Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor is close to ramping up his activity following surgery for a stress reaction in his left hamate bone.
Lindor, who had the surgery two weeks ago, recently got his stitches out and is roughly two-to-three days away from being cleared to start doing some "impact" activities, manager Carlos Mendoza said on Wednesday.
The expectation from the Mets all along has been that Lindor will be ready for Opening Day on March 26.
Speaking on Feb. 15, Lindor said he was "optimistic" he would be back by then.
While Lindor has been unable to swing a bat or field grounders since his surgery, he has been a constant presence at spring training, often on the dirt for infield drills he can't fully participate in just yet.
SNY spoke with a sports surgeon earlier this month about Lindor's injury, timeline to return (expected to be roughly six weeks from the surgery), and the potential impact the surgery might have on his power upon his return.
"The hamate is a bone of the wrist that has a small hook on it. The hook is a weak point, susceptible to fracture from either getting hit directly or from repetitive stress," said Deepak Chona, MD, a Stanford and Harvard-trained orthopedic sports surgeon and founder of SportsMedAnalytics. "In Lindor’s case, it's a stress injury, which means it’s likely been developing for some time from the repetitive motion of the bat against that portion of his hand. Surgical treatment involves cutting out the fractured hook, and carries high success rates."
Chona noted that Lindor's six-week timeline is "likely very realistic," adding that the performance outlook upon his return is "favorable, with data demonstrating no significant change in WAR or power after surgery."
As far as the power aspect?
"Most likely, this timing correlates with the recovery of grip strength and control of the bat," Chona said. "This dips after surgery (1) because of the generalized trauma/swelling to the muscles of the hand and (2) because the part of the bone (called the hook of the hamate) that they cut out to treat the fracture is involved in generating grip force as well."
One thing that could favor Lindor is that he's a switch-hitter who is having surgery on the hand that is dominant when he hits right-handed. That could be especially important for Lindor when you consider that he'll be hitting left-handed far more often, and that the majority of his home run power comes from the left side. Just seven of Lindor's 24 home runs in 2025 came from the right side of the plate, and his OPS as a lefty was nearly .200 points higher than it was as a righty.
"The area near the hamate sees greater force on a left hand when batting right-handed, so it’s possible – if not likely – that Lindor being a switch hitter may help him bounce back faster than other batters," Chona said.
"Limited data exists, but we’d anticipate a greater effect when he bats right-handed early on in the recovery. By one-to-two months post-return, most data suggests he’d be near his baseline level from both sides of the plate."
In the event Lindor is not ready for Opening Day, Ronny Mauricio and Vidal Brujan could be among the options to fill in.
The 11th-year Sun Devils coach saw his team drop to 5-10 in Big 12 play following a 90-78 loss to TCU on Tuesday, Feb. 24. To add injury to insult, Hurley was also knocked down during a dustup, falling to the floor, about midway through the second half.
A brief sideline scrap between the two teams began when Bryce Ford was forced to call a timeout after Arizona State's Andrija Grbović set a successful trap near the Sun Devil bench. Grbović and Ford continued to tussle after the whistle.
Members of both teams ran near the ASU bench, with shoving ensuing, with Hurley pushing Horned Frogs center Vianney Salatchoum back, and TCU coach Jamie Dixon also got involved. In all of it, it appears Hurley tripped over someone's feet and tumbled to the floor.
Despite the brief scuffle, no players or coaches were ejected. Still, it was another bad chapter in the last two seasons for Hurley. The Sun Devils fell to 13-12 overall and are tied for the 12th-worst record in the Big 12.
Last season, ASU finished 15th in the conference and has not had a winning season since the 2022-23 season. Hurley is in the final year of his contract and is widely seen as a lame duck head coach.
This time last year, A.J. Ewingwas a prospect who was considered to have some upside but ended up ranking just outside of the top 30 prospects in the Mets' system. A year later, Ewing is a consensus top 100 prospect in the sport, ranking as high as No. 28 in baseball by ESPN.
Ewing gave a glimpse into his game during the Mets' first spring training game in Port St. Lucie when he showed off his range, going back on one fly ball and into the gap on another, seemingly with ease. His above-average arm also flashed when he threw a runner out at third trying to advance from second. He also worked a professional at-bat late in the game, resulting in a sacrifice fly for the only run the Mets scored in the game.
His performance in that game and thus far this spring has caught the eye of Mets manager Carlos Mendoza.
"There’s a lot to like there," Mendoza said. "And the defense, he made a couple of good plays, good jumps. His ability to give a good at bat, I have been really encouraged so far."
The Mets selected Ewing in the fourth round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of Springboro High School in Ohio with the compensatory pick they received when Jacob deGrom signed with the Rangers. Ewing was signed away from a commitment to the University of Alabama with an over slot bonus of $675,000. He posted a .751 OPS in 90 games split between the Florida Complex League and Low-A St. Lucie in his first full professional season in 2024.
Heading into 2025, the Mets assigned Ewing to repeat Low-A St. Lucie.
"I told A.J. towards the end of spring training, 'Hey, you’re going back to PSL to start," Mets senior vice president of baseball development Andy Green told SNY’s The Mets Pod. Ewing’s response to Green: "That’s OK, I will be in Brooklyn by the end of the month."
Ewing’s proclamation came true, as he slashed .400/.506/.615 in 18 games with Low-A St. Lucie and was promoted to High-A Brooklyn before the end of April, making his Brooklyn debut on April 29.
Growing up in Ohio, Ewing exclusively played in the infield, mostly shortstop, but the Mets believed his raw athleticism would translate to the outfield as a professional.
While it is expected that Ewing will continue to maintain versatility in the dirt playing second base, the focus for both him and the organization is going to be on working to become an elite defensive center fielder.
"He has all the athleticism to play center field at an elite level," Green said. "He has work to do to get to that level, but he has everything you look for."
He made significant strides defensively in 2025, mostly based on his plus speed. The next step, according to Mets people, will be improving his routes and jumps. Those typically come with experience and reps. Ewing has appeared in just 132 games in center field in his life.
Feb 21, 2026; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; New York Mets center fielder A.J. Ewing runs back to the dugout against the Miami Marlins during the sixth inning at Clover Park. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
When asked what his goals were to take the next step in his development in 2026, the first words out of Ewing’s mouth were about defense: "I think it’s the defensive part. I play a premium position in center field, and I think there’s a lot of value in that if I can become elite out there."
The success offensively carried over to Brooklyn, where he slashed .288/.387/.388 with 16 doubles, four triples and 44 stolen bases in 78 games before being promoted to Double-A Binghamton, which was the third minor league level he played at in 2025.
Ewing played a key role in Binghamton’s run to winning the Eastern League Championship. The interesting dichotomy in minor league baseball and player development is that players inherently must focus on self-improvement, but winning games is also important.
"Winning that (the Eastern League Championship) was awesome," Ewing said. "It creates a winning culture with us as teammates and we are friends in the clubhouse. It is about development, but you want to win because winning is what matters."
Ewing’s final 2025 season line was .315/.401/.429 with 26 doubles, 10 triples, three home runs, 55 runs batted in and 70 stolen bases in 124 games.
