Category: Sport

Mike Wagner, a former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back who played a significant role in the franchise’s Steel Curtain dynasty, has died at 76, the franchise announced Wednesday.

No cause of death was provided. Steelers owner Art Rooney II provided the following statement about Wagner’s contributions to the team:

We are deeply saddened by the passing of Mike Wagner, a tremendous player and an integral part of some of the most successful teams in Pittsburgh Steelers history.

Mike played a key role on our championship teams of the 1970s. As a member of four Super Bowl-winning teams, his toughness and consistency were paramount to our secondary. His contributions on the field were significant, but it was also his steady presence and team-first mentality that truly defined him.

On behalf of the entire Pittsburgh Steelers organization, we extend our heartfelt condolences to Mike’s family. He will always be remembered as a champion, a great teammate, and a proud member of the Steelers family.

The Steelers drafted Wagner, an NAIA All-American at Western Illinois, in the 11th round of the 1971 NFL Draft, as the 268th overall pick.

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As he recounted in a profile with his fraternity, Wagner didn’t make the varsity team until his junior year of high school, saw little interest from college football programs and only made the WIU team after requesting a tryout from the school’s head coach in late September. He balanced his football career with a job waiting tables.

Once he reached the Steelers in 1971, he got a starting safety job as a rookie after an injury opened up a spot. Over the next 10 seasons, he would notch 36 interceptions and earn two Pro Bowl nods while starting for all four Super Bowl teams.

Wagner caught the game-sealing interception against Fran Tarkenton and the Minnesota Vikings in the Steeler’s first title game at Super Bowl IX, then recorded another big interception against the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl X, as the Steelers’ website explains:

Early in Super Bowl X, Roger Staubach hit Drew Pearson, coming across the middle, for a 29-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead. The Cowboys called the play again in the second half, and Mike Wagner stepped in for an interception that led to a field goal in what became a 21-17 Steelers win. “Wagner gambled and won,” said Staubach. “I didn’t see him.”

Wagner retired in 1981 after 10 seasons with Pittsburgh. He was inducted into its Hall of Honor in 2020 and remained in the area for the rest of his life.

There’s no pressure in sports like Olympic pressure, as years of preparation culminate in a performance that can last a matter of minutes or even seconds and where one small misstep can crush an athlete’s dreams.

If one falls short of his or her goals, he or she may not face another shot at achieving them four grueling years later.

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Few sports in the Games embody that pressure like figure skating, where athletes jump, spin and glide across ice on a blade with all eyes in the arena and millions more from around the world watching on TV. Missteps await at every turn.

Amber Glenn’s ‘soul-crushing’ short program

U.S. skater Amber Glenn experienced such a misstep Tuesday night. A technical mistake in her short program tanked her score, threatening to shatter her Olympic dreams and leaving her in tears after her program.

It wasn’t a glaring gaffe or a fall that left her sprawled on the ice. Instead of a planned triple loop, she executed a double. And that was enough to invalidate the element and erase all seven potential points that came with it.

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That dropped her from likely medal contention and expectations all the way down to 13th place, leaving her in need of perfection in Thursday’s free skate and a lot of mistakes by skaters ahead of her to return to contention.

Glenn knew the ramifications as soon as she landed the double, which arrived toward the end of her routine. Her face and her body language told the story as the energy and joy that marked the start of her skate was gone.

When she was done, she broke into tears on the ice and reached out for a consoling hug from her coach.

Glenn opens up

On Wednesday, Glenn returned to the ice to practice for Thursday’s free skate. And after bypassing media availability in the painful aftermath of her skate, she explained to reporters what Tuesday night felt like to her.

“I have always been known to wear my heart on my sleeve, which is what makes me relatable, but it also makes it hard for me to hide how I feel,” Glenn told reporters, per Time. “And in that moment, it was soul-crushing. Because I did the hard stuff, and it was the easiest thing, my favorite jump, that just got away from me.”

Glenn then appeared to reference a moment in men’s downhill skiing Monday when gold medal contender Atle Lie McGrath missed a slalom gate and was immediately disqualified on his second of two runs. He responded by throwing his poles, taking off his skis and walking off the course to the adjacent woods.

“You can’t fix it,” Glenn continued. ” I didn’t get to skate off like I see in other sports, where you make a mistake and you’re done and you just kind of [go] off into the woods.

“I wish I could do that. But they expect you to smile, and they expect you to still perform, like you’re having the time of your life, when in reality your dreams were just smashed to pieces.”

Glenn doesn’t blame Olympic pressure

Glenn said that her mistake was not a product of Olympic pressure. Sometimes things just happen, she explained.

“It wasn’t the pressure that got to me, it was just a literal lack of balance,” Glenn said. “Like, I just kind of, like, lost my balance for a second. And, you know, stuff happens.”

