Good morning! The Baseball Hall of Fame will have two new members in a few months, as Carlos Beltran and Andruw Jones were officially elected yesterday. The two Red Sox legends on the ballot, Dustin Pedroia and Manny Ramirez, failed to hit the 75% vote threshold.
Pedroia, though, is only in his second year on the ballot and saw his vote percentage jump from 11.9 to 20.7, which bodes well for his campaign going forward. But Manny Ramirez, one of the greatest hitters in baseball history, is off the ballot after 10 years, receiving just 38.8% of the votes.
Talk about what you want, remind yourself of just how great Manny was, and be good to one another.
Steele Hall was just taken 9th overall in the most recent MLB Draft, turned 18 years of age, and found himself ranked 7th on the 2026 Community Prospect Rankings at Red Reporter dot com. Pretty impressive six months there, kid!
After one of the tightest voting rounds in CPR history, we move now towards voting for spot #8. By now you know the new rules – there will be an embedded poll at the bottom of this post where you can cast your vote until the poll closes, but if that’s stripped out for you for some reason there will exist a link right here to take you to Google Forms to vote. Both of those will magically disappear when voting closes, though, so that internet chicanery cannot come in after the fact, dump votes, and change the already created history of the world.
On to the voting for CPR spot #8!
Chase Petty, RHP (23 years old)
2025 at a glance: 6.39 ERA, 1.61 WHIP, 102/58 K/BB in 112.2 IP with AAA Louisville Bats (International League); 13 ER in 6.0 IP with Cincinnati Reds
Pros: Three plus pitches, including a fastball that flirts with 100 mph and 60-grade slider and cutter
Cons: Lit up in first cups of MLB coffee, and struggled in AAA after being sent back down
Petty has long been on the radar of every scout in the game, a former 1st round pick of the Minnesota Twins out of high school (whom the Reds had eyes on drafting back then, too). He was the centerpiece of the deal that sent Sonny Gray the other way, and he’s pitched his way onto multiple Top 100 overall prospect lists since.
Of course, he’s also pitched his way back off those same lists, with much of his work in 2025 doing just that. He was shelled at the big league level, though that’s with the caveat that he’d just turned 22 years old when that went down. The stuff’s still there, he’s just struggled to blend it all together for long enough stretches to show he can be an effective big league starter. The hope is that the lumps he took in 2025 paired with a mostly healthy offseason for the first time in a while will send him into 2026 both ready and with something to prove.
Tyson Lewis, SS (20 years old)
2025 at a glance: .340/.396/.532 (.928 OPS) in 207 PA with ACL Reds (Arizona Complex League); .268/.347/.417 (.765 OPS) in 144 PA with Class-A Daytona Tortugas (Florida State League)
Pros: Statcast darling with elite exit velocity and power with his left-handed swing; elite athleticism and plus speed gives him a chance to stick at SS long term, though a move off the position seems likely
Cons: Struck out at an alarming 35.4% rate with Daytona (and at an alarming 29.1% rate overall last year); .432 BABIP across all leagues last year screams ‘regression’
Tools. Tyson Lewis has just about every tool there is. He hit a ball over 119 mph in his pro debut, was the Gatorade Player of the Year in Nebraska prior to being a 2nd round pick (with an overslot bonus) by the Reds, and was originally committed to the University of Arkansas.
The upside here is obvious, as he’s got one of the loudest bats at any level. The swing and miss stuff, though, is something he’ll have to completely overhaul as he moves up the ladder, though getting out of the extremely pitcher-friendly confines of the FSL will perhaps help that some.
Aaron Watson, RHP (19 years old)
2025 at a glance: Drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 2nd round of the 2025 MLB Draft out of Trinity Christian Academy (FL); signed overslot $2.7 million bonus to forego commitment to the University of Florida
Pros: 6’5” frame; potential 60-grade slider; fastball that runs up to 96 mph from a three-quarter arm slot and already has a solid three-pitch mix with his change rotated in
Cons: Did not pitch professionally after being drafted, so he’s a complete unknown
One glimpse of Watson on the mound and you immediately think yep, I bet that guy can turn into a pretty dang good pitcher. He’s got an ideal frame to produce downhill offerings, and his fastball/slider mix is already something on which he can hang his hat.
However, command of all three of his pitches – specifically a very developmental changeup – will be what he needs to work on to begin to move quickly through the ranks. He possesses a good ‘feel’ at the moment in terms of what pitches to throw, which part of the zone to attack vs. which hitters, etc., but how well he can build in more deception with his offerings will be vital.
Jose Franco, RHP (25 years old)
2025 at a glance: 3.11 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 118/54 K/BB in 110.0 IP split between AA Chattanooga Lookouts (Southern League) and AAA Louisville Bats (International League)
Pros: Fastball that flirts with triple digits with ease
Cons: Secondary pitches need work, and that’s impacting his overall command (and ability to limit walks)
Franco turned 25 years old in November and earned a promotion to the 40-man roster of the Reds shortly thereafter due to his consistent performance across the upper levels of their farm system.
