The Royals made a move — and it could reshape the lineup.
In this episode of the Royals Rundown Podcast, Jacob Milham and Jeremy “Hokius” Greco break down the Kansas City Royals’ signing of Starling Marte, analyzing how his bat fits into the lineup and what it means for roster construction moving forward. The hosts explore Marte’s versatility against both left- and right-handed pitching, the ripple effects for players like Nick Lofton and Tyler Tolbert, and why this addition could bring much-needed stability to the outfield.
Beyond roster mechanics, the conversation expands into broader MLB topics, including insights from a fan survey on betting’s growing presence in baseball and whether a salary cap system would improve competitive balance. The episode blends player evaluation, team-building philosophy, and league-wide economics — all while keeping the focus on how the Royals can position themselves for success this season.
As always, Jacob and Jeremy close with light-hearted movie and anime reviews, balancing sharp baseball analysis with personality and perspective.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MARCH 02: Bryce Harper #24 of Team USA looks on during a workout at Papago Park Sports Complex on March 02, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We’ve heard from Bryce Harper a lot this off-season.
He’s been active on Instagram, talking about blood ozonation and wearing “Not Elite” T-shirts. He’s held court in Clearwater discussing Dave Dombrowski’s now-famous post-season comments, and he’s been on podcasts like “Bussin’ the Boys” and, on Monday, ESPN’s Pat McAfee Show.
After an off-season stewing over Dombrowski’s assessment of a 2025 campaign that was pretty good but, sorry Bryce, not elite, Harper appears eager to shove an entire off-season of frustration up everyone’s noses.
This is all for the good. Ever since Harper signed with the Phillies ahead of the 2019 season, the roster has been designed around one guiding principle.
The offense flows through him.
He is the superstar. He is the straw that stirs the drink. He is the MVP candidate, the future Hall of Famer, the anchor, the man who performs best in the game’s biggest moments.
Except, he wasn’t that last season. It was noticeable. Try to think back on the “big” Bryce Harper moments from 2025. One doesn’t leap to mind, does it?
Harper was a very good player last season, worth a little over 3 wins while missing 30+ games in the middle of the season with an injury. That’s fine production from your second or third-best player, but the Phillies have relied on Harper to be the face of the franchise and its best player.
Last year, that person was Kyle Schwarber.
It feels like, this year, Bryce Harper wants to re-take his place atop the Phillies’ food chain.
Harper, Schwarber and 13 of their teammates are preparing to play in this week’s World Baseball Classic, an Olympics-like tournament featuring the very best players in the world playing for their home countries. Over the next two weeks, baseball fans will be fortunate to watch some baseball that matters, games that will crackle with drama, intensity, and emotion.
What better way for Harper to begin his redemption arc than to have a monster World Baseball Classic?
Harper homered in his final spring at-bat with the Phillies before leaving for the WBC, and over the years has generally stepped up in situations like this. The Orlando Arcia Game in the 2023 NLDS, the entirety of the ‘22 postseason, grand slams and 9th inning bombs in the biggest moments, those are his calling cards. And now he has the opportunity to make everyone forget about a tumultuous off-season by owning the WBC.
On the latest Hittin’ Season podcast, we discussed whether the World Baseball Classic is a litmus test for Harper’s 2026 season (FOLLOW the show on Spotify below!).
How important is it for Bryce Harper to have a big World Baseball Classic? Is it a litmus test for what we'll see in 2026? We discussed on an all NEW Hittin' Season! @WHYY
Of course, a red-hot WBC for Harper does not necessarily mean a hot start to the regular season with the Phillies. As was mentioned in the video, Trea Turner (who surprisingly wasn’t asked to play for Team USA this time around) had a WBC for the ages in 2023, his first season in Philadelphia.
Turner hit five home runs in that WBC. He then started his Phils career by hitting .235/.290/.368 over the first four months and 107 games until the standing ovation that turned around his season on August 4.
And to be fair to Harper, a subpar WBC would not necessarily mean we’re in for another non-elite campaign from him this year. These are, after all, exhibition games. In early March, players are normally still getting their bodies ready for the regular season and are nowhere near at the top of their game at this point.
Harper’s inclusion in the WBC could not have been more opportune. Perhaps getting him out of Clearwater, away from the humdrum monotony of spring training baseball, is just what he needs. Getting his competitive juices flowing now could be very good for his state of mind, an outlet for his frustrations. If that’s the case, pity the poor pitchers who will be trying to get him out, including some of his own teammates in Cristopher Sanchez, Jesus Luzardo and, yes, Aaron Nola, who is pitching for Team Italy.
While I’m sure they would be angry at themselves for giving up big hits to Harper over the next two weeks, somewhere inside they would secretly be happy to see their biggest star having a star turn at the WBC.
Bryce Harper does not need to have a monster World Baseball Classic in order for his 2026 season to be a bigger success, and if he struggles, it doesn’t necessarily portend disaster.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 28: Nick Kurtz #16 of the Athletics hits an two run home run during the eighth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Sutter Health Park on September 28, 2025 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Scott Marshall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Athletics have been a franchise full of turmoil on and off the field for some time now. The 2025 campaign saw the organization play its home games at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, its first of at least three seasons after leaving Oakland in search of a new home in Las Vegas.
However, not only did the 2025 season bring the entire organization some new scenery, but it also brought a host of changes that carried over into the offseason as they added a few new faces that could help grow a supporting cast of characters hoping to put this franchise back on the map once again.
The Athletics
2025 record: 76-86 (4th, AL West) 2026 FanGraphs projection: 80-82 (4th, AL West)
Last season, the finish for the Athletics still wasn’t as high as fans of the team would have liked it to be. And, most importantly, they’ll be without a couple of players that were headliners for their roster after selling at the deadline, but there are some names around the roster that could elevate the stature of the A’s and put them in contention for the middle of the road in the AL West.
First, when it comes to what will be missing completely from the Athletics, the biggest loss is Mason Miller. Every baseball fan knows the kind of arm he brings out of the bullpen, and after pitching in 38 games for the A’s last season, he was traded to the Padres in July. His 1.0 fWAR was tied for fourth among all A’s pitchers last season despite only pitching about half the year in the team’s uniform, and losing a fastball that averages 101.2 on the gun is as detrimental as any loss a club can get — at least in the short-term.*
*Nineteen-year-old shortstop Leo De Vries was the best prospect moved at last year’s deadline and his stock has only inflated since then. He’s only played 21 games above A-ball, but stay tuned. Both MLB Pipeline and Baseball Prospectus had him ranked as a top-five prospect in the game.
