Luis Garcia pitching for the Angels in August 2025.
The Mets, after two high-profile lineup moves in recent days, turned toward the bullpen Wednesday.
Luis García, a veteran right-hander who spent last season with three teams, has reached agreement with the club on a one-year contract, The Post’s Joel Sherman first reported.
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García, 38, pitched to a 3.42 ERA in 58 appearances last season with the Angels, Nationals and Dodgers.
He became the third new member of a reconstructed Mets bullpen during an offseason in which Edwin Díaz departed to the Dodgers on a three-year, $69 million contract.
The Mets also have Huascar Brazobán, and lefties Brooks Raley and A.J. Minter in the bullpen.
Luis Garcia pitching for the Angels in August 2025. MediaNews Group via Getty Images
García averaged 96.9 mph with his fastball last season, which ranked in MLB’s 87th percentile, according to Statcast. He also had a ground ball rate of 49.7 percent, which ranked in the 82nd percentile.
The Mets are still searching for an arm to bolster the starting rotation.
“I’ve been clear, my preference would be to add a starting pitcher,” president of baseball operations David Stearns said. “It doesn’t mean it’s a certainty we’re going to do it, but yes.”
Framber Valdez remains the top option on the free agent market, and the Mets convened with the left-hander at the GM meetings in November. The trade options could include Tarik Skubal and Freddy Peralta, both of whom are entering their walk year.
Brett Baty will be an option to play first base and left field, according to Stearns. Last season Baty split time between second and third base, but those positions are now occupied by full-time players in Marcus Semien and Bichette.
“We have got a lot of people in the organization who feel Brett Baty is going to be a real good left fielder once he gets some experience out there,” Stearns said.
The Mets also plan to evaluate prospect Carson Benge in left field during spring training and have Tyrone Taylor returning.
“I think we have some options out there, and we’ll continue to see how the offseason goes,” Stearns said.
Four other Yankees cracked the list, headlined by shortstop George Lombard Jr. at No. 46.
Pitcher Elmer Rodriguez (59), 2025 first-round shortstop Dax Kilby (No. 61) and pitcher Carlos Lagrange (93) round out the quartet that qualified.
Baseball America has not been kind to Jones throughout the years, ranking him as its No. 46 prospect before the 2024 season and leaving him off lists since.
He’s certainly a divisive prospect, with some projecting Aaron Judge-like power while others worrying his swing has too many holes and he will strike out way too often.
Jones, 24, slashed .274/.362/.571 with 35 homers, 80 RBIs and 29 steals this past season, and could be part of the Yankees’ Opening Day mix.
It seems he’ll start the year in the minors after Cody Bellinger re-signed Wednesday — provided he’s not traded — affording more opportunities to refine his game.
Spencer Jones during spring training last year. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Four Yankees making the list shows that the system has depth, but their top prospect coming in at No. 46 further revealed that the system lacks top-end talent.
The Bronx Bombers have talked up Lombard for quite some time after drafting him in 2023, but he’s coming off a disappointing season in which he had a .695 OPS in Double-A.
George Lombard Jr. during spring training. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Rodriguez-Cruz shined after arriving in the Carlos Narvaez trade, posting a 2.58 ERA with 176 strikeouts in 150 innings spanning three levels.
Kilby, the No. 39 pick in the 2025 Draft, played in just 18 minor-league games and posted an .898 OPS with 16 stolen bases.
Lagrange rounded out the list after posting a 3.83 ERA with 168 strikeouts in 120 innings spanning Double-A and Single-A.
This will be the second of two meetings between the teams after the Flames went into Pittsburgh on Jan. 10 and won 2-1. Matt Coronato scored the game-winning goal in the third period.
The Flames are coming off a 2-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Monday, but have still won three of their last five games. They have started a bit of their sell-off after trading defenseman Rasmus Andersson to the Vegas Golden Knights. He's been great for the Flames this year, compiling 10 goals and 30 points in 48 games.
Goaltender Dustin Wolf was first off the ice during the Flames' morning skate and is lined up to start in this game. Wolf has a 15-19-2 record with a 2.98 goals-against average and a .900 save percentage. His numbers are lower this year than last, but don't let that fool you. He's still a really good young goaltender.
Nazem Kadri leads the team in points with 34 in 49 games, followed by Mikael Backlund with 12 goals and 31 points. Coronato has 13 goals and 26 points in 48 games and continues to play well after breaking out with 24 goals last season.
