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Sabres Defender Exits Canadiens Matchup Injured

The injury bug is continuing to bite the Buffalo Sabres. 

Sabres defenseman Jacob Bryson was forced to leave the team's Jan. 22 matchup against the Montreal Canadiens early after suffering an upper-body injury. 

Bryson was limited to only 6:17 of ice time during the Sabres' contest against the Canadiens due to his injury. During the matchup, he recorded two blocks and a plus-1 rating. 

Bryson has appeared in 33 games so far this season with the Sabres, where he has recorded two goals, three assists, and five points. This is after he had seven assists and a minus-9 rating in 48 games with the Sabres during this past season. 

In 287 career NHL games over six seasons with the Sabres, Bryson has recorded six goals, 42 assists, 48 points, and 58 penalty minutes. 

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Is Yadier Molina the Manager the Cardinals Need After Rebuild?

It’s hard to tackle a topic like this without unintentionally disrespecting the current manager of the St. Louis Cardinals, but I have to wonder if Yadier Molina might be the leader the team needs once the ongoing rebuild is complete. But, I also have a few reservations about why I fear that it might not be the great idea many of us think it is.

Let me be clear that I am not an anti-Oli Marmol person. While he’s not my favorite St. Louis Cardinals manager ever, I realize he’s been working with a roster that has been lacking to say the least. Oli did a good job handling a tricky lineup in 2022 when Albert Pujols rejoined the Cardinals for his final season, but let’s not talk about his bullpen use during the playoffs that year against the Phillies. No matter what you think of Oli as a manager, I think many in the Cardinals fanbase will forever view him as a remnant of the John Mozeliak era no matter if that’s fair or not. My point is I want to look at Yadi’s capabilities and not Oli Marmol’s faults.

We learned this week that the St. Louis Cardinals had hired Yadi again as a special assistant to the President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom. The Cardinals said “Yadi will provide input on our catching program, will advise our staff on catching and game planning strategy and will give…our front office valuable perspective from his unique vantage point.”. The St. Louis Cardinals emphasized the need for Yadi to communicate his “championship mindset” to the players. My mind immediately began wondering if the team will someday turn to Yadi to execute that as the manager.

Let’s pretend there will be no work stoppage after the season because the owners and players can’t get together on a new collective bargaining agreement. For the sake of argument, let’s also say the foundational aspects of the St. Louis Cardinals rebuild is in good shape after just a couple of seasons. If the team decides that Oli Marmol is not the manager that’s needed when the Cardinals are ready to seriously contend again, should Yadi Molina be the next St. Louis skipper? I have created a pros and cons list because there are some real concerns.

Let’s start with the obvious pros. Yadier Molina has elite levels of tactical knowledge. Tony La Russa once said that he considered Yadi as an extra coach on the field. He said that Yadi “thinks and manages a game and a pitching staff as well as anybody ever has”. I can’t think of anyone I would want handling the St. Louis Cardinals bullpen for a full season than Yadi. He’s also a proven leader, not just during his Cardinals playing career but also as a manager in the Puerto Rican winter league. Yadi was the on-field leader that helped bring world championships to St. Louis in 2006 and 2011. There is no aspect of team and field management that he does not possess.

The cons list isn’t substantial, but there are a few potential hurdles that would give me pause before I offered Yadier this opportunity. The first and most significant is his ability to commit to a full season and all that requires when his involvement with the team over the past couple of years has been limited by family needs. I also wonder if Yadi has the patience needed to deal with the media on a day-to-day basis. While I was often entertained by some of the tense Tony La Russa post-game interviews (especially after a loss), it’s vital that a manager be able to handle media responsibilities. Would Yadi’s sometimes intense demeanor have the patience for that? That would be interesting. A modern day manager needs to understand how to incorporate all of the new data and technology that’s available into decision making and I’m not aware of how Yadi feels about that.

One thing I do not question is Yadier Molina’s drive to accomplish something that he sets out to do and it’s clear that he envisions himself as a major league manager someday. I think his new “special” assistant role with the Cardinals could be the key step to preparing him for that opportunity. If his family demands allow him to be a full-time manager, I believe he might be the perfect next leader of the St. Louis Cardinals. When you factor in how much the St. Louis Cardinals fanbase loves Yadi, it’s a marketing team’s dream for him to someday become the manager. Let’s watch this coming season and see if Yadi is a more visible presence with a bigger time investment. If that happens, we could be seeing the transition of a legendary Cardinals player into the future manager he so longs to be.

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Cotie McMahon scored 33 points to tie a career-high and No. 18 Mississippi women beat Missouri 82-61

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Cotie McMahon scored 33 points to tie a career-high, and she added 12 points and five assists to help No. 18 Mississippi beat Missouri 82-61 on Thursday night.

McMahon, who was held to nine points in an 82-59 loss to Georgia on Sunday, was 13 of 23 from the field and 6 of 11 at the free-throw line to match her previous scoring high set on Jan. 21, 2024, against Iowa.

Sira Thienou also had a double-double for Ole Miss (17-4, 4-2 SEC) with 17 points, 10 rebounds and four steals. Latasha Lattimore added 10 points, nine rebounds and four blocks.

Grace Slaughter led Missouri (13-9, 1-6) with 21 points and seven rebounds. Shannon Dowell added 15 points. The Tigers have lost the last five matchup in the series.

Ole Miss led 29-23 at halftime before erupting for 33 points in the fourth quarter.

The Rebels missed their first shot of the fourth before making 11 in a row to close the game. Missouri went over five minutes without making a field goal as the Rebels pulled away on a 13-2 run for a 77-57 lead with 1:37 left.

