SURPRISE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 19: Jac Caglianone #14 of the Kansas City Royals poses for a portrait during photo day at Surprise Stadium on February 19, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Jeremy Chen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Kansas City Royals are back in action after getting crushed yesterday by the Padres 10-3. The Royals won their first Spring Training game against the Rangers 7-3 and will look to get back in the groove of things today taking on the Brewers.
Bailey Falter takes the ball to start today. Falter, a trade acquisition last summer, needs a good spring season to make the team, as the Royals have plenty of starting pitching depth. Here is the lineup behind Falter to start the contest today.
Notable things today: Jac Caglianone batting second, Carter Jensen hitting cleanup and catching, Michael Massey out in left field. Finally, Maikel Garcia is leading off again, the second time in the first three games.
The game can be listened to on 96.5 The Fan today. It’ll be nice to hear the voices of all the guys again, as we are just under 5 weeks away from games that count and matter in Kansas City. First pitch is set for 2:10 p.m. CT.
The East goes through Detroit. That’s all that needs to be said as Wes and Blake record this show right after the Pistons steamrolled the New York Knicks for the third time this season. And this time, the Knicks were healthy, the Pistons were not. Blake and Wes take a quick moment to applaud the NBA All-Star game’s new format before diving in to that shorthanded beatdown. Was this Cade’s best game of his career? Oh, and should he be truly in the conversation to win MVP this year? What about another stellar defensive performance from Ausar Thompson? How valuable will he be as a defensive weapon in the playoffs? The guys break this all down, then they look ahead. Who is the Pistons’ biggest playoff threat? Will Ron Holland maintain his rotation spot this year in the playoffs? And just how unique is this Piston identity that JB Bickerstaff alludes to?
We’ve got you covered for all this and more in this week’s episode!
Want to hear your voice on the Pindown? Call (313) 355-2717 and leave your question as a voicemail! The guys will play your message and answer your question on that week’s episode! All we ask is that you keep your questions to under 45 seconds.
Dear God, it’s hard to watch. This season has been an abject disaster.
Not from a rational point of view. It’s been a disappointment by any measure. The Houston Rockets wanted to be better this year. They were supposed to be title contenders. Deep, structural roster flaws have been exposed. The trade machine’s server is being overloaded in Southeast Texas (and, to be honest, from one refurbished MacBook Air in Eastern Canada).
But it’s not truly a disaster. The Rockets are likely to have homecourt advantage in the first round of a season where their starting point guard hasn’t played a game. They have a surplus of young players and future first-round picks. It’s only been disastrous from the perspective of how much fans expected to enjoy the year, relative to how much they have. Here’s the good news:
It’s not their fault.
The 2025-26 season has been cursed. The working theory is that the team made a deal with the Devil ahead of the 1993-94 season. The Prince of Darkness agreed to persuade Michael Jordan to play baseball. In exchange, the Rockets would be wildly disappointing once per decade from the moment Jordan returned.
I’m not crazy, you’re crazy.
Rockets suffer from a generational curse
Let’s go back to 1995-96.
I wasn’t even ten yet, so I can’t offer a firsthand account. I can tell you that Houston switched from the iconic ketchup-and-mustard jerseys that they’d thrived in for so long to the navy pinstripe duds that I loved as a child and retroactively identify as a downgrade.
Although only Bret “The Hitman” Hart tickles my nostalgia bone as strongly as that little cartoon Rocket.
Anyway, the rest is history. The Rockets were still good in 1995-96. It’s hard to point to any one player’s decline and explain their shortcomings. They were, seemingly, just marginally worse than before. They could not get past the (soon-to-be revived) Seattle Supersonics in the second round, and the dynasty that never was died.
The Rockets would inexplicably acquire Charles Barkley, get worse, get old, rebuild, draft Steve Francis, get even worse, (deep breath), draft Yao Ming, trade for Tracy McGrady, and start to get better.
The 2004-05 season was one for the books. Sure, the Rockets lost in the first round. Nobody cared. They were built around a 24-year-old Ming and a 25-year-old McGrady (which, in NBA terms, was younger at a time when Tim Duncan played in college for four years). The future was bright.
And then…
The Devil came collecting. It had been ten years since 1995-96. Ming and McGrady would both miss time with injuries, establishing a motif for their time together in Houston. The Rockets won 34 games.