The Reds have a few hulks they’ve put on the mound in recent years, and Franco thoroughly qualifies. He’s listed at 6’2” and an oddly specific 257 lbs, and his size and frame allows him to tap into his excellent fastball velocity with ease. It’s the pitch he misses bats with the most, but how well he can differentiate his breaking pitches (and improve his changeup command) will determine whether or not he can a) get left-handed hitter out with aplomb and b) avoid ending up in the bullpen.
He’s been a late bloomer, in part due to injuries that cost him his entire 2023 season, and if he continues the path he’s been on since getting healthy there could be a whole lot more from him as early as 2026 for Cincinnati.
Carlos Jorge, OF (22 years old)
2025 at a glance: .251/.342/.355 with 6 HR, 40 SB in 469 PA with High-A Dayton Dragons (Midwest League)
Pros: Plus speed; former infielder moved to CF in 2023 and in 2025 looked like a natural there; plus speed; shaved 12.5% off K-rate from down 2024 season; 60-grade arm strength a weapon in CF
Cons: ISO declined for third straight year, this time precipitously; prone to extreme streakiness
If you threw out every other stop of Carlos Jorge’s pro career and just focused on the good ones, he’d already be ranked by now. The good parts of the best of his years have been quite tremendous, all told. He’s flashed great speed (40 steals in 2025), good pop for a small-ish CF (12 HR in 2023 and 2024; .483 SLG in the cavernous Florida State League in 2023), and the ability to play pretty elite CF defense (as recently as 2025).
However, he’s added some real clunkers in there, too. He hit just .220/.291/.394 with a K-rate over 31% at Dayton in 2024, and that came on the heels of hitting just .239/.277/.398 in 23 games once he reached Dayton at the end of 2023.
Maybe it’s just Dayton, where he was again in 2025 in a much better all-around year, even though his power dried up again. He’ll surely begin with AA Chattanooga of the Southern League in 2026, and at 22 (with his position in CF now settled) the former 2B might finally have a one-track shot to focus on his all around game in a new locale. After acing his move on defense, shaving off a ton of strikeouts, and bumping his walk rate back up over 11.1% (where it’s been for most of his career), perhaps 2026 will have a lot more in store for him.
Zach Maxwell, RHP (25 years old)
2025 at a glance: 4.50 ERA, 5.64 FIP, 13/4 K/BB in 10.0 IP with Cincinnati Reds; 4.17 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 59/32 K/BB in 49.2 IP with AAA Louisville Bats (International League)
Pros: Huge. Literally gigantic (6’6”, 275-ish lbs). Throws gas (100 mph+) with a devastating slider (70-grade). And he’s titanic.
Cons: Struggles with control (6.1 BB/9 across 172.1 IP in his minors career)
Maxwell, a former 6th round pick out of Georgia Tech, throws the ball up to 102 mph with his heater, and it’s clear that hitters have just about as little idea where it’s actually going to be as Maxwell himself. That’s the rub here, really, in that Big Sugar has the pure stuff to turn even the best hitters into guessers, and it comes down to whether they’ll guess wrong more often than Maxwell misses the zone in each and every PA.
If they swing, though, they’re likely going to miss, and that’s why he’s right in the mix for a spot in Cincinnati’s bullpen again in 2026 after making his debut there in 2025. He can be a bit wild if it’s effectively wild, and that’s a tightrope he’s been walking since his days back at North Paulding HS in Dallas, Georgia. When he’s locked in, though, the heater is backed up by an absolutely devastating slide piece, and that two-pitch mix – again, when he’s locked in – is good enough to be closer material. He’s just got to continue to refine his delivery.
The Nashville Predators (23-22-4) couldn’t quite get out of their own way Friday night, falling 5-3 to the Buffalo Sabres (27-17-5) as rookie Konsta Helenius delivered a coming-out performance.
Helenius, Buffalo’s No. 14 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, scored his first NHL goal and added two assists for the first three points of his career, factoring into three of the Sabres’ five goals.
At 19 years old, Helenius became the youngest Finnish player to score his first NHL goal since Kaapo Kakko in 2019.
Nashville had stretches where it carried play and generated looks, but breakdowns in coverage and slow reads off the rush kept tilting the ice back toward Buffalo.
Each time the Predators started to build momentum, the Sabres found a way to answer, with Helenius at the center of it.
"We had the momentum and control of the game, but just the hole we dug was too deep," Center Ryan O'Reilly said. "We're gonna have times where we lose momentum, and things don't go our way, but to do it for a full period that's not us. You can't be doing that. It's too tough."
The rookie Helenius also became the seventh Finnish teenager in NHL history to record a three-point game, joining names like Patrik Laine, Sebastian Aho and Aleksander Barkov.
The Predators pushed late and made the scoreline respectable, but the early damage proved too much to overcome. Nashville will look for a cleaner start and tighter defensive execution as it continues its homestand.
