Cooper Flagg, who has been out since Fe. 12 with a left midfoot sprain, will return to the Mavericks lineup Thursday night against Orlando, a story first reported by Marc Stein and since confirmed by others.
Flagg missed eight games, during which the tanking Mavericks went 2-6. Flagg, as expected, will be on a minutes restriction in his return but those minutes will grow in future games, according to Mike Curtis of the Dallas Morning News.
The biggest impact of Flagg's absence — and potentially his return — could be in the Rookie of the Year race.
At the midpoint of the season, Flagg and his college teammate at Duke, Charlotte's Kon Knueppel, were in a virtual dead heat for Rookie of the Year. Since then, Flagg has missed considerable time (he's played in 13 fewer games than Knueppel) while Knueppel has been scoring efficiently and leading the Hornets up the East standings into the playoff mix. Knueppel has started to take a solid lead in this race.
Flagg has about six weeks left in the season to change that dynamic. Whether or not he can do it, at least he is back on the court.
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 2: Alperen Sengun #28 and Reed Sheppard #15 of the Houston Rockets high five during the game against the Washington Wizards on March 2, 2026 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. 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 Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Trae Young #3 of the Washington Wizards looks on during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks on January 29, 2026 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. 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 Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Washington Wizards play the Utah Jazz at 7 p.m. ET at Capital One Arena. Trae Young will make his Wizards debut. Chat about it in the comments below!
MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 15: Juan Soto #22 of The Dominican Republic celebrates after hitting a home run in the third inning of the World Baseball Classic Pool D game against Puerto Rico at loanDepot park on March 15, 2023 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The 2026 World Baseball Classic has technically already begun as you read this, as Australia beat Chinese Taipei in the opener, 3-0. However, Pool C is the only member of the quartet actually underway, so we have time to look ahead at the final batch of clubs, Pool D.
As Matt discussed yesterday, Pool C has a case as the Group of Death in this year’s WBC, but Pool D is at least the Group of Great Pain. Two baseball titans are expected to top the group, but all five teams feature real MLB talent. One shutdown relief performance or a ball that gets into the gap could flip the round-robin on its head. These games come in Miami, so three-and-a-half teams with majority Caribbean/Latin representation makes sense, and while Tokyo may be slightly louder for Japan and Chinese Taipei, the crowds for the Dominican Republic and Venezuela will absolutely make themselves known in an electric atmosphere.
Dominican Republic
The D.R. returns a lineup that is as good or better than any other nation in this tournament. I mean, just look at what they rolled out for a tune-up game against the poor Tigers:
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 3, 2026
Now, the appearance of Austin Wells here is a little like that “what’s a polar bear doing in Texas” meme, but the Yankee catcher qualifies under the WBC’s eligibility, and he’s looked strong in spring training so far, making him a perfect eighth hitter for a lineup with this much talent. It’s also worth noting that Geraldo Perdomo had a seven (!) win season last year, better than any other hitter on this team, and he’s batting ninth. The great weakness of Team Canada, my squad, is the pitching staff, so I’m quite glad the Canucks don’t have to face this group of hitters until at least the knockouts if at all.
The D.R.’s pitching doesn’t quite stand up to the power of the offense, but it’s certainly not lacking in talent on its own. Cristopher Sánchez, Sandy Alcantara, Brayan Bello, and Luis Severino form the backbone of the rotation, with Yankee Camilo Doval, former farmhand Albert Abreu, and Seranthony Domínguez expected to take big roles in the bullpen. This is a very, very good team.
It’s also a team that, for all the star power it boasts, has something to prove. The Dominican Republic didn’t even make it out of the group stage in the 2023 tournament, going 2-2 with big losses to Venezuela and Puerto Rico. For a nation as baseball-mad as the D.R., this squad may be coming in with the most domestic pressure to perform, and new manager Albert Pujols — yes, him — will need to get a team full of big names on the same page to avenge that ’23 disappointment and match ’13 Robinson Canó-led D.R. squad as WBC champions.
Venezuela
The winners of that abovementioned group in 2023, Venezuela swept their way into the knockout stages before finally being eliminated by Trea Turner’s grand slam in the quarterfinals.
