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Orioles news: Bradish beats O’s in arbitration case

BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 21: Kyle Bradish #38 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches in the fourth inning during a baseball game against the New York Yankees at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 21, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Good Morning Birdland,

It is getting increasingly difficult to write these opening thoughts to the Bird Droppings while the Orioles make no roster moves of note. There has been zero significant movement in quite a while.

In case you have missed the last…uh…five months (?), the Orioles still want to sign a “frontline” pitcher. They have been linked to every viable free agent you can think of. Framber Valdez, Justin Verlander, Lucas Giolito, Zac Gallen. Yep. All of them. Nothing has changed there in a long time.

Looking at the roster, they need bullpen help too. But there is even less noise there. In fact, it has been silent. Mike Elias added Andrew Kittredge and Ryan Helsley a few months back, and then hunkered down. The best guess is they will add some fringier arms on minor league deals with spring invites, and then they will pick up some scraps as teams cut their “extras” throughout February and March. Bullpen heros can come from unexpected places, but you would like to have a bit more certainty.

The position player groups seem set. At least to begin the spring. No trade of Coby Mayo or Ryan Mountcastle is imminent. The 40-man roster has no true utility man on it. They did just add Bryan Ramos as a potential bench option, but almost all of his experience as a pro has come at third base, so he’s not the most versatile. Colton Cowser is lining up to be the center fielder most days with Leody Taveras in tow to spell him on occasion.

The pieces are not fitting together perfectly. But they don’t have to. Elias has made it clear that he wants to build redundancies into the squad so that an injury here or there doesn’t derail the season. Players can be optioned to Triple-A if they see fit. That includes Mayo and Jackson among others. In a 162-game season, players that begin the year in Norfolk are still likely to get their big league chance. That’s the theory anyway.

Links

Kyle Bradish beats Orioles in arbitration, will get $3.55M in ’26 | ESPN
The Orioles and Bradish filed at numbers that were $675,000 apart. It would have been nice to see the two sides come to agreement rather than going through the arbitration process. It’s pretty common for the experience to sour a player’s view of their organization. If healthy, Bradish is a player that is probably going to be pretty important to this team for a few more years, at least. It would be best to keep him in good spirits. But it’s a business. I know, I know.

Orioles 2026 minor league coaching staffs announced | On The Verge
This is a great, simple and contextual look at the changes made at each of the levels going into 2026. I do not personally know enough about minor league coaches to really have an opinion. But it doesn’t seem like the Orioles did much of an overhaul here, so they must be happy with the general direction of player development.

Gunnar Henderson is one of the fastest players in MLB. He spent the offseason working to get faster. | The Baltimore Banner
Best. Shape. Of. His. Life! OK, no one actually claimed that in the article, and it was interesting to read about the sort of stuff Henderson is focused on. He is aware of how big he is, and the way in which that can work against him as he ages. These sorts of drills aim to to hold onto that foot speed and athleticism for as long as possible.

What to expect at Orioles spring training | Roch Kubatko
Maybe it has been this stretch of ridiculously cold weather around Baltimore, or perhaps the team has just made some genuinely exciting moves this offseason, but I am more excited for spring training than I have been in a few years. Man, it is really gonna hurt if/when this team falls apart.

Orioles birthdays

Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!

February 4 is bereft of former Orioles player birthdays, but some of the non-baseball people celebrating today are former Vice President Dan Quayle (b. 1947), rock star Alice Cooper (b. 1948), actor Rob Corddry (b. 1971), former boxer Oscar De La Hoya (b. 1973), and comedian Hannibal Buress (b. 1983).

This day in O’s history

2011 – The Orioles sign Vladimir Guerrero to a one-year deal. It would prove to be the final season of his Hall-of-Fame career. Over 145 games with the O’s, Guerrero will hit .290/.317/.416 with 13 home runs and a 98 OPS+.

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A rough start, but familiar response from the Suns in Rip City

Feb 3, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Jordan Goodwin (23) shoots the ball over Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant (9) during the first half at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images | Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images

Tuesday night in Portland, and a late one at that, the Suns came out flat. Really flat. Like a team that knew it was a quick one-game hop to Rip City before heading back home and treated it accordingly. The opening stretch was brutal. One of the worst quarters of basketball they have played all season, at least for the first half of it. They found their footing late, but not before staring at a 41-30 deficit.

For the second straight game, the paint was a problem. A big one. Second-chance points piled up fast. 23 of them in the first half alone, fueled by 11 offensive rebounds. And then came the stat that made you double-take. Portland, the worst three-point shooting team in the league, went 13-of-30 from deep. When everything that can go wrong does go wrong, that is usually what it looks like. And for the first time this season, it genuinely felt like the effort was missing.

Here is the contrast. You still cannot bury this team.

