Why Javier Lopez was drawn to role with Buster Posey’s Giants front office originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO — Team executives tend to move around in packs at the MLB meetings held every offseason, and even though it’s been more than a year as an executive, Buster Posey still draws plenty of attention when he walks through hallways with the rest of his front office.

But when Posey was walking through a Las Vegas hotel at the GM Meetings last November, he actually wasn’t the Giants executive with the most rings. 

That honor belongs to Javier Lopez, who won a title with the Boston Red Sox early in his career and then was instrumental in helping the Giants win three in five years. The left-hander is tied with Mookie Betts and former teammate Pablo Sandoval (a member of the 2021 Atlanta Braves) for the most titles won by a player who debuted this century. The goal now is to break that tie as an executive. 

Earlier this offseason, Lopez and Curt Casali joined the baseball operations group as advisors. It was a move that was a long time coming for Lopez, who retired in 2016 and successfully jumped to the broadcast booth. He had been talking to Posey, a close friend, for months about coming on board. 

“When he puts his name on it you want to see him be successful,” Lopez said on Thursday’s Giants Talk podcast. “We went back and forth over the last year that he has taken over as president of baseball ops as to how can I be a value add, and we’re kind of trying this out right now for this year. Not only myself, but Curt Casali has come on board as well. 

“We’re going to just try to offer different views and opinions and kind of just see where that ends up at the end of the day. I thought it would be a nice way to kind of dip my toe in the water as far as front office work and trying to just get the Giants back to where the Giants want to be.”

With Lopez and Casali joining, the Giants have eight advisors to Posey, general manager Zack Minasian and the rest of the front office. It’s a group of people who long have been close to Posey, but also one that covers a lot of blind spots. 

Bruce Bochy and Dusty Baker are former big league managers headed to the Hall of Fame. John Barr was a longtime scout, and the man who drafted Posey nearly two decades ago. Bobby Evans, the former Giants GM, provides a front office perspective, and Posey’s former agent, Jeff Berry, can give a view from the other side of the negotiating table. Ron Wotus was the longest-tenured coach in franchise history and also has a unique perspective on prospects since he still works with them at Giants affiliates.

Lopez and Casali are the newcomers to front office life, with one being a former pitcher and the other a former catcher. In initial discussions about free agents and trade targets, Lopez has mostly focused on the players he knows. 

“For me right now, the focus has been more on the pitching side,” Lopez said. “(It’s) just being able to watch a player and have certain aspects come out, whether it’s something mechanical, whether it’s something physical, or whether it’s something as easy as a pitch mix that just maybe needs to get changed.”

The Lopez addition was not a surprise to his former teammates. He was the rare reliever who became a team leader, and he won the Willie Mac Award in his final season with the Giants. Years of broadcasting have helped Lopez keep up with the developments in the game over the past decade, and that won’t go away. 

Lopez still plans to be part of the mix for NBC Sports Bay Area’s game broadcasts, filling in occasionally for Mike Krukow, but his main focus in 2026 is helping Posey behind the scenes. He noted that he hasn’t forgotten what it was like to win in front of huge crowds at Oracle Park. The goal is to help Posey bring those days back.

“This is always something that I kind of wanted to see if I’m going to be a value add — I’m going to do my best to do that,” he said. “It’s just an opportunity to kind of see what goes on behind the curtain.”

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Nothing is coming easy for the Oklahoma City Thunder after a historic start to the season, but they still have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. On Wednesday, that was the difference.

Facing the Utah Jazz — hardly a team fans expected to give them trouble a month ago — the Thunder found themselves down 114-112 with 2.7 seconds left, at home, having already lost six of their past 11 games. They advanced the ball with a timeout, then let Gilgeous-Alexander do his thing.  

The reigning MVP ran to the elbow and barely got an awkward shot off in time. It, naturally, went in, giving OKC another five minutes to show why it’s still the overwhelming NBA title favorite.

Things came a bit more easy for the Thunder in overtime, such as this Chet Holmgren put-back dunk off a Gilgeous-Alexander miss:

The game ended as a 129-125 Thunder win, improving their record to an NBA-best 31-7.