McMahon scored 14 points in the fourth on 5-of-6 shooting and Thienou added 13 after making all four of her shots, including three 3-pointers.

The Rebels shot 51% overall despite going 5 of 17 (29) behind the arc.

Up next

Ole Miss: Returns home to play No. 17 Tennessee on Monday.

Missouri: Continues a homestand against Texas A&M on Sunday.

___

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Ball back in starting lineup, helps spark fast start as the Hornets beat Magic 124-97

ORLANDO (AP) — LaMelo Ball returned to Charlotte's starting lineup and had 16 points, seven assists and six rebounds as the Hornets beat the Orlando Magic 124-97 on Thursday night.

Ball, who a night earlier had one of the worst shooting performances of his career when he came off the bench as part of a plan to manage his minutes, went 6 for 12 from the field and 4 for 8 from 3-point distance against Orlando. In a loss to Cleveland on Wednesday, the No. 3 pick in the 2020 draft finished with two points on 1-of-15 shooting, including 0 of 10 from 3-point range.

Brandon Miller scored 20 points to lead Charlotte's balanced effort. Collin Sexton came off the bench and scored 12 of his 19 points in the first half, Kon Knueppel and Tidjane Salaunadded added 13 apiece, and Miles Bridges, Moussa Diabate and Ryan Kalkbrenner each scored 10.

Paolo Banchero scored 23 points, and Desmond Bane added 21 for the Magic. Moritz Wagner scored 14, Noah Penda added 13 and Jeff Howard 10.

Back in the starting lineup, Ball played a role in the fast start for the Hornets that was missing against Cleveland a night earlier when they trailed by 21 points in the first quarter. Ball scored eight points in seven minutes on 3-for-3 shooting, including 2 for 2 from distance, as Charlotte led 35-20 after a period.

Ball had 11 points in 15 minutes in the first half as Charlotte built a 62-41 lead by the break with 55% (22 for 41) shooting from the floor, and 48% (11 for 23) from beyond the arc. The Hornets outscored Orlando 35-26 in the third and extended their lead to 30 points with a period remaining on the way to their fourth victory in nine games.

The Magic struggled throughout, shooting 33% (13 for 40), including 5 for 19 (26%) from distance in the first half.

Orlando was without guard Jalen Suggs, who missed his eighth straight game due to a right knee injury. Center Moe Wagner was also sidelined due to left knee management and could return to the lineup this weekend.

Up next

Hornets: Host the Washington Wizards on Saturday.

Magic: Host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday.

___

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RUMOR ROUND-UP: ‘All indications’ MPJ is sticking around

Pretty much same ol’, same ol’. In a series of tweets and podcasts Thursday, pundits suggested that with two weeks to go before the February 5 (3:00 p.m. ET) trade deadline, the Brooklyn Nets are unlikely to make a big deal involving either Michael Porter Jr. or Nic Claxton. As for Cam Thomas, there doesn’t appear to be any interest.

Indeed, Brett Siegel of Clutch Points, Michael Scotto of Hoophype and Ian Begley of SNY agreed that the Nets aren’t making calls, but instead in listening mode. Moreover, they believe that the Nets may see a role for both in building a contender next season.

Siegel who as recently as ten days ago laid out a potential trade package the Golden State Warriors could offer the Nets, stepped back from the Porter-to-Golden State rumors … the Warriors need to replace Jimmy Butler out for a year after tearing his ACL. He wrote:

[T]he Dubs were exploring the trade market for a potential final piece to solidify their title chances. In doing so, Michael Porter Jr. from the Brooklyn Nets was a prominent name connected to Golden State, given his offensive surge and 3-point shooting on the wing.

League sources told ClutchPoints that these two teams did speak to one another during the first week of 2026, but no real trade talks regarding Porter ever materialized. The Warriors, who had internally discussed the idea of pursuing Porter, received indications that his asking price would be too much compared to the trade market as a whole.

It no longer appears as if pursuing Porter is a path the Warriors would like to go down in the wake of Butler’s injury, especially with Moses Moody and Buddy Hield, two players who would likely be salary fillers to acquire a player like Porter, seeing their respective roles elevated.

Siegel also dismissed talk that the Lakers might be interested in MPJ.

While quickly on the topic of Porter, it is worth mentioning that the talk of the Los Angeles Lakers possibly throwing their hat in the mix for Porter isn’t a realistic possibility and something they do not have a desire to do, sources said. The Lakers have signaled that they do not want to take on big money at this time, regardless of how many years a player has left on their contract.

Porter, 27, is in the midst of a deal that will pay him $38.3 million this season, then $40.8 million next season. Bottom line, he said, echoing Shams Charania among others, is that the Nets intend to keep Porter, perhaps revisiting interest in the off-season or alternately using him as a key player in building an improved roster next season.

All indications coming out of Brooklyn are that the Nets are very comfortable keeping Porter and don’t feel a need to rush a decision. Trade talks could be revisited in the summer, as rival teams continue to get the sense that the Nets will keep Porter as their focal scorer heading into the offseason.

Similarly, Mike Scotto who’s been reporting the Nets are likely to keep MPJ reiterated his thinking on Begley’s podcast. His overall theme: the Nets are taking but not making calls on either Porter or Nic Claxton. Both have been subjects of “exploratory” interest but so far the Nets are in listening mode.

