Now that the dust has settled after an eventful NBA trade deadline, all the attention goes to the playoff race. As of now, the Phoenix Suns’ record is 31-21, sitting in seventh in the Western Conference and able to climb even higher. The Suns are only one game behind the Timberwolves, Lakers, and Rockets, and are two games behind Denver for third in the conference.
The good news for the Suns is that no team ahead of them made a big move to improve significantly. Nor did any teams following closely behind them.
Let’s start with the top-tier title contenders. The Thunder added Jared McCain, who could play backup guard minutes, but is not a game-changer for them this season. The San Antonio Spurs did not make a move at the deadline and have a roster that is ready to compete for an NBA title. The Denver Nuggets traded Hunter Tyson and a second-round pick to Brooklyn for tax purposes and to open up a buyout spot on the roster. No needle movers so far.
The Houston Rockets stood still as well. Maybe a point guard worth adding will appear on the buyout market, but the Rockets will likely head into the playoffs as currently constituted. As for the Los Angeles Lakers, LeBron James is still on the team despite the rumors that he and the Lakers are potentially ready to part ways. The Lakers did trade Gabe Vincent for Luke Kennard to add more perimeter shooting and another traffic cone on defense. The Lakers need shooting and found a reliable shooting option in Kennard, but he will only make an already flawed defensive roster even worse.
Perhaps the best news of all for the Suns, and all Western Conference teams, is that Giannis Antetokounmpo did not get traded to any team in the West. The Timberwolves were wheeling and dealing at the deadline and were reportedly one of the teams interested in Antetokounmpo. The Timberwolves traded Mike Conley, Rob Dillingham, and second-round picks in separate trades. The return? Ayo Dosunmo from Chicago: he is an upgrade at the guard spot and will help Minnesota fill the biggest hole it has on its roster. Is he a good fit for what they needed? Mayyyyyyybeeeeeee…? As far as needle-moving trades go, this one was the only trade by a team ahead of the Suns that made them better.
Now we are to the Suns, who traded Nick Richards and Nigel Hayes-Davis to Milwaukee for Amir Coffey and Cole Anthony. The move was made primarily to get Phoenix below the luxury tax, so neither player will crack into the Suns’ rotation immediately (Anthony might get cut before ever showing up), but if Phoenix continues to suffer injuries, they could find their way into some playing time.
Now this is where things get a little more interesting. The eighth-place Golden State Warriors finally traded Jonathan Kuminga, who finally got his wish after making his 17th trade request in the last two seasons. The full trade included Kuminga and Buddy Hield for Atlanta Hawks center Kristaps Porzing in return. The Warriors add much-needed size, but injury concerns for Porzingis are real. If Porzingis plays, he makes the Warriors much better, but after losing Jimmy Butler for the season, Golden State needed a bigger move to have a shot at making a playoff run.
Despite being one of the best teams in the NBA over the past month or so, the ninth-place Los Angeles Clippers were sellers at the trade deadline. They were 17-4 in their last 21 games, but still decided to trade James Harden and Ivica Zubac. Harden was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers for guard Darius Garland, who, while talented, has spent more time on the bench this year due to foot injuries. Long term, the Clippers made a shrewd, smart move to get younger and take a chance on hitting big with Garland, but it makes the Clippers worse right now.
The other move they made was trading Zubac for Bennedict Mathurin and two first-round picks. Another long-term move from the Clippers that could work out, but it does not improve the Clippers pursuit of a playoff spot. Regardless of the Clippers getting worse at the deadline, they are not a team you want to see in the play-in with a healthy Kawhi Leonard.
The tenth-place Blazers added Vit Krejci for Duop Reath a few days before the deadline, and other than that, were as quiet as a mouse.
As for the rest of the conference, unless the Suns spiral to end the season, they will not get caught by any teams below the Blazers. And even that is being extreme. However, the race for the two play in spots behind the Suns and Warriors is wide open. The Memphis Grizzlies traded Jaren Jackson Jr. to Utah and appear to be blowing things up. The Utah Jazz have a lot of good players on the roster, but owe the Thunder a first round pick if it falls outside the top eight. Will they continue to rest and tank to keep their pick? Or will they make a run at the play-in?
Overall, things could not have worked out better for the Suns at the deadline. No team behind them made a move that puts them in jeopardy of not hosting a play-in game at worst. At best, if the Suns continue to play well and any team falls in front of them, they could finish in the top six in the West this season and a real chance to potentially win a series depending on the matchup.
Following the NBA’s trade deadline on Thursday, co-general managers Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi were able to speak with the media about the deadline. Unlike last year, when Nico Harrison spewed “defense wins championships” at the media for 15 minutes, the duo was able to provide an interesting perspective on where they see the organization as being after the Anthony Davis trade. Beyond that, I think there’s an interesting tidbit about how the Mavericks will approach this upcoming draft. To the quotes!
Opening statement
Michael Finley: Well first, I want to thank Anthony Davis, Jaden Hardy, Dante Exum and D’Angelo Russell for their professionalism while they were with the Mavericks. Both on and off the court, in the community, those guys were great. So, kudos to those guys and good luck to them in their future endeavors.
We decided as an organization, front office and management, that we needed to something to bring back the winning culture here in Dallas. We thought doing the move that we did puts us back in that conversation, and gives the fans something to be excited about. And I think we’re moving in the right direction by doing the move we did, it puts us in the mindset of having a championship atmosphere around here. That’s what it’s all about, and I think we’ve achieved that with the move we just did. And we will continue to do that, and do what we think is best for the organization this day, and going forward as well.
Matt Riccardi: I echo a lot of Fin’s thoughts. But most importantly, thank you to the players, and we’re excited for the new guys coming in. Just to expand on one of Fin’s points, I think we had to take an honest look at ourselves in the mirror and realize where we were and where we wanted to be. Sometimes, the path is not straightforward, and you’ve got to go a roundabout way to get where we want to go. But our goal here remains the same. We want to win championships, we want to build a championship roster, and we want to do everything we can to provide the players with the proper resources and the staff to make that happen.
Not a ton here to digest, although I think Riccardi’s quotes are telling about how the organization looked in the mirror and didn’t like what they saw. Admitting that they’re going in a “roundabout way” to get where they want to go is as close as anyone will get to saying they’re eyeing a higher draft pick. That’s a good thing! This is the most hopeful statement they could’ve given after this deadline.
On the Mavericks offense (27th in the NBA) and how it correlates with the lack of guard play
Finley: If you look around the league, the teams that are most successful have great guard play. Someone who can lead the offense, get the guys in the right position to make easier shots. And for us, I think guard play is as important, because it’s less pressure and stress that we can put on Cooper offensively. So, if we can get him with a guy that makes his job just a little bit easier, I think it does wonders for him, hopefully for his whole career.
(Photo by Cooper Neill/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
If you’re looking for potential easter eggs about how this front office would build the roster out if they were given the keys full time, this statement is very telling. Finley talking about pairing Cooper Flagg with a guard “for his whole career” is something that I’m going to file away when June comes around. It’s clear this front office understands the NBA in ways that Nico Harrison didn’t, which was ultimately his demise. You must have great guard play to be a contender in today’s NBA. It’s a non-starter when building a team out, and this front office gets that.
These two quotes should inspire confidence that the Mavericks would be just fine with these two at the helm. Finley and Riccardi are widely respected around the NBA, and their understanding of doing what is best for the long-term future of the team should make you feel hopeful for the future.
Mar 15, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Canada pitcher Rob Zastryzny in the fourth inning against Mexico during the World Baseball Classic at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Full 2026 World Baseball Classic rosters were announced on Thursday, and the Brewers have plenty of representation, with 14 players playing for eight countries, including a few of Milwaukee’s stars. Let’s take a country-by-country look at the Brewers participating in this year’s WBC.
Canada: Tyler Black & Rob Zastryzny
Tyler Black and Rob Zastryzny will both represent their home country of Canada.
