INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 22: Khris Middleton #20 of the Dallas Mavericks talks to the media after the game against the Indiana Pacers on February 22, 2026 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The trade deadline has come and gone. The NBA’s All-Star weekend, along with the break, has come and gone. We’re staring at the last 25 or so games and just trying to find a way to make it through. Here’s the last Lounge if you need to reference any of the nearly 800 comments.
Where we turn our attention likely has to be towards the NBA Draft. There’s a lot of that coverage overall on Mavs Moneyball, but there will be even more because the Mavericks are a tough watch (particularly if Cooper Flagg isn’t going to play).
I am just starting to formulate some opinions on our potential pick, but there are so many good players it’s hard to be too invested in any one guy.
Past that, I’m starting to get a bit bored with the NBA in general right now. Too many tanking teams. I like basketball but this is all bleh and it’s felt that way for most of the 2026 part of the season. What’s interesting you right now?
Remember to use THE FEED too. There’s a lot you can do in that area and my bosses are encouraging us all to use it more and more.
Thanks for spending your time here, I mean it. Your patronage is why this place exists. We want comments. We want all this sort of interaction. Go Mavs!
Darryl Strawberry believes that Pete Alonso will come to "regret" leaving the Mets for the Baltimore Orioles this offseason.
Strawberry said he was “really shocked” that the man who broke his all-time home run record with the franchise traded Queens for Charm City.
“Pete could have broken all the records and could have been on top of every offensive category for this organization and then sometimes when you don’t see that and realize how important that is, one day he is going to wake up just like I did and regret you didn’t stick where you are at,” Strawberry said, via The New York Post’s Mike Puma.
Strawberry added that Alonso “deserved all the credit” for what he accomplished during his seven seasons with the Mets, but questioned his decision to go to the Orioles.
“I just don’t leave New York to go to Baltimore,” Strawberry said. “Don’t get me wrong, I am not getting on Baltimore. But I am saying, this is New York, come on. Baltimore is a good place, but it’s not New York.”
Alonso opted out of the second year of the two-year deal he signed with the Mets the previous offseason after the final game of the 2025 season and hit the open market for the second time in as many winters, but this time he ended up signing elsewhere.
Strawberry believes that it was a “combination” of the club and player not working hard to get a deal done: “I think they both could have fought harder in that situation,” he said, via Puma.
“The biggest mistake I saw was after they lost in Miami he opted out,” Strawberry said of the final game of the regular season that saw New York eliminated from postseason contention. “I think if he just waited and said, ‘OK, I’ll stay at that, but give me a four-year deal, something like that, they could have worked it out.’”
After the game, Alonso said from the clubhouse in Miami that he would be foregoing the final year of the deal and leaving $24 million on the table in the hopes of securing a longer-term deal after a stellar regular season.
“Playing for this organization and this city, they've continued to believe in me. And I’ve loved playing here,” Alonso said at the time. “There's some great guys in this clubhouse, there’s some great people on the staff. Every single day, it's been a pleasure coming to work and putting on the orange and blue.
“For me, I've really appreciated it and have been nothing but full of gratitude every single day. Nothing is guaranteed, but we'll see what happens – I've loved being a Met. Hopefully, they've appreciated me the same."
It has been reported that the Mets did not offer Alonso a deal. The first baseman signed a five-year, $155 million contract with Baltimore 73 days after the end of the regular season.
CLEARWATER, FL - FEBRUARY 22: Kyle Backhus #19 of the Philadelphia Phillies throws against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the third inning of a spring training baseball game at BayCare Ballpark on February 22, 2026 in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Phillies kicked off the start of their season over the weekend with games against the Toronto Blue Jays and Pittsburgh Pirates. Many of the names competing for the final few spots in the bullpen and bench played and look to make good impressions for the rest of camp.
The first two games of spring training will not tell you much how the season is going to go. It would take some scenarios no one wants to imagine for Bryse Wilson to start on opening day or for Trevor Richards to pitch in high leverage but there are still things to take note of.
Justin Crawford’s swing
Here is a Justin Crawford swing on February 23 of last year:
And now here is a Justin Crawford swing from February 21 of this year:
I’m not a swing expert but there are two easy things to notice. His hands are a bit lower in the second clip and it’s helping him get to a more compact swing. The second thing is that his lower half is more in sync with his upper half, which might help him access more power either of the gap to gap variety or homers.
