Crystal Palace’s Hopes for the hiring of Pierre Sage have received a major boost as he has decided to leave Lens.

Journalist Fabrice Hawkins The highly-rated French manager has reportedly opted to leave Lens this summer. This has opened the door for Crystal Palace and other contenders.

Lens departure confirmed

According to Hawkins, Pierre Sage has announced to Lens leaders that he intends to leave the French club this summer.

Discussions are now underway with Crystal Palace, who are looking for a replacement for Oliver Glasner. However, the Eagles are not the only club interested in the 47-year-old.

our mondial, Meanwhile, the French manager has reportedly already reached an agreement to become the new manager of Crystal Palace. He also revealed that he has decided to leave Lens and has announced this to the club.

According to his information, SAGE informed Lens about its decision on Tuesday. Lens is already working on a replacement, with his departure expected this summer.

foot market Report Lens do not have the ‘weapons’ to fight off Premier League interest. Sage has also been linked with the Liverpool jobBut that’s going to be Andoni Ierola.

According to his information, talks are going on with Crystal Palace. But there are also clubs in the Middle East who are competing for his signature, and the battle is by no means over.

Crystal Palace Convenience

Pierre Sage is one of the hottest managerial options on the market after a sensational season in France which saw him win the Ligue 1 Manager of the Year award. He guided Lens to Coupe de France success, Ligue 1 and second place in the Champions League.

This was followed by success at Lyon, where he transformed a bottom-of-the-table team overnight, leading to an unprecedented rise up the table to European qualification and a cup final.

His teams play with a deep, counter-pressing system designed to gain possession up the pitch using a flexible 3-4-2-1 system, making him a potentially ideal replacement to follow in the footsteps of Oliver Glasner.

A new report has calmed New York Knicks fans’ fears that they will struggle in Game 1 of their series against the Cleveland Cavaliers due to their lengthy layoff ahead of the Eastern Conference Finals.

There is a lot of hope and excitement about the Knicks right now. On Tuesday night, they begin their Eastern Conference Finals series against the Cavaliers at home and as the favorite. Due to their excellent play over the past few weeks, this could be the franchise’s best chance to win an NBA title in decades.

However, there are some among his fans and basketball experts who wonder if not playing in games since May 10 will have any impact. This question has reignited the rust vs. rest debate and how it relates to the Knicks, as the extra days off will certainly give talented forward OG Anunoby a better chance to return to the field after suffering a hamstring strain in Game 2 of the semifinals.

Well, on Tuesday afternoon Sportico data expert Lev Akabas wanted to end the debate. He recently dug into the numbers and revealed some interesting details in a new X post. According to Akabas, since 1984, teams that received five or more days of rest, while their opponents had one, were 42–23 in Game 1 of a playoff series. Additionally, they were 48–17 in those series.

When it comes to teams with five or more days off, and were at home against an opponent with one day off between series, those teams went 33–9 in Game 1. The record of those teams in series that started with those unique parameters was 39–3.

Although it may not ease the fears of the most anxious Knicks fans, the data should give most of them reason to feel very confident about Game 1 tonight. Beyond how well his team has played over the last two weeks.

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

The New York Knicks are four wins away from the NBA Finals. But standing in their way are Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

If you’re planning to watch Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Tuesday night, below you can find everything you need to know, along with the schedule for the upcoming NBA playoff series.

When will the Knicks play next?

What channel is the Knicks game on tonight?

The entire Eastern Conference Finals between the Knicks and Cavaliers will air exclusively on ESPN and the ESPN app.

What time does the Knicks game start tonight?

Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals begins at 8:00 PM ET.

Knicks vs Game 1 Betting Odds

The Knicks are -265 favorites in Game 1 of the East Finals. The Cavaliers are currently a +215 underdog.

NY Knicks Eastern Conference Finals Schedule 2026

Below you can find the upcoming schedule for the Eastern Conference Finals.

Can I watch Knicks games on Peacock or Amazon Prime?

No, Knicks games in the Eastern Conference Finals will not be available on Peacock or Amazon Prime. All seven games will be exclusive to ESPN and the ESPN app.

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

New York Knicks fans got some great news when it came to OG Anunoby’s availability for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

With all the momentum the Knicks have had over the past two weeks, they head into the 2026 edition of the East Finals with only one obvious question: When will forward OG Anunoby be available to play? He missed the final two games of their four-game sweep over the Philadelphia 76ers. But they will definitely need him for their upcoming series against the Detroit Pistons or Cleveland Cavaliers.

Well, fans got an update on his availability on Wednesday, and it’s very positive. During a press conference with the NYC media, Knicks head coach Mike Brown revealed that Anunoby participated in “parts” of practice today.

Does this mean he’ll be in uniform for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals? not necessarily. But prospects continue to improve. Anunoby suffered a hamstring strain late in Game 2 of the 76ers series. However, after being evaluated, reports emerged that New York was optimistic he could return to face Philly.

But because the Knicks played so well in Game 3, they decided to be cautious again and sat him in Game 4 as well. As fans know, it all worked out, and they didn’t need Anunoby to blast through Philly and into the Conference Finals.

