Worldwide Sports News
DRaysBay works best as a place for community and conversation. Accordingly, in the lead up to the new season, we are posting “Daily Questions” in the month of February. I look forward to seeing you in the comment section!
Yes that means you get to define “success” in your response!
This offseason has kept us guessing, spacing out its biggest moves to keep fans on their toes. Let’s recap a chaotic week of transactions and dive into what they mean as Spring Training approaches.
D.J. Short
In a stunning twist, Framber Valdez agreed to a three-year, $115 million deal with the Tigers late Wednesday night. The contract has an opt-out available after the second season and makes Valdez both the highest paid left-hander and latin born pitcher ever by average annual value.
Still, Valdez’s total money for this contract came in well under what many thought he’d receive coming into the offseason. Over the past five years, he’s been among the league’s most reliable arms, with a 3.20 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and a 61.6% ground-ball rate in over 900 innings.
It feels even more strange compared to other top-end free agent pitchers who have signed this winter.
Dylan Cease ($210 million over seven years) can match Valdez’s volume, but without the consistency. Ranger Suárez ($130 million over five years) has been nearly as effective on a per inning basis, but has never made 30 starts in a regular season.
Cease strikes out more batters than Valdez and throws significantly harder, so there’s merit to that contract. Suárez is a fellow lefty who throws much less hard, strikes out batters a bit less often, and forces fewer ground balls. His deal is more manageable by AAV though. Valdez is also 32 years old compared to these other two both being just 30.
Regardless, Valdez’s deal feels light in retrospect.
Most point to an ugly moment last September, when Valdez seemingly crossed up catcher César Salazar on purpose and drilled him in the chest.
After giving up a grand slam, tell me this sequence doesn’t look like @astros pitcher Framber Valdez purposely crosses up his catcher to nail him on purpose. He certainly didn’t look like he felt bad for doing it! @MLBpic.twitter.com/uHJdOP1tWA
— Jim Traeger (@txtraeger) September 3, 2025
That was a horrible move by Valdez. His body language after it may have been worse. The pitch came on the heels of a grand slam by Trent Grisham where Salazar tried to tell Valdez to step off the mound before the pitch.
It also came in the midst of a miserable second half of the season for Valdez where he had a 5.20 ERA and tailspin by the Astros where they missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016. Tensions were high; Valdez handled his frustration poorly and put his teammate in jeopardy.
Was this the reason his market lagged? Did some teams take him off their boards entirely? It’s possible, we can’t know. Being 32 years old certainlydidn’t help either. These clubs could have just used all of these factors as leverage since they knew no one was coming over the top with the type of offer it felt like Valdez deserved based on merit alone.
Maybe Tigers’ manager AJ Hinch, Valdez’s former manager in Houston, vouched for him here. Again, we don’t know what’s gone on behind the scenes.
Nevertheless, he is still a great pitcher and the Tigers should be thrilled to get him on this short of a deal since their rotation lacked stability behind Tarik Skubal.
Jack Flaherty is coming off a pitiful year with a 4.64 ERA. Reese Olson has talent, but missed most of last season with a finger injury and then a shoulder strain. Casey Mize proved reliable yet unspectacular. Besides that trio, it was up to Troy Melton (who has sensational stuff), Keider Montero, Drew Anderson, and Sawyer Gipson-Long to compete for the final spot.
Valdez takes a ton of pressure off this whole group and gives them one of the best one-two punches in the league with him and Skubal paired at the top. Also, and this cannot be overstated, he offers insurance for after this season when Skubal likely leaves for a mega-contract elsewhere.
Right now though, this is one of the best and deepest rotations in baseball and makes the Tigers a serious threat to win the American League Pennant.
For fantasy baseball, Valdez gets a massive park upgrade but also a huge downgrade in the infield defense that will be behind him. He should be regarded as a fringe top-20 starting pitcher.
A 49-homer season used to mean something on the free agent market. Alas, Eugenio Suárez signed a measly one-year, $15 million deal with the Reds after doing so.
Of course, he’s not without flaws. He’s coming off a very poor year defensively and pervasive swing-and-miss keeps his strikeout rate near the ugly 30% threshold. Also, most of his production last season came in a red-hot first half before falling off a cliff after the break.
There’s a chance he could’ve been playing through an injury though. It’s easy to forget he was hit on his hand in the All-Star game.
Eugenio Suárez is checked by trainers after being hit in the hand by the pitch. pic.twitter.com/6XB2vGA5aP
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 16, 2025
Then he was hit on that same hand AGAIN about two weeks later just a few days before the trade deadline.
Arizona third baseman Eugenio Suarez was hit on the hand with a fastball and has left the game. pic.twitter.com/bRc4cQ5jhf
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 29, 2025
The Mariners still made their move for him at the deadline and he never missed any time. Funny enough, he even made a nice bare-handed play in the All-Star game after being plunked. So, we can’t blame an injury on his poor close to the season. At the same time, we should make a mental note of it.
All of this aside, Suárez heading back to Cincinnati is a great story. He’s played more than 900 games as a Red in his career, was a fan favorite, and started his family there. There’s a sense of homecoming with this move, which is sappy and corny and nice to see.
That being said, Great American Ballpark is one of the best hitters parks in the league, especially for right-handed power hitters. The Pirates were hot in pursuit of Suárez as well and the differences in parks between Cincinnati and Pittsburgh was reportedly a factor in his decision.
I’m told Pirates offered same AAV on Eugenio Suarez ($15 million) were willing to go higher, as well as add another year.
— Jason Mackey (@JMackeyPG) February 1, 2026
Sounds like his choice came down to a better ballpark fit, familiarity and a chance to cash in next year with a big season.
Currently projected for between 29 and 35 homers, there’s a chance Suárez pushes that number closer to 40 or even a touch above it should he stay healthy. He’s still shown the ability to hit the ball consistently very hard, lift it far more than league average, and pull a high rate of those fly balls. There’s almost no place where that type of contact is more advantageous than in Cincinnati.
