Michigan State freshman Jase Richardson, a projected lottery pick, will enter the 2025 NBA draft, he told ESPN on Tuesday.

"I'm incredibly grateful to my teammates and coaches for the season we had," Richardson told ESPN. "After evaluating everything with my family, this was the best decision for me. We had so many incredible moments as a team. Even though we didn't go as far as I had hoped in the NCAA tournament, this is exactly how I wanted my freshman year to go. Winning the Big Ten championship and making the Elite Eight for the first time since 2019."

Richardson, the No. 13 prospect in ESPN's NBA draft projections, was named to the Big Ten's All-Freshman Team and third-team all-conference after averaging 12.1 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game, shooting 41% for 3.

The 19-year-old found another gear with his productivity as the season moved on, especially after being inserted into the starting lineup for Michigan State on Feb. 8.

His pace, skill level, feel for the game, perimeter shooting, and high-intensity defense give him an excellent framework to build on long-term. He plays an unusually mistake-free style of basketball (30 turnovers in 912 minutes), helping him earn the trust of Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo.

"Coach Izzo taught me how to think the game through countless hours of film and conversations on and off the court," Richardson said, "He actually coached me harder as the season moved on, pushing me more as he was putting more responsibility on my plate."

Jase's father is Jason Richardson, an All-American and national champion at Michigan State who was the No. 5 pick in the 2001 draft and went on to have a highly productive 13-year NBA career.

"My dad had the blueprint laid out for me for how I was going to get to my goals," Jase Richardson said. "It's really special to have someone like him next to me that has been through the process. I am always asking him for feedback and advice. We're totally different players, so I don't feel any pressure if people expect me to do what he did. I need to go out and show myself on my own."

The NBA draft combine will be held May 11-18 in Chicago, and the draft will be June 25-26 in New York.

Jonathan Givony is an NBA draft expert and the founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a private scouting and analytics service used by NBA, NCAA and International teams.

Chicago Bulls star guard Coby White will sit out Tuesday's road game against the Cleveland Cavaliers for rest.

The move comes as the Bulls (36-42) try to navigate a spot into the postseason and the Cavs try to secure the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Bulls are in ninth place in the Eastern Conference and are playing the first game of a back-to-back set -- they face the 10th-place Miami Heat (36-43) on Wednesday in Chicago.

White, 25, was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Month in March and enjoyed a fast start to April as well.

He sank six 3-pointers to highlight his 37-point performance in the Bulls' 131-117 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday.

White has averaged 32.0 points on 31-of-48 shooting from the floor and 11-of-21 attempts from 3-point range over the past three games.

He is averaging a career-high 20.7 points, 4.5 assists and 3.6 rebounds in 71 games (70 starts) this season for the Bulls, who have won 12 of their last 16 games overall.

Meanwhile, Cleveland (62-16) looks to clinch the East without All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell, who has been ruled out vs. the Bulls with a left ankle sprain.

Mitchell, 28, sustained the injury in the Cavaliers' 120-113 loss to the Sacramento Kings on Sunday. He is averaging a team-leading 24.0 points to go along with 5.0 assists and 4.5 rebounds in 71 games, starting all of those.

Texas freshman Tre Johnson announced Tuesday on ESPN's "NBA Today" that he will declare for the NBA draft.

Johnson is projected to be picked No. 5 in ESPN's post-NCAA tournament mock draft, which was published Tuesday.

"This season was a rollercoaster ride," Johnson said. "But it was a great experience, wins and losses aside. Going up against the best teams in the country. Playing at Texas was the best experience I've ever had, being with a great group of guys and a great coaching staff."

Johnson was named SEC Freshman of the Year and All-SEC Second Team after averaging 19.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game, shooting 37% for 3. He helped Texas make the NCAA tournament, with the Longhorns eliminated by Xavier in the First Four.

At 6-foot-6, with a 6-10 wingspan, Johnson is a prototype for what the NBA seeks at the wing position, featuring excellent size and length, a strong build, and prolific scoring prowess. He has diverse shot-making versatility running off screens, hitting pullup jumpers, and rising for difficult step-backs and side-step 3-pointers, while showing versatility with flashes of slashing and passing ability. He turned 19 on March 7.

