02/17/26: Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Kyle Tucker warms up during day five of spring training workouts at Camelback Ranch Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, Tuesday, February 17, 2026. Photo By: Jason...
PHOENIX –– In his annual start-of-the-spring address to his Dodger team on Tuesday, manager Dave Roberts delivered a simple message to the two-time defending World Series champions.
“I think for us it’s more about looking forward, focusing on ourselves and … not concerning us with outside expectations, noise, other teams,” he said. “That’s what we’ve done a pretty good job of in years past.”
Then, Roberts invited the club’s two superstar offseason additions to speak to the room and drive home that message.
As has become a common theme in these team-wide spring meetings –– which take place on the morning of the club’s first full-squad workouts, which the Dodgers had on Tuesday –– the longtime skipper wanted his returning players to hear from the new faces in the clubhouse.
“It was just more about what made the Dodgers attractive to them,” Roberts explained. “I think it’s powerful for our guys to hear it from the other side, from somebody who hasn’t been here.”
This year, that meant speeches from Kyle Tucker and Edwin Díaz, each of whom explained why they wanted to sign with the Dodgers as free agents this winter.
Roberts said Tucker talked about watching “how the Dodgers go about things” while playing against them as a member of the Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros over the last eight years, calling the franchise “a destination place.”
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Díaz echoed that sentiment when he got up to talk, joking that the Dodgers always “look pretty nice on the field” and how he “heard they treat every player the same inside the clubhouse.”
“That,” the new closer added while speaking to reporters later, “was one of the things I was looking for.”
The Dodgers hope that a scene like Tuesday’s will serve as a tone-setter ahead of their three-peat pursuit this year. Simply signing big names like Tucker (the $240 million outfielder) and Diaz (the $69 million right-hander) served as a source of reinvigoration for the club this offseason. But hearing their perspectives of the team for the first time was “refreshing,” veteran third baseman and longest tenured Dodger Max Muncy said.
Kyle Tucker explained why he wanted to sign with the Dodgers as a free agent this winter. Jason Szenes for CA Post
“Not that anyone in this room ever forgets, but (when) they talk about how good the organization is from the outside, from what they see and what they hear, just things about how the front office and the staff treats the players and the families –– (it’s a reminder that) we have it really good here,” Muncy said.
There’s another important dynamic, too.
“Then you get that little extra hunger from guys who want to go out there and win a ring,” Muncy added. “It keeps everyone else in here hungry, because you just start feeding off each other. And when it’s time to go out there and it’s go time, everyone’s ready to go.”
Díaz echoed that sentiment when he got up to talk, joking that the Dodgers always “look pretty nice on the field.” JASON SZENES FOR CA POST
For these Dodgers, it won’t be “go time” for a little while still.
Unlike the past two years, the team has no early start or season-opening international trip. And while they will send five players to next month’s World Baseball Classic (including Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Will Smith, Hyeseong Kim and Díaz), they will use this spring to slowly build up many of their other veterans after a short offseason (namely, Muncy, Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts, whom Roberts said will likely not be playing in Cactus League games right away).
“It’s just about preparation,” said Betts, recounting the message he shared as one of several longtime Dodgers to talk at Tuesday’s meeting, along with Miguel Rojas and Will Smith. “Our confidence is gonna come with our preparation.”
Roberts said Tucker talked about watching “how the Dodgers go about things” while playing against them. JASON SZENES FOR CA POST“That,” the new closer added while speaking to reporters later, “was one of the things I was looking for.” JASON SZENES FOR CA POST
Tuesday, however, was about setting bigger-picture expectations, too, and reminding both the club’s returning core and new star players about the opportunity in front of them.
“It’s just trying to sustain that energy, that focus every day,” Roberts said, reiterating his clubhouse message. “Put those blinders on and get to work.”
As has become a common theme in these team-wide spring meetings –– which take place on the morning of the club’s first full-squad workouts, which the Dodgers had on Tuesday –– the longtime skipper wanted his returning players to hear from the new faces in the clubhouse.
“It was just more about what made the Dodgers attractive to them,” Roberts explained. “I think it’s powerful for our guys to hear it from the other side, from somebody who hasn’t been here.”
The Winnipeg Jets are beginning to filter back into the city following vacations and the Olympic break, turning their attention toward a return to regular season action midway through next week.
