COLUMBUS, GA - JULY 26: Edwin Arroyo #4 of the Chattanooga Lookouts stands in position with a rainbow overhead during the game between the Chattanooga Lookouts and the Columbus Clingstones at Synovus Park on Saturday, July 26, 2025 in Columbus, Georgia. (Photo by Natalie Buchanan/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
The Cincinnati Reds have trimmed their roster prior to Friday’s trip to Scottsdale to face the San Francisco Giants. According to C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic, right-handed pitchers Julian Aguiar and Jose Franco were joined by shortstop Edwin Arroyo and outfielder Hector Rodriguez in being optioned to AAA Louisville, while infielder Leo Balcazar was optioned to AA Chattanooga.
Perhaps the biggest bit of news here is that both Aguiar and Franco are now out of the running for spots in the team’s starting rotation for Opening Day. Both were always going to be considered dark horse candidates given the presence of each of Chase Burns, Rhett Lowder, and Brandon Williamson in camp, but it’s somewhat notable that both were optioned right now given that we’re all waiting with bated breath to see just how forked ace Hunter Greene’s right elbow is.
As for the rest of the moves, they’re pretty stock issue. Arroyo is already away with Team Puerto Rico for the World Baseball Classic, and despite his best efforts so far in spring camp is clearly behind Elly De La Cruz and Matt McLain in the middle-infield mix for the time being. It’s a similar story for Rodriguez, as he’s buried on the depth chart (for the time being) behind the likes of JJ Bleday and Will Benson and will get a second, more thorough chance to mash at AAA as still just a 21 year old.
It’s also worth pointing out who did not get cut in this round. Despite having pretty significant hills to climb to beat out more established guys for Opening Day roster spots, each of Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Rece Hinds, Tejay Antone, and Blake Dunn will remain in big league camp for the time being, as will non-roster guys like Nate Lowe and Garrett Hampson.
SURPRISE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 17: Jack Leiter #22 of the Texas Rangers poses for a portrait during photo day at Surprise Stadium on February 17, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Texas Rangers lineup for March 6, 2026 against the Seattle Mariners.
Texas plays a spring game against the hated Mariners of Seattle this afternoon. Jack Leiter will be the starting pitcher for Texas.
PEORIA, AZ - FEBRUARY 28: Kade Anderson #13 of the Seattle Mariners pitches during the game between the Seattle Mariners and the San Diego Padres at Peoria Sports Complex on Saturday, February 28, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Julia Jacome/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
While we’ve been getting a heavy dose of Mariners prospects this spring with so many players out at the WBC, there’s still a showcase event for prospects: the Spring Breakout games, a prospects-vs-prospects contest between two teams. Last year the Mariners matched up with the Guardians, including top prospect Travis Bazzana. This year, they’ve drawn the Brewers as an opponent and will play the Spring Breakout game at American Family Field in Maryvale.
The Mariners spring breakout game will be on Friday, March 20 at 2:10 PT. It will be broadcast live on MLBN and streamed on MarinersTV. Expect this game to be one of the more-publicized of the Spring Breakout games, as there is a chance the Mariners-Brewers game could have as many as 11 Top-100 prospects (six from the Mariners, tied for highest in baseball, and five from the Brewers: SS Jesus Made, SS Luis Peña, INF/OF Jett Williams, SS Cooper Pratt, RHP Brandon Sproat).
The current Spring Breakout roster is a traditional 40-man roster; that will be reduced to a regular 27-man roster on March 16th. Here is the current Mariners player pool, which will be updated after the cuts are made.
Left-handed pitchers:
Kade Anderson, Robinson Ortiz, Mason Peters
Right-handed pitchers:
Charlie Beilenson, Tyler Cleveland, Ryan Hawks, Casey Hintz, Griffin Hugus*, Lucas Kelly, Grant Knipp, Po-Chun Lin, Danny Macchiarola, Teddy McGraw*, Brock Moore, Michael Morales, Marcelo Perez, Colton Shaw, Chia-Shi Shen, Ryan Sloan
Catchers:
Josh Caron, Connor Charping, Luke Stevenson
Infielders:
Michael Arroyo, 2B; Nick Becker, SS; Felnin Celesten, SS; Colt Emerson, SS; Charlie Pagliarini, 3B; Brock Rodden, 2B/3B; Leandro Romero, SS; Austin St. Laurent, 3B; Luis Suisbel, 1B
Outfielders:
Yorger Bautista, Korbyn Dickerson, Jonny Farmelo, Carlos Jimenez, Victor Labrada*, Lazaro Montes, Jared Sundstrom, Aiden Taurek, Rhylan Thomaa
*Not currently playing due to injury
This will be the last year for the traditional Spring Breakout games (one organization’s prospects vs. another organization’s prospects in a single game). Next year, MLB is introducing a single-elimination, tournament-style contest for the games.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - JANUARY 15: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics looks on against the Miami Heat during the first quarter of the game at Kaseya Center on January 15, 2026 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Jayson Tatum last played for the Boston Celtics 298 days ago, when his 42-point playoff masterpiece against the New York Knicks preceded what would become a nine-plus-month rehabilitation from a torn right Achilles tendon. Since then, he has worked to recover from surgery, regain strength, and progress through multiple 5-on-5 workouts in preparation for his long-awaited return.
The expectation is that Tatum will play Friday night against the Dallas Mavericks, per ESPN’s Shams Charania, who reported that the six-time All-Star is “ready to go.”
