GLENDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 13: Edwin Diaz #3 of the Los Angeles Dodgers (R) participates with Tanner Scott #66 in a fielding drill during spring training workouts at Camelback Ranch on February 13, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers play two games at the same time on Saturday afternoon. Here is their roster for the home game of that split-squad schedule, against the Chicago Cubs at Camelback Ranch.
Lineup
Miguel Rojas 2B Freddie Freeman 1B Will Smith C Max Muncy 3B Teoscar Hernández LF James Tibbs RF Keston Hiura DH Noah Miller SS Michael Siani CF
Justin Wrobleski gets the start, vying for a potential spot on the opening day roster. The left-hander threw 12 pitches in one inning on Tuesday.
Other pitchers
Tanner Scott is set to make his 2026 Cactus League debut in this game, Edwin Díaz and Ronan Kopp are also listed to pitch, as are non-roster invitees Patrick Copen, Wyatt Mills and Jerming Rosario.
Active from the minor league side are Nick Nastrini (wearing number 91), Nick Robertson (97), Payton Martin (90), and Cody Morse (93).
Other position players
Non-roster invitees available for this game are outfielders Josue De Paula, Zyhir Hope, and Kendall George, and catchers Eliézer Alfonzo and Griffin Lockwood-Powell.
Outfielder Charles Davalan (88), last year’s 41st-overall draft pick, is up from minor league camp, as are outfielder Kole Myers (02) plus infielders Logan Wagner (96), Yeiner Fernandez (87), and Elijah Hainline (05), infielder/outfielder Mairoshendrick Martinus (01), and catcher Frank Rodriguez (06).
In his longest outing as a Missouri Tiger — a night that included two pickoffs, five straight scoreless innings, and the kind of tempo on the mound he hasn’t been able to have in nearly two years — left‑hander Javyn Pimental headlined Missouri’s 11–5 win over North Dakota State on Friday at Taylor Stadium.
The offense did its part with a four‑run fourth inning, but for Pimental, the night meant something different. It was his first win on this mound since April 20, 2024, after Tommy John surgery wiped out his entire 2025 season.
“I guess I don’t really say it was like a really big comeback story,” Pimental said. “Got the job done, I’m just pretty pumped about my outing.”
He opened the game with seven pitches, two strikeouts and a clean first inning, and he carried that rhythm through the next four frames. By the time Pimental reached the sixth, he had allowed just two hits and was sitting at only 58 pitches.
The trouble didn’t come until that sixth inning, when three walks loaded the bases and a shallow single finally pushed across North Dakota State’s first run. Even then, only one of the two runs charged to him was earned.
Still, the outing marked another step forward for a guy who hadn’t tried to work into the sixth inning in two years.
“I guess I’m out of shape,” Pimental joked. “But at the end of the day, I’m supposed to do that.”
Missouri didn’t have to wait long to give him support. Freshman Blaize Ward ripped a two‑run double into the right‑center gap in the first inning, scoring Jase Woita and Mateo Serna.
An errant throw in the third brought Woita home again, and the Tigers broke the game open in the fourth. Woita punched a two‑run single up the middle, and Tyler Macon followed with a two‑out triple down the right‑field line to make it 7–0.
Tigers coach Kerrick Jackson said the fourth inning was simply the Tigers’ lineup settling in.
“It was just a combination of going through the order multiple times and really understanding what [their starter] was doing,” Jackson said. “Then being able to lay off some of the pitches where he was getting us out early.”
Freshman right‑hander Eli Skidmore entered in the sixth with the bases loaded and one out. An infield error allowed another run to score, but he got a fielder’s‑choice groundout to escape the inning with a 7–2 lead. North Dakota State added one more in the seventh, but Missouri answered immediately with four runs of its own. A throwing error brought Ward home, and back‑to‑back singles from Isaiah Frost and Woita stretched the lead back to eight.
Missouri reliever Juan Villarreal handled the final two innings, striking out three and allowing only one hit. Both runs against him were unearned.
Ward finished 3‑for‑4 with a double, two RBI and two runs scored. Woita matched him with a 3‑for‑4 night of his own, driving in three and stealing his second base of the season. Cameron Benson added two hits and two runs, and Frost chipped in a pair of RBI.
Jackson said Ward’s consistency is already standing out. “He is the most consistent guy that we have,” Jackson said. “He owns the box. He’s comfortable in the box. And as he grows and gets stronger, he’s going to be a really, really good player in this league.”
The win pushed Missouri to 8–2 and marked its sixth straight victory — the program’s longest streak since early 2023. For Pimental, it was another sign that he’s finally back to being himself.
“I’ve never really been a guy to doubt,” Pimental said. “I knew as soon as I got back on that mound again… I was moving about my business.”
