The 2025 season did not end the way the Yankees envisioned.
After making the World Series in 2024, the Yanks were bounced by the Blue Jays in the ALDS. It was a disappointing end for a team that was tied for the most wins in the American League, but New York believes there is unfinished business. That's why GM Brian Cashman is running it back in 2026.
For better or worse, the Yankees are hoping a full season with midseason acquisitions Ryan McMahon, Jose Caballero and David Bednar will help them get back to the World Series. They are also banking on the return of Gerrit Cole, who underwent Tommy John surgery before the 2025 season, to bolster a rotation that was already one of the best in the AL.
However, Cole won't be back by Opening Day and he's not the only one. Anthony Volpe and Carlos Rodon will miss time and start the season on the IL. That leaves a few spots open on the 26-man roster.
So, as Yankees pitchers and catchers report, here is our first 26-man roster prediction for the 2026 season…
Starting Lineup
Trent Grisham: CF Aaron Judge: RF Cody Bellinger: LF Ben Rice: 1B Giancarlo Stanton: DH Jazz Chisholm Jr.: 2B Ryan McMahon: 3B Jose Caballero: SS Austin Wells: C
This is the easy part.
The Yankees are running it back, and the everyday starting lineup will look very similar to what it was in the final months of 2025. Barring any injuries, the usual regulars will play, with McMahon and Rice manning the corners.
A year ago, Paul Goldschmidt was the starting first baseman, but Rice's bat is too important to leave on the bench.
With Volpe on the shelf, Caballero will be the starting shortstop for now. The Yanks will see if Caballero can make the position his own before Volpe returns. If Caballero struggles, Volpe will regain the starting job and Caballero will be relegated to the bench.
Sep 23, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees shortstop Jose Caballero (72) reacts after hitting a walk off single against the Chicago White Sox during the ninth inning at Yankee Stadium. / John Jones-Imagn Images
Rotation
Max Fried: LHP Cam Schlittler: RHP Luis Gil: RHP} Ryan Yarbrough: LHP Will Warren: RHP Ryan Weathers: RHP
With Cole, Rodon, and Clarke Schmidt on the IL to start the season, it's likely the Yankees will begin the year with a six-man rotation.
The rationale is two-fold.
It'll limit the number of innings for the youngsters and Fried, who threw a career high 195.1 innings in 2025. It'll also reduce how many starts are needed by Yarbrough or Paul Blackburn before Cole and Rodon return. I'll say Yarbrough will get the nod to make some spot starts, but manager Aaron Boone said in his news conference on the first day of pitchers and catchers that when those starters return, he could slide an arm or two into the bullpen.
Miami Marlins starting pitcher Ryan Weathers (35) pitches in the first inning against the Washington Nationals at loanDepot Park. / Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
The Yankees traded for Weathers, so he seems like a lock to make the initial rotation along with Schlittler, Gil, and Warren, who all showed they can pitch in the big leagues. The six-man rotation will also help Weathers stay healthy after making just eight starts a year ago.
Bullpen
David Bednar: RHP Camilo Doval: RHP Jake Bird: RHP Osvaldo Bido: RHP Fernando Cruz: RHP Tim Hill: LHP Angel Chivilli: RHP
I predict the arms in the bullpen will be asked to do some heavy lifting, at least in the early going. Hopefully, Fried and the rest of the starters give length in March/April to give Bednar, Doval, Cruz and the rest of the high-leverage guys some rest in between outings. But outside of those three, there aren't a lot of locks.
The Yanks picked up Hill's option, so he'll start as the lone lefty in the bullpen. That leaves three more spots to choose from.
Bird was one of the relievers Cashman picked up at last year's trade deadline, and he did not pan out. He made three appearances in pinstripes and allowed six runs across 2.0 innings. He was sent down to Triple-A, where he remained for the duration of the season. But now, the right-hander has a chance to figure things out under the watchful eye of the Yankees trainers and coaches.
I believe he'll do enough to earn a spot, and if he struggles, he still has minor league options.
And for that final spot, Bido is an intriguing option. The Yankees claimed him off waivers from the Athletics after a rough 2025. But Bido had a strong 2024, striking out 63 batters across 63.1 innings and pitching to a 3.41 ERA. Perhaps the Yankees get the 30-year-old back to that point this spring.
And then there's Chivilli, whom the Yanks acquired from the Rockies in January. The hard-throwing righty has not had success in the majors thus far (6.18 ERA across 73 appearances), but he has the stuff to potentially make him a great fit for the bullpen. Perhaps taking Chivilli out of Coors Field and having the Yankees' pitching lab mold him into a competent reliever could revitalize his career in the same way they made Cruz into a household name.
Bench
Amed Rosario: INF Paul Goldschmidt: 1B J.C. Escarra: C Oswaldo Cabrera: UTIL
And here's where things get kind of interesting.
Rosario, Goldschmidt, and Escarra are locks, but the Yankees need a fourth outfielder. I believe Jasson Dominguez will start the season in Triple-A. He has options, and regular at-bats and playing time are what the young switch-hitter needs right now.
That opens up the door for Cabrera. And while most of his time has been spent playing the infield, he has appeared in over 100 games in the outfield, including 92 starts.
Rosario also has experience playing the outfield, but the versatility Cabrera provides, as well as being a switch-hitter, gives him the edge over others like a Spencer Jones. The team is too left-handed as is.
Los Angeles, CA - October 01: Starting pitcher Zach Littell #52 of the Cincinnati Reds throws to the plate against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the second inning of game 2 of a National League wild card series baseball game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Wednesday, October 1, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
I’m not gonna make a case, or talk about how it depends on price. You can do that.
Littell is the only free agent remaining who A) does not require loss of a draft pick, and B) is projected by a blend of Steamer and ZiPS to produce over 1.5 WAR in 2026.
TORONTO, ONTARIO - OCTOBER 31: Chris Bassitt #40 of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the ninth inning in game six of the 2025 World Series at Rogers Center on October 31, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s become something of an annual tradition in Birdland: the hot stove season heats up, the rumor mill churns out names of frontline starters, and Orioles fans allow themselves to dream. This year, it was Framber Valdez, the crafty lefty who’s been one of baseball’s most reliable arms. Mike Elias’s comments earlier this offseason suggested the team was ready to swim in the deep end, to finally make the kind of splash that announces championship intentions.
And then, as if on cue, the pivot. Valdez recently announced a $115 million deal with the Detroit Tigers, while the Orioles cashed in all their chips on … a one-year, $18.5M contract for Chris Bassitt.
Look the signing isn’t a disaster. It’s gotten mixed reviews here in Birdland, but nobody’s furious about it. Bassitt is a solid major league pitcher who posted respectable numbers in 2025, including a strong strikeout-to-innings ratio in the postseason. He’s durable, he’s experienced, and he knows how to navigate a lineup the third time through the order. He’s not chopped liver.
But he’s also not what we were promised. And that gap between expectation and reality has become uncomfortably familiar.
Cast your mind back a few offseasons. The names then were Dylan Cease and Max Fried—legitimate top-of-the-rotation arms who would have transformed the Orioles’ pitching staff. Instead, the team zigged when fans expected them to zag, opting for the safer, cheaper, shorter-term solution. Jordan Lyles. Kyle Gibson. Charlie Morton. Tomoyuki Sugano. Bassitt.
The pattern has become so predictable that it’s practically a signature of the Elias era: dream big in December, settle in January.
