PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JANUARY 27: Michael Porter Jr. #17 of the Brooklyn Nets looks on during the first half against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center on January 27, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jeremy Chen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The rosters for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game are set, and it’s going to be more confusing than ever. This year’s All-Star game features a USA vs. The World format where three teams of eight players playing 12-minute games. Every all three teams (two American squads and one world team) play each other, the top two teams will advance to the championship game with the tiebreaker in pool play being point-differential.
Got all that? It’s enough to make you long for the days of East vs. West, but the lack of effort in the All-Star Game has provided so much bad PR in recents years that they had to distort the entire thing just to try to come out unscathed.
The rosters for the game are set, at least until commissioner Adam Silver has to add an injury replacement for Giannis Antetokounmpo. There’s only 24 roster spots for the All-Star Game, which means there’s always going to be snubs. Here are the players who had a case to make it this year but didn’t get chosen, ranked by how much they deserved it.
6. Julius Randle, F, Minnesota Timberwolves: I debated Brandon Ingram and Lauri Markkanen in this spot, but ultimately felt like Randle had the strongest case. The Wolves enter the week at 31-10, and Randle is having another very good season by averaging 22.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game on 60.1 percent true shooting. Randle’s three-point shooting just hasn’t been good enough to earn an All-Star nod this year at 33.5 percent from deep, but he’s having one of his best playmaking seasons ever (24 percent assist rate). He is currently ranked in the 91st percentile of EPM. He didn’t deserve an All-Star spot, but he does deserve a mention for another awesome year.
5. James Harden, G, Los Angeles Clippers: Harden is still playing at a really high level at 36 years old, averaging 25.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 8.1 assists per game for a suddenly surging Clippers team. He still scoring efficiency with 60 percent true shooting. He’s taking the fourth most three-pointers per 100 possessions of his illustrious career (12.5) and he’s hitting them at a 35 percent clip while still being one of the league’s best playmakers (35.9 assist rate, which ranks in the 97th percentile of the league). Harden might have had a spot if the Clippers didn’t start so horribly this season.
4. Joel Embiid, C, Philadelphia 76ers: Embiid has roared back to form over the last month, and it makes the 76ers a darkhorse threat in the East. He’s only played 28 games this year, but he’s averaging 26.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game on 60 percent true shooting. Embiid isn’t exactly all the way to back to his pre-injury form where he was a top-3 player in the world, but the fact that he’s gotten back to even “All-Star snub” level is pretty shocking after he bad he looked last year. Embiid turns 32 in March. Hopefully he has more All-Star nods in his future.
3. Alperen Sengun, C, Houston Rockets: Sengun had a strong case to get in over Chet Holmgren. Sengun is averaging 20.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game on 55.4 percent true shooting. His scoring efficiency might not be great, but Sengun does so much for the Rockets, from anchoring their defense (where he’s much improved) to acting as a playmaking hub to crashing the glass hard on every possession. The 23-year-old will have more All-Star opportunities in the future.
2. Kawhi Leonard, F, Los Angeles Clippers: Leonard always figured to be a side character at the All-Star Game with the Clippers hosting the weekend and his summer cap circumvention scandal with Aspiration still lingering. What’s more surprising is that Leonard has actually looked like an All-Star this year after a slow start: he’s averaging 27.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game on scorching 62.8 true shooting. Kawhi is still a takeover scorer from mid-range, and he’s still automatic when he has an open three at 39.5 percent from deep. I would have had him in over LeBron James. He’s simply had a better season.
1. Michael Porter Jr., F, Brooklyn Nets: MPJ has gone from role player to leading man after his offseason trade from the Denver Nuggets to Brooklyn Nets, but unfortunately the Nets’ terrible season cost him an All-Star berth he deserved. Porter Jr. is averaging 25.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game on 61.8 percent true shooting. He’s been unlocked in Jordi Fernandez’s system with more off-ball actions that still make him a primary option. He’s shooting 40 percent on 9.6 attempts per game from three. He should have gotten Norm Powell’s spot.
Oct 19, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Seattle Mariners third baseman Eugenio Suarez (28) reacts after striking out against the Toronto Blue Jays in the second inning during game six of the ALCS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Happy Monday, everyone! We’ve got some fun little news tidbits to start your week with, all while we count down the days (less than two weeks!) before pitchers and catchers report. Yes, friends, we’re currently in the same month that Spring Training will begin, meaning the offseason is winding down. The hot stove is cooling, and we’re starting to see the version of teams that will likely take the field when the new season begins.
One of the bigger stories for those watching the NL Central specifically is the return of Eugenio Suarez to the NL Central, specifically to the Reds. He’s only on a one-year deal, though, so small comfort for those who don’t want to see him in so many games again.
We’ve got that and more in the links today, so let’s get right into it.
Slugger Eugenio Suárez and the Cincinnati Reds are in agreement on a one-year, $15 million contract that includes a mutual option for the 2027 season, sources tell ESPN. The best bat left on the market goes to Cincinnati, where he's expected to get most of his at-bats at DH.
