The Mavericks will host the Lakers Saturday night, much to the chagrin of the Dallas residents who have to brave the cold and ice to see Luka Doncic play. Dallas is hot! They have won four in a row and five of their last six games. The Lakers, however, are struggling. They are 3-6 in their last nine games and, if you pay attention to the online discourse, are one of the worst “vibes” teams in the league. Doncic famously killed Dallas in his return in April, but this time around, I am not sure the Lakers have enough firepower to supplement the emotion this game will have. The Mavericks have a great chance to win their fifth in a row.
Before getting into our picks, here is how we stand so far:
Last week’s results
Tyler: 3-1 (+$263)
David: 3-0 (+$286)
Season to date
Tyler: 17-26-0 (-$772)
David: 25-17-0 (+$933)
Even though Tyler is still negative on the season, we are heating up as the weather cools down.
Game Details
Fixture: Dallas Mavericks vs Los Angeles Lakers | NBA 2025-2026
Date and Time: Saturday, January 24th, 2026; 7:40 PM CST
Venue: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX.
Odds up to date as of 12:00 PM CST from FanDuel
Game Lines
Spread Mavericks +3.5 (-108)
Total O/U 233.5 (-110/-110)
Moneyline Mavericks +146
Tyler’s Plays
Cooper Flagg over 29.5 points + rebounds + assists (-110)
Luka Doncic to score 12+ points in the first quarter (+118)
Over 233.5 points (-110)
Luka’s going to come out gunning, so let’s capitalize with a 12+ point quarter at plus money. In their first matchup against each other in Dallas, I expect Cooper Flagg to meet the moment and deliver a great all-around game. Finally, neither team has been guarding lately, so let’s go over the total.
David’s Plays
Luka Doncic to score 35+ points (+120)
Naji Marshall to score 20+ points (+122)
Max Christie to make 3+ threes (+100)
Luka will torch this Mavericks defense. Conversely, Marshall is a matchup nightmare for a Lakers team with no paint defense and no perimeter physicality. Christie will benefit from the penetration Dallas will get and have plenty of open looks.
Squad Ride
Mavericks to win (+146)
The Mavericks are probably not a good team. But they are playing very well, and the Lakers are not. Plus, there is motivation for the Dallas guys to show the fans that they don’t need Luka (we still do). We love the Mavericks to pull off another primetime upset.
When a standout player who has been with your organization his entire career wants to stay with you, you listen. That’s what Yankees general manager Brian Cashman did when Jorge Posada became a free agent after the 2007 campaign.
A five-time All-Star and switch-hitting Silver Slugger, Posada would’ve been a boon for any team on the market. He still stands as one of the best-hitting catchers of the past 50 years, and his bat was elite in 2007. The Yankees had been able to extend him during the 2001-02 offseason for five years and $51 million with club option, but despite expressing interest in staying with the team he had been with his whole career, there was also major interest from the crosstown New York Mets — making the chase for the decorated, switch-hitting backstop all the more interesting.
The Yankees ended up making the deal, paying Posada the most average annual salary for a catcher at the time—$13.1 million—and thus stopped a rival team from compelling him to remain in the City, in a different borough. Although the final result being a positive one for the Yankees, it certainly wasn’t without its fireworks.
Jorge Posada Signing Date: November 13, 2007 Contract: Four years, $52.4 million
Posada was already an established star by this the fall of 2007, and it had been a remarkable ascent from near-complete anonymity during the early part of the 1990s. We chronicled his history in greater detail during our Top 100 Yankees series, but we’ll present a shorter version. The Santurce, Puerto Rico native starred in high school and was able to cut his teeth some more at Calhoun Community College in Decatur, AL. He landed on the Yankees’ radar, and after a couple draft attempts, they signed him out of the 24th round in the 1990 edition — two rounds behind the Yanks’ selection of a young high school lefty from Texas named Andy Pettitte.
Originally a second baseman, Posada was convinced to give catching a try in 1991, when he made 11 appearances behind the plate for short-season Oneonta. By the next year, he was a full-time backstop, and over the next couple seasons, he shot up through the minor leagues, playing 92 games with the Triple-A Columbus Clippers in 1994 and officially debuting with the Yankees in September of ’95. Blocked at the big-league level across ’95 and ’96 by Mike Stanley, Jim Leyritz, and Joe Girardi, Posada played just nine games in The Show during that span, and only traveled with the team as they won it all in October 1996. But even though he would never be confused for a defensive stalwart at catcher, his time would soon come.