What may stand out is that he hit just three home runs in those 124 games. Especially in a time when there is focus on max exit velocities and home run power, that is not an emphasis on Ewing’s game.
"It is line drives all over the field," Green said. "It’s quality at-bats, and there are not a lot of players in professional baseball capable of stealing 70 bases. You’re talking about a guy who can get on base at the level he can, defend the field and steal bases, power doesn’t have to exist, but we do believe he has the attributes that eventually lead to power."
Even if home run power does not end up being a large part of his game, Ewing does show ability to impact the baseball with line drives and has shown above average exit velocities. He combines this with at least above average bat-to-ball skills and swing decisions.
Ewing is likely to start 2026 with Double-A Binghamton at just 21 years old, which will put him three years younger than the average pitcher he will face in the league. If he picks up where he left off in 2025, he should find himself in Triple-A in 2026, where he’d be nearly six years younger than the average pitcher in the International League and then just a call away from the big leagues.
He is an above-average defensive center fielder right now with the traits to be even better. He looks the part of a table-setter who hits for average and gets on base while causing havoc on the basepaths as a nearly elite baserunner.
Ewing has a chance to be a complete player who could be considered among the best prospects in baseball in the next few months.
The sports corruption trial of former Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz and recently arraigned co-defendant Robinson Vasquez Germosen remains scheduled for May 4, but legal maneuvers involving the receipt of discovery from the Department of Justice could delay it. If a magistrate grants either Ortiz or Vasquez their request for more time to prepare defenses, that could also push back the date.
Whenever the trial commences, it figures to be an adversarial proceeding, with Ortiz’s attorneys, who have sought a separate trial, contending that they will call one of Clase’s attorneys as a witness. They will also deny that Ortiz knew anything about what the government alleges: that the pitchers conspired to alter the location or speed of numerous pitches to allow gamblers to win prop bets on them.
Ortiz asking for a severed trial centers around his contention that as a late addition to a Clase’s gambling scheme that spanned parts of three seasons — he’s alleged to have rigged pitches for gamblers in two games from May through June last season — his involvement would be unfairly equated with Clase’s. Federal prosecutors claim Clase, who recruited Ortiz and communicated with gamblers about their alleged activities, is accused of attempting to rig pitches on far more occasions, upward of 48 from 2023-25 that have been alleged in court filings so far.
Ortiz (on right in above photo) and Clase (on left) are each charged with four counts: wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sports betting contests by bribery, and money laundering conspiracy. Both pitchers pleaded not guilty. Vasquez is charged with one count of wire fraud conspiracy.
A fourth co-defendant has not been named.
Gamblers allegedly won as much as $58,000 on some of the 19 documented Clase pitches in question, including $4,000 on one in Game 1 of the 2024 American League Division Series against Detroit. Clase bounced his first pitch of the ninth inning to Matt Vierling, but retired the side in order to close out a 7-0 victory. Cleveland won the series in five games.
Documents filed by attorneys for Ortiz, Clase, and federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York (EDNY) reveal potential adversarial defense strategies. Clase’s attorneys filed paperwork supporting Ortiz’s request, citing their client’s desire for a May 4 trial.
Clase continues to favor that date, because an exoneration would allow him to receive his scheduled $6.4 million salary for the 2026 MLB season, according to his attorneys. Both Clase and Ortiz remain on paid administrative leave through an agreement by MLB and the players’ union.
Vasquez’s attorneys contend that they won’t be adequately prepared for trial before September. Ortiz’s attorneys filed documents contending that they are “unavailable” in October, but could begin a defense on Nov. 9.
Federal prosecutors oppose splitting the cases.
Revelations of potential conflicting defenses from these filings include:
Defense strategy
Ortiz now claims that he didn’t actually participate in a gambling scheme knowingly and was an unwitting, non-complicit victim. His attorneys claim that Clase used scouting reports and casual conversations with his teammate to anticipate Ortiz’s strategies, which Clase then relayed to gamblers.
Clase is expected to argue that no inside information was shared, refuting federal prosecutors’ allegations that the ring used code words like “chicken” and “rooster” to communicate the pitchers’ intentions.
Contradictions
Ortiz will contend that a conspiracy existed, but that he wasn’t a part of it.
Clase will contend there was no conspiracy.
A jury accepting one premise would in theory hurt the other, although federal prosecutors said in a response to Ortiz’s severance request: “If Clase shared the information without Ortiz’s knowledge and without paying Ortiz a kickback, a jury could conclude that Clase was not involved in a conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery, because the pitcher (Ortiz) was not bribed.”
Ortiz must explain the $5,000 and $7,000 payments that the government alleges were made to him after he supposedly rigged pitches on June 15, 2025 and June 27, 2025. If he concedes that they were payments for acts he didn’t agree to commit, he would still incriminate Clase as the cog of a conspiracy.
Ortiz’s lawyers told the EDNY before he was indicted that he had not communicated with Clase during either the June 15 or June 27 games. Now Ortiz contends that he shared information with Clase before those games, but without any inclination that it would be used to make prop bets. This flip is potentially damaging to both, because it implicates Clase in a conspiracy.
Ortiz’s attorneys have indicated they plan to call one of Clase’s attorneys to impeach a witness, Bettor 1, that implicated Clase in the scheme.
Ultimately, federal prosecutors argue that the Ortiz and Clase defenses are not legally “mutually antagonistic” and therefore they can be tried fairly at the same time. From the response to Ortiz’s request to sever: “Critically, Ortiz is incorrect that a determination that Ortiz did not participate in the conspiracy mandates a finding that Clase did … In short, Ortiz’s proffered defenses do not constitute ‘mutual’ antagonism.”
EAST MEADOW, NY -- Nobody wants to see players get hurt but sadly it's a part of the game. Unfortunately for the Pittsburgh Penguins, who the New York Islanders trail by one point in the standings for second place in the Metropolitan Division, Sidney Crosby is going to miss some time.
Forward Sidney Crosby (lower-body) has been placed on Injured Reserve.
Crosby sustained a lower-body injury in the 2026 Winter Olympic Semi-finals and will be sidelined for a minimum of four weeks. While Evgeni Malkin usually rises to the occasion when No. 87 is out, it's a major blow to a team that many didn't think would be where they are in the standings.
Regardless of how well the Penguins play out of the break, the Islanders are in control of their own playoff destiny. They are four points up on the Washington Capitals and Columbus Blue Jackets -- Columbus has two games in hand on the Islanders.
The Islanders play Columbus in their second game back from break but first is a matchup with the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday at 7 PM ET.
It’s a showdown of No. 1 seeds tonight in Motor City, with the Detroit Pistons trying to cement their NBA Finals credentials against the depleted but relentless Oklahoma City Thunder.
Some of Detroit’s flaws were exposed earlier this week in a double-digit loss to the Spurs, and my Thunder vs. Pistons predictions expect OKC to put up a fight despite key absences, with Cason Wallace doing his best SGA impression.
Take a closer look at this marquee matchup with my free NBA picks on Wednesday, February 25.
