Austin Wells challenged a pitch in the fourth inning, trying to get a ball turned into a strike for his pitcher, Jake Bird.
Austin Wells is pictured during the Yankees’ spring training session Feb. 15. Charles Wenzelberg
But the ABS system showed Bird’s curveball was, in fact, well below the zone, as the Yankees lost a challenge.
Caught my eye
Center fielder Kenedy Corona provided the web gem of the day, diving into the gap to make a grab and rob Pete Alonso of extra bases.
The non-roster invitee won a minor league Gold Glove in 2023.
Tomorrow’s schedule
Top pitching prospect Carlos Lagrange will start the Yankees’ Grapefruit League home opener against the Tigers, with Aaron Judge among the regulars expected to be in the lineup.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - FEBRUARY 20: Tyus Jones #1 of the Dallas Mavericks and Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves after the game on February 20, 2026 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks lost again, this time 122-111 to the Minnesota Timberwolves Friday night in Minneapolis. It’s the Mavericks 10th loss in a row. The last time Dallas won was Jan. 22 against the Golden State Warriors.
This game followed the trend of the previous nine losses almost exactly — Dallas gets crushed in the first quarter, then slowly-but-surely work their way back to make a game more competitive than it had any right to be. Dallas was missing rookie star Cooper Flagg, along with their best three point shooter Max Christie.
The Wolves had their main rotation of players and still struggled to put the Mavericks away time and time again. Dallas had runs in each of the second, third, and fourth quarters to give Minnesota a scare, but couldn’t get over the hump.
Anthony Edwards led all scorers with a monster 40-points game. Newly acquired Khris Middleton led a balanced Mavericks attack with 18 points.
Here are the three stats to know.
16-8: Minnesota’s advantaged in made 3-pointers
Dallas did a lot of things right in this game — it attacked the paint, got to the free throw line, and kept turnovers in check after a very sloppy opening quarter. It didn’t really matter though like most Mavericks efforts go to waste because of one thing: shooting. Specifically three point shooting and the lack thereof for the Mavericks.
Minnesota went 16-of-42 from deep, while the Mavericks went just 8-of-25. Both the makes and attempts for Dallas are abysmal, but it’s hard to fault them when a bad shooting team is missing its best shooter in Max Christie. Klay Thompson was responsible for three of the Mavericks makes from distance but it wasn’t enough. The gap was just too big to make up elsewhere.
60: Mavericks points in the paint
Against a top-tier defense and one of the best rim protectors in the NBA, the now 19-36 Mavericks dropped 60 points in the paint. Impressive! It’s the main reason the game was as close as it was.
Dallas has been attacking the paint with force and volume this season, mainly because these players have to go hard to the bucket because no one can shoot. The Mavericks are averaging well-over 50 points in the paint per game, nearing the 55 mark for most of the season, which is top-10 in the league. Dallas can’t get a break because they fall so behind on threes, but the paint scoring does enough to keep them competitive nearly every night.
15, 13: Marvin Bagley’s points, rebounds
Marvin Bagley has only played four games with Dallas since being part of the Anthony Davis trade, but he’s stood-out in every one. This time he picked up another double-double with a solid 15-point, 13-rebound effort off the bench.
This is Bagley’s second double-double since being traded, his first a 16-point, 12-rebound effort against the Spurs in his Mavericks debut. Bagley is fun — he might not be long for this roster, but he’s young, athletic, and shows enough skill that got him drafted second overall by the Kings in 2018 to make you ponder. It’s sort of impressive how Bagley has sort of accepted his destiny as a nice rotation backup big, and he’s better for it. Bagley isn’t forcing shots or hogging possessions, he’s just setting screens, waiting in the dunkers spot, grabbing boards, and running the floor. That’s kind of cool, and plenty of other draft busts have failed to make that transition from sta prospect to role player when the star stuff didn’t work out.
Who knows what Dallas thinks of Bagley long-term, and he might not even be on the roster when opening day of next season arrives, but he’s a worthy dart throw and I look forward to win he can play more minutes with Cooper Flagg when Flagg returns to health. Flagg likes to get up and go, and having another horse to run alongside him could be fun. Bagley can’t really guard a chair, and his rebounding waxes and wains, but he’s fun and with a season this dreadful, that counts for a lot.
Nolan McLean and Juan Soto had an epic 10-pitch battle during the Mets' spring training session Friday.
