The Lakers were struggling early in January. Los Angeles had lost four of five games, with its only win coming against a mediocre Atlanta Hawks team.
In defense of the Lakers, they were playing without Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura also missed some games during this stretch. Still, they looked more like a play-in team than a squad that could earn homecourt in a playoff series in the Western Conference.
Since that slump, however, the Lakers have been rolling. They’ve won four of their last five and have done the majority of their damage away from home.
After their win in Chicago, Jake LaRavia reflected on why the Lakers have been able to change their fate.
“I just think there’s been a lot better communication between the players as we’re out there on the court,” LaRavia said. “We know that we’re messing up when we’re out there so we kind of grew back together and locked back in. Everyone has a job to do and we know what it is.”
In life, clear communication leads to understanding and less confusion, and basketball is no different. Talking can help the defense set up, rotate and discuss what to do when things are breaking down and they are being put into the blender.
Communication is just as necessary as offense. Players have to know what’s being called, adjust when breakdowns happen and talk on pick-and-roll actions, for example.
As LaRavia stated, this deep into the season, players know their roles and jobs are clear. It’s a matter of understanding, communicating and executing the game plan so the Lakers can win more than they lose.
Jan 21, 2026; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Bryan Rust (17) skates during the warmup period against the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
Sergei Belski/Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
NEW YORK — Pittsburgh Penguins forward Bryan Rust has been suspended three games for an illegal check to the head of Vancouver’s Brock Boeser.
The NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced the ban following a disciplinary hearing with Rust, who will be out against Chicago, the New York Rangers and Ottawa. He’s eligible to return at the Islanders.
Rust lifted his right shoulder into Boeser’s head in the final seconds of the Penguins’ game at the Canucks, which they won 3-2. Boeser is out at least a week after going on injured reserve.
Rust will forfeit $80,078 in salary with that money going to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.
The Royals announced they have invited 25 non-roster players to spring training in Arizona, including former first-round picks Blake Mitchell, Frank Mozzicato and Gavin Cross. The list also includes some MLB veterans trying to make the club, such as catcher Jorge Alfaro, infielder Josh Rojas, and pitchers Jose Cuas, Héctor Neris, and Aaron Sanchez
Here is a rundown of the 25 players with non-roster invites:
Pitchers
AJ Causey is a sidearming right-hander who was selected by the Royals in the fifth round of the 2024 draft. He posted a minuscule ERA of 1.72 with 75 strikeouts and just 18 walks in 73.1 innings across High-A and Double-A, and walked just one batter with 13 strikeouts in the Arizona Fall League.
Dennis Colleran boasts a 100 mph fastball that he used to strike out 72 hitters in 66.1 innings last season, while posting a 2.85 ERA.
Jose Cuas pitched for the Royals from 2022 to 2023, and was a very effective reliever his first season witha 3.58 ERA in 47 outings. The 31-year-old sidearmer has since played for the Cubs and Blue Jays, but returned to the Royals on a minor league deal.
Chazz Martinez is a 26-year-old left-hander out of the University of Oklahoma. He had a 1.85 ERA in 31 outings for Northwest Arkansas, before struggling upon a promotion to Omaha.
Frank Mozzicato was the seventh overall pick of the 2021 draft known for a big curveball that causes a lot of whiffs. But he has failed to add velocity and has struggled with control, posting a 1.24 ERA in 36.1 innings at High-A, but struggling with a 7.46 ERA and 53 walks in 56.2 innings at Double-A.
Héctor Neris is a 12-year MLB vet who had 18 saves in 2024 with the Cubs and Astros. The 36-year-old had a 6.75 ERA in 35 games last year, but still struck out 11.8 hitters per-nine-innings.
Helcris Olivárez was signed as a minor league free agent after stints in the Rockies, Red Sox, and Giants organizations. He has a blazing fastball that can hit 100 mph, but has trouble with control. Last year, the left-hander posted a 3.65 ERA but with 43 walks in 37 innings across Double-A and Triple-A.
Shane Panzini is a 24-year-old right-hander drafted out of high school in 20212. He had the best season of his pro career with a 3.39 ERA and an improved strikoue rate of 9.4 per-nine innings in 109 innings.
Hunter Patteson dominated High-A ball this year with a 1.99 ERA in 13 starts, before going to Double-A and posting a 4.41 ERA in 49 innings. The lefty was a fifth round pick out of Central Florida in 2022.
