DETROIT, MI - FEBRUARY 1: (EDITORS NOTE: This image was created using a halo filter) Jalen Duren #0 of the Detroit Pistons listens to the national anthem before the game against the Brooklyn Nets on February 1, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. 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 Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Yeah, this one wasn’t ever close.
Detroit led by nine after the first quarter, 23 at halftime, 38 after the third, and by 53 at the end of the game. That’s the new franchise record for largest margin of victory, set by the 2025-2026 Detroit Pistons.
It looked like the varsity squad taking on the freshman team. The Pistons would end up beating the Nets 130-77 led by the play of recently announced first-time All-Star Jalen Duren.
It was the Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren show early and often. JD had 21 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, and two steals while Cade added 18 points, four rebounds, 12 assists, four steals, and three blocks (only two turnovers!). The organization has been pushing for Jalen Duren to be an All-Star and tonight’s performance showed why both deserve their recognition as two of the best in the league.
Both players were subbed out at the four-minute mark in the third quarter and never returned as JB Bickerstaff was able to empty the bench early. Daniss Jenkins added 12 points and Tobias Harris had 11.
The Pistons play again on Tuesday night when the Denver Nuggets come to Detroit.
ORLANDO, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 03: Dylan Harper #2 of the San Antonio Spurs drives to the basket past Anthony Black #0 of the Orlando Magic during the first quarter at Kia Center on December 03, 2025 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here, but for all you newbies we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, don’t troll and don’t swear too much.
After a weather-related travel nightmare in Charlotte, the Spurs return home tonight to face the Orlando Magic. They’re coming off of a loss to a supernova hot Hornets team where a low energy effort cost the visitors as the Hornets won their sixth game in a row, delighting the Saturday brunch-time home crowd. The Spurs had a chance near the end to tie the game to tie things up, but Wembanyama missed the shot. Even though he had been cold all game long, it was the same kind of shot he has made several times in the past, and it just didn’t work out this time. The bigger problem was the lack of rebounding that gave the Hornets too many second and third chance points for the Spurs to overcome in a game where their best player had an off night.
January was a rough month for the Spurs, as it was for most of the contenders in the Western Conference. They finished 8-7 for the month, which was still good enough to keep them in the top three in the conference, which would guarantee them at least one home playoff series if they can keep it up to the end of the season. They have six more games before the All Star break, and all of them except tonight’s game against the Magic are against Western Conference foes, which means that this stretch of games will be a key indicator if the Spurs are a real contender this year, or a rebuilding team that’s learning how to get back into the playoffs after a long absence. It could be both, but the Spurs are definitely evolving as we speak. With the trade deadline coming up, perhaps the Spurs will do something to help shore up the rebounding and add size in the paint, but it could be that the Silver and Black will stand pat for the rest of the season.
Tonight the Spurs face the Magic who are coming off of a pair of solid wins over Eastern Conference contenders, 133-124 over the Heat, and 130-120 over the Raptors on Friday. They will have a hell of a rest advantage over the home team, who were stuck in Charlotte last night and had to travel back to the Alamo City sometime this morning. If there were ever a time for Boris Diaw’s expresso machine in the locker room, today would be the day. The Spurs previously beat the Magic 114-112 on December 3 without Victor Wembanyama on the court behind a 31 point scoring effort from De’Aaron Fox. Let’s hope the Spurs can overcome the fatigue and start February off on the right foot tonight. After the Magic Spurs will face Thunder on Wednesday night to wrap up the season series, but they don’t want to look past tonight’s game. Let’s GOOO Spurs!
Game Prediction:
Mitch Johnson coaches the game wearing pajamas because he didn’t have time to go home and get a change of clothes after the travel fiasco caused by the snowstorm delaying the Spurs exit from Charlotte.
San Antonio Spurs at Charlotte Hornets February 1, 2026 | 8:00 PM CT (rescheduled again due to travel issues) Streaming: NBA League Pass TV: FanDuel Sports Southwest Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.
On Sunday, Feb. 1, during an NBC pregame show leading up to the premier of “Sunday Night Basketball,” the NBA revealed the 14 reserves (seven per conference) to round out the rosters for the Eastern and Western Conferences.
The 2026 NBA All-Star Game will take place Feb. 15 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, the home of the Los Angeles Clippers.
Here are the winners and losers from the selection of 2026 NBA All-Star Game reserves:
WINNERS
LeBron James
It’s clear, now at the age of 41 and in his 23rd season, that LeBron James’ skills have diminished somewhat. He’s a step slower. He doesn’t jump as high as he used to. And his shot isn’t as pure. But it’s remarkable that James is extending his record to 22 consecutive All-Star Game appearances, even though his streak of 21 straight starts is being snapped.
James remains a consistent threat and a key piece for the Lakers. Through 30 games, James is averaging 21.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 6.6 assists. He’s this generation’s greatest player and many of his records, including his ones in All-Star Games, might not be touched for decades.