With MPJ, I would say for Brooklyn they’re not shopping him. They’re listening, certainly. He’s been all-star caliber player. You’re asset-driven. If you get draft picks more than MPJ, you do it. But they also want to be better next year. I’ve been told he could be a part of it. There’s no urgency to move him now.

Expiring plus all star production, it’s valuable. I don’t see them moving MPJ without the asking price.

Nic Claxton, I heard there was exploratory interest with Golden State, Pacers. I did not get the sense that anything close. For Nic, his contract descends. For Nets, there’s no urgency to move him and he could be a part of it next year.

The Warriors interest is new. In previous reporting, the Pacers and Lakers had been listed as teams interested in the 26-year-old.

Cam Thomas, he thinks, is unlikely to be moved other than in a bigger deal, assuming one emerges. Thomas, who recently switched agents, is on a $6.0 million qualifying offer and as such can veto any trade on any grounds. Most pundits believe his value, low to begin with, has dropped even further following his latest bout with hamstring issues. Said Scotto:

Cam Thomas, I think has to be included in a bigger deal if they’re going to do something. Stand alone value, he’s struggled and I think a lot of people around the league think his time (with Brooklyn) is going to come to an end given the extension negotiations they had.

Begley agreed and said he thinks Thomas is more likely to wait till the summer when he’ll be an unrestricted free agent and “sign elsewhere.”

Scotto also revisited Boston’s interest in Day’Ron Sharpe from last summer. The Celtics had discussed signing Sharpe but didn’t have the cap space and the Nets inked him to a very reasonable, two-year, $12.5 millon deal with the second year a team option. At the same time, the Nets and Celtics had discussed a salary dump in which Anferee Simons would come to the Nets along with draft pick(s) but Celtics resisted sending out a first rounder.

Day’ron Sharpe – Boston likes him, and {there’d been) some conversation for Anfree Simmons previously, if Nets could get a first round pick for him but Boston has resisted. Now, they’ve been in the thick of the East and pendulum could shift and they could be a buyer – add Day’Ron or someone else (Zubac), lots of moving parts.

Scotto added that even if the Nets don’t make a big move they are likely to play a role in facilitating trades among teams with apron concerns. He anticipates they’ll come away with “draft compensation” if that happens.

Nets will be an active team and they have to use the cap space to get draft compensation — 2nd round — teams have to get below the luxury tax or three team/four team trades that need Nets cap space.

The Nets currently have 20 seconds through 2032 along with 13 firsts, ten of which are tradeable, as well as league-leading $15.3 million in cap space. It’s that wealth of assets that will likely get them calls over the next two weeks.

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Sixers overcome bogus call to beat Rockets in epic OT clash

Ball. Don’t. Lie

The Sixers overcame a horrendous call at the end of regulation to take down the Houston Rockets 128-122 Thursday night.

Joel Embiid was dominant for much of the night with 32 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists going 10-of-19 from the floor. Tyrese Maxey had a much better night attacking the basket, including a potential game-winner in regulation incorrectly not called a goaltend. He led the Sixers with 36 and 10 assists on 15-of-28 shooting.

Paul George was quiet and in foul trouble all night but hit some big threes late, putting up just 10 points on nine shots. VJ Edgecombe wasn’t up to much either, finishing with just nine points shooting 4-of-9 from the floor. Both made massive plays in OT.

Kelly Oubre Jr. had perhaps his best game as a Sixer, finishing with 26 points on 10-of-14 shooting with four rebounds and two stocks. Kevin Durant led Houston with 36 as well.

With Embiid and PG back in the lineup the Sixers were back at full strength while the Rockets were missing Steven Adams, Aaron Holiday and Fred VanVleet, who’s out for the season.

Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.

First Quarter

  • The defensive aggression the Sixers play with paid off on the first play of the game but not the following two. Edgecombe cheated to help George pop free a steal and take it all the way for a dunk. They nearly did the same thing on the following possession but the ball caromed to Amen Thompson right under the basket, then George fouled Durant shooting a three on the following possession. Oubre remained in the starting lineup over Dominick Barlow and started well again, cutting his way to a basket in the paint and knocking down a corner three.
  • Edgecombe made another big early impact with another ferocious dunk, but Maxey started slow again and the Sixers fell behind. Maxey missed a couple of open threes and a layup at point-blank range. Embiid got a dump off and putback but missed the first three shots he tried to get for himself. Meanwhile Houston made eight of their first 12 shots of the night.
  • Getting back and getting in front of shooters allowed the Sixers to pick up a couple stops, but Houston still finished the quarter over 50% from the field and from three. Maxey at least got one three to fall, and an offensive rebound opened up the floor for him to get to the basket as the Sixers trailed by two after a high-scoring first.

Second Quarter

  • Embiid had begun to control things on the offensive end, but shots just kept rimming out after falling halfway down. It happened to him in the first and then to Edgecombe in the second after Embiid whipped a nice pass to him in the corner. He worked his way down the right side to get Barlow open in the dunker and that was successfully converted. Embiid also got to the line a couple of times in this stretch.
  • Despite dribbling into a double team and getting blocked on his first shot, Trendon Watford had his best stretch of minutes since returning. Again it was his playmaking chops that stood out, helping Quentin Grimes get free for a backdoor cut and pushing a fast break to hit Barlow with a lob.
  • They struggled to contain Thompson and Durant, but perhaps the Sixers’ biggest problem defensively of the half was how many needless fouls they committed. Alperen Sengun had one of the easiest and-1s of his life, and Durant had two. Embiid was getting to the line just as frequently though. While Maxey couldn’t buy a three, he got a floater and a couple transition dunks, one of which was impressively over Jabari Smith Jr. That helped the Sixers take a seven-point lead into the break.