"You learn from it, move on," head coach Andrew Brunette said. "Obviously, we're disappointed. There's no consolation, but you saw the team we can be when we get going."
Up next: Ottawa Senators (23-19-7, 8th Atlantic) at Nashville Predators (23-22-4, 5th Central) on Thursday, Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. CST at Bridgestone Arena.
Welcome back to the 2025-26 edition of Smash or Pass, in which we examine potential free agent and trade targets to determine whether the Red Sox should pursue them and what it would take to land them. Today we look at a vereran lefy reliever.
Who is he and where does he come from?
He’s Tim Mayza. He’s most recently a Philadelphia Phillie, and it was great that after a somewhat lengthy career, the 33-year-old Allentown, Pennsylvania native could assist his childhood team in a postseason run. Unfortunately, the team he was with for the first seven years of his career, the Blue Jays, made it to within an inning of being World Series champions. He’s now, according to Chris Cotillo, one of few subjects of lefty relief interest (lol) for the Red Sox following some other recent reports that, at 38, Justin Wilson may be calling it a career. That leaves the team with around 61 appearances to fill — and that’s not counting Brennan Bernardino’s absence as he was dealt to Colorado.
Is he any good?
If you’re asking if his warmup song is good, the answer is yes. I grew up listening to Chevelle in a “rebellious middle school student who wears Fox Racing” kind of way, so my ears perked up when I heard a newer Chevelle song blare over the Rogers Center speakers when he came into the game a few years ago.
If you’re asking the more important question about whether he’s a good pitcher: sort of.
After returning from a major shoulder injury suffered while with the Pirates (please hold any jokes about players returning from a recent shoulder injury piquing the team’s interest), Mayza looked much better in 2025 than he did in 2024, and improved his FIP from 5.21 to 3.03, but he was limited to just 16 2/3 innings. It will be interesting to see if he can return to his prior form earlier in the decade.
He’s always had a tough time keeping keeping hitters off the basepaths, as he’s never placed within the top twenty-five percentile in strikeouts and has struggled with walks at times, but he supplements that by being a purveyor of ground balls, placing near the very best in baseball in 2021. This generation of groundball pitchers is something that the Red Sox have been more drawn to in the Breslow age and even the tail end of the Bloom years.
TLDR; just give me his 2025 stats.
16 2/3 IP, 15 K, 5 BB, 3.78 ERA
Why would he be a good fit on the 2025 Red Sox?
The following are the lefties currently on the Red Sox 40-man roster who pitched in any sort of relief capacity last year, regardless of level, not named Aroldis Chapman: Payton Tolle, Kyle Harrison, Jovani Moran, and Tyler Samaniego. I’m not entirely comfortable with that list knowing that Payton Tolle and Kyle Harrison are far from finished products and that Patrick Sandoval is a huge question mark. Tim Mayza provides over 300 innings of Major League experience in exactly what the Red Sox desperately need. If you’re John Henry, you also love the low-risk financial terms a Mayza contract will likely cost. Plus, he’s an interesting case because he has huge extension (which Breslow loves) and his main pitch is a sinker, which Andrew Bailey no doubt would see as a fun project.
Why wouldn’t he be a good fit on the Red Sox?
Due to that recent injury, he’s so volatile. Mayza has never pitched more than 53 1/3 innings in his career. The Red Sox cannot afford too many injuries in the bullpen in 2026. And given that the Sox have a plethora of depth options, why give any high-leverage innings to a guy who doesn’t fit into the long term plans of the club when there are several younger arms to evaluate?
Show me a cool highlight.
Here he is serving a 94 mile-per-hour sinker to Shohei Ohtani, who promptly caught air with the swing.
Smash or pass?
I need to pass here, and it’s not any indictment on how good I think Mayza may be this year, because it’s likely that with a repaired shoulder, he might be a viable reliever if used in a 7th inning role. But his velocity isn’t what the Red Sox usually look for. And while that isn’t an immediate disqualifier, the inconsistencies, including being less than 24 months from an ERA over 6, would lead one to want lower-risk reclamation projects. But don’t be shocked if Mayza, or a player with similar experience and low price tag, ends up on the Opening Day roster.
Not a long one here, but while y’all were celebrating Andruw Jones’ election to the Hall of Fame, the Mets traded for Luis Robert Jr. That completed a years-long flirtation between the White Sox and literally anyone even remotely interested in Robert’s services.
In the end, though, all the White Sox got were Luisangel Acuña and a 12th-round overslot signee arm from last year’s draft that registers as a fringy prospect at best. Not to denigrate Ronald Acuña Jr.’s younger brother too much, but Luisangel looks like an all-glove utility infielder based on his 200ish PAs of MLB exposure thus far, and a big chunk of his defensive value to date came in a cup of coffee in 2024 as he posted +0 FRV in about two months of play last year.