Prior to the start of ’97, the Yankees traded Leyritz to the Angels despite his World Series heroics. They wanted to open the door for Posada to get big-league reps as Girardi’s backup and were confident that the up-and-comer could earn his keep. Following a 101 OPS+ in 60 games of action in ’97 though, the Yankees did float Posada as a possible trade option with the Montreal Expos for Cy Young Award winner Pedro Martinez. That obviously did not work out, as Pedro was traded to the rival Boston Red Sox, and the next handful of years would live in infamy between those two teams (and the two players in particular).
Posada finally started over 100 games in the record-breaking ’98 season for the Yankees, slashing .268/.350/.475 with 17 homers for an OPS+ of 115, and his numbers only continued to climb from there. He was eventually trusted with the everyday job as Girardi aged out of the role and departed in December of ’99. The 2000 campaign was the first where Posada really shined, making his first All-Star team and hitting .287/.417/.527 with 28 homers and a 139 OPS+, earning his first Silver Slugger as well.
It was an important time for Posada to make his mark, as other members of the Yankees’ core like Paul O’Neill and Tino Martinez were nearing the ends of their days in pinstripes. And thanks in part to Posada’s tenacious at-bat against a dominant Al Leiter with two outs in the ninth inning of 2000 World Series Game 5, the Yankees rallied to secure the three-peat, Posada scoring the go-ahead run on Luis Sojo’s single.
Although it would be a few years before the Yankees again won it all, Posada was an essential part of the contending operation alongside pal Derek Jeter (the best man in his wedding). Posada earned four consecutive All-Star nods and Silver Sluggers from 2000-03, and he really shined in the last of those years. He became the first Yankees catcher to hit 30 homers in a season since no less than Yogi Berra, and thanks in part to a 144 OPS+ and 5.9 rWAR in 142 games, he finished third for AL MVP, trailing only Alex Rodriguez and Carlos Delgado. And while his 2004-06 seasons weren’t as decorated, he still played a vital role, remaining a pillar of health with 422 games started out of the possible 486, notching a 121 OPS+.
Entering 2007, Posada had one year left on his deal before he would hit free agency, and in spring training, the Yankees were uninterested in opening up talks on a second extension. He timed his best campaign since ’03 quite well, and his bat would’ve received even more attention had A-Rod not turned in an MVP season for the ages. Posada finished sixth in the voting with career-highs in all the rate stats, batting .338/.426/.543 with a 153 OPS+ and 5.4 rWAR to claim his fifth All-Star selection and Silver Slugger. That made him a valuable commodity for teams, despite approaching his late thirties at the most physically demanding position in the sport.
The Yankees fell to Cleveland in the ALDS that October, and a decision was on the horizon for Posada. He really wanted a four-year deal in wake of that superb season. The Yankees weren’t particularly enthused about handing that long a commitment to a catcher who had just turned 37 that August; they were hoping to get Posada on a three-year contract for around $40 million.
So Posada was willing to hear out some of his other options, especially since A-Rod had opted out and longtime manager Torre was on his way to the Dodgers. Most notably, the folks across town were very interested. The 2007 season had ended in disaster for the Mets, and catcher Paul Lo Duca took a serious dip after leading the NL East champs in 2006. He was a free agent as well, but GM Omar Minaya had his eyes on Posada, as did his former third-base coach, Mets manager Willie Randolph.
As such, it was easy for Posada to not-so-subtly get the Yankees’ full attention by meeting with the Mets the day before other clubs could officially submut offers, per the New York Times:
Posada and his agents, Sam and Seth Levinson, had lunch Monday with Minaya and [Mets] vice president Tony Bernazard. The Yankees initially offered the 36-year-old Posada a three-year contract but upped their proposal to four years on Monday evening.
While Posada briefly played hard to get for the Yankees, his intentions were clear from the start. He felt it would be easier to stay with the team that he had been with since his mid-twenties, and that’s exactly what happened. The Yankees acquiesced to his request and ultimately signed him to a four-year, $52.4 million deal.
In those final four seasons, Posada played in 397 games and slashed .258/.349/.454 for an above-average OPS+ of 110. A shoulder injury curtailed both his and the Yankees’ hopes for 2008 success under his old teammate-turned-skipper Girardi, but in 2009, it all came together. Posada hit 22 homers in 438 PA, good for an .885 OPS and 125 OPS+, and he had a productive October as well. Jeter might’ve been the captain, but Posada unofficially led the clubhouse and was willing to be the guy who held teammates accountable when necessary.
