SURPRISE, ARIZONA - MARCH 3: Isaac Collins #1 of the Kansas City Royals runs up the line on a ground out during a World Baseball Classic exhibition game against Team Cuba at Surprise Stadium on March 3, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The World Baseball Classic is in full swing; I’m watching Mexico try to finish off Great Britain as I write this. But there are still players left behind in Spring Training who are still competing for jobs and Mitch Spence is one of those.
The Royals traded for the righty just as Spring Training was getting underway, and after spending most of the last two seasons with the Athletics, he appears to be on the outside looking in at the Royals’ big league roster. He’s only made one appearance so far this spring, a two-inning start against Milwaukee back on March 1. In that game, he struck out two, walked none, gave up zero hits, and hit a batter. So, a pretty good start for him. He’ll try to build on that tonight.
Here’s the starting lineup for the Royals:
Collins and Massey are the only guys starting tonight who currently project to make it to the Royals’ opening day roster, and neither as starters. Starling Marte still won’t make it onto the field, sadly. Maybe tomorrow!
Here are all the pitchers on tonight’s roster who could appear after Spence:
Nick Mears (RHP)
Hector Neris (RHP)
Steven Cruz (RHP)
Ben Sears (RHP)
Beck Way (RHP)
Auguto Mendieta (RHP)
Daniel Lynch IV (LHP)
Lucas Erceg (RHP)
Henry Williams (RHP)
The game will be broadcast on local radio at 96.5 FM, though you could also watch the Dodgers’ TV broadcast on MLB TV if you are subscribed and not in either market, so that’s how I’ll probably be enjoying the game.
With the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline officially passed, and two trades made today, the Vancouver Canucks have made a handful of roster moves for logistical purposes. This includes sending Cole Clayton back down to the AHL and assigning Nikita Tolopilo to the Abbotsford Canucks and recalling him on an emergency basis immediately after.
Clayton was called-up by the Canucks yesterday, with this taking place only a day after the team traded Tyler Myers to the Dallas Stars. The same day as Clayton’s call-up, Vancouver also traded Jett Woo to the San Jose Sharks for defenceman Jack Thompson. A depth defenceman acquired in the Kiefer Sherwood trade back in January, Clayton has put up two assists in 16 games with Abbotsford.
Since Vancouver traded both Conor Garland and David Kämpf within the past couple of days, the Canucks will only have access to 12 forwards and six defencemen for tonight’s game.
The roster move involving Tolopilo was done in order to ensure he can play in Abbotsford through the remainder of the season if situations call for it, as after the deadline, AHL teams are not allowed to put NHL players on their roster if they are not already on there. This means today’s move counts solely as a paper transaction, as Tolopilo is expected to start for Vancouver tonight when they take on the Chicago Blackhawks at 5:30 pm PT today.
Feb 25, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN;Vancouver Canucks goaltender Nikita Tolopilo (60) makes a save against Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele (55) during first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Simon Fearn-Imagn Images
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Mar 6, 2026; Mesa, Arizona, USA; Colorado Rockies third baseman Kyle Karros (12) challenges the strike call against the Athletics in the third inning at Hohokam Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
Today, this Colorado Rockies soundly defeated The Athletics 11-6.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 27, 2026: Alex Freeland #76 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws to first base during the fourth inning of a spring training game against the San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium on February 27, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by David Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
The Dodgers host the Kansas City Royals at Camelback Ranch on Friday in their first night game this spring, with a 5:05 p.m. PT start. This is the second of two consecutive night games at Camelback Ranch, with the Colorado Rockies coming over on Saturday.
Lineup
Miguel Rojas 3B Freddie Freeman 1B Mookie Betts SS Teoscar Hernández LF Dalton Rushing C Alex Freeland 2B Nick Senzel DH James Tibbs III RF Michael Siani CF
Ryder Ryan starts first in what will be a bullpen game for the Dodgers.
Other pitchers
Tanner Scott, Will Klein, Edgardo Henriquez, and Ronan Kopp are slated to pitch Friday, as are non-roster invitees Antoine Kelly and Wyatt Mills.