His batting average and on-base percentage will lag, but those homers will be there.
As far as fall-out from this contract, Sal Stewart and Spencer Steer are most directly affected.
Before Suárez signed, it seemed like these two would share reps at first base and designated hitter. Now, the expectation is that Suárez spends most of his time at DH since Ke’Bryan Hayes may be too good a defender to displace at third.
So, Stewart and Steer are set to compete for first. Stewart is far more exciting coming off an 18 game cup of coffee to close last season with five homers and an .839 OPS in 58 plate appearances. Small sample production aside, his batted ball quality was outrageously good to match it.
He is just 22 years old though and only got his first exposure to first base in Triple-A last season. It’s easy to see the Reds opting for the better defender in Steer who’s still just 28 and has been productive in the not-so-distant past. This will be a position battle to watch during spring training.
The last of this recent significant flurry, Brendan Donovan was traded to the Mariners in a three-team deal where prospects Jurrangelo Cijintje, Tai Peete, and two Comp B draft picks went back to the Cardinals and Ben Williamson went to the Rays.
Donovan is exactly what the Mariners needed to stick their offseason. After re-signing Josh Naylor early on, they saw regulars Jorge Polanco and Eugenio Suárez ink deals elsewhere and desperately needed a veteran bat to stabilize their lineup.
Without being flashy in any way, Donovan just puts his hard hat on and does his job. He works the count, puts the ball in play, takes his walks, and keeps the line moving.
There won’t be many home runs or stolen bases to speak of, but you can bank on both a high batting average and on-base percentage. It’s also likely he hits lead-off ahead of Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodríguez, Josh Naylor, and Randy Arozarena which would make him a run scoring machine. This is a fantastic profile for points-based fantasy leagues.
Donovan’s versatility will also greatly benefit the Mariners.
Over the last two seasons, he’s predominantly played second base where he’s a strong defender. Seattle may want to give Cole Young the chance to earn that spot though. And they should, he was a highly touted prospect with surprising power, solid batted ball metrics, and the tools to be a plus defender.
No worries, Donovan can slide over to third base where he was a +3 in Outs Above Average across 31 games in 2022.
Let’s even get crazy and say top prospect Colt Emerson forces his way up to the big leagues ahead of schedule and earns reps at third. Then Donovan can head back to second if Young were to Falter or settle into the corner outfield – where he’s played 193 games in his career – depending on the health and productivity of Victor Robles or Luke Raley.
Oh no! JP Crawford pulled up lame and needs to miss a few games. Donovan has played some shortstop too and could fill in there. He is really such a valuable chess piece.
Quickly on the prospects that went back to the Cardinals in this deal, Cijintje was the centerpiece.
Famous for being drafted in the first round as a switch-pitcher – yes really – he’s much, much better from the right side with a fastball that sits in the upper-90s that has great vertical action. It will miss bats and he has a nasty slider to go with it. A changeup is coming and with reports that he could focus on throwing right-handed this spring, there’s optimism he can develop into an impact MLB starter.
Peete was also a first rounder and is more of a project. He has serious power and speed, but huge swing-and-miss concerns in the lower minors and is still seeking a defensive home. He’s a very twitchy athlete who could develop into a capable center fielder, it will probably just take a while if ever at all.
◆ Tarik Skubal won his landmark arbitration case against the Tigers on Thursday and will earn $32 million this coming season rather than the $19 million proposed by Detroit. It’s a record for any player ever in arbitration, beating Juan Soto by $1 million and a great precursor for his much awaited free agency next winter.
◆ Luis Arraez signed with the Giants on a one-year, $12 million deal to reportedly be their second baseman.
Wherever you may land on the eternal argument of Arraez’s value as a hitter, he’s consistently graded out as one of the worst defenders in the league and is a shocking -36 OAA at second base for his career. That is unfathomably bad to the point where it’s fair to question how much he can realistically play there for a team that actually wants to win games.
The amount which Arraez makes his way into national baseball conversations has far outweighed his contributions on the field over the past few seasons and unless he can sneak his average back near .320 (which would pull his OBP and OPS back to above average levels) it’s hard to see how much value he’s bringing the Giants this season.
◆ After missing out on Eugenio Suarez, the Pirates are reportedly still looking for a right-handed bat. They’ve had discussions with free agent Marcell Ozuna and have kicked the tires on Mark Vientos, who the Mets have made very available via trade this offseason.
Vientos is the more intriguing of the two just one season removed from a monster 2024 season where he hit 27 home runs in just 111 games. He’s out of options and has no place on this current Mets team, so Pittsburgh could nab him on the cheap.
◆ After letting every other infielder go off the board and signing Isiah Kiner-Falefa as a utility man, the Red Sox seem intent on giving Marcelo Mayer the runway to be their third baseman.
He's a former number four overall pick with a great offensive track record in the upper minors and will play this entire season at just 23 years old. His stats were poor in his debut, but his batted ball quality and bat speed were excellent. The Red Sox's confidence in him should give us some as well.
Also, keep an eye on Kristian Campbell. He may have a shot to reclaim second base given the uncertainty at that position too. He was Baseball America's Minor League Player of the Year in 2024 on the back of an elite blend of batted ball quality and swing decisions before a rough 2025. Boston seems to be purposefully keeping the door open for their young players to make an impact.
◆ Tigers’ manager AJ Hinch outright said Kenley Jansen would be his closer which we practically knew, it was just nice to hear it as draft season has begun.
◆ Miguel Andujar signed with the Padres for one-year at $4 million. It’s likely he’s the DH to start the season while mixing in at first base for Gavin Sheets when a lefty is on the mound. He was central to the Reds’ playoff push last season and could run a high batting average with his high contact approach if the hits decide to fall.
◆ Carlos Santana signed a one-year deal to be the Diamondbacks first baseman. They seemed to choose him rather than a homecoming with Paul Goldschmidt. Perhaps it’s all to just keep the door open for Tyler Locklear who came over in the Eugenio Suárez trade last summer.
