An almost unthinkable dismissal has forced cricket lawmakers to make a change to the rules.
It’s time for Basketball: San Antonio Spurs vs Oklahoma City Thunder
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.
This is it, folks, the game we’ve been waiting for, as the two best teams in the Western Conference fight it out for the final time in the regular season, and we expect to see a sparkling exhibit of the finest basketball the best league in the current solar system has to offer on national television. OHHHH, WAIT, hang on a second, the injury report for the Thunder just came in.
- Caruso, Alex: Out Injury/Illness – Right Adductor; Injury Management
- Dieng, Ousmane: Out Not With Team [traded]
- Dort, Luguentz: Out Injury/Illness – Right Patellofemoral joint; Inflammation
- Gilgeous-Alexander, Shai: Out Injury/Illness – Abdominal; Strain
- Hartenstein, Isaiah: Out Injury/Illness – Right Eye; Corneal Abrasion
- Holmgren, Chet: Out Injury/Illness – Low Back; Spasms
- Mitchell, Ajay: Out Injury/Illness – Abdominal; Strain
- Sorber, Thomas: Out Injury/Illness – Right ACL; Surgical Recovery
- Topic, Nikola: Out Injury/Illness – N/a; Surgical Recovery
- Williams, Jalen: Out Injury/Illness – Right Hamstring; Strain
So, seven guys who played last night are not available today. The last three players on the list have more long term injuries. Available to play are: Isaiah Joe, Cason Wallace, Aaron Wiggins, Kenrich Williams, Jaylin Williams, and the three two-way players. Jared McCain was acquired in a trade with the Sixers today, but he will not be available for tonight’s game. The available players are the bottom of the roster, but the Thunder roster is incredibly deep and these guys are all good NBA players, and the Spurs can’t take a win for granted tonight.
Honestly, this looks like a big night for Victor Wembanyama, who could have more space to work than he usually has since this lineup is seriously lacking in size. Branden Carlson (one of the 2-way players) is 7’0”, so he’ll be tested tonight. Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper are both listed as questionable, so it looks like it could be a big night for De’Aaron Fox, as the Spurs will try to put the game away early to give the Spurs backups time to work against the Thunder bench players who will be forced to play big minutes. I look forward to Keldon Johnson bullying some of the Thunder wings when he enters the game.
Tonight is the first night of a back-to-back for the Silver and Black as they travel to Dallas tomorrow to face Cooper Flagg and an improving game, with a rematch on Saturday in San Antonio. Those are both important games, but the team’s focus needs to be on tonight’s game. The remaining five games for the Spurs are all against Western Conference opponents, and doing well in those contests will keep the Spurs in the running for a top playoff spot and home court advantage in the playoffs.
The Spurs won 34 games in all of last season, and they can equal that total tonight with 32 games left to play. That’s going to be an amazing achievement if they can pull it off. LETS GOOO SPURS!!
Game Prediction:
Jared McCain tries to enter the game, but his Sixers uniform confuses the referees, who don’t know who to assign the technical foul to.
San Antonio Spurs vs Oklahoma City Thunder
February 4, 2026 | 8:30 PM CT
Streaming: ESPN
TV: ESPN/FanDuel Sports Southwest
Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.
White House confirms Dodgers will attend World Series ceremony
The Los Angeles Dodgers will attend a White House ceremony in their honor this year, the Trump administration confirmed Wednesday, amid calls for the team to scrap the traditional visit.
A White House official exclusively told The Post that the team has been in touch with the administration and plans to attend, but a date has yet to be set.
The Dodgers declined to comment.
When asked this weekend about the visit, team President Stan Kasten said, “I don’t have any news for you on that,” according to the Los Angeles Times.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told the Times: “I’m going to go to the White House… I am going to continue to try to do what tradition says and not try to make political statements, because I am not a politician.”
While a date for this year’s visit has yet to be confirmed, the team’s only trip to Washington will be during their first road series of the season, when they play three games against the Nationals during the weekend of April 3-5.
The team has gone to the White House after each of their two recent World Series championships, visiting with President Biden in 2021 and President Trump last April.
While last year’s visit was polarizing among some factions of the fan base, there was full attendance from the team, with owner Mark Walter and now-retired pitcher Clayton Kershaw giving addresses to the crowd at the East Room reception.
