It’s an awkward time of year. We’re past Groundhog Day, but not quite into spring. When you don the ol’ hiking boots, should you wear hiking pants as well, or go for breezier shorts? If you get the right pair of pants, you won’t have to decide. We’re talking about something like Kuhl’s incredible convertible hiking pants that REI has marked down by nearly $40.
The Kuhl Renegade Convertible Pants are now $100, a 28% discount off the usual $139. When Men’s Journal looks at Kuhl gear, we don’t see as many discounts as we would like. In fact, Kuhl has told us that they don’t host deals on their site at all, and the best chance you’ll have to score some gear on sale is at REI. We typically don’t see discounts of over 25% off outside of major sales or holiday events, so now is a great time to buy a pair of these pants.
Kuhl Renegade Convertible Pants, $100 (was $139) at REI
Courtesy of REI
What Shoppers Should Know
Sizes Available: Waists from 28 to 42, inseams from 30 to 34
Color Options: This deal is only available in the Dark Forest style.
Fabric: 95% nylon, 5% spandex
Waterproofing: PFC-free DWR
Special Feature: Zip-off legs
Pockets: 7
Best Use Case: For hiking with maximum flexibility.
This is a quick-drying pair of hiking pants made with a blend of 95% nylon and 5% spandex, treated with a PFC-free durable water repellent (DWR). In addition to having enough spandex to give Levi’s flexible jeans a run for their money. Plus, they have 2-way stretch for even more hiking dexterity.
While the zip-on pant legs are going to get a ton of attention, don’t miss the cinch closer at the hems around the ankles. If you’ve ever walked past stagnant water in mosquito season, you already know why this is critical. Between this and protecting yourself from bramble scratches, it just goes to show why the legs are worth having in every season.
Finally, you really can’t talk about these pants without examining the pockets. Right away, you’re going to see the extra-large zippered pockets across the thighs, where you might theoretically store the legs when they aren’t in use. You’d be smart to assume these pockets were present in place of the typical hand pockets, but you’d be absolutely wrong. In addition to these four pockets up front, a fifth zippered pocket is positioned at the right rear side, perfect for your wallet, and two more drop-in pockets exist for cards and small objects.
One wearer commented, “The pockets are located for easy access, and the color-coded zip-off pant legs make it easy to put back on!” Everything about using these pants as a convertible pair is smooth and easy, the way it should be.
Other wearers highlight the incredible fabric blend. “The fabric is great: Not too hot, not too thick, but strong.”
The Kuhl Renegade Convertible Pants are now down to $100, right as we go into spring hiking season. Grab a pair soon, as these will almost certainly sell out.
Just a week ago, numerous snowfall records were shattered across New England thanks to a powerful nor’easter that hammered the region across two days.
The smallest state in the United States set a jaw-dropping new record with its snowfall totals as over 36 inches of fresh snow piled up in Rhode Island’s capital city of Providence. But the highest amount reported by the National Weather Service even exceeds that total.
Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport record 37.9 inches, surpassing the previous record from five decades ago during the historic blizzard of 1978 by almost 10 inches, when 28.6 inches was the recorded accumulation over two days.
Monday’s snowfall also set a new record for the highest single-day snow total, according to the National Weather Service. The new record from Monday at more than 35 inches is nearly double the previous record set on Jan. 8, 1996, when 19 inches fell that day.
Cars move along the highway in the snow in Brooklyn as a major winter storm moves through the area on January 25, 2026 in New York City. A massive winter storm is expected to bring frigid temperatures, ice, and snow to millions of Americans across the nation.
(Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Northeast Bracing for More Snow
Just days after the Northeast was hit with record snowfall, another winter storm is set to hit early next week.
A larger storm will start to take shape impacting portions of the Midwest and Northeast Tuesday while lingering snow, ice and rain from Monday’s storm moves through parts of the Northeast,” according to Accuweather.
A transition of warmer air will break up ice along streams and rivers, bringing possible flooding to the regions.
“Where the ice jams up, there is a risk of rapid rises in water levels above the jams and then below where the jams break,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said. “Some unprotected areas along flood-prone streams and rivers could be at risk.”
Up to eight inches of snow is expected to fall from Iowa to Maine as the storm pushes East over the next few days.
Spring Weather Near for the Northeast
While the Northeast likely isn’t looking forward to new snowfall, it can rest easy knowing spring weather is just around the corner.
Accuweather revealed a a pattern change will take shape across the U.S. later in the week. A notable dip in the jet stream will take hold across the West ushering in chilly air. Meanwhile, a northward bulge in the jet stream will set up across the east promoting a stretch of springlike warmth.
By Thursday, high temperatures in Washington D.C. and Philadelphia will top out as much as 10-20 degrees above the historical average for early March.
Four weeks ago today, the search for Nancy Guthrie began. Since then, local and federal investigators have worked tirelessly to try to bring the 84-year-old Tucson, Arizona resident home.
Despite all the leads that have been pursued, authorities still haven’t landed on a concrete motive for the suspected kidnapping. One former FBI and CIA agent posited two potential theories this weekend.
