Posts

Posted on

TRADE: Penguins & Avalanche Swap Defensemen

The Pittsburgh Penguins have announced that they have acquired defenseman Samuel Girard and a 2028 second-round pick from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for blueliner Brett Kulak.

Girard appeared in 40 games this season with the Avalanche, where he had three goals, nine assists, 12 points, and a plus-12 rating. This is after he had three goals and 24 points in 73 games this past season with Colorado.

Girard will be more than a rental for the Penguins, as the 27-year-old blueliner has a $5 million cap hit until the end of next season. 

As for Kulak, his time with the Penguins organization has come to a quick end. The Penguins brought him in earlier this season in the deal that sent goalie Tristan Jarry to the Edmonton Oilers.

Kulak played in 25 games for the Penguins following being acquired from Edmonton, where he had one goal and seven points. 

Posted on

Atlanta’s BravesVision Grabs Own Media Reins in Wake of RSN Crackup

As Major League Baseball scrambles to accommodate the local distribution needs of more than a half-dozen clubs formerly affiliated with the Main Street Sports RSNs, the Atlanta Braves have elected to take matters into their own hands.

The NL East franchise on Tuesday announced the launch of BravesVision, a wholly-owned multimedia platform that will begin producing and distributing its games in time for the March 27 season opener against the Kansas City Royals.

Under the new BravesVision paradigm, the franchise will televise and stream more than 140 regular-season games to fans across its six-state footprint, a swath of the Southeast that includes Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and the Carolinas.

“This endeavor will bring the most vital link to our fanbase—our television broadcast—back under the control of our organization,” Braves president and CEO Derek Schiller said in a statement. In a nod to the team’s long run on the TBS Superstation, Schiller noted that BravesVision marks a return to form for “generations of Braves fans who were raised watching games on a network that shared ownership with the baseball team.”

Sales and marketing staffers are already being onboarded, and the Braves are working quickly to secure carriage deals with the likes of Charter, Comcast and DirecTV. The club is also said to be interested in pursuing alliances with virtual MVPDs such as Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV.

The Braves’ announcement comes about a year after the Texas Rangers’ split from their RSN, which served as the precursor for the launch the in-house Rangers Sports Network. The AL West franchise cut ties with its legacy RSN/Main Street precursor Diamond Sports Group in late 2024.

BravesVision also will be made available to in-market fans on a streaming basis via Braves.TV, a new direct-to-consumer platform hosted by MLB.TV—which was recently acquired by ESPN as part of its three-year, $1.65 billion renewal with the league.

In addition to the pay-TV offering, Gray Media will televise 15 free over-the-air games in 2026, reprising a similar deal struck between the stations group and the Braves a year ago. Atlanta will continue to be well-represented on the national TV dial; in April alone, the Braves are set to appear on Fox, NBC and TBS.

The Braves’ bid to strike out on their own was necessitated by the imminent collapse of the Main Street RSNs, which appear to be on a collision course with bankruptcy. Earlier this month, the nine MLB teams that remained under contract with Main Street formally dissolved their ties with the company; seven of those defectors—the Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers, Royals, Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Cardinals and Tampa Bay Rays—have already come in under MLB’s media umbrella, while the Los Angeles Angels are officially expected to join the rest of the pack before the new season gets underway. 

Main Street still holds in-market rights to 13 NBA and seven NHL teams, but those legacy deals are all but certain to be voided by the time both leagues close out their respective 2025-26 campaigns. Among the pro sports franchises in the Braves’ footprint that may soon be looking for a new local media base are the Atlanta Hawks and Nashville Predators.

Barring a zero-hour infusion of cash, Main Street could begin winding down its operations in the spring. The company began issuing WARN [Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification] notices to its employees last week. A legal requirement designed to provide employees 60 days’ notice in advance of a mass layoff, WARN filings may also include information pertaining to the imminent closure of offices.

The WARN notice Main Street issued to its Atlanta offices indicates that 74 employees will be let go, with the facilities set to be shuttered on April 14. Similar alerts have been issued to staffers in Minneapolis, Detroit, Los Angeles and Milwaukee.

In November, the Braves disclosed that they’d generated $600.3 million in baseball revenue for the first three quarters of 2025, up 7% versus the year-ago period. Per the team’s 10-Q filing, games at Truist Park accounted for 60% of that total ($357.6 million), with broadcasting revenues coming in at $164.6 million, which marked a 14% improvement compared to the analogous nine-month period in 2024.

Sign up for Sportico's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Posted on

Who will be the pleasant surprise the Phillies desperately need?

Feb 21, 2026; Dunedin, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Justin Crawford (80) singles during the fifth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at TD Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

For a few moments on Saturday, Phillies fans forgot about the drama.

Justin Crawford, the left-handed-hitting rookie who everyone expects to be the everyday center fielder this year, walloped a ringing line drive double off the left-center field wall in his first plate appearance of spring training.

It was a beautiful sight.

Crawford’s penchant for hitting tons of ground balls has been well-documented, and despite finishing with an .863 OPS in 112 AAA starts a season ago, fans entered the spring tamping down expectations. To be honest, no one is expecting much from Crawford in his first season. He’ll likely hit out of the nine-hole in the order. The fear is Crawford’s ground ball swing will severely limit his productivity at the Major League level, dampening expectations for the 22-year-old before he’s played his first official big league game.

So seeing him rocket a deep fly ball to the opposite field off a left-handed pitcher with seven years of MLB experience had everyone feeling really good. That he followed that up with a single in a subsequent at-bat, and made a terrific sliding catch in center, only helped improve the vibes.

This off-season has been brutal. After re-signing Kyle Schwarber to an expensive free agent contract and grabbing Mitch Keller as a right-handed set-up man in the ‘pen, Dave Dombrowski’s winter of our discontent has permeated into the spring.

Sure, the Phillies won 96 games a year ago. Sure, they boat-raced the NL East by 13 games. It all feels hollow because they lost in four games to the Dodgers in the NLDS, another playoff series in which the same bats fell silent and the same relief pitchers gave up untimely hits in another early-round exit.

When you add in the failed pursuit of Bo Bichette in free agency, the Nick Castellanos drama and Bryce Harper’s anger at Dombrowski, it’s clear this team needs some things to go right down in Clearwater before the team breaks camp next month.