SPRINGFIELD, MO - JUNE 22: Leonardo Bernal #44 of the Springfield Cardinals celebrates after the game between the Corpus Christi Hooks and the Springfield Cardinals at Hammons Field on Sunday, June 22, 2025 in Springfield, Missouri. (Photo by Shanna Stafford/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
I saw a little bit of surprise that Leonardo Bernal, voted as the sixth best prospect in the system, wasn’t voted in the top 5. I am not surprised. Doing this for three years, catchers usually end up lower than I expect, not higher. Bernal was ranked 8th last season and that definitely surprised me (I had him 5th). I can’t think of an instance where a catcher outkicked their coverage in the way that, say, Victor Scott did when he was voted 2nd. It just doesn’t happen. Catchers are not trusted by this voting bloc. And yes, I know Rainiel Rodriguez was voted 3rd, however I’m talking relative to expectations and 3rd in the system is pretty much in line with what national publications think. And I think a good many of us don’t think he will actually be a catcher. That leaves the current list at:
JJ Wetherholt
Liam Doyle
Rainiel Rodriguez
Quinn Mathews
Joshua Baez
Leonardo Bernal
Comparable Player Corner
Once again, here is a very immediately relevant comparable player poll. I won’t say that the winner will be on the next vote, but that whomever wins will determine who gets added next. That’s because one of these players has already been in this feature a couple times. Once the voting has established what you, the readers, think of a player, I can learn more information about the complete unknown player I am comparing him to.
Yhoiker Fajardo is the complete unknown. I didn’t really know when to add him and I’d like a little more information first. Acquired from the Boston Red Sox in the package for Willson Contreras, Fajardo will be 19 heading into the 2026 season. He pitched part of the season in the complex league and part of the season in Low A and he did well at both, striking out over 27% of hitters, walking 9% and getting groundballs over 50% of the time at both levels. Presumably he will be in High A.
Tanner Franklin was last year’s 72nd overall pick out of Tennessee. On a stacked Tennessee team, he was relegated to the bullpen, striking out 32% of hitters and walking just 5.5%. With an MLB ready fastball, the Cardinals will attempt to transition him to starting. He pitched at both Low A and High A last season, although only 6 innings in 3 appearances. He will be 22 next season and I’m guessing also at High A.
This will be the last time Franklin is in this section. I just really liked this comparison. Both should be at the same level and probably for just about the entire season, due to Fajardo’s age and Franklin needing to establish a starter’s workload. Franklin has better stuff and a better floor, but threw 30 less innings than Fajardo and is three years older. They are similar in terms of future value, but represent different types of prospects philosophically.
I thought it was about time to add Yairo Padilla, the teenage prospect who got very overshadowed by Rainiel Rodriguez. Who could have known Rodriguez would explode in his stateside debut? Anyway, last year Yairo Padilla finished 15th, which is both why I’m adding him now and also why he’s being added this late.
This might be a good time to ask about a few players I have no intention of ever adding to the vote who did make last year’s top 20 since Padilla is one of the last players. Last year’s #13 player, Sem Robberse, got DFA’d and is going to miss most of the 2026 season. Last year’s #14 player, Matt Koperniak, is now 28, got DFA’d and is coming off a poor season. #17 prospect Zack Showalter did not build off his 2024, suffered a few more injury problems, and could not throw strikes when he did pitch. #20 (or #21, the voting results have been lost) prospect Max Rajcic was bad in AAA and barely made the list.
Those seem straightforward. I also kind of think #16 prospect Darlin Saladin doesn’t need to go in the voting either. He’s more borderline than the above, but I feel like he was only on the top 20 because his stats made it impossible to not include him, and then he pitched worse at a level it seemed like he already conquered. The scouting on his pitches was never that great, so I’m not sure what the hook would be to get him on a top 20 now. Let me know if I’m right about these players. I’m asking so that I don’t have to include them on this section either for the record.
Scouting (FG): 30/45 Hit, 35/50 Game Power, 50/55 Raw Power, 40/40 Speed, 40/45 Fielding
I think Baez is bound to get overlooked in this ranking, because it does not seem like recent trade acquisitions do not do particularly well in the voting – fans haven’t had a chance to attach themselves to them yet. On top of that, Baez did not play particularly well as a Cardinal, although he did finish strong. But Baez can’t legally drink for a few more weeks, had a fairly successful season at High A and if he doesn’t start the year in AA, he’ll be there soon. The scouting doesn’t love his approach, although it’s not really seen in his stats yet, but the Cardinals’ success with Alec Burleson does give me some hope with Baez.
I could say the same thing for Clarke. The Cardinals just got Clarke, so fans do not yet have an attachment to him. One could argue that leads to a more objective view of a player, but one could also argue their attachment to other prospects causes them to overrate them and thus put them above the “objective” prospect. In either case, Clarke had sort of a Tink Hence season, where he didn’t remotely convince you he’s more likely to avoid his downside, but he still pitched good enough to believe in the possibility of his upside. That’s a hard player to rank honestly.
