SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - DECEMBER 18: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers in action during a game against the Utah Jazz at Delta Center on December 18, 2025 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Thanks to Luka Dončić’s best effort to recover from his hamstring strain, it appears likely that he will be representing the Lakers in the All-Star Game on Sunday.
Luka dealt with a hamstring strain for more than a week that caused him to miss the last four Lakers games before the All-Star break.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, that workout went well and Luka playing this weekend is still the plan.
The Lakers’ Luka Dončić is indeed on course to play for a short stint in Sunday’s All-Star Game after a strong pregame workout Thursday, league sources tell @TheSteinLine. pic.twitter.com/nUvNyyN8Gf
Before the Lakers took on the Mavs, Lakers head coach JJ Redick said Luka was expected to return after the All-Star break. It seems that timeline is accurate and Luka will even play in this weekend’s signature contest.
Also important to note that Stein reports Luka will play a short stint. Even in an All-Star Game that few take seriously, there is risk for injury. So, it’d be wise for Luka to take it easy and just play for a moment so fans can celebrate their local star.
This will be Luka’s first time participating in the All-Star Game as a Laker.
Dončić was the top vote-getter in the NBA, and with the festivities taking place in Los Angeles, he will be one of the biggest stars this weekend.
Luka is having one of the best years of his career, averaging a league-high 32.8points per game. He will represent and play for Team World in this new All-Star format.
Luka’s return is great news. It means he should be good to go once the Lakers begin regular-season play, and it’s another example of how much he loves the game and wants to give back to his fans.
He worked hard to return as quickly as possible, and barring a setback, it seems he’ll be on the court Sunday as the NBA celebrates its biggest stars.
The new format for the 2026 All-Star Game throws MVP betting into chaos. As much as betting on the best player, a smart gambler identifies which team is likely to win the event. Thus, before even pondering Victor Wembanyama, Anthony Edwards and Kevin Durant, the round-robin format must be considered.
The "World" team should be a shoe-in for the championship game. Of the NBA's MVP candidates, the "World" team may feature ... all of them. Combining Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic and Victor Wembanyama is a bit of a cheat code, certainly in a 12-minute game where fatigue should not be an issue.
Of the two U.S. teams, the "Stripes" are veteran-laden. LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard should capitalize on one last chance to team up. Favor the team heavy with Olympic gold medalists, all due respect to the "Stars" and Anthony Edwards and Devin Booker.
This may be LeBron James' last All-Star Game. The 12-minute games should allow him to run without tiring, and those runs should lead to a few highlight-worthy dunks.
Getting the chance to bet James at effectively 19-to-1 odds is too delightful a chance to turn down, particularly if trusting "Stripes" to reach the final.
2026 NBA All-Star Game MVP odds
2026 NBA All-Star Game MVP Award analysis
Victor Wembanyama may be the clear favorite, but everyone in the NBA will defer to King James if the vibe takes hold.
Betting on the NBA All-Star Game MVP Award at Kalshi is simple: If you want to wager on Victor Wembanyama to win, you'll "invest" in his stock at 23 cents in the hopes of winning $1 when the market is settled.
Each market is priced based on implied probability, which can be converted to American, Decimal, or Fraction odds using the Covers odds converter.
What is Kalshi and how does it work?
Kalshi is a federally regulated U.S. exchange where you trade directly on the outcome of real-world future events. Instead of traditional bets, you trade "Event Contracts" which are simple Yes/No questions like "Will the Eagles win this Sunday?" These events are priced between $0.01 and $0.99, and the prices reflect the market’s estimated probability of that event occurring. For instance, $0.55 equals a 55% chance. If your prediction is correct, the contract pays out exactly $1.00; if not, it settles at $0. Kalshi is essentially a stock market for reality.
How does Kalshi differ from sportsbooks?
In a sportsbook, you bet against the bookmaker, who sets fixed odds and takes a "vig," which is a kind of commission. On Kalshi, you trade against other users. This peer-to-peer model means prices are driven by supply and demand, often resulting in fairer odds. Additionally, because these are financial derivatives, you can exit your position early. If your team takes a 14-point lead, the contract price will rise, allowing you to sell your "Yes" shares for a profit before the final whistle even blows.
Why should I wager on the NBA All-Star Game MVP Award at Kalshi?
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Bad Bunny offered to pay Carlos Correa’s insurance for the World Baseball Classic.