The Bombers won it all, and Posada had his fifth ring. It would be the last one.
Posada’s bat remained strong in 2010 but his oft-uneven defense had made him a liability behind the plate, and he was a concussion risk as well. The Yankees found a bargain in the more well-balanced Russell Martin that offseason, so they signed him and planned to have Posada DH in 2011. The 40-year-old was unhappy in the role and dipped to a below-average showing at the plate, too. Although it was an awkward swan song for Posada, the hard feelings faded in time (and he was actually one of the few consistent bats during their five-game ALDS loss to Detroit). He retired in January 2012 and the Yankees retired his No. 20 in August 2015, honoring him with a plaque in Monument Park.
So yes, the Yankees had reason to be uneasy about that fourth year. But the overall contract still led to a 2009 World Series crown and the Yankees were able to pivot to a new catcher anyway during that last season. Losing Posada to the Mets would’ve been a true shame; thankfully, they didn’t let it happen.
See more of the “50 Most Notable Yankees Free Agent Signings in 50 Years” series here.
As Phillies fans hope that the team has another big move left in them (Don’t hold your breath!), I decided to take a look at recent offseasons to see how many big moves they’ve made closer to the start of camp. Then, as one does, I decided to make the exercise into an interactive March Madness-style tournament.
From 2010 to 2025, I identified the last free agent the team signed before the season began. To qualify for the list, the player:
Had to be an outside signing. Re-signings like J.T. Realmuto in 2021 do not count, but former Phillies who were on a different team in between (Cliff Lee) do qualify.
The player had to appear in at least one game the season he was signed.
Here’s the field, seeded by WAR in their first season with the team:
Cliff Lee 2011
Bryce Harper 2019
Jake Arrieta 2018
Jeff Hoffman 2023
Jose Contreras 2010
Brad Miller 2021
Luis Garcia 2013
Joe Ross 2025
Nick Castellanos 2022
David Lough 2016
Neil Walker 2020
Ronny Cedeño 2014
Chad Qualls 2012
Ricardo Pinto 2024
Dustin McGowan 2015
Michael Saunders 2017
Some of those names you’ll recognize (even if you wish you didn’t), and some you’ll probably need a refresher on.
Twice a week, I’ll present a matchup, and the readers will get to vote for which player should advance. You can choose to vote for the player who had the best initial season, the player who has had the best Phillies career, a player you have a soft spot for (Where my Qualls-heads at?), or simply vote for chaos and let Nick Castellanos win it all as a farewell(?) present.
We’ll start things off with our 8-9 matchup. Here’s a quick summary:
8. Joe Ross, 2025
Stats with the Phillies: 37 games, 51 IP, 2-1, 5.12 ERA, 39 K, 18 BB, 0.0 WAR
After a solid season as a swingman for the Brewers in 2024, the Phillies signed Joe Ross hoping he could provide both rotation depth as well as solid middle relief. As it turned out, Taijuan Walker filled the rotation depth role, so Ross was kept in the bullpen all year. However, he wasn’t very good there, putting up an ERA over 5, and he was eventually released in August.
9. Nick Castellanos 2022
Stats with the Phillies: 602 games, .260/.306/.426, 82 HR, 326 RBI, 1.3 WAR
After the lockout ended in 2022, it appeared that Kyle Schwarber was going to be the Phillies’ big free agent signing of the year. But with Nick Castellanos lingering on the free agent market, the Phillies decided to splurge and add him to their outfield.
Coming off a career best year, Castellanos struggled mightily in his first season for the Phillies. Things improved after that, but not nearly enough to justify his contract. While there were some highlights during his tenure, it’s been a mostly disappointing four years, and it’s only a matter of time before he’s released by the team.
Boro close gap on Coventry with 4-0 win at Riverside
Leicester 1-2 Oxford, Sheffield United 3-1 Ipswich
Kim Hellberg insisted there is more to come from Middlesbrough after they ruthlessly brushed aside Preston 4-0 to close to within three points of leaders Coventry.
Alan Browne scored against the club where he made more than 400 appearances between 2014 and 2024, before Tommy Conway and Morgan Whittaker capitalised on defensive lapses to put Boro three up at half-time. Preston were down to 10 men just after the break when Jordan Storey saw red for hauling down Conway, who completed the scoring as Middlesbrough claimed a fourth successive league win.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant is expected to miss at least the next three weeks due to a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow.