Boston played its first 62 games without Tatum, while also adjusting to several key offseason departures, including Kristaps Porziņģis, Jrue Holiday, Al Horford, and Luke Kornet. Despite that, Boston has held its own, going 41–21 to sit second in the Eastern Conference with the fourth-best record in the NBA. Their offensive rating ranks second at 119.9, trailing only the Denver Nuggets, they’ve had the stingiest defense over the last fifteen games with a 106.1 defensive rating, and their 12.2 turnovers per game are the fewest in the league.
No matter what hurdles the inevitability of an NBA season has thrown their way, the Celtics have not relinquished their standard.
Now, with Tatum presumably set to return at any moment for Boston, a recycled topic has resurfaced — one about as fresh as wearing a velour tracksuit in 2026: Tatum’s role. Where will he play? How will he contribute? Is there room for him on an ascending Celtics team led by co-star Jaylen Brown amid a career-best season?
None of these questions are new. Only the circumstances surrounding them are different. The conversation is still stale, and like cold movie-theater popcorn, it belongs on the floor — not to be picked up.
BOSTON, MA – NOVEMBER 3: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics grabs a ball that went out of bounds during the second quarter of their game against the Utah Jazz at TD Garden on November 3, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There’s no immediate rush to get Tatum back — that’s the first point worth acknowledging. He’s returning from a career-threatening injury that raises questions about whether most athletes can play again, much less perform at their previous standard. No matter what Tatum’s minutes look like in his first 5–10 appearances, the focus won’t be on fitting in or carving out a new role. It will be on getting up to speed and regaining confidence in his strength to compete against NBA-level competition.
Brown has been the No. 1 option, and it’s been working — that’s fine. Expecting Tatum to jump back into the offense’s driver’s seat after nearly a year without an NBA game is absurd. Common sense dictates treating his comeback with as much caution as necessary, which will likely mean minutes restrictions at first and limit what he can do early on. That’s not a problem. Boston’s success in his absence proves it.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla has completely redesigned his team’s offense to fit its circumstances. With no Tatum, several offseason departures, and the promotion of inexperienced players into larger roles, Boston couldn’t run its 2025–26 system the same way. Instead, Mazzulla and his staff developed a fresh, new scheme that allowed the roster to flourish. Neemias Queta, a first-time starting center, Hugo González, an impactful rookie, and Luka Garza, a veteran still finding his footing, have all been able to ascend in ways that would have been unimaginable during a typical Tatum-Brown season.
Queta has developed into a reliable starting center, deserving of keeping that role even after the Celtics acquired 15-year veteran and two-time All-Star Nikola Vučević at the trade deadline. González has left executives across the league rethinking their draft evaluations, delivering a two-way impact few rookies can match in their first year. And Garza has taken a notable step in his growth, providing serviceable minutes off the bench that resonate both on the court and with Boston’s home crowd. He’s even set a new career high in 3-pointers made (35) with 20 games left to play, eclipsing his previous mark of 16 set four seasons ago.
BOSTON, MA – JUNE 6: Head Coach Joe Mazzulla, Jayson Tatum, and Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics looks on during the game against the Dallas Mavericks during Game 1 of the 2024 NBA Finals on June 6, 2024 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 2024 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Everything the Celtics have worked to accomplish — establishing their core values, mindset, and player development — has been to survive without Tatum. So far, they’ve done a sensational job, making Brown and Mazzulla legitimate MVP and Coach of the Year candidates, respectively. Teams across the league are clueless as to how Boston has made it work, avoiding the easy route of tanking for a lottery pick. But it’s because they’ve become such a well-oiled machine that Tatum’s role this season barely matters. To think that keeping him sidelined because of a role conflict somehow benefits the Celtics is senseless.
The point is simple: Tatum makes the Celtics — and every other team in the league — better. That has been true since he became a pro, leaving zero room for debate. Even if he can only give Boston 15 minutes against Dallas, it’s more than worth playing him for all 15, and not just as an experiment.
He played the role of a facilitator in the NBA Finals. He’s one of the most elite scorers in the league. Questioning Tatum’s ability to fit completely neglects his versatility.
Boston’s offense is already lethal as is. The team rarely makes mistakes, continues to knock down threes at an above-average rate, and finds ways to get everyone involved. It’s not always Brown, Payton Pritchard, or Derrick White doing the heavy lifting. Queta resembled a top-10 center against the Philadelphia 76ers, dropping 27 points on 10-of-14 shooting with 17 rebounds on Sunday. González scored 18 points and grabbed 16 rebounds while fearlessly guarding Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee. It’s March, and this is what has become normal for the Celtics and their unproven supporting cast.
They’ve reshaped their schemes and their expectations. The ceiling is no longer the Play-In Tournament or any specific win total. Now, it’s about competing with the East-leading Pistons and making a run at the No. 1 seed. It’s about coming out of the East and securing a second NBA Finals appearance in the last three years — and it’s not some Cinderella story. If the Celtics reach the Finals, it will be because they earned it the hard way.
Tatum has spent eight healthy seasons in Boston. He’s played alongside Brown since his rookie year, reaching five Eastern Conference Finals with his longtime partner. To suggest there’s any cause for concern about whether they can coexist for another title run — after winning a championship just two years ago — isn’t a valid debate; it’s simply lazy.
The Chicago Blackhawks have a handful of hours to go until the NHL Trade Deadline kicks at 2:00 PM CT. After that, they will have to wait until the postseason to make any moves ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft.
Chicago already traded Jason Dickinson, Colton Dach, and Connor Murphy. All three of them ended up with the Edmonton Oilers in two separate trades.
