All six of the Premier League’s last-16 teams have plenty of work to do in their second legs. Bodø/Glimt, meanwhile, have eyes on a fairytale quarter-final
A rude awakening for the English Premier League, a week when European football reasserted itself; financial dominance need not mean dominance on the field. Real Madrid’s first-half destruction of Manchester City was chastening. This was a Madrid team shorn of Kylian Mbappé, Rodrygo and Jude Bellingham and yet City were soundly beaten 3-0. Arsenal’s drab 1-1 draw with Bayer Leverkusen showed Mikel Arteta’s team will require more than set pieces to prevail in the competition.
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cubs fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
The Cubs have clearly built this year’s team to be a strong contender, adding Alex Bregman and Edward Cabrera to the cast that won 92 games and took the Brewers to the limit in a division series.
Yes, Kyle Tucker’s gone, but the team will also have a full year of Cade Horton and hopefully improvements from Pete Crow-Armstrong and Matt Shaw, among others. The team is seen by many as a favorite to win the NL Central.
So with two weeks to go before Opening Day, how do you think this Cubs team is set for 2026? How many games will they win?
Fill out the survey below and I’ll have the responses later this week.
Mar 11, 2026; Miami, FL, United States; Dominican Republic second baseman Ketel Marte (4) celebrates with third baseman Manny MacHado (3), shortstop Geraldo Perdomo (2), and right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) after hitting a home run against Venezuela during the third inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
The San Diego Padres had a rare Spring Training off day before they host the Kansas City Royals at the Peoria Sports Complex on Thursday at 6:10 p.m. For many Padres fans that just meant their attention shifted to the World Baseball Classic where the Dominican Republic and Venezuela met in a game between two undefeated teams.
The Dominican Republic used the power of four home runs including the three-run shot from Tatis to win the contest 7-5 after Venezuela failed to complete a late comeback. Juan Soto, Ketel Marte and Vladamir Guerrero Jr. all joined Tatis with home runs as part of 11 hits banged out by the D.R. who finished 4-0 in pool play.
Padres News:
Joe Musgrove has had a tough road back to the big-league mound and it appears that road is not quite completed. Musgrove’s next start is to be determined after he was unable to bounce back from a start and a bullpen session. Cheri Bell of Gaslamp Ball believes the best course of action for the Padres is to take it slow with Musgrove as his ability to pitch in-season and in the playoffs is much more valuable.
Spring Training is all about position battles and the elite San Diego bullpen is no different. Mason Miller, Adrian Morejon, Jeremiah Estrada, Wandy Peralta, David Morgan, and Jason Adam and Yuki Matsui (if healthy) are penciled into seven of eight potential bullpen positions. That means one spot remains and multiple players are looking to fill the role according to Lincoln Zdunich of Gaslamp Ball.
The Padres bats have been heating up in Spring Training and Cheri Bell of Gaslamp Ball provides numbers to show that new hitting coach Steven Souza Jr. may have unlocked the power that was missing from the San Diego roster last season.
The Padres have known they need to address a hole at the back of the rotation and that hole could become larger if any of the four prospective starters already in place, Michael King, Nick Pivetta, Joe Musgrove or Randy Vasquez, miss time with an injury. But assuming they are all healthy, Walker Buehler, German Marquez, Marco Gonzales, Triston McKenzie, JP Sears and Matt Waldron are all fighting for the final spot. The Padres Reacts Survey question to Gaslamp Ball readers for this week, is who takes the fifth and final rotation spot.
Corbin Carroll, who is returning from Hamate surgery, is using an axe-handle bat to help protect his hand now that he is returning to Spring Training action.
The Memphis Grizzlies look to make it eight straight wins against the Dallas Mavericks tonight.
Even with Dallas on an eight-game losing skid and wrapping up a gruelling six-game road trip, my Mavericks vs. Grizzlies predictions and NBA picks have the visitors finally breaking a couple of lengthy slides on Thursday, March 12.
Mavericks vs Grizzlies prediction
Mavericks vs Grizzlies best bet: Mavericks -5 (-110)
The Dallas Mavericks have lost five straight on this trip, with double-digit losses in four of them.
It’s part of a bigger skid, where they’ve gone an NBA-worst 2-18 over the last 20 games, averaging just 109.8 points per game.
But road-weary bodies still beat unhealthy ones, and the Memphis Grizzlies, who’ve also dropped five straight, will be without their leading scorer, rebounder, and assist man, as Santi Aldama, Scotty Pippen Jr., and Ja Morant are all sidelined.
Plus, Cedric Coward, Walter Clayton Jr., and Ty Jerome are all doubtful.
Dallas will avoid a four-game regular-season series sweep.
Mavericks vs Grizzlies same-game parlay
Rookie Cooper Flagg has scored just 12 points in each of the two games he’s played against Memphis and has scored sub-20 points in four straight since returning from a foot injury.