The Penguins are expected to run with the same forward lines that they had on Monday for Wednesday's game, but the defensive pairings could look different, as Erik Karlsson is still not ready to return and Kris Letang is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.
Head coach Dan Muse confirmed after the morning skate that Letang continues to be evaluated and hasn't been ruled out.
Stuart Skinner will start in goal for the Penguins, paving the way for Arturs Silovs to start against the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday.
Puck drop is set for 9:30 p.m. ET on SportsNet Pittsburgh. Fans can also listen to the game on 105.9 'The X.'
The Buffalo Sabres entered the second of back-to-back road games in Nashville, losers of two games in a row, but unlike recent games when Tage Thompson had carried the majority of the scoring burden, the Sabres 5-3 win over the Predators was thanks to the newly formed “Kid Line” of Konsta Helenius, Noah Ostlund, and Zach Benson.
Ostlund scored twice, and Helenius scored his first NHL goal in his second NHL game. Buffalo held a 4-0 lead in the second period, but Nashville closed the gap to 4-3 in the third before Peyton Krebs scored into an empty net. Alex Lyon made 31 saves in his first start since late December.
Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff spoke after the game:
What happened in the latter half of the game that allowed Nashville to come back?
We got out of structure on a couple of plays. We got caught on a long shift. Intentions were good, but we didn't manage the puck well enough, which really hurt us. And I thought ultimately that's what gave them momentum.
What can you say about the play of the Benson, Ostlund, Helenius line?
Best line by far. Skated well, made every play, every time they were on the ice or in their offensive zone, six, seven shots on goal. That's the type of energy you need. I think when you look at the schedule and you look at back-to-back games, some guys have a little more than others. They had a lot of energy, and they made a lot of great plays.
Why were you comfortable putting that line together?
I think the world of Ostlund, for the way he plays down low, and how smart he's been. I just trust him to play. Give them the opportunity trust them to play. And I think if you keep getting thrown out there, you feel good about your game……It takes three to make a line go and I thought they were kind of connected. They were around the puck together
Add Bichette and Robert to the already-signed Jorge Polanco, and New York's offense has been transformed after the departures of Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, and Jeff McNeil.
While Stearns said he's happy with the position player group the Mets now have, they are still in search of a starting pitcher.
"My preference is to add a starting pitcher," Stearns told SNY's Steve Gelbs. "I've been open and honest about that through the entirety of the offseason. I can't say with certainty that we're going to be able to do that, but we remain engaged on a number of different fronts in that market.
"We've still got plenty of time to go in the offseason, certainly plenty of time to go before Opening Day. And so we'll see where it heads."
The Mets, who have yet to dip into their stable of top prospects in any trade this offseason, could be set up well to deal for a top-of-the-rotation pitcher.
The best free agent pitcher remaining is Framber Valdez, who has been heavily linked to the Mets and Orioles and could possibly be had on a three-or four-year deal worth around $30 million annually.
As things currently stand, the Mets' rotation includes Nolan McLean, Clay Holmes, Sean Manaea, David Peterson, and Kodai Senga.
Then there are the young starters, led by Jonah Tong, Brandon Sproat, and Christian Scott -- who should be ready to go after recovering from Tommy John surgery.
While the Mets have rotation depth, they also have lots of question marks -- something that obviously isn't lost on Stearns as he continues the club's pursuit of more starting pitching.
His offense, while inconsistent, is something you can dream on.
Robert has had two consecutive down seasons, but he showed serious flashes last summer when he slashed .297/.350/.468 in 140 plate appearances over 35 games from July 11 to Aug. 26 -- when his season ended due to a hamstring injury.
"As we looked at Luis Robert, we saw so many of the same skills and tools that allowed him to an elite player just a couple of years ago," Stearns told Gelbs. "All of that is still there. When you see those underlying skills and tools at such a high level, it makes you want to get that guy in your organization. We'll do everything we can to bring the best out of him. We'll do everything we can to keep him on the field, make him comfortable.
"Sometimes just a change of place, a change of scenery gives someone a little bit of a new perspective. We don't know what that is. We don't really know why, but we've all seen it plenty of times in sports. And Luis certainly could be a guy like that."
Behind the scenes, though, things haven’t been quite as rosy.
Thanks to a story by Baxter Holmes of ESPN on Wednesday, we learned quite a bit about their relationship. While there were plenty of anecdotes detailing how things changed, the most notable revelation was that Jeanie considered not giving LeBron another extension in 2022 and even thought about trading him to the Clippers.
