Good morning, LSB.
The Rangers added another bat yesterday in the form of former first round pick Nick Pratto.
Former Rangers reliever David Robertson has decided to hang em up.
MLB dot com has a list of 13 “eye-popping” predictions for 2026 which includes one for Jacob deGrom.
And The Athletic has a Q&A with Team USA manager and former Ranger Mark DeRosa on how the roster is shaping up before the World Baseball Classic.
That’s all for this morning. Have a good weekend!
Caleb Okoli sent off as Leicester lose at home 2-0
Southampton ease to 2-0 victory at Stoke
Sonny Carey and Lyndon Dykes scored first-half goals for Charlton as they made it a 2-0 losing start for the Leicester interim manager, Andy King, at the King Power Stadium.
The Leicester owner, Aiyawatt “Top” Srivaddhanaprabha, was in attendance for King’s first match in charge after the sacking of Martí Cifuentes on Sunday, but his side faced an uphill task from the moment the centre-back Caleb Okoli was dismissed in the 15th minute. Miles Leaburn looked set to race through on goal from Carey’s flick but Okoli pulled him back and the referee, Andrew Kitchen, showed him a red card.
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Jaylon Thompson writes about what the Royals could do with their pitching staff.
KC is thin behind Lynch and Strahm for left-handers on the 40-man roster. It’s possible the front office decides to add someone before spring training. It’s imperative to have quality lefties as depth pieces and to offset injuries.
The Royals could convert some of their starting pitchers into long-relief help. One name to watch is left-hander Bailey Falter . He has some experience working in the bullpen, having made appearances with the Royals in 2025, and is still under contract.
David Lesky considers the players invited to spring training.
This is generally where the young players go, so it’s an easy look. AJ Causey and Dennis Colleran were prospects I mentioned recently who could debut in 2026. They are both absolutely making a case for a spot in the bullpen later this year when camp opens up. I think Shane Panzini is as well and I think Frank Mozzicato is too, though there’s an argument to be made that he belongs in a fourth category of a first-round pick that they just want to get a look at to see if he actually has a chance to even be depth in the big leagues.
Two of the more interesting pitchers on the list are Hunter Patteson and Chazz Martinez. I think they’re interesting because they’re kind of sneaky. They’re a little older, both 26, but neither has been mentioned much. Martinez was dominant in AA before struggling in AAA, but he struck out 45 and walked 11 in 43.2 innings in AA. He’s a lefty and they could use a strong lefty reliever. Patteson is also a lefty and he was dominant in high-A as a starter with a 1.99 ERA in 13 starts. I could see a shift to the bullpen there.
Pete Grathoff writes that MLB Network host Brian Kenny raved about Bobby Witt Jr., who they ranked #1 among shortstops.
“No. 1, yes, Bobby Witt Jr. He has emerged as one of the leading superstars in the sport,” Kenny said. “While the behemoths rule the coasts — that’s Ohtani and Judge — Bobby Witt owns the Heartland. He followed up his breakout year by playing 157 games, slugging a robust .501. Stealing 38 bases, playing stellar defense. He was a whopping plus-20. Plus-20! In fielding (run value). I’m throwing these absurd numbers out there. Plus-20.
“Witt is going into his age 26 season, and we now have two years of dominance. Best batting average, slugging, OPS+ at the position, and No. 1 defensively, as measured by the Statcast defensive metric, that’s fielding run value. Put it all together in WAR, that’s what No. 1 looks like.”
Philip Ruo at Royals Keep also breaks down the non-roster invitee list.
The Rangers sign former Royals first baseman Nick Pratto.
The Athletics sign Jacob Wilson to a seven-year, $70 million contract.
The Twins part ways with head of baseball operations Derek Falvey.
The Braves sign pitcher Martín Pérez to a minor league deal.
Teams are still in on free agent Zac Gallen.
The Orioles are interested in free agent Lucas Giolito.
What will the Red Sox do with their infield?
How the Driveline facilities help MLB hitters.
Is there still value in platoons?
Baseball America lists Kansas as a team to watch in college baseball this year.
The NFL salary cap will be over $300 million this season.
Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn crashed and injured her left knee.
