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The 2026 Spring Training report date for pitchers and catchers is two weeks from today. Joe Musgrove is again hosting his Camp 44 before the new season begins. San Diego Padres pitcher Yu Darvish will almost definitely be participating with the team in one capacity or another. After having his third elbow surgery following last season, Darvish is three months removed and heading into the necessary rehabilitation required to get normal function back in his elbow.
The big question regarding Darvish is what role he will take going forward. As far back as last season, it was clear that Darvish had already started contemplating ending his professional career. While rehabbing and trying to get back on the field, he said: “I did seriously consider potentially not coming back – with the injury as well as with my performance the last couple years not being up to standard. But I thought to myself to go all out and treat it as if it was my last time.”
After the surgery, Darvish stated his goal was to rehab in order to be able to have normal function again. Many thought the 39-year-old veteran was implying that he was seriously considering retirement.
Now we jump forward to January of 2026 and the month leading up to Spring Training. Darvish again implied, while appearing at an event for Ronald McDonald House in December, that his goal was health and pitching again was not in his sights at that point.
The Padres are budget constrained, the free agent and trade markets have been outrageously expensive, and Padres fans are clamoring for additions to be made to the roster to round out the team.
Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union Tribune published an article stating the Darvish retirement was around the corner and he would be walking away from the remainder of his contract. His exact words:
“Yu Darvish does not plan to pitch again in the major leagues.”
Acee quoted Darvish (from the Ronald McDonald House event) – “The way my rehab is going now, I am focused on getting right, not coming back. Right now, I’m not really thinking too much about the future. Just knowing the way I think, I’m sure I will one day want to throw again. All I’ve thought about in my life is baseball.”
After writing in his article that Darvish was done, there was a swift response on social media from both Darvish and his agent, Joel Wolfe.
According to Yu Darvish’s agent, Joel Wolfe, no decision has been made on the pitcher’s retirement.
Wolfe: “Yu has not made a final decision yet. This is a complicated matter we are still working through.”
“You may have seen an article, and although I am leaning towards voiding the contract, there’s still a lot that has to be talked over with the Padres so the finer details are yet to be decided. Also I will not be announcing my retirement yet. Right now I am fully focused on my rehab for my elbow, and if I get to a point where I can throw again, I will start from scratch again to compete. If once I get to that point I feel I can’t do that, I will announce my retirement.”
“Since there are reports about my retirement, I’ll explain briefly,” he posted. “I’ve been discussing with the Padres since last year about terminating the contract, but I haven’t decided to retire yet. My own intention has been consistent since the start of the offseason, but at this point, discussions with the Padres, the players’ association, and my agent haven’t been finalized.
“As for me, if I can thoroughly complete my rehab and feel confident that I can pitch in games both mentally and physically, I’d like to start over and compete from scratch again. As for this year, I plan to go to Petco Park for rehab as well, and also attend a bit of Spring Training.”
Two things are true as you read what Darvish stated. He intends to walk away from his contract with the Padres and, if he decides to pitch again, it will be starting over from scratch and earning a spot on a roster. The details of the first fact are complicated and involve legal and financial issues for both the player and his representatives.
The second point is that he must complete his rehab before even thinking about pitching again. Darvish will be 40 when that process is completed. This is his third elbow surgery and his second UCL surgery. His intention appears clear. He does not want to take any more money from the Padres as a professional pitcher. There will be a negotiation that settles on an agreement for all parties but it seems clear Darvish would prefer to walk away.
Any announcement of a retirement is not immediately forthcoming. If he voids his contract he will owe no one anything and can take his time deciding about his professional future. If he stayed under contract he would have to proceed as the team required but on his own he can do it his way.
Acee was interviewed on Monday, Jan. 26, on San Diego Sports 760 radio with Jon Schaeffer clarifying his reporting. He acknowledged that using the word “retired” or “retirement” was a mistake. Although he stands by his statement that Darvish is fully intending on walking away from his Padres contract, the end of his professional career has not necessarily arrived and that is a call only Darvish can make.
