The Cubs Convention is over, the Bears’ fine season is, too, and only the Blackhawks remain standing in the playoff hunt. But there is hope for the 2026 Cubs squad, after a couple of major and quite a few minor signings, with only a couple of roster decisions to make unless something special happens.
The Pitch Lab is going to have plenty of experimental subjects.
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The @Cubs snagged another Pro Day arm! 💪 Congrats to Trent Thornton on signing with Chicago! Thornton threw 42.1 MLB innings in 2025 before tearing his Achilles last July. The Super Supinator is ahead of schedule with this rehab and ready to contribute. 📈
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Of all the things that went wrong for the 2025 Detroit Tigers from the All-Star break to the end of the regular season, the starting rotation felt like the biggest piece of the puzzle to many fans. Injuries to Jackson Jobe and then Reese Olson left that group vulnerable, and the front office failed utterly to find competent help behind Tarik Skubal, Jack Flaherty, and Casey Mize. Even so the club still graded out among the best rotations in the American League by year’s end, and in the postseason that backend mattered little and the struggles of the offense took center stage in their heartbreaking Game 5 ALDS loss to the Mariners. Have they done enough this offseason to keep the rotation near the top of the league?
Obviously they haven’t done a lot, but they didn’t really need that much to begin with. Jack Flaherty decided to use his option to return, again solidifying a good top three, though Skubal is obviously doing the heavy lifting for that trio and is projected for 5.9 fWAR, while Flaherty and Mize remain modestly above average with projections of 2.6 and 2.3 fWAR, respectively. Reese Olson is probably their second most effective starter, but he’s currently in the fourth position at 2.1 fWAR, as until he proves otherwise, the Tigers can’t depend on him to hold up to a full year’s work. Then the Tigers signed one of the top KBO names coming back stateside in the form of right-hander Drew Anderson, projected for 1.2 fWAR. After a really good year overseas, he’ll be in the mix competing with Troy Melton (1.2 fWAR) for the fifth spot, with Keider Montero (0.5 fWAR) and Sawyer Gipson-Long (0.5 fWAR) on the outside of that battle.
Beyond them they have relievers like Brant Hurter and Tyler Holton who can spot start, a decent Triple-A starter in Troy Watson, maybe a bit of help from Ty Madden for a spot start or two, and a pair of interesting but fringy lefty prospects in Jake Miller and Andrew Sears who may be able to chip in later on over the course of the season. Jackson Jobe isn’t really expected to return until August, so it’s hard to guess how much help he might be late in the year.
It would certainly have helped to add a top name in this free agent class like lefties Ranger Suarez or Framber Valdez. The latter is still available and has AJ Hinch ties, but as Valdez is the last man standing among really good dependable starters, competition will be fierce. I can’t imagine the Tigers would be involved anyway, but it’s even less likely that Valdez will be available 2-3 weeks down the road once the Tigers have clarity on Skubal’s 2026 salary, and perhaps a better idea of how their broadcast rights situation will play out.
The Tigers may have a small move left ahead of them, probably a cheap backend starter or bullpen arm who will simply get a chance to compete for a job in spring camp, but they’re basically done barring something unforeseen, like trading Skubal, or one of their starters getting injured before we even get to camp.
That should be enough to remain near the top of the American League, as the Tigers currently have the third ranked starting rotation, including depth pieces, in the major leagues according to Steamer projections. Signings of Valdez and other remaining free agents will alter these projections, but basically this is how it lines up with free agency winding down.
Based on Steamer’s WAR projections, the answer is quite obviously yes. I admit I prefer the ZIPS projections, but the differences aren’t usually too striking.
These assessments shouldn’t be so surprising. As bad as our recent memories of the August and September Tigers may be, and despite the natural myopia in a fanbase that leads us to think that other teams are stronger than they are, it doesn’t erase the first three and a half months of the season when the Tigers were steamrolling everyone. No doubt the Tigers rotation situation feels precarious, because if Skubal is hurt for any long period of time they’re in big trouble and at best a middle of the pack rotation. But other than maybe the Red Sox and Dodgers, that’s true of everyone at the top. The Pirates rotation without Paul Skenes is going nowhere, for example.
The American League’s best
If we break it down to just the American League, the Red Sox have the best rotation with Garrett Crochet leading the way and the signing of Ranger Suarez putting them over the top. Of course, they also have several other above average starters in Brayan Bello, Sonny Gray, and Kutter Crawford should he get return in good form from knee issues and the wrist surgery that cost him the 2025 season. It’s not exactly the 2013 Tigers rotation, but it’s very good and they have plenty of depth as well.
We can also find some rotations that aren’t as good at the top, but are certainly deeper in good starters than the Tigers. The Seattle Mariners for example, have Bryan Woo, George Kirby, Logan Gilbert, and Luis Castillo, all of whom project to be above average starting pitchers. There’s no one who’ll knock your socks off over the course of a full season, but the first three at least are a little better than any of Olson, Flaherty, or Mize. They also have a better crop of pitching prospects than the Tigers by far right now. Right-handers Ryan Sloan and Jurrangelo Cjintje, along with 2025 first round lefty Kade Anderson, aren’t on the cusp on the major leagues yet and may not be ready in 2026, but all three are comfortably top 100 pitching prospects who will likely all start the year in Double-A. I’d be willing to bet that one of them goes off in 2026 and is at least an average major league starter by the second half.
The Blue Jays are in a similar boat after signing Dylan Cease. Cease should give them strong frontline starter production to lead the way. Trey Yesavage could be every bit as good even if the projections don’t love him due to an inability to handle a pro caliber workload. Kevin Gausman is still a quality starting pitcher though clearly not the guy he was a few years ago. Shane Bieber is a nice bounceback candidate to be an average or better starter again if he’s put Tommy John in the rearview mirror. And while the Tigers signed Drew Anderson from the KBO, the guy above him was Cody Ponce, who signed with the Blue Jays back in December. Finally, Jose Berrios and Eric Lauer are depth guys, but should be able to handle plenty of innings for them.
The Blue Jays also seem like a team who might get into the hunt for Framber Valdez or Chris Bassitt after losing out on both Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette. Pivoting to improving their rotation a little more would have them looking like a repeat appearance in the World Series is a good possibility.
The Yankees rotation is reasonably good, but nothing to write home about as things stand. Max Fried is really good, and Carlos Rodon, Will Warren, and Cam Schittler are above average. They’re in the Mariners camp with a lot of well above average starters, though their depth isn’t very good. Warren and Schlittler are young and have a solid chance to break out further this season, and the Yankees will be hoping Garrett Cole returns to form quickly sometime in the summer months as he tries to return from last March’s Tommy John surgery, but the notion that he’ll look like Garrett Cole again before 2027 is a bet with pretty long odds.
Both the Mariners and Yankees rotations do look like they could hold up to losing their top arm better than the Tigers’ can, but that’s probably not worth worrying about. If Skubal gets hurt for more than a month, the Tigers season is presumably going right down the drain. The concern is more losing one or more of their 2-4 arms and having to replace them with a backend type.
