The projections, via Dan Szymborski at FanGraphs, "are the result of a million simulations."
Szymborski explains:
"These are median standings, meaning that they represent every team’s 50th-percentile projection. These have a tighter range than the actual standings because we don’t expect every team to hit their 50th-percentile projection, but rather for three teams, on average, to beat their 90th-percentile projection, six to beat their 80th-percentile projection, and so on."
In other words, the win totals in the projections skew a bit low.
Now, the projections...
The Yankees finish with a record of 87-75, putting them in fourth place in the AL East (behind the 90-72 Blue Jays, 90-72 Red Sox, and 88-74 Orioles)
That 87-75 record has the Yanks tied for the fifth-best record in the AL (behind the Jays, Red Sox, O's, and 88-74 Mariners) and tied for the eighth-best record in MLB (also behind the Dodgers, Phillies, and Mets)
In this scenario, the Yankees would be tied for the third Wild Card in the AL with the 87-75 Astros
The other projected AL playoff teams are the Jays, Red Sox, O's, Tigers (83-79, AL Central winner) and M's (AL West winner)
The Yankees' World Series win percentage is 5.4, which is the eighth-highest in MLB.
On the Yankees and the AL East, Szymborski writes:
"ZiPS doesn’t see the AL East all that differently from how it did last preseason, though it does anticipate a slightly larger separation at the top of the division, with the Jays and Red Sox tied for first, and the Orioles and Yankees falling a couple of games back."
Barring a late bold move, the Yanks will be mostly running it back in 2026.
Their biggest move this offseason was to re-sign Cody Bellinger. Beyond that, Trent Grisham accepted the QO to return. New York also traded with the Marlins for starting pitcher Ryan Weathers, and allowed both Devin Williams and Luke Weaver to leave via free agency.
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 24: Jake Cronenworth #9 of the San Diego Padres plays first base against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on July 24, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Diego Padres have needs, but to this point in the offseason, they have not been addressed. Thomas Conroy of Gaslamp Ball talks about the need for the Padres to address the first base position and includes a possible trade candidate in Nick Castellanos as well as a free agent candidate that San Diego fans are very familiar with in Luis Arraez. There has been some talk about the Padres possibly trading for a player like CJ Abrams from the Washington Nationals which would likely result in Jake Cronenworth moving back to first base. San Diego has options and there are other trade possibilities and free agents available for the Padres to address their needs, but with Spring Training less than two weeks away, they should address the vacancy sooner than later.
Padres News:
Ramon Laureano was added to the San Diego roster at the 2025 trade deadline and a big reason he was added by the Padres is his $6.5 million club option for the 2026 season. With Laureano in the starting lineup, San Diego will not have to have a committee of players like Jason Heywayd, Connor Joe and Brandon Lockridge to handle one position on the roster. Cheri Bell of Gaslamp Ball reminds fans that Laureano should not be overlooked and expects him to have a solid year with a full season in San Diego. Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune also focuses on Laureano for his Padres roster review adding further insight as to what Padres fans can expect from the left fielder in 2026.
The Padres and left-hander Marco Gonzales reached a minor league deal with an invitation to Spring Training. If he makes the roster, Gonzalez would make $1.5 million and could earn another $1 million in incentives.
Keith Law of The Athletic listed catcher Ethan Salas as the No. 70 prospect on his top 100 list earlier in the week. He released his organizational rankings Thursday and the Padres farm system was 30th in MLB.
Late Monday it was reported the Padres had “checked in” on free agent pitcher Zac Gallen formerly of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors reported that Jon Heyman said the Padres are longshots for Gallen.
It was announced Thursday that Ronald Acuna Jr., Maikel Garcia, Jackson Chourio and Wilyer Abreu were all added to the roster for the Venezuela World Baseball Classic team.
Grizzlies vs Pelicans best bet: Saddiq Bey Over 17.5 points (-110)
Saddiq Bey is having a nice campaign for the struggling New Orleans Pelicans, averaging 15.9 PPG in 42 games played. The Villanova product has averaged nearly 20 points per game in January, and he’s been rolling lately.
Bey has cashed the Over in points in four of his last six appearances. Last Thursday, he dropped 36 points on the Grizzlies, and he also poured in 24 on Sunday against the San Antonio Spurs.
In Bey’s last game at home, he scored 20 points against the Detroit Pistons, and he’s averaging 16.7 PPG at the Smoothie King Center compared to 15.1 on the road.
Across three meetings with the Memphis Grizzlies, he’s also averaging 22.3 PPG.
Grizzlies vs Pelicans same-game parlay
Jose Alvarado is a sparkplug for the Pels, averaging 7.9 PPG with serious energy on both ends of the floor. While he’s only hit the Over in points once in his last five appearances, Alvarado is averaging 8.6 PPG at home compared to 6.7 on the road.
He also scored 24 points in one game against the Grizzlies this season. Alvarado will make his presence felt at the Smoothie King Center.
Trey Murphy is a solid three-point shooter, averaging 3.0 makes on 8.2 attempts for a 36.9% clip. However, his total is too high tonight for my liking.
Murphy has cashed the Under in triples in five consecutive outings, and he’s only averaging 1.7 makes from deep against Memphis this season for a 26.3% clip.
Grizzlies vs Pelicans SGP
Saddiq Bey Over 17.5 points
Jose Alvarado Over 6.5 points
Trey Murphy Under 3.5 made threes
Our "from downtown" SGP: JJ's Way!
Jaren Jackson Jr. has cashed the Over in rebounds in three of his last four, and he grabbed 12 boards last week against the Pelicans.
Over/Under: Over 241.5 (-110) | Under 241.5 (-110)
Grizzlies vs Pelicans betting trend to know
The Memphis Grizzlies have hit the Game Total Under in 27 of their last 40 away games (+12.70 Units / 29% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Grizzlies vs. Pelicans.
How to watch Grizzlies vs Pelicans
Location
Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, LA
Date
Friday, January 30, 2026
Tip-off
7:30 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN Southeast Memphis, Pelicans+
Grizzlies vs Pelicans latest injuries
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CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 01: Fans cheer after George Valera #35 of the Cleveland Guardians hit a home run during the first inning against the Detroit Tigers in game two of the American League Wild Card Series at Progressive Field on October 01, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Like a phoenix from the ashes, just like Daniel Espino the day before, George Valera returns to the Covering the Corner prospect rankings after not being included last year. Valera dominated the voting yesterday, earning 38.61% of the vote, beating out Jace Laviolette (28.6%) and Joey Oakie (12.7%). Valera had previously been ranked in every CTC top 20 from 2018 all the way to 2024.