In 2022, in the aftermath of the Westbrook trade, multiple people said Jeanie privately mused about not giving James a contract extension and, later that year, even about trading James, with the LA Clippers floated as a possibility.
Look, there are plenty of people to blame for the Russell Westbrook trade. The fact that no one really got fired was perplexing. But Jeanie placing the blame at the feet of LeBron and not the President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka is surprising.
If the Lakers decided to trade for Russ because LeBron wanted it, then sure, he takes some of the blame. However, ultimately, he is a player and doesn’t have the final say, sothat falls more on ownership and the front office than on James.
But from Jeanie’s perspective, it seems she believed LeBron was focused on spinning the blame away from himself on this topic, which led to their relationship souring.
The distance between Jeanie and James widened after the Lakers traded for Russell Westbrook in July 2021, people close to the team said. The team had made the trade in an effort to appease James, but the acquisition backfired in catastrophic fashion. L.A. went 33-49 and missed the playoffs, and James seemed to wash his hands of his role in the acquisition.
Jeanie privately bristled about what she felt was his lack of accountability and the way James would shift blame onto others after the Westbrook trade, the people said.
Despite the icy relationship and Jeanie’s thoughts of moving on from LeBron, she never has. And has still made decisions she thought would make him happy, like drafting Bronny James. But, again, Jeanie wasn’t pleased with his response.
And when the Lakers drafted James’ son Bronny with the 55th pick in the 2024 draft, Jeanie privately remarked that James should be grateful for such a gesture, but she felt that he wasn’t, people close to the team told ESPN.
Bronny worked out with other teams, so clearly, he had interest from different organizations, and he was going to find a spot in the league.
While LeBron never publicly said the words “I appreciate what the Lakers did drafting Bronny,” he has certainly shown how much it means to him. When training camp started, he called it “the greatest thing” to have Bronny working with him. And LeBron, for years, mentioned that playing with Bronny was “the ultimate dream.”
While Jeanie might feel LeBron hasn’t shown gratitude for what the Lakers have done for him, LeBron also likely feels like they haven’t been thankful for what he’s done for them.
The fact is, LeBron came to the Lakers when it didn’t make sense for him to do so. Back in 2018, he could’ve gone wherever he wanted, but he chose LA.
And while Jeanie might think they had a great pitch, LeBron had non-basketball reasons for being in Los Angeles due to his business ventures. So, it likely didn’t matter what their PowerPoint presentation looked like or what Magic Johnson had to say when selling Bron on the idea.
LeBron’s arrival, followed by a title within two years, makes him a Laker legend. That credit LeBron gets breeds envy, and Jeanie appears to have some, given how his move and its success are perceived by the general public.
She didn’t like that James was considered a savior for a foundering franchise when he arrived in 2018 and that it was he who chose the Lakers rather than the team’s leadership receiving praise for landing him. Team sources have been adamant for years that James’ camp informed the Lakers as early as 2017 that he was coming to join them when he became a free agent the following year.
In the end, it’s all messy, petty corporate politics mixed with sports.
Clearly, the Westbrook trade was a failure, and no one wants to take accountability for it. Jeanie is the boss of the Lakers and, like all bosses, she wants all of the credit and none of the blame.
Rather than looking within or at Pelinka and the rest of the front office on what went wrong, it’s easier to just blame LeBron. While he likely did push for it, that’s not his job. Someone in charge could’ve said no and they didn’t.
Despite any ideas about walking away from LeBron, Jeanie and the Lakers never did.
This relationship between Jenaie and LeBron seems to be pretty fractured at this point. And considering that LeBron is in the final year of his contract, perhaps this ends, as many things do, in a bit of a cold divorce.
Trash talk’s a foundational part of basketball, something of a love language in the sport between ruthless competitors trying to gain whatever edge they can on the court.
It wasn’t a joke, either, with Izzo saying in his post-game news conference that he was “serious as a jaybird.”
“I’m hoping that it ticks him off and maybe he’ll play better angry because some of it was unstomachable and I haven’t said that much this whole year,” Izzo said.
"We're all flying back to East Lansing and [Kur Teng] is flying to Appleton. Check USA Today tomorrow him and my mom will be going at it in a nursing home gym..."
Tom Izzo on telling Kur Teng he couldn't guard his mother during MSU's game at Oregon. pic.twitter.com/WAoMTjJxY8
Teng is fifth on the team in scoring this season, averaging 7.3 points per game, but he struggled against the Ducks, picking up no stats beyond two fouls and a turnover in eight minutes. It was his second-shortest appearance in a game this season and marked the first time this season he didn’t attempt a shot.
