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Cubs agree to acquire right-hander Edward Cabrera in a trade with the Marlins

CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs are adding Edward Cabrera to their rotation, agreeing Wednesday to acquire the right-hander in a trade with the Miami Marlins in their first major offseason move.

A person familiar with the deal confirmed the move to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because it hadn’t been announced.

Chicago agreed to send outfielder Owen Caissie and infield prospects Cristian Hernandez and Edgardo De Leon to Miami for Cabrera, who went 8-7 with a 3.53 ERA in a career-high 26 starts and 137 2/3 innings last year.

Caissie, 23, could compete for a starting job with the Marlins after making his major league debut in August. Caissie, a second-round pick in the 2020 amateur draft, hit .192 in 12 games with the Cubs, but he batted .286 with 22 homers and 55 RBIs with Triple-A Iowa last season.

Cabrera is eligible for arbitration and cannot become a free agent until after the 2028 season.

The Cubs finished second in the NL Central last year with a 92-70 record. They made it to the playoffs for the first time since 2020 before they were eliminated by Milwaukee in a five-game NL Division Series.

Cabrera, who turns 28 in April, joins a deep rotation that also includes Matthew Boyd, Shota Imanaga, Cade Horton and Jameson Taillon. Colin Rea and Javier Assad are two more starting options, and Justin Steele is coming back from left elbow surgery on April 18.

The 6-foot-5 Cabrera made his major league debut with Miami in 2021. He is 25-29 with a 4.07 ERA in 87 career starts and two relief appearances.

Cabrera arrives in Chicago with some injury concerns, including recurring blisters on his right middle finger. He also was placed on the 15-day injured list on Sept. 1 with a right elbow sprain. He returned on Sept. 23 and pitched five shutout innings against the New York Mets in his final start of the season on Sept. 28.

While the addition of Cabrera strengthens Chicago’s rotation, Caissie was expected to compete for time in right field. Kyle Tucker is expected to leave the Cubs in free agency.

Miami went 79-83 in its first season under manager Clayton McCullough, a 17-game improvement from its last-place finish in 2024. Sandy Alcantara and Eury Pérez lead the team’s rotation.

Hernandez, 22, batted .252 with seven homers and 53 RBIs for High A South Bend last year. De Leon, 18, played for the Cubs’ team in the Arizona Complex League in 2025, hitting .276 with five homers and 15 RBIs in 43 games.

Also Wednesday, the Cubs claimed left-hander Ryan Rolison off waivers from the Chicago White Sox. Rolison made his big league debut with Colorado in May.

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Former Sharks Forward Has Monster Game

The New York Islanders defeated the New Jersey Devils by a 9-0 final score on Jan. 6. Former San Jose Sharks forward Anthony Duclair played a significant role in the Islanders' blowout win, as he had a huge game for the Metropolitan Division club. 

Duclair impressed in a big way against the Devils, as he recorded three goals, five points, and a plus-6 rating in the contest. With numbers like these, there is no question that Duclair was simply fantastic for the Islanders in this contest. 

With this huge game for the Islanders, Duclair now has seven goals, 11 assists, 18 points, and a plus-5 rating in 40 games this season. This is after he had seven goals and 11 points in 44 games for the Islanders during the 2024-25 season. 

Duclair will now be looking to stay hot for the Islanders after this fantastic performance. If he does, it would be good news for an Islanders club that is looking to get back into the playoffs. 

Duclair played in 56 games during the 2023-24 season with the Sharks, where he recorded 16 goals, 11 assists, and 27 points. Overall, he proved to be a solid pickup for the Sharks, but his time with the organization was short-lived. This is because he was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning ahead of the 2024 NHL trade deadline. 

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Emery rages at Crystal Palace draw as Glasner extends record against Aston Villa

Even with Aston Villa enjoying their best season for years, Unai Emery cannot get one over Oliver Glasner. The Crystal Palace manager has been struggling with a threadbare squad that still has not recorded a victory for several weeks but stretched his unbeaten record against Emery to seven matches after a game which both sides felt they could have won.