Johnson is in Santa Barbara, California, preparing for the draft and an even more significant challenge in the NBA.

"It will be constant work, just trying to take advantage of every day to try and get better," Johnson said. "I'm a big basketball nerd, so I'm spending a lot of time watching film, both full games and individual players on Synergy. I like to watch Shai Gilgeous-Alexander because we have similar body types. Devin Booker, with how he scores and his footwork coming off pin-downs, and also Klay Thompson with the Warriors, seeing how he uses different actions."

The NBA draft combine will be held May 11-18 in Chicago, and the draft will be June 25-26 in New York.

Jonathan Givony is an NBA draft expert and the founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a private scouting and analytics service utilized by NBA, NCAA and International teams.

The Denver Nuggets fired head coach Michael Malone and said they would not extend general manager Calvin Booth's contract Tuesday, just days before the end of the regular season.

David Adelman, the Nuggets' lead assistant, will take over as head coach for the remainder of the season.

The shocking decision to fire the coach and eventually part ways with the general manager who won a championship in 2023 comes at a time when the Nuggets (47-32) have lost four straight games and are in danger of falling into the play-in. It has been a frustrating stretch for the Nuggets as three-time MVP and current MVP candidate Nikola Jokic has tried to keep things together while Jamal Murray has been out for five straight games with a hamstring injury.

There have been moments when players have shown emotions on the sideline, with even normally calm Jokic displaying rare frustration recently while on the bench trying to sort out the Nuggets' struggles. The Nuggets have gone 11-13 since the All-Star break.

When the Nuggets entered this season, sources told ESPN that there was growing tension between Malone and Booth that grew into a "cold war." Since the team won the championship, the Nuggets have gone with younger role players such as Christian Braun and Peyton Watson around the team's core of Jokic, Murray and Aaron Gordon. Veterans such as Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Bruce Brown left in previous summers during free agency to sign bigger deals elsewhere.

Malone had been with the team for 10 seasons, leading the Nuggets to their lone NBA championship. He had a 471-327 record.

"This decision was not made lightly," Josh Kroenke, vice chairman of Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, said in a team statement. "And was evaluated very carefully, and we do it only with the intention of giving our group the best chance at competing for the 2025 NBA Championship and delivering another title to Denver and our fans everywhere.

"While the timing of this decision is unfortunate, as Coach Malone helped build the foundation of our now championship-level program, it is a necessary step to allow us to compete at the highest level right now. Championship-level standards and expectations remain in place for the current season, and as we look to the future, we look forward to building on the foundations laid by Coach Malone over his record-breaking 10-year career in Denver."

Booth was promoted to be the Nuggets' GM for the past three seasons after Tim Connelly left for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Booth's first season was Denver's championship season in 2022-23.

"I want to thank Calvin Booth for leading our front office for the past three years," Kroenke said. "And most importantly for helping put the final pieces in place for the roster that delivered Denver and our fans their first NBA Championship. Calvin's knowledge of the game, his passion for scouting, and his long history as a player and executive in the NBA helped lift our organization to new heights which we will continue moving forward. We are grateful to Calvin for his eight years with the Nuggets and know his place in Nuggets history as our first championship-winning GM will be honored for years to come."

Adelman, a son of former head coach Rick Adelman, has been an assistant by Malone's side for eight seasons. He interviewed for head coaching vacancies with the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers last summer.

Jokic now moves forward without the only head coach he has had for his entire career.

"There is no amount of gratitude that we can properly convey to his contributions since he joined our franchise in 2015," Kroenke said of Malone. "It is with our utmost respect that we would like to thank Coach Malone for the most successful decade in Nuggets history, setting the all-time wins record and helping deliver Denver our first championship."

ESPN's Shams Charania contributed to this report.

A CELEBRATORY MOOD carried Austin Reaves down the ramp at Madison Square Garden and into the New York City night after a monumental road win. It was just after midnight on Feb. 2.

The Los Angeles Lakers -- fueled by 60 combined points from Reaves (27) and LeBron James (33) -- had just knocked off a New York Knicks team that was riding a five-game win streak. L.A. had done so without its best player, Anthony Davis, who had left the trip early to receive treatment for an abdominal strain.