Gilgeous-Alexander finished the night with 46 points, his second-highest total of the season, on 14-of-26 shooting, plus 6 rebounds and 6 assists. Holmgren had 23 points, 12 rebounds and 3 blocks.

The Thunder will gladly take the win, especially on a night where they shot 7 of 38 from 3-point range. Still, getting pushed to OT by the 12-24 Jazz — or, rather, having to push the Jazz to OT — feels like an ominous sign for a team that lost its unstoppable reputation over the past few weeks, especially after a 27-point home loss to the Charlotte Hornets. 

Gilgeous-Alexander seemed aware of the struggles after the game:

“It’s not always going to be pretty. We’ve got to play a lot better if we want to get to where we want to get to. Nonetheless, we won the game. Rather learn the lessons in a win than a loss.”

OKC’s next two games are against the Memphis Grizzlies and Miami Heat, both teams in the play-in range of the current standings. After that, though, is yet another clash with the San Antonio Spurs team that humbled the defending champs three times in December. There would be no better way to show the team is back on track.

A shorthanded Denver Nuggets squad went more than 6 1/2 minutes without a point in the third quarter of a 114-110 road win over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday.

David Adelman’s Nuggets endured that scoring drought, which featured 11 straight missed field-goal attempts and was accompanied by a 12-0 Celtics run, and soon enough were back to swapping leads with one of the hottest teams in the NBA.

In the fourth quarter, Denver (25-12) delivered 14 consecutive points that dug Boston (23-13) a hole it couldn’t quite climb out of. The resilient Nuggets pulled off the momentum swing with centers Nikola Jokić and Jonas Valančiūnas, as well as forward Cam Johnson, still sidelined.

Unsung heroes rose to the occasion, as was the case in an overtime win versus the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday. This time, standout point guard Jamal Murray picked up where he left off in Brooklyn over the weekend. He followed his 16-assist outing against the Nets with a career-high 17 assists against the Celtics, along with 22 points, 8 rebounds and only 2 turnovers.

Jokić missed his fifth game in a row after suffering a hyperextended left knee in a Dec. 29 defeat to the Miami Heat, the second game of a seven-game Nuggets road trip that finally came to an end Wednesday at TD Garden. Denver is now 3-2 in the absence of its MVP favorite.

In each of those five contests, wing Peyton Watson has scored at least 21 points. He erupted for a team-high 30 points on 10-of-15 shooting on Wednesday in Boston. He was lights-out from the left corner and finished 6 of 7 from beyond the arc.

The teams made a total of 20 3-pointers in the first half, which started with Celtics star Jaylen Brown scoring 15 points in the opening quarter. He clocked out with 33 points but also had seven turnovers.

Following halftime, both sides cooled off significantly — all the way to the near-freezing temperature outside the arena — as they went a combined 5 of 23 to start the third quarter. The Celtics rediscovered their groove first, but the Nuggets eventually countered, thanks to 3-pointers from Murray, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Aaron Gordon.

Boston got a boost from guard Anfernee Simons at the end of the third and start of the fourth quarters, as he chipped in 15 points off the bench. Along the way, center Neemias Queta put in serious work on the glass. He wound up with 20 rebounds, including 10 offensive boards — rebounding numbers a Celtics player hasn’t recorded since Robert Parish in 1989.

In the final frame, the Nuggets got sizable contributions from guard Jalen Pickett and center Zeke Nnaji. Neither was averaging more than 3.8 points per game coming in. They teamed for 19 points on Wednesday.

Pickett paired a 3 with a layup. Nnaji blocked a Derrick White shot, leading to a Watson bucket on the break. Shortly after, he flushed home a two-handed dunk to help Denver pull away.

Boston staged a late-game comeback, even pulling within three points after a trio of Payton Pritchard free throws, but it was too little, too late after a Nuggets run that turned a three-point deficit into an 11-point advantage.

Denver found a way to persevere despite its missing pieces and fatigue. In the process, the Nuggets logged their 15th road win of the season, the most of any team in the NBA.

