SURPRISE, ARIZONA - MARCH 3: Lane Thomas #15 of the Kansas City Royals rounds third base to score a run in the first inning during a World Baseball Classic exhibition game against Team Cuba at Surprise Stadium on March 3, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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Spring Training is rapidly drawing to a close, and while the Royals have a variety of much more interesting options for their outfield than they had at this time last year, they don’t appear to have any clear frontrunners.
Lane Thomas was the first offseason addition, but he profiles as more of a weak-side platoon hitter and pinch hitter than a starting outfielder. Additionally, he was hurt most of last year, and he has not had a particularly good Spring Training, striking out in more than half of his plate appearances so far.
Isaac Collins was acquired next, via trade with the Milwaukee Brewers, and immediately assumed the de facto starting left field role after finishing fourth in NL Rookie of the Year voting last year. Unfortunately, his batted ball metrics were subpar last year, which already gave cause for concern about his ability to replicate his rookie season, but now he has gotten a late start to Spring Training and has struck out more than 40% of the time since he started playing. Neither he nor Thomas are chasing all that much, but they’re both only swinging at about half the pitches they see in the strike zone, far below the league average.
The Royals signed Starling Marte to fill out the bench last week, but he might be the most interesting option they have in left field, considering we at least haven’t seen him fail yet. But there’s a little more than a week of Spring Training left, and we haven’t seen him take the field yet. It’s hard to imagine he’s going to be 100% up to speed when the season starts at this pace.
Michael Massey could be an option, but he’s battling another leg injury. Jonathan India is only playing at second this year. Other potential candidates would seem to include Kameron Misner, John Rave, Drew Waters, Tyler Tolbert, and Nick Loftin. Who you got?
While Wednesday must have been a fantastic day for Montreal Canadiens rookie goaltender Jacob Fowler, it must not have been an easy one for Samuel Montembeault and Martin St-Louis. The coach has said it a few times lately, his job entails making tough decisions that negatively impact players he loves. During his morning media scrum, the coach lost his temper when he was essentially asked about the problem with Montembeault. He replied that he wasn’t going to answer 40 questions about his goaltending decision, with a tone that said, " Cut it out!".
After the game, when he was asked if it was satisfying for him to see Fowler have such a good game after making that tough decision, he explained:
Well, of course, it’s an opportunity for him, and as I’ve said before, when you’re in a leadership position, you’re going to make decisions that will impact people you like, people you love negatively, for the good of the team. It comes with the job; it’s the price you have to pay. It’s not easy to make those calls, but the fact that it’s a tough call doesn’t make you unable to make it.
Clearly, giving the nod to Fowler when Montembeault had said himself the day before that he expected to play in Ottawa, even though it hadn’t been confirmed yet, wasn’t easy. St-Louis knew the former number one netminder was expecting to play; instead, he ended up in the press gallery while Jakub Dobes served as auxiliary.
The fact that the Habs weren’t even comfortable enough to have him on the bench and risk having to put him in if there was a problem with Fowler spoke volumes. This feels different from December when the youngster was first called up, because the stakes are higher. Each point could end up being a crucial one for playoff qualification, and the Canadiens cannot afford to gamble on him finding his form right now.
Looking at Wednesday night’s numbers, however, St-Louis might have another gut-wrenching decision to make sooner rather than later. In the tilt against the Ottawa Senators, veteran winger and alternate captain Brendan Gallagher saw only 8:48 of action; no one else spent less time on the ice. Even Jayden Struble was used more with 9:12. And no, it’s not that he was ill; St. Louis confirmed after the game that Cole Caufield was the only one fighting a bug right now.
The Habs’ brass and coaching staff have a lot of respect and admiration for the 14-season veteran who has always given his all for the Sainte-Flanelle. Gallagher has now played 898 games, all wearing the Canadiens’ crest, but his performance of late has not been great. Last night, he only took one shot and committed two turnovers. When it’s time to backcheck, it sometimes looks like he cannot do it anymore. He’s not gliding out there; it’s not that he doesn’t want to. His determination is still there, but his physical capabilities aren’t. Still, he’s used on the second power play unit, where he got five of his 20 points this season, but it feels like a younger option should be considered.
In Ottawa, since Caufield couldn’t play, Alexandre Texier was able to reintegrate the lineup, and he did well to fill in for the sniper on the top line. In 18 shifts, he saw 14:49 of action, took two shots, blocked one, and landed four hits in what was a rather physical affair, on top of scoring the all-important game-tying goal. How do you take that player out of the lineup when Caufield is ready to return?
Since he joined the team, Texier has shown himself to be a bit of a Swiss Army knife; he can play many roles up and down the lineup, which Gallagher cannot do anymore. Scratching him would no doubt be a tough decision, since he could reach the 1,000-game milestone if he were to play every game until the end of his contract at the end of the 2026-27 season, and given all the respect everyone has for him. Still, St-Louis said that the fact that a decision is hard won’t mean he won’t make it, and for the good of the team, it may be time to give the veteran a rest. Whichever way you look at it, it’s time for the coach to put his money where his mouth is.
Mar 10, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luke Kennard (10) moves the ball against Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kyle Anderson (12) during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
No one debated that the 29-year-old journeyman would help address a clear need as arguably the most efficient 3-point shooter in the NBA since entering the league. But the tepid reaction stemmed not from who he is, but from who he wasn’t.
Kennard isn’t the wing stopper, starting center or the needle mover who would propel the Lakers into title contenders. However, as he’s shown since his arrival, sometimes swinging for contact instead of for the fences still could be valuable from a trade perspective.
Unlike most late-season acquisitions, Kennard has acclimated to his new surroundings almost immediately. The seamless fit is not only due to his elite shooting ability, but rather, how he leverages it on this team specifically.
For one, Kennard’s addition has opened up the playbook for head coach JJ Redick. Before the sharpshooter’s arrival, the Lakers did not have the type of movement shooter who could dart off screens and fire all over the floor. This resulted in an often vanilla and predictable half-court attack.
Now, the Lakers’ actions have far more zip and, more importantly, purpose when Kennard is on the floor.
Whether it’s been flying off flare screens, sought out on pindowns or serving as the cog to the Lakers’ stack actions, Kennard has introduced a new dimension to the team’s gameplan.
Since landing in Los Angeles, 25.2% of Kennard’s shots have come off screens, according to the NBA’s Synergy data. That ranks second-highest among all players this season behind only Klay Thompson.
The other way Kennard’s elite marksmanship has helped the Lakers is in the moments when he doesn’t shoot at all.
On track to become only the seventh player in NBA history to convert 50% of their 3-point attempts in a season, Kennard is what Stu Lantz would call an “uh-oh shooter.” If you need proof, just watch how defenses react to him when he catches a pass beyond the arc. There’s fear in their eyes and desperation in their feet.
Kennard’s gravitational pull is so strong that he often even lures multiple defenders into his orbit. And when this happens, advantages are created.
