CHICAGO, IL - SEPTEMBER 27: Nolan Gorman #16 and Jordan Walker #18 of the St. Louis Cardinals leave the field during the game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Saturday, September 27, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by George Gaza/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
While most are not predicting the St. Louis Cardinals will not be a playoff-caliber team in 2026, the upcoming season is full of compelling storylines including many players who have the most to gain (or lose). There are several players who have a lot on the line in 2026.
The St. Louis Cardinals with the most obvious high stakes for the 2026 season are Nolan Gorman and Jordan Walker. Both were given a lot of “runway” (there’s that word again) last season, but neither impressed with their results. I won’t say that it’s necessarily a last chance for either Gorman and/or Walker, but it would be hard to imagine the team moving forward with them if the 2026 results resemble what they didn’t accomplish in 2025.
JJ Wetherholt looks primed to possibly make the opening day roster for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2026 barring a performance problem in Spring Training. I view JJ as only having something to gain by establishing himself as a part of the future St. Louis Cardinals core. Even if he performs below the potential rookie of the year level some are predicting, I think he’ll be allowed to have time to make the adjustments needed to be a centerpiece for the Cardinals for the foreseeable.
I think the one Cardinal who stands the most to gain financially is Dustin May. If he bounces back from his injuries and becomes a solid mid-rotation starter again, he’ll be a valuable free agent if he declines the mutual option after the season with the Cardinals. Depending on how the St. Louis season goes, he could also be a prime trade deadline candidate for a contender if the Cardinals aren’t.
Masyn Winn could be viewed as a player that stands a lot to gain in 2026. For the first time in a year or two, Masyn is expected to start the season healthy. If he adds more offensive pop to his gold glove defense, he has the opportunity to be considered for a valuable long-term extension if he doesn’t seek more wealth in the free agent market a few years from now.
Alec Burleson is another player that could gain elevated status on the roster if he backs up his Silver Slugger performance of 2025. He signed a one-year $3.3 million dollar deal with the Cardinals for 2026 to avoid arbitration and is set to become a free agent after the 2028 season. The 2026 season could lead to several outcomes for Alec. He could be a trade deadline target, an extension possibility for the Cardinals or cash in on a nice free agent deal a few years from now if his bat continues to improve.
Matthew Liberatore has the chance to establish himself as a top of the rotation starter if he takes his game to the next level during the upcoming season. Riley O’Brien could develop into one of the NL’s top closers with a great 2026 although the mild calf strain he’s experienced already during Spring Training isn’t a great start. I could go on and on as the St. Louis Cardinals 2026 season is nothing if not a fertile field for opportunities. Who on the St. Louis Cardinals roster do you think has the most to gain or lose in 2026? The possibilities are nearly endless.
TORONTO, ONTARIO - OCTOBER 13: Mitch Garver #18 of the Seattle Mariners hits a triple against the Toronto Blue Jays during the sixth inning in game two of the American League Championship Series at Rogers Centre on October 13, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The offseason may be officially over, with the first slate of spring training games set to begin in just two days (!), but the Mariners aren’t done making moves, and they’ve brought back an old friend for at least the Cactus League.
There has been enough ink spilled about how Garver’s previous two years with Seattle didn’t live up to the expectations of his two-year, $24 million contract he was signed to on Christmas Eve 2023. After spending 2025 as Cal Raleigh’s backup, it was an easy call for the M’s to decline their end of his mutual option, despite a couple of fun moments in the postseason. Seattle brought aboard Andrew Knizner and Jhonny Pereda to round out the 40-man roster, and with the former being out of options, the Garv man looks to be on the outside looking in for the backup catcher gig.
That doesn’t mean he won’t get a good look this spring, though. With Cal Raleigh set to suit up for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, Seattle will find itself in need of extra backstops for a good chunk of the Cactus League. Garver also has a leg up on the rest of the competition when it comes to familiarity with the Mariners’ pitching staff, with prominent hurlers like Andrés Muñoz and George Kirby previously citing his work with them as reasons for their success. While it’s currently unknown if his minor league deal contains an opt-out clause, it’s not out of the realm of possibility he sticks around with the Rainiers should he not break camp – after all, Tacoma needs catchers, too.
It’s a mild surprise that Mitch Garver couldn’t find a big league deal elsewhere. Despite his multi-year struggles, he was still a capable option against left-handed pitching, and settled in nicely as the second-string catcher after the plan of deploying him as a primary DH went off the rails. In any case, he’ll be a solid addition to the club’s catching depth for now, and his previous work with Seattle’s pitching corps could stand a decent chance at rubbing off on Knizner and Pereda.
PHOENIX — Bruce Meyer, the tenacious veteran litigator who has been the Major League Baseball Player Association’s lead negotiator, was voted unanimously Wednesday by the players to be their interim executive director, replacing Tony Clark.
Meyer, who was promoted to be the union’s deputy executive director in 2022, has been MLB’s public enemy since he joined the union in 2018. He frequently has clashed on even small agenda items with MLB, which has accused him of being bad for baseball.
Meyer, 64, is considered the union’s most fierce litigator since the days of Don Fehr and Gene Orza, and once again Wednesday expressed his deep resentment towards MLB’s hopes for a salary cap, believing that a lockout Dec. 1 is inevitable when the collective bargaining agreement expires.