For most of Justin Crawford’s professional career, it often looked like the bat was swinging him and there were big questions about how he was going to cut down on the groundballs he hit. Matt Winkelman took a deeper look into Crawford’s season in AAA and found his groundball rate dropped over six percent from July to August that can be tied to swing adjustments he made.
Crawford is betting on those swing adjustments as he looks to solidify himself as the Phillies center fielder for 2026.
A Pair of Velocity Bumps
One pitcher fighting to make the final 26 who caught attention this weekend was left-hander Kyle Backhus. He throws from a funky, dropped-sidearm slot with over 7 feet of extension. He pitched 25.1 innings for a depleted Arizona Diamondbacks pitching staff last year. He excelled against left-handed hitters but got barreled against righties.
It seems like his strong first impression to start camp translated to Sunday’s outing. Backhus’s sinker was up a tick from 91.0 mph last season to 91.9, and he flashed 94. Any extra velocity to help him against right-handed hitters would be huge for his chances of making one of the final two bullpen spots.
The Phillies spent most of their offseason looking to bolster their right-handed reliever depth. They swapped Matt Strahm for Jonathan Bowlan and signed Brad Keller. They signed Zach Pop to a major league deal, added three right-handed arms to their 40-man roster from other organizations, and signed another 3 arms that have extensive major league experience to minor league deals.
But their only external left-handed reliever adds this off-season were the aforementioned Backhus and Génesis Cabrera on a minor league deal. With José Alvarado and Tanner Banks as the only lefties out of the bullpen on the major league roster, there is room for Backhus to make the club with a good spring.
Seth Johnson was granted a fourth minor league option this off-season and showed some flashes in 12.2 innings last season. He struck out over 31% of hitters he faced at the big league level in 2025 with a slider that generated a whiff rate north of 40%.
Johnson flashed 99 mph and sat 98.3 against the Blue Jays on Saturday. He threw noticeably more fastballs that outing, probably to work on something, because it’s February but it’s still worth paying attention to.
Among 40-man pitchers with minor league options that are expected to pitch in AAA and the majors this season, Johnson flashes the most upside because of his velocity and ability to generate whiffs. The problem with him is that he does not throw enough early count strikes and has to throw more four-seam fastballs because of it.
Feb 14, 2026; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Michael McGreevy (36) looks on during spring training at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
The St. Louis Cardinals take on the Miami Marlins for game 3 of Spring Training at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium starting at 12:05pm Monday, February 23. According to MLB.com, Michael McGreevy will take the mound for the Cardinals while Eury Pérez will start for the Marlins.
For years, league wide fastball usage has been on the decline, as after decades of being used over 60% of the time by pitchers, it dropped below 50% in 2022, and even lower to 47% by 2023. The biggest proprietor of the change in fastball usage has been the introduction of Statcast to Major League Baseball, as in 2015, the first year of Statcast’s usage, all 30 MLB teams threw fastballs over 50% of the time, and now just 7 MLB teams remain who throw fastballs over 50% of the time.
Under Davey Martinez and his coaching staff, the Nationals were one of the last teams holding onto the fastball, being in the top 2 in fastball usage each of the last 4 seasons. While the higher heater usage than most certainly wasn’t the sole reason for the pitching staffs bad results over the last few years, it showed the lack in forward thinking the organization had, sticking to tradition and ignoring trends that could have had benefits for them.
With Blake Butera and his staff running the show, we knew things were going to look different in 2026, but not the full extent, as Butera, POBO Paul Toboni, and pitching coach Simon Mathews were all coming from organizations which ranked between 10th and 20th in fastball usage in 2026.
Would the club overcorrect and throw fastballs at a much lower rate in 2026, or would they stick to the status quo and cut down the teams fastball usage only a little? Although we’re just 3 games into Spring Training, I believe we have our answer.
