Good evening, folks. I hope your week has gotten off to a solid start and that this evening goes well for you, as well.
Here’s a random clip:
Offseason open thread: February 9
Why the signing of Miguel Andujar should excite the Friar Faithful
No one would argue the San Diego Padres’ biggest offseason need was upgrading the depth of the starting rotation. But it would not hurt to add another bat to the mix. Well, the Friar Faithful should be excited about the recent free agent signing of Miguel Andujar.
No question, the Padres have added a proven bat in Andujar. Scouts describe him as one of the top contact hitters in baseball without a natural position. His presence should provide stability at the designated hitter position or off the bench. It was something that was missing from the roster last season.
All of Andujar’s faults are fixable
Andujar is not the smoothest fielder, but he will not embarrass you if called upon to play in the field. He does have a strong, accurate arm, but poor footwork and a lack of range have made him a defensive liability.
Possibly, a change of scenery and working with a new coaching staff could unlock his potential as a defender. Spring Training provides a setting where Andujar can transform into a serviceable utility player.
The Friars are not expecting him to play the field every day, but part of his role is to give Manny Machado, Ramon Laureano, and Fernando Tatis Jr. an occasional day off. Keeping them fresh will come in handy during the grind of a major league season.
Another aspect that needs improvement is his below average baserunning skills. Andujar is labeled a station-to-station runner because he fails to get a good lead off the bag. This might be the season where he becomes more aggressive in taking an extra base to put himself in scoring position.
Let’s not kid ourselves, Andujar is in San Diego for one reason — to hit
The right-handed hitter batted .318/.352/.470 with 10 HR and 44 RBI in 94 games with the Athletics and Cincinnati Reds last season. It was his best offensive production since his rookie season in 2018. Andujar hit .297/.328/.527 with 27 HR and 97 RBI in 149 games with the New York Yankees.
The Friars expect his bat to shine in the bottom third of the batting order. Andujar’s power numbers will not jump out at you, but he can drive a ball into the gaps with runners in scoring position. There is room for improvement, as Andujar’s bat control is too good to not be able to provide more production at the plate. The Padres’ offense has been missing another proven bat for too long.
It is time for Andujar to outperform his career batting numbers. The Friar Faithful are hoping for his 2026 results to be promising. If so, the Padres should have a very successful season.
Will any of the pitchers Mike Hazen signed on minor league contracts contribute in 2026?
If you’ve only been following the Major League deals Arizona Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen has made over this offseason, you’re likely very disappointed in the lack of pitching additions via Free Agency, aside from Merrill Kelly and Taylor Clarke. However, GM Mike Hazen has actually made quite a few additions at the minor league level, and this article I’ll be going over the majority of them, while gauging their chances at cracking an MLB roster in 2026.
The Likely Five
There’s five pitchers that GM Hazen signed to minor league contracts that I think are the most likely to contribute at some point in 2026, with the major caveat of ‘if healthy’.
Makakilo just did a great writeup on Loáisiga, which I suggest you go read for a much more in depth look at him. Out of all the players in this group, Loáisiga likely has the best chance at providing positive value at the MLB level in 2026.
Law was an effective reliever from 2019 through the 2024 season, especially in 2023 when he posted a 3.60 ERA for the Reds, and even more so the following year, when he put up an even better 2.60 ERA for the Nationals. Unfortunately, Law is coming off a forearm injury that left him sidelined for all of 2025, but he hasn’t thrown an inning since the 2024 season, so how healthy and effective he can be is really in question.
Hatch was a somewhat effective reliever back in 2023, when he put up a 4.08 ERA for Toronto and Pittsburgh. Hatch would head to Japan to play for the Hiroshima Carp but it wasn’t exactly a succesful stint, considering he put up a 7.36 ERA, but his 5.65 FIP and 3.73 xFIP show that he wasn’t nearly as bad as the results indicate. He’d come back to the states last season and pitch for the Kansas City Royals, but spend the majority of his season for them playing in AAA Omaha.
In AAA, Hatch was acceptable, putting up a 4.22 ERA, 4.12 FIP, and 4.09 xFIP, but he’d allow a run to score in his only inning of work at the MLB level. The Royals would go on to designate hatch for assignment, and he’d then get claimed on waivers by the Minnesota Twins. Hatch would actually get into eleven games and 33 innings pitched for the Twins, but he’d put up a 5.82 ERA (4.81 xERA) and an even worse 6.02 FIP and 5.29 xFIP.
Shawn Dubin’s most valuable season came in 2024, when he put up a 4.17 ERA (3.98 xERA, 3.72 FIP, 4.29 xFIP) in 45.1 innings pitched in 31 games for the Houston Astros. In 2025, he wasn’t nearly as effective for the Astros; after 25.2 innings with a 5.61 ERA, which was bad enough that he’d get Designated For Assignment. The Baltimore Orioles would claim him off waivers, and he’d appear in seven games and pitch eight innings down the stretch. Dubin would have six scoreless appearances before he gave up three runs in his final outing of the season. I actually think this may be one of the more underrated signings by Hazen this offseason, especially if the Dubin of 2024 and down the stretch with Baltimore shows up in 2026
Campbell was excellent for the Seattle Mariners in his pro debut, pitching 28.2 innings in 27 games with a 2.83 ERA. His advanced metrics weren’t nearly great, as evidenced by the 3.86 xERA, 3.32 FIP, and 4.15 xFIP. The Red Sox were particularly impressed by Campbell, who’d acquire him in the offseason for Luis Urias. The 2024 season saw Campbell beset by injuries; first a shoulder impingement in April, right elbow inflammation in September along with minor 7 day IL stints in-between the two.