Major League Baseball, the Astros and his agent, Scott Boras, told the Astros infielder to think again.
“They all told me it was a bad idea,” Correa told The Athletic. “They all told me the insurance company that was proposed to me had cases where they were not paying players back. Since it was not approved by MLB, not approved by the organization and not approved by my agent, I could not sign my life away with something that three people that I trust are telling me not to do.”
Bad Bunny performs onstage during the Apple Music Super Bowl 2026 Halftime Show at Levi’s Stadium on February 08, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. Getty Images
Correa, one of several players not cleared to play in the tournament, still expressed his appreciation for Bad Bunny’s offer.
“It means a lot that he’s that involved,” Correa said of his countryman. “He tried to do everything possible … I’m deeply grateful that he tried that hard.”
Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, offered to pay the insurance for Mets star Francisco Lindor, who was also denied by National Financial Partners, which is the insurer for the WBC.
Team Puerto Rico was hit hard by insurance issues, with Blue Jays right-hander José Berríos and Twins catcher Victor Caratini also not being cleared.
Carlos Correa #1 of the Houston Astros looks on during the game between the Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on Saturday, September 27, 2025 in Anaheim, California. MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Mets made a low-risk addition last week, bringing in MJ Melendez on a one-year split contract.
Melendez was once among the top prospects in baseball and only sat behind Bobby Witt Jr. in the Royals’ system, but he hasn’t been able to find his footing in the majors to this point.
The former second-round pick hit just .083 last year before being demoted by the Royals.
He did, however, enjoy another strong offensive showing down in the minors, which is why the Mets believe he still has some upside left in that left-handed bat of his.
Melendez had 20 home runs, 20 stolen bases, 33 doubles, and a .813 OPS in 107 Triple-A games.
“I think there’s more in the tank,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “He’s coming off a couple of down years, but I remember when he first came into the league he was a pretty good player -- he’s going to get an opportunity here.”
The best offensive showing of Melendez’s professional career came in 2021, when he hit 41 homers and drove in 103 runs between Double-A and Triple-A.
While he’s struck out a ton, he has shown flashes of that big-time pop in the majors.
The other big thing the Mets value about Melendez is the versatility he brings.
Melendez came up through the Royals' system as a catcher, but was forced to move to the outfield with veteran captain Salvador Perez holding down the position at the big-league level.
He's seen time at both corner outfield spots, first base, and third base over the years.
The 27-year-old does have a minor league option left, but if he's able to tap into some of that upside, he could provide the Mets with outfield insurance -- in case youngster Carson Benge isn’t ready -- or serve as an emergency third catcher in a pinch.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Bad Bunny really wanted to see Carlos Correa play for Puerto Rico at home in the World Baseball Classic.
Correa, the infielder for the Houston Astros left off the WBC roster over insurance coverage, said Friday that the music superstar and fellow native of Puerto Rico had offered to pay for a policy.
“It means a lot that he’s that involved,” Correa told reporters at the Astros’ spring training complex. “He tried to do everything possible. I wanted to play and make sure that I was going to go out there and play for Team Puerto Rico in Puerto Rico. The fact that he did that means a lot in how much he cares for the country, how much he cares for the fans back home. I’m deeply grateful that he tried that hard.”
Correa, who has a $200 million contract through 2028, had surgery in 2014 to repair a broken right tibia and both San Francisco and the Mets failed to approve his physicals for a contract during the 2022-23 offseason.
While not providing the name of the provider Bad Bunny proposed, Correa said it was one that Major League Baseball, the Astros and Correa’s agent, Scott Boras, did not approve. The infielder said they all told him that it was a bad idea.
“I could not sign my life away with something that three people that I trust are telling me not to do,” Correa said.
Puerto Rico is hosting pool play games in the WBC next month.
Bad Bunny, who was born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, is one of the most-streamed artists on the planet. He was the featured halftime performer at the Super Bowl last Sunday, a week after winning album of the year at the 2026 Grammys for “Debí Tirar Más Fotos”, which is the first time an all Spanish-language album took the top prize.
Bad Bunny’s sports representation firm, Rimas Sports, and the MLB Players Association settled a lawsuit last year after the union disciplined the agency over violations of its agent regulations. It revoked the agent certification of Rimas’ William Arroyo and denied certifications of executives Noah Assad and Jonathan Miranda, citing citing a $200,000 interest-free loan and a $19,500 gift. The union issued a $400,000 fine for misconduct. Arbitrator Ruth M. Moscovitch upheld the union’s five-year suspensions of Assad and Miranda and cut Arroyo’s suspension to three years.