Even before halftime, the Suns started clawing. Down 19 at one point, they trimmed it to five by the break. The second half was a different story altogether. Their brand of basketball finally arrived, even if it took an extra quarter to unpack. And once again, the third quarter was the turning point. They outscored the Blazers 34-22 and flipped the entire feel of the game.

Consistency is the standard, and that is where the Suns reasserted themselves after halftime. This was a strange game. The late start played a role. So did the sluggish opening. This team usually brings its effort wire to wire, and you rarely see them come out as flat as they did. But the defining trait of this season showed itself again. The ability to recover. To settle. To respond.

That showed up in Portland. And it continues to be the reason this team keeps finding its way out of uncomfortable nights.

Bright Side Baller Season Standings

The matchup against the Clippers was a descent into pure basketball sludge, yet Grayson Allen clawed his way through the wreckage to emerge as the Bright Side Baller.

Bright Side Baller Nominees

Game 51 against the Trail Blazers. Here are your nominees:

Collin Gillespie
30 points (10-of-17, 8-of-14 3PT, 2-of-2 FT), 4 rebounds, 10 assists, 3 steals, 1 turnover, +5 +/-

Mark Williams
24 points (11-of-14, 0-of-0 3PT, 2-of-3 FT), 12 rebounds, 1 assist, 0 steals, 1 block, 1 turnover, -7 +/-

Grayson Allen
24 points (9-of-18, 6-of-11 3PT), 1 rebound, 3 assists, 1 steal, 3 turnovers, +1 +/-

Jordan Goodwin
16 points (6-of-9, 2-of-4 3PT, 2-of-4 FT), 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 5 steals, 0 turnovers, +9 +/-

Royce O’Neale
11 points (5-of-12, 1-of-5 3PT), 7 rebounds, 0 assists, 2 steals, 2 turnovers, +2 +/-

Dillon Brooks
11 points (3-of-16, 1-of-4 3PT, 4-of-4 FT), 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, -4 +/-

‘Twas a late night in Rip City. Who gets your vote?

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Open Thread: Bleacher Report releases “The 50 Worst NBA Trades”

This came across my social media feed recently and I must admit, I got caught up in the scroll. Clickbait aside, there are some interesting trades that made quite a difference for a player or a team.

Some highlights:

#47- Hawks trade Rasheed Wallace to the Pistons (2004). This was an immediate impact as the Pistons won the Championship that year against a stacked Los Angeles Lakers. And the trade was lopsided as thr Hawks made no real gains from the exchange.

#44- Pelicans trade for Dejounte Murray (2024). Murray has struggled to find a home, and injuries haven’t helped. Dyson Daniels has shined for the ATL, making the trade even worse for New Orleans.

#42- Suns trade for Kevin Durant (2023). Just the thought that trading for KD could be a bad thing makes me shudder. While KD is still one of the purest scores, his time to lead a team toward championship seems to have passed.

#40- Spurs trade Dennis Rodman to thre Bulls (1995). This is the first trade listed involving the Silver & Black. While Rodman is the greatest rebounder of all-time, San Antonio seems to be where he decided to let his freak flag fly. But The Alamo City, with its heritage and military background, was not the spot for him to plant it. The Spurs took a hit on the trade in hopes of retaining the Spurs culture through its leader David Robinson.

#35 and #34 both involve Damian Lillard, but Portland is not the loser on either.

#27 Timberwolves trade Kevin Garnett to Celtics (2007). Celtics get a Defensive Player of the Year and a title in KG’s first year. Minnesota got some pieces who never panned out and still seek a title.

#25 Cavs trade the pick that becomes James Worthy (1980). Can you imagine the different trajedctory for the Los Angeles Lakers had they not acquired James Worthy?

#19 Pacers trade Kawhi Leonard to Spurs on draft night (2011). Love him or despise him, he brought a lot to San Antonio in his time with the Spurs. The 2014 Finals MVP impeded LeBron’s three-peat and grabbed a pair of Defensive Player of the Year trophies during his time in San Antonio.

#17 Luka Doncic on draft night. You think that was a bad idea not knowing hoe Trae Young and Doncic would develop, check out #1…

#10 Hornets trade Kobe Bryant to the Lakers (1996). And the legacy begins.

#7 SGA to OKC while Paul George heads to Clippers. It sounded good at the time. No one knew just how Shai Gilgeous-Alexander would blow up. Hindsight.

Here’s the link to the entire article.

Did any of these trades stand out to you?

There were multiple bad trades involving the same teams, or the same players. What does that say about front offices and the longevity of a player? How about those few that traded for franchise legends- Kobe, Dirk, Dr. J, Bill Russell all could have (should have?) ended up on other teams.

Lots to unpack here.

