MINNEAPOLIS - JULY 29: Denard Span of the Minnesota Twins bats against the Chicago White Sox at the Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota on July 29, 2008. The Twins defeated the White Sox 6-5. (Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Unless or until the Minnesota Twins win another World Series—one I’m not a toddler or a kindergartener for—it is possible that September 25, 2008, will remain my Twins fandom zenith. Timing and circumstance matters a lot, and in late ‘08 I had just graduated college and reveling in the “summer after being done” (not quite realizing what the Great Recession was going to do to my immediate-future employment prospects). No, at the time all I cared about was the Twins beating the White Sox at the Metrodome—and Denard Span delivered…
The newbie: Sano-ing in Cleveland!
Jacque Jones jolts contraction outta here (2002)
The 2001 offseason was undoubtedly the worst in Twins franchise history. After MLB Commissioner Bud Selig floated the contraction idea and Twins owner Carl Pohlad was more than willing to take the payout, it took a county judge to restore order. Jacque Jones restored between-the-white-lines order by homering in the first PA of the 2002 season! I wasn’t able to locate the audio, but Dick Bremer’s “And I hope it lands in Milwaukee!” call remains iconic.
Francisco Liriano out-duels Roger Clemens (2006)
Francisco Liriano’s 2006 run was perhaps the greatest pitching stretch in franchise history. His signature moment that season was out-dueling Roger Clemens in Houston on June 22, 2006. With The Rocket (5 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K) in the midst of his home-state comeback, Liriano (8 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K) outclassed the veteran in his own back yard. While by no means Frankie’s best single-game performance of ‘06, beating Kody’s Dad put him on the national stage.
No Way, Jose! (2024)
On July 3, 2024, Jose Miranda singled in the eighth inning of a blowout loss to the Tigers. Ho hum. But then, something inexplicable happened: Miranda reached base the next twelve consecutive at-bats—13 if you count a HBP mixed in! In a sport where 0-fer slumps can sometimes last weeks, Jose managed to find his way on base—without the benefit of a BB—a baker’s dozen worth of times in a row.
Chili for 3 (1991)
In the late-80s and early-90s, the Oakland Athletics controlled the AL West. The Twins looked to change that on August 16, 1991. Only a few games up on the A’s, MN found themselves down 4-2 in B9 against dominant closer Dennis Eckersley. Chili Davis led off and smacked a ball to RF, where chaos ensued: Jose Canseco played the sphere like a malfunctioning pinball machine, a fan hurled a roll of toilet paper onto the field, and Chili chugged into third base. A few batters later, the Twins tied the game, won it in extra innings, and never were less than 4 GA of the Bash Brothers the rest of the way to the pennant.
Sano Slams the Division Door (2019)
The 2019 season was a magical one for the Twins. But somewhat forgotten in the 100+ wins & Bomba Squad of it all was Cleveland being a persistent pest all summer long. On September 14, Miguel Sano swatted them away on their own grounds. After taking the first game of a rain-induced doubleheader, the Twins & Guardians found themselves tied 5-5 in the 8th inning of game two. That is, until—with the bases juiced—Sano launched a sphere so far that not even the high walls of Progressive Field could contain it! My Mom and I were present on the shores of Lake Erie to see the Twins finally commandeer the Central crown.
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Matthew Trueblood (North Side Baseball*): ABS will force Seiya Suzuki into a new set of adjustments. “Patient hitters will be disproportionately affected by the switch to the ABS challenge system in Major League Baseball this season.”
Food For Thought:
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SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 23: A general view of the stadium during the spring training game between the Colorado Rockies and Chicago White Sox at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on February 23, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
I’m back from a few days off for my birthday, so let’s take a look at what the San Francisco Giants have on deck for this week.
Tuesday
The Giants will head to Goodyear Ballpark to take on the Cleveland Guardians at 1:05 p.m. PDT. Audio coverage will be available through the MLB Gameday app.
Wednesday
The Giants will head to Surprise, AZ to take on the Kansas City Royals at 1:05 p.m. PDT. Audio coverage will be available through the MLB Gameday app.
Thursday
The Giants will return to Scottsdale to take on the Chicago White Sox at 6:05 p.m. PDT. Mark this one on your calendars, as the game will have a television broadcast on NBC Sports Bay Area.
Friday
Friday will be a split squad day against the Cincinnati Reds.
The road team will head back to Goodyear Ballpark to take on the Reds’ home team at 6:05 p.m. PDT. As of right now, there is no listing for radio or television coverage.
The home team will take on the Reds’ travel squad at 4:05 p.m. PDT. There are no listings for this game either. I would presume one of them, at least, will be on KNBR.
Saturday
The Giants will host the Arizona Diamondbacks at 1:05 p.m. PDT. This game will be broadcast on NBC Sports Bay Area, as well as MLB Network for out-of-market fans. Radio coverage will be available on KNBR.
Sunday
The Giants will wrap up the week with a home game against the Milwaukee Brewers at 1:05 p.m. PDT. Radio coverage will be available on KNBR.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - SEPTEMBER 20: Tyler O'Neill #9 of the Baltimore Orioles runs to second base on a passed ball in the seventh inning during a game against the New York Yankees at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 20, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/IOS/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Tyler O’Neill’s debut season in Baltimore was a disaster. The 30-year-old was placed on the IL three times for three different ailments. He had neck inflammation in April, a left shoulder impingement in May, and right wrist inflammation in August. That limited him to just 54 games and a .684 OPS. One season into his three-year, $49.5 million deal, it’s was looking like a bad investment by the Orioles front office.