DULUTH, Ga. (AP) — Tajianna Roberts scored 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting, Mackenly Randolph had 12 points and 10 rebounds, and No. 12 Louisville beat Syracuse 87-61 on Friday in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament.
Second-seeded Louisville (26-6) plays the winner between No. 3 seed North Carolina and sixth-seeded Virginia Tech in the semifinals Saturday.
Reyna Scott made 7 of 10 from the field and finished with 15 points, five rebounds and five assists for the Cardinals. Skylar Jones scored 12 while Imari Berry and Laura Ziegler each added 11 points.
Syracuse (23-8), the No. 7 seed, announced before the game that Dominique Darius — who averages 12.6 points and has a team-high 106 assists this season — would miss the rest of the tournament due to a hand injury suffered in the Orange’s 70-59 win over California in the second round.
Uche Izoje had 22 points, 16 in the first half, and nine rebounds for the Orange. Sophie Burrows added 12 points and nine rebounds and Jasmyn Cooper scored 11.
Roberts opened the scoring with a 3-point shot nearly three minutes into the game that sparked a 17-3 run and Louisville led by at least eight points the rest of the way.
The Cardinals made 36 of 68 (56%) from the field and limited Syracuse to 34% (23 of 67) shooting, 4 of 25 (16%) from 3-point range.
Up next
Syracuse: Awaits a likely at-large berth into the NCAA Tournament.
PEORIA, AZ - FEBRUARY 28: Jake Cronenworth #9 of the San Diego Padres celebrates with teammates in the dugout after scoring during the game between the Seattle Mariners and the San Diego Padres at Peoria Sports Complex on Saturday, February 28, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Julia Jacome/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Chicago Cubs at San Diego Padres, March 6, 2026, 5:10 p.m. PST
Don’t troll in your comments; create conversation rather than destroying it
Remember Gaslamp Ball is basically a non-profanity site
Out of respect to broadcast partners who have paid to carry the game, no mentions of “alternative” (read: illegal) viewing methods are allowed in our threads
GB community, this is your thread for today’s game. Enjoy!
United States' Bryce Harper walks to the team dugout prior to an exhibition baseball game against the San Francisco Giants Tuesday, March 3, 2026, in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Bryce Harper is already vouching for big leaguers to play in the 2028 Olympics.
”I hope LA ’28 happens,” Harper said. “I’m hoping the next CBA agreement can happen where teams and players can come to an agreement on taking that two-week break, especially it being in our home country.
“It would be great for baseball. You talk about growing the game and being able to grow it at that, at the highest level would help out tremendously.”
United States’ Bryce Harper, left, Aaron Judge, center, and Alex Bregman sit in the team dugout prior to an exhibition baseball game against the Colorado Rockies Wednesday, March 4, 2026, in Scottsdale, Ariz. AP
Despite the growing popularity of the World Baseball Classic, Harper put the Summer Olympics on a much higher tier than the tournament, which kicked off on Wednesday.
“Obviously the WBC is great, but it’s not the Olympics,” Harper said. “That’s no disrespect to the WBC or anything. But everybody knows when the Olympics are on, everybody is watching. Doesn’t matter what sport it is. It could be the most random sport and it has all of the fans watching it.”
Baseball became an official Olympic sport in 1992, and stayed so until 2008, although major leaguers have never been allowed to play in the games.
After being removed from the Olympic program in 2012 and 2016, baseball returned in 2021 during the Tokyo games, although current MLB players were excluded.
In 2024, baseball was once again removed when the games headed to Paris.
Last month, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred appeared to be on the same page as Harper regarding the professional baseball players in the Olympics.
United States’ Bryce Harper walks to the team dugout prior to an exhibition baseball game against the San Francisco Giants Tuesday, March 3, 2026, in Scottsdale, Ariz. AP
“I think that we’re a lot closer to [an agreement] than the last time we talked about it,” Manfred said during the Winter Olympics. “There are some issues with the MLBPA that we just need to resolve. I sense a lot of momentum towards playing in L.A. in 2028. I think we’re going to get over those issues.