“A lockout is all but guaranteed at the end of the agreement,’’ Meyer said Wednesday afternoon after meeting with the Chicago Cubs, and spending the morning with the Kansas City Royals. “The league has pretty much said that. Their strategy in bargaining has always been to put as much pressure on players as they can to try and create divisions and cracks among our membership.
“It never worked. I don’t think it will ever work.’’
Meyer, who said he will continue to be the lead negotiator, said that he and his staff have a duty to the players to listen to whatever MLB offers, but showed his disdain towards even entertaining a salary cap.
“Our position and the historic position of this union for decades on the salary cap is well known,’’ Meyer said. “It’s the ultimate restriction. It is something that owners in all the sports have wanted more than anything, and in baseball in particular. There’s a reason for that, because it’s good for them and not the players.’’
Meyer, even with the sudden resignation of Clark over an inappropriate relationship with a union employee, insisted Wednesday morning there is no disarray among the union ranks, and its resolve remains strong.
“I think anybody who's going to assume that and act on that,’’ Meyer said, “is really making a mistake. I'm not going to say (the timing of Clark’s resignation) is a great thing. This is unforeseen. There have been some issues hanging over (him), and in some respects, it's good to get them out of the way sooner rather than later.’’
Who is Bruce Meyer?
Meyer, while respected for his fierceness, does have his detractors. There was an attempt to remove him from the office two years ago, an effort led by attorney Harry Marino, who organized the efforts to have minor leaguers unionized. It failed when Clark came to Meyer’s defense.
The eight-person executive subcommittee pushed for Meyer to be voted as the executive director in their meeting Tuesday, but after pushback by at least three players on the call, no vote was taken. The larger group of 72 players, including player representatives from all 30 teams, decided to reconvene at 7 p.m. ET Wednesday after polling their own teammates. If Meyer didn’t receive enough support, they likely would have turned to Matt Nussbaum, the union’s general counsel who was promoted to interim deputy executive director, Meyer’s previous title.
Now, Meyer, who previously worked as a senior adviser at the NHL players union and was a partner at the law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges, will be running the whole show, much to MLB’s fear.
When the 99-day lockout ended in 2022, and the rank-and-file voted to accept MLB’s last proposal, Meyer sympathized with the executive council who wanted to continue negotiations, even if it meant losing games.
“Some players emerged from bargaining disappointed that we did not accomplish more,’’ Meyer said in a letter to players two years ago, “and in particular that we did not miss games to see if more gains could be made. To be clear, I sympathized and still do with these players and this position.’’
Meyer, who becomes the seventh executive director of the union, expects negotiations with MLB to begin in April on the next CBA, and just like the last round, tranquility will not be on anyone’s bingo card.
“I'd say I'm known as a tough litigator who also knows how to make deals when necessary,’’ Meyer said in a Q&A with the MLBPA newsletter. “In the sports area I've been involved in just about every type of issue, including labor, antitrust, licensing, collective bargaining and others. But the common thread is I have a passion for player advocacy and defending player rights.’’
Let the negotiations, with plenty of rancor, begin.
The Sox weren’t the only thing left red in Boston after a three-part saga over a jersey design mishap.
The team acknowledged issues with its 2026 home jerseys on Wednesday, with some of the front of the D in Red and S in Sox stitched directly over the red piping coming down the center of the top. Normally, there is a little separation between the two areas, and the mistake has been less noticeable on the all-red spring training uniform top.
Nike’s iconic swoosh on the right shoulder was much closer to red piping compared to last season, and the piping itself was much higher around the neck.
Boston Red Sox pitcher Aroldis Chapman (44) poses for a photo during media day. Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Boston only added to the woes by addressing the mistakes and concerns about the uniform in a statement, then in an amended statement and then an additional clarification on where the blame lies for the snafu.
“As part of Major League Baseball’s return to the 2023 jersey template, we approved a design for our home white jerseys that, once produced and seen in person, we felt there should be more spacing between the lettering and piping,” the Red Sox said in their first statement. “In collaboration with MLB and Fanatics, we’re adjusting the home whites to achieve this separation. The updated jerseys will be ready for Opening Day.”
Aroldis Chapman from 2025 MLB Photos via Getty Images
The since-deleted post was replaced with a new statement — and an additional classification — that seems to be an attempt to take Fanatics, which produces MLB’s on-field jerseys, off the hook for the error.
The phrases “which Fanatics produced exactly to our specs” and “We are grateful to our partners for their ongoing support” were added to the second official statement.
The Red Sox just made an updated statement (right) about their uniforms, with a notable difference from the original (left): pic.twitter.com/gT5PRKnoqY
The Red Sox’s official X account later replied to its own post to further back Fanatics.
“To be clear, the original design was selected by the Red Sox. Fanatics executed to our specifications and has been an outstanding partner throughout,” the team wrote. “They deserve no blame and we are grateful to them for making the new jerseys in time for Opening Day.”
The changes and additions brought plenty of backlash from fans and the team’s handling of it, including Barstool Sports founder and avid Boston sports fan Dave Portnoy.
“Did the Red Sox just post and delete a tweet saying their Fanatics jerseys sucked?” he wrote in a quote post with three laughing emojis.
Jarren Duran poses for a photo at Boston Red Sox media day. Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Portnoy also added a meme of John Krasinski from “The Office” with the caption: “Okay…Yeah Sure.”
