SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 01, 2026: Germán Márquez #33 of the San Diego Padres throws a pitch during the first inning of a spring training game against the San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium on March 01, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by David Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
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The San Diego Padres entered the 2026 season knowing they would have to address needs in the starting rotation, but with a limited budget, doing so through free agency proved to be difficult. San Diego re-signed Michael King, who could easily be considered the ace of the staff and that was the one “big signing” that was made to address the rotation. At the very least, King would be considered a co-ace with Nick Pivetta, who finished sixth in Cy Young voting following the 2025 season.
The return of Joe Musgrove gave the Padres a solid top of the rotation, and if Randy Vasquez could continue to improve throughout Spring Training and into the season, the top four spots in the rotation would be set. San Diego would need to address the fifth starter in the rotation and general manager A.J. Preller attempted to do so by bringing in several veteran pitchers on minor league deals to compete with JP Sears, Matt Waldron and potentially Kyle Hart, who were already on the roster. Hart has been used more as a long-relief bullpen arm and seems to be out of starter consideration.
Preller signed German Marquez to a major league deal and Walker Buehler, Marco Gonzales and Triston McKenzie to minor league deals. They all came to Spring Training with a chance to win a spot in the rotation. Each pitcher has had positives and negatives this spring, but only McKenzie seems to have played himself out of consideration due to control issues. The right-hander has good stuff and a high-velocity fastball, but his ability to command his pitches could be what keeps him off the roster.
Marquez seems to have the liveliest arm in the group of rotation contenders, but he has not been able to stand out from the group and take control of the competition. Buehler, who was previously known as a fastball pitcher, is re-inventing himself and becoming more of a “pitcher,” relying on movement to keep hitters off balance. Gonzales has had a spring similar to Marquez. He has not been bad, but he has not done anything to separate himself from his competitors.
Sears continues to have trouble with the home run ball. He has been a flyball pitcher for his career, but the problem he runs into is that too many of those flyballs land beyond the outfield wall in the stands.
With Opening Day approaching March 26, Preller, manager Craig Stammen and pitching coach Ruben Niebla will have to decide who will make the roster and fill the final rotation spot. With news in recent days of Pivetta missing a start due to arm fatigue and Musgrove’s return to the mound after one spring start in question, perhaps multiple candidates will make the Padres roster.
For this week’s Padres Reacts Survey, Gaslamp Ball asks readers which candidate they think will win the fifth and final spot in the rotation. For this exercise, let’s assume King, Pivetta, Musgrove and Vasquez are all healthy and on the Opening Day roster. Results will be published later in the week.
HOUSTON — Vinnie Pasquantino, walking though the corridor with a half-empty can of beer Wednesday night, lifted up his blue suit jacket, smelled it, and wrinkled his nose.
He has worn the same suit every day, to day games and night games, with Team Italy at Daikin Park, maintaining the tradition Italy manager Francisco Cervelli established for his team in this World Baseball Classic.
But Pasquantino may have made a serious wardrobe miscalculation.
Team Italy, which was supposed to be dismissed from the World Baseball Classic after four games in pool play, is sticking around for awhile, and perhaps may have another flight to catch. It pulled off a second consecutive stunning upset Wednesday, 9-1, over Mexico.
The team that was supposed to be an afterthought, suddenly is on everyone’s forefront, sweeping all four games in the WBC to win Pool B and be a No. 1 seed for the first time in Italy history. It will play Puerto Rico on Saturday afternoon at Daikin Park for the right to play in the semifinals in Miami.
“There’s another team in the world that can play baseball,’’ Cervelli proudly said.
And there’s another slugger in the world who can hit three home runs in a single game, becoming the first player to achieve the feat in World Baseball Classic history.
So, is there a nickname Pasquantino wants after his feat, considering Reggie Jackson earned his monicker after hitting three homers in Game 6 of the 1977 World Series for the Yankees?
“Mr. March,’’ he said, laughing.
“It’s just a good night. That's it. This will be forgotten very soon. But you know, anytime you can just say Reggie Jackson's name to me is cool.’’
When was the last time Pasquantino, the Kansas City Royals first baseman, hit three homers in a game?
“I've never done it before,’’ he said.
College?
“No.’’
High School?
“No.’’
Little League?
“Never.’’
And never had the Hall of Fame ever reached out and requested anything from him to be displayed in Cooperstown.
Then, again, he might become the first one to flatly turn them down. Well, at least delay them a bit.
“They liked the bat,’’ Pasquantino said. “I said, 'I need the bat for a few more days.’’
When you go hitless in the first three games of the WBC, and get so desperate that you actually attempt a bunt in your first at-bat Wednesday, you’re sure not going to hand over the bat that made you an overnight WBC legend.
“Just nice to be involved and help the team offensively,’’ Pasquantino said. “It's no secret how I'd been doing prior. So, you know, we worked really hard to try to get right, and tonight was a good night.’’
Pasquantino’s struggles were so pronounced that simply laying off a 2-and-2 slider in the eighth inning, instead of chasing a slider that was low, was his proudest moment of the night. He hit the next pitch 337 feet over the right-field fence.
