NHL insider Nick Kypreos released his latest trade board for Sportsnet with the 2026 NHL trade deadline rapidly approaching. A Philadelphia Flyers defenseman made the cut, as Rasmus Ristolainen was among the players discussed.
"A new addition to my trade board coming out of the break, momentum is certainly building around the possibility that the Flyers trade their big, right-shot blueliner. With teams so hungry for this type of player at this time of the year, the Flyers are considering trading him now when he has another season remaining on his contract and before he becomes a potential rental," Kypreos wrote about Ristolainen.
Seeing Ristolainen be included on Kypreos' new trade board is not necessarily surprising. The right-shot defenseman is no stranger to the rumor mill, and he has been creating more chatter as a trade candidate as of late.
Kypreos also mentioned the Dallas Stars and Ottawa Senators as two potential landing spots for Ristolainen, as they are both in need of help on the right side of their blueline. Yet, with Ristolainen being a right-shot defenseman with size and who plays a heavy game, he should generate interest from multiple clubs leading up to the deadline.
In 19 games this season with the Flyers, Ristolainen has recorded one goal, five assists, six points, and 20 hits.
Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after a swipe to the face by Moritz Wagner of the Orlando Magic during an NBA game at Crypto.com Arena on February 24, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. Getty Images
The Lakers went 4-4, punctuated by a 110-109 loss to the Magic. This was the Lakers’ chance to climb the extremely crowded Western Conference standings. Instead, they hung one-handed on a rung with their legs treading the air.
Lakers coach JJ Redick’s assessment of the Lakers’ longest home stretch of the season?
“We’re a work in progress,” he said.
As for James, he didn’t hesitate when asked if this was a blown opportunity.
“Yeah,” he deadpanned.
The Lakers’ loss to the Magic especially stung because the effort was there, something that couldn’t be said of their 111-89 stinker against the Celtics on Sunday.
But something else was lacking this time around: Clarity.
LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the game against the Orlando Magic on February 24, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NBAE via Getty Images
On the final play, with the Lakers trailing by one point and just over 6 seconds left, Doncic caught the ball ahead of the 3-point line and was open. But instead of creating a shot or driving, he dribbled once and then threw a grenade to James, who was forced to heave a 27-foot 3-pointer with 2.7 seconds left that rimmed out.
Said Doncic: “I shouldn’t have picked up the ball. I should have attacked. …That’s on me.”
Added James: “I thought [Doncic] had a good look and it looked like he kinda just lost his balance, you know. Didn’t have a rhythm with the ball, whatever the case may be. And it kinda allowed them to get back in front of him. And I was kind of off-balance when he gave it to me. I thought he had a great look. That’s my POV.”
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It was a microcosm of everything that’s wrong with the Big Three.
There’s too much deferring. There’s confusion over what to do when. There’s so many stars but no clear constellation.
For the Lakers, Tuesday’s loss was frustrating. They led by as many as 12 points in the second half in a grind-it-out game that had 13 lead changes and eight ties.
Sure, the Lakers were outrebounded, 47-39, and they gave up 58 points in the paint. But this game also saw Doncic diving over courtside seats for a loose ball, James dunking as though he were two decades younger and Austin Reaves recovering from going scoreless in the first half to finish with 18 points. Deandre Ayton even played with force.
The Lakers wanted this one.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves reacts after fouling Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026, in Los Angeles. AP
But there are no moral victories in the Western Conference, especially against a Magic team that was missing Franz Wagner (ankle) and Jalen Suggs (back).
During this homestand, the Lakers beat the 76ers without Paul George, the Warriors without Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler, a Mavericks team that’s in tank-mode and a Clippers team that sat Kawhi Leonard in the final 5 minutes and 10 seconds because of ankle soreness.
None of those were wins to write home about.
In addition to the Lakers falling to the Magic and Celtics, they dropped games against the Spurs and Thunder, the top two teams in the West.
Sure, the Lakers were without Doncic (hamstring) in four of their eight games, including missing him, James and Reaves against the Spurs on Feb. 10 in the second leg of a back-to-back. But still, this was the team’s longest homestand of the season and a unique chance to make up some ground.
“We just got to be more consistent,” said Doncic who had 22 points, 15 assists and nine rebounds against the Magic. “I think we should have won a couple more games, so we got to be more consistent.”
Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers looks to pass the ball as Paolo Banchero of the Orlando Magic plays defense during the game on February 24, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NBAE via Getty Images
The funniest part of this all is the Lakers’ record is 34-23. It’s pretty dang good. In fact, they’re only 1 1/2 games behind the third-place Houston Rockets.
They’re still very much in the thick of things.
