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Cam Thomas landing spots: Nets player reportedly being waived

Since they weren’t able to swing a deal before the NBA trading deadline expired, the Brooklyn Nets are reportedly waiving guard Cam Thomas.

ESPN reported the news Thursday, Feb. 5, which allows Thomas to explore the market and find a new home.

Thomas, 24, had an uneven tenure with the Nets. He proved at times that he was a capable scorer, averaging a career-high 24.0 points per game last season. But Thomas was a restricted free agent this past offseason and a true market never really materialized, so the Nets brought him back on his qualifying offer.

As Brooklyn has transitioned to its younger players, Thomas’ role has been reduced. Still, he’s a young player who has significant deficiencies with his defense and offensive efficiency, but he could provide a boost in the right system.

Here are potential landing spots for Cam Thomas:

Milwaukee Bucks

Now that Giannis Antetokounmpo is sticking around at least through the end of this season, Milwaukee may try to add some pieces to convince Antetokounmpo to commit to the franchise over the long term. The Bucks, though, may be trying to find the balance between staying competitive in the East versus improving their draft pick positioning in what’s a talent-rich draft. The Bucks rank 23rd in offensive rating (112.9), however, so Thomas could offer a scoring boost.

Orlando Magic

They weren’t that active before the trading deadline, but the Magic still have some offensive issues. Paolo Banchero has struggled to take the next step and Desmond Bane has offered a nice boost, but Orlando still could use some perimeter shot creation. The Magic are 25-24 and hanging around the play-in window in the East. Their defense is their strength, so they have other players that can mask Thomas’ deficiencies in that area, but the scoring is what they could use.

Boston Celtics

This is a team with the structure and culture in place to take a potential flyer on Thomas. Certainly, the defensive issues don’t align with Boston’s identity. But the Celtics may also be looking to find a low-cost replacement for Anfernee Simons, whom the Celtics just traded to Chicago for Nikola Vučević. The Celtics would feel that Thomas’ career-low 39.9% shooting is more of an aberration, but if there’s one team that can get Thomas to refine his game, it would be Boston.

Toronto Raptors

Toronto was mostly quiet during the deadline, but this is a team that could still be looking to make some modest improvements to ensure its playoff push. Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram and Immanuel Quickley are the primary offensive catalysts for this team, but Toronto still has periods of stagnancy and could use some shot creation off the bench.

Utah Jazz

The big splash was the move to land Jaren Jackson Jr., but the Jazz may still want to land some more offensive talent as Utah makes a push to creep into the play-in window. One reason why this could be a problematic fit, however, is the defensive concerns. The Jazz rank dead last in the NBA in defensive rating (122.0) and Thomas won’t help that.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cam Thomas landing spots with Nets reportedly waiving guard

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Yankees invite 27 non-roster players to spring training, including prospects George Lombard Jr. and Carlos Lagrange

With the start of camp just a week away, the Yankees have announced their list of non-roster invitees to audition for a spot with the team this spring.

These 27 players not on the team's 40-man roster are attending and will play for a spot on the Opening Day roster or a spot in their minor league system. Seventeen of those players were signed to minor league contracts this offseason and consist of names who have played at a high level in the majors with other organizations already. Seth Brown and Paul DeJong are two of the more intriguing names on this list and could potentially break camp with the team as bench pieces.

For the other 10 players, they are a mix of minor leaguers who have been in the system, but not on the 40-man roster, acquired in the Rule 5 Draft or returned to the Yankees after playing for them in 2025.

High-profile prospects are also in this group, and have ranked highly in MLB Pipeline's list. George Lombard Jr. (No. 32), Carlos Lagrange (No. 79) will be there, while Ben Hess -- the Yankees' No. 6 prospect -- will make his spring training debut.

Spencer Jones and Elmer Rodriguez are already on the 40-man roster and will be attending.

