Utah Mammoth - 33-25-4 - 70 Points - 6-4-0 in the last 10 - Won 2 - 4th in the Central.
Columbus Blue Jackets - 32-21-8 - 72 Points - 8-1-1 in the last 10 - Won 3 - 4th in the Metro.
Team Notes Per CBJ PR
Columbus has won three-straight and earned points in four consecutive games (3-0-1) after earning a 4-2 victory over Florida on Thursday. The club has earned points in 15 of its last 17 contests (14-2-1) since a Jan. 11 win at Utah.
CBJ, who are in the middle of a four-game homestand, have recorded points in seven-straight home contests (6-0-1) and 11-of-12 games played at Nationwide Arena in 2026 (9-1-2).
Since Dec. 22, the Blue Jackets have gone 18-6-2 (386 pts, .731 points pct.) and rank third in the NHL in points and points percentage, fourth in save pct. (.908), fifth in goals-against/game (2.65), sixth-T in penalty kill pct. (82.4), as well as 11th in goals for/game (3.46).
The club has scored the opening goal in 15 of the past 17 games and leads the league in scoring first in 2025-26 (39, 27-7-5).
Player Notes Per CBJ PR
Charlie Coyle has points in four-straight games (1-4-5) and has posted 6-11-17 and five multi-point efforts in the last 11 contests since Jan. 24.
Adam Fantilli, who had his four-game goal streak (4-2-6) and five-game points streak (4-3-7) snapped on Thursday, has totaled 5-7-12 in the past 11 contests.
Conor Garland was acquired in a trade from the Vancouver Canucks on Friday. In five seasons in which he has played 68 or more games, he has averaged 19 goals and 47 points with Arizona and Vancouver.
Kirill Marchenko has collected assists in three consecutive games (2-3-5) and has registered points in eight of his past nine contests since Jan. 24 (4-7-11).
Mathieu Olivier notched his third multi-goal game effort of the season in the win over Florida and has totaled 7-2-9 and 30 hits in the last 10 contests.
Zach Werenski, who has missed the past three games due to illness, has collected points in 22 of his past 24 games played since Dec. 11 (11-24-35, 11 multi-point efforts).
Blue Jackets Stats
Power Play - 19.9% - 16th in the NHL
Penalty Kill - 77.1% - 25th in the NHL
Goals For - 191- 17th in the NHL
Goals Against - 192 - 22nd in the NHL
MammothStats
Power Play - 117.2% - 25th in the NHL
Penalty Kill - 78.0% - 21st in the NHL
Goals For - 196 - 16th in the NHL
Goals Against - 169 - 4th in the NHL
Series History vs. TheMammoth
Columbus is 2-0-1 all-time, and 2-0-0 at home vs. Utah.
Columbus has lost 7 straight games to the Panthers overall, and three straight at home.
The visiting team has come back to earn 3-2 overtime victories in all three games of the series.
CBJ scored two power play goals, including the overtime winner, in the first meeting of the season series on Jan. 11.
The Jackets have killed off all five Utah power play attempts over the past two contests.
The teams have combined to average 58 shots on goal in the first three matchups.
Both teams are looking for their first shutout, hat trick and penalty shot attempt in the all-time series.
Charlie Coyle, LW Mikael Pyyhtia and LW Dmitri Voronkov (GWG) all scored goals in the win at Utah on Jan. 11.
Zach Werenski has collected assists in all three games of the series against Utah (1-3-4), including setting up the winner in the most recent meeting and notching the OT winner in the very first game on Jan. 31, 2025.
Who To Watch For TheMammoth
Dylan Guenther leads the Mammoth with 28 goals.
Clayton Keller leads Utah with 42 assists and 61 points.
Goalie Karel Vejmelka is 29-16-2 with a SV% of .901 and a shutout.
CBJ Player Notes vs.Mammoth
Charlie Coyle has 1 point in 3 career games against Utah.
Boone Jenner has yet to register a point against the Mammoth.
Mason Marchment has 2 goals in 3 games vs. Utah.
Injured Reserve
Brendan Smith - Lower Body - Missed 23 Games IR - Out for the rest of the regular season.
Zach Werenski missed the last 3 games due to illness.
Dante Fabbro missed the last game due to a lower-body injury.
TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 165
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Welcome to Pinstripe Alley’s coverage of the 2026 World Baseball Classic! We previewed Pool A, Pool B, Pool C, and Pool D in the linked articles. Since the first several days of the WBC feature a bevy of games, we’ll be recapping them in batches. Enjoy!
It was wall-to-wall baseball on Friday, the WBC truly exploding into action with eight games on the docket. Tournament favorites USA and Dominican Republic both opened their tournaments with statement wins, their star-studded lineups combining for 27 runs. There’s a lot to cover, so let’s jump right in.
Pool A: Puerto Rico (1-0) 5, Colombia (0-1) 0
Brilliant pitching by the Puerto Rico staff and a five-run fifth inning outburst by their offense told the whole story of this game. 2024 Al Cy Young runner-up Seth Lugo was on the mound for Puerto Rico and he already looked to be in midseason form, leaning on his nine-pitch arsenal to twirl four scoreless innings with Colombia scattering just three hits and a pair of walks. The six relievers that trailed him out of the bullpen followed suit, combining for six scoreless innings allowing just three hits and three walks. Colombia’s best chance to score came in the eighth when they loaded the bases with two outs, but Yankees setup man Fernando Cruz induced a Jordan Diaz fly out to end the threat. Newly-minted Dodgers closer Edwin Díaz stamped an exclamation mark at the end, striking out the side after a leadoff single to nail down the combined shutout, exorcising some of the demons of the season-ending knee injury he suffered during the last WBC.
The Puerto Rico offense is seriously neutered after the likes of Francisco Lindor, Carlos Correa, and others found themselves unable to participate in the tournament after failing to secure insurance. It certainly looked the case, the Colombia pitchers facing the minimum in seven out of the nine innings. However, that didn’t prevent them from exploding for five runs in the fifth after they got into the Colombia bullpen, the newest Rockies starter Jose Quintana having thrown three scoreless to start the game. Carlos Cortes and Darell Hernaiz led off with a pair of singles, the former scoring on a Gio Urshela fielding error at third on an Emmanuel Rivera grounder. Eddie Rosario followed with a single of his own to plate Hernaiz, and after a Matthew Lugo groundout, Martín Maldonado came through with the fourth single of the frame to score Rivera. Following a pitching change, Willi Castro doubled to right to bring Rosario home and advance Maldonado to third, who was then able to jog home on a Heliot Ramos sac fly to deep right.
Pool A: Dominican Republic (1-0) 12, Nicaragua (0-1) 3
Cristopher Sánchez finished runner-up to Paul Skenes in last year’s NL Cy Young balloting, but you wouldn’t have known it from the way he struggled against Nicaragua in the early innings of this game. He loaded the bases surrendering two singles and a walk with one out in the first, and though a strikeout-wild pitch allowed the opening run of the game to score, it also allowed Sánchez to become one of a few pitchers in WBC history to record four strikeouts in an inning. His offense grabbed the lead in the bottom half on a Ketel Marte RBI double and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. RBI groundout, only for Sánchez to cough it back up in the second. Cristian Sandoval led off with a single, Freddy Zamora doubled him home, and a Chase Dawson single to left and subsequent fielding error from Juan Soto plated Zamora as Nicaragua retook the lead.
