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.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
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.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 24: Gavin Stone #35 of the Los Angeles Dodgers delivers a pitch against the Cleveland Guardians during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch on February 24, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Dodgers pitcher Gavin Stone impressed in his first Cactus League start last Tuesday in his one inning, his first game in a year and a half after right shoulder surgery. But any plans for a potential spot on the opening day roster were scuttled when Stone experienced soreness in that shoulder after a bullpen session, manager Dave Roberts told reporters Monday in Scottsdale.
“I didn’t,” he admitted earlier this spring. “Honestly, Arizona was my last outing and I felt pretty good. It would get tired in between innings but it felt good. I never really considered that it would be as bad as it was. When I got the MRI back, it was kind of a shock. But (Dr. Neal) ElAttrache does a great job. I’m very thankful for all he did.”
ElAttrache did a lot. He had to repair the labrum, rotator cuff and shoulder capsule.
This is a setback for Stone, but expecting him to have been ready for opening day doesn’t necessarily fit with how the Dodgers have handled these types of rehab plans for starting pitchers in recent years.
“I thought he was overthrowing,” Roberts said. “I haven’t seen that all spring. It’s probably just getting into live competition. I thought he was a little too bullish on the fastball, but he was getting behind in the first inning.”
Yoshinbobu Yamamoto was up to three innings before leaving for the World Baseball Classic. Tyler Glasnow pitched one batter into the third inning in his Cactus League debut last Thursday and figures to start again this week. Shohei Ohtani pitched two simulated innings on the backfields on February 22 before leaving for Tokyo, and though he won’t pitch in the WBC will continue to throw on the side to continue his build-up.
Emmet Sheehan figured to have an inside track to a rotation spot, but hasn’t gotten into a Cactus League game yet as he was slowed by the flu. But if he starts at some point this week, there’s still time for four starts to build up toward the regular season.
Justin Wrobleski has been stretched out to two innings now and is in a good spot, looking to build on his strong end to last season.
The other starting pitcher on the 40-man roster is Landon Knack, and among the non-roster invitees there is veteran Cole Irvin, who pitched in the KBO last year and has been stretched out to two innings so far this spring.
Today, we have a look at the five series the Cubs will play against AL East clubs this year. One of those series will be the last three games of the regular season!
Baltimore Orioles
Key departures: Scott Blewett, Corbin Martin, Gary Sanchez, Tomoyuki Sugano, Dylan Carlson, Alex Jackson, Grayson Rodriguez
Key arrivals: Pete Alonso, Bryan Ramos, Blaze Alexander, Chris Bassitt, Jackson Kowar, Shane Baz, Ryan Helsley, Taylor Ward
The O’s had made the postseason two years in a row in 2023-24 and seemed primed for another playoff year in 2025 and then… klunk. On May 28 they were 19-36 and had been outscored 310-213. Yikes.
They were better after that, going 56-51 the rest of the way, but the damage had been done. A lot of this was a down year from catcher Adley Rutschman, who missed a lot of time with two oblique injuries. The O’s had almost no power — no one hit more than 17 home runs and the pitching was also bad, with the team allowing the sixth-most runs.
The power outage has been presumably addressed by the signing of Alonso and acquisition of Ward by trade. They are counting on Shane Baz to upgrade their rotation and Ryan Helsley should be fine at closer. Former Cub Andrew Kittredge, an Oriole until the Cubs got him last year, returns to Baltimore.
This is a tough division and even an improved Orioles team will have trouble competing.
Key departures: Steven Matz, Dustin May, Rob Refsnyder, Alex Bregman, Lucas Giolito, Liam Hendriks, John Brebbia, Nathaniel Lowe, Josh Winckowski, Vaughn Grissom, Hunter Dobbins
Key arrivals: Johan Oviedo, Sonny Gray, Willson Contreras, Ranger Suárez, Matt Thaiss, Caleb Durbin, Andruw Monasterio, Brendan Rodgers, Isiah Kiner-Falefa
The Red Sox lost a wild-card series to the Yankees last year after an 89-win season. They lost Bregman to the Cubs, and so set out to upgrade their offense in another way, trading for former Cub Contreras. They also solidified their rotation with Gray, Oviedo and Suárez, and Durbin will take over third base from Bregman.
The Red Sox have made the postseason just twice since their 2018 World Series win and in this division, it might be tough to repeat even a wild-card spot.
Key departures: Austin Slater, Luke Weaver, Devin Williams, Jonathan Loaisiga, Scott Effross, Mark Leiter Jr.
