CLEVELAND, OHIO - JANUARY 28: Bronny James #9 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket around De'Andre Hunter #12 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the fourth quarter at Rocket Arena on January 28, 2026, in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Lakers 129-99. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers have been playing their best basketball of the season, but are reportedly still looking to upgrade their roster ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline. Acquiring De’Andre Hunter from the Atlanta Hawks was the big move they made at the deadline last year. Hunter could be on the move again this winter.
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Finding a third team could be the holdup. The Cavs are in the second apron. That means that they can’t bring in more money in a trade. The Lakers are just below the first apron but are capped from exceeding it in a trade like this.
Since Hunter — with his unlikely contract bonuses — makes slightly more than Hachimura and Knecht combined, a trade involving just those players is illegal for the Lakers to make. Los Angeles would need to drop an additional player making just over $1.3 million to a third team. The second apron keeps the Cavs from taking that additional player or adding another player of their own to the trade to balance things out.
The Cavs could shave a little over $20 million off of next season’s cap sheet with a deal like this. Hachimura is on an expiring contract and Knecht is set to make just $4.2 million next season. Meanwhile, Hunter is owed a little over $24 million next season in the last year of his contract.
On the season, Hunter is averaging 13.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 42 games.
Hachimura is averaging 12.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 0.9 assists on .500/.433/.756 shooting splits. Knecht has averaged 4.8 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 0.4 assists on .442/.323/.688 shooting splits in his second season in the league.
How many teams are within three games of the Oklahoma City Thunder in the loss column, let alone one game?
Only the Detroit Pistons can claim that, and there is not much logic to thinking they will start tallying losses now, not even with the Golden State Warriors favored tonight.
My Pistons vs. Warriors predictions are not quite bold enough to bet the Detroit moneyline outright, but they will certainly doubt Golden State.
Pistons vs Warriors best bet: Draymond Green Under 5.5 rebounds (-130)
Since Jimmy Butler’s ACL tear, Draymond Green has fallen short of this modest rebounding prop in three of four games, averaging just 4.25 rebounds per game.
The Golden State Warriors so needed Butler, in part, because Green’s game is aging faster than many realize. He is no longer equipped for this role.
Quite frankly, the time is probably coming when Green’s agitation with himself will start showing as he acts out against opponents. That could well come tonight, given the Detroit Pistons' physical playing style.
But even if Green plays the whole game, that may be as few as 24 minutes. He has played more than 24 minutes in any of his last four games, bothered by foul trouble in only one of them.
He does not have the fitness to play a long game. And he no longer has the athleticism to impact the game.
Pistons vs Warriors same-game parlay
Green has scored 12 points total in the four games without Butler, shooting just 5-of-25 from the field.
He is falling apart in every aspect. With Green posing such a liability, the Pistons should have an edge in a close game.
Pistons vs Warriors SGP
Draymond Green Under 5.5 rebounds
Draymond Green Under 7.5 points
Pistons moneyline
Our "from downtown" SGP: Cade!
With the Warriors shorthanded — also without Jonathan Kuminga tonight— Cade Cunningham's athleticism may feast.
Pistons vs Warriors SGP
Draymond Green Under 5.5 rebounds
Draymond Green Under 7.5 points
Cade Cunningham Over 23.5 points
Pistons moneyline
Pistons vs Warriors odds
Spread: Pistons +2.5 | Warriors -2.5
Moneyline: Pistons +120 | Warriors -140
Over/Under: Over 224.5 | Under 224.5
Pistons vs Warriors betting trend to know
Detroit is 3-1-1 against the spread in its last five games on the second night of a back-to-back, as well as 5-0 outright. Find more NBA betting trends for Pistons vs. Warriors.
How to watch Pistons vs Warriors
Location
Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
Date
Friday, January 30, 2026
Tip-off
10:00 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN
Pistons vs Warriors latest injuries
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.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
BRADENTON, FL - FEBRUARY 14: Minnesota Twins President, Baseball Operations Derek Falvey talks to the media during the 2025 Grapefruit League Spring Training Media Day at Pirate City on Friday, February 14, 2025 in Bradenton, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Minnesota Twins and Derek Falvey, the president of baseball operations and business operations for the team, have “mutually agreed to part ways,” the team has announced this morning. General manager Jeremy Zoll will take over the baseball operations role for now, with the team saying they will immediately begin searching for a replacement for Falvey. Tom Pohlad will “temporarily” handle the business operations, presumably until a permanent
This is something of a bombshell, given the circumstances and the timing. Falvey, 42, was hired as the chief baseball office for the Twins in October of 2016, having spent the previous eight years in Cleveland’s front office. He hired then-Rangers assistant general manager Thad Levine to be the team’s general manager, a position Levine held until the end of the 2024 season.
