She’s better known as the widow of Charlie Kirk and the CEO of his conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, but did you know Erika Kirk also has a country music connection?
That’s right: Back in 2012, Erika Kirk co-starred in a music video for Emerson Drive‘s song “She’s My Kind of Crazy.”
That video has resurfaced in light of Erika’s rise to national prominence following her husband’s death last September, and some fans have pointed out a couple moments from the video that are — well, peculiar in hindsight. (We’ll get to that in a minute.)
Watch the Country Music Video That Co-Stars Erika Kirk
Erika plays the role of a Vegas-bound bride with her on-screen love interest, Tyler.
The action starts on a dirt road, when Tyler pulls up in a vintage Ford to pick up Erika, who’s in a bridal veil.
After a quick close-up on a tattoo on Erika’s lower back — to match the song’s lyrics, and presumably a fake one applied for the video — the pair take off to Vegas, where they stroll the strip and take in all the sights.
A couple drinks later, Erika’s character talks Tyler’s into ziplining. They wave at the band, who are performing on the open upper level of a tourism bus, before heading to a wedding chapel and making things official.
A behind-the-scenes video from the shoot reveals that in real life, Erika wasn’t exactly as care-free as her on-screen character. She admitted that she was “deathly afraid of heights,” and was pretty nervous about the ziplining scene.
“I’ll survive, I promise you. I just don’t know what facial expressions I’ll have,” she says before suiting up for the zipline.
The location for the shoot was Las Vegas’ Fremont Street, a pedestrian-only tourist attraction that features a 1,500-foot-long overhead screen displaying free nightly shows.
That screen is prominently featured in the “She’s My Kind of Crazy” video, as Erika and Tyler zip under it during their Vegas experience.
What Are Fans Saying Today About Erika Kirk’s Appearance in a Music Video?
That ziplining scene is the most replayed moment of Emerson Drive’s music video, and it’s not because of the facial expressions Erika’s making as she confronts her fear of heights.
Many fans have pointed out that the camera points prominently toward the screen at the moment where “9:10” is written on the screen behind Erika.
It’s not clear what “9:10” refers to on the Fremont Street display, but viewers were quick to point out that it matches the date Charlie Kirk died, Sept. 10.
Emerson Drive, YouTube
Emerson Drive, YouTube
They also noticed that Erika’s co-star, Tyler, has the same first name as Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old man who was arrested and charged with aggravated murder after Kirk’s death.
Fans went various levels down what many referred to as “the rabbit hole,” and the speculation is indicative of the larger scrutiny and controversy that has surrounded Erika Kirk in the months since her husband died.
Dimitrios Kambouris, Getty Images
Dimitrios Kambouris, Getty Images
In that time, she’s become a public, political figure in assuming his role as the CEO of Turning Point, an organization that — notably, especially for country fans — is mounting its own show in protest of Bad Bunny’s upcoming half time performance at the Super Bowl. That lineup features Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice and Gabby Barrett.
Much of the speculation surrounding Erika Kirk stems from conservative podcaster Candace Owens, who has frequently promoted theories involving Charlie being “betrayed” by those closest to him and suggested that his assassination could have been a military operation or included involvement from foreign governments.
CNN reports that Owens’ campaign spawned varying reactions among the world of public-facing MAGA figures, with some (like Tucker Carlson and Megyn Kelly) defending her comments to some degree, and others (like Ben Shapiro and Nick Fuentes) condemning them.
Who Are Emerson Drive, the Band Who Hired Erika Kirk For a Music Video?
Emerson Drive was a Canadian country band headed by lead vocalist Brad Mates. They formed in the mid-1990s and released several albums, but their only No. 1 country hit was “Moments,” released in 2006.
The group’s popularity declined in the 2010s, and they were past their mainstream radio prime when they released “She’s My Kind of Crazy” in 2013. However, the song did place at No. 8 on the Canadian country chart.
Emerson Drive officially disbanded in 2024. None of the band mates have commented publicly on the renewed interest in their “She’s My Kind of Crazy” video.