“I think people have come to appreciate that the Olympics on U.S. soil is a unique marketing opportunity for the game. I think we’ve got a lot of players interested in doing it and I feel pretty good about the idea that we’ll get there.”
TOKYO, JAPAN - MARCH 06: Shohei Ohtani #16 of Team Japan celebrates after hits a grand slam in the second inning during the 2026 World Baseball Classic Pool C game between Japan and Chinese Taipei at Tokyo Dome on March 06, 2026 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Gene Wang - Capture At Media/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to Pinstripe Alley’s coverage of the 2026 World Baseball Classic! We previewed Pool A, Pool B, Pool C, and Pool D in the linked articles. Since the first several days of the WBC feature a bevy of games, we’ll be recapping them in batches. Enjoy!
Friday marked the first full slate of World Baseball Classic action after a few appetizers in Tokyo on Wednesday and Thursday. The early batch of games lacked any major upsets, but just because the games went to chalk doesn’t mean they weren’t full of exciting moments and intriguing storylines. Let’s take a gander at the first four contests in a jam-packed day of around-the-globe baseball.
Pool C: Japan (1-0) 13, Chinese Taipei (0-2) 0
The defending WBC champs entered the fray on Saturday night in Tokyo with a mighty roar in their home ballpark against poor Chinese Taipei, a squad already fighting an uphill battle with the loss of their captain Chieh-Hsien Chen in their tournament-opening loss to Australia. Who else would light the fire in the second inning but the biggest star in the sport? Shohei Ohtani strode to the plate with the bases loaded against Hao-Chun Cheng and did what baseball superheroes do: he hit a grand slam to right field.
That blast was the first blow in what would become a 10-run inning for Samurai Japan. Red Sox DH Masataka Yoshida, new MLB addition Murataka Murakami, and the rest of the lineup added on before Ohtani came right back up and smacked a single to plate that 10th and final run. He almost hit for the cycle in just a few innings before departing early with the game well in hand. I’m not sure Yoshinobu Yamamoto needed quite that much run support, but he did his job, pitching around three walks to log 2.2 scoreless innings in his first taste of competitive ball since his 2025 playoff masterclass.
Japan added three more runs i the third to polish off the blowout victory, which ended in a shutout thanks in part to a close call in the fifth. With Hiroya Miyagi pitching, the Guardians’ Stuart Fairchild clubbed a high drive down the left-field line which easily reached the seats, but was ruled foul. The call on the field stood after review. This one’s about as close as it gets; I’m sure the umpires were relieved they didn’t have to make this decision in a close game.
The first Classic game to take place in Puerto Rico since 2013 was a tight, well-pitched affair between two Latin American rivals. Cuba, a tournament semifinalist in 2023, faced off against José Caballero and Panama, the team that recently played against the Yankees in a pre-tournament scrimmage. The Cubans struck first in the second on a line-drive homer to right from Yoelkis Guibert to break the seal. Then in the third, the Angels’ Yoán Moncada took Cleveland’s Logan Allen deep to left for a two-run homer, extending Cuba’s lead to 3-0.
Cuba’s pitching staff, led by 2025 Pacific League MVP Livan Moinelo and Toronto’s Yariel Rodríguez, held the Panama offense at arm’s length. Former Braves infielder Johan Camargo finally managed to get his squad off the schneid in the seventh inning, but a costly baserunning mistake from the Phillies’ Edmundo Sosa an inning later defanged a potential rally. In the ninth, Yomiuri Giants star closer Raidel Martinez retired the side in order to seal the victory. As a Yankees-related postscript: no hits, one walk, and a few slick plays at shortstop for Caballero in the loss.
Pool D: Venezuela (1-0) 6, Netherlands (0-1) 2
Team Venezuela returned to Miami, the site of their greatest heroics from the last WBC, to host old friend Didi Gregorius and the Dutch contingent in the first game of Pool D, which has a case as the “Pool of the Death.” Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr. got the party started for Venezula with a leadoff double, and then a Luis Arraez single past a drawn-in infield gave them an early 1-0 lead.