They’d win 50+ games for the next three seasons. The Devil was indifferent. The curse was lifted. Injuries would eventually limit their star duo’s upside, leaving the Rockets to rebuild again. They toiled in mediocrity for a few years until James Harden entered the picture. He instantly established himself as a franchise-caliber talent. In 2014-15, he and Dwight Howard would lead the Rockets to the Western Conference Finals.
And then…
It was difficult to account for. The Rockets retained most of their key players. Ty Lawson was the can’t-miss acquisition that missed, but even if it was a case of subtraction-by-addition, he was quickly out of the rotation. As it was in ’96, the Rockets were kind of just… worse.
Defenses had figured them out. Stop Harden, and you stop everyone. Howard wasn’t getting post touches, rightfully or not. Houston didn’t have a way to generate offense if Harden wasn’t cooking.
That’s why they got Chris Paul. It’s why they made another Conference Finals trip in 2017-18, only this time, it actually felt like they might win. We all know what happened and how it got us to where we are now.
The last two seasons were fun. The post-Harden tank was over. A .500 season in 2023-24 was acceptable to everyone. A first-round exit after a 52-win season last year was defensible. The team was young.
This year? Nobody is satisfied. Blame Ime Udoka’s offensive ingenuity. Blame Reed Sheppard’s size. Blame Amen Thompson’s broken jumper, or Alperen Sengun’s broken touch. Blame whoever you like:
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - MARCH 04: Kelly Oubre Jr. #9 of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles the ball against Naz Reid #11 of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the third quarter at Target Center on March 04, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the 76ers 126-112. 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 David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Sunday night’s contest is a matchup of two clubs trending in opposite directions in their respective conferences. Philadelphia has lost four straight games spanning across the All-Star break, most recently losing by double digits to the bottom-dwelling Pelicans last night. The Sixers sit in sixth place in the East, but three games back of Toronto, and the top half of the standings feels like a distant memory. Meanwhile, Minnesota is only in sixth place, but the Wolves have won three straight and are just one game back of the third-place Nuggets in the hotly-contested Western Conference standings.
On paper, the Sixers have things stacked against them tonight, not only due to the teams’ recent run of play, but being on the second night of the back-to-back. The one big thing that could help Philadelphia is the potential return of Joel Embiid. He was ruled out early due to right shin soreness (and knee injury management) for the game in New Orleans, but it’s possible the team was playing it safe knowing Joel would have to sit out one of the games of the back-to-back anyway. Embiid did travel with the team and seemed in good spirits on Saturday (at least until he had to watch his teammates play in the third quarter like the rest of us), so the door is at least ajar. Joel was the only injury absence for the Sixers yesterday, with Paul George obviously still out due to suspension.
For Minnesota, they have a clean injury report, but are also dealing with a suspension, as Rudy Gobert has been suspended one game due to flagrant foul accumulation. It’ll be good for the Sixers to miss the Wolves’ leading rebounder and shot blocker, who is still one of the best defenders in the league, although Minnesota having Naz Reid soak up more minutes is certainly a good pivot option to have.
Tonight’s game will be a meeting of two of the top five scorers in the league. Amidst a rough outside shooting patch in February, Tyrese Maxey is down to fifth in the league at 28.9 points per game. Not to play body language doctor, but he looks to be feeling the effects of the heavy load the team is asking him to carry. On the opposing sideline, Anthony Edwards is third in the league at 29.5 points per game. He just dropped 40 points in Friday night’s win over Dallas, right after securing All-Star Game MVP honors. We’ll likely get to see a lot of VJ Edgecombe marking Edwards, which should make for a fascinating watch.
Minnesota took the opposite tack of the Sixers at the trade deadline, trading Rob Dillingham and four second-round picks for Ayo Dosunmu to bolster their backcourt depth. Are the Wolves now in a position to really challenge the juggernaut Thunder, not to mention emerge out of the rest of the crowded West? I don’t know, but I respect them for doing something to go for it.
We’ll await word on whether Embiid suits up, and tune in tonight to see if the Sixers can put together a 48-minute effort and challenge the Wolves on the road.
