Álvaro Arbeloa’s team have concerns as they look ahead to the knockout stages, while Jamie Carragher has concerns about the draw
It was billed by broadcasters as “Matchday Mayhem”. Finally, after 17 of the 18 final day matches had finished, came a chaotic denouement. Not even José Mourinho’s long Champions League heritage had included a moment like this, though his wild celebration was familiar. Benfica were beating Real Madrid 3-2, and Mourinho’s former club were already dropping out of the top eight. “I was told [the scoreline] is enough, so let’s close the door,” said Mourinho.
Zach Maxwell and his 100+ mph heater landed at spot #12 on this year’s Community Prospect Rankings, and he’ll take his talents to Goodyear for spring training in just over two weeks with an eye on a spot on the Opening Day roster of the Cincinnati Reds.
Now, it’s time to vote for spot #13!
Per usual, here’s a link to the Google Form where you can vote, though it should be embedded at the end of the list if you’d rater read first and then vote on-page after digesting all the glorious information on these up and coming future Cincinnati Reds. I’ll nuke the link and remove the poll when voting closes, so if you show up on this post after said window, the previous sentence won’t make a ton of sense!
Here’s how the list has materialized so far:
Sal Stewart
Alfredo Duno
Rhett Lowder
Hector Rodriguez
Edwin Arroyo
Cam Collier
Steele Hall
Tyson Lewis
Chase Petty
Arnaldo Lantigua
Jose Franco
Zach Maxwell
A large list of talented names exists below for spot #13. Have at it with the votes!
Adolfo Sanchez, OF (19 years old)
2025 at a glance: .339/.474/.504 with 2 HR, 10 SB in 154 PA with DSL Reds (Dominican Summer League)
Pros: Left-handed hitter who profiles to have a plus hit tool and potentially plus power; arm good enough to play RF if he doesn’t stick in CF; shaved 20% off his K% year over year; plus runner
Cons: Questions whether he’s already physically matured to the point where projecting him to be much better exist
The Reds signed Sanchez for $2.7 million out of the Dominican Republic in 2024 and kept him there to ply his trade professionally in the Dominican Summer League. Things went quite poorly for him there during his age 17 season, and he subsequently stuck around there to repeat in 2025 – though this time, things went swimmingly.
He’ll undoubtedly play in the States in 2026, but the question now is just how quickly the Reds might try to move him up if he hits the ground running. At 6’3” and 200 lbs already, he’s not the kind of prospect where you say he’s X now, but when he gets bigger and stronger he’ll be Y in two years. In other words, if he looks the part now, he needs to be challenged immediately, and my hope is that he gets time with Daytona right off the bat.
He’s got a hit tool that comes with all-fields power, excellent patience at the plate, and I really do think his swing will continue to play. Still, it’s likely he ends up in a corner spot in the OF, which means the power’s going to need to continue to show up for him to project as an everyday regular – at least vs. RHP.
Leo Balcazar, SS/2B (22 years old)
2025 at a glance: .263/.339/.381 with 12 HR, 8 SB in 560 PA split between A+ Dayton Dragons (Midwest League) and AA Chattanooga Lookouts (AA Southern League); .277/.340/.340 in 103 PA with Peoria Javelinas (Arizona Fall League)
Pros: Good strike zone judgement and plate discipline (52/75 BB/K in 2025); well-rounded tools, continuing to improve off ACL surgery
Cons: Not a ton of power yet; some question whether he’ll be able to stick at SS long term
It’s easy to forget just how good of a start Balcazar had to his pro career after signing with the Reds for $100,000 out of Venezuela. He posted an .882 OPS in 2021 in Dominican Summer League play, an .886 OPS in 2022 with the Arizona Complex League Reds, and was off to a wicked start (.897 OPS) across the first 18 games of his 2023 season with Class-A Daytona before he tore his ACL.
2024 was a bit of a rough year for him, however, as the layoff and working back from the surgery clearly impacted his performance (.264/.295/.354 in 410 PA). However, 2025 saw him look a lot more like his former explosive self – both at the plate and in the field – and he clearly was healthy enough once again as he logged a combined 663 PA across all leagues.
He’s still just 21 years of age (22 in June of 2026), and if he’s shaken the rust off completely and enters this season after a normal winter, there’s a chance we see a whole lot more from him, too.
Aaron Watson, RHP (19 years old)
2025 at a glance: Drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 2nd round of the 2025 MLB Draft out of Trinity Christian Academy (FL); signed overslot $2.7 million bonus to forego commitment to the University of Florida
Pros: 6’5” frame; potential 60-grade slider; fastball that runs up to 96 mph from a three-quarter arm slot and already has a solid three-pitch mix with his change rotated in
Cons: Did not pitch professionally after being drafted, so he’s a complete unknown
One glimpse of Watson on the mound and you immediately think yep, I bet that guy can turn into a pretty dang good pitcher. He’s got an ideal frame to produce downhill offerings, and his fastball/slider mix is already something on which he can hang his hat.
However, command of all three of his pitches – specifically a very developmental changeup – will be what he needs to work on to begin to move quickly through the ranks. He possesses a good ‘feel’ at the moment in terms of what pitches to throw, which part of the zone to attack vs. which hitters, etc., but how well he can build in more deception with his offerings will be vital.