Thankfully for Teng, the rest of his team was more sound defensively, holding Oregon to 39% shooting from the field. The victory improved Michigan State to 17-2 overall and 7-1 in Big Ten play. The Spartans are No. 10 in the latest USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.
While the rest of his team heads back from the Pacific Northwest to prepare for a matchup on Saturday, Jan. 24 against Maryland, Teng will be taking a detour to pay a visit to a certain nonagenarian.
“We’re all flying back to East Lansing. He’s flying to Appleton,” Izzo said. “Check USA TODAY tomorrow. Him and my mom will be going at it in a nursing home in a gym and we’ll see how he does.”
As Bo Bichette donned his orange and blue Mets cap and No. 19 jersey for the first time on Wednesday afternoon, he made it clear that there was one factor in particular that led to him signing in New York.
Winning.
“It was very obvious that I wanted to be a Met,” Bichette explained. “Mr. [Steve] Cohen and David [Stearns] have put together an organization that is looking to win every single year, has an opportunity to win a World Series every single year, and a roster that backs that up. It’s very exciting to be part of this city, one of the best cities in the world, maybe the best city in the world, some of the best fans in the world, and all of that is something I always wanted to be a part of. So, I’m excited to be here and excited to be a Met.”
“My first priority is winning, and obviously this organization is doing everything that they can to do that,” Bichette added later. “The roster is great, like I said, and then just playing in front of fans like this is a pretty cool opportunity. I’m excited to get out there.”
While Bichette, who signed with the Mets on a three-year, $126 million contract, has primarily played shortstop over the course of his major league career with the Blue Jays, the Mets have said he will now make the move to be their everyday third baseman.
And Bichette is ready for the challenge.
“I was open to doing anything if it felt like the place I needed to be,” he said. “And like I said, it became very clear that I wanted to be a Met.”
Stearns stated early in the offseason that run prevention was the team’s top priority when it came to reshaping the roster. But with Bichette at third base and Jorge Polanco at first, the Mets have a pair of starting infielders who are starting at new positions.
Speaking to SNY’s Steve Gelbs on Wednesday, Stearns explained that while there will be growing pains along the way, he believes in the athleticism that the Mets have built in their new infield.
“We’re potentially going to have four shortstops on the dirt a lot of days this season,” Stearns said. “From a range perspective, that’s a real advantage. We should be able to cover a lot of ground.
“Now there are certainly going to be learning moments for Bo and Jorge Polanco as well as they understand the intricacies of their positions. But with Bo we’re talking about someone who knows the game so well, someone who understands the game so well, has been around the game for his entire life, has a great work ethic on the field, has the aptitude. We believe he’s going to get there and get there pretty fast.”
The Toronto Raptors offense exploded against the Golden State Warriors last night. The question is, can they keep it up on back-to-back nights when they visit the Sacramento Kings?
My Raptors vs. Kings predictions break down why the Raps will keep roaring in the third game of their West Coast road trip.
Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley fuel my NBA picks for this matchup set to go at 10 pm ET at Golden 1 Arena in Sacramento.
Raptors vs Kings prediction
Raptors vs Kings best bet: Raptors team total Over 115.5 (-115)
The Toronto Raptors took advantage of the Warriors playing without Jimmy Butler and went off for a season-high 145 points in last night's victory.
Sacramento ranks 27th in defensive rating and has surrendered 118.2 points per game over the last 15 games.
Toronto has a team total of 115.5, a number the Raps have topped in six of their last 10 games.
Raptors vs Kings same-game parlay
Quickely’s 40 burger is the culmination of some improved play from the Raptors guard. He’s averaging 19.2 points over his last 14 games and has eclipsed tonight's point total in 10 of those 14.
Meanwhile, Barnes is on a hot streak. He’s scored 22 or more points in five of his last six, averaging 24 over that stretch. Mix in the Kings' poor rebounding, and there should be plenty of second-chance opportunities for the Raps to go Over these point totals.
Raptors vs Kings SGP
Raptors team total Over 115.5
Immanuel Quickley Over 16.5 points
Scottie Barnes Over 20.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: Timmy's Special
Let's back IQ and Scottie to take their games to the next level. Scottie should dominate the glass, and IQ will look to get his teammates involved.