Despite the premature jump that Acee took in announcing this development, it should be noted that Padres fans have probably seen the last of Darvish in a Padres uniform in a professional game. Even if his contract is converted into a personal services agreement or a front office job, Darvish as a Padres starter is probably a done deal.
As is his tendency, Darvish will refuse to take money he didn’t earn. The same as when he had to walk away in 2024 to deal with family issues, the team will not have to pay him money that he hasn’t worked for. He was quoted in December – “As far as leaving lots of money, I look at it as that was never mine to begin with. Especially considering the money I haven’t physically earned yet.”
A man of high principles and honor, Darvish will hopefully remain a part of this organization even after his playing days are over. He has already begun the transition into another role as he sat in on talks with free agents and was present during the negotiations for Michael King’s re-signing. He also attended the news conference after that signing.
Darvish is known to be close to Padres president of baseball operations and general manager A.J. Preller and it would make sense that a special assistant role would be a good fit for him. No matter the final deal that is struck, Darvish should be admired for the ethics and principles that he brings to his career. All Padres fans should appreciate what he has meant to this team professionally and as a rolemodel for his teammates.
Like Musgrove, who stayed with the team as a mentor and cheerleader all through his rehab time last season, Darvish intends to spend time with the team during Spring Training. There is no doubt he will do what he can to support the rest of the team and the pitching staff as they prepare for the new season.
At an event on Saturday, Jan. 25, for the new Miracle League field, Musgrove was quoted:
“I know Darvish, I know his passion for the game, about his desire to help people around him get better, but I have no expectation as far as what we’re going to get out of him this year. I don’t say that in a negative way, I say that as this is a decision for Yu. He’s got his reasons why he’s doing it; I think it is extremely admirable what he’s doing, but I don’t want to put any of my opinions out there. It’s his decision to make 100 percent and I don’t feel a certain way about it.”
Staying out of the controversy is a wise choice for Musgrove but it seems clear that his teammates know what Darvish is intending and appreciate him for who he is.
Padres fans should do the same.
Even though this is likely to take some time to finalize, don’t become so wrapped up in the money side that we forget to appreciate the man who is doing it. Yes, the extra payroll flexibility will go far to helping with the roster this year and in coming years. No doubt, that is exactly what Darvish intended.
But with the unprecedented contracts we are seeing in professional sports, it is refreshing to be in the company of an athlete who puts his team, his adopted city and his fans ahead of himself.
The press box at Rogers Arena on Tuesday will be full as plenty of scouts have made the trip to watch the Vancouver Canucks take on the San Jose Sharks. With Vancouver having already announced a rebuild, teams from across the league have sent representatives to watch and evaluate Canucks players. Vancouver currently sits 32nd in the NHL and is projected to finish last in the league this season.
While there are usually a healthy number of scouts in the building, Tuesday will feature 17 in total. Teams with more than one representative at the game include the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Anaheim Ducks. Below is a look at which teams will have at least one scout at Rogers Arena on Tuesday.
Anaheim Ducks (x2)
Chicago Blackhawks
Dallas Stars
Detroit Red Wings
Florida Panthers
Los Angeles Kings
New York Islanders
New York Rangers
Ottawa Senators
Philadelphia Flyers
St. Louis Blues
Toronto Maple Leafs (x2)
Utah Mammoth
Vegas Golden Knights
Winnipeg Jets
The Canucks continue their eight-game homestand on Tuesday against the Sharks. So far, Vancouver is 1-4 through their first five games at home. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 pm PT.
Jan 21, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson (40) and forward Evander Kane (91) and defenseman Tyler Myers (57) during a stop in play against the Washington Capitals in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
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But when asked about the potential of signing a contract extension, the right-hander pitched around it.
“I just got here,” he said Tuesday on an introductory Zoom call with reporters. “I think that I got to see around, I have to share time with my teammates and think about different ideas, learn about everybody, coaches, the organization in general and then we can see.”
Still, this is now the second time Stearns has traded for Peralta — the first when he was a 19-year-old acquired by the Brewers — which the now 29-year-old right-hander acknowledged “says a lot.”
