The Good Phight’s Community Prospect list: #8 – Gabriel Rincones, Jr.

Feb 26, 2025; Dunedin, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Gabriel Rincones Jr. (85) celebrates after hitting a home run against the Toronto Blue Jays in the third inning during spring training at TD Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

I like Gabriel Rincones, Jr.

You like Gabriel Rincones, Jr.

Seems like the Phillies like Gabriel Rincones, Jr.

You know who else likes him? Left handed pitching.

Gabriel Rincones, Jr. – 48
Moises Chace – 34
Matthew Fisher – 29
Keaton Anthony – 9
Jean Cabrera – 7
Cade Obermueller – 6
Carson DeMartini – 5
Griffin Burkholder – 2
Mavis Graves – 1
Yoniel Curat – 1

By now, the story is known. Rincones has a ton of power, the potential to hit the ball hard and does really, really well against right handed pitching. On some teams, that’s a really good thing to have. For the Phillies, they are in the unfortunate position of needing someone who can do damage against left handed pitching thanks to the presences of Brandon Marsh and Justin Crawford on the roster.

It’s just that Rincones should never, ever, EVER see a left handed pitcher if it can be avoided. Maybe while in the minor leagues, he can continue to see them as that is what the minor leagues is for: player development. If he can even get respectable against them, which would require a very big jump in performance, the team might have something really good on their hands.

But boy do those split numbers suggest he really, really shouldn’t see a left handed pitcher.

2025 stats (w/ Lehigh Valley)

506 PA, .240/.370/.430, 18 HR, 73 RBI, 21 SB, 22.5 K%, 15.8 BB%, 115 wRC+

Fangraphs scouting report:

A shoulder injury (2022), torn thumb ligament (2024), and sprained ankle (2025) have cost him big chunks of his pro career and, odd amateur arc included, he’s played far fewer high-level baseball games than most prospects his age. But when he’s been healthy (including right after returning from that nasty thumb injury), Rincones has destroyed righties. He’s career .256/.362/.476 hitter versus them (.164/.257/.224 vs LHP) and has some of the best raw power in the organization, even when you include Philly’s big league roster. A strapping 6-foot-3, 225 pounds, Rincones will flash plus-plus pull-side juice against pitches in the middle-in portion of the plate, but doesn’t access it all over the zone.

With each new post, we’ll reveal who won the voting for that particular slot, then post new players for you to vote on, adding another one to the list each time until we get to our final tally of 20. Once we get to 20 top prospects, we’ll do an honorable mention post at the end. If a player gets traded to another team, we’ll just chuck him right on outta here and all the players will move up a spot. If a prospect gets acquired, we’ll ask where he should go on the list.

Probably the most important thing about this whole process – please vote. Give us a few minutes of your time, just click a button and then we can discuss other players and things in the comment section, but don’t forget – VOTE!

Top 25 Mets Prospects for 2026: Jett Williams (4)

On January 21, 2026, Jett Williams was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers. This list, and Williams’ place on it, was compiled back in late-November. For continuity’s sake, I decided upon including Williams’ profile, but for all intents and purposes, every player on our list below Williams can be considered to have moved up a spot on it.

Jett Williams has always been one of the smaller people on the field, leading to many doubting him, but from a young age, he turned the questions and skepticism into fuel and a chip on his shoulder. In high school, he made the Rockwall-Heath High School varsity baseball team as a freshman and helped lead them to state playoffs in virtually every season that he played for the Hawks. In his junior and senior years, arguably the most important for a high school player, he hit .347 with 5 home runs and 15 stolen bases and .411 with 7 home runs and 24 stolen bases, respectively.

Overview

Name: Jett Williams
Position: INF/OF
Born: 11/03/2003 (Age 22 season in 2026)
Height: 5’6”
Weight: 175 lbs.
Bats/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2022 MLB Draft, 1st Round (Rockwall-Heath High School, Texas)
2025 Stats: 96 G, 352 AB, .281/.390/.477, 99 H, 29 2B, 5 3B, 10 HR, 62 BB, 96 K, 32/39 SB, .357 BABIP (Double-A) / 34 G, 134 AB, .209/.285/.433, 28 H, 5 2B, 2 3B, 7 HR, 14 BB, 35 K, 2/4 SB, .223 BABIP (Triple-A)

The hard work that he put in paid off, and as the 2022 MLB Draft approached, evaluators considered Williams one of the best talents available in the draft class. With their second first-round pick, the 14th overall, the Mets selected Williams. He signed roughly a week later, forgoing his commitment to Mississippi State University in exchange for a $3,900,000 bonus, a few hundred thousand dollars less than the MLB-assigned slot value of $4,241,600 for the 14th overall pick. The 18-year-old was assigned to the FCL Mets to begin his professional career and appeared in 10 games for them in the month of August, hitting .250/.366/.438 with 1 home run, 6 stolen bases in as many attempts, and drawing 4 walks to 6 strikeouts. That winter, Amazin’ Avenue ranked Jett Williams the Mets’ 5th best prospect.

Williams began the 2023 season with the Single-A St. Lucie Mets and played there until the end of July, when he was promoted to the Brooklyn Cyclones. In the 79 games he played with them, he hit a respectable .249/.422/.410 with 12 doubles, 6 triples, 6 home runs, 32 stolen bases in 38 attempts, and drew 69 walks to 76 strikeouts. While many hitters struggle when sent to Brooklyn, it was quite the opposite for Williams. In the 36 games he played for the Cyclones, he hit .299/.451/.567 with 9 doubles, 2 triples, 7 home runs, 12 stolen bases in 13 attempts, and drew 33 walks to 32 strikeouts. In mid-September, the 19-year-old was promoted to the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies to finish the year and went 5-22 with them, hitting 1 double, stealing 1 base, and walking twice to 10 strikeouts. All in all, Jett Williams appeared in 121 games between Single-A, High-A, and Double-A in his first full season as a professional and hit a combined .263/.425/.451 with 22 doubles, 8 triples, 13 home runs, 45 stolen bases in 52 attempts, and 104 walks to 118 strikeouts. His 104 walks led the system and in doing so, the 19-year-old became the first teenager to lead the Mets minor league system in walks since David Wright did so in 2002.

On the heels of his excellent performance, Williams was considered the Mets’ top prospect by Amazin’ Avenue and one of the best prospects in all of baseball by national evaluators. Expectations were high for him coming into the 2024 season, but Williams did not live up to them unfortunately. Remaining in Binghamton to begin the year, he got off to sluggish start in April due to wrist discomfort and eventually underwent a right wrist triangular fibrocartilage complex debridement procedure. He missed four months of the season, hitting the injured list in late April and finally returning in late August. Williams struggled in his return, but there was light at the end of the tunnel, as a late-season promotion to Triple-A Syracuse saw him go 8-30 with 4 doubles and 8 walks to 7 strikeouts. In total, Williams only appeared in 28 games on the season, 22 in Binghamton and 6 in Syracuse.