With several key players still away or sidelined, the organization made a series of roster moves to help facilitate full practices. Winnipeg is currently without starting goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, top forward Kyle Connor and star defenseman Josh Morrissey.
To stabilize the roster during workouts, the Jets recalled goaltender Domenic DiVincentiis, defencemen Ville Heinola and Elias Salomonsson, and forward Walker Duehr from the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League.
The decision to bring up two defencemen has sparked some speculation about what could be ahead for Winnipeg’s blue line. One possibility is that the team does not expect one of its injured defenders to be ready when play resumes. Haydn Fleury, Colin Miller and Neal Pionk have all dealt with injuries in recent weeks.
Another potential scenario is that the Jets are preparing for a move once the NHL trade freeze lifts next week. Defenseman Logan Stanley has been mentioned in trade speculation, and the Olympic break may have provided an opportunity for discussions to progress behind the scenes.
For now, head coach Scott Arniel offered measured updates. Miller skated Monday and is scheduled for an injured reserve skate Wednesday. Pionk is considered a possibility for the team’s upcoming road trip. Fleury is progressing but will need additional time to rebuild conditioning, potentially opening the door for Heinola or Salomonsson to remain on the roster when games resume.
pic.twitter.com/VdkeNli4V3 Winnipeg's Josh Morrissey appears to suffer lower-body injury after his leg kicks out after colliding with Czechia player. Tried to come back in the second period but was unable to go. #GoJetsGo
There was also encouraging news on Morrissey, who was injured while representing Canada men's national ice hockey team at the Winter Olympics. He is expected to return to the lineup before the end of the tournament and could rejoin Canada as early as Wednesday’s quarterfinal matchup against Czechia men's national ice hockey team.
The Jets’ roster picture should become clearer in the coming days as the Olympics wind down and Winnipeg ramps up full practices in preparation for its return to NHL play.
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The Philadelphia Flyers will be an interesting team to watch ahead of the 2026 NHL trade deadline. They are currently eight points behind the Boston Bruins for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, so there is a chance that they will be sellers.
However, at the same time, the possibility of them adding to their roster should not be ruled out. One of the Flyers' biggest needs is another goaltender, so let's look at three netminders who could be good fits for Philadelphia.
Jesper Wallstedt, Minnesota Wild
Jesper Wallstedt is the most notable goaltender in the rumor mill right now. At just 23 years old, he would have the potential to be a perfect long-term fit for the Flyers if they acquired him. The 2021 first-round pick has a 14-5-4 record, a .914 save percentage, and a 2.72 goals-against average.
However, the Minnesota Wild's asking price for Wallstedt is undoubtedly very high, so coming up with a trade package to land him could be too tough for the Flyers. Yet, on paper, the fit looks perfect between Wallstedt and Philly.
Anthony Stolarz, Toronto Maple Leafs
Could the Flyers consider a reunion with Anthony Stolarz? The 32-year-old kicked off his NHL career in Philadelphia and has come up in the rumor mill this season.
Stolarz has struggled and also has had some injury trouble this season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, though. In 16 games this campaign with Toronto, he has a 7-7-1 record, a .882 save percentage, and a 3.55 goals-against average. However, he also led the NHL with a .925 save percentage in 2023-24 and a .926 save percentage last season. With this, he could be a bounce-back candidate for the Flyers to consider pursuing if the Maple Leafs end up being open to moving him.
Colten Ellis, Buffalo Sabres
Colten Ellis could be an interesting under-the-radar goalie for the Flyers to take a chance on. The Buffalo Sabres currently have three goalies on their NHL roster, and Ellis is behind Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Alex Lyon on their depth chart. With this, some questions have come up about Ellis' long-term future in Buffalo.
If the Flyers acquired Ellis, he would give them another young option to work with for their backup role. The 25-year-old has had a decent rookie season with the Sabres, as he has a 7-4-1 record, a .896 save percentage, and a 3.11 goals-against in 13 games. This is after he had a 22-14-3 record and a .922 save percentage in 42 AHL games last season with the Springfield Thunderbirds.
While the Yankees have entered spring training under the impression Anthony Volpe will miss all of April recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, the young shortstop is aiming for an earlier return.