“I had been chasing quite a bit to the point that, you know, I wanted to just cry,’’ said Pasquantino. “Just like, 'Hey, stop chasing balls. Just take balls.' And I took that pitch. And I think I was about as happy as I could be.’’
Pasquantino, their leader who orchestrated the espresso shots after homers, parading in the dugout with an Armani jacket and passing out celebratory bottles of wine after victories, refused to let his struggles carry over into the clubhouse. His teammates will tell you he was the same guy, clowning around, keeping everyone loose.
“He's been the happiest player on the team,’’ Italy second baseman Jon Berti said. “Trust me.’’
Yet, Pasquantino's struggles were burning inside, and only Italy’s victories kept his sanity.
“Francisco and I had talked about it, and I said, 'Skip, if you need to drop me in order, do it because I understand,’’’ Pasquantino said. “It's been bad. But I felt like I was still competing and giving it my best. (USA pitcher) Nolan McLean made me look like I'd never hit a baseball before last night.
“So, I'm glad we were able to do something productive tonight.’’
Yes, for the first time in the WBC, he actually got to keep a bottle of the fine wine for himself. He also presented one to Marco Mazzieri, the Italian Baseball Federation president, for making this all possible.
“I'm like weirdly emotional tonight,’’ Pasquantino said, “to the point I'm thinking about crying. Which is funny for a tournament in March.’’
Pasquantino thinks about the players on the team who risked losing their jobs in spring training to come play for Italy. He thinks about the guys who may wind up in the minor leagues instead of the big leagues because of the time away from their team. He thinks about players like White Sox catcher Kyle Teel, who will be out four to six weeks with a strained hamstring after stretching a single into a double against the USA.
And he gets emotional about playing for Cervelli, GM Ned Colletti, Mazzieri and Yankees great Jorge Posada.
“I'm so thankful for those guys for allowing me to be myself,’’ Pasquantino said, “and to lead this team the way that I've kind of seen from a player perspective. They have to do what they need to do from a leadership side, from a coaching staff. But to kind of give me the reins to say, 'All right, this is your team, what do you want it to look like?’
“It doesn't mean that I'm making decisions or anything, but it just means, like, what can we do to get the best out of every player? And honestly, like the 'C' on my chest, which we argued about if I was going to wear or not, that's what that means to me. It wouldn't matter. What matters is trying to get the best out of my teammates, and they've given me the freedom to try to do that, whether it's taking mound visits or talking to the group.’’
Cervelli, who was mentored by Hall of Famer Joe Torre, and brings the great Yankees tradition to the team, knows the value of leadership, being around Derek Jeter, CC Sabathia and Posada during his playing days.
Pasquantino may not have the Hall of Fame resume, but those leadership qualities, they are all there.
“I think leaders, they're born like that,’’ Cervelli said. “This guy, everybody follows him. He respects everyone. He can be loud sometimes when he needs to. He doesn't talk that much. Everybody follows him.
“That's a leader. He put himself before everyone to protect everyone, not because it's Vinnie, that's what a captain is. This is amazing to have. It's a pleasure for me to have a player like that because it makes my job very easy.’’
It was Pasquantino’s leadership that prevented Italy from having an emotional letdown after beating the USA in the biggest victory in Italian history just 24 hours earlier. They sat around and talked about the tiebreakers. They were told they could actually lose to Mexico, but as long as they didn’t give up more than four runs, they’d earn a tiebreaker over the USA.
They talked about all of the scenarios, and then Pasquantino put a stop to it.
“Just being realistic, there was a lot of conversation if different scenarios arise,’’ Pasquantino said, “what do we do? Then finally, we just got together and said, 'You know what? Let's just win the game.’
“So last night when we were celebrating, we had a good time in the locker room. But I said to the guys, 'Once midnight hit, guys, we've got to get going.' We stayed and we hung out and we had a good time. But it was a lot of hanging out and just, 'What are we going to do tomorrow? How are we going to win this game?'"
They won the game by jumping on Pasquantino’s back as he hit the three solo homers, the arm of Aaron Nola who pitched five shutout innings, and the contributions of seven different players producing hits, and six different pitchers getting outs.
“Tonight, we just handled business,’’ Pasquantino said. “That was the expectation. And it was awesome.’’
Next stop: vs. Puerto Rico on Saturday afternoon.
Win, and they have a flight to Miami for the semifinals, going where no Italy team has gone before.
So, considering Team Italy will be sticking around for awhile, perhaps it could be time to grab a new suit, particularly since the Italians have the next two days off.
But, hey, as long as Team Italy keeps winning, and the suit is working, how in the world can Pasquantino change the wardrobe now?
And, if someone wants to buy him a nice Italian designer suit, he knows just the guys who owe him.
Yep, Team USA, which staved off elimination in the WBC thanks to Italy’s victory.
“You're welcome, USA,’’ Pasquantino said on the field. “We were thinking of you guys over at your hotel. We were thinking of you guys, so glad you guys can join us in the party.’’
SEATTLE (AP) — Mikyla Grant-Mentis and Danielle Serdachny scored goals in the final six minutes of the third period, Alex Carpenter also had a goal, and the Seattle Torrent beat the Boston Fleet 3-2 on Wednesday night to snap a four-game losing streak.