It felt like everyone had given up on Valera — myself included — after he ruptured the patella tendon in his right knee attempting to make a catch on the outfield wall in September 2024. He also missed time due to suspension after making contact with an umpire while fighting an opposing team’s catcher in 2023. It seemed like that was the final nail in the coffin for the oft-injured, but always promising former top prospect.
He had consistently been excellent at almost every level, every year, a 162 wRC+ in 2018, a 165 wRC+ at High-A in 2021, reaching Triple-A in 2022 with a 123 wRC+, but injuries piled up. He broke his hamate bone in his right hand/wrist in 2018, strained his oblique in 2021, sustained another hamate injury in 2023, then strained his hamstring in 2024 before the knee injury.
It seemed his time with Cleveland was over after he’d been removed from the 40-man roster, but Valera re-signed with Cleveland on a minor league deal, then rehabbed his knee. He returned to Columbus for a whopping two games in early June 2025 before again hitting the injured list with right flank soreness. He returned again in late July and something was different this time. Valera played like a man with nothing to lose.
The talented Dominican crushed baseballs in Columbus, even hitting for the cycle on Aug. 22. Whispers turned into screams from the rooftops for him to be promoted to Cleveland and as soon as September rolled around … it happened. Valera made his debut Sept. 1, then picked up his first MLB hit by socking a ball off the green monster in his second career game. He blasted his first career home run off Joe Ryan on Sept. 20. In his 48 plate appearances spanning 16 games at the MLB level, he slashed .220/.333/.415, good for an above average 113 wRC+.
Valera then had a moment he’ll never forget, crushing a home run in his second ever at bat in the MLB Playoffs, a first-inning solo shot off Casey Mize that helped lead Cleveland to a 6-1 game two victory.
With Cleveland releasing Jhonkensy Noel and Will Brennan and not signing additional outfield help in free agency, a starting outfield job appears to be Valera’s to lose for the upcoming 2026 season.
Now, it’s time to determine who is number 14 in the Guardians’ loaded farm system and you now have a whopping 10 players to choose from! Your options are below:
Impressed at the complex league, then hit the ground running in a late season promotion to Single-A before running out of steam late in his age-17 season. Loaded with potential.
One of Cleveland’s top performers in the Arizona Complex League in 2025. Undersized, but makes solid contact and doesn’t strike out often. Earned a small taste of full-season ball at the end of the year.
Acquired from the Mets in a trade for international bonus cash, Gomez lit up Single-A in his age-19 season, then improved his walk and strikeout numbers after being promoted to High-A.
Venezuelan prospect who broke out in with increased velocity in 2025, putting up nearly identical numbers at both High-A Lake County and Double-A Akron. Gomez was added to Cleveland’s 40-man roster.
Acquired from Pittsburghin the Spencer Horwitz trade, Hartle was one of Cleveland’s most successful starting pitchers in its minor league system in 2025. Stands 6-foot-6, but doesn’t have a ton of velocity.
Cleveland’s first round pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, the 6-foot-6 LaViolette instantly becomes one of the top power hitting prospects in the system. Strikeouts and contact have been an issue, however.
Cleveland’s 3rd round pick in 2024 out of high school, Oakie got off to a rough start in the Complex League, but then absolutely dominated when promoted to Single-A Lynchburg with a pair of 11 strikeout performances.
Absolutely dominated Double-A to begin 2025 looking well on his way to repeating his tremendous 2024 season, but then struggled after an early-season promotion to Triple-A. Remains on the 40-man roster.
Gabriel Rodriguez, SS (Age 18) 2025 (ACL) 122 PA, .294/.393/.402, 1 HR, 11 SB, 12.3 BB%, 18.9 K%, 116 wRC+
One of Cleveland’s top recent international signings, Rodriguez put up strong offensive numbers in his stateside debut in his age-18 season in 2025. Expected to transition to full-season ball this year.
One of Cleveland’s most impressive hitters in its minor league system during his stint at High-A Lake County as a 20-year-old. Rosario has a unique combination of speed and power, but will need to overcome his strikeouts.
Our list so far: 1. Chase DeLauter, LHH OF 2. Travis Bazzana, LHH 2B 3. Parker Messick, LHP 4. Ralphy Velazquez, LHH 1B/RF 5. Angel Genao, SH SS 6. Braylon Doughty, RHP 7. Cooper Ingle, LHH C 8. Khal Stephen, RHP 9. Juan Brito, SH 2B/1B/RF/3B 10. Jaison Chourio, SH OF 11. Kahlil Watson, LHH OF 12. Daniel Espino, RHP 13. George Valera, LHH OF
The NBA will honor the 250th anniversary of the United States throughout 2026 with a slate of on-court activations, volunteer programs and community events, the league announced in a news release Friday.
In partnership with America250, Stand Together, and Military250, the NBA will celebrate in various league-wide, team-driven activations, including media storytelling, community service projects and special event integrations across the NBA the league said.
Some of the league‑wide initiatives include players, coaches and basketball legends reflecting on what it means to be American, the significance of the country and its 250th birthday and how basketball plays a role in bringing U.S. citizens together.
Fans and viewers can expect to see a "America 250" broadcast as well as in-arena creative nods to celebrate the moment.
America's 250th anniversary celebrated across sports landscape
The NBA is the latest league to announce its plans to honor the United States' 250th birthday.
In December, President Trump announced part of his plans to host the very first Patriot Games in honor of the U.S. during its 250th anniversary. He said it'll be "an unprecedented four-day athletic event" that will feature high school athletes across the country.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, which has 11 featured U.S. game sites including New York, Houston, Atlanta, Miami, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Seattle and Santa Clara of the San Francisco Bay Area, will coexist with American 250 celebrations.
The NFL said in November that the league will participate in honorary events and demonstrations for the U.S. 250th anniversary. The league plans to use special footballs with an "America 250" logo through the playoffs.