So far, the Nationals have used 24 different pitchers in Spring Training over the course of 3 games. Of those 24 pitchers, only 5 of them have used their fastball as their primary pitch, those pitchers being Gus Varland, Zach Penrod, Tucker Biven, Sandy Gaston, and Erik Tolman. Compare this to the 2025 Nats’ pitching staff, where of the 25 pitchers to throw at least 10 innings in the big leagues last season, ALL of them threw their fastball as their primary pitch.
Perhaps the most notable example of a pitcher moving away from their fastball this spring has been Mitchell Parker, who, in a 43 pitch outing yesterday, threw his fastball just 27.9% of the time, well below his 55% usage rate in 2025. Instead, he favored his slider and curveball much more, throwing both pitches 30.2% of the time. The results: 2 scoreless innings with 1 hit, 1 walk, 1 strikeout, and plenty of soft contact.
Mitchell Parker only threw 4 fastballs in 18 pitches in the 1st inning. Will be interesting to monitor for a guy who threw 55% 4-seam fastball last year
Of the 5 pitchers who did throw their fastball primarily in their outings, they all had one thing in common; they throw it really hard. Varland, Gaston, and Tolman all sat above 95 with their heaters in their outings, with Penrod and Biven not too far behind at just below 95. While there are more variables that make a fastball good than its velocity, it’s still clear that the new coaching staffs focus is having its pitchers focus on their strengths on the mound, even if it means using an unorthodox pitch the most often.
Spring Training is a time for players to tinker with new approaches and ideas since the results won’t count against them, so I wouldn’t expect the number of Nationals pitcher who throw a heater primarily to remain this low in the regular season, but it’s still new and exciting to see the coaching staff having the pitchers trying something new with their approach. Hopefully, this new approach will help some pitchers, such as Mitchell Parker, have newfound success in 2026.
FORMER CUBS IN ROYALS CAMP: Jose Cuas, Eli Morgan and Hector Neris.
SEE YA, SEIYA: According to this Tribune article, on Sunday Seiya Suzuki played in his final Cactus League game before departing to join Samurai Japan for the World Baseball Classic, where he’ll play center field. Depending on how far Japan goes (and they won last time), Suzuki should be back for the last few Spring Training games.
Ben Brown will start for the Cubs. Other Cubs pitchers scheduled today: Javier Assad, Porter Hodge, Ryan Rolison and Collin Snider.
Seth Lugo will start for the Royals. Other Royals pitchers scheduled today: Luinder Avila, former Cubs prospect Alex Lange, former Cub Jose Cuas and Eric Cerantola.
No TV today. There will be a radio broadcast on the Royals flagship station, 96.5 The Fan.
Please visit our SB Nation Royals site Royals Review. If you do go there to interact with Royals fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
As we have done in the past, we’ll have a first pitch thread at five minutes to game time and one overflow thread, 90 minutes after game time. For today, that will be 2 p.m. CT and 3:30 p.m. CT.
These threads will not post individually onto the front page; instead, you can find links to them in the box marked ”Chicago Cubs Game Threads” at the bottom of the front page. There will also be a StoryStream on the front page with all the game thread links, as well as the recap after the game is over. The pitcher photos and regular-season stats will return on Opening Day.
NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA fined Memphis Grizzlies guard Scotty Pippen Jr. and Miami Heat forward Myron Gardner $35,000 each on Monday for their scuffle in a game over the weekend.
With 1:55 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Heat’s 136-120 victory on Saturday night, Gardner bumped Pippen from behind and knocked him down. Pippen then jogged down court to confront Gardner and gave him a hard two-handed shove, resulting in a melee that spilled into the seats with 1:19 remaining. Both received technical fouls and were ejected.
Recent speculation and trade rumors have circled around the New York Rangers and former Los Angeles Kings defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov.
Although he is in his first season with the Rangers, the word around the Russian blueliner is that he doesn't want to be a part of the step-back transition the team is going through.
On July 1, the off-season's first day of NHL free agency, he signed a seven-year, $49-million contract that pays him $7 million per year. However, with the new deal, and only featuring in 57 contests as a Ranger, Gavrikov appears to be open to moving on to a more preferable situation.
NHL Network analyst Mike Rupp claimed that he heard some rumblings involving Gavrikov and how the current state of the Rangers "isn't necessarily what he signed up for."