In the end, the White Sox probably rue not trading Robert after his resurgent 2023 season (4.9 fWAR). I guess trading him after his 1.3 fWAR 2025 is better than after his 0.6 fWAR 2024… maaaaybeeee… considering that they’re trading just one year of control now versus two had they traded him earlier. (Robert has a club option for 2027, but at $20 million, it’s not clear that it’ll be exercised, especially since the buyout is just $2 million.)
You could argue that the White Sox didn’t bungle much aside from not moving him after 2023, as Robert has been feeble enough at the dish since that trading him post-2024 versus post-2025 doesn’t really matter. But, I’ll leave those specifics to you.
Baltimore’s aggressive approach in free agency has left me wanting more. While the majority of Birdland remains focused on Framber Valdez, my attention has drifted to the outfield. The Orioles landed a true impact bat by inking first baseman Pete Alonso to a five year deal, but they also expect big things from left fielder Taylor Ward.
Ward posted a 116 OPS+ last season while tallying 36 homers over 157 games. The righty may not pack the same punch as Alonso, but 36 long balls are nothing to sneeze at. The O’s should gain at least some type of power from a healthy Tyler O’Neill, and Heston Kjerstad remains a wild card after a lost 2025 season.
Dylan Beavers’ stock is on the rise, and the 24-year-old will carry PPI eligibility into his rookie season. There’s plenty of power potential between Ward, O’Neill, Kjerstad and Beavers, but none of those guys play center field.
Colton Cowser started 45 games in center last season. Cowser battled multiple injuries while posting a .196/.269/.385 slash line during his sophomore campaign. The Milk Man played left field for a majority of his rookie season, but he inherited center field when the Birds dealt Cedric Mullins at the 2025 trade deadline.
Sliding over to center appeared to be a natural path for Cowser. The Sam Houston State product looked the part when called upon and featured a stronger arm than Mullins. Unfortunately, the transition went a little bumpier than it would have on paper.
Cowser missed two early months with a broken thumb, and he played through broken ribs in the second half. Former skipper Tony Mansolino shied away from immediately slotting in Cowser as the daily center fielder. When asked, Mansolino said he wanted to avoid placing extra pressure on the outfielder as he searched for success at the plate.
Cowser missed time in August with a concussion, but the O’s cut him loose in center by the end of the month. Mansolino provided an honest assessment of his play during a series against Boston.
“I was probably low man on him in center field two weeks ago, and I told him that,” Mansolino said. I’ve been very pleasantly surprised with how he’s been playing in center field.”
“It’s a longer, lankier body,” the interim manager added. “He’s covering ground. The metrics like him… I feel like he’s proving me wrong right now and I really, really like that.”
When asked directly about Cowser’s strong arm, Mansolino said he was “very unpolished with his throwing arm” when he arrived in Baltimore. Mansolino said he had improved in his two years with the big league club, but added that “we need him to improve more.”
Mansolino is no longer with the team, but his words provided some insight into how the organization viewed Cowser as a center fielder last season. It’s easy to attribute some offensive struggles to broken ribs and inconsistent playing time, but these marks address Cowser’s profile as a defender.
Cowser must have passed his audition over the final two months of the season, because the Orioles did not acquire a new starting center fielder. It does not appear that Baltimore ever seriously considered Cody Bellinger, and the Birds watched Mullins sign a one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Rays.
Mike Elias added depth to the position by signing Leody Taveras to a one-year deal early in the offseason. Taveras is a career .236/.287/.365 over six seasons. He patrolled center field for Texas from 2020-2024, but the Rangers designated him for assignment last May. Taveras made 28 appearances for the Mariners while hitting .174/.198/.272. Seattle outrighted him to Triple-A, and he elected free agency at the end of the season.
Taveras was a solid contributor for the 2023 World Champs, but he would need a real bounceback season to justify a spot on a playoff contender’s roster. Unfortunately, he’s the only other player on the 26-man with significant experience in center field. Beavers made nine appearances in center for Norfolk prior to his late-season promotion after making 26 with the Tides in 2024.
Cowser absolutely has the talent to grab the starting center fielder job and hold it all year. However, the Orioles have traded optimism for aggression this offseason. Are they content hoping that Cowser stays healthy while taking a step forward at the plate?
Former first-round pick Enrique Bradfield Jr. profiles as a major-league ready center fielder, but injuries slowed a promotion to Triple-A last season. Bradfield snuck in 15 games with Norfolk before shining in the Arizona Fall League. His advanced defense makes him a serviceable replacement in a pinch, but the Orioles likely want Bradfield to get an extended look at Triple-A pitching.
MLB Pipeline lists Bradfield as Baltimore’s fourth best prospect. He should find his way to Baltimore at some point next season, and the speedy outfielder has the potential to stick around. Bradfield’s presence may serve as a deterrent from inking a big fish like Bellinger, but it’s not like Coby Mayo prevented the Alonso signing. Harrison Bader remains available on the open market, and there’s always a trade candidate like Colorado’s Brenton Doyle.
