Outside of getting married, moving into a new house, and announcing he’ll pitch for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, the Mets' right-hander has already made his way to Port St. Lucie, throwing a two-inning live batting practice session on Tuesday.
“It’s good to get out here and compete a little bit,” McLean told SNY. "Kinda got snowed in in North Carolina for a little while, so getting down south in the warm weather and (throwing) off a dirt mound is always great.”
A third-round pick of the Mets in 2023, the former two-way star at Oklahoma State decided to stick with pitching, which certainly appears to be the right choice.
Making his big league debut last August, McLean was sensational in eight starts with the Mets, posting a 2.06 ERA, a 1.042 WHIP, and 57 strikeouts in 48.0 innings.
Even with that terrific start to his career, McLean said he took time this offseason to “reflect on the season and see what I can get better at.” That includes working on a pair of pitches to make his already-electric repertoire even more dangerous.
“I think I’ve just got to keep developing my stuff. Go out there and compete every single time, control what I can,” McLean said. “Obviously, there are always pitches that can get better, and that’s at the forefront of what I’m trying to do with my changeup and cutter -- be able to implement those a little bit more into my arsenal.”
Ranked as Joe DeMayo’s top prospect in the Mets’ system, McLean is a virtual lock to break camp on the major league roster, and figures to slot in near the very top of the rotation, a group that was bolstered by the addition of two-time All-Star Freddy Peralta.
With Peralta and McLean anchoring a rotation that will also include some mix of Sean Manaea, Clay Holmes, David Peterson, and Kodai Senga, and with Jonah Tong, Christian Scott, and Tobias Myers as potential depth pieces, the Mets’ 2026 starting rotation very well could be a strength of the club.
And McLean thinks the sky is the limit.
“I think [the ceiling is] very high,” McLean said of the Mets’ collection of starting pitchers. “Freddy’s been around and kind of introduced himself to everybody. Seems like a great dude and obviously a great pitcher, so should be awesome.”
DENVER, CO - JULY 20: A general view of the stadium as the Colorado Rockies face the Minnesota Twins in the third inning at Coors Field on July 20, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Inspiration.
Last season, the Diamondbacks were the only NL West team with a losing record playing the Rockies at Coors Field. I’m confident the Diamondbacks can improve. How?
Runs at Coors When Playing the Rockies.
Focusing on the NL West, runs scored and runs allowed can explain why the Diamondbacks had a worse record when playing the Rockies at Coors. The Diamondbacks ranked lowest in runs scored per game, and they ranked highest in runs allowed per game. The following table provides details. Data from Baseball Reference.
Deciding on how to improve, let’s look at two questions:
Is batting or pitching more to blame?
What statistics provide insights that point towards how to improve?
Most of the Blame.
Batting at Coors. The following table shows two statistics. Although they batted better than the Rockies at Coors, the Diamondbacks batters were below the average of the other teams at Coors.
The following table has a broader focus; non-Rockies teams includes all teams in the Majors. Data from Baseball Savant.
Pitching at Coors. The following table shows two statistics. Although they pitched better than the Rockies at Coors, the Diamondbacks pitchers had better than average wOBA against, but average runs allowed per PA of the other teams at Coors. Data from Baseball Savant.
The Diamondback batting shouldered most of the blame for the poor win-loss record at Coors because the batting wOBA was much worse than non-Rockies teams (while pitching wOBA about the same).
Two reasons Diamondbacks’ batters need to make adjustments at Coors. One reason is last season’s poor batting at Coors. The other reason is that Rockies pitchers at Coors are expected to make adjustments to improve their results. “Every guy [pitcher] is one adjustment away from being one of the best in the game, and there’s a lot of low-hanging fruit [pitching at Coors Field] that can be changed.” — Michael Lorenzen, newly acquired Rockies pitcher
The Blue Jays Batters Had Success at Coors.
Of all the teams who played at Coors, the Blue Jays batters had the best wOBA and best runs scored per PA. How did they do it?
This article from The Athletic led me to think contributors to their success at Coors included their “…contact-dominant offense…” and in August had baseball’s “…lowest strikout rate….” To check that out, let’s look at Balls-In-Play (BIP) per Plate Appearance (PA) and strikeouts per PA.
Although the following table shows that for the whole season (and especially for the Rockies-Jay series on 4-6 August) the Blue Jays’ batters had a better Balls-In-Play (BIP) per PA and a lower strikeouts per PA than the Diamondbacks, my opinion is that does not tell the whole story. Also, I’m uncertain how batters could put more balls in play and strikeout less. One thought is for Diamondbacks batters to swing more often than they usually do.
Did the Diamondbacks swing more (or less) often at Coors? In 2025, the Diamopndbacks swung at more pitches at Coors (48.9% vs 46.9% of pitches) per Baseball Savant. That 2% increase seemed great until considering that the Blue Jay increased their swing percentage by 4.1% (increased from 48.6% to 52.7% of pitches). Asking Diamondbacks batters to further increase their swing percentage is not likely to be realistic.
Swing Characteristic. For the entire season, the Blue Jays qualified batters had a swing characteristic that was significantly different than the Diamondbacks. While it is a characteristic of Diamondbacks batters that they intercepted the baseball farther than the average distance in front of the plate (per this AZ Snake Pit article), most Blue Jay batters intercepted the ball nearer than average to the front of the plate. The following table shows the difference between the teams. Data from Baseball Savant.