◆ Zac Gallen, Lucas Giolito, and a handful of other free agent starting pitchers remain unsigned. Plus, the Orioles should be desperate for an arm and could swing a trade. Make sure to keep up the Rotoworld Player News page so you don’t miss any of the action plus live stream and video content here all next week!
⚾️ Coming soon: MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason, and much more.
On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Bleed Cubbie Blue is pleased to present a Cubs-centric look at baseball’s colorful past. Here’s a handy Cubs timeline, to help you follow the various narrative paths.
“Maybe I called it wrong, but it’s official.” — Tom Connolly, HoF Umpire.
Happy Birthday, Dale Long*, who held a significant record while he was a Pirate,and other stories.10,000 BCB points if you can identify that record.
Today in baseball history:
Cubs Birthdays:Walt Huntzinger, Dale Long*, Smoky Burgess, Travis Wood. Also notable: Babe Ruth HOF.
Today in History:
Common sources:
*pictured.
Some of these items spread from site to site without being fact-checked, and that is why we ask for verifiable sources, in order to help correct the record.
Well, baseball is coming soon. How soon? Depends on what you mean by baseball. Do you mean pitchers and catchers reporting? Or does baseball start when the whole team reports? Or is it when the games start? When the games that mean something start? And if it’s the games that mean something, do you count the World Baseball Classic, or just the games that count for the MLB standings?
Anyway, baseball is coming soon. Onto the links.
Phillies news:
The Phillies have some position battles to be fought out in Clearwater.
The Phillies are projected to be pretty good in 2026. Here’s how they could end up even better.
Lochlahn March, of the Philadelphia Inquirer’s baseball beat, did an Ask Me Anything. ($)
MLB news:
World Baseball Classic rosters have been announced. MLB.com takes a look at team USA, Japan, and the Dominican Republic.
Tarik Skubal and the Tigers clashed at arbitration, and the two-time Cy winner came out on top.
The MLB Players Association signed a deal allowing for the creation of AI versions of big leaguers.
Dusty Baker has some advice for new faces in the managerial world.
Baseball Prospectus is widely regarded as one of the best sites for prospect analysis. While most major publications have already released their lists of the top prospects in baseball, BP didn’t release theirs until this Wednesday.
Four of the five Brewers who made the list are consensus top prospects. The fifth is a recent draftee who hasn’t appeared on any other list this offseason.
No surprises here. Made hasn’t been ranked lower than fourth by any of the main prospect publications. He has one of the highest ceilings in the game and has only gotten better while rising through the minors. For more on Made, check out my recaps of the Baseball America and MLB Pipeline lists.
Peña is ranked slightly lower than on many other lists — MLB Pipeline, ESPN, and The Athletic’s Keith Law had him ranked either No. 26 or 27. Baseball America had him at No. 45. Peña has just as much upside as Made does, especially if he figures out defensive concerns. With his speed and arm, he might be a better centerfielder than he is a shortstop. Peña’s numbers also fell off a bit in High-A, so a strong first couple of months of the season would have him even higher by the time midseason prospect rankings come out.
Williams, acquired from the Mets in the trade that sent Freddy Peralta and Tobias Myers to New York, seems like a quintessential Brewers prospect. His best traits are his speed, his on-base ability, his swing decisions, and his baserunning. He’s a well-rounded, versatile prospect who can play both middle infield positions and the outfield. I won’t say too much more about Williams because I have a film breakdown coming — if that interests you, check BCB next week.
Fischer hasn’t been on any other list that I’ve covered, but he was ranked the top third base prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline earlier this offseason. He was widely hailed as a great pick by the Brewers at No. 20 overall and has done nothing but live up to that billing in his limited time with the organization. Fischer is a developed hitter who spent three years in college (at Duke, Ole Miss, and finally the University of Tennessee) and hit at least .285 every season. Scouting reports leading up to the 2025 draft detailed his mature approach, his ability to drive the ball to all fields, and his propensity to make hard contact. He hit .341 in his final collegiate season with 25 home runs and an insane .497 on-base percentage.
Upon joining the Brewers, Fischer went straight to High-A Wisconsin and slashed .311/.402/.446 (.848 OPS) in 19 games. To put it succinctly, he has the makings of a player who could rise very, very quickly through the farm system — something Baseball Prospectus probably took into consideration ranking him this high. BP also tends to weigh analytics pretty heavily. Despite a limited sample size, Fischer has already been making hard contact and generating high exit velocities — two things that stood out about his profile in college. There’s a world where he more than justifies this ranking after a full season of minor league ball.
Sproat, like Made, Peña, and Williams, is pretty much universally considered a top 100 prospect in baseball. He’s been a top prospect for a couple of years now, but fell in the rankings compared to last year (No. 39). To be fair, his season-long numbers weren’t great in 2025 — an ERA over 4 isn’t exactly eye-popping. Despite that, the signs are there that Sproat could become a valuable piece for the Brewers in 2026. He had a rough start to 2025, but pitched extremely well (2.44 ERA, 30% strikeout rate) over his last 11 Triple-A starts. His September call-up didn’t go all that well (4.79 ERA), but it’s hard to take much away from just four starts.
For more on Sproat, check out the Baseball America article linked at the top. Like Williams, I have an article coming on him, so I don’t want to say too much…
I need to start with a confession: at the beginning of this season, I wasn’t a Baylor Scheierman believer.
Not because he wasn’t good, but more that he was hard for me to place. He wasn’t jumping off the screen in any obvious way, and he didn’t dominate one skill the way some of the other young Celtics wings do. On a roster full of players with already-sharpening identities, Scheierman felt like he didn’t have a clear lane coming into the season.
That’s beginning to change.
In Boston’s win over the Rockets on Wednesday night, Scheierman finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists in just 23 minutes. The box score was solid, but the context mattered more. He rebounded in traffic, knocked down his open looks, and stayed involved when plays broke down.