Trae Young’s time with the Atlanta Hawks is over.

The Hawks dealt Young to the Washington Wizards on Wednesday, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. In exchange, the Hawks will receive C.J. McCollum and Corey Kispert, with no draft picks in either direction. Young is in his eighth season and had spent his entire career with the Hawks before being moved.

The deal was executed during a Hawks home game, while Young was on the team’s bench in street clothes. He quickly exited the court after receiving some last-second well wishes from teammates.

The move comes two days after veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein reported the Wizards were looming as a top destination for Young. Young and his agents worked with the Hawks on the trade.

After playing in the first five games of the 2025-26 NBA season, Young missed the next 23 games with an MCL sprain. The Hawks went 13–10 without him, though he returned in mid-December. The 27-year-old dropped eight points and had 10 assists in his first game back, but has missed several games this month due to a right quad contusion.

The change of scenery for Young allows the Hawks to build around the core of Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, Onyeka Okongwu and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who are all signed through at least the 2027–28 season.

Young was not extended this offseason and is in his fourth year of a five-year, $215 million deal with the Hawks. He was eligible for a four-year extension, but Atlanta didn’t make him a long-term offer. He is making $46 million this season with a player option for $49 million next season.

The Hawks last made the playoffs in 2023, when they lost in the first round to the Boston Celtics.

The Wizards have a new star in Trae Young. Can they succeed where the Hawks didn’t?

Without context, this is an odd deal. Young led the NBA in assists per game last season and was basically salary-dumped. The Hawks got back two players whose main appeal was making the trade work. An actual NBA All-Star in his 20s requested a trade to the Wizards.

All of that reflects how much the Young era seemed to run its course in Atlanta. Yes, few players in the NBA combine scoring and facilitating like Young, but his limitations have only become more evident with time, and his offensive value never made the Hawks an actual playoff threat outside of a fluky Eastern Conference finals run in 2021.

This season, Atlanta is 2-8 in games with Young and 15-13 in games without him, leaning instead on players like Johnson and Daniels. And with McCollum and Kristaps Porzingis, the Hawks have two large expiring deals that will let them be aggressive in free agency.

So the Hawks opted to move on with what’s been working and get out of Young’s contract. The Wizards didn’t mind the discount price, but what happens next depends on Young. The 27-year-old guard has the $49 million player option for next season and could theoretically hit free agency this summer, but the fact the Wizards were his preferred destination makes a longer-term deal feel likely.

At 10-26, the Wizards have the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference. They have some interesting talent for Young to work alongside in the short term, and also a significant amount of cap space and draft capital this offseason. The team hasn’t had an All-Star since Bradley Beal in 2021 and will be hoping Young can fill that void.

That will likely happen once Young is healthy. The bigger question is what can they do with him.

The Dodgers avoided arbitration with reliever Brusdar Graterol on Wednesday, reportedly agreeing to terms with the Venezuelan right-hander on a one-year, $2.8-million deal before Thursday’s deadline to avoid an arbitration hearing.

Graterol, 27, missed the 2025 season after undergoing surgery on the labrum in his right shoulder in November 2024. The $2.8-million figure is the same as his salary for last season.

After being acquired by the Dodgers in a 2020 trade that sent Kenta Maeda to the Minnesota Twins, he turned into a hard-throwing member of the team’s bullpen.

Graterol’s best season came in 2023 when he recorded a 1.20 earned-run average across 67.1 innings in 68 games, striking out 48 batters and walking 11.

Read more:Shohei Ohtani the most popular player among gamblers last year? You bet

Shoulder inflmmation and a hamstring strain limited Graterol to only seven appearances during the 2024 regular season — though he did pitch in three World Series games against the New York Yankees, including the clinching Game 5 — before he underwent shoulder surgery.

Graterol can become a free agent after the 2026 season.

The Dodgers have three other arbitration-eligible players who have until Thursday to agree to terms on a salary for next season: Left-hander Anthony Banda, outfielder Alex Call and right-hander Brock Stewart.