This time Stearns is adding Peralta to the rotation as an established, high-end pitcher — costing the Mets prospects Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat — who should elevate their chances heading into 2026.
Freddy Peralta pitched to a 2.70 ERA across 33 starts with 204 strikeouts in a career-high 176 ²/₃ innings last season. AP
“I’m really happy to be here in New York and represent the New York Mets organization,” Peralta said. “It’s a different market [than Milwaukee], a different city, there’s a lot more fans, a lot more people watching. Being honest, I like the competition that we’re going to face here. I’ve been around, watching for years what it is to be part of that big-market team. I’m excited to be part of the team and I can’t wait.”
Peralta, a two-time All-Star, pitched to a 2.70 ERA across 33 starts with 204 strikeouts in a career-high 176 ²/₃ innings last season.
It marked the third straight season in which he has made 30-plus starts, demonstrating a durability that he said was the “most important thing” to him.
And while pitching in Milwaukee and the NL Central is not the same as pitching in Queens and the NL East, Peralta has also made nine playoff appearances, which he believes should prepare him for his new opportunity.
“I think it’s going to help a lot, because the game during the playoffs, it’s on a different level,” he said. “I think probably New York is the same level — every game feels like that. I remember Opening Day in 2025 against the Yankees, it’s how it felt. I felt the same and it was crazy, the vibes and all that, the energy of the fans. Even being the first day, I felt that. I think that’s going to feel [like it] every five days in New York.”
The Dominican Republic native — who said he was still unsure if he would participate in the WBC this spring because of “personal reasons” — said he was looking forward to pitching in front of a strong Latin community that New York offers.
“There’s a huge challenge for me because I know how we are, the Latinos,’ he said. “I know that we have that inside of us, that hunger to win every time. I think I’m going to take that as a challenge to get better, to feel better, to get better every five days, to give my best and to make adjustments quicker. I know the people there are thinking the same way that I’m thinking: we just want to win. That’s what I’m going to work for, to get better and be ready for that.”
The season series against the Islanders so far has been a microcosm of much of the regular season for the Rangers.
That is to say a low-scoring, unwatchable disaster.
After getting shut out twice by their Long Island rivals in each of the first two head-to-head meetings earlier this season, Mike Sullivan’s last-place team will look to get onto the scoreboard and perhaps into the win column with a home-and-home set against the Islanders beginning Wednesday night at UBS Arena.
Ilya Sorokin had blanked them in a 5-0 rout at the Garden in November.
“I don’t know if there’s a common thread,” Sullivan said after practice Tuesday in Tarrytown. “We played them early in the season, and I feel like we went through a stretch of games where we were producing offense, we just weren’t scoring. I don’t think it was just against the Islanders.”
Indeed, the Rangers (22-25-6 overall) had been zipped a league-high eight times over the first 41 games of the season through their most recent loss to the Islanders, which put them on pace at the time to equal the NHL record of 16 shutouts in one season by the 2006-07 Blue Jackets.
Ilya Sorokin defends the net against Artemi Panarin during the Rangers’ 5-0 loss to the Islanders on Nov. 8, 2025. Robert Sabo for New York POst
Despite winning just three of their next 14 games, the Rangers at least haven’t added to the shutout skein thereafter, including a 4-3 overtime win against the Bruins on Monday night at the Garden.
“I think our team has done a better job scoring goals at 5-on-5 and on the power play,” Sullivan added. “I think we’ve got to continue to work at getting better on the defensive side of the puck, and being stingier defensively.
“I think that’s an aspect of our game, where for a long stretch of the season, we were pretty good and we valued it, and we were committed to it. I think that’s something that we’ve gotta continue to work at.”
David Rittich makes a save during the Islanders’ 2-0 win over the Rangers on Dec. 27, 2025. Robert Sabo for New York Post
One defenseman no longer with the Rangers is veteran Carson Soucy, who was dealt to the Islanders for a 2026 third-round pick after sitting out Monday’s game against Boston.