But for some reason, home court hasn’t been much of an advantage for the Lakers this season. They have a higher winning percentage on the road (18-11, 62%) than at home (16-12, 57%),
When asked why, James himself was stumped.
“I don’t know,” said James, who had 21 points, six rebounds and four assists.
The Lakers are a good team. But they can’t seem to get their act together enough to be thought of as real contenders.
This was a chance to stop knocking on the door and kick it open.
But instead, their effort ebbed and flowed and they fell from fifth in the West to sixth in their extended stay in front of their home crowd.
It was a missed chance for a team that needed an infusion of belief in itself.
Pitching his first inning of the spring as he ramps up for both the Pittsburgh Pirates and Team USA's World Baseball Classic squad, Skenes faced called strike challenges from Atlanta Braves batters on three occasions.
And the Braves successfully challenged all three calls by homeplate umpire Chris Segal - and added another in the second inning.
Two of the overturns definitely made life more difficult for Skenes. Braves first baseman Matt Olson - one of the game's most disciplined hitters - challenged a 1-1 curveball that Segal called a strike, nicking the outside corner. Olson, a sheepish grin on his face, tapped his head just, you know, to see what happened.
Sure enough, Segal erred - by one-tenth of an inch, ABS ruled - and a 1-2 count became a 2-1 count. Olson went on to draw a two-out walk, illustrating how certain counts - such as 1-1 - are more pivotal and perhaps crucial to challenge.
Thusly emboldened, Jurickson Profar followed by challenging the first pitch - a 98.3 mph fastball seemingly on the outside corner. Segal? Wrong again, this time by a half-inch. And 0-1 became 1-0 and Profar drew a walk.
On challenge No. 3, Skenes finally took matters into his own hands. Jumping ahead 0-2 on Austin Riley, he fired a 99-mph fastball at the top of the zone. Segal punched Riley out - and Riley was tapping his helmet before Skenes could even think to trudge off the mound.
Call overturned - a whole 1.5 inches above the zone.
At that point, the camera turned to Skenes' girlfriend, Livvy Dunne, in the stands at the Braves' CoolToday Park in North Port, Fla. She looked far more relieved when Skenes threw an almost identical pitch - just a smidge lower and in the zone.
And Riley swung through it anyway.
The Braves' pedantry cost Skenes anywhere from three to 13 more pitches, finishing with 31 for the inning. Not necessarily what the Pirates or Skenes wanted.
But he still put up a zero and struck out two - proving robots can only break Skenes down so much.
Yet challenges will be a way of life in this, the first year of the ABS system in which teams are granted two challenges for both sides of the ball - and get to keep them if they're successful. Spring 2025 was a trial run, but with the system going live on Opening Day, teams are doing what they can to ace the system.
And perhaps the Braves got the NL's reigning Cy Young Award winner off his game just a bit.
In his second inning of work, Skenes was his own enemy, issuing walks to Mike Yastrzemski and Mauricio Dubón. Leadoff batter Ronald Acuña Jr. then challenged a fastball that ABS ruled was 1.5 inches outside.
Skenes got Acuña on a pop-up, seemingly no worse for wear. Yet this was Skenes' lone spring start for the Pirates before the WBC, and they'd hoped to get him through three innings.
Instead, he was lifted with one out in the third, his 53 pitches not enough to complete the frame. Skenes struck out four but also walked four - technology no help in his efforts at pitch efficiency.
WEST PALM BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 23: Washington Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews (3) celebrates scoring a run with players in the dugout during a MLB spring training game against the Philadelphia Phillies at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on February 23, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
We are less than a week into Spring Training, but that does not mean we cannot make some observations. There have been a few trends I have noticed through the first five games of Spring Training. With the Nats sitting at the top of the Grapefruit League, things have mostly been good, but it has not been perfect.
The Boys are Winning Ballgames:
The first takeaway from the beginning of Spring Training is that the Nats are winning! They are 4-0-1 in their first five games and are the only unbeaten team in the Grapefruit League. Of course, these games do not count, so this does not matter much. However, I like the way the boys have been fighting.
Final: Nats 6, Cardinals 1. Cade Cavalli looked good. Riley Cornelio looked good. They scored 5 runs with 2 outs in the 8th on only 2 hits. They remain undefeated this spring at 4-0-1.
Building a new culture is a big part of this spring. It is a new regime with new ideas. We want to see that new philosophy manifest itself on the field. While these games do not count, we are seeing some promising signs.
For years, the Nats have been overly aggressive at the plate. They have not made pitchers work, and often starters can just cruise through six innings in 75 pitches or less. However, the Nats are second in the league in walks so far this spring. This probably means nothing, as it is just Spring Training but I am going to monitor this as we get into the real season.