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Wilkes Weekly: Dumba named AHL player of the week

'Pens Owen Pickering handles the puck during the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins home opener on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025. (Photo by Jason Ardan/The Citizens' Voice via Getty Images)

It was a perfect weekend for the WBS Penguins, two games and two big wins. Nick Hart from WBSPenguins.com gives the quick glance of the action.

Saturday, Jan. 31 – PENGUINS 4 vs. Syracuse 1
On Crosscheck Cancer Night, the Penguins delivered a feel-good win for their fans. Avery Hayes and Rafaël Harvey-Pinard scored in short order in the first period, and Matt Dumba tallied the emotional apex of the season so far in the second. When it appeared as if Syracuse was building momentum, Gabe Klassen shut it down with a shorthanded goal.

Sunday, Feb. 1 – PENGUINS 6 at Lehigh Valley 2
Six different skaters lit the lamp as the Penguins continued their season-long dominance of the Phantoms. Aidan McDonough got things started, followed by Nolan Renwick midway through regulation. Boko Imama buried a breakaway early in the third period. Then, Hayes and Owen Pickering scored back-to-back power-play goals. Harvey-Pinard rounded out the afternoon’s offense, while Dumba posted a pro-career high four assists.

The story of the week in the AHL was Matt Dumba. The veteran recorded six points (1G+5A) in just two games en route to being named the AHL player of the week. The story gets even deeper and better than that individual honor.

Dumba had a touching moment with a young fan as part of the team’s “Crosscheck Cancer Night” and played an inspired game.

She was certainly on his mind with the pointing celebration immediately after scoring a goal.

It hasn’t been an easy turn or season for Dumba, clearing waivers and being assigned back to the AHL. His game didn’t receive the universal praise that players like Tristan Jarry, Danton Heinen, Ryan Graves and Philip Tomasino got over the last year or so for being incredible players at the AHL level, so it’s nice to see Dumba create at least one really fantastic week.

The other note, at the other end of the spectrum from a veteran like Dumba, is two rookies earning their first career AHL points. 2024 second round pick Tanner Howe made his AHL debut this week after working his way back from an ACL injury suffered last year and picked up an assist in his very first game. 2023 third round pick Emil Pieniniemi, after going through some drama about delaying accepting an ECHL assignment, also finds himself in the AHL these days, and a point-scorer in his second game.

As we mentioned last week, the WBS lineup has been filling up with AHL contracts out of necessity lately and not exactly a bevy of players with bright NHL futures, it’s nice to see former recent somewhat high draftees start gaining a little traction in the AHL as they get to work with careers that could have some NHL potential one day down the line.

There hasn’t been much change in the standings, Wilkes-Barre remains second in the division and likely won’t be leaving that spot for a while in either direction.

The upcoming NHL roster freeze might be worth watching. Pittsburgh could presumably send Rutger McGroarty and maybe even Ryan Graves down to the AHL for the break. One player who won’t be with the AHL Pens much longer is third string goalie Filip Larsson. Sergei Murashov and Joel Blomqvist have been taking up all the ice time, Larsson hasn’t started a game since December 14th so he’s opted to get his contract terminated and move onto the next chapter.

Given the games played column above, WBS isn’t going to be that busy in the upcoming weeks considering they have a division-high 45 games in the books. The AHL Pens only have seven games in the three-week stretch from Feb 5-26 that makes up the NHL roster freeze.

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DitD & Open Post – 2/4/26: Falling Flat Edition

NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - FEBRUARY 3 : Sean Monahan #23 of the Columbus Blue Jackets and Connor Brown #16 of the New Jersey Devils fight for the puck during the second period of the NHL regular season game at the Prudential Center on February 3, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Andrew Maclean/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images

Here are your links for today:

Devils Links

Jack remains out:

It’s over. As with every time the Devils have tried to build some momentum as of late, the team fell flat on Tuesday night. The Blue Jackets took a 3-0 win. [Devils NHL]

“To recap, Fitzgerald either wouldn’t part with the pieces necessary to land the league’s 2nd best defenseman, couldn’t move money to make room, or couldn’t best a package built around players he passed on with higher selections. I don’t know which is worse. Whatever the case, Hughes is excelling in Minnesota and it seems possible – perhaps even likely – he decides to stay long-term. Meanwhile, the Devils sit 15th in the Eastern Conference and very much lack a true No. 1 defenseman.” [Infernal Access ($)]

Hockey Links

“(Barry) Trotz announced his plans to step down as the Predators’ GM in a news conference on Monday, confirming earlier reports that he’ll remain in place until his successor is found. The 63-year-old was adamant the decision wasn’t due to health reasons or because he was (pursuing) another opportunity in coaching — something Trotz did for more than 1,800 NHL games prior to joining Nashville’s front office as former GM David Poile’s replacement in 2023.” [ESPN]

Strong viewership for the Stadium Series game:

With Olympic hockey starting soon, a look at the schedules for both the men’s and women’s tournaments: [The Hockey News]

Some bold Olympic hockey predictions: [The Athletic ($)]

Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.

