Jasson Domínguez is pictured during a Feb. 15 workout at the Yankees' spring training.
Observations from Yankees’ spring training on Monday:
Dom’ bomb
Jasson Domínguez, who has plenty at stake this spring as he tries to make a case to avoid going to Triple-A, homered off non-roster invitee Dylan Coleman in live batting practice.
Jasson Domínguez is pictured during a Feb. 15 workout at the Yankees’ spring training. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Sick time
Ryan McMahon was in the clubhouse Monday morning and attended the team meeting before the Yankees held him out of workouts as he dealt with flu-like symptoms.
Caught my eye
Andy Pettitte arrived at camp and spent time chatting with Cam Schlittler on a back field.
In his role as a special adviser for the Yankees, Pettitte has been a valuable resource for Schlittler during his emergence as a key rotation piece.
Tomorrow’s schedule
The Yankees will hold their second full-squad workout.
Dodgers second baseman Tommy Edman forces out Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at second base during Game 4 of the World Series. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Position players reported to spring training at Camelback Ranch for the Dodgers on Monday, but manager Dave Roberts revealed that the team will be without its versatile second baseman and utilityman Tommy Edman when it opens the season against the Arizona Diamondbacks at home on March 26.
The 30-year-old Edman underwent ankle surgery during the offseason after being limited to 97 games in 2025 in his first full season with the Dodgers.
“I think just looking at where his ankle is at, trying to play the long view that you don’t want to have any regression or setbacks," Roberts said. "So, how can we be methodical with it? Just for me, knowing that he’s just taking swings is enough. We’re not going to rush it. We want to put him in the best position, so I think it just kind of became [clearer] very recently.”
Edman will open the season on the injured list, something he is at peace with. He felt that a return before opening day was a bit ambitious, and that it would be better to err on the side of caution.
“That was always kind of a stretch, just due to the nature of the injury and the timing of the surgery and everything,” Edman said. “I think, having been out of the boot for a little over a month now, I was just kind of waiting to see how it progressed, and everything has gone exactly on-schedule. We were kind of leaving opening day open, just in case it happened to feel way better than expected. Everything’s on the expected schedule so far. As I get into more baseball stuff, I still have to work into the adaptation of volume. As the volume goes up, the swelling kind of increases a little bit, so I’ve got to take it slow and let the progress play out the way it was planned all along, instead of trying to speed it up.”
For now, Edman is slow-playing it.
“He took some swings a couple days ago, [from] both sides,” Roberts said. “He did some skipping, some light jogging, I think it was. He’s getting his body into baseball shape, so obviously he’s not going to be ready for the start of camp. He’s in that same bucket of, ‘When he’s ready, he’s ready.’ But each day, there’s been progress.”
Evan Phillips excited to be back
Days after signing a one-year contract to return to the Dodgers — despite being non-tendered earlier in the offseason — Evan Phillips expressed relief at being back.
“[The offseason] was quiet for a little bit,” Phillips said. “I leaned on my agent to be patient and trust that things were going to work out and we're certainly glad that we're back. It was definitely a very, very wild ride this offseason. It feels like I never left, so it's kind of weird to get all the handshakes and hugs, but it’s just another spring training to me. I'm certainly glad to be back in Dodger blue.”
Dodgers GM Brandon Gomes told reporters Sunday that Phillips should return to the Dodgers sometime in the middle of the season. He underwent Tommy John surgery last June.
“[I’ve been] doing long toss a few times a week, hoping to get on the bullpen or on the mound for a bullpen next month,” Phillips said. “I'll start that mound progression here in the next couple of weeks. I think, actually, Tuesday I'll throw off of the mound for the first time, but it won't be to a catcher or anything. It'll just be a catcher standing up and there's a slow progression, week by week. So [there will be] plenty of steps ahead that's going to keep me busy here in Arizona, but I’m definitely looking forward to that progression.”
For Kawhi Leonard, this season has been the ultimate roller coaster.
He went from being the biggest snub of the NBA All-Star Game to putting on its best performance after commissioner Adam Silver added him as an injury replacement.
He went from helping the Clippers become the hottest team in the league amid a 17-5 run to watching them deteriorate into rebuild mode after they traded James Harden and Ivica Zubac earlier this month.
