Meanwhile, the top of the board spanning all of MLB is littered with guys who were just available in free agency and the Red Sox could have signed to fix this problem. This includes Kyle Schwarber (second at 43 home runs), Pete Alonso (fifth at 38 home runs), and Eugenio Suarez (eighth at 35 homes runs). (For anybody wondering, Rafael Devers comes in at a tie for 14th on this list and is projected to hit 30 home runs.)
So now for the real important question: How much does this matter?
Well, if recent history is any indication, quite a bit. Below is a list of the last 25 World Series champions (every team since the turn of the century minus the COVID season in 2020), the hitter who led the team in home runs, and how many they hit.
For the most part, there’s a pretty clear message here: You need at least one guy who can go deep 30 or more times. Not just because of the obvious ability to do damage, but also because having at least one big bopper in the postseason forces the opponent to game plan and pitch around them, which often paves the way for somebody else to make them pay in expensive fashion.
The only exceptions to this rule all came in a tight six year window between 2010 and 2015, when several stars aligned at the end of the steroid era and before the more recent launch angel era. Between these two power obsessed periods, you had one complete exception to everything in the 2015 Kansas City Royals, and a trio of San Francisco Giants teams, which were not only driven by pitching, but also played in about as unfriendly of a hitting environment as you’ll find anywhere in the sport. (Their 2012 team actually ranked dead last in home runs, but that was also Buster Posey’s MVP season, so you can sort of argue this one both ways.)
In other words, either the 2026 Red Sox pitching staff better resemble those early 2010s Giants teams, or somebody better step up internally and hit 30 bombs.
There are a few candidates, including Wilyer Abreu, who hit 18 jacks last year pre All-Star break before battling injuries in the second half, and Trevor Story, who averaged 31 home runs per year in each of his first four seasons, but hasn’t hit the mark since leaving Coors Field. But there’s one candidate who truly has the upside to solve this problem.
Before downplaying things and playfully giving it back to Rob Bradford in this clip from the Baseball Isn’t Boring podcast earlier this week, Anthony gives us a pretty serios “that’s the goal” quote. It’s said so matter-of-factly, it’s hard for me to believe Anthony hasn’t been pouring his focus into that all winter.
Now of course, the front office doesn’t want to publicly put that pressure on a 21-year-old kid (even though that’s exactly what they’ve done implicitly with their roster building), so you get quotes like this gem from Craig Breslow yesterday when Alex Speier of the Boston Globe asked him about the aforementioned ZiPS projections.
Uh yeah, as noted, they probably need a guy who can launch 30 home runs, not 20, and for better or worse, Roman Anthony is the guy mostly likely to fill those shoes.
Here’s Lou Merloni on Anthony being in the best shape of his life:
Roman Anthony put on about 15 lbs of muscle and you can see it. To quote one of the great movies of all time "Babies all growns up". And he's only 21. #Monster
Putting the weight of the world on the shoulders of one of the youngest guys in the league is exactly what you shouldn’t be doing, but that’s precisely where we’re at entering 2026. Roman Anthony is already the best everyday player in Boston, and now the Red Sox need him to be a superstar. Because if he isn’t, they don’t have one in the lineup.
Notable reactions to Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych being banned from the Milan Cortina Games because of his insistence on wearing a helmet that pays tribute to athletes and coaches killed in the war with Russia:
___
“No one, no one — especially me — is disagreeing with the messaging. The messaging is a powerful message. It’s a message of remembrance. It’s a message of memory and no one is disagreeing with that. The challenge that we are facing is that we wanted to ask or come up with a solution for just the field of play.” — International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry.
___
“I thank our athlete for his clear stance. His helmet, bearing the portraits of fallen Ukrainian athletes, is about honor and remembrance. It is a reminder to the whole world of what Russian aggression is and the cost of fighting for independence. And in this, no rule has been broken.” — Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
___
"I want to believe that the reason is that she really felt sorry as an athlete, as a former athlete, and that she really wants me to compete. But we have what we have and we’ll see what is next.” — Heraskevych, on his meeting with Coventry.
___
“I think I'm just left with a real sense of sadness, and real surprise." — 2014 and 2018 women's skeleton Olympic champion Lizzy Yarnold, speaking on the BBC.
___
“He trained wearing a helmet bearing the faces of Ukrainian athletes and friends killed by Russia. He wanted to remind the world that this war continues. That it has names. Faces. Stories. He was excluded from the Olympics. Excluded by the same Olympic Committee that allowed 20 Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under a neutral flag.” — Katarina Mathernova, European Union Ambassador to Ukraine, on Instagram.
___
“The IOC has banned not the Ukrainian athlete, but its own reputation. Future generations will recall this as a moment of shame.” — Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.
___
“It’s just a shame that he’s missed out on a chance of being able to compete at an Olympics, which is very sad.” — Olympic men's skeleton leader Matt Weston of Britain.
___
“The International Olympic Committee destroyed our dreams. It's not fair.” — Mykhailo Heraskevych, the slider’s coach and father.
LIVIGNO, Italy (AP) — A big upset in men's moguls at the Milan Cortina Olympics was decided by a razor-thin margin. Hardly a margin at all, really.
Unheralded Australian freestyle skier Cooper Woods snatched the gold medal away from the sport's most decorated skier, Mikael Kingsbury of Canada, after both scored 83.71 points in Thursday's final. The tiebreaker in moguls is the “turns” score, a mark judges base on how cleanly the skiers moved their way through the bumps.
Turns make up 60% of a moguls score — with the two jumps and a racer's speed counting for 20% each. In this case, turns meant everything. Woods won that element 48.40 to 47.70.
That's how the Olympic gold ended up in the hands of the 25-year-old Woods, who had managed one podium finish in 51 World Cup events, and silver ended up with Kingsbury, who last month became the first moguls skier to amass 100 wins on the sport's top circuit.
This is Kingsbury's third Olympic silver medal, adding to second-place finishes in 2014 and 2022. He broke through for gold in at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.
Woods wept with joy after as he realized his achievement of beating the moguls GOAT while Aussie fans cheered in the stands, with one holding up an inflatable wallaby.
Ikuma Horishima of Japan repeated as the bronze medalist from four years ago.
The Oklahoma City Thunder (42-13) host the Milwaukee Bucks (22-30) tonight in each team’s final game before the All-Star Break. Each side will take the court minus their biggest star as Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdomen) remain sidelined for the Bucks and Thunder respectively. Despite these absences, the Thunder have won two straight, including a rout of the Suns, while the Bucks have won four of their last five.
This is the third game in four nights for the Thunder. Last night, OKC blasted the Suns in Phoenix, 136-109. Jalen Williams led the way on offense with 28 points. Isaiah Joe chipped in 21 points off the bench. Milwaukee was in Orlando last night and knocked off the Magic, 116-108. In his second game with the Bucks, Cam Thomas came off the bench and scored 34 in just 25 minutes including four three-pointers.
This is the second of two regular season meetings between these teams. OKC routed the Bucks on January 21, 122-102. SGA led the Thunder with 40 points, 11 assists, and 7 rebounds, while Giannis scored 19 points for the Bucks.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
After 24 years, the NBA is back on NBC and Peacock, combining the nostalgia of an iconic era with the innovative future of basketball coverage. The NBA on NBC YouTube channel delivers fans must-see highlights, analysis, and exclusive and unique content.
