Feb 17, 2026; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets pitcher Clay Holmes (35) delivers a pitch during spring training at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Mets lineup
MJ Melendez – RF
Mark Vientos – DH
Ronny Mauricio – 3B
Jared Young – 1B
Hayden Senger – C
Vidal Brujan – SS
Jackson Cluff – 2B
Nick Morabito – LF
Ji Hwan Bae – CF
Clay Holmes – RHP
Blue Jays lineup
Andres Gimenez – SS
Ernie Clement – 2B
Vladimir Guerrero – 1B
Alejandro Kirk – C
Addison Barger – RF
Kazuma Okamoto – 3B
Daulton Varsho – DH
Nathan Lukes – CF
Davis Schneider – LF
Jose Berrios – RHP
Broadcast info
First pitch: 1:07 PM EST TV: Radio: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App, 92.3 HD2
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PORT CHARLOTTE, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 19: Manager Kevin Cash #16 of the Tampa Bay Rays poses for a picture during the 2026 Tampa Bay Rays Photo Day at Charlotte Sports Park on February 19, 2026 in Port Charlotte, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Let’s seize the means of production the coveted Grapefruit League title
No TV covereage today, but the game can be heard through the radio.
First pitch is 1:05 against the Boston Red Sox at Charlotte Sports Park.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 20: Mick Abel #20 of the Minnesota Twins pitches against the Cleveland Guardians on September 20, 2025 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
First Pitch (CT):12:05 TV: NA Radio: Tigers – WXYT 1270 Know Yo’ Foe: Bless You Boys
We don’t normally include a lot of info on Spring Training games, but let’s try a new “what to watch” section since stats and results and ultimate don’t matter. I suppose today, “what to watch” would be more “what to look for in Statcast player tracking data” due to the game not being available.
What to watch: Can Austin Martin actually play CF? If Martin is able to be a legitimate option there, it would solve a lot of roster issues in one fell swoop.
England to split squad in July and leave a team to face Fiji
England have been handed a gruelling 25,000-mile travel itinerary for their inaugural Nations Championship fixtures in July and are expected to split their squad and field a weakened team against Fiji as a result.
As revealed exclusively by the Guardian, England’s match against Fiji – the week after facing South Africa in Johannesburg and the week before playing away in Argentina – will be staged at Everton’s new Dickinson Hill Stadium. Given the logistical problems that playing three matches in three continents in a fortnight entail, it is believed England will split their squad and leave a largely second-string side at home to face the Pacific Islanders.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - SEPTEMBER 21: Luinder Avila #58 of the Kansas City Royals throw against the Toronto Blue Jays at Kauffman Stadium on September 21, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) | Getty Images
You know the Royals are in a differYou know the Royals are in a different era when they enter camp with few roster spots on the line, rather than holding an open tryout for the lineup. The Royals are pretty much set with their starting nine and rotation, but if there are roster spots to be won, they’ll be in the bullpen. The Royals have the late innings figured out – Lucas Erceg and Carlos Estévez will shut things down late in games. Matt Strahm will likely set those two up, and face the tough lefties. The middle innings will likely be John Schreiber and Nick Mears.
That leaves some jockeying for position for the last three spots in the pen when the team begins the season in Atlanta on March 27. For once, the question isn’t whether the Royals have enough arms — it’s which capable arms won’t make the team. Here’s who could be competing.
The favorites
Alex Lange led the Tigers with 26 saves in 2023 before suffering lat injuries that derailed his career over the last two seasons. The Lee’s Summit native grew up a Royals fan and can miss bats with a 96 mph fastball and a knuckle-curve that opponents hit just .178 against in 2023. But his injuries are a concern, and he has had trouble throwing strikes at times with a high walk rate and a league-high 15 wild pitches in 2022. He pitched just one big league game, spending most of the second half of last year in the minors. Lange has an MLB contract, but has an option year remaining, so the Royals could give him some time to get acclimated in the minors.
