In yet another move this morning, Colorado Rockies announced they have acquired infielder Edouard Julien and right-handed pitcher Pierson Ohl from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for minor league pitcher Jace Kaminska and cash considerations.
The Rockies announced today they have acquired INF Edouard Julien and RHP Pierson Ohl from Minnesota in exchange for Minor League RHP Jace Kaminska and cash considerations. pic.twitter.com/frESXSCXnW
Out of minor league options, Julien, 26, joins the club after spending parts of three seasons with the Twins. Originally drafted in the 18th round out of Auburn University in 2019, the native of Quebec City, Canada, has slashed .232/.336/.382 in his big league career. He burst onto the scene as a rookie in 2023, slashing .263/.381/.459 with 16 home runs, finishing seventh in the American League Rookie of the Year voting. However, he struggled in his playing time over the next two seasons, capped by a rough 2025 campaign in which he hit just .220 with a .633 OPS in 64 games.
Julien spent the majority of the year in Triple-A, where he batted .276 with a .879 OPS, 33 runs scored, and 21 extra-base hits, including 11 home runs over 70 games. Strikeouts have certainly been an issue for him in his big league career at a 31.7% clip, but he has also managed an above average 13% walk rate. Defensively, he gives the Rockies a little bit of versatility on the right side of the infield at the two most unsettled positions. He has started 159 games at second base and 23 at first base. The added bonus is that he is a left-handed batter.
Ohl, 26, was recently designated for assignment by the Twins. A 14th-round pick by the Twins in 2021 out of Grand Canyon University, Ohl finally made his big league debut in 2025, where he went 0-3 with a 5.10 ERA and 27 strikeouts against five walks in 30 innings over 14 games that included three starts. His minor league career, spanning five seasons, paints a better picture. He owns a career 3.61 ERA in 394 innings over 90 appearances. He has tallied 373 strikeouts and a 1.13 WHIP and was named a Texas League Post-Season All-Star in 2023 and 2025.
He has primarily been used as a starter in his career and could fit into the mix for the Rockies’ rotation while remaining an option as a swing-man out of the bullpen. Per Statcast, he features a primarily four-pitch mix that includes a 92 MPH four-seam fastball alongside a cutter, curveball, and changeup. Statcast also indicates that he threw five knuckleballs in 2025. Aside from the fastball, his other pitches generated at least a 20% whiff rate, while his changeup secured 13 of his 27 strikeouts. He pounds the zone and doesn’t walk many batters.
Kaminska did not pitch in 2025 as he recovered from surgery on his elbow. Drafted in the 10th round from the University of Nebraska in 2023, he went 5-5 with a 2.78 ERA across 17 outings, including 16 starts, across his first two seasons in the minors with the Arizona Complex League and the Low-A Fresno Grizzlies. In 2024, he had 104 strikeouts against just 12 walks in 87 1/3 innings.
The Winnipeg Jets are expected to make roster moves ahead of the NHL trade deadline, with a pair of pending free agents drawing league-wide interest. Defensemen Luke Schenn and Logan Stanley have emerged as the primary candidates to be dealt, though the exact timing of any moves remains uncertain.
Of the two, Stanley is the player most likely to be shipped out or not return to the team next season. The 27-year-old towering six-foot-seven defenseman has reportedly not yet discussed a contract extension with the Jets, according to TSN’s Darren Dreger.
Drafted 18th overall in 2016, Winnipeg traded up to select Stanley and he has struggled to live up to expectations early in his career, often serving as a depth defenseman. However, this season has marked a breakout, with Stanley recording eight goals and nine assists for 17 points in 51 games. He is on pace to surpass his previous career highs, making him an attractive option for playoff-bound teams seeking a second- or third-pairing defenseman.
The Jets appear to be focused on retooling for next season, meaning Stanley’s trade value could be modest. While exact returns are uncertain, a fourth- or fifth-round pick could be expected. By comparison, defenseman Carson Soucy was traded from the Vancouver Canucks to the New York Islanders this season for a third-round pick. Even a mid-round selection for Stanley would exceed the value Winnipeg might have expected at the start of the season.
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The Texas Rangers will have pitchers and catchers reporting to Surprise in a couple of weeks, and the team’s roster is starting to round into shape.
The Rangers swapped Marcus Semien for Brandon Nimmo early in the offseason, addressing their corner outfield need while also opening up a spot for Josh Smith to play every day. In December they signed Danny Jansen, addressing their need for a catcher to share time with Kyle Higashioka. Last week, the team acquired MacKenzie Gore, taking care of a hole in the middle of their rotation that needed filling. And throughout the offseason, they have added relief pitchers, with four free agent relievers being signed to major league deals, a reliever being added through the Rule 5 Draft, a pair of arms being claimed on waivers (who are still here, as of now), and your usual collection of NRIs to throw against the camp wall to see if any stick.
