A new ranking of MLB’s pitching staff from a top insider puts the New York Yankees well ahead of the New York Mets, despite several key pitchers expected to miss significant time to start the new season.

There is a lot of excitement surrounding the Yankees and Mets this week leading up to the start of the new MLB season. Expectations are always high in the Bronx, and despite being eliminated in the Divisional Round in October and not making notable changes to the roster, many experts believe they still have a team that can reach the World Series.

The Mets, on the other hand, suffered a disastrous collapse at the end of the season, costing them a chance at a playoff spot. That disappointing finish surprisingly led to an overhaul of the coaching staff and roster for 2026. A big addition this offseason was Milwaukee Brewers ace Freddy Peralta.

On paper, it seems like the Mets’ starting rotation is in a better position to start the 2026 season than the Yankees. Mainly because they are healthy. The Yanks will begin the campaign with one-time Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon and Clark Schmidt all on the injured list and expected to miss the first few weeks or months of the season.

Bowden ranks the Yankees’ rotation as the third-best in MLB

However, The Athletic’s Jim Bowden doesn’t see it that way. On Tuesday, the outlet released the MLB Insider rankings of all 30 rotations, and the Mets cracked the top 10, but dropped to No. 9. The former general manager, of course, ranks above rookie Nolan MacLean and was a fan of his depth. However, he praised the Yankees far more.

“Despite those injuries, the Yankees still have a strong rotation to start the year, led by their top hitter Max Fried followed by right-hander Cam Shitler, right-hander Will Warren, newly acquired southpaw Ryan Weathers and former AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil,” he said of the rotation ranked No. 3 on his list.

“By the end of the season, they may have the best rotation in baseball, especially if Cole can return to his Cy Young Award-caliber form.”

The Mets have Peralta, Rookie of the Year favorite Nolan McLean and a pair of one-time All-Stars in Dave Peterson and Kodai Senga in the rotation. But Bowden still has more confidence in Will Warren, Cam Shitler, Lewis Girl and Ryan Weathers.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

There’s no doubt that Montreal Canadiens forward Cole Caufield is one of the best goalscorers in the NHL, as evidenced by the fact that he reached the 40-goal mark on Tuesday night.

In doing so, Coffield became the first Habs player to accomplish the feat since Vincent Damphousse in 1993–94.

This gives us the perfect opportunity to take a closer look at how Caufield has scored this year, not to mention other impressive statistics capping off his stellar season.

suzuki chemistry

Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki has assisted on 20 of Caufield’s 40 goals, a testament to the undeniable chemistry they have built over the past few seasons. To make matters more interesting, 16 of those 20 assists were of the primary variety.

In other words, if Caufield scores a goal, you can be sure Suzuki isn’t far behind.

It should also be noted that phenom Lane Hutson has assisted on 14 of Caulfield’s goals, while newcomer Noah Dobson has got his name on the scoresheet on 13 occasions.

Other Canadiens players who have assisted on Caufield scoring games: Juraj Slafkowski (5), Mike Matheson (5), Ivan Demidov (3), Zachary Bolduc (2), Alexandre Texier (2), Alexandre Carriere (2), Jaden Struble (2), Jake Evans (1), and Kirby Dach (1).

atlantic threat

Caufield loves playing against special divisional foes.

It turns out that 15 of his goals have come against the Atlantic Division, with the Boston Bruins being his favorite target (6).

The Buffalo Sabers (4), Ottawa Senators (3), Florida Panthers (1), and Toronto Maple Leafs (1) account for the remaining goals, as he has yet to score against the Detroit Red Wings or Tampa Bay Lightning this season.

equivalent power output

It should be noted that 25 of Caufield’s goals have come at 5v5, which is the third-best result in the NHL. Only Tage Thompson (26) and Nathan MacKinnon (28) have scored more goals in that position.

He has also scored 5 goals in overtime, making him the most successful goalscorer on 3v3 in the league.