With Payton Pritchard shifting back into his familiar sixth-man role — another example of this team prioritizing collective success over individual status — at least one starting spot will quietly remain fluid from game to game. Outside of Derrick White and Jaylen Brown, there are fewer fixed answers than it might seem.
After a recent 112-93 win over the Sacramento Kings, Scheierman joked that opponents see him as, “a 6’7” white guy with shaggy hair and some tattoos,” someone they like to test. Early on, I probably saw him the same way. He was a player that was easy to overlook.
What’s becoming clear is that overlooking him is missing the point.
Instead of focusing on what Scheierman might become, I want to talk about the role he’s playing now, and how the Celtics are benefitting from it.
Joe Mazzulla’s system does not ask every player to bend the game, but rather asks them to understand it. Decisions matter more than volume, and connection matters more than individual output. The Celtics function best when lineups stay organized, possessions stay alive, and players know exactly why they are on the floor.
Baylor Scheierman does not need touches to stay involved. He rebounds to extend possessions, moves the ball quickly when advantages are small, and spaces the floor without drifting out of the offense. Defensively, his value shows up less in isolation stops and more so in anticipation. He’s clearly got a knack for reading actions early, understanding personnel, and staying attached long enough for the system to hold.
Scheierman has described his defensive strengths as “feel” and “understanding,” knowing what an opponent wants to do before they do it. That mindset lines up with how Mazzulla allocates trust. Players who remove chaos from possessions tend to earn more rope, especially when the roster gets thin over the course of a grueling 82-game season.
In that sense, Scheierman is not pushing to become something else, nor should he. He’s simply leaning into exactly what this team needs him to be.
If this is going to be a real conversation, we have to discuss the numbers. On the surface, Scheierman’s season averages do not exactly scream breakout. He’s averaging 3.5 points, 2.4 rebounds, and just under 1 assist per game, numbers largely in line with last season. What has changed is how efficiently he’s producing with his minutes. After shooting 35 percent from the field and 31 percent from three last year, Scheierman has pushed those marks up to 45 percent and 40 percent this season.
Things look even rosier when you zoom in on the last ten games. Over that stretch, Scheierman has averaged just over 22 minutes per night while posting 8.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists. The production has followed the opportunity, and the efficiency has held. He’s not taking over more possessions; he’s simply doing more with the ones he’s involved in.
That trend shows up in lineup data as well. Units featuring Scheierman alongside primary creators have held their own on both ends, particularly in offensive efficiency and rebounding rate. The tape backs it up, too. Passes get tipped. Spacing stays intact. Possessions end with shots the Celtics are comfortable taking. Those are small things, but they travel across opponents and game scripts.
Taken together, this is why the recent stretch feels different from a hot week or a shooting blip. Under Joe Mazzulla, minutes are earned, not gifted. Scheierman’s efficiency has been steady, his responsibilities are clear, and his production fits within the structure of what Boston wants to be.
That combination is usually a sign something is real.
The straightforward answer is he can be. The more honest answer is that the label matters less than the function.
On nights like last night, where the Celtics were severely undermanned, Scheierman showed he can absorb bigger minutes without changing the shape of the team. When he starts or closes or slides into any of Joe’s rotating carousel of lineup combinations, the Celtics still look like the Celtics. Possessions stay connected. Spacing holds. The offense does not tilt or stall. On a roster built around a star who bends defenses to his will (and with another potentially returning later this season), that kind of reliability is huge.
And it’s the reliability that speaks to something bigger about this Celtics team. They are not chasing individual leaps as much as they are identifying which parts need to be played and trusting the players best suited to play them. Scheierman fits because he does not try to stretch outside his role. Joe Mazzulla once described him as having, “a chip on his shoulder… an F-you mentality to where he’s just gonna make it work,” and that mindset shows up in the margins. He fills gaps, accepts contact, and stays involved in moments that break down for others.
Which brings me back to the beginning. I wasn’t convinced this would work. Early in the season, it was hard to know what to make of Scheierman, not because anything was missing, but because his impact wasn’t loud or obvious. It can take time for a picture to come into focus.
With Scheierman’s identity sharpening, the future has me optimistic. His minutes are starting to make sense, the contributions are beginning to stack, and when he’s on the floor, the Celtics stay true to who they want to be. To me, that kind of contribution matters more than any single label.
Somewhere along the way, I became a Bayliever. Or a Schei-liever? Those nicknames are both unpleasant and confusing.
Fortunately, Scheierman’s role on the Celtics is anything but.
As you, the astute reader, are no doubt aware, there are a few events of note taking place in the sporting world this weekend. The conclusion of the pro football season and the start of the Olympic winter games in Italy will of course receive their share of the spotlight, but there are plenty of key contests in men’s college basketball over the weekend as well.
As luck would have it, there’s a Top 25 showdown in each of the five power conferences. A key tilt in the Big East gets things underway Friday night, and the Saturday slate includes one of the sport’s most intense rivalry games. Let’s delve into the Starting Five, shall we?
Time/TV: Friday, 8 p.m. ET, Fox
The Huskies quietly remain unscathed in Big East play, but the Red Storm can grab a share of the league lead with a win here at Madison Square Garden. St. John’s isn’t always the most efficient offensive operation, but forward Zuby Ejiofor’s work on the boards often makes successful possessions out of organized chaos. UConn gets great scoring balance with all its starters averaging in double digits, but if a big shot is needed it will usually be Solo Ball taking it.
BRACKETOLOGY: Kansas among teams surging in tournament projection
Time/TV: Saturday, 6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Round one between these long-time ACC foes will be in Chapel Hill, where the Tar Heels have yet to lose this season. The Blue Devils, however, are looking to run away with the league race once again. While Duke’s national player of the year candidate Cameron Boozer rightly gets much of the attention, the Blue Devils are even harder to beat when Isaiah Evans is on target from the arc. UNC’s own standout freshman Caleb Wilson’s stats actually compare favorably with Boozer’s, but the Tar Heels will need better ball security than they displayed in their nearly disastrous second-half collapse against Syracuse in their most recent outing.