See the Most Played Country Song from the Year You Were Born
Who had the most played country song during the year you were born? This list is a fascinating time capsule of prevalent trends from every decade in American history. Scroll through to find your birth year and then click to listen. Some of these songs have been lost through the years, many of them for good reason!
Barrick Mining said it will break off its North American gold assets into a separate company as the miner seeks to boost value at a time when prices for the precious metal have soared.
Throughout the offseason the CBS Sports MLB experts will bring you a weekly Batting Around roundtable, breaking down pretty much anything. The latest news, a historical question, thoughts about the future of baseball, all sorts of stuff. Last week we debated Brendan Donovan’s future (he’s now a Mariner). This week we’re going to dive into our favorite offseason moves.
What was your favorite move of the offseason?
R.J. Anderson: I’m going to take creative liberties here by answering with my favorite variety of move from the offseason: the Cardinals paying down the salaries of several traded players (first baseman Willson Contreras, right-hander Sonny Gray, and third baseman Nolan Arenado) to procure better returns. This is something more retooling teams should do, in my opinion. Those clubs are far more likely to benefit from netting better young players in a trade than they are from gaining additional financial breathing room. In this particular instance, I think it speaks to how much the Cardinals ownership group trusts new top executive Chaim Bloom’s long-term vision, too. That’s an encouraging sign for a Cardinals club that felt a little rudderless this time a year ago.
Mike Axisa: The Willson Contreras trade is up there. I like it for both teams. The Red Sox get a really good righty bat to balance out their lefty heavy lineup, and the Cardinals paid down a bunch of salary to increase the prospect return. I thought St. Louis also did very, very well in the Brendan Donovan trade. They had a great offseason, albeit as a seller, not as a contender. I’ve been pushing Luis Robert Jr. as a sneaky good trade target since last offseason, so the Mets getting him for two spare parts gets an A+ from me.
To answer the question, my favorite move is the White Sox signing Munetaka Murakami. I know they won’t contend in 2026, but I love the big swing on a 26-year-old with enormous power. It’s a nothing contract. Two years and $34 million was Frankie Montas/Joc Pederson money last offseason. Murakami has major swing-and-miss issues, I know that, but it’s a prime-aged player with considerable upside on a short-term contract. It’s exactly the kind of swing I want to see rebuilding teams take. If it doesn’t work, the White Sox are out some money. Big deal. But, if it does, they have an impact talent to advance the rebuild. Great job, ChiSox.
Dayn Perry: I have to say the Dodgers‘ signing of Kyle Tucker. They’ve won back-to-back titles and have every excuse to rest on their laurels. They also had a roster in place that could very much contend for the elusive three-peat. Instead, though, they went out and signed the best free agent available. Tucker gives them a needed boost in terms of corner outfield production and he’s also significantly younger than their current core, which may help the Dodgers extend their current championship window. It’s a very bold and very targeted move by the best organization in MLB.
Matt Snyder: I think my favorite decision by a team thus far in the offseason has been the Tigers not trading Tarik Skubal. I’m so tired of the “they’re just gonna lose him after the season for nothing, so they have to get something for him now” mindset when it comes to contenders. Go try to win the World Series with him. That doesn’t count as a move, though, so I’ll go with the Orioles signing Pete Alonso. I think the slug-only guy — so long as he’s an elite slugger, which Alonso is — has become a bit underrated in this day and age. The Orioles last season had many problems, but some of them offensively came from missing the power production provided by Anthony Santander in 2024. Having that thunder in the middle of the order behind a superstar like Gunnar Henderson is very important and I expect the Mets will miss that behind Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor this season. More than anything, though, I wanted to see the Orioles’ front office start to spend some money for players outside the organization and this was a big one.
France’s navy seized over four tons of cocaine from a ship in the south Pacific and also intercepted a boat trafficking cocaine in the Caribbean Sea, the country’s armed forces minister said on Thursday.
Catherine Vautrin wrote on X that 4.24 tons of cocaine was seized in the Pacific and a boat carrying 678 kilograms of cocaine was intercepted in the Caribbean and handed over to the Barbadian authorities.
The vessel in the Pacific, from Central America and believed bound for South Africa, was intercepted in French Polynesia, the country’s high commission in the island territory said in a statement.