Aaron Sanchez faced the Royals in the 2015 ALCS as a member of the Blue Jays, and was a 2016 All-Star. He has not pitched in the big leagues since 2022, but was named Pitcher of the Year in the Dominican Winter League this year.
Catchers
Jorge Alfaro is a nine-year MLB vet who has hit .253/.301/.391 in his career. The 32-year-old played in a handful of games with the Nationals last year, and last had significant big league time in 2022.
Canyon Brown is a ninth round pick in the 2024 draft who hit .225/.309/.297 in 70 games at High-A.
Omar Hernández is a 24-year-old switch-hitter who hit .225/.259/.275 in 75 games across High-A and Double-A last season.
Elih Marrero is a former Red Sox prospect who spent last season in the Rangers organization and is the son of former Royals outfielder Eli Marrero. He hit .257/.381/.657 with two home runs in 13 games in the Dominican Winter League.
Blake Mitchell is a former first-round pick with the Royals and a top 100 prospect on many lists. The 21-year-old suffered a wrist injury that caused him to miss the start of last season, and returned to hit .218/.390/.320 with three home runs in 60 games, then a .434 on-base percentage in 19 games in the Arizona Fall League.
Ramón Ramírez was the best hitter for the Columbia Fireflies last year, htiting .244/.339/.442 with 11 home runs in 70 games.
Luca Tresh is a 26-year old former North Carolina State catcher who hit .259/.321/.473 with 10 home runs in 72 games for Omaha last year.
Infielders
Connor Kaiser is an Overland Park native who has appeared in a handful of MLB games with the Rockies and Diamondbacks. The 29-year-old hit .236/.345/.406 with six home runs in 71 games at Triple-A last year.
Kevin Newman has played in eight MLB seasons, mostly with the Pirates, as a career .259/.300/.355 hitter. He was a 2.2 rWAR player in 2024 with the Diamondbacks, but hit just .202/.209/.272 in 56 games with the Angels last year.
Josh Rojas is a career .241/.317/.353 hitter in seven MLB seasons as a left-handed hitter. He is an exemplary defender and can play all over the field, and was worth 2.2 rWAR in 2024 with Seattle.
Abraham Toro plays mostly first and third with a little time at second, and hit .239/.289/.371 with seven home runs in 77 games with Boston. The 29-year-old switch-hitter has also spent time with the Astros, Mariners, Brewers, and Athletics.
Daniel Vázquez is a slick-fielding shortstop who was ranked #16 in the farm system by MLB Pipeline last year. The 22-year-old hit .26/.333/.351 in 116 games, but really impressed in the Arizona Fall League with a line of .329/.459/.468 in 22 games.
Peyton Wilson is a versatile, switch-hitting former second-round pick, who hit .259/.353/.389 in 103 games last year.
Outfielders
Gavin Cross was the ninth overall pick in the 2022 draft, but had his career derailed early on by illness. His numbers have been underwhelming, but he seemed to come on at the end of last year, hitting
Carson Roccaforte enjoyed a breakout season by hitting .258/.373/.470 with 18 home runs and 43 steals across High-A and Double-A. The 23-year-old left-handed hitter also led the entire organization with 82 walks.
The first workout for Royals pitchers and catchers is Wednesday, February 11. The first full squad workout is scheduled for Monday, February 16.
Dec 9, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Colorado Avalanche defenseman Sam Malinski (70) passes the puck against the Nashville Predators during the third period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
Steve Roberts/Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
DENVER — Sam Malinski’s breakout season was rewarded when the Colorado Avalanche signed the defenseman to a four-year extension.
The deal is reported to be worth $19 million, with an annual cap hit of $4.75 million.
The 27-year-old Malinski already has set career-highs with 21 assists and 24 points in logging 16 minutes, 43 seconds of ice time per game. He’s second among defensemen on the team in assists behind reigning Norris Trophy winner Cale Makar.
“Sam is a hard-working defenseman who has great skating and puck-moving ability,” Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland said in a statement. “His commitment to the defensive side of the game has turned him into a reliable defenseman for us.”
It’s another instance where the Avalanche have rewarded an up-and-coming player this season. In November, Gavin Brindley signed a two-year contract extension less than 48 hours after scoring his first NHL overtime winner. The 5-foot-8, 173-pound Brindley was acquired by Colorado on June 27 as part of a deal that sent Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood to Columbus.
Three months ago, the Avalanche signed Martin Necas to an eight-year, $92 million contract extension through 2034.