Crawford’s debut was a good start. Schwarber went deep in his first plate appearance of the spring. That was nice, too. As Phils fans, we need more.

We need Andrew Painter to look more like the young phenom who appeared to have a spot in the Phillies’ rotation earmarked ahead of the 2023 season before Tommy John surgery knocked him out for all of 2024 and caused him to be largely ineffective in 2025. A dominant Painter would do wonders for concerns about the sudden fragility of the starting rotation.

Speaking of that rotation, seeing Zack Wheeler up on the bump and throwing hard would be amazing. An effective Aaron Nola, looking to bounce back from a brutal 6.01 ERA in half a season, would be great, too. Castellanos’ replacement in right field, Adolis Garcia, could ease a lot of concerns by hitting a few meaningless bombs down in Florida. And hey, maybe someone pops up from out of the blue to make an impact, like right-handed outfielder Bryan de la Cruz or a minor league guy like Nick DeMartini. Maybe Aidan Miller, once his back heals, pushes for a big league spot sooner rather than later.

And wouldn’t it be nice to see the Phillies participating in the World Baseball Classic have some big moments? It could be quite the showcase for Harper, who one would believe is taking Dombrowski’s “elite” comments to heart by having a more impactful season that he did last year.

So, who will it be? Who will be the pleasant surprise the Phillies desperately need to change the narrative?

Posted on

GameThread: Tigers vs. Braves, 1:05 p.m.

Feb 23, 2026; Lakeland, Florida, USA; Detroit Tigers right fielder Kerry Carpenter (30) catches a fly ball during the third inning against the Minnesota Twins at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

Detroit Tigers vs. Atlanta Braves

Time/Place: 1:05 p.m., CoolToday Park – North Port, FL
SB Nation Site: Battery Power
Media: MLB.TV (free)

Lineups

TIGERSBRAVES
Parker Meadows – CFRonald Acuna – RF
Kevin McGonigle – SSJurickson Profar – DH
Wenceel Perez – RFMatt Olson – 1B
Jahmai Jones – DHAustin Riley – 3B
Zach McKinstry – 2BOzzie Albies – 2B
Max Clark – LFMike Yastrzemski – LF
Hao-Yu Lee – 3BMichael Harris – CF
Jace Jung – 1BJonah Heim – C
Tomas Nido – CMauricio Dubon – SS
Posted on

Cubs vs. Padres at Mesa preview, Tuesday 2/24, 2:05 CT

MESA, Arizona — Tuesday notes…

  • FORMER CUBS IN PADRES CAMP: Jason Adam, Jeremiah Estrada and Nick Castellanos. Yu Darvish is still officially with the Padres as of now, but is unlikely to play this year and might retire.
  • CUBS SPRING BATTING LEADERS: Hits (3): Jefferson Rojas, Brett Bateman, Pedro Ramirez. Doubles (1): Carson Kelly, Owen Miller, Ramirez. Home runs (1): Rojas, Seiya Suzuki. BA: .429, Bateman, Ramirez. OBP: .600, Bateman. SLG: .750, Rojas. OPS: 1.194, Rojas.

Here are today’s particulars.

Cubs lineup:

Padres lineup:

Shōta Imanaga will start for the Cubs. Other Cubs pitchers scheduled today: Daniel Palencia, Jacob Webb, Hoby Milner, Ethan Roberts, Jack Neely, Gavin Hollowell and Grant Kipp.

Marco Gonzales will start for the Padres. Other Padres pitchers scheduled today: Jackson Wolf, Ryan Och, Francis Peña, Ethan Routzahn, Bradgley Rodriguez and Ron Marinaccio.

No TV today. There will be a radio broadcast online via Padres Audio.

MLB.com Gameday

Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.

Please visit our SB Nation Padres site Gaslamp Ball. If you do go there to interact with Padres fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.

As we have done in the past, we’ll have a first pitch thread at five minutes to game time and one overflow thread, 90 minutes after game time. For today, that will be 2 p.m. CT and 3:30 p.m. CT.

These threads will not post individually onto the front page; instead, you can find links to them in the box marked ”Chicago Cubs Game Threads” at the bottom of the front page. There will also be a StoryStream on the front page with all the game thread links, as well as the recap after the game is over. The pitcher photos and regular-season stats will return on Opening Day.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

Posted on

NBA power rankings 2025-26: San Antonio takes over top spot in rankings after beating Detroit

After a week off for the All-Star break, NBC's NBA Power Rankings are back, and they have a new No. 1: Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs, fresh off beating the now-second Detroit Pistons.

1. San Antonio Spurs

(41-16, last week No. 2)
For three quarters, the Detroit Pistons used their physicality to disrupt and wear down Victor Wembanyama on Monday night. Didn't work. In the fourth quarter, Wembanyama had 11 points, six rebounds, three assists and four blocks to make sure the Spurs pulled away from the Pistons for a 114-103 victory. It was one of those games where Wemby's counting stats — 21 points, 17 rebounds (eight offensive), four assists and six blocks — don't do justice to his impact. Devin Vassell added 28 in the game because someone is always stepping up for the Spurs, who have now won nine straight and are unquestionably contenders despite their young age. People often talk about the Pistons' fast turnaround after winning just 14 games a couple of seasons ago, but people gloss over the fact that the Spurs have that same kind of story: This team was 22-60 in both the 2022-2023 and 2023-24 seasons. San Antonio entered this season with people expecting them to take a step forward into the play-in, not make a leap to title contender, but here we are.

2. Detroit Pistons

(42-14, last week No. 1)
Last week showed us why this team has to be considered a genuine threat to make the NBA Finals out of the East, and also why some around the league have doubts about them in the postseason. The week started with a statement over the Knicks, one of the preseason favorites in the East, and the Pistons did it without suspended big men Jalen Duren (he's back) and Isaiah Stewart (still serving time). Detroit looked dominant in that win. Then it ran into the Spurs, with their quality perimeter defenders backed by Wembanyama, and they lost a game in which Cade Cunningham had 16 points on 5-of-26 shooting, and the lack of a second perimeter shot creator caught up with Detroit. The Pistons are 18-6 against teams over .500 this season, but are "just" 8-5 at home in those games.