Its cargo was destroyed at sea, away from the Polynesian economic zone and marine protected area, officials told AFP.
Vautrin and the high commission released images from the operation on social media, showing an aerial view of the interception as well as packages of the purported drugs on board a naval vessel. Vautrin touted the armed forces’ “vigilance and professionalism to thwart a globalized trafficking network.”
France’s navy seized over four tons of cocaine from a ship in the south Pacific and also intercepted a boat trafficking cocaine in the Caribbean Sea, the country’s armed forces minister said on Thursday.
France’s High Commission in French Polynesia
The prosecutor’s office did not bring charges so as not to burden the local court with a case of drug trafficking not destined for French Polynesia itself.
The high commission said the vessel and its crew were freed under international law.
The United Nations has said in recent years that organized crime groups trafficking cocaine and methamphetamine have expanded their presence in the Pacific.
Large amounts of drugs are transported from North and South America for Australian and New Zealand markets, according to the United Nations.
French Polynesia lies along these maritime routes and is itself affected by significant methamphetamine use.
Its small population of 280,000, however, spares it from being a prime target for large-scale drug trafficking.
Temperatures set to bounce back up later this afternoon with lots of sunshine
Milder temperatures are here to stay, and eventually we get rain and snow chances
QUARTER AFTER FIVE. AND HERE’S THE PASEO AND I-25 INTERCHANGE. JUST ALL VIBRANT AND LIT UP. LOOK AT THAT. TURNING MILDER. STAYING THAT WAY HERE GOING FORWARD. AND WE’RE GOING TO STAY DRY THROUGH THE WEEKEND. BUT NEXT WEEK WE’RE TALKING ABOUT THOSE RAIN AND SNOW CHANCES MAKING A RETURN. THIS IS THE LAST KIND OF BIG DIP IN THE JET STREAM. AND THAT COLD AIR THAT GOT UNLEASHED ON US YESTERDAY, IT REALLY KNOCKED DOWN TEMPERATURES IN EASTERN NEW MEXICO. ONCE WE RIDE OUT THIS COLD MORNING, THOUGH, THAT SURGE OF COLD PUSHES EAST AND IT DOESN’T MOVE BACK IN. WE HAVE HIGHS IN THE 50S AND 60S TODAY IN EASTERN NEW MEXICO. YESTERDAY WE WERE ANYWHERE FROM LIKE 45 TO 55 DEGREES. SO HERE WE ARE IN THE 60S TODAY UP LIKE 10 TO 15. AND WE’RE UP LIKE FIVE IN THE CENTRAL AND WEST. OTHER THAN THE BREEZES THAT HIT SOUTHWEST, NEW MEXICO SHOULD BE PRETTY LIGHT IN THE WIND DEPARTMENT. NOW. OVERNIGHT TONIGHT, MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES AND IT’S A DROP BACK TO FREEZING OR BELOW FOR A LOT OF US. WE’LL PROBABLY HOLD JUST ABOVE FREEZING IN SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO. OUR FRIDAY HAS US GAINING A FEW MORE DEGREES, VERY CLOSE TO 60 FOR PLACES LIKE TUCSON, SANTA FE, A MID WINTER DAY. ALBUQUERQUE UP AT 63. LOOK AT TUCUMCARI. CLOVIS HOBBS HITTING 70 OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE. STILL SHOULD HAVE LOTS OF SUNSHINE, A FEW CLOUDS DRIFTING INTO THE WEST LATER IN THE DAY. FRIDAY. SLIGHTLY BREEZIER THAN TODAY, BUT NO STRONG WINDS ARE SHOWING UP. THIS IS SATURDAY, FIRST HALF OF THE WEEKEND. I THINK WE’LL HAVE MORE CLOUDS AROUND ON SATURDAY. CONTINUED MILD TEMPERATURES. NUMBERS FOR MOST OF US IN THE 60S AND 70S. LOOK AT SANTA FE HITTING 60 DEGREES ON SATURDAY. IT’S JUST CLOUDS SATURDAY AND BREEZINESS IN THE EAST CENTRAL NORTHEAST PART OF THE STATE ON SUNDAY. WE’LL STILL HAVE A LOT OF CLOUD COVER AROUND. WE’LL STILL HAVE THE MILD TEMPERATURES, BUT LOOK AT SOUTHWEST AND SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO. FINALLY, PERHAPS TAPPING INTO A CHANCE AT SOME SCATTERED SHOWERS AND MAYBE A LITTLE HIGH MOUNTAIN SNOW. FOUR CORNERS FORECAST NORTHWEST NEW MEXICO. WELL, HERE WE ARE IN THE UPPER 50S. LOWER 60S. MILDER THAN