To get to their Challenge Cup tie on Saturday, Salford fans had to find their way to the end of a dark, long and winding road to reach the lights of Chiswick Rugby. It was a metaphor for their last year. A few months ago Salford’s stay in Super League was ending in chaotic scenes and Hammersmith Hills Hoists were being crowned Southern Conference champions. And yet, when the clubs met by Barnes Bridge on Saturday night, many aficionados expected them to be well matched.
Hammersmith, formed by Aussie backpackers two decades ago and jokingly nicknamed after a washing line, had never seen a night like it: a couple of hundred Salford fans in red and white, chanting and banging drums, circled their 4G pitch to urge on their new team – a bunch of callow youths who would either rise to the occasion or crack. Many neutrals had come down to see a giant-killing.
Last night, former Tar Heel and current Chicago Bulls guard Coby White caught fire against the Los Angeles Lakers to the tune of 23 points, five rebounds and six assists. While this is more common than not for the Goldsboro native, the significance of this is the fact that he made five of his 10 three-point attempts, which was good enough to pass Kirk Hinrich in the race to score the most three-pointers in Chicago Bulls history.
Coby White has tied Kirk Hinrich for 2nd-most 3-pointers in franchise history with 1,049. Zach LaVine, with 1,130, is the franchise leader.
Now that White holds the second-place spot in the franchise history books, the only player standing in his way is current Sacramento Kings guard Zach LaVine, who left the Bulls after draining 1,130. White is now less than 100 threes away from breaking the record, and while it feels inevitable that he will break it, there is a problem: the NBA trade deadline.
The NBA trade deadline is February 5th at 3 PM ET, and there has been a lot of noise about White potentially being traded since he is on an expiring contract. Should the Bulls keep him until the end of the season, he will become an unrestricted free agent, meaning that he could decide to take his talents to another team after the season is over anyway. It’s a weird situation because whichever team that takes him would need to acquire him with the intent of signing him to his inevitably larger contract following the season, but by no means would that team be required to do so. The Bulls find themselves in a weird spot because at this point White has more or less become their franchise player, but he also isn’t an All-Star caliber player right now. So then, what is worth more? Losing one of your best scorers only to risk having a less productive player, or sticking it out only for White to throw them the peace sign this summer? It’s a really messy situation that Bulls VP of Basketball Operations Arturas Karnisovas has found himself in, but also for anybody that pays enough attention to this franchise…it’s not surprising to say the least.
Regardless, it has been a lot of fun seeing White grow as a player and become one of the better scorers in the NBA. Enduring the dysfunction that is the Chicago Bulls front office — and at one point the coaching staff — and managing to develop into such a good player is something that other Bulls draftees did not manage to pull off in the post-Jimmy Butler/Derrick Rose era. Regardless of whether or not he breaks LaVine’s record, his contributions in Chicago will not soon be forgotten.
With the 2025 Texas Rangers season having come to an end, we shall be, over the course of the offseason, taking a look at every player who appeared in a major league game for the Texas Rangers in 2025.
Today we are looking at outfielder Evan Carter.
Two years ago, one of the popular topics of conversation was which of the Rangers young stud outfielders you preferred — Evan Carter or Wyatt Langford?
Langford was the 3rd overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, tore through four levels in the minors in the two months after he signed, and posted an aggregate .360/.480/.677 slash line, making him a consensus top ten prospect heading into 2024.
Carter, meanwhile, went from being a national punchline when the Rangers took him in the second round in the 2020 draft to stud prospect (when he was healthy) to September callup, slashing .306/.413/.645 in 23 games to help get the Rangers to the playoffs, and then putting up a .300/.417/.500 slash line in the playoffs to help the Rangers win their first World Series title, making him a consensus top ten prospect heading into 2024.
During spring training in 2024, we did a Rangers Reacts survey on whether you were more excited about Langford or Carter. Langford won, but it was close, and there wasn’t really a wrong answer. The future looked bright with those two manning the outfield.
Heading into spring training 2026, the picture is much different. Langford has had his ups and downs in his first two seasons, has had a couple of injured list stints, has struggled with consistency…but he’s still put up a slash line of .247/.335/.423, good for a 121 OPS+, in 1130 plate appearances, while stealing 41 bases in 50 attempts and, surprisingly for a guy whose defense was considered mediocre in college, has been excellent defensively. In two seasons, Langford has accumulated 9.5 bWAR, and didn’t turn 24 until November.
Carter, meanwhile…Carter has had his ups and downs as well, but there have been more downs than ups. He missed most of 2024 due to back issues, started the 2025 season in the minors as he worked on a new swing to ease the pressures on his bat, got called up in early May, and ended up spending time on the injured list three different times, the final one being the result of being hit by a pitch and suffering a broken wrist, which ended his season.
Carter ended up playing in just 63 games in the majors in 2025, after logging just 45 games in 2024.
I saw someone describe 2025 as another lost season for Carter. I understand the sentiment, but I don’t really see it that way.
Yes, Carter played just 63 games, but unlike in 2024, he was pretty good in those 63 major league games. He slashed .247/.336/.392. He stole 14 bases in 16 attempts. He was excellent defensively.
Carter’s 1.9 bWAR for the season was the sixth highest among position players on the Rangers. And yes, that says something about the rest of the lineup, to a degree, but a 1.9 bWAR is generally considered a pretty decent season. Doing it Craig Gentry-style, in just 220 plate appearances, well, that makes it all the more remarkable.
(And if you don’t like bWAR, Carter put up a 1.4 fWAR, which, again, is pretty impressive for 63 games and 220 plate appearances).