In exchange, the Blackhawks received a collective payment of a conditional first-round pick in 2027, a second-round pick in 2028, and forward Andrew Mangiapane.
The Blackhawks retained 50 percent of the cap hit on both Dickinson and Murphy, meaning that they have used up all three of their allowed retention slots (Seth Jones).
Could the Blackhawks make more moves? Well, there are certainly more moves that could be made. The two biggest targets left on their roster are captain Nick Foligno and Ilya Mikheyev.
Both of them are bottom-six forwards who can kill penalties, play a strong game in their own end, and provide veteran presence in a locker room.
Foligno, being a captain in two NHL markets throughout his career, is more of a leader, but Mikheyev will provide a tick more offense and an all-around better game at this stage of their careers.
Is either one of these guys going to be a needle-mover for a contender? No. However, you need depth pieces to win in the playoffs, and each of them has strengths that could be helpful down the stretch once the games get harder and more physical.
Both Mikheyev and Foligno are unrestricted free agents at season's end. In theory, they are both rentals.
Matt Grzelcyk is also a UFA at the end of the year, but a team would have to be willing to part with an asset for a bottom-pair offensive defenseman that could contribute on the power play if needed. He may move, but at a lower percentage than Mikheyev or Foligno.
Colton Dach is not a pending unrestricted free agent, so Kyle Davidson has shown that he is willing to move a young player who may not necessarily be a part of the future core. Kevin Korchinski and Landon Slaggert come to mind as potential sweeteners in a deal, as Dach was.
Davidson loves adding first and second-round picks. How far will he take it before 2 PM CT on Friday? We will soon find out.
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For the first time in recent memory, the Vancouver Canucks have made it clear that they are in a rebuild. Overall, there has been some doubts within the fan base, as while the organization has said they are entering a rebuild, the only signifcant move Vancouver had made in January and February was trading Kiefer Sherwood to the San Jose Sharks. Flash forward to March and the Canucks are finally showing that they are serious about the rebuild.
In the week leading up to the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline, Vancouver made two signifcant trades that involved experienced players with term. The Canucks traded defenceman Tyler Myers to the Dallas Stars on March 4 and followed that up by sending forward Conor Garland to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Both trades involed acquiring draft picks, with two seconds, a third and a fourth round pick heading back to Vancouver.
While both trades should be seen as a win from a rebuild perspective, they also need to signify the start of something much bigger. The Canucks, at least for now, look determined to do this rebuild correcelty, otherwise they would not have made these signifcant trades. Ultimately, Jim Rutherford and Patrik Allvin can not take their foot off the gas as they next seven months will be cruical for Vancouver's future success.
The next step for the Canucks is doing everything they can to move the three unrestricted free agents before the deadline passes at noon PT. As a reminder, these players are Evander Kane, Teddy Blueger and David Kämpf. Even if the pick coming back is lower than originally desired, Vancouver needs to stock pile as much draft capital as possibe.
After these three are dealt, the priority needs to switch to players with term. While having experienced players around is important, no oneshould be off limits for the right price. These deals may also take some time which is why the timeline for moving players with term should be before July 1.
May 28, 2017; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford addresses reporters during media day before the start of the 2017 Stanley Cup Final at PPG PAINTS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
While it may sound obvious, rebuilding this team is not going to be easy, but needs to be done correctly. It is also going to take signifcant time to not only move off some of these long-term contracts, but build up a prospect pool that can lead the charge into the future. Based on the moves made this week, Rutherford and Allvin are off to a good start but need to stay on the path and not look for shortcuts that could derail the rebuild.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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Head Coaches: Jake Boss Jr. (18th season, 496-450) & Will Bolt (7th season, 177-131-1)
TV/Stream: B1G+
Radio: All Nebraska games on Huskers Radio Network, Huskers.com, Huskers App
Nebraska baseball goes into conference play having won both of its mid-week games since returning home to Haymarket Park. It’s riding the hot bats of Dylan Carey, and Mac Moyer. Carey is fresh off a 5 for 5 game, the first 5 hit game for a Husker since Gunner Hellstrom in 2018. Carey is leading all Big Ten batters in both hits (28) and doubles (8) and is 2nd in avg. (.509). He is piling up the RBIs with Moyer reaching base at a .592 clip. He is tied for the Big Ten lead with 13 walks.
Nebraska should also be getting Will Jesske back after a week off due to feeling a twing in his hamstring Friday night at Auburn. Husker coach Will Bolt said he was going to pinch hit if needed the last inning against South Dakota State, but didn’t want him playing the field yet with the cold weather. Jesske has 3 home runs on the year, but with the amount of hits on the barrel he has had at some giant ballparks, he could be close to the Big Ten lead if he played all his games at a place like Haymarket Park.
The Spartans had the biggest upset of the first week of the season, taking the series from then #8 Louisville by winning the first 2 games 4-3 and 13-4. They have struggled mightily since, going 1-8 against a pretty rough schedule. They went from Louisville to #3 Texas and were swept by a combined score of 15-2 in 3 games.
They have a yearly “residency” as they call it, in Greenville, South Carolina early every year, thanks to a big alumni base in the area. They struggled to put up runs in those 2 weeks, never putting up more than 4. Their lone win was a 4-1 victory over Albany, and they ended the residency on a sour note, with a 7 inning run rule loss to #10 Clemson, 12-1. Husker pitchers will need to limit walks and hit batters, and should be able to manage the lineup if they can.