In 2023-24, a couple of seasons before Gavrikov joined the Blueshirts, the Rangers advanced to the Eastern Conference final and were a strong team. Since then, that has changed, and Gavrikov's perspective with this team may have been reset.
Panarin is a fellow countryman of Gavrikov, and they were teammates before the Rangers when they were both members of the Columbus Blue Jackets at one point. So, Panarin's departure to Los Angeles in tandem with the team's poor performances is a strong recipe for Gavrikov's willingness to move.
However, it must be noted that there hasn't been any official trade request or reports of conversations regarding Gavrikov's situation in New York City.
Nonetheless, the 30-year-old defenseman was a solid blueliner during his parts of three seasons with the Kings. In his final campaign in Hollywood, Gavrikov posted a plus-26 plus-minus rating, the most among the team's D-corps.
Even in this season with the Rangers, he's having a respectable year while averaging 24:04 of ice time, the most of his NHL career. And while it's not what he's paid to do, he has nine goals this season, beating his previous best of six goals with the Kings in 2023-24.
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MESA, AZ - OCTOBER 14: Jackson Baumeister #32 of the Mesa Solar Sox pitches during the game between the Surprise Saguaros and the Mesa Solar Sox at Sloan Park on Tuesday, October 14, 2025 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Previous Winner
Jackson Baumeister, RHP 23 | 6’4” | 224 AA | 4.62 ERA, 4.15 FIP (15 GS) 62.1 IP, 19.5% K, 9.6% BB AFL | 6 ER (1 HR), 9.0 IP (4 G, 3 GS), 10 K, 9 BB
A shoulder injury derailed what should have been Baumeister’s coming out party, as his previously plus breaking ball was expected to carve up Double-A. After a tough start to the year and two months on the sidelines, Baumeister returned in August and salvaged the season with a brilliant finish. The tough luck continued, however, in the Arizona Fall League, where a line drive struck him in the head, but he escaped without significant injury. Currently, Baumeister has taken on a fastball/slutter profile, with a slow curve in his back pocket, and has shown teachability and pitchability over the years. The former Seminole currently thrives on his frequently used major league fastball that may be better challenged by a promotion to Triple-A.
Rank
Player
Position
Votes
Total
Percentage
Last Season
1
Carson Williams
SS
14
25
56%
1
2
Brody Hopkins
RHP
19
25
76%
8
3
Jacob Melton
OF
14
28
50%
N/A
4
Theo Gillen
OF
14
26
54%
13
5
Ty Johnson
RHP
12
25
48%
15
6
Daniel Pierce
SS
13
23
57%
N/A
7
Jadher Areinamo
INF
15
28
54%
N/A
8
TJ Nichols
RHP
13
28
46%
N/R
9
Michael Forret
RHP
8
33
24%
N/A
10
Santiago Suarez
RHP
11
30
37%
16
11
Anderson Brito
RHP
7
28
25%
N/A
12
Xavier Isaac
1B
9
28
32%
3
13
Caden Bodine
C
10
25
40%
N/A
14
Brendan Summerhill
OF
11
27
41%
N/A
15
Slater de Brun
OF
10
25
40%
N/A
16
Nathan Flewelling
C
8
26
31%
N/R
17
Trevor Harrison
RHP
9
26
35%
10
18
Jose Urbina
RHP
13
26
50%
25
19
Tre’ Morgan
1B/LF
15
25
60%
4
20
Jackson Baumeister
RHP
12
27
44%
12
The top 20 is a bit of an inflection point for our list. Thus far half of the players ranked did not appear on last years list, with eight having been newly added to the Rays system during that time. Players from last year’s list that have not ranked yet made the list:
Brayden Taylor, 2B/3B (2nd)
Aidan Smith, OF (6th)
Dom Keegan, C (9th – added as candidate for this vote)
Gary Gill Hill, RHP (11th)
Brailer Guerrero, OF (14th)
Cooper Kinney, 2B/3B (19th)
Dylan Lesko, RHP (20th)
Homer Bush Jr., OF (21st)
Maykel Coret, OF (23rd)
Joe Rock, LHP (24th)
Candidates
Fabricio Blanco, SS 17 | S/R | 5’11” | 161
A bat-first middle infielder, the Venezuelan is an elite prospect within the context of the international signing process, with some believing he’s the best Rays signee this off-season, despite gathering only a $1 million bonus. He can barrel up from both sides of the plate, but may settle into a right handed swing in the long term, with quick hands. He has the ability and instincts to stick at short, with a high-IQ approach and gritty demeanor.