At this point, Baltimore’s inactivity appears to represent a vote of confidence for Cowser as its full time center fielder. That feels like a respectable Plan A, but it’s worth monitoring alternatives as spring training inches closer.
Lakers owner Jeanie Buss soured on superstar LeBron James, privately complaining about his “outsized ego” and the control that he and his agency, KlutchSports, allegedly have over the storied franchise, sources told ESPN in a bombshell report published Wednesday.
Buss, 64, reportedly believed James lacked accountability, including with his deflection of blame regarding the unsuccessful Russell Westbrook trade prior to the 2021-22 season.
LeBron James speaks on video of him saying "Happy International Women's Day” to Jeanie Buss and Linda Rambis pic.twitter.com/Zi11Zxm7iI
James is in his eighth and perhaps final season with the Lakers after joining the franchise in a seismic move ahead of the 2018-19 season.
His decision to head West galvanized a proud franchise that had missed the playoffs in five straight seasons before his arrival.
The Lakers missed the playoffs in his first season before winning their 18th championship in 2020 during “The Bubble” campaign.
It’s typical for players, not executives, to receive praise for turning franchises around, but Buss did not like that James was viewed as the “savior,” per ESPN.
Buss reportedly felt that it should have been the team’s executives that received praise for wooing James to the Lakers, rather than the idea he joined them and helped right the ship.
ESPN said team sources have long claimed that James told Lakers’ folks beginning in 2017 that he would be leaving Cleveland to join them in free agency for the 2018-19 season.
LeBron James during a win over the Nuggets on Jan. 20, 2026. AP
The 2021-22 campaign did not help their relationship since that marked Westbrook’s arrival.
While the idea of two of the best players of the 2010s teaming up seemed like it could have potential, the Lakers instead flopped with a 33-49 record that kept them out of the playoffs.
The Lakers reportedly made the trade to placate James, but after it blew up Buss felt the superstar didn’t acknowledge his role in the transaction.
LeBron (l) and Jeanie Buss (r) hug after winning the NBA title in 2020. NBAE via Getty Images
Buss’ views on James dived to the point that she even considered trading him during the 2022 season after failing to give him a contract extension, per ESPN.
She reportedly later felt slighted by James’ response after the franchise drafted his son, Bronny, in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft in a questionable move.
Folks close to the organization told ESPN that Buss felt LeBron should have been grateful for what the franchise did, which ultimately allowed the duo to become the first father and son to play alongside one another in league history, but the four-time NBA champ did not display that gratitude to her.
Jeanie Buss in 2023. ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA
Buss’ attitude toward James even led to her feeling she needed to extend him during the 2024 summer simply to avoid the bad public relations that would come if they let him walk.
These details have come to light with James potentially in his last year with the franchise after opting into his $52.6 million contract for this season.
James is averaging 22.5 points across 25 games, with his historic run of 21 straight years being named a starter for the All-Star Game being snapped.
The Lakers are in fifth place in the Western Conference with a 26-16 record.
How many times does a team need to learn the same lesson before it’s legitimately recitified?
The San Antonio Spurs blew another double-digit lead on Tuesday night in a 111-106 loss to the Houston Rockets. This time, it was a 16-point lead that disappeared halfway through the fourth quarter after a big run from the Rockets. There were no late-game heroics that could save them this time. Houston steamrolled the Spurs for the entirety of the fourth.
The signs are always the same. The offense slows to a halt while the Spurs bleed transition buckets on the other end. Too often, the Spurs exhibit complacency when they hold a big lead. Their ball movement stalls, they get loose with the ball, and they make defensive mistakes in transition and the half-court. The Spurs went scoreless for the first four and a half minutes of the fourth while Houston cut the lead to 1. During that stretch, San Antonio didn’t attempt a two-point shot. They finished the final frame, only scoring 14 points. They looked completely shaken while the Rockets ratcheted up the defensive pressure and overall intensity.
The funny part is that Tuesday’s collapse wasn’t even their worst of the season. They’ve blown bigger leads to worse teams in more embarrassing fashion. But this one was against a rival, so it may sting the team a little bit more. Maybe it’ll be the wake-up call they need to stop blowing leads.
We’ve learned that no lead is safe in the modern NBA. That’s especially true in the playoffs when teams have no reason to take their foot off the gas. This problem isn’t going away without a mindset shift from the players or a tactical change from the coaching staff. If San Antonio wants to contend in the postseason, they have to nip this habit in the bud.
Takeaways
Straightening basketball rims is hard! It took the Rockets’ staff nearly 20 minutes to straighten a rim that the Spurs bent in pre-game warmups. They even had to look at it again in the fourth quarter. Blame the cold shooting in the second half on that, I guess?