Game Details and How to Watch Live: Bucks at Thunder
Date: Thursday, February 12, 2026
Time: 7:30PM EST
Site: Paycom Center
City: Oklahoma City, OK
Network/Streaming: FDSN Oklahoma, Amazon Prime Video
Rotoworld has you covered with all the latest NBA Player News for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Game Odds: Bucks at Thunder
The latest odds as of Thursday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Milwaukee Bucks (+490), Oklahoma City Thunder (-675)
Spread: Thunder -12.5
Total: 215.5 points
This game opened Thunder -13.5 with the Total set at 216.5.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!
Expected Starting Lineups: Bucks at Thunder
Milwaukee Bucks
PG Jaden Ivey
SG Anfernee Simon
SF Isaac Okoro
PF Matas Buzelis
C Guerschon Yabusele
Oklahoma City Thunder
PG Cason Wallace
SG Luguentz Dort
SF Jalen Williams
PF Chet Holmgren
C Isaiah Hartenstein
Injury Report: Bucks at Thunder
Milwaukee Bucks
Ryan Rollins (foot) has been declared OUT for tonight’s game
Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) has been declared OUT for tonight’s game
Taurean Prince (neck) has been declared OUT for tonight’s game
Oklahoma City Thunder
Shair Gilgeous-Alexander (abdomen) has been declared OUT for tonight’s game
Jalen Williams (hamstring) is listed as questionable for tonight’s game
Ajay Mitchell (abdomen) has been declared OUT for tonight’s game
Nikola Topic (cancer) has been declared OUT for tonight’s game
Important stats, trends and insights: Bucks at Thunder
The Bucks are 10-18 on the road this season
The Thunder are 22-5 at home this season
The Thunder are 27-28 ATS this season / 13-14 ATS at home
The Bucks are 23-29 ATS this season / 12-16 ATS on the road
The OVER has cashed in 21 of the Bucks’ 52 games this season (21-31)
The OVER has cashed in 29 of the Thunder’s 55 games this season (29-26)
The Thunder are 4-5-1 ATS in their last 10 games overall
Last night snapped a 3-game streak in which Chet Holmgren pulled down double-digit rebounds
Isaiah Hartenstein is averaging 7.2 rebounds through 5 games in February
Bobby Portis scored just 4 points in 16 minutes last night
Kyle Kuzma has averaged 3.8 assists through 5 games in February
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s Bucks and Thunder game:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Thunder -12.5 ATS
Total: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Game Total OVER 215.5
Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Follow our experts on Socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 04: Edwin Encarnacion #10 of the Toronto Blue Jays reacts after hitting a three-run walk-off home run in the eleventh inning to defeat the Baltimore Orioles 5-2 in the American League Wild Card game at Rogers Centre on October 4, 2016 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Being a sports fan is all about the endurance of disappointment. Odds are that your team is not going to win the championship in a given year. They aren’t going to sign or trade for the exact player you want. That prospect that has been built up for years probably won’t pan out. But you keep watching anyway because, much like pizza, even bad sports are still pretty good.
Orioles fans are plenty familiar with all of those types of failings. The 21st century has largely been a calamity for this organization. They’ve lost a lot, gone though a few rebuilds, and gotten to experience only brief moments of glory. Hopefully 2026 will be one of the better seasons we have experienced.
But before we move forward, let’s go back. The discussion today will give you, dear reader, two powers. First, you get to go back in time. And then, you can actually alter history, probably ripping a hole in the space time continuum. But let’s not get all deep about it.
Today’s question: If you could change one moment in franchise history, what would it be?
Your answer will likely depend on your age. My realm of fandom is largely contained to the last 25 years or so. I was born in 1993, so my conscious enjoyment of baseball kicked off as soon as the team got really, really bad. The 2005 Orioles scarred me, and I will always love the 2012 squad.
With that in mind, here are some of the big things that stick out in my head. Signing Chris Davis to that massive contract going into 2016 was obviously a mistake. The decision to go with Ubaldo Jiménez while Zack Britton went unused in the bullpen during the 2016 AL Wild Card Game was baffling then, and still is today. Manny Machado should have been an Oriole for life, regardless of the cost.
Slightly older fans will certainly have thoughts about Mike Mussina going to the Yankees, or the Jeffrey Meier game in 1996. And the generation before them is likely to recall the World Series losses in 1979 or ’69. All are worthy contenders here.
What do you think, Camden Chat? What moment sticks out to you as something worth altering history for? What would you change? Let us know in the comment section.
PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA - MARCH 13: Francisco Lindor #12 of the New York Mets throws the ball against the Boston Red Sox in the first inning during a spring training game at Clover Park on March 13, 2025 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Kodai Senga has suffered some unfortunate injuries the past two seasons, and he’s hoping this is the year he will stay healthy and can be a productive member of the rotation.
Both Corbin Carroll and Jackson Holliday also have broken hamate bones that require surgery, and it’s unclear whether they will be ready for Opening Day.
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - DECEMBER 07: Ace Bailey #19 of the Utah Jazz looks on during the first half of a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Delta Center on December 07, 2025 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I don't love it, I just don't MIND it. I only mind if you mess with the game once it starts. They're bad, they wanted to be bad, they rested guys, they got killed. I don't enjoy it but I don't find it to be THROWING a game. https://t.co/a5QvFHvcCN
That was the sort of outrage posted to social media after the Jazz…*checks notes*…won their second game in a row over three matches? No, of course not the lineup — or concept of one — the Sacramento Kings threw into the fire in Utah’s 121-93 victory last night in the Delta Center. But there’s still one more test for the Jazz to experiment with their vile ways on, as the divisional rival Portland Trail Blazers are in town. They find themselves in a pickle with a 26-29 record without a head coach, replaced by interim coach Tiago Splitter. Man, just yesterday, he was hitting hook shots over Chris Bosh in the Finals. However, they remain undefeated over the Jazz in the regular season, winning their last two matches against this squad. But because of peer pressure from basketball minds such as Bobby Marks, the Jazz have been forced back to their winning ways; at least three quarters of competitive basketball is what you can expect to receive due to the league’s intervention to make sure the Jazz aren’t disgracefully resting their good players. Despicable. Vile. Unethical. Anyways, the Pacers just played a lineup of two-way players and guys on 10-day contracts.
But with both teams coming off a back-to-back one game before the All-Star break, who knows what atrocities you can expect to see on the injury report? Or maybe there won’t be any casualties at all, considering the Jazz are one of the only teams without a single participant during All-Star Weekend in LA. Sadly, no Ace Bailey in Rising Stars, no Cody Williams in the Dunk Contest, or Lauri Markkanen in the main event, because Brandon Ingram was allowed to replace the injured Steph Curry, for reasons that can only be explained by Adam Silver.
You can expect Keyonte George to be out throughout the break due to his lingering ankle issues. I saw a full quarter of the newly established big three, and that was enough excitement to keep me patient until 2027. But even without him, the Jazz have created a revolution. The finger-pointing shall be no more: since Jackson Jr.’s debut, the Jazz have posted the third-best defensive rating in the NBA at 101.6. In context, they’re the worst-rated defensive team all season, with a 120.9 rating. That’s…wow. I need a moment to sit down. I’m a proud parent watching my kid put the square-shaped object into the square hole. I watched them get taken out by the mighty Hornets, getting 150 points getting dropped on their dome, and now I bear witness to them putting a halt to the unstoppable Kings as they score a measly 93.