When we account for every goal scored at even-strength, Caufield has found the back of the net 32 ​​times, the second-highest result in the league, behind only MacKinnon (36).

However, if we take into account ice time, Caufield leads the entire NHL in goals per 60 at even-strength with 1.95.

clutch artist

Few players around the NHL are more valuable when the game is on the line.

To be more precise, there is no player in the NHL who has won games more times than Caufield. His 9 game-winning goals are tied for first with veteran Steven Stamkos.

This means that 22.5% of Caufield’s goals this season have been game winners, which is a truly impressive feat.

Another way to look at it would be to say that Caufield’s game-winning goals have gained 18 straight points in the standings.

underlying numbers

It’s one thing to score more often than 99.99% of players in the NHL, but maintaining strong underlying numbers is also important.

This is where Caulfield’s excellence really comes into focus.

He leads the Canadiens in shot share (53.3%), he is second on the team in goal share (60.9%), and he once again finds himself at the top of the mountain when evaluating expected goal share (55.8%).

Simply put, not only is Cole Caufield one of the most dominant goalscorers in the NHL, but he leads the Montreal Canadiens in shots, scoring chances and goals scored significantly whenever he is on the ice.

He truly embodies the concept that the best defense is a good offense.

All Cole Caufield stats via Hockey Reference and Natural Stat Tricks.

Mark has been covering the Habs for over a decade. He previously worked for the Journal Metro, The Athletic, The… More about Mark Dumont

Earlier this week, the Phoenix Suns opted to shake things up by waiving guard Cole Anthony, who the team acquired in a recent trade with the Milwaukee Bucks. The move was relatively surprising for a Suns team that is currently low on perimeter scoring, with both Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks sidelined.

Now, more details are emerging on Anthony’s post-verdict move.

“The Suns are converting Jamari Bouia from his two-way deal to a standard contract after waiving Cole Anthony,” ClutchPoints NBA insider Brett Siegel, formerly of the X, reported on Twitter.

Bouya has been a pleasant surprise for the Suns this year, averaging 6.5 points and 1.8 assists per game this season, and has consistently put pressure on opposing defenses with his speed, while also providing solid perimeter defense on the other end of the floor.

Anthony’s decision was necessary to ultimately pave the way for the Suns to convert Bouya from his two-way deal to a standard NBA contract.

Currently, the Suns are 34-26 on the season, and are in contention to secure one of the top six seeds in the Western Conference, which is where most pundits thought they would be at this point in the campaign after trading Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets last season.

Unfortunately, the Suns are currently down two of their top scorers in Booker and Brooks, who has been a revelation in Phoenix this year, expanding his offensive game while remaining an elite defender.

If Booker and Brooks are able to return to the lineup at some point in the near future, it would do wonders for the Suns’ potential ability to shock the NBA and secure one of the top six seeds in the conference.

The Montreal Canadiens host the Washington Capitals on Saturday night, hoping to bounce back from a disappointing finish in a 4-3 overtime loss to the New York Islanders earlier in the week.

Once again, Cole Caufield rose to the occasion and gave the Habs a comfortable 6-2 win.

It should also be noted that Jacob Dobbs looked very good, stopping 29 of 30 shots to secure the win. There is no doubt, Dobbs gives the Canadiens the best chance to win games, an advantage that cannot be ignored until the final stages of the season.

Let’s look at the highlights!

mr saturday night

It may seem like a rerun, but I promise it’s just the same script.

Caufield led the offense Saturday night and scored just 30 seconds into the first period. Not only did he strip the puck away from Alex Ovechkin, but he gave former Habs netminder Charlie Lindgren no chance, firing a pinpoint shot just wide of his trapper to the far side.