Was this a commemorative nod? Probably. Were there players, based on this season’s performance alone, more deserving? Unquestionably.
First-time All-Stars
Congratulations to Jamal Murray (Nuggets), Chet Holmgren (Thunder), Deni Avdija (Trail Blazers), Jalen Johnson (Hawks), Norman Powell (Heat) and Jalen Duren (Pistons) for making their first-ever NBA All-Star teams.
The recognition is especially sweet for Powell, who is the oldest player of the first-timers at 32, and who has played for four different teams in 10 and a half seasons in the NBA, many of those spent as a sixth man. Either way, there’s nothing quite like the recognition, especially when it’s coaches within the conference who are selecting the reserves.
Adam Silver
The NBA commissioner won’t have to intervene and add All-Stars to ensure that there are at least eight internationally born players to meet the minimum required to field a team under the game’s new structure. There are actually at least 10 All-Star players with international ties so someone like Karl-Anthony Towns, who was born in New Jersey but has represented the Dominican Republic in international play, might have to play on one of the two U.S. teams.
LOSERS
Kawhi Leonard, James Harden and the Los Angeles Clippers
The Intuit Dome, the arena that is hosting the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, will not see a single Clippers player appear in the exhibition. In particular, Kawhi Leonard and James Harden have a case to be upset. Although Los Angeles stumbled out of the gate this season, the Clippers have course corrected and have won 16 of their last 20 games. Leonard and Harden have been the catalysts.
Leonard is averaging 27.7 points (which is ninth in the NBA), 6.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game, while Harden is putting up 25.4 points, 8.1 assists and 4.8 boards per contest. Either presented an excellent case for an All-Star nod. At least one should have made it.
For my money, Leonard is by far the biggest snub.
Brandon Ingram
This is a case where Ingram was probably snubbed for a couple of reasons. For one, his teammate Scottie Barnes made the cut. Barnes is more versatile and impacts the game as an excellent defender. But even though Toronto is 29-21 (No. 4 in the East) has been one of the surprises of the NBA season, the Raptors remain a team that unfairly flies under the radar.
Either way, Ingram (21.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists per game) has been a steady scoring presence and clutch performer for Toronto.
Michael Porter Jr.
Though they’ve been slightly more competitive in recent spurts, the Brooklyn Nets have been inconsistent. But Porter Jr. has shown he can be a scoring threat and a No. 1 option. He’s averaging a career best 25.6 points per game, which is well higher than his production from last season (18.2). He’s remaining active on the glass and had a strong case to make the cut.
The biggest pain point on this for Porter is that it would’ve represented his first-ever All-Star selection.
Lauri Markkanen
Similarly, Markkanen plays for the Utah Jazz, a team that has been irrelevant for a few seasons. Yet, Markkanen entered Sunday ranked 11th in the NBA in scoring, putting up 27.4 points per game, also a career high. He has a silky jumper and can also score in the post, and he also provides some value on the glass, with his 7.0 rebounds per game.
Dillon Brooks, Alperen Şengün
The problem, simply, is that the Western Conference is loaded with talent. So while Dillon Brooks is having a career year for the Phoenix Suns, one in which he has expanded his offensive portfolio, and while Alperen Şengün is thriving on both ends for the Rockets, it’s hard to find spots for them.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Jaloni Cambridge had 30 points and six assists, Chance Gray made 5 of 10 from 3-point range and finished with 21 points, and No. 11 Ohio State beat Nebraska 90-71 on Sunday night.
Cambridge and her older sister Kennedy Cambridge made back-to-back 3-pointers early in the second quarter that made it 25-20 and Ohio State (20-3, 9-2 Big Ten) led the rest of the way.
Nebraska (16-6, 5-6 Big Ten), which opened the season with a 12-game win streak, has lost four in a row and six of its last eight. The Cornhuskers are 0-5 against Top-25 opponents this season.
Gray, a 5-foot-9 senior guard who scored 791 points in two seasons at Oregon before she transferred to Ohio State prior to last season, has 1,509 career points.
Kennedy Cambridge had 12 points, eight rebounds and seven steals. The redshirt junior has 94 steals this season, the most by an Ohio State player since Averrill Roberts had 98 and Audrey Burcey had 95 in the 1992-93 season. Yvette Angel had a program-record 115 steals in '84-85.
Amiah Hargrove led the Cornhuskers with 24 points, Britt Prince added 12 on 4-of-13 shooting and Logan Nissley scored 11.
Prince made 2 of 2 from the free-throw line and has made 47 straight from the foul line, where she is perfect in 45 attempts in conference play this season.
Kylee Kitts missed her fourth game in a row for Ohio State. The 6-foot-3 freshman, who redshirted at Florida last season, is averaging 9.3 points and a team-leading 7.1 rebounds.
Nebraska's Jessica Petrie (illness), a 6-foot-2 junior who averages 11.9 points and a team-high 1.1 blocks this season, missed her second consecutive game.
