Florida Panthers center Cole Schwindt will return to the lineup tonight after missing 26 games with a broken arm.
Prior to sustaining the injury, Schwindt had played 10 games in a Panthers uniform, scoring twice. The Panthers claimed Schwindt off waivers from the Vegas Golden Knights, about a year after the Golden Knights claimed Schwindt from the Calgary Flames.
The Panthers had initially drafted the 6-foot-3 right-handed center, but traded him to the Flames as part of the package that landed Matthew Tkachuk. The 24-year-old Schwindt has played 59 games in his NHL career, scoring three goals and 10 points.
Schwindt was seen skating on the fourth line, centering Jesper Boqvist on his left and Luke Kunin on his right. Exiting the lineup is Jack Studnicka, as Sandis Vilmanis will once again skate as the third line left winger next to Evan Rodrigues and Mackie Samoskevich.
As the Panthers welcome back Schwindt, they’ll remain without Tkachuk and Brad Marchand. Tkachuk did skate today but did not partake in line rushes. His return seems imminent, but the Panthers have preached patience, and they won’t dress Tkachuk until he is 100 percent healthy.
Marchand, whose injury is considered day-to-day, remains out of the lineup and did not skate today at practice. He wore a non-contact jersey the last time the Panthers skated, but he was absent this time. His injury seems to be trending in the wrong direction at the moment.
The Panthers take on the Carolina Hurricanes tonight in Raleigh, NC, at 7:00 p.m. EST at the Lenovo Center.
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Note: Today is nomination day! Head to the comment section to nominate the next group of Giants prospects.
Spring Training is less than a month away, and the smell of baseball is almost in the air. To prepare ourselves, we’re continuing with the Willie McCovey Memorial Community Prospect List, which will see us work together to rank the top 44 prospects in the San Francisco Giants organization. And we almost have a top 30!
The last chapter was a very close one, and it narrowly featured a winner who we might see in the Major Leagues this year: right-handed reliever Trent Harris, who has been voted as the No. 29 prospect in the system. That’s a drop of nine spots for Harris, who was No. 20 a year ago, and that speaks more to the improved strength of the system than his talent.
2025 was a tale of two stories for Harris. It was just his second full season of Minor League Baseball, as he joined the organization in the summer of 2023 as an undrafted free agent (remarkably, the Giants have three UDFAs in their top 30). Harris, who is 6’2 and well built, began the year with AA Richmond, where he was utterly dynamic. He posted a 1.69 ERA and a 1.73 FIP in 13 relief appearances, while striking out 25 batters in just 16 innings … and only walking four. Everything was going brilliantly, and he received an early promotion to AAA Sacramento.
That’s where the struggles began, as they do for so many pitchers entering the Pacific Coast League. Harris struggled mightily out of the gates, and never really covered over his few months with the River Cats. In all, he made 30 appearances in AAA, and finished with a 5.44 ERA and a 4.69 FIP. The strikeout stuff came down dramatically (8.71 per nine innings), though he did a good job of limiting walks (3.27 per nine).
On a recent podcast with Roger Munter, Harris attributed some of his struggles to shelving his curveball — largely viewed as his best pitch — after it got shellacked in the early going by more advanced hitters. And indeed, the numbers bore that out: Harris’ most used pitch in AAA was his cutter, which he threw nearly half the time, with quite poor results: a .313 expected batting average, a .492 expected slugging percentage, and an 18.4% whiff rate. His curve (which he threw 16.4% of the time), despite those early struggles, had an xBA of .242, an xSLG of .392, and a whiff rate of 30.3%, while his sweeper, which he threw roughly a third of the time, carried a .216 xBA, a .288 xSLG, and a 33.0% whiff rate. He also has a splitter, which was statistically speaking his best pitch, though in part because he so rarely used it.
So it would seem that the goal for Harris would be to get his pitch mix sorted a little better … and perhaps he can turn to teammate Trevor McDonald for some inspiration and optimism. McDonald put up poor numbers in AAA last year, but with a defensive savant calling his games and a talented infield defense behind him, wowed during his 2025 MLB stint. That could help Harris, as could adding a little velo to his heater, which averaged just 94.1 mph in Sacramento.
Needless to say, 2026 will be a critical year for Harris, in part because he’s no spring chicken (by prospect standards, at least) — he turns 27 next week. He’ll certainly be a non-roster invitee when pitchers and catchers report to Scottsdale in mid-February, and don’t be surprised if he’s coming out of the bullpen and taking the ball from Tony Vitello at some point this year.
Now let’s add to the list, and don’t forget that it’s nomination day. Nominations and prospect voting both take place in the comment section now.
Note: Clicking on the above names will link to the CPL where they were voted onto the list.
No. 30 prospect nominees
RaynerArias — 19.8-year old OF — .173 OPS/-42 wRC+ in Low-A (30 PA); .699 OPS/87 wRC+ in ACL (178 PA)
CarlosDe La Rosa — 18.1-year old LHP — 4.73 ERA/2.30 FIP in DSL (32.1 IP)
LisbelDiaz — 20.5-year old OF — .725 OPS/96 wRC+ in Low-A (561 PA)
DiegoVelasquez — 22.3-year old 2B — .677 OPS/107 wRC+ in AA (566 PA)
Note: Each player’s first name links to their Baseball-Reference page, and their last name links to their Fangraphs page.All stats are from the 2025 season.
