Late Thursday night, the Detroit Red Wings completed a trade that added depth to their AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, surprising some fans since the NHL trade deadline passed last Friday. The deal came as the Red Wings’ main roster suffered multiple injuries, requiring several top AHL players to be called up.
Detroit acquired forwards Michael Milne and Wojciech Stachowiak from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for defenseman Ian Mitchell.
Milne, a 23-year-old from Abbotsford, British Columbia, is in his fourth professional season. He started this year with the Iowa Wild, recording five points and a minus-11 rating in 15 games.
Drafted in the third round of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, Milne was traded to the Lightning organization and spent the rest of the season with the Syracuse Crunch, adding one assist and a minus-two rating in 19 games. Over five AHL seasons, he has totaled 66 points in 191 games and briefly made his NHL debut with the Wild last season.
UPDATE: The #RedWings have acquired Wojciech Stachowiak and Michael Milne in exchange for Ian Mitchell.
Stachowiak, 26, is in his first AHL season and has produced 17 points in 38 games with the Crunch. He previously played six seasons in Germany’s top professional league with ERC Ingolstadt, recording 104 points in 239 regular-season games.
Stachowiak is also familiar with Michigan, having spent two seasons at Michigan State University from 2018 to 2020, registering five points in 40 games. Internationally, he represented Germany at the 2026 Winter Olympics alongside Red Wings teammate Moritz Seider, posting one assist, two penalty minutes, and a plus-two rating in two games.
Mitchell, 27, has been a standout on the Griffins this season with 20 points and a plus-27 rating in 45 games, ranking tied for fourth in the AHL and second among league defensemen. He has also recorded 19 points in 110 NHL games since 2020-21.
While the trade may appear minor, it could have long-term implications, as both Milne and Stachowiak are young players with potential to grow within the Red Wings organization. The deal addresses immediate AHL depth concerns while offering Detroit additional flexibility for the future.
Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 12: Lakers guard Austin Reaves celebrates after making a three-point basket during the second half against the Bulls at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles Thursday, March 12, 2026. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
With the Western Conference a tight-knit race yet again this season, this series will look at the standings and games to watch across the league as the Lakers look to secure home court and move up the standings.
It appears that the Lakers are peaking at the right time. They have won four straight games, doing so while beating top teams like the Wolves and opponents they are favored against, such as the Bulls.
Now, the Lakers find themselves with the third-best record in the West, a position they undoubtedly want to keep.
Here’s a look at the current playoff standings in the middle of the conference: 3. Lakers — 41-25, 10.5 GB 4. Rockets — 40-25, 11 GB 5. Nuggets — 41-26, 11 GB 6. Wolves — 40-26, 11.5 GB 7. Suns — 39-27, 13 GB
LA’s next game will be a huge one as they take on Denver. If they win that contest, they’ll own the tiebreaker over the Nuggets, and considering how tight this Western Conference race is, that might matter.
Besides the Lakers winning their games, they need to keep an eye on their surrounding opponents and hope they lose as well, so they can begin building a gap between themselves and everyone else.
Let’s take a look at the big games to watch around the league for the next couple of days and who you should be rooting for.
Friday
Pelicans at Rockets — Despite their record, New Orleans isn’t a tanking team. They’ve won three of their last four games. Can they upset the Rockets and help the Lakers before Houston takes on LA next week?
Wolves at Warriors — With Steph Curry still out, Golden State hasn’t looked like the kind of team that can compete against Minnesota. That’s bad news for the Lakers.
Suns at Raptors — Toronto has been struggling as of late, losing four of their last five games. Meanwhile, the Suns have won four straight as they try to fight their way out of the play-in.
Phoenix will be favored at home, but perhaps former Laker Brandon Ingram can have a big game and pull off the upset.
Sunday
Wolves at Thunder — No team is playing better than Oklahoma City right now. Anthony Edwards is going to have to play his best game of the season if the Wolves are going to have a shot at winning this game. Minnesota will also be on the road for this contest, making this matchup that much harder to win.
Monday
Suns at Celtics —With the Suns playing the Celtics on Monday, it’s in LA’s best interest for Boston to win and Phoenix to lose. So, yes, this is one of the rare instances that Lakers fans will be cheering for Boston to come out on top.
