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MLB Scores: Nationals 3, Mets 2

Feb 28, 2026; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; New York Mets pitcher Tobias Myers (32) pitches in the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

The Mets fell behind early in today’s game against the Nationals at Clover Park, and despite late attempts to comeback, they ultimately fell to the Nationals 3-2.

  • Tobias Myers started for the Mets after looking solid in his first spring training appearance earlier this week. He looked strong once again today, as he tossed three innings of one-run ball while striking out four and walking one. His only blemish came in his final inning of work, as he surrendered two one-out hits (a single and double, respectively) and then allowed one of the runs to score on an RBI groundout. Still, it was overall another promising appearance, as Myers continues to look like he will be a solid piece for the Mets’ pitching staff this year.
  • After Myers departed, Craig Kimbrel and Adbert Alzolay—both of whom are attempting to make the major league bullpen—surrendered runs to make it 3-0 Nationals. Kimbrel pitched the fourth inning and gave up a double to Brady House, who would go on to score on a sacrifice fly, and the veteran closer also walked two in his inning of work. Alzolay, on the other hand, also gave up a double to House to lead off the sixth, and he followed that with a wild pitch to move him to third. A groundball fielder’s choice force out at home gave him a chance to get out of the frame unscathed, but a stolen base and a single from Warming Bernabel instead gave Washington their third run of the afternoon.
  • Luis García, Nick Burdi, Austin Warren, and Joey Gerber also pitched in the game, and they all tossed scoreless innings.
  • Some notable tidbits from the starting position players in today’s game: Brett Baty started at first base and had no noticeable blemishes there, and Michael Tauchman continued his solid spring by hitting a double. Still, the majority of the bats were held quiet by the Nationals pitching staff in the first six innings of the game.
  • The Amazins finally broke through for their first run in the seventh, when Mark Vientos followed a Jared Young walk with an RBI double against Paxton Schultz. They followed that with another run in the eighth against former Met Dicky Lovelady, as Ji Hwan Bae and Antonio Jimenez led off the frame with singles and Nick Morabito subsequently drove in a run with a one-out double. In both cases, however, the bats failed to add on additional runs.
  • The Mets went on to load the bases in the ninth on two walks and an error by second baseman Cayden Wallace, and they had the chance to win the game with two outs. But Jacob Reimer instead flew out on the first pitch he saw, and the game concluded.

The Mets will be at home once again tomorrow afternoon. They face off against the Astros at 1:10 PM on SNY, with Clay Holmes taking the mound.

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Devin Booker is 2 games away from the All-NBA cliff

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 10: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns brings the ball up court against the Dallas Mavericks at Mortgage Matchup Center on February 10, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.  (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The NBA is in a constant state of tinkering. Adam Silver is always adjusting and experimenting in real time. He’s trying to solve one problem while occasionally creating another. You see it in the NBA Cup. You see it in the All-Star Game formats that require a flow chart and a deep breath to explain. There is always a new lever being pulled, a new idea being tested under Adam Silver’s watch.

It makes you wonder how this era will be remembered in ten or twenty years. Will it be viewed as innovative? Progressive? Necessary? Or will it feel like a stretch of seasons where the league kept throwing concepts at the wall, searching for traction, with only a few actually sticking.

One of the most impactful tweaks has been the 65-game minimum for end-of-season awards, something the league instituted before the start of the 2023-24 season. We are now on year three of this arbitrary line, and the potential impact it might have on the history books is legit. Most Valuable Player. All-NBA. All-Defense. The rule is simple on its face. Play 65 games, and you qualify. Miss 18 or more, you are out. There is no gray area.

It was Silver’s response to load management, an attempt to discourage teams from strategically shelving stars in the name of preservation. The thinking was straightforward. Tie availability to legacy and tie it to contract incentives. Make it matter tangibly.

Whether it fully solved the issue is another conversation. It placed durability back into the spotlight, made it part of the awards discourse again, and forced organizations to weigh rest against recognition. Like many league-wide experiments, it addressed a real concern. The long-term ripple effects are still playing out.

Adam Silver is trying to solve a real issue, although in my opinion, he is circling around the cleanest answer without ever touching it. The solution has been sitting there the whole time. Fewer games. Reduce the total. Ease the cumulative strain. If the tax on a player’s body is lighter, the incentive to strategically rest him decreases.

This version of the NBA is not the league from twenty years ago. The pace is faster, the space is wider, and the defensive ground to cover is massive. Bigs are chasing guards on the perimeter. Guards are crashing into seven-footers at the rim. Every possession asks more of the body than it once did. Add in stretches of scheduling that still feature as many as 16 back-to-backs for certain teams, and you are almost inviting fatigue to take over.

Instead of trimming the schedule, which would impact revenue, the league landed on 65 games as the line in the sand. An arbitrary number that attempts to legislate availability rather than address the wear and tear that limits it in the first place.