"Me and Bron were talking in the locker room after the game," Reaves told ESPN. "It was like, if we play like that and add AD to that, we could be dangerous."

As the Lakers' bus navigated through midtown Manhattan traffic, Reaves pulled out his phone to scroll Instagram. He came across a post citing ESPN Shams Charania's report that the Lakers had just traded Davis and Max Christie -- fresh off 15 points against New York -- to the Dallas Mavericks in a deal for Slovenian superstar Luka Doncic.

"First thing, I was like, 'Oh this is [false]," Reaves said. "'He got hacked.'"

Instantly, Reaves' phone began to flood with incoming texts. "The group message started going crazy," he said. "AD, texting the [team] group message, was like, 'They traded me.' And I was like, 'OK, AD is bulls----ing with us.' He's a kid at heart, had his fun. He literally has a prank TV show. I thought it was one of those."

Then he received a message from Lakers assistant coach Beau Levesque.

"Bro ...," Levesque messaged.

Reaves called Levesque immediately.

"This ain't real," Reaves said, a statement posing as a question.

"Umm ... I think it's real," Levesque said, sitting on the Lakers' last bus to leave MSG, about 15 minutes behind Reaves. "I'm sitting right by Max."

The tectonic-shifting swap shocked the NBA, altered the career trajectories of two all-time greats in Davis and Doncic -- and could prove to be a divergent moment in the fates of the two franchises in Dallas and L.A.

Already it has reframed Reaves' role, who in four short years has gone from being an undrafted college prospect to L.A.'s third option, first behind the championship-proven duo of Davis and James and now behind James and Doncic.

L.A. is 26-8 when Reaves scores 20 points or more this season and 18-18 when he doesn't. Beyond bearing the burden of establishing the Lakers' ceiling with his offense, his defense has often been a target for opposing offenses. With the postseason reputations of James and Doncic solidified, and their respective production nearly a constant, it's Reaves who is the Lakers' swing piece this spring.

With a third ball-dominant star added to the mix, the 26-year-old Reaves' role and skillset could've naturally been duplicative and diminished.

Instead, the team has elevated him to the same perch as the 26-year-old Doncic and James in both promotion and in practice. At L.A. Live last week, digital billboards advertising Crypto.com Arena premium playoff seating featured three players in bright gold uniforms: James, Doncic and Reaves. And on the court, since Doncic's debut on Feb. 10, James, Doncic and Reaves are the only trio in the league to each average 75 touches per game, per Second Spectrum tracking.

"In the monthlong process of the Luka Doncic trade discussions, of course, you're thinking about the players you may possibly have to trade in a deal like that, AD and Max Christie," Rob Pelinka, Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager, told ESPN. "[But] one of the people I was thinking of the most in my head was just AR, because I knew how close he had gotten to Max and AD and I knew bringing in another primary ball handler would have implications for him."

Traditional roster construction suggests balancing talent between the backcourt and the frontcourt as most beneficial, but Pelinka insisted he knew Reaves would be just as important in this new iteration of his team.

And as indispensable as he has been for a Lakers team with real championship aspirations, how he performs in the playoffs will be his first real audition for his next role: Doncic's right-hand man whenever the 40-year-old James calls it a career.

"My theory is basketball geniuses that love to win, find ways to work and click together," Pelinka said. "And we knew LeBron was a basketball savant, wants to win at the highest level. Obviously Luka Doncic, basketball savant, wants to win at the highest level. And AR is coming into his own there. He gets the game, he sees it. He can fit, really, with anybody."

SIX WEEKS AFTER the trade, L.A. was matching up against its recent nemesis in the Denver Nuggets -- the team that has tormented the Lakers in the regular season and bounced them from the playoffs the past two years -- and with only one starter available to play. It was Reaves. And Brian Reaves, Austin's dad, was tuned in from his home in Batesville, Arkansas, to his son's solo starring act.

While Brian watched in the living room, his wife, Amanda, had the local news on in the bedroom, monitoring an ongoing tornado warning in the area. "It was funny because she would be like, 'Hey, babe, you might need to come in here and check out the weather,'" Brian told ESPN. "And I'm like, 'I'm locked into this game.'"

