Will the Cincinnati Reds stretch their legs again in 2026? — and more

The Cincinnati Reds swiped a league-best 190 bases as recently as the 2023 season, easily topping the 166 bases swiped by the second-best Arizona Diamondbacks. The emergence of both Elly De La Cruz and TJ Friedl atop the order prompted then-manager David Bell to put his runners on the move as often as possible, and by the end of the 2024 season they had swiped a pretty astounding 207 bases as a team.

That was only good for third-best in all of Major League Baseball as teams all around the league leaned hard into running more often, but still was emblematic of the team speed they had cobbled together during their rebuild.

Then came the managerial change to Terry Francona, as well as the quad issue for Elly and the litany of hamstring and other ailments Friedl had battled through most of 2024. By season’s end in 2025 – Francona’s first in charge with the Reds – they had swiped only 105 bases, the 19th most of any team in the game.

Tito has gone on record as saying that he’s not necessarily opposed to running, just that he’s borderline morally opposed to giving away outs on the bases. And, the more you run, the more you inevitably run into some outs.

On top of that, the major additions to the lineup over the last half-year don’t exactly scream base stealers. Eugenio Suarez certainly isn’t as he heads into turning 35 years old, and Ke’Bryan Hayes has logged 12, 11, and 10 respectively in each of his last three seasons (as he’s fought consistent back issues).

There’s still plenty of base-stealing ability there, however. Spencer Steer has shown it in the past, Matt McLain routinely gets praised for his running ability, and healthy years from Elly and Friedl will almost assuredly see their season totals higher in 2026 than they were in 2025.

So, what’s the verdict? Will the Reds steal more bases this year than they did last season? Will they once again be one of the pace-setters in the game when it comes to speed and aggression?

As the 2023 offseason wore on and the Eagles navigated their offseason, there was a name floating around the aggressive Philadelphia media. The NFL's most loyal fan base chimed in, leading to some added buzz. Bijan Robinson was the subject of constant discussion.

A 2022 Unanimous All-American and the Doak Walker Award winner, an honor given to the top running back in college football, Robinson had closed a great career with the Texas Longhorns. He was a former Freshman All-American (2020) and a two-time First-Team All-Big 12 nod (2021-2022). He was expected to be among the first ten players taken in the 2023 NFL Draft.

That began a debate, mostly among Birds fans and on-air personalities on Philadelphia Sports radio channels. Why draft an offensive lineman or a defender when the Eagles had a shot at taking this guy?

The selection meeting arrived, and the Eagles indeed drafted a Longhorn. It just wasn't Robinson, and it came two days and 241 selections later.

The Eagles may be nearing a tough decision as Moro Ojomo has carved out a name for himself.

So, as it turns out, those Eagles scouts did indeed have their eyes on Texas football, and in the process, they found an undersized but extremely talented defensive lineman. The Atlanta Falcons wound up drafting Robinson with the eighth overall selection, eliminating any temptation that Philadelphia may have had. The Birds grabbed Jalen Carter two spots later at ten. They added another defensive lineman in Round 7.

Ojomo was the 249th player taken in the 2023 NFL Draft. That decision has turned out to be a great one. Some thought he might turn out to be a steal. He has been all of that and more.

He has appeared in 47 career games, including five postseason contests. He has notched ten starts, leading to 61 tackles, six sacks, and a pass breakup during the regular season. He has added another nine tackles and a sack during the playoffs. Philadelphia's 2025-26 campaign was his best to date. Stepping into a void left by some departed veterans, all of those afore-mentioned six sacks came last season.

That was the second-highest total posted by an Eagles defender. Only Jalyx Hunt (6.5) had more. It was recently announced that he hired a new agency to represent him, which raises an interesting conversation.

Ojomo is extension-eligible this offseason. He's signed through 2026, making him eligible for free agency in 2027. Another massive season could pose a conundrum for the Eagles.