Black, 25, was a competitive balance pick by the Brewers back in 2021 and has displayed strong plate discipline throughout his career. He broke through in the majors in 2024 and has had minimal success in the bigs, hitting .211/.357/.263 with three doubles, three RBIs, and five runs across 57 at-bats between 2024 and 2025. He’ll be looking to compete for an MLB roster spot this spring as a depth piece for the infield.
Zastryzny, 34 in March, was a second-round pick by the Cubs in 2013, making it to the majors with Chicago in 2016. He’s spent the last two seasons with Milwaukee, appearing in 35 games (four “starts” as an opener) with a 2.12 ERA and 25 strikeouts over 29 2/3 innings as a reliable left-handed arm. He previously played for Team Canada in the 2023 WBC, appearing in one game and allowing three runs over two innings of work (13.50 ERA).
Dominican Republic: Abner Uribe
Abner Uribe, 25, was an international signee out of the D.R. He made his debut with the Brewers in 2023, pitching to a 1.76 ERA over 30 2/3 appearances in the second half of the season. He struggled to open 2024, pitching to a 6.91 ERA over 14 1/3 innings before being suspended (which he served in 2025), demoted, and injured the remainder of the year with Triple-A Nashville. He bounced back in 2025, pitching to a 1.67 ERA and 90 strikeouts over 75 1/3 innings as one of Milwaukee’s most reliable bullpen arms.
Great Britain: Miles Langhorne & Jack Seppings
Miles Langhorne, 22, and Jack Seppings, 23, are both relative unknowns in Milwaukee’s minor league system. Both U.S.-born (Langhorne in Connecticut, Seppings in Minnesota), they’re both undrafted free agents who reached High-A Wisconsin in 2025
Langhorne, who went to college at Charlotte, pitched in 15 games with the Low-A Carolina Mudcats, sporting a 3.33 ERA and 28 strikeouts over 24 1/3 innings. After his promotion to Wisconsin, he made 12 appearances, striking out 15 over 14 innings with an 8.36 ERA.
Seppings, who went to college at Brown, debuted with Carolina in 2024, making three appearances with four earned runs over four innings (9.00 ERA). He then made 17 appearances with the Mudcats in 2025, pitching to a 3.46 ERA and 31 strikeouts over 26 innings. After being called up, he made 20 appearances with the Timber Rattlers, pitching to a 3.82 ERA and 25 strikeouts across 35 1/3 innings. Seppings was on the 2023 Great Britain WBC roster while still at Brown, though he didn’t make any appearances.
Italy: Andrew Fischer
Fischer, 21, was Milwaukee’s first-round pick out of Tennessee in the 2025 draft. Ranked as MLB Pipeline’s top third base prospect, Fischer spent the second half of the 2025 season at High-A Wisconsin. Across 19 games with the Rattlers, he hit .311/.402/.446 with a homer, triple, five doubles, 10 RBIs, eight runs, and eight steals.
Mexico: Joey Ortiz
Ortiz, 27, was a fourth-round pick by the Orioles in 2019 before coming over in the Corbin Burnes trade. He had a solid rookie season in 2024, hitting .239/.329/.398 with 11 homers, 60 RBIs, 58 runs, and 11 steals over 142 games while playing above-average defense. Unfortunately, he was unable to repeat that performance in 2025, as just about all of his stats regressed in 2025. He’ll look to bounce back in 2026, starting with Team Mexico this spring.
Nicaragua: Stiven Cruz, Carlos Rodriguez, & Freddy Zamora
We’ll start this group with Carlos Rodriguez, 24, a sixth-round pick by the Brewers in 2021 out of Florida Southwestern State Junior College. He’s bounced between Triple-A and the majors the last couple of seasons. In 2025, he had a 3.82 ERA with 82 strikeouts over 77 2/3 innings with Nashville and a 6.52 ERA with 11 strikeouts over 9 2/3 innings with Milwaukee across four relief appearances. A member of Nicaragua’s 2023 WBC team, Rodriguez made one start with one run allowed (2.25 ERA) and three strikeouts over four frames.
Stiven Cruz, also 24, is another Nicaraguan right-hander in Milwaukee’s minor league system. He reached Double-A Biloxi in 2025, with 35 appearances (one start) between Wisconsin and Biloxi. Across 65 2/3 innings between the two levels, he had a 4.39 ERA with 63 strikeouts.
Freddy Zamora, 27, was Milwaukee’s second-round pick out of Miami in 2020. He hasn’t been able to put together a consistent track record thus far, but he did have a solid 2025 season with the Nashville Sounds. Across 104 games, Zamora hit .257/.353/.348 with four homers, 46 RBIs, 49 runs, and 13 steals.
United States: Brice Turang
Brice Turang, 26, is one of the headliners for Milwaukee, both because he’s one of the team’s top players and because he’s the lone U.S. representative from the Crew. A first-round pick in 2018, Turang has put together back-to-back solid seasons. After a defense-centric 2024 that saw him win the NL Platinum Glove Award, he took a slight step back defensively in 2025 but put it together at the plate, hitting .288/.359/.435 with 18 homers, 81 RBIs, 97 runs, and 24 steals across 156 games.
Venezuela: Jackson Chourio, William Contreras, & Ángel Zerpa
Jackson Chourio, 22 in March, is one of the many stars to watch in this year’s WBC. He’s put together a pair of solid MLB seasons thus far, appearing in 279 games while hitting .272/.317/.463 with 42 homers, 157 RBIs, 168 runs, and 43 steals as one of Milwaukee’s regular contributors.
William Contreras, 28, is another star on this roster as one of the top catchers in the league. He hit .260/.355/.399 with 17 homers, 76 RBIs, and 89 runs across 150 games with Milwaukee this year, and he’s a career .273/.357/.448 hitter over six MLB seasons.
Ángel Zerpa, 26, is one of the newest Brewers, joining the squad as the return for Isaac Collins and Nick Mears back in December. The lefty reliever spent the first five years of his MLB career with Kansas City, pitching to a 3.97 ERA with 150 strikeouts over 177 innings.
The NBA trade deadline has come and gone, and the Boston Celtics surprised most fans with their level of activity. Over a three-day span, Boston completed four trades, parting ways with Anfernee Simons, Xavier Tillman, Josh Minott, and Chris Boucher.
Each move carried meaningful financial implications, as the Celtics emerged from Thursday’s deadline below both the first and second aprons, and under the luxury tax. From an on-court perspective, however, their most notable player acquisition was former Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic.
Vucevic comes to Boston as one of the most consistent double-double machines as a 35-year-old in his 15th season. In his last 10 campaigns, Vucevic has averaged 18.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game, officially notching double-double status in eight of them.
This season, Vučević has continued to post strong offensive production, averaging 17 points, nine rebounds, and four assists per game while shooting an efficient 50/38/83 in 30 minutes a night. While it’s unlikely he sees that level of playing time in Boston, his skill set offers a different, but effective way to replace the microwave scoring fans enjoyed from Simons.
Speaking of Simons, it’s striking how similar he and Vucevic are aside from age and measurements. They both enter their Boston tenure on expiring contracts coming from subpar teams and viewed as very good offensive talents who struggle on defense.
And yes, later in this piece I will give you the speech about how if a defender as porous as Simons was in Portland can steadily improve on that end in Boston, there’s reason to believe Vučević can do the same. Before you yell at me, yes defense from the point guard position is a lot different than defense from the center position. But I then raise you one Luka Garza.
Garza has completely shattered most expectations he had coming into this season but please try to think back and remember what most thought of him defensively when he was signed. Garza still isn’t this great defender, but some hope should be gained seeing how he’s improved on that end and how he has continued to be successful despite those shortcomings.
If you think age and the drive to prove oneself are the key factors behind Simons and Garza improving defensively, fair enough. Vucevic definitely isn’t young, but I do believe the motivation overall is there.
With that being said, let’s get into what we may see from Vucevic ahead of his Celtics debut.
Strengths
Scoring
Vucevic brings a distinctly different offensive look to Boston’s center rotation. His shot making ability and shot variety have been one of the more unique profiles among big men for a while. He truly has a shot for every spot on the floor. Here’s a look at his shot profile in full.
