Around the NBA: timeline of the Giannis saga and why the draft could determine everything

Whoever thinks that grown men are above high-school level drama don’t follow the NBA.

This season, we’ve already seen a superstar get punched (reportedly) for making fun of an opponent’s contract blunder, and a very mid player demand(!!!) a trade out of what he believes to be a “hostage” situation. Somehow, neither of those stories takes the cake, since an all-time great is now dragging out an inevitable divorce because he doesn’t have the cojones to look like the bad guy.

What makes it sillier is that Giannis had a teammate in Dame who went through this exact saga, which resulted in them teaming up. You’d think he might’ve learned a thing or two from that, but instead, he’s copying Dame’s playbook to the tee.

With the trade deadline fast approaching and the Bucks hitting rock bottom, there’s no better time to look at what they could do with their seemingly disgruntled superstar.

First, we need to map out everything that’s led up to this point.

Timeline

Rumours about a potential Giannis departure have gone on for much longer than 6 months, but let’s focus on this season for the sake of sanity.

  • Sept 29th: On media day, Bucks owner Wes Eden claimed that he and Giannis had a productive meeting over the summer that ended with the star affirming his loyalty to the franchise. An hour later, Giannis said that he does not remember such a meeting. Wait, what?
  • October 7th: Shams reported that the Bucks gave the Knicks an exclusive window to discuss a potential Giannis trade in August, after the Greek Freak revealed New York to be the only team he’d be open to playing for, outside of Milwaukee.
  • Oct 22nd – Dec 1: Milwaukee starts the season 9-13 — 8-8 with Giannis in the lineup, and 1-5 without him.
  • Dec 1: Giannis strains his right calf, which is the same injury that kept him out of the 2024 playoffs.
  • Dec 3: Just days after his calf strain, Shams reported that Giannis is meeting with the Bucks again to discuss his future, before Doc Rivers stated that there have been no conversations regarding Giannis’ future and that the star loves Milwaukee. Whatever you say, Glen.
  • Dec 18: Two weeks after, Giannis said that he can’t control what his agent discusses with the Bucks, then bizarrely stated that he’s enjoyed being “the hottest chick in the game,” given the circulating rumours. Umm, you do realize that your agent works for you, right Giannis?
  • Dec 27: Giannis returns from his injury, with the Bucks going 3-6 in his absence.
  • Dec 28: Giannis calls out a “disrespectful” question after a reporter asked if he wants to stay in Milwaukee, saying: “I’m here, I’m here.”
  • Jan 8: The Athletic publishes an exclusive one-on-one interview between Giannis and Sam Amick (paywall), where the Greek Freak says that he is invested in the Bucks and isn’t going anywhere. However, he followed up and said that those feelings only applied to that day, something that he apparently says a lot to his wife(???). Maybe you don’t realize this, Giannis, but you have a lot more power in the Bucks organization than you do in your marriage.
  • Jan 13: With the Bucks getting blown out at home against a Minnesota team without Ant or Gobert, the fans began booing their team, and Giannis booed right back at them. Postgame, he explained that he’ll boo any crowd if they give him the same treatment, even if it’s his own fans. He then said that “when people don’t believe in me, I don’t tend to be with them. I tend to be against them.” Damn.
  • Jan 22: Giannis calls out his teammates after a loss, saying that “guys are being selfish,” following a four-game span where he had 13 field goal attempts or fewer in every match.
  • Jan 23: Giannis re-injures his right calf for the third time in less than two years and provided a self-diagnosed timeline of 4-6 weeks. The Bucks sit 11th in the East with a 18-26 record and remain 3 games out of the final play-in spot.

Got all that? Good, because we’re just getting started.

What can Milwaukee do at the deadline?

Despite the Bucks’ struggles, Eric Nehm has consistently reported (paywall) that Milwaukee only has intentions of buying at the deadline. That sounds ludicrous from the outside, but if you’re part of a front office in a small market that never attracts any free agents, it’s understandable to try and keep Giannis at all costs — especially considering that Milwaukee is +5.4 per 100 possessions with him on the court, which would be the 6th best mark league-wide.

The counterargument? Well, they’re -11.2 when he sits, tying the Wizards for the worst mark in the league, and the Bucks have played more minutes without Giannis this season due to his recurring calf injuries. From an unbiased perspective, it makes absolutely no sense to buy. First, due to their lack of assets and financial constraints, the only players they could acquire are heavily distressed assets like a Zach LaVine or Ja Morant – players who frankly aren’t very good. Secondly, even if they do make such moves, it’s been years since Giannis has strung together two months of health, so why would anyone expect him to last through an entire playoff run?

How does the draft factor into this?

The biggest X-factor in all this is the upcoming draft. Milwaukee still owns the “bad” end of their own 2026 pick swap between themselves and the Pelicans, with Atlanta owning the better half of that swap. In other words, the Bucks would have the lower draft position between the two picks, and given that New Orleans is already at the bottom of the league, Milwaukee could guarantee that both picks would have high lottery odds if they pull the plug on this season.

If it hasn’t dawned on you yet, there is a possibility that the Hawks (via the Pelicans) and Bucks get the 1st and 2nd picks of the upcoming draft, thus giving Milwaukee the #2 overall selection.

Yes, really.

So what point is there in having Giannis return this season? Milwaukee is already 3 games out of the play-in, sitting 22nd in the overall league standings and just a half game ahead of the red-hot Hornets. There is a 4-game gap between them and the 25th-ranked Jazz, and another 4-game difference between the Jazz and the last-place Wizards. It might seem like a big hill to climb, but I don’t doubt Milwaukee’s ability to join that group when their .214 winning percentage without Giannis is worse than Washington’s — and that’s with them trying to win!

It makes way more sense for them to tank and get the highest pick possible. The chance to get one of Dybantsa/Boozer/Peterson is too hard to pass up, even if the odds of that happening are minuscule. Imagine if Milwaukee does end up with one of those prospects while also managing to trade for a reclamation project like Ja — a package involving Rollins and/or a lightly protected 2031/32 pick would be more than enough for any distressed asset, and I’d be lying if I said that a lineup including Ja/Giannis/Turner/lottery pick doesn’t intrigue me.

Again, I am not advising them to do that, but this franchise has made countless desperation moves as a last-ditch attempt to appease their star, and they’ve acquired criminals once-relevant players before. Even adding a mid-lottery talent could give the Bucks either an intriguing player to build around or use as a trade chip to acquire another star, which is the likeliest outcome.