Falvey’s first year with the club, the Twins went from winning 59 games in 2016 to 85 games in 2017, earning a Wild Card berth. After a losing 2018 season, the Twins won 101 games in 2019 and went 36-24 in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, although they were swept in the first round both years. The Twins won the A.L. Central with 87 wins in 2023, and sweeping the Jays in the Wild Card round before losing to the Astros in the ALDS, thus missing out on the opportunity to get knocked out by the Rangers in the ALCS.
After going 82-80 in 2024, the Twins got off to a poor start in 2025, and ultimately traded off almost half of their team at the deadline, with the team going into full rebuild mode, ultimately finishing at 70-92. They also fired manager Rocco Baldelli, who had been the team’s manager since 2019, at season’s end.
The Twins have been fairly successful during Falvey’s run atop the organization, especially given the fact that the Twins have pretty consistently maintained one of the lower payrolls in MLB. That said, it wouldn’t have been shocking if he and the team had parted ways at the end of the 2025 season.
The fact that this is happening just a couple of weeks before pitchers and catchers report to spring training, however, is extremely unusual. The top baseball guy doesn’t generally leave at this point in the offseason, unless it is in the aftermath of a suspension for running a crooked operation.
The quotes from Pohlad and Falvey in the announcement linked above suggest that there wasn’t necessarily an alignment between what the Twins were going to want to do going forward and how Falvey wanted to run things.
Kings vs Celtics best bet: Domantas Sabonis Under 14.5 points (-125)
Domantas Sabonis isn’t having the best campaign for the Sacramento Kings, averaging just 15.4 ppg. That’s down from 19.1 points last season. The big man is averaging only 12.6 points in January, and that even includes a couple of single-digit games in points.
The Lithuanian has cashed the Under in points in six of his last seven contests this month, scoring a mere 14 points on Thursday in a loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. He’s actually played better on the road overall, but that’s not the case at the moment.
Sabonis hasn’t faced the Boston Celtics yet this season, but he’s not playing with a lot of confidence in January, given his inability to consistently score the rock. From a scoring standpoint, Boston will keep him under wraps here.
Kings vs Celtics same-game parlay
Neemias Queta is averaging 10 ppg this season, but he’s cashed the Under in three straight appearances, failing to even hit the 10-point mark in each contest.
Queta scored just four points on Monday against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Derrick White is averaging 2.9 three-point makes on 8.9 attempts from long range for a 32.3% clip this season. While he’s had some games where he goes off from deep, that hasn’t been the story lately.
White has hit the Under in converted triples in eight straight games. He was just 1-for-5 from three-point land on Wednesday.
Sam Hauser has cashed the Over in points in six of his last eight appearances.
Kings vs Celtics SGP
Domantas Sabonis Under 13.5 points
Neemias Queta Under 11.5 points
Derrick White Under 3.5 threes
Sam Hauser Over 11.5 points
Kings vs Celtics odds
Spread: Sacramento +11.5 (-110) | Boston -11.5 (-110)
Moneyline: Sacramento +400 | Boston -550
Over/Under: Over 220 (-110) | Under 220 (-110)
Kings vs Celtics betting trend to know
The Boston Celtics have hit the Game Total Under in 16 of their last 23 games (+8.30 Units / 33% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Kings vs. Celtics.
How to watch Kings vs Celtics
Location
TD Garden, Boston, MA
Date
Friday, January 30, 2026
Tip-off
7:30 p.m. ET
TV
NBC Sports California, NBC Sports Boston
Kings vs Celtics latest injuries
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.
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MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MARCH 04: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks and Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers look on in the second half at Fiserv Forum on March 04, 2023 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Sixers basketball is fun right now. Joel Embiid is doing things I thought were well in the rearview mirror for him. Tyrese Maxey is continuing his superstar ascension. VJ Edgecombe is wading through the waters of being a rookie as a key contributor on a playoff team. Paul George has even turned back the clock as of late.
Complacency is never a good thing in sports when taking an aerial view, but I am content with watching this iteration of Sixers basketball for the time being, seeing wins like the ones the team pulled off Tuesday evening against Milwaukee and Thursday night against Sacramento.
Perhaps it’s just getting older and championships do remain how everything gets defined in this sport, but I’ve resigned myself to this being a non-contending season for the Sixers and, with those adjusted expectations, Sixers basketball feels a bit freeing.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is set to be one of the biggest names ever moved mid-season ahead of the Feb. 5 NBA Trade Deadline. In an open Eastern Conference, naturally, people wondered if the Sixers should get in the mix for a top-25 player of all time. It’s only fair! Such a deal would necessitate parting ways with Edgecombe, a boatload of picks and probably Jared McCain as well.
When the talking heads and fans started discussing the Antetokounmpo-for-Edgecombe possibility, I was so against it, writing as much for Liberty Ballers. It felt like the Sixers were finally on the cusp of building for a post-Embiid future with the Maxey-Edgecombe backcourt pairing set to carry the franchise for the next half-dozen years and potentially beyond. Maybe they wouldn’t make the NBA Finals this year, but how about that possibility come 2028 or 2029? That’s enticing no doubt.