LEEDS, England (AP) — Erling Haaland was left out of Manchester City's squad for the Premier League match at Leeds on Saturday after sustaining a “little injury” in training, manager Pep Guardiola said.
“Two days ago, he had in the last moments of training some problems,” Guardiola said ahead of the game at Elland Road.
“A little injury," Guardiola added, without disclosing the exact nature of Haaland's problem. "It’s not a big issue but not ready for today.”
City's next match is at home to Nottingham Forest on Wednesday. A week later — on March 11 — City travels to Real Madrid in the Champions League round of 16.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Daniil Medvedev won his 23rd ATP singles title at the Dubai Championships when Tallon Griekspoor withdrew from the final injured on Saturday.
Griekspoor hurt his left hamstring on Friday against Andrey Rublev and won their two-sets semifinal but couldn't recover in time for the final.
“I have been better that's for sure,” the Dutchman said at the trophy ceremony. “I went to the hospital this morning and had a couple of scans, which showed something serious. It kept me from coming on court tonight and will keep me from the court in the coming weeks.”
Medvedev won his second title of the year after Brisbane in January. It was also his second Dubai title after victory in 2023. Its the first time he's won the same event twice.
“That's what is crazy about it,” Medvedev said. “I never did it in any city in the world and the first time I do it, it's (via) a walkover.”
After the Islanders' 4-3 overtime win over the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday and Columbus's 4-2 loss to the Boston Bruins, the gap between the two teams grew to six points with less than a week to go before the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline.
The Islanders sit in third in the Metropolitan Division with 71 points, while the Blue Jackets sit with 65.
If the Islanders win in regulation on Saturday, that gap would move to eight points, which could force Blue Jackets general manager Don Wadell to move players rather than buy.
That's not all: after the Washington Capitals' 3-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights, they moved four points ahead of Columbus.
Here are the lines:
#Isles lines ahead of game vs. #CBJ are brought to you by Bull Smith’s Tavern:
INGLEWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 15: John Tesh preforms before the 75th NBA All-Star Game as part of the 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend on February 15, 2026 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy /NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
For those of us who grew up watching the NBA on NBC in the 90’s, Tuesday’s broadcast for the Philadelphia 76ers’ home game against San Antonio will be a shot of nostalgia straight to the heart. NBC announced they are doing a ‘Throwback Tuesday’ telecast to recreate the experience of a 1995-96 broadcast.
Turning the clock back 30 years, NBC will recreate a 1995-96 NBA broadcast for Spurs-76ers on March 3 — announcers, graphics, replays, pregame show, score bug and even grainy flashbacks.
The “Throwback Tuesday” telecast starts at 7pm ET with NBA Showtime, before Bob Costas,… pic.twitter.com/6FvQLqmZmf
Just when you thought Doug Collins was out of our lives (timely given Shamus Clancy just wrote about how the Sixers didn’t shoot threes during Collins’ coaching tenure), he’ll be on the mic alongside Bob Costas, Mike Fratello and Jim Gray. As much as I don’t look back on him as a coach overly fondly, I’ve never minded Collins’ work as a TV analyst, and that’s a tremendous broadcast group. Having all those graphics and score bugs back for one night will be a fun trip down memory lane, and obviously, everyone knows the place of Roundball Rock in NBA history.
Although the Sixers’ 1995-96 season was only memorable because their 18-64 record allowed them to draft Allen Iverson first overall in the NBA draft, it will be a blast seeing footage from across the league from that season. That year was also the final one for Philadelphia in the Spectrum; I’ll always remember being a kid running around those sparsely-populated aisles chasing down coupons from the Lay’s blimp. The Sixers’ game against Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs (currently riding an 11-game winning streak) was already going to be must-see TV, but this new broadcast twist is an exciting cherry on the top.
PHOENIX, AZ - JULY 12: National League All-Star Cliff Lee #33 of the Philadelphia Phillies throws a pitch in the third inning of the 82nd MLB All-Star Game at Chase Field on July 12, 2011 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We’ve reached the finals of the “Last Man In” free agent tournament! I took the last free agent signed before the season for the last 16 years and let the readers decide which was the best. And let’s face it, it was always going to come down to these two.
1.Cliff Lee, 2011
Accolades: Two All-Star teams, two top ten Cy Young Award finishes, 15th in MVP voting in 2011.
In his second stint with the Phillies, Lee made 106 starts and only walked 114 batters. The guy really did not like walking people.
2. Bryce Harper, 2019
Accolades: Two All-Star teams, three Silver Slugger awards, one MVP award, two top ten MVP finishes
After hitting into a career-high 18 double plays in 2024, Harper only hit five of them last year. What does this mean? I’m not sure.