Scouting: 35/40 Hit, 40/45 Game Power, 50/50 Raw Power, 20/20 Speed, 60/70 Fielding
I don’t know where I stand on Crooks. I reflexively defend players who seem to drop when I’m not really sure why. Or I don’t like the reasons. Interestingly, I think I disagree with the scouting on Crooks by Fangraphs, although it might lead to the same place. I am a little skeptical of their defensive scouting, but at the same time, they might be lower on his offense than I’d predict too. I wouldn’t be surprised if he could manage a 90 wRC+ or so, and I think a 40 hit tool with below average power describes a worse hitter than that.
One thing about Hence that might not quite come across if you just look at last season is that I think he’s absolutely ready for AAA. If you look at his 2024 season, I don’t see how you wouldn’t come to that conclusion. He didn’t pitch in AAA last year for health reasons and that’s it. He never quite got past the rehab status. He spent most of his season working his way up to AA, struck out 8 to 1 BB in 4.1 IP where he didn’t allow a hit. He then got rocked in his next start and made just one more start after that where he was removed after just 11 batters. I imagine they wanted him to throw 5 innings before they promoted him and it never happened. Of course, Hence isn’t on the list yet because of health, so that isn’t exactly comforting.
As more of a stat follower than someone who scouts players or even looks at scouting reports of players, I am rather surprised how Fangraphs rates his pitches. If forced to guess, I would have predicted his secondaries were good, but his fastball was below average. It’s almost the opposite. I don’t know if this is accurate of course. But he’s a fastball/slider pitcher who needs a third pitch – according to this person’s opinion of course. Certainly, these scouting numbers for his pitches suggest an easy transition to the bullpen at the least.
It is easy enough to see why Hjerpe is still making top 20 lists despite having the durability of Mark Prior. And this is only kind of a joke – the mechanics of a Carter Capps. He has the stuff to start. Look at that scouting. Two above average pitches, including a strong putaway pitch, and two other average pitches (or we hope in the case of the cutter). That’ll play. We just need Cooper Hjerpe to actually play.
2026 will prove to be an important year for Mautz. I feel like we’ve seen a few of the underwhelming scouting starters who nonetheless manage to pitch well reach AAA and just hit a roadblock. I will say that usually that type of pitcher doesn’t strike out 28.6% of batters in AA however. That gives me more hope that he either has better stuff than what the scouting says or that he’s better at utilizing and knowing his stuff than pitchers in the past. Either way, it’s hard to argue with his results.
Speaking of players with underwhelming scouting whose stats force you to pay attention to them, welcome to the poster child. I don’t actually have scouting on Ortiz, that’s how under the radar he was last year. He was a 16th round pick back in 2024, so it’s hard to blame the scouts. The Cardinals would have drafted him higher if they knew this 2025 was in him. They probably saw something in him that other teams didn’t certainly, but it’d be wild to wait 16 rounds – which is well past the point where you expect anything from your draft picks – and you just gambled correctly that nobody would pick him.
I honestly did not know how long I could or should wait to put Padilla into the voting. The main reason was that I didn’t know how much success at a rookie league improved a player’s stock in these type of rankings. And that goes for me and where I’ll rank him personally. Padilla was not in my top 20 because I don’t trust the DSL. He will be in my top 20 this year. Where, I have no idea at the moment. Because he certainly took a big step in showing he could succeed in the states – Jonathan Mejia very much failed this test for example. I will be curious if the Cardinals put him in Low A to begin the 2026 season. It will tell us a lot.
Roby had Tommy John surgery in July of 2025, so his ability to pitch next year is a little more in question than Hjerpe. But he pitched well last year, re-establishing himself as a prospect. Without the injury, I wonder how high he would be selected. I also feel that Roby was an example of a prospect that didn’t get as much love because he was a deadline acquisition so there was less attachment. However, fans have gotten familiar with him for now two and half seasons, so he’s probably not harmed by this effect anymore.
DETROIT, MI - JULY 23: Casey Mize #12 (L) and Reese Olson #45 of the Detroit Tigers look on from the dugout during the game against the San Diego Padres at Comerica Park on July 23, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan. The Tigers defeated the Padres 3 to 1. (Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Picking the best starter on the Detroit Tigers roster is easy. There’s a cliff looming beyond the 2026 season when Tarik Skubal will presumably be gone to greener pastures, but for one more season the Tigers have their ace leading the way. Beyond him the question is a lot tougher.
Reese Olson continues to post the best performance by most statistical measures, but he’s also dealt with significant shoulder injuries both of the past two seasons. That makes it hard to depend on him to give the Tigers a strong 140-150 innings this year. He controls contact well and racks up a solid share of strikeouts, but he can be a little too walk prone as well. But you’re not providing value on the injured list so it’s a bit of a roll of the dice guessing how much he’ll give the Tigers in 2026.
Jack Flaherty is still punching out the most hitters, but his walk rates are a bit high and he sometimes has trouble with home runs. There are stretches where he looks great and stretches where he’s getting knocked out early, but it added up to above average performance but certainly a real drop off from his 2024 resurgent campaign.
