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Padres prospects poorly regarded among pundits

Kruz Schoolcraft

There are 15 days until San Diego Padres pitchers and catchers report to Peoria, Ariz. for their physicals prior to the start of Spring Training. This Saturday is Padres Fanfest and here is hoping that there will be some real news to discuss for the next offseason notes.

As of today, the last significant action for the Padres occurred in December with the signing of Sung-Mun Song and the re-signing of Michael King. Since then, Song has been injured and the Padres have signed a lot of minor league free agents.

International Class

As of Jan. 22, the Padres have signed 29 international players to contracts. Most are for less than $10,000 and don’t count against their bonus pool. At last count, according to MadFriars.com, the organization had about $1 million or more left to sign players before the window closes Dec. 15.

Other than the 16- and 17-year-old international players, there have been other free agents signed to minor league contracts.

Minor league free agent signings

IF Luis Verdugo – Older brother to Padres prospect Rosman Verdugo, he was in the Philadelphia Phillies organization in 2025 and with the Chicago Cubs organization from 2018-2024.

IF Carson Tucker – Played in the Pioneer league in 2025 and was not in a league in 2024. Originally with the Cleveland Guardians organization.

IF/OF Nick Solak – The 31-year-old has played 1B/2B/3B as well as outfield. He was in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization in 2025 and was with the Texas Rangers 2019-2022. His MLB slash line over parts of six seasons with four MLB teams – .250/.325/.369 in 259 games and 876 at-bats. He played in four games for the Pirates last year. Solak probably gets a spring invite.

IF/OF Samad Taylor – Taylor received a Spring Training invite. Recently DFA’d by the Seattle Mariners, Taylor had some MLB time with Seattle but spent most of the past two seasons in Triple-A. He is known for his on base skills and speed and is out of minor league options.

Preseason Prospect rankings released

MLB Pipeline, Baseball America and The Athletic’s Keith Law have all recently released their preseason rankings of the top MLB prospects. With the Padres farm system ranked in the bottom three of baseball, it should not be a surprise that their players are not well regarded.

Padres catching prospect Ethan Salas has been at spring mini-camp in Peoria since it started last week. Although he hasn’t played any significant time in 18 months, he is reportedly fully recovered from the stress reaction in his back that sidelined him almost all of last season.

Both Law and Baseball America list Salas as their only Padres prospect and he has dropped significantly in those rankings.

MLB Pipeline doesn’t list him at all and lists LHP Kruz Schoolcraft as the only Padres prospect on their list. He is listed at No. 88. Salas is not on the MLB Pipeline list of top 10 catchers in the minor leagues and is noted as only an interesting player to watch for the season. Although noting his Gold Glove caliber defensive skills and 20-plus home run potential, his absence from the game for so long has pushed him out of consideration.

Notable international player

Diego Serna, who will be playing under the name Diego Castelo, was highlighted in an si.com article by Gregory Spicer. Serna, 16, was signed for $1 million by the Padres out of Mexico and is only one of two left-handed pitchers ranked in the top 100 international free agents by Baseball America.

Spicer notes his advanced accomplishments and refers to him as the steal of the class. He could be the international player that debuts professionally in the US instead of the Dominican Summer League.

Mason Miller speaks

Padres reliever Mason Miller appeared on the Foul Territory program on Jan. 15 to discuss his offseason and plans for the new year. He stated his desire to remain in the bullpen for 2026 but specifically said that the decision is for this year and there is no decision about the future. The Miller interview begins at about minute 44:00.

Truck Day

Thursday was Truck Day for the Padres. It is the unofficial start of Spring Training for all anxious baseball fans. Every year the Padres put out a video of the day and this year was no different. With almost no news from the team to get fans excited, we will have to Keep the Faith and get excited for truck day until A.J. Preller gives us something else to talk about.

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Randy Jones Celebration

The Padres hosted a celebration of life for Padres Legend and Hall of Famer, Randy Jones. The team announced that they will be wearing a number 35 patch on their uniforms this season to celebrate the life of the first real Padres star and the first Padre to win a Cy Young Award.

RJ was the first Padre on the cover of Sports Illustrated and about the only thing fans had to be excited about in those early years of Padres baseball. He was a great junk pitcher (sinker, slider) in the days when those pitchers were valued. His most proud accomplishment was pitching 25 complete games in his standout season of 1976, in which he won the Cy Young.

Part of what made him special was who he was off the field. RJ took his responsibilities to the team seriously after retirement and he did the same with fans.

Be it either Qualcomm Stadium or Petco Park, he could be seen walking around with sharpie in hand, always ready to sign and chat with anyone who greeted him. I had many conversations with him throughout the years and he even joined me and friends for a chat during dinner when he had his restaurant in Hazard Center.

RJ was special and will be missed.

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Sengun and Durant score 33 apiece as Rockets beat the Grizzlies 108-99

HOUSTON (AP) — Alperen Sengun and Kevin Durant each scored 33 points as the Houston Rockets broke open a close game in the fourth quarter and beat the Memphis Grizzlies 108-99 on Monday night.

The Rockets trailed by a point at the start of the fourth before going on a 21-9 run in the first seven minutes of the period to seize control and win for the fifth time in six games.

Tari Eason scored 11 of his 17 points in the first half and Amen Thompson finished with 14 assists and eight points. Reed Sheppard, who earlier Monday was named to the Rising Stars game for the NBA's All-Star weekend, finished with four points on 2-for-11 shooting, including 0 for 7 from 3-point distance.

