Potential No. 1 draft pick Darryn Peterson dealing with yet another injury
Kansas Jayhawks star Darryn Peterson could very well be the first overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Unfortunately, Peterson has dealt with several injuries and has played in just 10 games as of Jan. 22. Peterson just scored 16 points with 6 rebounds in Kansas’ 75-69 win over the Colorado Buffaloes on Tuesday, but head coach Bill Self revealed that Peterson is now dealing with another injury.
“He’s getting treatment,” Self said. “He’s got a pretty severe ankle sprain. Fortunately, that’s all it is, a sprain. Hopefully he’ll be able to go and play, but we’re not at a point to make a decision on that yet.”
Here were #kubball coach Bill Self's initial thoughts on Darryn Peterson and his own health pic.twitter.com/VqadYtC9QN
— Jordan Guskey (@JordanGuskey) January 22, 2026
Peterson played the first two games this season before missing a month with an injury, but he returned and showcased his talents ever since coming back.
On Jan. 16 against the Baylor Bears, Peterson scored a game-high 26 points, which also happened to be the day of his 19th birthday.
But, for now, Peterson is dealing with yet another injury in what has been a frustrating season for Kansas and the potential No. 1 pick.
Peterson is averaging 21.6 points with 4.6 rebounds on 49.3% from the field, and Jeremy Woo of ESPN still has Peterson projected to go No. 1 overall despite the limited action this season.
Kansas faces off against Kansas State on Saturday at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan, Kan. However, everyone is waiting for the Kansas-BYU showdown with Peterson and future NBA star AJ Dybansta potentially facing off on Jan. 31.
Texas Rangers acquire All-Star pitcher in trade
The Texas Rangers are not about to sit idly as all the teams around them improve. They made a big move on Thursday to get better.
The Rangers acquired All-Star pitcher MacKenzie Gore in a trade with the Washington Nationals. They’re sending five prospects to the Nats in return for Gore. Here are the players involved in the deal, along with their ranking within the Rangers’ system according to MLB:
- 3B Gavin Fien (#2 in Rangers system)
- RHP Alejandro Rosario (#6)
- INF Devin Fitz-Gerald (#12)
- OF Yeremy Cabrera (#16)
- 1B/OF Abimelec Ortiz (#18)
Gore was a former top prospect himself who was drafted No. 3 overall by the San Diego Padres in 2017. He was traded to Washington in 2022 as part of the Juan Soto deal. Gore went 5-15 last season for Washington with a 4.17 ERA. His numers were much sharper in the first half, where he went 4-8 with a 3.02 ERA in 19 starts. His solid first half helped him earn his first ever All-Star nod.
Gore is under team control through 2027, so the Rangers should be getting two years of the southpaw prior to him hitting free agency. They will add him to a rotation that already includes Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi.
Mario Cristobal, Miami get good news days after CFP loss
The Miami Hurricanes had an excellent run in the College Football Playoff but fell just short with a 27-21 loss to the Indiana Hoosiers on Monday at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.
Miami was the No. 10 seed in the CFP, but Mario Cristobal’s team defeated Texas A&M, Ohio State and Ole Miss to get to the title game.
On Thursday, Miami got some excellent news regarding its 2026 roster as star defensive tackle Ahmed Moten Sr. is expected to return, according to 247Sports Miami reporter Gaby Urrutia.
Standout DT Ahmad Moten Sr. is expected to return to Miami for the 2026 season, @247Canes has learned.
— Gaby Urrutia (@GabyUrrutia247) January 22, 2026
The 6-foot-3, 325-pounder finished the 2025 season with 9.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks while starting 14 games.https://t.co/q8AaiRl7Fc pic.twitter.com/eu1KDKz4cj
Miami is quickly trying to add pieces to its roster in the transfer portal, and it already saw backup quarterback Emory Williams leave as he is expected to go to East Carolina.
Miami is rumored to be the favorite for Duke QB Darian Mensah, so the Hurricanes are working quickly to find their replacement for Carson Beck.
Moten, however, was drawing NFL Draft buzz, so there was a thought he would forego his 2026 season and declare for the draft.
Matt Holder of Bleacher Report has Moten ranked at 110 overall, which would put him as a Day 3 pick, potentially, so returning to school for another season could help improve his draft stock.