Atlanta’s pick could play a big role in this as well. Would they be willing to include it in a potential package for Giannis, even if it ends up in the top-3? And if Milwaukee gets a high pick too, would they be more willing to deal the Greek Freak now that they have two potential cornerstone prospects to build around? Again, the chances of that happening are close to nil, but I’ve learned to never rule out anything after watching Dallas trade Luka and draft Cooper within the span of 5 months.

Final thoughts

A Giannis trade still seems inevitable. Even in the off chance that Milwaukee acquires a good starter along with a high pick, we’ve seen countless times that the two timelines “plan” just doesn’t work (see: Mavericks, Dallas, and Warriors, Golden State). Don’t expect him to be moved before the deadline, though, due to his injury and lack of a trade demand, but a divorce seems certain in the offseason. Still, another wrinkle in this convoluted saga is that Giannis can’t officially be offered an extension until October, and if both sides continue this situationship, it could drag out until the last minute.

So, get ready for many more months of this, peeps. The noise will only intensify from here.


This week, please check out Marilyn’s article on the Spurs’ recent complacency! San Antonio’s been in a lull ever since they beat OKC 3 times in 10 days, which is especially disappointing for a young team that hasn’t accomplished anything yet.

Thanks for reading!

All stats courtesy of Cleaning the Glass and NBA Stats.

5 Colorado Avalanche Trade Chips

It is the start of trade deadline season and discourse always centers around which players an organization can hope to buy but never about what they can give up. With the Colorado Avalanche looking for finishing pieces on their upcoming Stanley Cup run, they’ll certainly be adding players over the next month, but what can they realistically afford to part with?

The organization got the party started on January 20th by moving out one of our targeted trade chips in depth defenseman Ilya Solovyov. Can the Avalanche sneak one more transaction in before the February 4th trade freeze? If so, one of the following five assets may be involved.

Five Trade Chips

Ross Colton

Upgrading the third line center position is something even Jared Bednar admitted is on his wish list. This isn’t going to be an easy task to accomplish with Colorado holding limited assets and cap space plus most of the NHL would love to add another center. That’s where Ross Colton comes into play as he is the likeliest candidate to move out if General Manager Chris MacFarland can find a dance partner. His $4 million Average Annual Value contract ends after the 2026-27 season with a 12 team no trade list, but those limitations should not be too prohibitive.

Colton is an experienced and versatile player with 20 points on the year but he just never found a great fit or consistency in the Avalanche lineup. Bednar does not like to keep him at center for any length of time and when he’s down the lineup Colton has a tough time producing. The 29-year-old went 11 games in December without a point and hasn’t scored a goal since November. Lately he was on the second line in Gabe Landeskog’s absence, before suffering a minor injury, which hints at a trade showcase. The Avalanche won’t just dump Colton without an impact return but adding anyone with significant salary or term beyond this year likely means he has to go the other way.

Ivan Ivan

Every organization has a plethora of prospects languishing in the AHL unable to graduate, however other GMs also find value in the validation that someone else’s prospect has seen a notable amount of time in the NHL. If the Avalanche have anyone that fits this description it’s Ivan Ivan with his 47 games of big league experience. The 23-year-old’s handful of random recalls in January isn’t a coincidence only supports the idea that he was called up for a trade showcase especially as he played for the Avalanche at center. The versatile forward is also a Restricted Free Agent this summer with arbitration rights and the circumstances are lining up to move Ivan before he’s due a raise.

Zakhar Bardakov

Similar to the Ivan Ivan situation, depth forward Zakhar Bardakov is also set to become a Restricted Free Agent with arbitration rights this summer. The 24-year-old has spent the vast majority of the season in the NHL with only one day and game spent in the AHL. Bardakov has been a useful depth piece for the Avalanche at fourth line center and wing but we’ve seen this movie before. Nikolai Kovalenko was moved to acquire Mackenzie Blackwood last season and without a likely commitment coming this summer, Bardakov is an easy player to move out for an upgrade even if the return isn’t substantial.

2027 Draft Picks

Surely the Avalanche see a real path toward the Stanley Cup this season and won’t be shy about utilizing the buy-now-pay-later plan. It depends on how far out into the future the Avalanche want to mortgage their assets and there’s little to offer from the 2026 draft other than a handful of 4th, 5th and 7th round picks. That’s where the 2027 draft comes into play for any impact move as the Avalanche still have their first round pick to go along with an extra 2nd and 5th rounder. If Chris MacFarland has to dip into the 2028 there’s the time value of money factor to keep in mind coiffure then the return on those picks will be deeply discounted, which is also why the 2027 picks are most likely in play.

Sam Malinski

This one is admittedly complicated. Malinski has taken a step forward as a valuable depth piece on the back end that has contributed meaningful production with three goals and 24 points from a third pair role. The issue is he is an Unrestricted Free Agent at the end of the season and the Avalanche missed the window to sign him to a reasonable extension instead choosing to execute just a one-year pact over the summer. The 27-year-old right handed defenseman wouldn’t get moved for a minimal futures in return, it would have to be a true upgrade and hopefully for someone with term beyond this season. It’s an unlikely deal to make happen, but it’s also not impossible.

Four Non-Trade Chips

Never say never because there’s few untouchables in the league let alone on a single team but the following players don’t make much sense to move out without a substantial upgrade in return.

Samuel Girard

The internet traded him five years ago but yet Samuel Girard is still in Colorado as one of the longest tenured Avalanche at this point. Another Stanley Cup run doesn’t feel right without him but the true issue with his potential availability is that Colorado needs all the defensive depth it can muster. Right now they are one injury away from replacement level defense and Girard can play in any pairing down the stretch. The questions about the 27-year-old’s future are fair since the left shot defenseman’s affordable $5 million AAV contract ends after the 2026-27 season but moving on from him without a significant upgrade in return doesn’t make sense. Girard has enjoyed a fairly productive season since an early season injury return with 11 points in 35 games.

Ilya Nabokov

A popular idea is to leverage Nabokov for win-now assets as the situation in net is set with both Scott Wedgewood and Mackenzie Blackwood under contract to Colorado through at least the 2026-27 season. That’s probably not what Nabokov had in mind when he signed his Entry Level Contract last year and it’s unclear what really the Avalanche plan to do with their young netminder who isn’t going to leave Russia to hang out in Loveland for long. The premise of moving Nabokov for help now isn’t faulty but the value just isn’t there on a goalie with zero North American experience, let alone any in the NHL. At this point Nabokov is worth more in the Avalanche system so they can figure out what he can provide before selling him to another organization who surely already has one or more of their own goalies in a similar situation.