But with that loss — and the loss of another relief pitcher in Sean Newcomb, who was tied in fWAR with Miller after last season and has since moved to the White Sox — comes a few additions, albeit fewer than what baseball fans saw last season from the Athletics’ front office.
The most notable name of the new additions is Jeff McNeil, the former second baseman for the Mets. With a huge overhaul coming in Queens, including the movement of other players like Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, and Edwin Díaz, McNeil was just another casualty and was traded to the A’s for right-hander Yordan Rodriguez. But the A’s also added veteran starting pitcher Aaron Civale, utilityman Andy Ibañez, and reliever Scott Barlow.
The Athletics, though, added those pieces to support the real prizes in their lineup: Brent Rooker, who was still an excellent hitter in 2025 following an absolutely absurd 2024 season at the plate; Shea Langeliers, who was re-signed to a one-year contract after finishing second on the team in fWAR with 3.9 and a wRC+ of 132; and first baseman Nick Kurtz, the player who made the biggest storylines last year, including winning the AL Rookie of the Year award and a Silver Slugger. He was the first rookie in MLB history to hit four homers in one game, tying a big-league record for a player of any age.
One of the biggest questions for the A’s heading into 2026 is: Can Kurtz recreate his fantastic season from last year and help propel this offense to higher levels than might be projected for them? At 22 years old and a hulking 6-foot-5, 240 pounds, Kurtz slashed .290/.383/.619 for an OPS of 1.002 and a wRC+ of 170 in 117 games played. In his 489 plate appearances, he smashed 36 home runs while being the designated hitter and first baseman when called upon. He even finished 12th in the AL MVP vote.
There are some names that could help the Athletics inch closer to where they desire to be. However, it’s going to take a more prominent offseason (and, as everyone knows, more spending) to put them back fully on the map. They have an OK group of hitters who are looking to help a somewhat unknown pitching staff meet or perform above expectations and maybe even climb back into the talk of .500 or above in an AL West division that is not easy to maneuver around.
More Pinstripe Alley MLB team season previews can be found here.
PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 19: Bryan Hudson #78 of the New York Mets poses for a photo during the New York Mets Photo Day at Clover Park on February 19, 2026 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was another active offseason on the margins for the Mets. Let’s see how they did.
Bats
Mike Tauchman, signed to a minor league deal only days before camp opened, is far and away the best player we’ll cover here. He’s coming off a season with a .356 OBP, a 115 wRC+, platoon-neutral performance, and scratch defense in a corner despite being 35. There’s an argument that he’s a credible starter batting in the bottom half of the lineup, and is at worst a decent part time player who can pair with a right-handed option. If you’re wondering why Mike Yastrzemski got a two-year, $23M contract from the Braves and Tauchman received only a minor league deal, I can’t explain it to you; this acquisition is a legitimate coup.
Per Tauchman himself, it seems like there’s a decent chance he makes the team out of Spring Training. What that means for the rest of the roster is less clear. The Mets reportedly cleared out Carson Benge’s locker and moved him next to the other prospects in deference to Tauchman. Is that meant to be a message about Benge’s performance to date or is it just veteran hierarchy? We leave interpretation up to the reader. It’d obviously be ideal if Benge is good enough to take the job and run with it (and I’d still bet on that outcome frankly). Having Tauchman around as a fallback is great insurance, however, and he’ll also function as a very solid part time player when the time comes.
We’ll call out two other additions here in MJ Melendez and Vidal Brujan. Melendez was signed to a split deal in early February and seemed like an early favorite to make the roster until Tauchman came on board. He was at one point the heir apparent to Salvador Perez in Kansas City, but it quickly became clear that 1) Perez wasn’t going anywhere, 2) Melendez couldn’t actually catch and 3) that Melendez couldn’t actually hit either. He’s been a below average bat with poor corner outfield defense, but is only 27 and hits the ball hard. Maybe there’s something the Mets can fix here that the Royals (hardly a bastion of good development) couldn’t. Melendez does have options remaining as well, so he can be stashed in Triple-A.
Brujan (acquired for cash from the Twins) is another former top prospect who hasn’t worked out to date, but he has more demonstrable utility than Melendez at present. He doesn’t impact the ball with any authority and swings way too much, but his speed and defensive flexibility make him a potentially useful bench piece. Brujan appeared at third, short, second, and all three outfield spots last season. I’d bet on him holding onto a bench spot over someone like Ronny Mauricio to start the season, though he may quickly be squeezed out given his lack of options.
Others players:
CF Ji Hwan Bae (waiver claim, PIT) – speedy utility type who has never hit; convicted of assaulting his girlfriend in South Korea in 2018, for which he was suspended 30 games
3B Jose Rojas (MiLB FA) – 32-year-old Quad-A corner infielder with a 152 wRC+ in the Yankees system in 2025
SS Jackson Cluff (MiLB FA) – generic upper-minors SS depth
CF Jose Ramos (MiLB FA) – former Dodger farmhand with decent damage but significant approach and contact problems
CF Cristian Pache (MiLB FA) – former top prospect who has never hit but can still go get it in center field
SS Christian Arroyo (MiLB FA) – generic upper minors IF depth
IF Grae Kessinger (MiLB FA) – slightly more interesting upper minors IF depth; can play all four infield spots and has a penchant for pulled fly balls despite weak exits
C Austin Barnes (MiLB FA) – 4th catcher type
C Ben Rortvedt (waiver claim, LAD) – 4th catcher type
Arms
Craig Kimbrel (minor league deal worth $2.5M if he makes the majors) is certainly the most famous name we’ll discuss here. Now 37-years-old, the likely future Hall of Famer posted a 2.25 ERA in 12 innings last year despite a walk rate over 14% and a BABIP of .348. He also spent 39 innings in the minors. Kimbrel still got some decent stuff, though it’s a far cry from his peak form why he was nigh unhittable. That said, when a pitcher of Kimbrel’s reputation is languishing for two-thirds of the season on minor league busses, that’s a decent sign of where things are at. I wouldn’t expect him to make the team out of Spring Training given the bevy of other options available, but boy it’d sure be fun if he had one last run in the tank for a former division rival.