"The NFL is proud to participate in celebrating America's 250th anniversary," Goodell said in a news release. "The story of the NFL reflects the story of America, and the American spirit of resilience, innovation and teamwork has helped football grow into a cultural pastime that unites us all. We are excited to honor our country's history and celebrate our collective future."
There will be "America 250" signage stenciled on the sidelines and officials will use American 250-branded coins for the pregame and overtime coin toss. The coins will be later auctioned off for charity, according to a league news release.
The projections, via Dan Szymborski at FanGraphs, "are the result of a million simulations."
Szymborski explains:
"These are median standings, meaning that they represent every team’s 50th-percentile projection. These have a tighter range than the actual standings because we don’t expect every team to hit their 50th-percentile projection, but rather for three teams, on average, to beat their 90th-percentile projection, six to beat their 80th-percentile projection, and so on."
In other words, the win totals in the projections skew a bit low.
Now, the projections...
The Mets finish with a record of 89-73, good for second place in the NL East (behind the 91-71 Phillies)
That 89-73 record gives the Mets the third-best record in the NL (behind the Phillies and 96-66 Dodgers) and fifth-best record in MLB (the Blue Jays and Red Sox are both projected to finish 90-72).
In this scenario, the Mets would be the top Wild Card team
The other projected playoff teams are the Cubs (87-75, NL Central winner), Braves and Brewers (both 86-76 while making it in as Wild Card teams)
The Mets' World Series win percentage is 6.1, behind only the Dodgers (18.2), Phillies (7.6), and Astros (6.8)
On the Mets' offseason and outlook, Szymborski writes:
Despite the loss of Pete Alonso, ZiPS thinks the Mets had a pretty effective offseason.
The Mets have had a transformational winter, moving on from Brandon Nimmo, Edwin Diaz, Pete Alonso, and Jeff McNeil.
New York's main moves have been signings of Bo Bichette, Devin Williams, Jorge Polanco, and Luke Weaver, and trades for Freddy Peralta and Luis Robert Jr.
AUSTIN, TX - APRIL 18: Auburn catcher Ike Irish (18) watches his home run hit as he starts to run toward first base during the SEC college baseball game between Texas Longhorns and Auburn Tigers on April 18, 2025, at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Texas. (Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Greetings! It’s that magical time of the year when baseball pundits publish their annual rankings and Orioles fans can argue about whether Samuel Basallo should be the fourth-best prospect in baseball or the eighth. But beyond the fortunes of individual prospects, where does the organization as a whole stack up heading into 2026?
The Orioles’ farm system has seen significant turnover in the past six months. The team conducted a full sell-off at the July 2025 trade deadline, moving Cedric Mullins, Ramón Laureano, Ryan O’Hearn, and several relievers in exchange for 16 prospects—11 of them pitchers—highlighted by lefty Boston Bateman (from San Diego), right-hander Juaron Watts-Brown (Toronto), and hard-throwing Wellington Aracena and control artist Anthony Nunez (Mets). The emphasis on arms addressed long-standing criticisms of the organization’s pitching development. Then, unexpectedly in December, the Orioles flipped some of that newly-acquired depth to land Shane Baz from the Rays, sending out four prospects including 2025 draft picks Caden Bodine and Slater de Brun, along with pitching prospect Michael Forret. The net effect: Baltimore restocked with young, high-upside arms in the summer, then cashed in some of that capital for a major league starter with three years of control.
In the last month, three major outlets have now weighed in on farm system rankings: ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel, The Athletic’s Keith Law, and MLB Pipeline’s executive poll. The results paint the Orioles of a system in transition—one that’s graduated significant talent but still has plenty of reasons for optimism.
The Rankings
Let’s start with where everyone has the Birds. ESPN slots the Orioles at 13th overall, while Keith Law has Baltimore ranked somewhat higher in his tiered system (No. 9 overall, third tier). And in MLB Pipeline’s executive poll, the Orioles received votes for best farm system but didn’t crack the top tier—a notable slide from the days when Baltimore was the consensus No. 1 system in baseball.
For context, Milwaukee now sits atop ESPN’s rankings, followed by Cleveland and Pittsburgh. Law agrees on Milwaukee, with Los Angeles and Seattle make up the rest of his Top 3. MLB Pipeline gives the top three spots to LA, Seattle, and Detroit, putting the Brewers fifth. When it comes to prospect depth, the Brewers have become something of a model organization, excelling on the international market (Jesús Made, Jackson Chourio) and finding later-round draft gems. It wasn’t that long ago when the Orioles were the ones being held up as the gold standard. Six consecutive No. 1 farm system rankings from MLB Pipeline feels like ancient history now.
The good news is that the evaluators remain bullish on the system’s top-end talent. Basallo continues to appear in the top ten on every list, with ESPN ranking him fourth overall. Keith Law has him at No. 8. The consensus is clear: when healthy and behind the plate, Basallo has as much offensive upside as any catching prospect in recent memory.
McDaniel notes that the Orioles “sent four players from their extensive farm depth to the Rays in the Shane Baz deal” but still “ranks seventh in quality depth.” That trade, which brought back the talented but oft-injured right-hander, represents the kind of calculus the Orioles have had to make as they try to balance building for the future with winning now.
Beyond Basallo, the evaluators identify Trey Gibson and Dylan Beavers as the other blue-chip pieces in the system. All three should see significant major league time in 2026—Basallo and Beavers essentially graduated last August and will be roster staples from Opening Day.
Law’s list differs somewhat from the others. He has five Orioles in his top 100: Basallo at No. 8, shortstop Wehiwa Aloy at No. 73, outfielder Nate George at No. 78, catcher/outfielder Ike Irish at No. 85, and outfielder Enrique Bradfield Jr. at No. 97. Notably absent from Law’s rankings is Beavers, who appeared at No. 21 on Baseball America’s list. Law is particularly enthusiastic about George, describing him as a player who “plays like his hair’s on fire” with “All-Star upside” if he can develop above-average power.
One recurring theme across the rankings is that the Orioles’ system is a bit thinner behind the top names than it used to be. That’s the natural consequence of a pipeline working exactly as intended. When Jackson Holliday, Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman, and Grayson Rodriguez were all in the minors together, the system looked unstoppable. Now those players are either establishing themselves at the major league level, and not necessarily with the Orioles.