Major League Baseball's annual game of musical chairs was accompanied by a waltz-like soundtrack for two months - then somebody suddenly flipped it over to speed metal.
The wham-bang contract agreements forged by Kyle Tucker with the Los Angeles Dodgers and brand new New York Met Bo Bichette in the span of roughly 15 hours suddenly swept the board clean of franchise players younger than 30 - and curtailed the destinations of a few players still out there.
Bichette's three-year, $126 million agreement resets the perception of the offseason for multiple teams, players and fan bases. With that, let's take a look at the winners and losers from Bichette's Citi Field foray:
Winners
Bo Bichette
Nah, it wasn't the $300 million deal one might have envisioned for Bichette both earlier in his career and as he put together an outstanding platform season in lifting the Blue Jays to the AL East title. But lest we forget, Bichette produced a .225/.277.322 line over 81 games just one year ago, worth -0.1 WAR. He finished this regular season with an injured knee, but a gallant World Series return reminded the world how impactful a player he can be.
At second base. Yeah, Bichette had to swallow some pride and will now likely be a second or third baseman the rest of his career, his defensive metrics being what they are. Yet with all that, he will command a $42 million salary - and be able to opt out next winter, when he's just 28.
Pete Alonso and Alex Bregman showed how swimmingly that can work out. And Bichette is both younger and more positionally diverse than both of them. He may yet near a $300 million total guarantee once he signs his next deal.
The Mets' unflappable president, empowered by bottomless-pocketed owner Steve Cohen's megabucks, nearly fumbled it all away this winter - letting Alonso walk without so much as a courtesy offer, declaring he'd pass on the elite starting pitching market, losing peerless closer Edwin Diaz by just a few bucks, the eh acquisitions of infielder Jorge Polanco, second baseman Marcus Semien and closer Devin Williams.
Bichette does not cure all. There's still a gaping hole in left field where Brandon Nimmo once stood, and there's tons of ambiguity surrounding how much trust and how many plate appearances the Mets will invest in several young players.
Still, Cody Bellinger remains on the market if they want to go big in left, and tweak the Yankees at the same time. Stearns' notion of going economy on the rotation looks wise - a glut of fairly trusty veteran starters remain on the market.
And Bichette's ability to "flat-out hit," as they say - he's twice led the AL in hits and is in the 86th percentile in K rate - will create a suffocating 1-2-3 atop the lineup with Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto.
Still not ideal. But far from the cataclysmic winter hyperventilating Mets observers envisioned.
The AL East
Whew.
For a minute there, the Blue Jays and their Rogers Communications arsenal were starting to look like George Steinbrenner North. They struck quickly for ace Dylan Cease, and the notion of adding Tucker and retaining Bichette didn't seem so farfetched at the outset of the season.
Under those circumstances, would the Yankees, Red Sox, Orioles and Rays be playing for second? Not quite, eh, but it would have been far less optimal.
Yet 2026 will bring no Tucker and no Bichette to the Blue Jays - or anyone else in the AL. The competitive balance of both division and league suddenly got a lot flatter.
J.T. Realmuto
The venerable Phillies catcher had been locked in a staring contest with his club, which just so happened to schedule a Zoom call with Bichette four days ago. Signing Bichette would have required moving several pieces around - and moving on from Realmuto.
Yet just hours after Bichette's Mets agreement, team and club found common ground on a three-year, $45 million deal, ensuring their ironman backstop who turns 35 in March is back in the fold.
Sure, the re-signing of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to a $500 million extension seemed certain to break up the organization's power couple: Bo and Vladdy, together for a decade, legacy players and beloved in all of Canada.
Yet Bichette's subpar 2024 dampened his value. His 2025 comeback did not totally send it into the stratosphere. Maybe the de facto brothers would be together forever.
Alas, it will be Vladdy going it alone, and suddenly the Jays' $60 million signing of Japanese infielder Kazuma Okamoto looks all the more critical. His early performance will be watched warily, as Japanese hitters often need a greater adjustment time than pitchers.
So, too, will the Blue Jays' many playoff heroes. Ernie Clement and Addison Barger and Andrés Giménez are now far more primary, rather than complementary pieces.
Sure, the Jays may yet forge a mini-dynasty in the AL. But it just got a lot tougher.
Cody Bellinger
For a minute there, it looked like he had the Yankees over a barrel. Maybe he still does.
But as he and the Yankees squabble over number of years on a contract, two of his alternatives – the Dodgers and Mets – spent big for Tucker and Bichette. Not to say the Mets won't get back in the Bellinger game, and perhaps the Blue Jays will jump in, with money to burn and an upgrade over Nathan Lukes readily available.
We still believe the Yankees and Belli will find common ground somewhere between five and seven years. But it feels like the Yankees wield a little more clout in the power exchange now.
Mets corner infielders
Maybe someday, Mark Vientos and Brett Baty will get an unadulterated crack at a full-time job.
Unfortunately, they are developing players on a club that will be in perpetual win-now mode for the foreseeable future. And thus, Baty's 3.1 WAR accrued in a 121-game 2025 campaign gets nudged to the side. Vientos's backslide in 2025 after a second-half surge in 2024 might have slammed the door on any chance at a full-time gig going forward.