Mar 8, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) watches in the first half against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Over the last three and a half seasons, Jalen Brunson has become one of the premier players in the league. He’s a three-time All-Star who has made the All-NBA Second Team twice, is constantly heralded as one of the best scorers in the league, and he’s coming off a Clutch Player of the Year Award. But maybe the biggest reason he’s earned the respect as one of the league’s finest is his consistency.
Brunson, like every other player to ever grace a basketball court, has off games. Missed shots, bad decision-making, ugly process on the offensive end, and bad defense, even for his standards, those things all happen from time to time. But Brunson, maybe more so than any other player in the league, has also developed the reputation of bouncing back and doing so emphatically.
Whenever Brunson has the rare, and uncharacteristic stinker of a game, more often than not, the point guard and leader of the Knicks answers back by not only getting back on track, but playing some of his best basketball. But over the last few weeks, that hasn’t necessarily been the case.
Brunson has still put up very respectable numbers overall, but when compared to his usual numbers, which is a pretty high bar, he’s underperformed. Over his past 13 games, Brunson is averaging 21.7PPG while shooting 44.1% from the field, which are both noticeably lower than the 27.4PPG on 47% shooting he was averaging prior. Not only that, but his turnovers per game have also seen a slight uptick, as they have gone from 2.2 turnovers per game to 2.8. This minor but still non-insignificant difference in play and numbers has led Knicks fans to voice concern, while others have voiced outright disappointment and even condemnation.
Which begs the question: Should Knicks fans be worried? Short answer, no. And here’s why.
While Brunson has come down to earth and has looked surprisingly human over the last few weeks, Brunson’s dip in production can be explained by a change in his role/responsibilities and how opponents have defended the Knicks. This isn’t just about a player simply experiencing a decline in production due to poor play.
Now, Brunson himself would surely be the first one to tell you that he hasn’t played up to par, and that he can, and should play better. But over the last few weeks, Brunson has shifted some of his focus, which has sacrificed some of his usual scoring numbers for the betterment of the team. The point guard has upped his defensive intensity, which has coincided with the recent improvement of the team’s defense, and he’s opted, either by choice or by the way defenses are playing him, to be a bit more of a playmaker than he was to start the season.
TL turning on Brunson when he’s working on evolving into a true number one on a championship team 💔
He has to work harder to break even on defense, all while balancing being the lead playmaker and scorer and fans are mad that trajectory isn’t linear.pic.twitter.com/Wfr8CEPZSz
— OG Anunoby Addict (@PlayoffBoundNYK) March 9, 2026
Brunson started the season averaging 20.8 field goal attempts per game over his first 49 games. But over his aforementioned—and recent—13-game stretch, those numbers have gone down drastically to just 16.9 attempts per game. And his assists have gone up from 6.1APG to 8.0APG during that span as well. Some of this can be attributed to the fact that defenses, especially the very good ones, have continued to force Josh Hart to make plays, either as a scorer or a passer, and put extra pressure on Brunson to get rid of the ball. Some of it also seems like a choice by him, and or by head coach Mike Brown, as he’s shifted to getting guys involved a bit more often.
There are still some red flags to be wary of. Outside of Wednesday night’s Jazz game, in which he really only played one good half of good Brunson-like basketball, he’s lacked the IT factor that he so often provides, and we’ve seen Brunson struggle a bit more than Knicks fans are accustomed to seeing. He’s looked maybe half a step slow, a bit more hesitant on drives, still falters at times when tasked with being more of a playmaker than a scorer (often due to his height, and not inability to read the game), and it’s been close to a month since he’s scored more than 30 points in a game. Furthering that concern is the fact that, as you can see below, Brunson’s numbers have taken quite a dip since injuring his ankle in the first quarter against the Kings on January 14th.
Pre-ankle injuryPost-ankle injury
Brunson’s effective field goal percentage overall, rim field goal percentage, short midrange field goal percentage, and the aforementioned points per game have all gone down significantly. It is a smaller sample size, and Brunson and the Knicks have played some very good defensive teams over that stretch, but it’s still worth noting.
That being said, even during that span, it’s not like Brunson hasn’t had good games. He’s had a 31-point game against the 76ers, a 42-point masterpiece on 52% shooting against the Nuggets, a 31-point game on 57% shooting against the Celtics two nights before a 40-point 48% shooting game against the Pacers, and a 33-point game on 60% shooting against one of the best defensive teams in the league, the Pistons.