Carlos Jorge, OF (22 years old)
2025 at a glance: .251/.342/.355 with 6 HR, 40 SB in 469 PA with High-A Dayton Dragons (Midwest League)
Pros: Plus speed; former infielder moved to CF in 2023 and in 2025 looked like a natural there; plus speed; shaved 12.5% off K-rate from down 2024 season; 60-grade arm strength a weapon in CF
Cons: ISO declined for third straight year, this time precipitously; prone to extreme streakiness
If you threw out every other stop of Carlos Jorge’s pro career and just focused on the good ones, he’d already be ranked by now. The good parts of the best of his years have been quite tremendous, all told. He’s flashed great speed (40 steals in 2025), good pop for a small-ish CF (12 HR in 2023 and 2024; .483 SLG in the cavernous Florida State League in 2023), and the ability to play pretty elite CF defense (as recently as 2025).
However, he’s added some real clunkers in there, too. He hit just .220/.291/.394 with a K-rate over 31% at Dayton in 2024, and that came on the heels of hitting just .239/.277/.398 in 23 games once he reached Dayton at the end of 2023.
Maybe it’s just Dayton, where he was again in 2025 in a much better all-around year, even though his power dried up again. He’ll surely begin with AA Chattanooga of the Southern League in 2026, and at 22 (with his position in CF now settled) the former 2B might finally have a one-track shot to focus on his all around game in a new locale. After acing his move on defense, shaving off a ton of strikeouts, and bumping his walk rate back up over 11.1% (where it’s been for most of his career), perhaps 2026 will have a lot more in store for him.
Liberts Aponte, SS (18 years old)
2025 at a glance: .247/.368/.461 with 7 HR, 9 SB in 193 PA for DSL Rojos (Dominican Summer League)
Pros: 29/35 K/BB showed greatly improving strike zone awareness; already a plus defender at short where he projects to be excellent both with range and arm long-term
Cons: Still not viewed as a potential plus with the bat, though early returns are already better than original scouting reports; has a long way to go in terms of physically maturing
The Reds doled out $1.9 million to sign Aponte last January, and that marked the single largest contract they doled out in that particular international signing window. MLB Pipeline ranked him as the #18 player overall in that class, noting he was ‘one of the most skilled defenders in his class’ and ‘offers solid wheels’ with ‘magic in his hands’ while doling out a 65 grade on his fielding ability.
The rest, we knew, would take time, as he was just liked at 6’0” and 160 lbs, and that even felt like a slight exaggeration. To his credit, though, he mashed 7 homers as a 17 year old in DSL play while showing more power than anticipated, and if that aspect of his game grows to match what’s already known the Reds have found themselves a gem.
It will be interesting to see if the Reds push him up to Arizona Complex League play at all in 2026 or give him another year in the DSL seeing as he just turned 18 years old in November.
Luke Holman, RHP (23 years old)
2025 at a glance: ER, 2 H, 10 K, 4 BB in 9.0 IP with Daytona Tortugas (Class-A Florida State League
Pros: Two plus breaking pitches (slider, curve)
Cons: Not a ton of velocity on his fastball, which sits 91-94 mph
Luke Holman threw 109 pitches for LSU in a 6-2 loss to North Carolina on June 1st, 2024, a game in which he yielded 4 ER in 6.2 IP with 7 H, 11 K, and a lone walk. Since then, he’s thrown just 9.0 IP on a mound, total.
Holman, Cincinnati’s 2nd round pick in 2024, sat out the remainder of 2024 after being drafted, finishing his calendar year with 91.2 IP of 2.75 ERA ball that included a wonderful 0.98 WHIP and 127/33 K/BB. When his 2025 began in Daytona, all signs looked promising in his first pair of starts only for an elbow issue to subsequently sit him down and require Tommy John surgery, and we’ve not seen him since.
He sat 91-94 with his fastball (and touched 96) before, and has a pair of wicked breaking balls that he uses as his out pitches. If he returns to form in 2026 the way he ways before (or even better!), he still profiles as a back-end starter who should move quickly through Cincinnati’s system after dominating SEC play in stints first with Alabama and later with LSU.
Mason Morris, RHP (22 years old)
2025 at a glance: 9.00 ERA, 7/1 K/BB in 4.0 IP with Class-A Daytona Tortugas; 3.29 ERA, 78/31 K/BB in 54.2 IP with University of Mississippi
Pros: Fastball that can touch 100 mph; four-pitch mix
Cons: Lack of experience
Mason Morris landed with Ole Miss in 2023 primarily as a corner infielder, and the now 6’4” 225 lb righty only recently became a full-time pitcher prior to the Reds selecting him with their 3rd round pick in 2025. He’s got projection through the roof, though, with a 100 mph heater, plus cutter, and a pair of other breaking balls that look like they’ve also got the juice.
The question, though, is how Cincinnati plans to use him.
Morris only got a pair of outings as a pro after being drafted, and it appears the Reds have intentions on seeing if he can develop into a starting pitcher. That’s something he’s never really done before, however, and he’ll turn 23 years old in August of 2026. So, we’ll see how long of a leash the Reds give him with that avenue, since if they want to simply keep him in the bullpen there’s very little reason why he shouldn’t rocket through the minors and give them a legit relief arm at the big league level in short order.