And now we are staring at a strange possibility. Some of the best players in the world may not qualify for the very awards that define their seasons. Nikola Jokic. Shai Gilgeous Alexander. Luka Doncic. Kawhi Leonard. Giannis Antetokounmpo. Stephen Curry. Players who shape the league narrative could find themselves on the outside of MVP or All-NBA conversations because they land on the wrong side of a games played ledger.

That creates tension. Voters are evaluating greatness while glancing at a participation threshold. Seasons remembered with an asterisk of availability. The intent was to discourage load management, but the byproduct might be award races that feel incomplete. The league wanted stars on the floor. Everyone does. The question is whether tying legacy to 65 games addresses the root of the issue, or whether it simply reshuffles the consequences.

In a season where so many primary stars have missed chunks of time, the 65-game rule is about to open doors that in other years would have stayed closed. All-NBA spots are usually a gauntlet. This year, the math is reshaping the field. Players who might have been on the fringe in a traditional season suddenly find themselves with a clearer lane because others cannot clear the availability bar.

One of those players, had he remained fully healthy, is Devin Booker.

Booker has missed 16 games already. The margin is razor-thin. Miss two more, and the All-NBA conversation ends. Not because of production, not because of impact, but because of a ledger. Two more absences in the final 22 games, and he is mathematically disqualified. That is not to say he would be sneaking in undeservedly. His play speaks for itself. In a year where several superstars are hovering around the cutoff, his consistency when available has strengthened his case. The shifting landscape has quietly improved his odds.

Although that is the tension of this rule. It turns the stretch run into a health countdown. Every questionable tag matters. Every maintenance night carries weight. The focus drifts from performance to participation.

So now it becomes simple arithmetic. 22 games left. Two games of cushion. The difference between an All-NBA nod and watching from the outside might come down to something as routine as a sore ankle or a scheduled rest day. In a season already defined by attrition, the rule adds another layer of drama, one that has nothing to do with shot making and everything to do with availability.

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Knicks, Spurs meet again after going on different paths following NBA Cup

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Knicks forward Mikal Bridges #25 puts up a shot over San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama #1 during the first quarter, Image 2 shows The Knicks and Spurs are set to meet for the final time this regular season
Knicks-Spurs

Knicks-Spurs matchups have become must-see television. 

It seems every time the two teams square up recently, there is significant drama. 

They meet Sunday at Madison Square Garden for the third and final time this regular season. 

“I heard about the Christmas game last year,” Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox said after practice Saturday. “I felt like there was probably a little something there. First time we saw them [this year] was the championship of a tournament. That’ll help you find a reason to, not necessarily dislike somebody, but you’re playing for a little bit more.” 

The Knicks and Spurs are set to meet for the final time this regular season. Charles Wenzelberg for The New York Post

The Knicks beat the Spurs in a thriller to win the NBA Cup back in December.

It came via a huge fourth-quarter turnaround, during which the Knicks outscored the Spurs by 16. That has been the peak of the Knicks’ season, by far. 

But the two teams have largely taken different trajectories since that moment. 

They met just over two weeks later in San Antonio on New Year’s Eve, and the Knicks blew a double-digit lead en route to a gutting loss that changed the course of their season. From their Cup triumph through the first three quarters of that second Spurs matchup, they looked like the best team in the East and a bona fide contender.

But since the fourth quarter of that second matchup, they’ve dragged their feet and mostly looked like pretenders. That loss began a stretch in which the Knicks lost 9 of 11 games. 

Knicks coach Mike Brown was harsh on his team afterward. 

“They just, s–t, excuse my French, but they just outworked us in a lot of ways,” Brown said after the game. “[Spurs coach Mitch Johnson] kicked my ass. The rest of the team kicked our ass. We all got our ass kicked today. 

“First of all, our physicality wasn’t good. We haven’t figured out how to be physical for 48 minutes in the last I don’t know how many games. And doing it without fouling. We pick up some silly fouls that we have to do a better job of. I feel everybody understands that. But now we have to go do it. So now our physicality isn’t good. And we just haven’t been able to — I don’t know if we’re tired or what, we haven’t been able to sustain anything defensively for 48 minutes. And we’ve won a lot of games and you want to win games and feel good about it. But at the end of the day, if we don’t figure out how we’re going to sustain what we’re supposed to do on defense for 48 minutes, it’s going to be a long year for us and it’s going to catch up with us.” 

Everything Brown said after that game was prescient — particularly that last part predicting that their lingering problems, especially on the defensive end, would eventually catch up with them. 

In 2026, the Knicks have so far recorded a 15-12 record. The Spurs have gone 19-7 and are riding an 11-game winning streak. Fox believes their Cup experience, despite falling short to the Knicks in the final, sparked it. 

“For us, just being able to be around each other playing for something a little bigger than a normal regular season game,” Fox said, “I definitely think that helps.” 

Mikal Bridges puts up a shot over San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

Last year on Christmas, Mikal Bridges scored 41 points — his most with the Knicks — as the Knicks overcame Victor Wembanyama’s 42-point outburst in a heart-stopping three-point win.

