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Spring Training open thread: February 18
Arizona Diamondbacks 2026 Non-Roster Invitees, Part 5
I was about to say we finished with the pitchers, but since our previous installment, the D-backs added a couple of further players on minor-league contracts, with spring training invites. While they don’t yet appear on the team’s official page of non-roster invitees, I figure I should catch up with these before I forget, and we’ll then move on to the catchers who are NRIs.
Joe Ross
This right-handed pitcher was a first-round pick (25th overall) by the Padres back in 2011, and comes with more than 500 innings at the MLB level, acquired across eight seasons. He also had a World Series ring, won in 2019 with the Nationals Last year, he was with the Phillies and made 37 appearances with a 5.12 ERA and a K:BB of 39:18 across 51 innings, before being released by them in late August. That’s not especially impressive, so I feel like he is going to be depth in Reno this year, unless he really impresses in Spring Training. He has had his career interrupted by various injuries, including a pair of Tommy John procedures, but seemed healthy enough in 2025.
Oscar Mercado
Though born in Venezuela, Mercado was part of the MLB draft, being picked in 2011 by the Cardinals. He was subsequently traded to the Indians, and debuted for them is 2019, with a solid campaign which got some down-ballot Rookie of the Year acknowledgment. But it has been a replacement-level struggle since, and he hasn’t appeared in the majors since July 2023, back with the Cardinals. He spent last year in Triple- A with the Phillies, where he had a line of .249/.369/.373 for a .741 OPS across 115 games. Mercado turned 31 in December,but given the shortage of outfielders on the 40-man roster, I don’t mind seeing
And now, onto the catchers.
Aramis Garcia (35)
That name might be vaguely familiar. He did appear for the Diamondbacks last year, but very much in a “blink and you’ll miss it capacity,” being selected, making a single appearance and then being designated for assignment twice in the month of June. The team then signed James McCann as a better backup, and Garcia stayed in Triple-A the rest of the way. There, he was the Reno Aces most regular catcher, appearing in 56 games there. He re-signed with Arizona in November, and will likely remain in a similar position of emergency catcher, tucked away behind a plate of glass in Reno, with a hammer conveniently to hand.
Gavin Logan (94)
Canadian alert! Logan was born in the wonderfully-named Medicine Hat, and was a ninth-round pick by the D-backs in 2022. He racked up the frequent flyer miles in 2025, changing levels four times between mid-June and mid-August. He initially bypassed Double-A, jumping straight from High-A to Triple A not once, but twice, before ending the season in Amarillo. Across all three levels the catcher, who turned 26 last month, posted a .754 OPS, and hit eight home-runs in 65 games, including the grand-slam above for Reno. He’ll likely start the year again in Amarillo, with the aim of getting a more permanent promotion by the end of the year.
Matt O’Neill (66)
This will be O’Neill’s first year outside the Mets organization, which originally selected him in the 20th round of the 2019 draft. Last year, Matt split time between Double-A and Triple-A, with an overall line of .231/.335/.343 for an OPS of .678. That’s actually his highest figure since the year he was drafted, and it’s very unlikely he is going to see major-league playing time this year. If he does, a lot has gone very wrong for Arizona. But the news that Adrian Del Castillo is struggling with a calf injury, and is likely to miss Opening Day, does emphasize the importance of depth at this position.
It’s time we finally stop overthinking the NBA tanking crisis
There is one conversation dominating NBA headlines right now, and thankfully, the Phoenix Suns are nowhere near it. They are safely outside the noise for two very simple reasons.
First, this team is competitive. Not pretend competitive, not vibes competitive, but legitimately playing games that matter with a real path to the postseason. And maybe even a path that skips the Play-In entirely, which felt unrealistic when the season tipped off. They have surprised in a way that buys you meaningful basketball in April, and that alone changes the temperature around a franchise.
Second, the Suns are not part of this conversation because they do not have draft picks to weaponize. Whatever picks exist are tied to past decisions, past swings, past bets on players who are no longer here. You either compete or you waste a season, and Phoenix chose the former.
The conversation everyone else is having is tanking.
Players sitting in competitive games. Rotations are getting weird. Injuries are stretching a little longer than necessary. Entire franchises quietly shifting their posture from trying to win to trying to lose with purpose. It is one of those topics that lives perfectly in bar conversations or office debates, the kind where everyone suddenly has a solution. How do you fix tanking? How do you punish it? How do you make losing hurt more than winning helps?
I have heard plenty of ideas. Remove protections entirely. Create a tournament for the bottom teams where the prize is the top pick. Penalize teams financially the following season if they are clearly gaming the system. Some of them are creative. Some of them are fun.
None of them really move me. Okay, maybe the example above, because it incentivizes winning versus losing. But honestly? I do not care.
Tanking is almost unavoidable, and it is unavoidable for one very simple reason. The draft exists to distribute talent across the league. That is its purpose. If you are bad and you want to get better, the fastest and most realistic path is the draft. You add young talent. You hope it grows into something real. You hope it becomes a cornerstone. And the only way to consistently access the top tier of that talent pool is to be near the bottom.
Until the fundamental idea of what the draft represents changes, all the surface-level tweaks in the world are not going to solve much. You can shuffle odds. You can add incentives. You can dress it up in new language. Teams will still find a way to position themselves for the best chance at the best players. That is not corruption, it’s logic.
The Suns are fortunate to be operating in a different lane right now. They are chasing wins, not probabilities. They are playing games with consequence. And in a league where so many teams are already thinking about June, that is a place worth appreciating.