Glenn is a vocal mental health advocate who’s spoken candidly about her struggles with depression and anxiety. She doesn’t conceal her feelings. To those familiar with her story, it was no surprise to see her wear her emotions on her sleeve Tuesday night.

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She said Wednesday it wasn’t the realization that her Olympic medal hopes were reduced to a long shot that upset her. It was that she lost the joy of skating on Olympic ice after her fateful double loop.

Glenn intends to regain ‘happiness’ in free skate

Medal shot or not, regaining that joy of skating on Olympic ice is Glenn’s goal for Thursday’s free skate.

“I was devastated because I lost the happiness and the enjoyment that I wanted to have out there on the ice to say, ‘I fought for everything, I did everything I could,’” Glenn said. “That’s what I truly wanted, and that’s what I missed out on.

“So that’s what I’m hoping to do tomorrow. When I was little, I always imagined me doing a spiral and looking up and being like, ‘I’m at the Olympics.’ That’s what I want.”

Somebody had to lose Wednesday night.

In one of the best games of the men’s college basketball season, it was Arkansas. The 20th-ranked Razorbacks got 49 points out of star freshman Darius Acuff Jr., but it wasn’t enough as No. 25 Alabama survived a double-overtime thriller for a 117-115 win.

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After hitting a late 3 to force overtime and two free throws in the extra session to help force the second OT, Acuff and the Razorbacks had a look to extend the game to a third overtime. But Acuff’s floater missed high off the glass, and Malique Ewin clanged a putback dunk off the back of the rim.

Alabama secured the rebound as time expired and held on for the two-point win.

Acuff’s monster night headlines big games all around

Acuff, a freshman guard averaging 21.2 points and 6.3 assists per game who’s a potential lottery pick in June’s NBA Draft, had one of the best individual games of the season.

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He averaged almost a point per minute while shooting 16 of 27 from the field and 6 of 10 from 3 en route to 49 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Billy Richmond added 20 points and 6 rebounds. Meleek Thomas posted 24 points and 6 rebounds while shooting 6 of 8 from 3.

But it wasn’t enough against a resilient Alabama team that got 35 points and 7 assists from Labaron Philon Jr. as one of four Crimson Tide starters with 15-plus points.

Aiden Sherrell added 26 points and 13 rebounds while shooting 10 of 13 from the field for the Tide. His teammate Amari Allen also double-doubled with 19 points and 11 rebounds.

It added up to a night of sensational basketball from both teams that wasn’t decided until 50 minutes ran off the clock.

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Back-and-forth drama down the stretch

Arkansas took control early with an explosive first half and went into the break with a 57-47 lead. It then extended the lead to 75-62 in the second half before Alabama mounted its rally.

The Crimson Tide retook the lead at 80-79 on a Philon 3. And a pair of Aden Holloway free throws gave Alabama a 95-92 lead with 18 seconds remaining.

But Acuff answered on the other end with a 3-pointer to reach 40 for the game with 11.9 seconds remaining.

The shot ultimately forced overtime.

The game then went to another overtime when Acuff’s pull-up jumper missed the mark as time expired. It remained back and forth through most of the second overtime until Philon found a wide-open Houston Mallette in the corner to extend Alabama’s lead to two possessions in the final minute at 117-113.

Arkansas responded with a bucket and a late stop to set up its last possession. But both looks at a game-tying bucket missed the mark, and Alabama walked away with a win in front of a raucous home crowd.

Dan Hurley and the Huskies suffered a rare, bad loss at Gampel Pavilion on Wednesday night.

No. 5 UConn fell apart down the stretch and allowed Creighton, which has struggled all season in a down year in Omaha, to pick up a very solid 91-84 upset win. That was by far the biggest victory of the season for the Bluejays, who sit at just 14-13 and need some help in order to even make the NCAA tournament.

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The loss for UConn was just the team’s third all season, but it both put their hopes at claiming a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament in serious risk and opened the door for Rick Pitino and St. John’s to take the Big East title. The Red Storm survived a scare of their own later on Wednesday night and beat Marquette 76-70 in Milwaukee to take the lead in the conference standings.

Creighton had no issue keeping up with UConn all night. The Bluejays entered the locker room tied with the Huskies, and then mounted a huge 14-5 run in the second half while shutting down UConn’s offense almost completely. They forced a stretch in which the Huskies missed 10 of 11 shots, too, and briefly pushed their lead to 12 points before cruising to the seven-point win.

Blake Harper likely sealed the deal after he drilled a huge corner 3-pointer just seconds after a Silas Demary layup on the other end. Harper’s bucket pushed Creighton’s lead to 10 points with just 90 seconds left.

Josh Dix led Creighton with 21 points and eight rebounds, and Nik Graves added 18 points. Harper finished with 12 points off the bench.