Sixers fans on social media, understandably, are skittish about trading away the 20-year-old Edgecombe who oozes star potential for the 31-year-old Antetokounmpo.
Truly, I get it.
What I now pose is a simpler question… Are we overthinking it? Am I overthinking it?
It would take approximately a tenth of a second in the aftermath of a “Antetokounmpo to Philly” push notification for me to be completely bought in to it. It would be a seismic shift in the East. An Antetokounmpo-Embiid-Maxey trio would give the team their greatest shot of finally breaking through and making the Finals in this era. The Antetokounmpo-Embiid fit isn’t perfect. The team would once again be all-in and dealing their best top-three pick in nearly a dozen years. The risk is immense, but so is the reward of watching this team play in June.
The clock is ticking on Antetokounmpo’s future and the closer we get to next Thursday, the more my mind will continue to shift back and forth when it comes to the two-time MVP.
In this episode of the Royals Rundown Podcast, Jacob Milham and Jeremy “Hokius” Greco take a deep dive into the Kansas City Royals’ outfield, ranking current options while evaluating the organization’s short- and long-term outlook. The duo breaks down defensive value, offensive upside, and roster fit, with a spotlight on Jack Caglianone as a potential cornerstone piece for the Royals’ future.
The conversation also explores recent acquisitions, the importance of utility players, and how minor league performance shapes big-league decisions. From Gold Glove–caliber defense in center field to intriguing newcomers like Isaac Collins, this episode provides a clear-eyed look at how the Royals are constructing their outfield and what fans should expect heading into the upcoming season.
Feb 26, 2025; Dunedin, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Gabriel Rincones Jr. (85) celebrates after hitting a home run against the Toronto Blue Jays in the third inning during spring training at TD Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
I like Gabriel Rincones, Jr.
You like Gabriel Rincones, Jr.
Seems like the Phillies like Gabriel Rincones, Jr.
You know who else likes him? Left handed pitching.
Gabriel Rincones, Jr. – 48 Moises Chace – 34 Matthew Fisher – 29 Keaton Anthony – 9 Jean Cabrera – 7 Cade Obermueller – 6 Carson DeMartini – 5 Griffin Burkholder – 2 Mavis Graves – 1 Yoniel Curat – 1
By now, the story is known. Rincones has a ton of power, the potential to hit the ball hard and does really, really well against right handed pitching. On some teams, that’s a really good thing to have. For the Phillies, they are in the unfortunate position of needing someone who can do damage against left handed pitching thanks to the presences of Brandon Marsh and Justin Crawford on the roster.
It’s just that Rincones should never, ever, EVER see a left handed pitcher if it can be avoided. Maybe while in the minor leagues, he can continue to see them as that is what the minor leagues is for: player development. If he can even get respectable against them, which would require a very big jump in performance, the team might have something really good on their hands.
But boy do those split numbers suggest he really, really shouldn’t see a left handed pitcher.
A shoulder injury (2022), torn thumb ligament (2024), and sprained ankle (2025) have cost him big chunks of his pro career and, odd amateur arc included, he’s played far fewer high-level baseball games than most prospects his age. But when he’s been healthy (including right after returning from that nasty thumb injury), Rincones has destroyed righties. He’s career .256/.362/.476 hitter versus them (.164/.257/.224 vs LHP) and has some of the best raw power in the organization, even when you include Philly’s big league roster. A strapping 6-foot-3, 225 pounds, Rincones will flash plus-plus pull-side juice against pitches in the middle-in portion of the plate, but doesn’t access it all over the zone.
With each new post, we’ll reveal who won the voting for that particular slot, then post new players for you to vote on, adding another one to the list each time until we get to our final tally of 20. Once we get to 20 top prospects, we’ll do an honorable mention post at the end. If a player gets traded to another team, we’ll just chuck him right on outta here and all the players will move up a spot. If a prospect gets acquired, we’ll ask where he should go on the list.
Probably the most important thing about this whole process – please vote. Give us a few minutes of your time, just click a button and then we can discuss other players and things in the comment section, but don’t forget – VOTE!
On January 21, 2026, Jett Williams was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers. This list, and Williams’ place on it, was compiled back in late-November. For continuity’s sake, I decided upon including Williams’ profile, but for all intents and purposes, every player on our list below Williams can be considered to have moved up a spot on it.
Jett Williams has always been one of the smaller people on the field, leading to many doubting him, but from a young age, he turned the questions and skepticism into fuel and a chip on his shoulder. In high school, he made the Rockwall-Heath High School varsity baseball team as a freshman and helped lead them to state playoffs in virtually every season that he played for the Hawks. In his junior and senior years, arguably the most important for a high school player, he hit .347 with 5 home runs and 15 stolen bases and .411 with 7 home runs and 24 stolen bases, respectively.