Seattle (5-1-2-9) had lost back-to-back games following the Olympic break and went into the game last in the PWHL with 16 points.
Boston (9-4-2-3) — which had its six-game win streak come to an end — leads the league with 37 points.
Theresa Schafzahl and Susanna Tapani scored goals for the Fleet. Abbey Levy made her second start of the season, both against the Torrent, and had 35 saves. Levy had 27 saves as the Fleet beat Seattle 3-1 on Dec. 21.
Grant-Mentis scored a short-handed goal on a jailbreak to make it 2-2 with 5:13 left in the game and Serdachny’s one-timer off a pass from Natalie Snodgrass capped the scoring with 3:46 to go.
Alina Müller, on the left side, dropped a pass to Daniela Pejsova for a one-timer from just inside the blue line that was redirected by Schafahl over the stick-side shoulder of goaltender Corinne Schroeder to give the Fleet a 1-0 lead with 7 1/2 minutes left in the first period.
Carpenter, on the rush after a save by Schroeder, flicked a back-hand shot into the net with 5.6 seconds left in the first to make it 1-1.
Schroeder, who finished with 25 saves, parried a shot by Loren Gabel but couldn't control the puck and Tapani slammed home the rebound to make it 2-1 with 8 1/2 minutes left until the third period. The Torrent had 18 shots in the second period but went into the second intermission trailing by a goal.
Up next
Boston: Visits second-place Montreal (35 points) on Sunday.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 45 points and the Los Angeles Clippers routed the Minnesota Timberwolves 153-128 on Wednesday night, moving above .500 with their third straight victory and sixth in seven games.
Eighth in the Western Conference at 33-32 after opening 6-21, the Clippers had their highest points total of the season. They blew out Minnesota after beating New York on Monday night to open a five-game homestand.
Leonard was 15 of 20 from the the field, 6 of 9 on 3s and made 9 of 10 free throws. Los Angeles made 19 of 37 3s.
Bennedict Mathurin scored 22 points for Los Angeles. Clippers newcomer Darius Garland had 21, hitting five 3-pointers.
Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with 36 points and Naz Reid had 18.
Minnesota dropped to sixth in the tight Western Conference, but only a half-game behind the third-place Lakers. The Timberwolves have lost three in a row after winning five straight. They lost to the Lakers on Tuesday night to open four-game trip.
Leonard scored 18 points in the first quarter to help Los Angeles take a 38-27 lead. He had 28 at the half, with the Clippers up 74-65, and went to the fourth with 39 and LA ahead 109-98. Los Angeles had a 44-30 edge in the fourth.
Up next
Timberwolves: At Golden State on Friday night.Clippers: Host Chicago on Friday night.___AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Nijel Pack scored 24 points shooting 5 for 10 from 3-point range and Oklahoma beat South Carolina 86-74 in an opening-round game of the SEC Tournament on Wednesday.
The 11th-seeded Sooners (18-14) advance to play sixth-seeded Texas A&M on Thursday.
Derrion Reid scored 20 points on 6-of-8 shooting, Tae Davis 18 shooting 7 of 10 and Xzayvier Brown 14 shooting 6 of 7. Oklahoma shot 60% (30 of 50).
Kobe Knox scored 20 points, Mike Sharavjamts 19 and Meechie Johnson 14 for 14th-seeded South Carolina (13-19). The Gamecocks shot 41% (25 of 61).
South Carolina built a 29-19 in the game's first 10 minutes and the Gamecocks led 39-28 after Knox made a 3-pointer with 5:24 before halftime.
Down the stretch, the Sooners outscored South Carolina 14-3 to tie it at 42 at halftime. Oklahoma emerged from the break continuing its offensive spurt and outscored the Gamecocks 13-5 in the first five minutes of the second half and led 56-47.
Johnson's 3-pointer with 10:52 left brought the Gamecocks within 61-56 but they would never get closer.
Brown's 3 with 7:53 to go made it 70-60 and Oklahoma led by double digits for the remainder.
CHICAGO, IL - JANUARY 26: Rui Hachimura #28 of the Los Angeles Lakers guards Josh Giddey #3 of the Chicago Bulls during the second half on January 26, 2026 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
After an excellent victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Lakers (40-25) look to make it four wins in a row as they host the Chicago Bulls (27-38) on Thursday.
With exactly a month to go until the playoffs, the Lakers are catching their stride at the right time. Not only are they on a much-needed three-game winning streak, but they’ve done it by beating two very good teams in a row. It’s also happening at the right time because the Western Conference seeding is tighter than ever.
Thankfully, the Lakers have this upcoming game against the Bulls to capitalize on before they face the Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets. This season, the Bulls have won only 27 games and are entering this one losers of seven of their last 10. They know their playoff hopes are bleak because it’s also not like there’s a good chance that they make the play-in either. Their current injury report perfectly depicts that.
That said, this doesn’t mean it’ll be a giveaway game for the purple and gold. Over the years, Chicago has found a way to upset Los Angeles now and then. But given the state of these two teams right now, there’s really no excuse for the Lakers to lose this one.
The Bulls are one of those handful of teams that are weaker than the Lakers on both offense and defense. The easiest way the Lakers can beat them is to once again overwhelm them with their offense, as they did to the Bulls in January.