The series between the Cavaliers and Pistons is tied at 2-2. Knicks supporters won’t mind if the series lasts seven games and the East Finals begin next week. This will give Anunoby more time to rest and make his availability in Game 1 much more likely.

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

最後，年輕球員需要加強陣容的波動性。塞繆爾·巴薩羅（Samuel Basallo）在一個小樣本中表現不佳，但他仍然是最有前景的人是有原因的。科比·梅奧上賽季向前邁出了一步，但需要保持這一軌跡才能留在巴爾的摩的這個年輕球隊中。

值得注意的深度/替補

UTL 傑里米·傑克遜， 的 迪倫比弗斯， 的 萊迪·塔維拉斯

在賽季末徵召入伍後，迪倫比弗斯充分利用了他在大聯盟級別的機會。在 35 場比賽中，海狸隊取得了 120 wRC+ 的成績。雖然沃德、奧尼爾和考瑟等人的首發可能具有挑戰性，但海狸隊仍然肯定會獲得擊球機會，並有機會隨著賽季的進行進入陣容。

傑里米·傑克遜的處境與海狸相似。差別主要在於傑克森的防守靈活性和內場發揮能力。此外，海狸在本壘上也擁有更多的耐心，這可以讓他在決定誰獲得更多本壘打時脫穎而出。

Leody Taveras 在過去的幾個賽季中經歷過高峰和低谷，但 2025 年卻以低谷結束。在與流浪者隊的掙扎之後，他最終來到了西雅圖，在那裡他的掙扎更加艱難。塔維拉斯將在 O 隊中尋找反彈的一年。

預計起始旋轉

現在別看，但金鶯隊的輪換陣容可以引起一些人的注意，儘管將格雷森羅德里格斯交易到了天使隊。

特雷弗羅傑斯 (Trevor Rogers) 在 2025 年可能只投了 109.2 局，但他在賽揚 (Cy Young) 的比賽中獲得了第九名。羅傑斯在投手丘上的比賽中，取得了 5.4 bWAR、1.81 ERA 和 0.90 WHIP 的成績。如果他能證明這個賽季並非僥倖，那麼羅傑斯可能會成為未來幾年的合法王牌。

過去兩個賽季僅首發 14 次，凱爾·布拉迪什 (Kyle Bradish) 身體健康，並將於 2026 年回歸 O 隊。自 2023 年以來，布拉迪什每個賽季的自責失分率 (ERA) 都低於 3，無論是完整賽季還是其他賽季。一旦完全健康並伸展身體，布拉迪什很可能會成為球隊的王牌。

toronto blue jays

Expectation: After coming so close to winning it last year, the Jays added offseason acquisitions Dylan Cease, Cody Pons, Max Scherzer, Eric Lauer and Tyler Rogers to pitch alongside Kazuma Okamoto and Jesus Sanchez on the offensive side.

Although they lost Bo Bichette in free agency, they are a much better team than they were before (and they were already really good).

But the biggest hope for Toronto fans is a stellar season from superstar Vladimir Guerrero Jr., which will propel them back to the postseason.

Worry: The Jays are in the AL East, which is probably the toughest division in the junior circuit – maybe in all of MLB. They have made a lot of offseason moves but the question still remains to be seen if they can follow up their Cinderella story from 2025.

New York Yankees

Expectation: Yanks fans should be feeling good after opening night. He had a dominant performance against San Francisco Giants veteran Logan Webb, earning a 7–0 win after a 5-run shutout in the second inning.

Max Fried pitched 6 ⅓ innings of shutout ball, limiting the Giants batters to two hits. Aaron Judge, the four-time reigning AL MVP, will be eliminated after historically poor play.

Worry: New York has been content to run it back, making no new additions other than bringing back Cody Bellinger, Paul Goldschmidt and Trent Grisham.

They are coming off 94 consecutive winning seasons and could do so again, but in the bloodthirsty AL East, can they keep up?

boston red sox

Expectation: The Sox strengthened their pitching by adding top free agent Ranger Suarez while trading for Sonny Gray and Johan Oviedo.

They have one of the most complete starting rotations with great depth in baseball. Peyton Towle won’t be in the starting five, but Conley will fill out the back end nicely.

Worry: Alex Bregman’s passing is sad. Can Caleb Durbin replace Bregman’s production? Probably not, but he’s a great young player and fills in at third base nicely for Boston. But if he can build on his stellar 2025 rookie campaign, Boston will be that much closer to returning to playoff glory.

baltimore orioles

Expectation: After an incredibly disappointing 2025, the O’s made several moves this offseason. That disappointment came largely from incredibly poor pitching.

They signed Chris Bassitt and Zack Eflin in free agency, and traded for Shane Baz and Andrew Kittredge. Despite Grayson Rodriguez leaving the possibility, these moves should get them closer to their 101-win season from 2023.

Worry: Like most of the teams on this list, can they hang on to the East? The Birds have done a lot to try to keep pace with the Yanks, Jays and Sox, but whether they can do so remains to be seen under new manager Craig Alberta.

Their offense looks much better with Pete Alonso at first base, but their ’25 was incredibly disappointing after poor seasons from young stars Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman, but if they can return to form the O’s will be set.

tampa bay rays

Expectation: Not much can be expected from this Rays team outside of Junior Caminero having another incredible year after hitting 36 home runs last season. After his dominant performance in the World Baseball Classic, he will be the only superstar Tampa Bay is seriously lacking.