Raptors vs Kings SGP
Raptors team total Over 115.5
Scottie Barnes double-double
Immanuel Quickley double-double
Raptors vs Kings odds
Spread: Raptors -220 | Kings +180
Moneyline: Raptors -5.5 | Kings +5.5
Over/Under: Over 226 | Under 226
Raptors vs Kings betting trend to know
The Raptors have covered the 1Q Spread in 28 of their last 40 away games for +14.30 Units and a 31% ROI. Find more NBA betting trends for Raptors vs. Kings.
How to watch Raptors vs Kings
Location
Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
Date
Wednesday, January 21, 2026
Tip-off
10:00 p.m. ET
TV
TSN, NBC Sports California
Raptors vs Kings latest injuries
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This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
When Kyle Dubas was hired as the President of Hockey Operations for the Pittsburgh Penguins on Jun. 1, 2023 - and later named as General Manager - he had a lot of work ahead of him.
The Penguins had just missed the playoffs for the first time in 17 years, and the organization - as well as ownership - still believed it had what it took to get back. Dubas went out and landed Erik Karlsson, who was coming off a career-best season and Norris Trophy campaign, but that wasn't enough to get them back into contention.
So, he went into sell mode at the deadline, trading away Pittsburgh's most valuable on-the-market asset in Jake Guentzel and beginning what was thought, by many, to be a rebuild that would take years to execute.
But flash forward just two years later, and the Penguins are back in playoff contention. And, no, they're not just back by a stroke of luck, they look to be a legitimately good hockey team when relatively healthy and pitted up against some of the better teams in the league. When looking back at everything Dubas has done since the beginning of the offseason for the Penguins, it's starting to make more and more sense why they're competitive and what the plan for the rebuild's "next steps" are.
And if the Penguins do, indeed, make the playoffs, Dubas should pretty much just be handed the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year award.
Of course, there are other general managers around the league who deserve a ton of recognition this season, too. Chris MacFarland - GM of the Colorado Avalanche - has managed to build a powerhouse team that could break some NHL season record, and that's after trading superstar Mikko Rantanen at last season's trade deadline. Kelly McCrimmon - GM of the Vegas Golden Knights - brought in Mitch Marner during the offseason and recently traded for Rasmus Andersson, who should help their blue line in the push for another division title.
Then there's New York Islanders' new GM Mathieu Darche, who had a masterclass of a 2025 draft and who - like Dubas - has steered a team with lower expectations right into the playoff conversation. Even Detroit Red Wings' GM Steve Yzerman and his "Yzerplan" is starting to bear some fruit, with Detroit being one of the East's top teams this season.
But it's hard to ignore what Dubas has done for a team that many pegged as a lottery team. Not only has he managed to infuse some talent into a previously barren pipeline during his tenure as GM, but he's continued to add even more talent to both the pipeline and to the NHL roster without sacrificing the future.
In this year's draft, he selected center Ben Kindel 11th overall, which - at the time - was a move criticized by many. Well, Kindel has played full-time at the NHL level this season - primarily as the team's third-line center - and already looks like a veteran. Once the production catches up, he will be a star. And he's one of only three players drafted this season still remaining at the NHL level, with the others being Michael Misa of the San Jose Sharks and Matthew Schaefer of the Islanders.
He also used the first-round pick from the New York Rangers - courtesy of the Marcus Pettersson trade last spring - to trade down and select two more players in the first round in Bill Zonnon and Will Horcoff, both of whom are promising prospects.
And that's not even accounting for the other moves he made in the offseason. He added defenseman Parker Wotherspoon and wingers Justin Brazeau and Anthony Mantha in free agency, all of whom have been significant contributors to the Penguins' playoff push. He added goaltender Arturs Silovs via trade, and he has been a factor. He also brought back forward Connor Dewar after non-tendering him as an RFA, and he's been a significant piece on Pittsburgh's penalty kill and their fourth line.
Pittsburgh Penguins' GM and POHO Kyle Dubas speaks with the media following Day One of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. Credit: Kelsey Surmacz - The Hockey News
And all of this isn't even accounting for three second-round picks and the third-round pick that they acquired through taking on salary dumps like Connor Clifton, Matt Dumba, and Skinner, two of which have actually been pretty solid contributors for the Penguins. Or the trades that never happened in Karlsson, Rickard Rakell, and Bryan Rust, all of whom have continued to be key parts of their lineup and locker room.
Dubas isn't done yet, either. And neither are the Penguins. If they remain in playoff contention, there's a good chance that Dubas will add to the roster for the playoff push. There are even whispers that they are in the mix for some bigger names - maybe even big fish like Jason Robertson.