Because of Coors’ high altitude, the pitches move less. Therefore, the Blue Jay batters did not suffer a reduced contact rate that would typically occur in venues at a lower altitude. My opinion is that this was an important part of why the Blue Jays batted better than the Diamondbacks at Coors. Unfortunately, asking Diamondbacks batters to make such a large change in their swings is not realistic.
Summary.
Last season, the Diamondbacks were the only NL West team with a losing record playing the Rockies at Coors Field. The Diamondbacks ranked lowest in runs scored per game, and they ranked highest in runs allowed per game.
Based on wOBA and runs scored per PA, the Diamondback batting shouldered most the blame for the poor win-loss record at Coors.
Although the Blue Jays’ batters had better Balls-In-Play (BIP) per PA and lower strikeouts per PA than the Diamondbacks, my opinion is that does not tell the whole story.
Although the Blue Jays’ batters increased their swing percentage at Coors more than the Diamondbacks, my opinion is that does not tell the whole story.
Much of the difference between the teams is that the Blue Jays’ batters intercepted the baseball nearer than average to the front of the plate, while the Diamondbacks batters intercepted the baseball farther than average to the front of the plate. Because of Coors’ high altitude, pitches move less. Therefore, when the Blue Jay batters hit closer to the plate, they did NOT suffer a reduced contact rate that would normally occur in venues at a lower altitude.
Answering the question of how could batters improve at Chase remained elusive. My opinion is that it’s not realistic to ask for Diamondbacks batters to make significant changes to their swings to address the factors that I’ve mentioned. On the other hand as an optimist, I’m open to the possibility of batting improvement at Coors.
July 12, 2025; North Augusta, South Carolina, USA; GreenJacket pitcher Cam Caminiti (59) pitches during the 19th annual Military Appreciation game at SRP Park. The Augusta GreenJackets faced off against the Salem Red Sox. Salem won 9-2. Mandatory Credit: Katie Goodale - Augusta Chronicle/USA TODAY NETWORK | Katie Goodale / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
With our minor league crew going through all of the trouble of doing their annual preseason prospect rankings, this seems like the perfect time for y’all to ask questions about it. So this Friday, February 6 at 7:30 p.m. ET, we’ll be having another one of our Live Q&A sessions where our very own Gaurav Vedak, Matt Powers, Brady Petree and Garrett Spain will be on hand to answer any questions you have about the minor league system. I’ll also be on hand for any questions you may have about the Braves in general but also if you want to hear from any of our other writers, don’t worry — we will have another Live Q&A session later on this month so stay tuned for that as well.
In case this may be your first time experiencing one of these, here’s how it goes: We’ll throw up the post on Friday afternoon so you can get in your questions very early on. Once 7:30 p.m. rolls around, our writers will start answering questions and we’ll go for as long as the questions keep coming in. Maybe that’ll be an hour, maybe that’ll be 12 hours (not really) but yeah, we’ll try to answer as many questions as we can within a reasonable amount of time. Here’s a link to our Minor League Live Q&A session from January 2025, in case you want an example of how this goes.
So yeah, if you have any questions, start thinking of them and then once we throw up the post on Friday afternoon, get them in so you’ll be assured of us answering your question. This is a very fun opportunity to have a cha with some of the brightest minds in Braves Country when it comes to the farm system around here and we look forward to seeing you there on Friday night!
CHICAGO, IL - JUNE 06, 2002: Carlos Beltran #15 of the Kansas City Royals looks on prior to a game against the Chicago White Sox at Comiskey Park on June 6, 2002 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
We’re trying a new series at Royals Review, a daily mid-day question of the day to hear about your opinions on a fun or pressing question affecting the Royals or baseball in general. Chime in and drop your answers below!
Royals’ history is full of great trades, and a few that still make you throw up in your mouth. There are the ones where they traded a minor leaguer that became an All-Star, but then there are the ones where they traded away a star simply because they didn’t want to pay him. There are many candidates for worst trade:
Cecil Fielder to the Blue Jays for Leon Roberts
Atlee Hammaker, Craig Chamberlain, Renie Martin, and Brad Wellman to the Giants for Vida Blue and Bob Tufts
David Cone and Chris Jelic to the Mets for Rick Anderson, Mauro Gozzo, and Ed Hearn
Bret Saberhagen and Bill Pecota to the Mets for Gregg Jefferies, Kevin McReynolds, and Keith Miller
David Cone (again!) to the Blue Jays for Chris Stynes and Tony Medrano
Kevin Appier to the A’s for Brad Rigby, Blake Stein, and Jeff D’Amico
Johnny Damon to the A’s in a three-team trade for Angel Berroa, Roberto Hernandez, and A.J. Hinch
Jermaine Dye to the A’s in a three-team trade for Neifi Perez
Carlos Beltrán to the Astros in a three-team trade for Mark Teahen, John Buck, and Mike Wood
Melky Cabrera to the Giants for Jonathan Sanchez and Ryan Verdugo
Esteury Ruiz, Matt Strahm, and Travis Wood to the Padres for Ryan Buchter, Trevor Cahill and Brandon Maurer
But hey, the trade that haunts you the most doesn’t have to be a move that was that bad on paper. Maybe it was when they traded away your favorite player. Surely there is someone haunted by the Mike Aviles-for-Kendal Volz-and-Yamaico Navarro trade?