Okay, maybe the Magic, Heat, and Kings are not top-tier offensive juggernauts. But neither is Portland: they hold the 22nd-best offense and the 19th-best defensive rating. They’re one of those teams trying to cash in, despite one of the most brutal Western Conference skill gaps in existence. There is the idea that a strong, lengthy lineup they pose will be able to outrebound and outwork you, ranking second in the league in offensive rebound percentage at 34.5%. They score 18.4 second-chance points a game due to these opportunities. I love rooting for underdogs like ourselves, but I don’t believe they can escape unscathed and make a deep playoff run in the West. As a mid-level team, scrapping for the playoffs? You have my support, dear friend.
They struggle to find their identity without newly found superstar Deni Avdija — a driving specialist who draws some of the most fouls in the NBA. He attempts around 9.4 free throws in a game, hitting them at an 80.2% clip. Defenses often have to collapse on him, but how will he fare when facing Jaren Jackson Jr. for two and a half quarters? The Jazz can now proudly limit his rim-finishes, making him more reliant on facilitating and perimeter shooting. His assist numbers might rise, but scoring efficiency drops.
Utah will probably want to tug on the reins a little bit. Under no circumstances would anyone want to gift OKC a free lottery pick. The Jazz could probably still circumvent the media’s thunderstorm of anti-tank extremism; they just have to, y’know, not mess with DraftKing’s—I mean, the NBA’s glorious integrity.
Just one more sleep until pitchers and catchers officially report to Dodgers Spring Training. Many of them are already in camp, itching to get that third World Series ring in a row.
One guy who is back is our favorite Honeybun, one Evan Phillips. Phillips was non-tendered in November, six months after he underwent Tommy John surgery. The quiet right-handed relief pitcher was dominate before his surgery, especially against right-handed batting. He has a 0.00 ERA in the playoffs over 12 games in five different series. Fabian Ardaya has all the details here.
Should he return to his former dominance, he will join a slightly revamped bullpen that now features Edwin Diaz as closer. When Phillips last pitched for the Dodgers, the team was mainly doing closer by committee. Phillips would be on track to join the team sometime this summer.
Unfortunately, a catcher who won’t be in Spring Training with the Dodgers (for now) is Ben Rortvedt. Benny Biceps has had quite the eventful offseason, getting DFA’d by the Dodgers, claimed by the Cincinnati Reds, being DFA’d by them, and then claimed again by the Dodgers. The hope is that this time no one claims Rortvedt and he’s able to return to Oklahoma City for some catching depth.
Bill Plunkett of the OC Register had some questions about the Dodgers as Spring Training is about to begin -who will be the main second baseman, how will the Dodgers deal with their ‘high class’ problems, who will fill out the bullpen, where’s Kike’, and how will the WBC impact the roster?
Here’s my simple answer to all of them – it will work itself out, especially the bullpen and ‘high-class’ problems. Without putting too many jinxes out there, the Dodgers always have a plethora of pitching to start the season and by the middle of the season, whatever they had originally planned in March is out the window. (Personally, I don’t think saying that is any more of a jinx than Plunkett pointing out what players have been injured in the WBC in the past).
And as far as Kiké Hernández rejoining the team, well, we all know it will happen. Since he underwent elbow surgery in the offseason, he won’t be playing with the team any time soon even if he was on the roster. Things just need to work themselves out, as they always do.
BOSTON, MA - FEBRUARY 6: Payton Pritchard #11 of the Boston Celtics shoots the ball during the game against the Miami Heat on February 6, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Payton Pritchard spent the first 48 games as the Celtics starting point guard.
Pritchard had never been a full-time starter, starting just 17 of 347 career games entering this season. He finally had the opportunity this season until the Celtics traded Anfernee Simons to the Bulls.
The trade left the Celtics without a guard off of the bench who could create a shot for himself or others consistently, so head coach Joe Mazzulla gave the defending Sixth Man of the Year his old job back.
Since that point, Pritchard has been awesome, scoring 20 points in 4 of the 5 games. He has also played over 30 minutes in all of those games and he looks ultra confident in the familiar role. Boston needed a punch in that 2nd unit with Simons gone and Payton is the best option to play that role. He has averaged 21.8 points, 6.0 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game in the 5 games since moving to the bench.
There could be for a number of reasons Payton has been great. He could be comfort in the role. He has been a reserve his whole career and maybe he was struggling to figure out how to fit in with the starters. Although, that would be strange because he plays with those guys a lot anyways.
It could be more opportunity. When he comes into the game for the first time, one of Derrick White or Jaylen Brown is typically headed to the bench. He enters the game and the Celtics give him the ball to create offense.
He gets the switch onto a bad defender in Norman Powell and goes to work, drilling the step back three.
It wasn’t that he wasn’t doing this stuff as a starter; he was doing it less. He had not been getting to his spots as confidently as he has since the move to the bench. He has also made his threes, making almost 40% of his threes in the last 5 games.
Josh Okogie goes to switch the screen as Amen Thompson sticks on Neemias Queta so he doesn’t get a free roll to the rim. That leaves no one on Pritchard and he makes them pay.
“I can start, I can come off the bench, it don’t matter,” he said after the Celtics win against the Mavericks on February 3rd. “Just what the team needs, being killer in my role. That’s what it takes.”
Pritchard was awesome again in the Celtics dominant win over the Bulls on Wednesday night, scoring 26 points with 8 assists and 5 rebounds off of the bench. He played confident all night and hit shots.
Just get the matchup you like and go to work. He loves that step-back where he takes two steps back to create the space. This short mid-range shot has been money all year for Payton.
Whether it is confidence, opportunity or his shot luck has improved, Payton Pritchard has been great since moving back to the bench. If the Celtics are going to accomplish their goals, they’ll need Pritchard to play like this.
PROVO, UTAH - FEBRUARY 7: AJ Dybantsa #3 of the BYU Cougars controls the ball during the first half of the game between Houston Cougars and BYU Cougars at Marriott Center on February 7, 2026 in Provo, Utah. (Photo by Bryan Byerly/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images) | ISI Photos via Getty Images
The 2026 NBA Draft lottery was always going to have half the league sitting on pins and needles. This has been considered a stacked draft class for years as top prospects A.J. Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer, and Darryn Peterson tore up the high school ranks. The group at the top looks even stronger now with breakouts from Caleb Wilson and Kingston Flemings, and the trade deadline made the stakes of the lottery even higher.
There are 10 teams trying to tank for better lottery odds to end this season. The Utah Jazz are resting their best players in the fourth quarter to try to lose games, the Washington Wizards won’t even play healthy players, and teams like the Chicago Bulls and Milwaukee Bucks feel like they’re pivoting to a rebuild after years of doing their best to compete. The trade deadline put even more pressure on the lottery. The Los Angeles Clippers can now pick as high as No. 5 overall after trading Ivica Zubac to the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers will be praying their pick lands in the top-4 so they can keep it.
There’s big movement from our previous 2026 NBA mock draft, which featured a deeper dive into the individual prospects. Our last mock was more based off my personal board, but now that I’ve shared my board, let’s change the thought process for this mock and try to guess what NBA teams would actually do in each spot. I did one spin of the lottery order via Tankathon for this mock draft, and the results were shocking. Let’s dive in.