The injury occurred Wednesday during the Grizzlies’ 124-122 loss to the Atlanta Hawks. The Grizzlies announced the severity of the injury Saturday and said the two-time All-Star would be re-evaluated in approximately three weeks.
This represents the latest setback in a tumultuous season for Morant, who had missed six games with an injured right calf before returning Sunday for the Grizzlies’ 126-109 victory over the Orlando Magic in London.
Morant has appeared in only 20 of the team's 43 games this season and has averaged 19.5 points, 8.1 assists and 3.3 rebounds amid trade speculation.
After Pep Guardiola dropped Erling Haaland and Phil Foden, Manchester City enjoyed a first Premier League win in four games. It handed Wolves a first defeat in six and was notable for the referee, Farai Hallam, on his top-flight debut, daring to stick with his decision not to award a penalty after being sent by video assistant referee for a pitchside review.
That was for a Yerson Mosquera handball and it infuriated Guardiola, though after City’s dire recent form a first three points since 27 December is what matters. The manager reiterated a long-held belief that City can receive unfair officiating and pointed to his 11 injured players as being needed to mitigate against this.
MLB Pipeline on Friday evening revealed its top 100 prospects heading into the 2026 season, including five Dodgers. Outfielders are the strength of the top of the Dodgers system, including their top four prospects at MLB Pipeline plus shortstop Emil Morales.
Josue De Paula is the top-ranked Dodgers prospect at MLB Pipeline, rated 15th overall, and either the third or fourth-ranked outfield prospect in baseball on the list. Konnor Griffin of the Pirates is the No. 1 prospect overall and has played both shortstop and center field, with more time at the former. Other outfield prospects ranked ahead of De Paula are Max Clark of the Tigers at 10th overall and Walter Jenkins of the Twins at No. 14.
Zyhir Hope was also promoted to Double-A in the final week of 2025, and like his fellow outfield teammate is heading into his age-21 season. Hope was ranked the No. 27 prospect by MLB Pipeline, up from 75th at the beginning of last season.
Eduardo Quintero is a year younger than De Paula and Hope, and was the top-ranked Dodgers prospect this week at Baseball America. Quintero checks in at 30th overall at MLB Pipeline after winning California League MVP last season before spending the last month and a half in High-A Great Lakes.
MLB Pipeline ranked outfielder Mike Sirota the 60th-best prospect in baseball, up from 66th last August.
Emil Morales is the only non-outfielder Dodgers prospect on this list, ranked 92nd overall by MLB Pipeline after hitting .314/.396/.515 with 14 home runs, 24 doubles, and a 141 wRC+ between rookie-level Arizona and Class-A Rancho Cucamonga before turning 19 in late September.
Morales moves well for his size — 6-foot-3 and at least 15 pounds stronger than his listed 191 — and is an aggressive runner with average speed. He’s not the rangiest shortstop but moves well and puts himself in position to make plays. His instincts, hands and arm help his chances of sticking at short, though he’ll wind up at third base if he loses any quickness as he continues to mature physically.
Logan Webb and Aaron Judge briefly appeared poised to be teammates a few years ago, but now the two MLB superstars will have the chance to play on the same squad for Team USA in the upcoming World Baseball Classic.
While Team USA is stacked with some of the game’s best players, Webb especially is looking forward to teaming up with the New York Yankees slugger and three-time American League MVP.
“Aaron Judge is probably obviously the main guy that I’m really excited to play with,” Webb told reporters at Giants Fan Fest in San Ramon Saturday. “I was involved in a lot of the Arson Judge situation, so I got to do the visit with him and I wanted to be his teammate then, and now I get to do it. So, it will be exciting. We’ve texted back and forth a little bit.
“It will be fun to just watch a lot of these guys take BP, let alone playing the game.”
Judge, who grew up a Giants fan, famously was linked to San Francisco during his free agency in 2022, when MLB reporter Jon Heyman tweeted “Arson Judge appears headed to the Giants” during the winter meetings, leading many to believe the franchise was on the cusp of landing one of the sport’s biggest stars.
Shortly thereafter, Judge re-signed with the Yankees, inking a nine-year $360-million dollar contract, extinguishing any hopes Webb had of having the superstar slugger as his Giants teammate.