Observations from Mets’ spring training on Thursday:
Old school
There was no ABS during Friday’s live batting practice at-bat between Juan Soto and Nolan McLean.
When there was a questionable call, Soto suggested a game of Rock Paper Scissors.
Juan Soto reacts during the Mets’ live batting practice on Feb. 20, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY PostNolan McLean throws a pitch during live batting practice on Feb. 20. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post
Soto won the contest, which led to a 10-pitch battle between the two that featured nothing but fastballs and ended in a Soto groundout.
Heads up
Ben Rortvedt, who battled plenty of injuries during his two years with the Yankees, managed to hit his head — twice — on a camera attached to the net right behind home plate during an at-bat in live batting practice.
Fortunately, he escaped unscathed as he looks to stick with the Mets after joining the organization last week.
Caught my eye
Brett Baty is dealing with right hamstring discomfort, but he’s been able to get in some work at first base as he looks to gain more versatility.
He’s looked fairly comfortable there in early drills.
Saturday’s schedule
It’s the Mets’ Grapefruit League opener against Miami at Clover Park at 1:10 p.m.
Lefty Brandon Waddell is set to get the start for the Mets, with at least several regulars expected to be in the lineup.
SARASOTA, Fla. — In case there was any doubt left that Pete Alonso has moved on from the Mets and embraced his new home, he was in the middle of an interview — after staying in his spring debut with the Orioles an extra inning so he could crush a home run — when he stopped in his tracks.
John Denver’s “Thank God I’m a Country Boy,” the song played during the seventh-inning stretch of every game at Camden Yards, came on the speakers at Ed Smith Stadium.
“I really love this song,” a grinning Alonso said. “This is going to be really fun this year.”
Pete Alonso rounds the bases after homering for the Orioles’ 2-0 spring training win over the Yankees on Feb. 21, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
No, the slugging first baseman is not in Queens anymore.
Alonso is still wearing orange (a slightly different shade) and beating up on the Yankees (albeit this time in a game that did not count), but he looked right at home in an Orioles uniform as he delighted his new fans by doing what he does best: crushing baseballs.
“I feel honored to wear it,” Alonso said during the Orioles’ 2-0 win over the Yankees. “I feel great in it. I feel like I look good in it. It’s fantastic, I honestly couldn’t feel any better.”
Most of the Orioles regulars exited the Grapefruit League opener after the fifth inning, but Alonso wanted to stay in one more frame so he could take another at-bat. He had been robbed of extra bases in his second at-bat, on a diving grab by center fielder Kenedy Corona, but made the third one worth it.
He saw a curveball over the plate from non-roster right-hander Bradley Hanner and clobbered it 107.2 mph over the left-field fence.
It offered a reminder of the challenge the Yankees will be facing twice as often this season than when Alonso was with the Mets, though he still did plenty of damage then — clubbing 11 home runs in 32 career games in the Subway Series.
First baseman Pete Alonso flies out to center field during the third inning of the Orioles’ spring training win over the Yankees on Feb. 21, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“I feel like he’s done some damage against us — he’s hurt us,” manager Aaron Boone said before the game. “He’s gotten some big hits against us, some big homers against us. So hopefully we can do a better job of slowing him down a little bit. But he’s a huge presence in a lineup, and a guy that’s been incredibly durable, too. He’s a guy that goes to the post all the time. To have that 40-homer guy in the middle, night in and night out, lengthens their lineup.
“And it’s a lineup over there that has a chance to be really good.”
The Orioles-Yankees rivalry is a little different than Mets-Yankees, but Alonso said he was looking forward to it.
“It’s always fun because Yankee Stadium, it’s a really great place to play, fun place to hit,” he said. “Obviously they have really good teams. When you play against good teams, it makes for good competition.
“For me, I’m looking forward to this next chapter. It’s going to be really exciting going to war with this team that we got here. I’m really excited.”
Tonight, the Houston Rockets head to world’s most famous (indoor) arena to take on the New York Knicks in a primetime game on national television.
Houston is coming off a close and hard-fought win over the upstart Charlotte Hornets. New York, meanwhile, is coming off a loss against the upstart Detroit Pistons, the same team that the Knicks dispatched in the first round of last year’s playoffs. Clearly, that game meant a lot to the Pistons and maybe not as much to the Knicks.
So therefore, the Knicks saw one Thompson twin two nights ago and will get to the see the other one tonight. Last season in this building, the Rockets played a whale of a game but were chased down late by Jalen Brunson, he of the “I never miss in the clutch” fame.
