Feb 26, 2026; Dunedin, Florida, USA; Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter George Springer (4) signs autographs before the game against the Florida Marlins during spring training at TD Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
We have two spring games today, so we get two GameThreads in one. That is our reward for making it to the end of February. Both games have some players I’d like to watch. More of the regulars are in the Phillies game. And we can watch Dylan Cease pitch in that one. Jose Berrios starts the Yankees game.
I’m going to miss the start of the games, I’m playing tennis this morning, but will see most of it all.
The Phillies/Jays game is at Dunedin and on Sportsnet. Lineups:
Today’s Lineups
PHILLIES
BLUE JAYS
Justin Crawford – CF
George Springer – DH
Kyle Schwarber – DH
Andres Gimenez – SS
Bryce Harper – 1B
Vladimir Guerrero – 1B
Edmundo Sosa – SS
Daulton Varsho – CF
Garrett Stubbs – C
Alejandro Kirk – C
Otto Kemp – LF
Ernie Clement – 2B
Bryan De La Cruz – RF
Jesus Sanchez – LF
Liover Peguero – 2B
Nathan Lukes – RF
Carson DeMartini – 3B
Ben Cowles – 3B
C. Sanchez – LHP
Dylan Cease – RHP
The Jays/Yankees game is in Tampa and is on the YES Network and will be on MLB.TV.
When the Brooklyn Nets re-signed Cam Thomas last summer (after he spent four years with the club), there were two expectations: 1) He would have a permanent green light on a team that would need scoring; 2) The rebuilding Nets would try to build up his trade value and move him at the deadline. None of that worked out as planned — much like Thomas' entire career in Brooklyn — and after a trade deadline, when no deal was found, Brooklyn waived Thomas.
He signed with the Milwaukee Bucks, and when back in New York this week to face the Knicks, he said he didn't want to talk much about Brooklyn, but speaking to Stefan Bondy of The New York Post, he did take a little dig at his former team.
"That's just who they are. They don't believe in nobody...
"I never asked. I don't even care anymore. I'm on a different team. I don't want to talk about them much. But that's what it was. They didn't believe. Always thought — I don't know. They always thought something was better, I guess. I don't know. Always chasing something."
The Nets are chasing a rebuild and with that came a lot of roster turnover during Thomas' time in Brooklyn. The Nets know they need star players to anchor that, and to find role players who fit around them, and Thomas ultimately was not part of that plan.
Since arriving in Milwaukee, he has averaged 14 points a game and is shooting just 27.7% from beyond the arc as he tries to find his footing (he did score 34 against Orlando and 27 against New Orleans not long after getting to Milwaukee, but in recent games his minutes and scoring are down).
This summer, Thomas will be an unrestricted free agent.
Back in April, when the Ottawa Senators met the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in 21 years, it looked like the Battle of Ontario was back.
Their playoff meeting in 2004 had been the last time the two provincial rivals faced off in the post-season. But for years afterward, it always seemed like at least one of the two Ontario teams simply wasn’t very good.
After 2004, the Senators kept rolling, making the Cup Final in 2007. But the Leafs went on to miss the playoffs for the next seven seasons and in all, went 17 years without a single playoff series victory. As for the Senators? They eventually went cold, too. Last spring marked the end of a seven-year playoff drought, the third longest in the NHL at the time.
So it was good to see both Ontario teams moving in a positive direction at the same time. Toronto won the 2005 first-round series in six games, but it seemed to set the table for more great battles to come.
Now, it's 10 months later.
As they meet in Toronto on Saturday night for the second of their four meetings this season, it’s no surprise the two Ontario teams are neck and neck in the Eastern standings. What is a surprise, though, is that both teams sit seven and eight points out of the final wild-card spot in the conference.
The Senators have 64 points, good for 11th place in the East. The Leafs have 63, which has them tied for 12th.
Ottawa’s record is actually better than it was at the 58-game mark last year, when they had 62 points. The difference is that non-playoff teams like the Detroit Red Wings, Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins have all taken big steps forward and currently occupy playoff spots in the East.
