Fists were flying after a hard foul in the game between the Pistons and the Hornets, which sent the contest into chaos and led to several ejections.
The brawl came in what ended up being a 110-104 loss for the Hornets on Monday.
The situation unfolded in the third quarter at Spectrum Center in Charlotte when Hornets forward Moussa Diabaté fouled Pistons center Jalen Duren while he was going for a shot inside the paint.
The foul was called, but the two got into each other’s faces almost immediately, and after Duren pushed Diabaté in his face, all hell broke loose.
Diabaté attempted to retaliate by swinging at Duren as players, coaches and officials tried to get control of the situation.
Diabaté was able to break free after he was briefly held back and attempted to chase down Duren a second time, but he was restrained again near the courtside seats.
As the focus was on Diabaté and calming him down, Miles Bridges went after Duren and ignited the situation even further, which led to Isaiah Stewart — who was not dressed for the game — to run off the Detroit bench to take on Bridges.
Hornets forward Moussa Diabate, second from left, is held back as he goes and Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) fight during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Monday. AP
Coaches, players and officials had to then work to separate those two.
Diabaté, Bridges, Duren and Stewart were all ejected from the game, and the NBA will likely take a look at what happened for supplementary discipline.
Pistons center Jalen Duren, left, throws punches with Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges, right, during a fight on the court in the second half of an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C.. AP
At the time of the melee, the Pistons had been holding a 70-62 lead over the Hornets as Charlotte was looking to win its 10th straight game.
Things continued to be testy during the game as Hornets coach Charles Lee was kicked out in the fourth quarter.
Moussa Diabate and Miles Bridges of the Charlotte Hornets fight Jalen Duren of the Detroit Pistons. Getty Images
Lee had to be held back while screaming at officials for an offensive foul that was called on Grant Williams.
He left the court to loud applause from the home fans.
NEW YORK (AP) — Nic Claxton scored 28 points and had 10 rebounds to lead the Brooklyn Nets to a 123-115 win over the Chicago Bulls on Monday night.
Noah Clowney added 20 points for Brooklyn, which won its second in a row. Drake Powell had 14 points off the bench, rookies Danny Wolf and Nolan Traore each had 13 and Ziaire Williams added 11.
The Nets won three of the four meetings between the Eastern Conference teams that are rebuilding.
Anfernee Simons scored 23 points for Chicago, which lost its fifth straight. Collin Sexton scored 19 off the bench and Matas Buzelis had 18.
The Nets began the third quarter with a 14-5 spurt over the first three minutes to extend their advantage to 15 at 74-59. But Chicago responded with a 30-15 run over the final nine minutes of the quarter to tie it at 89 entering the fourth.
Two free throws by Isaac Okoro two minutes into the fourth gave the Bulls their first lead since early in the second at 93-91. The Nets then had a 12-6 spurt over the next three minutes to regain the advantage, 103-99.
The teams traded scores the rest of the way, with the most significant being Wolf’s layup with 3:33 remaining and two free throws by Claxton on the next possession that extended Brooklyn’s lead to 115-107.
Both teams were short-handed. The Nets didn’t have leading scorer Michael Porter Jr. (right knee tendinitis) and rookie guard Egor Demin (rest), while Chicago missed Zach Collins (sprained right toe), Josh Giddey (strained left hamstring), Tre Jones (strained left hamstring), and Noa Essengue (left shoulder surgery).
Suspensions are coming after a massive fight broke out Monday night between the Pistons and Hornets.
It had been a physical game, especially in the paint, and that came to a head midway through the third quarter. Detroit was inbounding the ball, when Detroit's Jalen Duren and Charlotte's Moussa Diabate had some words. When the ball was inbounded, it ended up with Duren, who turned to score and was fouled by Diabate. Then those two got face-to-face and had words again, which is when Duren pushed Diabate away in the face, Diabate got angry and went at Duren taking swings while Tobias Harris held him back, and boy, that escalated quickly, as lot of people joined in the fight.
Charlotte's Diabate and Miles Bridges were ejected, as were Detroit's Duren and Isaiah Stewart.
Expect multiple suspensions and fines from the league office. Stewart is going to get the worst of it, he left the bench to jump into the fray — a cardinal sin in the league's eyes — plus he has a history of being in the middle of dust-ups.
This fight did not ease all the tensions around this game. In the fourth quarter, Charlotte coach Charles Lee was ejected and had to be held back by his assistants while yelling at officials over a no-call after Hornets forward Grant Williams.
In the end, Detroit snapped Charlotte's nine-game winning streak 110-104, behind 33 points from Cade Cunningham.
MIAMI, FL - FEBRUARY 9: Jaren Jackson Jr. #20 of the Utah Jazz dribbles the ball during the game against the Miami Heat on February 9, 2026 at Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Eric Espada/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Utah Jazz, despite their best efforts, beat the Miami Heat with a final score of 115-111.
Utah’s tanking tactic of pulling Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Jusuf Nurkic after the third quarter in favor of the youth could not snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Through the first three quarters, the Jazz were led by Jackson Jr.‘s 22 points, five rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Markkanen chipped in 17 points while Jusuf Nurkic added 10 points and 16 rebounds.
This game hurts the Jazz in the tank race, but it proves that Utah’s approach to losing games this season is no less ethical than its tanking counterparts. Unlike the Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards, the Jazz played their stars in back-t0-back games for the majority of the game, rather than sitting them with phantom injuries. This allows fans to watch Utah’s best players while still allowing the team to (in most cases) achieve its long-term goals.
Feb 9, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) drives to the basket against Utah Jazz forward Brice Sensabaugh (28) during the second quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Tonight, however, the youth stepped up in the fourth quarter to push the Jazz past Miami’s most competitive lineup. Isaiah Collier controlled the pace of the game late, finishing with 13 points and nine assists. Brice Sensabaugh, who has struggled over the past few outings, hit a big three and game-sealing free throws late. And Kyle Filipowski contributed a double-double, finishing with 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Utah still holds the 6th best lottery odds after tonight. Wins from the Pelicans and the Nets mitigate any negative impacts from tonight’s win. If the lottery was today, the Jazz would own a ~96% chance of retaining their pick.