From that point on, it was all Dominican Republic. Julio Rodríguez leveled the scores at three apiece with a two-out RBI single in the third. Junior Caminero gave his team their second lead with a two-run bomb in the sixth after Manny Machado led off with a double.
Vlad drove in his second run of the game in the seventh with a sac fly with the bases loaded, though Caminero left the bases juiced when he grounded into the inning-ending double play. It all proved a prelude to the DR’s six-run eighth to make a laugher out of a game that was close throught the first five innings. Rodríguez kicked things off with a leadoff home run and Oneil Cruz — pinch-hitting for Marte — followed with a 450-foot, three-run missile to right after Geraldo Perdomo walked and Fernando Tatis Jr. singled. Soto walked and Vlad collected his third RBI with a double to left, and after Machado drew a walk, Rodríguez came to bat for the second time in the inning, picking up his third RBI of the contest with a single to drive Vlad home.
You want your captain to set the tone in tournament opener, so of course Aaron Judge homered in his first ever WBC at-bat. Judge declined to participate in the last tournament, but was the first player to commit to the team this time around, manager Mark DeRosa hand-selecting the three-time AL MVP to be the team captain, a role he already holds with the Yankees. After Bobby Witt Jr. singled to open the contest, Judge got the green light, 3-0, and leaned on a sweeper right down the middle, sending it 405 feet into the stands in right for a two-run blast.
They had to feel good handing a two-run lead to one of the most consistent starters in MLB over the last few years in Logan Webb. It took him a batter to settle into his outing, surrendering a leadoff home run to Lucas Ramirez — at 20 years old the youngest of Manny Ramirez’s three sons — but Webb would then retire the next 12 batters he faced, six by strikeout. It was certainly a day to remember for the Ramirez the younger, the High-A right fielder in the Angels system smacking his second solo shot of the game in the eighth off Michael Wacha, this pair of home runs made all the more remarkable by the fact that Ramirez has all of three home runs to his name in his professional career.
Ramirez wasn’t the only son of a former big leaguer to impress for Brazil. Joseph Contreras is the son of former Yankees pitcher Jose Contreras, and at just 17 years old he is still a senior in high school in Georgia. However, he seemed unfazed by the moment, pumping in 97 mph fastballs and a nasty vulcan grip forkball right out of his father’s playbook. With the bases loaded in second, he broke Judge’s bat, getting the USA captain to ground into the inning-ending double play.
Other than a Victor Mascai two-run homer in the seventh off Gabe Speier to briefly make a contest of this game, those were about all the highlights for Brazil. A super-patient approach by the entire US lineup, a home plate umpire whose zone clearly favored the home team, and a trepidatious Brazil pitching staff terrified of making mistakes in the zone combined to create one of the most remarkable (and admittedly painful) on-base displays in recent WBC memory. The US lineup combined to draw 17 walks including five free passes/hit-by-pitches with the bases loaded. Brazil’s nine pitchers combined to throw 221 pitches, and you seriously worry how they are going to make it through pool play.
USA’s biggest outburst came in the fifth and ninth, when they scored four and seven runs, respectively. Brice Turang’s three-run double was the big blow in the fifth — part of a 3-for-6 day with four RBIs for the Brewers infielder. Kyle Schwarber and Roman Anthony each contributed a pair of singles, the latter driving in a pair on the night. Judge finished the day 1-for-4 with the homer, two walks, two RBIs, and three runs scored.
It was hardly a flawless performance from Team USA, with the offense going 5-for-21 with runners in scoring position and stranding 13 men on base. However, this patient approach looks like it can grind down any pitching staff, and we see the offense they are capable of at the end of games. (Shoutout to Brazil and anyone who had them out-homering the US on their bingo card.)
Pool A: Chinese Taipei (1-2) 14, Czech Republic (0-3) 0
The nightcap featured the two early doormats of the tournament, and poor Czechia can’t catch a break. After some strange scheduling conspired to have them play a day game after a night game (both losses), they found themselves on the receiving end of a drubbing by Chinese Taipei, themselves still smarting from getting mercy ruled by Japan earlier in the day.
Chinese Taipei ambushed Czechia starter Jan Novak for six runs in the first two innings and continued to pour it one from their as Czechia’s offense simply had no answer. Tsung-Che Cheng and Stuart Fairchild singled to open the contest. A double steal attempt and throwing error by the catcher allowed Cheng to score the game’s opening run, and a Yu Chang single plated Fairchild as the second run of the frame. In the second, Chen-Wei Chen singled while Tsung-Che Cheng and Cheng-Hui Sung drew a pair of two-out walks, setting up a Fairchild grand slam, a feat he never achieved in his 277 major league games.
After a brief reprieve in the third, Chinese Taipei put their foot back on the accelerator in the fourth. Chang drove in another pair that frame one a two-out line drive single to center, and then in the fifth, Lyle Lin doubled to lead off, advanced to third on a Kun-Yu Chiang single, and scored on a Chen sac fly. That set up a five-run blitz in the sixth that brought this game to a merciful end for the Czechs. Fairchild drew a leadoff walk, stole second, and scored on a single from Chang, his fourth RBI of the contest. Czech relievers then plunked back-to-back hitters to load the bases, after which a Chiang walk plated a run and a Chen double brought home a further pair. Cheng rolled over a soft grounder to score the 14th and final run of the game, which ended after seven innings thanks to the mercy rule in effect for the tournament.
It’s another action-packed day of baseball on Saturday, with another eight-game slate for all our enjoyment. Just like we did yesterday, we will break down the recaps into two posts, one for the first four games of the day, followed by a recap of the four late games to run later on (likely tomorrow morning). Here’s what to look forward to today:
South Korea vs. Japan (Pool C) Pitching matchup: RHP Young Pyo Ko vs. LHP Yusei Kikuchi Time: 5:00 a.m. ET TV: FS1 Venue: Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan
Colombia vs. Canada (Pool A) Pitching matchup: RHP Julio Teheran vs. RHP Michael Soroka Time: 11:00 a.m. ET TV: FS2 Venue: Hiram Bithorn Stadium, San Juan, PR
Nicaragua vs. Netherlands (Pool D) Pitching matchup: RHP Erasmo Ramírez vs. RHP Jaitoine Kelly Time: 12:00 p.m. ET TV: Tubi Venue: loanDepot park, Miami, FL
Brazil vs. Italy (Pool B) Pitching matchup: TBD vs. LHP Sam Aldegheri Time: 1:00 p.m. ET TV: Fox Sports App Venue: Daikin Park, Houston, TX
Panama vs. Puerto Rico (Pool A) Pitching matchup: RHP Ariel Jurado vs. LHP Eduardo Rivera Time: 6:00 p.m. ET TV: FS1 Venue: Hiram Bithorn Stadium, San Juan, PR
Israel vs. Venezuela (Pool D) Pitching matchup: RHP Ben Simon vs. LHP Enmanuel De Jesus Time: 7:00 p.m. ET TV: FS2 Venue: loanDepot park, Miami, FL
Great Britain vs. United States (Pool B) Pitching matchup: RHP Tyler Viza vs. LHP Tarik Skubal Time: 8:00 p.m. ET TV: Fox Venue: Daikin Park, Houston, TX
Chinese Taipei vs. South Korea (Pool C) Pitching matchup: TBD Time: 10:00 p.m. ET TV: FS2 Venue: Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan
BOSTON, MA - MARCH 6: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks guards Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics during the game on March 6, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
An interesting confluence of Brotherhood history as two things happened in Boston on Friday night: Jayson Tatum returned from his Achilles injury in just eight months, and New England native and Dallas rookie Cooper Flagg made his maiden trip to TD Garden, home of the Celtics.