The Netherlands responded quickly to tie the score thanks to a two-out RBI hustle double by D-backs prospect Druw Jones off Ranger Suarez—making his father (and manager) proud. But the Venezuelans would not allow the tie to hold for long. Who better than a Miami Marlin to tee off in his home ballpark? While Javier Sanoja is not a household name, he put himself squarely on the radar with this go-ahead homer.
That 2-1 scoreline held up until the fifth inning, when the Dutch pitching staff—and defense—faltered. Venezuela got the first two men aboard before Maikel Garcia laid down a sacrifice bunt … and easily raced to an uncovered first base. Arráez made them pay with a bases-loaded walk, then a Willson Contreras two-run single rubbed salt in the wound. Wilyer Abreu kept the Venezuelan drum circle going with one last RBI of his own, and the big inning allowed their staff to keep the beat all the way to victory. A Jones sac fly in the sixth marked the only tally afterward.
Pool B: Mexico (1-0) 8, Great Britain (0-1) 2
This game has a misleading final score; it’s a classic case of an underdog team pushing a superior opponent to the limit before the wheels fall off at the very end. Mexico could not feel comfortable with a narrow 1-0 lead bestowed by a homer from Nacho Alvarez Jr., and indeed that lead vanished in the sixth thanks to the Nationals’ Harry Ford—who had his coming out party in the previous Classic, when he was still a Mariners prospect. This solo shot tied the game and put everyone on upset watch.
But Panama was not the only team to suffer from self-inflicted wounds today. Later in the inning, the Brits got two aboard with two out for third baseman Ivan Johnson, who smacked a single to left. But an overaggressive send from their third base coach gave Seattle’s Randy Arozarena just the opportunity he needed to announce his return to the international stage. He easily cut down Matt Koperniak attempting to score from second and kept Great Britain at bay.
At last in the eighth, the sun set on the British empire. A strong outing from delightfully-named Rays prospect Gary Gill Hill quickly went sour, giving the heart of the Mexican order a big opportunity. Fellow Ray Jonathan Aranda greeted new pitcher Tristan Beck with an opposite field three-run home run into the Crawford Boxes to untie the score for good.
Mexico put the finishing touches on a surprisingly tough victory in the ninth thanks to run-scoring hits from Alek Thomas, Joey Ortiz, and—of course—Arozarena. Here’s Yankee-related postscript number two: Jazz Chisholm Jr. was another Bomber who suffered defeat in his tournament debut. Jazz went 0-for-5 as the leadoff man for Team GB. He’ll look for a better performance against Aaron Judge and Team USA tomorrow night.
Here are the games that still lie ahead tonight. We’ll have the recap for this quartet in the morning!
Puerto Rico vs. Colombia (Pool A) Pitching matchup: RHP Seth Lugo vs. LHP Jose Quintana Time: 6:00 p.m. ET TV: FS1 Venue: Hiram Bithorn Stadium, San Juan, PR
Nicaragua vs. Dominican Republic (Pool D) Pitching matchup: RHP Ronald Medrano vs. LHP Cristopher Sánchez Time: 7:00 p.m. ET TV: FS2 Venue: loanDepot park, Miami, FL
United States vs. Brazil (Pool B) Pitching matchup: RHP Logan Webb vs. RHP Bo Takahashi Time: 8:00 p.m. ET TV: Fox Venue: Daikin Park, Houston, TX
Chinese Taipei vs. Czech Republic (Pool C) Pitching matchup: RHP Chen Zhong-Ao Zhuang vs. LHP Jan Novak Time: 10:00 p.m. ET TV: FS2 Venue: Tokyo Dome, Japan
Colton Parayko will remain a member of the St. Louis Blues, now and for the foreseeable future.
But two days ago, things weren't as clear, when news broke that the Blues and Buffalo Sabres had agreed to the framework that would have sent Parayko to the Sabres, for a reported package of 2025 first-round pick, defenseman Radim Mrtka and a first-round pick, as first reported by TSN's Darren Dreger:
But the problem was, is the deal wasn't actually done. Parayko, who has four more years remaining on his contract at a $6.5 million cap hit, has a full no-trade clause this season and for the next two before it fell off to a modified 15-team NTC.