Game 1: RHP Ty Horn (0-0, 4.05 ERA) vs. RHP Aidan Donovan (0-1, 3.95 ERA)
Game 2: RHP Carson Jasa (1-1, 7.71 ERA) vs. RHP Carter Monke (1-1, 2.35 ERA)
Game 3: RHP Gavin Blachowicz (1-1, 2.31 ERA) vs. RHP Logan Pikur (0-2, 7.30 ERA)
It was a rough weekend for Husker starting pitching. In fact, in 2026 no weekend starter has turned in a quality start. Ty Horn started strong, piling up strikeouts in the first couple innings before a couple hits and an error jump started the Tigers’ offense. Still looking for him to work on getting through the order a couple times in a more efficient fashion. It would really behoove Friday starters to go longer so the bullpen is more available the next two days. That is just as big of a deal as being dominant for 5 innings.
Really nothing went right on Saturday for Carson Jasa. Well, he could locate his fastball for strikes, but that was about it, and Auburn quickly realized it. 2 walks and a hit batter went a long way to giving up 4 earned runs in his lone inning of work, but Auburn learned to just sit and hunt his fastball, and when you connect with a 97 mph fastball, it tends to go a long way. Regaining a feel for his cutter/change and slider is really all he can do.
Even the most steady of the starters for the first 2 weeks had a rough go. Gavin Blachowicz seemed to get out of an issue with minimal damage in the 2nd inning against Auburn in which an error led to a run being scored, but a wild pitch and then giving up a no doubter 3 run home run, opened the game up. Rather than let him work out of it, Nebraska had a couple strong options in the bullpen to turn to, so they let Kevin Mannell come out and get some work in to try and regain his confidence. Blachowicz needs to work on not letting a mistake turn into a big inning, and he should regain his form.
MSU had 2 starting pitcher and kinda filled in the Sunday position last season. They lost Big Ten Pitcher of the Year Joseph Dzierwa, and their Saturday guy was moved to a long relief role. Aidan Donovan was mostly a mid-week starter last season, but has moved into the Friday role. He showed a lot of promise as a freshman in 2025, with a 2-3 record and 4.70 ERA. He pitched well against Louisville and Texas, but struggled in his last outing against Illinois. Don’t look for him to pile up strike outs or go deep into the game, his season high is 5 innings and he has 10 strikeouts in his 13.2 innings so far.
Carter Monke is a grad transfer from Illinois State. He started 14 games in his 2 years at ISU, and had a 6.16 ERA, striking out 67 in 83 innings of work. Despite those numbers, he has pitched very well to start 2026. He started 2 of their 3 wins, and in his loss only gave up 1 earned run in 6.1 innings against Texas. Logan Pikur led the team in appearances the past 2 seasons, but has really struggled moving into the starting rotation. He has a career ERA over 7.00 and career batting average against of .315. Nebraska’s offense should be ready to roll Sunday.
Scouting Report
The Spartans returned a lot of position players, but from an offense that really struggled in 2025. They have far and away the fewest hits of any Big Ten team currently, a combo of their offensive struggles and their incredible strength of schedule. They have only 62 hits on the year. The next lowest is 83, and Nebraska by contrast, has 132. They have scored only 33 runs on the season. Nebraska is below average in the B1G, but still has scored 78 runs.
Everything starts with returning 2nd Team All-Big Ten second baseman Ryan McKay. Like everyone, he’s had a rough start to the year. A .250 average and only 1 double from a guy that hit .306 with 20 home runs a season ago. He epitomizes the team’s philosophy of working deep into counts, but not striking out. He has as many walks in his career as strikeouts. He also likes to run, already with 4 stolen bases despite the limited opportunities.
Sliding over from short stop to first base, senior Randy Seymour is leading the team in most hitting categories so far, batting .256, with 2 home runs and 3 doubles. He is a very free swinger though, striking out 11 and only walking once. The team was also expecting big things out of outfielder Parker Picot, and in the second game of the season, he delivered, hitting 2 home runs and driving in 8 RBIs in the 13-4 win over Louisville. Other than that game, he is 1 for 25 with 1 RBI.
The Spartans landed a huge recruit in 3B/OF CJ Decking. They beat out a long list of Big Ten and SEC programs to get him out of Illinois. Needless to say, a freshman starting his career playing against a top 10 team in 6 out of 8 games has been a rough go. He’s batting .100 with 7 strikeouts, but he will explode eventually.
The MIchigan State bullpen is solid. They don’t strike a ton out as a group, but keep guys off the basepaths, only walking 40 in 93+ innings. Last season’s Saturday starter, Gannon Grundman has transitioned into a bullpen role. He leads the team with 6 appearances, He’s had 2 terrible outings, allowing 4 runs against Texas and 6 against Clemson, ballooning his ERA to 14.04
One of their better arms is Tommy Szczepanski. He stands 6’5 and 235 lbs, and will appear in late game situations. He has 13 strikeouts in 8.2 innings, but also has 8 walks already on the year. He has 1 of the team’s 2 saves on the year.
Per usual, Michigan State is solid on defense. Something to be expected with a SS moving over to first baseman. They currently sit at a 98.2 fielding percentage.
Series History
Nebraska leads the all time series 21-11 against Michigan State. They last met in the opening game of the Big Ten Tournament last year. Nebraska won 5-4 in 10 innings in a game that will long be remembered. The Spartan right fielder dropped the final out in the 9th in what due to the setup of the tournament was essentially an elimination game. That allowing Nebraska to start their improbable run to be Big Ten Champions.