If any of the players cannot come to an agreement, the team and player must exchange salary figures and a hearing will be scheduled. Negotiations can continue until the date of the hearing.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Situated high on the list of contending teams yet to make a splash this offseason, the Chicago Cubs finally made a major move Wednesday, agreeing to acquire right-handed pitcher Edward Cabrera in a trade with the Miami Marlins. In return, the Marlins will receive a trio of hitting prospects, most notably 23-year-old outfielder Owen Caissie, who made his MLB debut in 2025, plus two lower-level bats in shortstop Cristian Hernandez and corner infielder Edgardo De Leon.

To this point, fresh off their first postseason appearance since 2020, the Cubs’ winter activity had consisted almost entirely of signing free-agent relievers, with the return of left-hander Caleb Thielbar (one year, $3.75M), the additions of right-handers Phil Maton (two years, $14.5M), Hunter Harvey (one year, $6M) and Jacob Webb (one year, $1.5M), and the acquisition of another southpaw in Hoby Milner (one year, $3.75M). 

While those signings addressed a bullpen that badly needed restocking, much larger questions loomed over Chicago’s offseason. Would the Cubs add an impact starting pitcher to upgrade a rotation that could use a boost, even after retaining lefty Shota Imanaga via the qualifying offer? And if they have no interest in pursuing a reunion with top free agent Kyle Tucker, would the Cubs pursue a different big-time bat to replace his production? 

[Get more Chicago news: Cubs team feed] 

Speculation continues regarding the plan for the position players. So far, the only hitter added to Chicago’s major-league roster has been first baseman Tyler Austin, returning to MLB for the first time since 2019 after a highly successful half-decade in Japan.

But the acquisition of Cabrera marks a serious effort by president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer to meaningfully improve the starting staff — the kind of move a lot of Cubs fans had been waiting for all winter. No, Cabrera does not come with the track record of high-end results normally befitting a significant offseason splash. But from an upside standpoint — and considering he’s under contract through 2028 — Cabrera unquestionably fits the bill as a worthwhile target and a pitcher for whom Chicago can project exciting growth with the right tweaks.

What the Cubs are getting in Cabrera

Cabrera has always thrown extremely hard, having first touched triple-digits nearly a decade ago as a teenager, in turn jumping on the radar as one of the Marlins’ most tantalizing pitching prospects. Injuries and occasionally severe struggles with command have interrupted his progress toward becoming a reliable rotation member, even once he finally arrived in the majors in 2021. But Cabrera has always had a deep enough pitch mix and thrown just enough strikes to avoid being converted to a reliever, and he rewarded Miami’s patience with a breakthrough in 2025.

Last season, Cabrera sharply decreased the usage of his four-seam fastball, from 27% to 13%, instead amplifying the use of a two-seamer while more effectively deploying his two fantastic secondary offerings: one of the nastiest curveballs in the league and a changeup that averages a ridiculous 94.2 mph. After a rough April (7.23 ERA in 18.2 IP), Cabrera’s upgraded mix helped him excel the rest of the way in 2025, with a 2.95 ERA across 119 frames, which ranked eighth-lowest among National League starting pitchers over that span. Add a career-low 8.3% walk rate — an encouraging step in the right direction after he began the season with a 13.3% free-pass percentage — and it’s no surprise that Cabrera was considered an alluring trade target this winter. 

But for all the positive indicators in Cabrera’s profile, there’s also substantial risk involved. Beyond the inconsistent strike-throwing, the biggest reason Cabrera has yet to amass enough of a résumé to earn more of a reputation as a quality starting pitcher is his troubling injury history. Since his debut in 2021, the right-hander has repeatedly battled arm ailments, including elbow tendonitis in 2022, shoulder impingements in 2023 and 2024, and an elbow sprain at the start of September. He returned in time to make two starts at the end of the regular season and finished 2025 with a career-high 137 ⅔ innings, but that late-season scare is difficult to shrug off considering his spotty track record of durability.