That hasn’t affected his rebounding effort, though, as he’s picked up at least eight boards in each of his last three games.
Mavericks vs Grizzlies SGP
Mavericks -5
Cooper Flagg Under 21.5 points
Cooper Flagg Over 6.5 rebounds
Our "from downtown" SGP: The Flagg Bearer
Let’s stick with the rook as we build out a monster SGP that pays out at +2100.
Flagg has hit at least one triple in three of four games since returning from injury.
And while his scoring has been down, he’s been keeping his teammates well fed, doling out at least six assists in three of his last four games.
Mavericks vs Grizzlies SGP
Mavericks -5
Cooper Flagg Under 21.5 points
Cooper Flagg Over 6.5 rebounds
Cooper Flagg Over 0.5 made threes
Cooper Flagg Over 5.5 assists
Mavericks vs Grizzlies odds
Spread: Mavericks -5 (-110) | Grizzlies +5 (-110)
Moneyline: Mavericks -205 | Grizzlies +170
Over/Under: Over 239.5 (-110) | Under 239.5 (-110)
Mavericks vs Grizzlies betting trend to know
The Memphis Grizzlies have only hit the Moneyline in 12 of their last 40 games (-20.45 Units / -38% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Mavericks vs. Grizzlies.
How to watch Mavericks vs Grizzlies
Location
FedExForum, Memphis, TN
Date
Thursday, March 12, 2026
Tip-off
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
KFAA, FDSN SE-Memphis
Mavericks vs Grizzlies latest injuries
Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
It’s time for harsh truths. Cold, unrelenting reality. Words must no longer be minced.
The Houston Rockets’ situation has materially worsened in 2025-26.
Place the blame where you will. Ime Udoka’s offense lacks sophistication. Rafael Stone picked Jalen Green with the most consequential draft pick of the rebuild. Kevin Durant has a burner.
Each of the young players is flawed. This won’t devolve into a “who are the Rockets trading” piece. It’s a tangentially related “the Rockets will have to trade someone” piece.
Again: Cold, unrelenting reality.
Rockets’ rebuild did not go according to plan
It may be cold, but it shouldn’t be particularly surprising.
Historically, this is the rebuilding cycle, whether a team tanks or not. You have low expectations as a young team, start winning games as an up-and-coming squad, the expectations rise, and then you see if any of your young players can meet them at the highest level. If even one can, you’ve found your franchise player:
If nobody does, then nobody is safe.
That’s when consolidation happens. It’s a dirty word for “young core” enthusiasts. Fine, but NBA years are like dog years – each year is more than a year.
In a couple of seasons, the Rockets’ “young core” will be an “in-prime core”. If you think they project as title contenders, it would be impossible for us to have a conversation. I think that’s utterly delusional.
(Luckily, this is not a conversation, and you are a captive).
Sorry, I do. Let’s talk about it. Alperen Sengun has regressed to his previous standard on defense. He’s as inefficient as ever on offense. If this looks like a franchise player to you…again, delusion is the word.
The same goes for Amen Thompson. I’m not trying to play favorites. His one-level scoring will be exposed in the postseason. Even if Houston ditched Sengun for a floor spacing big and ran a pick-and-spread offense around Thompson, there’s little evidence that it would be viable. The Spurs would love to defend that offense in a seven game four game series.
Reed Sheppard? The last bastion of hope. This is the one player who it’s too soon to dismiss. He’s been outstanding as a sophomore. Yet, as early as it would be to dismiss him, it would be equally early to coronate him. All of which is to say, it would be better to keep him, but he shouldn’t hold up consolidation either.
Moreover, even the idea of running a “team first, no franchise player” team is problematic. To make that work, the synergy needs to be perfect. It isn’t with this team. Sengun and Sheppard are a rough defensive pairing. Sengun and Thompson are a poor offensive pairing.
This is the situation the Rockets are in. They tanked for three years (plus a bonus year of reaping the Nets’ rewards), and they didn’t net a franchise-caliber player or a perfectly constructed roster. They just didn’t.
It’s not as egregiously unfortunate as many will frame it. In that entire window, the only high lottery picks who turned out to be one of those have been Victor Wembanyama and Cade Cunningham. Even Paolo Banchero, the patron saint of Rockets’ would-bes, hasn’t met that bar. This happens. It’s happened before. The question is this:
What happens when it happens?
Rockets need to rebuild the rebuild
The year is 2018. The Toronto Raptors are the second-best team in the Eastern Conference almost annually, but they are second by such a massive margin that it’s moot. The team is homegrown. It’s talented. Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, Jakob Poeltl. It is never going to win a championship as constructed:
So, they trade for Kawhi Leonard.
