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Yankees news: Gerrit Cole faces hitters, looks excellent

TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 12: Gerrit Cole #45 of the New York Yankees works out during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 12, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images

MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: Yankees ace Gerrit Cole crossed off another milestone in his recovery from Tommy John surgery in the spring of 2025. For the first time since going under the knife, the 35-year-old righty faced hitters, and it went as well as one could have expected. The 2023 AL Cy Young threw an inning and about 20 pitches, facing hitters such as Trent Grisham, Aaron Judge, and Jasson Dominguez. He struck out the center fielder, induced Judge to hit a grounder to second, and allowed hard contact to the Martian to round out the day.

Cole’s fastball sat in the 95-96 mph range, awfully encouraging at this time of the year. He won’t be ready for the start of the season, but should be back once he is fully stretched out, probably around late April.

Brendan Kuty on X: Everybody in attendance was impressed with Cole’s live batting practice session, his first after blowing up his elbow last spring. One of them, of course, was Yankees captain Aaron Judge.

“It looked like the old 45 that I’ve seen for years,” Judge said about his teammate. With his fastball sitting in the mid-90s and touching 96 mph, it’s a matter of making sure Cole’s command is on point and his breaking stuff rebounds all the way back after surgery, plus stretching out to a full starter’s workload. That could take a few weeks, but things are trending in the right direction. Can Cole and Judge lead the Yankees to the promised land?

MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: The Yankees had their spring training debut on Friday afternoon at Ed Smith Stadium, losing 2-0 to the Baltimore Orioles. A Pete Alonso two-run shot versus Bradley Hanner was the difference between the two teams. Prospect Elmer Rodríguez stole the show for the Yankees, touching 97 mph on the radar gun and tossing three scoreless frames. He conceded just three hits and no walks, striking out one. He looked in control for most of the afternoon, and his stuff was crisp.

“It felt good,” Rodríguez told Hoch. “That first inning, my adrenaline was high in the moment, but I was able to use it and channel it, and use it to my advantage.”

Jazz Chisholm Jr., Amed Rosario, Austin Wells, and José Caballero played on Friday, and Jake Bird contributed a scoreless frame in relief. Carson Coleman struck out the side in the seventh.

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Houston Rockets vs. New York Knicks game preview

Tonight, the Houston Rockets head to world’s most famous (indoor) arena to take on the New York Knicks in a primetime game on national television.

Houston is coming off a close and hard-fought win over the upstart Charlotte Hornets. New York, meanwhile, is coming off a loss against the upstart Detroit Pistons, the same team that the Knicks dispatched in the first round of last year’s playoffs. Clearly, that game meant a lot to the Pistons and maybe not as much to the Knicks.

So therefore, the Knicks saw one Thompson twin two nights ago and will get to the see the other one tonight. Last season in this building, the Rockets played a whale of a game but were chased down late by Jalen Brunson, he of the “I never miss in the clutch” fame.

Houston, of course, has their own version of that in Kevin Durant. KD, who may or may not go by other names, scored Houston’s last ten points in Charlotte to put the game away. If the game comes down to the wire, it’s going to be awfully exciting for neutral observers. And in case you haven’t noticed, the Rockets don’t win many blowouts. Either the game will be close and a coin flip, or the Knicks will run Houston out of the gym. There is no in-between for this version of the Rockets.

Tip-off

7:30pm CT

How To Watch

ABC

Injury Report

Rockets

Steven Adams: OUT

Fred VanVleet: OUT

Knicks

Miles McBride: OUT

The Line (as of this post)

NYK -2.5

Check here for updates

Looking ahead because we can

Monday night at home against the Utah Jazz

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Penguins' Notebook: Players Talk 'Next Man Up' Mentality, Return To Play

The past few days at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry, Pa. have been busy for the Pittsburgh Penguins, even without four of their regular players.

Starting Tuesday, the Penguins' roster - minus Sidney Crosby, Erik Karlsson, Rickard Rakell, and Arturs Silovs - returned to practice, and they've practiced for four consecutive days. In the last few, however, word spread quickly that Crosby was injured during Canada's quarterfinal matchup against Czechia on Wednesday, and that lower-body injury held him out of Canada's semifinal game against Finland on Friday. 

The past few days at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry, Pa. have been busy for the Pittsburgh Penguins, even without four of their regular players.

Starting Tuesday, the Penguins' roster - minus Sidney Crosby, Erik Karlsson, Rickard Rakell, and Arturs Silovs - returned to practice, and they've practiced for four consecutive days. In the last few, however, word spread quickly that Crosby was injured during Canada's quarterfinal matchup against Czechia on Wednesday, and that lower-body injury held him out of Canada's semifinal game against Finland on Friday.

Obviously, losing Crosby is just about the worst blow that could happen to the Penguins. The severity of Crosby's injury is not known, and it is unclear at this point if he figures to miss any sustantial amount of time.

But, should that be the case, the Penguins are confident enough that their "next man up" mentality will still be able to help them string together some wins - as has been the case all season long.

"We've kind of had it all year, in a sense, where we've had a lot of injuries," defenseman Ryan Graves said. "Geno missed a little bit of time, Tanger's missed time, Karl's missed time, Rusty’s missed a little bit of time. That’s, kind of, been our M.O. a little bit.

It happens to most teams. Injuries happen, so it is what it is. But, I mean, we always hope for the best. I hope he can play there, but obviously, hope for him to be healthy as well. But, it is what it is. We’ll make the most of it.”

2026 Winter Olympics: Nathan MacKinnon Sends Canada To Gold Medal Game 2026 Winter Olympics: Nathan MacKinnon Sends Canada To Gold Medal Game Team Canada will play for a Gold Medal on Sunday morning.

Rare string of practices beneficial

Even if, in the grand scheme of things, players didn't get all that much actual time off, this consecutive string of practices - the Penguins practiced Feb. 17-20, will practice Feb. 22-23 and again on Feb. 25 ahead of return-to-play - is something they believe will benefit them.