After the season concluded, the Mets sent Williams to the Arizona Fall League. Appearing in 22 games for the Scottsdale Scorpions, he hit .225/.376/.388 in 80 at-bats, with 2 doubles, 3 triples, 3 homers, 7 stolen bases in 8 attempts, and 17 walks to 30 strikeouts. Ending his 2024 season on as ignominious a note as possible, Williams injured his right ankle in the first inning of the Scottsdale-Salt River Play-In Semifinal, crashing against the left-center field wall attempting to corral a Tyler Callihan fly ball that would ricochet for a double. Fortunately, the injury was just a sprain, and after a few weeks, Williams was healthy and ready to continue his off-season training.

Ranked the Mets’ second-best prospect, most expected a bounce back season for Williams, who reported to spring training fully healthy. Assigned to Binghamton to begin the year, the young infielder hit .290/.355/.507 in his first month of play, highlighting that his return to form was indeed happening. In total, he hit .281/.390/.477 in 96 games with the Rumble Ponies, hitting 29 doubles, 5 triples, and 10 home runs, stealing 32 bases in 39 attempts, and drawing 62 walks to 96 strikeouts.  He was promoted to Syracuse in mid-August and closed out the season with them in the International League. In 34 games, the 21-year-old Williams hit .209/.285/.433 with 5 doubles, 2 triples, 7 home runs, 2 stolen bases in 2 attempts, and drew 14 walks to 35 strikeouts. In total, he hit .261/.363/.465 in 130 combined games with both teams, recording 34 doubles, 7 triples, 17 home runs, stealing 34 bases in 43 attempts, and drawing 76 walks to 131 strikeouts.

The 5’7” infielder stands square at the plate, holding his hands high and his angling his bat at 1:30. He swings with a big leg kick and a short-levered swing that is quick to the ball. While he may be on the shorter side, on the cusp for what is considered viable in professional baseball, Williams is athletic and has strong arms and a thick lower body.

Thanks to his natural strength and plus bat speed stemming from his all-or-nothing swing, Williams makes a lot of hard contact. In limited at-bats in Syracuse, where statcast data is publicly available, Williams had a 104.5 MPH 90th percentile exit velocity and a high-water mark of 108.4 MPH. While such exit velocities are not poor by any means, they are not necessarily indicative of 20+ home run potential, like Williams has. As has been the case for his entire baseball career, the infielder makes the most of what he has, and in this case, he makes the most of balls that he puts into play. The swing has drawbacks, however. With its steep plane, Williams has shown difficulty adjusting his bat path and catching up to high heat, which may result in low batting averages and on-base percentages in the future.

In 2025, he pulled the ball at a 45% rate, went back up the middle at a 23.2% rate, and went to the opposite field at a 31.8% rate while posting a 25.6% line drive rate, 31.8% ground ball rate, and 42.5% fly ball rate, with a 14.9% pulled fly ball rate. While this has resulted in a 33.8% infield fly ball rate and perhaps less contact that he could be making, it also resulted in a slightly above-average 11.3% HR/FB rate. Coming into the season, Williams had a bit of a reputation of being a little passive at the plate, but he increased his Swing% to 41.9% as compared to his 2023 and 2024 rates, while still remaining a bit lower than the 2025 MLB average. His Contact% and SwingStr% remained static and within MLB norms, meaning that while the infielder was swinging a bit more in 2025, but he was still being selective and not hacking wildly at everything he saw.

On top of his impact hit and power-tools, Williams possesses plus speed. He stole 34 bases in 43 total attempts in 2025, a 77% success rate, and has an 83% success rate over the course of his professional career. He pushes the envelope on the basepaths, legging out doubles, taking extra bases, and challenging outfielders, and is pesky and distracting towards pitchers.

Drafted as a shortstop, Williams has spent the majority of his professional playing time there, but he has also seen considerable time at second base as well as in centerfield. At shortstop, his defense is a bit fringy. He is quick-twitch athletic and has quick reactions, a dynamic first step, fluid actions, soft hands and a smooth glove, and above-average range, but an arm that is, at best, average in strength and accuracy brings down his overall defensive profile at the position. His arm strength and accuracy issues get negated with a shift to second base, but Williams has less experience playing there, a less-valuable defensive position with different footwork.

In the outfield, his plus speed and athleticism are boons, giving him the ability to cover a lot of ground with afterburners to close in on balls. His reads of the ball off the bat and the routes that he takes to the ball have improved since he was drafted and began playing in the outfield and should continue improving as he spends more time at the position.

2026 Mets Top 25 Prospect List

5) Brandon Sproat
6) A.J. Ewing
7) Jacob Reimer
8) Ryan Clifford
9) Will Watson
10) Jack Wenninger
11) Mitch Voit
12) Jonathan Santucci
13) Elian Peña
14) Zach Thornton
15) Nick Morabito
16) R.J. Gordon
17) Chris Suero
18) Dylan Ross
19) Ryan Lambert
20) Antonio Jimenez
21) Edward Lantigua
22) Eli Serrano III
23) Randy Guzman
24) Daiverson Gutierrez
25) Boston Baro

Royals Rally returns this Saturday, January 31

The weather outside is cold, but Royals players will soon be in the warm weather of Arizona for spring training. Before they head out, they’ll interact with fans at Royals Rally this Saturday at Kauffman Stadium. From autograph sessions to interactive activities and panel discussions, the event is a way to get excited about baseball season and remind fans that the road to Opening Day is officially underway.

Fans can purchase general admission tickets for $27, which include access to one player autograph session per two-hour window and a roundtable discussion featuring players, coaches, and staff. A limited VIP option, priced at $152, guarantees an autograph session and provides additional clubhouse access. Fans can enjoy ballpark concessions, hear from Royals players, coaches, front office staff, and alumni, take photos in the visitor’s dugout, hit in the visitor’s batting cage, or visit the press box for kids’ activities. Parking is free. Tickets are available here.

The event will have three timed sessions that run from 10 a.m. to noon, 12:15 to 2:15 p.m., and 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. You can find a complete schedule of events here.

The current players scheduled to appear include Ryan Bergert, Kris Bubic, Jac Caglianone, Noah Cameron, Isaac Collins, Carlos Estévez, Bailey Falter, Jonathan India, Kyle Isbel, Carter Jensen, Stephen Kolek, Nick Loftin, Seth Lugo, Nick Mears, Salvador Perez, Cole Ragans, John Rave, John Schreiber, Matt Strahm, Lane Thomas, Tyler Tolbert, and Michael Wacha. Manager Matt Quatraro and head of baseball operations J.J. Picollo will also speak, and former Royals outfielder Alex Gordon is scheduled to appear. The team has loosened bag rules, allowing fans to bring in larger items to be autographed, like bats, balls, and posters. You can read about some of the insights Matthew LaMar gained from players, coaches, and owner John Sherman at last year’s Royals Rally.

Are you headed to the K this weekend?

