The Mets are signing right-handed reliever Mike Baumann, according to a report Wednesday by the New York Post’s Jon Heyman.
Baumann, 30, spent the 2025 season with Nippon Professional Baseball’s Tokyo Yakult Swallows. In 15 IP over 16 games, Baumann went 0-2 with a 4.20 ERA and one hold. He allowed eight runs (seven earned) on 17 hits (three homers) while striking out 19 and walking 12.
The veteran Baumann was most recently in MLB for the 2024 season when he split his time with the Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners, San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Angels, and Miami Marlins. In 58.1 IP across 57 games, Baumann was 3-1 with a 5.55 ERA and 1.49 WHIP.
The Marlins were the end of the road for the righty as they claimed Baumann off waivers on Aug. 25, 2024. There, he posted a 6.59 ERA and 1.32 WHIP in 13.2 IP through 11 games.
Before the 2024 season, Baumann spent most of his career with the Orioles. Baltimore designated him for assignment on May 18, 2024, and he was traded four days later, with catcher Michael Pérez going to Seattle for catcher Blake Hunt.
Baumann’s best season was 2023, his last full year in Baltimore, when he went 10-1 with a 3.76 ERA and 1.31 WHIP in 64.2 IP over 60 games. He made his MLB debut Sept. 7, 2021, allowing one run (unearned) on two hits in 3.2 IP of relief for the Orioles’ 7-3 victory against the Kansas City Royals and getting the nod as the winning pitcher.
The Orioles selected Baumann from Jacksonville University with the No. 98 overall pick in the third round of the 2017 MLB Draft.
Sometimes in our modern age, stories gain traction where your first thought turns to, “Is this AI slop?” Then, it turns out to be legit.
Former NBA All-Star Ben Simmons has purchased a controlling stake in a professional sports fishing team, the South Florida Sails Angling Club, the Sports Fishing Championship announced.
NBA free agent Ben Simmons has become the controlling operator of a professional sport fishing team.
Scottie Scheffler, Randy Moss, and Raheem Mostert are also owners of teams in the league. pic.twitter.com/wqNUz9q44T
Simons was born in Australia and grew up in Newcastle, New South Wales, where he developed a love of fishing, he said in a statement.
“I have always believed that investing in what you love means you have a responsibility to help move it forward,” Simmons said in a statement. “Sportfishing has given me incredible experiences, and SFC is creating a platform that treats offshore fishing like the elite sport it is.”
The Sports Fishing Championship is a 16-team professional offshore saltwater fishing league with 16 tournaments a year. Simmons is not the only big name to invest in the Championship, with golfer Scottie Scheffler, Las Vegas Raiders running back and kick returner Raheem Mostert, and NASCAR driver Austin Dillon among the other investors.
Simmons, 29, a three-time NBA All-Star, played 51 games between the Nets and Clippers last season and was solid enough on the offensive end in Los Angeles to get looks from a few teams, but no contract was forthcoming. He is still trying to catch on with an NBA team this season or get a chance next season.
The Lakers trailed the Suns by 10 at halftime Tuesday night. When asked what happened that turned a game where they were in striking distance into a blowout Phoenix win, JJ Redick was blunt.
“They scored on the first 13 possessions of the second half,” the Lakers coach said of the Suns.
The Lakers went on to lose consecutive games for the first time this season, getting blown out by the Suns 132-108. Los Angeles was without Luka Doncic, but the Lakers have a respectable 116.2 offensive rating when Doncic is off the court this season (which would rank 11th in the league overall). What Redick called out is the Lakers’ defense — which is bottom 10 in the league whether Doncic is on the court or not — and particularly the effort on that end of the floor.
“The theme with our team, these young teams that move, we just can’t move. It’s like we’re stuck in mud,” Redick said.
When asked if the Lakers had enough players who are inherently good defenders and give a full effort on that end, Redick was blunt.
“No.”
He laid the blame for the defensive effort at the players’ feet.
“It comes down to just making the choice. It’s making the choice,” Redick said. “There are shortcuts you can take or you can do the hard thing and you can make the second effort or you can sprint back or you can’t. It’s just a choice. And there’s a million choices in a game, and you’re very likely not going to make every choice correctly. But can you make the vast majority of them correctly? It gives you a chance to win.”
The Lakers are 19-9 on the season and still sit fourth in the West with the league’s seventh-ranked offense. However, just how good this team can be — and what kind of playoff run they can make — is capped by a defense that is 24th in the league for the season and has gotten worse (28th in the league in the last 10 games).
Los Angeles’ defense will be tested by another young team that can move on Christmas Day when the Lakers host the Rockets. It’s a game in the national spotlight because of LeBron James and Kevin Durant, but the winner will come down to which team can defend (the Rockets have struggled on that end of late).
The Yankees are among the teams to check in on Austin Hays. The New York Post’s Jon Heyman reported Wednesday that the free-agent left fielder “becomes more realistic for them if” the Yankees cannot keep their top target at the position, Cody Bellinger, as they navigate the market.
In 103 games for the Cincinnati Reds this past season, Hays slashed .266/.315/.453 with 15 home runs and 64 RBI.