So let’s open the old wounds a little: what Royals trade still haunts you, and why?
NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 19: Rafael Soriano of the New York Yankees speaks during his introduction press conference on January 19, 2011 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Yankees signed Soriano to a three year contract. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s January 2011 and the Yankees have narrowly missed out on the opportunity to defend their World Series crown, having been bounced out of the ALCS by the Rangers in six games. One of the players most responsible for their demise — and a personal white whale for general manager Brian Cashman — has just spurned their top-dollar offer in free agency, Cliff Lee taking a significant discount to rejoin the Phillies.
Stung by the rejection and perhaps in a last-gasp bid to make the most of the remaining players from the turn-of-the-millennium dynasty, all of whom are in the twilights of their career, Yankees ownership pivoted. They already had a talented core in place after the offseason spending spree that netted them CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira, A.J. Burnett, and a World Series title two winters prior. It was just a matter of adding in complementary pieces by diverting the money previously earmarked for Lee. Enter stage right, Rafael Soriano, and a moment of pure theater from a normally line-toeing GM.
Rafael Soriano Signing Date: January 18, 2011 Contract: Three years, $35 million
Rafael Soriano was born December 19, 1979, in San José de los Llanos, Dominican Republic, and was playing weekly baseball tournaments by the age of eight. However, after failing to impress in the Dominican baseball academy operated by the Cardinals, Soriano dropped out of school at the age of 16 to work full time in a carpentry shop. He caught the eye of a Mariners scout during a three-month tryout at the academy run by the Hiroshima Carp of NPB, and in 1996 signed for $5,000 as an outfielder.
After struggling for two seasons in the Arizona Rookie League, the Mariners coaches convinced him to convert to pitcher after noting his strong arm from the outfield. He could consistently throw between 87 and 90 mph and top out at 95, and in his first season at Low-A Everett, he led his team with a 3.11 ERA and 83 strikeouts in 75.1 innings. A steady rise through the system in 2000 and 2001 resulted in Baseball America ranking him as the 30th-best prospect in baseball for the 2002 campaign, and he recorded a save in his MLB debut on May 10th.
Soriano was added to the big-league rotation, but after eight rocky starts he went on the disabled list with a sore shoulder and would not return to the majors that year, instead being held at Triple-A to work on developing a reliable secondary pitch. He returned to pitch well in 2003 — a 1.53 ERA in 40 relief appearances totaling 53 innings — but underwent Tommy John surgery in 2004, limiting him to just 10.2 innings in the majors between 2004 and 2005.
Soriano was traded to the Braves following the 2006 campaign and pitched well in primarily a setup man role, logging a 2.95 ERA, 39 saves and 188 strikeouts in 162 appearances and 161.2 innings. Atlanta dealt him to the Rays prior to the 2010 season, and he reached a new level as the Rays’ unquestioned closer. He earned the Delivery Man of the Month Award in May, July and August en route to his lone All-Star selection as an injury replacement for Mariano Rivera. He threw an immaculate inning on August 23rd and finished as the AL saves leader with 45, earning the AL Rolaids Relief Man Award and finishing eighth in AL Cy Young balloting.
That brought Soriano and the Yankees to that fateful winter, the Bombers still smarting from their ALCS exit to the Rangers. To understand the events that would follow, we have to go back six months to the 2010 MLB Trade Deadline. The Yankees were clinging to a narrowly-held lead atop the AL East, but had a serious problem in their rotation with both Burnett and Javier Vázquez performing worse than replacement level.
Cashman had long coveted lefty starter Cliff Lee dating back to the 2009 World Series when the southpaw won both of his starts including a ten-strikeout complete game in Game 1. The Yankees thought they had a deal in place with the Mariners to acquire Lee at the deadline, agreeing to send Jesus Montero, David Adams, and Zach McAllister to Seattle to complete the trade. However, the Mariners balked after viewing the medicals on Adams’ injured ankle, and when Cashman refused to include either Eduardo Núñez or Iván Nova in the amended trade proposal, the Mariners pivoted that same day, trading Lee to the Rangers on July 9, 2010, for Justin Smoak, Blake Beavan, Josh Lueke, Matthew Lawson, and $2.25 million.
Fast-forward three months, and once again the Yankees were matched up against Lee in the postseason. The southpaw authored one of the greatest starts in recent playoff history, striking out 13 across eight scoreless, two-hit innings as the Rangers trounced the Yankees, 8-0, to take a 2-1 lead in the ALCS. This only seemed to heighten Cashman’s drive to acquire Lee, and that winter the Yankees launched a full court press to land Lee in the Bronx. However, they were fated to be spurned again, Lee turning down the Yankees’ seven-year, $154 million offer to instead rejoin the Phillies on a five-year, $120 million pact.
This final rejection led Cashman to dig his heels in for his plan for the rest of the offseason — appearing to signal a shift toward building for the future — with Cashman declaring that “I will not lose our No. 1 draft pick. I would have for Cliff Lee. I won’t lose our No. 1 draft pick for anyone else.”
Ownership had other ideas. On the orders of the Steinbrenner family, team president Randy Levine went around Cashman and negotiated directly with Soriano’s agent, Scott Boras, the two sides aligning on a three-year, $35 million contract just over a month after Lee left them jilted.