The embodiment of what Redick calls “the blender,” Kennard routinely gets opposing defenses into scramble mode by using the threat of his jumper against them. Although not always given the opportunity, he can do this because he is more than just a stereotypical shooter.
“It kind of gives confidence in me, not just being a spot-up shooter,” Kennard recently said. “There’s been stops, I think, where that’s kind of what I’ve been, and I’ll find my role and try to do the best I can with that. But I think just creating havoc offensively, just getting in the paint … when we get in the paint and we have multiple passes on possession, we’re such a different team.
“I can kind of initiate some of that. If two guys are on, like Luka, Bron or Austin, and I get a swing pass, if I don’t have a shot, I can get in the paint and try to make a play. I pride myself on that, trying to make the right play every single time. I’ve been having a good time.”
When defenders close out hard on Kennard, which is almost always, he attacks pressure with pressure. He can put the ball on the floor, extend advantages created by the team’s stars and has shown impressive passing feel to find the open teammate.
Take this play below, for example. Kennard comes off a flare screen and finds that the Warriors’ big man has met him at the level. The slight pump fake gets the defender to engage fully, and this is when he can strike.
Kennard gets downhill — averaging 5 drives per game, fourth-most on the team — draws multiple bodies and then kicks it out. The blender has officially been started.
After the Lakers swing it around the perimeter and the Warriors’ defenders are caught in rotation, the ball ultimately finds its way back in Kennard’s hands for a three. This was not a drawn-up play, but rather, an encapsulation of what Kennard has brought to the table.
“His ability to make plays, getting to the paint, uses his (shooting threat); because he shoots the ball so well, a lot of teams like to run him off the line,” LeBron James told reporters. “But his ability to get into the lane and make plays for others as well has been a big part of what we want to do, too. Just making that extra pass, those kick-out plays and those extra ones, he’s damn good at it.”
As much as Kennard’s impact has popped on tape, the numbers have been just as impressive.
Individually, Kennard is shooting a blistering 72% on his twos, 49% on his threes and has an incredible 72.7% effective field-goal percentage in his 15 games with the Lakers. Those marks rank in the 99th, 100th and 100th percentile among all wings this season, respectively.
And from a team perspective, the Lakers are +7.7 points better with Kennard on the floor and have an offensive rating of 125.8.
Perhaps more encouraging is how well Kennard has fit next to Luka Dončić in particular. The Lakers have a +17.3 net rating when the two have shared the floor and an unbelievable 129.9 offensive rating. To put this in context, the Denver Nuggets currently lead the NBA with an offensive rating of 121.3.
This is an important development because while a championship is always the end goal for the Lakers, another this season should be finding the players — and archetypes — that complement Dončić going forward.
It remains to be seen how much of Kennard’s impact thus far will translate to the playoffs, where his defensive limitations will surely be tested. How he fares may ultimately sway how much desire the Lakers have in bringing him back next season. Kennard will be an unrestricted free agent in the summer.
Regardless of what the future holds, the trade and Kennard’s success have proved just how valuable shooting and the ability to play off the gravity of stars truly are.
Kennard likely isn’t a long-term answer for the Lakers, but he is a proof of concept.
All stats courtesy of Cleaning the Glass unless otherwise stated. You can follow Alex on Bluesky at @alexregla.bsky.social.
Due to a flurry of injuries, Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice has announced several lineup changes, highlighted by the debut of a young defenseman.
Earlier this morning, 24-year-old defenseman Mike Benning was recalled from the Charlotte Checkers. The 5-foot-9 defender has scored eight goals and 31 points in 56 AHL games this season, and will make his NHL debut against the Columbus Blue Jackets with Uvis Balinskis out of the lineup.
Balinskis was absent from practice yesterday after reaggravating a lingering issue. Balinskis is now confirmed to be out, and Benning will make his NHL debut skating alongside Niko Mikkola.
Additionally, Carter Verhaeghe and Anton Lundell are unable to play tonight, and they’ll watch the game from the press box. Verhaeghe’s status was in question for tonight’s game after something tightened up on the forward following his two-goal effort on Tuesday against the Detroit Red Wings.
Sam Reinhart, who missed Tuesday’s game against the Red Wings, will re-enter the lineup. He’ll be with new linemates, as he’ll skate on the right wing alongside left winger Eetu Luostarinen and center Evan Rodrigues.
With Lundell out as well, Cole Reinhardt will make his Panthers debut. The 26-year-old was claimed off waivers from the Vegas Golden Knights just five days ago. In 44 games this season, Reinhardt has scored three goals and seven points. He’ll skate on the right wing as well, next to Mackie Samoskevich and Tomas Nosek on the third line.
The Panthers’ current long injury list includes Balinskis, Lundell, Verhaeghe, Brad Marchand, Cole Schwindt, Seth Jones, Jonah Gadjovich, and Aleksander Barkov.
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Batting Average on Balls in Play is a stat that’s about as objective mathematically as can be. The fine folks at FanGraphs provide this concise explanation of the metric.
The basics are this: when a batter puts a bat on the ball and it ends up in the field of play, how often does said batter not get retired? Home runs go over the fence and therefore aren’t ‘in the field of play,’ while sacrifices are pulled out the equation due to the batter giving themselves up for the good of the team. What you’re left with at the end, mathematically, is a data set of millions of plate appearances that ended up with batters putting pitches into play, with roughly 30% of those ending up as hits.
If a player posts a season with a .351 BABIP – like, for example, Gavin Lux did in 2025 – odds are there was some good luck, or good fortune propping that up. If a player posts a season with a .255 BABIP – like one of the players I’ll mention immediately below – odds are there was some bad luck, or bad fortune at play.
There’s some obvious noise in there, though, as not all batted balls are created the same. Fly balls (that don’t go over the wall) are a lot easier to turn into outs than line drives and even grounders, so players who show extreme fly-ball heavy approaches will typically have lower BABIP numbers than those who don’t. Speedy guys that race down the 1B line can more easily leg out infield hits than lumbering sluggers, so you don’t see a lot of catchers with high BABIP numbers, for instance.
All of this, of course, is relative to pitchers, too. Extreme fly-ball pitchers might surrender more homers, but they typically have lower BABIP against them than their grounder brethren. Inducing weak contact from hitters typically leads to a lower BABIP against, too, all factors that help determine whether a pitcher’s expected BABIP based on their pitching profile should actually be closer to .290 or .310 than just .300.
Anyway, here are a handful of Cincinnati Reds who – based on BABIP and their respective approaches – should probably be due for some better fortune in 2026 than they were last season.
Will Benson, OF
2025 BABIP: .255
Career BABIP prior to 2025: .331
I have hammered this point home about Benson already this offseason, so I will try not to belabor it while highlighting some of his peers who likely will see better luck in 2026, too.