Casey Mize controls contact and doesn’t issue many walks, but the upgraded fastball since Tommy John surgery and various attempts to dial in his splitter haven’t led him to the promised land of higher strikeout rates. Mize did strike out 22.2 percent of hitters faced in 2025, which is his first time over 20 percent for a season. However, he had his own trouble with home runs at points throughout the season.
Beyond them there’s a group with Troy Melton and Drew Anderson competing for the last rotation spot, and a host of guys from Keider Montero on down to provide depth along the way.
Maybe the Tigers still have another signing in them once Skubal’s arbitration case is resolved, but right now who is your pick for second most valuable starter on the roster in 2026?
There were tears after a nonsensical draw with Atalanta but young possession-based team is heading places
For the second time in less than three weeks, Cesc Fàbregas found himself in front of the TV cameras, trying to explain a scoreline that made no sense. “It’s not normal,” he said last month, after Como lost 3-1 to Milan despite “making 700 passes to their 200” (659 to 320, actually, but who’s counting?).
There was more than a hint of deja vu on Sunday as his team drew 0-0 at home to Atalanta while holding 79% of possession and attempting 28 shots. Opta put Como on 5.24 expected goals – the second-highest by any Serie A team in a shut-out since the analytics company started tracking such data 15 years ago. An astonishing number, against opponents who finished third last season and had taken 13 points from their previous five games.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - JANUARY 31: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks shoots against Alperen Sengun #28 of the Houston Rockets in the first half at Toyota Center on January 31, 2026 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Cooper Flagg was expected to be an elite defender and an adequate offensive performer when he got to the NBA, but he’s way outperformed expectations. Kevin Garnett said this: “We haven’t had a badass, cold ass white boy like this in a long time.”
Dwight Howard said this: “49 points as a 19-year-old. That’s amazing to see. I know how hard it is to play at this level, and I’m so proud of the young kid. And Jason Kidd for taking a chance and putting him at the point guard position at a young age and letting him learn the game, and he’s just doing a great job, and I’m really proud of his growth and the effort that he’s playing with. Keep it up, young fella, keep it up.”
For his part, Kidd said this: “He’s not about numbers, he’s about wins and losses. That’s who he is. He competes to win… For a young man who thinks that way, he’s gonna be a champion sooner than later. He continues to keep working. For him to be out (with injury) then to be able to come back with this type of game… He’s just competitive and he tried to will his team into a win tonight.”
NBA columnist Brian Windhorst said this: “I’ve seen three teenagers before Flagg who have been blown away impressive to me. LeBron, Luka, and Wembanyama. The way Cooper controls the game on both ends of the floor, the only one he compares to is LeBron.”
He’s gotten a lot of high praise from some pretty impressive people. Not, however, from Jamal Mashburn.
If you haven’t seen it, here’s what Mashburn and Udonis Haslem had to say about Flagg:
Udonis Haslen says he would start his franchise with VJ Edgecombe over Cooper Flagg and Kon because of his two way ability: pic.twitter.com/0d4u0OInbo
If you don’t want to watch the whole video, basically Mashburn says that Flagg “has holes in his game” and that if he came out this year, he would take him sixth after, presumably, Darryn Peterson of Kansas, AJ Dybantsa of BYU, Duke’s Cameron Boozer, UNC’s Caleb Wilson and maybe Kingston Flemings of Houston and Nate Ament of Tennessee.
Pick your six.
That made us think two things: first, good thing he’s not a GM and second, is he still mad about losing to Duke in 1992?
That Laettner thing dies hard.
It’s hard to know what exactly to make of it. There’s no question that Peterson, if his health is good, should excel. Dybantsa looks like a lead-pipe cinch. Boozer gets some criticism over his lack of verticality, but so did his dad. And Boozer’s all-around offensive game is brilliant.
Wilson is immensely promising but his offensive skill set isn’t overly polished yet.
For his part, Haslem said he’d prefer to build around VJ Edgecombe over Flagg or Knueppel, but Edgecombe has a pretty good team around him right now and by most accounts, he’s in third place in the Rookie of the Year race. Obviously that can change but still. He’s got a chance right now to make his team great and it’s average.
Look, we know a few former NBA players read this site on occasion. Like Mashburn and Haslem, they’ve been there and know things most of us don’t know and will never know. It reminds us a bit of Kidd at this presser, where he told the writers they were idiots who didn’t know the league and he did. He played at a high level and he knew what he was talking about.
That’s why we don’t criticize Jon Scheyer when things don’t live up to our expectations. Not only does he know way more than we ever will, but look at what none of us know. You can’t possibly know the minor injuries, the psychological pluses and minuses, who really works well together and who just got dumped by his girlfriend. There was a stretch in his junior season when Jason Williams had some emotional issues to deal with. Same, we think, for Grayson Allen when he had his kicking issues. How do any of us know how to approach the complex emotions everyone has and how they affect individuals, much less the team?
