Insert your joke about how the Yankees’ offseason can officially start now.
We’re kidding -- we know Trent Grisham accepted the qualifying offer, they traded for Ryan Weathers, and kept some other important players from last year’s roster. But Bellinger really was the linchpin, tipping point or whatever of what’s been a relatively quiet Yankee winter.
Now that the most important addition has agreed to return, perhaps the Yankees can explore further moves using some of the players whose potential playing time just shrunk.
Met target Freddy Peralta would sure be a good rotation add in the Bronx, too, right? More on that in a sec.
First, though, let’s acknowledge the obvious: Bellinger is a natural fit as a Yankee, and his return seemed obvious despite how long it took and reported interest from the Mets and Blue Jays, among others.
In 2025, his first year playing for his dad’s old team, Bellinger looked like he’d grown up in the system. He’s a very good player who hits for power and contact, can play all three outfield positions, and is an asset running the bases. He could be their starting left fielder and even play the other spots as load management demands.
His swing fits the ballpark -- his OPS at home was nearly 200 points higher than his road number last year and he slugged 18 of his 29 home runs at Yankee Stadium. Another year playing there could only help him figure out more ways to exploit his advantages there.
Last year, he recorded 5.1 WAR, according to Baseball Reference, his highest since he was NL MVP with the Dodgers in 2019.
Great signing, especially since they held firm at five years for a player who is already 30. Bellinger reportedly will be paid $162.5 million over that span, unless he triggers one of his opt-outs. Good player in place, good news for the Yankees.
But what’s next? The Yankees have a sudden surplus of outfielders. The two young players, Jasson Domínguez and Spencer Jones, who likely would have gotten playing time in left field had Bellinger gone elsewhere, now don’t have regular lineup duty.
Could they use either to upgrade another spot? Hmmm.
May 9, 2025; West Sacramento, California, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Jasson Dominguez (24) rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the Athletics during the third inning at Sutter Health Park. / Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images
We say that at least one of them should be used that way.
The Yankees have multiple starters on the roster, but they have a rotation need. Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón are both coming back late as they complete recovery from surgery. They added Weathers to a group that includes last year’s ace, Max Fried, wunderkind Cam Schlittler, Will Warren and Luis Gil.
But the fickle nature of pitching and all the possible health pitfalls that come with that job, it probably would serve the Yankees to add someone like Peralta, the Brewers’ ace, who has one more year remaining at $8 million before he hits free agency. He’s the prize of the trade market, unless Detroit swaps Tarik Skubal.
If Domínguez or Jones has no spot in the majors going forward, why not make one part of a young-player package for Peralta, who was fourth in the NL in ERA (2.70), led the circuit with 17 wins and had his third consecutive 200-strikeout season?
The Yankees were baseball’s most prolific offense last year, averaging 5.24 runs. They led in homers, too -- their 274 was 30 more than the Dodgers, but maybe more run prevention could help them push deeper into October in 2026.
Prime AL East rivals Toronto and Boston have already made major additions this offseason, so the division is souped up. The Yankees, as of right this minute, aren’t hugely different from last year, unless you count Devin Williams and Luke Weaver departing from the bullpen.
They still could use more contact hitting. Yes, Bellinger does contact. But he was on the team last year when they still needed more of it. More bullpen help could serve, too.
But the Yanks have a chance to make a rotation splash and they should, drawing from their cache of promising outfielders. Would either Domínguez or Jones, plus a young pitcher from the top end of their highly-regarded set of prospect arms, do it?
Time to find out. The Yankee offseason is still going, even after they brought Bellinger back.
The freshman class during the 2025-26 men’s college basketball season has been one of the best in years, headlined by projected NBA lottery picks who are making enormous impacts for NCAA Tournament-bound teams.
BYU’s AJ Dybantsa and Duke’s Cameron Boozer are two of the top five leading scorers in the sport this season, and are among the small handful of favorites for various national player of the year awards while leading top-15 teams. Caleb Wilson has been a revelation for North Carolina, a rangy 6-foot-10 forward who’s averaging nearly 20 points and 10 rebounds per game.
Despite missing nearly half the season thus far with a nagging injury, Darryn Peterson, the No. 1 player in the class, has been as good as advertised for Kansas, averaging 21.6 points per game. Even players nowhere near the top of the recruiting rankings have thrived, such as Stanford’s Ebuka Okorie, who is ninth among all Division I players in scoring despite being the No. 119 prospect in 247Sports’ rankings coming out of high school.
This week, one of the top recruits from that class is set to make his long-awaited college debut.
Alijah Arenas, a 6-foot-6 guard who was the No. 10 player in 247’s rankings of the 2025 recruiting class, is set to make his college debut on Wednesday, Jan. 21 when his USC team hosts Northwestern.
Arenas had been sidelined since July, when he suffered a torn meniscus during a summer practice that ultimately kept him out six months. The injury came three months after Arenas was in an April car wreck that put him in a coma.
He’ll return to a USC team that’s 14-4 in its second season under coach Eric Musselman, but could use the contributions of his talent and versatility. After a 12-1 start to the season, the Trojans have dropped three of their past five games, though each loss came against teams ranked in the top 10 of the latest USA TODAY Sports Caches Poll.
As he prepares for his first college game, here’s a closer look at Arenas:
Are Alijah Arenas, Gilbert Arenas related?
If Arenas’ last name seems familiar, especially for a standout basketball player, there’s a good reason for it.
Arenas is the son of three-time NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas. His father’s not the only athlete in the family, either: Alijah Arenas' mother, Laura Govan, played basketball at New Mexico State from 1999-2001 and his older sister, Izela, is a former top-100 recruit who is a sophomore guard at Kansas State.