If fans want to be concerned, it’s more than understandable. At the end of the day, regardless of how good the Knicks look on paper, New York, especially come playoff time, only goes as far as their captain takes them. But it is admittedly somewhat odd seeing just how many fans have turned on maybe the single most important figure in the franchise’s history, especially since some of his statistical decline has come from him doing the very things those fans have wanted more of-defensive effort, and playmaking. He’s not free of flaws, and he, like Patrick Ewing, Carmelo Anthony, and all of the other Knicks legends that came before him, should be called out when underperforming. But the internet has seen a greater-than-usual place for takes about how “he needs to be traded,” “can’t lead this team in the playoffs,” and even how “he’s washed up.”
people hating on brunson lately are so weird… he’s been working on the things he was most criticized for (defense and playmaking) but that’s now a problem for y’all too?
— certified bling bling boy (@c_blingblingboy) March 8, 2026
If you turning on Brunson so quickly that means you ain’t believe in him like that in the first place. Stay on that side.
— Skip Sayless 🇹🇹🇭🇹♒️🗽 (@travbryanmusic) March 9, 2026
Overall, though, my trust in Brunson remains. While there are factors to weigh and things to keep an eye on, my worry level about Brunson has yet to reach a high level. What he’s done, and not done most recently, matters, and that shouldn’t be completely downplayed. But over his 314-game sample size as a Knick, Brunson has continued to surprise, overperform, and show up, especially when it matters most. The hope is that between now and the first round of the playoffs, Brunson can get some much-needed rest, continue to sharpen his ability to balance scoring and playmaking, while maintaining some semblance of the defensive improvements we’ve seen, and ultimately get back to the playoff Brunson we know he can be.
The world of sport appears to be softening the hardline stance it took when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.
Russian athletes are back competing under their own flag at the Paralympics. Fifa president Gianni Infantino said the international ban on Russian soccer teams “has not achieved anything”. And his counterpart at the International Olympic Committee, Kirsty Coventry, insists all athletes should be allowed to “compete freely.”
FORT MYERS, FLORIDA - MARCH 7: A general view of a spring training game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Boston Red Sox at JetBlue Park at Fenway South on March 7, 2026 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
First pitch against the Boston Red Sox is at 1:05 at JetBlue Park and the Red Sox will be providing radio coverage.
In head-to-head leagues, it all comes down to the weekend. You can have a comfortable lead in multiple categories or by a bunch of points, but if you don’t make the most of the weekend, you can walk out with a loss.
14 teams play twice this weekend, including the Cavaliers, Mavericks, Pistons, Warriors, Pacers, Clippers, Bucks, Timberwolves, Knicks, 76ers, Trail Blazers, Kings, Raptors and Jazz. Prioritize those teams if you’re looking to maximize your games played.
That’s often what it comes down to in standard points and category leagues, but that’s not always the case. Leagues with some sort of games cap or best ball formats like Yahoo!’s High Score leagues aren’t just looking for volume, though having two chances at a big night is a good strategy in best ball leagues.
Absolute must-start: Isaiah Collier, Utah Jazz
With Keyonte George (hamstring) set to miss at least two weeks (and let’s be honest, Utah shouldn’t risk further injury here, so he could be done for the year), Collier should be considered a must-roster player. As a starter this season, he has averaged 15.3 points, 8.8 assists and 1.5 steals across 16 starts.
Not only should Collier be considered a must-roster player, but he should be in for a productive weekend as well. They take on the Trail Blazers and Kings, and while Portland has been an average defense recently, Sacramento has been one of the worst for most of the year. Both teams also have played at a top-10 pace over their last 10 games, meaning extra possessions for Collier to dish out dimes.
Guards:
Ryan Rollins, Milwaukee Bucks
Even when coming off the bench on Thursday, Rollins was still able to have a productive night, which featured a double-double. Kevin Porter Jr. (knee) returned, but now the Bucks play a back-to-back this weekend, meaning he could certainly sit one leg of that, allowing Rollins to start. Regardless, Rollins has been fantastic recently, and they take on the Hawks and Pacers this weekend, two fast-paced teams. Atlanta has been incredible defensively recently, but Indiana hasn’t, and there should be enough possessions for Rollins to produce regardless.
Cameron Payne, Philadelphia 76ers
Payne fell back to earth on Thursday after a historic performance on Tuesday, but he was still productive off the bench. Over his last three games, Payne has averaged 19.7 points, 5.3 assists and 4.0 triples while shooting a ridiculous 56.3 percent from the floor. This weekend, they take on Brooklyn and Portland, with the Nets boasting one of the worst defenses in the league recently.
