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These 10 NHL draft prospects need a red-hot second half of the season

Some NHL draft-eligible players have established themselves as top-flight prospects. 

Others have some work to do if they want to be drafted as highly as they expect. 

The second half of the season will be incredibly important for the latter group of players. 

Some youngsters hoping to hear their names called early in June’s NHL draft in Buffalo exceeded expectations to start the year. Those players must prove the impact they’ve made wasn’t a fluke and that they belong among the top players. On the flip side, some players lacked production, which raised a red flag, so a big second half will go a long way.

10 NHL draft prospects needing a red-hot second half

Vancouver (WHL) left wing Mathis Preston

Preston’s skill and speed have been evident all year long, but his production has fallen off a bit this year. Scouts seem to be concerned with that, understandably. That said, Preston placing 27th on NHL Central Scouting’s mid-term North American ranking seems harsh. Recently traded to the Vancouver Giants, Preston can reset and get back to his high-octane offensive production. If he can, maybe he can climb back into the top-10 discussion across the board.

Boston University (NCAA) center Tynan Lawrence

After an injury-filled start to the season in the USHL, Lawrence returned to action and instantly showed he is one of the league’s most dangerous scorers and a two-way presence. But this month, Lawrence moved to the NCAA mid-season, as Boston University had a spot open on the roster. Now Lawrence must prove again he can be a dangerous scorer and reliable center against bigger, stronger and faster competition. 

Jukurit (Finland) defenseman Alberts Smits

Smits is arguably the highest-rising player from the start of the season. He’s been a beast defensively while showcasing his puck skill, skating and willingness to get involved offensively. His raw physical tools are as good or better than any other defender in this class. After a wicked world juniors, Smits is set to play for Latvia’s Olympic squad. If he has a solid tournament, he could be the top blueliner in the draft. 

Miami (Ohio) University (NCAA) center Ilia Morozov

The youngest player in college hockey has been a surprise this season. He’s become a top-line center who plays on the top power play and penalty kill. There are plenty of doubters about his game, though, as he’s done most of his scoring against lower-end schools and struggled against the top teams in the nation. Morozov must show teams he’s not just a projectable bottom-six player and his offensive game has a bit more juice.

Boston College (NCAA) left wing Oscar Hemming

Oscar Hemming’s season just started. Off-ice drama around his release from the Liiga team that held his rights prevented him from joining the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers and the BCHL’s Sherwood Park Crusaders. Hemming finally landed in the NCAA at Boston College. The sniper has found the back of the net at every level he’s played at. NHL scouts will be happy just to see him on the ice. 

Michigan (NCAA) left wing Adam Valentini

NHL Central Scouting has ranked Valentini woefully low all year. Public analysts have him all over their boards. The uber-intelligent, highly skilled winger has averaged nearly a point per game in college as a 17-year-old. His defensive game is better than most give him credit for as well. At 5-foot-9, according to Central Scouting, most teams are concerned with his size, but the off-ice decision to go to college instead of the OHL may have irked scouts.

Geneva (Swiss) right wing Simas Ignatavicius

A Lithuanian playing in Switzerland, Ignatavicius, has become a more notable name as of late. Central Scouting has him as a top-10 player from Europe. Only three players from Lithuania have ever been drafted: Darius Kasparaitis (1992), Dainius Zubrus (1996) and Andrey Pedan (2011), who has played for Russia internationally. A big second half could help ensure Ignatavicius ends up a first-round pick like Kasparaitis and Zubrus.

Kamloops (WHL) left wing J.P. Hurlbert

Hurlbert’s offensive prowess has been there all season long. He led the WHL in scoring for most of the season, just recently being passed in total points but still holding a slim lead in points per game. Hurlbert is a highly skilled offensive tactician who can pick apart teams, especially on the power play. He needs to show that his game is rounding out and he’s not just a power-play specialist. 