Cutting down on chase and being a pesky lineup should be a goal for the Nats this year. You do not need to be an Aaron Judge level talent to be a tough out. If the Nats just become a pesky lineup, they could find a way to be close to an average offense this year. With James Wood, CJ Abrams, Daylen Lile and other young players, this lineup is not devoid of talent. They just have not had a great approach as a team. Hopefully that will change this year.
Nats Saying No to Fastballs:
In my opinion, the most consequential storyline of Spring Training so far is the Nats pitchers moving away from fastballs. We did a deep dive on this the other day, but I want to revisit it here.
Last season, the Nats were near the top of the league in fastball usage despite not really having many pitchers with dominant heaters. Mitchell Parker and Jake Irvin, two guys without premium velocity, were throwing their heaters over half the time. If the start of this spring gives us a hint, the Nats will be throwing way fewer heaters. Heading into last night, the Nats were throwing fastballs at the third lowest rate of any team this spring.
Lowest combined four-seam and sinker usage through the first couple games of Spring Training…
This is something I love to see. I have been calling for this for a while now. We saw what happened when Kyle Finnegan cut his fastball usage when he went to Detroit. He became a much better pitcher who struck out hitters at a significantly higher rate. Cutting fastball usage has been low hanging fruit for smart organizations for years. It is nice to see the Nats joining the party.
Last season it was so frustrating to see Nats pitchers trying to establish their mediocre fastballs. Pounding fastballs that are not good was an example of the Nats outdated philosophy. It is not some magical elixir, but throwing your best pitches more often will be a helpful strategy for Nats pitchers.
This is a trend that I am confident will carry over into the regular season. Paul Toboni came from the Red Sox, who have been as aggressive as anyone in cutting fastball usage. It seems like he is bringing that trend with him to DC and I love to see it.
Defense Still a Work in Progress:
While it has been a really strong start to Spring Training, things have not been perfect. Last season, the Nats defense was really bad and that still appears to be an issue. The Nats made four errors in a game against the Phillies the other night and have been prone to mistakes early this spring.
One thing I have noticed is that the pitchers have not been fielding their position well. It is still early in spring, so I am willing to give grace. However, the Nats are going to have to clean this up as we get deeper into camp and approach the regular season.
Defense has been a major point of emphasis at camp so far. There have been many videos of Nats players working on their fundamentals and fielding ground balls. Yesterday, I saw a video of the Nats working on defense and situational plays in the main stadium.
Nationals working on game situations with defense and baserunners inside the stadium today. pic.twitter.com/TblvKV9nkW
You cannot accuse the new regime of not trying to improve the defense, but these changes do not happen overnight. Guys are also shaking off rust and have not been in game action for a long time. Errors are going to be inevitable, but I hope to see the Nats play cleaner baseball as we enter March.
Overall, I have been impressed with the Nats early this spring. They are competing hard and seem bought into the new vision. These players have a lot to prove in Spring Training, so I am not totally surprised to see them come out of the gates hot. It is just a few games that don’t count in February, but this week has me looking forward to the start of the season which is just a month away now.
Recently, we here at The Hockey News Buffalo Sabres took a look at two trade targets who the Sabres should consider pursuing from the New York Rangers.
Now, in this latest edition of the series, let's discuss two Calgary Flames trade candidates who could be good fits for the Sabres.
Zach Whitecloud, D
One of the Sabres' top goals ahead of the deadline should be to add a right-shot defenseman. Due to this, Flames blueliner Zach Whitecloud is one player that they should have on their radar.
Whitecloud is one of the top right-shot defenseman trade candidates leading up to the deadline and would certainly be a nice pickup for the Sabres. If they acquired him, he could fit nicely on their bottom pairing and penalty kill. In 55 games this season, he has two goals, 10 points, and 86 hits.
Blake Coleman, LW/RW
Blake Coleman is another Flames trade candidate whom the Sabres should seriously consider pursuing. This is because he would not only give them more scoring in their top nine, but also a veteran forward who kills penalties, plays a heavy game, and is a good leader.
Coleman has appeared in 44 games this season with the Flames, where he has recorded 13 goals, eight assists, 21 points, and 110 hits. With numbers like these, he would be a strong pickup for a Sabres club looking to cement themselves a playoff spot.
Blow as scrum-half Alex Mitchell is ruled out of campaign
Johnson, Dallaglio, Leonard and co to dine with players
Steve Borthwick has turned to England’s 2003 World Cup winners to arrest his side’s drastic decline after enduring another setback with the scrum‑half Alex Mitchell ruled out for the rest of the Six Nations.
