Former Mets prospect Jett Williams thanks fans, organization after being dealt to Brewers

The Mets made a big splash when they acquired RHP Freddy Peralta in a trade with the Brewers on Wednesday, but it wasn't without cost.

New York sent prospects Brandon Sproat and Jett Williams to Milwaukee to complete the deal for Peralta and reliever Tobias Myers. It was a bittersweet day in Mets land as Williams was often at the top of the organization's prospect lists, including SNY's Joe DeMayo, who had him ranked No. 3 on his latest rankings -- behind only Nolan McLean and Carson Benge

He was also ranked No. 71 in Baseball America's top 100 prospects list ahead of the 2026 season. 

About 24 hours after the deal was made official, Williams posted a message to the Mets and fans as he embarks on a new journey with the Brewers.

"To the Mets organization, thank you for giving me an opportunity and for allowing me the space to grow - through both failure and success. Thank you to the fans for welcoming me with open arms and supporting me through every high and low. To my teammates and everyone in the organization, you will always have a special place in my heart."

Williams was drafted 14th overall by the Mets in the 2022 draft and had a taste of the Triple-A level by the 2024 season, but was slowed down by injury. The infielder/outfielder returned to have a bounceback 2025 between Binghamton and Syracuse, slashing .261/.363/.465 with an OPS of .828 across 130 games. He smashed 17 home runs, drove in 52 runs and stole 34 bases.

 

Doan Signing Could Be A Sign Of An Alex Tuch Trade

The Buffalo Sabres signing of winger Josh Doan is the first major move made by Jarmo Kekalainen, but could be an indicator of what the newly-hired Sabres GM will do before the NHL Trade Deadline in early March.  Doan has 35 points (15 goals, 20 assists) in 49 games in his first season with the Sabres, and agreed to a seven-year, $48.65 million contract ($6.95 million AAV). 

The 23-year-old winger was in the final year of his entry-level contract. The new deal represents a departure from all of the long-term extensions under former GM Kevyn Adams. Deals for Rasmus Dahlin, Mattias Samuelsson, Owen Power, Tage Thompson, Ryan McLeod, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen all had signing bonuses only in the first year, while Doan’s extension includes a $3.5 million signing bonus in both the 2026-27 and 2027-28 seasons.    

Other Sabres Stories

Six Former Sabres Who Signed Elsewhere

Discussing the Josh Doan contract extension with the Sabres.

Doan, along with forward Zach Benson and defenseman Michael Kesselring, were to be restricted free agents at the end of this season, a complicating factor to the Sabres salary structure with the potential signing of Alex Tuch before the winger becomes an unrestricted free agent in July. With the dead money on Jeff Skinner’s buyout increasing to $6.44 million next season, the Sabres (according to Puckpedia) have $90.783 million allocated for 2026-27. 

Tuch is reportedly asking for in excess of $10 million on an eight-year deal, similar to the contract signed by LA forward Adrian Kempe earlier this season. If Kekalainen is not able to get Tuch at a lower number, it increases the possibility of the 29-year-old winger being dealt before the March 6th trade deadline. The Sabres can ill afford to keep a player who will likely leave this summer and get nothing in return, but trading Tuch could hamper their chances at ending their 14-year playoff drought.  

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Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend

Mateus Fernandes steels West Ham, Dominic Calvert-Lewin faces a homecoming and Manchester City need Marc Guéhi

The absence of the wantaway Lucas Paquetá has given Mateus Fernandes a chance to take on more responsibility for West Ham. Paquetá, who is said to be nursing a minor back problem, was unavailable again for last week’s win against Spurs but Nuno Espírito Santo’s struggling side coped without the Flamengo target. They called on Fernandes to dictate the flow in midfield and the diligent Portuguese did not disappoint. Fernandes moved the ball cleverly, picked up an assist and looked like that rarest of things: a smart signing from West Ham. They will need the 21-year-old, who joined from Southampton for £38m last summer, to shine again with Paquetá looking unlikely to return against high-flying Sunderland at the London Stadium. Jacob Steinberg