The Red Sox are trying to improve on an 89-73 campaign that saw them get bounced from the playoffs in the wild-card round by the rival Yankees.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 13: Logan Webb #62 and Patrick Bailey #14 of the San Francisco Giants high-five during Spring Training at Scottsdale Stadium on February 13, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Andy Kuno/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cactus League is upon us! Baseball is here!
It’s an especially exciting time for San Francisco Giants fans. Not only do we get our first glimpse of how the team will perform under the leadership of trailblazing manager Tony Vitello, but we also get to see tons of exciting prospects in action. The Giants farm system is stronger than at any point in recent memory, and opportunities will be in abundance, given that the organization is sending a cavalry — including their entire starting outfield — to the World Baseball Classic.
Thankfully, preseason baseball is modernizing. Not only is every Cactus League stadium now equipped with Statcast gear, but there are more televised games that starved-for-baseball Giants fans have grown accustomed to. So here’s the complete schedule for the preseason, with dates, times, and, most importantly, TV schedules. Some of the games listed as being broadcast by the Giants will be available to those with access to NBC Sports Bay Area, while others will be a webcast online. The games broadcast by the opposing team can be watched on MLB TV (subscription required, with exceptions noted) or, depending on the broadcast, online.
So here it is, friends! All the baseball!
Saturday, February 21at Mariners(Peoria)
12:10 p.m. PT
Mariners webcast (free on MLB TV)
Mariners radio
Sunday, February 22 vs. Cubs (Scottsdale)
12:05 p.m. PT
Giants webcast
Giants radio
Monday, February 23 vs. Athletics (Scottsdale)
12:05 p.m. PT
No TV broadcast
Giants and A’s radio
Tuesday, February 24 at Angels split squad (Tempe)
12:10 p.m. PT
No TV broadcast
Giants and Angels radio
Wednesday, February 25 at Brewers (Phoenix)
12:10 p.m. PT
No TV broadcast
Giants and Brewers radio
Thursday, February 26 vs. Rockies (Scottsdale)
12:05 p.m. PT
No TV broadcast
Giants radio
Friday, February 27 vs. Dodgers (Scottsdale)
12:05 p.m. PT
Dodgers TV broadcast and Giants webcast
Giants and Dodgers radio
Saturday, February 28 at Athletics (Mesa)
12:05 p.m. PT
No TV broadcast
Giants and A’s radio
Sunday, March 1 vs. Padres (Scottsdale)
12:05 p.m. PT
Giants webcast
Giants and Padres radio
Monday, March 2 at White Sox (Phoenix)
12:05 p.m. PT
No TV broadcast
Giants and White Sox radio
Tuesday, March 3 vs. Team USA (Scottsdale)
12:05 p.m. PT
ESPN broadcast
Giants radio
Wednesday, March 4 vs. Mariners (Scottsdale)
6:05 p.m. PT
Giants and Mariners TV broadcast
Mariners radio
Friday, March 6 vs. Reds (Scottsdale)
12:05 p.m. PT
No TV broadcast
Giants and Reds radio
Saturday, March 7 split squad vs. Rangers (Scottsdale)
12:05 p.m. PT
Giants TV broadcast
Giants and Rangers radio
Saturday, March 7 split squad at Diamondbacks (Scottsdale)
12:10 p.m. PT
No TV broadcast
D-Backs radio
Sunday, March 8 at Cubs (Mesa)
1:05 p.m. PT
Cubs TV broadcast
Giants and Cubs radio
Monday, March 9 vs. Angels (Scottsdale)
1:05 p.m. PT
No TV broadcast
Giants and Angels radio
Tuesday, March 10 at Guardians (Goodyear)
1:05 p.m. PT
No TV broadcast
Giants and Guardians radio
Wednesday, March 11 at Royals split squad (Surprise)
1:05 p.m. PT
No TV broadcast
Giants and Royals radio
Thursday, March 12 vs. White Sox (Scottsdale)
6:05 p.m. PT
Giants TV broadcast
No radio
Friday, March 13 split squad vs. Reds split squad (Scottsdale)
4:05 p.m. PT
No TV broadcast
Giants radio
Friday, March 13 split squad at Reds split squad (Goodyear)
6:05 p.m. PT
No TV broadcast
Reds radio
Saturday, March 14 vs. Diamondbacks (Scottsdale)
1:05 p.m. PT
Giants TV broadcast
Giants and D-Backs radio
Sunday, March 15 vs. Brewers (Scottsdale)
1:05 p.m. PT
Giants webcast
Giants and Brewers radio
Monday, March 16 at Padres (Peoria)
1:10 p.m. PT
Padres TV broadcast
Giants and Padres radio
Wednesday, March 18 at Dodgers (Phoenix)
1:05 p.m. PT
Dodgers TV broadcast
Giants and Dodgers radio
Thursday, March 19 Spring Breakout: Giants prospects vs. Reds prospects (Scottsdale)
1:05 p.m. PT
MLB.com broadcast (not yet announced, but likely)
No radio
Thursday, March 19 at Rockies (Scottsdale)
1:10 p.m. PT
No TV broadcast
No radio
Friday, March 20 split squad at Rangers (Surprise)
5:05 p.m. PT
Rangers TV broadcast
Rangers radio
Friday, March 20 split squad vs. Royals (Scottsdale)
5:05 p.m. PT
No TV broadcast
Giants and Royals radio
Saturday, March 21 vs. Guardians (Scottsdale)
12:05 p.m. PT
Giants webcast
Giants radio
Sunday, March 22 at River Cats [Giants AAA affiliate] (Sacramento)
5:07 p.m. PT
No TV broadcast
Giants radio
Monday, March 23 vs. Sultanes [Mexican League] (San Francisco)
6:45 p.m. PT
Giants TV broadcast
Giants radio
Tuesday, March 24 vs. Sultanes [Mexican League] (San Francisco)
6:45 p.m. PT
Giants TV broadcast
Giants radio
And then it’s off to the races! Less than 24 hours after that final exhibition against Sultanes, the Giants will be hosting the New York Yankees in the first game of the 2026 MLB season.