Not surprisingly, Boston won – the Celtics are second in the East and have won twice as many games as the Mavericks.
Tatum, who is going to be on a minutes restriction for a while, got in for 27 and scored 15 points, along with grabbing 12 rebounds. He also had 7 assists. That’s pretty good for a guy who has been out for 3/4 of a year.
For his part, Flagg is also returning from an injury, albeit much more minor. Flagg injured his ankle just before the All-Star break and is in his second game since getting back (his first one was a 114-115 loss to Paolo Banchero and Wendell Carter’s Orlando Magic).
He scored 16 points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out 6 assists.
Both guys are going to take a little time to get their edge back, but it’ll likely happen for Flagg faster than Tatum.
Feb 17, 2026; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets pitcher Sean Manaea (59) works during spring training at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Sean Manaea finally made his spring debut against the Marlins. He was solid in his three innings of work but the offense was stymied by Marlins pitching.
Manaea’s final line against the Marlins was 3.0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Craig Kimbrel pitched a clean inning and struck out two in his appearance
Devin Williams walked one and struck out one in his one inning of work
A.J. Ewing went 1-for-3 with a stolen base while also making a nice diving catch in left field
Carson Benge went 1-for-4
Next up Kodai Senga will make his first appearance this spring against the Cardinals in Jupiter, Florida. Game action kicks off at 1:05pm.
GOODYEAR, ARIZONA - MARCH 3: Manager Dave Roberts #30 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pulls Roki Sasaki #11 from the mound during the first inning of the spring training game against the Cleveland Guardians at Goodyear Ballpark on March 3, 2026 in Goodyear, Arizona. (Photo by Mike Christy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Roki Sasaki has been a mess in his first two starts this spring, still working through some new pitches and fighting his command, having through 38 strikes and 43 balls thus far in Cactus League play, allowing seven runs and recording 10 outs.
And now, Sasaki’s release point is drifting. Instead of getting the ball out at full extension, his arm is drifting out and up. That’s going to affect movement and command, but it’s also going to hurt the perceived velocity on his fastball: an even 100 mph during last year’s postseason, down to 98.5 mph now.
“I talk to our guys every day about playing for something bigger, and I try to remind myself all the time that I’m a baseball fan first,” Roberts said. “And yes, I’m going to manage to win and make our players better. But I don’t ever want to lose sight of how great this game is.”
“It’s like playing at home,” Zazueta said. “Even in the minors, I’ve seen so much support from a lot of the Mexican fans. It makes being part of this organization even more special.”
MLB Pipeline unveiled its updated Dodgers top-30 prospect list, which included Zazeuta at 10th in the system, after being outside the top 30 before last season. Said Jim Callis of MLB.com: “Roughed up in his first crack at Single-A in 2024, he dominated in his return at age 20 and already is one of the system’s more polished pitchers.”
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Max Verstappen was cleared by Formula 1's medical team after X-rays on his hands following his crash in qualifying that will see him start from 20th place on the grid in Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix.
The four-time world champion was a surprise exit from Saturday's qualifying just seven minutes into Q1 — the first of three segments in F1’s knockout format — and was seen inspecting his hands after he got out of his Red Bull.
“All good. I just had to get some X-rays done to see if my hands were OK, but nothing was broken,” Verstappen told Sky Sports.
Australia was the Dutchman’s eighth Q1 exit since he joined the pinnacle of motorsport in 2015 with then-Toro Rosso.
The 28-year-old Verstappen triggered the red flag after he lost control of his Red Bull in braking for turn one and skidded across the gravel trap and into the barriers.
“To lose the car like that on the braking, I’ve never experienced that in my life,” he said. “I hit the pedal and suddenly the whole rear axle just completely locked up, so definitely a bit weird."
Fort Myers, FL - February 15: Boston Red Sox infielder Marcelo Mayer and teammates work out in small groups on a drill. The Red Sox held Day 6 of Spring Training at JetBlue Park on February 15, 2026. (Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
At this point in spring training, the starting second baseman remains a mystery, but Red Sox fans should be ready to go along for the ride. Bring an open mind and a hopefulness that comes from knowing that the Sox seem poised to get better contributions from the keystone position than they have been in some time. Instead of making assumptions and predictions, which Alex Cora himself has been discouraging, let’s lay out what we know.
What Do We Know About Second Base in 2026?
We know a lot, even if nothing is set in stone.
The first thing to know: the Red Sox have lots of options. The two primary ones are Caleb Durbin and Marcelo Mayer. Durbin came over from the Brewers primarily as a third baseman, which is the position Mayer (a natural shortstop) temporarily took over during Alex Bregman’s absence last season.
Next, Alex Cora hasn’t made any promises to anybody. He’s deliberately played both Durbin and Mayer at second, as well as at third. He’s challenged Mayer publicly to step up his game and win a spot on the roster, without indicating where that spot could be.
Also, the Sox made a long-overdue institutional decision to strengthen their defense at all levels. This resulted in several offseason acquisitions of glove-first players, rather than the clear power bat most expected after Bregman’s departure. Clearly there isn’t room for all of these players in Boston (and maybe not even at the minor-league level), but the Red Sox have depth options now that they didn’t previously have. The infield is nothing if not deep, and most of these players can play other positions.
That segues to injuries. The Red Sox have already had two that affect the second base position directly: Romy González and new pickup Brendan Rodgers.
The trends so far for 2026 seem to be defense, versatility, and depth. A head-spinning array of options is just how Alex Cora likes it, and a deep bench and Triple-A team will proactively address injuries. The Red Sox weren’t prepared in past seasons and were forced to call up Quad-A players far too often for far too long.
The Starter
Well, we’re not sure yet. But that’s okay. As Alex Cora said earlier in spring training: “Everybody is competing for something here and I think the roster will dictate what we do.”
He has steadfastly refused to be pinned down about the infield, playing both Durbin and Mayer at second and third, and saying things like: “It’s not a given that [Mayer’s] second baseman or third baseman for this team.”
The Red Sox officially haven’t made any decisions yet, but there are clues all over the place…or are they red herrings? And some of the clues contradict each other. Both Durbin and Mayer are versatile: Mayer is originally a shortstop and covered third base for the Sox when Alex Bregman was injured last season. In that small sample size, he had 3 OAA. Durbin has played second, third, and short in the minors but was primarily a third baseman in Milwaukee. Comparing their time at third base (both relatively small sample sizes, as Durbin is only entering his second year in MLB), Avery Hamel notes that Mayer might be the more agile fielder, which could give him an edge at getting the job at second base.
The Bench
Romy González is injured, so we’ll put him aside for now. Look for him to return to his spot on the bench and to doing his share of mashing lefties when he’s ready.
For a short time, it looked as though Isiah Kiner-Falefa might be the starting second baseman, or at least platoon with González. Durbin’s arrival has changed the infield equation, and that’s to Izzy’s liking. He embraces his role as a super utility player and wants to be among the best there is in 2026. He’ll spend time at second, third, and short.