The Jazz return home on Thursday to face off against the Portland Trailblazers.
Feb 9, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard CJ McCollum (3) shoots against the Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) in the second quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images | Brad Rempel-Imagn Images
No Dyson or Jalen. CJ McCollum scored some points. The Hawks once again played no defense.
Traore’s precocious play at the point led Brooklyn to a 123-115 victory over visiting Chicago before a crowd of 17,038 at Barclays Center on Monday night.
The win came without Egor Dëmin and Michael Porter Jr., the Nets coming in just 1-9 without the latter.
But Nic Claxton picked up the slack with a career-high 28 points on 12-of-15 shooting, 10 rebounds and four assists.
Meanwhile, Traore ran a surprisingly potent attack that shot 51.1 percent overall and 48 percent from deep.
The French teen had 13 points and 13 assists, tied for the most by a rookie this season in the NBA, and fourth most by a rookie in team history.
“It’s good because at the same time we’re learning to play with each other and we’re playing better. So it’s good,” said Traore, making his seventh straight start and improving rapidly.
Nolan Traore attempts a shot during the Nets’ Feb. 9 win over the Bulls. NBAE via Getty Images
“[Jordi Fernández] trusts me a lot with the ball, and that’s important for me. Sometimes I can call the plays, sometimes he does, and we build that relationship and it will be even better.”
Brooklyn (15-37) sits fifth in the lottery standings.
They’re a game behind Washington, and one ahead of Utah.
“We executed. The ball was popping,” said Claxton. “We were missing Mike, but everybody stepped up and we were able to create some good looks and I knocked down some shots.
Nolan Traore drives to the basket during the Nets’ Feb. 9 win over the Bulls. NBAE via Getty Images
“(Traore’s) figuring out how to use his speed and knowing when to go and when to slow down.
He’s extremely fast and can touch the paint almost every play, but he’s figuring it out.
He’s gaining confidence and we’re going to need it going forward.”
Traore is the first Nets rookie with a points-assists double-double since Terrence Williams on April 3, 2010.
Noah Clowney added 22 points and was 4-of-6 from deep.
Nic Claxton dunks the ball during the Nets’ Feb. 9 win over the Bulls. Jason Szenes for the NY Post
“Nolan was making the right play to start, whether that was getting downhill, spraying it, scoring, hitting the pocket,” said Clowney. “He was giving us an advantage and letting us play off that. When you play like that, it’s really easy.”
Brooklyn led by as many as 15 in the third quarter, with rookie Danny Wolf (13 points, six rebounds, three blocks, two steals) giving them a 74-59 lead that looked safe.
Drake Powell — who put Patrick Williams on a poster in the first quarter — hit a 3 to put the Nets ahead 87-73 with 4:27 left in the third.
But they let the Bulls — playing sans Josh Giddey and Tre Jones — close on a 16-2 run to knot it at 89-all entering the fourth.
All but a half-minute of that run came with Traore on the bench, and Ben Saraf running point.
When Fernández went back to Traore in the final period, the French teen settled the game down.
With the game knotted at 99-all with just over eight minutes left, the Nets mounted a 10-3 run to untie it.
Wolf found Terance Mann for a 3-pointer that gave Brooklyn a 109-102 edge with 5:19 to play.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 9: Matthew Boyd #16 of the Chicago Cubs reacts in Game Four of the National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers at Wrigley Field on October 9, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Matt Dirksen/Chicago Cubs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s Monday night here at BCB After Dark: the hippest spot for night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. We’re so glad that you stopped by. Come on in. There’s no cover charge. We can check your coat for you. Hang on to that ticket. The hostess will take you to your table now. Bring your own beverage.
BCB After Dark is the place for you to talk baseball, music, movies, or anything else you need to get off your chest, as long as it is within the rules of the site. The late-nighters are encouraged to get the party started, but everyone else is invited to join in as you wake up the next morning and into the afternoon.
Last week, I asked you if the Cubs were better off with Kyle Tucker or Alex Bregman in 2026? Of course, the correct answer would be “both,” but I didn’t give that as an option, nor was it realistic. Most of you seem to think that Bregman was the better piece for this year, with the current Cub getting 79 percent of the vote over the former Cub.
Here’s the part where we listen to jazz and talk movies. The BCB Winter Science Fiction Classic is almost over, but we still have a few contests to go and you’re always welcome to join in. But you’re also free to skip this and join us again on the other side.
Tonight we’re featuring saxophonist Michael Brecker playing one of my favorite jazz standards, “Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise,” written by Sigmund Romberg and Oscar Hammerstein II. I will say this version is not soft at all. In fact, it’s the hardest-bopping version of this song I’ve ever heard.
Besides Brecker on the tenor sax, this is an all-star group that includes Ulf Wakenius on guitar, Christian McBride on bass, Benny Green on piano and Alvin Queen on drums.
This is from 2003.
You voted in the BCB Winter Science Fiction Classic and the Star Trek fans are still out in force as Star Trek II: the Wrath of Khan advanced to the final four over Alien.
Tonight we’re going to find out which film will face off against TWOK in the semifinals. Will it be the crowd-pleasing comedy Back to the Future? Or will Terminator II “be back” in the in the winner’s brakcet?
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991). Directed by James Cameron. Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton and Robert Patrick.
Here’s the scene where Marty McFly (Fox) prepares to return to 1985.
The one thing these two films have in common is that they were both enormously popular in their time. Both films were the number-one box office movie in the year they were released. From your votes, I don’t think I’m going out on a limb to say they are still enormously popular today.
So now it’s time to vote.
You have until Wednesday to vote. Coming up on Wednesday, we have our first semifinal against Godzilla (Gojira) and 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Welcome back to everyone who skipped the music and movies.