The concerns about Carter coming up were whether he could stay healthy and whether he would hit lefties. Those concerns haven’t changed. The back issues, which have plagued him his entire career, were what had him spending the first six weeks of the 2025 season in AAA. He spent two weeks on the injured list in 2025 with a quad strain, and then, as mentioned above, missed the final month-plus with the broken wrist. Even if you want to chalk up the broken wrist as a fluke, the durability concerns with Carter remain.
And lefties? Carter was 2 for 23 with 4 walks and a HBP against lefties in 2025, an .087/.250/.087 slash line. For his career, Carter has an .083/.191/.083 slash line against lefthanded pitchers in 68 plate appearances. Evan Carter has yet to record an extra base hit against a lefthanded pitcher in the majors. (The regular season, anyway — he doubled off of Jake Diekman in the playoffs in 2023).
But even with those concerns, Evan Carter is a special player. He’s put up a 4.1 bWAR in 131 career games, all of them before he turned 23 years old (his 23rd birthday was the day the Rangers moved him to the 60 day injured list last year).
Maybe he’s always going to have durability concerns. Me, I’d be happy if the Rangers could get 130 healthy games out of him per season.
And maybe he’s always going to struggle against lefties. I have no doubt he’s going to put in the effort to improve against them, though, and again, he’s just 23 years old. Growth and improvement should be expected.
Maybe I’m just setting myself up for disappointment. Maybe the Grady Sizemore comps are all too accurate.
But I’m keeping the faith in Evan Carter. I’m asking the Baseball Gods to keep him healthy. Not even Cal Ripken Jr. healthy, or even Marcus Semien healthy. As I said, I’ll take 130 games a year from him.
Just give us that. Give us 130 healthy games a year from Evan Carter. Do that, and we will get to experience a special player.
Jacob Reimer’s father, Brandon, played baseball at Concordia University in the late ‘90s and took every opportunity to ensure that his son would pursue the same sport, installing a batting cage in their home and enrolling him on various little league and travel ball teams. Jacob initially began his high school baseball career in 2019 on the Yucaipa High School junior varsity baseball team, but by the end of the season, he had been promoted to the varsity team. He lettered over his next three seasons and ended his time with the Thunderbirds hitting .398 with 8 home runs in his final season there.
Reimer was selected by the Mets in the fourth round of the 2022 MLB Draft and had to choose between going professional or honoring his commitment to University of Washington. His desire to be a pro won out, and the infielder signed with the organization for $775,000, almost $250,000 over the MLB-assigned slot value of $507,500. The Mets assigned him to the FCL Mets in August and he appeared in 7 games with them, hitting .261/.414/.478 with 1 home run, 0 stolen bases, 6 walks to 3 strikeouts. That winter, Amazin’ Avenue ranked him the Mets’ 14th top prospect.
Reimer was assigned to the St. Lucie Mets to begin the 2023 season and hit a solid .280/.412/.392 with 10 doubles, 1 home run, 3 stolen bases, and 44 walks to 61 strikeouts for them in 75 games, missing a bit of time in late June and early July due to an injury. At the beginning of August, the 19-year-old was promoted to the Brooklyn Cyclones and finished the rest of the season in Coney Island, hitting .203/.354/.279 in 25 games with 1 home run, 0 stolen bases, and 17 walks to 22 strikeouts.
Ranked the Mets’ 9th top prospect by Amazin Avenue coming into the 2024 season, Reimer pulled his hamstring in March during spring training. His recovery took longer than expected, beginning his rehab assignment in mid-July rather than in June as initially believed, and after his rehab assignment ended, it only took another few weeks before he was placed back on the 7-Day Injured List. Ultimately, he only appeared in 14 games for the Brooklyn Cyclones and went 9-46 in those 14 games, with 3 doubles, 8 walks, and 7 strikeouts. The Mets sent the infielder to the Arizona Fall League a not only did he get a few more reps with the bat to get some of the rust off, but he also started learning a little left field. He appeared in 17 games for the Scottsdale Scorpions and went 11-53 with 1 triple, 2 home runs, 1 stolen base, and 15 walks to 13 strikeouts.
Amazin’ Avenue ranked Reimer the Mets’ 21st top prospect coming into 2025 and the infielder had a season that fully reestablished his top prospect bona fides to all. Assigned to the Cyclones to begin the year, the 21-year-old appeared in 61 games for Brooklyn and hit .284/.384/.502 with 18 doubles, 4 triples, 8 home runs, 11 stolen bases in 13 attempts, and 32 walks to 52 strikeouts. He was promoted to Double-A Binghamton in late June and finished his season with the Rumble Ponies. In 61 more games with them, he hit .279/.374/.479 with 14 doubles, 1 triple, 9 home runs, 4 stolen bases in 5 attempts, and 26 walks to 60 strikeouts. In total for the season, he appeared in a cumulative 122 games and hit .282./.379/.491 with 32 doubles, 5 triples, 17 home runs, 15 stolen bases in 18 attempts, and drew 58 walks to 112 strikeouts.
Listed at 6’2”, 205-pounds, Reimer stands open at the plate, holding his hands high at the eyes and wrapping his bat behind his head angled almost perpendicularly to the ground. He swings with a leg lift and has a level stroke that is direct to the ball. His swing is better geared towards pitches middle and up in the zone because he stands somewhat tall and stiff in the box, but Reimer has the plate coverage to make contact with pitches down in the zone he wants to make contact with and a good enough eye to know what pitches to lay off of. Especially relative to his age and amount of professional experience, he reads spin well, tracks pitches well, and has a strong sense of the strike zone.