Moten finished the season with 20 solo tackles and 4.5 sacks, and his return will be a big boost for the Hurricanes in 2026.
Cooper DeJean reacts to Cowboys hiring Christian Parker
Cooper DeJean is going to miss Christian Parker.
Parker was hired by the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday to serve as their next deensive coordinator. DeJean played under Parker on the Philadelphia Eagles and is sad to lose the coach.
“Mannnn. They got a great one wouldn’t be the player I am without Coach CP,” DeJean wrote in a post published on his X profile Thursday.
Mannnn😔. They got a great one wouldn’t be the player I am without Coach CP🫡 https://t.co/AyQycoOsPs
— Cooper DeJean (@cooperdejean) January 22, 2026
Parker has served as the Eagles’ passing game coordinator/defensive backs coach the last two seasons. Prior to that, the 34-year-old worked three seasons with the Denver Broncos as a defensive backs coach.
DeJean was a second-round pick by the Eagles in 2024 and is a defensive back. Due to his position, he got to spend a lot of time with Parker, whom he clearly believes is a good coach.
DeJean is coming off an All-Pro season where he had 93 tackles and 2 interceptions. He was a hero in the Super Bowl last year when he had a pick-six.
Mets exec shares update on status of Kodai Senga
Kodai Senga experienced a rough 2025 season, but it sounds like he may be back on track for 2026.
New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns spoke for an interview published by the team on Thursday. In the interview, Stearns was asked about the status of Senga, and he shared a positive update.
“I certainly expect Kodai to be a member of our rotation. He’s had a really strong offseason. He actually came over to the States right around the new year. All of our staff got to see him. He looks in great shape, and we’re excited to get him going in spring training,” Stearns said.
An update on Carson Benge and Kodai Senga after some more big moves 👀
— New York Mets (@Mets) January 22, 2026
Check out David Stearns' exclusive interview with @martinonyc!
🎥👉 https://t.co/iMDclW0huy pic.twitter.com/XNbTXRqixK
Senga had a great rookie season for the Mets in 2023 and went 12-7 with a 2.98 ERA. He missed most of the 2024 season due to a shoulder injury. Last season, he began strong but struggled after returning from a hamstring injury. He was ultimately demoted to the minor leagues.
The Mets have made lots of moves this offseason, and overhauled their team following a disappointing 83-79 finish last season that saw them miss the playoffs. Despite all their changes, they are counting on Senga to be a part of their rotation in 2026 — and it sounds like he may be poised for a good year.
Cowboys have chosen a new defensive coordinator
The Dallas Cowboys only had Matt Eberflus as their defensive coordinator for one season.
After a flurry of interviews, the Cowboys are working to finalize a deal with their new DC, Philadelphia Eagles passing game coordinator Christian Parker, according to Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
Rapoport later posted that the deal is done.
NFL insider Josina Anderson added that the Cowboys are working to get the deal done in the “next day or so.”
The #Cowboys are working to hire #Eagles secondary coach and passing game coordinator Christian Parker as their new defensive coordinator, per me and @TomPelissero. The deal is not done, but hope is it will be.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 22, 2026
A rising young coach, he lands in a big spot with a rival. pic.twitter.com/05zOq9OcAh
Eagles defensive back Cooper DeJean reacted to the news on X.
Mannnn😔. They got a great one wouldn’t be the player I am without Coach CP🫡 https://t.co/AyQycoOsPs
— Cooper DeJean (@cooperdejean) January 22, 2026
Parker is known as a rising star in the industry, and the 34-year-old has been coaching since 2022. He began his coaching career in 2013 as the defensive backs coach at Virginia State, and then had stops at Norfolk State, Notre Dame and Texas A&M before moving to the NFL.
Parker spent the 2019 and 2020 seasons with the Green Bay Packers as their defensive quality control coach before spending three seasons with the Denver Broncos as the defensive backs coach. He spent the past two seasons with the Eagles, working with top DBs such as Quinyon Mitchell and DeJean.
The Cowboys cast a wide net for the DC opening, including Baltimore Ravens DC Zach Orr and recently-fired Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon, who was the Eagles DC before going to Arizona.
Parker now stays in the NFC East and will get a big promotion.
Dolphins GM stays mum on Tua Tagovailoa’s future
The Miami Dolphins have a new regime in place with Jeff Hafley as the head coach and Jon-Eric Sullivan as the GM.