To summarize, Benson hit just .226/.273/.435 in 2025 with a .255 BABIP despite his batting percentile rankings (had he had enough PA to qualify) all landing in the top 15% of all hitters in xSLG, average exit velocity, barrel rate, hard-hit rate, and launch angle sweet-spot percentage. He’s not an extreme fly-ball hitter, either, and he refined his approach well in 2025 to swing at better pitches in-zone (and make a lot better contact when he did).
He’s fast, too – 94th percentile last year, per Statcast. Guys that fast should never end up with just a .255 BABIP.
Ashcraft leans on his 97+ mph cutter out of the bullpen, a completely filthy pitch that both limits hard contact and induces a ton of grounders. Yes, ground-ball heavy pitchers typically have higher BABIP allowed than fly-ball pitchers, but the weak contact nuance with Ashcraft should mitigate a lot of that. For instance, he allowed just a 24.6% hard-hit % (per FanGraphs) last year – tied for the 10th best among the 287 pitchers who threw at least 60 IP – while his 55.9% grounder rate was tied for 17th on that same list.
Nobody ranked higher than him in either category allowed a BABIP anywhere close to his. Eight of the pitchers who ranked ahead of him on that hard-hit list posted BABIP numbers of .275 or below.
His xERA (3.46) and FIP (2.72) think Graham got royally screwed last year, as they were both significantly better than his 3.99 ERA. I think 2026 is a year where those all begin to tell the same story, and the Reds are going to be better off because of it.
Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B
2025 BABIP: .289 (.270 with Reds after being acquired)
Career BABIP prior to 2025: .312
Look, there’s not really going to be anything about Hayes’ offensive profile that jumps off the page. He’s just not a very good hitter, and of late has been one of the worst in the entire sport. There’s a lot of small sample noise in Hayes’ initial foray into playing for the Cincinnati Reds, but even his entire body of work between the Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates last season suggests he was a bit unluckier than he should of been.
Perhaps the biggest question right now is just how much his back issues have haunted him, and how much they’ll continue to do so. As recently as 2023, he ranked in the 85th percentile in hard-hit rate and 93rd percentile in average exit velocity, but last year those nose-dived to the 46th percentile and 39th percentile, respectively. He ranked in just the 13th percentile in barrel rate and 9th in xSLG, meaning he really, really wasn’t making very good contact at all.
Still, there’s evidence that he’s been able to hit the ball decently hard before, and last year his 49.0% grounder rate ranked 11th highest in the sport among qualified hitters. With a healthy-enough back and an average sprint speed that’s close enough to league average, I’d expect his BABIP to shoot back up above .300 again in 2026.
Chase Burns, RHP
2025 BABIP: .360
Burns allowed a .316 BABIP during his electric season with Wake Forest in 2024 before being the #2 overall draft pick. When he debuted as a pro in 2025, he posted a .258 BABIP in 42.0 IP with AA Chattanooga and a .244 BABIP in 66.0 IP in the minors across all stops before his call-up to the big leagues.
Without getting too numbers-heavy on a pitcher with such a small sample of results, I’ll simply point out that a) nobody with his filthy arsenal of pitches is going to post a .360 BABIP allowed again and b) that one disastrous start against Boston last year where he was tipping pitches featured a .667 BABIP against him in-game.
The Nashville Predators travel to Rogers Arena to face the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday, March 12. This marks the third meeting between these two teams this season after splitting the first two.
My Predators vs. Canucks predictions and NHL picks suggest a low-scoring affair between two goal-starving teams, while Vancouver will look to turn the tide on an ugly stretch in which they've won just once in their last 10 games.
Predators vs Canucks prediction
Predators vs Canucks best bet: Marcus Pettersson o1.5 blocked shots (-140)
Vancouver Canucks defenseman Marcus Pettersson has been a stalwart on a rough blue line. He's blocked 10 shots in his last five games, hitting the Over in four of them.
The Nashville Predators average a respectable 28.4 shots per game despite their lackluster goal-scoring, and Pettersson has logged over 20 minutes of ice time in eight consecutive games.
His 108 blocks this season lead Vancouver, and he's poised to wear some rubber tonight.
Penguins vs Golden Knights same-game parlay
On the topic of Canucks players named Pettersson, I can smell an enticing opportunity regarding their leading scorer, Elias Pettersson. Although a far cry from what he once was, he remains their best offensive weapon and their most-deployed forward, ranking third on the team in ice time.
He's hit the Over for shots on goal in three of his last four games as Jake DeBrusk, their typical volume shooter, battles inconsistency.
Meanwhile, three of the last four and seven of 10 meetings between these teams have hit the Under. Both struggle mightily to score, and Vancouver's 5-4 overtime win on November 3 is an outlier.
Vancouver has won just one of their last 10 games, but two of the last three against Nashville. Find more NHL betting trends for Predators vs. Canucks.
How to watch Predators vs Canucks
Location
Rogers Arena, Vancouver, BC
Date
Thursday, March 12, 2026
Puck drop
10:00 p.m. ET
TV
Sportsnet Pacific
Predators vs Canucks latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
With the Western Conference a tight race yet again this season, we will take a look at the standings and games to watch across the league as the Kings look to secure a playoff spot and move up in the standings.
LA is now sitting at No. 5, tied with Seattle for fourth place with 67 points after beating the Columbus Jackets and earning a point in their overtime loss to the Boston Bruins on Tuesday.
The Kings also got help on Tuesday, with Seattle falling to Nashville and San Jose losing to Buffalo, which kept the standings in the Pacific Division tight despite the Kings losing.
This is the most important several weeks of the stretch this season, and if the Kings beat the Islanders again as they did last week and the New Jersey Devils in their back-to-back games coming up, they'll be in a prime position to continue climbing up the rankings.
Here's a look at the current playoff standings in the middle of the Pacific and Central Division:
Pacific Division:
2. Oilers - 37-25-8, 72 points
3. Golden Knights - 29-22-14, 72 points
4. Kraken - 29-25-9, 67 points
5. Kings - 26-23-15, 67 points
6. Sharks - 30-26-6, 66 points
Central Division:
4. Mammoth - 34-26-5, 73 points
5. Predators - 29-27-8, 66 points
All seven of these teams are bunched up together in the Pacific and Central divisions, respectively, and only four teams will likely qualify for the postseason. So, let's take a look at the big games to watch around the league for the next couple of days and who you should be rooting for.
Thursday
Sharks at Bruins - The San Jose Sharks are just one point behind the Kings and Kraken, so a loss against the Bruins will take the pressure off Los Angeles for that final postseason spot. San Jose has also been in a slump recently, posting a 3-5-3 record in their last eight games and currently on a three-game losing streak, while the Bruins have been one of the hottest teams, especially at home, winning 13 consecutive games at TD Garden. The last time San Jose won on the road was on Jan. 27 when they defeated the Vancouver Canucks.