During the 2024-2025 off-season, he put in a lot of work with organizational hitting instructors to modify and optimize his mechanics at the plate, leading to an improvement in his bat speed and his batted ball profile. This past season, he had a 39.3% groundball rate, 33.5% flyball rate, and 27.2% line drive rate with the Brooklyn Cyclones and a 39.6% groundball rate, 40.3% flyball rate, and 20.1% line drive rate with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, good for a combined 39.4% groundball rate, 36.7% flyball rate, and 23.9% line drive rate. Coming into the season, one of the biggest criticisms about Reimer was the fact that too many of the balls that he put in play were hit into the ground, causing him to run a problematically high groundball rate/problematically low flyball rate. In 2023, he played in a combined 102 games and ran a 46.1% groundball rate to a 32.2% flyball rate and 21.7% line drive rate. In 2024, he played in a combined 25 games and ran a 49.2% groundball rate to a 23.8% flyball rate and 27% line drive rate. In 2025, Reimer pulled more balls than ever, posting a 51.0% Pull rate, and hit more balls into the air than ever. He has always had solid in-game power, but was hamstringing himself by hitting the ball on the ground far too often. Lifting the ball more consistently, Reimer is driving the ball more and his burgeoning power really displayed itself in 2025.
A combination of facing more advanced pitchers combined with a hitting philosophy at the plate to go after more hittable pitches, Reimer’s Swing% is up slightly this past season, sitting at 43.3% as compared to 37.7% in his limited innings in 2024 and the 36.9% rate he posted in 2023. Reimer’s passivity at the plate was sometimes a source of concern in the past, as he would pass on just as many good pitches that he would be able drive as he did bad pitches. While he did swing-and-miss a bit more last season- he posted a 10.5% SwStr% last year, as opposed to a 8.2% rate in 2024 and a 7.8% rate in 2023- and make a bit less contact- he posted a 75.7% Contact%, as opposed to a 78.3% rate in 2024 and a 78.9% rate in 2023- Reimer’s overall offensive profile improved, as he was simply doing more damage.
For most of his prep career, Reimer played shortstop, but he grew off the position and was shifted over to third base in his senior year of high school. Since becoming a professional, he has primarily manned the hot corner, occasionally serving as DH and occasionally filling in at first base; in the 2024 Arizona Fall League, he even played a few games in left field for the Scottsdale Scorpions. Solidly built, Reimer is strong and athletic but does not have quick-twitch muscle. He is missing the explosive first step and lateral quickness that you want your third baseman to have, an issue compounded by passivity when fielding plays, letting the ball come to him instead of charging in on the ball. His arm is strong enough for third base, but his accuracy can sometimes be scattershot, depending on the difficulty of the play and how much time he has to set and release. If he puts on additional mass as he ages, his mobility will further suffer and he may be eventually forced to move off of the left side of the infield altogether.
2026 Mets Top 25 Prospect List
8) Ryan Clifford 9) Will Watson 10) Jack Wenninger 11) Mitch Voit 12) Jonathan Santucci 13) Elian Peña 14) Zach Thornton 15) Nick Morabito 16) R.J. Gordon 17) Chris Suero 18) Dylan Ross 19) Ryan Lambert 20) Antonio Jimenez 21) Edward Lantigua 22) Eli Serrano III 23) Randy Guzman 24) Daiverson Gutierrez 25) Boston Baro
Boy, can life in the NBA change in a heartbeat. One moment, you’re celebrating the first-ever clean injury report for the Phoenix Suns, the next, you’re in disbelief over Jalen Green heading to the locker room, grabbing his hamstring.
You accept that. The team is playing well, and Booker looks like he’s in one of those “takeover” modes. And then, of course, in true Suns fashion, he goes down with a nasty ankle injury. Life comes at you fast.
We’re lucky it’s just listed as a sprain with how it looked playing it back in slow-mo.
Devin Booker will be re-evaluated in one week after sustaining a right ankle sprain in Atlanta
Now suddenly, instead of getting the healthy team reps we all hoped for, the Suns are back in “next man up” mode. This piece was actually supposed to be about how Jalen Green’s return would impact the rest of the Suns. I had to scrap it and put together a survival kit instead. Luckily for Jordan Ott and company, this isn’t their first rodeo.
We don’t know exactly how long Devin Booker will be out. We do know just 36 games are remaining on the schedule, and each one will be vital in the Suns’ playoff run. The Western Conference is a bundle of teams vying for the 2-7 seeds, all within just a few games of each other.
Phoenix began its 5-game homestand with a loss against the Miami Heat on Sunday night. They play eight of their next nine games in Phoenix, so that helps. They absolutely have to get a win against a reeling Brooklyn Nets squad tonight at home.
Who Steps Up?
The obvious answer here is veteran Dillon Brooks. He has already seen an increase in usage and responsibility (on both ends) this season, so we can skip past him for now, though he will be an important piece in all of this.
We’ll need a lot more of this.
Grayson Allen is the next name that comes to mind, and he could sure use a refresh after a rough night against Miami on Sunday. He poured in 18 points, but most of his work came at the charity stripe, where he went 10-for-11. He shot just 4 of 18 from the field and 1 of 11 from three-point range.
Allen and Royce combined to go 1 of 18 from three-point range, which was a major reason why the team shot just 20% from deep in the loss. Ice cold.
As SPG notes below, the team ran a season-high 28 PnR’s for Grayson in the loss to Miami. An increase in usage and shot attempts for Allen is all but guaranteed for this next stretch. I expect a bounce-back game from Allen against the Brooklyn Nets.
They’re going to need him.
Grayson Allen ran his season-high 28 PnR's yesterday.
There's things the Suns can clean up in this time without Booker & Green, even for Allen, but his steadiness while playing multiple roles for them this season has proven valuable. pic.twitter.com/e6I7swE0VM
Collin Gillespie is the other candidate to continue his breakout season with an increased role yet again. They will likely be leaning on 30+ minutes from both Allen and Gillespie as long as Green and Booker remain sidelined.