Expert: Suspect may have had issue with Savannah Guthrie
In an interview with NewsNation’s Brian Entin on Brian Entin Investigates, former investigator Tracy Walder’s suggested motives centered around someone having it out for Savannah Guthrie, Nancy’s daughter and longtime Today cohost.
“I do think that was someone that was either upset with something Savannah Guthrie had done, or had some obsession with her, and that’s why they targeted this family,” Walder said, via Newsweek.
“It’s just too targeted,” she added. “This is not a house that you just come upon and decide to rob—it’s just not that.”
Walder shoots down other possible theory
One thing Walder is not buying is that this was a robbery gone wrong, because of the fact Nancy was taken from the scene.
“In a burglary, we don’t tend to see them taking a victim with them. That just tends to not be the case because it bogs them down,” Walder said.
Another investigator agrees with Walder
Last week, Jonny Grusing, a 25-year veteran of the FBI’s Denver Division, spoke with Fox News Digital about Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance.
Grusing suggested “personal grievance” as the motive, and says the behavior of the potential suspect on surveillance footage indicates he wanted to lure Guthrie outside, which would not be typical for someone who just wanted to rob the home.
“The first thing he does is with his glove, and with his glove, it doesn’t look like he’s trying to take [the camera] off,” Grusing said. “It looks like he’s trying to cover it with his right hand.And then he looks down, he looks around, and he gets the branches, and he puts the branches up in front of it.”
“Is there a chance, since we don’t have audio, that he is either knocking on the door loudly or that he has pressed the ring doorbell, [that] he’s trying to get Nancy to answer the door, and he’s shielding himself from being seen as a masked person, so she will, in her confusion, open the door?”
“Hello darkness, my old friend, I’ve come to talk to you again, the haunting song begins. The acoustic version of “The Sound of Silence” about social isolation didn’t grab listeners at first, but when Simon & Garfunkel’s music producer added electric guitar, bass, and drums, the deeply soulful song got a bit grittier. It became one of the most well-known folk anthems of the 1960s.
After a stutter start, things began to pick up. It was 1965 and artists like Bob Dylan were making the musical transition from acoustic to electric, which the rock listeners loved, but the folk audiences were slower to catch on to the revolution.
Columbia Records producer Tom Wilson had an instinct about music in general and “The Song of Silence” specifically. He overdubbed electric guitar, bass, and drums into the original acoustic version, transforming it into a folk rock sensation.
The remixed version climbed the charts and eventually reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1966.
Many Classic Hits from Simon and Garfunkel
The mercurial duo worked together for many years before Simon embarked on a very successful solo career.
The duo has collaborated on many hits, including:
“The Boxer”
“I am a Rock”
“Mrs. Robinson”
“Bridge over Troubled Water”
“Cecelia”
“A Hazy Share of Winter”
“Homeward Bound”
These songs continue to serve as the backdrop to classic movies and our day-to-day lives, generations later.
Amid an eventful men’s college basketball weekend, there has been some significant movement in the upper lines of FOX Sports bracket forecaster Mike DeCourcy’s latest NCAA Tournament projections. Big moves for Florida, which crushed Arkansas, 111-77, while Illinois and Purdue are back up thanks to losses from Iowa State to Texas Tech and Kansas to Arizona on Saturday. Nebraska remains going strong after beating unranked USC, but Gonzaga dropped to a No. 4 seed, thanks to a stunning 70-59 loss to Saint Mary’s on Saturday. And the SEC — which could get at least 10 teams in the men’s NCAA Tournament this year — is on the rise behind Florida with Alabama, Kentucky and Missouri making upward moves. [COLLEGE HOOPS: 4 Takeaways From UConn’s Win Over St. John’s] Here is a complete look at DeCourcy’s NCAA Tournament seed list: No. 1 seeds 1. Duke2. Michigan3. Arizona4. Connecticut No. 2 seeds 5. Florida6. Houston7. Illinois8. Purdue No. 3 seeds 9. Alabama10. Michigan State11. Iowa State12. Nebraska No. 4 seeds 13. Texas Tech14. Gonzaga15. Kansas16. Virginia No. 5 seeds 17. Arkansas18. North Carolina19. St. John’s20. Vanderbilt No. 6 seeds 21. Tennessee22. Louisville23. BYU24. Kentucky No. 7 seeds 25. Villanova26. Saint Mary’s27. Saint Louis28. Wisconsin No. 8 seeds 29. Utah State30. Miami Hurricanes31. UCF32. Miami RedHawks No. 9 seeds 33. Georgia34. Clemson35. Iowa36. Missouri No. 10 seeds 37. NC State38. UCLA39. SMU40. Texas No. 11 seeds 41. Texas A&M42. TCU43. New Mexico vs. 44. Indiana45. Santa Clara vs. 46. VCU No. 12 seeds 47. Belmont48. South Florida49. Yale50. Liberty No. 13 seeds 51. Stephen F. Austin52. UNC Wilmingon53. High Point54. Utah Valley No. 14 seeds 55. Hawaii56. Navy57. North Dakota State58. Austin Peay No. 15 seeds 59. Portland State60. Wright State61. Troy62. East Tennessee State No. 16 seeds 63. Merrimack64. LIU65. Howard66. UMBC67. Bethune-Cookman68. Morehead State And it’s never too early to check in on the bubble. According to DeCourcy’s seed list, Ohio State, Auburn, Cal and Virginia are the first four teams out of the tournament, while San Diego State, USC, Seton Hall and West Virginia are the next four out. Selection Sunday is less than one month away, and this list will inevitably evolve. For now, DeCourcy’s latest seed list offers a clear snapshot of who’s rising, who’s falling and which programs are already building the résumés they’ll need when March arrives.