After all, it's not often that they get a training camp-llike schedule of practice time to work on some of the details that they don't otherwise always have time for.

“Even before the break, we weren’t having a lot of practices. Our practices were morning skates,” Shea said. “And everyone knows those skates. They’re a quick 20 minutes, and then, you’re off. Having all these practices is nice and it’s gonna be much-needed because I think it’s, like, 17 games in March? I mean, with that type of schedule, and you’re not going to be able to practice much in March, and you’re not going to be able to work on whether it’s structure for a team or individual skills.

“So, you get seven or eight practices before we play our next game, and I think they’re huge.”

Head coach Dan Muse stressed that it's not exactly like a training camp, but it's an opportunity for them to work on details until their other four players are back from Milan.

"It is unique in that it’s almost like a tune-up in-season where you can take some different things that we want to focus in on,” Muse said. “Some of them are areas that we like about our game and that we just want to make sure we’re coming out of the break and we’re sharp, and other areas, too, between these last couple days and the four practices that will be coming up after the day off, some areas within the game that we want to just fine-tune a little bit.

“I don’t think this time of year that you want to make massive changes, but you can maybe make some little tweaks on some areas that you want to focus in on within our team game.”

This Penguins Forward Has Been A Nice SurpriseThis Penguins Forward Has Been A Nice SurprisePenguins forward Conor Dewar has certainly been a solid part of the team's roster this season.

Is Avery Hayes an option?

Of course, Crosby's status is still unclear. But, if they do need to call on someone, forward Avery Hayes seems like the obvious choice right now, even if he's not a center.

In addition to scoring two goals in his NHL debut against the Buffalo Sabres on Feb. 5, Hayes has 10 goals and 12 points in his last 10 AHL games. He is on an absolute heater, and that hasn't gone unnoticed by Muse and his staff.

And Muse will keep his options open.

"I think we're always having conversations. I'm having conversations with management, I'm having conversations with [WBS head coach Kirk MacDonald] in Wilkes and getting updates," Muse said. "I think he's done a very good job this year, too, of just... One, he positioned himself when that opportunity was there, or a potential opportunity in that Buffalo game, just based on the work that he has done this year - especially as of late - for him to kind of earn that opportunity.

"And then, he's another guy who took full advantage of it, and you saw the impact he made in that game. Then, there's obviously been follow-up there from him in terms of his play. So, that's great by him, and that stuff doesn't go unnoticed."

Avery Hayes Can't Stop Scoring For Wilkes-Barre/ScrantonAvery Hayes Can't Stop Scoring For Wilkes-Barre/ScrantonAvery Hayes has been a one-man wrecking crew for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Island getaway for a rookie

I spoke to Shea about Ben Kindel tagging along last-minute with he, Kevin Hayes, Connor Dewar, and a few other guys on their trip to Anguilla, and Shea was thrilled that the rookie was able to come along on the trip.

He mentioned that it was initially Hayes's idea, but that they were delighted to invite him to a place that he, likely, had never been before. And - evidently - Kindel was excited about the opportunity to hang out with his teammates and have some fun in the Caribbean over the break.

"It's actually hilarious because, when we asked him, he immediately said 'yes,'" Shea said.

Penguins' Players Part Ways To Enjoy Olympic BreakPenguins' Players Part Ways To Enjoy Olympic BreakAs you've surely heard by this point, there are four <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> who travelled 4,293 miles from the City of Steel to Milan, Italy, to represent their respective countries in the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milano-Cortina.

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!  

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Player Grades: Recapping the Mavericks’ 122-111 loss at the Minnesota TimberWolves

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 12: Marvin Bagley III #35 of the Dallas Mavericks shoots a free throw during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on February 12, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Dallas Mavericks took on the Minnesota Timberwolves Friday night in their first game since the All-Star break on Friday. Losers of nine-straight coming into the night, Dallas dropped their tenth in a row, 122-111.

Let’s get to the grades!

Tyus Jones: B+

13 PTS / 1 REB / 6 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 26 MIN

Jones had his best game in his as-yet short time in Dallas. He combined with Brandon Williams to give the Mavs excellent production from the point guard position, which is something that hasn’t often been said about Dallas this season. If he can play with this type of efficiency and poise, it will certainly help Dallas in a position of need.

Naji Marshall: B-

15 PTS / 5 REB / 3 AST / 3 STL / 0 BLK – 33 MIN

Marshall struggled with his shot most of the night, finishing 5-for-16, detracting from his grade. He did a bit of everything and had some nice moments, but you can’t help but think that one of his hot shooting nights could have made a big difference in the outcome.

Khris Middleton: B+

18 PTS / 7 REB / 2 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 30 MIN

Middleton was the steadying force offensively when the Mavs were down big in the first half. He didn’t blow the doors off, but very much kept Dallas connected when things could have really gone south. He continued his steady play throughout the game.

P.J. Washington: C

12 PTS / 12 REB / 2 AST / 2 STL / 0 BLK – 36 MIN

Washington had solid numbers but his actual game left a bit to be desired. He was roasted on defense on more than one occasion, missed a pair of free throws that could have tied the game in the third quarter, and had a few strange sequences where he rebounded his own miss only to miss again.

Daniel Gafford: C-

8 PTS / 5 REB / 2 AST / 2 STL / 3 BLK – 24 MIN

Gafford was similar to Washington in that his stat line was fine, but the actual game saw him getting outplayed by both Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert and his own teammate Marvin Bagley who was backing him up in a bench role.

Brandon Williams: B+

13 PTS / 1 REB / 4 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 18 MIN

Williams paired with Jones for a nice showing from the point guard position. Like Jones, Williams’ damage wasn’t boisterous, but it was efficient and productive. Nice game penetrating and scoring while also getting his teammates involved.

Klay Thompson: C

11 PTS / 0 REB / 2 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 28 MIN

With under two minutes remaining in the third quarter, Thompson was 0-for-5 from the floor and his only measurable stat was a single personal foul. He hit a three-pointer before the quarter ended and had a positive fourth quarter, but this one is easy enough to move on from.