YESTERDAY. WILL GAIN ANOTHER DEGREE TOMORROW. THE CLOUDS WILL KEEP US RIGHT AROUND 60 FOR THE WEEKEND, BUT IT LOOKS SUPER PLEASANT. WE’RE EYEING UP TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY CHANCES AT RAIN AND MOUNTAIN SNOW MOVING BACK INTO THE AREA. HERE’S SOUTHWEST NEW MEXICO AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE’LL BE IN THE UPPER 50S AND LOWER 60S. SHOULD BE DRY WITH LOTS OF SUNSHINE TODAY AND TOMORROW AGAIN WITH THE MILDER TEMPERATURES. SATURDAY WILL BE A DAY WHERE THE CLOUDS REALLY NOTICEABLY BUILD, BUT I THINK ANY CHANCE AT A SHOWER HOLDS OFF UNTIL SUNDAY, THEN IT’S GOING TO BE DAILY AT LEAST. CHANCES AT RAIN, MOUNTAIN SNOW MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY. HERE’S SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO WHILE WE’RE STUCK IN THE MID 50S YESTERDAY, TODAY WE JUMP BACK ABOVE 60 DEGREES FROM ROSWELL TO CARLSBAD, RIGHT AROUND 60 FOR YOU IN ALAMOGORDO. LOOK AT THAT 67 TOMORROW. WE’RE FLIRTING WITH 70 THIS WEEKEND AS THE CLOUDS BUILD A LITTLE BIT. NEXT WEEK ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY, WE’LL MENTION CHANCES AT SHOWERS AND MAY ACTUALLY HIT 70 ON TUESDAY. EVEN WITH THAT RAIN CHANCE, HERE’S NORTHEAST NEW MEXICO, UPPER 50S, LOWER 60S THIS AFTERNOON. WHERE A COUPLE WARMER TOMORROW SHOULD HAVE SUNSHINE FOR THE BETTER PART OF THE NEXT TWO DAYS. THE WEEKEND WITH MORE CLOUDS AROUND. BUT WE’RE STILL DRY. AS FAR AS SHOWER CHANCES ARE CONCERNED. HERE IN THE NORTHEAST, NEW MEXICO, PERHAPS TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY. THIS IS NORTH CENTRAL NEW MEXICO OUT OF THE 40S YESTERDAY BACK INTO THE 50S TODAY. LOOK AT THE ESPANOLA VALLEY UP AT 60 DEGREES. WE CONTINUE THIS TREND UPWARD THIS WEEKEND. SANTA FE WITH BACK TO BACK 60 DEGREE AFTERNOONS FOR THE WEEKEND. ONE MORE 60 ON MONDAY. THERE WILL BE CHANCES AT RAIN MOUNTAIN SNOW KICKING IN STARTING TUESDAY. CONTINUING WEDNESDAY FOR THE ALBUQUERQUE METRO, 55 WAS YESTERDAY’S HIGH. THAT WAS OUR COOL DAY OF THE WEEK. STILL A LITTLE ABOVE AVERAGE, BUT WE’RE JUMPING BACK TO 60 THIS AFTERNOON. LOWER 60S FOR FRIDAY. THAT’S WHERE WE STAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND. NOW NEXT WEEK? YEAH. ARE WE EYEING UP SOME CHANCES AT RAIN RIGHT NOW? WE’
Temperatures set to bounce back up later this afternoon with lots of sunshine
Milder temperatures are here to stay, and eventually we get rain and snow chances
After a cooler Wednesday, temperatures to look to bounce back up today, most noticeably across eastern New Mexico where we rode out a dip into the 40s and 50s yesterday. Today these areas will jump back up into the lower 60s. Skies continue to stay dry, and this afternoon should offer up lots of sunshine.We’ll watch temperatures climb even more for Friday and still see mostly sunny skies, and other than a few more clouds around on Saturday, it looks very mild again with continued dry skies. Finally, by Sunday we will begin to watch southern New Mexico for a chance of rain showers to arrive later in the day, but the rest of the state still looks dry.Chances of rain and mountain snow will gradually gain strength through the first half of next week, however Monday it still looks like it will be just southern New Mexico again with the showers. A little better chance of rain and mountain snow could arrive to northwest and northern New Mexico on Tuesday, and then better chances look to be in play for Wednesday around the state.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. —
After a cooler Wednesday, temperatures to look to bounce back up today, most noticeably across eastern New Mexico where we rode out a dip into the 40s and 50s yesterday. Today these areas will jump back up into the lower 60s. Skies continue to stay dry, and this afternoon should offer up lots of sunshine.