The one priority on the offseason shopping list that has not been addressed, however, is a righthanded bat. Chris Young has said throughout the offseason that the Rangers want to add a righthanded bat, and given the makeup of the roster, I’d say that’s more of a need than a want. Evan Carter has been terrible in his career against lefties and has durability concerns, and Josh Smith is a lefthanded hitter with durability concerns. Neither player may end up in a true platoon, but I suspect both will regularly sit against lefties, with Sam Haggerty (penciled in as the team’s fourth outfielder) and Ezequiel Duran (penciled in as the utility infielder) filling in for them.
Joc Pederson, meanwhile, is a platoon DH. He was signed to be the designated hitter against righthanded pitchers, and he needs a platoon partner. Unlike past years, where the four bench spots could be allocated to a backup catcher, a fourth outfielder, a utility infielder, and Some Dude Who Will Never Play, you are going to probably need that last bench spot to be dedicated to someone who will actually play, and who will ideally be starting against lefties, most likely at DH, but potentially in the field to give, say, Wyatt Langford a half-day off by DHing.
There are still some viable platoon DH/RH bench bat options out there in the free agent market. Let’s take a look at them, shall we?
Paul Goldschmidt
This would be, to me, the “in an ideal world” option. The 38 year old future Hall of Famer had spent his entire career with the Diamondbacks and Cardinals before joining the Yankees for 2025 on a one year, $12.5 million deal. He is slowing down, having put up a 100 OPS+ in 2024 and a 104 OPS+ in 2025, but has continued to hit lefties well, slashing .336/.411/.570 in 168 plate appearances in 2025 after slashing .295/.366/.473 against them in his final year with the Cardinals. He started 115 games for the Yankees, but after a great first couple of months faded, slashing .226/.277/.333 in the final four months of the season after putting up a .338/.394/.495 line in the first two months of the season.
While Goldschmidt probably isn’t a starting caliber first baseman anymore, his performance against lefties would make him a great option in the short side of a platoon at DH, and he could also provide Jake Burger the occasional day off, and fill in for Burger for short periods if he has a stint on the injured list. And the hope would be that not playing every day would help avoid the steep decline he experienced last year. He’s also considered to be a solid veteran clubhouse presence.
Goldschmidt seems unlikely, however, for a few reasons. One, I’m not sure that he’s in a place where he’s ready to become a part-time player, rather than an everyday guy, especially when the regular at his position is Jake Burger. Second, if he is going to go the part-time player route, other teams may be more attractive to him — the Yankees, for example, are reported to be interesting in bringing him back. Third, I doubt the Rangers would be willing to pay him close to the $12.5 million he made last year, and I don’t know that he’d be willing to take a significant pay cut to come to Texas (or that other teams wouldn’t be willing to pay him more).
Miguel Andujar
Have bat, will travel, Miguel Andujar appears to be the popular pick among commenters here on the LSB for the bench bat role. Andujar finished second in the Rookie of the Year voting in 2018, when put up a 130 OPS+, though his glovework at third base was bad enough that he only had a 2.8 bWAR. He has accumulated negative bWAR since then, and has also not had more than 341 plate appearances in a season, though that 341 PA season was last year, split between the A’s and the Reds. He’s struggled to stay on the field due to both health reasons — he spent over a month on the injured list last year — and productivity reasons.
Andujar has beat up on lefty pitchers of late. He had a 986 OPS against them in 2025 and a 995 OPS against them in 2024. He’s also pretty much just a DH at this point — the A’s tried him at third base for the equivalent of about 25 games last year, the first action he’s had at the hot corner since 2021, and he had a -6 DRS and -3 FRV, which is both pretty abysmal and pretty much in line with his past defense performances there. He has played some left field in recent years, and is not good defensively there either, though he isn’t as bad as he is at third base.
Andujar, who turns 31 at the start of the 2026 season, makes some sense as a platoon partner for Pederson, depending on his price (and willingness to accept a part-time role). The question is whether you want to devote two roster spots to DH-only guys who bring no value defensively or on the basepaths, given the reduced flexibility you then have.
Rhys Hoskins
The former Phillies first baseman put up a 127 OPS+ heading into his final season of arbitration eligibility in 2023, and appeared poised to cash in with a lucrative free agent contract if he kept that up. Instead, Hoskins missed all of 2023 due to a torn ACL. After the 2023 season, Hoskins ended up signing a 2 year, $34 million deal with Milwaukee that included a team option for 2026. That option was declined, with Hoskins coming in at replacement level in 2024, then bouncing back some in 2025, but seeing playing time disappear after he suffered a sprained thumb and then returned from the injured list to see Andrew Vaughn ensconced at first base.
Hoskins has a career 882 OPS against lefties, compared to a 797 OPS against righthanders, though he hasn’t had significant platoon splits the past two seasons. Hoskins is the homeless man’s Goldschmidt, a veteran with playoff experience who could DH against lefties and play some first base. He seems more likely than Goldschmidt to accept a part-time role, and would be much cheaper, though he would also be expected to not be as good.