The executive poll is perhaps most telling here. When asked which teams “hoard prospects the most,” the Orioles have slid down the list—they used to be right at the top with Cleveland. Baltimore still appears in votes for best farm system and best at developing hitters, but the organization is no longer the unanimous choice it once was.
McDaniel offers some optimism on this front, noting “there’s a nice layer beyond them of nearly 20 prospects who could be in the top 200 prospects in the sport next winter.” Names like Luis De León, the 22-year-old lefty who dominated the Arizona Fall League, could be poised to rise. The system isn’t empty; it’s just younger than it was a few years ago.
The practical implications of these rankings matter less than the talent actually on the field. Basallo and Beavers will be in Baltimore fighting for Rookie of the Year honors, potentially earning the team an extra draft pick if either wins. Gibson and Bradfield are a level away and could debut this season. The pipeline, while not quite as loaded as it was during the peak rebuild years, continues to flow.
The Orioles also appear in one poll’s top for “best at developing hitters” and receive mention for their work on the international market. The organizational infrastructure that built this system remains intact, even as the headliners have moved on to Camden Yards.
Is 13th overall where Orioles fans want to see their farm system ranked? Probably not. But it’s worth remembering what that ranking represents: a system that has successfully graduated multiple All-Star caliber players while still retaining a top-five overall prospect in Basallo. The goal was never to have the best farm system in perpetuity—it was to build a sustainable winner.
The next wave is coming. It just might take a little longer to arrive than the last one did.
The portent of the 2024 Atlanta Braves season being a morass of injuries was Sean Murphy getting hurt and leaving the first game of the season. The portent of the 2025 Atlanta Braves season being… really dumb and no fun was Jurickson Profar eating a PED suspension after the first series of the season.
By the time Profar came back, his new team was more or less dead in the water as far as playoff potential. Profar also didn’t really do anything to revive them — his 1.3 fWAR in 371 PAs, which was only achieved due to a fair bit of xwOBA overperformance, was basically a bog-standard rate. It was better than Alex Verdugo, but it wasn’t actually good.
Career-to-date, status
Because he made his MLB debut at age 19, Profar has been around foooreeeeeveeeer, though his career was largely nondescript. He didn’t start sticking as a regular until 2018 (at age 25); he was replacement level in over 700 career PAs before that point. (A minorly funny thing was that he spent all of 2014 and 2015 in the minors. In 2013, he had 324 PAs and a 75 wRC+. In 2016, he had 307 PAs and a 75 wRC+. Heh.) After getting regular playing time, he largely oscillated between being an average regular and something worse. His aggregate hitting was fine, but he played poor defense at an already-low skill position, which tanked his value. He hit rock bottom in 2023, where his -1.6 fWAR was the worst mark among anyone in baseball. (He wasn’t the worst on a rate basis, though. For example, then-teammate Harold Castro managed -1.5 fWAR in just 270 PAs, while it took Profar 521 to “rack up” his -1.6 mark.)
Fortunately for Profar, he had a renaissance of sorts in 2024, as he broke out offensively (139 wRC+ without outhitting his xwOBA by any meaningful amount) and even went back to just plain bad defensively relative to his 2023. That, and potentially a lack of anything else to spend moolah on, led the Braves to sign him to a three-year, $42 million contract ahead of the 2025 season. The Braves “saved” about $6 million as a result of the PED suspension, but Profar is still owed $15 million in each of 2026 and 2027.
Recent performance
It’s hard to know what to make of Profar’s 2025, other than the fact that I guess, in the end, he more or less ended up where he was expected to be (rate-wise), just in a lot fewer games due to the suspension. The fact that it came with a big xwOBA overperformance could be a concern. Profar’s topline was a 122 wRC+ — better than any mark he achieved other than 2024 — and 1.3 fWAR in 371 PAs, which is right around 2 WAR per 600 PAs. Unfortunately, Profar’s xwOBA was just .322 compared to a .346 wOBA; he actually had a higher xwOBA in each of 2018-2020. In addition, his defense ended up somewhere between the horrorshow that was 2023 (-13 OAA-based runs in about 800 innings) and the 2024 improvement (-6 in about 1,200 innings).
With fewer than 400 PAs and a lengthy layoff, it’s hard to read too much into Profar’s 2025 vis-a-vis his 2024. The key factor is that his big “discovery” from 2024, i.e., just whacking the snot out of the ball while continuing to make a high rate of contact, basically didn’t carry over. Profar’s well-above-average exit velocity from 2024, a total divergence from the slappy numbers he posted earlier in his career, once again declined to below-average in 2025, as did his hard-hit rate. His strikeout rate didn’t really change, and he continued to a walk a ton, like he did in 2024. He chased more than in 2024 but not any more than earlier in his career. He was more passive than before (like many of his teammates), and also made even more contact than before. Fundamentally, though, it’s hard to believe that he can regain something closer to 2024 without straight-up hitting the ball harder, and he absolutely did not hit it hard enough in 2025.
Forecasting
There’s nothing that weird in the point estimates below. You can compare then with the green stuff above. Profar will probably play a bit, and be average-y…
… at least, that’s the “safe” bet stochastically. In reality, while Profar’s ceiling isn’t super-high and it seems like he shouldn’t be a very variable outcome guy, the “problem” is that he has an absolute disaster scenario with reasonable weight (a la earlier in his career, and 2013), so the point estimate is dragged down by that in a way that just isn’t true for other players, who have some sort of skillset floor they can rely on. Basically, what I’m saying is that because Profar’s lows can get very low, when he gets a 1.5-2.0ish point estimate, that means there’s also a pretty good high on the other end to counterbalance. To wit:
Basically, there’s a substantially horrible tail on the left side that just kind of keeps going. If Profar had a “normal” stop-loss that didn’t involve a real chance that he’d be substantially below replacement and continue to get playing time anyway, his point estimate would be much higher.
But, he doesn’t, so what you get is this sort of bizarrely-skewed distribution where his mode outcome might be pretty close to his optimal (reasonable) outcome, yet the downside is just so bad that you can’t bank on him producing all that much. I have no idea if Steamer and ZiPS “think” something similar directly, but I do note that as far as ZiPS goes, his 20th percentile WAR is below replacement, where he’s joined only by Mauricio Dubon with that being the case. ZiPS, though, does have his 80th percentile WAR as being only slightly above 2, which is where IWAG totally diverges as you can see from the above.