Who was the only person to win an Olympic medal and a Nobel prize?
Amazon will close all its Amazon Fresh retail stores.
A first look at the actors who will play each member of The Beatles in upcoming biopics.
Your song of the day is Count Five with Psychotic Reaction.
Hello friends and happy Saturday! It’s the last day of January and spring training kicks off next month. As the offseason begins to wrap up, here’s the latest.
After a season where the Mets missed the playoffs by as narrow a margin as they did, “what if” questions inevitably abound in the post mortem analysis. Of all of those “what if” questions, one that looms surprisingly large is, “What if Griffin Canning hadn’t ruptured his Achilles?” It feels strange typing those words because when the Mets signed Canning to a one-year, $4.25 million deal last offseason, no one envisioned he would play as large of a role on the team as he did.
After leading the league in earned runs in 2024 and getting traded by the Angels and then non-tendered by the Braves, Canning found himself with a job in the Mets’ rotation to begin the season because of injuries to Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas. Canning looked like an entirely different pitcher in spring training, posting a 1.88 ERA and striking out 22 batters in 14 1/3 innings—a far higher rate than his career norms and a higher rate than anyone else on the team in Grapefruit League action. At the time when Canning was in the running for the 2025 King of Spring Training contest, I wrote:
The Mets have refined Canning’s pitch mix, adding a two-seam sinker and bringing back a cutter he used to throw to serve as a weapon against lefties. Canning’s changeup ranked in the top 20 in run value among starters last season and the Mets hope that some tweaks in sequencing can improve his results. The results in spring training speak for themselves. Hopefully Canning is another David Stearns success story: not a sexy acquisition, but one that will help the Mets weather a 162-game season with inevitable pitching injuries.
A David Stearns success story is exactly what Canning turned out to be. Though he didn’t maintain quite the prolific strikeout rate of his small spring sample size, Canning did maintain his momentum overall to begin the season, putting up a 2.47 ERA through his first nine starts. He did that mostly on the back of that changeup, which hitters batted just .188 against in 2025, and via a 55.2% ground ball rate over those first nine starts. Metrics like SIERA, FIP, and xERA are less kind to Canning’s impressive start because of the amount of contact he gave up, but he gave the Mets exactly what they needed from him: the ability to weather the storm.
Canning’s early luck caught up with him a bit in the second half of May and into June, over which he put up a 5.50 ERA in 34 1/3 innings, seeing his walk rate spike. Canning never got the chance to right the ship. On June 26, he suffered a non-contact injury, crumpling to the ground after stepping off the mound. It didn’t look good at the time and eventually testing confirmed the worst: a ruptured Achilles tendon that would require surgery and cost him the rest of the season.
It was truly a shame for both the Mets and for Canning. Canning lost out on the chance to parlay what was shaping up to be a renaissance season into a possible multi-year deal. As of this writing, Canning is still a free agent, though he has drawn interest from multiple teams, including the Mets. However, given the injury, the chances that Canning’s next contract is richer than the one earned in 2025 are slim. Meanwhile, the Mets lost what turned out to be, on balance, an above average starting pitcher from their rotation. All told, Canning ended up with a 3.77 ERA and a 107 ERA+ in 76 1/3 innings across 16 starts. Given the amount the Mets signed Canning for and the expectations of him entering the season, even this injury-shortened campaign was absolutely a bargain. But when one looks at what happened to the Mets from June 26 onward, the “what if” question inevitably creeps in. The starting rotation was the chief area of the team that failed down the stretch. Because of injuries and ineffectiveness, the Mets were forced to rely upon their young arms to mixed success. One can’t help but wonder if Canning simply xeroxing his first half output in the second half would have been enough to eke out that one extra win the Mets needed to make the playoffs in 2025. In that alternate universe, the resurgence of Griffin Canning and the successful transition of Clay Holmes to the starting rotation are heralded as victories by David Stearns and the Mets’ pitching apparatus that inspire confidence for 2026.
