Things have gone downhill for the Golden State Warriors ever since Jimmy Butler got hurt in January, and that’s been compounded by Steph Curry missing the last five games.
The Warriors are hoping the potential debut of Kristaps Porzingis will help, but either way, the Dubs are in for a tough night against the Boston Celtics.
My Celtics vs. Warriors predictions and NBA picks break down why buckets will be hard to come by for the home team, with tip-off set for 10:00 p.m. ET at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Thursday, February 19.
Celtics vs Warriors best bet: Warriors team total Under 103.5 (-115)
Thanks to injuries and roster movement, this Golden State Warriors team has plenty of issues.
None are more glaring than its ability to generate offense when Steph Curry isn’t on the floor. Golden State ranks 27th in offensive rating, scoring just 104.2 points per game in the five games without Steph.
Tonight, the Warriors host a Boston Celtics team that continues to thrive without Jayson Tatum. Boston ranks ninth in defensive rating and third in opponent effective field-goal percentage.
Bet on the Dubs to finish under their team total in this one.
Celtics vs Warriors same-game parlay
Steph being out means fewer buckets. Jimmy Butler being out means less defense.
The Warriors are suddenly struggling in all areas of the game, ranking 27th in rebounding rate and 25th in opponent assists per possession since Butler went down.
Golden State’s best interior presence right now is Draymond Green, which will open the door for Nikola Vucevic to control the paint.
Meanwhile, Payton Pritchard has been racking up the dimes, recording seven or more assists in five of his last seven contests.
Celtics vs Warriors SGP
Warriors team total Under 103.5
Nikola Vucevic Over 8.5 rebounds
Payton Pritchard Over 5.5 assists
Our "from downtown" SGP: Double trouble
Let’s take Vucevic to not only eclipse his rebounding prop but to record a double-double as well — something he’s done in two of his first three games as a member of the Celtics.
The Warriors are 3-8 ATS since Jimmy Butler tore his ACL. Find more NBA betting trends for Celtics vs. Warriors.
How to watch Celtics vs Warriors
Location
Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
Date
Thursday, February 19, 2026
Tip-off
10:00 p.m. ET
TV
Prime Video
Celtics vs Warriors latest injuries
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INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 15: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Team USA Stripes drinks water at a press conference before the 75th NBA All-Star game at Intuit Dome on February 15, 2026 in Inglewood, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After a very long hiatus, we’re going to bring back the mailbag for the second half of this season and heading into a very important and likely franchise-altering offseason.
We’re also going to change things up a bit. There won’t be a full week between the questions and the answers as it limited what types of questions you guys could ask. We’re going to send out the call for questions on Thursdays and follow up with the mailbag piece over the weekend.
There are surely plenty of questions you guys surely have with the All-Star break and trade deadline freshly in the rear view mirror as well. The Lakers are also shaking things up in the front office, another storyline to watch heading into the offseason.
So, fire those questions in. Whether that’s on the court, off the court, tactics, whatever it may be for the Lakers or Sparks or the NBA in general, let’s have them. As always, keep things friendly along the way!
TORONTO, CANADA - OCTOBER 04: Aaron Judge #99 and Giancarlo Stanton #27 of the New York Yankees talk before the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on October 4, 2025 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There was a time, in the history of baseball and its Hall of Fame, in which certain numbers almost brought automatic inclusion into the game’s most exclusive clubs. Things like 3,000 hits, 300 wins, and of course, 500 home runs provided a clear pathway to Cooperstown. For the 2026 season, the Yankees have a couple of players who could make significant headway with regard specifically to that 500 home run mark. Both Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge have put themselves in good position to reach the number before the end of their careers, and in turn, to reach Cooperstown.
The two Yankee sluggers, assuming all goes well, will present very different cases to Hall voters when their day comes. We’ll start with Judge, who at this point has the much easier path to enshrinement, and perhaps to the 500 home run mark.
As unfortunate as it is to consider, Aaron Judge is not exactly a spring chicken. 2026 will be his age-34 season, and his 11th in the Major Leagues. On the bright side, that is about the only thing holding back the three-time MVP from hitting host of huge milestones. Since turning 30, Judge has done things on a baseball field that can only be compared to names like Babe Ruth and Barry Bonds. At this point in his career, number 99 has four different seasons with 50 or more homers (including one with 62), and has posted an OPS+ of at least 210 in three of the last four seasons. It has been said time and again, but it is impossible to argue that we are seeing an all-time great at the peak of his powers.