Homer Bush Jr. 24 | R/R | 6’3” | 215 AA | .301/.375/.360 (122 wRC+) 546 PA, 0 HR, 57 SB, 8.8% BB, 17.9% K
Acquired in the 2024 Jason Adam trade, the starting center fielder at Double-A passed the test of advanced pitching, but just barely. He lacks in-game power due to a lack of use of his lower half in his swing, and he whiffed more often than you can for long term success with a low-power approach. His calling cards are Rays-grade defense and plus-speed, having notably swiped 57 bags in back-to-back seasons.
Cooper Flemming, SS 19 | L/R | 6’3” | 190
One of the best high school bats in the 2025 draft, Flemming surprisingly fell into the Rays laps in the second round. He has a too-quiet swing that lacks the load necessary to hit for power, but he’s historically compensated for that with a high contact rate that would have rated him as first round material if his defense projected to stick. The Rays were able to convince him to forgo an education at Vanderbilt by going above slot ($2.3m, Comp-A money).
Brailer Guerrero, OF 20 | L/R | 6’1” | 215 A | 249.338/.399 (119 wRC+) 222 PA, 6 HR, 9 SB, 11.3% BB, 29.3% K AFL | 2 H, 0 HR, 2 SB, 3 BB, 16 K, 29 PA
Good news: the $3.7 million 2023 signee made the leap out of the complex league in his final teenage season. Bad News: He was injured yet again, with hamstring and knee injuries limiting him to 51 games for Charleston. The Rays tried to make up for lost time with an aggressive assignment to the AFL that resulted in only two hits in 29 plate appearances. He makes loud contact from a quick, quiet swing which he pre-loads by reaching back for even more power. He appears to make early decisions to swing, leading to a bit extra whiffs against anything off-speed, but that could easily clear up with some consistent playing time.
Dom Keegan, C 25 | R/R | 6’0” | 210 AAA | .241/.306/.429 (89 wRC+) 297 PA, 10 HR, 0 SB, 8.1% BB, 30.6% K
Keegan is at an inflection point in his minor league career, having joined the 40-man roster as the third catcher, and overall the jury is still out. Trusted more at first base than backstop at Vanderbilt, the Rays have kept him behind the dish but reports still have his defense below average, and 2025 was a wash after an elbow injury in the Spring sank his season, in particular his bat speed. While the lack of progress on the edges of his game has some evaluators calling into question his once-sure major league projection, he’ll get a long look in Spring Training, where his ability to punish mistakes in the zone may flourish.
OF Victor Mesa Jr. 24 | L/L | 5’11” | 195 AAA (MIA) | .301/.368/.510 (136 wRC+) 171 PA, 7 HR, 4 SB, 9.9% BB, 16.4% K MLB (MIA) | 6 H (1 HR), 5 BB, 5 K (81 wRC+) 38 PA
This Cuban power bat already made his major league debut with Miami last year after bouncing back from a spring hamstring injury, and was dealt to the Rays in February. He profiles as a fourth outfielder but has an option remaining, so the organization may send him down for regular playing time and one last chance for something more in development. If not, he’s a center field capable on defense, which goes a long way for a platoon bat. In the running for the nicest guy in baseball.
Acquired in the Shane Baz trade, Overn was once a top draft prospect after committing to baseball over football at USC, but surprisingly struggled as a draft-eligible sophomore. That didn’t stop Baltimore from taking him in the third round (97th overall) in 2024. Now a professional, Overn overhauled his swing in the first half of 2025, and earned an early promotion to Double-A for his efforts, where he didn’t look overmatched. His biggest threat is his speed, which raises his floor and gives him an easy projection to a major league bench thanks to plus defensive instincts (BA gave 70’s to his run and field tools). His offensive profile is buoyed by his ability to work the count, but evaluators would like to see him punish fastballs more often for him to be considered a regular.