“Those aren’t situations you draw up, but I think we have a job to do and have to stay focused and these are really gonna be two fun games to play in,” captain J.T. Miller said. “Obviously we’ll worry about [Wednesday’s game first, and we’re gonna try to keep it going with some of this good energy from last game.”
Still, barring a dramatic turnaround on either side of the upcoming Olympic break, the Soucy trade figures to be the first of many moves made by general manager Chris Drury ahead of the March 6 trade deadline, with big names such as leading scorer and pending free agent Artemi Panarin potentially on the move.
“It’s not what our standards are here. We want to win. We want to be competing in the playoffs every year, so it’s tough,” winger Will Cuylle said. “We just have to try to come to the rink and worry about the things you can control and make sure you’re bringing the best version of yourself.
“I try to focus on the present. Try to stay focused; not look too far ahead. I try to concentrate on one game at a time.”
The Mets and Yankees front offices now know when they have to put their pens down on any midseason trades.
According to multiple reports, Major League Baseball has informed teams that the 2026 trade deadline is set for Monday, Aug. 3, at 6 p.m.
MLB Trade Rumors notes that this year's date is notable in that it's the first time since the flexible deadline was implemented -- a feature included in the 2022 collective bargaining agreement -- that the league has pushed the date this late. Many baseball fans recognize July 31 as the usual trade deadline, but the flexible deadline feature allows MLB to set the deadline on any date between July 28 and Aug. 3.
On Aug. 3, all eight games start no later than 6:40 p.m. ET. The Mets are off while the Yankees host the St. Louis Cardinals on 7:05 p.m.
Last season, the Mets and Yankees had busy trade deadlines. The Mets dealt for OF Cedric Mullins along with relievers Tyler Rogers, Gregory Soto and Ryan Helsley.
The Yankees had a more impactful trade deadline. They acquired INFO/OF Jose Caballero, 3B Ryan McMahon, utility man Amed Rosario, and relievers Greg Bird, Camilo Doval and David Bednar.
ST.
LOUIS – Otto
Stenberg came to the St. Louis Blues with an open mind.
A
first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, when Stenberg was called up
by the Blues and made his NHL debut on Dec. 17 against the Winnipeg
Jets, there were no real expectations at the time.
But
the 20-year-old made such a good and lasting impression on the Blues
and the organization, he lasted 18 games, and would have lasted
longer had he not been assigned to Springfield of the American Hockey
League on Monday in order to remain eligible to play games there
while the Olympic break is in play.
But
through all the firsts of not being a pro but being an NHL pro, the
trials and tribulations that go with that, including an 82-game
schedule, travel, time zone changes, etc. etc, Stenberg, who had
eight points (one goal, seven assists) and was a team-leading plus-4,
but there’s one lasting impression the young forward made.
“He
doesn’t cheat the game,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said.
Enough
said.
Stenberg
has been so defensively sound, so fundamentally sound, it was as if
he knew what he was coming into at the highest level without being
overwhelmed by what he was to face.
Sure,
there were nerves. That’s only natural. But this is a kid that has
played in the Swedish Hockey League as a teenager for two years with
grown men, and it was instilled upon him at an early age that seems
to have him at a great advantage.
“When
I played on the U-20 team, it was like close to the SHL team. That
was one of the things that the coach told me,” Stenberg
said.
“‘I need to be able to trust you in the D-zone if you want to
play.’ I think that made me think about it more. I think I just got
better and better every game there.
“I’m
just trusting my reads. ‘Monty’ told me early that he trusts my
reads so he wants me to play when I see and read the game. Of course
we have some things that we do as a team, but I would say most of the
time, it’s playing on what I see and trust my reads.”
Montgomery
gave Stenberg immediate confidence by putting him in situations that
would merit much detail in close games, and Stenberg said, “Yeah,
of course. In the beginning when he told me that, it gave me
confidence. It’s easy to play when you don’t have to think that
much about what the coaches are saying. Of course it gives you
confidence and it’s easier to play.”
Stenberg
was given many roles, including a top six role, a role on the penalty
kill, a role in 5-on-6 situations when it would merit the Blues
closing leads out.