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Have The Canadiens Had More Goals Called Back For Offside?

In the Montreal Canadiens’ game against the Vegas Golden Knights, the Habs had a goal called back for offside nearly a minute after the contested zone entry happened. In the post-game conference, we suggested to Martin St-Louis that there should be a cutoff time for raising an offside challenge, and the bench boss replied that, since the league has the technology to make the right calls, they should be made. He did, however, mention he felt his team was losing more goals to offside challenges than others, adding that someone could come back to him at the next presser on that topic.

Thanks to the NHL media stats website, it wasn’t difficult to verify. As of February 3 at 10:00 AM, there have been 163 coach challenges in the NHL this season, 74 of which were for offside (representing 45% of all challenges). Six of those 74 challenges for offside were against the Canadiens (representing 8% of all challenges for offside), and all six challenges were successful in getting the goal annulled.

What about the other teams, though? How many goals have they lost? No other team has had more goals annulled for offside than the Canadiens. The Colorado Avalanche are second in that department with five goals annulled on five offside challenges (7% of all offside challenges). The San Jose Sharks and the Washington Capitals are in third place, having lost four goals to offside challenges (5% of all offside challenges).

At the other end of the spectrum, there are a few teams that have not lost a single goal to an offside challenge: the Carolina Hurricanes, the Florida Panthers, the Minnesota Wild, the Seattle Kraken, the St. Louis Blues, and the Toronto Maple Leafs.

As for who challenged for offside the most, the Golden Knights are at the top of the list with six challenges, five of which were successful. The Leafs are second, with five challenges, all successful. The Wild, Utah Mammoth, Edmonton Oilers, and Chicago Blackhawks have all made four challenges. How many challenges for offside have the Canadiens made? Just one, and it was successful.

Turns out St-Louis was right, the Canadiens have lost more goals than any other team to offside challenges this season, perhaps there’s some work to be done on zone entries…

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Celtics benefited from a “confident” Luka Garza amid adjustments vs. Mavericks

Feb 3, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Boston Celtics center Luka Garza (52) shoots over Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson (31) during the second half at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The frenzied final 48 hours before Thursday’s 3 p.m. ET NBA trade deadline posed a challenge for the Celtics as they arrived in Dallas to face Cooper Flagg and the Mavericks.

Hours before tip-off, the Celtics reportedly traded guard Anfernee Simons to the Bulls for center Nikola Vučević. Simons was immediately downgraded from available to out due to personal reasons, stripping Boston of its leading bench scorer and leaving a void in the rotation. Luka Garza, finding confidence beyond the arc in Dallas, filled that void.

Garza played 20 minutes off the bench in Boston’s 110-100 win on Tuesday night, and carved out his domain at the top of the key, rewarding feeds from Payton Pritchard.

“That’s generally where you get most of your shots off the pick-and-pop. It’s always an above-the-break kind of area, so I try to work on that a lot,” Garza told reporters, per CLNS Media. “Over time, I’ve grown more and more confident in it, and my teammates trust me. If I get it and get into a good rhythm stepping into the ball, I feel like I’m knocking it down.”

Three times, Garza used the pick-and-pop to create space at the top of the key, and three times he knocked down a 3-pointer from that spot. He finished with 16 points on a perfect 4-for-4 shooting from deep, tying his career high for made threes in a game. It marked Garza’s most in-sync performance from beyond the arc in a Celtics uniform, as he grew into a critical part of the offense throughout the night.

“Anytime you can catch a rhythm and make some shots in a stretch like that where our offense is really going, it’s definitely big time,” Garza told reporters. “So I know they’re important, especially when we’re playing guys like Gafford who are sitting in a drop. One way you can expose that is by stretching the floor and giving guys more space. That’s what I’m trying to do.”

Garza’s four made 3-pointers tied his second-most attempts in a game this season and marked the fifth time in his career he has hit at least three.

Boston’s ability to lean on Garza as a floor spacer — a role he rarely occupies — helped offset the loss of Simons in a way opposing defenses wouldn’t typically anticipate. Garza is shooting a career-best 47.6 percent from three on limited volume (1.5 attempts per game), well above his career average of 36.1 percent. Typically, his greatest impact comes on the offensive glass, where he turns teammates’ misses into second-chance opportunities and forces opponents to pay for defensive miscues.

In Dallas, Garza showcased one of the most important aspects of his growth: his versatility.

“Luka is able to give us advantages in different ways,” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla told reporters, per CLNS Media. “Sometimes he’ll force a veer and get us an offensive rebound. Sometimes he’ll just get us open threes. Today, it was his ability to pop and force 2-on-1s that way. I thought we missed him on a couple in the first half, then our guys made an adjustment and got him open looks in the second half, which forced them into different defensive coverages and allowed us to execute in different ways.”