Nick Castellanos
Another former Phillie — well, technically, current Phillie, though that is not expected to last. Pursued in the past by the Rangers, “right fielder” Castellanos is entering the final year of a 5 year, $100 million deal that has not, to put it mildly, worked out. It is rare, after all, for a team president to say that the team is committed to make sure a veteran under contract GsTFO before the season start, as Dave Dombrowski said recently, and it seems unlikely Castellanos will still be with the organization when camps open next month.
The Phillies are hoping a desperate team will give them something — anything — in exchange for making Castellanos, who turns 34 at the start of the season, another team’s problem and the Phillies eating virtually all of the $20 million he is owed for 2026. Its a tough sell for a guy who put up a .250/.294/.400 slash line last year, a 100 OPS+ for the entirety of his four years in Philadelphia, and is beyond terrible defensively (bottom 1 percent last year, per Statcast, after being bottom 4% in two of the three previously). Oh, and did we mention that Castellanos was benched for making an “inappropriate comment” to manager Rob Thomson in September after being lifted for defensive purposes, an incident which Matt Gelb reported “left players and coaches alike disgusted”?
So, no defensive value, hasn’t hit well, wants to play everyday, and left a turd in the Phillies’ playoff push punchbowl, to the point that the organization has made it clear for months they aren’t bringing him back? Oh, and he hit worse against lefties (680 OPS) than righties in 2025, though he did put up an 830 OPS against them in 2024. Not great, Bob.
Still, he’s worth mentioning. Maybe the Rangers give a non-prospect to the Phillies and have the Phillies cover his $20 million less league minimum in 2026 to give him a look in spring training and see if there’s anything worth trying to salvage. Maybe he gets released and Texas brings him in on an NRI to see what’s what. I think it is unlikely, but I figure he’s an option worth mentioning.
Marcell Ozuna
Dude’s career has been a roller coaster. He had a 5.7 bWAR 2017 season that led to him getting traded to the Cardinals for a package that included Sandy Alcantara AND Zac Gallen. Two middling seasons for the Cards resulted in him doing a one year deal with Atlanta for 2020. He put up a 1067 OPS and was sixth in the MVP race, resulting in the Braves signing him to a five year deal. He was then bad and hurt the first two years, raked the next two years (including a 4th place MVP finish in 2024), and was okay in 2025, slashing .232/.355/.400.
Ozuna is 35, slow (3 stolen bases in the past five seasons), and hasn’t played in the field since 2023, when he logged 14 innings in left field. He also doesn’t have big platoon splits over the course of his career. He provides a better option as a regular DH if Pederson gets hurt or is terrible, but is also going to be more expensive than someone similar, such as Andujar, and probably doesn’t want to accept a part-time role right now.
Austin Hays
Another popular name in the LSB comments, the 30 year old Hays spent several seasons as a pretty solid regular left fielder for the Orioles due in no small part to his glovework, but wasn’t good in 2024, when he was shipped to Philadelphia for Seranthony Dominguez (who just got 2/$20 million from the ChiSox, so good on him, I guess), and Cristian Pache, the hobo’s Leody Taveras. A free agent after the season, Hays got a 1 year, $5 million deal with Cincinnati for 2025 and slashed .266/.315/.453 in 103 games.
Both DRS and FRV indicate his defense has declined the past couple of seasons, to the point he’s a little below average defensively in left field, and he hasn’t had significant time in right field since 2022. However, he raked against lefties in 2025 (.319/.400/.549 slash line), and has an 819 OPS against lefties for his career, compared to a 717 OPS against righties.
I suspect part of the reason Hays is still out there is because he is looking for a full time role, and isn’t going to accept a deal as a platoon or bench guy until camps are about to start. A repeat of the 1/$5 million he received last year would seem to be palatable for the Rangers to pay, though I suspect other contenders will also be pursuing him.
Mitch Garver
One of the heroes of the 2023 team, Garver’s two year deal with Seattle after the 2023 campaign went poorly, to the point that Garver reported receiving death threats. He put up a .187/.290/.341 slash line while catching and DHing for the M’s.
The 35 year old has never had a good track record of staying healthy, and his bat disappointed the past two seasons. He did hit okay against lefties, though, and as a platoon DH/third catcher, he might be a viable option, especially if he wants to return to a place where he seemingly felt comfortable after the unpleasant experience in Seattle.
Andrew McCutchen/Starling Marte
Lumping them together. Two former stars turned role players/veteran clubhouse influencer types in their late 30s, who were teammates together for more than a half-decade in Pittsburgh, where they had their best seasons. McCutchen, 39, has spent the last three seasons on one year deals with the Pirates, though the Pirates appear to be not that interested in bringing him back for 2026. Marte, 37, just finished up a four year deal with the Mets where he maxed out at 370 PAs the previous three seasons.