Marvin Bagley: A+

15 PTS / 13 REB / 0 AST / 0 STL / 1 BLK – 24 MIN

Bagley continues to bring it every night and is endearing himself each time out. Watching him away from the play on Friday night showed how much he battles and how well he positions himself to have an impact both tangibly and intangibly. Bagley as part of a more complete and healthy team has a lot of appeal at this early juncture of his Mavs’ tenure. Fantastic game, especially off the bench in limited minutes.

Final Thoughts

Dallas was outclassed in almost every facet of the game for much of the first half, but again would just not go away. Some of that was due to Minnesota falling off, but credit to Dallas for not letting this turn into the 30-point blowout it easily could have been by halftime.

I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.

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Yankees’ Jazz Chisholm Jr. not shying away from lofty 50-50 goal entering contract year

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) hits a single, Image 2 shows New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. #13 in batting gloves and sweatshirt, holding a baseball bat during spring training
Jazz Chisholm Jr.

SARASOTA, Fla. — Right after securing a 30-30 season last September, Jazz Chisholm Jr. was already talking about wanting to reach 40-40.

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Five months later, entering a vital contract year, the Yankees star is already jumping ahead to talk of a 50-50 season, which has only been done once in the history of the game, by Shohei Ohtani.

Give Chisholm this: He is never going to set his sights too low, or too boring.

“I’m not going to say nothing that I don’t think I can do,” he said after getting on base twice in his spring debut, a 2-0 loss to the Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium. “I’m always going to speak positive into the atmosphere. I’m never going to tell myself or tell anybody that, ‘Oh, I’m just going to have a year where I hit 10 home runs and hit .250.’ Who does that sound like? A loser. That’s a loser.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. swings during the Yankees’ Feb. 20 spring training game. Imagn Images

“I’m going to go shoot for the stars and if I miss, I’m going to end up on the moon.”

The Yankees would certainly take the moon, with Chisholm coming off a season in which he hit 31 home runs and stole 31 bases despite missing a month with an oblique injury and not attempting a steal for another month while he played through a groin issue.

Chisholm is heading into his final year under club control, and while hundreds of millions of dollars could be waiting on the other side of it, he is planning on using the pressure of such a big season to his advantage.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. is pictured during a Feb. 11 workout at spring training. Charles Wenzelberg

“I think that brings out the best in me,” he said. “The contract year is even better for me. I like pressure. I like going out there and having to play for something, having to go and do it. Go win games and make it meaningful every day. That’s what baseball’s supposed to be about. You play for people, you play for your family, you play for your friends at home and you play for the team you’re wearing every time you go out there. And also, you play for yourself.

“At the end of the day, when you’re going out there and doing all that, how can you not get pumped up and excited and enjoy the ride? It’s just like a roller coaster. If you don’t enjoy the ride, it’s going to suck. But when you enjoy the ride, it’s one of the best rides of your life.”

Chisholm also added that he will be playing this season for his best friend growing up, who died unexpectedly last year.

“That’s what I’m really playing this year for is my best friend, that he is not going to get to see me go into free agency,” he said. “He’s not going to get to see me sign the long-term deal we’ve been talking about since I was kid. He’s not going to be able to see a lot of things that I do and it sucks. I wish he was here. I still miss him to this day. So yeah, that’s who I play for.”

Jake Bird threw a scoreless inning of relief, allowing only an infield single that he quickly erased on a double play.

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Dodgers’ superstar Shohei Ohtani is predicted to lead MLB in these key stats in 2026

Shohei Ohtani in a Los Angeles Dodgers uniform, holding a bat over his shoulder.
Feb 19, 2026; Glendale, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher/designated hitter Shohei Ohtani poses for a portrait during photo day at Camelback Ranch. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

According to the latest Depth Charts projections from FanGraphs, Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani is forecasted to lead all of Major League Baseball in 2026 with 48 home runs, 119 RBIs, 129 runs scored and a thunderous .599 slugging percentage. 

His projected .983 OPS trails only one hitter in the model. In other words, the machines and algorithms are predicting dominance.

Again.

Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani is forecasted to lead all of Major League Baseball in 2026 with 48 home runs. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Ohtani already finished among MLB’s elite offensive leaders last season, pacing the league in runs scored, and finishing second in slugging percentage behind only Aaron Judge. His 55 home runs were two more than Judge, but he finished third behind Cal Raleigh (60) and Kyle Schwarber (56).

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts — who has guided Los Angeles to back-to-back World Series titles, and multiple pennants — doesn’t mince words when discussing his generational talent. He has called Ohtani “the best player that’s ever played this game.” Hyperbole? Maybe. But the résumé keeps stacking.

Ohtani already finished among MLB’s elite offensive leaders last season. Jason Szenes for CA Post

The betting markets agree. Ohtani currently sits atop National League MVP odds at -125, and if his arm cooperates, Cy Young whispers won’t be far behind. Imagine a season where 45-plus homers meets 180 strikeouts on the mound. That isn’t fantasy baseball. That’s the Ohtani proposition.

In Los Angeles, expectations don’t scare anyone. They fuel October dreams. And if the projections hold, 2026 won’t just be another MVP chase — it could be baseball history unfolding in real time.

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Devin Williams believes ‘mental toughness’ will help him in first Mets season

New York Mets Pitcher Devin Williams throws live batting practice during Spring Training at Clover Field, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026
New York Mets Pitcher Devin Williams throws live batting practice during Spring Training at Clover Field, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026.

PORT ST. LUCIE — There wasn’t much good to take from Devin Williams’ lone season with the Yankees, a season in which he lost the closer job twice and hardly resembled the dominant reliever he’d been for most of his career in Milwaukee. 

But as Williams settles into his new home with the Mets, he believes at least one good thing from last year follows him to Queens. 

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“Mental toughness,’’ Williams said following the team’s workout Friday at Clover Park. “I wasn’t executing and I was getting bad results. It got pretty tough there, but I got through it and was throwing the ball really well by the end of the year.” 