The question that nags at me isn’t whether Bassitt can help. He can. It’s whether this approach—the perpetual one-year deal, the endless bridge contracts, the faith that everything will break right—is actually a viable path to a championship. Because when you look around the American League East, the Orioles’ division rivals aren’t playing it safe. The Yankees have made moves. The Blue Jays have been aggressive. Even the Red Sox, who’ve had their own organizational soul-searching to do, have shown more willingness to commit.
The Orioles, meanwhile, are still asking us to trust the process.
And it’s true, the process could work. The best-case scenario for Baltimore’s 2025 rotation is genuinely exciting: Kyle Bradish returns to Cy Young form after his injury, Trevor Rogers replicates his magical comeback season, Shane Baz rediscovers his pre-injury stuff, and Zach Eflin’s back holds up. Add a steady Bassitt to that mix, and you’ve got something.
But that’s an awful lot of ifs. It’s a rotation built on the assumption that everyone hits a ceiling they’ve reached, in most cases, exactly once. It’s a plan that requires the baseball gods to smile on Baltimore while frowning on everyone else. It’s hope dressed up as strategy.
Maybe I’m being too harsh. Results have a way of silencing concerns about process, and if the Orioles surprise everyone and make a deep October run, I’ll happily eat these words. Good outcomes quiet the haters, myself potentially included.
But here’s what bothers me: this has become a philosophy, not just a tactic. Don’t draft pitchers high. Avoid the raw high school talent. Squeeze value out of waiver wire pickups and veterans willing to bet on themselves with short-term deals. It’s smart, in its way—analytically defensible, fiscally responsible, low-risk in any individual transaction.
It’s also not inspiring. And it’s not how you build a champion.
The Tampa Bay Rays have been doing this dance for years, finding value in the margins, developing what they have, never quite spending like the big boys. They’ve been to one World Series this century. They lost. At some point, you have to wonder whether the ceiling on this approach is “perpetually competitive” rather than “champion.”
The Orioles have a young core that’s ready to win now. Gunnar Henderson isn’t getting any cheaper. Adley Rutschman’s window is open. The time to push the chips to the center of the table is now, not in some hypothetical future when all the one-year deals finally add up to something.
Chris Bassitt will take the ball every fifth day and give the Orioles a chance to win. That’s valuable. But when you’re chasing a championship, “giving yourself a chance” isn’t the same as “going for it.” And after another offseason of watching the Orioles linked to aces only to settle for something less, it’s hard not to feel like we’re watching the same movie for the third or fourth time.
Plan B can work. Sometimes the backup option turns out to be the right call all along.
But it sure would be nice, just once, to see what Plan A looks like.
DALLAS, TEXAS - JANUARY 24: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks shoots over Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half at American Airlines Center on January 24, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) | Getty Images
To no one’s surprise, Cooper Flagg was officially named a “Rising Star” by the NBA and was tapped to compete in the “Rising Stars Challenge” during the 2026 All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles before suffering a foot injury in Tuesday’s 120-111 loss at the Phoenix Suns. It got us thinking: What other Mavericks have been named a rising star? How did those selections pan out? Let’s take a look back at the history of the Dallas Mavericks and who turned heads when they entered the NBA.
Dereck Lively II (2024, 2025)
The Mavericks were ecstatic to draft Dereck Lively II out of Duke. So much so, they were willing to “tank” to get him. To improve its odds of keeping a top 10 pick in the 2023 NBA draft, Dallas rested stars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving during the final stretch of games. The league fined the Mavs $750,000 for “conduct detrimental to the league.” Dallas ultimately was able to keep the 10th pick, which was sent to Oklahoma City. The Thunder drafted Cason Wallace, and the Mavs took Lively II. Despite the fine, the risk was worth the reward. He was an integral piece in the Mavericks’ 2024 NBA Finals run.
For his career, Lively II has averaged 8.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks. His recent stretch of injuries has become concerning for the Mavs, but he turned 22 on February 12, so there’s still a long runway for his development. Lively was selected as a Rookie and Sophomore for the Rising Stars Challenge.
Luka Doncic (2019, 2020)
*Bangs head against wall*
Surprise, surprise – Luka Doncic made the Rising Stars Challenge in his rookie and sophomore seasons. After the blockbuster draft night swap that sent Doncic to the Mavs and Trae Young to the Hawks, Dallas quickly found its new star from Slovenia.
Following 21 years of a European superstar in Dirk Nowitzki being the face of the franchise, the reins were quickly handed off to Doncic at just 19 years old. As a rookie, he averaged 21.2 points per game, 7.8 rebounds, and 6.0 assists – the best stats of any Mavericks rookie and also won Rookie of the Year. Who is the next closest, you ask? Cooper Flagg – 20.4 points per game, 6.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists. There’s a reason Doncic and Flagg have comparisons outside of “the trade” that inevitably helped Dallas land the number one overall pick. Both are widely regarded as the most skilled rookies ever to put on a Mavericks uniform.
For his career, Doncic is averaging 29.0 points per game, 8.6 rebounds, and 8.3 assists. He’s a six-time all-star. In his seven years as a Maverick, he brought the team five winning seasons, two Conference Finals appearances, and one NBA Finals appearance. And then, he got traded.
Dennis Smith Jr. (2018)
Dennis Smith Jr. was first regarded as a potential player to build the franchise around. The star guard out of North Carolina State was an athletic phenom. His rookie season didn’t disappoint, averaging 15.2 points per game, 5.2 assists, and 3.8 rebounds. Smith Jr. was selected as a rookie to the Rising Stars Challenge.
However, a year later and heading into the 2018 draft, Dallas was confident it could find another star, having a top five pick. Ultimately, they selected Luka Doncic, and it wasn’t long until Smith Jr. was viewed as the high-flying, athletic running-mate for Doncic.
The chemistry never had a chance to grow between the two potential stars. Smith Jr. only played 32 games his sophomore season before being traded to the New York Knicks for a package that included Kristaps Porzingis and Tim Hardaway Jr. After a promising first year with the Knicks, Dennis Smith Jr. hasn’t been able to stay healthy. He’s been a journeyman in his eight-year career, with two stops in Dallas, and one each in New York, Detroit, Portland, Charlotte, and Brooklyn. For his career, Smith Jr. has averaged 9.7 points per game, 4.2 assists, and 3.0 rebounds. He’s only averaged playing 41 games per season over his eight seasons in the NBA.
Dwight Powell (2016)
The current longest-tenured Maverick made his appearance in the 2016 Rising Stars Challenge. With Toronto hosting all-star weekend, Canada’s own Dwight Powell was selected to represent Team World.
Powell was drafted 45th overall by the Charlotte Hornets in 2014. Before his rookie season, he was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers and then the Boston Celtics. Ultimately, he landed in the Lone Star State as part of the Rajon Rondo deal during the 2014-2015 season.
Powell has become a staple for the Mavs both on the court and as a veteran off the bench. He was the starting center during the Mavs 2022 Western Conference Finals run and provided meaningful minutes in the 2024 NBA Finals run. Powell is entering his 12th season and has averaged 6.5 points and 4.2 rebounds per game for his career.
There are three things that are inevitable in life: death, taxes, and Dwight Powell on the Mavericks.