Along with the noted increase in Allen’s on-ball usage above, Collin will likely be tasked with plenty of creation himself out of the PnR. They’ll need him to be in attack mode, hunting his own shot along with getting others involved.
Jordan Goodwin and Jamaree Bouyea are the other key pieces, who have shown they are more than capable of stepping up in big moments. Goodwin will compete every second he’s out there… we already know this.
Bouyea’s return from concussion protocol could not have come at a better time. He is a sparkplug of energy himself and has shown he is fearless in getting his own buckets and picking up full court.
He was likely a bit rusty in his first game back against Miami, but once he settles into his role again, I expect him to be a major piece for this team while their star guards are sidelined.
Suns two-way player Jamaree Bouyea as he didn't play for 10 straight games before seeing action tonight vs. Heat (5 points): "Just getting adjusted and getting back in the flow of things, but it felt good to be back out there."
A blend of increased usage from Dillon Brooks and Grayson Allen as your top two scoring options, along with a more aggressive Collin Gillespie? That gives you a shot if they can get the role players hot from deep and continue to play their relentless style of basketball.
Jordan Ott has plenty of options at his disposal, but it won’t be easy without Devin Booker’s gravity. These next few games are important for Phoenix to stay afloat as they push for a top-6 seed out West.
Defender is the son of former NFL WR Antonio Freeman
US national team defender Alex Freeman is set to move from Orlando City to Villarreal in Spain’s La Liga, The Athletic and ESPN reported on Monday.
The transfer fee reportedly starts at more than $4m but could top $7m with add-ons included. Per ESPN, Orlando City would get 15% of the proceeds if Villarreal sells Freeman in the future.
Our 2026 Community Prospect List is through the first three rounds and there weren’t any surprises in the early going. Shortstop Leo De Vries absolutely dominated the first round of voting to no one’s surprise, taking over 95% of the vote to get things started. Considering he was the #3 overall prospect in the entire sport last year, it was an easy call for A’s fans to anoint him the top prospect in the system again. In a bit of a frustrating news De Vries couldn’t keep that spot in this year’s top prospects list, falling to the fourth spot behind Brewers middle infield prospect Jesus Made. De Vries didn’t do anything but tear the cover off the ball after the trade over from the San Diego Padres last year so one can’t help but think that De Vries is getting dinged a bit for being in the Athletics’ system now. Or perhaps if the top three weren’t also shortstop prospects De Vries would be higher up on the list. The top four prospects right now will all be judged against one another for the next few years and it’ll be interesting to see which ones have the best futures. Hopefully it’s our guy.
The next two rounds were also fairly predictable but also closer. Left-hander Jamie Arnold took roughly 60% of the vote in Round 2 to take the second spot on our CPL. Arnold only just joined the organization this past year when he was drafted 11th overall, which was a miracle for the Athletics considering he was expected to go much higher than that. While he’s a bit farther away as he’s yet to pitch in a professional game yet, A’s brass believes he could be a fast riser through the system. The A’s have had stud lefty prospects not pan out in the past though (staring at you, AJ Puk) so let’s not assume we have a budding ace before he’s even thrown a professional pitch. That’s the hope and the dream though, for the left-hander to be atop the rotation when the A’s make their eventual push for the playoffs.
Another left-hander followed suit in Gage Jump, who also took roughly 60% of the vote en route to claiming the third overall spot. A second-rounder in 2024, Jump’s rise has caught even A’s fans by surprise. A survivor of the dreaded Tommy John, Jump doesn’t have the typical build of a major league starter, or the obvious arnsenal and advanced repetoire of other high-end starter prospects. Instead Jump uses deception and a funky arm angle to give himself an advantage on the mound. He might not have the high ceiling that Arnold does, and there are some in the industry that believe an eventual move to the bullpen will happen, but for the coming year Jump is going to be continued to groomed as a starter and has the potential to be a quality mid-rotation starter behind Arnold on a future playoff squad. Jump currently ranks as the game’s #57 ranked prospect and could see the big leagues as soon as this summer.
Now that we’ve gotten the obvious top three out of the way, things will start to get much more interesting. Outfielder Henry Bolte has been considered the #4 prospect by national media and scouts in the know, but right-handed pitcher Braden Nett has become a serious contender to lay claim to that position. Then we have Wei-En Lin, who has absolutely rocketed up everyone’s boards and could be the option there ahead of Bolte and Nett. The early returns from you guys indicate it’s going to be one of those three, and it’s going to be close. So don’t wait! Go to our CPL and cast your vote if you haven’t already!
Connor Bedard was one of the league’s most productive players over the first chunk of the season.
While he’s gone a little quiet since returning from injury, my Blackhawks vs. Wild predictions expect him to get back on track and find the net in Minnesota.
Let’s break down my NHL picks for Tuesday, January 27.
Blackhawks vs Wild prediction
Blackhawks vs Wild best bet: Connor Bedard anytime goalscorer (+175)
Connor Bedard has scored 20 goals in 39 appearances, putting him on pace for 42 goals over a full season. That would shatter his previous best of 26 goals per 82 games.
He’s only scored once since returning from injury, but it’s not for a lack of opportunity. Bedard has recorded at least three shots in seven of eight games, leading the Chicago Blackhawks during that span.
Bedard’s calling card is his unique release, and he's scoring on more than 15% of his shots. It goes without saying goals should follow when he’s consistently generating strong volume.
Getting looks should not be an issue against the Minnesota Wild, who rank second in pace and 26th in shot suppression over the past 10 games.
Bedard took advantage of this matchup the last time he faced the Wild, adding a goal, an assist, and three shots while attempting eight.