Just a day after beginning his hitting progression with dry swings, Volpe sounded optimistic about playing in April, calling the timeline "definitely" possible while also not committing to a date for his 2026 debut.
"My body’s ready to go," Volpe said on Tuesday in Tampa. "I started my hitting progression, so other than that, I mean, I'm full go. My body's ready to go defensively and running, so the hitting will be what we work through next and judging on how everything's gone so far, I'm just excited."
The partially torn labrum on Volpe's left shoulder was repaired in October, and while the issue was cleaned up successfully, his doctors were surprised to see the damage was actually worse than what imaging showed.
Volpe doesn't believe the shoulder injury -- suffered last May -- was largely responsible for his regression-filled 2025 campaign, in which he slashed a woeful .212/.272/.391 with 19 home runs and 150 strikeouts across 153 games.
He continues to make no excuses for last season's low production, and the recovery process has helped him learn how to improve communication with the club and stay honest with himself.
"I know I could've played better, I felt strong and good enough to go. If I didn't, I mean, I wouldn't have," Volpe said. "You learn a lot about the mindset and how you've got to be self-aware, aware of certain things going on. And how to, if you're going to play through, perform and do the best you can."
Volpe described the early stages of rehab as "rock bottom" physically, and he didn't start to feel over the hump in his offseason work until more baseball activities around the new year.
The next step in Volpe's progression will be tee work, followed by soft toss. He'll make sure landing on the shoulder is the last hurdle cleared, since a diving defensive play against the Rays at Yankee Stadium caused the "pop" that prompted two cortisone shots last season.
In the meantime, Volpe is trusting the training staff's plan, no matter how long utilityman Jose Caballero and others hold down the fort at shortstop. Volpe claims there's always been "a chip on his shoulder" -- apparently, doctors missed that during imaging, too.
"I just can't wait to go back out there, play, feel good, perform, and help the team win," Volpe said. "Because at the end of the day, if I do that and I play the way I can play, everything will take care of itself and I appreciate everything. I appreciate the accountability."
Relax. Matt Savoie heading back to Bakersfield is not what it looks like.
The news broke Tuesday that the 22-year-old Edmonton Oilers forward was being sent down to the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors during the Olympic break, and if you spent any time on social media in the aftermath, you’d think the sky was falling. It isn’t. Not even close. What this actually is — and bear with me here, because it’s surprisingly simple — is the Oilers giving a young player some meaningful game time while NHL action is on pause. That’s it. That’s the whole story.
There's some context people seem to be skipping over; the NHL is in the middle of its Olympic break. Games don’t resume until February 25th. Established veterans? They get most of February off — they’ve earned it. But rookies don’t get the same extended vacation. They get a couple of weeks, maybe, and then they’re expected to say “thank you, coach” and get to work. Sending Savoie to Bakersfield isn’t a punishment or a message, but a maintenance plan. The Oilers want him sharp, in game shape, and playing real hockey when the lights come back on — not rusty and stiff from sitting idle for three weeks.
Savoie was loaned to the AHL Bakersfield Condors on Tuesday. With NHL action at a standstill for the Olympic break, the Oilers will give the young Savoie some extra game reps. That’s straight from the team’s logic, and it makes complete sense. He has held his own in the NHL this season with nine goals, nine assists, 79 shots on net and 28 blocked shots across 58 games. That’s the stat line of a player who has legitimately stuck at the NHL level in his first real crack at it, not one who's being burried.
Let’s not forget where this kid came from, either. He had 19 goals, 35 assists and 54 points across 66 games a season ago in the AHL — numbers that made him one of the better young players in the entire league. He was the Condors’ leading scorer. He earned his callup. And then he went out and made the Oilers’ opening night roster. Savoie was ninth overall in the 2022 draft. He wasn’t supposed to be an afterthought — and he isn’t one.
The geography of all this makes the “demotion” narrative even sillier. When the Oilers kick off their post-Olympic schedule with a California road trip, Savoie will likely return to the Oilers before the team resumes regular-season play Feb. 25 in Anaheim. Against the Ducks. Bakersfield is about two hours north of Anaheim on the I-5. The man could practically drive himself to the rink, lace up his skates, and be good to go. This isn’t a long-term separation from the big club.