So yes, Mashburn and Haslem are inevitably better informed than most of us are. You can’t dismiss their opinions completely.
But if you’re reading here, you’ve seen Flagg for at least a year and half now and you’ve seen how fast he has improved in the league. You’ve seen him blow past NBA legends since he was on the Select Team.
And he’s just barely 19.
Even NBA pros can get it wrong. Boozer’s dad was a second-round pick who went on to a tremendous NBA career. No one understood how good Mark Price was. It’s unfathomable that Nikola Jokic was a second-round pick. Most recently, people were very dubious about the Charlotte Hornets taking Kon Knueppel with the fourth pick in last summer’s draft.
Those guys can think what they want. We can all check back in a few years and see if they were right.
03 OCT 2008: Scott Kazmir of the Rays delivers a pitch to the plate during the game between the Chicago White Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays in Game #2 of the American League Division Series at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. | Location: St. Petersbuerg, Florida, USA. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon SMI/Icon Sport Media via Getty Images)
This post is part of a series of daily questions that we’ll ask the community here at Amazin’ Avenue throughout the month of February. We hope you find the questions engaging and that our prompts can spark some fun conversations in the comments. We’ll see you there and plan to have staff chiming in, too.
Which Mets loss, trade, or season bothers you the most?
It’s been less than a year since the Toronto Maple Leafs shipped Fraser Minten, along with a top-five protected first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, to Boston for veteran defenseman Brandon Carlo. While the Leafs certainly needed a player like Carlo, a right-handed shutdown defenseman who could play alongside Morgan Rielly, few would have predicted that Toronto would find themselves on the short end of the deal so quickly.
With the Leafs appearing bound to miss the playoffs for the first time in ten years, Minten has excelled with his new team. He was named the NHL’s Rookie of the Month for January after scoring eight goals and adding six assists in 14 games. Recently, he was promoted to the club’s first line to play alongside Morgan Geekie and David Pastrnak before moving back to the second-line center position.
“He was a steal for us,” Bruins head coach Marco Sturm said regarding the acquisition. Perhaps more impressive is that all eight of Minten’s goals came at even strength, as he was not slated to receive significant power-play time.
“I’m very, very happy with the way he’s been playing all year long,” Sturm added. “I put him in different situations from the fourth line to pretty much the first line, and you could see he can do it all. He definitely has something a lot of players don’t have”.
Meanwhile, Carlo has missed 23 games this season due to an ankle injury that required a corrective procedure. While injuries have contributed to Toronto’s struggles, handing Boston a high first-round pick is a tough pill to swallow—unless, of course, that pick remains in the top five.
Marco Sturm on Fraser Minten: "[He] was a steal for us."
As Minten thrives, the trade is shaping up to be another lopsided Toronto-Boston transaction. History offers a grim reminder: in 2006, the Leafs traded goaltending prospect Tuukka Rask for Andrew Raycroft. Rask became a franchise icon, winning a Vezina Trophy and serving as a backup for the 2011 Stanley Cup-winning team before making two more Final appearances as a starter. He retired as the winningest netminder in Bruins history. Raycroft, by contrast, spent only two seasons in Toronto with mediocre results, despite a 37-win debut season.
The #OverDrive crew look back on the Brandon Carlo/Fraser Minten trade.
Similarly, in 2009, the Leafs acquired Phil Kessel from the Bruins. While Kessel led the Leafs in scoring for six seasons, the acquisition cost Toronto two first-round picks and a second-round pick. Those first-rounders became Tyler Seguin (2nd overall) and Dougie Hamilton (9th overall)—both high-end talents who have enjoyed long, successful careers.
Apr 16, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles mascot waves a flag before the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Cleveland Guardians at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images | Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images
Happy Monday, Camden Chatters! We start another day without any news from the Orioles. After a flurry of activity in the early offseason, things have come to a halt. If you think the Orioles still need changes to be successful this season, it is frustrating for sure. But as each day passes, with or without a move from Orioles, we get one day closer to the 2026 baseball season.
The Orioles pitchers and catchers report on February 11th and the first full-squad workout is February 16th. The team’s first Grapefruit League game is on the 20th vs the Yankees. There will be a month of spring games, along with the World Baseball Classic from March 5-17. Then, finally, the Orioles will host Opening Day on Thursday, March 26th. Spring training games aren’t too exciting, but the WBC should be a good time.
But speaking of the WBC, news broke over the weekend that Puerto Rico may pull out of the game over insurance issues. A league-approved insurer would cover a player’s salary if he is hurt in the WBC, and the insurer is declining to insure at least eight players scheduled to play for Puerto Rico. That includes superstar Francisco Lindor, who has had multiple surgeries in the recent past.
It would be a real blow to the tournament if Team Puerto Rico has to pull out. They are one of the powerhouse teams in the tournament, and the first round of the tournament is being hosted in San Juan. Talk about awkward. I am actually traveling to Puerto Rico to attend two WBC games, but don’t have tickets to Puerto Rico’s games. They sold out too quickly.