Dylan Carey is 2 doubles shy of owning the career record at Nebraska, currently held by head coach Will Bolt. With the tear he is on, and how up and down the Spartan pitching staff is, a new record by the end of the weekend is not out of the question.
OSAKA, JAPAN - MARCH 02: Shohei Ohtani #16 of team Japan warms up during the 2026 World Baseball Classic exhibition game presented by Capital One between Team Japan and Orix Buffaloes at Kyocera Dome Osaka on Monday, March 2, 2026 in Osaka, Japan. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/WBCI/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Today the World Baseball Classic’s group stage enters full swing as pool play games kick off in Houston, Miami, and San Juan. Not counting the 3:00 AM MST match between Japan and Chinese Taipei—which was included in yesterday’s game thread—and including tomorrow’s 3:00 AM match, there are eight World Baseball Classic games today!
Game No. 1: Cuba (República de Cuba) at Panama (República de Panamá)
Venue: Hiram Bithorn Stadium — San Juan, Puerto Rico
First Pitch: 9:00 AM MST
TV: FS2
Radio: MLB Audio; Sirius XM
Lineups:
Game No. 2: The Netherlands (Nederland) at Venezuela (República Bolivariana de Venezuela)
Venue: loanDepot Park — Miami, Florida, USA
First Pitch: 10:00 AM MST
TV: Tubi
Radio: MLB Audio; Sirius XM
Lineups:
Game No. 3: Mexico (Estados Unidos Mexicanos) at Great Britain
Venue: Daikin Park — Houston, Texas, USA
First Pitch: 11:00 AM MST
TV: FS1
Radio: MLB Audio; Sirius XM
Lineups:
Game No. 4: Puerto Rico at Colombia (República de Colombia)
Venue: Hiram Bithorn Stadium — San Juan, Puerto Rico
First Pitch: 4:00 PM MST
TV: FS1
Radio: MLB Audio; Sirius XM
Lineups:
Game No. 5: Nicaragua (República de Nicaragua) at Dominican Republic (República Dominicana)
Venue: loanDepot Park — Miami, Florida, USA
First Pitch: 5:00 PM MST
TV: FS2
Radio: MLB Audio; Sirius XM
Lineups:
Game No. 6: United States at Brazil (República Federativa do Brasil)
Venue: Daikin Park — Houston, Texas, USA
First Pitch: 6:00 PM MST
TV: Fox
Radio: MLB Audio; Sirius XM
Lineups:
Game No. 7: Chinese Taipei ( 中華臺北) at Czechia (Česká)
Feb 5, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks (3) against the Golden State Warriors at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Dillon Brooks, who has been the soul of the Phoenix Suns thus far this season, is currently sitting out due to a broken hand he sustained on February 21.
It has been reported by TMZ Sports that he was arrested in Scottsdale at 2:00am on Friday, March 6, on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. The report states that “he was respectful and cooperative before being released,” noting that he was released at 3:20am.
🚨 EXCLUSIVE: Phoenix Suns' Dillon Brooks was arrested for DUI in Scottsdale.
“We are aware of the situation involving Dillon Brooks and are gathering more information. We have no further comment at this time.”
Brooks, affectionately known as “The Villain”, is averaging a career-high 20.9 points with the Phoenix Suns this season after being acquired by the team in the Kevin Durant trade this past offseason. We will report more as information becomes available.
Update
Per Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro, the arrest was not alcohol related, rather, it was marijuana. Brooks was released without being charged.
From a source – Dillon Brooks was arrested on suspicion of DUI last night after the game. It was not alcohol related but am told it was marijuana. He was released without being charged. Brooks was asked to blow into a portable breathalyzer and blew a 0 showing no alcohol in his…
Anyone who had watched the Clippers play in recent weeks came away saying, "I like that young Yanic Konan Niederhauser." Over his last five games, he'd averaged 8.2 points per game, shooting 52.2% and grabbing 6.2 boards while blocking 2.2 shots a night, all in 18 minutes a game.
Yanic Konan Niederhauser in the Clippers' 114-101 win over the Warriors last night:
Unfortunately, his season is now over. Niederhauser suffered a Lisfranc injury in his right foot that requires season-ending surgery, the team announced. He suffered the injury on Wednesday night against Indiana.
A Lisfranc injury occurs when the long bone in the foot that connects the toes to the ankle area becomes fractured and dislocated.
The Clippers selected Niederhauser with the No. 30 pick in last June's draft, intrigued by the potential of the athletic 7-foot center out of Switzerland, by way of Penn State. Niederhauser started the season mostly playing in the G League, but as his confidence grew, he spent more time with the big club and, when the Clippers traded away center Ivica Zubac at the deadline, took advantage of his opportunities when the minutes arose.
"I think his ability to roll to the basket, get offensive rebounds [is important], but the biggest thing is just defensively challenging every shot, blocking shots at the rim," Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said after a recent Clippers win over the Warriors.
Niederhauser has earned the chance to get more run next season, but unfortunately all those development plans are on hold while he recovers from this foot surgery.
On the NHL’s trade deadline day, the New York Islanders are in playoff position but far from contender position. They have a Vezina candidate (favorite?) goalie and a Calder favorite who have driven an exciting season above expectations. Their power play is abysmal, and their overall team defense often leaves us scratching our head. They have a couple of older UFAs who are very much contributing to where they are, including a longtime captain who is climbing the franchise’s games played and goal list.