The Reds signed Hays to a one-year, $5 million contract this past January with a $12 million mutual option for the 2026 season and entered free agency in November after Cincinnati declined to pick up his tender. As a result, he received a $1 million buyout.
Hays split 2024 between the Baltimore Orioles and Philadelphia Phillies, who swapped him before the season’s trade deadline. In 85 games across the two teams, he slashed .255/.303/.396 with five home runs and 20 RBI.
A kidney infection limited Hays to 22 games with the Phillies before they non-tendered him that November, beginning his free agency.
Hays was an All-Star for the Orioles in 2023 when he slashed .275/.325/.444 with 16 home runs and 67 RBI. He made his MLB debut Sept. 7, 2017, in the Orioles’ 9-1 loss to the Yankees and logged 74 games from 2017-20. In 420 games from 2021-23, Hays slashed .261/.313/.439 with 54 home runs and 198 RBI.
The Orioles selected Hays from Jacksonville University with the No. 91 overall pick in the third round of the 2016 MLB Draft.
Every year, we can quibble over whether the NBA’s schedule-makers aced the annual Christmas Day showcase — whether some fan base or another has cause to feel aggrieved over its squad not getting the brightest possible spotlight (we see you, Detroit!) or whether one participant or another has ridden too long on the struggle bus this season to make for a particularly compelling watch (hey there, Mavs-Warriors!). But while the powers that be are unlikely to ever fully nail all 10 teams and all five games, they have, inarguably, seeded the holiday slate with plenty of eye-catching talent.
The 2025 Christmas quintuple-header features the defending NBA champions, eight top-10 offenses and six top-10 defenses. We’ll (hopefully) see as many as five Most Valuable Player winners, including last year’s winner and runner-up, 10 of last season’s 15 All-NBA selections (though Evan Mobley’s likely to miss it with his calf strain) and more than 25 players who’ve earned an All-Star nod — plus a few more who might be on the verge of cracking that list themselves.
(Henry Russell/Yahoo Sports Illustration)
The NBA’s Christmas lineup should offer tons for fans to feast on: rivalries old and new, bona fide legends and new stars to get more familiar with … and, with any luck, a handful of games that stay tight late, treating those who’ve popped in between eggnog and dessert to a reminder of just how awesome highly competitive NBA basketball can be.
As we get set to tear open the presents and cut into the fruitcake, let’s take a look at the five most interesting players — to me! — on the NBA’s 2025 Christmas schedule, with one from each game. We begin with someone who’s having arguably the best all-around season of his career … 11 years, more than 700 games and nearly 24,000 minutes into it:
Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks
Glance at the box score, and it looks like KAT’s having a down year. He’s shooting a career-low 47.7% from the field. His 3-point percentage is lower than it’s been since his rookie season. His scoring — per game, per minute and per possession — are all down from last year. And nights like Sunday, when Towns scored just two points in 29 minutes against the Heat — his lowest-scoring game in more than eight years — don’t exactly help.
Look closer, though, and you’ll see that in the second half against Miami — when the Knicks seized control, built a double-digit lead and closed out their 20th win — New York outscored the Heat by seven points in Towns’ minutes, despite him making one measly basket.
Jalen Brunson going full-on Human Torch had plenty to do with that. But so did Towns finding a way to put his fingerprints on the game even when his shot wasn’t falling.
He leveraged his reputational gravity as a knockdown shooter to lift Miami’s bigs out of the paint, creating wider driving lanes. He tapped out offensive rebounds to extend possessions, made the extra pass, and set pin-in screens to give shooters an extra half-second to let it fly. And on the defensive end, he worked hard to box out and contest without fouling, delivered timely dig-downs on drivers, and dove on the floor to finish plays:
Trading for Towns was a bet that his suite of offensive skills would complement Brunson and New York’s wing corps well enough to generate a championship-caliber attack. So far, so good: Even amid Towns’ “down” season — one in which he’s one of just 17 players averaging 22 points per game on .600 true shooting, by the way, which is a hell of a definition of “down” — the Knicks rank No. 2 in the NBA in offensive efficiency, behind only the Nuggets.
KAT doesn’t record many blocks or steals, but he’s been making his presence felt when he contests a shot. Opponents are shooting 57.4% at the rim when he’s defending this season, according to Second Spectrum, his lowest percentage in six years. Being very big and in the right places can be very valuable, especially when you’re also elite at finishing possessions; Towns ranks fourth in the NBA in defensive rebounding rate. And while Towns often got roasted last season by pull-up shooters when playing drop coverage in the pick-and-roll, he’s proven to be much more effective when new head coach Mike Brown plays him higher on the floor — guarding mobile 4s and 5s in space, trapping and blitzing ball-handlers up top, and switching onto bigger wings on the perimeter.
It’s all added up to Towns — someone most fans have long since categorized as a bad defender — sitting tied for 23rd in the NBA in defensive estimated plus-minus, by far the best mark of his career, and placing him in the 94th percentile of NBA defenders this season. Whether he can keep that up as the Knicks move through the toughest stretches of their schedule and through what they expect to be a long postseason run remains to be seen. That he’s done it at all, though, has been a major development for a Knicks team trying to find the right two-way formula to advance to the NBA Finals — and a testament to the ability of even players we treat like known quantities to surprise us.