With regards to his reaching of 500 homers, the path is fairly straight forward. Judge has six years remaining on the contract he signed with New York prior to the 2023 season, and for the argument’s sake, we’ll assume that brings him to the end of his playing career. With 368 career homers already in the bag, Judge would need to average 22 home runs per season for the remainder of the deal. That is easier said than done, but Judge benefits greatly from the fact that he could easily knock out more than two thirds of the 132 homers he needs to join the exclusive club in the next two seasons. In fact, he’s averaged well over 50 over the last four years, and nearly 60 per 162 games in that stretch. No matter how the final few years of the contract look for Judge, he can easily do much of the needed damage in the next two or three seasons.
As far as his Hall of Fame case stands, the rest would just be gravy at that point, as his case is already nearly settled after his first decade in the league.
The case becomes a little bit blurrier when it comes to his teammate Giancarlo Stanton. For the full-time designated hitter, the greatest enemy is simply getting enough games to reach the all-important 500 mark. This has been a theme for much of his career, as he’s averaged around 28 homers per season during his career, but that number jumps all the way to 43 on a per-162-game basis.
This issue has become even more pressing since joining the Yankees in 2018, as he’s topped 140 games just one time, and has topped out at 114 over the last four seasons. It appeared, for a stretch, that he would also be battling greatly diminished performance for the final stretch of his career. He hit below his standards back in 2022, before posting his first ever below-average offensive season in ‘23. He was slightly better in 2024, though he still played in just 114 games, and left plenty of room for reasonable doubt.
Last season, however, Stanton provided some hope. It was actually a concerning year on one front, considering that he played in just 77 games, but it was positive in another: he can still rack up dingers with the very best of ‘em. In an abbreviated 281 plate appearance season, Stanton found the time to pummel 24 homers, and it wasn’t just the long ball either. The 158 OPS+ he posted in 2025 was his best mark since winning MVP with the Marlins back in 2017.
Despite the continued injury trouble, 2025 was the best that we’ve seen of Giancarlo Stanton in pinstripes. And although remaining on the field will always be the chief concern, his renaissance certainly rejuvenated his chase for 500 homers and possible enshrinement.
Stanton has two years remaining on his enormous 13-year deal, which brings him through his age-37 season. The most realistic route to 500 homers is that he continues doing what he has been — playing in 100-110 games and hitting 20-25 home runs (he needs 47). Those aren’t exactly sky-high expectations, and they are certainly within reach for Stanton. Even if he doesn’t reach 500 under this contract, it feels reasonable to think he’d latch on somewhere after in an effort to chip away at the milestone.
Assuming he does eventually get there, his Hall case will be far more consideration-worthy than Judge’s. Even if things go well, it would be pretty unlikely for him to finish above 50 fWAR, and with much of his career coming as a designated hitter, the 500 home run selling point may be a bit harder to convince voters with.
Stanton has been a terrific hitter for his entire career regardless of the finish, but if he does reach that former auto-enshrinement number, things could get interesting once his name comes up on Hall of Fame ballots.
The Lakers have hired Lon Rosen as the franchise’s president of business operations, the team announced Thursday.
Rosen replaces Tim Harris, longtime president of business operations, after Harris announced in an email to colleagues earlier in the week that he was stepping down from the role he had for over 30 years.
Dodgers president Stan Kasten (left) and executive VP Lon Rosen before a game against the Miami Marlins at Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Rosen has been the Dodgers’ executive vice president and chief marketing officer since 2012.
Lakers owner Mark Walter, who acquired majority ownership of the franchise from the Buss family in October, is also the controlling owner of the Dodgers.
Rosen started his career with the Lakers as an intern while in college before becoming a front office executive in the 1980s, eventually becoming an agent and business executive.
“For many years, I have seen the impact that Lon has had in our industry,” Lakers governor Jeanie Buss said in a statement. “Over that time, I have learned that not only is Lon a great person, but he also has a deep understanding of both sports and entertainment and a true feel for where this business is headed.