It’s Toronto that's taken the biggest spill. On February 28 last year, the Leafs led the Atlantic Division with 76 points, which is 13 points ahead of their current pace. That information probably has Vegas forward Mitch Marner sleeping like a baby these days.
The season isn’t over for either Ontario team. Both can perhaps draw inspiration from Buffalo’s ability to flip the script so quickly. On December 8, the Sabres were dead last in the East. Since then, they’ve gone 20-5-6 and now sit second in the Atlantic Division. It’s a shocking turnaround for any team, especially one that is currently riding the longest playoff drought in NHL history at 14 years.
That's how quickly things can change in the NHL.
The question now for Ottawa and Toronto, at a time when many expected both clubs to be well above the playoff cut line, is whether they should be buyers or sellers with the NHL trade deadline just a week away.
Both fan bases have to be worried (or convinced) by now that the construction of their respective rosters may be flawed, and both would love to imagine that it can all be remedied with a few moves at the deadline.
As always, that is far easier said than done, particularly in a league right now filled with parity. A lot of teams still believe they’re in the playoff race. As a result, true sellers are few and far between, and the price tags on available players will be steep.
Things are tight, the clock is ticking, and the margin for error is so small, that a loss on Saturday night could actually alter the losing team’s deadline plans in the coming days. So it’s an important week for both Ontario teams. Unfortunately, it's not because either one is on the doorstep of a playoff spot. Until further notice, that notion remains a long shot.
But as they say, the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step, and it's always nice to lay a beating on your provincial rival on a Saturday night.
Steve Warne The Hockey News
This article was first published by The Hockey News. More headlines here:
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 22: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers handles the ball during the second half of their game against the Boston Celtics at Crypto.com Arena on February 22, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Luiza Moraes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
No two names, across sports, produce more tangible juice than Lakers and Celtics. A sold-out crowd, with an unusually large number of Boston fans, packed the building in anticipation of the annual matchup in downtown Los Angeles last Sunday.
LA wins the opening tip, and the ball finds its way into Luka Dončić’s hands. Right away, big man Deandre Ayton sets his customary high ball screen, while the Celtics counter with a deep drop. It’s a defensive coverage that has plagued the team all season, and something the team will need to find answers for.
Luka comes off the pick with a wide amount of space, staring at a big man sitting in the paint, and a pull-up jumper whispering to him like the green goblin mask. Boston’s guard defender does his job chasing, and Luka drives and steps back for the contested long two, taking the bait.
He would go on to shoot 1-11 from two-point range on shots outside the restricted area.
The Celtics controlled the entire game and went on to rout the home team, a worrisome trend against physical defenses.
“There were opportunities, I think, to put more pressure on the rim,” head coach J.J. Redick said postgame. “Particularly in the first half, we took 11 non-paint twos. We were 13-29 on non-paint twos. That’s not normally what we shoot.”
Many teams across the league play this defensive style, but a few lean into it as their ethos. Namely, Boston, Phoenix, Portland, and San Antonio, which centers paired with physical guards that cater to this style.
Heading into Thursday’s matchup against the Suns, the Lakers, with the 10th-best offense in the league, were posting an abysmal 107.5 offensive rating against those four teams. That mark would rank last in the league by a mile.
This coverage doesn’t just give up halfway-decent looks from midrange, but it invites them. The objective is to keep a pick-and-roll defense a two-on-two game. The guard chases and gives back pressure, while the big man sits back and accounts for any rolling big or attack to the rim.
Watch below as Austin Reaves comes up to run the high ball screen with Jaxson Hayes. The floor is flattened out to maximize space with Luka and LeBron James on opposite wings.
Navigating against the back pressure, Reaves gets into the middle of the floor, where no advantage was created to kick the ball out. After overpenetrating to the rim, he uses a pump fake to draw a foul to no avail before forcing a twirling shot that falls short.
Watch below as the Celtics apply the same defensive scheme to Luka.