Each of them is probably best utilized as a part-time DH who can play the outfield in a pinch. Marte’s career splits are negligible, while McCutchen’s got a 104 point OPS advantage in his career against lefties versus righties. Not sure how much interest either would have in Texas — they’ve each spent most of their careers in the National League East, and each only has a couple of months in the American League in their careers.
Wilmer Flores
Flores is 34 and has spent most of his career as a bat-first role playing infielder. He has spent his entire career in the National League, including the past six seasons with San Francisco. He has a .229/.296/.359 slash line the past two seasons without big splits and is pretty much limited to first base and DH. Maybe an NRI option if you can’t find anyone else.
Ty France
France had a couple of big seasons with Seattle in 2021-22. Since the start of 2023 he has slashed .247/.322/.364 with a 94 OPS+ and no real platoon split. Won a Gold Glove at first base last year. Maybe an NRI option if you can’t find anyone else.
Carlos Santana
Santana is a switch hitter who turns 40 in April. He won a Gold Glove at first base in 2024. No splits in 2025, but hit lefties a lot better in 2024, and has hit lefties better over the course of his career. Not sure if he’d accept a short-side platoon role at this point of his career, and not sure how much value he’d have as a short-side DH.
Randal Grichuk
34 year old corner outfielder who has hit lefties well throughout his career, but didn’t hit anyone well last season. He’s from Texas, which might help if he’s weighing NRIs.
He’s Seth Martinez. If you’re like me, you saw the name “Seth” in an article about Red Sox transactions and briefly celebrated because you thought that Seth Lugo was coming to Boston. Seth Martinez is not Seth Lugo. He does, however, own a World Series ring from his time in Houston in 2022, where he put up a 2.09 ERA across 29 games despite not pitching in the postseason.
In total, Martinez boasts 144 Major League innings. The 31-year-old righty most recently pitched in the Marlins organization, where he spent most of the year in Triple-A Jacksonville. The Red Sox signed him to a minor league deal and gave him a non-roster Spring Training invite. He’s also out of options, which means if he’s not on the Major League roster, he’s getting waived, traded or released outright.
Is he any good?
He wasn’t great in 2024, which is the only time he qualified for league rankings in his career. He struck out just 36 batters in 52 2/3 innings that year. Plus, his average fastball velocity didn’t reach 91, He also didn’t quite have it in his limited time on Miami’s Major League roster last season, where his 5.40 ERA was actually quite a bit less than his 7.19 FIP. He does have 7.1 inches of extension, which is something that Andrew Bailey has always gotten excited about. His career numbers look a little better since he was a solid multi-inning option out of the Astros’ bullpen, and so that “anything under 4.00 isn’t good” benchmark is really put to the test with Martinez, who has exactly a 4.00 ERA in 117 career games.
Tl;dr, just show me his 2025 stats.
MLB: 6.2 IP, 4 K, 3 BB, 4 H, 2 HR 4 ER
AAA: 43.3 IP, 54 K, 18 BB, 37 H, 3 HR, 3.71 ERA
Show me a cool highlight.
You don’t need a 99-mile-per-hour fastball to close out a game. This is proof.
What’s he doing in his picture up there?
Attempting to record one of just 20 Major League outs Martinez notched for Miami in 2025.
What’s his role on the 2026 Red Sox?
Just as with Vinny Capra or Tristan Gray, having a guy who you can turn to on the Triple-A roster who’s spent some time in the Show is valuable. It really opens up the ways the remainder of the Triple-A bullpen can be used, which helps guys with brighter dispositions for their careers. Martinez may record some innings in mop-up duty early in 2026 just due to his experience getting more than three outs in relief in his career, but if he’s recording meaningful situations with high leverage, it will signal that something went pretty badly on the depth chart.
David Bote was once thought of as a versatile enough player to keep around on a long-term deal given him by Theo Epstein, a five-year deal that didn’t end until a buyout last year.
And, you know, it might have worked until Bote suffered a serious shoulder injury in May 2021 that kept him out for a couple of months. He was never quite the same player after that, spending time at Triple-A Iowa much of the next two seasons and also in early 2024.
Called up in June 2024, Bote hit pretty well but started only eight games, playing the rest as a pinch-hitter and defensive replacement… and pitcher.
In the first game of a doubleheader July 13, 2024 in St. Louis, Hayden Wesneski had given up 11 runs in the first four innings. A nine-run inning had just two earned runs largely due to Wesneski’s own fielding error.
The Cubs trailed 11-2 going to the bottom of the eighth so Craig Counsell summoned Bote to pitch that inning.
He gave up a double to Matt Carpenter and walked Willson Contreras, but got out of the inning scoreless when he got Brandon Crawford to ground into this force play [VIDEO].