And if you need a reminder of how the Oilers actually view Savoie, think back to earlier this season. When the coaches wanted to experiment with a trio of dynamic young forwards, it was Savoie they put in the middle, centering a line alongside Isaac Howard and Quinn Hutson. That kid line buzzed with potential. Savoie spent time in the top six earlier in the year alongside Leon Draisaitl, and by one underlying metric — five-on-five expected goals for per 60 minutes — he ranked first on the entire team during that stretch. Not just among rookies. On the whole team.
Is he getting the ice time that maybe his underlying numbers suggest he deserves? Probably not. Kris Knoblauch has historically been conservative with young players, and Savoie has bounced between lineup spots more than some fans would like. That’s a fair criticism of how he’s been deployed. But being deployed inconsistently by a veteran-heavy coaching staff is a very different problem than being written off entirely. One is a usage issue. The other is a death sentence. Savoie has the former, not the latter.
He’s 22 years old. He’s on a team with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. He’s on an entry-level contract through next season, with plenty of time left in his window to grow into a bigger role. The Oilers didn’t trade Ryan McLeod and Tyler Tullio to Buffalo to watch Savoie disappear into the minor leagues. They traded for him because they believe in him.
So let him go get a few games in Bakersfield, stay sharp, and come back ready to roll when Anaheim rolls around on the 25th. The future is still bright. It just needed a brief pit stop.
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 15: Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets and Team USA Stripes looks on during the 75th NBA All-Star Game at Intuit Dome on February 15, 2026 in Inglewood, California. 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. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Kevin Durant LOVES social media. Well, Twitter in particular. He engaged with fans on online platforms more than any other superstar ever seen.
In any sport, most likely. His teammate, Houston Rockets point guard Fred VanVleet stated that Durant will fire up a tweet and then go get his ankles taped up, or go on about his daily basketball preparation routine.
Which means posting on Twitter has become part of his daily routine. Which is okay.
Hell, the man was visibly on his phone through the All-Star game.
Durant has even joined Twitter Spaces a time or two. Which also isn’t a bad thing.
One of those times was in the offseason. Players can do what they wish in the offseason.
Or when they’re not on the hardwood.
However, Durant has gotten himself into scandals involving burner accounts on social media.
As a side note, the use of burner accounts is fairly common amongst athletes. Jalen Green openly admitted that he has a handful of them.
What’s unusual about Durant is that his burner accounts seem to get exposed.
Key words: seem to.
Because we ultimately don’t know.
Well, there was a situation in 2017 that’s been confirmed by Durant himself. He unknowingly tweeted from his own account defending himself against the backlash he’d received for leaving the Oklahoma City Thunder for the Golden State Warriors.
Durant clearly intended to tweet from a non-verified account, in that situation.
Over the weekend, Durant became the subject of another situation, this time involving a group chat on Twitter with a burner account.
This time, it’s been unverified. But based on Durant’s history with fake accounts on Twitter, many believe there’s merit here.
This time, a Twitter user with just 75 followers (and a now private account) was seen commenting in a group chat about many of Durant’s former teammates.
Specifically Ben Simmons, James Harden, Russell Westbrook and Stephen Curry.
Durant’s current Rockets teammates were also mentioned.
Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Sengun, in particular.
Again, there is no way to confirm whether this was Durant himself.
However, he could shut it down directly, if he so desired.
(He has no problem using the platform to call people out or shut things down).
This could be a random person posing as Durant. Let’s hope it is.
Because if otherwise, this is entirely immature, and avoidable, I should add.
And based on his past, there’s no way to dismiss it with absolute certainty.
Désiré Doué helps Paris side fight back for 3-2 first-leg win
Galatasaray stun 10-man Juve; Dortmund beat Atalanta
The Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain overcame a terrible start and a two-goal deficit to beat 10-man Monaco 3-2 in the first leg of their playoff tie. Désiré Doué came off the bench to engineer an impressive turnaround for PSG, who conceded a goal in the opening minute and were 2-0 down after 18 minutes as Folarin Balogun grabbed a double for the hosts.
The 20-year-old Doué replaced the Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé, who went off injured after 27 minutes, and proved decisive for the visitors as he struck two superb goals and set up one for Achraf Hakimi.