A late Victor Lindelöf header that struck a post was the closest anyone came in the end as neither Adam Wharton nor Morgan Rogers could quite inspire their sides to victory in front of the England manager, Thomas Tuchel, watching on in the stands. But despite losing Emiliano Martínez to injury at half-time, it was Villa who ended the evening more frustrated as they missed an opportunity to move into second place in the table despite bombarding the Palace goal in the final 10 minutes.

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What we learned as Steph Curry outduels Giannis in Warriors' tight win vs. Bucks

What we learned as Steph Curry outduels Giannis in Warriors' tight win vs. Bucks originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

SAN FRANCISCO – Returning from a frustrating road loss to the Clippers in LA, the Warriors on Wednesday night began an eight-game homestand that can define their season, less than a month away from the NBA trade deadline. 

The start of a two-week stretch at Chase Center was picture-perfect for the Warriors in a 120-113 win against the Milwaukee Bucks.

It took the Warriors going 5 of 10 on threes in the fourth quarter of their loss to the Clippers to get to 24.4 percent for the game. Shooting wasn’t such a problem playing the Bucks, as Golden State shot 48.9 percent from the field and 38.3 percent from three with 18 makes.

Steph Curry led the Warriors with 31 points, six rebounds and seven assists. De’Anthony Melton (22 points) and Jimmy Butler (21 points) gave the Warriors three 20-point scorers on a night where five players scored in double figures.

The Warriors continued to improve their ball security and had just nine turnovers one game after giving up seven. As the ball hummed, six Warriors had multiple assists, which was twice as many that had multiple turnovers.

Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo was an unstoppable force, finishing with 34 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.

Here are three takeaways from the Warriors’ win that pushes them to 20-18:

The Others Step Up

What a difference it makes when the Warriors actually make shots. There have been flaws and cracks in the defense, but shotmaking has become a season-long problem nearly at the halfway mark. The Warriors entered their 38th game ranked 27th in field goal percentage and 15th in 3-point percentage for the 20th-ranked offensive rating in the NBA. 

They resembled a much better product than those numbers back in front of their home fans. 

The biggest positive was the “other guys.” In this case, we’re talking about players not named Curry or Butler. Those two combined to score 51 points Monday in LA, which was half of the team’s total, while the rest of the starting five scored 15 points with a 17.6 shooting percentage and went 1 for 11 on threes. In the first quarter alone, the other three starters – Draymond Green, Moses Moody and Quinten Post – scored 14 points.

That number rose to 25 points by halftime. The final total between those three was 34 points. But they weren’t alone. Melton scored 20 points for the first time since Dec. 27, 2023 and the Warriors won the bench battle 34-24.

Red-Hot Curry

Efficiency was Curry’s only problem in the Warriors’ previous game. While he led both teams with 27 points, Curry did so on 9-of-23 shooting (39.1 percent) and 4 of 15 on threes (26.7 percent). He cleaned that mess two days later.

Curry was slicing and dicing the Bucks’ defense without breaking a sweat. He made it look easy and still found ways to get fans out of their seats. As the Warriors held an 11-point halftime lead, Curry was a plus-21 and the second-highest among the starting five was Moody at plus-5.

He just kept cooking in the second half, too. Curry had his latest third-quarter flurry of 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting. He could have pulled out his Night Night celebration with his stepback jumper that sealed the deal with 26 seconds remaining.

Curry finished the night 12-of-21 shooting (9 of 12 on 2-pointers and 3 of 9 on 3-pointers).

On a night where Curry did a bit of everything, the stat that he might be proudest of is one. Curry’s only turnover came with 15 seconds left when he lost the ball out of bounds. 

Horford’s Huge Impact 

As he read the direction of Melton’s 3-point attempt in the final minute-plus of the second quarter, Al Horford crashed to the middle of the paint, grabbed the miss and found Melton in the left corner for an open three that went through this time. Horford’s rebound already was eighth of the game and third on the offensive glass. 