Game Details
When: Sunday, February 22, 7:00 p.m. ET Where: Target Center, Minneapolis, MN Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic Follow:@LibertyBallers
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 11: Jock Landale #31 of the Atlanta Hawks looks on during the first half of a basketball game against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center on February 11, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. 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 David Jensen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Atlanta Hawks (27-31) badly need to take care of business against non-competitive teams like the Brooklyn Nets (15-50) today.
Starting lineup:
G Dyson Daniels
G Nickeil Alexander-Walker
G CJ McCollum
F Jalen Johnson
C Onyeka Okongwu
Please join in the comments below as you follow along.
Where, When, and How to Watch and Listen
Location: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
Start Time: 3:30 PM EDT
TV: FanDuel Sports Network Southeast (FDSNSE)
Radio: Sports Radio 92.9 the Game (WZGC-FM)
Streaming: FanDuel Sports Network app, Fubo (out of market), NBA League Pass (out of market), Youtube TV (NBA League Pass out of market)
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Jessica Timmons scored a career-high 34 points, Ta’Mia Scott added 21, and No. 25 Alabama rallied in the fourth quarter to defeat Florida 76-71 on Sunday to snap a three-game losing streak.
Alabama (21-7, 7-7) led by six points at halftime and the lead was 54-46 after Timmons hit a 3-pointer late in the third quarter. Liv McGill then scored seven points in Florida's 12-0 run that gave the Gators a 58-54 lead heading to the fourth quarter.
Florida's lead reached 60-54 before Scott scored five points and Timmons had seven, eventually drawing Alabama even at 66 with seven minutes remaining.
Florida's last lead was 68-66 with five minutes left before Timmons had a 3-pointer and a three-point play to finish an 8-0 run for a 74-68 lead with 1:24 remaining. She added two free throws in the final minute, giving her Alabama's last eight points.
Alabama opened the game with three 3-pointers and led 9-2 after about two minutes of play. Scott hit her third 3 of the quarter in the final minute and the Crimson Tide led 17-14.
Timmons scored eight points early in the second quarter and the Crimson Tide pushed their lead to 31-19 by the six-minute mark. But Alabama made only one field goal the rest of the half, going 1 for 5. Alabama led 38-32 at halftime.
McGill had 19 points and eight assists for the Gators (16-13, 4-10). Jade Weathersby scored 13, Laila Reynolds 12 and Nyadieng Yiech 10.
Up next
Alabama: The regular season wraps up with a visit to No. 5 Vanderbilt on Thursday and a home game against No. 4 Texas on Sunday.
Florida: The Gators visit No. 17 Ole Miss on Thursday and host No. 24 Georgia on Sunday.
The Dallas Mavericks have waved the white flag with 10 straight losses, but they’ll be hard-pressed to out-tank the Indiana Pacers as the teams square off at Gainbridge Fieldhouse today.
At 15-42, Indiana has the inside track on a high lottery pick, and my Mavericks vs. Pacers predictions expect both squads to struggle to create good looks without their sidelined playmakers.
Read on for my free NBA picks ahead of this February 22 basement battle.
Mavericks vs Pacers prediction
Mavericks vs Pacers best bet: Under 234 (-110)
The injury reports for the Dallas Mavericks and Indiana Pacers are a reminder that there’s every incentive to keep their top playmakers on the sidelines. Both squads have peppered the Under this season, and it feels like one of the best picks on the board today.
The Under is 15-9 in Dallas’ 24 road outings, and Cooper Flagg’s absence hurts the visitors’ offensive flow. Meanwhile, Indiana will be short on shot creators if Pascal Siakam and Andrew Nembhard sit out.
The Mavs eked out a 107-105 win over the Pacers in October, and I’m not counting on fireworks in this rematch.
Mavericks vs Pacers same-game parlay
With the Pacers’ first-choice starting lineup all on the injury report, I like the value of the Mavs moneyline here, despite the visitors’ recent skid. Dallas still has some gritty veterans available, while Indiana limps into this clash on the heels of back-to-back losses to the Washington Wizards. Enough said.
Even if this descends into a rock fight at times, Naji Marshall is a candidate for a nice stat line, and I’ll grab the Over on his rebounds tally. He finished with eight boards earlier this month against the Boston Celtics, and his minutes could hit the mid 30s today.