He’d appear in just 6.2 innings at the MLB level with a 16.20 ERA. In 2025 Campbell spent the majority of the season in AAA, where he’d put up a 3.90 ERA in 57.2 innings. At the MLB level, he’d appear in only 7.2 innings while putting up a 7.04 ERA, 5.01 xERA, 4.83 FIP, and 4.14 xFIP. The biggest positive for his 2025 season was his velocity being not only higher than the 93.8 vFA he put up in his injury plagued 2024 season, but at 96.1 it was a full 1.1 MPH faster than where was averaging in his healthy 2023 season.
The Other Guys
Then there’s guys who have yet to make their MLB debuts, some of whom have made it as high as AAA amd some of whom have only just made it to the AA level in 2025. Of the latter group of players, unless one of them dominates the hitter friendly confines of the Texas League and Pacific Coast League in a sustained run of pitching, it’s unlikely any of them make it to the MLB level, or contributes any positive value. Gerardo Carrillo RHP, Indigo Diaz RHP, Junior Fernández RHP, are all guys that fall into this category.
Then there’s the Rule 5 guys, who although they aren’t minor league free agents, the process is basically the same as far as the AAA portion goes. The Diamondbacks didn’t select anyone in the MLB phase of the Rule 5 draft this past December, but they did take select three players in the AAA phase, two of which are pitchers, so I’ll discuss them here.
First up is RHP Sean Harney, who has had a hectic 2025 season. Originally drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 8th round of the 2022 draft out of the University of Kentucky. Harney was traded to the Mets for future considerations (international bonus pool money) in December of 2024. The Mets then traded him (again) to the Cardinals at the end of March for international bonus pool money. Finally he’d end up with the Diamondbacks a year later in the Rule 5 draft, who then assigned him to AAA Reno. Harney has only reached the AA previously, last year pitching for the Cardinals AA affiliate, he put up a 4.24 ERA in 34 IP. Considering how challenging it can be to find success pitching in the PCL for the first time, I would be shocked if Harney has enough success to earn a promotion to make his MLB debut.
The other pitcher the Dbacks took in the rule 5 draft is RHP Antonio Menendez, also out of the Tampa Bay Rays farm system, though without the St Louis Cardinals as the middle man. Menendez was extremely solid in AA in 2024, putting up a 3.14 ERA, 3.47 FIP, and 3.66 xFIP in 63 innings. In 2025 he was even better, putting up a 1.99 ERA in 22.2 IP, though his 3.45 FIP and 4.25 xFIP show that improvement may have been influenced by luck and excellent fielders behind him. Either way, he’d get a promotion to AAA and his stretch of dominance would come to an end as he’d have 8.31 ERA, 5.02 FIP, and 4.48 xFIP in 21.2 IP at that level. I could actually see Menendez finding success in 2026 in his second go around in AAA, and I think he stands a better chance to make it to the big leagues in 2026.
There has to be something coming…
Matt Arnold has certainly earned the benefit of the doubt.
In his time as the Brewers’ general manager, he’s swung a few trades that have worked out swimmingly for the Brewers. One of those happens to be last offseason’s trade for Caleb Durbin, who became an integral part of a team that led the league in wins and made it to the NLCS. Last month, it seemed like he might even be the third baseman of the future. Instead, he’ll be in a Red Sox uniform on opening day.
Maybe Arnold and the Brewers front office wanted to sell high on a player who wasn’t widely seen as a long-term starter before the 2025 season. Maybe they identified red flags in his profile. Maybe they’re looking at their loaded farm system and thinking they can survive without him.
Or maybe there’s another trade coming.
Milwaukee also sent Andruw Monasterio and Anthony Seigler to Boston in the trade, so the Brewers’ entire depth chart at third base is now in Boston. After shortstop Joey Ortiz, the most experienced third baseman on the Brewers is… Andrew Vaughn.
There has to be something coming.
The return for Durbin, Monasterio, and Seigler — Kyle Harrison, David Hamilton, and Shane Drohan — could look really good in a couple of years. It doesn’t really look great right now. Harrison, a left-handed pitcher, is a former top-25 prospect and clearly the main piece in the deal. Hamilton, an infielder, had a great 2024, but he probably won’t be anything Durbin — or even Monasterio — wasn’t. He hit under .200 last year. Drohan, also a lefty, does have an intriguing profile. He’s also 27, has a career 4.29 ERA in the minors, and had a rough season last year after returning from shoulder surgery.
There has to be something coming.
Who’s going to play third base? Would the Brewers move Joey Ortiz back to third? That would mean, one way or another, that they’re confident in Jett Williams’ (who has yet to make his major league debut) ability to become an everyday contributor next year. Maybe they think Andrew Fischer and Jesus Made are closer to ready than it currently seems. Maybe Sal Frelick has secretly been taking (more) reps at third base. Maybe Ryan Braun has spent the last 20 years fielding grounders at third and is about to pull a Philip Rivers in hopes of seeking redemption. Or maybe, just maybe, there’s another move coming.
Maybe it’s a trade for Isaac Paredes. Or a trade for Alec Bohm. Maybe it’s some AAAA guy most fans haven’t heard of, and maybe that guy will end up hitting .270 and leading the league in hit by pitches.
There has to be something coming… right?
Middlesbrough sink Sheffield United to climb to Championship summit
Middlesbrough took over at the top of the Championship as an impressive first-half performance secure a 2-1 victory at Sheffield United.
Goals from Tommy Conway and Riley McGree during the opening 45 minutes proved to be crucial, taking Boro two points clear of Coventry at the top after a sixth successive win.
Continue reading...Courtney Williams, Saniya Rivers and Azurá Stevens swapped in first-ever Unrivaled in-season trade
Unrivaled, a league full of firsts, has announced the second trade—and first in-season trade—in league history.