Juan Soto will represent the Dominican Republic in the tournament, the Mets announced Sunday — hardly a surprise given the All-Star outfielder’s visibility within his native country.
Soto also played for the Dominican Republic in the 2023 WBC.
Rosters for this year’s event will be finalized this week.
The Mets will send Nolan McLean and Clay Holmes to represent the United States in the WBC.
Mark Vientos has committed to representing Nicaragua.
Juan Soto hits a single during the Mets’ Sept. 16 game. Charles Wenzelberg
Jose Altuve was also among those denied insurance coverage, removing him from the tournament.
Lindor and the Mets are all too familiar with the insurance ramifications after Edwin Díaz tore the patellar tendon in his right knee during an on-field celebration with Team Puerto Rico during the 2023 WBC.
The All-Star closer underwent season-ending surgery, but received his full salary through insurance.
Soto appeared in four games for the Dominican Republic in the 2023 WBC and finished 6-for-15 (.400) with two homers and a 1.500 OPS.
He will be joined on this year’s Dominican squad by Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr., Julio Rodríguez, Ketel Marte and Manny Machado, among others.
The Mets have been well represented in the tournament since its inception, most notably by David Wright, who earned the “Captain America” moniker for his WBC heroics.
The team sent Lindor, Díaz, Pete Alonso, Eduardo Escobar and Brooks Raley to the 2023 WBC.
McLean will be a Mets focal point for Team USA in this year’s event after the rookie dominated in eight starts following his call-up late last season.
Holmes will also be a first-time participant.
“It’s an opportunity that you never really know if you’re going to get again,” Holmes said in December. “For me, just looking at the whole workload stuff and kind of where I was at in spring training last year, I feel like I was going to do the same workload this year, the same buildup and it really put me on track to do not much different this year, even with the WBC.”
Eugenio Suárez and the Cincinnati Reds have agreed on a $15 million, one-year contract, two people familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Sunday night.
The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal was pending a physical and had not been announced.
Suárez was the top slugger left on the free agent market and the two-time All-Star returns to Cincinnati, where he played seven seasons. He hit 189 home runs for the Reds from 2015 through 2021, including 49 in 2019.
The move gives the Reds the proven power hitter they had been seeking throughout the offseason. A third baseman for most of his 12-year major league career, the 34-year-old Suárez is expected to be Cincinnati’s primary designated hitter and perhaps play some games at third base or first.
The team has Gold Glove winner Ke’Bryan Hayes at third, and touted prospect Sal Stewart is likely to play first.
The Reds were one of many teams interested in Suárez at the trade deadline last year, but they didn’t want to part with key prospects. He was traded from Arizona to Seattle on July 31 and finished fifth in the majors with 49 home runs and fourth with 118 RBIs. He batted .228 overall with an .824 OPS.
The Mariners fell one win shy of reaching their first World Series, losing to Toronto in the American League Championship Series. Suárez had two home runs in Game 5, including a grand slam in the eighth inning.
Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati has averaged 2.67 home runs per game since it opened in 2003. That is the second-highest homer rate in the majors among ballparks to host at least 1,200 games.
Suárez was traded by the Reds to Seattle during spring training in 2022. He spent two seasons with the Mariners before getting traded to the Diamondbacks.
Suárez broke into the majors with Detroit in 2014. He is a .246 career hitter with 325 homers, 949 RBIs and a .792 OPS.
Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes was pulled from his Opening Day start after allowing five runs on four hits and two walks in just 2/3 of an inning.
The right-hander saw his NL Cy Young odds go from +210 to +260 IMMEDIATELY, while his closest contenders, Yoshinobu Yamamoto (+650 to +550), Cristopher Sanchez (+800 to +600), and Chris Sale (+1300 to +1200) all saw their numbers shorten.
Now, it's silly to read too much into this just yet, as Oneil Cruz made a couple of awful plays in the outfield that could and should have shortened the inning, but there will be chatter about how much Skenes pitched in the World Baseball Classic and how that may or may not have affected him.
For now, it's worth noting that it's the shortest start of Skenes' career, and just the second time he's been charged with five earned runs in an outing.
As the regular season kicks off in earnest, let's dig into the latest MLB odds and 2026 MLB Cy Young predictions below.
The Toronto Blue Jays jumped early in the offseason to sign Dylan Cease to a long-term contract, and while he has his share of detractors, this is a fantastic situation for the right-hander.
The Blue Jays represent the best defense he's ever played in front of, and that should greatly affect his BABIP and help mitigate his ERA shortcomings. His peripherals have always been great, and despite a 4.55 ERA last year, his 3.56 FIP is encouraging.
So is the fact that he's pitched at least 165 innings in five straight seasons. He's durable. And no pitcher has recorded more strikeouts in that time. No one.
Toronto and pitching coach Pete Walker have done this before, too. Robbie Ray was always a talented pitcher who couldn't quite piece it all together (though he had some bright seasons with Arizona), and then he put together a Cy Young-winning season with the Blue Jays and parlayed it into a big contract with Seattle. At +3000, Cease is too much of a value play to pass up.