Bote played in only 12 more games as a Cub after that and when the Cubs bought out his contract, he signed a minor-league deal with the Dodgers. He didn’t play at all in 2025. The Dodgers had apparently told him that he had a decent chance to make their Opening Day roster, but when he didn’t and they asked him to go to Triple-A, he refused. The Dodgers placed him on the restricted list and a few weeks later apparently decided to retire.
Over the last three games, Amari Williams played five minutes against the Brooklyn Nets, then followed that with 10 minutes against the Chicago Bulls during a back-to-back. In his limited time, Williams impressed with his defensive ability while also looking competent on the offensive end. That earned him an expanded role, as Joe Mazzulla gave Williams 26 minutes against the Portland Trail Blazers.
In those 26 minutes, Williams scored nine points, grabbed seven rebounds and blocked two shots.
Mazzulla often talks about a “next man up” mentality, and with Neemias Queta dealing with an illness, Williams took advantage of the opportunity. He’s made a case for working his way into the rotation. In the limited NBA minutes we’ve seen so far, Williams gives off Robert Williams (Time Lord) vibes, maybe because he was competing against him, but it’s something that stands out.
I don’t expect Williams to become a key cog in the rotation by any means, and I think he’s benefited from developing out of the spotlight in Maine. Still, when Boston’s frontcourt is dealing with an injury or illness, Williams needs to be ready. I’d personally love to see him get more minutes throughout the rest of the season, even if it’s only sparingly.
Can Boston snap Atlanta’s streak?
The Hawks, currently 10th in the Eastern Conference, are on a three-game winning streak after defeating the Grizzlies, Suns and Pacers. During that stretch, Atlanta has received contributions from a variety of players.
The main player the Celtics need to contain is Jalen Johnson. Johnson does just about everything for Atlanta, leading the team in points (23 ppg), rebounds (10.4) and assists (7.9), while shooting 50.5% from the field and 35% from three-point range. In their earlier meeting this month, the Celtics held Johnson to 12 points, eight rebounds and five assists, while forcing four turnovers. If Boston can limit his production again, it stands a good chance of getting the job done.
Another player the Celtics will need to keep in check is Onyeka Okongwu, who had a strong performance in the last meeting. Okongwu led the Hawks with 21 points in that game. More recently, he scored 25 points on 9-of-15 shooting against the Phoenix Suns. With Kristaps Porzingis in and out of the lineup, Okongwu has enjoyed increased playing time and a larger role with the Latvian sidelined.
Will there be another Hauser or Brown 2.0 performance?
In Boston’s 132-106 win over the Hawks in Atlanta, much of the postgame conversation, rightfully so, centered around Sam Hauser’s 30-point performance. Hauser attempted 21 three-pointers and made 10 of them, without taking a single shot inside the arc.
When Hauser is feeling it and knocks down his first shot of the game, I tend to believe he’s in for a good night. Given the space he found against Atlanta last time, it’s safe to assume Quinn Snyder will emphasize not losing track of Hauser, whether in the half court or in transition.
One player who somehow flew under the radar that night was Jaylen Brown, who scored 41 points. Celtics fans have grown accustomed to Brown putting up 30-plus points consistently this season, but he quietly dropped 41 in his home city. Hopefully both Hauser and Brown can replicate those performances Wednesday.
The Golden State Warriors conclude their four-game road trip with Wednesday night’s matchup against the Utah Jazz. Tip-off is set for 6:00 PM PT in Salt Lake City and can be watched on NBC Sports Bay Area.
There wasn’t much to take away from Golden State’s most recent 108-83 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night. The Warriors were severely shorthanded, resting multiple key players as Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, De’Anthony Melton, and Al Horford all sat out the second game of the back-to-back.
That left the team leaning heavily on its younger players, but the group struggled to rise to the occasion. Quinten Post was the team’s leading scorer on the night with 13 points on 5-of -12 shooting from the field. As a team, the Warriors shot just 34.7% from the field, 23.1% from three, and 61.5% from the free-throw line.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you…. THE SECOND TIMELINE 🎊
The Warriors are still working to re-establish their rhythm following Jimmy Butler’s season-ending injury, but they should get some relief in tonight’s matchup against the Jazz as Curry and Green are expected to return, along with Melton and Horford.
Curry’s return alone provides a major boost. Prior to sitting out Monday, he scored a combined 64 points in the first two games of this road trip while shooting 11-of-25 from three-point range. He could be in line for another big night against a Utah team that ranks last in the league in defensive rating (122.4).
BOSTON — Neemias Queta is finally taking a night off to deal with a non-COVID illness that’s been bothering him since Friday. Queta has been on the injury report since the Celtics’ game against the Brooklyn Nets, but he’s nonetheless played in all three of the team’s most recent contests.
The Celtics center has averaged 10 points and 8 rebounds on 64.4% shooting in 24.9 minutes per game this season. But his numbers have dipped while he’s battled illness; over the past three games, Queta has averaged just 5.3 points and 4 rebounds a night.
