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Friday, February 6, 2026

Nets waive G Cam Thomas after trade deadline

February 06, 2026
Nets waive G Cam Thomas after trade deadline

The Brooklyn Nets ended their sometimes sour relationship with guard Cam Thomas on Thursday by waiving him.

Thomas signed a $5.9 million qualifying offer last summer after he and the Nets could not agree to contract terms. Brooklyn reportedly tried to shop him before the Thursday trade deadline.

Now he is in an unrestricted free agent instead of being restricted, which would have given the Nets the right to match any offer sheet.

"Super excited, ready to actually help and contribute to another team," Thomas, 24, told ESPN. "My next team is getting elite scoring, good playmaking and a good combo guard."

Thomas ranked second on the team with a 15.6 scoring average and averaged 3.1 assists and 2.0 turnovers per game in 24 contests (eight starts) this season after missing 20 games because of a strained left hamstring.

He was Brooklyn's leading scorer in the 2023-24 regular season (22.5 ppg) and averaged a team-best 24.0 scoring average in only 25 games in 2024-25 before he was limited by hamstring issues.

For his career, Thomas averages 15.2 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 23.3 minutes in 239 regular-season games (88 starts).

Brooklyn selected Thomas with the 27th overall pick of the 2021 NBA Draft.

--Field Level Media

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Knicks acquire G Jose Alvarado from Pelicans

February 06, 2026
Knicks acquire G Jose Alvarado from Pelicans

The New York Knicks acquired guard Jose Alvarado from the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for guard Dalen Terry and two second-round draft picks on Thursday ahead of the NBA trade deadline.

Field Level Media

New Orleans also sent the draft rights for Latavious Williams to New York.

Alvarado, 27, is averaging 7.9 points, 3.1 assists, 21.9 minutes and a career-high 2.8 rebounds in 41 games as a reserve this season. The native of Brooklyn, N.Y., posted career-high averages of 10.3 points, 4.6 assists and 24.4 minutes in 56 games (23 starts) last season with the Pelicans.

For his career, all with New Orleans since the 2021-22 campaign, Alvarado is averaging 8.1 points, 3.1 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 20.3 minutes in 268 regular-season games (34 starts).

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Terry, 23, was traded earlier from the Chicago Bulls to the Knicks for forward Guerschon Yabusele, 30.

Terry averaged 3.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 11.1 minutes in 34 games off the bench this season for the Bulls. His career averages in parts of four seasons are 3.5 points, 1.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 11.1 minutes in 204 games (seven starts).

Chicago selected Terry with the 18th overall pick of the 2022 NBA Draft out of Arizona.

Williams, 36, was picked in the second round of the 2010 draft by the Miami Heat but has never played in the NBA. He is currently playing for Al-Ittihad Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.

--Field Level Media

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A capsule history of the T20 World Cup

February 06, 2026
A capsule history of the T20 World Cup

A brief history of the T20 World Cup:

Associated Press

2007 in South Africa

Final: India def. Pakistan by 5 runs

Four years after England invented Twenty20 cricket, the first T20 World Cup (then World Twenty20) blasted off in the opening match where Chris Gayle scored the first international T20 century, 117 off 57 balls (10 sixes) and Zimbabwe upset Australia the next day. In the final at the Wanderers in Johannesburg, India posted 157-5 on the back of Gautam Gambhir's 75 from 54. Pakistan was on track until slowed by bowlers Irfan Pathan, RP Singh and Joginder Sharma. Pakistan needed six runs off the last four balls with one wicket left then Misbah-ul-Haq skied Sharma to Sreesanth at short fine leg.

Tournament MVP: Shahid Afridi, Pakistan

2009 in England

Final: Pakistan def. Sri Lanka by 8 wickets

In the group stage, the Netherlands beat England at Lord's, and Australia was eliminated after two losses in two matches. The final pitted Pakistan against Sri Lanka, just three months after a dozen gunmen fired on the Sri Lanka cricket bus and match officials' minivan in Lahore. Seven players were injured, and three of them played in the T20 final. Sri Lanka batted first at Lord's and was soon 2-2 and 32-4. Kumar Sangakkara's anchoring 64 helped them to 138-6. The chase was paced well and Shahid Afridi hit the winning leg bye in an unbeaten 54. They reached 139-2 with eight balls to spare and Pakistan won its first world title in 17 years.