The hard work that he put in paid off, and as the 2022 MLB Draft approached, evaluators considered Williams one of the best talents available in the draft class. With their second first-round pick, the 14th overall, the Mets selected Williams. He signed roughly a week later, forgoing his commitment to Mississippi State University in exchange for a $3,900,000 bonus, a few hundred thousand dollars less than the MLB-assigned slot value of $4,241,600 for the 14th overall pick. The 18-year-old was assigned to the FCL Mets to begin his professional career and appeared in 10 games for them in the month of August, hitting .250/.366/.438 with 1 home run, 6 stolen bases in as many attempts, and drawing 4 walks to 6 strikeouts. That winter, Amazin’ Avenue ranked Jett Williams the Mets’ 5th best prospect.
Williams began the 2023 season with the Single-A St. Lucie Mets and played there until the end of July, when he was promoted to the Brooklyn Cyclones. In the 79 games he played with them, he hit a respectable .249/.422/.410 with 12 doubles, 6 triples, 6 home runs, 32 stolen bases in 38 attempts, and drew 69 walks to 76 strikeouts. While many hitters struggle when sent to Brooklyn, it was quite the opposite for Williams. In the 36 games he played for the Cyclones, he hit .299/.451/.567 with 9 doubles, 2 triples, 7 home runs, 12 stolen bases in 13 attempts, and drew 33 walks to 32 strikeouts. In mid-September, the 19-year-old was promoted to the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies to finish the year and went 5-22 with them, hitting 1 double, stealing 1 base, and walking twice to 10 strikeouts. All in all, Jett Williams appeared in 121 games between Single-A, High-A, and Double-A in his first full season as a professional and hit a combined .263/.425/.451 with 22 doubles, 8 triples, 13 home runs, 45 stolen bases in 52 attempts, and 104 walks to 118 strikeouts. His 104 walks led the system and in doing so, the 19-year-old became the first teenager to lead the Mets minor league system in walks since David Wright did so in 2002.
On the heels of his excellent performance, Williams was considered the Mets’ top prospect by Amazin’ Avenue and one of the best prospects in all of baseball by national evaluators. Expectations were high for him coming into the 2024 season, but Williams did not live up to them unfortunately. Remaining in Binghamton to begin the year, he got off to sluggish start in April due to wrist discomfort and eventually underwent a right wrist triangular fibrocartilage complex debridement procedure. He missed four months of the season, hitting the injured list in late April and finally returning in late August. Williams struggled in his return, but there was light at the end of the tunnel, as a late-season promotion to Triple-A Syracuse saw him go 8-30 with 4 doubles and 8 walks to 7 strikeouts. In total, Williams only appeared in 28 games on the season, 22 in Binghamton and 6 in Syracuse.
After the season concluded, the Mets sent Williams to the Arizona Fall League. Appearing in 22 games for the Scottsdale Scorpions, he hit .225/.376/.388 in 80 at-bats, with 2 doubles, 3 triples, 3 homers, 7 stolen bases in 8 attempts, and 17 walks to 30 strikeouts. Ending his 2024 season on as ignominious a note as possible, Williams injured his right ankle in the first inning of the Scottsdale-Salt River Play-In Semifinal, crashing against the left-center field wall attempting to corral a Tyler Callihan fly ball that would ricochet for a double. Fortunately, the injury was just a sprain, and after a few weeks, Williams was healthy and ready to continue his off-season training.
Ranked the Mets’ second-best prospect, most expected a bounce back season for Williams, who reported to spring training fully healthy. Assigned to Binghamton to begin the year, the young infielder hit .290/.355/.507 in his first month of play, highlighting that his return to form was indeed happening. In total, he hit .281/.390/.477 in 96 games with the Rumble Ponies, hitting 29 doubles, 5 triples, and 10 home runs, stealing 32 bases in 39 attempts, and drawing 62 walks to 96 strikeouts. He was promoted to Syracuse in mid-August and closed out the season with them in the International League. In 34 games, the 21-year-old Williams hit .209/.285/.433 with 5 doubles, 2 triples, 7 home runs, 2 stolen bases in 2 attempts, and drew 14 walks to 35 strikeouts. In total, he hit .261/.363/.465 in 130 combined games with both teams, recording 34 doubles, 7 triples, 17 home runs, stealing 34 bases in 43 attempts, and drawing 76 walks to 131 strikeouts.
The 5’7” infielder stands square at the plate, holding his hands high and his angling his bat at 1:30. He swings with a big leg kick and a short-levered swing that is quick to the ball. While he may be on the shorter side, on the cusp for what is considered viable in professional baseball, Williams is athletic and has strong arms and a thick lower body.