But the team won’t be ready to move on after one poor campaign. O’Neill is back and expected to play a major role on a team looking for an offensive rebound. He has the potential to be a significant factor in whether or not that happens. The reason the Orioles were willing to pay him so much going into 2025 was his impressive showing with the Red Sox, where he had an .847 OPS with 31 home runs in just 113 games during the 2024 season.
Here’s the Orioles’ current outfield picture: Taylor Ward was brought in to start everyday in left field and provide reliable pop. Colton Cowser is penciled in as the center fielder day in and day out. O’Neill is expected to share right field with Dylan Beavers and likely get some at-bats as the team’s DH as well. Leody Taveras is looking like the “fourth outfielder” that can backup everywhere, but particularly in center. Heston Kjerstad is lurking in the background, likely bound for Norfolk to begin the year, where he can prove if he is past the health struggles he dealt with last summer.
O’Neill’s path to “everyday” at-bats is a bit muddier than it was a year ago, when he came in as the highly-paid key addition. There’s pressure on this team to win a lot of games and make a playoff run. If that includes O’Neill as the right fielder most days, then that is where he will be. If it means taking him out of the lineup more frequently to keep him fresh, then so be it.
Here is what two prominent projection systems expect for O’Neill in 2026:
The two projections are nearly identical. The 350-ish plate appearances they expect is particularly noteworthy. That would peg O’Neill at playing in 90 or so games. Looking at his career numbers, that feels like a fair estimate, basically baking in an IL stint or two.
More importantly, they do expect O’Neill to bounceback at the plate and produce right around his career average numbers (.242/.320/.463). That would be an acceptable outcome from the Orioles’ perspective. Getting around 20 home runs and a .770 OPS from a part-time outfielder probably means the offensive overall has taken a nice step forward.
And although the sample size for 2025 is small, there is evidence that O’Neill played better than his topline numbers suggest. According to Baseball Savant, his expected slugging percentage was .523, and his expected wOBA was .360. Both numbers would have been in the top 20% of MLB if he qualified. So maybe we aren’t too far away from an O’Neill breakout in Baltimore.
What do you think of these projections? Do you think O’Neill will stay healthy enough to make an impact in 2026? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.
With the playoffs in Yahoo! default leagues beginning next week, Week 20 is huge for many fantasy managers. Some silly season standouts have already emerged, and there's room for more to join the party in the coming days. On the flip side, there are some starters whose values have decreased at the worst possible time.
It's been known for quite some time that the Jazz were headed back to the draft lottery, and given the depth of the projected 2026 draft class, the silly season has been in full swing for quite some time in Utah. Add in the lack of interior depth due to injuries, and there has been plenty of room for Filipowski to flourish. And he's taken advantage recently.
Over the past week, the 7-footer has averaged 14.8 points, 12.8 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.5 steals, 1.5 blocks and 1.0 three-pointers while shooting 52.5 percent from the field. And in Utah's March 9 win over the Warriors, Filipowski produced the fourth stat line of his career that included at least 15 points and 15 rebounds.
Precious Achiuwa
Like the Jazz, Sacramento's frontcourt depth has been sapped due to injuries. Achiuwa and rookie Maxime Raynaud have been logging heavy minutes, with the former averaging nearly 35 minutes per appearance over the past two weeks. During this run, Achiuwa has averaged 17.2 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks while shooting 56.1 percent from the field and 75 percent from the foul line. Not signed to a deal until early November, Achiuwa is now a player who must be rostered in 12-team leagues heading into the final month of the regular season.
Jaylin Williams
The Thunder center has benefited from Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein missing games recently, providing consistent value as a spot starter. Over the past week, JayWill has averaged 15.8 points, 11.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 3.8 three-pointers while shooting 51.2 percent from the field and 75 percent from the foul line. Williams' fantasy value clearly depends on the availability of Holmgren and Hartenstein, but he's worth rostering until those two are available to play.
STOCK DOWN
Alperen Şengün
The Rockets' center's problem recently: turnovers. Over the past two weeks, he has averaged 4.6 per game, and that includes Şengün racking up eight in a March 2 win over the Wizards. Over the past two weeks, he has averaged 21.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.9 blocks while shooting 56 percent from the field and 68.6 percent from the foul line. For fantasy managers either punting turnovers or competing in leagues that don't include that category, the free-throw percentage is a more significant issue. Either way, Şengün needs to be more efficient as a playmaker than he's been recently.
Mikal Bridges
Bridges' availability gives his fantasy value a boost, and for most of this season, his production has been very good. Unfortunately, the Knicks' wing has taken a step back recently. Over the past week, he's made 37 percent of his field-goal attempts while averaging 8.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 0.6 steals and 1.0 blocks in 30.1 minutes per game. While Bridges' playing 25 minutes in the first game of the Knicks' five-game road trip was understandable, as New York blew out the Nuggets, he played 27 and 26 minutes in losses to the Lakers and Clippers.