In former Orioles news, there have been a pair of signings. Austin Hays signed a one-year, $5 million deal with the Chicago White Sox. The contract comes with a mutual option for 2027. And the Dodgers agreed with a minor league deal with pitcher Cole Irvin. The deal includes an invitation to big league camp at spring training. Irvin spent 2025 in Korea with the Doosan Bears. He made 28 starts with a 4.48 ERA.
Links
Bunch of questions for the 2026 season – MASN Sports Roch Kubatko’s post from yesterday morning raises many questions about the upcoming season. For his question about who will hit the most home runs, I am going to go out on a limb and say Pete Alonso.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have six Orioles birthday buddies, including two Orioles Hall of Famers. Today is Don Buford’s 89th birthday, so happy birthday to him! Buford played for the Orioles from 1968-1972. For the first four of those years, Buford played All-Star caliber baseball, though he made the All-Star team just once. He excelled in the postseason as well, with an .851 OPS over 22 games. In 1970, when the Orioles won the World Series, Buford reached base 12 times in six games with two home runs.
The second Orioles Hall of Famer celebrating today is Melvin Mora (54). Mora was a late bloomer who didn’t make his major league debut until age 27. He came to the Orioles in 2000 as part of the Syd Thrift fire sale and spent a decade with the team. He was a bright spot on a bad baseball team, with single-season bWARs over 4 in each of 2002-2005. In 2003 and 2004, his OBP topped .400, which was unheard of on those mid-aughts teams.
The other former Orioles born on this day in history are Travis Snider (38), Scott Erickson (58), Pat Clements (64), and Paul Kilgus (64).
On this day in 2005, the Orioles trade for Sammy Sosa was made official. The Orioles sent Jerry Hairston, Jr. to the Cubs for Sosa. Sosa was awful for the Orioles in a painful season for the team.
In 2009, the Orioles sent cash to the Cubs for Rich Hill. Hill had a 7.80 ERA in 14 games that year at age 29, his only season in Baltimore. He went on to pitch for 16 more seasons. That’s right, he appeared in two games with the Royals last season at age 45. Hill announced just a couple weeks ago that he will not attempt to pitch in MLB in 2026.
In 2021, the Orioles traded Alex Cobb to the Angels for Jahmai Jones. Cobb had 2.5 disappointing seasons with the Orioles, but bounced back for a bit with the Angels and later the Giants.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - AUGUST 20: Eugenio Suárez #28 of the Seattle Mariners celebrates while rounding the bases after hitting a solo home run in the seventh inning during the game between the Seattle Mariners and the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Wednesday, August 20, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Denis Kennedy/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
There is no such thing as a bad one year contract. This is something that I have been told and come to believe. There are bad one year contracts insomuch as players turn into pumpkins during that one year, but there is nothing tethering them to the team long term. That’s what makes it a good contract.
Luis Arraez going to the Giants seems like a big waste of money.
On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Bleed Cubbie Blue is pleased to present a Cubs-centric look at baseball’s colorful past. Here’s a handy Cubs timeline, to help you follow the various narrative paths.
“Maybe I called it wrong, but it’s official.” — Tom Connolly, HoF Umpire.
Happy birthdayRonny Cedeno*,the Cubs go back to flannel,and other stories.
1925 – The N.L. inaugurates its Golden Jubilee Year by holding its spring meeting in the same room of New York’s Broadway Central Hotel where the league was founded on February 2, 1876. (1)
1943 – After experimenting with a vest worn over knit jerseys, the Cubs return to conventional baggy flannels for 1943. The outfitting change saves the organization $2,000 on the cost of uniforms. (1)
1989 – Former All-Star first baseman Bill White is elected president of the National League. White succeeds Chub Feeney, becoming the first African-American to be named president of either league and the highest-ranking black executive in the four major sports. (1,2)
2018 – Frustration over the slow pace of free agent signings continues, which some observers think is a sign of a return of collusion. The latest salvo in the ongoing war of words comes from agentBrodie Van Wagenen, who claims that players may decide to boycott the start of spring training if things do not improve quickly. (2)
1536 – Pedro de Mendoza founds Argentine city of Buenos Aires.
1653 – New Amsterdam becomes a city (later renamed New York)
1709 – British sailor Alexander Selkirk is rescued by William Dampier after being marooned on a desert island for five years, his story inspires “Robinson Crusoe.”
1848 – Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ends the Mexican–American War: US acquires Texas, California, New Mexico and Arizona for $15 million
1901 – Queen Victoria’s funeral takes place in St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, England
1922 – James Joyce’s “Ulysses” published in Paris (1,000 copies)
1971 – Idi Amin ousts Milton Obote and appoints himself President (dictator) of Uganda
Some of these items spread from site to site without being fact-checked, and that is why we ask for verifiable sources, in order to help correct the record.
Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper will be making his Olympic debut for Team Canada at the Milan Cortina Winter Games. (Julio Cortez / Associated Press)
Think of Mike Buckley as a kind of double agent.