Vancouver (WHL) defenseman Ryan Lin

With a recent injury set to keep him out of the lineup for a month or more, Lin’s second half will be a bit abbreviated, making it all the more important. Lin is averaging well over a point per game, but as a 5-foot-11 defenseman, teams are concerned about his ability to defend bigger, stronger players. When he returns, he’ll have his work cut out for him if he wants to remain a top-15 prospect. 

Prince George (WHL) defenseman Carson Carels

After surprisingly making Canada’s world junior squad, Carels’ stock has skyrocketed. The question now is whether he can maintain this momentum and hold down a spot around the top 10. He’s produced quite nicely at the WHL level, but there are some concerns about his play in his own end at times, and he can make some questionable decisions. How the second half goes could determine if he’s a top-10 pick or fringe first-rounder.

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Spurs vs. Thunder score, highlights from NBA West showdown

The San Antonio Spurs, simply, couldn’t make up for their wretched third quarter.

After being outscored in the period by 16, San Antonio tried to battle back — eventually closing the gap to 12 points midway through the fourth quarter — but fell to the Thunder, 119-98, Tuesday, Jan. 13. And with that, Oklahoma City claimed its first win in four tries this season against the Spurs.

Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander carried the Thunder, scoring 34 points on 11-of-23 shooting, adding 5 rebounds and 5 assists. For Gilgeous-Alexander, it was his 28th game this season of 30 or more points. It also marked his 111th consecutive game with at least 20, leaving him just 15 games shy of tying Wilt Chamberlain’s all-time record of 126.

But it was defense that led the way for Oklahoma City, especially in the second half. The Thunder blocked a season-high 11 shots against the Spurs and forced San Antonio into 12 turnovers.

One other area where the Thunder reasserted their dominance was the paint; after struggling down low in recent weeks, Oklahoma City outscored the Spurs in the paint by a margin of 56-40.

Victor Wembanyama scored just 17 points on 7-of-15 shooting and Stephon Castle led the Spurs with 20 points.

Thunder forward Jalen Williams chipped in 20 points and Alex Caruso added 13 off the bench.

Scroll down below for highlights and a recap of the action.

Spurs vs. Thunder highlights

End Q3: Thunder 95, Spurs 76

The third quarter was one of runs.

First came Oklahoma City, which launched an 11-0 run early in the period. Then it was San Antonio, which responded with a 7-0 spurt, one that came — for the most part — with Victor Wembanyama, who had crashed knees with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, on the bench.

The Thunder then answered with another massive run, this one 14-1, one that helped them take a commanding lead headed into the fourth. In fact, the Thunder outscored San Antonio 40-24 in the third.

Oklahoma City rode its defense to ignite in transition and leave the Spurs scrambling to get back.

Gilgeous-Alexander dropped 15 points in a massive third quarter to give him a game-high 30 points.

The Thunder bench was also key in the quarter and now has 28 points, compared to just 19 from the San Antonio reserves.

WATCH: Wemby erases a Chet Holmgren shot

End Q2: Thunder 55, Spurs 52

If the first half was any indication of what’s to come, hoops fans should be thrilled.

Both teams have battled through 12 ties and seven lead changes in what was a competitive — if uneven — game, at least on offense.

Oklahoma City, which has lost the first three matchups thus far against the Spurs, had indicated that it was not pleased with its defensive performance in the first games of the series. This time, to slow the Spurs down, Oklahoma City has leaned on a spot 2-3 zone that has flustered San Antonio.

Interestingly, both teams struggled from the 3-point range, combining to shoot just 9-of-34 (26.5%) from beyond the arc, though there was one player who was lighting it up from deep. Spurs forward Julian Champagnie laced 3 of his 7 tries from 3 to chip in 9 points.

Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle are pacing the Spurs with 10 points apiece, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads all scorers with 15.

End Q1: Thunder 32, Spurs 26

It wasn’t high scoring, but it was filled with plenty of action.

The fourth meeting between these two teams started with a back-and-forth first period that was emblematic of why this budding rivalry has been so fascinating. Both teams flashed offensive sizzle (with a pair of early Victor Wembanyama dunks) and clamp-down defense.

Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander posted a solid quarter, scoring 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting to lead all players. His foil at point guard, De’Aaron Fox, struggled from the floor and was held scoreless on 2 attempts.

San Antonio’s 6 offensive rebounds helped the Spurs take an early edge in second-chance points (8-5) and its bench also outscored OKC’s (15-7). But the Thunder closed the period on a 12-2 run to take an early lead.

Rookie guard Dylan Harper came off the bench but led all Spurs players with 7 points.

And we’re off

The Spurs picked up in this rivalry right where they left off, starting the game with two straight dunks — one by Stephon Castle and the other by Victor Wembanyama — the latter coming over rival Chet Holmgren.

As Wembanyama trotted down the court, he made sure to scrunch his face in disapproval.

Minutes later, Castle and Wembanyama collaborated on a give-and-go that Wemby finished with an alley-oop — again over Holmgren.

The Thunder, however, would answer with a steady dose of buckets but trailed 13-11 into the first media timeout.

Starting lineups

San Antonio Spurs

De’Aaron Fox
Stephon Castle
Julian Champagnie
Harrison Barnes
Victor Wembanyama

Oklahoma City Thunder

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Cason Wallace
Aaron Wiggins
Jalen Williams
Chet Holmgren

How to watch Spurs vs. Thunder

Date: Tuesday, Jan. 13
Time: 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. CT)
Where: Paycom Center in Oklahoma City
TV: NBC
Stream: NBC Sports App, Peacock

Spurs vs. Thunder odds, lines

All odds via BetMGM as of afternoon of Tuesday, Jan. 13

Spread: Thunder (-8.5)
Moneyline: Thunder (-325); Spurs (+260)
Over/Under: 230.5

Spurs, Thunder injuries tonight

San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell remains out as he continues to recover from a left adductor strain.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort will miss the game with left foot soreness, and center Isaiah Hartenstein is out with a right calf strain.

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Trump signals long road ahead in Venezuela in his boldest interventionist move yet

President Donald Trump is setting the stage for the U.S. to be involved in overseeing Venezuela for a significant period of time, after conducting strikes and capturing dictator Nicolás Maduro and labeling himself ‘acting’ president of Venezuela. 

The move marks his boldest interventionist move yet — a foreign policy approach by which one country intervenes in another state’s affairs — and follows other major military operations from the Trump administration, including strikes in Syria in December 2025 against Islamic State operatives after an ambush against U.S. troops there, and strikes in June 2025 against the Iranian nuclear sites of Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.

Trump told The New York Times in an interview that was published Wednesday that ‘only time will tell’ how long the U.S. will be running Venezuela, but said it would be ‘much longer’ than a year. 

Additionally, Trump announced recently that Venezuela’s interim government would hand over up to 50 million barrels of oil to the U.S. and that the oil would be sold ‘immediately.’

‘We will rebuild it in a very profitable way,’ Trump told the Times. ‘We’re going to be using oil, and we’re going to be taking oil. We’re getting oil prices down, and we’re going to be giving money to Venezuela, which they desperately need.’

Likewise, Trump shared a doctored image that looked like a Wikipedia page that identified him as ‘Acting President of Venezuela’ since January 2026. 

Previous interventionist actions the U.S. has taken include launching an invasion of Afghanistan in response to the 9/11 attacks Afghanistan-based al-Qaeda conducted against the U.S., and an invasion of Iraq in 2003 that led to the toppling of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein’s regime. In both cases, the U.S. remained in prolonged occupations there. 

The language the Trump administration is using now focusing on illegal migration is different than what was used during the Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts, which focused on democracy-building and promoting freedom, Katherine Thompson, a senior fellow in defense and foreign policy studies at the libertarian think tank the Cato Institute, told Fox News Digital. 

‘But the pathway to achieve those things, I don’t see, like, a broad differentiation from the things that we did before,’ Thompson told Fox News Digital. 

