Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks was arrested in Scottsdale, Arizona, early Friday morning due to a suspected DUI, according to TMZ. Police also confirmed the arrest to 12news.com in Phoenix. 

Brooks was picked up by police around 2 a.m. He was later released around 3:20 a.m., per TMZ, which acquired Brooks’ mugshot. 

Details regarding the arrest were not immediately available. 

The arrest occurred hours after the Suns’ 105-103 loss to the Chicago Bulls. Brooks, who has been sidelined since late February with a broken hand, did not play in the contest.

The Suns confirmed they were “aware” of a situation involving Brooks and were in the process of gathering information, per a statement given to azcentral.com.

“We are aware of the situation involving Dillon Brooks and are gathering more information.  We have no further comment at this time.”

Brooks, 30, is in his first season with the Suns after being involved in the seven-team trade that resulted in Kevin Durant being dealt to Houston. In 50 games this season, Brooks is averaging 20.9 points.

This story will be updated.

Russell Westbrook’s press conference following the Sacramento Kings’ 133-123 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans started innocently enough Thursday. But it turns out, all it took was a simple “how you doing, Russ” to throw everything off the rails.

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Westbrook was apparently not in the mood for that type of question, and decided to berate and belittle the media for roughly six-and-a-half minutes following the loss.

It made for an awkward and uncomfortable press conference.

Westbrook took a few reporters to task during the presser, pointing out that some of them are not at practice or present for the team’s film study — which is typically closed off to media. He also called out a few reporters for their opinions, though, when asked, Westbrook said he didn’t want to go down a rabbit hole with specifics.

While the first few minutes of the presser seemed contentious, Westbrook eventually started giving earnest answers to questions. He still carried a bit of an edge, though, telling one reporter, “Don’t say nothing you don’t know nothing about. And that’s particularly for you” toward the end of the presser.

It wasn’t all hate from Westbrook, who, at one point, said he respects the media and the job they perform.

But it’s fair to say the Kings’ record has taken a bit of a toll on the 37-year-old. At 14-50, the Kings have the worst record in the NBA. All that losing is going to frustrate players.

The losing, however, hasn’t prevented Westbrook from putting up solid numbers. Through 59 games, the 18-year veteran is averaging 15.3 points and a team-leading 6.4 assists per game.

After Thursday’s press conference, Westbrook also leads the team in calling out individual members of the media.

Shohei Ohtani’s offensive exploits on Friday helped lead Japan to a 13-0 win over Chinese Taipei in its opening game of the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

The reigning NL MVP continued doing what he does best — mashing baseballs — in the run-shortened win that saw the Los Angeles Dodgers’ slugger fall a triple short of the cycle.

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With the sellout crowd of 42,314 fans inside Tokyo Dome excitedly watching, Ohtani delivered on the first pitch of the game by ripping a double down the right-field line.

Ohtani was ready to swing after putting on a show during batting practice. His double came off the bat with a 117.1 mph exit velocity.

Japan was held scoreless in the first inning but followed with an offensive eruption in the second inning. After a pair of singles and a hit-by-pitch, Japan had the bases loaded for Ohtani in his second at-bat. On a 2-1 pitch, he sent one 368 feet off Chinese Taipei pitcher Hao-Chun Cheng, who hung a curveball.

Japan added five more runs in the inning before Ohtani batted again. This time facing pitcher Chih-Wei Hu, he delivered a run-scoring single to bring Japan’s lead to 10-0. 

Not even through a full two innings, Ohtani had five RBI and was a triple shy of the cycle.

The 10-run second inning by Japan set a WBC record for most runs in a single inning. The previous record was eight, held by the U.S. (2023) and Cuba (2009). Ohtani’s five RBI in the second inning is also a record for a single inning.

Japan increased its lead to 13-0 by the end of the third inning, but that was all the damage Ohtani would do on the day. In his fourth and final at-bat, he lined out to first. Teruaki Sato pinch-hit for him in the top of the seventh, and the game was ended due to the mercy rule.

Japan will next play Saturday at 5 a.m. ET (FS1) against Korea, while Chinese Taipei hits the field Friday at 10 p.m. ET (FS2) against Czechia.

It was early December in 2013 when the Los Angeles Lakers’ Facebook page posted a two-minute video of a jersey floating in the wind. Tens of thousands of captivated fans couldn’t wait to reshare and comment as dramatic music played over the social media post. 