Houston, of course, has their own version of that in Kevin Durant. KD, who may or may not go by other names, scored Houston’s last ten points in Charlotte to put the game away. If the game comes down to the wire, it’s going to be awfully exciting for neutral observers. And in case you haven’t noticed, the Rockets don’t win many blowouts. Either the game will be close and a coin flip, or the Knicks will run Houston out of the gym. There is no in-between for this version of the Rockets.
TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 12: Gerrit Cole #45 of the New York Yankees works out during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 12, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: Yankees ace Gerrit Cole crossed off another milestone in his recovery from Tommy John surgery in the spring of 2025. For the first time since going under the knife, the 35-year-old righty faced hitters, and it went as well as one could have expected. The 2023 AL Cy Young threw an inning and about 20 pitches, facing hitters such as Trent Grisham, Aaron Judge, and Jasson Dominguez. He struck out the center fielder, induced Judge to hit a grounder to second, and allowed hard contact to the Martian to round out the day.
Cole’s fastball sat in the 95-96 mph range, awfully encouraging at this time of the year. He won’t be ready for the start of the season, but should be back once he is fully stretched out, probably around late April.
Brendan Kuty on X: Everybody in attendance was impressed with Cole’s live batting practice session, his first after blowing up his elbow last spring. One of them, of course, was Yankees captain Aaron Judge.
“It looked like the old 45 that I’ve seen for years,” Judge said about his teammate. With his fastball sitting in the mid-90s and touching 96 mph, it’s a matter of making sure Cole’s command is on point and his breaking stuff rebounds all the way back after surgery, plus stretching out to a full starter’s workload. That could take a few weeks, but things are trending in the right direction. Can Cole and Judge lead the Yankees to the promised land?
MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: The Yankees had their spring training debut on Friday afternoon at Ed Smith Stadium, losing 2-0 to the Baltimore Orioles. A Pete Alonso two-run shot versus Bradley Hanner was the difference between the two teams. Prospect Elmer Rodríguez stole the show for the Yankees, touching 97 mph on the radar gun and tossing three scoreless frames. He conceded just three hits and no walks, striking out one. He looked in control for most of the afternoon, and his stuff was crisp.
“It felt good,” Rodríguez told Hoch. “That first inning, my adrenaline was high in the moment, but I was able to use it and channel it, and use it to my advantage.”
Jazz Chisholm Jr., Amed Rosario, Austin Wells, and José Caballero played on Friday, and Jake Bird contributed a scoreless frame in relief. Carson Coleman struck out the side in the seventh.
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 12: Marvin Bagley III #35 of the Dallas Mavericks shoots a free throw during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on February 12, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks took on the Minnesota Timberwolves Friday night in their first game since the All-Star break on Friday. Losers of nine-straight coming into the night, Dallas dropped their tenth in a row, 122-111.
Let’s get to the grades!
Tyus Jones: B+
13 PTS / 1 REB / 6 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 26 MIN
Jones had his best game in his as-yet short time in Dallas. He combined with Brandon Williams to give the Mavs excellent production from the point guard position, which is something that hasn’t often been said about Dallas this season. If he can play with this type of efficiency and poise, it will certainly help Dallas in a position of need.
Naji Marshall: B-
15 PTS / 5 REB / 3 AST / 3 STL / 0 BLK – 33 MIN
Marshall struggled with his shot most of the night, finishing 5-for-16, detracting from his grade. He did a bit of everything and had some nice moments, but you can’t help but think that one of his hot shooting nights could have made a big difference in the outcome.
Khris Middleton: B+
18 PTS / 7 REB / 2 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 30 MIN
Middleton was the steadying force offensively when the Mavs were down big in the first half. He didn’t blow the doors off, but very much kept Dallas connected when things could have really gone south. He continued his steady play throughout the game.
P.J. Washington: C
12 PTS / 12 REB / 2 AST / 2 STL / 0 BLK – 36 MIN
Washington had solid numbers but his actual game left a bit to be desired. He was roasted on defense on more than one occasion, missed a pair of free throws that could have tied the game in the third quarter, and had a few strange sequences where he rebounded his own miss only to miss again.
Daniel Gafford: C-
8 PTS / 5 REB / 2 AST / 2 STL / 3 BLK – 24 MIN
Gafford was similar to Washington in that his stat line was fine, but the actual game saw him getting outplayed by both Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert and his own teammate Marvin Bagley who was backing him up in a bench role.