So, there are plenty of questions to answer this offseason, and one of them is at the quarterback position, especially regarding Tua Tagovailoa.
On Thursday, the Dolphins held the introductory press conference for both Hafley and Sullivan, but the Dolphins’ new GM did not give an inch on their QB plans.
“Huge question looming over the organization,” Sullivan said, via Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network. “Whether it’s Tua or anyone else, it’s unfair to talk about anything specific before I talk to the player myself… We will figure that out. But I can’t give you that answer today.”
Tagovailoa was benched toward the end of the season as the Dolphins inserted Quinn Ewers as the starter. Reports then surfaced that the team was “prepared to move on” from Tagovailoa this offseason.
Tagovailoa made more headlines by saying he would “be good with it” when asked about a potential change of scenery.
Unfortunately for the Dolphins, Tagovailoa carries a $56.4 million cap hit in 2026, and he just finished the second season of a four-year, $212 million deal he signed before the 2024 campaign.
For now, there are plenty of questions, but the Dolphins’ new regime is not giving any indication about what they will do this offseason.
Browns see another head coach candidate cancel an interview
The Cleveland Browns continue to see head coach candidates cancel their interviews.
First, Mike McDaniel withdrew from consideration before an in-person interview, and now Jesse Minter has also cancelled an in-person meeting with the Browns, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.
Breaking: #Chargers DC Jesse Minter is not interviewing for the #Browns HC job today as scheduled, likely because he feels like he has other HC opportunities that are more certain, sources tell clevelanddotcom.
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) January 22, 2026
McDaniel, who was recently fired as the Miami Dolphins head coach, withdrew his name on Tuesday. He later took the Los Angeles Chargers’ offensive coordinator job.
Minter, who spent the last two seasons as the Chargers’ defensive coordinator, has been a popular name in this coaching cycle. Minter was in Baltimore on Wednesday for another interview with the Ravens, and he also earned a second interview with the Raiders as well.
After John Harbaugh was fired by Baltimore, Minter’s name was instantly linked to the job, especially since he was an assistant with the Ravens from 2017 until 2020.
Cabot had mentioned Minter as one of five finalists for the Browns job on Thursday, but him backing out could signal that he feels better about one of the other openings being offered to him.
Browns DC Jim Schwartz and Ravens OC Todd Monken are scheduled for their second interviews with Cleveland on Thursday; Jacksonville Jaguars OC Grant Udinski is scheduled for Friday; and Los Angeles Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase is pending due to the Rams playing in the NFC title game on Sunday.
Chipotle honors Indiana HC Curt Cignetti with new menu item
Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti continues to enjoy his program’s College Football Playoff national title victory.
Cignetti has quickly become a household name in college football, and now Chipotle is even honoring him with a menu item with his name on it. Yes, really.
Chipotle has added Coach Cignetti's "I Win" bowl to its menu.
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) January 22, 2026
It features chicken, brown rice, black beans, and a side of guacamole, which Cignetti orders from Chipotle every day for lunch. pic.twitter.com/b0xGXgMlBQ
Before the national title game, Laine Higgins of the Wall Street Journal reported that Cignetti eats the same bowl at Chipotle every day, except for when the team is traveling.
Indiana’s assistant director of football operations, Jake McDonald, has picked up the bowl for Cignetti and called him a “simple man” due to ordering the same thing every day.
Chipotle even decided to run a promotion in the state of Indiana. Anybody wearing Indiana gear could get a buy one get one free item on Thursday. The company also released a statement saying they had “been in contact with his management” regarding a potential partnership with Cignetti.
Cignetti’s assistant said he racked up as many as 64,000 rewards points in the online ordering app, which the company said is in the top 1% in the state of Indiana.
Cignetti’s contract also ties him to Indiana through the 2033 season, so there seems to be a lot more Chipotle bowls coming his way.
Fans react to Tyreek Hill’s latest Chiefs post
The NFL coaching cycle has taken many turns, and one big move was the Kansas City Chiefs bringing back Eric Bieniemy to be the offensive coordinator.
Bieneimy was with the Chiefs before as the OC from 2018 to 2022, so he knows Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce very well. On Thursday morning, former Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill posted on X, saying, “EB to the Chiefs, hm.”