Yes, they have two other defensive linemen whose extensions they need to discuss: Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis. Ojom, however, is becoming more important to this defense as time passes, and if you haven't learned anything else from the 2025 Eagles, you should have learned that finding good help, especially at defensive end, can be a difficult ask.

Howie Roseman and company won't bet against themselves. The Eagles never do, but it's becoming increasingly obvious that Moro Ojomo is someone may need to be considered for an extended stay on this roster.

This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Eagles' Moro Ojomo: Extension talks loom after breakout

NEW YORK (AP) — Unrivaled is taking its semifinals on the road, playing at Barclays Center in New York on Monday night.

Top seed Phantom BC will face sixth-seeded Vinyl and No. 2 Mist will play No. 5 Breeze. The top two teams earned byes to this round. The title game will be Wednesday at Unrivaled’s home arena in Miami, with a prize pool of $600,000 to be split among players from the championship club.

Phantom will be missing star forward Aliyah Boston for the rest of the playoffs as she's out with a right lower extremity injury.

Playing at Barclays Center will be a homecoming for Unrivaled co-founder Breanna Stewart, who led the New York Liberty to its first championship in 2024.

The young 3-on-3 league drew a professional women’s basketball regular-season record crowd of 21, 490 that included “Good Morning America” host Robin Roberts, Sixers guard Kyle Lowry, and comedians Leslie Jones and Wanda Sykes when it played in Philadelphia in late January.

The Philadelphia tour stop represented a proving ground on whether taking the product on the road can lead to new revenue and expand the league’s fan base, while recalibrating a business model that was originally rooted in centralization.

MVP

Chelsea Gray won the league's MVP playing for Rose BC on Monday. The guard, who won Unrivaled's 1-on-1 tournament last month, averaged 24.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 6.1 assists. Gray broke her own league single-season assists record with 85 in 14 games for Rose BC. She had nine games with 20 or more points and 10 contests with five or more assists. She also tied the league single-game 3-pointers record with 10 on Feb. 22.

___

AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

Good morning!

According to a report by John Shipley of Jaguars on SI, “there have been zero indicators of Etienne getting franchise or transition tagged” ahead of Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET tag deadline. As Shipley noted, this is not a definitive sign that the running back will not be returning to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The team is simply letting Etienne test the open waters of free agency before beginning any contract negotiations, rather than cratering to the franchise tag cost of $14.3 million. That’s probably a much higher figure than whatever Etienne will end up signing for… but it does lower the chances of him being in Duval County going forward. Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

Now, for the full roundup.

Jacksonville Jaguars News

Study up before your next trip to the watercooler.

Reacts Survey Results: Jaguars Fans Want to Run it Back (Big Cat Country)

Getting the band back together after one hit song (i.e., one good season) isn’t necessarily a bad thing. If the Jags want to keep the good vibes rolling by re-signing Lloyd and/or Etienne, sure, go for it. They’re incredible players and seem to be respected voices in the locker room.

Jaguars Mid-Combine Mock Draft: Targeting Needs on Day 2 (Big Cat Country)

One name that offers starter potential in the third round could be FSU’s Darrell Jackson, a two-year starter for the Seminoles who thrived against the run but also flashed the ability to get into the backfield. His size and play strength translate well to the NFL, and whilst he’s not the most explosive tackle in this draft his motor and tenacity, coupled with his measurables, suggest he could be a ten-year pro.

Expectations Beginning to Be Set for Jaguars’ Travis Etienne’s FA Market (Jaguars on SI)

Sources with knowledge of the situation have told Jaguars On SI that there have been zero indicators of Etienne getting franchise or transition tagged. This does not mean the Jaguars would not be open to a return, but the more likely sce nario is that he will be able to see what the market has for him. And due to the Williams deal, that market will likely be north of $8 million a year.