“The White House is an incredible honor to get to go see, regardless of who’s in office,” Kershaw said after last year’s visit. “We went in 2021. We went this time. I know there’s been a lot of stuff about, should the Dodgers go? All this stuff. But at the end of the day, getting to go to the White House, getting to see the Oval Office, getting to meet the President of the United States, that’s stuff that you can’t lose sight of no matter what you believe. I was super honored to get to go today. It was an incredible opportunity. I’m glad we got to be part of it.”
Mookie Betts was the only player last year who openly voiced initial uncertainty about going. He skipped a White House trip with his former team, the Boston Red Sox, after their 2018 title during Trump’s first term, ultimately decided to join the Dodgers in 2025.
“No matter what I say or what I do, people are gonna take it as political,” Betts said at the time. “But that’s definitely not what it is. This is about what the Dodgers were able to accomplish last year.”
Mavericks trade longtime Warriors nemesis Anthoyn Davis to Wizards
The Golden State Warriors’ first-round pick in 2030 is on the move. That is, as long as it falls between picks 21 and 30.
The Washington Wizards swapped the Warriors’s first-round selection, one they acquired in the Chris Paul trade/Jordan Poole salary dump in 2023, to the Dallas Mavericks. Oh, they also got 10-time All-Star big man Anthony Davis.
One year after trading NBA scoring leader and All-Star starter Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Davis, the Mavericks flipped The Brow for a package of expiring contracts and two low-quality first-round picks. The Warriors’ pick is four years out and protected for picks 1-20, while the other is the 2026 first-rounder of the Oklahoma City Thunder, currently projected to be the last pick of the first round.
The most prominent player switching teams is Khris Middleton, who’s likely to get a buyout from the Mavericks if he wants one. Also switching teams are Dante Exum, Jaden Hardy, AJ Johnson, and former Warriors great D’Angelo Russell. The most poetic outcome would be Russell taking a buyout and returning to the Lakers one more time.
Davis played only 29 games in his year with the Mavericks, plus two play-in tournament contests. He’s currently out with a hand injury, but that’s likely just fine with the Wizards, who need to draft in the top eight this June or they owe their first-round pick to the New York Knicks. They’ve shut down Trae Young with some questionable injuries since trading for him in January, choosing to build for next season around players like Alex Sarr, Tre Johnson, and Kyshawn George.
The Wizards joined the Utah Jazz and Chicago Bulls in using their massive salary cap space for this summer on trades, rather than free agents. The Jazz added Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson, Jr., while the Bulls have picked up two impending free agents: Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey and Boston Celtics guard Anfernee Simons.
What does that mean? It leaves the Los Angeles Lakers as the lone competitive NBA team with significant cap space next summer, provided LeBron James does not return and they sign Austin Reaves to a new contract after their other moves are done.
Even a year after they got Doncic for him, the Anthony Davis trade is still paying off for the Lakers. Dammit.
Jaxson Hayes suspended for shoving mascot before Lakers-Wizards game
Los Angeles Lakers big man Jaxson Hayes was handed a one-game suspension by the NBA "for pushing a Washington Wizards mascot during pregame introductions," the league said in a statement on Wednesday, Feb. 4.
Hayes shoved the Wizards' mascot, G-Wiz, during pregame introductions before the Jan. 30 game in Washington. The mascot had been running with a giant flag when Hayes, 25, made contact, sending the mascot careening into cheerleaders running onto the court, video of the incident shows.
The Lakers will be without Hayes for Thursday night's game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Jaxson Hayes shoved Wizards mascot, G-Wiz, in pre-game introductions
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 4, 2026
Hayes has been suspended for one game, per @ShamsCharaniapic.twitter.com/x4xz2Ndw2I
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jaxson Hayes pushes mascot, receives suspension from NBA
Okananwa's 23 points help No. 22 Maryland women upset No. 12 Michigan State women 86-70
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Oluchi Okananwa scored 23 points, and the No. 22 Maryland women pulled away in the second half for an 86-70 win over No. 12 Michigan State on Wednesday.
Maryland (18-6, 6-6 Big Ten) led 43-33 at halftime and broke the game open in the third quarter.
Okananwa went 8 of 13 from the field and added four rebounds, five assists and a steal as the Terps shot 49% as a team.