1. Atlanta Hawks (via Pelicans) – A.J. Dybantsa, F, BYU
I have Cameron Boozer at No. 1 and Dybantsa at No. 3 on my big board, but the NBA likely won’t see it the same way. While I have concerns about Dybantsa’s defensive instincts and limited three-point volume, there’s no doubt he’s still a monster scoring prospect with a ridiculous blend of length, strength, explosion, and flexibility. He can put pressure on the rim at will as a driver, and he’s shown awesome touch in close by making 76 percent of his shots at the rim. Dybantsa also already has a polished back-to-the-basket game that should work well in high leverage situations, and he’s a capable floor spacer by hitting 37.2 percent of his threes, mostly on open catch-and-shoots. Dybantsa has some things to clean up like any young player, but he’s going to score like crazy with good efficiency in the NBA for a long time. He’s a cleaner fit next to Jalen Johnson than Boozer, and his body of work this season has been more impressive than Peterson, who has been slowed down by injuries.
2. Milwaukee Bucks – Darryn Peterson, G, Kansas
Milwaukee was the big winner of our lottery simulation, and this is a league-changing outcome. Suddenly, Giannis Antetokounmpo would have a bright future with the Bucks as they land a guard with All-NBA upside in Peterson. The Kansas freshman has underwhelmed expectations as he’s battled a hamstring strain and cramping issues, but he’s been putting up huge scoring numbers (43.5 points per 100 possessions on 62 percent true shooting). We still haven’t seen the best of Peterson yet with the Jayhawks, but his shot-making has already been phenomenal and his rim pressure and defensive playmaking should be a lot better when he’s 100 percent physically.
3. Brooklyn Nets – Cameron Boozer, F, Duke
The Nets really need to land a top-4 pick because they owe swap rights to the Houston Rockets in 2027. Boozer is the best prospect in this class in my eyes for his offensive versatility and long track record of impacting winning. Boozer is an awesome shooter, driver, and playmaker for his size at 6’9, 250 pounds. He’s not the most explosive or fluid athlete, but he makes up for it with strength, outstanding feel for the game, and a constantly increasing skill level. He’s been the most productive of the ‘big three’ prospects this year while also being the youngest, turning 19 years old shortly after draft day. It’s easy to take Boozer’s greatness for granted because he’s been so steady for so long, but he’s going to be a franchise cornerstone for whatever team selects him, regardless of draft slot.
4. Chicago Bulls – Caleb Wilson, F, North Carolina
The Bulls were the other big winner of our lottery simulation, moving up from the No. 10 slot to cash in on a 13.9 percent chance to land a top-4 pick. This is a great draft to land the No. 4 pick in with two of Wilson, Boozer, and Houston point guard Kingston Flemings likely available. Wilson could push Dybantsa out of the No. 3 spot on my personal board soon with his non-stop motor and two-way upside as a 6’10 forward. The Tar Heels freshman is a buzzsaw defender who can pick up 94-feet, provide secondary-rim protection, and get into the passing lanes. He doesn’t have a reliable three-point stroke yet, but he’s still an impactful offensive player by dunking everything as a finisher, gaining extra possessions on the glass, hitting tough mid-range shots, and adding value as a passer. Wilson feels more like a star role player than a traditional star, but he’d be a fantastic addition to Chicago’s rebuild and would finally give the fanbase some real hope.
It’s going to be particularly important to finish with the worst overall record for the tanking teams this year because it means you’re guaranteed a top-5 pick. While it’s a bummer for Sacramento to fall this far, at least they still land an awesome point guard prospect in Flemings who can replace a lot of what they lost by trading De’Aaron Fox. Flemings has a wicked combination of burst, change-of-direction, and the ability to stomp on the brakes as a driver. He’s a really good playmaker and mid-range shooter, and he should increase his free throw rate and three-point volume in time. He’s the rare lead guard prospect who should be a plus defensively. Getting a prospect of Flemings’ caliber at the No. 5 pick is one reason why this is such a strong draft.
6. Los Angeles Clippers (via Pacers) – Mikel Brown Jr., G, Louisville
Mikel Brown Jr.'s historic night as heard on the Louisville Sports Radio Network.
His 45 points and 10 3s against NC State tie two single-game program records. Brown also broke the ACC single-game freshman scoring record.
The Pacers fell out of the top-4 in this lottery simulation, and that means their pick goes to the Clippers for the Ivica Zubac trade at the deadline. I tweeted that Brown was due for some positive regression to the mean as a shooter a couple weeks ago, and then he went out and made 10-of-16 threes in a win over NC State earlier this week. His combination of pull-up shooting, better-than-expected rim attacking, and solid playmaking with good positional size at 6’5 separates him from the other prospects in this range in my eyes, and if he stays on fire to end the year, maybe he can push Flemings for the No. 5 spot on my board. Yes, the Clippers just acquired a really good 26-year-old point guard in Darius Garland, but they can’t afford to draft for fit with a pick this high. Brown looks like the best prospect on the board by a sizable margin.
7. Washington Wizards – Keaton Wagler, G, Illinois
Wagler has been the biggest riser of the draft class, going from the No. 150 overall recruit to a possible top-10 pick. His off-the-dribble shooting is the most enticing part of the package, but he’s also shown an impressive ability to create off the bounce without an assist. Wagler has not dunked the ball this season, and is pretty clearly limited in terms of his athletic explosion, and it impacts him on the defensive end, too. At the same time, if he keeps shooting and scoring like this, it will be hard for the league to pass on him in the top-10. I’m fascinated to see if he can maintain his momentum through the end of the season for a stacked Illinois team talented enough to make a Final Four run.
8. Utah Jazz – Nate Ament, F, Tennessee
Ament is killing it lately after a slow start, averaging 25.4 points and seven rebounds over his last five games on 50 percent shooting from three and 45.2 percent shooting on twos. I’m still worried that he settles too much, and struggles to get to and finish at the rim. Adding more strength and refining his dribble, pass, and shoot skill set should improve that over time. The tools that made him a top-5 recruit entering the year are still there as a 6’10 wing, and I’d bet on it being too tempting to pass up for teams in this range.
9. Dallas Mavericks – Hannes Steinbach, F/C, Washington
Steinbach is an elite rebounder with a specialty on the offensive glass, he’s an efficient scorer, and he catches everything thrown at him. It feels like Steinbach has a wide range, but the added increase on hitting the offensive glass around the league should ultimately benefit him. He would be a nice lob target for Cooper Flagg as the rookie star continues to improve his pick-and-roll playmaking, and he’d also help get Flagg extra possessions with tip-outs and putbacks on the glass. His three-point shot is a work in progress and opinions on his defense are all over the map, but Steinbach has some special gifts as he continues to develop in other areas.
It sure seems like Quaintance returned too early from his torn ACL suffered late last season at Arizona State. He didn’t look like the same player in his four games back before shutting it down, and that makes him in the top-10 a super risky bet. Still, I’ve been high on Quaintance’s future dating back to his high school days, and I don’t want to hold these four games against him after such a serious injury. When he was at Arizona State as a 17-year-old last year, Quaintance looked like an elite defensive big man prospect. The Grizzlies seem like the type of franchise that might take a chance on him despite already having Zach Edey entrenched at center.
11. Charlotte Hornets – Yaxel Lendeborg, F, Michigan
Lendeborg will be 24 years old when his rookie year starts, but he should still have appeal in the lottery with both the tools and skill set to be a modern NBA forward. At 6’9, 235 pounds with a 7’4 wingspan, Lendeborg has shown he can defend all over the floor, crush the glass, and stroke three-pointers during his winding college career. His development track has been unusual because he didn’t start playing organized basketball until he was 15 years old, so his age shouldn’t be held against him too much. He feels like the perfect frontcourt connector to finish off Charlotte’s young core.