3. Oklahoma City Thunder

(44-14, last week No. 3)
Oklahoma City has gone 4-3 without MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (and five of those games were also without Jalen Williams), holding onto its spot atop the Western Conference (although San Antonio is closing fast). It's been the role players stepping up, as they always seem to for OKC. For example, since the trade deadline, the Jared McCain and Isaiah Joe bench combo has instant chemistry and is destroying teams. Another guy who helped on Sunday against Cleveland was Cason Wallace, who had his first 20-10 game ever. One of the challenges of being an elite team is that the league backloads the schedule for television reasons — OKC has the second toughest schedule in the league the rest of the way.

4. Boston Celtics

(37-19, last week No. 5)
Joe Mazzulla and the Celtics are still figuring out exactly how to fit Nikola Vucevic in with their roster after picking up the stretch five at the trade deadline. Through five games, Vucevic is averaging 11.8 points and 8.4 rebounds a game, shooting 42.9% from 3-point range. "The gift Vuc has is versatility," Mazzulla said before facing the Lakers. "So it's not about what he's best at, he's good at a lot of things. And so it's an understanding of how can we take advantage of that within a game. And so it is going to change from game to game, how is he being defended? How he's being defended has a direct impact on how we're being defended as a team." On another note, Payton Pritchard's move to the bench is already paying off.

5. Cleveland Cavaliers

(36-22, last week No. 6)
The Cavaliers started 5-0 in the James Harden era with a top-three offense in the league through that stretch, although the loss to a shorthanded Thunder team on Sunday was a reminder of the concerns about this team (particularly the defense). That loss makes us wonder if a starting five with Sam Merrill instead of Dean Wade may be coming soon. Either way, Cleveland has the sixth-easiest remaining schedule in the league, one with a lot of games against tanking teams, and it's easier than any of the teams they are in the mix with at the top of the East. Cleveland sits just two games back of Boston for the No. 2 seed in the East and passing them is a reasonable goal over the final stretch of the season.

6. New York Knicks

(37-21, last week No. 4)
Every concern fans have about the New York Knicks was exposed by Cade Cunningham and the Pistons in the first game back from the All-Star break. Part of that is the ongoing issue that Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns can be exploited in a pick-and-roll, but the other, maybe larger, issue may be shooting and floor spacing. Towns does not always seem comfortable and has stretches where he is not scoring like he needs to in Mike Brown's system, at least against good defenses, although he has looked better of late (he scored 28 and looked great against tanking Chicago). Key game for East seeding on Tuesday when New York travels to Cleveland, a game you can catch on Peacock.

7. Minnesota Timberwolves

(35-23, last week No. 9)
Anthony Edwards is your All-Star Game MVP and he didn't miss a beat in his return, dropping 40 on the Mavericks. That said, Sunday's loss to Philadelphia was a reminder of just how much this team needs Rudy Gobert in the paint to be a serious threat — the Timberwolves defense is top three in the league when he is on the court and bottom five when he sits. Sit him for a game and Tyrese Maxey is dunking on everyone. Big test on Sunday, when it's Gobert against Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets in a key Western Conference game for West playoff seeding.

8. Denver Nuggets

(36-22, last week No. 8)
It's time to be genuinely concerned about Denver's defense, which is 22nd in the league, although it has improved slightly over the last 15 games. Injuries are certainly part of this — not having Aaron Gordon is a critical loss — but watch them against the Clippers in the first game back from the break, when they should be rested, and they could not get stops when it mattered. Another reason for Nuggets fans to be concerned: This team is 6-13 in clutch games when Jokic plays. A third reason for Denver fans to be concerned: The Nuggets have the toughest remaining schedule in the league, and it starts this week with games against the Celtics, Thunder and Timberwolves. On the plus side for the Nuggets, they still have Nikola Jokic breaking basketball.

9. Houston Rockets

(35-21, last week No. 4)
Houston's loss Sunday at New York — blowing an 18-point fourth-quarter lead thanks to nine turnovers in the frame — was the latest reason to be concerned about this team in the clutch. The Rockets are 14-16 in clutch games (within five points in the final five minutes) with a -8.8 net rating and a 29th in the league turnover rate (16.3% of possessions). What Houston has done well this season is beat up the teams they should beat and those teams fill the schedule this week: Utah, Sacramento, Orlando and Miami.

10. Toronto Raptors

(34-23, last week No. 14)
While James Harden in Cleveland is drawing the headlines, Toronto is just 1.5 games back of the Cavs and has a legit chance to land a top-four seed in the West and host a playoff round. Center Jakob Poeltl is back in the rotation, and that is a big help (his return to the starting five really helps the bench rotation up front with Collin Murray-Boyles). The Raptors won their first two games out of the break, but have the Thunder and Spurs on a back-to-back this week, good luck with that.

11. Los Angeles Lakers

(34-22, last week No. 10)
A couple of weeks ago, after a loss to the Thunder, LeBron James summed up the Lakers this way: "We can't sustain energy and effort for 48 minutes and they can. That's why they won a championship." If you think anything has changed, you didn't watch the Lakers against the Celtics on Sunday (on NBC). That game featured all the concerns about the Lakers against the league's top teams — the defense, the lack of shooting, the inconsistent effort and the lack of quality depth. The Lakers are 4-3 on their eight-game home stand, which concludes on Tuesday night against Orlando, before heading out on the road to face the Suns and Warriors this week.

12. Golden State Warriors

(30-27, last week No. 15)
Stephen Curry has now missed too many games to qualify for postseason awards. The concern now becomes that he misses so many games the No. 8 seed Warriors fall to the No. 9 seed, with its tougher road through the play-in — Portland is just 2.5 games back and finding a groove of late. Which is why the Warriors raining 3s on the Nuggets on Sunday was a critical win. One Warriors subplot to watch the rest of this season and into the summer: Brandin Podziemski is extension eligible this summer. Will the sides reach a deal (the Warriors did with Moses Moody, for example), or wait until he's a restricted free agent in the summer of 2027 and make a decision then?