As always, the broadcast and radio schedule can change. I’ll try to update this article as it does.
The Sydney Thunder have parted ways with coach Trevor Bayliss after a disappointing Big Bash League campaign where the club received the dreaded wooden spoon for a record sixth time.
NEW YORK — A scheduled spring fraud trial for two Cleveland Guardians pitchers accused of colluding with sports bettors to rig bets and betray “America’s pastime” will likely be postponed until October, a federal judge said Wednesday as the men pleaded not guilty to a rewritten indictment.
Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto left a May 4 trial date on the books for now, but indicated she’ll probably move it to the fall in the coming weeks.
Pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, speaking Spanish, entered not guilty pleas through a translator to a rewritten indictment in Brooklyn federal court.
No new charges were in the superseding indictment unsealed on Friday, as prosecutors charged a third individual with serving as a middleman between bettors and Clase. That person also pleaded not guilty Wednesday.
The pitchers were first charged in November with accepting several thousand dollars in payoffs to help two gamblers from their native Dominican Republic win at least $460,000 by placing more than 100 in-game prop bets and parlays on the speed and the outcome of certain pitches. Charges include wire fraud conspiracy and conspiracy to influence sporting contests.
The rewritten indictment released Friday added allegations that Clase used code words like “rooster” and “chicken” in communications about pitches to be thrown.
Prior to a May 18, 2025, game against the Cincinnati Reds, Clase received a message to “throw a rock at the first rooster in today’s fight” and responded with: “Yes, of course, that’s an easy toss to that rooster,” the indictment said. However, Clase never entered the game and could not fulfill the plan to throw outside the strike zone to the first batter he faced, it added.
A day earlier, though, Clase broke Major League Baseball rules by using his cellphone in the middle of a game against the Reds to signal to gamblers that a pitch would be outside the strike zone, enabling them to win about $27,000, the indictment said.
Clase, the Guardians’ former closer, and Ortiz, a starter, have been on non-disciplinary paid leave since July. Their teammates are just starting training camp for the new season. The team’s home opener is April 3.
Clase and Ortiz, who are free on bail, left the courthouse separately after Wednesday’s hearing. Neither commented. Lawyers for both men have insisted their clients never colluded with gamblers.
Lawyers for Ortiz have asked that he be tried separately, saying in court papers that if Clase passed along Ortiz’s pitching strategy to gamblers, he did so without Ortiz’s knowledge. They also noted that Ortiz is accused of throwing only two pitches that drew scrutiny over a 12-day span, while Clase is charged with colluding with gamblers on numerous pitches since 2023.
“Mr. Clase may have abused his relationship with Mr. Ortiz as friends and teammates by convincing Mr. Ortiz to throw certain pitches at certain times — ostensibly for baseball reasons as far as Mr. Ortiz was aware,” the lawyers wrote.
They said they might present a defense to the jury that would cast “Ortiz as a victim of Mr. Clase’s scheme, rather than a knowing and willing participant.”
Clase, a three-time All-Star, had a $4.5 million salary in 2025, the fourth season of a $20 million, five-year contract. Prosecutors say he started providing bettors with information about his pitches in 2023 but didn’t seek payoffs until last year.
Prosecutors have said that Ortiz, who had a $782,600 salary last season, joined the scheme last June.
The Guardians and Major League Baseball have said they are cooperating with the investigation. MLB said it contacted federal law enforcement when it began investigating unusual betting activity.
NORTH PORT, Fla. — Atlanta Braves right-handed starter Spencer Schwellenbach had surgery Wednesday to clean up “loose bodies” in his elbow, and rotation candidate Hurston Waldrep is scheduled to undergo a similar procedure next week.
While the Braves didn’t reveal a timeline for when the pitchers could be available, manager Walt Weiss told reporters Wednesday that he is hopeful that both will be able to pitch this season.
Schwellenbach was placed on the 60-day injured list on Feb. 10, at the start of spring training, because of inflammation in his right elbow. The 25-year-old was 7-4 with a 3.08 ERA in 17 starts last year before missing the final three months of the season because of a broken right elbow.
Waldrep, the Braves’ first-round pick out of Florida in the 2023 amateur draft, experienced discomfort after throwing batting practice over the weekend. An MRI showed no ligament damage for the pitcher who turns 24 on March 1.
Before getting hurt last season, Schwellenbach was 6-1 with a 2.60 ERA over his final 10 starts, with the Braves winning eight of those games. He had 71 strikeouts and 11 walks in 69 1/3 innings over that stretch. His big league debut came in 2024, when he was 8-7 with a 3.35 ERA in 21 starts.