Arenas is one of several freshmen in college basketball this season who are the sons of former NBA stars. Duke’s Cameron and Cayden Boozer are the sons of two-time NBA All-Star and Olympic gold medalist Carlos Boozer, who also played for the Blue Devils.
Kiyan Anthony, the No. 32 recruit in the 2025 class, is a freshman guard at Syracuse, where his father, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony, won a national championship as a freshman in 2003. Georgia’s Jake Wilkins is also following in the footsteps of his father, playing for the same Bulldogs program that Dominique Wilkins suited up for before being enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Alijah Arenas high school
Arenas attended Chatsworth High School in California, where he scored 3,002 points in just three seasons to become the No. 14 career scorer in California boys’ high school basketball history.
His high school production helped him get selected for the 2025 McDonald’s All-American Game.
Last July, USC announced that Arenas had suffered a knee injury during a practice that required surgery and was projected to sideline him for six to eight months.
"Alijah is a tremendous worker, teammate, competitor, and person," Musselman said at the time. "He is understandably disappointed that he will not be able to take the court to start the season, but his health is our No. 1 priority. We have no doubt that he will come back even stronger. We look forward to supporting him during this process."
Arenas recovered quickly, as his return to game action will come fewer than six full months since the injury occurred.
It wasn’t the only setback Arenas endured last year. Last April in Reseda, California, Arenas lost control of his Tesla Cybertruck and crashed into a fire hydrant and tree. The car caught on fire, but Arenas was able to get out through the driver’s side window with the help of two onlookers. He was transported to a local hospital and placed in a coma. When he came out of the coma one day later, he was unable to speak.
By June, he was able to rejoin the team for practice.
"Seeing my teammates has really motivated me a lot to push forward and keep up with the team," Arenas said in June. "When I got out of the hospital, I was already thinking about the team...My work ethic hasn't changed. I still workout every morning."
Arenas is 18 years old and will turn 19 on March 16. He was originally set to be in the 2026 recruiting class before reclassifying to the 2025 class in December 2024.
Grand prix driver who survived spectacular crashes and was victorious at endurance races including Le Mans and Daytona
Before leaving his home in Stuttgart to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the summer of 1970, the German racing driver Hans Herrmann promised his wife, Magdalena, that if he won, he would retire from the cockpit. This was his 14th attempt at the French sports car classic and, at 42, he was not expecting to have to honour his pledge.
But win he did. He and his co-driver, Richard Attwood, a former Jaguar apprentice, held the lead in their Porsche 917K for the last 12 hours of a race run on a rain-drenched track so treacherous that only seven cars out of 51 starters were able to reach the finish.
The White Sox are thrilled with their return for Luis Robert Jr.
Less than 24 hours after dealing the All-Star centerfielder to the Mets in exchange for infielder Luisangel Acuña and pitching prospect Truman Pauley, White Sox general manager Chris Getz gushed about acquiring a player “the industry has been really high on.”
“It’s really about being able to bring in Acuña, get access to him,” Getz told reporters about the trade Wednesday. “We’re talking about a player with five-plus years of control, one of the younger, exciting players in our game who hasn’t really gotten a runway at the major league level.”
The Mets traded Luisangel Acuña to the White on Tuesday. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Acuña, 23, joined the Mets at the 2023 trade deadline as the centerpiece of the deal that sent legendary pitcher Max Scherzer to the Rangers.
MLB.com ranked the speedster as New York’s third-best prospect in 2024, and he impressed in his brief major league debut that year, slashing .308/.325/.641 with three homers and six RBIs in 14 games.
He got off to a strong start in 2025, earning NL Rookie of the Month honors for April before falling into a deep slump and being demoted to Triple-A.
The Mets shuttled Acuña between the majors and minors the rest of the year as he hit a paltry .234 with no home runs and eight RBIs over 95 games.
Still, Getz believes Acuña’s speed and versatility – with experience at second base, third base, shortstop and in the outfield – make him a prime breakout candidate with consistent playing time.
“We’re talking about a player with five-plus years of control, one of the younger, exciting players in our game who hasn’t really gotten a runway at the major league level."
He already flashed some of that potential earlier this month with a historic Venezuelan winter league performance, hitting four home runs.
“I know [the Mets] didn’t want to get rid of him,” Getz said. “I know that. That’s because of how valuable he can be to the team.
“Now, he was on a roster that didn’t really allow him to let him go out there and show what he could do regularly. We’ll be able to provide that.”
After a strong start to 2025, Acuña shuttled between the majors and Triple-A the rest of the year. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Getz’s faith in Acuña echoed that of Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns during the GM Meetings in November.
“Acuña is such a unique player because the floor is so high of what he can provide,” Stearns said. “He’s such a good defender, a gifted defender at multiple positions, and an elite baserunner. So the offensive contribution doesn’t need to be elite for him to solidify an everyday role on a major league team.
“I still have very high hopes for him. We need to see a little bit more offensive contribution than we’ve probably seen previously, but he is a very, very good defensive player and there’s a real role for that on a good team.”
In a Wednesday Instagram post, Acuña bid farewell to the Mets, expressing gratitude for his time with the organization before addressing his “new chapter.”
The Mets acquired Luis Robert Jr., who is coming off two disappointing seasons but offers tantalizing speed, defense and offensive upside. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“Today, I begin a new chapter,” the post read. “Chicago, I’m ready to take on this challenge on the South Side. I’m thankful to the Chicago White Sox organization for believing in me and giving me this opportunity. I arrive with excitement, commitment, and a strong desire to continue growing both as a player and as a person.”