We’ll watch temperatures climb even more for Friday and still see mostly sunny skies, and other than a few more clouds around on Saturday, it looks very mild again with continued dry skies. Finally, by Sunday we will begin to watch southern New Mexico for a chance of rain showers to arrive later in the day, but the rest of the state still looks dry.
Chances of rain and mountain snow will gradually gain strength through the first half of next week, however Monday it still looks like it will be just southern New Mexico again with the showers. A little better chance of rain and mountain snow could arrive to northwest and northern New Mexico on Tuesday, and then better chances look to be in play for Wednesday around the state.
A luxurious Nashville home owned by the McBee family from TV’s The McBee Dynasty is back under contract after a previous deal fell through.
The McBee Dynasty House Finds Another Buyer
The breathtaking residence was listed at $1,579,900 when it went back on the market, and according to online property sites, the sellers have accepted a new offer and the deal moved into contingent status on Feb. 1.
It’s not clear what the final selling price will be, but if they got their asking price, it would break down to $563 per square foot and a monthly payment of $8,882.
When Did the McBee Dynasty House First Go Up for Sale?
The McBee family first listed their 4-bedroom, 4.5-bathroom, 2,805-square-foot home in Nashville in April of 2025, asking $1,589,900 for the property.
The property went into contingency status on July 22, but Steven McBee Jr. said the sale fell through because of something he said.
Why Is the McBee Family’s Nashville Home Back for Sale?
In an episode of their podcast, he told his brother Cole that the family was “a little mad” at him, adding, “Rightfully so.”
“Everyone was asking me about Nashville, and they’re, like, ‘Well, do you guys have any plans to go down to Nashville soon?’” he shared.
“And I was like, ‘Actually, we just sold our house.’ And I said ‘sold’ in the past tense. I thought the deal was done. It had gone through everything.
“The house was two days away from actually closing,” he added.
“Well, that interview comes out. It threw the potential buyers up in arms whenever I said we’re not going back to Nashville. I don’t know what it was … they backed out. Dad called me; he was not very happy.”
Why Are the McBees Selling Their Nashville Home?
The upscale Music City residence has been the scene of quite a bit of drama over the two seasons of The McBee Dynasty, including wild parties, hookups with women and family drama.
“We decided that Nashville was not the place for us anymore,” McBee said in August. “We get in too much trouble when we go down there.”
What Is The McBee Dynasty?
The reality television show follows the lives of patriarch Steven McBee and his family, who run the McBee Farm & Cattle Company in Missouri.
What Are the Highlights of the McBee Dynasty House in Nashville?
The lavish residence features a unique wall fountain that’s the first thing visitors see when they walk up.
The interior utilizes bold colors, textured walls and modern light fixtures to create a luxury space that the McBee family had rented out as a top-rated Airbnb.
The main floor of the four-story home centers around an open-concept floor plan, with the living room, dining area and kitchen all flowing into one main space.
Oversized windows let in plenty of natural light, and the property also offers impressive views of downtown Nashville.