Cashman, as you can imagine, was less than pleased at having been circumvented, and in a stunning departure from the usual boilerplate responses that come out of the Yankees organization, let his feelings be known directly following Soriano’s introductory press conference:
I didn’t recommend it just because I just didn’t think it was an efficient way to allocate the remaining resources we had. We had a lot of debate about it. Like everything on the free-agent market and trade market, you discuss it, make your recommendations to ownership, and they choose what direction they prefer to go given the circumstances. My preference was waiting. They obviously acted, and we are better… I think it’s certainly a sign at times if Hal wants to go different directions that could happen. I think that’s certainly the case. This is their team. Does that happen often? Will it happen a lot? I just think it depends on the circumstances what the comfort level is taking place at the time. Not to say it won’t happen again, not to say it will. It’s hard to say.
Soriano made his Yankees debut on March 31st against the Tigers, pitching a scoreless eighth to set up Rivera for the save. He recorded his first save in pinstripes on April 20th against the Blue Jays, but his first few months with the Yankees were far from smooth sailing. He endured several blowup outings including giving up four runs to the Twins while recording just two outs on April 5th, and landed on the 60-day DL in mid-May after suffering an inflamed ligament in his throwing elbow. He was reactivated on July 29th and pitched six straight scoreless appearances to set up a strong finish to the season, Soriano ending his debut Yankees season with a 4.12 ERA, 3.97 FIP, and 36 strikeouts in 42 appearances totaling 39.1 innings.
That brought Soriano to his second taste of postseason baseball after having lost to the Rangers in the 2010 ALDS with the Rays. He went unused in the first two games of the ALDS against the Tigers before being brought on in relief of CC Sabathia in Game 3. The contest was knotted at four runs apiece after Sabathia and Justin Verlander got knocked around and Soriano was tasked with stopping the bleeding. He entered with a runner on third and one out in the sixth and escaped the inning unscathed. However, he surrendered the game-winning home run to Delmon Young in the seventh to put the Yankees in a 2-1 deficit in the series.
Soriano rebounded in Games 4 and 5, pitching 1.1 scoreless to earn the hold in the former and recording five outs without giving up a run in the latter, but it wasn’t enough as the Yankees were eliminated in five. All the same, this provided Soriano with some positive momentum to roll into the 2012 season.
Soriano was once again slated to be the team’s seventh-inning reliever in front of setup man David Robertson and closer Rivera. However, when Rivera tore his ACL while shagging fly balls during batting practice at Kauffman Stadium on May 3rd, the Yankees had to designate a closer for the rest of the season. Robertson was initially slated to take over the ninth inning, but after suffering a minor injury himself, Soriano was handed the closer job and would not relinquish it for the rest of the season.
He converted his first 12 save opportunities and would grow to become one of the most dependable relievers in baseball that season. Soriano finished the year with the third most saves in MLB (42), pitching to a 2.26 ERA, 3.32 FIP and 69 strikeouts in 69 appearances totaling 67.2 innings. He did so with some swagger too, memorably untucking his jersey with fervor immediately after recording the final outs. Despite not having Rivera, the Yankees had to feel good about the man they had assigned to the ninth inning heading into the playoffs.
Soriano began that postseason by recording the final out of the ninth and pitching a scoreless tenth in Game 3 of the ALDS against the Orioles, setting up Raul Ibañez’s walk-off home run in the 12th. The next day, Soriano faced the minimum in the ninth and tenth innings, though the Orioles won in 13 innings to force a Game 5. The Yankees advanced to the ALCS where they faced a rematch with their vanquishers from the prior postseason. Soriano made just one appearance as the Yankees were thoroughly trounced by the Tigers in a four-game sweep, pitching a scoreless tenth in Game 1 of an eventual 6-4 loss in 12 innings.
After such a successful season closing games, Soriano opted out of the final year and $14 million of his contract to become a free agent. With the Yankees confident that Rivera could return to full strength from his knee injury, they never showed much interest in re-signing Soriano, and he wound up agreeing to a two-year, $28 million pact to become the Nationals’ closer. He completed a successful two seasons in Washington, saving 43 games in 2013 and 32 games in 2014, and finished with a 3.15 ERA, 3.38 FIP, and 110 strikeouts across 132 appearances totaling 128.2 innings. However, he was removed from the closer role at the end of the season and only managed to sign a minor-league contract with the Cubs that winter, ultimately making just six appearances with a 6.35 ERA for the Northsiders. He was designated for assignment and released at the end of the season, and after visa issues forced him to miss spring training after signing a minor-league deal with the Blue Jays, Soriano announced his retirement on March 20, 2016.
Soriano’s time with the Yankees was often overshadowed by the two fan favorites at the back of the bullpen in Rivera and Robertson, in addition to the odd circumstances of his arrival with Steinbrenner overruling Cashman. He also just missed their last World Series win, and was instead part of a period of Yankees history that is more remembered as the final years of the Core Four than for postseason success.
That being said, Soriano stepped up in a huge way when Rivera suffered his season-ending injury, and on the whole pitched admirably in his two years in pinstripes, making 111 appearances with a 2.94 ERA, 3.56 FIP, 44 saves, and 105 strikeouts across 107 innings. Between 2009 and 2014, Soriano was one of the most productive late-inning relievers in baseball, his 191 saves second only to Jonathan Papelbon. Filling the shoes of the greatest closer in baseball history is no small task, and for one season, Soriano made palatable the loss of the future unanimous Hall of Famer.