A year prior, Jalen Brunson and Wembanyama had an epic duel — Brunson scored a career-high 61 points while Wemanyama recorded 40 points, 20 rebounds, seven assists and two steals as the Knicks lost by four in overtime. 

Something about this matchup keeps delivering memorable showdowns. 

“It’s a great team,” Wembanyama said previously of the Knicks. “One of the teams I looked up to as a kid, which has a lot of history. So it’s always interesting. Going to New York, as well, is always fun.” 

Sunday’s clash will be the first this season at MSG. Buckle in for more fun. 

— Additional reporting by Zach Braziller 

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Golden State Warriors, Gui Santos agree to multi-year deal

Golden State Warriors young forward Gui Santos has been making strides in his fourth season in the Bay Area and it's being noticed - and rewarded.

The team announced on Saturday, Feb. 28 that Santos signed a multi-year contract extension with the Warriors. According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the deal is a three-year, $15 million contract extension and includes a player option in the 2028-29 season.

Santos has shown himself to be a hard-nosed role player for the Warriors with his hustle, energy and doing whatever is asked of him.

He has scored in double-figures in 11 of the last 12 games. In that span he has averaged 15 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.6 steals in 28.8 minutes. He's shooting 58.8% from the field and 43.1% from 3-point distance.

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Miller scores 26 points as the Hornets beat the Trail Blazers 109-93 for their 4th straight win

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Brandon Miller had 26 points and eight rebounds, and the Charlotte Hornets beat the Portland Trail Blazers 109-93 on Saturday for their fourth consecutive victory.

Miller made six 3-pointers and the Hornets finished 16 for 42 behind the arc after totaling 72 in the previous three victories, equaling the NBA record for most in a three-game span.

Coby White added 20 points off the bench and LaMelo Ball had 15 points and eight assists. Moussa Diabate finished with 13 points, 11 rebounds and five assists as Charlotte pulled within a game of .500 at 30-31.

Jrue Holiday scored 25 points and Jerami Grant had 21 for the Trail Blazers, who played without All-Star Deni Avdija for a third straight game because of a back injury.

Portland missed all 10 3-point attempts in the first quarter and Charlotte took a 29-17 lead. Miller made four 3-pointers and scored 12 points in the second as the Hornets took a 51-43 lead to the half.

The Blazers cut it to 74-67 after three but went cold again in the fourth, missing 10 of their 12 3-point attempts. Portland finished 11 for 47 (23.4%) on 3s for the game.

Up next

Trail Blazers: Visit Atlanta on Sunday.

Hornets: Host Dallas on Tuesday.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

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Sabres Trade Deadline Fits – Rasmus Ristolainen

The Buffalo Sabres were expected to be a team in the seller category after starting the season at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, but the Sabres surge since December has them in position to end their 14-year playoff drought, which has made GM Jarmo Kekalainen re-evaluate the club’s options. 

Based on the Sabres positioning themselves to be in the top three of the Atlantic Division, it seems highly unlikely that they will deal pending unrestricted free agent winger Alex Tuch, but in the days leading up to the NHL trade deadline on March 6, there are a number of potential trade options on the table for Kekalainen that make sense.

Other Sabres Stories

Six Former Sabres Who Signed Elsewhere

Speculation has seemed to focus on the Sabres investing in defensive depth on the right side with Michael Kesselring sidelined numerous times this season, and Conor Timmins recovering from a broken leg. The name of former Sabres blueliner Rasmus Ristolainen has been swirling in trade speculation for most of the season, but gained some momentum after his impressive performance for Finland partnering with Florida’s Niko Mikkola at the Winter Olympics earlier this month.  

The 31-year-old spent eight seasons with Buffalo, logging massive amounts of ice time for a subpar dysfunctional Sabres squad, and was traded to Philadelphia for a 2021 first-rounder (Isak Rosen), a 2023 second-rounder (Anton Wahlberg) and defenseman Robert Hagg in 2021 and his last three seasons have been plagued by a variety of injury issues. Those issues may have Flyers GM Danny Briere willing to retain some of Ristolainen’s $5.1 million salary for this and next season to increase his return. 

Rasmus Dahlin - Norris contender?

The chatter got mentioned on WGR 550’s Schopp and Bulldog afternoon show on Friday, and maybe is gaining some steam after a Sabres scout was spotted at Saturday’s Flyers - Bruins game in Philadelphia. Based on the fact that Ristolainen has another year left on his deal, it is more likely that GM Jarmo Kekalainen would opt for a rental defenseman like Connor Murphy or Luke Schenn, but his familiarity with the Finnish blueliner might make a difference as 3 pm next Friday approaches. 

  

Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo

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Tobias Myers sharp, Mark Vientos snaps hitless skid in Mets' loss to Nationals

The Mets were defeated by the Washington Nationals 3-2 on Saturday afternoon at Clover Park. 

New York is now 4-3 in Grapefruit League play.

Here are some takeaways...