Lon Rosen walks past Dodgers fans during day two of spring training at Camelback Ranch in Phoenix, Arizona. Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Buss added: “Finding someone who could fill Tim’s shoes overseeing the business side of our organization would never be easy. The answer, we soon realized, was someone both Mark and I knew well — and who already understood the values, culture and commitment to excellence of both the Dodgers and the Lakers.”
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TAMPA, FL - SEPTEMBER 19: Cole Wilcox #15 of the Tampa Bay Rays pitches during the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Friday, September 19, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Alex Zadorozny/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Had the deal not occurred in the early stages of the winter, with the club still reeling from their ALCS exit, Cole Wilcox’s acquisition from the Tampa Bay Rays for cash considerations would’ve delivered a classic Jerry Dipoto quote. Something in the milieu of having had their eyes on Wilcox since his draft day, seeing him as one of the most talented arms available, yadda ft. yadda.
Instead, as I wrote upon his acquisition, Wilcox appears more as tertiary decor for the M’s bullpen pile; 40-man bunting that will remain past Opening Day but is unlikely to be in Seattle for the season’s debut. In the linked blurb, I outlined Wilcox’s growth mechanically from his starting days into a higher-effort, bullpen role. Once a notable feature of the Blake Snell trade that sent that ace from Tampa Bay to San Diego, Wilcox’s post-Tommy John trajectory is a reminder that the big leaguers we see recovering fully from the knife are those who’ve been more fortunate.
Wilcox’s velocity and efficacy has never recovered fully from his 2021 time on the surgeon’s table. His halting performance and health in 2023 and 2024 demonstrated a very different ceiling than his draft day promise, where as Emerson Hancock’s former rotation-mate he secured an ample $3.3 million signing bonus to leave campus early as the 80th pick overall. Now, he’ll be in the bullpen, or even possibly the rotation once again with Hancock, helping the Tacoma Rainiers compete for a Pacific Coast League title while filling a swingman role in the aftermath of Logan Evans taking his turn on the TJ roulette.
This isn’t conclusive for Wilcox. The 26 year old showed promise a season ago, sitting around 96 mph with his sinker as a reliever and making his big league debut with the Rays for a single frame. After an age 25 season with just two appearances in the majors, Eduard Bazardo burst onto the scene with… three more seasons riding the AAA-MLB shuttle between three organizations, throwing 133.1 minor league innings and just 60.0 in the majors. At age 29, Bazardo came into camp last year as a contender for the final spot in the bullpen. It would be, for the first time in his career, a year fully spent as a big leaguer, solidifying himself as a sinker-slider mainstay for the M’s. 40 in 40s are a snapshot, a moment only somewhat more predictive than one we might’ve taken in Chattanooga, TN in 1999 when Wilcox came into this world.
Dodgers executive Lon Rosen, shown at spring training in 2024, will become the Lakers' new president of business operations, the team announced Thursday. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
As the Lakers prepare to enter the stretch run of the NBA season, the team announced that Lon Rosen will replace Tim Harris as president of business operations.
Rosen, who has been an executive vice president and chief marketing officer with the Dodgers since 2012 when Mark Walters and Guggenheim Baseball Management purchased the club, worked for the Lakers as an intern while in college and eventually became an executive with the organization in the 1980s.
"For many years, I have seen the impact that Lon has had in our industry," Jeanie Buss, Lakers governor and minority owner, said in a statement released by the team. "Over that time, I have learned that not only is Lon a great person, but he also has a deep understanding of both sports and entertainment and a true feel for where this business is headed.”
Harris announced this week to colleagues that he would be stepping down at the end of this season, according to the team's statement. He was part of the management team that negotiated a $3-billion, 20-year deal with Charter Communications to create Spectrum SportsNet for the Lakers in 2012.
Rosen, who eventually became an agent and sports business leader, helped the Dodgers increase revenue during a period in which they won three World Series championships.
“I’m beyond grateful to Jeanie and Mark for trusting me with this incredible opportunity,” Rosen said in the statement released by the Lakers. “As everyone knows, the economics of the sports business are constantly changing — and they will continue to do so.
“But, at root, my job is a simple one: figuring out how to do right by our employees and our partners while ensuring that the Lakers continue to provide an unparalleled experience for our fans in Los Angeles and around the world. I look forward to working alongside Jeanie, Rob and the whole front-office team to make that happen.”