The Pittsburgh Penguins are in a position to add to their roster ahead of the 2026 NHL trade deadline. They are currently in second place in the Metropolitan Division standings and should be open to upgrading their group because of it.
One area that the Penguins could aim to improve is the right side of their blueline. When looking at trade candidates around the NHL, New York Rangers defenseman Braden Schneider stands out as an intriguing potential target for the Penguins.
With Schneider being just 24 years old, he would be a strong fit on a team that is focused on the future, like the Penguins. Furthermore, he is still young enough that the possibility of him improving should not be ruled out. Perhaps getting a fresh start with the Penguins could help him do just that.
If the Penguins acquired Schneider, he could work on either their second pairing or third pairing. Furthermore, due to his shutdown ability, the 6-foot-4 blueliner would also give Pittsburgh another clear option for their penalty kill to consider.
Schneider is in the final season of his two-year, $4.4 million contract, but is a pending restricted free agent (RFA). Thus, he would have the potential to be more than a rental for the Penguins if acquired, which adds to his appeal.
In 57 games this season with the Rangers, Schneider has recorded two goals, nine assists, 11 points, and 123 hits.
PORT ST. LUCIE - So the Mets are being proactive with Luis Robert Jr., drilling down on the causes for his chronic leg injuries, and intending to keep him out of games while their medical and sports performance people work to “straighten out” some of the reasons that have kept him from achieving his potential.
It speaks to the gamble they’re taking on Robert Jr. in a trade with the Chicago White Sox for his $20 million salary, as well as the frustration of trying to keep such a high-ceiling athlete off the injured list.
But it’s also a good thing, especially in this day and age when there is so much science and technology applied to the cause and prevention of injuries.
All the more so in the case of the Mets.
It wasn’t too many years ago, remember, when the Mets were heavily criticized for their handling of injuries, either for being too slow to react or for somehow making injuries worse with treatment.
He’d seen the Robert Jr. news as well, and so when he saw I was calling, he answered his phone by saying with a laugh:
“I know why you’re calling. Jose Reyes?”
“Sorry, Jim,” I said, laughing a bit myself. “It’s the first thing I thought of.”
Duquette, after all, was the assistant GM to Steve Phillips in 2003 when the Mets became so perplexed by Reyes’ recurring hamstring injuries and an examination revealing that one leg was shorter than the other, that they deferred to track and field experts who tried to change Reyes’ running style.
“We were going with the experts in the field of sprinting,” Duquette recalled. “But it didn’t work. Jose wasn’t comfortable with it and eventually went back to his old style. These days, they probably would have realized it was a hip issue that was causing the difference in leg length and treated it from there.
“I mean, as an industry, baseball is light years ahead of where we were then in terms of sports medicine and science. Actually, I like what the Mets are doing. The White Sox have not been a forward-thinking organization. They’ve been old-school, where the Mets have become very forward-thinking with this stuff. I wouldn’t be surprised if they get a good result from what they’re doing. It’s smart because Robert has incredible skill when he’s right. He just hasn’t been able to stay healthy.”
Duquette, by the way, reminded me that he was gone from the Mets by the time they put Ryan Church on a cross-country flight with a concussion, another rather infamous injury of the many that seemed to become full-blown controversies over a period of several years.
Jose Reyes / Kirby Lee - USA TODAY Sports
But as Duquette pointed out, this is a much different organization these days.
For that matter, as one Mets person told me, “Steve (Cohen) doesn’t just spend on players. When he took over, he invested in making every facet of the organization top-notch, and sports science and performance was a big part of that.”
That said, you can make the case that injuries are more of an issue in all sports than ever these days, though a lot of baseball people believe that’s mostly a byproduct of the modern athlete building their body to the limit and stressing it to the extreme.
And there’s probably a lot of truth to that as well. Duquette, for example, noted that what helped Reyes eventually avoid chronic hamstring injuries, and thus rack up 517 stolen bases over a 16-year career, was that “he learned how to run, and run fast, without going max effort all the time.”
More recently, the Mets’ new emphasis on injury prevention has paid off in helping keep the once-chronically injured Brandon Nimmo relatively healthy, in part by bringing him along slowly in spring training as they will now with Robert Jr.