Though less famous than Kimbrel, Bryan Hudson is more likely to make a significant impact on the 2026 squad. He was a disaster for most of last season, no doubt, but his 4.2 inning stint down the stretch with the White Sox displayed a potential return to form in terms of velocity, stuff metrics, and location. Yes, a back strain robbed Hudson of the end of his season, but he was legitimately one of the best relievers in baseball in 2024. Getting him back to that form would be a serious boon to the Mets relief corps, and all he cost them was some cash.
I’ll also call out Mike Baumann here as another interesting arm, though you could argue for a longer discussion of several guys on the list below. He’s got a neat little knuckle curve and a decent fastball. Even more interesting, the Mets plucked him out of Japan despite a middling performance in 15 innings. That could give one the nagging suspicion that there’s something under the hood the team thinks they can maximize here. Will that work? Probably not, but you’ve got to plant your flag and speculate on a dude from time to time.
Others players:
RHP Nick Burdi (MiLB FA) – upper minors relief depth with strong stuff grades on his fastball and sweeper per Rob Orr’s app
LHP Anderson Severino (MiLB FA) – cousin of Luis Severino, signed after a standout season in the Mexican League and an even better Winter Ball performance for Tigres del Licey; may compete for a spot as the second lefty early on
LHP Joe Jacques (MiLB FA) – 30-year-old reliever who spent time in Triple-A with the Mariners and Dodgers and had an ERA over 6 in 2025; has interesting damage suppression traits
RHP Daniel Duarte (MiLB FA) – former semi-notable relief prospect who blew out his arm in late 2024; had a flat fasteball (good) and interesting slider prior to being hurt
RHP Carl Edwards Jr. (MiLB FA) – formerly a very good reliever, hasn’t been healthy or effective since 2022
RHP Kevin Hergert (MiLB FA) – reunion with an upper-minors depth guy
RHP Jun-Seok Shim (MiLB FA) – was at one point a semi-notable prospect out of South Korea, but has never made it out of the complex while dealing with shoulder issues
RHP Tyler Burch (MiLB FA) – two-year deal for pitcher coming off elbow surgery
RHP Ofreidy Gomez (MiLB FA) – flame-throwing reliever with big DSL performance this winter
Conclusion
I planned to have a harsher curve for all grades this offseason, but especially for these sorts of minor moves. It’s very easy to convince yourself that all your low-cost gambles will work out, even when there’s little reason to do so. As of early February, when Melendez, Kimbrel, and Hudson were the most notable additions (all additions I like, to be clear), this was likely to be a B of some sort – solid, but unremarkable.
Tauchman changes that calculus. I think he’s one of the steals of the offseason. Yes, at 35 he might just stop being good at any moment, time comes for us all eventually and not always in steady, predictable ways. But he was legitimately very good last year and the Mets added him to serve as excellent insurance for their top outfield prospect AND a useful reserve outfielder AND a contributor at DH for nothing…well, less than what similar players received in free agency. That addition pushes this category of moves over the line for me; the minor moves receive an A.
In the run-up to the trade deadline, St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas’ reported availability continues to make the headlines. The Central Division team is currently dead last in its division and second-to-last in the Western Conference and has let it be known that it’s ready to move on from some of its veterans, including their first-line center, Thomas.
According to multiple reports, the Montreal Canadiens are very interested in the pivot, and they have been for some time, as RG.org writer Marco D’Amico reports. The Habs brass contacted the Blues' front office but backed off due to the steep asking price. Last month, Nick Kypreos reported that Doug Armstrong and co. were after the equivalent of three first-round picks to let go of the pivot. Today, D’Amico reports that the ask would be equivalent to four first-round picks.
On the latest episode of The Sick Podcast, Sportsnet’s Eric Engels says he believes a deal for Thomas would likely look like the one between the Vancouver Canucks and the Minnesota Wild for Quinn Hughes in which Vancouver received defenseman Zeev Buium (12th overall pick at the 2024 draft), center Marco Rossi (9th overall pick at the 2020 draft), winger Liam Ohgren (19th overall pick at the 2022 draft) and Minnesota’s first-round pick at the upcoming draft. In other words, four first-round pick players.
If that’s the asking price, the Canadiens could definitely meet it, as they have the assets, but D’Amico believes Armstrong would want highly touted prospect Michael Hage to be part of the deal, and the Habs are reluctant to part with the youngster. As you might recall, the Canadiens traded up with the Los Angeles Kings at the 2024 draft to select Hage with the 21st overall pick, as they were quite high on the player.
Since then, the youngster has put two solid seasons together in the NCAA, recording 34 points in 31 games in his rookie season with the University of Michigan, and he now has 45 points in 34 games in his sophomore season. Furthermore, at the latest World Junior Championship, he led the scoring race with 15 points in just seven games. Whether the Habs’ brass likes it or not, right now, Hage has the wow factor to make that deal happen.
Michael Hage with the shootout winner against Penn St.
At the end of the day, Tomas is an established first-line center in the NHL, and those rarely become available. President of hockey operations Jeff Gorton and GM Hughes have said in the past that they would be willing to overpay for the right piece that would make the Canadiens a contender. While some will say it’s still too early for that and the Habs may be in a better place a year from now, the fact is that Thomas is available now. He’s 26 years old and fits in the Canadiens’ core age group; he’s signed for another four seasons at just $8,125,000 per year. He’s coming off two 80+-point seasons, and while he’s having a disappointing season, who isn’t in St-Louis?
The dilemma then becomes, will Hage be a better center than Thomas if and when he reaches the NHL? There’s no way to know that. Winning the scoring race at the WJC doesn’t guarantee offensive success in the NHL. Ryan Poehling was second in scoring in 2019 and won the tournament MVP, and he’s currently the Anaheim Ducks’ third-line centre. Then again, Poehling didn’t benefit from the development team the Canadiens currently have.
If the Canadiens decided that Thomas is too good an opportunity to pass on, it looks like they will have to let Hage reluctantly go on top of adding multiple other pieces that may leave their prospect cupboard a bit bare. Ivan Demidov, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Cole Caufield are probably untouchables. Still, the likes of Oliver Kapanen (even though he was a second-round pick), David Reinbacher, and Alexander Zharovsky, who was an early second-round pick but is certainly worth a first now, could also be in play. It would take some serious magic from Hughes to manage to land Thomas without sacrificing Hage.