They come into this tournament ranked fifth in the world, and like the D.R., will boast a lineup that could put up serious numbers across a 162-game MLB season. Ronald Acuña Jr is The Man, even on a squad that boasts a widely-recognized leader like Salvador Perez, but Eugenio Suárez, Jackson Chourio, old friend Gleyber Torres, and the Contreras brothers round out what should be a dynamite offense. New Red Sox starter Ranger Suárez and veteran Eduardo Rodríguez highlight the pitching staff, which will unfortunately be missing the talents of the injured Pablo López.
The marquee matchup of this pool will be Venezuela against the D.R., and whoever comes out on top will be in the driver’s seat atop the group table. A longtime baseball powerhouse, the Venezuelans have only fared better than fifth once (a third-place finish in 2009), and this is the best team of the field that has never hoisted the WBC trophy.
The Netherlands
We get a little example of the vestiges of colonialism, with many of the Kingdom’s best players coming from the Antilles, most prominently Aruba and Curaçao. Newly-minted Hall of Famer Andruw Jones, who is one of those Caribbean-born representatives, played for the side in 2006 and 2013, before being named a bench coach for the next two tournaments, and finally getting the top job as manager for this run. Andruw’s son Druw Jones, the former No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, will look to carry on Dad’s legacy in his first taste of WBC action.
The nation has had legitimate success at the WBC, with two memorable upset wins over the D.R. in 2009 and more meaningfully, a pair of fourth-place finishes in ’13 and ’17. But they were unable to escape the group stage in ’23, as Italy beat them in the Pool A finale behind Matt Harvey (yes, really) to send ’em home. Kenley Jansen and Xander Boegarts, two stalwarts of the WBC, will lead the team’s pitching and lineup respectively, and Ceddanne Rafaela brings his excellent outfield defense to the center field slot. The infield is rounded out by Ozzie Albies and old friend Didi Gregorius, still kicking around at age-36. Jurickson Profar was supposed to be involved as well, but, uh, that isn’t happening.
Israel
Appearing in its third WBC and featuring a roster of primarily American players with Jewish heritage, Israel didn’t fare as well in 2023 as it did in its first WBC in 2017, with an opening round sweep against Netherlands, South Korea, and Chinese Taipei. They only mustered a single win last time around, going 1-3 and failing to advance out of the group stages.
Former Yankees Harrison Bader, Tommy Kahnle, and Matt Bowman are on Israel’s roster for 2026, and Triple-A arm Harrison Cohen is also expected to be in the mix. Orioles starter Dean Kremer will lead the rotation. As he is in New York, Brad Ausmus was the bench coach during the last WBC under Ian Kinsler, but like Jones, he’s now running the show. Best-forgotten 2013 Yank/old nemesis Kevin Youkilis is the hitting coach, and long-ago Yankees catcher Jerry Narron is on the staff as well.
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is sort of the little brother of the quartet of Latin/Caribbean teams here, with a winless debut tournament in 2023 but sweeping its way through the qualifying process a year ago. That qualification was capped with a stunning win over #2 ranked Chinese Taipei in the final. The team does feature some very real pitching talent, but the lineup is likely to be a little thin — although adding the Mets’ Mark Vientos will help with some of the thump.
Maybe the feel-good story of the tournament will be Dusty Baker, who may have the best case to be considered the current Mr. Baseball, and who will take over managerial duties for the very young underdog squad. A win for Nicaragua would represent a huge step forward in baseball development for the small nation, and I’d be lying if I said I’m not rooting for it.
Find more Pinstripe Alley WBC pool previews here: Pool A, Pool B, Pool C.
Trump joked that watching three-hour games with Steinbrenner was the hardest thing he ever had to do. "(Steinbrenner) liked me, I liked him and we both liked nobody else," Trump said.
Trump didn't elaborate on what baseball is doing "wrong," but has previously railed against MLB as "woke."
In the diatribe about Steinbrenner, Trump shouted out his "friend" Alex Rodriguez, who was in attendance at the event. Rodriguez, who won a World Series title with the Yankees, was one of the greatest players in Major League Baseball history but hasn't been voted into the Hall of Fame due to his ties to performance-enhancing drugs.