LeBron James remains questionable, but the luxury in this scenario is that he can take his time to recover because Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves have held things down. That should be the case again on Thursday and likely without Marcus Smart — who has been playing a ton of minutes as of late — expect Luka Kennard and Jake LaRavia to get more burn. It’ll be a great opportunity for the Lakers to continue building on their momentum and rhythm.
For as long as the Lakers play their usual game and approach this one with the same mindset as their last few, this should be another dub for them.
Let’s see if the Lakers can remain perfect in their current five-game home stand on Thursday.
Notes and Updates
For the Lakers’ injury report, LeBron (right hip contusion and left foot arthritis) and Maxi Kleber (lumbar back strain) are questionable.
Smart (right hip contusion) is doubtful while Jaxson Hayes (back soreness) is probable.
As for the Bulls, Zach Collins (right toe surgery), Noa Essengue (left shoulder surgery), Jaden Ivey (left patellofemoral pain syndrome) and Anferenee Simons (ulnar styloid francture) are out.
Guerschon Yabusele (left foot soreness), Patrick Williams (left ankle sprain), Colin Sexton (left fibular head contusion), Issac Okoro (patellofemoral pain syndrome) are questionable.
Matas Buzelis (right ankle sprain), Josh Giddey (right ankle sprain) and Jalen Smith (left calf strain) are probable.
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) — Defending champion Jack Draper beat five-time champ Novak Djokovic 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5) Wednesday night in the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open.
The 24-year-old Draper, who is coming back after missing eight months due to an arm injury, advanced to the quarterfinal round and will face Daniil Medvedev, who beat Alex Michelsen 6-2, 6-4 in the round of 16 to advance.
Djokovic led 6-5 in the third set before Draper rallied and forced a tiebreaker.
“I still don’t feel like I’m playing anywhere near the way I want to play," Draper said. "I came out here and I won that match through determination.”
In addition to his win at Indian Wells last year, Draper won the Stuttgart Open and the Vienna Open, both in 2024.
The 38-year-old Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion, won at Indian Wells in 2008, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016. Djokovic nearly won an 11th Australian Open title earlier this year, but lost to Carlos Alcaraz.
Well, perhaps the two most impressive Atlanta relievers of Spring Training have now been sent to minor league camp, in Hayden Harris and James Karinchak. It seems likely that both will appear in Atlanta this year, assuming Karinchak sticks around long enough to do so as a veteran. They have each been strikeout machines this spring, but did not have to be on the active roster to start the season in order to remain in the organization, and thus are expendable as potential members of the Opening Day roster. MLB.com’s Mark Bowman also speculates that the run of consecutive games to start the season lends itself to more of a long-relief role and perhaps a sixth starter, which logically would lead to the likes of Harris and/or Karinchak making the roster perhaps in mid-April.
Spencer Strider had a nice day, sitting mid-90s with his fastball and showcasing two breaking balls, as the Braves notched another Spring Training win.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — RJ Godfrey had 11 points and eight rebounds and Clemson rode a red-hot first half to a 71-62 victory over Wake Forest on Wednesday night to reach the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament.
Fifth-seeded Clemson (23-9) launched 13 3-pointers in the first 12-plus minutes, making seven of them en route to a 29-18 lead. The Tigers finished the first half 9 for 18. Clemson's reserves did much of the damage, making 5 of 6 from deep, and the Tigers led 41-23 at halftime.
The only free throw attempts of the first half were two misses by Clemson's Nick Davidson with 5:42 remaining.
Clemson led 52-32 after 6 1/2 minutes of the second half before the Demon Deacons' Nate Calmese scored nine unanswered points on a 3-pointer, a three-point trip to the free-throw line, and another 3-pointer.
Clemson went back up by 16 with seven minutes remaining, but Wake Forest got within eight points while the Tigers were missing nine straight shots and Godfrey missed the front end of the 1-and-1 three times in a row. Ace Buckner ended the drought with a layup and the Tigers made six free throws in the final 64 seconds to finish it off.
Juke Harris led 13th-seeded Wake Forest (17-16) with 22 points. It was his 33rd consecutive game scoring in double digits, extending his school record. Calmese scored 20 points and Tre’Von Spillers had 15 points and 12 rebounds.
Ten players played at least 10 minutes for Clemson and they all scored at least three points although Godfrey was the only one to reach double figures.
Up next
Clemson will play fourth-seeded North Carolina in the quarterfinals on Thursday.
PEORIA, ARIZONA - MARCH 4: Joe Musgrove #44 of the San Diego Padres pitches during a World Baseball Classic scrimmage against Great Britain at Peoria Stadium on March 4, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Diego Padres need to slow-play starter Joe Musgrove at the beginning of the 2026 season. Coming off Tommy John surgery in October of 2024, Musgrove is a month shy of 18 months post-surgery. The usual recovery time for TJ is 12-18 months but that is a range that is very individual and Musgrove himself said that in his research for the surgery he was told by other pitchers that they didn’t feel normal until two years removed from the actual operation.