Thompson said that she doesn’t see how the Trump administration’s goals could be completed without small rotational deployments from U.S. forces to provide security, particularly in the event that the U.S. reopens its Embassy in Caracas, Venezuela. 

‘I don’t see how we’re going to have a team there without at least some small deployment of rotational forces to achieve security of our own personnel,’ Thompson said.

So far, no U.S. troops are on the ground in Venezuela, and the Senate advanced a War Powers resolution Thursday that, if passed, would bar using U.S. forces within or against Venezuela without Congress’ approval. 

When asked by Fox News Digital about whether Trump’s ‘Acting President of Venezuela’ post was shared jokingly and what it indicates about how long the U.S. will be involved in running Venezuela, White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly told Fox News Digital: ‘President Trump will be the greatest President for the American and Venezuelan people in history. Congratulations, world!’

Although Trump has blasted previous administrations for actions in the Middle East and vowed he would bring an end to ‘endless wars’ while ushering in an ‘America First’ agenda prioritizing U.S. interests, Democrats warned that the U.S. may be involving itself in another complicated conflict. 

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., claimed that the U.S. is on the path to another ‘endless war.’

‘The very thing that Donald Trump campaigned against over and over and over again was no more endless wars,’ Schumer said in an interview with ABC News Jan. 4. ‘And, right now, we’re headed right into one with no barriers, with no discussion.’ 

Trump announced on Jan. 3 that U.S. special forces conducted a ‘large-scale strike’ against Caracas, and seized Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. Both were taken to New York and appeared in a Manhattan federal court Jan. 5 on drug charges, where they each pleaded not guilty.

The raid came after months of pressure on Venezuela and more than two dozen strikes in Latin American waters against alleged drug traffickers as part of Trump’s effort to crack down on the influx of drugs into the U.S.

The Trump administration routinely stated that it did not recognize Maduro as a legitimate head of state and said he was the leader of a drug cartel. Likewise, Trump said in December 2025 he believed it would be ‘smart’ for Maduro to step down. 

The Trump administration has justified seizing Maduro as a ‘law enforcement’ operation, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio said congressional approval wasn’t necessary since the operation didn’t amount to an ‘invasion.’

However, lawmakers primarily on the left have questioned the legality of the operation in Venezuela, which was conducted without Congress’ approval.

‘This has been a profound constitutional failure,’ the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., said in a statement Jan. 3. ‘Congress — not the President — has the sole power to authorize war. Pursuing regime change without the consent of the American people is a reckless overreach and an abuse of power.’

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Hillary Clinton expected to defy Epstein probe subpoena, risking criminal charges

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was subpoenaed to appear before the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday, but she’s expected to ignore the order, potentially risking criminal charges.

Hillary Clinton is scheduled to be deposed behind closed doors at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, and it appears the GOP-led committee will move forward with holding the interview in some form regardless of whether she attends.

Hillary and Bill Clinton’s lawyers sent a letter to House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., earlier this week, calling their subpoenas ‘invalid and legally unenforceable.’

But Comer previously threatened to initiate contempt of Congress proceedings against both Clintons if they skipped their January deposition dates, which were rescheduled twice prior, amid conversations with their attorneys.

Bill Clinton defied his own subpoena on Tuesday, failing to appear for a 10 a.m. closed-door deposition. 

Comer told reporters afterward that the House Oversight Committee would meet next week to advance a contempt resolution against the former president in response.

When Fox News Digital asked if the same would happen to Hillary Clinton if she failed to appear the next day, Comer said, ‘We’ll see. We’ll talk about it.’

The former first couple were two of 10 people subpoenaed by Comer as part of the panel’s investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. The subpoenas were issued following a bipartisan vote by an Oversight subcommittee panel during an unrelated hearing on illegal immigration.

Despite that, however, no Democrats appeared for Bill Clinton’s expected grilling.