Thanks to his natural strength and plus bat speed stemming from his all-or-nothing swing, Williams makes a lot of hard contact. In limited at-bats in Syracuse, where statcast data is publicly available, Williams had a 104.5 MPH 90th percentile exit velocity and a high-water mark of 108.4 MPH. While such exit velocities are not poor by any means, they are not necessarily indicative of 20+ home run potential, like Williams has. As has been the case for his entire baseball career, the infielder makes the most of what he has, and in this case, he makes the most of balls that he puts into play. The swing has drawbacks, however. With its steep plane, Williams has shown difficulty adjusting his bat path and catching up to high heat, which may result in low batting averages and on-base percentages in the future.
In 2025, he pulled the ball at a 45% rate, went back up the middle at a 23.2% rate, and went to the opposite field at a 31.8% rate while posting a 25.6% line drive rate, 31.8% ground ball rate, and 42.5% fly ball rate, with a 14.9% pulled fly ball rate. While this has resulted in a 33.8% infield fly ball rate and perhaps less contact that he could be making, it also resulted in a slightly above-average 11.3% HR/FB rate. Coming into the season, Williams had a bit of a reputation of being a little passive at the plate, but he increased his Swing% to 41.9% as compared to his 2023 and 2024 rates, while still remaining a bit lower than the 2025 MLB average. His Contact% and SwingStr% remained static and within MLB norms, meaning that while the infielder was swinging a bit more in 2025, but he was still being selective and not hacking wildly at everything he saw.
On top of his impact hit and power-tools, Williams possesses plus speed. He stole 34 bases in 43 total attempts in 2025, a 77% success rate, and has an 83% success rate over the course of his professional career. He pushes the envelope on the basepaths, legging out doubles, taking extra bases, and challenging outfielders, and is pesky and distracting towards pitchers.
Drafted as a shortstop, Williams has spent the majority of his professional playing time there, but he has also seen considerable time at second base as well as in centerfield. At shortstop, his defense is a bit fringy. He is quick-twitch athletic and has quick reactions, a dynamic first step, fluid actions, soft hands and a smooth glove, and above-average range, but an arm that is, at best, average in strength and accuracy brings down his overall defensive profile at the position. His arm strength and accuracy issues get negated with a shift to second base, but Williams has less experience playing there, a less-valuable defensive position with different footwork.
In the outfield, his plus speed and athleticism are boons, giving him the ability to cover a lot of ground with afterburners to close in on balls. His reads of the ball off the bat and the routes that he takes to the ball have improved since he was drafted and began playing in the outfield and should continue improving as he spends more time at the position.
2026 Mets Top 25 Prospect List
5) Brandon Sproat 6) A.J. Ewing 7) Jacob Reimer 8) Ryan Clifford 9) Will Watson 10) Jack Wenninger 11) Mitch Voit 12) Jonathan Santucci 13) Elian Peña 14) Zach Thornton 15) Nick Morabito 16) R.J. Gordon 17) Chris Suero 18) Dylan Ross 19) Ryan Lambert 20) Antonio Jimenez 21) Edward Lantigua 22) Eli Serrano III 23) Randy Guzman 24) Daiverson Gutierrez 25) Boston Baro
The weather outside is cold, but Royals players will soon be in the warm weather of Arizona for spring training. Before they head out, they’ll interact with fans at Royals Rally this Saturday at Kauffman Stadium. From autograph sessions to interactive activities and panel discussions, the event is a way to get excited about baseball season and remind fans that the road to Opening Day is officially underway.
Fans can purchase general admission tickets for $27, which include access to one player autograph session per two-hour window and a roundtable discussion featuring players, coaches, and staff. A limited VIP option, priced at $152, guarantees an autograph session and provides additional clubhouse access. Fans can enjoy ballpark concessions, hear from Royals players, coaches, front office staff, and alumni, take photos in the visitor’s dugout, hit in the visitor’s batting cage, or visit the press box for kids’ activities. Parking is free. Tickets are available here.
The event will have three timed sessions that run from 10 a.m. to noon, 12:15 to 2:15 p.m., and 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. You can find a complete schedule of events here.
The Captain (and his kids!) have a message for you! 👀
The current players scheduled to appear include Ryan Bergert, Kris Bubic, Jac Caglianone, Noah Cameron, Isaac Collins, Carlos Estévez, Bailey Falter, Jonathan India, Kyle Isbel, Carter Jensen, Stephen Kolek, Nick Loftin, Seth Lugo, Nick Mears, Salvador Perez, Cole Ragans, John Rave, John Schreiber, Matt Strahm, Lane Thomas, Tyler Tolbert, and Michael Wacha. Manager Matt Quatraro and head of baseball operations J.J. Picollo will also speak, and former Royals outfielder Alex Gordon is scheduled to appear. The team has loosened bag rules, allowing fans to bring in larger items to be autographed, like bats, balls, and posters. You can read about some of the insights Matthew LaMar gained from players, coaches, and owner John Sherman at last year’s Royals Rally.