See more of the “50 Most Notable Yankees Free Agent Signings in 50 Years” series here.
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - AUGUST 9: Michael Busch #29 of the Chicago Cubs at bat against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on August 9, 2025 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Jeff Le/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Eighth in the series.Today we look at the Cubs’ third-year first baseman.
Michael Busch, drafted in the first round (2019) by the Dodgers (31st overall, from UNC), and later acquired by the Cubs for second-round pick Jackson Ferris and minor leaguer Zyhir Hope, has paid dividends since being installed as the Cubs first baseman. He has turned in 2.8 and 4.6 bWAR seasons (2.2 and 3.5 fWAR). In 2025, he turned in a line of .261/.343/.523, swatting 34 home runs and batting in 90 runs. His defense was splendid as well.
Busch isn’t yet a star, but he will be if he equals or beats last year’s numbers, which is certainly possible. He got some downballot votes for the league’s MVP award, coming in 16th.
He’s said to be looking at hitting more against left-handers, though that will likely be based somewhat on Spring Training results, as there are right-handed batters around that would like those at-bats as well. Projections have him in the 25/75 zone. Of course we’d like better numbers, but those would do, along with his 60 or so walks.
He leads off sometimes, in Craig Counsell’s liquid batting order, and also hits 3,4,5. Any of those spots are good — Busch doesn’t seem to change his game any, no matter where he hits. Third or fifth might be best, where he can hit ahead of/behind powerful right-handed hitters like Alex Bregman and Seiya Suzuki and Ian Happ, our next subject, can lead off against right-handers and enjoy similar benefits batting ahead of Bregman or Suzuki or even Nico Hoerner, who in another era would be the pluperfect #2 hitter.
We’ll have to wait and see what the genius of Craig Counsell comes up with, but penciling Busch in for 25 long balls, 75 RBI, and a .330 or so OBP feels pretty good. I suspect he’ll do quite a bit better than that.
PHILADELPHIA - MAY 22: Relief pitcher Jose Contreras #52 of the Philadelphia Phillies throws a pitch during a game against the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park on May 22, 2012 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Nationals won 5-2. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After a successful career in Cuba, Jose Contreras finally came to the United States at age 31 in 2003. He was a decent mid-rotation starter for a few years and even made the All-Star Game in 2006 for the White Sox. But his performance steadily declined, and he spent most of 2009 in the minors.
The Phillies signed him before the 2010 season with the intention of using him in relief. He did well in his new role, serving as one of the team’s main setup men, and even filled in for closer Brad Lidge when he was injured. The Phillies re-signed him to a two-year deal after the season, but (and this isn’t terribly surprising since he was 39 at the time) he was often injured and ineffective after that.
— Philly Sports By Number (@philly_number) June 2, 2025
12. Ronny Cedeño, 2014
Ronny Cedeño carved out a decent career as a utility infielder, able to play every position on the infield, and even some outfield. Mostly due to an anemic bat, was never able to maintain a starting job – he only had two seasons with more than 500 plate appearances – but every season from 2005 to 2013, he would end up on some team’s bench.
Come 2014, the Phillies decided they would be that team, signing Cedeño to a one-year deal. Unable to promise him a spot on the major league roster, they released him towards the end of Spring Training. Cedeño found that no other team was going to offer him a major league deal, so he returned to the Phillies less than a week later and accepted a minor league assignment.
Cedeno was eventually called up for a six-game stint in June. Despite going 0-9 in that stint, the Arizona Diamondbacks wanted him enough that they sent an actual human being (the immortal Raywilly Gomez) to the Phillies in order to get him.
Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice spoke to the media today following an optional practice, providing updates on three recently injured players.
Those players are Sam Bennett, Brad Marchand, and Anton Lundell. All three players are considered day-to-day and possible game-time decisions for tomorrow’s contest against the Boston Bruins.
“There’s a chance they all play tomorrow; there’s a chance none of them play tomorrow,” said Maurice.
The 29-year-old has scored 19 goals and 42 points in 55 games this season and was recently named an injury replacement for Team Canada.
Marchand had returned for four games before suffering another injury. He’s missed the previous two games with an undisclosed injury and is hoping to get back into the lineup before departing for the Olympics. The 37-year-old ranks second in both goals and points on the Panthers.
Marchand was on the ice today, skating in a regular practice jersey.
Lundell is the final Panthers forward now dealing with an injury, as his is also to the upper body. He’s missed the previous three games, but like Bennett and Marchand, he hopes to return to the lineup before joining Team Finland for the Olympics.
The 24-year-old has scored 15 goals and 21 assists for 36 points in 52 games this season.
The Panthers are now nine points back of the Bruins for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, and if they are without all three forwards, they run a real risk of falling even farther behind in the playoff race. Their chances of making the playoffs are already slim, and a pair of losses before the Olympic break would begin to shut the door on their three-peat hopes.
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Harden is averaging 25.4 points, 8.1 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game in his 17th season in the NBA. Yet, even though the Clippers have drastically improved their play recently, they entered this season with the oldest roster in NBA history, so an eventual youth movement makes sense.
There is one team, however, that has clearly emerged as a likely destination.