- Brett Baty was able to make his spring training debut after being slowed by a hamstring issue early in camp. He looked smooth in what was his first appearance at first base, and went hitless over his two at-bats, but did make good contact on a 108.7 mph lineout to right in the bottom of the second. 

- Francisco Alvarez was also in the lineup for the first time this spring, after the Mets opted to play things safe with him early on. The young backstop caught four innings and went hitless as well, but he did win an ABS challenge to overturn strike three to ball four in the second. 

- Saturday was Mike Tauchman's turn to make his mark in the Mets' crowded right field competition. The veteran lined a double down the right field line in his first AB, then made a nice sliding grab in the right-center gap to rob Nasim Nuñez of extra bases in the fifth.

- Ronny Mauricio showed good instincts at shortstop, cleanly fielding a grounder while playing in with a man on third and nobody out, then throwing home to gun down a runner trying to score. Mauricio worked deep counts in each of his two at-bats, but struck out each time. 

- Tobias Myers was strong in his second outing, his first start, of the spring. The righty struck out three as he retired six of the first seven batters he faced, only issuing a two-out walk in the second. He did fall into some trouble after back-to-back hits put two in scoring position in the third, but was able to escape with one run in on a groundout. 

His final line: one run, two hits, one walk, four strikeouts and 46 pitches (34 strikes) over 3.0 innings of work.

- Craig Kimbrel made his first appearance in his attempt to carve out a role in the Mets' bullpen. Bo Bichette was beat for a double down the line on the second pitch Kimbrel threw, then a groundout and flyout to bring home the Nats' second run of the game. The veteran walked the next two, but escaped without further damage. 

- Luis Garcia put together his second consecutive 1-2-3 inning to start the spring.  

- Hitless on the spring, Mark Vientos was finally able to break through in his third at-bat of the day, going the other way for an RBI double off the right field fence. Vientos is among the contingent of Mets who will be leaving the team on Sunday to start preparing for the World Baseball Classic. 

- Among those players is outfield prospect Nick Morabito, who has been enjoying a very strong camp so far. Morabito fought off a tough 0-2 pitch, then went the other way against former Mets southpaw Dicky Lovelady, lining an opposite-field double to help cut the deficit in the bottom of the eighth. 

- The Mets threatened in the ninth, but stranded the winning run on second on Jacob Reimer's flyout. 

Highlights

What's next

The Mets stay in Port St. Lucie as they play host to the Houston Astros on Sunday at 1:10 p.m.

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Blackburn throws four shutout innings in Yankees’ win

TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 18: Paul Blackburn #58 of the New York Yankees works out during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 18, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images

There was sort of a “last day of school” feeling to today’s spring training game against the Blue Jays. The Jays sent the B-team, with split squad action facing the Yankees and Phillies, while a number of Yanks are set to leave the team and join their World Baseball Classic sides as that tournament kicks off late next week. That, plus good outings from our starters made for a brisk Grapefruit League showdown, with the Yankees winning 5-1.

Paul Blackburn is auditioning for one of the swingy bullpen roles, and his stock certainly improved today. It wasn’t exactly the Opening Day lineup for the Blue Jays, but it took Blackburn just 40 pitches to work through four scoreless innings. He leaned heavily on his sinker for five groundouts, although I think Statcast was a little clunky today and pitch movement data is hard to interpret. Still, it’s only spring but today was quite a good showing for a guy that really needs to impress after 2025.

We flew through the first half of the game, with Blackburn’s strong start bettered by José Berríos spinning four no-hit innings. It wouldn’t be until Ryan Jennings took over in the fifth that the Yankees finally broke through:

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Like many on the field today, it’s likely José Caballero’s last appearance before traveling to join Panama for the World Baseball Classic, but a solid RBI double was a good way for the presumptive Opening Day starter was a good way to wrap up this phase of camp. Cabby would come around to score on a throwing error a couple batters later, making the score 2-0.

Fernando Cruz nearly gave it all back in the sixth though, allowing a double and pair of walks to load the bases. I’m sure this outing wasn’t quite what the brain trust of the WBC was hoping for, as Cruz will suit up for Puerto Rico starting this week. At least he got a double play to work his way out of danger.

After getting out of trouble, the Yankees continued to club the pitching depth of the Blue Jay system:

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Austin Wells will suit up for the Dominican Republic after today, but perhaps more important is getting his offensive game more in line with his 2024 self than 2025. Lots of Yankees have gotten their A-swings off in Grapefruit League play this spring, but few lengthen the lineup as much as Wells can, so good stuff to see.

Speaking of A-swings, someone named Kenedy Corona did this in the seventh:

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The Yankees were 2-for-3 on ABS challenges by my count, with the only loss being a frankly obvious ball that Cruz requested a review on. I tend to think that Cruz was simply testing the system out for himself before the games count for real, but if it was an honest challenge, maybe we don’t let him request reviews in the regular season.