The No. 24 jersey hung in the sky as sunshine pierced through some clouds. Then, over the course of the next 120 seconds, a thunderous storm battered the jersey until it tore in half. 

Finally, after a beam of light, the jersey was made whole. 

The symbolism relayed the message: Kobe Bryant was back. “Seasons of Legend. The Lakers announce Kobe’s return,” the post’s caption read. The then 35-year-old Bryant, who had torn his Achilles less than eight months prior, was returning in near-record time, missing just 21 Lakers regular-season games with an injury that infamously had ended NBA careers.

Unfortunately, Bryant’s comeback season lasted only six games. Just nine days after his return, Bryant suffered a serious knee injury in the same leg of his torn Achilles, quickly dimming all the excitement over his fast return. His season was over and Bryant’s playing abilities were never the same.

Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum has idolized Bryant and his Mamba Mentality ever since Tatum was a child. The 28-year-old has said Bryant’s story has driven him to become the NBA player he is today. As Tatum nears his own return from an Achilles tear — he could reportedly make his return Friday against the Mavericks — he should continue to take lessons from Bryant’s career. The Lakers star’s historic 2013 return offers a cautionary tale about what could happen in a highly anticipated and quick midseason return.

Tatum should also take heed of the rehab schedule of another NBA legend, one that tells the greatest Achilles tear story of all time: Kevin Durant.

Kobe vs. KD: A contrast in Achilles recoveries

Watching Kevin Durant dominate in the year 2026, an uninformed observer would never guess the Houston Rockets All-Star tore his Achilles tendon just as he entered his thirties. Durant’s injury occurred in the 2019 NBA Finals while playing for the Golden State Warriors and he took the next season off as he joined his new team, the Brooklyn Nets.

While Bryant struggled to return to his pre-Achilles form, Durant’s superstar status hasn’t wavered. The 37-year-old is averaging an unthinkable 27.6 points with white-hot efficiency in the six seasons since the longest tendon in the human body snapped in his leg. His post-Achilles-tear résumé, consisting of six All-Star appearances and two All-NBA nominations, shines brighter than most players’ entire careers. 

To be clear, no two Achilles tears are the same. Different mechanisms of injury, different bodies and all that. Beyond the difference in age between Bryant and Durant at the time of their injuries — Bryant was 34, Durant was 30 — the most interesting dynamic is a contrast of time in another dimension: recovery time. 

Durant’s absence from NBA games lasted 18 months, more than twice that of Bryant’s eight months.

We will never know if Durant would have fared as well in the back nine of his career if he returned midseason in 2019-20. Complicating matters was the COVID-19 pandemic that disrupted everything in March of that season, including Durant’s injury rehab process with the Nets. Durant decided not to pursue a comeback in The Bubble when the Nets resumed the season in late July. Instead, he took extra time to get himself ready for the following season, which would begin in December 2020.

In an interview with Andscape’s Marc J. Spears, Durant said the decision to not play in the 2019-20 season was made well before the pandemic hit.

“My season is over,” Durant said in June 2020. “I don’t plan on playing at all. We decided last summer when it first happened that I was just going to wait until the following season. I had no plans of playing at all this season. It’s just best for me to wait. I don’t think I’m ready to play that type of intensity right now in the next month. It gives me more time to get ready for next season and the rest of my career.”

Though Durant missed some time in 2020-21 dealing with various injuries, his play on the floor didn’t seem to suffer at all. Leading the Nets in the postseason, the long layoff may have paid dividends. He scored a scorching 34.3 points per game in the playoffs, the most of any player who suited up at least 10 games during that postseason.

Plenty of speculation had surrounded Tatum about when he would return this season, if at all. If Tatum decided to sit out the season, he would have given himself about 17 and a half months of a layoff before next season kicks off in mid-October — basically the Durant timeline.

Should Tatum suit up for the Celtics this week, though, he’d be returning about 10 months after he went down in the closing minutes of Game 4 of last year’s Eastern Conference semifinals against the New York Knicks. In this sense, he’s given himself two months of a buffer behind Bryant’s timeline when the Laker legend got back on the floor in December following his April injury. But it still would be a remarkably quick timetable in the modern era. A 10-month return would mark the shortest post-Achilles absence for a starting player since the 2015-16 season when Rudy Gay came back in under nine months with the Sacramento Kings.

For another comparison, Tatum can look at fellow former All-Star Dejounte Murray. 