13. Phoenix Suns

(33-25, last week No. 13)
Dillon Brooks is out at least a month due to a fractured left hand, and Devin Booker will miss this week (or most of it, at least) with a hip injury. Will that keep the Suns from climbing out of the play-in? They sit as the No. 7 seed now and are two games back of the Lakers to climb into the top six (Minnesota is in that mix as the No. 6 seed, but barring injury, it's hard to see them falling back, even with their inconsistency). The Suns host the Lakers Thursday night and could use that win to keep their top-six dreams alive.

14. Miami Heat

(28-26, last week No. 16)
Tyler Herro is back, returning after the All-Star break and reprising his role as Sixth Man of the Year in a couple of comfortable Heat wins. Bringing Herro off the bench and letting All-Star Norman Powell cook makes a lot of sense, but Herro wants to start, so we'll see how long this lasts. Interesting tests for the No. 8 seed Heat at Milwaukee and Philadelphia this week, then home to host Houston.

15. Orlando Magic

(30-26, last week No. 17)
While we haven't seen much out of Orlando's core three of Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs (148 minutes across 13 games this season), but lately we have seen Desmond Bane find his groove and start to break out. In February, Bane is averaging 24.4 points per game on an insane 75.4 true shooting percentage (fueled by shooting 50.9% from 3-point range). Orlando is 2-1 since the All-Star break (with the loss being in 2OT to Phoenix), but it needs to keep racking up wins as it, Philadelphia and Miami are all in the mix for the six seed and avoiding the play-in.

16. Philadelphia 76ers

(31-27, last week No. 12)
Philly is 1-4 playing in this stretch without Joel Embiid (knee) and Paul George (10 games into his 25-game suspension), and they are barely holding on to the No. 6 seed in the East. The 76ers did pick up an unexpected win on Sunday against the Timberwolves, which makes Philadelphia an impressive 8-3 on the second night of a back-to-back this season. While Sunday against the Celtics may feel like the big game to fans, Thursday against the Heat — one of the teams they are fighting for the No. 6 seed in the East — is the critical game.

17. Charlotte Hornets

(27-31, last week No. 11)
Charlotte has come back down to earth after their nine-game winning streak, having gone 2-3 in the five games since. Charlotte can get rolling again starting this week with a string of games against struggling teams (Chicago and Indiana, for example), especially if LaMelo Ball is knocking down 10 3-pointers as he did against the Wizards.

18. Los Angeles Clippers

(27-30, last week No. 20)
Bennedict Mathurin is thriving off the bench for LA since coming over in the Ivica Zubac deal at the deadline. Through five games, Mathurin is averaging 22 points and 4.2 rebounds a game, and the usually reliable 3-point shooter has yet to find his groove from deep in Los Angeles. This hot streak includes a 38-point performance in a win against Denver. Only a couple of games this week for the Clippers and one interesting one, against up-and-down Minnesota on Thursday.

19. Portland Trail Blazers

(28-30, last week No. 19)
Aș a Curry-less Warriors team struggles above them, the No. 9 seed Trail Blazers have won 5-of-7 and suddenly making the top eight (with a much easier path through the play-in to the playoff proper) seems realistic — Golden State is just 2.5 games ahead of them. Can Portland keep up the strong play with Shaedon Sharpe (calf) and Deni Avdija (back) missing time?

20. Milwaukee Bucks

(24-31, last week No. 21)
There is no tanking in Milwaukee — the Bucks went 6-1 around the All-Star break and are now 6-5 without Giannis Antetokounmpo in this stretch, and he appears ready to return this week. The key has been the offense, which usually falls off a cliff when Antetokounmpo is not on the court, but was top five in the league during that hot stretch, with Cam Thomas and Ryan Rollins having some big games. The Bucks have done more than keep their heads above water without their former MVP and are just 1.5 games out of the play-in, which has to be the short-term goal (one step at a time).

21. Atlanta Hawks

(28-31, last week No. 18)
CJ McCollum started on Sunday in place of Zaccharie Risacher. McCollum has been closing games (with Risacher on the bench) for a while, but the fact that Quin Snyder is now starting this way is not a good sign for Risacher's future with the Hawks. Atlanta is the only team in the NBA with a losing record at home (11-16) and a winning record on the road (17-15). The Hawks should be able to improve that this week with two home games against the Wizards (plus a tougher one against the Trail Blazers).

22. New Orleans Pelicans

(16-42, last week No. 24)
After missing a little more than a year, Dejounte Murray is set to make his return to the court from a torn Achilles on Tuesday. He could provide some needed glue to the Pelicans' offense for the stretch run of the season. It's good news because the Pelicans are not tanking (they don't control their own pick, so there's no motivation), something evidenced last week in their come-from-behind win against the 76ers. Coach Willie Green is experimenting with some big lineups (6'6" Zion Williamson is the smallest guy on the court), and it's interesting.

23. Memphis Grizzlies

(21-35, last week No. 22)
I'm not saying the Grizzlies are tanking; I'm just saying that in recent weeks they have started Olivier-Maxence Prosper, Jahmai Mashack, and Lance Lovering, and then they lost to a Sacramento team that came in having lost 16 in a row. With Ja Morant injured and Jaren Jackson Jr. injured and in Utah, the only expected starter in Memphis getting run is Jaylen Wells, who is having some good games (25 points against Miami last week).

24. Utah Jazz

(18-40, last week No. 28)
Adam Silver unfairly singled out Utah for tanking and slapped them with a $500,000 fine. To be clear, the Jazz were tanking — sitting Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. in the fourth quarter of games — but is that any more blatant and ugly than what is happening in other markets? No. But because Utah got press and gave the league a little PR trouble, Silver came down on them. Utah learned its lesson and now Jackson (knee) and Jusuf Nurkic (nose) will be out for the season due to surgeries (ones that maybe could have waited, but we're not doctors here). It's not going to be a pretty last couple of months of the season in Utah, but this is now a fan base with legitimate reasons for hope going forward when they envision what the Jazz will look like next season.

25. Dallas Mavericks

(20-36, last week No. 25)
It is a wise decision not to have Kyrie Irving return to the court this season, and Cooper Flagg has missed the last three games with a foot injury and likely will be out longer, as well. That said, Dallas snapped a 10-game losing streak by beating Indiana over the weekend thanks to a throwback Khris Middleton game. Expect to see a lot of Middleton and Max Christie the rest of the season for Dallas.