Avalanche at Kraken - This is another big game that will help the Kings if Seattle loses, because both teams are currently tied at that fourth spot in the division, so a Seattle loss and a Kings win will put Los Angeles in sole possession of the fourth seed. Colorado has arguably been the best team in the league this season and is 8-2 in its last 10 games, continuing its dominance on both sides of the ice, while Seattle is on a three-game losing streak.
The Kraken are also not a good team at home, with a 16-12-5 record this season at the Climate Pledge Arena; meanwhile, Colorado is one of the best road teams, posting a 20-6-5 record away from home.
Oilers at Stars - Once again, Kings fans are gonna root for their heated rival team to lose. Dallas has been playing excellent hockey in their last 13 games, 12-1, going undefeated in the month of February, and before losing in that heavyweight matchup against the Avalanche in a shootout, they had won 10 straight, so the Oilers hands are gonna be full here, especially with this game being in Dallas.
Friday
Oilers at Blues - The Oilers have to play Dallas, then end their four-game road trip against an easier opponent in the Blues. Depending on how the game against the Stars goes, this could be a trap game for the Oilers, especially if they get tired against Dallas. Despite the Blues being 4-1 in their last five games, this will still be a tough one for them to beat Edmonton.
Saturday
Sharks at Canadiens - The Canadiens have been on the road in 8 of their last 11 games, and they will finally head home to take on the Sharks, where they're 18-11-2. Montreal will also have three days off before this game, while San Jose will be playing their third game in five nights, so Montreal will have a very good chance of winning.
Penguins at Mammoth - Utah currently has 73 points and is sitting in fourth place, a seven-point lead over the Predators in the Central Division. This will be a tough one for the Penguins to win. Despite sitting at No. 2 in the Metropolitan Division, they're currently 32-17-15, right at .500, and have a tough road schedule coming up, playing the Golden Knights on Thursday before taking on the Mammoth on Saturday. Pittsburgh is an average team on the road this season, with a 16-8-7 record away from home, so it will most likely be a loss.
There are still a lot of games that the Kings will be monitoring over the next few days and weeks that aren't mentioned here, but these are the biggest games to have your eyes on. It will certainly be a very exciting end to the regular season, from tomorrow through April 16, for fans waiting to see who gets in and who is out. Stay tuned for more updates.
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Mar 5, 2026; Clearwater, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Dylan Moore (25) hits a 2-RBI single during the second inning against the Boston Red Sox at BayCare Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
We have reached the endgame, friends. This will be the week where the cuts are made, where some options are picked up, where some decisions are made and the Phillies’ initial roster of 2026 is created. Some of these possibly logjams have been taken care of already thanks to decisions to ingest things against the rules, but some decisions still loom. Here is the final projection for said roster and what it will look like when the Texas Rangers roll into town next week.
I wrote last week about the ludicrous notion that Garrett Stubbs would make the roster as the 26th man/third catcher, which seems an odd topic to write about. Surely no manager would keep a light hitting catcher on the roster just because he took a few groundballs at third base or shagged a few fly balls during BP, right?
Right?
Infield – Bryce Harper, Bryson Stott, Trea Turner, Alec Bohm, Edmundo Sosa, Otto Kemp, Dylan Moore
The first six players? We know they’re all making it.
And then there is Dylan Moore.
There isn’t much that Moore has done this spring that would single him out as the one to get the last spot on the roster. As of Wednesday, he was 4 for 19, a few RBI sprinkled here, a few stolen bases sprinkled there. Nothing to get excited about. Yet he fits the profile of what the team is always on the hunt for: versatility. In his career, Moore has played more or less everywhere but pitcher and catcher. In a pinch, his right handed bat can come in if Justin Crawford is struggling. He can handle other positions as well.
He’s pretty much Whit Merrifield, who made the roster at the end of spring training in 2024. I’m not sure he’s the best candidate for the job, but I would be shocked if he wasn’t the final person called into Rob Thomson’s office to get the good news.
It’s quite odd to put only three outfielders on this team and it’s possible that that won’t happen. Maybe in the end, the allure of Bryan de la Cruz is too much for Rob Thomson to ignore. Maybe the idea of only have three real life outfielders is a bridge too far. If the team opted for an outfielder like de la Cruz over keeping Dylan Moore, I’d be fine with it.
I just don’t see that happening.
Designated hitter – Kyle Schwarber
Again, easiest call here.
Starting rotation – Cristopher Sanchez, Jesus Luzardo, Aaron Nola, Taijuan Walker, Andrew Painter
The same five we thought would start the season will likely actually start the season.
I’m kind of interested in Taijuan Walker for some reason. Zack Wheeler is probably closer to returning than anyone thinks, which means someone is going to have to move from the rotation. The team is usually not fond of running out six man rotations early in the season, making Walker the likely candidate to move. However, what if Andrew Painter is struggling and Walker is just doing Walker things? Would the team consider a different approach then?
Relief pitching –Jhoan Duran, Brad Keller, Jose Alvarado, Jonathan Bowlan, Tanner Banks, Kyle Backhus, Seth Johnson, Zach McCambley
The first six look set in pen right now. Johnson and McCambley are probably short term fixes until the two players projected to return from the injured list actually return.
Hot take: by season’s end, this will be a top five bullpen by WPA.
Injured list – Zack Wheeler, Orion Kerkering
Wheeler is probably close. Kerkering might not have enough time to be ready for the season opener. Best idea might be to slowplay his return and letting them keep McCambley or Johnson in the big leagues for now before they have to make a decision on either.
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 10: Jose Altuve #27 of the Houston Astros at bat against the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning of a spring training game at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on March 10, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
You certainly won’t complain about two World Championships since 2017, but it feels like for the villain status the Houston Astros have accrued since that time that they would have more. The Dodgers may have eclipsed the Astros in 2025 as the chief bad guys of MLB, but I’ll always appreciate that Houston seemed to lean so easily into playing the heel. Not only are the no longer the top evildoers, they may not even be the top in their own division — the Mariners eventually ran them down last season after the ‘Stros finished first in the AL West every year since ‘17, save that strange 2020 campaign. Indeed, it was the first time since 2016 that a postseason occurred without the pesky Astros.
2025 record: 87-75 (2nd, AL West) 2026 FanGraphs projection: 81-81 (3rd, AL West)
Yes, that’s an 81-81 projected record, something that would be borderline unthinkable given the specter Houston has cast over the American League—and particularly the Yankees—over the last near-decade. They’ve moved from the unstoppable force to a club that needs quite a few things to go right in order to challenge the Mariners, at least on paper. Hunter Brown is as good a starter as you’ll find in baseball, following up his breakout ‘24 with a Cy Young-finalist season last year, worth nearly five wins and now expected to lead the rotation.
