ST. LOUIS — The standout game of the morning session needed five more minutes to finish Friday, as No. 7 Kentucky fended off No. 10 Santa Clara, 89-84, in an overtime classic extended into the extra period by Otega Oweh’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer.
A game that delivered perhaps the moment of the first round of this year’s NCAA Tournament set a high bar for excitement here in St. Louis.
Here are three reasons why:
Broncos navigate rocky first half
Santa Clara (26-9) battled early against Kentucky’s length and reach, particularly at the offensive end. Herb Sendek’s team struggled to manufacture quality offensive possessions, at times flirting with fading away from their first-round matchup here in the Gateway City.
But one of the country’s best rebounding teams locked in defensively, cleaned the glass with the same intention as its SEC counterpart and weathered that storm.
By halftime, no one was shooting the ball particularly well, but Santa Clara had managed to drag the Wildcats into a defensive struggle.
Despite foul trouble that limited dynamic freshman Allen Graves, the Broncos nursed a hard-earned halftime lead, 31-29, into the locker room, in front of an outnumbered but enthusiastic band of Santa Clara fans making the trip east.
Sash Gavalyugov arrives
With Graves quieted by fouls, and Kentucky doing the same defensively to Christian Hammond, Santa Clara’s leading scorer, the Broncos turned to Sash Gavalyugov. The Villanova transfer from Bulgaria answered that need time and again.
In the flow of the offense or against isolated defenders, Gavalyugov poured in 16 crucial points, hitting important shots either side of the deficit.
When Otega Oweh (35 points, 28 after halftime) came alive after the break and injected life into Kentucky’s offense, it was often Gavalyugov answering that momentum. And when the Wildcats (22-13) left gaps in transition or in the halfcourt, Gavalyugov took advantage.
Together with leading scorer Elijah Mahi (20 points, five rebounds), the former Villanova Wildcat kept swinging back every time Kentucky looked like pulling away. As the second half wore on, survival began turning into threat. Santa Clara transformed from the chaser to the chased, leading by four at the under-8 timeout.
Otega Oweh’s excellence saves the day
No player quite defined the second half like Kentucky’s leading scorer.
Good in the first half, Otega Oweh was borderline unplayable in the second. He scored those aforementioned points every way imaginable, adding eight rebounds and seven assists as he pulled Santa Clara’s defense back and forth on a string. Corner 3s, finishing through contact, transition dimes — Oweh’s fingerprints were all over the game by the time it reached full boil inside the final two minutes.
He hit no more important shot the last one of regulation. With just more than two seconds left and no timeouts to set up anything more structured, Oweh let fly a running 3-pointer just moments after Allen Graves’ own 3 had given Santa Clara the lead.
Oweh’s answer banked in off the glass, drawing a roar from the Enterprise Center and sending the game of the afternoon session into overtime.
There, the Wildcats eventually pulled ahead for good following a pair of crucial blocks. Twice, Gavalyugov tried to answer with stepback 3s, and twice, Brandon Garrison blocked him, opening a door to the second round the Wildcats gladly walked through.
Fittingly, they sealed their win thanks to Oweh’s free throws — no player so defined the game as the senior from New Jersey.
Mar 16, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Jett Williams (76) reacts after striking out against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the second inning at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
The Milwaukee Brewers’ top prospects are set to host the Seattle Mariners’ top prospects in the third annual Spring Breakout at American Family Fields of Phoenix on Friday evening. For a full guide to the Spring Breakout, click here.
Bishop Letson, Milwaukee’s No. 9 prospect per MLB Pipeline, will get the start on the mound for the Crew. Letson, 21, was an 11th-round pick by Milwaukee in 2023 and is coming off a solid season. He made 10 appearances (eight starts) with the High-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, pitching to a 1.69 ERA and 43 strikeouts over 37 1/3 innings. He also made one start with the Double-A Biloxi Shuckers, allowing four runs with six strikeouts across four innings in that one. Letson will start opposite Mariners’ No. 3 prospect and MLB No. 33 prospect Ryan Sloan.
Milwaukee’s lineup features a slew of top prospects, including Jett Williams (team No. 3/MLB No. 51), Jesús Made (team No. 1/MLB No. 3), and Luis Peña (team No. 2/MLB No. 26) filling out the top third of the order. They’re followed by Cooper Pratt (team No. 4/MLB No. 64), Jeferson Quero (team No. 8), and Luis Lara (team No. 12). The lineup is rounded out by Josh Adamczewski, Brock Wilken, and Braylon Payne (team Nos. 11, 22, and 14, respectively).
The Mariners’ lineup also features four top 100 prospects in Jonny Farmelo (No. 78), Michael Arroyo (No. 67), Colt Emerson (No. 9), and Lazaro Montes (No. 43) batting in the top four spots of the order. Seattle’s team Nos. 7, 8, 10, and 12 are also included in the lineup. Of note for Northwoods League followers — Seattle’s No. 12 prospect is Korbyn Dickerson, who had a strong summer with the Madison Mallards in the 2023 and 2024 summers (.272/.357/.453 with 10 homers, 62 RBIs, and 50 runs scored across 71 games).
First pitch in this one is at 4:10 p.m. CT. You can tune in on MLB TV or, if you’re out of market, on MLB Network.