When you watch San Antonio, and you look elsewhere, you know who tends to grab your eye? No. 5 — the dude sprinting past point-of-attack defenders, bodying up the league’s best scorers, finishing through contact on the interior, and looking like his whole skeleton is made of vibranium:
Only nine players have averaged 18 points and seven assists per game by their age-21 season: Dončić, Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas, Allen Iverson, Stephon Marbury, LeBron James, Trae Young, Ja Morant and LaMelo Ball. Castle’s on pace to become the 10th. He’s also pulling in more than five rebounds per game. Add that filter and the peer group dwindles down to just Magic, LeBron, Luka and LaMelo.
So: You’ve got an electric athlete with great positional size, a relentless motor, a willingness to attack the glass, a penchant for spoon-feeding his teammates easy buckets, the ability to get downhill against damn near anybody, and a scoring profile that verges on top-flight efficiency — a .606 true shooting percentage, well above the league average of .582. That would be an awfully valuable player even if that guy wasn’t an excellent defender. Castle, however, grades out as a top-15 backcourt defender, according to EPM.
To put a finer point on it: According to The BBall Index’s tracking, Castle is one of just three players in the NBA to rank in the 95th percentile or better in average matchup difficulty, perimeter isolation defense and ball screen navigation. The list includes Dyson Daniels, who made the All-Defensive First Team last season, and Ausar Thompson, who very well could be on his way to making it this season. (It also includes Utah guard Svi Mykhailiuk, which makes me think I should watch the Jazz a little more closely?)
(Yahoo Sports)
It would be inaccurate to say that a top-five pick that won Rookie of the Year is unsung or overlooked. It does feel fair to note, however, that it’s not exactly easy to find your own sliver of sunlight when you play in the context of the kind of outsized shadow cast by Wembanyama. But the recent NBA Cup knockout rounds helped illuminate just how exciting Castle is — a precocious sophomore with a veteran’s ability to play through physicality who seems to be getting better at everything, with the exception of 3-point shooting. (And even there, he’s made 40.6% of his triples since returning from a hip injury.) Coming off a pair of victories over the Thunder, another marquee matchup against SGA and the rest of OKC’s perimeter demons might help make it even clearer why the Spurs are reportedly unwilling to even consider including Castle (or ace rookie reserve Dylan Harper) in all those much-trade-machined proposals for the Greek fella up in Wisconsin, or any other superstar who might become available.
Until Castle can curb the turnovers and more consistently knock down his jumpers, he won’t reach the upper echelon of the NBA; he’s not a superstar in his own right just yet. Considering how fast he’s become this good, though — and how quickly the Spurs became a top-three team in the West — you can hardly blame San Antonio’s brass for preferring to sit tight and wait to see if he can’t just become one.
Cooper Flagg, Mavericks
It became very clear very quickly that the Flagg-as-point-guard experiment was going to have diminishing returns for the Dallas offense. It also became very clear very quickly, though, that given how hard Flagg was trying to make it work, and how damn good he still looked while wearing a particularly ill-fitting suit, that he’d be a stunner just as soon as Jason Kidd found another — or, really, a — point guard to put next to him.
And for the last month and a half, the 18-year-old from Maine has looked like the very heights of fashion. Straight-off-the-runway, peak Russ tunnel fit stuff. The Blue Devil wears Prada; hold the Adrian Grenier.
In the 23 games since the Mavs started putting a point guard in the starting lineup and sliding the galloping 6-foot-9 gazelle off the ball to more frequently serve as a finisher than an initiator, Flagg has averaged 20.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.0 blocks per game on 51% shooting. Just for reference, 20-6-4-1-1 while making half your shots isn’t, like, “good for a rookie.” It’s a stat line that only 16 players have managed for a full season since the NBA started tracking blocks and steals in 1973. Twelve of them are Hall of Famers; the four that aren’t are LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid. So, y’know: Pretty decent company.
Granted, doing that for a quarter of the season isn’t the same as doing it for a full campaign. It’s worth noting, though, that the arrow just keeps pointing upward. Since Kidd decided that the point guard starting shouldn’t be D’Angelo Russell, Flagg’s up to 21.8 points per game on 52% shooting. And since Kidd tossed rookie Ryan Nembhard the keys (and Davis got healthy), Flagg’s up to 24.1 points and 4.8 assists per game on 53% shooting, including 58% on 2-pointers.
As Flagg’s workload increases, so does his production and efficiency. Over the last 12 games, he’s posting a .608 true shooting percentage while finishing nearly 26% of Dallas’ offensive possessions with a shot attempt, foul drawn or turnover. That’s star-caliber stuff from a kid who wasn’t even alive when the PlayStation 3 came out.
Flagg hasn’t looked much like a kid in close-and-late situations. In fact, he’s been Dallas’ go-to guy when crunch time rolls around.
Still: 51% inside the arc in crunch time, primarily on self-created buckets where he’s putting his head down and bulldozing through tough defenders in isolation … 83% from the foul line on clutch free throws … with just three turnovers in 96 minutes while toting a 25.5% clutch usage rate? Not bad at all for a just-turned-19-year-old only beginning to learn the league in the midst of rampant organizational upheaval and a raft of injuries to the supposedly load-bearing core pieces around him.