The
kid didn’t disappoint.
“Obviously
a smart hockey player, detailed, trusts his game, knows the system
and I think he was very good in his first couple games defensively
and making the right reads and I think how you’re just kind of
seeing a little bit more confidence and with the puck,” Blues
captain Brayden Schenn said. “He’s a good, solid two-way player.
He’s going to be good for a long time in this league. One, because
he wants to learn and two, he’s willing to get better.”
Montgomery
added, “His defensive instincts are really high-end for a young
player in the league. He said that where he was in Sweden, they
really harped on D-zone details. Now, his offensive side of the game,
I think that’s going to shine more through him being more confident
that he’s an NHL player. And then that’s up to us to encourage
him to have more risk because we trust his instincts. When you trust
someone’s instincts, you can have a little more risk because we
know you’re going to go everything you can to get back on the right
side of pucks.”
As
for that offense, it will come.
And
the opportunity now to go to Springfield and play in all situations
should serve new Thunderbirds coach Steve Ott, who had Stenberg in
St. Louis as an associate coach, well. Ott wasn’t surprised what
Stenberg was able to do.
“I
wouldn’t say it surprised me at all,” Ott said. “I thought in
training camp, you could see his hockey IQ. It’s extremely high
even for an NHL guy. His play without the puck is extremely smart. As
his game progressed here in the last month or so, you could see even
the more skill coming out where he’s making the strong puck play.
His forecheck and pressure continues to improve and you’re watching
a young player gain his confidence in the NHL, which isn’t easy to
do. I think he’s got a great engine on him. He’s going to come
down here and play in all situations and continue to develop so that
when he does go back, he’ll be a player that sticks and has a great
future in the NHL.”
The
fact Stenberg is willing to check and go to those hard areas should
bode well. He needs time and reps in those areas. There was a
situation in a game in which he was on a backdoor play with Robert
Thomas, who made a high-end play getting the puck there from the slot
that Stenberg just missed on, and you could see the disappointment on
his face as he got to the bench. Again, time and reps will rectify
that. The fact he’s going there is something that one has to
instill in themselves.
“I
think it’s getting better and better,” Stenberg
said.
“I feel like I have more time with the puck. That’s something I
want to get better at and keep developing at this level. I’ve
always been an offensive player when I was young. I know I have it in
me. I just need to get more and more comfortable at this level and I
think it will come more and more.
“It
makes it easy to play when the coach trusts you.”
And
the players quickly, not only adapted, but also trusted the kid.
“I
think it’s real important, whether it’s Otto or ‘Dvo’, the
next guy that gets drafted by the St. Louis Blues,” Schenn said.
“The faster you make people feel comfortable in the environment and
the surroundings, the better off and more confident they’re going
to get with their own games and the better they’re going to play
for the organization. Guys did it to me when I was young, guys did it
to me when I came to St. Louis, so my job is to help guys and pass
things along, make them feel as comfortable as possible. Whatever
help they need, I’ll try and do my best to be there for the next
up-and-coming guy because someone did that for me when I was
younger.”
St. Louis Blues forward Otto Stenberg (28) scored his first NHL goal on Jan. 7 against the Chicago Blackhawks. (Matt Marton-Imagn Images)
To
which Stenberg said, “He’s been so good to me, since I started in
training camp and in the summer. He texted me before I came here.
He’s a great guy outside of the rink and in the locker room. He’s
helped me a lot with the game in the beginning. It was so easy to
ask him. He talked to be about things because sometimes it’s hard
to understand when (coaches) are writing stuff on the board. He just
showed me and everything was clear. He’s helped me a lot. He’s
been so good. To everybody in this locker room.
“It’s
been great. I’m pretty sure he helps ‘Dvo’ and all the other
young guys too. It’s been great.”
Stenberg
is in Springfield to play today but this is only temporary. He will
be back wearing No. 28 again, and soon.