Gavin Brindley

Championship teams need contributions from young cost-effective players and with Gavin Brindley’s recently signed dirt cheap two-year extension, Colorado would be wise to hold on to him. It remains to be seen what role awaits him after the Avalanche make their deadline trade acquisitions, therefore the 21-year-old’s value might become more evident long-term, but he’s also shown he can play higher in the lineup if needed. Hopefully MacFarland resists temptation to cash in on a bit of early success Brindley has enjoyed especially because any potential return isn’t moving the needle anyway.

AHL Players

Just like Ivan Ivan, every organization has their own replacement level players and without notable NHL experience there just isn’t value in a trade that could entice another organization to give up NHL level assets. The laundry list of such Colorado Eagles players includes Jason Polin, Chase Bradley, Tye Felhaber, Tristen Nielsen, Matt Stienburg, Nikita Prishchepov, and even the likes of Sean Behrens and Trent Miner. Colorado would be looking more for an AHL for AHL swap in their cases and therefore should not be Avalanche trade deadline candidates.

Evgeni Malkin-Egor Chinakhov duo has been one of NHL’s best so far

When the Pittsburgh Penguins acquired forward Egor Chinakhov from the Columbus Blue Jackets a little more than a month ago, it seemed like a worthwhile bet. Far from a guarantee to work out, but it was taking a talented player that had shown some goal-scoring ability in the NHL that may have simply needed a fresh start and change of scenery. Sometimes things just click for those guys. Especially if you put them into a good situation. Maybe you catch lightning in a bottle.

So far, things are clicking for Chinakhov and the Penguins.

More specifically, they are really clicking for Chinakhov and Evgeni Malkin.

Since that duo has been put together on the Penguins’ line, they have been one of the most productive duos in the NHL from a goal-scoring perspective.

In more than 100 minutes together the Malkin-Chinakhov duo has outscored teams by an 8-1 margin during 5-on-5 play. Take it down to a per minute basis, and they are averaging 4.34 goals per 60 minutes and 3.09 expected goals per 60 minutes. Those are elite numbers.

When you add Tommy Novak into the mix that trio also becomes one of the best in the NHL with a 7-1 goal differential and more than five expected goals per 60 minutes. Also elite numbers.

How much so? Here are the goal-differential leaders for the best forward trios in the NHL this season with a minimum of 75 minutes played together:

Now their rank in goals scored per 60 minutes.

Those rankings are out of 216 different line combinations.

They are still relatively small sample sizes (both for Malkin and Chinakhov, and Malkin-Chinakhov-Novak), but they are extremely promising results, both in terms of production and process.

While so much of Chinakhov’s game revolves around his shot and ability to score goals, he has impressed in a lot of other areas beyond that. The goals obviously get the attention, but he has also demonstrated playmaking skills and not been a total liability away with the puck. I do not know that anybody is ever going to confuse him with a Selke Trophy candidate, but his all-around game has been better and more impressive than originally thought. He has simply done everything well so far and been an instant fit on that second line.

It has all just further balanced out the Penguins’ forward lines and made them a really tough team to defend. You know the Sidney Crosby line is going to produce. The fourth line has been a spark plug for the team in terms of its ability to tilt the ice, and even contribute some goals. The Ben Kindel line seems to have found some chemistry with the two big veteran forwards (Justin Brazeau and Anthony Mantha). Now you have a second line with a future Hall of Famer that is still playing at a high level, and two shrewd additions in Chinakhov and Novak complementing him. Not only are they complementing him, they are making a huge impact. Individually and as a group.

There are no liabilities here. There is not a single line you do not want on the ice. It is an encouraging development to watch.

Josue De Paula leads 5 Dodgers in ESPN top 100 prospects

Kiley McDaniel unveiled his preseason rankings of top 100 prospects in baseball on Tuesday at ESPN. Like the previously released lists — Baseball America (120 names), MLB Pipeline (110 names), and The Athletic (100 names so far) — McDaniel will likely reveal more names beyond the top 100. Last year his list went to 200, for instance. But for now we have his top 100.

A total of five Dodgers are in the top 100 at ESPN, led by outfielder Josue De Paula at No. 21 overall. De Paula in the four national prospect lists that have been revealed in the last week has settled into a fairly narrow range, ranked 15th by MLB Pipeline, 20th at The Athletic, 21st at ESPN, and 24th at Baseball America.

McDaniel had high praise for De Paula, comparing him to Yordan Alvarez “if it clicks.”

Eduardo Quintero continued to rocket up these lists, ranked 37th by McDaniel after his preseason ranking of 106th overall prior to the 2025 season. Quintero, who is a year younger than De Paula and Zyhir Hope, won California League MVP last year and finished the season with extended time at High-A Great Lakes.

“His raw power, bat-to-ball ability, and raw foot speed are all around average, but Quintero makes the most of them, putting up big numbers while being young for his level,” McDaniel wrote. “As is, his hit/power/speed/defense in center field tools are all average to a tick above to go with his plus arm.”

Last preseason, seven Dodgers were ranked in the top 100 prospects by ESPN, led by pitcher Roki Sasaki at No. 1 overall and catcher Dalton Rushing 16th. Both played in the majors last season.

This year, shortstop Emil Morales is the youngest Dodger in the ESPN top-100 list, with the 19-year-old checking in at No. 65 overall. From McDaniel:

Morales has all of the traits to project big homer totals down the road (loft to his path, pull/lift, hard-hit rate, etc.), but that means that giving up some contact is part of that trade. His pitch selection is also below average, so in combination, that gives evaluators pause on his offensive projection.

In-game power usually comes later in the development process, but the Dodgers are the right development group to shepherd him through this process, and the pieces are here for a top-10 prospect in the sport if everything clicks.

PlayerPos2026 age2026 preseason2025 preseason
Josue De PaulaOF212120
Eduardo QuinteroOF2037106
Zyhir HopeOF214070
Mike SirotaOF2355NR
Emil MoralesSS196580

Illini's Keaton Wagler chosen AP men's college basketball player of the week after win over Purdue

The Associated Press national player of the week in men’s college basketball for Week 12 of the season:

Keaton Wagler, No. 9 Illinois

The freshman guard from Shawnee, Kansas, set an Illini record with nine 3-pointers while scoring 46 points in an 88-82 win at then-No. 4 Purdue last week. Wagler finished 13 of 17 from the floor, hit several big buckets in the closing seconds, and wound up with the most points ever scored in a road win over a top-10 opponent in the AP poll era.