On Monday morning, the league announced that Courtney Williams has been traded from Vinyl BC to Breeze BC, Saniya Rivers from Hive BC to Vinyl BC and Azurá Stevens from Rose BC to Hive BC. The trade comes in the wake of Aari McDonald’s season ending right leg injury; McDonald had only played one game for Breeze.
The conditions of the four-club deal are definite yet confusing. Per Unrivaled’s announcement, Breeze doesn’t seem to be forfeiting anything for Williams. The league also didn’t announce anyone going to Rose in return for Stevens. However, it is worth noting that Clare Duwelius serves as the lone general manager of Unrivaled; clubs do not have individual GMs. Transactions, thus, do not abide by the typical protocol or processes of WNBA trades.
The first Unrivaled trade came prior to Season 1, when Courtney Williams, Jackie Young, Tiffany Hayes and Natasha Cloud were swapped in a similar multi-team deal. This Season 2 deal thus makes Williams the first veteran of the 3×3 trade market.
With Breeze, Rose, Vinyl, and Hive respectively occupying spots No. 4 through No. 7 in the league’s current standings, the four-team deal doesn’t project to shake up the top of the league. However, it gives the Breeze a notable boost at the guard spot behind Paige Bueckers. That extra backcourt depth could be enough to make up some ground on the league leaders, especially considering they didn’t give up anything for Williams.
Vinyl is adding a highlight defender in Saniya Rivers, improving an already solid team defense. Vinyl is also one of the league’s tallest teams, a trend that Rivers, a 6-foot-1 guard, will fit. Vinyl, however, will have to put a larger burden of playmaking on Rhyne Howard and Erica Wheeler in the absence of Williams.
Stevens, now en route to the Hive, had a hot start to Unrivaled Season 2, but her production had quickly withered in the past two weeks, in part due to injury issues. Coming off a one-possession win, Hive will hope that she can reprise her scoring as they try to make a push in the waning half of the season. Ezi Magbegor is also dealing with an injury, giving Stevens a chance to inherit big minutes for her new team. Sans Stevens, Rose will have to add a developmental player if any of their players miss a game. Their current roster sits at just five players, and the developmental pool can be triggered when a team drops below five.
Villarreal inflicts heaviest defeat of Espanyol in La Liga this season
VILLARREAL, Spain (AP) — Villarreal scored twice in each half to hammer Espanyol 4-1 in La Liga and hand the Catalan club its heaviest defeat of the season on Monday.
The result ended a poor run which had seen Villarreal take one point from its previous three games. The win lifted it to equal on points with third-placed Atletico Madrid and seven ahead of Real Betis, although Villareal has a game in hand on both.
Georges Mikautadze gave Villarreal the lead 10 minutes before halftime when he met Tajon Buchanan's perfectly cushioned header and fired home a spectacular scissor kick.
Jose Salinas’ own goal six minutes later doubled Villarreal’s lead. Nicolas Pepe added the third five minutes into the second half when he rifled a low shot from outside the box after some skilful footwork.
Alberto Moleiro made it 4-0 five minutes later when he finished off an incisive counterattack.
Leandro Cabrera’s glancing header from a Cyril Ngonge corner with two minutes remaining was Espanyol’s only response.
Barcelona-based Espanyol has not won since before Christmas and has gone six matches without a win in the league. Monday's result marked the first time this season it conceded four goals in a game. It remained in sixth place.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Which Mariners spring training storylines are you most excited to watch?
The Super Bowl always, for me, marks the transition between the end of Other Sports season and the beginning of Baseball Season. Pitchers and catchers report this week, players are already in Arizona, and it feels like we’re ready to start grinding on the 2026 season. It’s an especially exciting one, with the Mariners’ deep playoff run followed by a thrilling run by the Seahawks culminating in the highest honor in the sport.
With our minds now bending towards baseball season, what are some of the things you’ll be looking at this spring? We’ll be doing some more in-depth analysis on this later but I find it’s always helpful to crystallize what people think are the most salient issues before diving in (apparently no one cares about the battle for backup catcher as much as I do). Also, if there’s one particular hobby-horse question you’re intent on watching for this spring, do tell.
Three more days until pitchers and catchers officially report.
11 days to the first spring training game.
Happy dawning of baseball season, everyone.
Pistons sign guard Daniss Jenkins to contract after he played 42 games this season on 2-way deal
DETROIT (AP) — Daniss Jenkins has earned an NBA contract with the Detroit Pistons, who signed the guard on Monday after he played 42 games this season on a two-way deal.
Jenkins is averaging eight points and three assists as a key player for the Eastern Conference -leading Pistons. In seven starts, he has averaged 15.3 points, 6.7 assists and 3.1 rebounds.
The 6-foot-4 Jenkins, who is from Dallas, played in seven games last season as an undrafted free agent after playing for St. John's, Iona and Pacific.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
Clippers still waiting on NBA investigation results of Kawhi Leonard's $28M endorsement deal
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Clippers continue to await the results of the NBA's investigation of a business relationship between Kawhi Leonard and a California company he had an endorsement deal with.
Last September, a report by journalist Pablo Torre alleged the team violated the NBA’s salary cap rules involving a $28 million endorsement contract between Leonard and the now-bankrupt California-based sustainability services company called Aspiration Fund Adviser LLC.
Leonard has denied any wrongdoing, saying he didn't receive all of the money he was owed from the company.
The Clippers have strongly denied that any rules were broken and said it welcomed the league’s investigation, which is being run by an outside firm.
“We haven’t learned anything more than we have in September,” Lawrence Frank, president of basketball operations, said Monday. “We know it’s out there, we know at some point there’ll be a decision made. We very much feel the same thing that we told you back in September, that we’re on the right side of this. It really doesn’t impact anything we do on a daily basis.”
The Clippers are hosting this weekend’s NBA All-Star festivities at their year-old arena in Inglewood.