Devin Harris (2005, 2006)
Devin Harris has been more than just a Mavericks commentator. He was selected to play in the Rising Stars challenge during his rookie and sophomore seasons. Harris was selected fifth overall in the 2004 NBA Draft by the Washington Wizards, who traded him to Dallas in a package for Antawn Jamison.
The Mavs were high on the Wisconsin guard for his quickness and ability to get to the rim. The Mavericks had a gaping hole at the point guard position after letting Steve Nash walk in the offseason. Ultimately, Dallas tried to fill the Nash void with a combination of Jason Terry and Devin Harris.
His rookie campaign was a bit underwhelming, but it became clear the Mavs could use a spark plug like Harris. In his rookie season, he averaged 5.7 points per game, 2.2 assists, and 1.0 steals. He was an integral part of the Mavericks playoff pushes in the 2000’s.
Harris was traded to the New Jersey Nets in 2009 in a package for future hall of fame point guard Jason Kidd. For his career, Harris averaged 10.8 points per game, 3.9 assists, and 2.2 rebounds. He was selected as an all-star in 2009.
Josh Howard (2004, 2005)
Josh Howard was selected 29th overall by the Mavericks in the 2003 NBA Draft. This draft is notorious for being loaded with talent, producing guys like LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, and Carmelo Anthony. Dallas found their two-way talent in selecting Howard out of Wake Forest. He appeared in the Rising Stars Challenge in his rookie and sophomore seasons.
After the departures of Steve Nash and Michael Finley, Howard was catapulted to the second scorer responsibility beside Dirk Nowitzki. He spent 10 years in the NBA, including seven with the Mavericks. He achieved all-rookie honors in 2004 and was selected as an all-star in 2007. At his peak, Howard was a certified bucket and also served as Dallas’s point-of-attack defender.
Howard was a crucial piece in the playoff runs during the prime Nowitzki era. For his career, he averaged 14.3 points per game, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.6 assists.
Dirk Nowitzki (1999)
When most people think about the Dallas Mavericks’ history, the first person that comes to mind is often the seven-foot, awkward, lanky kid from Wurzburg, Germany. Dirk Nowitzki was selected 9th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1998 NBA Draft and then traded to Dallas for Robert “Tractor” Traylor.
Nowitzki was unlike anything the NBA had seen before. He was a mobile big man who could play on the perimeter and shoot the lights out. His patented one-legged fade away jumper has influenced the game of many greats today, including Lebron James and Kevin Durant.
Nowitzki’s silhouette on the floor in the American Airlines Center is a constant reminder of how great he truly was. Not to mention, his statue outside of the arena that reads “Loyalty Never Fades Away” as Nowitzki played all 21 seasons in a Mavericks uniform.
Nowitzki was selected to participate in the Rising Stars Challenge in 1999 and quickly positioned himself as one of the game’s greats. Nowitzki is a 14-time all-star, 2007 league MVP, 2011 NBA Champion, and seventh on the NBA’s all-time scoring list with 31,560 points. For his career, he averaged 20.7 points per game, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game. Nowitzki is etched into Mavericks history (as of now) as the greatest to put on the uniform.
Samaki Walker (1997)
Samaki Walker was selected 9th overall in the 1996 NBA Draft by the Mavs. The two-way power forward out of Louisville had an incredibly high upside, being a versatile big man who could score inside and defend the rim.
He never panned out in the NBA. His claim to fame is being punched by Kobe Bryant during his time as a Los Angeles Laker. Walker was selected to the Rising Stars Challenge, averaging 5.0 points per game and 3.4 rebounds.
He played 10 seasons in the NBA with stops in Dallas, Los Angeles, San Antonio, Miami, Washington, and Indiana. For his career, Walker averaged 5.3 points per game and 4.7 rebounds.
Jason Kidd (1995)
Jason Kidd was the definition of a true point guard. Dallas needed a true floor general to facilitate the offense coming into the 1994 off-season. The Mavs took Kidd second overall in the 1994 NBA Draft. The California guard had an immediate impact. After a dreadful 13-69 season in 1994, the Mavericks improved to 36-46 in 1995. During his rookie season, he averaged 11.7 points per game, 7.7 assists, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.9 steals.
Kidd was selected as a rookie to the Rising Stars Challenge for his injection of winning play on his new team. But it didn’t last long. The 1996 season had Dallas slip back to 26 wins. The Mavericks traded Kidd the day after Christmas during the 1996 season to the Phoenix Suns.
Jason Kidd spent five years in Phoenix, seven in New Jersey, one in New York, and eight in Dallas. Kidd’s return to Dallas in 2008 led to him co-starring with Dirk Nowitzki en route to the 2011 championship.
Kidd spent 19 seasons in the NBA. He’s third all-time in assists with 12,091 and third all-time in steals with 2,684. He’s a 10-time all-star and NBA champion. For his career, Kidd averaged 12.6 points per game, 8.7 assists, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.9 steals.
Jamal Mashburn (1994)
Jamal Mashburn was heavily touted coming out of Kentucky. He was one of the most complete offensive players in recent history, while still playing both sides of the floor. The Mavericks drafted the 6’8 small forward with the fourth overall pick in the 1993 NBA Draft. The Mavericks were looking for an offensive powerhouse to share the reins with Derek Harper and Jim Jackson, and they found one in Mashburn. This earned him a selection to the Rising Stars Team in 1993.
His other team was a different story. Team success with the Mavericks just wasn’t there. The 1990’s were abysmal Dallas and Mashburn was right in the middle.
For his career, Mashburn averaged 19.2 points per game, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.0 assists. He played 12 seasons, four each with Dallas and Miami, and two each with Charlotte and New Orleans. Mashburn was selected as an all-star once in 2003. Although his tenure in Dallas is forgettable, he’s still considered one of the better scorers of the early 1990’s.
Popeye Jones (1993)
Popeye Jones was drafted 41st overall by the Houston Rockets in the 1992 NBA draft and later traded to the Mavericks on draft night. The Murray State power forward was a tenacious rebounder and provided strength and athleticism on the interior. Jones was selected in his sophomore season for the Rising Stars Challenge. By his second season in the NBA, he was averaging a double-double of 10.3 points per game and 10.6 rebounds.
Jones averaged 7.0 points per game and 7.4 rebounds over an 11-year career. He spent four years with the Mavericks, two each with Toronto and Washington, and one each with Boston, Denver, and Golden State.
Jones has also had a successful 15+ year coaching career with stops in Dallas, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Indiana, and Denver. He won a championship as an assistant coach with the Nuggets in 2023.
Rising Stars Challenge Starts Friday
Through 46 years, rising stars haven’t come all that often with the Mavericks. But those who get selected by the NBA often go on to have impactful careers. Cooper Flagg is the newest Maverick to make this list. So, let’s just enjoy the ride.
The Rising Stars Challenge begins Friday, February 13, at 8 PM Central time on NBC and Peacock.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - FEBRUARY 12: Ousmane Dieng #21 of the Milwaukee Bucks drives to the basket during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on February 12, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Milwaukee Bucks took down the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder 110-93 in what might have been their best team performance of the year. Granted, this was nowhere near OKC’s best team, missing a bunch of guys, including their two initiators in SGA and Jalen Williams, but the Thunder are tough to beat with whoever they’ve got. Having seven Bucks reach double-digit scoring just shows how well the team moved the ball and played off each other. Brilliant stuff. Read our full summary of the game here and catch a six-minute audio recap on the Bucks+ podcast, Bucks In Six Minutes, below.