Though Trump boasts in 2026 about his friendship with Rodriguez – and hosted him in the Oval Office before Thursday's event – the president used to excoriate the former MLB star on Twitter before entering the political arena.
Trump called Rodriguez a "druggie" and regularly advocated for the Yankees to terminate his contract. Trump even said that "it was only drugs" that made him a great player.
A-Rod is just not making it. We want to give him a chance but it was only drugs that made him great.
LONDON (AP) — Tottenham's Premier League survival hopes took another blow with a 3-1 loss to Crystal Palace on Thursday.
Spurs — one of the richest teams in Europe and a founding member of the Premier League — is just one point above the relegation zone and without a domestic win in 2026.
“We know that the position we are in is not where we want to be. We need to figure out how to get out of it as soon as possible," said Tottenham striker Dominic Solanke. “There have been difficulties, but we aren’t in the position to make excuses. We need to do the job on the pitch.”
Spurs' latest defeat was the fifth in a row and the third under new coach Igor Tudor, who was tasked with the responsibility of turning the season around.
He watched as his team capitulated in front of a home crowd at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium — conceding three goals in the first half, having taken the lead and then gone down to 10 men when Micky van de Ven was sent off.
Palace took full advantage by scoring three times in seven minutes before the break.
Ismaila Sarr struck twice — one from the penalty spot — with Jorgen Strand Larsen getting the other for the visitors.
That was after Solanke had given Spurs the lead in the 34th minute. Van de Ven was red-carded four minutes later for bringing down Sarr in the box and Palace took control.
“I am very disappointed, like the fans,” Tudor said. "We know what the moment is and we need to keep working and believe.
“But after this game I believe more than before because I saw something in the team and in the dressing room after the game. When we will be complete it will be good, I believe.”
The deepening crisis at Tottenham comes after winning the Europa League last season and advancing to the knockout stage of the Champions League this term, where it faces Atletico Madrid in the round of 16 next week.
But its desperate league form has carried on from last year when it finished one place above the relegation zone — its lowest final position in the Premier League era.
Its plight also comes amid a tumultuous period when it has had seven managers in less than seven years.
Tottenham has spent only one season out of England's top flight since 1950 and has been an established member of the Premier League since the competition's inception in 1992.
It is a two-time English league champion and was a Champions League finalist in 2019.
It's near-63,000 capacity stadium is one of the most impressive in Europe and regularly hosts NFL games, as well as top music concerts.
Deloitte ranked Spurs ninth on its most recent rich list in January with revenues of $781 million. That placed Tottenham above giants like Chelsea, Inter Milan, AC Milan and Juventus.
NHL insider Frank Seravalli further confirmed the reports, adding that the Kings are receiving a draft pick, and the two teams are also swapping picks.
In the Senators' press release of the trade, the conditions of the swapped third-round picks are explained.
"Ottawa will get the worse of the Kings’ own third round draft pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft or Dallas’ third round draft pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft (acquired in a previous trade). Los Angeles will get the better of Ottawa’s own third round draft pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft or Washington’s third round draft pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft (acquired in a previous trade). However, if both Ottawa and Washington do not qualify for the 2026 NHL playoffs, then Ottawa will instead transfer to Los Angeles the worse of Ottawa’s own third round draft pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft or Washington’s third round draft pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft (acquired in a previous trade)."
Foegele has been in and out of the lineup for the Kings at times this season, and that was not lost on Kings GM Ken Holland. Holland openly hinted at trading away Foegele shortly after acquiring superstar left winger Artemi Panarin from the New York Rangers on Feb. 4.
Warren Foegele (Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images)
Los Angeles' GM admitted that he had a surplus of forwards and that a player like Foegele shouldn't be a healthy scratch. Evidently, Holland has found Foegele a home where he'll be hoping to get more playing time.
He's featured in 47 games and has scored seven goals and nine points this season for the Kings. With that, he's averaged 14:45 of ice time in what is his second season with Los Angeles.
However, in his first season with the team, he was far more productive. In fact, he went on to have the best campaign of his career, scoring 24 goals and 22 assists for 46 points. Not to mention, he put up a plus-36 plus-minus rating and averaged 16:10 of ice time per game, all of which are personal bests.