Wagler has hit double-figures in 12 consecutive games, including a 13-point, eight-assist, seven-rebound performance in an 89-70 blowout of Maryland earlier in the week. The two victories helped the Illini to push their winning streak to nine games and climb two spots to No. 9 in this week's AP Top 25 poll.

Runner-up

Joshua Jefferson, No. 8 Iowa State. The All-Big 12 forward had his second triple-double of the season with 17 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists — and four steals — in an 87-57 win over UCF. He also had 20 points and four boards in an 84-71 win over Oklahoma State.

Honorable mention

Kingston Flemings, No. 10 Houston; A.J. Dybantsa, No. 13 BYU; Jeremy Fears Jr., No. 7 Michigan State.

Keep an eye on

Kamrin Oriol, G, North Florida. The senior had back-to-back 30-plus scoring games last week, pouring in 32 in an 87-85 victory over Eastern Kentucky, then scoring 33 with 15 assists in a 117-114 overtime win over Bellarmine. Making the performances even more eye-popping: North Florida (5-16) had won only 3 of its first 19 games before the back-to-back victories.

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Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Same jersey, different job: Neemias Queta

In this series, we’re looking at the biggest statistical differences between last season and the current one to understand how Celtics players have evolved while wearing the same jersey. Not every role change comes with an identity shift. Sometimes, it comes by filling a need. Neemias Queta’s season reflects that idea.

Coming into the year, Queta’s role was expected to evolve, but how? The answer became clear quickly. His minutes per game jumped by more than 10, one of the largest increases on the roster. His usage barely moved (+1.3%), and his scoring efficiency stayed almost identical. The Celtics didn’t ask Queta to change who he was; they asked him to fill the hole created by Luke Kornet’s departure.

That responsibility shows up first in the details. Queta’s turnover rate dropped sharply (-5.1%), while his assist rate held steady. He’s touching the ball more often without disrupting the offense, making quick reads and flowing naturally into the next action. His role isn’t to create, it’s to connect and screen for space.

Offensively, his shot profile barely changed. He’s finishing slightly less at the rim and taking marginally more short- and long-midrange shots, but nothing about his offensive diet suggests expanded freedom. The small drop in assisted field goals reinforces that point: Queta is still a finisher, just a more reliable one, now doing it on a larger volume and often against opposing starting lineups.

Where the impact becomes clearer is on the defensive end. Queta’s block rate (+0.3%) and steal rate (+0.6%) both increased, signaling greater activity. More importantly, the Celtics allowed 10 fewer points per 100 possessions when he was on the floor. That on/off differential speaks to positioning, rim deterrence, and structural defense more than highlight plays.

Another quiet but meaningful indicator is screen assists. Queta averaged 1.7 screen assists per game, a reflection of how often he’s involved before the shot even goes up. He’s creating space without needing the ball, a critical function in Boston’s offensive ecosystem, especially with a diminished spacing compared to last season.

Queta’s season isn’t about changing who he is. It’s about refinement and impact. Fewer mistakes, more repetitions, and a defensive presence that stabilizes lineups. Same jersey, different job.

Below is an overview of his statistical evolution, via Cleaning the Glass:

Mariners News, 1/27/26: Harrison Bader, Hector Neris, and Bo Bichette

In Mariners news…

Around the league…

Yankees Birthday of the Day: Fred Heimach

The birthday series we’re running here at Pinstripe Alley is interesting for multiple reasons, primarily because we’re introduced to players who may not have as much exposure as the stars of today’s game or had their time in the majors but end up in the weeds of Major League Baseball history. With the Yankees being an old franchise relative to most of MLB, the latter is bound to happen to plenty of different players from the olden days of our great game. Fred Heimach is one of the names that might be lost to time, but he still made his impact in his short stint with the Bombers.

Frederick Amos Heimach
Born: January 27, 1901 (Camden, NJ)
Died: June 1, 1973 (Fort Myers, FL)
Yankees Tenure: 1928-29

Fred “Lefty” Heimach was born on this day in 1901 and worked his way up to the major-league ranks as a pitcher despite never playing high school baseball as a teenager. When the United States entered World War I, Heimach enlisted and trained to become a mechanic before being sent overseas to France, where he helped organize a baseball team for his unit in Romorantin in the spring of 1918. Tom Turner, who was then working as a quasi-scout for the Philadelphia Athletics and was the athletic officer for a team that was defeated by Heimach’s, said to him, according to Bill Nowlin from the Society of American Baseball Research, “When this war is over, and you still have two legs and two arms, see me without fail. You have a job with the Athletics waiting for you.”

And he did. Heimach returned to the United States, fresh off the war, at 19-years-old, and was signed by the Athletics. He was sent for some conditioning and made his MLB debut in a 13-3 loss to the Washington Senators on October 1, 1920.

However, despite the poor start and a 14.40 ERA to his name at the MLB level, he came back strong in his second season. At the Three-I League (Class B) level, he helped his squad, the Moline Plowboys, to a championship. He finished the year with a 24-8 record and led the league in wins and ERA with a 2.38 before making his second MLB start against the Chicago White Sox, where he pitched a complete game shutout, allowing only seven hits.

Heimach pitched 117 games more for the Athletics and started 64 of them before being moved to the Boston Red Sox in 1926. He finished with a 4.67 ERA in those games and a 5.65 ERA in 20 games with Boston. His next move, following an entire season in the minor leagues in 1927, was a pickup by the Yankees, who thought he could be a special player for them. He was acquired for $20,000 and a player to be named later, and in 13 games and nine starts, “Lefty” posted a 3.31 ERA in 68.0 innings pitched. He saw no action in the 1928 World Series against St. Louis but still walked away with a championship to his name.

Heimach was brought back for his 29-year-old season with the Yankees as well and had another decent season on the mound, finishing with a respectable 4.01 ERA and an 11-6 record. However, despite his two decent seasons in pinstripes, his contract was sold to the Toledo Mud Hens, and manager Bob Shawkey somewhat ominously told the New York World Telegram, “There are some things that this club will not elaborate.”