12. San Antonio Spurs (via Hawks) – Patrick Ngongba, C, Duke
I usually give the Spurs a shooter in this spot, and in the comments their fans always start complaining when they see “guard” next to their name. Fine! San Antonio gets one of my favorite prospects in Patrick Ngongba in this version, a 6’11 big man with immaculate finishing touch, slick passing ability, and proven paint protection instincts. Ngongba would have more appeal if he was a dominant rebounder, but I still think he’s worth a lottery pick.
After a slow start, Burries has been looking like the five-star combo guard Arizona was promised on the recruiting trail, averaging 21.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, and three assists on 64.3 eFG% over his last five games. Burries is really old for a freshman (he’ll be 21 in Sept.), but his ability to act as a secondary handler with three-level scoring ability will be intriguing after the top-10. He’s one of the biggest risers in this class since the start of the season, and he makes sense for an OKC team that could still use more long-term shooting and scoring punch.
Portland is No. 29 in three-point percentage this season, and Mullins can immediately help out in that area. The 6’6 UConn freshman might be the best off-ball shooter in the class with a quick and pure stroke from deep, and a decent enough combination of frame and athleticism to have some impact in other areas. I wish he could do more off the bounce, but at this point it feels like we haven’t seen the best version of him yet after an early season ankle injury and then a concussion. There’s still time with March Madness approaching.
15. Miami Heat – Koa Peat, F, Arizona
Peat can’t shoot from the outside at all, but he’s immediately been a winning role player on an elite veteran team from the moment he stepped on campus. His powerful frame, playmaking, and play-finishing is an enticing combo if his shot can develop enough to not completely kill a team’s spacing.
16. Golden State Warriors – Cameron Carr, G, Baylor
Carr’s 7’2 wingspan and 41 percent three-point stroke will earn him plenty of fans in NBA front offices. He’s painfully skinny right now and I’m not sold on his ability to attack off the dribble or his defense, but his production has been outstanding, and it’s very hard to find wing shooters with this type of length.
17. Memphis Grizzlies – Bennett Stirtz, G, Iowa
Stirtz is a pick-and-roll master who plays at his own pace. He can shoot it off the dribble, score with crafty finishes around the rim, and throw every pass in the halfcourt based on the coverage he’s seeing. His defense will be picked apart in the predraft process, but he checks a lot of boxes for a lead guard. He feels like a Grizzlies type of prospect to me.
18. Oklahoma City Thunder – Chris Cenac Jr., C/F, Houston
Cenac is a potential stretch five as a 6’10 big man with a 7’4 wingspan with soft touch from deep. He slides his feet well defensively on the perimeter, but still needs to work on his instincts and feel for the game on both ends of the floor. He’s been coming on strong in conference play, and the fact that he committed to play for a notoriously hard-charging coach in Kelvin Sampson seems like a good signal about his makeup to me.
19. Charlotte Hornets (via Suns) – Darius Acuff, G, Arkansas
Acuff has been one of the most productive guards in college basketball this year as he’s continued to put up huge numbers against top competition. I’m a bit worried about his defensive projection and shot selection, but his production this year would be hard to ignore if he slips this far. Would the Hornets still take another guard after trading for Coby White (an impending free agent, to be fair) at the deadline? I think so, given White’s ability to play off the ball.
20. Toronto Raptors – Aday Mara, C, Michigan
The Raptors desperately need a center of the future with Jakob Poeltl being slowed down by a back injury. Mara is a good bet in this range as a 7’3 center who can contest shots in drop coverage and throw some amazing outlet passes to kickstart the break.
21. Detroit Pistons (via Wolves) – Tyler Tanner, G, Vanderbilt
The Pistons got this pick with a sneaky-good trade deadline deal that earned them swap rights with the Wolves. Detroit could go in a lot of different directions here, but I like the idea of adding a lightning-quick point guard in Tanner who has been one of the country’s best players in his sophomore season. Tanner is extremely small (he’s generously listed at 6-foot, 175 pounds by Vandy), but he’s super athletic, much improved as a shooter, and plays way more physical than someone his size should. The Pistons have the defensive personnel to help insulate him, and he could do a lot to help unclog their offense.
22. Los Angeles Lakers – Morez Johnson, F, Michigan
Johnson can protect the paint defensively, score efficiently inside, and is just starting to flesh out his three-point stroke. He would add some much needed physicality to the Lakers front court, and he has the length and strength to make up for being a tad short at 6’9.
23. Atlanta Hawks (via Cavs) – Thomas Haugh, F, Florida
Haugh should be a winning role player in the league with his combination of defense, floor spacing, and above-the-rim finishing. Don’t want to take my word for it? Here’s what Dan Hurley said:
Dan Hurley on Thomas Haugh: "He's one of my favorite players in recent memory…. That guy’s like a first-team All-American. He should be a lottery pick. He’s tremendous" pic.twitter.com/9WTHgSKnWO
Swain is one of the top sleepers in this class. The Texas junior has a great frame and impressive athleticism for a wing, and he should be able to defend and rebound in the league from day one. He’s shown way more comfort attacking off the dribble this year, and his three-point shot gets a tad better every season even if it remains a weakness. He’s going to be a steal for whoever drafts him, and he’d be a great fit in Denver.
25. New York Knicks – Labaron Philon, G, Alabama
There’s so many good guards in this draft class that a couple of them with a chance to go in the lottery are bound to fall a little further than they should. I love Philon’s drive-and-kick ability, deadly floater, and improved outside shooting, but he’s just really small for an NBA guard without Tanner’s defensive production. He would love playing like OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges behind him … if those guys are still on the Knicks next season.
26. Philadelphia 76ers – Karim Lopez, F, New Zealand Breakers
The Sixers acquired this pick from the Pelicans in the Jared McCain trade, which mostly felt like a cost-cutting move for Philly, so they better make this selection count. Philly has been searching for a modern four for years, and it feels like Lopez fits the bill. He has a great frame as a strong 6’9 forward who can attack downhill, finish at the rim, and get to the foul line. He may go 10 spots higher than this.
27. Boston Celtics – Tounde Yessoufou, G, Baylor
Yessoufou was a five-star freshman who projects as a point-of-attack defender at the next level. His offense hasn’t always been pretty during his freshman year, but he’s coming on strong lately. It feels like he has to be a really good shooter to make it work in the NBA given his lack of handling and playmaking. I’m not sold on the shot yet, but he could get an acceptable level eventually given his defensive abilities.
28. Cleveland Cavaliers – Joshua Jefferson, F, Iowa State
Jefferson is one of the best players in college basketball, and he’s shown he has role player potential even as a star during his senior season at Iowa State. He has a good frame for an NBA forward, and his passing, rebounding, and defense should all play at the next level.
Arenas is getting a late start to his freshman season after being involved in a terrifying car accident, but he’s really starting to play well as he gets his feet wet as a freshman at USC. The son of Gilbert Arenas just seems to get anywhere he wants off the dribble with impressive size and shot-making for a guard. He could be a lottery pick in 2027 if he returns to school and shines for a full season, but there’s still a chance he comes out this year.
30. Dallas Mavericks – Meleek Thomas, G, Arkansas
Thomas is a walking bucket with speed, shiftiness, and impressive shooting off the dribble or on spot-ups. He feels primed to be a really good bench scorer for a long time, and that’s a great value with the last pick in the first round, which the Mavericks acquired from the Wizards in the Anthony Davis trade.