In February, Musgrove had a long interview on the Friar Territory podcast where he outlined his willingness to do whatever it took to be ready to pitch at the end of the season. Starting the season in the rotation wasn’t seen as a must although he specifically said that taking breaks, pushing back his starts and limiting innings or pitches to start the season would all be in the mix.
After his first spring start on March 4 against the Great Britain WBC team, Musgrove reported no physical issues after his 60-pitch performance over three innings and six outs. He felt challenged by the pace with the pitch clock and the intensity of having to compete in a real game-setting versus the controlled settings on the back fields of Peoria Sports Complex.
The real test for recovering pitchers is how they bounce-back after pitching. According to manager Craig Stammen, Musgrove threw a bullpen at some point after his start but it was announced yesterday that there is no scheduled next start for Musgrove. He will be day-to-day with an evaluation each day to see how his arm feels.
When asked how his arm felt, Musgrove replied, “It feels like I had surgery.”
Musgrove’s repertoire
At the end of the 2024 season, when it was clear that Musgrove had been pitching most of the season hurt and was just doing his best until his elbow gave out, it seemed pretty remarkable that he managed a 3.88 ERA when his Baseball Savant page showed a pitcher that shouldn’t have been in MLB; much less get through almost 100 innings pitched with a winning record. He had removed his slider from his pitch mix and added a sweeper.
During his last healthy season, in 2023, Musgrove’s Savant page revealed an effective pitcher that was really successful despite not having elite velocity. Musgrove was a pitcher, working with his six-pitch mix to get hitters out with efficiency and smarts.
In his start on March 4, Musgrove used a seven-pitch mix, bringing back the slider he had removed in 2024 and incorporating the sweeper as well. His fastball velocity averaged 94.1 mph, slightly up from 2023.
Handling the new season
Pushing Musgrove’s start back, allowing his tired arm to fully recover and giving him more time between starts, will probably mean he isn’t ready for Opening Day. That is not a real problem as things stand currently. He was not in line to be the starter on March 26. At most, he would be third in line for the Padres.
He could start the year on the IL but the Padres have plenty of options to keep the team competitive until he is ready to step into the every five or six day rotation. There are two off days in the first eight days of the season and the team can use a fill-in to start a game or allow the other starters to work on normal four days rest.
The “bridge’” pitcher can help
The organization is currently evaluating three pitchers to work as “bridge” pitchers on the team. Stammen, a former pitcher, doesn’t seem to like the term “long-man” and they have used “bridge” instead.
Ron Marinaccio, currently with Team Italy in the WBC, lefty Kyle Hart and Logan Gillaspie are all auditioning for the role and it is possible that two could make the team. Marinaccio and Gillaspie are out of options and will have to be put through waivers if not on the roster.
The starters
With Musgrove out to start the year, both German Marquez and Walker Buehler have a chance to make the roster out of spring. It seems obvious that Randy Vasquez has locked up a spot with his outstanding spring performances. This will have to be decided by March 21, as Buehler has an opt-out on that date. He must be on the roster or allowed to pursue other opportunities.
None of the pitchers vying for the rotation have an ERA below 5.40, but that isn’t a reliable stat to use for evaluation in the spring. The underlying stats on the competitors show that Marquez and Buehler have better stuff and a bit more velocity than Marco Gonzales. And… Tristan McKenzie is a work-in-progress and not a contender.
When he is ready to return, Musgrove will probably be limited in some way. Either an innings limit or longer recovery time between starts would make sense. The bullpen is certainly up to supporting that approach and the “bridge” pitchers would also be available to step in.
Slow-playing the season
Musgrove has repeatedly stated that opening the season as a starter might not be important but ending the season as a starter is very important.
Musgrove wants to play in October. He wants to pitch in playoff games. If the Padres get to that point, they need a healthy and strong Joe Musgrove. We have seen what Playoff Joe looks like. The Friar Faithful should all be patient and support getting that Musgrove back with the Padres.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — David Punch scored 26 points, Tanner Toolson made a couple of big baskets down the stretch, and sixth-seeded TCU rallied for a 95-88 victory over No. 14 seed Oklahoma State in the second round of the Big 12 Tournament on Wednesday night.
Toolson finished with 19 points, and Xavier Edmonds had 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Horned Frogs (22-10), who have now won nine of their last 10 games heading into a quarterfinal matchup with third-seeded and No. 14 Kansas on Thursday night.
Anthony Roy had 25 points and nine boards for the Cowboys (19-14). Christian Coleman had 15 points and Kanye Clary had 14.
The Horned Frogs swept the regular-season series from Oklahoma State, though neither of them was easy. They won 68-65 on the road on Jan. 20, then won 95-92 at home on Feb. 14 as part of their red-hot finish heading into the postseason.
In other words, the Cowboys were out for some revenge.
Jaylen Curry scored 10 first-half points to help them take a 46-43 lead, then Roy and Coleman went to work. They combined for 17 points while Oklahoma State scored on nine consecutive possessions early in the second half, and Roy's deep 3-pointer from the wing gave them a 67-57 lead and forced TCU coach Jamie Dixon to call timeout with 13 1/2 minutes left in the game.
It seemed to settle the Horned Frogs right down.