Heimach’s last MLB appearance came on August 30, 1933, for the Brooklyn Dodgers, before his retirement was forced by a back injury. He pitched four seasons for the Dodgers from 1930 to 1933, finishing with a 4.31 career ERA with the team. His final career ERA came out to 4.46, and he finished with a career record of 62-69.

After his MLB career ended, Heimach headed south and joined the Miami Beach Police Department, where he spent 20 years as an officer before retiring in 1956 and moving to Arizona before returning to Florida. Heimach passed away in Fort Myers, on June 1, 1973, at the age of 72, and is buried at the Fort Myers Memorial Gardens.


See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.

Colorado Rockies prospects: No. 23, RJ Petit

23. RJ Petit (115 points, 12 ballots)

RJ Petit is a tough guy to miss. Colorado’s pick in the 2025 Rule 5 draft from the Detroit Tigers organization is a 6’8”, 300-pound titan of a right-handed relief pitcher. Originally drafted by the Tigers in the 14th round of the 2021 draft out of Charleston Southern, the 26-year-old has mostly served as a reliever after dabbling with starting during his draft year. As one might surmise given his size, Petit can throw in the mid to high-90s with a downward plane. He pairs that velo with a hard, sweeping slider that tunnels well with the fastball and a developing change-up.

Mid-season 2025 Rank: N/A

High Ballot: 14

Mode Ballot: 23

Future Value: 35+, middle relief

Contract Status: 2025 Rule 5 Draft, Detroit Tigers, 40 Man Roster, three options remaining

MLB ETA: 2026

Petit entered 2025 back at Double-A Erie for the third season in a row (where he was of league-average age) despite posting decent results there in 2024 and being unprotected and unselected in that year’s Rule 5 draft. In 27 games with Erie, Petit posted a 2.28 ERA with a dominant 0.95 WHIP and a 9.6 K/9 rate against a 2.5 BB/9 rate in 43 1/3 innings.

Petit finally got the call up to Triple-A Toledo (which is in the much more pitcher-friendly International League) in mid-July. Petit appeared in 20 games at the level with a 2.74 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, an outstanding 12.9 K/9 rate, and a 3.9 BB/9 rate in 23 innings, including a save. Petit was strong against both righties (.629 OPS against) and lefties (.579 OPS) while allowing just four homers in 66 1/3 innings during 2025. Despite the success at the Triple-A level, Petit was again left unprotected in the Rule 5 draft and this time the Rockies took him with the first pick.

Here’s some video of Petit from his time in the 2023 Arizona Fall League:

Here was Eric Longenhagen’s scouting report on Petit after the Rule 5 draft:

Petit is a pretty standard mid-90s fastball (94-97 mph, touch 98) and a plus slider reliever. He utilizes his slider in all counts because his size creates hittable plane on his fastball, but the addition of a second fastball type (he throws both elevated four-seamers and in-zone two-seamers) helped limit opponents’ contact quality against his heaters in 2025, as both had a sub-.300 xwOBA against. Petit also creates enough sink on his changeup to keep lefties in check, so his role isn’t at risk of being minimized to that of a righty specialist if he throws enough strikes (no guarantees) to make the Rockies bullpen next spring.

Longenhagen ranked Petit as a 40 FV player last March, 25th in Detroit’s system.

Petit ranks 26th on MLB.com’s Rockies prospect list as a 40 FV pitcher with a 60 grade on the slider:

Standing at 6-foot-8, Petit is a tremendous presence on the mound. He doesn’t get big extension out of that frame, instead using his height to create a steep downward plane leading to solid groundball rates. There is some velocity here, touching 98 mph while sitting 94-96, and he’s worked to generate a bit more heat. Petit’s 83-85 mph gyro slider is much better at generating swing-and-miss and chase low in the zone with strong depth, and the Rockies think it’s the kind of breaking ball that should play in Coors Field. He can tunnel his 86-89 mph changeup well enough off the fastball with just enough velocity separation for it to be effective.

Petit has shown the ability to get righties and lefties out at the upper levels, and he was able to get his walk rate back down in 2025 to 3.0 per nine after seeing it creep up in 2024 (4.1 BB/9). He’ll get his chance to stick with the Rockies, who see him as a potential bulk reliever.

Petit is almost certain to be a one and done PuRP, as he will either stick on Colorado’s roster long enough in 2026 to exhaust his rookie eligibility or he won’t and will be returned to the Tigers. He represents a good multi-inning mop-up relief a la Anthony Molina in his Rule 5 year in 2024, with the size and breaking ball to be better than that. I ranked him 23rd on my ballot at the bottom of my 40 FV tier due to the floor.


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Mets analysis: Grading the Mets’ Freddy Peralta trade

The Mets capped off their most active week of the offseason in a big way, acquiring Freddy Peralta and Tobias Meyers for Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat. It’s likely the last large addition the Mets will make this offseason, but boy it sure is a great way to round things out.

Peralta is obviously the centerpiece. Since moving to the rotation full time in 2021, he’s tossed 738.1 innings of 3.30 ERA ball. In that timeframe, he’s one of only 25 qualified starters to post a 20% or better K-BB%. At this juncture, he’s probably something like a top-15 or top-20 arm in the majors – not quite good enough to meet the definition of “sure fire ace”, but undoubtedly a solid number two starter who will complement Nolan McLean at the top of the rotation.

We should note that despite being generally healthy (outside of a shoulder strain in 2022), Peralta is not a exactly a work horse. The Brewers were extremely judicious with how they deployed him, frequently pulling Peralta early and leaning on their bullpen to get the rest of the way. That was much the same in 2025, when he averaged a hair over 5.1 innings per start and didn’t face a single batter four times in a single game all season. Not a typo, the most batters Peralta faced in a game last season was 27, and he only topped 23 batters 7 times. There’s nothing wrong with this per se, particularly in the modern game, but it is a limitation that the Mets’ field staff will have to manage. (Raise your hand if you have faith in Carlos Mendoza here.)

The Mets are also getting the chance to extend Peralta here, and he’s already indicated a willingness to sign a long-term deal. We can look to Tyler Glasnow as a reasonable comp; a pitcher traded one year prior to free agency in his age-30 season. Glasnow ultimately received an additional three-years and $110M, with a club / player option for a fifth season. He was due a higher base salary ($25M), but Peralta has the better track record, so maybe that comes out in the wash. Something in the low 9-figure range that takes Peralta through his age-34 season would seem to make sense, and that’s a good deal for the Mets in all likelihood. And, if this doesn’t work out, the Mets can QO him and get a pick back for their troubles.