The year is now 2019. LeBron James has joined the Lakers for no reason other than they’re the Lakers. That may break the analogy for you, but the Rockets did land Kevin Durant for just a bit more than nothing, so the situations are comparable enough. Beyond James, the Lakers have a similar collection of strong, but sub-elite talent. Brandon Ingram. Lonzo Ball. Josh Hart. Julius Randle. None of these guys are a viable co-star for James:
So, they trade for Anthony Davis.
Turn the clock back further. Now it’s 2007. Sorry, the time machine is on the fritz. The Boston Celtics have a solid group of young talent. Rajan Rondo, Al Jefferson, Gerald Green. Not going to win a championship, etc.
Yada yada yada, Kevin Garnett.
Take a deep look in the mirror. Be brutally honest with yourself. Take a look at this Rockets core.
Do we have Baby Jokic, Turbo Igoudala, White Curry, and wings? Or, does this look a bit more like Siakam, Anunoby, and Poeltl. Ingram, Ball, and Hart.
(OK, it’s probably better than Rondo and Jefferson).
So, what should the Rockets do?
The Rockets need to make a decision soon
It doesn’t have to be this summer. It doesn’t have to be Giannis. If the Rockets want to kick the can, they can wait to see if they can find a franchise-caliber diamond in the rough in the 2027 draft. Heck, they could wait for the 2029 draft. They have major skin in that game with multiple swap rights with potential lottery teams, but good luck selling Tilman Fertitta on waiting four more years for a “guy”.
So Antetokounmpo should be on the table. Nothing should be sacred between these walls. Still, Antetokounmpo is not the perfect answer. No matter who the Rockets move, they’ll be pairing him with another non-spacer unless they’re moving both Sengun and Thompson.
Alternatively, Antetokounmpo is almost certainly the best player who’s going to shake loose during the Rockets’ consolidation window. Remember: That window isn’t particularly wide. Once these guys are in-prime players, teams will be thinking about their next deal. In two seasons, Alperen Sengun will be two (or three, pending his player option) seasons away from his first non-rookie deal.
As it stands, Reed Sheppard is an outstanding value on his rookie contract. When it comes time for his rookie extension, his team will have to answer (theme alert) difficult questions. The same holds for Amen Thompson, only a year sooner. How much do you pay the best defensive wing in basketball if he’s a non-shooting role player?
None of this is optimal, but can we be realistic for a moment? The Spurs have Victor Wembanyama, and Dylan Harper would be the Rockets’ franchise player. The Thunder. Period.
Sure, that’s just two teams. Otherwise, as Nikola Jokic eventually ages, the Rockets have an opportunity to solidify themselves as the third-best team in the Western Conference for years to come.
…Hang the banner.
The third-best team in the conference consolidates, especially with another half-decade as the fourth-best team in front of them. It isn’t good enough to win an NBA championship.
This isn’t what we wanted. It wasn’t Plan A. Historically speaking, it is the de facto Plan B.
Rockets fans will say that our guys are not being optimized. There’s some truth in that. Ime Udoka’s read-and-react offense is suboptimal for a roster that’s light on pass/dribble/shoot players. Yet, that points to the broader issue:
This roster is light on pass/dribble/shoot guys.
It’s heavy on specialists. Players who are outlier strong in one area, but struggle in another. The closest player to reaching pass/dribble/shoot in the young core is Sheppard, and only time will tell if Udoka can scheme around his defensive shortcomings.
Maybe you love these kids. Perhaps you’ve grown attached. That’s cute, but if you take a long, honest look at the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs, it’s impossible to come away feeling like the Rockets have enough.
A few minutes before the ejection that stole the spotlight of the Celtics-Spurs showdown, Jaylen Brown calmly dribbled out of an impending corner trap with Victor Wembanyama racing his way, then patiently examined the floor before feeding Sam Hauser for a straightaway 3-pointer.
It was Brown’s seventh assist in little more than 10 minutes of floor time. Brown had fed five different teammates with those helpers and was fueling Boston’s early offense with his combination of scoring and playmaking.
Overshadowed by his scoring output in the absence of Jayson Tatum, and further clouded by Tuesday’s ejection when an official overstepped his bounds, Brown has leveled up as a playmaker in recent weeks and is confidently making all the right reads on the floor.
For all the consternation about shot distribution and how the offense would run upon Tatum’s return from a nine-plus-month absence, Brown’s playmaking numbers have spiked both before and after Tatum’s season debut. Over the two-and-a-half games he’s been available with Tatum back in the lineup, Brown is averaging 7.3 assists per game leading to 19.3 assist points created per game.
If maintained for the season, that potential assists mark would rank just outside the top 20 in the entire NBA, while the assist points created would slot in the top 10. For a comp: Luka Doncic generates 21.2 assists points per game on 8.5 assists (and 14.0 potential assists) this season.