Time/TV: Saturday, 8 p.m. ET, Fox
This week’s top-10 showdown in the Big Ten features teams heading in opposite directions. The Fighting Illini have won 12 in a row and are playing like Final Four contenders, while the Spartans have dropped their last two as some of the team’s on-court decisions have drawn the ire of opponents and coaches alike. Michigan State’s veteran floor leader Jeremy Fears is also likely to receive additional attention from game officials, so he’ll need to keep a level head. Illinois freshman guard Keaton Wagler will look to continue his hot shooting that has helped the Illini compensate for the absence of starting guard Kylan Boswell.
Time/TV: Saturday, 8:30 p.m. ET, SECN
Kentucky and Tennessee are getting the main channel treatment from ESPN, but this one is actually for the outright SEC lead. That is still the case despite the Aggies’ close loss Wednesday at Alabama. They’ll be happy to be back at home, but the Gators have won seven of their last eight and appear to be peaking at the right time. There’ve been few answers for Florida’s interior trio of Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu. The Aggies should have a depth advantage in the backcourt, but Ruben Dominguez and Rylan Griffen will have to be on target.
Time/TV: Saturday, 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
The Saturday nightcap takes us to an all-Cougars showdown in the Big 12, where the host Cougars of BYU are trending the wrong way on a three-game skid. BYU’s issues have primarily been at the defensive end, which does not bode particularly well with Houston’s high-scoring guard trio coming to Provo. BYU will also have to keep Houston’s Joseph Tugler and Chris Cenac from controlling the boards, a more manageable task if center Keba Keita can avoid foul trouble.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College basketball weekend games schedule features Duke-North Carolina
Call it the cost of winning gold.
The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina are fast approaching, and a select group of NHL stars are gearing up for what could be the experience of a lifetime. At the same time, NHL teams are watching closely and remaining mindful of the risks tied to their most valuable assets.
One of the biggest concerns surrounding Olympic participation is the financial risk of losing a player to injury. NHL teams continue to pay players during the tournament, and any injury sustained on the international stage becomes the organization’s responsibility. According to a recent interview with NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly, the 158 players heading to Milan are insured for $3.7-billion.
Which raises an important question: where is all that money going? And more important, how much does it cost to purchase a gold medal?
As you can see in the below breakdown, Team USA and Canada have a significant financial advantage over smaller countries such as Czechia and Slovakia. We'll know in a couple of weeks whether that advantage translates to a gold medal.
(All figures are based on players’ NHL cap hits, per capwages.com. In cases where exact contract details are unavailable, we used the highest end of credible estimates, assuming all players discussed are paid like top end talent.)
$199,375,000 total cap hitSkaters: $174,375,000Goalies: $25,000,000
The U.S. will have by far the most expensive goaltending trio at the Winter Games, with defending Hart and Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets, along with Boston's Jeremy Swayman, and Dallas' Jake Oettinger each earning more than $8.25 million per season.
Somewhat surprisingly, only one American skater holds a contract inside the NHL’s top 16, with Toronto’s Auston Matthews leading the way at $13.25 million. Beyond that, the roster remains pretty top-heavy, with Vegas’ Jack Eichel, Columbus’ Zach Werenski, Florida’s Matthew Tkachuk, Boston's Charlie McAvoy and Tampa Bay's Jake Guentzel among the top 40 with cap hits of $9 million or more each. With a deep pool of established talent and virtually every player beyond their entry-level deal, the U.S. roster offers few true bargain contracts, with Vincent Trocheck’s $5.625-million cap hit at the bottom.
$191,815,000 Skaters: $174,715,000Goalies: $17,100,00
Canada narrowly edges the United States in forward payroll, holding three of the five most expensive contracts in the NHL. Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon leads the way at $12.6 million, followed by Edmonton’s Connor McDavid at $12.5 million and Vegas’ Mitch Marner at $12 million.
Interestingly, Canada also features a trio of well-known agitators in Brad Marchand, Tom Wilson and Sam Bennett, who have a combined cap hit of $19.75 million, but who have also collectively cost themselves $3.06 million due to suspensions.
Canada also benefits from notable value deals. Rookie standout Macklin Celebrini counts just $975,000 against the cap, while defenseman Thomas Harley is earning $4 million this season after playing a pivotal role in Canada’s win at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
In net, Canada’s goaltending also remains comparatively cost-effective. Unlike the United States’ expensive goalie group, with Jordan Binnington, Logan Thompson and Darcy Kuemper averaging $5.7-million.
$155,600,000Skaters: $145,520,000Goalies: $10,080,000
Despite a significant drop in overall team payroll, Sweden remains firmly in the gold medal conversation, thanks to a roster featuring a mix of some of the NHL’s most expensive contracts — and several of its best bargains. Headlining the list are three of the league’s 10 highest-paid players in Vancouver’s Elias Pettersson ($11.6 million), Toronto’s William Nylander ($11.5 million) and Pittsburgh’s Erik Karlsson ($11.5 million).
On the opposite end of the spectrum are some exceptional value contracts. Breakout goaltender Jesper Wallstedt, who has shared the net with fellow countryman Filip Gustavsson in Minnesota, carries a modest $2.2 million cap hit, while veteran Wild forward Marcus Johansson, who is enjoying one of his best years, has an $800,000 cap hit.
$115,500,000Skaters: $100,260,000Goalies: $15,240,000
The remaining teams in the tournament have a mix of players in the NHL but also pro leagues across the world. For the Finns, they will have a cheap option on the back end with defenseman Mikko Lehtonen, who is paid anywhere between $320,000 to 650,000 USD while playing in the National League in Switzerland. Despite this, the Finns are viewed as legitimate gold-medal contenders, as they have several top end players who also earn quite a bit.
The most-expensive player is Dallas' Mikko Rantanen ($12 million), while Carolina's Sebastian Aho is close behind ($9.75 million). The Finns' best-valued player is easily Montreal's Oliver Kapanen, who is having a solid season as the second line center for the playoff-bound Habs, and is still on his entry-level deal ($925,000).