Nobody was better for the Warriors than Horford in the second quarter. The Warriors and Bucks were tied at 31 points after the first quarter. But the Warriors then went on an 11-0 run in the final two minutes of the first half prior to the Bucks making a 3-pointer in the final few seconds. Horford in that span had three points, three rebounds and an assist. 

He played six and a half minutes in the second quarter and was a plus-14 with six points on two 3-pointers, six rebounds and three assists.

Horford inhaled a season-high 10 rebounds. The veteran center also made two threes and connected the game on both sides. Getting these versions of him and Melton consistently can be game-changing for Golden State.

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Wizards acquire star Trae Young from Hawks in major trade, report says

Wizards acquire star Trae Young from Hawks in major trade, report says originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Trae Young is moving on from Atlanta — but staying the same conference.

The Washington Wizards reportedly acquired the star point guard from the Hawks in a major trade to open 2026, ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported Wednesday.

Shooting guard CJ McCollum and forward Corey Kispert are the players headed to Atlanta in return. No draft picks are expected to be exchanged by either team.

News of Young’s potential trade first broke Monday, with the Wizards also emerging as the preferred destination.

The 27-year-old, who went No. 5 overall in the 2018 draft, has seemed to plateau with Atlanta ever since leading the team to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2018. Young has also played just 10 games this season, with Atlanta 17-21 at the time of the trade. Washington is 10-26, second to last in the Eastern Conference.

Young is posting 19.3 points, 8.9 assists, 1.5 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 28.0 minutes on a 41.5/30.5/86.3 shooting split. Just last season, he averaged 24.2 points, 11.6 assists and 3.1 rebounds on a 41.1/34/87.5 split in 36.0 minutes, but Atlanta hasn’t developed into a serious contender for multiple seasons.

A four-time All-Star, Young can still provide Washington with a focal point at the 1-spot thanks to his elite playmaking, but his dip in long-range shooting numbers and playoff defense will be notable concerns should Washington make a leap soon. He has a $48.9 million player option next season before entering unrestricted free agency.

The Wizards were led by McCollum’s 18.6 points per game, but his $30 million expiring salary will instead go to Atlanta, where he may help a play-in tournament push. Kispert, the 2021 No. 15 overall pick, is averaging 9.2 points on 39.5% 3-point shooting in a bench role.

Alex Sarr, the 2024 No. 2 overall pick, is the next best scorer after McCollum at 17.2 points, with Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson, Bub Carrington and Bilal Coulibaly all contributing on a young team. Veteran Khris Middleton has also started all 23 games he’s appeared in.

For Atlanta, Jalen Johnson has led the way with 24 points per game, while Nickeil Alexander-Walker, 27, is averaging a career-high 20.5 points on a healthy 45/38/85 split at the guard spot. The Hawks will now turn the page and search for the next big star.

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Wizards acquire star Trae Young from Hawks in major trade, report says

Wizards acquire star Trae Young from Hawks in major trade, report says originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Trae Young is moving on from Atlanta — but staying the same conference.

The Washington Wizards reportedly acquired the star point guard from the Hawks in a major trade to open 2026, ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported Wednesday.

Shooting guard CJ McCollum and forward Corey Kispert are the players headed to Atlanta in return. No draft picks are expected to be exchanged by either team.

News of Young’s potential trade first broke Monday, with the Wizards also emerging as the preferred destination.

The 27-year-old, who went No. 5 overall in the 2018 draft, has seemed to plateau with Atlanta ever since leading the team to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2018. Young has also played just 10 games this season, with Atlanta 17-21 at the time of the trade. Washington is 10-26, second to last in the Eastern Conference.

Young is posting 19.3 points, 8.9 assists, 1.5 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 28.0 minutes on a 41.5/30.5/86.3 shooting split. Just last season, he averaged 24.2 points, 11.6 assists and 3.1 rebounds on a 41.1/34/87.5 split in 36.0 minutes, but Atlanta hasn’t developed into a serious contender for multiple seasons.