They’re taking similar caution with Jorge Polanco, wanting him to strengthen a knee that had surgery in 2024, as well as Brett Baty, who tweaked a hamstring while working out before camp opened, and Francisco Alvarez, in hoping to avoid the various hand and wrist injuries that have plagued him the last couple of years.
But the headliner is Robert Jr., mostly because the Mets are hoping he’ll stay healthy enough to reach the potential that made him an All-Star in 2023.
“The tools are there,” Mendoza said. “He’s got a chance to do something special if he can stay healthy. When we traded for him, our trainers put their hands on him and identified some of the things, especially in the lower half, that needed to be straightened out.
“He’s going through full workouts, he’s going to be getting live at-bats, but as far as putting him in game settings when he has to full-go, whether it’s beating out a ground ball…we’re not going to put him in there out of the gate.”
Robert Jr. is on board, and why not? He believes, as he said in a media interview, that injuries are the primary reason his numbers have fallen off dramatically since his 38-home runs season in 2023, when he made the AL All-Star team.
“Health, that’s the No. 1 thing,” he said. “If I stay on the field as consistently as I can, I know things will go the way I want.”
He offered evidence of that last summer, when the Mets were interested in trading for him, only to be put off by the asking price.
Over 31 games in July and August, Robert slashed .298/.352/.456 with five home runs, 18 RBI, 24 runs scored and 11 stolen bases, resembling his 2023 form.
Then he suffered another hamstring injury, severe enough that it ended his season. The Mets are hoping they can change all of that, and their own injury history as well.
The Dodgers' Hyeseong Kim participates in a fielding drill during spring training workouts at Camelback Ranch on Friday. (Brandon Sloter / Getty Images)
With Tommy Edman opening the season on the injured list, Hyeseong Kim is a prime candidate to see an uptick in playing time at second base for the Dodgers in the coming season. On Tuesday, he further solidified his case.
With teammate Yoshinobu Yamamoto throwing a live batting practice session on the backfields at Camelback Ranch, Kim took the World Series MVP on an unexpected ride. On the 16th pitch of Yamamoto’s live batting practice, Kim crushed an opposite-field home run, dazzling the hundreds of Dodgers fans gathered to watch the team ready itself for its first slate of exhibition games that begin Saturday.
Kim’s home run came after watching Yamamoto walk Teoscar Hernández, induce a groundball from Andy Pages, and strike out newcomer Kyle Tucker looking. However, Kim wasn’t finished quite yet.
Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Hyeseong Kim just CRUSHED an opposite field homer off of World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto in live BP at Dodgers Spring Training camp. pic.twitter.com/g92ernHvKt
Yamamoto took a short break, as Shohei Ohtani threw a round of batting practice himself. After Ohtani got his work in, Yamamoto returned to the mound, with Kim waiting for him in the batter’s box.
On the fifth pitch of his second at-bat versus Yamamoto, Kim ripped a base hit to right field. Yamamoto would see eight at bats on the day, logging 30 pitches. He gave up three hits, two of which came from Kim.
Kim said he tweaked his swing last year after coming over from the KBO on a three-year, $12.5-million contract, and is continuing to progress and feel more comfortable with the adjustments he’s made.
“The swing changes we made last year, I would say I felt about 70% comfortable with,” Kim said through an interpreter on Monday. “And then, this offseason and spring training, we were able to recognize some of the other stuff that we needed to work on, so I’m working very hard to make those changes again this year.”
As a rookie, he batted .280 with a .314 on base percentage, .699 OPS, three home runs and 17 RBI across 71 games. He began the season in triple A, before earning a promotion in May. A left shoulder injury would land him on the injured list, limiting his time in his first big league season — though he was healthy enough to be on the team's postseason roster primarily as a late-inning defensive replacement, playing second base when the Dodgers closed out their Game 7 World Series victory.
Kim also mixed in 17 games in the outfield to provide depth behind Pages last season, and he knew his outfield defense would be an offseason priority.
“I was aware that I needed to work on my center field and outfield defense,” Kim said. “Even without the front office telling me, I knew that it was something I needed to work on, so I was going to work on it regardless.”
As he prepped for the coming season, Kim focused on his nutrition, upping his protein intake and adding some weight.