Williams is hoping the fact he finished the regular season with nine straight scoreless appearances, mostly setting up closer David Bednar, and four more in the playoffs, proves that he was able to put his 2025 struggles behind him. 

“Probably that last stretch of games, that was me, that’s my standard,’’ Williams said. “I was executing the way I need to.’’ 

New York Mets Pitcher Devin Williams throws live batting practice during Spring Training at Clover Field, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST

And now he’s back closing games, with Edwin Díaz having left for the Dodgers shortly after Williams signed with the Mets. 

He said he’s ready for the challenge. 

“You’re gonna fail,’’ Williams said. “[Stuff] got really bad for a little bit last year, but I’m still me. I’m still the same guy. I’m still really good at this game.” 

“He’s been a guy,” Carlos Mendoza said of Williams’ status as one of the top closers in the game. “Last year wasn’t easy for him at the beginning and he made some adjustments.” 

Last year’s experience may end up helping him going forward. “You’re always going to have adversity,’’ Williams said. “That was the toughest it’s been for me in the big leagues.” 

But he noted it wasn’t the lowest point of his career, instead pointing to 2018, when he was still in the lower level of the minors with the Brewers, coming off Tommy John surgery and had a terrible season. 

“There were times I was ready to quit in ’18,’’ Williams said. “I came back from [surgery] and I was terrible and wanted to go home. Every day wasn’t good. But I got through that, got to the big leagues [in 2019] and the rest is history.” 

New York Mets Pitcher Devin Williams walks through the dugout during Spring Training at Clover Field, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026, in Port St. Lucie, FL. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST

Just as he hopes 2025 is history for him, too. 

It will take some time before Brett Baty gets some reps in right field, where he will be in the mix for playing time once his balky right hamstring fully heals. 

Mendoza said Friday that they are focused on getting Baty reps in the infield — where he has been working at first base — before getting him in the outfield. 

But Mendoza is confident Baty will be able to make the transition for one main reason. “The athleticism,’’ the manager said. 

And he pointed to what Baty was able to do last year as a reason, as Baty moved from third base to second without much of an issue. 

“We didn’t know which way it was gonna go when we asked him to play second base,’’ Mendoza said. “It’s not an easy position, especially when you’re used to playing on the left side and a corner position.” 

Baty “made that transition easily,’’ according to Mendoza. 

Baty played some outfield in the minors, most recently starting games there in 2022 with Double-A Binghamton. 

“He’s familiar with the outfield,” Mendoza said. “Now we’ve got to get him reads with angles. He enjoys being that type of player and he takes it personally.”

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Despite lack of farm depth, Padres’ prospects offer excitement to fans

Peoria, Ariz. - February 12: Jagger Haynes #79 of the San Diego Padres looks on during spring training workouts at the Peoria Sports Complex on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026 in Peoria, Ariz.(Photo by Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)

Spring Training is officially upon us! The wintry woes of the offseason are behind us as San Diego Padres faced off against the Seattle Mariners at their shared complex in Peoria, Ariz. for the first game of the year. Baseball is back!

While a great deal of prospects got plenty of use today, and will continue to get looked at this preseason. One in particular, Jagger Haynes, held his ground and did a fantastic job facing a (mostly MLB-starting) Seattle lineup. 

Play-by-play of today’s game

Across two innings, Haynes allowed two singles in the first, and a single and home run in the second. Admittedly, that line doesn’t exactly inspire confidence. But there’s more nuance to the situation than just that line.

To start the game, Haynes allowed a single from the leadoff hitter, Luke Raley. After that he got Mariners superstar Cal Raleigh to fly out before giving up another single to Julio Rodríguez. With two on and two outs, he induced a double play from Josh Naylor to end the inning.

When he came back in the second, he made quick work of his first two batters. Randy Arozarena lined out and J.P Crawford struck out. Haynes then got Dominic Canzone to hit a fly ball where an easy catch could have ended the inning, but left fielder Nick Schnell lost the ball in the sun and was unable to complete the inning-ending catch. 

Due to that error, Haynes had to continue pitching and now had Canzone on first base. He immediately gave up a home run to Michael Arroyo before getting Colt Emerson to fly out to right field to end it.

It’s hard to speak to how difficult it is to regroup mentally after an error like that, but for Haynes to immediately end the inning after giving up a two-run home run (to a batter he wasn’t even supposed to face) was an indicator of the mental fortitude Haynes has.

Haynes’ minors career

Across his last three years in the San Diego organization, he has spent time in three different levels of the minors, owning a 4.33 ERA with a 1.40 WHIP. Again, the numbers aren’t inspiring, but his ability to come back from Tommy John surgery in 2021, especially after a long rehabilitation process, is. 

After being drafted in 2020, Haynes lost out on the ‘21 and ‘22 season and had to wait to pitch for the organization until the 2023 season. But since joining the Friars at the minor league level, he has shown himself to be a worthwhile prospect.

Obviously, today’s game is a small sample size, it’s only two innings after all. But the stuff that Haynes put on display showed he is beginning to make a case to join the major league roster in the next few years (maybe even getting a call up later this year in the dog days of summer). Whatever the case, it will be interesting to see what the season has in store for Haynes in the Padres’ organization.

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Padres drop Cactus League opener, but there were positives

Peoria, AZ - February 20: Jose Miranda #64 o the San Diego Padres celebrates a two-run home run against the Seattle Mariners during a spring training game on February 20, 2026 in Peoria, AZ. (Photo by K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)

For an offense that finished 2025 at the bottom of the league in slugging (22nd) and home runs (28th), it was nice to see the San Diego Padres produce their first runs of Cactus League play on the strength of a solo home run from Romeo Sanabria in the top of the sixth inning and a two-run home run from Jose Miranda in the top of the seventh inning during their 7-4 loss to the Seattle Mariners at Peoria Stadium on Friday. Of course, Sanabria and Miranda will not be everyday players for the Padres, but it could indicate the offensive approach in San Diego is changing or has changed under new hitting coach Steven Souza Jr.