Key arrivals: Paul DeJong, Angel Chivilli, Osvaldo Bido, Rafael Montero, Ryan Weathers
Take a look at those lists above. When I was going through the Yankees transactions list for making those two groups, I kept saying, “Nope, signed him back, nope, signed him back…”
The Yankees are running back most of their 2025 season, then. Quite a number of guys who were Yankees free agents, including Cody Bellinger, Paul Goldschmidt, Trent Grisham and Amed Rosario, will all be back. The biggest loss for them is probably Devin Williams, who didn’t turn into the closer they hoped he would be. The Yankees acquired David Bednar from the Pirates last year and he’ll close for them.
They’ll have the same rotation with the addition of Ryan Weathers, acquired by trade for several minor leaguers. That includes Cam Schlittler, whose last name has already vexed a number of broadcasters. (And he’s really good, too.)
Shortstop Anthony Volpe, who had a bad year in 2025 largely due to a torn labrum, is expected back, but not for Opening Day.
I had to laugh when I read this Giancarlo Stanton quote:
Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton “can’t open a bag of chips” due to ongoing pain in elbows, but he’s determined to play full season. https://t.co/yNq5aSadCH
Key departures: Shane Baz, Pete Fairbanks, Bob Seymour, Brandon Lowe, Josh Lowe,
Key arrivals: Jake Fraley, Steven Wilson, Jake Woodford, Cedric Mullins, Steven Matz, Justyn-Henry Malloy, Cam Booser, Ben Williamson, Nick Martinez, Gavin Lux
People say, “The Rays always seem to be competitive,” but now they’ve missed the postseason two years in a row after five straight seasons in October baseball, including a 100-win season in 2021.
They’re revamping their rotation with the additions of Matz and Martinez, but both of those guys are in their mid-30s and it’s a reasonable question to ask how much they have left.
Their long-time closer, Fairbanks, headed cross-state to the Marlins and at this time the Rays haven’t designated a closer.
Lux was once a top Dodgers prospect, but he’s never quite fulfilled that, in part due to injuries. Perhaps he can recapture something in Tampa. Mullins is another reclamation project for the Rays.
Junior Caminero had a great under-the-radar year in 2025. Did you know he hit 45 home runs and had a 4.4 bWAR season? At age 21? Only Judge and Cal Raleigh hit more homers among AL players.
In short: They have good management, but at a certain point the players have to produce. They will be moving back into the repaired Tropicana Field this year after a year of playing in the Yankees’ spring park, Steinbrenner Field. That should help. In fact, the Cubs will be there for the grand re-opening.
At Tampa: April 6-7-8 (includes the Rays home opener April 6)
2025 was “oh-so-close” for the Jays in several ways.
They won the AL East on a tiebreaker; maybe that was the difference to getting to the World Series, or not.
Then they lost the Series to the Dodgers in agonizing fashion, on a bad baserunning play and a miracle defensive catch.
It’ll take work for the Jays to get back there, but they seem to have the team to do it. The only major missing piece is Bichette, who signed with the Mets. Andrés Gimenez, a capable player if not as good a hitter, takes over at shortstop.
The rest of the offense is back. They scored 798 runs in 2025, fourth in MLB (and five more runs than the Cubs did). The starting rotation has been improved by the addition of Cease. Vladdy Jr. had something of a “down” year in 2025, at least from his previous standards. He turns 27 in a couple of weeks. If he returns to that previousl level the Jays could be a real wrecking crew this year. It should be another good Yankees/Jays battle at the top of the AL East.
VENICE, FLORIDA - MARCH 16, 2025: Brett Callahan #58 of the Detroit Tigers bats during the second inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Atlanta Braves at CoolToday Park on March 16, 2025 in Venice, Florida. (Photo by George Kubas/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Outfielder Brett Callahan hasn’t gotten much national notice, and isn’t yet tracking like a future major leaguer. However, his potential makes him quite interesting, and he’s already making noise in spring camp. If there’s a hitter in the Tigers’ system who could follow Kerry Carpenter’s path as an unheralded left-handed college outfielder who ends up a power hitting force in right field, Callahan is that guy. You may have already noticed him this spring because he’s cranked a pair of 400+ foot homers in just four total plate appearances in Grapefruit League action for the Tigers.
The 24-year-old outfielder was the Tigers’ 13th round pick in the 2023 draft out of St. Joseph’s College near Philadelphia. The Tigers have focused their bonus pool money on prep talent and top college picks early in the draft, but they’ve had a lot of success already hunting undervalued talent at smaller colleges for not much more than the minimum bonus. Callahan may be next. He flew under the radar in the draft coming from a small school, and the Tigers signed him for $197,500. He’s stayed under the radar in part because he’s been banged up quite a bit in his first two full seasons as a pro. Even now, he’s not ranked on national sites’ lists of Tigers’ prospects.