He catches it against ball denial, comes off the screen and eyes the big man in retreat. Ayton rolls while every other Laker remains stationary. No pass reveals itself, leading Luka to force up a contested floater that finds the bottom.
“I think a lot of times when teams are on that deeper drop versus us, all our guys that play pick and roll, it kind of puts you a little bit in a bind of not having the obvious choice to pass,” Redick said. “So we just got to do a better job of finding guys and moving the ball.
Reaves, LeBron, and Luka can hit these shots on high volume, but it’s a trade the Celtics and other great defenses will continue to make: Bait LA’s ball handlers into high-volume twos while keeping the rest of the team uninvolved.
As with every defensive scheme, it is susceptible to open shots with some adjustments.
One is a pick-and-pop threat. With the big man dropped back, it creates space for the pop guy to be open. Watch below as LeBron runs the screen and roll with Rui Hachimura.
Nikola Vučević does his job dropping back, but there’s too much space to recover as Hachimura nails the three.
Another is relying on their offensive-leaning center. Ayton was signed this summer as an elite pick-and-pop threat from mid-range. That shot has precipitously dropped not just in percentage, but also in volume.
In the month of February, Ayton has shot his lowest amount of field goals and has taken one mid-range jumper in seven games. He recently made comments of his disdain of how he’s been deployed on offense, but the team will need high levels of production from their starting center to win these games against contenders.
Also, some of these pull-ups and jump shots will have to go down to make defenses honest. Luka and Reaves continue to lead the league in scoring as a duo, and their shooting is a pivotal feature of the Lakers’ offense.
It has not had the efficiency required to beat the great teams, and LeBron is shooting just 29% from 3-point range in the new year.
“When teams play the deep drop, we have our counters,” Redick said. “Sometimes when the ball is changing ends quickly, it’s easy to just get into drag after drag.. I took ownership of that.”
Teams have scouted the Lakers’ initial drag screens and preliminary actions. With not much time remaining, how these counters are implemented will decide if they go home early for the third straight year.
Fort Myers, FL - February 23: Northeastern outfielder Mike Sirota makes the turn at third base. (Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
The Dodgers play two games at the same time on Saturday afternoon. Here is their roster for the road game of that split-squad schedule, against the Texas Rangers in Surprise.
Lineup
Alex Call LF Kyle Tucker DH Santiago Espinal 3B Dalton Rushing C Andy Pages CF Alex Freeland SS Nick Senzel 2B Ryan Ward 1B Zach Ehrhard RF
Jackson Ferris gets his second start of the spring, both on the road. He threw 16 pitches in his one inning last Sunday against the Seattle Mariners in Peoria.
Other pitchers
Will Klein made the trip, as did non-roster invitees Cole Irvin, Carlos Duran, Antoine Kelly, and Garrett McDaniels.
From the minor league side are Joseilyn Gonzalez (wearing number 88), Wyatt Crowell (89), Myles Caba (90), and Cam Day (91).
Other position players
Non-roster invitees Chris Newwell, Seby Zavala, and Nelson Quiroz each made the trip.
Others available from the minors are infielders Austin Gauthier (01), Jose Izarra (02), Jake Gelof (05), and Kyle Nevin (09), plus outfielder Damon Keith (08) and catcher Victor Rodrigues (07).
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 13: Edwin Diaz #3 of the Los Angeles Dodgers (R) participates with Tanner Scott #66 in a fielding drill during spring training workouts at Camelback Ranch on February 13, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers play two games at the same time on Saturday afternoon. Here is their roster for the home game of that split-squad schedule, against the Chicago Cubs at Camelback Ranch.
Lineup
Miguel Rojas 2B Freddie Freeman 1B Will Smith C Max Muncy 3B Teoscar Hernández LF James Tibbs RF Keston Hiura DH Noah Miller SS Michael Siani CF
Justin Wrobleski gets the start, vying for a potential spot on the opening day roster. The left-hander threw 12 pitches in one inning on Tuesday.
Other pitchers
Tanner Scott is set to make his 2026 Cactus League debut in this game, Edwin Díaz and Ronan Kopp are also listed to pitch, as are non-roster invitees Patrick Copen, Wyatt Mills and Jerming Rosario.