Xander Bogaerts brought a winning track record to the San Diego Padres, but he struggled to get comfortable in San Diego. He was asked to move from shortstop to second base and he did so. Bogaerts then moved back to shortstop and the defensive uncertainty seems to have taken a toll on his offensive production. He had a solid second half of 2025 and Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune says he is the unquestioned shortstop going forward after the Padres traded Leo De Vries to the Athletics at last year’s trade deadline.
Padres News:
Jim Bowden of The Athletic provided seven names of players who could be traded before Opening Day. Bowden says the Padres could be trade partners with the Washington Nationals for shortstop CJ Abrams and Miami Marlins for pitcher Sandy Alcantara.
Cody Bellinger and the Yankees agreed to a five-year, $162.5 million contract that brought him back to New York for the 2026 season and beyond. He met the media Wednesday and said he is excited to be back in the Yankee clubhouse.
Dylan Larkin has piled up the shots of late, averaging 3.8 per game over his last 10 contests.
My Capitals vs. Red Wings predictions and NHL picks expect the volume to remain strong in an advantageous matchup against Washington on Thursday, January 29.
Don't miss puck drop at 7:30 p.m. ET on Hulu.
Capitals vs Red Wings prediction
Capitals vs Red Wings best bet: Dylan Larkin Over 2.5 shots on goal (-138)
Dylan Larkin has posted impressive shot outputs all season. He's gone Over this total in 63% of his appearances while averaging 3.0 shots on 6.1 attempts.
We’ve seen a further spike in recent weeks. Larkin’s averages have soared to 3.8 shots on 7.2 attempts over his past 10 games.
He should have a ton of shooting opportunities in this one. The Washington Capitals are a below-average shot suppression team, and Larkin has faced them twice. He cleared 2.5 shots in both games while generating 6+ attempts in each.
Larkin has already shown he can make noise against the Capitals. That should remain the case, given they've allowed more shots to centers than anybody over the last 10 games.
The Capitals also rank Bottom 10 in shot suppression vs. forwards this season. Larkin has played nine home games against such opponents, averaging 3.9 shots on target and going Over in eight of those games.
Five of them came following a day of rest. Larkin’s numbers increased even further, jumping to 4.2 shots per contest.
Capitals vs Red Wings same-game parlay
Larkin has scored in 41% of his games this season and 48% after a day of rest. His hit rate jumps to 56% when recording 3+ shots, which we’re banking on in this game.
Lucas Raymond leads the Detroit Red Wings in helpers by a country mile and skates with Larkin at 5-on-5 as well as on the power play. He's most likely to help facilitate a goal.
Going the other way, Jakob Chychrun is poised to make noise. He's recorded 12 shots on 22 attempts over two games against Detroit and attempted 8+ shots in three of his past four overall.
Capitals vs Red Wings SGP
Dylan Larkin Over 2.5 shots on goal
Dylan Larkin anytime goal
Lucas Raymond Over 0.5 assists
Jakob Chychrun Over 2.5 shots on goal
Capitals vs Red Wings odds
Moneyline: Capitals +106 | Red Wings -128
Puck Line: Capitals +1.5 (-230) | Red Wings -1.5 (+190)
Over/Under: Over 6.5 (-118) | Under 6.5 (-104)
Capitals vs Red Wings trend
Dylan Larkin has recorded 3+ shots in six of his past seven games against the Capitals. Find more NHL betting trends for Capitals vs. Red Wings.
How to watch Capitals vs Red Wings
Location
Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI
Date
Thursday, January 29, 2026
Puck drop
7:30 p.m. ET
TV
Hulu
Capitals vs Red Wings latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
The Atlanta Hawks will look to extend their four-game win streak when they host the Houston Rockets at State Farm Arena tonight.
Jalen Johnson has surged over his last five games, and my Rockets vs. Hawks predictions expect another strong showing from the do-it-all forward.
Here are my best free NBA picks for this inter-conference matchup on Thursday, January 29.
Rockets vs Hawks prediction
Rockets vs Hawks best bet: Jalen Johnson Over 39.5 points + rebounds + assists (-112)
Jalen Johnson is enjoying a career-best season, averaging 22.9 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 7.9 dimes, good for 41.3 PRA. He’s reached 40+ PRA in 27 of 45 games this season and 11 of 19 at home.
He's been even better as of late, averaging 44.6 PRA across his last five outings and hitting the Over on this combo line four times.
The Atlanta Hawks will play the second leg of a back-to-back set tonight, but Johnson has thrived in that situation all season. In seven games played with no rest, he’s reached 40+ PRA six times and averaged 47.6.
Johnson is hot right now, and he'll face a Houston Rockets team that's playing its second back-to-back set and fifth game in the last seven days. I expect him to stuff the stat sheet in front of the home crowd.
Rockets vs Hawks same-game parlay
The Hawks have won and covered in four straight and six of their last 10. The Rockets are just 3-7 ATS in that span, and the Rockets dropped a home game to the San Antonio Spurs last night.
Based on recent form, I'll back the home team to cover a small spread tonight.
The Rockets are 2-8 to the Under across their last 10, and the Hawks are 4-6 to the Under in that span.