If you watch closely, you can see how much AJ’s game has evolved this season—last night was a prime example. At Green’s size, getting his shot off is half the battle, and his trigger has gotten so much quicker, whether that be off the dribble or off the catch, but he keeps getting more and more off. His passing game—and particularly his ability to manipulate in the pick-and-roll—has also improved leaps and bounds. He had a play last night where he came hard off the pick, probed the drop big to the point where they slightly committed to him, which forced the corner defender to tag the roller, opening up the wing shooter, whom AJ promptly hit with his left hand. Scrumdiddlyumptious!
After a few down games, Bobby played much better in this one. He took advantage of his size against the smaller OKC lineup, making the right play more often than not. Love the rebounding as well.
Dieng continues to impress. He’s obviously shot the ball really well thus far, which is notable because he’s a career 30% three-point shooter. However, the part of his offensive game that impressed me the most last night was his ability to mix it up and take what the defence gave him. He drove with purpose off hand-offs, scoring once for himself and lobbing to the roller on the other. He curled hard off an off-ball screen and nailed a movement three. There was even a play where he got the rebound and immediately pushed it coast-to-coast before finishing at the rim with a nice Euro-step. I wrote in the preview that I wanted to see if he could “get places” against an elite defence, and he did exactly that. Oh, and then there’s the five stocks on defense. Whew!
Grade: A+
Kyle Kuzma
28 minutes, 14 points, 5/15 FG, 2/6 3P, +8
Not the greatest offensive showing from Kuz, but he did hit some big shots at crucial moments. I also liked his defence; thought his physicality was great.
This is the difference between what happens when Cam tries to score (in the iso-heavy way that he does) against a good defence vs. a mediocre one. Somewhat like KPJ, I suspect it’ll be a roller coaster ride this year watching Thomas. There will be high highs and low lows.
Grade: C-
Jericho Sims
20 minutes, 8 points, 5 rebounds, 4/5 FG, +6
As Zac wrote in the player grades for the last game, Sims just looks so much more confident out there. Dare I say, it even looks like he’s having fun! Sure, the box score isn’t as spectacular as last game, but the way he’s attacking the glass and playing with physicality has been awesome to watch.
Just another awesome game from Nance. I guess he’s just a capital-S shooter now!? He’s letting that thing go with confidence, man. I also love the way he’s playing with quick instincts. There was a play last night where he flashed high to receive the cross-court pass, flipped it to AJ Green (who was moving at speed before Nance even caught it), and screened for him. Green then threw it back on the short roll, and Nance had the wherewithal to quickly toss it to the corner before the help arrived.
Grade: A-
Darvin Ham
Hey man, credit where it’s due. Ham (and Doc in previous games) managed the lineups really well. I’ve noticed, in general, they seem to be moving away from specialists like Gary Trent Jr., Taurean Prince, and (to an extent) Gary Harris in favour of “basketball players.” Meaning guys who can pass, dribble, shoot, and defend at a decent level, even if they aren’t elite at one of those skills. Ousmane Dieng is a good example of this sort of player. He’s probably not the standstill shooter that Trent is, but he’s a lot more playable in different contexts. And to be clear, Dieng still has to prove himself over the season, but speaking just as a conceptual matter. This is where basketball is heading; specialists will go by the wayside soon enough, if they haven’t already. Off the top of my head, think about Corey Kispert and Luke Kennard; these dudes just aren’t coveted the way they used to be.
Grade: A-
Garbage time: Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Andre Jackson Jr., Gary Trent Jr.
DNP-CD: Gary Harris
Inactive: Alex Antetokounmpo, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Taurean Prince, Myles Turner, Ryan Rollins
Bonus Bucks Bits
Mark Daigneault on Ousmane Dieng: “He was great. He was great last night too. We want guys to leave here and do well. We’re rooting for him. And he deserves that. He’s got a lot of good basketball ahead.” (Credit to Brandon Rahbar on Twitter for the quote).
An underrated element of being tall and able to handle the ball is that you don’t have to be super explosive to get places on the court. Dieng can make simple reads well because he can pass over people. That said, I still think he needs to work on that part of his game to reach another level.
If the Bucks keep winning, there’s going to come a point where I’m off “team tank.” I’m not there yet, but legit wins against quality teams will get me there. It’ll be hard to do “better” than 10th anyway; Chicago is playing like 13 guards and two centres right now. I’m joking, but seriously, that might actually be true!
I found some of the OKC bench’s reactions to Dieng’s shotmaking throughout the game quite amusing.
The Bucks were going at Jared McCain a lot, both as an on-ball and off-ball defender. They tried to hide him on AJ Green, which did not work.
Nikola Topic. Welcome back, young fella.
Up Next
Now all the teams get a long break with All-Star weekend coming up. The Bucks are back on February 20 against the New Orleans Pelicans; it’s a road game. Catch the action on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin at 7:00 p.m. Central.
Oct 27, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) dribbles past Orlando Magic guard Desmond Bane (3) during the fourth quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
The NBA All Star break is a great time to take stock, look at the standings, and think ahead to the playoffs. A lot of things could still change between now and the first round, but let’s take a quick look around.
The Celtics are currently in 2nd place, half a game ahead of the New York Knicks and 1.5 games ahead of the Cleveland Cavs. The Detroit Pistons have a healthy 5.5 game lead for 1st place, so the Celtics are probably looking at a seed in the 2-4 range.
On the opposite end of the potential playoff bracket are the usual suspects vying for a play-in berth. The Bulls, Hawks, and Heat are all looking at the Charlotte Hornets like “hey, who’s the new kid?”
The candidates for a tough 1st round matchup would likely come from the middle group of teams.
Toronto Raptors – The Raps have the look of a typical “tough-out” team. They have length at a number of positions, versatile defenders, and players that could get hot in a hurry (Ingram, Barrett). They don’t seem to have the pieces necessary for a long run, but they could make things interesting in a 1st round series.
Philadelphia 76ers – The future is now in Philly with Tyreese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe creating the “VJ Maxx” backcourt. Joel Embiid is starting to look like his old self, and while I have jokes for days about his playoff performances against the Celtics, we don’t have Al Horford around anymore. They should also have a very well rested Paul George for the playoffs (in theory).
Orlando Magic – On paper the Magic should be a better team than they’ve been on the court. Banchero, Wagner, and Bane is a pretty nice top 3. Suggs, Black, and Wendell Carter Jr. seems like a solid rotation as well. However, injuries and fit have limited the success of this team thus far. Still, that doesn’t mean they couldn’t find the right buttons to push in any given 1st round series. They’d be out for revenge after last year’s 1st round loss as well.
Personally, I don’t fear the play-in teams all that much, but it is worth noting that the Hornets have been one of the hottest teams in the league for a couple of months now. If they keep this up they’ll play themselves into a top-6 finish.
So what do you think? I’m sure most of us are pretty confident in the Celtics ability to win the first round, especially with a reasonably healthy Jayson Tatum. But which team would make you the most concerned if they land in our bracket?
The Mets made some intriguing acquisitions, it was revealed thatJuan Soto is moving from right field to left field, and Francisco Lindor underwent surgery for a stress reaction to his left hamate bone.
In light of all of those moving parts, here is our roster prediction 2.0 for what the team will look like on Opening Day...