Andruw Monasterio is another Swiss Army knife, but his primary positions are second and third base. He’s had a good spring and likely positioned himself to take Romy Gonzalez’s spot on the bench, especially since he hit lefties well in 68 games with the Brewers. If not, he’ll spend significant time in Worcester, working on his pop—which hasn’t been a problem at all in spring training. If he goes to Worcester, he’ll be a spot call-up, and will also help in developing minor league players like Mikey Romero.
Though his primary positions are outfield and third base, don’t be surprised to see Nate Eaton slot in occasionally at second. There’s no denying his speed, versatility, and the way he contributed down the stretch in 2025.
Minor League Depth and Other Options
It’s hard to know if Nick Sogard will win a spot on the bench or begin the season in Worcester. With Monasterio’s hot spring, Worcester seems most likely for Sogard, but expect to see him as a callup at second base as needed.
Mickey Gasper is another utility guy, a switch hitter who is primarily a catcher but who has played second base in a handful of games at the MLB level. He’s had a good spring. Look for Cora to use his versatility with the glove and bat from time to time, but he’ll mostly be stationed in Worcester.
Anthony Seigler is yet another recent arrival who could play second or third. Craig Breslow has had only good things to say about Seigler, who performed well in Triple A last season for the Brewers.
Claimed off waivers as a glove-first guy, Tsung-Che Cheng is another insurance policy at various positions, including second base. He’s currently representing Chinese Taipei in the World Baseball Classic and came off the bench in their only game. With all of the options the Red Sox have available, Cheng will start 2026 in Worcester.
Vinny Capra is another versatile infielder who can play second, third, and short. He’s a glove-first player who doesn’t hit. He will help with developing young minor leaguers but won’t see much (or any) time at the big-league level.
Although Cora praised Brendan Rodgers’ defense and expressed hope that he’d unlock some offense, the frequently injured Rodgers will almost certainly require surgery on his shoulder after a spring training dive went wrong. His future for the 2026 season, let alone at the MLB level, is uncertain at best. He signed a one-year contract with the Red Sox, and may never play for them outside of spring training.
The Future
The same theme emerges: versatile players who can play multiple positions. Mikey Romero and Franklin Arias seem to be the future of the infield in one way or another. Romero plays second, third, and short. Though he’ll probably start the season in Triple A, he is likely to see a callup in 2026 as another utility infielder. Arias is primarily a shortstop who occasionally handles second base. We won’t see him this year, but he is likely to anchor the Red Sox infield in some way down the line.
Who Definitely Won’t Play Second Base?
It’s useful to consider who won’t play second. Not only is this category easier to predict, but it’s also helpful to see the path the Sox have traveled to arrive at a point of much-needed depth.
The many second-base options at this point are partly a testament to kicking the tires in spring training, and also to Alex Cora’s devotion to moving players around and making aggressive moves with matchups. But these Not Second Basemen are worth noting:
Thankfully, David Hamilton has returned to Milwaukee from whence he came, removing Cora’s deep and abiding temptation to get him into the lineup.
We can also expect not to see Ceddanne Rafaela at second in 2026. Although this promise was made early in the offseason, it became a possibility again after Alex Bregman decamped to Chicago. However, the front office has worked hard to bring in needed depth. With the quantity of infielders and utility players who have arrived, Rafaela should stay firmly in center field where he belongs, and where he can help the team most.
Less confidently, Kristian Campbell can be added to this list. After 2025, Campbell has most likely converted into an outfielder/first baseman. He looked awkward at second, and the experiment ultimately affected his play and confidence. The Sox may have learned a lesson about quick promotions and asking too much of a player, a very young one at that.
What About the Offense?
We don’t need a table to know that not a single one of these players are so-called big bats. They are glove-first, which will bring its own rewards like cleanly fielding all the ground balls generated by Garrett Crochet, Ranger Suárez, Sonny Gray, and Brayan Bello. Durbin consistently gets on base, so no matter what position he plays, look for him to do that and get driven home. Mayer has yet to prove what he’s capable of offensively. It’s still too early in his career to make any predictions there.
Don’t think the Red Sox have lost speed at second with Hamilton’s departure and González’s injury. Spring training has brought reports about Mayer’s speed, and Durbin is highly regarded for his speed but even more for his baserunning smarts. Eaton’s speed is a known quantity, should he get time at second (and is a lock to steal bases no matter where he plays). Given the likely roster makeup, look for an increased emphasis on manufacturing runs: out of Durbin’s singles, stolen bases, and turning on the speed to stretch out base hits.
Around the AL East
There’s been a lot of turnover at second base in the AL East since October; possibly only Jazz Chisholm, Jr. of the Yankees will look familiar as a regular. Jackson Holliday broke his hamate bone in spring training, so the Orioles will rely on depth to start the season. Like the Red Sox, the Toronto Blue Jays also find themselves considering multiple options, partly because of Ernie Clement’s red-hot 2025 postseason. Andrés Giménez, the primary second baseman last season, and Davis Schneider are in the mix too. Gavin Lux, offseason addition to the Tampa Bay Rays, is expected to be the primary second baseman as they return to Tropicana Field, but the team has taken a slow approach with him during spring training due to upper body soreness, so it’s difficult to say. He may share time with Richie Palacios. With all these unknowns, including for the Red Sox of course, it’s impossible to attempt any rankings at this point. Let’s put in a pin it for now and circle back later, after the Sox infield settles into some kind of groove.
Second base has gone from being a black hole in 2025 to the great unknown, and it’s exciting. Let’s go.
Though the NCAA men’s basketball tournament is designed to produce a national champion, it’s just as effective at creating stars.
The stakes and pressure of a single-elimination tournament can turn once-anonymous figures who spent much of their careers toiling in obscurity into celebrities in an instant, with the fame from their one shining moment staying with them long after they’ve finished playing.
It’s not always players who are immortalized, either. There are coaches, of course, but also unsuspecting fans, student managers and even team chaplains.
The 2026 NCAA Tournament will tip off in just over a week, with 68 teams from across the country vying for a national championship — or, if not that, the chance to be remembered forever in the sport. Over three weeks of games, buzzers will be beaten, Goliaths will be toppled and cult heroes will be born.
As we prepare for the madness of this March, here’s a look back at some of the biggest NCAA Tournament legends over the past 30 years and what they’re up to now:
Back then: Drained one of the biggest “no, no, yes!” shots in NCAA Tournament history, sinking a 3-pointer early in the shot clock rather than bleeding out the clock with a one-point lead and 35 seconds remaining in Northern Iowa’s 69-67 second-round win against No. 1 overall seed Kansas in 2010.
Now: After spending 11 seasons as an assistant at Nebraska, Drake and Colorado State, the 37-year-old Farokhmanesh is in his first season as Colorado State’s head coach. The Rams are 20-10 heading into their regular-season finale on Saturday, March 7.
Kris Jenkins
Back then: Jenkins delivered the exclamation point for maybe the most thrilling end to a national championship game in NCAA Tournament history, burying a 3-pointer as time expired to deliver Villanova a 77-74 victory over North Carolina in 2016. It was the Wildcats’ first national title since 1985.
Now: After a brief professional career overseas and in the G League, Jenkins returned to Villanova in February 2020 in a student-athlete development role.