Three paragraphs later, we get to Myers, who is far more than a throw in despite the narrative delay. Now four years and three teams removed from being traded for Junior Caminero (a real oopsie by Cleveland), Myers has settled in as a valuable swing-man with five seasons of team control remaining. No, the stuff doesn’t totally leap off the page, and his strikeout rate dipped in 2025, possibly because he had a lingering oblique injury. He also doesn’t have the same upside of Sproat in all likelihood (more on that in a moment). What he does do is fill a very similar role for the Mets’ roster with a similar amount of team control and some untapped potential. It’s a great get as the second piece.

Now, for the cost. Williams and Sproat were set to rank 4th and 5th respectively on our upcoming top-10 list. I was a bit lower on both than our final consensus:

#4: Jett Williams

I don’t disagree that much with Jett’s ranking here (I had Ewing above him, but no one else), but I still find myself pretty down on him as a prospect, and I don’t think it’s just prospect fatigue. I began voicing concerns about Jett’s hit tool ~2 years ago, and in that time he’s not really assuaged any of those worries. Sure, injuries have played a role and the strikeout rate has held steady in the low-20s, but that’s not because Williams is great at putting bat on ball, it’s because he just doesn’t swing. He ranked in the 6th percentile for hittable pitches taken, nuking his SEAGER down to 3.9 despite the aforementioned healthy walk and strikeout rates. Couple that with what is still just okay damage on contact and a tweener-ish defensive profile and this is trending more towards “high quality bench bat” or “second division starter” rather than the sort of player we were extolling as the future of the team in 2023.

#5: Brandon Sproat

Brandon Sproat does a lot of things well. He throws pretty hard, he finally landed on a breaking ball shape that works, and the change is still a decent pitch. Put in terms of physical skills, you can say that he has good arm speed and feel for spin. However, this has never really all come together for him, in large part because his fastball shape just isn’t viable at present. Even with the addition of a sinker last season – one that grades out better but still not great – I’m still not convinced he’s the type of arm who can make it through a lineup two or three times. If you couple that with the lack of development runway relative to other arms (Sproat is older and was selected as a senior out of a major college program, which would normally mean there’s less juice to squeeze) in the back of the top-10 and I think I’d actually prefer Sproat a good deal lower, even though he’s a totally justifiable top-100 prospect.

Both are definitely top-100 prospects, but neither are in the tier of guys that it particularly hurts to move. Especially when you’re the Mets and are inducing jumps on both sides of the ball these days – it’s a lot easier to move Brandon Sproat when you have Jonah Tong and Jack Wenninger, and it’s a lot easier to move Jett Williams when you have A.J. Ewing and Jacob Reimer.

This price is also roughly in line with another trade made by the Brewers, that being the Corbin Burnes deal. Burnes was a better arm making nearly double what Peralta will make in 2025, and he wasn’t likely to sign an extension either. Nevertheless, the Brewers gave up two prospects in the back half of the top-100 (Joey Ortiz and DL Hall, a package I would argue is of lower quality than what the Mets gave up but not by a huge margin) for one year of Burnes’ in 2024.

Had the Mets only received Peralta, this would’ve been a totally fine deal, a market-value acquisition for a #2 starter rental. With the addition of Myers and Peralta’s seeming willingness to extend, it looks even better. This deal receives an A.

Rangers Reacts Results

Last week, in our Rangers Reacts Survey, we asked where folks thought the Texas Rangers would finish in the American League West.

And I have to say, y’all were a bit of a downer, though this was before the MacKenzie Gore trade gave everyone a shot in the arm.

Almost half of those who responded said that the Rangers would finish third in the division. The second most common result, though? Fourth place. I don’t know if it is the homeless A’s or the reclamation project Angels that folks feel the Rangers will be beat out by.

In fairness, first place and second place were barely behind fourth place in the voting. And only 3% said that the Rangers would finish last, so that’s something.

I went to a baseball game in Japan and it was amazing

The crack of the bat. The growing crescendo of cheers as the ball flew over the outfield fence. The flashing lights in celebration of the home run. The jubilation of the team and stadium announcer as the batter rounded the bases. Though my wife and I were thousands of miles away from our home, the baseball experience at its core is delightfully universal.

Then, the pep band started playing the home run hitter’s personalized song, and the crowd chanted along. That part was different. 

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Let’s take a few steps back. I’ve been to a handful of epic games in my life. I took my wife to her first Kansas City Royals game in 2011, which just so happened to be Eric Hosmer’s MLB debut. We went to the Justin Maxwell walkoff grand slam game in 2013. I was at the 2014 Wild Card Game, and a handful of other playoff games since then. 

And while I don’t have a particularly impressive set of MLB parks I’ve been to, we try to go to a game when we travel domestically. We saw Shohei Ohtani hit a home run in Dodgers Stadium. We saw Pete Alonso hit a home run at Citi Field. We almost got heat stroke going to Coors Field and the Great American Ball Park in cloudless skies during the dead of summer. We had the high privilege of, uh, watching Eric Skoglund give up 12 runs in Cleveland before the Royals got their second baserunner.

So when my wife and I were planning our trip to Japan in celebration of our 10th wedding anniversary in 2024, there were a few key parts of our trip. One of those was attending a professional Japanese baseball game. 

Japan’s pro baseball league is called Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). Since the country’s total geographic footprint is about as large as the state of California, there are way fewer teams–12, in total. Ten of those teams play on the main island of Honshu, with one playing on the northern island of Hokkaido and another on the southern island of Kyushu. 

We almost didn’t make a game. Even though we were in Japan for almost two weeks, a few factors conspired against us. One, there are only ever six games going on at one time, which doesn’t present a lot of options. Two, it just had to fit our schedule. And three, there was a typhoon that resulted in cancellations of the entire league’s schedule for multiple days (even those that played indoors).

But we did eventually get to see one close to the end of our trip. The contest: the Hiroshima Toyo Carp playing the Yokohama DeNA Baystars.

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A photo of Yokohama Stadium in Japan. Baseball is played here.

Yokohama Stadium opened in 1978, and it’s located in the heart of the Yokohama city center right next to a train station. The stadium was fine; it had a small video board, but there were plenty of food vendors and seats were close to the action. Seating 35,000 in its baseball configuration, it looked like what you think a 1970s-era baseball-specific stadium looks like. It was a nice place to watch a game, but easily the least notable part about the experience.