C’est la vie. Instead, we live in a universe where the outcome of the Frankie Montas signing and uncertainty surrounding Sean Manaea and Kodai Senga leave some lingering apprehension, despite the morale boost that was the Freddy Peralta trade. However, Canning’s story—injury-shortened or not—is reason for optimism; it is likely he did enough in 2025 to be given a chance by someone to prove it was not a fluke, despite the warning signs of regression. But it is unlikely that team will be the Mets unless a trade that subtracts from the current group of big league starters is still in the works.
San Diego Padres centerfielder Jackson Merrill had a difficult sophomore season in the majors. A hamstring injury and a concussion severely impacted his ability to stay on the field, which in turn hurt his overall number. However, as the 2025 season ended, Merrill got hot and showed signs of regaining his 2024 form that saw him finish in second place for National League Rookie of the Year. Even with a down season, the expectations for Merrill are high. He was picked as the fourth best centerfielder in the game by MLB Network on the Top 10 Center Fielders, Friday. Merrill slotted behind Julio Rodriguez (Seattle Mariners), Wyatt Langford (Texas Rangers) and Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins.
Padres News:
Baseball News:
I write three or four posts a week for this site, so I will beg an indulgence in this one. Writing in the offseason is challenging, especially when the Yankees adopt the “run it back” strategy they seem to have this year. There are endless rumors, smoke with little to no fire, and occasionally debates about who will get inducted in the Hall of Fame.
This winter has been particularly tough, in many ways because the free agent market never really seemed to fit the Yankees. Last year it felt like a very real bidding war existed between the Yankees and Mets for Juan Soto, but with the exception of Cody Bellinger, who it always seemed like was inevitable, there really didn’t seem like anyone on the market was a good match — especially given their apparent disinterest in Kyle Tucker, one offseason after nearly trading for him. We still talked about them because we had to talk about something, but it’s been a slog and I’m glad we’re just 11 days from spring training.
Looking ahead though, we seem to have to diverging paths over the next couple of winters, and neither of them make me that excited. For my own complaints that this winter was difficult to get through, next year represents a stark choice between two bad options. The free agency class is weak, with Tarik Skubal atop the table but perhaps unlikely to be a Yankee target given Hal Steinbrenner’s hesitance to splurge on less familiar players, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. the next-best option. I like Jazz a lot, but there’s just not that much buzz, or font for writing, about a cohort where he’s the second-best available player.
The other big offseason thought generator, the Hall of Fame, is also in a bit of a down cycle. Next year, Buster Posey is the only notable new name to the ballot and I do think he will get in, but there’s no Albert Pujols or similar Player of the Era for a couple more years (Jon Lester joins the ballot as well next year, but he’s definitely someone who would immediately get in). Chase Utley may very well find himself getting enough votes for enshrinement, and from a Yankee perspective, Félix Hernández is seriously trending upward as well, and Andy Pettitte has seen his vote share increase over time — but there’s really not much else to say.
Then again, the other path is perhaps worse. We’re staring down the most likely work stoppage in a generation, with ownership reportedly ready to hold firm on a salary cap, and the MLBPA equally determined to not cross that red line. With disruptions in regional broadcasting networks and the increasing financial bifurcation between teams that spend and teams that don’t, it feels near-inevitable that we’ll lose some baseball, even if a full season’s cancellation still seems unlikely to me.
Collective bargaining negotiations will dominate coverage of the next offseason, but boy I’m not looking forward to talking about it. There will be a great deal of grandstanding, I don’t trust the PA to be able to effectively message around the issue, and the likes of Bob Nutting and Bill DeWitt will shed the wettest crocodile tears you’ve ever seen. The two paths ahead of us for 2026/27 are a skull-numbing lack of interesting things to talk about, or fret about the very future of the sport.
Spring training is just around the corner. I may end up enjoying it much more than usual.
The Royals avoided a potential arbitration hearing with first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino, signing him to a two-year deal Friday that will pay him $11 million and potentially up to $16 million with incentives, according to MLB.com reporter Anne Rogers.
Pasquantino had filed for arbitration for the first time, requesting a $4.5 million salary while the Royals had countered with $4 million. The contract covers his salary for 2026 and 2027. He would be eligible for arbitration again before the 2028 season, and would be eligible for free agency after that season.