Brandon Williams: B+
13 PTS / 1 REB / 4 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 18 MIN
Williams paired with Jones for a nice showing from the point guard position. Like Jones, Williams’ damage wasn’t boisterous, but it was efficient and productive. Nice game penetrating and scoring while also getting his teammates involved.
Klay Thompson: C
11 PTS / 0 REB / 2 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 28 MIN
With under two minutes remaining in the third quarter, Thompson was 0-for-5 from the floor and his only measurable stat was a single personal foul. He hit a three-pointer before the quarter ended and had a positive fourth quarter, but this one is easy enough to move on from.
Marvin Bagley: A+
15 PTS / 13 REB / 0 AST / 0 STL / 1 BLK – 24 MIN
Bagley continues to bring it every night and is endearing himself each time out. Watching him away from the play on Friday night showed how much he battles and how well he positions himself to have an impact both tangibly and intangibly. Bagley as part of a more complete and healthy team has a lot of appeal at this early juncture of his Mavs’ tenure. Fantastic game, especially off the bench in limited minutes.
Final Thoughts
Dallas was outclassed in almost every facet of the game for much of the first half, but again would just not go away. Some of that was due to Minnesota falling off, but credit to Dallas for not letting this turn into the 30-point blowout it easily could have been by halftime.
I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.
Five months later, entering a vital contract year, the Yankees star is already jumping ahead to talk of a 50-50 season, which has only been done once in the history of the game, by Shohei Ohtani.
“I’m not going to say nothing that I don’t think I can do,” he said after getting on base twice in his spring debut, a 2-0 loss to the Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium. “I’m always going to speak positive into the atmosphere. I’m never going to tell myself or tell anybody that, ‘Oh, I’m just going to have a year where I hit 10 home runs and hit .250.’ Who does that sound like? A loser. That’s a loser.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. swings during the Yankees’ Feb. 20 spring training game. Imagn Images
“I’m going to go shoot for the stars and if I miss, I’m going to end up on the moon.”
The Yankees would certainly take the moon, with Chisholm coming off a season in which he hit 31 home runs and stole 31 bases despite missing a month with an oblique injury and not attempting a steal for another month while he played through a groin issue.
Chisholm is heading into his final year under club control, and while hundreds of millions of dollars could be waiting on the other side of it, he is planning on using the pressure of such a big season to his advantage.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. is pictured during a Feb. 11 workout at spring training. Charles Wenzelberg
“I think that brings out the best in me,” he said. “The contract year is even better for me. I like pressure. I like going out there and having to play for something, having to go and do it. Go win games and make it meaningful every day. That’s what baseball’s supposed to be about. You play for people, you play for your family, you play for your friends at home and you play for the team you’re wearing every time you go out there. And also, you play for yourself.
“At the end of the day, when you’re going out there and doing all that, how can you not get pumped up and excited and enjoy the ride? It’s just like a roller coaster. If you don’t enjoy the ride, it’s going to suck. But when you enjoy the ride, it’s one of the best rides of your life.”
Chisholm also added that he will be playing this season for his best friend growing up, who died unexpectedly last year.
“That’s what I’m really playing this year for is my best friend, that he is not going to get to see me go into free agency,” he said. “He’s not going to get to see me sign the long-term deal we’ve been talking about since I was kid. He’s not going to be able to see a lot of things that I do and it sucks. I wish he was here. I still miss him to this day. So yeah, that’s who I play for.”
Jake Bird threw a scoreless inning of relief, allowing only an infield single that he quickly erased on a double play.
Feb 19, 2026; Glendale, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher/designated hitter Shohei Ohtani poses for a portrait during photo day at Camelback Ranch. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
According to the latest Depth Charts projections from FanGraphs, Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani is forecasted to lead all of Major League Baseball in 2026 with 48 home runs, 119 RBIs, 129 runs scored and a thunderous .599 slugging percentage.
His projected .983 OPS trails only one hitter in the model. In other words, the machines and algorithms are predicting dominance.
Again.
Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani is forecasted to lead all of Major League Baseball in 2026 with 48 home runs. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Ohtani already finished among MLB’s elite offensive leaders last season, pacing the league in runs scored, and finishing second in slugging percentage behind only Aaron Judge. His 55 home runs were two more than Judge, but he finished third behind Cal Raleigh (60) and Kyle Schwarber (56).