Active from the minor league side are Nick Nastrini (wearing number 91), Nick Robertson (97), Payton Martin (90), and Cody Morse (93).
Other position players
Non-roster invitees available for this game are outfielders Josue De Paula, Zyhir Hope, and Kendall George, and catchers Eliézer Alfonzo and Griffin Lockwood-Powell.
Outfielder Charles Davalan (88), last year’s 41st-overall draft pick, is up from minor league camp, as are outfielder Kole Myers (02) plus infielders Logan Wagner (96), Yeiner Fernandez (87), and Elijah Hainline (05), infielder/outfielder Mairoshendrick Martinus (01), and catcher Frank Rodriguez (06).
In his longest outing as a Missouri Tiger — a night that included two pickoffs, five straight scoreless innings, and the kind of tempo on the mound he hasn’t been able to have in nearly two years — left‑hander Javyn Pimental headlined Missouri’s 11–5 win over North Dakota State on Friday at Taylor Stadium.
The offense did its part with a four‑run fourth inning, but for Pimental, the night meant something different. It was his first win on this mound since April 20, 2024, after Tommy John surgery wiped out his entire 2025 season.
“I guess I don’t really say it was like a really big comeback story,” Pimental said. “Got the job done, I’m just pretty pumped about my outing.”
He opened the game with seven pitches, two strikeouts and a clean first inning, and he carried that rhythm through the next four frames. By the time Pimental reached the sixth, he had allowed just two hits and was sitting at only 58 pitches.
The trouble didn’t come until that sixth inning, when three walks loaded the bases and a shallow single finally pushed across North Dakota State’s first run. Even then, only one of the two runs charged to him was earned.
Still, the outing marked another step forward for a guy who hadn’t tried to work into the sixth inning in two years.
“I guess I’m out of shape,” Pimental joked. “But at the end of the day, I’m supposed to do that.”
Missouri didn’t have to wait long to give him support. Freshman Blaize Ward ripped a two‑run double into the right‑center gap in the first inning, scoring Jase Woita and Mateo Serna.
An errant throw in the third brought Woita home again, and the Tigers broke the game open in the fourth. Woita punched a two‑run single up the middle, and Tyler Macon followed with a two‑out triple down the right‑field line to make it 7–0.
Tigers coach Kerrick Jackson said the fourth inning was simply the Tigers’ lineup settling in.
“It was just a combination of going through the order multiple times and really understanding what [their starter] was doing,” Jackson said. “Then being able to lay off some of the pitches where he was getting us out early.”
Freshman right‑hander Eli Skidmore entered in the sixth with the bases loaded and one out. An infield error allowed another run to score, but he got a fielder’s‑choice groundout to escape the inning with a 7–2 lead. North Dakota State added one more in the seventh, but Missouri answered immediately with four runs of its own. A throwing error brought Ward home, and back‑to‑back singles from Isaiah Frost and Woita stretched the lead back to eight.
Missouri reliever Juan Villarreal handled the final two innings, striking out three and allowing only one hit. Both runs against him were unearned.
Ward finished 3‑for‑4 with a double, two RBI and two runs scored. Woita matched him with a 3‑for‑4 night of his own, driving in three and stealing his second base of the season. Cameron Benson added two hits and two runs, and Frost chipped in a pair of RBI.
Jackson said Ward’s consistency is already standing out. “He is the most consistent guy that we have,” Jackson said. “He owns the box. He’s comfortable in the box. And as he grows and gets stronger, he’s going to be a really, really good player in this league.”
The win pushed Missouri to 8–2 and marked its sixth straight victory — the program’s longest streak since early 2023. For Pimental, it was another sign that he’s finally back to being himself.
“I’ve never really been a guy to doubt,” Pimental said. “I knew as soon as I got back on that mound again… I was moving about my business.”
LEEDS, England (AP) — Erling Haaland was left out of Manchester City's squad for the Premier League match at Leeds on Saturday after sustaining a “little injury” in training, manager Pep Guardiola said.
