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Canada rolls out promising roster for 2026 World Baseball Classic

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TORONTO — Featuring a lineup anchored by Josh Naylor, Tyler O’Neill and Owen Caissie and a pitching staff fronted by Michael Soroka, Jameson Taillon and Cal Quantrill, Canada unveiled a promising 30-man roster for this spring’s World Baseball Classic on Thursday. 

Most of the Canadians’ top choices from the provisional rosters submitted Dec. 3 have so far held, although power-armed Seattle Mariners reliever Matt Brash was a notable recent withdrawal. 

All-star Freddie Freeman, the son of Canadian parents who wore the Maple Leaf at the past two tournaments, starter Nick Pivetta, relievers Cade Smith, Eric Sabrowski and Jordan Romano and pitching prospects Jonah Tong and Mitch Bratt are also among the notable players who either withdrew or turned down invitations.

But the Canadians have thus far sidestepped the insurance issues that have plagued other countries and this edition of the national team is marked more by who will be there, rather than who won’t.

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Bo Naylor, Edouard Julien, Otto Lopez, Abraham Toro, Denzel Clarke and Jared Young are among the 14 other position players on the squad that will play out of Pool A in San Juan against host Puerto Rico, Colombia, Cuba and Panama. 

Veterans James Paxton and Phillippe Aumont, prospects Adam Macko and Eric Cerantola and experienced arms like Rob Zastryzny, Jordan Balazovic and Logan Allen help fill out the pitching staff.

The top two teams advance from each pool and, separated from the powerhouse United States for the first time at the Classic, Canada has a real pathway to its first appearance in the quarterfinals.

  • Watch the World Baseball Classic on Sportsnet
  • Watch the World Baseball Classic on Sportsnet

    The World Baseball Classic is back for its sixth edition, running from March 5-17 in Miami, Houston, San Juan and Tokyo. Catch all the action on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+.

    Broadcast schedule

“We feel in this pool every night we have a chance to go out and compete with whoever we’re playing and we don’t have to make some tough choices,” said Greg Hamilton, Baseball Canada’s director of national team programs. “You had to make tough choices every time you’re dealing with the U.S. in your pool and especially if you had the U.S. and Venezuela or the U.S. and Mexico. There wasn’t much room.”

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That was the case in 2023, when Canada finished 2-2 and lost a win-and-advance game against Mexico, just as they did in the inaugural edition of the event. The Americans knocked them out in 2013.

There is more room this time and if Canada moves on, a lineup Hamilton described as “a clear strength,” will likely do the heavy lifting.

“It’s pretty much a major-league lineup, with impact in it,”  he continued. “And we’re going to have options to have guys that are experienced major-league players that add depth and can certainly play roles and have impact. So the depth of our starting lineup is definitely going to be a strength.”

Soroka, Taillon and Quantrill give the Canadians three legitimate starters and Balazovic is a candidate to be the fourth if they don’t go piecemeal with the final slot, depending on how the tournament plays out.

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Paxton, Aumont, Allen and righty Noah Skirrow give manager Ernie Whitt more flexibility as their usage will be less strict since they aren’t part of a big-league system.

“The ability to run out, by and large, round-by-round major-league starters that have impact at the big-league level is very important,” said Hamilton. “That’s certainly a strength and we’ve got experience in the bullpen around it. Do we have Brash? No. Do we have Cade Smith? No. You’d love to have those guys but we do have guys with upper-level experience and some depth and we have right-left balance.” 

Catchers: Liam Hicks, Bo Naylor

Infielders: Tyler Black, Matt Davidson, Adam Hall, Edouard Julien, Otto Lopez, Josh Naylor, Abraham Toro

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Outfielders: Owen Caissie, Denzel Clarke, Tyler O’Neill, Jacob Robson, Jared Young

Pitchers: Logan Allen, Micah Ashman, Phillippe Aumont, Jordan Balazovic, Eric Cerantola, Indigo Diaz, Antoine Jean, Carter Loewen, Adam Macko, James Paxton, Cal Quantrill, Noah Skirrow, Michael Soroka, Jameson Taillon, Matt Wilkinson, Rob Zastryzny

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Rams QB Matthew Stafford wins NFL MVP award

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It took him 17 seasons, but Matthew Stafford has finally won an MVP award. 