The Kings signed Foegele in the free agency window in the off-season of 2024. The Markham, Ont., native carries a $3.5-million salary cap hit for one more season after this campaign, and has a five-team no-trade list, according to puckpedia.com.
Before his time with the Kings, Foegele spent three seasons with the Edmonton Oilers, growing into a middle-six forward as time went on. In his last season with Edmonton, which was 2023-24, the 29-year-old scored 20 goals and 41 points.
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The Pittsburgh Penguins should be looking to add to their forward depth ahead of the 2026 NHL trade deadline. One of their biggest needs is another center, and they are now being linked to one of their former players.
"League sources have told The Athletic that Pittsburgh is considering a deal that would bring former Penguins center Teddy Blueger back to the team," Yohe wrote.
If the Penguins brought back Blueger, he could be a nice addition to their and penalty kill due to his solid two-way play. However, he could also move up the Penguins' lineup at times due to his versatility if ever needed.
With Blueger being one of the top third-line centers available on the trade market, it is likely that the Penguins will have competition for his services. He is exactly the kind of solid two-way forward that playoff teams love to add, and it also does not hurt that he has a good amount of playoff experience on his resume as well.
In 14 games this season with the Canucks, Blueger has recorded five goals, three assists, eight points, and 33 hits.
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 3: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on before the game against the New Orleans Pelicans on March 3, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
With 21 games left, there is still much to be decided for the Lakers.
On the long road that is the NBA season, LA can see the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference standings is just a game-and-a-half away. However, the objects in their rearview are closer than they appear as they are also just two games ahead of the seventh-seed Suns, who are currently play-in-bound.
That means there’s little to no room for error. They will either arrive at their desired destination come mid-April or it’s going to be a bumpy ride with an ugly ending.
Buckle up, Lakers fans.
5 things I liked and didn’t like
1. A nice little streak
With the Lakers playing games against the Warriors, Pelicans and Kings, this week, they had an opportunity to stack wins. They accomplished that feat and played well.
But, forgive me if I’m not going to stand up and clap about the greatness of the 2025-26 Lakers.
After all, they played a Steph Curry-less Warriors, a Kings team with the worst record in the NBA, and a Pelicans side yet to win 20 games.
Still, sometimes, the most important thing to do is what’s expected of you. They didn’t disappoint this week, and now they are in a position to impress and prove they are a higher-level team than their record indicates.
2. Ignoring the drama
It’s not always fun in Lakerland, but it’s never boring.
Even in victory, there are enough miserable, negative people to find darkness in the light. So, it shouldn’t be a surprise that when Luka Dončić and head coach JJ Redick had an argument during the team’s win against the Warriors, it went viral.
Still, I was taken aback by how many people were obsessed with it. It was a topic on every show and podcast, big and small and before the Lakers played the Pelicans, Redick was asked about it multiple times.
His response was what I expected: to dismiss it as nothing out of the ordinary.
“I don’t know why it went viral, it felt very normal to me” – JJ Redick on his interaction with Luka Doncic on the bench during the Warriors game that got a little heated pic.twitter.com/jNPF2KFBUO
If this shocks people or is considered a problem, then every team in the NBA has massive issues. If the average fan heard how players talk when mics aren’t around or when they are comfortable, their jaws would drop to the floor.
Even from publicly available things, this is rather tame. It’s not Kobe Bryant yelling during practice, berating the general manager and insulting his teammates. And it certainly isn’t Draymond Green knocking out Jordan Poole.
This was just a heat-of-the-moment argument that was likely forgotten between the two of them in a matter of minutes.
LeBron and Luka have had some good games this week, but Austin Reaves did not. He has struggled to score against any opponent. Over the past five games, he’s been held under 20 points in every contest, well below his average of 23.8 per game.
Austin Reaves shooting percentages over the past five games. 40% vs. Celtics 37% vs. Magic 41% vs. Suns 63% vs. Warriors 33% vs. Kings.
At the half, he is 0-6 from the field against the Pelicans.
Is it just a poor shooting slump? Is it having trouble getting integrated with LeBron being back on the floor? Or is there a bigger issue?