Mavericks vs Pacers SGP
Under 234
Mavericks moneyline
Marshall Over 6.5 rebounds
Our "from downtown" SGP: Huffing and puffing
Look for Marshall to have his fingerprints all over this contest, and Dallas’ injury woes should prompt an uptick in his February averages of 4.7 RPG and 3.3 APG.
In the same way, Indiana will hand Jay Huff all the minutes he can handle. Huff drilled five 3-pointers against the Wizards on Friday, and his size will be key for the depleted Pacers on the glass.
Mavericks vs Pacers SGP
Marshall Over 6.5 rebounds
Marshall Over 3.5 assists
Huff Over 5.5 rebounds
Huff Over 1.5 threes
Mavericks vs Pacers odds
Spread: Mavericks -2 | Pacers +2
Moneyline: Mavericks -130 | Pacers +110
Over/Under: Over 234 | Under 234
Mavericks vs Pacers betting trend to know
The Under is 33-24 for the Pacers this season. Find more NBA betting trends for Mavericks vs. Pacers.
How to watch Mavericks vs Pacers
Location
Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
Date
Sunday, February 22, 2026
Tip-off
5:00 p.m. ET
TV
MavsTV, FDSN Indiana
Mavericks vs Pacers latest injuries
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PEORIA, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 20: Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres walks to the dugout before a spring training game against the Seattle Mariners at Peoria Stadium on February 20, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images) | Fernando Tatis Jr. - Getty Images
Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego Padres, February 22, 2026, 12:10 p.m. PST
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Feb 19, 2026; Peoria, AZ, USA; Seattle Mariners pitcher Randy Dobnak (67) during spring training photo day in Peoria, AZ. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
The Mariners close up the first weekend of Spring Training 2026 with a game against the Reds. As opposed to the B-lineup we saw yesterday, today looks more like the spring training opener, aside from those last three. Top prospect Michael Arroyo gets another chance at second base, and the left side of the infield will be held down by a pair of NRIs. As a reminder, if you don’t know that “Wilson” here is not our Dear Leader suiting up at the hot corner, you can find writeups on Will Wilson and Brock Rodden in our NRIs article.
The Mariners will travel to Goodyear to play the Reds and former Mariners Eugenio Suárez IS in today’s Reds lineup. If you see anything that said that he isn’t, no you didn’t, is lie, liar told you that. Huh, JJ Bleday is a Red now? Bless spring training baseball for keeping us abreast of the more minor moves via lineups. JJ Bleday, you’ll always be spiritually an Oakland Athletic to me.
This is the last day for a while we’ll have an NRI starter: Logan Gilbert is scheduled to start tomorrow’s game against the Dodgers, and George Kirby is penciled in for Tuesday’s game against the White Sox. But today will be a chance to see NRI Randy Dobnak in person. He’ll be followed, in some order, by Jhonathan Díaz, Casey Legumina, Ryan Loutos, Robinson Ortiz, Cole Wilcox, and Domingo González. The “jicky” (Just In Case) pitchers being brought over from minor-league camp are Jimmy Kingsbury, Jean Muñoz, Jason Ruffcorn, and Ryan Hawks.
Offensively, highlights from the backups include several top prospects: catcher Luke Stevenson, who saw his first game action of the spring yesterday, working a walk; infielder Felnin Celesten, who didn’t receive an invite to big-league camp this year; and Lazaro Montes and Jonny Farmelo. Also Sammy Siani, who I somehow didn’t even realize was in Mariners camp. I really liked Siani in the 2019 Draft, when Pittsburgh took him 37th overall.
Today’s game is sadly not televised. It will be broadcast live on 710 AM Seattle Sports, with Rick Rizzs and Gary Hill Jr. on the call.
Game time: 12:05 PT
Watch: No
Listen: Seattle Sports 710 AM
As a reminder, we’re hoping to build our community before Opening Day for what promises to be an exciting 2026 season and we’d love to have you with us. If you haven’t yet, sign up (it makes the site function much better for you, as a bonus) and jump on in to the conversation! This is especially helpful on radio-only games to keep the conversation flowing. And don’t worry about making a mistake – it’s spring training for all of us.
America’s favorite past time is making its way back and now beginning to take center stage as winter sports start to wind down. The one that continues to stand out during the spring months is high school baseball, with there being many great teams all around the national scene ready to hit the diamond to break out the cleats, gloves and bats.