Following Brown is a guy I’ve always liked, but is one of the ur-examples of “boy this has to go right.” Cristian Javier has thrown just 71 innings since 2023, undergoing Tommy John surgery midway through the 2024 season. He wasn’t terrible in limited action upon his return last year, but his fastball’s down a full tick from his pre-surgery self and if a few more fly balls — which he gives up a lot of — leave the park, you can see his statline starting to get pretty ugly. Tatsuya Imai, an NPB import that I wanted the Yankees to sign, will fill out the potential top three of the rotation, and while I do think he will adjust well to MLB, there will have to be an adjustment.
Offensively, the team starts to look a little old. Cam Smith, the org’s top prospect last year, is currently projected to spend the full year in right field, and Yordan Alvarez and Jeremy Peña is still just 28. On the other hand, both Jose Altuve and Christian Walker are on the scary side of 34 and both seemed to take major, age-related steps back last year, while Carlos Correa will turn 32 this season and was barely above league average at the plate last year. They also have an odd infield logjam that is only somewhat “remedied” by Peña beginning the year on the IL with a broken finger; Isaac Paredes is still on the team and still tailor-made for the Crawford Boxes. But owner Jim Crane’s inability — or perhaps unwillingness — to delve into the big pool of free agency has meant that the once-great core of this team is starting to slow down.
Over the last decade, I’ll absolutely have taken the Astros’ success over the Yankees’ lack thereof, but the cracks are finally starting to show. There may be one more run left in this roster as currently constructed, but they’re very clearly not as good as Seattle on paper, and FanGraphs projects them to be slightly worse than the Rangers. Houston also ended 2025 with the second-worst-ranked prospect system, so if this roster is going to get any better midseason, Crane has to find some way to open up the pockets.
More Pinstripe Alley MLB team season previews can be found here.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - AUGUST 24: Corey Seager #5 of the Texas Rangers looks towards first base during the seventh inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Globe Life Field on August 24, 2025 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tim Heitman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the 2025 Texas Rangers season having come to an end, we shall be, over the course of the offseason, taking a look at every player who appeared in a major league game for the Texas Rangers in 2025.
Today we are looking at shortstop Corey Seager.
Corey Seager had a great season for the Texas Rangers in 2025. He raked. He played really good defense. I did a post late in the 2025 season about Corey Seager and how good he had been in 2025 because I was so mad that someone called him “mid.” The only issue one can really take with Corey Seager’s 2025 season is that he was missed too much time due to injury. He had a pair of stints on the i.l. due to a hamstring strain early in the season, then missed the final month due to an appendectomy. As a result, he played in just 102 games in 2025.
At this point, I think we recognize that Corey Seager is going to miss some time in any given season due to physical issues. And Corey Seager is good enough that we can live with that. We can just assume he’ll miss two-three dozen games each season due to a hamstring issue or something similar.
Its part of what makes him having appendicitis so frustrating, though. Corey Seager is not an iron man. He’s cracked the 135 game mark three times in his career. The Baseball Gods shouldn’t punish us — shouldn’t punish him — by having him have to undergo an appendectomy during he season. The Baseball Gods should have had appendicitis strike once the season is over.
Especially given that Seager had been on a heater prior to then. Seager finished the season with a .271/.373/.487 slash line, good for a 151 OPS+ and 138 wRC+. From July 1 until his season was cut short, though, he slashed .301/.405/.552. Another month of hitting like that doesn’t just boost the Rangers offense and possibly alter their fortunes in September, it also potentially puts him in the MVP race.
When you look at Corey Seager’s 2025 Statcast page, you see a bunch of dark red. 98th percentile xwOBA, 95th percentile hard hit rate, 93rd percentile average exit velocity, 92nd percentile barrel rate. Seager’s walk rate of 13% was a career high, and placed him in the 93rd percentile. In regards to his batting profile on Statcast, the only areas where he is below 50% are launch angle sweet spot (46th percentile) and whiff percentage (27th percentile).
Corey Seager has been a Ranger for four years. He’s 14th in team history in bWAR, at 22.1. A 4 bWAR season in 2026 would move him up to 10th, passing Rusty Greer, Josh Hamilton, Alex Rodriguez and Michael Young. Most of the players ahead of him on the list currently played at least 1000 games for the Rangers — Seager is at 495 games played for Texas, just 10 more than ARod.
At the end of 2026, Corey Seager will be halfway through the 10 year, $325 million deal he signed after the 2021 season. So far, that deal doesn’t just look like a bargain — it rivals the Adrian Beltre deal as the best free agent signing the Rangers have ever made.
I am not going to pretend I don’t have concerns about Seager going forward. The problem with injury-prone players is that they tend to get injured a lot, and that doesn’t generally get better as a player ages. Maybe Seager can follow the path of Paul Molitor, another guy with a great bat who struggled to stay on the field in his 20s. Molitor managed to put that behind him for the most part in his 30s, ultimately earning a plaque in the Hall of Fame.
I believe that Corey Seager will end up in the Hall of Fame. He’s crossed the 40 WAR mark in both the f and b flavors, and will still just be 32 this season. He’s coming off a three year stretch where he’s averaged over 6 bWAR per season despite playing in just 70% of the regular season games. He has a pair of legendary World Series performances under his belt.
Corey Seager had a great 2025 season. I’m hoping for several more of those from him before it is all said and done.
Feb 28, 2026; Sarasota, Florida, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Spencer Strider (99) throws a pitch against the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning at Ed Smith Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Let’s just get this right out of the way right out of the gate: As long as all five Opening Day starters don’t hit the 60-Day IL at some point during this season like they did during the 2025 season, this rotation should be fine and will be improved over what we saw last season. Assuming there isn’t another catastrophic rash of injuries, that fact alone should help the Braves improve upon the disappointment of 2025.
With that being said, there’s a very open question on what the ceiling looks like for this rotation. They’re already missing three potential candidates to start, as Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep both had to undergo elbow surgery that’ll keep them out for a significant period of time and Joey Wentz will miss the entire season due to a torn right ACL. So right out of the gate, the organizational depth is already being challenged and Schwellenbach will surely be missed from the primary group of starters as this season progresses.
While there are questions concerning this starting rotation, there’s still reason to believe that this rotation could be a solid and reliable one heading into the upcoming season.
Chris Sale
Sale will be entering his age-37 season and as usual for Atlanta’s current head of the rotation (and for the rest of the team, really) the key will be health. As long as Sale stays on the mound, he should be effective. Assuming he doesn’t have a complete capitulation to Father Time, Sale should be good for something in the neighborhood of 11 strikeouts per nine innings, something around two walks per nine innings while also making sure to keep the vast majority of any fly balls inside of the ballpark as well.
As of right now over at the FanGraphs Depth Chart for the Braves, Sale is currently projected to finish with a 3.15 ERA and a 3.06 FIP for 4.0 WAR. If that’s the case then the Braves should be very happy with what he’ll be delivering to them in terms of production. They also seem to be pretty confident that he’s got it in him as well, as he’ll be entering this season fresh off of signing a big contract extension that’ll keep him around through 2027 and possibly even 2028 if he keeps it up since the Braves added a club option onto his contract extension like they’re wont to do.