Tournament MVP: Tillakaratne Dilshan, Sri Lanka

2010 in Caribbean

Final: England def. Australia by 7 wickets

Afghanistan made its debut in a major men's event and didn't win a match. Australia reached the final at Kensington Oval undefeated. England, without a first-round win, advanced on net run rate then swept its Super 8s group and semifinal. David Hussey rescued Australia from 8-3 with 59 in a 147-6. England made no race of the chase. Craig Kieswetter, 63 off 49, and Kevin Pietersen, 47 off 31, shared 111 for the second wicket. With three overs to spare, England won its first world title.

Tournament MVP: Kevin Pietersen, England

2012 in Sri Lanka

Final: West Indies def. Sri Lanka by 36 runs

New Zealander Brendon McCullum's 123 off 58 balls against Bangladesh remains the highest score in tournament history. Sri Lanka beat the West Indies by nine wickets in the Super 8s. In the final in Colombo, Marlon Samuels' 78 off 56 pegged West Indies to 137-6 from 87-5. Then they turned around and squeezed the home team. Samuels, Sunil Narine — 3-9 off 22 balls — Daren Sammy and Samuel Badree bowled a combined 13.4 overs, conceded 54 runs and took seven wickets. They celebrated by dancing 'Gangnam Style' on the field.

Tournament MVP: Shane Watson, Australia

2014 in Bangladesh

Final: Sri Lanka def. India by 6 wickets

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In the Super 10s, the Netherlands thrashed England. Sri Lanka ended the West Indies' title defense in a rain-affected semifinal, then easily chased down India's measly 130-4 in the final in Dhaka. India was propped up by Virat Kohli's 77 off 58 until he was run out going for a second run. Kumar Sangakkara led Sri Lanka's charge to 134-4 with 2.1 overs to spare with an unbeaten 52 off 35. He and Mahela Jayawardene, having lost two previous T20 finals, bowed out of T20 cricket as world champions.

Tournament MVP: Virat Kohli, India

2016 in India

Final: West Indies def. England by 4 wickets

Afghanistan successfully defended 123 against the West Indies but the latter advanced to the semifinals. The West Indies knocked out India in the semifinals with the highest successful run chase in playoff history. In the final at Eden Gardens, Joe Root's 54 off 36 led England to 155-9. The Windies needed 19 runs off the last over bowled by Ben Stokes, and Carlos Braithwaite hit 6-6-6-6 to win the final with two balls to spare.

Tournament MVP: Virat Kohli, India

2021 in United Arab Emirates

Final: Australia def. New Zealand by 8 wickets

The COVID-19 pandemic forced the tournament to move from Australia to India to the UAE, and was delayed for a year. In the Super 12s, Pakistan beat India for the first time in 13 attempts in a 20-over or 50-over World Cup. The final in Dubai between unbeaten teams saw Kane Williamson's 85 off 48 lead New Zealand to 172-4, the highest total in a final. Australia surpassed it with seven balls to spare thanks to David Warner's 53 off 38 and Mitch Marsh's unbeaten 77 off 50. Glenn Maxwell applied the coup de grace with a boundary past short third man for 173-2 and Australia's first T20 crown.

Tournament MVP: David Warner, Australia

2022 in Australia

Final: England def. Pakistan by 5 wickets

In the preliminary round, the West Indies lost to Scotland and Ireland, and Sri Lanka lost to Namibia. There was more drama in the Super 12s: Ireland beat England, Zimbabwe defeated Pakistan, the Netherlands upset South Africa, and Australia's title defense ended on net run rate after a 4-run win over Afghanistan. Pakistan, with two losses, reached the final. England crushed India by 10 wickets in the semifinals then restricted Pakistan to 137, Sam Curran taking 3-12. Pakistan pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi went off injured in the final and England cruised to victory on Ben Stokes' unbeaten maiden T20 half-century.

Tournament MVP: Sam Curran, England

2024 in the United States and Caribbean

Final: India def. South Africa by 7 runs.