There is value to a playoff appearance, both financially and culturally. And maybe they can get there without making any other changes. (They added Ondrej Palat and Carson Soucy before the Olympic break, who fall into the “veterans settling rotating-cast positions” category.)
GM Mathieu Darche is surely balancing all of this as the marketplace hits its final hours. The Isles certainly shouldn’t be big-game hunting unless there are prime players with term, but then what is the cost of that?
Two names that keep coming up around the league and in fan debates Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou, both in the first half of long-term deals with full no-trade protection. The Blues are reportedly asking exorbitant prices for each, and that seems to be the point: They don’t need to trade either — it’s not a firesale — so they are in “make me an offer I can’t refuse” mode. Sounds like they went down that road with the Sabres on multiple players, including Colton Parayko (for a first and last summer’s 9th overall pick), and the player blocked the trade anyway.
Unless the Blues shift their approach in fallout or re-evaluation of what’s happening there, I can’t see a package from the Islanders that makes sense for them and meets the Blues’ price. The Isles still need to think long term, not this spring, so there may be opportunities to revisit a bigger acquisition this summer.
Here's where it sits for #Isles/Darche – Continues having talks on multiple possibilities – He does not like acquiring rentals – Dealing 2025 first-rounders Aitcheson, Eklund likely a no go – Struck early on Soucy/Palat before prices skyrocketed and said to be fine if that's it
If they weren’t in playoff position — truly in position, not just chasing in the wild card bubble — it would be easy to conclude they should sell Anders Lee and J-G Pageau. But the team’s play (thanks, Ilya and Schaef!) has put them in a different position. Tere’s no indication either has been on the market this season, and it’s completely defensible for a team competing in playoff position with 19 games to go to keep two key players rather than deflate the roster.
Islanders News
About last night: Ugly enough to make you doubt whether this team will, in the end, reach the postseason. Hopefully it was and remains their worst showing of the season. [LHH | Newsday | Post]
Trade deadline? Yeah, there are jitters. [Newsday]
The Devils put Max Tsyplakov (and two others) on waivers. He continued to get the same amount of ice time and same (lack of) production, with zero points in nine games, 7-9 minutes per night. [Devils]
Elsewhere
In a bit of a shock and a handsome return, the Capitals send John Carlson to Anaheim. [NHL]
Yet another Luke Schenn trade: He and Logan Stanley head from Winnipeg to Buffalo. [NHL]
David Perron returns to the Red Wings…maybe: The Senators get a 4th if the injured winger plays a game, and it’s a 2nd if he appears in half their playoff games through two rounds. [Sportsnet]
Ottawa, meanwhile, took Warren Foegele from the Kings. [CP]
38-year-old Jeff Petry goes from Florida to Minnesota for a 7th-round pick, the universal currency of “we just want you to leave.” [NHL]
How many times have we seen this before: Evgeni Malkin losing his cool. This time he gets an ejection for slashing Rasmus Dahlin — playing the role of Travis Hamonic in Malkin’s nightmares — in the head. [Sportsnet]
An angry cat is never something you want to provoke, and the Detroit Red Wings will face a fired-up Florida Panthers squad on Friday night. Florida enters the matchup in the second game of a back-to-back after falling to the Columbus Blue Jackets in their previous outing. The Panthers have also struggled recently, dropping nine of their last 11 games, and will be desperate for a rebound victory on the road in Detroit.
The Red Wings claimed the first meeting between these teams earlier this season with a 4–1 win and will now try to accomplish the difficult task of beating Florida twice in a row in the second of four matchups this year.
Florida’s lineup could look somewhat different by puck drop Friday. With the trade deadline approaching, players such as Sergei Bobrovsky, AJ Greer, and Mackie Samoskevich have been mentioned in potential moves as the Panthers consider retooling for next season.
Even so, the team still has plenty of firepower with Sam Bennett has begun to heat up with five points in his last five games, while veteran Brad Marchand appears due for a breakout after going scoreless in three straight. Florida will also continue to lean on key contributors from their recent Stanley Cup runs, including Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart, and Anton Lundell.
Detroit, meanwhile, will be looking to bounce back after letting a 3–1 lead slip away in a loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday. The Wings have lost six of their last nine games and are eager to regain momentum as their grip on a playoff spot begins to loosen.
Offensively, however, Detroit has shown encouraging signs with rookie Emmitt Finnie has rediscovered his scoring touch with goals in back-to-back games after enduring a seven-game point drought. He’ll aim to keep that momentum going alongside fellow youngster Marco Kasper, who has collected nine points over his last 14 contests.
With both Atlantic Division rivals searching for momentum and valuable points, Friday’s meeting has all the ingredients for a fast-paced and high-stakes showdown.
Detroit Red Wings’ Expected Line Combinations vs Vegas (Wednesday)
Rasmussen – Larkin – Kane
DeBrincat – Copp – Raymond
Finnie – Kasper – Appleton
van Riemsdyk – Compher – Shine
Edvinsson – Seider
Chiarot – Benard-Docker
Johansson - Sandin-Pellikka
Gibson
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SCOTTSDALE, AZ - MARCH 03: Roman Anthony #3 of Team USA hits a home run during the 2026 World Baseball Classic exhibition game presented by Capital One between Team USA and San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium on Tuesday, March 3, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Rob Tringali/WBCI/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Do you know the last time the Red Sox finished a season without a single player hitting at least 20 home runs? If we’re not counting 2020 — which we shouldn’t, pretty much ever, for pretty much anything — then the answer is a loooooong time ago: 1945, to be exact. But, frankly, we shouldn’t even count the World War II years, either. Ted Williams, Bobby Doerr, Dom DiMaggio and the rest of the actual Red Sox were fighting overseas, leaving the lineup to be filled with 34-year-old infielders named Skeeter. Everyone knows that it’s impossible to be a power hitter if your name is Skeeter.