Sengun had an impressing shooting night for the Rockets, going 7 for 7 from the field in the first half and 15 for 17 overall. He also contributed nine rebounds and six assists.

Jaren Jackson Jr. and Santi Aldama scored 17 points apiece for the Grizzlies, who lost their third straight, for the fourth time in five games and for the 10 time in 13 games. GG Jackson added 14 points, Jaylen Wells had 12 and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope 11. Cam Spencer, who along with Wells and Cedric Coward, was named to the Rising Stars game, finished with 14 assists and five points.

Both teams struggled with their shooting in the first half. The Grizzlies shot 37% (21 for 57) from the field, including 4 for 19 (21%) from 3-point distance, yet led 54-51 after two quarters. The Rockets shot just a bit better, going 20 for 51 (39%) from the field and 5 for 20 (20%) from distance.

Trailing 77-6 at the start of the fourth quarter, Houston went on a 12-2 run to take control and extended its lead in the period. The Grizzlies trimmed their deficit down the stretch, but were never able to catch up.

Memphis was without two-time All-Star Ja Morant, who is out for at least the next three weeks due to a sprained ligament in his left elbow. He was injured Wednesday during the Grizzlies’ 124-122 loss to the Atlanta Hawks.

The Grizzlies last played Friday, losing to New Orleans. Their game against Denver scheduled for Sunday was postponed due to extreme weather in the Memphis area.

Up next

Grizzlies: Host the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday.

Rockets: Host the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

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Celtics spoil Robert Williams and Jrue Holiday’s return, beat Trail Blazers 102-94

The Boston Celtics hosted the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night. Former Celtics guard Jrue Holiday suited up against the C’s for the first time since his June 23rd, 2025 trade. Boston had a moving video tribute for the two-time NBA champion in the first quarter, and was given a standing ovation by the Celtic faithful. Boston lead all night and Portland hung around late, but Boston would win it 102-94, Pritchard had 23 points and Jaylen Brown had 20 points.

Boston started the game with Sam Hauser, Neemias Queta, Jaylen Brown, Payton Pritchard and Derrick White. Jrue Holiday started for the road Blazers running the point alongside, Clingan, Camara, Cissoko and Sharpe.

Both teams started out cold missing the first 9 field goal attempts before Neemias Queta scored on a mini jump hook in the key at the ten minute mark of the first quarter. Jaylen Brown had his second assist as he found Derrick White on the outlet fast break layup.

Portland were scoreless for the first four minutes of the game. Robert Williams III checked into the game for the road team, finally faced off against his former team for his time, due to numerous injuries for the Trail Blazers. Queta was subbed out for Amari Williams as the first big off the bench, Boston up 13-5 to start the game.

Hugo Gonzalez got snubbed by the league prior to the game, missing out on the Rookie vs. Sophomore game. He hit a swooping layup to open his account, Amari Williams assisted it off to his fellow rookie. White drew a poair of Trail Blazer defenders and dumped it off to Amari Williams for the two handed dunk. Boston’s lead was out to 12 points, 19-7.

Boston closed out the quarter in dominate fashion, highlighted by a Pritchard buzzer beater three, up by a massive 21 points after one quarter, 32-11.

Boston started the second quarter with Simons, Queta, Sheierman, White and Hauser as the Celtics looked to keep the pressure on Portland. Portland was shooting a dismal 19 percent from the field, and just 1-12 from downtown and were without Deni Advija for the game. Holiday hit the Blazers second three-pointer as they looked to get back into the game.

Jan 26, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant (9) guards Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) during the first half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

Portland got it back to 14 points midway through the quarter, Robert Williams in the thick of some good defensive and offensive stretch of play for the Blazers. Portland started the quarter on a 15-5 run as the home team struggled with turnovers and offensive fouls to start the quarter. Boston had 7 turnovers total in the second quarter in a sloppy quarter, compared to the Blazers with 8 turnovers.

Boston shooting a paltry 3/14 from the field in the second quarter at the three minute mark of the first quarter. Amari Williams was doing a little bit of everything for Boston in his 15 minutes of first half action. Simons swished home a corner three-pointer and Pritchard hit a second buzzer beater as Boston headed into halftime with a 15-point lead, 52-37.

Pritchard hit a three-pointer to open up the third quarter for his 15th point of the night, a game high. Derrick White dunked it home on the fast break as Boston extended the lead to 20-points. Pritchard hit another triple with the shot clock winding down after Amari Williams had his push shot rejected by the Timelord.

Robert Williams III was making life tough for Boston inside, his presence saw multiple Celtics players altering their shots in the third quarter. Williams was sagging off Amari Williams playing a free safety type of role for the Trail Blazers.

Jaylen Brown was whistled for a tech for shoving Toumani Camara under the basket, Blazers back within 10 points 66-56 with four minutes to go in the third quarter. Brown and Camara were going at it as things were getting physical. Pritchard’s step back two-pointer over Caleb Love was his 20th point of the game, giving Boston a 13-point lead, 73-60.

Brown hit a tough step back over two Blazer defenders to close the third quarter as things were tight in a low scoring game, Celtics by 10 points, 75-65.

Robert Williams dunked home an alley oop to start the 4th, cutting Boston’s lead to 8 points. Simons scored a two-point jumper at the other end, he then went coast to coast to score over Williams in transition. Sam Hauser finally hit his first three-pointer of the game after missing his first four attempts. Portland was hanging around though as the lead seesawed around 10 points to start the fourth quarter.