Santa Clara's Allen Graves gave the Broncos a 73-70 lead with 2.4 seconds left, which looked like enough to seal the win. However, Oweh received the ensuing inbounds pass and ran up to the March Madness logo, rising for a deep 3-pointer that clanked off the backboard through the net to tie the game at 73-73 to send the game to overtime.
Oweh, the SEC Player of the Year last season, saved his career-best performance for the perfect time against Santa Clara. The senior guard scored a career-high 35 points in the 89-84 overtime win, while racking up eight rebounds and seven assists with a block and a steal. It was an historic performance, as Oweh is only the second player since Larry Bird in 1979 to record at least 35 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in an NCAA Tournament game, according to CBS Sports Research.
"I was trying to get as close as possible to make the shot," Oweh said on the CBS postgame broadcast. "I don't know, it just went in. It's March Madness, that's the type of vibe it is, I ain't even gonna lie."
Santa Clara coach Herb Sendek was shown on the broadcast attempting to call a timeout after Graves' 3-pointer, which would've given the Broncos a chance to set up for the final inbounds play. However, Oweh was able to get momentum down the floor after catching the pass, which ultimately led to Kentucky's win.
Santa Clara's 3-point shooting kept it in the game, as the Broncos made 11 3-pointers to overcome its size disadvantage against Kentucky. Elijah Mahi led the way for the Broncos, scoring 20 points with five rebounds.
But it was Oweh again in overtime who sealed the win for Kentucky, with four crucial points and another assist in the extra period.
Kentucky now looks forward to its second-round matchup against the winner of No. 2 seed Iowa State and No. 15 East Tennessee State, and hopes to reach the Sweet 16 for the second consecutive season.
The Wildcats will certainly have a chance to do so, especially if Oweh shows up like he did against Santa Clara.
"That's what March is though," Oweh said. "All the best games happen at this time of the year. It was a blast, I was just glad we got to pull it out."
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 16: Chris Sale #51 of the Atlanta Braves pitches against the Washington Nationals during the sixth inning in game two of a split doubleheader at Nationals Park on September 16, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The headline speaks for itself,
Officially a week a way, The Atlanta Braves will be taking on the Kansas City Royals at Truist Park with Chris Sale (2025 ERA: 2.58) taking the mound.
He will be facing Royals’ starter Cole Ragans (2025 ERA: 4.67 ERA), who will be looking for his first Opening Day victory out of his past two starts.
Making his seventh career Opening Day start (second with the Braves) the 2024 NL Cy Young award winner will look to kick the Braves off on a high note in contrast to last year’s start on the West Coast.
Picking up where he left off, Sale pitched in a total of 21 games after coming off of a back spasm set-back in 2024, that took him out of the remainder of the post-season competition in September.
Fast forward to 2025, Sale started a healthy campaign during his return, despite the overall team’s disappointing record. Though being moved to the 60-day IL list due to suffering a fractured rib cage in June, he made a successful comeback in late August to finish up his 21 game and 125.2 inning stint to complete the year with 165 total strikeouts, 161 ERA+ and 2.67 FIP.
It was also announced a month ago that Sale and the Braves had agreed to a one-year, $27 million extension that includes a $30 million option for 2028. This will guarantee him for next year and was noted by Braves’ reporter Grant McAuley, that the deal represents the highest AAV (Average Annual Value) ever given by the club.
Sale remarked prior to the extension that he wanted to retire as a Brave when the time came, but don’t think he won’t give the remainder of his career all he has to close out on a high note.
His 2026 campaign is officially a week away, and this start also makes him the 14th-oldest pitcher in Braves franchise history to start on Opening Day, as well as the sixth left-hander in franchise history to start multiple Opening Day contests.
WEST PALM BEACH, FL - MARCH 07: Washington Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews (3) celebrates scoring a run with teammates in the dugout during a MLB spring training game against the New York Yankees at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on March 7, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Paul Toboni pulled the trigger on a massive move by sending Dylan Crews to Triple-A to start the season. Even as Crews struggled mightily this spring, I did not think they would pull the trigger and send him down. However, I was wrong and the former second overall pick will be starting his season in Rochester.
The Nationals have made the following roster moves:
Optioned to Triple-A Rochester: -OF Dylan Crews -RHP Jackson Rutledge
— Nationals Communications (@NationalsComms) March 20, 2026
This is a statement move by the new regime and shows that nobody will have a spot handed to them this year. There has been a lot of talk about a fresh start for these young players and that is certainly the case. However, this fresh start goes both ways, as we see here. If you are not producing, this new regime will not just hand you a spot in the big leagues.
We wrote about the idea of demoting Crews a few days ago. I thought it was a move that made sense, but did not think they would do it. Demoting a former top pick who was marketed as the future face of the franchise would be a gutsy move. Paul Toboni has made it clear that he is more than willing to make gutsy moves.
I don’t think it will happen, but the Nats should consider sending Dylan Crews to AAA and it is not just because of his slow spring https://t.co/QQTjdRg6cu
If you just go off of this spring, the move makes a ton of sense. Crews was 3/28 this spring and mostly looked lost at the plate. He was also making mistakes in the field and looked like a guy who was pressing. It was similar to what we saw last year, but to an even more extreme degree. The whiffs were out of control, and when he did make solid contact, it was usually on the ground.