“He’s
had a real good stint with us,” Montgomery
said. “Consistently reliable, someone that is very smart
offensively and defensively, and then offensively, he needs to expand
his game. Right now, he gets a lot of opportunities. I think working
on his shot and mindset of being more aggressive getting to the blue
paint offensively is something that’s going to let him when he
comes back to be an even better Blue for us. But he’s had a really,
really good tenure with us in his first go-around in the NHL.”
In
other words, don’t get too comfortable in Massachusetts because
Missouri will be home again, and for quite a bit.
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The Buffalo Sabres were in the final game of their five-game road swing in Toronto on Tuesday, and instead of starting Alex Lyon in pursuit of a club-record 10th straight victory, head coach Lindy Ruff opted to go with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. The Sabres netminder allowed a pair of goals to Matthew Knies and Auston Matthews, and on Matthews go-ahead goal, Luukkonen appeared to injury his left leg.
The Sabres netminder left the game and was replaced by Colten Ellis. During the first intermission, it was revealed that Luukkonen would not return.
The 26-year-old was selected as one of the three goalies for Team Finland for the upcoming Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, and after a slow start, has gone 4-1-1 in his last six starts. Luukkonen was 11-7-2, with a 2.66 GAA, and a .905 save % in 19 starts.
The Sabres have carried three goalies on their NHL roster since the start of the season, when they claimed Ellis off waivers from St. Louis. All three goalies have spent time on the injured list this season, which has made carrying an extra netminder necessary.
And, like the Tampa Bay Lightning, Darche is now reunited with Ondrej Palat.
Less than a day after trading with one crosstown rival for Carson Soucy, the Islanders completed a deal with their other crosstown rival to bring in Palat. The full deal saw Palat, New Jersey’s third-round pick in 2026 and its 2027 sixth-round pick go to the Islanders in exchange for Maxim Tsyplakov.
Ondrej Palat of the New Jersey Devils takes a shot during the second period of the game against the Edmonton Oilers. NHLI via Getty Images
The third-round pick essentially gives the Islanders back the pick they gave to the Rangers for Soucy, and came as the cost of taking on Palat’s $6 million annual cap hit, with the Czech winger’s contract expiring in 2027. Tsyplakov, who looked in need of a fresh start having struggled to crack the Islanders lineup, will get just that in New Jersey.
Tsyplakov also has another season left on his deal at a $2.25 million annual cap hit, so the net add to the Islanders books is $3.75 million. If they max out their long-term injured reserve space, the Islanders still have a hair over $6 million available, so by no means does this trade indicate they are done adding.
Palat, who has 10 points in 51 games this season, struggled for much of his 3¹/₂- year stint in New Jersey, but looks likely to slot into the Islanders lineup as a middle-six winger.
Whether the acquisition works out or not will likely depend on whether the Czech winger can recover the form that saw him be a key contributor for the Lightning as part of an extended run that included two Stanley Cup wins and two more appearances in the Cup Final.
It’s been believed for some time that Palat could be on the move, and Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald’s inability to accommodate the winger’s 10-team no-move clause came to the fore when the Wild beat New Jersey to the Quinn Hughes sweepstakes.
If Palat is the same player for the Islanders he was for the Devils, then his cap hit will become the same weight on Long Island as it was on New Jersey.
Darche, however, knows the player well from his days in Tampa, and presumably believes he can help him find what’s been missing from his game.
New Jersey Devils winger Ondrej Palat hurriedly walked towards the exit of Prudential Center in the clothes that he had worn into the arena mere hours ago, only minutes before his teammates would take the ice for their pregame warmups.
The organization soon announced that Palat would be held out tonight for roster-related reasons.
In the first period of the Devils game against the Winnipeg Jets, the two-time Stanley Cup champion was traded to the New York Islanders along with a third-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft and the club’s sixth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft in exchange for 27-year-old forward Maxim Tsyplakov. He has a $2,250,000 cap hit and is in the first year of a two-year contract.
The 6′3″, 203 lb winger has two points (one goal, one assist) in 27 games. Per the press release, Tsyplakov has recorded 37 career points (11 goals, 26 assists) and 45 penalty minutes in 104 career regular-season games. He made his NHL debut and scored his first NHL goal on Oct. 10, 2024, against the Utah Mammoth.