There is still a lot of season left, and a lot can happen. Maybe the Penguins will fall out of contention, and they'll go back into sell mode. Or maybe they won't, and Dubas has the choice to either ride with the wind and keep the current roster intact or get creative in trying to both improve the NHL roster and keep their promising future intact.
If they don't - and they manage to make the playoffs and, perhaps, even go on some kind of Cinderella run - this could quite possibly one of the best-managed seasons in recent memory. But regardless of how things turn out, Dubas deserves a lot of praise for the work he's done with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Prosecutors are putting their star witness on the stand on Wednesday in their latest effort to prove former Dodgers star Yasiel Puig committed federal crimes.
Donny Kadokawa was called to testify early in the morning as the second day of Puig’s trial got underway in a Downtown Los Angeles courtroom.
Yasiel Puig arrived to the second day of his trial in Downtown Los Angeles in a beige-colored outfit. Jeremy Louwerse for NY Post
Kadokawa said he met Puig at a Dodgers game and the two later got close in January 2019 after Puig attended a youth baseball camp Kadokawa hosted in Hawaii.
Kadokawa testified he became the go-between for Puig and bookies, including Wayne Nix, a former Minor League pitcher accused of running a massive illegal gambling operation.
Donny Kadokawa testified on Wednesday that he was a go-between for Yasiel Puig and bookies. Los Angeles Dodgers Training Academy
Kadokawa said Puig would place bets to him through text messages, and after just a few weeks of making wagers, he went down 10s of thousands of dollars.
Kadokawa testified he earned a commission from Nix for placing bets for Puig, but he gave it back because he was afraid of possible repercussions due to how much Puig owed.
Prior to the questioning of Kadokawa, Puig’s agent Lisette Carnet told The Post she was certain prosecutors were going to use Kadokawa to try to paint Puig “as this very savvy gambler,” though she claimed the reality was he took advantage of Puig.
She also alleged that Kadokawa “took a deal to basically say that Yasiel was doing something wrong.”
Prosecutors have alleged for several years that Puig placed nearly 1,000 illegal bets in 2019 and then lied to investigators about it in 2022.
Kadokawa said in court Wednesday he met Puig at a Dodgers game and they got close at baseball camp for kids. Facebook/ Kado Baseball
The feds claim Puig made multiple false statements to them during an interview. They also allege he later sent an audio message where he could be heard admitting to lying to the investigators.
Puig has been charged with one count of obstruction of justice and two counts of making false statements. If convicted, Puig faces significant prison time.
Yasiel Puig looked stoic as he entered court on Wednesday. Jeremy Louwerse for NY Post
Puig once cut a deal with prosecutors to close out the case in November 2022, when he agreed to plead guilty to lying to federal investigators, but he later backed out of the pact.
“I want to clear my name,” he said after reneging on the agreement. “I never should have agreed to plead guilty to a crime I did not commit.”
Yasiel Puig starred for the Dodgers in the 2010s. Getty Images
Court documents show Puig’s trial is expected to last a little over a week. Kadokawa testified throughout Wednesday and is expected to return to the stand on Thursday. Puig showed up for the proceedings in a beige suit jacket with a similar-colored turtle neck.
Puig, 35, made his MLB debut with the Dodgers in 2013 and spent several years with the team. He wrapped up his career with the Reds and then Cleveland in 2019.
He later played professionally in South Korea as well as the Mexican League.
Nolan McLean likely will be falling off prospect lists everywhere this year as he’s poised for his first full season with the Mets following an impressive 2025 cameo.
McLean, 24, comes in at No. 8, followed by outfielder Carson Benge at No. 19; right-hander Jonah Tong at No. 44; middle infielder/center fielder Jett Williams at No. 71; right-hander Brandon Sproat at No. 81 and outfielder/second baseman A.J. Ewing at No. 83.
A third-round pick in 2023, McLean had a 2.06 ERA in eight big-league starts last year, recording 57 strikeouts in 48 innings and a 5-1 record while impressing with his deep arsenal and a fastball that can reach the high 90s.
His spot in the 2026 rotation seems secure, barring an unexpectedly poor spring training.
Tong and Sproat also had late-season stints with the Mets, though they didn’t create the same buzz that McLean did.
Nolan McLean during the 2025 season. Robert Sabo for NY Post
In five starts, the 22-year-old Tong had a 7.71 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 18 ⅔ innings after raising his stock tremendously with a 1.59 ERA across 20 Double-A outings.