Are teams getting more physical with him and is Reaves’ inability to get to the paint and finish through contact becoming an issue again? During the playoffs last year, we saw Reaves get bullied by the Wolves, which led to a poor series.
A rough week won’t erase a career that’s had a positive trajectory, nor will it eradicate what’s so far been a great year for Reaves. But I’m perked up a bit, especially since this is a contract season and we’re about to enter the most important part of the year.
4. Take a bow, Jaxson Hayes!
From the outside looking in, it’s easy to say a player should accept whatever role they are given. But how would you react at your workplace if you were asked to minimize yourself for the betterment of others?
That’s what Hayes did in LA by returning on a one-year deal and getting demoted from starter to backup.
Not only did he take this in stride, but he’s responded by having a great season. His performance against the Pelicans was a prime example.
Hayes started on the bench but, after outplaying Deandre Ayton, Redick decided to stick with him down the stretch of the close game. That confidence in Hayes was rewarded as he stymied Zion Williamson, getting multiple stops on him down the stretch.
The Lakers won and Hayes was a big reason why. This isn’t the first time Hayes has stepped up and helped LA win a game, and it certainly won’t be his last.
The Hayes redemption arc was not something I thought we’d see, but I’m glad the basketball gods added it to the script.
5. Plus, plus-minus
While most of the year has seen Lakers lineups in the negative, this week has been positive.
The seven most used fine-man lineups all won their shifts, led by the starting lineup at +14, the second-highest plus-minus. The best lineup featured Reaves, Hayes, Dončić, Jake LaRavia and Luke Kennard, which played for 13 minutes and was a +20.
It’s great to see the starters winning their minutes as well as this new lineup with Hayes and Kennard working so well.
Hopefully, that continues as LA begins facing some tougher opponents.
Stat of the Week
If I were to call Luka one thing, it’d be consistent. No matter what, he is going to produce.
In Sunday’s home win against the Kings, Luka had 28 points, five rebounds and nine assists in 29 minutes. It marked his 35th game this season, recording 25+ points, 5+ rebounds and 5+ assists, most in the NBA.
There is plenty left to figure out regarding how to make the Lakers one of the best teams in the league, but what’s clear is that Luka is a great No. 1 option to start that with.
Play of the Week
Basketball is fun. The Play of the Week is a reminder of this as Dončić adds another ridiculous make to his ever-expanding highlight reel.
Luka begins by quickly driving hard towards the rim. He tries to come to a hard stop, but begins to slip while also handling the ball behind his back.
This slip could’ve led to a turnover. But somehow, Luka quickly got back up and recovered. The play looked like something you’d see on the playground or in an AND1 mixtape.
Once Luka was back on his feet, he quickly got a shot up and drilled it. On the Spectrum broadcast, Billy Mac had the perfect call for this play.
“If this goes in…It goes in! That’s some magic from Luka!”
Luka can always be Player of the Week, but he gets it this time since he was the most consistent Laker and a big reason why they have won three straight games.
He averaged 30.5 points, 7.3 rebounds and 8.3 assists, leading the Lakers in all three categories.
While this week was better for LA’s big three, overall, there is work left to do. Law Murray broke down the stats for the trio in his latest piece for The Athletic.
In 297 minutes, the Lakers have outscored opponents by only three points with Dončić, James, and Reaves together. There have been eight games in which L.A. has outscored opponents during the trio’s shared minutes, eight in which the Lakers have been outscored and one in which they played to a draw.
One of the more disappointing aspects of the Dončić-James-Reaves combo has been the offense. The Lakers have scored only 109.2 points per 100 possessions this season with their three best players on the floor, a figure that would rank below every NBA team except the gap-year Indiana Pacers.
Alex Regla always provides thoughtful critiques of the Lakers for the site, and he laid out why this upcoming stretch will decide who the Lakers truly are.
The Lakers will go head-to-head with the clubs they’re currently sandwiched between in Minnesota and Phoenix. Additionally, they also have two pivotal matchups remaining against Houston, Denver and Oklahoma City each.
Given how bunched up everyone still is, tiebreakers will likely play a big role in determining the final playoff bracket.