The first major ICC World Cup tournament to have matches in the U.S. certainly gave the home team an extra boost. The fledgling U.S. team opened with a seven-wicket win over Canada and then stunned Pakistan with a shocking upset in a so-called "Super Over" tiebreaker after the match finished with both teams posting totals of 159. The Americans placed second behind India in Group A and advanced to the Super Eights round, where they were beaten along with the co-host West Indies. Afghanistan upset Australia in the Super Eights to advance with India to the semifinals but lost in a lopsided contest against South Africa. India held off South Africa in the final to become the first team to go through the T20 world tournament undefeated.

Tournament MVP: Jasprit Bumrah, India

AP T20 World Cup:https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

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Thursday, February 5, 2026

Austin Reaves scores 35, Lakers overcome Luka's injury departure for 119-115 win over Sixers

February 05, 2026
Austin Reaves scores 35, Lakers overcome Luka's injury departure for 119-115 win over Sixers

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Austin Reaves scored 35 points in just 25 minutes, and the Los Angeles Lakers overcame Luka Doncic's departure with a left leg injury for a 119-115 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday night.

Associated Press Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, center, dunks as forward Jarred Vanderbilt, left, watches along with Philadelphia 76ers forward Justin Edwards, second from left, forward Trendon Watford, second from right, and guard Quentin Grimes during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Philadelphia 76ers forward Dominick Barlow, left, and Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic reach for a rebound during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, left, shoots as Los Angeles Lakers forward Dalton Knecht defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Los Angeles Lakers forward Jake LaRavia, second from right, shoots as Philadelphia 76ers guard Kelly Oubre Jr., left, center Joel Embiid, second from lef and guard Tyrese Maxey defend during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

76ers Lakers Basketball

LeBron James had 17 points and 10 assists for the Lakers, who snapped Philadelphia's five-game winning streak with a big second-half rally in their first game back from a draining eight-game road trip.

Joel Embiid had 35 points and Tyrese Maxey added 26 points and 13 assists for the 76ers, who blew a 14-point lead and nearly came back from a 16-point deficit in the second half of their first loss since Jan. 26.

The Lakers led 110-94 with four minutes left, but Philadelphia closed the gap to 116-113 when rookie VJ Edgecombe stole James' inbounds pass and hit a 3-pointer with 36 seconds to play. James made eight turnovers.

But Maxi Kleber fed Rui Hachimura for a dunk with 12 seconds left, and the Lakers hung on.

With 12-of-17 shooting and five 3-pointers while coming off the bench, Reaves was phenomenal despite playing on a minutes restrictionin his second game backfrom a 5 1/2-week absence with a calf injury.

But just when the Lakers' core was finally healthy again,Doncic went downduring their fifth win in seven games.

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The NBA's leading scorer limped to the locker room with 3:03 left in the first half after apparently hurting his leg on the far end of the court moments earlier. He didn't return for the second half due to what the Lakers called left leg soreness.

Reaves, Doncic and James were playing in only their 10th game together during a season in which all three have struggled with significant injuries.

The Lakers took their first lead with Reaves' back-to-back 3-pointers to open the fourth on a 21-6 run.

76ers: At Phoenix on Saturday.

Lakers: Host Golden State on Saturday.

AP NBA:https://apnews.com/NBA

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Warriors erase 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat the Suns 101-97

February 05, 2026
Warriors erase 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat the Suns 101-97

PHOENIX (AP) — Pat Spencer scored a career-high 20 points, Gui Santos added 18 and the shorthanded Golden State Warriors erased a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat the Phoenix Suns 101-97 on Thursday night.

The Suns had a chance to pull ahead in the final seconds, but Dillon Brooks missed a 3-pointer and Golden State's Gary Payton II came up with the rebound before Moses Moody fed De'Anthony Melton for a layup as time expired.

Phoenix took an 82-76 lead into the fourth quarter after holding Golden State to 17 points in the third. The Suns pushed the advantage to 90-76 less than two minutes into the fourth after Collin Gillespie hit 3s on back-to-back offensive possessions.

But the Warriors weren't done, methodically cutting into the advantage before Melton made a layup to tie the game at 97-all with 55.8 seconds remaining. Santos made a fast-break layup with 28.7 seconds remaining to put Golden State up 99-97.