The Suns are not immune to this either, though. We lived it. We spent a decade squinting at injury reports, wondering what was really wrong with T.J. Warren’s neck, wondering why Devin Booker was sitting on a random March night when he looked perfectly fine two days earlier. We all knew the answer, even if we pretended we didn’t. The organization was trying to be less competitive at the end of the season in order to improve draft position. That was the plan, that was the play, and it was not unique to Phoenix.
This happens everywhere, across every major sport. In Major League Baseball, once a team realizes October is not happening, September turns into a parade of call-ups, auditions disguised as games, futures being prioritized over present results. Do you know how many fantasy baseball seasons have been derailed because I had a guy who launches dingers, but he’s on the Pirates or Rockies?! I’ve learned my lesson. Mostly.
In the NFL, the final two weeks for bad teams become a showcase for backups, not because coaches suddenly love depth charts, but because organizations are protecting assets and thinking long term. Nobody loses their mind over it. It is understood as part of the ecosystem.
So why does the NBA always catch the heat?
It starts with timing. The spotlight is brightest on the league right when tanking becomes most visible. Football is finished. Baseball has not started. The NBA owns February and March. And because of how the season is structured, because of the sheer number of games and when the calendar flips, teams often know by that point that the postseason is not in their future. When that realization sets in, priorities shift. Development matters more. Health matters more. Next year starts creeping into the room.
That is also the exact moment when casual fans and national voices start paying closer attention. And what they see is a diminished product. Players are sitting, rotations are changing, and outcomes feel preordained. The league does not condone it publicly, but it has also done a poor job of managing the optics. Whether that comes down to an 82-game season, the calendar start, or the way incentives are aligned, the result is always the same. Right when the NBA has the stage to itself, the cracks become visible.
And then we do the dance. Same cycle every year. Same outrage. Same proposals. Same debates on how to fix something that is not really broken, it is functioning exactly as designed.
In my opinion, there is no true fix. Not without fundamentally changing what the draft represents and why teams value it. Until that happens, this will keep looping, season after season, argument after argument, while the teams that have something to play for keep playing and the rest start quietly looking ahead.
Teams are always going to prioritize long-term possibilities over short-term competitiveness, especially when the math tells them that sacrificing now gives them a better chance to be something later. That part is inevitable. My real issue with tanking has always lived in one place, and that place is the fans, because they are the ones who ultimately pay the price. Literally.
If you are a season ticket holder and your team tanks one year in an effort to secure a better draft pick, then comes back the next season and still isn’t any good, there is no refund waiting for you. The league is not cutting you a check. The team is not knocking 20% off your invoice because they decided to roll out a lineup full of G League-level talent while preaching patience and development. You paid full price for a diminished product, and that is the part of this equation that never really gets discussed. Or at least not enough.
That is why tanking feels unfortunate, even when you understand it. On the surface, the logic tracks. If you are bad and you want a chance to stop being bad, you often have to lean into being bad long enough to draft someone who can change your trajectory. It is the natural order of how this league is built. You can workshop a million ideas on how to fix it, flatten the lottery odds, create tournaments, punish cap sheets, tweak incentives, but someone will always find the seam. Someone will always locate the weakness and exploit it, because that is human nature.
I have seen this play out countless times outside of sports. In the hospitality world, I cannot tell you how many processes I have helped put in place, well-intentioned, thoughtful, designed to create fairness, only to watch guests immediately search for ways around them. Everybody loves rules in theory. Everybody supports structure and order right up until it inconveniences them personally. Then it becomes negotiable.
That is the space tanking lives in. It makes sense from the top down. It is defensible from an organizational standpoint. But from the seat in the arena, from the fan who keeps showing up, keeps paying, keeps caring, it feels like a tax with no return policy. And that is the part that will always sit a little sideways with me, no matter how logical the strategy might be.
But again, it is the fan, the person who simply wants to enjoy the product, who ultimately pays the price. And in my opinion, that is the one place where there is an actual fix, even if it is the hardest one to pull off.
Teams and organizations are businesses. Full stop. They exist to make money, just like any other business. And this is where short-term greed starts tripping over long-term greed. The short-term play is obvious. Maximize revenue, fill out the balance sheet. Walk into the boardroom and say, “Look, we might be bad on the court, but the numbers still look good”. Tickets sold. Sponsorships intact. Revenue streams humming along.
But if you actually want loyalty, real loyalty, not the fragile kind that disappears the moment expectations aren’t met, you give something back. You refund a prorated portion of season tickets during a tanking year. You lower prices so the building stays full even when the wins aren’t coming. You admit what the season is, instead of selling hope as a finished product. And the byproduct of that honesty is still revenue. People show up. They buy food. They buy drinks. They buy merchandise. They bring their kids. They stay emotionally invested instead of feeling taken advantage of.
That is where it gets interesting with the Phoenix Suns, if and when a tanking season ever arrives. A real one. One where they actually control their first round pick and decide that short-term pain is necessary to reset the trajectory of the franchise.
Because what Mat Ishbia has shown in a very short amount of time is that he cares about the fan experience. He cares about access. He cares about the relationship between the team and the community. And he has proven he is not afraid to do things that go against the grain. We have seen it with the value menu. We have seen it with free local broadcasts. We have literally seen him buy antennas so fans can watch games. That is not normal ownership behavior. That is someone who understands that if you make fans feel included in the process, the long-term payoff is far greater than squeezing every last dollar out of a down year.
So if the Suns ever reach a point where tanking becomes the path forward, Ishbia would have a rare opportunity. He could be a trendsetter. He could be the owner who says, “This season didn’t meet the standard, and we’re not going to ask you to pay full freight for something we know isn’t complete yet. We’re going to eat some of that cost, not you”. And in doing so, he would likely gain a level of trust that most franchises never touch.