The Los Angeles Rams veteran quarterback was named the NFL’s most valuable player at the NFL Honors on Thursday night. 

New England Patriots QB Drake Maye, Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen, Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence and San Francisco 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey were the other finalists for the league’s top award. 

Stafford led the NFL this season with 4,707 yards passing and 46 TDs. He threw eight picks and finished second to Maye with a 109.2 passer rating. Stafford was also first-team All-Pro for the first time in his career. 

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His strong play led the Rams to a 12-5 record and the NFC’s No. 5 seed in the playoffs. 

The Rams won their first two post-season games before falling to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship game. 

Stafford did all he could in the loss, throwing for 374 yards and three touchdowns against the vaunted Seahawks D. 

The 37-year-old pivot spent the first 12 seasons of his career, then was traded to the Rams in 2021. 

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In his first year in L.A., Stafford led the Rams to their second Super Bowl victory in franchise history. After missing the playoffs the following year, the Rams have made the post-season the past three seasons. 

What comes next for the QB remained to be seen before Thursday, but Stafford confirmed at the end of his speech that he would be returning for the 2026 season.

Still under contract for another year, Rams head coach Sean McVay and GM Les Snead were cautiously hopeful that Stafford would stick around to continue their five-year partnership for at least another season.

Stafford said after the NFC championship loss that he would take some time before deciding on his future.

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“He’s going to take his time, talk with (his wife) Kelly and the girls and see what’s best,” McVay said last week. “But man, is he still playing at an incredible level. Our hope is that he does (return), but with respect to his timetable … whenever he feels ready to make that announcement, we’ll let him be able to do that.”

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McLaughlin: BYU Done Enough to Contend for Big 12 Again?

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Big 12 logo

BYU has not made some huge noise in the portal, bringing in nine players for the No. 41 class in the country.

Are they ready to contend for another conference title?

BYU Cougars logo‘Locked On BYU’ host Jake Hatch joins to discuss.

This segment is from Thursday’s episode of Locked On College Football with Spencer McLaughlin.

PORTAL CHATTER: Did BYU Cougars make enough transfer moves to win the Big 12 Championship in 2026?

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Reports: Nets waive G Cam Thomas after trade deadline

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NBA: Brooklyn Nets at Utah JazzJan 30, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas (24) dribbles against the Utah Jazz during the first half at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images

The Brooklyn Nets ended their sometimes sour relationship with guard Cam Thomas on Thursday by releasing him to allow him to be a free agent, according to multiple reports.

Thomas signed a $5.9 million qualifying offer last summer after he and the Nets could not agree to contract terms. Brooklyn reportedly tried to shop him before Thursday’s trade deadline.

Now he is in an unrestricted free agent instead of being restricted, which would have given the Nets the right to match any offer sheet.

“Super excited, ready to actually help and contribute to another team,” Thomas, 24, told ESPN. “My next team is getting elite scoring, good playmaking and a good combo guard.”

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Thomas ranked second on the team with a 15.6 scoring average and averaged 3.1 assists and 2.0 turnovers per game in 24 contests (eight starts) this season after missing 20 games because of a strained left hamstring.

He was Brooklyn’s leading scorer in the 2023-24 regular season (22.5) and averaged a team-best 24.0 scoring average in only 25 games in 2024-25 before he was limited by hamstring issues.

For his career, Thomas averages 15.2 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 23.3 minutes in 239 regular-season games (88 starts).

Brooklyn selected Thomas with the 27th overall pick of the 2021 NBA Draft.

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–Field Level Media

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‘She has gone through a lot’: Shreyanka Patil dedicates RCB’s WPL triumph to Smriti Mandhana | Cricket News

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‘She has gone through a lot’: Shreyanka Patil dedicates RCB’s WPL triumph to Smriti Mandhana
RCB captain Smriti Mandhana after winning Women’s Premier League title. (PTI Photo)

NEW DELHI: Royal Challengers Bengaluru sealed a historic second Women’s Premier League title with a stunning win over Delhi Capitals in Vadodara on Thursday, but for spinner Shreyanka Patil, the triumph meant something far more personal — a tribute to skipper Smriti Mandhana, who delivered a match-winning performance after navigating a turbulent phase in her personal life.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Mandhana, who recently faced turmoil after her wedding was called off, responded in the most emphatic way possible — smashing 87 in the final, the highest individual score in a WPL title clash. Her knock, alongside Georgia Voll’s 79, powered RCB to a record-breaking chase of 204, sealing the trophy in dramatic fashion.