I’d feel pretty confident in that as well. The velocity on his pitches have been pretty steady, as his heater has been sitting near 95-mph for the past two seasons and his slider has also been in the realm of the high-70s and low-80s for some time as well. Those are the two pitchers he relies on the most and they’ve been very reliable for him in that regard. As long as that holds up and he avoids a freak accident on the field then Sale should provide another season of steadying performances at the top of this rotation.
Spencer Strider
Questions surrounding Strider’s velocity have been the talk of the town for what feels like the entirety of spring training. I’ll say that in Strider’s case, this is a double-edged sword. The good news is that he won’t be out there throwing 92 or 93-mph during the regular season like he was to start out spring training so anybody panicking over that particular bit of information can calm down. The bad news is that if you’re anticipating the version of Spencer Strider who was throwing 98-99 and even reaching triple digits on the radar gun, then you may as well let those dreams go because it appears that the one whose fastball was at 95-96 and whose slider was at 84-85 is the one who’s here to stay.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing because it’s not as if Strider appears to be lost in the lurch without that high level of velocity. Instead, Strider is trying to adjust to this new reality in order to find an effective mix of pitches that can work for him going forward. He’s clearly been working on mixing things up since he can no longer rely upon simply blowing his four-seamer and slider past any batters. If 2025 was about simply getting back on the mound and working things out, this past offseason and spring training is about making sure that whatever he figured out in the past will translate into something that can bring him back to a level that justifies his current position near the top of the rotation.
A lot of the struggles that he dealt with in 2025 had to do with that adjustment period, in my opinion. Assuming he can work things out when it comes to his location and command, it’s very easy to see Strider becoming a an effective pitcher for the Braves going forward. Will he be as electric as he was in the past? Probably not but if he can at least get his strikeout rate back up to a “respectable” number for his standards then that’ll be a fine result. The FanGraphs depth chart currently figures that Strider could deliver a 10.6 K/9 rate alongside a 3.1 BB/9 rate, which would work out just fine for him and the Braves.
Reynaldo López
The question for López is the same question that he had heading into what ended up being a doomed 2025 season for him: Can he be effective and productive over the course of a full season once again? López’s 2024 was exciting to see but it was also the first time he’d cleared 100 innings in a season since 2019. While his unfortunate shoulder issues robbed him of having a chance to answer those questions, it’s still fair to be concerned about what López can deliver heading into this coming season.
López’s velocity was certainly a concern when you consider that he’s coming off of a shoulder injury but it’s at least encouraging that his four-seamer velocity appears to be back to where it was back in 2024. He’s been ramping up and in his last start (that we’ve seen — López took part in simulated game at the Braves facility in North Port on Wednesday), his velocity on that fastball was at 93 and 94-mph and he even reached back and hit 96-mph with it at one point. With that being said, he’s been focusing on his breaking ball usage and that appears to be what he’s been spending most of his time working on so far in spring training.
That stuff appears to be in the same neighborhood of what he was throwing back in 2024 when he was healthy, so that’s an encouraging sign. In fact, it’s been mostly good news coming from Braves camp as far as López is concerned as he does appear to be pain-free and simply preparing for the upcoming season rather than nursing an injury or working his way through some struggles like he was during spring training last season. Hopefully that good news flows into the regular season as well — an effective trio of Sale, Strider and López could certainly help keep the Braves plenty competitive and in the mix of the NL East race.
Grant Holmes
Holmes is coming off of a season where his role expanded significantly. Unfortunately, this didn’t translate to better results as his walk rate skyrocketed and his ability to avoid giving up the long ball also declined as well. Maybe part of that was due to the elbow issues that he was dealing with that eventually ended his season and that also may explain why there’s optimism that Holmes may be able to return to the form that made him so reliable during his rookie campaign.
For what it’s worth, most of the projection models over at FanGraphs are suggesting that his issues with giving up long balls might be here to stay — he had a 1.25 HR/9 rate in 2025 and ZiPS is projecting that that’ll stay at 1.17 for 2026. However, he might be able to get one over on hitters coming into this season now that he’s apparently added a sinker to his arsenal of pitches. Holmes also has yet to allow a run during spring training so far — though as I’ll talk about later on with Bryce Elder, you should always take spring training results with a grain of salt.
Still, Holmes has it in him to be a perfectly fine and reliable starter on the back end of this rotation. We can’t forget that stretch he had from May of last season right up until his elbow started acting up on him. Holmes delivered a 2.73 ERA (65 ERA-) with a 3.63 FIP (90 FIP-) over the course of 62.2 innings pitched during that span. If that version of Holmes returns to be the fourth starter for the Braves then things should be going pretty well for Atlanta in the near future.
Bryce Elder
As of right now, it’s looking like Bryce Elder is going to be back in the rotation for the Opening Day roster here in 2026. He’s got the experience and he’s out of minor league options as well so the Braves are essentially going to exhaust all of the possibilities they have with him before eventually figuring out a way to let him go elsewhere. It also (sadly) helps his case that three different starting pitchers have suffered long-term injuries already. If any of those starters were in the mix then this might be a different conversation for Elder but for now, he’s right in the thick of the conversation.
With that being said, Elder hasn’t exactly had an encouraging performance during spring training. Now granted — Elder got shelled during camp in 2023 and ended up making the All-Star Game that year so this is to say that you should always try to take spring stats with a grain of salt. It’s also playing in his favor that he won’t be expected to shoulder as much of the load as he did last season. This is your reminder that Elder led the Braves in innings pitched last season and did so by just over 30 innings over Chris Sale. As I said to start this post, as long as that doesn’t repeat itself then the Braves should be fine and the Braves should be okay with Elder being a fifth starter for however long this may take.
Still, he will absolutely need to be on top of things if he wants to stick around in the rotation on a long-term basis. Elder may not be the most exciting pitcher in the world and it will never cease to be maddening watching him throw at least one hanger a game that’s just begging to get sent to the moon. However, the Braves would absolutely take him going out there and eating five-to-six innings a start while keeping the lineup within reach of making something happen. He’s had his moments where he looks like a very solid pitcher and if those moments turn into long stretches then he will stay around. He’ll just need to make it happen.
Organizational Depth
The Braves do have some veteran options for starting pitching in their organization but also there’s a reason why they’re projected to miss out on an Opening Day roster spot at the moment. Martín Pérez is with the organization now and if he does end up usurping Bryce Elder and making the Opening Day roster, the thing to watch out for with him would be his ability to avoid getting hit really hard in terms of exit velocity. He finished in the 78th percentile of all pitchers last season when it came to Average Exit Velocity and maybe that could help him along the way if he does end up making appearances for the Braves this season.
Meanwhile, José Suarez is also available as well. While he’s pretty good at racking up whiffs, there wasn’t much else to get excited about as far as Suarez is concerned and he’s also out of minor league options as well, so there’s that. Carlos Carrasco is here as well but if we’re being completely honest, the Braves would be in a serious boondoggle if Carrasco had to pitch innings with the big league club again.