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 11: A detail shot of a New York Mets London Series 2024 bobblehead during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the New York Mets at Citi Field on Saturday, May 11, 2024 in New York, New York. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Mets will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the 1986 team all season long with some unique giveaways. If you’d like to rock a replica ring from the ‘86 squad, you have to be one of the first 15,000 fans in the ballpark on Saturday, March 28. If clothing is more your style, the team will distribute a 1986 World Champions retro t-shirt on Tuesday, May 26, and a 1986 Retro Jersey on Saturday, July 12. It’s worth noting that the jersey will be given out in a game against the Red Sox, whom the Mets famously defeated to earn their second, and most recent, championship. The Mets will also give out four bobbleheads to celebrate iconic moments from the 1986 team, but these games require a special ticket in order to procure the promo. These are: a Gary Carter bobblehead (Thursday, April 9), a Jesse Orosco bobblehead (Friday, April 24), a Mookie Wilson bobblehead (Tuesday, May 12), and a Ray Knight bobblehead (Sunday, August 2)
Beyond celebrating the 1986 team, the club also has a number of cool bobbleheads that could be yours if you don’t value your time enough and can wait in line two hours before gates to guarantee the promo (side note and opinion of this writer, but all promotions at sporting events should be available to all fans; you purchase a ticket, you get the promo. End rant). The Mets have two unique Juan Soto bobbleheads: One highlighting his 40/30 season on Saturday, April 11, and one baseball card bobblehead on Thursday, June 25. The Mets also have a Mr. Met Unisphere Light Up bobblehead on Saturday, April 25, and a Hello Kitty Bobblehead on June 13 that is sure to be very in-demand. Those promos go to the first 18,000 fans through the gate.
The Mets didn’t forget all you kids out there, because they lined up some child-friendly promos. The first 5,000 kids 12 and under at the Sunday, March 29 game on Opening Weekend will get a 5-borough race kids puzzle, which seems to suggest the popular race is returning in 2026. There is also a Crayola “Color Your Own Mrs. Met” Bobblehead on Sunday, June 14, which also goes to the first 5,000 kids at the game.
All fans in attendance to Opening Day will get a magnetic schedule (I suppose the Mets heard my pleas in one specific instance). Beyond that, probably the most unique and creative giveaway is the “Bobby Valentine Disguise” promo, which goes to the first 15,000 fans at the Friday, May 29 game against the Marlins. There’s also a soccer jersey (Thursday, June 11), a Mets purse (Monday, June 22), a Mets chain necklace (Tuesday, June 23), a Marcus Semien replica jersey (Wednesday, June 24), and a Pride Night sleeveless jersey (Friday, June 26).
Aug 9, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals guest coach Yadier Molina (4) looks on from the dugout during the ninth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
One of the biggest non-player questions St. Louis Cardinals fans have as the 2026 season is about to begin is what will Yadier Molina’s real role be with the team. We’re starting to get answers and it appears his impact with the 2026 St. Louis Cardinals team will be greater than the past which could be a crucial part of the team’s ongoing rebuild.
It was nearly a month ago that I shared the news that the St. Louis Cardinals had hired Yadier Molina as a Special Assistant to President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom. This was the same title Yadi received in December of 2023 when then POBO John Mozeliak brought him back into the organization, but his visibility then was scarce. There are signs that this new era of Yadi will be different as he just told KMOV in St. Louis that he would be in the dugout for 2 or 3 series in St. Louis this year and then he would head to the minor leagues to help the young catchers in their development. I have not heard him specify exactly how much time he’ll spend with the minor league catchers.
There is no doubt that Yadier Molina imparting his knowledge into young Cardinals catching prospects like Rainiel Rodriguez could be the key to the team developing the next leader behind the plate. The newest MLB prospect rankings said that Rodriguez has thrown out at least 30% of the base stealing attempts against him and you’d have to believe that Yadi can help him increase that number. Pitch framing is another skill set that Rainiel needs to improve.
From what I’ve heard Yadi say during his time at Spring Training over the past week is he believes the St. Louis Cardinals have the talent they need even if they don’t have the recognizable names. He said his goal is nothing less than helping the Cardinals win the World Series again. Most believe that’s nothing but a daydream for the 2026 season, but Molina’s influence on all of the young Cardinals will be a key element in helping the organization bring back the winning mindset that is required for a future playoff-contending St. Louis club.