Vucevic occupies rare air among NBA centers this season. He’s one of only four big men attempting four or more above-the-break threes while also taking three or more shots at the rim per game. That list reads Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama, Karl Anthony Towns, and Nikola Vucevic.
When you factor in Vucevic’s most frequent scoring area, the paint (outside the restricted area), he and Nikola Jokic are the only two centers in the league attempting four or more above-the-break threes, three or more shots at the rim, and four or more shots in the paint per game. Just shows how rare his skillset is for a big.
Vucevic’s two-point shot variety is particularly valuable, especially alongside higher-caliber teammates in Boston. According to Bball-Index, he is the league’s best when it comes to scoring off the pick-and-roll as a screener, showcasing his ability to convert in multiple ways and keep defenses guessing.
This is mainly because again he has a shot for every part of the floor with good reliable touch. He uses floaters and hook shots frequently to put the ball in the basket.
Vucevic attempts 2.6 hook shots a game (99th percentile) and shoots them at a 56% clip.
When it comes to floaters, he takes 2.2 a game (94th percentile) and hits 58% of those.
What’s so good about these is you see him making them against every defensive coverage. If a big is in drop, that pocket is open and he will make money. If the big is up to the level, you can give him the ball and let him attack off the bounce. If Jaylen Brown is scorching hot and teams trap him as the pick-and-roll handler, he can get it off in the short roll. It makes an already great offense more unpredictable.
Stepping a few feet back, Vucevic’s mid-range should translate seamlessly in Boston, a team that already takes the third-most mid-range attempts per game in the league. Among Celtics players who attempt more than one mid-range shot per game, Vucevic would rank second on the roster in mid-range field-goal percentage.
Rounding out his scoring arsenal is Vucevic three-point shooting. Vučević is one of just four centers in the league shooting 38 percent or better on 4.5 or more three-point attempts per game. 91% of his threes are taken above the break, which definitely fits his new squad. Celtics rank first in above the break three-point attempts per game with 35.7.
When you watch him shoot, it becomes clear why he’s been the league’s best screener shot maker this season. We saw him roll and have great touch hitting floaters and hooks, but he can also pop and be lethal from deep. Rejecting screens with him popping can be lethal given the opposing big will either stick to his body or take steps towards the handler. Either decision creates an advantage, and the Celtics are well equipped to exploit it.
One thing I believe will be an evident difference between Vucevic and our other bigs, is the movement speed after defensive rebounds and in the half court. We see Garza and Neemias Queta fly up the court to set early offense screens every game for our scorers. In Chicago, Vucevic gets a good chunk of his threes trailing the play.
This doesn’t mean he won’t do what Queta and Garza do if asked by the Celtics, but I just see a difference in mindset due to skillset. Also, the Bulls have the fifth fastest pace in the league so it could look different here.
Lastly, I’m not sure how much the Celtics will dip into this, but Vucevic ranks in the 100th percentile in points per possession when coming off screens.
This play type is only 3.5% of his possessions, but I wouldn’t be surprised if I saw some “Korver” screens for Vucevic like.
Boston has grown markedly better at closing possessions with defensive rebounds as the season has gone on, but it never hurts to add a few more. It just so happens that Vucevic has been one of the best glass cleaners on that end for the past decade.
Over the past eight seasons, the Montenegrin big man has finished outside the top 10 in defensive rebounds per game just once, ranking 11th last year. This season, he sits 10th, and there’s little doubt he’ll help sustain, if not elevate, the team’s upward trend in defensive rebounding percentage.
He gets busy on the offensive glass as well. He’s no Garza, but he does grab just over two a game. He has a feel for positioning and great hands that allow for immediate putback attempts when he’s in close. He’s had monster rebounding outings vs the Pistons (16) and the Celtics (15) this season.
Passing
Vucevic ranks eighth among centers in assists, averaging 3.8 per game. His 3.8 potential assists per minute place him in the 96th percentile, while his 2.4 rim assists per game rank in the 94th percentile, justifying his value as a connective playmaker and cut hitter.
Wherever you want him to pass from, he can do it. He makes great reads out of the post, as a handoff passer, and in the short roll. He’s a player who can naturally command double teams in the post against mismatches, even with Brown on the floor. And if opponents choose not to send help, Vucevic has more than enough skill to make them pay.
Screening
My takeaway on Vucevic as a screener is fairly straightforward: he’s just good. Which is a good thing, but it’s not Garza or Queta. He may not rank among the very best in the league in that area, but his screen-assist numbers are more likely a reflection of his broader offensive skill set, popping, slipping, and drawing defensive attention, than any real deficiency as a screener.
When he set quality screens in Chicago, the ball often found its way back to him as the second scoring option on most nights. Additionally, the Bulls’ pace, and their 17.6 fast-break points per game (sixth in the league), naturally limited his opportunities to operate as a traditional half-court screener. His 2.3 screen assists aren’t bad at all but depending on what the Celtics ask of him, I can see that increasing some.
WEAKNESS
Defense
As most know by now, the biggest weakness in Vucevic’s game is his defense. While I do agree that he’s not a great or even good defender, I struggled to find the horrible defender most paint him as.
I’ve gone back and watched eight games of Vucevic this year and I want it to be known that eight games does not define a player’s body of work. These very well could’ve been the best defensive games Vucevic has ever played, but my goal was to watch him against great teams this season and see how he faired. Also, these games don’t take away the reputation he has built as a defender, which I assume is for a reason.
I primarily focused on the Bulls three meetings with the Pistons and the two they’ve had with the Celtics. In watching those games, I do not think this is a player that is incapable of being just solid defensively. He is not a stopper and will get scored on, but I believe he can be similar to or even slightly better than what Garza is defensively.
Some nights will look worse than others but in the grand scheme I don’t anticipate this being a player fans are screaming to get off the floor because of his defense.
Showing why matters so let’s get into the good and the bad.
The worst of the worst in the games I watched was Isaiah Stewart of the Detroit Pistons, giving Vucevic about 16 of his career high 31 points. He was definitely having “one of those nights,” but he was able to get into the chest of Vucevic and finish over him regularly. That was the first game I watched so I felt horribly about him, but things got better.
One thing that will not get better is his athleticism. In the second Pistons game I watched even though he defended much better overall, the lob throwing going against more athletic bigs like Jalen Duren was a problem.
While this is true, I think the Celtics can help with this. For one, the Celtics are going to put Vucevic in positions they think he can succeed more often than the Bulls will. Chicago’s primary pick and roll coverage defensively in these game with Vucevic was to be at the level of the screen and show on the handler for as long as possible.
I’m here saying that Vucevic can be solid, but I know for a fact that sliding his feet on the perimeter isn’t the best way to use him. Secondly, Chiago has guards who aren’t good taggers of the roll. They put Vucevic in a position where he must show high and get back most times, knowing he doesn’t have the best foot speed and run this coverage with Tre Jones and Josh Giddey as the only hopes to stop Duren rolling.
I am much more confident that any of Derrick White, Hugo Gonzalez, Jordan Walsh, Neemias Queta, or Baylor Scheierman can do a better job at sticking their nose in there.
When it’s bad for Vucevic, it’s bad but once again I just saw much more solid defense than the opposite.
He has surprisingly good hands and will elect to strip down on intruders driving to the paint. Against the Celtics he was able to hold his own and move well to avoid Spain action back screens with moments of decent switching.
All Vucevic has wanted to do for a while now is win.
When you put it all together, Nikola Vucevic brings a level of offensive versatility and reliability that few centers in the league can match. His shot variety, playmaking, and ability to function as both a scorer and connective piece fit naturally within Boston’s offensive ecosystem.
While his defense is far from where we would like, I have seen evidence of him being able to do the things that will be required of him. Consistency will be the key.
You don’t have to trust me, but I’m asking that you trust Joe Mazzulla.