Just look at Brown’s playmaking uptick both over Boston’s last 10 games, and especially since last season:
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Teammates’ shooting percentages off Brown feeds over the last three games are rather astounding: Boston players are shooting 58.1 percent off Brown passes in that span. The biggest beneficiary has been Derrick White, who is 5-for-7 (71.4 percent) off Brown feeds in those games.
Take out Tatum (1-4 FG off Brown passes) and Payton Pritchard (4-10 FG on Brown passes) and the rest of Boston’s roster is shooting 69 percent (20-for-29) off Brown feeds in those games.
Suyash Mehta robbed all of us of the opportunity to see what kind of assist numbers Brown might have put up overall in Tuesday’s showdown between two of the best teams in the NBA. Brown always seems to thrive in these big-stage moments, particularly with other MVP-caliber players across the court. But his outburst after a lack of a whistle on a turnover left him susceptible to getting tossed.
Brown’s assist percentage for the season is at 25.6 percent, which ranks in the 99th percentile among wings, per Cleaning the Glass data. It’s 5.2 percent higher than last year’s mark and easily the best mark of his career.
Brown averages 13.7 potential assists per 100 possessions, ranking in the 91st percentile overall. Teammates have an effective field goal percentage of 69 percent on his feeds, which ranks in the 70th percentile. When Brown limits his turnovers, his playmaking stats further leap off the page.
The best version of the Celtics moving forward is when the Brown/Tatum combo is able to use all the attention they draw to bring out the best in the supporting cast. It’s no surprise that White’s scoring has already spiked since Tatum’s return.
Brown shouldered a heavy load in Tatum’s absence, and even after Tatum’s return, Brown is using his playmaking to continue elevating everyone around him.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - AUGUST 19: Chief Baseball Officer of the Boston Red Sox Craig Breslow looks on before a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park on August 19, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Paul Rutherford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
All my homies hate Craig Breslow, but I don’t. I think he’s done a good job under constraints that seem to be slowly lifting as the years go by, as witnessed by the big-money signing of Ranger Suarez this winter, which woulda been unthinkable a few years ago. The team made the playoffs last year and seems pretty damn solid heading into this one, even if it could use a bit more power hitting in the absence of Triston Casas and Rafael Devers (and Kyle Schwarber, if we want to go even further back). But yanno, it’s cool enough.
To be sure, I don’t want to pooh-pooh the lack of oomph, but this is the best Red Sox team heading into a season since probably 2019 and I really, really don’t want to miss the forest for the trees. The team is fun again, even if the guy in charge isn’t very fun and has paid the price for it in the public’s opinion. “Aloof” has rarely been more correctly applied as an adjective. You probably wouldn’t want to hang out with Breslow, nor would I, but you probably would want to chill with Chaim Bloom (as would I), just to show you how much that particular metric is worth. And while I was always likely predisposed to be positive toward Craiggers simply because he’s not his nihilist, Baseball Prospectus-writing alum predecessor, I think he’s earned it.
There’s just one problem: He looks too much like prosperity gospel preacher Joel Osteen for me to take him fully seriously. Through no fault of his own, I can’t help but see him as a con man even though I know he’s not. I’d say I hate it, but it’s kind of funny. It’s also kind of scary. I mean, look at this shit:
Jesus Christ!
Here’s the wild part: Osteen is 18 years older than Breslow (who’s younger than me, for fuck’s sake), though a good portion of Joel’s face is considerably younger. (In fairness, that photo is from 2015.) Growing up, I was obsessed with informercials of all kinds, as growing up on the Vineyard it presented me with a type of weirdo I wasn’t likely to encounter in our little Russillovian society. I didn’t take the bait – I own zero Shams-Wow, nor did I accept whom Osteen implored me to accept as my savior – but televised hucksters have always fascinated me, or did before they moved to YouTube, where now I swat them like flies as my son scrolls thru Shorts.
Back on topic, I really think the resemblance is uncanny enough that Breslow knows about it. Though as a Jew and seemingly not of feeble brain, I don’t think he’s taken Osteen’s bait. I just find it hard to disbelieve my lyin’ eyes on this one. Something is amiss. I just can’t quite figure out what. I’ll get to the bottom of it and report back. Stay tuned.
The Brooklyn Nets head to State Farm Arena tonight to face the Atlanta Hawks in an Eastern Conference clash. The tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.
Jalen Johnson has found his best shooting lately, and I’m eyeing him to ball out in my Nets vs. Hawks predictions.
Nets vs Hawks best bet: Jalen Johnson Over 22.5 points (-120)
Jalen Johnson has been the Atlanta Hawks' best player this season, averaging 23 PPG. The Duke product has broken onto the scene, and he’s killing the competition lately. Johnson has cashed the Over in back-to-back games.