The lineup definitely changed under new Padres manager Craig Stammen and it was a welcome sight for Padres fans who watched former manager Mike Shildt refuse to move Luis Arraez out of the second spot in the lineup despite his struggles last season. Xander Bogaerts, Jackson Merrill, Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. were the top four in the lineup, and they produced just one hit on an infield single to start the game by Bogaerts. Jake Cronenworth, Nick Castellanos, Luis Campusano, Ty France and Nick Schnell combined to add just two more hits in the contest.

Hitters often take longer to find their swing in Spring Training and with this being the first game of the spring, there is no reason to get too excited about the success of Sanabria and Miranda or too upset about the stat lines of the big names at the top of the lineup. Cronenworth was the only other regular in the San Diego lineup to record a hit, but he should have had two and two RBI. It took a diving play in the first inning by Seattle right fielder Dominic Canzone to keep Cronenworth off the basepaths and the Padres off the scoreboard. Cronenworth hit the ball well in his two plate appearances.

Castellanos, who got the start at first base, made two nice plays of his own on defense in the bottom of the fourth inning. The first play required him to range to his right to field a ground ball off the bat of J.P. Crawford and then make an underhand throw to pitcher Wandy Peralta who was covering first base for the first out of the inning. The second play resulted in the final out of the inning. Castellanos made a diving play to his right on a hard ground ball by Colt Emmerson with a runner on second base, recovered and made an overhand throw to Peralta at first to end the frame and keep the Mariners from adding to their 3-0 lead.

Stammen was unable to get his first win as a manager in the first game of the spring season, but he and the Padres will have another chance when San Diego plays the Kansas City Royals at Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Ariz. on Saturday at 12:05 p.m.

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The problems behind Karl-Anthony Towns’ puzzling Knicks season aren’t going away

Detroit Pistons guard Javonte Green (31) knocks the ball away from New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) during the first half.
Javonte Green knocks the ball away from Karl-Anthony Towns during the Knicks' Feb. 20 loss to the Pistons.

Karl-Anthony Towns’ involvement in the Knicks offense has been one of the biggest storylines all year and likely will continue to be the rest of the season.

It doesn’t take a microscope to see that he is less comfortable in coach Mike Brown’s system compared to last year under Tom Thibodeau.

Way too many times, Towns goes long stretches on the floor and hardly is noticeable offensively.

During the Knicks’ blowout loss to the Pistons on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden, Towns scored just two points on three shots in 15 minutes during the first half.

Particularly puzzling was that the Pistons were playing without their top two centers in Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart, both serving suspensions.

If anything, it was a game Towns should have been featured in the offensive game plan and aggressive from the outset.

Karl-Anthony Towns looks to move the ball during the Knicks’ loss to the Pistons on Feb. 20. Robert Sabo for the NY Post

“Our offense is our offense,” Towns said. “It’s been that way all year. So we have our system, and we’re gonna — regardless of who’s in the game or not in the game — we run the system that we have implemented for our team to the best of our abilities.”

Then, all of a sudden, Towns came out of halftime noticeably hunting for his shot and forcing the issue.

He took five shots and five free throws and scored 12 points in the third quarter.

That’s the way it’s largely been for Towns this year — nothing has been natural or in the flow of the offense.

He’s usually been troublingly uninvolved or overly aggressive, with very little in between.

“We’re continuing to try to do different things to help free him up,” Brown said. “We’ll continue to search to try to do different things to free him up throughout the rest of the year.”

Javonte Green knocks the ball away from Karl-Anthony Towns during the Knicks’ Feb. 20 loss to the Pistons. Robert Sabo for the NY Post

Towns’ production and efficiency are down this year.

His marks of 19.8 points per game and 34.9 percent shooting from 3-point range would represent the lowest since his rookie season, and his 46.7 percent shooting from the field would be the worst of his career.

He is taking just 14 shots per game, which also would be in line for the fewest of his 11-year career.

The problem isn’t going away.

If anything, as the postseason gets closer and closer, finding a solution is growing more urgent.

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Sloppy Nets get served brutal reminder from Thunder in blowout loss

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) passes as Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. (17) defends during the first half at Paycom Center.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) passes as Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. (17) defends during the first half at Paycom Center on Feb. 20, 2026.

The Nets looked across the court at Oklahoma City, the team they’re trying to emulate in their rebuild. They got a harsh reminder of just how far away they are.

Brooklyn suffered an offensively-challenged 105-86 loss to the Thunder on Friday night before a crowd of 18,203 at Paycom Center.

Smothered by the reigning champions, the Nets shot 36.7 percent overall and 7-of-41 from 3-point range.

Alex Caruso (9) passes as Michael Porter Jr. (17) defends during the first half of the Nets’ 105-86 loss to the Thunder at Paycom Center on Feb. 20, 2026 in Oklahoma City. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

That horrid 17.1 percent clip from behind the arc was their worst of the season, and left them no chance to win.

Brooklyn (15-40) conceded an extended 21-3 run that spanned from the end of the first quarter deep into the second.

They shot 0-for-11 — including 0-for-8 from deep — and gave away a dozen turnovers to flip a six-point lead into a 10-point hole.

That deficit moved to as many as 20. Though the Nets fought back — unlike when they rolled over a night earlier in Cleveland — their sorry shooting short-circuited any comeback bid.

“We struggled. Obviously they’re the No. 1 defense for a reason. And we struggled in that second quarter, but also in the fourth. But we saw good things, and that’s the trend that I wanted the group to continue with,” Jordi Fernández said.

Egor Dëmin looks to pass the ball during the Nets’ loss to the Thunder on Feb. 20, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images

“Yeah, it was handling their pressure. I also thought that getting the stops, when you get to your spots in transition, it’s a little easier to find those shots.”

Brooklyn, which moved up to fourth in the lottery standings are now just a game out of second place, a tie between Indiana and New Orleans.

The Thunder (43-14) were without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdominal strain), Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell. But the Nets couldn’t take advantage.