White Sox fans will get a sneak peek at Munetaka Murakami’s talent as he suits up for Team Japan in the WBC. | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
The World Baseball Classic is right around the corner, and the White Sox will have players representing countries from around the world. Five current South Siders and one old friend will be suiting up for their teams in just a few weeks, ready to make some noise.
Sam Antonacci and Kyle Teel are packing their bags for Team Italy. Antonacci, a versatile infielding prospect (MLB No. 11) with a steady bat, might just drag the Italians through a tough pool, while Teel’s bat and athleticism give the gil Azzurri a potential game-changer at the plate.
Seranthony Domínguez gets the call for the Dominican Republic, and he’s no stranger to big moments. He’ll be a late-inning sledgehammer for a D.R. squad loaded with thunder, including Juan Soto, Manny Machado and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Pick your poison. If they go deep, Domínguez could be right in the thick of it.
— Equipo Dominicano de Béisbol 🇩🇴 (@_losdominicanos) January 28, 2026
Curtis Mead will suit up for Australia, bringing some South Side grit down under. Australia rarely gets headlines but has quietly earned respect in past tournaments.
Six years ago, a then 19-year-old Curtis Mead played in an exhibition game for Team Australia vs the Doosan Bears.
That’s the only time he’s ever worn the Green and Gold.
Until now. Curtis, now in the Major Leagues with the Chicago White Sox, is on the WBC Roster – scheduled… pic.twitter.com/gPBny6Revy
Munetaka Murakami, Chicago’s big-ticket offseason buy, is one of the headliners on Japan’s roster, and expectations will be sky-high with the power and big stage experience. Murakami checks a lot of boxes, and he’ll be a player to watch every time that Samurai Japan steps to the plate.
And then there’s Alexei Ramírez, forever a South Side favorite. He’s 44 now, and somehow back in a Team Cuba jersey two decades after his WBC debut in 2014. Even 10 years removed from the majors, the veteran shortstop brings experience, savvy, and baseball soul to Cuba’s lineup.
Alexei Ramirez is playing with team Cuba at 44 YEARS OLD 🤯
Ramirez played for Cuba in the first WBC in 2006 and last played in MLB in 2016. pic.twitter.com/qnATbNF15m
Tournament play starts with Teams Chinese Taipei and Australia in the Tokyo Dome at 10:00 p.m. ET on March 4. Team USA plays an exhibition game against the Colorado Rockies that same day at 3:10 p.m. ET at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Scottsdale. Team USA’s official tournament play begins on March 6 at 8:00 p.m. ET versus Team Brazil on FOX.
For fans, the WBC isn’t just another tournament. It’s proof that elite baseball talent is everywhere. And for Chicago, the South Side’s fingerprints are all over the map.
TAMPA, FLORIDA - MARCH 16, 2025: Spencer Jones #78 of the New York Yankees bats during the eighth inning of a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at George M. Steinbrenner Field on March 16, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
As pitchers and catchers report and teams prepare for the start of spring training, not many teams around Major League Baseball project to have a more powerful outfield than the New York Yankees in 2026. Three-time MVP Aaron Judge will continue to anchor the lineup in right field, coming off another unbelievable season: .331/.457/.688, 53 home runs, 114 RBI, .357 ISO, 18.3/23.6 BB/K%. Judge posted a wRC+ over 200 for the third time in four years, and he’ll enter the upcoming season as the most feared slugger in the sport.
The other two outfield spots were in question entering the offseason, but the Yankees were able to bring back both Trent Grisham and Cody Bellinger; Grisham accepted the qualifying offer and will make $22 million in the Bronx this season, and Bellinger re-signed on a five-year, $162.5 million contract. Judge, Bellinger, and Grisham combined for 116 home runs in 2025, and after much commotion and uncertainty, all three will be returning to their starting outfield roles next season.
This was probably the best (realistic) outcome the Yankees could have hoped for, but it’s not great news for Spencer Jones, the team’s first-round pick from the 2022 MLB Draft who’s still looking for his shot in the big leagues. Jones is behind not only those three outfielders on the depth chart, but also Jasson Domínguez, who played 123 games with the Bombers last season. Despite decent offensive production, Domínguez has still not been able to secure a full-time role with those three sluggers occupying the outfield and Giancarlo Stanton firmly locked into the DH spot.
Domínguez is not even guaranteed a roster spot to open the season, which leaves Jones firmly stuck in the minor leagues, where he hit 35 home runs and stole 29 bases in 2025. Jones spent his age-24 season between Double-A and Triple-A, and while his power/speed numbers were overwhelming, he also struck out 35.4 percent of the time between the two levels. That’s an astronomical strikeout rate, and it actually came down a tick from 2024 when he struck out 36.8 percent of the time in Double-A with only half as many home runs as he hit last year. He’s one of the most toolsy prospects in baseball, but this is exactly why Jones is so polarizing around the league; there’s hit-tool risk, and then there’s whatever this is.
Many prospect analysts are firmly out on Jones because of these bright red flags, but the Yankees view him so highly because whatever this is can sometimes look incredibly special. In 49 games at Double-A last season, Jones hit 16 home runs (just one shy of his total the year prior in 73 fewer games) and stole ten bases. His walk rate jumped from 9.9 percent to 15.4 percent, his ISO went from .193 to .320, and his wRC+ ballooned to 185. In his first 114 plate appearances after his promotion to Triple-A, Jones was hitting .375/.439/.844 with 13 home runs, 10 steals, a 219 wRC+, and just a 24-percent strikeout rate. He hit the IL shortly after with a back injury and was a shell of himself the rest of the way upon return, but optimistically speaking you can make a legitimate case that the drop-off was largely due to the lingering injury.
That’s been exactly the case with Jones throughout his professional career. However you feel about him, he’s given you every reason to continue feeling that way. If he can produce anything even close to what he was doing around the end of July against big-league pitching, he should be a superstar. However, MLB pitchers are a massive step up from their minor-league counterparts, and it’s entirely possible that Jones’ hit tool is too weak for him to ever become a fixture in a big-league lineup. Jones possesses arguably the widest range of outcomes of any prospect in baseball, and that’s why most professional rankings have him in the back end of their Top 100 if he’s even included at all.
The Yankees, who don’t currently have a spot for him, seem completely unwilling to sell him at that price. Other teams have been understandably unwilling to buy him at theirs. If you believe Jon Heyman’s report, the Yankees would only consider trading Jones for a player like Paul Skenes. That simply is not happening. If there was ever a time to trade him it would’ve been last year, when Jones’ value peaked at the exact same time as the trade deadline, but it didn’t happen. Which leads to the crossroads that the Yankees and Jones find themselves at entering the 2026 season.
There is no spot for Jones in the Yankees’ lineup. Multiple injuries would need to occur for him to get a chance, and a player with a profile like his could take a long time to ramp up in his first extended look against MLB pitching. A team hunting for a pennant might not be able to provide that runway if it means eating a 40 percent strikeout rate during a long adjustment period. Jones will turn 25 in mid-May, however, and if he’s healthy and productive he needs to get a chance this year. So something’s gotta give.
The Yankees might be higher on Jones than any other organization in baseball. After they turned another 24-year-old 6-foot-7 outfielder with immense power and a scary hit tool into the greatest hitter of his generation, we can’t exactly fault them for that, but it does make trading Jones especially difficult. They’re unwilling to move him for a rental, and other teams are unwilling to invest significantly in a player who swings and misses as often as Jones does. It feels like they can’t trade him and they can’t keep him either; they can’t clear the runway for him and they can’t keep him trapped in the minors forever.