Weber just recalled about 3.2 million metal wire bristle grill brushes after some users reported swallowing bristles, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The models include both plastic and wooden handle brushes sold by the grill manufacturer between 2011 and 2026. Weber said it is aware of at least 38 reports in which bristles from the recalled brushes detached from the grill brush and four instances in which consumers swallowed metal bristles and had to seek medical treatment.
“Small metal wire bristles can detach from the brushes, stick to the grill or food, posing an ingestion hazard and risk of serious internal injuries that could require surgery,” the CPSC said in its report. Consumers should stop using the brushes immediately and contact Weber for a nylon bristle brush replacement. These are the recalled models:
6277, 12-inch brush with black plastic handle (sold 2021 – 2026)
6278, 18-inch brush with black plastic handle (sold 2021 – 2026)
6493, 21-inch brush with black plastic handle and metal binder (sold 2013 – 2021)
6494, 12-inch brush with black plastic handle (sold 2013 – 2021)
6463, 12-inch brush with bamboo handle and metal scraper (sold 2011 – 2021)
6464, 18-inch brush with bamboo handle and metal scraper (sold 2011 – 2021)
These brushes were sold at various retailers between 2011 and 2026, including Lowe’s, The Home Depot, Ace Hardware, and Target and sold for between $10 and $17, according to the recall. Some brushes were also sold on such resale sites as eBay.com.
Weber’s recall highlights the hazard wire grill brushes pose to consumers. A study conducted by the University of Missouri School of Medicine in 2016 estimated nearly 1,700 injuries related to these brushes between 2002 and 2014.
If ingested, these wires can cause immediate severe pain from punctures and even result in gastrointestinal tract perforation that requires surgery, according to a report the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put out in 2012.
It’s hard to fathom a less successful and more arbitrary trilogy than Renny Harlin’s recent Strangers reboot, a tri-pronged story which struggled to summon a single film’s worth of incident. Misunderstanding everything that made Bryan Bertino’s original so scary and dashing the general rules of horror filmmaking to boot, Harlin has succeeded only in running the franchise into the ground for the foreseeable future. But give the films one thing: each is substantially better than the last. Given what we’re working with, though, that’s a terrifically grim margin.
Head-Scratching Trilogy Comes to Confounding Conclusion
The Strangers: Chapter 3, the fifth film in the franchise, picks up where last September’s Chapter 2 left off. After slaying Pin-Up Girl (Emma Horvath), Maya (Madelaine Petsch, too good for this material) sets off into the woods with Scarecrow (Gabriel Basso, recently up to much better things in A House of Dynamite) and Dollface (Ella Bruccoleri) in hot pursuit. If you missed the previous two movies, Maya’s boyfriend was killed by the Strangers, who then spent the entire second movie pursuing her through the woods. Now you’re caught up. Part three is an improvement over its predecessors only because there is more happening here than in the last movies, which were a stifling bore. This one is a bore, but not quite so stifling. Still, all three of these movies could and should have been condensed into a two-minute YouTube reel.
Madelaine Petsch in ‘The Strangers: Chapter 3’
Lionsgate
Harlin commits the movie’s worst sin early on by unmasking the villains, revealing both to be anodyne, model-ish looking youth who are designated as small town folk due to their love of flannel. There’s nothing clever done with this turn — something that could be said of all three movies — and the picture loses any pretense of fright once the villains are unmasked and begin gabbing their way through an inane conspiracy storyline that’s ripped from the worst TexasChainsaw Massacre sequels. It goes against everything that made The Strangers so scary, which would be a crushing disappointment if Harlin hadn’t already spent two previous films demonstrating that he not only knows nothing of what makes the franchise work, but does not even grasp how the horror genre operates. At times, the director seems to willfully misunderstand the material.
Franchise’s Future Appears Bleak
Though there is quite a bit of action and bloodshed on the way to an utterly contemptible conclusion, all of it is sloppily staged and frequently embellished with risible digital effects. It’s actually shocking how poor the technicals are here, with the visuals often resembling something made for the Syfy Channel. Its release on the big screen, where it looks unconscionably shoddy, is a superfluous commercial for its streaming release; Chapter 1 took just under $50 million worldwide, while Chapter 2 topped out at $21M. This one looks unlikely to clear $10M, and for good reason. These are three of the most worthless horror films in recent history. It would be a treat to see the series rebooted again by a talented, committed filmmaker; but barring that, it’s best if this franchise stays dead.