Jaguars’ James Gladstone explains why top brass skipped NFL combine (Florida Times-Union)

“The Combine is a significant annual event on the NFL calendar, one that we value greatly. The information and data gathered in Indianapolis are integral to our process. We have significant and influential personnel in Indianapolis, inclusive of our scouts conducting interviews with a full allotment of prospects, and our medical staff is, of course, present and gathering player data,” Gladstone explained.

Everything we learned about all 32 teams at the 2026 NFL combine (The Athletic)

Coach Liam Coen and general manager James Gladstone didn’t attend the combine, instead trusting their scouting staff to handle business. While wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. has been viewed as a potential trade candidate, teams have mostly just been checking in on his availability. Nothing appeared imminent, though that could certainly change. Thomas, a 2024 first-round pick under former Jags GM Trent Baalke, had a steep statistical drop-off with the new regime, which has led to the predictable inquiries.

2026 NFL combine buzz: Intel on free agency, trades, QBs (ESPN)

Don’t be surprised if Carolina makes some big moves on defense for the second consecutive year. The Panthers will be looking at edge-rush help and might be open to offering a lucrative contract. They need linebacker and slot corner help, too. Devin Lloyd would be an ideal fit in the middle of the defense.

Albert Breer’s Takeaways: Heeding the Lessons of the Lions’ 2023 Draft Class (Sports Illustrated)

I’d lean toward a Maxx Crosby trade happening, and maybe this week. But there’s going to have to be some needle-threading. I don’t think the Raiders want to go through the song-and-dance of shopping him, nor do I believe Crosby wants it advertised that he’s looking for suitors, given his bond with owner Mark Davis, and his view of himself as a Raider.

Big Cat Country Editor’s Pick

Drumroll, please!

NFL combine participation rate keeps dropping, especially agility drills (Acme Packing Company)

There was an immediate dropoff when on-field combine drills returned in 2022, as participation dropped below 50 percent for the first time, but there was a solid bounceback in 2023. In the last three successive combines, though, the participation rate has dropped year-over-year, and the 2026 combine looks to be the worst, in terms of participation, ever.

Today’s NFL Media

Auto-retweet.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below — and be sure to check our social media and The Feed for more Jaguars conversation!

Red Sox Star Roman Anthony Blows Away Boston Radio Hosts originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Boston Red Sox star Roman Anthony is one of the most impressive young players in baseball, both on and off the field. He proved that last summer during his stellar rookie campaign, and he's proving it again during spring training.

WEEI's "The Greg Hill Show" visited Red Sox spring training in Fort Myers, Florida, last week and interviewed Anthony, who praised Boston sports fans and their passion for the team. He also spoke about how the Red Sox hold themselves to a high standard and expect to win the World Series this year.

On Monday morning, the radio hosts discussed how impressed they were with Anthony's poise, polish, modesty and maturity for a 21-year-old kid.

Happy March! Spring is close and that means Red Sox baseball!
Optimistic? Scheim is encouraged with this 2026 baseball team. Are you? If this Sox team stays healthy, what is its ceiling? #RedSox#MLB#Baseball#Bostonpic.twitter.com/wI5kYiTdVJ

— WEEI (@WEEI) March 2, 2026

"I'm so impressed with him. He may know what he's supposed to be or what everybody expects him to be, but he doesn't act like somebody who is reading his own headlines and is worried about anything other than the baseball team," Greg Hill said. "He's just unbelieveable, and he's only 21 years old, which is the amazing thing about it."

Hill's co-host and producer Chris Curtis agreed. "Honestly, it's insane," Curtis said. 

After trading Rafael Devers last season and moving on from Alex Bregman in free agency, the Red Sox have made Anthony the face of their franchise. They rewarded him with a historic eight-year, $130 million contract extension last August, locking him up for most of the next decade just two months into his MLB career.

Anthony lived up to the hype last year, but time will tell if he can get even better and develop into a perennial All-Star and MVP candidate over the next few seasons. Based on his skills and how he handles himself, nobody would be surprised if he does.

More MLB: Boston Radio Hosts Reveal Encouraging Takeaways From Red Sox Spring Training Visit