Daniel Lynch IV seems like a good bet to be in the big leagues, but with the acquisition of Bailey Falter last summer, he seems somewhat redundant as a left-handed long reliever. Lynch posted a 3.06 ERA in 57 games last year, but he had the third-lowest strikeout rate among relievers and pitched primarily in low-leverage situations. He has an option year remaining as well, but he could become a trade asset with the Royals looking to sell high on his performance last year.
Starter or reliever?
Ryan Bergert would have a chance to crack the starting rotation for many other teams, but will likely be on the outside looking in with the Royals. He flashed some great stuff last year, but had some inconsistent results, so the Royals could very well have him stretched out in Omaha to be the de facto sixth starter. However, he did make four scoreless relief appearances last year, and if they feel like his stuff could be a weapon in the pen, he could make the team.
Mason Black was acquired from the Giants this offseason after making eight starts for San Francisco the past two years. He has struggled both at the big league level and in the upper minors, but could be a good project for Brian Sweeney and the coaching staff. Black throws from a lower arm angle, which could give hitters a different look if he comes out of the pen. Black has an option year, so he’s likely to begin in the Omaha rotation as a depth piece.
Bailey Falter no longer has options remaining, unlike Bergert or Stephen Kolek. That will likely mean he makes the team, although they could try to pass him through waivers and hope no team is willing to take on his $3.6 million salary. Falter was solid in 50 starts for the Pirates in 2024 and 2025, although with a low strikeout rate. But he struggled after being traded to the Royals last July, ending the year on the Injured List. Falter has much better strikeout numbers in his 31 career relief appearances than he does as a starter, so he could prove to be more useful in that role.
Stephen Kolek, like Bergert and Falter, was acquired last summer, but Kolek had the most success with a 1.91 ERA in five starts with the Royals. He doesn’t miss many bats either, but he throws strikes and gets groundballs. He wants to rely on his four-seamer to get more whiffs, and he did have a noticeably higher velo and strikeout rate in 2024 when he worked exclusively as a reliever. Kolek has an option year and seems likely to be sent to the minors to keep him stretched out as a starter, but an impressive spring may make it hard not to carry him in the pen.
Mitch Spence was acquired earlier this month as rotation depth, but he made 24 relief appearances with the Athletics last year. He was solid in 2024, but had mixed results last year, although a lot of that could be due to poor numbers at the home ballpark in Sacramento. He has a high chase rate and a groundball rate of 46 percent, and was more effective as a reliever than a starter last year. He has an option year, but the Royals love his flexibility, and he could be used out of the pen.
Competing for a spot
Luinder Avila is one of the top pitching prospects in the organization and impressed in a cup of coffee last year with a 1.29 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 14 innings. He brings an electric four-seamer with a hammer curve and a cutter with good break, giving him a three-pitch mix that produced a 50 percent groundball rate in his limited action. Manager Matt Quatraro has suggested the 24-year-old could be a front-of-the-rotation pitcher someday, but for this year, he could cut his teeth in the big leagues as a reliever.
Steven Cruz turned a corner in 2025, reducing his walk rate and making 47 appearances in the big leagues with a solid 3.74 ERA. He doesn’t strike out as many hitters as you would expect for a large-framed right-hander with a fastball in the high-90s. He could rely more on his slider this year, as big league hitters struggled to touch it, hitting just .156 against it with a 24.5 percent whiff rate.
José Cuas was effective for the Royals over 2022-23, but has had trouble throwing strikes since they traded him away. He has returned as a non-roster invitee, so the Royals would need to clear a 40-man roster spot to add him to the team. His sinker has been pretty ineffective the last few years, but if he can get back to throwing strikes and getting groundballs, he could be an option for the Royals.
James McArthur led the Royals with 18 saves in 2024, but lost his effectiveness and suffered an elbow injury late in the year that required surgery. He sat out all of last year, and will look to recapture his 2023 performance, when he had a 23-to-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 18 games. McArthur has an option year, and could begin the year in the minors to work his way slowly back to the big leagues, but the Royals hope his curve can be a weapon later this year.