Jan 26, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Jrue Holiday (5) shoots the ball while Boston Celtics forward Amari Williams (77) defends during the first half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

Joe Mazzulla rested Brown for the first six minutes of the fourth after his heavy minute load in the last two B2B games on the road. Derrick White hit a triple, Hauser hit mid range floater to cap a 9-0 run for the home team. Hauser was in rhythm and hit his next three-point attempt, Boston ahead by 14 points with six minutes to go.

Brown checked back into the game to try and finish things off for Boston. Pritchard’s corner three-pointer came off a sweet Derrick White dish, it was his 23rd point. Boston held a 13 point lead with three minutes to go at the last TV timeout. Rookie Amari Williams was a plus 8 off the bench for Boston, the Kentucky product would finish the game with a decent stat line of 9 points, 7 boards and 2 blocks.

Pritchard jammed his finger on a rebound attempt and went straight to the back with the trainers. Jerami Grant drove inside to cut the Celtics lead to 7 points. Boston struggling to close out the game and fouled Camara who then cut it to 5 points with 35 seconds to go. A Derrick White triple finally iced the game, White let out a sigh of relief as he had 7 turnovers on the night in a physical game.

The Boston Celtics next host the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night 7:30pm EST, 28th of January.

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Blackhawks Big Defender Having Breakout Year

The Chicago Blackhawks are showing clear signs of improvement this season. The Blackhawks currently have a 21-23-8 record and are sixth in the Central Division standings. This is after they finished the 2024-25 season with a 25-46-11 record. 

While the Blackhawks still have more work to become a playoff team again, they are heading in the right direction. One reason why the Blackhawks have improved this season is that multiple of their youngsters are making a big impact. Louis Crevier is one of them, as he has been enjoying a nice breakout year for the Original Six club. 

Crevier has not only cemented himself a spot on the Blackhawks' NHL roster this season but has also played on Chicago's top pairing with Alex Vlasic. When noting that Crevier has shown that he can be a very solid shutdown defenseman, he has certainly earned this opportunity with Chicago. 

In 49 games so far this season with the Blackhawks, Crevier has recorded new career highs with four goals, 10 assists, 14 points, and 79 hits. Overall, he has been a nice part of the Blackhawks' roster and is undoubtedly creating more excitement from fans about his future with the team because of it. 

It will now be interesting to see how Crevier builds on his breakout season with the Blackhawks, but the 6-foot-8 defenseman has been quite a nice story so far. 

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NHL fines William Nylander $5,000 for middle finger at camera

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows William Nylander gives the middle finger to a broadcast camera during an Avalanche-Maple Leafs game, Image 2 shows William Nylander #88 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates with teammates after a goal during the first period against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on January 15, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

William Nylander said he’s sorry, but the NHL is making sure that he’s really sorry. 

The league handed Nylander a $5,000 fine for “making an inappropriate gesture” after he flipped the middle finger to a TV camera that had been pointed in his direction during Sunday’s Maple Leafs game against the Avalanche. 

The TSN broadcast had its cameras pointed at the press box, where Nylander and other Leafs players not suited up for the game had been seated, when he gave it the middle finger and then started laughing. 

William Nylander gives the middle finger to a broadcast camera during an Avalanche-Maple Leafs game. X @GinoHard_

“Nylander directed an inappropriate gesture at a television camera operator while the camera was directed at Mr. Nylander and his teammates in the press box. The gesture was shown live on-air during the game broadcast,” NHL senior vice president of player safety George Parros said in a statement. “This serves as a reminder the code of conduct governing Players extends throughout the arena at NHL games and in public game situations.”

Nylander did apologize for his actions in a post on social media on Sunday, as well as while speaking with reporters on Monday after the Leafs practiced. 

He said he made the gesture out of frustration and that it wasn’t directed towards anybody in particular. 

“I just wanted to apologize for my actions yesterday. It was out of frustration, so I’m sorry about that,” Nylander said. 

William Nylander #88 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates with teammates after a goal during the first period against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on January 15, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. NHLI via Getty Images

Nylander has been dealing with a groin injury and will miss his sixth game on Tuesday night when the Sabres visit the Maple Leafs. 

The Leafs have lost four of the five games that he’s been out with the injury. 

Leafs coach Craig Berube seemed ready to move on from the middle finger incident. 

“He made a mistake. He owned up to it,” Berube said. “Things happen. People make mistakes. Players make mistakes. Coaches make mistakes. It happens. He knows it’s wrong and he owned up to it.”

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Rangers snap three-game skid with 4-3 OT win over Bruins

NEW YORK (AP) — Matthew Robertson scored at 3:53 of overtime as the New York Rangers beat the Boston Bruins 4-3 on Monday night to snap a three-game losing streak.

Will Cuylle, J.T. Miller and Will Borgen also scored for the Rangers, and Jonathan Quick got his 408th career win — passing Hall of Fame goalie Glenn Hall for 12th place on the NHL list. Quick made 21 saves and assisted on the overtime winner.

The Rangers, last in the Eastern Conference, took two of three against Boston this season. They improved to 6-13-4 at home and won for only the third time in 14 games overall.

Elias Lindholm had two goals and Morgan Geekie also scored for the Bruins. David Pastrnak added three assists to reach 900 career points. He has nine assists in his last five games. Joonas Korpisalo stopped 24 shots.

Cuylle opened the scoring midway through the first period with his 12th of the season. Borgen’s wrist shot tied the game at 3 with 6:17 remaining in the third.