Callahan had two short stints on the injured list in 2024, and then missed time in May and June last year with what looked like a quad or hamstring strain suffered running the bases. He’s also dealt with a dislocated finger that caused him some trouble although he didn’t miss much time with it. As a result he’s only played 133 games total over the past two seasons, and even when he’s been on the field he’s played through some minor injuries.
The other reason he’s gotten no national attention is his swinging strike rate and modest walk rates. He only struck out 22.2 percent of the time with High-A West Michigan in 55 games last season. However, his 16 percent swinging strike rate is a bit gruesome. Callahan is a really aggressive hitter and swings a lot, and too often he’s been willing to expand the zone, even early in counts, rather than waiting on something he can drive. However, when he does get a good pitch to hit, he tends to do damage.
The reason I’ve remained intrigued is that his smooth, compact swing has natural loft and he already hits a pretty good amount of fly balls to the pull field. He’s not a big guy at six feet tall and 195 pounds, but he’s solidly built and a good overall athlete with a fair chance to grow into plus raw power. He’s also a pretty solid corner outfielder with a strong, accurate throwing arm. If he can become more disciplined at the plate, he has the batspeed, power, and defensive ability to be a pretty complete power hitting right fielder. The injury troubles have held him back, and a sustained stretch in which to make progress with his approach would really do him right this season.
On Monday in Lakeland, in an 0-2 count, Callahan got a breaking ball down from a reasonably good Braves pitching prospect in Owen Murphy. It was supposed to be a backfoot slider, but he left it just in the corner low and in. Callahan went down to one knee to torch it out to right field for a solo shot. In the ninth inning, he ripped a fourseam fastball 112.2 mph off the bat for a hot one-hopper that went for a fielder’s choice at second base. The plus raw power appears to have arrived.
Brett Callahan launches a homer to dead center in his first plate appearance of the spring. Left his bat at 107.5 MPH and went an estimated 405 feet. pic.twitter.com/bPEqMwoASI
Like most left-handed power hitters, Callahan likes sinkers and fourseamers down in the zone, and he loves to hunt hanging breaking balls. To keep progressing as he advances to the Double-A level this year, he’ll have to do a better job fighting off the high fastball, which does give him some trouble, and show more patience and discipline. Unlike Kerry Carpenter, Callahan’s upright stance doesn’t involve posting all his weight on his back leg, and he can get caught out in front a fair amount. Better pitchers with good riding fourseamers or quality changeups can give him trouble, and he’ll see much more of that at the Double-A level this season. The injury issues give me hope that he just hasn’t really had a chance to adjust his approach with consistent reps.
Callahan has 25-30 HR upside, in a solid corner outfielder with average speed and a good, accurate arm. He has the athleticism to create good bat angles on a lot of different pitch types in different parts of the strike zone. There’s plenty to like, and now we’re seeing plus or better exit velocities off the bat as well. Still, the challenges for a free swinger say he’s probably not going to put it all together and reach that ceiling. His decision making and overall hitting instincts due need to improve to round out his approach. For now, it’s worth seeing how he develops against upper level pitching. Callahan might just do enough damage to become an intriguing future corner outfield option in 2027 and beyond.
1906: Willie Keeler, right fielder of the New York Yankees, bunts the ball during a game circa 1906. (Photo by The Stanley Weston Archive/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Baseball produces plenty of Hall of Famers whose glory and stat lines fade with time. Sayings, however, tend to stick around, passed down from generation to generation like prized baseball cards.
“Keep your eye on the ball!”
Most fans recognize the phrase. Far fewer know it came from Willie Keeler, a Hall of Fame outfielder and third baseman whose career helped shape how hitting itself was understood long before power numbers or analytics dominated the sport. More than a century later, players still hear the same advice Willie preached shouted from big league stands and youth dugouts alike.
Keeler, one of the earliest stars in New York baseball history, would have celebrated his 154th birthday today.
William Henry Keeler Born: March 3, 1872 (Brooklyn, NY) Died: January 1, 1923 (Brooklyn, NY) Yankees Tenure: 1903–09
Even by Deadball Era standards, Keeler did not look like a baseball legend. Listed at just 5-foot-4 and 140 pounds, he remains one of the smallest everyday players in major league history.