For example, despite still having one game remaining against Phoenix, the Lakers have already lost the season series to the Suns, a result of the two sides playing an extra time this season during the NBA Cup knockout rounds. Conversely, thanks to their two early-season wins against Minnesota, the Lakers have notched the season series over the Timberwolves. Tiebreakers against Houston and Denver are still up for grabs.
It may sound like hyperbole, but this is why the Lakers’ entire season could come down to how they fare in these eight games.
Jul 2, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Didier Fuentes (75) throws against the Los Angeles Angels in the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Below you will find a list of the 40 players to make the roster, as well as a guess at the 27 players who will actually participate in the game – assuming they stay healthy. The number next to them is their ranking on the Battery Power Top 30 list that was updated this winter.
40-man Player Pool
PITCHERS (21) Blane Abeyta, RHP, NR Ethan Bagwell, RHP, No. 25 Landon Beidelschies, LHP, Honorable Mention Lucas Braun, RHP, No. 19 Garrett Baumann, RHP, No. 12 Blake Burkhalter, RHP, No. 18 Cam Caminiti, LHP, No. 1 Didier Fuentes, RHP, No. 3 Isaac Gallegos, RHP, NR Drue Hackenberg, RHP, No. 30 Hayden Harris, LHP, No. 28 Herick Hernandez, LHP, No. 20 Jhancarlos Lara, RHP, No. 11 Briggs McKenzie, LHP, No. 7 Ian Mejia, RHP, NR Rolddy Munoz, RHP, NR Owen Murphy, RHP, No. 4 Raudy Reyes, RHP, No. 23 JR Ritchie, RHP, No. 2 Luke Sinnard, RHP, No. 8 Luis Vargas, RHP, NR
CATCHERS (3) Archer Brookman, C, NR Colin Burgess, C, NR Manuel Dos Passos, C, NR
INFIELDERS (9) Lizandro Espinoza, UTIL, NR John Gil, SS, No. 9 Jim Jarvis, SS, NR Alex Lodise, SS, No. 10 David McCabe, 1B/3B, Honorable Mention Cody Miller, SS, No. 16 Jose Perdomo, SS, No. 21 Tate Southisene, SS/OF, No. 6 Dixon Williams, 2B, No. 26
OUTFIELDERS (7) Owen Carey, OF, No. 17 Patrick Clohisy, OF, NR Isaiah Drake, OF, No. 15 Conor Essenburg, OF, No. 14 Luis Guanipa, OF, No. 13 Eric Hartman, OF, No. 24 Diego Tornes, OF, No. 5
Predictions
I predict the Braves will take 11 pitchers, 2 catchers, 7 infielders, and 6 outfielders to this game, with 1 wildcard spot open.
With the pitchers I think it can be safely assumed that Cam Caminiti, Didier Fuentes, Owen Murphy, and Jhancarlos Lara will all be heading to the game. JR Ritchie is only outside that group as the Braves could decide to hold him back as they consider him for a big league spot after his strong start to the spring. I also believe that Luke Sinnard, Lucas Braun, and Hayden Harris are likely, with Herick Hernandez being close to that group as another lefty option to go with Caminiti and Harris. That is eight or nine guys out of the 11, and we haven’t even gotten into talented prospects like Briggs McKenzie, Raudy Reyes, Garrett Bauman, Landon Beidelschies, or Ethan Bagwell, or more experienced arms like Blake Burkhalter, Rolddy Munoz, Ian Mejia, or Drue Hackenberg
I will pick Caminiti, Fuentes, Murphy, Lara, Sinnard, Braun, Harris, and Hernandez for the first eight slots, leaving Ritchie off the team in favor of keeping him with the big league squad. Beidelschies is the next pick, giving the team a fourth lefty. Hackenberg gets a slot here as the Braves hope he can put a forgettable 2025 season behind him. With the final spot going to young fireballer Raudy Reyes, just to give him a chance to throw gas in this game.
Catcher is going to be the toughest spot to pick as none of the names in the pool are significant prospects. I am going to go with Archer Brookman for one of the spots, as the Braves just added him via the minor league portion of the Rule 5 Draft this winter, so they may want to give him a look. With the other spot, young Manuel Dos Passos is the pick over Colin Burgess, as Dos Passos is the most intriguing prospect in this pool.