As the Mavericks focused on guarding Boston’s usual offensive threats, such as Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and Pritchard, Garza capitalized on the openings he found. He recognized that Dallas wasn’t accounting for him as a perimeter threat, and he turned it to his advantage, proving he could knock down multiple three-pointers and become a legitimate weapon from that spot on the floor.

Garza’s efforts to build confidence as a shooter didn’t come at the expense of his usual duties as a backup frontcourt player. He still grabbed four rebounds (all offensive), added two steals, an assist, and a block, proving he can be a Swiss Army knife in limited minutes off the bench.

“I thought Luka was great in the second half,” Mazzulla added.

With Simons out of the equation, Mazzulla was forced to make adjustments. He removed Pritchard from the starting lineup for the first time this season, slotting him into the sixth-man role, and moved Baylor Scheierman into the starting five. It was a change, but not one the Celtics weren’t prepared for, as they had spent the season stressing the importance of their core principles and delivering a clean, on-brand 48 minutes of basketball.

This approach allowed Boston to withstand Flagg’s 36 points while also creating an opportunity for Garza to take a step forward in his development.

“This year, our margin for error has been slim,” Brown told reporters, per CLNS Media. “If we don’t come to play, if the other team wins the margins, we’ll lose games that we’re supposed to win. Those film sessions we’ve had — I call them Celtics University — it’s like a classroom. Everybody’s got their notepads, asking questions, breaking down the film and the details of everything, because the details are most important. The difference between good and great players is the details.”

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Today in White Sox History: February 4

Cigarette card (from the Billiken tobacco company) features a photo of baseball player Jose Acosta, of the Marianao team, Cuba, 1924. (Photo by Transcendental Graphics/Getty Images) | Getty Images

1922
The White Sox purchased right-handed reliever José Acosta from the Washington Senators. Acosta, born in La Habana in 1891, was the 33rd Cuban player in major league history and the first ever to play for the White Sox.

Acosta went 0-2 with an 8.40 ERA and -0.4 over five games for the 1922 White Sox. He would pitch for six more years, until age 38, finishing with 195 professional wins across MLB, the minors and foreign leagues.

1971
Another year … another Acosta?

The White Sox purchased pitcher Cecilio “Cy” Acosta from the Mexican League — no doubt aided by White Sox legend Minnie Miñoso, who was then a player-manager for Acosta’s Jalisco club.

Acosta’s U.S. debut came that summer, in 24 games for the Triple-A Tucson Toros, struggling with the transition to the upper minors by logging a 5.27 ERA. However, that was his last unsightly season in the White Sox organization, as Acosta was almost unbelievably good in a short career with the White Sox. The righthander compiled a 153 ERA+ and 5.7 WAR in just 186 innings from 1972-74, including the (tied for) sixth-best relief season in White Sox history (4.1 WAR in 1973). Acosta was sold to Philadelphia for the 1974 season and pitched in just six more games in his MLB career.

Acosta also was the first AL pitcher to bat after the institution of the DH rule, striking out in Dick Allen’s place on June 20, 1973.

Before and after his MLB stint, Acosta was a Mexican League stalwart. He pitched 17 seasons (1968-71, 1975-86), going 122-137 with a 3.42 ERA. He was elected to the Salón de la Fama de Beisbol (Hall of Fame) in Monterrey, Nueva León in Mexico in 2005.

1985
Chicago native and Niles prep school product Greg Luzinski, who signed with the White Sox in 1981 and revitalized his career in the DH spot, retired.

Luzinski was dumped at the end of Spring Training 1981 by his lifelong franchise, the Philadelphia Phillies — and the White Sox were all too happy to snap him up. “Bull” hit the ground running, clubbing his way through the strike-shortened 1981 campaign well enough to pile up 21 homers, 68 RBIs, an .841 OPS and a 23rd-place finish in MVP voting. He was every bit as good in 1982, and then had his best traditional-stats season for the White Sox in 1983 (32 homers, 95 RBIs, .854 OPS, 17th in MVP voting) and helped push the South Siders to 99 wins.

Among many White Sox to take a step back in 1984, Luzinski was as bad as any, dropping from 2.3 WAR to -0.3, and an 89 OPS+ that was by far the worst of his career. Thus, the Bull hung up his spikes, winding up his career with 307 homers and a 130 OPS+. Per JAWS, Luzinski remains the 91st best left fielder in major league history. And coincidentally, Luzinski’s closest similarity scores are of two former White Sox: Roy Sievers (94.3%) and Jermaine Dye (93.6%).

1990
Two former White Sox factor into the first and only championship of the Senior Professional Baseball Association. Both Lamar Johnson and Steve Kemp homered in a 12-4 win for the St. Petersburg Pelicans over the West Palm Beach Tropics. Johnson had three RBIs in the game and was named the Star of Stars for the game.