The Rangers celebrated their 1994 championship team before the game as part of the franchise’s centennial celebration.

Up next

Bruins: Host the Nashville Predators on Tuesday.

Rangers: Visit the New York Islanders on Wednesday.

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Luka Doncic puts on a show, scoring 46 points in Lakers' win over Bulls

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) drives to the basket as Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (9) watches during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Chicago, Monday, Jan. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Lakers guard Luka Doncic drives to the basket in front of Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic during the first half of the Lakers' 129-118 win Monday night. (Nam Y. Huh / Associated Press)

Luka Doncic skipped, shimmied and shot. The Lakers dunked, hollered and won.

Doncic dazzled yet again with 46 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds in the Lakers' 129-118 win over the Chicago Bulls on Monday. The Lakers (28-17) notched their fourth win in five games. It was his third game in the last four with at least 10 assists — all wins.

The 26-year-old guard scored 32 points in the second half. He mimicked shooting pistols after he laced one three-pointer. After another, late in the fourth, he skipped backward on defense away from the Bulls' bench. Doncic’s second-half scoring barrage picked up after LeBron James scored 20 of his 24 points in the first half. Rui Hachimura added 23 points off the bench.

Read more:Luka Doncic scores 33 and remains unbeaten against Mavericks in Lakers comeback

Hachimura, who has been coming off the bench since he returned from a calf injury two weeks ago, hit nine of 11 shots from the field, including four threes. He drained consecutive threes, both spurred by Doncic passes, in the third quarter to help the Lakers hold off a Bulls comeback.

A transition dunk from Hachimura put the Lakers up by 20 with 1:27 left in the first half. The Lakers, after struggling with airline delays leaving Dallas on Saturday night, looked as if they would cruise comfortably to a win.

Then Chicago closed the half on a 7-0 run. It grew to a 18-5 stretch that forced coach JJ Redick to call a timeout when the Lakers' lead was cut to seven. It shrank to one with 6:42 left in the third quarter.

Lakers star LeBron James dunks in front of Chicago Bulls guard Coby White in the first half Monday.
Lakers star LeBron James dunks in front of Chicago Bulls guard Coby White in the first half Monday. (Nam Y. Huh / Associated Press)

The Lakers answered with an 8-0 run, capped by a three-pointer from Hachimura. Doncic whipped a one-handed behind-the-back pass across the court to Gabe Vincent, who re-directed it to Hachimura. He drained the shot. On the next Lakers possession, he hit another three-pointer off a Doncic assist.

Hachimura has made eight of 12 three-point attempts in the last two games.

The starting lineup could soon shift again with Austin Reaves close to returning from a calf injury that has kept him out for more than a month. Redick said Reaves could be back as soon as Thursday’s game against Cleveland.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Matthew Robertson scores in OT to lift the Rangers over the Bruins 4-3

NEW YORK (AP) — Matthew Robertson scored at 3:53 of overtime as the New York Rangers beat the Boston Bruins 4-3 on Monday night to snap a three-game losing streak.

Will Cuylle, J.T. Miller and Will Borgen also scored for the Rangers, and Jonathan Quick got his 408th career win — passing Hall of Fame goalie Glenn Hall for 12th place on the NHL list. Quick made 21 saves and assisted on the overtime winner.

The Rangers, last in the Eastern Conference, took two of three against Boston this season. They improved to 6-13-4 at home and won for only the third time in 14 games overall.

Elias Lindholm had two goals and Morgan Geekie also scored for the Bruins. David Pastrnak added three assists to reach 900 career points. He has nine assists in his last five games. Joonas Korpisalo stopped 24 shots.

Cuylle opened the scoring midway through the first period with his 12th of the season. Borgen’s wrist shot tied the game at 3 with 6:17 remaining in the third.

The Rangers celebrated their 1994 championship team before the game as part of the franchise’s centennial celebration.

Up next

Bruins: Host the Nashville Predators on Tuesday.

Rangers: Visit the New York Islanders on Wednesday.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Cubs BCB After Dark: Who made the best deal?

Welcome back to BCB After Dark: the coolest club for night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. We so glad you braved the weather to visit us. Please come in out of the cold. It’s plenty warm in here. We can check your coat. There’s no cover charge. 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 should sign free agent right-handed starter Chris Bassett. You were pretty cool on the idea as 49 percent of you said the Cubs should not sign Bassett. Another 26 percent of you think the Cubs should sign him if he came with a significant discount.

Here’s the part where we listen to music and talk movies. The BCB Winter Science Fiction Classic only has a couple more weeks to run, but you can always stop in at anytime. But as always, you can skip it if you want.

Tonight I’m featuring one of those NPR Tiny Desk Concerts (support public radio!) from 2016, with the now-late pianist Chick Corea and the still-living vibraphonist Gary Burton.

You voted in the second round of the BCB Winter Science Fiction Classic and Terminator 2: Judgment Day said “hasta la vista, baby” to Brazil. I love Brazil and would have voted for it, but it’s hard to argue with something that sold as many tickets at Terminator 2. Plus, those special effects. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton do indeed look cool.

Tonight we the final matchup of the second round. Our number-one seed, The Matrix, goes up against the six seed, [sigh] Back to the Future. Time to break out those old Huey Lewis and the News LPs!