The Blue Jays managed a run in the ninth on a play neither I nor play-by-play man Justin Shackil quite understood. Nicholas Torres, playing right field for New York, seemed to lose the ball in the Florida sun and missed a catch he should have made, and good hustle from Jays’ baserunner Carlos Mendoza — no, the other one — meant his club was not going to be shut out.

The Yankees hit the road tomorrow, a quick jaunt to Clearwater to take on the Phillies. Will Warren, who’s shown some flashes of a step forward so far this spring, will get the ball with a 1:05pm Eastern first pitch.

Box Score

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Mitchell leads balanced attack and Missouri dismantles Mississippi State 88-64

STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Mark Mitchell scored 17 points and Shawn Phillips Jr. scored 16 points and Missouri walloped Mississippi State 88-64 on Saturday.

Reserve Anthony Robinson II scored 13 points, Trent Pierce scored 10 and Jayden Stone grabbed 10 rebounds for the Tigers (20-9, 10-6 SEC).

Missouri led 54-23 at halftime on the strength of 61.3% (19 for 31) shooting. The Tigers finished shooting 51% (30 for 59).

Josh Hubbard scored 16 points and Quincy Ballard scored 12 points for Mississippi State (13-16, 5-11).

Missouri started with a 9-0 lead and never looked back. Trent Burns' 3-pointer with 13:49 remaining before halftime and they led by double digits for the remainder.

Mitchell's layup with 9:14 before the break made it 30-10. T.O Barrett made two foul shots with 2:07 left in the half and the lead was 50-19.

Missouri has won three of its last four which included wins over then 19th-ranked Vanderbilt and 22nd-ranked Tennessee.

Up Next

Missouri: Will try to end its three-game losing streak at Oklahoma on Tuesday.

Mississippi State: Travels to face seventh-ranked Florida on Tuesday.

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Spencer Strider makes productive spring training debut in Braves win over Orioles

Feb 20, 2026; North Port FL, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Spencer Strider (99) poses for a photo during media day at CoolToday Park. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Spencer Strider’s spring training debut in 2026 was certainly an intriguing one, as Strider was clearly looking to accomplish his own set of goals in this one that may not have aligned with what the public speculation may be concerning his own profile as a pitcher at the moment.

As I mentioned in the game thread, all eyes were on starting pitcher Spencer Strider as he made his spring training debut in this one. Strider went three-up and three-down in the first inning before running into a little bit of trouble in the second inning when he gave up his only run of the day on a sacrifice fly from Coby Mayo. That cam after Adley Rutschman smacked a 93-mph heater from Strider that was high and in the zone for a double, so there’s that.

Strider also picked up a pair of strikeouts along the way and aside from giving up two hits and a run, that was his only blemish on the day. Strider spoke with the media while the game was still going on and he seemed like he was fine with how things went on the day. It was also interesting to see that he did hear all of the speculation about the radar guns being turned off for his live BP sessions and the sarcasm he displayed near the end of this clip from Braves beat writer Mark Bowman of MLB.com suggests that he’s likely not too worried about it.

Following Strider’s two innings of work, Martin Pérez got the ball and pitched two innings where he only had to deal with one baserunner over the pair of innings that he tossed. Unfortunately, that one baserunner made it all the way around on a round-tripper after Adley Rutschman capped off a solid day at the plate with a solo homer.

That was as good as it got at the plate for the Orioles, though, as Braves pitchers proceeded to clamp down on Baltimore from that point forward. José Suarez added two more clean innings to his spring resume as he attepts to figure out a way to make the starting rotation for Opening Day. Javy Guerra continued to gear up for the World Baseball Classic as he tossed a scoreless inning and his performance was part of the Braves sitting down 11 Orioles batters in a row. Any day where you keep another team’s squad quiet like that over the course of a spring training game is a nice day.

Meanwhile at the plate, Chadwick Tromp certainly had a productive day swinging the bat, which Team Netherlands will surely be happy to see as he gets ready for the WBC, himself. He picked up an RBI single against Orioles starter Kyle Bradish and then later on in the game, Tromp took part in one of those moments that you tend to only see during spring training.

It all took place in the eighth inning, which is when John Gil won a seven-pitch battle against Chayce McDermott by hitting a dinger that put the Braves in the lead. Gil has reportedly been turning some heads so far this spring during camp and this was his first real flourish during a game, so that was encouraging to see. There wasn’t even time to really celebrate Gil’s dinger before Cal Conley took McDermott’s very next pitch and sent it deep for another home run. Conley likely wasn’t even done getting and giving high-fives of his own before Tromp proceeded to take the first pitch he saw from McDermott and crush it for a home run. Yep, that was back-to-back-to-back homers on three straight pitches. Welcome to spring training, folks.

Kyle Farmer contributed two hits of his own as Brett Wisely and DaShawn Keirsey Jr. each added hits of their own and Alex Lodise delivered an RBI double in the top of the ninth as the Braves proceeded to rack up a dozen hits in this one.