Achilles recovery timelines are getting longer lately

Last Tuesday, the New Orleans Pelicans guard scored 13 points in a home win over the Warriors, making his return from his Achilles tear suffered in January of the 2024-25 season. Thirteen is also a notable number because it represents the number of months that it took for the former All-Star to get back on the floor.

Murray’s timeline is increasingly becoming the norm. According to Yahoo Sports research supported by injury expert Jeff Stotts of Instreetclothes.com, Murray marks the 30th player since 2005-06 to return to playing NBA games after suffering an Achilles tear in the league. The Pelicans guard headlines a growing number of players who are taking longer than a year to return from the major tendon rupture.

In the decade between the 2005-06 and 2014-15 seasons, there were 12 instances of an NBA player returning from an Achilles injury and, on average, those players spent 10.4 months away from the game. Bryant took only eight months. Same went for Elton Brand and Mehmet Okur, who barely took eight months to hit the hardwood again following their Achilles tears. In 2015, Wes Matthews took 7.7 months to return from his Achilles tear and still enjoyed an impactful nine-year post-Achilles run in the NBA while playing for several playoff teams until he was 37 years old.

At the time of Brandon Jennings’ Achilles tear, he was averaging 15.4 points as a 25-year-old with the Detroit Pistons. As one of the more talented young players in the game, Jennings took a little over 11 months to return, getting back on the floor in December. The Pistons moved him later that season and, after bouncing around the league for three years, he never averaged double-digit points again. 

Lately, the timelines have gotten longer. In the Achilles ruptures from 2015-16 to 2024-25, the timeline stretched from 10.4 months on average to 13.6 months. In that sample, only two of the 18 players (Rudy Gay and Dru Smith) returned well ahead of the 10-month mark, something that happened with regularity in the previous decade.

Klay Thompson spent nearly 14 months away from the NBA floor after he tore his Achilles in November 2020, perhaps delayed because of his earlier ACL injury. More recently, Brandon Clarke and Thanasis Antetokounmpo also saw more than 12 months pass before they took the floor again.

It’s not as simple as to say that longer is always better. DeMarcus Cousins, who was a four-time All-Star before he tore his Achilles in January 2018 with the Pelicans, came back the following January with the Warriors. He needed 12 months to get back onto the court, but never regained his All-Star status and was out of the league by 2022. 

Recovery timelines don’t always lend themselves to perfect apples-to-apples comparisons. Nothing about injury data is squeaky clean. A return to play could be artificially delayed because the player is waiting for the start of the season. COVID and lockout-shortened seasons could also affect an NBA player’s recovery time in ways out of his control. But in general, as we await Tatum’s return, it does seem that players are taking longer to get back onto the court. 

Tatum and Boston’s ticking clock

For Tatum, there are positive signs that he’s on track to a full recovery. Because his surgeon, Dr. Martin O’Malley, was in New York at the time of the injury in a game that happened to be at Madison Square Garden, Tatum was able to have his Achilles stitched in quick order. According to Tatum’s documentary series aired on NBC, O’Malley had an opening in his calendar at 3 p.m. the next day and made time for Tatum.

“There’s pretty strong data,” O’Malley said, “that if you do [Achilles surgery] within 24 hours [of injury], patients have better outcomes.”

In O’Malley’s view, Tatum’s recovery was headed in the right direction early on. “I don’t think I’ve seen a person’s calf look as strong as his,” he said in September. “At six or eight weeks he was doing double heel rises. He worked his calf so hard that the side effect of loss of strength, I don’t think he’s going to have any.”

The Celtics had been tight-lipped about possible return dates, but they feel he’s ready to go.

While other players could decide to return in 12 or 13 months, Tatum may not have had that luxury. The Celtics’ season could be over by then. There are 20 games left in Boston’s regular season, which ends in a little over a month on April 12. That would mark 11 months since the injury. As the No. 2 seed in the East, the Celtics are expected to make a deep playoff run that could reach the NBA Finals in June. But if they’re a first-round out, a 12-month timetable for Tatum would have gone out the window, with his return rolling over to October. It’s worth noting that of the 30 Achilles returns to play since 2005, none came during the playoffs when gradual ramp-ups aren’t as easy.

If the Durant plan had been in place, Tatum would have eyed next season for his debut. But since Tatum and his medical team believe he’s ready to go now, he won’t be copying KD. Or Kobe. He’ll be writing his own story.