For now, the two third basemen are DH partners on paper, but with four projected regulars in their 30s, it's not hard to imagine many of those at-bats will be gobbled up by veterans needing a day out of the field.
Perhaps a trade and a fresh start will be in the offing for one of them. For now, winter remains the time their playing time dreams evaporate.
Atlanta Braves
It's getting increasingly difficult for one of the game's best-run organizations to keep up with the Northeast behemoths.
The Braves were considered a solid candidate for Bichette's services at the start of the winter. They opted to retain shortstop Ha-Seong Kim. Totally fine. Really good player.
Yet it will be hard to match the Mets' and Phillies' firepower, especially since Atlanta's 2026 calculus likely bakes in bounceback seasons from the likes of Austin Riley and Jurickson Profar. Their margin for error is looking pretty thin.
It's not like the Braves are paupers; listen to any old Liberty Media earnings call and you realize the Braves and The Battery are, as public equity bros might say, just printing. Still, they remain hesitant for big free agent splashes that upset the formula of retaining their own players.
From 2018 to 2023, when they ruled the NL East, that was fine. But it seems to get harder every year.
Ty Johnson, RHP 24 | 6’6” | 205 AA | 2.61 ERA, 2.33 FIP, 110.1 IP (26 G, 20 GS), 34.7% K, 8.8% BB
A dip-and-drive pitcher with a quick arm action and a limited arsenal with a flat plane have given Johnson a reliever projection most of his minor league career, but his success speaks for itself. Johnson has a fastball that continues to be difficult for batters to see. It sits around 94 as a starter and can ramp up to 98, but talking about the fastball buries the lede. Johnson’s slider passed the test of Double-A in part because he was able to throw it fast and slow to keep hitters off balance. Accordingly, he hasn’t really needed a third pitch just yet, but there’s a change up in development for problematic lefties.
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
Ty Johnson is the first significant variation from the national lists, who appears destined for a 20-30 range ranking at other sites. Our commentariat believes in the results, though, and has vaulted him into the Top-5. Daniel Pierce was a close second with 8 votes, while Jadher Areinamo, Anderson Brito, Slater de Brun, Michael Forret, and TJ Nichols all got votes. Up next we add a personal favorite, Brendan Summerhill.
Acquired in return for Danny Jansen at the 2025 trade deadline, Arienamo was promoted straight to Double-A by the Rays, and his success at that level carried over into the Venezuealan winter league, where his 1.112 OPS and 13 HR were each the second highest marks in the league. He’s considered to have a high baseball IQ, strong motor, excellent bat control, and defensive flexibility, any one of which could earn him an entertaining major league debut.
Caden Bodine, C 22 | S/R| 5’10” | 200 A (BAL) | .326/.408/.349 (133 wRC+) 49 PA, 0 HR, 0 SB, 5 BB, 8 K
Drafted 30th overall in 2025, Bodine was acquired in the Shane Baz trade. He profiles as a relatively safe prospect thanks to near-70 grade bat-to-ball skills, and comfortably-plus blocking and receiving behind the plate. There is some concern that his smaller frame limits him to fringe power, but those concerns are off-set by solid plate discipline from both sides of the plate; his sweeter swing is left handed. All catching prospects will see their value proposition shift with the challenge system, but his defensive actions, leadership, and receiving give him real value, projecting him as a solid major league contributor.
Acquired in the Brandon Lowe trade, Brito has three plus pitches with a fastball that touches 100 with cut-ride, and two breakers in a mid-80s curveball with surprising depth and a mid-80s slider he commands best. He also mixes in a developing low-90s cutter and a scattershot but intriguing mid-80s changeup with strong velocity and movement separation, with some added deception from his smaller frame helping limit hard contact. The concern is control, as he’s posted below-average strike rates in A-ball across 2024–25 and lacks consistent feel outside the slider, leaving him to project as a slightly wild, high-leverage reliever for now. Still, with multiple plus pitches, improved durability, and meaningful command gains, he has mid-rotation starter upside, giving him possibly the widest range of outcomes on this list.
Slater de Brun, OF 18 | L/L | 5’10” | 187
Drafted 37th overall in 2025, through a draft pick traded by the Rays, de Brun was essentially re-acquired in the Shane Baz trade. Like many Rays outfield prospects he’s not expected to develop much power, but compensates with an ability to hit to all fields, and has the benefit of years to develop. His hit tool rates plus thanks to a quick, compact swing, and his double-plus speed elevates both his baserunning and range in center; he has a solid arm and can stick long term. The key to his development will be improving pitch selection to maximize his power potential. Despite not yet playing in a pro game, he’s a good bet to skip the complex league and debut in Charleston this season.