Baltimore Orioles’ Chris Bassitt works out during spring training baseball Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026, in Sarasota, Fla. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Orioles pitcher Chris Bassitt said Major League Baseball potentially implementing a salary cap “doesn’t fix anything” as the possibility of a lockout looms after the 2026 season.
Bassitt, who signed a one-year, $18.5 million contract with Baltimore last week, was among eight players named to the Major League Baseball Players Association’s executive subcommittee in December 2024 — a role that places him at the center of labor discussions as the collective bargaining agreement nears expiration.
“The salary cap doesn’t fix anything,” Bassitt, 36, said Wednesday, according to the Baltimore Banner. “If you look at every major sport that has a salary cap, we have the best parity. The salary cap is not the issue. Having suppressed salaries across the league so owners can make more money is not the answer.”
Chris Bassitt insisted that implementing a salary cap would not fix any issues in Major League Baseball. AP
MLB owners are expected to push for a salary cap “no matter what it takes” when the current CBA expires in December, a source told The Athletic last month.
Talks of a possible lockout accelerated this offseason when the reigning back-to-back World Series champion Dodgers added star outfielder Kyle Tucker on a $240 million contract.
Los Angeles’ projected luxury tax payroll for 2026 is an MLB-leading $410,771,686, per Cot’s Contracts, which is larger than the bottom four payroll clubs combined.
Beyond the Dodgers, the Mets’ three-year, $126 million signing of Bo Bichette “raised dander” across the sport — fueling speculation that New York and Los Angeles could be the organizations opposed to a salary cap, per The Athletic.
A veteran of 11 MLB seasons, Bassitt insisted that MLB’s parity, even with lavish spending by the Dodgers and Mets, is superior to the other major sports.
Chris Bassitt of the Baltimore Orioles warms up during practice at Ed Smith Stadium on February 16, 2026 in Sarasota, Florida. Getty Images
“Like, if I tell you in 25 years, the Dodgers will be going to 10 World Series and winning seven of them, is that an issue?” Bassitt said. “Because that’s the [New England] Patriots. The Chiefs have been to six or seven [Super Bowls]. The Philadelphia Eagles have been to four or five. The parity in our sport is better than any other sport.
“So, we will make changes to try to help the so-called bottom teams out, but a salary cap and suppressing salaries and taking from players to try to help the so-called bottom teams spend more, that is not the answer, because again, if you’re trying to make a competitive league across the board, we have proof that every single league has less parity than ours.”
Clark’s abrupt ouster left the union without a key voice ahead of the critical labor discussions, but several player reps have downplayed the situation.
Tigers ace Tarik Skubal does not think Clark’s exit “has any impact on negotiating,” while Yankees representative Austin Wells said the players “have a lot of confidence in our executive subcommittee” as the MLBPA looks to name an interim executive director.
Former Major League Baseball Players Association Executive Director Tony Clark answers a question during a news conference in New York on March 11, 2022. AP
Bassitt praised Clark on Tuesday for his role in helping “grow the game” but echoed his fellow players’ sentiments.
“I understand that there’s a sense…there’s weakness all of a sudden,” Bassitt said. “The reality is, no matter who’s in charge, our strength is the players and I don’t think for a second that has changed. We will continue to fight and protect our rights.”
LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 2: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots a three point basket as Andrew Wiggins #22 of the Miami Heat plays defense during the game on November 2, 2025 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers are looking at an offseason with a ton of cap space and a handful of roster spots available, but how are they going to use these resources to build a winner around Luka Dončić?
They are flirting with being a top-four team in the Western Conference, but to truly be a contender, they need a productive summer that brings in the right players.
Of course, Giannis Antetokounmpo is the biggest player that could be on the market. The Lakers are reportedly expected to make a “hard push” at Giannis if he becomes available, but what if he doesn’t come to LA?
An unrestricted free agent who has been discussed internally, sources told ESPN, is Andrew Wiggins, but he has a player option with Miami he could exercise. Tobias Harris, Quentin Grimes and Dean Wade are other players who fit that profile.
The Lakers have also privately discussed restricted free agents Tari Eason and Peyton Watson, sources told ESPN, and could land the latter if Denver, which already has $215 million in salary committed to returning players for next season, doesn’t match the offer sheet.
Wiggins has been linked to the Lakers since last summer. Back then, it was reported that the Heat’s asking price was too high, and Wiggins stayed in Miami.
The draw Wiggins has is clear, he’s a wing that can give the team another scoring option on the perimeter. Wiggins is averaging 15.9 points and shooting 39% from 3-point range. The issue, as McMenamin states in his article, is that Wiggins can opt into his player option, making it harder to acquire him.
A player the Lakers can pursue without any friction is Tobias Harris. He’s an unrestricted free agent, and his 13.4 points per game would be an upgrade at the wing position.
With other names currently being mentioned, such as Quentin Grimes and Peyton Watson, it’s clear the Lakers are in pursuit of some improved wing depth.
The offseason is the next chance they’ll have to upgrade that position or chase for a superstar like Giannis, so all eyes will be on the Lakers’ front office to see if they can get the job done and make LA the team to beat in the NBA again.
CHICAGO - MAY 15: Kiki VanDeWeghe, Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations for the NBA, picks out a ping pong ball during the 2018 NBA Draft Lottery at the Palmer House Hotel on May 15, 2018 in Chicago Illinois. 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 2018 NBAE (Photo by Randy Belice/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
There is one conversation dominating NBA headlines right now, and thankfully, the Phoenix Suns are nowhere near it. They are safely outside the noise for two very simple reasons.