Myles Turner
After being a key supplementary option for the Pacers during their run to the NBA Finals last season, Turner made the move to Milwaukee in free agency. Unfortunately for him and the Bucks, the returns have not been great, and things have gotten even worse recently. Over the past two weeks, the Bucks center has averaged 8.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.9 steals, 1.1 blocks and 1.8 three-pointers while shooting 40.4 percent from the field and 57.1 percent from the foul line.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, having two separate extended absences due to calf strains, hasn't helped matter, but the Bucks need more from Turner, especially as a rebounder. That deficiency may be the biggest reason why his playing time has decreased.
PERTH, Australia (AP) — Japan kept its perfect defensive record intact to reach the quarterfinals of the Women's Asian Cup without conceding a goal as Taiwan and the Philippines also qualified Tuesday.
On a day when the action on the field was overshadowed by five players from the Iranian team being granted asylum by host nation Australia, Japan's 4-0 win over Vietnam ensured a spot for the Philippines on goal difference.
Collisions between players marred Taiwan's 3-1 win over India. Both teams' goalkeepers were taken off after blows to the head.
Japan keeps perfect record
Japan heads into its quarterfinal matchup against the Philippines with three wins from three games and a tournament-leading 17 goals. Japan is the only team yet to concede at the Asian Cup.
Vietnam started against Japan knowing that a three-goal loss would end its chances of qualifying as one of the best third-place teams if Taiwan avoided defeat to India.
Vietnamese goalkeeper Khong Thi Hang made a series of impressive saves to limit Japan to a 1-0 halftime lead but was constantly under pressure from an opponent which had scored 11 goals against India.
Riko Ueki headed Japan's opening goal, her fourth of the tournament, before Maika Hamano, Aoba Fujino and Kiko Seike all scored against a tiring Vietnamese defense. Japan will meet the Philippines in the quarterfinals.
Vietnam’s Duong Thi Van was taken off late in the game after a clash of heads with Japan’s Mina Tanaka.
Injuries for Taiwan and India
Taiwan heads to a quarterfinal meeting with China after a win over India which ended with concerns over the welfare of key players on both teams.
Su Yu-hsuan gave Taiwan the lead before Manisha Kalyan's free kick off the crossbar brought India back into the contest. Taiwan restored its lead when a penalty bounced off the post and in off Indian goalkeeper Elangbam Panthoi Chanu for an own goal.
Taiwan was leading 2-1 when its goalkeeper Wang Yu-ting was taken off following a head injury assessment. The immediate cause wasn't obvious but Wang had previously played on after an earlier collision when Sanfida Nongrum's shoulder made contact with her head.
Chen Yu-chin made sure of the win with Taiwan's third goal on the break but two Indian players ended up stretchered off after they collided while trying to stop her.
Goalkeeper Panthoi charged out toward Chen and was leaping to attempt a save when defender and captain Sweety Devi's knee struck her in the face. Panthoi was taken off on a stretcher with severe swelling on her face and Devi was briefly motionless on the ground before being taken off the field.
It was the second time Panthoi had treatment after being struck on the head. In the first half she was hit by a shot which caused her to fall back and her head hit the ground.
Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff works during a spring training game at Diablo Stadium on March 7, 2026. | Curt Hogg / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Brewers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
We’re back with another Brewers Reacts Survey with Opening Day now right around the corner! After asking about the last position player to make the roster last week, we’re discussing an Opening Day starter today.
With Freddy Peralta now with the New York Mets, the Brewers will have a new Opening Day arm for the first time since 2023, when Corbin Burnes got the start. Brandon Woodruff seems like the obvious choice, but his status is currently “up in the air” as he ramps up in his first healthy spring since that 2023 season.
So if Woodruff can’t go, who will it be? There are plenty of options.
Quinn Priester would be a contender, but he’s expected to miss the start of the season with right wrist discomfort. Logan Henderson, who missed a chunk of last season with a flexor strain, is also reportedly battling elbow soreness. That all but eliminates those two.
Jacob Misiorowski seems like the other “obvious choice,” as he has ace-type stuff when he’s on. But after a hot start that netted him an All-Star selection, he struggled a bit down the stretch, finishing with a 4.36 ERA and 3.62 FIP despite 87 strikeouts in just 66 innings.
Chad Patrick is another sophomore coming off a decent rookie season, as he joined the rotation early in the year after a myriad of injuries plagued Milwaukee’s pitching staff. He finished the year with 27 appearances (23 starts), totaling 119 2/3 innings with a 3.53 ERA, 3.53 FIP, and 127 strikeouts. He was also a solid relief piece in the postseason, totaling nine innings with two runs allowed and 11 strikeouts.
Other potential options include Aaron Ashby (who has been stretched a bit this spring), Robert Gasser, DL Hall, and Kyle Harrison. There are a few other young options beyond them that are unlikely to start, but I’ll still throw some more names out there — Shane Drohan, Carlos Rodriguez, and Brandon Sproat.
Who do you think will be the Brewers’ Opening Day starter? Will Woodruff be ready? Or will it be somebody else? Weigh in on our poll below, and stay tuned for results later in the week!
The Philadelphia Flyers only had him for a few months, but one of their recent trade acquisitions is quietly torching the AHL for another organization.
Remember when the Flyers shipped Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee off to the Calgary Flames for a second-round pick, seventh-round pick, Andrei Kuzmenko, and Jakob Pelletier?
They actually got a decent young prospect back in Pelletier, only to give him the smallest of chances in the lineup and ultimately let him walk as a free agent in the offseason.
Pelletier, 25, signed a three-year, $2.23 million contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning as an unqualified restricted free agent, accepting an unprecedented multi-year deal for the veteran minimum.