With James, Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes leaving the team's trip early to return to L.A. to treat injuries, and Doncic watching from the sidelines in street clothes, Austin went head-to-head with the best player in the world, Nikola Jokic.

And he outplayed him.

Reaves attacked the opportunity to shoulder the extra load, slingshotting around defenders as he racked up 37 points, 13 assists, 8 rebounds and 4 steals -- the last one coming when he stripped the ball from Jokic in the final minute and sped down the court to score a go-ahead layup.

Seeing Reaves' production, it would've been difficult to tell he was playing the second leg of a back-to-back to end a long trip, or that he had his left wrist heavily wrapped in ice after the game the night before in Milwaukee, or that he was leading a group of players in Dalton Knecht, Shake Milton, Christian Koloko, Markieff Morris and Bronny James who had barely played together before and have rarely shared the court since.

"I just want to win and I feel like anytime I'm on the court versus off the court, I have a belief I literally can change the game," Reaves, who played in all 82 games last season, told ESPN.

The Nuggets used an 8-0 run in the final 48 seconds to escape with a victory, but Reaves' performance stuck with the Lakers, including first-year coach JJ Redick. Just two days prior, Redick had asked to meet with Reaves after he shot 3-for-14 in Brooklyn and the Lakers lost to a hapless Nets team. The Nets game had followed two subpar nights for Reaves in which he'd gone 2-for-13 in an OT win against the Knicks and 5-for-12 in a loss to the Celtics two nights later.

"[I] was basically like, 'You're too good to have a blank stare on your face in a game,'" Redick told ESPN about the check-in. "'And you're too good to be shooting poorly and playing poorly and not have any leadership on the court. You're just too good. You can't get away with that anymore. You're too important and you're too good.' And he took that well."

Redick has met with Reaves at several critical junctures throughout the season. After Reaves scored 38 points against the Brooklyn Nets on Jan. 17, Redick sought to reinforce Reaves' approach. "Some ownership on the court, some leadership on the court, needing more of that," Redick told ESPN of their conversation.

Late last month, the Lakers had lost four of five games and were struggling to recapture their midseason momentum heading into a crucial slate of games, starting with a visit to the Memphis Grizzlies. Redick met with Reaves, Doncic and James together, imploring the three offensive leaders to play with more force, pace and creativity -- particularly in the half court. Their combined capabilities should always make defenses uncomfortable when they work together. "Exhaust every option," he told them.

"The meeting was just still trying to build that chemistry amongst the three of us," Reaves said. In the five games since that meeting, the Lakers are averaging 121.7 points per 100 possessions when Doncic, James and Reaves share the court, going 4-1.

By every measure, Reaves has already maximized the expectations put on an undrafted player. In Friday's win over the New Orleans Pelicans, Reaves scored 30 points for the fourth time in his past five games and set a franchise record with 15 3-pointers in a two-game span.

"He's the best undrafted player since Ben Wallace, and that guy's a Hall of Famer," a Western Conference executive told ESPN.

Even with Doncic on the team, Reaves has consistently had the ball. His usage rate since Feb. 10 is 23.6% -- higher than it was from the beginning of the season through Dec. 28, before L.A. traded point guard D'Angelo Russell to the Nets for Dorian Finney-Smith (21.8%).

And Doncic's addition has made opponents assign their strongest defenders to him, allowing Reaves to feast on more favorable matchups. In the two games against Chicago in late March, Reaves was guarded by either Kevin Huerter or Coby White on 78 possessions, while Doncic was manned by Josh Giddey for 71 possessions, per Second Spectrum. Two days after that second Bulls game, against Houston, Doncic faced Amen Thompson for 33 possessions, while Reaves was defended by Fred VanVleet for 34.

As a result, Reaves has become even more assertive on offense; he has averaged a career-high 3.1 isolation plays per game this season -- and 4.5 isos per game since Doncic arrived.