As is the case everywhere in urban Japan, getting to the stadium was easy. We simply took a train from Shibuya Station and walked out of Yokohama-Koen station to find ourselves mere steps from the gates. Parking was nonexistent, and everyone was either getting off at the same station or simply walking from the many offices and apartments in the immediate area. 

The Japanness of it all started before we even got there. We took the train from Shibuya Station (yes, Persona 5 fans, that Shibuya Station) which dropped us off across the street from Yokohama Stadium. We had purchased tickets online and scanned them at the gate. There was minimal security; certainly less than in the States. From there, we went to our seats.

I know that a lot of folks try out food and drink at a stadium, and a friend of mine who visits MLB stadiums with his brother uses the cuisine quality as a core ingredient to judge the experience. We had already eaten, though, and even when I go to games here in the States I don’t usually eat at the stadium.

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Our seats were located along the first base side, the Kauffman Stadium equivalent of the sections in the low 140s. Notably, our seats were in the home section, which was specifically designated because the fans are very, very active in the game. In the photo above, you can see the Hiroshima Carp fans over along the third base dugout and, more notably, over in the outfield seats beyond the left field fence.

Baseball in Japan isn’t just another sport: it is the national sport of the nation, and it is an incredibly big deal there. Japanese fans therefore have more in common with European soccer fans than MLB fans. This means that they’re loud and proud all the time.

It also means that there are a bunch of chants. And when you go to an NPB game, you’ll hear bespoke chants for every player, and I do mean every player—even for American-born players, of which there were a couple in the game we went to. During the pregame lineup announcements, the Baystars pep band played the theme for each player. And yes, the Carp brought their own pep band, too, and played the themes for their own players.

The energy in the stadium was, as you might expect, incredible, and it only got more electric as the game went on. It was an early evening game, and more and more folks showed up directly from work, dressed in their work attire. When they got to their seats, they put on the Baystars or Carp gear that they brought with them and joined the chanting.

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The game itself was a fun time. It was a relatively high-scoring game considering the traditionally low-offense affair that is indicative of NPB play. There was a home run, and the home team ended up winning handily.

While playoff MLB games can be loud and raucous, the vibes of an NPB game are just so different. Not only do the players have individual chants, but these chants happen continuously when they are up to bat. It’s louder when the home crowd is up to bat, but remember that the away team also has a pep band and their own chanting fans in a block.

It was actually enjoyable to see the Baystars play the Carp. Earlier in the week, we had made a trip to Hiroshima. I had wanted to visit Peace Memorial Park, the A-Bomb Dome, and the Peace Memorial Museum, and we did so—it was equal parts somber and historically fascinating, and every American who visits Japan should try to make a trip there. When we were there, we stopped by the official Carp merch store at Mazda Zoom Zoom Stadium (its real name, I promise) and picked up some NPB merch, including a Carp jersey and a hat depicting a bowl of ramen swinging a baseball bat.

The charm of Hiroshima—a really lovely city with an expansive tram network—and their clear love for their baseball team won out, so I guess we’re Carp fans? So it was fun to watch that team play, even if we bought tickets in the wrong section. So it goes.

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All in all, watching an NPB game was an absolute blast and one of the highlights of a trip that included many, many highlights. Japan is a great place to visit; it’s got easily usable public transit, a wide variety of delicious food, and experiences for every kind of traveler.

And even though this trip happened a year and a half ago at this point, my wife and I are going back to Japan in April. The aforementioned typhoon prevented us from going to the Nagashima Spa Land amusement park, and that place has multiple bucket list roller coasters we wanted to ride.

Of course, that means another opportunity to watch NPB baseball. At the moment, that’s looking like a game between the Yomiuri Giants and the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, although it could be a few others. I can’t wait to experience it again.

Just in case you needed it, here’s another reason to hate the Dodgers

Last week, I wrote this article noting that a number of owners were “enraged” about the Dodgers signing Kyle Tucker and that some owners were going to push for a salary cap “no matter what.”

The Dodgers are doing a pretty good job of playing MLB’s villain team, the equivalent to the “Evil Empire” the Yankees were back in the 1990s and early 2000s.

Now comes a report written by Drew Lerner of Awful Announcing, citing ESPN’s Joon Lee, who says the Dodgers have been getting favorable revenue-sharing treatment for their TV revenue — and that this break for the Dodgers will continue for another 13 years. Here are the details:

In a recent report, Lee outlined how the Dodgers have historically benefited from the revenue-sharing system as a result of the club’s bankruptcy and subsequent sale in 2012. Lee reports that teams typically share about one-third of their local television revenue, but the Dodgers, in the midst of their bankruptcy proceedings in federal court, secured a much more favorable rate of about 10%.

Given the Dodgers have by far the most lucrative local broadcast deal in MLB (a ludicrous $334 million per year), Lee estimates the team could avoid contributing about $66 million per year to the league’s revenue-sharing pool under its special arrangement. That, of course, doesn’t sit well with fans of other clubs, who in recent years have seen the Dodgers buy their way to one of the most stacked rosters in the history of the game.

Previously, it was unknown exactly how long the Dodgers would retain these favorable terms. But Lee revealed in his report, citing a league source, that the agreement goes through 2039, when the Dodgers’ current local broadcast deal expires. In other words, the team’s built-in advantages could benefit them for another 13 years.

You can watch Lee’s full report at the link in that quote, or a summary of it here.

This was done, as noted, because the Dodgers declared bankruptcy during the Frank McCourt ownership era, which ended more than 13 years ago. New ownership took advantage of that, as well as the revenue coming in under their huge Charter Communications RSN deal, to become the most dominant team in the league. L.A. has won the NL West in 12 of the last 13 seasons, missing out only in 2021 when the Giants had that freak 107-win year and the Dodgers won “only” 106, which is tied (with 2019) for the second-most wins in Dodgers franchise history. They’ve played in five World Series in those 13 years, winning three (and probably would have made that four if not for the Astros cheating scandal in 2017).

From the Awful Announcing article, here’s how much the Dodgers have their proverbial thumbs on the scale:

Charter Communications, the telecom giant that owns Spectrum SportsNet LA, the television home of the Dodgers, would reportedly have to declare bankruptcy to wiggle its way out of the $334 million-per-year deal. That’s not something Charter, whose main business is providing broadband service to tens of millions of customers nationwide, necessarily wants to do.