Rockets vs Hawks SGP
Jalen Johnson Over 39.5 points + rebounds + assists
Hawks +3.5
Under 225.5
Our "from downtown" SGP: Good Sheppard
Reed Sheppard shot 41.4% from beyond the arc over his first 42 games, but he's knocked down just 2-of-18 three-pointers across his last three games. He's due for a bounce-back performance against a middle-of-the-pack perimeter defense.
Rockets vs Hawks SGP
Jalen Johnson Over 39.5 points + rebounds + assists
Hawks +3.5
Under 225.5
Reed Sheppard Over 2.5 made 3-pointers
Rockets vs Hawks odds
Spread: Houston -3.5 (-110) | Atlanta +3.5 (-110)
Moneyline: Houston -160 | Atlanta +135
Over/Under: Over 225.5 (-110) | Under 225.5 (-110)
Rockets vs Hawks betting trend to know
The Rockets have hit the Under in 15 of their last 18 games (+11.70 Units / 59% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Rockets vs. Hawks.
How to watch Rockets vs Hawks
Location
State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
Date
Thursday, January 29, 2026
Tip-off
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
Space City Home Network, FDSN Southeast Atlanta
Rockets vs Hawks 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
The final review of the 2025 season will be looking at each position in the Astros farm system. Next up is the relief pitchers.
BEST OF THE BUNCH
Nick Hernandez
Hernandez has been in out of the season for a few years. He had a dominant season in Triple-A posting a 2.12 ERA with 63 strikeouts over 46.2 innings. He pitched some in Houston too, totaling 10.2 innings and allowing 6 runs. He is a free agent so not sure what his future holds, but it was a solid season for him.
Santa has been in the system since 2021 and has some high potential. The Astros moved him to full time relief role in 2025 and he had the best start of his career posting a 1.26 ERA with 63 K in 57 innings for the Hooks in Double-A. He was promoted to Triple-A but struggled with a 6.92 ERA. He should be back in Triple-A in 2026 and is only 23 years old.
David was drafted by the Astros in the 10th round and immediately started turning some heads with his heater reaching 99 MPH in Spring Training. He started the year in Single-A and had a 3.86 ERA with 51 K in 51.1 innings. He dominated in High-A posting a 1.40 ERA before finishing the season in Double-A. Overall, he showed plenty in his first full season to be excited about his potential in 2026.
Langford had a very interesting season. On one hand, he was dominant striking out 87 over 60.2 innings and holding opponents to just a .177 batting average against. On the down side though, Langford walked 63 in 60.2 innings. Obviously he has some dominating stuff from the left side, just has to clean up the command.
Leach has some of the nastiest stuff in the system and was dominant at times in 2025, but overall finished with a 5.54 ERA. He did finish with 63 strikeouts in 39 innings, including some run in Triple-A. He should return to Double-A or Triple-A in 2026.
Chirinos is another right-hander who at times was dominating. He started the year in High-A and struck out 38 over 22.2 innings, but had a 5.56 ERA. He finished the season in Double-A with a 4.30 ERA over 29.1 innings.
Sanchez is an undersized right-hander with an electric fastball. Like some others on this list, he was dominating at times but his command bit him a lot. He finished the season with a 6.05 ERA and 51 walks in 61 innings, though he did strike out 75.
Knorr was a 3rd round pick in 2022 but hasn’t live up to the hype yet. He pitched strictly in relief in 2025 posting a 5.03 ERA over 53.2 innings between Double-A and Triple-A. He has some good stuff but just hasn’t translated to success.
The back end of the bullpen is locked down with Abreu and Hader but after that, there are some holes that probably need to get filled. I’m not sure it will be from anyone on this list, but the Astros will most likely look towards some of the starters who could help in the pen. Maybe someone like Blubaugh or Ullola will get some pen time as well.
Mathew Barzal is one of the more dynamic playmakers in the NHL.
He’s on pace to lead his team in assists, and my Islanders vs. Rangers predictions expect Barzal to create some magic against a team unable to keep the puck out.
Let’s dive into my NHL picks for Thursday, January 29.
Islanders vs Rangers prediction
Islanders vs Rangers best bet: Mathew Barzal Over 0.5 assists (+110)
Mathew Barzal is an assist machine in good matchups. He has picked up an apple in 13 of 21 games and seven of his past 10 against teams that rank Bottom-12 in goals against.
The New York Rangers certainly fit the criteria. They have allowed 50 goals — yes, 50 goals! — over 10 games since Igor Shesterkin went down with an injury.
The opposing team scored at least three in each of the 10, so it’s not as if they’re going through peaks and valleys. Every night is a steady dose of goals against.
Now playing without Artemi Panarin, who will remain on the sidelines until a trade is found, the Rangers have even less starpower in their lineup and are likely to spend more time on their heels.
We saw that Wednesday night, with the Islanders outshooting the Rangers 36-16 despite playing with a lead for 45 of the 60 minutes.
The New York Islanders are likely to have a ton of the puck again in this one. It’ll often be on the stick of Barzal, who is the team’s leader in assists and their best facilitator.
With Jonathan Quick struggling to stop pucks, one of the opportunities Barzal creates should lead to a goal.
Islanders vs Rangers same-game parlay
Anthony Duclair played 16:40 against the Rangers last night. Just under 15 minutes came attached to the hip of Barzal, whom Duclair is skating with at 5-on-5 and on the power play.