Luka Garza missed Monday’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers with illness, but is back in the lineup on Wednesday. Garza is averaging 7.6 points and 4.2 rebounds in 16.5 minutes per game, while shooting 58.6% from the field and 45.5% from three.
Garza will undoubtedly shoulder a bigger load when the Celtics and Hawks face off on Wednesday. And, so could two-way rookie Amari Williams, who has appeared in 11 games for the Celtics and is coming off a career-high 26 minutes on Monday. Williams’ 9 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks all marked career highs.
“I thought Amari did a great job today,” Jaylen Brown said on Monday. “I thought he looked exceptional. He came out, protected the rim, and was where he was supposed to be for the most part. Amari made it easy for us tonight, but any given night — depending on how the team is playing us — that communication has to be great.”
Outside of Queta, the only other player on the Celtics’ injury report is Jayson Tatum, who continues to rehab a torn Achilles. (Josh Minott, who missed three weeks with an ankle sprain, is off the injury report, but was nevertheless a DNP on Monday night.
For the Hawks, Kristaps Porzingis (left Achilles tendonitis), Zaccharie Risacher (left knee bone contusion), and N’Faly Dante (right knee torn ACL) are out. Porzingis did not travel with the team to Boston, per CLNS’s Bobby Manning.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Philadelphia Flyers activated goaltender Dan Vladar off injured reserve Wednesday, clearing him to return at night against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Vladar missed the past two weeks after leaving a game at Buffalo with what the team called a lower-body injury. The Flyers have lost four of six games since.
At 28 now after being mostly a backup since reaching the NHL, Vladar was in the middle of arguably the best season of his career when he got hurt. He is 16-7-4 with a 2.46 goals-against average that ranks ninth in the league and a .905 save percentage that is good for 18th among netminders with at least 20 appearances.
Vladar was one of three goalies chosen to play for the Czech Republic at the upcoming Olympics in Milan. Anaheim's Lukas Dostal is expected to be the Czech starter, with Vladar and Utah's Karel Vejmelka competing to back up.
The CBS Sports Classic is adding another blue blood to its showcase event.
CBS Sports announced on Wednesday, Jan. 28 that No. 14 Kansas has been added to its annual men's college basketball showcase that features Ohio State, North Carolina and Kentucky. The Jayhawks will face the Buckeyes on Saturday, Dec. 19 at Madison Square Garden in the 2026-27 season, with the other matchup including the Tar Heels vs. the Wildcats.
The doubleheader event will rotate matchups and venue sites each season, with matchups set through the 2029-2030 season.
Under Self, the Jayhawks further their status as one of men's college basketball's biggest blue bloods. The Jayhawks rank second for the most wins among Division I men's college basketball programs, and rank seventh for the most national championship titles since 1939, the first of the NCAA Tournament, at seven.
Since its start in 2014, the CBS Sports Classic has served as one of the marquee non-conference showcases in college basketball each season. With Kansas' addition to the field, the CBS Sports Classic now has two teams that also compete in the annual Champions Classic, with the other being Kentucky.
Kansas is 15-5 overall and 5-2 in Big 12 play this season despite missing star freshman guard Darryn Peterson for a handful of games due to different injuries. Peterson is expected to be available for the Jayhawks next Big 12 game on Saturday, Jan. 31 against BYU, according to CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein.
Future CBS Sports Classic matchups
Here's a breakdown of upcoming CBS Sports Classic matchups through the 2029 season:
The Buffalo Sabres remain the hottest team in the NHL after winning four of five games on their just-completed five-game road swing. The Sabres are 19-3-1 since mid-December, and have climbed into a tie for third place in the Atlantic with Boston and Montreal, and have carried three goalies in Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Alex Lyon, and Colten Ellis all season, something that head coach Lindy Ruff is thankful for.
"We've had good goaltending, and the fact we've had three with the injuries we've had between UPL, Lyon, and Ellis with his concussion, three has been a blessing for us as it has turned out." Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff said after the club held a short practice on Wednesday. "(Managing three goalies has) sometimes (been) tough to deal with, but it's turned out to be a strength of ours. It's got us through a lot of games."
Lyon missed three weeks earlier this month with a lower-body injury, while Ellis missed a couple of weeks last month with a concussion. Luukkonen suffered a lower-body injury during summer workouts, missing time during training camp, and re-aggravated it after one period during the preseason, missing the first three weeks of the regular season.
In Tuesday’s 7-4 victory over Toronto on Tuesday, Luukkonen left the game in the first period with a lower-body injury and was replaced by Ellis. Lyon, who was with the team but not suited up, headed to the Sabres locker room and was got into his equipment. With the possibility of Luukkonen being out longer than a few days, the burden will fall on the 33-year-old, who has tied a club-record with nine consecutive victories.