Thunder vs Pistons prediction
Thunder vs Pistons best bet: Cason Wallace Over 11.5 points (-120)
With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams on the shelf, the stage was set for a monster Chet Holmgren stretch. Instead, it’s increasingly been the Cason Wallace show.
Wallace torched the Raptors on Tuesday with 27 points on 11-for-16 shooting, and that’s where Oklahoma City Thunder coach Mark Daigneault went when he needed a bucket. The third-year guard is averaging 14.2 points per game in February, and he’s 8-for-13 from beyond the arc in his last two.
Wallace has cashed this Over in five of his past six road outings, and he’ll be the X-factor against a physical Detroit Pistons defense tonight.
Thunder vs Pistons same-game parlay
Wallace has played 30-plus minutes in three straight, and the heavy lifting should continue. This week’s scoring tear hasn’t taken anything away from his defense, and he’s grabbed 4+ rebounds in six of his last seven contests.
Even on the second night of a back-to-back set, I see OKC bringing the fight. The visitors are 7-2-1 against the spread in their past 10 games and 21-7 straight up on the road. Cade Cunningham is coming off a 5-for-26 dud against the Spurs, and now he’ll have to deal with the Thunder’s perimeter stoppers.
Thunder vs Pistons SGP
Cason Wallace Over 11.5 points
Cason Wallace Over 3.5 rebounds
Thunder +8.5
Our "from downtown" SGP: Boards bonanza!
With two terrific defensive teams, I’m banking on a lot of missed shots, and this SGP taps into a feeding frenzy on the glass at both ends. Cade has grabbed 6+ rebounds in five straight, and Jalen Duren has had 13+ in consecutive contests, while OKC had a 49-34 rebounding edge over Toronto last night.
Thunder vs Pistons SGP
Cade Cunningham Over 5.5 rebounds
Jalen Duren Over 11.5 rebounds
Cason Wallace Over 3.5 rebounds
Lu Dort Over 3.5 rebounds
Thunder vs Pistons odds
Spread: Thunder +8 (-110) | Pistons -8 (-110)
Moneyline: Thunder +240 | Pistons -300
Over/Under: Over 220.5 (-110) | Under 220.5 (-110)
Thunder vs Pistons betting trend to know
The Pistons are just 8-13 ATS against Western Conference opponents this season. Find more NBA betting trends for Thunder vs. Pistons.
How to watch Thunder vs Pistons
Location
Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI
Date
Wednesday, February 25, 2026
Tip-off
7:30 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN
Thunder vs Pistons latest injuries
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There is no Athletics baseball today, as the team has a day off to right the ship and regroup. The A’s have been outscored 33-4 through their first four spring games — all losses by sizable margins. Last season, the A’s offense was one of the best in the league, yet this year they have not scored in half their games and have yet to hit a home run.
That said, it is far too early to panic. It is still February, and spring training results are always taken with a grain of salt. Starting position players only play half the game if at all before sitting to let the youngsters play. The pitching staffs are like turnstiles with new pitchers entering the game every inning to showcase their abilities against opposing hitters. Those factors make this part of the MLB calendar a more relaxing atmosphere for players and spectators alike.
However, that does not mean teams and fans cannot evaluate players during preseason action to see who has improved over the offseason and who looks ready for Opening Day. For instance, has a pitcher decided to use a new pitch and if so, how does it look against hitters? Pitching will be the focus of camp. The offense is strong, but the staff must improve for the team to take the next step. So far, the A’s have not had many positive pitching performances aside from J.T. Ginn and Luis Severino’s stellar spring debuts against the San Francisco Giants and Cleveland Guardians.
At the moment, the A’s offense is lagging behind, but that could be due to the likes of Nick Kurtz, Brent Rooker and Tyler Soderstrom needing to get their timing back and shake off any offseason rust. Fortunately, the A’s have nearly a full month of spring training remaining to sort out any kinks, get the offense rolling and prepare for what they hope will be a successful 2026 campaign.
Jamie Arnold will make his A’s debut on Friday. Can he quickly ascend to the Majors like Nick Kurtz and Jacob Wilson did or will the left-hander need more time to develop in the minor leagues?
Luis Severino is one of many A’s players representing their countries in the World Baseball Classic, which starts March 5. He will toe the rubber for the Dominican Republic when they play Netherlands.
Estos serán los abridores de República Dominicana para la primera ronda del World Baseball Classic 2026, según anunció el dirigente Albert Pujols:
Cristopher Sánchez vs. Nicaragua Luis Severino vs. Países Bajos Brayan Bello vs. Israel Sandy Alcántara vs. Venezuela pic.twitter.com/WKHPLBsYT8
Oct 31, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) and pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) and pitcher Blake Snell (7) and pitcher Tyler Glasnow (31) celebrate with the Commissioner's Trophy in the clubhouse after defeating the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2025 MLB World Series at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
After four consecutive years of running out of starting pitchers in October, the Dodgers last year saw the other side of that coin, with all of their top four starters healthy and thriving during the postseason.
There isn’t one cheat code to win in October — after all, the Dodgers had three-ish starting pitchers healthy in 2024 but rode a strong bullpen and monstrous offense to a championship anyway. In 2025, the postseason bullpen and the offense was functional but not dynamic, but they had Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, and Shohei Ohtani make all 17 starts. Then all four starters pitched in Game 7 of the World Series to close it out.
Glasnow makes his first start this spring on Thursday against the Chicago White Sox at Camelback Ranch, coming off of a regular season that saw him make 18 starts and 90 1/3 innings. The last three seasons have the top three start totals of his career — 21 starts in 2023, 22 in 2024, before 18 last year, averaging 114 2/3 innings during those three seasons.
Snell might not be ready to start the regular season, but the Dodgers will likely be conservative in making sure he’s fully ready before joining the rotation. That’s how they treated the shoulder-related stints on the injured list for both Snell and Glasnow last season.
Ohtani during his three full two-way seasons with the Angels (2021-23) started 23, 28, and 23 games, the latter cut short in August with the elbow injury that led to his second career Tommy John surgery. This spring, his pitching build up will be on the back fields both in spring training and at least through his time with Japan in the World Baseball Classic. We saw last year as Ohtani was eased into the rotation, the Dodgers are comfortable with having their extra 14th pitcher start games even if he’s not fully stretched out, as they’ll usually have a full complement of bullpen arms to back him.
Mar 1, 2025; Port Charlotte, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Shane McClanahan (18) throws a pitch against the New York Mets in the second inning during spring training at Charlotte Sports Park. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
With Shane McClanahan hopefully returning to the rotation for the first time in two seasons, the Rays will need to manage his workload carefully to ensure he’s healthy for October – both this year and beyond. The goal isn’t necessarily to restrict or limit him, but to preserve his health while also allowing him to provide value in a structured way.
The most effective way to do that while maximizing overall rotation performance may be to abandon the traditional five-man model altogether.