There’s still plenty of work ahead: in developing a jumper threatening enough to dissuade defenders from going under on his ball screens and daring him to either shoot or beat them to the spot; in building the kind of functional strength that’ll keep burlier forwards from playing bully-ball against him on the block, like Saddiq Bey did in Dallas’ loss to the Pelicans on Monday; in braiding together the strands of two-way brilliance he’s shown into the consistency that makes an All-Star. As we look toward what Flagg will be, though, it’s worth appreciating what he is: a friggin’ monster who really has no business being this good this young, and who’s already an absolute joy to watch, night in and night out.
LeBron James, Lakers
For years — decades, even — James has traveled in rarefied air, soaring through the record books and historical ranks in pursuit of what will be one of the most elevated and prominent spots in the NBA’s all-time constellation of superstars. Which is why it arched a few eyebrows when he spent part of his 23rd media day session talking about “moving into space.”
“I spent a lot of time [this offseason] on my catch-and-shoot 3-pointers […] understanding how I can make the most of when I don’t have the ball — you know, moving into space,” James told reporters back in September. “Obviously, Luka and [Austin Reaves are] gonna do a lot of time handling the ball. […] So how can I still be effective on a team where I don’t have to handle the ball as much?”
What sounded at the time like it might’ve been just a savvy vet saying all the right things has actually borne out. Since returning from the sciatica injury that cost him the first 14 games of the season, a period during which a newly svelte Luka got off to an MVP-caliber start and Reaves put himself in the All-Star conversation, LeBron really has more determinedly gotten off the ball.
James is posting the lowest usage rate of his career and attempting fewer field goal attempts per 100 possessions than ever, with 52.2% of his buckets coming via an assist from a teammate — the first time the King has ever more than half of his makes fed to him rather than creating ’em himself. According to NBA RAPM, his on-ball percentage — literally the share of the game he’s got the ball in his hands, which had hovered between 30% and 40% for most of the last dozen years — is down to 18.4%, which slots the leading scorer in NBA history right in between Ayo Dosunmu and Drake Powell.
With Luka and Reaves shouldering the lion’s share of the ball-handling and playmaking responsibilities, LeBron has dramatically reoriented his offensive play style. As ESPN’s Zach Kram recently noted, James is driving, attacking in isolation and running pick-and-roll less frequently than ever. The bulk of the offensive possessions he’s finished have come in transition, where he’s still a freight train once he gets a head of steam, shooting 63.6% and averaging 1.27 points per possession, or as a spot-up threat, where he’s struggled a bit, shooting 8-for-25 from 3-point land off the catch, according to Synergy.
One area in which LeBron has still lorded over the proceedings? Operating from the post, where he can orchestrate a matchup he likes — maybe by setting a screen with a Laker guard to trigger a switch, maybe by having one of them set a pick for him with an empty corner to land him alone on the block against a smaller defender — and put to use all those lessons he learned from Hakeem Olajuwon way back in the day.
Whether it leads to James pressuring the rim himself or drawing help to sling passes to cutters or spot-up targets, the post-up remains an excellent vehicle for big men with great vision to create great looks. LeBron, even as he nears his 41st birthday, is still one of the best in the world at doing just that: Including plays where he passes to a Laker teammate who shoots, his post-ups are generating a sparkling 1.226 points per possession this season, according to Synergy — the 10th-highest rate among 64 players who’ve finished at least 30 such plays this season, and on pace for the highest mark of his career.
As neatly and productively as James has slotted into a tertiary role, though, the Lakers may well need more from him on Christmas Day, with Dončić and Reaves battling injuries. He’s still capable of cranking up his scoring when necessary, as he showed in averaging 30 across a three-game road trip last week. He also, however, hasn’t had to stay cranked up for long — at least, not alone: Just 62 of his 400 minutes this season have come without at least one of Dončić or Reaves on the floor, according to PBP Stats.
Leaning hard on LeBron to consistently create for lineups full of more complementary pieces clearly isn’t the way Lakers head coach JJ Redick would prefer to run things. If that’s what the game calls for, though, don’t be surprised if James presses pause on his stylistic change-up and shifts back to what he’s long done best.
“There’s not one team, not one club, in the world that I cannot fit in and play for,” James said last month. “I can do everything on the floor. So whatever this team needs me to do, I can do it when I’m back to myself.”
I’ve written it anumberoftimesbefore: While Nikola Jokić can drag Denver to a top-five offense, a high-40s/low-50s win total and a puncher’s chance in the postseason, the Nuggets really only become the Nuggets when Murray is healthy, in shape, locked in and dealing. And man, has Murray been all four of those things this season.
Throughout his NBA career, the Canadian guard has developed a reputation as a slow starter — a player who needs some time in the late fall and early winter to find the rhythm on his jumper and get his game all the way thawed out before hitting his stride midway through the season. This helps explain why, despite being one of just six NBA players to average at least 20 points and six assists per game with an effective field goal percentage (which accounts for 3-pointers being worth more than 2-pointers) of .550 over the past six years — a list that includes four league MVPs and Luka — Murray has yet to earn a single All-Star selection.