Brooks led the Suns with 24 points. Grayson Allen had 21. Phoenix made just six field goals in the fourth quarter, scoring just 15 points.

Allen fed Oso Ighodaro for a dunk that gave the Suns a 97-91 lead with 3:55 left, but they didn't score again. Allen landed awkwardly a few moments later, left the game with a little more than three minutes left and did not return. The Suns said it was a right knee injury.

The Suns were without guards Devin Booker (ankle) and Jalen Green (hamstring/hip). The Warriors didn't have Stephen Curry (knee) or new forward Kristaps Porzingis, who hasn't joined the teamafter being acquired from the Hawks in a trade.

The Warriors took a 59-55 lead into halftime after attempting 37 3-pointers and making 15. Spencer led Golden State with 15 points before the break on five 3-pointers. Brooks had 15 for the Suns.

Porzingis is expected to join the Warriors on Friday in Los Angeles, but coach Steve Kerr was skeptical he'd be ready to play against the Lakers.

Also on Thursday, the Warriors announced they traded reserve forward/center Trayce Jackson-Davis to the Raptors for a second round pick.

Warriors: At Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday.

Suns: Host 76ers on Saturday.

AP NBA:https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

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Spring training roster battles: From the Red Sox's infield to the Mets' rotation, these contenders have positions to sort out before Opening Day

February 05, 2026
Spring training roster battles: From the Red Sox's infield to the Mets' rotation, these contenders have positions to sort out before Opening Day

While most MLB teams spend the offseason attempting to address the most glaring needs on their rosters, many still arrive at spring training with a few unsettled spots. Competitions for these roles in camp — whether on the backfields under the watchful eyes of front-office officials and coaches or in front of fans in Cactus and Grapefruit League action — are often some of the most compelling storylines in the weeks leading up to Opening Day.

Yahoo Sports

Here's a look at eight position groups that promise to be highly scrutinized as they're sorted out in spring training:

Boston Red Sox: Second base and third base

Last year's Opening Day Red Sox lineup featured marquee free-agent signing Alex Bregman at third base, the major-league debut of top prospect Kristian Campbell at second base and the beginning of Rafael Devers' short-lived tenure as Boston's designated hitter. In the chaotic year since, Campbell flourished then floundered, Devers was traded in stunning fashion, and Bregman helped lead Boston to the postseason before departing in free agency. Whew.

With Bregman and Devers gone, trade acquisition Willson Contreras at first and Campbell looking to restore his value whilefocusing on playing the outfield, second and third base are in flux for the Red Sox. Recentreported signingIsiah Kiner-Falefa provides some versatile infield depth, but his lackluster bat leaves him better suited for a bench role. Among the candidates for the starting infield jobs, 23-year-old Marcelo Mayer is the most exciting, having been among the hyped trio of hitting prospects who debuted last season, along with Campbell and budding superstar Roman Anthony. Wrist surgery ended Mayer's rookie campaign prematurely; is he ready to take on an every-day role, or would Boston prefer to platoon him if his struggles against southpaws persist?

The most straightforward alignment would seem to be Mayer at third and the right-handed Romy Gonzalez — who crushes southpaws — at second. But if Boston prioritizes favorable matchups and/or defense, Kiner-Falefa (RHH), speedy second baseman David Hamilton (LHH), Nate Eaton (RHH) and Nick Sogard (switch-hitter) could factor into these two spots on a rotating basis. There won't be room for all of them on the roster, so how camp unfolds — and if another addition is made before Opening Day — will play a big role in determining Alex Cora's infield strategy.

Houston Astros: Corner outfield

Manager Joe Espada wants Yordan Alvarez to DH as much as possible, a reasonable preference but also one that exacerbates the current logjam of corner infielders; Houstonis still trying to solvehow to give regular at-bats to Isaac Paredes and Christian Walker with Carlos Correa entrenched at third base. Meanwhile, uncertainty abounds in the outfield.

The Jose Altuve outfield experiment appears to be over. Alvarez's days in the grass will be limited moving forward. Several others who have appeared in Houston's outfield recently — Mauricio Dubón, Chas McCormick, Jacob Melton, Cooper Hummel — are no longer in the organization. Jake Meyers, an elite defender in center field, is still in the fold, despite trade rumors swirling around him. But who will flank Meyers in the corners?