Kawhi Leonard dribbles past Sacramento Kings guard Daeqwon Plowden.s Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images
He went from being embroiled in drama before the season even began amid allegations that the Clippers circumvented the salary cap regarding a $28 million endorsement deal through Aspiration to having one of the best seasons of his career.
He went from being dismissed an injury-riddled has-been to reminding everyone that he’s one of the league’s top superstars.
Leonard has quietly been one of the biggest storylines of the season for both the best and worst reasons.
And on Sunday, he was at the center of the basketball world after eking his way into the All-Star Game as the sole representative of the Clippers and their shiny new $2 billion arena, which hosted the event.
Leonard responded by putting on a MasterClass in showmanship. He scored 31 points in 12 minutes on 11-for-13 shooting from the field and 6-for-7 shooting from beyond the arc during the World versus Stripes contest, including making a game-winning stepback 3-pointer with four seconds left.
Even though his team didn’t make the championship round of the league’s new round-robin tournament, he received four of the 14 MVP votes. (Anthony Edwards received the remainder of the votes after leading his team to win the competition.)
For Leonard, Sunday was a microcosm of his season as a whole: He has managed to shine through all of the drama.
“I feel like I’m one of the best when I am playing basketball,” he said.
Kawhi Leonard goes to the basket against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Getty Images
There are a long list of hypotheticals surrounding this season for Leonard.
If it weren’t for the Clippers’ dreadful 6-21 start, would he have been in the MVP conversation? If the team hadn’t punted this season by trading two of their most important players, could he have helped them claw their way up the Western Conference standings? If it weren’t for the Aspiration scandal, would the league’s coaches have voted him into the All-Star Game as a reserve?
For Leonard, the most frustrating part of all this is he’s finally playing like himself again.
He’s averaging a career-high 27.9 points a game and is leading the league in steals (2.1). He’s also averaging 6.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists for the Clippers, who are in 10th place in the Western Conference with a record of 26-28.
There’s no doubt about it: When Leonard is healthy, he’s atop the league.
The problem is that’s a big caveat.
Heading into this season, Leonard had missed 226 regular season games since joining the Clippers in free agency in 2019, as well as multiple playoff series. It has been such a glaring issue that two years ago, ESPN’s Stephen A Smith said Leonard should retire.
Kawhi Leonard drives to the basket in the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Intuit Dome. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
But this season, Leonard has come roaring back. He’s dominant. He’s fluid. He’s one of the top two-way players in the game.
It’s unfortunate timing considering his great play has been overshadowed by all of the drama.
He was embroiled in controversy beginning at Clippers’ media day, when he was peppered with questions about the salary cap circumvention allegations. “None of us did no wrongdoing,” he said at the time. “We invite the investigations.”
Five months later, Leonard was once again in the spotlight after the Clippers stunningly traded Harden and Zubac in an attempt to get younger and clear salary cap space for free agency in 2027.
The player who’s famous for his stoicism couldn’t help but show tinges of disappointment.
“It’s a complete turnaround from what I thought we could potentially do,” Leonard said Feb. 6. “Not saying we were contenders. But we thought we could make some noise or mess somebody’s season up.”
For Kawhi Leonard, this season has been the ultimate roller coaster. AP
The question is what’s next for Leonard?
That’s a big unknown for now. He has one season left on his deal after this one. And the Clippers reportedly turned down multiple inquiries about him ahead of the trade deadline.
Leonard, who has been the face of the franchise for seven seasons, watched Paul George leave in free agency in 2024 and then Harden wanted out a few weeks ago. Now, the championship window on this iteration of the team has been officially slammed shut.
Will he be a part of what’s next for the Clippers?
Could he demand a trade? Or eventually leave in free agency? Or will he remain a centerpiece of the team’s retooling? And how does the Aspiration scandal impact all of this?
Right now, there are more questions than answers for the beleaguered superstar.
Leonard is clearly choosing to deal with the uncertainty by focusing on the one thing he can control.
His game.
He’s finally healthy and he’s hellbent on reminding the world what that means.
MILAN – After player feedback and feedback from the NHL, the banners at Milano’s Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena are expected to be changed to a lighter color, multiple NHL sources confirmed Monday night. ESPN’s Emily Kaplan was the first to report.
The new banners are expected to be pasted on in time for the men’s hockey qualification round Tuesday, the league sources say. Arena staff began removing the current banners immediately following Monday night’s women’s hockey semifinal between Canada and Switzerland.