Third Quarter

  • This felt like the sharpest the Sixers have been on offense in a couple weeks, which is impressive given the opponent. Embiid had found a nice blend of cooking 1-on-1 versus accepting the doubles and let his teammates try to take advantage of the power play. It’s why they were able to overcome Maxey’s struggles, and it’s why Oubre and Barlow continued to thrive hanging around the dunker spot.
  • Not only was Oubre doing that while being everywhere defensively, but he was white hot from three again, making four of his first five. The last one he hit gave the Sixers their largest lead of the night at nine, but they immediately surrendered a 9-0 run to give it back. Maxey turned it over trying to force a pass to the double teamed Oubre. After a couple second-chance points, a Dorian Finney-Smith three tied the game. The ball swung to PG with the quarter winding down, and he buried the midrange for his just his second make of the night, putting the Sixers back up by two after three.

Fourth Quarter

  • It feels absurd how quickly this team can undo the good work they put in. A couple baskets from Watford and Embiid had them in good shape, but Grimes undid most of that fouling Reed Sheppard as he drained a three-pointer. A couple wide open baskets at the rim later and suddenly it was the Rockets back with a two-possession lead. 
  • As momentum three after momentum three clanked off the rim for the Sixers, their defense started to slip as well. Sheppard was shaking free and hot, scoring at the same pace as the Sixers as a team in the quarter while they were also getting gashed on cuts to the rim.
  • A timeout with a little over four minutes left seemed to settle the Sixers and get them back into things. Embiid came out of it with a layup. Maxey then followed up with a three of his own, one of those coming from a steal and another turned into an and-1. After Tari Eason and PG traded threes in the corner, a Maxey midrange tied the game with about a minute and a half to go.
  • Durant got the switch he wanted to Maxey and put Houston back in front with a hook shot. Embiid fumbled the ball as he was catching Maxey’s pocket pass and turned over the ensuing possession, though George was able to steal the ball back and get it up to Maxey for another fast break layup.
  • On their next possession, Durant wasn’t able to switch off Oubre, but he still shook free for a jumper but it didn’t fall, giving the Sixers the ball tied up with 13 seconds to go. Maxey brought the ball up the court, went all the way to the basket and it initially looked like it was blocked. Replay showed that it was goaltended by Thompson, but the play wasn’t reviewable, making it a jump ball with a second left. The Sixers did win that jump ball but after review, they only had 0.1 seconds to work with. Embiid’s volleyball tap attempt was funny, but the crowd certainly didn’t think so as they continued to rain down “ref you suck” chants heading into overtime.

Overtime

  • George hit a three to open up scoring in the extra period, then Edgecombe picked up two bigger rebounds — one to end a Rockets possession and another to save a bad PG shot and put it back himself. Durant and Thompson quickly answered back with five of their own. After Maxey put them back in front, the Sixers came up with a steal and block for two big consecutive stops.
  • Oubre was able to run out after that block, pushing the Sixers lead back up to two scores with under a minute to go. Edgecombe was able to force a turnover by drawing a foul on Durant, though he came up empty trying to dunk on Sengun. It took Durant three tries but thanks to long offensive rebounds he cut the lead to two. After Maxey hit a pair of free throws, Edgecombe and Oubre came up with yet another steal, icing this one for good.
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Sabres' Lucrative Deal For Youngster Doan Is A Gamble – But A Good One

Josh Doan (Timothy T. Ludwig, USA TODAY Images)
Josh Doan (Timothy T. Ludwig, USA TODAY Images)

Let’s be clear – the Buffalo Sabres’ signing of young winger Josh Doan is very much a gamble.

Indeed, when you commit a seven-year, $$48.65-million contract to a 23-year-old who came into the current season with exactly 62 games of NHL experience, you’re gambling. But as we’ll explain below, the Sabres can afford to take this type of gamble.

"The Big Show"

As it stands, the Sabres will still have approximately $13.2 million in salary cap space when Doan’s new contract kicks in beginning next season. Doan’s average annual value of $6.95-million may seem pricey, but if he develops into a 30-goal-scorer either this year or soon thereafter, Doan’s salary could come to be regarded as a serious bargain.

With Doan’s contract done, there will be nobody wondering whether Doan could follow the guy he was traded for – sniper J.J. Peterka – and orchestrate an exit out of town a few years from now. Now, you have him for a full seven years, and he’s a cost-certain asset. But there’s no question Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen has gambled on Doan.

Steep Price Sharks Paid For Sherwood Should Be Price Sabres Are Willing To Pay To Make Their Own Major MoveSteep Price Sharks Paid For Sherwood Should Be Price Sabres Are Willing To Pay To Make Their Own Major MoveThe San Jose Sharks made a big move, acquiring Kiefer Sherwood from the Vancouver Canucks. But the price the Sharks paid to improve should be the same type of price the Buffalo Sabres should be willing to pay to make their own major move. Because standing pat isn't an option for this Sabres squad.

The reality, though, is that these are the type of deals teams make all the time. They project on players, and sometimes, they project wrongly. But the bottom line is this – Buffalo has to make these projections if they want to keep players on the rise in town.

Now, the Sabres know they’ve got Doan to stay in the top-six of the team. Now, they can now worry about players pushing their way out of town the way Peterka did. It’s about committing more now for the Sabres in hope of the contract looking like it was worthwhile.