Here are the 2026 Yankees non-roster invitees:

  • INF/OF Seth Brown 
  • RHP Dylan Coleman
  • RHP Alexander Cornielle
  • OF Kenedy Corona
  • RHP Yovanny Cruz
  • INF Paul DeJong
  • RHP Drake Fellows
  • RHP Bradley Hanner
  • C Payton Henry
  • RHP Adam Kloffenstein
  • INF/OF Marco Luciano
  • RHP Travis MacGregor
  • INF/OF Ernesto Martínez Jr.
  • INF Jonathan Ornelas
  • C Miguel Palma
  • C Ali Sánchez
  • INF Zack Short
  • RHP Brendan Beck
  • LHP Kyle Carr
  • RHP Harrison Cohen
  • RHP Carson Coleman
  • OF Duke Ellis
  • RHP Ben Hess
  • RHP Carlos Lagrange 
  • INF George Lombard Jr.
  • RHP Michael Arias
  • C Abraham Gutierrez

Yankees pitchers and catchers are set to report Feb. 11 while position players report Feb. 15.

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Carson Tinney is Texas’ next star catcher

AUSTIN, TEXAS - JANUARY 7: Carson Tinney #8 of the Texas Longhorns poses for a portrait on Texas baseball media day on January 7, 2026 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by The University of Texas Athletics/University Images via Getty Images)

When the 2025 MLB Draft was approaching, Texas Longhorns head coach Jim Schlossnagle was hopeful to keep his standout catcher, Rylan Galvan, on the Forty Acres for another season.

Instead, the Buster Posey Award finalist signed with the Chicago White Sox after he was selected in the 13th round, sending Schlossnagle and his staff into the NCAA transfer portal to find an impact replacement.

That search turned into a resounding success story when Texas landed a commitment from star Notre Dame transfer Carson Tinney, also a finalist for the Buster Posey Award as the nation’s best catcher, and the only D1 Baseball All-American to enter the NCAA transfer portal last offseason.

“There’s never been a good baseball team with a bad catcher, ever,” Texas head coach Jim Schlossnagle said this week on the On Second Thought podcast. “We had to go get a great one and, luckily, Carson was out there and he had a real great interest in Texas.”

The program’s history of producing elite catchers was appealing for the 6’4, 240-pound Colorado product as he battles to place his name among the top players at the position in the 2026 MLB Draft — Just Baseball ranks Tinney as the No. 3 college catcher heading into the season.

“They proved to develop guys. They proved, obviously, to develop catchers,” Tinney said of his commitment. “I got along with the coaches very well. The area is great. And I was on campus, and it felt like the right place for me, so I pulled the trigger.”

A first-team All-American in 2025 by the NCBWA and Baseball American, Tinney elevated his stock with a breakout season, leading the Fighting Irish in batting average (.348), runs (52), homers (17), RBI (53), total bases (119), walks (34), on-base percentage (.498), slugging (.753), and multi-RBI performances (17) after battling injuries as a freshman that limited him to 15 starts in 28 appearances during which he batted .268 with three home runs and nine RBI.

In the batter’s box, Tinney’s prodigious pull-side power is elite, producing a top-10 average exit velocity in college baseball last season. This offseason, Tinney’s exit velocity has reached 112 to 114 miles per hour at Texas and up to nearly 120 miles per hour in training.

“He has that big, big power — when he comes to the plate, the crowd is going to pay attention because you never know what you’re going to see,” Schlossnagle said.

“He gets ahold of that ball, it’s going a long way,” Texas sophomore left-hander Dylan Volantis said.

At Notre Dame, Tinney combined that power with the command of the strike zone expected from a catcher in drawing 34 walks for an on-base percentage of .498 and a solid strikeout rate of 25 percent. In comparison, Galvan had a strikeout rate of 35.5 percent, as he was more prone to take close pitches late in the count and swing and miss.

“He’s improved as an overall hitter, which is what he has to continue to do to be the draft pick that he wants to be and to be the hitter that we want him to be,” Schlossnagle said.

Since arriving on the Forty Acres, Schlossnagle praised the development of Tinney’s leadership ability and his improvement behind the plate after throwing out 17-of-25 attempted base stealers in 2025.

“He’s a really good catcher. He’s got unique receiving abilities. He throws well,” Schlossnagle said.

Longhorns pitchers like Volantis appreciate the big target that Tinney presents behind the plate and his coach in the Cape Cod league last summer praised the way that Tinney is able to frame pitches.

“He makes our pitchers better,” Jamie Shevchik said. “He steals strikes. There’s pitches that are probably two, three balls off the plate that he’s pulling back in and getting calls on.”