Yarden Garzon added 16 points and five assists, Kyndal Walker scored 14, and Saylor Poffenbarger finished with 13 points, eight rebounds and four steals. Maryland forced 20 turnovers, which led to 23 points, while holding Michigan State to 4 of 15 from 3.
The Terps pushed the margin to 72-55 early in the fourth on Poffenbarger’s 3-pointer. Okananwa scored seven straight points soon after, including a layup and a deep 3-pointer that stretched the lead to 84-68 with under two minutes left. Maryland never allowed the Spartans to get within single digits in the final quarter.
Grace VanSlooten led Michigan State (19-4, 8-4) with 19 points, nine rebounds and four blocks. Kennedy Blair had 15 points and seven assists, while Jalyn Brown scored 13.
Up NextMichigan State: The Spartans play Saturday at Penn State.
Maryland: The Terrapins visit Nebraska on Saturday.
___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball
Red Wings Out To Prove That This Season Will Be Different
While flirting with a spot in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Detroit Red Wings were soundly defeated in consecutive games by the Ottawa Senators in a 12-3 combined final score.
It was at that time that GM Steve Yzerman decided his team wasn't ready for playoff hockey and became a seller at the upcoming NHL Trade Deadline, trading Tyler Bertuzzi to the Boston Bruins, Filip Hronek to the Vancouver Canucks, and Oskar Sundqvist to the Minnesota Wild.
The following season, Detroit found itself in an advantageous position in the standings, holding a nine-point lead over the cutoff for the final wild-card playoff spot. However, what followed was a disastrous 3–9–2 stretch in March, culminating in the team losing any hope of the postseason on the final day of the regular season due to a tiebreaker.
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Last season, the Red Wings were in one of the final Wild Card postseason spots near the end of February, but once again, struggled in March. They posted a 4-10 record that month and fell out of the postseason race.
Wednesday evening marks Detroit’s final game for several weeks, as the NHL schedule breaks for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
When play resumes in late February, the Red Wings, currently second overall in the Atlantic Division, will be determined to write a new script this time around.
Multiple rumors suggest the Red Wings could become buyers for the first time since 2015, when they acquired Erik Cole from the Dallas Stars and Marek Zidlicky from the New Jersey Devils.
NHL Insider Links Red Wings to Potential Blockbuster With Former Western Rival NHL Insider Darren Dreger has given insight into what the Detroit Red Wings could potentially be looking for via trade. That season also marked the year before their most recent appearance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
If they were to begin today, the Red Wings would confirm their spot in the postseason for the first time since 2016.
To ensure Stanley Cup Playoff hockey comes to Little Caesars Arena for the first time, the Red Wings must avoid the March struggles that have plagued them in each of the past two seasons, a goal they'll have their sights trained on.
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Utah’s patient rebuild vs Washington’s hasty hyper-construction
There exist two rebuilding forces in today’s NBA. Though similar in intent, they are vastly different in method. And thanks to the recent action on the trade block, two perfect anecdotal examples have surfaced in two of the league’s franchises.
The Washington Wizards and the Utah Jazz. Two teams united in purpose, but divided in execution.
Both teams have waded through the muck of the NBA Draft lottery for years in the fallout of failed championship contenders of yesteryear. The Wizards capped out with their backcourt dynamic of John Wall and Bradley Beal, and have failed to reach such highs since. Time has torn this franchise to ribbons — mere scraps of a competent basketball team remain. The Jazz hit their ceiling on the core of Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, and did not hesitate to hit the big red glowing self-destruct button on the corner of owner Ryan Smith’s desk.
Stripped to their parts, both franchises lingered at the floor of the NBA standings in hopes of securing a game-changing talent in the draft, and both franchises have yet to secure their sure-fire superstar to shepherd the flock from poverty.
So, with the Feb 5 trade deadline rapidly approaching, two muddying basketball teams saw an opportunity to change their fates and jumped at it.
First was the Jazz, a team intent on retaining its core of Keyonte George, Ace Bailey, Lauri Markkanen, and Walker Kessler, who shipped off three first-round picks and four replaceable players in return for a former All-Star and Defensive Player of the Year in Jaren Jackson Jr.
Next were the Wizards, caught in the frenzy and chomping at the first big fish they saw. Like JJJ, the newest Washington Wizard is also a former All-Star and DPOY, though with a much more accomplished career. This addition is Anthony Davis, and the Wiz dealt two first-round picks, three second-rounders, and (just like Utah) four easily replaced players to obtain his services.