Michael Forret, RHP 22 | 6’3” | 190 A+ (BAL) | 1.51 ERA, 2.45 FIP, 59.2 IP (16 G, 15 GS), 33.5% K, 7.5% BB AA (BAL) | 1.88 ERA, 2.03 FIP, 14.1 IP (3 GS), 15 K, 3 BB
A product of the State College of Florida Manatee – Sarasota (formerly Manatee Junior College), Forret was a well above slot ($450k) 14th round draft choice in 2023 and arrives via the Shane Baz trade. Despite missing some time to a back injury in 2025, his array of fastballs and breaking balls already look major league ready. He seems adept at trying new things, as he picked up a whiff-worthy kick change in 2024, and is already tinkering with a Rays-like sweeper, both through his offseason program at Tread Athletics. He has a low release point (below 6 feet) but a rising fastball, and has — to quote Eric Longenhagen — “sensational feel.” He pitches with efficiency and variety, and could climb the ladder quickly in 2026.
Isaac had his season cut short large-in-part due to the discovery of a brain tumor, disrupting an otherwise great start to the season that duplicated his cup of coffee in Double-A as a 20-year old, despite some minor arm injuries along the way. He has the best power projection in the system, and if he can hold his own for a full season in 2026 — particularly against southpaws, which is somewhat of a concern — the former first round pick (29th overall, 2021) could see his status restored near the top of the Rays prospect rankings.
A sixth rounder from 2023, Nichols entered the Rays organization with low mileage and control issues, a match made in development heaven. Fast forward to 2025, and his 68% strike percentage ranked 10th best among all minor league pitchers with 100 innings, according to Baseball America. His breaking ball is a big fish in a little pond thanks to its two-plane movement. By my eye, he has a mid-90’s dead zone-ish fastball with easy, over the top heat, and a classic but inconsistent change up. Despite all his gains in control it’s his command that might hold him back, but he fills the zone and might be able to eat innings, which is enough for a back end starter floor. If you’re buying stock, he’s Kimberly-Clark.
Daniel Pierce, SS 19 | R/R | 6’0” | 185
The 14th overall pick in the 2025 draft, Pierce is a preternatural defender at short stop, with a top flight glove that could rival any player in the organization. Early reports say he’s already started building muscle as a professional, which is helpful for his projection on offense. His hit tool carries, with a swing similar to Bobby Witt Jr. — out of the draft he received comps of a “faster Dansby Swanson.” A coach’s son, he has the good face, and should get the starting role in the Holy City and have plenty of time to develop into or above his projection of an above average regular.
Santiago Suarez, RHP 21 | 6’2” | ? A+ | 2.88 ERA, 2.07 FIP, 40.2 IP (10 GS), 26.9% K, 3.6% BB AAA | 5 ER (9 H, 2 BB, 3 HR) 11.0 IP (2 GS), 9 K
Suarez climbed the ladder to Triple-A to finish a short season, as some triceps/shoulder issues hampered his 2025, but when called upon this Venezuelan strike-thrower has earned the trust of his managers to go out there and pitch. He has two plus fastballs, with easy heat but average ride on the 4-seam, and a hard cutter with tight bite. His only complimentary pitch thus far is a 12-6 curve, which makes it a fairly vertical arsenal. He gets good extension, although I’d be remiss to not mention the double pump in his plant leg that on first glance looks like noise, but has led to evident repeatability. What Suarez boasts in control he might lack in command. Right now it’s a supinator’s profile with an average arm slot. To progress he either needs to add some east-west depth to his arsenal (à la Chris Bassitt), or find ways to unlock the spin rates a touch more (Shane Baz). I’d expect him to slot into Montgomery’s rotation as one of the younger starters for his level.
Brendan Summerhill, OF 22 | L/R | 6’3” | 200 A | .333/.429/.444 (160 wRC+) 42 PA, 0 HR, 5 SB, 14.3% BB, 11.9% K
Following an All-Star performance at the Cape Cod summer league, Summerhill exhibited some of the best bat-to-ball skills in NCAA as a junior at Arizona. His draft stock took a minor hit due to injury (broken hand from from punching a cooler), and was drafted 42nd overall ($2m signing bonus), but Summerhill rebounded well with a dominant stop at Charleston to finish the year. Summerhill has plus barrel control, allowing for a high-contact approach for his long swing. He has plus speed as well, which provides a chance to stick in center. Evaluators would like to see more power to complete a five-tool profile. If he does in his first professional season, it’s an above average contributor’s projection.
Following the announcement that Adam Wilsby is day-to-day with a lower-body injury, the Nashville Predators have recalled Andreas Englund from the Milwaukee Admirals.
Englund played 24 games up in Nashville last season, recording two points (two assists) and logging 36 penalty minutes. This season in Milwaukee, he has 6 points (2 goals, 4 assists) in 30 games and 44 penalty minutes.
The 6-feet-3-inch, 201-pound defenseman was drafted by the Ottawa Senators 40th overall in the 2014 draft.
He was placed on waivers by the Los Angeles Kings after playing just 11 games during the 2024-25 season, producing just one goal. On Feb. 10, 2025, Englund was claimed by the Predators.
Englund will either take Wilsby's spot on the second pairing with Brady Skjei or move down to the third pairing with Justin Barron and Nick Blankenburg would move up.
The Predators kick off a quick two-game road trip on Friday, facing the Colorado Avalanche at 8 p.m. CST before traveling to Las Vegas to play the Golden Knights on Saturday at 9 p.m. CST.
Golden Boy disputes termination, cites renewal talks
Lawsuit alleges lost earnings and fight opportunities
Vergil Ortiz Jr has filed a federal lawsuit against Golden Boy Promotions, seeking to end his relationship with Oscar De La Hoya’s company amid stalled negotiations for what he views as a career-defining fight against Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis.