Optimizing Performance
Below I’ve listed wOBA-against for starting pitchers by the number of days between starts for the league across the last decade including the postseason. For instance, two days since a pitchers most recent start would mean they had one day of rest (Player A pitched on a Monday, rested on Tuesday, and then pitched again on Wednesday):
Number of Days Rest Between Starts
wOBA-against
1 Day
.338
2 Days
.325
3 Days
.326
4 Days (Traditional 5-man rotation)
.319
5 Days (Proposed 5.5-man rotation)
.316
6 Days
.321
7 Days
.318
8 Days
.321
Two points of wOBA is worth roughly one run per 600 plate appearances. Over 3,600 batters (about what a rotation faces in a season), a three-point improvement translates to roughly nine runs, or about one to two wins. Of course, with off-days, rainouts, injuries, etc. not every start in a season will be made with five days between starts, but there’s still a clear benefit to aiming for that amount of rest. A one-win edge may seem marginal, but teams routinely spend millions of dollars in free agency to gain that same advantage. While these are marginal performance gains, the primary benefit would be sustainable usage/workloads and – as a byproduct of that – possibly reduced injury risk.
A six-man rotation would also maximize the number of starts made on five days of rest. However, it can limit bullpen flexibility unless there are multiple, optionable multi-inning relievers available on the 40-man. Unlike a six-man rotation, this approach intentionally caps McClanahan’s workload per outing while maintaining five traditional starters.
What a Rays 5.5-Man Rotation Could Look like
The deepest area of the roster may be the starting pitching group. They’ve got 10 guys on the 40-man roster who could realistically start games in the majors this season:
Among this group, Rasmussen, Pepiot, and Martinez are all guys who will likely start without many limitations. The rest will have limitations in some capacity due to a variety of factors (recovery from injury, previous season’s workload, strike throwing consistency) but are still valuable in bulk and starting roles. Any shift away from the traditional five-day cycle would require buy-in from pitchers accustomed to routine.
There are also a handful of guys not on the 40-man roster who are capable of pitching in bulk and starter roles if needed: Chase Solesky, Jake Woodford (who we recently profiled), and Logan Workman.
The health of the group coming out of spring training will largely determine who is on the Opening Day roster. If the Rays were to go with a 5.5-man rotation, they would carry six pitchers from this group. The obvious counterargument is that it would shorten bullpen depth. However, if they carried a seventh pitcher capable of 3-4 inning outings in tandem with the “half” starter, they could avoid overusing their short-relief options. Those innings would be planned and assigned to designated multi-inning arms, rather than spread across high-leverage relievers. Boyle, Seymour, Englert, and Scholtens all have options, so they could easily rotate in and out of that role throughout the season to help keep the bullpen fresh.
Below is an example of what it could look like in practice.
The exact names at the back of the rotation and in the bullpen are less important than the conceptual part of how this could all fit together. The greatest area of depth (and possibly the roster’s greatest strength) on the roster is their starting pitching/bulk options, so why not leverage that in a creative way to get the most out of the pitching staff as a whole? The swingman in the bullpen would primarily be used in combination with the half-starter but could be deployed in tandem with another starter depending on the context of a game.
SP: Drew Rasmussen
SP: Ryan Pepiot
SP: Nick Martinez
SP: Yoendrys Gomez
SP: Joe Boyle
Half-starter: Shane McClanahan
Bulk/swingman: Steven Matz
RP: Griffin Jax
RP: Edwin Uceta
RP: Garrett Cleavinger
RP: Bryan Baker
RP: Hunter Bigge
RP: Steven Wilson
A 5.5-man rotation wouldn’t be a gimmick. It would be a structural hedge against injury and fatigue through workload management – and a way to ensure McClanahan is at full strength when the games matter most.
The Rays have long embraced incremental edges, even when they challenge convention. This would simply extend a philosophy that has already produced openers, bulk relievers, and fluid roles.
Feb 24, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Boston Celtics guard Derrick White celebrates against the Phoenix Suns in the second half at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
#1 – Two underdogs with similarities
When the season started, rare were those who expected the Phoenix Suns and the Celtics to be competing for playoff spots in their respective conferences. The franchise from Arizona traded their superstar Kevin Durant and had to let Bradley Beal go to rebuild a team around Devin Booker and the new coach Jordan Ott.
In the meantime, the Celtics saw the departures of Luke Kornet and Al Horford, traded Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday for economic reasons, and started the season without their franchise player, Jayson Tatum.
Feb 24, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla reacts against the Phoenix Suns in the second half at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
However, both of these teams were able to build strong teams and perform beyond expectations thanks to a few common strategic aspects. Phoenix, like Boston, increased its presence on the offensive glass and they both became among the best teams in that category. They also both increased their defensive pressure with more forced turnovers and, finally, they shot a lot of shots from beyond the line.
With these tactical tricks and the belief that the group could overachieve whatever the public might predict, these two teams are showing you can still be great after losing superstars. Now, time to deep dive into their matchup last night.
#2 – Derrick White as a leader
Jaylen Brown out, Payton Pritchard without rhythm, it was Derrick White’s turn to put the team on his back — and he did it, on both sides of the court. Yet, what is crazy about White as a leader is that he is doing it by making the team shine, with or without the ball. Offensively, most of his scoring came off the ball, as the team was setting screens all over the place to create chaos and play quickly in transition.
His ability to stay connected to the play and make rapid decisions to exploit any gap in the defense is what makes him one of the best connectors in the NBA. It’s simple and yet so important. After Nikola Vucevic screens for Payton Pritchard, he presents himself to offer a solution and be the connector between PP and Vooch so the big man can punish the mismatch.
Or here, when he receives the ball, quickly understands the defense made a mistake in their rotation, and finds Neemias Queta for the best shot possible.
On defense too, he always stays connected even when he looks a little late. On that play, you first think he is stuck in the screen, but he is able to use his timing, length, and hand-eye coordination to block the shot from behind.
22 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 blocks, and 1 steal… it doesn’t get better than that, and that’s exactly what the Celtics needed.
#3 – Harper the starter
Ron Harper Jr. not only started, but played 30 minutes of great Celtics basketball and proved he deserved every second he spent on the floor. His length and mobility are such important components of the Celtics’ defensive structure. He can defend larger dudes or smaller guards because of that body frame and his sense of the game.
He is also very active in the help, always ready to switch or trap the ball handler, leading to a lot of transition opportunities last night.
Offensively, he was well prepared to be present in the corner, to cut, and to keep the ball moving. Yet, his biggest added value came on the offensive glass with 4 rebounds and a lot of pressure on the defensive structure anytime a Celtic took a shot.
His energy and discipline would go a long way if he keeps that defensive intensity. Let’s hope the shooting will come and the Celtics could have a great 3-and-D player for the coming years. And he might not be the only one.
#4 – Baylor brings balance
Maybe it is the haircut, maybe it’s the vibe, or maybe it’s bigger than that, but Baylor Scheierman reminds me a lot of Luke Skywalker — and like Luke before him, he brings balance. While Jordan Walsh or Hugo Gonzalez remind me more of Jar Jar Binks with their crazy moves and high-intensity stretches, Baylor brings something far more stable, on both sides of the court.
On offense, he brings spacing while also being the best of the rest at navigating space with the ball. Like White, he is great at connecting the offense and making sure the gap created is exploited.
Similarly to Harper, he also brings a lot of juice on the glass and finished with another double-double with 11 rebounds last night. His defense isn’t as flashy as Walsh and Hugo’s, but it might be more impactful because he rarely makes mistakes. He reads the game so well that he anticipates the movement of the ball and his matchups.