Pasquantino reached career highs in several offensive categories in 2025, hitting .264/.323/.475, and his 32 home runs were the eighth-most in the American League, while he finished third with 113 RBI. He played in all but two games last year, and he was a finalist for a Silver Slugger Award at first base.
Pasquantino had expressed some fears about going to an arbitration hearing, posting on social media that, “I’m about to go into a room and hear how awful I am…” A typical hearing will feature the player making the case for why he compares favorably with similar players that make the salary he is requesting, while the team argues the player is not quite as good, with the arbitration panel selecting one side or the other, not a number in the middle.
The Royals still have one remaining arbitration case with Kris Bubic. He has asked for $6.15 million while the team has offered $5.15 million.
Nathan MacKinnon leads the NHL in scoring by a healthy margin, sitting four goals clear of Connor McDavid and eight ahead of the closest player beyond No. 97.
MacKinnon has gone a little quiet of late, but my Avalanche vs. Red Wings predictions see him snapping out of his funk in this matchup.
Let’s break down my NHL picks for Saturday, January 31.
Avalanche vs Red Wings best bet: Nathan MacKinnon anytime goal (-120)
Nathan MacKinnon hasn’t scored in five consecutive games, his longest stretch of the season. This is a sneaky good spot to get back on track.
The Detroit Red Wings are without Simon Edvinsson, who plays on their matchup pairing alongside Moritz Seider. Jacob Benard-Docker has filled in effectively thus far, but he’s not the same level of player as Edvinsson.
Not having all hands on deck against MacKinnon could be problematic.
Detroit is also allowing a lot of slot shots. They rank 29th in defending the slot over the past 10 games. That happens to be the area MacKinnon shoots from most frequently — and it isn’t close.
The Red Wings also rank Bottom 10 in PK% their last 10 games. They should make it easier for the Avalanche — who have surprisingly struggled on the power play — to find a goal.
While John Gibson has performed well for the Wings between the pipes, he has still had a tough time going up in class. Gibson has given up at least three goals in seven of his last nine games against Top 10 scoring offenses.
The Colorado Avalanche should score a few in this spot, and I like one to come off MacKinnon’s stick.
Martin Necas has 40 assists through 52 games, putting him on pace to shatter his previous high of 43. Playing with MacKinnon at 5-on-5 and on the power play, Necas shares the ice more with him than anybody. He’s the most likely candidate to set him up for a goal.
The Avalanche haven’t played their best hockey of late, yet 11 of their past 13 wins following a day off have come by multiple goals.
Nathan MacKinnon has scored in five of his past six games against Detroit. Find more NHL betting trends for Avalanche vs. Red Wings.
| Location | Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI |
| Date | Saturday, January 31, 2026 |
| Puck drop | 1:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | ABC |
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
The Knicks being the Knicks are Knicking, of course, going from losing 9-of-11 to winning five consecutive games.
Coming up next? The Lake Show at MSG on Sunday evening.
Here’s what your current (and maybe future) superheroes had to say after yesterday’s trouncing of the PDX.
On pushing through adversity in January:
“We went through a little bit of adversity in terms of our wins and losses. Our guys just kind of stayed with it. We kept trying to help them as best we could. Those guys stayed with it, they stayed together. This is a veteran group that has been through a lot. They figured out what they needed to do to play at a high level. They’re going out there and showing it.”
On the need for connectivity and cohesion:
“They’re trying to stay connected, play off one another. When that happens, good things happen for our team. This is a veteran group that’s been through a lot. They figured out what they needed to do play at a high level.”
On the improved defensive cohesion during the winning streak:
“It starts defensively. The way the guys are on a string, that is at a pretty high level. You’ve got to be connected on that end of the floor. Obviously, you’ve got to be connected all the time, but especially defensively. Shots aren’t going to go in all the time.
“It’s just a work in progress. We’re continuing to try to work at it, try to help them. The guys are a little bit more comfortable with what we’re trying to do, and it’s shown.”
On Karl-Anthony Towns’ impact on games beyond scoring:
“To me, that’s what great players do. They impact the game in a lot of different ways and for him to have 22 against Toronto, and 20 tonight, double-double, it was huge. Six of those were offensive rebounds and we beat them 20-9 on the offensive glass and they’re a very, very good offensive rebounding team.”