Still, he’s basically “hit the ball hard again” away from being quite useful, and he already did it once, so… maybe? Please?
Your turn
Alright, I’ve given you the info. Well, some info. You may have your own info. With that, I ask you:
Rounded to the nearest fWAR, how much will Jurickson Profar produce in 2026?
How confident are you in your choice? Go with a scale from 1-5, where 3 is “I dunno, reasonably confident,” 5 is certain, and 1 is “I am participating but have no confidence in my choice and don’t want the fact that it will likely be incorrect to affect my place in any theoretical standings all that much.”
He’s Nate Baez and he comes from Oro Valley, Arizona. Oro Valley looks like this:
…so I can only assume that baseball is Baez’s second career after robbing stagecoaches didn’t work out.
The Red Sox just acquired him from the Twins organization in exchange for Triston Gray — whose entire tenure with the Red Sox lasted all of two months in the middle of the offseason, and who will not be the next Romy Gonzalez after all.
What position does he play?
Baez was known for his defensive versatility in college at Arizona State, where he played every single position except for shortstop, center field, and right field. In the pros he’s split his time between catcher and first base.
Is he any good?
He’s better than you, but his professional destiny is probably that of an organizational catcher who might get a cup of coffee in the big leagues one day.
The 24-year-oldBaez reached AA for the first time in his career this past season, where he hit .237/.297/.400 with 5 homers in 51 games. The best part of his offensive game is probably his patience and batting eye. At the time of his promotion to AA last year, he was rocking a 17.4% walk rate in the single-A Midwest league, which would have been the second-best walk rate in the league had he qualified. But some statistical inflation is to be expected with players who are old for their level, and that rate dropped down to 6.1% in AA.
There isn’t much of a scouting report on him as a catcher yet, as, frankly, he hasn’t spent much time as a catcher. Since being drafted in 2022, he’s started a grand total of 110 games behind the plate, after catching just 46 games at Arizona State. But he did throw out 14 of 47 would-be base-stealers at AA last season, which is a pretty solid return for someone who doesn’t have much experience behind the plate.
Show me a cool highlight.
Though he’s only 25 total homers over 229 career minor leage games, Baez actually had two multi-homer games in 2024 alone. Here’s the second:
Getting ready to play third, because he heard the Sox might have an opening there…
What’s his role on the 2026 Red Sox?
While he’ll be at Spring Training, Baez is not currently on the 40-man roster and almost certainly will not have a role on the 2026 Red Sox. In fact, the primary motivation in the Gray-Baez swap was opening up a spot on the 40-man roster for Ranger Suárez. So in light of the fact that Craig Breslow managed to get some value in a situation in which he would have otherwise needed to DFA someone for nothing, it was a good deal, even if Baez never makes it to the big leagues. And who knows — catcher is the most demanding position and one that takes years to master, and Baez has effectively just begun his journey behind the plate. Maybe he’ll improve quickly and turn into a plus defensive player with a chance to have a career as a glove-first guy.
The Los Angeles Lakers will play their sixth straight road game when they visit the Washington Wizards on Friday night.
Luka Doncic has been phenomenal during L.A.’s current road trip, and my Lakers vs. Wizards predictions call for a monster performance at Capital One Arena.
Here are my best free NBA picks for this cross-conference showdown on January 30.
Lakers vs Wizards prediction
Lakers vs Wizards best bet: Luka Doncic triple-double (+500)
This one comes with big plus-money odds, and I’m happy to take it as tonight’s best bet based on Luka Doncic’s recent surge in statistics.
Doncic is averaging 33.6 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 8.7 assists on the season. Across his last five games (all on the road), he’s averaged 35.6 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 9.4 assists.
He has one triple-double on the Los Angeles Lakers’ current road trip, but he’s come within two rebounds of another triple-double twice and within three rebounds once more in five games.
"Luka Legend" ranks seventh all-time in triple-doubles with 87 in 488 appearances, reaching that mark in 17.8% of games played. That implied probability gives us +460 odds, but this one is even more profitable at +500.
Doncic recorded a triple-double in each of his last two matchups with the Washington Wizards, and he’s done so in three of 12 against Washington in his career. The Wizards sport one of the Association’s most generous defenses, so I like Luka’s chances of recording another triple-double.
Lakers vs Wizards same-game parlay
Washington has won and covered in two straight, and the Wizards are 5-1 ATS across their last six.
Across the last 10 games, the Lakers rank in the Bottom 3 in defensive rating and Bottom 4 in points per game allowed. Washington's defense has improved as of late, but the team has given up the second-most points per game overall this season.
Lakers vs Wizards SGP
Luka Doncic triple-double
Wizards +9
Over 230
Our "from downtown" SGP: Not shy about Kyshawn
Over the last eight games, Kyshawn George leads his team in points, rebounds, and assists, and he's averaged 32.6 PRA. In that span, he's hit the Over on this combo line six times, including four straight at home.
Lakers vs Wizards SGP
Luka Doncic triple-double
Wizards +9
Over 230
Kyshawn George Over 29.5 points + rebounds + assists
Lakers vs Wizards odds
Spread: Los Angeles -9 (-110) | Washington +9 (-110)
Moneyline: Los Angeles -350 | Washington +275
Over/Under: Over 230 (-110) | Under 230 (-110)
Lakers vs Wizards betting trend to know
The Lakers have only covered the 1H Spread in eight of their last 30 games (-16.40 Units / -47% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Lakers vs. Wizards.
How to watch Lakers vs Wizards
Location
Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C.
Date
Friday, January 30, 2026
Tip-off
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
Spectrum SportsNet, Monumental SN
Lakers vs Wizards latest injuries
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This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
Throughout the year, every NHL team holds thematic nights; Halloween, Christmas, Hockey Fights Cancer, Pride, Veteran Appreciation night, you name it, they have it. On Thursday night at the Bell Centre, while the province was buzzing about finally having the Battle of Quebec back, the Montreal Canadiens celebrated the Lunar New Year.