26. Washington Wizards

(16-40, last week No. 27)
Here's the thing about tanking: It's a front-office/management call, the players who get put out on the court still try hard to win. That's what happened last week when the Wizards swept two games from the Pacers, in part because Sharife Cooper (on a two-way contract) and Alondes Williams (10-day contract) played like guys fighting for bigger, better deals. They got the wins despite Alex Sarr (hamstring strain) missing the last four games. Washington has two games in Atlanta this week.

27. Chicago Bulls

(24-34, last week No. 23)
The Chicago Bulls have not won a game in February. That includes an ugly loss to Sacramento on Monday, a team that had lost 16 in a row before they met the Bulls. In classic Bulls style, this pivot to tanking has come so late that they have just the ninth-worst record in the NBA and, if that holds, a 50.7% chance of drafting ninth (currently they would have a 20.2% chance of jumping up to the top four.

28. Indiana Pacers

(15-43, last week No. 26)
Kobe Brown was considered a throw-in by the Clippers as part of the Ivica Zubac trade at the deadline, but Brown is getting an opportunity and thriving with the Pacers. Through five games (one a start), Brown is averaging 10.2 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. "I like the things he's doing," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said (via Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star). "When you get an opportunity like this, this is where you can really show what you can do."

29. Brooklyn Nets

(15-41, last week No. 29)
Brooklyn isn't tanking by sitting Michael Porter Jr.; he has played all three games since the All-Star break, but he is ice cold, shooting 3-of-23 in those games. Tough week ahead for the Nets, who start with fellow tanker Dallas but then get San Antonio, Boston and Cleveland.

30. Sacramento Kings

(13-46, last week No. 30)
The Kings won! The Kings won! Sacramento snapped its franchise record 16-game losing streak on Monday by beating the also-tanking Grizzlies. Don't worry Kings fans, your team still has the worst record in the league. What should worry you is that for three years running, the team with the worst record in the league fell to fifth in the NBA Draft lottery.

Posted on

REPORT: Avalanche Acquire Brett Kulak From Penguins in Exchange for Samuel Girard and Draft Pick

The Colorado Avalanche have acquired defenseman Brett Kulak from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Samuel Girard and a 2028 second-round pick.

This is a shocking move for the Avalanche, not in what they acquire but in what they gave up, especially with how Samuel Girard has been in numerous insiders' trade lists and the Avalanche’s willingness to get bigger on the defensive end.

Is Samuel Girard On the Brink of a Trade?Is Samuel Girard On the Brink of a Trade?Ilya Solovyov was recently recalled from his AHL conditioning assignment, raising questions about the Avalanche’s long-term plans.

Initially, when Elliotte Friedman first announced the Avalanche were going to acquire Kulak, it was going to be for a middle-bottom pairing move, see how he fits with maybe Girard, Malinski or so forth but seeing Girard get moved, this is no longer a “depth” move, it highlights a pretty big change to this defense core the rest of the season.

Kulak is in the final year of his contract, which carries a $2.8 million cap hit. At 31 years of age, he skates pretty well for his age and will help play a role on the already impressive penalty kill unit. He was playing with Kris Letang and doing well despite a rough start to the season with the Edmonton Oilers. Offensively, he might not be hitting the ceiling of what Girard can bring, but when he is at his best, he doesn’t make many mistakes and makes smart plays when he's under pressure.

In 56 games played between the Oilers and the Penguins, Kulak has one goal and eight assists for nine points. He averaged just over 17 minutes of ice time with the Oilers but over 20 with the Penguins.

Nathan MacKinnon and the Myth of the Sore LoserNathan MacKinnon and the Myth of the Sore LoserA clipped quote was all it took for the hockey world to turn on Nathan MacKinnon for no reason.
Image
Posted on

Ex-Oilers D-Man Traded by Penguins to Avalanche

In a news update first broken by NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, the Pittsburgh Penguins have traded defenseman Brett Kulak to the Colorado Avalanche. In return, Pittsburgh is getting Sam Girard and a second-round pick.

The Avs confirmed the deal minutes later on their own social media accounts and official website. 

Trending Stories

Questions Surface Surrounding Connor McDavid's Olympic MVP Win

Team Canada Didn't Let McDavid Down In His Captaincy Debut

2 Oilers Who Need To Bounce Back After Olympics

Oilers: 2 Potential Trade Targets From Rangers

The pending unrestricted free agent, who carries a $2.75 million cap hit through 2025-26, was acquired earlier by Pittsburgh in the Tristan Jarry deal with Edmonton. As Oilers fans know well, Kulak, 32, brings playoff experience and steady depth, making him a strong fit for a Colorado team viewed as a Cup contender and active buyer ahead of the March 6 trade deadline.

Edmonton wasn't in love with the idea of moving Kulak in the Jarry trade, but to make the money work, GM Stan Bowman wasn't left with much choice. The Oilers have relied on Kulak as a depth guy who can step into a bigger role in meaningful games. He elevates his play during the postseason, which is something the Avs are likely counting on. 

The move signals that the post-Olympic trade market is beginning to heat up.

Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more. Add us to your Google News favourites, and never miss a story.

Posted on

Raiders GM tamps down trade talk around Crosby, says he expects star edge rusher to stay with team

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Las Vegas Raiders are planning to keep star edge rusher Maxx Crosby despite the trade talk around the five-time Pro Bowl pick, general manager John Spytek said Tuesday.

“Maxx is an elite player. I've been very upfront from the start since I got here, that we’re in the business of having really good players on the team, and we need a lot more of them,” Spytek said at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis.

Crosby has been rehabilitating from left knee surgery he underwent three days after the regular season ended, as speculation about his status has persisted following an NFL-worst 3-14 record for the Raiders and the firing of coach Pete Carroll after just one year on the job.

Crosby said earlier this month he doesn't want out and that the unsubstantiated reports suggesting he does make him laugh. His future with the club that drafted him in the fourth round out of Eastern Michigan in 2019 became a subject when he was placed on injured reserve with two games left against his wish, preferring to play out the season. Crosby, who has 69½ sacks in seven years, had a career-high 28 tackles for loss in 2025.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Posted on

The case for the Rockets not doing anything drastic

HOUSTON, TX - FEBRUARY 23: Alperen Sengun #28 and Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets looks on during the game against the Utah Jazz on February 23, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. 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 Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

There are 30 teams in the National Basketball Association.