Sending Crews to AAA allows him to try and get right away from the spotlight. A re-set could be exactly what the 24 year old needs. He needs time to find himself again and regain that confidence that was beaming from him when he was at LSU. It is a tough pill to swallow, but it is probably what is best for Crews’ career.
Even when Crews was in Triple-A the last time, he never truly dominated the level. He hit .265 with a .795 OPS, which is solid, but not elite. It is clear that Crews was rushed due to the fact people assumed he would be a quick mover when he was drafted. When he had good, but not great results in the high minors, he went straight to the big leagues anyway.
Now, he will get that chance to dominate in AAA and re-establish himself. He will also get to work with really sharp hitting minds like Travis Fitta, which could help him out. This is a surprising decision, but not shocking either, given how his last couple years have gone.
The Nationals have optioned Dylan Crews to Triple-A Rochester. Absolutely a surprise, though it felt as though this could be in the cards.
It will be interesting to see how the outfield shakes itself out now. With Crews out of the picture, the Nats have Daylen Lile, Jacob Young, James Wood, Joey Wiemer and Christian Franklin as options. Will they keep all five or will they cut one more guy? I think Wiemer and Franklin will battle it out for the last spot in the outfield. Wiemer not having any minor league options likely will give him the edge.
Overall, this is a big time move by Paul Toboni. By cutting Crews, he is showing that nobody is safe and production will be valued over pedigree. As for Crews, he will have a role to play on this team at some point this season. However, he will have to earn it in AAA. There is a chance this could be the best thing to happen for Crews if he takes it the right way.
Former New Jersey Devil Bobby Farnham, along with Brett Jefferson and Marc Grandisson, purchased minority ownership interests in the Carolina Hurricanes.
This announcement followed the team's official statement released on Friday.
Further details on the transaction emerged when Sportico reported that owner and CEO Tom Dundon agreed to sell 12.5% of the Hurricanes at a $2.66 billion valuation for about $332.5 million.
Regarding the sale, Dundon spoke about his decision to sell a portion of the ownership.
“Brett, Marc, and Bobby are accomplished executives whose experience will help us grow,” Dundon said. “Brett lives in the area, and Marc will soon relocate to Raleigh, making their influence local. As a former NHL player, Bobby brings a unique perspective as we move forward.”
Farnham formerly played four seasons in the National Hockey League. The undrafted right-winger began his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Farnham spent two seasons with the Penguins (2014-15, 2015-16) before joining the New Jersey Devils in 2015-16.
In 50 games with the Devils, Farnham had 10 points, eight goals, and two assists.
He finished his career with the Canadiens in Montreal.
Over his four-year NHL career, Farnham played 67 games, tallying all of his 10 points while with the Devils.
Since concluding his playing career, he has shifted to the business side of the industry.
Now, at 37, this transition has brought Farnham back into the league in a new capacity.
Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.
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The Buffalo Sabres continued their four-game Western road swing with a sluggish start and some good hunting luck in a 5-0 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Thursday. The Sabres relied on goalie Alex Lyon to fend off the young Sharks until the middle of the second period, when Noah Ostlund, Sam Carrick and Rasmus Dahlin scored on Buffalo’s only three shots of the middle frame.
The Sabres only had 16 shots on Sharks goalie Alex Nedeljkovic, but extended their lead early in the third on Tage Thompson’s 35th of the season, with Carrick registering his second of the game and fourth goal in seven games with Buffalo. Lyon made 23 saves for his third shutout of the season, extending the Sabres scoreless streak to 164:07, going back the second period of the 3-2 shootout victory over Toronto.
Head coach Lindy Ruff commented on the performance after the game:
What were your thoughts on the effort in the victory?
(San Jose's) compete early on was at a higher level than ours. We turned some pucks over in the neutral zone. Had some lateral passes again, but our goaltender gave us some great saves. And then I thought we passed up a couple of great opportunities, but then once we got rolling offensively, I thought made a couple of real nice plays.
Who is the Sabres most surprising standout this season?
What were your thoughts on Mattias Samuelsson’s performance and the overall defensive effort against the dangerous Macklin Celebrini?
We knew they were gonna have to be aware of (Celebrini). I thought, as a group, and Sammy especially, when he was out there, he did a good job making sure he didn't get free. He caught us a couple of times in Buffalo, and we tried to make sure we were aware when he was on the ice.
Lyon really kept you in the game early on, he’s done that for you all year….
(He made) real important saves. I mean, to get through that first period, and not give up any with some of the opportunities we gave him, you've got to give our goaltender a lot of credit.
Thompson scored in the third, but it was nice that you were able to get some secondary scoring in this game:
Yeah, the depth of our scoring has been something that's helped us stay on this roll. I think there are nights where top guys don't get on the board, and that secondary scoring really helps you out. I think you look at again tonight the our fourth line got a couple for us, and then finally, Tage came through in the two on one with Krebs, but the Ostlund line with Norris, they got us started. At different times, I think it's been important that all those guys produce.
The Sabres move down the coast to take on the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday and finish off the road swing in Anaheim against the Ducks on Sunday.
The Boston Celtics are massive 15.5-point favorites for tonight’s road game against the banged-up Memphis Grizzlies.
While I don’t think Memphis has much of a shot in this one, my Celtics vs. Grizzlies predictions explain why their offense can do enough for us to attack the total.