Sabres Facing Crucial Stretch That Could Define Their SeasonSabres Facing Crucial Stretch That Could Define Their SeasonThe Buffalo Sabres' playoff hopes could hinge on a grueling 10-game stretch. Can they rise to the challenge and end their 14-year playoff drought?

Doan could be a terrific winger for a long time in this league. And the Sabres believe he’s worth the investment. Time will tell whether they were right to do so. 

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David Stearns confident Freddy Peralta will be a ‘stabilizing force’ for Mets rotation

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Freddy Peralta looks on with his finger to his mouth, holding a baseball glove, Image 2 shows David Stearns introduces infielder Bo Bichette at his introductory press conference at Citi Field, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Queens, NY.

Most of David Stearns’ work this offseason revolved around improving the lineup and defense, even though he made it clear he wanted to upgrade the rotation, as well.

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He went to a familiar face in order to finally upgrade that starting staff when the former Brewers general manager traded for his former player Freddy Peralta late Wednesday night.

“Freddy has clearly established himself as one of the top starters in baseball, one of the most consistent starters in baseball, over the past few years,” Stearns said on a Zoom call Thursday from Citi Field. “He’s a player I know well. A player I trust. A player I think will mesh very well with the organization and the team and our city.”

Stearns called Peralta, coming off a career-best season, “a starter who can pitch in the top half of our rotation.”

Perhaps the two main concerns regarding the transaction — which also brought right-hander Tobias Myers to Queens for prospects Brandon Sproat and Jett Williams — are whether Peralta can duplicate his success from a year ago and whether the Mets will be able to keep him beyond this season.

The 29-year-old Peralta is due to become a free agent for the first time after this season and some opposing scouts believed the Mets paid a high price for what could be a one-year rental.

Freddy Peralta celebrates in the fifth inning during Game Two of the National League Championship Series presented by loanDepot against the Dodgers on Tuesday, October 14, 2025. MLB Photos via Getty Images

Stearns declined comment on whether an extension has been discussed, but acknowledged there’s never a guarantee of that happening when you trade for a player.

“I think as you evaluate a transaction where a player is under contract for a relatively short amount of time, you have to assume a player is under contract for a relatively short amount of time and make the transaction with those assumptions.”

For now, though, Peralta certainly gives the Mets an upper-echelon starter to join a group that includes Clay Holmes, David Peterson, Kodai Senga, Sean Manaea and Nolan McLean, with other promising young arms like Jonah Tong and Christian Scott waiting in the wings.

David Stearns introduces infielder Bo Bichette at his introductory press conference at Citi Field, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Queens, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST

“We like our rotation,” Stearns said. “We think being able to add Freddy is something of a stabilizing force to help lead our rotation.”

Asked if the team had the ace it lacked last year, Stearns said, “I think we have multiple starters in our rotation who, at various points in their career, have pitched as No. 1 starters. Certainly, Freddy qualifies as that.”

He also noted that McLean was able to “flash potential as a No. 1 starter last year,” as well as the fact that Manaea and Senga have also looked like top-of-the-rotation arms in the past.

And Stearns is also confident Peralta hasn’t reached his height yet.

“He emerged as a really quality leader in the clubhouse with the Brewers,’’ Stearns said. “He’s constantly getting better. I had a front-row seat to that in his development during his first few years at the major league level [in Milwaukee]. He was never satisfied. He wants to get better.”

Peralta threw a career-high 176 ²/₃ innings in 33 starts for the Brewers last season, but has been roughed up in the playoffs, with a 5.56 ERA over his last five postseason starts since 2023.

After trading Luisangel Acuña as part of a package for Luis Robert Jr., the Mets acquired utility infielder Vidal Bruján from the Twins on Thursday for cash.

The 27-year-old played for three teams in 2025, combining for a .616 OPS in 60 games split among the Cubs, Orioles and Braves. He was selected off waivers from Atlanta a week ago. The Mets will need to open a spot on the 40-man roster to add Bruján, who must be sent through waivers in order to be sent back to the minors. … The Mets announced that Dick Scott would return as manager at Triple-A Syracuse. Michael Collins, who was on the Astros coaching staff for the past eight years, will manage Double-A Binghamton.

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Carrington, Blackwell each score 17 points; Wisconsin beats Penn State 98-71 for 5th straight win

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. (AP) — Braeden Carrington and John Blackwell each scored 17 points, and Wisconsin pulled away midway through the first half to rout Penn State 98-71 on Thursday night for the Badgers' fifth consecutive win.

Nolan Winter added 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Nick Boyd scored 11 points for Wisconsin (14-5, 6-2 Big Ten). Andrew Rohde's 3-pointer stretched Wisconsin's lead to 78-44 with 8:50 to play.

The Badgers shot 51% overall and made 15 of 35 of their 3-point attempts. Carrington was 4 of 6 from long range.

Josh Reed scored 18 points and Freddie Dilione V added 17 to lead Penn State (9-10, 0-8). Mason Blackwood added 14 points for the Nittany Lions, who have lost six straight and nine of their last 10.

The Badgers outscored the Nittany Lions 38-9 in the last 11-plus minutes of the first half for a 50-22 advantage. Carrington scored 17 points and Blackwell added 13. Reed scored nine first-half points for the Nittany Lions.

Wisconsin has won six of the last eight games in the series and 19 of 22 dating to 2012.

Up next

Wisconsin: Hosts USC on Sunday.

Penn State: At Ohio State on Monday.

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Alexander Nikishin Absolutely Annihilates Opponent In First Career Fight

I think it's safe to say that the NHL is going to learn very quickly you shouldn't 'F' with Alexander Nikishin.