TORONTO, ON - July 26 - Former jays manager and now broadcaster Buck Martinez acknowledges the crowd on his first day back after battling cancer. The Toronto Blue Jays took on the St. Louis Cardinals in MLB baseball action at the Rogers Centre. July 26 2022 (Richard Lautens/Toronto Star via Getty Images) | Toronto Star via Getty Images
Buck Martinez has announced he is retiring from the broadcast booth:
It’s hard to believe I came to Toronto in a trade in May of 1981, thinking that would be the end of a very good career. Little did I know that I still would be associated with the Blue Jays through the 2025 season.
What a glorious season it was. It was a joy and an honour to be involved in each and every game through Game 7 of the World Series. Only one other outcome could have topped the fantastic year.
After the World Series, my wife Arlene and I had plenty of time to think about the past and look forward to our future. After many heartfelt conversations, we both decided it was time for me to step out of the booth and enjoy the years ahead.
It has been a fantastic journey with Sportsnet, the Blue Jays and the wonderful Blue Jays fans all over the world. Thank you all for embracing me and welcoming my family and me in a way that has made us feel like we are part of yours. I will dearly miss my working partners, the leadership at Rogers, and the Toronto Blue Jays baseball club, all of whom made it so much fun to be at the ballpark talking about the game I’ve loved for my whole life. As to the fans specifically, I will miss the “selfies,” the handshakes and the welcoming smiles. I will never forget any of those, nor the unwavering support and generosity, which has meant more than words can say. I look forward to continuing to root for the Blue Jays along with you, and you’ll always be in my heart. My sincere appreciation to all of you.
I had hoped to be part of the 50th year of the Toronto Blue Jays but it’s time to pass the torch. Enjoy 2026 and beyond, I will see you down the road.
With the utmost gratitude and respect,
Buck Martinez
I know it is a minor thing, but I love that he spelled honour the Canadian way.
Dan Schulman said:
“From the first day I worked with Buck way back in 1995 right through Game 7 of the World Series, I couldn’t have asked for a better broadcast partner. No one worked harder, no one cared more,” said Shulman. “He’s one of the most significant figures in Blue Jays history, and someone who has meant the world to everyone he worked with at Sportsnet, both as a colleague, and even more importantly, as a great friend.”
The press release tells us that Buck worked more the 4000 games in the broadcast booth in two stints from 1987 to 2025 and that he has won an Emmy for his work during Cal Ripkens 2,131st consecutive game and another for Best Sports Analyst when he was working for the Orioles.
Buck joined the Jays in 1981, coming in a trade for Gil Kubski and played with the Jays until 1986, in a platoon with Ernie Whitt at catcher. We’ve all seen the play that effectively ended his career, when Phil Bradley of the Mariners ran him over at the plate. I’m glad that running over the catcher isn’t a play in baseball anymore.
Before the Jays, he played eight seasons with the Royals and three with the Brewers.
He went into broadcasting soon after that, with a year and a half as the Jays manager in between. He spent a few years working in the booth with the Orioles, but he returned to the Jays in 2010.
Congratulations on a great career, Buck. I hope you enjoy many years of retirement.
With the
NHL activities being on a hiatus during the Olympics, Montreal Canadiens
players who were not lucky enough to be selected to represent their country in
Milano-Cortina, or whose country cannot participate, have some much-deserved time
off. Even hockey-obsessed players like Ivan Demidov can enjoy a bit of a break.
The Russian
rookie who delighted Habs fans over the Christmas break by taking to a Bleu,
Blanc, Bouge outdoor rink with teammate Lane Hutson was spotted on a flight to
Florida yesterday. Where is he headed? Well, according to his significant other’s
Instagram account, Demidov is headed to Disney’s Magic Kingdom.
While the
winger was playing in the Canadiens’ last game before the break, Katya
Yakovleva was posting pictures in front of the iconic Magic Kingdom’s Castle
and of all the wonders she spotted in Disney.
Katya Yakovleva Instagram account
Demidov’s
rookie season is going just as planned, with the 20-year-old leading the rookie
scoring race at the break with 46 points in 57 games, on pace for a 66-point
season. Which is the same amount of points Hutson put up in his Calder Trophy-winning
rookie season last year. Before Hutson, the last Calder winner to put up 66
points was Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson.
That doesn’t
necessarily mean that Demidov’s name should be pencilled in as the Calder
Trophy winner just yet; he does have some great competition in Anaheim Ducks
Beckett Sennecke, who only trails him by two points, and New York Islanders
stand-out defenseman Matthew Schaefer.
The
18-year-old has taken the league by storm and is the odds-on favourite. Graduating
to the NHL straight out of junior and taking over the Isles’ number one
defenseman spot left vacant by Noah Dobson’s departure. The youngster has 39
points in 56 games, a plus-nine rating and averages over 24 minutes of ice time
per game and has scored four game-winning goals, including two in overtime. He
skates on Patrick Roy’s first pairing and quarterbacks the first power play
unit.
While
Demidov also plays a big role for the Canadiens and leads the rookie scoring
race, he faces an uphill battle for the Calder Trophy. With 25 games left on
the Habs’ calendar, the youngster still has time to make up some ground, but it
won’t be easy to overtake the young defenseman. When NHL action resumes, Canadiens and Islanders' fans will be treated to a first duel between the two young players as the Habs will take on the Isles on February 26 at the Bell Centre.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 21: Shohei Ohtani #16 of Team Japan reacts after the final out of the World Baseball Classic Championship defeating Team USA 3-2 at loanDepot park on March 21, 2023 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The rosters for the 2026 World Baseball Classic were announced on Friday with loads of loads of major league talent spread out across 20 national teams. Defending champion Team Japan looks like it will face a serious challenge from loaded Team USA and Dominican Republic rosters. The World Baseball Classic will get underway on March 5 with the final set for March 17.
The Favorite: Team USA
After looking over the rosters, Team USA is my favorite. They were finalists at the last WBC, and the roster looks much stronger this time around. The biggest difference comes in the pitching staff. A lot of America’s top arms elected not to pitch at the event last time. However, the big guns will be at the WBC this time around.
Last time around, America’s starting rotation included the likes of Miles Mikolas, Nick Martinez and a 41 year old Adam Wainwright. This time, Team USA will have both of the 2025 CY Young winners, with Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes pitching in the event.
The lineup will also be stacked with Aaron Judge, Cal Raleigh, Bobby Witt Jr. and more teaming up. You can make an argument that the Dominican Republic has a lineup as good, or maybe even a little bit better. However, no team is as complete as Team USA.
The Contenders: Dominican Republic, Japan, Venezuela
On paper, the second most talented team at the competition is either the Dominican Republic or Japan. The Dominicans stacked lineup gives them a slight edge in my books. You can make a case that the Dominicans have the best lineup in the competition. It features the likes of Juan Soto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr., and Manny Machado.
A big x-factor for the Dominicans is catcher Austin Wells, who they recruited to join the team. For whatever reason, the Dominican Republic has not been able to produce catching talent the way America or Venezuela have. In 2023, the Dominican catchers were Gary Sanchez and Francisco Mejia. Wells will be an upgrade on that.
On the mound, the DR has a two headed monster of Sandy Alcantara and Cristopher Sanchez at the top of their rotation. They also have strong bullpen options in Abner Uribe, Camilo Doval and Carlos Estevez. As usual, the Dominicans should be a big threat in this competition.
Now, let’s talk about the defending champions, Team Japan. They will be led by the best player in the world, Shohei Ohtani. However, Ohtani will not be pitching this time. Famously, he got the save in the WBC final last time around. Roki Sasaki is also not pitching at the event.
However, Japan still has plenty of firepower on the mound. World Series legend Yoshinobu Yamamoto will be the ace of the staff. He will be joined by Yusei Yikuchi and some of the top arms from the NPB.
Japan’s lineup is stacked with MLB talent. Ohtani is the star, but recent MLB free agent signings Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamoto will join him. Cubs star Seiya Suzuki was not at the last WBC, but is on the team this time. Samurai Japan also tend to rise to the occasion in these competitions, so do not count out the defending champions.
The last of the top contenders is Venezuela. Led by Ronald Acuna Jr., and Salvador Perez, the Venezuelans have a stacked lineup. As usual, the Venezuelans have a ton of catching talent. Both of the Contreras brothers are on the team, as well as Perez.