PHOENIX, AZ - FEBRUARY 10: Collin Gillespie #12 of the Phoenix Suns drives to the basket during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on February 10, 2026 at PHX Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Kate Frese/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The NBA All-Star Break is not the exact halfway point of the season. Most teams have played in the ballpark of 53-55 games, meaning most squads have played nearly 65% of their season. Nonetheless, here we are. No NBA games for the next week as select players are in Los Angeles for the next few days for All-Star week festivities.
With players and coaches having a time to reflect and relax, it’s a fair time to look at the Phoenix Suns’ season so far holistically.
Sitting at 32-23, Phoenix has already surpassed the win total that many sports books and pundits projected for them going into the season, but what grade are you giving the team?
After having a strong start to 2026 and Jordan Ott winning Western Conference coach of the month, the Phoenix Suns have cooled down a bit, going 3-3 through their six games in February, and have continued to hover around the 6th and 7th seeds in the Western Conference standings.
The team hasn’t lost three in a row since October, so they’ve been able to avoid major down stretches. Conversely, the team has just one winning streak of more than five games since November, so while they’ve won more than they’ve lost, they haven’t had a chance to zoom up the standings.
While Devin Booker is heading to his fifth All-Star game, the team has been filled with many surprising performers. Dillon Brooks is having a career year and not just with technical fouls. His 21 points per game is the most he’s averaged in a season for his career, and his 44% shooting from the field is tied for his best percentage of his nine-year NBA resume. Collin Gillespie, who was on a two-way contract a season ago, has turned into a proven starter for the Suns, averaging career bests in points, assists, rebound,s and steals. With his 30-point, 10-assist game last week against the Portland Trailblazers, he joined Devin Booker and Steve Nash as the only Suns to have 8+ assists and 8+ threes in a game.
Mark Williams has already played the most games in a season of his career, and while his scoring is down from previous seasons, he’s shooting a career-high from the field. While Jalen Green and Grayson Allen have been in and out of the lineup, when Allen has played, he’s been having a career season, and Green has not played enough games to make a full assessment of his year on the court.
At the trade deadline, the team mostly stayed pat, trading away Nick Richards and Nigel Hayes-Davis in return for Amir Coffey and Cole Anthony, who has yet to report. The move was made to help the team get under the tax for the first time in four seasons. Neither of the players the team traded is playing a big role, and the players they acquired do not look to be typical contributors.
What grade would you give the Suns as a team through 55 games?
As you know, the Cubs have added quite a bit of advertising to Wrigley Field since the recently-completed renovation.
This includes ads on the pads on the left- and right-field lines, on the doors on the outfield walls and behind the plate.
There are also two advertising signs on buildings on Waveland and Sheffield, as seen in this photo from last year:
As you can see, a Coca-Cola sign is on a building on Waveland, just past the left-field foul pole, and a Benjamin Moore sign is in essentially the same place on Sheffield, just past the right-field foul pole.
Now, per Ald. Bennett Lawson’s office in the 44th Ward, where Wrigley Field is located, the Cubs have proposed adding two more signs, one on Waveland, one on Sheffield, with locations as shown here (and at the top of this post):
As noted in that link, the addresses of the buildings where these new signs would be located are 3639 N. Sheffield and 1030 W. Waveland.
You can see more details of these proposed signs and how they would look here.
For those of you mourning some sort of “pristine” Wrigley Field without advertising, that ship sailed a long time ago. Cubs Executive Chairman Tom Ricketts once told me, “Wrigley Field is not a museum,” and that’s absolutely true. Now, it would be good if all the extra money brought in by these ads would be put toward player payroll, but deciding that is above my pay grade.
In any case, Wrigley Field still looks much as it did decades ago. The renovations were done in a way that is supposed to evoke the ballpark’s “Golden Age,” which was said to be the 1930s. I’d agree with that, as the team won four NL pennants between 1929 and 1938, and 1938 is also the first full year of the current bleacher configuration and ivy that give the ballpark its iconic “park-like” look.
While there’s some advertising in and around Wrigley Field, at least it doesn’t look like this, with ads plastered all over the place:
Or this, with even MORE ads:
I’m assuming these new advertising signs for Wrigley Field will be approved and likely installed on or around Opening Day. And they are easy enough to ignore if you’re paying attention to the action on the field.