They chipped away at their deficit over the next few minutes, finally pulling ahead on Clary's 3-pointer with 5:40 to go. And while the Cowboys managed to answer a couple of times down floor, the Horned Frogs eventually started to pull away.
Punch's bucket made it 89-86 with 2:50 left, and Toolson's 3-pointer moments later doubled a lead they would never give up.
Up next
The Horned Frogs lost to the Jayhawks 104-100 in overtime on Jan. 6 in Allen Fieldhouse.
The Cowboys are longshots to hear their name called on Selection Sunday.
TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 26: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees smiles during a spring training game against the Atlanta Braves at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 26, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
FanGraphs | Ben Clemens: Aaron Judge is the best hitter in baseball, and has been just about that since his Rookie of the Year campaign in 2017. Once again heading into 2026 he’s expected to lead the league in offensive production, and as Clemens digs in, there’s a very good argument that barring a catastrophe, he’ll be tabbed as the best slugger in 2027 too. We are simply witnessing one of the finest hitters in the history of the game, and both the numbers and the eyes can back that up.
On the topic of Judge, his hopes of a World Baseball Classic title with Team USA did not come to an end with their loss to Italy on Tuesday after all. Thanks to Italy finishing an impressive sweep of Pool B by beating 2-2 Mexico, 3-1 Team USA backed into a spot in the quarterfinals. As the Pool B runner-up, they’ll stay in Houston and on Friday, will face Canada, who advanced to the knockout round for the first time after winning Pool A. The other matchups will be: Dominican Republic vs. South Korea, Japan vs. Venezuela, and Puerto Rico vs. Italy.
New York Post | Mark W. Sanchez and Dan Martin: Jasson Domínguez is in tough to break camp with the MLB roster, but he has been doing his best in spring training action. The Martian adjusted nicely in Tuesday’s Grapefruit League game against the Phillies’ Tanner Banks, moving to a toe-tap instead of a full leg kick and taking the left-hander deep. Hitting against lefties has been Jasson’s biggest problem at the plate despite being a natural right-handed hitter, and maybe these kind of mechanical shifts can be the key he needs to be an MLB regular.
Apple Newsroom: AppleTV Plus is once again broadcasting doubleheaders on Friday nights this season, alongside Netflix having Opening Day—which will feature the Yankees and Giants—and the All-Star festivities (aside from the actual Midsummer Classic). The Yankees don’t appear on Apple until May 15th, the start of the Subway Series against the Mets.
Another broadcast item: CC Sabathia will be in booth for the aforementioned Netflix Opening Day alongside Matt Vasgergian and former Giants standout Hunter Pence. CC’s fellow Yankees alum Anthony Rizzo will be in the studio, as will future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols.
MLB Trade Rumors | Steve Adams: The Yankees have gotten lucky so far in camp by managing injuries, always the biggest concern about spring. Unfortunately, the bug has bitten Brock Selvidge, the club’s third-round pick in 2021, and the right-hander underwent an internal brace procedure in his pitching arm. The surgery will mean Selvidge misses the entire 2026 season, and while he was an outside shot for him to make the MLB roster at all this year, the chances he never throws a pitch in the bigs got a little bigger with that news.
Chinakhov had requested a trade from the Blue Jackets last summer, and his wish was granted at the end of December. He only compiled three goals and six points with the Blue Jackets this year before he was traded to the Penguins.
A couple of weeks after the Penguins acquired him, I wrote about how the early returns for Chinakhov were really strong. He racked up two goals and three points in his first six games with the Penguins, showcasing his blistering release and his speed.
Since then, he's been even better, with 11 goals and 19 points in 26 games with the Penguins. His play over the last week is what I really want to focus on for this article.
He's been without Evgeni Malkin for the last three games since his linemate is serving a five-game suspension for slashing Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin in the head last Thursday. During that time, he has seen his role increase, playing on the top line with Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust, as well as on the top power-play unit.
He is flourishing in both roles and has been a big reason why the Penguins have earned four out of a possible six points during this stretch. Going back to Saturday's game against the Philadelphia Flyers, he finished with two assists and was everywhere on the ice. He was creating chances for himself and for his teammates and was responsible defensively.
Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy (73) handles the puck against Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Egor Chinakhov (59) in overtime at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
That play carried over to Sunday's game against the Boston Bruins when he willed the rest of the team back into it. The Penguins were down 3-0 late in the second period and desperately needed a spark on a 5-on-3 power play. He took a pass from Rakell and made no mistake, making it a 3-1 game with 5:16 left in the period.
After that, he was all over the ice in the third period before making the play of the game in overtime. The Bruins won the opening draw, but Chinakhov pestered Charlie McAvoy until he stole the puck and eventually took it to the front of the net for a chance. He didn't bury the puck, but it set the stage for Tommy Novak's game-winner just a couple of seconds later.
He wasn't officially credited with an assist for the goal, but he made all of it happen.
On Tuesday against the Carolina Hurricanes, the Penguins ran their top power-play unit through him during regulation, and it delivered with a beautiful pass to Bryan Rust, who made it 2-1 in the second period. Chinakhov then earned an assist on Noel Acciari's goal that made it a 4-3 game late in the third period before Rust scored again with less than a minute to go, helping the Penguins steal a much-needed point.