Reaves has proved he's a legitimate NBA player. His next challenge is establishing himself as a core piece on a championship team -- and that he's worth the requisite investment. The four-year, $54 million extension Reaves signed in 2023 has become one of the best value contracts in basketball. He is eligible to sign a four-year, $89.2 million extension this summer, which would replace his $14.9 million option year in 2026-27 with Year 1 of the extension. He could also wait until the summer of 2026 when he'd be eligible for a four-year, $98 million extension, or opt out of the final year of his contract, become an unrestricted free agent and be eligible for 25% of whatever the salary cap is set at for 2026-27.

In any case, the Lakers want to maintain their stake in the Austin Reaves business.

"The way he plays the game, fights for every ball, sacrifices his body, when you see somebody like that, you can't help but get drawn in and cheer for them," Lakers governor Jeanie Buss told ESPN. "And he was that from day one ... he just keeps proving himself over and over and over again. ... We're just lucky to have him."

Reaves is used to proving himself -- and breaking down stereotypes.

"You know, as a white guy in the NBA, I sometimes look at white players and I'm like, 'They're not very good,'" Reaves told ESPN. "So, it's a stigma that I think is real."

Redick, who played 15 years in the league, understands. "I think every guy in our shoes has experienced some level of this where you're going to be tested," Redick told ESPN. "And truthfully, no matter how many times you pass that test, you're going to be tested again."

Reaves passed that test with James during training camp of his rookie season, when he was originally signed to a two-way contract.

"I saw that early, man," James told ESPN. "When we picked him up, I went back and started watching his Oklahoma highlights and stuff and seeing the way he could handle the ball and his creative [side], to be able to create shots off the bounce. His competitive fire, his drive. ... I could see it. I could see he had a spirit about him. He had an energy about him."

Pelinka said by the time James hosted his minicamp before the start of training camp that year, Reaves had shown that he belonged.

"You could just tell the game clicks for him," Pelinka said. "He has that utility about him. And I remember as we were making roster cut decisions, even saying to LeBron, 'I think he's the one. We have an open roster spot.' And I just remember quickly LeBron was like, 'I totally agree.' So you can just see it. There's something about him."

Doncic's arrival meant another power player Reaves had to impress. And he wasted no time doing so.

"Basketballwise, I already knew he was that good. But just being around it and seeing him do that, it was [a] higher [realization]," Doncic told ESPN of watching Reaves score a career-high 45 points in a win over the Pacers shortly after the trade deadline. "I mean, the expectation is that high. I think he has the potential to be an amazing player. He already is."

THE LAKERS' SPOT in the loaded Western Conference is tenuous. With four regular-season games left -- a road back-to-back against Oklahoma City and Dallas, followed by a home game against Houston and the road finale in Portland -- they have a 1-game lead on Denver for the 3 seed but could still finish anywhere from third to eighth (ESPN's BPI gives the Lakers an 82.3% chance of securing the 3 seed). Still, this can't compare to the jam the team faced in early December.

A four-game trip in which L.A. lost the middle two games against Minnesota and Miami by a combined 70 points capped a 2-7 stretch. At that time, it was Reaves who lifted the team out of its funk.

He'd missed the trip because of a left pelvic bruise, staying in L.A. to rehab. When the team returned, there was a rare reprieve in the schedule because of the NBA's in-season tournament. The Lakers hosted the Trail Blazers on Dec. 8 and then didn't play again until Dec. 13 in Minnesota.

Redick used the week to return to the practice court, hoping to salvage a season that was starting to get away from him. The Lakers were 10th in the West -- and falling.

"I just remember when everybody got back, everybody was kind of just in a fog," Reaves said. "So I randomly was like, 'F--- it, I'm going to put a headband on and see if I can make somebody smile.'"

Reaves has long known his messy brown hair flopping up and over the white fashion accessory came off as more court-jester than GQ, but he was OK with that.

"It definitely was a tough time for us," Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt told ESPN. "Coming off of that road trip, it was pretty nasty, so it kind of lightened the mood up a little bit. But that's just him. He's a good guy, good teammate. Always positive and just being a light and a joy to our team."

The mop-and-flop reveal worked as intended.

"They all just looked at me like I was crazy and just started laughing," Reaves said. "I was like, 'Well, I accomplished my goal.'"

