Category: Chicago, Illinois Local News

A Chicago man charged in the shooting deaths of a father and son who owned a Little Village jewelry store was arrested in St. Louis, according to Chicago police.

Muhammad Thomas, 35, faces nine felony charges including two counts of first-degree murder, three counts of armed robbery, two counts of aggravated battery, burglary and armed vehicular hijacking, according to police. The charges are from three separate burglaries that span three years. Three warrants were executed with his arrest.

Thomas is accused of killing Berwyn resident Faustino Alamo, 63, and his son, Luis Angel Alamo, 25, after he grabbed some jewelry from their store and they ran after him the afternoon of Nov. 8, 2025. Faustino Alamo fired off one or two shots with his own weapon, according to a police report.

He’s also accused of shooting and “seriously injuring” a 26-year-old man July 28, 2023, in the 1700 block of West Maypole Avenue and a July 16, 2024 armed robbery in the 2300 block of West Cermak Road.

Thomas is expected in court Friday.

February 26, 2026 | United Center | 7:00 PM CT | NBC Sports Chicago

The Chicago Bulls (24–33) host the Portland Trail Blazers (19–37) tonight, and this is exactly the kind of game we’ve been blowing all season. Portland’s worse than us. They’re 13th in the West. They’re young, inconsistent, and giving up 118.9 points per game.

We’re 12th in the East, giving up 120.4 points per game, and still somehow clinging to faint play-in hopes that are basically dead at this point.

But you know what? We just beat Charlotte. We finally protected home court against a bad team. Now we need to do it again against Portland. No excuses. No moral victories. Just beat a team we’re supposed to beat.

For Bulls fans who’ve watched us lose winnable games all year, tonight’s our chance to prove we can actually be consistent.

Where the Bulls Stand (Still Not Good)

Record: 24–33 (12th in East)

We’re nine games under .500, and the play-in race is basically over. The season’s slipping away, and at this point we’re playing to finish above .400 and not completely embarrass ourselves.

What’s Working:

• We’re 3rd in the East in three-point shooting (14.6 made per game)
• Ball movement is solid (29.1 assists per game)
• DeMar DeRozan is still automatic from mid-range

What’s Not Working:

• Defense is terrible (120.4 points allowed per game, worst in the league)
• Rebounding is a problem (42.1 per game vs Portland’s 44.5)
• Consistency—we’ll look competent one night, fall apart the next

DeMar DeRozan, Anfernee Simons, and Collin Sexton can all get buckets. But if we’re giving up 120 points every night, it doesn’t matter how much we score.

Against Portland’s bad defense (118.9 points allowed), we should put up numbers. The question is whether we can actually get stops when it matters.

The Portland Trail Blazers: Young, Scrappy, and Still Losing

Record: 19–37 (13th in West)

Portland is bad, but they’re interesting-bad. Scoot Henderson is a dynamic young point guard with speed and athleticism. Shaedon Sharpe can score in bunches. Deandre Ayton provides rim protection and rebounding when he’s engaged.

Key Players:

• Scoot Henderson (PG): Fast, aggressive playmaker who can get to the rim
• Shaedon Sharpe (SG): Athletic scorer with three-level offensive game
• Deandre Ayton (C): Rim-running center who blocks shots and finishes lobs

The Blazers play fast, rely on transition offense, and live or die by Henderson’s ability to create. When he’s rolling, they’re dangerous. When he’s off, they get blown out.

Sound familiar? That’s basically us with DeMar.

Breaking Down the Matchup

Category	Bulls	Blazers
Points Per Game	114.8	110.6
Points Allowed	120.4	118.9
Assists Per Game	29.1	25.7
3-Pointers Made	14.6	12.4
Rebounding	42.1	44.5

We score more. We pass better. We shoot more threes. They rebound better and defend slightly less terribly. But both teams are bad defensively, so this is going to be a shootout.

The rebounding gap is concerning. Deandre Ayton could dominate the glass if we’re not physical. We can’t let him get easy putbacks and second-chance points.