Because if you want a fan base to understand a tank, to actually get behind it instead of resenting it, that is how you do it. Until something like that happens, tanking will always exist. These conversations will keep cycling. The league will keep pretending there is a fix just around the corner. And the truth will remain the same as it has always been.
Until someone gives back some money, which I think we all know will never happen, we’ll continue to have these circular conversations until the playoffs start. And then? No one gives a shit until next Febraury.
Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray has the best chant in the NBA
SACRAMENTO — Whenever Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray scores a basket at Golden 1 Center, a slogan with his name his echoed.
The chant is led off with Kings public address announcer Scott Moak, who yells into the mic after each Murray basket, whether a free throw, layup, midrange, three-pointer or slam dunk. It's even shouted after a big play.
"KEEGAN!" Moak roars, igniting the Sacramento faithful to follow suit.
"MURRAY!" the Golden 1 Center attendees respond in unison.
During a podcast episode of "White Noise" hosted by Boston Celtics guard Derrick White and Alex Welsh, White was discussing some of the loudest arenas in the league along with Celtics center Luka Garza and former Celtic, now Chicago Bulls guard, Anfernee Simons.
Amidst the conversation, Garza brings up the Kings and how loud their fans get, especially when the team is winning. Simons was the one who mentioned Murray's chant.
"Oh my goodness. When he hit a three and it's packed in there, it's like," Simons said with an appalled look on his face.
White jumped in and continued to harp on Murray's chants in Sacramento.
"His like rookie year, I was like 'yo, this is the coolest thing I've ever heard,'" White said.
Keegan Murray contract and history
Murray was drafted by the Kings with the fourth overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. As White said, it's been his chant since day one.
It's a call that Murray, himself, tends to enjoy throughout the game. He said he builds more appreciation for the chant every year.
"For me, I think every single year I continue to have more appreciation for it," Murray told USA TODAY Sports. "Because when you go around the league, there's not many, or if any teams that do that kind of thing for their players."
Fans and NBA opponents can expect to hear that chant for Murray for at least another five seasons through 2031.
Murray signed a five-year, $140 million rookie scale contract extension with the Kings in Oct. 2025.
"Obviously for me to be here another five years is great," Murray said. "I think the fans have enjoyed it. I've personally enjoyed it a lot. I think it's just a really special thing that Sacramento has done for me."
Kings history of player chants
Believe it or not, the chant for Murray has been passed down from previous Kings players who grew to be fan favorites.
Before it was Murray's chant, it was reserved for and belonged to Yogi Ferrell, who played for the Kings from 2018 to 2020.
"I was surprised when I first heard it,” Ferrell told NBA.com in 2019. “When I made the bucket, it felt pretty cool. It feels amazing to have my name chanted out by all the fans – it just shows how special I feel like I am to them. I love this arena.”
Kings PA announcer Moak wasn't sure if it would initially stick, but he kept roaring Ferrell's first name and the fans eventually caught on to yell back his last name.
But it even originated before Ferrell. When Italian sniper Marco Belinelli played for the Kings during the 2015-16 season, he'd get remnants of the chant.
After Belinelli scored, Moak called out, "Marco!"
It took fans some time to catch on, but eventually they responded with the only acceptable response if you ever played games in the swimming pool with friends or family growing up.
"Polo," fans responded.
Thus, the chant in Sacramento was born, and nearly 10 years later, it'd be reserved for Murray.
Some believe the idea came from Champions League soccer as it was used as an introduction for Argentine soccer player Gonzalo Higuain, when he played for Napoli between 2013 and 2016.
Kings next game
No matter where it started, it's now recognized as Murray's chant.
Murray and the Kings will be back in action following the All-Star break on Thursday, Feb. 19 when they host the Orlando Magic at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.
The team announced Wednesday after practice that Murray, who was a full participant, will return from injury to play against the Magic after missing over six weeks with a left ankle sprain sustained in early January.
Tip-off is at 7 p.m. local time.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Keegan Murray just latest Kings player to get epic Sacramento chant
Aussie selector explains Smith snub in World Cup disaster that ‘smacks of England’
National selector Tony Dodemaide has reiterated that champion batter Steve Smith was only considered an injury replacement for the openers in Australia’s disastrous T20 World Cup campaign, also jumping to the defence of the out-of-form Cameron Green.
Cavs vs. Nets: How to watch, odds, and injury report
The Cleveland Cavaliers have one of the easiest schedules in the league after the All-Star break, but they have a tough stretch to start things off. They play five games in seven nights, and they take on the Oklahoma City Thunder, New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons (twice), and the Boston Celtics over the next two-and-a-half weeks. That will be a good test to show how the new-look Cavs stack up with the best teams in the league.
Fortunately for Cleveland, they have an easy one to open things up against the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday.
The Nets are one of the worst teams in the league, and aren’t actively trying to win games. They should present a good opportunity for the Cavs to get off to a good start.
The Cavs will also be among the healthiest they’ve been all season. Evan Mobley and Dean Wade are expected to play. They’ll only be without Max Strus (foot) and Nae’Qwan Tomlin, who was just added to the injury report with calf soreness.