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts — who has guided Los Angeles to back-to-back World Series titles, and multiple pennants — doesn’t mince words when discussing his generational talent. He has called Ohtani “the best player that’s ever played this game.” Hyperbole? Maybe. But the résumé keeps stacking.
Ohtani already finished among MLB’s elite offensive leaders last season. Jason Szenes for CA Post
The betting markets agree. Ohtani currently sits atop National League MVP odds at -125, and if his arm cooperates, Cy Young whispers won’t be far behind. Imagine a season where 45-plus homers meets 180 strikeouts on the mound. That isn’t fantasy baseball. That’s the Ohtani proposition.
In Los Angeles, expectations don’t scare anyone. They fuel October dreams. And if the projections hold, 2026 won’t just be another MVP chase — it could be baseball history unfolding in real time.
New York Mets Pitcher Devin Williams throws live batting practice during Spring Training at Clover Field, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026.
PORT ST. LUCIE — There wasn’t much good to take from Devin Williams’ lone season with the Yankees, a season in which he lost the closer job twice and hardly resembled the dominant reliever he’d been for most of his career in Milwaukee.
But as Williams settles into his new home with the Mets, he believes at least one good thing from last year follows him to Queens.
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“Mental toughness,’’ Williams said following the team’s workout Friday at Clover Park. “I wasn’t executing and I was getting bad results. It got pretty tough there, but I got through it and was throwing the ball really well by the end of the year.”
Williams is hoping the fact he finished the regular season with nine straight scoreless appearances, mostly setting up closer David Bednar, and four more in the playoffs, proves that he was able to put his 2025 struggles behind him.
“Probably that last stretch of games, that was me, that’s my standard,’’ Williams said. “I was executing the way I need to.’’
New York Mets Pitcher Devin Williams throws live batting practice during Spring Training at Clover Field, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
And now he’s back closing games, with Edwin Díaz having left for the Dodgers shortly after Williams signed with the Mets.
He said he’s ready for the challenge.
“You’re gonna fail,’’ Williams said. “[Stuff] got really bad for a little bit last year, but I’m still me. I’m still the same guy. I’m still really good at this game.”
“He’s been a guy,” Carlos Mendoza said of Williams’ status as one of the top closers in the game. “Last year wasn’t easy for him at the beginning and he made some adjustments.”
Last year’s experience may end up helping him going forward. “You’re always going to have adversity,’’ Williams said. “That was the toughest it’s been for me in the big leagues.”
But he noted it wasn’t the lowest point of his career, instead pointing to 2018, when he was still in the lower level of the minors with the Brewers, coming off Tommy John surgery and had a terrible season.
“There were times I was ready to quit in ’18,’’ Williams said. “I came back from [surgery] and I was terrible and wanted to go home. Every day wasn’t good. But I got through that, got to the big leagues [in 2019] and the rest is history.”
New York Mets Pitcher Devin Williams walks through the dugout during Spring Training at Clover Field, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026, in Port St. Lucie, FL. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Just as he hopes 2025 is history for him, too.
It will take some time before Brett Baty gets some reps in right field, where he will be in the mix for playing time once his balky right hamstring fully heals.
Mendoza said Friday that they are focused on getting Baty reps in the infield — where he has been working at first base — before getting him in the outfield.
But Mendoza is confident Baty will be able to make the transition for one main reason. “The athleticism,’’ the manager said.
And he pointed to what Baty was able to do last year as a reason, as Baty moved from third base to second without much of an issue.
“We didn’t know which way it was gonna go when we asked him to play second base,’’ Mendoza said. “It’s not an easy position, especially when you’re used to playing on the left side and a corner position.”
Baty “made that transition easily,’’ according to Mendoza.
Baty played some outfield in the minors, most recently starting games there in 2022 with Double-A Binghamton.
“He’s familiar with the outfield,” Mendoza said. “Now we’ve got to get him reads with angles. He enjoys being that type of player and he takes it personally.”
Peoria, Ariz. - February 12: Jagger Haynes #79 of the San Diego Padres looks on during spring training workouts at the Peoria Sports Complex on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026 in Peoria, Ariz.(Photo by Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)
Spring Training is officially upon us! The wintry woes of the offseason are behind us as San Diego Padres faced off against the Seattle Mariners at their shared complex in Peoria, Ariz. for the first game of the year. Baseball is back!
