Mets Madness: Elite Eight

For a detailed explanation/FAQ regarding this tournament, click here.

For the First Round results, click here.

For the Second Round results, click here.

For the Sweet Sixteen results, click here.

1968 (11) vs 2009(12)
G1: 7-6, ’09
G2: 3-2, ’68 (f/11)
G3: 3-1, ’09
G4: 8-3, ’09
Series MVP: Ángel Pagán

Can anyone stop the 2009 Mets? No, this matchup wasn’t comparable to their staggering upset victory against the 1986 World Champions last round, but it was surprising all the same — partially because one would think the 1968 home-field tendencies exposed their biggest weakness: the rotation. Instead, ’09 received fantastic starting pitching, including 8.2 innings of two-run ball from John Maine in Game 2 and a complete-game, four-hit performance from Mike Pelfrey in Game 3. In Game 1, when Johan Santana got lit up after earning an MVP last round, the ’09 offense was able to mount a six-run comeback, with Carlos Beltrán delivering the game-tying hit and Jeff Francoeur providing the go-ahead knock in the eighth inning while Francisco Rodríguez (who has been utterly un-hittable in the tournament) fired two perfect innings of relief. ’68 completed a comeback of smaller magnitude in Game 2. Trailing 2-0 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Ed Charles lined a game-tying single up the middle, and two innings later Bud Harrelson snuck a grounder past the dive of Luis Castillo to secure a walk-off victory. But the ’09 team didn’t falter again, propelled by the heroics of Pelfrey and Ángel Pagán, who accounted for two runs with his bat and his speed in Game 3 while going 4-for-4 in Game 4. J.J. Putz induced a ground ball from Ken Boswell to Alex Cora at short to end it as the first Citi Field squad got to celebrate in their new ballpark.

The ’68 Mets were able to take down the 2005, 2024, and 2002 squads, but not this mysteriously magical ’09 team, which I can only imagine enters the Final Four with a sense of overwhelming confidence. They mustered just 70 regular season wins, but they slew the giant of ’86. They’re no joke. Plus, if they beat the ’68 Mets, how afraid can they really be of the ’69 team lurking on the other side of the bracket? If anything, they might as well be more afraid of the other pesky underdogs awaiting them in the next round…

2001 (8) vs 2013(11)
G1: 9-4, ’13
G2: 4-3, ’13
G3: 7-4, ’01
G4: 6-4, ’13
Series MVP: Daniel Murphy

The 2001 Mets might have eliminated the 2015 team back in the Second Round, but the 2013 Mets — having a fair amount of players in common with the N.L. Champion roster two years later — were here to avenge that upset. That felt particularly true for Daniel Murphy, who channeled his 2015 postseason mode by going 8-for-19 with seven RBI (all of them relatively clutch) in the series. Matt Harvey was also in vintage form in Game 1, out-dueling Al Leiter by allowing just one run through his first seven innings of work (he did tire in the eighth, but reliever Scott Atchison was able to get out of trouble before things got too dicey). The ’13 Mets won Game 2 thanks to a four-hit day from Juan Lagares and a three-hit day from the next season’s Opening Day left fielder Andrew Brown, overcoming a late homer from Mike Piazza. In Game 3, ’01 saw an early 5-0 lead cut to 5-4 due to RBI from Brown, Murphy, and David Wright; but they got insurance runs thanks to a late hit from Piazza, who reached base five times in the game. Game 4 began in similar fashion, with the ’01 Mets going up big early and the ’13 Mets making an ambitious comeback attempt, only this time it was successful. A critical error by Todd Zeile in the bottom of the seventh set up a Murphy go-ahead, two-run double, and Bobby Parnell was able to pin down the save. 

With the ’01 team’s elimination, it officially marks the end of the road for a number of iconic Mets in the tournament (Piazza, Leiter, and Edgardo Alfonzo to name a few). As for the ’13 Mets, the most promising sign as they advance to the Final Four is that they didn’t even need two starts from Harvey to win this series, since their relatively unassuming offense is performing unfathomably well. If middle-of-the-order bats like Lagares and Brown keep their hot streaks going while Murphy mashes like it’s October 2015…who’s to say they can’t be this tournament’s Cinderella story?

1969(1) vs 1985 (3)
G1: 4-1, ’69
G2: 4-0, ’69
G3: 5-4, ’85
G4: 6-1, ’69
Series MVP: Jerry Koosman

For all those who may have wanted a championship matchup between the 1969 and 1986 Mets, this is about as close as you’ll get. And for all those who wanted an epic battle of Cy Young Award winners Tom Seaver and Dwight Gooden, that’s exactly what happened…from the second inning onward. Seaver surrendered a run on a Darryl Strawberry RBI single to right in the top of the first, while Gooden was tagged for four consecutive singles to open the game; when Doc finally recorded his first two outs, they scored the ’69 Mets’ third and fourth runs of the inning. Both starters were impenetrable from that point forward (each tossed a complete game), but Gooden’s inability to limit early damage cost him and the ’85 team a win. Game 2 featured another pitchers’ duel, but Ron Darling ultimately fell to Jerry Koosman, who threw an incredible three-hit, complete-game shutout. The ’85 Mets’ sole win came in Game 3, when they jumped out to a 5-0 lead early off Gary Gentry and fended off a four-run seventh inning from the scrappy ’69 offense. In Game 4, Donn Clendenon and Tommie Agee took over, combining for five of the team’s six RBI. In the bottom of the seventh, ’85 got their golden opportunity. Trailing by four, Keith Hernandez came to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded against Tug McGraw and lined the first pitch he saw, but it was snagged out of the air by Ken Boswell at second base. Two innings later, Agee sprinted into shallow center field to catch the final out off the bat of Gary Carter.