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Who: Cleveland Cavaliers (34-21) vs. Brooklyn Nets (15-38)
Where: Rocket Arena – Cleveland, OH
When: Thur., Feb. 19 at 7 PM
TV: FanDuel Sports Network Ohio, FanDuel Sports Network App, NBA League Pass
Point spread: Cavs -16
Cavs injury report: Max Strus – OUT (foot), Nae’Qwan Tomlin – OUT (calf soreness), Emanuel Miller – OUT (G League), Tristan Enaruna – OUT (G League), Riley Minix – OUT (G League)
Nets injury report: Nic Claxton – OUT (ankle), Tyson Etienne – (G League), Chaney Johnson – OUT (G League), E.J. Lindell – OUT (G League), Josh Minott – OUT (G League), Ben Saraf – OUT (G League)
Cavs expectedstarting lineup: James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen
Nets expected starting lineup: Nolan Traore, Egor Demin, Michael Porter Jr., Noah Clowney, Day’Ron Sharp
Previous matchup: The Cavs defeated the Nets 131-124 on Oct. 24 in a 22-point game from Jarrett Allen.
Here’s a look at both teams’ impact stats via Cleaning the Glass.
| Offensive Rating | Defensive Rating | Net Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cavs | 118 (8th) | 114.1 (11th) | +3.9 (8th) |
| Nets | 111.5 (26th) | 119.4 (27th) | -7.9 (27th) |
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Dodgers playoff heroes get early opportunities due to spring injuries
PHOENIX –– In the middle of their Camelback Ranch clubhouse Wednesday afternoon, the Dodgers laid out a stack of shirts commemorating their 18-inning victory in Game 3 of last year’s World Series.
Across the front of the blue tees, the four heroes of the game were displayed: Teoscar Hernández, Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and, yes, Will Klein.
“It’s kind of been like a 180,” Klein joked about how much his life has changed since that night. “You can see the social media, fan stuff. But just on the personal side, there’s more confidence. Seeing myself do that kind of built a foundation to keep going.”
Indeed, when Klein arrived at spring training last week, he found himself in a peculiar spot: A postseason legend on one hand, after throwing four scoreless innings as the last man standing in the Dodgers’ bullpen during that marathon Game 3 triumph; but also, a fringe roster candidate on the team’s loaded pitching staff, trying to parlay his brief moment of playoff glory into a more established big-league job.
In this boat, Klein is not alone.
Entering camp, several other standouts from last year’s World Series run also found themselves battling for roster spots –– including Justin Wrobleski, the left-handed swingman who pitched five scoreless innings in last year’s World Series, and Edgardo Henriquez, the hard-throwing right-hander who provided two scoreless innings in Game 3 of the Fall Classic.
A week ago, all of their roles for 2026 seemed uncertain.
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But now, injuries elsewhere on the roster are giving them renewed opportunities.
In the bullpen, the Dodgers will start this season missing several key arms. Evan Phillips is recovering from Tommy John surgery and won’t be back until midseason. Brock Stewart is recovering from a shoulder surgery he had in September and is unlikely to be ready for Opening Day. Brusdar Graterol was also ruled out for the start of the campaign on Wednesday, with manager Dave Roberts saying the team is keeping him on “an intentionally slow build-up” process as he returns from a 2025 season lost to his own shoulder procedure.
Suddenly, there is a lane for Klein and Henriquez to not only make the Dodgers’ Opening Day roster but also serve potentially important roles in the early part of the season.
After closer Edwin Díaz, the team’s next-best righty reliever is veteran Blake Treinen, who is coming off a career-worst season in 2025.
Roberts voiced optimism in Treinen bouncing back this year, saying the 37-year-old still has “a lot in the tank” and that his early spring bullpens have been “as good as I’ve seen him throw the baseball in a while.”
Still, the Dodgers will need more right-handed depth. Ben Casparius figures to be part of the solution, having transitioned to a full-time relief role this year. But Klein (who had a 5.16 ERA in 22 career MLB appearances before last year’s playoffs) and Henriquez (a 2.42 ERA in 25 career outings prior to last October) might now have a pathway to more impact contributions themselves.
“I’m still the same guy, like I need to work and earn a spot and all that,” Klein said. “But on the mound, in games, there’s a little bit more (confidence) than I’ve had in the past. Like, I know I can do all this. I’ve seen myself do 10 times harder stuff.”
Wrobleski has an opening of his own this spring. Five weeks from Opening Day, the Dodgers are already facing several rotation questions, with Blake Snell taking things slow after last year’s shoulder injury and Ohtani facing a build-up that will be complicated by his participation in next month’s World Baseball Classic.
Thus, the Dodgers will look for extra starting depth this spring –– giving the 25-year-old Wrobleski, who was needed more in relief duty last season but is still seen as a high-upside starter long term, the chance to compete for a potential rotation spot.
Last season, Wrobleski’s two starts did not go well. He gave up eight runs over five innings in a dispiriting outing in Washington in April. He was tagged with four more runs in a six-inning loss to the Cardinals two months later.
After that, however, the left-hander found success in the bullpen, pitching to a 3.17 ERA over his final 25 appearances (including the playoffs) while showcasing an uptick in velocity and command.
“I think his ability to grow and mature and learn how to harness his stuff and compete in those moments will serve him well as he tries to navigate a lineup two, three times,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said. “So he’ll certainly be a candidate (to pitch in the rotation).”
It’s all part of the Dodgers’ ever-changing roster puzzle this spring, in which even old October saviors are having to compete to carve out their roster spots.
Kevin Durant isn’t interested in ‘Twitter nonsense’ after alleged burner controversy
Kevin Durant wants no part of his burner account accusations.
Days after alleged messages of Durant ripping current and former teammates leaked on social media, the Rockets star brushed off questions from the media about the internet firestorm.
“I know you got to ask these questions but I’m not here to get into Twitter nonsense,” Durant said. “I’m just here to focus on the season, keep it pushing.”