That and more NBA picks for this matchup set to tip off at 8:00 pm ET at the FedExForum in Memphis on Friday, March 20.
They rank second in offensive rating. That’s not great for the Memphis Grizzlies. Not only are they banged up, but they have the fourth-worst defensive rating since the All-Star break.
But while Memphis isn’t winning much and doesn’t play defense, they’ve been scrappy on offense thanks to guys like Ty Jerome and GG Jackson.
The Grizz are a respectable 15th in offensive rating over that stretch, and it's a big reason why the Over is 15-7 in their last 22 games.
Celtics vs Grizzlies same-game parlay
Some might have worried that Payton Pritchard’s production might take a dip with the return of Tatum, but he’s scored 18 or more points in five of his last eight games.
And he could get a great run against an overmatched Memphis team.
With all their injuries, the Grizzlies have been short on guys who can get buckets. Then Ty Jerome returned to the lineup at the end of January.
The Grizz shooting guard is averaging 20.7 points while shooting 42.5% from 3-point range over the 13 games he’s played since his return and has topped this number 10 times.
Celtics vs Grizzlies SGP
Over 229
Payton Pritchard Over 16.5 points
Ty Jerome Over 18.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: Scoring Bonanza!
There will be plenty of points in Memphis tonight, so why not add the red-hot Jaylen Brown to the mix?
Celtics vs Grizzlies SGP
Jaylen Brown Over 25.5 points
Payton Pritchard Over 16.5 points
Ty Jerome Over 18.5 points
Cam Spencer Over 9.5 points
Celtics vs Grizzlies odds
Spread: Celtics -15 | Grizzlies +15
Moneyline: Celtics -1200 | Grizzlies +750
Over/Under: Over 229 | Under 229
Celtics vs Grizzlies betting trend to know
The Over is 15-7 in the Grizzlies' last 22 games overall. Find more NBA betting trends for Celtics vs. Grizzlies.
How to watch Celtics vs Grizzlies
Location
FedExForum, Memphis, TN
Date
Friday, March 20, 2026
Tip-off
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
NBCSB, FDSN SE-MEM
Celtics vs Grizzlies latest injuries
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A pretty swing with a low whiff rate earned Valdez a big payday this winter — $3.5 million — with as good of a power projection as you can reasonably ask for from a a teenage bat, having been given a 25+ home run projection by Baseball America, who also praise his plus foot speed, bat speed, and control of the zone. Reports say he has ever improving lateral movements on defense, with smooth actions and a strong arm. If it all clicks, it’s a middle-of-the-order bat on the left side of the infield. At signing, the Rays gave him a comp to Francisco Lindor. It will be interesting to see if his first professional season can solidify the five tool profile.
Rank
Player
Position
Votes
Total
Percentage
Last Season
1
Carson Williams
SS
14
25
56%
1
2
Brody Hopkins
RHP
19
25
76%
8
3
Jacob Melton
OF
14
28
50%
N/A
4
Theo Gillen
OF
14
26
54%
13
5
Ty Johnson
RHP
12
25
48%
15
6
Daniel Pierce
SS
13
23
57%
N/A
7
Jadher Areinamo
INF
15
28
54%
N/A
8
TJ Nichols
RHP
13
28
46%
N/R
9
Michael Forret
RHP
8
33
24%
N/A
10
Santiago Suarez
RHP
11
30
37%
16
11
Anderson Brito
RHP
7
28
25%
N/A
12
Xavier Isaac
1B
9
28
32%
3
13
Caden Bodine
C
10
25
40%
N/A
14
Brendan Summerhill
OF
11
27
41%
N/A
15
Slater de Brun
OF
10
25
40%
N/A
16
Nathan Flewelling
C
8
26
31%
N/R
17
Trevor Harrison
RHP
9
26
35%
10
18
Jose Urbina
RHP
13
26
50%
25
19
Tre’ Morgan
1B/LF
15
25
60%
4
20
Jackson Baumeister
RHP
12
27
44%
12
21
Aidan Smith
OF
17
29
59%
6
22
Homer Bush Jr.
OF
10
25
40%
21
23
Dom Keegan
C
10
28
36%
9
24
Gary Gill Hill
RHP
8
25
32%
11
25
Brailer Guerrero
OF
8
24
33%
14
26
Brayden Taylor
2B/3B
6
25
24%
2
27
Adrian Santana
SS
6
26
23%
N/R
28
Austin Overn
OF
7
21
33%
N/A
29
Taitn Gray
1B/OF/C
8
23
35%
N/A
30
Victor Valdez
SS
6
22
27%
N/A
The voters abandoned ship on Mesa Jr. for the final round, and Valdez came out of nowhere to grab the final official slot on this year’s list. For this bonus round, we will have a different approach for honorable mentions.
How to vote
In this round, I will include all the candidates here below. If you believe any of these candidates are worthy of an honorable mention rec the comment with their name. This approach will allow you to vote for as many of the candidates if you’d like.
If there’s a player you’d like to be included as an honorable mention not listed, put them in Others so folks can consider them for a vote as well. On Monday, we will tally the recs and look for a clear dividing line in the vote for a reasonable cut off.