As far as prospects go, the two obvious guys who could end up making some appearances at the big league level would be Didier Fuentes (again) and JR Ritchie. Both are projected by MLB Pipeline to have an ETA of 2026 and as I mentioned for Fuentes, this wouldn’t even be his first go-around in the bigs. With that being said, I do imagine that they’re going to give him more time to cook within the farm system and the same goes for Ritchie as well. It’s been exciting to see him compete against big league talent so far in spring but based on the fact that he’s not even on the 40-man roster, it’s also feasible to imagine the Braves giving him plenty more time to hone his craft before they bring him up. Lucas Braun and Hayden Harris are also candidates to potentially get some time in the bigs if needed in a spot start situation.
If I didn’t answer any questions for you with this preview, that’s probably because the questions may outnumber the answers. Is this rotation perfectly capable of being one that could help push the Braves into a return to the Postseason? Absolutely. Could this all blow up in the face of the Braves and we’ll be forced to ask serious questions of Alex Anthopoulos’s decision not to add to this rotation? Once again, absolutely.
This is the position group with the highest amount of variance and volatility and it’s easy to see this going well or going completely sideways. Pitching coach Jeremy Hefner’s going to have a big task on his hands when it comes to guiding this group and new manager Walt Weiss would sure like it if his first season back in the managerial seat coincides with a strong performance from the rotation.
If you’re looking on the bright side, we’re at least writing this about three months later this season than we were last season. For about 35-45 games, the Sixers gave their fans enough of a reason to tune in. But the last five to six weeks of the 2025-2026 season have been far from fruitful. Not only have the Sixers lost a lot of games since the beginning of February, but they’ve lost players to injuries and suspension and have lost a lot of their fans with a perplexing trade deadline as well.
With Philly’s next game likely to be another loss in the Motor City against the Eastern Conference leading Detroit Pistons, now feels like a good time to entertain a scenario we haven’t really discussed all season. Are the Sixers best off losing as many games as possible in the regular season’s final month, bowing out quickly in the play-in tournament, and participating in this year’s draft lottery?
Granted, it’s highly unlikely Philadelphia could lose enough to fall below the play-in tournament cut line, so even a bad final month of the regular season would still have the Sixers playing beyond the season’s 82nd game. However, as many know by now, jumps up in the lottery from play-in tournament losers into the top four have happened a few times in recent years.
In 2019, the NBA debuted its new lottery in which the ping-pong balls determined the first four picks instead of the first three. This was part of an unsuccessful effort to curb tanking as the league thought that more randomness in the lottery would increase competitive balance. Since the reform, there have been seven draft lotteries. In three of them, a team from outside the league’s 10 worst records has jumped into the top four of the draft order. That includes the last two lotteries in which play-in tournament losers Atlanta and Dallas won the first pick in the 2024 and 2025 drafts respectively.
To be very clear, we’re still talking about approximately a 10% chance that Philadelphia drafts in the top four in 2026 which would again allow the Sixers to keep their first-rounder and not send it to the Thunder. But haven’t we all resigned ourselves to the fact that there’s a 0% chance of a deep playoff run coming? It feels like a dart worth throwing if you ask me.
Of course, the elephant in the room here will be if Joel Embiid is OK with being shut down. At this rate, it seems reasonable that Tyrese Maxey may not play for the rest of the regular season. Does anyone even care how many games Paul George plays after his suspension? But Embiid went public with comments before the trade deadline hoping that the front office would add to the roster and give him the best chance possible to make a deep playoff run given he may not have many chances left. We all saw that happened at the deadline.
Embiid certainly isn’t thinking about a 10% chance the Sixers draft in the top four this summer. If you’re a big draft nerd too, you might be tracking the Houston first-rounder which the Sixers now own via the Jared McCain trade. There’s still a world in which the Sixers get out of the play-in tournament, send a pick in the late teens to Oklahoma City, and the Houston pick lands in the mid 20s and this whole thing is water under the bridge.
Perhaps this is all just one sad pity piece on what this season has turned into. There were certainly times this season in which the Sixers gave the fans reason to be excited. Heck, there’s a reason there was a sentiment leading up to the trade deadline that they could be a buyer and really make a run in a wide-open Eastern Conference this spring. But those hopes are crushed now, and the Sixers are back to churning out fringe NBA players in their rotation on a regular basis. So yeah, maybe they should just exit early in the play-in tournament and then we can all ask ourselves how lucky are we feeling on lottery night yet again.
NEW YORK (AP) — The NHL has decided not to make the Ottawa Senators forfeit a first-round draft pick for their role in a 2021 trade that was later nullified.
The Senators instead will get the 32nd and final pick in the first round after the league decided their change of ownership affected what the appropriate punishment should be. The team will also pay a fine of 1 million Canadian dollars, roughly $735,000, to NHL Foundation Canada.
If Ottawa misses the playoffs and happens to win the draft lottery for one of the first two picks, it will result in a re-draw. After announcing the alteration Thursday, the NHL said it will have no further comment on the matter.
The decision was initially levied on Nov. 1, 2023, that the Senators would forfeit a first-rounder in 2024, ‘25 or ’26. New owner Michael Andlauer fired then-general manager Pierre Dorion that day and named Steve Staois as the replacement for that role.
The Senators traded forward Evgenii Dadonov to Vegas in July 2021 and failed to supply the Golden Knights with the player’s 10-team no-trade list. Vegas attempted to send Dadonov to the Anaheim Ducks in March 2022 before the move was nixed by NHL Central Registry because he had not waived his no-trade clause.
There is precedent to the NHL reducing punishment after the fact. The New Jersey Devils in 2010 were docked a first- and a third-round pick and fined $3 million for a contract with Ilya Kovalchuk that was rejected. They instead were, like Ottawa, forced to the end of the first round in 2014.
ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 10: Onyeka Okongwu #17 and Jalen Johnson #1 of the Atlanta Hawks high five during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on March 10, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images ATLANTA, GA – MARCH 10: Onyeka Okongwu #17 and Jalen Johnson #1 of the Atlanta Hawks high five during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on March 10, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It’s what the people wanted! The Brooklyn Nets took on the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night and got the hell beat out of them as they lost by 38 points.
The opponent tonight is flying high. The Atlanta Hawks pushed their winning streak to seven after beating the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night. They’re solidly in the play-in tier and have an outside chance of breaking in to the top six.
Where to follow the game
YES Network on TV. Gotham Sports on streaming. WFAN on radio. Tip after 7:30 PM.
🤕 Injuries
The following are out:
Egor Demin
Michael Porter Jr
Nolan Traore
Day’ron Sharpe
Ziaire Williams is questionable. The three two-ways available.
For the Hawks, Jonathan Kuminga and Dyson Daniels are questionable.