This will be the Penguins' second and final trip to Madison Square Garden this season after beating the Rangers 3-0 in their first game of the season. The Penguins have won two of the three matchups between the two teams this year and will win the season series if they emerge victorious on Saturday.
The Penguins are coming off a 4-1 win over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday and have won two in a row heading into this game. Meanwhile, the Rangers are coming off a 3-2 overtime loss against the Philadelphia Flyers and have lost five in a row.
It's been a horrendous season for the Rangers, who find themselves at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. They've already waved the white flag and are prepared to sell even more before next Friday's trade deadline.
However, they still have a couple of great players, including star goaltender Igor Shesterkin. He's back healthy and is one of the best goaltenders in the NHL. The fact that he has a .912 save percentage behind this Rangers' defense is a miracle.
Defenseman Adam Fox is also back healthy and does it all on the backend. He's exceptional in all three zones and does a great job quarterbacking the top power play unit.
Mika Zibanejad is having a really strong year on a bad Rangers team, compiling 23 goals and 52 points in 57 games. He's been playing on the top line with Rangers captain JT Miller, who just won a Gold Medal with Team USA at the Winter Olympics.
The Penguins are expected to run with the same lines and pairs from Thursday's game after head coach Dan Muse told the media on Saturday morning that Sam Girard is available. Girard missed Friday's practice because he was being evaluated for an injury.
Forwards
Chinakhov-Novak-Malkin
A. Hayes-Rakell-Rust
Mantha-Kindel-Brazeau
Dewar-Lizotte-Acciari
Defensive pairs
Wotherspoon-Karlsson
Girard-Letang
Shea-Clifton
Stuart Skinner will start in goal for the Penguins after he backed up Arturs Silovs on Thursday.
The Calgary Flames have played in a lot of low-scoring affairs of late, with only two of their past 10 going Over the total.
My Flames vs. Kings predictions see another Under in the cards against a Los Angeles team struggling mightily to create offense.
Let’s take a closer look at my NHL picks for Saturday, February 28.
Flames vs Kings prediction
Flames vs Kings best bet: Under 5.5 (-105)
The Los Angeles Kingshave scored just 17 times over their past eight games, more than only the Devils.
They traded for Artemi Panarin to spark the offense but lost star winger Kevin Fiala for the season before Panarin even debuted, leaving them in a tough spot.
Goals should be hard to find again tonight. The Calgary Flames limit chances well at 5-on-5, and they’re tied for sixth in PK%, giving opponents no easy offense.
Only two of Calgary’s last 10 games have gone Over the number. They’re happy to play a structured, low-event brand of hockey.
Flames vs Kings same-game parlay
The Kings have scored more than two regulation goals just twice over their past eight games. They’re really struggling to find the net, making it difficult for them to create any sort of separation on their opponent.
Yegor Sharangovich has averaged 2.7 shots on 6.0 attempts over his last 10 games, going Over eight times. A lot of his volume comes from the slot, and the Kings sit 27th in slot shots allowed spanning the past 10.
Flames vs Kings SGP
Under 5.5
Flames +1.5
Yegor Sharangovich Over 1.5 shots on goal
Flames vs Kings odds
Moneyline: Calgary +135 | Los Angeles -155
Puck line: Calgary +1.5 (-190) | Los Angeles -1.5 (+160)
Over/Under: Over 5.5 (-115) | Under 5.5 (-105)
Flames vs Kings trend
The Flames have hit the Under in 10 of their last 15 games (+6.65 Units / 40% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Flames vs. Kings.
How to watch Flames vs Kings
Location
Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Date
Saturday, February 28, 2026
Puck drop
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
NHL Network, SNW
Flames vs Kings latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
RICHMOND, VA - JUNE 25: Griff McGarry #48 of the Reading Fightin Phils pitching during the game between the Reading Fightin Phils and the Richmond Flying Squirrels at The Diamond on Wednesday, June 25, 2025 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Matthew Mitrani/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
When the Nats selected Griff McGarry in the Rule 5 Draft, I was cautiously optimistic. He possesses some of the best stuff in the minor leagues, but has had trouble throwing strikes over the years. Last year, we saw a similar story with Evan Reifert. He had a nasty slider but was nowhere near the zone in Spring Training.
That meant the Nats returned Reifert to the Rays before he ever played a regular season game. There is a chance the same thing could happen with McGarry. However, McGarry had a dominant first outing of Spring Training where he pounded the zone and struck out two batters in a 1-2-3 inning.
In a wide open bullpen, McGarry probably has the best pure stuff. However, he walked almost 14% of hitters in AA last year as a starter. The crazy thing is that was a big improvement from 2024, when he walked an insane 24% of hitters. With not much to lose, the Nats took a shot on McGarry because his pure stuff grades out as some of the best in the minors.