A four-time All-Star, Young can still provide Washington with a focal point at the 1-spot thanks to his elite playmaking, but his dip in long-range shooting numbers and playoff defense will be notable concerns should Washington make a leap soon. He has a $48.9 million player option next season before entering unrestricted free agency.

The Wizards were led by McCollum’s 18.6 points per game, but his $30 million expiring salary will instead go to Atlanta, where he may help a play-in tournament push. Kispert, the 2021 No. 15 overall pick, is averaging 9.2 points on 39.5% 3-point shooting in a bench role.

Alex Sarr, the 2024 No. 2 overall pick, is the next best scorer after McCollum at 17.2 points, with Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson, Bub Carrington and Bilal Coulibaly all contributing on a young team. Veteran Khris Middleton has also started all 23 games he’s appeared in.

For Atlanta, Jalen Johnson has led the way with 24 points per game, while Nickeil Alexander-Walker, 27, is averaging a career-high 20.5 points on a healthy 45/38/85 split at the guard spot. The Hawks will now turn the page and search for the next big star.

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Jets Call Up Danny Zhilkin, Place Haydn Fleury On IR

The Winnipeg Jets have finally given 22-year-old forward Danny Zhilkin his long-awaited opportunity at the NHL level, recalling him from the American Hockey League’s Manitoba Moose ahead of what is expected to be his league debut.

To make room on the roster, the Jets placed defenseman Haydn Fleury on injured reserve, retroactive to Jan. 6, following a frightening incident Tuesday night against the Vegas Golden Knights. Fleury suffered a hard fall into the boards following a hit during the game and was eventually stretchered off the ice. Fleury has been diagnosed with a broken nose, bruised back and is still being evaluated for another concussion after he just returned from being sidelined for 17 games with one. 

For Zhilkin, the recall represents a significant milestone after patiently working his way through three professional seasons in the Jets organization. Drafted in the third round, 102nd overall, in the 2022 NHL Draft, Zhilkin entered pro hockey with considerable expectations and has steadily progressed each year with the Moose.

This season, Zhilkin has produced 14 points in 30 games, already closing in on the 17 points he recorded combined over his first two AHL campaigns. The steady increase in offensive output has been paired with improved consistency away from the puck, an area that the Jets have emphasized in his development. His ability to play responsibly while still contributing offensively has helped him earn trust within the organization.

Zhilkin came close to cracking the Jets roster earlier this year, emerging as one of the final cuts during training camp. His strong preseason showing at the time fueled internal belief that his NHL debut was a matter of when, not if. Wednesday’s recall confirms that assessment.

The timing of the move could also signal a shift in approach for Winnipeg as the season progresses. With injuries mounting and playoff hopes becoming increasingly uncertain, the Jets may begin to evaluate younger talent to assess long-term fit at the NHL level. Zhilkin appears to be the first beneficiary of that opportunity, potentially opening the door for additional prospects to follow.

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Observations after Sixers' stars all produce in win over Wizards

Observations after Sixers' stars all produce in win over Wizards  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers’ stars all scored efficiently and led the way Wednesday night in the team’s 131-110 win over the Wizards at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Joel Embiid had 28 points on 10-for-14 shooting and seven rebounds. Tyrese Maxey posted 22 points (9 for 15 from the floor) and eight assists. Paul George scored 23 points and shot 7 for 10.

The Sixers were at full strength for the first time this season. The Wizards were very undermanned amid reports of their trade pursuit of Trae Young.

Rookie Tre Johnson scored a team-high 20 points for the 10-26 Wizards.

The 20-15 Sixers will visit the Magic on Friday night. Here are observations on their victory Wednesday:

Ready to roll this time 

The Sixers had a much sharper start than in their overtime loss Monday to the shorthanded Nuggets. 

Embiid hit a mid-range jumper over Alex Sarr on the game’s opening play. Maxey drained a pull-up three-pointer, Embiid threw down a dunk set up by a flex cut and George dish, and the Wizards called timeout in an early 7-0 hole. Embiid asked the home crowd to amp up the volume. 