Coming off a second consecutive World Series victory — this time a seven-game thriller over the Toronto Blue Jays — the Los Angeles Dodgers are once again the betting favorites at sportsbooks to win the World Series, which would mean completing the sport’s first three-peat since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees.

This year, though, Los Angeles is an even bigger favorite than the past two seasons.

The Dodgers (+225 at BetMGM; higher at some other sportsbooks) have their shortest preseason World Series odds as a franchise since at least 1985, per Sports Odds History. Los Angeles had +350 odds in the preseason in 2024 and +240 odds last year. The Dodgers also have the shortest World Series odds of any MLB team in more than 20 years. 

The last time a team had shorter odds to win it all was the 2003 Yankees (+200) — a team that made the World Series but lost to the Florida Marlins. Recent history hasn’t been kind for preseason World Series favorites — the team with the best preseason World Series odds has won it all only four times since 2001, and that includes the Dodgers the past two seasons — but for Los Angeles, that might not matter.

“There’s a significant gap in talent as well,” Halvor Egeland, BetMGM trading strategy manager, told Yahoo Sports. “The Dodgers are in a tier of their own.”

To wit, no other MLB team has World Series odds in the single digits. The New York Yankees (10-1), Seattle Mariners (13-1), Toronto Blue Jays (13-1) and New York Mets (14-1) have the next-best odds. The Dodgers also have a win total of 103.5; the next highest win total is the New York Mets and Yankees at 90.5.

Los Angeles has the most wagers and most dollars wagered to win the World Series at multiple sportsbooks.

“The Dodgers are by far taking the most action in terms of bets and handle,” Egeland noted. “They are our biggest liability among competitive teams. The Mariners and Blue Jays round out the top three in both categories [handle and wagers], but it’s a relatively sizable gap.”

The short odds aren’t stopping the betting public from backing Los Angeles to get its three-peat, though, including putting the Dodgers in the currently en vogue futures parlay.

“The Dodgers are definitely the most bet team with the most handle and one of the teams we do most poorly on, even though they have the shortest odds,” said Eric Biggio, MLB trader at Caesars Sportsbook. “People are also putting Los Angeles to win the World Series in futures parlays with Scottie Scheffler to win the Masters, Oklahoma City to win the NBA title, etc.”

It’s not a surprise that the public loves the Dodgers, as the team has won the NL West crown in a shocking 12 of the past 13 seasons and made the postseason every year. Los Angeles is a prohibitive favorite at -650 to win the NL West again this season; that’s an implied probability of 86.7%. 

The Colorado Rockies have the longest odds to win the World Series, at 1,000-1 odds.

Opening Day may still be weeks away, but we’re just hours from the World Baseball Classic bringing us high-stakes, international baseball. Yesterday, Peter kicked off our preview coverage of the WBC, analyzing the five teams that make up Pool A. Today, we’ll turn our attention to Pool B, which will see Italy, Mexico, Great Britain, Brazil, and the United States square off at Daikin Park in Houston starting on Friday. As a refresher, all five teams in the group will play each other once, with the top two teams advancing to the knockout stage. The eight teams that advance will play a through a single-elimination bracket concluding with the final in Miami on March 17th.

United States

Team USA arrives at the WBC with sky-high expectations and a hunger to avenge 2023’s loss in the finals to Team Japan. They’ve got the roster to get the job done, with the American talent pool seemingly motivated to try and secure the country’s second WBC title.

There are upgrades up and down the roster, but there’s none bigger than the addition of Aaron Judge as Captain America.

Judge opted to sit out the 2023 tournament, choosing to focus on ramping up for the season after signing this nine-year, $360-million contract with the Yankees the previous offseason. Now, Team USA can pencil the best hitter on the planet into the lineup. He’ll be joined by Pete Crow-Armstrong and Byron Buxton as part of a stellar overall outfield. There are also changes to be found on the infield dirt, with Bryce Harper slotting in at first base after Pete Alonso manned the cold corner last time around, while Bobby Witt Jr. will take over shortstop from Trea Turner. Alex Bregman and Gunnar Henderson are the primary candidates to fill out the rest of the infield.