Ortiz, the unbeaten World Boxing Council interim junior middleweight champion, filed the complaint on Thursday in US district court in Nevada, asking a judge to confirm that his promotional agreement with Golden Boy has been terminated and alleging that the promoter breached the contract and interfered with his earning potential.
Ferrari have announced they are to replace Riccardo Adami as Lewis Hamilton’s race engineer for the 2026 Formula One season, after the pair endured what appeared to be a fractious and testing relationship during the seven-time world champion’s first season with the Scuderia.
Ferrari issued a statement on Friday stating Adami would be moved to a new role with the team’s driver academy as academy and test previous cars manager, adding that his replacement as Hamilton’s race engineer, the crucial link between team and driver on the pit wall, would be announced in due course.
MLB Rumors: Bo Bichette and the New York Mets are in agreement on a three year, $126 million deal, per multiple reports. The deal reportedly includes opt outs after each of the first two years.
Bichette, who turns 28 in March, had spent his entire career with the Toronto Blue Jays, who selected him in the second round of the 2016 draft. The son of former major league Dante Bichette, he established himself as a regular in the 2021 season, when he made the All Star team, finished 12th in the MVP voting, and led the American League in hits while slashing .298/.343/.484.
A bat-first shortstop, Bichette has a career .294/.337/.469 slash line, and has had an OPS over 800 in every season other than his injury-shortened 2024 campaign, when he put up a 598 OPS in 81 games. His glove is a concern, however — he was in the bottom 1 percent in range in 2025, per Statcast — and it has been anticipated he would have to move off of the position in the relatively near future. With Francisco Lindor at shortstop and the newly acquired Marcus Semien at second base, Bichette, who has only played shortstop and DH in the majors, will presumably move out of the middle infield in 2026.
Coming off a blowout loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Spurs returned home to take on the Milwaukee Bucks. Devin Vassell remains out with his adductor injury. The contest started with a gigantic scare of Victor Wembanyama banging knees with Giannis Antetokounmpo. Vic would clutch his knee on the ground and hobble to the locker room. However, he would return in the second quarter. After leading by as much as 17 in the second quarter, the Spurs led the Bucks 66-53 at halftime. Usually, this is when the Spurs would allow their opponent to close the gap and make it a down-to-the-wire game. Except this time, the Spurs took care of business. Thanks to their hot shooting, they outscored the Bucks 40-16 in the third quarter and led by as much as 39. The Spurs ultimately won 119-101.
Victor Wembanyama dropped a double-double: 22 points (7-12 FG, 5-6 3PT) and 10 rebounds to go along with two blocks and an assist. After the OKC game, Wemby and Keldon Johnson decided to shave each other’s heads as a means of togetherness and ultimate focus. After surviving another injury scare, Wemby played decoy for most of the second quarter before going off in the third. He splashed five threes and dropped highlight plays on both ends. This was the first game of Bald Wemby, and he played like a seven-foot-five avatar.
Just throw it up there! Harrison Barnes finds Wemby on the lob, and Wemby finishes the play with a reverse tap layup!
Stephon Castle dropped a double-double: 19 points (6-9 FG, 6-6 FT) and 10 assists to go along with a board and 0 turnovers. Steph played a fantastic game as the Spurs’ primary playmaker. For someone who is averaging 3.7 turnovers a game, Steph took care of the ball by recording his first zero-turnover game of the season. He also finished with a team-high +36. Coming into the season as a combo guard, Steph is averaging three more assists than last season. His versatility and frame allow him to continue to be a combo guard, but it is clear the coaching staff is having him handle the ball more than De’Aaron Fox.
ST3PH! D-Fox drives in, draws multiple defenders, and dumps it off for a wide-open Steph splash!
De’Aaron Fox dropped 18 points (6-10 FG, 3-4 3PT), four assists, and four rebounds. D-Fox had a solid bounce-back game in terms of efficiency. His three-ball laced the nylon, and he seems to be embracing more of an off-ball guard role next to Steph. Even though he did not play the fourth quarter due to the score, the former Clutch Player of the Year will still have the confidence to run the offense in the clutch.
Stepback sniper! D-Fox toys with Myles Turner by creating space for the stepback trey!
Alley-oop! Speaking of pick and rolls, D-Fox finds Luke Kornet on the lob for the slam! Luke finished with 10 points, four rebounds, and a dime on a perfect five of five from the field!
Dylan Harper dropped 13 points, five assists, and four rebounds. The rookie continues to bounce back after a rough stretch. The shiftiness of Dyl was lightning quick for the Bucks to handle. Not only is he shifty, but his vertical is scary. Even though he went zero of five from three, all the threes he attempted were open shots. Once that shot becomes more consistent, he has the potential to be unguardable. However, the 19-year-old has plenty of time and will let the game come to him.
SHIFTY! Speaking of shifty, Dyl puts the behind-the-back on move on Gary Trent Jr. in transition and finishes off the glass!