The Mets’ signing of Bo Bichette, who was officially introduced at Citi Field on Wednesday, tacked on to New York’s existing surplus of infielders, thus making Acuna expendable.
In what’s been a busy offseason for the White Sox – highlighted by the signing of Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami – Acuña also became the club’s latest acquisition of a former top Mets prospect.
Chicago has already signed left-hander Anthony Kay, the Mets’ 2016 first-round pick, to a two-year deal after his stint in Japan, and also took a flier on outfielder Jarred Kelenic.
As Eric Stephen covered on January 20, the Dodgers have a bevy of promising outfielder prospects in their minor league system. On Wednesday, Baseball America dropped its Top 100 prospect list, listing the following farmhands:
20. Eduardo Quintero, CF/OF
24. Josue De Paula, RF/OF
45. Mike Sirota, CF
63. Zyhir Hope, CF
In comparison, there have been changes, especially when compared to last year’s list, which was headlined by Roki Sasaki. In addition to Sasaki, Dalton Rushing, Alex Freeland, and Jackson Ferris dropped off the list due to major league promotion or being supplanted by other talent.
While these four outfield prospects are quite promising, they are at least a couple of years away from playing in The Show in Los Angeles, even with an aggressive promotion schedule, which would be unlikely with the signing of Kyle Tucker, announced and introduced on Wednesday.
Quintero is now the Dodgers’ #1 prospect per BA, making the jump from #7 in 2025. Quintero was previously unranked in BA’s previous Top 100 list. Quintero played at both Low-A Rancho Cucamonga and High-A Great Lakes in 2025, hitting .293/.415/.508 with 19 home runs and a 152 wRC+ in 113 games.
De Paula is now the Dodgers’ #2 prospect per BA, making the jump from #4 in 2025. De Paula is no stranger to Baseball America’s overall rankings, as he was ranked eighteenth overall in 2025 and thirty-third overall in 2024. De Paula primarily played in High-A Great Lakes in 2025, hitting .263/.406/.421 with 12 home runs in 98 games, before promotion to Double-A Tulsa.
Sirota, who was acquired in the Gavin Lux trade, is now the Dodgers’ #3 prospect per BA, making the jump from #25 in 2025. Josh Norris of BA identified Sirota as one of his candidates to rise within the top 100, blaming his knee injury for his current rank:
The Northeastern-bred outfielder was off to a scalding start in the Midwest League before his season ended. Still, the reviews were clear: He has the toolset and polish to jump to the head of Los Angeles’ cluster of talented outfielders.
As previously mentioned, Sirota was working on a monster season after being promoted to Double-A with a slash line of .333/.452/.616 with 32 extra-base hits in 59 games in A-ball before his injury.
Hope, who was acquired in the Michael Busch trade, is now the Dodgers’ #4 prospect per BA, making the slight jump from #5 in 2025. Hope primarily played in High-A with a .265/.377/.428 slash line, 13 home runs, and 27 doubles before also being promoted to Double-A Tulsa.
As it stands, these four outfielder prospects should be quite entertaining to watch develop over the next couple of seasons in Tulsa and, eventually, barring major setbacks, Triple-A Oklahoma City before donning the pantone of Dodger blue.
The Golden State Warriors are reeling after Jimmy Butler III suffered a season-ending injury in Monday night’s victory over the Miami Heat. Things had finally been coming together for the Dubs, who went 12-4 in the team’s last 16 games before Butler’s season was over. But where do they go from here?
If Golden State wants to try and salvage any chance at contention this season, they have to consider trading Butler prior to this year’s deadline on February 5. Sure, the Dubs could largely stand pat and fight for a play-in spot in hopes Butler returns to form next year, as GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. has suggested they’ll do. However, can they really risk that at this point in Steph Curry’s career?
The obvious name the Warriors will be tied to is Anthony Davis, who has an identical salary to Butler. However, it’s very difficult to envision a framework for a deal coming together. One could argue the Mavericks should swap Davis for Butler and a protected first-round pick, offloading Davis’ longer contract as they tank for the rest of the season, but they traded Luka Dončić for AD last season. They need a sexier return.
Dallas has been tied to Jonathan Kuminga in the past, but even if the Dubs brought back a solid role player like Naji Marshall, it’s hard to imagine them trading the three unprotected first-round picks it would probably take to get a deal across the finish line. And they would probably be right to say no.
The Brooklyn Nets and Utah Jazz are both clearly trying to tank this season with hopes of competing in 2026-27, hypothetically making Butler an appealing target for both front offices. Could Butler and the Warriors remaining picks finally bring Lauri Markkanen to the Warriors? Would the Nets trade both Michael Porter Jr. and Nic Claxton to the Warriors for a trio of first-round picks, Butler, and expiring contracts from the Lakers (with Jarred Vanderbilt heading to Golden State while Kuminga and Buddy Hield join Luka)?
The Warriors could go star hunting with Butler and/or Kuminga, looking to package picks alongside taking back long-term money. Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic suggested targeting a package of Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. Perhaps taking on Dejounte Murray’s contract alongside one or both of Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy III could be another option. Would the Warriors trade three first-round picks, Butler, Kuminga, Hield, and Moses Moody for Williamson, Murray, and Murphy? Would the Pelicans consider it?
Any deals like that would likely be the final blockbuster move of the Curry era. Golden State would be tying up the team’s long-term payroll and most (if not all) of the team’s draft picks for the foreseeable future. The Warriors should definitely pursue these possibilities, but the odds of one coming available that appeals to them and another team seems unlikely at the moment.