That was especially surprising, given that the 5-foot-9 sparkplug played a career-high 49 NHL games last season, scoring seven goals, 12 assists, and 19 points between the Flyers and Flames.
The Lightning, of course, are loaded and a Stanley Cup contender, so Pelletier has spent all but two games with the AHL Syracuse Crunch this season.
The result? Pelletier leads the entire league in scoring, amassing an astounding 22 goals, 39 assists, and 61 points in just 50 games with the Crunch.
The ex-Flyers forward has been at or near a point-per-game throughout his entire AHL career dating back to the 2021-22 season, so his production isn't overly surprising, but he's also clearly found another gear while playing for his third organization in two seasons.
As for the Flyers' AHL affiliates? The Lehigh Valley Phantoms have just two forwards with 30 or more points this season: journeymen Lane Pederson and Anthony Richard.
Even if the Flyers kept Pelletier just for NHL depth, he would have provided a massive boost for a struggling Phantoms team that has lost Alex Bump and Denver Barkey to NHL call-ups and Samu Tuomaala and Alexis Gendron to trades.
Instead, the Flyers have had to rely on the likes of Carl Grundstrom for that role, but after scoring seven times in December, including in four straight contests, the Swede's luck in front of goal has run out.
Grundstrom has just one goal and one assist in his last 22 games, and Pelletier continues to rip apart the AHL.
Welcome to this edition of the Vancouver Canucks post-game analytics report. This recurring deep dive breaks down the analytics behind each Canucks game as recorded by Natural Stat Trick. In this article, we look back on Vancouver’s most recent 2-0 loss to the Ottawa Senators.
Monday was the definition of low-event hockey. The Senators won the even-strength scoring chances battle 19-4, while also claiming the even-strength high-danger scoring chances by a count of 7-6. In the end, the only goal scored on a goaltender was a fluke as both Kevin Lankinen and James Reimer were sharp in this one.
The heatmap shows just how low-event this game was. Neither team was able to generate consistent chances from inside the crease, with most shots coming from distance. While the defensive coverage was decent, the Canucks struggled to generate second-chance opportunities on Monday.
Vancouver Canucks vs. Ottawa Senators, March 9, 2026, Natural Stat Trick.
To wrap this game up, Curtis Douglas led the team in even-strength xGF% at 56.26%. Vancouver's newest forward logged 6:52 of even-strength ice time and won the shots battle 3-1. Douglas also threw four hits while playing a fourth-line role in his debut.
Mar 9, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Curtis Douglas (42) stick checks Ottawa Senators forward Fabian Zetterlund (20) in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
The Canucks continue their home stand on Thursday against the Nashville Predators. This will be the third meeting between Vancouver and Nashville, with each team having picked up a win so far. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 pm PT.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
The 11th hour is nearing closer and closer for Barry Trotz's time as Nashville Predators general manager.
In early February, he announced his intention to retire once a replacement was found, with a hoped-for deadline around the NHL Draft. The sudden shift in leadership prompted a handful of questions, including the impending NHL Trade Deadline.
Trotz said he wanted to set up his replacement in a "fantastic spot" when he departed, and the trade deadline was going to be a major part of that.
Now, with March 6 come and gone, it seems like Trotz was aiming for the new general manager to "choose their own adventure" rather than set up the Predators for a straightforward, successful run.
Instead of acquiring good players now, bundling trades and aiming to push the Predators into the 2026 postseason, Trotz opted to sell off role players for draft picks.
Four trades of active roster players brought back four picks and a bottom-six AHL defender, Christoffer Sedoff.
The Predator transaction receipt read almost like a "going out of business" sale, selling off quality pieces for little to nothing. The worst trade: sending Nick Blankenburg to the Colorado Avalanche for a single 2027 fifth-round pick.
Blankenburg had 21 points in 49 games this season with Nashville, averaging 17:57 minutes of ice time a game. The Predators ship off their second-most-productive defenseman for a pick that will likely end up in the minors.
There's a difference between building for the future and just selling off players to get rid of them. Trotz trading Blankenburg, a decent defenseman in a struggling defensive corps, shows that fixing the defense is going to be a task meant for the next GM.
Nashville's bottom six was nearly fully gutted, as Michael McCarron was traded to the Wild for a 2028 second-rounder, Cole Smith was traded to the Golden Knights for a 2028 3rd round pick, and Sedoff and Michael Butning were traded to the Stars for a 2026 3rd round pick.
There was also a rumor trending that Erik Haula was going to be traded to Seattle for...more picks. Trotz later confirmed there were "several good offers" on Haula, but the Predators eventually decided to keep him.
Trading for future considerations and not trying to weaponize now, not even a little bit, reads that management has given up on this season's version of the Predators. Still within striking distance of a Wild Card spot, Trotz left gaping holes in the roster with little intention to fully seal them.
Mar 5, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville Predators left wing Erik Haula (56) and center Jonathan Marchessault (81) talk just before the face off against the Boston Bruins during the third period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
Four call-ups from Milwaukee were made following the trades, and if the Predators players and coaches had anything to say about management's transactions, they said it in a 6-3 win over the Boston Bruins a day before the deadline.
The transactions made at the deadline make Trotz's statement about leaving the team in a "fantastic spot" a little vague. The new GM will have a lot of draft picks to work with, but has a current team that was on a playoff bubble that now feels like it's been popped.