The Carolina Hurricanes rookie defenseman has been known for a while now for his booming slapshot and big hits, but he also demonstrated just how powerful his fists are too.

The 24-year-old Russian had his first career NHL fight on Thursday against Chicago Blackhawks forward Oliver Moore and man was it one-sided.

If that looks like the mismatch of the century on paper — Nikishin (6-foot-3, 218lbs); Moore (5-foot-11, 188lbs) — you'd be right.

And Nikishin wasn't even the one to instigate the fight either is what makes it even crazier.

The Canes defenseman had laid a big hit on Chicago's Nick Lardis along the boards and Moore immediately went after Nikishin and clearly challenged him.

Nikishin seemed unwilling at first, but eventually obliged and within seconds, the fight was over as the Hurricanes defenseman fed Moore three quick right hands to drop him, before delivering an emphatic fourth as the Blackhawks was falling to the ice.

Moore had an open cut on his face as he skated off the ice and you could tell from his wide-eyed expression that he knew he made quite the miscalculation.

Also probably not the best 21st birthday present that the American centerman will receive this year, but hey, you know what they say...

Mess around and find out.

In the end though, Moore got the last laugh, scoring the shootout winning goal for the Blackhawks and he was a good sport about the fight postgame.

"It was a good way to ring it in," Moore said. "Got beat up, won a hockey game. ... He's a big boy and Russian. I talked to him a little bit and he said it was his first fight too — can't buy that —  but it was all good."

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Warriors Jonathan Kuminga leaves game vs. Mavericks with knee soreness

Jonathan Kuminga dribbling while defended by a Mavericks player.

The Jonathan Kuminga comeback feel good story has, unfortunately, hit a snag. Late in the second quarter of the Golden State Warriors road game against the Dallas Mavericks, Kuminga came up lame after a transition opportunity. He tried to walk it off, then signaled to the bench for a sub, and walked to the locker room. When the second half commenced, the Warriors announced that Kuminga had left knee soreness, and would not return to the game.

After an absence of more than a month, Kuminga returned to the rotation on Tuesday night and was one of the few bright spots in the team’s blowout loss to the Toronto Raptors, scoring an efficient 20 points in just 21 minutes. He was fantastic in his short stint against the Mavs, scoring 10 points in just nine minutes, while shooting a perfect 3-for-3 from the field and 4-for-4 from the free throw line, with two steals.

With Jimmy Butler III out for the season with an ACL tear, and with the trade deadline exactly two weeks away, Kuminga has a great opportunity in front of him, to either become a key part of the rotation once again, or make himself attractive to a team that might trade for him. Hopefully the knee ailment is really just soreness and not an injury, and he can get back on the court shortly.

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Pauldo's 21 points lead No. 17 Lady Vols over No. 11 Kentucky 60-58

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Mia Pauldo scored 21 points and No. 17 Tennessee beat No. 11 Kentucky 60-58 on Thursday night for its seventh victory in a row.

Pauldo, who hit the 20-point mark for the second time this season, shot 9 of 22 from the field and 2 of 11 from beyond the arc for the Lady Vols (14-3, 6-0 Southeastern Conference).

Ameila Hassett scored 16 points for Kentucky (17-4, 4-3). Jordan Obi had 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Tonie Morgan scored 13. Clara Strack added 14 rebounds and nine points.

Kentucky, which ranks fifth in the nation at turnovers per game with 11.0, committed 10 turnovers in the first half and 11 in the second, resulting in 21 points for Tennessee.

A 12-3 run in the second quarter helped Tennessee go ahead and the Lady Vols led 29-22 at the half. Six-straight points in the fourth quarter by Hassett tied the game at 46.

Pauldo made Tennessee's final field goal with 2:58 remaining for a 59-54 lead and she added a free throw at 1:24 to cap the scoring. Kentucky had a missed shot and two turnovers in the final 90 seconds.

Tennessee secured its second-straight win over a ranked opponent after a 70-59 decision over Alabama on Sunday.

Up next

Kentucky: Hosts Georgia on Sunday.

Tennessee: Visits No. 18 Mississippi on Monday.

___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball

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Hurricanes Rookie Nets First Career NHL Goal

What a season it's been for Carolina Hurricanes rookie defenseman Joel Nystrom.

The 23-year-old blueliner made his NHL debut on Oct. 23, registered his first NHL point on Nov. 8, signed a four-year contract on Dec. 12 and now, 36 games into his career, he has his first NHL goal as well.

Joel Nystrom talks about scoring first career NHL goal

In the first period of the Canes' Thursday night game against the Chicago Blackhawks, Nystrom wristed one from the left circle that found its way past Hawks netminder Spencer Knight to tie the game up for his team.

It was a little bit of a full-circle moment for Nystrom too as he picked up as Jesperi Kotkaniemi was the one who teed him up for his first goal, and Nystrom's first career point came by setting up a Kotkaniemi goal.

"I'm happy to get my first goal," Nystrom said after the game. "I've been waiting for it. It was a great pass by KK and I had a lot of space there, so I tried to shoot it. Happy to see it went in."

The Swede has really made his way into the league in a big way, after injuries opened the door for him. 

He's been a reliable presence on the blueline and he hasn't been afraid to shoot the puck, with 115 shot attempts and 40 shots on goal already under his belt, so it's good to see him finally get one.

"Nys' been great all season long," said captain Jordan Staal. "He's stepped up and played a lot of minutes, especially early there and has played really well. He's fit in nicely with the group and he's gotten a ton of chances and a ton of shots on net. Kept telling him it was math and one was bound to go in for him if he kept shooting the puck, so it nice to see him get one. He acted like he's done it before and I'm sure he will again."