His post quickly circulated and stirred up football fans and Chiefs fans.
EB to the chiefs hm
— Ty Hill (@cheetah) January 22, 2026
Bieniemy and Hill were together in Kansas City before the wide receiver requested a trade and was sent to the Dolphins.
But his post had fans hoping he would return to Kansas City.
Getting the band back together hm? pic.twitter.com/QEPdfIKc52
— Matt Infante (@MattInfante) January 22, 2026
Tyreek Hill back to the Chiefs? 👀 pic.twitter.com/0fmOtfj8au
— Daydrink (@Daydrinkus) January 22, 2026
TYREEK PLEASE COME BACK TO KANSAS CITY
— (go cats) (@120rona) January 22, 2026
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 22, 2026
Before Bieniemy was the Chiefs’ OC, he served as the team’s running backs coach from 2013 to 2017. After leaving Kansas City, Bieniemy spent time with the Washington Commanders, UCLA Bruins, and, most recently, the Chicago Bears in 2025.
However, the Chiefs decided to bring back Bieniemy with Matt Nagy interviewing for other jobs, as Andy Reid is hoping to reignite the offense once again.
Hill signed a 3-year, $90 million deal before the 2024 season, but reports surfaced this past season that the Dolphins would look to move on from Hill before the 2026 campaign. He is recovering from a gruesome leg injury that he suffered at the end of September, so his status for Week 1 of next season remains up in the air.
Hill had also posted on X on Wednesday about his former head coach, Mike McDaniel, becoming the Los Angeles Chargers’ new OC, although the Bieniemy post surely raised more eyebrows due to the connection.
Giannis Antetokounmpo calls out ‘selfish’ Bucks after loss to Thunder
Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is not holding back his frustration.
On Wednesday, the Bucks lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder 122-102 at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wis. It was the fourth loss in the last five games for the Bucks, and Antetokounmpo called out his teammates for being “selfish” after the game.
“We aren’t doing the right thing. We’re not playing to win. We’re not playing together. Our chemistry’s not there. Guys are being selfish, trying to look for their own shots instead of looking for the right shot for the team. Guys trying to do it on their own,” Antetokounmpo said, via The Associated Press.
In the loss, Antetokounmpo finished with a team-high 19 points on 8-of-11 from the field while adding 14 rebounds and 7 assists. On the other side, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a game-high 40 points with 11 assists and 7 rebounds to lead the Thunder to their 37th victory of the season.
Amid the Bucks’ ongoing struggles is a surprisingly low usage for Antetokounmpo, who has now attempted 13 field goals or fewer in his past four games. And that is something that also has the Bucks star a bit perplexed.
“I don’t understand — maybe because we’re young, maybe because we’re not playing well, maybe because guys think it’s their turn, they want to carry the team on their back and try to turn this around — but I really don’t get it. I really don’t,” Antetokounmpo said.
While Antetokounmpo’s name has been tossed around in trade rumors, he admits he is taking it “day by day” for now, but with the way things are going in Milwaukee, it might be a matter of time before the frustration reaches a boiling point.
The Bucks are now 18-25 entering a showdown with the Denver Nuggets in Milwaukee on Friday.
Former Heisman Trophy winner makes ‘garbage’ comment on Bills
Buffalo Bills owner Terry Pegula’s statement on wide receiver Keon Coleman during Wednesday’s press conference did not sit well with a lot of people inside and outside of the football fraternity.
Pegula appeared to blame Buffalo’s coaching staff for using a second-round pick to select the wideout in the 2024 NFL Draft, and while he’s always entitled to his own opinion, especially when it comes to the NFL franchise that he spends millions of dollars to run, his words came across as disrespectful and humiliating to Coleman.
The former Florida State Seminoles wideout is still on the Bills’ payroll, and one can only imagine how he feels about Pegula’s statement, assuming he’s heard it.
On that note, former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Matt Leinart shared what many felt about the way Coleman was treated.
“The stuff coming out of the Bills organization about the owner / GM and what they are saying about Keon Coleman is garbage. Kid is still on the team!” the former USC Trojans star signal-caller shared in a post on X on Wednesday.
The 22-year-old Coleman hasn’t exactly produced at a high level in his two seasons in the NFL. While he scored 4 touchdowns in each of his first two years in a row, his career 57.8% catch rate is far from impressive, considering his target volume.