Palat signed a five-year contract with the Devils worth $30,000,000 with an annual average value of $6,000,000 on July 14, 2022.
The veteran played 248 games as a member of the Devils, finishing his tenure with 38 goals and 92 points.
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Hot on the heels of adding to their pitching depth with Cooper Criswell entering the fold, the Mariners have made a small move to bolster their options on the other end of the battery.
Pereda, 30 in mid-April, has played in affiliated ball since 2013 after being signed by the Cubs out of Venezuela. After bouncing around the Red Sox, Giants, and Reds orgs, he made his long-awaited big league debut in 2024 with the Marlins the day before his 28th birthday. Although he slashed .231/.250/.231 over 40 scattered plate appearances, he made a strong first impression behind the plate, throwing out four of eight would-be base stealers. That was enough to draw interest from the A’s, who claimed him from Miami last January and opened the season with him backing up Shea Langeliers. His production at the plate remained lackluster, though, and Oakland Sacramento designated him for assignment in June before he was snapped up by the Twins. Minnesota kept him in Triple-A until September, giving him ample opportunities was they played out the string. While Pereda finished the year on a high note, slashing a sturdy .345/.387/.483 over 32 plate appearances, it wasn’t enough to save his roster spot after the Twins signed fellow catcher Victor Caratini.
Pereda has never been one to show much pop; still searching for his first big league homer, he’s only popped 33 over 3033 career minor league plate appearances. He does, however, bring solid bat-to-ball skills to the table, being punched out in just 15.1% of the time across the minors, and an accompanying 11.8% walk rate suggests he’s no mere hacker. On the defensive side, he brought a sub-two second pop time in MLB in 2025 – good for the 68th percentile – and showed some heads-up decisions, but graded out as an average receiver overall.
Crucially, Pereda has one minor league option remaining – doubtlessly a key factor in his acquisition. Cal Raleigh is coming off of one of the best single-seasons in franchise history, and the M’s brought in Andrew Knizner to serve as backup after trading Harry Ford to the Nationals. Before Pereda came aboard, they were the only two catchers on the 40-man roster – not exactly ideal for depth purposes. It’s unlikely that he will see much time in Seattle, but he should slot in as Tacoma’s starting catcher, and would be the first man up if needed.
To make room for Pereda, the M’s designated righty Jackson Kowar for assignment. It was a long road back for Kowar after undergoing Tommy John in March 2024, but he made his Mariners debut on May 28th, tossing 17 mostly low-leverage innings. While Kowar showed flashes of what made him such a promising prospect with the Royals, a lack of minor league options combined with a pedestrian strikeout rate of 21.1% had him on the bubble, especially with the aforementioned Criswell being brought on. There’s still a chance Seattle could outright him and keep him in the org, though, so don’t pronounce the Robinson Canó/Edwin Díaz trade tree dead just yet.
Isaiah George was sent back down to AHL Bridgeport on Tuesday to make room for newly acquired defenseman Carson Soucy on the Islanders roster, per the NHL’s media site.
George played just two games with the Islanders during his stint, notching an assist Monday night when his shot was tipped in by Mathew Barzal as part of the Isles’ 4-0 win in Philadelphia.
The defenseman, who played 33 games with the Islanders last season and seemed like a good bet to carve out a role this year, has gotten some hard luck all year long.
When the Islanders were cycling through call-up options to replace Alexander Romanov, with Marshall Warren, Travis Mitchell and Cole McWard all getting chances to play, George was dealing with a pair of injuries.
New York Islanders defenseman Isaiah George (36) skates up ice during the second period against the St. Louis Blues at UBS Arena on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Elmont, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
And once he was back healthy and playing well enough in Bridgeport to earn a chance of his own, general manager Mathieu Darche finally decided to look outside the organization by bringing in Soucy, who is expected to fill Romanov’s role for the rest of the season.