Golden State’s best available path could be using Butler and Kuminga (probably Hield as well) to acquire multiple legitimate upgrades with some flaws on sizable enough contracts that the Dubs can retain the team’s draft capital. No, the Warriors should not hoard picks for the sake of it, but if no one good enough comes available, acquiring players that can give them a fighting chance to be competitive for the rest of the season that could be movable in the offseason should be the priority.
The Portland Trail Blazers are worth keeping an eye on. They have Jerami Grant and Jrue Holiday, two veteran players who would fit on the Warriors. But they both make more than $30 million per season through the 2027-28, a year after Butler’s current deal expires, making future trades more complicated.
From a salary-matching perspective, the Warriors could trade Butler, Kuminga, and Hield to Portland for Holiday, Grant, and Robert Williams III. Golden State would be acquiring immediate help while the Blazers would clear more than $73.5 million off the team’s books in the 2027-28 season alongside added gambles on Kuminga and Butler that could have significant upside as well.
Holiday is among the best archetypes of two-way guards to pair with Curry. Williams is a solid role player center on an expiring contract. Grant is a microwave scoring big wing who could help replace some of Butler’s scoring.
The Warriors would have reason to argue that taking on Grant and Holiday’s long-term money would make the swap even without including any picks, but it’s unclear whether the Blazers are worried about that long-term money at the moment. They have never been among the teams heavily interested in Kuminga and have play-in aspirations of their own that would be severely hampered by a deal like this. It would probably take Golden State parting with at least one protected first-round pick to get this deal done.
There’s a case to be made that would be worth it, and it’s not a scenario the Warriors front office should rule out if it’s on the table, but there’s one team that simply makes far more sense.
Yes, I’m talking about the Sacramento Kings.
No team has more consistently pursued Kuminga than Sacramento. No team is more interested in offloading veterans in an effort to tank and open up playing time for younger players. And no other team has two solid veterans whose salaries could so seamlessly be traded for Butler and Kuminga (Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan).
Like Butler, LaVine’s contract runs through the 2026-27 season. While LaVine technically has a player option, it’s clear the former UCLA wing will not be pursuing free agency. DeRozan has a partially guaranteed contract next season, comparable to Kuminga’s team option.
Neither LaVine nor DeRozan are at Butler’s level as a second-option offensively, but they are clear upgrades over the Warriors previous third options. There’s a case to be made that a Warriors starting lineup of Curry, LaVine, DeRozan, Green, and Post would be more potent offensively than the team’s lineup prior to Butler’s injury.
DeRozan is averaging 19.0 points, 4.0 assists, and 3.3 rebounds per game this season on 50.8%/35.9%/87.4% shooting. His mid-range and isolation heavy approach has plenty of similarities to Butler, and it’s easy to see him slotting into a comparable role with the Warriors. LaVine, on the other hand, is capable of scoring at all three levels, averaging 19.8 points per game, and is a true knockdown three-point shooter (39.8% on 6.8 attempts per game this season).
Of course, serious questions would arise elsewhere.
Despite being a key contributor on every team he’s played on over his 12-year career, LaVine has played in just four playoff games. Defensive struggles and questions about his willingness to make winning plays have followed him for some time. In Sacramento’s losing situation, LaVine’s is posting an embarrassingly low 3.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists per 36 minutes, suggesting a lack of effort. DeRozan has similarly never been known for his defensive prowess, and is now 36 years old.
The Warriors would be banking on a couple of things if they were going to make a deep postseason run with LaVine and DeRozan. First, they’d be betting on both players stepping up in a winning environment. Curry would immediately become the best teammate either player has ever had by a significant margin.
Moreover, acquiring LaVine and DeRozan would allow head coach Steve Kerr to lessen De’Anthony Melton’s workload heading into the postseason and alleviate significant pressure on Brandin Podziemski and Moody to score. With Curry, LaVine, and DeRozan handling the lion’s share of offensive responsibility, Kerr would be able to challenge players like Draymond Green, Podziemski, Melton, Moody, Al Horford, Will Richard, and Gary Payton II to pick up the slack on the other end.
In an effort to create a roster spot for Pat Spencer, the Warriors would also likely hope to work a Buddy Hield for Dario Šarić swap into the trade. Golden State could give Šarić a brief audition, but he would more likely be waived. Swapping Hield for Šarić would save the Warriors $4 million in payroll this season and $3 million next year. Sacramento would likely try to buy Hield out if they could not swap him to a contender trying to add some wing shooting depth.
For Sacramento, LaVine and DeRozan have been on the trade block since Scott Perry was hired as the team’s general manager. DeRozan may be able to net a second-round pick or two at this year’s deadline, but LaVine’s deal has long been considered among the least team friendly in the league. Perhaps just as importantly, they are both blocking young wings like Keon Ellis and 2025 first-round pick Nique Clifford.
Perry has been pursuing Kuminga since last summer. Kuminga’s youth, upside, and team-friendly contract would be an excellent addition for Sacramento, particularly in a scenario where they are not forced to give up any valuable pieces.
Similarly, Butler’s injury actually aligns with the Kings current goals. The Kings currently have the fourth-worst record in the league, and clearly are hoping to get the best draft lottery odds possible in the stacked 2026 NBA Draft. They would be in a perfect position to let Butler rehab for the rest of the season and head into next season with him on an expiring contract.
A highly-motivated Butler could be a legitimate impact player in Sacramento next season and expedite the team’s rebuild, but could also simply rebuild enough value to be traded for more prospects and picks next season. If he fails to regain his form, then his deal will expire and leave the Kings in the same salary cap position following the 2026-27 season they will be in if they retain LaVine.