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The win seemingly came out of nowhere for the Bluejays. They entered Wednesday night’s game having lost six of their last eight. The only wins during that stretch came by a combined two points. They were just 1-8 against Quad I teams up until this point, too.

An NCAA tournament bid is likely out of the question for Creighton, however, unless it manages to knock off No. 17 St. John’s on Saturday in New York and goes on a run in the Big East tournament. Wednesday’s win, however, was a big step to getting that done.

Braylon Mullins led UConn with 25 points and six rebounds, and Demary added 17 points and nine assists. Star Alex Karaban was held to just two points after he shot 1-of-6 from the field, marking his worst output of the season.

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UConn, after starting the season winning 22 of its first 23 games, has now lost twice in its last four after falling at St. John’s last week. And if they aren’t perfect, or close to it, the rest of the way, securing a top seed in the NCAA tournament could be out of reach.

The rematch between the two teams leading the Big East next week is suddenly that much more important heading into the conference tournament.

On Wednesday evening, Bruce Meyer was officially elected as the new interim executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association. The news, which comes less than 48 hours after the shocking resignation of former head honcho Tony Clark, was first reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Meyer, 64, was previously the union’s deputy executive director and chief negotiator. He will serve as executive director on an interim basis as the union prepares for a contentious collective bargaining showdown with the league this coming winter.

Matt Nussbaum, who had been the MLBPA’s general counsel, was promoted into Meyer’s old role. However, sources indicate to Yahoo Sports that Meyer’s job will be largely unchanged. Bargaining will remain his priority, while Nussbaum is set to assume many of the day-to-day responsibilities of running the union, responsibilities that once belonged to Clark.

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Meyer’s unanimous election by a committee of 72 players — 38 major leaguers and 34 minor leaguers — is the culmination of a tumultuous few days for what is considered the most powerful union in American sports. Clark, who had held the MLBPA’s top position since 2013, stepped down Tuesday after it was alleged that he had an inappropriate relationship with a union employee — an employee who, salaciously, also happened to be his sister-in-law.

The eight players on the union’s executive subcommittee — Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes, Detroit’s Tarik Skubal, Miami’s Pete Fairbanks, New York’s Marcus Semien, Baltimore’s Chris Bassitt, San Diego’s Jake Cronenworth, Los Angeles’ Brent Suter and Tampa Bay’s Cedric Mullins — found out about Clark’s misdeeds earlier in the week as part of a broader investigation into potential financial improprieties via the subcommittee’s outside counsel, Adam Braverman. Clark and the union remain under investigation by multiple federal agencies for allegedly misappropriating funds related to an MLBPA-sponsored youth organization called Players Way.

But player sources told Yahoo Sports that Braverman informed the subcommittee that — to his knowledge to this point — Meyer does not appear to have been involved in any of Clark’s potential malfeasance. The same is true of Nussbaum. In fact, neither has been officially accused of anything related to either of the investigations swirling around Clark.

This entire saga unfolds at a crucial time for the union, with the current collective bargaining agreement set to expire Dec. 1. Although the two sides will negotiate between now and then, the league and its owners are widely expected to lock out the players. Burgeoning fan frustration about small-market frugality and big-market extravagance has intensified calls for a salary cap. Major League Baseball remains the only large-scale American sports league without a cap; such a mechanism has long been opposed by the MLBPA.

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Into that context steps Meyer, a career labor lawyer who joined the MLBPA in 2018 after a stint with the NHL Players Association. Brought in by Clark to bolster the union’s negotiating prowess, Meyer played a significant role in the 2022 CBA talks, an agreement generally considered to have been a win for players.

He has, however, been a polarizing figure. In 2024, a group of players attempted to have Meyer removed from his role at the moment he boarded a flight to Korea for the season’s opening series. Clark and other allies rallied to Meyer’s defense, and Harry Marino, the union lawyer behind the mutiny, threw in the towel.

Meyer lacks Clark’s charisma and playing background. Others have critiqued him for being too aligned with agent Scott Boras, though Meyer has, both on and off the record, vehemently denied such assertions. He is far from a social butterfly, and his intense, wintry demeanor does not lend itself to the hobnobbing typically associated with a top union job.

But many of those same characteristics, union sources say, make Meyer a formidable presence at the bargaining table. He is not afraid to say no. He does not cower from a fight. He is well-versed, passionate and unconcerned with how others perceive him. So while he wouldn’t be anybody’s choice to host “Saturday Night Live,” Meyer remains uniquely positioned to lead the union into the breach.

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That is why he received unanimous support from the players on Wednesday. A segment of players had wanted to elect Meyer on a Tuesday night call, but others wanted to discuss things with their teammates first. On Wednesday, across spring training complexes in Florida and Arizona, that’s exactly what happened, with players at both the major- and minor-league levels holding meetings to debate next steps. In the end, Meyer emerged as the most reasonable, most logical choice.