‘Not a single Democrat showed up today, not a single Democrat,’ Comer told reporters. ‘It just seems like they only care about pushing Republicans. And we’ve had a former Trump Cabinet secretary, Alex Acosta, in for a grilling. We had Bill Barr, former attorney general, in for a grilling. But for whatever reason, President Clinton didn’t show up. And the Democrats on the committee don’t seem to have a problem.’

The Clintons’ attorneys criticized Comer’s leadership of the investigation in their letter, discounting the subpoenas.

‘President and Secretary Clinton have already provided the limited information they possess about Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell to the Committee,’ the lawyers said.

‘Your continued insistence that the former President and Secretary of State can be compelled to appear before the Committee under these circumstances, however, brings us toward a protracted and unnecessary legal confrontation that distracts from the principal work of the Congress with respect to this matter, which, if conducted sincerely, could help ensure the victims of Mr. Epstein and Ms. Maxwell are afforded some measure of justice for the crimes perpetrated against them, however late. But perhaps distraction is the point.’

Comer said after Bill Clinton skipped his deposition, ‘No one’s accusing Bill Clinton of any wrongdoing. We just have questions. And that’s why the Democrats voted, along with Republicans, to subpoena Bill Clinton.’

The House Oversight Committee would need to advance a contempt resolution before it’s considered by the entire chamber. If a simple majority votes to hold someone in contempt of Congress, a criminal referral is then traditionally made to the Department of Justice.

A criminal contempt of Congress charge is a misdemeanor that carries a punishment of up to one year in jail and a maximum $100,000 fine, if convicted.

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Rand Paul says GOP colleagues ‘don’t give a s‑‑- about these people in the boats’: They ‘say they’re pro-life’

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., accused his ‘pro-life’ Republican colleagues of not caring about the people killed in boat strikes near Venezuela who the Trump administration, without providing evidence, claims were trafficking fentanyl.

During an appearance on ‘The Joe Rogan Experience’ released on Tuesday, Paul said GOP lawmakers ‘don’t give a s‑‑-‘ about the people who died on the vessels, blasting his colleagues for not granting the presumption of innocence.

‘I look at my colleagues who say they’re pro-life, and they value God’s inspiration in life, but they don’t give a s‑‑- about these people in the boats,’ Paul said. ‘Are they terrible people in the boats? I don’t know. They’re probably poor people in Venezuela and Colombia.’

‘I guess what I don’t feel connected to my Republican colleagues is that those lives don’t matter at all, and we just blow them up. And against all justice, and against all laws of war, all laws of just war, we have never blown up people who were shipwrecked,’ he added, referring to the administration’s reported targeting and killing of survivors of initial strikes who were clinging to wreckage.

The liberty-minded Republican said it is ‘against the military code of justice to do that.’

‘We’re doing it and everybody just says, ‘Oh, well, they’re drug dealers,” he said.

Paul criticized his fellow GOP lawmakers who have repeated the administration’s claims about the boats carrying fentanyl. He also took issue with colleagues who hold the position of, ‘Well, we’re at war with them. They’re committing war by bringing drugs into America.’

‘They’re not even coming here,’ Paul explained. ‘They’re going to these islands in the south part of the Caribbean. The cocaine — and it’s not fentanyl at all — the cocaine’s going to Europe.’

He emphasized that ‘those little boats can’t get here.’

‘No one’s even asked this common question: Those boats have these four engines on them. They’re outboard boats. You can probably go about 100 miles before you have to refuel. Two thousand miles from us, they’d have to refuel 20 times to get here,’ Paul said.

The senator accused the administration of conducting the boat strikes to create ‘a pretense and a false argument’ ahead of the operation to attack Venezuela and arrest its president, Nicolás Maduro.

‘It’s all been a pretense for arresting Maduro,’ he said. ‘So, we have to set up the predicate. We got to show you we care about drugs.’