First, this team is competitive. Not pretend competitive, not vibes competitive, but legitimately playing games that matter with a real path to the postseason. And maybe even a path that skips the Play-In entirely, which felt unrealistic when the season tipped off. They have surprised in a way that buys you meaningful basketball in April, and that alone changes the temperature around a franchise.
Second, the Suns are not part of this conversation because they do not have draft picks to weaponize. Whatever picks exist are tied to past decisions, past swings, past bets on players who are no longer here. You either compete or you waste a season, and Phoenix chose the former.
The conversation everyone else is having is tanking.
Players sitting in competitive games. Rotations are getting weird. Injuries are stretching a little longer than necessary. Entire franchises quietly shifting their posture from trying to win to trying to lose with purpose. It is one of those topics that lives perfectly in bar conversations or office debates, the kind where everyone suddenly has a solution. How do you fix tanking? How do you punish it? How do you make losing hurt more than winning helps?
I have heard plenty of ideas. Remove protections entirely. Create a tournament for the bottom teams where the prize is the top pick. Penalize teams financially the following season if they are clearly gaming the system. Some of them are creative. Some of them are fun.
@NBA Fix tanking by awarding teams who compete, rather than losing. -Draft lottery made up of 12 teams. 8 who lose in the first round of the playoffs and the 4 that lose the play in. – Each with equal chance at the first pick. -teams who miss playoffs are picks 13-22 by record.
None of them really move me. Okay, maybe the example above, because it incentivizes winning versus losing. But honestly? I do not care.
Tanking is almost unavoidable, and it is unavoidable for one very simple reason. The draft exists to distribute talent across the league. That is its purpose. If you are bad and you want to get better, the fastest and most realistic path is the draft. You add young talent. You hope it grows into something real. You hope it becomes a cornerstone. And the only way to consistently access the top tier of that talent pool is to be near the bottom.
Until the fundamental idea of what the draft represents changes, all the surface-level tweaks in the world are not going to solve much. You can shuffle odds. You can add incentives. You can dress it up in new language. Teams will still find a way to position themselves for the best chance at the best players. That is not corruption, it’s logic.
The Suns are fortunate to be operating in a different lane right now. They are chasing wins, not probabilities. They are playing games with consequence. And in a league where so many teams are already thinking about June, that is a place worth appreciating.
The Suns are not immune to this either, though. We lived it. We spent a decade squinting at injury reports, wondering what was really wrong with T.J. Warren’s neck, wondering why Devin Booker was sitting on a random March night when he looked perfectly fine two days earlier. We all knew the answer, even if we pretended we didn’t. The organization was trying to be less competitive at the end of the season in order to improve draft position. That was the plan, that was the play, and it was not unique to Phoenix.
This happens everywhere, across every major sport. In Major League Baseball, once a team realizes October is not happening, September turns into a parade of call-ups, auditions disguised as games, futures being prioritized over present results. Do you know how many fantasy baseball seasons have been derailed because I had a guy who launches dingers, but he’s on the Pirates or Rockies?! I’ve learned my lesson. Mostly.
In the NFL, the final two weeks for bad teams become a showcase for backups, not because coaches suddenly love depth charts, but because organizations are protecting assets and thinking long term. Nobody loses their mind over it. It is understood as part of the ecosystem.
So why does the NBA always catch the heat?
It starts with timing. The spotlight is brightest on the league right when tanking becomes most visible. Football is finished. Baseball has not started. The NBA owns February and March. And because of how the season is structured, because of the sheer number of games and when the calendar flips, teams often know by that point that the postseason is not in their future. When that realization sets in, priorities shift. Development matters more. Health matters more. Next year starts creeping into the room.
That is also the exact moment when casual fans and national voices start paying closer attention. And what they see is a diminished product. Players are sitting, rotations are changing, and outcomes feel preordained. The league does not condone it publicly, but it has also done a poor job of managing the optics. Whether that comes down to an 82-game season, the calendar start, or the way incentives are aligned, the result is always the same. Right when the NBA has the stage to itself, the cracks become visible.
And then we do the dance. Same cycle every year. Same outrage. Same proposals. Same debates on how to fix something that is not really broken, it is functioning exactly as designed.
NBA twitter has spent so much time talking tanking and draft this week. Tanking sucks. Tanking is smart. We all know it. Please talk about basketball. pic.twitter.com/xFO6T2zjnR
In my opinion, there is no true fix. Not without fundamentally changing what the draft represents and why teams value it. Until that happens, this will keep looping, season after season, argument after argument, while the teams that have something to play for keep playing and the rest start quietly looking ahead.
Teams are always going to prioritize long-term possibilities over short-term competitiveness, especially when the math tells them that sacrificing now gives them a better chance to be something later. That part is inevitable. My real issue with tanking has always lived in one place, and that place is the fans, because they are the ones who ultimately pay the price. Literally.
If you are a season ticket holder and your team tanks one year in an effort to secure a better draft pick, then comes back the next season and still isn’t any good, there is no refund waiting for you. The league is not cutting you a check. The team is not knocking 20% off your invoice because they decided to roll out a lineup full of G League-level talent while preaching patience and development. You paid full price for a diminished product, and that is the part of this equation that never really gets discussed. Or at least not enough.