Lefty slugger Jesús Sánchez arrived from Miami via trade in July but didn't do much slugging with Houston; can he redeem his acquisition after a lackluster introductory stint? Cam Smith was the prize in the trade return for Kyle Tucker, but he faded hard in the second half of his rookie season and has a lot to prove this spring. Two homegrown hitters named Zach — Cole (LHH) and Dezenzo (RHH) — have tantalizing power but big swing-and-miss issues. Former top prospect Taylor Trammell remains on the depth chart as a more seasoned, if still unproven option. Each corner outfield candidate offers hints of optimism and a healthy dose of concerns. If the Astros want to return to October, at least one of these hitters will need to step up.

San Diego Padres: First base and second base

The Padres made one of the more interesting additions of the winter when they gave 29-year-old Korean infielder Sung-Mun Song a four-year, $15 million deal. An unremarkable role player for thefirst eight years of his careerwith the Kiwoom Heroes, Song's 144 wRC+ranked seventh in the KBOover the past two seasons, and his defensive acumen at multiple infield spots helped fuel his market as a major-league free agent. That versatilityappealed to San Diegoas it sought to backfill the void in the lineup and infield left by Luis Arraez and Ryan O'Hearn, who both departed in free agency. But Song's exact fit remains unclear.

Primarily a third baseman in Korea, Song also has experience at first and second. And with Manny Machado still manning the hot corner in San Diego, Song's primary role will come on the right side of the infield. The other main character in that dynamic is Jake Cronenworth, who also can handle first and second base and is coming offa sneaky stellar season. Defensively, that gives new manager Craig Stammen flexibility to deploy Song and Cronenworth however he sees fit on the right side.

But Song's bat is a much bigger question as he adjusts to major-league pitching. If struggles at the plate demote him to more of a bench role, the Padres don't haveany proven internal optionsto pick up the slack; other infielders pushing for roster spots include Will Wagner, Mason McCoy, Samad Taylor and Pablo Reyes. That puts real pressure on Song to make an impact right away if San Diego's position-player group is going to stack up in the ultra-competitive NL West.

Toronto Blue Jays: Corner outfield

The Blue Jays were plenty busy making moves this offseason, but their highest profile pursuit — of outfielder Kyle Tucker — fell short. Chasing Tucker wasn't about a pressing present need as much as it was seeking a long-term anchor in the outfield, as George Springer and Daulton Varsho are both slated to hit free agency after this season. And even with Varsho and Springer still in the fold, the Blue Jays have some things to sort out in the outfield in the short-term. Varsho's big power and fantastic glove provide a strong starting point in center, but what happens at the two corner spots will depend on myriad factors.

First and foremost: Can Anthony Santander — owed nearly $70 million over the next four seasons — bounce back after an injury-riddled first season as a Blue Jay? Restoring his bat is paramount, but his ability to play competent defense in left or right field will also be important if Toronto wants to keep the 36-year-old Springer at DH. Addison Barger flashed legitimate star power on both sides of the ball during Toronto's pennant run, but both he and the late-blooming Nathan Lukes — another key cog in October — have a lot to prove against left-handed pitching if they're going to sustain regular roles. Davis Schneider and Myles Straw also remain as useful right-handed complements. There aren't any top prospects on the doorstep of the majors, but keep an eye on Yohendrick Pinango and RJ Schreck, upper-level bats who could make some noise in camp.

Can this group of familiar faces — plus new Japanese slugger Kazuma Okamoto, who projects to primarily handle third base but could factor into the left field mix — backfill the void left in the lineup by departed mainstay Bo Bichette? That's the biggest question facing Toronto's position-player group. A lot is clearly riding on Okamoto, but there's ample pressure on the holdovers to step up, too, especially in the outfield.

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Milwaukee Brewers: Fourth and fifth starting pitchers

Milwaukee executed its traditional gambit of trading away a franchise favorite before he reached free agency, dealing Freddy Peralta to the Mets in exchange for top prospects Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat. Brandon Woodruff, the longest-tenured Brewer, remains atop the rotation after accepting the qualifying offer, but the rest of Milwaukee's starting staff is filled with relatively new names. Two of those pitchers — breakout fireballer Jacob Misiorowski and effective trade acquisition Quinn Priester — should have firm grips on rotation roles behind Woodruff. But the two other spots look to be up for grabs, setting up a competition in camp to determine the Opening Day rotation.