The 24-year-old erupted for 35 against the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday before dropping 27 points on Tuesday against the Dallas Mavericks. Johnson is averaging 24.5 PPG this season against the Brooklyn Nets, who just allowed 138 points to the Detroit Pistons.
Nets vs Hawks same-game parlay
CJ McCollum is averaging 3.8 dimes in 25 games with the Hawks since coming over in the Trae Young trade. He’s cashed the Over in assists in four straight appearances.
Dyson Daniels is questionable tonight, which means there could be even more playmaking duties on CJ’s shoulders. Whether Daniels plays or not, though, McCollum will drop at least four dimes.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker has hit the Over in treys in three straight, and he was 3-for-9 against the Nets at the end of February. Brooklyn is dead last in the Association in opponent three-point percentage, with teams shooting 38.2% from deep against them.
Nets vs Hawks SGP
Jalen Johnson Over 22.5 points
CJ McCollum Over 3.5 assists
Nickeil Alexander-Walker Over 2.5 made threes
Our "from downtown" SGP: Brooooooklyn!
Brooklyn only lost by 11 to the Hawks on February 22, and they’ve actually won two of their last three. I still expect Atlanta to win here at home, but the Nets will make it relatively competitive.
Nets vs Hawks SGP
Jalen Johnson Over 22.5 points
CJ McCollum Over 3.5 assists
Nickeil Alexander-Walker Over 2.5 made threes
Brooklyn Nets +15
Nets vs Hawks odds
Spread: Nets +14 (-110) | Hawks -14 (-110)
Moneyline: Nets +637 | Hawks -950
Over/Under: Over 226.5 (-110) | Under 226.5 (-110)
Nets vs Hawks betting trend to know
The Atlanta Hawks have hit the Moneyline in 14 of their last 20 games (+8.80 Units / 21% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Nets vs. Hawks.
How to watch Nets vs Hawks
Location
State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
Date
Thursday, March 12, 2026
Tip-off
7:30 p.m. ET
TV
YES, FDSN SE-Atlanta
Nets vs Hawks latest injuries
Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Gillingham owner, Brad Galinson, issues warning and wants to find a fix as costs spiral amid ‘the Wrexham effect’
Brad Galinson has a warning for anyone looking to invest in English football’s lower leagues. “Almost every single club in the EFL is about seven days away from suffering the same fate as Sheffield Wednesday,” the Gillingham owner says. “Everyone is chasing dreams.”
Many have blamed the “Wrexham effect” for spiralling costs as investors from all over the world have flocked to buy clubs down the pyramid. Only two in League One have a playing budget of less than £3.5m this season compared with 13 two years ago, and several are thought to be operating on more than £10m.
BALTIMORE, MD - OCTOBER 02: The Baltimore Orioles mascot performs prior to the Wild Card Playoff game between the Kansas City Royals versus the Baltimore Orioles on October 2, 2024 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, MD. (Photo by Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Welcome to the 2026 Pre-Season Contest! This is the 15th year that the current version of the contest has been in place. Back in 2011, the contest had 27 questions, including 15 “Which will be higher?” that featured gems like, “Which will be higher – Brian Matusz’s ERA or a gallon of gas at Royal Farm?” and “Which will be higher – Yankees wins or Orioles losses?”
This year, the contest has 30 questions in the following categories: Which will be higher, Over/Under, Yes/No, Multiple Choice, and Who will be the first. Whenever the Orioles’ season ends, whether it be at the end of the regular season, during the playoffs, or after they win the World Series, we’ll post the results.
For the first time ever, we are adding a bonus round! This round focuses on the MLB awards, which aren’t resolved until after the World Series. We’ll revisit those results when the votes are in.
If you’re new to Camden Chat since last year, the contest is easy. Just answer the questions, click submit, and wait to hear if you’re a winner.
Will Shane Baz outpitch Grayson Rodriguez? Will Jackson Holliday get that OPS up to a respectable number? What is Ryan Mountcastle’s future with the team? These topics and more are covered in this year’s set of questions.
Here are some groundrules:
Player stats only count when that player is an Oriole. If a player is traded mid-season, his new team’s stats don’t matter.
A series sweep must be at least two games. There is no such thing as a one-game sweep.
The contest will close at 10 p.m. on Wednesday, March 25th
Now, it’s time to answer some questions! The SBN story editor does not allow me to embed the form, so you can answer the questions at this link. Click through and do your best.
The image that launched a thousand South Side sighs: Kyle Teel exits the WBC with a hamstring strain. | (Houston Astros/Getty Images)
It was all going a little too well, wasn’t it? The sun was shining at Camelback Ranch, the beer was cold enough to forget the 2025 win-loss column, and Munetaka Murakami launched a grand slam in the World Baseball Classic. We were allowed to have nice things for exactly three weeks.