As the season unfolds, it isn’t a surprise to see him getting this many minutes and becoming the fifth starter who brings balance to the team. But enough with Star Wars — now, let’s talk about play-calling!
#5 – Spain under the Sun
The Spain pick-and-roll has been a classic in basketball for a while now, but I remember when the Suns, with Chris Paul, Devin Booker, and DeAndre Ayton, played it so well in 2021 they almost won a title that year.
Well, the Celtics made sure to pay their respects to the 2021 Suns and played it on their first half-court possession. This play was not only a tribute to the former Suns, but also a very smart way to punish Mark Williams’ low positioning and lack of mobility.
This play is really great against this defensive coverage because it will always create a gap in the defense. Here, the Suns try not to defend the pick too high and close out pretty well on Sam Hauser, but there is a continuity option in the corner and Walsh plays it very smartly (well played by Queta too, who made sure the rim remained open for Jordan).
What is pretty nice with that play too is that the defensive structure often collapses, which opens opportunities for offensive rebounds, and the Celtics made sure to capitalize on that.
#6 – Offensive rebounds surge
Per cleaningtheglass.com, the Celtics grabbed offensive rebounds on 51.5% of their half-court offensive possessions. That’s literally the best offensive glass performance of the season for Joe Mazzulla’s team. And it had a HUGE impact.
To give a bit of perspective, the Celtics shot only 40% from the field, while the Suns shot 36%. So theoretically, the game should have been close… but the Celtics had 16 more field-goal attempts!
It was a collective effort, not only Neemias Queta or Baylor Scheierman fighting for extra possessions. On the play above, Queta isn’t even below the rim, but still, there are three Celtics fighting for the offensive glass and getting it done.
#7 – 11 points allowed in the third
After a pretty close first half, the Celtics wanted to send a message and show that their elite defense is back. Straight out of the break, the Celtics displayed an impressive defensive possession where everyone is fighting through screens, guys are helping in the gaps, and Queta is protecting the paint from behind as a safety. It caused a contested shot after 24 seconds of possession, showing the Suns didn’t figure out the Celtics’ defense.
The Celtics bet on the Suns missing their three-pointers and dared them to shoot while making sure the paint stayed protected. The result speaks for itself, as the Suns shot 1-for-9 from beyond the line and scored only 11 points overall in 12 minutes. The willingness to defend was on full display with this impressive transition defense from Scheierman and Harper, concluded by a bucket from Hugo.
The Celtics tried the double-big lineup with Vucevic and Queta… and it didn’t really work that time. I think the goal was to put even more pressure on the offensive glass while protecting the paint… but it also had a double negative effect.
First of all, on offense, the spacing shrank when the two big men were on the court, leading to far fewer driving lanes and weaker outside shooting to stretch the Suns’ defense.
On defense, the mobility and help defense decreased a lot with these two on the court at the same time. The Suns quickly understood it and involved their two matchups in screening actions. As both Queta and Vucevic were in drop coverage, the Celtics defenders had far less help and it created gaps in the defense.
Joe Mazzulla quickly put an end to that and went back to a more traditional way of using his big men for better spacing.
#9 – Centers as a hub
In the previous ten takeaways, we looked into the difference in offense with Queta and Vooch. Last night was a great example of how the Celtics can use them both in the same way: as offensive hubs.
Because Queta doesn’t shoot from three, the only way he can stretch defenders away from the paint is to have the ball in his hands. Because of that, Mark Williams is taken away from the rim and the Suns’ defense becomes weaker. It’s simple and yet very efficient.
These types of plays can be replicated with Vucevic as a hub because the former Bull is also pretty skilled with the ball in his hands and can pass from different angles.
Yes, both plays are pretty similar — and that’s the beauty of it. Different players, same play, same outcome.
#10 – Another quiet impactful night for Queta
Speaking of big men, Queta was very impactful last night, beyond the box score. His deep drop positioning really worked well against this team, and that was another impressive defensive night for the Celtics thanks to him. He was the player with the most contested shots last night, while also producing the most points thanks to screen assists.
The Portuguese big man keeps showing that he deserves that starting center spot for all the little things he brings that don’t always show up in raw stats but are definitely impactful for team performance.”
DENVER, COLORADO - DECEMBER 23: Brock Nelson #11 talks to Gabriel Landeskog #92 of the Colorado Avalanche during a pause in the game against the Utah Mammoth at Ball Arena on December 23, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Ashley Potts/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The Olympic break is finally over!
After a three week pause for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, the Colorado Avalanche kick off the next phase of their historic 2025 – 2026 campaign for one last(?) visit to Salt Lake City to face the Utah Mammoth.
Colorado Avalanche (37-9-9)
The Opponent: Utah Mammoth (30-23-4)
Time: 7:00 P.M. MST/9:00 P.M. EST
Watch: ALT, ALT+ (Avalanche Broadcast Area), KUPX-TV (Utah Broadcast Area), ESPN+, NHL Center Ice (Outside Regional Broadcast Areas – US), SN+, NHL Centre Ice (Canadian Broadcast Areas)
Listen: Altitude Sports Radio KKSE-FM 92.5 FM
Colorado Avalanche
The Avalanche won’t have the luxury of easing their way into the swing of things as the NHL schedule resumes. They play five games in seven days right out of the chute, with four of those games coming in two back-to-back contests. Tonight’s game against Utah marks the first in those pairs of back-to-back games; the Avs will face the Minnesota Wild for the first time on Ball Arena ice on Thursday evening.
The Avs were one of three teams that sent at least eight (8) players to Italy to participate in the Olympic games. Martin Nečas was selected to play for Czechia. Having previously played in the Olympics (Sochi, 2014), Gabe Landeskog made his return to the Olympic stage, now representing Sweden as its team captain. Joel Kiviranta and Artturi Lehkonen were selected to the Finland roster, capturing the bronze medal. Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and Devon Toews played for Canada, earning the silver medal. Brock Nelson, a third-generation Olympian, captured gold for the United States, adding the fourth Olympic gold medal to his family mantle, joining his grandfather Bill Christian and great uncle Roger Christian (Squaw Valley, 1960) and his uncle Dave Christian (Lake Placid, 1980).
While it will be a welcome sight to see a (relatively) healthy Avalanche lineup for the first time in nearly two months, there will be one notable absence on the roster. On Tuesday morning, the Avalanche announced that they had traded defenseman Sam Girard, along with their second round pick in 2028, to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for defenseman Brett Kulak. Kulak, 32, was acquired from the Edmonton Oilers in the deal that sent him and goaltender Stuart Skinner to Pittsburgh. During his brief tenure with the Penguins, Kulak scored one goal and added six assists for a total of seven points in twenty-five games. He had two assists in thirty-one games played with Edmonton earlier this season. This is a considerable drop off from his previous season with Edmonton, where he set a career best in goals (7), assists (18), and points (25).
Coach Jared Bednar said this of Kulak: “You’re getting a big, solid D that can skate, and defend real well, and move the puck. He does a lot of good things, a guy that has been to back to back Stanley Cup Finals, and was an integral part of [Edmonton’s] blue line, and what they were trying to do as a team. We like the player a lot, and so, we’re excited.”