Chinakhov almost won the game early in overtime, but Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen made a really nice save. He then had Andersen beaten in the shootout, but sailed the shot wide.
Despite missing that shootout attempt, Chinakhov is playing at a ridiculously high level right now and has really stepped up in place of Crosby and Malkin. He's trying to help this team keep this special season going and make the playoffs.
He's also shaping up to earn a nice pay raise from the Penguins this summer since he's been such a perfect fit. It's Chinakhov's world, and we're just living in it.
SALT LAKE CITY — There’s something about Utah for Jordan Clarkson.
Out of the Knicks rotation for most of the last seven weeks, the reserve guard returned to his old home and put on a show, scoring a season-high 27 points off the bench to help the Knicks recover from an 18-point deficit and avoid an ugly defeat to the tanktastic Jazz, 134-117.
Clarkson, who spent 5 ½ seasons with the Jazz, got a video tribute at the Delta Center and proceeded to take the fans on a trip down memory lane, flashing the microwave scoring that won him the Sixth Man of the Year here in 2021.
“I spent six years in this arena so the rims are pretty familiar to me,” Clarkson said. “It’s not the first time I’ve been hot in this arena.
“Just being able to start the flame and keep it going.”
Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00) looks to pass during the first half against the Utah Jazz at Delta Center on March 11, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Clarkson’s performance was necessary amid struggles from his backcourt teammates Wednesday, including another disappearing act from Mikal Bridges (five points, 27 minutes, 2-for-9 shooting, benched again in the fourth quarter) and early struggles from Jalen Brunson.
Clarkson, 33, keyed the second-half spurt that turned the tables, and the Knicks (42-25) led for the entire fourth quarter while snapping a two-game losing streak.
“For him to go out and perform the way he did, you couldn’t ask for anything better,” coach Mike Brown said. “And it goes to show he’s not just keeping his body right but his mind is in a good spot to go after coming in when you’re down [18 points] in the first half. So just to see that, you couldn’t ask for anything better. Especially from him, who is a veteran who hasn’t been playing or in the rotation and all of a sudden we need him.”
Brown credited assistant Mo Cheeks with recommending playing time Wednesday for Clarkson.
OG Anunoby of the New York Knicks dribbles the ball during the game against the Utah Jazz on March 11, 2026 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City. NBAE via Getty Images
“Mo was the prophet,” Brown said. “He was right on target with it. We needed every single thing that Jordan brought to the table.”
The first quarter, though, was a disaster for the Knicks. With Josh Hart out and nursing a sore knee, Landry Shamet stepped into the starting five and the Knicks were pummeled.
They gave up 41 points in the first quarter, with Utah’s Brice Sensabaugh scoring 10 of them in just six minutes. The Knicks trailed by 15 after that opening period.
The Knicks somewhat recovered in the second quarter behind Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored 13 of his 21 points in that period. But the deficit was still nine at the break.
Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, center, drives to the basket guarded by Utah Jazz guard Ace Bailey, center left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. AP
Then Brunson woke up, Clarkson turned back the clock, and the Jazz returned to being terrible. Brunson scored 18 of his 28 points in the second half. Clarkson shot 10-for-15 in 26 minutes and five big offensive rebounds.
The Jazz (20-46) this season have acted like a family that reached its health insurance deductible. Their players have started racking up medical procedures.
Jaren Jackson Jr. had a growth on his knee removed. Jusuf Nurkic repaired a deviated septum to address his sleeping problems. Walker Kessler had surgery on his shoulder in November. Lauri Markkanen missed his eighth straight game with a hip impingement. They were all out.
Nobody in the Jazz’s starting lineup Wednesday was older than 22. Ace Bailey, the rookie, is only 19. But they were feisty and hitting their 3-pointers, connecting on 14-of-21 at halftime.
Then the Jazz looked their age, especially on defense. The Knicks shot 52 percent on the night, racking up 37 assists compared to just 10 turnovers while scoring 78 points in the second half.
Clarkson said the turnaround was preceded by a halftime message — first from the coaches, then from the players — to “get our s–t together.”
The game began the easiest stretch of the season for the Knicks, with seven straight opponents currently carrying losing records. Those opponents had a combined winning percentage of 31 percent before Wednesday.
Jordan Clarkson of the New York Knicks celebrates sinking a three-pointer during the second half against the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center on March 11, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Getty Images
Still, the Knicks needed to clean up their turnovers from the previous two games — losses to the Clippers and Lakers.
And while it took them a half, they finally got going offensively.
Thanks, in large part, to the former Utahn.
“Clarkson kept us in the game when we were down and then definitely helped us get over the hump with the performance he had,” Brown said.
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Desmond Bane had a 3-pointer and two free throws in the final 17.4 seconds to cap a 35-point night and help the Orlando Magic hold off the Cleveland Cavaliers 128-122 on Wednesday for their fifth straight victory.
Paolo Banchero added 25 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the Magic. Tristan da Silva scored nine of his 23 points in the fourth quarter.
James Harden had 30 points and eights assists for Cleveland. Donovan Mitchell added 25 points, hitting a 3-pointer that brought the Cavaliers within two after Orlando led by 13 midway through the fourth quarter.