San Antonio went from red hot in the first half to ice cold in the second. You could attribute that to several factors. One, the second night of a back-to-back means dead legs, especially late in the game. Two, the Rockets started to close out aggressively on Julian Champagnie, who had been hitting everything in the first half. Three, the quality of looks was worse in the second half. San Antonio stopped generating good offensive looks for the most part. Credit the Rockets’ defense for getting much better in crunch time, but the Spurs didn’t help matters by settling for contested looks.
San Antonio wasted a Champagnie heater. He had 27 points on 8-16 shooting from the three-point line. When he’s on fire, it feels like the Spurs are impossible to guard. It’s no coincidence that the game shifted the other way when the Rockets smothered him.
Victor Wembanyama struggled on both ends against Houston. He settled for contested, fadeaway jumpers far too often, leading to an inefficient 14 points on 5-21 shooting. Defensively, he was out of position and fell for foul-baiting, as Houston outscored San Antonio 52-46 in the paint. Wemby registered no blocks and recorded 4 fouls.
Dylan Harper and Luke Kornet were great off the bench. Harper had 8 points, 5 assists, and 1 turnover, with many of his passes finding Kornet for easy baskets. Kornet was awesome defensively, picking up 2 blocks to go along with his 8 points and 6 rebounds.
The Spurs offense continues to look at its best when it’s playing off a pick-and-roll initiated by either Harper or De’Aaron Fox, or running off-ball screens for Wembanyama and its shooters to get good looks. Yet in the fourth quarter, they seem to rely on high-post isolation plays that lead nowhere. The offensive playbook clearly needs some adjusting, especially late in the game. Finding some go-to plays and counters off of them should be a priority for the team down the stretch this season.
Reed Sheppard would have been an amazing Spur had he fallen to the fourth pick in the 2024 NBA draft. Of course, Spurs fans should be happy with Stephon Castle, who nearly had a triple-double with 13 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists on Tuesday. However, Sheppard’s combination of shooting, defensive instincts, fast hands, and athletic ability for his size is going to make him a tough guard to play against for years to come. Sheppard completely took over the game in the fourth quarter on his way to 21 points off the bench.
MLB Trade Rumors: The New York Mets are acquiring outfielder Luis Robert, Jr. from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for infielder Luisangel Acuna and pitcher Truman Pauley, per multiple reports.
The White Sox have been looking to move the 28 year old Robert for some time. He appeared to be a burgeoning star after finishing second in the Rookie of the Year voting in 2020, and then combining for 5.9 bWAR in just 166 games from 2021-22, missing significant time each year due to injury.
2023 seemed like a breakout year for Robert, as he slashed .264/.315/.542 and put up a 5.3 bWAR, finishing 12th in the MVP voting for a White Sox team that lost 101 games. Over the past two seasons, however, he has missed significant time while not hitting well, putting up a .223/.288/.372 slash line in 210 games.
The White Sox opted to pick up his $20 million option for 2026, a move that seemed questionable at the time. It ended up paying off, although the package they are getting back isn’t that exciting.
Most notably for us here at the LSofB is the inclusion of Luisangel Acuna, the former Ranger prospect who was sent to the Mets in 2023 for Max Scherzer. Acuna was impressive in a limited stint when he made his major league debut late in 2024, but slashed just .234/.293/.274 in 193 plate appearances in the majors over 93 games, and .303/.347/.385 in the minors.
Weirdly, considering he didn’t homer in 315 plate appearances between AAA and the majors in 2025, Acuna has been hitting bombs in the Venezuelan Winter League this winter, hitting 8 homers in 174 plate appearances, including four in one game.
Acuna is out of options this year, meaning he would either have to stick in the big leagues with New York as a utility guy in 2026 or be exposed to waivers. The rebuilding White Sox can give him a roster spot and opportunity it was going to much harder for him to get in New York.
Pauley was the Mets’ 12th round pick out of Harvard in 2025, getting a $397,500 bonus, $247,500 above what a player not picked in the first ten rounds can receive without it counting against a team’s bonus pool, and the third highest bonus received by a 12th rounder last year. He is the second minor league pitcher from Harvard traded in the last week, joining Chris Clark, who was part of the three team deal that sent Josh Lowe to Anaheim.
The Mets are reportedly still interested in signing Framber Valdez despite the draft pick penalties they would incur.
John Harper put out an offseason report card for the Mets, including the blockbuster Bo Bichette deal.
The Mets have discussed the possibility of retiring Carlos Beltrán’s number 15, but are struggling to find time for it this season.
Former Met Carlos Beltrán finally got elected into the Hall of Fame in his fourth year on the ballot.
The Mets released a video from the moment Beltrán found out the good news.
With his induction, Beltrán has solidified his place among the all-time great Mets.
Plenty around the Mets organization offered their congratulations to Beltrán, including Steve and Alex Cohen, David Stearns, and Francisco Lindor.
In addition, multiple former teammates and managers of Beltrán sent their congratulations, including David Wright, Carlos Delgado, and fellow Hall of Famer Pedro Martínez.
Anthony DiComo broke down everything that Beltran’s election means, both on an individual level and on a greater historical level.