The Avalanche brought in Malinski as a college free agent in March 2023. He made the opening roster in 2024-25 and has been a fixture on the blueline since. He has 11 goals and 38 assists over 149 career regular-season appearances. Malinski also played in five games, with one assist, in the playoffs for Colorado last season against Dallas.
Malinski, who is 5-foot-11, 190-pounds, suited up for Cornell University from 2019-23. The Lakeville, Minnesota, native was a team captain in 2022-23.
The New York Rangers completed their first trade of this suppressive retool on Monday night, sending Carson Soucy to the New York Islanders in exchange for a third-round pick.
With Soucy set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer and the Rangers’ playoff hopes dwindling by each passing game, it was only inevitable that the team would eventually trade the veteran defenseman.
Mike Sullivan opened up about the trade for the first time after Tuesday’s practice.
“Souce is a great person. He was a good Ranger,” Sullivan said. “He competed hard. Him and I had a conversation, that's what we talked about. I really enjoyed working with him. He's a good pro. This is just part of the game and the reality of where we’re at.”
When the Blueshirts acquired Soucy from the Vancouver Canucks during the 2024-25 season, Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury had a different vision for Soucy, believing he could be a long-term piece for the franchise.
“He's not a rental,” Drury said of Soucy last season. “He’s someone we could have in for the rest of the year and next year. I just like the overall game – the size, the skating, the sense, how he defends. We were able to do some homework on him the last couple weeks and we’re excited to get him.”
That mindset shifted after Drury issued a letter on Jan. 16 outlining the team’s plan to retool the roster and essentially punting on the remainder of the 2025-26 campaign in order to focus on the future.
Caitlin Clark is joining NBC's coverage of the NBA, the network announced in January 2026.
Caitlin Clark is joining a new team.
NBC has tapped the star Indiana Fever guard to be a special contributor for its NBA coverage this season, with Clark set to make her pregame debut on Feb. 1, when the Knicks host the Lakers at Madison Square Garden for the debut of “Sunday Night Basketball.”
“I’m really excited to be part of the ‘Basketball Night in America’ crew this season,” Clark said Tuesday in a statement.
Caitlin Clark is joining NBC’s coverage of the NBA, the network announced in January 2026. AP
“Carmelo [Anthony], Vince [Carter], and Tracy [McGrady] are legends of the game and Maria [Taylor] is a true professional. It will be really fun to join them a few times this season.”
In addition to the Lakers-Knicks clash at MSG, Clark will also be featured on the program March 29, when the reigning champion Thunder host the Knicks at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.
It’s shaping up to be a busy start to the year for Clark, who is entering her third WNBA season.
Selected first overall out of Iowa in 2024, Clark played in 40 games her rookie season, earning All-Star and All-Rookie Team nods. She was also named Rookie of the Year after averaging 19.2 points per game, 5.7 rebounds and 8.4 assists.
Injuries derailed Clark’s sophomore campaign, as she grappled with left quad and left groin issues early in the year. She sustained a right groin injury in July and suffered a bone bruise to her left ankle during a workout the following month.
Across 13 games in 2025, Clark averaged 16.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 8.8 assists.
Caitlin Clark is entering her third WNBA season with the Fever. AP
The Fever reached the semifinals of the playoffs before losing in five games to the eventual champion Aces.
Indiana opens the season at home on Saturday, May 9, against Dallas — assuming the league and players union strike a deal on a new collective bargaining agreement.
Tonight's Coast 2 Coast Tuesday NBA action tips off at 8:00 PM ET when the Milwaukee Bucks head to Philadelphia to take on the 76ers. Then, at 10 PM ET, it's the LA Clippers vs Utah Jazz in a West Coast showdown. Live coverage of tonight's doubleheader begins at 7:00 PM ET 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.
Tonight's game marks the third of four meetings between the Bucks and 76ers. Philadelphia won the first two games in Wisconsin: a 123-114 overtime victory on November 20, led by Tyrese Maxey's career-high 54 points, followed by a 116-101 win on December 5.
Giannis Antetokounmpo did not play in the first two games due to an injury and is out indefinitely with a calf injury. Antetokounmpo, who is in his 13th NBA season, leads Milwaukee in scoring (28 ppg), rebounding (10 rpg), and assists (5.6 apg).
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.
Here are a few words I gathered in the past few hours.
"Behind the scenes Knicks officials have tried to downplay KAT could be traded in season…However belief persists among some rivals Towns is in play to some degree
"[Also] rumbles Knicks have explored ways to try to acquire Blazers Jrue Holiday"
On Mitchell Robinson as a roll threat: “Whoever’s guarding Mitch is aggressive. So if teams keep stepping up and trying to be aggressive on the ball screens, Mitch has to get out quick and he’s gotta look for it at the rim.”
On Mitch’s defensive impact: “Our defensive player was Mitch. Mitch was phenomenal on the offensive glass, but he was really, really good for us defensively. Four deflections. Couple of 50–50 balls. Rebounding the ball really well. Couple of blocks. Big, big night from Mitch, especially on the defensive end of the floor.”
On using the bench to defend against Maxey and Edgecombe: “They’re huge. You don’t stop those types of guys, but to have a guy like Deuce coming off the bench, have a guy like Landry, both those guys are physical at the point of attack. That type of relentless pursuit with athleticism and toughness is phenomenal, and obviously we need those guys.”
Mitchell Robinson AVAILABLE Tuesday – not on injury report
On asking teammates for alley-oops: “I tell them when we’re watching film, ‘Look here, I’m wide open. Throw it to me. I do a little dirty work so reward me.’ That’s kinda how that is.”
On staying levelheaded after wins: “It is good, but also it’s January. You can’t get too high or too low. Three games ago we were turning into a lottery team, and now you’re saying we’re battling the East. We’re just trying to stay levelheaded.”
On Shamet and McBride’s defense against the Sixers: “They were huge. I think Sham got two offensive fouls drawn from blowing up handoffs. Dude was great all game. That’s a tough matchup with Tyrese, and we need that.”
On the need to play defense whether shots fall or not: “Shots fall, sometimes don’t. Effort is controllable. On the defensive end, you gotta find ways to win games when the ball’s not going in. It’s a pride thing.”
On the energy the bench brings to games: “If you’re coming off the bench you’ve got fresh legs. You’re watching the game and thinking how you can elevate what’s going on. Sometimes it’s as simple as ball pressure. The domino effect is real.”
OG Anunoby
On Robinson’s overall value: “He’s a special player. There’s no one like him in the league. His impact is felt every night in many different ways.”
Joakim Noah, Tom Thibodeau & Taj Gibson back at United Center
Thibs said he stayed for the D Rose afterparty and got snowed in 😂😂
On being ready for another coaching gig: “I love the game. Obviously, I’m preparing for the next opportunity, so hopefully I’ll be ready for it.”
NEW INVESTIGATION: Memphis Grizzlies owner Robert Pera's technology is powering Russia's drone war on Ukraine and is linked to what the UN calls "crimes against humanity," according to an undercover @hntrbrkmedia report. pic.twitter.com/giiSE4GdRJ
It looks like the Pittsburgh Penguins will be without one of their top forwards for an upcoming crucial stretch of games.
On Tuesday, the Department of Player Safety suspended top-line winger Bryan Rust for three games following a hit to the head of Vancouver Canucks forward Brock Boeser on Sunday. Boeser was concussed on the play and was placed on injured reserve by the Canucks.
Rust, 33, has no prior history of suspension, and the hit happened around the net-front in the waning seconds of the game with the Penguins protecting the lead. These factors, along with others, are why head coach Dan Muse did not agree with the league's ruling.
"I think three games is a lot," Muse said. "I don't agree with it. The organization [doesn't] agree with it. They have a tough job in the league in terms of looking at these things.
"Bryan Rust is a guy who you know what you're going to get from him every night. He's a guy that works his a-- off every day. He's a guy that's heart and soul. One thing he's not is a dirty player."
"He's going to do everything he can to help the team win, and he's done it in a way..." Muse began. "I mean, I've coached against this guy. He's been in the league, for what, 12 years? [650]-plus games? You see his track record. He's a guy who works, but he also plays the game the right way, and he plays it clean. So, based on that track record, based on the player, who he is, what he's shown for a very long time in this league... yeah, I disagree with it.
"Again, I understand the league's got a tough job, but in terms of the play, like, it's the end of the game. He's doing everything he can to just get back to the net front, not allow another shot on net in the closing seconds. And, so, the way he comes in there, he kind of tries to come in on the defensive side. And when you look at the video, too, there's a lot of things happening there. There's the visual that you see, but I also think there's the intent and how all those things unfolded."
Barring an appeal, Rust's suspension will be in effect until the Penguins' game against the Ottawa Senators on Monday, and the team will face the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday and the New York Rangers on Saturday. He has 18 goals and 39 points in 47 games for the Penguins this season, and the team has five games remaining before the three-week Olympic hiatus.
Burly right-hander Jose Franco claimed the #11 spot in this year’s Community Prospect Rankings, and now we head into the voting for spot #12.
Per usual, here’s a link to the Google Form where you can vote, though it should be embedded at the end of the list if you’d rater read first and then vote on-page after digesting all the glorious information on these up and coming future Cincinnati Reds.
Here’s how the list has materialized so far:
Sal Stewart
Alfredo Duno
Rhett Lowder
Hector Rodriguez
Edwin Arroyo
Cam Collier
Steele Hall
Tyson Lewis
Chase Petty
Arnaldo Lantigua
Jose Franco
A large list of talented names exists below for spot #12. Have at it with the votes!
Adolfo Sanchez, OF (19 years old)
2025 at a glance: .339/.474/.504 with 2 HR, 10 SB in 154 PA with DSL Reds (Dominican Summer League)
Pros: Left-handed hitter who profiles to have a plus hit tool and potentially plus power; arm good enough to play RF if he doesn’t stick in CF; shaved 20% off his K% year over year; plus runner
Cons: Questions whether he’s already physically matured to the point where projecting him to be much better exist
The Reds signed Sanchez for $2.7 million out of the Dominican Republic in 2024 and kept him there to ply his trade professionally in the Dominican Summer League. Things went quite poorly for him there during his age 17 season, and he subsequently stuck around there to repeat in 2025 – though this time, things went swimmingly.
He’ll undoubtedly play in the States in 2026, but the question now is just how quickly the Reds might try to move him up if he hits the ground running. At 6’3” and 200 lbs already, he’s not the kind of prospect where you say he’s X now, but when he gets bigger and stronger he’ll be Y in two years. In other words, if he looks the part now, he needs to be challenged immediately, and my hope is that he gets time with Daytona right off the bat.
He’s got a hit tool that comes with all-fields power, excellent patience at the plate, and I really do think his swing will continue to play. Still, it’s likely he ends up in a corner spot in the OF, which means the power’s going to need to continue to show up for him to project as an everyday regular – at least vs. RHP.
Leo Balcazar, SS/2B (22 years old)
2025 at a glance: .263/.339/.381 with 12 HR, 8 SB in 560 PA split between A+ Dayton Dragons (Midwest League) and AA Chattanooga Lookouts (AA Southern League); .277/.340/.340 in 103 PA with Peoria Javelinas (Arizona Fall League)
Pros: Good strike zone judgement and plate discipline (52/75 BB/K in 2025); well-rounded tools, continuing to improve off ACL surgery
Cons: Not a ton of power yet; some question whether he’ll be able to stick at SS long term
It’s easy to forget just how good of a start Balcazar had to his pro career after signing with the Reds for $100,000 out of Venezuela. He posted an .882 OPS in 2021 in Dominican Summer League play, an .886 OPS in 2022 with the Arizona Complex League Reds, and was off to a wicked start (.897 OPS) across the first 18 games of his 2023 season with Class-A Daytona before he tore his ACL.
2024 was a bit of a rough year for him, however, as the layoff and working back from the surgery clearly impacted his performance (.264/.295/.354 in 410 PA). However, 2025 saw him look a lot more like his former explosive self – both at the plate and in the field – and he clearly was healthy enough once again as he logged a combined 663 PA across all leagues.
He’s still just 21 years of age (22 in June of 2026), and if he’s shaken the rust off completely and enters this season after a normal winter, there’s a chance we see a whole lot more from him, too.
Aaron Watson, RHP (19 years old)
2025 at a glance: Drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 2nd round of the 2025 MLB Draft out of Trinity Christian Academy (FL); signed overslot $2.7 million bonus to forego commitment to the University of Florida
Pros: 6’5” frame; potential 60-grade slider; fastball that runs up to 96 mph from a three-quarter arm slot and already has a solid three-pitch mix with his change rotated in
Cons: Did not pitch professionally after being drafted, so he’s a complete unknown
One glimpse of Watson on the mound and you immediately think yep, I bet that guy can turn into a pretty dang good pitcher. He’s got an ideal frame to produce downhill offerings, and his fastball/slider mix is already something on which he can hang his hat.
However, command of all three of his pitches – specifically a very developmental changeup – will be what he needs to work on to begin to move quickly through the ranks. He possesses a good ‘feel’ at the moment in terms of what pitches to throw, which part of the zone to attack vs. which hitters, etc., but how well he can build in more deception with his offerings will be vital.
Carlos Jorge, OF (22 years old)
2025 at a glance: .251/.342/.355 with 6 HR, 40 SB in 469 PA with High-A Dayton Dragons (Midwest League)
Pros: Plus speed; former infielder moved to CF in 2023 and in 2025 looked like a natural there; plus speed; shaved 12.5% off K-rate from down 2024 season; 60-grade arm strength a weapon in CF
Cons: ISO declined for third straight year, this time precipitously; prone to extreme streakiness
If you threw out every other stop of Carlos Jorge’s pro career and just focused on the good ones, he’d already be ranked by now. The good parts of the best of his years have been quite tremendous, all told. He’s flashed great speed (40 steals in 2025), good pop for a small-ish CF (12 HR in 2023 and 2024; .483 SLG in the cavernous Florida State League in 2023), and the ability to play pretty elite CF defense (as recently as 2025).
However, he’s added some real clunkers in there, too. He hit just .220/.291/.394 with a K-rate over 31% at Dayton in 2024, and that came on the heels of hitting just .239/.277/.398 in 23 games once he reached Dayton at the end of 2023.
Maybe it’s just Dayton, where he was again in 2025 in a much better all-around year, even though his power dried up again. He’ll surely begin with AA Chattanooga of the Southern League in 2026, and at 22 (with his position in CF now settled) the former 2B might finally have a one-track shot to focus on his all around game in a new locale. After acing his move on defense, shaving off a ton of strikeouts, and bumping his walk rate back up over 11.1% (where it’s been for most of his career), perhaps 2026 will have a lot more in store for him.
Zach Maxwell, RHP (25 years old)
2025 at a glance: 4.50 ERA, 5.64 FIP, 13/4 K/BB in 10.0 IP with Cincinnati Reds; 4.17 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 59/32 K/BB in 49.2 IP with AAA Louisville Bats (International League)
Pros: Huge. Literally gigantic (6’6”, 275-ish lbs). Throws gas (100 mph+) with a devastating slider (70-grade). And he’s titanic.
Cons: Struggles with control (6.1 BB/9 across 172.1 IP in his minors career)
Maxwell, a former 6th round pick out of Georgia Tech, throws the ball up to 102 mph with his heater, and it’s clear that hitters have just about as little idea where it’s actually going to be as Maxwell himself. That’s the rub here, really, in that Big Sugar has the pure stuff to turn even the best hitters into guessers, and it comes down to whether they’ll guess wrong more often than Maxwell misses the zone in each and every PA.
If they swing, though, they’re likely going to miss, and that’s why he’s right in the mix for a spot in Cincinnati’s bullpen again in 2026 after making his debut there in 2025. He can be a bit wild if it’s effectively wild, and that’s a tightrope he’s been walking since his days back at North Paulding HS in Dallas, Georgia. When he’s locked in, though, the heater is backed up by an absolutely devastating slide piece, and that two-pitch mix – again, when he’s locked in – is good enough to be closer material. He’s just got to continue to refine his delivery.
Liberts Aponte, SS (18 years old)
2025 at a glance: .247/.368/.461 with 7 HR, 9 SB in 193 PA for DSL Rojos (Dominican Summer League)
Pros: 29/35 K/BB showed greatly improving strike zone awareness; already a plus defender at short where he projects to be excellent both with range and arm long-term
Cons: Still not viewed as a potential plus with the bat, though early returns are already better than original scouting reports; has a long way to go in terms of physically maturing
The Reds doled out $1.9 million to sign Aponte last January, and that marked the single largest contract they doled out in that particular international signing window. MLB Pipeline ranked him as the #18 player overall in that class, noting he was ‘one of the most skilled defenders in his class’ and ‘offers solid wheels’ with ‘magic in his hands’ while doling out a 65 grade on his fielding ability.
The rest, we knew, would take time, as he was just liked at 6’0” and 160 lbs, and that even felt like a slight exaggeration. To his credit, though, he mashed 7 homers as a 17 year old in DSL play while showing more power than anticipated, and if that aspect of his game grows to match what’s already known the Reds have found themselves a gem.
It will be interesting to see if the Reds push him up to Arizona Complex League play at all in 2026 or give him another year in the DSL seeing as he just turned 18 years old in November.
Luke Holman, RHP (23 years old)
2025 at a glance: ER, 2 H, 10 K, 4 BB in 9.0 IP with Daytona Tortugas (Class-A Florida State League
Pros: Two plus breaking pitches (slider, curve)
Cons: Not a ton of velocity on his fastball, which sits 91-94 mph
Luke Holman threw 109 pitches for LSU in a 6-2 loss to North Carolina on June 1st, 2024, a game in which he yielded 4 ER in 6.2 IP with 7 H, 11 K, and a lone walk. Since then, he’s thrown just 9.0 IP on a mound, total.
Holman, Cincinnati’s 2nd round pick in 2024, sat out the remainder of 2024 after being drafted, finishing his calendar year with 91.2 IP of 2.75 ERA ball that included a wonderful 0.98 WHIP and 127/33 K/BB. When his 2025 began in Daytona, all signs looked promising in his first pair of starts only for an elbow issue to subsequently sit him down and require Tommy John surgery, and we’ve not seen him since.
He sat 91-94 with his fastball (and touched 96) before, and has a pair of wicked breaking balls that he uses as his out pitches. If he returns to form in 2026 the way he ways before (or even better!), he still profiles as a back-end starter who should move quickly through Cincinnati’s system after dominating SEC play in stints first with Alabama and later with LSU.
During net-front scramble at the Penguins’ goal, Boeser looks to collect the puck as Rust skates in from the slot. As Boeser finds the puck and attempts to play it towards the net, Rust loads up and delivers a high, hard check that misses Boeser’s core, picking his head and making it the main point of contact on a check where such head contact was avoidable. This is an illegal check to the head.
It is important to note that both elements of the illegal check to the head rule are satisfied on this play.
First, the head is the main point of contact as Rust’s shoulder and arm make direct contact with Boeser’s head and it is the head that absorbs the majority of the force. Second, the head contact on this play is avoidable. Rust takes a poor angle of approach, choosing an angle that causes him to cut across the front of Boeser’s body, missing his core. Rust then raises his arm and leans into contact, causing direct contact with Boeser’s head with requisite force for supplemental discipline.
If Rust wants to deliver this check, he must stay low and take an angle that hits through the shoulder and core =, rather than one that makes the head the main point of contact.
The incriminating angle comes from one not too often seen from the top down, compared to the standard replay. Boeser ended up in concussion protocol, per Canucks head coach Adam Foote and has been placed on injured reserve and will be out for a minimum of a week.
The Penguins were not pleased with the league’s decision, calling it “a lot”. Coach Dan Muse talked about it after practice on Tuesday.
Here's what Dan Muse had to say about Bryan Rust getting suspended three games for an illegal check to the head at the end of Sunday's game in Vancouver. pic.twitter.com/cB0NewQrLK
Rust had yet to be suspended in his 685 game NHL career. Despite the heavy punishment, it’s not unprecedented to for a first-time offender to be leveled with a three-game suspension.
There are numerous examples of players given 3 GP in their first suspension. Just involving Pens:
Pacioretty on Letang, illegal check to head, 11/26/11 Ristolainen on Guentzel, interference, 3/21/17 Asham on B. Schenn, 4/15/12 Engelland on Kruger, illegal check to head, 12/20/11
Last year Trevor Zegras, another first time offender, was suspended for three games for a hit to the head of Michael Rasmussen.
It’ll be a tough loss for the Pens, who have five games remaining until the Olympic break. Rust worked with his usual first line today in practice with Sidney Crosby and Rickard Rakell, which means the teams will have to shuffle some lines around at a time they would prefer not to given how well everything has been rolling in their current four-game winning streak.
Barring an appeal and reduction of the suspension, Rust is eligible to play next on Tuesday, February 3rd when the Penguins play on the road against the New York Islanders. He will miss the team’s upcoming games against Chicago, the NY Rangers and Ottawa.
Mets right-hander Freddy Peralta has spoken with a bunch of his new teammates since being acquired from the Brewers in a blockbuster trade last week.
In addition to getting a FaceTime from Tyrone Taylor (the two were teammates in Milwaukee), Peralta has also talked to Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor, Francisco Alvarez, and Sean Manaea.
"I can't lie. It makes me feel really good," Peralta said during an introductory Zoom on Tuesday. "I told them: I can't wait to be with you guys together and have fun together."
The exuberant Peralta is also excited about making the transition from Milwaukee to New York.
"I feel really good," he said. "It's a different market, different city. There's a lot more fans, a lot more people watching. I like the competition that we're gonna face."