He was a seventh-round pick in 2022.
Sproat had a 4.79 ERA with 17 strikeouts in 20 ⅔ innings across four MLB starts after posting a 4.24 ERA in 26 Triple-A appearances.
Currently the Mets figure to have a rotation that includes David Peterson, Kodai Senga, Sean Manaea and Clay Holmes. They may still sign a starter in free agency and have been linked to Framber Valdez.
Benge’s path to earning a big-league roster spot got complicated Tuesday when the Mets acquired center fielder Luis Robert from the White Sox.
Carson Benge could be in the Mets’ outfield this year. MLB Photos via Getty Images
The 23-year-old, a first-round pick in 2024, hit .281 with an .857 OPS, 15 home runs, 73 RBIs and 22 stolen bases across High-A, Double-A and Triple-A last year in his first full pro season.
Williams, a 22-year-old first-round pick in 2022, hit .261 with an .828 OPS, 17 homers, 52 RBIs and 34 steals in 130 games across Double-A and Triple-A in 2025.
Ewing, a 21-year-old 2023 fourth-round pick, hit .315 with an .830 OPS, three homers, 55 RBIS and 70 steals in 124 games across A-ball, High-A and Double-A last season.
New York and Seattle are both low-scoring teams that play at slow paces and rely greatly on their goaltenders.
Neither team found the back of the net in regulation — or overtime — when they met earlier this season.
While that’s unlikely to be the case again, my Islanders vs. Kraken predictions are banking on another low-scoring affair.
Let’s take a closer look at my NHL picks for Wednesday, January 21.
Puck-drop is set for 9:30 p.m. ET at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, with the game airing on TNT.
Islanders vs Kraken prediction
Islanders vs Kraken best bet: Under 5.5 (+100)
Both of these teams have been kind to Under backers this season. The New York Islanders own an O/U record of 22-26-1, while the Seattle Kraken come in at 19-27-2.
The Islanders rank 22nd in goals per game and don’t score a lot in the best of times. Finding the net is even more challenging without Bo Horvat, who comfortably leads the team in goals despite already missing 13 games, and veteran winger Kyle Palmieri.
They have relied on Ilya Sorokin to do the heavy lifting and he has answered the bell, sporting a .915 SV% through 29 appearances.
He is likely to improve those numbers against a Kraken team sitting 25th in goals per game. Sorokin has made seven appearances vs. Bottom-10 scoring offenses this season, allowing an average of 1.86 goals while posting two shutouts.
He should be able to greatly limit the damage. So, too, should Philipp Grubauer. He owns a .917 SV% on the season and recently held low-scoring teams like the Flames, Predators, and Flyers to one goal each.
With a pair of lower-end offenses set to square off against quality goaltenders, goals will likely be difficult to come by.
Islanders vs Kraken same-game parlay
One would think shooters like Jared McCann and Brandon Montour getting healthy would take volume away from Matty Beniers. Not the case. He has averaged 2.1 shots and 4.9 attempts with those two healthy compared to 1.7 shots and 3.1 attempts without both.
The Kraken have given up the fourth-most shots to defensemen this season, setting up nicely for the offensive-minded Tony DeAngelo to get a couple of pucks on net.
New York has hit the Under in 14 of its last 20 away games (+9.75 Units / 44% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Islanders vs. Kraken.
How to watch Islanders vs Kraken
Location
Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, WA
Date
Wednesday, January 21, 2026
Puck drop
9:30 p.m. ET
TV
TNT
Islanders vs Kraken latest injuries
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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Mystery spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman grabbed a hat trick as Afghanistan warmed up for next month’s T20 World Cup with a series-clinching 39-run win over the West Indies on Wednesday.
West Indies, which lost the first game by 38 runs, got bowled out for 150 in 18.5 overs. Mujeeb claimed 4-21 and became only the third Afghan bowler after Rashid Khan and Karim Janat to accomplish a hat trick in T20s.
Earlier, Darwish Rasooli followed his half-century in the first game with 68 off 39 balls and Sediqullah Atal made 53 in Afghanistan’s total of 189-4 after the West Indies won the toss and elected to field.
Mujeeb had Evin Lewis trapped leg before wicket of a quicker ball before he clean bowled Johnson Charles with a perfect delivery that drifted into the right-handed batter and the West Indies slumped to 38-3 in eight overs.