Now Webb gets the opportunity to play with Judge while also having the honor of representing his country on baseball’s biggest world stage, a privilege he’s not taking lightly.
“It was something I wanted to do a couple years ago, something that just I feel like any time you get a chance to play for your country, I mean for all these guys,” Webb said. “Listening to [Jung Hoo Lee] talk about playing for the Korean team is really cool and I feel the same way about the USA team.
“I think [Team USA manager Mark DeRosa] texted me a lot over the last few years and I just kind of, I was actually with David Ross and Pat MacAfee when I was like ‘all right, I’ll do it.'”
With the World Baseball Classic running between March 5 to March 17, Webb will have a bit of an unorthodox offseason ramp up before his eighth MLB season. While Webb is trying to stick with the status quo with his preparation, he knows things will be different as he toes the rubber for Team USA.
“I’m excited about it, I’m trying to treat this offseason as normal as possible, but I definitely know there’s going to be more adrenaline going into spring time,” Webb explained.
ELMONT, NY -- The New York Islanders have recalled defenseman Isaiah George from Bridgeport of the American Hockey League. Defenseman Cole McWard has been loaned back to the AHL after playing three games, serving as a healthy scratch for the last six games.
Defenseman Ryan Pulock is day-to-day with an upper-body injury and will not play against the Buffalo Sabres at 1 PM on Saturday.
"We're excited to see Georgy," Islanders head coach Patrick Roy said. "He's been playing really well. I mean, every time we had a call-up, unfortunately for him, he was hurt. So we're excited to have him come here right now. And as you see, we rotate the guys who played in Bridgeport. We had Mitchell come in play some games. We had Warren playing some games, and then McWard and Georgie today. So, I mean, we love our young guys, and we trust them, and I think it's a good opportunity for him to play. Played so well last year at first when he came up last season. Unfortunately, he had a concussion, I think, against Toronto with Domi, and it was a little tougher after that, but I'm confident that he's going to play really well."
George, 21, played 33 seasons with the Islanders in 2024-25, recording five points (one goal, four assists), averaging 15:39 minutes per game.
"He's a really good skater," Islanders head coach Patrick Roy said. "He's got that ability to get the puck out on his own."
This season in Bridgeport, in which he sustained two longer-term injuries, one upper and one lower, the Oakville, Ontario native has recorded 10 points (two goals, eight assists) in 24 games.
He's looked tremendous since returning from his latest injury.
After dropping a game they couldn’t afford to fall against the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night, the Montreal Canadiens have another important divisional battle on Saturday night, this time against the Boston Bruins, at TD Garden. It will already be the third duel between the two sides this year, with each team bagging a win so far. Boston won the initial matchup 3-2 in November, while Montreal grabbed a 6-2 triumph right before the Christmas break.
Boston has been on fire since the start of the year; however, they are 8-2-0 in the last 10 games and won their previous game on Thursday against the Vegas Golden Knights. It has allowed them to surge up the standings, and they are currently hanging on to the second wildcard spot with 60 points, just three points away from the Canadiens, who have a precarious hold on the Atlantic Division’s third-place. Meanwhile, the Habs are 6-3-1 in their last 10 games.
It will be interesting to see if Martin St-Louis chooses to make some lineup changes. When the two teams last met, the Canadiens received 32 penalty minutes and the Bruins 36, after Josh Anderson and Tanner Jeannot dropped the gloves after three seconds of play, and Arber Xhekaj and Nikita Zadorov did the same after eight and a half minutes of play. The gritty defenseman has been a healthy scratch for the last two games, and Jayden Struble has not looked excellent in those two tilts.
if i tell that i'm literally OBSESSED with zadorov and xhekaj fighting yesterday, at the point of it's looping on my head, can you believe it? seriously, look how AMAZING those moves are. gods, i wish i could see this more often in nhl games.pic.twitter.com/XIXRiCcGBy
Alexandre Texier could also be ready to return since he’s currently day-to-day with a lower-body injury, and if he is, someone would need to come out of the lineup. Kirby Dach has played the last two games on the first line, but it has proven to be quite a challenge for him after sitting out for so long, while Zachary Bolduc got some shifts alongside Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield in the last game. The Canadiens are set to practice at 11:30 AM in Boston, and we should know more then.