The league lost four teams in Florida for the 1990-91 season and added two in Arizona, with the league schedule shortening from 72 to 56 games. On December 28, it folded and did not re-form for 1991-92.

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MM 2.4: Maryland men’s basketball alum Jahmir Young selected to G League Next Up Game

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - MARCH 14: Jahmir Young #1 of the Maryland Terrapins celebrates his basket against the Wisconsin Badgers in the first half in the Second Round of the Big Ten Tournament at Target Center on March 14, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Several former Maryland men’s basketball players have impressed away from College Park this season, giving Terps fans something to root for.

Former star Jahmir Young has been one of the most impressive ones, and that was rewarded Tuesday.

Young is one of 26 G League players selected to participate in events during the NBA’s All-Star Weekend. He will play for Team Red in the Next Up Game and also participate in the 3-point contest.

Young has had a stellar season for the Sioux Falls Skyforce. He averages 26.6 points per game (second-most in the G League) and 9.7 assists per game (third-most in the G League) while also contributing six rebounds and 2.3 steals an outing.

Those contributions on the court were rewarded earlier in the year, with the Miami Heat converting Young’s deal to a two-way contract, which allows him to occasionally play in the NBA. He has totaled 34 minutes over seven games for the Heat — including 11 minutes in games on Feb. 1 and Feb. 3 — and shot 6-of-15 from the field, totaling 14 points, six assists, three rebounds and two turnovers.

That could lead to more NBA playing time for Young, who was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Chicago Bulls in 2024, waived in July and picked up by the Heat a month later.

NBA All-Star 2026 is based in Los Angeles this year. The 3-point contest will take place Feb. 14 at 2:30 p.m., and the Next Up Game will take place Feb. 15 at 2:30 p.m. Both events are available to watch on the NBA Channel and the NBA App.

In other news

Maryland men’s lacrosse’s season-opening game against Loyola (Md.) has been moved indoors.

Three Maryland wrestlers remain ranked in the top 20 nationally at their weight class.

Maryland football extended an offer to four-star class of 2027 defensive lineman Sam LeJeune and class of 2027 wide receiver Bryan Porter.

Maryland men’s basketball alum Kevin Huerter got dealt to the Detroit Pistons ahead of the NBA trade deadline.

Maryland men’s basketball’s Diggy Coit’s story was beautifully covered by the Big Ten Network.

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Cleveland Legend Carlos Santana signs with D-Backs

CLEVELAND, OH - AUGUST 15: Carlos Santana #41 of the Cleveland Guardians bats during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on Friday, August 15, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Congratulations to Carlos Santana on finding a team for the 2026 season.

The Diamondbacks will be his 9th team, which is crazy for a guy who has spent 11 years with one of those.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers showed off just how full their free agency haul has gotten, by DFAing one of the guys they signed this offseason.

The rest of baseball really needs to wake up. Presumably LA will start adding depth by giving out MILB contracts that are $1M+.

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Is There a Remaining Free Agent Worth Signing?

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - SEPTEMBER 21: Dauri Moreta #36 of the Pittsburgh Pirates reacts after the final out in a 11-0 win over the Athletics during the game at PNC Park on September 21, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Hello everyone! Welcome to our new Daily Question series for the month of February. With Spring Training around the corner, we want to hear what you think 2026 holds for your Minnesota Twins. Let’s get excited for baseball!

Yesterday we talked trades, today, let’s talk free agents.

The reason I wanted to hit trades first is that the remaining 2026 free agent options are fairly bleak. There’s some great options on the market if you need starting pitching, but unfortunately for the Twins, that’s the one area of relative strength on this team. Plus, Framber Valdez and Zac Gallen are well out of Tom Pohlad’s price range.

Using FanGraphs’ handy free agent tracker, you can sort by projected 2026 WAR and see there’s very little left for the Twins’ needs. Just like with the trades, the Twins need right-handed relievers, right-handed hitting outfielders, and a utility man who can reasonably play shortstop 2-3 times per week, given Brooks Lee’s injury history.

In my opinion, there’s three players the Twins should be prioritizing.

  1. Miguel Andujar, OF: the former Yankees top prospect has carved out a nice career for himself with the A’s over the past few seasons. He doesn’t offer much value defensively or on the base paths, but he crushes lefties and has a strong arm in the outfield. At this point of the offseason, you could do a lot worse.
  2. Dauri Moreta, RHP: Moreta looked to be the Pirates’ future closer as recently as 2023 before he missed all of 2024 and most of 2025 recovering from Tommy John surgery. He flashed good stuff in the second half of last season, and would be controllable for two additional seasons if the Twins want to keep him around. Another year removed from surgery, he could be closing games in Minnesota by midseason.
  3. Ramon Urias, IF: Urias was one of the league’s better utility men from 2021-2024 with the Orioles, but his offensive production slipped between Baltimore and Houston in 2025. He hasn’t played short since 2022, but that’s more due to ironman Gunnar Henderson taking over in 2023 and never looking back. If the Twins feel he can still handle shortstop, he’s the best option from a very limited remaining selection.