He has kept it on since -- and L.A. has gone 34-19. Reaves had the headband on when he scored a last-second layup to beat the Golden State Warriors on Christmas Day. He had it on when he had his career night against the Pacers. He had it on when his dad tuned in to see him battle a three-time MVP. He had it on when he scored 31 in a win in Memphis last week after Redick gathered him, James and Doncic for that meeting to get on the same page offensively.

"I think for all three of those guys, they all have an understanding," Redick said. "Those two guys trust AR, for sure."

Two days before the team took the court in Memphis, L.A. lost a shocker in Chicago when Giddey hit a half-court heave at the buzzer.

In the visitors locker room at FedEx Forum, Reaves noticed James had a new look: He had a headband on too.

"He looked at me and said, 'Oh, you wearing a headband?'" James said. "I said, 'Yeah, you know, s---, I've been a little bit out of rhythm. I need to change the energy in this b----.'

"And I said, 'It worked for you.'"

If the Lakers hope to make a long playoff run this spring, they'll need Reaves to maintain the level of play that has fueled the team's rise up the Western Conference standings.

"The stuff he's been doing the last couple months has been amazing," Vanderbilt said. "He's damn near kind of transitioning into one of our captains. Obviously we got Bron and Luka, but they keep giving him more responsibility and he's proving it time and time again that he's built for it."

ESPN Research's Matt Williams contributed to this report.

BOSTON -- Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran said he went public about his 2022 suicide attempt to "reach those who feel alone."

In an episode of the Netflix docuseries "The Clubhouse: A Year With the Red Sox," Duran said he attempted suicide after struggling early in his baseball career.

"Talking about this wasn't easy, but it felt important," Duran said in a statement released through the team after the episode aired Tuesday. "I knew that if I was going to share this, I had to be real about it.

"A few years ago, I found myself in a dark place, but I'm still here, and I'm so lucky I am. And if my story can help even one person, then it was worth telling."

A seventh-round draft choice who was an All-Star last season, Duran was one of baseball's top hitting prospects when he was called up to the major leagues in 2021. But he struggled early and spent much of his first two seasons shuttling between the majors and minors.

Duran said in the docuseries that the expectations of the fans and media wore on him and that at times he felt players were treated like "zoo animals."

He said he was even harder on himself.

"I couldn't deal with telling myself how much I sucked every day," Duran said in the docuseries. "I was already hearing it from fans. And what they said to me, [it's not like] I haven't told myself 10 times worse in the mirror. That was a really tough time for me. I didn't even want to be here anymore."

Director Greg Whiteley then asked, "When you say, 'here,' you mean 'here with the Red Sox' or 'here on planet Earth'?"

"Probably both," Duran said. He then described his suicide attempt.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Monday that Duran's decision to tell his story will save lives. Team president Sam Kennedy called it "an act of courage that reaches far beyond baseball."

"By opening up, he's showing others who may be struggling that they're not alone and that asking for help isn't just OK, it's essential," Kennedy said. "Every member of this organization continues to stand with him. He has our deepest admiration, he's always had our full support, and we're incredibly fortunate to have him as part of our team."

Duran's parents, Octavio and Dena Duran, said in a statement Tuesday that they only recently learned the depths of their son's mental health struggle.

"It was heartbreaking to hear," they said. "We are beyond grateful that he is still here, that he has found the courage to keep going, and that he is using his voice to help others. If his story can help even one person, then it was worth sharing. We are incredibly proud of the man he is today and love him more than words can say. We will always be in his corner."

Jarren Duran said Tuesday that he wanted to turn his attention back to the baseball season. He has six hits in his past four games, with two doubles Monday night after the details of his comments in the docuseries were reported.

"Right now, my focus is on the field," Duran said in his statement. "We have a postseason to chase, and that's where my head is. I've shared what I needed to share, and I appreciate everyone's understanding that my focus right now is on baseball and helping my team win a World Series.

"I am grateful for the tremendous support I've received. If you're struggling, please know there's help. You can call a friend, a trusted person, your doctor or an organization like Samaritans. And, if you're in immediate danger, call 988."