The player had to sign off on the deal first. The information got out first of a done deal before the player signed off, ultimately which Parayko never did when he invoked his clause and chose not to waive:
Tough decision for Parayko. But, his decision was made after a trade agreement between the Sabres and Blues. Players have the right to do this. https://t.co/GPqgQBGuq3
Needless to say, Blues general manager Doug Armstrong, who has always kept this type of information close to his vest, was not thrilled.
"Any time there's a trade leak, I find it very disappointing," Armstrong said after talking about the trades of Brayden Schenn and Justin Faulk on Friday. "For the people that know me, we run a pretty tight ship as far as communication coming in and out. We did some due diligence as soon as that happened. We checked the phone records of all of our staff, texts and emails and everybody passed the test, not surprisingly. So I was disappointed it got out. I know it didn't come from us."
And just like the Torey Krug situation of 2023 when he invoked his NTC ad vetoed a potential trade to the Philadelphia Flyers, there could be some awkwardness now between the organization and Parayko. But as Armstrong said, this is all business, and since Parayko exercised his right to remain in a city he loves, there's no ill will.
"I don't spend a lot of time on trades that didn't happen. Players negotiate their trade right based on their status on the team and in the league and some players have full no-trade clauses, some players have partial no-trade clauses," Armstrong said. "The Blues are at the lower end at the full no-trade clauses and right about the middle of the no-trade partials combined. We're an average team to sign those players to provide those types of guarantees. I respect when players ... if they decide to invoke the right that they've earned, that's great and that means they want to be here and that's exciting. We've asked players to waive, like Brayden Schenn. With the direction that we were going and the way we explained it to him, he was excited for a new opportunity to go to an upstart Islander team with the most exciting young player with Schaefer and Celebrini, these are the next generation of stars and he has an opportunity to play with him."
And now Parayko will get to usher in the next generation of Blues.
It's a topic that can always be broached again, but at least for now, Parayko's 11-year career in St. Louis continues, and rightfully so.
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.
Mar 5, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) talks with guard Amen Thompson (1) during the fourth quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Houston Rockets vs Portland Trail Blazers
March 6, 2026
Location: Toyota Center — Houston, Texas
TV:Space City Home Network
Radio:KBME Sports Talk 790
Online: Rockets App, SCHN+
Time: 7:00 CST
Probable Starting Lineups
Rockets: Amen Thompson, Tari Eason, Jabari Smith Jr., Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 1: Eliezer Alfonzo (L) #64 and Landon Knack #96 of the Los Angeles Dodgers walk from the bullpen to the dugout prior to a game against the Los Angeles Angels at Camelback Ranch on March 1, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers are under the lights for a second straight night at Camelback Ranch, hosting the Colorado Rockies on Saturday.
Landon Knack makes his third start of spring, and is expected to be backed by Alex Vesia, Blake Treinen, Jack Dreyer, and Ben Casparius, all of whom pitched often in the bullpen last season.
SDSU catcher Anthony Marnell IV celebrating with his team after hitting a home run against Washington (Courtesy of SDSU Athletics)
As the programs of the Mountain West continue to run through the non-conference portion of the season, we here at Mountain West Connection want to highlight a marquee matchup each weekend until conference play. This week, we will discuss San Diego State’s upcoming series against Saint Mary’s
The Rundown
The Aztecs have had a good season one month in, and it has not been an easy road for them. Just in the last week, San Diego State took on then No. 1 UCLA in a one-game pit stop, Washington in a four-game road set and Long Beach State back home for one match. SDSU went 4-2 in that span, beating the best team in the nation 4-3, splitting the series against the Huskies while losing in run total 16-21 and bouncing back against the Dirt Bags in a 13-10 slug fest.
While San Diego State was climbing the hill of power four teams, Saint Marys had a weekend date with SDSU conference rival San Jose State. The Gaels, who entered last weekend 4-3, took the series against the Spartans in a dominant, 3-1 fashion. Saint Mary’s only lost the third game of the series, getting skunked 8-0 while winning the other three games by a combined 20 runs. They then went back home to take on the UC Davis Aggies, beating the future Mountain West member 7-2.