On Jalen Brunson’s defensive approach:
“He’s been impressive leading with his chest, showing his hands and trying to play defense the right way with a little chip on his shoulder. It’s not just him, it’s all of our guys that have done that. But it’s good to see him doing it, especially with that scoring load that we put on him on the other end of the floor.”
On blocking out trade deadline noise:
“We understand that we have no control over the noise out there, so we have to have a bunker mentality. Not just at the trade deadline but all the time because there is a lot of noise out there. We’re all human and you try not to listen to it. You just try to stay together. You keep moving forward, trying to get better as the days go along and I think that’s what this group is trying to do.”
On improving defensive trust and communication:
“I think we’re trusting each other more. During that skid, during film and all that, we had guys talk and that was one thing I think Deuce said, we gotta make sure we continue to trust each other. When you’re on the ball, trust that the guys are gonna be in the shifts for you. Somebody gets blown by, the big steps up, the big has a trust that the guard is gonna sink into his man, someone is gonna X out. I think we’re just continuing to gain that trust. I think we’re communicating more on the defensive end. You do that, that helps the trust area.”
On playing to the Knicks’ strengths:
“We’ve got good depth. We’ve got guys that can score. We’re able to play fast and to our advantages but it starts at the defensive end. And that’s where we’ve improved these last five games.”
On pace helping New York early in games:
“I think for us the faster we play, especially in the beginning of a game, it’s to our benefit. We’ve got shooters, we’ve got guys that can run the court. So playing fast helps us.”
On living with trade rumors:
“This is my ninth year in the league. I think I’ve dealt with trade rumors for eight of them. It’s a part of the game. It’s part of being in New York. At times, it can get frustrating and overbearing, but that’s why you don’t really put anything into it because 99% of stuff doesn’t even materialize.”
On what made the Knicks click of late:
“I think we’re a little bit more connected than we’ve been. Gotta continue to build off it and keep having each other’s backs. I think, most importantly, our attention to detail. I’m gonna keep stressing that is very important for us.”
On Karl-Anthony Towns’ rebounding impact:
“What he’s been doing these past couple games has been great. We need that from him. That’s what he brings to the table. Offensively, when the ball’s not going in as much as it should be, he finds a way to impact the game. I think that’s really important for us. Big-time performance for him.”
On ignoring trade speculation:
“I feel like I’ve been in trade rumors a lot for a lot of times, for a year damn near. That don’t matter to me. I don’t look at social media or none of that stuff. I focus on the job on hand, which is trying to get wins every single night. As long as I do that, I do my job, I go home happy and I feel accomplished. I’m not worried about what anybody got to say or people write or anything like that.”
On his mental approach during the Knicks’ turnaround:
“I was talking to Landry about it. It’s a mental thing. Not worrying about it, knowing that you’re aggressive and trying to make plays on both ends, the basketball gods will bless you at one point.”
On the Knicks’ style of play:
“They’ve always been a grit-and-grind team. A team that plays hard. Good at every position. Can defend. Just a hard-playing team.”
On playing at Madison Square Garden:
“It’s cool playing here. The history that comes with it, it’s just always been a fun place to play.”
The Calgary Flames will welcome Macklin Celebrini and the San Jose Sharks to Scotiabank Saddledome this afternoon, with puck drop scheduled for 4:00 p.m. ET.
Jonathan Huberdeau has been creating chances lately, and I’m eyeing him to keep it up in my Sharks vs. Flames predictions.
Read more in my NHL picks for Saturday, January 31.
Sharks vs Flames best bet: Jonathan Huberdeau Over 1.5 shots on goal (-140)
Jonathan Huberdeau is having a respectable campaign for the struggling Calgary Flames, collecting a total of 23 points. He’s averaged 1.70 shots on goal per contest, and has picked it up as of late.
The Quebec native has hit the Over in shots on target in four consecutive appearances. Across his last two games, Huberdeau has nine SOG alone. On Thursday, Huberdeau tallied four shots on net against the Wild.