Then came the medical report on Kyle Teel. Our prized backstop is down for 4-6 weeks with that WBC-strained hamstring, and just like that, the “Sox Luck” tax has been collected. It’s a gut punch for a kid who looked poised to be the centerpiece of the 2026 youth movement from Day 1. But in true South Side fashion, we don’t have time to mourn. We just look at the next guy on the depth chart with a mix of desperate hope and guarded cynicism.
If there’s a silver lining here, and I don’t have to dig too deep into the gritty dirt of the Glendale infield to find it, it’s that Edgar Quero hasn’t just been “good” this spring; he’s been a revelation. We knew the bat was a weapon, and he’s more than ready for the “Starting Catcher” tag, even if the circumstances suck.
With Quero moving behind the plate full-time, the Opening Day roster will have a different texture. Here’s how the 26-man puzzle might fit together when the team flies north to Milwaukee.
The Starting Nine: The “Kid-Heavy” Edition
Chase Meidroth (2B): The leadoff pest we’ve lacked for years.
Colson Montgomery (SS): The Captain-in-waiting.
Munetaka Murakami (1B): $34 million says he hits 40 bombs. Let’s see it.
Edgar Quero (C): No more DH reps. It’s his house now.
Miguel Vargas (3B): Needs to prove that mid-2025 swing change wasn’t a fluke.
Andrew Benintendi (LF): The high-priced veteran mentor.
Lenyn Sosa (DH): The beneficiary of the Teel injury. He’ll probably get the bulk of the ABs here.
Austin Hays (RF): Professional outfielder. Professional ABs.
Luisangel Acuña (CF): Speed that actually scares people.
The Bench: No More Room for Error
Korey Lee (C): From the bubble to the primary backup. Hope you like 1:10 p.m. Sunday starts, Korey.
Curtis Mead (INF): The ultimate “just in case” utility man.
LaMonte Wade Jr. (1B/OF): A much-needed lefty bench bat who will likely see DH time.
Derek Hill (OF): Because someone has to run for Murakami in the ninth.
The Rotation: The “Informed Guess” Five
Shane Smith (RHP): The Opening Day honors. A meteoric rise.
Anthony Kay (LHP): The veteran southpaw anchor.
Davis Martin (RHP): Our longest tenured South Sider.
Sean Burke (RHP): The breakout candidate.
Erick Fedde (RHP): The retread.
The Bullpen: The Bridge to Seranthony
The back end looks, dare I say, competent? Seranthony Domínguez has the ninth, with Jordan Leasure and Grant Taylor acting as the high-velocity bridge. Sean Newcomb and Mike Vasil can provide some length, while Jordan Hicks, Tyler Gilbert, and Brandon Eisert round out a group that probably — in theory — will be mostly serviceable.
Losing Teel for April is peak White Sox. It’s poetic grit in its purest form. We finally get the Ferrari out of the garage, and the tire goes flat before we hit the expressway. But Quero has the chance to turn a tragedy into a transition. If he holds down the fort and keeps this young staff on track, the return of Teel in May won’t be a rescue mission, but a reinforcement. Until then, keep your expectations cautious and your humor gallows-adjacent.
There are also still a dozen Cactus League contests left on the schedule, plenty of time for the Arizona sun to bake a few more surprises into this roster. Whether it’s another late-spring breakout forcing a tough decision or the inevitable “tweak” that sends the training staff into a sprint, nothing is etched in stone until the team packs its bags for Chicago.
So, buckle up, South Side fans; the final two weeks of camp are rarely quiet. If there’s a difficult path to take, trust the White Sox to find it.
NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 02: Ryan Yarbrough #33 of the New York Yankees looks on before the game against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium on October 2, 2025 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Common convention states that the modern MLB needs as many as seven, eighth, and maybe even nine starting pitchers to make it through the grind of a season. Ryan Yarbrough exemplified teams’ approach to this problem, signed initially on a one-year deal to fill the vacant longman and lefty reliever roles in the bullpen. He went on to play an outsized role for the team as the rotation was hit by a wave of injuries, making it a no-brainer that the Yankees bring him back to fill a similar role in 2026.
Yarbrough began the 2025 season as a swingman and lefty specialist in a Yankees bullpen short on other southpaws. However, as injuries struck the rotation, he stepped up to make eight starts from the first week of May through the middle of June. He performed far better than even the most optimistic fan could have imagined, going 3-1 in those starts with a 3.83 ERA across 40 innings. He allowed two or fewer runs in all but one of those starts — an eight-run meltdown against the Red Sox dragging his overall numbers down — the most impressive being six innings of one-run ball against his former employers the Dodgers.