HOUSTON, TX - FEBRUARY 4: The sneakers worn by Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets during the game against the Boston Celtics on February 4, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 13: Brusdar Graterol #48 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws on the field during spring training workouts at Camelback Ranch on February 13, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s been a while since we’ve seen Brusdar Graterol pitch in an actual game. And it’s going to be a little while longer too, as manager Dave Roberts told reporters on Wednesday at Camelback Ranch that the Dodgers reliever won’t be ready to open the regular season.
“With Brusdar, he’s shown that we can count on him in the biggest of spots. We just gotta get him up to the velocity. It’s an intentionally slow build up,” Roberts said Wednesday. “He’s not going to start the season [active].”
We’ve talked before about how opening day is just one of 186 days on the regular season schedule, and on a Dodgers team with postseason aspirations they basically plan for seven months instead of six. Last year, for instance, the Dodgers tied their franchise record with 40 pitchers used, but only four were active for the entire regular season — Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Alex Vesia, Anthony Banda, and Jack Dreyer.
But it still has to be disheartening for Graterol, who also had shoulder trouble and a hamstring injury in 2024 that limited him to only 10 games between the regular season and postseason that year, only pitching a combined 9 2/3 innings over the last two seasons.
Graterol with his five years, 167 days of major league service time will be a free agent after this season. But he enters his launch season with 190 2/3 career innings. Weirdly, that almost exactly matches Dustin May (191 2/3) heading into last season with similar service time. May though was a starter and after two Tommy John surgeries was able to pitch 132 1/3 innings in 2025, more than any two of his previous seasons combined heading into the open market.
Phillips will also be a free agent at the end of the season, and will have less of a runway into free agency, as he’s not expected back before the All-Star break. He has a little more bulk stats under his belt at this point with 252 innings and 46 saves (45 of them with the Dodgers).
Graterol will still have time to put together his 2026 season, even if the build-up to get there is methodical.
Goals from Murillo, Igor Jesus and Morgan Gibbs-White give Vitor Pereira a winning start as Forest head coach
I was at Dyche’s final game in charge and Omari Hutchinson was underwhelming, to say the least. It will be interesting to see how he reacts to the new regime.
Pereira: “Today is three days working. but working to play in a way to try short communications, be very clear. Today I hope that I see my team play organised with tactical organisation, and be able to express themselves, play with courage and a mentality to win.”
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 10: Kristaps Porzingis #7 of the Golden State Warriors poses for a portrait on February 10, 2026 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
With the second half of the season set to begin Thursday night, the Golden State Warriors are expected to debut their newest addition, big man Kristaps Porzingis. The 7-foot-2 center was acquired ahead of the NBA trade deadline from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield. While he wasn’t healthy enough to suit up immediately after the trade, Porzingis said on Wednesday he is feeling good and is “ready to go” ahead of tonight’s matchup against the Boston Celtics.
Kristaps Porzingis said he’s “back at it” tomorrow vs Celtics. Team listing him as questionable so he didn’t want to say for certain, but it’s clear he plans to make his Warriors debut.
The All-Star Break gave Porzingis the opportunity to scrimmage with the team and get acclimated with his new teammates. As he begins adjusting to his new role, his early impressions of the Warriors’ system were positive, highlighting the offense’s freedom and simplicity.
"I like the offense. I like the simplicity and the freedom. That's the hardest to guard."
On paper, Porzingis fits right in with the Warriors as a floor-spacing big that can also be used as a lob threat. He’s averaging 17.1 points per game this season while shooting 45.7 percent from the field and 36 percent from the three-point line.
Although Stephen Curry has already been ruled out as he continues to manage runner’s knee, Porzingis’ debut gives Golden State a new focal point for the time being as they look to make a push in the second half of the season.
For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Thursday, February 19th:
Prior to the break, Warriors coach Steve Kerr expressed optimism that the swelling and pain in Curry’s right knee would calm and he’d perhaps get clearance for Thursday night. But Curry returned to the facility Wednesday night and told the training staff his “runner’s knee” didn’t feel quite ready to participate in a live scrimmage.
“Just wasn’t where he needed to be,” Kerr said. “It’s unfortunate. We’ll have an update tomorrow after he goes through his time with the training staff.”