Distracting as this entire soap opera has been, players and union officials remain resolute that Clark’s obscene exit does not threaten their position ahead of the upcoming labor battle. Some, granted anonymity to speak freely, even contended that Clark’s role in previous negotiations was more marginal than publicly understood, that it was Meyer’s show and will continue to be.

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“We don’t expect anything to change in terms of bargaining,” Meyer told members of the media, including Yahoo Sports, on Wednesday morning before his elevation to interim executive director. “We’ve been preparing for bargaining for years. Players have been preparing. Players know what’s coming. At the end of the day, you know, leadership is important, and leadership comes and goes, but what remains is the players.”

Editor’s note: An earlier edition of this piece stated that Meyer and Nussbaum had not been “completely absolved.” It has been updated to reflect that the pair have not been accused of any wrongdoing.

Chinese freestyle skier Eileen Gu will be leaving the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics with at least two silver medals. She could add one more medal to her total if she can qualify for Saturday’s women’s skiing halfpipe final.

The 22-year-old Gu entered these Olympics as a favorite to win multiple gold medals. Four years ago in Beijing she won the women’s big air and halfpipe events, while earning a silver medal in slopestyle.

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Despite not having a haul of gold medals with the Milan Cortina Games winding down, Gu doesn’t look at that as a disappointing result. When asked Tuesday if she sees her silver medals as “two golds lost,” Gu laughed off the question and offered her perspective of her career accomplishments.

“I’m the most decorated female freeskier in history. I think that’s an answer in and of itself,” Gu said. “How do I say this? Winning a medal at the Olympics is a life-changing experience for every athlete. Doing it five times is exponentially harder, because every medal is equally hard for me, but everybody else’s expectations rise, right?

“So, the two medals lost situation, to be quite frank with you, I think is kind of a ridiculous perspective to take. I’m showcasing my best skiing. I’m doing things that quite literally have never been done before. And so I think that is more than good enough, but thank you.”

Along with her five Olympic medals, Gu is a two-time world champion, three-time X-Games winner and even won two gold medals at the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics. That’s a very decorated career, even at the age of 22.

Gu’s hard work has paid off, literally, as she was the fourth-highest earning female athlete in 2025, earning upward of $23 million. According to Sportico, all but $20,000 of that $23 million came from endorsements.

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The American-born Gu has been a controversial figure for her decision to compete for China, where her mother is was born. Last year, she, along with another American-born athlete who competes for China, were paid a combined $6.6 million by the Beijing Municipal Sports Bureau in 2025 for “striving for excellent results in qualifying for the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics.”

With the NBA returning from the All-Star break and heading into the final eight weeks of the season, there are still some opportunities in the futures market that provide strong value and won’t tie up funds for a long time.

Here are a few futures bets worth considering right now.

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L.A. Lakers under 48.5 regular-season wins

The Los Angeles Lakers have the eighth-hardest strength of schedule remaining. They are often put on national TV against other strong marquee teams because of the increased attention. The Lakers have a backloaded schedule.

According to current market ratings, combined with their current record and remaining schedule, they are projected to win 47 games. This also does not factor in that Lebron James often sits on the second leg of back-to-backs, Luka Dončić is coming back from injury to a minutes restriction, and Austin Reaves went into the All-Star break coming off the bench and playing limited minutes because of a calf injury.

Given the number at 48.5, the projection at 47, the hard schedule and increased likelihood they sit stars during some schedule-loss games, the Lakers under was my first midseason futures bet.

L.A. Clippers under 41.5 regular-season wins

I used similar criteria to project the Clippers’ win total. I used market ratings and current record combined with remaining schedule and got to 41 wins, almost spot on with the market number of 41.5.

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However, the Clippers just traded James Harden and Ivica Zubac at the deadline and gutted their roster to get younger and collect future assets. It is unknown when Darius Garland is going to return.

Both their offense and defense took major hits that should cause some setbacks, leaving Kawhi Leonard with a massive usage rate to keep this team afloat. Brook Lopez has looked very slow footed and cannot provide the defensive backbone Zubac did. If Kawhi sits out any games, this team will likely take a dive in the wrong direction.

The Clippers’ actions show the front office is prioritizing future seasons, and it’s tough to envision a postseason run. Thus far, Leonard has played most back to backs, but I wonder if that shifts as the season nears the end and they are locked into a play-in seed. Their market rating right now might be the highest it is all season.

Cleveland Cavaliers to win Eastern Conference and NBA Finals (+300, +1200)

I am looking to back the Cavaliers in futures markets right now before they show us what a full roster looks like with the recent addition of James Harden and the returns of injured players Evan Mobley and Max Strus.