Despite adding 40 pounds since high school, when he reached 87 miles per hour throwing from behind the plate with a pop time of 1.80 seconds, Tinney has maintained his athleticism.

But no matter how much athleticism and toughness Tinney has, one certainty for the 2026 season is that he’ll suffer some knocks playing catcher and need some games off or at designated hitter to stay fresh, so he wasn’t the only important addition at the position.

With the departures of Oliver Service and Cole Chamberlain, backup options for Schlossnagle last season, landing a catcher with experience was paramount to allow some development time for signee Presley Courville.

Texas looked to the junior-college ranks to fill that need by signing San Antonio product Andrew Ermis, who made big strides as a hitter last season at Temple, improving his batting average from .255 to .338 with 10 home runs and 41 RBI. According to Schlossnagle, that offensive improvement has continued in Austin, but his floor is set by his advanced catching ability.

“He’s a really good catch-and-throw guy. I mean, really good,” said the Texas head coach.

The other certainty for the 2026 season is that if the Horns are going to make a run to Omaha, Tinney’s power in the middle of the lineup and play behind the plate will play crucial roles.

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Report Suggests Blues' Justin Faulk Could Fill A Need For The Red Wings

The NHL roster freeze is underway, meaning the St. Louis Blues won’t trade anyone until it ends on Feb. 22.

That doesn’t mean there isn’t any trade speculation, or that general managers aren’t discussing moves they could make before the March 6 trade deadline.

A new report from Ansar Khan of MLive suggests that Blues defenseman Justin Faulk could be the defenseman the Detroit Red Wings need to solidify their blueline. 

The Red Wings have no shortage of stout right-handed defenders. Moritz Seider is enjoying a phenomenal season and is considered by many to be a Norris Trophy finalist when the season ends. The 24-year-old has scored seven goals and 38 points this season while averaging 25:40 of ice time. He’s a two-way defender who brings a physical element.

The other young right-handed defender on the Red Wings roster is Axel Sandin-Pellikka. The 20-year-old has notched six goals and 18 points, showing signs that he can be a good offensive defenseman in the NHL. But he has struggled defensively and requires more sheltered minutes, and that’s where Faulk comes into play.

Faulk would slide nicely on the Red Wings’ second pair alongside either Simon Edvinsson or Ben Chiarot. Faulk’s defensive capabilities, and his ability to add offense from the blueline are the exact skillset the Red Wings are looking for. 

Faulk wouldn’t be required to play big minutes, as Seider and Edvinsson are their minute-munchers. But Faulk would allow Sandin-Pellikka to play sheltered minutes in more offensive situations, which would benefit his game. 

Justin Faulk has scored 11 goals and 30 points in 57 games while averaging 22:29 of ice time. (Jeff Curry-Imagn Images)
Justin Faulk has scored 11 goals and 30 points in 57 games while averaging 22:29 of ice time. (Jeff Curry-Imagn Images)

The Red Wings have a boatload of prospects and draft picks that they could use to acquire Faulk. They also have plenty of cap space to acquire Faulk’s full $6.5 million cap hit. 

The Red Wings are in the midst of a spirited battle in the Atlantic Division, as they are just four points back of the division lead, but are also just three points ahead of the second wild card spot.

Detroit needs as many experienced players as they can get their hands on, and Faulk would provide them with a much-needed upgrade. 

Markets For Three Blues Trade Candidates Beginning To MaterializeMarkets For Three Blues Trade Candidates Beginning To MaterializeThe trade market is beginning to materialize, and The Fourth Period recently reported which teams may be interested in acquiring St. Louis Blues' Brayden Schenn, Justin Faulk, and Jordan Kyrou.
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Diamondbacks trade Blaze Alexander for reliever in deal with Orioles

The Diamondbacks traded infielder Blaze Alexander to the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday, Feb. 5, in exchange for right-handed reliever Kade Strowd and a pair of minor leaguers, a deal that represents the club’s biggest addition to its bullpen yet this winter.

Strowd, 28, enjoyed a strong debut in the big leagues last season, posting a 1.71 ERA in 25 games, allowing only one homer, walking 13 and striking out 24 in 26⅓ innings. He arrives in Arizona with six full years of club control.