The 2021 seventh-round pick has become a key contributor to the Hurricanes and it's safe to say we'll be seeing a lot more of him in the future.

Congrats, Joel!

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MLB Hot Stove Report: Mets reshape roster with Freddy Peralta, Luis Robert Jr.

While it took some time to light, MLB's Hot Stove is finally full ablaze. I am here to recap a wild week of moves and provide some analysis for each.

Don’t forget: Keep a close eye on the Rotoworld Player News page so you don’t miss any of the action.

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  • DJShortBW.jpg D.J. Short
    ,

Extreme Mets Makeover

It’s not quite Michael Corleone at the end of Godfather I, but David Stearns has made a number of significant transactions in quick succession to reshape the Mets’ roster in his image.

Over the last few days, he’s swung huge trades for Freddy Peralta and Luis Robert Jr. after signing Bo Bichette to a surprise contract last Friday. That is an incredibly exciting trio of players to bring in this late in an offseason.

Starting with Peralta, he fills the Mets desperate need for a frontline pitcher. Since becoming a full-time starter in 2021, he has a 3.30 ERA and 29.6% strikeout rate. That’s a remarkable level of consistency over nearly 740 regular season innings.

Last year may have marked a true step forward for him too.

‘Fastball Freddy’ was reliant on that fastball as a young pitcher. It received an elite 60-grade by FanGraphs when he was a prospect and carried him to the big leagues.

Once there, it was that fastball and his slider willing him through spurts of brilliance followed by bouts with inconsistency. He bounced between the rotation, bullpen, and minor leagues for three seasons while battling that variability.

Regardless, that fastball was special from the jump.

He took his first leap forward in 2021 after adding a changeup to his repertoire. That new pitch was enough to keep left-handed hitters honest and helped Peralta earn a full-time rotation spot.

Something clicked with the curveball and changeup last season as they became more meaningful parts of his repertoire than before.

Before, he threw his fastball and slider around 85% of the time to right-handed batters. This past season, he flattened the usage of his slider, curve, and change to almost exactly all even around 15% each. The changeup was layered in off his fastball early in counts while hitters were left guessing whether he’d drop the slider or curve when ahead.

Watch him work the fastball and changeup here.

Letting that slider be more of a surprise helped its whiff rate rise to a career best 53.4% too. From the outside, this looked like Peralta further growing into his abilities as a pitcher.

The Mets’ and Brewers’ home parks have a similar park factor and the Mets’ defense will likely be a bit worse than the Brewers’ was, but Peralta may be coming into his own and should still be considered a top-25 or so pitcher entering the year.

Syndication: Detroit Free Press
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Pretty Penny for Peralta

There was a steep price to pay for one guaranteed season of his services though with top prospects Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat going back to Milwaukee.

Williams is a former first round pick and just put up a 156 wRC+ across 96 games in Double-A as a 21-year-old. He’s known for a tremendous eye with a nearly 16% walk rate across all levels as a professional, yet some criticize him for extreme passivity that likely will not play once he reaches the big leagues.

Otherwise, he has much more power than his five-foot, seven-inch frame would indicate and is a capable defender at every up-the-middle position without being necessarily great anywhere either. This is the exact type of high-floor, athletic player the Brewers gravitate towards.

Sproat got his first taste of the big leagues late last season and showed excellent breaking ball quality and feel, just without a swing-and-miss fastball. Again, that’s an archetype the Brewers have found success with as recently as Quinn Priester.

The big difference is Sproat sits around 97 mph. He’s also thrown nearly 260 innings across all levels over the last two seasons, so he’s ready to take on a full major league workload should the Brewers require one.

Both players are considered top-100 prospects on nearly every available ranking and each have pushed their way towards the top-20s at their respective peaks. There’s a good blend of ceiling and floor with this return for the Brewers.

Flying a bit under the radar, the Mets also acquired Tobias Myers as the second piece of this trade. He had a 3.00 ERA across 138 innings in 2024 before working mostly as a reliever last year due to extreme crowding in the Brewers’ rotation.

His release point is one of the highest in the league and that helps him get great vertical action on his fastball. That pitch doesn’t get many swings-and-misses though and is well below average in terms of velocity for right-handed pitchers. Also, his feel for spin is iffy at best due to that extreme over-the-top release.

He has a nice splitter though, prior success in both the rotation and bullpen, and a minor league option. He’ll likely start the year in Triple-A and will be the first arm the Mets call on when they need someone to slot into their rotation.

Big Risk on Robert Jr.?

The day before acquiring Peralta, the Mets made a more risky addition in centerfielder Luis Robert Jr. Theysent infielder Luisangel Acuña and Low-A pitcher Truman Pauley to Chicago in exchange and will pay the entirety of Robert’s $20 million contract this season.

Anyone who tells you they know what version of Robert will show up this year is lying.

He looked like one of the most dynamic young players in the league from 2021 to 2023 and peaked with a 38-homer, 20-steal, five-WAR season, but has fallen off a cliff since.

His slash line is .223/.288/.372 over the last two seasons and he’s continued to deal with the same nagging injuries that have always plagued him.

With that being said, he still has all the tools to be a high-end player. Athletically, few others have the same level of bat speed, sprint speed, and defensive prowess.

He can certainly still go out and get it in center field too.

That’s a great place to start and gives him a better floor than his production the last few seasons would indicate.