I suppose the advantage of tonight’s matchup is that I don’t think that I need to explain either film to any of you. Both films have become memes—cultural touchstones that people can make reference to and everyone is supposed immediately understand the point. Even if you haven’t seen one of these two movies, you know what they’re about. You know the big beats in the film like the red pill/blue pill choice or a time machine made out of a DeLorean. Or Marty McFly’s mother wanting to make out with him.

The Matrix. (1999) Directed by The Wachowskis. Starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne and Carrie-Anne Moss.

Here’s what I wrote about The Matrix last time.

Here’s the Kung Fu scene between Neo (Reeves) and Morpheus. Obviously this scene borrows a lot of the Hong Kong action films of the eighties and nineties, but the vast majority of US viewers would not have picked up on that.

Back to the Future (1985). Directed by Robert Zemeckis. Starring Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd and Lea Thompson.

Here’s what I wrote about Back to the Future last time.

Here’s our first look at the DeLorean time machine.

Now it’s time to vote.

You have until Wednesday to vote. Then, we’re moving on the third round as The Day the Earth Stood Still takes on Godzilla. I must warn you, the won-loss record of creatures going up against Godzilla is not good. Maybe Gort will do better.

Welcome back to everyone who skips the movies and music.

Whenever there is a trade these days, most baseball sites will post an evaluation/grade of the deal within a day or two. And in handing out those grades, there’s always a reference to “Compared to what [team x] gave up for [player y], this deal . . .” Trades are not made in a vacuum. Each one sets the market for every other one.

So tonight, I’m going to ask you which deal do you wish the Cubs had made? Of course, the Cubs did make one deal with the Marlins for Edward Cabrera. That’s one option for you to vote for. But there were three other starting pitchers traded this winter. Which deal do you wish the Cubs had made?

Of course, not all of these trades were actually available to team president Jed Hoyer. The team on the other end of the deal has to want players that the Cubs currently have. If the Marlins had wanted a major-league ready strong defensive catcher for Cabrera, for example, the Cubs wouldn’t have been able to make that trade.

On top of that, we all know that the Brewers were highly unlikely to deal Freddy Peralta to the Cubs for rivalry reasons. I’m not saying that it couldn’t have happened, but the Brewers were likely to ask for a major premium in order to deal their best trade asset to a division rival.

Basically, this is just me asking “Which team made the best trade?” Or at least, which of these four traded pitchers fits in with the Cubs needs the best?

Here’s a quick reminder of the trades that we’re looking at tonight. My apologies go out to Ryan Weathers, whom I didn’t include among the choices. Maybe he shouldn’t have had so many injuries over the past two seasons. I suspect Weathers would agree with that.

January 8: Cubs acquire RHP Edward Cabrera from the Marlins for outfielder Owen Caissie, infielder Cristian Hernandez and infielder Edgardo DeLeon.

Edward Cabrera. Age 28. 8-7 3.53 ERA. 9.8 K9, 3.1 BB9 in 2025. Three years of team control left.

You’re probably already familiar with this deal.

December 19. Orioles acquire RHP Shane Baz from Rays for OF Slater DeBrun, C Caden Bodine, RHP Michael Forret, OF Austin Overn and a competitive balance pick (33 overall in 2026)

Shane Baz. Age 27. 10-12 4.87 ERA. 9.5 K9, 3.5 BB/9 in 2025. Three years of team control left.

Obviously the Cubs could not have made this trade because they don’t have any draft picks that can be dealt. But beyond that pick at the end of the first round, the Orioles got back four prospects, all of which were ranked in the top 30 of the Orioles system by MLB Pipeline but none of them in the Orioles top five. However, DeBrun (6), Bodine (10) and Forret (11) were three of the top 11 prospects in a deep Baltimore system. Baseball America ranks those three prospects a little lower, but they also rank Overn a lot higher than Pipeline does. (17th as opposed to 30).

Unlike Caissie, none of these prospects are considered top 100 prospects. So this was a quantity over a quality deal. But it’s a heck of a lot of quantity and there’s that draft pick to consider, who would almost certainly be another top ten prospect.

January 22: Rangers acquire LHP MacKenzie Gore from the Nationals for SS Gavin Fein, RHP Alejandro Rosario, INF Devin Fitz-Gerald, OF Yeremy Cabrera, 1B/OF Abimelec Ortiz.

MacKenzie Gore. Age 27. 5-15, 4.15 ERA. 10.4 K9. 3.6 BB9. Two years of team control left.

Once again, this is a quantity over quality trade, but it’s a lot of quantity. Five prospects in the Rangers Top 30 according to both MLB Pipeline, between fifth (Fein) and 24th (Ortiz). Baseball America didn’t put Fitz-Gerald or Ortiz in their Top 30, although they did like both of them and they thought Fein was the Rangers’ third-best prospect. This is a similar package to what the Orioles gave up for Baz, except that they didn’t get draft pick like the Rays did. The Orioles also get one more year of control on Baz than the Rangers got with Gore.

January 21: Mets acquire RHP Freddy Peralta and RHP Tobias Myers from the Brewers for SS Jett Williams and RHP Brandon Sproat.

Freddy Peralta. Age 30. 17-6, 2.70 ERA. 10.4 K9, 3.4 BB9. One year of team control.

Tobias Myers. Age 27. 1-2, 3.55 ERA. 6.8 K9, 2.8 BB9. Four years of team control.

This trade is a bit different because the Mets got Myers as a pretty decent throw-in, but Peralta is the clear headliner here. Peralta certainly has the biggest track record of success among these traded starters, but the Mets also only get one year of control on him. Yes, they can slap a qualifying offer on him so the Mets could be looking at an extra draft pick if they fail to re-sign him, but the way the Mets spend, that draft pick is going to be pretty low.