Still, that doesn’t make it necessary for Pegula to speak the way he did about Coleman, who has two more years left on his current contract.
Rick Tocchet sends a strong message after another Flyers meltdown
Just when it looked like the Philadelphia Flyers were back on track after snapping a six-game losing streak with a 2-1 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., on Monday, they came crashing back down.
On Wednesday, the Flyers fell prey to the Utah Mammoth via overtime to the tune of a 5-4 score at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Philadelphia head coach Rick Tocchet was far from amused by his team’s poor finish in what should have been the Flyers’ 24th win in the 2025-26 NHL season.
“We had good parts of [the game], but that’s unacceptable what happened tonight,” Tocchet said, via Matt Komma of NHL.com.
“We sunk in pressure situations, something that we’ve got to get out of this team, right? You’ve got to rise to the occasion. You’ve got to want to be out there in pressure situations. A couple of guys sunk in certain situations, so it’s the bottom line. We’ve got to recover from it.”
It started well for Tocchet’s squad, as the Flyers had a 2-0 lead after the first period. They went up 3-0 after a goal by Bobby Brink on the power play just a minute into the second period. Utah responded with back-to-back goals from JJ Peterka and Lawson Crouse before Christian Dvorak found the back of the net with another Philly goal in the man advantage.
Holding a 4-2 lead heading into the third frame, the Flyers looked primed to notch their second win in a row.
Instead, the wheels fell off for them, as the Mammoth scored a pair of goals in the third period while blanking their visitors to tie the score at 4-4 and force overtime.
Clayton Keller completed the comeback for Utah with a game-winning goal off an assist from Dylan Guenther.
CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?! 🤯
— NHL (@NHL) January 22, 2026
Clayton Keller wins it for the @utahmammoth in @Energizer overtime! pic.twitter.com/5knpVtJncY
Philadelphia is now tied for second in the league for most overtime losses despite leading after the first period, as the Flyers have three such defeats, thus far in the campaign.
Jarrett Stidham finally reacts to a social media trend before game vs. Patriots
It’s going to be showtime soon for Jarrett Stidham, and Denver Broncos fans are doing their part to help him get in the right mindset for Sunday’s huge matchup against the New England Patriots, including spreading a certain LeBron James–inspired meme online.
Stidham, who has taken over the QB1 role for the Broncos following the season-ending injury of Bo Nix, acknowledged the proliferation of an edited photo that has his face over the four-time NBA Most Valuable Player during the 2016 NBA Finals.
James led the Cleveland Cavaliers to a historic come-from-behind NBA Finals win against the Golden State Warriors that year. In a way, Broncos fans believe Stidham can do the same—surprise everyone by leading Denver past the Patriots and, hopefully, to a Super Bowl victory.
On Wednesday, Stidham acknowledged the online trend heading into the AFC Championship game at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colo.
“I’m not on social media at the moment, but I have had multiple people with the LeBron meme with the headphones, the sunglasses, it’s pretty funny,” Stidham told reporters, via Jeff Legwold of ESPN.
While they are the home team in the meeting with New England, Stidham and the Broncos are viewed as the underdog, largely because of Nix’s absence. Nix suffered a season-ending ankle injury late in Denver’s win in the AFC Wild Card Round against the Buffalo Bills.
Stidham appeared in just one game in the 2025 regular season and did not attempt a pass in that contest, but he’ll need to be solid under center if the Broncos are to book a ticket to Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.
Shohei Ohtani and Kyle Tucker grab attention during an unbelievable Dodgers moment
It may be hard to believe for many, but Kyle Tucker is indeed now officially a member of the juggernaut Los Angeles Dodgers.
On Wednesday, the Dodgers brandished their newest MVP-caliber weapon during an introductory news conference for Tucker at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Calif., to the delight of every LA baseball fan.
Also in the building was two-time National League MVP Shohei Ohtani, who welcomed Tucker in the Dodgers’ locker room with a smile and a hug.
Shohei Ohtani greeted his new teammate Kyle Tucker in the Dodgers clubhouse after his introductory press conference today 🔥
— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) January 21, 2026
LA just keeps stacking elite talent around Ohtani
Via @sportsnetla pic.twitter.com/oRNoVM1V9C
That moment amplified the reality Los Angeles rivals hoped wouldn’t come true.