The Warriors are a bit like the Heat in that a really positive rating for their front office relies quite a bit on history that’s getting further and further away. Complicating matters for Golden State: they’ve dealt with brain drain that Miami hasn’t. Bob Myers, Jerry West and Travis Schlenk, all important figures from Golden State’s rise, are gone. We’re now almost three seasons into Mike Dunleavy Jr.’s tenure, and not much has been accomplished. The signature move was the Jimmy Butler trade, and it by and large worked as intended. A torn ACL, though, all but ended any hopes they had of contending this season.
Otherwise? The past few years have mostly been disappointing.
“I just don't think that this is something that you can just allow people to decide what they wanna decide because it involves so many other people including people that you have to go to war with"
That last part about the timing of it all is worth unpacking, as there has been chatter among rival teams for months now that the league was delaying its announcement for the sake of salvaging All-Star Weekend. Yet until the ruling comes, the Clippers’ every move will continue to be analyzed by league folks and fans alike.
Did they give president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank a lucrative and lengthy extension months ago as a preemptive battening of the hatches? Was the Ivica Zubac deal with the Indiana Pacers perhaps motivated by the desire to secure first-round draft picks in case the Clippers have to forfeit draft picks? Did James Harden want to get out of Dodge, err, Inglewood (and off to the Cleveland Cavaliers) in part because of the chaos that might be coming around the bend? This is the sort of stuff that has been bandied about for some time now, and which will be interesting to revisit when clarity finally comes.
Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving will miss the season to allow himself additional time to fully heal from the torn ACL he suffered last March. Irving will make his return for the 2026–27 season. pic.twitter.com/hfqAiRTPP4
So how high can the Warriors rise, and how far can they fall? For me, the answer is boring: I think they’re stuck in the play-in tournament. I could see them rising one spot to have the top seed in the tourney, or falling to the last spot.
Follow@unstoppablebaby on X for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.
Doug Moe, Head Coach for the Denver Nuggets points his finger as a signal during the NBA Midwest Division basketball game against the Seattle SuperSonics on 6th April 1990 at the McNichols Sports Arena, Denver, Colorado, United States. The Denver Nuggets won the game 119 - 103. (Photo by Damian Strohmeyer/Allsport/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Earlier this week, we got the sad news that former basketball player and coach Doug Moe passed away at the age of 87. Moe is probably best known as the coach of several NBA teams, most notably the Denver Nuggets in the 1980s. His Denver teams played a remarkably fast paced, motion offense, regularly scoring more than 120+ points per game. He was a fairly successful coach too, as his teams made the playoffs in nine of the 10 years he was in Denver, advancing to the conference finals in 1985.
Long before his coaching career, Moe was a player. In fact, he was a player at UNC who seemed to be on his way to great things before circumstances got in the way.
Moe came out of Brooklyn, he was part of the Frank McGuire/NYC pipeline, and began playing for the Tar Heels in the 1958-59 season. He fully broke out the following year, averaging a double double with 16.8 points and a team-leading 11.3 rebounds per game. Finally in 1960-61, he put up a remarkable 20.4 points and 14.0 rebounds a game, for which he was voted an All-American by several of the different voting bodies that hand out that honor.
However, later it was revealed that prior to the 1960-61 season, he had accepted $75 to take a meeting with some people who were looking to fix games. Unlike teammate Lou Brown, who set up the meeting, Moe was never implicated for anything beyond taking the meeting, never mind throwing games, but the damage was done. He was suspended from the university, and the resulting scandal led to McGuire losing his coaching gig at UNC. That, of course, led to Dean Smith getting the gig, so that worked out at least.
Meanwhile, Moe himself got blackballed from the NBA for his part, leading to him spending his playing career in the ABA. He got his start in coaching there as well, eventually coming over to the NBA following the merger. After his Nuggets’ stint, his last head coaching gig came with the 76ers in 1992-93. He mostly walked away from coaching after that, but did later return to the Nuggets as a consultant and assistant coach.
The way his UNC tenure ended makes things a little awkward for the school itself to celebrate him too much. However, Doug Moe was a very good basketball player for the Tar Heels, and that shouldn’t be forgotten.