If the two sides broadly agreed that a Butler, Kuminga, and Hield for LaVine, DeRozan, and Šarić framework made sense, the conversation would move to draft picks. I imagine Perry and Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr.’s conversations would go something like this:
Perry: DeRozan and Šarić are an even swap for Kuminga and Hield, but I need at least one first-round pick to take Butler back for LaVine. There isn’t another team out there willing to give you a legitimate rotation piece for Butler without forcing a longer contract onto your books.
Dunleavy: We know you don’t want LaVine. You’re trying to tank this season anyway so replacing him with Butler makes it easier for you to secure a top pick and play young players. Both LaVine and Butler become expiring deals this offseason and Jimmy has an easier chance of recouping value down the line because he has actually been performing at an elite level when he plays. He’s going to be coming off an injury in a contract year. He’ll never be more motivated. It’s an even trade as is and YOU get all the upside. No one believes LaVine and DeRozan are ever going to be All-Star caliber players again while Kuminga has that upside and Butler was just playing at that level.
I could see a deal landing on either end, either including no draft picks at all, or Golden State parting with a protected future first, probably lottery protected in 2026. The Warriors do have one remaining tradeable second-round pick, and at the moment, I’d lean toward that pick alongside a future first-round pick swap emerging as the meeting point.
If they agreed on that, the Kings would then come away with some draft pick compensation alongside Kuminga and a flier on Butler post-ACL rehab while offloading three veterans who are clearly not in the front office’s long-term plans. Golden State, on the other hand, would turn three players currently outside of the rotation into two legitimate starters and some payroll relief while retaining the ability to trade three first-round picks in another deal down the line.
Trade prediction:
Warriors get: Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Dario Šarić Kings get: Jimmy Butler III, Jonathan Kuminga, Buddy Hield, right to swap 2029 SAC 1st with 2029 GS 1st, 2030 GS 2nd
Would this make the Warriors clear Western Conference contenders? No. But that ship likely sailed with Butler’s season-ending injury. The question is can Golden State find a trade that gives them a fighting chance this year without sacrificing the team’s ability to build a contender around Curry next season and possibly the year after. This type of trade with the Kings would do exactly that.
There are many ways to self-destruct on a football pitch but PSV Eindhoven chose one of the more obvious methods.
In opting to play out slowly from the back against high-pressing opponents possessing forwards blessed with the speed and skill of Yoane Wissa and Anthony Gordon, Peter Bosz’s team were always likely to come undone.
“Just a heads up that, while I would love it to be true, a win tonight for Newcastle doesn’t put us in the last 16,” writes David. “It puts us in the first round of 16, which is really the last 24 (playoffs), to then get into the actual last 16. Two extra matches just what everyone wants right now …”
England white-ball captain Harry Brook on Wednesday admitted it was “not the right thing to do” to get into an altercation with a nightclub bouncer in New Zealand, but insisted “I’ve learnt from my mistakes”.
He ranked all 32 NHL teams based on how much each franchise is worth. With his own projections, he compared them to the valuations from Sprotico and Forbes.
In this list, the Los Angeles Kings ranked fairly high. Roustan has the Kings fifth in these valuations, tied in approximate value with four other organizations.
Roustan has projected the value of every NHL franchise to continue to rise. For the Kings, in comparison to the 2025 report from Sportico, Roustan has increased the team's value from $2.96 billion to $3.5 billion. That's just over $500 million in increase from Sportico's report.
Along with being the second-highest team that isn't an Original Six team in Roustan's rankings, the Kings are the second-highest team based in the United States.
Los Angeles also would've been the most valuable team in the Western Conference, as it was in Sportico's ranking. However, Roustan pushed the Oilers just above the Kings in this list, making them second-best in another category.
One title they hold in these valuations is the most valuable franchise in the state of California. In fact, Los Angeles is quite a distance away from the Anaheim Ducks and the San Jose Sharks.
The Ducks rank the lowest of the Californian teams, sitting in 28th with a net worth of $1.75 billion.
Two spots ahead of Anaheim is San Jose, which is also valued at $1.75 billion. The Sharks were ranked higher than the Ducks under Sportico, but the opposite by Forbes.
Nonetheless, Roustan has the Kings worth double than what their state counterparts. In other words, Anaheim and San Jose's franchises together add up to what Los Angeles is.
The Kings prove to be one of the biggest NHL franchises in the United States.
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Indiana Pacers (10-34) at Boston Celtics (26-16) Wednesday, January 21, 2026 7:30 PM ET Regular Season Game #43 Home Game #20 TV: NBCSB, FDSN, NBA-LP Radio: 98.5 Sports Hub, 107.5 The Fan, Sirius XM TD Garden
The Celtics return home from their road trip to host the Indiana Pacers. This is the 4th and final game between these 2 teams this season. The Celtics won the first game 103-95 on December 22 in Boston and they won the 2nd game 140-122 on December 26 in Indiana. They lost the 3rd game 98-96 in Indiana on January 12. The Pacers won the series 2-1 last season, with the Celtics winning one in Boston and losing 1 in Boston and one in Indiana. The Celtic are 112-88 overall all time against the Pacers. They are 64-28 in games played in Boston.
The Celtics are 2nd in the East, 5.5 games behind 1st place Detroit. They are 1.5 games ahead of 2nd place New York. They are 2 games ahead of 4th place Toronto, 2.5 games ahead of 5th place Philadelphia and 3 games ahead of 6th place Orlando and 7th place Cleveland. The Celtics are 19-10 against Eastern Conference opponents. They are 12-7 at home and 6-4 in their last 10 games. They are coming off a loss in their last game.