Blackhawks Vs Blue Jackets: Projected Lineup, How To Watch, & More Ahead Of Game 55

The Chicago Blackhawks had a bad game on Thursday night. They were run out of the building at the hands of the Pittsburgh Penguins, who beat them 6-2. 

The good news for them, sitting at 21-24-9, is that they don't have much time to sit there and think about the bad loss. They are right back at it on Friday with the 25-20-7 Columbus Blue Jackets in town for a match at the United Center. 

This will be a "Friday Night Hockey" feature with the team wearing their black alternate sweaters. 

Scouting Columbus 

The Columbus Blue Jackets are having a good season, but their chances of making it to the playoffs are slim in a loaded Eastern Conference. 

They are 8 points out, but they are 7-3-0 in their last 10 and have won three in a row. Since hiring Rick Bowness a couple of weeks ago in a coaching change, they've been on a little bit of a run. If the run continues, they may find a way to get in, but there is a lot more work to be done. 

Marchment - Fantilli - Marchenko

Jenner- Monahan -Johnson

Sillinger -Coyle -Olivier

Voronkov-Lundestrom -Wood

Werenski -Severson

Provorov - Mateychuk

Zamula - Gudbranson

Merzlikins

Greaves

Zach Werenski, a defenseman, leads the team in goals, assists, and points. Driving that level of offense from the back-end is very impactful, and he is in the mix for the Norris Trophy this season because of it. This is the player that the Blackhawks will have an extra close eye on in their pre-game prep. 

Adam Fantilli, their top-line center, went two picks after Connor Bedard in the 2023 NHL Draft. He is having a down year compared to last season, but he's a big, strong center who can change the game on any shift. With the great wingers that he plays with, it's a line for Jeff Blashill to think twice about when deciding on matchups. 

The Columbus Blue Jackets and Ottawa Senators are the only two teams in the NHL that did not play on Thursday night. This game between Chicago and Columbus is the only one on the NHL slate for Friday night, and the road team will be fresher. 

Elvis Merzlikins played in their last game, a win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday, so Jet Greaves is a good bet to start against the Hawks. 

Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago

The Chicago Blackhawks did not have a morning skate on Friday. If their lines have a shake-up, it won't be revealed until warmups.

Landon Slaggert and Sam Lafferty were the scratches in Pittsburgh, but one of them could go in for Colton Dach based on how things have rotated in recent games. Nick Foligno also left the Penguins game with an injury, which could cause a change as well.

Nazar-Bedard-Teravainen

Greene-Moore-Burakovsky

Bertuzzi-Dickinson-Mikheyev

Donato-Foligno-Dach

Vlasic-Crevier

Kaiser-Levshunov

Grzelcyk-Murphy

If Foligno can't go, and Slaggert draws in, someone who played wing on Thursday will have to play center on Friday. 

Spencer Knight will start in goal for Chicago. They let Arvid Soderblom finish the game on Thursday, despite giving up six goals. He faced 44 shots, so it was hardly all his fault.

Knight playing won't help if they play as badly defensively against Columbus as they did against Pittsburgh, but he gives them a chance to win every start. 

Connor Bedard scored his first goal with a goalie in the net since coming back from his injury on Thursday, which was the one positive at the end of the game. He has looked more like himself lately, and he got one to go in. Will the floodgates open? This game against the Blue Jackets will tell the tale. 

How To Watch

The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. To view this game, it is available on CHSN locally. Nationally, it is available on the NHL Network. The puck will drop shortly after 7:30 PM CT. 

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The Penguins scoring depth is becoming biggest surprise of season

PITTSBURGH, PA - DECEMBER 30: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates against the Carolina Hurricanes at PPG PAINTS Arena on December 30, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images

The thing that stood out the most to me about the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday evening is not just the players that provided the offense. It is also the players that did not provide the offense. Consider these numbers.

Evgeni Malkin recorded one assist.

Sidney Crosby recorded zero points.

Erik Karlsson recorded zero points.

Kris Letang recorded zero points.

Bryan Rust recorded zero points because he is serving the first game of a three-game suspension.

Those are five of the Penguins highest paid players and five of their best players. They combined for one point. In a game the Penguins absolutely dominated for 50 minutes and scored six goals. That is significant.

This is continuing a trend and storyline that has perhaps become the biggest surprising development of the season. It is the scoring depth. It is the fact they have four balanced lines that can all provide offense, with more help waiting in the wings.

When the 2025-26 season began there was a belief that the forward group could be pretty good, at least as far as the top-six was concerned. Certainly good enough to keep the team competitive for a bit, especially if Crosby and Malkin continued to play like …. well …. Crosby and Malkin.

Then Ben Kindel showed up as an 18-year-old and immediately became an impact player.

Then free agent signings Justin Brazeau and Anthony Mantha showed up and became bargain addition free agent signings.

Tommy Novak started to figure things out and bounce back from a slow, frustrating start to the season.

Then the fourth line of Connor Dewar, Blake Lizotte and Noel Acciari became a thing,

Then Egor Chinakhov arrived and just started scoring goals.

Now they four lines that can be rolled out evenly. In Thursday’s game no line played more than 11:14, and no line played less than 9:16. Everybody was involved. Everybody contributed. Everybody stayed fresh.

It also helped that for as deep as the NHL roster has become, they still have plenty of help waiting in the wings. Top prospect Rutger McGroarty was recalled for Thursday’s game and looked outstanding, recording a game-high five shots on goal and providing a physical presence. It may not have resulted in him recording any points, but he was noticeable and looked outstanding. He looks like an NHL player.

Ville Koivunen did not produce much in the way of offense at the NHL level to open the season, his line always pushed play and drove possession and you can still see the skill. He has been a point-per-game player in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He looks like an NHL player.

They have options.

The scoring depth is not just limited to the forwards, either. The defense is chipping in.

Erik Karlsson is on a 57-point pace over 82 games. Kris Letang is on a 41-point pace. Ryan Shea, who had a goal and an assist on Thursday and has now recorded a point in each of the past four games, has 21 points in 52 games, with all of them coming at even-strength. Entering this season he had just six points in 70 career games.

They are getting contributions from everybody.

It is a combination of new head coach Dan Muse getting the most out of everybody, the scouting staff and front office identifying talent — and in some cases undervalued talent — and the ability to put everybody into place. That does not even get into the fact the veteran players are still able to perform.

If you would have told me at the start of the season the Penguins’ top-six forward lines and the two two defensemen (Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang) were productive and everybody else around them struggled, that would have seemed reasonable. Not at all surprising. If you would have told me they would be able to go more than four lines deep and have three defensemen on pace for more than 30 points I would not have believed you.

They are doing it. It is really something to watch.

Better Know Your Blue Jays 40-Man: Braydon Fisher

DETROIT, MI - JULY 25: Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Braydon Fisher (63) pitches in the seventh inning during the game between the Detroit Tigers versus the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday July 25, 2025 at Comerica Park in Detroit, MI. (Photo by Steven King/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Braydon Fisher is a right-handed pitcher who came to us from the Dodgers, in trade for Cavan Biggio, in June of 2024. Fisher was a fourth-round draft pick in 2018.