Three arms will be at the forefront of the conversation. The most experienced is Chad Patrick, who emerged as an unlikely rookie contributor in the rotation during the regular season but transitioned to the bullpen for the stretch run and shined as a reliever in October. It's tempting to watch Patrick in relief — throwingmarkedly harderthan he did as a starter — and wonder if the bullpen is where he could make the greatest impact. But Milwaukee is flush with bullpen options, making it more likely that Patrick stays stretched out and vies for a rotation job.

He'll be competing with two rookie-eligible right-handers, Brandon Sproat and Logan Henderson. Both pitchers showed flashes of potential in their brief major-league stints last season, and each appears in the back half of most of the recently released Top 100 prospect lists. How Sproat adjusts to his new organization and how Henderson returns from the flexor strain that ended his 2025 campaign in August will help clarify who is prepared to seize a rotation spot to open the season.

Another name worth mentioning is Robert Gasser, who had a strong initial cameo in 2024 before undergoing Tommy John surgery. He returned to the mound at the end of 2025 and will be looking to rediscover his pre-surgery form in 2026. He could provide a lefty alternative for a rotation depth chart loaded with right-handers.

L.A. Dodgers: Fifth, sixth (and seventh?) starting pitchers

It's no secret that the reigning champs have amassed a spectacular amount of starting pitching talent. That was already true a year ago, and since then, the unit has only elevated further, with Shohei Ohtani's return to the mound and Yoshinobu Yamamoto's legendary October heroics. Clayton Kershaw's retirement removed one accomplished arm from the rotation, but Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow remain as unquestioned frontline pitchers.

But while that quartet is as formidable as any starting staff in the world, the depth chart beyond it is also crucial. If we've learned anything in recent years, it's that it takes a whole lot more than five starters to make it through a 162-game season, plus a deep playoff run, and the Dodgers know that as well as any team. Fortunately, there's a huge group of talented hurlers beyond Los Angeles' top four who will be jockeying for roles as big-league starters at Camelback Ranch.

Roki Sasaki begins an utterly fascinating sophomore campaign after faltering badly as a rookie in the regular season before shining in relief in October. The Dodgers are intent on returning him to the rotation, but can he make the adjustments to succeed as a starter and stay healthy while doing so? Conversely, Emmet Sheehan looked terrific as a starter in the regular season before a more uneven showing in relief during the postseason. He looks to have surpassed Sasaki on the depth chart, but he'll need to reinforce that this spring. Several others with big-league experience — Justin Wrobleski, Ben Casparius, Kyle Hurt, Landon Knack — continue to straddle the starter/reliever line. Then there's a couple of key injury returners in right-handers Gavin Stone and River Ryan, each looking to regaintheir impressive pre-surgeryform. Bobby Miller is still around, too.

On paper, it's an embarrassment of riches, but these arms also represent pivotal depth for when injuries inevitably happen. Some portion of these pitchers are bound to contribute to Los Angeles' effort to three-peat; exactly which ones remains to be seen.

Philadelphia Phillies: Outfield

It's rare to see a team be blatantly transparent about its intention to put a yet-to-debut prospect on the Opening Day roster. But the Phillies have not been shy whatsoever about how much they are counting on 22-year-old Justin Crawford to be their center fielder in 2026. The son of four-time All-Star outfielder Carl, Justin spent all of 2025 at Triple-A and showed an exciting blend of speed and contact resembling that of his father's prime. Now Philadelphia appears ready to lean on him to add a youthful component to a lineup loaded with grizzled veterans.

The Phillies' willingness to hand Crawford the starting center-field job is refreshing in an era when so many teams are overly cautious and/or prioritizing service-time considerations. But Crawford isn't a consensus top prospect whom evaluators regard as a slam-dunk to contribute right away, let alone blossom into an impact player. That puts some pressure on Philadelphia's confidence in Crawford to be validated quickly, especially within the context of an outfield that features uncertainty in the corners, with Brandon Marsh's ongoing platoon challenges and the addition of Adolis Garcia coming off two wretched campaigns.