We’ve spoken a lot about adding another starting pitcher like Zac Gallen to the roster, not so much because the Cubs need one but because you can never have too many starting pitchers. You see, they get hurt a lot. You may remember what happened to Justin Steele last year. Shōta Imanaga missed a lot of time with an injury as well.
But even if the Cubs projected starting five of Matthew Boyd, Edward Cabrera, Cade Horton, Imanaga and Jameson Taillon all stay healthy, at least until Justin Steele returns, there is a criticism that all five of those pitchers are mid-rotation starters at most. That there isn’t any one top-of-the-rotation guy that manager Craig Counsell can call on in a must-win game.
The Cubs still have the yeoman Colin Rea ready to step in when a starter gets hurt. Javier Assad and Ben Brown can start as well. Justin Steele will be coming back sometime mid-season. So it’s not like there aren’t options in the case of injury. But none of those guys is likely to be “the guy” in a key pennant race or playoff game.
So tonight I’m going to ask you who you would want to pitch a Game 7 of a playoff series. If the Cubs need a win to clinch the division, which Cubs starter would you want on the mound?
I don’t think I need to say much about the five Cubs starters. If you go by any version of WAR, Matthew Boyd was the Cubs’ best pitcher last year. Cade Horton didn’t reach the majors until May, but was good enough to finish second in Rookie of the Year balloting. However, a lot of Horton’s underlying data indicate that while he’s good, Horton was maybe not quite as good as his 2.67 ERA would indicate.
Imanaga was excellent in 2024 and injured and unreliable in 2025. Are you confident he’ll bounce back? Taillon was solid last year and may have been the most-trusted starter (or second after Boyd) by the time of the playoffs, but like Horton, his underlying numbers weren’t much more than OK.
Then there’s the wild card of Edward Cabrera. He had a kind of breakout season last year with the Marlins and many think his raw stuff indicates that there’s more to come. But he’s also had trouble staying healthy throughout his career.
So which starter do you think will have the best season for Cubs this year?
Thank you for stopping by tonight. We’re always glad to see you. Please get home safely. Stay warm and dry. Tell your friends about us. Recycle any cans and bottles. Tip your waitstaff. And join us again tomorrow night for more BCB After Dark.
Stephen Curry was voted an All-Star starter by the fans, but will sit out the game due to a case of "runner's knee," Warriors coach Steve Kerr announced Monday.
Curry will miss his fourth straight game Monday due to right patellofemoral pain syndrome — commonly called "runner's knee" — but Kerr said he will be out longer than that, as reported by Dalton Johnson at NBC Sports Bay Area. He also will miss Wednesday night's game against the Spurs, but with the games he missed and the All-Star break, Curry will have almost three weeks to rest his knee and get it right.
"He's doing well," Kerr said. "That's the hope. It's really kind of a day-to-day thing, so it's hard to predict for sure whether he'll be playing that first game after the break, but that's definitely the hope. The idea is if he can get through everything this week that puts him on pace to be playing then."
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver will select a replacement for Curry on the USA Stripes team for this year's All-Star Game in the USA vs. World format (more on that below). This is Curry's 12th time as an All-Star.
Curry, 37, is averaging 27.2 points and 4.8 assists per game while shooting 39.1% from 3-point range. The Warriors will have to continue trying to generate offense without Curry or Jimmy Butler (out for the season with a torn ACL).
All-Star Game format
This year, the NBA All-Star Game returns to NBC and debuts on Peacock — and it falls right in the middle of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. That was a perfect setup for the first-of-its-kind All-Star Game format, a USA vs. World showdown that fans and players have been asking for.
The 24 All-Star players have been divided into three teams, two USA teams — USA Stripes and USA Stars — and one World Team. Those three teams will compete in a round-robin tournament of four 12-minute games, each team playing at least two games. At the end of the round-robin, the two top teams will play a championship game (the fourth 12-minute game of the day) for the title. (If there is a tie it comes down to point differential.)
The 75th NBA All-Star Game will take place on Sunday, Feb. 15, at 5 p.m. Eastern, an earlier time than in previous years, leading into more coverage of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
Every moment of All-Star Weekend — the Rising Stars challenge on Friday. (Feb. 13), All-Star Saturday Night with the 3-Point Contest and Dunk Contest (Feb. 14), as well as the All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 15 — will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock.
The 75th NBA All-Star Game will take place on Sunday, Feb. 15, at 5 p.m. Eastern, a time earlier than in previous years, leading into more coverage of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
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. NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball across NBC and Peacock on Feb. 1, 2026. 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.
Peterson is listed as out for the No. 9 Jayhawks with flu-like symptoms, according to the Topeka Capital-Journal. That makes the task harder for Kansas against No. 1 Arizona (23-0, 10-0).
The freshman guard has appeared in 13 games this season, averaging 20.5 points and 4.2 rebounds per game on 48.9% shooting. This marks the 11th game of the season that the projected top pick in the 2026 NBA will miss this season. Peterson has also battled a hamstring strain and cramps earlier in the season.
Junior guard Jamari McDowell started in Peterson’s place, while senior guard Melvin Council Jr. and sophomore forward Flory Bidunga have stepped up in the games Peterson has missed this season.
Kansas and Arizona had a 9 p.m. ET (8 p.m. CT) tipoff. The Jayhawks' lone loss at home this season came against No. 5 UConn.
Four players were ejected following a fight during the third quarter of a game between the Detroit Pistons and Charlotte Hornets on Monday, Feb. 9.
Suspensions could follow.
The brawl began bubbling when the Hornets’ Moussa Diabate delivered a hard foul on Pistons center Jalen Duren with more than seven minutes remaining in the quarter. The players exchanged words.
Duren shoved Diabate in the face, and Charlotte forward Miles Bridges shoved Duren. Diabate threw a punch at Duren and had to be held back by coaches and teammates, according to the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network.