"When you have a goalie room with guys that are competitive and care about winning, I think that those types of things kind of build on themselves," Lyon said. So when (UPL) and I are going back and forth here this last little bit, you always feel a little competitive with each other and you don't want to let the other guy down at the same time. That's really healthy. Colton is of the same mindset as the both of us. So I think our goalie room is in a good spot right now."
Ruff did not have an update on Luukkonen’s status, and Lyon patrolled the Sabres home net at practice in preparation for their game against the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday.
As sports betting scandals continue to swirl in professional and amateur sports, federal prosecutors are peeling back the curtain on even more NBA games.
Lawyers for the U.S. Attorney’s Office Eastern District of New York indicated they were investigating more NBA games than the ones that implicated Terry Rozier and Jontay Porter, The Athletic reported.
Key Takeaways
Porter was the first player who was charged with a major betting scandal in the NBA, and he was banned for life.
Former Pistons guard Malik Beasley is currently under investigation.
Federal officials did not provide information on who their investigations involve.
While federal officials have put the NBA back under the microscope, they did not provide any information on which games, teams, or individuals are under investigation.
“The government has ongoing investigations,” David Berman, an assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District, said in court last week. “And our understanding is the defendant has conducted himself in similar manners in other instances as well.”
Rozier, a guard for the Miami Heat, and five others were arrested for their involvement in the sports betting scandal. At the time, investigators noted that Rozier only played one part in a trading ring rife with privileged information and access that allowed gamblers to illicitly profit from wagering on games.
Rozier was charged in October due to an incident that occurred when he played for the Charlotte Hornets. According to prosecutors, he told a friend in March 2023 that he would exit a game early, allowing the friend to profit by betting the under on his prop lines. The friend sold the information to bettors, who bet the under on his points, rebounds, assists, and threes lines.
Rozier and the other defendants pleaded not guilty. St. John’s men’s basketball coach and Rozier’s former coach at Louisville, Rick Pitino, said that the accusations represented behavior that was “not like him.”
Porter was accused of the same crime of prematurely withdrawing himself from games for the benefit of sports bettors twice during the 2023-24 NBA season. He pleaded guilty in July 2024 and is awaiting sentencing, although he already received a lifetime ban from the NBA.
Four other men were arrested for facilitating the operation and betting on Porter. Three pleaded guilty.
Basketball scandals pile up
On top of the Rozier and Porter scandals, former Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley is still under federal investigation for possible involvement in illegal sports gambling. Beasley was expected to sign a three-year, $42 million deal with the Pistons during the summer free agency period, but that was scrapped when news of the investigation broke.
Beasley is still a free agent.
“To my understanding, he’s still under federal investigation but there’s been no recent direction on what terms they’re looking at him,” Beasley’s attorney Steve Haney told The Athletic. “At this point, Malik is stuck in this investigative purgatory and unable to continue his career despite the fact that he’s been under investigation for over a year.”
Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups was also arrested, but for a much different reason. Billups was one of 31 people who were arrested for allegedly running a rigged card game ring.
Billups, a former NBA champion and Finals MVP, was used as a celebrity participant to attract players. He pleaded not guilty to wrongdoing in the scandal, which allegedly involved marked cards, fake shuffling machines, and members of the mafia.
A few of the men who were charged were also indicted earlier this month amid an investigation into point-shaving in college basketball. After starting with the Chinese Basketball Association in 2022, conspirators allegedly offered $10,000-30,000 to players at small-conference schools to underperform through February 2025.
Sentencing begins
While investigations and court proceedings are still ongoing, one man was already sentenced.
Timothy McCormack, who bet on games that both Porter and Rozier allegedly rigged, was sentenced to two years in federal prison after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
Dillon Brooks has gotten under the skin of a lot of players over the years, now we can add Nets rookie Egor Demin to the list.
Tensions in a physical game between the Suns and Nets boiled over with just over a minute to go during a scramble for a loose ball.
A big scuffle breaks out after Egor Demin shoves Dillon Brooks, who was pulling at a loose ball well after the whistle was blown. Brooks shoved Demin earlier in the game and got a tech.
The Suns lead the Nets 104-102 with 1:14 remaining. Officials are going to the monitor for a… pic.twitter.com/9AmGhZcR0a
It was a two-point game, 104-102, with 1:14 remaining, so players were going all-out. After a scramble, Ziaire Williams and Brooks both had their hands on the ball, a whistle blew signaling a jump ball, Brooks didn't stop trying to pull the ball away, and that is when the rookie Demin walked up to defend his teammate and shoved Brooks to the ground.
Then it was on, with Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neal, Michael Porter Jr., Terance Mann, and more assistant coaches than anyone thought were at this game jumping into the fray to break things up. In all that, Porter shoved Suns assistant Demarre Carroll
Once things were calmed down and the referees reviewed the footage, five technicals were handed out: Demin, Mann, Porter, O'Neale and Allen.