With all due respect, once the NHL green-lighted the idea of letting the Colorado Avalanche play in their Quebec Nordiques blue alternate jersey, the January 29 night should have been about nothing else. I know, the calendar for theme nights had already been out for some time, but the actual date of the 2026 Lunar New Year is February 17. Couldn’t the celebration have been pushed back to the first home game after the Olympics? February 26 is closer to the actual date than January 29.
It has now been over 30 years since the Quebec Nordiques were uprooted from la belle province and landed in Denver, Colorado. Seven months later, the newly minted Colorado Avalanche even got another one of the province’s jewels, one of the best goaltenders ever to play the game, in one of the most lopsided trades in professional sports history: Patrick Roy. Just over a year after the move, on June 10, 1996, the Avalanche did what the Nordiques never could do: they won the Stanley Cup.
Joe Sakic, the Nordiques’ fanbase favourite, got to raise the Stanley Cup in Miami, when passionate fans had been dreaming of seeing him do that at the Colisee de Quebec through seven seasons, five of which ended before the spring dance, talk about rubbing salt in an open wound. That moment broke two fan bases’ hearts, both Quebec and Montreal. The former Nordiques won too late, while the former Hab was instrumental in giving the old enemy its first win.
I grew up in Quebec, but I was never a Nordiques fan, unlike my dad. You see, he made the mistake of introducing me to hockey when I was six years old in 1986, when a young netminder led the Canadiens to the Stanley Cup. Watching number 33 make all those saves, I became hooked on hockey and on the Habs, much to my dad’s chagrin. It wasn’t all bad for him; he had a whale of a time in 1993 when the Nordiques took a 2-0 lead in their series with the Habs. By the end of that series of course, I had become unsufferable, teasing him mercilessly as Montreal went on to win the next four games and claim the Stanley Cup a few weeks later.
When St-Patrick came back to Montreal to play with the Avalanche, I was on a school field trip to the game, and yes, on that day, I wore a Nordiques jersey like the rest of our group, the only time I did that in my life. Kudos to my geography teacher for getting that field trip approved. From the south shore of Quebec all the way to Montreal in a school bus, the Nordiques fan in him thought it was worth it. I guess there was kind of a geographical element to it, after all, we all went to the La Pointe-A-Calliere museum in the afternoon, even though our level of interest wasn’t quite the same.
For people even older than me, and yes, there are plenty of those, bringing up the Nordiques means talking about the epic Good Friday battle or arguing about whether Alain Cote’s goal was good, or so many Christmas parties arguing over which team was the best. The two-minute opening video montage was good, but we needed more. That rich history deserved all the spotlight on Thursday night.
If the NHL won’t let Quebec get a new team, that’s the very least that could have been done. I wanted to hear Un club de dindes, Le but, Bob Bissonette songs; it needed to be all about the Battle of Quebec, and it wasn’t. That was a wasted opportunity. Just like not playing Ca va bien when the Habs retreated to their dressing room leading 3-1 after 20 minutes.
The NBA is taking over Sunday nights on NBC and Peacock. Sunday Night Basketball makes its debut on February 1 with two exciting matchups. First, at 7:00 PM ET, the Los Angeles Lakers head to the "World's Most Famous Arena" to take on the New York Knicks. Then, at 9:30 PM, it's the Oklahoma City Thunder vs Denver Nuggets. Live coverage begins at 6:00 PM with Sunday Night Basketball in America on NBC and Peacock.
See below for additional information on how to watch each game and follow all of the NBA action on NBCSN and Peacock. Peacock will feature 100 regular-season games throughout the course of the 2025-2026 season.
The Lakers and Knicks will meet for the first time this season at Madison Square Garden, marking the first of two matchups between the teams. They will face off again in Los Angeles in March.
Last season, the Lakers swept the series, earning a 128-112 win on February 1 and a 113-109 overtime victory on March 6. LeBron James led the way in the first matchup, while Luka Doncic and James both powered the Lakers with 30-plus point performances in the second win. Doncic was named a Western Conference All-Star starter and is slated to make his sixth All-Star appearance on February 15. He currently leads the league in scoring and also tops Los Angeles in assists and steals.
The Knicks are led by Jalen Brunson, who tops New York in points and assists. He was named an All-Star starter for the second year in a row, becoming the first Knick to earn consecutive starts since Carmelo Anthony, who did so five straight times from 2012-16.
Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones.
Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball across NBC and Peacock on Feb. 1, 2026. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.
How to sign up for Peacock:
Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You'll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC & Bravo hits—Peacock is here for whatever you’re in the mood for.
NBA on NBC 2025-26 Schedule:
Click here to see the full list of NBA games that will air on NBC and Peacock this season.
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 29: Kyle Kuzma #18 of the Milwaukee Bucks drives to the basket as Bilal Coulibaly #0 of the Washington Wizards plays defense during the game on January 29, 2026 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
With a 109-99 victory over the spiraling Milwaukee Bucks, the Washington Wizards have their third two-game winning streak of the season.
This one was an offensive struggle. Not in the sense that either team played well on offense — more like what the bricklaying did to my basketball sensibilities. The teams combined to miss 55 three-point shots, shooting a combined 18-73 — “good” for 24.7%. Bilal Coulibaly missed one so badly, I rewinded several times convinced it had to have been blocked or tipped. If it was, I couldn’t find the evidence.
Wizards big man Alex Sarr gathered a career-high 17 rebounds in the team’s win over the Milwaukee Bucks. | NBAE via Getty Images
With their all-world star Giannis Antetokounmpo sidelined with a calf injury, the Bucks continued their drop in the standings. Giannis trade rumors are the number one topic around the NBA — so ubiquitous that the guys on Thinking Basketball briefly touched on it.
Just before tipoff, I had a classic, “There’s your problem!” moment when I realized the Bucks were starting three former Wizards — Ryan Rollins (who’s playing well this season), Bobby Portis (who’s been okay), and Kyle Kuzma (who’s been not much good).
The Wizards won with an atrocious 43.8% effective field goal percentage because they dominated rebounding battle (61-43 overall; 18-7 on the offensive glass) and got to the free throw line. The Wizards owned the boards despite playing a smaller lineup most of the night. In the 16 minutes Alex Sarr (17 rebounds; 7 offensive) rested, head coach Brian Keefe used a center-less lineup.