(How’s that for insight?)

Some have it easier than others. That’s always been the case. The NBA practically has a caste system. Moving up a rung requires more maneuvering than Viola disguising himself as Cesario in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.

Take the Washington Wizards. They are cosmically stinky. The best player in the franchise’s history is Wes Unseld, who, with all due respect, played in an era when an NBA head coach quite literally lit stogies during games.

That was Red Auerbach, the head coach of a Celtics team that always gets to be good for no apparent reason. At least the Lakers play in Los Angeles. There’s at least a causal explanation for their never-yielding goodness.

Then, there’s the Houston Rockets.

Middle-upper class. Seldom among the best teams in the league. Rarely in the duldrums. This iteration of the team is no exception.

There are teams you’d readily trade places with. Please do not deny it. If the Spurs offered to trade rosters and assets, you would trade rosters and assets. Lest we even name The Team Who Shall Not Be Named.

Yet, as a Rockets fan, complaints will find deaf ears with over half of the league’s fanbases. They are objectively in a good spot.

Maybe they shouldn’t do anything about it.

Rockets don’t need to rush decisions

This may seem like a 180. Consider it a publicly available internal dialogue of a confused fan.

Antetokounmpo is tempting. The logic is simple. This is the best player that is likely to be available while the Rockets have assets. Get him.

If they do, you won’t find complaints from me. More broadly, the Rockets’ roster is flawed, perhaps irredeemably. We should all be cozying up to the reality that Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson are not a natural fit. Neither is a natural fit with Antetokounmpo, for the same reasons, but the logic in acquiring him would be that the Rockets are already this good with a roster flaw, so imagine how much better they’d be with an upgrade.

Yet…you’re still trading the farm without alleviating your two non-shooter problem. You’re solving your no franchise player problem, but creating a new no more assets problem. From a utility perspective, the math does not, as the kids say, math.

Questions emerge. Are we 100% sure you need a franchise player in what’s been dubbed in some circles as “the weakest link era”? No, but I land around 90%. Depth matters more than before, but it hasn’t usurped top-end talent as a priority. The best teams in the league have the best players in the league, and depth. You still need an elite player; it’s just that now, it seems more optimal to have 5 good players behind them rather than 2 elite ones.

(Unless you’re The Team Who Shall Not Be Named. Then, you’ve got Michael Jordan’s successor flanked by Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, and tremendous depth).

Are we 100% sure the Rockets don’t have a franchise player? No. I land around 85%.

It’s such a high bar. If it’s going to be Sengun, he needs to shoot about 10% better between zero-and-three feet if he’s not going to consistently shoot threes. If it’s going to be Thompson, he needs to shoot 10-15% better from deep if he’s going to functionally be a guard (and if he’s not going to be a guard, he’s not going to be a franchise player).

Reed Sheppard is an unknown variable in that sense. He can’t grow, so his three-point gravity has to be so immense as to offset his height. He’ll need to improve his handle. There’s no discernible statistical reason why he can’t be the guy, but his flaw may prove the most debilitating of the group.

Are we 100% sure the franchise player has to be currently on the roster, or Giannis Antetokounmpo?

…Now, we’ve arrived at the question.

If the Rockets think they’ll have to trade for “their guy”, they may want to consider haste. These players are not getting any younger. They’re approaching their mid-20s, and the “young player” luster will wear off quickly. That doesn’t mean they must move for Antetokounmpo, but it does mean they’ll basically have to pull the trigger on the next guy (Ant? Can Tyrese Maxey sustain his current offensive production in a winning environment, and would that make him a top-10ish player?) to hit the market.

Could they still draft that guy? The Rockets have some premium picks coming up. Between the Suns and the Nets, they’re likely to pick in the 2027 lottery. The class is seen as weak: But so was the class that yielded Antetokounmpo.

(And Nikola Jokic, by the way).

So many considerations. So much uncertainty. Here’s where it pays to be an optimist. The Rockets are still young. They still have a lot of picks. The glass is half full.

Why rush to alter a good situation? Within the next couple of years, this organization must clarify its direction. That doesn’t mean it’s pressing enough to rush into anything now. If the Rockets do decide to get Antetokounmpo, it will be a defensible decision, but perhaps the best thing to do is sit back, see what they yield with their next crop of draft picks, and make a decision from there.

The right choice could improve their class standing.

Posted on

Spring Training Game Thread #5: Milwaukee Brewers (0-4) @ Athletics (0-3)

Milwaukee Brewers
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 22: Andrew Vaughn #28 of the Milwaukee Brewers bats during the fourth inning of the spring training game against the Chicago White Sox at Camelback Ranch on February 22, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Jeremy Chen/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Cactus Crew still hasn’t been able to get their first win of spring training after losing a late lead against the Padres on Monday. Today they’ll be traveling again to face the not-Oakland-not-Las-Vegas-but-not-Sacramento Athletics.

Lefty Rob Zastryzny will get the start today for the Brewers. Righty Mason Barnett is the scheduled starter for the Athletics.

The lineup once again has a mix of some of the big-league regulars and some minor league fillers. Sal Frelick is leading off at DH followed by Brice Turang. Akil Baddoo, Blake Perkins, Tyler Black, and David Hamilton fill out the middle of the order while Reese McGuire, Luke Adams, and Greg Jones round out the bottom of the lineup. The Athletics will have a bunch of their starters in there, including Tyler Soderstrom and Jacob Wilson, who both were recently extended by the A’s.

After Zastryzny, the Brewers are expected to deploy fellow lefties Ángel Zerpa and Sammy Peralta, as well as right-handed prospect Coleman Crow, who was added to the 40-man roster earlier in the offseason.

First pitch in this one is slated for 2:05 p.m. CT and a radio broadcast is available on MLB.com.

Today’s game is available to watch as a webcast on Brewers.com for free.