The Chicago Blackhawks had a bad game on Thursday night. They were run out of the building at the hands of the Pittsburgh Penguins, who beat them 6-2.
The good news for them, sitting at 21-24-9, is that they don't have much time to sit there and think about the bad loss. They are right back at it on Friday with the 25-20-7 Columbus Blue Jackets in town for a match at the United Center.
This will be a "Friday Night Hockey" feature with the team wearing their black alternate sweaters.
Scouting Columbus
The Columbus Blue Jackets are having a good season, but their chances of making it to the playoffs are slim in a loaded Eastern Conference.
They are 8 points out, but they are 7-3-0 in their last 10 and have won three in a row. Since hiring Rick Bowness a couple of weeks ago in a coaching change, they've been on a little bit of a run. If the run continues, they may find a way to get in, but there is a lot more work to be done.
Marchment - Fantilli - Marchenko
Jenner- Monahan -Johnson
Sillinger -Coyle -Olivier
Voronkov-Lundestrom -Wood
Werenski -Severson
Provorov - Mateychuk
Zamula - Gudbranson
Merzlikins
Greaves
Zach Werenski, a defenseman, leads the team in goals, assists, and points. Driving that level of offense from the back-end is very impactful, and he is in the mix for the Norris Trophy this season because of it. This is the player that the Blackhawks will have an extra close eye on in their pre-game prep.
Adam Fantilli, their top-line center, went two picks after Connor Bedard in the 2023 NHL Draft. He is having a down year compared to last season, but he's a big, strong center who can change the game on any shift. With the great wingers that he plays with, it's a line for Jeff Blashill to think twice about when deciding on matchups.
The Columbus Blue Jackets and Ottawa Senators are the only two teams in the NHL that did not play on Thursday night. This game between Chicago and Columbus is the only one on the NHL slate for Friday night, and the road team will be fresher.
Elvis Merzlikins played in their last game, a win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday, so Jet Greaves is a good bet to start against the Hawks.
Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago
The Chicago Blackhawks did not have a morning skate on Friday. If their lines have a shake-up, it won't be revealed until warmups.
Landon Slaggert and Sam Lafferty were the scratches in Pittsburgh, but one of them could go in for Colton Dach based on how things have rotated in recent games. Nick Foligno also left the Penguins game with an injury, which could cause a change as well.
Nazar-Bedard-Teravainen
Greene-Moore-Burakovsky
Bertuzzi-Dickinson-Mikheyev
Donato-Foligno-Dach
Vlasic-Crevier
Kaiser-Levshunov
Grzelcyk-Murphy
If Foligno can't go, and Slaggert draws in, someone who played wing on Thursday will have to play center on Friday.
Spencer Knight will start in goal for Chicago. They let Arvid Soderblom finish the game on Thursday, despite giving up six goals. He faced 44 shots, so it was hardly all his fault.
Knight playing won't help if they play as badly defensively against Columbus as they did against Pittsburgh, but he gives them a chance to win every start.
Connor Bedard scored his first goal with a goalie in the net since coming back from his injury on Thursday, which was the one positive at the end of the game. He has looked more like himself lately, and he got one to go in. Will the floodgates open? This game against the Blue Jackets will tell the tale.
How To Watch
The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. To view this game, it is available on CHSN locally. Nationally, it is available on the NHL Network. The puck will drop shortly after 7:30 PM CT.
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PITTSBURGH, PA - DECEMBER 30: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates against the Carolina Hurricanes at PPG PAINTS Arena on December 30, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The thing that stood out the most to me about the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday evening is not just the players that provided the offense. It is also the players that did not provide the offense. Consider these numbers.
Evgeni Malkin recorded one assist.
Sidney Crosby recorded zero points.
Erik Karlsson recorded zero points.
Kris Letang recorded zero points.
Bryan Rust recorded zero points because he is serving the first game of a three-game suspension.
Those are five of the Penguins highest paid players and five of their best players. They combined for one point. In a game the Penguins absolutely dominated for 50 minutes and scored six goals. That is significant.
This is continuing a trend and storyline that has perhaps become the biggest surprising development of the season. It is the scoring depth. It is the fact they have four balanced lines that can all provide offense, with more help waiting in the wings.
When the 2025-26 season began there was a belief that the forward group could be pretty good, at least as far as the top-six was concerned. Certainly good enough to keep the team competitive for a bit, especially if Crosby and Malkin continued to play like …. well …. Crosby and Malkin.
Then Ben Kindel showed up as an 18-year-old and immediately became an impact player.
Then free agent signings Justin Brazeau and Anthony Mantha showed up and became bargain addition free agent signings.
Tommy Novak started to figure things out and bounce back from a slow, frustrating start to the season.
Then the fourth line of Connor Dewar, Blake Lizotte and Noel Acciari became a thing,
Then Egor Chinakhov arrived and just started scoring goals.