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This team has by far the best shooters in the Eastern Conference, and I suspect it will finish the season and go into the playoffs as the clear favorites in the Eastern Conference. The Cavaliers consistently take sharp action in games vs. the New York Knicks, and I seriously doubt the Pistons’ chances in the playoffs, where spacing likely creates some issues.

The Pistons showed their hand at the deadline by not making a big win-now move, letting this team do what it can and considering 2025-26 a successful season.

On the other hand, the Cavaliers clearly want to win now by trading 26-year-old Darius Garland for a piece that is healthy and can bolster both their offense and defense in Harden.

Yes, Harden can bolster the Cavaliers’ defense. Historically, Garland would get picked on because of his size, and then Donovan Mitchell would have to also guard up in size and be exploited a bit as well and get worn down physically. If Harden is good at one thing defensively, it’s guarding against bigger plays, which allows Mitchell to go back to guarding his true PG position. This is an upgrade on both ends for the Cavaliers.

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to win MVP (-200 or better)

Right now the biggest caveat in the MVP market is forecasting games played with the 65-game minimum required to qualify for NBA awards.

Gilgeous-Alexander has missed seven games and can miss 10 more. Nikola Jokić is the next contender for MVP, but if he misses just one more game he is disqualified. Gilgeous-Alexander went into the All-Star break not playing because of an abdominal injury. Based on the reported timing of his recovery and the Thunder’s upcoming schedule, I would predict SGA sits vs. the Brooklyn Nets on Friday and returns when the Thunder face the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday.

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I am waiting for SGA to be ruled out on Friday and striking this bet Friday night or Saturday morning before he is potentially announced back for Sunday. SGA was north of a -700 favorite before sitting a few games with his injury and being able to get this below -200 right before he returns will be perfectly timed and a huge discount.

Hat tip to my friend, Joe Dellera, at Action Network for pointing out this schedule quirk as the OKC Thunder return from the break.

In the modern era, large, guaranteed contracts force teams to set most of their roster before Spring Training begins. But there are still some occasions where players wage an old-fashioned battle for a specific role, relying on their Spring Training performance to impress their coaching staff and the front office.

[Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Baseball league for the 2026 MLB season]

Here are several positions that will be hotly contested in Florida and Arizona this spring. Please note that I omitted closer competitions, as those battles could fill an entire article on their own.

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Position Players

Baltimore Orioles RF: Dylan Beavers vs. Tyler O’Neill

Although Beavers wasn’t dominant in a late-season trial with the Orioles, he did just enough (.775 OPS) to be considered for an Opening Day lineup spot. The 24-year-old has a respectable mix of power and speed, and his premium plate patience is his main calling card. Meanwhile, O’Neill, one of baseball’s most inconsistent and injury-prone players, is coming off a disappointing season in which he logged three injured list stints and hit .199 in 54 games. But O’Neill still has two seasons remaining on a significant contract and is just one year removed from producing 31 homers and an .847 OPS in his lone season with the Red Sox.

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Prediction: Money talks, which means that O’Neill will get a second chance to make a first impression with the Orioles. He will receive most of the early-season opportunities, with Beavers either working as a reserve player or returning to Triple-A to receive regular playing time. O’Neill is an excellent late-round dart throw in deep formats.

Tampa Bay Rays LF/RF: Chandler Simpson vs. Jake Fraley vs. Jonny DeLuca vs. Justyn-Henry Malloy vs. Jacob Melton

What a mess. The Rays grabbed Fraley off waivers in November, traded for Melton in December and purchased Malloy from the Tigers in January. Those three will throw their hats into the ring against DeLuca, who has a meager career .648 OPS, and Simpson, who could hit .300 and lead the majors in steals but has no power and is a subpar fielder.

Prediction: Simpson is the only draftable member of this group, and he will be overvalued unless he is working out of the leadoff spot. Melton will be the odd-man out, but by July, he will have returned from Triple-A and will earn more playing time than all the others in the second half. Keep an eye on Malloy in AL-only leagues, as the Rays will value his ability to draw walks.

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Pittsburgh Pirates SS: Nick Gonzales vs. Konnor Griffin

The No. 1 prospect in most publications, Griffin is ready to join Paul Skenes as the future of the Pirates. Truthfully, there is no battle here – the Pirates simply need to decide if Griffin is ready to start his clock. His 2025 slash line (.333/.415/.527) says yes. His age (19) says no. Gonzales is merely an innocent bystander who will either play shortstop or work as a utilityman.

Prediction: Normally an extremely cautious organization (see: Bubba Chandler, 2025), the Pirates will get as wild as they can, and promote Griffin in May, a few weeks after he turns 20. I hope I’m wrong, but those who wisely stash this generational prospect will need to wait about six weeks before they reap the rewards.