The banners were going to be changed all along due to wear and tear, but players and NHL officials have pointed out to the IOC how the darker green color specifically in different areas of the boards could be problematic for sight when it comes to finding a black puck.
In the U.S.-Denmark game, United States goalie Jeremy Swayman said he couldn’t see a puck coming at him fired from near the Denmark bench.
“It was a flash screen and it was just the perfect height right between the stands and board level, and I truly lost it,” he said.
The CBC and NBC broadcast crews wondered aloud during the telecast whether Swayman lost the puck because of the color of the boards in the vicinity of where the puck was shot.
To Swayman’s credit, he didn’t use it as an excuse, joking after the game that he was colorblind, so it didn’t matter to him anyway.
“It’s something all of us always have to face and we play in different arenas every night in the NHL, so this is just one, another one, and it’s a challenge that we have to embrace,” Swayman said.
NEW YORK (AP) — Cleveland Browns safety Ronnie Hickman was treated for minor injuries and released, the team said on Monday after New York police received reports that he was jumped by four men in a hotel lobby.
The Browns said Hickman, 24, was at home resting with his family. There have been no arrests and an investigation continues, according to a statement from the New York Police Department.
Authorities said they responded to a 911 call at 4:35 a.m. Monday reporting an assault in a hotel lobby.
“Upon arrival, officers were informed that four unidentified individuals punched a 24-year-old male about the body following a verbal dispute,” police said. “The suspects fled the location in an unknown direction.”
An undrafted free agent out of Ohio State, Hickman has played 41 games over three seasons, recording 173 tackles, three interceptions and one fumble recovery.
GIRONA, Spain (AP) — Lamine Yamal missed a penalty as Barcelona lost at Girona 2-1 on Monday and passed up a chance to overtake Real Madrid at the top of La Liga.
The defeat was the second in less than a week for Barca and left it second in the table, two points behind Madrid.
A win would have taken it above its archrival but, instead, a crisis brewed for coach Hansi Flick, whose side lost to Atletico Madrid 4-0 in the Copa del Rey last week.
The second loss came even though Barcelona took the lead early in the second half.
Yamal hit the post with his spot kick on the stroke of halftime but 14 minutes into the second period Pau Cubarsí met Jules Kounde’s cross from the right and placed his header perfectly into the top corner.
The goal was Barcelona’s 100th in all competitions this season and made it the second club in Europe's big five domestic leagues to hit the century after Bayern Munich.
However, Girona roared back into the game just three minutes later.
Barcelona’s Joan Garcia was already the busier of the two goalkeepers but he could not stop Thomas Lemar side-footing home from close range after nice work from Vladyslav Vanat on the left wing.
Both sides pushed for a decisive second and it was Girona who executed with three minutes remaining, substitute Fran Beltrán scoring with a low shot from just inside the box.
Girona’s Joel Roca was sent off in the dying seconds but there were no more goals.
The victory ended a three-game winless streak for Girona and lifted it three places into 12th, equal on points with Getafe.
Only seven points separate the 11 clubs from eighth to 18th in La Liga.
"I think they ain't really going to take in what I'm saying, but I like this format," All-Star MVP Anthony Edwards said. "I think it makes us compete because it's only 12 minutes, and the three different teams separate the guys. I think it was really good … I feel like the old heads played hard, too. They were playing real good defense."
Edwards was not the only player thinking that way.
"I think it was definitely a step up in the competitive department compared to last season," Kevin Durant said.
"I know the world guys wanted to win. I know Victor [Wembanyama] wanted to win bad," Devin Booker said. "You could see it. And I know our team did.
"Shout-out Kawhi. We were watching that game in the back. That's probably one of the most special quarters of basketball we've witnessed."
Booker also threw the NBA league office some love for changing around the players' schedules during All-Star Weekend.
"The NBA did a good job of us doing all our media and pictures yesterday. So today, we could just come in and properly get our bodies activated. I think that was a big part of it," Devin Booker said. "I think every team honestly wanted to win."
"We wanted to play hard. It doesn't matter what the format was, I came in, I'm going to play some defense," Maxey said. "I'll score when I can, but I want to play hard, bring energy, get some steals, and have fun."
Karl-Anthony Towns said this was his favorite All-Star Game he's played in, partly because he got to represent the Dominican Republic on the World Team, and partly because of the level of competition.