Candidates
Fabricio Blanco, SS 17 | S/R | 5’11” | 161
A bat-first middle infielder, the Venezuelan is an elite prospect within the context of the international signing process, with some believing he’s the best Rays signee this off-season, despite gathering only a $1 million bonus. He can barrel up from both sides of the plate, but may settle into a right handed swing in the long term, with quick hands. He has the ability and instincts to stick at short, with a high-IQ approach and gritty demeanor.
Alex Cook, RHP 25 | 6’2” | 220 AA | 2.30 ERA, 2.29 FIP, 15.2 IP (13 G), 30.5% K, 5.1% BB
The Rays added Cook to the 40-man roster this off-season to protect him from the Rule 5 draft, despite only throwing 20 innings (if you include four appearances in the complex league) after a slow start to the season. Cook attempted to convert to starting in 2024 and succumbed to a should injury, but bounced back in the bullpen in 2025 throwing 99 mph — and he has shown up to camp continuing to pitch with confidence. He has plus control and command, with stuff that leans into his low release point, including a cut-ride fastball and two-plane slider, and an MLB average cutter to prevent platoon slit problems. He should slot into high leverage for Durham and ride the shuttle in 2026.
Tampa Bay’s top signee from the 2025 international class, Coret reported tall and young with a lot of projection. His future depends mostly on his hit tool, with prospect evaluators divided on a player that has a long way to go, but the exit velocity (111 mph) and foot speed are plus for his age. Promisingly, after he had a hot start to his professional career, Coret saw his strikeouts elevate in July, but he got them back under control in the final month. A move to the complex league in 2026 would be aggressive.
Cooper Flemming, SS 19 | L/R | 6’3” | 190
One of the best high school bats in the 2025 draft, Flemming surprisingly fell into the Rays laps in the second round. He has a too-quiet swing that lacks the load necessary to hit for power, but he’s historically compensated for that with a high contact rate that would have rated him as first round material if his defense projected to stick. The Rays were able to convince him to forgo an education at Vanderbilt by going above slot ($2.3m, Comp-A money).
Cooper Kinney, 2B/3B 23 | L/R | 6’1” | 200 AA | .242/.299/.386 (103 wRC+) 501 PA, 13 HR, 0 SB, 7.2% BB, 25.0% K
After a bounce back year in 2024 (137+ in High-A), Kinney underwhelmed with a 103 wRC+ at Double-A. Kinney’s calling card is a pretty swing and masterful control of the strikezone, but with a higher than average injury risk. He would have been on track for a potential appearance at the MLB level, but with his performance last season he might even be ticketed back to Montgomery. Were the problems related to a nagging shoulder injury? After a 200 wRC+ April, his performance at the plate steadily declined, and Kinney hit no homeruns between July 13 and the end of September. The org played him 60 games at second base in 2026, 28 at third, and the rest at first or DH.
Victor Mesa Jr., OF 24 | L/L | 5’11” | 195 AAA (MIA) | .301/.368/.510 (136 wRC+) 171 PA, 7 HR, 4 SB, 9.9% BB, 16.4% K MLB (MIA) | 6 H (1 HR), 5 BB, 5 K (81 wRC+) 38 PA
This Cuban power bat already made his major league debut with Miami last year after bouncing back from a spring hamstring injury, and was dealt to the Rays in February. He profiles as a fourth outfielder but has an option remaining, so the organization may send him down for regular playing time and one last chance for something more in development. If not, he’s a center field capable on defense, which goes a long way for a platoon bat. In the running for the nicest guy in baseball.
Dean Moss, OF 19 | L/R | 6’0” | 180
Signed well above slot out of the 2025 draft at No. 67 overall, Moss’s family moved from California to the Tampa Bay Area to enroll Moss at IMG, and it earned him a new-home-town selection. A jack of all trades, Moss’s hit tool shades his best thanks to plus bat speed. His swing is clean, with and the projection for his power over time is major league average. He will have competition internally to stick at center, but may get the first nod in the rookie league.
The Rays 58th overall pick in 2024, Pitre has risen on draft boards through a strong performance in the Cape Cod league in 2023, but the power was a real question mark on his profile. Now given a chance to develop as a professional, he wouldn’t be the first to add muscle. His run and hit tools are plus, with a well coiled swing and solid contact in and out of zone. He’s too old to return to High-A and it be viewed as positive. His power stroke will be the key to his success in 2026.
Joe Rock, LHP 25 | 6’6” | 220 AAA | 5.21 ERA, 5.13 FIP, 96.2 IP (32 G, 15 GS), 21.1% K, 9.3% BB MLB | 2 ER, 7 H (1 HR), 7.2 IP (3 G), 11 K, 2 BB
Rock got the call for the first time last season, riding the Durham shuttle in June and again in September after being acquired from the Rockies for former first rounder Greg Jones in an org roster shuffle ahead of the 2024 season. Rock’s calling card is a borderline double-plus slider that’s complimented by league average stuff from his sinker and change, although he’ll pop a high four-seam to keep ‘em honest. His arm action starts with a high back elbow and ends in a lower release point, and the look elevates his profile through deception. He’s most likely in a relief role.