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Detroit Tigers SS: Kevin McGonigle vs. Zach McKinstry

A top-five overall prospect in virtually every publication, McGonigle has a career .922 OPS in the minors but has not reached Triple-A. He could skip that level and replace McKinstry, who is coming off his best season (.771 OPS) but has a lifetime .680 OPS and profiles more as a utility player.

Prediction: The Tigers open the season with McKinstry and give McGonigle one month in Triple-A before calling him up in May. The 21-year-old is worth stashing in most leagues.

New York Mets LF: Carson Benge vs. Tyrone Taylor

Mets fans are excited about Benge, as the 2024 first-round pick has emerged as the organization’s top prospect and is knocking on the door to debut. His main competition is Taylor, who is a capable fielder and has a respectable career .706 OPS. Brett Baty, who has not played the outfield in the majors but was pushed into a utility role over the winter, could also factor into the mix.

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Prediction: Mets fans won’t like this one. Unless Benge becomes the biggest story of camp, he will open the season in Triple-A, with Taylor and Baty sharing left field. Benge will be one of the hottest waiver wire options when he debuts in May.

Cincinnati Reds 1B/LF: Sal Stewart vs. JJ Bleday vs. Spencer Steer

The addition of Eugenio Suárez tied up the DH spot, which leaves first base for either Stewart or Steer. If Stewart wins the job, Steer will either work as a utility player or claim left field at the expense of Bleday, who was released by the Athletics after struggling last season.

Prediction: After posting a .905 OPS across Double-A and Triple-A last season, Stewart has nothing left to prove in the minors. He will play first base, as the Reds need his powerful bat in the lineup. Steer and Bleday will share left field, but it won’t be a straight platoon split. Expect both players to earn about 350-400 at-bats, which will keep them on waivers in mixed leagues.

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Rotation Battles

Boston Red Sox SP5: Johan Oviedo vs. Connelly Early vs. Payton Tolle

While the additions of Sonny Gray and Ranger Suárez grabbed the headlines, the Red Sox made a smaller trade to improve their rotation depth by adding Oviedo, who logged mixed results (3.57 ERA, 42:23 K:BB ratio) in nine starts after returning from Tommy John surgery. He will compete with Early and Tolle, who each had their moments in late-season auditions. Early fared so well that he was tabbed to start the deciding game of the Wild Card series against the Yankees last season.

Prediction: Oviedo has one minor-league option remaining, and the Red Sox will use it. Early has more upside and will get the final spot for an organization that is intent on challenging the Blue Jays and Yankees. Early is a viable final-round option in deep leagues.

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Texas Rangers SP5: Jacob Latz vs. Kumar Rocker

Rocker was supposed to be a star by now. Unfortunately, injuries took a toll on him, and he has a lifetime 5.45 ERA over 17 starts. Latz was solid as a reliever last year and posted a 2.72 ERA over eight starts. Set to turn 30 shortly after Opening Day, he’s the fallback option if Rocker continues to struggle this spring.

Prediction: Rocker will show just enough during Spring Training to push Latz back to the bullpen. That being said, fantasy managers can leave the 26-year-old on waivers unless he thrives in April.

New York Mets SP 3/4/5: Sean Manaea vs. David Peterson vs. Kodei Senga vs. Clay Holmes vs. Jonah Tong

With five contenders for three rotation spots, the Mets are the envy of most teams. Manaea is coming off a dreadful season (5.64 ERA) but was excellent the previous year (3.47 ERA). Over 622.2 career innings, Peterson has used a heavy groundball lean to limit the damage (4.12 ERA) of allowing too many baserunners (1.37 WHIP). Holmes’ skill set mirrors that of Peterson, and his first season as a starter went well (3.53 ERA, 1.30 WHIP). Senga was effective overall last year (3.02 ERA) but fared so poorly in his final eight starts (6.56 ERA, 1.71 WHIP) that he spent September in the minors. One of baseball’s best pitching prospects, Tong had mixed results during five major league starts last season.

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Prediction: The only member of this battle who still has options, Tong has no chance of making the rotation. He will return to the minors, and if everyone is healthy, the Mets will open 2026 with a six-man rotation. These things have a way of working themselves out, and the guess here is that one of the four 30-somethings will open the season on the IL.

Baltimore Orioles SP 4/5: Shane Baz vs. Zach Eflin vs. Dean Kremer

By signing Chris Bassitt, the Orioles created a logjam at the back of their rotation. Every pitcher in this battle has warts. Baz had a 4.87 ERA last season and is the only contender who has minor league options. Eflin made just 14 starts in 2025, making him the biggest injury risk of the group, but he didn’t get $10 million from the Orioles to work out of the bullpen. Kremer has the least upside but has made more than 20 starts while logging an ERA under 4.20 in each of the past four seasons. Tyler Wells is a dark horse in this race. The 31-year-old could make a case that he’s the best pitcher of the bunch (career 3.98 ERA, 1.03 WHIP), but he has options remaining, was limited by injury to seven starts over 2024-25 and has the smallest contract of the group.