Posted on

New York Yankees @ Toronto Blue Jays: Will Warren vs. Grant Rogers

TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 17: Will Warren #98 of the New York Yankees poses for a portrait during the New York Yankees Photo Day at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 17, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Last year, the Yankees were ousted by the Blue Jays in the ALDS, after having finished second behind them in the AL East on tiebreakers alone. You’d hope that this season they have some revenge on their minds when it comes to Toronto. They probably don’t need to go all out to show it today, considering this is a spring training game.

While these two teams may have some battles later this year, today’s Yankees-Blue Jays game is about continuing the prep to the 2026 regular season.

On the mound today, we’ll see the spring training debut of Will Warren. Last season, Warren showed flashes of being a very good pitcher, he just couldn’t string together consistency. His final memory of 2025 was a tough one at the hands of these Blue Jays, who homered four times off Warren in relief of Max Fried in ALDS Game 2. Especially with some Yankees’ starters still recovering from injury to start the season, the team will probably be relying on him again this season, so we’ll see if he can show any good signs today.

Despite this being a road spring training game, the Yankees are actually sending out quite the strong lineup. Eight of the nine in the lineup will probably make the Opening Day roster, led by Aaron Judge, who’s playing right and hitting second today.

Toronto’s lineup is not as star-studded, but will include a couple names you know. They’ll send pitching prospect Grant Rogers to the mound to face the Yankees’ lineup.

Here’s everything you need to know on how to catch today’s action!

How to watch

Location: TD Ballpark — Dunedin, FL

First pitch: 1:07 pm ET

TV broadcast: Sportsnet (Toronto broadcast), MLB Network (out of market only)

Radio broadcast: Sportsnet.ca (Toronto broadcast)

Online stream: Gotham Sports App, MLB.tv

Posted on

Nets vs. Mavs preview: Snow Day!

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - FEBRUARY 20: P.J Washington #25 of the Dallas Mavericks grabs the rebound during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on February 20, 2026 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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 David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – FEBRUARY 20: P.J Washington #25 of the Dallas Mavericks grabs the rebound during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on February 20, 2026 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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 David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Back home to a snowstorm! The Brooklyn Nets wrapped up their three game road trip with an afternoon affair against the Atlanta Hawks. Brooklyn had a lead for much of the game, but the Hawks closed the game on a 24-2 run to hand the Nets their fourth consecutive loss. Brooklyn leaves the road and comes home to a whole bunch of snow. Winter is no joke!

The opponent tonight is transitioning into another era. The Dallas Mavericks look pretty different these days and are likely looking ahead to the Draft. The team snapped a ten game losing streak with a road win against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday afternoon.

Where to follow the game

YES Network on TV. WFAN on radio. Gotham Sports on streaming. Tip after 7:30 p.m. ET.

🤕 Injuries

Nothing doing for Brooklyn. Another clean slate, their second in the last nine games. Extraordinary in the tanking era. The three two-ways remain with Long Island.

The following players are out:

  • Kyrie Irving
  • Cooper Flagg
  • Dereck Lively II

Ryan Nembhard and Moussa Cisse are doubtful. Daniel Gafford is questionable.

🏀 The game

Dallas won games one and two. Thanks to the Commissioner’s Cup, we get the ultra rare third cross-conference regular season matchup!

Everyone across the city is trying to dig themselves out of the snow, and the Nets are scheduled to make it back in to town early this afternoon. The Mavs were stranded in Indianapolis and as of noon hadn’t left yet. Best of luck to everyone in this one.

The Mavs have made a mess of things over the past few years, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. With Flagg playing like a franchise star, things are looking bright despite the antics of Patrick Dumont and Miriam Adelson. Dallas has one franchise player on board, and pairing Flagg with another one in the Draft could get the Mavs back in the playoffs as soon as next season. From Tyler Edsel of Mavs Moneyball:

Dallas, as an organization, needs to ask itself tough questions to figure out where we’re going here. Keep the team as is, win 32 games, and in all likelihood miss out on the best guards in the draft? Or sell off some veterans for some draft assets, set yourself up to have a step back this season and enhance your chance at acquiring Cooper Flagg’s point guard of the future.

The choice is clear and obvious. It’s time for the Mavericks to get serious about the build around Cooper Flagg, something I’ve been calling for since the Lottery in May. For the future of the organization, the Mavericks have to get this right, right now. That can only mean one thing for Dallas: It’s time to sell and race to the bottom.

A temporary setback for a major comeback, if they play their cards right. Interestingly, two former Nets — Jason Kidd, the Mavs head coach, and Matt Riccardi, the Mavs co-interim GM — will play big roles in whatever the team does going forward.

It’s taken a while, but maybe Marvin Bagley has put it all together? Bagley III came over from the Washington Wizards in the Anthony Davis trade and has done well in his new city. In five games, he’s averaging close to a double-double on 53.5 percent shooting from the field. If he can keep this up, he’ll earn a permanent spot on this team and be someone Jason Kidd can count on in the future.

The Nets are going to need to be a lot better on the boards if they want to compete tonight. Atlanta beat them by 18 in the rebounding battle on Sunday, and any team is gonna make you pay if you give them extra opportunities. Nic Claxton and Day’ron Sharpe will be tasked with fixing that area and controlling Bagley III on the other side.

👀 Player to watch: PJ Washington

The Mavs are looking to find their building blocks of the future. Washington should be one of the people Mavs ownership has in mind. Washington has had to do a little bit more on offense this season and his numbers are in the ballpark of where they were last season. At 27 years old and in the first year of an extension, he’ll be someone Dallas should be able to count on in the years to come.

What should the Nets do with Michael Porter Jr? MPJ’s been in a shooting slump, but Steve Lichtenstein thinks it could be something deeper:

“Porter suffered an MCL sprain during a January 7 game versus Orlando and sat out a few games before the All-Star break with tendonitis in that knee, though reports noted that the two injuries were unrelated. Porter’s misfires during this period, including the 7-of-8 three-point attempts in Atlanta, haven’t just been of the in-and-out variety; they’ve often been wildly off, an indication that what’s gone awry could very well be due to something physical in nature.

Considering the Nets are already 11 games out of play-in contention, the prudent course of action would be to shut Porter down, as many other teams in tanking mode have been doing when their best players suffer injuries.“

To the last point, if the league wants to knock on your door because you’re sitting a possibly injured player, let them.