If the market for Jones around the league is lower than we think, it makes more sense for the Yankees to keep him. The argument for it is simple. At some point, they need to open Schrodinger’s box. If there’s a dead cat inside, they have enough alternative options that they can bury him in the backyard and drive over to PetSmart without it severely derailing their short-term or long-term plans. If the cat is happy and healthy, one of the best lineups in the American League could add another star player on a rookie contract or team-friendly extension for the foreseeable future. If they trade him for less than he’s worth, they could end up getting scratched for a decade.
If a deal emerges that the Yankees feel is fair value though, it might be in the best interest of the player and the organization for them to take it. Jones may be the type of player who sticks around for a while, but will require patience and a lot of trial-and-error on his journey. That journey may be better suited for a team without immediate World Series aspirations and a market less daunting than New York. If they do choose to keep him, it’s difficult but not impossible to envision a path to a full-time role.
Trent Grisham surprised everybody by accepting the qualifying offer this year, but he’ll reach a deal in free agency eventually and it likely won’t be with the Yankees. Domínguez doesn’t have the defensive ability to man center field in the Bronx long-term, which could open a path for the more speedy, taller Jones. A lot is riding on how he handles Triple-A pitching in the first few months of the season. If he looks likes the Spencer Jones of last April-July, he could force the Yankees’ hand and make his MLB debut sometime this summer. If they give him a taste of the action similar to what Domínguez had last year, he could prove himself as a long-term option by holding his own and making ample contact against big-league pitching. It’d require a lot of patience from all parties involved, but if the Yankees believe in Jones to the extent that they’ve indicated and are willing to put their money where their mouth is (both figuratively and literally), he could still end up wearing pinstripes for years to come.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - NOVEMBER 10: Mayor of Kansas City Quinton Lucas speaks during a press conference for THUNDERGONG!, a charity benefiting the Steps of Faith Foundation, at Uptown Theater on November 10, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Kyle Rivas/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Everything is about staying on the mound this year.
“We want to be out there,” Bubic said. “Cole is as competitive as it gets as well. We want to be out there playing with our guys every fifth day. We want to be part of it. I know we fell short of the playoffs last year, but we feel like there’s no reason we can’t get there again and succeed.”
She also has the early reports on who is in camp.
Quick notes: –LHP Chazz Martinez (NRI) shut down for a week with left elbow soreness –C Jorge Alfaro (NRI) will report once visa issues are sorted out –C Luke Maile is not on the camp roster anymore. Dealing with a personal issue but Royals are open to return if the time comes
“Oh man, we used to go to games for five bucks,” Lange said. “Park for five bucks, eat for a dollar and go in there for dollar buck night back in the day. You know, Jermaine Dye, Mike Sweeney and all the boys back then. We followed the 2014-15 teams through their runs while in high school. It was pretty special. “So, I mean, we were going to 10 games a year just enjoying it and having a good time.”
McArthur missed the entirety of Royals spring training — and ultimately the season — in 2025. The medical staff worked to understand what led to his continued discomfort. At first, McArthur had one of his screws removed due to the belief it was in a bad spot.
“I was super puffy,” McArthur said. “I don’t want to get too deep into it, but it’s just like when they saw the image, they could see stuff in my elbow and they were like, ‘This isn’t normal.’ And their only thought or best guess through imaging was that it was like bone chipping from the screw head that was sticking out of the bone just a touch.”
I think there are some definite trade candidates in here. I know I’ve been saying they might move Schreiber all winter, but I just remember Picollo talking about Mears the same way he talks about Schreiber and think that the bullpen probably only needs one of them. I mentioned Avila and Cruz, but Neris is an interesting pickup on a minor league deal. He struggled last year with three teams, pitching to a 6.75 ERA, 5.35 FIP and 4.59 xERA. Maybe he’s toast as he’s entering his age-37 season, but he still got plenty of strikeouts. My guess is he doesn’t show enough, but you never know, I guess.
“We will get a deal done in 2026 that’s fair and transparent for our taxpayers, our future, and our team,” Lucas said….
Lucas said he wouldn’t speak for the Royals, but said he thinks downtown checks all the boxes.
“We’ve kept strong relationships with the Kansas City Royals throughout the process,” he said. “So I have to say, I will never speak for them. I think they have important decisions to make, but I think in making a transformational decision, not just for the team but for this entire region.”
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 11: A detailed view of the cap and baseball glove belonging to Willy Adames #2 of the San Francisco Giants is seen in the dugout prior to the start of the game against the San Diego Padres at Oracle Park on August 11, 2025 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning baseball fans!
As we approach Spring Training and the beginning of the season, we’re going to be doing some questions for y’all about your thoughts about the San Francisco Giants and baseball in general!
Today’s question: What is going to be the 2026 Giants’ biggest weakness?
Yes, I know Spring Training has only just begun. But as the team stands right now, after all of the moves that have been made thus far to improve the roster, what would you consider to be their biggest weakness?
I’m pretty awful at judging this kind of thing. So don’t take my opinion as anything other than just that, an opinion. But I think my answer would have to be the rotation.
I had expected them to be more aggressive on that front in the offseason. And to be fair, they did address it. To a degree. The additions of Tyler Mahle and Adrian Houser were not nothing.
But I don’t yet share the same optimism the team may have had in these additions. I think they are both coming off of good seasons, but I also think those seasons may have been outliers. And I’ve seen how the organization tends to put all their eggs in the basket of those outliers continuing. So I have concerns.
Behind Logan Webb and Robbie Ray, I don’t yet have a high level of confidence. And I’m going to emphasize that “yet” because I’d be happy to be proven wrong!
What is going to be the 2026 Giants’ biggest weakness?
JUPITER, - MARCH 15: Tink Hence #12 of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches during the 2024 Spring Breakout Game between the Miami Marlins and the St. Louis Cardinals at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on Friday, March 15, 2024 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Scott Audette/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
For the fourth straight season, Tink Hence has made the VEB top prospects list and he’s been a top 10 player every season. I think he was actually top 5 in the previous three years. Some of that is because Hence’s health issues have become a little more concerning, but if you took the exact type of prospect Hence is now and tried to place him in past years’ list, I think he’d rank higher than 10. So it’s also a function of the system being stronger.
JJ Wetherholt
Liam Doyle
Rainiel Rodriguez
Quinn Mathews
(or 6) Joshua Baez
(or 5) Jurrangelo Cjintje
Leonardo Bernal
Jimmy Crooks
Brandon Clarke
Tink Hence
Jurrangelo Cjintje I’m going to make this introduction every time because this may be the first prospect vote you’ve seen. When the Cardinals traded Brendan Donovan, we had already ranked the first 7 prospects. Cjintje was by most measures going to be somewhere in that top 7. So instead of starting over, Cjintje is facing off against the prospects, one-by-one, head-to-head, until he loses. He defeated Crooks in a head-to-head and then Bernal on Monday. Today you have to decide if Cjintje or Joshua Baez is the better prospect. If Cjintje wins, he then faces Quinn Mathews. If he loses, he will be the #6 prospect in the system. Scouting report below:
“Cjintje is technically a switch pitcher, but it is very clear from the scouting and the numbers that he is a far better pitcher right-handed. From the right side, Cjintje throws mid-90s and has topped at 99 mph. He has both a cutter and a sweeper, though the sweeper is the better pitch. He also throws an upper-80s change. From his left side, he is effectively a two-pitch pitcher, throwing low 90s with a solid sweeper. Statistically, it wasn’t close. He walked more than he struck out and allowed 7 homers in 21 innings from the left side, but from the right side he had a 5.0 K/BB ratio and only allowed 3 homers in 34.1 IP.“
Sometimes, I find a player comparison that just seems natural. I find two players who feel like they should be compared to each other. They are roughly similar prospects, they play the same position, and they’re even the same handedness. The only difference is strikeouts and proximity to the big leagues.