Tucker decided to take his talents to Hollywood by signing a massive 5-year, $240 million contract with the Dodgers, joining a loaded team that was already stacked with top-tier talent before he inked that deal. Seeing him interact with Ohtani for the first time since he became a Dodger drew lots of reactions from people online.
That’s awesome! 🔥
— 日田野 (@hwani1589802) January 21, 2026
Shohei Ohtani greeting Kyle Tucker in the Dodgers clubhouse shows great chemistry right from the start.
LA is clearly stacking elite talent around Ohtani, making the Dodgers even more dangerous and exciting to watch this season. ⚾💥
these two are going to be on the same team competing for national league mvp BASEBALL IS AWESOME
— ⊹ (@lindordefender) January 22, 2026
this reunion reminded me of what happened back in the time they were playing for different teams.
— abc (@tdog64037871) January 22, 2026
shohei getting in kyles way to the first base.
so happy they are now trying to compete for the championship together
Ohtani is the Ultimate teammate🙏
— JA Gonzo (@ChefJag) January 21, 2026
A four-time All-Star, Tucker hit .266/.377/.464 with 22 home runs and 73 RBIs in 136 games and 597 plate appearances for the Chicago Cubs in the 2025 season. With Tucker, the Dodgers’ batting order that features Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts becomes an even bigger problem for the rest of the big leagues.
Fans can expect the two stars to have many more moments like that on the field, beginning in the 2026 MLB season, as the Dodgers look to defend their World Series title and win another one for the third year in a row.
Alijah Arenas pulls off a wild 360-layup during his USC debut
After a long wait, Alijah Arenas finally made his debut for the USC Trojans on Wednesday against the visiting Northwestern Wildcats at Galen Center in Los Angeles, Calif.
Many in attendance were there not just to show support for the Trojans but to get a glimpse of the son of former three-time NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas. The freshman gave the crowd something to go crazy over early when he attacked the basket and finished at the rim with an incredible 360-layup minutes into the game.
Just take a look at this spectacular aerial maneuver by the 18-year-old guard.
This is gonna be fun 😈
— USC Men's Basketball (@USC_Hoops) January 22, 2026
📺: @BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/mp0Jy6ZFSu
That was the second basket of Arenas in the contest, but he also made just one more after that, the rest of the way. He finished with just 8 points on a salty 3-for-15 shooting from the field to go with a 2-for-6 shooting from the foul line.
Still, just seeing action on the court can be considered a huge success for Arenas. He had to recover from a serious knee injury in July, which he sustained just months after he was involved in a car accident that left him hospitalized.
The Trojans got 19 points off the bench from Jordan Marsh and 17 points from Ezra Ausar, but the Trojans ended up suffering a 74-68 loss to Chris Collins’ Wildcats.
Mets making a blockbuster trade for a 2-time All-Star pitcher
The New York Mets have gotten some revenge of sorts on the Los Angeles Dodgers for Kyle Tucker.
New York is in talks to acquire two-time All-Star pitcher Freddy Peralta from the Milwaukee Brewers, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported on Wednesday. Peralta, who had been a trade candidate for much of the offseason, will now be headed to the NL East to join the Mets’ rotation.
Jeff Passan of ESPN adds that infielder Jett Williams and RHP Brandon Sproat are going back to Milwaukee in the trade while RHP Tobias Myers will be headed to the Mets along with Peralta.
The righty Peralta, 29, led the NL last season with 17 wins. He also posted a 2.70 ERA, a 1.08 WHIP, and 204 strikeouts (Peralta’s third straight season of 200 K’s or more) over 33 starts spanning 176.2 total innings pitched.
But the Brewers were looking to move Peralta this winter, in large part because of his contract situation. Peralta is entering the final year of his contract in 2026 at a modest $8 million, so he could soon be getting very expensive.
The Mets clearly don’t mind forking over cash though as they have consistently ranked among MLB’s top spenders under owner Steve Cohen. Now Peralta is coming aboard as the possible ace of a very deep Mets staff that already features high-quality veterans such as Clay Holmes and David Peterson as well as young phenoms like Jonah Tong and Nolan McLean.
