsh’s defensive potential has been evident ever since the Celtics snagged him with the 38th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. But he played sparingly on two championship-level teams, and it felt fair to suggest that the 2025-26 season was a bit of a make-or-break campaign, even if Walsh is still only 21 years old entering his third NBA season.
After logging three DNPs and playing sparingly through the early part of the new campaign, Walsh got an opportunity to reassert himself starting with last Wednesday’s visit from the Washington Wizards, and has basically made it hard for Joe Mazzulla to take him off the court.
Something seemed to click against Washington for Walsh. He was relentless on the defensive glass. He brought a controlled chaos to the defensive side of the ball. The Celtics outscored the Wizards by 27 during his 24 minutes of floor time and it set the stage for Walsh to really showcase his defensive talents.
That culminated Tuesday night in Philadelphia, where Mazzulla dispatched Walsh as the primary defender on 76ers superstar guard Tyrese Maxey, who averaged 33 points per game against Boston in the teams’ first two meetings this season.
With Walsh logging nearly 60 percent of the total matchup time, Maxey finished with his lowest scoring output of the season, generating 21 points on 5-of-17 shooting over 33:39. The Sixers escaped with a 102-100 triumph, but Walsh was an obvious silver lining with his inspired defensive play.
Here are four numbers that detail just how impressive Walsh has been in his recent minutes:
11.1 percent
That was Maxey’s shooting percentage when Walsh was the primary defender in Tuesday’s game. The NBA’s tracking data had Maxey finishing 1-for-9 with four points over 26.9 possessions and nearly six total minutes of matchup time with Walsh defending him.
Walsh was fantastic, including at the end of Tuesday’s game, helping to harass Maxey into a late miss in a tie game. Alas, the Celtics overreacted to helping near Maxey and that allowed Kelly Oubre Jr. to swoop in for a way-too-easy put-back that proved to be the difference in the game.
102.5
That is Boston’s defensive rating in Walsh’s 122 minutes of floor time this season. Not only is it second-best on the team among regulars, trailing only Neemias Queta (101.2), but Boston’s defensive rating is 12.4 points per 100 possessions lower during Walsh’s floor time compared to when he’s on the bench.
For context, the Oklahoma City Thunder top the NBA with a defensive rating of 104.1. The Celtics sit 13th at 113.4 overall.
Drill down to Boston’s last four games and Boston’s defensive rating drops to 97.9 in Walsh’s 98 minutes of floor time. It spiked to a team-worst 123.4 in his 94 minutes on the bench.
That’s how far below their expected field goal percentage that Walsh has held his defensive assignments over the last four games. Opponents are shooting a meager 37.5 percent against him on 10 shot attempts per game, per the NBA’s defensive dashboard. That’s the best differential on the team in that span.
That number especially pops when you consider the recent defensive assignments like Maxey, Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.
Here’s a look at how Walsh has fared against his top defensive assignments this season, per NBA defensive tracking data:
window.addEventListener(“message”,function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(“iframe”);for(var t in a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data[“datawrapper-height”][t]+”px”;r.style.height=d}}});
The Celtics have felt as comfortable letting Walsh joust with bigger, offensive-minded forwards like Banchero and Wagner, as they do in letting him chase around speedy and athletic guards like Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. It’s a defensive luxury to have a player like Walsh who the Celtics can trust against all sorts of opposing scorers.
16.8 percent
That’s the percentage of opponent missed field goal attempts that Walsh has rebounded this season, which ranks in the 98th percentile among all wings, per Cleaning the Glass data. The only players better in that category this season: Josh Hart (20.7) and Brandon Ingram (16.9).
The Celtics are simply a better rebounding team when Walsh is on the floor. The Celtics grab 71.8 percent of all defensive rebounds during his court time, the best individual mark on the team. Their overall rebound rate of 53.5 percent with Walsh on the floor would be a top-five mark in the NBA if maintained, and would slot the team ahead of Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs.
All of Walsh’s defensive metrics are elite for the early portion of the season. He’s blocking 1.6 percent of shots when he’s on the floor, which ranks in the 95th percentile among all wings, per Cleaning the Glass data. He generates steals on 3 percent of plays when he’s on the court, which ranks in the 92nd percentile among wings.
Walsh rebounds 44.4 percent of all missed free throw attempts when he’s on the court, which ranks in the 99th percentile. Only teammate Jaylen Brown has a higher mark in the league among wings.
With Edwin Diaz a free agent and the Dodgers searching for a high-end reliever, it seemed they might be a big threat to lure him away from the Mets.
Maybe not.
While the Dodgers are indeed seeking a jolt for their bullpen, they could be deterred by the fact that Diaz has a qualifying offer attached to him, reports Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic.
Per Ardaya, with the Dodgers already owing draft penalties due to exceeding the luxury tax, it could "dissuade" them and other teams in similar situations from making a run at Diaz.
According to The Athletic, Los Angeles has made free agent reliever Devin Williams a target. Williams, who spent last season with the Yankees after being acquired from the Brewers via trade, was eyed by the Dodgers before that deal.
Jul 3, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Edwin Diaz (39) celebrates after defeating the Milwaukee Brewers at Citi Field. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
"We love both Pete [Alonso] and Edwin," Stearns said. "They've been great representatives of the organization. We'd love to have them both back. At this stage of the offseason, it’s really tough to predict any outcomes, but certainly, we would love to have both those guys back."
Diaz, who will be entering his age-32 season in 2026, is coming off a year where he was one of the best and most dominant relievers in baseball. He had a 1.63 ERA (2.28 FIP) and 0.87 WHIP with 98 strikeouts in 66.1 innings.
Diaz ranked in the 99th percentile this past season when it came to xERA, xBA, whiff percentage, and strikeout percentage, via Baseball Savant. He was in the 89th percentile or better in fastball velocity, barrel percentage, and extension. His ground ball rate, chase percentage, and the average exit velocity against him all graded out well above average.
Batters hit .133 with a .200 slugging percentage against Diaz's fastball in 2025, while hitting .179 with a .269 slugging percentage against his slider.
In addition to Diaz's dominance and familiarity with (and ability to succeed in) New York is the fact that the Mets don't have an internal replacement for him. And there are no better options on the free agent market.
After Yahoo Sports NBA analyst Kevin O’Connor made a post on Threads blaming the Warriors’ veteran core — including Green and Jimmy Butler — for the team’s recent struggles, Green fired back, pushing back against O’Connor’s claim that the “old guys” are the problem in Golden State.
O’Connor, in his original post, was referencing a story from ESPN’s Anthony Slater, who reported shortly after the Warriors’ 126-102 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night that that Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski’s preseason comments about wanting to “be better” than Steph Curry elicited some eye rolls within the organization.
Green responded in real time on Threads, reminding O’Connor that he speaks for himself and challenging the analyst’s understanding of winning culture.
The back-and-forth comes as the Warriors continue to search for answers amid injuries, fatigue and a demanding away schedule. Golden State sits at 6-6 and will face the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night in the second half of a back-to-back, with both Curry and Green listed as questionable.
Golden State’s six-game trip continues through San Antonio, New Orleans, Orlando and Miami before returning to Chase Center.