Jonathan Russell, RHP 21 | 6’1” | 180 CPX | 3 H (2 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 3.0 IP A | 2.17 ERA, 2.15 FIP, 37.1 IP (25 G, 0 GS), 30.5% K, 7.3% BB
The Rays signed Russell (no relation to yours truly) out of Cuba in May 2023 at 18, slotting him directly into the DSL team where he made the All-Star roster. The Rays brought him stateside in 2024 and it didn’t go great! He started in the FCL again in 2025 though and in two weeks he was at Charleston, getting 15 appearances as their closer and pitching to a 2.17 ERA, striking out 46 batters in 151 faced (30%) with only 11 walks. Where he should have been thinking about Bowling Green next, the Rays decided to give him some chances in the Arizona Fall League, where he closed out two games in six appearances. It’s majority fastball with some slider, mechanics are solid, if anything I’d like to see him try to get his release
Jonathan Wheatley set to make switch to troubled team
Arrival would allow Adrian Newey to change focus
Jonathan Wheatley has left his role as Audi team principal, the Formula One team have confirmed, paving the way for his anticipated switch to the same role at Aston Martin.
Wheatley’s arrival would allow the current Aston Martin principal, Adrian Newey, to return his focus to the technical and design areas in which he excels after the team endured a disastrous start to the new season.
In head-to-head leagues, it all comes down to the weekend. You can have a comfortable lead in multiple categories or by a bunch of points, but if you don’t make the most of the weekend, you can walk out with a loss.
13 teams play twice this weekend, including the Hawks, Celtics, Nets, Nuggets, Warriors, Rockets, Grizzlies, Timberwolves, Knicks, Suns, Trail Blazers, Raptors and Wizards. Prioritize those teams if you’re looking to maximize your games played. The Bulls are the only team that doesn’t have a game this weekend. If you’re in your fantasy championship, feel free to drop your Bulls!
That’s often what it comes down to in standard points and category leagues, but that’s not always the case. Leagues with some sort of games cap or best ball formats like Yahoo!’s High Score leagues aren’t just looking for volume, though having two chances at a big night is a good strategy in best ball leagues.
With Anthony Edwards (knee) sidelined for at least a few more games, Dosunmu should be considered a must-start player regardless of the matchup. As a starter over the last two games, he has averaged 21.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.5 steals and 2.0 triples per game. Dosunmu has been a strong trade deadline addition for Minnesota, and he should help them make a run in the postseason. For now, he’s going to help keep them afloat in the standings while Edwards gets healthy.
Guards:
Collin Gillespie, Phoenix Suns
Gillespie has been fantastic for most of the year for the Suns, and he should be in for a productive weekend with the Bucks on the schedule. Milwaukee has been one of the worst defensive teams in the league as of late, and Gillespie just had 24 points, six assists and two steals in Thursday’s loss. He should be in for another strong outing as they try to end this losing streak.
CJ McCollum, Atlanta Hawks
McCollum was sent to Atlanta as part of the Trae Young trade, and while his tenure with the team started off shaky, he has been an excellent fill-in and veteran scorer for this young team. They take on the Rockets and Warriors this weekend, and both teams have really struggled on the defensive end in recent weeks. McCollum should be in for a productive weekend.
Reed Sheppard, Houston Rockets
Houston has struggled recently, but one thing has become clear: Sheppard’s production off the bench is important to this team. This weekend, they play the Hawks and Heat, two teams that have played at an incredibly fast pace all season long. That should mean extra shots for Sheppard, and hopefully extra steals as they look to get back on track as a team after losing three of their last four games.
Forwards:
Josh Minott, Brooklyn Nets
With Michael Porter Jr. sidelined for the rest of the season, Minott should continue to produce for Brooklyn. Over his last three appearances, Minott has averaged 15.7 points, 2.0 steals, 1.3 blocks and 3.0 three-pointers per game. The Knicks game on Friday is a tough matchup, but Sunday’s game is against the Kings, who have been playing at a fast pace as of late. Sacramento has been better defensively, but this will be an important game for lottery odds, meaning the rotations may look a bit different.
Taylor Hendricks, Memphis Grizzlies
Hendricks may not have figured things out in Utah, but it appears that the Grizzlies have gotten a steal. Over his last six games, he has averaged 13.2 points, 2.2 steals, 1.7 blocks and 1.7 triples per game. This weekend, they have a tough back-to-back, but that means limited availability for the rest of the rotation. GG Jackson is doubtful for Friday’s game, so Hendricks could make a return to the starting lineup. Regardless, he’ll play big minutes and provide production on both ends.
Gui Santos, Golden State Warriors
Santos remains a fixture of this list despite some tough matchups. With Stephen Curry (knee) still out, he’s simply too important to this team to not have in the lineup. He has averaged 17.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game over the past two weeks and should be rostered as long as Curry is out.
Centers:
Neemias Queta, Boston Celtics
Queta has been fantastic all season, and on Friday, he gets matched up with the Grizzlies. Memphis hasn’t had a healthy center recently, which has resulted in them being the worst rebounding team in the league as of late. Sunday’s matchup against Minnesota isn’t as favorable, but it’s another opportunity for him.
Onyeka Okongwu, Atlanta Hawks
Though he has had a few quieter performances lately, Okongwu has been productive for most of the year. Friday’s matchup with the Rockets isn’t easy, but Saturday’s against the Warriors should result in a big night for him. Atlanta has won 11 games in a row, and rebounding dominance has been key to their success. A lot of that has been Jalen Johnson, but Okongwu has had some solid nights.