On Saturday, the Kia Shooting Stars competition returns after an 11-year break, and the Knicks have some dogs in the fight.
The competition uses a two-round structure. In the first round, four teams compete one at a time, with 70 seconds to score points by rotating through seven designated shooting locations around the court. All three teammates shoot at each spot in a fixed order. The two teams with the highest scores advance to the final round, where they repeat the course head-to-head. The higher-scoring team wins the title.
Each team has two current players and one legend. For the Knicks, that legend is H20!
The lineup:
Team All-Star: Scottie Barnes, Chet Holmgren, and Rip Hamilton
Team Cameron: Jalen Johnson, Kon Knueppel, and Corey Maggette (Dukies)
Team Harper: Dylan Harper, Ron Harper Jr., and Ron Harper Sr. (A family affair)
Team Knicks: Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Allan Houston
Brunson is an Eastern Conference starter for the second-straight year. This will be the sixth All-Star appearance for Towns, a Team World reserve and one of the best shooting big men in the league.
And Houston, he of the silky smooth stroke? The former Knick made the All-Star team twice in his 12-year career and won the Shooting Stars event in 2012, alongside Landry Fields (Knicks) and Cappie Pondexter (New York Liberty). These days, he serves as the Knicks’ Vice President of Player Leadership & Development.
The Shooting Stars event originally ran from 2004 to 2015 and often included a WNBA player per team before its hiatus. For some of us old guys, seeing Houston putting up shots again will be the highlight of the whole weekend.
The event occurs Saturday, during NBA All-Star Saturday Night at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. Coverage starts at 5 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. Tipoff is around 5:30 p.m. ET, right after the State Farm 3-Point Contest wraps up.
With much due respect to the legacies of Vince Carter, Jason Richardson, and Nate Robinson, the NBA 3-Point Contest has become the premier event of NBA All-Star Saturday Night.
This year's field includes a two-time champion in Damian Lillard, and my NBA 3-Point Contest predictions expect the veteran point guard to run the table tonight.
Find out more in my NBA picks for Saturday, February 14.
The 3-Point Contest has gotten increasingly complicated over the years, with new modifications added almost annually. Familiarize yourself with the latest rules before wagering on the event.
Players are given 70 seconds to shoot 27 balls from five racks located around the arc.
Four of the five racks contain four NBA game balls and one tri-colored "moneyball." The fifth rack contains five tri-colored moneyballs. Players choose in advance where they would like to have the Moneyball rack positioned.
Regular game balls are worth one point, and moneyballs are worth two points.
There are two additional "Starry Range" ball pedestals, one between racks 2 and 3, and the other between racks 3 and 4. These shots are 29 feet and 9 inches from the basket (six feet behind the arc) and are worth three points each.
The order of the competition is determined by a random draw, except for the previous year's winner, who automatically goes at the end of the opening round.
The three players with the highest scores in the opening round will advance to the championship round. If there is a tie to determine the championship round participants, a 30-second tie-breaker round will take place between the tied players.
The order for the Final Round will be the inverse of the opening round scores (i.e., the player with the lowest score shoots first). If a tie occurs in the final round, a full 70-second tiebreaker round will be used to determine the champion.
NBA 3-Point Contest favorites
Kon Knueppel (+260)
Shooting 43.1% from deep in your rookie year warrants a bounty of praise. Doing so on nearly eight attempts per game turns Kon Knueppel into something far more intriguing for the Charlotte Hornets.
And by no means has Kneuppel cooled off of late. The sharpshooter has shot 45.7% in February while taking 9.2 threes per game over five games.
The biggest question for Knueppel may be how he handles the Los Angeles nightlife this weekend. Then again, he is only 20 years old.
Damian Lillard (+450)
Damian Lillard tore his Achilles on April 27 of last year, nearly 10 full months ago. His surprise return to All-Star Weekend should be less of a shock than it has been.
The Portland Trail Blazers veteran is a two-time 3-Point Contest champion, and including Lillard in this field adds a compelling storyline.
No, Lillard has not taken a shot in a game this season. Then again, this is not a game either.
Jamal Murray (+600)
Jamal Murray has spent most of this season single-handedly carrying the Denver Nuggets amid injury after injury after injury to the starting lineup, including some nagging worries for Murray.
It has been merely human nature that he has lagged a bit since Nikola Jokic returned to the lineup; Murray could finally relax.