Borthwick’s squad were due on Wednesday night to have dinner with members of the 2003 team, including the captain Martin Johnson, the Test centurion Jason Leonard and Lewis Moody, who revealed in October that he had been diagnosed with motor neurone disease.
Heading into what will be a critical offseason for the Los Angeles Lakers as they try to reshape their roster around Luka Doncic, Rob Pelinka will be the man making the decisions.
That may leave Lakers fans uneasy, but it came from new Lakers president of business operations Lon Rosen (the long-time Dodgers executive) at his introductory press conference Tuesday, with the quote via Dan Woike of The Athletic.
"Rob's empowered to do what he does. He's talked about it, and I can talk about it," Rosen said Tuesday. "[Dodgers executives] Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi, they have involvement helping Rob a bit. It gives you a deeper bench, and I think Rob appreciates that. It is unique, but they have a skill set (where) they can transfer some of it here. That's really how we look at it.
"I have a really good relationship with Rob. I've known Rob Pelinka from when he was representing Kobe."
That echoes what Pelinka himself said recently.
"[Pelinka, Walter, and team governor Jeanie Buss] are working really, really strongly and well together," Pelinka said. "It's also been great to have, you know, outside allies and advocates, looking at the Dodgers and the success they've had and what they've built over there and being able to tap into a person like Andrew Friedman for best practices. He's so incredibly smart and has done such an amazing job bringing championships to the Dodgers. So, just to have another head of another team that you can, whether it's a roster move, whether it's a staff move, talk to has been an incredible resource. It's been tremendous working with Mark and everybody around him."
Pelinka may be in charge this offseason, but it also feels like a test for him. If what he builds falls short of expectations, Pelinka's seat likely gets very hot.
With LeBron James and his $52.7 million coming off the books (he is a free agent and the expectation around the league is he will return to Cleveland for a season, although LeBron has said no decision has been made), the Lakers will have at least $47 million in cap space and a lot of flexibility. The Lakers could go star hunting — Giannis Antetokounmpo, but he'd have to force his way to Los Angeles, or maybe Kawhi Leonard, depending upon how things play out with the Aspiraton investigation — but what the Lakers really need is defenders and floor-spacing shooters. Dallas reached the Finals with Doncic running the offense because they surrounded him with good centers who could set a pick-and-roll hard to the rim, drawing a defense in, and shooters and defenders on the wing. The Lakers are widely expected to re-sign Austin Rivers this summer, but first will try to find those other pieces via trade or free agency (Payton Watson, Tari Eason, Tobias Harris, Andrew Wiggins and Dean Wade are brought up as players the Lakers could target).
The Lakers are going to look very different next season. What they look like could well determine Pelinka's future with the Lakers.
While the Milwaukee Bucks’ season has not gone anywhere near according to plan, the Cleveland Cavaliers have pushed a pile of chips across the table to contend this season. And so far, the James Harden addition is working.
My Cavaliers vs. Bucks predictions and these NBA picks trust Harden to keep cooking on Wednesday, February 25.
Cavaliers vs Bucks prediction
Cavaliers vs Bucks best bet: James Harden Over 19.5 points (-120)
The Bucks’ disastrous defense cannot be entirely ascribed to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s absence; in the month prior to his most recent injury, Milwaukee’s defensive rating ranked No. 24, so falling to No. 25 in the month since is hardly notable.
But against a top-three offense thanks to the addition of Harden, that defense should be a massive liability tonight.
Cavaliers vs Bucks same-game parlay
Betting on Harden to score but not distribute makes sense, in part because this assists prop is a touch lofty. He has cleared it just three times in seven games with Cleveland. In fact, this exact same-game parlay has cashed three times in those seven games.
Cavaliers vs Bucks SGP
James Harden Over 19.5 points
James Harden Under 8.5 assists
Cavaliers moneyline
Our "from downtown" SGP: Cleveland Cruises
Cleveland’s offensive rating rising to No. 3 in the NBA from No. 5 in the two months prior to Harden’s arrival may seem modest, but jumping to 121.7 in these seven games from 117.3 in the two months beforehand stands out as something that everyone in the NBA should worry about.
Cavaliers vs Bucks SGP
James Harden Over 19.5 points
James Harden Under 8.5 assists
Cavaliers -8.5
Over 227.5
Cavaliers vs Bucks odds
Spread: Cavaliers -8.5 | Bucks +8.5
Moneyline: Cavaliers -340 | Bucks +270
Over/Under: Over 227.5 | Under 227.5
Cavaliers vs Bucks betting trend to know
Cleveland is 4-2 against the spread in its last six games. Find more NBA betting trends for Cavaliers vs. Bucks.