Now they four lines that can be rolled out evenly. In Thursday’s game no line played more than 11:14, and no line played less than 9:16. Everybody was involved. Everybody contributed. Everybody stayed fresh.
It also helped that for as deep as the NHL roster has become, they still have plenty of help waiting in the wings. Top prospect Rutger McGroarty was recalled for Thursday’s game and looked outstanding, recording a game-high five shots on goal and providing a physical presence. It may not have resulted in him recording any points, but he was noticeable and looked outstanding. He looks like an NHL player.
Ville Koivunen did not produce much in the way of offense at the NHL level to open the season, his line always pushed play and drove possession and you can still see the skill. He has been a point-per-game player in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He looks like an NHL player.
They have options.
The scoring depth is not just limited to the forwards, either. The defense is chipping in.
Erik Karlsson is on a 57-point pace over 82 games. Kris Letang is on a 41-point pace. Ryan Shea, who had a goal and an assist on Thursday and has now recorded a point in each of the past four games, has 21 points in 52 games, with all of them coming at even-strength. Entering this season he had just six points in 70 career games.
They are getting contributions from everybody.
It is a combination of new head coach Dan Muse getting the most out of everybody, the scouting staff and front office identifying talent — and in some cases undervalued talent — and the ability to put everybody into place. That does not even get into the fact the veteran players are still able to perform.
If you would have told me at the start of the season the Penguins’ top-six forward lines and the two two defensemen (Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang) were productive and everybody else around them struggled, that would have seemed reasonable. Not at all surprising. If you would have told me they would be able to go more than four lines deep and have three defensemen on pace for more than 30 points I would not have believed you.
They are doing it. It is really something to watch.
DETROIT, MI - JULY 25: Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Braydon Fisher (63) pitches in the seventh inning during the game between the Detroit Tigers versus the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday July 25, 2025 at Comerica Park in Detroit, MI. (Photo by Steven King/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Braydon Fisher is a right-handed pitcher who came to us from the Dodgers, in trade for Cavan Biggio, in June of 2024. Fisher was a fourth-round draft pick in 2018.
Cavan played 30 games for the Dodgers, hitting .192.306/.329 and was released in early August. He went from there to the Giants, then the Braves, the Royals and the Angels. He’s a free agent now.
Fisher pitched for New Hampshire and Buffalo after the trade and was pretty good, putting up a 1.62 ERA in 14 games with the Bison. At the end of the season he was a free agent but the Jays signed him as a minor league Free agent.
He started 2025 in Buffalo, but was called up on May 7th, he went back to Buffalo on August 21st and then was back September 4th.
It turned out to be a terrific rookie season. In 52 games, he had a 2.70 ERA. In 50 innings, batters hit .181/.269/.282 against him. He had 62 strikeouts in 50 innings. We couldn’t have asked for better. He ended up with 7 wins, no losses and 5 holds.
He didn’t have as good a time in 7 playoff appearances, putting up a 6.43 ERA. Such is life.
Fisher throws three pitches, a slider (38.3% of the time, a curve (36.6%) and a four-seamer (22.1%, averaging 95.5 mph), with a couple of cutters thrown rarely.
He struck out 30.7% of batters. The number dropped some at the end of the season, but he had thrown a lot of pitches, so I’m not too worried about it.
Braydon has, likely, moved back a couple of spots on the depth chart, since the end of the season. Yimi Garcia will be back, after missing a good part of last season with an injury Tyler Rogers was added. Louis Varland cemented his spot in the pen after pitch in (seemingly) every playoff game. And Jeff Hoffman is…..still there, likely still closer. So Braydon will have to pitch well (again) to get any high-leverage work. But then he came out of nowhere last year to became an important piece of the pen last year, he can do it again.
Steamer thinks he’ll pitch in 52 games, 52 innings (not much imagination there), with a 4.08 ERA (I’d guess that if his ERA is north of 4 he won’t be getting into 52 games). Steamer also figures his strikeout rate will drop to 25.1%, which would be bad news.
ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 27: Fans brave the inclement weather for the 2024 Braves Fest on January 27, 2024 at The Battery and Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
In Thursday night’s open thread, I discussed the weather forecast that was a bit concerning for Saturday. Saturday was important because that was when this year’s edition of Braves Fest was scheduled. Well, the weather forecast for Metro Atlanta hasn’t gotten any better since Thursday and as such, the Braves have officially made the decision to cancel Braves Fest for 2026.
This is definitely a bit of a bummer considering that this’ll now make it two years in a row where the annual winter hype event for the Braves has been cancelled. Last season it was due to stadium upgrades in preparation for the 2025 MLB All-Star Game and now this year it’s due to just plain ol’ bad luck in terms of the weather.