Strowd, who averages 96 mph with his fastball, pitches predominantly off his cutter, a pitch he threw 41.1 percent of the time. He also throws a sinker, curveball and sweeper.

The Diamondbacks are also getting two prospects: right-hander Wellington Aracena and infielder Jose Mejia.

In exchange, the Diamondbacks had to part with Alexander, who had a breakout second half after taking over at third base following the trade deadline. He hit .230/.323/.383 with seven homers while playing excellent defense at third base.

Alexander became somewhat expendable after the Diamondbacks acquired third baseman Nolan Arenado in a deal with the St. Louis Cardinals last month. The Diamondbacks still have infield depth in the form of Jordan Lawlar.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Diamondbacks trade Blaze Alexander for reliever in deal with Orioles

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Flyers fall in OT, go into break with 12th loss over last 15 games

Flyers fall in OT, go into break with 12th loss over last 15 games originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Flyers were quiet offensively Thursday night, giving Dan Vladar little support in a 2-1 overtime loss to the Senators.

Jamie Drysdale scored with just 1:14 minutes left in regulation to force OT.

Tim Stutzle scored the winner for Ottawa just 47 seconds into the bonus session. Eight seconds before that, Travis Konecny was denied on a 2-on-1 rush with Christian Dvorak.

The Flyers fell to 2-8 in overtime (they’re 5-3 in the shootout). They also dropped to 8-4-11 in games decided by one goal.

The Flyers (25-20-11) head into the Olympic break having lost 12 of their last 15 games (3-8-4). They’ve been outscored 62-38 in that stretch.

Rick Tocchet’s club failed to build off its 4-2 win Tuesday night over the Capitals. The Flyers haven’t won consecutive games in a month. The last time they did was Jan. 3-6.

“Earlier in the season, when we were fighting for one of the top positions in the division, we realized that was probably a little ahead of schedule, probably getting better results that were warranted at the time,” general manager Danny Briere said Tuesday night. “What has happened now, the way we’ve been playing lately and what’s happening, I also know that it’s not as bad as the way we’ve been playing. So we’re somewhere in between all of that.”

The Flyers went 0-1-2 against the Senators (28-22-7) in their regular-season series.

• Vladar once again performed like the Flyers’ best player.

The 28-year-old carried his team with 25 saves on 27 shots.

Ottawa cracked him midway through the game when Nick Cousins scored on a rebound.

Senators netminder James Reimer stopped 15 of the Flyers’ 16 shots.

“It was a tight match out there — both sides, I didn’t think there was much going on,” Sean Couturier said. “I think as the year goes on, these are the type of games that we’re going to have to get used to playing. I thought we did a good job just sticking in there, getting a big goal at the end.

“It’s obviously tough losing, not getting the extra point, but I think this could be a huge point here down the road.”

• A month ago, the Flyers were in playoff position as they beat the Ducks, 5-2, to take over third place.

But the Flyers are now in sixth place. They’re eight points back of the third-place Islanders in a crowded Metropolitan Division. They’ve played two fewer games than New York.

“We’ll need to get red-hot,” Drysdale said. “I think we’re capable of it. Everyone take this break, reset. … We’ve got to come out swinging right away.”

• The Flyers had just eight shots at second intermission.

They had little going offensively. They finally started to generate some looks after Ottawa took its lead, but they couldn’t scratch one across.

Drysdale saved them late in the third period with a great shot to earn the Flyers a point.

• Couturier nearly snapped his goal-scoring drought with a drive to the net in the third period. But the Flyers’ captain was denied and his rebound attempt went wide. He has gone 29 straight games without a goal.

• The Flyers at least prevented Claude Giroux from hurting them.

The team’s former captain has 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) in 12 career games against the Flyers after going scoreless Thursday night.

• Emil Andrae was a healthy scratch for a fifth straight game.

Tocchet and assistant coach Todd Reirden wanted to keep Noah Juulsen in the lineup because of the penalty kill’s recent run of success. But Juulsen ended up not playing at shorthanded (the Flyers committed just one penalty).

The Flyers need to find a way to get Andrae back in the lineup after the break.