Cavan played 30 games for the Dodgers, hitting .192.306/.329 and was released in early August. He went from there to the Giants, then the Braves, the Royals and the Angels. He’s a free agent now.

Fisher pitched for New Hampshire and Buffalo after the trade and was pretty good, putting up a 1.62 ERA in 14 games with the Bison. At the end of the season he was a free agent but the Jays signed him as a minor league Free agent.

He started 2025 in Buffalo, but was called up on May 7th, he went back to Buffalo on August 21st and then was back September 4th.

It turned out to be a terrific rookie season. In 52 games, he had a 2.70 ERA. In 50 innings, batters hit .181/.269/.282 against him. He had 62 strikeouts in 50 innings. We couldn’t have asked for better. He ended up with 7 wins, no losses and 5 holds.

He didn’t have as good a time in 7 playoff appearances, putting up a 6.43 ERA. Such is life.

Fisher throws three pitches, a slider (38.3% of the time, a curve (36.6%) and a four-seamer (22.1%, averaging 95.5 mph), with a couple of cutters thrown rarely.

He struck out 30.7% of batters. The number dropped some at the end of the season, but he had thrown a lot of pitches, so I’m not too worried about it.

Braydon has, likely, moved back a couple of spots on the depth chart, since the end of the season. Yimi Garcia will be back, after missing a good part of last season with an injury Tyler Rogers was added. Louis Varland cemented his spot in the pen after pitch in (seemingly) every playoff game. And Jeff Hoffman is…..still there, likely still closer. So Braydon will have to pitch well (again) to get any high-leverage work. But then he came out of nowhere last year to became an important piece of the pen last year, he can do it again.

Steamer thinks he’ll pitch in 52 games, 52 innings (not much imagination there), with a 4.08 ERA (I’d guess that if his ERA is north of 4 he won’t be getting into 52 games). Steamer also figures his strikeout rate will drop to 25.1%, which would be bad news.

2026 Braves Fest cancelled due to forecasted inclement weather

ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 27: Fans brave the inclement weather for the 2024 Braves Fest on January 27, 2024 at The Battery and Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

In Thursday night’s open thread, I discussed the weather forecast that was a bit concerning for Saturday. Saturday was important because that was when this year’s edition of Braves Fest was scheduled. Well, the weather forecast for Metro Atlanta hasn’t gotten any better since Thursday and as such, the Braves have officially made the decision to cancel Braves Fest for 2026.

This is definitely a bit of a bummer considering that this’ll now make it two years in a row where the annual winter hype event for the Braves has been cancelled. Last season it was due to stadium upgrades in preparation for the 2025 MLB All-Star Game and now this year it’s due to just plain ol’ bad luck in terms of the weather.

All I know is that 2027 better be an absolute banger to make up for the now-two-year gap that we’ll have without the event. Who knows? Maybe we’ll even get some unseasonably warm weather for the occasion next year. In all seriousness though, all I can do now is advise y’all (who are reading this in the Metro Atlanta area and anywhere else affected by this storm) to stay warm and safe over the weekend. There will be more Braves Fests in the future but for now, the best course of action is to hunker down and make sure you don’t freeze out there — for a second weekend in a row.

"Classy": Patrick Kane Appreciates Message From Mike Modano After Record-Breaking Point

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While the Detroit Red Wings didn't get the result they were looking for on Thursday evening against the Washington Capitals, another historical milestone was achieved by future Hall of Fame forward Patrick Kane. 

Kane became the highest-scoring U.S.-born player in NHL history thanks to his assist on Ben Chiarot's second period goal, which was the 1,375th point of his career. It moved him past former Dallas Stars (and one-time Red Wings) forward Mike Modano, a Westland, Mich. native. 

Kane's teammates poured off the bench to celebrate the milestone with him, and immediately afterward, a special pre-recorded video message from Modano himself was played on the scoreboard at Little Caesars Arena. 

"I knew at an early age in your career you would be the one chasing this number down and here we are," Modano said. "Continue on and make this number harder for the next guy."

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Kane said that he noticed the video message being played a few moments after it initially started, and thought it was a classy gesture on Modano's part. 

"I paid attention to it, maybe not right from the start, but it was a great message from him. He's one of the best American players of all time, a guy I looked up to a lot when I was younger."

"I remember when he passed Phil Housley in San Jose on a breakaway goal, and to see him up there as a former Red Wing too, sending a message like that was pretty classy." 

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The Washington Nationals are using the waiver wire heavily in the Paul Toboni era

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 05: Richard Lovelady #57 of the New York Mets in action against the New York Yankees at Citi Field on July 05, 2025 in New York City. The Mets defeated the Yankees 12-6. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images

One thing Paul Toboni has made clear is that he values every single spot on the 40-man roster. He is happy to use the waiver wire and uses every spot on the 40-man. It is becoming clear that there will be a lot of churn on the backend of the 40-man roster this year.

Yesterday was a good example of this churn. Toboni claimed Richard Lovelady off of waivers. To clear a 40-man spot, he DFA’d Mickey Gasper, who was just claimed nine days ago. It is becoming apparent that we should not get too attached to any of the players on the fringes of the 40-man. They could be gone in an instant.

Richard Lovelady is a good example of what life is like for a fringe 40-man roster player. In the past 12 months, Lovelady has been DFA’d five times. So, I would not get too attached to this player. 

Lovelady has some interesting characteristics. He has great extension down the mound and gets ground balls. At points in his career, he has been a serviceable reliever, which the Nats need. He had a nice 28 outing stint with the Rays in 2024. Lovelady could be a factor in the Nats bullpen as a lefty, but he also could be DFA’d next week if Toboni finds someone on the waiver wire he finds more appealing.

Just churning through these players seems odd and a bit cruel, but there is a method to the madness. If these guys pass through waivers, they remain in the organization and can pitch in the minors. These fringe 40 man players tend to be good in AAA, so they provide valuable organizational depth.

Some of these players are just claimed to be DFA’d again, but others can make a real impact. Mike Rizzo did not use the waiver wire a ton, but he found a couple nice pieces when he did use it. Robert Garcia and Hunter Harvey were both waiver claims who had nice spells in DC.

Paxton Schultz is the claim from this winter I am most excited about. The Nats claimed him off of waivers from the Blue Jays, and I think he is really interesting. He was a serviceable arm in 24.2 MLB innings last year and I think he can be a big league contributor. Schultz has a solid four pitch mix and a fastball that generates whiffs. He can also pitch in a number of different roles.

Gus Varland is also a pitcher I like, but I am not as confident in him. In 2024, Varland was effective in 26 outings, but had an injury plagued 2025. His fastball sits at 95 and has carry at the top of the zone.

Toboni has also claimed a few position players. Tsung–Che Cheng and Joey Wiemer are both strong defenders who could be bench pieces. Like Gasper, I would not be surprised if either of these players are DFA’d in the coming weeks.

As we enter the season, I think Toboni will continue to be active on waivers. The Nationals have chosen not to be big spenders in recent years, so they have to find creative ways to acquire talent. Toboni has been getting creative this offseason. He has been active on the waiver wire and even made a rare prospect for prospect swap this offseason.

Last offseason, the Nats did not make any waiver claims. Instead, they filled the back of their roster with guys like Lucas Sims and Colin Poche. Those players had guaranteed contracts, so they got more time despite awful results. 

This is a different way of doing things. It is more analytically inclined and forward thinking. Some of this is dumpster diving, but there is not much to lose. If things don’t work out, these players are easy to get rid of and if they hit, you get a cheap asset. As a real baseball sicko, these moves are also fun to follow.

Life after Ranger: Evaluating Painter, Phillies' 2026 rotation

Life after Ranger: Evaluating Painter, Phillies' 2026 rotation originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Starting pitching has been the Phillies’ bread and butter over the past two seasons.

Since the start of 2024, the Phillies own a tied-for-league-best .590 winning percentage, and their starting pitchers have driven much of that success. Over that span, Philadelphia ranks first in the National League in ERA (3.69) and opponents’ OPS (.691) and second in Major League Baseball in strikeouts (1,817).

With pitchers and catchers reporting in just under two weeks, it’s fair to evaluate this staff a bit differently than in years past. Ranger Suárez is now in Boston, leaving the staff with one fewer reliable arm.

The margin between the rotation and the bullpen has narrowed. The relief group appears deeper and more stable, while legitimate questions exist near the back end of the rotation.

Those questions, however, do not begin at the top.

Sánchez enters 2026 as the ace

Cristopher Sánchez is positioned for another dominant season in his first year as the Phillies’ unquestioned ace and projected Opening Day starter.

Sánchez went 13-5 in 2025 with a 2.50 ERA and a league-leading 8.0 bWAR, completing his first 200-inning season — a “personal goal” he had entering the year. His profile remains unique, relying on a three-pitch mix that saw velocity gains across the board last season.

His best weapon continues to be his changeup, particularly against right-handed hitters. Since 2023, opposing batters have hit just .169 against the pitch. Sánchez leaned into it even more last season, increasing its usage by five percent to 37.4 percent.

Given his year-over-year growth and command profile, Sánchez appears poised to pitch himself into another Cy Young-caliber season and remains one of the most effective left-handed starters in baseball.

Luzardo enters a pivotal contract year

Entering his contract year, Jesús Luzardo is positioned to take on added responsibility following Suárez’s departure.

While his first season in Philadelphia featured inconsistency, it also showcased the ceiling that made him a priority acquisition. Over his first 11 starts in 2025, Luzardo posted a 2.15 ERA — sixth-best in the Majors during that stretch. His final 11 starts mirrored that performance, producing a 2.84 ERA and a 2.65 FIP.

Between those two runs, however, came a difficult 10-start stretch in which Luzardo recorded an 8.04 ERA — the worst mark in baseball during that span (Luis Severino ranked second at 6.37).

Despite the turbulence, Luzardo’s NLDS Game 2 start against the Dodgers helped reset the narrative. After entering the postseason with a 7.71 ERA across three career playoff starts, he delivered six innings of two-run ball in a high-leverage environment.

Luzardo led the Phillies in wins (15) and starts (32) last season. With Suárez gone and a contract year looming, Philadelphia will lean heavily on him to provide consistency behind Sánchez.

Wheeler’s health looms large

From there, the rotation becomes less certain.

Zack Wheeler’s outlook remains difficult to project. While the vascular form of surgery used to address thoracic outlet syndrome has produced improved outcomes historically, Wheeler will turn 36 at the end of May and has openly discussed the possibility of retirement when he reaches free agency in 2028.

There has been progress, but no guarantees.

“I don’t know where Wheeler’s going to be at spring training,” manager Rob Thomson said recently. “He’s out to 90 feet right now. He looks good, but there’s no guarantees when he’s going to get up on the mound or when he eventually will.”

If Wheeler is ready for Opening Day, expecting roughly 170 quality innings is reasonable, though expectations must be tempered given the injury. An ERA in the 3.30–3.50 range would represent solid No. 2 starter production, and his postseason track record only increases his value if healthy.

Nola searching for consistency

For Aaron Nola, effectiveness remains the primary concern, even after an injury-riddled 2025.

Before landing on the injured list with a right ankle sprain, Nola made nine starts and posted a 6.16 ERA. A subsequent rib injury delayed his return, and his first four starts back were even rougher, producing an 8.38 ERA.

His final four starts, however, offered some optimism. Over that stretch, Nola posted a 3.91 ERA and a 3.29 FIP, convincing Thomson to hand him the ball in Game 3 of the NLDS. Nola responded with two scoreless innings before giving way to Suárez.

Nola is just one year removed from leading the league with 33 starts and posting a 3.57 ERA. With a full offseason and Spring Training — including participation with Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic — the Phillies would gladly accept production in that range from a projected fourth starter.

Walker vs. Painter at the back end

If Wheeler is available to begin the season, the Phillies’ preference is clear: competition for the fifth rotation spot between Taijuan Walker and Andrew Painter.

That preference may already be leaning one direction, though. “You’ve got Sánchez, Luzardo, Nola, Taijuan and Painter, and I like those guys,” Thomson said. “Wheeler’s not far behind.”

Walker and Painter occupying the back end of the rotation presents different challenges.

Walker, now 33, has posted a 4.88 ERA across three seasons with Philadelphia. His struggles against high-end competition have been particularly pronounced. Since 2023, he owns a 6.67 ERA in 21 starts against playoff teams, with opponents hitting .306.

Walker is in the final year of his four-year, $72 million contract, and Wheeler’s uncertainty complicates any effort to move him via trade.

As a starter, expectations should be modest. Walker did find success in relief last season, posting a 3.15 ERA in 13 bullpen outings while holding opponents to a .647 OPS.

Painter represents the higher-upside option, but questions remain. In his first full season following Tommy John surgery — which cost him two years — command proved to be the biggest obstacle.

At the Major League level last season, none of the 339 pitchers who threw at least 50 innings finished with a first-pitch strike rate below 50 percent.

In the minors, Painter posted a 48.8 percent first-pitch strike rate, allowing hitters to sit in fastball counts. This would have tied the lowest big-league percentage since 2021. That lack of early-count control was a major factor in his 5.40 ERA at Triple-A.

If MLB’s No. 28 prospect can stay ahead in counts, his six-pitch arsenal certainly plays. Spring Training will offer the Phillies a clearer evaluation of whether Painter is ready.

Depth options and outside possibilities

If Walker struggles, Painter isn’t ready, or injuries arise, the Phillies may need to explore alternatives.

Internally, starting options on the 40-man roster are limited but notable. Seth Johnson, converted to relief last season, had a strong 2024 as a starter, posting a 2.73 ERA in 95.2 innings across 25 starts at Double-A and Triple-A. Alan Rangel made 25 Triple-A starts last season and recorded a 4.55 ERA.

Hard-throwing Yoniel Curet, acquired this winter, possesses big-league velocity but profiles more naturally as a bullpen arm due to command concerns. Jean Cabrera and Moisés Chace have also found success at Double-A and could push for consideration with strong springs.

Free agency still offers veteran depth options willing to accept minor-league deals with guaranteed-elevators. Former Phillie Walker Buehler, Tony Gonsolin and José Urquidy remain available, though a significant signing appears unlikely unless Walker is moved.

The outlook

The Phillies’ rotation should remain a strength.

It’s anchored by an ace, supported by veterans who should be healthier than they were six months ago, includes two pitchers in contract years, and features one of the highest-upside rookie arms in the game.

Spring Training will provide clarity, but with J.T. Realmuto back behind-the-plate, there is ample reason for optimism, even with the questions that remain.

How to watch Oklahoma City Thunder vs Denver Nuggets: TV, live stream info for Sunday's game

Sunday Night Basketball makes its debut on February 1 with two exciting matchups. First, at 7:00 PM ET, the Los Angeles Lakers head to the "World's Most Famous Arena" to take on the New York Knicks. Then, at 9:30 PM, it's the Oklahoma City Thunder vs Denver Nuggets. Live coverage begins at 6:00 PM with Sunday Night Basketball in America on NBC and Peacock.

See below for additional information on how to watch each game and follow all of the NBA action on NBCSN and Peacock. Peacock will feature 100 regular-season games throughout the course of the 2025-2026 season.

Click here to sign up for Peacock!

Oklahoma City Thunder vs Denver Nuggets Preview:

Sunday's matchup is the first of four meetings between Oklahoma City and Denver. The last time these teams went head-to-head was in the Western Conference Semifinals last season, with the Nuggets forcing seven games in the Thunder's path to the NBA title.

The Thunder have won four of five regular-season games in Denver since the start of 2023.

Oklahoma City leads the NBA in both scoring and scoring defense and is on pace to set a franchise record in points per game. The Thunder could become just the second team in league history to lead the league in both, joining the 1948-49 Minneapolis Lakers.

How to watch Oklahoma City Thunder vs Denver Nuggets:

  • When: Sunday, February 1
  • Where: Ball Arena, Denver, CO
  • Time: 9:30 PM ET
  • TV Channel: NBC
  • Live Stream: Peacock

What other NBA games are on Peacock tonight?

  • LA Lakers vs New York Knicks - 7:00 PM ET on NBC and Peacock

How to watch the NBA on NBC and Peacock:

Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones.

Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball across NBC and Peacock on Feb. 1, 2026. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.

How to sign up for Peacock:

Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You'll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC & Bravo hits—Peacock is here for whatever you’re in the mood for.

NBA on NBC 2025-26 Schedule:

Click here to see the full list of NBA games that will air on NBC and Peacock this season.

What devices does Peacock support?

You can enjoy Peacock on a variety of devices. View the full list of supported devices here.

4 potential Knicks-Giannis Antetokounmpo trade packages

The NBA trade deadline is upon us, and one name is justifiably dominating the rumor mill above all others: Giannis Antetokounmpo

The Knicks are in aggressive pursuit of the former Finals MVP, but face challenges due to their cap situation, other bidders and the Milwaukee Bucks' patience.

Right now, the path for New York to take to get a deal done is not clear. The Bucks’ asking price is reportedly all of the young players and draft capital teams can muster, and the Knicks are severely lacking in both.

Below are the likeliest forms a potential Antetokounmpo trade package can take if you’re New York. Note: each of these will have to include swaps on all four future Knicks first-round picks, the protected Wizards first, Miles McBride, and likely additional young talent in Pacôme Dadiet and/or Tyler Kolek.

Wingstopped

One formulation would be the Knicks sending their two star wings -- OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges. This would allow the Knicks to retain Karl-Anthony Towns as a third star, but completely deplete them in the middle positions. 

Milwaukee likely won’t be interested in both Bridges and Anunoby as they enter a rebuild, so this may take New York pre-flipping both for assets more intriguing to the Bucks. If you could get a couple picks per and maybe a young guy, your total offer is now something like 8+ picks and some young pieces.

Technically, just Anunoby’s salary paired with Mitchell Robinson’s clears enough room for the Knicks to bring in Antetokounmpo, but it’s doubtful they’ll be able to collect enough assets from them to entice Milwaukee. Anunoby hasn’t been mentioned as a trade candidate, but teams like the Pistons, Cavaliers, Spurs, Lakers or Warriors may be willing to facilitate a deal if it means nabbing Anunoby.

Through Towns and over Bridges

The next potential package centers around Towns in place of Anunoby. Between his shaky play, huge contract, and pending extension situation, Towns doesn’t appear to have the trade value the wings do, with many national observers citing Trae Young’s return as a meaningful comparison. 

If that’s the case, the Knicks are in a tough spot, as Towns has the largest salary on the team, making him a natural fit for this trade. If he can’t net them or Milwaukee a couple of picks, it limits New York’s options drastically.

Hopefully, the situation is not that dire, and the Knicks can pull off something like the Jrue Holiday gambit, in which the Bucks get Towns, New York gets assets, plus some of their own picks from Portland, who get Bridges. Similar to the first scenario, Milwaukee ends up with a trove of picks, the difference being acquiring or flipping Towns on top. 

Perhaps the Bucks wouldn’t mind being somewhat competitive while they don’t own their own picks, making such a package feasible. 

The bad contract bribe

This is New York’s all-in play, offering up Towns, Anunoby, and Robinson or their draft pick/prospect equivalents, in exchange for Antetokounmpo and ridding Milwaukee of Kyle Kuzma and Myles Turner. The logic here is simple -- if New York’s best offer after separate talent-for-picks deals isn’t enough, they could theoretically keep pushing that button to offer the Bucks a chance to dump their unwanted contracts as well.

Leon Rose would have to deal some mix of his talent beyond the previous packages -- Towns and both wings, or both wings with Robinson or Josh Hart included. As if a midseason Antetokounmpo trade wasn’t team-breaking enough, this one would entirely flip the roster upside down. 

For that reason, it’s hard to see this playing out, even if it’s New York’s only path to Antetokounmpo. They’d be left with the Greek Freak and Jalen Brunson, a poorly patched-together supporting cast, and likely worsened chances at a championship this year and beyond.

Bucking Brunson

This one isn’t happening.

But if the Knicks are grappling with how to outbid the competition without sacrificing their contention status, simply packaging their picks with Brunson is an easy out that could work. They won’t do it, but if the Bucks countered with that offer, Rose would have to at least think about it. 

Trail Blazers vs. Knicks predictions: Odds, recent stats, trends and best bets for January 30

With trade rumors swirling involving Giannis Antetokounmpo and New York, the Knicks (29-18) take the court at Madison Square Garden tonight against the Portland Trail Blazers (23-25).

After stumbling through the majority of January, Jalen Brunson and co. have strung together four straight wins. Wednesday night the Knicks rallied in the second half and eventually ran away from the Raptors, winning 119-92. Mikal Bridges scored 30 points and OG Anunoby added 26 to lead New York to their 29th win of the season.

This is the third of a three-game road trip for the Blazers. Portland lost the first two of the trip including Tuesday in Washington, 115-111. The Trail Blazers led the Wizards after three quarters but could not hold on for the win. Shaedon Sharpe led Portland with 31 points and Donovan Clingan pulled down 20 boards in the loss.

These teams met in Portland earlier this month. On January 11, the Knicks knocked off the Blazers, 123-114. Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 26 points. Deni Avdija scored 25 points in the loss for the Blazers.

Lets take a closer look at the matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

After 24 years, the NBA is back on NBC and Peacock, combining the nostalgia of an iconic era with the innovative future of basketball coverage. The NBA on NBC YouTube channel delivers fans must-see highlights, analysis, and exclusive and unique content. 

Game Details and How to Watch Live: Trail Blazers at Knicks

  • Date: Friday, January 30, 2026
  • Time: 7:30PM EST
  • Site: Madison Square Garden
  • City: New York, NY
  • Network/Streaming: Blazervision, MSG

Rotoworld has you covered with all the latest NBA Player News for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Game Odds: Trail Blazers at Knicks

The latest odds as of Friday courtesy of DraftKings:

  • Moneyline: Portland Trail Blazers (+240), New York Knicks (-285)
  • Spread: Knicks -7.5
  • Total: 224.5 points

This game opened Knicks -7.5 with the Total set at 227.5.

Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule! 

Read More: A Duke Reunion in Dallas

Expected Starting Lineups: Trail Blazers at Knicks

Portland Trail Blazers

  • PG Jrue Holiday
  • SG Shaedon Sharpe
  • SF Toumani Camara
  • PF Deni Avdija
  • C Donovan Clingan

New York Knicks

  • PG Jalen Brunson
  • SG Josh Hart
  • SF Mikal Bridges
  • PF OG Anunoby
  • C Karl-Anthony Townes

Injury Report: Trail Blazers at Knicks

Portland Trail Blazers

  • Deni Avdija (back) is listed as questionable for tonight’s game
  • Robert Williams III (knee) is listed as questionable for tonight’s game
  • Scoot Henderson (hamstring) has been declared OUT for tonight’s game
  • Kris Murray (back) has been declared OUT for tonight’s game
  • Duop Reath (foot) has been declared OUT for tonight’s game
  • Mattyse Thybulle (knee) has been declared OUT for tonight’s game
  • Blake Wesley (foot) has been declared OUT for tonight’s game

New York Knicks

  • Josh Hart (ankle) is listed as questionable for tonight’s game
  • Miles McBride (ankle) is listed as questionable for tonight’s game

Important stats, trends and insights: Trail Blazers at Knicks

  • The Knicks are 18-6 at home this season
  • The Blazers are 10-14 on the road this season
  • The Knicks are 25-23 ATS this season
  • The Blazers are 27-21 ATS this season
  • The OVER has cashed in 23 of the Blazers’ 48 games this season (23-25)
  • The OVER has cashed in 24 of the Knicks’ 48 games this season (24-24)
  • Donovan Clingan has pulled down at least 11 rebounds in 6 of his last 7 games
  • OG Anunoby has recorded at least 2 steals in 5 of his last 6 games

Rotoworld Best Bet

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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
 
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s Trail Blazers and Knicks’ game:

  • Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline
  • Spread: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Knicks -7.5
  • Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 224.5

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar! 

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff: 

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
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Bucks vs. Wizards Player Grades: Turner’s blockfest sullied by Anthony’s horror shooting

WASHINGTON, DC -  JANUARY 29: Myles Turner #3 of the Milwaukee Bucks looks to pass the ball as Jamir Watkins #5 of the Washington Wizards plays defense during the game on January 29, 2026 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. 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 Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Milwaukee Bucks got destroyed at the charity stripe against the Washington Wizards (28-9), a key reason for their 109-99 defeat (despite shooting it more frequently and at a better clip). It was really just more of the same from the Bucks; they are one of the league’s worst teams without Giannis. That said, I thought last night was a step down from how they played against the 76ers. Kyshawn George, who recently shared that he thought the Bucks were going to draft him, went off against Milwaukee. Read our full summary of the game here and catch a six-minute audio recap on the Bucks+ podcast, Bucks In Six Minutes, below.

Player Grades

Ryan Rollins

26 minutes, 17 points, 8 assists, 3 rebounds, 4 steals, 1 turnover, 7/13 FG, 3/5 3P, -3

Ryan was great… when he was on the court. The problem was that he was too aggressive on defence early on and had to sit much of the first half with foul trouble; he has to be better than that and know his importance. That said, his game when he did play was excellent. I mean, Ryan made a number of clutch plays on both ends.

Grade: B+

Myles Turner

39 minutes, 21 points, 14 rebounds, 6 blocks, 2 turnovers, 8/16 FG, 2/6 3P, +2

Granted, some of Turner’s minutes were played with no opposing centre on the floor—the Wizards’ backup centres Marvin Bagley and Tristan Vukcevic were out—but for him to have six blocks was awesome to see; it shows he’s engaged and has the right mindset. I also loved his rebounding (again, easier in this one than usual, but you still have to grab ‘em).

Grade: A-

AJ Green

37 minutes, 2 points, 3 assists, 1/6 FG, 0/4 3P, -10

Yeah, I barely remember AJ doing anything positive in this game (other than a nice read off the pick-and-roll in the first quarter). The reality for him as a shooter is that he needs to make shots. He’d been doing that, but not last night. Green’s defence—and specifically his ability to slide his feet—was less effective because there weren’t many good matchups for him.

Grade: D+

Kyle Kuzma

34 minutes, 19 points, 6 assists, 9 rebounds, 3 turnovers, 8/18 FG, 0/3 3P, –8

While Kuz did have some nice plays towards the end of the game—both from a passing and scoring standpoint, especially in transition—there were just too many instances throughout the game where he was out of control. Missing 10 shots and turning the ball over three times just isn’t good enough.

Grade: C-

Bobby Portis

36 minutes, 19 points, 3 assists, 7 rebounds, 8/17 FG, 2/5 3P, -21

Man, this was such a weird Bobby game. At points, he was the Bucks’ only source of offence and was actually quite effective with his backdowns. He even had an absolute dime to Pete Nance under the hoop at one point. But the fact that Portis had, by far, the worst plus/minus on the team likely indicates that he did a lot wrong on defence. I mean, the next closest was -10.

Grade: C

Pete Nance

20 minutes, 13 points, 6 rebounds, 6/10 FG, 1/3 3P, -1

Just another great game from Nance, who actually got a shot last night over Jericho Sims. He put himself in the right spots to be a receiver and a converter once his teammates made the initial play—something he has a knack for.

Grade: A

Gary Trent Jr.

24 minutes, 3 points, 1/6 FG, 1/5 3P, -1

I mean, GT took the right shots, but he has truly fallen off the map this year. Wow.