On the Senior Circuit, Miami Marlins right-hander Eury Perez has gone from +4500 to +3500, and I'm kicking myself for not taking the plunge sooner, especially after my first pick, Hunter Greene, went down with a long-term injury.
Health will be the key, but Perez is an electric arm, and he gets to pitch his home games at pitcher-friendly LoanDepot Park. His fastball is among the best in baseball, averaging close to 98 mph in 2025, and if he takes the expected leap forward in his age-23 season, +3500 is more than a reasonable ask for him to become the second Cy Young winner in Marlins franchise history after Sandy Alcantara.
Previous Cy Young picks thread
2-24: Greene + Ragans
Kansas City Royals left-hander Cole Ragans was limited to 61 2/3 innings in 2025, but he was electric when able to take the mound. The 4.67 ERA is unseemly, but that came with a 2.67 expected ERA and a 2.50 FIP. It's reasonable to assume he was a bit unlucky, especially with improvements to his strikeout rate and walk rate. His 30.4% K-BB rate was the best among MLB starters with at least 60 innings pitched last season, and he has a clean bill of health entering spring training.
As for Cincinnati Reds righty Hunter Greene, he threw just 107 2/3 innings but was arguably the best version of himself. His 2.76 ERA was just a tick off his 2024 mark, and he posted the best strikeout and walk rates of his career, at 31.4% and 6.2%, respectively. If Greene can roll those improvements into a larger workload, he has the stuff to be there in the home stretch.
Here are the last 10 winners of the AL and NL Cy Young Award, with Detroit, Cleveland, Houston, Washington, and the New York Mets each leading the way with two. Overall, the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers have the most Cy Youngs all time (12), followed by the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves with eight and the Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox, and Mets with seven apiece.
Previous AL Cy Young winners
Year
American League Winner
2025
Tarik Skubal
2024
Tarik Skubal
2023
Gerrit Cole
2022
Justin Verlander
2021
Robbie Ray
2020
Shane Bieber
2019
Justin Verlander
2018
Blake Snell
2017
Corey Kluber
2016
Rick Porcello
Previous NL Cy Young winners
Year
National League Winner
2025
Paul Skenes
2024
Chris Sale
2023
Blake Snell
2022
Sandy Alcantara
2021
Corbin Burnes
2020
Trevor Bauer
2019
Jacob deGrom
2018
Jacob deGrom
2017
Max Scherzer
2016
Max Scherzer
Pitchers with multiple Cy Young awards
Twenty-two pitchers have won multiple Cy Young Awards, led by Roger Clemens' seven trophies. Of those 22 winners, five are still active in the majors.
A few months later, with the market more defined and the offseason nearly complete, Brian Cashman believes they got a deal.
“At this point, that $22 million looks like a bargain the way the free agent market got away from everyone, on a one-year basis,” Cashman said Sunday morning on MLB Network Radio.
Grisham only made $5.25 million in 2025, his final year of arbitration, but did so while enjoying a breakout season in which the center fielder hit 34 home runs with a .811 OPS and became the regular Yankees leadoff hitter.
Trent Grisham hits a home run during the Yankees’ Aug. 27 game against the Nationals. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post
That led the Yankees to extend a qualifying offer to Grisham, who could have explored the free agent market and potentially landed a multiyear deal worth more overall than the $22.025 million.
“What he did last year to unlock and take it to another level was spectacular and all the information that we buy into leads us to believe clearly that by offering him the qualifying offer that [2025] was real, it is sustainable and that he is an offensive and defensive player for us moving forward,” Cashman said.
Brian Cashman talks to reporters Nov. 20. Jason Szenes for the NY Post
“We’re really happy he chose to stay with us at the $22 [million] on a one-year basis and hopefully he can replicate what he did last year for us because it was one of the reasons we had the success we had and made the postseason.”
And so the Yankees are set to bring back the same starting outfield of Bellinger, Grisham and Aaron Judge, with Jasson Domínguez — who was eventually squeezed out of playing time last season because of Grisham’s continued emergence — currently projected to be a fourth outfielder.
While Grisham’s high average annual value is part of the reason why the Yankees’ luxury tax payroll now stands at $335.5 million, according to Cot’s Contracts, his $22.025 million is tied for the seventh-highest AAV of any position player who signed this offseason.
That trails only Tucker ($60 million), Bo Bichette ($42 million), Alex Bregman ($35 million), Bellinger ($32.5 million), Pete Alonso ($31 million) and Kyle Schwarber ($30 million).
Not much has changed at the tippy top of the AL or NL MVP odds board, as both Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani remain firmly entrenched as favorites after baseball's first weekend.
However, we have seen a resurgence of sorts, as Mike Trout has surged back into contention thanks to a stunning start to his season. An afterthought coming out of spring, thanks to several years' worth of injuries piling up, Trout is batting .353 with two home runs. His odds are +3500 after being around +6000 before Opening Day.