“Two days ago, he had in the last moments of training some problems,” Guardiola said ahead of the game at Elland Road.
“A little injury," Guardiola added, without disclosing the exact nature of Haaland's problem. "It’s not a big issue but not ready for today.”
City's next match is at home to Nottingham Forest on Wednesday. A week later — on March 11 — City travels to Real Madrid in the Champions League round of 16.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Daniil Medvedev won his 23rd ATP singles title at the Dubai Championships when Tallon Griekspoor withdrew from the final injured on Saturday.
Griekspoor hurt his left hamstring on Friday against Andrey Rublev and won their two-sets semifinal but couldn't recover in time for the final.
“I have been better that's for sure,” the Dutchman said at the trophy ceremony. “I went to the hospital this morning and had a couple of scans, which showed something serious. It kept me from coming on court tonight and will keep me from the court in the coming weeks.”
Medvedev won his second title of the year after Brisbane in January. It was also his second Dubai title after victory in 2023. Its the first time he's won the same event twice.
“That's what is crazy about it,” Medvedev said. “I never did it in any city in the world and the first time I do it, it's (via) a walkover.”
After the Islanders' 4-3 overtime win over the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday and Columbus's 4-2 loss to the Boston Bruins, the gap between the two teams grew to six points with less than a week to go before the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline.
The Islanders sit in third in the Metropolitan Division with 71 points, while the Blue Jackets sit with 65.
If the Islanders win in regulation on Saturday, that gap would move to eight points, which could force Blue Jackets general manager Don Wadell to move players rather than buy.
That's not all: after the Washington Capitals' 3-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights, they moved four points ahead of Columbus.
Here are the lines:
#Isles lines ahead of game vs. #CBJ are brought to you by Bull Smith’s Tavern:
INGLEWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 15: John Tesh preforms before the 75th NBA All-Star Game as part of the 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend on February 15, 2026 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy /NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
For those of us who grew up watching the NBA on NBC in the 90’s, Tuesday’s broadcast for the Philadelphia 76ers’ home game against San Antonio will be a shot of nostalgia straight to the heart. NBC announced they are doing a ‘Throwback Tuesday’ telecast to recreate the experience of a 1995-96 broadcast.
Turning the clock back 30 years, NBC will recreate a 1995-96 NBA broadcast for Spurs-76ers on March 3 — announcers, graphics, replays, pregame show, score bug and even grainy flashbacks.
The “Throwback Tuesday” telecast starts at 7pm ET with NBA Showtime, before Bob Costas,… pic.twitter.com/6FvQLqmZmf
Just when you thought Doug Collins was out of our lives (timely given Shamus Clancy just wrote about how the Sixers didn’t shoot threes during Collins’ coaching tenure), he’ll be on the mic alongside Bob Costas, Mike Fratello and Jim Gray. As much as I don’t look back on him as a coach overly fondly, I’ve never minded Collins’ work as a TV analyst, and that’s a tremendous broadcast group. Having all those graphics and score bugs back for one night will be a fun trip down memory lane, and obviously, everyone knows the place of Roundball Rock in NBA history.
Although the Sixers’ 1995-96 season was only memorable because their 18-64 record allowed them to draft Allen Iverson first overall in the NBA draft, it will be a blast seeing footage from across the league from that season. That year was also the final one for Philadelphia in the Spectrum; I’ll always remember being a kid running around those sparsely-populated aisles chasing down coupons from the Lay’s blimp. The Sixers’ game against Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs (currently riding an 11-game winning streak) was already going to be must-see TV, but this new broadcast twist is an exciting cherry on the top.
PHOENIX, AZ - JULY 12: National League All-Star Cliff Lee #33 of the Philadelphia Phillies throws a pitch in the third inning of the 82nd MLB All-Star Game at Chase Field on July 12, 2011 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We’ve reached the finals of the “Last Man In” free agent tournament! I took the last free agent signed before the season for the last 16 years and let the readers decide which was the best. And let’s face it, it was always going to come down to these two.