Julian Champagnie dropped a double-double: 13 points (3-5 3PT, 4-4 FT) and 11 rebounds to go along with a steal. Julian dropped multiple threes and got to the free-throw line by drawing fouls on his three-point attempts. He even drew a flagrant foul on Green. Despite the scoring, Julian continues to sneakily grab defensive rebounds when players fall asleep on the boards. His hustle and defense remain the most underrated part of his game.
All in all, this was a much-needed bounce-back win. As soon as Wemby returned from injury, this team’s confidence stayed high and never got low. No better way to reignite the shooting slump than by making the Bucks pay for defensive mistakes. The way the silver and black played in the third quarter is a great tone-setter of how they need to approach the rest of the season. Take care of huge leads. This team’s chemistry continues to shine through the ups and downs, no matter who shaves their head. Next up, revenge against Minnesota.
Finally, here are the full game highlights.
The Spurs continue their homestand with a revenge matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves this Saturday at 7:00 P.M. (CST) on FDSN-SW.
Here’s where this gets fun (and, yes, please spare us the rant about homers and RBIs not mattering, we’ll get to our point shortly).
Kyle Tucker received $240 million. Getty Images
Player 1 just landed a $240 million contract with a $60 million annual average value, the most for any non-two-way player in MLB history.
Player 2 is perhaps the most unpopular player among fans on his team.
For those guessing, Player 1 is the newest Dodger, Kyle Tucker, while Player 2 is embattled Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe.
Tucker landing with the Dodgers on Thursday did not raise as many questions about how the Dodgers yet again landed a premier free agent with their seemingly never-ending supply of cash, but more of a focus on just how Tucker — a very good-to-elite but non-MVP-level player — landed $60 million per season.
To put that in perspective, he’s making $20 million more per season than Aaron Judge, who has three MVPs to his name, compared to the lone fifth-place AL finish from Tucker in 2023.
He’s making $9 million more per season that Juan Soto, who has five top-six MVP finishes.
Heck, he’s making roughly $35 million more on average per season than two-time NL MVP Bryce Harper.
Obviously, contracts are signed at different times and in different markets. Tucker would not have been the top free agent last year with Soto, but this year’s class lacked elite position players.
Aaron Judge is a three-time MVP. JASON SZENES/ NY POST
MLB is not like football, though, where each quarterback that signs a deal precedes the previous one in terms of setting the record for the position.
The Dodgers didn’t have to pay Tucker $60 million to top some previous deal, yet both they and the Mets — who offered $220 million over four years and then pivoted to signing Bo Bichette on Friday — had no problems doing so.
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Tucker turns 29 on Saturday, and team are always willing to pay a premium for players already in or entering their prime.
Judge signed his nine-year, $360 million deal before his age-31 season. Soto received his 15-year, $765 million deal prior to his age-26 campaign.
Teams want to play players entering their prime, and they’re more willing to do so for players who have their best years ahead of them versus those exiting that stage.
Then, there’s his Baseball Savant page (we apologize for the nerdiness in advance).
Juan Soto has never won MVP but is an elite player. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
He ranked in the 98th percentile in chase rate, 96th percentile in walk rate, 93rd percentile in expected weighted on-base average), 90th percentile in batting run value and 85th percentile in strikeout rate.
Those are categories that teams emphasize.
Tucker is a player who controls the zone, walks a ton and doesn’t strike out a lot.
Those players are extremely valued in today’s sport.
Let’s compare him to Judge and Soto in these metrics for 2025.
Players
Batting Run Value percentile
Expected weight on-base average percentile
Chase rate percentile
Walk percentage percentile
Strikeout percentile
Tucker
90
93
98
96
85
Judge
100
100
84
1000
36
Soto
99
100
100
100
62
Courtesy of Baseball Savant
Tucker ranks very well in those categories, although he’s clearly not on Judge and Soto’s level.
Looking beyond just 2025, Tucker ranks 10th in both weighted runs created plus over the last five years and wins above replacement.
He’s been a very, very good player for the last five years, although he has yet to truly have an elite season that puts him in the talk for the best players in the sport.
One other point to consider is that the Dodgers may have been paying up now for a premium bat knowing they won’t be doing so in the near future.
The next two free agent markets are rather bad for hitters, with next winter’s class being headlined by Jazz Chisholm Jr., Nico Hoerner and perhaps Dalton Varsho.
The 2027 class features William Contreras, Freddie Freeman (who will be 38) and Jeremy Pena.
Those players — excluding Freeman, who will be 38 at the time — are not at the franchise cornerstone level where they are worth hundreds of millions.
You add these factors together, and while it’s OK to disagree, the Dodgers felt that giving Tucker more money per year than Judge and Soto made sense in their quest for a three-peat.
The Minnesota Timberwolves will be without their best player tonight, but they still have a chance to push the Houston Rockets toward the Play-In Tournament.
That would mark a steep fall for a team that entered the season with legitimate title aspirations following the arrival of Kevin Durant.
My Timberwolves vs. Rockets predictions recognize the immediate Minnesota value in Anthony Edwards’ absence.
Tip-off is set for 9:30 p.m. ET at Toyota Center in Houston, with the game airing on ESPN.
Timberwolves vs Rockets prediction
Timberwolves vs Rockets best bet: Jaden McDaniels Over 16.5 points (-105)
Jaden McDaniels scored 14 points in Tuesday’s first quarter at Milwaukee, which is the reason he cashed this same prop by only half a point, adding a second-quarter 3-pointer. The Minnesota Timberwolves were so walloping the Bucks that McDaniels eased up.