Trout certainly has the history behind him, but we've also seen this story before, and a freak injury comes along and derails the future Hall of Famer just as a return to form seems imminent and sustainable.
Below are the latest MVP MLB odds, plus a running examination of my MLB MVP predictions that will be updated periodically throughout the season.
While Opening Day has come and gone, I'm not adding a new pick to my betslip just yet. I am tempted to take a flier on Mike Trout at +3500, as referenced above, but his injury history makes it prohibitive at this point.
Trout is one of the best players of all time, and I think he might even be a little underrated because he's spent his entire career with the Los Angeles Angels, and he hasn't played in more than 130 games in a season since 2019 (he played exactly 130 last year).
It would be glorious, but I just can't pull the trigger. If you are more confident in Trout staying on the field for a full season, this might be the best number you'll get, assuming that comes to fruition.
Below, revisit why I'm high on Gunnar Henderson and others from the preseason:
Bet
Odds
Bet date
Units
Gunnar Henderson
+1500
March 24
0.5
Wyatt Langford
+4000
February 25
0.25
Jackson Merrill
+5500
February 25
0.25
Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson won AL Rookie of the Year in 2023, establishing himself as one of baseball's brightest young stars. He then finished fourth in MVP voting in 2024 after hitting .281/.364/.893 with 37 home runs and 92 RBI.
Injuries slowed his start in 2025, and his stat line was disappointing relative to what had preceded it, but he still hit .274 with 17 homers in 154 games.
While his power was sapped by a shoulder impingement for much of the year, he leaned into his wheels, stealing 30 bases. Fully healthy, we could be looking at a 30-30 season as a baseline. I'm putting half a unit on him at +1500, which is only a touch shorter than the +1600 it was earlier in the month.
A hot start, and that number flies out the window.
Previous MVP picks thread
2/25: Langford + Merrill
Wyatt Langfordis a legitimate five-tool talent, not unlike Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony. The difference is Anthony is +1700 entering his second season (first full year), while Langford is +4000 entering his third. I expect Langford to take strides in his strikeout rate, which was a high but not catastrophic 26.4% last season. He doesn't have a history of high K%, and we shouldn't expect it to be the norm now. Langford also rips the shit out of the ball. He ranked in the 87th percentile in barrel rate, 82nd in average exit velocity, 81st in hard-hit rate, and 90th in walk rate. He has patience and makes good, hard contact with consistency. He also plays strong outfield defense and was in the 88th percentile in sprint speed. A 40-40 season isn't the craziest outcome to consider.
On the National League side of things, San Diego Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill was just shy of winning Rookie of the Year in 2024, and expectations were sky-high. But injuries limited him to 115 games, and he stole only one base after swiping 16 as a rookie. He also saw his strikeout rate spike from 17% to 22.4%. As with Langford, we can anticipate positive regression based on past performance in the minors. He was still an above-average hitter (116 wRC+, 3.0 FanGraphs WAR), but it was a step down. His expected slugging was still in the 86th percentile, and he lifts the ball at an elite level, rarely hitting grounders. If he can push his hard-hit rate and exit velocity back to where they generally sat in 2024, a much better outcome is in the cards.
Here are the last 10 winners of the AL and NL MVP Award, with Shohei Ohtani leading the way as a four-time winner, with two in the AL and two in the NL. Only Frank Robinson has also won MVP awards in both leagues.
Barry Bonds holds the record for most MVP awards (seven)
The New York Yankees have won the most MVPs in MLB history with 25, while the St. Louis Cardinals are second, leading all NL teams, with 21. No player for the Arizona Diamondbacks, New York Mets, or Tampa Bay Rays has ever won MVP.
Most sportsbooks will display odds in the American format as listed above. When Goldschmidt ran away with the MVP award in 2022 his odds had a minus (-) sign ahead of the number for a large part of the season.
Paul Goldschmidt -6000
That means that a bettor in August had to wager $6,000 to win $100 by betting on Goldy to win MVP. Before the season starts, almost every player will have a plus (+) sign ahead of their odds.
Shohei Ohtani +200
That means a bettor would have profited $200 for a $100 wager on Ohtani before the season started.
If American odds aren't your thing, simply use a tool like our odds converter to switch the odds to decimal or fractional format. Most online sportsbooks also give you the option to change the odds format that you see.
The contract includes a mutual option for the 2027 season worth $16 million, ESPN reported.
Seattle Mariners third baseman Eugenio Suarez (28) comes home on his two-run home run during the first inning when the Yankees played the Seattle Mariners. for the NY POST
Suárez was the biggest bat remaining on the open market, and he heads to the Reds after hitting 49 home runs last season, although he struggled during the second half of the campaign.
Suárez spent seven of his 12 years in Major League Baseball with the Reds, playing in Cincinnati from 2015-21.
The infielder split last season between the Diamondbacks and the Mariners.
He clobbered 36 home runs and batted .248 before the trade to Seattle.
Suárez then hit .189/.255/.428 and recorded 13 home runs in 53 games with the Mariners following the move.