All in all, there was more to like instead of dislike in this one. Spencer Strider’s velocity was certainly the topic of the day and while it might be understandable to worry about the fact that he’s throwing 93 at this point, it’s also still February. On top of that, he seemed more focused on location and command rather than emptying the tank while trying to light up the radar gun. If he’s still throwing like this near the end of camp then that could be cause for concern but for now, it’s simply something to keep an eye on going forward. Again, the sarcasm was telling about whether or not this is something to really worry about.

Aside from that, it was nice to see the Braves look productive for the most part during another spring training game. If you’re the type who cares about the race for the Grapefruit League pennant, the Braves are doing alright at 5-2 at the moment. There will surely be some more peaks and valleys as spring progresses but for now, the Braves look like they’re making some steady progress towards Opening Day as the calendar changes from February to March.

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Audition over: Gui Santos earned his place with Warriors’ extension

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 22: Gui Santos #15 of the Golden State Warriors drives to the basket on Bruce Brown #11 of the Denver Nuggets in the first half at Chase Center on February 22, 2026 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images

There’s a peculiar kind of justice that plays out in professional basketball when a player stops auditioning and starts belonging. Gui Santos belongs.

The Warriors locked him up on a multi-year extension Saturday, which reads like routine front office housekeeping until you rewind what February actually asked of this team. Both Steph Curry (greatest guard alive) and Jimmy Butler (a menace to society on the basketball court) haven’t played a single solitary second during Black History Month because of bum knees. Then the former #7 overall pick Jonathan Kuminga was shipped off to start his next storyline as the man who saves Atlanta Hawks basketball.

Just a shorthanded Golden State squad navigating the cruelest month of their season. And somehow, the guy with the headband and the Brazilian passport kept surfacing in every statistical category that felt like oxygen.

Here’s some Feb stats ahead of tonight’s Lakers game that reveal Santos’ impact this month. You know who leads the team in steals? Santos, with 15, tied with De’Anthony Melton. Blocks? Al Horford leads as a center with 8, but right behind him at 7 is Santos, a wing. Rebounding? The human hustle machine Brandin Podziemski owns that category at 65, but guess who’s sitting at 53, breathing down his neck? Santos again. Assists? He’s tied for second with Podziemski at 38, trailing only Pat Spencer’s 50. You can scan that list three times and still miss the point, which is that glue usually hides. This month it didn’t.

This is the Iguodala archetype. The Swiss army knife Steve Kerr has been hunting since the dynasty thinned out. You can’t manufacture this kind of connective tissue in the lab. You grow it in Santa Cruz, rep by rep, until one February without your stars, the glue guy becomes the guy.

But here’s what separates this story from your standard hustle narrative: his name isn’t just popping up in the dirty work categories. Santos has knocked down 17 three-pointers this month, second on the team behind Moses Moody’s 29. And he’s doing it on 43.6% shooting from deep, which leads the roster in volume attempts (minimum meaningful sample). The hustle guy can shoot and that changes everything about how defenses have to honor him.

Kuminga was supposed to be the next chapter of Warriors development lore. The raw athleticism, the upside, the TWO TIMELINES plan. But development requires trust, and trust requires consistency, and consistency is the one currency Kuminga could never quite produce on demand. The Warriors made their calculation, moved him to Atlanta, and watched him go off in a new uniform while Santos continued quietly becoming indispensable.

Future forensic archaeologists digging through the rubble of Kuminga’s time in Golden State will ask the reasonable question: who was Kerr choosing over him down the stretch? Who earned those minutes that could have gone to the former lottery pick?

Look no further. His name is Gui. And now officially, he’s becoming That Guy.

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Penguins/Rangers Recap: Strong start ends in shootout loss for the Pens

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 28: Kris Letang #58 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates with the puck while being chased by Will Cuylle #50 of the New York Rangers during the second period of a NHL game at Madison Square Garden on February 28, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Pregame

Same players for the Penguins, Stuart Skinner gets back into the lineup for the visiting team.

First period

Lots of penalty trouble early for the Rangers, Braden Schneider is the first to go 1:28 into the game. The Pens make them pay quickly. Anthony Mantha gets a great redirect on Erik Karlsson’s point shot, 1-0 Pittsburgh.

Soon after, Vincent Trocheck is very unhappy with the officials and abuses them enough to take a penalty and get a 10-minute misconduct tacked on. Pittsburgh scores again, Evgeni Malkin makes a great pass over for Bryan Rust, Rust sends it home.

The Rangers make a desperation challenge for goalie interference and…somehow it works to get the goal disallowed based on the most minimal of contact by Mantha on goalie Igor Shesterkin. Even though it didn’t really alter the ability to make the save seconds later from the other side. Refs making sure a nationally televised game doesn’t get out of hand? Or not wanting to call a third penalty on NYR three minutes into the game? Or giving Mike Sullivan a bail-out for the Trocheck penalty in the first place? Or just seeing what they decide to see? Who can say.