Bane countered with a 3-pointer as he was falling out of bounds with 17.4 seconds left, then added two free throws with eight seconds remaining.
Three 3-pointers by Keon Ellis, who finished with 20 points, keyed the late comeback of the Cavaliers.
Evan Mobley had 18 points and 13 rebounds for Cleveland. The Cavaliers have lost five of nine after winning seven straight.
PELICANS 122, RAPTORS 111
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Trey Murphy III scored 28 points, Dejounte Murray added 27 and New Orleans beat Toronto, spoiling Brandon Ingram’s return to the city where he played for six seasons.
Murray had his highest-scoring game since his return from a torn right Achilles tendon that sidelined him for more than a year. Zion Williamson added 19 points for the Pelicans, who have won seven of 10.
In his first game at New Orleans since he was traded to Toronto in February of last year, Ingram finished with 22 points. The 10-year veteran also surpassed 11,000 points for his career.
Immanuel Quickley scored 25 points for Toronto, which has lost six of eight. This defeat dropped the Raptors from fifth to seventh in the Eastern Conference, one-half game behind Orlando and Miami.
Murphy shot 8 of 12 from the field and 5 of 8 from 3-point range. Both teams made 14 3-pointers, but New Orleans did it on 29 attempts (48.3%) and Toronto needed 44 (31.8%).
KNICKS 134, JAZZ 117
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Jalen Brunson scored 28 points, Jordan Clarkson had 27 and New York rallied to beat Utah to snap a two-game losing streak.
Brunson also had eight assists and three steals in a game the Knicks trailed 49-31 early in the second quarter. OG Anunoby added 22 points, and Karl-Anthony Towns had 21 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. New York made 17 3-pointers and shot 52% from the field.
Brice Sensabaugh led Utah with 29 points. Ace Bailey added 21, and Keyonte George had 14 points and five assists before leaving midway through the third quarter with a right hamstring injury.
Utah made 11 of its first 13 3-pointers to take the early lead. Brice Sensabaugh, Ace Bailey, and Kevin Love teamed for seven 3s in the first 14 minutes. The Jazz finished 18 of 36 from 3-point range.
The Knicks cut it to single digits before halftime, then took the lead with a 20-4 run spanning the third and fourth quarters. Clarkson punctuated the run with back-to-back baskets to put the Knicks up 101-94 less than a minute into the fourth.
NUGGETS 129, ROCKETS 93
DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic had 16 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds for his 25th triple-double of the season, and Denver beat Houston in a Western Conference showdown.
Jamal Murray scored 30 points for Denver, which holds the tiebreaker over the Rockets after winning the season series 3-1. The Nuggets moved within a half-game of Houston in the bunched-up Western Conference standings.
It was the first time since mid-November Denver has won with its opening-night lineup together. The Nuggets had lost six of 10 out of the All-Star break as head coach David Adelman practices caution with workloads as players return to the lineup.
Jokic completed his 187th career triple-double with his 10th rebound with 4:14 left in the third. It is the 15th time this season he has secured a triple-double before the fourth quarter.
The Rockets, who finished 4 of 33 from behind the arc, were outscored 40-22 in the third. Kevin Durant finished with just 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting, his fewest field goal attempts this season.
HORNETS 117, KINGS 109
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — LaMelo Ball scored 20 of his 30 points in the first half and Charlotte beat Sacramento.
Miles Bridges had 26 points as Charlotte won at Sacramento for the first time in more than two years. Standout rookie Kon Knueppel added 24 points and Brandon Miller scored 20.
DeMar DeRozan scored 39 points for the Kings and moved past Hall of Famer Tim Duncan into 18th place on the NBA’s career scoring list with 26,505 points. Duncan, a 15-time All-Star, had 26,496 points in 19 seasons.
Ball shot 10 of 22 and made six 3-pointers. He had six rebounds and five assists.
The Hornets trailed much of the first half but began taking control in the third quarter. Bridges’ alley-oop pass to Miller gave Charlotte an 88-83 lead, and White’s three-point play early in the fourth made it 99-88.
After the Kings got within 108-100 with three minutes remaining, Bridges made a floater. Ball then hit his sixth 3-pointer of the night and added a pair of free throws to help Charlotte close it out.
Nique Clifford had 18 points and seven assists for the Kings, who were attempting to win their third straight for the first time since early January.
CLIPPERS 153, TIMBERWOLVES 128
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 45 points and Los Angeles routed Minnesota, moving above .500 with their third straight victory and sixth in seven games.
Eighth in the Western Conference at 33-32 after opening 6-21, the Clippers had their highest points total of the season. They blew out Minnesota after beating New York on Monday night to open a five-game homestand.
Leonard was 15 of 20 from the the field, 6 of 9 on 3s and made 9 of 10 free throws. Los Angeles made 19 of 37 3s.
Bennedict Mathurin scored 22 points for Los Angeles. Clippers newcomer Darius Garland had 21, hitting five 3-pointers.
Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with 36 points and Naz Reid had 18.
Minnesota dropped to sixth in the tight Western Conference, but only a half-game behind the third-place Lakers. The Timberwolves have lost three in a row after winning five straight. They lost to the Lakers on Tuesday night to open four-game trip.