Their outfield of Acuna, Jackson Chourio and Wilyer Abreu is among the best in the competition. They also have a lineup full of diverse skillsets. Luis Arraez and Eugenio Suarez are total opposites as hitters, but both are very effective.
On the mound, Venezuela’s aces will be Pablo Lopez and Ranger Suarez. There is not as much depth on the mound as some of the other top teams, but their pitching staff is still full of big leaguers.
The Dark Horses: Italy, Israel, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Korea, Canada, Netherlands
None of these teams are very likely to make the finals, but all of them have the talent to be party crashers. They all have plenty of big league talent, but are in a different tier than the top four teams on paper.
Puerto Rico could have been in the second tier if not for the unfortunate insurance situation. A few teams were harmed by the insurance controversy, but none more than Puerto Rico. Most of their stars will be unable to play in the competition. Francisco Lindor, Carlos Correa and Javier Baez are all absent from the roster because they could not get insured.
The Puerto Ricans still have MLB talent. They also added Nolan Arenado to the fold, which will help offset the losses of some of their stars. Notable big leaguers like Heliot Ramos and Edwin Diaz will still be there. However, this Puerto Rico team will not be as strong as usual.
One team that really interests me is Italy. The Italians are filled with US born MLB players of Italian heritage. Some of the biggest names are Aaron Nola, Vinny Pasquantino and Jac Caglianone. They also have big league talent up and down the roster. The most notable Italian born player is Sam Aldegheri, a top prospect in the Angels system who has made his MLB debut. This is a really underrated roster with a lot of young talent. Do not be surprised to see them play spoiler.
Israel is in a similar spot to Italy, but I do not think they are as talented. They have a lot of Jewish big leaguers. Their best player is Harrison Bader, who had an outstanding season last year. Other familiar faces like Spencer Horowitz and Garrett Stubbs are in the lineup.
On the mound, Israel’s rotation is headlined by Dean Kramer of the O’s. One problem for Israel is that they are in the group of death. Israel, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela and the Netherlands are all in the same group.
Speaking of the Netherlands, they have a strong roster as usual. The island of Curacao produces a lot of MLB talent. Xander Bogaerts, Jurickson Profar, Ozzie Albies, and Kenley Jansen give them plenty of major league experience. They also have some youngsters and former MLB players. Druw Jones, the son of Hall of Famer and Dutch manager Andruw Jones is on the team. As are former big leaguers like Didi Gregorious.
Korea will also feature a strong group of players. They are led by Jung Hoo Lee. Other notable names include Hyun Jin Ryu and Hyseong Kim. There are also American players of Korean heritage like Jahmai Jones, Dane Dunning and Riley O’Brien on the team.
Canada is another team without some of their stars. Most notably, Freddie Freeman will not be competing at the WBC this year. However, they still have plenty of talent. Josh Naylor and Tyler O’Neill are a potent duo in the middle of the lineup. Denzel Clarke is one of the best center field defenders you will ever see. On the mound, they feature the likes of Jameson Taillon and Michael Soroka.
The last team in this tier is Mexico. They are one of the better teams in this group, led by Jarren Duran, Alejandro Kirk, Jonathan Aranda and Randy Arozerena. On the mound, the Mexicans strength is in the bullpen. They have an elite closer in Andres Munoz, as well as quality set up men in Robert Garcia and Victor Vodnik. The rotation features Taj Bradley and Javier Assad.
The Scrappy Bunch: Taipei, Colombia, Great Britain, Cuba, Panama
These teams are not littered with big leaguers like the squads above them, but still have the talent to give them a scare. If you come out flat, these teams can clip you. They are scrappy and hungry.
Most of the best Cuban players are not on this roster. Given these players have to defect the country to pursue their MLB dreams, this is understandable. However, there is still some MLB talent. The most notable name on this team is Yoan Moncada. A funny tid bit is that 44 year old Alexei Ramirez is on the roster. He last played in the MLB in 2016.
Colombia is the best team in this tier, and has a case to be in the dark horse tier. I just did not think they had quite as much firepower. Elias Diaz and Gio Urshela are MLB vets who will be in their lineup. Young Mariners prospect Michael Arroyo is a name to watch as well. On the mound, they have the likes of Jose Quintana and former top prospect Luis Patino.
Jazz Chisholm gives Great Britain the best player in this tier of teams. Britain also has big leaguers like Harry Ford and Nate Eaton in their lineup. Hard throwing reliever Michael Peterson pitched in the big leagues some last year and will feature for Britain. Some interesting prospects like Gary Gill Hill and Brendan Beck are also on the team.
Panama has some sneaky solid talent. Their strength is at catcher, where they feature Ivan Herrera and Miguel Amaya. They also have big leaguers in their infield like Edmundo Sosa and Jose Caballero. On the mound, their best arm is US born Logan Allen.
The final team in this tier is Taipei. They have solid talent, but also have a history of punching above their weight. For Asian countries in particular, this event is a big deal. Some notable hitters include prospect Hao-Yo Lee, Tsung-Che Cheng and American recruits Stuart Fairchild and Jonathan Long. On the mound, their most notable name is D-Backs prospect Yu-Min Lin.
Happy to be here: Brazil, Australia, Czechia, Nicaragua
The teams in this tier do not have many, if any MLB players. They are very unlikely to make it out of the group phases. However, this is still a very cool experience for the players on these teams.
Nicaragua is the most well-rounded of these teams, with a decent amount of MLB talent. Their star is Mark Vientos of the Mets, who will provide big time power for them. They also feature former big leaguers Jeter Downs and Cheslor Cuthbert. On the mound, they have prospect Carlos Rodriguez and long time big leaguer Erasmo Ramirez.
Australia also has some notable names, especially at the plate. Their stars are Curtis Mead of the White Sox and former first overall pick Travis Bazzana. They do not have many notable names on the mound, but those two could provide an offensive spark for the Aussies.
Brazil does not have any current MLB players, but they do have some former big leaguers and top prospects. Their most interesting story is Joseph Contreras, the son of big leaguer Jose Contreras. The 17 year old has a chance to be a first round pick in the 2026 draft and is a senior in high school right now. Talk about a way to raise your draft stock.
Lastly, Czechia is the least talented group here. They do not have much big league talent at all, but it was so cool to see how much fun they had at the last event. This time around, they actually do have a player with MLB experience in Terrin Vavra. The Czechs are here for a good time, not a long time.
NORTH PORT, FLORIDA - MARCH 08: Domingo Gonzalez #34 of the Dominican Republic delivers a pitch to the Atlanta Braves in the third inning during an exhibition game at CoolToday Park on March 08, 2023 in North Port, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Since I was a young child, I’ve had a deep pre-occupation with outer space, particularly the solar system. While the rest of the universe is obviously deeply fascinating, the solar system is so much more observable. We get to know stuff about it. That rocks.
In particular, I’ve always been drawn to trans-Neptunian space – the region between Neptune’s orbit and the outer edge of the Sun’s gravitational and magnetic influence (the heliopause). When I was six, I named my favorite stuffed animal Kuiper to honor the Kuiper belt, the second real obsession of my life (following my intense Barney the Friendly Dinosaur phase).
The Kuiper belt is a massive disk of icy objects that’s 20 astronomical units (AUs, the distance between the sun and the earth) wide – for context, that’s the same as the distance from the sun to Uranus. It lies beyond Neptune’s orbit, circumscribing the rest of the solar system. It had been theorized to exist since the 1940’s, but remained hypothesis only until 1992, when a pair of researchers discovered the first object beyond Pluto, a relatively small object that was later named Albion. Between 1992 and 2018, over 2000 distinct hunks of frozen rock were identified, and it’s likely that there’s at least a thousand times more objects that are large enough to be structurally stable (100 km in diameter, more or less), but dark or small enough that they’ve eluded detection.