But Murray has shot just 14-of-50 in his last six games, a 28% showing that should cause concern if thinking about backing the Denver guard this weekend.
NBA 3-Point Contest pick
A skeptic might wonder if Lillard will be rusty. The better thought is to expect Lillard to be peaking.
No one else in this contest has as much experience in it as he does, and no one else has circled this Saturday night as the highlight of their season. Achilles recovery allows for catch-and-shooting nearly from the start; players cannot jump early on, but they can shoot.
Lillard has been training for this contest for months. This is not simply a bet on a storyline; it is also a bet on value.
Best bet: Damian Lillard 3-Point Contest winner (+450 at bet365)
Past 3-Point Contest winners
Year
Player
2025
Tyler Herro
2024
Damian Lillard
2023
Damian Lillard
2022
Karl-Anthony Towns
2021
Steph Curry
2020
Buddy Hield
2019
Joe Harris
2018
Devin Booker
2017
Eric Gordon
2016
Klay Thompson
2015
Steph Curry
Players who have won multiple 3-Point Contests
Player
Years
Larry Bird
1986, 1987, 1988
Craig Hodges
1990, 1991, 1992
Peja Stojakovic
2002, 2003
Jeff Hornacek
1998, 2000
Mark Price
1993,1994
Jason Kapono
2007, 2008
Steph Curry
2015, 2021
Damian Lillard
2023, 2024
Larry Bird added to his legacy by winning the first three 3-Point Contests from 1986 to 1988 before retiring from the event with nothing left to prove.
A master of the mental arts, the "Hick from French Lick" famously psyched out his opponents in his final 3-point shootout by walking into the locker room and casually asking, "Who's coming in second?"
The answer, as it turns out, was Seattle's Dale Ellis, who could only watch in awe as Bird cooly eliminated him in the final round while still wearing his warm-up jacket.
3-Point Contest trends
Dirk Nowitzki (2006) and Karl-Anthony Towns (2022) are the only 7-footers to win the contest.
No one had won the contest in back-to-back years since 2008, until Damian Lillard accomplished the feat in 2023-24.
No one has ever won the contest on their own home court.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
BOSTON, MA - JANUARY 10: Ron Harper Jr. #13 of the Boston Celtics and Dylan Harper #2 of the San Antonio Spurs high five after the game on January 10, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
LOS ANGELES — In a crowded room at the Intuit Dome, dozens of reporters from across the globe surrounded Ron Harper Jr.
Several were from the Philippines, inquiring about whether the 25-year-old Celtic would ever consider eventually playing for the Philippine national team (he would).
Others hailed from Portugal, eager to know what it was like to share the floor with Neemias Queta, the nation’s first-ever NBA player (the two have long been close friends).
For Harper, this kind of media frenzy — being the main event — has not been the norm for a very long time.
For the last few years, he’s bounced around in the G League, fighting for a spot in the NBA. He’s been on four two-way contracts in three different cities, been waived multiple times, and suffered a season-ending shoulder injury two years ago that hindered his confidence — and, for a stretch, his career.
Now at All-Star weekend for the first time, and on the heels of his best-ever stretch in the league, he is eager to show that he belongs.
On Friday, he’ll participate in the Rising Stars game as a member of the G League team; the Celtics guard was selected to represent the Maine Celtics as one of the G League’s best players after averaging 24.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.1 assists this season. He’ll share the floor with other G League standouts, a list that includes Alijah Martin, Yang Hansen, Jahmir Young, and Sean East II, among others.
“We were talking a little bit in the locker room before we came out here — I think we were all really excited to compete and represent the G League and be able to go out there and show people that we can compete on the grandest stage,” Harper Jr. said. “So I feel like we all got a common understanding that we are gonna go out there, play the right way, play as a team — and we’re ultimately trying to get a win.”
Then, on Saturday, he’ll lace up in the NBA’s Shooting Stars competition as part of a three-person team that also includes his father, former NBA Star Ron Harper, and younger brother, San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper, who was the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NBA draft.
That plan came together at the last minute, and Harper couldn’t turn down his brother and father once he was presented with the ask.
“They had both agreed to it, and they asked me to do it,” he said. “And I was like, ‘Yeah, why not?’ I wasn’t gonna stick them in with some random on the team. And, it made sense. I knew I was gonna be here already for the Rising Stars game. It was just gonna be a great opportunity to create some lifelong memories with family.”