This unavoidable red flag with Cabrera looms even larger considering it was just a year ago when the Marlins and Cubs nearly made a trade for Jesús Luzardo before Chicago reportedly backed out due to concerns about Luzardo’s medical records. Luzardo was eventually traded to Philadelphia and went on to throw a career-high 183 ⅔ innings, a reminder that predicting pitcher health is a fickle exercise. Perhaps Cabrera will prove more dependable than expected as a Cub, but his availability will certainly be something to monitor. 

What the Marlins are getting in return

At first glance, Miami’s three-player return for Cabrera might look light compared to the four-prospects-plus-a-draft-pick haul that Tampa Bay netted last month for right-hander Shane Baz, another starter with three years of team control left and terrific stuff who has yet to fully actualize his potential. Perhaps Cabrera’s trade value was diminished by concerns about his durability, but it’s worth noting that the Marlins landed a headliner who is expected to contribute in the majors right away. Whereas the Rays netted a slew of exciting prospects who might not be big leaguers for a while (if ever), in Caissie, the Marlins added a player who could pay dividends immediately. As such, a lot is now riding on Caissie to validate the Marlins’ decision to build a Cabrera trade around him. 

That’s not to dismiss Hernandez and De Leon, as both could emerge as useful players down the road. De Leon showed impressive power as an 18-year-old in the Arizona Complex League last summer. Hernandez’s shaky hit tool has slowed his development despite promising speed and defense, but his physical traits have enticed talent evaluators for years; he received one of the largest signing bonuses ($3M) in his international signing class in 2021.

But make no mistake: This deal is about Miami’s belief that Caissie can become an important part of its lineup for the long haul and could contribute to a winning ballclub in 2026. In the Marlins’ outfield, he’ll join Kyle Stowers and Jakob Marsee, two other left-handed hitters who were acquired in trades that blossomed in a big way for the Fish last season. 

This is actually the second time Caissie has been traded in his young career, having been dealt to the Cubs in the trade for Yu Darvish just a few months after the Padres selected him out of a Canadian high school in the second round of the 2020 draft. Since then, Caissie has ascended the minor-league ladder, consistently demonstrating his premium left-handed power while working to keep his strikeouts at a manageable level. He has posted an above-average wRC+ at every minor-league level, thanks in large part to his power production but also due to his ability to take walks, ensuring strong on-base skills that have helped mask the elevated whiffs. 

A crowded outfield depth chart in Chicago resulted in Caissie playing a whopping 226 games in Triple-A over the past two seasons — a uniquely bloated total for a top prospect — and he performed quite well across that sample (.887 OPS). With Tucker expected to depart in free agency, it seemed like the door was open for Caissie to finally get some real run as a Cub in 2026. Instead, Chicago traded him to address another roster deficiency, amplifying the existing questions about the team’s plan to replace Tucker in the outfield and the lineup in both the short and long term.

After a forgettable (and incredibly brief) big-league cameo in August, Caissie has yet to prove that his offensive profile will translate at the highest level. His 28% strikeout rate over a sizable sample of Triple-A plate appearances could portend an extended adjustment period in the majors. But nowadays, it’s hardly uncommon for some sluggers to be productive while striking out a bunch — just ask Caissie’s new teammate Stowers. And with another wave of promising arms prepared to backfill Cabrera’s innings, the Marlins were smart to target Caissie in this trade as they continue to build a more formidable position-player core. 

The Washington Wizards have emerged as Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young’s top trade destination, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. The deal would reportedly be centered around guard C.J. McCollum’s expiring contract, per NBA reporter Marc Stein.

Earlier this week, Atlanta began collaborative talks with Young’s agents, Drew Morrison, Aaron Mintz and Austin Brown of CAA, last week, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. The two sides have appeared headed for a split since the Hawks declined to offer Young a max extension this past offseason.

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, it’s believed that CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert would be directly involved in that deal. Kispert was made unavailable for Wednesday night’s game with the Philadelphia 76ers due to hamstring injury management. McCollum was ruled out, too.