C̵o̵l̵e̵ ̵C̵a̵u̵f̵i̵e̵l̵d̵ Monsieur opens the brand on Saturday evening! 😤 pic.twitter.com/2dswzQoT2i

– TVA Sports (@TVASports) 1 March 2026

and then

Of course, we all know that a goal won’t quench Caufield’s thirst when it comes to a performance on Saturday night.

He doubled his tally at the end of the first period, scoring his 35th goal of the season by taking advantage of a loose puck near the goalmouth.

We should probably give his teammates a little credit, but that’s especially true from Sunday to Friday night. Saturday is reserved first and foremost for Caulfield appreciation.

Who else? This is Cole Caufield’s 35th goal of the season and 2nd of the evening! ☺️ pic.twitter.com/4Bi3GkE2Fm

– TVA Sports (@TVASports) 1 March 2026

math guy +1

Rather than sit on their laurels, the Canadiens decided to take advantage of their chances, resulting in a very nice goal by defenseman Mike Matheson.

Zachary Bolduc and Alex Newhook were given full credit for establishing the play, with Newhook’s ability to generate his own fast-paced controlled entries with a special stick tap.

All things considered, Newhook doesn’t look like a player who has just recovered from an ankle injury that caused him to miss a significant portion of the season. There’s still a lot of hockey left to play, but it’s incredibly exciting to see him take the field when he returns to the lineup.

Mike Matheson gives beauty of a goal #GoHabsGo 3-1 lead.

Provides support to Newhook and Bolduc. pic.twitter.com/BdMtn6qzZ4

– Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) 1 March 2026

first line effect

Kirby Dach has also had a relatively strong performance since recovering from his latest injury.

His shot late in the second period to give the Canadiens a 4-1 lead was one of the best and cleanest shots we have seen since the 25-year-old joined the organization a few years ago. The play also featured one of Nick Suzuki’s three points on the night.

Kirby Dach scored a great goal from a nice pass from Nick Suzuki. Awesome release.#GoHabsGo Are ahead 4-1. pic.twitter.com/e3V6Rl1GIg

– Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) 1 March 2026

In the long run, it wasn’t enough to save the day for the Capitals, but we have to give Ovechkin credit for scoring two goals. This should come as no surprise, as Ovechkin has terrorized Montreal throughout his career. He has now scored 44 goals and 32 assists in just 63 games against the Habs.

The Montreal Canadiens will be back in action on Tuesday facing the Sharks in San Jose. Puck drop is scheduled for 10 pm ET.

All Montreal Canadiens stats 5v5, unless otherwise noted, via Natural Stat Trick.

Mark has been covering the Habs for over a decade. He previously worked for the Journal Metro, The Athletic, The… More about Mark Dumont

As part of a three-team trade back at the deadline, the Phoenix Suns acquired Amir Coffey and Cole Anthony from the Milwaukee Bucks. While Coffey has been a part of the Suns’ rotation since his arrival, that is not the case for Anthony. According to NBA insider Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, a move toward removing Cole Anthony from the roster was always under discussion for the Suns, and according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the team finally did it on Friday.

Cole Anthony did not join the Suns’ roster after the deadline, and the move allows him to clear waivers by the March 1 buyout deadline and potentially be picked up by another team. Siegel suggests another team could bring Anthony in via a 10-day contract or for the remainder of the season, but there are also some foreign teams that have expressed interest in him. However, at this time, it is likely that he will continue to pursue another NBA opportunity.

With the Suns now having an open roster spot, two-way contract guard Jamari Bouya is a candidate to be converted to a standard deal. The Suns also signed Haywood Highsmith to a contract after acquiring him from the Brooklyn Nets earlier this month.

Anthony was selected 15th overall in the 2020 NBA draft by the Orlando Magic. He played for the Magic for five seasons before being included in the team’s offseason trade with the Memphis Grizzlies for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. The Grizzlies waived Anthony before the start of the season, and he signed with the Bucks.