Eli Morgan was a pretty savvy signing, joining the Royals on a minor league deal. He had a 1.93 ERA in 32 games with Cleveland in 2024, but appeared in just seven games with the Cubs last year due to an elbow injury. Morgan mixes a 92 mph four-seamer with a slider and changeup, and if healthy, he provides another veteran bullpen arm that throws strikes.
Héctor Neris had 17 saves for the Cubs in 2024, but had an ugly 6.75 ERA last year in 35 games. Despite that, he had a very high strikeout rate, so the Royals will bring the 36-year-old right-hander in to see if he has anything left in the tank. Neris has been plagued by control issues the last few years, but he does miss bats with a solid splitter that opponents had a 36 percent whiff rate against last year.
Long shots
Eric Cerantola is on the 40-man roster, which could give him a leg up, and he did have an intriguing strikeout rate of 11.6 per-nine-innings in Triple-A Omaha last year. He also missed six weeks with injury and had mixed results overall with a 4.04 ERA and a high walk rate. He will be pitching with Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic, which could hurt his chances of making the team, but realistically, his hope is to pitch well in Omaha and become a factor in the pen later this year.
Helcris Olivárez is a 25-year-old the Royals signed in the offseason who has pitched in the Rockies, Red Sox, and Giants organizations, but has yet to make his MLB debut. He’s a lefty who throws in the mid-90s and held opposing lefties to a .136 batting average in the minors last year. He’s almost certainly ticketed to Omaha, but lefties are always needed and it wouldn’t be a total surprise to see him in Kansas City at some point.
Aaron Sanchez faced the Royals in the 2015 ALCS as a member of the Blue Jays and was an All-Star the following year, but has not pitched in the big leagues since 2022. Right shoulder injuries have kept him out of action, and he did not even pitch in the minors last year, but he impressed scouts with his performance in the Dominican Winter League over the offseason, winning Pitcher of the Year honors. A former starter, Sanchez seems likely to be used as a reliever at this point in his career, but he will need to show he can stay healthy and induce groundballs the way he did a decade ago.
Feb 11, 2026; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets pitcher Nate Lavender (98) throws during spring training. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
It’s not all that common for a relief pitcher in the minors to generate even a moderate level of prospect buzz, but Nave Lavender garnered such attention when we put together our list of the Mets’ top prospects a couple years ago. Coming off a strong season in Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse, the 6’ 2” then-23-year-old looked like he’d have a shot at getting a call to the big leagues in 2024.
Unfortunately, the left-handed Lavender made just five appearances with Syracuse to start that season before he hit the injured list. And he went on to have internal brace surgery a few weeks later, ending his 2024 season.
The Mets left Lavender exposed in the Rule 5 draft following the season, and the Rays took him, hoping that they’d get to give him a shot at pitching for them at the major league level in 2025. But Lavender’s recovery wasn’t a smooth one, as he didn’t pitch at all at any level during the season. When the organization designated him for assignment after the season, he cleared waivers and was returned to the Mets.
Taken by the Mets in the 14th round of the 2021 draft, Lavender recently turned 26. Given the fact that it’s been nearly two years since he pitched in a game, he’ll really just be looking to prove that he can get back on the mound and stay healthy during spring training.
If Lavender can do that, it’ll be interesting to see what he looks like in Triple-A Syracuse, assuming that’s where he starts his season. Over the course of his minor league career thus far, he’s flashed incredible strikeout rates, particularly in the aforementioned 2023 season, walked more batters than you’d like to see, and didn’t have much of an issue with home runs until he got to Syracuse.
And while it seems unlikely that Lavender’s spring training showing could be so good that he’d make the Mets’ Opening Day roster, the Mets’ bullpen isn’t exactly stacked with players who are certain to make the team.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 22: Dillon Brooks #3 of the Phoenix Suns stands on the court during a timeout in the second half against the Portland Trail Blazers at Mortgage Matchup Center on February 22, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Like teams across the NBA, the Phoenix Suns entered Week 18 ready to navigate life after the All-Star break. A team in need of rest got it, and the hope was that they would come out of the pause with some momentum and start pushing toward the finish line. Instead, they sprinted straight into chaos, stepped on a few Legos, banged a shin on the coffee table, and somehow stubbed the same toe twice.