NEW YORK -- New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez, who is on the injured list with a fractured hamate bone, will begin a rehab assignment Wednesday, manager Carlos Mendoza announced.

Alvarez suffered his injury while taking a swing during spring training last month. At the time, the Mets said he would miss six to eight weeks, making a return by the end of April a possibility.

"We'll see," Mendoza said. "I think it's going to come down to him catching back-to-back, hopefully, nine innings. Getting four or five at-bats. But the progression starts kind of like spring training -- five innings, off day, and we'll go from there. But the fact that he's going to start playing games and build competition, that's a good sign."

A year ago, Alvarez suffered a torn thumb ligament on the same hand that required surgery and sidelined him for more than seven weeks. He returned to produce a disappointing offensive season, posting a .710 OPS with 11 home runs in 100 games after clubbing 25 homers with a .721 OPS as a rookie in 2023.

The 23-year-old catcher took pregame batting practice on the field Tuesday for the first time since his injury in preparation for his first game action for single-A Port Lucie. Without Alvarez, Luis Torrens, who has been recently limited by a forearm contusion, has served as the Mets' catcher with six starts in the first 10 games. Hayden Senger, a 28-year-old rookie, is the team's backup.

Jeff McNeil also took batting practice at Citi Field on Tuesday for the first time since landing on the injured list with an oblique strain last month. Mendoza said the veteran second baseman, who also took ground balls on Tuesday, will begin his own rehab assignment this weekend. Mendoza said a late April return remains the target for McNeil, who turned 33 on Tuesday.

Brett Baty and rookie Luisangel Acuña have each struggled splitting time at second base in McNeil's absence. Baty entered Tuesday 2 for 21 (.095) with eight strikeouts and zero walks in eight games. Acuña was 2-for-17 (.118) with two walks and four strikeouts in nine games.

Seattle Mariners outfielder Victor Robles has a small fracture in the humeral head of his left shoulder and will miss at least 12 weeks -- and potentially the entire season if he needs surgery.

Mariners executive vice president/general manager Justin Hollander on Tuesday said the team believes Robles, who had an MRI, does not need surgery at this time but will continue to monitor the injury.

If Robles avoids surgery, the team estimated that it would take six weeks for the fracture to heal and another six of rehab before he returned to action.

If surgery is eventually required, Robles would be expected to miss the remainder of the season.

He was placed on the 10-day injured list Monday, one day after he made a jumping catch of a long ball hit by Patrick Bailey of the San Francisco Giants in the bottom of the ninth that had barely turned foul.

His glove hand still outstretched, Robles' elbow appeared to make contact with a padded wall, and he also got tangled in netting. Robles was carted off the field.

The 27-year-old joined the Mariners after being waived by the Washington Nationals during the 2024 season. Robles was Seattle's leadoff batter in its first 10 games of this season, and he was hitting .273 with 3 doubles, 3 RBIs, 3 runs and 3 stolen bases.

Robles has batted .248 in his 617-game career with Washington (2017-24) and Seattle, recording 35 homers, 185 RBIs, 257 runs and 103 stolen bases.

ESPN's Alden Gonzalez and Field Level Media contributed to this report.

The Philadelphia Phillies are no stranger to big MLB free agency moves, but the franchise was notably absent from the hot stove headlines this offseason -- and there was a reason for the quiet winter.

The Phillies believe they have a core in place that can compete with anyone this season, even without a splashy free agent addition, because they had already done the bulk of their star hunting over the course of several offseasons by signing Bryce Harper, Zack Wheeler, Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos to long-term deals.

The results since that group's arrival have been impressive: three straight postseason appearances, including a run to the World Series in 2022. But the Phillies have not held a parade at the end of any of those campaigns -- most recently coming up short in last year's NLDS against the New York Mets -- and the competition is only going to be tougher this season in the National League East and beyond.

"I looked at the power rankings ... 2 through 4 are in the NL East," Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said of ESPN's preseason list. "I talked to a GM in the American League, and I told him, 'You have a good club,' but he recognized that there were four to five teams in the National League better than his."