He added, “This is a big, strong guy that defends really well. He’s got a ton of experience as well. It’s just a different look for us, right? I think Kulak’s a guy, that depending on how you’re matching up in the playoffs, that he can go up and play with a guy like Cale if I want to move [Toews] against another team’s top line. […] Maybe Kulak can go up and Toews can go down and he can take care of that matchup with a guy like Manson. It gives us flexibility there that I don’t think we necessarily had with [Girard].”
Bednar noted that Kulak, along with most of the Avs roster, would arrive in Salt Lake City on Tuesday night, with some members of the team flying out this morning in order to get some extra rest.
With the NHL season paused through the Olympic break, MacKinnon will look to reclaim the NHL points lead; he trails Olympic teammate Connor McDavid (96) by three points. MacKinnon entered the Olympic break as the NHL’s goal scoring leader (40), the only player in the League to reach this milestone thus far. Nelson is one goal shy of reaching the thirty goal mark for the fourth time in his career. With Mackenzie Blackwood going 1-1 in both games before the break, expect Scott Wedgewood to start in goal this evening. Wedgewood last started on January 29, a 7-3 loss against the Montréal Canadiens at Bell Centre.
The Avs still remain the undisputed leader across the Central Division, Western Conference, and League standings. A win today would give them a seven point cushion over second place Minnesota, and although they still have two games in hand over their division rivals, every point will matter even more as teams jockey for position ahead of the postseason. The Dallas Stars, who have a game in hand on Minnesota and sit one point behind them in the division, host the Seattle Kraken tonight, so one can bet that Minnesota will be keeping a close eye on both games.
The Avs currently lead the season series against Utah, winning two of the three games played. They have yet to win at Delta Center to this point in the season, but won the most recent matchup on December 23, a 1-0 decision.
Projected Lineup
Forwards: Artturi Lehkonen – Nathan MacKinnon – Martin Nečas Gabe Landeskog – Brock Nelson – Valeri Nichushkin Ross Colton – Jack Drury – Victor Olofsson Joel Kiviranta – Parker Kelly – Gavin Brindley
Defense: Devon Toews – Cale Makar Josh Manson – Brent Burns Brett Kulak – Sam Malinski
Between the Pipes: Scott Wedgewood Mackenzie Wedgewood
Utah Mammoth
Utah started out 2026 with a bang, going 12-5 since the start of January. They sit in fourth place in the Central Division standings, edging out the Anaheim Ducks by one point for the first wild card spot in the Western Conference. They won two of their previous three contests prior to the start of the Olympic break, a 6-2 defeat of the Vancouver Canucks, and a 4-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Tonight’s game is the third of a five game home stand at Delta Center, where Utah has performed considerably well: they boast a 17-8-2 record on home ice.
Occupying a wild card spot may seem a bit surprising during this sophomore campaign for Utah, but those who followed the former Arizona Coyotes are familiar with this trend. While there have been some changes to the present-day roster, the current version’s performance has echoes of its previous incarnation, being competitive just enough to find themselves on the periphery of the postseason, only to fall short time and again. Utah GM Bill Armstrong, with the backing of his new ownership group in Ryan and Ashley Smith, has infused his team’s roster with some new life, acquiring defenseman Mikhail Sergachev from the Tampa Bay Lightning prior to their inaugural season, and right wing J.J. Peterka from the Buffalo Sabres. Sergachev set a personal best in goals (15) in his first season with Utah and currently leads all defensemen in points (38). Peterka, who signed a five year, $38.5 million dollar extension as part of the trade with Buffalo, is tied with Sergachev in points, and ranks third in goal scoring (20). Armstrong may have a few more moves up his sleeve as the trade deadline approaches, so this could be the year that his squad bucks the trends of the past, which would be an incredible testament to the club’s performance since taking the ice in downtown Salt Lake for the first time last October.
Like Colorado, Utah sent multiple players to Italy to participate in the Olympics. Peterka was selected to the German Olympic roster, defenseman Olli Määttä joined Kiviranta on Finland’s roster, goaltender Karel Vejmelka joined Nečas to represent Czechia’s goaltending contingent, and captain Clayton Keller won gold with the United States alongside Nelson.
Keller leads all skaters in assists (37) and points (54). Dylan Guenther leads all skaters in goals (25), just two shy of his personal best (27). Nick Schmaltz is second in goals (23), equaling his personal best he set during the 2021-2022 season with Arizona. Vejmelka is tied for first place with Tampa’s Andrei Vasilevskiy in goaltender wins (27), a personal best since entering the League with Arizona during the 2021-2022 season.
Tonight’s game wraps up the four game series against Colorado. Utah’s previous victory came on October 21, with Guenther scoring the game winning goal for the 4-3 decision.
Projected Lineup
Forwards: Clayton Keller – Nick Schmaltz – Lawson Crouse J.J. Peterka – Barrett Hayton – Kailer Yamamoto Michael Carcone – Jack McBain – Dylan Guenther Brandon Tanev – Kevin Stenlund – Liam O’Brien
Defense: Mikhail Sergachev – Sean Durzi Nate Schmidt – John Marino Ian Cole – Nick DeSimone
The Pirates made a bit of news this offseason by… well, appearing to want to compete. They made an offer to Kyle Schwarber, which… well, it’s uncertain whether they actually thought he was going to sign, or whether this was simply an “open for business” sign.
They did wind up signing Ryan O’Hearn to what was termed the “largest position player free-agent signing in franchise history.” That’s two years, $29 million. Doesn’t seem like a lot in today’s market, but the Pirates haven’t been active at all along those lines. This was a good signing. O’Hearn is a good player.
The Pirates also spent some money signing Marcell Ozuna to a free-agent deal. Ozuna is 35 but still a productive player. What this meant, though, that Andrew McCutchen’s time in Pittsburgh came to an end, and with that, the likely end of McCutchen’s career, though he appeared to want to play one more year.
So it goes. Paul Skenes anchors the rotation and… well, that’s about it for the rotation, the rest is just okay. The bullpen could use some help, too.
The rest of the offense returns from last year, and that’s probably not good because the Pirates finished dead last in runs scored in MLB with just 583 (comparison point: the Cubs were sixth with 793). Plus, who is the real Oneil Cruz?
Key departures: Andrew McCutchen, Tommy Pham, Alexander Canario, Colin Holderman, Johan Oviedo
Key arrivals: Ryan O’Hearn, Marcell Ozuna, Jhostnyxon Garcia, Gregory Soto, Dominic Fletcher, Noah Davis, Chris Devenski, José Urquidy, Brandon Lowe
At Wrigley Field: April 10-11-12 and Sept. 11-12-13
Aug 26, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Ji Hwan Bae (3) drives in a run on a fields choice against the Chicago Cubs during the third inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Warning: This piece discusses domestic violence and includes a link to an article that shows visual evidence of domestic violence.
In one of the earliest moves of the offseason, the Mets claimed Ji Hwan Bae off waivers from the Pirates. Bae, entering his age-27 season, appeared in 163 games in parts of four seasons with the Pirates from 2022-2025, but his on-field career is only part of his story.