With the infield I believe two things are fairly safe bets. Based on how he has been used this spring plus his late promotion to Double-A last year, John Gil will be a lock if healthy. I also think David McCabe is going to go because of the need for a first baseman. The three recently drafted shortstops in Tate Southisene, Cody Miller, and Alex Lodise will all be strongly considered, as will also recently drafted second baseman Dixon Williams. But you can make an argument for former top international signee Jose Perdomo, who is finally healthy and in camp in the best shape we have seen since signing. Though minor league veterans like Lizandro Espinoza and Jim Jarvis would add a little experience to the team.
Two of these guys will need to be left out, and unfortunately I believe one of the more intriguing prospects will be in that group, as I can’t picture the Braves leaving off both Jarvis and Espinoza for their experience, versatility, and being the most advanced. I will leave Jarvis off in favor of Espinoza, and also Perdomo due to his struggles to this point in his career. That makes the group of infielders Gil, McCabe, Southisene, Lodise, Miller, Williams, and Espinoza.
The outfield is most likely to bring top prospect Diego Tornes and the most advanced player of the bunch, Patrick Clohisy. That means one Top 30 prospect will need to be squeezed out here. Top prospect Conor Essenburg seems like the most likely to get the squeeze due to his not playing in a professional game that counts yet, and I chose him over Luis Guanipa as the player not to make the cut. That means the outfield would be Tornes, Clohisy, Isaiah Drake, Owen Carey, Eric Hartman, and Luis Guanipa for the six spots. That is going to be an impressive group of young players to watch.
With the wildcard spot it would be a tough decision. On the hitting side there are prospects Perdomo and Essenburg, versatile veteran Jarvis, and a third catcher in Burgess. If they decided to go with a 12th pitcher there are prospects like top draft pick McKenzie, young prospects like Baumann and Bagwell, more experienced options like Burkhalter, Mejia, and Munoz. I am going to take Baumann over Jarvis with this pick, as he is a highly regarded prospect getting ready for his first taste of the upper minors.
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - OCTOBER 22: David Pastrnak #88 of the Boston Bruins skates against the Nashville Predators during an NHL game at Bridgestone Arena on October 22, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by John Russell/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
It’s the last game before the trade deadline!
Everyone remain calm, or freak out, if you’d rather do that. I’m not your boss.
The Bruins and Predators face off in a game with playoff implications for both teams (though you could say that about pretty much every game from here on out, I guess).
The B’s will be looking to keep pace in the competitive Eastern Conference wild card race, while Nashville is clinging to the fringes of the Western Conference wild card race after a slow start to the post-Olympic period.
Feb 26, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Elmer Rodriguez (76) throws a pitch against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Much of the baseball world is gearing up for the World Baseball Classic, but there’s another fun preseason date on coming up on the calendar: MLB’s Spring Breakout. Now in its third year, the Spring Breakout games feature rosters that consist only of each team’s prospects, who get a chance to showcase their abilities against some of the other top young talents in the sport.
The Yankees just announced their roster for this year’s iteration, which will take place against the Braves on March 21st at George M. Steinbrenner Field:
Yankees roster for the spring breakout game on March 21, obviously subject to change pic.twitter.com/ywGBknWSyZ
The roster sports just about every notable prospect in the Yankees’ system, as every player above rookie ball on their Top 30 list from MLB Pipeline (with the exception of Rule 5 draftee Cade Winquest) appears on the squad.
The biggest prospects to watch will be some of the players fans have already gotten to know over the past year, such as George Lombard Jr., Elmer Rodríguez, and Carlos Lagrange. It was Lagrange, in fact, who broke out at last season’s Spring Breakout, overcoming first-inning jitters to retire 11 in a row at one point while showing off his 100-mph heater. Lagrange entered the game ranked just 19th on the Yankees’ prospect list, but is now one of the club’s most exciting farmhands.