Later, Durant, 37, was asked by reporters if he had talked to his Houston teammates about the now-viral messages.
“My teammates know what it is,” he said. “We’ve been locked in the whole season. Enjoyed our break. Had a great practice today, looking forward to the road trip.”
Over the weekend, screen shots emerged of posts from an X account with handle @gethigher77 that’s alleged to be Durant, who is infamous for his social media activity and online persona.
The account, which has since gone private, criticized Rockets teammates Alperen Şengün and Jabari Smith Jr.
It also referenced former teammates James Harden, Russell Westbrook and Ben Simmons.
While we may never know if Durant was truly behind the account, his past “burner account” activity makes the rumors all the more believable.
In 2023, Durant announced that he was on Threads with a burner account, challenging fans to “come find” him on the then-newly launched platform.
Three years earlier, Durant admitted to using burner accounts to hit back at those talking about him online.
“I still have burners that I use for sure,” Durant said.
“I have a burner Twitter account still. When people use that burner thing against me they only thought I was on there just to talk s–t. I was really indulging in a lot of different communities on my burners.”
During his early days with the Warriors, Durant appeared expose one of his accounts, bashing his former team, the Thunder.
The Knicks need to match the Pistons’ intensity to open the second half
Does the regular season matter?
Well, you need to win enough games in the regular season to make the playoffs and get a favorable seed in the playoffs. Home court advantage is very important.
But does it matter who you beat and who you lose to? Probably not. The Knicks won the season series with the Hawks in 2021, the Heat in 2023, and the Pacers in 2025, but flamed out against all three in the playoffs. They were beaten up by Detroit and Boston last year in the regular season, but they sent them home in the playoffs. It doesn’t matter what happens before the playoffs start in that regard.
So, how much do I take from the two blowout losses at Little Caesars Arena in January, the same arena that the Knicks won thrice in the playoffs last April? Not much. We all know what happened with the Celtics last year.
But there was one thing that happened in the Knicks-Celtics season series that year that made you raise an eyebrow. On April 8, the Celtics, without Al Horford but otherwise pretty healthy, came to the World’s Most Famous Arena and, after three blowouts in the season series, got caught up in a very competitive game.
The Knicks led for much of the first half, but the Celtics took control late in the third quarter. Yet, the Knicks rallied back from a seven-point deficit to take a three-point lead in the final 15 seconds, only to get their hearts broken by Jayson Tatum at the end of regulation and in overtime.
While the Celtics prevailed and pulled off the season series sweep, that game being as competitive as it was surely made the Knicks believe in that locker room, “We can beat these guys.” If they fouled up 3 or executed in overtime, they would’ve won. They used the lessons from that clutch scenario to pull off several clutch games in the second round series.
So, even though the Knicks knocked off those same Pistons last season, it’s imperative that they don’t get embarrassed a third time. They had excuses the first two games, they don’t on Thursday.
In the first game, they were in the midst of their 11-game rut where they couldn’t defend a thing, and the offense similarly slumped. In the second game, they were down OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns, along with the still-injured Deuce McBride. Towns and possibly Anunoby will be back on Thursday, and the game will be in MSG.
They have to match the intensity. The Pistons are a team that knows they were a few key plays away from pulling off the upset last year, and they don’t like that the media still hasn’t anointed them as the East favorite. They see the Knicks on the schedule and feel hatred. They can’t get revenge until May, so they want to beat them into the ground to vindicate themselves until then.
The Knicks haven’t felt like they needed to match that intensity yet, and you can do with that what you want. It feels like they have to on Thursday, even if they don’t pull it out for whatever reason. You can’t get boatraced every single game in the regular season series. That’s when doubt starts to creep in.
Did Astros Miss the Boat in Trade Market?
Team could be looking at an infield logjam that could compromise their outfield depth.
In the aftermath of Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reporting that the Astros could be looking at OF Michael Conforto as a left-handed hitting option in the outfield primarily because they are finding their trade options dwindling, it is impossible not to consider this very serious idea:
Did the Astros blow it?
Houston has been shopping players on its major league roster all offseason. Isaac Paredes is the most valuable of the names often mentioned, but Christian Walker and Jake Meyers names have also been mentioned.
We have seen reports of the high interest in both Paredes and Meyers, and of the very faint interest in Walker, but for a team with obvious roster holes it seems unconscionable that GM Dana Brown was unable to deal from his infield surplus to fix at least one hole in his roster. It doesn’t even matter if that hole addressed the outfield, the bullpen, or backup catcher situation, as long as it addressed something.
Did they overplay their hand? Did they hold too high an asking price? Did other teams simply not value the Astros’ players as much as Houston did? We don’t actually know the answers to these, which is why we will speculate. When you are trying to create a properly balanced lineup for a playoff run, sometimes the end justifies the means.
It won’t matter if Dana Brown held on to his players because he didn’t think he was getting enough value if the team fails to make the postseason again, because he won’t be here. It is very likely such a scenario could cost Joe Espada his job as well, even though he would again be forced to work with a roster that is clearly flawed and been decimated in the past 2 seasons by injury.
The fact that the team is now looking at Conforto, a player who is a shell of what he once was in his heyday as a power hitter who got on base and was a defensive star. Today’s version of Conforto still has some power but doesn’t make nearly enough contact and is now below average in the field.
Conforto’s last strong full season was 2019. He had shoulder surgery after the 2021 season and the difference has been notable. He has also played in some absolutely stacked lineups the past 3 seasons, making his mediocrity (or worse) even more damning.
The Astros could have been in on Mike Tauchman, a superior player to Conforto at this stage and Tauchman signed a minor league deal with the Mets. Yes you read that right, a minor league deal.