Best of the AL Central
Within the division, the Royals look like the Tigers closest competition in terms of starting rotations. Cole Ragans gives them a very good top starter assuming the rotator cuff issue is behind him. Of course he’s been pretty injury prone in general in his career. Kris Bubic is pretty good, and Michael Wacha is an average starter with proven durability. In different ways, they’re both very comparable to Flaherty, Olson, and Mize. Meanwhile, Seth Lugo looks pretty well washed up after his 2024 resurgence, but may still have another good season left in the tank. They don’t have much in the way of depth or top shelf prospects behind that group, however.
The Guardians rotation looks quite average on paper. They don’t have a single pitcher projected to be worth more than 2.5 fWAR. However, they do have several more quality starting pitching prospects nearing the major leagues to provide reinforcements. Lefty Parker Messick should be about ready to give them average production, at least. At the top, they have Gavin Williams and Tanner Bibee, who are both 26-year-old quality mid-rotation starters. Williams certainly has the stuff to become a frontline guy this year. The Guardians starting pitching has rarely graded out that well in recent years, but they play great defense and game plan well, typically outperforming their FIP metrics by quite a bit. With right fielder Chase DeLauter and infield masher Travis Bazzana closing in on the big leagues, they may finally have some serious help for Jose Ramirez on the other side of the ball as well. No doubt they’ll be back to go toe-to-toe with the Tigers yet again, even if it’s a mediocre group on paper.
At this point I wouldn’t expect any significant moves throughout the division. Maybe the Royals smell an opportunity and pick up Bassitt or Lucas Giolito. That would get them closer to the Tigers and give them better insurance considering the lack of impact pitching prospects. Trading for pitching at this time of year is nearly impossible, at least in terms of good, established pitchers or top pitching prospects, so beyond those last few good starters available, the field is pretty well set until the trade deadline in July.
No doubt we’ll end up revisiting this topic in more depth with a focus on the AL Central in March, once rosters are closer to being finalized in the runup to Opening Day.
In terms of Steamer’s projections specifically, you can certainly take some issue with using FIP based FanGraphs projections if you like, but I continue to find fWAR better at projecting the next season’s production. Baseball-Reference’s rWAR is more useful for looking back at what did happen last season, as opposed to what a pitcher’s strikeout, walk, and home run rates say should happen in a neutral context without defense involved.
The Tigers are set for now but the front office needs to be ready to adjust
Ultimately, the Tigers don’t need to be clogging up the works with another backend starter. If they aren’t going after Valdez or Bassitt, or perhaps one of Zac Gallen or Lucas Giolito, who could do reasonably well here too, it’s just not worth it. Adding another subpar pitcher on a flier, that they can’t option or easily cut loose should things go poorly, might do more harm than good.
Assuming they aren’t doing any of those things, Scott Harris needs to be better prepared to trade prospects for young pitchers with options as needed at midseason. He tried to avoid giving up anything of note in terms of prospects when the Tigers badly needed pitching help in 2025, and it went very poorly. That can’t happen again if the Tigers find their pitching depth badly stretched for any length of time.
You can’t necessarily stockpile against every contigency that might emerge during the regular season. The best defense is to have another top pitching prospect on the cusp of the major leagues. The Tigers don’t have that, they just have some fifth starter type depth and a few decent spot start candidates. What they need to combat problems that may emerge, is the willingness to adjust make an impactful trade as the need arises.
Inside the NBA’s push to launch a European league, the legal tension with EuroLeague, and why the fight for basketball’s future is heating up.
FIBA, basketball's global governing body, first introduced the EuroLeague in 1958 as the continent's premier competition. But over the last 25 years, FIBA has lost its grip on the operation. There was a split in 2000 with the Union of European Leagues of Basketball, where top clubs chose sides in competing operations, with ULEB ultimately gaining control.
EuroLeague is now a privately run company controlled by EuroLeague Commercial Assets, which has long held a stranglehold over Europe's second-most-popular sport. But over the last year, the NBA has signaled interest in forming a competing league of its own alongside FIBA to grow the sport in a region where 15% of the league's players now come, including some of the world's biggest modern superstars and nearly every league MVP this decade.
"We have been talking about this for decades at the NBA," Leah MacNab, the league's senior vice president, head of international strategy & operations, told Boardroom last week from Berlin, where the NBA was hosting a regular-season game between the Orlando Magic and Memphis Grizzlies. Brother Franz and Mo Wagner first played at hometown EuroLeague club Alba Berlin before starring for the Magic, and the NBA was playing its first-ever regular-season game in Germany before the two teams headed to London on Sunday. MacNab said a register-your-interest campaign on social media for the games received 450,000 responses.
Franz Wagner gets a ROARING ovation as he's introduced in Berlin 🔊
NBA Europe, the league's internal working title for the operation, was first seriously floated last year in partnership with FIBA and now has a projected start date of fall 2027. The league would have 10-12 permanent members and four to six rotating members who could qualify under some competitive format to be determined by FIBA, emulating the model of the EuroLeague, with 12 permanent members and six rotating spots. But the biggest reason why the NBA is trying its hand at a European league is a simple market inefficiency.
"We think that the current structure really doesn't take advantage of the commercial opportunities," MacNab said. "So, we wanted to put our hats in the ring, and we're really excited to take this to the next step."
The next steps are finding the right markets, teams, and ownership groups for permanent members. Meetings took place last week during the NBA's Eurotrip, with JP Morgan Chase and the Raine Group advising on the discussions. The membership will likely come from a combination of existing EuroLeague teams and top European soccer clubs looking to expand into hoops in markets where the league sees room for growth. And unlike the NBA, where sovereign wealth funds from Gulf states are limited in the stakes they can take in teams, MacNab said she expects NBA Europe to operate a little differently in that regard.
One particular meeting in London, per The Athletic, was attended by EuroLeague members Real Madrid, Barcelona, Olimpia Milano, Greek power Panathinaikos, Alba Berlin, and Lyon-area ASVEL, which is owned by NBA legend Tony Parker. The NBA also met up with representatives from soccer giants Bayern Munich, Manchester City, and AC Milan, as well as Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, Blackstone, and Arctos. Qatar Sports Investments, which owns Paris Saint-Germain, has also been linked to the NBA Europe project, while the league reportedly additionally met up with EuroLeague member and Istanbul power Fenerbahce in Berlin.
The NBA has recently played regular-season games in Berlin, London, and Paris, and will hold its first-ever regular-season game in Manchester next year. In a press conference in Berlin on Thursday, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said he's very familiar with Alba Berlin's success. He confirmed discussions with Real Madrid and other Spanish clubs, and said Istanbul is a market he's looking at. Madrid, Fenerbahce, and ASVEL are reportedly three permanent EuroLeague members who have held off on signing long-term extensions to stay in the league. While MacNab said that there's no financial number the league is looking for right now for membership fees, a recent report claimed the league is targeting valuations of up to $1 billion.