Worry: Who’s going to take the mound? Shane McClanahan is returning from injury, but they traded Shane Baz and only added Nick Martinez. The Rays won’t compete in the AL East this year, but they can at least expect good performances from Caminero and Chandler Simpson.

除了威廉斯之外，大都會隊還引進了盧克·韋弗（Luke Weaver），一把來自城鎮另一邊的優質瑞士軍刀。作為一名中繼投手，韋弗能夠完成他所要求的任何事情。從拯救比賽到成為有價值的組織者，他在每個角色上都取得了成功。預計他將在 2026 年繼續擔任這一角色，但更專注於成為威廉斯的組織者。

前景

就在兩個賽季前，大都會隊距離自 2015 年以來首次參加世界大賽還差兩場勝利，他們很有可能在 2026 年再次晉級。儘管不是我們國聯東區排名中的頂級球隊，但他們擁有強大的陣容、強大的輪換陣容和足夠好的牛棚，足以帶領他們在季後賽中取得成功。

隨著大都會隊再次成為棒球支出排名前兩名的球隊，並且他們引進了新的核心球員，所有人的目光都集中在這支球隊將成為 2026 年的有力競爭者。

1. 費城費城人隊

2025 年戰績：96 勝 66 負，國聯東區第一

預計開幕日先發陣容

勇士隊連續六年成為國聯東區最好的球隊，位居分區榜首。這種情況在 2024 年發生了變化，費城人隊開始了連續兩屆分區冠軍的記錄，他們希望在 2026 年以非常危險的陣容繼續這一記錄。

這項運動中很少有球隊能像費城人隊一樣擁有如此強大的前三名。

排在首位的是特雷亞·特納 (Trea Turner)，這位快速遊擊手上賽季在 MVP 投票中名列第五，同時奪得了職業生涯第二個擊球手冠軍。在費城人隊的頭三年裡，他幾乎獲得了 15 次 fWAR，如果 2026 年賽季表現強勁，他可能會讓這個數字達到 20。

緊隨其後的是這項運動中最令人畏懼的重擊手之一凱爾·施瓦伯(Kyle Schwarber)，費城人隊在冬季會議期間以一份為期五年、價值 1.5 億美元的合約將他帶回。自 2022 年首次加入俱樂部以來，施瓦伯已擊出 187 支全壘打，獲得 MVP 亞軍，並兩次入選全明星陣容。

布萊斯哈珀 (Bryce Harper) 是三號洞的球手，他是一位真正的一代天才，儘管在費城人隊期間遇到逆境，但他仍然佔據著統治地位。哈波連續兩個賽季打出 27 支或更多本壘打，並且就在幾個賽季前，他贏得了職業生涯的第二個 MVP 獎。儘管有些人可能會說，哈珀仍然是精英，並且一如既往地構成威脅。

這個陣容的其餘成員都是自上而下的退伍軍人。費城人隊以一份為期三年、價值 4500 萬美元的合約成功簽回了接球手 JT Realmuto，儘管他已經年事已高，但他仍然是一名高效的擊球手。在效力俱樂部的六年裡，Realmuto 的 fWAR 從未低於 2.0。

除了布蘭登·馬什、布萊森·斯托特和亞歷克·博姆等其他熟悉的面孔之外，費城人隊還將在開幕日看到賈斯汀·克勞福德（JB No. 79）的首次亮相。憑藉精英的速度和非常好的打擊工具，他可以成為這個團隊的一個充滿活力的補充，並幫助為排名第一的人提供更多的打點機會。

值得注意的深度/替補

C Rafael Marchán、UTL Edmundo Sosa、UTL Otto Kemp、UTL Dylan Moore

在替補席上，費城人隊有一些優秀的球員可以在緊要關頭求助。

埃德蒙多·索薩可以說是這群中最好的球員，因為他在過去的幾個賽季中一直是球隊高效的角色球員。他經常被評為一名出色的防守者，並且在過去的兩個賽季中，他的擊球手數被 wRC+ 評為高於聯盟平均水平的擊球手。

奧托·坎普（Otto Kemp）將是這群人中另一個值得關注的名字，他在上個賽季升級前的三甲聯賽中撕開了球的蓋子。他以 16 支本壘打削減了 0.310/.417/.570，這表明他在 2026 年可能會有不錯的表現。

預計起始旋轉

除了他們的陣容之外，費城人隊還擁有相當強悍的輪換陣容。

克里斯托弗·桑切斯（Cristopher Sánchez）在上賽季從一位突破性的明星成為棒球界最好的投手之一之後，在這個輪換中領先。桑切斯是 2025 年僅有的三名 fWAR 超過 6.0 的投手之一，他因此能夠在 NL Cy Young 比賽中獲得第二名。最近，他將自己的作品變成了為期六年、耗資 1.07 億美元的續約合約。

在一直是這項運動中最好的右手投手之一之後，上賽季對亞倫·諾拉來說是一個截然不同的故事。他在短短 94.1 局的比賽中就取得了職業生涯中最高的自責分率（6.01）。對於諾拉來說，這將是一個巨大的潛在反彈戰役，他在 WBC 期間意大利隊的出色表現表明了這是很有可能的。