The timing of the high-profile weekend is fortuitous; this month, Harper has begun to break into an NBA rotation for the very first time.
In fact, he’s played nearly as many NBA minutes in February (70) as he has in his entire NBA career before that (105).
His breakout game came earlier this month, when he started in a game against the Houston Rockets and tallied 11 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists — all career-highs. Most notably, he got the Kevin Durant assignment on defense — and held the Rockets’ star to one of his worst games of the season.
On Friday, Harper deemed guarding Durant his “Welcome to the NBA” moment.
“A dude like that, you don’t want to let him catch the ball,” he said. “And then sometimes he gets to the spot, and you can’t do nothing about it.”
Ron and Dylan Harper join forces at NBA All-Star Weekend
One of the cool elements of the weekend for Ron Harper is the opportunity to spend time with his brother, Dylan. The two will face off against one another in Friday night’s Rising Stars challenge and team up on Saturday night.
The brothers, who are six years apart, grew up battling each other in 1-on-1 basketball games in the driveway.
“I had a very strict older brother philosophy where — you got to earn it, I’m not gonna let him win,” Ron Harper said. “I used to tell my parents every time — he used to get mad at me because of it — that he’s gonna do it to somebody else one day.”
While both have had very different journeys to the NBA, they’re similarly in position to impact winning on elite NBA squads.
Both brothers are on the second-best teams of their respective conferences; the Celtics hold a 35-19 record, while the Spurs are 38-16.
Dylan was a lottery pick with expectations to come in and contribute to the Spurs right away; he’s averaged 10.9 points in 21.7 minutes per game this season.
Ron’s only averaging 10.7 minutes across 10 games this season, but his production and on-court opportunities have trended up, particularly in the wake of the midseason trade that sent Anfernee Simons to Chicago and created a larger opportunity in the Celtics backcourt.
And, Ron still likes his chances against his younger brother.
“If we play tomorrow in the driveway, ain’t no refs out there? I’m winning.”
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Bad Bunny really wanted to see Carlos Correa play for Puerto Rico at home in the World Baseball Classic.
Correa, the infielder for the Houston Astros left off the WBC roster over insurance coverage, said Friday that the music superstar and fellow native of Puerto Rico had offered to pay for a policy.
“It means a lot that he’s that involved,” Correa told reporters at the Astros' spring training complex. “He tried to do everything possible. I wanted to play and make sure that I was going to go out there and play for Team Puerto Rico in Puerto Rico. The fact that he did that means a lot in how much he cares for the country, how much he cares for the fans back home. I’m deeply grateful that he tried that hard.”
While not providing the name of the provider Bad Bunny proposed, Correa said it was one that was not approved by Major League Baseball, the Astros and Correa’s agent, Scott Boras. A person familiar with the process said MLB was not contacted about the possibility of Bad Bunny arranging an insurer. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because no public statements were made.
“I could not sign my life away with something that three people that I trust are telling me not to do,” Correa said.
Puerto Rico is hosting pool play games in the WBC next month.
Bad Bunny's sports representation firm, Rimas Sports, and the MLB Players Association settled a lawsuit last year after the union disciplined the agency over violations of its agent regulations. It revoked the agent certification of Rimas’ William Arroyo and denied certifications of executives Noah Assad and Jonathan Miranda, citing citing a $200,000 interest-free loan and a $19,500 gift. The union issued a $400,000 fine for misconduct. Arbitrator Ruth M. Moscovitch upheld the union’s five-year suspensions of Assad and Miranda and cut Arroyo’s suspension to three years.
___
AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report from New York.
WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 17: Rowan Wick #50 of the Chicago Cubs pitches against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on August 17, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Just as we all thought that the San Francisco Giants were done signing Major League contracts, they went and signed another. Except there’s a catch: it’s not for a player who will contribute this year.
In a crafty move that will no doubt upset the vast swath of fans who are still upset about the last regime’s churning ways, the Giants agreed to a Major League contract with right-handed reliever Rowan Wick, the team announced on Friday. The deal is all about securing Wick’s rights for the 2027 season: the 33-year old underwent Tommy John surgery a few months ago and will miss all of the upcoming season, but the contract includes a team option for next year, which the Giants will certainly pick up barring an injury setback.
It’s not hard to see why the Giants wanted to get ahead of the competition and grab Wick for next year, as he’s the latest former Major Leaguer to head overseas to rebuild his pitching career.