Injuries have hovered over this season from the start, but Week 18 felt like the moment the dam finally broke.
Devin Booker exited the Spurs game with a hip strain. Jordan Goodwin and Dillon Brooks both went down against Orlando. Goodwin is dealing with a calf strain, an injury that always requires caution, and Brooks fractured his left hand, leaving his return timeline uncertain. Grayson Allen missed the Spurs game, played against the Magic, then sat again versus Portland as his ankle continues to linger in the background.
The Suns are not dealing with anything unique around the league. Wear and tear has become part of the daily conversation as more players across the NBA show up on the injury report with that familiar red cross next to their name. It is another issue the league office continues to wrestle with, and one they will never fully solve without accepting that fewer games might mean fewer tickets sold. That debate can wait.
The reality is simpler and heavier. Phoenix is hurting, and a season that once felt special now feels fragile. Without Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks, Grayson Allen, and Jordan Goodwin, the foundation starts to wobble. A team built on hustle and defense is missing two of its best tone setters. A team that thrives on ball movement and finding the open shooter struggles to move the ball without Booker and Allen.
The Suns limp out of Week 18 hoping survival is enough until health returns, because health is the one thing money cannot buy.
Week 18 Record: 1-2
@ San Antonio Spurs, L, 121-94
Possession Differential: +3.8
Turnover Differential: 0
Offensive Rebounding Differential: +8
Against a Spurs team finding its stride, Phoenix was overmatched and undermanned. There were flashes. Jalen Green’s bounce, Mark Williams battled Wembanyama, but none of it really mattered. The Spurs handled the Suns with ease.
vs. Orlando Magic, W, 113-110 2OT
Possession Differential: +1.2
Turnover Differential: -8
Offensive Rebounding Differential: +12
Phoenix survived an absolute rock fight against Orlando. It was the kind of game that makes your eyes hurt and your soul tired, before Jalen Green detonated one moment of pure audacity to end the misery. Nothing flowed. Everything was earned.
Phoenix shot 29% from deep, coughed through 117 attempts, blew a late lead, lost bodies, and still dragged itself out of double overtime with a win. It wasn’t pretty, sustainable, or clean. It was survival. And this week, that counts.
vs. Portland Trail Blazers, L, 92-77
Possession Differential: -1.2
Turnover Differential: -2
Offensive Rebounding Differential: 0
Phoenix couldn’t find any rhythm, and their poor shooting continues to be of concern. What else is concerning? When the door of opportunity opened, no one stepped through it.
Inside the Possession Game
Weekly Possession Differential: +3.8
Weekly Turnover Differential: -10
Offensive Rebounding Differential: +20
Year-to-Date Over/Under .500: +8
Graphic time.
The Phoenix Suns won the possession battle this week. They took better care of the ball. They competed on the glass. And still, they walked away with two losses. Injuries sit at the center of everything right now, and every stat has to be read through that lens. That part is understood.
What lingers is the depth question. It is being tested, and it is not holding up. Players are operating outside their normal roles, so expectations need to be reasonable, but the drop-off has been real. Since February 1, the Suns are averaging 104 points per game, second-worst in the league. They are shooting 33.5% from three, which is sixth-worst. They average 9.1 steals, which puts them in the middle of the pack. And they are 3-6.
The traits that made this team enjoyable early in the season are slipping. That tells you the system is designed for high-level basketball IQ players, not built to elevate depth on its own. Strong organizations preach next man up because the structure remains functional even when talent thins. Phoenix has kept running the system, but the results have cratered. It is expected. It is part of the season-long evaluation. So far, the Suns are failing that test.
Week 19 Preview
Breathe. That is what the Suns have an opportunity to do over the next week. Only two games on the schedule, both against opponents who know how to make things uncomfortable.
First up is Tuesday, when Phoenix welcomes the Boston Celtics to town. Boston was penciled in by some as a team that might tread water this season, regroup, then reattack later. But that script never materialized. They sit second in the Eastern Conference, driven largely by Jalen Brown, and that matchup will demand real focus.