On the surface, these moves appear incredibly similar. Two defensive specialists capable of producing on the offensive end are arriving at their new teams, ready to pull the plug on tanking practices and set their sights on winning basketball. In truth, these trades will produce drastically different results.
I’ve already shared my thoughts on Utah’s trade for Jackson. In short, I think his addition is a brilliant use of the Jazz’s embarrassment of assets. Carrying far too many draft picks than a single team could ever hope to utilize, Utah consolidated and returned an all-star caliber big man at 26 years of age without compromising their future (the Jazz still have at least one first-round draft pick in every future draft).
Utah retains flexibility in cap space and asset management while injecting their current plans with a complementary piece. This was a calculated deal initiated with the future in mind, not an all-in gamble made in desperation.
The Wizards’ acquisition of Anthony Davis is the very definition of haste. Davis, approaching his 33rd birthday, has a list of injuries longer than his accolades (which is saying a lot). He’s played at least 60 games just twice in his last seven seasons. His most recent team, the Mavericks organization that was so certain of his value that they traded Luka Doncic unprovoked, has parted ways with him after just 29 appearances in Dallas.
The Mavs couldn’t wait to get out of the Anthony Davis business, even with the sunk cost of Doncic in LA. That says a lot to me if I were an NBA executive.
Davis is on the decline, and for a player as injury-prone as he’s proved to be over his career, a bet on an aging Davis is a bet you’re likely to lose. No matter how optimistic one could be about the Wizards’ young core (Sarr, Carrington, George, Coulibaly, Johnson, etc.), it’s unlikely that Davis will be consistently available to lead on the court as the youth mature into their primes.
Especially considering the Trae Young acquisition, it feels like the Wizards are anxious to compete for the playoffs tomorrow.
A backcourt of Young and Davis is fascinating on paper. Young, one of basketball’s most prolific shooters (by volume, not efficiency) and distributors, paired with Davis, one of the most prolific rim protectors and an excellent supplement on the offensive end, is an awesome pairing.
But is it built to last? What’s this team’s potential as currently constructed? Time will tell, but there are far fewer sands left in this hourglass compared to that of their Utahn counterparts.
The Jazz move forward without torching their timetable. The Wizards cut out the waiting game and opted for a win-now solution. From my perspective, this is the difference between investing and gambling, and the latter is often far less friendly to its participants.
Calvin Barrett is a writer, editor, and prolific Mario Kart racer located in Tokyo, Japan. He has covered the NBA and College Sports since 2024.
Karl-Anthony Towns injury: Knicks star suffers nasty cut in collision
New York Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns went to the locker room after he suffered a significant cut in a collision with the Denver Nuggets' Spencer Jones during the teams' game on Wednesday night.
The incident at Madison Square Garden occurred late in the first quarter. Towns knocked heads with the defending Jones on a drive, and it opened up a deep gash around Towns' right eye.
With blood covering his jersey and a bandage placed on his head, Towns made both his free throws before he was subbed out for Mitchell Robinson. The All-Star big man then exited to the locker room, presumably to receive treatment for the cut and perhaps get a new jersey.
Karl-Anthony Towns was bleeding after colliding with Spencer Jones on this drive 😳 pic.twitter.com/0BKFIlgmZ0
— ESPN (@espn) February 5, 2026
Towns was still not back on the court when the bulk of the Knicks' starters returned midway through the second quarter though he did finally return before the second quarter was through.
He was sporting new bandages above his eye and seemingly a new jersey, the bloodstains no longer visible.
Jones was also impacted by the collision, the Nuggets saying he was questionable to return due to a head contusion. He ultimately played just 12 minutes, going 0-for-3 from the field and finishing with three rebounds, a steal and a block.
Towns didn't seem too worse for wear in the end, finishing with 24 points on 9-of-13 shooting and 12 rebounds. He did foul out but the Knicks won 134-127 in double overtime.
This story has been updated with new information.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Karl-Anthony Towns injury update after cut in Nuggets-Knicks
Preview: Wizards play Pistons on Thursday night
The Washington Wizards play the Detroit Pistons tomorrow night. Let’s preview this one.