That is why tanking feels unfortunate, even when you understand it. On the surface, the logic tracks. If you are bad and you want a chance to stop being bad, you often have to lean into being bad long enough to draft someone who can change your trajectory. It is the natural order of how this league is built. You can workshop a million ideas on how to fix it, flatten the lottery odds, create tournaments, punish cap sheets, tweak incentives, but someone will always find the seam. Someone will always locate the weakness and exploit it, because that is human nature.
I have seen this play out countless times outside of sports. In the hospitality world, I cannot tell you how many processes I have helped put in place, well-intentioned, thoughtful, designed to create fairness, only to watch guests immediately search for ways around them. Everybody loves rules in theory. Everybody supports structure and order right up until it inconveniences them personally. Then it becomes negotiable.
That is the space tanking lives in. It makes sense from the top down. It is defensible from an organizational standpoint. But from the seat in the arena, from the fan who keeps showing up, keeps paying, keeps caring, it feels like a tax with no return policy. And that is the part that will always sit a little sideways with me, no matter how logical the strategy might be.
But again, it is the fan, the person who simply wants to enjoy the product, who ultimately pays the price. And in my opinion, that is the one place where there is an actual fix, even if it is the hardest one to pull off.
Why the NBA should embrace tanking –
The NBA has kate been misguided thinking that fans want to see their teams compete every night with a chance to win. It’s never been that way that way.
When I got into the nba, they thought they were in the basketball business. They…
Teams and organizations are businesses. Full stop. They exist to make money, just like any other business. And this is where short-term greed starts tripping over long-term greed. The short-term play is obvious. Maximize revenue, fill out the balance sheet. Walk into the boardroom and say, “Look, we might be bad on the court, but the numbers still look good”. Tickets sold. Sponsorships intact. Revenue streams humming along.
But if you actually want loyalty, real loyalty, not the fragile kind that disappears the moment expectations aren’t met, you give something back. You refund a prorated portion of season tickets during a tanking year. You lower prices so the building stays full even when the wins aren’t coming. You admit what the season is, instead of selling hope as a finished product. And the byproduct of that honesty is still revenue. People show up. They buy food. They buy drinks. They buy merchandise. They bring their kids. They stay emotionally invested instead of feeling taken advantage of.
That is where it gets interesting with the Phoenix Suns, if and when a tanking season ever arrives. A real one. One where they actually control their first round pick and decide that short-term pain is necessary to reset the trajectory of the franchise.
Because what Mat Ishbia has shown in a very short amount of time is that he cares about the fan experience. He cares about access. He cares about the relationship between the team and the community. And he has proven he is not afraid to do things that go against the grain. We have seen it with the value menu. We have seen it with free local broadcasts. We have literally seen him buy antennas so fans can watch games. That is not normal ownership behavior. That is someone who understands that if you make fans feel included in the process, the long-term payoff is far greater than squeezing every last dollar out of a down year.
So if the Suns ever reach a point where tanking becomes the path forward, Ishbia would have a rare opportunity. He could be a trendsetter. He could be the owner who says, “This season didn’t meet the standard, and we’re not going to ask you to pay full freight for something we know isn’t complete yet. We’re going to eat some of that cost, not you”. And in doing so, he would likely gain a level of trust that most franchises never touch.
Because if you want a fan base to understand a tank, to actually get behind it instead of resenting it, that is how you do it. Until something like that happens, tanking will always exist. These conversations will keep cycling. The league will keep pretending there is a fix just around the corner. And the truth will remain the same as it has always been.
Until someone gives back some money, which I think we all know will never happen, we’ll continue to have these circular conversations until the playoffs start. And then? No one gives a shit until next Febraury.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MAY 15: Joe Ross #41 of the Washington Nationals delivers a first inning pitch against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on May 15, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I was about to say we finished with the pitchers, but since our previous installment, the D-backs added a couple of further players on minor-league contracts, with spring training invites. While they don’t yet appear on the team’s official page of non-roster invitees, I figure I should catch up with these before I forget, and we’ll then move on to the catchers who are NRIs.
Joe Ross
This right-handed pitcher was a first-round pick (25th overall) by the Padres back in 2011, and comes with more than 500 innings at the MLB level, acquired across eight seasons. He also had a World Series ring, won in 2019 with the Nationals Last year, he was with the Phillies and made 37 appearances with a 5.12 ERA and a K:BB of 39:18 across 51 innings, before being released by them in late August. That’s not especially impressive, so I feel like he is going to be depth in Reno this year, unless he really impresses in Spring Training. He has had his career interrupted by various injuries, including a pair of Tommy John procedures, but seemed healthy enough in 2025.
Oscar Mercado
Though born in Venezuela, Mercado was part of the MLB draft, being picked in 2011 by the Cardinals. He was subsequently traded to the Indians, and debuted for them is 2019, with a solid campaign which got some down-ballot Rookie of the Year acknowledgment. But it has been a replacement-level struggle since, and he hasn’t appeared in the majors since July 2023, back with the Cardinals. He spent last year in Triple- A with the Phillies, where he had a line of .249/.369/.373 for a .741 OPS across 115 games. Mercado turned 31 in December,but given the shortage of outfielders on the 40-man roster, I don’t mind seeing
And now, onto the catchers.