What the Bulls Need to Do to Win

DeMar DeRozan Controls the Tempo
This is a game DeMar should dominate. Portland doesn’t have anyone who can consistently stop his mid-range game. He needs 25+ points on efficient shooting, and he needs to control the game when things get chaotic.

Hit Threes Early and Often
We shoot 14.6 threes per game compared to their 12.4. That’s our advantage. If Simons, Sexton, and our shooters can knock down 15+ threes, we pull away. If we go cold, Portland can steal this.

Limit Scoot Henderson’s Playmaking
Henderson’s going to be fast and aggressive. He’ll get to the rim, throw ridiculous passes, and make you shake your head. But if we can force him into tough shots and limit his assists, we control the game. Make someone else beat us.

Anfernee Simons Needs to Show Up
Simons has the talent to drop 30 on any given night. Against Portland’s weak perimeter defense, this is his chance to have another big game at home. Get hot early and force Portland to adjust.

Win the Rebounding Battle
Deandre Ayton is a problem on the glass. If he’s getting offensive rebounds and extending possessions, we’re in trouble. Box out, crash the boards, and don’t let them get easy second-chance points.

What Portland Will Bring

Scoot Henderson will be fast, aggressive, and making highlight plays. Shaedon Sharpe will get his shots and probably hit a couple tough ones. Deandre Ayton will finish lobs and protect the rim.

But the Blazers are 19–37 for a reason. They’re young, inconsistent, and prone to defensive breakdowns. If we execute and take care of the ball, we should win comfortably.

The question is whether we’ll actually do that.

The Betting Lines (We’re Actually Favored Again)

• Spread: Bulls -5.5
• Over/Under: 236.0
• Moneyline: Bulls -200, Blazers +170

We’re 5.5-point favorites at home, which feels right. Portland’s worse than us, but they’re scrappy and Henderson can take over games. The over/under at 236.0 is basically Vegas saying “both defenses are terrible, expect a track meet.”

We’ve covered in 3 of our last 5 games. Portland is 2–8 in their last 10. This is a game we should win, which makes it even more frustrating if we don’t.

Bulls Fan Prediction: We Win, But It’s Closer Than It Should Be

Final Score: Bulls 118, Blazers 111

DeMar DeRozan controls the game with 27 points on efficient mid-range shooting. Anfernee Simons gets hot in the second quarter and drops 24. Collin Sexton provides 16 off the bench with smart playmaking.

Scoot Henderson goes off for 28 with crazy assists and drives to the rim, but we hit our shots and stay ahead. Shaedon Sharpe keeps Portland close with some tough buckets, but our offensive firepower is too much.

It’s not pretty. Both teams will give up 110+. But we execute down the stretch, knock down free throws, and protect home court against another team we’re supposed to beat.

Seven-point win feels right. Close enough to keep it interesting, comfortable enough that we’re never really in danger.

Why This Game Actually Matters

We’re 12th in the East. The play-in is basically gone. The season’s essentially over in terms of realistic playoff hopes.

So why does tonight matter?

Because we need to beat teams we’re supposed to beat. We just handled Charlotte at home. Now we need to do it again against Portland. If we can’t protect home court against bad teams, what’s the point?

The Blazers are 19–37. They’re rebuilding. They’re young and inconsistent. If we lose to them at the United Center, it’s embarrassing. And for a fanbase that’s endured so much mediocrity, another embarrassing home loss would be brutal.

Plus, Scoot Henderson is fun to watch. Even if we win, he’s going to do something ridiculous that makes you go “damn, this kid’s got it.” But we need to make sure his highlights don’t come in a Blazers victory.

See Red. Let’s protect home court again.

February 26, 2026 | Camelback Ranch, Glendale, AZ | 2:05 PM CT | MLB Network, NBC Sports Chicago

The Chicago White Sox (63–99 last year) face the Los Angeles Dodgers (94–68, NL West champs) today, and this is going to be brutal. They have Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Walker Buehler. We have Luis Robert Jr. when he’s healthy, Colson Montgomery hoping to become a star, and Drew Thorpe trying to prove he belongs.

The Dodgers won 94 games and made a deep playoff run. We lost 99 games and were historically terrible. They’re built to win the World Series. We’re built to tank and stockpile prospects.