He has now cleared this prop in six of eight games without Anthony Edwards in the lineup this season, averaging 19.9 points in those eight games, up from 13.5 points in 31 games alongside the Minnesota superstar.
McDaniels takes 10.1 shots per game with Edwards in the lineup, jumping to 13.75 without the MVP candidate. Maybe even more notable, McDaniels’s field-goal percentage rises to 55.5% in that increased usage, up from 51.0%.
The 25-year-old is a more complete player than given credit for, and that often shows up when the Timberwolves’ best offensive player is on the bench.
Timberwolves vs Rockets same-game parlay
Doubt Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard in all defensive matchups. He logged 19 minutes last night and finished a team-worst minus-10.
Yes, it was a 20-point loss to Oklahoma City, but some of that stemmed from Sheppard’s defensive issues. Minnesota point guard Donte DiVincenzo shouldn’t need much space to score in this matchup.
The McDaniels–DiVincenzo pairing has been a key reason the Timberwolves are 5-1 ATS in their last six games without Anthony Edwards, compared to just 13-17 ATS with Edwards since Nov. 1.
As brilliant as Edwards is, Minnesota often plays with sharper focus in his absence.
Timberwolves vs Rockets SGP
Jaden McDaniels Over 16.5 points
Donte DiVincenzo Over 14.5 points
Timberwolves +4.5
Our "from downtown" SGP: Gobert or Go Home
Prior to Rudy Gobert’s one-game suspension on Tuesday, he had cleared this prop in six straight games. Minnesota's center may be playing the best basketball of his career.
Houston has lost seven straight games against the spread, falling short of bookmakers’ expectations by an average of 13.1 points. That includes four outright losses as a favorite. Find more NBA betting trends for Timberwolves vs. Rockets.
How to watch Timberwolves vs Rockets
Location
Toyota Center, Houston, TX
Date
Friday, January 16, 2026
Tip-off
9:30 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN
Timberwolves vs Rockets latest injuries
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This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
The Tampa Bay Rays sent outfielder Josh Lowe to the Angels as part of a three-team trade in which left-handed reliever Brock Burke went from Los Angeles to Cincinnati.
Infielder Gavin Lux moved from the Reds to Tampa Bay and minor league right-hander Chris Clark from the Angels to the Rays.
Lowe, who turns 28 on Feb. 2, batted a career-worst .220 with 11 homers and 40 RBIs last year. He injured his right oblique for the third time in 13 months and didn’t play between the March 28 opener and May 15.
Lowe has a one-year, $2.6 million contract and is on track to be eligible for free agency after the 2028 World Series. He has a .250 average with 43 homers and 170 RBIs in five big league seasons, all with the Rays.
Lux, 28, hit .269 with five homers and 53 RBIs in his only season with the Reds. He agreed last week to a $5,525,000, one-year contract and can become a free agent after this year’s World Series.
He has a .256 average with 33 homers and 208 RBIs in six seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2019-24) and the Reds, who acquired him last January for minor league outfielder Mike Sirota and a draft pick. Lux missed the 2023 season after tearing his right ACL in a spring training game.
Burke, 29, was 7-1 with a 3.36 ERA in 68 relief appearances and one start for the Angels. He has a $2,325,000 salary also also can become a free agent after this year’s World Series.
Clark, 24, was a fifth-round draft pick in 2023 from Harvard and was 4-10 with a 4.73 ERA in 20 starts last year for Class A Inland Empire, High A Tri-City and Double-A Rocket City.
Winning isn’t the assignment in Brooklyn right now. Growth is.
This Nets team is unlikely to be competitive today, tomorrow, or anytime soon. Unless patience becomes a box-score category.
The process may be frustrating, but Jordi Fernández appears to be the ideal coach for the long, unglamorous road ahead.
The second-year coach is built for the slow burn, handling the delicate mindset of his young players with a mix of patience, constructive criticism, and encouragement.
Tough Love Pays Off
Fernández has had no problem identifying where his young players fall short, both privately and in public. Each rookie has taken a turn under the spotlight, with Fernández addressing his concerns to the media when necessary.
His messages are blunt and direct, and they often come with immediate results.
After rookie Drake Powell played just over two minutes during a 119–111 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on December 12, Fernández didn’t sugarcoat his decision to sideline the rookie. When asked about the 20-year-old’s limited playing time, he made it clear that Powell’s performance leading up to that moment didn’t meet his standard.
“These young guys need to understand how important every minute you play is,” Fernández said. “If the intentions are there, I’m completely fine. But if the mistakes are from easing into the game, that’s not how we do it here.”
Powell responded the next game by scoring 13 points while adding four rebounds, three assists, and a steal during Brooklyn’s 127–82 blowout win over the Milwaukee Bucks. He’s continued to show steady improvement on both ends of the floor over the past month, highlighted by a career-high 16 points in Wednesday’s 116–113 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, even knocking down a clutch three to cut the deficit with five seconds left…
“I respect him for that,” Powell said of Fernández. “It just shows that he cares, not only about me as a basketball player, but as a human being.”