Both teams are on winning streaks and carrying a lot of momentum heading into Tony Gwynn Stadium, both trying to build up their resumes a bit more before conference play kicks off next week for SDSU and in two weeks for Saint Marys. It should definitely be a good weekend for baseball fans in San Diego.
Saint Marys (8-4) vs San Diego State (8-5)
Location: Tony Gwynn Stadium in San Diego, Calif.
Dates/Times:
Friday, March 6: 6:00 p.m. PST
Saturday, March 7: 5:00 p.m. PST
Sunday, March 8: 1:00 p.m. PST
Broadcast: Mountain West Network
History: San Diego State is 4-8 against the Saint Mary’s Gaels, with the last series being in 2025 when the Aztecs got swept by the Gaels in three straight games from Feb. 28, 2025-March 2, 2025.
Three key questions to the series
1. Can the Jabin Trosky show continue to put up bangers?
SDSU infielder Jabin Trosky has been tearing it up through the first month of the season, Toting a .377 batting average and a .930 OPS, the redshirt junior who transferred in from Oregon State has mounted 20 hits (most on team), five doubles (second most), a triple and 11 runs (third most) with 27 total bases (best on team). Trosky also has the second most stolen bases, successfully making it three times. When you factor everything, it is no wonder that Trosky made the Brooks Wallace Award (best college shortstop) watch list.
Trosky will have to bring it this weekend, as the Saint Mary’s pitching staff will not make it easy for him or the rest of the Aztecs’ lineup (which will be discussed shortly). However, if the redshirt junior can catch fire and energize the San Diego State bench, there will be some highlights added to his film reel.
2. Will San Diego State be able to rain on the Saint Mary’s fireworks show?
The Gaels have not won two-thirds of their games because of flukes. Saint Mary’s has had a great showing at the plate so far, with seven players boasting a .350+ batting average (two with .400 or better) and five with a 1.000 or better OPS. Saint Mary’s junior outfielder Tanner Griffith poses the biggest threat to the Aztecs’ pitching rotation, as he is going into this weekend’s series with a .515 batting average and a 1.491 OPS. His batting average is currently one of the best in the nation, sitting behind Miami outfielder Derek Williams (.535) and Iowa infielder Gable Mitchell (.521) in third place.
San Diego State does have great pitching, with two great options in Drew Talavs (2.81 ERA, 16 IP) and Rohan Lettow (2.70 ERA, 16.2 IP) and Alec Belardes (5.51 ERA, 16.1 IP) as starters and multiple relief pitchers sitting below the 3.00 ERA mark (four of them have an ERA below 1.00). However, there are also multiple pitchers in the bullpen that are currently above 4.00 ERA, so the disparity is there. If the Aztecs are able to calm the extremes and pitch solid, there will be no problems. But if the Gaels are able to get to the pitching staff, SDSU will have a hard time keeping up.
3. Will the Aztecs get through the tough pitching onslaught from the Gaels?
It is safe to say that Saint Mary’s has been able to get the most out of their pitchers this year. The program has a team ERA of 4.17, with three starters staying below a 4.00 ERA while pitching at least 12 innings each. Graduate student Jake Hilton has been the ace of the troop, standing atop the Gaels’ starting pitching staff with a 1.50 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 14 strikeouts. The bullpen has also rocked so far, as three of the four relief pitchers with at least seven innings pitched boast an ERA at 4.50 or lower.
Saint Mary’s performance has kept their opponents in check, as the combined opposing team batting average is at a .246. San Diego State’s team batting average is .262 at the time of writing, so they are not far off from the Gaels’ opposing average. There is work needed to be done to even the playing field, but if the Aztecs can rally behind its leaders and take care of business at the plate despite the uphill climb, they can win this weekend’s series.
Boston, MA - March 4: Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum applauds from the bench in the second quarter. The Celtics played the Charlotte Hornets at TD Garden on March 4, 2026. (Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
BOSTON — Jayson Tatum will start for the first time this season as he makes his debut against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night. Tatum will start alongside Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Sam Hauser, and Neemias Queta.