The primary suite is one of the biggest highlights of the McBees’ Nashville home, with a custom closet, a spa-like bathroom with a walk-in shower, a balcony with spectacular views of the Nashville skyline and more.
The rest of the McBee residence is just as upscale, with other highlights including:
Multiple balconies and outdoor areas.
A 2-car garage with additional storge and its own sink and refrigerator.
A gas fireplace.
Laundry facilities on two floors.
A rooftop lounge with its own bar area.
The property is located in East Nashville just minutes from downtown Nashville, close to restaurants, clubs, shopping and a large number of entertainment and night life options.
Scroll through the pictures to see inside the spectacular McBee house in Nashville, and keep scrolling to see inside Christina Haack’s upscale Nashville farmhouse.
PICTURES: See Inside the McBee Dynasty’s Luxurious Nashville Home
A luxurious Nashville home owned by the McBee family from TV’s ‘McBee Dynasty’ is for sale, and pictures show an ultra-modern property that’s well worth its $1.5 million price tag.
With pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training across Arizona and Florida next week and all of Kiley McDaniel’s top 10 free agents now signed, there is light at the end of the offseason tunnel for baseball fans.
But before we say goodbye to the 2025-26 MLB offseason, it is a perfect time to make sense of the biggest themes of a wild winter and examine what they mean for the 2026 season — and the future of MLB.
How do the latest spending sprees by the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets impact the mindset of baseball’s 28 other teams? What does an offseason of trade rumors mean for next summer’s trade deadline? And how should fans of contenders that went big — and others that decided to run it back with the same roster — feel about the season ahead?
We asked ESPN MLB insiders Buster Olney and Jeff Passan to break it all down.
The Dodgers’ spending created plenty of outcry (again). What does it mean for the future of MLB?
Olney: Financial disparity among teams has long existed, but the Dodgers’ payroll will serve to galvanize the effort of other owners to rebuild the sport’s financial system through some kind of proposed cap-and-floor design. As one former player said: “It’s like we’re back in 1994 — you’ve got some owners looking for the players to solve ownership issues.”
The players went on strike in August of 1994, of course, and that fall’s World Series was canceled. But it remains to be seen how far the owners will push to revamp the system, and whether the players’ coalition will hold together as strongly as it did three decades ago.
Passan: Let’s not forget the Mets, either. Their Opening Day payroll is upward of $50 million more than the Dodgers’. But Buster’s points stand regardless: The spending of the top two teams has reinforced to 28 others that change is necessary. They believe that change comes via a salary cap.
Regardless of whether the league can ever convince players to accept one, the vast majority of people in baseball — even among the Dodgers and Mets — acknowledge that significant changes need to come following the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement on Dec. 1. How significant will determine the length of a potential work stoppage and whether it affects the 2027 season.
Overall spending was healthy in the last winter of the current CBA. What does it mean for next offseason?
Olney: Just as there was before the last owners’ lockout, there will be a rush of signings of high-end free agents before Dec. 1, and the big-market teams will presumably lead the splurge. With a lot of unknowns about what the sport’s financial system will look like after the next collective bargaining agreement, there are agents and club executives who believe that the big spenders — the Dodgers, the Mets, the Yankees, the Phillies, the Jays, maybe others — will be hyperaggressive to make moves under the existing rules, knowing that those rules are going to change. In theory: They could look to take advantage of the current system while they still can.
Passan: That’s what the Dodgers and Mets have done already, right? They recognized cash was an unchecked advantage and levered it into bountiful rosters. I’m not sure the spending this winter is particularly indicative of anything going forward, though, because of the uncertainty.
And while I was with Buster on the deluge of signings leading up to Dec. 1, multiple executives and agents wonder whether the wide range of outcomes in a new basic agreement will mitigate that mad scramble to transact before the lockout. It’s probably the likeliest outcome, yes, but a slow November could be a canary in the coal mine for the months of inaction expected to follow.
Kyle Tucker took the Dodgers’ high-AAV offer over a longer-term deal. What does it mean for the future of free agency?
Olney: Some agents and teams believe that yes, the model for the big-money deals is shifting, and that teams are more interested in paying more money annually over deals of shorter terms — which is what happened with Tucker, and Bo Bichette and Framber Valdez.