Of course, Finland's overall total would have been even higher had Florida's Aleksander Barkov ($10 million) and Buffalo goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen ($5.75 million) not been injured.
Czechia, $69,240,500NHL skaters: $50,462,500; non-NHL skaters: $5,040,500Goalies: $14,600,000
The Czech roster is where a true mix of global talent begins to emerge. Established NHL stars such as Boston's David Pastrnak ($11.25 million), who is Czechia's flag-bearer, Colorado's Martin Nečas ($6.5 million) and Lukáš Dostál ($6.5 million) headline the national team.
Beyond the NHL contingent, Czechia’s roster features a wide range of contracts across several European leagues. Seven players skate in the Czech Extraliga, including former NHL forward Ondřej Kaše, where salaries are estimated between $40,000 and $213,000 USD per season. Three others, including former NHLer Dominik Kubalík, play in the National League alongside Finland’s Mikko Lehtonen, with contracts generally ranging from $320,000 to $650,000 USD. Two more play in the Swedish Hockey League ($215,000 to $325,000 USD) and defenseman Jiří Ticháček plays in Finland’s Liiga ($80,000 and $300,000 USD).
This blend of current NHL players, former NHL contributors, and seasoned European veterans gives Czechia a deep, balanced roster that should make them a difficult opponent at the Olympic Games.
Slovakia, $25,032,200NHL skaters: $19,060,000; non-NHL skaters: $4,834,200Goalies: $1,138,000
Similar to Czechia, Slovakia is an emerging hockey nation built around a wave of young talent that is expected to produce more NHL players in the coming years. For now, the roster is anchored by several established names, including Montreal’s Juraj Slafkovský ($7.6 million), Tampa Bay’s Erik Černák ($5.2 million) and Calgary’s Martin Pospíšil ($1 million).
Slovakia also features players competing in the KHL, with varying contract estimates for forwards Adam Ružička at approximately $591,300 USD and Adam Liška at $325,000 USD, along with defenseman Martin Gernát at roughly $788,400 USD. Like Finland and Czechia, the Slovak roster draws from leagues across Europe, including the Czech Extraliga, the Swedish Hockey League, and the Swiss National League.
The team also includes players outside the traditional professional ranks, with representation from the NCAA, as well as homegrown talent in the Slovak Extraliga. That group includes forward Samuel Takáč and one of the team’s goaltenders.
While Slovakia does not carry one of the more expensive rosters in the tournament, its mix of youth, international experience, and emerging talent gives the team the potential to challenge for a medal.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2026 Olympics: Which country has most expensive men's hockey roster?
The 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup is set to begin in India and Sri Lanka on Feb. 7.
While most Americans might not be acquainted with the sport, they may have gotten a glimpse into the sport in 2024 when Team USA pulled off a miraculous defeat of the usual cricket power Pakistan on June 7, 2024, in Dallas.
According to many cricket experts, the USA's win over Pakistan is considered to be one of the biggest upsets in the history of the sport.
A chance at repeating history is on the table for the U.S., as it is slotted in the same group as Pakistan for the World Cup, along with India, Nambia and the Netherlands. The U.S. and Pakistan face off on Tuesday, Feb. 10, at the Singhalese Sports Club in Sri Lanka.
As the World Cup approaches, here's what fans need to know about the similarities and differences between cricket and America's pastime: baseball.
Just like in baseball, the premise of the sport is the same. A thrower throws the ball to the batter, who has to hit the ball and help his team score as many runs as possible. In both sports, there are fielders whose main job is to prevent runs.
In both sports, when the ball is hit in play, the batter becomes a runner who is looking to score runs in whatever the rules of the sport require.
Another similarity is hitting the ball outside of the parameters of the field, without it bouncing. In baseball, that is a home run that could be worth between one and four runs. Meanwhile, in cricket, it is called a "six" and is worth six runs.
In both sports, when a player "gets out," the next person in the batting order is up to bat. When a set number of players are retired on each side, the fielding team comes to bat, while the batting team takes the field.
A catch in both sports is when the ball goes from the bat to the fielder, without the ball touching the ground.
Of course, whichever team scores the most runs wins the match. Matches generally do not end in ties.
Just as in baseball, the T20 format lasts about three hours for a full, complete game. Per the ICC, the average cricket match lasts 3 hours and 20 minutes.
A baseball is made of cork, rubber or a mixture of both, and can sometimes be layered. The legal weight for a baseball is between 5 ounces and 5 1/4 ounces, while it is 9 to 9.25 inches in circumference.
Meanwhile, a cricket ball is made of cork and string and covered with red leather. The ball weighs between 5.5 and 5.75 ounces and measures between 8 13/16 and 9 inches in circumference.
While the object remains the same in both sports, it's the differences that make the sports interesting. The differences start with the terminology. In baseball, what is called a pitcher is called a bowler. That name difference makes sense.
A bowler begins his process of throwing the ball in a run-up, and then throws the ball in an arc-like formation from a flat surface. The bowler typically bounces the ball, while a baseball pitcher throws from a mound and does not have a running start, but rather a windup.
Bowlers are allowed four overs in a T20 match at most. Unlike in baseball, where a pitcher can pitch a "complete game," that is not an option in cricket, as different bowlers will get opportunities.
Another key difference is the batting gear. In baseball, a cylindrical and hollow bat is used, while a cricket bat is flat and has a cane handle. In baseball, a batter is on the field for the offense, while other players wait in the dugout, unless they are on base. In cricket, there are two batsmen on the field at a time, while others on offense wait for their turn in the clubhouse.
In baseball, after the batter makes contact with the ball, they are to run around the bases to score a run. The bases are 90 feet apart in baseball. In cricket, the hitters run between two creases, which are typically 22 yards apart. Each time each runner crosses the crease, it counts as one run.
When a runner runs between the creases in cricket, the fielders are to attempt to throw out the runner before he reaches for a "wicket," which means the runner is out. In baseball, fielders either throw the ball to a base or tag the runner.