West Ham v Sunderland, Saturday 12.30pm (all times GMT)

Burnley v Tottenham, Saturday 3pm

Fulham v Brighton, Saturday 3pm

Manchester City v Wolves, Saturday 3pm

Bournemouth v Liverpool, Saturday 5.30pm

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Rockets take on the 76ers in Philly

Houston Rockets vs Philly 76ers

January 7, 2026

Location: Xfinity Mobile Arena – Philadelphia, PA

TV: Space City Home Network

Radio:KBME Sports Talk 790

Online: Rockets App, SCHN+

Time: 6:00pm CST

Probable Starting Lineups

Rockets: Amen Thompson, Josh Okogie, Kevin Durant, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Sengun

76ers: Tyrese Maxxey, VJ Edgecombe, Kelly Oubre, Paul George, Joel Embid

Mariners Reacts Survey: Here Today, Gone Tomorrow

Spring training is fast approaching, but not fast enough for me. These days, we are in a serious baseball content drought: MLB The Show is in end-of-life, most of the major names have been signed, and the trade market is coming to a standstill. All I have left to keep me going these days is the 40 in 40s. Most recently, I read what Isabelle Minasian wrote about Emmerson Hancock. The article was a good read. Until now, I did not know Hancock was the 6th overall pick, which makes the Mariners’ development of him interesting, especially considering the success they’ve had with other guys who didn’t have as much upside, like Bryan Woo or Bryce Miller. Hancock is not the only player to raise these kinds of questions. The Mariners currently have a plethora of players who may, in fact, be on their last chance or close to it. Through circumstance, injury, or just plain chance, these are players who now find themselves on the outside looking in of the opening day roster, which raises a few questions for me: 

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Mariners fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Now, obviously, there may be other players you have opinions about, but let me explain why I chose who I chose. 

Cole Young could become the starting second baseman right out of spring training, or even third base if things don’t work out for Williamson over there. While a bad run for Young could mean starting in Triple-A and allowing the Mariners to run out whoever for 2-3 months while Young builds up some momentum again in the minors. Williamson is in a similar boat to Young; it seems they are going to go with him at third, but I would hesitate to call it a sure thing. Williamson had some good moments last year and looked solid, but is going to take more than 76 OPS+ to be a core contributor on this team at a power premium position, at least I think it should. Luke Raley didn’t see much action last year due to injury, but even when he was healthy, he still didn’t see an uptick in use and went unused in the playoffs. Raley has to come out of the gate hot. He has some value as a utility player for outfield and first, but with the addition of Refsnyder, it’s hard to say how Raley fits on this roster moving forward. 

Bryce Miller was haranged by injury, inconsistancy and poor performance last year, I imagine mostly stemming from his repeated elbow issues. Miller has shown he can be dominant. I fully expect him to return to form and more this season; I don’t think there’s any reason to expect less. Now, I’ll preface this by saying I am a well-known Canzone hater. Now, Canzone has had flashes, but I’m ready to see him put it together if he can. However, if he can’t, I support ending the Canzone experience. Emmerson Hancock’s name still haunts the comments on these posts. What is there to say that Isabelle hasn’t said already? He’s 26, a former top pick, now is the time show us he’s got it. The random usage, being called up and down at a whim, I’m sure, takes its toll mentally and physically. But Hancock has got to show up with a new gear this year, or I fear his time as a Mariner may be soon drawing to a close. 

Of course, I can’t let you go without seeing the results from last week. So let us get into it. Last week I asked you all if you thought the Mariners were done this offseason, and boy did people let me know:

Vast majory of you said know. I think that’s cope (formerly known as Edge) but I guess we shall see. If there is going to be a deal, it will be the NL Central, either the Cubes or the Cardinals, but I really think the asking price for Nico Horner or Brenden Donovan is too high. That being said, competitive teams make competitive moves; you rarely miss prospects when you’re playing in October. Plus, while the cost is high now, it might only get higher at the deadline, or depending on where teams are at, become nonexistent.