The starting netminders have yet to be confirmed, and after Samuel Montembeault gave up three goals on just 16 shots (the 17th shot was in an empty net) on Thursday, one can certainly wonder if the Canadiens will opt to turn to Jakub Dobes. The Czech netminder also gave up three goals in his last start, on 19 shots, and he has 15 wins this season compared to Montembeault’s nine. The Becancour native has a 3-7-1 record against the Bruins with a 3.78 goals-against average and a .880 save percentage. He was in the net for the Habs’ defeat against Boston in November. Meanwhile, Dobes has yet to face Boston but has a 15-5-3 record this year with a 3.01 GAA and a .887 SV.
At the other end of the ice, Jeremy Swayman has played the two games against the Habs this season and has a 10-2-1 record against Montreal with a 2.92 GAA and a .894 SV. Meanwhile, backup Joonas Korpisalo has an 8-2-0 record, a 2.49 GAA, and a .916 SV.
Up front, Brendan Gallagher is the Habs’ biggest points producer against the Bruins with 30 points in 45 games. Captain Nick Suzuki is second with 16 points in 20 games, while Josh Anderson and Noah Dobson both have 13 points in 22 games. Suzuki and Cole Caufield are both on a four-game point streak, having recorded a matching seven-point record in that span. The center has two goals and five assists, while the sniper had five goals and two assists.
As for the Bruins, David Pastrnak is still the player to watch; he has 45 points in 34 games against the Habs, including three in the first two meetings this season, on top of being on a five-game point streak. Elias Lindholm comes in second place with 25 points in 36 games, and Charlie McAvoy wraps up the top three with 16 points in 25 games.
Puck drop is set for 7:00 PM, with Jake Brenk and Brian Pochmara officiating, while Brandon Grillo and Scott Cherrey will serve as linemen. After the game, the Canadiens will return home, where they will play their last two home games before the Olympic break this week, against the Golden Knights on Tuesday and the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday.
The second round was a much closer race this time around between left-handers Jamie Arnold and GageJump. Arnold came out on top though with roughly 60% of the vote, taking the second overall spot in this year’s Community Prospect List. The 11th overall pick in the draft just this past year, Arnold is further away compared to the team’s other top prospects but he could end up being the best of the bunch. The side-armer has drawn plenty of comparisons to another stud lefty in Chris Sale and the A’s would be ecstatic to see Arnold take that same career trajectory. The 21-year-old has yet to get his professional career officially started but that should be coming soon, likely at Single-A with a quick promotion on the table.
The next nominee to join the list will be left-hander Wei-En Lin. The Taiwanese lefty was previously ranked fairly moderately last year but has absolutely shot up the ranks of the A’s system thanks to a vast repertoire that looks like it could propel him into the starting pitching mix near the end of the year. Lin could be yet another left-hander that the A’s develop alongside Arnold and Jump, but will he be able to jump the line this coming year?
The process for this public vote is explained below. Please take a moment to read this before participating:
Please only vote for one. The player with the most votes at the end of voting will win the ranked spot. The remaining four players move on to the next ballot where they are joined by a new nominee.
In the comments, below the official voting, the community will nominate players to be put onto the ballot for the next round. The format for your comment should be “Nomination: Player Name”.
If a prospect is traded, his name will be crossed out, and all other players will be moved up a space. If a prospect is acquired, a special vote will be put up to determine where that player should rank.
The voting continues! Who will take third place? Here’s a quick rundown on each nominee— the scouting grades (on a 20-to-80 scale) and scouting reports come from MLB Pipeline.
Jump’s fastball is difficult for opposing hitters to pick up with an arm angle that creates some deception. The heater sits about 92-94 mph and can reach up to 97 with good carry up in the zone. His upper-70s curveball has significant downer break, and his low-80s slider has cutting action. His fading low-80s changeup is used far less than his other three offerings.
Listed at 6-foot, Jump lacks the size of a typical starter, though his growth since the surgery and ability to generate his stuff with arm speed helps his potential outlook as a long-term starter. The ceiling of a mid-rotation starter is there, though some scouts believe he might be better suited in a bullpen role. To start out, the A’s will develop him as a starter and look to see him maintain good health and strike-throwing ability.
Bolte is a tooled-up athlete who continues to fill out his big 6-foot-3 frame. His impressive raw power continues to show up in the Minors, though there is still a real concern over his swing-and-miss and high strikeout rate as he continues to struggle with offspeed stuff out of the zone. The A’s have worked with him to revamp his swing in order to improve his bat path and cover more of the zone, which has produced slight improvements in those areas, though there is still plenty of work to be done.