Paul helped the Senate advance a resolution last week that would limit Trump’s ability to conduct further attacks against Venezuela after the U.S. military’s recent move to strike the country and capture Maduro, which the Kentucky Republican said amounts to war. The Upper Chamber could pass the measure later this week, although it faces an uphill battle in the House despite some support from Republicans.

‘I think bombing a capital and removing the head of state is, by all definitions, war,’ Paul told reporters before the procedural vote last week. ‘Does this mean we have carte blanche that the president can make the decision any time, anywhere, to invade a foreign country and remove people that we’ve accused of a crime?’

The lawmaker has repeatedly criticized the administration’s boat strikes on alleged narco-terrorists in recent months, often raising concerns about killing people without due process and the possibility of killing innocent people. The senator previously cited Coast Guard statistics that show a significant percentage of boats boarded on suspicion of drug trafficking are innocent.

Paul said on ‘The Joe Rogan Experience’ that he believes the administration might attack Mexico next, which Trump has signaled could be a future target.

‘They want to do that next. They want to bomb Mexico,’ Paul said.

Trump has said cartels are ‘running Mexico’ and that ‘something’s going to have to be done’ because Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum is ‘very frightened’ of the cartels.

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South Korean prosecutor seeks death penalty for ex-President Yoon over martial law declaration: ‘Self-coup’

A South Korean court heard arguments Tuesday seeking the death penalty for former President Yoon Suk Yeol, as prosecutors accused the ousted leader of orchestrating a rebellion through his controversial martial law declaration in December 2024.

Independent counsel Cho Eun-suk asked the Seoul Central District Court to impose the sentence, arguing that Yoon’s actions amounted to ‘anti-state activities’ and describing the decree as a ‘self-coup.’

Yoon, a conservative who was removed from office last spring, remains in custody while facing multiple criminal proceedings tied to the martial law episode and other controversies from his presidency. Prosecutors say the rebellion charge carries the most severe potential punishment.

Cho’s team argued in court that Yoon sought to prolong his hold on power by undermining South Korea’s constitutional system of governance.

Yoon has rejected the accusations, telling the court that the investigations into his conduct have been ‘frenzied’ and marked by ‘manipulation’ and ‘distortion.’

He has maintained that the declaration of martial law was intended to alert the public to what he viewed as the growing threat posed by the opposition Democratic Party, which used its legislative majority to block his political agenda. 

Yoon argued that the exercise of presidential emergency powers cannot be treated as rebellion under the law.

The court is expected to deliver a verdict next month. Legal experts have said a life sentence is more likely than execution, noting that South Korea has not carried out a death penalty since 1997.

Yoon is the first South Korean president who has faced a potential death penalty after leaving office since Chun Doo-hwan was sentenced to death in 1996 for various crimes. Chun’s death sentence was later commuted to life in prison, and he was subsequently pardoned and freed.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Vikings’ Jordan Addison arrested in Florida on Jan. 12

Seminole Police Department officers arrested Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison early in the morning on Jan. 12, Hillsborough (Florida) County Sheriff’s Office records show.

According to the sheriff’s office records, police arrested Addison at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa on a first-degree misdemeanor allegation of trespassing in an occupied structure or conveyance.

Police released the Vikings’ wideout at 2:40 p.m. after he paid bail for a $500 cash bond, less then 11 hours after his arrest at 3:46 a.m. and seven hours after police booked him at 7:33 a.m, according to the publicly available records.

Addison’s agent, Tim Younger, posted a statement to social media on Jan. 13: ‘On Jordan’s behalf, his legal team has already initiated the investigation, identified witnesses, and we are reviewing the viability of a claim for false arrest. He looks forward to the legal process and upon full investigation, we are confident Mr. Addison will be exonerated.’

The incident marks the third run-in with police Addison has had in the last four years.

Before his rookie year in 2023, Minnesota State Patrol cited Addison for speed and reckless driving when an officer observed the Vikings’ wide receiver driving 140 mph in a 55 mph speed limit zone. He pleaded guilty to a petty misdemeanor speeding charge and paid a $686 fine in addition to having his license suspended for six months.