Last Sunday, he also had five SOG. Three of his last four games where he cashed the Over were at home as well, and the San Jose Sharks are 30th in the NHL in shots allowed.
Huberdeau had six points in four meetings with San Jose in the 2024-25 campaign.
Morgan Frost has scored 11 goals for Calgary in 2025-26, and he’s netted three times in January.
The Flames have covered the Puck Line in 17 of their last 25 games at home (+13.20 Units / 32% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Sharks vs. Flames.
| Location | Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, AB |
| Date | Saturday, January 31, 2026 |
| Puck drop | 4:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | NBCSCA, Sportsnet |
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
They often say that the third time’s the charm, and the Montreal Canadiens will be hoping that’s the case for them when they take on the Buffalo Sabres for the third time in as many weeks. Lindy Ruff’s men won the first duel 5-3 in Buffalo and the second 4-2 in Montreal. Jacob Fowler was in the net for the first, and Samuel Montembeault got the net for the second.
The Canadiens didn’t practice yesterday as they were travelling to Buffalo, so Martin St-Louis has yet to confirm his starting netminder, but considering Jakub Dobes convincingly won his last two games, it would make sense to give him the net for this must-win game. The Czech netminder has not lost in regulation since December 9 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He has won his last five games and seven out of his previous nine tilts. He has taken on the Sabres twice in his career and is 2-0-0 with a 2.00 goals-against average and a .930 save percentage. Meanwhile, Samuel Montembeault has a 5-6-0 record against the hosts with a 3.04 GAA and a .900 SV.
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At the other end of the ice, Ruff has not confirmed his starter either, but in the Sabres’ win over the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday, Alex Lyon broke a franchise record by winning his 10th consecutive game. Given the importance of Saturday night’s tilt, it would be shocking if he wasn’t between the pipes. He has a 4-3-0 record against the Habs with a 3.14 GAA and a .883 SV. The Sabres currently have two other goalies on the roster, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Colten Ellis. The former has a 2-2-0 record against Montreal with a 3.95 GAA and a .871 SV, while the latter has a 1-0-0 record with a 3.01 GAA and a .870 SV.
Up front, Nick Suzuki is the Canadiens’ most productive player against Buffalo with 24 points in just 20 games. Brendan Gallagher also has 24 points, but in 46 games. Cole Caufield completes the top three with 13 points in just 17 games. The sniper was held off the scoresheet in the 7-3 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday, putting an end to his six-game goal-scoring streak. However, Mike Matheson is on a six-game point streak with six assists in as many games.
Meanwhile, the Habs will need to find a way to contain the Sabres’ first line if they want to have any hope of winning. Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch and Zach Benson have been a thorn in the Canadiens’ side this season so far. Thompson leads his team in points against the visitors with 22 points in 19 games, followed by Rasmus Dahlin, who has 20 points in 23 games, and Tuch completes the top three with 19 points in 21 games. The latter scored a hat trick in the Sabres’ last game and has five goals in his previous three games.
Tonight’s winner will take sole possession of third place in the Atlantic Division, which the Sabres currently hold. Both teams have 67 points (just like the Boston Bruins), but Buffalo has only played 53 games while Montreal has played 54 and Boston 55.
The Sabres might have won the last two duels, but the Canadiens have won six of the previous 10 duels. Buffalo has won its last five games and is 7-2- 1 in their previous 10 matches. Meanwhile, the Canadiens have won their last two games and are 5-4-1 in their previous 10.
The game is set for 7:00 PM, and you can catch it on TVA Sports, City TV and Sportsnet East. Francis Charron and Kendrick Nicholson will be the referees. James Tobias and Mark Shewchyk will be the linemen. This is the Canadiens’ second-to-last game before the Olympic break. The Habs will head to Minnesota on Sunday, where they’ll take on the Wild on Monday night before meeting the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday night. Then Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky, Oliver Kapanen, and Alexandre Texier will all head to Italy for the games, while their teammates will get 12 days off with practices set to resume in Brossard on February 17.
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Think about the bullpen that the Phillies were putting together when 2025 was beginning. Names like Jose Ruiz and Carlos Hernandez were prominent. Stuff was hard to find. In short, it wasn’t a good bullpen.