While a great deal of prospects got plenty of use today, and will continue to get looked at this preseason. One in particular, Jagger Haynes, held his ground and did a fantastic job facing a (mostly MLB-starting) Seattle lineup.
Play-by-play of today’s game
Across two innings, Haynes allowed two singles in the first, and a single and home run in the second. Admittedly, that line doesn’t exactly inspire confidence. But there’s more nuance to the situation than just that line.
To start the game, Haynes allowed a single from the leadoff hitter, Luke Raley. After that he got Mariners superstar Cal Raleigh to fly out before giving up another single to Julio Rodríguez. With two on and two outs, he induced a double play from Josh Naylor to end the inning.
When he came back in the second, he made quick work of his first two batters. Randy Arozarena lined out and J.P Crawford struck out. Haynes then got Dominic Canzone to hit a fly ball where an easy catch could have ended the inning, but left fielder Nick Schnell lost the ball in the sun and was unable to complete the inning-ending catch.
Due to that error, Haynes had to continue pitching and now had Canzone on first base. He immediately gave up a home run to Michael Arroyo before getting Colt Emerson to fly out to right field to end it.
It’s hard to speak to how difficult it is to regroup mentally after an error like that, but for Haynes to immediately end the inning after giving up a two-run home run (to a batter he wasn’t even supposed to face) was an indicator of the mental fortitude Haynes has.
Haynes’ minors career
Across his last three years in the San Diego organization, he has spent time in three different levels of the minors, owning a 4.33 ERA with a 1.40 WHIP. Again, the numbers aren’t inspiring, but his ability to come back from Tommy John surgery in 2021, especially after a long rehabilitation process, is.
After being drafted in 2020, Haynes lost out on the ‘21 and ‘22 season and had to wait to pitch for the organization until the 2023 season. But since joining the Friars at the minor league level, he has shown himself to be a worthwhile prospect.
Obviously, today’s game is a small sample size, it’s only two innings after all. But the stuff that Haynes put on display showed he is beginning to make a case to join the major league roster in the next few years (maybe even getting a call up later this year in the dog days of summer). Whatever the case, it will be interesting to see what the season has in store for Haynes in the Padres’ organization.
Peoria, AZ - February 20: Jose Miranda #64 o the San Diego Padres celebrates a two-run home run against the Seattle Mariners during a spring training game on February 20, 2026 in Peoria, AZ. (Photo by K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)
For an offense that finished 2025 at the bottom of the league in slugging (22nd) and home runs (28th), it was nice to see the San Diego Padres produce their first runs of Cactus League play on the strength of a solo home run from Romeo Sanabria in the top of the sixth inning and a two-run home run from Jose Miranda in the top of the seventh inning during their 7-4 loss to the Seattle Mariners at Peoria Stadium on Friday. Of course, Sanabria and Miranda will not be everyday players for the Padres, but it could indicate the offensive approach in San Diego is changing or has changed under new hitting coach Steven Souza Jr.
The lineup definitely changed under new Padres manager Craig Stammen and it was a welcome sight for Padres fans who watched former manager Mike Shildt refuse to move Luis Arraez out of the second spot in the lineup despite his struggles last season. Xander Bogaerts, Jackson Merrill, Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. were the top four in the lineup, and they produced just one hit on an infield single to start the game by Bogaerts. Jake Cronenworth, Nick Castellanos, Luis Campusano, Ty France and Nick Schnell combined to add just two more hits in the contest.
Hitters often take longer to find their swing in Spring Training and with this being the first game of the spring, there is no reason to get too excited about the success of Sanabria and Miranda or too upset about the stat lines of the big names at the top of the lineup. Cronenworth was the only other regular in the San Diego lineup to record a hit, but he should have had two and two RBI. It took a diving play in the first inning by Seattle right fielder Dominic Canzone to keep Cronenworth off the basepaths and the Padres off the scoreboard. Cronenworth hit the ball well in his two plate appearances.
Castellanos, who got the start at first base, made two nice plays of his own on defense in the bottom of the fourth inning. The first play required him to range to his right to field a ground ball off the bat of J.P. Crawford and then make an underhand throw to pitcher Wandy Peralta who was covering first base for the first out of the inning. The second play resulted in the final out of the inning. Castellanos made a diving play to his right on a hard ground ball by Colt Emmerson with a runner on second base, recovered and made an overhand throw to Peralta at first to end the frame and keep the Mariners from adding to their 3-0 lead.