Your mileage may vary as to whether the 28-year-old is the best active player not to make an All-Star team; CJ McCollum, Nicolas Batum, Derrick White and Murray’s teammates Aaron Gordon and Jonas Valančiūnas, among others, all have arguments in their favor. Considering he was the starting point guard on an NBA champion, though, he’s got a decent case.
Whatever you think of the merits of that case, it might soon become a moot point. Murray’s been playing at an All-Star level since the opening tip, dispensing with the thawing-out period and just getting off to the best start of his career, averaging 25.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game — all career highs — while knocking on the door of the 50/40/90 club. (And, in fact, flirting with joining Stephen Curry, Steve Nash and Steve Kerr in the 50/45/90 club. Three Steves and a Jamal. Pretty good gang.)
Ratcheting up his 3-point volume and accuracy, while also drilling a scorching 48% of his long midrange Js, has resulted in the most efficient shooting of Murray’s career: 1.29 points per shot attempt, the 12th-best mark of any player using at least 20% of his team’s offensive possessions, according to Cleaning the Glass, just behind Curry and Kevin Durant. He’s been lethal firing out of the pick-and-roll: Among players finishing at least five plays per game as a ball-handler in the two-man game, only SGA’s averaging more points per possession on those actions than Murray, according to Synergy’s tracking.
When Murray’s at his best, though, he’s pairing the threat of his three-level scoring — the ability to touch the paint, finish in traffic and get to the free-throw line; to weave his way into pockets of space in the midrange; and to pull up from well beyond the 3-point arc — with great court vision and steady playmaking. He’ll never be the primary facilitator in Denver with Jokić at the controls, but he’s notched the assist on 28.8% of his teammates’ baskets during his time on the floor while turning it over on just 10.2% of the Nuggets’ offensive possessions. That’s an elite combination of table-setting and temperance, matched this season only by Gilgeous-Alexander, Brunson and Maxey — All-Star, All-NBA-caliber company on the ball.
Add it up, and Murray’s been one of the very best offensive performers in the league this season — top 10 in offensive estimated plus minus and top-five in offensive win shares, among other metrics — and a vital, source of consistency for a Nuggets team that’s had to navigate extended injury absences for starters Gordon and Christian Braun. Denver’s been able to do so on the strength of its offense, which not only leads the NBA in points per possession this season, but is running hot on the heels of the Dirk-and-Nash-led 2003-04 Dallas Mavericks for the best offense since the ABA-NBA merger in 1976, according to Jared Dubin’s era-adjusted efficiency numbers at Last Night in Basketball.
Jokić, as ever, is the driver of that historic output. Without Murray to serve as his counterpoint, though — his inverted screen-setter, his eternal dance partner, forever a threat to drop a nuke on a defense that tilts too heavily toward the big fella — the Nuggets wouldn’t have nearly as much fire as they put opponents on ice.
“The way he’s playing, he [scores] 52 and you think you’re gonna come out and shoot 25 times — why not?” Nuggets head coach David Adelman told reporters earlier this month. “He goes 8-for-16 instead and gets 23 [points] and 12 [assists] and just kind of takes whatever the game is giving him. … He’s playing as good as anybody right now.”
Does the NBA’s Christmas Day schedule mean anything?
As we power rank the 10 teams playing on this yuletide holiday, it is an interesting question in the aftermath of the NBA Cup, which made early-season games feel more meaningful.
Unlike the NFL’s three-game Christas Day slate, which boasts only two playoff-bound teams across three mostly meaningless games, the NBA’s five games feature 10 potential postseason teams, including nine of (15-15)
A new motto for the once-proud Warriors, via coach Steve Kerr: “There is something beautiful in the quest. Because we love it so much, because we love what we do, there really is a beauty in the collaboration, the journey, the quest to hang in there and maybe reach the mountaintop one more time. You just can’t quantify it. But we all know inside what that journey means to us.”
Cooper Flagg celebrated his 19th birthday. Nobody but LeBron James and Kobe Bryant scored more points in the NBA at so young an age. “He’s playing high-level basketball at the age of 18,” said Mavericks coach Jason Kidd. “Through Duke and his first couple of weeks here, he’s been playing extremely well, and we believe at the age of 19 it’s just going to get better.” Watch out.
Coach Kenny Atkinson is downplaying his Cavs’ struggles. “I call it ‘the dip,’” he said. “You’ve got to manage the dip. It’s really important. Very rare does [the season] just go [on an upward trajectory]. Maybe OKC this year; that’s one team in this league. … Everybody else, we’re going through the ups and downs; kinda normal in an NBA season.” (This is not normal for Cleveland.)
Wolves coach Chris Finch was run by the officials from their win over the Thunder, but his outburst, which spurred Minnesota to the upset, could be the motivation this team needed to recapture its back-to-back Western Conference finals juju. “I’ve never seen him run on the court,” said Naz Reid. “I’ll take it. It got us going, flipped the script. It was exciting to see.”
LeBron James has a pretty good idea of why the Lakers are so good. “It’s Luka Magic,” he said. “He’s just so damn good. It’s ridiculous.” And coach JJ Redick has a pretty good idea of what it takes to succeed around James and Luka Dončić. “Defend and shoot 3s,” he said. Now, to contend, the Lakers need more players who can do both. Maybe they will fall into their laps, too.