• The Flyers now go 19 days without a game because of the NHL’s participation in the Olympics.

The club has three players heading to Italy as Vladar will play for Team Czechia, Travis Sanheim for Team Canada and Rasmus Ristolainen for Team Finland.

Rodrigo Abols won’t suit up for Team Latvia after suffering a lower-body injury last month.

Tocchet will represent the Flyers as an assistant coach on Team Canada’s staff.

While the Olympics are in action, the Flyers are scheduled to resume practice Feb. 17. Their first game back from the break is Feb. 25 when they visit the Capitals (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP).

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Flyers fall in OT, go into break with 12th loss over last 15 games after

Flyers fall in OT, go into break with 12th loss over last 15 games after originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Flyers were quiet offensively Thursday night, giving Dan Vladar little support in a 2-1 overtime loss to the Senators.

Jamie Drysdale scored with just 1:14 minutes left in regulation to force OT.

Tim Stutzle scored the winner for Ottawa just 47 seconds into the bonus session.

The Flyers fell to 2-8 in overtime (they’re 5-3 in the shootout).

The Flyers (25-20-11) head into the Olympic break having lost 12 of their last 15 games (3-8-4). They’ve been outscored 62-38 in that stretch.

Rick Tocchet’s club failed to build off its 4-2 win Tuesday night over the Capitals. The Flyers haven’t won consecutive games in a month. The last time they did was Jan. 3-6.

“Earlier in the season, when we were fighting for one of the top positions in the division, we realized that was probably a little ahead of schedule, probably getting better results that were warranted at the time,” general manager Danny Briere said Tuesday night. “What has happened now, the way we’ve been playing lately and what’s happening, I also know that it’s not as bad as the way we’ve been playing. So we’re somewhere in between all of that.”

The Flyers went 0-1-2 against the Senators (28-22-7) in their regular-season series.

• Vladar once again performed like the Flyers’ best player.

The 28-year-old carried his team with 25 saves on 27 shots.

Ottawa cracked him midway through the game when Nick Cousins scored on a rebound.

Senators netminder James Reimer stopped 14 of the Flyers’ 15 shots.

• A month ago, the Flyers were in playoff position as they beat the Ducks, 5-2, to take over third place.

But the Flyers are now in sixth place. They entered Tuesday seven points back of the third-place Islanders in a crowded Metropolitan Division.

• The Flyers had just eight shots at second intermission.

They had little going offensively. They finally started to generate some looks after Ottawa took its lead, but they couldn’t scratch one across.

Drysdale saved them late in the third period with a great shot to earn the Flyers a point.

• Sean Couturier nearly snapped his goal-scoring drought with a drive to the net in the third period. But the Flyers’ captain was denied and his rebound attempt went wide. He has gone 29 straight games without a goal.

• The Flyers at least prevented Claude Giroux from hurting them.

The team’s former captain has 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) in 12 career games against the Flyers.

• Emil Andrae was a healthy scratch for a fifth straight game.

Tocchet and assistant coach Todd Reirden wanted to keep Noah Juulsen in the lineup because of the penalty kill’s recent run of success. But Juulsen ended up not playing at shorthanded (the Flyers committed just one penalty).

The Flyers need to find a way to get Andrae back in the lineup after the break.

• The Flyers now go 19 days without a game because of the NHL’s participation in the Olympics.

The club has three players heading to Italy as Vladar will play for Team Czechia, Travis Sanheim for Team Canada and Rasmus Ristolainen for Team Finland.

Rodrigo Abols won’t suit up for Team Latvia after suffering a lower-body injury last month.

Tocchet will represent the Flyers as an assistant coach on Team Canada’s staff.

While the Olympics are in action, the Flyers are scheduled to resume practice Feb. 17. Their first game back from the break is Feb. 25 when they visit the Capitals (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP).

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Yankees Potential Free Agent Target: Ty France

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 27: Ty France #2 of the Toronto Blue Jays bats during the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game three of the 2025 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 27, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The offseason trudges onward, and while the Yankees have likely made their splash by bringing back Cody Bellinger, there is always more work to do. One potential move could be to add another right-handed bat on the infield to provide a counterbalance to their lefty-heavy lineup. It would be a supplementary move, though depth is certainly never a bad thing, and Ty France could fit that bill quite well for the Yankees.