He has 12 points over his last 11 and correlates greatly with Barzal, so I like his chances of getting involved in this plus-matchup.
Without Panarin in the lineup, Alexis Lafreniere jumped up to the top power play. He had a pair of shots on goal and two of the team’s three scoring chances on the man advantage.
An increased role should improve his shooting floor and ceiling each night.
Islanders vs Rangers SGP
Mathew Barzal Over 0.5 assists
Anthony Duclair Over 0.5 points
Alexis Lafreniere Over 1.5 shots on goal
Islanders vs Rangers odds
Moneyline: New York -125 | New York +105
Puck line: New York -1.5 (+190) | New York +1.5 (-230)
Over/Under: Over 6.5 (+115) | Under 6.5 (-135)
Islanders vs Rangers trend
Mathew Barzal has assists in seven of his past nine road games. Find more NHL betting trends for Islanders vs. Rangers.
How to watch Islanders vs Rangers
Location
Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Date
Thursday, January 29, 2026
Puck drop
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
MSGSN2, MSG
Islanders vs Rangers latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
NBA legend LeBron James was brought to tears by a tribute video during the Los Angeles Lakers' defeat at the Cleveland Cavaliers.
James, 41, returned to his home state and former team for possibly the last time on Wednesday as speculation continues over whether he will retire at the end of the season.
He won the NBA title with the Cavaliers in 2016 after returning for a second stint.
During the break after the first quarter at Rocket Arena, the Cavaliers showed highlights of James' performance in game five of the 2007 Eastern Conference finals, when he scored 48 points to seal a double overtime victory.
James started watching the video before pulling his vest over his face then wiping his eyes with a tissue.
"I'm just trying to take everything in, not take the moments for granted," he said.
James said he had "not made a decision on the future" but that it "very well could be" his final season.
He said he was "more present" than on previous trips to Cleveland and that the occasion "definitely got to me a little bit".
James had won nine and lost three of his previous visits to Cleveland, with the Lakers and the Miami Heat.
He had never scored fewer than 21 points in a game, but managed only 11 in a 129-99 defeat on Wednesday.
James is the NBA's all-time leading scorer and has made 28 appearances for the Lakers this season.
The four-time NBA champion signed a one-year contract extension in June.
Although he missed the start of the season with sciatica, he became the first player to feature in 23 NBA seasons when he returned in November.
On this day 24 years ago Willie Harris, a minor but key piece of an eventual World Series champion arrived in Chicago. | (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
1900 Charles Comiskey received permission to relocate the Western League’s St. Paul Saints to Chicago, where they will become the White Sox of the American League.
1957 With air travel commonplace and MLB now stretching from coast to coast, the league considered drafting a plan to create a player pool to be used in the case of a plane crash. For whatever reason (likely that in the case of such a disaster a franchise would have to fold its current season and receive help from other clubs with an offseason draft) a plan never was put forth.
1964 Jim Brosnan is given permission from the White Sox to seek a deal with another team, after GM Ed Short forbids any further in-season writing (Brosnan previously had authored the classic book, The Long Season, as well as Pennant Race). Brosnan, who was acquired during the 1963 season and threw extremely well out of the pen (2.84 ERA, 15 saves and 1.1 WAR) for the pennant-chasing White Sox, would be released by the team on February 25.
Brosnan never pitched another game in the majors, his career over at age 34.
1981 Jerry Reinsdorf and Eddie Einhorn gained control of the Chicago White Sox for $20 million, after American League owners turned down Bill Veeck’s attempt to sell to Eddie DeBartolo.
For franchise value context, on the same day the owners approved an 80% sale of the Seattle Mariners for $10.4 million.
Reinsdorf’s original partner was William Farley, but Farley dropped out in part because the White Sox went out and signed free agents Ron LeFlore and Jim Essian. Farley didn’t approve of the team spending $3 million for them — even though Veeck got the money for the signings from DeBartolo.
Reinsdorf originally was part of a group trying to buy the New York Mets. Einhorn originally was part of a group trying to get the San Diego Padres.
1998 The end of Ozzie Guillén’s White Sox career became official, as the 34-year-old signed a minor league deal with the Baltimore. Ozzie’s first year away from the White Sox since 1985 proved eventful, as the O’s released him a month into the season. But Guillén would catch on quickly with Atlanta and would see action in both the 1998 and 1999 postseasons with the Braves.
2002 In the moment, it was a strange trade by GM Ken Williams, as the White Sox traded stalwart outfielder Chris Singleton to Baltimore for young utilityman Willie Harris.
Singleton had an extraordinary rookie season in 1999 (4.8 WAR and 20-of-25 steals playing a superb center field, somehow garnering just sixth place in AL Rookie of the Year voting) and had bounced back nicely with a 2.2-WAR 2001 after a tough sophomore season. Harris, younger by five years, never came close to reaching even those heights in Chicago.
However, Harris will always have a special place in the hearts of White Sox fans, scoring the winning (and only) run of the 2005 World Series Game 4 clincher. Harris lead off the eighth inning of a scoreless tie with a single to left, then was grinded over to third by a Scott Podsednik sacrifice bunt and Carl Everett ground out and driving in by Jermaine Dye’s dribble single to center field. Harris was 2-for-2 in the 2005 playoffs, the only postseason of his career.