Clippers owner Steve Ballmer made a $50 million investment in Aspiration, and the company and the team announced a $300 million partnership in September 2021. That was about a month after Leonard signed a four-year, $176 million extension with the Clippers.
The team ended its relationship with Aspiration after two years, saying the contract was in default. Aspiration’s co-founder, Joseph Sanberg, agreed to plead guilty in August after facing federal charges of wire fraud. Prosecutors said he defrauded investors and lenders out of $248 million, adding that “Aspiration’s financial statements were inaccurate and reflected much higher revenue than the company in fact received.”
Aspiration owed Leonard about $7 million of the $28 million deal it had with him when the company filed for bankruptcy.
“I got to look back at the books,” Leonard said last September, “but it was more than that, for sure.”
Asked if he received the money he was owed, Leonard replied, “Uh, no, but the company went belly up. It was fraud as everyone knows.”
As for the allegation that he did nothing in exchange for being paid by Aspiration, Leonard said, “I don’t think it’s accurate.”
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
Malen's priceless double keeps Roma in touch with Serie A pack
ROME (AP) — Donyell Malen scored in each half as Roma beat Cagliari 2-0 and stayed in touch with the chasing pack at the top of Serie A on Monday.
Leader Inter Milan was eight points clear of city rival AC Milan and nine ahead of reigning champion Napoli. Roma was three points further back along with Juventus.
Dutch center forward Malen had scored only once in four appearances since joining on loan from Aston Villa in January and he proved his worth on Monday with two excellent finishes.
He ran on to a clever through ball from Gianluca Mancini and his deft chip over the goalkeeper was equal to the set-up pass.
His second was more of a poacher’s effort as he got on the right side of a packed defense to turn in a low cross 20 minutes after the break.
The result served as a confidence booster ahead of next weekend’s crunch tie at Napoli.
Cagliari, which was seeking a fourth consecutive Serie A win for the first time in more than a decade, remained 12th.
Atalanta beats CremoneseAtalanta moved to within two points of the European places after beating Cremonese 2-1.
Atalanta was unbeaten in its last seven league matches and in seventh spot, two points behind Como and seven behind Roma and Juventus.
Nikola Krstovic put Atalanta ahead after 13 minutes when he got on the end of a nice cross from Giacomo Raspadori. Davide Zappacosta made it 2-0 minutes later with a neat individual goal.
Atalanta's Lazar Samardžić and Berat Djimsiti also came close as they bossed the first 45 minutes.
Krstovic missed the best chance of the second half and Berat Djimsiti had a goal disallowed in stoppage time as Atalanta continued to dominate.
Morten Thorsby’s last-minute consolation for Cremonese gave the scoreline a more respectable sheen than the action suggested.
Cremonese was without a win in 10 games and sat 16th, just five points above the relegation zone.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Looking forward — pitchers, catchers report this week
The long-awaited return of baseball is almost over. This week, pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training. Not many teams have as much riding on these two groups as the San Diego Padres. With the Friars’ pitchers and catchers reporting to the Peoria Sports Complex in Arizona, Wednesday, here’s what to look forward to between the two groups.
Catchers: Who will back up Fermin?
The Padres addressed their need behind the dish with the trade deadline acquisition of Kansas City Royals backup catcher Freddy Fermin. Fermin hit respectably to start his San Diego tenure with a slash line of .244/.278/.339. That might seem low but remember the Friars’ options prior to that were even worse with Elías Díaz and Martín Maldonado.
The question now is who Fermin’s backup will be. Two possibilities are Triple-A El Paso mainstay Luis Campusano and minor league pickup Blake Hunt.
Luis Campusano
Time is running out for Campusano. He is out of options and must make the major league roster or else he has to clear waivers to be sent back to the minors. His time in San Diego has been a strange case. A former top 50 prospect, he has struggled to produce in the majors despite the fact he raked in the minor leagues (finishing the season batting .334/.438/.586 across 466 plate appearances). His offense has not translated over, with him not recording a hit in 27 plate appearances at the big-league level.
Adding insult to injury, his defense has never been particularly strong. Across 2023-24 he recorded a -20 defensive runs saved, ranking second worst among qualified catchers. If he can’t put it all together this season, it’s likely general manager A.J. Preller will shop him at the trade deadline.
Blake Hunt
The Padres picked up Hunt this offseason on a minor league deal. For San Diego it serves as a reunion with the former second-round pick from the 2017 draft. Hunt owns a .245/.324/.398 slash line across his eight-year career in the minors. And it’s here that Campusano has one thing over Hunt: major league playing time. Apart from one day on the Baltimore Orioles’ active roster (in which he did not record a plate appearance), Hunt has spent no time at the major league level.
Because of that, it’s likely Campusano ends up in the backup role, but it remains to be seen given his obvious struggles. It seems Campusano will be the one with the club on March 26, if only so he doesn’t have to clear waivers, but Hunt may be viewed as the more long-term option behind Fermin if Campusano’s production woes continue.
Pitchers: A duel for back-end spots… or a late acquisition?
As the Padres entered the offseason, it was glaringly apparent that the starting rotation was a major problem. In spite of that, San Diego is in a much better position now. Re-signing Michael King and adding numerous minor-league pickups has helped. The first three spots of the rotation are set with Nick Pivetta, King, and Joe Musgrove, but who will follow?
The returners
Randy Vasquez and JP Sears seem to be the favorites for the final spots, given their time in San Diego’s club. Vasquez produced fairly well across 28 games in 2025, but the underlying metrics suggest that will not continue to be the case.
Sears was part of the blockbuster deal that sent top prospect Leo De Vries to the Athletics and brought Mason Miller to the Padres. He got knocked around for 16 runs after being traded to San Diego, albeit in a smaller sample of 24.2 innings. If Sears can improve his run prevention this spring, he could earn a spot on the roster come Opening Day.