Maxey tried seven long-range jumpers in the first quarter and knocked down four. He and Embiid combined for 24 points in the first period on 9-for-13 shooting, five assists and zero turnovers. The Sixers had no turnovers as a team until 2.4 seconds left in the first.

The bar was low, but the Sixers needed a more focused, energetic start against another injury-depleted opponent. They checked that box.

Oubre and Watford’s returns

Kelly Oubre Jr. checked in at the 4:27 mark of the first quarter and the fans gave him a loud, warm welcome back.

He played Wednesday for the first time since suffering a left knee LCL sprain on Nov. 14. Oubre wore a brace on his left knee and a sleeve covered his entire left leg. 

The 30-year-old wing will certainly require some time to regain rhythm and conditioning. Oubre made a nice cut along the baseline near the end of the first quarter, but he couldn’t catch Quentin Grimes’ low pass. Early in the second quarter, Oubre air balled a contested mid-range jumper and came up short on a catch-and-shoot corner three attempt.

The Sixers didn’t score for the first 3:40 of the second quarter and the Wizards stormed in front with a 13-0 run. Washington’s bench had a 17-2 scoring advantage over the Sixers’ second unit at halftime.

Trendon Watford made his return from a left adductor strain in quasi-garbage time, subbing in with 4:45 to go in the fourth quarter and the Sixers leading by 18 points. He tallied three assists.

Oubre got a short turnaround jumper to drop in the fourth quarter. He logged 20 minutes and had two points on 1-for-4 shooting, three rebounds, two steals and an assist.

Deep down the bench

George’s jumpers were sweet in the second quarter off both the catch and the dribble. He reached his first 20-point game since Dec. 14 when he made a short jump shot with 8:13 to go in the third quarter.

Propelled by their star trio, the Sixers picked up steam late in the second quarter. Maxey’s and-one layup put the team up 58-51.

The Sixers never relinquished their lead and turned the contest into a blowout by early in the fourth quarter. VJ Edgecombe’s baseline jumper stretched the Sixers’ advantage to 20 points. The rookie again had a stat sheet-stuffing night, recording 13 points, seven assists, six rebounds and five steals.

By the end of the evening, everyone had played for the Sixers besides veterans Eric Gordon and Kyle Lowry.

While they won’t often go that deep down their bench, the final minutes were a reminder that the team currently has many options and no one sidelined.

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NHL Rumors: 4 Blackhawks On New Trade Board

The Chicago Blackhawks are once among the bottom teams in the NHL this season. Due to this, there is certainly a chance that they will be sellers at the 2026 NHL trade deadline. 

With the Blackhawks struggling, a few of their players have been brought up as potential trade candidates.

In his latest trade board for Daily Faceoff, Matt Larkin included Blackhawks players Nick Foligno, Connor Murphy, Jason Dickinson, and Laurent Brossoit. 

Out of the four players, Foligno was the only one in Larkin's "Names to keep an eye on" tier. Larkin brought up the possibility of Foligno being traded to a contender, but also noted that would likely only happen if the Blackhawks captain wants it to. 

Plenty of playoff clubs would love to have Foligno, as he is a leader who plays a heavy game, multiple positions, and is still an effective bottom-six forward. In 20 games this season, he has recorded one goal, seven points, and 51 hits. 

As for Murphy, Dickinson, and Brossoit, they were all in Larkin's "Theoretical trade chips if their teams fall out of contention" tier. 

Murphy undoubtedly has the potential to generate interest from contenders as we get closer to the deadline. Playoff clubs are always on the hunt for big, right-shot defensemen, and Murphy fits that description. The pending UFA could be a nice pickup for a contender looking to boost their bottom pairing.

Dickinson is another Blackhawks pending UFA who makes sense as a trade candidate. Teams looking for a solid two-way center for their bottom six could call about Dickinson. This is especially so with the center trade market not being the strongest. 

As for Brossoit, it is known that the Blackhawks are trying to find the veteran goalie a new home. The 32-year-old's strong resume could help him generate some interest if a playoff club is looking to improve at the backup position.