How to watch Cavaliers vs Bucks
Location
Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI
Date
Wednesday, February 25, 2026
Tip-off
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN Ohio, FDSN Wisconsin
Cavaliers vs Bucks latest injuries
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On the same day IU football sold out season tickets in just hours, the men's basketball team — once the school's golden goose — lost to Northwestern for the sixth straight time, while Assembly Hall's balcony seating remained empty.
Over the past 20 years, Indiana fans have banked far more core memories from football than basketball. An entire generation has grown up without tasting any sense of sustained hoops success — in a place that worships the sport like no other.
Indiana football has reached the postseason six times.
Indiana basketball has reached NCAA tournament four times.
Keep in mind, before Indiana football won this year's national championship, it entered this past season as the losingest program in FBS history. And even with that albatross around its neck, football has seen more success over the past decade than its basketball counterpart.
If the Hoosiers (17-11, 8-9) miss out on the 2026 NCAA tournament, which looks entirely possible, it would mark the eighth time in the past 10 years Indiana has sat out March Madness.
At Indiana. And in an era where it's seemingly harder to miss the tournament than make it with the expanded field of 68.
It gets worse.
Indiana hasn't reached an Elite Eight since 2002, when the Hoosiers upset top-ranked Duke in the Sweet 16 en route to a national championship game loss to Maryland.
Since that run, 60 teams (SIXTY!) have reached at least one Elite Eight, including the likes of St. Peter's, Florida Atlantic, George Mason, Loyola Chicago, VCU, Dayton, St. Joseph's and Davidson.
Already on its sixth full-time head coach since firing Bob Knight, Indiana has been chasing ghosts ever since. The Hoosiers' five national titles still rank tied for fifth with Duke for most in NCAA history, but the last one was in 1987, and besides that outlier 2002 season under Mike Davis, Indiana hasn't come anywhere close since.
Love him or hate him, Knight won. He had a .731 winning percentage and won 11 Big Ten titles and 659 games in his 28 seasons in Bloomington. His successors have won 493 games (.581) in 26 combined seasons with just three conference titles.
Tom Crean came closest to replicating Knight's success. He inherited a program beset by sanctions caused by Kelvin Sampson, won the Big Ten twice and had Indiana ranked No. 1 for 10 weeks in the 2013 season, but was undone by a Syracuse zone in March. (Meanwhile, Sampson has turned Houston into a team no one wants to play.)
Archie Miller was supposed to be "a home-run hire." He wasn't, and has a losing record over his four seasons at Rhode Island.
Indiana next looked to a "Bob Knight guy" — something a large portion of the fan base had been screaming for. No one else was hiring Mike Woodson, but because his diploma said "Indiana", he was their guy. IU fans ran him out of town after missing back-to-back NCAA tournaments.
Darian DeVries is the latest to try his hand at getting it right in Bloomington.
IndyStar IU Insider Zach Osterman had this to say after Tuesday's latest setback versus Northwestern:
"To the media, he unpacked, calmly, what led to that loss. In more private moments, DeVries might have considered in some way the wider lesson: Basketball, in this place and this time, has become harder — much harder — than it really ought to be. And restoring even some baseline measure of success here will require resetting a lot of once-sacred conventions that are now tired, worn, withered and perhaps even dead.
"That is an almighty task.
"Making too much of any one loss can be dangerous. No single night should act as a referendum on an entire program.
"... It is justifiably difficult for a fan base so routinely let down by what once was its flagship program to stop itself from defaulting toward anger, frustration and blame. But impatience is a weed, not a flower. It will overrun and smother the garden long before anything blooms.
"... At a certain point, benefit of the doubt runs thin. Impatience becomes ingrained. The sins of prior failures are passed down through coaching tenures.
"DeVries carries that weight now. Few of these problems are of his own making. This program’s many ills and cultural difficulties predate his coming to Bloomington. These games cannot be referendums, but the relentless eroding of faith makes them so."
Indiana basketball is as well-resourced as any program in the country. But with Hoosiers donors getting a taste of unimaginable football success, a lot of that money may be headed across the parking lot from Assembly Hall to Memorial Stadium.