1.Cliff Lee, 2011
Accolades: Two All-Star teams, two top ten Cy Young Award finishes, 15th in MVP voting in 2011.
In his second stint with the Phillies, Lee made 106 starts and only walked 114 batters. The guy really did not like walking people.
2. Bryce Harper, 2019
Accolades: Two All-Star teams, three Silver Slugger awards, one MVP award, two top ten MVP finishes
After hitting into a career-high 18 double plays in 2024, Harper only hit five of them last year. What does this mean? I’m not sure.
This will be the Penguins' second and final trip to Madison Square Garden this season after beating the Rangers 3-0 in their first game of the season. The Penguins have won two of the three matchups between the two teams this year and will win the season series if they emerge victorious on Saturday.
The Penguins are coming off a 4-1 win over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday and have won two in a row heading into this game. Meanwhile, the Rangers are coming off a 3-2 overtime loss against the Philadelphia Flyers and have lost five in a row.
It's been a horrendous season for the Rangers, who find themselves at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. They've already waved the white flag and are prepared to sell even more before next Friday's trade deadline.
However, they still have a couple of great players, including star goaltender Igor Shesterkin. He's back healthy and is one of the best goaltenders in the NHL. The fact that he has a .912 save percentage behind this Rangers' defense is a miracle.
Defenseman Adam Fox is also back healthy and does it all on the backend. He's exceptional in all three zones and does a great job quarterbacking the top power play unit.
Mika Zibanejad is having a really strong year on a bad Rangers team, compiling 23 goals and 52 points in 57 games. He's been playing on the top line with Rangers captain JT Miller, who just won a Gold Medal with Team USA at the Winter Olympics.
The Penguins are expected to run with the same lines and pairs from Thursday's game after head coach Dan Muse told the media on Saturday morning that Sam Girard is available. Girard missed Friday's practice because he was being evaluated for an injury.
Forwards
Chinakhov-Novak-Malkin
A. Hayes-Rakell-Rust
Mantha-Kindel-Brazeau
Dewar-Lizotte-Acciari
Defensive pairs
Wotherspoon-Karlsson
Girard-Letang
Shea-Clifton
Stuart Skinner will start in goal for the Penguins after he backed up Arturs Silovs on Thursday.
The Calgary Flames have played in a lot of low-scoring affairs of late, with only two of their past 10 going Over the total.
My Flames vs. Kings predictions see another Under in the cards against a Los Angeles team struggling mightily to create offense.
Let’s take a closer look at my NHL picks for Saturday, February 28.
Flames vs Kings prediction
Flames vs Kings best bet: Under 5.5 (-105)
The Los Angeles Kingshave scored just 17 times over their past eight games, more than only the Devils.
They traded for Artemi Panarin to spark the offense but lost star winger Kevin Fiala for the season before Panarin even debuted, leaving them in a tough spot.
Goals should be hard to find again tonight. The Calgary Flames limit chances well at 5-on-5, and they’re tied for sixth in PK%, giving opponents no easy offense.
Only two of Calgary’s last 10 games have gone Over the number. They’re happy to play a structured, low-event brand of hockey.
Flames vs Kings same-game parlay
The Kings have scored more than two regulation goals just twice over their past eight games. They’re really struggling to find the net, making it difficult for them to create any sort of separation on their opponent.
Yegor Sharangovich has averaged 2.7 shots on 6.0 attempts over his last 10 games, going Over eight times. A lot of his volume comes from the slot, and the Kings sit 27th in slot shots allowed spanning the past 10.
Flames vs Kings SGP
Under 5.5
Flames +1.5
Yegor Sharangovich Over 1.5 shots on goal
Flames vs Kings odds
Moneyline: Calgary +135 | Los Angeles -155
Puck line: Calgary +1.5 (-190) | Los Angeles -1.5 (+160)
Over/Under: Over 5.5 (-115) | Under 5.5 (-105)
Flames vs Kings trend
The Flames have hit the Under in 10 of their last 15 games (+6.65 Units / 40% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Flames vs. Kings.