Rockets coach Ime Udoka didn’t mince words when his team blew a game to Sacramento after a big win over Denver the night before. “We had a game yesterday that we were much more motivated for,” he said. “Just to let the [Kings] hang around the way that we did was a lot due to us. … I’ve got to do a better job of getting them motivated in games against lesser opponents.”
Devin Vassell issued a word of warning to the NBA for whenever Victor Wembanyama — playing his way back from a calf strain — returns to his regular workload for the Spurs, who have won seven straight (save for the Cup final): “The impact he has on both ends of the floor is just amazing. And to see that he’s doing it on a minutes restriction, the league is in trouble.”
Still fresh from an MVP effort in the NBA Cup, Jalen Brunson showed out in another win over Miami. “You want to have an MVP on your side,” said Knicks coach Mike Brown. “For him to score 47 points, 15 for 26 from the field, 6 of 13 from 3, 11 of 11 from the line, and dish out eight assists … that’s what MVPs are supposed to do.” And, yes, Brunson is in that conversation.
Nikola Jokić submits a new entry into the MVP discussion every night. In fact, Jokić — already a three-time winner of the award — has been so good, so consistently, that David Adelman is running out of ways to characterize the planet’s best player. “The efficiency has been through the roof,” the Nugs coach said. “He’s just having a hell of a season, man. That’s all I can say.”
When it comes to their holiday shopping, the Yankees are much more patient than, say, a kid hankering for the season’s hottest toy. While the Yanks still have much to do this winter, including retaining a key performer, they have slow-played things like a parent saying, “We’ll see” regarding a potential yuletide bauble.
The Yankees will make more additions. Of course they will. Some of their fans might be antsy since the rest of the AL East seemingly opened their gifts early. But there are plenty of targets remaining for what the Yankees need, both in the trade and free agency aisles.
If they need some guidance, we are here for them, like a personal shopper for the holiday hot stove. With that in mind, here’s our wish list for the Yankees for the rest of the offseason.
This is an easy one, like when your partner says, “Get me this” for a holiday gift and leads you to it on the shelves. Buy it, wrap it and hand it over on the appropriate date. Don’t overthink it.
Bellinger can play all three outfield positions, plus first base. He’s a lefty who hit very well in Yankee Stadium last year (.909 OPS at home) and looked so comfy it was like he’d been on the Yankees for years. There’s value in knowing that someone can sparkle in New York. Bellinger can.
If Ben Rice struggles defensively at first base, Bellinger can take over. If they need him to start in left or center, no problem, though Trent Grisham accepted the Yanks’ qualifying offer and seems set in center. Re-signing Bellinger also would give the Yankees trade chips in either Jasson Domínguez or slugging prospect Spencer Jones. Or both.
Bellinger is probably the tipping point to the rest of the Yankee offseason.
More pitching
Pitching is like cash gifts at the holidays. Who doesn’t want more of that? The Yanks have, on paper, a powerful rotation. But both Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón won’t be ready to start the year, so they might need help beyond Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, Luis Gil,and Will Warren. Because of injury last year, Gil only threw 57 innings in the regular season; Schlittler, in his first MLB experience, tossed 73.
While the Blue Jays added big in their rotation with Dylan Cease, there are plenty of pitchers remaining who could help the Yankees, including those still available in free agency, such as Framber Valdez and Ranger Suarez. Both are top-of-the-market types, though.
They could investigate import Tatsuya Imai, a 27-year-old free agent who had a 1.92 ERA in Japan last season. Former Yankee Tyler Austin, who signed with the Cubs after six years playing in Japan, recently lauded Imai, a righty, in an appearance on MLB Network Radio. And Imai probably appeals to fans, considering he talked earlier this offseason about wanting to be part of dethroning the Dodgers.
Or the Yankees could dip into the trade market for MacKenzie Gore, the 26-year-old lefty with the Nationals, or Freddy Peralta of the Brewers.
Or maybe they just need a mid-tier stopgap type. Earlier this winter, we suggested righty Tyler Mahle, who had a 2.18 ERA over 16 starts with the Rangers. He’s only had one full season of starting, when he made 33 starts for the Reds in 2021 and delivered 180 innings. But the Yanks might not need him to pile up frames.
Relief-wise, the Yankees need a rebuild after ranking 23rd in bullpen ERA (4.37) last year and walking too many opposing hitters.
Several of their deadline acquisitions came with control, so closer David Bednar is back, as are Camilo Doval and Jake Bird. They re-signed Tim Hill,which gives them a proper lefty, and Fernando Cruz and his nasty splitter remains in their ‘pen.
But Devin Williams and Luke Weaver signed with the Mets as free agents, so there’s room for more high-leverage arms. In recent years, the Yankees have also been really good at mining relievers from unheralded stock, so it’s possible they find solid set-up help in that fashion again. Or maybe Pete Fairbanks, one of the top relief arms still available, can fit.
Oct 8, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) forces out Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Ernie Clement (22) and tries to turn a double play during the eighth inning during game four of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Pick a tune on Jazz
Jazz Chisholm Jr. enjoyed a strong 30-30 season and should be ensconced at second base for at least this year. But he’s also drawn trade interest in his final season before free agency.