David Wright got 14.8% percent of the votes in this year’s Hall of Fame balloting, nearly doubling last years 8.1% total.
MLB.com revealed their top ten third base prospects, and a Met prospect claimed second place on the list.
The Mets made a major trade, sending infielder Luisangel Acuña and prospect Truman Pauley to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for outfielder Luis Robert Jr. They’re taking on his entire salary this year and either the option or buyout for 2027.
Around the National League East
The Marlins acquired right-handed pitcher Bradley Blalock in a trade with the Colorado Rockies.
In addition to Beltrán, former Brave Andruw Jones also got elected to the Hall of Fame.
Around Major League Baseball
Joel Sherman explained his Hall of Fame ballot this year.
Ken Rosenthal put out more offseason notes, including some about how a potential lockout isn’t affecting the free agency market.
The Orioles revealed their new on-field alternate caps for the 2026 season.
Pitcher Bryce Miller agreed to a one year deal with the Mariners to avoid arbitration.
Part of the Cubs path to success next season is a bounce back from Shota Imanaga, who will have to focus on some improvements to his game to make it happen.
An ownership source told Evan Drellich that it’s “a 100 percent certainty” that owners will push for a salary cap in the next collective bargaining agreement.
The BBWAA released the full vote tally from this year’s Hall of Fame balloting.
Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue
Thomas Henderson wrote about how, after the Bichette signing, one major hole in the Mets offense remains.
After getting hammered in the first two of a five-game road set, it doesn’t get easier for the Indiana Pacers, who square off with the Boston Celtics at TD Garden tonight.
My Pacers vs. Celtics predictions and NBA picks don't expect Indiana to keep up its end of the scoring bargain, ultimately dragging down the total, on Wednesday, January 21.
Pacers vs Celtics prediction
Pacers vs Celtics best bet: Under 227.5 (-110)
On Saturday, the Indiana Pacers put up their fewest points of the campaign in a 121-78 thrashing at the hands of the Pistons.
They followed that up by scoring just 104 points in a loss to the 76ers, turning it over a whopping 24 times.
Over their last five games, Indiana has scored 104 points or less four times – well below their 110.1 points per game average on the year, which ranks 29th, better than only Brooklyn.
Amazingly, one of those games was a win against these same Boston Celtics, who have lost three of five, with the C’s putting up just 98 points per game in those losses.
Still, in what was supposed to be a regroup year, Boston sits second in the East, powered by All-Star Jaylen Brown.
However, Brown did find his way onto the injury report with a hamstring injury, though he is listed as probable for Wednesday. The one loss to Indy was with Brown out of the lineup.
Indiana can’t score, and Boston owns the second-best scoring defense in the league, and third-best field goal shooting defense.
It’s no surprise, then, that the Under has hit in two of three meetings this season. Indiana has cashed the Under in six of its last seven, and the beat (and beatings) should go on in Beantown.
Pacers vs Celtics same-game parlay
Brown was just named an All-Star starter for the first time in his career on Monday, and Indy is a good opponent to showcase his wares. He’s topped 30 points in both meetings with the Pacers, clearing this total once and falling short by a free throw the other.
And perhaps the books haven’t been following Aaron Nesmith too closely, setting his 3-point make line at 2.5. He’s gone Under that figure in six straight, and is just 2-for-22 from distance in his last three games.
Pacers vs Celtics SGP
Under 227.5
Jaylen Brown Over 30.5 points
Aaron Nesmith Under 2.5 threes
Our "from downtown" SGP: Derrick White's Block Party
Neemias Queta has been a revelation for Boston’s improbable run this year, leading the team in rebounds at 8.2 per game. But he’s only topped his 8.5-board line in two of the last six, and has gone sub-9 in all three games vs. Indy this year.
We’ll finish with the Over for the best blocking guard in the business. Derrick White has had multi-block games in eight of his last 11, including a 7-swat effort against Utah.
The Pacers have lost 15 straight road games vs teams with a winning record. Find more NBA betting trends for Pacers vs. Celtics.
How to watch Pacers vs Celtics
Location
TD Garden, Boston, MA
Date
Wednesday, January 21, 2026
Tip-off
7:30 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN Indiana, NBC Sports Boston
Pacers vs Celtics latest injuries
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This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
Big-serving Serbian takes Australian hope to four sets
‘I’m super happy to battle my way through’
Alex de Minaur maintained his perfect record at the Australian Open against lower-ranked opponents by outlasting the big-hitting Hamad Medjedovic over four sets and advancing to the third round.
After being stunned by the world No 90 in the first set, the Australian’s superior fitness and class came to the fore as he prevailed 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 in three hours and four minutes on Rod Laver Arena.
Mike Dunleavy may have been a sharpshooter during his 15-year NBA career, but he showed Tuesday night he can still dunk when needed.
The Warriors’ general manager provided a brutal reality check to Jonathan Kuminga, who recently demanded a trade following rocky offseason contract negotiations with the team.