Last week we released our first-ever rankings and we roll out the second edition of the Rivals High School Baseball Top 25 of 2026.
Topping this week’s set of rankings is California’s St. John Bosco Braves as the leap over Florida’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas, which went 31-2 and won the FHSAA Class 7A state championship a year ago. The Braves have yet to play a game this season, but are loaded with talent and expected to contend for the mythical national crown, along with teams like Marjory Stoneman Douglas and IMG Academy. Which other teams join the Braves, Eagles and Ascenders in our second Rivals High School Top 25 baseball rankings?
We dive into the best high school baseball programs around the nation and give you our take on which teams stay in the conversation as of Feb. 22.
St. John Bosco (Calif.) jumps up a spot after Marjory Stoneman Douglas lost their first game of the season. Unlike down in the Sunshine State, the state of California has yet to see its high school baseball season’s first pitch, but that’s right around the corner and topping all of the schools out west is the St. John Bosco Braves (0-0). The Braves’ roster is stacked with returning talent from the 30-4 team from 2025, including on the pitcher’s mound. Returning with the most experience of all the hurlers is senior Gavin Cervantes, who went 8-0 with 44 strikeouts in 2025. Another up and coming arm to watch for is sophomore Brayden Krakowski, who went 5-0 with 31 strikeouts last spring.
The IMG Academy Ascenders, which are off to a sizzling 4-0 start, jumps up to the second spot after defeating Tampa Jesuit (Fla.) last week 10-8. The Ascenders, one of three Florida teams among the top five, started off fairly high for us due part to the victories they have already notched on their schedule, with wins over nationally ranked Jesuit, No. 6 ranked Etowah (Ga.) and always talented Lowndes (Ga.). IMG Academy (4-0) is always going to be well stocked with baseball talent that’s preparing to head off to the next level and this spring is no different, no by the talents of Maple Mountain (UT) transfer Cry Chrisman, who hit 19 home runs in 2025.
Marjory Stoneman Douglas (5-1) ended the 2025 Florida high school baseball season by winning the Class 7A state championship and boasting a 31-2 record. That’s by no coincidence they’re considered one of the best in the nation and much has to do with them being at the top because of some of the returning talent. The Eagles will feature senior left-handed pitcher Gio Rojas, who is committed to the University of Miami. Rojas is a projected first round draft pick in this summer’s MLB Draft and will be one of the country’s best on the mound after going 13-0 with a 0.73 ERA last spring. Marjory Stoneman Douglas dropped down a couple spots in our second set of rankings after an unexpected 4-3 loss to Columbus last week.
Checking in at No. 4 of the Top 5 of the Rivals High School Baseball Rankings are the Orange Lutheran Lancers, which could make a strong argument in being higher on this list of teams. The Lancers went 23-7 last season, but with the talent the team possesses at the plate, it’s hard to not have this group in the conversation of the nation’s best. Player to watch for the Lancers on the mound is senior pitcher Gary Morse, who is already committed to the University of Tennessee. Morse led the Orange Lutheran pitching staff in 2025 with a 8-2 record and a 0.94 ERA.
Already off to a 4-1 start to the Florida high school baseball season, the Jesuit Tigers look to be the favorites to win it all in the FHSAA’s Class 4A classification. With victories already over Wesley Chapel (9-1 win), Berkeley Prep (5-0 win), Lakeland Christian (8-4 win), Plant (4-1 win), the Tigers have already shown why they’re one of the country’s best programs once again. Lone loss of the season came against No. 2 ranked IMG Academy at home, 10-8. Leading the way for Jesuit this spring is the bat of infielder/outfielder Christian Sheffield (Florida A&M commitment), the son of former MLB star Gary Sheffield. The younger Sheffield has impressed thus far, batting .500 and driving in three runs off of two hits.
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Nyla Brooks scored 18 points, Laila Hull added 17 off the bench, and No. 22 North Carolina routed Pittsburgh 78-50 on Sunday.
North Carolina (23-6, 12-4 ACC) has reached 12 conference wins in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2004-05 and 2005-06.
The Tar Heels missed their first six shots and trailed 11-4 midway through the first quarter. An 8-2 run helped North Carolina close the gap and Pitt took a 14-12 lead into the second quarter.