It’s a devastating loss for the ’85 Mets, who had to feel confident after taking down the No. 2 seed ’88 Mets in the previous round. For the Miracle Mets of 1969, a championship sits firmly in their sights — but their stellar starting pitching staff will face its greatest challenge yet in the Final Four…

2006 (2) vs 2011 (8)
G1: 10-6, ’11
G2: 5-2, ’06
G3: 5-4, ’06
G4: 8-6, ’11
G5: 5-4, ’06 (f/12)
Series MVP: David Wright

The 2006 Mets sure do know how to script an ending. For the third time in four rounds, their series came down to a winner-take-all Game 5 — and this time, it ended in walk-off fashion. ’06 might have thought this series would be a walk in the park while leading Game 1 by a score of 5-2 thanks to a Shawn Green three-run homer, but the 2011 team announced their presence with a resounding comeback kicked off against reliever Aaron Heilman. Tom Glavine pitched ’06 to victory in Game 2, while a homer and 3 RBI from José Valentín (this tournament’s unexpected slugger) supported a quality start from Orlando Hernández to secure a Game 3 win. ’11’s lineup walloped John Maine in Game 4, setting up the thrilling, twelve-inning Game 5. The ’11 Mets simply would not die, coming back from being down 3-0 in the fifth inning thanks to clutch hitting from Justin Turner and Josh Thole. The ’06 Mets rallied multiple times in extra innings but came up short, with Mike Baxter (who hit a homer earlier in the night) making a game-saving catch to rob Carlos Delgado in the tenth and 38-year-old Jason Isringhausen retiring Paul Lo Duca to evade trouble in the eleventh. Carlos Beltrán led off the bottom of the twelfth with a single, and then advanced to second on a wild pitch with David Wright at the plate. Seconds later, Wright sent a 2-0 fastball hurtling towards the center-field grass, notching his second walk-off hit in as many rounds while punching his team’s ticket to the Final Four.

The ’11 Mets showed some serious fight, as they have for the entire tournament, but this time they will not be advancing along with their ’09 and ’13 neighbors. Meanwhile, the ’06 Mets now enter a scenario which may spark traumatic memories: if they win the coming seven-game series, they advance to the championship. Their semifinal matchup against the ’69 Mets should be the most high-octane showdown in Mets Madness thus far.

Knicks Bulletin: ‘I just figured out that’s what God blessed me with’

BROOKLYN, NY - MARCH 20: Tyler Kolek #13 of the New York Knicks arrives to the arena before the game against the Brooklyn Nets on March 20, 2026 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David L. Nemec/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Knicks demolished the Wiz Kiz on Sunday, capping a week that has New York just half-a-game behind Boston in the standings.

On top of that, Tyler Kolek made history, scoring 53 points on a single day playing for two professional teams in New York and Westchester.

Here’s the latest from your favorite people in the NBA universe.

Mike Brown

On his preferred playoff rotation depth:

“For me, I like to play 9 or 9.5 guys — 10 if you can. It gets hard because we have guys on our roster willing to play 34 minutes. When you have multiple guys, four or five guys, who are worthy of that, it makes it a little harder to give other guys extended minutes. I’ve felt we’ve tried to do a good job of giving our young guys an opportunity to play and other guys an opportunity to play.”

On keeping rotational players ready:

“Being with Steve Kerr, one of the things they used to do is start someone different every once in a while, someone who might not have played in three or four games. The only rhyme or reason they did it is to let them know that they have to be ready. Your number can be called at anytime. I liked that, but I didn’t go quite that route. I do like the fact that guys can think, ‘Oh, OK. My number can be called at any time, so I have to stay ready.’ It’s not just lip service. It can happen because they saw it happen. I threw Diawara out there a couple of times as a rookie. Doing that keeps guys engaged and on their toes, especially when guys are handling their minutes as professionals, which all of our guys have done.”

On the improved start to the game against Washington:

“We talked about it. Our biggest thing is making our opponent feel us and we did a better job in that area. I thought we did a nice job moving the ball and trying to take the right shots. I thought overall, it was a lot better than what we’ve done in a couple of games.”

On avoiding overreaction to bad game stretches:

“There was a time when we were struggling, I think in the third quarter, coming out of halftime. Two games ago, we were great. Against Indiana, we were great. I’m not gonna lie, I don’t remember who we played before that. Against Golden State, we stunk. I don’t know who we played before that. So you try to prepare your guys and not overreact to struggles that you may have that could be short-term or temporary. So we’re not to a point where I’m gonna try to do something out of the box with the guys. They are a veteran group and like I said, we’ve struggled in other areas throughout the course of the year before. So I’m gonna keep doing what we’re doing and in due time, if we need to change this or change that I’m definitely not opposed to it, as all you guys know, from our players to our staff, I’m not opposed to somebody else saying ‘hey, let’s do this instead of that.’”

On seeding and home-court advantage:

“The higher the seed, the better, mainly because the fans at MSG are awesome and playing in this environment during that time, you couldn’t ask for anything better. But at the end of the day, if we truly believe that we are THAT team, it truly don’t matter where we got to go and who we got to face.”

Jalen Brunson

On playing the Knicks way early against the Wizards:

“I think we came out and we played our style. They had a decent run where they tied the game back up, but after that we got the lead, played well with the lead and didn’t look back after that.”

On Jose Alvarado’s bench energy:

“It helps the team no matter what. You kind of wish he was on the court, because he’s a little bit quieter than on the bench. He does so much for this team on and off the court. It’s constant energy. Kind of regardless of how he’s playing, he always has the energy. That’s a skill, that’s a skill that makes someone last in the league a long time. It’s great to have him.”

Josh Hart

On the comparisons to Andre Iguodala:

“Andre is extremely talented, definitely was a better player in this league than I am. But we can be like an older version of Andre. Older, less athletic, scoring version of Andre. But it’s cool, Andre is someone who is highly respected for everything he’s done for the game. So it was cool.”

On finding pride in doing the dirty work and connecting his teammates:

“I take a lot of pride in it. Especially right now, you just look at numbers and you don’t understand the process of the game. A lot of people think you can just throw five guys in that score X amount of points, and that’s how it’s gonna be. But that’s not always what it is, situations are different. So for me, especially in that starting group, I’m a guy that’s gonna connect the dots, a guy that’s gonna try to be unselfish, get other guys involved, get other guys flowing in good rhythm. I think that gets overlooked, but for me, I take pride in it.”

Mitchell Robinson

On the need to have better starts after the Brooklyn scare:

“We just got to come in ready to go. We can’t take that one like we did this one to start the game. Come out and be prepared to go on Sunday.”

Mikal Bridges

On needing better team starts after escaping the Nets game alive:

“We just got to come out better. That’s pretty much it. We got to be better as a team.”

Jose Alvarado

On the MSG introduction when he started with Brunson out:

“It’s really emotional. If you watched the video of me when they said the starting five and they said me, I pointed to my parents. It’s just something I know where they sit at, I’m always going to look for them and it’s just cool to have them at the game all the time now. New Orleans was pretty tough because they lived out here. So now they can come to every game they want.”