Last night, we saw what happens when McGarry is throwing strikes. He has an upper 90’s fastball, but that served as a table setter for his insane breaking balls. McGarry has a natural feel for spin and he showed that last night.
He threw two separate breaking balls, a slider and a sweeper. Out of his 10 pitches, 8 of them were breaking balls. The sweeper has a ton of spin, averaging over 3,000 RPM’s last night. However, he threw his harder slider half the time and it got excellent results. McGarry was able to land the pitch in the zone and get whiffs.
Nasty first outing from Griff McGarry who struck out two. Breaking ball heavy attack from the Rule 5 pick
It is worth noting that McGarry faced non big leaguers, but if he is around the zone, he can get anyone out. McGarry’s biggest nemesis is his own control rather than the hitters at the plate. Out of all pitchers that threw last night, McGarry had the third highest Stuff+ rating. Stuff+ measures the velocity and movement of a pitch and puts a grade on it, with 100 being average.
Again, McGarry is still a high variance arm. I would not be surprised if he finds his way into a high leverage role, but I also would not be surprised if he was returned to the Phillies pretty quickly. It is all about finding the zone for McGarry.
Last year McGarry found the zone enough to have success. In 21 starts, he posted a 3.44 ERA despite shaky control. McGarry is similar to Clayton Beeter, with both only needing fringy control to have success.
When McGarry goes on heaters, he is totally unhittable. There was a time last season when he struck out 23 batters in two starts. Crucially, he only walked one batter in 11 innings in those two starts. It is so tantalizing to see what McGarry can do when he is throwing strikes.
One thing I have a minor question about is how he will transition to the bullpen. The Phillies moved him to the bullpen in 2024, and he had his worst year as a pro, with his walks getting out of control. When he went back to starting last year, the results got better. Was that due to mechanical tweaks or is McGarry more comfortable starting?
If he is more comfortable starting, that could be problematic. He profiles much better as a reliever due to his strike-throwing issues and breaking ball heavy approach. The Nats are going to have to help him learn to prepare as a reliever because that is the role he will be filling this year.
McGarry seemed comfortable in the bullpen last night, but this will be something worth monitoring. He turns 27 in June, so now is the time for Griff McGarry to be unleashed. As a Rule 5 pick, he is going to have to stick in the big leagues for the entire season if the Nats want to hold on to him. Given the Nats are not going to be a contender, there will be room for growing pains here.
In Boston, Paul Toboni actually had a lot of success finding value in the Rule-5 Draft. Justin Slaten and Garrett Whitlock were both Rule 5 picks and are now key pieces to the Red Sox bullpen. Hopefully, McGarry can do the same thing in DC. He certainly has the raw stuff to be a big leaguer, which we saw last night. For McGarry, it will be all about finding the zone.
We are now a bit over a week into Spring Training games and at last, Friday’s game featured just about everyone who will be in the Opening Day lineup March 26 (except Seiya Suzuki, who’s already back in Japan for the start of the World Baseball Classic).
There aren’t many question marks about the Cubs this spring, but here are a few things yet unsettled.
Matt Shaw as an outfielder
Shaw hasn’t actually made very many plays in his few games in the outfield so far this spring. He did make a misplay the other day at Sloan Park. So I can’t really tell you how he’s looked; there just isn’t enough of a sample size.
I will note that Shaw has played only right field so far — no left field, and I suspect he won’t be tried in center. Mostly, I would expect him to play second base and third base to give Nico Hoerner, Alex Bregman and Dansby Swanson a break. The team could also use him as a right-handed hitting DH from time to time.
Porter Hodge, yikes
Hodge was injured much of 2025 after having a strong 2024 and finishing that year as the Cubs closer.
So many were willing to give Hodge a mulligan for last year due to the injuries, and hoped that his natural talent would get him a middle-inning or setup spot behind Daniel Palencia, who’s already been named the closer to start the 2026 season.
Hodge has not pitched well. Again, we are talking about a very small sample size, just three games and two total innings. But he has faced 17 batters and walked seven and allowed four hits, which… is not good. He’s thrown 70 total pitches to those 17 batters, and only 33 of those 70 were strikes.
I suspect Hodge will get another outing or two, but if this keeps up he’ll be starting the season at Triple-A Iowa.
Gavin Hollowell looks good
Hodge was a likely member of the Opening Day roster, but now that’s almost certainly changed.
Hollowell has stepped up and could take that place. Once again, the sample size is only three games, but in three innings Hollowell has allowed one run and struck out eight of the 11 batters he’s faced.
As we all know, relievers are fungible and Jed Hoyer’s front office has done a pretty good job of identifying guys from the scrap heap that have become useful. Hollowell could be one of those guys. He’s 28, so maybe the Cubs could get a couple of decent years out of him.