Eugenio Suarez #7 of the Cincinnati Reds celebrates after hitting a two-run home run in the sixth inning of the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park on September 17, 2017. Getty Images
He did finish the 2025 season with a career-best 118 RBIs, though he finished the year hitting .228/.298/.526.
ESPN reported that Suárez is expected to get a majority of his at-bats in Cincinnati as a designated hitter, with the Reds already having Ke’Bryan Hayes at third base and rookie Sal Stewart believed to be taking over at first base for the upcoming season.
He spent two seasons with the Mariners from 2022-23 before he was traded in November 2023 to the Diamondbacks.
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 6: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers plays defense during the game against Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks on March 6, 2025 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Knicks (30*-18), riding a five-game win streak, welcome the Lakers (29-18) to Madison Garden Tonight. A national audience will tune in to see Luka Dončić and LeBron James, leaders of a Los Angeles team that scores brilliant and defends much less so. Expect a tight game, which might be LeBron’s last appearance at MSG.
Tip off is 7 p.m. EST on NBA / Peacock. Tip off is 7 p.m. EST on NBC. This is your game thread. This is Silver Screen and Roll. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Practice kindness. And go Knicks!
* Should be one more, but the stupid NBA Cup doesn’t count.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 27: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks reacts during the second half at Madison Square Garden against Sacramento Kings on January 27, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Karl-Anthony Towns is headed to L.A., folks.
No, he didn’t get traded. The Big Bodega has been named to his sixth All-Star team, as revealed by the NBA on NBC pregame show on Sunday night. He will join Jalen Brunson in the All-Star Game for the second consecutive season.
Towns is joined by Donovan Mitchell, Pascal Siakam, and Scottie Barnes, as well as first-timers Jalen Duren, Norman Powell, and Jalen Johnson, as the Eastern Conference’s reserves. There will be an additional one named in the near future due to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s injury, and potentially one more if the USA/World splits don’t yield enough players.
Anthony Edwards, Jamal Murray, Chet Holmgren, Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Deni Avdija, and LeBron James were all named West reserves. Personally, I’m bewildered we didn’t see Kawhi Leonard make it, but that’s a story for another day. Good for Jamal Murray getting the recognition.
Towns is, by all measures, having his worst season in a while. The 30-year-old center is averaging 20.0 points (lowest since 2015-16), 11.8 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in 45 games, shooting a career-low 46.1% from the field and just 36.1% from three. The only season that’s been comparable to this one, offensively, was his rookie season. He’s also leading the league in offensive fouls and has had games where he has absolutely no rhythm offensively.
Still, KAT leads the NBA in rebounding and has found other ways to impact the game. He remains a mediocre defender, but has improved in that aspect ever so slightly. He’s still capable of big games and has recently turned into an Andre Drummond-esque rebounder, grabbing 44 in just 64 combined minutes over the last two games.
Towns has been brought up in trade rumors amidst his increasing discomfort in Mike Brown’s system and the Knicks’ struggles in January, but barring an unforeseen demand by one Greek Freak, it seems he’ll be here for the stretch run.
Assuming that’s the case, this will be the third straight year the Knicks have two in the All-Star Game. While the ‘Bockers have had a pair of all-stars sporadically throughout their history, this is historic for them. It’s the first time since the early 1970s that the Knicks have had multiple all-stars in three consecutive seasons. Back then, there were only 18 teams and the likes of Clyde Frazier and Willis Reed were annual mainstays.
The all-star tandem will not play with each other, however. Despite having two all-stars for the third straight year, the Knicks haven’t had two teammates in the All-Star Game since 2013. Julius Randle was injured in 2024 and Adam Silver’s first attempt at experimenting came last year and separated Brunson and Towns.
The All-Star Game is two weeks from today, on February 15. We’ll see who Towns and Brunson team up with when the teams are formally set.
LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates with teammates after a play against the Washington Wizards during the second half at Capital One Arena on January 30, 2026 in Washington, DC.
LeBron James is keeping his All-Star streak alive.
James was named to his 22nd consecutive NBA All-Star team Sunday when the league announced this year’s reserve players ahead of NBC’s “Sunday Night Basketball” matchup between the Lakers and Knicks.
There had been a question of whether James would be named to the All-Star team this year after he wasn’t named a starter.
He was the last player revealed during the announcement on Sunday night.
LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates with teammates after a play against the Washington Wizards during the second half at Capital One Arena on January 30, 2026 in Washington, DC. Getty Images
James has appeared in 30 games for the Lakers this season, missing 14 games at the start of the year while dealing with sciatica.
He has averaged 21.9 points. 5.8 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game this season.
The Lakers superstar has been named to three more All-Star teams than basketball great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and he is just the second player to earn multiple All-Star nods after the age of 40 — with Abdul-Jabbar being the only other player to do it.
James had his record of consecutive All-Star appearances disrupted at 20 last season when he was a late scratch from the NBA All-Star Game because of ankle and foot soreness.