Landry Shamet, New York Knicks
Josh Hart (knee) is questionable on Friday after missing Wednesday’s game, which was a game that Shamet started in his stead. Shamet has been solid as a reserve, but he took on extra minutes as a starter. They take on the Pacers on Friday and Warriors on Sunday, with both teams struggling on defense recently. Shamet should get the chance to get hot from deep.
Forwards:
Jerami Grant, Portland Trail Blazers
With matchups against the Jazz and 76ers this weekend, Grant is set up to keep his hot streak going. He has scored at least 20 points in eight of his last nine games and gets to take on two struggling defenses. Grant has also been able to contribute steals recently, with seven swipes over his last five games.
Ace Bailey, Utah Jazz
Utah has made Bailey a priority more and more in recent weeks, and with Keyonte George (hamstring) now set to miss time, Bailey should be the focal point of the offense. On the schedule this weekend are the Trail Blazers and Kings, with Sacramento struggling mightily on defense as of late. Expect Bailey to take and make plenty of shots.
Gui Santos, Golden State Warriors
Golden State does have two tough matchups this weekend, but Santos has been too good for it to matter, and he’s still only rostered in 26 percent of Yahoo! leagues. He has averaged 18 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 2.0 triples over his last three outings, and while games against the Timberwolves and Knicks won’t be easy, he’ll see enough usage to make it worth it. He should be a must-roster player, especially with Stephen Curry (knee) set to miss at least another week.
Centers:
Isaiah Stewart, Detroit Pistons
Over their last 10 games, the Grizzlies and Raptors are 30th and 27th in rebounding percentage, and Detroit gets to take on both this weekend. Of course, Jalen Duren should be in for monster nights, but Stewart should also be effective off the bench. Since returning from his seven-game suspension, Stewart has averaged 10.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game.
Mitchell Robinson, New York Knicks
Karl-Anthony Towns is questionable for Friday’s game against Indiana due to bilateral knee soreness, and his absence would allow Robinson to take on more minutes. They take on the Pacers, who are 26th in rebounding percentage over their last 10 games, and the Warriors, who are 21st during the same stretch. Robinson should dominate the glass regardless, but he could really pop if KAT is sidelined against the tanking Pacers.
Maxime Raynaud, Sacramento Kings
Raynaud has been on quite the tear recently, aside from his last game, and now he gets matchups with the Clippers and Jazz this weekend. The Clippers have been average on the glass and defensively recently, while Utah has struggled in both areas, and neither team defends the paint well. Raynaud has averaged 16.0 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 60.9 percent from the floor and 92.3 percent from the line over the last two weeks.
The university announced Friday, March 13 that English would not return for a fourth season as Friars coach.
"We appreciate Kim and his staff for their efforts over the past three seasons leading our men's basketball team," Providence athletic director Steve Napolillo said in a statement. "We wish him and his family all the best in the future."
English went 48-52 in three seasons at the school, including a 15-18 mark this season that put Providence ninth in the 11-team Big East.
The 37-year-old English, a former all-conference player at Missouri who was a second-round pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, was brought in to replace Ed Cooley after his contentious move from Providence to Georgetown in 2023. English had previously gone 34-29 in two seasons at George Mason before being hired by the Friars.
On March 5, with his team at 14-16 after a 22-point loss at home against Marquette, reports emerged that English wouldn’t return to Providence.
After the Friars’ 85-72 loss to St. John’s on Thursday in the quarterfinals of the Big East tournament, English gave an impassioned response when asked about his job security and future.
"I don't want anyone's sympathy,” he said. “I don't like anyone's pity. Don't text me nothing sad, 'Hope you're OK, keep your head up.’ I’m not that guy. Kick me while I'm down. I'll get up. I've never been more proud standing in the locker room than I was after this season.”
Providence was an NCAA Tournament regular under Cooley, making the event seven times over nine seasons in which it was held from 2014-23, which was highlighted by a Sweet 16 run in 2022.
The Friars are one of three major-conference job openings in the northeast, along with Syracuse and Boston College. Candidates for the position are likely to include South Florida coach Bryan Hodgson, Utah State coach Jerrod Calhoun, Merrimack coach Joe Gallo and Yale coach James Jones, among others.