Not the sinister kind, who give away state secrets for money or revenge; Buckley is privy to much lower-level intelligence. But that doesn’t mean it’s not just as valuable to the people involved.
Buckley is the Kings’ goaltender coach and his chief pupil is Darcy Kuemper, who will be playing for Team Canada in the Milan Cortina Olympic hockey tournament. Buckley will be in Milan coaching for Team USA. And if the competition goes to form, Canada and the U.S. will meet in the final.
You can see where this is going.
So would Buckley give up the goods on his NHL goalie if it meant helping his national team win a gold medal?
“I probably have a little bit more insight being with him on a day-to-day basis. But at the end of the day, the players still have to execute,” said Buckley, like Kuemper, a first-time Olympian. “So if I tell someone to shoot somewhere at a certain time or a certain spot, they're going to have to be able to execute that.”
The answer then is maybe.
Still, that’s a dilemma Buckley will probably never face since Jordan Binnington of the St. Louis Blues, who was spectacular in goal in last year's Four Nations Face-off, will probably start for Canada in Milan. But with the Kings sending four other players (defenseman Drew Doughty, Canada; and forwards Adrian Kempe, Sweden; Kevin Fiala, Switzerland; and Joel Armia, Finland) plus Canadian equipment manager Darren Granger to the Olympics, there’s a good chance guys who have shared a dressing room since September will be competing against one another.
Kings forward Kevin Fiala controls the puck while playing for Team Switzerland at the 2025 world championships. (Michael Campanella / Getty Images)
The same goes for the Ducks, who are sending four players — goalie Lukas Dostal and defenseman Radko Gudas, Czechia; forward Mikael Granlund, Finland; and defenseman Jackson LaCombe, U.S. — to Milan. Ducks star Leo Carlsson, who was expected to start for Sweden, will miss the Games after undergoing surgery to repair a rare injury in his left thigh last month.
So while the Olympics may bring countries together, it also has the potential to turn teammates against one another — at least temporarily.
In the group stage of the tournament, for example, Armia and Finland will play against Kempe’s Sweden. And Canada, with Kuemper and Doughty, will face Switzerland, which is led by Fiala.
“It’s obviously going to be a little strange,” Gudas said. “It’s only for a few games. For that amount of time, you can put things aside a little bit.”
Those kinds of match-ups were rare in the last two Olympic tournaments since NHL players didn’t take part, sidelined by a dispute over insurance, travel costs and scheduling issues. This year 147 NHL players are on the 12 Olympic rosters, with all 32 NHL clubs represented.
Not all the top NHL players will be in Milan, however. Russia has been banned from the tournament because of the country’s invasion of Ukraine, meaning Alexander Ovechkin, the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer, won’t play.
Granlund, who won a bronze medal with Finland in 2014, the last time NHL players participated in the Olympics, is glad to be back.
“It was such a cool experience,” he said. “It’s one of the biggest honors I can have as a hockey player, playing for a country in the Olympics. There’s no player in the NHL who wouldn’t go.”
That’s due in large part to the rush that comes with wearing your country’s colors on your chest.
“It’s tough to explain how much it means,” he said. “You grow up in a country like Finland, watching the national team play. As a kid you’re dreaming to play for that team.
“Every single time you put that jersey on, it’s such a pride you feel.”
Doughty, who already has two gold medals, agreed, saying the only time he sings along with the Canadian anthem is at the Olympics.
Kings defenseman Drew Doughty controls the puck while playing for Canada in the Four Nations Face-Off last year. (Maddie Meyer / Getty Images)
“When we hear it in the NHL, I’m not singing,” he said. “But when you’re wearing a Canadian jersey, that’s one of the biggest moments you can have.”
Not just for the guys on the ice. Granger, the equipment manager, will be making his third trip to the Olympics with Canada. And the journey never gets old.
“It’s not something that you apply for. It’s something that you’re asked to do,” he said. “So I don’t take that lightly. It’s an honor.”
The equipment managers may have the most difficult job in the Olympic hockey tournament since they must prepare and maintain the sticks, skates, gloves and uniforms for 25 players, some of whom they’ve never met. That means checking in with the equipment managers of rival NHL teams to get prepared.
“We have quite a few players that are particular about certain things,” he said. “After a while, you just kind of get used to what those things are. If it’s a player that likes to use three sticks a game, then making sure he has that. If it’s a guy that likes to change gloves every other game, making sure you have enough.”
Yet if Canada wins the tournament, Granger’s reward won’t be a gold medal. Olympic rules say medals only go to the players, leaving the equipment managers, trainers and coaches — even coaches with inside information like Buckley — out in the cold.
“That’s OK,” Buckley said. “I just want the players to get one.”
NEWARK, NJ - JANUARY 27: Jack Hughes #86 of the New Jersey Devils skates during the first period of the game against the Winnipeg Jets on January 27, 2026 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Graessle/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Here are your links for today:
Devils Links
The Devils went 0-for-5 on the power play and could only muster a single Timo Meier goal on Saturday as the Senators took a 4-1 win. [Devils NHL]
Jack Hughes missed the Senators game:
Jack Hughes is not ready to play versus Ottawa tonight. He's out.