In relation to that we also asked if you thought the Mariners had a World Series leve roster as they are right now, the results were less straightforward:

Slight lean towards “I don’t know,” but really it’s split into thirds. Obviously, we still have yet to see how this group will play over the course of a full season. Personally, I don’t think the Mariners have made massively impactful changes that put them over the top, but I guess that depends on how much they need to get over the hill.

Regardless, let us know what you think in the comments and survey below…or I guess above in this case.

Knicks Notes: Karl-Anthony Towns trade rumors, potential deadline acquisitions

With the 2026 NBA trade deadline arriving on Feb. 5, there are plenty of questions surrounding the Knicks and their NBA Finals expectations.

New York snapped their four-game losing streak in an impressive win over the Nets on Wednesday night, but the team is still in the midst of one of its worst stretches in the Jalen Brunson era. With the win, they are 3-9 over their last 12 games and have fallen into the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference -- they would be the four-seed if they didn't hold the tiebreaker over the Raptors.

So, as the Knicks look to improve the roster, what should fans be looking for? SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley spoke on the topic on the Jan. 22 episode of The Putback, where he and guest Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype broke down what they are hearing as the trade deadline gets closer.

Karl-Anthony Towns trade rumors

After the Knicks' dreadful loss to the undermanned Mavericks at home on Monday, Newsday's Steve Popper reported that New York had spoken to a number of teams (Hornets, Grizzlies, Magic) about a potential trade involving Towns. 

Towns' numbers are down pretty much across the board and the big man even admitted that he's had a tough time adjusting to head coach Mike Brown's system. 

Begley shared on The Putback what he had heard.

"I checked around on this Monday, everything that I gathered is the Knicks are not having conversations about trading Karl-Anthony Towns," Begley said. "As of Monday, it was not happening. As far as something in the aftermath of that Dallas loss, no, that wasn’t the case." 

Begley added that if the Knicks go through another 2-9 stretch and continue to struggle as they get closer to the trade deadline, things might change. 

Whenever Towns' name is thrown out there as a trade candidate, the Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo is not far behind. It seems like an easy swap for both teams, but Scotto threw some cold water on the idea.

“I personally never gotten the sense, at least from talking to my sources, that a team like the Milwaukee Bucks would be overly aggressive in trying to get Karl Towns in a Giannis Antetokounmpo package, theoretically," Scotto said.

Scotto suggested that the Knicks, if they were to deal Towns, would have to consider "breaking up" Towns' salary into multiple pieces, similar to what the Timberwolves did when they moved the big man to New York for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo.

Potential Knicks trade deadline acquisitions

Since a Towns trade is unlikely, what players should we be on the lookout for?

Guerschon Yabusele is as likely a candidate to be moved. According to Scotto, the acquisition was seen as a "homerun" by execs in the offseason, but it was made before the hiring of Brown. Clearly, Yabusele has had a tough time integrating into Brown's system, and the Knicks are looking to shop him. Scotto even suggested the Knicks may have to pair Yabusele with another minimum-salary player or draft picks to get a player that could help the team. 

Scotto shared that the Pelicans have two players that the Knicks checked in.

"I did hear the Knicks were calling not only on Jose Alvarado of the New Orleans Pelicans but also Yves Missi," Scotto said. "Part of it could be doing background, doing due diligence, but you don't make calls on these guys unless you're intersted so that raised my antenna a little bit. If you take Yabusele and another minimum guy, you could maybe try to make something happen there."

The Knicks' interest in Alvarado is well-documented by Missi is a name that even Begley was surprised by. 

Missi, 21, is a second-year center who has seen his minutes deep in year two. In his rookie campaign, Missi played around 27 minutes a game (73 games), averaging nine points, and eight rebounds (3.5 offensive). In his sophomore year, Missi is averaging 19 minutes and just 5.5 points and 5.5 rebounds (2.9 offensive) across 38 games. 