Michael Porter Jr. had 22 points, nine rebounds and five assists. But playing on the tail end of a back-to-back, he was just 1-of-9 from deep. Egor Dëmin was 1-of-8 from behind the arc and finished with just three points. Nolan Traore scored 17.

Brooklyn had an early 23-17 lead, but coughed up a 21-3 run.

The deficit swelled to 55-35 early in the third.

Down 71-54, the Nets ripped off a 9-0 blitz in just 1:25. But that’s as close as it got.

Jared McCain had 21 for OKC.

The Nets hired ex-OKC director of amateur scouting Acie Law to be Director of Player Personnel in the offseason and will look to emulate the Thunder. But Friday showed how far they have to go.

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Timberwolves 122, Mavericks 111: Knocking the Rust Off (Hopefully)

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - FEBRUARY 20: Bones Hyland #8 of the Minnesota Timberwolves celebrates a dunk by teammate Naz Reid #11 against the Dallas Mavericks in the first quarter at Target Center on February 20, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images

We’re back!

After more than a full week off for the All-Star Break that saw Anthony Edwards win All-Star Game MVP, the Minnesota Timberwolves were back in action Friday night at Target Center against the Cooper Flagg-less Dallas Mavericks.

The Wolves got whatever they wanted offensively in the first half, consistently generating open looks through great ball movement, knocking down 11 3-pointers en route to a 69-point half and a lead as high as 18 points. Anthony Edwards scored 20 of those 69 points, including 17 in the second quarter alone.

Naz Reid had the highlight play as he slammed one home over Daniel Gafford, as Bones Hyland’s jaw nearly hit the floor in amazement.

“It was crazy,” Naz said about the dunk after the game. “I mean, the excitement that it brought, that’s the energy two years ago, a year ago. So just kind of getting back to that, and kind of getting the crowd into the games, that’s kind of something we need, especially going into this run and obviously going into the playoffs. So just making things electrifying for the fans, and while being still within myself, I think just stuff like that is huge.”

To start the second half, the ball movement completely dried up, and as they have done many times before, the Wolves gave back the 18-point lead, allowing the Mavs to go on a 24-8 run to cut the lead all the way down to two midway through the third quarter.

The Wolves pushed the lead back up to ten late in the third quarter, but eventually found themselves tied after a flurry of tough makes from Klay Thompson. With less than seven minutes left, the Wolves were in a nailbiter with the tanking Mavericks, needing to put together a quality stretch of basketball to avoid yet another disastrous home loss.

From that point in the game forward, Ant took over. Across the final 6:37 of the game, Edwards was in complete control of the game. He scored 14 points down the stretch, including numerous times when he got to his spot in the midrange and rose over his defender for two points and a dagger 3-pointer that gave him 40 points for the game.

“I think Finchy is a big part of my success,” Edwards said, pointing to his head coach, Chris Finch, as to why he’s been so successful in the clutch this season. “the last couple years he was telling me I need a go-to shot, I need spots I can get to where I’m comfortable, so I’ve got to work on that instead of trying to work on all these moves to get to a shot. Work on getting to this spot and rising up over whoever it is. He’s been preaching that to me for the last two years, so he’s a big part of that.”

The Wolves won by a final score of 122-111. The margin was much closer than it needed to be, but ultimately the Wolves came away with a necessary win to open up their post-All-Star schedule. Along with Edwards, Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid carried the Wolves in this game.

Gobert dominated the paint on both ends of the floor as he finished with 22 points and 17 rebounds, including 10 on the offensive end of the floor. Unfortunately, Gobert did pick up a flagrant foul in the second quarter, which, unless rescinded, will result in a one-game suspension.

“It’s up to him to manage it,” Finch said after the game about Gobert’s flagrant foul issue. “I thought that call was a bit harsh. It looked like two guys tying up and sometimes that happens. Seemingly every time Rudy gets clocked in the head and the face, which is quite a bit, it’s always just, ‘ah, that’s just two guys, play on. It’s nothing.’ But yet the other way around, we seem to be penalized for it. I thought it was harsh. I can see getting a technical there, maybe. A flagrant? I didn’t see a flagrant there or the unnecessary part of it.”

Gobert had similar feelings about the call after the game, saying, “You know what? The thing with that is that I get hit in the head almost every game, and I never get flagrants. But when sometimes inadvertently I hit somebody in the head, they never miss. They’re always very hard on me with that, especially when it’s not intentional.”

Gobert and the Wolves do plan to submit the play to the league office in hopes that it will be downgraded to a common foul or a technical foul.

Reid led the Wolves off the bench with 21 points, seven rebounds, and four assists, while knocking down four 3-pointers while playing the final 19:55 of the game as Minnesota desperately needed his scoring punch and rebounding to close out the game.

Up Next

The Timberwolves are back in action on Sunday at 6:00 PM CT, taking on the Philadelphia 76ers for the first time this season. Joel Embiid is already listed out for the 76ers’ game on Saturday, so status for Sunday’s game against the Wolves is up in the air. Fans can watch the game on FanDuel Sports Network.

Highlights

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Mitchell takes over late as the Cavaliers survive a Hornets scare for a seventh straight win

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 13 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter and the streaking Cleveland Cavaliers held off the Charlotte Hornets 118-113 on Friday night for their seventh straight victory and 12th win in 13 games.

Jared Allen had 25 points and 14 rebounds and James Harden added 18 points and eight assists for the Cavaliers.

Charlotte’s Kon Knueppel finished with 33 points on seven 3-pointers, giving him 193 made 3s for the season — the second most in NBA history by a rookie. Keegan Murray holds the record with 206 set in the 2022-23 season.

LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller each had 18 points and rookie Ryan Kalkbrenner added 12 points and 13 rebounds for Charlotte.

Miller’s and-one layup off a no-look feed from Ball cut Cleveland’s lead to four with a minute remaining, but Mitchell made a short jumper and four free throws in the final 40 seconds to seal the win.

The Cavaliers built a 14-point lead in the second quarter and looked like they were preparing to break the game open, but Knueppel began to heat up, finishing with four 3s and 16 points in the first half to cut Cleveland’s lead in to six. Charlotte took the lead late in the third quarter behind three more Knueppel 3s.