It’s time to dust off those ball bags! MLB spring training has commenced. Pitchers and catchers are starting to report to Arizona and Florida for all 30 teams with Opening Day on March 25. Rosters are getting finalized and every team’s new offseason additions are getting their reps in — not to mention the much-anticipated World Baseball Classic that will see the world’s best players compete on the international stage. Here are all the notable news and last-minute dealings as teams ramp up to Opening Day: March 1 Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol will not be a lame-duck in 2026. Marmol and the team signed a two-year extension that will keep him under contract through at least the 2028 season on Sunday. There’s also a club option for the 2029 season. “As I’ve gotten to know Oli, I’ve seen someone who cares about this organization and knows what has made the Cardinals special over time, and who understands that for us to get where we need to go, we must compete relentlessly to set new standards in everything that we do,” Cardinals president Chaim Bloom said in a statement. “He is invested in the progress of our young core and is unafraid to challenge himself and to help those around him grow.” The 39-year-old Marmol has led the Cardinals for the past four seasons, taking them to the National League wild-card round in his first season as manager. But he has failed to return to the playoffs the last three years, and St. Louis was just 78-84 last season. The Cardinals underwent a pretty massive roster rebuild this offseason, trading the likes of Brendan Donovan, Nolan Arenado, Willson Contreras and Sonny Gray. So, the deal seemingly ensures that Marmol’s job is safe for a bit as St. Louis goes through a rebuild. Feb. 27 Giants Devers misses game against Dodgers The San Francisco Giants scratched slugger Rafael Devers from the starting lineup because of a tight hamstring, keeping him out a spring training game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday. The three-time All-Star and 2018 World Series champion is starting his first full season with the Giants after they acquired him in a trade with the Boston Red Sox last year. Devers hit 35 home runs and had 109 RBIs last season, playing 90 games with San Francisco and 73 in Boston. He signed a $313.5 million, 10-year contract in 2023 with the Red Sox. He was 20 when he made his major league debut in Boston nine years ago and the following year, he helped them win the World Series. Devers, who has 235 career homers and 747 RBIs, led Boston in RBIs for five straight seasons and has finished in the top 20 in voting for AL MVP five times. Feb. 26 Max Scherzer re-signs with Blue Jays Max Scherzer has agreed to a deal to return to the World Series runner-up Toronto Blue Jays, according to a report from the New York Post. The 41-year-old pitcher joined Toronto on a one-year, $15.5 million deal in 2025. Scherzer was limited to just 17 starts during the 2025 season, but he was an asset for the Blue Jays in the postseason, most notably picking up a win in Game 4 of the ALCS against the Seattle Mariners, where he held Seattle to two runs in 5 2/3 innings. Scherzer also made two starts in the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young-winner and eight-time All-Star, has won two World Series titles, most recently in 2023. Feb. 25 Justin Verlander, Framber Valdez will wait until 2039 for full payment Verlander and Valdez will receive the final payments from their new contracts with the Tigers in 2039, with the team deferring $31 million of the $128 million it committed to the pitchers. Verlander’s $13 million, one-year deal will pay the 43-year-old right-hander $2 million this year. The $11 million in deferred money due the three-time Cy Young Award winner will be paid in $1.1 million installments each June 30 from 2030-39, according to contract terms obtained by The Associated Press. Valdez’s $115 million, three-year agreement includes a $20 million signing bonus paid in $2 million installments each June 15 from 2030-39. He gets salaries of $17.5 million this year and $37.5 million in 2027. The deal includes a $35 million player option for 2028 and a $40 million mutual option for 2029 with a $5 million buyout. Valdez’s salary each year from 2027 to 2029 can increase based on awards in the immediate preceding season as long as he doesn’t finish the prior season on the injured list. A salary would go up by $2 million if he wins a Cy Young Award, $1 million if he finishes second and $500,000 if he comes in third. It could also escalate by $2 million for winning World Series MVP and $1 million for winning ALCS MVP. Austin’s return to MLB delayed Tyler Austin’s return to the major leagues has been put on hold for what Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell says will be months following a procedure on his right knee. Counsell said Wednesday that Austin had a patellar tendon debridement procedure on his right knee Tuesday and will need a lengthy recovery period. Austin, 34, signed a one-year deal with Chicago after spending six seasons with Yokohama in Japan’s Pacific League. He was competing for playing time at designated hitter and also can play first base and the outfield. Austin was selected by the New York Yankees in the 2010 amateur draft and on Aug. 13, 2016, combined Aaron Judge to become the first teammates to homer in their first major league at-bats in the same game. Austin also played for Minnesota, Seattle and Milwaukee. and has hit .219 with 33 homers in four seasons in the majors. He was part of the 2021 U.S. Olympic team. His injury could create an opening for Michael Conforto to earn a bench spot on the team after Conforto agreed to a minor league deal on Monday. Feb. 24 Braves extend Chris Sale Atlanta has extended the star left-hander on a one-year, $27 million deal, per ESPN. The deal includes a $30 million club option for 2028. Sale, a nine-time All-Star, won the 2024 National League Cy Young Award in his first season with the Braves. Last season (2025), he was limited to 21 appearances (20 starts) due to a rib injury. Sale posted a 2.58 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 165 strikeouts, 161 ERA+ and 4.0 wins above replacement across 125 2/3 innings pitched. Feb. 23 Marlins 3B candidate Graham Pauley shut down Pauley’s bid to start at third base for the Marlins is on hold due to right forearm tightness. Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said Pauley had an MRI on Monday morning and has been shut down pending the results. Pauley is a left-hander hitter and the soreness is in his throwing arm. Pauley was expected to compete with Connor Norby at third base but has not appeared in a spring game due to the persistent tightness in his forearm. Pauley, 25, hit .224 with four homers in 161 at-bats as a rookie in 2025. McCullough told MLB.com some discomfort at the start of spring training is not unusual for players. McCullough said Pauley’s forearm tightness “just didn’t get any better over the course of a couple days. … He’s going to be shut down from baseball until we get a clearer picture on what’s happening.” Cubs sign OF Michael Conforto The Cubs are adding some outfield depth early in spring training, signing Conforto to a Minor League non-roster invite, the New York Post reported. Conforto, who’ll turn 33 on March 1, has largely been a plus hitter at the plate in his career. He hit .251 with a .804 OPS over the first 10 years of his career. However, he struggled with the Dodgers last season, hitting .199 with a .637 OPS and 12 homers over 138 games. Feb. 21 Dodgers add OF Jack Suwinski Los Angeles has claimed Suwinski off waivers from the Pirates, per multiple reports. Suwinski spent the first four seasons of his career with the Pirates (2022-25), most notably totaling 26 home runs, 74 RBIs and a 113 OPS+ in 2023 before being up and down from the major leagues from 2024-25. He was designated for assignment by Pittsburgh on Feb. 16. Should Suwinski, who has MLB starting experience at all three outfield positions, crack the Dodgers’ Opening Day roster, he’d join an outfield rotation that includes free agent signee Kyle Tucker, Teoscar Hernandez and Andy Pages, among others. Feb. 20 Max Scherzer reunion with Blue Jays? The three-time Cy Young Award winner is still a free agent, but the Blue Jays are showing the most interest, Sper portsnet. The two sides have been discussing a one-year deal that could strengthen Toronto’s pitching staff’s depth. Scherzer played a key role in the clubhouse’s energy a year ago, helping set the tone that propelled the team to the World Series. He started 17 regular-season games and three in the playoffs, posting a 5.19 ERA and 82 strikeouts in 85 innings, with another 14.1 innings of 3.77 ERA ball in the postseason. The Blue Jays added multiple starters to their rotation over the offseason, bringing in Dylan Cease on a seven-year, $210 million contract, as well as Cody Ponce from the KBO on a three-year, $30 million deal. Midseason trade acquisition and former Cy Young Shane Bieber will begin 2026 in the rotation, as well, and top prospect and postseason star Trey Yesavage is also slated to be in the starting five out of spring training. Twins’ Pablo Lopez undergoing Tommy John surgery Minnesota’s right-hander will have season-ending Tommy John elbow surgery. The team said Friday that López’s surgery will be performed next week in Texas by Rangers team physician Dr. Keith Meister. López turns 30 early next month. It will be the second Tommy John surgery for López. He had the procedure as a minor leaguer with the Seattle organization and missed the 2014 season. López ended a bullpen session early during the Twins’ first full-squad workout Monday. First-year manager Derek Shelton said he was hopeful the move was precautionary, but a day later general manager Jeremy Zoll told reporters of the UCL tear. López was the Twins’ opening-day for the past three years and was planning to pitch for Venezuela in next month’s World Baseball Classic. He made the All-Star team in his first year with Minnesota and helped the franchise end a record 18-game postseason losing streak for North American professional sports, going 2-0 with an 0.71 ERA in two starts in the 2023 playoffs. A shoulder injury limited him to 14 starts last season after he made 32 in each of three consecutive 10-win seasons, the first in his final season with the Marlins. López is making $21.75 million this season and is signed through next year. Orioles 3B Jordan Westburg out through April Westburg has been unable to take part in spring training after a right oblique injury during the offseason, and it was unclear Thursday whether an elbow issue also was keeping him off the field. Now, we have clarity on the matter, as Orioles general manager Mike Elias revealed on Friday morning that the versatile infielder has a partial UCL tear in his right elbow and will be out through April, per MLB.com. Westburg will be getting a PRP injection on Friday. “He’s just unable to participate right now,” first-year manager Craig Albernaz told reporters Thursday. “He’s getting evaluated by our medical team and also outside people to make sure we have a plan in place, and see what’s going on with Jordan to get him going.” When asked whether it was the oblique or a new elbow issue for Westburg, the manager replied, “Just physically unable to go.” Albernaz was also asked whether there was a fear that any issues for Westburg would be worse than originally thought. “Just want to make sure that we do our due diligence and make sure Jordan is in the best chance to play this year,” Albernaz said. Westburg, 27, hit .265 with 17 homers and 41 RBs in 85 games last season, when he missed time with a left hamstring strain and a right ankle sprain. He hit .265 with 18 homers and 63 RBIs in 107 games in 2024, when he appeared in