REGULAR LINEUP
Francisco Alvarez: C Jorge Polanco: 1B Marcus Semien: 2B Francisco Lindor: SS Bo Bichette: 3B Juan Soto: LF Luis Robert Jr.: CF Carson Benge: RF Brett Baty: DH
There are four big questions here: Will Lindor be ready for Opening Day, will Polanco see most of his time at first base, who will the regular right fielder be, and who will get the bulk of the at-bats at designated hitter?
Polanco has been at camp early continuing to get acclimated to first base, including drills on Thursday where he was making scoops on balls in the dirt.
Feb 12, 2026; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets infielder Jorge Polanco (11) takes infield practice during spring training. / Jim Rassol - Imagn Images
As far as right field, president of baseball operations David Stearns said after breaking the news of Soto's move to left that Benge remains firmly in the mix to win a job.
Benge has plenty of experience in right field, including 26 games last season in the minors. And he was primarily a right fielder during his college career with Oklahoma State.
"I think evaluations in spring are always a little bit fraught, and we know that," Stearns noted when asked what the team would factor in while deciding on Benge. "We want to see quality at-bats, we want to see him handle the outfield. It's also gonna depend on what some other guys do, right? It's not all going to be dependent on how Carson looks."
When it comes to DH, that feels like a spot that should be split between Baty and Mark Vientos. Yes, Baty can fill in at third base, second base, right field, and perhaps first base. But his best chance for consistent at-bats could be at DH.
STARTING ROTATION
Freddy Peralta: RHP Nolan McLean: RHP Sean Manaea: LHP Clay Holmes: RHP David Peterson: LHP Kodai Senga: RHP
With the Mets having six legitimate big league starting pitching options, using a six-man rotation is a possibility.
And it's something Stearns said would be a good problem to have.
"I think we'll cross that bridge if we get to it," Stearns explained on Thursday. "We've got six healthy guys feeling really good right now. If we have six healthy guys feeling really good on Opening Day, I will gladly work through that challenge at that point. And we may decide at times to go with a six-man, or we may not. We'll figure that out. That's a really good problem to have if that's where we are on Opening Day."
If the Mets are fully healthy and don't go with a regular six-man rotation from the jump, it's fair to believe that either Peterson or Senga would be ticketed for the bullpen. But Senga doesn't seem like a great fit for the role given his meticulous routine.
Beyond the main six expected starters is intriguing depth.
Sep 18, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Jonah Tong (21) pitches against the San Diego Padres during the first inning at Citi Field. / Brad Penner - Imagn Images
Jonah Tong, who showed serious flashes during his debut late last season, figures to open the season with Triple-A Syracuse.
The 22-year-old made only two starts in Triple-A last season before being promoted to the majors, so it's fair to believe he can benefit from the ability to refine his arsenal there for a bit before coming back up.
Then there's Christian Scott, who missed the entire 2025 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery but who should be fully healthy and ready to go. And the recently-acquired Tobias Myers is stretching out as a starter.
Meanwhile, prospects Jonathan Santucci and Jack Wenninger could possibly reach the majors in 2026.
Williams, Weaver, Raley, and Garcia are locks. And A.J. Minter will be in the 'pen once he's fully healthy. But Minter isn't expected to be in big league action until early May.
While Myers can be optioned to the minors, there's really no reason for the Mets to go that route unless they're facing a serious numbers crunch.
May 5, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Tobias Myers (36) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Houston Astros at American Family Field. / Jeff Hanisch - Imagn Images
Myers was used mainly as a starter in 2024 before transitioning to mostly a relief role in 2025 -- and Stearns suggested after acquiring him that Myers will be used in relief, with the Mets having the ability to stretch him out if needed.
In 28.1 innings over 16 appearances as a reliever in 2025, Myers had a 1.91 ERA and 0.91 WHIP while posting a strikeout to walk rate of 6.67.
Kimbrel is a bit of a wild card after signing a minor league deal, but it's fair to believe he'll get a shot if his stuff looks good during spring training. While Kimbrel doesn't throw nearly as hard as he did in his heyday, he still misses plenty of bats.
Then there's Hudson, who was acquired via trade earlier this week. He was tremendous in 2024 for the Brewers, during what was his first full big league season. In 62.1 innings over 43 games, Hudson had a 1.73 ERA (3.60 FIP) and 0.72 WHIP while striking out 62.
Standing at 6'8", Hudson gets elite extension from a low-angle delivery (he was in the 99th percentile last season). He featured mainly a four-seam fastball and sweeper in 2025. In 2024, Hudson also relied heavily on a cutter, which he threw 24 percent of the time (Hudson threw the cutter just three percent of the time last season).
Hudson is out of minor league options, which means the Mets cannot send him to the minors without exposing him to waivers.
Huascar Brazoban and Adbert Alzolay can both be real contributors, but might be frozen out initially.
Other options include hard-throwing prospects Dylan Ross and Ryan Lambert, as well as Jonathan Pintaro, Alex Carrillo, and Joey Gerber.
BENCH
Tyrone Taylor: OF Luis Torrens: C Mark Vientos: INF Vidal Brujan: UTIL
Barring a trade, Taylor, Torrens, and Vientos are locks.
And if the Mets go with a six-man rotation, that leaves just one more bench spot.
One option is the recently-signed MJ Melendez, an outfielder with some pop who is coming off a down season.
But no one can match the positional versatility of Brujan, who is able to play literally every spot except catcher -- and can provide insurance at shortstop.
San Jose Sharks defenseman Timothy Liljegren has been talked about often as a trade candidate. He will be a player to watch once the NHL trade freeze ends because of it.
Due to this, let's take a look at three teams that could make sense as landing spots for Liljegren.
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Penguins may not have had many believers heading into the season, but they have been proving their doubters wrong. They currently are second in the Metropolitan Division standings and could end up being buyers because of it. With the Penguins needing more depth on their right side, perhaps they could take a chance on Liljegren. Penguins GM Kyle Dubas and Liljegren also have history due to their Toronto Maple Leafs days.
Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings should be on the hunt for a right-shot defenseman, and Liljegren could make sense as a target for them. If they acquired him, he would have the potential to give them a bit of an upgrade on their bottom pairing as they look to break their nine-year playoff drought.
Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres also stand out as a possible landing spot for Liljegren. It is no secret that the Sabres should be looking to improve their depth on the right side of their blueline, and bringing in Liljegren would provide them with just that.
TORONTO, ONTARIO - NOVEMBER 02: (L-R) Shohei Ohtani #17, Yoshinobu Yamamoto #18, Blake Snell #7, and Tyler Glasnow #31 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pose with the Commissioner's Trophy in the locker room after defeating the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 in game seven to win the 2025 World Series at Rogers Center on November 02, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers didn’t do much at all to add to their starting rotation this offseason, and they didn’t need to.
Boasting one of the most dominant pitching staffs in not just their own division, but all of baseball, the Dodgers enter the 2026 season with a plethora of rotational options. The quartet of All-Stars is cemented at the top, but following is a free-for-all of young talent vying to either get their first real shot as a starter or to make themselves known again after their 2025 seasons were wiped away due to injury, i.e. Gavin Stone and River Ryan.
With Roki Sasaki penciled into the rotation, the team already flaunts a dynamic five-man rotation, but, as Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register tweets, the Dodgers will open up the 2026 season with a six-man rotation. Plunkett notes that this will allow pitchers such as Sasaki, Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto to maintain their one start per week routine.