This is the kind of spring training game that shows you exactly how far you have to go. And for White Sox fans who suffered through last season, it’s a harsh reminder that we’re years away from competing with teams like Los Angeles.

But you know what? Our young guys still need to compete. Colson Montgomery still needs at-bats against elite pitching. Drew Thorpe still needs to test himself against a championship-caliber lineup. And Luis Robert Jr. still needs to stay healthy.

Let’s see what we’ve got.

Where the White Sox Stand (Still at Rock Bottom)

2025 Record: 63–99

We lost 99 games last year. The pitching was a disaster. The defense was embarrassing. And offensively, we couldn’t score consistently to save our lives.

The front office tore it all down—traded veterans, stockpiled prospects, and committed to a full rebuild. It’s painful watching losing baseball, but if Montgomery, Thorpe, and the rest of our young core develop into stars, it’ll be worth it.

Key Players:

• Luis Robert Jr. (CF): Elite talent when healthy—30-homer power, Gold Glove defense, elite speed. “When healthy” is the problem.
• Colson Montgomery (SS): Our top prospect, the franchise cornerstone we’re banking on.
• Erick Fedde (SP): Veteran arm who mentors young pitchers.

Top Prospects:

• Bryan Ramos (3B): Power bat trying to prove he’s ready
• Drew Thorpe (RHP): Gets the start today against a championship lineup
• Edgar Quero (C): Young catcher with offensive upside

Drew Thorpe vs Walker Buehler and the Dodgers’ lineup is a massive test. Can Thorpe compete with Betts, Freeman, and company? Or will they expose him as not ready?

The Los Angeles Dodgers: What a Real Contender Looks Like

2025 Record: 94–68 (NL West Champions)

The Dodgers are everything we’re not—elite talent, organizational depth, championship culture, and a front office that actually knows what they’re doing.

Key Players:

• Mookie Betts (OF): MVP-caliber superstar, does everything at an elite level
• Freddie Freeman (1B): Perennial All-Star, championship pedigree
• Walker Buehler (RHP): Ace when healthy, getting the start today

Top Prospects:

• Dalton Rushing (C): Catching prospect with upside
• Diego Cartaya (C): Another catching prospect in a loaded system
• Gavin Stone (RHP): Pitching depth piece

The Dodgers have been to the World Series multiple times in the last decade. They develop talent, they sign stars, and they compete every single year. That’s the model we need to follow, but we’re nowhere close.

The Talent Gap Is Massive

Position	White Sox	Dodgers
Center Field	Luis Robert Jr.	Mookie Betts
Shortstop	Colson Montgomery	Gavin Lux
Starting Pitcher	Drew Thorpe	Walker Buehler

Luis Robert Jr. vs Mookie Betts in Center
When healthy, Robert has the talent to compete with anyone. But Betts is a proven MVP who plays 150+ games a year. That consistency and durability is the difference between a star and a “what if” guy.

Colson Montgomery vs Gavin Lux at Shortstop
Montgomery is our top prospect trying to prove he’s ready. Lux is an established major leaguer on a championship team. Montgomery has higher upside, but Lux is the safer, more proven player right now.

Drew Thorpe vs Walker Buehler on the Mound
Buehler is a proven ace with postseason experience and elite stuff. Thorpe is a prospect hoping to earn a rotation spot. The gap is massive, and Thorpe’s about to find out what facing real competition feels like.

What the White Sox Need to See Today

Drew Thorpe Competes (Even If He Gets Hit)
The Dodgers’ lineup is loaded with elite hitters. Thorpe’s going to give up runs—that’s expected. What matters is whether he competes, executes his pitches, and shows he belongs at this level. Three or four innings with some strikeouts and competitive at-bats would be progress.

Colson Montgomery Handles Elite Pitching
Walker Buehler is going to challenge Montgomery with high-90s fastballs and elite breaking stuff. Can Montgomery lay off tough pitches? Can he make hard contact when he gets something to hit? This is the kind of at-bat that shows whether he’s ready for the majors.

Luis Robert Jr. Stays Healthy
I’m a broken record, but staying healthy is all that matters with Robert. Just get through the game without tweaking something. If he can give us a full season, he’s a game-changer. If not, we’re stuck hoping someone else becomes our best player.