Aug 22, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; San Francisco Giants pitcher Carson Whisenhunt (88) in the dugout out after being taken out of the game agains the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images | Michael McLoone-Imagn Images
Heading into last year’s Spring Training, one-time pitching coach J.P. Martinez was excited by the prospect of having “15 or 16 legitimate starters” to work with and the overall feeling that — especially with the signing of Justin Verlander — the team had an almost glut of pitching depth.
Depth doesn’t always mean starting pitching, of course, but Buster Posey’s time as a player was during a stretch where it felt like the Giants could get any geek off the street and transform him into a solid arm. That didn’t wind up being the case, of course, and the Giants’ inability to stay out of long slumps contributed to the front office discarded a good chunk of the depth, but here are some guys who threw some innings to varying degrees of quality and did poor enough that we’re sure to never see them again OR well enough that they’ll be counted on in 2026.
Carson Whisenhunt
Let’s start here because, in case you missed the news,
That would be a welcome development in the Giants’ quest to have starting pitching depth, but it’s not as though Whisenhunt’s 2025 debut was a total disaster. Certainly, one could argue that he’s worth an entire profile to himself and one might wonder if the writer of this piece might’ve selected him for that purpose but, due to time constraints, now finds it necessary to had him to this one… we might never know.
What we did learn about the lefty’s 5-start stint with the Giants is that he’s still a work in progress. He got his first two major league wins before Justin Verlander could get his third as a Giant. In both those wins, he was really sharp, handling a tough Mets lineup in win #1 and a tough Cubs lineup in win #2. It helps that the Giants’ lineup scored 12 runs for him in each victory. But from a basic stat analysis, it was hardly impressive: he walked 12 in 23.1 innings and struck out just 16. He allowed 6 home runs and 5 doubles. His four-seamer averaged 92.6 mph, according to Statcast and his 83 mph slider sported a 2,500 rpm. He got swing and miss on his changeup (37.8 Whiff%), but as with his fastball, when batters made contact it was very hard contact.
Major league hitters weren’t impressed by his stuff. His minor league K/9 was 7.9 (compared to 6.2 in the majors) and his 2.9 BB/9 is simply fantastic (compared to 4.6 in the majors). He was the Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Year, too. So, in the calendar year 2025, it’s wrong to say that Carson Whisenhunt had a bad year. Any season where you make your major league debut and don’t embarrass yourself and then go on to win a major “best in show” award is a good one.
Dominating the minor leagues is one thing, of course, and so it’ll be a great test of Tony Vitello and his new coaching staff to see if they can do that thing of finishing Whisenhunt’s development in the major leagues. Some more of that development might’ve happened in 2025 had a back sprain not limited him down the stretch, but with this entirely new set of coaches running the operation, it’s possible that that missed time might wind up being a good thing, as he has far less to forget from the previous staff’s guidance.
He enters camp in pretty much the same situation he has found himself in each of the past two years — likely headed to Sacramento to try to pitch his way into being the “first man up” when the big club needs a rotation option along the way.
If that velocity in a 2026 scrimmage is indicative of anything, it’s progress. Enough to win a job out of camp?
JT Brubaker
Brubaker might be one of the aforementioned “geeks off the street” from Posey’s time as a player. 2025 marked two years removed from Tommy John surgery and he caught on with the Yankees for his return. They used him as a reliever in what wound up a crowded bullpen. He walked 9 and struck out just 10 in 16 innings. After the Yankees released him, the Giants signed him, and once he debuted for the orange & black, he was quite good. He had a 1.95 FIP and struck out 12 (walking 3) in 12.2 innings while featuring just a 93 mph sinker.
The Giants even used him to open a game and he gave them 4 innings of 2-run ball, striking out 4 Cardinals and walking just 1. The Giants kept him away from leverage roles during this brief stint so it’s hard to get a real sense of how he’ll do as a reliever going forward, though maybe that’s not the exact role the team has in mind.
He was arbitration eligible this offseason and the Giants signed him for $1.82 million. I have been obsessed with the team finding another Jakob Junis, hoping it would be Tristan Beck or Keaton Winn, but in Brubaker they might’ve found the next multi-inning reliever who can open or serve as a bridge in the 4th, 5th, and 6th innings.
Keaton Winn
“If he could just stay healthy!”