Should the Yankees seek an extension with their athletic middle infielder, who brings much-needed verve and swag to the roster, to say nothing of abundant skill? They don’t do extensions often and some recent ones fizzled. Or should they flip Chisholm for a contact-oriented hitter to pair with their power?
Shortstop clarity?
This one might be far-fetched, even on a wish list, something akin to a teen who just got their driver’s license asking for a Corvette with a big bow on the roof as their primary holiday present. Anthony Volpe will not be ready for the start of the season as he recovers from shoulder surgery, so anything permanent with this position is likely tabled until he’s ready to compete. José Caballero will fill in and, perhaps, make inroads on the job.
But the Yanks still believe in Volpe, regardless of fan angst over his play, or A-Rod’s cracks about their organizational hitting philosophy. Or at least say they do. They won’t commit to anything until Volpe’s healthy.
The holidays are a mega-busy time, of course, and you don’t have to be Kris Kringle himself to have lots to do.
Take David Stearns, for example.
The Mets’ baseball boss is reshaping the roster this winter, having already waved goodbye to blue-and-orange stalwarts from Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo to Edwin Díaz and Jeff McNeil.
He’s added Marcus Semien, Jorge Polanco, Devin Williams and Luke Weaver, among others — but there’s more to do.
So, David, bundle up and head out to the stores — no, wait, that’s us last-minute holiday shoppers. Stearns does need to make some moves, though, even if it’s without the frenzy of Fifth Avenue or a bedecked mall.
That’s where we come in, as helpful elves. We offer a wish list for the Mets to complete over the rest of the baseball hot stove season. Check it twice, if you like.
An ace
The Mets have a lot of rotation inventory right now, don’t they?
Nolan McLean seems assured of a spot, since he was one of the best pitchers in baseball over his eight starts last season. Clay Holmes was really good in his first season in the rotation, finishing ninth in the NL in ERA, and is a lock, too. David Peterson had a wobble or two, but also was terrific for a long stretch. Can Kodai Senga and Sean Manaea rebound? We’ll see. And then there’s Jonah Tong and Brandon Sproat, two very promising prospects.
But there’s no top-of-the-rotation monster.
Yes, we know McLean could become that. But pitching is such a precious commodity and generally needed in such bulk during the slog that is 162 games that it makes sense for the Mets to pursue a No. 1. That could come in free agency or trade.
They’ll be involved if Tarik Skubal or Freddy Peralta become available. Should they explore Framber Valdez or Ranger Suarez, both free agents? Maybe their appetite is only whetted if either will sign a short-term deal.
Whatever happens (or doesn’t), it sure feels like the Mets need an ace as a holiday home run. The same way a certain generation of kids needed the original Xbox, right?
A CF fix
There are numerous ways the Mets could cover center field this year, but it’s tricky because of highly-regarded prospect Carson Benge. Benge, who turns 23 next month, is the center fielder of the future, isn’t he? Stearns even said early in the offseason that Benge could push to break spring camp with the Mets in ‘26.
Of course, Benge has only 103 plate appearances as high as Triple-A — he started last season in Brooklyn and ascended.
If he’s almost ready, they only need a stopgap and maybe they can start Tyrone Taylor for a month or so while Benge gets more seasoning. Or, if they go for a big splash, they could sign Cody Bellinger, use him in center until Benge is ready and then put Bellinger in left. Or use Bellinger at first base. The one drawback is that Bellinger is likely to command a long-term, pricey deal. Stearns has been trimming commitments this winter, at least so far.
Oct 2, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger (35) runs to home plate in the fourth inning against the Boston Red Sox during game three of the Wildcard round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
But Benge batted .178 with a .583 OPS in Triple-A, so he may need a longer stage of development in the minors. In that case, Bellinger fits nicely in center, maybe for all of 2026. If not him, Luis Robert Jr. of the White Sox, appears available in trade.
Or perhaps someone like Harrison Bader would serve well, especially with Bader coming off his best bat season (.796 OPS, 17 homers). Bader, as Mets fans doubtless remember, is a sensational defensive outfielder. Run prevention, anyone?
More relief
Not to get Grinchy about this, but the Mets bullpen, even with the work already done, needs more.
Williams will close, Weaver will be the top setup man and the Mets seem to have lefties covered with Brooks Raley and A.J. Minter. Maybe Sproat can morph into a multi-inning relief weapon, the Athletic reported the Mets are examining that idea.
The Mets were 27th in starter innings last season, so their relievers got a lot of work. They had the third-most relief innings in MLB. They were 15th in bullpen ERA — better than both World Series teams, incidentally — and had the sixth-highest bullpen WAR, according to FanGraphs. Maybe they were riding on Díaz’s coattails, no? He had a tremendous season.
In any case, another high-leverage arm, whether by trade or free agency, would do more to comfort the Met fan than a fresh egg nog in front of a warm fireplace this time of year.
A second at first?
Polanco figures to play a lot of first, a role he said he began preparing for last season while with the Mariners.
As a former middle infielder, he surely has the hands to make the transition, right? Of course, the Mets have charged a guy with one pitch of game experience at the position with helping them boost their run prevention. There’s risk involved.
So perhaps they’ll look to add at the position.
Paul Goldschmidt, a free agent with a great glove who bats right handed, is available. Yes, that’s yet another former Yankee crossing over, but maybe he fits this niche need.