Stammen was unable to get his first win as a manager in the first game of the spring season, but he and the Padres will have another chance when San Diego plays the Kansas City Royals at Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Ariz. on Saturday at 12:05 p.m.
Javonte Green knocks the ball away from Karl-Anthony Towns during the Knicks' Feb. 20 loss to the Pistons.
Karl-Anthony Towns’ involvement in the Knicks offense has been one of the biggest storylines all year and likely will continue to be the rest of the season.
It doesn’t take a microscope to see that he is less comfortable in coach Mike Brown’s system compared to last year under Tom Thibodeau.
Way too many times, Towns goes long stretches on the floor and hardly is noticeable offensively.
Particularly puzzling was that the Pistons were playing without their top two centers in Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart, both serving suspensions.
If anything, it was a game Towns should have been featured in the offensive game plan and aggressive from the outset.
Karl-Anthony Towns looks to move the ball during the Knicks’ loss to the Pistons on Feb. 20. Robert Sabo for the NY Post
“Our offense is our offense,” Towns said. “It’s been that way all year. So we have our system, and we’re gonna — regardless of who’s in the game or not in the game — we run the system that we have implemented for our team to the best of our abilities.”
Then, all of a sudden, Towns came out of halftime noticeably hunting for his shot and forcing the issue.
He took five shots and five free throws and scored 12 points in the third quarter.
That’s the way it’s largely been for Towns this year — nothing has been natural or in the flow of the offense.
He’s usually been troublingly uninvolved or overly aggressive, with very little in between.
“We’re continuing to try to do different things to help free him up,” Brown said. “We’ll continue to search to try to do different things to free him up throughout the rest of the year.”
Javonte Green knocks the ball away from Karl-Anthony Towns during the Knicks’ Feb. 20 loss to the Pistons. Robert Sabo for the NY Post
Towns’ production and efficiency are down this year.
His marks of 19.8 points per game and 34.9 percent shooting from 3-point range would represent the lowest since his rookie season, and his 46.7 percent shooting from the field would be the worst of his career.
He is taking just 14 shots per game, which also would be in line for the fewest of his 11-year career.
The problem isn’t going away.
If anything, as the postseason gets closer and closer, finding a solution is growing more urgent.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) passes as Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. (17) defends during the first half at Paycom Center on Feb. 20, 2026.
The Nets looked across the court at Oklahoma City, the team they’re trying to emulate in their rebuild. They got a harsh reminder of just how far away they are.
Brooklyn suffered an offensively-challenged 105-86 loss to the Thunder on Friday night before a crowd of 18,203 at Paycom Center.
Smothered by the reigning champions, the Nets shot 36.7 percent overall and 7-of-41 from 3-point range.
Alex Caruso (9) passes as Michael Porter Jr. (17) defends during the first half of the Nets’ 105-86 loss to the Thunder at Paycom Center on Feb. 20, 2026 in Oklahoma City. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
That horrid 17.1 percent clip from behind the arc was their worst of the season, and left them no chance to win.
Brooklyn (15-40) conceded an extended 21-3 run that spanned from the end of the first quarter deep into the second.
They shot 0-for-11 — including 0-for-8 from deep — and gave away a dozen turnovers to flip a six-point lead into a 10-point hole.
That deficit moved to as many as 20. Though the Nets fought back — unlike when they rolled over a night earlier in Cleveland — their sorry shooting short-circuited any comeback bid.
“We struggled. Obviously they’re the No. 1 defense for a reason. And we struggled in that second quarter, but also in the fourth. But we saw good things, and that’s the trend that I wanted the group to continue with,” Jordi Fernández said.
Egor Dëmin looks to pass the ball during the Nets’ loss to the Thunder on Feb. 20, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
“Yeah, it was handling their pressure. I also thought that getting the stops, when you get to your spots in transition, it’s a little easier to find those shots.”
Brooklyn, which moved up to fourth in the lottery standings are now just a game out of second place, a tie between Indiana and New Orleans.
The Thunder (43-14) were without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdominal strain), Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell. But the Nets couldn’t take advantage.
Michael Porter Jr. had 22 points, nine rebounds and five assists. But playing on the tail end of a back-to-back, he was just 1-of-9 from deep. Egor Dëmin was 1-of-8 from behind the arc and finished with just three points. Nolan Traore scored 17.
Brooklyn had an early 23-17 lead, but coughed up a 21-3 run.
The deficit swelled to 55-35 early in the third.