In 2024, California Highway Patrol officers arrested Addison under suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI). An officer found the wide receiver asleep at the wheel of his car, which was blocking traffic on Interstate 105 near Los Angeles International Airport. About two weeks later, police charged Addison with two misdemeanors: driving under the influence of alcohol and driving with blood-alcohol content over California’s legal limit of .08 percent.

Addison agreed to a plea deal for a lesser, ‘wet reckless’ charge, which is a reckless driving charge acknowledging the influence of alcohol. It carries less severe penalties than a DUI and does not result in a DUI conviction being recorded on a criminal record, according to legalclarity.org. The NFL suspended Addison for the first three games of the 2025 season following his guilty plea.

The Vikings wide receiver finished the 2025 season with 12 starts in 14 games and career lows in receptions (42), yards (610) and touchdowns (3). He also rushed twice for a career-high 81 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown.

(This story has been updated with new information.)

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Venezuela releases multiple American citizens from prison following military operation

The interim government in Venezuela has released at least four U.S. citizens who were imprisoned under President Nicolás Maduro’s regime, Fox News confirmed.

The release marks the first known release of Americans in the South American country since the U.S. military completed an operation to capture authoritarian Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who is now facing federal drug trafficking charges in New York.

‘We welcome the release of detained Americans in Venezuela,’ a State Department official said Tuesday. ‘This is an important step in the right direction by the interim authorities.’

The release of American citizens was first reported by Bloomberg.

President Donald Trump said Saturday that Venezuela had begun releasing political prisoners.

‘Venezuela has started the process, in a BIG WAY, of releasing their political prisoners,’ Trump wrote on Truth Social. ‘Thank you! I hope those prisoners will remember how lucky they got that the USA came along and did what had to be done.’

Venezuela’s interim government has reported that 116 prisoners have been released, although only about 70 have been verified by the non-governmental organization Justicia, Encuentro y Perdón, according to Bloomberg.

National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez said prisoner releases would continue, according to the outlet.

The U.S. government issued a new security alert Saturday urging Americans in Venezuela to leave the country immediately, citing security concerns and limited ability to provide emergency assistance, the U.S. Embassy in Caracas said.

‘U.S. citizens in Venezuela should leave the country immediately,’ the embassy said in the alert.

The warning pointed to reports of armed groups operating on Venezuelan roads.

Following the military operation, Trump suggested that the U.S. would ‘run’ Venezuela for an extended period.

‘We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,’ he said.

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Ryan Weathers trade grades: Who won Yankees-Marlins deal?

For the second time in as many weeks, the Miami Marlins traded from their starting pitching surplus.

After trading Edward Cabrera to the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday, Jan. 7, the Marlins on Jan. 13 agreed to a trade to send left-handed pitcher Ryan Weathers to the New York Yankees for a package featuring four hitting prospects.

The prospect package headed back to Miami is headlined by outfielder Dillon Lewis, who MLB.com ranks as the Yankees’ No. 16 prospect in their system. Lewis, according to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenethal, was a name that Miami was seeking from the Yankees in talks for Cabrera.

Weathers, 26, is the son of longtime MLB pitcher David Weathers, who was actually traded from the then-Florida Marlins to New York at the 1996 deadline. Ryan Weathers went 2-2 in eight starts in 2025 with a 3.99 ERA in 38⅓ innings.

Ryan Weathers trade grades

New York Yankees

Weathers joins a Yankees rotation that will be down Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón to start the season due to injuries. If Weathers remains healthy, he could slide into the rotation with Max Fried, Cam Schlittler and Will Warren, until Cole and Rodón return.

Health, however, has been a major detriment for Weathers in his young career. Over the last two seasons, he has been limited to just 24 starts and 125 innings.

When healthy, Weathers features a fastball that averaged 96.8 mph in 2025, per FanGraphs, and can also miss bats with his changeup and sweeper.