The Pacers are 15th in the East, 22.5 games behind first place Detroit and 17 games behind 2nd place Boston. They are 9.5 games behind 10th place Atlanta, 3.5 games behind 13th place Brooklyn, and 1 game behind 14th place Washington. The Pacers are 7-22 against Eastern Conference opponents. They are 2-18 on the road and 4-6 in their last 10 games. They have lost their last 2 games.
The Celtics are playing at home after a 4 game road trip. They lost the first game of that road trip in Indiana. After this game at home vs Indiana, they will play Brooklyn and Chicago on the road.They will then have another 4 game home stand where they will host Portland, Atlanta, Sacramento and Milwaukee. Then, they are on the road at Dallas and Houston before playing Miami, New York, and Chicago at home, taking them into the All Star Break.
This is the 3rd game of a 5 game road trip for the Pacers. They lost the first to at Philadelphia and Detroit and will complete the trip at Oklahoma City and Atlanta. They will then host Chicago, Atlanta, Houston and Utah before a 6 game road trip through Milwaukee, Toronto, New York, Brooklyn. They will finish the road trip with 2 games at Washington after the All Star break.
For the Celtics, Jayson Tatum remains out as he continues to rehab from the Achilles tear he suffered in last year’s playoffs. Josh Minott will miss his 8th straight game with an ankle sprain. Jaylen Brown is listed as probable for this game with left hamstring tightness. For the Pacers, Tyrese Haliburton remains out as he rehabs from the Achilles tear he suffered in the Eastern Conference Finals. Bennedict Mathurin is out due to a thumb injury. Obi Toppin is out due to a foot injury.
Probable Starting Matchups PG: Derrick White vs Andrew Nembhard
SG: Payton Pritchard vs Aaron Nesmith
SF: Jaylen Brown vs Johnny Furphy
PF: Sam Hauser vs Pascal Siakam
C: Neemias Queta vs Jay Huff
Celtics Reserves Anfernee Simons Hugo Gonzalez Xavier Tillman Jordan Walsh Luka Garza Baylon Scheierman Chris Boucher
2-Way Players Ron Harper, Jr Max Shulga Amari Williams
Injuries/Out Jayson Tatum (Achilles) out Josh Minott (ankle) questionable Head Coach Joe Mazzulla
Pacers Reserves Tony Bradley Kam Jones TJ McConnell Micah Potter Ben Sheppard Jarace Walker Isaiah Jackson
Two-Way Players Quenton Jackson Taelon Peter Ethan Thompson
Injuries/Out Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles) out Obi Toppin (foot) out Bennedict Mathurin (thumb) questionable
Head Coach Rick Carlisle
Key Matchups Sam Hauser vs Pascal Siakam Siakam is averaging 23.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 48.1% from the field and 38.0% from beyond the arc. Over his career, Siakam has averaged 17.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.1 steals per game against the Celtics. In the 3 games this season, he averaged 19 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 3.3 assists while shooting 50% from the field and 36.4% from beyond the arc. The Celtics need to defend him well in this game.
Derrick White vs Andrew Nembhard Nembhard is averaging 17.6 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 7.1 assists while shooting 44.9% from the field and 36.6% from beyond the arc. Over his career against the Celtics, he has averaged 10.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game. In the first 3 games against the Celtics this season, he averaged 17 points, 4 rebounds, and 8 assists while shooting 45% from the field and 56.3% from beyond the arc. Hopefully White will emerge from his mini shooting slump of late and have a big game.
Honorable Mention Payton Pritchard vs Aaron Nesmith Nesmith is averaging 13.4points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game while shooting 35.2% from the field and 35% from beyond the arc. Over his career against the Celtics, he averaged 11.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists. He missed the first 2 games against the Celtics this season but in the 3rd game, he finished with 6 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists while shooting 22.2% from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc.
Keys to the Game Defense – Defense is the key to winning every single game. The Pacers haven’t been the scoring juggernaut they were last season. They are 30th in the league with an offensive rating of 107.9 while the Celtics have an offensive rating of 121.4 (2nd). The Celtics are 14th in the league with a defensive rating of 114.0. The Pacers are 19th with a defensive rating of 116.0. In the first game between these two teams, the Celtics allowed the Pacers to score 61 points in the first half and they trailed by 18 points at the half. They held them to 34 points in the second half and won the game. The Celtics have to play tough defense from the tip through the final buzzer in this one and not allow the Pacers to get any offensive rhythm.
Rebound – Rebounding is also an important key to winning every game. The Celtics are 10th in the league, pulling down 44.9 rebounds per game. The Pacers are 23rd with 42.8 rebounds per game. It is important for the Celtics to rebound the ball to give themselves extra possessions and to prevent the Pacers from getting the same along with 2nd chance points. Much of rebounding is effort and the Celtics have got to put out more effort than the Pacers to grab rebounds for all 4 quarters.
Move the Ball Carefully – The Celtics need to move the ball to get the best shots. The Celtics are much better when they move the ball and don’t lapse into iso ball. Against the Pistons, the Celtics finished with just 13 assists. They are 17-1 when they have 25 or more assists and they are just 9-15 when they have fewer than 25 assists. Jaylen Brown especially needs to get back to moving the ball instead of trying to score on every possession. Even though the Celtics usually take good care of the ball, they lose focus at times and turn the ball over too much. They need to make careful passes and keep the ball moving.
Don’t Underestimate – It would be easy for the Celtics to underestimate the Pacers and expect an easy win. But that would be a mistake, especially since they did just that in their last game against the Pacers and lost the game. Any team can win on any night if the other team lets down their guard. The Celtics have to come out and play hard and not underestimate the last place Pacers.