2013 A damning story in the Miami New Times listed the names of several major leaguers who were customers of a PED clinic in Coral Gables, Fla., Biogenesis Laboratories. Álex Rodríguez is the headliner of shame, but three past or future White Sox are also named: Bartolo Colón, Melky Cabrera and Yasmani Grandal. All three had tested positive for PEDs within the year, legitimizing the case against Biogenesis.
The sinking Sacramento Kings have been largely unwatchable during a six-game losing streak, and it’s no surprise that they’re big underdogs tonight against the Philadelphia 76ers.
While Philadelphia is still searching for consistency and juggling load management absences, Sacramento’s struggles are on a whole other level, and my Kings vs. 76ers predictions signal one-way traffic for the hosts, led by an in-form Joel Embiid.
Check out my NBA picks ahead of this contest on Thursday, January 29.
Kings vs 76ers prediction
Kings vs 76ers best bet: Joel Embiid Over 27.5 points (-120)
Say what you want about some of Embiid’s limitations after all his knee injuries, the man is still putting up huge numbers, raising hopes about the 76ers’ postseason chances. He’s averaging 28.3 PPG on 54% shooting in January, and I’m taking these odds for his scoring binge to continue.
Embiid has gone past this number in five straight, headlined by a 38-point effort against the Knicks last weekend, and his minutes are quietly creeping up. Even without some of his explosiveness around the basket, he’s been making plenty of noise — and actually making a few 3-pointers, too.
In this matchup, the Kings have no shot at slowing him down. They’re giving up 120.8 PPG, the fourth-worst mark in the NBA, and there’s not much reliable center depth beyond Domantas Sabonis.
When Embiid is on the court, it makes sense for Philadelphia to feed him touches and keep Tyrese Maxey fresher for when he’s flying solo. That kind of formula positions the former MVP to feast in the paint and paves the way to the Over.
Kings vs 76ers same-game parlay
The 76ers have had a major edge over the Kings in recent years, winning eight of the past 10 meetings and posting a 7-2-1 ATS mark in that span. Sacramento is 1-5 ATS during its ugly skid, and I’m laying the points with a Philly team that should be close to full strength.
DeMar DeRozan could be a trade candidate before the deadline, and this is a nice spot for an audition. He scored 34 points against the Knicks last time out, and the Kings are dealing with backcourt injuries to Malik Monk, Russell Westbrook, and Zach LaVine. Pencil him in for this Over.
Kings vs 76ers SGP
Joel Embiid Over 27.5 points
76ers -12
DeMar DeRozan Over 19.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: My Precious Rebounds
Precious Achiuwa has made the most of his minutes lately, and he’s averaging 5.9 RPG this month. The Kings will need all the frontcourt help they can get against Embiid, so this rebounds O/U line feels a little light.
Kings vs 76ers SGP
Joel Embiid Over 27.5 points
76ers -12
DeMar DeRozan Over 19.5 points
Precious Achiuwa Over 5.5 rebounds
Kings vs 76ers odds
Spread: Kings +11.5 (-110) | 76ers -11.5 (-110)
Moneyline: Kings +400 | 76ers -550
Over/Under: Over 225.5 (-110) | Under 225.5 (-110)
Kings vs 76ers betting trend to know
The Kings are 3-20 SU on the road this season. Find more NBA betting trends for Kings vs. 76ers.
How to watch Kings vs 76ers
Location
Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
Date
Thursday, January 29, 2026
Tip-off
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
NBC Sports California, NBC Sports Philadelphia
Kings vs 76ers latest injuries
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This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
Williams brushed off speculation in December she was considering a comeback despite re-entering the sport’s drug testing pool. But the 23-time grand slam singles champion was not as dismissive about a return in an interview on NBC’s The Today Show.
Nick Castellanos and manager Rob Thompson have a strained relationship stemming from an incident last season and the Phillies are still expected to part ways with the outfielder.
The payroll disparity between teams is the highest it has ever been with the Dodgers having a higher payroll than the lowest five teams combined last year.
All of Major League Baseball has been debating for a while if A), what the Dodgers are doing with their payroll is the ‘correct’ way of doing things; B), how long it would be sustainable; and C) will it finally trigger a salary cap.
For the Dodgers front office, doing it ‘correctly’ is just semantics. Whatever one thinks of how Andrew Friedman and Co have gone about things, there’s no denying that winning three World Series in six seasons is something to be envied. They employ the best player on the planet in Shohei Ohtani, who has brought them untold amounts of revenue in advertising and other areas. The winning ways, combined with their clubhouse culture, has made it a top destination for the top free agents.
On Wednesday, Jack Harris posited that the Dodgers Front Office will not be able to do what they have been for very much longer.
While the Dodgers will still have their winning culture and ability to assess talent and be an enviable destination, when the salary cap or something similar in implemented, the “Golden Age” of this iteration of Dodgers Baseball will be over. As Harris puts it, the Dodgers will go from being a team that ‘should’ win it every season to a team that ‘could’ win it all.