Mujeeb waited for his hat trick until he returned for his final over in the death overs when top-scorer captain Brandon King (50) holed out at long-on and then finished with a four-wicket haul by clean bowling Quentin Sampson.
“The plan was to keep it simple and hit the stumps,” Mujeeb said. “Didn’t know I was on a hat trick and I was just looking to hit the right areas. Good preparation for us before the World Cup. This win will give us more energy.”
The three-match series concludes on Thursday.
Shimron Hetmyer briefly challenged the tall target with his 46 off 17 balls that featured six sixes before he holed out to sweeper cover while attempting a big shot against Fazalhaq Farooqi (2-28).
Fast bowler Azmatullah Omarzai claimed 2-20 before Farooqi dismissed No. 11 batter Ramon Simmonds to seal the series for Afghanistan with seven balls to spare.
Afghanistan opening pair of Rahmanullah Gurbaz (1) and Ibrahim Zadran (22) exited inside the power play, but Rasooli and Atal combined in a 115-run stand as they dominated both pace and spin.
Atal smacked three sixes and two fours before he holed out to deep square leg in Matthew Forde’s (2-25) return spell and Rasooli fell in the 18th over when he couldn’t clear Alick Athanaze at mid-off.
Omarzai smashed an unbeaten 26 off 13 balls with spinner Gudakesh Motie returning with expensive figures of 0-54 that included 19 runs of the final over.
“Hetty (Hetmyer) played a fantastic innings, but after he got out, I had to be the person finishing it,” King said. “The fielding has been a disappointment but that’s something we keep working on.”
We've reached the midpoint of an NBA season that has been filled with surprises — Detroit and Boston lead the East, San Antonio is second in the West — and also far too many injuries to stars. It's also given us jaw-dropping moments, and not just the ones Victor Wembanyama seems to deliver us on a nightly basis.
The midpoint also means it's time to take stock of the NBA postseason awards. All week long, I will make my picks for some of the NBA's top awards at this point in the season, plus get betting angles from NBC Sports experts. Today: Rookie of the Year.
NBA Rookie of the Year: Kon Knueppel
2. Cooper Flagg 3. VJ Edgecombe
Analysis of Rookie of the Year race
Any analysis has to start here: This is a deep, talented and very entertaining rookie class.
At the top of it are two former Duke teammates who, to me, are a coin flip for Rookie of the Year at this point in Knueppel and Flagg. Neither is playing like a rookie. Their counting stats are relatively even — Knueppel is averaging 19 points per game, Flagg 18.8; Flagg is grabbing one more rebound and dishing out 0.6 assists more a game. Both are playing heavy minutes, and both have been impressive playmakers for rookies asked to carry a lot of their team's offense. Flagg has been the better defender, but Knueppel has held his own.
What separated them for me was that Knueppel has just been more efficient to this point — he's shooting better (particularly from 3) and putting up those numbers on fewer touches and lower usage. By the end of the season, I may well flip these two with my vote, but if the season ended today, I would vote Knueppel.
It's also very close in my mind for the No. 3 spot in this ranking, with the 76ers' VJ Edgecombe getting the nod but Memphis' Cedric Coward (maybe the most overlooked player in this class) right on his heels. If I were voting for the All-Rookie first team this week, those two would be in it with Derik Queen from New Orleans getting the other spot (and he could crack the top three for this award by the end of the season.
Betting ROY Race
We reached out to the NBC Sports betting experts for their thoughts on the Rookie of the Year race and how they might bet it.
Jay Coucher, NBC Sports Lead Betting Analyst
Cooper Flagg is the rightful clear favorite, but Kon Knueppel's historic efficiency for a rookie, combined with the Hornets being a surprisingly frisky top 10 offense, should make the odds slightly tighter than they are currently.
Drew Dinsick, NBC Sports Betting Analyst
The clear favorite is Flagg but his case is far from secure as the Mavs face the 3rd toughest remaining schedule and the Anthony Davis injury makes their likelihood of tanking for draft position much higher. If the Mavs shut down Flagg with meaningful time remaining this season to preserve him for future years, it would not be entirely surprising. The second choice, Kon Knueppel (+600), has the opposite paradigm with the potential of getting wind in his sails. The Hornets have been playing very well of late and are likely in the mix for a play-in spot, if not a seat at the table in the postseason. Kon is effectively tied with Cooper right now in terms of raw production and it would again be unsurprising to see the voters reward his efforts if the Hornets continue to win games and threaten to qualify 8th in the weak East making it a solid bet at price.