The Timberwolves Anthony Edwards, Nuggets’ Jamal Murray, Thunder’s Chet Holmgren, Rockets’ Kevin Durant, Suns’ Devin Booker and Trail Blazers’ Deni Avdija were also selected as reserves this year for the Western Conference.
Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns was named a reserve player for the Eastern Conference, along with the Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell, the Hawks’ Jalen Johnson, the Pacers Pascal Siakam, the Heat’s Norman Powell, the Raptors’ Scottie Barnes and Pistons’ Jalen Duren.
The NBA All-Star Game will be held at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif., which is the home of the Clippers.
The All-Star Game is going through a format change, with the event now a U.S vs. The World format that includes breaking the players into three eight-man rosters.
Two of the teams will feature just American players, and the third will be made up of international players.
SoxFest Day 2 continued the good vibes. | South Side Sox
Day 2 of SoxFest Live felt very familiar, with many of the same key talking points put out by GM Chris Getz and manager Will Venable the night before. However, the atmosphere did seem a bit different. While Friday night set the tone for a more intimate gathering, Saturday’s sold-out crowd made it feel more like a celebration.
Friday evening was only for season ticket holders, while Saturday opened its doors to everyone, offering general admission and VIP options. GA ticket holders had access to the lower level, but the VIP experience added the upper level for exclusive player photo opportunities and meet-and-greets (ahem, Bo Jackson), along with a nightcap after-party that felt less like a formal event and more like a late-night hangout. White Sox staff, coaches, and players mingled with fans, music pumping, conversations flowing in the kind of setting where walls came down, and personalities came out.
Our own Crystal O’Keefe and her son Hayden opted for the VIP route, and it paid off. The up-close access made a real difference. “My son was able to collect more autographs and was especially excited to chat with Miguel Vargas,” O’Keefe says. Those types of moments, unhurried, unscripted, and personal, are what seemed to set this reimagined SoxFest apart.
O’Keefe also talked with pitcher Davis Martin, who shared how excited he is for the season. The event’s interactive setup let players and fans really connect. They weren’t just answering questions or taking photos; they were laughing, joking, and even dancing with the DJ.
The overall vibes of the weekend were positive, and the optimism was pretty evident. Many of the fans we spoke with were energized by the direction and momentum of Rebuild 2.0. One lifelong South Side fan, someone who’s been a fan of the team for more than 60 years, told us he’s officially bought back in, convinced by the new wave of young talent the Sox have acquired and developed. That kind of hope, from someone who’s seen it all, says a lot.
Young fans are also enjoying the connections they’re making with players they can relate to:
South Side Sox writer Hannah Filippo dove deeper into Friday night’s event in her assessment, taking a closer look at clubhouse culture and the organization’s emphasis on bringing in players with a specific makeup. Skepticism from fans about rebuilding and culture is understandable and earned, given recent history. But having seen firsthand what happens when a clubhouse lacks cohesion (talking to you, 2022), it’s hard not to at least acknowledge the importance of getting that part right.
For a lot of people, the 2005 championship team was special not just because of talent, but because of how close the players all seemed to be. That was evident at the 20th World Series reunion at the ballpark last summer. After interviewing six different players from the current team on Friday, it was obvious they really enjoy being together. Just looking through their social media posts, you can see many of them got together during the offseason. This young core likes to compete and push each other, while understanding that there’s a lot of work to do. They appear ready to put in the effort, and their skipper seems to have their attention, and, more importantly, their trust.
Will “vibes” or clubhouse culture really make that big of a difference? Probably not. But it certainly won’t hurt. And it’s hard to ignore how damaging the previous group’s toxic culture appeared to be in the long run.
Maybe this rebuild flames out, too. We know all too well that it’s a possibility. But for now, I’m willing to take the gamble. This group comes across as humble, likable and focused. That’s a foundation I find worth rooting for.
Even so, it’s totally fair for many Sox fans to be hesitant. No one should feel pressured to “enjoy the ride.” That’s what makes being a sports fan great — everyone gets to experience it their own way. At South Side Sox, we call out the team when it’s needed, and we’ll keep doing that. You can count on it. We’re fans first, always.
But it’s also fair to give credit where it’s due. The White Sox appear to be making a real effort to do things differently by hiring outside the organization, modernizing long-neglected infrastructure and reshaping SoxFest into an event that actually connects players and fans.
For one weekend at Ramova Theatre, at least, it felt like a step in the right direction.
PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 10: Kevin Durant of United States (L) handles the ball during the Men's Gold Medal match between France and United States on day fifteen of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Bercy Arena on August 10, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Jari Pestelacci/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Team USA vs. the World is coming to the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, and the rosters have been finalized after numerous injury replacements were named to the game. American-born players Karl-Anthony Towns and Norman Powell will play for the World Team because they compete for the Dominican Republic and Jamaica internationally. It should be a fun if confusing format with two American teams and one international team playing short games in a round-robin tournament.