Game info
When: Thursday, Feb. 5 at 7 p.m. ET
Where: Little Caesars Arena, Washington
How to watch: Monumental Sports Network, League Pass
Injuries: For the Wizards, Tre Johnson (ankle), Tristan Vukcevic (hamstring), Trae Young (knee, quad) and Cam Whitmore (shoulder) are out. On addition, Dante Exum (trade) and Anthony Davis (trade) are out. Jaden Hardy and D’Angelo Russell are day-to-day due to various injuries but are also affected by being traded to the Wizards earlier today.
For the Pistons, Dario Saric and Tolu Smith are out. Kevin Huerter is day-to-day.
What to watch for
The Wizards are coming off a blowout loss to the New York Knicks today and will head to Motown for a game against the Pistons, who are leading the Eastern Conference with a 37-12 record. Given today’s big trade where Anthony Davis is now coming to DC, there won’t be a full roster tomorrow in all likelihood. Hopefully, the game remains competitive however!
Mock Trade: Saddiq Bey, anyone?
With the trade deadline less than 24 hours away, rumors have been spreading like wildfire. Not only that, but some trades have already been done, and teams are shifting directions quickly for this playoff run. That leaves the Suns in a questionable spot: they do not want to ruffle the feathers on a good run, but may fall further behind in this conference by Thursday afternoon.
So, for the fun of it, let’s look at some trade proposals from the site and break them down. This one comes from our great site manager, John Voita, and he cooked this beauty up.
This one has a lot of moving pieces, with the Suns as the third team involved.
For this deal to go through, both the Pacers and Pelicans must agree to swap their young stars. Yves Missi has been great in his sophomore year, but with the Pelicans front court having Derik Queen and Zion Williamson, he has become expendable for them. Bennedict Mathurin is a restricted free agent, and the Pacers did not pay Myles Turner last season because they are cheap. Would they do the same with Mathurin, especially when they are projected to be a top-five pick?
It also helps that the Pelicans and Pacers have been linked to these players in the past with the Pacers needing another big alongside Jay Huff after losing Turner, and the Pelicans willing to take flyers on young talent, As long as both of these teams are willing to do this swap, it should be easy for the Suns to sneak in to get Saddiq Bey.
Bey, who has recently been on a heater offensively, continues to prove to be a solid wing role player. One, the Suns could definitely plug into their style of play, with his ability to shoot the three-point shot and defend with energy. You also cannot forget that he was a collegiate teammate of Collin Gillespie; adding him to that bench rotation alongside him would foster great chemistry off the bat.
Fortunately, to get Bey, the Suns would only have to move off of Nick Richards and Nigel Hayes-Davis, two players who are not in the rotation for this team. A Richards-to-the-Pelicans trade has been discussed in the past, with them getting a third big. Hayes-Davis to the Pacers could try once again to crack a rotation to compete in the NBA. With the Suns not trading any draft picks either, this would allow them to save money while also adding someone to an already deep rotation. With injuries on this team as well, this could be just the cherry on top of their playoff run.
Now, even though this helps out the Suns in many ways, there is a way that this does not go through. Who is to say that the Pelicans and Pacers even need the Suns players involved here? They could do this swap between the two, and essentially don’t need these Suns players. The Pelicans could also want more for Bey, which would be difficult for the Suns to get there with their limited draft capital. These types of deals make it complex for the Suns, but they’re always fun to discuss.
Bey would be a great addition, since the Suns do not give up anything valuable in this trade. By shedding a roster spot as well, they can convert Jamaree Bouyea and continue to strengthen the depth of their rotation.
What do you think, though? If you like this or don’t, please let us know what you think down below.
Celtics announce surprising starting lineup vs Rockets in wake of multiple injuries
HOUSTON — The Celtics will start a brand-new starting five in the wake of multiple absences against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday. Alongside regular starters Derrick White and Neemias Queta, Baylor Scheierman, Ron Harper Jr, and Luka Garza will take the floor for tip-off.
Payton Pritchard, fresh off a 26-point outing, will come off the bench for the second consecutive game. Pritchard expressed a total willingness to come off the bench on Tuesday night in Dallas, given that Anfernee Simons has been traded to Chicago and is no longer with the team.
“You see how our team is constructed, you need somebody to bench to handle the rock, and it’s good, D-White comes out, I come in, and there’s always somebody that can bring it up, get us into the flow, stuff like that,” Pritchard said. “So, it just makes the most sense for our team.”