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Prediction: The Orioles paid too much for Baz to put him in the minors. If everyone is healthy at the end of Spring Training, Kremer will have to open the season as a bulk reliever. A six-man rotation is also on the table in Baltimore.

St. Louis Cardinals SP5: Kyle Leahy vs. Hunter Dobbins vs. Richard Fitts

One could argue that the three pitchers who will battle for the final rotation spot are more interesting than the four who already have their roles. Leahy will get his opportunity after thriving (3.07 ERA, 80:28 K:BB ratio) as a multi-inning reliever last year. He will compete against two hurlers who came from Boston in offseason trades. Both Dobbins and Fitts have shown glimpses of ability over roughly 60 career innings.

Prediction: Leahy will get his chance, with Dobbins and Fitts opening the season in Triple-A. None of these three pitchers is worth drafting, but they can all be monitored early in the season.

Not every fantasy basketball playoff is won the same way. High Score, points leagues and 9-cat all require different strategies to achieve a championship run. This primer breaks down what actually moves the needle in each format as you approach the playoffs — the roster decisions, the waiver logic and the schedule awareness to last through the fantasy postseason.

High Score

🙌 Forget the floor, it’s all about upside

We’re big-game hunting over here. The consistent, high-floor guys won’t increase your chances of winning High Score — and unlike standard points leagues or 9-cat, the schedule doesn’t matter as much here either. You’re not building toward a string of games that stack up raw production or efficiency numbers. You need one explosion. One spike game wins your week, and that changes everything about how you build your roster.

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😏 Hunt bad defenses

The edge in this format isn’t identifying stars — it’s finding the complementary players who can deliver one game of elite production at any point in the week. The waiver wire is stocked with depth pieces whose roles have quietly expanded over the last month, guys now seeing 30 minutes a night with a green light and nothing to lose (but real-life wins). When one of those players draws a tanking, bottom-10 defense, take your swing.

Defensive quality is the only matchup context worth tracking in High Score. A resource to use is FantasyPros’ defensive vs. position tool, where you can filter by team performance for the past seven, 15 and 30 days. That way, you can gauge how bad certain teams have been over different time periods. It’s a good way to take advantage of schedule matchups where the game total could sail over market expectations.

💥 Move the reliable, chase the volatile

Before your playoffs start, trade your high-floor, low-ceiling guys to the league managers who overvalue them (the Yahoo default trade deadline is March 5). Use that capital to acquire volatile players who have already proven their blow-up potential. While the trade deadline hasn’t expired yet, I’d try 2-for-1 deals to shed some roster depth to free up one streaming spot to capitalize on any notable absences or injuries around the league. I know the benches are short, but don’t hamstring yourself with guys who aren’t even getting into your lineup.

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🤔 Where do you stand?

Suppose you have a bye; scout and trade with zero pressure. Identify the boom candidates with increased playing time. And make the moves before your opponents come up for air after their first-round matchup — stay active!

If you’re on the bubble, you can’t play conservative and survive; aggressive, ceiling-first lineups are exactly what the format rewards, so take advantage of the small slate opportunities to plug in players who have 45+ fantasy-point ceilings. Remember, upside matters more than volume here.

Standard points leagues

😌 Volume matters, but quality does too

Points leagues live and die on games played because winning is all about accumulating more points than your opponent. The general sentiment is, “play more games, score more points,” but not all games are created equal. Small slates — nights on which the NBA runs seven games or fewer — are the place where you can get more value (quality games). Just because a team plays four games in a given week doesn’t mean you’ll be able to fit everyone into your lineup for every game.

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The big slates are unavoidable, and you can’t start everyone. So, the best way to get those extra games in and use the depth of your bench to rack up more games is to review the schedule ahead of your matchups. I utilize Hashtag Basketball’s Advanced Schedule Grid. It’s an excellent resource for planning both the regular season and the playoffs. And be sure to identify those nights in your playoff window now, and fill the added depth with players who can play on smaller slates.

✌️ Deuces to the unavailable and unreliable

Begin the process of offloading players who will be load-managed or who will lose minutes over the next two months. These are roster spot liabilities; instead, target players on teams competing for seeding or tanking, which gives younger players additional run and opportunity. Tons of injury news dropped on Wednesday and it’ll only continue for the weeks to come. Be ready to act and hit waivers at a moment’s notice.

🤔 Where do you stand?