Moments later, Bridges punched toward Duren. Pistons forward Isaiah Stewart, who was not in the game, rushed the floor and put Bridges in a headlock. Players from both teams swarmed in to separate them.
"Miles got some blows in," one announcer said on the broadcast of the game.
Will Pistons and Hornets players be suspended for brawl?
Once the NBA assesses its discipline from this fight, expect several suspensions and fines to be levied, particularly for those like Isaiah Stewart, who came off the bench.
According to the NBA rulebook, during fights or altercations, players who aren’t subbed in must remain on the sidelines, “in the immediate vicinity of their bench.” The league also stipulates that violators will be subject to an automatic one-game suspension without pay, with an additional fine of $50,000.
Because Stewart also threw punches and made contact with Hornets players, his suspension may be for multiple games.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 23: Bo Davidson #18 of the San Francisco Giants reacts after being thrown out at second as the tying run in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Sacramento River Cats at Sutter Health Park on March 23, 2025 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Scott Marshall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s officially Spring Training eve. Fans, reporters, coaches, and most importantly, players have arrived in Scottsdale, Arizona. And after one more sleep, they’ll get to work.
Last week, the San Francisco Giants announced their list of 19 non-roster invitees to Spring Training. As a refresher, NRIs are players who are in the system but not on the 40-man roster … prospects and Minor League free agents. Although there’s plenty of crossover between the NRIs and the players who aren’t in Major League camp — they’re all working out at Papago, and the players at the Minor League camp next door are frequently called into action in preseason games — there is importance in being named an NRI.
Most players who are NRIs are either given a chance to make the Opening Day roster, or are getting some seasoning because the organization is high on their ability to contribute at some point during the year. And that’s important, both for development and for the message that it sends to those players.
The beauty of Spring Training is that it gives players a chance to change their story. If I had written the following article last year, for instance, I would have had Christian Koss quite low … but we all saw how that played out.
So what follows is a list of all 19 NRIs, ranked in order of their excitement right now. It’s not a ranking of how good the players are, and it’s definitely not a ranking of how likely they are to break camp on the roster. And, critically, it’s fluid … though don’t come back to this article in a few weeks expecting me to have updated it.
Enough rambling. Here are the 19, from most exciting to least exciting.
1. Bo Davidson — OF
The Giants only selected three outfielders for their list of NRIs this year, but that’s three more than last year. And with Marco Luciano and Wade Meckler gone, Luis Matos placing one foot out the door, and Grant McCray lacing up his shoes, Davidson represents the next wave of talent that the Giants are hoping graces the outfield.
Heliot Ramos broke the long-standing homegrown All-Star outfielder curse, and in about six weeks he should break the left field Opening Day curse. Jung Hoo Lee is firmly entrenched in right field. And Harrison Bader was brought in on a multi-year free agency deal to man center. The Giants have the most set outfield in recent memory, and yet … you can forgive us for dreaming of a little more.
Davidson could be that more. He burst on the scene, remarkably rising from undrafted free agent to a member of the Baseball America top 100 in two years. As a Junior College athlete, Davidson hasn’t faced the advanced level of competition that his peers in AA have, and that’s the cause for both excitement and caution. Arguably the two largest questions facing Davidson are how well he can handle advanced spin and velocity, and if he can stay in center fielder as he rises the ranks.
Spring Training gives us our first chance to get some answers to those questions, and our first opportunity to see how dynamic his athleticism looks when standing across from Major Leaguers, instead of single and double-A ballers.
2. Parks Harber — 3B/1B/OF
One of the fun things about NRIs is that you can get a glimpse into how the organization views certain players. The most shining example? Harber. To illustrate that, let’s look back at the 2025 NRIs, of which there were six position players. Those six, in alphabetical order:
Sergio Alcantara — Had more than 500 Major League plate appearances Bryce Eldridge — The top prospect in the organization, who had some AAA experience Christian Koss — Had more than 300 AAA plate appearances Jake Lamb — Had a 10-year MLB career Logan Porter — Had made his MLB debut and spent three years in AAA Max Stassi — Had a 10-year MLB career
That’s roughly what you can expect with most NRIs, especially on the position player front. So it was noteworthy that Davidson, who hasn’t yet played in AAA, was on the list. And it was extremely noteworthy that Harber, who hasn’t yet played in AA, was on the list.
Harber probably belongs in the “it doesn’t matter how well you play, you can’t make the Opening Day roster” bucket, but his inclusion on this list means we can start turning the hands of his clock faster than in a time capsule sequence in a movie.
He was an afterthought by the industry when he was included in the Camilo Doval trade this summer, yet it quickly became clear he could hit the snot out of the ball. His data at the Arizona Fall League emphasized that, and now it’s clear the Giants view him highly. They want to see how his swing fares against more advanced pitchers. They want to see him get comfortable in the outfield after primarily being an infielder. Like Davidson, they want to get a glimpse into whether or not Harber might be able to help the team as early as later this year.
3. Juan Sánchez — LHP
If you’ve been following the news this weekend, and I don’t blame you if you haven’t been, then some atrocious excuses for “country music” have probably come across your airwaves. I’d like to cleanse your palate, with a line from an honest-to-goodness, authentic, extremely worth listening to country artist, Tyler Childers:
Well I used to ride a Mustang And I’d run that thing on high hopes ‘Til they raised the price of dreams so high I couldn’t pay
That, I’d say, adequately sums up the Giants relationship with their bullpen. At the deadline they traded respected veterans Camilo Doval and Tyler Rogers. New closer Randy Rodríguez then suffered an elbow injury that will cost him the 2026 season.
Then the offseason came, and the media masses who always think the Giants will spend money even though they won’t linked the team to Edwin Díaz and Devin Williams even though that obviously was never going to happen. And we all thought they’d reunite with Rogers, but they didn’t even sniff in that direction.