The Kuiper belt is a lonely, cold place. A massive, silent frontier populated by objects not close enough to the sun to feel its warmth but still thralled into orbit by its mass. It’s the boundary between local space and the beyond – between what we know and what we don’t. As a child and as an adult, it’s this liminality, the in-betweenness, that captivates me. I love learning about these lonely little frozen rocks, caught between worlds, and I can’t help but find myself emotionally attached to them.
I feel the same type of small heartache for players like Domingo González.
John wrote about González’s journey to Seattle after the Mariners claimed him off the waiver wire last August. He’s lived the unfortunate reality of being at the butt-end of the 40-man roster – a few mediocre months, or even just roster constraints for the big-league club, and you find yourself DFA’d and waiting to see who calls.
His 2024 season was the culmination of an incrementally-rising star for him that earned a mention by Fangraphs as a prospect to watch (though still falling outside the top 40 list) for Atlanta. He saw his best traits, his whiffs and his strikeouts, reach new heights, and showed real improvement in his command, one of his weaker spots through his professional career.
It’s the fate of relievers, though, to eternally live in small-sample lands. They tend to see higher highs and lower lows. González lived this in 2025.
Even in his best years, the platoon struggles have been brutal for him: in 2024 and 2025, he had a OPS split of .297 – from a .520 against RHH to .817 against LHH. That’s essentially the difference between pitching against 2025 Josh Naylor or Lamonte Wade Jr. If you’re unfamiliar with Wade Jr, well, it might be because he had about a .520 OPS last year and had a 52 wRC+ last season.
He introduced a new pitch, a splitter, to try and become viable against lefties. Unfortunately, the splitter did not pan out. He threw about 45 of them, never developing a consistent movement profile and garnering mediocre results.
So, when Atlanta found themselves in need of a pitcher capable of spot-starting, González found himself as the 40th man on a 40-man roster, and out of a job.
Moving to Tacoma in August, González struggled even more. Turns out getting cut for nothing and moving across the country doesn’t necessarily help the ole’ mental game. By season-end, González’ had seen a major drop-off in almost every meaningful statistic compared to 2024. His FIP rose from 2.75 to 4.73, his K% fell from 36.3% to 20%. His spin-rate on the fastball and slider fell by about 150 RPMs. Nothing went his way.
González is almost certainly starting the season in Triple-A. His path to finding big-league playing time is difficult to make out, likely blocked by about three or four fellow Pilers who are higher on the depth chart than him. Nothing in his profile particularly screams Contraptability, but that is the most realistic way for him to find a spot in Seattle’s bullpen – hope that the pitching machine can find some freak pitch for him to throw. However, being a waiver wire pickup makes his acquisition truly feel like a depth add and less like a project.
While he does have all of his minor-league options left and his 2024 numbers do inspire some optimism, that hope is admittedly dim as we enter 2026.
Dark matter is the theorized something that astrophysicists say serves as the “gravitational scaffolding” for the universe – we can’t see this material, but its existence seems prerequisite for the universe to exist and behave the way it does. Invisible but essential, players like González and their fungibility serve the same purpose for MLB. MLB as we know it is held together almost entirely by the career minor leaguers. The scaffolding that provides developmental opportunities for the 10% of minor leaguers who play even a single game in MLB is the other 90%. The dirt-cheap labor of the 90% subsidizes the pocketbooks of the never-enough owners. And without that 90% playing games in front of families in smaller cities and towns across the country, baseball’s tenuous grasp on national pastime-hood would grow weaker. So yes, it doesn’t seem likely that González will get the opportunity to impact the big league club before finding a new home. But it doesn’t mean that he, and the hundreds of players just like him, aren’t massively important to MLB.
And yeah, I acknowledge that the space metaphors have become a little mixed here. Are González and players like him dark matter or Kuiper belt objects? Should I have re-written this to fit just one theme or the other? Does this all feel a little bit forced? Yes, yes, probably and yes. Regardless, I know that I feel the same way about González as I do 486958 Arrokoth, a small, interesting Kuiper belt object that was the recipient of a New Horizons flyby in 2019. I’m drawn to them, almost unwillingly compelled to obsess over their minutia, and emotionally impacted by their circumstances. They both live on the outside looking in. Held in orbit by a tantalizing promise. Easily forgotten.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - OCTOBER 27: Danny Ainge the CEO of the Utah Jazz laughs as he watches warmups before their game against the Los Angeles Clippers at the Delta Center on October 27 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The NBA trade deadline went off the rails Tuesday, and it still hasn’t recovered.
Jaren Jackson Jr. is now on the Jazz. Anthony Davis is now on the Wizards?! Darius Garland is on the Clippers? James Harden is a Cavalier? And the Sixers gifted the defending champions Jared McCain so they could duck the luxury tax? (Well, that last one isn’t that surprising.)
The Lakers even jumped into the fray Thursday, sending Gabe Vincent and their 2032 second-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks for Luke Kennard. Both Kennard and Vincent are on expiring contracts, so this move didn’t cut into the Lakers’ precious cap space this offseason.
In the meantime, the Lakers should be thankful that other teams have been aggressive at the trade deadline. Their wheeling and dealing has drastically reshaped the 2026 free-agency landscape.
That’s good news for the Lakers’ (already strong) chances of re-signing Austin Reaves this offseason.
The trade deadline shakeup
In early November, Spotrac’s Keith Smith posted some initial cap-space projections for the 2026 offseason. Six teams made the cut: The Wizards ($80.9 million), Clippers ($67.6 million), Lakers ($55.6 million), Jazz ($48.4 million), Nets ($44.4 million) and Bulls ($35.0 million).
The Wizards have since burned all of that projected cap space on their acquisitions of Davis and Trae Young. Unless Young leaves in free agency this offseason, the Wizards are no longer even a remote threat to throw a bag at Reaves.
The same goes for the Jazz, who just burned their cap space on JJJ. If anything, that deal may work the other way on them. Not only can they no longer offer Reaves a huge contract, but the Lakers may now be able to pry Walker Kessler away in free agency by throwing a massive offer sheet at him in restricted free agency.
The Clippers still have John Collins’ $26.6 million contract coming off their books and $31.1 million in team options between Bogdan Bogdanović, Brook Lopez and Nic Batum. However, they now have Garland’s $42.2 million in guaranteed salary on their books for 2026-27. Harden only has $13.3 million of his $42.3 million salary guaranteed, which appears to have been the beginning of the end for his time in L.A.
Once the dust settles on the Bulls’ whirlwind of activity, they figure to still have a sizable amount of cap space as long as they let all of their players on expiring contracts go. However, they’ve acquired a number of guards ahead of the trade deadline, including Anfernee Simons, Jaden Ivey and Rob Dillingham. Will they still have interest or the roster makeup to make a big run at Reaves?
The Hawks also still project to have some cap space, although they wiped out a fair bit of it Wednesday night by acquiring Buddy Hield ($9.7 million next year) and Jonathan Kuminga for Kristaps Porziņģis’ expiring contract. If the Hawks plan to re-sign Kuminga — or just pick up their $24.3 million team option on him—that will likely slam the door on any chances they had of signing Reaves.
The Nets haven’t cut into their offseason spending power yet, but they’re in the early stages of a rebuild and just spent approximately 17 first-round picks on guards this past June. Reaves might not prefer to join a team that far away from contention unless its offer was far better than any other.
The Lakers’ outlook
There have been zero indications to date that Reaves is seriously entertaining the prospect of leaving the Lakers this summer in free agency. In fact, he’s said quite the opposite, and all indications have been that he wants to remain with the Lakers.
Reaves will be an unrestricted free agent once his declines his $14.9 million player option, so he could leave them empty-handed if he does sign elsewhere this offseason. The lack of rumors about his future can only mean good things for the Lakers, though. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Reaves and the Lakers already had a basic understanding of what his next contract will look like.
If teams thought Reaves was a real flight risk, more of them might have lined up their books for a run at him in free agency. Instead, with the high-end soon-to-be free agents already flying off the board, most cap-space teams just went with the “pre-agency” approach at the trade deadline.