“I think there’s a feeling that those really long-term deals become stale for the teams,” said one league source, citing this winter’s flashpoint between the Phillies’ David Dombrowski and Bryce Harper. “A lot of teams can’t afford these kinds of deals, but for the teams that can, paying a player aggressively in the short term might be more attractive.”
Passan: Just because it needs to be said: Every team can afford that kind of deal. Maybe not multiple $300 million-plus deals. But if the Royals can sign Bobby Witt Jr. and Minnesota can sign Carlos Correa and Colorado can sign Nolan Arenado, anyone can sign anyone to a big-dollar deal spread out over time.
What I fear, actually, is that even though the shorter-term, higher-average-annual-value contract strips away the less-productive years at the end of a contract, the cash-flow crunch that realistically does affect some of the lower-revenue teams will discourage them from engaging in such deals. Between that and the signing bonuses that are a hallmark of such contracts, middle- and small-market teams are at a disadvantage when competing for the best free agents with Los Angeles and New York.
Tarik Skubal and Ketel Marte were in many trade rumors — but ultimately stayed put. What does it mean for the 2026 MLB trade deadline?
Olney: The midsummer fallback for a Skubal trade has always seemed unrealistic to me, especially with the Tigers inhabiting the favorable landscape of the AL Central. How in the world could Detroit trade the AL’s best pitcher if they are within four or five games of first place in a very winnable division? Tigers fans — and maybe players — would revolt.
In April, Marte will acquire 10-and-5 rights to veto any trade, but if Arizona falls out of contention — certainly a possibility in the highly competitive National League — the D-backs could revisit the question in midseason. By then, however, his trade value could be impacted by performance, the labor uncertainty, and his ability to block any deal.
The vast majority of the trade deadline moves figure to involve players who are impending free agents, because the trade offers of some teams for players signed into 2027 could be diminished because of concern over the CBA.
Passan: True, but it didn’t stop Seattle from giving up a hefty package for Brendan Donovan or Washington getting five prospects in return for MacKenzie Gore from Texas. At the end of the day, the smartest people — and, consequently, the smartest teams — know what they don’t know and don’t try to control things they can’t. And regardless of what their owners are telling them about the likelihood of a capped system, if front offices feel as if moves at the deadline will allow them to beat the Dodgers in 2026, they won’t hesitate to be aggressive. Great seasons are too valuable and rare not to chase.
As for Skubal and Marte: While Buster is spot on with the Tigers’ value proposition, teams that allow perceived fan pressure to dictate moves rarely end up better for it and Detroit knows that. Did the signing of Framber Valdez on Wednesday to a three-year, $115 million contract change that calculus, though? Perhaps the result of Skubal’s arbitration hearing, expected Thursday, will provide additional clarity. As with Arizona and Marte, at the end of the day, it’s a projection question: Is the gain from a trade minus the grief it brings worth more than what the player will produce plus the compensation he’d bring if he wasn’t traded and eventually left via free agency?
The Mets opted for a complete overhaul after their 2025 collapse. What does it mean for their 2026 chances?
Olney: Maybe more than any other high-dollar contender, the possible outcomes for the Mets cover a wide range. If Bo Bichette hits, if Luis Robert stays on the field, if Freddy Peralta makes 30-plus starts, if the corner infielders adapt to their new positions, if Nolan McLean continues to pitch as well as he did at the end of last year … If all of that goes well, this could be a really, really good team, and perhaps the greatest threat to the Dodgers’ championship reign.
But with all due respect to the late, great Mets announcer Bob Murphy, if the ’26 Mets turn into a Murphy’s Law team — where a lot of the decisions backfire — this would rival the ’93 Mets (known as the Worst Team Money Can Buy) in franchise history because of resources spent and fan expectations. This is why no one in the sport is operating under greater pressure in ’26 than David Stearns, the Mets’ head of baseball operations. He has to get it right; the Mets have to get it right.