Jaylen Brown (left hamstring tightness, right knee contusion) and Sam Hauser (thumb sprain) are sidelined on the second night of a back-to-back, but both players are with the team in Houston. Brown, who was listed as doubtful, went through warm-ups before being ruled out.
Chris Boucher (personal reasons) is not currently with the team. Two-way player Max Shulga is also in Boston.
Multiple players get increased opportunities for the short-handed Celtics
For two-way player Ron Harper Jr, Wednesday night will mark a first-ever career NBA start. Harper Jr. has been a G League standout so far this season, but he has played just 35 minutes (across 7 games) with Boston this season.
Harper Jr. will represent the Celtics at the Rising Stars game in Los Angeles later this month. When in Boston, the 25-year-old has earned Mazzulla’s praise.
“I watch him work out when he’s with us — the side of that is the professionalism,” Joe Mazzulla said. “So, when he gets there early, he’s in the weight room doing what he’s supposed to be doing. He’s in the treatment room if he needs to be. He communicates at a high level. There’s just a level of trust there.”
Baylor Scheierman will start his second straight game, and 6th game of the season. Scheierman is averaging 13.6 minutes across 45 games played this year, while shooting 40.7% from the field and oftentimes taking on the team’s most difficult defensive assignments.
With Pritchard appearing to come off the bench in the near future, it appears likely that Scheierman could be a staple in the starting lineup for the foreseeable future.
“He’s developed into a utility guy for us defensively,” Mazzulla said last week.
Luka Garza, on the heels of a 16-point game, will start his second game of the season. Garza is averaging 7.9 points and 4.3 rebounds per game, while shooting a team-best 47.6% from three. He has been a fixture of the rotation since late December, after falling out of it for a few weeks earlier this season.
Neemias Queta and Derrick White have been regular starters for the Celtics all season long.
For the Rockets, Amen Thompson, Tari Eason, Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr, and Kevin Durant will start.
Celtics-Rockets tips off at 8pm ET at the Toyota Center.
Fernando Tatis Jr. aims for monster season
San Diego Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. came into the media interview room during the 2025 and 2026 Padres FanFest talking about how good he felt and how he was going into the most productive years of his career. In 2025, he said that when he was healthy and his head was in the right place that he was the best player in baseball.
In 2026, during his media availability, Tatis talked about the mechanical issues that plagued his 2025 season. He said that those issues are behind him and they were all swing mechanics that he couldn’t discuss but that would not bother him going forward. During the player forum Q&A, Tatis said his goal was to reward the fanbase with an MVP season. He said he owed it to fans to improve his performance and deliver on his promises.
As Padres fans know, Tatis has been plagued since his PED suspension with accusations that his previous success as a player (2020 and 2021) were steroid related and he will never be able to equal those performances without cheating. There is no secret regarding the issues that have affected Tatis during his time as a major league player. His shoulder injury in 2021 that affected his swing until it was repaired in September of 2022. The wrist injury that required two surgeries and is probably responsible for his steroid use (despite the claims of ringworm treatment that he used to explain it).
In 2023, after returning from his steroid suspension and wrist surgeries, Tatis had diminished bat speed and exit velocity. Only Tatis knows if that was due to recovering from two wrist surgeries or was PED related. But his numbers since then seem to indicate that the pre-PED numbers are not far off from what he has accomplished in 2024 and 2025, except for a key stat.
According to Baseball Savant, Tatis had an average exit velocity of 93.5 in 2024 (97th percentile) versus an exit velocity of 95.9 (100th percentile) during his 2020 season. His hard hit percentage in 2024 was 99th percentile compared to 100th percentile in 2020. His bat speed in 2024 was 86th percentile but that was not measured in 2020.
In 2025, his exit velocity was 93.3 and 95th percentile. His hard hit percentage was 93rd percentile and his bat speed was 77th percentile. The strange and unexplainable stat that stands out from last season was his sweet spot percentage. Although never a high number for Tatis, his previous average was in the 40-45 percent when he was hitting well. For 2025 it dropped to four percent, the lowest of his career by far.
As a result, his power was down, his slugging percentage was down by 42 points and he made almost constant adjustments to his swing throughout the season. He had the best K-rate of his career, improving for three seasons in a row. His walk rate was the best of his career and he had his lowest chase rate of his career.