In baseball, a batter is done when his at-bat is done or if he gets on base or scores a run. In cricket, the batter continues until he is recorded out.
In baseball, fielders are equipped with gloves to catch a ball and record outs. In cricket, the only fielder who has gloves on is the wicket keeper, who stands directly behind the wicket. Every other fielder is gloveless.
While there are 10 players per side for baseball, with nine on the field at a time, cricket rules have 11 players on the field at a time.
In baseball, each runner who crosses the plate counts as a run. Multiple runs can be scored on a play, if there are men on base.
In cricket, each time the two batsmen trade the crease on either side, it counts as a run. One, two or three runs can be scored on a ball that is kept in the playing field. If a ball bounces at least once and gets over the boundary, it counts as four runs. When the ball goes over the boundary without bouncing, it counts as six runs.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Similarities between cricket, baseball ahead of T20 Cricket World Cup
The 2026 Yankees have a lot riding on their stars repeating the quality seasons that they put up in 2025, but there’s a select few that they would like to see rebounds from. No one fits that latter category more than Anthony Volpe, who was brutally bad at the plate for months at a time and endured a dreadful season at shortstop for the first time after posting excellent defense at a minimum in his previous two seasons. Of course, now we know that he was playing through a shoulder injury for most of the year, but a third-straight underwhelming season offensively has put him in the hot seat entering 2026.
Volpe’s expected to miss the start of the season as he recovers from shoulder surgery, but he should be ready to go sometime around May-June. When he returns, it’s likely that the Yankees will give him the starting shortstop gig back unless José Caballero manages to put on an otherworldly performance in his stead. Should he disappoint a fourth time in a row, even a Yankees front office that has been enamored with Volpe’s potential for years would find it prudent to chase an upgrade, but what would qualify as a “good” season for Volpe, or at least good enough to warrant keeping him in the plans for the future?
One of the biggest detriments for Volpe has been his inability to get on base, whether that’s because he’s struggled to generate good contact or work walks. Getting above a .300 OBP mark isn’t exactly a sign of a future star, but it would be a first for Volpe in his career if he could do so this year. Getting on the basepaths would enable him to use one of his best tools as well — his speed. Volpe started his career red-hot timing steal attempts, nabbing 13 bags without getting caught by May. Since then he’s struggled to pick his spots, perhaps because of how inconsistently he’s had the opportunity to, and it resulted in him taking just 18 bags last year. Jumping back into that 25-30 range of steals would go a long way to making the bottom of the Yankees’ lineup more threatening.
Of course there’s always the question of Volpe’s power. He aimed to drive the ball out of the park in his rookie campaign, hit a respectable 21 bombs but struggled to do much else on contact, and then flipped his strategy completely in 2024 becoming more of an even-plane swinger. His power plummeted, and the tradeoff didn’t do too much for his ability to find the gap as he hit .243 and bumped his OBP up only 10 points despite the sizeable batting average jump. Last year he went into the season aiming for more of a middle ground, but the injury prevented him from showcasing whether he had found a suitable way to attack pitchers. Perhaps a jump in statistical performance wouldn’t be as big of an indicator for a good year for Volpe so much as merely finding consistency and knowing that he’s found his form at last. Is there a particular benchmark you’d set for Volpe that he’d need to beat to regain some faith, or is it all in how comfortable he looks at the dish? Let us know what you think.
On the site today, Andrés leads off with a look at Michael Kopech as a high-risk, high-reward option for the bullpen. Then, Sam wishes the Bambino a happy birthday and looks at the lasting legacy he’s cast on the sport, Michael gives us the day’s season preview focused on Oswaldo Cabrera, and Estevão takes us back to the infamous Jacoby Ellsbury signing ahead of the 2014 season. Later on in the day, I’ll be back to answer your latest questions in our mailbag.
As Brewers fans, we’ve quickly become used to making it into the postseason.
After just four playoff appearances from the franchise’s inception in 1969 (as the Seattle Pilots) through their first 49 seasons, Milwaukee has now made it to October baseball in seven of the last eight seasons, including five NL Central titles.
But is it enough?
The team’s “bites of the apple” approach has clearly worked in terms of making it to the postseason, but they have yet to make it back to the World Series, with the franchise’s lone appearance coming back in 1982. The 2018 Brewers were a Game 7 win away from making it, and the 2011 and 2025 Brewers also made it to the NLCS, but nobody has won a pennant.
After Freddy Peralta became the fourth big-name pitcher traded by the team in the last four years (joining Josh Hader, Corbin Burnes, and Devin Williams), they’ll look to extend their playoff streak to four consecutive seasons in 2026 with a roster built around veterans Brandon Woodruff and Christian Yelich along with a whole bunch of youngsters, headlined by soon-to-be 22-year-old Jackson Chourio.
Is making it back to the postseason still considered a success in your book? Or do the Brewers need to take another step forward in 2026?
Weigh in in the comments, and join us throughout the month as we keep these conversations rolling into spring training. Have a question you’d like to ask in a future BCB Daily Question? Drop one in the comments, and we may use it later this month.
The Cleveland Cavaliers believe that the Eastern Conference is wide open right now. Trading for James Harden gives them a better chance to seize that opportunity.
“We think that he raises our ceiling and gives us a chance to have real playoff success,” Cavs president of basketball operations Koby Altman said on Thursday.
“He gives us a different look in the backcourt. He’s 6’5” and he gets downhill, and he is ninth in the league in drives. He’s strong. He’s creative. I think he’s going to be great for our bigs. I also know that Donovan [Mitchell] is excited to play alongside him. Obviously, this is not a trade that we took lightly. But we do know that James is going to help us, and so we’re excited to welcome him.”
Harden will help the Cavs in many ways. He’s still one of the best point guards in the league and is a clear upgrade over Darius Garland at this point.