Acquired in the Arozarena trade, Smith became the prince who was promised, a five tool athlete with a strong bat, good face, and a preternatural glove in center field. That promise unraveled a bit in 2025, with his strikeout rate rocketing nine percent and his power stroke faltering after facing harder velocities in High-A, causing both his hit and power grades to drop into the 40’s. It was a full transformation into a “center field” profile, but with his ceiling that’s not a compliment. He plays with a fire, but the dip in contact rate left some evaluators feeling burned.
Taylor entered 2025 as a top-100 prospect after demolishing High-A (154 wRC+), and left 2025 as an afterthought on prospect lists, although he was selected as an Arizona Fall League “Fall Star” in between, where he worked to keep his chase rate low and his hard hit rate high. The juice must have been worth the squeeze, as the Rays have elected to invite Taylor to major league Spring Training this year.
Victor Valdez, SS 17 | R/R | 6’1” | 186
A pretty swing with a low whiff rate earned Valdez a big payday this winter — $3.5 million — with as good of a power projection as you can reasonably ask for from a a teenage bat, having been given a 25+ home run projection by Baseball America, who also praise his plus foot speed, bat speed, and control of the zone. Reports say he has ever improving lateral movements on defense, with smooth actions and a strong arm. If it all clicks, it’s a middle-of-the-order bat on the left side of the infield. At signing, the Rays gave him a comp to Francisco Lindor. It will be interesting to see if his first professional season can solidify the five tool profile.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - FEBRUARY 19: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs leads his team in traditional drum beating after the game against the Phoenix Suns on February 19, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to Week in Review: a Monday feature that looks back at the week that was for the San Antonio Spurs, takes a look at the week ahead, and more. Enjoy!
Week 17: The Spurs started off the Rodeo Road Trip by sweeping a couple of games against injured Lakers and Warriors teams to head into the All-Star break riding a six-game winning streak. They then had a big showing at All-Star weekend in Los Angeles, leaving their mark all over the state of California.
Already missing Dillon Brooks to suspension for receiving his 16th technical of the season, the Suns then lost Devin Booker to hip soreness at halftime, leaving a shorthanded Phoenix team reeling against a Spurs squad that picked up right where they left off after the All-Star break. The Spurs weren’t their most efficient selves in the first half but played well enough to build a sizeable lead, and by the third quarter the offense was back on a roll, turning the fourth quarter into extended garbage time at the Moody Center.
Facing the team with the worst record in the NBA and on a 15-game losing streak, the Spurs’ good old friend Complacency gave them a visit. After a dominant start to the game, they took their foot off the gas for a while, allowing the depleted Kings to get as close three late in the third quarter quarter before once again flipping the switch and turning a close game against an inferior opponent into a fourth-quarter blowout.
The Spurs remain undefeated (8-0) in February, having won their two games in Austin handily. All eight wins have been by nine points or more, with the last four coming by an average of 21.3.
Three takeaways
1. The first two games of this eight-game winning streak were somewhat ugly, but the Spurs have scored a remarkably efficient 127.2 points per 100 possessions over the last six. Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper still aren’t making a lot of 3s, but they’ve combined to shoot 63-for-91 (69%) inside the arc over these last six games. 2. The Spurs have won their last six games against teams that are currently over .500 and have the second-best record (19-11) within that group overall. They’re four games into a stretch where they’re playing eight of 10 against winning teams, and the team with the league’s best record (and the best record against other winning teams) is up next. 3. The game in Detroit on Monday will probably be won or lost inside. While the Pistons have outscored their opponents in the paint in 32 of their last 33 games, the Spurs have outscored their opponents by an average of 18.3 points in the paint over their eight-game winning streak. Victor Wembanyama has been playing bigger (offensively) of late, taking 57% of his shots in the paint over the last 10 games, up from just 33% over his previous eight.
Coming up: The Spurs have the league’s best record (14-3) in interconference games and now embark on their longest road trip of the season (five games over nine days), which includes visits to four of the top six teams in the East. Wembanyama has played just one career game (fewest against any opponent) against the first-place Pistons, who the Spurs will face twice in the next 11 days.
Post All-Star break: We have a third 40 before 20 team! And it is the Spurs, a team that hasn’t made the playoffs since the pandemic. The Spurs defense was on point against the Phoenix Suns, and then Victor Wembanyama lit up the Kings.