With Peralta set for free agency after the season, and with the Mets having given up two of their most prized prospects to obtain him and fellow right-hander Tobias Myers, one of the biggest questions following the trade has been whether Peralta would be open to an extension -- with reports beforehand indicating that he was.
"I just got here. I think that I got to share time with my teammates, think about different ideas," Peralta explained. "Learn about everybody -- coaches, the organization in general. And then we can see."
The above scenario -- feeling things out a bit before potentially discussing an extension -- is something that worked out with the Mets and Lindor in the not-too-distant past.
The Mets acquired Lindor from Cleveland on Jan. 7, 2021 and ultimately signed him to a 10-year, $341 million extension on the eve of Opening Day ahead of what was Steve Cohen's first season of ownership.
Sep 4, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Freddy Peralta (51) reacts after striking out Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm (not pictured) with the bases loaded in the fourth inning at American Family Field. / Benny Sieu - Imagn Images
As Peralta gets acclimated to a new team and city, he already has familiarity with president of baseball operations David Stearns.
One of Stearns' biggest moves when he was in Milwaukee's front office was to trade for a then-19-year-old Peralta. And his biggest trade with the Mets was to trade for him a second time.
"It says a lot," Peralta said about the shared history. "It's funny, because my family -- we were speaking about that, too. Being traded for the second time for the same GM, there's a lot of things that come to my mind."
Peralta, who will report to spring training in a few weeks along with the rest of the Mets' pitchers and catchers, said he hasn't yet decided whether he'll be pitching for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic -- which begins on March 5.
The 29-year-old is coming off a phenomenal 2025 season, where he had a career-best 2.70 ERA in 176.2 innings. He posted a 1.07 WHIP, allowed just 124 hits, and struck out 204 batters -- a rate of 10.4 per nine.
In 139 starts over the last five years, Peralta has a 3.30 ERA and 1.09 WHIP and has fanned 895 batters in 738.1 innings while allowing just 536 hits. He has also been reliable when it comes to taking the ball, tossing 165.2 innings or more reach of the last three seasons.
His ability to miss bats and limit hits is elite, as is his stuff.
Peralta relies mainly on a four-seam fastball (which he threw 53 percent of the time this past season), a changeup, and a curve. He'll also mix in a slider.
In 2025, his pitching run value graded out in the 97th percentile, via Baseball Savant. And all of his individual pitches were tremendous -- the fastball was in the 84th percentile, the breaking balls were in the 88th percentile, and the changeup was in the 96th percentile.
The New York Yankees have claimed pitcher Dom Hamel on waivers from the Texas Rangers, it was announced today. The Rangers had designated Hamel for assignment to make room on the 40 man roster for newly signed reliever Jakob Junis.
If you aren’t familiar with Dom Hamel, that’s understandable. The Rangers claimed him on waivers from the Baltimore Orioles at the end of September. The Orioles had claimed him on waivers a week before that on waivers from the New York Mets. The Mets had drafted him in the third round in 2021 out of Dallas Baptist, eight picks after the Rangers selected Cam Cauley, and 16 picks before the A’s picked Mason Miller, who I think everyone picking ahead of them in the third round wishes they had selected instead of whoever they picked.
The Yankees didn’t have an open 40 man roster spot, so to open up a spot for Hamel, they designated infielder Marco Luciano for assignment. Luciano spent several years early in his pro career as a consensus top 20 prospect with the San Francisco Giants, then a couple of years as a consensus top 50 guy, and is now out of options and bouncing around the waiver wire. The Pirates claimed him on waivers from the Giants in December, then the Orioles claimed him from the Pirates in early January, and then the Yankees claimed him from the Orioles earlier this month.
The Yankees are no doubt hoping to sneak Luciano through waivers so they can outright him, and likely will try to do the same thing with Hamel before too long.
English clubs stroll through Champions League group phase but fatigue tends to take its toll by the spring
Has there been a great game in the Champions League group stage this season? Probably not. Even if there had been, it almost certainly didn’t mean all that much. But that’s the way of the modern game: an extremely protracted clearing of the throat before the real business begins.
Uefa will proudly tell the world that only six teams have nothing to play for in the final round of games on Wednesday, but whether it was worth 126 games to get to the mild peril of Napoli or Club Brugge possibly going out, or the questionable thrill of finding out whether Tottenham or Atalanta will have to endure the playoff round, is debatable.
Kurt Helin