On playing in Brooklyn as a Knick:

“It’s cool. It’s just cool all the time to play with a Knicks jersey on. But obviously playing at Brooklyn, playing against Brooklyn pretty special. Being a kid from down the street, I was raised probably 10 minutes down the street from Barclays Center. It got expensive. My grandma still lives there, my dad’s mom. She lives in the projects right there down the street from Fort Greene. She still lives there. So me and my dad, we go visit. We could walk there. I just remember it being a train station. Obviously, it got developed to a nice city area.”

On not imagining playing for the Knicks:

“I didn’t really think of it like that. I didn’t think none of this. I didn’t think I was going to be playing for the Knicks.”

On energy becoming his NBA skill:

“I didn’t think that growing up. But as I got closer, into college and going into my NBA career, it keeps me in the NBA. That’s one of the reasons I got to the NBA and it separates me from being just in the NBA if that makes sense. I just figured out that’s what God blessed me with, and I’ve just got to do it at a high level.”

On Brunson and Hart teasing him:

“They headaches. They’re good people. They’re great guys. We’ve just got a relationship, they think they can say whatever. But it’s all love and fun. Those guys are great.”

2025 Season in Review: Hoby Milner

ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 9: Hoby Milner #41 of the Texas Rangers pitches against the Milwaukee Brewers during the fifth inning at Globe Life Field on September 9, 2025 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images

With the 2025 Texas Rangers season having come to an end, we shall be, over the course of the offseason, taking a look at every player who appeared in a major league game for the Texas Rangers in 2025.

Today we are looking at reliever Hoby Milner.

The Texas Rangers signed Hoby Milner to a one year deal for the 2025 season, coming off a season for the Milwaukee Brewers where he had a -0.6 bWAR and 0.9 fWAR in 64.2 innings over 61 games, with a 4.73 ERA and a 3.14 FIP.

For the Rangers in 2025, Hoby Milner had a -0.6 bWAR and a 1.0 fWAR in 70.1 innings over 73 games, with a 3.84 ERA and a 3.39 FIP.

Weird, huh? An ERA almost a run lower, but the same bWAR and fWAR, essentially.

fWAR is based on FIP, with relievers having leverage factored in as well, so the similarity in FIP (and FIP- — 80 in 2025, 77 in 2024) and similarity in Clutch performance (-0.26 in 2025, -0.19 in 2024) helps explain why the fWAR is virtually the same.

bWAR is based on RA/9, and of course, as we all know, B-R’s park effects are much different than Fangraphs’ park effects for the Shed in 2025, with the result being that Milner’s ERA+ in 2025 (95) is very close to his ERA+ in 2024 (88).

And to further illustrate the complexity, Milner’s xERA in 2024, when he had an actual ERA of almost 5, was lower than his xERA in 2025 — 3.20 in 2024 versus 3.79 in 2025.

Milner is a lefty-on-lefty specialist, and is one of those guys who is hurt by the three batter limit that MLB introduced. He allowed an 820 OPS against righthanders in 168 plate appearances, compared to a 526 OPS against lefties, in line with his career 794 OPS against righties and 608 OPS against lefties.

As with Robert Garcia, Milner gets dinged for his performance in high leverage situations last year. He allowed a .333/.362/.448 slash line in high leverage situations, though that was driven largely by a .413 BABIP. The upshot is that, despite having just 105 of his 293 batters faced being in high leverage situations, 22 of the 36 runs he allowed were in high leverage situations.

Milner had a career high in appearances and innings in 2025. Perhaps not coincidentally, he hit a wall in mid-August. Through August 13, Milner had 56 appearances in 122 team games, and had a 2.15 ERA and 2.44 FIP. From August 14 through year end, Milner appeared in 17 games, threw just 11.2 innings, and had a 12.34 ERA, 6.97 xERA and 7.94 FIP.

Milner signed a one year, $3.75 million deal with the Cubs for 2026, with incentives that would potentially increase the deal to $4 million, so he got a raise off of his $2.5 million salary in 2025. The Rangers are, I imagine, more or less satisfied with what they got from Milner in 2025.

Previously:

Gerson Garabito

Tyler Mahle

Kyle Higashioka

Adolis Garcia

Luis Curvelo

Alejandro Osuna

Blaine Crim

Jake Burger

Jacob Webb

Nick Ahmed

Jon Gray

Carl Edwards Jr.

Josh Jung

Leody Taveras

Dustin Harris

Marc Church

Luke Jackson

Danny Coulombe

Wyatt Langford

Dylan Moore

Michael Helman

Evan Carter

Cole Winn

Rowdy Tellez

Dane Dunning

Marcus Semien

Billy McKinney

Jose Corniell

Jonah Heim

Cody Freeman

Sam Haggerty

Jacob deGrom

Merrill Kelly

Caleb Boushley

Justin Foscue

Nathan Eovaldi

Chris Martin

Patrick Corbin

Joc Pederson

Phil Maton

Corey Seager

Tucker Barnhart

Jack Leiter

Ezequiel Duran

Robert Garcia

Kumar Rocker

Codi Heuer

Donovan Solano

Long Island Nets back into playoffs despite latest loss against Capital City Go-Go

UNIONDALE, NY - MARCH 19: D'Andre Davis #14 of the Long Island Nets looks to pass the ball during the game against the Maine Celtics on March 19, 2026 at The Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Evan Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

For the Long Island Nets, not much is going right at this moment. With the Brooklyn Nets having the three two-ways, Malachi Smith and the remaining Flatbush 4, Long Island has been left with slim pickings and a four-game losing streak.

However, a stroke of luck did favor them Sunday evening. Despite coming up just short against the Capital City Go-Go in Capital City, the Long Island squad is heading back to the G-League playoffs! A combination of other scores around the league helped the Nets back in.

At the moment, they’ve got the seventh seed in the post-season and would play the second seed, the Greensboro Swarm, in North Carolina likely on March 31. Other than the Finals, all the league playoff matches are single elimination, aka win or go home…

The last time Long Island made it this far came two years ago when they got all the way to the conference finals before losing to the Maine Celtics. The team saw a major turnaround this season with the likes of the Flatbush 5’s Danny Wolf, Ben Saraf, Drake Powell, and Nolan Traore, and the three Brooklyn two-way stars – Chaney Johnson, EJ Liddell and Tyson Etienne – leading the charge to get them in this spot.

Now, the question is how many of their three two-ways and 10-day Malachi Smith will be available for the post-season. With Brooklyn losing players to injury one after another, will they send any of the four players back? Indeed, Brooklyn has to make a decision Monday on what to do with Smith who’s initial 10-day runs out. If they renew him, he’ll be with the big club through March 31. If they don’t, he would presumably return to Nassau Coliseum.