All I know is that 2027 better be an absolute banger to make up for the now-two-year gap that we’ll have without the event. Who knows? Maybe we’ll even get some unseasonably warm weather for the occasion next year. In all seriousness though, all I can do now is advise y’all (who are reading this in the Metro Atlanta area and anywhere else affected by this storm) to stay warm and safe over the weekend. There will be more Braves Fests in the future but for now, the best course of action is to hunker down and make sure you don’t freeze out there — for a second weekend in a row.
While the Detroit Red Wings didn't get the result they were looking for on Thursday evening against the Washington Capitals, another historical milestone was achieved by future Hall of Fame forward Patrick Kane.
Kane became the highest-scoring U.S.-born player in NHL history thanks to his assist on Ben Chiarot's second period goal, which was the 1,375th point of his career. It moved him past former Dallas Stars (and one-time Red Wings) forward Mike Modano, a Westland, Mich. native.
Kane's teammates poured off the bench to celebrate the milestone with him, and immediately afterward, a special pre-recorded video message from Modano himself was played on the scoreboard at Little Caesars Arena.
"I knew at an early age in your career you would be the one chasing this number down and here we are," Modano said. "Continue on and make this number harder for the next guy."
Kane said that he noticed the video message being played a few moments after it initially started, and thought it was a classy gesture on Modano's part.
"I paid attention to it, maybe not right from the start, but it was a great message from him. He's one of the best American players of all time, a guy I looked up to a lot when I was younger."
"I remember when he passed Phil Housley in San Jose on a breakaway goal, and to see him up there as a former Red Wing too, sending a message like that was pretty classy."
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 05: Richard Lovelady #57 of the New York Mets in action against the New York Yankees at Citi Field on July 05, 2025 in New York City. The Mets defeated the Yankees 12-6. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
One thing Paul Toboni has made clear is that he values every single spot on the 40-man roster. He is happy to use the waiver wire and uses every spot on the 40-man. It is becoming clear that there will be a lot of churn on the backend of the 40-man roster this year.
Yesterday was a good example of this churn. Toboni claimed Richard Lovelady off of waivers. To clear a 40-man spot, he DFA’d Mickey Gasper, who was just claimed nine days ago. It is becoming apparent that we should not get too attached to any of the players on the fringes of the 40-man. They could be gone in an instant.
Nationals have claimed LHP Richard Lovelady off waivers from Mets and DFA’d UTIL Mickey Gasper (who was only recently claimed himself). The 40-man roster merry-go-round continues.
Richard Lovelady is a good example of what life is like for a fringe 40-man roster player. In the past 12 months, Lovelady has been DFA’d five times. So, I would not get too attached to this player.
Lovelady has some interesting characteristics. He has great extension down the mound and gets ground balls. At points in his career, he has been a serviceable reliever, which the Nats need. He had a nice 28 outing stint with the Rays in 2024. Lovelady could be a factor in the Nats bullpen as a lefty, but he also could be DFA’d next week if Toboni finds someone on the waiver wire he finds more appealing.
Just churning through these players seems odd and a bit cruel, but there is a method to the madness. If these guys pass through waivers, they remain in the organization and can pitch in the minors. These fringe 40 man players tend to be good in AAA, so they provide valuable organizational depth.
Some of these players are just claimed to be DFA’d again, but others can make a real impact. Mike Rizzo did not use the waiver wire a ton, but he found a couple nice pieces when he did use it. Robert Garcia and Hunter Harvey were both waiver claims who had nice spells in DC.
Paxton Schultz is the claim from this winter I am most excited about. The Nats claimed him off of waivers from the Blue Jays, and I think he is really interesting. He was a serviceable arm in 24.2 MLB innings last year and I think he can be a big league contributor. Schultz has a solid four pitch mix and a fastball that generates whiffs. He can also pitch in a number of different roles.
Gus Varland is also a pitcher I like, but I am not as confident in him. In 2024, Varland was effective in 26 outings, but had an injury plagued 2025. His fastball sits at 95 and has carry at the top of the zone.
Toboni has also claimed a few position players. Tsung–Che Cheng and Joey Wiemer are both strong defenders who could be bench pieces. Like Gasper, I would not be surprised if either of these players are DFA’d in the coming weeks.
As we enter the season, I think Toboni will continue to be active on waivers. The Nationals have chosen not to be big spenders in recent years, so they have to find creative ways to acquire talent. Toboni has been getting creative this offseason. He has been active on the waiver wire and even made a rare prospect for prospect swap this offseason.
Last offseason, the Nats did not make any waiver claims. Instead, they filled the back of their roster with guys like Lucas Sims and Colin Poche. Those players had guaranteed contracts, so they got more time despite awful results.
This is a different way of doing things. It is more analytically inclined and forward thinking. Some of this is dumpster diving, but there is not much to lose. If things don’t work out, these players are easy to get rid of and if they hit, you get a cheap asset. As a real baseball sicko, these moves are also fun to follow.