Of the remaining free agent outfielders, Starling Marte is probably the best hitter of all of them. Even though he’s right-handed, he hits equally well against both righties and lefties, and for more power against righties as well. of course, he’s now 37 and there is no telling how long his balky right knee will hold up. The Mets made him a part time player last year to get him through the season. The Astros deal will too many injuries already for such a risk.
What is left of the free agent crop is very “slim pickins” indeed. In reality, a trade is probably the only way the Astros can get an impact outfield bat unless Zach Cole, Cam Smith or Zach Dezenzo becomes that player.
Coming into camp with the infield logjam was a miscalculation by the Astros. There may not be a way out of it at this point.
I posed the question of whether the Astros should just heed the request of Yordan Alvarez and allow him to play more LF than he has previously been permitted just three days ago:
Now they may find themselves without a choice.
Do you think the Astros can still pull off a deal to get one of their three biggest needs before the season starts? Let us know in the comments.
Paul Coffey returns to the Oilers' coaching staff
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Paul Coffey is returning to the Edmonton Oilers' coaching staff after a previous two-year stint leading the club’s defensive unit.
The former Oilers defenseman and Hall of Famer had returned to his role as a special adviser to ownership and hockey operations in July.
From the time of his first hire on Nov. 13, 2023, through the end of the 2024-25 season, the Oilers allowed 2.78 goals per game, which was the fifth-best mark in the league over that span.
Edmonton is currently 25th in the NHL with 3.29 goals against per game.
The Oilers are second in the Pacific Division, four points back of Vegas, and one point ahead of Seattle and Los Angeles.
___
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
United States advances to Olympic men's hockey semifinals with 2-1 overtime victory over Sweden
MILAN (AP) — United States advances to Olympic men's hockey semifinals with 2-1 overtime victory over Sweden.
EXCLUSIVE: Nolan Traoré is focused on a long, successful, career … sans injury
The Brooklyn Nets have been a top 10 team in salary dedicated to injured players during five of the past seven NBA seasons. In three of them, they’ve been in the top two. Last season, the Nets set a franchise record for games missed to injury/illness at 374, second only to the 76ers 397.
Sure, those stats loses some stock when you remind yourself they paid Kevin Durant $37 million during the 2019-20 campaign, fully knowing he wouldn’t suit up for a single game during it. Whatever you want to call Kyrie Irving’s imposed absence due to the New York City vaccine mandate factors in here too. Uncle Drew made $35.3 million in 2021-22, appearing in just 29 games.
But even if you’re willing to concede that, there’s still no arguing against the idea that the injury bug likes to dine in Brooklyn, and not at Peter Luger. It’s nobody’s fault, but that doesn’t make it any less unfortunate.
However, this year, the Nets have been relatively healthy. At the All-Star break, they’re second-to-last in cumulative injured salary, per Spotrac.
We always knew this season would be a turning point for the Nets. Brooklyn installed five rookies via the draft over the summer, becoming the first NBA team to ever select five players in the first round. Good or bad, their first steps are also the first tangible ones in a new era for the Nets — one no longer defined by star players of the 2010s, the crushing expectations that come with them, and the amplified misery that follows when one inevitably gets hurt.
Nolan Traoré, the 19th pick in last year’s draft, is part of that rookie crew … and part of the program to reduce time lost. He’s fully embracing both sides of the responsibility that comes with shaping a new age for the Nets, on the court and off.
As part of that, he’s big on preventive performance, so to speak, trying to limit the games he loses at this level. He’s had a balky knee in France. Both he and the Nets don’t want to see that replicated in the NBA. It’s a big if not much publicized part of his development and how the Nets have been treating their young players.
He’s not alone in his praise among the Nets young players both in Brooklyn and Long Island. Grant Nelson sat seven weeks to clear up his knee issues, which he said he’s had been an issue since he was 20.
“I think it really shows how good the performance staff is here,” Nelson told ND last month. “And what they’ve done to get me back on the court and be ready for when I get back on the court.”
Brooklyn selected Traoré with their second first rounder out of France in June, then paid his French team a six-figure buyout fee. He logged eight minutes on opening night, but spent much of the team’s first two months of the season in the G-League. Early on at the pro level, he looked uncomfortable, off-pace, and without command of the offense. He needed to develop a tad more. So, the Nets sent him to a place where he could.
Since coming over from Long Island in mid-December, it feels like Traoré’s come much farther than Nassau County, 20 miles to the east. The young ball-handler now resembles a confident, professional offensive facilitator starting to find his footing while not sacrificing that awesome speed…
He’s also shooting north of 40% from three since mid-January. The sample gets bigger and better all the time.
But as mentioned, while looking to give Nets fans something fresh to cheer for, Traoré’s also looking to reverse course when it comes to the injury department.
“Recovery isn’t just downtime for me,” he told NetsDaily. “It’s a non-negotiable part of my job…Staying ahead of the curve with recovery and constantly adapting my routines is how I plan to build a long and productive career in this league. Ultimately, success is being just as physically capable in year ten as I was in year one.”
Traoré’s focus on his body runs deep as blood. His brother, Armel Traoré, has dealt with hand, quad, ankle, and back injuries while playing professionally in France over the past four years and during a brief stint with the Los Angeles Lakers. Nolan named Armel as the biggest influence on his approach to longevity.
“Having played in the NBA and faced his own battles with injuries, he has been an invaluable source of advice on what it actually takes to stay healthy at this level,” Traoré said. “Seeing his journey firsthand made me realize early on that talent alone isn’t enough if you aren’t available to play.”