For comparison:
• Eddie Gaedel: 3-foot-7 (shortest player ever to appear in an MLB game) • Phil Rizzuto: 5-foot-6, 150 pounds • José Altuve: 5-foot-6, 166 pounds
Keeler was undersized even among baseball’s most famous undersized players.
But while he might have been small, he carried a remarkably big stick, literally. Keeler’s bat reportedly weighed up to 46 ounces. For context, Babe Ruth’s famous bat model weighed about 44.6 ounces. The image of one of the smallest players in baseball history swinging a heavier bat than the Sultan of Swat tells you almost everything you need to know about both the era and Keeler himself. It was simply a different game.
If legend serves correctly, Willie Keeler would have produced one of the most impressive spray charts in baseball history. He approached hitting as geometry rather than force, spraying line drives across the field, dropping bunts with intention, and treating each at-bat like a problem waiting to be solved.
His philosophy eventually became baseball scripture:
“Hit ’em where they ain’t.”
The results backed it up. Keeler finished with a .341 career batting average, 2,932 hits, and 16 seasons batting over .300. Of his 33 career home runs, only three cleared the fence, with most coming the old-fashioned way. Speed, bat control, and precision defined his success. When he retired in 1910, only Cap Anson had collected more hits in major league history.
That success eventually landed Keeler in the Baseball Writers’ Association of America’s early Hall of Fame voting, becoming part of the fourth induction class in 1939, one of the first groups honored before the Hall even had permanent walls.
Keeler’s most enduring accomplishment arrived in 1897, when he recorded a hit in 44 consecutive games for the old National League iteration of the Baltimore Orioles, made famous by future New York Giants manager John McGraw. For decades, the record felt untouchable. Travel was harsher, playing surfaces inconsistent, and roster stability nearly nonexistent during the Deadball Era. Sustained offensive performance was incredibly difficult, which made Keeler’s streak feel permanent.
Then, in 1941, Joe DiMaggio stepped to the plate at Yankee Stadium and changed baseball history. DiMaggio’s famous 56-game hitting streak truly began when he surpassed Keeler’s mark at 45 games. While DiMaggio’s run became immortal, it required chasing down a record that had already survived as many years as it was in games.
Entering the upcoming MLB season, the roll call of longest single-season hitting streaks in major league history remains:
• Joe DiMaggio — 56 games (1941) • Pete Rose — 44 games (1978) • Willie Keeler — 44 games (1897)
More than 125 years later, Keeler is still tied for the second-longest streak in major league history. That alone speaks to how extraordinary his consistency truly was. The longest active streak belongs to Luis Arraez, who entering the 2026 season carries a 15-game hitting streak. Arraez would need to hit safely for roughly a full calendar month to surpass Keeler and Rose.
Keeler joined the franchise during its transition from the disbanded, early-American League Baltimore Orioles into the New York Highlanders era, before the team officially adopted the Yankees name. Along with Pittsburgh’s Jack Chesbro, he was one of the more higher-profile names to join the nascent squad.
After batting .313 during his inaugural campaign with the Highlanders, his strongest season for the franchise came in 1904, when he hit .343 with a 147 OPS+ and remained among the league’s most reliable offensive players despite entering his thirties — which was considered quite old by the standards of the time. By the time his career ended in 1910, baseball itself was evolving toward a new era, leaving Keeler as a bridge between 19th-century baseball and the modern game that followed.
“Hit ’em where they ain’t” can sound almost humorous today, especially in an age of defensive positioning models and advanced analytics. Yet the principle has never changed. Baseball still rewards awareness, adjustment, and exploiting space on the field, whenever possible. Keeler simply explained the idea generations before technology tried to measure it.
That may ultimately be his greatest legacy. Not just a batting average or a streak, but a philosophy that survived every era that followed. Long before Joe DiMaggio’s elegance or Yogi Berra’s accidental wisdom, Keeler was offering baseball truths simple enough to last forever. In a way, he was Joe and Yogi before there was Joe and Yogi. Long after numbers evolve and records fall, the advice still holds true.
Happy birthday, Willie Keeler.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 23: Pitcher Logan Gilbert #36 of the Seattle Mariners throws against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning of a spring training game at Camelback Ranch on February 23, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Happy Tuesday! The Mariners are back in action today with Bryan Woo scheduled to start against the Los Angeles Angels at 12:10 PM. The World Baseball Classic exhibition games also continue today, and we will get our first look at the different Mariners players representing their respective countries. Which exhibition game are you most excited to watch today?
In Mariners news…
Logan Gilbert is highlighted in Michael Rosen’s article for FanGraphs on exciting new pitches from Spring Training.