If you’re trending toward a bye, I’d take a similar approach to High Score. Plot a week ahead and assess your team to identify any players who are playing a high number of games in the final two weeks of the playoffs. Also, it’s worth stashing high-upside players who may have been dropped, or opponents in the heat of battle who aren’t able to scoop them up.

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For those on the bubble in points leagues, be honest about whether your adds help you get in or help you go deep — ideally, both. Prioritize players on strong playoff schedules who are also producing now. A hot streamer on a load-managed team can carry you in, but disappear on you in Week 21.

Focus on the highest-game-total teams and target the depth contributors getting guaranteed minutes — volume is everything in points leagues.

9-cat leagues

5️⃣ > 9️⃣ The goal is five wins — not nine

The managers who lose 9-cat championships are almost always the ones who try to compete everywhere. Know your five categories, build a firm grip on them and selectively concede the rest. A roster watered down across all nine categories will likely lose to a team that dominates five of them every time.

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How do you determine what you’re good at? Check your league page:

Go to: Standings -> Current standings -> Head-to-Head Stats -> Win-Loss

Which categories did you consistently win? Unless you make a trade in the next couple of weeks, those categories are your identity. Every waiver add should compound those strengths. However, assessing other opponents’ squads could expose weaknesses that you can counter via waivers. I’ve done it before on turnovers — grabbing bigs who don’t carry a high usage rate and don’t commit turnovers. Know what you are and build toward it.

😅 Don’t just add to add, think it through

The most common way 9-cat managers mess up their own run? Chasing volume. The quality-of-games rule still applies, like in points leagues, but you have to be more selective about your waiver adds. Add a high-volume, low-efficiency scorer and watch your FG% crater for the entire week. Think it through to maximize your strengths.

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🤔 Where do you stand?

If you’re jockeying for a bye, do the category audit you haven’t had time for. Find the one waiver add that shores up your thinnest winning category and makes you harder to beat. Also, scout your likely second-round opponent — know their weaknesses before you play a single game.

And for those bubbling, temporarily abandon your category identity. You need wins this week, which might mean swinging for categories you don’t normally contest. Get in the room first, then return to playing your game once you’re in the bracket.

In 9-cat, target teams with 11-12 games over the course of your playoff start date (Week 19, 20 or 21) with some quality games mixed in. Add players whose stat profile compounds your strongest categories — not just any warm body with volume.

That’s Part I of my fantasy playoff primer. Be on the lookout for a deeper schedule breakdown soon!

The Illinois House committee meeting that was scheduled for Thursday to discuss funding a new stadium for the Chicago Bears has been canceled. That development makes a potential Bears move to Indiana feel like a very real proposition.

An amended version of Indiana Senate Bill 27, which allows the Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority to issue bonds to finance, build and lease a stadium, was passed unanimously (24-0) by the Indiana House Ways and Means Committee on Thursday. The state of Illinois was ready to move forward following a three-hour meeting Wednesday, but it was reportedly paused by Bears leadership so it could make tweaks to the bill.

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Illinois legislators were surprised to see the team’s statement this morning in favor of Indiana.

“We are committed to finishing the remaining site-specific necessary due diligence to support our vision to build a world-class stadium near the Wolf Lake area in Hammond, Indiana. We appreciate the leadership shown by Governor Braun, Speaker Huston, Senator Mishler and members of the Indiana General Assembly in establishing this critical framework and path forward to deliver a premier venue for all of Chicagoland and a destination for Bears fans and visitors from across the globe,” the team said. “We value our partnership and look forward to continuing to build our working relationship together.”

Indiana lawmakers had previously expressed how they needed the Bears to show serious interest in moving to Northwest Indiana. Indiana Gov. Mike Braun has been outspoken in favor of his state’s pursuit of the Bears.

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“Indiana is open for business, and our pro-growth environment continues to attract major opportunities like this partnership with the Chicago Bears,” Braun said in a statement. “We’ve identified a promising site near Wolf Lake in Hammond and established a broad framework for negotiating a final deal. If approved, the proposed amendment to Senate Bill 27 puts forward the essential framework to complete this agreement, contingent upon site due diligence proceeding smoothly.”

Hammond is just the latest proposed location for the new home of the Bears, in addition to Gary and Portage in Indiana, and Des Moines, Iowa. The Bears have explored a new lakefront site near Soldier Field, as well as a mixed-use development on land they purchased in suburban Arlington Heights. Both of those options would require more than $1 billion in taxpayer support.

The Bears have floated both a lakefront site near Soldier Field and a development in the suburb of Arlington Heights, both of which would require more than a billion dollars in taxpayer support.

Indiana lawmakers feel like this is a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” for the state.

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“Hammond is uniquely positioned for this moment. We’re part of the Chicagoland region. We’re only 20 minutes from Soldier Field,” Sen. Ryan Mishler said Thursday. “We’re ready to help write Indiana’s next great chapter.”