Braden Davis was a 5th round draft choice in 2024. With an elite change that produces crazy swing-and-miss, Davis struck out 33% of batters at both Low A and High A. The rest of his arsenal is not quite as good and he has some serious issues with walking batters (16.6% for the season), but he will be 23-years-old and is probably 5-10 great starts away from being in AA next season. Or at least 5-10 starts of a normal walk rate away.
Pete Hansen was a 3rd round draft pick back in 2022 and he’s pretty much excelled one level at a time since then. He doesn’t necessarily have an elite pitch, but he does have great command of his pitches, walking just 6% of batters last year. With a strong 46% GB rate and 21.1 K%, he had pretty good numbers in a hitting environment. No question where the 25-year-old will be in 2025: AAA.
The Tanner Franklin experience is making me trust my gut a bit more. I had a feeling he wasn’t going to be like most guys I add and slowly build up votes. I actually have two guys who give me that feeling right now. So I’m going to trust my gut again and put both on the ballot. Unfortunately, neither of those guys is Tai Peete. This is becoming something of a running bit at this point. I am also, for now, removing Ryan Mitchell from the voting. Sorry. There’s too many names. Mitchell has gotten three votes total in his two polls. He will get added back in, but right now I’d rather see if a different name will do better first.
And as a consolation, if either Mitchell, Peete, or anyone else I add win the very first vote I put them on, the next vote I’ll have them face off against the guy ahead of them just to be safe. Similar to what I’m doing with Cjintje. Because if they win the first vote, I added them too late. Franklin is a good example of it working out well. He absolutely needed to be in the previous vote, but because he didn’t win, I know I didn’t add him too late.
I’m adding Nathan Church because of Moises Gomez and Matt Koperniak, essentially. I do not think they are similar prospects. Koperniak was old and Gomez had swing-and-miss issues. But broadly speaking, this describes all three: non-prospect who has a breakout great season and is seemingly MLB-ready on Day One. Based on past voting, it kind of feels like I need to give you a chance to vote for Church now. It’s a better system, so who knows where he’ll land, but he would be between 10-15 in years past guaranteed.
I also want to add Yhoiker Fajardo, mainly because it wouldn’t totally shock me if he pulled a Franklin essentially. Just leapfrogs a bunch of guys in the voting. It also wouldn’t shock me if he barely got any votes. You guys did not like him when I compared him to Tanner Franklin. But just the fact that I think the former is possible is enough to put him on the vote.
Scouting (FG): 30/45 Hit, 35/50 Game Power, 50/55 Raw Power, 40/40 Speed, 40/45 Fielding
Baez is somewhat fascinating, especially in light of Keith Law’s negative assessment of his character, because on the one hand, character very much impacts a prospect’s ability to reach their full potential. It seems like whatever scouts (or Law specifically) looks for in a player that will reach their max potential, he does not have. It’s also very nebulous though. Oh yeah and he was 20-years-old last year. And so far, it hasn’t affected performance at all. Good luck trying to place this profile on a list.
Scouting: 55/55 Hit, 35/35 Game Power, 40/40 Raw Power, 55/55 Speed, 45/45 Field
Church deviates from my examples above in many ways, but the most interesting of which is the fact that he actually got to debut in the major leagues. A fact that actually might hurt him in comparison. Had Gomez or Koperniak debuted and hit the way Church hit, I don’t think Gomez is anywhere near 10th in voting and I kind of think Koperniak misses the list entirely. So that’s a wrinkle that may change the comparison in voting.
I had, by the way, always intended to add Fajardo when Franklin was close to being selected. So when he was high in the voting, I was like okay I need to get him on the list soon. In a way I’m replacing Mitchell with a very different kind of 19-year-old prospect. I always wonder when a player this young has a season like this if Low A was on the Red Sox’ radar at the beginning of the season or did he just essentially force them to promote him because he dominated. Did they intend for him to throw 72 innings? It’s in line with the progression you want to see, but if he pitched poorly in the complex, he isn’t getting promoted to Low A, and no way is he throwing 70 innings if he’s never promoted. Anyway, he can throw about 100 this year, so that’s nice for the Cardinals.
My conception of when I was going to add Franklin was way off, and yet it appears that my conception of when I suspect he’d be selected seems about right. So why exactly did he keep losing head to head polls? He is probably going to be a higher ranked prospect than two players that he beat directly in a head to head voting matchup. That’s kind of bizarre right? There’s something about his profile that makes a significant portion of people doubt him, but of the people who believe in him, they’re all-in.
Henderson looks like a less exciting prospect after the big infusion of pitching talent the Cardinals have undergone the last few seasons. This is for two reasons: the other guys, for the most part, have more upside. But also, the Cardinals are significantly less reliant specifically on Henderson working out than they were just a year ago. That means he’ll get less attention. Which is fine because I hope the Cardinals continue finding under the radar pitchers in the new regime to complement the higher upside arms.
Now that Hence is selected and Roby is close behind, Hjerpe will really be the last high upside, big injury risk pitcher left. It makes sense that he’s barely got votes thus far, because I would find it crazy to vote for Hjerpe over the pitchers already selected. But if a high upside, big injury risk pitcher is your thing, he will probably get those votes now. Or next vote I guess. The lukewarm reception to Hjerpe will have no real excuses if he continues to not get votes once Roby is on the list.
Fangraphs released the Cardinals list recently and with that came some updated scouting. If you were wondering, the pitches did not collectively change a lot. The fastball and slider were the exact same, his actual and potential both improved by 5, but his change went down 5 in both actual and potential. His command current took a bump but his potential remained at 55. Basically, they think he’s a slightly better pitcher than when he was graded on last year’s list, but his potential hasn’t moved.
Somewhat unbelievably, Fangraphs gave an updated list and yet I still have no scouting numbers for Deniel Ortiz. Whether or not you think Ortiz should be a top 20 prospect, is is objectively insane that he is not among the top 53 by Fangraphs. I have been very open that I’m more of a scouting the stat line guy than probably wise, but I feel like certainly stats alone should get you on the top 53. It’s not like he did this in the Dominican Summer League. Or when he was old for his level. Age-appropriate (young if anything), elite performance across two levels – I mean he should be above most relievers at minimum, no?
Scouting: 25/55 Hit, 20/55 Game Power, 40/60 Raw Power, 50/40 Speed, 30/40 Field
I don’t think I like the fielding potential here. I am aware that he might not stick at SS and that he might not ultimately be a good defender, but a 40 grade seems absurdly low for 19-year-old still learning the position. Like they’re calling that his potential. If that’s his potential, he’d be moved off SS already I think. On the flip side to be fair, that is a very, very encouraging power projection that hasn’t really shown up in the stats at all. So you take the good with the bad.
It’s really quite too bad Roby got injured and needed Tommy John. I am genuinely curious where he would have ranked if he ended the season healthy. He had fully returned as a prospect with fairly dominant numbers at AA. He was then solid, but nothing special in his 6 starts in AAA. I think merely being healthy would see him get a big boost with the exact same stats, but there’s also a world where he adjusts to AAA fairly quickly and improves his numbers.