Acquiring another big like Missi could open up more avenues for deals involving the Knicks. Would they deal Mitchell Robinson, who is on the final year of his contract, or one of the depth bigs like Ariel Hukporti? That also opens up the possibility to trade Towns as well. 

The Knicks have a lot to consider as they hope to fortify their roster for the final stretch of the regular season and the playoffs.

 

Chisom Okpara injury update: Stanford loses second-leading scorer for the year

Stanford Cardinal men's basketball will have to endure the remainder of their season without their senior second-leading scorer Chisom Okpara.

The school announced that Okpara suffered a lower extremity injury during the 70-55 loss to Virginia on Jan. 10 and will miss the remainder of the 2025-26 season.

The senior forward averaged 13.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.1 steals in 17 games.

Okpara posted a statement to his Instagram account that led with a Bible verse from Proverbs.

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart," Okpara's post read.

As his post continued, he said that his surgery went "smoothly" and he's focused on a full recovery.

"During our game against UVA on Jan. 10th, I sustained a significant patellar tendon tear. I'm happy to report that surgery yesterday went smoothly and I am focused on a full recovery," Okpara wrote.

He added: "I'm stepping away from the court for now to prioritize my health. While this isn't how I envisioned the season playing out, I am eternally grateful to Coach Smith and the entire coaching staff for their mentorship over the last two seasons. To my teammates, I'm rooting for you all the way to the top! Huge thanks to Dr. Marc Safran, the Stanford Medicine team and my family for their unwavering support. The future is bright. Glory to God! Go Cardinal!"

Stanford has an overall record of 14-5 and are .500 in ACC games at 3-3. They've got two wins over ranked opponents, North Carolina and Louisville.

Their next game is 5 p.m. PT (8 p.m. ET) Saturday against Cal at Maples Pavilion in Stanford.

Hurdler, sprint star Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone announces she's pregnant

Olympic champion hurdler Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone announced Thursday she is pregnant.

In an Instagram post, she said “made a human with my favorite human,” next to a picture of husband Andre Levrone Jr.

McLaughlin-Levrone won the last two Olympic titles in the 400-meter hurdles, setting world records both times. It currently stands at 50.37 seconds. Last year, she moved to the 400 flat and won world championships in 47.78 seconds, becoming the first woman to crack 48 in the full-lap race since 1985.

The even-numbered year between Summer Olympics is usually considered a light year in track and field. If McLaughlin-Levrone sits out 2026, she would miss the debut of the World Athletics Ultimate Championships, which will feature the sport's top athletes and offer $150,000 first prizes.

___

AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

Mavericks vs Warriors Preview and Injury Update: Early Prime game

The Dallas Mavericks (18-26) host the Golden State Warriors (25-20) on Thursday night in the early slot on Amazon Prime. Dallas is somehow riding a three game win streak after beating the pants off of the New York Knicks on Monday. The Warriors are coming off a loss to the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday after winning four straight prior.

Heres the main things you need to know before tipoff.

  • WHO: Dallas Mavericks vs Golden State Warriors
  • WHAT: The early slot on Amazon Prime
  • WHERE: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
  • WHEN: 6:30 pm CST
  • HOW: Amazon Prime

Well, the injury report is still blergh for the Mavericks. The core four are out, as you well know. Daniel Gafford entered the day as questionable on the injury report and has since been downgraded to doubtful which means he’s not playing. You can move the other way during the day if it’s early enough, but downgrading is bad. Moussa Cisse is improved from questionable to probable with an illness. PJ Washington is no longer on the report after missing games due to personal reasons. The Warriors are without Jimmy Butler, who tore his ACL Monday and is out for the season.

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I don’t know how to feel about this game. Dallas is playing well enough while also hitting nearly half of their three-pointers in these last three wins. If that doesn’t sustain, the way they stick around in this is forcing Golden State turnovers; during the Steph Curry era they’ve always been a bit sloppier with the ball than makes sense. Dallas keeps playing really hard though, so expect a fun game no matter what.