Not surprisingly, the EuroLeague won't let potential key members leave without a fight. Amid a report last week that claimed the EuroLeague sent a letter to the NBA stating that it would take legal action if the league had discussions with teams signed to EuroLeague contracts, Silver told reporters, "I send the legal letters to my lawyers, so I'll let them handle that."
A source close to the NBA told Boardroom that the league hasn't engaged with anyone about an NBA Europe opportunity that they are not free to discuss. But there could be a pretty easy escape hatch for any interested party that has that particular conflict, as FC Barcelona is rumored to have. EuroLeague shareholders such as Barcelona, which recently signed a 10-year extension, reportedly have exit clauses of around €10 million, a relatively modest sum in what Silver has repeatedly described as a long-term play on the continent.
"I don't think by any means it's inevitable that there is a clash," Silver said when asked about the EuroLeague. "If I thought that the ceiling was the existing EuroLeague and their fan interest, we wouldn't be spending the kind of time and attention we are on this project."
MacNab told Boardroom she thinks NBA Europe and the EuroLeague can co-exist long term on the continent and believes that there's room for the two leagues to even compete against each other in the same markets. The NBA, in partnership with FIBA, has approached the EuroLeague several times but said it hasn't been able to reach a partnership that makes sense for either side.
“The NBA has been announcing and announcing things for a year, but still it’s nothing that you can grasp on,” EuroLeague CEO Paulius Motiejunas told the Associated Press over the weekend. "We've only heard the plan or the fireworks of how amazing it will be, how much potential there is. The ’27 start is already around the corner.”
While MacNab acknowledged that the NBA has a lot to sort out over the next 18-20 months, the league is confident in its plan and path forward.
"We think that there's enough interest both from fans and from investors," she said. "There's enough talent out there at a very top-tier level to make this a compelling product."
What's clear is that the war over the future of European basketball is only beginning, and likely won't be ending even if and when NBA Europe gets off the ground later next year.
The football and tennis writer, who has died aged 84, was a major force in changing the Guardian’s sports coverage, alongside long stints at the Daily Express and Independent
In my mind’s eye I remember it all. John Roberts, the Guardian’s northern-based football writer, had come down on a rare visit to the sports desk in London. I was a new boy on the subeditors’ desk. Everyone was pleased to see John: he was that kind of bloke.
While he was there, the chief sub wondered, could he perhaps look at a news agency story from his beat that had just come in. It could have been anything: the latest signing by Bob Paisley or Malcolm Allison or the latest misadventure of George Best. Instead of giving it the once-over or adding a sentence or two, he walked over to a quiet corner, picked up an office phone and started a long call. By the end he had the full story. There was an air of amazement in the room.
Welcome to this edition of the Vancouver Canucks post-game analytics report. This recurring deep dive breaks down the analytics behind each Canucks game as recorded by Natural Stat Trick. In this article, we look back on Vancouver’s most recent 4-3 loss to the New York Islanders.
The Canucks were the better team in this game from an analytics perspective. Vancouver held a 31-23 even-strength scoring chances advantage while winning the even-strength high-danger scoring chances battle 19-11. In the end, though, the Islanders were able to take advantage of their opportunities, which led to their victory.
As for the heatmap, the Canucks did a good job of crashing the crease. The issue was that New York also had no problems getting into Kevin Lankinen's crease. While there were positives offensively, Vancouver's defensive play was a problem on Monday.
Vancouver Canucks vs. New York Islanders, January 19, 2026, Natural Stat Trick
To wrap things up, the line of Jake DeBrusk, Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser had a strong night. In 10:55 together, they won the shots battle 8-4 while holding a high-danger scoring chances advantage of 8-1. If the team is going to snap their losing streak, they need these three to get going and not just have strong analytical nights, but also contribute on the scoresheet.
Jan 19, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; New York Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin (30) defends against Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson (40) in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
The Canucks continue their road trip on Wednesday against the Washington Capitals. This could be the last time Alex Ovechkin plays at Rogers Arena, as he is a free agent at the end of the season. Game time is set for 7:00 pm PT.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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Ottawa Senators -22-19-7 - 51 Points - 4-4-2 in the last 10 - Lost last 2 in OT- 8th in the Atlantic
Columbus Blue Jackets - 22-19-7 - 51 Points - 5-4-1 in the last 10 - Won 4 Straight - 6th in the Metro
Blue Jackets Stats
Power Play - 20.0% - 20th in the NHL
Penalty Kill - 74.8% - 29th in the NHL
Goals For - 143 - 20th in the NHL
Goals Against - 159 - 25th in the NHL
SenatorsStats
Power Play - 24.4% - 7th in the NHL
Penalty Kill - 71.5% - 31st in the NHL
Goals For - 156 - 11th in the NHL
Goals Against - 163 - 28th in the NHL
Series History vs. TheSenators
Columbus is 20-21-2-3 all-time, and 12-8-1-2 at home vs. Ottawa.
The Blue Jackets are 8-2-2 in the last 12 games against the Sens at home.
The CBJ are 1-1-0 against the Senators this season.
Who To Watch For TheSenators
Tim Stützle leads the Sens with 21 goals and 49 points.
Jake Sanderson leads Ottawa with 29 assists.
Goalie Leevi Meriläinen is 8-10-1 with a SV% of .860.
James Reimer 0-0-1 with an .882 SV%.
CBJ Player Notes vs.Senators
Zach Werenski has 21 points in 20 games against the Sens.
Charlie Coyle has 19 points in 33 games. All of his points are assists.
Sean Monahan has 19 points in 32 games vs. Ottawa.
Injuries
Isac Lundeström - Lower Body - Missed 12 Games - IR - Week to week. Has been skating, but the timeline is unknown.
Brendan Smith - Lower Body - Missed 10 Games IR - Out for the rest of the regular season.
Miles Wood - Lower Body - Missed 9 Games - Week to week.
Mason Marchment - Upper Body - Missed 7 Games - Week to week.
Denton Mateychuk - Lower Body - Missed 3 Games - Day to day.
TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 127
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About 90 minutes before Monday’s game, Josh Hart was answering questions from a couple of reporters. Someone asked him about the Knicks’ then 2-8 stretch.
“I think it’s a combination of stuff. Just gotta be better defensively, more physical, into the ball, more effort, more energy. That kind of stuff. I can’t say that I’m surprised because obviously January – middle of January especially – those are the kind of dog days of the season. So not too surprised,” Hart said. “You kind of see a few teams around kind of showing that fatigue. You know, it happens every year.”
Hart wasn’t excusing the Knicks’ poor play. But he didn’t sound too worried about it.
“We have to go out there with a sense of urgency,” Hart said. “At this point, (more than) 40 games in, normally you don’t put too much into struggles, because there’s highs and lows, but at this point we have to play desperate, because that’s (where) we are right now.”