Minor league flyers
The Padres extended non-roster invites to Marco Gonzalez, Triston McKenzie and Francis Peña (among others). The three are all candidates to impact the major league roster if they prove themselves in the next month.
Of the three, McKenzie represents the greatest low-risk, high-reward option. It wasn’t long ago that he finished with a 2.94 ERA across 191 innings during his tenure with the Cleveland Guardians. If he can replicate that even a little, he’ll be well on his way to making the big-league roster.
A remaining pickup?
As always, it’s impossible to rule out a last-minute Preller addition. Whether by trade or free agency, the Friars always seem to find a way to add. Odds are high, with the Padres having checked in on a number of free agent starters as well as being linked to clubs like the New York Mets and Boston Red Sox throughout the offseason.
Whatever San Diego does, the prospect of baseball coming back this week is thrilling enough. It’s been a long (and unusually quiet) offseason for the club, and it will be exciting to see how the team performs ahead of Opening Day.
Bucks vs Magic Prediction, Picks & Best Bet for Tonight’s NBA Game
The Milwaukee Bucks will try to extend their winning streak to four games as they visit the Orlando Magic tonight. Coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. ET on Peacock.
Milwaukee has shown it can compete with much better teams even without its biggest star, which is why my Bucks vs. Magic predictions are siding with the underdog.
Read on for my free NBA picks for Monday, February 9.
Bucks vs Magic prediction
Bucks vs Magic best bet: Bucks +11 (-110)
Nobody thinks the Milwaukee Bucks are about to start thriving without Giannis Antetokounmpo, but Milwaukee’s fans have to be happy to see the team getting a few wins even as the superstar is recovering from his calf injury.
After starting 3-14 without Giannis this season, the Bucks have won three in a row, covering as underdogs in all three contests.
With or without Antetokounmpo, the Bucks have shown enough not to be a double-digit underdog to the Orlando Magic, even on the road.
The Magic are dealing with their own injury issues, with leading scorer Franz Wagner sitting out with an ankle injury. They’ve lost six of their last 10 overall.
Milwaukee has a -3.7 point differential, but Orlando is a mediocre -0.4 itself. Both teams are essentially equal in their offensive efficiency, with the Magic being marginally better on the defensive end.
While Orlando has a significantly better record and has more talent to cover them without Wagner — having Paolo Banchero on your roster helps a ton — the gap between these teams simply isn’t that big.
Bucks vs Magic same-game parlay
Along with taking Milwaukee to cover, I’m also throwing in a bet on the Over, as this total looks too low given the high-scoring games both teams have been playing lately.
Each of the last four head-to-heads has gone Over.
I’ll also back Myles Turner to pick up Over 6.5 rebounds, something he’s easily done in his last two games, picking up at least nine boards in each.
Bucks vs Magic SGP
- Bucks +11
- Over 220
- Myles Turner Over 6.5 rebounds
Our "from downtown" SGP: Rollins keeps it rolling
Ryan Rollins has been firing away from deep lately, hitting at least three shots from beyond the arc in each of his last five games.
Bucks vs Magic SGP
- Bucks +11
- Over 220
- Myles Turner Over 6.5 rebounds
- Ryan Rollins Over 2.5 made threes
Bucks vs Magic odds
- Spread: Bucks +10.5 | Magic -10.5
- Moneyline: Bucks +375 | Magic -500
- Over/Under: Over 220.5 | Under 220.5
Bucks vs Magic betting trend to know
The Bucks are 3-0 ATS in their last three games overall. Find more NBA betting trends for Bucks vs. Magic.
How to watch Bucks vs Magic
| Location | Kia Center, Orlando, FL |
| Date | Monday, February 9, 2026 |
| Tip-off | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | Peacock |
Bucks vs Magic latest injuries
Not intended for use in MA.
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This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
NBA power rankings 2025-26: Pistons, Spurs — two teams quiet at deadline — move to top of rankings
Welcome to the post-deadline, pre-All-Star Game NBA Power Rankings here at NBC Sports. Just a heads-up: next week there will be no rankings. We're taking a one-week break, just like the players (plus, there aren't many games this week).
1. Detroit Pistons
(38-13, last week No. 2)
Detroit largely kept a low profile at the trade deadline — just swapping Jaden Ivey for Kevin Huerter — because it wants to see what its young core looks like in the playoffs. That's a smart strategy when you're already the No. 1 seed in the East (with a five-game cushion), especially when the impactful players they could have traded for were either unavailable (Lauri Markkanen) or just too expensive (Michael Porter Jr., Jaren Jackson Jr.). The Pistons move up to No. 1 because we're ignoring what happened Thursday against the Wizards.
2. San Antonio Spurs
(36-16, last week No. 3)
San Antonio kept its powder dry at the trade deadline, choosing not to jump in and chase a star (or anyone else) and instead go into the playoffs with this young core, get a sense of where things stand, and then adjust this offseason as needed (just like Oklahoma City did a couple of years ago). Part of that young core, Stephon Castle, showed why you should keep this group together, dropping a 40-point triple-double on Dallas this week.
Stephon Castle ERUPTED for a 40-POINT TRIPLE-DOUBLE in the @spurs win
— NBA (@NBA) February 8, 2026
40 PTS (15-19 FGM)
12 REB
12 AST
3 STL pic.twitter.com/zGYZs0ZEj3
3. Oklahoma City Thunder
(40-13, last week No. 1)
Oklahoma City was very clever at the trade deadline, sending one of its many first-round picks to get Jared McCain out of Philadelphia. A league source texted me that it was "the most OKC move ever," landing a quality young player who they can develop and grow for a couple of seasons while he is still on his rookie deal. In the short term, the Thunder are without the injured Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, and with that have gone 3-5 in their last eight. This team needs the All-Star break and a reset. That doesn't start until after a tough couple of games this week against the Lakers and Suns.