But Mitchell began to take over with his physical play. He got to the line 13 times and made 12 free throws.

Charlotte played without suspended forwards Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabate and Grant Williams, who sat out with knee injury management forcing them to play younger, less experienced players in the frontcourt.

The Cavaliers outscored the Hornets 50-28 in the paint.

GRIZZLIES 123, JAZZ 114

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Olivier-Maxence Prosper scored 23 points, GG Jackson added 20, and Memphis put together a second-half rally to beat Utah.

The Grizzlies trailed by 14 in the first half, but a strong third quarter led to a 21-6 run and a 10-point Memphis advantage early in the fourth. The lead reached 16 on Jackson’s 3-pointer with 4:31 left.

Eight of the nine Grizzlies who played reached double figures as Memphis snapped a four-game losing streak.

Isaiah Collier led the Jazz with 24 points, while Kyle Filipowski and Ace Bailey finished with 20 points each.

The game featured two teams fighting their way to the bottom tier in the Western Conference. The Grizzlies started the night 11th in the conference, while the Jazz were 13th. And the NBA fined Utah $500,000 earlier this month for sitting key players in the fourth quarter of games against Orlando and Miami.

Meanwhile, any success by the Grizzlies would have to come from the depths of their bench. Nine players were absent against Utah with various ailments or injuries.

That left a skeleton crew to face a depleted Utah roster. Players such as Keyonte George, Jusuf Nurkic and Jaren Jackson Jr. — acquired from the Grizzlies at the trade deadline — were dealing with injuries.

Lauri Markkanen, Utah’s leading scorer, was a late scratch due to illness.

WIZARDS 131, PACERS 118

WASHINGTON (AP) — Alondes Williams had career highs with 25 points and 10 rebounds in his 11th NBA game and Washington swept a back-to-back set with Indiana.

Sharife Cooper matched his career high with 18 points for Washington, which moved two games above Indiana at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings and a half-game in front of Brooklyn, which played later at Oklahoma City.

Jay Huff scored 22 points and tied a career best with five 3-pointers for Indiana. The Pacers finished 2-4 on a six-game trip.

Quenton Jackson added 21 points for Indiana. Micah Potter had 18, and Jarace Walker added 12 points and 12 rebounds.

HEAT 128, HAWKS 97

ATLANTA (AP) — Tyler Herro scored 24 points in his return from a rib injury and Miami never trailed in a victory over Atlanta.

Bam Adebayo had 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists for Miami, and Norman Powell added 15 points in his first game since participating in his first All-Star game. Kel’el Ware had 14 points and 12 rebounds.

Jalen Johnson had 16 points, 16 rebounds and 11 assists for Atlanta for his 11th triple-double of the season. It is the most in franchise history for a single season and leads the Eastern Conference.

Oneka Okongwu led Atlanta with 22 points. CJ McCollum had 20 points off the bench. He hit four 3-pointers.

Herro played his 12th game of the season. He missed the last 15 because of a rib injury and returned with a flak jacket.

TIMBERWOLVES 122, MAVERICKS 111

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Anthony Edwards returned to Minnesota with his All-Star Game MVP award and scored 40 points to help the Timberwolves hold off Dallas, the 10th straight loss for the Mavericks.

Rudy Gobert had 22 points, 17 rebounds and three blocks and Naz Reid added 21 points for the Timberwolves, who squandered a 17-point first-half lead before Edwards took over down the stretch.

Tyus Jones tied the game at 103 on a floater with 6:55 left, capping a 12-2 spurt for the Mavericks and ending a stretch of 36:32 during which the Timberwolves were ahead. But Edwards answered with a step-back 3-pointer and Reid hit one too less than a minute later, and the Mavericks never grabbed the lead.

Edwards, who has eight 40-point games this season, had 14 points in the fourth quarter.

Khris Middleton had 18 points and Marvin Bagley added 15 points and 13 rebounds for the Mavericks, who are on their longest losing streak in 28 years

BUCKS 138, PELICANS 118

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Ryan Rollins made a career-high seven 3-pointers and scored 27 points to help Milwaukee beat New Orleans t for its third straight victory and sixth in seven games.

Playing without injured star Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks pulled away in the fourth quarter to improve to 24-30. Antetokounmpo has been sidelined four weeks by a strained right calf.

Bucks newcomer Cam Thomas, a former LSU star, had 27 points in 21 minutes off the bench, and Kevin Porter added 25 points. Rollins was 7 of 10 on 3s and had six assists, four steals and two blocks. The Bucks were coming off a victory at defending champion Oklahoma City before the All-Star break.

Zion Williamson led New Orleans with 32 points in the first game of home back-to-back, while scoring leader Trey Murphy sat out because of a sore right shoulder. The Pelicans dropped to 15-42.

THUNDER 105, NETS 86

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Jared McCain scored a season-high 21 points and short-handed Oklahoma City beat Brooklyn.

McCain, the former Philadelphia 76er the Thunder acquired in a trade this month, posted his highest points total in five games with Oklahoma City. He made 7 of 12 field goals and 3 of 6 3-pointers in a reserve role.

The Thunder have several players dealing with injuries, including reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdominal strain) and 2025 All-Star Jalen Williams (strained right hamstring). Both are to be re-evaluated in the coming weeks.

Oklahoma City compensated with balanced scoring. Chet Holmgren scored 15 points, Isaiah Joe had 11 and Isaiah Hartenstein and Lu Dort each added 10.

Michael Porter Jr. had 22 points and nine rebounds, and Nolan Traore added 17 points for the Nets. Brooklyn shot just 36.7% from the field in its third straight loss.

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No. 7 Purdue routs Indiana 93-64 behind 20 points from Trey Kaufman-Renn

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — Trey Kaufman-Renn scored 20 points and Braden Smith added 15 points and eight assists Friday night, helping No. 7 Purdue produce a historic rout over rival Indiana 93-64 to earn a split in this season’s series.