Take a look at FanGraphs’ list and let me know if there’s anyone you think the Twins should still pursue. It’s not great, but there may still be ways to upgrade on the margins.

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Which past Yankees season still bothers you the most?

UNITED STATES - NOVEMBER 04: New York Yankees' Derek Jeter sits alone in the dugout as the Arizona Diamondbacks celebrate their 3-2 win over the Yankees in Game 7 of the World Series at Bank One Ballpark. It is the Diamondbacks' first World Series win. (Photo by Keith Torrie/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images) | NY Daily News via Getty Images

Welcome to Wednesday. The Yankees’ pitchers and catchers will officially report to spring training a week from today! Hurrah. There’s not much else going on though, so we’ll get into today’s discussion prompt.

The Yankees have won 27 championships of course, but there have still been plenty of seasons that ended with frustrating results. Here’s just a smattering that come to mind:

  • The 1960 Yanks bludgeoned the Pirates in the World Series in terms of run differential; it didn’t matter when they lost in seven games on Bill Mazeroski’s walk-off bomb.
  • Prior to their long playoff drought, the 1980 and 1981 Yanks saw their seasons ended by two postseason opponents from the previous decade who flipped the script (the Royals and Dodgers).
  • The 1985 Yanks won 97 games in Don Mattingly’s MVP season and Rickey Henderson’s superb New York debut, but missed the playoffs since the Wild Card did not yet exist and Toronto beat them out for the AL East.
  • No AL team had a better record in mid-August of 1994 than the ascendant Yankees. A labor dispute cut the season short on August 11th and the World Series was cancelled. Fans never got to know if this Mattingly team would have gotten him to that Fall Classic.
  • The Yanks did return to the playoffs at last in 1995, but after jumping out to a 2-0 series lead over the Mariners, they lost three in a row in Seattle to get eliminated with Edgar Martinez delivering a dagger of a double for the final walk-off blow. David Cone still curses the Kingdome.
  • Can one really complain after a three-peat dynasty finally ends in 2001? Well, despite some downright thrilling playoff heroics in wake of 9/11, it did end in brutal fashion thanks to a shocking Mariano Rivera blown save that featured bad defense, an inexplicable Tony Womack double, and Luis Gonzalez winning the World Series for Arizona on a bloop to shortstop with the infield in.
  • The 2003 Yanks might have been the best team in franchise history to not win a World Series. They won a playoff series for the ages too, as an ALCS Game 7 rally off Pedro Martinez and Aaron Boone’s walk-off homer created an all-time moment. Instead of riding that wave to a championship, they got clowned by the Marlins of all teams in a six-game World Series loss that ended in Josh Beckett’s Yankee Stadium shutout.
  • 2004. There have been 10,000 sports documentaries about this one, and they’re still being churned out. NEXT.
  • Although the Yankees had four deeply frustrating first-round exits during the first decade of this century, 2006 might take the cake. The Tigers had stumbled badly down the stretch to squander their 10-game AL Central lead and fall into a Wild Card spot. The Yankees were “Murderers’ Row and Canó,” in the words of Detroit skipper Jim Leyland. Guess which one of these teams fell apart in the ALDS?
  • The Yankees’ post-Derek Jeter youth movement hit the jackpot in 2017 with rookie Aaron Judge suddenly turning into a 50-homer MVP candidate. This popular team went from low preseason expectations all the way to Game 7 of the ALCS, which they lost to an Astros club that soon became infamous.
  • Take your pick from the Aaron Boone Era. 2019, when the 103-win “Next Man Up” Yanks went down in the flames to the Astros in the ALCS again, this time in Jose Altuve walk-off fashion? 2022, when another ALCS rematch with Houston ended in a thoroughly uncompetitive sweep? Or perhaps 2024, when one year of Juan Soto got New York back to the Fall Classic, but a previously supernova Judge went cold in October and the World Series against the Dodgers was lost with questionable managing and awful Game 5 defense?

The contenders are fierce. My old colleague Greg Kirkland always pointed to ’94 due to never getting to find out the true ending for what that team deserved. I was too young for that, but I think that’s entirely fair. Among the teams I watched most closely, 2001 was the most heartbreaking and 2004 the most embarrassing — though boy did the very end of 2024 give that a run for its money. What about you?