Sunday’s game was promising building block game for all five of Long Island’s new starters. After going down 46-23 after the first quarter, Long Island entered the fourth quarter down by ten. Long Island tied the game to force overtime but missed all of its shots in the extended session, as it fell to the Go-Go by seven, 127-120.

Leading the way in this one was second-year Long Island player, Trevon Scott. Scott finished having arguably his best shooting game of the season, connecting on 10 of his 16 tries, including shooting 40% from deep, for a total of 22 points. He also had seven rebounds and two assists to go with it. He was one of just three Nets starters to score over 20 points in this game.

The 6’9” 29-year-old has been one of the team’s stalwarts for the entire season working with the Flatbush 5 and other young players and playing in all but one of Long Island’s games, 46 in all. Scott who hasn’t played in the NBA since 2022 and then only two games with the Cavaliers is a basketball vagabond. He’s played in the G League as well as the French, Canadian and Puerto Rican leagues.

Other normally bench players got big minutes with the two-ways and Smith with Brooklyn. Very promising with the playoffs right around the corner.

Hunter Cattoor, 6’3” 25-year-old point guard, put together a career night, finishing with 21 points. He connected on eight of his 14 tries, including going five-for-nine from deep. Cattoor also had six rebounds, four assists, and a game-leading three steals. This may have been Cattoor’s best all-around showing that we’ve ever seen from him.

David Muoka once again got the start at the center position. Muoka flirted with a double-double after he connected on 10 of his 14 tries for 20 points and hauled in nine boards. Since being named a starter, we’ve seen Muoka show a different and more complete side of himself. He also had two steals and a game-leading three blocks, playing the big-man role.

Terry Roberts flirted with a triple-double, numbers we saw him put up quite often at the end of last season when Killian Hayes first got called up to Brooklyn. Roberts finished with 15 points, seven rebounds, and nine assists. He also had two steals while playing a clean game and finishing with zero turnovers. However, shooting was a bit of an issue for Roberts, as he connected on just four of his 13 tries. including missing both his tries from deep.

Dre Davis was the fifth and final starter for Long Island on Sunday. Davis, the Seton Hall and Ole Miss product was coming off a career-high of 25 points. The 24-year-old 6’6” wing finished with 15 points on Sunday and had four rebounds, four assists, two steals, and a block but missed all six of his 3-point attempts and turned the ball over four times, the most on the team.

One of the biggest difference makers for Long Island on Sunday came off the bench as Javon Freeman-Liberty once again shined. He finished with 15 points, connecting on four of his eight tries, including shooting 25% from deep. He also forced overtime for Long Island as he connected on both of his tries from the foul line to tie the game at 120 with 15 seconds left. Freeman-Liberty also had four rebounds, five assists, and one steal.

Next Up

The Long Island Nets (18-15) return to the court on Tuesday, as they match up with their cross-town rivals, the Westchester Knicks. Long Island looks to get back in the win column after dropping its last four games, with the playoffs quickly approaching. The game tips off at 7:00 p.m. EST and can be watched on ESPN+ and the Gotham Sports app.

Jayson Tatum talks about frustrations on court as he works back from Achilles injury

There are a lot of positives since Jayson Tatum's return to play in Boston. The Celtics are 6-2 in the games he has played and he scored 20+ points in five games and has a couple of double-doubles.

Then there are nights like Sunday, when he shot 6-of-16 in a loss to Minnesota. After the game, he talked about the frustrating process of finding his way back and having off days, via Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe.

"It's tough in the moment, right? You try not to think about it. You just want to be Jason Tatum and feel like yourself again. I'm not Superman, so, obviously, it's going to take some time. I think the next day I can give myself a little more grace over certain things, but in the moment, I mean, it's frustrating."

While Tatum has put up numbers, his efficiency has not yet returned. He's shooting 38.8% overall, 29.3% from 3-point range, and has yet to shoot over 50% in any of his games. That said, he's also grabbing 8.9 rebounds a night and has contributed to winning, but he is finding his role next to Jaylen Brown.

Speaking to NBC before the game, Brown said communication between him and Tatum is key for the team.
While the No. 2 seed Celtics had been looking up the standings at catching shorthanded Detroit for the No. 1 seed, they had better focus on wins to keep the No. 3 seed Knicks at bay — New York is just half a game back for that second seed. Boston is going to need Tatum for that.

Red Sox season preview: Predicting All-Star break headlines

Red Sox season preview: Predicting All-Star break headlines originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Editor’s note: Leading up to Opening Day, our staff will share several predictions for the 2026 Red Sox season. In Part 4 of the season preview series,our three-person panel predicted the headlines that will surround the club during the All-Star break.

The Boston Red Sox will be a fascinating club to watch in 2026.

Last year, the Red Sox clinched a Wild Card spot for their first postseason berth since 2021. Many expect them to take another step forward after a productive offseason, while others are skeptical about the lineup having enough firepower to keep up in a tough American League East.

Regardless, there will be no shortage of interesting headlines and hot takes on this year’s team come summertime. In the latest installment of our season preview series, our staff shared Red Sox headlines they believe we’ll see during the All-Star break in July:

Justin Leger: Wilyer Abreu shines in first All-Star Game appearance

It feels like Abreu is ready to make the leap from good to great in 2026. The two-time Gold Glove right fielder is coming off a standout performance for Team Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic, and he has quietly been rock-solid offensively over his first two full MLB seasons.

Abreu should get more opportunities against left-handed pitching this year. If so, he’ll be a candidate for 30-plus homers after notching 22 last season, when he mostly sat against southpaws. His unique blend of power and stellar defense will earn him his first career All-Star nod, and just as he did in the WBC, he’ll shine on the big stage.

Nick Goss: Roman Anthony has become one of MLB’s biggest stars

Anthony will live up to expectations offensively and be one of the starters for the AL at the All-Star Game, paving the way for him to become a household name by the time the 2026 season concludes.

Darren Hartwell: What does the future hold for Marcelo Mayer?

Yes, Mayer is only 23 and is about to enter his first full MLB season. But the former first-round pick has suffered season-ending injuries in three consecutive seasons and struggled during his brief big-league cameo in 2025.

The Red Sox have a crowded infield, so if Mayer gets off to a slow start in 2026, the conversation around his future in Boston will grow louder.