Another shining tool for Bolte is his near-elite speed, which was on display last season as he swiped 46 bags. That speed also comes in handy on defense, combining that with a strong arm that makes him a solid outfielder at all three spots. Further refining is required, but he remains an exciting talent with a very high ceiling who continues to steadily advance through the system.
While working around the injuries, Nett has continued to show stellar velocity, touching as high as 99 mph in the Minor Leagues last season. He typically sits 95-97 mph and gets swing-and-miss up in the zone thanks to ample carry. He also throws a tight 81-84 mph slider that ran a 38 percent whiff rate in ’24 and a sharper 90-92 mph cutter that can catch hitters off guard. He’ll mix in an upper-70s curveball with more vertical drop and he’s scrapped a low-80s splitter in favor of a much more effective 88 mph kick-change that really neutralizes lefties.
Nett has some effort in his delivery, and the 2025 season (pre-trade) was the first time he’d posted a walk rate below 13 percent at any Minor League stop. Combine that with the early injury concerns, and it’s easy to think he could be a reliever eventually. But his arsenal is deep enough, and his stuff is promising enough — when combined with strides taken this season — to keep landing him in a starting role in the upper Minors.
It’s not often that teenage prospects launch home runs. But Colome has a tendency to get to that jumpy pop with frequency, consistently leveraging his swing well – so well in fact, that one evaluator mentioned the most recent occasion on which he saw an international prospect continually get to their launch point in such a manner was Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Colome is a right-handed hitter with explosive hands and a solid contact rate, although he has been known to be a tad aggressive in the box as a means of getting to said power.
Something of an athletic marvel at 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds at age 16, Colome is an agile athlete who shows a lot of lateral quickness. The fluidity of his movements and strong arm led to a Manny Machado comparison being hung on him defensively. Much like the seven-time All-Star, Colome may move off short as his frame fills out, but he’s a tremendously dedicated worker and has the feet, soft hands and instincts to stick at the premium position.
A 6-foot-2 left-hander, Lin has a combination of feel for as many as five pitches and projection to his frame. Right now his fastball averages just 91 mph, but it tops out at 95, and it’s easy to see that his frame has tremendous room to add good strength, with more consistent velocity to come. It already had the makings of a quality heater, thrown from around a 5.9-feet release height and with more than 18 inches of carry to it, helping it to miss a good amount of bats. His changeup has been his best secondary offering to date, with huge whiff rates during his debut. His short curve is his go-to breaking ball thus far, though he has a harder, shorter slider. He’ll also employ a splitter for another offspeed possibility.
It’s been a small sample size so far in his first full season, but Lin looks like he has the makings of being an extreme strike-thrower, showing particularly good command of his fastball and curve. If the teenaged southpaw is able to fill out and throw harder, the A’s could have a very interesting left-handed starting pitcher prospect on their hands.
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Programming Note: Each CPL vote will run for around 48 hours, so don’t delay making your selections!
Logan Webb knows the Giants’ roster construction is out of his hands, but he can’t help but acknowledge the moves other NL West teams have made this offseason.
Such as … the reigning and back-to-back World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers — aka San Francisco’s longtime rivals.
“It’s not my job to add guys or do anything,” Webb told reporters Saturday at Giants FanFest in San Ramon. “It’s our job to just go out there and try to compete. Obviously, yeah, it’s not fun for me to watch the team that won it and the team that kicked our ass a lot last year go out and get some really good players just to make it more difficult.
“But at the end of the day, you just got to play better and be better. Hopefully we do that.”
Meanwhile, the Giants, led by president of baseball operations Buster Posey, have focused on pitching depth and minor league additions rather than big offseason splashes. San Francisco signed RHP Tyler Mahle to a one-year deal and RHP Adrian Houser to a two-year deal that includes a club option for 2028.
But does Webb believe that’s enough?
“At the end of the day, we just got to go out and play better,” he said. “Those types of things are not my job. I’m not the GM. I’m not the owner. My job is to go out there and pitch every five days. It’s our job in the clubhouse to just try to maximize our potential and value.”
The Giants certainly addressed an area of concern, but they’ll need to do more to stay afloat with the Dodgers and San Diego Padres in the NL West.
The Giants faced the Dodgers 13 times during the 2025 MLB season, losing nine of those contests. Over the past four seasons, Los Angeles has held a 40-18 regular-season record against San Francisco.