Hull hit three 3-pointers in the first five minutes of the second quarter, the third of which started a 10-0 run that left the Tar Heels ahead 39-21. Her fourth 3 of the quarter gave North Carolina a 42-27 halftime lead after a 30-point second quarter.
North Carolina buried five 3s in the third quarter and took a 63-39 lead into the final period. The lead peaked at 31 points with two minutes left in the game.
Elina Aarnisalo had 11 points, six rebounds and five assists for North Carolina. Ciera Toomey collected seven points, seven rebounds and four blocks and Hull made five of the Tar Heels' 14 3-pointers.
Theresa Hagans scored 19 points and Fatima Diakhate added 12 for Pitt (8-21, 1-15).
Up next
North Carolina: The regular season concludes with a road game against Virginia on Thursday followed by No. 9 Duke at home on Sunday.
Pittsburgh: at Miami on Thursday, then home against N.C. State on Sunday.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 18: Jimmy Herget #44 of the Colorado Rockies poses for a portrait during photo day at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on February 18, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Jeremy Chen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In the first offensive explosion of spring training, when the Rockies totalled 13 hits and scored 11 runs, including a three-hit, three-RBI performance by Brenton Doyle and a homer from Adael Amador, the Rockies beat Arizona 11-6 for their first spring training win on Saturday.
The Rockies (1-1) will now face their first opponent other than the Diamondbacks when they take on the Texas Rangers (1-1) today at Surprise Stadium.
RHP Jimmy Herget, one of the Rockies best relievers last season, will get the start in his first action of spring training. “The Human Glitch” recorded career highs in appearances (59), innings (83.1 IP) and strikeouts (81) while posting a 2.48 ERA in his first season with Colorado in 2025. Due to his success, Herget is now auditioning for a spot in the rotation.
Warren Schaeffer is starting out with a lefty-heavy lineup, with six left-handed batters, to take on Texas LHP MacKenzie Gore. There are also three non-roster invites in the starting lineup in catcher Brett Sullivan, first baseman TJ Rumfield and shortstop Nicky Lopez.
Sunday will mark Gore’s first action of the spring, as well as his first start with Texas. The third overall pick in the 2017 MLB Draft is in his fifth MLB season and was an All-Star for the National League, representing the Washington Nationals in 2025. He was traded to the Rangers in January.
First Pitch: 1:05 p.m. MDT
TV: None
Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM KOA Rockies Radio Network (12:55 p.m. pregame)
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Early Friday morning on the half field behind Clover Park, new Mets third base coach Tim Leiper played an impromptu game with new Mets second baseman Marcus Semien. When the prescribed number of groundballs were over, Leiper whacked a few extras right at Semien, one after another, moving a few steps closer to the veteran each time.
Semien fielded each one until Leiper blinked, mishitting a soft line drive that Semien caught before gleefully jump-shooting it toward the bucket like a rookie whose legs did not yet know the weight of a full MLB season. But Semien, of course, knows that grind better than anyone in the Mets clubhouse this spring. And he sees no need for workload management.
“My mindset has always been, every day you can do something special. No matter how your body is feeling, and that’s the beauty of our sport. There are plenty of ways to impact the game,” Semien said. “There are so many different ways you can be feeling on a given day, but you still have to get in the box and compete. There are days where you don’t feel your best and you can still have one of your best games.”
Since Semien became a full-time major leaguer with the then-Oakland Athletics in 2015, only five players have played in more games. In the five seasons since he turned 30, he has played fewer than 159 games just once.
In 2023, as a member of the Texas Rangers, Semien played all 162 regular games then started every one of the Rangers postseason games, eventually setting the record for most plate appearances ever taken in a single MLB season (835). After the Rangers clinched a title with a win in Game 5 of the World Series, a champagne-soaked Semien said he was not even tired.
The 35-year-old can make a credible argument that he should still be on the field as much as possible. For example, he won his Gold Glove at second base last year and tied for fourth among all second basemen with seven outs above average, a metric that offers insight into a player’s range. His average sprint speed in 2025 (28.5 feet per second, according to Baseball Savant) is slightly better than it was in his late 20s.