Also, there are reasons to be bullish on him as a hitter.

He just earned the best walk rate of his career at 9.3% and scored in the 95th percentile of Robert Orr’sSEAGER which evaluates the quality of a hitters’ swing decisions. You don’t even have to squint to still see a premier player here, the hints are directly in front of our face.

Even without dreaming on the ceiling, a player with Robert’s defensive floor is a great fit for this Mets roster.

Defensive specialist Tyrone Taylor was slotted to be the Mets’ everyday center fielder with top prospect Carson Benge in line to challenge for playing time early on.

Taylor had an abysmal .598 OPS last season across 341 plate appearances and the kindest projection system had him slated to still be a well below average hitter this coming year. He’s a great fourth outfielder, but should not be counted on as a regular for a team with playoff aspirations.

As for Benge, this move takes tons of pressure off him. He’s more of a corner outfielder by trade and struggled through the lone month he played at Triple-A last season. Only just drafted in 2024, he could use a bit more seasoning in the upper minors and will likely benefit from not being relied upon immediately for a team with playoff aspirations.

The best part of this trade for the Mets is they didn’t have to give up a ton for Robert’s services. Luisangel Acuña was the big piece going back to Chicago and he profiles as a utility infielder with great defense at second base and fantastic speed. Just without a great hit tool or much power.

That was an easy price to pay for what could be a lightning rod in Robert.

▶ More Hot Stove Quick Hits

◆ The Nationals traded MacKenzie Gore to the Rangers on Thursday for a package that included five prospects.

Gore has sought consistency for his entire major league career because his raw stuff, high velocity from the left side, and ability to induce swings-and-misses at a high rate should have converted into him breaking out by now. Any uptick in his command will let that happen. It’s just hard to bank on it before seeing him sustain it for a full season.

Of the prospects heading back to Washington, recent draftee Gavin Fien appears to be the headliner. He was the 12th overall pick last June and has plus-plus bat speed for a teenager.

◆ In direct response to the Mets’ filling their void in the outfield, the stalemate between Cody Bellinger and the Yankees finally ended on Wednesday with a five-year, $162.5 million contract.

These two sides were simply meant for one another despite the two-way media frenzy trying to push the opposite narrative.

The adjustments Bellinger has made to get his career back on track play perfectly to Yankee Stadium: he makes tons of contact and pulls his fly balls at one of the highest rates in the league. He and the short porch in right field had a great introduction last season and will get to know each other very well over the next few years.

One caveat to this deal, the Yankees’ outfield seems set with Bellinger, Aaron Judge, and Trent Grisham in the fold along with Giancarlo Stanton at designated hitter. Does that make Jasson Domínguez a trade chip? Or will he enter another season on the outside looking in.

◆ Objectively a panic move, the Phillies and JT Realmuto reunited on a three-year, $45 million deal before the ink was dry on Bo Bichette’s shocking deal with the Mets.

Realmuto’s best days are certainly behind him as he enters his age-35 season and just turned in a sub-.700 OPS for the first time since 2015. He’ll offer the Phillies great intangibles though and will likely wind up as a more valuable player in real life than for fantasy baseball.

◆ Bradley Blalock will be freed from the shackles of Coors Field after the Marlins acquired him from the Rockies. He will be a fascinating case study for how much the altitude affects a pitchers’ raw stuff because his pitch movement becomes much, much more interesting outside of Colorado.

◆ The Braves signed Jorge Mateo to potentially be their opening day shortstop in the wake of Ha-Seong Kim’s finger injury. It’s reported that Kim’s recovery time is between four and five months, so Mateo will have plenty of runway to play if he wins the job. And if Mateo is playing, he will be stealing plenty of bases.

◆ Framber Valdez, Eugenio Suárez, and Zac Gallen are likely the next batch of players on the move. The trade market is still hot too. Make sure to keep up the Rotoworld Player News page so you don’t miss any of the action plus live stream and video content here all next week!

⚾️ Coming soon: MLB returns toNBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason, and much more.

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It’s time for Basketball: San Antonio Spurs at Utah Jazz

Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here, but for all you newbies we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, don’t troll and don’t swear too much.

After a disappointing trip to Houston where the Spurs fell apart in the fourth to lose a winnable game against the Rockets, the Spurs travel to Salt Lake City, where the lake is salty and the the girls are pretty. The Spurs just defeated the Jazz on Monday night, 123-110 in a game that wasn’t as close as the score. Lauri Markkanen is still out for the Jazz, so this is a lineup that the Spurs can handle if they play a full game. The Spurs have had trouble finishing games recently, especially on the road, so tonight would be a good night for them to exorcize some demons by playing a 48 minute game. Maybe 42 would be enough against this Jazz squad?

Devin Vassell is still out with an adductor strain, and Luke Kornet is [listed as questionable] OUT with tightness in the same area. If Luke has to sit out the game, we should see a lot more of Kelly Olynyk and perhaps Bismack Biyombo. The Spur have a two break after tonight’s game before they face the Pelicans on Sunday night, which will be the longest break between games for the Silver and Black since the break between the Lakers game on the 7th and the Celtics game on the 10th of this month. January has been a grind, but the All Star break is a little more than two weeks away, which will be a welcome respite for the weary squad. Let’s GOO Spurs!!!

Game Prediction:

Carter Bryant will have his first 20 point game as a Spur as he plays 33 minutes in a blowout.

San Antonio Spurs at Utah Jazz
January 22, 2026 | 8:00 PM CT
Streaming: NBA League Pass
TV: FanDuel Southwest
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