T20 World Cup | ‘Our flight is booked and we are going’ – Suryakumar Yadav on Pakistan’s boycott

After the victory, Patil dedicated the title to her captain, underlining the emotional weight behind the win. “Would love to mention three people — number one, Smriti, because she has gone through a lot in the last couple of months. Would love to dedicate this win to her. Malo and Anya… Today is Anya’s son’s first birthday. And again, Malo — first time he’s the head coach and it’s a special win for all of us,” she said.Calling it a “very special” season after her comeback, Patil thanked fans for backing the team despite the daunting 200-plus target. She finished the 2026 campaign with 11 wickets in nine innings, playing a crucial role in RCB’s title run.

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What do you think was the key factor in RCB’s WPL title win?

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Mandhana’s heroic innings not only anchored the highest successful chase in a WPL final but also reinforced her status as one of the league’s biggest match-winners. Delhi Capitals, meanwhile, were left searching for answers after ending their fourth straight season without a trophy.All-rounder Radha Yadav praised the management’s backing and the team’s situational training sessions, saying the hard work behind the scenes played a big role in the title run.For RCB, however, the night belonged to Mandhana — a captain who turned personal adversity into championship glory.

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“Babe is it happening???” – Aryna Sabalenka sparks engagement rumors with boyfriend Georgios after fans spot crucial detail in new glam-up photos

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Aryna Sabalenka has sparked engagement rumours with her new batch of photos. As the Belarusian shared some snaps from her latest glam session, fans were quick to zero in on an crucial detail and speculate if she had gotten engaged to long time boyfriend Georgios Frangulis.

Sabalenka and Frangulis have been a power couple of the tennis world for quite some time now. The Brazilian is the four-time Grand Slam champion’s biggest fan and is a constant presence in the audience when she’s competing. Recently, Sabalenka took to Instagram to share some glammed-up photos from her time at the Crown Towers and eagle-eyed fans were quick to spot the flashy piece of jewelry she sported on her ring finger.

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The pictures were enough to set off some engagement rumours for the couple, with fans showcasing their curiosity in the comments section.

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“Babe is it happening??? 💍☺️,” one fan wrote.

“Wait….what’s that big sparkly yellow thing on your finger???? 💍😮,” another added.

Via @arynasabalenka on Instagram Via @arynasabalenka on Instagram
Via @arynasabalenka on Instagram

Aryna Sabalenka and Georgios Frangulis first began dating in early 2024. Rumours of their relationship caught fire sometime in April after the duo were spotted together in Madrid. The speculation found further purchase over the next few months as Frangulis began making regular appearances in the World No.1’s player’s box. The couple made their relationship Instagram official in July, 2024 and have since been vocal about their love for each other.

Aryna Sabalenka reflects on the beginning of her relationship with Georgios Frangulis, reveals why she was hesitant to date the Brazilian

Sabalenka and Frangulis at the WTA Finals 2025 (Image Source: Getty)Sabalenka and Frangulis at the WTA Finals 2025 (Image Source: Getty)
Sabalenka and Frangulis at the WTA Finals 2025 (Image Source: Getty)

Aryna Sabalenka recently opened up about the beginning of her relationship with Georgios Frangulis. In an interview with Alexandre Cossenza, the Belarusian revealed that the duo knew each other for some time before they went on their first date. She also revealed the reason she had been hesitant about dating the Brazilian, saying,

“We met actually long before we actually went for the first date. So I just knew him from (when) I started working with Oakberry. And then we met a bit later and went for dinner and I felt really connected. Because before I wasn’t sure if I can handle a relationship with someone who doesn’t speak Russian and then I felt really connected to him, his mentality. I think we are really similar. He’s very kind and I fell in love and somehow he got me.”

On the tennis end of things, Aryna Sabalenka was last seen in action at the Australian Open. The World No.1 claimed her second-consecutive runners-up finish at the event, losing to Elena Rybakina in the finals.