At this point, it’s safe to say that any annoyance Webb — or any Giants player or fan — seems reasonable.
The Montreal Canadiens will visit the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on Saturday, January 24, for a classic matchup between these two Atlantic Division rivals.
My Canadiens vs. Bruins predictions and NHL picks suggest yet another thrilling offense-driven game between the two Original Six teams.
Canadiens vs Bruins prediction
Canadiens vs Bruins best bet: Alexandre Carrier Over 1.5 blocked shots (-180)
Since January 7, no one has blocked more shots than Montreal Canadiens defenseman Alexandre Carrier. He ranks one ahead of his teammate Noah Dobson despite playing significantly fewer minutes.
The Quebec City native has 27 blocked shots over his last nine games, and has scored four goals during that time for good measure.
He trails only Mike Matheson among Habs defensemen in shorthanded ice time, and will be largely entrusted to fend off the Boston Bruins' fourth-ranked power play. He's in line to hit the Over for blocked shots once again.
Canadiens vs Bruins same-game parlay
Nick Suzuki was recently named to Canada's Olympic roster, and deservedly so, as the 26-year-old leads the team in points (57) and ranks 11th in the NHL in assists (41). He has helpers in four consecutive games and 10 in his last 10 games.
With Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman underperforming thus far, it's worth noting Montreal has put up at least four goals on Boston in three of their last five meetings — including potting six behind Swayman just over a month ago.
Boston has won seven of the last 10 meetings, but has lost two of the last three. Find more NHL betting trends for Canadiens vs. Bruins.
How to watch Canadiens vs Bruins
Location
TD Garden, Boston, MA
Date
Saturday, January 24, 2026
Puck drop
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
NESN, Sportsnet
Canadiens vs Bruins 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.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
In this episode of the Royals Rundown Podcast, Jacob Milham and Jeremy “Hokius” Greco take a comprehensive look at the Kansas City Royals’ infield and prospect pipeline as the offseason unfolds. The hosts break down infield rankings, examine what a “down year” really means for Bobby Witt Jr., and discuss why players like Maikel Garcia, Jonathan India, and Michael Massey have pivotal seasons ahead—especially as lineup depth and health come into sharper focus.
The conversation expands into a deep dive on the Royals’ prospect rankings, evaluating names like Peyton Wilson, Warren Calcagno, and Daniel Vazquez, while also placing Kansas City’s strategy in context with major MLB moves such as the Dodgers’ acquisition of Kyle Tucker and the Mets landing Bo Bichette. From player development and injury timelines to trade speculation and roster-building philosophy, this episode offers a clear-eyed look at where the Royals stand—and where they still need to go to compete.
So, what do we know about this photo? The Cubs are playing the Giants. Again, as in the last photo, it has to be between 1978 and 1981, because the Chicago Sting soccer clock is below the board. (The Sting played at Wrigley from 1978-84, but after 1981 Tribune Co. put a message board beneath the scoreboard.)
No. 34 is the starting pitcher for the Cubs. Ray Burris wore that number in 1978 and 1979 and Randy Martz had it in 1980 and 1981. The No. 35 relief pitcher is no help, as the Cubs had pitchers with that number in 1978 (Woodie Fryman) and 1979-81 (Doug Capilla).
So I methodically looked at Burris’ and Martz’ game logs for the years in question. Burris wasn’t a match.
Martz was, and therein lies a tale. This game was played Thursday, June 11, 1981. That’s a significant date, because the 1981 players’ strike began the next day.
The Cubs had been an absolutely terrible team to begin 1981. They started 1-13, then were 4-19, 5-26 and 10-36 before winning five of their last six before the strike. Just getting hot, right?
The Cubs scored four in the first inning of this game, with RBI hits from Steve Dillard, Mike Lum and Ken Reitz (read those names and you’ll understand why the Cubs were so bad that year). Later, Jody Davis and Hector Cruz homered. Martz allowed five hits and one run in seven innings and the Cubs won the game 6-1.
Specifically, what we are seeing here: There are two out in the top of the eighth and No. 31 is batting for the Giants. That’s Enos Cabell, who was in his only year with the Giants after several good seasons in Baltimore and Houston. He’s down 0-1 in the count and eventually grounded to short.
Here is the full photo:
The third-base umpire visible is Steve Fields and off in the distance, the Cubs center fielder is Jerry Morales. And as you can see, there wasn’t much of a crowd — just 5,017 paid to see that game.