Bryce Drew
Back then: Drew hit one of the most famous buzzer-beaters ever in the NCAA Tournament, sinking a 3 following a great play off a full-court heave to lift No. 13 seed Valparaiso to a 70-69 upset over No. 4 seed Mississippi in 1998. He added 22 points in a second-round overtime win against Florida State, sending Valpo to its first and only Sweet 16 in program history.
Now: After playing six seasons in the NBA, he returned to Valparaiso, where he coached under his father, Homer, before succeeding him as head coach in 2011. He spent five seasons at Valpo before moving to Vanderbilt, where he was fired after three seasons. He’s currently in his sixth season as head coach at Grand Canyon, where he has gone 139-51.
Kevin Pittsnogle
Back then: The 6-foot-11, tattooed West Virginia native won the hearts of millions during the 2005 NCAA Tournament, when he led his home state university all the way to the Elite Eight behind his rare blend of size and outside shooting touch, as well as his unforgettable last name that became a verb for fans across the country. He returned to the Mountaineers the following year, averaging nearly 20 points per game and earning All-American honors.
Now: Pittsnogle bounced between jobs after a brief professional basketball career before earning his master’s degree in special education. He’s currently the principal at North Middle School in his hometown of Martinsburg, West Virginia.
D.J. Burns
Back then: No player embodied NC State’s stunning run to the 2024 Final Four as a No. 11 seed more than Burns, the 6-foot-9, 275-pound forward with a portly frame but immaculate footwork and touch around the basket. His March magic was highlighted by a 29-point performance against Duke in the Elite Eight, which sent the Wolfpack to their first Final Four since 1983.
Now: Despite his March Madness heroics, Burns went undrafted in the 2024 NBA Draft. He played last season with the Goyang Sono Skygunners in South Korea and is now in his first season with Bnei Herzliya in Israel.
God Shammgod
Back then: With one of the most unforgettable names in college basketball history, Shammgod piloted a Providence team that made the Elite Eight as a No. 10 seed in 1997. He’s perhaps most known today for “the Shammgod,” a dribbling maneuver that bears his name.
Now: Shammgod played professional basketball for 12 years, primarily overseas, and is in his first season as an assistant coach with the Orlando Magic. He was previously an assistant with the Dallas Mavericks from 2019-25.
Jack Gohlke
Back then: Only a year removed from playing Division III ball, Gohlke led No. 14 seed Oakland to a shocking 80-76 win over No. 3 seed Kentucky in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament, scoring a season-high 32 points while making 10 of his 20 3s.
Now: Gohlke has been playing professionally since leaving Oakland and is currently in his first season with the Texas Legends, the G League affiliate of the Dallas Mavericks.
Tyus Edney
Back then: Edney was the catalyst of UCLA’s national championship run in 1995, driving the length of the court in 4.8 seconds for a game-winning layup as time expired in a 75-74 victory against Missouri in the second round of the tournament. The 5-foot-10 point guard later averaged 21.5 points per game in the Elite Eight and Final Four.
Now: Following a 15-year professional career, Edney got into coaching, serving as an assistant at UCLA and San Diego. He’s in his second season as an assistant at Pepperdine.
Spike Albrecht and Luke Hancock
Back then: Albrecht and Hancock traded baskets in a frenetic first half between Michigan and Louisville in the 2013 national championship game, combining for 33 points in the first half of the Cardinals’ 82-76 victory. Hancock, who finished with 22 points for Louisville, was named the Final Four Most Outstanding Player.
Now: Albrecht played three more seasons for Michigan before transferring to Purdue for his final college season. He later served as a graduate assistant at Purdue and, interestingly enough, Louisville. He’s now the director of franchise development with the REP’M Group. Though his Louisville team had its title vacated by the NCAA, Hancock and four of his teammates successfully had all of their records, including Hancock’s Final Four MOP, restored in 2019 in a lawsuit settlement. He currently works as an analyst for the ACC Network.
Doug Edert
Back then: Edert averaged only 9.5 points per game for a Saint Peter’s team that made the 2022 NCAA Tournament, but he quickly became one of the sport’s biggest stars that March, when the 6-foot-2 guard with the wispy mustache came off the bench to score 20 points in the No. 15 seed Peacocks’ first-round upset over No. 2 seed Kentucky. He later helped Saint Peter’s become the first No. 15 seed to make the Elite Eight, where it fell to North Carolina.
Now: Edert transferred after the 2021-22 season and played his final two years of college ball at Bryant. He’s currently working as a basketball coach and trainer.
Steph Curry
Back then: Over a thrilling couple of weeks in March 2008, Curry went from being Dell Curry’s rail-thin son to one of the biggest, most recognizable stars in college basketball. The once-overlooked sharpshooter scored a combined 103 points while leading No. 10 seed Davidson to upset wins over Gonzaga, Georgetown and Wisconsin on its way to the Elite Eight, where it narrowly lost to eventual national champion Kansas in a matchup in which Curry had a game-high 25 points.
Now: Honestly not sure. Hopefully he still gets the chance to lace his sneakers up every now and then.
The Philadelphia Flyers were reportedly actually close to trading Rasmus Ristolainen ahead of Friday's NHL trade deadline, but the deal never got over the line.
In his post-trade deadline press conference, Flyers GM Danny Briere insisted that other teams did simply not meet his asking price for Ristolainen, and he's right; it takes two to tango.
After several teams acquired right-shot defensemen, Ristolainen's suitors rapidly dwindled, and the Detroit Red Wings and Steve Yzerman eventually ended up as the last, most logical fit with minutes to go before the deadline hit.
Instead, the Red Wings, according to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, opted for St. Louis Blues defenseman Justin Faulk over Ristolainen.
"I heard Yzerman had a lot of balls in the air. A lot going on. Not that he'll ever tell us what they were. I think he had a lot of things in the air. The one thing I am pretty sure about is, at the end, he had a choice: Ristolainen, or Faulk. And he took Faulk," Friedman said in his trade deadline episode of "32 Thoughts".
"We knew he was trying on Myers, we talked about Ekman-Larsson. But I think it came down to Ristolainen and Faulk. He took Faulk."
As a consequence of their desperation, Yzerman and the Red Wings ultimately paid St. Louis a pretty penny for Faulk's services, parting ways with talented Russian forward prospect Dmitri Buchelnikov, a 2026 first-round pick, a 2026 third-round pick, and veteran defenseman Justin Holl.
Faulk is much different from Ristolainen, too, in that he's only 6-foot, older at age 33, and more expensive with his $6.5 million cap hit for two more seasons, including this one.
He's also a more adept puck mover, having reached the 30-point threshold in each of the last five seasons.
Ristolainen is more of a destroyer at this stage of his career, trading his Buffalo offense for a more consistent use of his 6-foor-4 frame and strength to kill plays and retain possession.
Holl, too, fit that bill, and while Ristolainen is very clearly the better defenseman, it is now obvious that Yzerman and the Red Wings preferred a player with Faulk's profile instead.
If Friedman is right, as he usually is, that has to sting a bit for the Flyers, who failed to move their top trade chip in a market that was white-hot for defensemen this year.
Should the Flyers want to revisit moving on from Ristolainen for picks and prospects, they'll have to wait until June.
After weeks of speculation, and despite Montreal Canadiens’ GM Kent Hughes’ best efforts, the Sainte-Flanelle was unable to make any trades in the run-up to the trade deadline, which means that the Habs were attacking the final stretch of the regular season with the same issues that have plagued them all season: shaky goaltending, a very young second line pivot and a coach who doesn’t trust his sixth defenseman, whoever is filling the role on any given night.