Passan: Let’s put it this way: This, I believe, is far closer to how the Mets are likely to be run going forward than the buy-everything-you-can ethos of past Steve Cohen teams. And not because that hasn’t worked but rather because this winter reflected the Mets’ willingness and ability to be in the middle of every consequential free agency and trade possibility while still operating with the value mentality that brings balance. The hard truth is the old Mets weren’t good enough. Are these Mets? They might not be either, but they’re positioned in a way to offer flexibility and balance past Mets incarnations simply didn’t have.
The Yankees and Phillies decided to run it back with mostly the same team as a year ago. What does it mean for their World Series chances?
Olney: With both teams, so much depends on players returning from major injuries — in particular, the Yankees’ Gerrit Cole and Luis Gil, and the Phillies’ Zack Wheeler. It’s easy to forget that the Yankees tied the Blue Jays for the most wins in the AL last year, and the Phillies were the team that the Dodgers feared the most in the march through the NL playoffs. But generally, the rosters of these two teams are older and probably more susceptible to injury.
Passan: I get the fervor in New York and Philadelphia. When a team doesn’t reach the World Series, let alone win it, change is standard operating procedure. And yet Buster’s point about both teams being quite good is salient. Different is different. It isn’t always better. And what the Yankees and Phillies have right now remains quite good. Is it enough? Nobody knows.
But on top of Cole and Gil, the Yankees get a full season of Cam Schlittler, with Elmer Rodriguez and Carlos Lagrange on the doorstep. The Phillies are giving Justin Crawford every chance to win their center field job and Aidan Miller isn’t far behind. Ultimately, maybe these Yankees and Phillies are just like the Mets that were broken up: good, not good enough. But dismissing them at this point is presumptuous. Outside of the Dodgers, they’ve got as strong a chance of winning as anyone.
The prime minister said Mandelson had lied and “portrayed Epstein as someone he barely knew.”
To the victims, he said: “I am sorry, sorry for what was done to you, sorry that so many people with power failed you. Sorry for having believed Mandelson’s lies and appointed him and sorry that even now you’re forced to watch this story unfold in public once again.”
Starmer appointed Mandelson, a veteran politician, as ambassador to the U.S. in 2024. The prime minister fired him in September after emails were published showing that he maintained a friendship with Epstein following the late financier’s 2008 conviction for sex offenses involving a minor. Epstein died by suicide in a jail cell in 2019, while awaiting trial on U.S. federal charges accusing him of sexually abusing dozens of girls.
Starmer never met Epstein and is not accused of any wrongdoing. But the prime minister is under intense pressure over the appointment after newly released documents revealed fresh details of Mandelson’s close relationship with Epstein.
“I was lied to,” Starmer said. “It had been publicly known for some time that Mandelson knew Epstein, but none of us knew the depth and the darkness of that relationship.”
British police are investigating Mandelson over potential misconduct in public office. He is not accused of any sexual offenses.
Documents published last week by the U.S. Department of Justice contain new revelations, including papers suggesting Mandelson shared sensitive government information with Epstein after the 2008 global financial crisis. There are also scores of chatty, jokey messages pointing to a much closer relationship than Mandelson had previously disclosed.
The newly released files also suggest that in 2003 to 2004, Epstein sent three payments totaling $75,000 to accounts linked to Mandelson or his partner Reinaldo Avila da Silva, now his husband.
Mandelson, 72, has been a major, and contentious, figure in the Labour Party since the 1990s. He twice had to resign from senior posts in previous administrations because of scandals over money or ethics.
He was chosen as ambassador because his trade expertise, network of contents and mastery of the political “dark arts” were considered assets in dealing with President Donald Trump’s administration.
Critics say Mandelson’s ties with Epstein made his appointment too risky and Starmer was, at best, naive.
“I think the prime minister has shown that his judgment is questionable,” Labour lawmaker Paula Barker said. “I think he has questions to answer. I think he has a very long way to go to rebuild trust and confidence with the public, and trust and confidence within our party.”
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – Seasonably colder morning temperatures for many are present after yesterday’s coolfront moved in from the northeast with now calmer winds. Air temperatures in the north and east are starting off mostly in the single digits to the lower 20s, while areas to the southwest are mostly ranging from the high teens to […]