The veteran has been a very good Major League hitter for stretches, and is coming off of his first career Gold Glove award. It would be risky to think his best days are ahead of him, but France could prove to be a valuable addition to plenty of teams around the league, a list that perhaps includes the Yankees.

2025 Statistics: 138 games, 490 PA, .257/.320/.360, 7 HR, 52 RBI, 92 wRC+, 10 Outs Above Average, 0.9 fWAR

2026 FanGraphs Depth Charts Projections: 78 games, 336 PA, .252/.321/.383, 8 HR, 38 RBI, 98 wRC+, 0.5 fWAR

Ty France came up to the big leagues in 2019, his age-24 season, with the Padres. After a brief but unconvincing stretch in his debut season, France began to make noise in the shortened 2020 season, where he managed a 133 wRC+ across 43 games between San Diego and the Mariners.

A year later, the right-handed hitting infielder was in full breakout mode. During the ‘21 season, his first crack at a real full-time role, France was a major contributor across 650 plate appearances in Seattle. During that stretch, he swatted 18 homers, reached base at a .368 clip, and maintained an impressive 129 wRC+. The next year, he was just as good in the same role, this time topping 20 homers for the first time, and even earning his first All-Star selection.

France was legitimately an All-Star level player over those three seasons, and although it was not that long ago, his stock has fallen significantly since then. 2023 was his last full season with the Mariners, and while he was still a generally above-average contributor with the bat, playing primarily as a first baseman with significantly diminished power at the plate, his production had become far less valuable.

Since then, France has bounced around teams (playing with Seattle and Cincinnati in ‘24, and splitting time between the Twins and Blue Jays last season), finding even less success with the bat. Between those two seasons since then, the first baseman has been a below average bat (90 OPS+), reaching base far less often and displaying significantly less power over that time. They are troubling trends, to be sure, but don’t necessarily tell the entire story with France.

In a rather surprising turn of events, France has at least turned himself into an elite defender at first base. In 2024, he was a 1st percentile defender, with -12 OAA, last season, he was 96th percentile (10 OAA), and took home his first Gold Glove award. If he’s able to maintain anything close to that level of prowess with the leather, along with his contact skills at the plate, his floor is certainly kept above water. This isn’t to mention any kind of bounce back in the on-base or power departments, which is not entirely out of the picture.

When it comes to the Yankees, there is definitely a plausible fit with France. They have been reportedly interested in the veteran’s services, and it’s not difficult to see why. A competent right-handed bat to compliment Ben Rice at first base, and to take over if Rice plays behind the plate, would be a luxury to the Yankees, and someone with France’s skillset could make a lot of sense.

Entering his age-31 season, the contact-reliant first baseman seems to be on the decline, but his ability to develop elite skills as recently as last season at least keeps the door open to continued production one way or another. France’s services would also be unlikely to break the bank, as he’s coming off consecutive underwhelming seasons, and may have to join his future squad in a complementary role. It would be a low-risk investment, and one that could make some sense for the Yankees.

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Blaze Alexander traded to Orioles for Kade Stroud

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: Blaze Alexander #9 of the Arizona Diamondbacks reacts after being hit by a pitch during the first inning of a game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on September 27, 2025 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Steve Gilbert was first with the news that Blaze Alexander is being traded to the Baltimore Orioles for relief pitcher Kade Strowd, and a pair of minor-league prospects. Strowd is a 28-year-old right-hander, who reached the majors for Baltimore last year, and impressed with a 1.71 ERA across 27 appearances. He struck out 26 across 24.1 innings, though his FIP of 3.40 was considerably higher. He doesn’t even have a year of service time, so Strowd comes with a lot of team control – he won’t even be arbitration eligible until 2029. It seems he could be the ‘bridge closer’ Mike Hazen spoke about getting, until A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez are ready to come back.