In 2017, Bae was set to be the second South Korean player to sign directly out of high school with a major league team after Kwon Kwang-min signed with the Cubs in 2015. However, his contract with the Braves was voided after it was revealed that the contract was negotiated with Bae and 12 others under fraudulent terms. The KBO barred him from signing with a Korean team for two years for skipping the draft. The next season, Bae signed a $1.25 million contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
But the more disturbing part of Bae’s story comes from the period between his failed Braves contract and his subsequent Pirates one. An incident occurred on New Year’s Eve 2017, and Bae was accused of domestic violence against his then-girlfriend, including slapping, choking, and kicking her. He was eventually convicted for domestic abuse and was suspended by MLB for 30 games, as the verdict was handed down after he was already a member of the Pirates organization.
“Bae Ji-hwan hit me. He hit me [on New Year’s Eve]. The first time I was (physically) abused was on New Year’s Eve (in 2017). There (also) was verbal abuse. Before the actual physical abuse, I was under critical stress due to him and his family. His family and he repeatedly asked me to ‘endure’ him because he is a baseball player and he needs support.
The alleged incident happened on New Year’s Eve in 2017, when Bae was 18. According to Kim, Bae “threatened me he would die if I didn’t see him again. Also, he squeezed my throat until I (said) that I would love him again.
“Some ask why I didn’t report him right away — the intensity of his physical and verbal abuse was getting stronger,” Seul-Gi Kim wrote. “Because of fear, I just couldn’t go ahead and do it. What I want now is the end of this sickening relationship, a fair trial, and a just punishment.
“I have been pressured physically and mentally and that made me very scared. If you don’t have anyone reliable or good around you, you probably don’t have the courage to report the abuser. I decided to go to this path after a lot of dilemma and mental anguish. It’s a big (mental) scar that can never heal.”
“The Pittsburgh Pirates strongly support Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy and agree with the need for significant penalties for any violation of this policy…The Pirates are committed to a culture that respects women on all levels and across all aspects of our organization. Ji-Hwan has completed a treatment program under the MLB policy.
“We will continue to work with him to ensure that he understands and adheres to the obligations and standards that are required of a professional baseball player and a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates.”
Teams sign players with domestic abuse backgrounds just about every season, and it is always a delicate situation. On one hand, many people claim that these players deserve a shot at redemption; an oft-repeated phrase is that no one should have their life ruined because of one mistake. And while people can, and should, admit wrongdoing and change for the better, more often than not, these players speak in vague platitudes and don’t publicly take significant steps towards actually changing their behavior.
Bae’s situation is slightly unusual both due to his prospect status when the event happened and the fact that it occurred overseas. There was not a lot of reporting on the event outside of the Athletic, and very little, if any of it stateside, featured quotes from Bae himself. It is unfair to paint him as either remorseful and committed to change or petulant and unmoved because we have not heard from him on the subject. If Bae has been contrite and done the work, he has done so in private.
All of this makes the Mets’ waiver claim even stranger. Bae’s on-field career has been nothing to write home about. A career .223/.294/.293 hitter in the big leagues, he’s a weak hitter with a decent glove who has some positional versatility. If he sticks with the Mets, he has a minor league option, so he would likely wind up beginning the year in Syracuse and being called up only for injury/27th man status. Bae is a depth piece that has a place in every organization in baseball, but he’s not a superstar either in the current day or in the making.
But even if he was, does an organization really want to bring on someone with a history of domestic abuse in 2026? The Mets didn’t sign him as a free agent, and so they didn’t get to sit him down and discuss his past. He was a waiver claim; he likely found out about the move via his agent once he was back in South Korea during the offseason.
It shouldn’t be the job of fans to find out if the player their team signed is remorseful for his violent past. It is the team’s job to either assure us that he is or to admit that they really don’t care what a player does off the field or did before donning orange and blue. While there may be more to this story, from a fan’s perspective, it’s fairly clear. The Mets looked at a fringy player and decided that this is the guy for whom they were willing to sell their integrity.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 23: Pitcher Logan Gilbert #36 of the Seattle Mariners throws against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning of a spring training game at Camelback Ranch on February 23, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning everyone!
In case you missed it, the Mariners played a typically wild spring training game against the White Sox yesterday, losing to those pesky Sox by a 12-10 score.
Whenever the Mariners play the White Sox, I can’t help but think of my parents’ friends Bill and Karen, who have remained diehard fans of the Sox through their absolute garbage play over the last decade. Shout out to them; I hope they enjoy Roch Cholowsky in a few years.
Do you have any special connections to non-Mariners teams through friends or family? Do you keep up with those teams any differently as a result?
In Mariners news…
Logan Gilbert spoke to Daniel Kramer about how being a new father has helped to give the ace right-hander perspective heading into a key 2026 season.
Shannon Drayer spoke to top Mariners pitching prospects Kade Anderson and Ryan Sloan, who are feeling confident after some strong backfield results against M’s regulars. I really can’t wait until they take the mound in games this spring.
The Braves announced that they have extended the contract of ageless left-hander Chris Sale on a one-year, $27M deal with a $30M club option for the 2028 season.
Speaking of the Braves, the organization announced that it would stream 140 of this season’s games through the brand new BravesVision. Production, sales, marketing, and distribution of broadcasts will be fully controlled by the club.
The Florida state cabinet and governor Ron DeSantis signed off on a 22-acre plot of land in Tampa that will be used to build a new ballpark for the Rays.
MLB No. 1 overall prospect Konnor Griffin homered twice in a spring training game for the Pirates yesterday. Griffin is hoping to become the rare player to make his big league debut in his teens.
Stephen J. Nesbitt at The Athletic wrote about the booming sports town that Salt Lake City is turning into, and explained why people there believe an MLB team could be on its way sooner rather than later. (Shout out to my cousin Erin for being featured in this one!) ($)
J.J. Cooper at Baseball America outlined five key reasons why all prospects are shooting through the minor leagues faster than ever before. ($)
Ben Clemens at Fangraphs calculated the cost of a win in baseball’s 2025-2026 free agency.
There’s absolutely no way they’re actually doing this with Jacob Misiorowski, one of the most volatile command guys in the game, right?
Hoping to link your MLB.tv subscription to your ESPN account this year? Here’s a helpful walkthrough on how to make this work.
Anders’ picks…
During the Olympics, I fell down a Wikipedia rabbit hole on which countries have the most islands. Before you look at the results, I want you to try to answer this question in your head. Got one? How many islands do you think they have? Alright, now take a large sip of your coffee…
SCOTTSDALE, AZ - JULY 22: Colorado Rockies 2025 first round draft pick, Ethan Holliday participates in his first work out at Salt River Field at Talking Stick on July 22, 2025 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Kyle Cooper/Colorado Rockies/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Ethan Holliday is a name that has been well-known to Rockies fans for a long time, if only from the connection to his father, Rockies great Matt — not to mention his brother, 2022 number one overall pick Jackson. Those connections made it extremely likely the Rockies would call Ethan’s name on draft day if he were available at pick number four, but the 6’4”, 19-year-old (as of this week) lefty-hitting shortstop from Oklahoma is much more than just a famous name.