Following the Dallas game, he delivered a similar, but shorter, message to fellow rookie Egor Demin, who shot just 14 percent from the field while forcing several contested attempts.
“He’s gotta be better, otherwise the minutes are gonna go down, and somebody else will take advantage of them,” Fernández said.
Demin responded with a statement game of his own, leading Brooklyn with 17 points against Milwaukee and carrying that momentum throughout the month. At this point in the season, he ranks second among all rookies in three-pointers made with 79 on 39.1% shooting and is on pace to break Kerry Kittles’ franchise rookie record of 158 made threes. Moreover, in the month of January, he’s shot better and made more threes than Kon Knueppel in one fewer games.
Fernández’s criticism is direct, but it’s also balanced. Just as quickly as he challenges his young players, he’s willing to praise them when they deserve it. Less than a week after calling out the two rookies, he highlighted the way they bounced back.
“I think they both did a great job. We knew that that was in them,” Fernández said. “Our guys care and we know how much they care, especially these two kids. They came back and they did what was best for the group and their performance was up to our standards.”
For inexperienced players who are still acclimating and adjusting, sometimes they simply need to be reminded of what they are capable of.
A Different View of the G League
In many organizations, being sent to the G League can feel like a punishment.
For Jordi Fernández, who spent several seasons as the head coach of the Canton Charge, the league is viewed as a developmental tool that allows players to log meaningful live reps as they adjust to the pace and physicality of professional basketball.
“We have a system in place. It’s important for players to see what the path is to get better,” Fernández said. “I’ve been in the G League as a head coach. All of our players but one have played in the G League. It’s something that we embrace and believe in.”
All but one Nets rookie — Demin — has spent time with Brooklyn’s G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, as Fernández maintains a consistent line of communication with the developmental staff out in Uniondale.
Fresh off Danny Wolf’s 25-point, 13-rebound performance against the Capital City Go-Go on Nov. 10, the rookie forward pointed to the continuity between both staffs.
“We’re one big group. My position coach here and my position coach back in Brooklyn are in communication,” Wolf said. “They talk about the same things, watch the same film and help me. They do a great job sharing ideas with each other.”
By the end of the month, the Michigan product was ready for consistent NBA action, scoring a career-high 22 points while adding four assists and four rebounds in a 116–99 loss to Milwaukee.
Within the span of three months, fellow rookie first-round pick Nolan Traore went from struggling in the G League and looking unplayable at the NBA level to earning a call-up and averaging 21.6 minutes per game for Brooklyn this month.
“He took full advantage of the opportunities he had with Long Island,” said Fernández. “And when he came back here, he did so with a different spirit and a lot more confidence.”
Just this week, Long Island’s Grant Nelson who played for Brooklyn in the Summer League and training camp, credited the Brooklyn and Long Island performance teams with helping him get beyond knee soreness than has troubled him since his freshman year in college five years ago.
“I think it really shows how good the performance staff is here and what they’ve done to get me back on the court and be ready for when I get back on the court,” Nelson told ND’s Scott Mitchell. “The performance staff did a great job, and everyone really cares about me, which really meant a lot.”
Letting The Work Show
While the process doesn’t need to be rushed, each of the team’s young investments appears to be trending upward, despite the scrutiny and confusion that followed the team’s draft decisions.
What was once questioned as drafting three players at the “same position” has proven to be far from it. While the media guide may list Demin, Traore and Ben Saraf as point guards, Fernández has found a way to emphasize their unique skill sets to the team’s benefit.
Meanwhile, Powell’s strengths are being maximized to make him look like a value pick after serving a limited role in college, while Wolf has surprised many by translating his unique combination of size and coordination to the NBA after earning Fernández’s trust.
So far, so good. The Nets were heavily criticized on Draft Night for using five first round picks, the first time any team had done that. One issue was developing that many firsts all at once. It will be a while before final grades are handed in but at the moment, the professor and his students seem to be doing fine.
The Ducks made a trade on Friday morning, acquiring forward Jeffrey Viel from the Boston Bruins in exchange for a 2026 fourth-round pick. The Bruins will receive the better pick between the Detroit Red Wings and Philadelphia Flyers.
Viel, 28, has appeared in 10 NHL games this season for the Bruins. He spent most of last season in the AHL with the Providence Bruins.
Undrafted out of the QMJHL, Viel signed a two-year entry-level contract with the San Jose Sharks in 2019. Playing the role of an agitating grinder, Viel spent two seasons in the AHL before getting NHL experience during the shortened 2020-21 season. He continued to split time between the NHL and AHL before spending the entire 2023-24 season in the AHL with the Manitoba Moose, the Winnipeg Jets’ AHL affiliate.
Viel’s sandpaper play style matches what head coach Joel Quenneville is looking for from his bottom-6 and also mirrors the style of play that general manager Pat Verbeek displayed during his playing days. A fourth line consisting of Viel, Ross Johnston and Ryan Poehling could prove to be an irritating combination for opponents.
With Nikita Nesterenko being assigned to AHL San Diego on Thursday, the Ducks had an open roster spot to accommodate Viel. Because the Bruins are at home on the East Coast, Viel is unlikely to play in either Friday or Saturday’s games against the Los Angeles Kings.