Of course, as star-studded as Team USA’s lineup is, it’s the pitching staff that’s taken a huge leap forward. Pitching was the team’s Achilles Heel last time around, with Lance Lynn, Merrill Kelly, and Adam Wainwright the club’s top starters. This year’s edition will feature none other than two reigning Cy Youngs, with both Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal expected to suit up (though Skubal will only make one start in the WBC). There’s also real depth here, even with Joe Ryan having left the team due to injury, with Logan Webb, Nolan McLean, and Matthew Boyd in the fold. Ryan was replaced with another Ryan, as Yankee lefty Ryan Yarbrough was named to the roster in Ryan’s place.

This is the most talented team in the tournament, and probably the best squad the USA has ever sent to the WBC. Anything short of a title will be a disappointment. Judge will lead the way, with the championship-or-bust mentality all too familiar to him.

Mexico

Team USA is the obvious favorite in this group, but it won’t be a surprise at all if Mexico shows out. Team Mexico made a spirited semifinal run in the 2023 WBC, and brings a solid top-to-bottom roster this year with hopes of running even deeper into the tournament.

Randy Arozarena was the star last time around, and he’ll return to anchor one of the deeper lineups in the tournament:

Mexico adds Alejandro Kirk at catcher, as well as Joey Ortiz at shortstop, while retaining Jarren Duran and Jonathan Aranda from last time out. A number of other big leaguers dot the lineup, including Pirates infielder Nick Gonzales, Nacho Alvarez Jr. of the Braves, and Alek Thomas of the Diamondbacks, as well as Rowdy Tellez, who last played for the Rangers. It’s one of the better lineups at the event, but it will be missing a bit of juice thanks to the absence of Isaac Parades, who hit .375 for the team in 2023.

The pitching staff has some high-octane stuff at the top, led by All-World closer Andrés Muñoz. Taj Bradley and Taijuan Walker are the team’s top starters, as well as José Urquidy of the Pirates. A few other arms with big-league pedigree are here, including Javier Assad of the Cubs, Brennan Bernardino of the Rockies, and Robert Garcia of the Rangers.

Italy

Team Italy managed to make it out of pool play back in 2023, but they’ll face an uphill climb to move past the likes of the USA and Mexico here. They’ll be led by a couple of former Yankee catchers on the coaching staff, as Francisco Cervelli will be the manager and Jorge Posada will tag along as a hitting instructor.

Even if Italy is more of a dark horse than a favorite to advance, there’s still plenty of interesting talent. They have a couple of former top prospects in catcher Kyle Teel of the White Sox and Jac Caglianone of the Royals. Dominic Canzone joins Caglianone in the outfield, as does the pesky Jakob Marsee of the Marlins. Vinnie Pasquantino will be tasked with bringing the pop, while he’ll be joined on the infield by former Yankee Jon Berti.

Italy attempted to build a whole bullpen out of former Yankees, as Greg Weissert and Ron Marinaccio will suit up, as well as Adam Ottavino, who will step away from apparent retirement to represent his country. Aaron Nola and Michael Lorenzen are the biggest-name starters in Italy’s employ.

Great Britain

Team Great Britain will have some recognizable names in their lineup, none more so than Jazz Chisholm Jr., who is eligible to represent Britain due to his Bahamian heritage. Chisholm and Co. will thankfully don uniforms that don’t look like they were designed by a high schooler using Microsoft Word this time.

Britain will feature some top prospects, such as catcher Harry Ford of the Nationals (who starred for them last time around), and a chunk of former top prospects, like infielder Lucius Fox and outfielder Kristian Robinson. There’s also infielder Nate Eaton, who proved useful as a utility player for the Red Sox last year.

The pitching is thin here, with Yankees prospect Brendan Beck in the mix. The right-hander is a fine prospect, but that the Yankees’ 22nd-ranked farmhand is included on the staff probably says more about the state of Britain’s roster. The de facto ace is Beck’s older brother Tristan, who has 157 big-league innings to his name with the Giants. Otherwise, the biggest name here is… Vance Worley. Yes, that Vance Worley, bespectacled former MLB journeyman whose last pitch in the majors came in 2017 and whose last professional appearance came at the last WBC, where he tossed 2.2 innings and gave up two runs. Here’s hoping he finds himself back on the field one last time!