Going back to the Mets are two top prospects, one of whom, Sproat, has already made his major league debut. But Williams is the big deal here as he was the Mets’ third-ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline and fourth according to Baseball America. Both publications think Williams is a Top 100 prospect, although Pipeline (30th) thinks more of him that BA (71st). Williams is also close enough to the majors to make his debut sometime this year.

Sproat was the Mets’ sixth-best prospect according to Pipeline and fifth per BA. He made his major league debut in 2025. In four starts he had a high ERA (4.79) but a very low FIP (2.80), which indicates that he was either the victim of bad luck or bad defense.

This is a real quality over quantity deal for a one-year rental.

So which one of these trades do you wish the Cubs had made? Which team came out the best?

Thank you for stopping by this evening. We’re always glad to see a friendly face. Please get home safely. Call a ride if you need to. Stay warm. Recycle any cans and bottles. Tip your waitstaff. And join us again tomorrow for more BCB After Dark.

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Sabres Hit Home Run With This Fantastic Move

The Buffalo Sabres have been one of the NHL's biggest surprises this season. After having a cold start to the campaign, the Sabres now have a 29-17-5 record and are third in the Atlantic Division standings.

There are many reasons for the Sabres being in this good of a position right now, and goaltender Alex Lyon is undoubtedly one of them. The 33-year-old goaltender has been fantastic for the Sabres this season and is only getting better as the campaign rolls on. 

In 23 games on the season so far with the Sabres, Lyon has recorded a 12-6-3 record, a 2.70 goals-against average, a .911 save percentage, and has tied his career-high in shutouts with two. With this, he has certainly been making a big impact for the Sabres this campaign. 

Lyon has also won each of his last nine appearances for the Sabres, which has tied him for the longest winning streak in franchise history with Gerry Desjardins. That is incredibly impressive stuff. 

When noting that Lyon has a bargain $1.5 million cap hit until the end of the 2026-27 season, it is absolutely clear that he has been a complete steal for the Sabres. 

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Lakers tame Bulls behind huge Luka Dončić performance

Luka Dončić poured in 46 points and the Lakers put together one of their better defensive performances of the season as they knocked off the Bulls in Chicago, 129-118.

LA shot 56.1% from the field and 16-33 from the 3-point line. Defensively, they forced 15 turnovers, 12 in the first half, turning it into 23 points on the other end. The Lakers led for the entirety of the final three quarters and by double digits for long stretches.

It was the LeBron James show to start as he shouldered the offensive load early for the Lakers with six of LA’s first 12 points. Luka Dončić was close behind with four points. Mata Buzelis and Jalen Smith combined for 10 points for the Bulls. 

At the first timeout, Los Angeles was down by four. 

Smith continued his strong start for Chicago, reaching double figures with 10. Luka started feeling it from behind the arc, draining two triples. Rui Hachimura scored a quick seven points off the bench. 

The Lakers ended the quarter on a 9-0 scoring run, putting them up by four. 

The run exploded to 16-2 quickly in the second period. LeBron was cooking with seven points while Jarred Vanderbilt, Jaxson Hayes and Hachimura were spearheading the excellent defensive effort, combining for two blocks, seven rebounds and three assists.

Buzelis drained a 3-pointer to stop some of the bleeding for the Bulls. Luka was finding his teammates all over the court, dishing six dimes. LA was shooting 46% from behind the arc, after starting 33%. 

Jake LaRavia knocked down two triples. 

Los Angeles created 12 turnovers with their suffocating defense. LA had 16 fastbreak points, helping extend their scoring run to 43-25. The Lakers did allow the Bulls to score seven quick points to chip away at the deficit. 

At halftime, the purple and gold were up by 13. 

The third period began with both teams exchanging 3-pointers. Luka notched a quick five points for LA. Chicago was cooking early in the quarter, scoring on three triples and cutting Los Angeles’ lead to single digits. 

Luka drained a 3-pointer out of a Lakers timeout to stop some of the bleeding for LA. Isaac Okoro responded with a 3-pointer on the other end for Chicago. Luka had 12 points in the third.

The change in momentum was rough as Los Angeles looked completely lost on defense after having such a strong defensive effort in the first half. The Bulls were on an extended 29-12 scoring run. 

Chicago had been able to cut the deficit to one until the Lakers responded well with an 8-0 run. Hachimura drained two 3-pointers, which were a huge reason why LA kept its lead. 

LA had taken complete control of the game, on the shoulders of Luka, who scored a massive 20 points in the quarter, and Hachimura. 

Going into the fourth period, Los Angeles was up by 15. 

The final frame began with Hachimura converting on a jump shot. Nikola Vučević scored five points for the Bulls. Hachimura drained another 3-pointer, adding to his excellent performance off the bench. 

Chicago went on a 9-3 run to keep it close. At the 5:07 mark, the Lakers were nursing a seven-point lead. Both teams exchanged triples, and the lead was now nine for Los Angeles with 3:15 left to go in the game. 

Luka then responded with yet another triple, which was his eighth of the night. Hayes delivered the dagger with a steal and a between-the-legs dunk that made everyone erupt. 

Key Player Stats

Luka finished with 46 points, seven rebounds and 11 assists. Hachimura pitched in with 23 points off the bench. LeBron scored 20 of his 24 points in the first half. He also grabbed five rebounds.