🏀 The game
Atlanta won the first and second meetings. They wrap the series up in April.
With both guards out, Drake Powell will get as many minutes as he can handle. It should be a great opportunity for the rookie to figure things out, and as our Tyler Carmona writes, he can grow into a really solid pro:
“With some added physical development in the offseason, he could grow into a reliable defender capable of guarding positions one through four and giving head coach Jordi Fernández some breathing room when facing elite offensive talent.“
With Traore and Porter Jr out, who will take the shots for the Nets tonight? That’s the question Jordi Fernandez will have to figure out and figure out fast. Danny Wolf figures to start again and should get plenty of opportunities to make something happen.
This is also a night for Noah Clowney to do a bit more. Clowney has had plenty of bright spots this season and now that we’re moving in to the middle of March, this represents a chance for him to do a bit more on offense. Games like this will help him figure out what parts of his game can get better as he fights to be a starter next season.
Jalen Johnson has been one of the best players in the NBA this season, and he’s picked things up as of late. During the Hawks’ winning streak, he’s averaging around 20/7/6 on 50 percent shooting from the field. A walking triple-double threat, Johnson does a lot of things well and hopes to put on a show in the postseason if the Hawks make it there.
Now that the Hawks are in serious playoff contention, they have some things to figure out. One of them will be how they best utilize CJ McCollum. The Hawks have youngsters that figure to be key parts of their program going forward and while still capable of heating up at a moment’s notice, CJ does have flaws in his game. Over at Peachtree Hoops, Hassan Ladiwala explores the conundrum Atlanta finds themselves in:
“To be clear, while I am of the opinion that the decision to start McCollum over Risacher is a touch short-sighted*, I do understand it from the perspective that it’s a move that helps the team win games this season. Putting a high-level offensive player like McCollum alongside Atlanta’s ‘core four’ has raised the group’s offensive ceiling and eased the ball-handling burden on Johnson and Daniels. You would also be justified in pointing out that Risacher had done little to justify keeping his job in the starting unit prior to the lineup change.
*It’s unclear whether McCollum will be on the team next year while Risacher was drafted #1 overall just last season and has a ways to go before reaching his potential.
That said, despite the staggering plus-minus numbers*, I am not fully convinced that McCollum is a part of the Hawks ‘best’ five-man unit – and their opponents woeful three-point shooting during his minutes is a big factor in my skepticism. Next time you see a stat praising McCollum’s on/off impact in Atlanta, just know that it hasn’t been because the Hawks shot-making, it’s been because of their opponents shot-missing.“
Give your youngsters more run, or turn to your vet and try to win? Everybody’s got to find the proper balance.
🏀 Player to watch: Onyeka Okongwu
Steady growth is always welcome. When you add to your game every year, you become more reliable and someone the team can trust. It’s a sign that you’re a part of their plans and it leads to great things if you keep at it. Onyeka Okongwu has seen his scoring average increase in each season of his career and even as he expands his game, he’s still shooting well and someone opponents have to respect. Atlanta hopes to be a steady playoff contender for many years to come, and Okongwu’s rise will be a shining light in Atlanta.
Nic Claxton will be tasked with controlling the middle for the Nets tonight. When the Nets lose on the boards, it’s impossible for them to win games. And with no Sharpe, the Nets have even less help on the glass. Claxton has to be better and playing in front of friends and family should give him an extra bit of motivation.
📺 From the Vault
On Tuesday, Bam Adebayo scored 83 points, now second most in NBA history. With that in mind, let’s take a trip back in time and look back at the mark Bam suprassed
ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 23: Washington pitcher Brad Lord (61) reacts during the MLB game between the Washington Nationals and the Atlanta Braves on September 23rd, 2025 at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
At this time last year, Brad Lord was one of the biggest stories of Nationals Spring Training. After working at Home Depot in the offseason, the former 18th round pick pitched his way on to the Nationals roster. Following a solid rookie season, Lord is flying much more under the radar.
He is a lock to make the roster, the only question is what role he will serve. Lord is a quiet, go with the flow guy, which makes him the perfect candidate to bounce between the rotation and bullpen. He just wants to help the team in whatever way he can. Lord told me that he will “Do whatever they need and I am always open to anything”.
As of right now, he is building up to be a starter, but he is not sure what his ultimate role will be. After the Zack Littell signing, I think he is likely to head to the bullpen. He was more effective out of the bullpen last year, posting a 2.79 ERA in that role. However, he was reliable wherever he pitched and was a rare bright spot on a brutal Nats pitching staff.
In a season that has gone about as bad as possible in most ways, I am very thankful for Brad Lord
Lord faded a bit down the stretch, but he still had a great rookie season for a guy taken in the 18th round. He posted a 4.34 ERA in 130.2 innings as a rookie. His ability to generate ground balls and keep the ball off the barrel made him a solid MLB pitcher. To get to the next level, he will have to refine some of his secondary pitches, as he was very fastball reliant last year.
He threw either a 4-seam or a sinker 66.5% of the time last year. With the Nationals cutting fastball usage, I anticipate that to go down. However, the heater should still be Lord’s bread and butter. His low arm slot and solid velocity make his fastballs quite good. He just needs another weapon that hitters have to respect.
Lord told me that one thing he was refining is his changeup. He did not make any massive changes, but the righty did tweak his changeup grip. Last year, the changeup was a solid weapon to lefties, but nothing special. This grip change could improve the pitch. Lord used the changeup to overwhelm Nolan Gorman yesterday in his Spring Training outing.
Brad Lord was telling me about how he tweaked his changeup grip when he talked yesterday. He made Nolan Gorman look silly on back to back changeups to get a strikeout
Yesterday was the best Lord has looked this spring. Six of his nine outs came via the ground ball, which is exactly what you want to see from him. Getting quick outs is a big part of Lord’s game. It is what makes him a solid starter and a fantastic swing man.
Lord was at his best last season in that swing man role. From late May to early August, he was dominant, posting a 2.20 ERA in that time. When he moved to the rotation full time, he got exposed a bit down the stretch. I also think he began to wear down at the end of his first MLB season.
Brad Lord with a very solid start for the Nats today going 6 IP, 4 Hits, 1 ER, 5 Ks, 19% Whiff% and lowering his season ERA to 3.28
Since May 22nd he has a 2.20 ERA and 2.97 FIP with just 13 BBs in 45 IP
Whatever his role is, Brad Lord will be a key piece for the Nats pitching staff. He is a guy who can get outs in a variety of roles, which is very important in the modern game. While he is unlikely to start the season in the rotation, he will be the next man up when injuries inevitably hit.
Last season, he made 48 appearances with 19 starts. I would not be surprised if we saw something like that again. He can just do whatever the manager asks of him, which is incredibly valuable. Brad Lord’s name is not on the tip of fans tongues like it was last year, but I think he is poised to be a pivotal piece of the Nats pitching staff once again.