Here’s another idea: Eugenio Suarez on a short deal would fit their need for righty thump and give them another option at third base. Since they are moving players to first base this winter, perhaps Suarez can get reps there, too. He played there three times last year, which is more than Polanco did.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder play the San Antonio Spurs on Christmas Day, one of five NBA games broadcast that day. Here’s how to watch. (Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images)
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect / Reuters
If you didn’t already have enough going on on Christmas Day between opening presents and carving roast beast, the NBA has once again gifted us with a daylong roster of games to keep fans occupied well into the night. There are five NBA Christmas Day matchups, all of which will air on ABC and ESPN, and will stream on platforms like DirecTV, Fubo, and ESPN Unlimited.
Kicking things off at 12 p.m. ET is a game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and recently crowned NBA Cup winners, the New York Knicks. After that is a matchup between the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder, followed by the Dallas Mavericks vs. Golden State Warriors, and the Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers. The night will end with a 10:30 p.m. ET contest between the Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets. After which point, you’ll be ready for a long winter’s nap.
A complete schedule of the day’s events is below, including tip-off times, how to watch, and more. Here’s everything you need to know about this week’s Christmas Day NBA games.
Which teams are playing basketball on Christmas Day?
The NBA’s Christmas Day games have been a part of the league’s schedule for years, and this year, there will be five back-to-back games broadcast on ABC and ESPN on Thursday. The schedule for the day is as follows:
Thursday, December 25
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks, 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT (ABC, ESPN)
San Antonio Spurs vs. OKC Thunder, 2:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. PT (ABC, ESPN)
Dallas Mavericks vs. Golden State Warriors, 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT (ABC, ESPN)
Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers, 8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT (ABC, ESPN)
The Phillies’ bullpen focus continued Monday with the signing of right-hander Zach Pop, pushing the club’s 40-man roster to 39 and reinforcing where much of its winter attention has been directed.
Bullpen additions shape outlook for 2026
At the Trade Deadline in July, the Phillies’ priority was finding a lockdown closer. They acquired Jhoan Duran, but inconsistent middle relief exposed weakness down the stretch and in the NLDS. Those struggles have informed much of the club’s offseason work.
Last week, the Phillies signed right-hander Brad Keller to a two-year, $22 million deal, adding a steady late-inning option.
“We love Keller,” president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said at Friday’s media availability. “We really think he’s one of the best in the business. We really like the way the bullpen now shapes up.”
Keller emerged as one of the league’s more reliable relievers in 2025, posting a 2.07 ERA over 69 2/3 innings. The 30-year-old was particularly effective in a setup role, facing 135 batters in the eighth inning, limiting opponents to a .135/.179/.189 slash line.
“All of our scouting work, our analytical work, our pitching people — between Caleb [Cotham] and the rest of the group — everybody thinks he’s a legit back-end type guy,” Dombrowski said.
The metrics support that confidence. Keller’s average fastball velocity jumped 3.4 mph from 2024 (93.7) to 2025 (97.1). That coincides with his shift from the rotation to the bullpen in a full-time capacity.
“I wouldn’t say I expected a four-mile-per-hour jump,” Keller said during his introductory press conference Monday. “But I did feel like I worked really hard, cleaned up mechanical things and started focusing on using my lower half.”
The bullpen has continued to evolve. The Phillies traded left-hander Matt Strahm to Kansas City for right-hander Jonathan Bowlan, then acquired left-hander Kyle Backhus from Arizona later that same day. The result is a deeper, more diverse group built around matchups and versatility at Rob Thomson’s disposal.
Update on Realmuto
The Phillies remain without a definitive everyday option behind the plate.
Entering his age-35 season, a three-year contract would be rare. Per MLB Trade Rumors, only two catchers have signed deals of that length entering that age season: Carlos Ruiz (three years, $26 million in 2013) and Yadier Molina (three years, $60 million in 2017).
Ruiz posted a .670 OPS and averaged 1.4 WAR over that span. Molina produced a .738 OPS with an average 1.5 WAR. Since joining the Phillies in 2019, Realmuto has averaged 3.6 WAR per season.
Whether Philadelphia ultimately meets Realmuto’s price or looks to an alternative, his value — both offensively and in managing a pitching staff — remains significant. Any contingency plan would more likely come via trade than from a thin free-agent catching class.
Where the payroll stands
The Associated Press tracks payroll figures for all 30 clubs each season.
Last season, the Phillies’ payroll was reported at $264,314,134, representing an increase of more than $50 million year over year. Whether the club reallocates money via trade or adds Realmuto as the final 40-man spot remains to be seen.
Harper commits to World Baseball Classic
Bryce Harper’s 2026 campaign will begin early.
The Phillies’ first baseman announced on Instagram that he intends to represent Team USA in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
“Put the colors on my chest for the first time when I was 15,” Harper wrote. “No other feeling like it. I’m excited to announce I will be representing Team USA this year in the WBC.”
Harper, 33, joins Kyle Schwarber, who announced his commitment moments before he re-signed with the Phillies. The tournament runs from March 5–17 during Spring Training.
Team USA manager Mark DeRosa had a need at first base. He found his answer.