本次輪換中的三號先發球員赫蘇斯·盧扎多最近也獲得了續約。上賽季，他在費城人隊輪換陣容的第一年就表現出色，他在 183.2 局比賽中自責分率低於 4.00，同時還獲得了 216 次三振。 2026 年，他將再次成為該小組的禁賽成員，尤其是在扎克·惠勒缺席的情況下。

安德魯佩因特（Andrew Painter，新山排名第 21 名）是這支球隊中令人著迷的一員，因為目前最有希望的球員將成為球隊的第五名先發球員。儘管去年佩因特自 2022 年以來首次重返常規賽，在未成年人比賽中表現不佳，但今年春天他還是展示了鋒利的武器庫。看到他很快就成為這個團隊的關鍵成員也就不足為奇了。

當然，在四月之前失去扎克·惠勒將會傷害這傢俱樂部，但他們肯定可以通過目前的輪換陣容度過難關。當他回到投手丘時，如果這是這項運動中最強的先發五人組之一，請不要感到驚訝。

預計牛棚

遵循與輪換相同的趨勢，費城人隊的牛棚對於比賽中的任何陣容來說都將很難應對。

這群人中最有名的是喬安·杜蘭（Jhoan Duran），俱樂部在去年的交易截止日期以重磅交易的方式收購了他。這位火焰噴射右投手在我們的實力排名中排名第四，考慮到他在大聯盟的前四個賽季中完成了 90 次撲救，這是有道理的。

隨著賽季的進行，左撇子何塞·阿爾瓦拉多將是一個值得關注的有趣名字。在因服用興奮劑而被停職之前，阿爾瓦拉多是羅布·湯普森手下的重要成員。他目前預計將成為俱樂部的首發球員，並可能在 2026 年再次回歸統治地位。

奧里恩·科克林（Orion Kerkering）和布拉德·凱勒（Brad Keller）也被證明是他們大聯盟職業生涯中非常可靠的助手。凱勒是今年美國隊的一員，他上賽季在芝加哥小熊隊的自責分率為 2.07，之後加入了該俱樂部。除了 10 月的一次失誤之外，科克林一直是羅布湯普森的穩定選擇，因為他在三個賽季中的自責分率+都超過了 130。

前景

上賽季，費城人隊贏得了 96 場比賽，這是該俱樂部自 2011 年賽季以來贏得的最多勝利。憑藉幾乎相同的核心，其中包括一些遊戲中最知名的明星，他們將在 2026 年再次成為一支不可忽視的力量。

由於核心球員的快速老化，今年的勝利對費城人來說更加重要。施瓦伯、哈珀和特納在本賽季的某個時候都將年滿 33 歲，而他們陣容中的其他三名成員將在 2026 年超過 30 歲。儘管他們仍然是一支精英隊伍，但這可能是這支隊伍可以參加世界大賽的最後幾年之一。

The Boston Celtics were expected to have a turnaround season, with Jayson Tatum out due to a ruptured right Achilles tendon he suffered in May 2025. However, the script has been flipped in more ways than one, with the Celtics currently sitting in second place in the East with a 47-24 record and Jayson Tatum slowly getting back to his best once again.

So much so that Tracy McGrady branded Boston as the only team in the East he believes can win a championship during his appearance on the Cousins ​​Podcast.

“Do we really think about Cleveland and New York? I think Boston is coming out of the East. I think they can win the championship. I don’t think there’s any other team out of the East, no matter who they play coming out of the East, I think the West is going to win. The only team I have confidence in to win is the Boston Celtics,” he said.

“The only team I have confidence in winning a championship in the East is the Boston Celtics.”

“I don’t think any other team, no matter who they play, if they come from the East, I think the West will win.”

👀🍀 @Tmac_213 pic.twitter.com/pVWzFifBCR

– Cousin of Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady (@VinceAndTmac) 25 March 2026

Of course, in addition to the talent they have despite the fire sale before the campaign, the Celtics also benefit from Joe Mazzulla’s system.

“Being proven, you have not one but two guys that can lead the team. MVP candidates, up front, and you have a system that understands who they are, whether it’s the regular season, preseason, or postseason. So they don’t have to change, how they’re playing now is the way they’re going to play, nothing is going to change,” McGrady concluded.

Tracy McGrady praises the Celtics

He talked about Derrick White and praised the 31-year-old player’s versatility. McGrady claimed that White was able to defend the opponent’s best player, rebound at a high level, and score 20 points and assists to win any game for Boston.

“He can give you exactly what you need to win,” McGrady said.

In the eight games since his return, Tatum has averaged 19.1 points, 8.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game, while shooting nearly 47% from the field. And while there is room for improvement, McGrady believes there won’t be room for improvement until the playoffs arrive.

“Tatum is coming back, looks really good. He’s playing aggressive basketball. By the time he gets to the playoffs, I think we’ll be (saying)…Boy, he looks like his old self,” he concluded.

While Boston has the experience, personnel and system, McGrady may have gone too far in giving the other top teams in the East a discount. For example, the Detroit Pistons have a 52-19 record this season, while the Cavaliers add James Harden to a team that finished last campaign 64-18. Additionally, the Knicks also have a lot of talent, allowing many teams to emerge from the East, at least on paper.