The prospects are right-handed pitcher Wellington Aracena and infielder Jose Mejia. Aracena turned 21 in December and spent last year in A- and High A-ball, after being traded to the Orioles from the Mets last July, in the Gregory Soto deal. All told, he had a 2.25 ERA across 92 innings, with a 114:51 K:BB ratio. Mejia is younger still, being just 20, and played almost all of 2025 in the Florida Complex League. He did hit quite well there, with a particularly impressed 16:26 K:BB ratio. That helped him to a triple-slash line of .274/.418/.411 for an OPS of .829 across 47 games. A long way to go for both men.

Alexander, of course, should be well-known – not least for having won the SnakePit’s 2025 award for Play of the Year. He played a total of 135 games since making his debut at the start of 2024. There had been consideration to him perhaps playing left-field this year, especially after the trade for Nolan Arenado gave the D-backs an everyday starter at third-base. But that option is no longer on the table. Alexander was definitely a fan favorite here though, and we wish him all the best in his future endeavors with the Orioles.

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Dbacks trade Blaze Alexander to the Orioles for Kade Strowd and 2 minor leaguers

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: Blaze Alexander #9 of the Arizona Diamondbacks reacts after being hit by a pitch during the first inning of a game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on September 27, 2025 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Strowd is a RHP that pitched well last season for the Orioles. In 25 games he had a 1.71 ERA, FIP of 3.40 and a WHIP at 1.101. He struck out 36, walked 15 and gave up 4 home runs.


View Link


Jose Mejia is a 19 year old from the Dominican Republic, he is in A-ball.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=mejia-002jos

Wellington Aracena is a 20 year old RHP, also from DR, and is in A-ball. Now we get to hear Bert make Beef Wellington jokes again, should he reach the Majors.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=aracen000wel


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Orioles trade Kade Strowd and two prospects to D-backs for Blaze Alexander

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: Blaze Alexander #9 of the Arizona Diamondbacks reacts after being hit by a pitch during the first inning of a game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on September 27, 2025 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Orioles responded to missing out on starting pitcher Framber Valdez by trading for yet another right-handed hitter who can’t be optioned freely to the minors. MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert was first to report that the Orioles are swapping Kade Strowd to the Diamondbacks for Blaze Alexander. A pair of minor leaguers are also going to Arizona, reported by Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic: pitcher Wellington Aracena and infielder José Mejía.

Blaze Alexander has a cool first name and not very cool just about anything else. He’s now played in 135 big league games across two seasons and batted .237/.322/.366 in that time. He hit slightly better in 2025, getting the OPS over .700 though still counting as a below-average hitter, and provided enough defensive value across four different positions (mostly third base) that he was worth 1.7 bWAR in 74 games.

That’s not bad. That’s basically your Ramón Urías replacement. One might fairly observe that the Orioles could have just kept Urías and then not had to trade Strowd plus other guys in order to get Alexander. I don’t get paid to run a baseball team, so what do I know?

Strowd, 28, made a solid impression with the Orioles in the back half of last season, allowing a 1.71 ERA and 1.101 WHIP across 25 games. There were some markers of good fortune in the former 12th round pick’s results, particularly a .227 BABIP that is unlikely to be repeated in 2026 or beyond. He has typically had a higher walk rate than you’d like in the minors and that was true at the MLB level as well. It seems the Orioles thought this was the peak of his value.

Why they then also had to add Aracena and Mejía to the deal is beyond me. I would have been confused by this trade if it was Strowd for Alexander just on its own. I don’t even like Strowd.

Mejía is an infielder who received around a $400,000 signing bonus from the team three years ago. He hasn’t gotten higher than the Florida Complex League yet in his career. In 47 games there last year, Mejía batted .274/.418/.411.

Aracena was one of the players acquired when the Orioles sent Gregory Soto to the Mets last July. He was the #23 prospect in the Orioles system before being sent off in this trade. The 21-year-old righty Aracena finished last season with a 2.25 ERA and 1.087 WHIP in 23 games across two levels with the Orioles and Mets. He was striking out a lot of guys but also walking way too many guys, with a 5.0 BB/9 for the year.

Beyond the general “What in the heck?” reaction to this deal, my next thought is this probably shows that the Orioles have no plans of having Jeremiah Jackson back up any position on the infield dirt. This trade doesn’t happen if they have confidence in that outcome. The next thought after that is, who is actually going to pitch in this bullpen this year? Strowd seemed to have earned a spot based on how he pitched last year. Whoever’s taking his spot has proven even less than he has.