Two nights later, the Lakers come to Phoenix for the fourth of five meetings this season. That one matters. The standings say so. This is a chance to take a real bite out of them.
After that? Some rest. The Suns don’t play again until the following Tuesday.
SURPRISE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 17: Jack Leiter #22 of the Texas Rangers poses for a portrait during photo day at Surprise Stadium on February 17, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Should we start doing the lineup posts at this point in camp? Sure, why not…
The lineup:
Haggerty — CF
Jansen — C
Duran — 3B
Foscue — 1B
Canha — RF
Wade — SS
Cauley — 2B
Herrera — DH
Velazquez — LF
Jack Leiter is on the mound for Texas. 2:10 p.m. Central start time.
Indiana Pacers star point guard Tyrese Haliburton was already missing the 2025-26 NBA season as he continues his recovery from a torn Achilles tendon, but he will be away from the team for a separate issue.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said Sunday, Feb. 22, that Haliburton has come down with shingles and will spend two to three weeks away from the team to recover.
“It's a very painful thing,” Carlisle told reporters. “... He will make a full recovery, but this happened over the last few days. He was meeting us in D.C. and had some odd symptoms and he came back (to Indianapolis). That's what's happening with him. We certainly wish him a speedy recovery. It's a unique case and a unique situation, but I talked to him a few times and he's always in a good mood, so he'll get through it.”
Tyrese Haliburton injury update
According to the Mayo Clinic, shingles is a common viral infection caused by the same virus that results in chicken pox, varicella-zoster. Shingles produces a painful rash and is most likely to occur in persons older than 60, though anyone who has contracted chicken pox can contract it.
Haliburton, 25, suffered his Achilles rupture early in Game 7 of the NBA Finals in June. The Pacers have confirmed that Haliburton will spend the entire 2025-26 season recovering from the injury. The Pacers are 15-43 and have the worst record in the Eastern Conference.
Haliburton, a two-time All-Star, averaged 17.5 points, 8.8 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game last season. He starred in the playoffs and became known for his late-game heroics, hitting several game-tying or game-winning shots in the final seconds of massive games.
Haliburton has shared his progress from his Achilles rupture, including posting videos on social media of him working out and even participating in pick-up games.
The new week of NBA action starts with just a trio of games, but we open with a great one, as Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons host Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.
I’ve found my favorite NBA player prop for that exciting matchup, it’s in a place you may not expect. That and NBA picks for the other two games, on Monday, February 23, below.
The Detroit Pistons host the San Antonio Spurs in a matchup between two of the NBA’s best teams, and while this game is full of star power, I’m backing a role player to have a big impact.
Duncan Robinson has been a great secondary scorer for Detroit, averaging 12.3 points per game, and the Pistons' sharpshooter is on fire. Robinson is putting up 15.3 points per game while shooting 47.3% from 3-point range over his last seven.
And while the Spurs are a strong defensive team, they could be better on the perimeter, ranking 16th in opponent 3-point shooting percentage.
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Peacock
Prop #2: Ty Jerome Over 17.5 Points
-120 at bet365
Reliable bucket getters are few and far between for the Memphis Grizzlies.
That is, until Ty Jerome returned. The journeyman shooting guard is averaging 19.3 points while shooting 39.5% from beyond the arc.
Sportsbooks have caught on, but it’s not enough for this matchup against the Sacramento Kings.
The Kings are bad, and it’s only gotten worse. They rank dead last in defensive rating and are next-to-last in opponent points allowed per game in February.
Jerome has topped this number in five of seven games, including going for 28 against the Kings just back on February 4.
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBCSCA, FanDuel Sports Network Southeast-Memphis
Prop #3: Reed Sheppard Over 3.5 Assists
+102 at bet365
While we start the night with a great matchup, the nightcap is the opposite, as the Houston Rockets are massive home favorites against the Utah Jazz.
The Rockets obviously have edges all over the court, but my best bet is Reed Sheppard to go Over 3.5 assists.