“I noticed that I lost a little bit of weight throughout the season and I wanted to make sure that I was gaining my weight back before the season started,” Kim said. “So, I made sure to intake my proteins and my meals so that I was able to gain two-three kilograms this offseason.”
With the news that Edman is still on the mend from offseason ankle surgery, Kim stands to benefit in terms of playing time but he says he's not getting ahead of himself.
“I’m using this time — the offseason and spring training — to just get better,” Kim said. “Whether I play more or not, it doesn’t really affect me much. I’m just trying to get better every day.”
Roberts manages expectations as he addresses team
On the Dodgers’ first day of full-squad workouts, manager Dave Roberts addressed his entire team for the first time Tuesday. Roberts opened with a speech, before players took turns talking.
“I was just kind of talking a little bit about last year and what we accomplished and how we got there, and talking about this year and expectations,” Roberts said. “And a lot of it is the same, continuing to focus on the right things, the little things, and how we go about practicing and playing. Keeping that enthusiasm and buckling up for the long season ahead and we expect to play through October. So, a lot of the same values that we believe in just reiterated.”
Once Roberts finished, his players shared some thoughts of their own. Veterans Miguel Rojas, Will Smith and Mookie Betts were among those to give a speech. Recently acquired stars Tucker and Edwin Díaz also chimed in, discussing why they each made Los Angeles their new home.
“It was more just about what made the Dodgers attractive to them,” Roberts said. “I think it’s powerful for our guys to hear it from the other side, from somebody who hasn’t been here. It was a great message from each of those guys. It’s important. It’s powerful for our players to hear from each other.”
And thus, the quest for a three-peat has begun.
“I feel good,” Roberts said. “I’m excited. Our players are excited, coaches are excited. It’s good to get everyone together and start our journey for 2026. I think there’s always optimism early, like every camp. So now, it’s just trying to sustain that energy, that focus every day. Just put those blinders on and stay focused."
Exciting victories for Galatasaray and PSG were overshadowed by the apparent racist abuse of Vinícius Júnior
The free kick is just to the right of the Juve box. Gabriel Sara whips it in viciously. All Davinson Sánchez has to do is tickle the ball with his eyebrow to send it across Michele Di Gregorio and into the top left. He couldn’t miss! Sara put that on a plate, a world-class delivery. And the hosts respond to Juve’s turnaround with one of their own. What a match this is!
Galatasaray 2-2 Juventus. Juan Cabal brings down Barış Alper Yılmaz, flying down the right, just to the side of the box. Cabal goes into the book, and nearly earns a second booking by pawing at the referee’s arm, Danny Makkelie telling him to get his hands off in angry fashion. And from the resulting free kick …
In a lengthy post on his X page on Tuesday morning, the Mavericks’ minority owner argued the league should “embrace” the act of intentionally losing in order to get better.
“Fans know their team can’t win every game,” said Cuban, who later apologized for the typos in his message. “They know only one team can win a ring. What fan that care about their team’s record want is hope. Hope they will get better and have a chance to compete for the playoffs and then maybe a ring.
Mark Cuban took to his X page on Tuesday to advocate for tanking in the NBA. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect“Fans know their team can’t win every game,” said Cuban, who later apologized for the typos in his message. UPI
“The one way to get closer to that is via the draft. And trades. And cap room. You have a better chance of improving via all 3 , when you tank.”
He then stated the league should focus on making games more affordable — claiming that’s a far bigger problem for the NBA than tanking.
“The NBA should worry more about fan experience than tanking,” he said. “It should worry more about pricing fans out of games than tanking. You know who cares the least about tanking , a parent who cant afford to bring their 3 kids to a game and buy their kids a jersey of their fave player.
“Tanking isn’t the issue. Affordability and quality of game presentation are.”
Mark Cuban argued fans actually like the idea of tanking. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Tanking has been a dilemma that’s plagued the Association for decades, but during a press conference at All-Star Weekend on Saturday in Inglewood, Adam Silver said it’s “worse this year than we’ve seen in recent memory.”
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The commissioner already levied massive fines on the Jazz and Pacers for sitting their stars in games, and then he vowed to implement whatever he could further to slow it down, including potentially taking away draft picks.
Mark Cuban said tanking helped the Mavericks ultimately acquire Luka Doncic. NBAE via Getty Images
But Cuban seemed certain Silver should be directing his energy elsewhere.