Mid-season 2025 Rank: 1
High Ballot: 1 (6)
Mode Ballot: 2
Future Value: 55, above average infielder
Contract Status: 2025 First Round, Stillwater (OK) HS, Rule 5 Eligible After 2029, three options remaining
MLB ETA: 2029
Holliday was the number four pick and received a record (for a high schooler) $9 million signing bonus because he has plus raw power that should translate into games and good pitch selection while playing a premium defensive position very well. Scouts are concerned that Holliday’s size might limit his range at shortstop in the long-term as well as the swing-and-miss in Holliday’s game that accompanies his long, powerful swing.
Scouts are also concerned that Holliday wasn’t more of an elite performer in the summer showcase circuit where many highly regarded prospects travel to play each other. In high school though, Holliday was monster, hitting .611/.743/1.295, a cartoonish 2.038 OPS, with 19 homers and 64 RBI. He was named the Gatorade Oklahoma Baseball Player of the Year and Baseball America’s High School Player of the Year. In both of those awards, he beat out number one overall pick and fellow Oklahoma prep shortstop Eli Willits.
As a pro, Holliday was assigned to Low-A Fresno, where he was 3.2 years younger than league average. In 84 plate appearances (all against older pitchers), Holliday hit .239/.357/.380 with two homers and four doubles (an above average 108 wRC+) with four errors in 17 games at shortstop. It’s a small sample size, but Holliday struck out in a worrying 39% of his plate appearances, though he did also walk in 14% of them.
Holliday might have as much raw and usable power as anyone from the class of ‘25. When at his best, the 6-foot-4 left-handed hitter can get to it without a ton of effort. He already has strength, bat speed and leverage in his swing while continuing to add physicality to his frame. Worries about swing-and-miss cropped up when he was on the summer showcase circuit, and he expanded the zone too much, and there were a lot of whiffs during his brief pro debut, but he has the chance to be a solid all-around hitter with big home run totals.
A shortstop in high school like his brother, Holliday is agile for his size with average speed. His arm works from the position, and he has decent actions, but he’s unlikely going to be able to stay there because of his range. A move to third base would make the most sense, where his power-hitting profile should fit well.
Holliday was the No. 4 pick in the 2025 draft and probably the most famous name selected, thanks to his dad, his brother Jackson and years of hype around Ethan’s easy power and potential to be more of an impact hitter than Jackson. He’s a shortstop now, with really good hands and a plus arm, but he has no chance to stay there given his size and lack of lateral range, with third base the best-case scenario and right field a realistic outcome.
As a hitter, he has plenty of bat speed and the raw power is probably a 70, but last spring, he seemed to be trying too hard to launch the ball to his pull side, so his front side was flying open and he had a hole on the outer third as a result. Holliday struggled mightily in his pro debut, as the Rockies sent him to Low A and he struck out 33 times in 84 PA (39.3 percent), even having trouble against good fastballs and looking stiffer and slower in the box. While that doesn’t undo everything he did before the draft, it’s very concerning for someone picked that high, and at the very least, he’s going to need more time to develop than the typical high school hitter taken in the top few picks of any draft class. He knows the strike zone well, and even in that stint in Low A didn’t chase pitches out of the zone excessively (25 percent overall, 16 percent on pitches well out of the zone), consistent with what he showed as an amateur.
I had Holliday ranked at the top of the 2025 draft class, which was a weak one at its uppermost echelon, based on the 30-homer upside and good instincts all around, but the near-universal sentiment after his pro debut is that he’s a much higher-risk prospect than it seemed a year ago.
Holliday has absurd raw power and a long swing that has limited his ability to make consistent contact. He might need an adjustment to break out, and he has 40-homer ceiling if he does.
Holliday’s physicality stands out immediately. Four inches taller and a few dozen pounds of muscle bigger than his brother, Ethan has the strength and the build of a player in his mid-20s. He’s no stiff either, a fluid mover who should be just fine at third base given time and reps (he has played shortstop thus far but likely won’t stick there). He has a fast bat and there’s loft in the path, which feeds the immense power projection listed above. He even shows a little feel for manipulating the bat head and using the whole field.
But while Holliday hammers the ball when he does connect, it’s the lack of contact that looks most worrisome here. His numbers weren’t particularly good on the showcase circuit, and anybody who hoped that a cameo at Low-A would render that moot will have to keep waiting: Holliday’s .239/.357/.380 line in 18 games at Fresno is more than fine on its own, but 33 strikeouts in 84 plate appearances suggests that there’s a long path ahead. Speaking of long paths: Holliday’s bat travels a considerable distance from the time his hands get going. He has a long and deep load with a hand loop, and then long levers on top of that. Once he starts, there’s real venom in the swing, but right now pitchers are throwing pedestrian velo right past him.
Holliday will likely need to make an adjustment, either to the length of his path or in his load; in his current form, he just looks too vulnerable to velocity. The bet here is that Holliday finds a way to make it work. He’s so strong and talented in other ways in the box that we’re in on him as a potential star, even with red flags lurking. Consider this grade more of a reflection on his upside than our conviction in his likelihood to reach it.
Type: A polarizing player who could be an All-Star or not hit much at all
Some teams/scouts/readers didn’t look past Ethan Holliday’s solid glove, 65-grade power, pretty swing, and last name and penciled him in at No. 1 on their board. Other teams told me his profile “terrified” them and didn’t have him in the mix for their picks in the top 10.
With the amount of information we have on every top draftee and the similarity of most teams’ analytical models, this isn’t common at all. I wrote about this multiple times and more in depth, but the short version is Holliday didn’t hit well in the summer against top pitching then fixed a swing flaw but didn’t face good pitching after it. Teams don’t like having to take performance against good pitching on faith while some others are fine if the other pieces of the puzzle are present.
After signing, Holliday posted a 39% strikeout rate in 18 games, which is a small sample but also is what the analytical teams would tell you is the risk of ignoring his summer performance. If Holliday follows the path he did last year, he’ll dial in his mechanics to adjust for velocity at this new level — this is something Braves star Austin Riley once told me he had to do at each level of the minors — and hit in 2026 like he did in 2025, but the velocity he faces will be much better than high school ball in Oklahoma. As such, Holliday could either be a top-10 prospect in the sport or not in the top 200 quite easily at this time next year.
Holliday has a superstar ceiling, combining raw power, strike zone control, and defense at a premium position (he’s probably going to end up as the long-term starter at third base, but he can still play shortstop). That defensive utility is a big point in his favor vs. top PuRP Charlie Condon and was one of the reasons I ranked Holliday atop my personal list as a 55 Future Value player.
Much is expected of Holliday by fans and scouts — let’s see if he can pass the trials to come as he ascends the minor league ladder. It’s less certain than it seemed at draft time, but I’m optimistic. Holliday will likely be sent back to Fresno to begin 2026 along with fellow PuRP shortstop Ashly Andujar, where strong results could bring a bump up to High-A by the end of the season. If he’s more like his brother Jackson, Ethan could move through the system in two years, though I’m expecting a MLB debut more in late 2028 or 2029.