the All-Star Game two weeks before sustaining a broken right hand when getting hit by a pitch. Feb. 19 Brewers manager Pat Murphy gets new deal Murphy has reportedly agreed to a new three-year deal to remain at the helm in Milwaukee, per The Athletic. The 67-year-old skipper and reigning NL Manager of the Year will now stay in Milwaukee through at least the 2028 season, with a deal that includes a club option for 2029. “I’m sincerely grateful I have a locker,” Murphy told MLB.com on Thursday. “Getting to be part of the Brewers’ organization for the last 10 years has been a great journey. Getting to continue in this position is an honor.” Murphy has led the Brewers to two straight NL Central crowns, while also being the team’s bench coach when it won the division in 2023. He took over in 2024 when Craig Counsell bolted for the Cubs. Guardians trying Steven Kwan in center Kwan will get some time in center field during spring training, as manager Stephen Vogt assesses the best possible outfield combination. Kwan is a four-time Gold Glove winner in left field. That is tied with Kenny Lofton for the most Gold Gloves in franchise history by an outfielder. Vogt told reporters on Thursday that Kwan has expressed an interest in playing center at times. Kwan was primarily a center field in Cleveland’s minor-league system but has seen action there in only eight games over his five seasons in the majors. Rookie Chase DeLauter, who made his big-league debut in last season’s AL wild-card series against the Tigers, could see time in center and right. DeLauter dropped a high fly hit by Detroit’s Gleyber Torres during the first inning in his first game. Three innings later, he made a pinpoint throw to third base, where Zach McKinstry was tagged out by Jose Ramirez. George Valera will likely play left field during Cactus League games. Kwan, a two-time All-Star, and Ramírez were the lone consistent offensive threats on the Guardians last season as they repeated as AL Central Division champions. Feb. 18 Dodgers reliever Brusdar Graterol injury update Graterol won’t be ready for the start of the 2026 regular season, manager Dave Roberts revealed, per The Athletic. Graterol hasn’t pitched for Los Angeles since the 2024 World Series due to a shoulder injury, and the Dodgers continue to “take things slow” with the right-hander, with the aim of him pitching at some point in the 2026 season. In a combined 181 innings pitched with the Dodgers (2020-24), Graterol has recorded a 2.69 ERA and 1.03 WHIP. Feb. 16 Padres sign RHP Walker Buehler to minor-league deal The Padres have signed Buehler to a minor league deal. After seven seasons with the Dodgers, including two World Series victories, Buehler struggled in 2025. He started 22 games for the Red Sox, earning a 7-7 record. The Red Sox released him midseason, and the Phillies picked him up before the end of the season. Mike Trout wants to return to center field for Angels Trout says he would prefer to return to center field for the Angels, and the star slugger says he will skip the WBC because of insurance issues. The 11-time All-Star, who has been plagued by injuries since 2021, says his familiar position isn’t as physically demanding as the corner outfield spots, contrary to traditional thinking. Trout played his most games since 2019 last season, finishing at 130. The three-time American League MVP started 22 of his first 29 games in right field before a knee injury sidelined him for a month. The 34-year-old was exclusively a designated hitter when he returned in late May. Trout had 26 home runs but hit just .232, by far the worst average of his career when he had at least 400 at-bats. He spent time in left field early in his career but was a center fielder for 11 consecutive seasons before the switch to right. Injuries limited Trout to 111 games the previous two years. Trout said conversations with first-year manager Kurt Suzuki have included the idea of a return to center. “I feel like I’m at my best when I’m in center,” Trout told reporters at the club’s spring training facility Monday. “If I have to go to the corner, I’ll go to the corner.” Trout believes a return to center will be good for his health. Padres extend GM A.J. Preller The Padres have agreed on a multiyear contract extension with their general manager, who has the second-longest tenure among baseball operations chiefs in the big leagues behind Brian Cashman of the Yankees. The Padres, who announced the deal Monday without disclosing terms, have made the postseason four of the past six years following a stretch of 13 seasons without reaching the playoffs that started in 2007, seven years before the club hired Preller. Cashman has been general manager of the Yankees since 1998. The 48-year-old Preller, who also has the title of president of baseball operations, has presided over the free agent signings of Manny Machado and Xander Bogaerts; trades that landed the likes of Fernando Tatis Jr. and Juan Soto; and a farm system that produced center fielder Jackson Merrill, who was an All-Star as a rookie in 2024. The Padres are coming off consecutive 90-win seasons for the first time in club history and have set attendance records at Petco Park each of the past three seasons. San Diego reached the National League championship series in 2022, losing to Philadelphia in five games. “Under his guidance, our organization has continued to invest in elite talent at both the major and minor league levels while building a strong baseball operations, scouting and player development group,” Padres chairman John Seidler said. “We are confident he will continue to tirelessly pursue the first World Series championship for San Diego.” Feb. 14 Padres signing Nick Castellanos, Griffin Canning San Diego is signing Castellanos to a one-year deal two days after the veteran outfielder was released by the Phillies, according to The Athletic. Castellanos, who will primarily play first base for the