Oso Ighodaro, Phoenix Suns
Ighodaro has been quiet as the starting center with Mark Williams sidelined, but his last two games have been productive, as he has averaged 15.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 2.0 steals. Now, he gets to take on the Bucks and Raptors, with Milwaukee being one of the worst rebounding teams in the league as of late. Ighodaro should close out this five-game week on a high note.
Mar 19, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) beats the drum after the game against the Phoenix Suns at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images
Coming off a blowout win against the Sacramento Kings, the Spurs returned home to face the Phoenix Suns for the final time this regular season. Stephon Castle was ruled out before the game with a hip injury, but Devin Vassell returned from ankle soreness. What followed was a highly contested game. After a back-and-forth first quarter, the Suns outscored the Spurs 33-28 in the second to take a seven-point lead into halftime. After a low-scoring third that resulted in many foul calls (some, albeit questionable), the Spurs’ deficit was cut to six heading into the fourth. The Suns still held a lead because the Spurs missed many easy layups and committed several unforced turnovers.
After trailing by as much as 10, the Spurs stormed back with over a minute remaining due to the heroics of De’Aaron Fox and Victor Wembanyama. After a Jordan Goodwin three-pointer put the Suns up five, Vassell missed a three, but Wembanyama was fouled on the offensive rebound. Wembanyama made both free throws, and the Spurs trailed by three. Devin Booker missed a stepback jumper, and on the Spurs’ next possession, Fox finished at the rim with a crafty move. Now trailing by one, the Spurs fouled rookie Rasheer Fleming. Fleming missed both free throws, and the Spurs called a timeout. With 11 seconds remaining, the Spurs inbounded the ball to Wembanyama, who let the time tickle down until he pulled up from the midrange over Oso Ighodaro. The result? SPLASH. The Spurs took the lead with 1.1 seconds remaining, and Booker missed the half-court heave. The Spurs won 101-100.
Victor Wembanyama dropped an MVP-level performance with 34 points (10-20 FG, 12-12 FT), 12 rebounds, three steals, an assist, and a block. Wemby was the consistent driving offensive force for the Spurs, especially when the team shot 29% from three. He was also in the passing lanes and came up with several steals. Even though Wemby shot two of seven from three, he was contacted throughout the entire game. He made all of his 12 free throw attempts and started to cement his MVP case in the fourth quarter. Alongside Fox, Wemby drained his two threes, got a huge offensive rebound, made his free throws, and hit his first-ever game-winner (while trailing). What made it an MVP moment was the fact that he waited till the clock dwindled until one second was left on the clock. A true risk/reward moment with neither team having any timeouts remaining, and the basket resulting in either a win or a loss. Wemby is on track to make both All-NBA and All-Defensive teams, and his MVP and DPOY cases continue to rise.
PERFECTION! Spurs’ ball movement results in a hook pass from Harrison Barnes to a cutting Wemby, who lays it up!
MORE MOVEMENT! After Barnes intercepts Amir Coffey’s pass, the ensuing fastbreak results in more beautiful Spurs ball movement that results in a Wemby dime to HB for an easy layup!
After the game, Wemby and the rest of the team were asked what they thought of Wemby’s performance. Keldon Johnson took the mic and began an MVP chant that could be heard from all of San Antonio!
De’Aaron Fox dropped 23 points (6-7 FT), seven rebounds, three assists, and one steal. Fox shot below 50% from the field, but made most of his points count in the fourth. Both he and Wemby were clutch down the stretch, with Fox pulling off two crafty moves that resulted in clutch buckets. The All-Star duo will continue to use their talent to will this team when the going gets tough.
Too smooth! Fox dribbles into the paint and pulls off a turnaround spin jumper on Fleming!
CLUTCH FOX! Fox dribbles past Ighodaro and finishes off the glass to cut the deficit to one!
De'Aaron Fox goes around the defender and scores the clutch layup to cut the Suns lead to 1, with 26.6 seconds remaining in regulation pic.twitter.com/UxlKTTVVTK
Julian Champagnie 14 points (4-8 3PT), two rebounds, two assists, and two blocks. Julian was solid from the three-point line, shooting 50%. He also tossed up a sweet lob to Wemby and swatted two shots. One of the shots was a three-point attempt from the corner. The spacing he provides playmakers and other shooters has been valuable all season.
Devin Vassell dropped 12 points, two rebounds, and two assists. Like Julian, Dev was solid from the field, but also missed five threes. Nonetheless, he finished with the highest plus/minus on the team with +21. His perimeter defense alongside Julian has been solid all season, and will need to continue as the playoffs draw near.
Clear skies ahead! On the fastbreak, Dylan Harper catches the lob pass from KJ, and he drops it off to Dev, who puts Ryan Dunn on a poster!
Keldon Johnson dropped six points, four rebounds, and an assist. KJ struggled from the field, but made up for it with his usual hustle on the boards. The spark plug energy he has provided all season is more on the motivator side, but no matter what, he will continue to slash in the paint to get tough buckets when the team needs offense.
All in all, this was one of the best finishes of the season. In a game where the Suns’ lead seemed to grow larger in the second half, this team did not waver and instead relied on hustle and offensive flow. When it came down to clutch time, the ball was either in Fox’s or Wemby’s hands. As said earlier, you could not write a better script for how this game ended. Wemby knew the moment was his, and he capitalized on it to the fullest extent. The result? The Spurs are playoff-bound for the first time in six seasons!