X-Factors Home Game and Revenge – The Celtics are at home and should have the crowd behind them. The Celtics need to protect home court and use the crowd support for motivation. The Pacers have to deal with travel and staying in hotels and playing on an unfamiliar court and in front of hostile fans. The Celtics need to remember their loss to these Pacers earlier this month and fight hard to avenge that loss with a win in this one. Officiating – The officiating can always be an x-factor. Some referees call the game tight and others let them play. Some favor the home team and others call it evenly. Some refs just seem to have an agenda that doesn’t fit the play on the court. And sometimes the refs are simply bad. The Celtics have to play through however the refs call the game, whether it is tight or they let them play or they make terrible calls. The Celtics can’t allow bad calls or no calls to take away their focus on the game.
JJ Redick was hopeful Deandre Ayton would be all right after he got poked in the face Tuesday night, but the Lakers coach candidly admitted his star center’s eye was “not in good shape.”
Just after the Lakers scored a 115–107 victory over the Nuggets at Ball Arena in Denver, Redick provided a bit of a concerning update on Ayton, who was not able to finish the game after he got his face raked during a play.
Deandre Ayton left the Lakers’ game against the Nuggets with an eye injury and he did not return. AP
The coach added that Ayton was wearing a patch that made him look “like a pirate,” before he said they were holding their breath that “it’s at the bare minimum just a poke in the eye and he’ll be fine” on Wednesday.
Deandre Ayton shared a picture of his bandaged face following the Lakers vs. Nuggets game on Tuesday night. Deandre Ayton
For Ayton’s part, he didn’t seem overly worried about things, as he added a playful caption on a picture of his bandaged face in a late-night update on his Instagram page.
“Arrr!!!” Ayton wrote in a caption on a photo that showed off his eye patch. He added several emojis, including one of a pirate flag.
Ayton played 14 total minutes in the Lakers’ victory, scoring four points with eight rebounds.
He’s played in 37 games for LA this season, averaging 13.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and one block per game.
Ayton won’t have long to heal up if he wants to be ready for the Lakers’ next tilt — LA’s scheduled to head across town on Thursday night to play the Clippers at Intuit Dome.
Bo Bichette encountered the New York skyline for the first time knowing this wasn't just a stopover — it was now his professional home, for 2026 and maybe the next three years.
And while Bichette is a pretty worldly dude — his mother is Brazilian, his father played a dozen years in the big leagues and he spent his first six seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays — he admitted a new sensation upon this descent.
"When I landed," Bichette told reporters on Jan. 21, "I looked around and saw the city and it hit a little bit different than it does when you come as a road player. As a road player, you try to ignore all of it.
"When I landed, I kind of soaked it in and realized, ‘This is something. This is massive.’ It’s pretty cool."
The New York Mets think Bichette joining their rotating cadre of superstars is pretty cool, too.
Now, an 83-win disappointment won't be followed by a desultory and failed winter. Now, the Mets look an awful lot like the Steve Cohen Mets again.
"Mr. Cohen and David," says Bichette, "have put together an organization that wants to win every year, a chance to win the World Series every year. And a roster that backs that up."
Almost.
While integrating Bichette's 181 hits, 14.5% strikeout rate and career .330 batting average with runners in scoring position, there's just one major hole in the roster — and Stearns knows it.
Mets' next target: Starting pitcher
The marriage of hedge fund kingpin Cohen and Stearns, who made his bones running an efficient shop in Milwaukee, has been largely successful. Stearns got out of the way when Cohen wanted to lavish $765 million on Juan Soto, while Cohen has abided by Stearns' desire to avoid big-dollar commitments to starting pitchers.
Yeah, about that.
The Mets are coming up on the opening of spring camp with a rotation pocked with youngsters (Nolan McLean, perhaps Jonah Tong) and a gaggle of whose ability to deliver significant innings might be in some question (Clay Holmes, Kodai Senga, David Peterson).
The cherry on top of what's already expected to be a $500 million outlay for salary and luxury taxes? A serviceable, if not dominant, starting pitcher.
Stearns knows this. And expects to fulfill it.
"My preference is to add a starting pitcher," Stearns told SNY following Bichette's press conference. "I’ve been open and honest about that through the entirety of the offseason.
"I can’t say with certainty we’ll be able to do that, but we remain engaged on a number of different fronts in that market. We’ve still got plenty of time to go in the offseason, plenty of time before Opening Day, so we’ll see where it heads."
This is a pretty rosy statement if you're a Mets fan. Fishing in multiple markets is an interesting concept, which suggests the Mets would be engaged in the short-term veteran pool (such as reuniting with Chris Bassitt, Justin Verlander or Max Scherzer) yet perhaps keeping an eye on if bigger prizes fall to them (Framber Valdez, most notably, and to a lesser degree Zac Gallen).
Perhaps that means a medium-term commitment to a Lucas Giolito type, or a swingman situation with a Zack Littell or Nick Martinez. The Mets could also try to trade for Milwaukee Brewers ace Freddy Peralta or Washington Nationals left-hander MacKenzie Gore, but in dealing for those reasonably priced arms, the Mets lose their biggest advantage: Financial might. Either way, Stearns is on it, and a medium to major addition would make the entire Mets starting group look much better.
Chemistry test
Something went foul in the Mets' mix at the end of last season, when their four-month freefall coalesced in a final-day elimination. Not that there weren't logistical reasons to change the team's complexion, most notably by shipping out Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil, and moving on from Pete Alonso.
Yet if it's impossible to measure what the Mets gain through subtraction, they can be sure the infield additions of Bichette and Marcus Semien are significant.
Those dudes are dawgs.
"One of the most competitive right-handed hitters in our sport," Stearns says of Bichette. "Incredible baseball aptitude. Anyone who’s watched him sees that very, very clearly.