Baylor Scheierman, who has been the Celtics’ starter over the past few weeks, will move to the bench.
Tonight's Celtics starters:
Derrick White Jaylen Brown Sam Hauser Jayson Tatum Neemias Queta
Joe Mazzulla confirmed that Tatum will start pregame, though he normally wouldn’t unveil that kind of information beforehand.
“Don’t ever say I don’t do anything nice for you guys,” Mazzulla said with a half-smile, insinuating it was a rare occasion in which he was willing to share information with reporters before game time.
Mazzulla did not say whether Tatum would be on a minutes restriction.
Tatum has previously shared the floor with all four other starters, although there will be an inevitable adjustment period to playing with this current iteration of the Celtics.
”I have no idea what it’s gonna look like,” said Derrick White on Thursday afternoon. “He hasn’t played in a really long time, and we all hope it’s the best thing in the world — but there’s gonna be ups, and there’s gonna be downs.”
Jaylen Brown addressed Jayson Tatum’s return for the first time
Brown confirmed Tatum was returning on Friday in an appearance on the “Cousins with Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady” Podcast.
“First, I want to commend JT for taking that notion and be like I want to come back,” Brown said. “Him even wanting to come back is an unselfish act, putting potentially his body on the line in order for us to accomplish something great. We both are on the same page; we had a good talk today about what we want. We talked about just the mindset that we both want to come back and add to winning.”
Jaylen Brown confirms Jayson Tatum will make his return to the Celtics TONIGHT. 🔥🍀 pic.twitter.com/yiRfUoSWpm
— Cousins with Vince Carter & Tracy McGrady (@VinceAndTmac) March 6, 2026
“We have a great understanding of what it means to win,” Brown said. “We’ve won for a long time. We know how to find success. We’re on the same page.”
The lines between baseball and video games just got blurred in the most delightful way imaginable.
The two-time World Series champion Dodgers have announced that on March 31 at Dodger Stadium against the Guardians, the first 40,000 fans in attendance will receive a Yoshinobu Yamamoto x Yoshi from Super Mario Bros. bobblehead.
Now this is the cultural crossover we’ve been waiting for.
Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto will get a new bobblehead crossover with Yoshi from Super Mario Bros. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The Los Angeles Dodgers are giving away this limited edition Yoshinobu Yamamoto x Yoshi from Super Mario bobblehead on March 31 vs the Guardians @SuperMarioMoviepic.twitter.com/4V42fGetk7
The cross-promotion arrives at the same time that the new “Super Mario Bros. Galaxy Movie” lands in theaters on April 1.
Call it marketing genius, call it cartoon chaos. Either way, the night will belong to the reigning World Series MVP and Nintendo.
For anyone who grew up with Nintendo controllers in their hands, the connection is obvious. Yoshi — the beloved green dinosaur companion of Mario — has been one of the most recognizable characters in gaming for more than three decades.
But in Los Angeles, the name “Yoshi” suddenly belongs to someone else, too.
In October, Yamamoto delivered a World Series performance that also felt pulled from a video game cheat code. Yamamoto pitched a complete game in Game 2 of the World Series against the Blue Jays. Warmed up in relief in Game 3. Allowed just one run and got the victory in Game 6, and then returned less than 24 hours later on no rest to pitch 2.2 shutout innings of relief to get the win in Game 7. Overall, he was 3-0 with a 1.05 ERA in the Fall Classic, earning him a permanent place in Dodgers history.
Yamamoto’s nickname of “Yoshi” was already floating around the Dodgers’ clubhouse for the last two seasons, but now he can share it forever with the smiling green dinosaur in collectible form.
Yoshi, the video game character, will wear a Yamamoto jersey in the bobblehead giveaway, because duh, why wouldn’t he?
The club released a short video on Friday that captures Yamamoto doing a pregame stretching routine — calm, focused, almost monk-like — before a mischievous Yoshi bobblehead begins to interrupt the moment. The tiny plastic dinosaur wobbles beside him as the pitcher casually flips himself into a headstand, unfazed by the chaos unfolding next to him, while politely asking Yoshi to “please be quiet.”