Consider joining Josh and me on Pod Maverick live after the game on YouTube, we should start LATE. Thanks so much for spending time with us here at Mavs Moneyball. Let’s go Mavs!

Did Astros Get Rotation ‘All Right’?

One Major Red Flag in the Astros’ Projected 2026 Rotation

By now, Astros fans have likely seen the wave of national articles and social media posts projecting Houston’s starting rotation for the 2026 season. Most of the attention has understandably centered on Lance McCullers Jr. and his prominent inclusion in many of those forecasts. But beyond the familiar names, there’s a far more concerning trend hiding in plain sight.

Every projected Astros starter being discussed is right-handed.

Call me crazy, but running out a rotation made up entirely of right-handed pitchers on a daily basis doesn’t feel like a formula for sustained success. Yes, the organization is expected to move on from left-hander Framber Valdez, but if Colton Gordon is truly the only left-handed starting option currently in the system, that signals there is still significant work ahead for Dana Brown and the Astros’ front office.

Whether that solution comes as part of a larger trade perhaps clearing the current infield logjam while adding young pitching talent, or through a more targeted deal specifically aimed at addressing this imbalance, it’s hard to believe the Astros are comfortable entering spring training with such a glaring lack of left-handed starters. At least one, if not multiple, southpaws should be on their radar before camp opens.

That’s not to say the projected rotation lacks quality. In fact, there’s plenty to like from top to bottom. Hunter Brown has firmly established himself as the ace and anchor of the staff, and there’s little reason to believe his trajectory is anything but upward. Replacing Framber Valdez with Tatsuya Imai was a savvy move by the front office, providing a strong presence near the top of the rotation.

Christian Javier and Spencer Arrighetti are expected to factor into the top five, while newcomers Mike Burrows and Ryan Weiss bring intriguing upside as potential contributors. McCullers, entering the final year of his contract, will be given every opportunity to earn a rotation spot. Should he fall short, veteran arms such as Jason Alexander and J.P. France could pitch their way into consideration. Even young prospects like A.J. Blubaugh will be given a legitimate chance to prove they belong among the club’s top six starters.

The Astros have already indicated that early-season scheduling, injury management, and workload concerns will lead them to deploy a six-man rotation. That makes the lack of left-handed balance even more noticeable. As things currently stand, Colton Gordon appears to be the lone left-handed starter with a chance to be utilized when the team breaks camp. Whether he secures a permanent spot in the rotation or not is going to be determined by how he pitches this spring along with injuries and potential additions to the club.

For that reason alone, expect Dana Brown to remain active and creative in the coming months. Adding at least one left-handed starter before Opening Day feels less like a luxury and more like a necessity.

One way or another, the Astros’ 2026 rotation will change between now and Opening Day. The question isn’t if Dana Brown adds a left-handed arm, it’s who? how? and how soon?

With Dallas struggling, Kyrie Irving's return reportedly could be postponed until next season

Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont and the Dallas front office reportedly want to see what their team looks like when Cooper Flagg, Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving are all on the court together. Or, at least that was their public spin as they tried to create leverage for a Davis trade.

We may never see that. While there was an expectation of Irving returning at some point after the All-Star Break, the Mavericks are considering pushing back Irving's return from a torn ACL because of the team's struggles, reports ESPN’s Tim MacMahon (in a story about how great Flagg has been).

He has yet to be cleared to practice, and while Irving has made it clear that he hopes to play this season, sources anticipate that, considering the Mavs' place in the standings, there will be discussions about postponing his comeback until next season.

The Mavericks are eight games below .500 and sit 12th in the West (1.5 games back of the Clippers for the No. 10 seed and final play-in spot, and 6.5 games back of the No. 8 seed Warriors and hosting a play-in game), plus they remain without Davis due to a hand injury. Also a factor, this upcoming draft is the last year the Mavs control their own first-round pick until 2031 (although they do have the Lakers' 2029 unprotected first-rounder).