Brazil

Making their first appearance in the WBC since 2013 is Brazil, though they carry probably the thinnest roster in this group. The first name Yankees fans will recognize is Dante Bichette Jr., the club’s top pick in 2011. It’s a family affair elsewhere on the team, with Joseph Contreras, the 17-year-old son of former Yankee Jose Contreras, on the pitching staff. Contreras is committed to play for Vanderbilt but is rated among MLB Pipeline’s top 50 2026 draft prospects. They’ll look to write some new history for Brazil’s national team, with few highlights to speak of thus far, outside of a rousing three-game win streak in qualifying play last year that punched Brazil’s ticket to the tournament.

Find more Pinstripe Alley WBC pool previews here: Pool A, Pool C, Pool D.

Opening Day may still be weeks away, but we’re just hours from the World Baseball Classic bringing us high-stakes, international baseball. Yesterday, Peter kicked off our preview coverage of the WBC, analyzing the five teams that make up Pool A. Today, we’ll turn our attention to Pool B, which will see Italy, Mexico, Great Britain, Brazil, and the United States square off at Daikin Park in Houston starting on Friday. As a refresher, all five teams in the group will play each other once, with the top two teams advancing to the knockout stage. The eight teams that advance will play a through a single-elimination bracket concluding with the final in Miami on March 17th.

United States

Team USA arrives at the WBC with sky-high expectations and a hunger to avenge 2023’s loss in the finals to Team Japan. They’ve got the roster to get the job done, with the American talent pool seemingly motivated to try and secure the country’s second WBC title.

There are upgrades up and down the roster, but there’s none bigger than the addition of Aaron Judge as Captain America.

Judge opted to sit out the 2023 tournament, choosing to focus on ramping up for the season after signing this nine-year, $360-million contract with the Yankees the previous offseason. Now, Team USA can pencil the best hitter on the planet into the lineup. He’ll be joined by Pete Crow-Armstrong and Byron Buxton as part of a stellar overall outfield. There are also changes to be found on the infield dirt, with Bryce Harper slotting in at first base after Pete Alonso manned the cold corner last time around, while Bobby Witt Jr. will take over shortstop from Trea Turner. Alex Bregman and Gunnar Henderson are the primary candidates to fill out the rest of the infield.

Of course, as star-studded as Team USA’s lineup is, it’s the pitching staff that’s taken a huge leap forward. Pitching was the team’s Achilles Heel last time around, with Lance Lynn, Merrill Kelly, and Adam Wainwright the club’s top starters. This year’s edition will feature none other than two reigning Cy Youngs, with both Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal expected to suit up (though Skubal will only make one start in the WBC). There’s also real depth here, even with Joe Ryan having left the team due to injury, with Logan Webb, Nolan McLean, and Matthew Boyd in the fold. Ryan was replaced with another Ryan, as Yankee lefty Ryan Yarbrough was named to the roster in Ryan’s place.

This is the most talented team in the tournament, and probably the best squad the USA has ever sent to the WBC. Anything short of a title will be a disappointment. Judge will lead the way, with the championship-or-bust mentality all too familiar to him.

Mexico

Team USA is the obvious favorite in this group, but it won’t be a surprise at all if Mexico shows out. Team Mexico made a spirited semifinal run in the 2023 WBC, and brings a solid top-to-bottom roster this year with hopes of running even deeper into the tournament.

Randy Arozarena was the star last time around, and he’ll return to anchor one of the deeper lineups in the tournament:

Mexico adds Alejandro Kirk at catcher, as well as Joey Ortiz at shortstop, while retaining Jarren Duran and Jonathan Aranda from last time out. A number of other big leaguers dot the lineup, including Pirates infielder Nick Gonzales, Nacho Alvarez Jr. of the Braves, and Alek Thomas of the Diamondbacks, as well as Rowdy Tellez, who last played for the Rangers. It’s one of the better lineups at the event, but it will be missing a bit of juice thanks to the absence of Isaac Parades, who hit .375 for the team in 2023.

The pitching staff has some high-octane stuff at the top, led by All-World closer Andrés Muñoz. Taj Bradley and Taijuan Walker are the team’s top starters, as well as José Urquidy of the Pirates. A few other arms with big-league pedigree are here, including Javier Assad of the Cubs, Brennan Bernardino of the Rockies, and Robert Garcia of the Rangers.

Italy

Team Italy managed to make it out of pool play back in 2023, but they’ll face an uphill climb to move past the likes of the USA and Mexico here. They’ll be led by a couple of former Yankee catchers on the coaching staff, as Francisco Cervelli will be the manager and Jorge Posada will tag along as a hitting instructor.