After the 7-5 loss to the San Jose Sharks with Jakub Dobes on Tuesday night, Samuel Montembeault was back in net for the Canadiens against the Anaheim Ducks, while Arber Xhekaj was brought back in to replace Jayden Struble. Martin St-Louis also decided to make some changes up front by remixing his lines, which made his first line happy.
Canadiens’ fans counted their blessings after the Ducks’ first goal, which came 20 seconds in on their first shot, was waived off for offside. It gave Montembeault a chance to start over, which he missed as he was once again beaten on the next shot. However, it’s hard to blame the goaltender when the goal is scored on a three-on-one. Still, it’s the fifth time in 23 starts that he has scored a goal in the first two minutes.
The netminder made a spectacular save on the penalty kill with his paddle to prevent Anaheim from getting a second goal. But not long afterwards, he let in yet another goal on a shot from far out that wasn’t deflected. It’s a headscratcher to see him post Jekyll and Hyde performances time after time. The Bécancour native is capable of the best and the worst at times in the same minute, which unfortunately makes every game an adventure.
Samuel Montembeault has the third-worst save percentage in the league when it comes to unblocked low-danger shots (.948%)
Only Carter Hart (.935%) and Samuel Ersson (.939%) have worse results.
In the second frame, with the score tied at 2-2, Jackson Lacombe took a slapshot from the blueline, and it found the back of the net without a screen or a deflection. Whichever way you look at it, Montembeault really struggles against shots from far out, while he can make big saves on shots from the real danger zones. This is puzzling to say the least, and it’s a trend that started at the end of the last season as well. It’s almost as if he couldn’t see the puck from far out.
Had it not been for the fact that the Canadiens are playing on Saturday night, Montembeault would have deserved to be pulled after that third goal.
Ready For A Leading Role
Since coming back from the Olympics, the line formed by Juraj Slafkovsky, Oliver Kapanen, and Ivan Demidov had struggled, prompting the Slovak’s return to the top line, and it didn’t take long for the move to pay off.
Just a minute in, Slafkovsky went hard on the forecheck and retrieved the puck to pass it to Cole Caufield, who fed Nick Suzuki in front of the net, and just like that, the score was tied. Then, about two and a half minutes later, Slafkovsky was able to complete a pass to Lane Hutson while absorbing some contact, and the blueliner went on to score the Habs’ second goal. Two assists in 3:30 for Slafkovsky, who was ready to play.
One slight criticism, though, is that he needs to make better decisions on the power play. At times, he seems to want to rush the play, and that often translates into a giveaway caused by a predictable pass.
Mr. Saturday Night Worked Overtime
The Ducks took a 4-2 lead 35 seconds into the third frame, and while some believed the Canadiens were toast at that point, the Habs didn’t. Mr. Saturday night, Cole Caufield, took charge, scoring twice in less than five minutes with Alexandre Carrier squeezing a lamplighter in between Caufield’s and just like that, the Canadiens took a 5-4 lead.
The diminutive sniper now has 16 goals in his last 14 games, and with 37 goals, he has tied his career high set last season. With 37 goals in 61 games, Caufield is now on pace for a 50-goal season.
Unfortunately for Caufield, the Canadiens were unable to hold on to the lead, and with less than a minute to go, Chris Kreider deflected a shot from the point to tie the game and send it to overtime with the Ducks playing six-on-five. The Habs failed to score the game-winning goal despite getting a power play in the extra frame, and a shootout was necessary. It took six rounds, but in the end, Alex Killorn gave the Ducks the win.
The Canadiens will be back in action on Saturday night, taking on the Los Angeles Kings at 7 PM ET.
The Florida Panthers picked up a much-needed win on Friday night in Detroit.
Florida’s players also breathed a big sigh of relief, apparently, after the NHL Trade Deadline passed at 3 p.m. without a certain somebody being included in any deals.
That somebody is Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky.
In the days leading up to Friday’s Trade Deadline, rumors were swirling about interest in Bobrovsky, a pending unrestricted free agent, from potential playoff teams looking for help in the goaltending department.
The interest is not surprising in the least.
While yeah, Bobrovsky is 37 years old, he’s also backstopped the Panthers to three straight Stanley Cup Final appearances and back-to-back championships with a trio of spectacular postseasons, cementing his spot among the best netminders of all time.
It’s also reasonable to say that his sub-par 2025-26 season can be attributed, at least in part, to the struggles and injury woes of the team playing in front of him.
"There is no guy that I want to play in front of (more),” Tkachuk said. “We’re so happy he’s still here. All 20 of us are going to be begging him to stay, and begging whoever to have him stay. He’s the reason why we have two Stanley Cup rings."
Tkachuk is one of several Panthers players – a list that includes Sasha Barkov, Sam Reinhart, Sam Bennett, Gus Forsling, Brad Marchand, Aaron Ekblad, Seth Jones, Carter Verhaeghe, Anton Lundell and Niko Mikkola – who are all signed through at least the end of the decade.
Not only that, but with so many players signed to team-friendly deals and a salary cap expected to rise by $18 million between the next two offseasons, Florida’s rock-solid roster will receive more reinforcements that Panthers GM Bill Zito and hist staff can target.
The bottom line is that Florida believes they are far from finished when it comes to competing for and winning Stanley Cups, and as far as Tkachuk is concerned, Bobrovsky is a big part of those future plans.
“He is one of the biggest reasons this organization is where its at,” Tkachuk went on to say of Bob after the game. “We need him, we want him, and not only for his play on the ice, but he’s literally one of the best guys in the world.”
We’ll see how things play out in the coming weeks and months.
As of now, Bobrovsky is set to hit the open market on July 1.
Photo caption: Apr 24, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) congratulates goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) after beating the Tampa Bay Lightning in game two of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena. (Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)
Mar 5, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward forward Victor Wembanyama (1) blocks the shot attempted by Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) during the first half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
Last Tuesday in Philadelphia, Victor Wembanyama cracked the top 250 list of all-time NBA blocks.
That means in his 164 games over three partial seasons (technically totals two full seasons), he has accumulated more blocks that 96% of anyone that ever played in the NBA.
One game later, as the Spurs played their first game in San Antonio in over a month, he picked up five more blocks, moving him into 246th all-time and tying him with Nikola Jokic.
It’s no secret that Wembanyama is designed to block shots. He is moving at quite a pace. Over the months and years to come, he will move up the ladder.
Here’s a little math to consider- the top blocker in NBA history is Hakeem Olajuwon with 3830 blocks. It took “The Dream” 1238 games to rack up that tally. That’s 3.09 blocks per game.
Victor had 573 in 165 games, or 3.47 blocks per game. At that pace, Victor needs 938 games or just over eleven-and-a-half seasons — not counting postseason games — to catch up to the top spot. Add in playoffs, and Wemby could be the top blocker of all time by the the age of 30.
Of course that takes a lot of “what ifs” into play, namely health and longevity.
For now, we’ll monitor the progress.
Last night against the Clipper, Wemby picked up four more blocks for a grand total of 577 surpassing Grant Hill (576), and tying Marvin Willams and Andrew Wiggins (577) placing him in the 243rd spot.
There are 36 active players on the all-time list ahead of Wemby. He’s passed Jokic and caught Andrew Wiggins, moving on toward Jeff Green (592).