Now, the Knicks have lost nine of their last 11 games. They have a bottom 5 defense in that span; New York may have hit rock bottom on that side of the ball Monday when Dallas put up 75 points in the first half.
It was one of the worst losses of the Jalen Brunson era. And one that led to a damning comparison between this year’s team and last year’s team, which reached the Eastern Conference Finals.
“I think last year no matter what we did, the effort was there. I haven’t seen this kind of effort that we had today, it was embarrassing,” Hart said.
He referenced a game last season when the Knicks leaned on effort and physicality to win.
“We didn’t shoot the ball, we couldn’t score, but we said, ‘We’re gonna lock in, and we’re gonna play defense, we’re gonna play physical, and we’re gonna make it tough.’ It’s the same group of guys, so how we’re playing right now is really inexcusable,” Hart said. “We all gotta look in the mirror and do some soul searching.”
How did the Knicks reach this point? How did a team that started the season 23-9 end up here?
In digging around on this, one theme has come up consistently over the past couple of weeks:
This group is not tied together in the way that their early season success would suggest. Players haven't fully bought into their roles under head coach Mike Brown. Those reasons are cited often when you talk to people about the Knicks’ flaws.
Now, these issues aren’t unique to this year’s team. They existed to a degree in the locker room last season. But the Knicks coaching change hasn't rooted them out.
The firing of Tom Thibodeau and hiring of Brown was never going to cure all that ailed the Knicks. But the move definitely raised the stakes for New York.
That was made clear earlier this month when owner James Dolan said in a WFAN interview that he expects the Knicks to reach – and win – the NBA Finals.
A few weeks ago, Dolan’s expectations seemed reasonable. The Knicks started the season 23-9; they won the NBA Cup in Las Vegas last month.
But things have fallen apart since then.
New York is 27th in opponent three-point percentage; the club has one of the NBA’s worst defenses over the past four weeks. Karl-Anthony Towns has struggled on both ends of the floor for much of the season.
It’s easy to point the finger at the new head coach. Certainly, Brown and his staff deserve criticism for the club’s freefall.
But what about the front office? Management’s three biggest acquisitions (Towns, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby) haven’t played at a high level with any consistency this season. The 2025 free agent signings (Guerschon Yabusele, Jordan Clarkson) haven’t provided the depth the Knicks were looking for.
So how does it all get turned around? The Knicks don't have much flexibility from here. They can use draft capital and/or Miles McBride to acquire a significant rotation player. It may be tough for the Knicks to recoup value in a Yabusele trade because of his 2026-27 player option.
Sure, Leon Rose & Co can execute a larger trade. But that would mean giving up on a core that they put together two summers ago.
Would Rose and his group make that kind of move? They probably don’t want to. But more losses like Monday’s may force their hand.
New Englanders know January can be a brutal month. The days are short and bitterly cold. Winter storm warnings seem to exist in perpetuity. All that holiday glee resides in the rearview mirror, and yet spring seems so far away.
January is a brutal month for NBA players, too. The body is feeling the effects of the first 41 games, but there’s still 41 more to go. There are trade rumors and a relentless game schedule. The All-Star break can’t arrive soon enough. Surviving the January doldrums feels like a legitimate chore.
And, if you’re Derrick White, January can’t seem to pass without a maddening shooting slump.
In his four full seasons since joining the Celtics, White has routinely slumped his way through January. It might have cost him an All-Star nod during the 2024 title season. On Monday night, in a showdown of Eastern Conference titans, White missed 10 of the 11 shots he hoisted against the Pistons and turned hesitant during the fourth-quarter moments where he typically thrives.
White was field-goal-less when he stepped to the free throw line early in the fourth quarter to shoot a technical freebie. He missed that one, too — in a game the Celtics would lose by a point, 104-103.
The numbers confirm what’s been hiding in plain sight: January is White’s toughest month. In his four full seasons since joining Boston, White’s scoring plummets to his lowest output of the seven regular-season months. It’s the only month in that span that he’s shooting under 40 percent from the field overall, and his January 3-point percentage is the worst of the seven months as well.
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It’s fair to wonder if White is feeling the effects of Jayson Tatum’s absence. While he’s pushed back on the suggestion that scoring has become more difficult while elevating to the No. 2 option, his shooting woes suggest otherwise.
Of the 154 players averaging at least eight shots per game with at least 25 games played this season, White ranks 149th in field goal percentage at 39.1 percent. Of the 113 players in that same group who average at least four 3-pointers per game, White ranks 105th in 3-point percentage at 32.4 percent.
But January has still been his cruelest month. White, who has now failed to reach double digits in scoring in his last three games, is shooting 36.7 percent from the field and 24.7 percent on 3s in 10 games this month.
Wake White up when January ends.
The good news: History suggests White typically rebounds well in February. That has been both his highest scoring month and his best shooting month (by far) over the past four seasons. White is averaging 17.3 points per game over his last four Februarys, while shooting 49.6 percent overall and 43 percent beyond the arc.
It says something about White’s ability to impact the game in so many other ways that he has lingered in the All-Star conversation despite his obvious shooting woes.
On Monday night, White registered a team-high five assists to go along with nine rebounds (including five on the offensive glass) and two blocks. White was the closest defender on 24 of Detroit’s shot attempts, an insanely high number even by his All-Defense standards. He’ll get votes for Defensive Player of the Year.
The potential in-season return of Tatum could go a long way toward improving the shot quality White enjoys in the second half of the season. Some of the Celtics’ inconsistent ways in recent weeks could be alleviated by White simply getting himself back on track with his offensive output. That Boston is still second in the NBA in offensive rating despite White’s shooting woes is very impressive.
There are six more games to navigate in January. White has played in 40 of Boston’s 41 games this season and could be due for a night off along the way. The Celtics ought to change all the calendars in the Auerbach Center to February to see if they can accelerate White out of his January slump.
LeBron James missed out on selection as an NBA All-Star starter for first time in 22 years, but the Los Angeles Lakers star could still feature in February's event.
On Monday, the NBA announced the 10 players voted as starters, including Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo, Denver Nuggets' Nikola Jokic, the Lakers' Luka Doncic and San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama.
Fans accounted for 50% of the vote to determine the 2026 starters, while current NBA players and a media panel each accounted for 25%.
The five players with the best score in each conference were named as starters across the three teams, with international players playing for the world team.
James, 41, was ranked ninth overall in the Western Conference by voters.
The NBA's all-time leading scorer can still earn selection as a reserve for the game held in Los Angeles on 15 February, but he will have to rely on a panel of NBA coaches to play as one of the 14 reserves.
James was selected in 2025 but did not play in the event after picking up an injury.
Sidney Crosby climbed a couple of all-time NHL leaderboards while skating in his 1,400th career game Monday afternoon in Seattle.
Crosby recorded his second assist of Monday night on Rickard Rakell’s third-period goal to help lead the Penguins to a 6-3 road win over the Kraken with his 1,742nd career point.