The rest of the period is pretty good for Pittsburgh, though they don’t score again, Rust hits a post on another close call. The Rangers barely have a pulse for this game. Shots are 10-2 PIT after one.

Second period

Ryan Shea gets his Sergei Gonchar on early in the second when it comes to dancing along the blueline and throws a puck on net. It hits off Ranger defenseman Scott Morrow and changes direction enough to beat Shesterkin. 2-0 for real this time.

NYR gets a long-range shot on Skinner with 14:09, it’s the Rangers’ first shot of the period and in almost 20 game minutes, the crowd responds with the sarcastic cheer, but even that is half-hearted.

A bit later, Rickard Rakell goes to the penalty box for hooking and opens the door for countryman Mika Zibanejad. Trocheck sets Zibanejad up for the big shot, NYR scores to make it 2-1 exactly halfway through the period and game.

The Rangers sustain some energy for the first time all game, Gabe Perreault nearly ties the game when his shot flies off the post. The Pens are the ones suddenly caught on long shifts and standing around like their skate blades are out.

It’s a lot more disjointed of a period for the Pens (shots are 13-11 PIT in the second) but they do get out of there without giving up any more goals.

Third period

New York scores early, some good luck when the puck clicks off Rust and goes to Vladislav Gavrikov and then a nice play by Gavrikov to find the open stick of Taylor Raddish for the tip in. 2-2 game.

The Pens now become the team to take only one shot halfway through the period and have shifted Ben Kindel to play with Rakell and Rust to shake lines up in an effort to get something, later Malkin will skate with Rust and Rakell on shifts starting on the fly.

Neither team can score again in regulation.

Overtime

Kindel-Malkin-Karlsson start it out for the Penguins. Pittsburgh ices the puck. Rakell (0-for-9 on the night on faceoffs) loses another and the Rangers take possession of the puck for quite a while, though they’re not in much of a hurry to create.

OT drags along with neither team being overly aggressive, finally in the closing seconds Malkin is able to attack the net and generate a few shots.

Shootout

Mantha is the first shooter, he loses the handle on a deke attempt and doesn’t even get a shot away.

Trocheck is up for the Rangers, he beats Skinner five-hole.

—

Egor Chinakhov’s turn, he tries for the five-hole but Shesterkin closes it up.

J.T. Miller gets the chance to end the game, Skinner stops him.

—

It’s down to Tommy Novak to keep the game going. He doesn’t, his shot goes well wide.

Some thoughts

  • Another rough day on faceoffs, at one point in the second period the Pens had won just 21% of the faceoffs! The team only had six wins on 29 draws, take out Malkin (who won two, lost two at that point) and the rest of them were 4-for-25 (16%). Didn’t prove to be too disadvantageous today, but it’s a big issue for a team down their best and most frequent faceoff taker in Crosby.
  • Other than the starts of play, some line changes are being tinkered with already and bound to happen for tomorrow. Beyond just losing all 10 faceoffs, Rakell didn’t have any shots on goal today. Rust only had two shots and got real quiet after a nice start. Avery Hayes hasn’t been able to show much alongside them. Whether it ends up being Kindel or Malkin – and both took a shift or two with Rakell/Rust today – as the next look there, something’s gotta give in that area immediately.
  • The Pens’ first 20 minutes: sublime! Very, very good. The Rangers woke up at the first intermission and started playing a lot better. Pittsburgh was acting like they couldn’t or shouldn’t have to follow in kind, instead staying more at the level when NYR wasn’t very good. Didn’t make for a strong finish.
  • As a result, it didn’t look like Pittsburgh squandered opportunities early in the game (most notably on Rust’s disallowed goal, and then Rust hitting the post). Turns out they could have used a little more out of the portion of the game that they dominated than more than just a 1-0 lead.
  • Pens fall to 1-8 in the shootout on the season. They at least used new faces, but the results were the same in terms of their shooters not being able to do much of anything and the goaltending hardly being great either. They make it easy for the other team when they’re not even getting 2/3 of the shootout attempts even on net as it happened this time.
  • Given how hard the schedule is about to get — starting with first place Vegas tomorrow — letting a point slip away against a last place team hurts in the moment. Up 2-0 and against a bad team that didn’t look interested in playing, the Pens should have been able to get a full result in this one. But when NYR started to get better, as noted above, the visitors didn’t up their games too. Disappointing outcome and last couple of periods here.

In good news, the Pens don’t have to dwell on this very long. The Golden Knights are waiting in Pittsburgh for an afternoon game tomorrow.

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Canadiens Skilled Prospect Having Great Year

With the 81st overall pick of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, the Montreal Canadiens selected defenseman Bryce Pickford. This was after the right-shot blueliner recorded 20 goals and 47 points in 48 games with the Medicine Hat Tigers during this past season. He also had 13 goals and 24 points in 18 playoff games for Medicine Hat in 2025. 

With numbers like these, there is no question that Pickford demonstrated that he is a skilled offensive defenseman last season. However, the 6-foot-1 defenseman has taken his game to an entirely new level this season with Medicine Hat. 