With 19 games left in the regular season, it's not too late to make the playoffs, but Nashville is doing it without a chunk of the corps that helped them get there.
There's the other side of the argument that says, "This is just the next step in the rebuild." The issue with that is the Predators didn't get much in the draft.
The McCarron trade for a 2028 second-rounder was the biggest victory, but everything else really doesn't move the needle much for the Predators
Only six of the current Predators were drafted beyond the second round, and half of them weren't drafted by Nashville.
Selections by the Predators since the 2020 draft, from the third round on, have played a combined 71 games, and that's between two players: Adam Wilsby (68 games) and Ryan Ufko (3 games).
But maybe I'm being unfair and not giving prospects time to develop. Going back to the 2016 draft, Predators players drafted from Rounds 3 through six have played a combined 535 games.
That sounds a lot better, but breaking down, that's 49 players with only nine gaining NHL experience. Examining it even more closely, only two of those players are on the current Predators roster, one of whom, Ufko, was just called up.
Depending on what "fantastic" actually means, the new general manager will be faced with filling the gaps Trotz made.
LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 21: Boston Bruins Head coach Marco Sturm looks on from the bench during the second period against the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena on November 21, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Just the facts
When: Tonight, 7 PM
Where: TD Garden – Boston, MA
How to follow: NESN, 98.5 The Sports Hub
Know your enemy
26-23-14, 66PTS, 6th in the Pacific Division
Artemi Panarin: 21G-44A-65PTS; Adrian Kempe: 25G-30A-55PTS; Kevin Fiala: 18G-22A-40PTS
Darcy Kuemper: 15-13-9, 2.72 GAA, .896 save percentage
Game notes
After a disappointing, frustrating, annoying, etc. game in Pittsburgh on Sunday, the Bruins return home to TD Garden looking to extend their home winning streak to 13 games.
Like the Bruins, the Kings are aiming for a wild card spot if they want to make the playoffs this season. They’re four points out of third in the Pacific, but just a point out of the second wild card spot.
The Kings played on Monday night, beating the Blue Jackets in Columbus in OT. That game saw the Blue Jackets tie it with under two minutes to go in the third, but Adrian Kempe did the Bruins a small favor and won it midway through OT.
That game was played at the odd Monday (non-holiday) start time of 4 PM, as it was a rescheduled game that was postponed in late January due to weather. The league likely did both teams a favor with the earlier start time, as Los Angeles had to travel to Boston and Columbus had to travel to Tampa.
Anton Forsberg started Monday’s win for the Kings, meaning we’ll likely see Darcy Kuemper tonight.
The Bruins and Kings already played the LA edition of this game this season, with the Bruins beating the Kings 2-1 in OT in late November. Morgan Geekie scored both Bruin goals that night.
Kevin Fiala remains the Kings’ third-leading scorer, in spite of the Olympic injury that will keep him out for the remainder of the season. He was having a good one for the Kings, as he was just about on pace to equal his career-best total of 35 goals last season.
Artemi Panarin has been pretty good for the Kings since arriving from New York, with 2G-4A-6PTS totals in six games.
The Kings were busy at the trade deadline, sending Corey Perry to Tampa and acquiring Scott Laughton from Toronto. Laughton made his Kings debut on Monday in Columbus, registering a goal and an assist.
The Kings have a relatively stingy team defense, allowing 2.92 GA/G. That’s good for ninth best in the NHL.
Los Angeles has been a pretty good road team this season, checking in with a 16-8-7 record away from Crypto.com or whatever it’s called now Arena.
How to Watch: Local broadcasts on FanDuel Sports Network South and SportsNet Pittsburgh, streaming on ESPN+
Pens’ Path Ahead: The Penguins are heading out West later this week to play some late-night games against the Vegas Golden Knights (Thursday, 10 p.m. ET), Utah Mammoth (Saturday, 9 p.m. ET) and Colorado Avalanche (Monday, 9:30 p.m. ET). Then it’s back for a rematch with the Hurricanes in North Carolina next Wednesday.
Opponent Track: The Hurricanes are still on top of the Metro, and they’ve won seven of their last nine, but they’re coming off a 5-4 regulation loss in Calgary that featured a wild five-goal third period last Saturday.
Season Series: The Penguins won this last matchup 5-1 on Dec. 30. Next up is that road game next Wednesday March 18, followed four days later by a 3 p.m. ET Sunday matinee in Pittsburgh on Mar. 22.
Hidden Stat: The Penguins haven’t won in Carolina since March 2019. The visitors are 0-4-4 in eight matchups over that span.
Getting to know the Hurricanes
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Andrei Svechnikov – Sebastian Aho – Seth Jarvis
Taylor Hall – Logan Stankoven – Jackson Blake
Nikolaj Ehlers – Jordan Staal – Jordan Martinook
William Carrier – Mark Jankowski – Eric Robinson
DEFENSEMEN
Jaccob Slavin – Jalen Chatfield
K’Andre Miller – Sean Walker
Mike Reilly – Alexander Nikishin
Goalies: Brandon Bussi, Frederik Andersen
Potential scratches: Shayne Gostisbehere (day to day)
Injured Reserve: Charles-Alexis Legault, Pyotr Kochetkov, Nicolas Deslauriers
Gostisbehere missed the Hurricanes’ Saturday loss to the Flames with a lower-body injury. Mike Reilly will likely slide out of this lineup if he is able to go.