Young has a $49 million player option for next season, and there’s reportedly some belief that the Hawks might have to offer draft compensation to entice a team to absorb his contract.

It has been a difficult start to the 2025-26 season for Young, who has played in only 10 games due to a knee injury. He hasn’t played since a Dec. 27 loss to the New York Knicks in which he totaled 9 points, 10 assists and 6 turnovers. He missed the entire month of November, and the Hawks went 10-5 without their four-time All-Star.

The past couple of years have been tough for Young and the Hawks, as they’ve missed out on the playoffs the past two seasons. Atlanta qualified for the play-in tournament each of those years but failed to advance. There has been plenty of speculation about the Hawks and Young splitting, and with the Feb. 5 trade deadline quickly approaching, a deal could be imminent.

What’s more, many of Young’s offensive stats are down significantly in the 10 games he has played this season. Last season, Young averaged 24.2 points and 11.6 assists (NBA leader) and shot 34% from 3-point range in 76 games. This year, he’s down to 19.3 points and 8.9 assists per game and is shooting 30.5% from beyond the arc. Whether it’s his health, the team or the desire to play elsewhere, something likely needs to change soon.

Since entering the NBA in 2018, Young has been one of the more prolific point guards in terms of scoring and passing. In each of the past three seasons, he has averaged a double-double in points and assists. The biggest criticisms of Young are his smaller stature and limited defensive ability. 

Jan. 7—The Northern Lights Volleyball 16-1 club team spent the holidays traveling through Europe and competing in two tournaments abroad Dec. 25-Jan. 5.

The team won the 18U Youth Alpen Tournament in Innsbruck, Austria and took third place in the 19U SV Dynamo International Youth Tournament in Apeldoorn, Netherlands.

The 16-1 team out of Burnsville, Minn., is made up of players from high schools around the state, including Rochester Century’s sophomore Laney Stellmaker. Other players on the roster attend Eagan, Prior Lake, St. Paul Academy, Lakeville North, East Ridge, Thomas Jefferson (Bloomington), Waconia and Chanhassen.

According to its website, the SV Dynamo tournament “guarantees three days of top-level volleyball with the best youth teams from the Netherlands and beyond. For many clubs, the youth tournament has been the ideal preparation for the Open Club (national championships for club teams). Foreign top youth teams see the tournament as a unique opportunity to measure their strength against European opponents.”

The NLV 16-2 team also traveled and competed in the tournaments, finishing third in Apeldoorn and sixth in Innsbruck.

Players from both teams documented their travels with journals and videos.

Stellmaker, an All-Big Nine selection, recorded 493 set assists, 200 kills, 313 digs, 61 ace serves and 20 blocks during her sophomore campaign with the Panthers. She also reached 1,000 career set assists during the 2025 season.

The Kansas City Chiefs were without star quarterback Patrick Mahomes for the final weeks of their 2025 regular-season campaign after he sustained a serious knee injury in December.

As the face of the Chiefs franchise, Mahomes is one of Kansas City’s highest-paid players.

How much money did Mahomes make during the 2025 NFL season?

Here’s a look at the star quarterback’s current contract:

Patrick Mahomes salary

According to Spotrac.com, Mahomes’ base salary in 2025 was just $1,255,000. However, Kansas City also paid Mahomes $4,114,888 in signing proration, $21,692,381 in restructure proration, and a $1,000,000 workout bonus.

Patrick Mahomes cap number

Overthecap.com reports that Mahomes’ total cap number for the 2025 season was $28,062,269. His salary accounted for 9.8 percent of the Chiefs’ total cap space.

Patrick Mahomes 2026 salary

Next season, Mahomes is set to receive a base salary of $45,350,000 in addition to a prorated signing bonus of $21,463,888, a roster bonus of $10,400,000, and a workout bonus of $1,000,000.

If Mahomes doesn’t renegotiate his contract in the offseason, his cap number is set to be $78,213,888 in 2026, which would account for 26.3 percent of the Chiefs’ cap space.

This article originally appeared on Chiefs Wire: Patrick Mahomes salary: How much money did Chiefs QB make in 2025?