That doesn’t mean the Lakers are free to lowball Reaves, though. If the Lakers try to take advantage of his dwindling number of potential suitors, his agent could start sniffing around other teams and encouraging them to free up more cap space. As the Milwaukee Bucks proved last year when they waive-and-stretched Damian Lillard to sign Myles Turner, it only takes one wild card for a team’s best-laid plans to go awry.
Reaves is critical to the Lakers’ offseason plans, specifically from an order-of-operations standpoint. His $20.9 million salary-cap hold is far lower than what his next contract figures to begin at. The Lakers can spend their cap space first and then re-sign Reaves once they’re over the cap.
If Reaves wasn’t on board with that plan, he could blow up their entire strategy. Much like Tyrese Maxey and the Sixers a few years ago, there’s likely a mutual understanding of how much Reaves will cost on his next contract.
Even if negotiations do take a hard left turn at some point, the Lakers can rest easy in knowing that the pool of potential threats for Reaves is already thinning out.
TORONTO, ON - July 26 - Former jays manager and now broadcaster Buck Martinez acknowledges the crowd on his first day back after battling cancer. The Toronto Blue Jays took on the St. Louis Cardinals in MLB baseball action at the Rogers Centre. July 26 2022 (Richard Lautens/Toronto Star via Getty Images) | Toronto Star via Getty Images
Longtime Blue Jays TV announcer Buck Martinez announced his retirement this morning. Martinez joined the Jays’ booth as a colour commentator nearly 40 years ago, for the 1986 season. He moved down to the dugout to manage the 2001 and 2002 seasons. After leaving the team, he worked for seven years in the the Baltimore Orioles’ booth before returning in 2010 as the play-by-play announcer with Pat Tabler as his main colour analyst for the next 13 years.
Buck missed the first half of the 2023 season while receiving cancer treatment. He returned in July, moving back to his old job providing colour and pairing back up with Dan Shulman, with whom he’d worked from 1995 through 2000.
The Buck/Tabby booth was the source of a lot of jokes on our site for many years, but in my opinion the Shulman/Martinez pairing was one of the best local broadcast booths in the league.
Buck turned 77 in November, so you can’t say he hasn’t put in his time. He’s been a part of the Jays organization my whole life (barring the brief Orioles stint), and I’m not young. I hope he amd his wife Arlene enjoy a long and happy retirement.
Why don’t we use the comments to share some memories of Buck’s Blue Jays calls. For me, the great “barbecues on boats” digression, when a guy grilling on his boat in McCovey Cove excited him and Pat so much that it derailed the broadcast for about three innings, is a treasured memory. There were also lots of calls of huge moments on the field, of course, but as much as anything a baseball broadcast booth functions as a couple of buddies you watch the game with, and there are a lot more August afternoons in indifferent seasons than there are World Series game sevens. That night in San Francico, for me, epitomizes what it was like to hang out with Buck and Pat, our friendly if loopy collective uncles, as they only sort of pay attention to what’s going on on the field.
The NBA trade deadline has come and gone with neither the Miami Heat nor the Boston Celtics making seismic moves.
Miami, in particular, stands out as one of only three teams to have not made a trade this season.
My Heat vs. Celtics predictions expect Miami to be a bit let down by that inaction, the effects of the trade deadline impacting plenty of NBA picks on Friday, February 6.
Heat vs Celtics prediction
Heat vs Celtics best bet: Under 228 (-110)
The Miami Heat were supposedly in the mix for two of the biggest names on the trade market. And they walked away with exactly nothing.
We have all heard that story before, but it has to be deflating for that locker room to hear it was considering title contention only to putter forward with this middling roster.
That deflated vibe should play right into the Boston Celtics’ preferences.Miami plays at the fastest pace in the league, while Boston plays at the slowest.
Trust the Celtics to set the terms tonight.
Heat vs Celtics same-game parlay
This exact same-game parlay has cashed in two of Boston’s last four games.
In fact, the Celtics have won against the spread in their last four games.
Heat vs Celtics SGP
Under 228
Celtics -6
Payton Pritchard Over 2.5 threes
Our "from downtown" SGP: Preaching Pritchard
This is simply overpriced. Payton Pritchard has hit at least three 3-pointers but fallen short of 17 points in six games this season.
A slower game should set him up for that exact dichotomy.
Heat vs Celtics SGP
Under 228
Celtics -6
Payton Pritchard Over 2.5 threes
Payton Pritchard Under 16.5 points
Heat vs Celtics odds
Spread: Heat +6 (-110) | Celtics -6 (-110)
Moneyline: Heat +195 | Celtics -240
Over/Under: Over 228 (-110) | Under 228 (-110)
Heat vs Celtics betting trend to know
Boston’s last seven games have all gone Under their totals, and by an average of 14.8 points. Find more NBA betting trends for Heat vs. Celtics.
How to watch Heat vs Celtics
Location
TD Garden, Boston, MA
Date
Friday, February 6, 2026
Tip-off
7:30 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN Sun, NBC Sports Boston
Heat vs Celtics latest injuries
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DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Patrick Reed birdied two of his last three holes Friday for a 5-under 67, giving him a one-shot lead in the Qatar Masters as the American tries to wrap up a career-changing month in the Middle East with another victory.
Reed took advantage of late scoring opportunities at Doha Golf Club. He drove just short of the reachable par-4 16th to set up a pitch-and-putt birdie, then chose to lay up from 272 yards on the par-5 18th with water down the left side. Reed hit wedge to 7 feet for birdie.
That put him at 12-under 132, one shot ahead of Joakim Lagergren of Sweden, who had a 66. Daniel Hillier of New Zealand (69) and Richard Sterne of South Africa (66) were another shot back.
Reed came over to the Middle East a month ago while preparing for his fifth season on LIV Golf. But he won the Dubai Desert Classic, revealed he still had not signed a contract with LIV and then couldn't agree on a new deal with the Saudi-funded league.
DALLAS, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 5: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks shoots the ball against Victor Wembanyama #1 and Devin Vassell #24 of the San Antonio Spurs during the first half at American Airlines Center on February 5, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The NBA’s official definition of “clutch time” refers to when a game is within five points or less in the last five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime. It can be exciting for fans who want a thrilling game, but it can also be stressful and may not be for everyone on every night, especially if you’re already tired or stressed and just want a relaxing viewing experience.
The Spurs have not been relaxing to watch lately, and frankly, I’m starting to think they like it that way. I think they like playing in the clutch. They enjoy the thrill and experience that comes with closing out tight games, and as fans may have deduced at this point, they’re good at it. The have the fifth best record in the league in “clutch” games, sitting at 19-10 (65.5%, just slightly under their overall win percentage), and it’s almost like they’re out to increase that number, which they did last night.
Their opponent was an improving Mavericks team that is no longer the deer-in-the-headlights group they encountered in their season opener — led by the then doe-eyed but now scintillating Cooper Flagg — but they have also committed to starting over from the mess former GM Nico Harrison created. They traded away the cornerstone of his shocking and terrible deal that sent Luka Doncic to LA, sending the oft-injured Anthony Davis to the Washington Wizards, and I sensed a bit of relief in the air of their arena last night, even from my own couch. That painful page in franchise history is officially turned for good, and now they can move on (even if it will always linger, like the page that a book always opens to first because it’s been open so much lately that the spine has been shaped around it).
Despite being likely destined for the lottery again, the Mavs showed that with the right future moves, they and Flagg could be a force to reconned with again soon, and the Spurs learned that last night. With their propensity to play down to opponents, they failed to build any kind of sizable lead all night but remained ahead and just enough in control to stop any threating Mavs runs. With 5:15 left in the game, Devin Vassell hit one of his reliable midrange jumpers to put them ahead by seven, but wait! We can’t have the Spurs not having any clutch time when they enjoy it so much, so of course they allowed a quick 6-0 Mavs run to get within a point a minute later, and perhaps for the first time all game, there may have been a tad bit of doubt about the outcome.
But then, the Spurs proceeded with what I’ve decided has been their mischievous plan all along considering the repeating pattern: dominate the rest of clutch time by closing on a 15-4 run so they could continue to pad those clutch time stats. Stephon Castle hit a big three to start it off and put back a Victor Webmanyama miss with an emphatic dunk to close things out, and everyone did everything right on both ends in between.