With the Cavs losing on Sunday, the San Antonio Spurs are the only team with a win streak longer than six games, as they have now won eight straight and are undefeated in February.
Victor Wembanyama continues to impress, with six double-doubles this month and six games with three or more blocks. As long as Wemby, Stephon Castle, and De’Aaron Fox are healthy heading into the final stretch run of the season, the Spurs have a strong chance at potentially catching the Thunder for the 1-seed in the West.
Coming up: Mon. 2/23 at Detroit Pistons (42-13); Wed. 2/25 at Toronto Raptors (34-23); Thurs. 2/26 at Brooklyn Nets (15-41); Sun. 3/1 at New York Knicks (37-21)
Prediction: 3-1 — This is not your big brother’s Eastern Conference. Other than the Nets, the Spurs are playing three of the top 5 teams in the East this week, beginning with the a Pistons team that has the best record in the NBA in what should be a strength-on-strength match-up, followed by a better-than-expected Raptors team and a Knicks squad that has been hovering around .500 in 2026, but MSG tends to be one of those cursed places for the Spurs (although at this point, they’d say the same of San Antonio). That being said, if the Spurs win tonight, which I whole heartedly believe they can, amend this prediction to 4-0, the Spurs getting their first double-digit winning streak since the 2016-17 season (which would just require also beating the Raptors), and an undefeated February.
A Milwaukee Admirals top center will remain in the Nashville Predators system for at least one more season.
Monday, the Predators announced that they had signed center Jake Lucchini to a 1-year, two-way contract worth $850,000 for the 2026-27 season. His original 2-year, $1.55 million contract was set to expire at the end of this season.
Lucchini has been a force for the Admirals down the middle, recording 38 points (13G, 25A) in 48 games and logging a low 17 penalty minutes.
He's one of the many Admirals players who have deserved a call-up, but have not moved from Milwaukee for the entirety of the season. The signing could signal that Lucchini may spend more time in Nashville next season.
Put it in ink ✍️
We've signed forward Jake Lucchini to a one-year, two-way contract beginning in the 2026-27 season. pic.twitter.com/7XR50dfICE
The 30-year-old from Trail, British Columbia, went undrafted but signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins following his senior season with Michigan Tech in 2019.
He'd spend a season and a half with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins before being traded to the Montreal Canadiens in 2020. He played two seasons with the Laval Rocket before being traded to the Ottawa Senators prior to the 2021-22 season.
Lucchini played the bulk of the 2021-22 season with the Belleville Senators, but made his NHL debut with Ottawa the following season. He played 11 games and scored his first NHL goal on Jan. 1, 2023, against the Buffalo Sabres.
During the 2023-24 offseason, Lucchini signed as a free agent with the Minnesota Wild on a one-year, two-way contract. He played 30 games with the Iowa Wild and a career-high 40 NHL games with the Minnesota Wild, scoring five points (2G, 3A).
Upon his contract expiration, Lucchini signed a two-year contract with the Predators in July 2024. Last season, he played three games with the Predators, recording two penalty minutes.
The signing comes less than 24-hours after the Predators announced that forward Zach L'Heureux and Matthew Wood were called up from Milwaukee.
Perhaps the biggest, most anticipated weekend of one of the most thrilling men’s college basketball seasons in recent memory delivered.
The top four teams in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll faced off last Saturday, with No. 1 Michigan taking on No. 3 Duke in a neutral-site game in Washington, D.C. and No. 2 Houston hosting No. 4 Arizona.
Behind 18 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists from Cameron Boozer, the Blue Devils knocked off the top-ranked Wolverines 68-63, snapping Michigan’s 11-game win streak. Even without star freshman Koa Peat, Arizona went on the road and beat Houston 74-66, handing the Cougars their first home loss this season.
Others receiving votes: Wisconsin 47; Saint Mary's 30; Villanova 15; Miami 10; Utah State 8; NC State 7; SMU 4; Texas A&M 3; Iowa 3; UCF 3; High Point 2; Stephen F Austin 2; Navy 1
DENVER, CO - JULY 6: Kris Bryant sits on the bench in the ninth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Coors Field on July 6, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Colorado Rockies provided injury updates on Monday morning.