Dylan Carlson appears to have taken the lead in the fourth-outfielder mix
Carlson went 1-for-2 with a walk in Friday’s win over the Guardians and overall is 5-for-10 this spring with a double and four walks. The usual small sample size caveats are in place here, but it’s notable to me that Carlson was given the DH nod Friday instead of Chas McCormick, who is 4-for-14 so far this spring.
Michael Conforto, who was just signed, should get some playing time soon.
With Tyler Austin now out for “months” (as noted by Craig Counsell) after knee surgery, it appears to me that of the trio of Carlson, McCormick and Conforto, two of them will make the Opening Day roster.
The Carson Kelly/Miguel Amaya tandem continues to hit
Cubs catchers batted .250/.307/.442 with 29 home runs in 2025 in 641 PA. Of those PA, 501 belonged to Kelly and Amaya (with the rest to Reese McGuire).
Kelly and Amaya have combined to go 6-for-17 (.353) this spring with a double and a home run. Spring numbers, yes, small sample size, but I think these two can hit as well as they did last year. Perhaps a bit of a dip from Kelly, who had a career year in 2025, but Amaya looks like he can finally put everything together, as long as he stays healthy.
Those are a few of the things I’ve seen so far this spring. What have you noticed?
Detroit Tigers infielder Kevin McGonigle bats at live batting practice during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
By this time of year, we’re often a bit exhausted with prospect lists and rankings. Baseball America, Keith Law, Baseball Prospectus, MLB Pipeline, and our own re-ranking of the Detroit Tigers farm system are already a month or more in the books. But FanGraphs does a particularly detailed job for the most part, and often Eric Longenhagen and his staff have some contrary takes that are worth considering.
On Friday, they dropped a new set of rankings and reports for the top 47 prospects in the Tigers system. Longenhagen labels the system one of the best in baseball and very hitter heavy. That last bit has rarely been remotely the case for this system, even over the past decade of renewed emphasis on young, cost-controlled talent.
There are no real surprises at the top, as you’d expect. Basically the whole industry thinks Kevin McGonigle is the best pure hitter in the minor leagues, and one of the best in years. He and center fielder Max Clark draw 60 FV grades, while shortstop prospect Bryce Rainer gets a 55 FV grade, and the catcher-first base combination of Josue Briceño and Thayron Liranzo both get 50 FV grades. All five were on FanGraphs earlier release of their national top 110 prospects rankings.
We won’t both with much of a rundown of their reports. You can find the whole article available here for free and it is a comprehensive look at the system, with more emphasis on some of the teenaged international free agents than we’re able to produce. On the top five ranked prospects, we’ll just note that it’s good to see at least one national site didn’t completely panic over Thayron Liranzo’s tough 2025 season. The fact that Liranzo shook off the injuries and personal losses that marked his first tour with the Double-A Erie SeaWolves and got in outstanding condition over the offseason bodes well for a better 2026.
Where things get interesting is that FanGraphs only has the Tigers with two 45 FV caliber players in teenaged outfielder Cris Rodriguez and 2025 first round teenaged shortstop Jordan Yost. We agree on both, and suspect that like Kevin McGonigle, there’s a bit of underestimation going on in regard to Yost’s power potential. Everyone agrees he’s a very advanced defensive shortstop with good plate discipline and outstanding contact ability for his age. The question is offensive impact, and it will take a few years, perhaps, to see how that plays out.
Still, that’s only two 45 FV players. Most other sites have included some of Hao-Yu Lee, Max Anderson, Andrew Sears, and even teenaged pitcher Kelvis Salcedo and shortstop Franyerber Montilla in that 45 FV tier. We also have lefty Jake Miller up in that group, unlike basically anyone else. If he doesn’t turn into a good bullpen arm or backend starter over the next two years, you can roast Brandon for that one, but we’re pretty convinced he’s got the goods and just needs to get beyond the hip issues that plagued him last season and for which he had surgery in the offseason.
Notable on the rankings is the number of international free agents who haven’t yet come stateside (shoutout to Alysa Liu). We don’t rank and report on too many of those players unless they’re really known quantities with a lot of data available, because we won’t see them play much until they reach the Florida State League. FanGraphs has more resources, obviously.
Beyond Cris Rodriguez, the Tigers top IFA prospect, and right-hander Kelvis Salcedo, who impressed with advanced stuff and good strike throwing in Lakeland last year, FanGraphs has numerous other IFA prospects and reports that are interesting.
We loved the signing of center fielder Randy Santana in their 2026 signing class last month. His huge speed and power toolkit is exciting, and FanGraphs has him 14th in the system, right after 19-year-old shortstop prospect Angel De Los Santos. They both get 40+ FV grades, as do catcher Manuel Bolivar and shortstop Oscar Tineo, both top names from the 2026 class along with Santana. Those are all key names to watch for the longer term future of the Tigers’ system.