Dave Roberts confirmed #Dodgers are likely to run with a 6-man rotation again: "I think early, it's hard to say it won't be. How beholden we are to that, for how long, I don't know. …" 1/3
Old friend Chris Taylor is headed back to the Angels for the 2026 season, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Heyman did not specify whether it was a major league deal or a minor league deal with an invite to spring training.
After being released by the Dodgers during the 2025 season, Taylor played in 30 games with the Angels, slashing .179/.278/.321 with two home runs and 10 RBI while posting -0.1 fWAR.
The Dodgers needed to do one thing before wrapping up their offseason agenda, and that they did on Thursday by bringing back Kiké Hernández for the 2026 season, writes Sonja Chen of MLB.com.
Hernández, like Phillips (Tommy John surgery) and righty reliever Brock Stewart (shoulder surgery), will be an in-season reinforcement for the back-to-back World Series champions once he returns to full health. His signing is one of the finishing touches on a Dodgers roster that kept its core intact while bringing in star power (Kyle Tucker and Edwin Díaz) to address its biggest holes.
For the first time in 19 years, Clayton Kershaw will not be with the Dodgers in Arizona, and Dave Roberts has already noticed a different vibe without him in the clubhouse, per Plunkett.
“When we get to spring training at Camelback and not seeing his locker where it’s been for 17 years, 18 years, it’s gonna be different,” said Dave Roberts, the Dodgers’ manager for the last 10 years of Kershaw’s career. “The presence, seeing No. 22 out there early, doing sprints, seeing him in the weight room, knowing it’s Kershaw Day (when he pitched), not having that – it’s different.”
Tennessee assistant baseball coach Josh Elander during a scrimmage on October 21, 2025, in Knoxville, Tenn. | Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Tennessee baseball returns this afternoon in Knoxville with the Volunteers set to kickoff the Josh Elander era. Tony Vitello’s longtime right-hand man takes over at Tennessee, looking to pick up right where they left off. Several key pieces of the roster are back, and some new additions should add both pop to the lineup and stability on the mound.
Tennessee, also set to debut a new-look Lindsey Nelson Stadium this weekend, will roll with Tegan Kuhns on the mound to get things going on Friday afternoon against Nicholls. Elander set his starting rotation earlier this week, naming Landon Mack as the Saturday starter and veteran Evan Blanco as the Sunday starter.
Friday will be the first ever meeting between Tennessee and Nicholls.
The Volunteers enter the 2026 season as a consensus top 15 team across all major polls, with Perfect Game ranking them as high as No. 3 nationally. Without Vitello, will things look and feel the same in Knoxville? We’re about to find out.
Tennessee baseball weekend schedule and projected starters
Game 1 (Friday – 4:30 p.m. ET)
RHP Tegan Kuhns vs. RHP Nuno Parache
Game 2 (Saturday – 1 p.m. ET)
RHP Landon Mack vs. LHP Austin Vargas
Game 3 (Sunday – 1 p.m. ET)
LHP Evan Blanco vs. RHP Haden Luke
TV and streaming information: The games will not be televised, but they will stream on SEC+ on the ESPN App.
The calendar turns, relentlessly | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Well, I can’t say the off-season moved at a dizzying pace. More like ambled. But there was churn and I found myself wanting to do a 360 around the league and get a sense of who did what as the dust settles right before teams’ head to Florida or Arizona. I worked to keep the article short and digestible, just under 1,500 words (a 7-minute read?), so a few details might have dropped off, but I think I got the essence.
Some writers like to grade out the teams on the traditional high school A-F scale. Personally, I never thought much of that scale even when I was in high school (graduated Parkway West out in fashionable West County, for those that are curious). In my class, everyone graduated. Somehow the distribution was abnormal, like in Lake Wobegon, where all the children were above average. I did however categorize the teams by how they went about the off-season. Their actions tell us how they evaluate themselves. You guys can do the grading. The categories describe teams that are:
Extending the Competitive Window
Standing Pat
Attempting to Make the Next Step
Retooling
Indiscernible
Starting Over
At the end, I’ll go a bit deeper into the NL Central. Just a bit, because we care a bit more about this cadre.
Teams Extending the Competitive Window
Dodgers, Blue Jays, Phillies, Tigers, Mariners
Common features of teams that are looking to remain in their competitive window:
They were good last season
They are in a good spot relative to the rest of their division
They tend to have few but very specific needs
The Phillies re-signed Schwarber and Realmuto and added Adolis Garcia, seegmingly with the intent of moving Castellanos. Does Keller replace Suarez? The Blue Jays added Okomoto, Cease and Ponce. Gimenez was added last year, but the impetus behind the move becomes more obvious with the departure of Bichette. The Dodgers add a closer (Diaz) and an outfielder (Tucker). The Tigers added Valdez and Verlander late but have Skubal drama hanging over their heads (self-inflicted, no less).
The Mariners re-signed Naylor and added Knizner, but moved out of the Standing Pat division with a late acquisition of Donovan, to many Cardinals’ fans chagrin.
Teams Standing Pat
Guardians, Brewers, Astros, Yankees, Diamondbacks
Common features of teams that are competing with what they have on their roster:
They were good (enough) last season
They are in a good spot relative to the rest of their division
Their approach to the off-season was mostly passive
All good teams, but far from perfect. These teams did little, sometimes to the great consternation of their fans. The Astros added Iami. They have the look of a team where their run is nearing the end. The Brewers traded Peralta for two top prospects, plus Durbin and a host of other players for pitching. Churn is their game, like the Rays. The Diamondbacks were probably good enough last year, but health really derailed their best laid plan. They will run it back and hope for better medical reports.
Everything else represented depth moves, in my view.
Teams Seeking to take the Next Step
Red Sox, Pirates, Reds
Common features of teams that seek to take the next step:
Young, and adding core veterans
Currently a step behind the good teams
Appear to have an opportunity within their division to rise
The Red Sox have made the most noise, acquiring Contreras, Gray, Oviedo and Suarez to add to a heralded core of young players. That the Pirates are actually doing something is notable. They have endeavored to add offense to their young pitching core with Magnum, Lowe, O’Hearn, Garcia (he of the alphabet challenged first name Jhostynxon). Will they raise the Jolly Roger this year at PNC? I might consider a trip to Pittsburgh this year. Never been.
The Reds are unique in this case. Are they good? Well, they made the playoffs, albeit with 83 wins (not a typical measure of good). They re-signed Pagan to close for them has been their most significant move. Late in the off-season they added Suarez. Does this move the needle? What happens to Hayes?
Retooling Teams
Braves, Mets, Cubs, Padres, Orioles
Common features of teams I consider to be retooling tend to be:
Need to make up for the loss of key players, such as Cubs losing Tucker.
Intent to be competitive this next season
These teams usually have marked disappointment in how the last season turned out
The Braves signed multiple pitchers to close (Iglesias, Suarez) and acquired multiple SS (Dubon, Kim). David Stearns appears to be doing a top-down rebuild of the Mets roster (Bichette, Robert, Semien, Polanco, Williams, Peralta) to go along with Soto from last year. The Cubs re-signed (after a fashion) Imanaga and added Cabrera to a fringy staff. Bregman effectively replaces Tucker. The Orioles have added Trevor Rodgers (starter), Alonso and Ward to the line-up and Helsley and Kittredge to the back-end. The Padres focused on pitching, having re-signed King, acquired Mckenzie and Hart to go with Miller (acquired at the deadline). They took a shot at acquiring Arenado to play 1B. Given the seemingly odd fit of that, what does that tell us?