The 1995-96 NBA season was legendary — and NBC was right in the middle of it.
Tuesday night, NBC is bringing back that vibe when legendary sports broadcasters Bob Costas, Doug Collins, Mike "Czar of the Telestrator" Fratello, Jim Gray, Hannah Storm, Isiah Thomas and P.J. Carlesimo return to NBC Sports in a special edition "throwback" Coast 2 Coast Tuesday broadcast. That crew will be on hand when Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs visit Tyrese Maxey and the Philadelphia 76ers. Costas, Collins and Fratello will call the game alongside courtside reporter Gray, and the NBA Showtime that precedes the game will feature Storm as studio host and Thomas and Carlesimo as studio analysts.
What do we remember from that 1995-96 season? So very much, it was the peak of that NBA era.
72-win Chicago Bulls
The greatest team of all time.
No team in NBA history has won so many games (72-10) and capped it by winning an NBA championship. Nobody. (The 2015-16 Warriors won 73 games but blew a 3-1 Finals lead to LeBron James's Cavaliers.)
That Bulls team featured MVP Michael Jordan, who averaged 30.4 points per game capping off his comeback, as well as Scottie Pippen (fifth in MVP voting and second in Defensive Player of the. Year voting that season), Dennis Rodman (14.9 rebounds per game and elite defense), Tony Kukoc winning Sixth Man of the Year, plus a veteran and impressive group of role players, which included a young sharpshooter out of Southern California by way of Arizona, Steve Kerr.
June 16, 1996: Chicago's Dennis Rodman ignites the crowd with this uninterrupted series of 3rd quarter plays in Game 6 of the NBA Finals.
Rodman had 19 REB/5 AST/3 STL and Michael Jordan had 22 PTS/9 REB/7 AST in the Bulls' 87-75 win over Seattle that clinched the Championship. pic.twitter.com/FgCII6nb8J
Chicago won the 1996 NBA championship on Father's Day, and this was Jordan's first championship after his father's death, which led to an iconic, tearful celebration on the locker room floor.
Magic Johnson abruptly and shockingly retired from basketball in 1991 after contracting AIDS.
Four years later, for the 1995-96 season, Magic returned midseason and played 32 games for the Lakers, still averaging 14.6 points, 6.9 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game, mostly coming off the bench.
MAGIC RETURNED 30 YEARS AGO TODAY
Magic Johnson came out of retirement on Jan. 30, 1996 and dropped...
Back in 1995-96, Seattle still had an NBA team — and a very good one. A 64-win SuperSonics team that reached the NBA Finals and pushed those 72-win Bulls harder than any other team in the postseason, taking them to six games.
Shawn Kemp led that team with 19.6 points a game, but we tuned in to see him dunk — no player in NBA history has been more of a highlight factory than Kemp.
May 20, 1996: Shawn Kemp dunks on Antoine Carr of the Jazz during Seattle's 91-87 win in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals.
Kemp finished with 15 PTS and Gary Payton had 18 PTS/8 AST/4 STL for the Sonics, who took a 2-0 series lead. Karl Malone had 32 PTS/13 REB for Utah. pic.twitter.com/GooxjQ3ldr
However, the player that really made this team go was The Glove, Gary Payton — 19.3 points a game while winning Defensive Player of the Year. He was locking people down on one end and was part of a high-flying offensive show on the other.
Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton put on a show in a blowout Finals Game 4 win against the Bulls! (1996)
The Toronto Raptors made their debut and started to win over what has become one of the largest and best fan bases in the NBA. Rookie of the Year Damon Stoudemire led that inaugural team.
On the West Coast, the Vancouver Grizzlies debuted, a team led in scoring by Greg Anthony and big men Benoit Benjamin and Bryant "Big Country" Reaves.
Unfortunately, the team would only spend six years in Vancouver, never making the playoffs, before a new owner, Michael Heisley, moved the team to Memphis, where there are no Grizzlies but the team has stayed.
Jun 1967; Unknown Location, USA; FILE PHOTO; St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Roger Maris in the on-deck circle during the 1967 season. Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-Imagn Images
Fans of the Kansas City Athletics endured many disappointments during the team’s thirteen-year stay at Municipal. Where do we start? The many, often lopsided trades to the Yankees? How about the fact that the team never had a winning record during its stay in Kansas City? Then, of course, there’s the move. The move was a tough pill to swallow, even though the city and the fans had their fill of Charlie O. Finley. Finley was a visionary, but he was also a world-class ass. I could write a chapter on the number of times he insulted the city and the fans.
What made the move really painful was that we could see the team was going to be good. Catfish, Rudi, Fingers, Jackson, Bando, Tenace, Blue, Campy, and Green. One thing Finley had done right was accumulate a deep pool of young talent.
And right on cue, they posted a winning record in their first year in Oakland. Then they won three World Series in a row. I couldn’t have been the only one who thought, “Those titles should have been ours.”
Despite that litany of tears, my first disappointment as a fan came when I was old enough to realize the team had traded away Roger Maris. Roger Maris! The guy who hit 61 home runs in a season! That Roger Maris? I was probably seven. Maybe eight. I remember thinking, who was the idiot who traded away Roger Maris?
That would have been Parke Carroll. Carroll probably wasn’t an idiot, but you can make the case that his loyalties still ran with the Yankees and not Kansas City. Carroll had been employed by the Yankee organization, most recently as the business manager of the Yankees’ Kansas City Blues farm team. The Athletics were owned at the time by Arnold Johnson. Prior to owning the Athletics, Johnson owned not only Yankee Stadium but also Blues Stadium, which he agreed to sell to the city. With that bit of housekeeping taken care of, Johnson moved the Philadelphia Athletics into a newly revamped and renamed Municipal Stadium. Johnson’s director of player personnel was George Selkirk, a former Yankee player who took over right field when Babe Ruth retired. Carroll, Selkirk, and Johnson all had heavy Yankee ties. With leadership like that, the Athletics never had a chance.
The Athletics somehow found some talent. At various times they had guys like Bob Cerv, Ralph Terry, Clete Boyer, Bobby Shantz, and Harry Simpson. All those guys ended up being traded to New York.