Grade: D

Cole Anthony

17 minutes, 5 points, 1 assist, 2 turnovers, 2/11 FG, 1/6 3P, –9

Cole Anthony. Just the Ultimate tank commander. My guy was throwing up BRICKS.

Grade: F

Doc Rivers

Hmmmm. The everlasting quandary of weighing Doc’s coaching acumen against the crappy talent level of his team. On one hand, I can’t expect Doc to make chicken salad out of chickenb sh*t, respectfully. On the other hand, let’s not act like he’s some technician who makes all the right calls. He played Nance, not Sims. That’s something. He gave AJax some minutes… didn’t do much. I thought BP was appropriately used on offence against a bunch of smaller wings. Rivers can’t control Rollins getting in foul trouble. But at the end of the day, the team should have been more competitive in the first three quarters against a side that, not so subtly, was playing its deep reserves for a suspiciously long time, I thought. Take what you will from that.

Grade: C-

Limited minutes: Andre Jackson Jr.

DNP-CD: Amir Coffey, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Pete nance

Inactive: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Alex Antetokounmpo, Kevin Porter Jr., Taurean Prince

Bonus Bucks Bits

  • The Bucks had at least three flagrant fouls where they got into the shooter’s landing space. Might have been four. That’s just clumsy. One of those came on Wizards rookie Tre Johnson, who left the game and did not return. Postgame, Doc was not happy with the amount the Bucks fouled shooters.
  • Myles had a late block that would have been his seventh of the night. It was clean up top, but there was some incidental lower-body contact, and they called it a foul. The Bucks challenged and lost. Here’s what Doc had to say about that play: “If you start calling the lower body after you block a shot, everybody’s going to be shooting a free throw. To make a call like that at the end of a game, to decide a game, is just absolutely awful.”
  • I wanted to know why in the world this game was nationally televised (I’m sure casual fans were watching this cellar-dweller matchup with high interest). Then I started putting two and two together that it was a night to celebrate John Wall.
  • Interesting that, even when they are ostensibly tanking, the Wizards still aren’t giving a load of minutes to AJ Johnson. He had a DNP last night.
  • Khris was solid, but it feels like they’re limiting his minutes. Maybe that’s good for both parties at this point.

Up Next

The Bucks have a few days off now before they play in Boston on Sunday afternoon. Catch the game on ESPN and FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin at 2:30 p.m. CST.

Colorado Rockies prospects: No. 20, Ashly Andujar

20. Ashly Andujar (197 points, 18 ballots)

Andujar was the headliner of Colorado’s international free agent class in January 2024, earning a $1.7 million bonus as the 18th ranked international prospect at MLB.com as a well-rounded offensive and defensive player with good bat to ball skills who was likely to stay as an up the middle defender.

Mid-season 2025 Rank: 19

High Ballot: 13

Mode Ballot: 15, 17, 20

Future Value: 40, middle infield depth

Contract Status: 2024 International Free Agent, Dominican Republic, Rule 5 Draft Eligible After 2028, three options remaining

MLB ETA: 2029

The 18-year-old 6’1” switch-hitting shortstop spent his first professional season in the Dominican Summer League as expected (since he was one of the youngest players in his signing class), where he was 1.8 years younger than league average. In 229 plate appearances, Andujar fit right in with a .292/.376/.352 line that included ten extra-base hits and 17 steals in 25 attempts, good for a 105 wRC+. On defense, Andujar committed 14 errors in 45 games at shortstop.

The Rockies liked what they saw enough to bring Andujar stateside to the Arizona Complex League in 2025, where he was 2.6 years younger than average, and he looked like a natural on a strong ACL Rockies team. In 217 plate appearances, Andujar again had good contact numbers without much power, hitting .319/.370/.356 with seven doubles and seven steals (which is a 97 wRC+). Andujar walked in 7% of his plate appearances and struck out in 14% of them. Andujar was the primary shortstop for the ACL team, committing 11 errors in 53 games at the position.

Andujar didn’t turn 18 until after the season and indeed didn’t face a pitcher who was younger than him all year. That’s one of the reasons Andujar’s offensive performance, despite a lack of thump, was a very impressive showing in his stateside debut. The trajectory of Andujar’s season was encouraging as well: he went from a .610 OPS in May to .716 in June and .860 in July.

Here is a recent slo-mo look at Andujar’s left-handed swing:

Here is some video of Andujar before he signed with the Rockies, including some looks at him at shortstop and his swing from both sides of the plate:

Eric Longenhagen at FanGraphs grades Andujar as a 40+ FV prospect, 15th in the system, with a plus run grade and a 55 future hit and field tool evaluation:

Amateur Andujar was billed as a speedy, contact-oriented infielder who should be a long-term shortstop fit, and that remains true. He only K’d 13.5% of the time last year and slashed .291/.376/.352. He is still very skinny and frail looking, but at just 17, that’s fine. The foundation of a good baseball player is here, now Andujar needs to layer on strength. It might take a few years yet, but once he does that, he should break out.

MLB Pipeline ranks Andujar 28th in the system as a 40 FV player, giving him a 55 on his arm and fielding ability:

One of the youngest players in the class who didn’t turn 17 until late July, Andujar certainly has time to figure things out. He starts out with a pretty good feel for hitting from both sides of the plate. He can find the barrel routinely and makes a ton of contact. He struck out just 13.5 percent of the time, isn’t afraid to hit behind in the count and even drew some walks. He needs to add strength so he can impact the ball more, even if power isn’t ever a big part of his game after slugging .352 in his debut.

More strength should also augment Andujar’s speed. He likes to run despite having just average speed at present and he moves well defensively at shortstop. He has good hands and an arm that could develop into a plus for him at the premium position. His ability to slow the game down gives him an even better overall defensive package and something he can lean on to help his team win if his bat is slow to develop.

Keith Law of the Athletic wrote this about Andujar last February:

Shortstop Ashly Andujar signed for a $1.7 million bonus last January for his potential as a switch-hitter with plus defense at a tough position. He hit .291/.376/.352 in the DSL with just a 14 percent strikeout rate, with solid swings that generate line drives and should eventually lead to doubles power. He could move quickly to Low A if this plate discipline is real.

As an up-the-middle player who was a seven-figure international signee, Andujar is joining a recent tradition of PuRPs, including Adael Amador and Robert Calaz. Also fitting that category is former PuRP Dyan Jorge, whose all-around game except a lack of power is reminiscent of Andujar’s batting lines so far. Then again, Jorge didn’t even sign until he was 19 and didn’t make it to the ACL until he was 20, so Andujar has more runway ahead of him.

Andujar should be one of the youngest players in Low-A in 2026 and we’ll see if another offseason in the strength and conditioning program bears fruit for his power. He’s a long ways away, but his athleticism provides a good foundation for him as a potential regular, so long as he doesn’t end up a Punch-and-Judy hitter. The potential and performance so far were enough for me to rank Andujar 20th on my list in the 40 FV tier.


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