There will be updates and more articles building on this as Victor Wembanyama continues to make history.
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PHOENIX, AZ - MARCH 6: Rasheer Fleming #20 of the Phoenix Suns shoots a three point basket during the game against the New Orleans Pelicans on March 6, 2026 at PHX Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Kate Frese/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Friday night’s win against the New Orleans Pelicans got a little more uncomfortable than anyone in Phoenix probably wanted. When you remember that New Orleans sits with only 20 wins on the season, it is easy to squint at parts of that game and feel a flicker of concern.
I view it through a slightly different lens. To me, it looked like a game about progression. Another step in the slow process of integrating Jalen Green into what this team is trying to do. And for large stretches, he looked far more controlled, far more efficient, and far more aware of how the offense is supposed to breathe. The scoring came naturally. The drives were purposeful. The decision-making felt calmer.
Sure, there were still moments where the ball stuck. And I will admit something here, I might be watching him a little too closely at this point. When a new player arrives, especially one with his reputation and his upside, the brain locks onto every possession like a hawk circling above the desert floor. You notice every hesitation, every extra dribble, and every moment where the rhythm pauses. That might be a me problem.
Solid start for Jalen Green tonight. 8 points on 3-of-7 shooting. Still needs to pass a little bit more within this offense and not become such a black hole, but at least he’s finishing. And getting to the line.
Zoom out though, and the team accomplished several things at once on Friday night. Despite the injuries still hovering around the roster like stubborn rain clouds, the Suns found a way to push forward. The rookies received legitimate run, and they contributed. Khaman Maluach swatted five shots, protecting the rim like a kid discovering his superpower. Rasheer Fleming knocked down a pair of threes and looked comfortable doing it.
And the offense finally woke up.
Phoenix scored 118 points, which happens to be their highest total in nearly a month. The last time they reached that number was February 10 against the Dallas Mavericks in a 120-111 win. So there is tangible progress when you talk about offensive production. The ball moved better, the pace felt healthier, and the scoreboard reflected it.
There is one piece of the equation that raises an eyebrow, though. The three-point volume.
Out of 90 total shot attempts, 58 came from beyond the arc. That is 64.4% of their offense coming from the perimeter. That number also happens to be the highest three-point volume in franchise history.
The Suns attempted 58 three-pointers on Friday against the Pelicans. That is their most since…ever. pic.twitter.com/TxjMRkVLIx
Devin Booker launched 12 of them. Collin Gillespie fired up 11. Jalen Green took nine. Royce O’Neale and Grayson Allen each let eight fly. The Suns have clearly leaned into the modern math of the league. Space the floor, pull the trigger, live with the results.
Thankfully, the results were good enough this time. Phoenix knocked down 20 of those attempts, good for 34.5% from deep. I do not know if a diet where nearly two-thirds of your shots come from three is the cleanest recipe for long-term stability, especially when the conversion rate hovers in the mid-thirties.
Although on Friday night it was enough. Enough to survive. Enough to close the door. Enough to walk away with a two-point win over the Pelicans and keep the slow march forward alive.
Bright Side Baller Season Standings
Welcome to the leaderboard, Amir Coffey! He was one of the few bright spots against the Bulls, and in going 2-of-2 from deep, he earns his first Bright Side Baller of the season.
Bright Side Baller Nominees
Game 63 against the Pelicans. Here are your nominees:
Mar 6, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) and Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) talk after their game at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images | Winslow Townson-Imagn Images
For kids playing on frozen driveways across New England, the NBA was always visible. You could catch games on television or see one in person if you didn’t mind driving a few hours to Boston. But the league itself never felt truly within reach.
For many of those kids, the Boston Celtics were the team they grew up watching. Proximity played a role, sure, but so did the lore: the banners, the parquet, the Pride. The Celtics made the game feel close to home, but the players themselves usually came from somewhere else. Kentucky. California. Florida. States with deep pipelines to the league, a long way from the small towns that orbit Boston.
On Friday night inside TD Garden, that distance shrank to 94 feet of hardwood as Cooper Flagg took the floor just 207 miles from where the dream began in Newport, Maine.
Flagg entered the league as the No. 1 overall pick and one of the most anticipated young prospects in recent memory, carrying expectations rarely attached to a player from this corner of the country. Players from Maine have reached Division I basketball before. Some have even put together legitimate NBA careers (see Duncan Robinson). But a prospect of this caliber had never emerged from the state. Hell, it had never even been considered possible.
Across Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont — places where winters stretch long and basketball dreams often have to travel far — Flagg has people wondering whether the basketball map might need to be redrawn.
Not just any regular season game
On March 6, the feeling inside TD Garden carried the weight of something much bigger than a normal regular-season game.
The return of Jayson Tatum had already turned the night into an event. Every seat held a white No. 0 shirt. The pregame video of the Celtics gathering in the tunnel drew an immediate eruption. Even Tatum layups in the warmup line earned raucous applause.
But scattered throughout the building were reminders that this night wasn’t just about Tatum.
On the elevator up before the game (biggest elevator I’ve ever been on, by the way — terrifying), I found myself surrounded by three groups of fans with unmistakable Maine accents. I asked where they were from, my Mainer radar (Mainedar, if you will) clearly still in working order.
Ellsworth. Naples. Bangor. Three different groups, all there to see Cooper Flagg.
Before the game, a girl held up a sign on the jumbotron that read “Cooper Makes Maine Proud.” If there was a Mavericks jersey in the building, it was almost always No. 32.
Flagg stepped onto the floor for warmups at 4:52 p.m., long before the arena had filled in with fans. At that point the Garden was quiet enough to hear sneakers squeak across the parquet. He moved through routine jumpers and resistance work on his recovering left foot, which held him out of the previous eight games before returning versus Orlando on Thursday night.
Deep breath. Glance around the Garden. Back to work.
By the time introductions rolled around, the building had transformed. White shirts were now picked up off their chairs and either donned or twirled high above heads. The call from PA announcer Eddie Palladino brought the loudest roar of the night to that point.
Flagg’s arrival brought something more complicated.
The boos were louder — he was still wearing Dallas across his chest after all — but there were clear cheers mixed in. Hearing that for a visiting rookie in Boston said plenty about how many people had made the trip.
Mavericks coach Jason Kidd was less surprised than others.
“It’s a big game for Coop,” Kidd said before the game. “The state of Maine will be here tonight.”
That showed up immediately once the game started.
There were shouts of “Come on, Coop!” on his first touch. His first basket drew a noticeable pop from the crowd. Tatum remained the steady drumbeat of the night, but Flagg had an undeniable following of his own in the building. Every time it felt like Flagg-specific cheers started to rise, Celtics fans quickly pushed back, like the building reminding itself whose house it was.
A strange start and a familiar ending
For most of the first half, TD Garden felt like a building waiting politely to celebrate.
Jayson Tatum missed his first six shots after returning to the lineup, and the crowd reacted to every possession with a mixture of anticipation and impatience. Rebounds earned cheers. Passes drew the sound of thousands of held breaths releasing at once. A missed dunk opportunity was the coup de grâce of the first half.
Tatum later admitted the moment weighed on him.
“I just felt really anxious,” he said afterward. “It’s been a long time coming.”
The Celtics star eventually settled in. A tip slam late in the second quarter finally gave the building the moment it had been waiting for, and a three-pointer on the next possession sent the Garden into its loudest eruption of the night.
Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 24 points while Tatum finished with 15 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists in 27 minutes as Boston pulled away for a 120–100 victory.
For Cooper Flagg, the night offered a mix of promise and frustration.
The rookie finished with 16 points, eight rebounds and six assists, leading Dallas in rebounds and assists while showing flashes of the court vision and aggressiveness that have defined his rookie season.
The unlikely basketball path from Newport
Despite the following, Flagg’s story has never followed the typical script.
Newport, Maine sits roughly 200 miles north of Boston. In simple terms, it is not a place that produces NBA prospects with any regularity. As someone who grew up playing Maine high school basketball (would I have locked Cooper Flagg up had our careers crossed paths? You can’t 100% say no to that question.), I can tell you the idea of a No. 1 overall pick coming out of the state once sounded like pure fantasy.
Maine is a place where basketball is a winter habit. Small gyms. Packed local crowds. Long winters spent imagining what the bigger stage might feel like. For most kids that imagination includes a familiar scene: counting down from ten in your head and launching the imaginary game-winner in front of a packed arena.
Flagg didn’t stay in the imagination phase very long.
Early on, there were moments that made people around the state look at each other and ask the same question: “Wait, he’s this good?”
One of those came in his first high school game, when a freshman Flagg put up 35 points and 12 rebounds in a double-overtime win over South Portland and finished it with a chase-down block that instantly became local mythology.
Basketball already ran through his family. His mother, Kelly, played at the University of Maine. Celtics games were constant background noise growing up in the Flagg family. Old footage from the 1986 championship team reportedly played on repeat in the family van.
After one year of high school in Maine, the path accelerated quickly.
Montverde. Duke. Then the draft.
By the time he reached the league, he wasn’t viewed as an intriguing prospect from an unlikely place. He had moved into the rare category reserved for players franchises would move heaven and earth to acquire.
Lessons from the big stage in Boston
Friday night gave Cooper Flagg something more useful than a perfect homecoming. It gave him a real NBA education in front of the people who had waited years to see him on this floor.
The flashes were obvious. They’re the reason fans from Bangor, Ellsworth, Naples and all over New England made the trip. Flagg saw the floor well from the jump, got into the paint, made the extra pass, and kept finding ways to impact the game even when his own offense wasn’t flowing cleanly.
He had 10 points, four rebounds and three assists by halftime, and there were stretches where you could feel the building reacting to him independently of Tatumania. Every time his name was announced at the line, the cheers gave it away. A lot of people had come to see him, Tatum’s return be damned.
But this wasn’t a coronation, and that’s part of what made it compelling.
On the night, Flagg finished with 16 points, eight rebounds and six assists, which reads well enough in the box score. The eye test told a messier story. He looked frustrated at times, especially when the whistle wasn’t going his way. Later, as the Celtics began to separate in the fourth quarter, the rookie’s body language was atypical from what we’re used to seeing from this kid.
He argued calls. Forced a few shots. Got sped up. Jaylen Brown baited him into the air on a pump fake here. Derrick White erased one drive there. Neemias Queta got the better of him on a couple of physical plays around the rim. The Celtics were making him earn everything.
That’s Joe Mazzulla’s Celtics. Oh, you drove six hours from Caribou to watch Cooper tonight? Cool. Watch him get hounded by a rotating cast of tireless defensive demons for 30 minutes.
What stood out, though, was that Flagg never fully disappeared. He opened the second half with a quick midrange jumper before fans had fully settled back into their seats. He poked the ball loose in transition a couple of times on Brown. He defended Tatum hard enough to force an airball in the fourth. Even with the game slipping away and the frustration building, he kept trying to make the next play.
The right play.
Boston has the more mature stars. The Celtics have the cleaner execution. The Mavericks have had Nico Harrison. Flagg did not have his sharpest game, and he still looked like someone worth driving hours to see. Both things can be true.
Afterward, he kept the focus where it usually goes.
“A lot of people came from back home,” Flagg said. “This experience was really cool. The energy was incredible.”
A place on the map
There’s an old Maine phrase people use when describing directions to somewhere impossible to find: you can’t get there from here.
For a long time, the NBA could feel a little like that across New England. Close enough to watch. Close enough to care so, so deeply. Still far enough away that it felt like somebody else’s world.
That’s why Friday mattered, even without the perfect ending for Mainers.
Cooper Flagg didn’t walk into TD Garden and own the night. Tatum returned. Brown looked like he has all season. The Celtics pulled away, and Flagg got hit with some hard lessons, a few frustrating whistles, and a clear reminder that the gap between promising and polished is one that most superstars eventually must clear.
BOSTON, MA – MARCH 6: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics guards Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks during the game on March 6, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
And still, none of that changed the bigger point.
A kid from Newport, Maine took the floor in Boston as the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft, heard cheers in TD Garden, and gave thousands of New England fans a glimpse of something their corner of the country had never really seen before.
Maybe Flagg is the exception. Maybe the pipeline still runs through all the usual places. Maybe the basketball map hasn’t changed all that much yet — emphasis on yet.
But for one night in Boston, it had to make room for Maine.
And somewhere across New England tonight, a kid is probably standing on a frozen driveway, counting down from ten and imagining the moment a little differently than they did before.
Maybe even wondering, for the first time, why they couldn’t be next.
Mar 3, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Blake Perkins (16) celebrates with teammates after scoring against Great Britain in the third inning at the American Family Fields. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Brewers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
In this week’s Reacts survey, we asked fans who they think will round out the 13 position players on Milwaukee’s roster come opening day.
As a reminder, here’s a quick run down who should make the roster.
William Contreras (C)
Gary Sánchez (C)
Andrew Vaughn (1B)
Jake Bauers (1B)
Brice Turang (2B)
Joey Ortiz (SS)
Luis Rengifo (3B)
David Hamilton (UTIL)
Jackson Chourio (OF)
Sal Frelick (OF)
Garrett Mitchell (OF)
Christian Yelich (DH/OF)
With those 12 in mind, I left our fans with four options for the survey: Akil Baddoo, Tyler Black, Brandon Lockridge, and Blake Perkins. Here’s what the results showed:
It was a pretty solid four-way race, though Perkins prevailed with 40% of the vote. He was followed by Black (32%), Lockridge (17%), and Baddoo (11%). It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise for a few reasons.
Firstly, Perkins is the most experienced Brewer. While Baddoo has more major league experience, Perkins has been in the fold for Milwaukee for the last three seasons, spanning 242 career games with a .232/.314/.339 lin to go with 13 homers, 82 RBIs, 107 runs, and 35 steals along with plus-plus defense. Lockridge and Black both have less than a full season of experience, and Baddoo has only appeared in 38 MLB games the last two seasons (and just seven in 2025).
Second, Perkins is easily the best defensive player of the group. While Lockridge and Baddoo can hold their own, Black is a below-average defender, and Milwaukee’s preference for solid defense is arguably greater than any other team in baseball. Perkins was an NL Gold Glove finalist in 2024 and probably could have been a finalist in 2023 and 2025 had he played enough games to qualify. All you need to see is him cutting Starling Marte (still one of the fastest players in baseball at 36) down at the plate in the ninth to beat the Mets last season.
The Brewers beat the Mets 3-2 with the final out coming at home plate. Blake Perkins to William Contreas wins it. Sweet sassy molassy.