There is a smart roster-building strategy of focusing on the upcoming, deep NBA Draft (Dallas would currently enter the lottery with the eighth-best odds, much better than a year ago when they still got the No. 1 pick). The Mavericks could trade Davis in the offseason to acquire another pick or young player closer to Flagg's timeline, and come back next season with a healthy Irving at the point, Flagg on the wing, a finally healthy Dereck Lively II at the five, plus whoever the Mavericks draft this June.

That said, Irving will want to play and he does qualify as a star under the league's Player Participation Policy. Nothing is set in stone, and where Dallas is in the postseason picture in six weeks could well play into any decision. But don't be surprised if the Mavericks and Irving decide he needs this full season to recover.

Cavs vs. Kings: How to watch, odds, and injury report

The Cleveland Cavaliers have won four out of their last six and have a good chance of extending that to five out of their last seven as they host the Sacramento Kings on Friday.

The Kings are one of the most aimless teams in the league, and also one of the worst. Their starting lineup featuring Russell Westbrook, Zach LaVine, and DeMar DeRozan would’ve been potent a decade ago. It isn’t in 2026. Domantas Sabonis only being available for 14 games this season has made matters worse.

This should be a good opportunity for the Cavs to build some momentum before taking on the Orlando Magic in back-to-back games.

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WhoCleveland Cavaliers (25-20) vs. Sacramento Kings (12-33)

Where: Rocket Arena – Cleveland, OH

When: Fri., Jan. 23 at 7:30 PM

TV: FanDuel Sports Network Ohio, FanDuel Sports Network App, NBA League Pass

Point spread: Not yet set

Cavs injury report: Darius Garland – OUT (toe), Sam Merrill – OUT (hand), Max Strus – OUT (foot), Chris Livingston – OUT (G League), Luke Travers – OUT (G League)

Kings injury report: Keegan Murray – OUT (ankle), Daeqwon Plowden – OUT (G League), Isaiah Stevens – OUT (G League)

Cavs expectedstarting lineup: Donovan Mitchell, Jaylon Tyson, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen

Kings expected starting lineup: Russell Westbrook, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Domantas Sabonis, Maxime Raynaud

Previous matchup: The Kings swept the season series last season. They defeated the Cavs 120-113 most recently on April 6.

Here’s a look at both teams’ impact stats via Cleaning the Glass.

Offensive RatingDefensive RatingNet Rating
Cavs116.9 (11th)114.6 (12th)+2.3 (12th)
Kings110.9 (28th)120.2 (28th)-9.3 (29th)

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Sabres Have Good Potential Trade Target In Blue Jackets Star

The Buffalo Sabres are currently fourth in the Atlantic Division standings with a 27-17-5 record. With this, the Sabres have a real shot of finally breaking their 14-year playoff drought.

However, with the Eastern Conference playoff race being so tight, it would be wise for the Sabres to add to their roster to help their odds of making the post-season. When looking at trade candidates around the NHL who could be good fits, Columbus Blue Jackets forward Boone Jenner stands out in a big way. 

Jenner has been creating chatter in the rumor mill as a trade candidate, as he is a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA), and the Blue Jackets currently do not hold a playoff spot. If he is officially made available ahead of the deadline, the Sabres would be wise to make a big push for him. 

If the Sabres brought in Jenner, they would be adding an impactful forward who plays both down the middle and on the wing. Furthermore, he would give the Sabres another good leader in their room, which could be excellent for a Buffalo club that is looking to take the next step. 

Jenner is also in the middle of a strong season with the Blue Jackets. In 35 games on the year, the 2011 first-round pick has recorded eight goals, 17 assists, 25 points, and 79 hits. With numbers like these, he would be a solid addition to the Sabres' top nine if acquired.

Jenner would also give the Sabres another player who works on both the power play and penalty kill, as he plays a solid two-way game.