The sophomore guard is averaging 4.0 assists per game over his last five, topping this number three times during that stretch.
The Jazz rank dead last in defensive rating and opponent assists per possession, and in a mismatch like this, Sheppard should get a longer run.
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Sep 17, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz (44, left), Cincinnati Reds first baseman Spencer Steer (7, center), and Cincinnati Reds third baseman Sal Stewart (43) walk back to the dugout after Steer hit a three-rin home run in the fourth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Vizer-Imagn Images | Tim Vizer-Imagn Images
Back in the go-go dinger days of 2019, Eugenio Suárez socked nearly as many home runs (49) as he blew gum bubbles, a number he matched in a 2025 season split between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Seattle Mariners.
So, if you ponder the question of who leads the 2026 Reds in dingers, it’s easy to simply point at Geno.
Is it really that simple, though?
Geno’s now 34 years old, and he’ll hit 35 in July of this year. On top of that, sandwiched in between his seasons with 49 bombs are single-season totals of 31, 31, 22, and 30, so it’s not as if he’s reached those lofty numbers each and every season.
Yes, he’s now calling Great American Ball Park home after spending far too much time in Seattle, where right-handed power hitting goes to die. Yes, he’s on a one-year ‘prove it’ contract for 2026 after nobody presumably offered him a long-term deal of enough value for him and his agent, and that may prompt him to go nuts again offensively in a contract year.
But is it really too outlandish to suggest that maybe, just maybe, someone else on this team finishes 2026 with more homers than Suárez? Someone like, say, Elly De La Cruz?
If Geno ‘slips’ back to only hitting ~30 homers in 2026, is it out of the question that a healthily-shouldered Spencer Steer could flirt with 30 after topping 20 in each of the last trio of seasons?
JJ Bleday once swatted 20 homers for the Oakland A’s! Noelvi Marte’s power has long been hyped as potentially plus…could 2026 be the year he finally puts it all together?
Lest we forget Sal Stewart, who led the 2025 Reds in homers after his call-up in September. He’s one of the most advanced hitters the Reds have seen as a rookie in a generation, and scouts have long said his raw power was ahead of his in-game power…at least until it showed up in-game at the end of last season. Might he step right in to the Cincinnati lineup on Opening Day and become the thumper this lineup has missed for years?
Who do you think leads this club in dingers in ‘26?
BUFFALO, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 05: Avery Hayes #85 of the Pittsburgh Penguins, playing in his first NHL game, celebrates his second goal of the game against the Buffalo Sabres during a game on February 05, 2026 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The Penguins skated a few days last week and have a few more days to get ready for the schedule to kick back up again starting Thursday for a home game against New Jersey.
There’s a new face back, Avery Hayes has returned to the NHL roster from the AHL after the break. Hayes scored six goals and added an assist in his five games back in the AHL during the break, including two hat trick games.
Forward Avery Hayes has been recalled from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL). pic.twitter.com/GvuSOSjBg9
There were some reports that the Pens were planning to bring Hayes back to the NHL even before Sidney Crosby’s injury and now the big elephant in the room will shift to the captain’s status.
Crosby won’t rejoin the team for a while longer, Team Canada was reportedly going to be flying back to Miami today (instead of the planned trip back to the NYC area, a trip scrapped due to the snowstorm impacting that part of the country).
It could be a while longer before any news comes out on that front, and as we all know NHL injury updates are typically vague and this situation seems right for a ’wait and see’ how the situation develops over the week. The Pens gave Erik Karlsson an extra day off yesterday when Rickard Rakell returned to practice. Karlsson skated again today for the first time with the team since his Olympic excursion.
Here’s how the team lined up today in their practice.
#LetsGoPens lines and D-pairs without Sidney Crosby, who has yet to rejoin the team.
A. Hayes-Rakell-Rust Chinakhov-Novak-Malkin Mantha-Kindel-Brazeau Dewar-Lizotte-Acciari (K. Hayes)
This isn’t the first time this season that the Pens have experimented with Rakell at center, he worked in the middle in the preseason before Bryan Rust’s injury shifted the team need over to the wing. Interestingly, Hayes had been skating as a placeholder on that first line, this move could be starting to chart a course forward if the Pens are going to have some games without Crosby available.