The Tigers IFA signing class last month is the most highly and widely regarded we’ve ever seen for the organization. They’re all years away, but hopefully that’s a good sign that Scott Harris and Jeff Greenberg’s adjustments to the Tigers international department will pay dividends in the years ahead.
Starting pitcher Jhonan Coba, still 19 and due to pitch in Single-A this summer, presumably, is another name worth watching from recent IFA classes, as are teenage shortstop Luis Aguilera, and center fielders Josueth Quinonez and Andy Mata. All get just 35+ grades at this point, but they’re just getting started.
As noted, the long-term question in the system is whether they’re going to develop enough pitching. Adding McGonigle, Clark, Briceño, and hopefully Bryce Rainer and Thayron Liranzo in the years ahead should give the Tigers a really strong positional group to work with for a long time. They have a lot of very young talent already that could form the next wave. What they need is some of their litany of talented but banged up arms drafted over the last three years to get beyond the injuries and start developing as hoped.
Right now, we have Miller, Salcedo, Andrew Sears, and right-handers Lucas Elissalt and Jaden Hamm as the best of the bunch. Obviously Hamm’s stock has taken a real hit over the past two seasons as he was scraping the end of top 100 lists not too long ago. Elissalt was the low key breakout pitching prospect of 2025, and needs only to get stronger and refine his command a little more to leap toward the top of the Tigers’ system.
The Tigers appear pretty well stocked with bats for the long haul. Hopefully the pitchers take a turn for the better. Only time will tell on that front.
BOSTON, MA - FEBRUARY 27: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics drives to the basket during the game against the Brooklyn Nets on February 27, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
1. Dominant Shooting Display
Coming off of Boston’s lowest scoring output of the season against the Denver Nuggets at only 84 points, the Celtics came back home to TD Garden and set a new season-high in points with 148 against the Brooklyn Nets. Boston did this with some historic shooting, going 52-78 (67%) from the field and 22-34(65%) from three point range. This resulted in the highest effective field goal percentage in NBA History, at 80.8%. Looking at the shooting chart, it is all Celtics green.
2. More Incredible Ball Movement
Continuing the trend on the Celtics historic offensive night, Boston racked up 38 assists in their win over Brooklyn, a new season-high and the most they had in a game since the 2022 season. When asked about the Celtics ball movement postgame, Joe Mazzulla talked about how it was funny people equate assists to ball movement. He said, ““Sometimes you only need one pass for an assist. We’re making good reads we’re making shots. So we have to continue to be able to do that.”
Joe Mazzulla on the Celtics ball movement coming out to 38 assists tonight
“Sometimes you only need one pass for an assist. We're making good reads we're making shots. So we have to continue to be able to do that.” pic.twitter.com/xSaoIxS8f9
In the Celtics 97-81 win against the Phoenix Suns on February 24th, Boston used a 50-11 run between the second and third quarters to pull ahead and stay ahead to take the victory. In this game, Boston once again used long scoring runs to control the game, this time it was a 51-16 run from the 7:07 mark of the third quarter to the 6:56 mark of the fourth quarter.
Hard to believe by the final score, but this was a close game at halftime, where the Celtics led 66-57. You could tell that Boston was going to eventually win this game, but recent history has showed that Brooklyn does not go away quietly. However the Celtics outscored the Nets 43-26 in the third quarter and 39-28 in the fourth quarter to end it.
4. Nikola Vucevic Bounce Back
In the loss to the Denver Nuggets, Nikola Vucevic had one of his worst games with the Celtics, finishing with 2 points and 8 rebounds on 1-7 shooting. In his matchup against the Brooklyn Nets, Vucevic bounced back with his best game as a member of the Celtics, finishing with 28 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists on 9-13 shooting from the field, 3-3 from three point range, and 7-7 from the free throw line. Vucevic is the third player in Celtics history to record 25+ points, 10+ rebounds and 85+ TS% off the bench alongside Kevin McHale and Payton Pritchard.
In the Celtics recent games, teams have started to pull the chair out from Nikola Vucevic when he gets the ball inside. To counteract this, Vucevic showed off some quick post moves tonight, getting the ball and putting up the shot before the defense had time to make their move.
Vucevic was also incredible when it came to trailing and rolling in the pick-and-roll in this game. He always ended up in the right place at the right time for a pass from Jaylen Brown or Derrick White on the roll and it was a masterful display.