Discounting the war years, we have to go all the way back to 1935 — the year before Jimmie Foxx joined the team — to find a season in which no Red Sox player hit at least 20 homers. Suffice it to say, the game was very, very different 91 years ago. Only 14 players across the entire sport hit 20 or more homers. Only 5 hit more than 30. The only thing that the baseball players of 1935 were better at than the players of 2026 was having cool, old timey names (and not just Skeeter, either; let’s hear it for Ripper Collins, Pinky Higgins, Dolph Camili, and Zeke Bonura, all of whom did hit 20 or more homers that year).
Could 2026 be the season that the Red Sox break their 91-year 20-homer streak? It’s not a totally ridiculous question to ask, as FanGraphs currently doesn’t project a single Red Sox player to hit 20 bombs, the only MLB team with that dishonorable distinction. But, nevertheless, the answer is no. Someone on the Red Sox (likely multiple someones) will hit 20 homers in 2026.
This isn’t to say that the FanGraphs’ projections are “wrong.” Rather, this is an acknowledgment that projections are not predictions. Projections are conservative by nature, favoring mean outcomes rather than outlier outcomes because, well, outlier outcomes are outliers for a reason. The projections also don’t take into account the real-world human factors that influence statistical outcomes. E.g., the projections only know that Trevor Story hit 16, 2, and 3 home runs from 2022-2024; they do not know that he his home runs totals were that low because he was injured for most of that time.
So, starting with the assumption that someone will hit 20 homers, our question of the day is: how many will do so and who will they be?
There’s one easy answer on this roster:
Roman Anthony is a generationally talented player with monster power. It didn’t always show up in his partial rookie year in 2025, but it’s there, and it’s going to be unleashed sooner rather than later. If he plays at least 130 games, it’s hard for me to see him not getting to at least 20, if not 30.
But, admittedly, it’s hard to say with any certainty that anyone else on the roster will likely hit 20 homers. Trevor Story blasted 25 last year. But no one would be shocked if he has yet another injury set-back this year, and he’s a 33-year-old with a rapidly slowing bat who struggles to make contact. Jarren Duran and Ceddanne Rafaela both hit 16 last year, but both have obvious flaws in their offensive profiles (for Druan, it’s hitting against lefties, for Rafaela, it’s his swing decisions) and both of them find themselves in a crowded outfield rotation that will almost certainly result in them playing fewer than the 157 and 156 games they played in last year. Like Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu is also a young player with some offensive flaws who has yet to totally establish himself in the bigs. And while Willson Contreras hit exactly 20 last year, like Trevor Story, he is battling not just opposing pitchers but the relentless march of time.
For me, I’ll set the over/under on Red Sox players who hit 20 or more home runs at 3. I believe Anthony and Abreu are likely to get there, and someone from that Duran/Ceddy/Contreras/Story group will join them. Hell, we can’t even rule out Triston Casas.
What say you? Talk about home runs and whatever else you want and, as always, be good to one another.
Nathan MacKinnon is one of the league’s most productive players, and he always takes it up a notch against Dallas.
My Avalanche vs. Stars predictions expect the trigger-happy MacKinnon to find the net against his division rival for the sixth consecutive game.
Let’s break down my NHL picks for Friday, March 6.
Avalanche vs Stars prediction
Avalanche vs Stars best bet: Nathan MacKinnon anytime goal (-110)
Nathan MacKinnon has piled up the shots since returning from the Olympics, generating 25 shots on goal and 36 attempts over four games.
The volume should remain strong against the Dallas Stars, a division rival he’s excelled against over the years. He's generated 50 shots on target over his past 10 meetings with Dallas and scored in seven of the last eight.
With consistently strong shot outputs and the highest conversion rate of his career (15.2%), MacKinnon is a big threat to score.
Avalanche vs Stars same-game parlay
Colorado Avalanche forward Martin Necas has picked up a point in eight of the last nine games in which MacKinnon scored.
Necas helps facilitate a lot of MacKinnon’s shot volume at 5-on-5 and on the power play, making the two players strongly correlated.
Mavrik Bourque has played six games without both Tyler Seguin and Mikko Rantanen in the lineup. He’s registered multiple shots on goal in each, averaging 3.7 shots on 5.0 attempts.
He’s an efficient, shoot-first player who has benefited greatly from an increase in usage.
Nathan MacKinnon has scored in five consecutive games against Dallas. Find more NHL betting trends for Avalanche vs. Stars.
How to watch Avalanche vs Stars
Location
American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
Date
Friday, March 6, 2026
Puck drop
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
ALT, Victory+
Avalanche vs Stars latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 12: Tomoyuki Sugano #11 of the Colorado Rockies plays catch during a spring training workout at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on February 12, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Kyle Cooper/Colorado Rockies/Getty Images)
In 2025, Colorado Rockies starters had a combined 6.65 ERA, more than a full run higher than the next-worst Washington Nationals. It would be difficult to exaggerate how poorly this group performed over the past few seasons.
But it’s a new day.
The rotation enters 2026 having taken steps designed, not only to stop the bleeding, but also to foster experimentation in order to build a long-term identity.