Blackhawks vs Wild same-game parlay
Teuvo Teravainen is expected to skate alongside Bedard at 5-on-5 and on the power play in his return to the lineup. He's more of a playmaker than a shooter and should help get the puck to Bedard in good spots.
Veteran winger Vladimir Tarasenko has generated multiple shots on goal in seven straight games. I don’t see him slowing down against a Chicago team that sits 30th in 5-on-5 shot suppression over the past 10 games.
Connor Bedard has scored in two of his past three meetings with Minnesota. Find more NHL betting trends for Blackhawks vs. Wild.
How to watch Blackhawks vs Wild
Location
Grand Casino Arena, St. Paul, MN
Date
Tuesday, January 27, 2026
Puck drop
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
CHSN, FDSN-NO
Blackhawks vs Wild latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
With Zach Bogosian still hurt, the Wild recalled defenseman Matt Kiersted from Iowa.
Instead of Spacek being the extra defenseman and sitting out, the Wild sent him down so he can play games and opted for the veteran Kiersted to sit.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.
Here’s the location of a 99 mile per hour fastball.
I wouldn’t advise swinging at this pitch. In the Statcast era, there have been 2,416 pitches thrown at least that fast in this part of the plate. The rare guys who’ve swung have a 56% whiff rate and a .307 xwOBAcon. (Imagine Mike Zunino’s whiff rate with Leody Taveras’s quality of contact. Only worse.) Swinging at that pitch is frankly reckless. But here’s what Josh Naylor can do with it:
There’s an Elizabeth Taylor quote that aired relentlessly during the playoffs as Fox pushed its documentary about her: “I don’t think I’m reckless. But I am fearless.” That’s Josh Naylor. And it’s exactly why we all fell for him so hard so quickly. He’s not afraid to swing at a pitch like that, but because he can pull it off, it’s not reckless.
Ryan dug into Naylor’s penchant for swinging high and away after Naylor’s three-hit ALCS Game 2. In that piece, Ryan pointed to Dan Wilson’s thinking on why Naylor can get away with this where others can’t: “His swing is so adjustable. When he sees a pitch up in the zone, he’s able to stay really short and get on top of it, and that’s the key.”
By nature, Naylor’s a bat control hitter. He’s got the raw power you’d expect for a first baseman, and he could use that to chase dingers. But rather than selling out for launch angle, he uses his skills to square up the ball at the 89th percentile, peppering hits all over the field, with enough power to keep pitchers honest. Given his baseball IQ, you trust that choice.
It’s that ability to get the most out of his swing that allows him to fearlessly go after pitches most guys would only flail at. In the Mariners’ biggest regular season series of the year, he went after another high pitch to help bury the Astros.
The conventional wisdom is to elevate and celebrate. Naylor knows he’s better this way, and he’s brave enough to go against the grain.
While it comes through in his hitting, when you think of Josh Naylor’s fearlessness, it’s probably his baserunning that comes to mind first. And in this department, his fearlessness is actually underrated.
Naylor’s a big-bodied first baseman with a sprint speed in the third percentile, 12th lowest in MLB. And yet he stole 30 bases this year, including going a perfect 19 for 19 with Seattle. When he first started his spree, you could say it was just pitchers ignoring a big guy, but he didn’t get any less daring after the word got out.
So when people talk about his stolen bases, they usually talk about how he’s able to do it because of his baseball IQ. He can spot tendencies and timing in pitchers at an apparently elite level, enough to compensate for his concrete shoes. But consider the 27 other players with sprint speeds under 25 feet/second. 17 of them are catchers; it’s not exactly a low-baseball-IQ group. Yet those other 27 players combined for just 15 stolen base attempts. Naylor’s 32 attempts are a testament to his willingness to take risks. His 94% success rate proves he knows what he’s doing and that his baseball IQ is, in fact, elite.
This all came together in one of the biggest games in Mariners franchise history: Game 5 of the ALDS. If ever there was a time for caution, this would have been it. A slow guy getting caught stealing, wasting a precious base runner against Tarik Skubal, could easily have ended up being the story of how the Mariners were eliminated from the playoffs. But Josh Naylor wasn’t afraid to try, and in a game that went 15 innings, you can bet the run mattered.
He plays defense the same way. As he daringly plays farther toward second than any other first baseman. Others play a bit farther from the bag, but they do it safely, playing back rather than shading towards second as Naylor does. His confidence that he can still cover the bag means he’s not sacrificing outs to play with optimized positioning. In other words, it’s not reckless. Aren’t you glad he wasn’t closer to the bag in ALCS Game 3? Lots of teams would like to position thier first baseman here against Alejandro Kirk. Only Naylor’s can actually do it.
Naylor employs a style of play that seems crazy. But he’s not being reckless, just fearless. And beyond merely being good, this is what made him an instant fan favorite and a player the Mariners and their fans felt they couldn’t live without. It’s no wonder he was ready for the big moment.
Tonight's Coast 2 Coast Tuesday NBA excitement begins at 8:00 PM ET when the Milwaukee Bucks head to Philadelphia to take on the 76ers. Then, at 10 PM ET, it's the LA Clippers vs Utah Jazz in a West Coast showdown. Live coverage of tonight's doubleheader begins at 7:00 PM ET on NBC and Peacock. See below for additional information on how to watch each game and follow all of the NBA action on NBCSN and Peacock. Peacock will feature 100 regular-season games throughout the course of the 2025-2026 season.
Tonight's game marks the third and final meeting of the season between the Clippers and Jazz. Utah won the first matchup 129-108 at home on October 22, before Los Angeles answered back with a 118-101 victory on January 1 to even the series.
The Clippers enter tonight's game on a hot streak, going 15-3 over their last 18 games, including wins in eight of their last nine games. Meanwhile, the Jazz are still searching for consistency, having lost six of their last seven and 12 of their last 15 overall.
Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones.
Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball across NBC and Peacock on Feb. 1, 2026. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.
How to sign up for Peacock:
Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You'll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC & Bravo hits—Peacock is here for whatever you’re in the mood for.
NBA on NBC 2025-26 Schedule:
Click here to see the full list of NBA games that will air on NBC and Peacock this season.
The Los Angeles Clippers are one of the hottest teams in the NBA, with just one loss in their last nine games. The Utah Jazz, on the other hand, are one of its coldest, scoring just a single victory in its previous seven outings.
The injury reports for both sides are busy, which leads my Clippers vs. Jazz predictions to L.A. center Ivica Zubac, who will be asked to pick up the slack against an ailing Utah frontcourt.
Clippers vs Jazz best bet: Ivica Zubac Over 14.5 points (-115)
Ivica Zubac’s scoring output is down in January compared to the first half of the season. Entering tonight’s tilt in Salt Lake City, the Los Angeles Clippers big man is averaging 12.5 points through 11 games this month.
His nightly scoring props had totals set as high as 16.5 and 17.5 points earlier this month before dropping to tonight's 14.5. However, this matchup with the Utah Jazz is a great buyback spot for Zubac’s offensive efforts.
He faces a Utah defense ranked worst in the NBA, with a notable soft spot inside. The Jazz could be down both starting bigs against Los Angeles, with center Jusuf Nurkic doubtful (illness) and standout forward Lauri Markkanen questionable (illness).
The Clippers could also need Zubac to pick up the scoring slack should Kawhi Leonard and Kris Dunn sit out Tuesday (both questionable). He did just that in the first meeting with the Jazz back in October, leading L.A. with 19 points on 9 of 13 shooting.
Zubac snatched three offensive rebounds in that contest and is a handful on the boards, hauling in 3.6 offensive rebounds a night and scoring an average of 4.2 second-chance points – third-most in the NBA.
Even at full strength, the Jazz have a tough time limiting second-chance looks, allowing 16.2 SCP per contest with the 12th-lowest rebound rate in the land. If Markkanen and Nurkic sit out, that’s a collective 17.4 rebounds per game gone from the lineup.
Player projections for Zubac are very optimistic, ranging from 14.8 to as high as 17 points tonight. My number comes out to 15.8 points, which should have the Over 14.5 priced around -125.
Clippers vs Jazz same-game parlay
The Clippers are rolling right now, while the ice-cold Jazz could be missing some big bodies tonight.
Zubac attacks the interior and picks up extra points on offensive rebounds.
James Harden could see more touches if Leonard and Dunn are out, which means more 3-point looks. He isn’t afraid to let it fly, and player models call for 3.6 makes from downtown.
Clippers vs Jazz SGP
Clippers -8.5
Ivica Zubac Over 14.5 points
James Harden Over 2.5 made threes
Our "from downtown" SGP: Sour Note
Kyle Filipowski could see extra run and involvement with injuries to Utah’s big men.
Clippers vs Jazz SGP
Clippers -8.5
Ivica Zubac Over 14.5 points
James Harden Over 2.5 made threes
Kyle Filipowski Over 13.5 points
Clippers vs Jazz odds
Spread: Clippers -8.5 (-105) | Jazz +8.5 (-115)
Moneyline: Clippers -340 | Jazz +270
Over/Under: Over 233 (-110) | Under 233 (-110)
Clippers vs Jazz betting trend to know
The Over is 16-6 (73%) in the 22 games in which Utah has closed as a home underdog this season. Find more NBA betting trends for Clippers vs. Jazz.
How to watch Clippers vs Jazz
Location
Delta Center, Salt Lake City, UT
Date
Tuesday, January 27, 2026
Tip-off
10:00 p.m. ET
TV
NBC
Clippers vs Jazz latest injuries
Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
The NBA's trade deadline is fast approaching. In the lead-up to the much-anticipated day, we take a look at which players’ stocks are rising and falling, and what it means for fantasy basketball.
→ Watch the NBA Coast 2 Coast Tuesday on NBC and Peacock! The Bucks and 76ers get things started at 8 p.m. before the Clippers play the Jazz at 11 p.m. ET. Both games are available on Peacock. Check your local listings for the NBC game in your area.
STOCK UP
Brandin Podziemski — PG/SG, Warriors
Given Jimmy Butler’s unfortunate season-ending injury and the Warriors’ need for another offensive weapon, it feels like now is the time for Podziemski. Even in a blowout win over the Timberwolves over the weekend that limited him to 22 minutes, he had a nice 12/5/6 line with four steals, which he followed with a 12/7/4 line in Monday’s rematch — the type of balanced effort on both ends of the floor that should be typical for him (see the recent Dallas game, where he posted a 9/4/10 line with two steals). Like with any other player, there will be highs and lows. But if Podziemski can hang onto his starting spot, it’s difficult to imagine that he won’t be a productive player from a fantasy basketball standpoint.
Grayson Allen — SG/SF, Suns
With Jalen Green and Devin Booker sidelined with injuries, who else, besides Dillon Brooks, is better equipped to take on more responsibility on the offensive end? To answer my own question — Grayson Allen. Even with him cooling off from beyond the arc lately, the volume and usage for a proven scorer like himself could realistically lead to more production. The efficiency could dip without Booker’s on-floor gravity, but having the ball in his hands a bit more could also elevate Allen as a playmaker – he’s averaging a career high 3.7 assists per game. It might take him a game or two to adjust to the new role, but there’s a chance for him to unlock even more in what’s been a career-best season to this point.