“We didn’t tank often,” the former Mavericks majority owner said. “Only a few times over 23 years, but when we did, our fans appreciated it. And it got us to where we could improve, trade up to get Luka (Doncic) and improve our team.”
Cuban made a compelling case, though given the way Silver sternly spoke about the matter over the weekend, it’s unlikely he and the NBA change course anytime soon.
TAMPA, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 19: Yandy Díaz #2 of the Tampa Bay Rays runs the bases after hitting a home run in the third inning against the Boston Red Sox at George M. Steinbrenner Field on September 19, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Guardians have spent the offseason not doing much; will they pull off a late-Spring Training trade as they did last year for Nolan Jones?
I would say the general – and sensible – conclusion among Guardians fans is that the team will enter the season with their roster as is, with an eye to improve as needed at the August trade deadline. However, the Guardians did surprise us by acquiring Nolan Jones for Tyler Freeman as Spring Training closed last season. Perhaps they will have an eye to something similar if the right name comes available in the next six weeks.
Conveniently, Jayson Stark of the Athletic interviewed MLB executives to ask for their guesses of which players will be traded this spring. Let’s take a look at the answers execs gave and see which players may or may not interest the Guardians:
High Interest:
Nico Hoerner, 2B/SS, Cubs – Because Hoerner can play an excellent shortstop (and the Cubs have Dansby Swanson and Matt Shaw on hand), trading for Hoerner and his career 120 wRC+ vs. LHP and then immediately attempting to extend him as your shortstop would be a fun, aggressive move that I have no hope of the Guardians making.
Alec Bohm, 1B/3B, Phillies – Bohm would just be a much surer option for 1B/DH partner with Manzardo than David Fry and can play third on Jose’s DH days. But, the Guardians seem set on going with Fry for now.
Yandy Diaz, DH, Rays – I really don’t care about Diaz being DH-only. He remains an elite bat and crushes lefties. He transforms the order immediately and there are few guys out there like that.
James Wood, OF, Nationals – Make no mistake… Wood would cost A LOT for a 23 year-old under control through 2030. But that’s a middle of the order hitter who probably DH’s and replaces Kwan in left when Kwan is traded this offseason and immediately shows us how much we will miss Kwan’s gold glove. A 112/131 wRC+ vs LHP/RHP works for me, though.
Moderate Interest:
Lars Nootbaar, OF, Cardinals – Nolan Jones x2.0 but it works this time? I don’t know…
CJ Abrams, SS, Nationals – I wouls be interested in Abrams in theory, but given his public issue with staying out all night at a casino… it seems a bit untenable given other PR issues the Guardians face.
Nick Pivetta, RHP, Padres – I would love this. Pivetta is under team control through 2028 (unless he opts out) and it’s not an expensive deal. Plus, there seems to be a need for a veteran presence like this on a young staff. But I have trouble seeing the Guardians go outside their top 6 starters.
Jaren Duran, CF, Red Sox or Wilyer Abreu, OF, Red Sox – Duran and Abreu would cost a lot and can’t hit lefties. Would I take either in centerfield here? Absolutely. Will the Guardians acquire either? No.
Jake Cronenworth, Utility, Padres – He upgrades Daniel Schneemann at the plate but may not be able to play SS. Meh.
Matt Shaw, 2B/3B, Cubs – Not sure he is better than any of our up and coming second base options. Maybe?
Low Interest:
Isaac Parades, 1B/3B, Astros – His bat becomes so much less valuable at Progressive Field. Not worth the price.
Sandy Alcantara, RHP, Marlins – I’d like to see the Guardians work with Alcantara but there are questions here and they aren’t going to take on his contract.
Mark Vientos, 1B/3B, Mets – I don’t see a great roster fit here and I am not at all sure he is better than Fry.
N/A – Division targets who aren’t being traded to Cleveland.
Tarik Skubal, LHP, Tigers
Joe Ryan, RHP, Twins
Kris Bubic, LHP, Royals
Byron Buxton, OF, Twins
Bottom line, I do not expect the Guardians to be involved in trading for any of these players. But, should they be discontent with what they see from Fry, from Brito and from Arias/Rocchio this spring – there are some options!