4. New York Knicks
(34-19, last week No. 5)
Picking up Jose Alvarado and bringing the New York native home (he played his High School ball at Christ the King in Queens) is one of the big wins of the trade deadline. (The other win for the Knicks was the Bucks not trading Giannis Antetokounmpo, pushing that into the summer when the Knicks have a chance.) New York's win over Boston over the weekend was impressive, but them getting thumped by the Pistons earlier in the week (even at a rest disadvantage) was concerning. Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns will deservedly be in Los Angeles this weekend for the All-Star Game.
5. Boston Celtics
(34-19, last week No. 6)
Boston got its big man depth at the deadline in a deal for veteran Nikola Vucevic. Watching him in Celtics green (or the gold uniforms on Sunday), he looks like a player still finding his comfort zone, scoring 11 in each game but shooting just 1-of-7 from 3-point range so far. That will change and the veteran will find his groove. Jaylen Brown deserves to be in the All-Star Game this weekend, he deserves to be mentioned as an MVP candidate, he deserves everything coming his way. He has been special this season.
Jaylen Brown dominated in Dallas, going for 33 PTS and 11 REB in a Celtics win! pic.twitter.com/jqZaoTH0Zs
— NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) February 4, 2026
6. Cleveland Cavaliers
(32-21, last week No. 9)
We want teams to be aggressive at the trade deadline, and Cleveland was that. Darius Garland has not been healthy this season (and the Cavs clearly are not sure if and when he's going to be), so they went all-in with James Harden. It'll be interesting to see how the slow, deliberate style of Harden fits with the up-tempo style of Donovan Mitchell in Cleveland. It worked on Saturday. Playing his first game with the Cavaliers since being traded — and without a practice or shootaround — Harden took over in the fourth quarter, scoring 15 points on 4-of-4 shooting (three of those 3-pointers) to spark a comeback win for the Cavaliers against the Kings on the road.
James Harden came up big for the Cavs in his debut!
— NBA (@NBA) February 8, 2026
23 PTS (7-13 FGM)
8 AST
5 3PM pic.twitter.com/mlq2w5wdiv
7. Houston Rockets
(32-19, last week No. 4)
Houston stood pat at the deadline, which was mildly surprising given that they are without Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams for the rest of the season and its offense has been struggling for a while now (26th in the NBA over the last 15 games). Houston is going to ride this core into the playoffs and see what they have. Sometimes it's about catching opponents at the right time, like Houston beating OKC last week (without SGA or J-Dub) or now getting the shorthanded Clippers for two games this week.
8. Denver Nuggets
(34-19, last week No. 10)
Denver dodged the luxury tax at the deadline with a small move, but mostly they like this core — if they can just get everyone healthy at once. Forwards Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson remain out with hamstring issues. While Jamal Murray (hip) and Nikola Jokic (ankle) will head to Los Angeles for the All-Star Game, both could use some downtime to get their bodies right. Good test against James Harden's Cavaliers Monday night.
9. Minnesota Timberwolves
(32-22, last week No. 7)
Very smart pickup at the deadline, adding guard Ayo Dosunmu (and throwing in the towel on Rob Dillingham), he can give this team some of what it's missing without Nickeil Alexander-Walker this season. Dosunmu is a quality defender who averaging 15 points per game and is shooting 45.1% from 3 this season. The Timberwolves remain a streaky team, and their losses last week to the Grizzlies, Clippers, and Pelicans are a concerning sign. Atlanta and Portland are up this week, and Minnesota could use a couple of wins heading into the deadline.
10. Los Angeles Lakers
(32-19, last week No. 11)
The Lakers picked up some shooting at the deadline by adding Luke Kennard (costing them Gabe Vincent), but there was no bold move to turn the Lakers into a contender this season. That's because there was no single move that could turn this team into a threat in the West (outside of landing the Greek Freak, who the Lakers couldn't get at the deadline with what they had to offer). Look for the Lakers to shake up their roster this summer — and to shake up their front office with a lot of additions (scouts, sports science people, more). This offseason is when new owner Mark Walter will put his stamp on the team (and reportedly wants to follow the blueprint he used with the Dodgers).
11. Charlotte Hornets
(25-28, last week No. 16)
Charlotte is the hottest team in the NBA: Winners of nine in a row, they have moved into the play-in if the season ended today. The Hornets have the best offense in the NBA over those nine games. Charlotte also made a great move by trading for Coby White at the deadline. Once healthy (calf issue), White should keep Charlotte's offense from falling off a cliff when LaMelo Ball is off the court. Just how well is Charlotte playing? We will get a good test on Monday night when they face East-leading Detroit.
12. Philadelphia 76ers
(30-22, last week No. 13)
Philadelphia moved on from Jared McCain at the deadline — rookie VJ Edgecombe's play made that possible — and the 76ers get a first-round pick in June out of it (which is good because their pick this year goes to Oklahoma City). Eric Gordon is out, which means Dominick Barlow gets his deserved standard contract (upgraded from a two-way). The 76ers have won 6 of 7 and get a good measuring-stick game on Wednesday against the Knicks.
13. Phoenix Suns
(31-22, last week No. 8)
Phoenix added to its guard depth at the trade deadline, doing so without taking on any long-term salary in a swap that brings Amir Coffey and Cole Anthony to Phoenix in exchange for Nick Richards and Nigel Hayes-Davis. More importantly for their guard depth, the Suns got Devin Booker back Saturday after he missed seven games (the team went 4-3 without him, but lost his return to the 76ers). Collin Gillespie remains one of the great stories of the NBA season, and he got loose against the Trail Blazers for the best night of his NBA career.