LaRavia notched eight points, five rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Vanderbilt did the dirty work off the bench with seven rebounds and two assists. Ayton ended with six points. Smart scored 12 points. Jaxson Hayes had two blocks with his eight points and four rebounds. 

The Lakers’ next matchup will be against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday at 4:00 PM PT.

You can follow Karin on Twitter at @KarinAbcarians.

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Wizards send three players to NBA Rising Stars Game

For the second consecutive year, the Washington Wizards will send a franchise-record-tying three players to the 2026 NBA Rising Stars Game, the NBA announced Monday.

Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George made the sophomore squad, while first-year guard Tre Johnson earned a spot on the rookie team. It marked George and Johnson’s first Rising Stars selections. Sarr made the rookie team last season.

The Rising Stars challenge is scheduled for 9 p.m. ET on Feb. 13 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

The challenge is made of four teams. Three of them are made of rookies and sophomores. One team is made solely of NBA G League players. Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame players Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady will be the coaches of the three teams while ESPN NBA analyst and former Wizards player Austin Rivers will coach the G League team.

Sarr leads the league in blocks per game (2.1) and ranks first among second-year player in points per game (17.4).

The 7-foot center ranks among the league’s top shot blockers and has seen an uptick in his field goal percentage. After shooting just 39.4% FG and and 30.8% 3PT last season, Sarr has improved his efficiency, making 50.5% of his field goals and 34.4% of his 3-point attempts this season.

After he was snubbed from last year’s Rising Stars roster, George made sure the selection committee had no choice but to call his number this year. Among second-year players, the 22-year-old forward ranks third in points per game (15.5), fifth in assists per game (5.1) and top-8 in both steals per game and blocks per game.

Tre Johnson’s selection is a timely one. The sharpshooting rookie is fresh off his best game as a pro — a 26-point, six-assist performance against the Charlotte Hornets.

Among his fellow rookies, Johnson ranks sixth in points per game (12.9) and 3-point percentage (39.3%). He’s shooting 44.4% from the field and 88.1% from the free-throw line.

While the Wizards will send three players, which is tied for an NBA-best, to the Intuit Dome for All-Star Weekend, second-year guard Bub Carrington was notably left off the Rising Stars roster.

Carrington struggled to begin the season, which is the likely reason for his omission. But he’s come along ever since, bringing his averages to 9.9 points per game on 40.5% 3PT.

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Player Grades: Cavs vs Magic – Donovan Mitchell erupts again

The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Orlando Magic behind yet another offensive explosion from Donovan Mitchell.

All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.

Donovan Mitchell

45 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds

Mitchell was in attack mode again tonight. He scored 26 points in the first half, burying 4-of-5 three-point attempts in his first 17 minutes. His hot shooting helped the Cavaliers claw back from an early deficit and reclaim momentum.

Mitchell continued to score into the second half, finishing with 45 points and improving the Cavs’ record to 11-1 when he scores 35+ points.

Grade: A+

Evan Mobley

20 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks

Mobley is looking more spry and agile by the day. He’s moving around the court with the confidence he hasn’t always shown. It doesn’t feel like anyone can stop Mobley from getting to his spots right now. I’ve been wanting to type that sentence for years.

Grade: A+

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Jaylon Tyson

14 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists

The Cavs have a rising star in Tyson. He once again made an impact on both ends of the floor, playing defense, bulldozing his way into the paint, and connecting on three-point jumpers with efficiency.

Grade: A+

Craig Porter Jr.

4 points, 5 assists, 5 rebounds

Porter looked especially quick tonight as the Magic double-teamed Mitchell and left him with openings to attack. This led to Porter getting into the paint and finding his teammates for BLANK assists.

Grade: B+

Lonzo Ball

0 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block

This wasn’t anything crazy, but Ball has probably played two of his better games as a Cavalier in his two latest against the Magic. Aside from being part of a brutal lineup in the first quarter (featuring Ball, Tomlin, Proctor, Porter, and Nance), Ball held his own tonight.

Grade: C+

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Jarrett Allen

9 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist

I don’t think his teammates did a great job of getting him the ball, but Allen was effective every time he got a touch. He shot 4-6 from the floor and was aggressive with all of his opportunities.

Grade: B+

Nae’Qwan Tomlin

8 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist

Tomlin is facing a make-or-break moment. His minutes have seen diminishing returns as opponents ignore him from the three-point line. He started the game 1-5 from the floor as the Magic left him wide open from the corner and packed the paint on his drives.

He found a way to break free for a moment in the second half, but he’ll have to develop into a more consistent shooter for him to take the next step.

Grade: C-

Dean Wade

6 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal

Wade turned in another quality performance. Strong defense, solid rebounding, and a positive impact on the Cavalier offense despite shooting 0-2 from three.

Grade: A–

Tyrese Proctor

6 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals

Kenny Atkinson can’t stop talking about Proctor’s “moxy” on the basketball court. The kid has confidence, and he showed it tonight by hitting a big-time three-pointer in the second half and ripping the ball away from the Magic for a backbreaking steal.

Grade: A

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Islanders shut out Flyers for win they needed in the worst way

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Jean-Gabriel Pageau #44 of the New York Islanders celebrates his first period shorthanded goal against the Philadelphia Flyers with Casey Cizikas #53 at the Xfinity Mobile Arena on January 26, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Image 2 shows New York Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin (30) makes a save against the Philadelphia Flyers

The Islanders came into Philadelphia on Monday night outmanned and reeling, having lost their past two games by a combined score of 9-1.