Pickford has been simply fantastic for Medicine Hat this season, and the truth is in his stats. In 45 games this season with the Western Hockey League (WHL) club, he has recorded 35 goals, 32 assists, 67 points, and a plus-44 rating. He has simply been dominating the WHL offensively, and it is even more impressive when noting that he is a defenseman. 

With the way Pickford is producing offensively in the WHL, it is hard not to feel optimistic about his future with the Canadiens. The young defenseman has the tools to become a solid offensive defenseman at the NHL level, and his play this season certainly shows that.

It will now be interesting to see what Pickford does as the season carries on. It has already been a special year for the Canadiens prospect. 

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Austin Wells homers, Yankees pitching shuts down Blue Jays in spring training win

The Yankees got plenty of offense from Austin Wells and the pitching staff did its thing, as New York beat the Blue Jays 5-1 on Saturday afternoon at George M. Steinbrenner Field. 

It was the final day before participants of the 2026 World Baseball Classic left their teams, so many of the Yankees who will take part in the tournament were in the lineup and took the mound on Saturday.

Here are the takeaways...

- It was a pitching duel early on in this one. Paul Blackburn got the start for the Yankees and he was very good. The veteran right-hander pitched four scoreless innings, scattering four hits while striking out two batters.

Blackburn is fighting for a spot on the roster. He could earn a spot in the rotation while the Yankees await the returns of Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon, or he could be in the bullpen as the long man in the same fashion the team used him a year ago. It's still early to know where the Yanks are leaning, but Saturday's performance helped Blackburn's case.

- On the offensive side, the Yankees put out their A-lineup, but were no-hit through four innings by Blue Jays starter Jose Berrios. The right-hander allowed just two walks in his four innings of work while striking out two batters.

However, the scoreless tie was broken in the fifth. Wells (Team DR) led off with a walk before Jose Caballero (Team Panama) doubled down the line, scoring the catcher from first. Spencer Jones then grounded into a force out at second base, but a throwing error by the Blue Jays shortstop allowed Jones to reach safely and for Caballero -- who was on third thanks to a Ryan McMahon groundout -- to score. 

Wells would add onto the Yankees' lead with a two-run shot in the sixth, his first of spring. The backstop finished the day going 1-for-3 with a walk and two runs. Kenedy Corona launched a solo shot in the seventh to give the Yanks a 5-0 lead, it's the second homer of the young outfielder's spring.

- The Yankees used their big guns out of the bullpen. David Bednar (Team USA) pitched a 1-2-3 inning, but Fernando Cruz (Team PR) didn't have as clean of an inning. The hard-throwing righty allowed three of the first four batters to reach, but got a double play to get out of the inning without giving up a run.

Tim Hill pitched a clean inning with a strikeout, while Jake Bird, who is fighting for a bullpen spot, struck out two in a clean inning of work.

- Aaron Judge (Team USA) went 0-for-3 while Paul Goldschmidt (Team USA) finished 1-for-2 with a walk and a run scored. Jazz Chisholm Jr. (Team Great Britain) also went 0-for-3.

Jones, after homering three times in four games this spring, did not go yard on Saturday. He finished 0-for-2 with an RBI. 

- Amed Rosario was originally going to be in the lineup, but was scratched so he could head over to the Dominican Republic team. 

Game MVP: Austin Wells

The Yankees backstop drove in two runs and his great running allowed New York to push across the first run of the game.

Highlights

What's next

The Yankees continue their spring training slate against the Phillies on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m.

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Arizona Diamondbacks Spring Training Gameday Thread, #9 @ Los Angeles Angels

TEMPE, AZ - FEBRUARY 25: A general view during a game between the Los Angeles Angels and the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday, February 25, 2020 at Tempe Diablo Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Alex Trautwig/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Tempe Diablo is certainly one of the most picturesque of the Cactus League parks, with a wonderful backdrop of the Twin Buttes. Or is that Twin Butte? Google is indecisive on the matter. But it’s certainly iconic, and rather better than the 101 freeway which runs behind the fence at Salt River Fields. The D-backs have won two in a row, and three of the last four, to pull their spring record back even at 4-4. Pitching-wise, last night’s one run conceded was a huge improvement, considering they had averaged eight runs per game allowed to that point. Hopefully this will continue today, as we see one of our top pitching prospects on the mound:

If you are wondering why we haven’t seen Brandon Pfaadt make an appearance in the Cactus League to date, he had “a little bit of a side ache” which started over the winter, and the team are being cautious. Torey Lovullo said that “stopped his offseason progression. It was all offseason… Everything was good, but I think we just put him on pause for about a week just to let him rest. He’s going to be available and built up just fine, so he’s going to throw one, maybe two innings depending on how that first inning goes, but everything’s right exactly where we want it to be with Brandon.” Mind you, I remember there being “minimal” concern about Merrill Kelly too…

No TV for this one, but you can tune in on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM or online, with Chris Garagiola & Brandon Webb bringing you the game.