On Monday evening, the Boston Celtics continued their winning ways with a narrow home win over the Phoenix Suns. The Celtics were led by Jaylen Brown, who scored an impressive 41 points on the evening, while Jayson Tatum also remains in form amid his return from an Achilles tear.

Recently, ESPN NBA analyst and former Celtics great Kendrick Perkins expressed his thoughts in “First Take” on why Boston should be viewed as the favorite to come out of the Eastern Conference this year.

“The Boston Celtics are coming off the Eastern Conference. … The way Jayson Tatum has looked since returning from that Achilles injury … I see [them] And I’m saying that’s what this couple has proven right here,” Perkins said, according to X, formerly @lockedupjb on Twitter.

In fact, Tatum and Brown have a plethora of playoff experience, both positive and negative, on their resumes, capped by their championship run in the 2024 season, in which Brown won NBA Finals MVP honors.

Meanwhile, Tatum isn’t looking like the full version of himself right now, as should be expected as he recovers from Achilles surgery after nearly a year off, but Celtics fans should still be encouraged by how much progress he’s made from where he started a week ago against the Dallas Mavericks.

The Eastern Conference, despite its reputation, is loaded with talent this year, and Boston will have some challengers, including the Detroit Pistons and the team that beat them last year, the New York Knicks.

However, if Boston doesn’t suffer one of their infamous playoff meltdowns this year, the team clearly has the talent to compete with anyone, not just in the Eastern Conference, but in the entire NBA.

toronto blue jays

1. kevin gosman
2. dialing off
3. trey yesways
4. shane bieber
5. Cody Ponce
6. max shazer

The AL East’s slaughter is in the headlines in Toronto. After losing their first World Series in 32 years, they were not satisfied with making a run back to it. They signed strikeout artist Dylan Cease to a historic 7-year, $210 million contract. He then signed a short deal with Ponce, as he had spent the last few years pitching in Japan and Korea.

But Gausman is returning, Bieber exercised his player option, and Scherzer re-signed with the club. After an exciting postseason debut, Trey Yesavage will return to the pitch this season. His slider demolished batters in the playoffs and had a chance to do the same in his first full year in MLB.

The club will likely use Scherzer as a depth option, but have talked about a possible six-man rotation. Whatever the case, Jays fans have a pitching staff they can get excited about.

New York Yankees

1. max fried
2. cam schlitler
3. louis gil
4. Ryan Weathers
5. Will Warren

With Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon recovering from injuries this spring, they won’t return to the Yankees until 2026. Until then, Fried, Schlitzer and Gill make a formidable (and young) front three. New York traded for Weathers but he and Warren became depth guys after Cole and Rodon returned.

It’s been an up-and-down season for the Yanks when it comes to pitching. With an elite offense that keeps them in games, New York doesn’t have to rely on their starters too much. But the front three are elite.

Fried has had a great first year in Pinstripes and is looking to build on that. Gil missed the majority of the 2025 season after winning the AL Rookie of the Year award in ’24, and is currently struggling in the Grapefruit League. Schlitler is looking to build on an electric performance in the postseason. If those three can be effective, the pitching staff will be filled out when the Giants return later this year.

boston red sox

1. Garrett Crochet
2. ranger suarez
3. sonny gray
4. brian bello
5. johan oviedo

this is a Very Different rotation for Boston than last year. In addition to Ace Crockett and Bello, the club added top pitcher Ranger Suárez in free agency, and traded for Gray and Oviedo to strengthen the staff.

They lost some depth in the trade of Kyle Harrison to the Milwaukee Brewers, but they still have top prospects Peyton Tolls and Conley Early stuck in the minors. Both have impressed this spring and will be starters at the big league level this year.

baltimore orioles

1. trevor rogers
2. kyle bradish
3. Shane Baz
4. jack eflin
5. Chris Bassitt
6. dean kramer

To say that Baltimore has been aggressive this offseason would be a major understatement. After finishing last in the AL East, the front office pursued top free agents in their offense, but not so much in their pitching staff. They traded top pitching prospect Grayson Rodriguez to the Los Angeles Angels.

That being said, rotation is clearly better. They re-signed Eflin, brought in Bassitt to eat innings, and traded for Tampa Bay Rays veteran Shane Baz. This is a staff that can and should shorten games. Rodgers, Brady and Kramer are returning contributors to the starting group.

tampa bay rays

1. Drew Rasmussen
2. Ryan Peppiatt
3. Shane McClanahan
4. steven matz
5. nick martinez

With the loss of Shane Baz to the Orioles, Tampa Bay will get another look at McClanahan’s return after two years away from MLB. Peppiatt and Rasmussen are also returning after solid campaigns in 2025.

The Rays’ lone pitching moves came in signing free agents Matz and Martínez to short-term contracts. It’s not an entirely awe-inspiring group, and Tampa Bay is struggling to stay afloat in a crowded and bloodthirsty AL East. But they have a solid attack led by star third baseman Junior Caminero. As long as the starters are serviceable, the Rays will be able to remain competitive in most games.

toronto blue jays

• c alejandro kirk
• 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
• 2B Ernie Clement
• SS Andres Jimenez
• 3B Kazuma Okamoto
• Jesus Sanchez’s
• OF Daulton Varsho
• Edison Barger’s
• DH George Springer

After losing the World Series (by mere inches) to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Blue Jays were not satisfied with simply “running it back”. Last season, they gave superstar Wlady Jr. a chance to keep him in Toronto for his entire career.