Padres, was released by the Phillies prior to entering the final season of a five-year, $100 million deal. Last season, the 33-year-old right fielder totaled 17 home runs, 72 RBIs and -0.8 wins above replacement, while posting a .250/.294/.400 slash line. The Padres have also signed Canning to a one-year deal. Canning made 16 starts last season for the Mets, posting a 3.77 ERA and 1.38 WHIP before suffering a season-ending ruptured left Achilles tendon. Feb. 13 Diamondbacks’ Zac Gallen stays put The right-hander has signed a one-year, $22 million deal to stay with the Diamondbacks, per multiple reports. Gallen, a 2023 All-Star, posted a career-high 4.83 ERA last season. From 2022-24, he averaged a 3.20 ERA and 1.09 WHIP per season and was the D-backs’ ace en route to them winning the National League pennant in 2023. Astros closer Josh Hader warming up again Hader played catch again Friday after the six-time All-Star left-hander dealt with biceps tendinitis while throwing bullpen sessions in the offseason. Astros manager Joe Espada said Hader, who missed the end of last season with a shoulder capsule strain, had stopped playing catch after a series of offseason bullpens before getting to Florida for the start of spring training this week. The 31-year-old Hader was 6-2 with 28 saves and a 2.05 ERA in 48 appearances last season, his second since joining the Astros in free agency. His last game was a two-inning outing against the Yankees on Aug. 8, which was before Houston missed the playoffs for the first time in nine seasons. Joey Loperfido sent to Astros The Blue Jays acquired outfielder Jesús Sánchez from the Astros for outfielder Joey Loperfido on Friday. The 28-year-old Sánchez hit .237 with 14 home runs and 48 RBIs in 134 games last season between the Marlins and Astros. The left-handed hitter has 73 home runs in 580 games over six major league seasons. Loperfido, 26, split last season between Toronto and Triple-A Buffalo, batting .333 in 41 games with the Blue Jays. He has appeared in 122 career major league contests between Houston and Toronto. Feb. 12 Dodgers bring back Kiké Hernandez Hernandez has signed a one-year deal worth $4.5 million to stay with the Dodgers through the season. Hernandez, 34, has played nine of his 12 major league seasons with the Dodgers. Last season, he hit .203 with 10 home runs and 35 RBIs in 92 games during which he played in the outfield, first base, second base and third base. Phillies release Nick Castellanos Philadelphia announced that it has released Castellanos. It was reported that Philly was trying to trade the right fielder, but it was to no avail. Castellanos, a two-time All-Star, was reportedly told not to report to the Phillies’ spring training facility as the parties worked toward a resolution. Castellanos is coming off a 2025 campaign where he totaled 17 HRs, 72 RBIs and a career-low -0.8 wins above replacement, while posting a .250/.294/.400 slash line. Dodgers All-Star Max Muncy signs extension The Dodgers have signed Muncy to a one-year, $10 million guaranteed extension, the team announced. It includes a $7 million salary for 2027 and a $10 million team option for 2028. Last season, Muncy, a two-time All-Star who has won three World Series with the Dodgers, totaled 19 home runs, 67 RBIs and 3.6 wins above replacement in 100 regular-season wins, while posting a .243/.376/.460 slash line. He missed time due to knee and oblique injuries. Muncy then hit three home runs in the postseason en route to the Dodgers winning the 2025 World Series. Feb. 11 Orioles sign Chris Bassitt The O’s and pitcher Bassitt agreed to a one-year deal worth $18.5 million. Bassitt spent the last three seasons with the Blue Jays. In 2025, he finished 11-9 with a 3.96 earned runs average. Bassitt was an All-Star with the Athletics during the 2021 season and led the American League with 16 wins in 2023. Mets SS Francisco Lindor undergoes surgery The Mets are optimistic Lindor will recover for opening day after having surgery to repair a broken hamate bone in his left hand. He’s the third prominent player to suffer hamate bone injuries in the opening week of spring training. Diamondbacks OF Corbin Carroll fractures hand Carroll won’t play for Team USA in the WBC after breaking his right hamate bone in batting practice. He’s having surgery for the injury and could begin the 2026 regular season on the injured list. A two-time All-Star who was set to play in his first WBC for Team USA, Carroll led the National League in triples in each of the past three seasons. Orioles 2B Jackson Holliday to undergo surgery The former No. 1 draft pick will have surgery to repair a broken hamate bone in his right hand and will miss Opening Day. O’s president of baseball operations Mike Elias said that Holliday sustained the injury during batting practice. He also said that third baseman Jordan Westburg is recovering from a right oblique injury that could delay his participation in spring training games. Holliday, 22, hit .242 with 17 home runs, 55 RBIs and 17 stolen bases in 2025. Blue Jays OF Anthony Santander out for foreseeable future The switch-hitting outfielder will miss the next five-to-six months due to left labral surgery. Santander, who’s entering the second season of a five-year, $92.5 million deal, was limited to just 59 combined games in 2025 (regular and postseason) due to a shoulder injury. In the regular season, he totaled just six home runs, 18 RBIs and -1 wins above replacement, while posting a .175/.271/.294 slash line. In 2024, Santander was an All-Star for the Orioles, hitting a career-high 44 home runs and averaging 35 home runs and 95.3 RBIs per season from 2022-24. Feb. 10 Rockies’ Kris Bryant on 60-Day IL The Rockies will continue to be without one of their oft-injured big signings through at least two months after Bryant landed on the 60-day injured list due to a degenerative lumbar disc disease (lower back). The slugger has appeared in just 