Yoshinobu, meet Yoshi.
Join us at Dodger Stadium on 3/31 for the collab we’ve all been waiting for! Get your Yoshi Bobblehead presented by The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. Tickets are available now at https://t.co/DZQkfNeXIj. pic.twitter.com/wlfyVxn4lY
It’s the kind of strange, joyful collision that only sports can produce.
For the Dodgers, this promotion fits neatly into their long tradition of bobblehead greatness. They already have other cultural crossovers planned this year already. Ice Cube in a low-rider, Shaquille O’Neal, even Kobe Bryant got a bobblehead last season wearing the iconic Lakers jersey while holding a baseball bat.
The Dodgers open the gates on March 31 knowing something special is coming. A stadium full of fans. A sea of green bobbleheads bouncing in the night air. A video game character reborn in a baseball uniform.
Somewhere in the dugout, Yamamoto will probably shake his head and laugh quietly at the whole thing.
Because even a World Series MVP can’t escape becoming a dinosaur in Los Angeles.
Not when your nickname is Yoshi.
The Dodgers’ full bobblehead promotional schedule can be seen here.
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Currently in third place in the Atlantic Division, the Detroit Red Wings have put themselves in a position to be buyers at the NHL Trade Deadline for the first time in a decade.
Friday afternoon marked the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline, and after the dust had completely settled, the Red Wings made a series of moves that they feel put them in an ideal position to move closer to clinching a postseason berth.
Filling a need on the blue line, the Red Wings acquired veteran defenseman Justin Faulk from the St. Louis Blues. In return, they sent prospect forward Dmitri Buchelnikov, depth defenseman Justin Holl, a first-round selection, and the San Jose Sharks’ third-round pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.
Earlier in the day, the Red Wings acquired that Sharks draft pick from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Elmer Soderblom, whose tenure with Detroit is now over.
Hours earlier on Trade Deadline eve, the Red Wings added depth to their forward group by reacquiring veteran David Perron, who played two seasons in Detroit from 2022 through 2024, from the Ottawa Senators for a conditional 2026 fourth-round draft pick.
While Faulk is expected to join the Red Wings in time to face the New Jersey Devils on Sunday evening in New Jersey, Perron, who underwent sports hernia surgery in January, isn't ready to make his Detroit debut for what will be the second time in his NHL career.
Speaking with media members on Friday afternoon, Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman said the club is fully aware of David Perron’s injury and expected recovery timeline, indicating he should be ready to return in approximately two weeks.
"We know exactly what David's injury is, we know exactly where he is in his rehab, and we anticipate him (being) 14 days away, roughly, from playing," Yzerman said of Perron. "Obviously, we're comfortable doing that and making this trade with him."
Perron instantly became one of the veteran leaders in the dressing room when he first arrived in Detroit during the 2022 offseason, and those traits will only benefit Detroit as they look to return to the playoffs.
“He brings a lot to the table," Yzerman said. "We had him before, and he brought a lot to our team on and off the ice. And in 14 days, we think we'll be back. Setbacks can happen; there is some risk to acquiring a player that is on IR, even a healthy guy could step on the ice tonight and get hurt.
But we know exactly where he's at in his rehab, we know the procedure, and we expect him to be at 100 percent in approximately two weeks. We're okay with it.”
While the Red Wings were rumored for weeks to be in the mix for other NHL forwards, including Vincent Trocheck (New York Rangers), Elias Pettersson (Vancouver Canucks), and Robert Thomas (St. Louis Blues), the asking price and need for his club didn't match Yzerman's vision.
“I can't comment on other teams' players, but I would say for what we felt our needs were, we talked to every team that had players with our needs, and talked about the possibility of a deal, explored trades, what the fits were, what we were willing to do," Yzerman explained of his interest level in additional forward help. "Sometimes, there's just no fit in what the other team was looking for; we didn't have that."
Others, the deal just wouldn't work," he continued. "So, safe to say, all of our needs, we talk to every team that has those types of players, and were willing to move them.”
Ultimately, Thomas, Pettersson, and Trocheck were not moved by their respective teams and remain in place.
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