Derek Jeter’s final gift to George Steinbrenner — and how the Yankees ‘family business’ changed after owner’s death

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Derek Jeter (l.) and George Steinbrenner (r.) during spring training in 2000, Image 2 shows Yankees owner George Steinbrenner (right) sitting with his family, (l-r); Sons Hal and Hank, daughters Jenny and Jessica

Mike Vaccaro’s book, “The Bosses of the Bronx,” detailing the Yankees’ five-plus decades under the House of Steinbrenner, will be released by Harper Books March 24. You can pre-order here. Here is the third of three excerpts being shared with The Post:


His final captain would afford George Steinbrenner the last of his endless, priceless moments — and mementos — as Boss, even if he now went by Boss Emeritus. George Steinbrenner had, after all, made the unilateral decision to install Thurman Munson as captain 45 years after Lou Gehrig’s death.

Steinbrenner the erstwhile Big Ten coach never could shake his football instincts and viewed captains differently, and more fondly, all of them: Graig Nettles and Willie Randolph, Ron Guidry and Don Mattingly.

Now Derek Jeter.

One last time, Steinbrenner made the flight to New York. Once, as a young businessman crammed into a middle seat in coach, he’d sworn as his plane from Cleveland descended into LaGuardia Airport that he’d one day fly first class. Now, he’d made this trip thousands of times in his own jet.

Mike Vaccaro’s upcoming book, “The Bosses of The Bronx.”

Now he was three months shy of 80, and required a wheelchair. But he wasn’t going to miss the home opener of the 2010 season, April 13. By now, the Boss Watch — the gaggle of reporters assigned to his Stadium comings and goings — had been abandoned; he arrived in Box 44 comfortably.

Soon he was joined by two special guests.

Jeter and Joe Girardi walked the forty or so steps from the Yankees clubhouse to the VIP elevator, stepped in the Boss’ suite, and surprised him. They wanted to personally present his World Series ring. Jeter noticed the Boss was wearing two rings: one for the 2000 Yankees, and one an Ohio State ring.

Jeter looked into Steinbrenner’s eyes and laughed. “Boss, take off that Ohio State ring.”

Steinbrenner’s eyes brightened. He pointed at Jeter.

“Michigan,” he said to Jeter, a son of Kalamazoo and nearly a Michigan Wolverine before the Yankees signed him out of the 1992 draft. Jeter took the 2000 ring off instead, replaced it with the 2009 one, and everyone applauded. Later, in the bottom of the third, before Jeter stepped to the plate the scoreboard camera captured Steinbrenner wearing sunglasses in his box as “My Way” played over the public address system.

Yankees owner George Steinbrenner (l.) and wife Joan (r.) watch the team’s home opener against the Angels at Yankee Stadium on April 13, 2010. Getty Images

Jeter waited a respectful amount of time for the 49,293 to roar for the Boss.

Then swung at the first pitch and dunked one over the wall in right-center.

“None of us would be here, the stadium wouldn’t be here, if it wasn’t for him,” Jeter said. “He’ll always be The Boss.”

Ninety-one days later, sitting behind a podium at the All-Star Game, Jeter had this to say about that boss: “I was 18. Suddenly here he is, walking toward me, addressing me by name, and said, ‘We expect big things from you.’ I’ll always remember that.”

Jeter was stone-faced. The news he’d received he’d been dreading for a long while, same as everyone around the Yankees. It might not have been stunning that George Steinbrenner died earlier that day, July 13, 2010, of a heart attack at his home in Tampa, it was still hard to immediately calibrate. He’d turned 80 just nine days earlier.

Derek Jeter (l.) and George Steinbrenner (r.) during spring training in 2000. New York Post

After a few respectful days, it also became clear that the Boss left a remarkable legacy for his family, which you might call priceless except it absolutely had one. The federal estate tax expired the previous January, and that would’ve cost the family around a half-billion dollars had the Boss passed in 2009. Had he died in 2011, the renewed law was to be upped to 55 percent, so it would’ve siphoned $600 million. Without an inheritance tax the Yankees remained comfortably in the hands of his children.

It was a perfect bookend for an initial investment of $168,000.

“One of a kind,” Reggie Jackson said.

“A life almost impossible to imagine,” said his friend, Donald Trump.

“I still hate his guts,” said Howie Spira, who planned on holding his grudge long into the next life and beyond.


For a brief, colorful moment, Hank Steinbrenner, George’s eldest, happily morphed into his old man, into the biggest elephant in any room he walked in, trouncing those rooms with various opinions and observations before heading outside for a satisfying smoke.

Hank had a lot of thoughts on a lot of things. And what quickly became apparent was that Hank was every bit the back-page goldmine his father had been — maybe more so. He was happy to hand out his cell phone number to reporters, happier to take their calls, downright gleeful at returning calls he’d missed, and happiest still to fill empty notebooks with gold.

(Hank really was a columnist’s best friend. Once, searching for an idea on a random Tuesday, The Post’s former sports editor, Greg Gallo, reached out to me. “Call Hank,” he said. “See what he has to say.”

“About what?” I asked.

“About anything,” Gallo said.

I called Hank, he picked up right away, and for 25 minutes he provided me that day’s column, which became the next morning’s back page: “HANK UNPLUGGED!”

After we were done, as I was hammering my laptop to beat deadline, my phone rang. It was Hank. “And a few other things …” and by the time he was done I had about 15 minutes left to finish the column. It ran a little long that day.)

Yankees owner George Steinbrenner (right) sitting with his family, (l-r); Sons Hal and Hank, daughters Jenny and Jessica. Charles Wenzelberg

Hal Steinbrenner was not his brother. But Hank, who died in 2020, wearied of the spotlight’s glare and happily ceded control of the Yankees to his kid brother without much of a fight, joining his sisters Jennifer and Jessica in unanimously voting Hal managing general partner in 2008.

“My father was more about the back pages of the tabloids,” Hal said in 2013. “I’m more about a back room, away from prying eyes. Anyone who thinks I don’t want to win? Well, how does the saying go? ‘Show me you’ve never met me without telling me that you’ve never met me.’”

Hal knows that every time the Yankees go on a five-game losing streak the familiar chorus surfaces: “If only George were still alive …” He also understands that fans don’t want to hear about baseball’s ever-shifting economic realities (and was, in fact, excoriated in some circles when he seemed to cry poverty after the Dodgers spending spree in December).

Those realities happen to be true, though. When the elder Steinbrenner shocked the baseball world by authorizing (while serving the first of his two suspensions) a five-year, $3.75 million contract that temporarily made Catfish Hunter baseball’s wealthiest player on New Year’s Eve 1974, it felt like all the money in the world, especially for the time.