The Bucks are in a tough spot. They’re struggling to win games and have an injured superstar forward who is at the center of trade deadline discussions. With Giannis Antetokounmpo, the previously mentioned superstar, currently on the shelf, a path should be paved for Kuzma to consistently fill the stat sheet for the time being. Not only does the team need to fill the forward position with minutes, but they also need to replace some of Antetokounmpo’s scoring and rebounding, which should give Kuzma a high floor each time he takes the court. I’d consider him a double-double threat with potential to have some strong scoring performances while taking on more of the offensive burden. Stock up!
If the Kings ever decide to reboot this thing and start over with a young core, fantasy managers should keep recollection of that fun December run from Raynaud, when he averaged 15.5 points, 9.3 rebounds, and posted 57.6/41.7/72.4 shooting splits across 12 games — Domantas Sabonis’ return to the lineup and now the starting unit has put a halt to the momentum the rookie forward had built up previously. Raynaud hasn’t scored in double figures or recorded double-digit rebounds in six straight games and has recorded fewer than 20 minutes in two of those appearances. It’s likely he won’t come close to the type of production he experienced when Sabonis was sidelined.
Mikal Bridges — SG/SF/PF, Knicks
Despite the Knicks’ rollercoaster ride of a season, Mikal Bridges has actually put up a very solid season from a fantasy basketball perspective. While his scoring is a bit down, his assists, rebounds, steals, blocks, and three-point production are all up from a season ago. However, the offensive production hasn’t been there of late — over the last three games, the veteran wing is averaging just 9.0 points while posting 31.4/18.8/100.0 shooting splits. The solution appears to be simple: make shots — this would be massively valuable in all fantasy league types, as he remains impactful on the defensive end amidst his shooting slump. But without the efficient scoring, the fantasy value slips.
Cam Thomas — SG/SF, Nets
The 2025-26 season has been a rough one for Thomas, the former 24.0 points-per-game scorer who is now averaging 16.2 points. He missed the Nets’ most recent game against the Clippers, but even before that absence, his fantasy production had been unspectacular. Here are some stats over his past four appearances that better paint the picture: 23 total points, zero stocks, 20 total assists on 7-of-33 from the field and 3-of-14 from beyond the arc. It’s been a rough stretch for Thomas, who’s seeing his minutes and role diminish as the season goes on. Where does he go from here? Better yet, where do the Nets go from here? The answer may provide clarity on what fantasy managers should expect for Thomas’ rest-of-season outlook. Until then, there’s not much to be optimistic about.
Whoever thinks that grown men are above high-school level drama don’t follow the NBA.
This season, we’ve already seen a superstar get punched (reportedly) for making fun of an opponent’s contract blunder, and a very mid player demand(!!!) a trade out of what he believes to be a “hostage” situation. Somehow, neither of those stories takes the cake, since an all-time great is now dragging out an inevitable divorce because he doesn’t have the cojones to look like the bad guy.
What makes it sillier is that Giannis had a teammate in Dame who went through this exact saga, which resulted in them teaming up. You’d think he might’ve learned a thing or two from that, but instead, he’s copying Dame’s playbook to the tee.
With the trade deadline fast approaching and the Bucks hitting rock bottom, there’s no better time to look at what they could do with their seemingly disgruntled superstar.
First, we need to map out everything that’s led up to this point.
Timeline
Rumours about a potential Giannis departure have gone on for much longer than 6 months, but let’s focus on this season for the sake of sanity.
Sept 29th: On media day, Bucks owner Wes Eden claimed that he and Giannis had a productive meeting over the summer that ended with the star affirming his loyalty to the franchise. An hour later, Giannis said that he does not remember such a meeting. Wait, what?
October 7th: Shams reported that the Bucks gave the Knicks an exclusive window to discuss a potential Giannis trade in August, after the Greek Freak revealed New York to be the only team he’d be open to playing for, outside of Milwaukee.
Oct 22nd – Dec 1: Milwaukee starts the season 9-13 — 8-8 with Giannis in the lineup, and 1-5 without him.
Dec 1: Giannis strains his right calf, which is the same injury that kept him out of the 2024 playoffs.
Dec 3: Just days after his calf strain, Shams reported that Giannis is meeting with the Bucks again to discuss his future, before Doc Rivers stated that there have been no conversations regarding Giannis’ future and that the star loves Milwaukee. Whatever you say, Glen.
Dec 18: Two weeks after, Giannis said that he can’t control what his agent discusses with the Bucks, then bizarrely stated that he’s enjoyed being “the hottest chick in the game,” given the circulating rumours. Umm, you do realize that your agent works for you, right Giannis?
Dec 27: Giannis returns from his injury, with the Bucks going 3-6 in his absence.
Dec 28: Giannis calls out a “disrespectful” question after a reporter asked if he wants to stay in Milwaukee, saying: “I’m here, I’m here.”
Jan 8: The Athletic publishes an exclusive one-on-one interview between Giannis and Sam Amick (paywall), where the Greek Freak says that he is invested in the Bucks and isn’t going anywhere. However, he followed up and said that those feelings only applied to that day, something that he apparently says a lot to his wife(???). Maybe you don’t realize this, Giannis, but you have a lot more power in the Bucks organization than you do in your marriage.
Jan 22: Giannis calls out his teammates after a loss, saying that “guys are being selfish,” following a four-game span where he had 13 field goal attempts or fewer in every match.
Jan 23: Giannis re-injures his right calf for the third time in less than two years and provided a self-diagnosed timeline of 4-6 weeks. The Bucks sit 11th in the East with a 18-26 record and remain 3 games out of the final play-in spot.
Got all that? Good, because we’re just getting started.
What can Milwaukee do at the deadline?