How to watch Flames vs Kings
Location
Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Date
Saturday, February 28, 2026
Puck drop
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
NHL Network, SNW
Flames vs Kings 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.
RICHMOND, VA - JUNE 25: Griff McGarry #48 of the Reading Fightin Phils pitching during the game between the Reading Fightin Phils and the Richmond Flying Squirrels at The Diamond on Wednesday, June 25, 2025 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Matthew Mitrani/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
When the Nats selected Griff McGarry in the Rule 5 Draft, I was cautiously optimistic. He possesses some of the best stuff in the minor leagues, but has had trouble throwing strikes over the years. Last year, we saw a similar story with Evan Reifert. He had a nasty slider but was nowhere near the zone in Spring Training.
That meant the Nats returned Reifert to the Rays before he ever played a regular season game. There is a chance the same thing could happen with McGarry. However, McGarry had a dominant first outing of Spring Training where he pounded the zone and struck out two batters in a 1-2-3 inning.
In a wide open bullpen, McGarry probably has the best pure stuff. However, he walked almost 14% of hitters in AA last year as a starter. The crazy thing is that was a big improvement from 2024, when he walked an insane 24% of hitters. With not much to lose, the Nats took a shot on McGarry because his pure stuff grades out as some of the best in the minors.
Last night, we saw what happens when McGarry is throwing strikes. He has an upper 90’s fastball, but that served as a table setter for his insane breaking balls. McGarry has a natural feel for spin and he showed that last night.
He threw two separate breaking balls, a slider and a sweeper. Out of his 10 pitches, 8 of them were breaking balls. The sweeper has a ton of spin, averaging over 3,000 RPM’s last night. However, he threw his harder slider half the time and it got excellent results. McGarry was able to land the pitch in the zone and get whiffs.
Nasty first outing from Griff McGarry who struck out two. Breaking ball heavy attack from the Rule 5 pick
It is worth noting that McGarry faced non big leaguers, but if he is around the zone, he can get anyone out. McGarry’s biggest nemesis is his own control rather than the hitters at the plate. Out of all pitchers that threw last night, McGarry had the third highest Stuff+ rating. Stuff+ measures the velocity and movement of a pitch and puts a grade on it, with 100 being average.
Again, McGarry is still a high variance arm. I would not be surprised if he finds his way into a high leverage role, but I also would not be surprised if he was returned to the Phillies pretty quickly. It is all about finding the zone for McGarry.
Last year McGarry found the zone enough to have success. In 21 starts, he posted a 3.44 ERA despite shaky control. McGarry is similar to Clayton Beeter, with both only needing fringy control to have success.
When McGarry goes on heaters, he is totally unhittable. There was a time last season when he struck out 23 batters in two starts. Crucially, he only walked one batter in 11 innings in those two starts. It is so tantalizing to see what McGarry can do when he is throwing strikes.
One thing I have a minor question about is how he will transition to the bullpen. The Phillies moved him to the bullpen in 2024, and he had his worst year as a pro, with his walks getting out of control. When he went back to starting last year, the results got better. Was that due to mechanical tweaks or is McGarry more comfortable starting?
If he is more comfortable starting, that could be problematic. He profiles much better as a reliever due to his strike-throwing issues and breaking ball heavy approach. The Nats are going to have to help him learn to prepare as a reliever because that is the role he will be filling this year.
McGarry seemed comfortable in the bullpen last night, but this will be something worth monitoring. He turns 27 in June, so now is the time for Griff McGarry to be unleashed. As a Rule 5 pick, he is going to have to stick in the big leagues for the entire season if the Nats want to hold on to him. Given the Nats are not going to be a contender, there will be room for growing pains here.
In Boston, Paul Toboni actually had a lot of success finding value in the Rule-5 Draft. Justin Slaten and Garrett Whitlock were both Rule 5 picks and are now key pieces to the Red Sox bullpen. Hopefully, McGarry can do the same thing in DC. He certainly has the raw stuff to be a big leaguer, which we saw last night. For McGarry, it will be all about finding the zone.