The counterpoint to his optimism is his offense, where bat speed often wanes as the years accumulate: After winning his third Silver Slugger with an .826 OPS in that championship 2023 season, Semien’s OPS dropped below .700 in the two years since, well below his career mark of .756. Since that World Series season, Semien’s bat speed has ranked in the league’s lowest 10 percent. Then again, it was among the league’s worst in that 2023 season -- in which he finished third in American League MVP voting -- too.
“I have not looked into [bat speed] much. I’m sure there are people who will look at that,” said Semien, who added that as long as he feels he can pull pitches in the air when pitchers give him the chance, he should be able to produce the way he expects.
Though he pulled the ball in the air less frequently the past two seasons than he did at his best, he still ranks above average in his ability to do so.
“He wants to play,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said, when asked if the Mets are considering limiting Semien’s workload somewhat to keep him fresher. “He takes pride in being available, posting, being in the lineup. We will have to watch him closely. Continue to have constant communication. I will check like I always do with them once we get going and playing every day. But being available is super important for him and us as a team. But again, we just have to be mindful and manage the workload there.”
The Mets have the personnel to spell Semien if they want. Brett Baty worked at second base in 2024, and the Mets will be looking for places to get him at-bats this season now that Bo Bichette is locked in at third base. Ronny Mauricio could play there when he is done filling in for Francisco Lindor at shortstop. But early in camp, Semien has been alone most days at second base, building rapport with new first baseman Jorge Polanco on the right side and chatting regularly with Lindor during drills.
“If you look at all the years in my career, there have been a couple 162s, but those are the best years of my career. I just kept going. One of those years was a World Series,” Semien said. “That’s always going to be my mindset. I’ll leave it up to other people to let me know.”
The hockey tournament at the 2026 Winter Olympics wrapped up on Sunday with a thrilling gold medal match between the United States and Canada.
Unsurprisingly, the game was decided in overtime, when Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils beat St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington between the legs to give Team USA their first gold medal in 46 years.
Not since the Miracle On Ice in 1980 had the United States claimed Olympic gold.
That also means Florida Panthers star forward Matthew Tkachuk, along with GM Bill Zito and Head Equipment Manager Teddy Richards, will be bringing home a shiny new gold medal to go along with his two Stanley Cup rings.
It’s been quite a run for Tkachuk over the past few years.
Since being acquired by the Panthers during the summer of 2022, Tkachuk has played in each of the past three Stanley Cup Finals, winning the most recent two, while also winning gold at the Olympics and, oh yeah, was named the MVP of the NHL All-Star Game that took place in South Florida during his first season with the team.
Apparently, it’s Chucky’s world and we’re all just living in it.
On the flip side of the coin (the silver side, apparently), the three Panthers players on Team Canada will be coming back to South Florida with silver medals.
Brad Marchand, Sam Reinhart and Sam Bennett were all used somewhat sparingly during their time in Milan, a decision made by Canadian Head Coach Jon Cooper.
Up until the 1:41 mark of overtime on Sunday, it seemed like Cooper had been pushing all the right buttons.
Just as they had through much of the Olympics hockey tournament, Canada was rolling on Sunday, seeming to build more and more momentum as the game went on.
Ultimately, a Jim Craig-esque performance in goal by U.S. netminder Connor Hellebuyck kept the Americans in the fight long enough for Hughes to end things during the 3-on-3 overtime.
In total, seven Panthers players out of the 10 who participated at the Olympics finished on the podium.
Anton Lundell, Eetu Luostarinen and Niko Mikkola helped Finland defeat Slovakia 6-1 on Saturday in the bronze medal game.
Now unlike after winning the Stanley Cup, there won’t be much time for the players to reflect on their experiences in Milan.
The Panthers resume their season on Thursday when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs in a matchup of two non-playoff teams desperate for every point they can earn. It’s the first of a back-to-back for Florida.
The following night, the Buffalo Sabres will be in town, and Buffalo is currently holding the top Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Florida will hold a pair of practices this week before the back-to-back set.
As Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice said Saturday, the expectation is that all players, including those returning from the Olympics, are healthy and eligible for Thursday, outside of Tomas Nosek, Dmitry Kulikov and Jonah Gadjovich, all of whom could play sometime during Florida’s upcoming road trip.
Photo caption: Feb 22, 2026; Milan, Italy; Matthew Tkachuk (19) of the United States celebrates after defeating Canada in the men's ice hockey gold medal game during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. (Amber Searls-Imagn Images)