Two players — INF/OF Kris Bryant and RHP Jeff Criswell — are on the 60-day injured list. Bryant, of course, is dealing with lumbar degenerative disc disease while Criswell is continuing his throwing program on his way back from Tommy John surgery.
A new potential addition, though, is RHP Pierson Ohl, who was came to the Rockies from the Minnesota Twins with Edouard Julien. Ohl suffered a right UCL tear and will undergo Tommy John surgery.
The other notable injury is to OF Jared Thomas (No. 5 PuRP), who was a non-roster invitee. Thomas suffered a right hamate injury and underwent offseason surgery.
Otherwise, many Rockies are day-to-day with various injuries.
RHP McCade Brown is day-to-day with right shoulder inflammation. He is progressing in his throwing program.
RHP Brayan Castillo is undergoing treatment for right lat tightness. He is not throwing.
LHP Kyle Freeland is progressing with treatment for mid-back spasms and will begin throwing this week
INF/OF Tyler Freeman is day-to-day with a low back strain and is doing on-field work.
OF Mickey Moniak is taking live BP after suffering from right oblique tightness. He is scheduled to see game action this week.
Duke is now the No. 1 team. The Blue Devils received 27 of 31 first-place votes this week after upending previous No. 1 Michigan in one of those marquee clashes. The Blue Devils received 27 of 31 first-place votes. The lofty perch is not new for the Duke program, though this is the first No. 1 ranking of the current season for the Blue Devils.
Arizona claimed the remaining four No. 1 votes and is back up to second overall after a defeat of Houston. Michigan slips to No. 3, and Houston also slides two spots to No. 4. Iowa State moves up a spot to No. 5 as the Cyclones swap positions with Connecticut.
Florida continues to climb the rankings after a rough non-conference start. The Gators move up four more places to check in at No. 7 this week, seemingly rounding into form in time to defend their NCAA title. Purdue, Gonzaga and Nebraska round out the top 10.
A pair of SEC contenders, No. 18 Alabama and No. 22 Tennessee, rejoin the poll this week. Clemson and Wisconsin drop out.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - SEPTEMBER 16: Ryan Yarbrough #33 of the New York Yankees pitches against the Minnesota Twins in the sixth inning of the game at Target Field on September 16, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Spring training keeps rolling on as we all get used to daily baseball back on our televisions. Today, the Yankees take the bus down to Bradenton to meet the sorta-trying Pittsburgh Pirates, who made a run at guys like Kyle Schwarber and Eugenio Suárez this offseason, but had to settle for their big coup being Ryan O’Hearn.
Ryan Yarbrough gets the start for the Yanks as he looks to get himself ready as the team’s next man up in the pitching rotation. Pitching injuries are inevitable, so it would not be a surprise if Yarbrough were in the Opening Day rotation. He should be fine in that role if he replicates his 2025 production, which saw the soft-tossing lefty post a 4.36 ERA in 64 innings across 19 games and eight starts, but if he has to start more than those eight games he did in 2025, there’s something very wrong.
We’ll get to see one of the more exciting young arms in baseball for a few innings today, as Bubba Chandler gets the start for the Pirates after his up-and-down 31-inning stint in the bigs last season. He still has rookie eligibility, so the 23-year-old flamethrower will look to refine his location with his four-pitch mix to get more whiffs and strikeouts. Chandler’s command is very mature for his age, walking just four batters in the majors last season across those 31 innings.
Ben Rice will make his spring debut for the Yankees, leading off and DHing. Jasson Domínguez bats second in left field, followed by Ryan McMahon, Paul DeJong, and Spencer Jones. The bottom of the order is full of Triple-A depth, with Max Schuemann in right field, Seth Brown at first base, Zack Short at second base, and Paxton Henry behind the plate.
Oneil Cruz will lead off for the Pirates and will be joined by fellow regulars Nick Gonzales, Bryan Reynolds, Ryan O’Hearn, and the newly-signed Marcell Ozuna. One-time top prospect Joey Bart will catch for the Buccos, and they round out their lineup with former late first-round picks Davis Wendzel and Alika Williams.