Wick was a ninth-round pick back in 2012 by the St. Louis Cardinals, and has five years of MLB experience: he debuted in 2018 with the San Diego Padres, and played for the Chicago Cubs from 2019-2022, before spending 2023 in the Minor Leagues. Across 146 appearances (and, funnily enough, exactly 146 innings), Wick has solid MLB numbers: a 3.82 ERA and a 3.49 FIP.
He headed to Japan in 2024 to rebuild his value in Nippon Professional Baseball, and the results were splendid. In his first year playing overseas, he posted a 2.60 ERA and a 2.74 FIP. But it was his work in 2025 that really shined: across 40 appearances and 42.2 innings, Wick posted a microscopic 0.84 ERA and 1.39 FIP (though that wasn’t the best mark in the league, as righty Daichi Ishii allowed an unthinkable one run in 53 innings, for a 0.17 ERA).
Wick was strong across the board in his standout season. While an ERA that begins with a “0” is always the result of some luck, he did a magnificent job staying out of trouble, allowing just 5.3 hits and 2.3 walks per nine innings for a 0.844 WHIP. He didn’t allow a single home run all year.
The Giants will be hoping that he can repeat that performance when he returns stateside. It’s just going to be a while before they find out the answer.
San Francisco will now have an open spot on the 40-man roster. In order to clear a spot to facilitate the signing, fellow injured reliever/offseason acquisition Jason Foley was transferred to the 60-Day Injured List. Wick will certainly follow Foley there, which will put the team’s roster at 39.
Alexandre Texier may be the only member of the French national team to play in the NHL, but he’s not the only one who’s ever played there or for the Montreal Canadiens, for that matter. In Milano-Cortina, Cristobal Huet is France’s goaltending coach, but not so long ago, he was manning the net for the Habs.
Huet spent seven years in the NHL and played 272 games, posting a 129-90-32 record. He finished his career with a 2.46 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage. He spent three seasons in Montreal, playing 117 games and posting a 58-39-13 record with a 2.53 GAA and a .920 SV%. He was traded out of town towards the end of the 2007-08 season when the organization felt it was time to give the reins to a very young Carey Price.
I’ve watched the Canadiens’ games remotely and through Tex, I thought back to my great years in Montreal, but I’m mostly just so happy for him. I told him to come into his own with the Canadiens. I feel he’ll get the opportunity to show how talented he is in the NHL. We spoke about how much pleasure one gets from playing in Montreal. The fans are generous, and there is such a rich hockey culture. When things are going well, Montreal is an extraordinary hockey town. Tex has wide eyes when he describes the Bell Centre. I think that’s so nice for him.
- Huet on Texier
The Frenchman has had a great start to his career in Montreal. In 38 games so far, he has picked up 18 points and has even found himself playing on the first line with Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki. His timing to join the Habs was perfect. With so many injuries plaguing the team and Juraj Slafkovsky developing interesting chemistry with Oliver Kapanen and Ivan Demidov, there was an opening on the first line, and he grabbed his opportunity with both hands.
Granted, had the team been healthy, he likely wouldn’t have had the opportunity to step into that role, but he showed what he can do and was able to earn a two-year contract extension from the Canadiens. Kent Hughes signed him to a deal that will give him $5 million over the next two seasons, on top of the million he got for this year in Montreal. Of course, that’s not first-line winger money because in an ideal world, Texier wouldn’t be so high in the lineup, and he’s aware of that.
Texier bet on himself when he agreed to a contract termination with the St. Louis Blues, and he’s now reaping the benefits. He put his career back on the rails, and he now has the honour of representing his country at the Olympics. The consensus is that not much is expected from France in Milano, but Texier has the right attitude, saying he’ll give his all for the jersey he wears and that you never know what can happen in a 60-minute hockey game.
The French lost their first game of the Olympic tournament 4-0 against Switzerland, but they still put up a good fight. Texier spent 23 minutes on the ice, more than any other forward and second only to one defenseman, who got 23:45 of ice time. He took three shots and finished the game with a minus-1 rating.
They gave Czechia a bit of a scare in their second game, but they also lost it, 6-3. Texier was held off the score sheet, but he did spend 20:45 on the ice, more than any of his teammates. The forward took one shot on net and finished the game with a minus-two rating.