Harris also wonders just how long the Dodgers will have their dominance with their aging core. Kyle Tucker and Andy Pages are the only two everyday players that are under the age of 30, with Tucker not being far off, at the age of 29. Max Muncy, Freddie Freeman, and Teoscar Hernandez have contracts expiring at the end of the next two seasons. The Dodgers do have one of the top farm systems in all of the majors but had to give away their second and fourth round drafts to sign both Tucker and Edwin Diaz this offseason. But, as this organization has shown time and again, they will find a way to field the best team possible.
The Dodgers have been doing a Dodgers Love LA Community Tour. On Tuesday, Dodgers alumni Dennis Powell and Matt Luke visited Hollydale Elementary School, hosting a Playworks Recess Takeover. They also handed out groceries and essentials to food insecure families.
To close out today's #DodgersLoveLA Community Tour, Matt Luke and Dennis Powell visited Hollydale Elementary School in South Gate. They hosted a Playworks Recess Takeover with eighth grade students and participated in movement-based programming. pic.twitter.com/8kJvWQYBa9
Back on the #DodgersLoveLA Community Tour, Dodger Alumni stopped by Christy’s Foundation in Northridge to hand out groceries and essentials to families experiencing food insecurity. pic.twitter.com/veH3PrpJ9j
On Wednesday, Steve Yeager and Billy Ashley met with emergency personnel to thank them for their services.
Steve Yeager continued the #DodgersLoveLA Community Tour presented by Bank of America by stopping at a special appreciation lunch with the World Series trophy for the San Bernardino Police Department. pic.twitter.com/8HFUEielax
On the next stop of the tour, Dodger Alumni Billy Ashley met with employees at the City of Los Angeles Emergency Management Department to recognize their dedication and service to our communities. #DodgersLoveLApic.twitter.com/UsrpNFaqCj
The final infield bat? Up in the air. Free agents? Available. A trade for CJ Abrams? Possible. Maybe? The Washington Nationals did just trade Mackenzie Gore so it’s possible they burn things completely to the ground. Gore, however, did cost the Texas Rangers a king’s ransom of prospects.
We are, as of today, January 29, 2026, 55 days away from Opening Day. It’s a little early for countdowns, but in this weird period between building the team and heading to Spring Training, let’s go ahead and do one anyway, taking a look at the Red Sox players who have worn number 55.
55 isn’t the most popular uniform number but also isn’t the least. Just 9 players for Boston have donned it versus 61 players for number 28, the most worn number.
Let’s remember some guys.
Chris Martin
You don’t need much of a reminder about Martin. The 6’8” righty reliever wore 55 during his two-year stint in Boston in 2023-2024. A real ace of a signing, Martin put up the best season of his career in 2023. Sadly, that team wasn’t in a place to take advantage of a shutdown reliever having a career year.
Matt Strahm
Who can forget Matt Strahm and his very long hair in 2022? Sadly this was his worst full season in the majors, although a 3.83 ERA / 3.72 FIP across 44.2 innings isn’t terrible either. He was one and done, signed as a free agent. He’s been a valuable part of the Phillies bullpen over the last three seasons but found himself shipped off to Kansas City in December.
Christian Vázquez
When he first came up in 2014, Vázquez wore 55. When he returned for good from 2016-2022 the World Series hero took up number 7, currently worn by Masataka Yoshida but previously worn by luminaries like Trot Nixon and J.D. Drew.
Chris Capuano
Do you remember Chris Capuano’s Red Sox career? I had forgotten too. He actually shared 55 in 2014 with Vázquez. The lefty appeared in 28 games out of the bullpen and over 31.2 innings allowed 15 runs. He was released on July 1 that year, signed by the Colorado Rockies on the 4th, and then purchased by the Yankees on the 24th before ever pitching for the Rockies. He had some memorable seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers but not for John Farrell.
Ryan Kalish
We’re all the way back to 2010-2012 now for Ryan Kalish and if you don’t remember the hype, it was a lot. Kalish was the number one player in the farm system according to SoxPropsects back in 2011. In 2010 he was behind possible two-way player Casey Kelly and Josh Reddick/Lars Anderson, depending on if you looked in April or June. His .710 OPS over 53 games as a 22-year-old would turn out to be the high water mark of his career. After being released he would latch on to the Theo Epstein Cubs and hit .286/.444/.286 in 7 games in 2016 but presumably collect a World Series ring. He wasn’t released until December 2013 but didn’t appear in the majors for the Red Sox, losing out on a second World Series championship. That would have really made him a trivia answer.
Joey Gathright
The speedster wore 23 in his 2009 Red Sox callup and 55 for his next and final major league action in 2011. He could steal 20 bases a year (for the Rays and Royals – he stole 2 in 24 games for the Red Sox) but couldn’t hit the ball with power, owning a .303 career slugging percentage.
Jeff Bailey
Bailey was drafted by the then-Florida Marlins in 1997 before being purchased by the Montreal Expos in 2002, where he would remain for a year. Upon tasting free agency he signed with the Red Sox in November 2003. He would then spend three more years in the minors. A decade after he was drafted, and 961 minor league games later, Jeff Bailey would make his major league debut on July 6, 2007. He’d get two more games that season, 27 in 2008, and 26 in 2009. He wore 55 for all of them.
Lenny DiNardo
Former pitcher and current NESN analyst Lenny DiNardo wore 55 from 2004-2006. Claimed off waivers by the Oakland A’s from the Red Sox in February 2007, he cleared the way for 55 to open up for Jeff Bailey.