“[We’re] really excited about when it gets to a chaotic time in the playoffs and we’re on the road, and there’s a fever pitch, being able to throw the ball to him and calm this thing down,” Altman said. “Let’s get a good possession, right? Let’s get a good possession when it gets really, really tight, and it’s loud in that building. We’ve gone to the playoffs the last few years largely as a young team, not a very experienced playoff team, trying to figure it out. Now I think we’re adding just a tremendous amount of experience and know-how.”
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Harden is a one-man offense that can seemingly get good shots for himself and his teammates every time down the court.
That said, those comments ignore the elephant in the room. Harden was brought in to help in the playoffs despite being known as one of the biggest postseason chokers in league history.
“We looked at it, and we studied really hard,” Altman said. “There’s some elimination games that he probably wishes he had back, probably five really bad games out of 173 playoff games. But overall, he certainly raises his level, raises our level. It’s hard being the number one option on a championship-level team. I think the good news for him is he has another number one option right next to him.”
Whether or not Harden fits next to Mitchell remains to be seen. We’ve seen Harden coexist decently well with other ball-dominant players like Chris Paul, Tyrese Maxey, and Kevin Durant. How that carries over to sharing the floor with Mitchell will determine whether this trade ultimately pays off.
What we do know is that the Cavs have a second player who can carry some of the playmaking burden in the playoffs. That has been an issue in recent postseason runs.
“When it gets really tough in the playoffs, the team takes away your play, your second counter, and we need to get the ball in Donovan’s hands, we need to get the ball in James’ hands, that we’re going to have a great possession, we’re going to have a great possession,” Altman said. “And so really that’s what we’re thinking of. And in the playoffs, I do still think it comes down to largely a half-court game when it comes down to it.”
There’s also the concern that the Cavs play a different brand of offensive basketball than Harden. Head coach Kenny Atkinson’s teams have been built around ball and player movement and attacking in transition.
Harden’s teams have been the opposite. He’s thrived in slower tempo, iso-heavy systems. The Cavs are hoping both sides can meet in the middle.
“We’re going to have to adapt to James,” Altman said. “He’s that good a player, but I think we’re going to still run. … [Playing fast is] still part of what we do. I don’t think that’s going to stop. I do know that James is a great rebounder, and so our pitch-ahead game is going to be great.”
Harden can take the Cavs to another level. How exactly that’s going to look remains to be seen. There will undoubtedly need to be some give-and-take on both sides. But there’s a reason this move was made. The skill upgrade is clear, and that will help when it matters most.
“My job at the end of the day is to bring the best talent to Cleveland and set them up for success,” Altman said. “That’s the job. And so we’re bringing one of the greatest players of all time to Cleveland, who’s still playing at an elite level. We couldn’t be more excited.”
One of the core players from Kentucky’s first team in the Mark Pope era has agreed to a contract with the team that drafted him.
Amari Williams, who had a triple-double against Ole Miss last season, has agreed to a two-year, $2.7 million deal with the Boston Celtics. Williams was drafted 46th overall in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Williams was previously on a two-way contract with the Celtics, which he signed back in August. He was originally drafted by the Orlando Magic and then traded to Boston.
In his lone season with Kentucky, Williams averaged 10.9 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game. Williams was a three-time CAA Defensive Player of the Year at Drexel before transferring to Kentucky.
During last year’s Sweet 16 run, Williams became famous for eating Weetabix cereal, a company he eventually signed with an NIL deal. I can remember seeing a box of it in the press room in Indianapolis during the Sweet 16. Weetabix clearly caught on.
Before the game, the Penguins gave a few roster updates, including the ill-timed news that forward Rickard Rakell suffered a lower-body injury. As a result, one of the Penguins’ top forward prospects, Avery Hayes, had been recalled from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. [PensBurgh]
And speaking of Hayes, he had quite the night on Thursday. A two-goal debut performance is something he’ll remember forever. Fellow rookie Ben Kindel also notched two goals, as Pittsburgh rolled past the Buffalo Sabres 5-2. [Recap]
Members of the Penguins organization, both new and old, are rallying around former team general manager Craig Patrick, 79, who suffered a severe stroke in late December and has been in a Pittsburgh hospital since. [The Athletic]
A police affidavit says video footage shows top draft prospect Gavin McKenna allegedly punching a man twice in the face, leaving the victim with a fractured jaw that required surgery and his jaw to be wired shut. [TSN]
Calgary Flames forward Jonathan Huberdeau has seen his season come to an end after it was revealed that he requires hip surgery. [Sportsnet]
New York Islanders rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer has taken the NHL by storm in his rookie season. He was left off Team Canada’s Olympic roster, but at only 18, he still hopes to don the maple leaf in the future. [NHL]
As the NHL shifts toward its Olympic break, which players lead the races for the top NHL trophies, including the Hart, Norris, and Calder? [ESPN]
Our latest NCAA men’s basketball bracket projection features a few changes in the upper quadrant. Several programs with national titles in the past decade are among the teams with upward mobility.
Kansas, riding a six-game winning streak, has surged to a No. 3 seed along with defending champ Florida. Purdue is also back up to the third line, as Michigan State slips to a No. 4 after dropping its second game in a row Wednesday night at Minnesota. Virginia is back in the top 16 as well, grabbing a No. 4 seed as Brigham Young slides to a five after a three-game losing skid.
STARTING FIVE:The biggest college basketball games to watch this weekend
Gonzaga, thanks to a stunning upset Wednesday at Portland, falls off the second line to a No. 3. That result wasn’t all bad for the West Coast Conference, however, as it moved Santa Clara into first place in the league standings. That puts the Broncos in line for the automatic bid, giving the WCC three teams in the field for the moment. Saint Louis is now the lone Atlantic 10 squad in the projected field with George Mason taking a damaging loss to Duquesne this week.
San Diego State, UCLA, Ohio State, New Mexico.
Miami (Fla.), Virginia Tech, California, Missouri.
Multi-bid leagues: Big Ten (11), SEC (10), ACC (7) Big 12 (7), Big East (3), Mountain West (3), West Coast (3).
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bracketology: Kansas rises in March Madness NCAA tournament projection