You might see people using databallr statistics to diminish the incredible season that Jaylen Brown is having. According to the numbers, Brown is a net negative according to his on/off rating at a -10.1. Boston is a +5.2 net rating when he is on the floor vs a +15.3 net rating off the floor. I have to quote the great Homer Simpsons of The Simpsons fame to give you my opinion on this stat: “People can come up with statistics to prove anything Kent. Forty percent of all people know that.” Brown showed he was a huge positive in this game against the Nets, finishing with 28 points, 9 assists, 7 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 block on 9-12 shooting from the field and 4-4 from three with a +25 +/-.
The Nets decided to put two defenders on Brown for most of this game and because of that, he was able to dissect the defense and find the shooter for a wide open shot.
Scoring wise, Brown was able to get to the basket at will and take advantage of very poor defensive play by the Nets. On most of these possessions he is able to get the switch on to a big and blow by them for an easy look at the rim. His three point shooting was very impressive to me as well because Brown doesn’t take a lot of threes and in this game he was able to knock down some pretty difficult step-backs on some solid contests.
Payton Pritchard was another player who had a tough game against the Nuggets and was able to bounce back in a big way. He finished with 22 points and 5 assists on 9-12 shooting from the field and 4-5 shooting from three. He was also a +40 in +/- in this game, the highest on the team in this game. Pritchard had a great run in the second quarter when he scored 8 straight points on Brooklyn but the fourth quarter is where he started to show out.
Not taking any chances, Pritchard scored 9 points on 4-4 shooting from the field and 1-1 from three, finishing as a +15 for this quarter alone. He utilized the jumper in this scoring run and used his handle to get his defender off the spot so he could splash the shot in their face and kill any potential momentum that Brooklyn tried to build.
In his last 10 games, Derrick White is averaging 6.8 assists since becoming the Celtics starting point guard. I have raved about his ability to pass in another article but he once again showed these improvements of timing on his passes in this game. White finished with 12 points, 7 assists, and 2 blocks on the night and did an amazing job setting up his teammates. His most impressive passes in this game for me came along the perimeter. When the Celtics were swinging the ball around, White did a great job of finding the open man for the a wide open three.
In a game where 6 Celtics players ended up in double digit scoring, Baylor Scheierman finished with a very underrated great game. In 13 games in the starting lineup this season, Scheierman is averaging 8.7 Points, 6.3 Rebounds, 2.5 Assists 1.1 Steals on 42% shooting from the field and 37% shooting from three. In this game he had 10 points and 6 assists on 3-3 shooting but there was a sequence in the second quarter of this game that puts into perspective how good he has been.
Baylor Scheierman has been really good in games that he has started this season: 8.7 PPG 6.3 REB 2.5 AST 1.1 STL 42% FG% 37% 3P% pic.twitter.com/aSx7wasge8
In the second quarter, at the 3:43 mark, Scheierman had the ball on the wing with the shot clock running down. He then fired an incredible hook shot pass to Sam Hauser in the corner who splashed the three. Then on the next offensive possession, Baylor got into the paint, stopped on a dime, and hit a sweet fadeaway jumper.
This is the perfect sequence to show the improvements that Scheierman has made since his rookie season. Last year he was known for some flashy passes but not much more. This game proved that he knows when to make the right play. Last year there were times where he was timid when it came to creating his own shot. This game proved that his confidence is at an all time high.
9. Hugo Gonzalez Cutting
Hugo Gonzalez had a very good game coming off of the bench in this one, finishing with 8 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 blocks on 4-6 shooting. He didn’t hit a three in this game but the thing that made him so impactful was his ability to cut to the basket when the Celtics are looking for it. Two of his cuts came when Brooklyn decided to double the Celtics player with the ball. Hugo came streaking in from the three point line and was able to finish with an easy dunk. The other came on an alley-oop inbounds play from Scheierman where Gonzalez had a free lane to the hoop.
At the trade deadline this year, the Celtics decided to trade Josh Minott to the Brooklyn Nets despite showing some flashes with Boston earlier this season. Despite only playing one game for the Nets since the trade, Nets coach Jordi Fernandez talked highly of the young wing’s character. Fernandez said, “Great personality. Just you could say that he’s been a teammate in the group for a long time the way he’s just blended in right away. He knew what we were about.” He also talked about Minott ramping up with the G-League team for this game.
I asked Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez how it has gone integrating former Celtic Josh Minott into his system.
“Great personality. Just you could say that he's been a teammate in the group for a long time the way he’s just blended in right away. He knew what we were about.
In his second game with Brooklyn against the Celtics, he had a semi-Revenge Game against Boston, finishing with 9 points on 4-7 shooting in 16 minutes off the bench. The play he was able to exact his revenge came in the first quarter with a monster poster dunk on Hugo Gonzalez that had everyone in the crowd stunned.