Fast forward to now: the bullpen is probably the strength of this team. Is it the best way to construct a roster? Probably not. Had they had their druthers, the Phillies would rather their offense or starting pitching lead the way. That still may become a reality. They do have a few top level starters in the rotation with another on his way back from injury. The offense has some potential to have some MVP level seasons from a few starters, but if we were being honest right now, the bullpen is very good.
So, what’s the best order in terms of leverage when considering the bullpen? Obviously, in the highest leverage situation, Jhoan Duran would be the one who gets the ball (all things being equal). After that, situational preference would rule the day. But if this were in a vacuum, what is the best order?
The Los Angeles Dodgers are on track to pay at least 160 million dollars of MLB competitive balance tax in 2026. In all, ten teams will be charged close to 500 million dollars in 2026. And it’s only January 31st. There are some big free agents still available. We’ve been over the salary cap and floor and overspending and the poor teams at the bottom. But we haven’t discussed one aspect, however. Where does all that money go?
Three and a half million dollars go to player benefits. After that, half of that money goes into baseball players IRAs. The other half goes to teams that didn’t violate the tax threshold. But where does that money go, exactly?
It is placed into a non-public discretionary fund. It’s a slush fund for lousy teams. Reportedly, some of last year’s tax went to reimburse teams that were affected by the RSN bankruptcy and non-payment of television rights fees. But outside of that, it’s a closed book. But one thing is for certain, it’s going to teams that aren’t funding their payrolls as well as the Dodgers, Mets, and to a smaller extent, the Braves.
So why are the Dodgers and other big spenders paying for bad baseball? And that’s exactly what is happening. And when you subsidize something, you are going to get more of it. Why are they keeping the Marlins and Pirates and Rockies afloat? It looks like corporate welfare. Is that what we’re doing here? Is there something else we could do here like remove/replace the soft salary cap? Or keep it and:
I’m sorry if I don’t shed tears for the owners. But there’s many worthy causes that could be helped with that money. Major sports franchises cost money. If they can’t fund if correctly, sell it to someone who can and let their fans benefit. The NFL’s Seattle Seahawks are going up for sale. It might sell for seven to eight billion dollars. So why wouldn’t someone want to buy the smaller MLB teams if the current owners don’t want to compete?
The Winnipeg Jets and Florida Panthers face off for the second time in 10 days following a tight 2-1 shootout win for the back-to-back Stanley Cup champs in their first meeting.
Despite a low-scoring battle last time, I’m expecting a different story with plenty of goals this time around. I’ll break down why I’m on the Over in my Jets vs. Panthers predictions and NHL picks for Saturday, January 31.
Jets vs Panthers best bet: Over 5.5 (-130)
It’s no secret that the Winnipeg Jets have suffered from subpar goaltending this season.
Winnipeg owns an .896 team SV% (18th), while reigning Hart and Vezina Trophy winner, Connor Hellebuyck, is carrying just a .902 SV% himself.
That’s translated to the Jets allowing more than three goals per game this season and cashing the Over in 59.6% of their contests — the sixth-highest rate in the NHL.
The Florida Panthers have a reputation as a defensive juggernaut, but the reigning back-to-back Stanley Cup champions have not been the same team this season.
The Cats are giving up 3.57 GPG since the calendar flipped to 2026 — the sixth-worst mark in the league over that span. Florida has also cashed the Over in 58.5% of its games this season.
Both teams give up a lot of goals. Give me the Over this afternoon.
Josh Morrissey is having another productive season despite the Jets’ struggles.
Morrissey ranks among the Top 10 in points among blueliners and has excelled at getting pucks on net. The Jets defenseman has Over 1.5 shots on goal in five of his last six games.
Mark Scheifele has been hot to start the new year with a team-leading eight goals in 15 games. The Jets center has four goals in his last six road contests.
The Jets have hit the Over in 10 of their last 15 games (+5.80 Units / 35% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Jets vs. Panthers.
| Location | Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise, FL |
| Date | Saturday, January 31, 2026 |
| Puck drop | 4:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | TSN3, SCRIPPS |
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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