"Fans have been asking for it. Media have been asking for it," Towns said. "I feel that after today, I think you all can see the competition is there, and I think that we all brought it today and a sense of effort. I hope that the fans and all of you appreciate it."
A number of the World players were excited to represent the growth of the game.
"I think it brought some competitiveness with it, and it's a fun format," first-time All-Star Deni Avdija said. "So it shows how the game went global, which is amazing to see."
Victor Wembanyama was the guy credited with sparking the hard play — Edwards the MVP said Wemby set the tone at the start of the first game, when he scored the World's first seven points.
Wembanyama liked the USA vs. World format, but is open to a return to tradition.
"I liked it," Wembanyama said of the format. "I wouldn't be against this format in the future, and I wouldn't be against the regular East versus West either."
Wemby isn't the only player who still likes the East vs. West
"I thought it was good," Kawhi Leonard said. "But I still think going back to East-West will be great. I think guys will compete still."
Whatever the format is next year in Phoenix, hopefully we see the same level of player buy-in, defense, and competitiveness. It's what we've all been hoping for.
PHOENIX –– The big position battle taking shape early in Dodgers camp this spring?
It’s over a part-time platoon role … at the bottom of the lineup … and for likely only the first few weeks of the regular season.
Such is the reality for this year’s Dodgers squad, which boasts All-Star talent around the diamond and little legitimate competition for regular playing time.
Tommy Edman of the Los Angeles Dodgers runs the bases after hitting a home run against the New York Yankees in the second inning during Game Two of the 2024 World Series at Dodger Stadium. Getty Images
When everybody is healthy, their starting nine is set. Only with news like Monday’s –– when manager Dave Roberts ruled out second baseman Tommy Edman for opening day as he recovers from offseason ankle surgery –– is there any true intrigue about how at-bats will be divided.
Edman’s absence to start the season is hardly surprising. The utilityman spent most of this winter rehabbing, after undergoing surgery in November to address an ankle problem that nagged him much of last season. And though he is back to baseball activities now, taking swings, doing light jogging and making daily progress, Roberts said the team will also be “methodical” with how it brings him back to full health.
“(We’re) trying to play the long view,” Roberts said. “You don’t want any regression or setbacks.”
Thus, the Dodgers will have to find alternative options at second base for at least the start of the year. Miguel Rojas will almost certainly factor into that equation, providing a veteran presence from the right side of the plate. But there could now be an opening for a left-handed-hitting platoon partner, too.
Feb 13, 2026; Glendale, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Hyeseong Kim (6) gets ready to hit during spring training camp. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
In their rookie campaigns last year, both players had flashes of production, but their overall performance was marred by inconsistency. Entering this spring, both have been trying to display further growth in their still-developing offensive games.
Kim, an offseason signing from South Korea last winter, was called up to the majors in early May and hit .383 over his first 36 games, providing surprise pop to go along with his game-changing speed and smooth-fielding glove.
After that, however, he had a .175 average the rest of the year, struggling to adapt his swing to major-league pitching while also missing a month with a shoulder injury.
Alex Freeland of the Los Angeles Dodgers participates in a fielding drill during spring training workouts at Camelback Ranch on February 13, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images).
Getty Images
“The swing changes we made last year, I would say I felt about 70% comfortable,” Kim, who could also see some playing time as a backup center field option, and will play in this spring’s WBC for South Korea, said Monday through an interpreter. “This offseason and spring training, we were able to recognize some of the other stuff that we needed to work on, so I’m working very hard to make those changes again this year.”
But, the 26-year-old added, “I was not satisfied last year. I found out some of the things that I needed to work on. So I just want to work hard and make sure that I make the roster right off the bat after spring training.”
Freeland, a former third-round draft pick and top prospect in the Dodgers’ farm system, had a similar debut experience.
He had a couple stand-out moments in his 29 big-league games, including home runs on back-to-back days during a key series against the San Diego Padres in late August. But on the whole, the switch-hitter batted just .190 while striking out 35 times in 97 plate appearances –– a sign, Roberts said, that the game “sped up” on the 24-year-old.
“Last year obviously didn’t go the way that I wanted, but I think everything that happened was something I can learn from,” Freeland said. “Not seeing success, I kind of got out of myself, instead of just taking it at-bat by at-bat. Got ahead of myself, let the failure get to me a little bit.”
Now, both players will have the chance to earn immediate redemption.