Despite losing second baseman Bo Bichette in free agency, they were in the Kyle Tucker sweepstakes, signed one of the big international free agents in Okamoto, and traded top prospect Joey Loperfido for Sanchez to play in the outfield.

The Jays are hungry to get back to the Fall Classic after coming so close to winning it all, and they have certainly made the right steps to repeat as American League champions.

New York Yankees

• C Austin Wells
• 1B Ben Rice
• 2B Jazz Chisholm Jr.
• SS Anthony Volpe
• 3B Ryan McMahon
• Cody Bellinger’s
• Trent Grisham’s
• Aaron Judge’s
• DH Giancarlo Stanton

New York, on the other hand, is content to run it back. That’s a bit minimalistic for a team that will have top player Gerrit Cole returning from injury. But not much has changed on the offensive side.

Perennial MVP Aaron Judge and Stanton will definitely (as usual) hit a ton of home runs. Chisholm Jr. is trying to go 50-50 for the second time in MLB history. And the Yanks did a good job of retaining free agent Cody Bellinger despite lengthy talks about his departure.

Whether or not they achieve all of those goals, this is a club that won 94 games last season and is seeking a return to the Fall Classic in 2024 after losing to Los Angeles. They’re definitely ready to make a run for it.

boston red sox

• c charles narvaez
• 1B Willson Contreras
• 2B Marcelo Meyer
• SS Trevor Story
• 3B Caleb Durbin
• jerren duran’s
• sedan rafela
• Roman Anthony’s
• DH Willier Abreu

To say the Sox had an active offseason would be to sell general manager Craig Breslow a bit. After clinching a postseason berth in 2025, they lost to the rival Yankees in a three-game wild card series.

Their only major departure from the starting group is Alex Bregman who will be replaced by NL Rookie of the Year finalist Durbin at third base. The crowded outfield lineup will make the math difficult (especially for outfielder Masataka Yoshida). But this is arguably the Sox’s greatest strength, with Duran, Rafaela, Anthony and Abreu being some of the best outfielders in the game.

Additionally the Red Sox are excited to see Story have a full healthy season at shortstop, with Contreras starting behind Tristan Casas for the first time. This club’s attack looks stronger than in recent years, and (in a competitive division like this) they will need all the help they can get.

baltimore orioles

• c adlerushman
• 1b pete alonso
• 2B Blaze Alexander
• SS Gunnar Henderson
• 3B Kobe Mayo
• Taylor Ward’s
• Colton Cowser’s
• dylan beavers
• DH Tyler O’Neill

Last season was a major disappointment for Baltimore, with the club finishing last in the AL East after making the postseason in both 2023 and ’24. This led to the firing of manager Brandon Hyde midway through the 2025 season.

The O’s needed to prove something to their fans in the offseason, and they did. They traded pitching prospect Grayson Rodriguez to the Los Angeles Angels for outfielder Taylor Ward. They then signed top free agent Pete Alonso to take care of the cold corner. They finished their lineup moves by trading Alexander to play second while Jackson Holiday is dealing with an injury.

They have had great young players come through (Henderson, Rutschman, Cowser, Beavers), but their results last season were disappointing and inconsistent. If they can put it together again, and the pitching holds up, they will run the AL East standings once again.

tampa bay rays

• Nick Fortes
• 1B Jonathan Aranda
• 2B Gavin Lux
• SS Taylor Walls
• 3B Junior Caminero
• Jake Fraley’s
• Cedric Mullins’s
• OF Chandler Simpson
• DH yandy diaz

So far, the Rays have their star slugger, with All-Star third baseman Junior Caminero returning after the Electric World Baseball Classic with the Dominican Republic. But there isn’t a lot of help behind that.

They traded him to the Pittsburgh Pirates to play second base after dealing Brandon Lowe, and they signed Mullins to help their outfield. Speedster Chandler Simpson will return to the club after surprising MLB with his ability to run around the diamond, and Yandy Diaz provides the club with a helpful veteran presence.

Don’t get your hopes up too quickly for a Rays postseason run just because they’re back at Tropicana Field. But, at least, there is hope for the near future.

The Rising Stars event on NBA All-Star Weekend gives fans a chance to see some of the league’s top young players, from star rookies to second-year standouts. The event has also grown to include G League standouts, but has always featured two-way contract players and assignment players. This season, Sean East II was the only non-NBA G League player to compete at All-Star Weekend.

A career game for Sean East II 🔥🌟 East finished with a career-high 39 PTS, 14 FGM and shot 63% from beyond the arc. @slcstars 🎯 pic.twitter.com/hzMTD8n4P1

– NBA G League (@nbagleague) 23 February 2026

East was a member of Team Austin, coached by former NBA player Austin Rivers. He played a little more than seven minutes, finishing with two points, one rebound and one assist as Team Austin was eliminated in the early rounds. East was also selected to play in the G League Next Up game, which featured some of the best players in the G League throughout the season.