“I think as far as the demand, we’re aware of that. In terms of demands, when you make a demand, there needs to be a demand in the market,” Dunleavy said Tuesday night, one day after the team lost superstar Jimmy Butler for the year with a torn ACL.
“So, we’ll see where that unfolds. But heard, always with these guys, I tell them I’m willing to work with them, want to help people out whether that’s J.K. or any player on our roster. We’re good with, if that’s his wishes, trying to figure that out, but we got to do what’s best for our organization and that’s what we’ll do, as far as it goes with the deadline coming up.”
Mike Dunleavy on the Jonathan Kuminga trade demand: “I’m aware of that. In terms of demands, when you make a demand there needs to be demand.” pic.twitter.com/XOGXj3HFrs
It’s not often you hear a general manager basically say that nobody wants their player, but it would appear there is mounting frustration on both sides.
The Warriors selected Kuminga with the No. 7 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft and it’s been a bumpy journey since.
Kuminga reportedly lost faith in coach Steve Kerr during the 2023-24 season, raising questions about his future with the team.
He then rejected a three-year, $75 million contract to become a free agent faster, with the sides agreeing in September to a two-year, $48.5 million deal.
ESPN reported the second year is essentially a dummy year, allowing Kuminga to hit free agency earlier.
Jonathan Kuminga in action Tuesday against Toronto. David Gonzales-Imagn Images
This season has not gone as either party would like, with Kuminga averaging 12.2 points — his lowest since the 2022-23 campaign — and appearing in just 19 of 45 games.
He became trade eligible on Jan. 15 and promptly demanded to be dealt with this year’s trade deadline coming on Feb. 5.
Kuminga missed 16 straight games due to injuries and Kerr not playing him before finally returning Tuesday and scoring 20 points in a 145-127 home loss to Toronto.
Trading Kuminga would have been more straightforward if not for Butler’s injury, but the Warriors likely need him now if they hope to still contend.
“I think we’ll take the next couple weeks to assess this team a little bit more. I felt pretty good with where we’re at heading into (Monday)’s game in terms of what we need to do,” Dunleavy said. “Thought our team was playing really well, heading in the right direction, obviously things have changed. I want to take a couple of weeks here to watch these games, see our team and what we can do better.”
At the time of the trade, Vernon was owed about $86 million over the next four years. His salary was to jump from $15.7 million in 2010 to $26.1 million in 2011. So it was the perfect moment to trade him.
Vernon played 2 seasons for the Angels, hitting .222/.258/.409 with 36 home runs. After that, they sent him (and a lot of money) to the Yankees. With them, Vernon hit .233/.282/.349 with 11 home runs in 2013 and was paid to stay home in 2014.
I’ll admit I always liked Wells. He was one of those guys who played full out all the time (he might have been better off to pick his spots), always ran out grounders as hard as he could, did tonnes of charity work, was a good teammate, and seemed to like playing in Toronto. It wasn’t his fault that the Jays offered him way too much money. Playing all those seasons on the hard surface at Rogers Centre likely didn’t help his career. Somewhere, I have a Jays jersey with his name on it.
We didn’t get a lot out of the two players who came to Toronto. Rivera hit .243/.305/.360 in 70 games before the Jays put him on waivers to be claimed by the Dodgers. Napoli, we quickly sent on to the Rangers for Frank Francisco. In Alex’s defense, if we had kept Napoli, we likely would have lost Edwin Encarnacion.
Dumping Vernon’s contract allowed Alex to make the trade with the Marlins, which may not have turned out the way we would have liked, but it did add some excitement to our lives for a while.
I have no idea what the thought process was on the Angels’ end of things.
Tuesday marked a huge day for the Atlanta Braves organization, as Andruw Jones was finally elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. The Atlanta great was included on 333 of the 425 ballots, giving him just over the 75% of votes needed to make the 2026 class. Fellow center fielder Carlos Beltran was also elected.
Debuting in 1996, Jones spent 12 seasons in Atlanta before heading West to suit up for the Los Angeles Dodgers. The five-time All-Star played his last MLB game in 2012 and finished his career with 10 Gold Gloves, a Silver Slugger award, a .992 fielding percentage, 1,933 hits, 1,289 RBI, and 434 home runs.
His Hall of Fame election cements his place among the legendary Braves of the ’90s and recognizes one of the game’s premier all-around talents.
More Braves News:
We’ve provided the stats, but now it’s your turn. How do you predict Ronald Acuña Jr. will perform in 2026?
It was recently announced that shortstop Ha-Seong Kim will miss a couple months of the regular season due to a hand injury, and here’s what that means for the Braves.
MLB News:
The New York Mets acquired outfielder Luis Robert Jr. from the Chicago White Sox. In exchange, the Sox received INF/OF Luisangel Acuña and a minor league pitcher.
LHP Rich Hill announced that he does not plan to pitch in 2026.