For a team that hadn’t lost three straight games in regulation since the first three games of the season, and for a team that would have gone below the playoff cutline with a defeat, this was a game they needed in the worst sort of way.

Down Simon Holmstrom, Cal Ritchie and Ryan Pulock with a combination of illness and injury, the Islanders showed their resilience anyway, defeating the Flyers 4-0 at Wells Fargo Center.

“We approached the game like it was a playoff game,” Jean-Gabriel Pageau told reporters after a two-goal performance. “And I thought we played an extremely solid game. Of course, when your goalie gives zero, it helps a lot.”

This performance had so much of what the Islanders have lacked recently.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau #44 of the New York Islanders celebrates his first period shorthanded goal against the Philadelphia Flyers with Casey Cizikas #53 at the Xfinity Mobile Arena on January 26, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NHLI via Getty Images

The Islanders dominated on special teams. They held the puck in the offensive zone and played off the cycle. They cut down on high-danger chances around Ilya Sorokin’s crease, helping him to a 21-save shutout.

That is what they will need to do, again and again, if they are going to stay above the playoff cutline and make some noise in the tournament itself.

Coach Patrick Roy’s constant reshuffling of the lines finally seemed to land on some combinations that did the trick here. Mathew Barzal and Anthony Duclair had exactly the right response to their third-period benching on Saturday, playing most of the night up ice on a line with Jonathan Drouin. The trio produced a goal when Barzal tipped Isaiah George’s shot from the right point past Sam Ersson to make it a 2-0 game 5:41 into the second.

That was sandwiched between a pair of special teams goals, the first of which came from Pageau shorthanded at 14:29 of the first. Pageau took Casey Cizikas’ expertly spun feed off the wall and went bar-down to open the scoring.

Barzal then got his second point of the night on the power play, assisting Tony DeAngelo off the rush to make it 3-0 at 12:50 of the second. Ironically, that counted for DeAngelo’s first power play goal as an Islander. And, as Roy noted, the play was sprung by an active backchecking effort from Duclair.

Islanders center Mathew Barzal (13) in action against the Philadelphia Flyers in the second period at Xfinity Mobile Arena. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Flyers didn’t come up with much as far as a potential comeback, and Pageau’s second goal of the night made it a 4-0 game at 13:38 of the third. Maxim Tsyplakov’s feed off the wall to set up Pageau was just his second point and first assist of the year.

The reunited fourth line of Marc Gatcomb, Cizikas and Kyle MacLean did its usual good work, while Emil Heineman and Bo Horvat clicked well on the second line. Max Shabanov got better alongside them as the game went on, as did Tsyplakov with Pageau and Anders Lee. The Islanders will hope that Tsyplakov — filling in for Holmstrom, who was a late scratch with illness — gets a much-needed confidence boost from putting a point on the board.

“That’s one of his best games this year,” Roy told reporters of Tsyplakov. “… Might not be easy at times, but he played really well.”

Sorokin, for once, was not under fire all night. His sixth shutout of the year required just 21 saves for comparatively little stress.

Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin (30) makes a save against the Philadelphia Flyers in the first period at Xfinity Mobile Arena. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The injuries are starting to pile up for the Islanders, who pulled the trigger on reinforcements in the form of Carson Soucy. The Islanders officially announced the deal after the game which sent a 2026 third-round pick down 495 and across the East River to the Rangers in exchange for the left-handed defenseman.

If Pulock’s upper-body injury has him miss serious time, though, Soucy won’t be enough. And Ritchie, who was called day to day with a lower-body injury, is suddenly a concern as well.

The way everything was piling up, a loss Monday would have felt like a crisis point in the season.

Turning in an all-around performance and a commanding win over the team directly below them in the standings instead was certainly a good way to take the pressure off.

“I thought we had a really good process,” Tony DeAngelo told reporters. “That’s how you win games: process. It was probably our best 60-minute game from start to finish in a little while here.”

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Mets’ Carlos Mendoza provides encouraging first report on Bo Bichette at third base

Bo Bichette’s transition to third base is officially underway. 

With just a few weeks left before players begin reporting to Port St. Lucie for spring training, Bichette took some reps in front of his new manager, Carlos Mendoza. 

It’s still early in the process, but the Mets skipper seems to like what he saw. 

“He’s an athlete,” Mendoza said on the NY Post’s “The Show” podcast. “We’re looking at a guy that has played shortstop his whole career -- watching him today moving around third, taking grounders, creating angles, and just the throws to first I was telling him it looks like you’ve played here before.

“It was exciting that I had that opportunity to see him today, he’s super excited and working really hard.”

Bichette, of course, will be taking over as New York’s full-time man at the hot corner after signing with the club on a big money three-year deal with opt outs just last week. 

Prior to this season, he’s only played shortstop and some 2B during his big-league career. 

Mendoza indicated that there are things the 27-year-old will have to learn through game reps, as expected, but emphasized that the team is fully confident in him making he switch. 

David Stearnsechoed that confidence to SNY’s Steve Gelbs at Citi Field last week. 

“There are certainly going to be learning moments for Bo, and Jorge Polanco as well, as they understand the intricacies of their positions -- but with Bo we’re talking about someone who knows the game so well,” Stearns said. 

“Someone who understands the game so well, has been around the game for his entire life, has a great work ethic on the field, has the aptitude -- we believe he’s going to get there and get there pretty fast.”