The ranks third only behind Wayne Gretzky (2,772 points) and Marcel Dionne (1,771) for the most points at the milestone in NHL history, according to NHL Stats.
Including the playoffs, those two assists moved Crosby past Ron Francis for fifth place on the NHL’s all-time points leaderboard (1,943 regular-season and postseason points). Only Gretzky, Mark Messier, Jaromir Jagr and Gordie Howe have more.
Those aren’t the only milestones Crosby cleared in Monday night’s win. Per NHL Stats:
Monday night’s win marked the 512 multi-point game of Crosby’s career. That moved him past Gordie Howe (511 career multi-point games) for the fifth-most in NHL history. Two more multi-point games this season would allow him to leapfrog Messier and Dionne for third on the all-time leaderboard.
The outing also brought Crosby’s career points total on the road to 784 points in 700 away games, tying Mario Lemieux (784 points in 443 road games) for the eighth-most in NHL history. That will leave the Penguins captain 25 road points back of Alex Ovechkin for seventh on the list.
Crosby’s set-up on Rakell’s third-period goal also marked the 580th third-period point of his career (he’s scored 213 goals and 367 assists in the final 20 minutes of regulation, per NHL Stats). That moved him past Dionne and Francis for seventh among all third-period scorers in NHL history.
This might not be the last time Pens fans get to watch Crosby climb the NHL’s all-time leaderboards this season. After Monday’s victory, he’s just 12 points back of tying Steve Yzerman (1,755 career points) for the seventh-most career points in NHL history.
Crosby’s meanwhile still ranking among the best in the league this season. His 55 points (26 goals, 29 assists) currently ranks 13th in the NHL, and his 26 goals are tied for fifth.
The Penguins will hope Crosby is able to extend his streak of three straight multi-point games when the road trip continues Wednesday in Calgary.
The Atlanta Hawks suffered their fourth successive loss, and a loss at home on MLK Day on Monday afternoon in a closely fought 112-100 defeat to the Milwaukee Bucks. Nickeil Alexander-Walker led the Hawks’ charge in the fourth quarter, scoring 32 points. Jalen Johnson added 28 points and 16 rebounds. For the Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 21 points, and Bobby Portis scored 19 points.
Off the back of a massive loss against the Boston Celtics, the Hawks welcomed back Dyson Daniels and Luke Kennard to the rotation, while Hawks head coach Quin Snyder made an additional change to the starting lineup by inserting Corey Kispert in place of — the struggling of late — Vit Krejci. CJ McCollum, meanwhile, returned to the bench with Daniels returning.
The story of the first, undoubtedly was the Hawks’ struggles shooting the three-pointer, missing their first 21 attempts from distance — basically going through the entire first half without making a three before McCollum made the Hawks’ first three with 27 seconds remaining in the first half.
The Hawks have looked leggy on jump shots of late — which, they hope, will be helped by a lighter schedule coming up — and Monday afternoon was no exception. Some of these shots they were unlucky not to see go down — the Hawks worked their opportunities well in the first half but had almost nothing to show for it.
The Hawks, finally, found their feet shooting the three-pointer in the second half, but did so as the Bucks — and Myles Turner — briefly found their own form shooting three, keeping the lead around 20 points in the beginning stages of the third quarter. A 10-0 run brought the Milwaukee lead down to 13 points, before an 18-4 run brought the lead below single digits — hope had returned. The Bucks looked as though they had stabilized in the fourth quarter, taking a 13-point lead in the early exchanges in the fourth quarter after a Kevin Porter Jr. and-one.
An Alexander-Walker brought the Milwaukee lead down to nine points with 6:57 remaining (leading to a timeout), and from this point forward it was the Alexander-Walker and McCollum show. Alexander-Walker would take the starring role, igniting for five threes in the fourth quarter, and his shot-making was instrumental to the Atlanta comeback.
McCollum chipped in too and, starting from that 6:57 mark on that Alexander-Walker three, combined with Alexander-Walker to score the next 24 points the Hawks scored — finally broken by a three from Jalen Johnson with 1:10 remaining (from which point forward, normal service was resumed between Alexander-Walker and McCollum).
These baskets from Alexander-Walker (especially) and McCollum brought the Hawks back within the game, and Atlanta faithful was rewarded with a clutch game down the stretch. Let’s look at how it unfolded and where the game was lost on this occasion.
Down four points with just over two and a half minutes remaining, Alexander-Walker continues his fourth quarter effort by coming off of a pin down set by Onyeka Okongwu, coming around the screen, receiving the ball, and rising into the three:
A good switch by Porter Jr. here to get a good contest. It’s just an even better shot by Alexander-Walker, and a good screen from Okongwu to facilitate it.
On the probe by Porter Jr., Dyson Daniels does an excellent job defensively to get through the Antetokounmpo screen and contest the shot, forcing the Milwaukee miss, and now, giving the Hawks a chance to take the lead:
Just brilliant on-ball defense from Daniels, especially to get through the screen and stay with Porter Jr.
After two missed free throws by Johnson — denying a great opportunity to give the Hawks their first lead since the first half — and a missed shot by Antetokounmpo, the Hawks take the lead thanks to made free throws from McCollum. This was short-lived, as the threat of the Antetokounmpo screen (which he slips) puts Daniels behind the play, and forces McCollum to switch from Green to Porter Jr. Daniels switches to Green, but it’s not enough to prevent Green draining his sixth three of the game:
It’s a well worked play from the Bucks, and the slip from Antetokounmpo really puts Daniels behind the play, who likely expected having to go around the stationary Antetokounmpo on the screen.
The Milwaukee lead itself was, briefly, short-lived, as McCollum draws the Bucks’ defense in the corner and kicks the ball out to Johnson above the break, who rises into the three to give the Hawks a 105-104 lead with 1:11 remaining:
It’s a good job by McCollum, operating in a tight space in the corner — with Daniels keeping Porter Jr. close-by — and another shot that is well contested by Porter Jr. Just another better shot made by the Hawks, in this case, by Jalen Johnson.
The Bucks would trade another blow to the Hawks’ newly found lead, with the Bucks using the threat of the two-man between Antetokounmpo and Green (which yielded a lot of success in this game) to open up an avenue offensively. In this case, the threat of a Green three prompts McCollum to chase around the screen to cover Green opens up the roll for Antetokounmpo. When Porter Jr. slips the pass to his roller, it prompts Johnson to slide over to plug the gap. This opens up Portis in the corner, and good use of a fake sends Johnson into the Hawks’ bench, while Portis hits the three to give the Bucks the lead once again:
Portis is shooting over 47% from three this season; it’s hard to blame Johnson a ton for committing to the challenge on Portis here. Prior to that, the Bucks run the play exactly as they should through Giannis and Green — it was their most consistent avenue to score, and with Green shooting as he did in this game the Hawks couldn’t afford to be burned by another three from him.