Instead, they signed Sam Hentges for $1.4 million, signed Jason Foley to rehab an injury and hopefully debut late in the summer, and added a bunch of Minor Leaguers. And I’m not even sure that I disagree with the approach.
But in order for it to work, some players are going to need to pop, and Sánchez is a prime candidate. The southpaw, who signed with the Giants a whopping nine years ago but only just turned 25, was an NRI two years ago and nearly broke camp with the team. He was narrowly beat out by Erik Miller — possibly only because Miller was already rostered — and then his elbow gave out and he not only didn’t debut, but missed all of 2025, too.
Now he’s back, and healthy. He pitched in the Arizona Fall League and, if he can repeat his Scottsdale performance from 2024, could not only make the team, but become a critical part of a (hopefully) successful bullpen.
4. Will Bednar — RHP
Hey, here’s another youngish arm that the organization was once quite high on who could ultimately prove to be a big part of the bullpen. Bednar spent a few years failing to live up to his first-round draft status, but in 2025 reinvented himself as a high-electricity reliever, and cranked up his velocity to where it flirted with 100. With Doval in the Bronx and Rodríguez injured, the Giants don’t have a lot of those players, which gives Bednar a good path to the Majors.
Really, the excitement in seeing Bednar is the same excitement we’ll have when he presumably opens the year in AAA: seeing how his stuff plays against more advanced hitters. He has command issues (though they got better in the second half last year), but in 2025 struck out 84 AA batters in just 50.2 innings. Will that play against better hitters? I, for one, am very excited to see.
5. Gregory Santos — RHP
I expect that Bader will be the signing this year who (positively) impacts the win total the most, but Santos is my favorite move the Giants made this winter. Once a top-10 prospect in the system, Santos was DFA’d by the Giants three years ago due to a roster crunch. That decision immediately looked awful: in his first year with his new team, the Chicago White Sox, Santos became one of the best relievers in baseball, with a 3.39 ERA, a 2.65 FIP, and a 1.5 fWAR mark that ranked 15th among all bullpen arms.
But he’s struggled with injuries since then, and has pitched just 14.1 innings over the last two years, and just 28.2 if you include Minor League assignments.
When right, Santos has a truly special mix of fire and control: in 2023, he was 98th percentile in fastball velocity, and 85th percentile in walk rate. If he’s healthy this spring, he just might look like that player again (he’s only 26, after all). And if he looks like that player again, he just might be one of the best offseason signings in all of baseball.
6. Victor Bericoto — OF/1B
Developmental paths — and the logistics forced by 40-man roster decisions — are funny. Bericoto was part of the same international signing class as Luciano and Matos. And while Matos is still clinging to a spot on the roster, if I had to guess which of those three will play the biggest role for the Giants this year, it would be Bericoto.
As with Davidson and Harber, Bericoto’s inclusion is likely a sign of how the Giants feel about him, especially since he only played 11 games in AAA last year (before suffering an injury, and then heading back to AA). In many ways, Bericoto mirrors what the Giants hope Jerar Encarnación brings to the table, except instead of being a Major Leaguer who is out of options, Bericoto, who just turned 24, is still in the Minors. He’s a powerful right-handed bat who plays a quality corner outfield and can also man first base. What’s not to like?
It seemed over the summer that his time with the organization was running out, but now he feels like a player who could quickly become part of the outfield plans. We haven’t gotten to see him face advanced pitchers yet, and now we’ll get to see just how close he is.
7. Michael Fulmer — RHP
There are always position player NRIs who don’t really have a shot at making the roster. But thanks to the volatile nature of pitchers, the sheer number of spots available in the bullpen, and the inevitability of injuries, that’s not really the case with pitchers. They can all make the Opening Day roster. Especially the ones that Buster Posey has faced before.
On the surface, Fulmer is extremely un-exciting. He’s a 32-year old veteran trying to find his way back to the Majors. We see tons of those every year, and they rarely work out. But pull back the curtain a little bit, and it’s a different story. Fulmer was mediocre in 2023, lost all of 2024 due to injury, and spent almost all of his 2025 in the Minors trying to rebuild his value. But he was very good in 2022 and he was excellent in 2021 and really, those years aren’t far away when you account for the lost year and the rehab year. He’s the perfect candidate to give to a coaching staff and see what happens. There could be something special there.
8. Trent Harris — RHP
Davidson, Harber, and Harris … it really is impressive that the Giants have three such highly-regarded undrafted prospects!
Harris is the ultimate case of “if things click, this could be special,” and those are some of the most exciting players to watch in Spring Training. The recently-turned 27-year old was thoroughly dominant in AA last year, but got roughed up in his AAA introduction. By his own admission, much of that was due to a loss of confidence and abandoning his best pitch. He might be one tweak away from being a critical bullpen piece, and we’ll soon find out if the Giants can help him make that tweak.
9. Nate Furman — 2B
The Giants acquired Furman a year-and-a-half ago as the player to be named later in the Alex Cobb trade. Due to injuries, we’ve only seen him play 36 games for the organization, but he’s hit .369/.493/.607 in those 36 games, and that will get anyone’s attention.
In many ways, Furman is the Minor League version of the player the Giants signed to play his position at the big league level, Luis Arráez. He has borderline unbelievable contact skills, an almost non-existent display of power, and his glove has more red flags than green ones.
But here’s the thing about great contact hitters: they’re fun to watch, and Posey loves them. And I’ll appeal to authority and say it’s very notable that the Giants chose Furman — who has just 22 AA games to his name — as an NRI, ahead of players like, say, Diego Velasquez and Dayson Croes. You never know what players have been working on, especially in the offseason. Maybe Furman looks good with his glove. Maybe he has a little pop of power. Either of those things would turn him into a bonafide prospect.
10. Diego Cartaya — C
If you want to feel a little bit better about what happened with Luciano, then have I ever got the name for you. Allow me to introduce you to someone who signed in the same international period as Luciano, but for a larger amount of money. Someone who was instantly viewed as the cream of the crop from that class. Someone who, after debuting, was ranked even higher than Luciano, and was on many top-10 lists. A player who, unlike Luciano, came from an organization frequently lauded for its player development. A player who, like Luciano, is now floating around trying to find a career.