The most glaring trade had to be Maris. The Athletics had picked him up, along with Dick Tomanek and Preston Ward, in a June 1958 trade with Cleveland in which they gave up Woodie Held and Vic Power. It was a heavy price to pay, as Held was an adequate center fielder and Power was an excellent hitter. Power had been a two-time All-Star and picked up MVP votes in four seasons in Kansas City, but Maris was different. He had a gift.
Maris had been a football standout at Bishop Shanley High School in Fargo. He set a still-standing national record with four return touchdowns in one game. Maris was such an excellent football player that the University of Oklahoma wanted him. He didn’t even like baseball until he got into high school, whereupon he excelled.
The Indians signed him as a free agent, and he was named Rookie of the Year at his first minor league stop, playing for his hometown Fargo Twins. In four minor league seasons, Maris hit .303 with 78 home runs. The talent was there.
He made his major league debut with Cleveland in April of 1957, going 3 for 5. Two days later, he hit his first major league home run, a grand slam. He was just 22 years old.
Cleveland fans must have also felt our pain. They only had Maris for 167 games over parts of two seasons before they traded him to Kansas City.
Maris battled injuries during his time in Kansas City, including appendix surgery, which hurt his production when he tried to come back too soon.
He made his first All-Star team in 1959 when he hit .273 with 16 home runs and 72 RBI in just 122 games. It looked like the Athletics had their right fielder for the future.
In between injuries, Maris had some fantastic games for the Athletics. On August 3, 1958, in a game at Municipal Stadium against the Washington Senators, Maris went 4 for 5 with two home runs and five RBI. He ended just a single shy of hitting for the cycle and collected 13 total bases during a 12–0 Athletics rout.
On September 24, Maris made his former team pay during a 9–3 Kansas City win in Cleveland. Maris went 3 for 5 with two home runs, three RBI, and nine total bases.
On May 10, 1959, Maris clipped the Tigers for two home runs, scored four times, and drove in five in a 7–6 loss to Detroit.
Once he got healthy toward the end of the 1959 season, it was impossible to miss the talent.
The evil axis of Carroll, Johnson, and Selkirk thought otherwise. On December 11, 1959, the team shocked its fans by sending Maris, Kent Hadley, and shortstop Joe DeMaestri to New York in exchange for Marvelous Marv Throneberry, Norm Siebern, Hank Bauer, and a sore-armed Don Larsen. Maris was quoted in the Reading Eagle as saying, “Believe it or not, I had rather stayed with the Athletics, but I’ll do my best for the Yankees.”
Throneberry was immensely popular with the fans but could never unlock the power he displayed in the minors. Bauer was already 37 and in steep decline. Larsen was 30 and came to the Athletics with a career record of 55–57. His claim to fame was throwing the only perfect game in World Series history. The only thing that saved the trade was Siebern, who over four seasons slashed .289/.381/.463 with 78 home runs and 367 RBI. He made two All-Star teams and picked up some MVP votes. Siebern’s four Kansas City years were basically peak Eric Hosmer.
Maris hit his peak in New York. In 1960, he led the league in several offensive categories, including WAR (7.7), RBI (112), and slugging percentage. His sweet left-handed swing was custom-built for Yankee Stadium. That production earned him the league’s MVP award. Ouch.
Maris was even better in 1961, slashing .269/.372/.620 and leading the league in home runs (61), RBI (141), runs (132), and total bases (366). He won a second MVP award.
Maris broke Babe Ruth’s cherished 60-home run record and received numerous death threats for his trouble. Baseball fans can get nutty. Not “soccer-fan nutty”, but nutty enough.
If you want to know what kind of man Maris was, consider this. His 61st home run ball landed in the hands of 19-year-old Sal Durante. The young man was immediately surrounded by Stadium ushers. He told them he wanted to give the ball to Maris personally. After the game, Durante presented the ball to Maris, saying, “Here’s the ball, Roger.”
Maris then signed and dated the ball and gave it back to Durante, saying, “Keep it, kid. Put it up for auction. Somebody will pay you a lot of money for the ball.” Durante later sold the ball to a California restaurant owner for $5,000. The restaurateur then gave the ball back to Maris. Can you imagine that happening today? How much is that ball worth now?
Maris donated the ball to the Baseball Hall of Fame, where it still resides.
Maris played in New York for seven seasons, during which he hit a total of 203 home runs and won two World Series titles. But he never got over the abuse Yankee fans heaped on him for breaking the Babe’s cherished record. Despite playing in New York, the Maris family maintained their home base in Independence, Missouri. Roger really didn’t want to leave KC.
In December 1966, in a puzzling move, the Yankees traded Maris to St. Louis for utility infielder Charley Smith. The Yankees believed Maris was in decline, but the reality was that he’d had surgery to remove bone chips from his hand in 1965, then played most of the 1966 season with a broken bone in his hand. His batting average slumped, and his once prodigious power all but disappeared. Understandable. I’m not sure how the guy played, except on pure guts.
With his hand healed, Maris enjoyed a late-career revival for the Cardinals. At the ages of 32 and 33, his power had waned, but his defense was as good as ever. He played a pivotal role in the Cardinals’ 1967 World Series win, hitting .385 with a dinger and seven RBI. He nearly picked up another ring in 1968, a classic seven-game series that pitted the excellence of Bob Gibson against the immovable object of Mickey Lolich.
Maris retired after that 1968 season and owned and operated a Budweiser distributorship in Florida, something that Cardinals owner Gussie Busch had set him up with. Maris had a 10-year estrangement from the Yankees, which ended in 1978 when he returned for their Old-Timers’ Day.
In 1983, Maris was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He battled for two years before succumbing to the disease on December 14, 1985, at the very young age of 51.
Maris first came up for Hall of Fame consideration in 1974 but could never garner enough votes for induction. Despite his two MVP awards, the home run record, three World Series titles, and seven All-Star appearances, his overall body of work fell just a little short.
Analytics, invented long after Maris’ passing, show him with a little over 38 WAR, certainly a respectable total, but not enough to warrant Hall of Fame induction.
Despite that, Maris’ legacy lives on. The Yankees retired his No. 9 jersey and gave him a plaque in Monument Park. Can you believe the Yanks have 22 retired numbers? If they continue at this pace, they’ll have to start assigning letters.