That said, Traoré’s also seen a similar level of dedication to long-term health in his new home(s). He mentioned he’s relied “heavily” on Brooklyn’s medical staff and noted that rather than applying a one-size-fits-all program, the Nets integrate their professional expertise with a player’s personal goals to develop training and recovery plans. Traoré said he appreciates that collaborative approach more than anything. He also said Brooklyn’s helped him better listen to his body, which he claims is key.
“The most important lesson I’ve gathered from both my brother and the staff is that you have to be your own biggest advocate when it comes to health,” he said. “It is about understanding my body and its limits while using every tool at my disposal to push those limits safely.”
Traoré listed pace and the sheer physicality of the NBA as the biggest training and recovery-related factors he’s had to adjust to since coming over from France.
“Even coming from France, where the game is fast, the NBA is even faster,” he said. “I’ve had to become much more proactive rather than reactive. It’s no longer just about recovering after I feel fatigued; it’s about preparing my body days in advance to absorb that nightly impact. In this league, you can’t just play through the grind; you have to stay ahead of it.”
Traoré’s typical recovery days focus on targeting stretching and soft tissue work. He also mentioned he prioritizes mental clarity with consistent, quality sleep, as well as disciplined nutrition and hydration.
Then on the court, Traoré also noted he wears a custom brace that gives him a unique blend of support and flexibility. If you haven’t seen Traoré play, trust me, the ability to stop and go in an instant is a pretty important part of his game.
“Because my game relies on being shifty and change-of-direction, I can’t afford to feel restricted,” he said. “It’s the only brace I’ve found that feels completely natural and fluid while I’m moving, but activates instantly to protect my ankle the moment there’s a risk of injury. It gives me the confidence to play my style without compromise.”
It’s all part of something more crucial to Traoré than any dime he’ll drop, triple he’ll splash, or painted area he’ll touch — to be ready not just for Brooklyn’s next game, but its next one hundred, and so on.
“Injury prevention is essential to having a long, successful career, and as an athlete, this is my ultimate goal,” Traoré reiterated. “Talent isn’t everything; the small, disciplined choices you make every day to take care of your body now at a young age are what determine your ceiling. I see this as being proactive and thinking years ahead rather than waiting for a problem to occur before addressing it.”
Traoré is starting to reap the benefits of his labor as well. Since returning from Long Island, he’s appeared in 27 games for the Nets, only missing two due to an illness, not an illness. He’s logged over 30 minutes in six of his last nine contests. In his most recent one, he became the first Nets rookie with at least 20 points and eight assists in a game since Terrence Williams did so on April 9, 2010.
“I define a successful career by longevity and consistency, specifically how long you can sustain your performance at an elite level,” Traoré went on. “To remain on the court for many years, you have to be disciplined about how you treat your body from the very start of your professional journey. It’s not just about the number of games played. It’s about the quality of those minutes and your ability to bounce back night after night.”
Dialogue today around player availability can easily spill into arguments over load management and the NBA’s recently imposed 65-game threshold for award eligibility. It’s a tiresome, static conversation that continues to flood First Take airwaves and serve as the backbone for the “this league is soft” narrative.
However, Traoré simply remains concentrated on being there for this teammates, and, of course, the fans.
“Players today have a greater responsibility than ever to use the advanced tools and medical resources available,” he said. “Meeting league benchmarks like the 65-game threshold isn’t just about award eligibility; it’s about being reliable for your teammates and the fans.”
Even, and maybe especially, when you’re 19.
AC Milan falls seven points behind leader Inter in title race after 1-1 home draw with Como
MILAN (AP) — AC Milan fell seven points behind Inter Milan in the Italian title race after drawing 1-1 at home to Como on Wednesday.
Argentina midfielder Nico Paz put the visitors ahead in the 32nd minute following a clumsy error from Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan.
The France No. 1 tried passing the ball from the edge of his penalty area, but Paz swiftly intercepted it and shot through Maignan's legs for his ninth league goal of the season.
Portugal winger Rafael Leão equalized midway through the second half for Milan with a neat lob, after being set up by midfielder Ardon Jashari.
Second-place Milan is four points ahead of defending champion Napoli in third.
Como moved into sixth spot on goal difference from Atalanta in the race for a Champions League place next season. Fifth-place Juventus is four points ahead. ___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
MLB 2026 National League Cy Young Best Bets, Odds, Picks, Rankings, Predictions: Can Paul Skenes repeat?
The start to baseball season is right around the corner as Spring Training is underway and we are getting a first-hand look at what each team is rolling out.
I am personally excited to see Paul Skenes pitch and have a little more run support this season, in addition to seeing who can contend and potentially knock him off as he attempts to win back-to-back Cy Young awards. Last year, Skenes was a runaway selection, but this year, there is more competition behind him. Let's take a look at the top five options to win Cy Young in 2026. All odds courtesy of DraftKings.
National League Cy Young Rankings
1. Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh Pirates (+225)
Paul Skenes is the rightful favorite to win the NL Cy Young after winning his first award last season. Skenes posted a 1.96 ERA and 1.97 ERA in his first two seasons to become arguably the most dominant pitcher in all of baseball. The struggle for Skenes has been recording wins as he barely gets run support from the Pirates' offense.
Skenes posted a 10-10 record last year after a 11-3 record as a rookie. His WAR improved from 5.9 to 7.6 and he totaled back-to-back seasons of a 0.95 WHIP. Skenes' baseball savant page is nothing but red as he is in the top percentile for almost every pitching statistic, including the 97th percentile for pitching run value (100th), fastball run value (99th), offspeed run value (98th), and xERA (97th).