Yes, Cartaya was once the diamond of the Los Angeles Dodgers system. Being a 19-year old catcher who hits 10 home runs in 31 games in A-ball will do that to you. He completely fell apart in the upper Minors, though. After posting a 65 wRC+ in more than 200 AAA plate appearances in 2024, the Dodgers cut him loose this time last year. He caught on with the Minnesota Twins’ AAA affiliate, where he hit … cover your eyes if you’re easily scared … 5-59 with 40 strikeouts.
The Twins dumped him and the Giants picked him up, presumably on a multi-year Minor League deal, because they slow-played him (he officially appeared in just four low-A games) and now he’s back.
He’s probably broken. He’s almost certainly broken. But at 24 years old, he’s not far removed from being one of the best prospects in baseball. Sometimes it takes the right coaches or the right change of scenery, or just something clicking as you go through life. He’s a free lottery ticket, and if he shows any glimpses this spring, things will start to feel exciting.
11. Wilkin Ramos — RHP
Ramos is the type of player whom we would all be very excited about if he had come up through the Giants system, instead of reaching Minor League free agency and signing with the team that way. His performance has paralleled Harris: he’s been dominant in AA (1.52 ERA in 70 games), and awful in AAA (5.94 ERA in 30 games). The primary difference (other than the pitch mix) is that, despite entering his ninth year of professional baseball, Ramos is still two years younger than Harris, at just 25.
He’s an extremely Giantsy pitcher: he doesn’t get a lot of swing-and-miss, but his ground ball rate was a whopping 60.9% last year. That number ranked 12th out of the nearly 1,400 Minor League pitchers with at least 50 innings last year. He’s a long shot to make the Opening Day roster, but he could be exciting enough to watch that he becomes a pitcher people follow in AAA.
12. Caleb Kilian — RHP
He returns! Like Santos, Kilian is making his way back to his original organization, after he was included in the 2021 trade for Kris Bryant. Unlike Santos, Kilian has never popped at the Major League level, though he made eight appearances in the pros between 2022 and 2024. Injuries limited Kilian to 15.2 innings in the Minors last year, but in 2024 he had a 3.22 ERA in AAA, while only walking 2.8 batters per nine innings. He’s not electric, but he has strong command, a deep repertoire, and can live in the mid-90s. If he’s added to the roster he’ll be out of options, though, so he’ll have to have an exceptional camp to avoid starting the year in Sacramento.
13. Nick Margevicius — LHP
Margevicius concludes the pitcher section of our list. He could be much lower, but pitchers, by nature of their ability to make the Opening Day roster, are just inherently a little bit more exciting. But he is the least exciting of the group. The 29-year old hasn’t pitched in the Majors since 2021, and while he had a decent 3.89 ERA/3.60 FIP mark with the Detroit Tigers’ AAA affiliate last year, the underlying metrics were fairly grim. His fastball lives in the very low 90s, and his Prospect Savant page is almost entirely blue. He was above average in walk rate (89th percentile) last season, but everything else was below average … or way below average: strikeout rate (45th percentile), chase rate (39th), swinging strike rate (29th), zone contact rate (24th), xwOBA (22nd), expected batting average (15th), whiff rate (13th), zone swing rate (11th), expected slugging (8th), barrel rate (8th), exit velocity (7th), and hard hit rate (7th).
14. Jared Oliva — OF
The Giants claimed Justin Dean off of waivers this offseason. They then designated him for assignment, and lost him on waivers. To recoup that loss, they signed Oliva to a Minor League deal. Oliva is a slightly lesser version of Dean. He probably can’t hit — his brief MLB time has mostly been used as a late-game replacement, and he had a 102 wRC+ last year as a 29-year old in AAA. But he plays some mean outfield defense, and stole a stupendous 57 bases last year in just 95 games, while only getting caught six times.
That’s fun to watch, and that’s excitement in and of itself. But he’s probably not in play to make the roster unless Drew Gilbert gets injured and McCray gets traded.
15. Buddy Kennedy — INF
Kennedy has an intriguing combination of power and speed, though he’s 27 and it really hasn’t manifested in much yet. He has nearly 200 plate appearances in the Majors, but has hit just .178/.271/.274, and his defense certainly isn’t good enough for that. He only had a 116 wRC+ in AAA last year as a 26-year old, but he did hit .280 with a tidy 14.3% strikeout rate, and we know the Giants like that.
Long story short: he’s not in play to make the Opening Day roster, and he won’t do a lot of things that excite you, but he can put himself in position to be a depth piece in AAA.
16. Eric Haase — C
The Giants don’t want Haase to be their backup catcher on March 27. But Haase certainly might be their backup catcher on March 27. He is insurance for if neither Jesús Rodríguez nor Daniel Susac looks ready for the Majors, because he certainly can hold down the spot, as he’s done so often in his career. He’s 33 and you know exactly what you’re getting with him. That’s important, but it’s not exciting.
17. Osleivis Basabe — INF
Basabe is back, after spending all of 2025 — his first year in the organization — in AAA. He only posted an 85 wRC+ there (and was DFA’d and outrighted), but his defense all over the diamond is very strong. He’s only 25, but it feels wrong to think of him as a prospect. He’s depth. He’ll provide some Spring Training excitement because of his defensive wizardry, but he’s really just hanging around to play all over the Sacramento dirt, and fill in if there’s an emergency.
Then again, I said that about Koss this time a year ago.
18. Jake Holton — 1B
Remember Trenton Brooks. Holton is the new Trenton Brooks.