Despite the Bucks’ struggles, Eric Nehm has consistently reported (paywall) that Milwaukee only has intentions of buying at the deadline. That sounds ludicrous from the outside, but if you’re part of a front office in a small market that never attracts any free agents, it’s understandable to try and keep Giannis at all costs — especially considering that Milwaukee is +5.4 per 100 possessions with him on the court, which would be the 6th best mark league-wide.
The counterargument? Well, they’re -11.2 when he sits, tying the Wizards for the worst mark in the league, and the Bucks have played more minutes without Giannis this season due to his recurring calf injuries. From an unbiased perspective, it makes absolutely no sense to buy. First, due to their lack of assets and financial constraints, the only players they could acquire are heavily distressed assets like a Zach LaVine or Ja Morant – players who frankly aren’t very good. Secondly, even if they do make such moves, it’s been years since Giannis has strung together two months of health, so why would anyone expect him to last through an entire playoff run?
How does the draft factor into this?
The biggest X-factor in all this is the upcoming draft. Milwaukee still owns the “bad” end of their own 2026 pick swap between themselves and the Pelicans, with Atlanta owning the better half of that swap. In other words, the Bucks would have the lower draft position between the two picks, and given that New Orleans is already at the bottom of the league, Milwaukee could guarantee that both picks would have high lottery odds if they pull the plug on this season.
If it hasn’t dawned on you yet, there is a possibility that the Hawks (via the Pelicans) and Bucks get the 1st and 2nd picks of the upcoming draft, thus giving Milwaukee the #2 overall selection.
Yes, really.
So what point is there in having Giannis return this season? Milwaukee is already 3 games out of the play-in, sitting 22nd in the overall league standings and just a half game ahead of the red-hot Hornets. There is a 4-game gap between them and the 25th-ranked Jazz, and another 4-game difference between the Jazz and the last-place Wizards. It might seem like a big hill to climb, but I don’t doubt Milwaukee’s ability to join that group when their .214 winning percentage without Giannis is worse than Washington’s — and that’s with them trying to win!
It makes way more sense for them to tank and get the highest pick possible. The chance to get one of Dybantsa/Boozer/Peterson is too hard to pass up, even if the odds of that happening are minuscule. Imagine if Milwaukee does end up with one of those prospects while also managing to trade for a reclamation project like Ja — a package involving Rollins and/or a lightly protected 2031/32 pick would be more than enough for any distressed asset, and I’d be lying if I said that a lineup including Ja/Giannis/Turner/lottery pick doesn’t intrigue me.
Again, I am not advising them to do that, but this franchise has made countless desperation moves as a last-ditch attempt to appease their star, and they’ve acquired criminals once-relevant players before. Even adding a mid-lottery talent could give the Bucks either an intriguing player to build around or use as a trade chip to acquire another star, which is the likeliest outcome.
Atlanta’s pick could play a big role in this as well. Would they be willing to include it in a potential package for Giannis, even if it ends up in the top-3? And if Milwaukee gets a high pick too, would they be more willing to deal the Greek Freak now that they have two potential cornerstone prospects to build around? Again, the chances of that happening are close to nil, but I’ve learned to never rule out anything after watching Dallas trade Luka and draft Cooper within the span of 5 months.
Final thoughts
A Giannis trade still seems inevitable. Even in the off chance that Milwaukee acquires a good starter along with a high pick, we’ve seen countless times that the two timelines “plan” just doesn’t work (see: Mavericks, Dallas, and Warriors, Golden State). Don’t expect him to be moved before the deadline, though, due to his injury and lack of a trade demand, but a divorce seems certain in the offseason. Still, another wrinkle in this convoluted saga is that Giannis can’t officially be offered an extension until October, and if both sides continue this situationship, it could drag out until the last minute.
So, get ready for many more months of this, peeps. The noise will only intensify from here.
This week, please check out Marilyn’s article on the Spurs’ recent complacency! San Antonio’s been in a lull ever since they beat OKC 3 times in 10 days, which is especially disappointing for a young team that hasn’t accomplished anything yet.
Kiley McDaniel unveiled his preseason rankings of top 100 prospects in baseball on Tuesday at ESPN. Like the previously released lists — Baseball America (120 names), MLB Pipeline (110 names), and The Athletic (100 names so far) — McDaniel will likely reveal more names beyond the top 100. Last year his list went to 200, for instance. But for now we have his top 100.
A total of five Dodgers are in the top 100 at ESPN, led by outfielder Josue De Paula at No. 21 overall. De Paula in the four national prospect lists that have been revealed in the last week has settled into a fairly narrow range, ranked 15th by MLB Pipeline, 20th at The Athletic, 21st at ESPN, and 24th at Baseball America.
McDaniel had high praise for De Paula, comparing him to Yordan Alvarez “if it clicks.”
Eduardo Quintero continued to rocket up these lists, ranked 37th by McDaniel after his preseason ranking of 106th overall prior to the 2025 season. Quintero, who is a year younger than De Paula and Zyhir Hope, won California League MVP last year and finished the season with extended time at High-A Great Lakes.
“His raw power, bat-to-ball ability, and raw foot speed are all around average, but Quintero makes the most of them, putting up big numbers while being young for his level,” McDaniel wrote. “As is, his hit/power/speed/defense in center field tools are all average to a tick above to go with his plus arm.”
This year, shortstop Emil Morales is the youngest Dodger in the ESPN top-100 list, with the 19-year-old checking in at No. 65 overall. From McDaniel:
Morales has all of the traits to project big homer totals down the road (loft to his path, pull/lift, hard-hit rate, etc.), but that means that giving up some contact is part of that trade. His pitch selection is also below average, so in combination, that gives evaluators pause on his offensive projection.
In-game power usually comes later in the development process, but the Dodgers are the right development group to shepherd him through this process, and the pieces are here for a top-10 prospect in the sport if everything clicks.
Kurt Helin
Raphielle Johnson