"He intensely wants to win. Throughout that (negotiating) process it’s that intense desire to win that came through loud and clear."
For his part, Bichette is thrilled to reunite with Semien, who spent one year as Bichette's double-play partner in Toronto, hit 45 home runs and moved on to a $175 million contract — and a 2023 World Series championship — in Texas.
"I have a special relationship with him," says Bichette, who was 23 and in his first full major league season in 2021. "That was someone who taught me the ropes, showed me how to be a professional, someone who I respect a ton. It definitely adds to the excitement to get to play with him again."
Better yet, the Mets' Louis Vuitton lineup ensures that Semien, now 35, can lurk in its bottom third, not a bad piece of real estate for a guy whose adjusted OPS fell below league average last year, but still produced 3.3 WAR.
A winter less nuclear
To be certain, this was not a happily-ever-after kind of day in Queens.
Bichette has opt-out clauses after each of the first two seasons of this deal and, since he doesn't turn 28 until March, will be in prime position to cash in even more significantly next winter. Robert is a free agent after this season.
And perhaps the pitcher Stearns ultimately lands will be on a one-year deal, too.
That's OK. Cohen plays this market like a craps player spreads his chips around the board, seeing some vanish and re-loading for the next roll. Just a week ago, it looked like Cohen and Stearns crapped out.
Now they have Bichette and Robert in hand, a pitcher on the way and a winter narrative, shifted.
Cody Bellinger, the last offensive free agent of note this winter, has agreed to a deal with the Yankees. Per Jon Heyman, the deal is for $162.5 million over five years, with $85 million coming in the first two years and an opt out after the 2027 season. That’s significantly more than the 5/$135 Fangraphs had projected him for at the beginning of the winter, and the front loading and opt out further increase the value from his point of view. It’s been a good winter for hitters, with Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette opting for short deals that blew their expected AAVs out of the water, and Alex Bregman, Bellinger, Kyle Schwarber and Pete Alonso getting big deals with totals that exceeded expectations. Bellinger had his best, and healthiest, season in years in New York last season. He played in 152 games, posting a .272/.334/.480 slash line that was 25% better than league average while going 13 for 15 stealing bases and playing very good corner outfield defence with some passable work in centre as well. His return completes the reunion of last year’s Yankees outfield after fellow free agent centre fielder Trent Grisham accepted the qualifying offer earlier this winter. They and right fielder Aaron Judge will form probably the strongest offensive outfield in the game. The move signals that the team doesn’t think former uber-prosepect Jasson Dominguez is quite ready for prime time. Dominguez got into 123 games in New York in his age 22 season last year and hit well enough for his age (103 wRC+), but stats and scouts graded his left field defence as atrocious in spite of his plus speed. It also pushes Spencer Jones out of the big league outfield picture as long as all of the starters are healthy. Jones grabbed attention by clubbing 35 home runs in just 116 games across AA and AAA last season, but also struck out 35% of the time with just a 60% contact rate, and evaluators doubt that his swing and approach would survive MLB pitching. The free agent market is now looking pretty thin, with Eugenio Suarez the only batter left who looks likely to receive a significant multi-year deal. There’s a little more on the pitching side, with Framber Valdez and Zac Gallen yet to find landing spots. Although the Jays missed out on the major MLB bats, their plan of locking in their free agents early in the offseason looks good given how high prices have landed
The San Diego Padres’ main focus has been revamping the starting rotation this offseason. But the start of Spring Training is less than a month away, and their efforts should turn to upgrading the backup catcher position.
Campusano is not the answer
Currently, Luis Campusano is the lone option behind starter Freddy Fermin. The Padres have little confidence in him, as Campusano has always been a lazy defender behind the dish, and his minor league hitting prowess has never translated at the major league level.
But the clock is ticking on Campusano’s time with the organization, as the Friars have no more minor league options remaining for him. So, he either begins the 2026 season on the big league roster, or Campusano must be designated for assignment.
It was not too long ago that he was the top prospect of the Padres’ minor league system. But his production in the majors (0-21 in 2025) has been disappointing. However, it is not impossible to see him reach his potential this season. Late bloomers are a common thread in baseball today.
Who is available on the backup catcher’s market
With the Friars turning their attention to upgrading the backup catcher position, no one should expect that player to supplant Fermin as the starter. He has been outstanding since the Friars acquired him from the Kansas City Royals at last summer’s trade deadline.
In 42 games with the Brown & Gold, Fermin batted .244 with two home runs and 14 RBI, while quickly becoming a calming presence for the pitching staff. He learned what each pitcher does best and allowed them to succeed in their moment on the mound.
If the Padres add another experienced catcher to the mix, it is because they want to keep Fermin fresh for an entire season. Giving him a lighter workload allows Fermin to remain an effective contributor deep into the dog days of summer. The Friars cannot afford a fall-off in production.
You would expect the organization to bring other backup candidates to Peoria on minor league deals. However, finding a suitable replacement has not been easy. Still, the Friars have been linked to several catchers, notably Christian Vasquez, Reese McGuire, and Gary Sanchez.
Each adds a veteran presence to the clubhouse. Vasquez and McGuire are known as defensive specialists who call a good game. Sanchez may not have the glove, but he does offer a proven power-hitting commodity off the bench.
The front office will not consider top catching prospect Ethan Salas to start the season in the backup role. Injuries have caused him to miss significant time since signing with the Padres. Salas needs more seasoning in the minors before any thought of him receiving a major league promotion.
The Friars need to upgrade their depth at the catcher’s position. However, the market is currently thin, as no one is willing to commit to one another.
However, that could change heading into the final weeks before the start of Spring Training. Expect the Padres to make a move soon.