This is his first year with the Giants, after the soon-to-turn 28-year old right-handed hitter spent his first seven season with the Tigers. He spent all of 2023 with Detroit’s AA squad, where he posted a 123 wRC+. Good enough for a promotion to AAA, right? Nope. He spent all of 2024 with their AA team, where he posted a 141 wRC+. Well that is surely good enough for a AAA promotion, yeah? Wrong again. He also spent all of 2025 with Detroit’s AA affiliate, where he repeated his 141 wRC+ mark.
He’ll likely be ticketed for a AAA debut with Sacramento, but 300+ plate appearances in AA is telling. He might put up great Spring Training numbers, but he’ll likely only be viewed as emergency depth, for a variety of reasons.
19. Logan Porter — C
We saw Porter in the Majors last year, and we may see him again this year. He is the very definition of a AAA catcher: strong enough defensively and competitive enough offensively that he can fill in for a week or two; bad enough at those things that he can be designated for assignment without any repercussions.
Porter isn’t at Spring Training to compete for a roster spot or raise his stock. He’s at Spring Training to familiarize himself with the pitching staff so that, on some random July day when Rodríguez, filling in for an injured Susac, takes a foul ball off his mask and needs a week off, the Giants have someone who can step in competently.
That’s valuable; but it ain’t exciting. Well, not relative to the other names, at least. But it’s still baseball, and baseball is exciting. More importantly, baseball is back.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - SEPTEMBER 27: Justin Verlander #35 of the San Francisco Giants takes the field prior to the game between the Colorado Rockies and the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on Saturday, September 27, 2025 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Kavin Mistry/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The first ballot Hall of Famer joined the Giants as a sort of prove-it year to show the sport that he still could be “that guy,” and he pulled it off, becoming just the 48th pitcher in MLB history to throw at least 150 innings at the age of 42 (or older). He’s also just the 17th pitcher this century to accomplish the feat, and if you narrow it down to just right-handed pitchers, the list looks like this:
Roger Clemens (2005), 211.1 IP — 1.87 ERA Bartolo Colon (2015), 194.2 IP — 4.16 ERA Greg Maddux (2008), 194 IP — 4.22 ERA Bartolo Colon (2016), 191.2 IP — 3.43 ERA R.A. Dickey (2017), 190 IP — 4.26 ERA Tim Wakefield (2011), 154.2 IP — 5.12 ERA Justin Verlander (2025), 152 IP — 3.85 ERA
Subtract PEDs, knuckleballs, and Bartolo Colon from this list and Verlander really stands out, right? Seriously, though, the rest of those names are from a previous generation of the sport. What Verlander managed to do ought to be considered as impressive as whatever accolades you want to throw at the rest of the names on this list because it’s a very different game now.
The season was far from a farewell tour, which is what it kinda-sorta felt like it could be when the Giants signed him last January. Another Randy Johnson situation. Instead, what the Giants got and what the sport saw was a pitcher who was riding the rapids of time and not defying it so much as going with his increasing limitations.
On the year, his 2.2 fWAR was in the realm of an average starter, but over his final 13 starts, his 2.60 ERA in 72.2 IP with a 22.8 K% and 7.8 BB% made him the sixth-most valuable pitcher in baseball, sandwiched between Max Fried and Garrett Crochet. The Giants went just 6-7 in those starts and all 4 wins of his 4-11 record came during this stretch, which ought to be enough to prove how silly a pitcher win is.
Still, for a guy hoping to retire with 300 wins or thereabouts, pitching for the San Francisco Giants sort of worked against him. He now stands at a career record of 266-158 in 555 career starts, and you could see how if he’d made it to 10 or 11 wins that he’d plausibly be within spitting distance if he pitches two more seasons. The Giants’ bullpen and offense definitely cost him 5 wins and he wouldn’t record that first win in a Giants uniform until literally July 23… simply remarkable.
Less remarkable was how wrong I was about the signing. I was skeptical from the start but on July 7th, I wrote this post: The Justin has Verlanded,
So, is this actually another Buster Posey win, even if it looks ugly? I think so. It seems that Buster’s expectations had nothing to do with statistics and, instead it’s about everything else that Justin Verlander brings to the team. That has to be it, right? Because even by his own assessment, he’s not a competitive pitcher against major league talent.
I’m just not deceptive enough […] Guys are able to execute their game plan against me too easily. I can’t quite get fastballs by guys when I should be able to. I can’t quite get them to chase the good off-speed pitch. When I do throw a bad one, they’re on it.
[…]
It’s his worst season in the Statcast era (since 2015), and it’s clear this is probably going to be his worst non-injury season ever. At least, that’s how it’s trending. Is there room in the modern game for a team to run out the gritty veteran every fifth day who doesn’t have the stuff but has the resume? It was common enough in Posey’s playing days. Does he believe such a thing is another thing “analytics” took away?
Definitely mean and, of course, totally wrong. I am far from the main character of reality, but as a blogger who swung and missed very, very hard here, I must point out Verlander’s numbers on this very me-centric split:
Prior to The Justin has Verlanded post: 0-6, 4.84 ERA (4.32 FIP) 70.2 IP 60 K 26 BB
After the Justin has Verlanded post: 4-5, 2.99 ERA (3.43 FIP) 81.1 IP 77 K 26 BB
According to Statcast, Verlander’s sweeper was 1) a new pitch and 2) his most valuable by far with a +8 Run Value. That’s Top 10 in the sport good. His changeup, four-seamer, and sinker were also effective enough that he’s still got the bones of a solidly average pitcher going forward.
He gave the Giants everything he had last season and it was plenty and demonstrative of a guy who still has more to give. Unfortunately for Justin Verlander, the Giants could not return the favor.
SACRAMENTO, CA - FEBRUARY 7: Jaylon Tyson #20 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on during the game against the Sacramento Kings on February 7, 2026 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. 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 Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers have updated availability for numerous key players for tonight’s game against the Denver Nuggets. Dean Wade is OUT with an ankle injury, while Jaylon Tyson, who was also listed as questionable with an ankle injury, will be available to play.
Rookie Tyrese Proctor will be available to play after being questionable with an illness.