Bryan Ramos Shows He Belongs
Ramos has power, but can he handle velocity and spin from Dodgers pitching? Show bat-to-ball skills, take smart at-bats, and prove you’re not just organizational depth.

Don’t Get Embarrassed
The Dodgers are going to win. We know that. But if Betts, Freeman, and company go a combined 10-for-15 with five homers, that’s a problem. Make them work for everything and don’t beat ourselves with errors.

What the Dodgers Will Bring (And Why We’re Getting Destroyed)

Walker Buehler will probably dominate for 4-5 innings. Mookie Betts will do something incredible—a homer, a stolen base, a diving catch. Freddie Freeman will get his hits and work professional at-bats.

The Dodgers’ depth—both pitching and hitting—will overwhelm us. They’re a playoff team with championship experience. We’re a 63-win team hoping our prospects develop.

This is the gap we’re trying to close. And it’s not happening in 2026.

White Sox Fan Prediction: We Get Handled

Final Score: Dodgers 7, White Sox 3

Walker Buehler throws five scoreless innings with eight strikeouts, making our hitters look completely overmatched. Mookie Betts goes 3-for-4 with a homer and a stolen base. Freddie Freeman adds two more RBIs with professional at-bats.

Drew Thorpe battles but gives up four runs in four innings—not terrible against that lineup, but not competitive. Colson Montgomery goes 1-for-3 with a single and looks overmatched at times. Luis Robert Jr. crushes a solo homer because that’s what he does, then exits early as a precaution (of course).

The Dodgers’ depth takes over in the late innings, and they cruise. We show flashes—maybe Bryan Ramos drives one deep, maybe Edgar Quero throws out a runner—but it’s painfully clear they’re on a different level.

And that’s reality. They’re competing for championships. We’re competing to not lose 100 games again.

Why This Game Matters (Even Though We’re Probably Losing)

The scoreboard doesn’t matter. But seeing our young guys compete against championship-caliber talent does.

Can Drew Thorpe hold his own against a Dodgers lineup that made the playoffs? Will Colson Montgomery show he can handle Walker Buehler’s stuff? Can Luis Robert Jr. stay on the field?

The Dodgers represent what we’re trying to build toward—elite talent, organizational depth, sustainable success. They develop prospects into stars. They sign impact players. They compete every year.

We need to do the same. If we can’t, we’re stuck in perpetual rebuild mode while teams like Los Angeles win championships.

The Harsh Reality of Where We Are

We lost 99 games last year. The Dodgers won 94 and made a deep playoff run. That 31-game gap is enormous.

But spring training shows whether we’re moving in the right direction. Are our prospects developing? Is our pitching improving? Can we compete—even for a few innings—with elite teams?

If the answer is yes, then maybe we’re competitive in 2027 or 2028. If not, we’re looking at another lost decade.

For now, we’re watching Colson Montgomery audition to be our franchise cornerstone. We’re hoping Drew Thorpe becomes a frontline starter. We’re praying Luis Robert Jr. stays healthy.

Because without those guys developing into stars, we’re not closing the gap on teams like the Dodgers.

Go Sox!!! Survive the rebuild (it’s gonna be a while).

Several people are under arrest after a mass shooting that left four men injured, including one critically, in Woodlawn on the South Side Wednesday evening, authorities said.

Paramedics responded just after 7 p.m. to several locations to treat people wounded in a shooting that happened in the 6600 block of South Stony Island Avenue, according to Chicago Fire Department spokesperson Larry Merritt.

Three people drove themselves to a firehouse on East 67th Street just blocks away and were then taken to hospitals, Merritt said. Another person was transported from East Marquette Drive and South Stony Island Avenue, and another from the 1500 block of East 69th Place.

A man was shot in the head and was in critical condition, police said. An 18-year-old was man was shot in the back and left leg and was in fair condition.

A 19-year-old man was shot in the left leg and was also in fair condition and a second 18-year-old man was grazed in the back, officials said.

Multiple weapons were recovered, police said.