Nicolas Deslauriers has yet to make his Hurricanes debut since his trade from the Philadelphia Flyers. If the Canes decide to slot him into the lineup Monday night, he would slot into their fourth line.
The Hurricanes have historically been a tough matchup for the Pens, but the Penguins could take some lessons from the Flames. Calgary got beaten on face-offs (52.5 percent to 47.5 percent) and 5-on-5 scoring chances (24 to 21) while holding strong on hits (26-20) and getting some nice saves from Dustin Wolf to claim a 5-4 win over the Canes on Saturday.
And now for the Pens
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Egor Chinakhov – Rickard Rakell – Bryan Rust
Anthony Mantha – Tommy Novak – Ville Koivunen
Elmer Soderblom – Ben Kindel – Avery Hayes
Connor Dewar – Blake Lizotte – Noel Acciari
DEFENSEMEN
Parker Wotherspoon / Erik Karlsson
Ryan Shea / Kris Letang
Sam Girard / Ilya Solovyov
Goalies: Arturs Silovs, Stuart Skinner
Potential Scratches: Evgeni Malkin (suspended), Ryan Graves, Connor Clifton, Kevin Hayes, Justin Brazeau (day to day)
IR: Sidney Crosby, Filip Hallander, Jack St. Ivany (AHL conditioning loan)
Jack St. Ivany is headed to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on a conditioning loan, per Seth Rorabaugh.
Justin Breazeau’s status is uncertain after he was sidelined against the Bruins on Sunday with a day-to-day upper-body injury.
Today should also lead to more information on whether Sidney Crosby is joining the team for the upcoming five-game road trip. Dane Muse said Sunday that decision would be made after the matchup against the Boston Bruins.
Evgeni Malkin is set to miss the third game of his five-game suspension tonight. He won’t be eligible to return until the Penguins rematch against the Hurricanes next week.
It’s a milestone game for Kyle Dubas, who has served as general manager for 600 career games, per Pens PR. A win tonight would tie him with Steve Yzerman for the 14th-most wins through that milestone with 326 victories.
The Dodgers' Santiago Espinal celebrates during a spring training game against the Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium last month. (Ric Tapia / Getty Images)
“It’d be hard to imagine him not being on our team,” Roberts said last week. “He’s having a great spring, man. He’s just a good player. It’s good, because I didn’t really know much about him, but seeing him every day, [he’s] fun to watch.”
An All-Star with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2022, the 31-year-old Espinal muddled through a pair of lackluster seasons with the Cincinnati Reds in which he rated as a minus-WAR (Wins Above Replacement) player and slashed .245/.294/.322 over 232 games.
It led to him getting taken off the Reds' 40-man roster at the end of last season and sent to triple-A Louisville — a minor league assignment he rejected, making him a free agent. He signed with the Dodgers on Feb. 16 on a minor league deal with an invite to spring training.
He leads the Dodgers in home runs (2) and RBIs (9) while posting a .500/.519/.900 slash line. With utilitymen Tommy Edman and Kiké Hernández opening the season on the IL, there is an opening for Espinal to stick on the club’s roster. A versatile glove, Espinal played all four infield positions and both corner outfield spots for the Reds last season. And at least to this point in spring training, he's shown an improved bat.
“I feel like the offense part of it, I’ve been working consistently with the hitting coaches, just looking at videos, looking at little details," Espinal said last week. "There’s either something going on with my lower body or something going on with my upper body. Where are my hands at, all this stuff, so that’s something that we literally every day just work on. So just make sure that my body feels great.”
One simple modification that has brought success to Espinal is getting the bat off his shoulder and attacking the count early. A more aggressive approach has served him well thus far in camp.
“Being more aggressive in my swing path,” Espinal said. “Make sure that it’s there. Make sure that it’s straight to the ball and not opening up and that stuff, but it’s a constant work that we’ve been doing every day and so far, it’s been great.”
The Dodgers' Santiago Espinal rounds third base to score a run against the Seattle Mariners during during a game on Feb. 23. (Chris Coduto / Getty Images)
The torrid hitting — which includes a two-homer game last week against the Reds — and how he's carried himself has paid off for Espinal.
“[He’s fitting in] seamlessly,” Roberts said. “He’s a baseball player. It’s in his blood. You see it. He’s a smart player. He knows the type of player he needs to be to be a Major League player. He has fun playing, but there’s a focus when he plays. He plays with enthusiasm, which is tempered, which is great. You can see him and [Teoscar Hernández] obviously have a history. I love the player. I love the guy.”
Though he hasn’t been a Dodger for very long, Espinal says he’s been trying to learn as much as he can from the cornerstones of the team's lineup — including his fellow Dominican and former teammate on the Blue Jays.
“When you see Mookie [Betts], when you see Freddie [Freeman], [Max] Muncy, I played with Teo, and he’s actually one of the best hitters in the game, you know you have it in the locker room,” Espinal said. “You also want to pick their brain. You also want to ask questions. And you also want to see how they work, how they go about their business. To me, I think that’s just the most important part of it, just to learn from them.”
It appears to all be leading to a spot on the opening-day roster, which considering where he was at the end of last season and even at the start of February, is quite the turn of events.
“It would be amazing,” Espinal said of making the 26-man roster. “It would be amazing, and I’ve just got to let my work talk for it. And so far, that’s what I’m doing and I’m just going to keep working for it.”