Yet instead of overhauling a team that keeps coming up just short for the ultimate prize, the Phillies front office chose to retool with smaller moves. As the division-rival Mets signed -- or re-signed -- Juan Soto, Pete Alonso, Sean Manaea, Clay Holmes, Frankie Montas, A.J. Minter, Jesse Winker, Ryne Stanek and Griffin Canning and the reigning champion Dodgers added Blake Snell, Roki Sasaki and Tanner Scott, the Phillies were content in adding depth in the form of outfielder Max Kepler, pitcher Jesus Luzardo and reliever Jordan Romano.

Although they didn't win the winter, the Phillies are right where they have been over the past several seasons: at the top of a tough NL East division. Their hot start included a weekend series win over the Dodgers in what could be an early playoff preview. In helping the team get to 7-2 to start the season.

The Phillies' top players have led the way early on with Schwarber, Wheeler, Harper and Castellanos all powering early wins, but the rest of the team is also already demonstrating Philadelphia is about more than just star power. Luzardo has shown he could be much more than a depth piece by allowing just two earned runs while striking out 19 hitters over his first twelve innings and Orion Kerkering has appeared ready to step into a larger role in the bullpen.

"When you look at our team on paper, you're still going to put us up there with some of the best teams in baseball," designated hitter Schwarber told ESPN recently. "We've got the talent. We're in the position every year, we just haven't got there. It's not for lack of talent. It's just the way the game works sometimes."

When the MLB general manager meetings began in early November, it seemed quite possible the Phillies could have a new look when they arrived at spring training a few months later. Fresh off that division series loss to the Mets, Dombrowski made it clear that the front office was going to look through every aspect of the defeat, refusing to let the idea that anything can happen in baseball keep the team from finding any potential areas to improve.

"You can't take anything for granted," Dombrowski said. "If you do, you won't make it. It's tough but if you get through it all -- and then October -- you'll deserve it."

But as the front office examined its options as the offseason unfolded, it came to a conclusion: It was difficult to find many positions where the roster could be improved. The same feeling was evident in the clubhouse when the team reported to spring training ready to make another run with a group that believes it can get a step further than it has in any of the past three postseasons.

"When you look around a locker room, you try to get better at every position," catcher Garrett Stubbs said near the end of spring training. "But when you look at this locker room and look at the guys that we have, you say, 'How do we even get better?' There's really a slim chance of getting any better in this locker room."

Though the Phillies are confident in their talent, they are also aware that many of their core players are already in their 30s and that contention windows don't stay open forever.

"I think the Dodgers have the oldest team [of hitters], so it's not like you can't win with older guys, but we've all seen how quickly things change for players in their 30s," Dombrowski said. "Philadelphia should have some urgency because the future is never promised."

Compounding the pressure to win now is the fact that some of the star additions of recent offseasons are nearing the end of their contracts. Clubhouse leaders and star players Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto are scheduled to hit free agency whenever the Phillies play their last game of 2025, giving this season a one-last-run feel for a group that has made Philadelphia an October mainstay for the first time in more than a decade.

"We don't know who is going to be here next year, so who knows -- this might be the last chance for us to win with this group," Harper said. "We have another great opportunity to do this.

"Just trying to win that last game."

Northampton's European form comes in stark contrast to their stuttering domestic campaign, with the defending Premiership champions currently sitting eighth in the English top flight.

Having cruised past Clermont Auvergne and into the last eight on Friday, Saints take on Castres in the Champions Cup this Saturday, with Bordeaux facing Munster the same day.

That follows Leinster against Glasgow on Friday, with Toulon versus Toulouse concluding the quarter-final ties on Sunday. The semi-finals are then slated for the beginning of May.

Saints - whose only previous Champions Cup victory came 25 years ago - have not progressed past the semis since 2011, but are looking to become the Premiership's first winners since Exeter in 2020.

Quarter-finals (ties to be played 11/12/13 April):

Friday: Leinster v Glasgow Warriors (20:00 BST)

Saturday: Bordeaux v Munster (15:00 BST)

Saturday: Northampton Saints v Castres (17:30 BST)

Sunday: Toulon v Toulouse (15:00 BST)

Semi-finals (ties to be played 2/3/4 May):

Bordeaux/Munster v Toulon/Toulouse

Leinster/Glasgow v Northampton/Castres