Anthony appeared in 35 games for the Bucks at a rate of just over 15 minutes per game. He averaged 6.7 points, 2.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists with splits of 42.4 percent shooting from the field, 30.6 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 61.5 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

芝加哥熊隊險些擊敗洛杉磯公羊隊，晉級 NFC 錦標賽對陣西雅圖海鷹隊的比賽，四分衛凱萊布·威廉姆斯在此過程中打出了他年輕職業生涯中最關鍵的表現之一。

儘管在加時賽中以 20-17 落敗，但威廉姆斯在第四節向科爾·克梅特傳球達陣幫助扳平比分，這一時刻不會很快被忘記。

“那一刻很酷，”威廉姆斯賽后告訴記者。 ”我很欣賞這個組織。芝加哥市。我很欣賞我們作為一個團隊所做出的犧牲和成長。我很感激我的成長以及我對本和我的隊友的信任。這些都是我能欣賞的東西。”

威廉姆斯在 42 次傳球中完成 23 次，完成 257 次達陣和 3 次攔截。儘管輸掉了比賽，熊隊還是享受了一個強勁的賽季，他們在常規賽中取得了 11 勝 6 負的戰績，並贏得了一場季后賽。

此外，芝加哥球迷還看到威廉姆斯和主教練本·約翰遜建立了融洽的關係，這有助於球隊的進步。

“這對我來說非常重要，”威廉姆斯告訴《The Athletic》的丹·維德勒。 “因為我想在這里呆一段時間。而且我知道他也想在這里呆一段時間。”

威廉姆斯的職業生涯如何進步還有待觀察，但約翰遜明白球隊需要以新的承諾進入下賽季。

“下個賽季就是下個賽季。這是一個完全不同的團隊。這是一個完全不同的篇章。我們必須寫一個全新的故事，”約翰遜說。

“這就是問題所在。你投入了所有這些工作，你做出了犧牲，你信任周圍的人。但你不能走任何捷徑。我希望我能說這是第一年的勢頭，我們會繼續前進。它不會那樣工作。它不會那樣工作。“

傑克遜維爾美洲虎隊在與布法羅比爾隊的外卡比賽中將失去進攻線的關鍵成員。球隊排除了在比賽日早上首發左截鋒科爾·範·拉寧（Cole Van Lanen）的可能性，這給四分衛特雷弗·勞倫斯（Trevor Lawrence）增加了壓力。

範拉寧是美洲虎隊六名不活躍球員名單中的頭號人物，其中還包括接球手戴米·布朗和防守截鋒伊曼紐爾·奧格巴。 NFL 內部人士伊恩·拉波波特 (Ian Rapoport) 表示，這位五年級的攔網手整週都受到質疑，並“試圖離開”，但最終在最終的傷病報告上簽字。

範拉寧將因膝傷缺席第18週對陣田納西泰坦隊的比賽。他將缺席本賽季的第二場比賽。

這位 27 歲的球員在 16 場常規賽中首發了 10 場，其中包括最後 5 場左截鋒。由於其他傷病，主教練利亞姆·科恩將他最初的左截鋒沃克·利特爾轉移到防守位置後，將他安排為勞倫斯的盲側保護者。

利特爾在前12場比賽中擔任左截鋒首發，他很可能會回到首發陣容。埃茲拉·克利夫蘭、羅伯特·海恩西、帕特里克·梅卡里和安東·哈里森將與他一起成為美洲虎隊自 2022 年以來的第一場季后賽的首發進攻線。

如果美洲虎隊能夠擊敗比爾隊，範拉寧應該有很好的機會在分區輪中回歸，考慮到他距離週日的比賽有多近。傑克遜維爾在常規賽決賽前給了他一份為期三年、價值 5100 萬美元的續約合同，並承諾讓他擔任球隊的左截鋒。

儘管失去了範拉寧，美洲虎隊仍以 1.5 分的優勢擊敗比爾隊，晉級第二輪。布法羅最初開盤時是最受歡迎的球隊，但周中則出現了逆轉。