JUPITER, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 26: Masyn Winn #0 celebrates with Bryan Torres #39 of the St. Louis Cardinals after making an out against the Houston Astros during the first inning of a spring training game at Roger Dean Stadium on February 26, 2026 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With only a couple of weeks remaining in spring training, I think it’s time we revisit how we did with our predictions from the end of October.
If you were one of the participants who included your predictions, here is a quick link to help you find them! Like last year, this is a pass/fail exercise. No half points, I either got it or I didn’t. With that being said lets take a look!
1. The Cardinals will trade a position player for pitching depth
The Cardinals traded Willson Contreras for Hunter Dobbins, Yhoiker Fajardo, and Blake Aita in December. The presence of Dobbins in this deal as MLB-ready pushes this into the correct column for me! Fitts was acquired for Gray, so it didn’t fit the criteria. Martinez for Arenado and Cintje for Donovan also aren’t MLB-ready, so they don’t fit the criteria either.
I speculated at the time that trading Gorman made the most sense and that I would not be a fan of the Cardinals moving Donovan. If the offers weren’t there for Gorman, I understand. I still am highly skeptical that Gorman will reach his ceiling as a player, and even if he winds up having a breakout year, the Cardinals should still look to cash in on him. The Tyler O’Neill path and why playing out a volatile power over hit profile with an injury history is why you don’t invest in that long term.
The Donovan situation, I changed my tune somewhat because the context of the team has changed more than I anticipated. I didn’t expect Contreras to waive his NTC, but after Gray waived his, Contreras admitted that the writing was on the wall and was more amicable to a swap than previously indicated. If Donovan was traded for just Cintje and Peete, I would’ve been underwhelmed, and that’s the exact type of deal that the previous regime would’ve accepted. But Bloom gaining TWO additional comp picks and an additional outfield prospect out of the deal really changes the equation. The Cardinals now have a serious war chest when it comes to the draft this year, and we will talk to Joe Doyle at the end of March to get a real lay of the land for the upcoming draft in July.
I’m 1-1 so far! Nice.
2. The Cardinals will sign a veteran starter for the rotation.
Also in December, the Cardinals signed Dustin “Don’t call me Gingergaard” May. (sorry Dustin.) Thus fulfilling my expectation that they would bring in a veteran bounce-back candidate who they could flip at the deadline. I speculated that perhaps German Marquez, previously of the Colorado Rockies, would be an option, but the Cardinals shot MUCH higher than I anticipated again. This spring, May has regained body weight, which has allowed him to reach the high 90’s with his fastball once more. This is a big deal when it comes to the upside potential of the asset. The adage of Mass = Gas rings true, and the Cardinals look to be the beneficiaries of that decision very early.
With a young stable of pitchers set to highlight the rotation between Liberatore, McGreevy, Fitts, and potentially Leahy. The Cardinals’ pitchers will benefit from a veteran sounding board who has experienced his fair share of ups and downs and can speak to a multitude of challenges that the young pitchers will face. Analytically, that provides no value, but real-world context, having that support 1000% matters on a big league staff.
2-2 and I’ve matched how many I guessed correctly from a year ago!
3. This will be the 2nd offseason in a row that no player receives an extension
This one I’m tempting the baseball gods with, and if Masyn Winn, who I think would be the MOST likely candidate the Cardinals would approach about an extension, signs one between now and opening day, you’re welcome, St. Louis. But, to this point, and we’re over halfway through Spring Training, the Cardinals have not handed out an extension to any of their players, and that is a stance I expect the Cardinals to hold, for now. I remain convinced, based on the declining revenue streams between both TV and attendance, coupled with an impending CBA negotiation that could alter the financial landscape of MLB, that the Cardinals want to wait to see what the circumstances are before they decide how to distribute cash flow for future seasons.
Temporarily, I’ll call myself 3-3, and I’ll be happy about being more right than last year!
4. The Cardinals will FINALLY trade Nolan Arenado
At the end of the season, it felt like the process had truly run its course, and I think giving a new regime a stab at the chance to do what needed to be done for over a year was going to lead to a deal finally being executed. Lo and behold, that also came true, and not only that, MULTIPLE teams engaged the Cardinals seriously for Arenado, ultimately leading to a deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks and credit to Cardinals ownership in all of the veteran NTC trades, including cash to make the return more palatable.
The Cardinals received Jack Martinez in return, and while a healthy amount of this fanbase was skeptical at best that a deal would even get done, the Cardinals also managed to get a piece that could contribute in a couple of seasons. I am cautiously curious if this could wind up looking very similar to the Paul Dejong deal. I think fans would be thrilled if Martinez winds up being what Matt Svanson was a year ago for St. Louis.
4-4, and I have to be a candidate for player of the week after this performance!
5. The Cardinals will start the 2026 season with the lowest payroll in the NL Central
Let me be clear, this is a crown of thorns that Mr. DeWitt and the ownership group have the misfortune of wearing this season. Nobody is happy about this fact, not even them. They also have nobody to blame BUT themselves for the position the team is in coming into the 2026 season. Again, they deserve credit for green-lighting the pathway that included spending significant money to buy prospects for their aging core veteran players, the deserve credit for investing in tech and infrastructural resources that the Cardinals DESPERATELY needed to put themselves back amongst the modern franchises that utilize every avenue to be the best they possibly can. For those reasons, I am optimistic about the future of the St. Louis Cardinals.