That’s the line with Keaton Winn and 2025 really turned up the volume. He pitched just 37.1 innings across the minors and majors (10 IP in MLB) as he worked his way back following ulnar nerve transposition surgery that ended his 2024 season in mid-July. Overall, it was sort of a mixed bag and one that almost certainly pushed him from the possible starter category into a reliever role going forward.
That’s how Bob Melvin deployed him in those 10 big league innings, and Winn looked sharp there, striking out 9 and walking just 2. He, like Brubaker, was also held out of leverage roles so it’s unclear how his fastball-splitter combo might play when the game is on the line, but in the glimpses we got, it looked like a potent pairing.
2026 won’t be an absolute make or break year for Winn as he still does have a major league option, but it’s going to be a critical one for him as a part of the Giants organization.
Mason Black
The Giants gave him just 4 innings in 2025 but those, along with the 36.1 they’d seen in 2024, were enough to decide that they could use his roster spot for somebody else.
He pitched in just one game — the 4th of July game in West Sacramento — and he gave up 2 home runs while striking out 5.
Different speeds, different movements, different locations — the more varying looks the better. That’s what Black needs to improve on in the offseason, and even then, it’s a stretch to envision the right-hander getting a substantial amount of innings
That wound up being prophetic, and in the offseason, the Giants traded him away to the Royals. Is he a “victim” of the previous front office’s plan to give pitchers smaller workloads in the minors to, essentially, “save” their “bullets” for MLB or this just another prospect that didn’t pan out because that’s what usually happens to prospects?
Scott Alexander
I wouldn’t say that Alexander had a great year or even a good year, but I think the veteran lefty reliever had a fun year. It began in Colorado where he got shelled, of course, allowing 11 runs (all earned) in 16.1 innings of work. He was released by them in May and picked up by the Giants on a minor league deal in June. He allowed 8 runs (all earned) in 5.1 innings with the River Cats.
And then Erik Miller got hurt.
This forced the Giants to break the emergency glass and call him up. He appeared in 2 games, pitched 1.1 innings and allowed 1 run, walked 2 and struck out 2. His first appearance of just 0.2 innings was against the Phillies in San Francisco and in holding the Phillies scoreless he helped the Giants come back to win that game in the bottom of the 9th. The next day, he got shelled along with the rest of the staff in a 13-0 loss.
This was Alexander’s second stint with the team after throwing 65.2 innings across 2022 and 2023. You could tell by watching him that the stuff and command were compromised enough that the emergency use case for him would be the only rational way a major league team could deploy him.
Sean Hjelle
After throwing an astonishing 80.2 innings in 2024 and pushing himself into the conversation as a reliable back of the bullpen arm, Hjelle lost a full mile per hour off his fastball in 2025 and that seemed to make all the difference. In 2024, he averaged 94.6 mph, hitting 94.5 mph or better 114 out of the 211 times (54%) he threw a fastball (sinker or cutter). In 2025, he managed that just 7 times in 47 fastball throws (14.9%). He went from a 3.63 FIP in 2024 to 5.20 in 2025. In addition to the diminished stuff, he seemed to have lost control of the strike zone. There was also a significant off-field matter that certainly didn’t pair well with poor performance. It was a tough year for him and it concluded with him signing a deal to pitch for Japan’s Orix Buffaloes in the offseason.
Lou Trivino
It’s odd to think of Bob Melvin having “a guy,” but that’s just what Lou Trivino was. 2025 marked two years removed from Tommy John, so there’s certainly a logic to the Giants rolling the dice on a veteran relief arm who had the favor of their manager. But he had effectively pitched his way out of work in 2022 with the A’s and it was a little surprising that the team would give an arm like that an Opening Day spot. He wound up being as bad as feared, lasting just 12.1 innings (11 games) with the Giants. He gave up 8 runs (all earned) including 4 homers while striking out 11. A 5.84 ERA/7.03 FIP wasn’t going to cut it, of course, but the Giants decided to go with their better options rather than wait to see if he sorted things out.
After the Giants released him, the Dodgers executed a flawless troll of a signing and got a 3.76 ERA (4.12 FIP) in 26 games (26.1 IP). After the Dodgers released him, he signed on with the Phillies and was fine in Philadelphia, too: 2.00 ERA in 9 IP with 8 K 5 BB 3 R (2 ER) and 0 home runs allowed.