Though the Dodgers have several minor-league veterans who could factor into the second base picture, including Ryan Fitzgerald, Keston Hiura, Nick Senzel and former All-Star Santiago Espinal (whom Roberts revealed Monday had signed with the club as a non-roster invite), Kim and Freeland should have the inside track on the opportunity Edman’s injury has created.
Damian Lillard might have just sparked anticipation for possibly the greatest NBA 3-Point Contest of all-time.
After Lillard won his third State Farm NBA 3-Point Contest in a stunning, edge-of-the-seat fashion during the 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend, he caught the attention of another great NBA shooter, arguably the greatest of all-time, who seemingly wants in on next year's competition.
Stephen Curry, the NBA's all-time leader in three-point shots made, confirmed in an Instagram direct message to Lillard that he would compete in the 2027 NBA All-Star Weekend's 3-Point Contest in Phoenix, Arizona.
Lillard reached out to Curry first to assemble the troops.
He lobbied for himself, Curry, Klay Thompson and Devin Booker to be frontrunners in next year's competition, adding they would need to find four more participants.
"Next year ... me, you, Klay, Book, and 4 more real shooters," Lillard said.
Curry responded with excitement and interest in the ultimate competition between the league's best shooters.
"Yessir I'm in. Know Klay will do it if I ask and Book will be at home. Perfect setup," Curry wrote, according to Lillard's Instagram story.
Lillard posted the interaction to his social channel, seemingly confirming the arrangement.
"It's lit," Lillard captioned his Instagram story.
Next year’s 3-point contest is going to be special 🍿
Feb 15, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Fans look on in game three during the 75th NBA All Star Game at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images
After years of being the butt of jokes, NBA commissioner Adam Silver finally produced a winning product for the NBA All-Star game.
The league scrapped the boring East vs. West and captains’ pick models and introduced a USA vs. World format — a three-team (two USA, one world) four-game round-robin tournament.
No 200-195 scores. No coasting. No cherry-picking. No boredom.
Instead, fans were treated to four 12-minute games. Pride. Patriotism. Competition.
Kevin Durant #7 of the USA Stripes Team drives to the basket during the game against World Team during the 75th NBA All-Star Game. NBAE via Getty Images
The top two teams advanced to a championship game, and suddenly, pride wasn’t just a marketing slogan. It was bragging rights.
Kudos to you, Mr. Commissioner.
Too bad no one was in attendance to watch. This is the next problem Silver needs to fix for the NBA All-Star weekend.
Accessibility.
A chance to watch Steph Curry, LeBron James and Kevin Durant share the court one more time? To watch Damian Lillard win the 3-point contest? To watch the next generation of stars — led by Anthony Edwards and Victor Wembanyama — take the reins?
The demand is there… but the price is not.
The All-Star game had tickets priced between $1,000-$1,700 for Sunday and $500-$900 for All-Star Saturday night. That’s ridiculous, tragic and pathetic.
Feb 15, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Fans look on in game three during the 75th NBA All Star Game at Intuit Dome. William Liang-Imagn Images
Which family, with say one or two kids, could spend upwards of $4,000 to for a few hours of fun? The lack of attendance by fans is proof that making memories comes at a cost, and many aren’t willing to pay it.
The league said the NBA All-Star Weekend’s two marquee days, All-Star Saturday and the All-Star game on Sunday, were sold out. But to those with eyes who were forced to watch at home, “sold out” might have a different definition.
It was apparent that the stadium wasn’t even close to capacity. In fact, the arena itself barely looked half full. Reporters in attendance noticed the many available seats. Fans were shocked at the emptiness. Intuit Dome holds a capacity of 18,000, but due to everything going on Saturday night, that number was reduced to just over 15,000 — and it would be a shock if 10,000 people were watching from the seats.
Fans stood outside the Intuit Dome on Sunday, doing what they could to scrounge up tickets from the resale market. Still, those prices were outrageous.
Jalen Brunson #11 of the USA Stripes Team drives to the basket during the game against the USA Stars Team during the 75th NBA All-Star Game as part of the 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend on Sunday. NBAE via Getty Images
According to a story by The Athletic, “most owners only receive about four official tickets to purchase through the league, according to sources from multiple teams familiar with the process. In order to bring along friends, family and corporate partners, they have to buy tickets with everyone else, which helps drive the demand for obscenely priced resale tickets in the thousands.”