For him, attending All-Star Weekend and sharing the court with some of the best young players in the NBA was an incredible experience. East grew up watching the All-Star Game, and still has strong memories of his favorite moments.

“Just watching the fight between Kobe [Bryant] and lebron [James]kyrie [Irving]Everybody, all of them great players. “Watching it with my family on Sunday nights,” East told ClutchPoints in an exclusive interview. “It was good. . .I had to take it all in, it was fun. I wish we could do it again. Had fun. I had fun and I can’t wait to hopefully play one day on Sunday.”

Playing one day in Sunday’s marquee All-Star Game is no easy task. There has yet to be a player who made an NBA All-Star team who debuted in the G League. Players like Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet and Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam have made All-Star teams after spending substantial time playing in the G League.

But in Siakam’s case, he was drafted first by the Toronto Raptors. Along with VanVleet, he immediately joined the Raptors as an undrafted free agent before gaining a foothold in the G League. But aside from All-Star goals, making it to the NBA is actually a realistic option for the East.

He has been performing poorly in the G League this season, and has already attracted the attention of NBA teams.

“I’m getting a little buzz regarding a two-way contract,” East said. “But we’ll see. I’ll keep doing the work I do and hopefully the call-up comes soon.”

After going undrafted in the 2024 NBA Draft, East signed with the Los Angeles Lakers for the Summer League. He played with the Lakers team in both the California Classic and Las Vegas, averaging 6.9 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists.

East finished playing in Canada with the CEBL (Canadian Elite Basketball League), and set the league record for most points in a season with 546. This year, he joined the Utah Jazz for training camp, but was one of the final cuts before the start of the season.

Since being waived, East has been playing with the Jazz’s G League affiliate, the Salt Lake City Stars. This is his first official foray into the G League as a professional, and the competition has been equal so far.

“It’s good competition. It’s definitely not the NBA, but it’s a good mix of players who played in the NBA and the G League,” East said. “It’s pretty solid competition. Everyone is definitely trying to get to the NBA.”

In his first full season in the G League, East appeared in 44 games for Salt Lake City. He averaged 19.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.2 steals while shooting 51.3 percent from the field, 40.3 percent from the 3-point line and 75.5 percent from the free-throw line.

He is now firmly on the radar of NBA teams, and it would not be surprising if he is signed to a two-way contract, at least, until next season. He has shown that he can be a capable scoring threat, while also being able to quarterback an offense and be a playmaking guard. But until that call-up comes, East is just enjoying the newfound attention.

“It’s just a dream come true,” East said. “So I just want to continue living it.”

NBA 全明星周末期间的新星活动让球迷有机会一睹联盟中一些顶级年轻球员的风采，从明星新秀到杰出的二年级球员。该赛事已经发展到包括来自发展联盟的杰出球员，但它始终是双向合同球员和外派球员。本赛季，肖恩·伊斯特二世是唯一一位参加全明星周末比赛的非NBA发展联盟球员。

SEAN EAST II 的职业生涯比赛 🔥🌟 East 拿下职业生涯最高的 39 分、14 次 FGM，三分线外命中率为 63% @slcstars 🎯 pic.twitter.com/hzMTD8n4P1

— NBA G 联盟 (@nbagleague) 2026 年 2 月 23 日

伊斯特是前 NBA 球员奥斯汀·里弗斯执教的奥斯汀队的成员。他打了七分钟多一点，得到两分、一个篮板和一个助攻，奥斯汀队在首轮就被淘汰。伊斯特还被选中参加 G 联赛下一场比赛，其中包括整个赛季 G 联赛中最好的球员。

对他来说，能够参加全明星周末并与 NBA 一些最优秀的年轻球员同场竞技，就是一次令人难以置信的经历。伊斯特是看着全明星比赛长大的，他仍然对他最喜欢的时刻有着深刻的记忆。

“只是看科比之间的战斗 [Bryant] 和勒布朗 [James]凯里 [Irving]，大家，所有这些伟大的球员。周日晚上我和家人一起观看了这个节目，”伊斯特在独家采访中告诉 ClutchPoints。“这很好。 。 .我必须接受这一切，这很有趣。我希望我们能重来一次。很有趣。我玩得很开心，我迫不及待地希望有一天能在周日比赛。”

有一天参加周日的全明星赛并不是一件容易的事。目前还没有任何球员在发展联盟首发并入选NBA全明星阵容。休斯敦火箭队后卫弗雷德·范弗利特和印第安纳步行者队前锋帕斯卡尔·西亚卡姆等球员在发展联盟度过了充足的时间后入选了全明星阵容。

但就西亚卡姆而言，他首先被多伦多猛龙队选中。在范弗利特的带领下，他立即以落选秀自由球员的身份加盟猛龙队，然后踏上了发展联盟。但除了全明星目标之外，单纯进入NBA对于东部来说确实是一个现实的选择。

本赛季他在G联赛中表现出色，已经引起了NBA球队的注意。

“我收到了有关双向合同的一些传闻，”伊斯特说。 “但我们会看到的。我会继续做我所做的事情，希望征召很快就会到来。”