You’d be tempted to say that Yarbrough faces a reduced role this season than he did in 2025. Then again, I don’t think anyone envisioned that the southpaw would make eight straight starts, last season a reminder that it takes more than five starting pitchers to weather the attrition of a 162-game campaign. With Cole and Carlos Rodón returning from elbow surgeries and Rodón, Max Fried, Will Warren, and Cam Schlittler all coming off career-highs in innings pitched, Viewed in this context, it makes sense why the Yankees made Yarbrough their first piece of business over the winter, keeping him in the Bronx for a year and $2.5 million. The 34-year-old is a known quantity in pinstripes and veteran of the AL East — a steady presence to have waiting in the wings int he event of in-season injuries to any of the starters ahead of him on the depth chart.
Despite possessing one of the slowest fastballs in MLB at 88 mph, the wily veteran still has plenty of ways to get batters out. He keeps things unpredictable with a five-pitch arsenal of cutter, changeup, sinker, sweeper, and four-seamer, all thrown at least 14-percent of the time. Because of this unpredictability, Yarbrough remained one of the best in the league in limiting loud contact, finishing in the 97th percentile in average exit velocity and 92nd percentile in hard-hit rate.
The Yankees pitching lab exerted its influence on Yarbrough, making tweaks to pitch usage, shape, and mechanics. Just like with fellow lefty Fried, Matt Blake and the other pitching coaches convinced Yarbrough to use the cutter as his primary fastball instead of the four-seamer or sinker. They also helped him add over two inches of movement to the changeup, the pitch going from his fourth-most used pitch in 2024 to second-most in 2025, echoing a trend of the Yankees encouraging their lefties to use the changeup more as they did with Fried and Rodón. Finally, they had him lower his arm angle and move slightly more to the first base side of the rubber, increasing the deception of all of his pitches.
Because of the uncertainty surrounding the effectiveness of Cole and Rodón when they return from injury rehab, and the moderate-to-significant injury histories of their other starters including Fried, Ryan Weathers, and Luis Gil, Yarbrough remains a valuable presence in the Yankees’ pitching room. The question is over the hierarchy of the next-men-up should any of their starters misses time with injury. The higher ceilings for guys like Weathers, Warren, and Gil give them the leg-up in the competition for fifth starter and to be the first name called if anyone goes down. What’s more, the emergence of top pitching prospects Elmer Rodríguez and Carlos Lagrange last season and this spring could lead to the pair leapfrogging Yarbrough as candidates to deputize in the rotation. At the very least, Yarbrough gives them an experienced lefty arm who can handle multiple innings in relief, while his success as a stand-in starter in 2025 gives confidence he can do the same in an emergency in 2026.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - APRIL 05: Bam Adebayo #13 of the Miami Heat and Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks look on at Kaseya Center on April 05, 2025 in Miami, Florida. 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 Brennan Asplen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After playing nine of their last 10 games at home, the Bucks are back on the road tonight taking on the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center. Losers by 15 to the Suns, Milwaukee will need every bit of juice it has against a Miami team that has won six on the trot, including a 150-129 demolition of the Washington Wizards in which perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate Bam Adebayo scored 83 points! Tonight’s game is the final regular-season matchup between the teams, with the Heat taking the first matchup behind 29 points from Tyler Herro, and the Bucks winning the second thanks to Kevin Porter Jr.’s clutch play down the stretch.
Where We’re At
In a reversal of their season-long trend of small-ball, the Bucks have opted to go big lately, starting Myles Turner, Giannis, Kyle Kuzma, Ousmane Dieng, and Ryan Rollins. That’s a whole lot of length, Rollins’ 6’10” wingspan the only one under seven feet. And while the results haven’t been there in the win column, it at least bodes better in theory while enabling the Bucks to look towards the future—namely, what role Dieng plays in it. As a starter, Dieng has certainly been promising, averaging 11.8 PPG on .475/.406/.500 shooting, 6.3 RPG, 4.3 APG, and 0.8 BPG in 31.2 MPG across six games, and of the five-man lineups he’s been part of, this is the most successful one (-2.2 net rating, while all others are -17.5 or worse). Food for thought.
The Miami Heat, on the other hand, are firing on all cylinders despite their extensive injury report. Now up to sixth in the Eastern Conference standings, the Heat are just three games behind the Cleveland Cavaliers (i.e., within striking distance of a top-four finish), and have recorded recent quality wins against the Houston Rockets and Detroit Pistons. But all the latest talk, rightfully so, has been on Bam Adebayo’s history-making performance against the Wizards. His 83-point outburst is now the second-highest scoring total in NBA history. Wilt, Bam, then Kobe. Let that sink in. This season, Adebayo has struggled offensively against the Bucks (17.5 PPG, 43% FG), so his offensive explosion comes at unideal timing from a Bucks’ perspective. Regardless, Milwaukee mustn’t be too Bam focused, as Tyler Herro (26.3 PPG on .537/.517/.947 to go along with 5.5 RPG and 4.8 APG) and Jamie Jaquez Jr. (16.6 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 6.0 APG) have also been balling over the past five games, giving the Bucks more than enough reasons to keep 911 on speed dial.
