PROVO, Utah (AP) — Taliah Scott racked up 25 points, Bella Fontleroy added 12, and the No. 18 Baylor Lady Bears rolled by BYU, 69-58, on Saturday to pick up their sixth straight victory.
The Bears (17-3, 6-1 Big 12) have not lost since Dec. 21, when they fell to then-unranked Texas Tech (who now ranks at No. 17).
Baylor did not trail for the entirety of the game, opening on an 18-4 run in the first quarter and maintaining a double-digit lead for much of the first half.
BYU cut the lead to as little as three points in the second half, but Baylor kept the edge throughout. Scott scored 12 points in the fourth, including seven straight points in just over a minute of game time down the stretch, to close out the win.
Scott was 8-for-21 shooting (5-for-14 from deep), dished out five assists and grabbed six rebounds. Darianna Littlepage-Buggs hauled in nine rebounds, but BYU held the advantage on the glass 40-39. 15 of Baylor’s 25 baskets came off assists.
Delaney Gibb paced the Cougars (14-4, 3-3) with 20 points, but struggled from the floor (7-for-21) before fouling out late. BYU was held to 32% shooting from the floor and just 17% from beyond the arc. Lara Rohkohl grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds.
TORONTO (AP) — Daryl Watts scored the winner at 2:16 in overtime as the Toronto Sceptres defeated the Vancouver Goldeneyes 2-1 on Saturday.
Savannah Harmon also scored for Toronto, which snapped a four-game losing streak. Raygan Kirk made 23 saves.
Sarah Nurse scored for Vancouver, which had its losing streak extended to three games. Emerance Maschmeyer stopped 42 shots.
Harmon scored on the power play off a Blayre Turnbull centering pass intended for Maggie Connors, who didn’t get her stick on the puck. Harmon corralled the puck, lined herself up and wired a shot over Maschmeyer’s right shoulder for her first of the year at 12:43 of the second period.
Nurse answered with her second of the season just 29 seconds later. Tereza Vanisova won a puck battle at the side boards before Sydney Bard found Nina Jobst-Smith, whose point shot was tipped in by Nurse.
Four former Sceptres suited up for the Goldeneyes on Saturday. Forwards Nurse and Izzy Daniel were signed away during the expansion process, Hannah Miller joined Vancouver through free agency and goalie Kristen Campbell, who was traded on draft night, backed up Maschmeyer.
Nurse returned from an eight-week absence due to an arm injury and proved to be an immediate help for the struggling Goldeneyes. Vancouver was tied with Toronto for the worst scoring offenses in the PWHL entering the game at 22 goals through 12 games.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Marquel Sutton scored 26 points and Max Mackinnon 20 to lead LSU to a 78-70 win over Missouri on Saturday and snap a four-game losing streak with its first SEC win this season.
Jayden Stone scored 16 of his 20 points, and Mark Mitchell 11 of his 13, in the second half when the Tigers (13-5, 3-2) rallied from 14-point deficit to get within four with a minute to go. T.O. Barrett aded 11 points and Shawn Phillips Jr. 10.
Missouri trailed 55-52 when LSU (13-5, 1-4) hit its next five shots, including 3-pointers by Rashad King and Mackinnon, to go back up by 10. Mitchell led a late charge, scoring nine of Missouri’s final 13 points. But Pablo Tamba hit two free throws after his offensive rebound and Sutton added two more following his steal for the game’s final points.
Sutton scored 19 points and Mackinnon added 10 in leading LSU to a 37-27 halftime lead. They each had a 3-pointer when the Tigers scored the game’s first 10 points. LSU led throughout.
LSU’s 16 offensive rebounds gave the Tigers a 21-13 edge in points in the paint and they made 10 of 26 from beyond the arc in bouncing back from a last-second loss to Kentucky, 75-74, after blowing an 18-point second-half lead.
That team would be Bryant’s current club, the Colorado Rockies.
The report triggered a wave of outrage on social media, with the Rockies making for an easy villain. No reason was provided for why they would do so. A day later, the Rockies denied they had any part in Bryant missing the reunion, via MLB.com’s Thomas Harding and the Denver Post’s Patrick Saunders.
I spoke to a #Rockies official this morning who emphatically says that that a report that the club blocked Kris Bryant from attending a #Cubs 2016 World Series reunion “isn’t true.”
So why wasn’t Bryant there while other active players on other teams, such as Schwarber and Baez, were? That remains unclear.
Bryant remains one of the most important players in Cubs history as a central figure on the team that broke through 108 years of disappointment, but his future in baseball has never been more cloudy due to a series of back injuries that have ravaged his Rockies career.
The four-time All-Star signed a seven-year, $182 million contract with Colorado after the 2021 season. That deal is now considered one of the worst in MLB history, as he’s managed to play only 170 games in four seasons. While on the field, he’s slashed only .244/.324/.370 with the Rockies despite the advantage of Coors Field.
That team would be Bryant’s current club, the Colorado Rockies.
The report triggered a wave of outrage on social media, with the Rockies making for an easy villain. No reason was provided for why they would do so. A day later, the Rockies denied they had any part in Bryant missing the reunion, via MLB.com’s Thomas Harding and the Denver Post’s Patrick Saunders.
I spoke to a #Rockies official this morning who emphatically says that that a report that the club blocked Kris Bryant from attending a #Cubs 2016 World Series reunion “isn’t true.”
So why wasn’t Bryant there while other active players on other teams, such as Schwarber and Baez, were? That remains unclear.
Bryant remains one of the most important players in Cubs history as a central figure on the team that broke through 108 years of disappointment, but his future in baseball has never been more cloudy due to a series of back injuries that have ravaged his Rockies career.
The four-time All-Star signed a seven-year, $182 million contract with Colorado after the 2021 season. That deal is now considered one of the worst in MLB history, as he’s managed to play only 170 games in four seasons. While on the field, he’s slashed only .244/.324/.370 with the Rockies despite the advantage of Coors Field.
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Padres fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
First things first… most, if not all, San Diego Padres fans were happy the team was able to re-sign pitcher Michael King. The problem has been the Padres have not done much since that reunion became official.
San Diego added free agent infielder Sung-Mun Song not long after King, but we learned Saturday he will miss at least four weeks with a strained oblique. The other major league additions for the Padres have been re-signing left-hander Kyle Hart and new additions relievers Ty Adcock and Daison Acosta. All other signings by San Diego this offseason have been minor league deals with some of those invited to Spring Training. Hardly the kind of moves that whip a fanbase into a frenzy.
Recent reports have stated San Diego president of baseball operations and general manager A.J. Preller wants to make moves but is waiting to do so. Speculation is that he is waiting for prices to come down on some free agent targets and/or he is waiting on a trade to come through that will allow the Padres to clear some payroll to create financial flexibility.
As with anything, there is a process to building the roster, but to this point in the offseason the Friar Faithful have been less than thrilled with the moves the team has made. Most fans who took part in the latest Padres Reacts Survey said the offseason has been worse than they expected. Some of that may be due to the sudden resignation of manager Mike Shildt or the news the Seidler family was exploring a potential sale of the club, but the lack of moves and additions to the roster has to be the biggest factor in the way fans feel about the team.
Over the past week, Padres fans have watched as the Arizona Diamondbacks traded for Nolan Arenado and saw the Los Angeles Dodgers sign free agent Kyle Tucker. The San Francisco Giants, and Dodgers, are rumored to be in trade talks for Milwaukee Brewers ace pitcher Freddy Peralta and the Giants have also been linked to free agent pitcher Framber Valdez. All the movement in the National League West only highlights the lack of movement from San Diego.
Perhaps that changes over the coming weeks, but the start to Spring Training in early February is fast approaching and the Friar Faithful could use a couple of moves to salvage an offseason that has had more bad news than good.
If your jaw hit the floor when you learned that the Los Angeles Dodgers had signed free agent Kyle Tucker to a borderline offensive contract this week, you were not alone. Now that we know that the Dodgers payroll will top $400 million dollars for the upcoming season, it’s more important than ever that Chaim Bloom and his team get this rebuild of the St. Louis Cardinals done right for us to contend again soon.
Just for reference, here is the payroll for the Los Angeles Dodgers dating back a decade:
The projected payroll for the Dodgers for the 2026 season is a remarkable $413.6 million dollars. Now, let’s all exhale and try to find our happy place because this outrageous Dodgers spending shouldn’t be intimidating. It should be inspiring because I believe we have the management team now that is capable of taking down giants (and I’m not talking about the San Francisco kind). I can’t remember which one of my favorite Cardinals writers said this, but I think it’s Bernie Miklasz. It’s not the amount of your payroll, but it’s what you do with it that matters. Yes, the Los Angeles Dodgers have used their money to grab nearly every all-star within reach, but the choices they made have been smart and roster management by Dave Roberts has been masterful.
My point to this is the St. Louis Cardinals used to be great at developing great young players and then adding the appropriate pieces during the offseason and at the trade deadline to fill needs and improve strengths. Our beloved team lost that vision over the past half decade. It doesn’t matter if you want to blame ownership or the previous president of baseball operations, the bottom line is our farm system did not progress the way it needed to for us to be real contenders against big market teams like Los Angeles. After seeing the moves made by Chaim Bloom this offseason, I’m a believer again. He has accomplished nearly everything he said he wanted to do and that should be applauded.
There is history to prove that if the St. Louis Cardinals get this rebuild done right, a big payroll will not stop us from ascending back into a place where we’re consistently contending for pennants again. Remember the lowly 2003 Florida Marlins who won the championship with the league’s smallest payroll? The 2007 Tampa Bay Rays (then Devil Rays) ended up in the World Series with a team that may have included some buy one, get one free coupons. The Kansas City Royals 2015 World Series title was accomplished with a payroll of just over $112 million. Even the recent 2023 Arizona Diamondbacks made a deep playoff run with only a $116 to $119 million dollars roster. Having a world championship caliber team with a non-stratospheric payroll has been done in the past and it will be done in the future. Let’s hope that there are birds on the bat uniforms that make that happen. We’re coming for you, Dodgers. It’s only a matter of time before you have to explain to your Hollywood fans how a small market team took you down. Ask Clayton Kershaw how that feels. He remembers it well.
Edwin Arroyo has a chance to fight his way onto the Cincinnati Reds roster at some point in 2026, and his elite defense likely means he’ll stick there for quite some time. That was good enough for him to take home the #5 spot in this year’s Community Prospect Rankings, and now we move on to the voting for who’ll follow him!
Per usual, there will be a poll embedded at the bottom of the post where you can cast your vote, but if that’s stripped out you can also find the link to the ballot by clicking here (up until voting ends and I remove both access points).
Also, if there’s someone you think worthy of consideration at this point who has not yet been listed, let us know in the comment section below.
On to the candidates for spot #6!
Cam Collier, 3B/1B (21 years old)
2025 at a glance: .279/.391/.384 with 4 HR, 21 2B in 396 PA split between ACL Reds (Arizona Complex League), A+ Dayton Dragons (Midwest League), and AA Chattanooga Lookouts (Southern League); .221/.368/.325 with 1 HR in 95 PA with Peoria Javelinas (Arizona Fall League)
Pros: Plus hit tool and his plate discipline is rapidly moving into plus category as well; plenty of power that we’re still hoping can return in-game after his thumb injury
Cons: Defense leaves a lot to be desired, and he’s likely already a 1B-only at this point
Collier busted his thumb in spring training in 2025, and the break (and recovery) caused him to miss the first two months of the season. A rehab stint came in Arizona next, and he eventually worked his way all the way up to AA Chattanooga…albeit with a shocking lack of power from the guy who swatted 20 homers for A+ Dayton in 2024, a mark that tied him for the Midwest League lead.
What Collier did do in 2025, though, is begin to show some pretty elite OBP skills, and if he can maintain that and get the power back a year removed from the broken thumb, well, the Reds have the guy they gave an overslot bonus to in the 1st round back in 2022 who repeatedly made Top 100 overall prospect lists in his first years as a pro. And even if that all only comes as a 1B who’s not the world’s greatest defender that’s an incredibly valuable thing, especially with the dearth of offense the franchise owns right now.
Chase Petty, RHP (23 years old)
2025 at a glance: 6.39 ERA, 1.61 WHIP, 102/58 K/BB in 112.2 IP with AAA Louisville Bats (International League); 13 ER in 6.0 IP with Cincinnati Reds
Pros: Three plus pitches, including a fastball that flirts with 100 mph and 60-grade slider and cutter
Cons: Lit up in first cups of MLB coffee, and struggled in AAA after being sent back down
Petty has long been on the radar of every scout in the game, a former 1st round pick of the Minnesota Twins out of high school (whom the Reds had eyes on drafting back then, too). He was the centerpiece of the deal that sent Sonny Gray the other way, and he’s pitched his way onto multiple Top 100 overall prospect lists since.
Of course, he’s also pitched his way back off those same lists, with much of his work in 2025 doing just that. He was shelled at the big league level, though that’s with the caveat that he’d just turned 22 years old when that went down. The stuff’s still there, he’s just struggled to blend it all together for long enough stretches to show he can be an effective big league starter. The hope is that the lumps he took in 2025 paired with a mostly healthy offseason for the first time in a while will send him into 2026 both ready and with something to prove.
Tyson Lewis, SS (20 years old)
2025 at a glance: .340/.396/.532 (.928 OPS) in 207 PA with ACL Reds (Arizona Complex League); .268/.347/.417 (.765 OPS) in 144 PA with Class-A Daytona Tortugas (Florida State League)
Pros: Statcast darling with elite exit velocity and power with his left-handed swing; elite athleticism and plus speed gives him a chance to stick at SS long term, though a move off the position seems likely
Cons: Struck out at an alarming 35.4% rate with Daytona (and at an alarming 29.1% rate overall last year); .432 BABIP across all leagues last year screams ‘regression’
Tools. Tyson Lewis has just about every tool there is. He hit a ball over 119 mph in his pro debut, was the Gatorade Player of the Year in Nebraska prior to being a 2nd round pick (with an overslot bonus) by the Reds, and was originally committed to the University of Arkansas.
The upside here is obvious, as he’s got one of the loudest bats at any level. The swing and miss stuff, though, is something he’ll have to completely overhaul as he moves up the ladder, though getting out of the extremely pitcher-friendly confines of the FSL will perhaps help that some.
Steele Hall, SS (18 years old)
2025 at a glance: Drafted 9th overall in the 1st round of the 2025 MLB Draft by the Cincinnati Reds out of Hewitt-Trussville HS (AL); 2025 Mr. Baseball in the state of Alabama, once committed to powerhouse University of Tennessee before signing with the Reds for $5.75 million
Pros: Speed, and plenty of it; projectable power and potential five-tool player whose defense and arm look like they’ll play plenty well at short; just 17 years old when drafted after reclassifying a year early
Cons: It’s all still ‘projectable’ as, again, he just turned 18 after the draft and has zero professional PA to show for it
Hall reclassified to the class of 2025 despite originally being part of the class of 2026, and the Reds – who’d been scouting him already – thought he had the talent to eventually mature into a player who’d be in the mix for the #1 overall pick in 2026. So, when he was there at pick #9 in 2025, they jumped at the chance to sign him, knowing full well there was no rush for his development.
He’s drawn comparisons to the likes of Trea Turner and Dansby Swanson, which is pretty damn lofty. Despite not having played a pro game and still being just 18, he’s ranked 79th in MLB Pipeline’s list of the Top 100 overall prospects in the game. How quickly he can physically mature and adapt to breaking balls at the top levels remains to be seen, but the speed, glove, and arm all look like they’ll be big-league caliber in very short order.
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.
Jose Franco, RHP (25 years old)
2025 at a glance: 3.11 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 118/54 K/BB in 110.0 IP split between AA Chattanooga Lookouts (Southern League) and AAA Louisville Bats (International League)
Pros: Fastball that flirts with triple digits with ease
Cons: Secondary pitches need work, and that’s impacting his overall command (and ability to limit walks)
Franco turned 25 years old in November and earned a promotion to the 40-man roster of the Reds shortly thereafter due to his consistent performance across the upper levels of their farm system.
The Reds have a few hulks they’ve put on the mound in recent years, and Franco thoroughly qualifies. He’s listed at 6’2” and an oddly specific 257 lbs, and his size and frame allows him to tap into his excellent fastball velocity with ease. It’s the pitch he misses bats with the most, but how well he can differentiate his breaking pitches (and improve his changeup command) will determine whether or not he can a) get left-handed hitter out with aplomb and b) avoid ending up in the bullpen.
He’s been a late bloomer, in part due to injuries that cost him his entire 2023 season, and if he continues the path he’s been on since getting healthy there could be a whole lot more from him as early as 2026 for Cincinnati.
San Diego Padres infielder Sung-Mun Song is reportedly on his way to Arizona to prepare for the start of Spring Training with his new team. That training will initially be medical care and rehab after it was reported on Yonhap News that Song has an oblique strain after a batting practice session.
Jeeho Yo of the Yonhap News Agency wrote on Jan. 17 that Song went to a clinic in Japan after the injury for extensive treatment and then was scheduled to fly to Arizona. The source for the article reported that there was a minimum of four weeks recovery before Song could resume baseball activities.
Song was in San Diego to sign his four-year, $15 million deal last month and then returned to South Korea to resume his preparation for the 2026 season. Originally on the roster for the Korean World Baseball Classic team, Song will likely now be staying in Arizona with the Padres to prepare for the season.
Padres pitchers and catchers begin workouts on Feb. 11 and will report on Feb. 10 for physicals. Position players begin workouts on Feb. 15 and will most likely be reporting before then for physicals and early work.
The typical recovery time for oblique injuries is based on the severity of the injury. Fernando Tatis Jr. admitted to a mild oblique strain (cramps) that would keep him from considering being involved in the Home Run Derby during the 2025 All-Star game. He never went on the injured list for the issue and that would probably be the most optimistic situation an MLB player can have while experiencing oblique issues.
Padres pitcher Matt Waldron suffered an oblique injury, described as mild, while warming up during a Spring Training game in March of 2025 and was not the same pitcher the Padres knew when he came off the IL in June. He was optioned to Triple-A El Paso soon after and never made it back to San Diego, struggling with the Chihuahuas.
This could be a minor setback to Song’s start with the Padres, or it could prove to be a bigger issue if his recovery is delayed. Four weeks from mid-January would mean an on time start to Spring Training with a probable slower ramp up for him than the healthy players. The beginning of the season might not be affected, but if the injury lingers and Song is not able to start Spring Training with the rest of the team, then he might not be available for Opening Day.
Let’s hope for a positive update during Padres FanFest on Jan. 31. Hopefully his early arrival in Arizona to work with Padres’ training and medical staff will bode well for a quick recovery.
Day 2 of the 2026 Cubs Convention started out the same way it always does, with Cubs President of Baseball Operations, Jed Hoyer and General Manager Carter Hawkins taking the stage, followed by a session with Cubs manager Craig Counsell. Both sessions were moderated by Cubs play-by-play man Boog Sciambi. But the one thing that was different in 2026 were the vibes. Jed Hoyer seemed relaxed and confident as he took the stage in a Bears jersey. His answers seemed more transparent, he seemed, dare I say it: Relaxed.
It was a welcome vibe shift from the tone the front office has set in previous years. Oh, what a difference winning season makes. I slightly jest, but it did seem like the weight was off Jed’s shoulders as they discussed everything from the team’s strategy with deferred contracts to stories about the time he was a bat boy for the Reds.
Deferrals were the biggest news out of both sessions. The Alex Bregman signing was the first time this front office has inked a free agent deal with a player that had a significant amount of money deferred. Hoyer indicated that they would be willing to make those moves again:
Hoyer and Hawkins talking deferrals, sounds like the club is far more open to doing them in the future as well, not just a Bregman thing.
That’s a potentially huge development for the team and should allow them to be more competitive on the free agent market.
Craig Counsell also discussed Matt Shaw’s role on the 2026 clubs as more of a super utility player. When asked if he would play in the outfield the manager’s answer was direct: “It’s going to happen.” He referenced Kris Bryant and how he moved around with the 2016 team seeming to imply that Shaw will have a similar role for the Cubs this year. That may be good news for Shaw’s playing time, given an infield crew that rarely takes days off:
Could Nico Hoerner benefit from taking a day off with Matt Shaw in the fold?
But the most notable parts of both of these panels was, honestly, how little news was made. With the Cubs coming off a season that saw them take the National League Division Series to five games against the Brewers and clearly basking in the vibes of a big trade and an even bigger free agent signing, everyone seemed more relaxed.
Hoyer told an endearing anecdote about being dropped off for a Reds Spring Training game at nine in the morning when he was 13 and how he’d talked his way into being the bat boy by 11. Carter Hawkins took a tough question about his 2032 comment from the trade deadline and turned it into a joke saying the next day Jed mentioned he probably shouldn’t have said that, and then laughing that he did it to take the pressure off Hoyer. Honestly, it was a bit like both of them took a page from Craig Counsell’s playbook. The Cubs manager has been more carefree in these conversations the last couple of seasons.
Counsell discussed a range of issues including roster construction and bullpen management. But the most endearing moment was him discussing ejections and a moment last season against the Red Sox when Ryan Flaherty was ejected. Apparently, John Mallee sheepishly admitted he’d actually made the comment and Counsell negotiated being able to pick which coach ultimately left the dugout. The real punchline of that anecdote was absolutely the tidbit about how his family had made a coaster of Counsell arguing with an umpire that the family uses when they have guests.
There was a real sense of ease for the crew who lead the Cubs from the front office and the dugout. It was a welcome change from some of the angst that has permeated the questions from fans the front office has fielded over the past few years. As much as I hope those vibes persist after a successful 2026 campaign, I imagine the CBA negotiations could complicate a repeat of this year’s relaxed and chill environment. It’s a good reminder to enjoy these moments, and jokes, while we can.