As fun as it may be, I need a break from tight games. Whether that relief will come in the form of a blowout win in the next three games or simply as a part of the All-Star break after that is the ultimate question. Don’t get me wrong: I love a team that knows how to tighten the strings and put things together on both ends when the game is on the line, which will be very important in the playoffs, but I would also happily accept a blowout win here or there, just for my own sanity.
Takeaways
Lately, the Spurs path to victory has been more akin to defensive slugfests because of their inconsistency on offense and from their three-point shooters. In this game, the defense was lazy at times, but they made up for it with a balanced offensive attack. Seven players scored in double figures, including all five starters, and overall, they hit 17-41 threes to keep the defense honest. That included Wemby and Harrison Barnes finding their strokes from outside, combining to hit 10-18 with the former hitting his first five (all in the first half) and the latter spreading them out across the game. It was especially noteworthy for Barnes, who has been in an extended shooting slump dating back months, and this was the first time he hit five threes since December 2. His stroke has slowly been returning to form in recent games, and hopefully this is finally the breakthrough performance that returns him to his Uncle Harrison form from earlier in the season. When he’s on, his spacing does wonders for the starting lineup (especially if Julian Champagnie is off, which he was last night with a 2-8 performance from three).
The Stephon Castle Viewing Experience continues to be a wild ride. Whether it’s game-to-game, quarter-to-quarter or even play-to-play, you never know whether you’re going to get his frustrating or game-changing version. Last night, he was mostly the latter. He came off the bench for the first time in 11 months after missing the night before to nurse his sore adductor, with the reason reportedly being he’s on a minutes restriction. He was his usual self regardless of role, with 18 points on 8-13 shooting, 7 rebounds 6 assists and 2 steals, plus the aforementioned huge clutch shots, but there was also the frustrating moments, like him driving into traffic and getting stripped on his way to three turnovers.
Don’t look now, but despite an up-and-down January when the Spurs barely crossed over the .500 mark with an 8-7 record, they have won three straight to start the month of February (even if they haven’t been pretty). As a result, they are in firm control of the second seed once again as the teams behind them continue to struggle, with a three-game cushion in the loss column on the Nuggets and Rockets. In fact, along with the Lakers, they are the only team in the West with a better record than 6-4 across their last ten games. That doesn’t mean they can relax — the schedule continues to be brutal, and the Rodeo Road Trip begins next week — but even if the Spurs want to give us a heart attack in the process of winning, it’s nice to be able to enjoy standings watching again.
Speaking of the Rockets, my Alperen Sengun sports hate has been justified. Thank you. (Not going to embed everything here, but for proof, click here, here and here. Rough 24 hours for the big fella.)
Along with “Thrill of Defeat” host and Pittsburgh guy Dan Hopper, we remember Dick Tarnstrom, who turned getting waived by the Islanders into a starring role on some bad transitional Penguins teams.
While the Penguins have had some all time great players in their history, the periods between those players were pretty dire. Bankruptcies, empty buildings and lots of losses were not uncommon for one of the NHL’s now-marquee teams. Into one of these eras stepped Dick Tarnstrom, a very late round pick of the Islanders who found himself squeezed out of Long Island during one of their rare fertile periods of the early 2000’s and onto a Penguins team desperate for anyone who could put the puck into a net. Tarnstrom was competent on a bereft squad, which means he got comparisons to Hall of Famers, and Hart and Norris Trophy votes from the win-starved writers covering it. The Penguins’ “X-Generation” might have featured a lot of weird players, but thanks to cheap tickets and EXTREME marketing, it actually succeeded in creating a new wave of fans. To those kids, guys like Dick Tarnstrom felt like superstars of tomorrow.
Dan takes us through the Full Tarnstrom Experience and tells us what it was like watching the Penguins between the Lemieux/Jagr and Crosby/Malkin eras. We learn about the “Ric and Dick Show,” attending Ryan Malone’s hockey camp as a kid, the Woodstock 99 flavor of the “X-Generation” ads and how Tarnstrom was able to capture hearts in the Steel City. We also wonder how we forgot he played for the Oilers during their 2006 Cup final run and why he was put on waivers in the first place (it probably had something to do with being Swedish and having Mike Milbury as a general manager). It’s the deepest dive you’ll find on the man who is surely the last “Dick” in NHL history.
Thanks again to Dan for coming on. His podcast, “Thrill of Defeat” is outstanding and if you’re a fan of Weird Islanders, it will be right up your alley. He’s on a bit of a hiatus now, but there are plenty of episodes to get started on.
WEIRD BONUS MATERIAL
Tarnstrom didn’t score a ton of goals for the Islanders but one of them helped them forge a 6-6 tie (!) with the Panthers in February of 2002.
Most people probably didn’t notice Tarnstrom getting picked up off waivers by the Penguins in August of 2002. But he started turning heads early that season (playing with Mario Lemieux might have helped). After a 41-point campaign, he would re-up with them in the summer of 2003 because, basically, they had to sign someone on defense. That investment would pay off in spades for them.
Here’s Tarnstrom scoring for the Penguins (includes a couple of classic Mike Lange calls)
This incredible article detailed the impact Tarnstrom had on the Penguins in the early rebuild stages. It would read like a satire if it didn’t really happen. Includes a cheap shot at the Islanders for good measure.
After playing for the Oilers, on their 2006 Stanley Cup final team, and the Blue Jackets to disappointing results, Tarnstrom returned to his native Sweden and his original club, the Stockholm-based AIK in 2008. The team had been relegated to the SEL’s second division. But with Tarnstrom as captain, they made it back to the top tier in 2010 and went on a couple of long playoff runs.
We’re always open to suggestions about other Weird Islanders to discuss. Remember the criteria. Candidates must fulfill one of the two of the following:
Played one (1) season or less for the Islanders or very short stints over multiple seasons.
Be a veteran NHLer who is not generally associated with his time on Islanders.
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Iowa’s Cade Obermueller (33) gets ready to pitch against Oregon during a Big Ten conference baseball game May 15, 2025 at Duane Banks Field in Iowa City, Iowa. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
It was quite interesting watching the Phillies’ 2025 draft unfold. Once Gage Wood was secured in the first round, the team could have gone any different direction since their player development system was somewhat devoid of top notch prospects. What we saw instead was a refilling of the pitching stockpile the team desperately needed to refill.
Obermueller is one of them. He might reach the majors quickly if the team focused on his becoming a reliever, but there is some time still. They can see what he can do as a starter first, then go from there. His only really throwing two pitches will probably dictate a lot of his path, but this is something the Phillies need to develop: starters and/or relievers that they can promote from within as opposed to having to trade for them all the time.
Obermueller has relief risk because he’s smaller, he throws just two pitches, and he doesn’t have great command of either of them. But he’s a special athlete with a beautiful delivery, which arguably allows for mold-breaking command and changeup projection. Obermueller is an incredibly loose, explosive athlete with bendy, whippy limbs and a powerful lower body. His delivery adds deception to his stuff in basically every way. He’s able to hide the ball for a long time because of how far back his arm lays before release. He takes a cross-bodied stride and has a lower arm slot, but he still manages to power down the mound and generate plus extension despite an indirect line to the plate. Plus, Obermueller gets to a more vertical hand position on release than is typical of someone with his arm slot. All of this creates huge uphill angle on his fastball, which averages 91-95 mph. That’s up a tick from his sophomore year, and he’ll peak in the 97-98 mph range.
With each new post, we’ll reveal who won the voting for that particular slot, then post new players for you to vote on, adding another one to the list each time until we get to our final tally of 20. Once we get to 20 top prospects, we’ll do an honorable mention post at the end. If a player gets traded to another team, we’ll just chuck him right on outta here and all the players will move up a spot. If a prospect gets acquired, we’ll ask where he should go on the list.
Probably the most important thing about this whole process – please vote. Give us a few minutes of your time, just click a button and then we can discuss other players and things in the comment section, but don’t forget – VOTE!