WHAT A NIGHT FOR COLLIN GILLESPIE!
— NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) February 4, 2026
30 PTS
10 AST
8-14 3PT pic.twitter.com/geQJzAl0lo
14. Toronto Raptors
(32-22, last week No. 14)
Toronto added Trayce Jackson-Davis for a second-round pick. While that is not earth-shattering on its face, the reality is that Toronto has been starting 6'7" rookie Collin Murray-Boyles at the five, and Jackson-Davis is at least a 6'9" player who has played 91% of his career minutes at center. He can help — Jackson-Davis grabbed eight offensive rebounds in 15 minutes against Indiana, helping the Raptors pick up a win. Just one game this week, but not an easy one against Detroit.
15. Golden State Warriors
(28-25, last week No. 12)
The Jonathan Kuminga soap opera is over in the Bay Area. Golden State added Kristaps Porzingis at the trade deadline, which is a great fit on paper, but in reality, he has played just 17 games this season due to illness and injury, and anything the Warriors get on the court is gravy. It's a cold business, and Porzingis is mostly an expiring $30.7 million contract that comes off the books this offseason, allowing the Warriors to look for help to chase one more ring with Stephen Curry, especially with Jimmy Butler out for much of next season.
16. Miami Heat
(28-26, last week No. 15)
Miami stayed in the Giannis Antetokounmpo chase longer than others (Minnesota and Golden State, for example), but that's in part because the Heat didn't have some other big move to make. The Heat made no trades at the deadline, they will wait to take a big swing this offseason. In fact, the only news of note this week is that Terry Rozier gets to collect his checks while being away from the team after a federal gambling indictment (his money had been going into an escrow account, and an arbitrator ruled the Heat and league had to pay him). Winnable games against the Jazz and Pelicans this week.
17. Orlando Magic
(27-24, last week No. 18)
Orlando traded away Tyus Jones and got under the luxury tax, but that was its only trade last week. It was underwhelming, but this entire Orlando season has been underwhelming, as they sit seventh in the East. Injuries keeping Jalen Suggs, Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner out for extended periods have hampered this team — their preferred starting five of those three plus Desmond Bane and Wendell Carter Jr. has played just 117 minutes together this season across 11 games, but has a +18 net rating. The question being asked in league circles is whether Orlando would consider trading Paolo Banchero this offseason. What could they get for him?
18. Atlanta Hawks
(26-28, last week No. 20)
Atlanta started reshaping its roster with the Trae Young trade, then at the deadline doubled down on that by trading away the oft-injured Kristaps Porziņģis for the athletic Jonathan Kuminga plus Buddy Hield. It's worth taking a chance on Kuminga (who will come off the bench for Atlanta once he gets healthy, sometime after the All-Star break), and if he doesn't work out, the Hawks can choose not to pick up his contract for next season (or do so and trade him again). Tough games this week at Minnesota and Charlotte.
19. Portland Trail Blazers
(25-28, last week No. 21)
Portland was one of the under-the-radar winners at the trade deadline, and not because they picked up guard Vít Krejčí from Atlanta (although he should be a good fit, adding some shooting and ball handling). It's that the Trail Blazers currently sit 10th in the West but with the No. 9 Clippers starting to tear things down at the deadline and the Warriors standing pat, a path to a top-eight spot in the West is opening up (Portland is three games back of Golden State for the No. 8 seed). The best news of the week in Portland was the return of Scoot Henderson, who looked understandably rusty after missing 51 games but also flashed his potential at moments.
20. Los Angeles Clippers
(25-27, last week No. 17)
The Clippers' front office understood their roster and where they stood in the West. Despite a strong recent run of play, they knew this team was not a contender in the West right now, and they were getting older. The Clippers went with the "break it up a year too early rather than a year too late" theory and traded James Harden and Ivica Zubac. If the Clippers can get Darius Garland healthy, and he can return to his All-Star form next season, this was a great move for the Clippers — they get 10 years younger at point guard. Bennedict Mathurin is worth taking a longer look at as well. The real question becomes, is Kawhi Leonard available in a trade next summer?
21. Milwaukee Bucks
(21-29, last week No. 24)
Milwaukee was never really interested in trading Giannis Antetokounmpo, all of that drama was more of a fact-finding mission to see where the market stood, something we reported here at NBC Sports regularly in the run-up to the deadline. Things could be different this offseason when the sides talk. The more interesting question now is how much Antetokounmpo we see the rest of this season — he talked about wanting to get healthy and make a postseason push, but the best long-term move for the franchise would be to tank, then use that higher draft pick to either trade for (or draft) another star to go next to the two-time MVP, or to use it as part of the rebuild that would come after trading him. There will be some tension.
22. Memphis Grizzlies
(20-31, last week No. 23)
In retrospect, it was clear Memphis was ready to tear this iteration of the team down and rebuild when they traded Desmond Bane for four first-round picks over the summer. Now they have done the same with Jaren Jackson Jr., and you can be sure that over the summer they will again try to trade Ja Morant (the problem is there is no good market for the two-time All-Star, other teams wanted the Grizzlies to attach a pick for them to take Morant). It's going to be a rough end of the season for Grizzlies fans, but we get to see what Taylor Hendricks can do.
23. Chicago Bulls
(24-29, last week No. 19)
Does anyone have an idea what the plan is in Chicago? They traded away good guards in Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu, then started collecting other guards teams didn't want like they were Labubus — Anfernee Simons, Jaden Ivey, Collin Sexton, Rob Dillingham, and they already had a primary ball handler in Josh Giddey, plus there is Tre Jones. On top of that, they have another guard, always-entertaining Yuki Kawamura, on a two-way contract, and then they went out and added Mac McClung on another two-way. Make it make sense. The Bulls have lost 7 of 8 and fallen out of the play-in in the East.