If the NBA All-Star game isn’t about competition — and one year of doing so isn’t enough to wash away the decade of incompetence — then the least Silver and the league could do is find a way to make it more accessible for fans.
Until then, arenas will continue to be empty for what’s supposed to be one of the NBA’s marquee events of the season. And regardless of the competition factor, that’s a loss for everyone.
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CAGLIARI, Italy (AP) — Lecce beat Cagliari 2-0 and gained a vital three points in its struggle to avoid relegation from Serie A on Monday.
The southern club remained in 17th place but the win took it three points clear of the relegation zone. It was tied on points with the two clubs above it, Cremonese and Genoa.
After a goalless first half, the visitor was more clinical in a decisive second period.
Omri Gandelman put Lecce ahead with a header after 65 minutes, and Ylber Ramadani doubled the lead 11 minutes later with a powerful shot into the bottom corner.
It was the second win in a row for Lecce after a run of eight games without a victory and only the second time in 12 games it has scored twice in one match.
It was the second loss in succession for Cagliari, which remained in 13th place, a point behind Parma and one clear of Torino.
The San Diego Padres will go into the 2026 season with a better roster than in 2025. It is already a better roster and president of baseball operations A.J. Preller isn’t done yet. He said so in his morning media scrum on Sunday.
It is not a World Series winning team as it currently stands. But it is good enough to compete for the first half of the season and Preller could still make improvements over the next few weeks and at the trade deadline this summer.
By July, we will have a better idea of which players in the minor leagues he can use as trade bait to complete the team. For those who don’t like the way Preller operates, you should probably get used to it. It was made public on Monday that he has been extended for multiple years.
Prospects are capital to Preller. If he falls in love with one, like he did Jackson Merrill, then we could see that player with the Padres. But otherwise, they are used to get players he feels the major league team needs.
The 2025 Padres won 90 games and started the season with Yuli Gurriel as DH, Jason Heyward in left field and Elias Diaz/Martin Maldonado behind the plate. Heyward and Gurriel were gone by May, but it was painful to watch until then. Diaz and Maldonado lasted until Freddy Fermin was acquired at the trade deadline when Diaz became the backup and Maldonado was released.
Here is a look at how the current roster compares to the one we saw in spring of 2025. Anyone would be hard-pressed to argue we aren’t in a better place.
Starting pitchers
This is the one area where the Padres, on paper, appear to be behind last season. With a starting group of Dylan Cease, Michael King, Nick Pivetta, Randy Vasquez, an injured Yu Darvish and Kyle Hart the Padres were taking a big swing with hoping that Cease, King, Darvish, Pivetta and Vasquez would carry them through, and Hart could be a depth piece. On paper that looked serviceable.
We didn’t know that Darvish had a torn UCL and Cease would be ineffective through parts of the year. We didn’t know that King would get hurt after being dominant for a couple months and Hart would flame out as a starter and be shuttled between the bullpen and Triple-A.
Pivetta stepped forward and carried the load for this team, allowing Stephen Kolek and Ryan Bergert to get starts and shine. Vasquez, who struggled early on and wasn’t sharp, came on late in the season and helped prop up the rotation.
It was a patchwork group who looked good to start the year but were injury-riddled and still managed to pitch the Padres to 90 wins (with a bullpen assist).
For 2026, Cease is gone and King is healthy. Joe Musgrove is back from Tommy John surgery and Vasquez looks to build on the step forward he took late last season. Pivetta has earned the front-of-the-rotation status that should come his way on Opening Day.
The rotation needs a fifth starter and depth. With the acquisition of Germán Márquez and Griffin Canning (not on roster yet), the Padres now have JP Sears, Márquez, Matt Waldron, Hart, Marco Gonzales, Triston McKenzie and Canning in competition for the fifth spot and depth for the rotation. This should make for an interesting spring to see who fills out the roster.
If last season’s pieced together rotation, with the help of their shut-down bullpen, was able to have a good season then this group should have an equal chance.
Bullpen
The Padres had Tom Cosgrove, Sean Reynolds, Alek Jacob, Ron Marinaccio, Omar Cruz and Juan Nuñez competing for bullpen jobs last season. The back of the bullpen had Robert Suarez, Jason Adam, Adrian Morejon and Jeremiah Estrada. Middle relief was Yuki Matsui and Wandy Peralta. Bryan Hoeing got hurt early and wasn’t a factor.