The Postal Service issued a Roger Maris commemorative stamp in 1999. Barry Pepper played Maris in the acclaimed movie “61*.” In 2023, a Maris game-worn 1961 jersey sold for $1.59 million. His last game was almost 60 years ago, but people remember.
If you ever happen to be in Fargo, plan to make a stop at the West Acres Shopping Center. The mall is home to the outstanding Roger Maris Museum. Always a modest man, Maris first rejected the idea of a museum in his honor. He eventually relented on the condition that the museum would never charge admission.
Former teammate Moose Skowron said, “People just remember the 61 home runs. They forgot that Roger was an excellent base stealer and a superb right fielder. He was the best defensive right fielder in the majors. He was an all-around ballplayer, a humble guy, and a real team player. History never gave him his due.”
Darren Raddysh has come out of nowhere and put forth one of the best offensive seasons among all defensemen.
My Lightning vs. Wild predictions expect him to have another active performance against a Minnesota team that bleeds shots to his position.
Let’s dive deeper into my NHL picks for Tuesday, March 3.
Lightning vs Wild prediction
Lightning vs Wild best bet: Darren Raddysh Over 2.5 shots on goal (-125)
Darren Raddysh ranks third among defensemen in shot attempts and second in shots on target over the past 10 games. He cleared 2.5 SOG in nine of them, missing by one shot against the Panthers.
The volume should remain high against the Minnesota Wild. They rank dead-last in suppressing shots from defensemen and 30th defending Raddysh’s primary shooting zone over the last 10 games.
Raddysh has excelled in similar matchups with or without Victor Hedman in the lineup. He has registered 3+ shots in 10 of his last 12 games against Bottom-10 teams in shots allowed to blueliners.
Lightning vs Wild same-game parlay
Raddysh has hit the scoresheet in 16 of his last 20 games, piling up 27 total points. He has put forth more than twice as many multi-point efforts (nine) as zeros (four). He has also picked up a point in eight of the last 10 in which he’s generated 3+ shots.
Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point has averaged 0.7 assists per game on a line with Jake Guentzel compared to 0.4 without. He has also assisted in four straight games with Guentzel riding shotgun, tallying five along the way.
Lightning vs Wild SGP
Darren Raddysh Over 2.5 shots on goal
Darren Raddysh Over 0.5 points
Brayden Point Over 0.5 assists
Lightning vs Wild odds
Moneyline: Tampa Bay -125 | Minnesota +105
Puck line: Tampa Bay -1.5 (+190) | Minnesota +1.5 (-230)
Over/Under: Over 6.5 (+110) | Under 6.5 (-130)
Lightning vs Wild trend
Darren Raddysh has gone Over 2.5 shots on goal in five consecutive road games. Find more NHL betting trends for Lightning vs. Wild.
How to watch Lightning vs Wild
Location
Grand Casino Arena, Saint Paul, MN
Date
Tuesday, March 3, 2026
Puck drop
9:30 p.m. ET
TV
TNT/HBO Max
Lightning vs Wild 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.
Dougie Hamilton has been a one-man shooting gallery of late, clearing his 2.5 shot line in nine consecutive games.
My Panthers vs. Devils predictions expect the shots to continue flying against a Florida team he’s already gone Over twice against this season.
Let’s dive deeper into my NHL picks for Tuesday, March 3.
Panthers vs Devils prediction
Panthers vs Devils best bet: Dougie Hamilton Over 2.5 shots on goal (-140)
Dougie Hamiltonleads all NHL defensemen in both shots on goal (39) and shot attempts (79) over the last 10 games. He recorded at least three shots on target in nine of them.
While Luke Hughes returned to the New Jersey Devils lineup last time out, Hamilton still logged 21 minutes and maintained his role on the top power play.
That bodes well for his shot volume against the Florida Panthers. Hamilton has cleared 2.5 shots in 20 of the last 22 games when logging at least two minutes of power-play ice time, which is a common benchmark to clear skating on the top unit.
Panthers vs Devils same-game parlay
Arseny Gritsyuk is expected to skate on a line with Jack Hughes in tonight’s game. Gritsyuk hasn’t spent a ton of time on Jack’s wing, but his scoring chance rate with Hughes is higher than with any other player.
Gritsyuk is also playing on the top power play alongside Hughes and the team’s most dangerous weapons, making him a real threat to find the scoresheet.
Dougie Hamilton has generated 3+ shots in nine straight games against Florida. Find more NHL betting trends for Panthers vs. Devils.
How to watch Panthers vs Devils
Location
Prudential Center, Newark, NJ
Date
Tuesday, March 3, 2026
Puck drop
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
TNT/HBO Max
Panthers vs Devils latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
With 60 games already in the books, the upcoming final weeks of the regular season pose a question: Can the Kings take advantage of their soft schedule? If they have a switch to flip, now is the best time to do it.
The No. 3 seed in the Pacific Division is only five points ahead of the sixth seed, which is where Los Angeles sits right now, with a record of 24-22-14 and 62 points. Los Angeles' best option is to climb up to that fourth seed and overtake Edmonton and San Jose for the final playoff spot.
With their recent skid coming out of the Olympic break, it's certain now that Los Angeles is far from having home-ice advantage in the first round, something they achieved last season. However, things can also go south despite having the easiest schedule remaining. Because following their brutal loss to the very shorthanded Vegas Golden Knights out of the Olympic Break and their blowout loss to the Edmonton Oilers 8-1, easy games don't seem to matter for the Kings.
With little margin for error, the difference between a solid playoff standing position at that fourth spot and totally missing the postseason for the entire summer will be decided from every game here on out.
But, if the Kings want the result to happen, they will need to do something that they’re not nearly consistent at doing this year - beat below .500 teams. Los Angeles is 11-9-3 against teams under .500 this season, one game below .500 against teams that they're supposed to defeat.
Kings Strength of Schedule
Despite Los Angeles' strength of schedule, the Kings will face some stiff competition on the way to having the easiest remaining schedule. There are a handful of teams in the Western Conference who can spoil their hopes of qualifying for the playoffs. The Kraken, Mammoth, Oilers, and Nashville are all teams jockeying for playoff position.
The two teams in that division sandwiching them, the third seed and fourth seed, Edmonton and Seattle, are the only tough tests they will face. Now, meanwhile, in the central division, they will play Utah and Nashville twice, two teams also fighting for a playoff spot.