Miami and Weathers settled on a $1.35 million salary last week, avoiding arbitration. Weathers is eligible for arbitration twice more and will not be a free agent until the 2028-29 offseason at the earliest.

Grade: B+

Miami Marlins

Surprisingly, the Marlins are moving a second starting pitcher in as many weeks. Miami is clearly seeking to prioritize adding hitting prospects into its system, acquiring the quartet of Lewis, Brendan Jones, Dylan Jasso and Juan Matheus.

Lewis, according to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenethal, was a name that Miami was seeking from the Yankees in talks for Cabrera. The 22-year-old outfielder was a 13th-round pick in 2024 out of Queens University of Charlotte. He posted a .237/.321/.445 slash line with 22 home runs and 26 stolen bases in 2025.

Jones is ranked as the No. 15 prospect in New York’s system, per MLB.com. He hit for a combined .245/.359/.395 line between High-A and Double-A with 51 stolen bases in 60 attempts in 2025.

MLB.com ranks Jasso as the 23rd prospect in the Yankees’ system. The former undrafted prospect hit .257/.326/.400 with 13 homers in Double-A in 2025.

Matheus finished with a .275/.365/.376 line with 40 stolen bases in A-ball last season.

Despite trading Weathers and Cabrera in the last two weeks, the Marlins still have former Cy Young pitcher Sandy Alcantara and Eury Perez atop the rotation for 2025. Braxton Garrett and Max Meyer should slot into the 3-4 pitching slots, while prospects Thomas White and Robby Snelling reached Triple-A in 2025 and could crack the rotation sometime in 2026.

Grade: A-

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MLB trade rumors: Giants ‘aggressively pursuing’ second baseman

The San Francisco Giants are in the market for a second baseman as they look to improve their roster ahead of the 2026 season.

San Francisco has reportedly been linked to both the St. Louis Cardinals’ Brendan Donovan and the Chicago Cubs’ Nico Hoerner, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, as the Giants continue to engage in trade discussions around MLB.

Passan said on X, formerly Twitter, that the Giants are ‘aggressively pursuing’ a second baseman.

Brendan Donovan 2025 stats

Donovan to the Giants has been whispered throughout the offseason.

It’s no secret that the soon-to-be 29-year-old was on the market, and San Francisco wanted to upgrade the second base position.

Donovan hit a career-best .287 with 10 homers, 32 doubles and 50 RBIs in 118 games in 2025. He proved to be a team leader for the Cardinals, both on and off the field, and was named an All-Star.

Donovan won a Gold Glove Award in 2022.

He ranked in MLB’s 96th percentile in batted balls being squared up (36.8%) and in MLB’s 95th percentile in whiff rate (13.4%) in 2025, according to Baseball Savant. He struck out just 13% of the time, which ranked in MLB’s 92nd percentile.

Nico Hoerner 2025 stats

Given the Cubs are signing Alex Bregman, there’s a likely chance that Hoerner is traded.

If Hoerner is dealt to the Giants, it would be a Bay Area homecoming for him. Hoerner is an Oakland native and later enrolled at Stanford University, where he played college baseball.

Hoerner, a seven-year MLB veteran, has been in the big leagues since his debut in 2019.

Last season, Hoerner had a batting average of .297 with seven home runs, 29 doubles and 61 RBIs in 156 games played. According to Baseball Savant, Hoerner ranked in MLB’s 96th percentile for batted balls (36.5%), as did Donovan. Hoerner’s whiff rate (11.2%) is in the 99th percentile in MLB. He also ranked in the 99th percentile in strikeouts (7.6%).

Latest Giants rumors and transactions

The Giants have made a couple of moves during this offseason.

San Francisco added to its bullpen, signing right-handed pitcher Tyler Mahle to a one-year deal on Jan. 5. A month before the Mahle signing, the Giants worked out a deal to bring in Adrian Houser on a two-year deal.

The Giants are looking to improve their infield and are sure to be buyers this offseason as spring training continues to slowly approach.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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