Here are potential landing spots in a trade for James Harden:
This is the destination that has the most momentum. Both Sports Illustrated and Yahoo Sports identified Cleveland as being in serious talks with the Clippers over Harden. The fit is actually pretty smooth.
The Cavaliers have been waiting for Darius Garland, who also plays point guard, to return to full health. Garland is 10 years younger, so the Cavaliers might be wanting Los Angeles to attach some form of draft capital — be it a first-round selection or a future pick swap — to finalize the deal.
The salaries are practically identical, which matters most for Cleveland as a second-apron team. And it makes sense for Los Angeles, which entered the season with the oldest roster in NBA history. The Cavs appear to be the clear frontrunner here.
Minnesota Timberwolves
This is a team that has been in the market for a point guard for some time. Harden would instantly provide experience and playmaking — not to mention a scoring threat — at the position.
The Timberwolves have made consecutive conference finals appearances, but have come up short each time. Minnesota almost certainly is looking to bolster its roster and give star guard Anthony Edwards a little more firepower. Depending on the price it would take to swing a deal, Harden would represent a solid, win-now move.
Ever since veteran point guard Fred Van Vleet went down before the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, the Rockets have experimented with various solutions at point guard. None has been a long-term fix.
Harden, who played in Houston for a little more than eight seasons, would instantly bring a steady, playmaking presence on a Rockets team that is built to contend right now for a championship.
Atlanta Hawks
They have plenty of draft capital and do have a void left by Trae Young, whom the Hawks traded last month to the Wizards. Yet, Atlanta may not be the most seamless fit, given that the Hawks still appear a ways from contention and given that general manager Onsi Saleh has been calculated in stashing draft capital. The Hawks most likely favor financial flexibility over a pricey veteran.
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE - JANUARY 31: Ty Jerome #2 of the Memphis Grizzlies brings the ball up court during the second half T at FedExForum on January 31, 2026 in Memphis, Tennessee. 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 Justin Ford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After missing the first 46 games of the season due to a lingering calf strain, former Virginia Cavaliers star Ty Jerome is finally back in action and already winning over a new fanbase.
It was a disappointing start to the season for Jerome, who broke out last year with the Cleveland Cavaliers to the tune of 19.9 points and 7.0 assists per game, leading to a third-place finish in the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year Voting.
Jerome’s impressive campaign earned him a three-year, $27 million deal with the Memphis Grizzlies in July, but his Grind City debut was pushed back until the final day of January for the first of a pair of home games against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The 2019 National Champion has quickly made up for lost time, scoring a team-high 20 points in Saturday’s 131-114 loss before following it up with a 19-point, 8-assist, 6-rebound performance on Monday night in a 137-128 rematch win over the T-Wolves.
Despite playing just 20 minutes in each of his first two appearances for Memphis due to a minutes restriction, Jerome is already bringing stability to a Grizzlies backcourt that has dealt with injuries and inconsistency throughout the season. Jerome is shooting 54.5% from the field while showing off his trademark deliberate pace and elite decision-making as Memphis’s floor general.
“[Jerome] doesn’t look like the most explosive guy, but he gets to his spots on the floor because he reads so well the body language of not only his own defender but also the helping defenders,” said Grizzlies head coach Tuomas Iisalo to the media after Monday night’s win. “He’s actually so good that he can manipulate [defenders] to get out of the space that he wants to create or get into the space that he wants to create for someone else.”
With Jerome sidelined and several other key players (including 2x All-Star Ja Morant, who has missed 28 games this season) in and out of the lineup, the Grizzlies went just 18-28 in their first 46 games, leaving them currently three games out of the play-in equation in the Western Conference.
In other pro ’Hoos news, De’Andre Hunter made headlines over the weekend as he was dealt from the Cavaliers to the Sacramento Kings in exchange for Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis ahead of February 5th’s NBA trade deadline.
BREAKING: The Cleveland Cavaliers are trading De'Andre Hunter to the Sacramento Kings for Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis, sources tell ESPN. The three-team deal includes the Chicago Bulls acquiring Kings forward Dario Saric and two future second-round picks. pic.twitter.com/Hoc6bP0hhj
It hasn’t been the season that many envisioned for Hunter, who averaged 14.0 points in 43 games this season with Cleveland on 42.3% shooting from the floor and a career-low 30.8% from beyond the arc. But a new home might be exactly what is needed for the 2019 fourth-overall pick. The Kings, which have a league-worst 12 wins this season, are in full-on tank mode, meaning we won’t be seeing Hunter back in the postseason this spring. However, Sacramento could be a perfect spot for the former ’Hoo to become an offensive focal point and once again show the league what he’s capable of in the right environment.
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 08: Eugenio Suarez #7 of the Cincinnati Reds blows a bubble during the first inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field on September 8, 2017 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It appears the Cincinnati Reds will not be carrying three catchers to begin the 2026 regular season. What they most certainly will be carrying, though, is one Eugenio Suárez.
The Reds made their signing of Geno official on Tuesday afternoon, designating catcher Ben Rortvedt for assignment in the process in order to make room on the 40-man roster.
The #Reds today signed IF Eugenio Suárez to a one-year Major League contract with a mutual option for 2027 and designated for assignment C Ben Rortvedt.
Geno will wear #28 this time around, and he’ll once again do so while incredibly happy to be plying his trade for the Reds. When speaking to the media shortly after his 1-year, $15 million deal was made official, he noted that Cincinnati was ‘where you want to be,’ as ESPN 1530’s Mike Petraglia relayed.
"It wasn't about years. It was about where you want to be." Geno Suarez
As for Rortvedt, the out-of-options catcher was DFA’d to make room on the roster before ever actually appearing in a game for the Reds. He was claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers back in mid-November, initially having been a Dodger in the first place after being dealt there by the Tampa Bay Rays in the very same three-team trade that brough Zack Littell to the Reds at the July 31st trade deadline.
He was never really expected to crack the Opening Day roster, and being out of options meant the Reds couldn’t simply stash him in AAA to keep him around. I’m assuming their hope is that he clears waivers and remains in the organization as a non-roster guy, but if he happens to get claimed after being DFA’s I would certainly expect the Reds to bring in another non-roster catcher before spring camp gets underway in Goodyear in a little over a week and a half.
It’s a jam-packed night of hoops action with 10 games on the NBA schedule. That means a seemingly nonstop supply of NBA player props.
I’ve scoured the odds and found my best bets for today, which include Jalen Johnson cleaning the glass in a matchup vs. the Heat, and Desmond Bane staying hot against the Thunder.
Those and more NBA picks, for Tuesday, January 3, below.
Fading the Miami Heat on the glass has been profitable, so we’ll keep that up by backing one of the best rebounders in the NBA, Jalen Johnson.
The newly minted All-Star is hauling down 10.5 rebounds per game this season, and that’s up to 13.5 over his last six outings.
The matchup with the Heat is so enticing because of their high tempo. They lead the NBA in pace and field-goal attempts per game, which means a lot of boards. Miami also surrenders the second most rebounds per game.
All the rumors surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo potentially being traded still can’t distract from the product the Milwaukee Bucks are putting on the court.
They’ve lost eight of nine and have the fourth-worst defensive rating since the start of January. The Bucks also allow the fourth-most assists per possession during that period. That has me looking at Coby White.
The Chicago Bulls guard is averaging 5.4 assists per game over his last seven games, topping 4.5 four times over that stretch.
Bane is putting up 21.4 points while shooting 42.3% from three over the last 10 games, and I love him to keep firing tonight against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
OKC's defensive effort has been a little more inconsistent this season, and slowing down guards has been a problem. The Thunder surrender the third-most points and the fourth-highest opponent 3-point shooting percentage to opposing guards.
At even money, Bane’s a great bet to go Over a number he’s topped in six straight.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
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The Pittsburgh Penguins saw their six-game winning streak snapped by the Ottawa Senators on Monday night and will try to bounce back in their biggest regular-season game to date on Tuesday against the New York Islanders.
In fact, this is probably the biggest Penguins game since they played the Boston Bruins on Apr. 13, 2024, with all of their playoff hopes on the line.
A regulation win for the Penguins would give them a four-point cushion on the Islanders with two games in hand. However, a regulation win for the Islanders would pull them even with the Penguins for second in the Metropolitan Division.
The Islanders enter this game losers of two-straight games and didn't look good in a 4-1 loss to the Washington Capitals on Monday. They'll have Ilya Sorokin for Tuesday's game, which is a big deal since he's arguably been the best goaltender in the NHL this year and has covered up many of their defensive warts. Sorokin leads the NHL with 27 goals saved above expected and also has a .916 save percentage and a 2.44 goals-against average.
Rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer is having a fantastic season for the Islanders, compiling 15 goals and 37 points in 56 games. He's been exceptional in his own zone, and his skating is breathtaking.
Don't forget about Mathew Barzal, either. His edgework is elite, and he's having a really good season with 15 goals and 47 points in 55 games. Bo Horvat earned his way to the Team Canada Olympic roster this season and has 21 goals and 35 points in 42 games.
The Penguins will get Bryan Rust back from his three-game suspension on Tuesday, which could be huge for Sidney Crosby. Crosby hasn't been himself for the last week, so getting his linemate back might jumpstart him.
Stuart Skinner is set to start in goal after Arturs Silovs started on Monday. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT and HBO Max. Fans can also listen to the game on 105.9 'The X.'
The New York Knicks face off with the Washington Wizards in an Eastern Conference clash. The second-place Knicks have won six straight, covering all of them. Meanwhile, at the other end of the standings, Washington has won three of the last four.
However, the Wizards haven’t beaten a team with a winning record since Jan. 6, 13 games ago. They’ve covered just two of their last seven as double-digit dogs.
That’s why my Knicks vs. Wizards predictions & NBA picks call for New York to get a road cover on Tuesday, February 3.
Knicks vs Wizards prediction
Knicks vs Wizards best bet: Knicks -13.5 (-105)
The Washington Wizards have faced four lines this large in the last month and a half and lost all of them by double digits, going 1-3 ATS with losses by 25, 21 and 19 points.
Yes, Washington is enjoying its best run of the season — winning back-to-back games for just the third time and taking three of four for only the second time.
But those victories have come against struggling competition, as the Wizards knocked off three losing teams, including a sub-.400 Milwaukee squad and Sacramento, one of the few NBA teams with a worse record than their own.
The Wizards will also be shorthanded without Tre Johnson, as the team’s third-best perimeter shooter and 12.9-point scorer is set to miss his third straight game with a sprained ankle.
While Washington is expected to welcome center Alex Sarr back after he sat out Sunday with a calf issue, it likely won’t be enough to keep pace with the New York Knicks.