Faced with a favorable switch onto Ryan Rollins, Johnson looks to take it to the chest of Rollins, but as he bounces into Rollins the force of the bump knocks the ball loose and picked up by Antetokounmpo, who pushes the ball in transition and finishes at the rim to give the Bucks a four point lead with 36 seconds remaining, and an Atlanta timeout:
A tough break for Johnson, who on the last two possessions was sent to the shops by Portis for the three and then turns the ball over for a costly fastbreak basket (and, arguably, lucky not to be called for the foul on Antetokounmpo).
A tough, fading shot from McCollum at the rim out of the timeout brings the Hawks back within two, and once the Bucks get past half-court the fouling game begins. Kyle Kuzma hits both free throws to restore the four-point lead, and the Hawks take their final timeout. Out of which, Daniels (who was a threat for the Bucks inbounding the ball and then cutting), delivers the ball to Alexander-Walker back on the perimeter, who hits the three to bring the lead to one point:
The play provided an insight to how the Hawks were willing to play this one out: everything rode on this three. A quick two — which Daniels could have driven to the rim — and the Hawks can still play the foul game. Missing the three would have ended the game there and then. Fortunately for the Hawks, Alexander-Walker had the hot hand, and he keeps the Hawks’ hope alive:
A very quick foul on Ryan Rollins gives the Hawks plenty of time to get down the court — no matter how Rollins shoots from the line — and get a chance for a decent shot. Rollins splits the pair, meaning even just a two would give the Hawks a chance to send the game to overtime. Johnson inbounds the ball to McCollum, who brings the ball up the floor, gets stuck, stumbles, and puts up a tough shot which is missed, and the game comes to an empty end:
It’s a horrible possession for McCollum, who had a good fourth quarter right up this point. He just gets stuck and has to find a way to get the ball anywhere, away from the situation he found himself in. For one of Johnson, or, especially, Alexander-Walker to not get the final shot is tough for the Hawks. Alas, this was the way of things, and the Hawks’ comeback from a terrible shooting half falls agonizingly short.
Asked about the final possession, Quin Snyder discussed that while the Hawks didn’t have a timeout these are scenarios they try to prepare for. Snyder was pleased with the Hawks’ spacing on the play and believed it just unfortunate that the ball was tipped away.
“We didn’t have any timeouts and those are situations you work on in practice, and it was one of the ones we had touched,” said Snyder of the final possession. “Really trust CJ with the ball and thought we got into a position where we were going to get a good shot: either he was going to get one or he was going to kick it out, and the ball just got tipped. It’s hard to fault. I should preface it by saying it’s not just one play, but we actually executed. Sometimes you do that and don’t get the right result, but the floor was open, we had guys spaced, JJ was on the trail. The ball just got tipped.”
Nickeil Alexander-Walker provided a more detailed perspective of the final play and his perspective of it, and how the play began to unravel before his eyes.
“The last play I know coach had a call,” began Alexander-Walker. “I was running to the corner to be prepared for said call. CJ was coming down. I was waiting for the action to begin. Based on the spacing, I was hesitant to continue just because I guess the live read was different from the call. It was just about me staying spaced and being ready. The help guy gambled — and I was kind of shocked that he did just with it being Corey, and usually in late game you want to stay as solid as you can be. Unfortunately, we didn’t get the shot we wanted.”
As Snyder mentioned, the Hawks losing this game went beyond this missed shot from McCollum. It’s hard to look anywhere else other than the Hawks’ first half shooting: 1-of-22 from three (0-of-21 to start). By the end of the first half, the Bucks had eight three-pointers (outscoring the Hawks 24-0 in that department) and led by 16 points. Despite this, Snyder was pleased with how the Hawks continued to play the right way on both ends of the floor.
“It was our whole team,” said Snyder of the Hawks’ shooting struggles. “I think we were 1-of-21 from three — we’re better shooters than that. We were getting great looks. It’s really easy when that happens to stop doing the things that got us those shots. You can lose your resolve to keep playing that way. That was a big topic for us at the half: ‘Let’s keep doing what we’re doing, eventually we’re going to make some shots.’ When we score 72 points in the second half, 33 assists on 39 field goals, that’s how we want to play. If some of those shots go in it’s a different ball-game. Those are the things that are hard to control: whether the ball goes in. What we can control is the kind of shots we’re getting, and we were getting great looks — we were open.
“Having said that, it’s very easy — when you’re not seeing the ball go in the basket — to let up, get frustrated, and it carries over to the defensive end. That didn’t happen either. Holding a team like that to what we did and just continuing to grind and play, in spite of the fact we were missing shots, gave us an opportunity to stay in the game until we did make some. This is one of the games you wish you got the affirmation of a win, but I think our guys took a big step as far as their connectivity and how we need to play. I thought we ran well, even late in the game, and a couple of shots that went in that Milwaukee shot that you tip your hat — they’re not easy shots. What we take from this is how we play, if we continue to play that way the scoreboard will reflect it.”
“The good thing about it is we kept shooting, despite all the misses,” added Jalen Johnson. “That’s tough, and rare to go for 0-for-21, it’s unlike us. Sometimes, you’ve got to adjust. We came out in the second half and started making shots.”
The Hawks shot 11-of-20 from three in the second half, with Alexander-Walker shooting 5-of-6 from three in the fourth quarter alone, describing how the Hawks’ shooting would eventually even out. He also outlined his belief in how the Hawks’ energy and their approach to their play would be a dictating factor in the Hawks’ shooting and general play.
“It goes back to the law of averages of basketball and understanding the realities of the game,” said Alexander-Walker. “You’re not going to make shots all the time. Sometimes the ones that feel good miss, sometimes the ones that feel nasty go in somehow. That was the tale of the night, but we found a way to chip away at it. We understood a lot of shots we were getting were good shots. One thing I did learn and could feel: despite the shots going in or going out — whatever the game was giving us — our energy and mentality towards it will change everything. I feel the game follows the energy, and our energy changed our — I want to say — spirit, to a degree… You can feel it more in the second half than the first half. The first half, we were getting great looks. We make those shots, maybe it’s a different outcome. Nonetheless, woulda, coulda, shoulda.
“The main thing is our energy is what gave us a fighting chance, and we played through mistakes and the game went up and down, and they responded to our run. We threw another punch, and those are the things that carry on for the rest of the 37-something games (remaining in the season).”
The Hawks were unlucky in the first half, it must be said. They missed a lot of threes that on different nights would go in — to shoot 0-of-21 for, basically, an entire half is almost unheard of (the Pacers came close this season, shooting 1-of-20 in a half). Despite these struggles shooting the three, there were some strong, solid individual games from the Hawks.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s game in the second half was transformative in this game. Often this season, Alexander-Walker has stepped up in the fourth quarter for the Hawks and Monday afternoon was another such example. Having begun the game 2-of-10 from three through three quarters, Alexander-Walker finished shooting 43% from three — an achievement given how he began shooting in this game. While Johnson hit a big three, and McCollum hit some tough shots too — his threes galvanized the Hawks in this game. Alexander-Walker finished with 32 points on 9-of-20 from the field, 7-of-16 from three, and 7-of-7 from the free throw line.