But in 2026 dollars that still translates to only $25 million, which is just $2 million less than what Hal paid in 2023 alone for the services of Carlos Rodón, a starting pitcher who went 3–8 with a 6.85 ERA and who never on his best day pitched as well as Hunter on his worst.

The 1977 team, dubbed “The Best Team Money Could Buy?” Total payroll: $3 million. In 2026 dollars: $16.1 million, or about what the Yankees will likely pay Gerrit Cole before he ever throws a pitch in a regular-season game this year.

There have been various times when people wonder why the family doesn’t just cash out, assuring prosperity for untold future generations of Steinbrenner, and it’s a subject that makes Hal Steinbrenner laugh.

“The Yankees,” he says incredulously, “is our family business.”

This, then, is a story about one American family business and one city’s fascination with the proprietors of that corner store.

Golden Knights Snap Skid With Gritty 3-2 Win Over Stars

The Vegas Golden Knights (32-25-14) snapped a three-game skid and delivered a crucial statement victory, edging the Dallas Stars (43-16-11) 3-2 Sunday night at American Airlines Center.

Entering the contest on the heels of three uninspired performances in which they managed just a single goal, the Golden Knights faced a pivotal opportunity to preserve their playoff positioning—and they seized it.

Returning from a five-game healthy scratch, Reilly Smith made an immediate impact, scoring the game-winning goal with 3:38 remaining in the third period. Supporting him on the scoresheet were Brayden McNabb and Ivan Barbashev.

In net, Adin Hill displayed his goaltending skill, stopping 13 of 15 shots. However, he did surrender a couple of goals early in the game. Hill had struggled in recent outings—most notably against the Utah Mammoth, where he allowed three goals on just three shots. Overall, he had conceded five goals on his last nine shots, a concerning stat for any netminder.

Despite that rough stretch, Hill rebounded admirably against Dallas, helping the Golden Knights secure the crucial victory.

McNabb Sparks Early Momentum

Just over four minutes into the opening frame, McNabb set the tone with a coast-to-coast effort that highlighted his post-Olympic resurgence. His skillful drive gave Vegas an early lead, but the Stars quickly countered. Wyatt Johnston recorded his 23rd power-play goal of the season—setting a new franchise record—after a precise man-advantage shift at 10:55. Later, a defensive miscue allowed Justin Hryckowian to capitalize in front of Hill, knotting the score by the end of the first period.

Despite being outshot and out-chanced in the early stages, Vegas’ underlying metrics told a more promising story: 27-14 in shot attempts, 17-6 in scoring opportunities, and a commanding 71.82 percent expected goal share. The team had simply been undone by timely finishing from Dallas.

The second period belonged to the Golden Knights. Controlling the neutral zone and dominating shot attempts 11-3, Vegas held Dallas scoreless over the final 14:46 of the stanza. Their second-unit power play executed flawlessly: Brett Howden operated at the side of the net while Barbashev took over Dorofeyev’s role on the one-timer, tying the game at 2-2 at 9:10.

Special teams continued to define the period. After Jack Eichel drew a double minor for high-sticking, Vegas’ penalty kill delivered a clutch stop. Though the Golden Knights couldn’t convert on their subsequent power play late in the period, they sustained offensive pressure, generating multiple high-danger chances and forcing Casey DeSmith into several highlight-reel saves.

Late-Game Heroics Seal Victory

The Stars dominated early in the third, outshooting Vegas 10-1 in the first half of the period, but the momentum shifted as the Golden Knights gradually took control. With under four minutes left, Vegas orchestrated a decisive sequence: a crafty cycle by Mitch Marner created a rebound that Smith expertly pounced on, delivering the game-winner. The Stars pulled DeSmith in the final two minutes, yet Vegas’ relentless pressure on the 6-on-5 sealed the 3-2 triumph.

Vegas’ victory was a testament to tightened defensive execution and aggressive play, outshooting Dallas 33-15 and controlling the expected goals battle 4.57-1.61. Special teams, which had been a liability in Nashville, emerged as a saving grace in Dallas.

The win elevates the Golden Knights to second in the Pacific Division, holding a slim advantage over Edmonton. With just 11 games remaining, this gritty performance could provide the momentum Vegas needs to finish the season strong. The team will conclude its three-game road swing in Winnipeg on Tuesday, a matchup in which they already hold a favorable recent record.

Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire: Daniss Jenkins delivers in fantasy semifinals

Managers in Yahoo! default leagues have reached the fantasy semifinals. It’s win-or-go-home with a trip to the fantasy championship on the line, and navigating the waiver wire is more treacherous than ever. Fortunately, there are 10 widely-available players who can help needy rosters earn a victory and advance to the final week of the season.

For a great breakdown of the Week 22 schedule with actionable advice, check out Raphielle Johnson’s Fantasy Basketball Week 22 Schedule Primer.

As a reminder, this article will only feature players rostered in 25% or less of Yahoo! leagues for the rest of the season. The waiver wire in competitive leagues is cut-throat, and managers looking for an end-of-season edge will need to dive deep.

Here are the top fantasy basketball waiver wire adds for Week 22.

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Watch an NBA doubleheader on Peacock on Monday night, as the Spurs take on the Heat at 7 p.m. ET before the Warriors and Mavericks play at 9:30 p.m. ET.

Priority Adds

1. Daniss Jenkins
2. Bones Hyland
3. Cody Williams
4. Mitchell Robinson
5. Taylor Hendricks
6. Peyton Watson
7. EJ Harkless
8. Yves Missi
9. Nolan Traoré
10. Malik Monk

Peyton Watson, Denver Nuggets (25 percent rostered)

Watson returned from a six-week absence and provided a 14/6/3 line in just 20 minutes. He should continue to ramp up his playing time and get back into his groove in the coming weeks. He ranks 112th in per-game fantasy value this season, and he provided some monster efforts for fantasy managers before getting injured.

Daniss Jenkins, Detroit Pistons (23 percent rostered)

Jenkins is the ultimate fill-in option for the injured Cade Cunningham, and with Cade on the shelf for at least another week, the former is in line for a strong run to help fantasy managers win their week. In 51 games with Cunningham available, Jenkins averaged just 6.7 points, 1.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.8 three-pointers across 15.4 minutes. In nine games without Cade, Jenkins’ production shoots up to 14.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, 7.9 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.3 triples across 32.5 minutes. He posted a 22/7/8/1 line in his last game out, and I expect another productive week as the Pistons play four games.