Porter Jr isn’t on the injured list, so he’ll be out there. All but one of MPJ’s makes came at the rim, so the Nets are going to need to find easier shot attempts for him. He’s shown throughout this season that he can heat up at a moment’s notice. One good game could get him back on track and looking more like the player that was an All-Star candidate.

📺 From the Vault

The USA and Canada played a game for the ages for the gold medal in the last event of the Olympics on Sunday. The US captured their first gold medal in hockey since 1980 and Jack Hughes’ golden goal in overtime sealed the upset victory. For US hockey, this win was extra meaningful and as we venture back to the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, you see why…

More reading: Mavs Moneyball, SB Nation NBA, New York Post, New York Daily News, Clutch Points, Nets Wire, Steve’s Newsletter

Posted on

Dodgers on Deck: Wednesday, February 25 at Diamondbacks

salt-river-lf-scoreboard

The Dodgers on Wednesday take a trip across the valley to play the Arizona Diamondbacks at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale.

Roki Sasaki makes his first start of spring training, trying to get off to a better start in his second year in MLB.

Zac Gallen, who re-signed with Arizona this month on a one-year deal, starts on Wednesday for the D-backs.

Wednesday game info
  • Teams: Dodgers at Diamondbacks
  • Ballpark: Salt River Fields, Scottsdale
  • Time: 12:10 p.m. PT
  • TV: SportsNet LA
  • Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)
Posted on

A new era for the Braves could mean new “rules” for future contract extensions

ATLANTA, GA - JULY 14: Andrew Abbott #41 and Elly De La Cruz #44 of the Cincinnati Reds pose for a photo with Ronald Acuna Jr. #13 and Chris Sale #51 of the Atlanta Braves during the All-Star Press Conference at Coca-Cola Roxy on Monday, July 14, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

What a week, and it’s only Tuesday! This Tuesday morning was a momentous one within Braves Country as the team made back-to-back huge announcements. The first was that the long-rumored Braves TV network is real and figures to be spectacular. BravesVision will, in fact, be ready to go for the 2026 regular season and beyond.

On top of that huge news, the Braves proceeded to announce that they’d come to an agreement with Chris Sale on a contract extension that guarantees that he’ll be around here for 2027 along with a club option for 2028. Sale will now be getting paid $27 million for 2027 and then potentially $30 million for the season after that if all goes well.

Between the fact that the Braves are now once again masters of their own domain when it coms to TV and streaming and also the fact that they just made Chris Sale the highest-paid player on the team for 2027 (and very likely for 2028 if all goes well over the next two seasons), it’s pretty clear that we’ve entered into a new era when it comes to the Atlanta Braves and their position in baseball. The Battery has clearly worked out very well for this ballclub, and now they’ll have a self-owned and operated TV product to sell to distributors.

It’s pretty clear that finances won’t be a major issue for this franchise going forward. Now granted, it won’t be like they’re the Dodgers or the Mets where they can just hand out a blank check to anybody they want. If that was the case then we would’ve seen either Chris Bassitt or Lucas Giolito wearing a Braves uniform by this time during spring training. However, it does mean that if they want to go after someone in free agency and it makes even a moderate amount of sense, it’s totally feasible that this team could go out and make some splashes in free agency.

With that being said, it also means that their resources for keeping any of their core players via contract extensions should be expanded going forward. I think y’all know where I’m going with this.

The Braves still have some time left between now and the season where they’ll ultimately have to make sure this gets done, as they have a club option on Ronald Acuña Jr.‘s contract for both 2027 and 2028. With that being said, I do feel like any time before that 2028 season would be a great time to strike while the iron is hot and make sure that this guy stays here for as long as both parties deem it possible. I also know that this would be a very tricky undertaking, what with Acuña’s injury concerns and also the fact that he’ll be in position to try to maximize his earnings after taking the extremely team-friendly contract extension that he’s currently on. It’s not going to be as simple as “He’ll give the Braves a hometown discount” or “The Braves’ll just give him what he wants” and that’s something that needs to be acknowledged in any speculation that’s going on.

With that being said, the (well-earned) contract extension for Chris Sale raised an eyebrow from me for one reason and one reason alone (well, aside from the fact that Sale will be knocking directly on the door of Age-40 once 2028 rolls around): They’re going to be paying him $27 million for 2027 and potentially $30 million for 2028. As our friends over at Braves Today pointed out, the Braves have usually used $22 million as a sort of ceiling when it comes to their contract dealings. That number didn’t come out of nowhere, either — the one thing that Matt Olson, Austin Riley and Spencer Strider all have in common is that they’ll be getting paid $22 million for 2027 and 2028.

So, the fact that the Braves have broken that ceiling by $5 million for 2027 and $8 million by 2028 seems to indicate that that “ceiling” may no longer exist. Between that and the fact that the team only has $59 million committed to payroll (outside of team options) for the 2029 season, it feels like they could be eying that year as the one where they could potentially start Acuña’s contract extension and begin paying him what should/would be a substantial pay raise from what he’s currently bringing in. So really, 2028 could be the actual make-or-break year when it comes to either making sure Acuña stays around for a long, long time or if they’ll have to wave farewell to him like the handful of other former Braves stars who made their name here and made their real money elsewhere.

While those decisions in the past were painful, they were understandable in their own ways. Well, maybe the Freddie Freeman situation was the only one where it was truly a debacle but every other decision ultimately came down to dollars and cents. Again, this is purely speculation on my end but I do feel like the timing of the Chris Sale contract extension announcement immediately after the BravesVision announcement felt like a statement of intent from the franchise.

We’re still a bit away from when this needs to be a super pressing issue for both the Braves and Ronald Acuña Jr. but for now at least, I feel like there’s more hope of both parties being able to make some serious headway on any potential contract extension now than there was before. It also feels like something that’s actually tangible especially if the TV network takes off like the Braves figure it could. If they’re essentially printing money from The Battery and any TV distribution deals then the money should be there. It all comes down to whether both parties want it to happen.

We’ll see what happens down the road — things could certainly get complicated if Acuña suffers another serious injury between now and serious contract talks or he has another monster season that causes tomorrow’s price to no longer be yesterday’s price. There’s no telling what the future holds but at least for now, Atlanta’s future with Acuña may not have as many financial hurdles as previously anticipated.