"I just had to get him off Ziaire," Demin said postgame about shoving Brooks. "It was a dead ball, and the whistle was blown already. I didn't have any intentions to hurt anybody or to even start a fight."
"They were playing real physical. We were, too, but I think they were taking it to another level," Suns center Mark Williams said, via Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. "It was definitely built up."
Brooks had gotten a technical for pushing Demin earlier in the game, that's his 15th of the season, one short of an automatic one-game suspension from the league.
Williams scored 27 on the night to lead the Suns to a 106-102 victory.
Winners of three straight, the New York Knicks (28-18) are in Toronto tonight to take on the Raptors (29-19) who have won four in a row themselves.
These teams sit tied in the Atlantic Division, one game back of the division-leading Boston Celtics and in third and fourth respectively in the Eastern Conference. Toronto is 9-4 in January. The Knicks are 5-8 in January.
The Knicks’ recent struggles are well-documented and widely discussed with numerous theories making the rounds, but the one constant has been the scoring supplied by Jalen Brunson. The veterancontinues to produce, scoring 20 or more points in 10 of his 11 games played this month. For the Raptors, its been a different individual story almost nightly. Its been the defense that has been a constant and been at the foundation of their push north in the standings. Toronto is allowing an average of 110.4 points per game in January.
This is the third of five regular season meetings between these teams this season. The Knicks have coasted to wins in each of the first two meetings. The aforementioned Jalen Brunson poured in 35 points on December 9 in New York’s 117-101 win in Toronto and Karl-Anthony Towns scored 22 in a 116-94 win for New York at home on November 30.
Lets take a closer look at the matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game Details and How to Watch Live: Knicks at Raptors
Date: Tuesday, January 28, 2026
Time: 7:30PM EST
Site: ScotiaBank Arena
City: Toronto, ON
Network/Streaming: MSG, Sportsnet
Rotoworld has you covered with all the latest NBA Player News for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Game Odds: Knicks at Raptors
The latest odds as of Wednesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: New York Knicks (+105), Toronto Raptors (-125)
Spread: Raptors -1.5
Total: 220.5 points
This game opened Raptors -1.5 with the Total set at 224.5.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!
Josh Hart (ankle) is listed as questionable for tonight’s game
Miles McBride (ankle) has been ruled OUT of tonight’s game
Mitchell Robinson (rest) has been ruled OUT of tonight’s game
Toronto Raptors
Collin Murray-Boyles (thumb) is questionable for tonight’s game
Chucky Hepburn (knee) has been declared OUT for tonight’s game
Jakob Poeltl (back) has been declared OUT for tonight’s game
Important stats, trends and insights: Knicks at Raptors
The Raptors are 13-10 at home this season
The Knicks are 9-12 on the road this season
The Knicks are 24-23 ATS this season
The Raptors are 24-24 ATS this season
The OVER has cashed in just 19 of Toronto’s 48 games this season (19-29)
The OVER has cashed in 24 of the Knicks’ 47 games this season (24-23)
Immanuel Quickley has picked up 7 or more assists in 4 of his last 5 games
Josh Hart has pulled down at least 9 rebounds in each of his last 3 games
Rotoworld Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s Knicks and Raptors’ game:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Knicks on the Moneyline
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Knicks +1.5
Total: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 220.5
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The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed Tristan Enaruna to a two-way contract. Enaruna played his junior and senior years at Cleveland State University before joining the Boston Celtics’ G League affiliate and eventually returning to Cleveland with the Charge.
Enaruna is averaging 20.9 points and 4.6 assists in 30.8 minutes per game for the Charge this season. He’s an athletic forward who has made a significant leap in three-point shooting, going from below 30% in 2024 to an above 45% shooter on nearly five attempts per game this year. It’s worth noting Enaruna has played only nine games so far this season, but that jump in efficiency is still commendable.
Cleveland’s other two-way spots are currently being filled by Luke Travers and Nae’Qwan Tomlin, who has been a standout this season and has already played 36 games with the Cavaliers. Tomlin is running out of NBA eligibility and wouldn’t surprise anyone if he earned a standard contract sooner, rather than later.
Forward Chris Livingston, who previously held Cleveland’s final two-way spot, was waived by the team earlier this week. This opened the door for Enaruna.
The Cavs have already gotten more help from their Charge prospects than most franchises would ever expect. Someone like Sam Merrill, who blazed his way out of the G League behind elite three-point shooting, is perhaps their best success story. But Tomlin is another success, while Travers, Enaruna and Killian Hayes are all promising in their own ways.
There won’t be much room for another Charge player to crack Cleveland’s current rotation. Assuming the Cavs can ever get healthy, the competition is simply too thick to predict that Enaruna or anyone else will get a chance to play significant NBA minutes.
But that’s not the point of the two-way contract. This is an opportunity to reward someone for their hard work. It doesn’t necessarily mean they are going to take the next step and join the big leagues right away. It’s simply a strong step in the right direction.