The Buccos brought in four new bats this season after Skenes made comments about the need to sign some offense in the offseason. Marcell Ozuna, Brandon Lowe, Ryan O'Hearn, and Jake Mangum are the new hitters, which may not seem like much to Dodgers or Yankees fans since they spend money freely every year, but it could be quite the difference for Skenes and the Pirates. If Skenes repeats a sub-.200 ERA, it will be hard to knock him off as a repeat winner, even if he has more losses than wins or another 10-10 record. At 23-years-old, Skenes is just getting started.
2. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Los Angeles Dodgers (+500)
Yoshinobu Yamamoto won a World Series MVP last season and the cat is out of the bag. Yamamoto is no longer a Cy Young sleeper, he is now a Cy Young favorite. Yamamoto will be a contender for this award the next five seasons or so as long as he stays healthy.
The 27-year-old had a fantastic regular season in his sophomore year with a 2.49 ERA and a 12-8 record in 30 starts. The 5-foot-10 RHP cracked 200 strikeouts and had a WHIP of 0.99, and a WAR of 5.0.
Prior to joining the Dodgers, Yamamoto was the best pitcher in Nippon Professional Baseball. Yamamoto won three MVP's and three Eiji Sawamura Awards, which is their version of the Cy Young. Dodgers' Manager Dave Roberts was quoted as saying Yamamoto wants to win a Cy Young and it's one of his goals and if you've watched any of Yamamoto the past two years — it's clear he will be the biggest competition to edging out Paul Skenes.
3. Hunter Greene, Cincinnati Reds (+1400)
Hunter Greene's 2025 season was cut short due to a groin injury, so his value might be impacted slightly, but there is no doubt that when healthy, he is one of the best pitchers not only the NL, but all of baseball.
Greene was on pace to set career-highs in strikeouts, WHIP, earned runs, and innings pitched before his season was cut short. Greene finished with an impressive 2.76 ERA, 132 strikeouts to 35 walks, and a. 0.94 WHIP over 19 games and 107.2 innings (7-4 record). Greene has yet to pitch more than 26 games in his four-year career, likely due to how hard he throws, but I am optimistic this is the year he posts a career-high in games started and basically every pitching statistic across the board.
When you look at Greene's baseball savant page, you'll notice that everything that has to do with the fastball is the 94th percentile or better. His chase, whiff, K% and BB% are all 82nd or better as he continues to dominate hitters with his four-seam fastball and slider. One could only assume at 26-years-old, Greene will improve and throw his name in contention for Cy Young. Green and youngster Chase Burns figure to be one of the most exciting pitching duos in baseball as they both have flamethrowers for an arm.
Below are the odds for DraftKings with Skenes leading the pack, Yamamoto right behind and Greene sitting in fourth.
4. Chris Sale, Atlanta Braves (+1400)
Chris Sale's 2025 season was cut short to only 21 games after a monster 2024 debut season with Atlanta where he won the NL Cy Young over Paul Skenes. Sale went from 18 wins and 3 losses in 2024 to 7 wins and 5 losses in 2025, but the Braves were not the same machine as the year prior.
This season, Atlanta figures to be much improved, they get a healthy Ronald Acuna Jr. and Sale back, plus a few more pieces that has Atlanta marked as the close favorite threat to win the NL East. The Braves are +190 to win the NL East, while the Mets are +165 and the Phillies are +180, so not much is separating them. If Sale returns to that 2024 form and Atlanta wins the NL East, well Sale figures to be a top three contender for the award, which makes me give him the edge over the Phillies' Cristopher Sanchez (+1000) or Zack Wheeler (+2000), the Giants' Logan Webb (+2000), or the Dodgers' Blake Snell (+1800).
As he approaches 37-years-old to start the season in a contract year, Sale is running out of time to win another Cy Young. He was quoted as saying he wants to retire as an Atlanta Brave, but that's not going to be this season or the next. If Sale pitches at a high level this year, he could earn himself a $40 or $50 million dollar bag over the next two years, so I wouldn't count Sale out for this award.
5. Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers (+3000)
Last year, Shohei Ohtani won his fourth MVP in five seasons, but has never won a Cy Young or come close. Ohtani only pitched in 14 games and 47.0 innings last season as he was returning from major elbow surgery. This year, the Dodgers see a difference in Ohtani as he prepares to be in the regular rotation.
"To see him face hitters, kind of start his buildup -- he’s certainly way ahead of where he was last year on the pitching side. That’s a good thing," manager Dave Roberts said. "But I just really don’t worry too much about his buildup and preparation."
Ohtani was limited in almost every start last season and this year that obviously won't be the case. He will be pitching and hitting for Samurai Japan in the World Baseball Classic later this month, so we will witness how far along he is right before the MLB season starts.
For +3000 odds or better, Ohtani could be worth a lunch money bet as I like to say. If he has his best pitching season and still hitting bombs, then Ohtani will likely take home his fifth MVP in six seasons. I question whether Ohtani will take home a Cy Young in his career, but this season or next could year would be it, in my opinion, at 31-years-old, he doesn't have much more time to throw and hit on a daily/weekly basis.
MLB Futures Card
3 units: Pittsburgh Pirates Over 76.5 Wins (-115)
1 unit: Pittsburgh Pirates to win NL Central (+800)
1 unit: Paul Skenes to win NL CY Young (+250)
1 unit: Garrett Crochet to win AL CY Young (+425)
0.5 unit: Konnor Griffin to win NL Rookie of the Year (+600)
0.5 unit: Bubba Chandler to win NL Rookie of the Year (+1200)
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