These teams aren’t easy to classify, so we look at their story individually. The Rays are in a state of perpetual churn, so they are really in their own class. Their moves are usually value moves for players no one has ever heard of, as their focus is building the minor league pipeline.
The Angels? Who knows. The Marlins? A team that looked on the rise late last year, but they are standing pat (except for shedding Cabrera) with a team that isn’t really good enough to stand pat with. The Royals? Drifting might be the right term for them? Their outfield is worse than the Cardinals and they don’t appear able to address. They have strong pitching and Witt, Jr. but that isn’t enough, even in the AL Central.
The A’s appear still be in limbo a bit, caught between Oakland and Las Vegas for another year. They have good young position players, but little else. The Twins are embroiled in ownership drama, with a sale that fell through. Their core talent isn’t bad, but they don’t have the resources to add.
The Rangers might be in the same drifting category, or perhaps a term we’ve heard in St. Louis far too much – “caught in the middle”. Does adding Nimmo and Jansen move the needle? Gore was a nice get, though. Some in the Ranger’s constellation see their actions as trying to extend their competitive window, but I’m having trouble seeing the flukey 2023 World Series outcome as a “window”. They get to keep their trophy, though. That never hurts.
The Giants? I dunno. They weren’t good enough, but they also didn’t quite stand pat. They didn’t lose a lot, but they didn’t really retool, unless you view Arraez, House, Mahle as re-tooling. Perhaps. I suspect they are caught in the middle vortex that recently plagued the Cardinals.
Starting Over
Nationals, Cardinals, Rockies, White Sox
Common features of rebuilding teams:
Not enough talent to be competitive
Focusing on the long-term
The White Sox are deep into their rebuilding, having shown some incremental progress in 2025. The Nationals are effectively starting over on a rebuild that really started in 2020. They cleaned out the front office late last season. The Rockies are in the same boat, with a recently hired new front office. The Cardinals probably don’t quite fit the “starting over” moniker as there were some pieces to work with and the front office part of the rebuild really occurred over the last year plus and folks are pretty settled in now. I used “starting over” because “rebuilding” seems such a loaded term. But this year, that is clearly what they are doing. It beats standing pat with a mediocre team (insert side eye toward Royals).
A quick take on the NL Central
The Brewers came into the off-season a good team and will depart the off-season same, in spite of unloading Peralta a year before he departs as a free agent. The Cubs? They got older. Did they get better? I liked their acquisition of Cabrera, but swapping Tucker for Bregman? Will Suzuki back in right make them better? ZIPs sees both teams in the low 90’s.
The Reds were remarkably passive. They appear up-and-coming but did little to add. I wonder if they are primed to step back. The Pirates added offense (theoretically), which could make them scary with their pitching. For fun, imagine a division that includes the 2nd place Pirates.
The Cardinals subtracted veteran talent and added prospects, primarily to the pitching staff. 2026 results will likely be highly variable. With 4 teams above them that could all finish at or above .500, someone will pay for that in losses. Can the Cardinals keep up? Baseball Prospectus is least optimistic, forecasting 96 losses. Expect a similar housecleaning next off-season (or earlier) on the position player side.
FORT MYERS, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 11: Caleb Durbin #17 of the Boston Red Sox arrives for a team workout at JetBlue Park at Fenway South on February 11, 2026 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In the 18th round of the 2017 MLB draft the New York Yankees drafted a pitcher out of the University of Alabama named Garret Whitlock. He would almost immediately make his professional debut with the Gulf Coast League Yankees. In 2018, Whitlock would appear in three levels for New York: A, A+, and AA. Overall he’d post a 1.86 ERA across the three levels while making 21 starts. 2019 would start well as he remained in AA: a 3.07 ERA across 14 starts for 70.1 innings. But things wouldn’t stay golden for Whitlock. He would succumb to Tommy John surgery by midseason. With the canceled minor league season in 2020, Whitlock would remain in a state of flux. He’d be recovering from injury but not really progressing as a baseball player.
When it came time to protect their prospects from the Rule 5 draft, the Yankees looked at Whitlock and saw 2019 success, a lost season, and an injury. They didn’t protect him and the Red Sox selected Whitlock on December 10, 2020. Whitlock would go on to strike out 81 in 73.1 innings in 2021 for Boston while posting a 1.96 ERA. He’d allow 2 runs in 8 playoff innings that year as the Sox made it to the ALCS. After a couple of years of attempted conversions back to the rotation and some health issues, Whitlock would put up a monster 2025. A 2.25 ERA, 91 strikeouts, 24 walks in 72 innings. The elite setup man has been worth 8.2 bWAR Red Sox.
Carlos Narváez was signed out of Venezuela in 2015. He would make his professional debut the next year and spend a few seasons as a teenager, working his way through the lowest levels of the minor leagues. He wouldn’t make it to AA until 2023 as a 24-year-old, but his stay would be brief, just 16 games. Promoted once more to AAA, Narváez would remain with Scranton Wilkes-Barre for 180 games. He’d hit .247/.371/.400 but be looked at as a defense-first catcher. Even though he got a cup of coffee for 6 games in 2024, Narváez was nothing but depth for the Yankees. On December 11, 2024 the Yankees would trade the catcher for minor leaguer Elmer Rodriguez.
In his age 26 season, with Connor Wong entering as the starter, Narváez wasn’t even guaranteed to make the roster. But with injury and ineffectivess he got his chance. And as a rookie took over the starting catching job of a playoff team. He’d put up a 2.6 bWAR season and swing the bat to boot! With a .241/.306/.419 slash line, Narváez finds himself in the driver’s seat entering 2026.
Elmer Rodriguez pitched in A+, AA, and AAA for New York with a 2.58 ERA across 150 innings. He struck out 175 and walked 57 as a 21 year old. Not a bad season at all, but in exchange for a starting catcher? A bargain.
Caleb Durbin’s story is slightly more complicated. He was drafted by Atlanta in 2021 and traded to New York for Lucas Luetge, a 38-year-old pitcher. He’d come out of the bullpen for the Braves just 12 times and put up an ERA north of 7. The Yankees would then send Durbin to the Brewers with Nester Cortes ahead of the 2025 season for Devon Williams. He’d only put up a 3rd place finish in the Rookie of the Year.
Playing mostly third base (131 games) with a scattering of second (10) and shortstop (3), Durbin hit .256/.334/.387. He hit 11 homers and stole 18 bases. He lead the league in HBP with 24. He was with 2.8 bWAR. That’s why the Red Sox had to pay a steep-ish price to get him. But his value to a team without a true third baseman, no matter how much he might platoon or share time, Durbin could be invaluable.
The Red Sox have done some good work with their prospects. They’ve really picked up some talented pitchers on the down low. But also Narváez. And Romy Gonzalez. Even Nate Eaton was an under-the-radar addition. This could be a big pickup for Boston, acquired for, essentially, spare parts. And while Durbin did have his breakout with the Brewers there might be more talent in there. He’s probably not going to be Garret Whitlock, but if he’s a third base pickup equal to Narváez? That would be a steal. A third steal. From the Yankees. It’s not the normal player acquisition strategy but it’s a nice benefit to see the Sox advance a little bit at their expense.
MILAN (AP) — Casey Dawson withdrew from the men's 10,000 meters in speedskating at the Milan Cortina Olympics on Friday, hours before the race, leaving the event without its only American entrant.