PORT CHARLOTTE, FL - MARCH 13: Mac Horvath #19 and Aidan Smith #8 of the Tampa Bay Rays sign autographs for young fans prior to the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays at Charlotte Sports Park on Thursday, March 13, 2025 in Port Charlotte, Florida. (Photo by Kelly Gavin/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Acquired in the Arozarena trade, Smith became the prince who was promised, a five tool athlete with a strong bat, good face, and a preternatural glove in center field. That promise unraveled a bit in 2025, with his strikeout rate rocketing nine percent and his power stroke faltering after facing harder velocities in High-A, causing both his hit and power grades to drop into the 40’s. It was a full transformation into a “center field” profile, but with his ceiling that’s not a compliment. He plays with a fire, but the dip in contact rate left some evaluators feeling burned.
Rank
Player
Position
Votes
Total
Percentage
Last Season
1
Carson Williams
SS
14
25
56%
1
2
Brody Hopkins
RHP
19
25
76%
8
3
Jacob Melton
OF
14
28
50%
N/A
4
Theo Gillen
OF
14
26
54%
13
5
Ty Johnson
RHP
12
25
48%
15
6
Daniel Pierce
SS
13
23
57%
N/A
7
Jadher Areinamo
INF
15
28
54%
N/A
8
TJ Nichols
RHP
13
28
46%
N/R
9
Michael Forret
RHP
8
33
24%
N/A
10
Santiago Suarez
RHP
11
30
37%
16
11
Anderson Brito
RHP
7
28
25%
N/A
12
Xavier Isaac
1B
9
28
32%
3
13
Caden Bodine
C
10
25
40%
N/A
14
Brendan Summerhill
OF
11
27
41%
N/A
15
Slater de Brun
OF
10
25
40%
N/A
16
Nathan Flewelling
C
8
26
31%
N/A
17
Trevor Harrison
RHP
9
26
35%
10
18
Jose Urbina
RHP
13
26
50%
25
19
Tre’ Morgan
1B/LF
15
25
60%
4
20
Jackson Baumeister
RHP
12
27
44%
12
21
Aidan Smith
OF
17
29
59%
6
Smith surged from only late consideration in the voting to surpassing a player he tied with last week — stopping his free fall before Bush Jr. could rise further in the rankings. Farther in the rankings? Not sure. Adding Gill Hill!
Candidates
Fabricio Blanco, SS 17 | S/R | 5’11” | 161
A bat-first middle infielder, the Venezuelan is an elite prospect within the context of the international signing process, with some believing he’s the best Rays signee this off-season, despite gathering only a $1 million bonus. He can barrel up from both sides of the plate, but may settle into a right handed swing in the long term, with quick hands. He has the ability and instincts to stick at short, with a high-IQ approach and gritty demeanor.
Homer Bush Jr., OF 24 | R/R | 6’3” | 215 AA | .301/.375/.360 (122 wRC+) 546 PA, 0 HR, 57 SB, 8.8% BB, 17.9% K
Acquired in the 2024 Jason Adam trade, the starting center fielder at Double-A passed the test of advanced pitching, but just barely. He lacks in-game power due to a lack of use of his lower half in his swing, and he whiffed more often than you can for long term success with a low-power approach. His calling cards are Rays-grade defense and plus-speed, having notably swiped 57 bags in back-to-back seasons.
Cooper Flemming, SS 19 | L/R | 6’3” | 190
One of the best high school bats in the 2025 draft, Flemming surprisingly fell into the Rays laps in the second round. He has a too-quiet swing that lacks the load necessary to hit for power, but he’s historically compensated for that with a high contact rate that would have rated him as first round material if his defense projected to stick. The Rays were able to convince him to forgo an education at Vanderbilt by going above slot ($2.3m, Comp-A money).
Gary Gill Hill, RHP 21 | 6’2” | 160 A+ | 3.82 ERA, 4.37 FIP, 136.2 IP (25 GS), 18.8% K, 5.3% BB
A groundballer, Gill Hill was a feather in the cap for the Rays scouting department when snagged in the sixth round in 2022. He raised his armslot in 2024 to great success, but got off to a rocky start in 2025, which muddies the water on his statline. On the whole, GGH has the body and the look to be a major league starter, particularly thanks to a plus fastball in the upper 90’s and plus control, but needs to find a longterm solution for opposite handed hitting as he climbs the ladder. Accordingly, he projects as a reliever until his arsenal finds a plus third pitch.
Brailer Guerrero, OF 20 | L/R | 6’1” | 215 A | 249.338/.399 (119 wRC+) 222 PA, 6 HR, 9 SB, 11.3% BB, 29.3% K AFL | 2 H, 0 HR, 2 SB, 3 BB, 16 K, 29 PA
Good news: the $3.7 million 2023 signee made the leap out of the complex league in his final teenage season. Bad News: He was injured yet again, with hamstring and knee injuries limiting him to 51 games for Charleston. The Rays tried to make up for lost time with an aggressive assignment to the AFL that resulted in only two hits in 29 plate appearances. He makes loud contact from a quick, quiet swing which he pre-loads by reaching back for even more power. He appears to make early decisions to swing, leading to a bit extra whiffs against anything off-speed, but that could easily clear up with some consistent playing time.