Give some credit to the opponent — Doc Rivers teams eschew pursuit of offensive rebounds in favor of getting back on defense. This approach may have had more merit in the past. Nowadays, teams In recent years, coaches (led by former Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau) have figured out a way “tag up” to pursue offensive boards without getting killed by fast breaks. Rivers has stuck to what worked for him in the past.
“Tagging up” is a system whereby offensive players immediately make physical contact with a defensive player as soon as a shot goes up. The strategy — developed by Aaron Fearnes in the Australian National Basketball League (he’s currently coaching the NCAA Charlotte 49ers) — increases the offense’s chance of getting the rebound while simultaneously matching up and creating pressure points to stymie transition opportunities. The concept has entered the NBA in recent years with the influx of international assistant (and head) coaches.
There was a lot to like from the Wizards in this one. Even accounting for a talent-deficient Bucks roster, the Wizards made life difficult for Milwaukee on the offensive end. On many possessions, the Bucks had to run multiple actions to get a shot. At times, you could see Milwaukee players rush a meh look early in the shot clock because they had a sliver of an opening.
One of the cool things in this one was that it was the youngsters making plays late to secure the win.
Thoughts & Observations
One of my favorite defensive plays came in the second half. Coulibaly was pressuring Rollins full court and got called for a foul. Before the inbounds, Coulibaly and Rollins had some friendly-looking former teammate kind of interaction. Then when the play started, Coulibaly stepped around and in front of him and top locked — denying Rollins the ball and wrecking Milwaukee’s play and then the possession. It was excellent defense made more impressive by how casual it looked.
A game after struggling against the massive Donovan Clingan, Sarr bounced back to control the action inside against Myles Turner and Portis. Sarr finished with career highs in offensive rebounds (7) and total rebounds (17). His previous high was 15, which he did twice — both this season.
Kyshawn George shot poorly but played a strong overall game — 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, a block, and just 1 turnover and 1 foul. George improving his decision-making is one of the big X factors for the team’s future.
Jamir Watkins has a very long ways to go on the offensive end (he shot 1-7 last night), but he’s already a plus defender. He had another open court strip when pressuring the ball at midcourt.
In the not good news category: Tre Johnson rolled his ankle when Rollins did a Bruce Bowen closeout. No word yet on how much time Johnson will miss. On the “quick return” side: he’s 19-years-old, which should dramatically accelerate his healing time. On the “it might take a while” side: the team is happy to lose games and has given guys plenty of time to recover from injuries so far. My guess is he’ll miss at least a game or two.
Four Factors
Below are the four factors that decide wins and losses in basketball — shooting (efg), rebounding (offensive rebounds), ball handling (turnovers), fouling (free throws made).
The four factors are measured by:
eFG% (effective field goal percentage, which accounts for the three-point shot)
OREB% (offensive rebound percentage)
TOV% (turnover percentage — turnovers divided by possessions)
FTM/FGA (free throws made divided by field goal attempts)
FOUR FACTORS
BUCKS
WIZARDS
LGAVG
eFG%
46.9%
43.8%
54.3%
OREB%
14.0%
33.3%
26.1%
TOV%
8.8%
12.7%
12.8%
FTM/FGA
0.071
0.260
0.209
PACE
102
99.5
ORTG
97
107
115.5
Stats & Metrics
PPA is my overall production metric, which credits players for things they do that help a team win (scoring, rebounding, playmaking, defending) and dings them for things that hurt (missed shots, turnovers, bad defense, fouls).
PPA is a per possession metric designed for larger data sets. In small sample sizes, the numbers can get weird. In PPA, 100 is average, higher is better and replacement level is 45. For a single game, replacement level isn’t much use, and I reiterate the caution about small samples sometimes producing weird results.
POSS is the number of possessions each player was on the floor in this game.
ORTG = offensive rating, which is points produced per individual possessions x 100. League average so far this season is 115.5. Points produced is not the same as points scored. It includes the value of assists and offensive rebounds, as well as sharing credit when receiving an assist.
USG = offensive usage rate. Average is 20%.
ORTG and USG are versions of stats created by former Wizards assistant coach Dean Oliver and modified by me. ORTG is an efficiency measure that accounts for the value of shooting, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers. USG includes shooting from the floor and free throw line, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers.
+PTS = “Plus Points” is a measure of the points gained or lost by each player based on their efficiency in this game compared to league average efficiency on the same number of possessions. A player with an offensive rating (points produced per possession x 100) of 100 who uses 20 possessions would produce 20 points. If the league average efficiency is 114, the league — on average — would produced 22.8 points in the same 20 possessions. So, the player in this hypothetical would have a +PTS score of -2.8.
Players are sorted by total production in the game.
FORT MYERS, FL - FEBRUARY 20: Alex Hoppe #96 of the Boston Red Sox poses for a photo during the Boston Red Sox Photo Day at JetBlue Park at Fenway South on Tuesday, February 20, 2024 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
In mechanical engineering, it’s common knowledge that Contraptions (sometimes referred to informally as “Machines”) are fed by Fodder. The term of venery for an individual piece of Fodder is Pile. Some examples in a sentence: “When new Fodder joins the Pile, it’s better for everyone; The Contraption was beginning to hunger.” or, “Alex Hoppe, The Contraption demands to be fed, and as a recent addition to the Pile of Fodder, you are its chosen fuel, its sustenance, its very lifeblood. Prepare to be Contrapted.”
That, at least, is the hope that anyone who follows the Mariners should have upon reading “Seattle has acquired [pitcher they have not heard of] in exchange for [a minor-league just-a-guy hitter].” The organization has developed quite the reputation as a pitching lab. That reputation is justly earned. From drafting an entire rotation’s worth of MLB starting pitchers in just four drafts to being a career-changing destination for the castaway and the non-tendered, Seattle has proven that they’ve built something special.
They’ve built a smooth, well-oiled Machine. A Contraption, carefully engineered to take, for example, pitchers like Alex Hoppe and transform them into, for example, pitchers like 2021-2023 Paul Sewald.
What is a pitcher like Alex Hoppe? Hoppe, acquired from Boston this off-season, is a 2022 6th round draft pick that has steadily risen through Boston’s farm as a pure relief pitcher. He comes without pedigree, never landing on Boston’s top 30 prospects list. He’s mostly been a middle relief guy, only ever recording six saves in a season. He’s achieved mostly acceptable results thus far without ever really excelling.