Alexander-Walker and McCollum went on a combined run in the fourth quarter, scoring 24 straight points between them, and the ever-insightful Alexander-Walker outlined the adjustment playing next to McCollum.
“I think it’s just about reading points of attack and playing off-ball with movement,” said Alexander-Walker. “I know in the first half I had drove, he had hit to me, set a screen, then I got stopped, he peeled off, I hit him, he was able to drive a close-out and get a layup — small things like that. The more we use our skillset and tools together, I feel it’s going to benefit us. There was times where it did, and it’s just about communication and learning CJ. He’s also learning us and what our system is and where he can be effective. I’m trying my best to be better at communicating. The tough thing it is (me) being in year 7, and him being in year 13/14 — I’m not trying to come off as the guy that’s talking down to someone who has done this before, but still having that open communication and saying ‘Hey, trust me,’ or ‘What do you see here?’ Just getting the feel.”
I believe this is the play Alexander-Walker is referring to:
As the relationship grows, there’ll probably be times where McCollum is able to recognize Alexander-Walker’s movement to the corner and find him there when the layup isn’t as open as it was in this instance.
During an interview prior to the game, McCollum himself promised Peacock that he would shoot better in this game, and he did. McCollum scored 17 points on 5-of-11 from the field, 2-of-4 from three, and 5-of-6 from the free throw line. If Johnson’s missed free throws are something that is remembered from this game, there’s a whole different bracket for McCollum’s final possession of the game. Irrespective of the fact there was no timeout available, it was a bad possession that fell in McCollum’s hands, and a costly one — but a better game overall.
Johnson’s contributions to this game were, by no means, small, scoring 28 points on 11-of-24 from the field, 3-of-6 from three, 16 rebounds, and six assists. It was good to see Johnson be a little more forceful attacking the rim in this game; the Boston game was tough for many reasons, one of them being that between all the Boston makes, the Hawks couldn’t get out and run. Johnson was able to do that a little more in this game and also find his feet with three-pointer in this game.
“JJ just continued to play,” said Snyder of Johnson’s shooting. “He missed a couple early on that he can make, and he didn’t get discouraged at all.”
It’s hard not to think about Johnson missing those two free throws in the fourth quarter, which would have given the Hawks their first lead since the first half (McCollum would right this wrong moments later to give the Hawks the lead). In a game as close as this was down the stretch, those moments can go a long way.
Dyson Daniels had a solid return to action: 17 points on 8-of-16 from the field to go with nine rebounds, 10 assists, and three steals. Daniels was excellent defensively, and he was able to get on the offensive glass in the first quarter for some put-backs, and some great cuts in this game too. That said, it’s so hard to ignore his three-point shooting — the Bucks were more than happy to let him shoot, and even though there were possessions where Daniels could have shot the three (kicking it to another teammate instead, there were also possessions where he was so open that he had no choice but to shoot it, and he missed his two attempts. Daniels last made a three on December 14th, and has missed his last 19 attempts from three when he has shot.
Late in the game, Snyder made the ‘offense-defense’ switch for the last possession of the game, and it was Kispert to come in for Daniels. It’s just tough that it’s come to this — perhaps after the season there’ll be an explanation behind Daniels’ incredible regression from three. He’s really solid everywhere else — and great defensively — but it’s difficult from three.
Still, pretty good games from those three players, led by the efforts of Alexander-Walker.
“We had a number of guys, from a statistical standpoint, had good numbers but I also thought that none of them were thinking that way when they were playing,” said Snyder. “They were connected, and those things happen naturally when you’re playing as a team and playing the way we want…”
Onyeka Okongwu had a difficult game: four points on 0-of-6 shooting from the field and 0-of-4 from three, scoring all four of his points from the free throw line — just a difficult game for Okongwu, his hook shots just weren’t falling, and he wasn’t able to get deep enough inside, nor get amongst the offensive rebounding for his own offense, but did help contribute for others with his four offensive rebounds.
Corey Kispert didn’t add a whole lot more than Vit Krejci in the starting lineup, scoring two points on 1-of-4 shooting and 0-of-3 from three in (…drumroll!) 20 minutes — that magical 18-22-ish minutes for the starting small forward spot. A return to the bench did not solve Krejci’s shooting struggles, shooting 0-of-6 from the field and three — now shooting 14-of-49 from three (28.6%) in the month of January.
All in all, a solid comeback from a 23-point hole and a 0-of-21 start from three. Alexander-Walker was excellent in the second half (28 of his 32 points coming in the second half), Johnson was much more impactful than he has been lately, and Dyson Daniels was solid too. The Hawks executed well down the stretch, but that three from Portis followed by the Johnson turnover put the Hawks on the back foot, and when Alexander-Walker gave the Hawks a chance to tie or win the game, the last possession was an unfortunate dud.
The Hawks (20-25) are now on a four-game losing streak and head to Memphis to take on the Grizzlies (18-23) on Wednesday night. The game is Memphis’ first game back on home soil since their games in Berlin and London — perhaps a good time as any to play a Grizzlies side adjusting back to a vastly different time zone.
It probably was not as smooth as you would have drawn it up, but the Suns took care of business in Brooklyn on Monday night. They never fully shook the Nets, yet they controlled the game anyway. Brooklyn was doing it on the second night of a back-to-back, which made it even more impressive, especially after falling into an early 20-point hole. You could feel the Nets gaining confidence as the night went on. They shot 50.6% from the field and 39.5% from deep and kept pushing.
The difference came on the defensive end, specifically in how Phoenix handled Michael Porter Jr. The plan was clear: let the kids around him fire. Make everything he wanted uncomfortable. It worked. He finished with 23 points, but it took 23 shots to get there, including 2-of-10 from beyond the arc.
The Suns led nearly wire-to-wire after a brief 6-3 deficit, though a 15-2 run to close the second quarter let Brooklyn linger longer than ideal. Same story in the fourth. Not perfect. Still effective. Phoenix held on for win number 26.
It was a full team effort to reach 126 points. Three players cleared 20. Six finished in double figures. Scoring came from everywhere. The road trip now sits at 2-2 with two games left, and the Suns are back to even at 12-12 away from home.
Bright Side Baller Season Standings
It was close after the Suns’ win over the Knicks, with the entire bench mob pulling in 28% of the total vote. But one guy separated himself from the pack, and that was Jordan Goodwin.
His 3-of-4 shooting from beyond the arc, paired with the defensive pressure he brought as part of that second unit, helped steady the game when it started to wobble. That impact did not go unnoticed, and it earned him his third Bright Side Baller of the season.
After last night’s victory against the Utah Jazz, Victor Wembanyama was asked about being selected to the All-Star staring five. Immediately after discussing the honor, the focus shifted to baldness.