Or at least that’s how it looks to me. Mike Elias is a weird guy and he might have some more weird roster moves that nobody foresees between now and when things lock in for Opening Day. Maybe one of those moves will even appear good at first glance, or ever turn out to be good over any length of time.

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Skubal gets record arbitration award

NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 24: Tarik Skubal #29 of the Detroit Tigers poses with his wife Jessica during the 2026 BBWAA Awards Dinner at New York Hilton Midtown on Saturday, January 24, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal won his arbitration case, per multiple reports, meaning that he will receive his request $32 million contract for the 2026 season. The Tigers had countered Skubal’s request with a $19 million proposal.

This is the largest salary for a player who was arbitration-eligible, as well as the highest salary ever awarded in a contested MLB arbitration, with the previous high being $19.9 million. Skubal’s request was in line with the salaries received by stars in their final year of arbitration eligibility in recent years, such as Juan Soto, who agreed to terms for $31 million in 2024, and Vlad Guerrero Jr., who settled with the Toronto Blue Jays for $28.5 million.

While most players in arbitration can only compare themselves for salary purposes to other players with similar service time, because Skubal has at least five years of service time, he was able to compare himself to all players. In addition, the CBA allows a player to argue for a higher salary based on special accomplishments, which in Skubal’s case meant back to back Cy Young Awards.

In MLB’s arbitration system, the arbitration panel must pick one of the two numbers submitted. With the halfway point between the two numbers being $25.5 million, if the panel felt Skubal’s case warranted a $25.51 million salary, they are required to go with Skubal’s $32 million request, rather than the team’s $19 million request.

Barring injury or a disastrous season, Skubal will almost certainly receive more than $32 million per year when he hits free agency this upcoming offseason.

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Canadiens: Montembeault’s Amazing New Bucket

When Samuel Montembeault took to the ice with the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night, fans noticed something different about the Bécancour native: he was sporting a brand new mask. For once, the netminder went away from the classic look of a Canadiens’ bucket, which more often than not simply focuses on the logo.

His new mask was designed by Jordon Bourgeault, the artist behind Carey Price’s cyborg mask. On his Instagram page, Bourgeault explained that the concept was to make the entire mask a giant twisting knot of snakes. Even the Habs logo on the mask is made of snake scales. On the front of the mask, right above the cage, there are snake eyes, as if Montembeault himself were a snake.

The mask was made in partnership with Apple as part of the Made on iPad project and is available on the new EA Sports NHL game. That’s an interesting development, as fans of the gaming franchise had long wished the goaltenders in the game could wear their authentic masks, making the experience more realistic.

The design is an interesting change of pace for a Canadiens’ netminder, as more often than not, the Habs masked men err on the side of caution and stick to a more traditional concept. The backplate is painted to resemble bones, which complements the snake skeletons on the mask, and it features a large "M" for his family name and an image of his French Bulldog, Gucci. Overall, this really is a fantastic mask. 

Given how the season started for the netminder, one might wonder whether he intended to shake off his old skin, much like a snake does multiple times a year. It worked well for him, though, as he had a fantastic game, only conceding one goal to the Jets on the power play and finishing the game with a .973 save percentage. A performance that will no doubt allow him to have a much better Olympic break and that will have reassured the Habs’ brass, especially if he can build on it after the break. Chances are, he’ll still be wearing this mask when he returns from the break; you don’t change a winning formula.

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Capitals activate Dubois and Thompson prior to their final game before the Olympic break

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Washington Capitals activated forward Pierre-Luc Dubois and goalie Logan Thompson from the injured list prior to Thursday night's matchup with Nashville, their final game before the Olympic break.

Dubois hasn't played since Oct. 31 because of surgery for injuries to his abdominal and adductor muscles. Thompson, who is part of Canada's roster for the Olympics, hasn't played since Jan. 27.

The Capitals are four points behind the New York Islanders for the last playoff spot in the Metropolitan Division.

The 27-year-old Dubois went without a point in the six games he's played this season. He had 20 goals and 46 assists last season, his first with Washington.

Thompson is 18-16-4 with a 2.46 goals-against average and a save percentage of .912 in 2025-26.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl