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Better Know Your Blue Jays 40-Man: Jonatan Clase

Jonatan Clase is a 23-year-old (24 in May), switch-hitting outfielder from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He came to us in trade from the Mariners, along with catcher Jacob Sharp, for Yimi Garcia. Sharp played in New Hampshire in 2025, hitting .161/.271/.206 in 68 games

He has played 60 major league games, and lost his rookie status in 2024. In the 60 games, he’s hit .224/.294/.311 with 3 home runs, 6 steals, caught 2 times.

The big news is the MLB has given the Jays one more option year on Clase. Well, good news for the Jays, I’m not so sure it is good for Jonatan. It makes him less likely to be DFAed. But then, if he were on another team, he would be more likely to find a spot on the active roster. With the Jays, he looks to be waiting for an injury or two. He would be a good choice for the 27th man when we have a doubleheader. If you had room on your active roster, he would be the perfect guy to pinch-run in extra innings, being the Manfred Mann. And he would be an excellent defensive replacement. But then, he’d still have to hit better than .161.

At the moment, I’d think he would be behind Joey Loperfido, Yohendrick Piñango, as well as spring training invites RJ Schreck and Elroy Jiménez (though the latter two aren’t on the 40-man roster at the moment) in line for a job in the majors if there is an injury. Of course, we have Daulton Varsho, George Springer, Anthony Santander, Nathan Lukes, Myles Straw, Davis Schneider and Addison Barger all who can play outfield and are expecting a spot on the active roster (I’m not sure how all of them can make it).

Clase played 87 games for the Bisons, last year, hitting .255/.335/.403 with 7 home runs and 30 steals (caught just 4 times). His defense is good, with the occasional poor route (but he generally makes up for that with his speed).

As much as I like him, I really don’t see a path to him getting major league at-bats. I guess a terrific spring training would help.

I often compare him to Otis Nixon. Nixon didn’t have a MLB season with over 200 PA until age 29. Nixon had 727 PA before age 30 and 5073 after age 30. So don’t count Jonatan out. Clase has more power than Nixon had and is a better defensive outfielder.

Steamer projects he will appear in 12 MLB games, hitting .225/.294/.367 in 45 plate appearances.

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Rick Rizzs, the Voice of the Seattle Mariners, will retire after the 2026 season

Rick Rizzs has announced through the Seattle Mariners that the 2026 season will be his final one as the radio voice of baseball in the Pacific Northwest, retiring following this year’s campaign.

The season will be Rizzs’ 41st in Seattle, and his 44th in the big leagues (having spent three years with the Detroit Tigers), and his 52nd overall. Rizzs has been bringing the Mariners to fans over the airwaves longer than any other broadcaster in the franchise’s history, surpassing even his longtime partner in crime, Dave Niehaus, with whom he called games for 25 years. The 72 year old’s career in broadcasting baseball is older than the franchise that he has been the voice of, and the kid from the South Side of Chicago has become a community cornerstone in his adopted home of Seattle for decades.

The Mariners noted that the 2026 season, which will also be the club’s 50th, will be spent celebrating Rizzs’ Hall of Fame-caliber career as the Voice of the Mariners. He is, by all accounts professional and personal, a truly kind man, whose capacity for consistency and warmth is as genuine in the broadcast booth as it is through his interpersonal interactions and indefatigable charitable work. The co-founder of Toys for Kids and the Rick’s Locker program, Rizzs has spent over 30 years raising funds and resources for kids and families in the Pacific Northwest, as well as housing, food, school supplies and scholarships, and baseball gear. Say friends, it’s hard to see him go.

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Yankees claim RHP Dom Hamel off waivers from Rangers

The Yankees announced on Tuesday that they have claimed RHP Dom Hamel off waivers from the Texas Rangers.

Hamel, 26, was originally drafted by the Mets in the third round of the 2021 draft. The Arizona native worked his way up the Mets' farm system before making his major league debut in 2025 for the Mets. In that appearance, Hamel allowed three hits and hit a batter across one inning of work against the Padres back on Sept. 17. 

The Mets designated Hamel for assignment on Sept. 18 and he was claimed by the Orioles a few days later. The Rangers would claim him off waivers on Sept. 27 before he was DFA'd last week. 

In the minors last year, Hamel made 31 appearances (11 starts), pitching to a 5.32 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP across 67.2 innings pitched with Triple-A Syracuse.

Across 111 appearances (89 starts) in his five-year minor league career, Hamel has a 4.72 ERA, a 1.37 WHIP and 511 strikeouts across 438.1 innings pitched. 

The Yankees also announced they have designated for assignment LHP Jayvien Sandridge and INF/OF Marco Luciano, who they claimed off waivers from the Orioles a week ago.

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“I’d rather have those conversations”: Joe Mazzulla addresses deadly Minnesota shootings

BOSTON — During what’s become an increasingly dark time in Minnesota, players, coaches, and public figures alike have begun speaking out against the deadly violence carried out by federal immigration agents. On Monday night, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla joined in on the conversation.

Before hosting the Trail Blazers at TD Garden to open a four‑game homestand, Mazzulla was asked about the unrest in Minnesota that so far has resulted in the deaths of 37‑year‑old Renée Good, a mother of three, and 37‑year‑old Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs hospital — both killed in separate federal immigration enforcement shootings.

“Everyone’s impacted by stuff differently,” Mazzulla said.

“Everyone has a way to use their platform differently. So I think the most important thing with that is actually the opposite: I’d rather have those conversations with them, or let them feel any way that they can impact the platform that they have — which is way more important than basketball. We have a great group of guys that do that in different ways; some do it in the public, some do it in the private. And I think you just allow for people to do that. That’s my favorite thing, being around them as men — whether they’re fathers, husbands, or just guys that have impact on people. That’s the most important thing you can do.”

The killings of Good and Pretti have triggered outrage nationwide, with protests erupting across the country in response to the increasingly aggressive actions of federal agents — not police officers. Forced stops demanding identification and proof of citizenship, along with escalated use of force, have become more and more common, exposing millions of Americans to the risks posed by immigration enforcement.

Former Celtics Isaiah Thomas and Guerschon Yabusele spoke out on social media after videos of Pretti’s death began circulating Saturday. The widely shared footage drew responses from Thomas, a father of three, and Yabusele, who welcomed his first child last year. Though from very different backgrounds — Thomas, a Tacoma, Washington native, and Yabusele, a Frenchman who first arrived in the United States in 2016 — both expressed similar sentiments on their respective platforms.

The National Basketball Players Association released a statement of solidarity on Sunday, standing by those in Minnesota affected by the ongoing violence that’s plagued the entire state.

“Now more than ever, we must defend the right to freedom of speech and stand in solidarity with the people in Minnesota protesting and risking their lives to demand justice,” the statement reads. “The fraternity of NBA players, like the United States itself, is a community enriched by its global citizens, and we refuse to let the flames of division threaten the civil liberties that are meant to protect us all.”

Mazzulla, a devout Catholic, understands the weight of today’s political climate. The effects aren’t limited to NBA fans — players, too, feel the impact of a rapidly changing American landscape. They recognize the challenges fans face and the responsibility they carry in using their voices to speak for those who don’t have one.

The NBA has long been at the forefront of speaking out against social injustices — a role Celtics leader Jaylen Brown, Vice President of the NBPA, has embraced. Brown has admired the pioneering work of basketball legend Bill Russell, who, alongside Muhammad Ali and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., led the charge for civil rights activism in the 1960s.

Brown has never feared the aftermath of speaking his mind, regardless of the topic of discussion.

For Mazzulla, creating an environment where players feel comfortable expressing their opinions takes priority. It’s a conversation many are unwilling to have — civilly or in good faith — but one Mazzulla approaches with an open mind and open ears. He doesn’t want anyone in Boston’s locker room to feel censored or unable to speak up, and he’s willing to meet whatever that responsibility demands to ensure players can use their voices where they believe it matters most.

“I think it’s more about listening and allowing people to be who they are, and having a judgment-free zone — looking at people as more than just basketball players. How can I help you with your platform? How can I be there for you? How can I give you the space to be who you are?” Mazzulla said. “That’s one of my favorite things to do — to allow for that. Everyone’s different. It’s a balance. I think it’s more of that, and the other thing is making sure they see the consistency in how I try to live and carry out the platform and opportunity that I have. I think you just kind of keep it to that.”

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Against a tough defense, Jaylen Brown’s controlled performance yielded winning results

There was nothing flashy about Jaylen Brown’s performance on Monday night. 

An efficient 20 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists with only one turnover to his name and four steals to Portland’s, it wasn’t another 30-point scoring masterclass, but it was patient, winning basketball, and it was done against a defensive coverage hellbent on forcing the ball out of his hands.

Through double-teams, blitzed pick-and-rolls and a reliance on primary defender Toumani Camara, appropriately nicknamed “The Shadow,” the Trail Blazers adjusted out of the first quarter to make life as difficult as possible for the All-Star starter, and yet, a controlled late-game performance proved to be a difference in a midseason slugfest. 

The 12 minutes and 46 seconds Camara spent matching up on Brown was double the amount of time of the next closest Blazer-on-Celtic matchup last night (Donovan Clingan’s 6:12 on Neemias Queta came in a “close” second). It wasn’t a far cry from Portland and Boston’s first meeting, where Camara spent 8 minutes on Brown during the Blazers’ 114-108 win on Dec. 28. 

Considering Camara’s reputation as a star-guarding defender, that’s not an easy day in the office for Brown, especially when pick-and-roll actions are blitzed to force the ball elsewhere. Yet, Brown’s difficult shotmaking gene and ability to force rotations through his own gravity led to a productive 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting against that matchup. Despite just one of his four assists coming against Camara, you could see the hockey assists and extra passes come into play, particularly down the stretch as Boston’s offense did just enough to close the door on a Portland team that lingered around for the bulk of the game. 

For your enjoyment, here is a compilation of that matchup (both makes and misses) out of the halfcourt: 

View Link

What you’ll notice early is the success Brown had in the pick-and-roll game, burying three shots against drop coverage from both Clingan and Robert Williams. Portland didn’t give him that luxury outside of the first quarter, however, jumping those screens and forcing Brown out of the comfort zone he built during Boston’s hot-shooting first quarter.

As that video progresses, you’re seeing more isolation work directly against Camara. On paper, that’s a tall task for any shot creator. Camara is built to sustain drive contact, and his 7-foot wingspan allows him to cover ground even if you get a step on him, but Brown manages to utilize his own strength (and perhaps the occasional push-off) to generate the minimum space requirements needed to bury shots from the mid-range. 

What that isolation work also does is give Brown more court vision to sense where the help is coming from. 

In the fourth quarter, Brown didn’t make a single shot, or register even one assist, but the way he moved the ball into space was instrumental to Boston getting clean looks despite their No. 1 option receiving the bulk of the defense’s attention. 

In the two-clip package below, neither fourth quarter play registers on the box score, and only one ends in a made basket, but notice the attention Brown is drawing at the start of each clip and how he’s working the ball into space. 

View Link

In the first clip, he sees three defenders in his area and breaks down the defense with a tough-angle kickout to Derrick White. The second is a pass over the double team where Sam Hauser wisely cuts into space to give him an outlet over the defense, which generates an open mid-range jumper. 

In this last clip (of lesser quality because NBA.com cuts off the entire possession), Hauser is again the safety valve opening up for Brown, this time on a play that puts this game away for good. 

View Link

Boston wants to get the ball in Brown’s hands, so they run a gut screen that doesn’t shake Camara but at least gets the ball successfully to Brown, albeit far out beyond the 3-point line. Like his namesake, Camara perfectly shadows Brown to keep him from attacking, but Hauser is all over this possession, ghosting a screen that forces Jrue Holiday to communicate to Shaedon Sharpe to take an off-ball switch, which comes just a little too late as Hauser loops back around toward the nail to receive a lofted pass over the outstretched arms of Camara.

Hauser gets to a soft spot in the defense, where he has space to pitch it to White for the game-sealing dagger. 

That possession took three passes and 18 precious seconds off the clock, and the Celtics were able to come away with a home win where their star player made winning plays against a defense that dared anyone else to find the bottom of the net.

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Penguins' Bryan Rust suspended 3 games for an illegal check to the head of Canucks' Brock Boeser

NEW YORK (AP) — Pittsburgh Penguins forward Bryan Rust has been suspended three games for an illegal check to the head of Vancouver’s Brock Boeser.

The NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced the ban Tuesday following a disciplinary hearing with Rust, who will be out Thursday against Chicago, Saturday against the New York Rangers and Monday against Ottawa. He's eligible to return next Tuesday at the Islanders.

Rust lifted his right shoulder into Boeser’s head in the final seconds of the Penguins’ game at the Canucks on Sunday, which they won 3-2. Boeser is out at least a week after going on injured reserve.

Rust will forfeit $80,078 in salary with that money going to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

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Line Combinations: Red Wings vs. Kings

The Detroit Red Wings return home Tuesday riding a surge of momentum after a strong three-game road trip, having won eight of their last ten games and four straight at home. They’ll host the Los Angeles Kings in a rematch of an earlier 4–3 shootout win in California.

While Detroit has been heating up, the Kings arrive looking for consistency, posting a 7-8-6 record over their last 21 games. Still firmly in the playoff hunt and tied for the Western Conference’s second wild-card spot, Los Angeles will be motivated by both revenge and the need to build momentum in a tightly packed race.

Detroit’s recent success has been fueled by balanced scoring throughout the lineup, with several players breaking out of slumps, including J.T. Compher, Marco Kasper, and Emmitt Finnie. That depth has eased pressure on stars like Patrick Kane, who remains on the verge of a historic milestone, while Alex DeBrincat, Dylan Larkin, and Lucas Raymond continue to drive offense.

The Kings, meanwhile, have struggled to score consistently and may again lean on strong goaltending from Darcy Kuemper and a defense-first approach, with young blueliner Brandt Clarke and winger Adrian Kempe providing key offensive sparks. With John Gibson expected to start for Detroit, the matchup sets up as a tightly contested game between two teams relying on structure, depth, and timely goaltending.

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

Detroit Red Wings’ Expected Line Combinations vs Minnesota (Thursday)

Kasper – Larkin – Raymond

DeBrincat – Copp – Kane

Finnie – Compher – van Riemsdyk

Soderblom – Rasmussen – Appleton

Benard-Docker – Seider

Sandin-Pellikka - Chiarot

Johansson – Hamonic

Gibson

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Red Wings, Kings Collide in Motor City With Goaltending Duel Front and CenterRed Wings, Kings Collide in Motor City With Goaltending Duel Front and CenterRed Wings' hot streak meets Kings' desperate playoff push as stellar goaltending showdown awaits in Detroit.
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Three Phillies prospects in ESPN top 100

Kiley McDaniel, one of the more respected writers in the prospect sphere of baseball coverage, released his top 100 prospects this morning ($). Three Phillies showed up on the list.

#10 – Aidan Miller

His above-average to plus speed is apparent on the basepaths as shown by his 59 stolen bases last season. Miller could lean more into his power with more loft to his swing path, but I have a feeling what he’s doing is already optimized for him and he’ll naturally find his way to 25 homers with a strong on-base rate along with real value in the field and on the bases.

#27 – Andrew Painter

Taking a step back, Painter has four above-average pitches (95-98, touching 100 mph fastball, cutter, slider, changeup) and the components for starter-level command with a real shot to break camp in the Phillies’ rotation in 2026. In my opinion, he should de-emphasize his sweeper (the slowest of his three breaking pitches) from his second-most-used pitch to fourth or fifth, but should get a bigger boost to his performance from simply being another year away from his surgery and long layoff.

#69 – Justin Crawford

Crawford has plus contact skills and a solid approach along with solid-average raw power; he’ll sting the ball (46% hard-hit rate) though without the secondary power skills (loft in the swing and pull/lift ability) to regularly put the ball over the fence. This kind of player is often more productive via WAR than a fan would guess, because he’s racking up solid value in all aspects of the game (hitting, baserunning, fielding) while his speed helps round up his raw hitting ability (legging out infield singles/bunts) and also helps his isolated power (bloop singles become doubles).

Nothing new about this trio making a list like this, but it’s nice to continually see national respect for them.

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The Washington Nationals Need To Pounce On A Free Agent Starting Pitcher

Even before trading MacKenzie Gore to the Texas Rangers in exchange for 5 prospects, the Nationals’ rotation was looking very subpar entering 2026. Following Gore’s departure, the unit now projects to be 29th in fWAR this season, according to Fangraphs, finishing ahead of only the Colorado Rockies, not great company when talking about pitching. Foster Griffin and Cade Cavalli project to lead the rotation, with fWARs just under 2 and ERAs just above 4, but outside of those two, the rotation isn’t looking pretty, with Brad Lord projected around a 4.50 ERA, and Jake Irvin and Josiah Gray with projected ERAs near 5.

The Nats have been mentioned in the starting pitching market a few times, but never tied to any names. It is expected that they won’t want to drop a large sum of money on a pitcher, ruling out top remaining arms such as Framber Valdez and Zac Gallen, but that they would bring in a name notable enough to lock into a rotation spot over one of Jake Irvin, Josiah Gray, or Brad Lord. Let’s take a look at a few of the remaining starting pitchers on the free agent market and find one or two who would best fit in the Nats rotation in 2026.

RHP Lucas Giolito

The best available free-agent starting pitcher in the Nationals’ price range is likely Lucas Giolito, the former Nats top prospect who was shipped to the White Sox for Adam Eaton before the 2017 season. After stops with 4 other clubs, including 3 teams in 2023, Giolito now hits the open market, following a 2025 campaign where he posted a 3.41 ERA and 2 fWAR in 145 innings pitched.

While Giolito was the most productive of any free agent arm in the Nats’ price range, there is a few reasons I would be hesitant to pay him. For starters, while the surface-level numbers looked strong for Giolito, a peek under the hood suggests regression coming for him in 2026. His FIP was 4.17, a respectable number, but far off from his 3.41 ERA, and his expected ERA was even worse, sitting at 5.06, in the 12th percentile among all starting pitchers in 2025.

Giolito’s peripherals also don’t suggest his 2025 success will translate so easily to 2026. With his 22nd percentile average exit velocity, 28th percentile strikeout rate, and 30th percentile walk rate, it’s hard to imagine a world where Giolito can be worth whatever the Nats would pay him this winter. Still, perhaps Toboni believes some change Giolito made during his time in Boston can translate long-term, and their connection from that time can get a deal done.

RHP Justin Verlander

After a shaky first half to Verlander’s age-42 season in which he posted a 4.70 ERA and 4.22 FIP in 76 2/3 innings pitched, it looked like the future Hall of Famer’s career may have been coming to a close. Then suddenly, in the second half, Verlander flipped a switch, posting a 2.99 ERA and 3.47 FIP in 75 1/3 innings pitched, showing he still has what it takes to pitch in the big leagues for at least one more year.

Verlander likely hopes to pitch for a contender in 2026, but if no contender is willing to take a chance on him at the moment, perhaps starting the year with the Nationals and being traded to one at the deadline could be what he’s looking for.

Proof that an old dog still can learn tricks is Verlander adding a sweeper to his arsenal in 2025. He used the pitch primarily against right-handed hitters, throwing it to them 13% of the time, and it was a huge success, with a .135 opponents’ batting average. If Verlander is a National in 2026, as the Nats coaching staff, I’d be looking to increase his usage of that pitch even more against righties, making it one of his more used pitches.

RHP Aaron Civale

Like Verlander, Civale got roughed up in the first half of 2025, but found another gear in the second half, posting a 3.58 FIP in 49 1/3 innings pitched. The difference between Verlander and Civale, other than Civale being 12 years younger, is that Civale finished the season as a relief pitcher, making it risky for the Nats to try him out again as a starter.

Civale did a strong job of limiting hard contact in 2025, posting a 69th percentile average exit velocity. He also does a solid job of limiting free passes, with a 59th percentile walk rate in 2025. Civale doesn’t get a lot of swing and miss, so he’s at his best when he keeps the ball out of the air and on the ground, and that was exactly the case in 2025, as when he cut his fly ball rate by 10% and raised his groundball rate by 8% in the second half of 2025 versus the first, his performance greatly improved.

While the 3 pitchers here would be my preference for rotation upgrades in 2026, I am open to whatever moves Paul Toboni and his staff believe they need to make. The new coaching staff specializes in unlocking players’ hidden potentials, and perhaps they see something in a pitcher none of us are thinking about that they can unlock.

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The Guardians Should Stand Pat (For Now. Probably.)

I have been clear that the Guardians don’t have an excuse for not adding either a centerfield and/or a middle of the order hitter all off-season. Time have changed. Let’s talk about it.

For whatever reason, the Guardians did not land Willson Contreras or Brandon Lowe or Taylor Ward or Kaz Okomoto or Ryan O’Hearn (middle-of-the-order hitters) or Harrison Bader/Luis Robert, Jr./Dane Myers (centerfielders). I can’t really tell you why, except that in a couple cases, it seems to be because the team is reluctant to commit money in 2027 when they clearly expect their to be a MLB lockout initiated by MLB’s owners. I think they had to offer whatever in trades and salary necessary to land at least ONE of these players. They didn’t. It’s time to accept reality on that.

At this point in the offseason, I do not see enough of a needle mover for me to be promoting the Guardians’ sign a free agent. Austin Hays isn’t a centerfielder, Austin Slater is probably bad, Luis Arraez is not a good positional fit for his limited offensive value, Miguel Andujar and Rhys Hoskins are probably not enough of an upgrade over C.J Kayfus and David Fry, though Andujar’s case is the most persuasive to me of remaining free agents. Marcell Ozuna is someone who tried to strangle his wife whom I do not want to watch on my favorite baseball team. Eugenio Suarez is PROBABLY a DH-only and probably not enough of an upgrade over exisisting options (he also doesn’t hit LHP). I’d be varying degrees of happy if they decided to sign any of these players, but I do not believe there is any particularly compelling reason for them to do so.

Now, if the Cubs are interested in trading Nico Hoerner or the Diamondbacks revisit trading Ketel Marte, I would absolutely jump into those discussions if I were the Guardians. I understand not being in on a potential Yandy Diaz trade because he is a DH-only and the Guardians, clearly, want the DH spot to rotate between Kyle Manzardo, Chase DeLauter, David Fry and others. Given that these teams are probably planning to enter the season with each of these three options as part of their roster, it’s probably better to revisit these kind of potential trades at the trade deadline (to be clear, by the trade deadline, Ketel Marte would have to waive a no-trade clause that will vest by then). I think the Guardians WILL be aggressive in finding players, especially rentals, as needed in July to fill any roster holes if their team is competitive in the AL Central – as they should be.

The roster, as is, looks likely to be, on Opening Day:

Lineup:
Catcher: Bo Naylor, Austin Hedges and (as a 3rd catcher/pinch-hitter) David Fry
First Base: Kyle Manzardo, C.J. Kayfus and David Fry
Second Base: Gabriel Arias
Shortstop: Brayan Rocchio
Third Base: Jose Ramirez
Left Field: Steven Kwan
Center Field: Nolan Jones and Stuart Fairchild platoon
Right Field: Chase DeLauter (load management concerns for DeLauter will create reps here for David Fry and Daniel Schneemann and Stuart Fairchild)
Designated Hitter: Kyle Manzardo, David Fry, Jose Ramirez

Utility Player: Daniel Schneemann

Please hear me that I PERSONALLY would prefer the team move on from Arias now and give Juan Brito Opening Day reps, and DFA Jones to Columbus and take the risk of DeLauter as your primary centerfielder and George Valera as your strongside platoon starter in right. But, I am trying to be realistic about what WILL happen. I don’t think Arias or Jones will have a lot of rope, but I do think they both get at least another brief look to see if there’s something there.

Rotation: Whoever is healthy among Gavin Williams RHP, Tanner Bibee RHP, Joey Cantillo LHP, Slade Cecconi RHP, Parker Messick LHP and Logan Allen LHP

Bullpen: Peyton Pallette, LHP, Pedro Avila, RHP, Tim Herrin, RHP, Erik Sabrowski, LHP, Matt Festa, RHP, Shawn Armstrong, RHP, Hunter Gaddis, RHP, and Cade Smith, RHP
(Connor Brogdon and Colin Holderman also strong options, with Holderman having a minor-league option remaining. Franco Aleman and Daniel Espino should also have outside chances at making it.)

As I noted above, I think the Guardians WILL be aggressive with promoting outfielder George Valera and infielder Juan Brito, but I expect them to give players like Jones and Arias some additional time in April. I also think we could see Travis Bazzana sometime in June if he performs well in Columbus. Petey Halpin and Kahlil Watson will also be knocking on the door if the Jones/Fairchild platoon fails (as we likely almost all expect to be the case).

Is this my ideal? No. Is this roster LIKELY to win a World Series? No. But, IF the Guardians are aggressive with giving players like Kayfus and DeLauter as many reps as possible, and in promoting players like Brito, Valera and Bazzana by May/June, I see plenty of reasons to be optimistic and to back up their oft-repeated refrain of “not wanting to block young players.” If the Guardians try strict platoons with young players and drag their feet on promotions of deserving prospects, however… fans will have plenty of reasons to complain and picket Progressive Field.

I still can’t believe the Guardians didn’t find a way to make a significant upgrade either to the middle of their lineup or to centerfield. It seemed like an absolute necessity and I don’t think the gamble of not making that move (LIKELY caused by ownership concern over the impending lockout) is going to turn out well for the team. I am not looking forward to fans complaining about the Guardians having the lowest payroll in baseball and using it as a reason to not attend games. I get those feelings, but, in reality, this IS a very exciting group of young players who – IF the team is aggressive with promotions – should play a winning and thrilling brand of baseball.

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Yankees hire Mario Garza as new international scouting director after massive shakeup

An image collage containing 1 images, Image 1 shows Two men, one in a Yankees cap and shirt and the other in a Somerset Patriots polo, stand in front of a framed display
Yankees hire Mario Garza

The Yankees are staying in-house for another notable hire.

Mario Garza has been named the club’s new director of international scouting, a source confirmed Tuesday, replacing longtime head Donny Rowland after he was let go earlier this offseason.

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Garza, 44, is entering his 16th year with the Yankees organization and has plenty of fans inside it, most recently serving as the director of baseball development while working with minor leaguers. He has also been the coordinator of baseball development, director of Latin American operations, assistant director of international player development and a manager at Single-A and the Gulf Coast League.

YES Network first reported the hire.

In his new role, Garza will be tasked with getting the Yankees international pipeline back on track after it had too often come up empty on many of its high-priced signings. The organization typically has one of the smallest international signing bonus pools because it regularly goes over the highest luxury tax threshold, and while it has had more success with lower-priced signings, it has not gotten strong enough returns on the biggest chunks of that money spent, especially of late.

After dismissing Rowland following 15 years on the job, the Yankees lost out on one of the top prospects in the current signing class, shortstop Wandy Asigen, who backed out of his agreement and instead signed with the Mets last week.

Mario Garza (l) in an interview for the Somerset Patriots. @somersetpatriots/YouTube

The Yankees took their time in finding Rowland’s replacement, interviewing a group of candidates that included former Astros international scouting director Oz Ocampo, before hiring from within.

Garza becomes the latest member of the Yankees player development system to be promoted this offseason, joining new first base coach Dan Fiorito and assistant hitting coach Jake Hirst.

The Yankees waiver carousel took another spin Tuesday, this time taking a shot on a former Mets minor league pitcher of the year.

The club claimed right-hander Dom Hamel off waivers from the Rangers and designated lefty Jayvien Sandridge and infielder/outfielder Marco Luciano for assignment — one of which cleared a 40-man spot for re-signing Cody Bellinger.

The 26-year-old Hamel has only appeared in one big league game, throwing an inning of relief for the Mets last September. He spent most of 2025 at Triple-A Syracuse, pitching to a 5.32 ERA in 31 games (11 starts). The former third-round pick was the Mets’ minor league pitcher of the year in 2022, which he split between Single-A and High-A.

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Rui Hachimura is ‘back in his groove’ and thriving for the Lakers

Rui Hachimura’s talent is undeniable.

He’s an elite shooter who is converting on 43.9% of his 3-point attempts on the season, making him the best perimeter threat on the Lakers. Recently, though, he’s been struggling.

His calf injury forced him to miss seven straight games and upon his return, his production dipped. Hachimura averagedjust 7.8 points while making 31.3% of his 3-point shots in his first four games back.

But during LA’s recent road trip, he’s begun to take a turn for the better.

He had back-to-back threes late in the fourth in a win against Dallas and in Chicago, Hachimura shot lights out, going 9-11 from the field, scoring 23 points in his 29 minutes of play.

After the win, Lakers head coach JJ Redick acknowledged Hachimura’s return to form.

“Rui, now, feels like…he’s kind of back in his groove,” Redick said. “He had not taken a ton of shots and I don’t think was playing well – and I told them him that so I’m not trying to call him out – but he wasn’t playing well leading into his injury and then it takes a little bit of time to get back in that rhythm. It feels like the last few games, he’s back to who he was at the start of the year.

“I think his defensive engagement, particularly the last two games because in Dallas he had a great defensive game on tape as a low man and again another good one tonight.”

Hachimura was always going to regress to the mean. During his four seasons with the Lakers, he’s been a consistent double-digit scorer, so a handful of subpar games after an injury shouldn’t have been cause for panic.

However, as Redick mentioned, Hachimura was playing poorly even before his injury. Also, now he appears to have been moved to the bench. A change like that can be misinterpreted and significantly impact how a player performs.

Hachimura playing this well while coming off the bench demonstrates that he is embracing his sixth man role and will continue to play his best. And his experience in the NBA has helped him remain level-headed through all of it.

“This is my seventh season and the NBA season is so long,” Hachimura said. “It’s up and down. I always tell myself to stay calm and do what you’ve got to do. That’s all you can do, control what you can do. For me to do this kind of stuff, it’s normal.”

With Hachimura looking like his old self, the Lakers have their best shooter back. And if he continues to excel as a reserve player, he should also give the bench an offensive injection they desperately need.

LA averages 26.2 bench points per game, which is the lowest scoring average in the NBA.

Hachimura might not be the most important Laker, but he’s a key player in the rotation. And if he stays playing at this level, it raises the ceiling on how good the Lakers can be.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

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Why The Islanders’ Trading Their 2026 Third-Round Pick Isn’t Worth The Panic

On Monday night, the New York Islanders traded their 2026 third-round pick to the New York Rangers in exchange for left-side defenseman Carson Soucy. 

Islanders Trade 2026 Third-Round Pick To Rangers For Carson SoucyIslanders Trade 2026 Third-Round Pick To Rangers For Carson SoucyIslanders bolster blue line, acquiring rugged defenseman Carson Soucy from Rangers for a future draft pick. Family focus fuels the move.

On the surface, the Rangers were able to break even on a player whom they acquired for a third-round pick from the Vancouver Canucks, when Soucy had a season and a half left on his contract. 

Call that a win for the Rangers, as Soucy, outside of Artemi Panarin, was their most valuable pending unrestricted free agent.

For the Islanders, they are hoping that Soucy stabalizes their backend. Since Alexander Romanov went down with a regular-season-ending right shoulder injury on Nov. 18, his spot in the lineup has been a revolving door of Bridgeport Islanders' blue-line depth, along with seventh defenseman Adam Boqvist, who had been playing on his off-side. 

Was it a bit of an overpay by the Islanders? Sure. Is it a problem? Absolutely not. 

The reality of the situation right now is that the Islanders are not only without their 2026 third-round pick, but they are also without their 2026 second-round pick, which was attached to Josh Bailey, who had one season left at $5 million annually, in the deal that sent him to the Chicago Blackhawks on Day 2 of the 2023 NHL Draft in Nashville. 

However, the Islanders do have two first-round picks this draft year: their own and the Colorado Avalanche's first-round pick from the Brock Nelson deal. That first is essentially a second-round pick, with Colorado currently leading the NHL in points with 79 -- the second closest is the Tampa Bay Lightning with 70.  

Had the Islanders not bolstered their prospect pool last summer, adding forward Victor Eklund, Daniil Prokhorov, Luca Romano, and Tomas Poletin, along with defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson through the first four rounds, then, sure, complain away about sending picks for rentals. 

No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer is no longer considered a prospect. 

However, the Islanders added those guys to a prospect pool that already has a strong foundation, with forwards Cole Eiserman, Quinn Finley, Danny Nelson & Kamil Bednarik, along with defenseman Jesse Pulkkinen and Isaiah George on the blue line. 

They'll be okay, especially if Soucy's able to help enough to keep the Islanders in a playoff spot. 

If the Islanders remain in a playoff spot by the trade deadline, they aren't likely to sell.

But, if first-year general manager Mathieu Darche did sell off players, getting back that third-round pick won't be a challenge -- he can probably do much better. 

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Three Braves make ESPN Top 100 Prospects

Today ESPN and writer Kiley McDaniel – who is a former Braves scout, put out their Top 100 Prospect list for the 2026 season found here. Once again Cam Caminiti leads the way, but for the first time this year Didier Fuentes is also included, along with JR Ritchie making the third of the four big Top 100 lists.

Caminiti came in at #53, on the 50 FV tier – the eighth highest ranked prospect on that tier. McDaniel listed him as the type of prospect who is “Smooth, projectable, athletic lefty with three good pitches who could make the leap at any moment.” The most promising comment was that “Caminiti’s scouting report — 92-95, touching 97 mph with solid shape, an improving but roughly average sweepy slider, and a roughly average changeup — isn’t overwhelming at the moment, but he’s the right kind of prospect with the right markers for future growth and scouts are expecting a breakthrough in the next few years”.

McDaniel also noted that “a young pitcher who got into the mid-90s among the earliest in his class but chose to develop as a strike thrower with multiple average-or-better pitches rather than a velo-chasing circus act also speaks to Caminiti’s mindset and maturity. He tweaked and improved his breaking ball when he was told it was a weaker part of his scouting report during the draft process, another key marker for projecting future improvement.”

As for 2026 McDaniel mentioned this change “I thought Caminiti should add an upper-80s cutter to round out his repertoire and asked someone who would know, and it turns out we’ll be seeing that in 2026; the early data looks positive.” He closed with this note on Cam’s upside: “If he doesn’t take a big step forward, Caminiti will still be a solid back-end starter, but there’s front-line potential if everything clicks.”

Fuentes came in at #88, with the type of “Fastball-dominant starter who probably has enough off-speed to be a third/fourth starter.” Fuentes fastball velocity and movement is praised, with the concern being “his other pitches (sweepy slider, slurve, cutter, splitter used in that order) are the concern here. None of them are better than average pitches, though they’re all 45- or 50-grade offerings that play a role in getting weak contact and keeping hitters honest.”

McDaniel used a pair of very interesting comps to close out his talk on Fuentes, saying his “release profile is similar to Bryan Woo and his stuff is similar to Joe Ryan, so this somewhat unusual profile is one that sleeper prospects have used to become standout starters; Fuentes could be next.”

Ritchie was directly behind Fuentes at #89. His type is listed as “Six-pitch righty with starter traits fully back from elbow surgery and ready to join the big league rotation.” McDaniel noted that “His draft report was that of physical projection and command with average to above raw stuff, and that’s still basically the report.” He went on to talk about the upside and closed by saying “A tick more arm speed or a tick more velocity would make Ritchie a mid-rotation starter, but he’s more of a solid fourth starter as described; often the second full year after elbow surgery is when everything comes back.”

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NBA Trade Rumors 2025-26: Karl-Anthony Towns, Jonathan Kuminga, Knicks and Lakers talk

The NBA trade market has been slow to develop this year. While there was a big move — Trae Young is a Wizard — this has generally moved slowly. We are now just more than a week away from the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline and things are calm.

Here is the latest from around the league.

Jonathan Kuminga

Jonathan Kuminga and the Golden State Warriors are ready for a divorce, but the season-ending injury to Jimmy Butler may change the dynamic and keep Kuminga in the Bay Area into the offseason.

Part of the challenge in trading Kuminga is that the Warriors can't showcase him — Kuminga hyperextended his knee in the game against Dallas last Thursday and has a bone bruise. It's unclear whether he can return to the court before Feb. 5, which would give some teams pause in going after him.

Butler is the bigger issue, as Anthony Slater lays out at ESPN.

Multiple team sources have described it as less likely Kuminga is moved following Jimmy Butler's right ACL tear. Prior to that injury, Kuminga was a $22.5 million wing rotting on the bench, having not seen the floor for 16 straight games. Without Butler, he's back in the mix, scoring 30 points in 30 bench minutes before the injury. There's internal conversation that he'd get another crack at minutes post-deadline -- if he's still around.          

The challenge in trading Kuminga is that the teams who are interested are not going to give up much, or want Golden State to take on long-term money, and Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. is not going to go that route. For example, the Lakers need wing help and might take a flyer on Kuminga, but Los Angeles doesn't have players on their roster that the Warriors want, reports Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. It's much the same in Sacramento, another team that is interested but the Warriors do not want to get in the Malik Monk business.

It looks more and more like Kuminga will be a Warrior into the summer, when they will try to trade him again, possibly as part of a larger deal.

Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks

Is Karl-Anthony Towns available in a trade? Depends on who you ask.

New York talked to multiple teams about a Towns trade, reported Steve Popper of Newsday. On the other hand, the Knicks are not looking to move on from KAT, reports two trusted sources: Knicks writer Ian Begley of SNY.tv and national writer Sam Amick of The Athletic, both of whom say they haven't heard any Towns buzz. Meanwhile, Stefan Bondy of The New York Post phrased it that the Knicks were not "shopping" Towns, but that implies they will listen to teams who call to check in on him.

While the Knicks likely do not trade Towns before Feb. 5, they would like to know his trade value on the open market, reports Marc Stein of The Stein Line, in what sounds like the most logical explanation and where things stand. As we have reported before, there is a sense in league circles that if the Knicks fall short of owner James Dolan’s stated goal — making the NBA Finals — Towns could be the scapegoat and find himself traded this summer.

• One other Knicks note from Stein: New York has "explored pathways" with Portland to bring veteran guard Jrue Holiday to Madison Square Garden. The Knicks like the idea of putting Holiday next to Jalen Brunson — as they should, that would be a fantastic backcourt pairing.

However, actually pulling off that trade is highly unlikely. Holiday makes $32.4 million this season and is owed $74 million for the two seasons after this one. Portland will want young players and first-round picks that New York doesn't have in a trade. The trade works under the cap by sending OG Anunoby to Portland straight up, but that doesn't make much sense for the Knicks on the court. Consider this something else to track into the summer.

Most likely move by the Knicks? Trading Guerschon Yabusele and his $5.5 million contract for… something.

Anthony Davis

Marc Stein of The Stein Line has reiterated what has been pretty clear for a while: It's highly unlikely Anthony Davis will be traded before Feb. 5. His salary and injury history — including his current hand injury — have made finding a trade partner difficult.

What is different is Stein's spin/report that Davis "would prefer to stay put for the rest of this season after absorbing the shock of last February's sudden in-season relocation from the Lakers to the Mavericks." File that in the "This is my only option/This is the only option I ever wanted" bin.

Los Angeles Lakers

Last season, the Phoenix Suns were ripped by pundits when they traded a valuable 2031 unprotected first-round pick for three first-round picks (2025, 2027 and 2029) that were destined to be in the 20s (the worst of Cleveland or Minnesota in those years). The only way it made sense was that Phoenix had another trade or trades lined up, and it needed multiple first-rounders. Nope. The Suns did nothing, hung on to those picks and ultimately drafted Liam McNeeley at No. 29 with that 2025 pick (then traded him to Charlotte for Mark Williams).

Now the Lakers are considering doing something similar, something Dave McMenamin confirmed at ESPN.

In the past month, league sources told ESPN the Lakers have canvassed teams to see whether they could find a deal to send out their 2031 or 2032 first-round pick in order to get multiple firsts back for it. Being armed with more tradable picks would give L.A. more options this trade season, beyond the expiring contracts of Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent and Maxi Kleber.

Like with the Suns, this only makes sense for the Lakers if they have second and third deals lined up, and even then it's questionable. The bigger question the Lakers need to ask themselves is, "Are the players we're bringing in making us a contender?" It would be tough to answer yes to that in a conference with Oklahoma City, Denver, San Antonio and Houston. Are the Lakers better off waiting until this summer, when LeBron James and Austin Reaves are free agents, and then making whatever roster upgrades are needed?

Other trade notes

• No, the Grizzlies and Pelicans are not talking about a Ja Morant trade, according to Marc Stein.

• Will Chicago be active at the trade deadline? Historically, decision maker Artūras Karnišovas and the Bulls have been quiet at the trade deadline, but Eric Pincus at Bleacher Report says the Bulls are one of the league's most active teams at the deadline. "Per multiple league and agent sources, Chicago is looking to improve postseason chances this season while adding young, athletic players to complement its core duo of Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis." Good luck with that, 29 other teams are looking for young, athletic players, too.

• Toronto is looking to kill a couple of birds with one trade, both dipping below the luxury tax line and adding depth at center with Jakob Poeltl out for an extended time, reports Josh Lewenberg of TSN. A few names to watch: Dallas' Daniel Gafford, Orlando's Goga Bitadze and Brooklyn's Day'Ron Sharpe.

• With Steven Adams out for an extended period in Houston, the Rockets are considering a trade to bring in another big man, reports Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports. Something to watch.

If the Rockets make a trade, Tari Eason is off limits in the deal, Marc Stein reports.