So while other clubs are accepting cuts to local broadcast revenue as cord-cutting threatens regional sports networks, the Dodgers are sitting pretty. And it makes the team’s favorable arrangement look even more absurd to the average fan.

Whether the Dodgers will be able to maintain this arrangement with Charter until 2039 remains to be seen. The league may have an opportunity to rewrite some of its revenue-sharing procedures once the current collective bargaining agreement expires after this season.

But for now, the optics do not look great. The Dodgers aren’t paying their fair share and are able to buy whatever players they want.

The conclusion is absolutely correct, in my view. The Dodgers are getting a break that might have been reasonable 13 years ago, but it certainly isn’t now. As noted, this will almost certainly be something that’s brought up in the CBA negotiations coming up later this year.

One thing is certain. There’s not a level playing field in MLB. There should be, in my view, so that the teams that win most aren’t just the teams with the most money — they should be the teams with the best baseball management. If a salary cap, along with a floor and a guaranteed portion of MLB revenue to players, is how to accomplish that — then bring it on.

Game Preview: Knicks vs. Kings, January 27, 2026

The Knicks (27*-18) return to Madison Square Garden tonight as heavy favorites against a lowly Kings (12-35) team that spanked New York just two weeks ago.

When the teams clashed on January 14, coach Mike Brown’s former club won almost wire-to-wire, beating the Knicks 112–101 behind DeMar DeRozan’s 27 points. DeRozan and OAKAAKUYOAK Precious Achiuwa muscled the Kings to a 32–17 first quarter, during which New York lost Jalen Brunson to a right ankle sprain just five minutes in. New York shot atrociously, making 8-of-41 from three. Mikal Bridges led the Knicks with 19 points, followed by OG Anunoby (15) and Karl-Anthony Towns (13).

Sacramento arrives having lost five straight games and nine straight on the road. On Sunday, Detroit blew their minds with a 139-116 loss. The team is a cellar dweller with a –10.19 net rating, ranking 29th offensively (120.6 ORtg) and 28th defensively (130.8 DRtg). The Kings attempt the fewest three-pointers in the league, making 35% of them, but they are a strong midrange team, thanks to DeRozan, Domantas Sabonis, and Zach LaVine. Defensively, they struggle across the board, allowing 49% shooting, 35% from three, and 121.2 points per game.

For the visitors, Zach LaVine is questionable with back soreness, Malik Monk is banged up, and Keegan Murray remains out. For the Knicks: the list is clean!

ESPN.com believes in New York! They favor our gang at 86%. Yowza! Sure, by the numbers, the Knicks should clobber these guys, previous game notwithstanding. What could go wrong? Hubris. In their last two games, New York pulverized Brooklyn by 50-some points and then withstood Philly’s best punches to escape PA and a winter storm with a reassuring win. ‘Twas reassuring because they’d been reeling for a few weeks prior to that. The past two games showed what rockers the ‘Bockers can be when they go full-tilt boogie.

There might be a temptation to coast tonight, and that could bite our heroes. Worse, some players might lope along at half-steam because their names have circulated in trade rumors. Hence, if the Knicks aren’t careful . . . oh, come on. The loss in Sacramento was a weird fluke. Tonight, Jalen Brunson and the boys will stomp on the gas pedal from the jump and press it to the metal all game, trying to see if they can actually beat a team by 60 points. In the end, the reserves will lose some ground in the final quarter, but the home team wins handily nonetheless. Knicks by 18.

Game Details

Date: Tuesday, January 27, 2026
Time: 7:30 PM ET
Place: Madison Square Garden, NYC
TV: MSG
Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky

* Should be one more, but the Cup final doesn’t count.

NHL Player Props & Best Bets for Today, January 27: Cole of the Wild

We have 10 games on the schedule, and I’ve dug deep to find the best NHL player props. The red-hot Cole Caufield starts things off, followed by Ryan O’Reilly and Lucas Raymond. 

Read more in my NHL picks for Tuesday, January 27. 

Best NHL player prop bets today

PlayerBet99
Canadiens Cole Caufield anytime goal<<+125>>
Predators Ryan O'Reilly Over 0.5 assists<<-105>>
Red Wings Lucas Raymond Over 0.5 assists<<-110>>

Get a first bet encore up to $800 — no BET99 promo code neededGet a first bet encore up to $800 with BET99 bonus code COVERSNHL.
(not available in Ontario)

Our best NHL player props for Tuesday, January 27

Take a look at our best bets and expert analysis below.

Prop #1: Cole Caufield anytime goal

+125 at BET99

Cole Caufield has been on fire this season for the Montreal Canadiens, and he currently ranks fourth in the league with 29 goals. The 25-year-old has had a huge January, scoring 10 times already. 

The Habs star has found the back of the net in five straight, netting eight times. On Saturday against the Boston Bruins, Caufield scored a hat-trick, despite Montreal losing 4-3.

Caufield and the Canadiens will face the Vegas Golden Knights this evening, and he already scored against them earlier in the campaign. He’ll stay hot.

  • Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: SCRIPPS, TSN2

Prop #2: Ryan O'Reilly Over 0.5 assists

-105 at BET99

Nashville Predators forward Ryan O’Reilly has a productive 18 goals and 32 assists this season. We’ll focus on his playmaking here. The 34-year-old has hit the Over in helpers in six of his last seven outings. 

O’Reilly didn’t tally an assist on Saturday, but the game before that, he had three helpers. The Preds will take on the Boston Bruins tonight at the TD Garden, and O’Reilly has been efficient away from home. He’s compiled 15 helpers in 23 road games. 

Also, last season, O’Reilly posted two assists in two meetings with Boston. 

  • Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: FDSN South, NESN

Prop #3: Lucas Raymond Over 0.5 assists

-110 at BET99

Lucas Raymond continues to prove his worth for the Detroit Red Wings, scoring 18 goals and registering 40 assists this season. The Swede is an irreplaceable figure on this roster, and he’s truly doing it all in 2025-26. 

The 23-year-old has five helpers across his last five games, and he’s cashed the Over in assists in four of his previous seven appearances. Raymond had a goal and an assist on Saturday against the Jets. 

Raymond and the Red Wings are at home tonight against the Los Angeles Kings, and he’s posted 25 assists in 25 home contests.

  • Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: FDSN West, FDSN Detroit X

These props are available now at BET99, one of our best betting sites.

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here