Overall I think Brooklyn will be a great place for Minott to continue his development as a player. There are very low expectations for Brooklyn right now and if they end up getting another top pick, he could be a very nice insulating player behind the rest of the rookies. I am very high on Minott so I hope he has a very long and successful NBA career moving forward but tonight the Celtics got the better of him in this matchup.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - FEBRUARY 27: Nikola Vucevic #4 of the Boston Celtics attempts a three-point basket against the Brooklyn Nets during the second half at the TD Garden on February 27, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) | Getty Images
During Nikola Vučević’s Boston Celtics debut, both sides struggled. Three weeks ago marked the beginning of Vučević’s acclimation, and since then, his synergy has begun to take shape.
It was a stark contrast on Friday night against the Brooklyn Nets. Vučević’s offensive instincts kicked in, and decisively; he wasn’t hesitant. He was constantly in motion, whether it meant rolling to the basket or hanging around the perimeter, ready for a catch-and-shoot three. The Vučević on the floor 21 days after debuting was exactly what the organization was looking for at the trade deadline.
Checking in after Boston’s 148-111 one-sided win over Brooklyn at TD Garden, Vučević admitted he’s felt the progress take form but knows there’s still work to do.
“It’s been pretty good,” Vučević told reporters, per CLNS Media. “I’m still getting used to the offense and my new teammates, and learning their tendencies — learning my ways. At times, I overthink a little bit, which makes me hesitant and takes away my aggressiveness. And I feel like tonight I was able to put it more together, just play off my teammates.”
The synergy between Vučević and the Celtics extended beyond his comfort zone. Boston came within inches of breaking the 43-year-old record set by the 1983 San Antonio Spurs for the best single-game field-goal percentage (70.7 percent). In the fourth quarter, the Celtics hovered around 70 percent, but a few misses down the stretch left them at 66.7 percent. Still, they set the all-time mark for effective field-goal percentage (80.8 percent), surpassing last season’s Milwaukee Bucks (80.4 percent).
Vučević provided 28 points and 11 rebounds off the bench in 25 minutes, notching his third double-double in a Celtics uniform.
“Just have to find the right balance of playing my game, being aggressive, using my instincts, but make it fit within what we want to run,” he told reporters.
Vučević shot a perfect 3-of-3 from beyond the arc, pitching into a dominant night of Mazzulla-ball. The Celtics shot 64.7 percent, knocking down 22 of their 34 attempts from 3-point range.
In many ways, it looked as though Vučević had reached the final stages of his acclimation. There were no force-feeds to get him going, nor any need for patience from Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla. Vučević simply looked like himself, even though in Boston, that requires adjusting to a role off the bench rather than in the starting lineup. For many players around the league, that challenge could affect their ability to contribute.
However, Vučević has steadily turned each Boston appearance into a stepping stone — even as Mazzulla prefers not to let him get too comfortable for the team’s sake.
“I hope that he’s never completely comfortable because then we don’t get better,” Mazzulla told reporters, per CLNS Media. “But whether it’s walkthrough, whether it’s film session, whether it’s practice, we’re just constantly watching film, communicating — what do you see here? Where can we get better at? The thing with him is that because of his versatility, he’s going to see different stuff throughout, and we have to be ready to react to that as well as him.”
Vučević has functioned as something of an addition-by-subtraction acquisition. He isn’t as quick or crafty as Anfernee Simons, but he restores what the Celtics lost this past offseason: a true floor-spacing center.
Boston parted ways with Kristaps Porziņģis, Al Horford, and Luke Kornet — a trio that included two of the league’s best 3-point shooting big men. Substituting Simons for Vučević, though, reintroduces that element, while also allowing Mazzulla to slide Payton Pritchard back into his natural sixth-man role alongside Vučević, thus strengthening Boston’s depth and lineup balance.
“Every day is a day we get better,” Jaylen Brown told reporters, per CLNS Media. “So we’re continuing to find him in his spots, and allowing him to feel more comfortable is big time for our team. I think today was a great step forward. I like to see him aggressive. I think that’s a good sign for us, especially when teams are trying to double or take certain parts of the game away. I think he did a good job today.”
Mazzulla initially said that getting Vučević settled in would be a two-sided effort, required from both Vučević and his new Celtics teammates. So far, both sides have pulled their weight. Friday night’s victory reflected that effort coming to fruition, and Vučević noticed it coming together in real time.
“Tonight, everything clicked,” Vučević told reporters. “We took our time with our decisions. Everything was done with more attention to detail.”
SURPRISE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 17: MacKenzie Gore #1 of the Texas Rangers poses for a portrait during photo day at Surprise Stadium on February 17, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, LSB.
Shawn McFarland has three observations from another Rangers spring training game, one in which MacKenzie Gore left the beats impressed.