Max Strus and Evan Mobley remain out. Mobley hasn’t played since January 26 with a calf strain, while Strus has yet to play this season.
Cleveland’s wing depth has taken a hit without Wade. They traded De’Andre Hunter at the deadline for Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis, a move that has paid off in the short-term, but has left them without many backup options on the wing other than Wade.
Wade is also one of the team’s best and most underrated defenders. He consistently raises their floor defensively and isn’t as easy to replace as you might think.
The NBA's most versatile defenders this season, based on time spent guarding PG/SG/SF/PF/C:
1. Jarred Vanderbilt 2. Josh Minott 3. Dean Wade 4. GG Jackson 5. Jordan Walsh 6. Alex Caruso 7. Hugo Gonzalez 8. Naji Marshall 9. Spencer Jones 10. Gui Santos
The Cavs have managed to survive even with injuries to Wade, Mobley and Strus. They’ve done so behind an All-Star caliber season from Donovan Mitchell, huge performances from Jarrett Allen, and a new Hall of Famer in James Harden.
Harden made his Cavalier debut on Saturday and scored 23 points while helping his team get across the finish line. We’ll be watching to see how Harden continues to develop chemistry with his new teammates. Allen, in particular, should continue to thrive with another pick-and-roll ball-handler in the lineup.
This is Cleveland’s final game of their West Coast road trip. They previously played the Sacramento Kings, LA Clippers, Portland Trail Blazers, and Phoenix Suns. After tonight, they’ll head home for their first game of February in Rocket Arena. They host the Washington Wizards on Wednesday.
The Cavs have the best winning percentage in the NBA since Dec. 29 and have a top-10 offense and defense during this stretch. Let’s see if they can keep on rolling and head home with one more win.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The injury-depleted Indiana Pacers have been dealt another blow, announcing Monday that second-year forward Johnny Furphy is expected to miss the rest of this season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.
Furphy was hurt during the third quarter of Sunday's 122-104 loss at Toronto. Team officials issued a three-paragraph statement Monday saying the Australian was taken to the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York and an MRI confirmed the extent of the injury. Indiana is in New York to face the Knicks on Tuesday.
Furphy is yet another addition to an expansive injury list headlined by two-time All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton, who has been ruled out for the rest of this season after suffering a torn Achilles tendon in Game 7 of June's NBA Finals.
Starters Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith and key backups Obi Toppin and T.J. McConnell have all missed games with injuries this season. The result: Indiana has the league's second-worst record at 13-40. The absences, however, gave Furphy, a second-round draft pick in 2024 out of Kansas, a chance to show what he could do in 21 starts. He was averaging 5.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists.
The Pacers also could be dealing with yet another injured player — new center Ivica Zubac, who Indiana acquired last week in a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers. He's been dealing with an ankle injury since December and Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said recently that Zubac won't play until he's “really ready.”
Freddy Peralta throws a bullpen session during spring training Feb. 9.
PORT ST. LUCIE — Freddy Peralta threw a bullpen session Monday to his primary catcher for the first time this spring, under the watch of the team’s new pitching coach.
There is much newness to the Mets, to which the ace right-hander is a significant component.
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But now comes the other side of it, as Peralta begins the acclimation process to his new team.
Some introductions won’t be necessary: Peralta had Tobias Myers, Devin Williams and Tyrone Taylor as teammates with the Brewers.
Many others have become acquaintances over his eight major league seasons.
His exposure to the team’s pitching group, headed by new pitching coach Justin Willard, was immediate following the trade that sent Peralta and Myers from Milwaukee on Jan. 21 for Brandon Sproat and Jett Williams.
And upon arriving to camp, Peralta said he’s been impressed with the amount of information he’s been provided.
“When I got over here, they knew all my stuff and a lot of things that I got surprised by, but that’s good,” Peralta said.
Freddy Peralta throws a bullpen session during spring training Feb. 9. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post
Those surprises have included learning about the progression of his slider over the past four seasons, and how frequently he’s used the pitch, down to his preferred grips.
The purpose isn’t to change Peralta — who finished fifth in the National League Cy Young Award voting last season after pitching to a 2.70 ERA in 33 starts for the Brewers — but to inform him.
“It’s been very comfortable, because they have been asking me how I do things and how I do my stuff, what I have been doing and we just communicate all that,” Peralta said. “We have been working together. It’s not like, ‘We have this new idea, and I think you can do this now.’ It’s been very nice and easy. I feel happy about that because they are not trying to change somebody. They are just trying to communicate and it will help to keep me doing what I have been doing.”
Peralta expects a seamless transition throwing mainly to Francisco Alvarez, who tops the Mets depth chart at catcher.
Luis Torrens also has extensive experience as the team’s primary backup.
“[Alvarez] has got a lot of energy, a lot of potential and I saw that before I became his teammate and I am very excited to see what we’re going to accomplish together,” Peralta said. “We had some conversations already, he caught my bullpen today and it was great. I think the relationship we are going to have is very important.
“But I think I am pretty easy to know, too. I don’t think it’s going to take that long, probably, but hopefully we get to know each other right before the end of spring training. That’s all we need, but I think it’s not going to take that long.”
Freddy Peralta throws on the field during spring training on Feb. 9. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post
Peralta, Nolan McLean, Sean Manaea, Clay Holmes, David Peterson and Kodai Senga are the main rotation pieces, with depth options Jonah Tong and Christian Scott in the mix.
Peralta, an early arrival to camp, said his first days in the clubhouse have been welcoming.
“I know a lot of guys here and we’ve never played together, but we have been seeing each other during the season and we’ve been playing many times and it’s awesome, man,” Peralta said. “I have been getting a lot of love from everybody.”
Peralta is not participating in the World Baseball Classic this spring, instead pouring his energy into his first camp with the Mets.
“I’m just focusing on what I need to do and meeting everybody,” Peralta said. “Get my workouts done and try to stay healthy.”