When asked about Carter Bryant’s standout performance, Wemby responded,
“It was great, it was great. Feels like now he makes dunks, he don’t want to let the hair go.”
Wembanyama is referring to the recent posts that Carter Bryant was offered $20,000 to shave his head. Thus far, Victor and Keldon Johnson have ceremoniously shaved their heads while Jordan McLaughlin was ahead of the curve.
Bryant was offered the stipend to join in the festivities. When he turned it down, De’Aaron Fox said that if Bryant blew three more dunks he’d not have an option to shave his head.
Wemby believes despite making the dunk and turning down the money, Bryant will come around.
“I think everybody needs more bald players. I think it’s a show of dedication, at least from my point of view. I think Carter’s coming next if I had to bet on it.”
When asked if Wemby, as a team leader could exert his power and influence to lobby for more shave players, he replied wryly,
“I definitely am. And we need to start having contracts and conditions.”
His influence thus far has garnered the respect of his fans and peers in the Jackals as well as members of the Spurs crew.
We all know when Wemby wraps his head around an idea, he gets people on board. After all, the Jackals was his brainchild.
Now the head is bald and he’s putting his energy behind getting his teammates on board.
In his postgame interview, Harrison Barnes stated he wasnt against shaving his head as long ias it was his decision. He also hypothesized that Stephon Castle will be the last to shave his head.
Even NBA on Prime got in on the trend.
Who will be next to go under the shaver? Only time will tell.
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Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported Monday that the Cardinals, among other teams, were showing “significant interest” in free agent INF/OF Miguel Andujar. Chaim Bloom has stated publicly in his spots on 1120 KMOX during the “Sports On A Sunday Morning” show with Tom Ackerman that he would like to add a right-handed hitter who can handle both infield and outfield responsibilities. Andujar has seen time in his big league career at 1B, 3B, LF, and RF.
Though not particularly known for his defensive work, what Andujar does very well is crush left-handed pitching, and that would give Manager Oli Marmol an additional weapon to use in his lineup in 2026. Last season in 93 plate appearances against LHP Andjuar slashed .389/.409/.578 -> .986 OPS. He also produced a wOBA of .421 and a wRC+ of 171. Among RHH who had a minimum 90 plate appearances against LHP, Miguel Andujar ranked 5th in all of baseball with his 171 wRC+ behind Aaron Judge (225), Ivan Herrera (205), Shea Langeliers (184), and Byron Buxton (178).
For a lineup that will feature a heavy left-handed presence such as Alec Burleson, Nolan Gorman, Lars Nootbaar, JJ Wetherholt, Victor Scott II, and possibly Brendan Donovan, adding some reliable balance and punch to the lineup on days that the Cardinals face off against a tough lefty makes all the sense in the world. Among the remaining hitters on the roster, only TWO had a wRC+ above 100 last season against LHP, with a minimum of 90 plate appearances: Ivan Herrera and Nolan Gorman.
Defensively, Andujar is very limited. He has the positional versatility to stand in various positions, but his -7 oAA last season leaves a lot to be desired. However, the one defensive tool Andujar does possess is a well-above-average throwing arm, averaging over 92 MPH on his throws from the outfield. Between him and Walker, the range in the outfield would be suspect at best, but if either can play deep and keep the ball in front of them, they can accumulate assists and gun down runners trying to take extra bases.
Fangraphs projects a 1 year 5.5 million contract for Andujar. Given the amount of interest in the player, the Cardinals would probably have to raise that offer just a smidge and perhaps be willing to include performance-based incentives, and perhaps an option for 2027 to get the deal across the finish line. The opportunity for a player of Andujar’s profile exists on the current roster and should be attractive to Andujar’s camp. The only question that remains is the financial compononet and we will see in the coming days/weeks whether or not Chaim Bloom can get it across the finish line.
Friends, we are exactly one month away from the 2026 Orioles playing baseball. Spring training baseball, yes, but baseball nonetheless. There will be lineups and uniforms and everything! The O’s will kick off their Grapefruit League schedule on Feb. 20 with a home game in Sarasota against the Yankees, and most of us will even be able to watch, as it’s one of the 20 games that MASN will air this spring.
That exhibition opener, of course, won’t necessarily tell us much about what we should expect from the 2026 season. Not every projected Orioles starter will be in the lineup, and probably by the fifth or sixth inning the O’s will have nothing but backups and minor leaguers on the field. That’s spring training for you. Still, it’s a warming thought — on this 20-degree day in the greater Baltimore area — that there will be actual baseball happening not too long from now.
Before we get there, though, the O’s still have some roster business to attend to. They’re continuing their stated pursuit of a top-shelf starting pitcher, which at this point is Framber Valdez or bust on the free agent market, unless the Birds have another surprise trade in them. They also need to address the whole three-right-handed-hitting-first-basemen logjam, and maybe add another reliever or two while they’re at it.
There’s more work to do. There’s more roster maneuvering in store. But baseball is on the horizon.
Nick Markakis won’t hear his named called during today’s Hall of Fame election, but Jay Jaffe offers a fine recap of the former Orioles fan favorite’s outstanding career.
If you’re planning a visit to spring training this year, Rich Dubroff’s got you covered on everything you need to know, including oodles of restaurant recommendations. I’m feeling hungry all of a sudden.
The former Oriole has found a new team, and he might even be their primary shortstop until Ha-Seong Kim returns from injury. Best of luck to Jorge in Atlanta.
Orioles birthdays and history
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! A whopping seven former Orioles have birthdays today: catcher Luis Exposito (39), outfielder David Lough (40), right-hander Matt Albers (43), infielder Ozzie Guillén (62), lefty Bill Scherrer (68), and the late outfielder Gene Stephens (b. 1933, d. 2019) and Baltimore-born righty Dave Boswell (b. 1945, d. 2012).
On this date in 1977, the Orioles traded eight-time Gold Glove center fielder Paul Blair to the Yankees. The best defensive outfielder in franchise history, Blair had spent the first 13 years of his career in Baltimore and starred on two World Series-winning O’s clubs, but was coming off the two worst offensive seasons of his career when the Orioles made the trade. As a bench player with the Yanks, Blair added two more championships to his total in 1977 and 1978.
In 1994, the Orioles signed Hall of Fame closer Lee Smith to a one-year deal. The veteran right-hander already had 401 saves on his résumé, and added a league-leading 33 for the Orioles in the strike-shortened ‘94 season. Smith finished his career with 478, currently the third-most in MLB history.
And on this day last year, Anthony Santander officially parted ways with the Orioles after eight seasons, signing a five-year, $92.5 million deal with the division rival Blue Jays. The O’s, with their best 2024 power bat no longer around, struggled to hit homers in 2025, but Santander’s first year in Toronto didn’t go well for him, either. He posted a meager .565 OPS with six homers in 54 games, missing nearly four months with a shoulder injury, and was relegated to a spectator during the Jays’ near-championship run.