All five of those teams are bunched up in the Pacific and Central Divisions, so likely only two teams will get in, and four will remain out. The tiebreakers against Utah, Nashville, and Edmonton will play a critical role in deciding Los Angeles' fate.
For example, despite still having one game remaining against Seattle, the Kings have already lost the season series to the Kraken, so their final meeting won't mean much. Controversially, thanks to their wins against the Oilers and the Mammoth earlier in the season, those two games against Utah, and one remaining game against Edmonton, will all be critical.
The Oilers just blew out the Kings on Thursday, 8-1, to tie the season series 1-1. The final matchup will be on April 11 at home. Los Angeles beat Utah in their first matchup on Dec. 8, and will play them twice in a span of one week, beginning March 22 and March 28, with both matchups split between home and away.
While the Kings lost to the Predators back on October 25th in a shootout, their next two meetings will be in a span of four days, on April 2 and April 6, both at Crypto.com Arena.
It may sound like hyperbole, but this is why the Kings' entire season comes down to how they fare in those games against respected Western Conference teams. A proposition that feels ominous because on one hand, they have the easiest schedule remaining, but still struggle to beat below .500 teams and have those tough five Western Conference matchups that will most likely decide their outcome of reaching the playoffs.
But, despite their poor record, the Kings have shown the ability to beat contending teams in the league, including the Oilers, Vegas, and Dallas, but their inability to build on that success has been a problem.
Regardless of the reality of their situation, the Kings are about to be presented with an opportunity to change their narrative and, in the process, restore their belief that they can actually make it to the postseason.
While the Kings were never likely to make a deep run in the playoffs this year, if they got there, they could still give themselves the best odds by finding their groove right now. The very same teams they will have to leap in the standings are coming their way.
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Yesterday I got to watch my first televised A’s game of 2026! Thank you MLB.TV’s free game of the day special as well as the fine commentators behind the mic for the San Diego Padres. I mean, imagine getting to watch your favorite team play a spring training game? Imagine getting to know your rising prospects with a little sneak peak of how the fan favorites are fairing? What a concept! Such a swing and miss for the green and gold, not going all in on something like this – – especially with the team being in the middle of a transition period. We should be trying to reach as many people as possible here. Plus the A’s have the best spring training uniforms BY FAR. No debate whatsoever. Now I’m sure there’s some broadcasting rights reason why Chris Caray isn’t on this ish day in and day out but I don’t care. Figure it out.
Side note: why is it every time they show footage of an A’s spring training game on these SB nation posts, it’s a highlight in favor of the other team? I swear, for the past week or so I have seen nothing but Edward Quero’s two run single on repeat! Now, initially I thought this was due to a limited sample size of 2026 baseball content, but they’ve already got Jase Bowen’s homer from yesterday up there above a post, despite their being plenty of great A’s clips to pick from now.
SB Nation, what are we doing? Give us a little Sody pop!
Did anyone see the announcement regarding the Spring Breakout Tournament they’ll be hosting next year? Finally! I’ve been saying this for years – – there is no reason for MLB not be incentivizing fans to watch spring training baseball. It’s a cash cow waiting to happen. Starting with the Spring Breakout Tournament is smart if they treat it like NBA’s summer league – – which is some of the most fun you’ll have watching anything NBA-related these days. What the Summer League does so well is capture the spirit of college basketball, all while slapping NBA team logos all over the whole operation. I see a similar thing happening here with the Spring Breakout, as you’ll get a bunch of ball players looking to get their licks in by whatever means possible, with most of them being probably fresh off the heels of a college career. All this spells success to me. Last year’s little showcase against the Padres was very fun to watch. Look at some of these players who were featured:
Nick Kurtz
Luis Morales
Gunnar Hoglund
Max Muncy
Denzel Clarke
All these dudes would be on the A’s by the end of the 2025 season. Not to mention Tommy “Tanks” White who hit an opposite field cranker in the third inning. Also playing for the Padres Spring Breakout club was our new shiny player of affection Leo De Vries (who went 2-4 against his former club today).
In retrospect, the whole thing feels like that show Freaks and Geeks where you look back at the cast and go “Damn, all these people were in this?” Giving these young players a tournament-style opportunity to make a name for themselves this early on is like the second season of Freaks and Geeks we never got. One and done is not enough! Let them run it back!
I really want to get into today’s exhibition against Team Brazil, but I’m also doing the game threads AND the recap. Consider this me getting loose in the pen in between innings, waiting to see if the starting pitcher is going to get through the inning or not.
Stay tuned. I’ll see you all in a couple of hours.
Really hope a lockout doesn’t spoil this amazing concept…
MLB announces that its annual Spring Breakout games are set to become a tournament in 2027 and 2028, where one MLB team featuring only its best prospects will be crowned champion pic.twitter.com/VNgHchWhAg
I have to admit this stadium design is kind’ve growing on me. I know! Hating everything Las Vegas A’s is en vogue but I can’t help it! The armadillo roof thing is quirky and I’m into it. The whole thing will without a doubt be one of a kind – – for better and for worse
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 04: Josiah Gray #40 of the Washington Nationals pitches against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at Nationals Park on April 04, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jess Rapfogel/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Josiah Gray made his long awaited return to action after missing most of the last two seasons due to Tommy John Surgery. He was solid, but not spectacular in his return. Gray went 1.2 innings, but he would have completed two if not for a dropped third strike. His stuff was crisp, especially in the first inning.
Like a lot of Nationals pitchers, Gray is really backing off his fastball usage. This is not very surprising for him because we saw him moving away from his heater back in 2023 when we saw him last. Gray’s fastball has always been his achilles heel, as it has gotten crushed when hitters make contact. He only threw 9 fastballs in 38 pitches yesterday.
Josiah Gray threw 38 pitches (25 strikes) over 1 2/3 innings in his first MLB game in nearly 2 years. Only threw 9 fastballs, but averaged 92.5 mph and topped out at 94 mph. Struck out 3 (all on breaking balls).
I do not think that will be an outlier in terms of usage for Gray. He has a few different breaking ball shapes he can throw. Yesterday, Gray’s two most used pitches were his slider and curveball. He also mixed in a sweeper a few times. There are other breaking ball shapes we know he can throw too. Back in 2023, he threw a cutter 18% of the time, so maybe that could be a pitch he brings into the fold as well.