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 16, 2025: Adrian Santana #6 of the Tampa Bay Rays looks on prior to a spring training game against the Washington Nationals at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on March 16, 2025 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Previous Winner
Adrian Santana, SS 20 | S/R | 5’11” | 155 A+ | .263/.324/.326 (94 wRC+) 409 PA, 2 HR, 47 SB, 8.6% BB, 12.0% K
Once a top-ten or so prospect in 2024, Santana fell off our site’s 2025 list after failing to clear as an honorable mention. Why? The switch-hitting slick fielding short stop was the Rays 31st overall pick in 2023 but has delivered sub-100 wRC+ each stop of his career, although that got closer than ever last season, his third as a professional and his third as a teenager in the Rays system. Could expectations be too high on his bat? He has plus athleticism, is learning to wheelhouse, and has “acrobatic” defense at the hardest position in the game, with 98 swiped bags over the last two seasons. What happens if he survives the test of Double-A breaking balls?
Rank
Player
Position
Votes
Total
Percentage
Last Season
1
Carson Williams
SS
14
25
56%
1
2
Brody Hopkins
RHP
19
25
76%
8
3
Jacob Melton
OF
14
28
50%
N/A
4
Theo Gillen
OF
14
26
54%
13
5
Ty Johnson
RHP
12
25
48%
15
6
Daniel Pierce
SS
13
23
57%
N/A
7
Jadher Areinamo
INF
15
28
54%
N/A
8
TJ Nichols
RHP
13
28
46%
N/R
9
Michael Forret
RHP
8
33
24%
N/A
10
Santiago Suarez
RHP
11
30
37%
16
11
Anderson Brito
RHP
7
28
25%
N/A
12
Xavier Isaac
1B
9
28
32%
3
13
Caden Bodine
C
10
25
40%
N/A
14
Brendan Summerhill
OF
11
27
41%
N/A
15
Slater de Brun
OF
10
25
40%
N/A
16
Nathan Flewelling
C
8
26
31%
N/R
17
Trevor Harrison
RHP
9
26
35%
10
18
Jose Urbina
RHP
13
26
50%
25
19
Tre’ Morgan
1B/LF
15
25
60%
4
20
Jackson Baumeister
RHP
12
27
44%
12
21
Aidan Smith
OF
17
29
59%
6
22
Homer Bush Jr.
OF
10
25
40%
21
23
Dom Keegan
C
10
28
36%
9
24
Gary Gill Hill
RHP
8
25
32%
11
25
Brailer Guerrero
OF
8
24
33%
14
26
Brayden Taylor
2B/3B
6
25
24%
2
27
Adrian Santana
SS
6
26
23%
N/R
Santana sneaks a win through despite three other prospects getting 5 votes in Overn, recently optioned Mesa Jr., and Valdez. Next round adds 2025’s top international signee.
Candidates
Fabricio Blanco, SS 17 | S/R | 5’11” | 161
A bat-first middle infielder, the Venezuelan is an elite prospect within the context of the international signing process, with some believing he’s the best Rays signee this off-season, despite gathering only a $1 million bonus. He can barrel up from both sides of the plate, but may settle into a right handed swing in the long term, with quick hands. He has the ability and instincts to stick at short, with a high-IQ approach and gritty demeanor.
Alex Cook, RHP 25 | 6’2” | 220 AA | 2.30 ERA, 2.29 FIP, 15.2 IP (13 G), 30.5% K, 5.1% BB
The Rays added Cook to the 40-man roster this off-season to protect him from the Rule 5 draft, despite only throwing 20 innings (if you include four appearances in the complex league) after a slow start to the season. Cook attempted to convert to starting in 2024 and succumbed to a should injury, but bounced back in the bullpen in 2025 throwing 99 mph — and he has shown up to camp continuing to pitch with confidence. He has plus control and command, with stuff that leans into his low release point, including a cut-ride fastball and two-plane slider, and an MLB average cutter to prevent platoon slit problems. He should slot into high leverage for Durham and ride the shuttle in 2026.
Tampa Bay’s top signee from the 2025 international class, Coret reported tall and young with a lot of projection. His future depends mostly on his hit tool, with prospect evaluators divided on a player that has a long way to go, but the exit velocity (111 mph) and foot speed are plus for his age. Promisingly, after he had a hot start to his professional career, Coret saw his strikeouts elevate in July, but he got them back under control in the final month. A move to the complex league in 2026 would be aggressive.