Starting a rookie in center field on Opening Day would be one thing if he were flanked by two rock-solid contributors, but that's not the case here. There's upside with this unit, but Crawford and Garcia will need to perform well in a hurry as the only two new faces in a lineup that has otherwise stayed the same.

New York Mets: Starting rotation

As Peralta leaves behind a Brewers rotation filled with younger pitchers, he joins a Mets staff with a wealth of veteran rotation candidates, all of whom come with major questions. While Peralta and budding ace Nolan McLean are locks to occupy the top two rotation spots in Queens, you can make a case for about six other pitchers to fill out the remaining three jobs as things stand.

Clay Holmes looks like the safest bet of this group — an unexpected sentiment, given his career trajectory — but also the one with the lowest demonstrated upside. Lefty David Peterson was fantastic in the first half of 2025, earning an All-Star nod, but awful down the stretch, posting a 6.34 ERA after the break. Sean Manaea is by far the highest-paid of the bunch, but his second season in Queens was marred by injuries, making it difficult to forecast his contributions. Kodai Senga is enigmatic from both durability and performance standpoints, and his name has floated in trade rumors all winter. If that quartet of veterans fails to produce enough reliable starters, 22-year-old Jonah Tong looms as an exciting rookie candidate. There's also 26-year-old Christian Scott, who will be looking to make a mark in camp after missing all of 2025 following Tommy John surgery.

New York's dramatic offseason makeover of its offensehas been astonishing to watch, but recall that the team's second-half collapse last year was largely fueled by disarray on the mound. Peralta will help, but a lot will depend on the rest of the pitchers in-house to up their games if the Mets are going to get back on track, and that should be a big focus in Port St. Lucie this spring.

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Super Bowl 60 odds, betting: Bettor hedges Seahawks futures bet potentially worth $3 million to guarantee multimillion-dollar profit

February 05, 2026
Super Bowl 60 odds, betting: Bettor hedges Seahawks futures bet potentially worth $3 million to guarantee multimillion-dollar profit

Despite Seattle's preseason win total of 8.5 (-125 to the under atBetMGM) and the 12th-best odds to make the postseason in the NFC (+170) before the season began, one bettor loved the Seahawks to not only make the playoffs and win the NFC but also winSuper Bowl LX.

[Check out all of Yahoo's sports betting content here in our betting hub]

Yahoo Sports was first to report a Nevada bettor at BetMGM wagered $50,000 on three separate Seahawks-related futures back in August — $150,000 in total — which would win just under $4.5 million if Seattle wins Super Bowl LX, marking the franchise's first championship since Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014.

The three bets:

  • $50,000 on the Seahawks to win Super Bowl 60 at 60-1 odds to win $3 million

  • $50,000 on the Seahawks to win the NFC at 28-1 odds to win $1.4 million

  • $50,000 on the Seahawks to make the playoffs at +185 odds to win $92,500

The Seahawks clinched a postseason berth a few weeks ago to win the first $50,000 bet andbeat the 49ers 13-3in Week 18 to secure the No. 1 seed in the NFC and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

After Seattle's victory over the Rams on Jan. 25, that bettor cashed his second ticket worth $1.4 million.

The $50,000 wager on Seattle to win Super Bowl 60 currently carries thelargest liability of any reported NFL futures wager at U.S. sportsbooks, after a $50,000 bet at 66-1 odds on the Chicago Bears to win Super Bowl 60 came up short when theBears fell 20-17 to the Rams in overtimeat home in the divisional round.

The bettor recently came back in on the other side to hedge his Seahawks bet, wagering $725,000 on the New England money line at +195 odds at BetMGM. That bet would win more than $1.4 million and ensures that the bettor will win roughly $1.5 million on the Super Bowl and be up nearly $3 million on all his wagers — no matter the outcome of the big game.

Yahoo Sports also confirmed Circa Sports in Nevada took two large wagers on the Seahawks at 75-1 odds to win Super Bowl 60 with "seven-figure liability" from a new customer in late August and that Seattle is the sportsbook's worst futures outcome as a result.

The Seahawks are 4.5-point favorites in Super Bowl LX against the New England Patriots.

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