Down 71-54, the Nets ripped off a 9-0 blitz in just 1:25. But that’s as close as it got.
Jared McCain had 21 for OKC.
The Nets hired ex-OKC director of amateur scouting Acie Law to be Director of Player Personnel in the offseason and will look to emulate the Thunder. But Friday showed how far they have to go.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - FEBRUARY 20: Bones Hyland #8 of the Minnesota Timberwolves celebrates a dunk by teammate Naz Reid #11 against the Dallas Mavericks in the first quarter at Target Center on February 20, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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 David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We’re back!
After more than a full week off for the All-Star Break that saw Anthony Edwards win All-Star Game MVP, the Minnesota Timberwolves were back in action Friday night at Target Center against the Cooper Flagg-less Dallas Mavericks.
The Wolves got whatever they wanted offensively in the first half, consistently generating open looks through great ball movement, knocking down 11 3-pointers en route to a 69-point half and a lead as high as 18 points. Anthony Edwards scored 20 of those 69 points, including 17 in the second quarter alone.
“It was crazy,” Naz said about the dunk after the game. “I mean, the excitement that it brought, that’s the energy two years ago, a year ago. So just kind of getting back to that, and kind of getting the crowd into the games, that’s kind of something we need, especially going into this run and obviously going into the playoffs. So just making things electrifying for the fans, and while being still within myself, I think just stuff like that is huge.”
To start the second half, the ball movement completely dried up, and as they have done many times before, the Wolves gave back the 18-point lead, allowing the Mavs to go on a 24-8 run to cut the lead all the way down to two midway through the third quarter.
The Wolves pushed the lead back up to ten late in the third quarter, but eventually found themselves tied after a flurry of tough makes from Klay Thompson. With less than seven minutes left, the Wolves were in a nailbiter with the tanking Mavericks, needing to put together a quality stretch of basketball to avoid yet another disastrous home loss.
From that point in the game forward, Ant took over. Across the final 6:37 of the game, Edwards was in complete control of the game. He scored 14 points down the stretch, including numerous times when he got to his spot in the midrange and rose over his defender for two points and a dagger 3-pointer that gave him 40 points for the game.
“I think Finchy is a big part of my success,” Edwards said, pointing to his head coach, Chris Finch, as to why he’s been so successful in the clutch this season. “the last couple years he was telling me I need a go-to shot, I need spots I can get to where I’m comfortable, so I’ve got to work on that instead of trying to work on all these moves to get to a shot. Work on getting to this spot and rising up over whoever it is. He’s been preaching that to me for the last two years, so he’s a big part of that.”
The Wolves won by a final score of 122-111. The margin was much closer than it needed to be, but ultimately the Wolves came away with a necessary win to open up their post-All-Star schedule. Along with Edwards, Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid carried the Wolves in this game.
Gobert dominated the paint on both ends of the floor as he finished with 22 points and 17 rebounds, including 10 on the offensive end of the floor. Unfortunately, Gobert did pick up a flagrant foul in the second quarter, which, unless rescinded, will result in a one-game suspension.
“It’s up to him to manage it,” Finch said after the game about Gobert’s flagrant foul issue. “I thought that call was a bit harsh. It looked like two guys tying up and sometimes that happens. Seemingly every time Rudy gets clocked in the head and the face, which is quite a bit, it’s always just, ‘ah, that’s just two guys, play on. It’s nothing.’ But yet the other way around, we seem to be penalized for it. I thought it was harsh. I can see getting a technical there, maybe. A flagrant? I didn’t see a flagrant there or the unnecessary part of it.”
Gobert had similar feelings about the call after the game, saying, “You know what? The thing with that is that I get hit in the head almost every game, and I never get flagrants. But when sometimes inadvertently I hit somebody in the head, they never miss. They’re always very hard on me with that, especially when it’s not intentional.”
Gobert and the Wolves do plan to submit the play to the league office in hopes that it will be downgraded to a common foul or a technical foul.
Reid led the Wolves off the bench with 21 points, seven rebounds, and four assists, while knocking down four 3-pointers while playing the final 19:55 of the game as Minnesota desperately needed his scoring punch and rebounding to close out the game.
Up Next
The Timberwolves are back in action on Sunday at 6:00 PM CT, taking on the Philadelphia 76ers for the first time this season. Joel Embiid is already listed out for the 76ers’ game on Saturday, so status for Sunday’s game against the Wolves is up in the air. Fans can watch the game on FanDuel Sports Network.