Injury Report
For the Bucks, Kevin Porter Jr. (Right Knee; Synovitis), Bobby Portis (Back; Thoracic Spine Contusion), and Jericho Sims (Right Patella; Tendonitis) are all questionable.
For the Heat, Tyler Herro (Left Quadriceps; Soreness) and Kel’el Ware (Right Shoulder; Strain) are questionable, while Nikola Jovic (Low Back; Injury Management), Norman Powell (Right Groin; Strain), Terry Rozier (Not With Team), and Andrew Wiggins (Left Big Toe; Sesamoiditis) are out.
Player to Watch
Once more for good measure: Bam Adebayo dropped 83 frickin’ points when he last played. Eighty. Three. If he’s not the player to watch, then this section needs a new name. In addition to scoring the second most points of all time, Adebayo’s 36 free throws and 43 attempts were the most in NBA history, and his 22 three-point attempts tied for third-most in a game in NBA history. So, what does he have in store as an encore? While Adebayo has struggled so far this season against Milwaukee, he typically fares better, averaging 19.9 PPG on 47% over his last 10 games against them. Of course, the Bucks have a pretty good front-court player of their own. But while all the hoopla around Adebayo could give Giannis extra incentive to remind the world who he is, turning this into a mano a mano matchup might hurt Milwaukee more than it helps.
How To Watch
Tune in at 6:30 p.m. CDT on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin or the following stations:
Adebayo, the Heat and the Wizards all faced criticism for the manner in which Miami’s big man racked up his ridiculous scoring total Tuesday night, with the Heat intentionally fouling late in the game and Adebayo bullying his way to the charity stripe in a game that was out of hand.
The Miami star, who scored 31 points in the first quarter, finished with the second-most points in a game in league history.
Bam Adebayo shot 16 fourth quarter free throws on Tuesday as the Heat big man scored 83 points. AP
“Was I slightly uncomfortable with the six-minute mark and down with some of the intentional fouling and free throws? A little bit,” Burke said Wednesday night on ESPN.
“But I am taking nothing away from Bam Adebayo.”
Miami led comfortably in fourth quarter against the Wizards, who are tanking to end their season and deliberately trying to lose games, while Adebayo made his push.
The Heat intentionally fouled the Wizards four times to give Adebayo additional touches and chances to score and overcome Kobe Bryant’s 81-point showcase on Jan. 22, 2006.
Fourteen of Adebayo’s 21 fourth-quarter points came via free throws as the game came to a halt during his historic pursuit.
Doris Burke recognized that the Heat’s intentional fouling was a bit uncomfortable. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Adebayo was fouled 26 times and shot an absurd 43 free throws in Miami’s 150-129 win.
“I just played the game,” Adebayo said after he set the record for free throw attempts in a game.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra called the game an “absolutely surreal night” as the league debated Adebayo’s wild performance.
Adebayo’s previous career high was just 41 points, which he tallied against the Brooklyn Nets in 2022.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 10: Pete Crow-Armstrong #4 of Team United States rounds the bases after hitting a three-run home run against Team Italy in the sixth inning during the 2026 World Baseball Classic at Daikin Park on March 10, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The pool stage is complete, the matchups are set, and we’re in line for what should be five days of box office baseball starting Friday night when U.S. takes on Canada in Houston and Korea takes on the Dominican Republic in Miami.
(Hard to believe the D.R. crowds could get any wilder than they were in the pool stage, but I’m sure they’ll find a way.)
The following afternoon, Puerto Rico will play Italy, and Japan will take on Venezuela Saturday night. From there, the semifinal matchups will be on Sunday and Monday night with the championship game slated for Tuesday. This should be awesome!
So the big question now is, who is going to win? Japan, the U.S., and Dominican Republic seem like favorites on paper, but it’s small sample size baseball and anything can happen. Also, Japan draws Venezuela right out of the gate in the knockout stage, which is a really tricky spot. But then again, they can’t complain about the U.S. and D.R. likely lined up against each other in the semis if they both advance beyond Friday. There are really no shortcuts here.
As far as interesting pitching notes go, if the U.S. beats Canada, Paul Skenes probably pitches in that Sunday game, which again COULD be against the D.R. For Red Sox purposes, Brayan Bello see significant significant time on the mound in one of these games. And who knows, that might even include a matchup against Roman Anthony in a high leverage at bat.
One thing for certain though is the atmosphere in south Florida is sure to be electric! I’m so confident in that aspect of this thing that I’m flying down there for the weekend to experience a piece of the Latin and Japanese baseball cultures in person. Can’t wait!
Anyway, talk about the WBC at its midway point and whatever else you’d like, and as always, be good to one another!