Suarez is now the set-up man for the Atlanta Braves. Of the other prior bullpen options, only Jacob and Marinaccio are still with the team.
For 2026, the Padres have Mason Miller to close. Adam, Morejon and Estrada are late-inning options, and a host of other contenders fill out and add depth to the bullpen.
Peralta and Matsui are likely locks with the team. David Morgan made a great first impression last season and earned a 2.66 ERA in 47.1 innings pitched. Bradgley Rodriguez was only in seven games but showed wipeout stuff with a 1.17 ERA.
Hoeing could be competing for the long-man role with Hart or Marinaccio. There are many other options with Preller adding Ty Adcock and Daison Acosta to the roster for the bullpen. Then there are the Padres minor league options with Garrett Hawkins and Francis Peña (not on the roster).
Non-roster invites in camp include Ethan Routzhan, Manuel Castro, Sean Boyle, Logan Gillaspie, Justin Yeager, Ryan Och and Evan Fitterer.
An area of deep depth for the Padres, the bullpen competition will mean someone who should be a big-league pitcher will either leave the team or be in the minor leagues.
With the news from Preller that Jhonny Brito will not be ready until May or June, that takes him out of the running but adds another arm for later in the season. He was recently moved to the 60-day IL.
Outfielders
The Padres did serious dumpster-diving last offseason to acquire over-the-hill major league players to fill out their roster. Gurriel, Heyward, and Maldonado all signed and made the opening roster for the team. Aging and largely ineffective Jose Iglesias still played good defense but added little with his bat. Ryan O’Hearn and Ramon Laureano didn’t come along until after the trades made at the deadline.
Connor Joe was signed to platoon at first base and the outfield but had nothing left and was traded to the Reds in May. The Padres used Brandon Lockridge, Tyler Wade, Gavin Sheets and Oscar Gonzalez to piece together left field and relief for Jackson Merrill when he was injured and Fernando Tatis Jr. when he needed a day off.
After acquiring Laureano, the Padres had a much improved outfield and he is retained for one more season. To add depth, the Padres have Bryce Johnson, Sheets (in a pinch), newly acquired Miguel Andujar and new signee Nick Castellanos as well as Tirso Ornelas.
Adujar and Castellanos are probably guaranteed to make the team as depth and DH options as well as platoon options for first base.
Jase Bowen, Carlos Rodriguez, Nick Schnell and Pablo Reyes were all minor league signs with invites to spring camp.
Infielders
The Padres have Manny Machado, Xander Bogaerts and Jake Cronenworth to provide good defense and reliable offense on the left side. Luis Arraez was the regular first baseman in 2025. Although an excellent contact hitter, he provides little else. His below-average defense and lack of power hampered the lineup during 2025.
Sheets is a power-hitting lefty first baseman who plays league average defense but has significant splits versus left-handed pitchers. A platoonmate for first base is an area of emphasis for Preller this offseason. Andujar plays first, Castellanos has started working out at first during the offseason and Preller added first baseman Ty France to the mix on Monday morning. Signed to a minor league deal, France has the best glove of the group with 10 OAA (outs above average) ranking for his range as an infielder. His overall fWAR for 2025 was 1.0.
There are multiple options now for the starting group in the infield and a stiff competition should take place for the right-handed platoon piece for Sheets at first base. Minor league sign Jose Miranda is a bounce-back candidate for the infield. Minor league depth includes Marcos Castanõn, Franciso Acuna, Nick Solak, Samad Taylor and Romeo Sanabria. All were non-roster invites to spring camp.
Catchers
Things get really interesting behind the plate in 2026. Freddy Fermin is the frontline catcher but has never been the top guy before and will need to ease into increased playing time to avoid what we saw last year after his trade to San Diego. With the wear and tear of playing almost every game, Fermin’s offense deteriorated significantly.
His pre-All-Star game average was .274 with a .354 on base. He was traded to San Diego and played more games those last two months than he had previously for any two months of his career. His post-All-Star average was .226 with a .259 on base.
All those numbers were a big improvement over the Diaz/Maldonado tandem the team started with, but it seems clear that to get the best out of Fermin he needs a solid backup catcher to give him time off.
The Padres are going all in on Luis Campusano this spring. Both Preller and manager Craig Stammen have stated that fact repeatedly. He is the No. 2 and will get a lot of playing time this spring to show what he can do on both sides of the ball. Campusano is out of options. This is his last chance to prove he can be a major league player with San Diego.