Even if Italy is more of a dark horse than a favorite to advance, there’s still plenty of interesting talent. They have a couple of former top prospects in catcher Kyle Teel of the White Sox and Jac Caglianone of the Royals. Dominic Canzone joins Caglianone in the outfield, as does the pesky Jakob Marsee of the Marlins. Vinnie Pasquantino will be tasked with bringing the pop, while he’ll be joined on the infield by former Yankee Jon Berti.

Italy attempted to build a whole bullpen out of former Yankees, as Greg Weissert and Ron Marinaccio will suit up, as well as Adam Ottavino, who will step away from apparent retirement to represent his country. Aaron Nola and Michael Lorenzen are the biggest-name starters in Italy’s employ.

Great Britain

Team Great Britain will have some recognizable names in their lineup, none more so than Jazz Chisholm Jr., who is eligible to represent Britain due to his Bahamian heritage. Chisholm and Co. will thankfully don uniforms that don’t look like they were designed by a high schooler using Microsoft Word this time.

Britain will feature some top prospects, such as catcher Harry Ford of the Nationals (who starred for them last time around), and a chunk of former top prospects, like infielder Lucius Fox and outfielder Kristian Robinson. There’s also infielder Nate Eaton, who proved useful as a utility player for the Red Sox last year.

The pitching is thin here, with Yankees prospect Brendan Beck in the mix. The right-hander is a fine prospect, but that the Yankees’ 22nd-ranked farmhand is included on the staff probably says more about the state of Britain’s roster. The de facto ace is Beck’s older brother Tristan, who has 157 big-league innings to his name with the Giants. Otherwise, the biggest name here is… Vance Worley. Yes, that Vance Worley, bespectacled former MLB journeyman whose last pitch in the majors came in 2017 and whose last professional appearance came at the last WBC, where he tossed 2.2 innings and gave up two runs. Here’s hoping he finds himself back on the field one last time!

Brazil

Making their first appearance in the WBC since 2013 is Brazil, though they carry probably the thinnest roster in this group. The first name Yankees fans will recognize is Dante Bichette Jr., the club’s top pick in 2011. It’s a family affair elsewhere on the team, with Joseph Contreras, the 17-year-old son of former Yankee Jose Contreras, on the pitching staff. Contreras is committed to play for Vanderbilt but is rated among MLB Pipeline’s top 50 2026 draft prospects. They’ll look to write some new history for Brazil’s national team, with few highlights to speak of thus far, outside of a rousing three-game win streak in qualifying play last year that punched Brazil’s ticket to the tournament.

Find more Pinstripe Alley WBC pool previews here: Pool A, Pool C, Pool D.

Today the Texas Rangers play their first night game this spring in an intriguing Cactus League affair where they will be the road squad from their home camp in Surprise, Arizona with the Kansas City Royals acting as the home team.

Furthering the intrigue will be a matchup between two high profile lefties with MacKenzie Gore set to pitch for Texas against former Rangers first-rounder Cole Ragans for Kansas City.

The Royals have a telecast, otherwise you can listen via 105.3 The Fan, the Rangers Sports Network YouTube page, or follow along on Gameday. First pitch from Surprise Stadium is scheduled for 7:05 pm CT.

Go Rangers!

The Chicago Bears have reportedly agreed to a trade that will ship wide receiver D.J. Moore to the Buffalo Bills, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

Bills quarterback Josh Allen will have a new No. 1 weapon.

Per Pelissero, the Bills are sending their 2026 second-round draft pick to the Bears in exchange for Moore and a 2026 fifth-round pick. Some wondered if the New England Patriots would show interest in Moore after informing four-time Pro Bowl wideout Stefon Diggs of their plans to release him.

However, they’ll now be figuring out ways to defend Moore and Allen next season.

Done deal: The Bills are sending a 2026 second-round pick to the Bears for WR D.J. Moore and a 2026 fifth-round pick, per sources.

A pick swap that gives Chicago extra draft ammo and Buffalo a new top receiver. pic.twitter.com/OQ8fZCbLTr

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 5, 2026

Moore is coming off a season that saw him record 50 receptions for 682 yards and six touchdowns. It was a down year by his standards, but he did provide a spark for the Bears during their playoff run, catching 11 passes for 116 yards and two touchdowns.

He’ll now try to help provide a similar spark for Allen and the Bills.

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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Patriots rival Bills get new No. 1 receiving weapon for QB Josh Allen