There’s almost no easily-accessible video of him besides this one Instagram reel from Boston’s Player Development account.
So, from afar, his repertoire stands out to me as looking almost like the antithesis of modern pitch design philosophy.
What’s sexy in pitching these days? Low-slot, high-band rising fastballs with an absurd IVB or VAA, if you’re a pronator, or a seam-shifted wake sinker that tumbles if you’re a supinator (or both, if you’re Bryan Woo). Hoppe throws a four-seamer that doesn’t get an insane amount of ride, and given the 52.3° arm angle, has a pretty poor VAA. He also has a cutter that shows solid cut and acceptable ride.
Also sexy: frisbee sweepers with bonkers horizontal movement and almost no drop, and perhaps even positive IVB. Hoppe throws a sharp, downward 11-5 slider that bites sometimes, but can also be a bit slack-jawed. This means that it overlays with his cutter quite a bit in movement profile.
As for offspeed pitches, the tumbling, low-spin splitters or the Skenesian splinkers are hot, as is the new “kick change”. Last season, Hoppe sported a new changeup that’s relatively mediocre, and was deployed exclusively against lefties.
Today’s pitch-design landscape feels like an arms race – some team or player builds something new and weird, identifies some trait or movement that makes life hell for hitters, and leans into it. Everyone else follows suit, and suddenly everywhere you look, you’re seeing these new pitches, or new varieties of old ones. Hoppe’s offerings, by comparison, are simple and unextraordinary.
That isn’t necessarily a problem, but what definitely is, is that he has not demonstrated the ability to control the ball – he ran a 12.3 BB% rate in AA/AAA last season. For a relief pitcher, that is…not good!
At this point, Hoppe is rather raw, but that’s okay. Being polished and already flashing above-average pitches with good stats isn’t a prerequisite for becoming Contrapted. The opposite is probably more true – what makes the Mariners pitching development team so uniquely good at this is their ability to see things that others don’t.
What do they see in Hoppe? There’s a few things that catch my eye.
The first major one is that arm angle. His average arm angle of 52.3° is well more than a standard deviation higher than the mean arm angle (about 36° for pitchers with over 300 pitches thrown last season).
This is a chart showing arm angle distribution from MLB last season, controlling for the top 5 outliers on both ends for data cleanliness. Hoppe currently lives in the third right-most of these bars, with an arm angle higher than about 90% of the sample. Not quite outlier-high, but pretty dang high.
Another thing that catches my attention is that while he ranks quite highly in Whiff%, Chase% and K%, he allows very high exit velocity and Hard-Hit% – he more or less turns batters into Khris Davis. He might be in the category of “effectively wild”. Luckily, because his groundball rate is also exceptionally high, (55% vs 42% average in MLB last season), he hasn’t been punished for that…yet.
He had a pretty high BABIP last season (.347), which, in the face of letting batters make powerful contact with the ball, makes sense, but it’s also indicates some unluckiness. He also had a generous difference between his xwOBA (.278) and his wOBA (.318), once again showing that he may have underperformed last season relative ot his true talent.
It’s hard for us to say, from the outside, what the keen, hawk-like eyes of The Contraption have identified in Hoppe as ideal sustenance. Perhaps they prize that higher arm angle in a moment of low angles. A lot of the pitchers at the higher end of that spectrum have been raising theirs even further over the last couple of years, and no one on the Mariners besides another relatively new acquisition, Luke Jackson, has an arm angle over 44°. Maybe they’ve identified biomechanical tweaks that could enable him to control the zone, while also adjusting the pitch profile. As a reliever, after all, you’re really ever just one lights-out pitch away from being an impact arm.
If it were any other organization, I would feel silly for thinking this much about a reliever acquired for a 14th-round catcher. It would be safe to say that we simply swapped org guys. It’s still a decently likely outcome. With Seattle, though, it’s hard not to think that he’s been deemed Contraptable, and in a year or two they’ll have created yet another high-leverage bullpen arm out of simple Fodder.
PS: I’d be remiss if I didn’t include this. Shoutout Sweezo #sweezo
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 29: Blake Snell #7 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts during the fifth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in game five of the 2025 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 29, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In arguably the greatest World Series of the decade, the Dodgers went all in with their starting pitching to get the job done in a back-and-forth seven game series against the Toronto Blue Jays. This included Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitching on zero days rest to complete Game 7, while other starters such as Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow were given little time to recuperate for their efforts in the final two games of the series.
For Snell, the toll taken to his arm has been heavy this offseason, and as reported by Jack Harris of the California Post, it has limited his throwing program since the series’ conclusion. This could potentially render Snell unavailable for the beginning of the season, as the team is attempting to prioritize having their entire rotation at maximum health by opening day.
“You want to ramp up, but I gotta take my time and get healthy… I feel like I’m doing the right thing. I feel good. I’ve been throwing. It feels better. In the postseason, I gave everything I had for that. But on the front end of spring, I’ll have to be patient and let my body get to 100%.”
Snell notably spent four months on the injured list after his first two starts in a Dodger uniform last year, and the hope for both sides is to avoid having history repeat itself.
Links
Miguel Rojas took to his Instagram story to announce that he will not be representing Team Venezuela for the World Baseball Classic. In a statement translated from Spanish, Rojas wrote, “I am very sad today… a real shame to not be able to represent my country and to put the flag on my chest. In this occasion, age wasn’t just a number.” Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports that the main reason for Rojas’ decision was due to insurance issues.
Game 3 of the 2025 World Series will go down as one of the longest postseason games in baseball history, and for president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, emotions flared up during the 18-inning marathon. Friedman recounted his flare-up during an appearance on the Dodgers Territory podcast.
“Something I’m not very proud of; I may or may not have spiked a barstool in that Game 3, and it’s because of the range of emotions. Will Smith hits a ball to center that in my mind is definitely a homer, and Varsho goes back and catches it. The excitement of the homer to the catch next inning, I might have let the barstool slip.”
Andrew Friedman says he spiked a barstool during Game 3 of the World Series. 😂 pic.twitter.com/HghVi7tawU
Kurt Helin