U.S. Speedskating said Dawson wanted to focus instead on the team pursuit, which holds quarterfinals on Sunday, and the individual 1,500 meters next Thursday. Dawson finished eighth in the 5,000 meters last weekend.
U.S. coach Gabe Girard said the decision “does not come as a surprise and always was a part of the options coming” for the Winter Games.
The United States hasn't won an Olympic gold in the 10,000 since Eric Heiden did so as part of his five victories at the 1980 Lake Placid Games. The country's last medal at speedskating's longest distance was Chad Hedrick's silver at the 2006 Turin Olympics.
Among the contenders Friday were Sander Eitrem, the Norwegian who won the 5,000 in an Olympic-record time in Milan, and Davide Giotto, the Italian who set the 10,000 world record of 12 minutes, 25.69 seconds in January 2025 and claimed a bronze in the event at the 2022 Beijing Games.
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 05: Nathan Eovaldi #30 of the New York Yankees delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium on September 5, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When remembering the numerous pitchers throughout the history of the New York Yankees, it’s easy to recall plenty who spent only a couple of seasons with the club. Some names were excellent throughout their careers before finishing with the Bombers; others found themselves with the Yankees earlier on and then moved on to do great things with other MLB teams. Of all of these names, there’s one who has always stuck out to me (and many others within the vast array of Yankees-faithful) from the mid-2010s: Nathan Eovaldi.
Despite not wearing the Yankees uniform for very long—and having better years following his time in New York—“Nasty Nate” remains synonymous with that odd in-between era of Yankees baseball, following one icon’s retirement and another’s ascent.
Nathan Edward Eovaldi Born: February 13, 1990 (Houston, TX) Yankees Tenure: 2015-16
A Houston area native, Eovaldi first caught the attention of big-league scouts as a hard-throwing righty from Alvin High School, which just so happened to also produce Nolan Ryan, arguably the most famous hard-throwing righty in MLB history. In fact, he and Ryan are the only two Alvin High graduates to make the majors.
The Dodgers picked up Eovaldi in the 11th round of the 2008 MLB Draft, forgoing a commitment to Texas A&M. Promoted fairly aggressively for his age, Eovaldi made his big-league debut against the Diamondbacks on August 6, 2011, at 21 years old. He pitched five innings and allowed two earned runs on four hits with two walks and seven strikeouts. He came away with the win as well. As an added bonus, he singled off Joe Saunders in his first career at-bat and scored a run — and it all came with the legendary Vin Scully behind the mic.
Eovaldi made 10 appearances during that inaugural campaign, starting six of them, and then spent the first couple months of 2012 at Double-A Chattanooga before returning to the majors. His Dodgers career would only last 10 more starts though, as LA made a Trade Deadline splash by landing three-time All-Star Hanley Ramirez and lefty specialist Randy Choate. Eovaldi was off to the Marlins, as was fellow pitcher Scott McGough.
After getting his feet wet in Miami with a so-so second half, Eovaldi suffered shoulder inflammation that put him on the shelf to begin 2013. But at age 23, he took off upon returning to health, recording a 3.39 ERA and 3.59 FIP across 18 starts. Eovaldi had his most durable year yet in 2014, starting 33 games and tossing 199.2 innings. However, he also led the National League in hits allowed with 223.
It was in wake of the 2014 campaign that Eovaldi’s career would change course, and he would head north to the Bronx. Spotting Eovaldi’s potential and hoping to land another fine young starter to join Masahiro Tanaka and Michael Pineda at the front of the rotation, the Yankees traded Martín Prado and David Phelps to Miami in exchange for Eovaldi, Garrett Jones, and prospect Domingo Germán. Eovaldi would pitch in the first game of his Yankees career against the Red Sox in what would turn out to be a chaotic 19-inning contest that Boston would take 6-5.
Through 27 starts in his first season as a Yankee, Eovaldi would finish with the highest winning percentage in all of MLB at .823. His 14-3 record, 4.20 ERA, and 121 strikeouts in 154.1 frames made for a very nice start to his Yankees career. Eovaldi’s finest day came on August 24th, when he dialed his heater up to 100 mph in blanking the future playoff rival Astros for eight (yes “just” eight, sorry to to reporter Nate) innings in a 1-0 victory.
Elbow inflammation had him on the shelf from September 6th onward, however, and the Yankees never recaptured the AL East lead from Toronto. Consigned to the Wild Card Game, they were shut out by Houston and quickly eliminated.
2015 could have been the launching pad to a strong career in pinstripes for Eovaldi, but the barking elbow turned out to be a portent. He was inconsistent and often frustrating for an unimpressive Yankees team in the first half of 2016, ending it with an unsightly 5.18 ERA and a demotion to the bullpen. Eovaldi briefly returned to the rotation beginning July 19th. He left his start at Fenway Park on August 10th with elbow discomfort and ultimately had to undergo Tommy John surgery.
Eovaldi’s season was over, and soon enough, his Yankees career was over as well. With the news that Eovaldi was expected to miss the entirety of the 2017 season due to the procedure, which would have put him into free agency at the end of the year, the Yankees elected to release him rather than working out a rehab-focused extension. So Eovaldi continued his career elsewhere.
In 2018, Eovaldi joined the Tampa Bay Rays and was then traded to the Red Sox following some more injury news, and pitched in just 10 games. With the Sox, he pitched well down the stretch and helped them win a World Series in five games against the Dodgers. That October was when he really began to turn the narrative of his career around, as he notched a 1.61 ERA in 22.1 innings. He got vengeance against the Yankees with seven sterling innings in his playoff debut, ALDS Game 3 in the Bronx. Boston eliminated New York the next day, and Eovaldi beat the Astros in ALCS Game 3 as well. The Game 3 that everyone remembered though was in an 18-inning Fall Classic marathon in LA, when despite a loss, Eovaldi earned moxie points with six gutsy innings of relief on just one day’s rest.
Eovaldi re-signed with the Red Sox and would spend another four full seasons with Boston, posting a 4.15 ERA and 111 ERA+ in 407.2 innings pitched. He tallied 420 strikeouts in those innings, and in 2021, he came in fourth in the American League Cy Young voting and 15th in AL MVP voting while earning his first All-Star nomination. Oh, and he got to tweak the Yankees’ nose once more in postseason play, outpitching Gerrit Cole in the 2021 AL Wild Card Game at Fenway Park.
After his time in Boston, Eovaldi became a free agent and joined the Texas Rangers in 2023, and has had the three best years of his career numbers-wise at ages 33-35. His ERA in those three seasons sits at 3.14 with an ERA+ of 125 and 427 strikeouts in 444.2 innings pitched. Eovaldi also stood out in October again while helping lead the Rangers to their World Series victory in 2023, winning at least one game in every series for them (beating the nemesis Astros twice) en route to the first title in franchise history.
Eovaldi’s 14-year career has been full of injuries and moving from place to place, but it’s hard to deny that he and his game have aged well. His fastball shape improved upon leaving the Bronx and his secondaries got a boost as well, including a cutter that wasn’t added until just before he went under the knife in 2016. Could he have fared better under a better Yankees pitching infrastructure? We’ll never know. A two-time champion and major part of those two World Sereis teams, Eovaldi may have only spent two seasons in New York of his soon-to-be-15-year career, but they put him on the path to bigger and better things.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