There are plenty of candidates on this roster who could do something similar to Lagrange last year, announcing their presence on a big stage before going on to have a huge year. Right-handers Ben Hess and Bryce Cunningham, the Yankees’ first two picks in the 2024 draft, should see the field, and could rise up prospects lists fast this year if they can refine their games. Henry Lalane is tantalizing as possibly the left-handed version of Lagrange, the 6-foot-7 lefty still able to touch the upper 90’s after dealing with shoulder issues. Then there’s Chase Hampton, once the Yankees’ top pitching prospect who’s just now getting a shot to re-establish himself after Tommy John surgery.
Elsewhere, it’ll just be cool to potentially see Lombard and Dax Kilby, a pair of top shortstop prospects, share an infield, and dream on the possibility of the two teaming up on the infield dirt in the Bronx someday. That’s the sort of daydreaming MLB was going for in putting together the Spring Breakout, and they’ve largely been successful in creating an event that lets fans get a good look at a number of players who will soon be heading to their minor-league homes for the duration of the season.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Delaney Gibb had 19 points, eight assists and four steals to lead BYU to a 70-52 win over rival Utah in the second round of the Big 12 Tournament on Thursday.
The ninth-seeded Cougars (22-10) won their fifth straight game and beat the eighth-seeded Utes (19-12) for the third time this season to advance to play top seed and No. 10-ranked TCU in a Friday quarterfinal.
Gibb made four 3-pointers as did Brinley Cannon, who scored 12 points. Lara Rohkohl scored all 12 of her points in the second half, including nine in a pivotal third quarter, and had eight rebounds.
Lani White scored 20 points, the only Ute in double figures.
Down 11 early in the third quarter, BYU shot 53% and outscored Utah 24-7 in the period to lead 51-43 after scoring the final 15 points.
Gibb's 3-pointer gave BYU a 12-point edge early in the fourth quarter while the Utes went scoreless for over five minutes. She heaved up another 3 to beat the shot clock for a 16-point edge with 1:18 remaining.
Cannon made three 3-pointers and BYU was 6 of 12 from the arc in the first quarter when it took a 22-17 lead. But the in the second quarter, the Cougars missed all six from the arc and were 2 of 12 overall. Utah took advantage, scoring 13 straight points and outscoring the Cougars 19-5 when White scored 11 of her 16 first-half points for a 36-27 lead.
Neither team reached 40% shooting but BYU made 11 of 30 from the arc and turned 19 turnovers into 18 points.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Jaloni Cambridge had 19 points, eight rebounds and five assists, Chance Gray added 18 points, and No. 11 Ohio State eased past Indiana 83-59 on Thursday in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament.
Ohio State (25-6), a No. 5 seed, advances to play 19th-ranked Minnesota in the quarterfinals on Friday. The Buckeyes secured their fifth straight season with 25-plus wins.
Cambridge and Gray combined for 10 of Ohio State's points during a 12-0 run to take the first double-digit lead of the game at 24-14. The Buckeyes' lead did not drop below eight points the rest of the half and Gray's 3-pointer with 20 seconds left made it 36-24 at the break.
Ohio State added a 10-0 run early in the third quarter for a 17-point advantage. The Buckeyes led by as many as 30 points, 81-51, with three minutes remaining in the game.
Kennedy Cambridge had 14 points and Elsa Lemmilä grabbed 13 rebounds to go with six points, five assists and three blocks for Ohio State. Gray made four of Ohio State’s 10 3-pointers — a game after the Buckeyes sank a program-record 18 3s in an 87-68 win against then-No. 15 Michigan State on Sunday.
Maya Makalusky led Indiana (18-14) with 21 points and five 3-pointers. Shay Ciezki added 12 points and Nevaeh Caffey scored 10.
Up next
Ohio State: Looks to even the season series with Minnesota after a 74-61 loss on Feb. 18.
Indiana finished the regular season with a 6-12 record in Big Ten play.
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SURPRISE, ARIZONA - MARCH 04: Aaron Zavala #79 of the Texas Rangers bats during a World Baseball Classic exhibition game against Team Brazil at Surprise Stadium on March 04, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Texas Rangers lineup for March 5, 2026 against the Kansas City Royals.
We have the Battle of Surprise today, with the Rangers and Royals facing off. MacKenzie Gore is pitching for the Rangers.