Cody Williams, Utah Jazz (21 percent rostered)

Williams was our featured pick-up last week, and he’s still available in nearly 80% of Yahoo! leagues. Over his last nine games, C-Will has averaged 16.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.9 triples across 35 minutes. He’s one of a few Jazz players still getting significant playing time during tank season.

Taylor Hendricks, Memphis Grizzlies (19 percent rostered)

Over his last four games, Hendricks ranks 20th in per-game fantasy value thanks in large part to his elite defensive contributions. Across his last five games, Hendricks has averaged 12.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.2 triples to go with a whopping 3.0 steals and 1.6 swats. Memphis’ rotation is thin, and Hendricks’ role should be consistent down the stretch.

Mitchell Robinson, New York Knicks (18 percent rostered)

Robinson has posted strong numbers over his last six games (one start), operating as a strong source of rebounds, defensive stats and FG%. In that span, he’s averaged 7.2 points, 12.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.5 blocked shots across just 21.7 minutes. Robinson has at least one steal in five of those games, multiple blocks in four games and double-digit rebounds in five.

Malik Monk, Sacramento Kings (16 percent rostered)

With most of Sacramento’s guard rotation banged up, Monk had one of his best games of the season on Sunday when he finished with 32 points, two rebounds, six dimes, a blocked shot and seven three-pointers. The Kings play four times, including a back-to-back set to close out the week on Saturday and Sunday. Monk could see additional run if Russell Westbrook, Nique Clifford or Killian Hayes continue to sit out.

Bones Hyland, Minnesota Timberwolves (11 percent rostered)

Hyland has been hot since Anthony Edwards went out, averaging 20.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.0 steals and 3.3 triples across 26.3 minutes. Minnesota has scored 117.3 points per game in that span and sports a 3-1 record without its superstar, thanks in large part to the strong play of Bones and Ayo Dosunmu. Dosunmu is too widely rostered to be considered for this article, but Hyland could still be available on your waiver wire.

Yves Missi, New Orleans Pelicans (10 percent rostered)

Missi’s role with New Orleans has shrunk in Year 2, but he’s seen an uptick in production as of late. Across his last six games, he’s averaged 6.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.5 blocks in just 23.7 minutes. Missi has started twice in that span and corralled double-digit rebounds four times.

Nolan Traoré, Brooklyn Nets (6 percent rostered)

Traoré is getting it done on both ends of the court, which has been highly beneficial for fantasy managers. Across his last three games, Traore has averaged 13.7 points, 2.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 1.0 steals, 1.3 swats and 1.7 triples. He’s worth a look as Brooklyn gives its young guys plenty of run down the stretch.

EJ Harkless, Utah Jazz (3 percent rostered)

Keyonte George is still out, and Isaiah Collier is banged up. Harkless has stepped up in a big way, and he ranks 61st in per-game fantasy value across his last four outings. He’s started two straight, and Harkless has posted strong averages of 19.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 2.5 steals and 2.5 triples across 35 minutes. Expect plenty of Harkless over the final two weeks of the fantasy playoffs.

Other options:Derrick Jones Jr. (18%), Davion Mitchell (18%), Derrick Jones Jr. (15%), Jared McCain (7%), Paul Reed (4%), Kennedy Chandler (2%)

Greg McDermott retiring from Creighton after 16 years as Bluejays coach

Creighton men's basketball coach Greg McDermott's legendary career is coming to its close.

Monday, both McDermott and Creighton officials announced his impending retirement after 16 seasons leading the Bluejays program, during which time he became the school's all-time leader in wins.

McDermott will finish this season with the Bluejays, who are in the College Basketball Crown tournament after not qualifying for the NCAA Tournament.

Simultaneously with the announcement of McDermott's exit, Creighton announced that coaching veteran Alan Huss will take over the program. Huss had been named head-coach-in-waiting a year ago when he returned to Creighton.

“It has been an incredible honor to lead the Creighton men’s basketball program for the past 16 years,” McDermott said in the school's release. “I’m very proud of the young men that have proudly worn the Bluejay uniform and represented our program in a first-class manner. Witnessing their growth and development on and off the playing floor was especially gratifying. “I’m deeply grateful for the support of my family, our players, coaching staff and support staff, as well as the presidents, athletic directors, and all the University and athletic administrators. The support of the Omaha community consistently packing our arena with 17,000 fans has created many fond memories. While this chapter of my career comes to a close, my love and respect for the Bluejays will never fade. I look forward to the continued success of Bluejay basketball under the leadership of Alan Huss."

Taking over at Creighton in 2010 after four seasons leading the Iowa State program, McDermott had a 23-win debut season for the Bluejays and by Year 2 made the first of three consecutive and 10 overall NCAA Tournament appearances.

Creighton under McDermott five times made the NCAA's Round of 32, as well as three Sweet 16 appearances and one trip to the Elite Eight.

He amassed 365 of his 645 career wins during his time atop Creighton, which is scheduled to play Rutgers in the College Basketball Crown event on April 2.

A former Creighton player in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Huss returned to his alma mater -- where he previously served eight seasons as McDermott's top assistant -- last spring after a three-year run at the helm of the High Point basketball program. Huss also served as an assistant coach at New Mexico and was a head coach in the prep ranks.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Greg McDermott stepping down after 16 years at Creighton

Gamethread 3/23: Phillies vs Rays

CLEARWATER, FLORIDA - MARCH 7: Josh Kasevich #86 of the Toronto Blue Jays tags out Adolis García #53 of the Philadelphia Phillies during a stolen base attempt during the sixth inning of a spring training game at BayCare Ballpark on March 7, 2026 in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Mark Taylor/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The last Spring Training game is upon us and baseball will officially return to South Philadelphia in three days. Here are the lineups for the final matchup, let’s discuss!

For the Phillies:

For the Rays:

Three Positives From the Final Week in Goodyear, Arizona

We’re just three short days away from the first game of the regular season, and there’s still so much to look forward to. Here are three happy moments from the final week of Spring Training.

Messick Makes the Rotation

The Guardians announced on Saturday that Parker Messick will start the 2026 season in the starting rotation. While they rolled with a six-man rotation in 2025, they’re sticking with five this season. This meant that Logan Allen was optioned to Triple-A Columbus, but gives Messick a very important chance to prove himself. He finished the 2025 season with a 2.72 ERA, 3-1 record, and 1.31 WHIP in 39.2 innings. Given a full season of work, he has the chance to become one of the best pitchers in the rotation. He’s had a successful Spring so far, striking out 11 and owning a 3.60 ERA in 15 innings.