According to FanGraphs, these are the opening day projected payrolls for the NL Central:
CHC: 231 Million
MIL: 129 Million
CIN: 126 Million
PIT: 105 Million
STL: 99 Million
Financial investment into the roster is not a be-all end-all, but Cardinals fans have come to expect a certain level of investment based on the precedent established by the DeWitt-led ownership group’s own actions over the previous 30 years. That’s my entire lifetime. This is a unique season that I’ve never experienced in my growing time as a St. Louis Cardinals fan. That deserves the caveat of praise, given that other franchises envied that level of stability and support. The Cardinals prioritized the wrong things after the 2020 COVID-shortened season, which set off a chain reaction to where they are. They held on too long, they put band aids over bullet holes, they stopped leaning into who they were as an organization in the name of periphery contention, drafting and developing took a back seat to throw an extra 10 million at the Lance Lynns and Kyle Gibsons of the world.
The first step in solving a problem is identifying and admitting that you have one. The Cardinals have done that and now are taking their medicine for it. 2026 likely won’t be to the level of expectation of most Cardinals fans. Most readers on this site understand that and are excited to watch other areas of the organization grow. The general Cardinals fan who likely doesn’t traffic this site often will not be happy with 2026, and the talking points that surround the team will likely reflect that.
Unless there is an extension signed during spring or the Cardinals hand out an 8 million dollar contract in the next two weeks, I will have a clean sweep on my predictions for the offseason! Take that, HATERS! Jake knows ball.
Officially turning the page on one of the most active and course-correcting offseasons in a long time for Cardinals fans, we can simultaneously say we’re excited about the future, but the team is not where we want it to be, and those sentiments are consistently echoed by President of Baseball Ops Chaim Bloom. The Cardinals will experience ANOTHER influx of young talent over the next 6 months between trades and the draft that should have the Cardinals truly set up for the future. I, like many of you, am ready for the season to start and have baseball back on our TV’s/radios on a nightly basis.
SARASOTA, FL - FEBRUARY 25: Enrique Bradfield Jr. #72 of the Baltimore Orioles leaves the field during the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Ed Smith Stadium on Wednesday, February 25, 2026 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Michael Mooney/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Good morning, Camden Chatters.
We’re just past the halfway point of the Orioles’ Grapefruit League schedule. The O’s played their 17th game yesterday — not including their exhibition against the Netherlands WBC team — and took a 7-2 loss to the Cardinals in Jupiter (the city, not the planet). Most of the Orioles’ regulars didn’t make the road trip, but Coby Mayo did, adding another hit to his already impressive spring tally. He also played an errorless third base. Granted, there was only one grounder hit in his direction — by former O’s third baseman Ramón Urías, coincidentally enough — but Mayo made the play successfully.
Meanwhile, a couple of Orioles are about to return to camp after brief stints in the World Baseball Classic. Dean Kremer pitched brilliantly for Team Israel with 4.2 scoreless innings on Sunday, but his club has been eliminated from advancing. He’ll be back with the Birds after Israel’s final game today.
So too will Enrique Bradfield Jr., whose eliminated Panama club wrapped up its pool play round yesterday. Panama’s quick exit is hardly the fault of Bradfield, who was a spark plug for the team. I attended the Panama-Canada WBC game in San Juan on Sunday and Bradfield was electrifying on the basepaths and in the outfield, twice reaching base on bunt singles — one of which was a drag bunt over the pitcher’s mound — and causing havoc with his speed. He made a couple of extremely impressive plays in center field, too, showing fantastic range to get to balls that many outfielders couldn’t touch. I’d sure be happy if Bradfield could bring that kind of energy and game-changing speed and defense to the Orioles, though he’ll need to test his mettle at Triple-A Norfolk first.
Two weeks from today, the Orioles will be finished with spring training and will be setting their sights on Opening Day. They have 14 games remaining — 12 in Florida, followed by home-and-home exhibitions against the Nationals in Baltimore and D.C. — to whittle down their camp roster to the season-opening 26-man. Considering there are currently 60 players remaining, the O’s still have plenty of decisions to make.
I’m still of the opinion that Mayo’s defense at third base is going to be a disaster, so he’s sure going to need to mash at the plate to make up for it. It could actually happen, if his spring performance is any indication.
If nothing else, the presence of a 28-year-old Orioles coach will serve as my daily reminder that I am very old.
Orioles birthdays and history
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! And happy 28th birthday to O’s catcher Maverick Handley, who made his MLB debut with 16 games last year and is currently a non-roster invite at camp. Former Orioles born on this day include outfielder Tike Redman (49) and reliever Mike Timlin (60).
On this date in 1966, the O’s traded 22-year-old outfielder Lou Piniella to Cleveland for Cam Carreon. Piniella had played only four games with the Orioles, getting one lone plate appearance, before the O’s sent him packing, and he went on to have an 18-year playing career followed by another 23 prolific seasons as a manager. Carreon, meanwhile, played just four games for the O’s after the trade.
And on this day in 2016, the Orioles signed designated hitter and former #2 overall pick Pedro Álvarez as a free agent. The slugging Álvarez had never really lived up to his lofty draft status with the Pirates, hitting a bunch of homers but contributing little else, and the same was true of his O’s career. He powered 22 dingers for the Birds in 2016 but posted just a 0.9 WAR in parts of three seasons in Baltimore.