170 games with the Rockies since agreeing to a $182 million, seven-year contract in March 2022. In other news, the Rockies added Japanese pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano to their rotation, agreeing to a $5.1 million, one-year deal with the right-hander. Sugano, 36, went 10-10 with a 4.64 ERA in 30 starts with the Orioles last year. He pitched in Japan before agreeing to a $13 million, one-year contract with the O’s in December 2024. Sugano played for the Yomiuri Giants for 12 seasons, winning three MVPs in Nippon Professional Baseball’s Central League. Mets’ Juan Soto changing positions Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns announced that Soto will be shifting from right field to left field next season. Soto has extensive experience at both corner outfield positions but has primarily started in right field over the last two years. Last season was Soto’s first with the Mets and saw him total -7 defensive runs saved in right field. At the same time, the six-time Silver Slugger totaled a career-high 43 home runs, 105 RBIs, a National League-high 38 stolen bases and 6.2 wins above replacement, while posting a .263/.396/.525 slash line. Tigers sign RHP Justin Verlander It’s a full-circle moment for the 43-year-old future Hall of Famer, who returns to the club where he became a breakout star. The three-time Cy Young winner inked a one-year deal with the Tigers for $13 million. Verlander’s 266 wins are tied for 34th on baseball’s career list, while his 3,553 career strikeouts are eighth and closely trailing Don Sutton with 3,574. Verlander now bolsters an already stacked rotation that includes two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal and Framber Valdez, who also signed with Detroit in free agency. Verlander was traded to Houston in August 2017 and helped the Astros win the World Series that same year and again in 2022. Now he gets an opportunity to chase a third championship with the Tigers, who are looking for the franchise’s first title since 1984. Feb. 9 Diamondbacks 2B Ketel Marte “happy” to stay put Marte said he remains happy staying with Arizona despite an offseason of speculation that the All-Star could be traded. “We talked a lot and hashed some things out, talked it all through and everything is great,” Marte said ahead of reporting to spring training early. “[GM] Mike [Hazen] knows I love the D-backs, I love my teammates. Everyone knows what type of player I am, and I’m just happy it all worked out and [that] I’m here.” Hazen said that he did listen to offers but that a potential deal “never ended getting that close.” “I felt like I had to do my job just to listen to what people had to say,” Hazen said. “He’s a superstar player for us, and has been for a long time, and is going to continue to be.” In his nine seasons for the Diamondbacks, Marte has made three All-Star teams, won two Silver Slugger Awards, finished third (2024) and fourth (2019) in NL MVP Award voting, as well as being named MVP of the 2023 National League Championship Series. Marte will take part in the WBC for the Dominican Republic. Diamondbacks LHP Andrew Saalfrank to miss 2026 Saalfrank will miss the season after shoulder surgery. The 28-year-old was expected to be an important part of the team’s bullpen after compiling a 1.24 ERA over 28 appearances last season. It’s another hit for the pitching staff, which already is without relievers A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez, along with ace starter Corbin Burnes, for the first few months of the season. All three are recovering from elbow surgery and hope to be back during the summer. Saalfrank called the surgery a “tough pill to swallow,” adding that “the game of baseball can be a brutal one, but it’s also given me some of the best moments of my life, and I don’t expect that to change moving forward.” The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Just when people in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut thought their winter storm struggles were over, flurries are flying again on Sunday, March 1. Here’s what residents of the Tri-State area can expect from this latest round of wintry weather.
Tri-State Wintry Mix: From Snowfall to Potential Sleet and Freezing Rain
In February 2026, Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey were hit hard by a blizzard that dumped feet of snow as powerful winds struck. The storm was so severe that New York City’s Sanitation Department even hired people to help clear the snow with shovels.
Now, Fox 5 New York is reporting that the region is currently facing another round of wintry weather on Sunday morning and possibly lingering into the early part of the week. While effects will be far less intense than February’s blizzard, new snow could feel frustrating on top of the piles from the historic storm that haven’t melted yet.
The outlet notes that much of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut will see light snowfall of an inch of snow in spots. It also predicts that some areas of the three states could also see between one and three inches fall. While three inches of snow on top of what previously fell could feel very frustrating, some of the other possible predicted conditions could actually be worse.
The Fox 5 New York report also calls for the possibility of a wintry mix with sleet and freezing rain possible in the area. If those conditions arrive, slippery conditions could make roads and sidewalks slick and hazardous for travel. Depending on temperatures, rain is also in the mix.
Whenever winter precipitation falls, deicing sidewalks and driveways for safety can be key. A Men’s Journal article suggests an alternative to rock salt that homeowners can choose that is better for their driveway and safer for animals. It notes that sugar beet juice operates as a deicer in the same way that rock salt does. However, it cautions that it is less effective on thick ice accumulation.