As George is waivers exempt, sending him down was an easy move unless the Islanders were willing to put Ryan Pulock on injured reserve, which would have guaranteed Pulock — who is day to day with an upper-body injury — will not play Wednesday against the Rangers
Because the NHL has done away with paper transactions, George will need to play at least one game in Bridgeport — which is next in action Friday — before he is eligible to be called back up.
It wouldn’t be surprising if another NHL chance does come soon for George.
His ability to play both sides of the ice makes it highly possible that he’ll be the next man up in case of another injury, or if Pulock misses an extended period.
New York Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock (6) skates in front of Washington Capitals right wing Justin Sourdif (34) during the first period at UBS Arena, Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025, in Elmont, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Sending George down, though, is an indicator that Pulock should be back pretty soon. If he can’t go Wednesday, the Islanders would be without an extra defenseman against the Rangers.
Though that is not as big a consideration at home as it would be on the road — it’s not impossible to get someone from Bridgeport to Long Island if need be — it will have factored into the decision-making process.
It is hard to imagine that San Diego Padres second baseman Jake Cronenworth is entering his seventh season with the franchise. A feat that should not be dismissed, as his versatility to play multiple infield positions could be key to the Padres’ success in 2026.
Cronenworth’s glove sets the standard for infield defense
Too often, we value hitting metrics more than fielding stats in determining a player’s importance to a team’s success. Cronenworth’s bottom-of-the-order run production, paired with his outstanding glove work, earned him a full-time starting role with the Padres since arriving in 2020.
He came to San Diego in the Hunter Renfroe trade with the Tampa Bay Rays. The Padres highly valued his versatility, as he could effectively play first base, second base and shortstop.
The intangible is his career fielding percentage (.991), as Cronenworth’s attention to detail allows him to take a challenge and usually excel in a position change. His defense does not suffer because he has maintained a utility player’s mentality, despite being the starting second baseman.
Cronenworth is exceptional at fielding balls hit directly at him. Other middle infielders may have more range, but it is not a guarantee that they will field each ball hit in their direction.
Obviously, the front office prefers to keep Cronenworth at second base, but circumstances may force him to play more at first base this season. The Friars are hoping to add another bat before opening Spring Training in Peoria, Ariz. on Feb. 11.
Padres need more bottom-of-the-order production
At the plate, Cronenworth’s value is his ability to move runners along the base paths and drive in those who are in scoring position. His standout season came in 2021, Cronenworth hit .266 (career best) with 21 HR (61 extra-base hits) and 71 RBI. He achieved a career-high 122 OPS+, which earned him his first All-Star Game appearance.
Last season, Cronenworth struggled with consistency at the plate after missing time with fractured ribs. The injury limited him to a .246 batting average with 11 HR and 59 RBI in 135 games. The concern was his lack of power from the left side of the plate, as just 32 of his 103 hits were for extra-base hits.
The Padres hope Cronenworth returns to his former power-hitting, run-producing self, as this would add considerable length to the batting order.
Spring Training should have the same feel for Cronenworth, as he will take fielding reps at first and second base. However, he has no clue where he will start in the regular season. Some time at first base could be in his future, especially with the uncertainty of free agent Luis Arraez possibly returning to the fold.
Thankfully, Cronenworth is the type of player who comes to the ballpark ready to compete. It does not matter where he plays as long as his name is in the lineup.
To get back to the postseason, the Friars must excel at using Cronenworth’s versatility to their advantage.
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Phoenix has been one of the best stories in the league this season. Former Cavs assistant Jordan Ott has done an excellent job leading what felt like a rudderless team after the disastrous Kevin Durant trade back into relevancy. They’re firmly in the playoff race in a tightly contested Western Conference with a 27-19 record.
Despite the good play, the Suns have struggled without Booker this season. They’ve been outscored by 2.1 points per 100 possessions (40th percentile) when he isn’t on the floor and are 1-4 in games he doesn’t play overall.
On the season, Booker is averaging 25.4 points, 6.2 assists, and four rebounds per game on .456/.313/.864 shooting splits.
No matter who is in the lineup, this upcoming stretch will be difficult for the Cavs. We’ll see how the Cavs handle it in the coming week, after they host LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday.