Cooper Flemming, SS 19 | L/R | 6’3” | 190
One of the best high school bats in the 2025 draft, Flemming surprisingly fell into the Rays laps in the second round. He has a too-quiet swing that lacks the load necessary to hit for power, but he’s historically compensated for that with a high contact rate that would have rated him as first round material if his defense projected to stick. The Rays were able to convince him to forgo an education at Vanderbilt by going above slot ($2.3m, Comp-A money).
Taitn Gray, 1B/OF/C 18 | S/R | 6’4” | 220
The Rays 86th overall pick in 2025, Gray fell to the third round due to some concern about whether he will stick at catcher, but that buries the lead. Still just 17 at the time of the draft, Gray showed up to the Rays organization and proved his rumored power was real, running exit velocities up to 115 mph from both sides of the plate, although the left handed swing is sweeter. He has plus athleticism, which elevated his bat speed, foot speed, and fluidity — despite his size. It will be interesting to see where the Rays deploy him on defense, but it’s a great bat to dream on.
Victor Mesa Jr., OF 24 | L/L | 5’11” | 195 AAA (MIA) | .301/.368/.510 (136 wRC+) 171 PA, 7 HR, 4 SB, 9.9% BB, 16.4% K MLB (MIA) | 6 H (1 HR), 5 BB, 5 K (81 wRC+) 38 PA
This Cuban power bat already made his major league debut with Miami last year after bouncing back from a spring hamstring injury, and was dealt to the Rays in February. He profiles as a fourth outfielder but has an option remaining, so the organization may send him down for regular playing time and one last chance for something more in development. If not, he’s a center field capable on defense, which goes a long way for a platoon bat. In the running for the nicest guy in baseball.
Dean Moss, OF 19 | L/R | 6’0” | 180
Signed well above slot out of the 2025 draft at No. 67 overall, Moss’s family moved from California to the Tampa Bay Area to enroll Moss at IMG, and it earned him a new-home-town selection. A jack of all trades, Moss’s hit tool shades his best thanks to plus bat speed. His swing is clean, with and the projection for his power over time is major league average. He will have competition internally to stick at center, but may get the first nod in the rookie league.
Acquired in the Shane Baz trade, Overn was once a top draft prospect after committing to baseball over football at USC, but surprisingly struggled as a draft-eligible sophomore. That didn’t stop Baltimore from taking him in the third round (97th overall) in 2024. Now a professional, Overn overhauled his swing in the first half of 2025, and earned an early promotion to Double-A for his efforts, where he didn’t look overmatched. His biggest threat is his speed, which raises his floor and gives him an easy projection to a major league bench thanks to plus defensive instincts (BA gave 70’s to his run and field tools). His offensive profile is buoyed by his ability to work the count, but evaluators would like to see him punish fastballs more often for him to be considered a regular.
The Rays 58th overall pick in 2024, Pitre has risen on draft boards through a strong performance in the Cape Cod league in 2023, but the power was a real question mark on his profile. Now given a chance to develop as a professional, he wouldn’t be the first to add muscle. His run and hit tools are plus, with a well coiled swing and solid contact in and out of zone. He’s too old to return to High-A and it be viewed as positive. His power stroke will be the key to his success in 2026.
Victor Valdez, SS 17 | R/R | 6’1” | 186
A pretty swing with a low whiff rate earned Valdez a big payday this winter — $3.5 million — with as good of a power projection as you can reasonably ask for from a a teenage bat, having been given a 25+ home run projection by Baseball America, who also praise his plus foot speed, bat speed, and control of the zone. Reports say he has ever improving lateral movements on defense, with smooth actions and a strong arm. If it all clicks, it’s a middle-of-the-order bat on the left side of the infield. At signing, the Rays gave him a comp to Francisco Lindor. It will be interesting to see if his first professional season can solidify the five tool profile.
Each foot has two sesamoid bones that "act like pulleys inside the big-toe flexor tendon to reduce friction and increase the efficiency of push-off," according to Complete Orthopedics. Those can either become fractured or have small growths — usually in athletes and dancers because they push off and use this bone more — so the surgery removes the bone to both relieve pain and restore function.
Pippen had this surgery on his other foot in October and was out until Feb. 6. He played in just 10 games for the Grizzlies this season because of it. In the 10 games he did play, Pippen averaged 11.4 points and 4.7 assists per game.
Pippen, who has two years left on his contract after this one, will return to a Grizzlies team next season that will look very different, as it starts to undergo a rebuild.