New York was having a disaster offseason after losing the likes of Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz in free agency and trading away veteran mainstays such as Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil as well. But they have quickly righted the ship in a major way, adding the one-time Dodgers target Peralta to a winter haul that already includes Bo Bichette, Marcus Semien, Luke Weaver, Devin Williams, Jorge Polanco, and this other former All-Star whom the Mets just traded for earlier this week.
Giants’ Jung Hoo Lee gets detained at airport by Customs and Border Protection
Jung Hoo Lee got himself into some trouble while returning from his native South Korea this week.
The San Francisco Giants outfielder Lee was detained on Wednesday evening by U.S. Customs and Border Protection while at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in Los Angeles, Calif., per Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Lee’s agent Scott Boras called the situation a matter of “just paperwork” and added that they were “attempting to resolve it.”
Lee was reportedly arriving back in the United States before a scheduled appearance at Giants’ Fan Fest in San Ramon, Calif. on Saturday. A spokesperson for the office of U.S. Representative Nancy Pelosi also said that they were “actively” working to get the Lee situation resolved.
You can read Slusser’s full report on the matter here.
The 27-year-old Lee signed with the Giants before the 2024 season after spending the previous seven seasons with the Nexen / Kiwoom Heroes of the KBO League in South Korea. During his time with the Heroes, Lee was a six-time All-Star, a five-time Golden Glove winner, a two-time batting champion, and the KBO League MVP in 2022.
Lee, who signed a six-year, $113 million deal with San Francisco, lost almost his entire first season due to injury. Last season though, Lee fared much better, batting .266 with eight homers, 55 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases through 150 games (even adding some impressive defense in the outfield as well).
Notable update surfaces about Mike Tomlin’s plans
Mike Tomlin may indeed be taking off his headset for good.
The former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Tomlin is completely “done” with coaching, Jay Glazer of FOX Sports said this week. Glazer made the claim during an appearance on the “Wake Up Barstool” podcast.
“I know people also say, ‘Well, now could Mike Tomlin come out [for one of the current head coach openings]?’” said Glazer, per Awful Announcing. “No, that’s not happening. Mike T’s done. He’s done. He’s been done.”
This lines up perfectly with some comments made last week by retired ex-NFL All-Pro Ronde Barber, a close friend of Tomlin. Barber also expressed his personal belief that Tomlin may never return to coaching in the NFL again.
The former Super Bowl champion Tomlin was the NFL’s longest-tenured head coach and had been in charge of the Steelers since the 2007 season. But while Tomlin was famous for his streak of never producing a losing season in Pittsburgh, the Steelers had also failed to win even a single playoff game under Tomlin since the 2016 campaign. When that streak continued this year with Pittsburgh’s loss to the Houston Texans during the Wild Card round, Tomlin and the Steelers finally decided to part ways.
Tomlin is still only 53 years old and would have several quality options to choose from if he wanted to coach again (notably, the last two NFL MVPs, Buffalo’s Josh Allen and Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson, are both currently without head coaches). But all signs are pointing to the likelihood of Tomlin being done as a head coach in the NFL after nearly two decades. That would, in turn, pave the way for Tomlin to possibly go into a television career (with one notable network currently being predicted to land him).
Big news emerges about Brian Flores’ future
Brian Flores is going … absolutely nowhere.
The Minnesota Vikings announced on Wednesday that they have signed their defensive coordinator Flores to a new contract extension. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network adds that Flores is set to stay put in Minnesota, barring a head coaching offer from either the Pittsburgh Steelers or the Baltimore Ravens.
Flores, still only 44 years old, took over as DC of the Vikings before the 2023 season. Prior to that, Flores was a four-time Super Bowl champion as an assistant coach for the New England Patriots and later went on to serve as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins from 2019-21.
Minnesota had some major issues on the offensive side of the ball this season and missed the playoffs with an overall record of just 9-8. But their defense under Flores was fairly elite, ranking seventh in the NFL in points allowed per game (19.6) and third in the NFL in yards allowed per game (282.6).
Flores coached out the 2025 season under the final year of his contract with the Vikings. That led to speculation that he could potentially leave Minnesota for an NFC rival instead.
There was even talk that Tom Brady was seriously eyeing Flores for the head coach job of the Las Vegas Raiders. But in the end, Flores (barring a late miracle head coaching offer from one of his two preferred NFL teams) will be staying put in Minnesota after all.