So what does all this indicate? Other than his launch angle, which has fluctuated significantly throughout his career, the biggest issue with his swing last season was his inability to hit the baseball on the sweet spot of the bat. All his other numbers indicate that he is very similar to the guy who broke into the Padres line up in 2019 and had an amazing 2020.
Is that a mechanical issue and can it be fixed? Tatis seemed to indicate in his media statements that he has addressed his issues and expects this season to begin the most successful stretch of his career.
The only way Tatis can dismiss the steroid discussion is to meet and/or exceed what he had accomplished prior to his suspension. If he can approach the success he had his first full season in MLB, and then hold onto some of that success while being regularly tested for PEDs, it becomes a possibility for him to outperform the allegations.
There is no doubt that Tatis Jr. wants to be that guy. His obvious affection for and devotion to his team and the fans is admirable. He wants to reward the team and the fans with a performance that lives up to his potential. Tatis wears his emotions on his sleeve and that can be a blessing or a curse. Last season, it was obvious he wasn’t happy. This season will hopefully provide the Padres and their fans a look at the real Tatis.
Kings acquire Artemi Panarin from Rangers for Liam Greentree, conditional third-round pick
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Kings acquired high-scoring left wing Artemi Panarin from the New York Rangers on Wednesday for a conditional third-round draft pick and prospect Liam Greentree.
The Kings then signed Panarin to a two-year, $22 million contract that will keep the Russian forward in Los Angeles through the 2027-28 season.
The trade ends weeks of uncertainty around the future of the 34-year-old Panarin, who hadn’t played since Jan. 26 while the Rangers held him out in anticipation of trading their top scorer in each of the past seven consecutive seasons. He currently leads New York with 57 points in 52 games.
Panarin is a major acquisition for the Kings, who have stayed in contention for their fifth consecutive playoff appearance this season despite ranking 31st in the NHL with 139 goals and 29th in power-play success. Adrian Kempe and Kevin Fiala are the only Kings with more than 13 goals or 30 points this season.
Los Angeles has been committed to defense-first hockey for more than a decade, and coach Jim Hiller has kept the system alive despite four consecutive first-round playoff exits to the Edmonton Oilers. But new GM Ken Holland swung this move to inject some excitement and offense into a team that has appeared to be stuck between fringe Stanley Cup contention and full rebuilding.
Panarin is the NHL’s seventh-leading scorer over the past five seasons, putting up 156 goals and 298 assists for New York. He scored at least 25 goals in eight of his first 10 seasons, including a career-high 49 goals and 120 points two seasons ago.
Panarin’s departure is the biggest deal yet in what general manager Chris Drury called a retooling process rather than a rebuild for the last-place Rangers. In a letter to fans on Jan. 16, Drury said the focus would be on “obtaining young players, draft picks and cap space to allow us flexibility moving forward.”
But because Panarin had a full no-movement clause, he was able to control his destination. With several contending teams making inquiries about his services, he elected to go to Los Angeles.
The Rangers retained half of his $11.6 million salary cap hit while acquiring Greentree, the 20-year-old Windsor Spitfires forward taken late in the first round of the 2024 draft.
If the Kings win a playoff round, the pick becomes a second-rounder. If they reach the Western Conference final, the Rangers also get a 2028 fourth-round pick.
The deal, which was finalized less than an hour before the NHL’s Olympic trade freeze, takes the best player available off the market more than a month before the March 6 trade deadline.
Panarin is the third pillar of the Rangers’ recent teams to move to Southern California since New York reached the Eastern Conference final in 2024.
Jacob Trouba, the defenseman who served as the Rangers’ captain for 2 1/2 seasons, was traded by Drury to the Anaheim Ducks in December 2024. Veteran forward Chris Kreider, the Rangers’ longest-tenured player, was also shipped to Anaheim by Drury last summer.
Both players have thrived in their new home with the Ducks, who are in contention for their first playoff appearance since 2018.
The Rangers already traded depth defenseman Carson Soucy to the crosstown rival New York Islanders for a third-round pick since Drury’s rebuilding letter went out.
Vincent Trocheck, who is 32 and signed for three more seasons after this one at a reasonable salary cap hit of $5.625 million, could fetch more than Panarin if he gets dealt.
Offseason open thread: February 4
Good evening, y’all. Here’s a random clip for you: