On Saturday, the family of American musician and songwriter Bob Weir announced that he had died surrounded by loved ones. The former guitarist and vocalist of the rock band Grateful Dead was 78. His family announced his death via Instagram, noting that he had recently fought a cancer diagnosis but died due to “underlying lung issues”. The announcement did not specify the date of Weir’s death.
Weir played bass guitar and sang with American psychedelic rock band the Grateful Dead for decades, and also wrote some of their songs, including the hit “Sugar Magnolia“, a staple of Grateful Dead concerts. He also had a long solo career, making various groups with fellow Grateful Dead alumni, and playing live until months before his death.
Weir was born Robert Hall Parber on October 16, 1947, in San Francisco, California, and grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, spending some time going to school in Colorado, where he met future Grateful Dead member John Perry Barlow. Weir started playing guitar at age 13 and gravitated to a local bluegrass scene, where he first encountered Jerry Garcia playing banjo. On December 31, 1965, Garcia and Weir agreed to form their own group called Mother McCree’s Uptown Jug Champions, which evolved into the Grateful Dead.
Weir played rhythm guitar, and sang for the group, for decades. He also explored a solo career and variety of other groups outside of the Grateful Dead starting in the 1970s, including Kingfish, Bobby and the Midnites, RatDog, Furthur, The Other Ones, The Dead, Wolf Bros, and Dead & Company. All groups featured fellow Grateful Dead collaborators and explored genres from country rock to jam band to jazz-influenced roots rock with a basis in blues and country. His vocal contributions were mostly only harmonies and as a backup singer, but he took lead on several tracks, including Grateful Dead anthem “Truckin’“, a song noted by the Library of Congress as a national treasure in 1997.
Outside of musical performance, Weir has also established Tamalpais Research Institute, a virtual performance platform, and was active in politics, advocating for several causes, including environmentalism, poverty relief, and issues related to the arts. He had stayed active in the Bay Area music scene, performing live with local musicians and co-owning the venue Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley, California. He is survived by wife Natascha and daughters Chloe and Monet, as well as other family.
You don’t need me to tell you that Victor Wembanyama is a force defensively. There is a visual, visceral loudness to what Wemby brings to the table that can be seen by many. The question to me is: What are opposing teams trying to do about Wemby?
One of my favorite subplots is watching as announcers talk about the “Wemby Effect” (when teams stop driving), but Eurostep over the attempts coaches and players are making to poke at his impact. The blocks are fun, but let’s walk through the little things that have allowed Wemby’s defensive impact to stick night in and night out.
How the Spurs keep Wemby near the paint
One of the keys for San Antonio is the effort to keep Wembanyama in a position to rotate and protect the rim. Random possessions where an attack may look available feel a little different once you see Wembanyama’s presence in the paint.
In an ideal setting, the Spurs operate at their best when Wembanyama is planted on the block with his primary assignment being whoever is in the corner. This allows the Spurs guards and wings to pressure, switch and funnel drives toward the paint. With Wembanyama’s size, speed and timing, openings can close quick and drives can be discouraged. If teams run pick-and-roll when Wembanyama is defending the weakside corner, he will rotate to take the roller, point for the guard to close out to his man, and, just like that, the Spurs’ defense is set again. Wembanyama is free to roam and protect the paint. And if teams put him back in action, he can take away the paint and switch if you dribble too far.
The tricky part is opponents have to understand how hard the Spurs work to get Wembanyama in that low-man, help position. The ability to contain drives or block shots at the rim will get all the rage, but I’m a fan of the little things. When the Spurs reset their defense after a made basket, watch Wembanyama. More times than not you’ll see him pointing and communicating, making sure everyone is matched up so he can get in his spot.
In the play above, Oklahoma City worked to get to a guard/guard screen with an empty right side. What initially looks like a ton of space for Jalen Williams to attack quickly comes with the price tag of Wemby’s help. The commitment is so strong that there is a moment where Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is just left without someone guarding him. The help on the drive discourages an extra attack and allows the Spurs to defend with activity knowing what is behind them.
How offenses can attack Wemby’s help
One thing to track as the season goes on is how offenses try to counter and poke at what the Spurs want to do. As difficult as it may be to deal with Wemby patrolling the paint, every defensive scheme has an opening. If the rotations are consistent, the offense has to work to find the advantage and make the defense pay.
In the clip below, when OKC has Shai Gilgeous-Alexander post up on the right side of the floor with everything clear, Wemby sees it and rotates over to help. On the kick, the Spurs are able to recover. But how set up are they for the next attack? OKC drives from the middle of the floor, Wemby is hanging around the paint, and it’s a 2v1 on the left side. A skip pass opens up a wide-open 3.
Another way to counter Wemby’s help is to work to get him on the strong side of the floor. The tricky part is teams have to disguise it to a degree. Because of the previously mentioned communication, if they try to set it up too early, the Spurs will work to switch their way out of it. Pushing him on the strong side of the floor should, in theory, remove him as the low man or the last man standing help-wise defensively.
OKC’s plan was to start with a guard/guard screen, but only use that as a setup for the real action. Notice the quick advance to Williams and Chet Holmgren going right into pick-and-roll. Williams is now attacking that left side, making Wemby a strong-side defender and leaving Harrison Barnes as the help as Holmgren rolls to the floor. OKC went back to the same set later in the first quarter and Wemby engaged, which opened up a kick to the corner for a 3.
(There is a world where teams can try to get Wemby to defend a shooter in that corner. The issue is how many times can you get back to it once you show it and, as much as a I love the X’s and O’s, the disguise of plays, the manipulation of defense, we have to be honest: Basketball is played with pace, space, tempo and randomness. It’s not easy to always tap those kinds of buttons within the flow of play.)
Wemby’s corner
What’s the counter to Wemby’s defense? An easy thing to point to is to work to get him out of the corner. Wemby’s presence defending that corner was so strong against Boston on Saturday that Joe Mazzulla was yelling at Baylor Scheierman to get out of the corner.
Was Scheierman involved in the action? Absolutely not. The most important thing is that he was no longer in that corner. And that meant that Wembanyama was also not in that corner, but on the move and not in a position to plant and help. The result? Jaylen Brown was able to attack Luke Kornet, turn the corner and finish.
The problem is that counter is not an automatic because of Wembanyama’s vision and communication. Adjustments get made and plans get changed. When Minnesota worked to move Wembanyama on Sunday, he refused to cooperate.
As Julius Randle clears the corner to go screen, Wembanyama is communicating a switch to keep him close to the block. When Jaden McDaniels sees that and decides to go screen, Wemby once again communicates a switch to keep him close to the block. It helps to have Anthony Edwards, who can go get a basket, but the Spurs’ overall defensive scheme was not poked at. Wemby was able to stay on the block, everyone else was able to stay out of rotation and reset. The communication and rotations allow the Spurs to maintain a consistent impact defensively when Wemby is on the court.
Pop quiz, offenses
The impact of Wembanyama staying near the block and roaming the paint to help exists partly because of two questions.
The first: Are offenses ready for the rotations around what Wemby is doing?
Because of Wemby’s size, length, ability to recover and ability to take space, there isn’t an automatic coverage you are going to receive. And behind him is a defense (when humming) that is connected and works to move to get Wemby back into optimal position.
When Brown gets a screen (below), Wembanyama starts at the nail at the free-throw line. If you take a snapshot, that feels like drop. As Luka Garza tries to find a screening angle, you can see how Wembanyama begins to lurk and churn space away quickly. That presence (and the hesitation it can produce) allows Stephon Castle to navigate and recover. And because the Spurs are aware of their rotations, instead of pressuring Wemby to rotate to the pop, it’s De’Aaron Fox who pulls over instead.
An easy answer may be to move whomever Wemby is guarding to the wing, but that unlocks what makes the Spurs’ defense hum and gets Wemby in his ideal help position.
When Boston goes with high pick-and-roll for Brown (below), Wemby has Derrick White on the wing. He’s not low, and technically the roll would not be his responsibility. Unfortunately for Boston, Wemby just takes the roller as he gets in the paint, the Spurs recover around it and, just like that, he’s back near the block. The ability to shape-shift, anticipate what an offense is doing and dictate terms is when the Spurs’ defense is at its best.
In another example, OKC goes with a guard/guard screen for Gilgeous-Alexander on the left side of the floor. Holmgren is spaced on the right wing to take Wemby out of that low, help position. You can see Wemby communicate with the weakside defenders to rotate so he can sink back to that low man position. The Spurs are able to rotate, and when OKC gets back to a high pick-and-roll guess who is waiting to take Holmgren’s roll? You guessed it, Wemby.
The second question: How much do you want to put Wembanyama in action?
In other words, are you going to get the results you want, and is that going to keep San Antonio from getting Wemby back into a help position?
In the clip below, Boston goes to pick-and-roll for Brown and Wemby switches. The key is not that the Spurs take away the drive and the pop, it’s what happens once Boston decides to go to the second side of the floor. Wemby immediately points to Barnes to rotate to Brown so he can get back to the block and, just like that, the Spurs have put you in the same dilemma. Pritchard is able to drive and finish, but the pressure is on teams to win matchups and counter Wemby’s help again.
In the clips after the make, notice the consistency of Wemby passing defenders off to make sure he stays low. The idea is to keep offenses in the same box, facing the same problem. Wemby is able to turn a switch into offenses facing the same problem: he’s the low man communicating switches, deterring drives and wishing you would tempt fate.
Does this mean the Spurs, currently a top-five defensive unit, will automatically vault to the best defense in the NBA? No, it does not. Teams will adjust. The best course of action is likely not one single thing, but working to move Wembanyama around the court and poking at the rotations behind what he brings to the table.
The issue for offenses is they will have to work to make sure that becomes a realistic equation because of how the Spurs work to keep Wembanyama in a strong position. It’s something to monitor throughout the rest of the season as we enter a very interesting playoff race.
But for now it’s clear: Every night Victor Wembanyama steps on the court is a night when he can anticipate and dictate terms on the defensive end.
You don’t need me to tell you that Victor Wembanyama is a force defensively. There is a visual, visceral loudness to what Wemby brings to the table that can be seen by many. The question to me is: What are opposing teams trying to do about Wemby?
One of my favorite subplots is watching as announcers talk about the “Wemby Effect” (when teams stop driving), but Eurostep over the attempts coaches and players are making to poke at his impact. The blocks are fun, but let’s walk through the little things that have allowed Wemby’s defensive impact to stick night in and night out.
How the Spurs keep Wemby near the paint
One of the keys for San Antonio is the effort to keep Wembanyama in a position to rotate and protect the rim. Random possessions where an attack may look available feel a little different once you see Wembanyama’s presence in the paint.
In an ideal setting, the Spurs operate at their best when Wembanyama is planted on the block with his primary assignment being whoever is in the corner. This allows the Spurs guards and wings to pressure, switch and funnel drives toward the paint. With Wembanyama’s size, speed and timing, openings can close quick and drives can be discouraged. If teams run pick-and-roll when Wembanyama is defending the weakside corner, he will rotate to take the roller, point for the guard to close out to his man, and, just like that, the Spurs’ defense is set again. Wembanyama is free to roam and protect the paint. And if teams put him back in action, he can take away the paint and switch if you dribble too far.
The tricky part is opponents have to understand how hard the Spurs work to get Wembanyama in that low-man, help position. The ability to contain drives or block shots at the rim will get all the rage, but I’m a fan of the little things. When the Spurs reset their defense after a made basket, watch Wembanyama. More times than not you’ll see him pointing and communicating, making sure everyone is matched up so he can get in his spot.
In the play above, Oklahoma City worked to get to a guard/guard screen with an empty right side. What initially looks like a ton of space for Jalen Williams to attack quickly comes with the price tag of Wemby’s help. The commitment is so strong that there is a moment where Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is just left without someone guarding him. The help on the drive discourages an extra attack and allows the Spurs to defend with activity knowing what is behind them.
How offenses can attack Wemby’s help
One thing to track as the season goes on is how offenses try to counter and poke at what the Spurs want to do. As difficult as it may be to deal with Wemby patrolling the paint, every defensive scheme has an opening. If the rotations are consistent, the offense has to work to find the advantage and make the defense pay.
In the clip below, when OKC has Shai Gilgeous-Alexander post up on the right side of the floor with everything clear, Wemby sees it and rotates over to help. On the kick, the Spurs are able to recover. But how set up are they for the next attack? OKC drives from the middle of the floor, Wemby is hanging around the paint, and it’s a 2v1 on the left side. A skip pass opens up a wide-open 3.
Another way to counter Wemby’s help is to work to get him on the strong side of the floor. The tricky part is teams have to disguise it to a degree. Because of the previously mentioned communication, if they try to set it up too early, the Spurs will work to switch their way out of it. Pushing him on the strong side of the floor should, in theory, remove him as the low man or the last man standing help-wise defensively.
OKC’s plan was to start with a guard/guard screen, but only use that as a setup for the real action. Notice the quick advance to Williams and Chet Holmgren going right into pick-and-roll. Williams is now attacking that left side, making Wemby a strong-side defender and leaving Harrison Barnes as the help as Holmgren rolls to the floor. OKC went back to the same set later in the first quarter and Wemby engaged, which opened up a kick to the corner for a 3.
(There is a world where teams can try to get Wemby to defend a shooter in that corner. The issue is how many times can you get back to it once you show it and, as much as a I love the X’s and O’s, the disguise of plays, the manipulation of defense, we have to be honest: Basketball is played with pace, space, tempo and randomness. It’s not easy to always tap those kinds of buttons within the flow of play.)
Wemby’s corner
What’s the counter to Wemby’s defense? An easy thing to point to is to work to get him out of the corner. Wemby’s presence defending that corner was so strong against Boston on Saturday that Joe Mazzulla was yelling at Baylor Scheierman to get out of the corner.
Was Scheierman involved in the action? Absolutely not. The most important thing is that he was no longer in that corner. And that meant that Wembanyama was also not in that corner, but on the move and not in a position to plant and help. The result? Jaylen Brown was able to attack Luke Kornet, turn the corner and finish.
The problem is that counter is not an automatic because of Wembanyama’s vision and communication. Adjustments get made and plans get changed. When Minnesota worked to move Wembanyama on Sunday, he refused to cooperate.
As Julius Randle clears the corner to go screen, Wembanyama is communicating a switch to keep him close to the block. When Jaden McDaniels sees that and decides to go screen, Wemby once again communicates a switch to keep him close to the block. It helps to have Anthony Edwards, who can go get a basket, but the Spurs’ overall defensive scheme was not poked at. Wemby was able to stay on the block, everyone else was able to stay out of rotation and reset. The communication and rotations allow the Spurs to maintain a consistent impact defensively when Wemby is on the court.
Pop quiz, offenses
The impact of Wembanyama staying near the block and roaming the paint to help exists partly because of two questions.
The first: Are offenses ready for the rotations around what Wemby is doing?
Because of Wemby’s size, length, ability to recover and ability to take space, there isn’t an automatic coverage you are going to receive. And behind him is a defense (when humming) that is connected and works to move to get Wemby back into optimal position.
When Brown gets a screen (below), Wembanyama starts at the nail at the free-throw line. If you take a snapshot, that feels like drop. As Luka Garza tries to find a screening angle, you can see how Wembanyama begins to lurk and churn space away quickly. That presence (and the hesitation it can produce) allows Stephon Castle to navigate and recover. And because the Spurs are aware of their rotations, instead of pressuring Wemby to rotate to the pop, it’s De’Aaron Fox who pulls over instead.
An easy answer may be to move whomever Wemby is guarding to the wing, but that unlocks what makes the Spurs’ defense hum and gets Wemby in his ideal help position.
When Boston goes with high pick-and-roll for Brown (below), Wemby has Derrick White on the wing. He’s not low, and technically the roll would not be his responsibility. Unfortunately for Boston, Wemby just takes the roller as he gets in the paint, the Spurs recover around it and, just like that, he’s back near the block. The ability to shape-shift, anticipate what an offense is doing and dictate terms is when the Spurs’ defense is at its best.
In another example, OKC goes with a guard/guard screen for Gilgeous-Alexander on the left side of the floor. Holmgren is spaced on the right wing to take Wemby out of that low, help position. You can see Wemby communicate with the weakside defenders to rotate so he can sink back to that low man position. The Spurs are able to rotate, and when OKC gets back to a high pick-and-roll guess who is waiting to take Holmgren’s roll? You guessed it, Wemby.
The second question: How much do you want to put Wembanyama in action?
In other words, are you going to get the results you want, and is that going to keep San Antonio from getting Wemby back into a help position?
In the clip below, Boston goes to pick-and-roll for Brown and Wemby switches. The key is not that the Spurs take away the drive and the pop, it’s what happens once Boston decides to go to the second side of the floor. Wemby immediately points to Barnes to rotate to Brown so he can get back to the block and, just like that, the Spurs have put you in the same dilemma. Pritchard is able to drive and finish, but the pressure is on teams to win matchups and counter Wemby’s help again.
In the clips after the make, notice the consistency of Wemby passing defenders off to make sure he stays low. The idea is to keep offenses in the same box, facing the same problem. Wemby is able to turn a switch into offenses facing the same problem: he’s the low man communicating switches, deterring drives and wishing you would tempt fate.
Does this mean the Spurs, currently a top-five defensive unit, will automatically vault to the best defense in the NBA? No, it does not. Teams will adjust. The best course of action is likely not one single thing, but working to move Wembanyama around the court and poking at the rotations behind what he brings to the table.
The issue for offenses is they will have to work to make sure that becomes a realistic equation because of how the Spurs work to keep Wembanyama in a strong position. It’s something to monitor throughout the rest of the season as we enter a very interesting playoff race.
But for now it’s clear: Every night Victor Wembanyama steps on the court is a night when he can anticipate and dictate terms on the defensive end.
After failing to re-sign Alex Bregman in free agency, Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow turned to the starting pitching market for his first big-league signing of the offseason.
The Red Sox signed former Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Ranger Suarez to a five-year, $130 million contract on Wednesday. The 30-year-old posted a 3.20 ERA over 26 starts last season and profiles as a No. 2 starter behind ace Garrett Crochet.
Breslow also acquired right-handers Sonny Gray and Johan Oviedo earlier via trades in the offseason. The Crochet-Suarez 1-2 punch, followed by Gray, Oviedo, Brayan Bello, and several high-upside depth pieces, arguably gives Boston one of the best starting rotations in baseball for 2026.
While Breslow has undoubtedly struggled to add impactful position players, the former MLB relief pitcher has aggressively added arms since replacing Chaim Bloom as Red Sox CBO in 2023. That has especially been the case in the MLB Draft, where 29 of his 41 draft picks have been pitchers — including 15 of the club’s 21 picks in the 2025 draft.
Below, we’ll take a deeper dive into Breslow’s track record with the pitchers he has added via free agency, trade, and the draft.
* = no longer with organization
Free-agent signings
Liam Hendriks, RP* (free agent)
Cooper Criswell, SP/RP* (claimed on waivers by NYM)
Lucas Giolito, SP* (free agent)
Justin Wilson, RP* (free agent)
Patrick Sandoval, SP
Aroldis Chapman, RP
Ranger Suarez, SP
Suarez’s five-year deal is by far the biggest commitment the Red Sox have made to a free-agent starting pitcher since the Dave Dombrowski era. Otherwise, the Bloom and Breslow-led front offices have primarily handed out short-term deals for high-upside pitchers with injury histories. Giolito and Sandoval fall into that category for Breslow.
The Red Sox got one solid season out of Giolito, and Sandoval has yet to take the mound in a Red Sox uniform as he spent 2025 recovering from Tommy John surgery. As for free-agent relievers, Breslow can hang his hat on last offseason’s signing of veteran closer Aroldis Chapman. It was a scrutinized move with the 37-year-old coming off a rough year in Pittsburgh, but he bounced back to become MLB’s most dominant closer in 2025.
Criswell served as a solid swingman during his two years in Boston. Wilson exceeded expectations as one of the Red Sox’ most reliable relievers last season.
Trade acquisitions
Isaiah Campbell, RP* (signed minors deal with ARI)
Richard Fitts, SP* (traded to STL for Sonny Gray)
Greg Weissert, RP
Justin Slaten, RP
Jovani Moran, RP
Garrett Crochet, SP
Lucas Sims, RP* (free agent)
Luis Garcia, RP* (free agent)
Kyle Harrison, SP
Jordan Hicks, RP
John Holobetz, RP
Steven Matz, SP/RP* (signed w/ TBR as free agent)
Dustin May, SP* (signed w/ STL as free agent)
Sonny Gray, SP
Johan Oveido, SP
Breslow has preferred the trade market to free agency over his three years as Red Sox CBO. Outside of ace Garrett Crochet, the pitchers he has acquired via trade largely haven’t panned out.
Campbell was one of Breslow’s first trade acquisitions, and the right-hander amassed an 11.30 ERA over 14 appearances out of Boston’s bullpen. Weissert and Slaten have been solid, albeit unspectacular, relief options.
The 2024 trade deadline was a disaster for Breslow & Co. Lucas Sims and Luis Garcia were supposed to bolster the bullpen for a potential postseason run, but both were abysmal in their brief stints with Boston.
Richard Fitts showed some potential during his brief stint with the club before being sent to the St. Louis Cardinals in this winter’s Sonny Gray trade. Kyle Harrison and Jordan Hicks, both acquired from the San Francisco Giants in the Rafael Devers blockbuster, have been non-factors with the Red Sox thus far. Harrison was sent to Triple-A, while Hicks was a liability out of Boston’s pen in 2025.
Breslow added veterans Steven Matz and Dustin May before the 2025 trade deadline. May struggled across six outings with the club, though Matz proved to be a reliable relief option. Both have since left the club in free agency.
The Red Sox will hope the Gray and Oviedo additions put an end to Breslow’s lackluster streak of trade acquisitions.
Drafted players (Top 30 prospects)
Payton Tolle
Kyson Witherspoon
Brandon Clarke* (traded to STL for Sonny Gray)
David Sandlin
Anthony Eyanson
Marcus Phillips
Yhoiker Fajardo* (traded to STL for Willson Contreras)
Conrad Cason
Breslow has gone all-in on pitching in his first three drafts with the Red Sox. Left-hander Payton Tolle (No. 1 in org, per SoxProspects.com) and right-hander Kyson Witherspoon (No. 4) enter 2026 as two of the most exciting pitching prospects in the sport.
Brandon Clarke and Yhoiker Fajardo were used to acquire Gray and first baseman Willson Contreras in separate deals with St. Louis this offseason.
David Sandlin remains a top-10 prospect in Boston’s system. Eyanson, Phillips, and Cason are lesser-known pitching prospects drafted by Breslow and currently ranked inside the top 30.
Before I finished this article this morning, I went outside, cleaned off my car, shoveled some snow. It’s winter in the Midwest. My toes are cold, my head a little stuffy. So the opening of Yahoo Fantasy Baseball comes at the perfect moment. I could use some spring fever. You probably could, too.
With the game opening this week and our rankings hitting the streets, I thought it was a good time to list a few themes I’m excited about for 2026. Consider this your appetizer into the new season, with more comprehensive entrees served up in the weeks to follow.
The Chicago Cubs lineup
Before I dive into the fun, let me concede that as a Red Sox fan, the Alex Bregman loss stings quite a bit. Bregman’s career arc lines up remarkably with that of Hall of Famer Adrian Beltre. Both players spent their year-31 seasons in Boston, got back to the All-Star Game after a few years absent and posted a plus season to take to the market. Beltre shipped off to Texas after his Boston stop, had a lovely run in his 30s; Bregman will look to do the same with the Cubs.
Beltre’s first season in Texas (2011) resulted in a World Series trip, sparked by an offense that had six regulars above league average. The 2026 Cubs have similar dreams, and they probably boast a deeper offense than that Rangers team did. Eight of Chicago’s nine primary hitters hold a projected wRC+ over the mean, and the one lagger — Dansby Swanson — is right around league average. Pitchers are going to hate facing this lineup.
The Cubs have a balance of lefties and righties in their lineup, a mix of power, speed and OBP skills, and plenty of players around their theoretical peaks — everyone here is in their 20s or early 30s. Last year’s 92-win season feels like a starting point.
The lineup isn’t just fun, it’s fantasy-affordable — at least, so far. Pete Crow-Armstrong and Seiya Suzuki are the only Chicago players currently in the top 100 in global ADP. Nico Hoerner, Michael Busch, Bregman and Swanson all make sense in the top 150. Ian Happ and Carson Kelly are even cheaper, and thus far Moisés Ballesteros is an ADP giveaway. Give this lineup a long look all spring.
Ranking and drafting the shortstops
The first moments of baseball awareness as a kid, you quickly learn that shortstop is where the action is. The best player on your little league team is probably the shortstop (he might pitch, too). MLB’s first-year player draft is commonly overloaded with shortstops, with the hope that a chunk of them can actually hold the position as professionals.
Once upon a time, the shortstop position was a fantasy wasteland. But in the internet era, we’ve been treated to a plethora of offensive options at this position, making this a fantasy playground. Consider that last year, we saw seven different shortstops make it to 20 homers and 20 steals, and a handful of guys just missed those cutoffs. (For contrast, consider just one second baseman made it to 20-20 in 2025.)
Shortstop is a position filled with young and ascending talent. Geraldo Perdomo was the best offensive player at this spot last year (using Baseball-Reference oWAR), a breakout season in his age-25 campaign. Bobby Witt (age 25) was just behind him, and Gunnar Henderson (24), Jeremy Peña (27), Bo Bichette (27) and Elly De La Cruz (23) made the top 10. Zach Neto only needs health to become a superstar. Jacob Wilson batted .311 as a rookie. CJ Abrams offers plenty of category juice.
The older guys aren’t bad either. Francisco Lindor is remarkably consistent, Trea Turner is a multi-talent guy, Mookie Betts wasn’t lost at shortstop. The price might be right on Willy Adames, Corey Seager or Swanson. Take a good look around, there’s a lot to unpack here.
Targeting the top of the Seattle pitching staff
The trivia question lives on — the Mariners are still the only current MLB club that’s never made the World Series. They almost got there in 2025, finally succumbing to the Blue Jays in the seventh game of a terrific ALCS.
But this Seattle team still has plenty of talent on the escalator, especially on the pitching staff. Bryan Woo is coming off a breakout season, the fourth-most valuable pitcher in fantasy last year. Andrés Muñoz was the third-most valuable closer. Logan Gilbert missed a chunk of starts but was useful when available (3.44 ERA, 1.031 WHIP). George Kirby also battled injury and didn’t have the ratios we wanted, but he also struck out 137 men in 126 innings. His upside remains tantalizing.
Any of these pitchers could have career seasons on the way — they’re all in attractive age pockets. Woo steps into his age-26 campaign, Muñoz will turn 27 this year, Kirby has 28 candles on his next cake and Gilbert turns 29 in May.
Anytime you roster a Seattle pitcher, there’s a tailwind behind you. T-Mobile Park is by far the hardest stadium to score in over the past three seasons, and with favorable dimensions and atmosphere at play, the Seattle pitchers can let their hair down. This park also has a strikeout boost of 17% over the past three years, easily the best float in the game. You need to audit this staff before you step into any fantasy draft.
Before I finished this article this morning, I went outside, cleaned off my car, shoveled some snow. It’s winter in the Midwest. My toes are cold, my head a little stuffy. So the opening of Yahoo Fantasy Baseball comes at the perfect moment. I could use some spring fever. You probably could, too.
With the game opening this week and our rankings hitting the streets, I thought it was a good time to list a few themes I’m excited about for 2026. Consider this your appetizer into the new season, with more comprehensive entrees served up in the weeks to follow.
The Chicago Cubs lineup
Before I dive into the fun, let me concede that as a Red Sox fan, the Alex Bregman loss stings quite a bit. Bregman’s career arc lines up remarkably with that of Hall of Famer Adrian Beltre. Both players spent their year-31 seasons in Boston, got back to the All-Star Game after a few years absent and posted a plus season to take to the market. Beltre shipped off to Texas after his Boston stop, had a lovely run in his 30s; Bregman will look to do the same with the Cubs.
Beltre’s first season in Texas (2011) resulted in a World Series trip, sparked by an offense that had six regulars above league average. The 2026 Cubs have similar dreams, and they probably boast a deeper offense than that Rangers team did. Eight of Chicago’s nine primary hitters hold a projected wRC+ over the mean, and the one lagger — Dansby Swanson — is right around league average. Pitchers are going to hate facing this lineup.
The Cubs have a balance of lefties and righties in their lineup, a mix of power, speed and OBP skills, and plenty of players around their theoretical peaks — everyone here is in their 20s or early 30s. Last year’s 92-win season feels like a starting point.
The lineup isn’t just fun, it’s fantasy-affordable — at least, so far. Pete Crow-Armstrong and Seiya Suzuki are the only Chicago players currently in the top 100 in global ADP. Nico Hoerner, Michael Busch, Bregman and Swanson all make sense in the top 150. Ian Happ and Carson Kelly are even cheaper, and thus far Moisés Ballesteros is an ADP giveaway. Give this lineup a long look all spring.
Ranking and drafting the shortstops
The first moments of baseball awareness as a kid, you quickly learn that shortstop is where the action is. The best player on your little league team is probably the shortstop (he might pitch, too). MLB’s first-year player draft is commonly overloaded with shortstops, with the hope that a chunk of them can actually hold the position as professionals.
Once upon a time, the shortstop position was a fantasy wasteland. But in the internet era, we’ve been treated to a plethora of offensive options at this position, making this a fantasy playground. Consider that last year, we saw seven different shortstops make it to 20 homers and 20 steals, and a handful of guys just missed those cutoffs. (For contrast, consider just one second baseman made it to 20-20 in 2025.)
Shortstop is a position filled with young and ascending talent. Geraldo Perdomo was the best offensive player at this spot last year (using Baseball-Reference oWAR), a breakout season in his age-25 campaign. Bobby Witt (age 25) was just behind him, and Gunnar Henderson (24), Jeremy Peña (27), Bo Bichette (27) and Elly De La Cruz (23) made the top 10. Zach Neto only needs health to become a superstar. Jacob Wilson batted .311 as a rookie. CJ Abrams offers plenty of category juice.
The older guys aren’t bad either. Francisco Lindor is remarkably consistent, Trea Turner is a multi-talent guy, Mookie Betts wasn’t lost at shortstop. The price might be right on Willy Adames, Corey Seager or Swanson. Take a good look around, there’s a lot to unpack here.
Targeting the top of the Seattle pitching staff
The trivia question lives on — the Mariners are still the only current MLB club that’s never made the World Series. They almost got there in 2025, finally succumbing to the Blue Jays in the seventh game of a terrific ALCS.
But this Seattle team still has plenty of talent on the escalator, especially on the pitching staff. Bryan Woo is coming off a breakout season, the fourth-most valuable pitcher in fantasy last year. Andrés Muñoz was the third-most valuable closer. Logan Gilbert missed a chunk of starts but was useful when available (3.44 ERA, 1.031 WHIP). George Kirby also battled injury and didn’t have the ratios we wanted, but he also struck out 137 men in 126 innings. His upside remains tantalizing.
Any of these pitchers could have career seasons on the way — they’re all in attractive age pockets. Woo steps into his age-26 campaign, Muñoz will turn 27 this year, Kirby has 28 candles on his next cake and Gilbert turns 29 in May.
Anytime you roster a Seattle pitcher, there’s a tailwind behind you. T-Mobile Park is by far the hardest stadium to score in over the past three seasons, and with favorable dimensions and atmosphere at play, the Seattle pitchers can let their hair down. This park also has a strikeout boost of 17% over the past three years, easily the best float in the game. You need to audit this staff before you step into any fantasy draft.
“I know they’re going to get one more next year,” Kershaw told the crowd, “and I’m going to watch just like all of you.”
This is Hollywood, so get me rewrite. Kershaw did not change his retirement script Thursday, but he did alter it, joining Team USA for the World Baseball Classic.
Team USA opens the World Baseball Classic in Kershaw’s home state of Texas, facing Brazil on March 6. For all that Kershaw has accomplished in his Hall of Fame career — a most valuable player award, three Cy Young awards, three World Series championships, 3,000 strikeouts and a no-hitter among them — he never has participated in the World Baseball Classic.
Kershaw committed to play for Team USA in 2023, saying it would be “probably my last chance to do it.” He was unable to secure the insurance required for MLB participants after spending time on the injured list in 2022 because of a back injury.
When Team USA manager Mark DeRosa called, Kershaw thought he would be offered a chance to coach. He said he was excited to play, however he might be used.
“I just want to be the insurance policy,” Kershaw told MLB Network. “If anybody needs a breather, or if they need me to pitch back-to-back-to-back, or if they don’t need me to pitch at all, I’m just there to be there. I just want to be a part of this group.
“I learned a long time ago, you just want to be a part of great things.”
At the height of his career, Kershaw would have been an easy choice to start the most important games for Team USA. But the Team USA roster features Cy Young winners Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal as well as top starters Logan Webb and Joe Ryan, so Kershaw appears more likely to make any appearances out of the bullpen.
That is how the Dodgers used him in the postseason. Kershaw made two relief appearances during their championship run, most memorably in the 12th inning of Game 3 of the World Series. The Toronto Blue Jays had the bases loaded with two out, and Kershaw came in to retire Nathan Lukes on a ground ball, in a dramatic eight-pitch at-bat.
Edgardo Henriquez and Will Klein combined to follow Kershaw with six scoreless innings, and the Dodgers won in the 18th inning — their only World Series victory at Dodger Stadium — on a home run by Freddie Freeman.
This will be the sixth World Baseball Classic. Team USA has won once, in 2017 at Dodger Stadium. Japan has won three times, including the most recent tournament in 2023, with Shohei Ohtani striking out then-Angels teammate Mike Trout for the final out.
Kershaw laughed at the thought that he might face Ohtani in this year’s WBC, with the tournament on the line.
“I think something will have gone terribly wrong if I have to pitch against Team Japan in the finals or something,” he said. “I think we’ve got plenty of guys to get that guy out — and not me. But, if that happens, I’ll be nervous.”
Kershaw will join longtime Dodgers catcher Will Smith on Team USA. The WBC finals this year are scheduled for Miami from March 15-17.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw had an emotional farewell tour last year after announcing in September that he would retire at the conclusion of the 2025 MLB season. Kershaw got one more legendary moment, was able to pay tribute to Dodgers fans one more time, and walked away from MLB a champion.
But apparently Kershaw’s retirement from baseball applied only to MLB, not the 2026 World Baseball Classic. To the surprise of many, the 37-year-old Kershaw was added to Team USA on Thursday, and will pitch for the team in the upcoming World Baseball Classic.
CLAYTON KERSHAW!
The three-time World Series champ, 11-time All-Star, three-time NL Cy Young Award winner, and 2014 NL MVP will suit up one last time for Team USA at the World Baseball Classic! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/CnUnpa1oeH
“I am throwing just enough to make it for 10 days,” he said. “I’m not pitching this season — so I figured this is the perfect time to try the WBC. I really want to be a part of it.”
When asked why he decided to pitch in professional baseball one more time, Kershaw said, “Why not?”
Since early in the offseason, Team USA’s roster has started to take shape. It became clear almost immediately that the U.S. was hungry to win the event, as Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes and New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge quickly committed to the club. Over the following weeks, they were joined by other MLB stars like Bryce Harper, Cal Raleigh and Bobby Witt Jr., among many others.
While Kershaw is far removed from his peak seasons, he’s still a big name within the sport. Kershaw is arguably the best pitcher of his era and a sure-fire first-ballot Hall of Famer the instant he becomes eligible for the honor.
Even with his reduced velocity and workload over his last few seasons in MLB, Kershaw still managed a 3.36 ERA in his final year in the majors, a testament to both his stuff and intelligence as a pitcher.
Team USA will have to hope those same skills are on display in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Kershaw proved at the end of the year that he could provide value out of the Dodgers’ bullpen. It sounds like he’ll be expects to be used in the same role on Team USA, per The Athletic.
Despite his late-season success, Kershaw made sure to set expectations low, saying he doesn’t expect to be used in high-leverage situations in the WBC, per The Athletic.