Today on the site, we’ll have two particular articles that will work in tandem with each other about a contentious topic at the moment: the Yankees’ bullpen. Andrés will take the optimistic view and argue why this group is being overlooked and could turn out to be quite good, while Jeff will be the opposition and detail why it’s a point of weakness at the moment that should have been improved. Elsewhere, we’ll have our Peter celebrate a forgotten
“Lefty” from Yankees history for our Birthdays series, and Nick will be on double duty for a season preview post on Paul Blackburn and a look book at Andy Pettitte’s shocking-but-welcome unretirement in spring 2012 as part of our 50 Most Notable Yankees Free Agents.

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Brew Crew Ball Daily Question: What is the thing you’re afraid to say out loud about this team?

Oct 17, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Jackson Chourio (11) reacts during the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game four of the NLCS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Continuing our February Daily Question series, we’re beginning today’s conversation with the question, “What is the thing you’re afraid to say out loud about this team?”

For the third consecutive offseason, the Brewers have swapped one of their key pitchers (Corbin Burnes in February 2024, Devin Williams in December 2024, Freddy Peralta this January) to reload with young players. This time it came in the form of Brandon Sproat and Jett Williams, two of the team’s top prospects entering the year.

Beyond that obvious major change, this squad isn’t much different from the one that finished in first place in the NL Central with 97 wins last season. Brandon Woodruff is back as is most of the rest of the pitching staff. Isaac Collins and Nick Mears are now with the Royals, but the Brewers added another lefty arm in the form of Ángel Zerpa. Akil Baddoo adds some further depth to the outfield, while catcher Reese McGuire will compete with Jeferson Quero for the backup job.

But what is the thing you’re scared to say about this team?

Weigh in in the comments, and join us throughout the month as we keep these conversations rolling into spring training. Have a question you’d like to ask in a future BCB Daily Question? Drop one in the comments and we may use it later this month.

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One thing Pirates fans don’t want to say out loud

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 26: Paul Skenes #30 of the Pittsburgh Pirates during batting practice before a game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on September 26, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Brett Davis/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Pittsburgh Pirates are going into the 2026 MLB season with a lot of optimism, largely in part due to an improving star pitcher in Paul Skenes and an offense that projects to be better than it was a year ago.

Trading for Tampa Bay Rays infielder Brandon Lowe and signing Ryan O’Hearn in free agency gives the Pirates reason to be hopeful when it comes to the offense, but there is a possibility that these offensive upgrades just aren’t enough.

The Pirates know that they are entering a potential contending window with Skenes approaching the prime of his career. Once they have No. 1 prospect Konnor Griffin coming up, the Pirates will have the foundation for a true contender. However, there is a legitimate possibility that it all falls apart like it has in the past.

Gerrit Cole comes to mind when looking at a premier Pirates pitching prospect that was traded because the team couldn’t build a contender around him. The Pirates need to do everything in their power to ensure that Skenes doesn’t become the next iteration of Cole.

The moves this offseason indicate that the Pirates are committed to turning things around and trying to build a contender around Skenes. It isn’t something that can be built overnight, and the team still has several years of control when it comes to his contract. So, there is no immediate need for this trade to happen.

It’s something to think about in the back of the mind, but with Skenes under team control until 2029, the Pirates will only hear the noise get louder if the team doesn’t start winning more.

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Pens Points: Downed on the island

ELMONT, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 03: The New York Islanders celebrate after defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-4 during overtime at UBS Arena on February 03, 2026 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Steven Ryan/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images

Here are your Pens Points for this Wednesday morning…

New York Islanders forward Bo Horvat scored twice on Tuesday night, including his game-winning goal 52 seconds into overtime, as the Islanders beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-4 and Pittsburgh dropped its second straight game. [Recap]

The Penguins placed goaltender Filip Larsson on unconditional waivers for a contract termination on Tuesday. [Trib Live]

It appears life in Oil Country isn’t going too well for former Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry. And recent postgame comments will likely do him no favors to endear him to teammates or the Edmonton faithful. [Trib Live]

Updates from around the NHL…

The NHL is rightfully getting flamed on social media for reducing its donation amount to cancer research following a moment during Sunday’s Stadium Series game where a cancer survivor was brought onto the ice to make a shot at a small opening in the net from center ice. [Sporting News]

The main ice hockey arena for the Winter Olympics is finally ready. However, some NHL players might feel as if they’re skating on a lake. [Associated Press]

The Columbus Blue Jackets reshuffled some of their front office personnel on Tuesday, giving promotions to former players Chris Clark and Rick Nash. [TSN]

Young Philadelphia Flyers forward Matvei Michkov has had his troubles in what would be generously described as a sophomore slump campaign. His head coach, Rick Tocchet, even offered some blunt criticism of the 21-year-old on a podcast on Sunday, saying he came into training camp out of shape. However, it appears the organization has not lost faith in the former seventh overall pick. [Sportsnet]