24. New Orleans Pelicans
(14-40, last week No. 25)
New Orleans did well in the Jose Alvarado trade with the Knicks, taking a shot on Dalen Terry (23-year-old guard shooting 41.3% on 3s) plus a couple of second-round picks. This team has no incentive to tank (their pick goes to Atlanta, or possibly Milwaukee), they are just bad. None of the team's most coveted players — Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III and Herbert Jones — were available at the trade deadline. Will that be different this summer?
25. Dallas Mavericks
(19-33, last week No. 22)
Dallas salary dumped Anthony Davis at the deadline, a trade that looks better on paper — "we got All-Star and Olympian Khris Middleton and two first-round picks" — than the reality (Middleton is not near that player anymore, and the first-round picks are a the Thunder's this year, so 29 or 30, and a future Golden State pick that likely converts to a second-rounder). What Dallas did was save money this year and clear the decks to build around Cooper Flagg — and this is why you want to build around Flagg.
Despite the loss, Cooper Flagg put up 30+ PTS for the 3rd game in a row!
— NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) February 4, 2026
36 PTS
9 REB
6 AST pic.twitter.com/abYS8wlP5a
26. Indiana Pacers
(13-40, last week No. 26)
Indiana had one of the best trade deadlines, landing center Ivica Zubac from the Clippers — he will be a fantastic fit next to a healthy Tyrese Haliburton next season. Zubac sets a big screen, and while he doesn't space the floor he is strong on the roll, a good passer, and the kind of defense presence in the paint this team needs. We will not see much of Zubac this season as the Pacers tank, but adding the big man and a lottery pick to a team that went to the Finals last season is going to make this team a force in the East next season.
27. Washington Wizards
(14-38, last week No. 27)
I like what the Wizards did picking up Trae Young and Anthony Davis at the deadline for one key reason: They gave up almost nothing to get the stars. It was discount shopping. That said, I have a caveat to my support of adding AD and Young: No contract extensions. (A one-year extension for Young beyond his expiring deal, maybe, but nothing long-term.) Adding Young and Davis to a young core with some interesting players such as Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George and Tre Johnson could help swing the culture in the nation's capital. However, that's all next season. For the rest of this season, the tank is on, and don't expect to see much of Young or Davis.
28. Utah Jazz
(16-37, last week No. 28)
Utah was one of the big winners at the trade deadline — this is how you hit the accelerator on a rebuild. Utah has a promising group of young players led by Keyonte George, Walker Kessler and Ace Bailey, now they added a former Defensive Player of the Year in Jaren Jackson Jr. to go next to Lauri Markkanen. Utah looks like a postseason team next season, but don't expect to see much of Jackson this season, as the tank is on to keep their top-eight-protected pick in Utah and add another good young player. Tanktastic game on Wednesday when the Jazz face the Kings.
29. Brooklyn Nets
(14-37, last week No. 29)
Brooklyn did nothing big at the deadline, Michael Porter Jr. and Nic Claxton are still on the team. Cam Thomas is not, but he was waived (and picked up by the Bucks). The Nets did add some young players worth taking a look at in Ochai Agbaji, Hunter Tyson and Josh Minott.
30. Sacramento Kings
(12-42, last week No. 30)
Nobody knows what's going on in Sacramento, where Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Russell Westbrook are all still on the roster after the trade deadline (although it's not like they needed to trade those veterans to tank, the Kings are plenty bad with them). Keon Ellis is gone, a taller De'Andre Hunter takes his place but has to prove he's as good. The Kings have lost 12 in a row and will now play 7 of 8 on the road.
Dodgers bobblehead giveaways in 2026
The Dodgers on Monday announced their initial set of promotions at Dodger Stadium during 2026. The list revealed so far includes 21 bobblehead giveaways, including three for Shohei Ohtani and four bobbleheads featuring notable moments from Game 7 of the World Series.
Ohtani on his six bobblehead-giveaway days at Dodger Stadium in 2024-25 had nine hits in 24 at-bats with four home runs, three stolen bases, and two walks, hitting .375/.423/.875 with nine RBI and eight runs scored. His first two bobbleheads of 2026 commemorate his Game 4 of the 2025 NLCS, during which he hit three home runs and struck out 10 in his six-plus scoreless innings en route to winning NLCS MVP.
Bobbleheads of Dodgers
- March 28 vs. Diamondbacks: Will Smith World Series Game 7 home run
- April 10 vs. Rangers: Shohei Ohtani NLCS Game 4 (batting)
- April 25 vs. Cubs: Roki Sasaki
- May 8 vs. Braves: Miguel Rojas World Series Game 7 home run
- May 9 vs. Braves: Blake Snell
- May 25 vs. Rockies: Dave Roberts
- May 27 vs. Rockies: Yoshinobu Yamamoto World Series Game 7 final out
- May 29 vs. Phillies: Alex Vesia
- May 30 vs. Phillies: Teoscar Hernández
- June 6 vs. Angels: Tyler Glasnow
- June 19 vs. Orioles: Mookie Betts World Series Game 7 final double play
- July 6 vs. Rockies: Freddie Freeman World Series Game 3 walk-off home run
- July 8 vs. Rockies: Shohei Ohtani NLCS Game 4 (pitching)
- July 29 vs. Mariners: Edwin Díaz
- July 31 vs. Red Sox: Kyle Tucker
- August 15 vs. Brewers: Reggie Smith Legends of Dodger Baseball
- August 22 vs. Pirates: Shohei Ohtani pitching
- September 5 vs. Nationals: Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitching
Bobbleheads of non-Dodgers
- May 12 vs. Giants: Ice Cube in a lowrider
- June 20 vs. Orioles: Shaquille O’Neal
- July 11 vs. Diamondbacks: LAFC soccer star Son Heung-min