“I am not going to pitch to Shohei in any meaningful game,” Kershaw said. “I’ll tell you that right now. He would hit it so far off me right now.”
Regardless of how it turns out, Kershaw’s addition to the team does add some excitement to the tournament before it starts in March. The Dodgers’ legend already had the perfect ending to his MLB career, going out with a championship. He stands to even further his already impeccable legacy by also leaving the game of baseball with a gold medal in his final professional appearance.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw had an emotional farewell tour last year after announcing in September that he would retire at the conclusion of the 2025 MLB season. Kershaw got one more legendary moment, was able to pay tribute to Dodgers fans one more time, and walked away from MLB a champion.
But apparently Kershaw’s retirement from baseball applied only to MLB, not the 2026 World Baseball Classic. To the surprise of many, the 37-year-old Kershaw was added to Team USA on Thursday, and will pitch for the team in the upcoming World Baseball Classic.
CLAYTON KERSHAW!
The three-time World Series champ, 11-time All-Star, three-time NL Cy Young Award winner, and 2014 NL MVP will suit up one last time for Team USA at the World Baseball Classic! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/CnUnpa1oeH
“I am throwing just enough to make it for 10 days,” he said. “I’m not pitching this season — so I figured this is the perfect time to try the WBC. I really want to be a part of it.”
When asked why he decided to pitch in professional baseball one more time, Kershaw said, “Why not?”
Since early in the offseason, Team USA’s roster has started to take shape. It became clear almost immediately that the U.S. was hungry to win the event, as Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes and New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge quickly committed to the club. Over the following weeks, they were joined by other MLB stars like Bryce Harper, Cal Raleigh and Bobby Witt Jr., among many others.
While Kershaw is far removed from his peak seasons, he’s still a big name within the sport. Kershaw is arguably the best pitcher of his era and a sure-fire first-ballot Hall of Famer the instant he becomes eligible for the honor.
Even with his reduced velocity and workload over his last few seasons in MLB, Kershaw still managed a 3.36 ERA in his final year in the majors, a testament to both his stuff and intelligence as a pitcher.
Team USA will have to hope those same skills are on display in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Kershaw proved at the end of the year that he could provide value out of the Dodgers’ bullpen. It sounds like he’ll be expects to be used in the same role on Team USA, per The Athletic.
Despite his late-season success, Kershaw made sure to set expectations low, saying he doesn’t expect to be used in high-leverage situations in the WBC, per The Athletic.
“I am not going to pitch to Shohei in any meaningful game,” Kershaw said. “I’ll tell you that right now. He would hit it so far off me right now.”
Regardless of how it turns out, Kershaw’s addition to the team does add some excitement to the tournament before it starts in March. The Dodgers’ legend already had the perfect ending to his MLB career, going out with a championship. He stands to even further his already impeccable legacy by also leaving the game of baseball with a gold medal in his final professional appearance.
The Boston Celtics have exceeded expectations this season thanks to some MVP-level play from Jaylen Brown and encouraging contributions from young wings like Jordan Walsh and Hugo Gonzalez.
But if the Celtics are serious about making a postseason run — and if they believe superstar Jayson Tatum will contribute to that run — they could use reinforcements in the frontcourt. Boston has just two players taller than 6-foot-9 on its NBA roster (not counting two-way rookie Amari Williams), and while Neemias Queta and Luka Garza have both been excellent relative to expectations, the C’s absolutely would benefit from a third big man with a proven track record.
Could Los Angeles Clippers big man Ivica Zubac help fill that void?
On a special Mailbag edition of the Celtics Talk Podcast, Celtics Insider Chris Forsberg pondered Zubac’s potential fit in Boston if the Clippers were to make him available ahead of the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline.
“I think he’s the one guy I would be willing to splurge on a little bit,” Forsberg said. “His contract is so desirable. He checks a lot of boxes. (He’s) always in the top 20 in defensive rebounds. I think he led the NBA in defensive rebounds last year. He shores up your biggest need immediately. The defensive potential is obvious.”
Zubac averaged career highs in points (16.8) and rebounds (12.6) last season while finishing sixth in Defensive Player of the Year voting. And while he’s missed six of Los Angeles’ last 12 games due to an ankle injury, he’s still averaging a double-double (14.8 points and 10.7 rebounds per game).
Zubac is on a favorable contract, as well: The 29-year-old is in the first year of a three-year, $58.7 million contract that will pay him an average of $19.5 million through the 2027-28 season.
Acquiring Zubac would be easier said than done: The Clippers have rebounded from a disastrous start and are just a half-game out of a spot in the Western Conference play-in tournament, so it’s still unclear whether they’ll be sellers. And if they make Zubac available, they’d likely have a high asking price; Michael Scotto of HoopsHype recently reported the Clippers would seek “at least” two first-round picks in a potential deal.
But if the Celtics are in the market for a big man, Forsberg views Zubac as among the best options.
“For me, it comes down to plug-and-play,” Forsberg added. “He fits this team. He’s kind of the perfect guy for this team.
” … I just think Zubac checks a lot of the boxes. (He’s making) $18 million this season, which would actually allow you to potentially cut money. You could tread two tracks.
“I don’t think the Celtics are overly worried about getting below the tax this year, but it does give you a little bit more flexibility long-term and potentially think about resetting the repeater penalties, which would help make a big splurge further down the road.”
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