The Locks
The Rockies spent more money on free agent starting pitchers this offseason than they had in any other since signing Jorge De La Rosa to a two-year deal (with a couple of option years) in 2010.
With that money, they secured the services of three veteran arms that are expected to — alongside rotation stalwart Kyle Freeland — provide the bulk of innings for the major league club in 2026. While the context that brought them here differs, Tomoyuki Sugano, José Quintana, and Michael Lorenzen enter the organization sharing a striking number of similarities as pitchers:
They have been consistently available to take the mound; as a trio the past two seasons they have averaged 26 ⅓ starts a year.
Each has a wide pitch arsenal ranging from Quintana’s five pitches to Lorenzen’s whopping eight.
They’ve all had playoff experience (Sugano’s coming in NPB where he was a three-time MVP).
None of them collects many strikeouts or even throws particularly hard (Lorenzen’s 8.07 K/9 and 93.5 mph fastball are both the high marks for the group).
All of this is also true of the only rotation lock that was present on the team last year: Kyle Freeland.
Now the franchise leader in career games started and bWAR, Freeland has managed to remain a major league quality pitcher for nearly a decade. It’s been years since hope of regaining his near Cy Young form from 2018 seemed reasonable, but the club clearly valued the sort of stability he provides enough to go get three more arms just like his.
There is one other thing everyone in this category has in common: They are in their mid-30’s, and their futures with the organization past 2026 is murky.
Sugano (36) and Quintana (37) are on one-year deals. Lorenzen (34) has a not-insubstantial $9 million club option for 2027. Freeland (32), has an option for 2027 that will vest if he reaches at least 170 innings pitched this year (a number he hasn’t reached in any of the past three seasons).
For this season, though, they will not be expected to shut down the competition, but simply to remain reliably competent.
Under consideration
Beyond those veteran arms that, barring injuries, will provide the bulk of starts for the club is an eclectic group of pitchers vying for the final rotation spot (or two) to start the year.
The front runners are Ryan Feltner, whose 2024 success is clouded by a 2025 lost to injury, and Chase Dollander, one of the most well-regarded pitching prospects in franchise history, who struggled mightily when at Coors in his rookie season.
They both spent their offseasons attempting to overcome the factors that kept them from succeeding last year: For Feltner, that meant gaining strength, whereas for Dollander, it took the form of making mechanical adjustments to be “more direct to the plate.” They both have at least five pitches in their arsenal, like the veterans at the top of the rotation, but they haven’t been able to harness them with consistency. What upside exists with this year’s rotation primarily comes from these two.
Tanner Gordon and McCade Brown (No. 18 PuRP) are in their mid 20’s (28 and 25, respectively), and both have gotten some chances with the major league squad over the past couple years (109.2 and 25.2 innings respectively). Neither is viewed as a future ace (though Brown has seen his stock rise after remaking his delivery last year), but both are arguably major league ready.
The likeliest outcome for Gordon, a finesse pitcher who had a 93rd percentile walk rate last year, is that he’s pushed into a long man/spot starting role. If Brown — who hasn’t pitched more than 102 ⅓ innings in a season — doesn’t make the rotation right out of the gate, he’ll likely see time back in the minors so he can build up to a starter’s workload.
Finally, we get to the two biggest question marks in this equation.
Jimmy Herget, with his funky side arm delivery, had a phenomenal 2025 season but has pitched from the bullpen his whole career. The same cannot be said for Antonio Senzatela who, having been a rotation mainstay when healthy since 2017, lost his spot last August. This was due, in large part, to an overreliance on his fastball, despite it being the worst in the league according to Statcast’s wFA (Fastball Runs above Average).
Both have, somewhat surprisingly, come into the spring being given a genuine chance to win a starting spot. For either to earn a spot in the rotation — and then perform well in it — would be a major win for the new coaching staff.
Regardless of who from this group ends up in the major league rotation on opening day, it’s likely that all of them (with the exception of Herget) will make starts for the Rockies at some point during the season. Injuries, regression, and/or trades will open up opportunities for them, the question is just which of them forces the team to keep them in that spot.
On the Farm
While the new front office made it a priority to bring in veteran reinforcements for the major league rotation, they have yet to put their stamp on the minor league side of things. They’ve inherited a system that has quite a few realistic back-of-the-rotation-type arms that could be ready to make their big league debuts over the next couple years.
It is, however, sparse when it comes to potential impact talent. The one arm within this group that has true top of the rotation potential is Brecht, but he hasn’t pitched above Low-A and has legitimate command concerns to work on.
That’s not to say this group is without future big leaguers — far from it. Guys like Sullivan, Hughes, and Brown are likely going to be in the majors soon and could end up as solid options for the foreseeable future. It remains to be seen, however, whether or not the new pitching development staff can find ways to pull something more than is currently projected out of anyone already in the system.
If not, this may be an area of the organization that sees quite a few new names added over the next year or two.
Closing thoughts
The main theme that has emerged with this group over the course of the offseason is this: depth.
That means depth in the number of arms Warren Schaeffer can feel comfortable turning to for any given game; depth in the number of pitch types that opposing batters have to think about when digging in against each of those arms; depth in experience with other organizations to pull from; and, finally, depth in the potential young replacements for when the veterans depart.
As things stand, there is no one in this group that a playoff-bound team would feel confident in handing the ball to in an elimination game. However, the Rockies are no longer counting on anyone to start for them that wouldn’t get a major league job with another team.
There is still a long way to go before anyone would call the Rockies rotation good, but it should no longer perform so poorly that it’s historically significant.