The Boilermakers emphatically ended their two-game losing streak against the Hoosiers by producing their highest point total in the series since scoring 94 points in 1998. It also was their largest victory margin in the series since a 44-point shellacking in 1969.

Fletcher Loyer and Omer Mayer each scored 18 points, with Loyer going 5 of 5 from the field, making four of his 3-pointers and all four free throws in what could be the Indiana finale for Purdue’s three senior starters — Kaufman-Renn, Smith and Loyer. The victory came three days after Purdue (22-5, 12-4 Big Ten) lost at home to top-ranked Michigan.

Lamar Wilkerson scored 18 of his 20 points in the second half to lead Indiana (17-10, 9-7), which lost its second straight to a top-10 team. Tayton Conerway had 12 points and seven assists, while Tucker DeVries added 11 points on a night Indiana’s offense never got in sync and whose post players struggled against the Boilermakers size, all while battling foul trouble.

Purdue took control quickly, using an 11-4 spurt to take a commanding 26-14 lead. The Boilermakers extended the margin to 46-29 when Nick Dorn’s half-closing 3-ponter was erased after a replay review determined the shot came after time expired.

NO. 18 SAINT LOUIS 88, VCU 75

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Kellen Thames scored 16 points and Saint Louis rallied from a 10-point deficit in the second half for a win over VCU in a game in which both benches emptied in the final seconds.

A St. Louis player was dribbling out the final seconds near center court when, with just over three seconds remaining, VCU’s Nyk Lewis stole the ball from behind and threw up a 3-point shot from halfcourt before being bumped into the broadcast table by the Billikens’ Robbie Avila. That prompted members of both teams to charge off their benches and set off a scrum on the court with 1.1 seconds left.

Staff from both teams rushed to break up the scuffle, and officials disqualified VCU’s Barry Evans and Saint Louis’ Quentin Jones, along with nearly all bench players from both teams.

The teams returned to the court and Lewis converted three free throws before time expired.

Amari McCottry, Avila and Ishan Sharma added 13 points apiece for Saint Louis (25-2, 13-1 Atlantic 10), which bounced back after suffering its first conference loss on Tuesday at Rhode Island. The Billikens have won 20 straight at Chaifetz Arena and have a two-game lead in the conference and the head-to-head tiebreaker over VCU (21-7, 12-3) with two weeks left in the regular season.

NO. 22 MIAMI (OHIO) 91, BOWLING GREEN 77

OXFORD, Ohio (AP) — Luke Skaljac scored a career-high 22 points, Eian Elmer had 21 and Miami University remained the lone unbeaten team in Division I with a victory over Bowling Green.

The RedHawks (27-0, 14-0 Mid-American Conference) got 10 points each from Peter Suder and Antwone Woolfolk to help extend their home winning streak to 30, tying Duke for the nation’s longest.

Javontae Campbell led Bowling Green (16-12, 7-8) with 24 points. Josiah Shackelford and Mayar Wol each had 12.

Cleveland Browns star Myles Garrett was among the sellout crowd 10,127 at Millett Hall.

The RedHawks have had some close calls during their record streak with six games decided by five or fewer points and three overtime wins. Bowling Green kept Friday’s game relatively close for a while.

Bowling Green led 21-19 in the first half, but the RedHawks responded with a 10-0 run.

Skaljac scored 16 of his points in the first half and went 3 of 5 from three-point range helping Miami build a 45-30 halftime lead.

Miami led by 18 points early in the second half, but Wol’s 3-pointer got the Falcons within eight with 13:06 left. The RedHawks committed 12 turnovers helping the Falcons keep it close.

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Munetaka Murakami makes loud spring training debut — after traffic jam nearly prevented it

Munetaka Murakami of the Chicago White Sox in a black and white uniform watches his hit during a spring training game.
Chicago White Sox's Munetaka Murakami, of Japan, watches the flight of his two-run double against the Chicago Cubs during the fourth inning of a spring training baseball game Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Mesa, Ariz.

Munetaka Murakami had a booming spring training debut with the White Sox on Friday — but traffic almost blocked it from happening.

Around 30 minutes before the first pitch of the White Sox’s 8-1 Cactus League win over the Cubs, the team announced that Murakami was a healthy scratch due to the Japanese slugger being stuck in a traffic jam.

Just moments later, however, Murakami was back in Chicago’s starting lineup.

Chicago White Sox’s Munetaka Murakami, of Japan, watches the flight of his two-run double against the Chicago Cubs during the fourth inning of a spring training baseball game Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Mesa, Ariz. AP

“Oh my god!” Murakami said in English, per MLB.com.

“I was so concerned if I could make it on time,” he continued through interpreter Kenzo Yagi. “There was a big accident on the highway, and I was just concerned the whole time. I was actually in the car until 12:50 [p.m., 15 minutes before first pitch].”

Although not being fully prepared for the game, Murakami showed why the White Sox signed him this offseason.

In his second at-bat, the first baseman blasted a single to center with a 108.3 mph exit velocity, according to Statcast.

Chicago White Sox third baseman Munetaka Murakami (5) hits against the Chicago Cubs in the first inning at Sloan Park. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

For his next at-bat, Murakami launched a two-run double to center field after Cubs outfielder — and fellow World Baseball Classic Team Japan teammate — Seiya Suzuki lost the ball in the sun.

After the game, Suzuki jokingly told reporters that he is not supporting Murakami following his fly ball.

“After the pop-up, I hate him. So I’m not going to support him,” Suzuki told reporters through an interpreter before adding, “I’m just kidding.”

White Sox manager Will Venable praised Murakami’s “adaptability and flexibility” to the MLB ahead of his first season in the United States.

“You’ve got to give Mune a lot of credit,” Venable said. “This guy is so committed and such a professional. We’ve asked him to do some things that he hasn’t necessarily been accustomed to, and how he prepares and his adaptability and flexibility to do those things has been awesome.”

The White Sox signed Murakami to a two-year deal worth $34 million in December after he received interest from several MLB teams.