在 2024 年 NBA 选秀大会上落选后，伊斯特加入了洛杉矶湖人队参加夏季联赛。他随湖人队参加了加州精英赛和拉斯维加斯比赛，场均贡献 6.9 分、2.6 个篮板和 2.9 次助攻。

伊斯特最终在加拿大效力于CEBL（加拿大精英篮球联盟），并以546分创造了联盟单赛季最高得分纪录。今年，他加入了犹他爵士队参加训练营，但成为赛季开始前最后的淘汰者之一。

自从被裁掉后，伊斯特一直在爵士队发展联盟的附属球队盐湖城星队打球。这是他作为职业球员首次正式进军G联赛，到目前为止，比赛已经达到了标准。

“这是一场很好的竞争。这肯定不完全是NBA，但它只是在NBA和发展联盟打球的球员的良好组合，”伊斯特说。 “这是一场相当激烈的竞争。每个人都在努力进入 NBA。”

在发展联盟的第一个完整赛季中，伊斯特为盐湖城队出场了 44 场比赛。他场均得到19.3分、2.8个篮板、5.5次助攻和1.2次抢断，投篮命中率为51.3%，三分球命中率为40.3%，罚球命中率为75.5%。

他现在牢牢地受到了NBA球队的关注，如果到下个赛季他至少签下一份双向合同也就不足为奇了。他已经证明自己可以成为一名有能力的得分威胁，同时仍然能够担任进攻四分卫并成为一名组织后卫。但在征召到来之前，伊斯特只是享受着新的关注。

“这只是梦想成真，”伊斯特说。 “所以我只想继续活下去。”

NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley is no longer backing the New York Knicks to win the Eastern Conference, shifting his support to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

During ESPN’s Inside the NBA broadcast on Friday night, Barkley announced he was no longer choosing New York over coming out of the East.

“I’m changing my choice Ernie. I told you all I thought the Knicks were coming from the East… the Cleveland Cavaliers are coming from the Eastern Conference,” Barkley said.

Cleveland has improved its position after trading with the Los Angeles Clippers to acquire James Harden in exchange for Darius Garland at this season’s deadline. The Cavaliers extended their winning streak to seven games with a 118-113 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night, improving to 36-21 on the season. Cleveland is now in third place in the Eastern Conference, just one game behind the second-seeded Boston Celtics.

Since arriving in Cleveland, Harden has averaged 18.4 points, 8.6 assists, five rebounds and one steal per game, while shooting 49.1 percent from the field and 48.1 percent from three-point range in five contests in 31.8 minutes per game.

“The Cleveland Cavaliers are coming out of the Eastern Conference,” – Charles Barkley 👀👀👀 pic.twitter.com/xF7XkMXzuG

– ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) 21 February 2026

Charles Barkley moves East pick as Cavaliers lead ahead of Knicks matchup

Harden’s presence coincides with increased production from center Jarrett Allen. Over that same five-game span, Allen has averaged 22.6 points, 11.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists and one block while shooting 76.3 percent from the field in 30 minutes per contest. For the season, the 27-year-old is averaging 14.9 points and 8.4 rebounds while shooting 62.7 percent in 45 games.

Meanwhile, New York has experienced a strong stretch of its own despite Barkley’s transfer. The Knicks went 10–3 from late January to early February, including an eight-game winning streak. However, they dropped to the fourth seed after a 126–111 loss to the NBA-leading Detroit Pistons, falling to 35–21 on the year.

The two Eastern Conference contenders are scheduled to meet during New York’s upcoming three-game road trip. The Knicks visit Cleveland next Tuesday at 7:30 PM ET on Peacock.

With the Cavaliers gaining momentum and climbing the standings, Barkley’s revised prediction underscores how rapidly the Eastern Conference hierarchy has shifted in the weeks since the trade deadline.

The Boston Celtics are currently preparing to begin the unofficial second half of their season, which begins on Thursday evening against the Golden State Warriors. The Celtics were represented at the NBA All-Star weekend by Jaylen Brown, who participated as part of one of the USA teams in the round robin tournament.

The Celtics have performed well beyond expectations this year, and recently, former NBA guard Lou Williams praised what Boston is able to accomplish in 2025-26 on FanDuel’s “Run It Back” show.

“I still think Boston is the most dangerous team in the East,” said Williams, formerly of Run It Back on X, on Twitter.

Co-host Chandler Parsons said, “He’s exceeded everyone’s expectations… Jaylen Brown has to be in these MVP conversations.”

In fact, most pundits expected the Celtics to be a fringe playoff team at best this year, given that the team was playing without injured superstar Jayson Tatum, and also parted ways with Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis via trades over the summer that were mostly financially motivated.

However, as Parsons said, Brown is playing at a borderline MVP level for the Celtics this year, more than replicating Tatum’s production, and he’s also gotten some help from players like Derrick White and Peyton Pritchard, who have returned to form after rough starts to the year.

Hovering over all of this is the possibility of Tatum’s eventual return, which looks more than likely day-to-day at some point this season. If Tatum can look somewhat like his normal form during Boston’s upcoming playoff run, the Celtics will likely be the clear favorite to come out of the East this year.

In any case, the Celtics will next take the field against the Warriors on Thursday at 10:00 PM ET as they begin their trip to the West Coast.