The velocity was a bit of a mixed bag, which is not overly surprising. In the first inning, Gray was sitting 94 on his fastball, which really excited me. That is harder than he was throwing in 2023. However, the velocity was down in the 91-92 range in his second inning of work.
He does not really rely on his fastball, so that is not the end of the world. However, secondary pitches are also helped by power and having to respect the fastball. Those secondary pitches were pretty sharp for Gray yesterday. I really loved how he used his curveball as a weapon against lefties. Against left handers, he threw the pitch 61% of the time. Righties saw a heavy dose of sliders.
The grades of those secondary pitches were strong, at least according to the Pitch Profiler model. All of Gray’s breaking balls graded out as above average according to their model. The fastball was a bit below average, which is not much of a surprise.
However, there was another model by TJ Stats that was more bearish on Gray’s stuff. All four of Gray’s pitches graded out as below average. Thomas Nestico, the founder of TJ Stats pointed out that Gray’s low release height may help the stuff play up. It is interesting to see how different models can see pitchers’ stuff slightly differently.
Josiah Gray made his debut!
After a couple of injured riddled seasons, Gray is lined up to start 2026 in the Nationals rotation. It was an encouraging outing. While the fastball grade is low, its combination of ride and flat VAA makes it a pitch to follow this Spring pic.twitter.com/dL17lfXTQl
That is an example of why you can’t just blindly trust these models. They are great resources, but you have to look at the full picture. If a pitcher with great Stuff+ numbers gets lit up, you have to ask why that could be. Also, pitchers like Ranger Suarez can overperform models due to command and deception.
While that is an interesting side bar, the main thing about yesterday is that Josiah Gray was healthy and throwing the ball well. He has missed a lot of time, so hopefully as he gets more innings under his belt, he can sustain that velocity he showed in the first inning.
Overall, he made a strong first impression in his battle to win a rotation spot. If he continues to pitch like this, he should grab a spot in the Nats rotation. He has more interesting traits than the likes of Mitchell Parker and Andrew Alvarez. I also think Brad Lord’s best role is in the bullpen, so Gray winning a spot could help with that.
It is great to see Josiah Gray healthy. Back in 2023, I was a bit of a skeptic. I did not think his results were sustainable. However, after last season, I would kill for a reliable mid to back of the rotation starter who can give you league average production. That is what I think Josiah Gray could provide for the Nats.
If the Winnipeg Jets have any hopes of finding their way into the playoffs, they’re going to have to make serious hay as they kick off an eight-game homestand against the Chicago Blackhawks.
My Blackhawks vs. Jets predictions and NHL picks have Winnipeg taking care of road-weary Chicago on Tuesday, March 3.
Blackhawks vs Jets prediction
Blackhawks vs Jets best bet: Jets moneyline (-155)
The Winnipeg Jets face the reeling Chicago Blackhawks, who are wrapping up a five-game road trip with just a single win to show for it.
Chicago has just two wins in its last 10, and despite beating Winnipeg 2-0 on Jan 19, the Jets have owned this head-to-head, taking eight of the last 10.
The Hawks are 26th in scoring on the road, setting Winnipeg up for a promising start to this homestand.
Blackhawks vs Jets same-game parlay
Kyle Connor is just outside the Top 10 in shots on goal and should be busy peppering the Chicago net. He’s put up at least four shots on goal in four of his last eight against the Hawks, missing the Over by a single shot on goal on two other occasions.
Connor Bedard has scored five goals in his last seven and has lit the lamp twice in his last three games against the Jets. Even in a losing effort, I like the budding superstar to find twine, as his 55 points are 10 clear of his closest teammate (Tyler Bertuzzi) despite playing 10 fewer games.
The Blackhawks have only covered the Puck Line in 6 of their last 15 games (-9.35 Units / -38% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Blackhawks vs. Jets.
How to watch Blackhawks vs Jets
Location
Canada Life Centre, Winnipeg, MB
Date
Tuesday, March 3, 2026
Puck drop
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
TSN3, CHSN
Blackhawks vs Jets 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.
Stars vs Flames best bet: Matt Coronato Over 2.5 shots on goal (+100)
Matt Coronato has been solid for the Calgary Flames this season, contributing 30 points overall. He’s averaging 2.53 shots on goal per game.
The 23-year-old is making things happen in the offensive end right now, despite the lack of points. Coronato has cashed the Over in shots on net in four of his last five appearances.
Coronato had four shots on target in a loss to the Ducks on Sunday. He also had another four shots on goal on Saturday against the Kings. Coronato is averaging 2.60 shots on goal per contest at home in 2025-26.
Stars vs Flames same-game parlay
Nazem Kadri has hit the Over in shots on goal in three straight contests. During that span, he’s notched 17 shots on target, including seven on Sunday in Anaheim.
Kadri is averaging 2.91 shots on goal this season.
Kadri has three points across his previous five outings, and considering just how many opportunities he’s creating, there’s a good chance he either scores or tallies an assist tonight.
He’s already registered two helpers in one game against the Dallas Stars this season.
Stars vs Flames SGP
Matt Coronato Over 2.5 shots on goal
Nazem Kadri Over 2.5 shots on goal
Nazem Kadri Over 0.5 points
Stars vs Flames odds
Moneyline: Stars -137 | Flames +114
Puck Line: Stars -1.5 | Flames +1.5
Over/Under: Over 5.5 | Under 5.5
Stars vs Flames trend
The Flames have covered the puck line in 17 of their last 25 games at home (+12.60 Units / 30% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Stars vs. Flames.
How to watch Stars vs Flames
Location
Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, AB
Date
Tuesday, March 3, 2026
Puck drop
9:00 p.m. ET
TV
SN1, Victory+
Stars vs Flames 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.
Spaniard accuses DP World Tour of ‘extorting’ players
‘I don’t know what game they’re trying to play right now’
Jon Rahm’s dispute with the DP World Tour has escalated after the Spaniard accused the organisation of “extorting” golfers over fines for competing on the LIV circuit. Rahm’s Ryder Cup future remains in peril with no resolution to the matter in sight, with insiders at the DP World Tour and Europe’s Ryder Cup fans baffled by his stance.
Rahm incurred fines and suspensions as a DP World, formerly European, Tour member playing on what are regarded as competing Saudi-backed LIV events. Rahm signed for LIV in 2023 in a deal reportedly worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