Aramis Garcia (35)
That name might be vaguely familiar. He did appear for the Diamondbacks last year, but very much in a “blink and you’ll miss it capacity,” being selected, making a single appearance and then being designated for assignment twice in the month of June. The team then signed James McCann as a better backup, and Garcia stayed in Triple-A the rest of the way. There, he was the Reno Aces most regular catcher, appearing in 56 games there. He re-signed with Arizona in November, and will likely remain in a similar position of emergency catcher, tucked away behind a plate of glass in Reno, with a hammer conveniently to hand.
Canadian alert! Logan was born in the wonderfully-named Medicine Hat, and was a ninth-round pick by the D-backs in 2022. He racked up the frequent flyer miles in 2025, changing levels four times between mid-June and mid-August. He initially bypassed Double-A, jumping straight from High-A to Triple A not once, but twice, before ending the season in Amarillo. Across all three levels the catcher, who turned 26 last month, posted a .754 OPS, and hit eight home-runs in 65 games, including the grand-slam above for Reno. He’ll likely start the year again in Amarillo, with the aim of getting a more permanent promotion by the end of the year.
Matt O’Neill (66)
This will be O’Neill’s first year outside the Mets organization, which originally selected him in the 20th round of the 2019 draft. Last year, Matt split time between Double-A and Triple-A, with an overall line of .231/.335/.343 for an OPS of .678. That’s actually his highest figure since the year he was drafted, and it’s very unlikely he is going to see major-league playing time this year. If he does, a lot has gone very wrong for Arizona. But the news that Adrian Del Castillo is struggling with a calf injury, and is likely to miss Opening Day, does emphasize the importance of depth at this position.
Feb 10, 2026; North Port, FL, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Dylan Lee (52) and teammates run during spring training workouts. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Good evening! Hope it’s been a good day for you so far. Here’s a random clip:
SACRAMENTO — Whenever Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray scores a basket at Golden 1 Center, a slogan with his name his echoed.
The chant is led off with Kings public address announcer Scott Moak, who yells into the mic after each Murray basket, whether a free throw, layup, midrange, three-pointer or slam dunk. It's even shouted after a big play.
"KEEGAN!" Moak roars, igniting the Sacramento faithful to follow suit.
"MURRAY!" the Golden 1 Center attendees respond in unison.
During a podcast episode of "White Noise" hosted by Boston Celtics guard Derrick White and Alex Welsh, White was discussing some of the loudest arenas in the league along with Celtics center Luka Garza and former Celtic, now Chicago Bulls guard, Anfernee Simons.
Amidst the conversation, Garza brings up the Kings and how loud their fans get, especially when the team is winning. Simons was the one who mentioned Murray's chant.
"Oh my goodness. When he hit a three and it's packed in there, it's like," Simons said with an appalled look on his face.
White jumped in and continued to harp on Murray's chants in Sacramento.
"His like rookie year, I was like 'yo, this is the coolest thing I've ever heard,'" White said.
Murray was drafted by the Kings with the fourth overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. As White said, it's been his chant since day one.
It's a call that Murray, himself, tends to enjoy throughout the game. He said he builds more appreciation for the chant every year.
"For me, I think every single year I continue to have more appreciation for it," Murray told USA TODAY Sports. "Because when you go around the league, there's not many, or if any teams that do that kind of thing for their players."
Fans and NBA opponents can expect to hear that chant for Murray for at least another five seasons through 2031.
Murray signed a five-year, $140 million rookie scale contract extension with the Kings in Oct. 2025.
"Obviously for me to be here another five years is great," Murray said. "I think the fans have enjoyed it. I've personally enjoyed it a lot. I think it's just a really special thing that Sacramento has done for me."
Believe it or not, the chant for Murray has been passed down from previous Kings players who grew to be fan favorites.
Before it was Murray's chant, it was reserved for and belonged to Yogi Ferrell, who played for the Kings from 2018 to 2020.
"I was surprised when I first heard it,” Ferrell told NBA.com in 2019. “When I made the bucket, it felt pretty cool. It feels amazing to have my name chanted out by all the fans – it just shows how special I feel like I am to them. I love this arena.”
Kings PA announcer Moak wasn't sure if it would initially stick, but he kept roaring Ferrell's first name and the fans eventually caught on to yell back his last name.
But it even originated before Ferrell. When Italian sniper Marco Belinelli played for the Kings during the 2015-16 season, he'd get remnants of the chant.
After Belinelli scored, Moak called out, "Marco!"
It took fans some time to catch on, but eventually they responded with the only acceptable response if you ever played games in the swimming pool with friends or family growing up.
"Polo," fans responded.
Thus, the chant in Sacramento was born, and nearly 10 years later, it'd be reserved for Murray.
Some believe the idea came from Champions League soccer as it was used as an introduction for Argentine soccer player Gonzalo Higuain, when he played for Napoli between 2013 and 2016.
Kings next game
No matter where it started, it's now recognized as Murray's chant.
Murray and the Kings will be back in action following the All-Star break on Thursday, Feb. 19 when they host the Orlando Magic at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.
The team announced Wednesday after practice that Murray, who was a full participant, will return from injury to play against the Magic after missing over six weeks with a left ankle sprain sustained in early January.
National selector Tony Dodemaide has reiterated that champion batter Steve Smith was only considered an injury replacement for the openers in Australia’s disastrous T20 World Cup campaign, also jumping to the defence of the out-of-form Cameron Green.