Dom Keegan, C 25 | R/R | 6’0” | 210 AAA | .241/.306/.429 (89 wRC+) 297 PA, 10 HR, 0 SB, 8.1% BB, 30.6% K
Keegan is at an inflection point in his minor league career, having joined the 40-man roster as the third catcher, and overall the jury is still out. Trusted more at first base than backstop at Vanderbilt, the Rays have kept him behind the dish but reports still have his defense below average, and 2025 was a wash after an elbow injury in the Spring sank his season, in particular his bat speed. While the lack of progress on the edges of his game has some evaluators calling into question his once-sure major league projection, he’ll get a long look in Spring Training, where his ability to punish mistakes in the zone may flourish.
Victor Mesa Jr., OF 24 | L/L | 5’11” | 195 AAA (MIA) | .301/.368/.510 (136 wRC+) 171 PA, 7 HR, 4 SB, 9.9% BB, 16.4% K MLB (MIA) | 6 H (1 HR), 5 BB, 5 K (81 wRC+) 38 PA
This Cuban power bat already made his major league debut with Miami last year after bouncing back from a spring hamstring injury, and was dealt to the Rays in February. He profiles as a fourth outfielder but has an option remaining, so the organization may send him down for regular playing time and one last chance for something more in development. If not, he’s a center field capable on defense, which goes a long way for a platoon bat. In the running for the nicest guy in baseball.
Acquired in the Shane Baz trade, Overn was once a top draft prospect after committing to baseball over football at USC, but surprisingly struggled as a draft-eligible sophomore. That didn’t stop Baltimore from taking him in the third round (97th overall) in 2024. Now a professional, Overn overhauled his swing in the first half of 2025, and earned an early promotion to Double-A for his efforts, where he didn’t look overmatched. His biggest threat is his speed, which raises his floor and gives him an easy projection to a major league bench thanks to plus defensive instincts (BA gave 70’s to his run and field tools). His offensive profile is buoyed by his ability to work the count, but evaluators would like to see him punish fastballs more often for him to be considered a regular.
Taylor entered 2025 as a top-100 prospect after demolishing High-A (154 wRC+), and left 2025 as an afterthought on prospect lists, although he was selected as an Arizona Fall League “Fall Star” in between, where he worked to keep his chase rate low and his hard hit rate high. The juice must have been worth the squeeze, as the Rays have elected to invite Taylor to major league Spring Training this year.
Victor Valdez, SS 17 | R/R | 6’1” | 186
A pretty swing with a low whiff rate earned Valdez a big payday this winter — $3.5 million — with as good of a power projection as you can reasonably ask for from a a teenage bat, having been given a 25+ home run projection by Baseball America, who also praise his plus foot speed, bat speed, and control of the zone. Reports say he has ever improving lateral movements on defense, with smooth actions and a strong arm. If it all clicks, it’s a middle-of-the-order bat on the left side of the infield. At signing, the Rays gave him a comp to Francisco Lindor. It will be interesting to see if his first professional season can solidify the five tool profile.
We’ve got some great matchups on the hardcourt tonight, including the Oklahoma City Thunder taking on the Detroit Pistons and the Boston Celtics facing the Denver Nuggets.
Games like those are loaded with talent, and I’ve found my favorite player props for those matchups and more NBA picks for Wednesday, February 25.
But they might be overmatched when they visit the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons in the second half of a back-to-back.
The Pistons already had a big edge on the glass, ranking third in rebounding rate to the Thunder’s 22nd. Heavy legs mean more missed shots and fewer boards for OKC.
That has me backing Tobias Harris to go Over 5.5 boards. He’s averaging 6.7 over his last 11 games, hauling down six or more eight times over that stretch.
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Where to watch: ESPN
Prop #2: Ty Jerome Over 16.5 points
+100 at bet365
The Memphis Grizzlies don’t have many bucket-getters these days. So, getting Ty Jerome back has been a big help.
And while sportsbooks have adjusted his point totals after some solid performances, it's not enough to scare me away against the Golden State Warriors.
Jerome has played just seven games since returning at the end of January. He’s averaging 19.3 points while shooting 39.5% from three and has topped 16.5 points in six of those games.
Tonight, he plays a Warriors team that is stumbling and ranks 17th in defensive rating since the start of February.