But #NJDevils received positive news on his injury.
The #NJDevils are back down to 15th in the East in points and goal differential — ahead of only the Rangers — and have scored fewer goals than every team in the Conference.
They have played almost 70% of their schedule; it’s getting *very* late.
“Put a pitchfork in the New Jersey Devils’ season. Well, most likely. Let’s not beat around the bush. This team is not good enough to make the playoffs, and the math shows that it’s increasingly unlikely to get back in the picture.” [Devils on the Rush ($)]
Hockey Links
The Lightning took the Stadium Series game in dramatic fashion on Sunday:
Well this seems good! Seems like the sort of guy a team should try to add:
Looking around the league at trade deadline needs for every NHL team: [The Athletic ($)]
“There are really no positives to point to. There are a lot of questions surrounding the Devils right now, but goaltending might be the biggest one. And as it stands, they are probably regretting the two-year extension they gave Markström in November.” Assessing Jacob Markstrom and the NHL’s 31 other starting goalies: [The Hockey Writers]
Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.
PHOENIX, AZ - FEBRUARY 1: John Collins #20 of the LA Clippers drives to the basket during the game against the Phoenix Suns on February 1, 2026 at PHX Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Some nights, the mountain in front of you feels too steep to climb. Sunday night was one of those nights for the Suns against the Clippers.
Yes, they have competed well without Devin Booker and Jalen Green this season. That part is real. But against this matchup, rhythm never arrived. The midrange game fell apart as they went 12-of-47 (25.5%) from two. Turnovers did not turn into points (18 Clipper turnovers resulted in just 13 Suns’ points). And the size disadvantage, which at times teased the idea of swinging the game, never actually did. The Clippers saw it, smelled it, and went straight to the paint. Over and over. Relentless. Punishing.
That is the contrast the league offers sometimes. Effort without reward. Fight without flow. The Suns showed up. They worked. But execution never caught up, and the mountain never moved.
Nights like this happen in the NBA. Not every climb is meant to be conquered. Sometimes the lesson is simply knowing when the slope was too sharp, even if you kept putting one foot in front of the other.
Bright Side Baller Season Standings
Climb that ladder, D. Brooks! With his 27 points in an impressive win against the Cavs, Dillon Brooks has now chalked up 8 Bright Side Ballers on the year, tying him with Collin Gillespie.
I don’t know much. But I do know that I did not see this coming from Brooks. Simply unreal.
Bright Side Baller Nominees
Game 50 against the Clips. Here are your nominees:
This was quite a weekend for the San Antonio Spurs. First they have to stay over in Charlotte due to weather. Then they have to land in Atlanta en route and change planes due to mechanical issues.
The Spurs return game originally scheduled for 3:00 p.m. was pushed to 6:00 p.m. and eventually 8:00 p.m. The Many of the players and coaching staff went straight from the airport to the arena as there was little time to break between.
The Spurs had a fantastic first quarter followed by an abysmal second quarter giving up 40 points and giving the Orlando Magic the lead. Mitch Johnson went into the locker room and revved up his team. The Silver & Black answered only allowing 42 points in the second half.
For his efforts, Johnson will be rewarded with trip to the All-Star Game.
He’s doing so in his first official season as head coach. An honor his predecessor Gregg Popovich earned four times during his illustrious career.
Entering into Sunday evening, the Spurs needed a win and a Denver Nuggets loss to regain the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference.
But last night OKC played a role in determining the All-Star head coach as they played the Denver Nuggets. Their victory over Denver reinstated the Spurs as second in the Western Conference.
Why is the second seeded coach chosen for the All-Star Game?
For those who are unaware, the coach of the top seeded team takes the helm each year, unless that individual coached the game the previous year.
Oklahoma City Thunder coach Mark Daigneault earned the honor last season, and although OKC is at the top of the Western Conference, he cannot appear in the All-Star Game this season. The honor then goes to the second seed.
Mitch Johnson will join Detroit Pistons’ J.B. Bickerstaff as a 2026 All-Star Game coach, leading one of three teams in Los Angeles during All-Star Weekend.
After the game, Spurs guard Dylan Harper was asked if the team knew the impact of the win against Orlando.
“I didn’t know. He didn’t say anything. Congrats to him, I think he’s done a great job of bringing us together. I think letting us go, but at the same time holding us accountable from top to bottom. So I mean he definitely deserves it, that’s a historical award. Congrats to him.”
Johnson, whose postgame came before the end of the OKC/Denver match, played down the opportunity before it was official but did say that it “I think it would be an honor and humbling to be able to be a part of All-Star Weekend with the best players in this league…it’s something that I’d just be honored to have the privilege to do. Probably a great bonus in memories for me and my family, and if not, I’ll enjoy the break.”
Alas, there will be no break for Mitch Johnson. He’ll coach the Spurs against the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday — their fifth and final meeting of the regular season — before heading to the west coast with Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, David Jones Garcia, and Carter Bryant.
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