Otherwise the lines have remained with familiar players in what has become normal spots down the lineup.
One other area to watch is that of Letang, as of last week he hadn’t had final clearance to come back and play from his foot fracture but acknowledged that he’s trending towards returning to the lineup on Thursday when the team picks back up. Nothing so far has gone against that outlook, which would be an encouraging sign for the blueline.
Nov 3, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; A fan reacts in the second half between the Dallas Cowboys and the Arizona Cardinals at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Some fans choose their team, and some fans are chosen by their team. Which was it for you? Today, we want to hear your story from you: How you became a fan of the Arizona Cardinals.
When did you first become a fan? Were you born into it? Was there a specific game or season that pulled you in? What’s the earliest moment you remember as a fan?
For me, I have told the story quite often, but my dad was born and raised in Arizona, so when they got an NFL team for the first time when I was just three, he was immediately a fan.
He hated the Cowboys even growing up here and getting the games every week, but as soon as the Cardinals were in Arizona, it was all Cardinals.
What a curse it has been, but the suffering makes you stronger as a fan.
Jeff Kent still hasn’t gotten over Alex Rodriguez’s cheap shot.
Kent, who was recently inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame, was a guest on the KNBR broadcast during Sunday’s spring training game between the Giants and Cardinals.
One announcer brought up Rodriguez’s hard slide into second base in 1998 that caused Kent to miss a month with an injury. Kent didn’t hold back when discussing his feelings.
Jeff Kent spent 17 seasons in MLB across stints with six different teams, the most of which came with the Giants. AP
“He tore my knee up. He slid and rolled his fat ass past the base, the son of a bitch, and put me out for a little while. I was not happy about that,” Kent said of the play, which came when he was a member of the Giants, and Rodriguez was on the Mariners.
“He was a middle infielder, and we were beating them up pretty good. He didn’t need to be doing that.”
Kent continued, diving into his mantra as a second baseman back in his playing days.
“I would literally throw the ball between their eyes. If they came in and they weren’t ducking down, I was throwing the ball right between their eyes. They better get down,” Kent said.
At the time of his injury, Kent had started the year hot. In eight games, he was hitting .448 with two home runs and 13 RBIs.
In 17 MLB seasons, mostly spent with the Giants and Mets, Kent finished with a .290/.356/.500 slash line with 377 home runs. He also made five All-Star appearances and won the MVP award in 2000 when he hit .334 with 33 homers.
Jeff Kent received two more votes than he needed to make the MLB Hall of Fame in December. AP
He’s remembered as one of the best power-hitting second basemen of all time; Kent’s 351 homers at the position are the most in baseball history.
Kent was voted into the Hall of Fame by the contemporary era committee in December, receiving 14 of 16 votes. He’ll be inducted into Cooperstown on July 26 alongside Carlos Beltran and Andruw Jones, who were chosen by the BBWAA.
Despite a Hall of Fame resume, Rodriguez received just 40 percent of the votes (well below the 75 needed) to get inducted into Cooperstown. Rodriguez was one of the faces of the PED era and was suspended for the entire 2014 season due to his involvement in the Biogenesis scandal.
Alex Rodriguez at Yankees’ Old-Timer’s Day in 2024. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
"He tore my knee up. He slid and rolled his fat ass past the base, the son of a bitch."
Jeff Kent was asked about the knee sprain he got when Alex Rodriguez slid into him in 1998 pic.twitter.com/gjmmB3VO02
“I hugged my wife after the phone call had come in, and I told her that a lot of the game had come rushing back to me at that moment,” Kent said. “It reminds me of the ‘no crying in baseball.’ Well, I was bawling when I left the game because all that emotion just overcomes you.”
But before his official induction, Kent was in the headlines for a different reason Sunday.
Duncan Robinson
Ty Jerome
Reed Sheppard 