PORT CHARLOTTE, FLORIDA - MARCH 13, 2025: Trevor Harrison #21 of the Tampa Bay Rays throws a pitch during the third inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Boston Red Sox at Charlotte Sports Complex on March 13, 2025 in Port Charlotte, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Harrison entered the season as Baseball America’s top pitcher in the system thanks to a cleaned up delivery and high heat. He ran into some bumps in the road by running up his pitch count against batters, but he still made it over 100 innings in 22 starts. A power pitcher through and through, his hard slider flirts with cutter classification and could evolve into two distinct pitches down the road. It will be interesting to see how his change up plays as he’s challenged at higher levels, but for now he has premium stuff and the upside of a rotation anchor. (video)
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%
NA
4
Theo Gillen
OF
14
26
54%
13
5
Ty Johnson
RHP
12
25
48%
15
6
Daniel Pierce
SS
13
23
57%
NA
7
Jadher Areinamo
INF
15
28
54%
NA
8
TJ Nichols
RHP
13
28
46%
NR
9
Michael Forret
RHP
8
33
24%
NA
10
Santiago Suarez
RHP
11
30
37%
16
11
Anderson Brito
RHP
7
28
25%
NA
12
Xavier Isaac
1B
9
28
32%
3
13
Caden Bodine
C
10
25
40%
NA
14
Brendan Summerhill
OF
11
27
41%
NA
15
Slater de Brun
OF
10
25
40%
NA
16
Nathan Flewelling
C
8
26
31%
NR
17
Trevor Harrison
RHP
9
26
35%
10
It’s possible we are all sleeping on Harrison by ranking him outside the top-10. If you had to take bets on the next Rays ace coming out of the system, I’d be more inclined to vote Harrison before Johnson, Nichols, or Suarez and yet there is a gulf between him and the other pitchers in the rankings. It’s an oversight, and one I contributed for by spending my votes stumping for Summerhill. Ah well. Adding Overn for the next candidate.
Candidates
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.
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.
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.
Morgan continued to hit without power in 2025, a great discouragement for some evaluators, but his present 50-grade hit tool and feel for the zone allow a major league projection. He continued his improved, quieter two-strike approach in 2025 that built on his success retooling his swing in the AFL last year. The Rays gave Morgan 14 starts in Left Field last season, and Baseball America called the defense “playable,” but his value is tied to his plus-plus defense at First.
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.
Jose Urbina, RHP 20 | 6’3” | 180 A | 2.05 ERA, 3.58 FIP, 92.1 IP (19 GS), 26.4% K, 8.2% BB A+ | 2 ER (2 HR), 4.0 IP (1 GS), 5 K, 0 BB
Good pitchers grow and adjust, and Urbina has done that consistently at an age young for his level. Physically he has grown in strength, sitting at 96 with the fastball after flashing high octane in 2024, and technically he has grown, refining his dialed up slider and his two-plane curveball into complementary pitches — which lack plus command but are thrown with feel. He shouldered a starter’s workload at 19, and was awarded one additional start at High-A, where he allowed two solo shots and struck out five. Overall, the age, body, and body of work have him on the trajectory of top prospect lists in the near future.
RENNES, France (AP) — Coachless Rennes stunned Ligue 1 leader Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 at home and snapped a five-game winless run on Friday.
The home side fired coach Habib Beye on Monday after its early season gains looked to be slipping away, and it was a firm underdog against PSG, which came to Brittany after winning all seven of its last league fixtures.
But Rennes hit the post early on and it got a reward for its confident start after 33 minutes. Jordanian midfielder Mousa Al-Tamari charged forward on the counterattack and found enough space between two defenders on the edge of the penalty area to curl in a superb opener.
PSG came into the game but was hesitant in front of goal and Esteban Lepaul doubled Rennes' lead midway through the second half. The prolific center forward rose highest to bullet a header past Matvey Safonov for his 11th goal of the season.
Former Rennes player Ousmane Dembélé pulled one back for PSG two minutes later but Breel Embolo restored Rennes' two-goal cushion in the 81st when he finished off another counterattack.
PSG remained atop the table but second-placed Lens can take over if it beats Paris FC on Saturday.
Charlotte Hornets
Portland Trail Blazers
Denver Nuggets
Cleveland Cavaliers
Philadelphia 76ers
Phoenix Suns
Miami Heat
Milwaukee Bucks
Damian Lillard
Damian Lillard
Karl-Anthony Towns
Steph Curry
Buddy Hield
Joe Harris
Devin Booker
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