Thursday night’s Hawks vs. Nets game was put on a brief pause after a referee was injured in a bizarre fashion.
With a little over eight minutes to go in the fourth quarter of Brooklyn’s matchup with Atlanta at State Farm Arena, Sha’Rae Mitchell ran into a camera operator and sustained a head injury.
NBA ref Sha'Rae Mitchell WENT DOWN with an injury after hitting her head on a camera operator
Mitchell was initially annoyed with the cameraman for being so close to the court in the middle of play, as lip readers noted she yelled, “Get off the court” following the incident.
But moments later, pain appeared to set in and she needed several moments to collect herself.
Sha’Rae Mitchell was initially annoyed at the camera operator after she bumped into him during a play.
The 40-year-old, who played college basketball at UC Santa Barbara and became a full-time official in 2023, walked over to the scorer’s table and sat down in an attempt to recover.
For around a minute, she held her head in her hands and looked dazed.
Fortunately, she was able to shake it off and finish out the game.
Sha’rae Mitchell needed several moments to collect herself after bumping her head on a camera during a bizarre play in the Hawks vs. Nets game.
The Hawks had the lead at the time of the delay, but the Nets ended up going on an immediate 8-3 run when play resumed.
Atlanta, though, was able to hold off Brooklyn to win, 108-97. Jalen Johnson led all Hawks scorers with 21 points. He added nine rebounds and nine assists.
Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 08: Jarren Duran #16 of Team Mexico celebrates his solo home run with teammate Randy Arozarena #56 in the second inning against Team Brazil during a 2026 World Baseball Classic Pool B game at Daikin Park on March 08, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Alex Cora was right. The Red Sox should win some sort of award for getting their guys ready to play entering the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Boston’s bats hit .310 during pool play and contributed to some of the tournament’s best performances thus far. The most impactful of all entering 2026? Jarren Duran balling out for Team Mexico.
Watching Roman Anthony start every game and contribute at a high level for Team USA is super encouraging. But if the Red Sox are going to be a playoff team in 2026, Duran has to perform like an All-Star caliber offensive weapon. He’s done that so far this spring.
Here are three reasons the Red Sox should feel great about Duran with two weeks to go before Opening Day.
The Power Surge
Duran has left the yard six times so far this spring. His two most recent homers came against Matthew Boyd in Team Mexico’s pool play battle with Team USA, emphasizing the 29-year-old’s sizzling start to competitive action this season.
Duran hit 21 homers in his All-Star 2024 season, but dropped back down to 16 home runs in 2025. The left-handed bat flashed raw power as a prospect, though the ability to bring that thump consistently in the big leagues hasn’t always been there. Swing changes and approach tweaks have reshaped Duran’s offensive identity, but he can contribute to the 20+ home run club that’s become a major talking point around the Red Sox lineup.
Put it this way: the math looks great. Across 27 total spring training and WBC at-bats, Duran homered in nearly a quarter of them. Only Vinny Pasquantino joins the Red Sox outfielder with a trio of WBC long balls.
Lefties? No problem.
For the Red Sox to produce at an efficient level in 2026, their young left-handed bats have to meet the matchups against southpaws. That especially goes for Duran, Roman Anthony and Wilyer Abreu.
Duran felt the dropoff against lefties in 2025 with just a .211 batting average and .600 OPS. He has to be better and voiced his intention to make the right adjustments in 2026:
Jarren Duran on having better at-bats against lefties in 2026:
“I did pretty good against lefties in 2024, right? So ‘25 they adjusted. So then ‘26 I can adjust to them.” pic.twitter.com/2CWI5mV2OO
Well, he’s mashing lefties this spring. THAT is the storyline of his strong start. If Duran holds his own left-on-left, Boston’s offense could reach a completely different level.
Oh, and about that power surge we talked about above: of those six homers, four came against left-handed pitching.
Leaning into athleticism
Duran’s defense was concerning at times in 2025 (-4 OAA, 18th percentile), headlined by his inability to secure an Aaron Judge line drive that led to the Yankees taking the lead in Game 2 of the American League Wild Card series.
The Red Sox outfielder already turned in a quality defensive moment for Mexico when he started a timely relay to cut down USA’s Anthony at the plate early in the pool play matchup.