Bibee to Make First Career Opening Day Start

Well, this gets a little complicated because you probably read this same headline last year. While Tanner Bibee was in fact named the Opening Day starter in 2025, he wasn’t able to complete the task as he fell ill the day before. Bibee finished the 2025 season with a 4.24 ERA with 162 strikeouts in 182.1 innings. Spring hasn’t been as successful for him with 19 strikeouts and a 6.65 ERA in 23 innings, but as he gets into the regular-season-mindset, there’s almost no doubt he’ll be able to settle into his regular success.

Spring Breakout Brings a Win

A number of the Guardians top prospects faced off against those of the Los Angeles Angels in Thursday’s Spring Breakout game, and they sure did break out. They took the win 4-2 over the Angels thanks to some defensive errors from Los Angeles as well as a huge three-run home run from Wuilfredo Antunez. The pitching staff also had a great day with Yorman Gómez going three scoreless innings, while Josh Hartle and Joey Oakie each struck out three across their two innings of work apiece. I didn’t need any more reasons to be excited about our prospects, but they certainly provided me with a few anyway.

Social Media Spotlight

Those of you reading this from anywhere in northern Ohio have most certainly read about (or maybe even experienced) the meteor that passed through the sky on Tuesday. The Guardians’ Twitter account had some fun with it, posting the below picture of Superman flying over a Meteors sign at Progressive Field.

Three Canadiens Players Met The Fans On Sunday

While the Montreal Canadiens had a day off on Sunday, three players were in Mascouche at Memorable Authentic to meet fans and sign autographs. Despite the snow that wasn’t letting up, fans turned up in droves to meet Finnish rookie Oliver Kapanen, forward Alexandre Texier, and the latest Laval Rocket call-up and future Habs starter Jacob Fowler.

Kapanen and Texier appeared from 1:30 to 2:30 PM, while Fowler was in attendance from 2:30 PM to 3:30 PM. The players were in great spirits and happy to pose for pictures with fans after signing their items.

Canadiens Prospect Had An Injury Scare But Should Be Good To Go For Next Round
Canadiens: Guhle Delivered Best Performance Of the Season
Canadiens Turn Things Around And Bag Big Win

The three players have plenty to smile about. Kapanen is having a fantastic rookie season with 20 goals and 14 assists for 34 points. He’s third amongst rookies in goals, behind Beckett Sennecke (22 goals) and Matthew Schaefer (21 goals), and sixth in points.  

Memorable Authentic Facebook Account
Memorable Authentic Facebook Account

As for Texier, his season was going nowhere in St. Louis with one point in eight games, and he bet on himself, getting out of his contract and signing at a discount with the Canadiens to finish the season. He soon impressed Kent Hughes and earned a two-year contract extension with a 2.5 M cap hit. Since joining the Canadiens, he has 19 points in 37 games and has been used in a variety of situations, proving extremely useful to Martin St-Louis.

Meanwhile, Fowler, who was expected to spend the whole season in the AHL, took advantage of Samuel Montembeault’s tough season and made the most of his first callup in December. When Montembeault faltered again, the youngster was ready for the call, and he looks like he’ll be with the Habs until the end of the season, and for the playoffs as well. In 13 games, the youngster has a 6-5-2 record, a 2.72 goals-against average, and a .899 save percentage.

If you missed out on the event, make sure to visit Memorable Authentic in the next few days to add signed items from the three players to your collection.


 

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Spencer Strider, out with oblique injury, is fifth Braves starter on IL

The Atlanta Braves now have an entire starting rotation ticketed for the injured list for opening day. And that's left the club in a difficult position as they aim to turn things around in 2026.

Spencer Strider will begin the season on the IL with an oblique strain, manager Walt Weiss announced Monday, March 23.

While the club hopes the absence is measured in weeks, obliques are notoriously unpredictable, and would likely knock Strider out through April.

Braves starters on injured list

He'll have company in the rehab room: Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep (elbow bone spurs removal), A.J. Smith-Shawver (Tommy John surgery) and Joey Wentz (ACL tear in right knee) will miss anywhere from several months to the entire season, leaving the Braves in a lurch.

Strider required a second elbow reconstruction surgery after two starts in 2024, returned one year later but suffered a hamstring injury and other setbacks that limited him to 23 starts and a 4.45 ERA. Better results could have been anticipated this season, with Strider another year removed from major elbow surgery.

Now, he may require an additional build-back period if the oblique prevents him from throwing for several weeks.

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Spencer Strider pitches against the Baltimore Orioles during a spring training game at Ed Smith Stadium.

Braves rotation options after Strider injury

For a club that prides itself on pitching, the Braves are about out of options. Ace Chris Sale, the 2024 NL Cy Young winner, is healthy but at 37 may not be a lock to make 30-plus starts. Reynaldo Lopez, Grant Holmes and Bryce Elder are all middle- to back-end options suddenly bumped up a spot.

And No. 5 starter José Suarez appeared in seven games for the Braves last season, but was waived in January before the Braves re-claimed him from Baltimore weeks later.

One proven option remains on the free agent market.

Lucas Giolito is still unsigned just three days before Opening Day, an indicator he did not find an asking price to his liking on the market. Giolito, 31, pitched to a 3.41 ERA over 20 starts last year in Boston, but ended the season with right elbow discomfort and has extensive injury history with his forearm and elbow.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Spencer Strider injury lands another Braves starting pitcher on IL

Iga Swiatek parts with coach after Miami Open shock

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek has parted company with her coach after her shock first round elimination at the Miami Open, she said on Monday.

In a post on Instagram, the world No. 3 announced her split from Wim Fissette, who she had worked with since 2024 and claimed her first Wimbledon title with last year.

Swiatek, who has won six Grand Slam titles, said she'd “decided to take a different path.”

“I’m grateful for his support, experience, and everything we achieved together — including one of my biggest dreams in sport.”

The 24-year-old from Poland was beaten in three sets by world No. 50 Magda Linette in Miami last week. The defeat ended her run of 73 straight opening-round wins on tour.

“Miami was challenging for me. I feel disappointment, bitterness and responsibility for my performance on the court of course,” she said.

Swiatek said the rest of her team would remain unchanged.

“I know there are many questions, but l’ll let you know what’s next at the right time. I’m taking a moment to take care of myself, process this experience, and prepare for a new chapter,” she said.

Fissette has worked with a long list of top players that includes Naomi Osaka, Kim Clijsters and Victoria Azarenka.