The Knicks have been favored by double-digits in their last six head-to-head meetings with the Wizards. They’ve won them all and covered four, including three straight.
Knicks vs Wizards same-game parlay
The Knicks have gone Under in nine of their last 10 games and play at the No. 24 pace in the league, while Washington prefers to push the tempo as the NBA’s ninth-fastest team.
Still, the Wizards have struggled to dictate terms against stronger opponents, forcing the Over just four times in their last 11 games against slower-paced teams favored by double digits.
Despite hitting six threes in a game twice during the six-game winning streak, there still doesn’t appear to be much trust in Landry Shamet.
He’s been boom-or-bust — scoring 23 against the Lakers and 18 versus Brooklyn but totaling just 26 points with seven made threes in the other four wins, with his big nights coming against two of the league’s five worst perimeter defenses.
Knicks vs Wizards SGP
Knicks -13.5
Under 228.5
Landry Shamet Under 8.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: Can we interest you in KAT?
If insider buzz is accurate, the Knicks are pushing to make a move before the trade deadline, with New York eyeing Giannis Antetokounmpo and reportedly willing to include Karl-Anthony Towns in a potential package.
Towns, who previously struggled amid trade chatter, may be feeling it again after shooting just 18-for-49 (.367) over his last four games, well below his season average.
Knicks vs Wizards SGP
Knicks -13.5
Under 228.5
Landry Shamet Under 8.5 points
Karl-Anthony Towns Under 20.5 points
Knicks vs Wizards odds
Spread: New York -13.5 (-105) | Washington +13.5 (-115)
Moneyline: New York -700 | Washington +500
Over/Under: Over 227.5 (-110) | Under 227.5 (-110)
Knicks vs Wizards betting trend to know
The Knicks have won 10 straight over Washington, six by double figures, three by 20 or more. Find more NBA betting trends for Knicks vs. Wizards.
How to watch Knicks vs Wizards
Location
Capital One Arena, Washington, DC
Date
Tuesday, February 3, 2026
Tip-off
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
MSG, MNMT
Knicks vs Wizards latest injuries
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SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 13: Kyle Freeland #21 of the Colorado Rockies warms up prior to throwing a bullpen at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on February 13, 2025 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Kyle Cooper/Colorado Rockies/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Spring training officially kicked off for the Colorado Rockies today as pitchers and catchers report to camp, and it won’t be long before Cactus League action begins with games taking place on February 20.
As usual, a batch of games will be available for consumption thanks to the Rockies Radio Network and the return of Rockies.TV for another year. On Wednesday, the Rockies officially announced the broadcast schedule for spring training.
850 AM/94.1 FM KOA Rockies Radio Network
(All times Denver time)
Feb. 20 vs. Diamondbacks (1 p.m. pregame/1:10 p.m. first pitch)
Feb. 22 at Rangers (12:55/1:05)
Feb. 24 vs. Angels (1/1:10)
Feb. 28 vs. Royals (1/1:10)
March 1 at Guardians (12:55/1:05)
March 2 vs. Dodgers (1/1:10)
March 4 vs. Team USA (1/1:10)
March 8 vs. Guardians (2/2:10)
March 9 at White Sox (1:55/2:05)
March 13 vs. Rangers (2/2:10)
March 15 at Angels (2/2:10)
March 17 vs. Mariners (2/2:10)
March 23 vs. Tigers (7/7:10)
Rockies.TV
Feb. 20 vs. Diamondbacks
Feb. 24 vs. Angels
Feb. 28 vs. Royals
March 1 at Guardians (opposing team broadcast)
March 2 vs. Dodgers
March 4 vs. Team USA
March 8 vs. Guardians
March 13 vs. Rangers
March 17 vs. Mariners
March 20 at San Diego (6:10/opposing team broadcast)
March 21 at Arizona (1:10/opposing team broadcast)
March 23 vs. Tigers (Games on March 4 and March 23 will feature Rockies TV broadcasters. All others are simulcasts with the KOA Rockies Radio Network)
All spring training games will be free to stream without blackouts with an MLB.com account, no purchase necessary. For the regular season, Rockies.TV costs $99.99 for the year or just $19.99 per month. You can also bundle it with MLB.TV for $199.99.
One of the more notable games will be the match-up against Team USA on March 4 as they get a tune-up for the World Baseball Classic. Additionally, the Spring Breakout game featuring top prospects from the Rockies and the Diamondbacks will take place on March 21. Broadcast info has not been ironed out for that game yet.
Rockies play-by-play broadcaster Drew Goodman returns for his 25th year calling Rockies games, and will be joined once again in the booth by Jeff Huson, Ryan Spilborghs and Cory Sullivan. Kelsey Wingert and Marc Stout will also return in their roles as dugout reporters, and will be joined this year by Rachel Tos, who has served as a reporter and host for the Colorado Avalanche over the past six-plus years.
Meanwhile, Jack Corrigan returns for his 24th season as the play-by-play voice for KOA, and his 41st season in MLB. It appears we will not have a dedicated partner this season after long-time co-announcer Jerry Schemmel was laid off this offseason by iHeartRadio.
Rockies baseball is right around the corner. Who are you most excited to follow through the broadcasts this year? Carry on the discussion below!
Jalen Johnson
Coby White
Desmond Bane