Ramiro Mendoza
A one-and-done Red Sox reliever in 2003 who never lived up to the work he did with the Yankees. His final appearance for Boston was Game 3 of the 2004 ALCS.
Todd Erdos
Boston was the last stop of his five-year career and the righty bullpen arm appeared in 10 games.
Rich Croushore
Croushore tossed 4.2 innings for the Red Sox in 2000. He was traded by the Rockies to Boston (with others) for Jeff Frye, Brian Rose, and John Wasdin. Those are sure some throwbacks.
Below is a picture of John Wasdin because Getty didn’t have one of Croushore as a Red Sox player.
Brian Shouse
8.0 innings in Boston in 1998. Signed as a free agent and released.
Carlos Reyes
In 1998, Reyes wore 55 for the Padres and Red Sox but never wore the number in any other year or on any other team.
Jeff Suppan
Suppan would wear 55 from 1995-1997 but would wear 35 for his 2003 return to Boston.
Suppan would later lose Game 3 of the 2004 World Series to the Red Sox, making a memorable base-running blunder.
Joe Hesketh
Another lefty pitcher for the list, he’d take 55 from 1990-1994.
Phil Plantier
Plantier would only spend 14 games in the majors in 1990 and when Hesketh was acquired he was in the majors and took 55 over. Plantier would wear 7 when he came back and 29 in 1991-1992.
Randy Kutcher
Possibly a fan of the number 5, Kutcher would wear 55 in 1988 before changing to 5 for 1989 and 1990. Although before he was in Boston he wore 9 and 19 with the San Fransisco Giants.
La Schelle Tarver
One-and-done for both the Red Sox and his major league career, Tarver, listed as a centerfielder and pinch runner, wore 55 for all of his 13 games.
Bob Veale
The first Red Sox player to wear 55, Veale did so from 1972-1974, the final three seasons of his career. Over 10 years with the Pittsburgh Pirates before that he wore 39. In Boston, 39 was taken by Mike Garmen when he arrived and then Tim Blackwell after Veale had settled into 55.
As mentioned in few other profiles, a part of the Detroit Tigers draft strategy under Scott Harris has been tilted toward allocating their bonus pool to lure prep talent from their college commitments. The corollary to that strategy is finding inexpensive college players who have some major league potential and trying to develop them into role players while hoping someone has a Kerry Carpenter level breakout along the way.
Most of these have been speedy, light hitting types, but while Pepperdine infielder John Peck played shortstop in college, he’s more interesting for the fact that he packs enough raw power at the plate to eventually be an impactful major league hitter. Like most college players who sign for close to the minimum, Peck, who got an extra $62,500 over the minimum from the Tigers in the seventh round of the 2023 amateur draft, has a lot of risk in his game, but there’s at least a chance he could put it all together in time.
While Peck has continued to play shortstop in High-A ball and will likely continue to get plenty of reps there in Double-A next season, he likely profiles best at second base, where he should be average. He has enough arm strength to play on the left side of the infield, and that should translate to playing a solid third base as well. He has pretty good hands, but his range limits him a little as a shortstop. He’s seen time at all three positions in his two full professional seasons since draft day. It’s not out of the question that he could play some shortstop at the big league level eventually, giving him plenty of versatility if he can conquer some swing and miss issues and a tendency to put the ball on the ground too much.
In his full season 2024 debut, Peck showed solid plate discipline in Single-A Lakeland, but then struggled in his first look at High-A, striking out quite a bit. He battled some minor injuries throughout the season, and his high hands setup, pre-pitch movement, and pronounced leg kick left him a little too vulnerable to more advanced pitching. He had a distinct tendency to fly open toward third base, opening him up too early and struggling with breaking stuff moving away from him.
In 2025, he took some steps to get his hands in a better position at pitch release and trimmed down his leg kick. Those were positive developments, and his swing decisions improved somewhat as well as he went on to a pretty good season for the West Michigan Whitecaps. He carried that into a solid month with the Erie SeaWolves late in the season. However, there’s still plenty of swing and miss and only modest success driving the ball in the air more often. He does make plenty of hard contact, spraying line drives and ground balls from line to line. If he can adjust a little more and change his batted ball profile, things will get much more interesting.
Peck is unlikely to become a low strikeout, high walk type of hitter, but there’s enough power in his solidly built 6’0” frame to rack up more homers and extra base hits if he can start handling breaking stuff better and driving the ball in the air more often. His splits are typically pretty even, though he defied them a bit by hitting 9 of his 11 home runs in 2025 against right-handed pitching. There’s a chance that Peck continues settling into the swing adjustments and everything comes together for him. In that case, the Tigers might have a 15-20 HR hitting, right-handed infielder who posts decent on-base percentages, but can play all over the diamond. That would be a pretty valuable platoon asset at least.
Peck was only 20 on draft day, so despite the fact that he’s got two full years of pro ball under his belt, he won’t be 24 until July. If he can handle the jump and put togehter a good Double-A season this year while adding more hard hit fly balls to his profile, he’ll be tracking like a future platoon infielder. His power potential, balanced splits, and defensive game give him a higher ceiling than some at this level, but it’s still a longshot that he hits his way to the major leagues in a regular role.