Behind Campusano are Blake Hunt and Rodolfo Duran. Both were mentioned by Stammen as compliments to the backup job. If Campusano washes out, those two will be the first options for the Padres.
Top prospect Ethan Salas will get lots of work this spring in a run up to his minor league season where he hopes to re-establish himself as a top prospect in baseball.
Bench
The Padres bench in 2025 consisted of Gurriel as the DH and fill-in for first base (he hit .111 before his release). Iglesias and Sheets provided infield depth with Sheets also filling in for Heyward in left field. Lockridge was the fourth outfielder. Maldonado was the backup catcher.
For 2026, the bench options are Castellanos, Andujar, Johnson, Ornelas, Campusano, Mason McCoy, France, Will Wagner and the newly acquired infielder Sung-Mun Song from Korea. Song was primarily a third baseman in Korea but has voiced a willingness to work all around the field for the Padres. He will get work at first base and the outfield, as well as at second and third base.
The only position Song hasn’t been mentioned for is shortstop. It isn’t clear who the primary backup at shortstop will be. Cronenworth is the most experienced player on the team at that position to back up Bogaerts.
As Bogaerts will be gone to the WBC for a lot of spring camp, we will see who gets the bulk of playing time for the Padres. McCoy and Wagner are both shortstops by trade and Wagner is left-handed. This could be the best opportunity for one of them to make the roster.
So there you have it. The floor of talent for this team far exceeds the one put on the field for the start of the 2025 season. The ceiling for this team is yet to be determined. Much will be discovered as the spring goes on and Preller continues to make adjustments to the roster.
The competition should be fierce and entertaining to see who rises to the challenge and pushes their way onto the 26-man roster for the 2026 Padres.
MACCLESFIELD, England (AP) — Brentford will face West Ham in the fifth round of the FA Cup after dispatching Macclesfield 1-0 on Monday, an own goal ending the fairy tale run of the sixth-tier giantkiller.
The Macclesfield part-timers knocked out cup holder Crystal Palace in the last round and were hailed for pulling off one of the greatest shocks in the competition’s long history.
But they could not match Brentford, which progressed thanks to a 70th minute own goal from Sam Heathcote.
The big defender dived to cut out a cross from Aaron Hickey but instead diverted the ball past his own keeper.
It was a cruel denouement for Macclesfield, which held the Premier League club throughout an even first half before tiring in the second 45 minutes.
“I couldn’t be any prouder," Macclesfield coach John Rooney told TNT Sports. “The lads were outstanding and the shape was really good. We train two times a week and we’ve put that performance on against a Premier League side."
The fifth-round tie will take place at West Ham’s Olympic Stadium on the weekend of March 7-8.
Brentford has never passed the quarterfinals of the competition.
“Credit to Macclesfield," Brentford captain Nathan Collins said. “They made it extremely hard for us. They put up a great fight.”
Former Florida Panthers goaltender Brandon Bussi has signed a three-year contract extension with the Carolina Hurricanes.
The 27-year-old will earn $1.9 million annually starting in the 2026-27 season. Bussi has been one of the best stories of the season so far and has earned the job as the No.1 goaltender in Raleigh.
Bussi started the season with the Panthers, signing a one-year deal with the Panthers in the off-season. The goal was for Bussi to serve as the third-string goaltender and spend most of the season with the Charlotte Checkers.
This season, Bussi had posted a .908 save percentage and a 2.16 goals-against average in 27 games. Additionally, he’s posted a 23-3-1 record with two shutouts.
Although the Panthers would have loved to see him remain with the organization, there wasn’t going to be much of an opportunity for Bussi to make such a lasting mark. With Sergei Bobrovsky and Daniil Tarasov remaining relatively healthy through the season, the Panthers would have seen no purpose in recalling Bussi to the NHL.
In all, it’s a happy moment for Bussi, who is a perfect example of never giving up on your dreams and of hard work helping you accomplish what you desire.
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DETROIT, MI - JANUARY 19: The sneakers worn by Jaden Ivey #23 of the Detroit Pistons during the game against the Boston Celtics on January 19, 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
MILAN – After player feedback and feedback from the NHL, the banners at Milano’s Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena are expected to be changed to a lighter color, multiple NHL sources confirmed Monday night. ESPN’s Emily Kaplan was the first to report.