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBCSBA, FanDuel Sports Network Southeast-Memphis
Prop #3: Derrick White Over 6.5 assists
-105 at bet365
The Boston Celtics continue to impress. They’ve won nine of their last 10 and now close out their West Coast road trip against the Denver Nuggets.
The Celtics aren’t known for moving the ball, but the guys who do, specifically Derrick White and Payton Pritchard, will try to pass the ball a little more with Jaylen Brown nursing a knee injury.
Today, my favorite bet is White to go Over 6.5 assists. He’s averaging 7.5 per game over his last 10 games and has topped this number seven times over that stretch. Denver ranks 20th in opponent assists per possession.
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Feb 16, 2026; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Richard Fitts (35) throws a pitch during spring training workouts at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images | Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images
The St. Louis Cardinals continue their Spring Training schedule as they take on the New York Mets. According to MLB.com, Richard Fitts will start the game for St. Louis. This will be his first appearance in a game since he came to the Cardinals in the Sonny Gray trade early in the offseason.
Feb 24, 2026; North Port, Florida, USA; Detroit Tigers left fielder Max Clark (84) drops a fly ball in the first inning against the Atlanta Braves during spring training at CoolToday Park. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
FORMER CUBS IN ROCKIES CAMP: José Quintana, Keegan Thompson, Willi Castro, Nicky Lopez and former Cubs prospect Vimael Machin. Kris Bryant is on the 60-day injured list and it’s not known when, or if, he will play this year.
A REMINDER: Here are all the Cubs heading to the World Baseball Classic: Miguel Amaya (Panama), Javier Assad (Mexico), Christian Bethancourt (Panama), Matthew Boyd (United States), Alex Bregman (United States), Pete Crow-Armstrong (United States), Jonathon Long (Chinese Taipei), BJ Murray (Great Britain), Daniel Palencia (Venezuela), Yacksel Ríos (Puerto Rico), Erian Rodriguez (Panama), Seiya Suzuki (Japan), Jameson Taillon (Canada).
Jameson Taillon will start for the Cubs. Other Cubs pitchers scheduled today: Cade Horton, Caleb Thielbar, Phil Maton, Hunter Harvey, Luke Little and Jack Neely. It will be the first spring outing for Horton, Maton and Harvey.
Old friend José Quintana will start for the Rockies. Other Rockies pitchers scheduled today: Antonio Senzatela, Jaden Hill, Carson Palmquist and RJ Petit.
Please visit our SB Nation Rockies site Purple Row. If you do go there to interact with Rockies fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
As we have done in the past, we’ll have a first pitch thread at five minutes to game time and one overflow thread, 90 minutes after game time. For today, that will be 2 p.m. CT and 3:30 p.m. CT.
These threads will not post individually onto the front page; instead, you can find links to them in the box marked ”Chicago Cubs Game Threads” at the bottom of the front page. There will also be a StoryStream on the front page with all the game thread links, as well as the recap after the game is over. The pitcher photos and regular-season stats will return on Opening Day.
SARASOTA, FL - FEBRUARY 18: (EDITORS NOTE: A special effects camera filter was used for this image.) Trevor Rogers #28 of the Baltimore Orioles poses for a photo during the Baltimore Orioles photo day at Ed Smith Stadium on Wednesday, February 18, 2026 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
After a three-day hiatus from our television screens, the Orioles are back on the air this afternoon with a MASN broadcast against the Rays. Trevor Rogers becomes the first O’s starter to make an encore appearance this spring after opening with two scoreless innings against the Yankees last Friday.
He’ll take on another AL East opponent today, though this Rays travel lineup bears little resemblance to the one they’ll use in the regular season. There are nearly no recognizable names in Tampa Bay’s order. The bottom of their lineup includes players like Tre’ Morgan, Raynel Delgado, Bradford Dill, and Tatem Levins. Those guys are so anonymous that I just made up one of those names and you don’t know which one!
The O’s, by contrast, have a lineup full of guys who will be on the Opening Day roster (aside from #9 hitter Weston Wilson, who is a long shot). Dylan Beavers will be making his first start in center field, something he’s done 70 times in his minor league career but never in the majors. Beavers isn’t considered a great defender in center, but if he can hold his own at the position, that would give the O’s some added flexibility in the outfield and allow Colton Cowser to get more rest. Today the Orioles are facing Brody Hopkins, one of the Rays’ top prospects.
Orioles lineup:
SS Gunnar Henderson LF Taylor Ward 1B Pete Alonso RF Tyler O’Neill C Adley Rutschman DH Ryan Mountcastle 2B Blaze Alexander CF Dylan Beavers 3B Weston Wilson
Tobias Harris
Ty Jerome
Derrick White