The 2026 NBA All-Star Game has a new format of USA vs. The World, but the game will still be made up of 12 players each from the Eastern Conference and Western Conference. The full NBA All-Star rosters have now been released with the announcement of the All-Star reserves on Sunday evening.
We already knew that Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jalen Brunson, Tyrese Maxey, Cade Cunningham, and Jaylen Brown were voted as starters out of the East, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Stephen Curry, Luka Dončić, Victor Wembanyama, and Nikola Jokić will start out of the West.
We now know the 14 players who will be All-Star reserves with seven from the East and seven from the West. Here’s the full conference breakdown for the All-Stars, followed by the USA vs. the World teams.
Team USA All-Star player pool
Team USA will be split into two teams of eight among the 16 players. Here’s the pool:
Jalen Brunson
Tyrese Maxey
Cade Cunningham
Jaylen Brown
Stephen Curry (out with injury)
Donovan Mitchell
Jalen Johnson
Scottie Barnes
Jalen Duren
Chet Holmgren
Kevin Durant
Devin Booker
LeBron James
Anthony Edwards
Kawhi Leonard (late addition by Adam Silver)
Brandon Ingram (injury replacement for Steph Curry)
De’Aaron Fox (injury replacement for Giannis)
World team roster
The World team will be one team of eight players. Here’s the roster:
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece) (out with injury)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada) (out with injury)
Luka Dončić (Slovenia)
Victor Wembanyama (France)
Nikola Jokić (Serbia)
Pascal Siakam (Cameroon)
Deni Avdija (Israel)
Jamal Murray (Canada)
Karl-Anthony Towns (American-born but competes for Dominican Republic internationally)
Norman Powell (American-born but competes for Jamaica internationally)
NBA All-Star reserves in Eastern Conference
East starters: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jalen Brunson, Tyrese Maxey, Cade Cunningham, and Jaylen Brown
Donovan Mitchell, G, Cleveland Cavaliers: Mitchell was the biggest snub among the East starters. He’s averaging 29.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game on 61.8 percent true shooting.
Jalen Johnson, F, Atlanta Hawks: The Hawks selected Johnson with the No. 20 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, and now he’s a first-time All-Star. He’s averaging 23.1 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 8.0 assists per game on 59 percent true shooting.
Karl-Anthony Towns, C, New York Knicks: Towns has had a down season by his standards mostly because he’s not shooting as well from deep as he usually does. 20.0 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game on 59.4 percent true shooting.
Pascal Siakam, F, Indiana Pacers: The Pacers have been one of the very worst teams in the NBA all year, but Siakam has still has an outstanding season in Indiana’s “gap year” without Tyrese Haliburton. He’s averaging 23.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game on 56.4 percent true shooting.
Norman Powell, G, Miami Heat: Powell is a first-time All-Star at age-32 after just missing it last season with the Los Angeles Clippers. He’s averaging 23.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game on 61.2 percent true shooting after an offseason trade to the Miami Heat.
Scottie Barnes, F, Toronto Raptors: The Raptors have been reborn as an Eastern Conference contender this season, and Barnes’ bounce-back from a down year last season is a big reason why. He’s averaging 19.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game on 57.6 percent true shooting.
Jalen Duren, C, Detroit Pistons: Duren has morphed into an All-Star in his fourth season after being selected with the No. 13 overall pick in the 2022 draft. The 22-year-old is averaging 17.9 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game on 66.6 percent true shooting.
NBA All-Star starters in Western Conference
West starters: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Stephen Curry, Luka Dončić, Victor Wembanyama, and Nikola Jokić
Anthony Edwards, G, Minnesota Timberwolves: Edwards was the biggest snub among the starters in the West. He’s averaging 29.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game on 62.2 percent true shooting.
Jamal Murray, G, Denver Nuggets: Murray was thought of as the best player in the NBA who had never been named an All-Star. Not anymore. The Canadian guard is averaging 25.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game on 62.3 percent true shooting.
Chet Holmgren, F, Oklahoma City Thunder: Holmgren is one of the best young bigs in the NBA after helping the Thunder win a championship last season. The 23-year-old is averaging 17.8 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game on 66 percent true shooting.
Kevin Durant, F, Houston Rockets: KD is still one of the best scorers alive at age-37. He’s averaging 26.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game on 63 percent true shooting.
Deni Avdija, F, Portland Trail Blazers: Avdija has emerged as the Blazers’ best player as a jumbo ball handler who gets to the free throw line at will. He’s averaging 25.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game on 61 percent true shooting.
LeBron James, F, Los Angeles Lakers: Yes, LeBron made it again despite only playing 30 games and posting his worst numbers since his rookie year. The 41-year-old is averaging 21.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game on 58.8 percent true shooting.
Kawhi Leonard has been added by commissioner Adam Silver.
Alperen Sengun has been named an injury replacement for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Brandon Ingram has been named an injury replacement for Stephen Curry.
De’Aaron Fox has been named an injury replacement for Giannis.
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