Finally, here are the full game highlights.
The Spurs continue their mini homestand against the Indiana Pacers this Saturday at 7:00 P.M. (CST) on FDSN-SW.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - OCTOBER 04: Paul Sewald #62 of the Detroit Tigers looks on prior to game one of the Division Series against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on October 04, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Rodriguez is entering the third year of a four-year, $80 million deal he signed ahead of 2024. He was not brought on to be an ace, but rather to bring veteran stability to the D-backs’ rotation after posting a career year in Detroit during the 2023 season.
The results have not yet begun to show to that degree. An article from Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly listed Rodriguez as the worst-value contract on Arizona’s roster.
The Arizona Diamondbacks have not named their closer to start the 2026 season, and they simply may not.
Manager Torey Lovullo said Wednesday he is close to announcing his rotation behind Opening Day starter Zac Gallen. The closer role, however, will likely be revealed when Arizona faces its first save situation.
“You’ll probably figure it out as I’m doing it,” Lovullo said. “That’s kind of the mindset I’ll have right now. I love where a few guys are at.
Jason Benetti handles play-by-play, joined by analysts and World Series heroes Luis Gonzalez and Orel Hershiser.
Gonzalez, a five-time All-Star, played 19 MLB seasons (1990-2008), highlighted by eight years with the Diamondbacks. In Game 7 of the 2001 World Series, Gonzalez hit the game-winning single as Arizona won its first championship. The Fall Classic heroics capped his best statistical season as he won the Silver Slugger with a .325 batting average, 57 home runs and 142 RBI. An analyst for select Diamondbacks games, Gonzalez won the 2005 Branch Rickey Award for community service.
An MRI revealed that Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki has a strained PCL after injuring his right knee Saturday while trying to steal second base during Samurai Japan’s 8-5 loss to Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic quarterfinals.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell called the update “good news” and noted that the injury is “minor in nature,” according to MLB.com.
This raises an interesting hypothetical insofar as the 2030 WBC is concerned: What might the Team USA lineup and rotation look like four years from now?
This, of course, is a highly speculative exercise given that, you know, it’s four years away, which means we’re going to have to make some (lightly) educated guesses as to which players, young to young-ish in the here and now, are at the top of their guild come 2030. In other words, expect a lot of roster turnover from the current team (speaking of which, only one player in Team USA’s starting lineup on Tuesday night — Kyle Schwarber — was in the lineup for the 2023 title game).
On the heels of another fun World Baseball Classic — this one with an unexpected result, as Venezuela emerged with the gold — it seemed a good time to review how it’s being received by White Sox fans. There has been a fair amount of discussion over the timing of the tournament, what with the potential for injury (Kyle Teel of the White Sox will miss a month with a strained hamstring, for example).
Most of you remain OK with the tournament being held during Spring Training, however:
There were a fair number of you, let’s just call you cranky fans, who think the WBC should not be played at all. One option not presented in the poll (and mentioned in the comments on the original posting) was an All-Star break WBC. It still feels like much too much of a distraction mid-season, and would truly change the nature of a baseball season for the first time in almost 100 years, the dawn of the All-Star Game. But surely an All-Star break WBC would have gotten some votes above.
The national questions you were asked this week all were WBC-centered as well:
“Nothing” being the most enjoyable part of the WBC is an interesting answer. THOSE are readers dedicated to answering every survey question!
Have to say, if you are voting for the U.S. as the most entertaining team in the WBC, you are hate-watching it.
There is healthy debate over when and if the WBC should be held. But the notion that players are more apt to be injured in the WBC vs. Spring Training games still seems to be a stretch.
Did you miss out on this round of questions? No worry, sign up here to participate in our weekly emailed surveys, and have your White Sox voice be heard!
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump issued an executive order Friday barring College Football Playoff and other postseason games from airing during the annual Army-Navy matchup in December.
Trump directed the commerce secretary and the FCC chairman to coordinate with the playoff committee, the NCAA and media rights partners to ensure an exclusive broadcasting window for a storied rivalry played on the second Saturday each December.
Trump's order makes reference to potential expansion of the CFP, which likely would lead to an earlier start for the playoff. In the first two years of the 12-team format, the first-round games were the weekend after Army-Navy, which moved off the first Saturday in December in 2009 because of conference championship games.
This year, Army-Navy is scheduled for Dec. 12 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the home of the NFL's New York Giants and Jets. The CFP first-round games are set for Dec. 18-19.
If the playoff were to expand to 24 teams, a model that has been discussed, at least one more week of games would be required. Starting the postseason earlier in December would be a consideration. A smaller expansion to 16 teams wouldn't necessarily change the number of weeks required for the playoff.
“Such scheduling conflicts weaken the national focus on our Military Service Academies and detract from a morale-building event of vital interest to the Department of War,” Trump's executive order said. “Accordingly, it is the policy of the United States that no college football game, specifically college football’s CFP or other postseason games, be broadcast in a manner that directly conflicts with the Army Navy Game.”
Army and Navy have played every year since 1930, including the pandemic-altered 2020 season and during World War II. There have been 126 meetings, and other neutral sites have included the NFL homes of the Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens.