This week on Sunday Night Basketball, the Golden State Warriors take on the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Live coverage begins at 7:00 PM ET with Basketball Night in America on NBC and Peacock. See below for additional information on how to watch the Warriors vs Knicks game and keep up with all of the NBA action on NBCSN and Peacock. Peacock will feature 100 regular-season games throughout the course of the 2025-2026 season.
Sunday's game marks the second and final meeting between the Knicks and Warriors this season. The last time these two teams met was on January 15, when the Warriors defeated the Knicks at Chase Center, 126-113.
The team announced on Wednesday that the two-time MVP will miss at least six more games and will be re-evaluated on March 21. Curry has been dealing with a lingering runner's knee injury. He is averaging 27.2 points this season.
The Knicks return to the Garden and look to build consistency after a five-game stretch on the road.
How to watch Golden State Warriors vs New York Knicks:
Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones.
Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. Sunday Night Basketball coverage will also be available on NBC and Peacock. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.
How to sign up for Peacock:
Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You'll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC & Bravo hits—Peacock is here for whatever you’re in the mood for.
NBA on NBC 2025-26 Schedule:
Click here to see the full list of NBA games that will air on NBC and Peacock this season.
Feb 20, 2026; Sarasota, Florida, USA; Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Trevor Rogers (28) throws a pitch in the first inning against the New York Yankees during spring training at Ed Smith Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
With 13 days to go before Opening Day, the Orioles have their starting pitcher. The team announced before Friday’s spring training game against the Phillies that the dominant star from last year, Trevor Rogers, is getting the nod for the first start of the season.
On one hand, it’s no surprise that the guy who had a 1.81 ERA across 18 starts last season, who accumulated 5.5 bWAR in only 109.2 innings, is getting lined up as the #1 starter for the season. If he had performed like that over a full season, he would have been an easy winner for the AL Cy Young award.
On the other hand, it’s at least a tiny surprise, if only because there’s also Kyle Bradish, who is longer-tenured with the team and still looked pretty ace-like in his return last year from Tommy John surgery. By starting Wednesday’s spring training game, Bradish appeared to be lined up for Opening Day on regular rest. The team has gone in another direction.
As of this writing, there has not been any official indication from manager Craig Albernaz about how he might line up his other starting pitchers. Given that there are six starting pitching candidates, he hasn’t even announced whether he will do a six-man rotation. For now, my best guess is that things will line up with Rogers followed by Bradish, Shane Baz, Chris Bassitt, and Dean Kremer, with Zach Eflin getting something like a two-week rehab stint at the start of the season to fully build up from last year’s back surgery.
The team has continually not indicated Eflin is behind schedule, though, so I’m starting to doubt that as the resolution. If nobody gets hurt between now and Opening Day, are they going to put Kremer in the bullpen? Send him to the minors? Though the #1 spot is resolved, many questions remain here. The Orioles probably have an idea internally what they’re going to do about these things, but they haven’t showed their cards yet.
Jordan Wicks has been a bit of an enigma for the Cubs. When he first came up, he was an effective lefty starter, but those results haven’t been consistent, and he keeps getting hurt. He’s starting this season on the IL, along with Porter Hodge, who didn’t look good. Neither injury is said to be long-term, but you never know. Wicks hasn’t pitched yet this year.
Wicks is still just 26 but the clock is running and the luster has been worn off of the #21 overall pick in 2021. He’s pitched to a lifetime 6-6 record, with a ghastly 5.21 ERA and 1.516 WHIP and 0.5 bWAR (0.3 fWAR).
It’s hard to pinpoint what exactly the problem is. His stuff is not bad. He clearly puts in the effort and the coaches says he puts in the work. His K/9 is in the eights. He gives up around 1.5 HR/9.
Projections have him as a spot starter, and that’s probably his future, if he gets into major-league games at all. Wicks might be better off in another organization where he’ll have more chances to throw in the bigs, but he’s a tough sell right now, and teams hate to give up on first-rounders historically, because of their potential.
Wicks has a five-pitch mix — FB, sinker, slider, curve, change. He’s also thrown a cutter in the past but not in 2025. Let’s hope that the Cubs’ coaches can determine what the issue(s) is/are, and Wicks can regain the effectiveness that got him drafted in the first round.
CLEARWATER, FL - MARCH 07: Philadelphia Phillies Pitcher Andrew Painter (76) delivers a pitch to the plate during the spring training game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Philadelphia Phillies on March 07, 2026 at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Here are the lineups for today’s Grapefruit League matchup. Let’s discuss!
Kurt Helin