Four individuals were arrested, including one who was shot, and were being questioned.

INDIANAPOLIS — For the first time in modern history, the Bears are preparing to double down on a quarterback they drafted. As general manager Ryan Poles manages his roster, he’s factoring in the likelihood of a major contract extension for Caleb Williams.

He brought it up unprompted at the NFL Scouting Combine this week, and it’s by far the most certain the Bears have sounded about the position in more than a decade since they were all-in on Jay Cutler.

When asked about navigating the tightest salary-cap crunch of his tenure this offseason, Poles mentioned the potential champagne problem of soon having to work around a highly paid quarterback like the league’s best teams usually do.

“I hope eventually to have a quarterback situation, too, where we’ve got to pay a young quarterback,” he said. “We’re getting closer and closer to clarity on that side of things.”

He stopped short of a definitive statement and had plenty to say about areas in which Williams must progress, but that was absolutely stunning to hear from someone running the Bears.

Neither of their last two first-round picks at quarterback, Justin Fields and Mitch Trubisky, got anywhere near this conversation.

The fact that the Bears are even calculating the cost of signing Williams, the No. 1 overall pick in 2024, to an extension is a landmark for the organization as it bets on coach Ben Johnson accelerating his development.

It’s far from a foregone conclusion, of course, and Poles was quick to tap the brakes when pressed on how confident he is in committing to Williams.

For all the thrills of the past season, there were a lot of ups and downs and some key boxes remained unchecked. Williams has high-end capability, but needs to master the basics and become more efficient. He isn’t eligible for an extension until this time next year and has quite a bit to prove before then.

He set the Bears’ single-season record with 3,942 yards passing, was sixth in the NFL with 27 touchdown passes, threw just seven interceptions, pulled off a dazzling string of comebacks and delivered the Bears’ first playoff win in 15 years. He also finished 22nd in passer rating at 90.1 and last in completion percentage at 58.1.

“I want to be clear: Anyone that’s watched the league long enough knows that for quarterback play, it’s consistency,” Poles said. “Can you stack years on top of each other? We still have steps to go. I don’t want to make it like he’s already [there]. He knows he’s got work to do.

“But if all of that falls into place, we have to understand how that changes our formula as we move forward. That’s a great thing to be on that path. I feel like we have a long-term quarterback solution. It makes me excited.”

If he’s right, it means the clock is winding down on the precious opportunity of Williams’ rookie-contract window.

Since the NFL began pre-slotting rookie deals, teams have tried to take advantage of what could be an incredible discount at the most expensive position. Williams will make just $10.8 million this season and $12.6 million in 2027, whereas 16 quarterbacks have an average salary of $40 million or higher.

If the Bears get elite play from Williams over those two seasons for a bargain price, they can spend big elsewhere to build a championship-caliber roster. In the last eight seasons, the Rams (Jared Goff), Chiefs (Patrick Mahomes), Bengals (Joe Burrow), Eagles (Jalen Hurts) and Patriots (Drake Maye) all made the Super Bowl during their quarterback’s rookie contract, and the Chiefs won one.

Poles downplayed whether there’s “pressure” to make that kind of run this season or next, but acknowledged, “Financially, you can field the best team when that quarterback isn’t taking up a massive piece of the cap.”

Once it’s time to pay the quarterback, the math changes dramatically. Those teams are forced to cut corners and offload expensive players — it’s partly why Chiefs left guard Joe Thuney was available to the Bears last year — and hope their star quarterback is good enough to overcome it.

It’s a much better problem to have than going back to the draft every few years still searching for a quarterback.

The last wave of quarterback contract extensions was two years ago, when the Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence and the Packers’ Jordan Love got $55 million per year. ESPN projected Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud to get something close to that this offseason despite choppy play the last two seasons.

Those numbers only go up. Williams, or any other extension-eligible quarterback like Maye, the Broncos’ Bo Nix or the Commanders’ Jayden Daniels, doesn’t necessarily have to outplay the top quarterbacks to out-earn them. If the salary cap goes up around 8% next season, the next round of quarterback deals probably will as well.

That makes the upcoming season pivotal in so many ways. For Williams, this is the time to prove he’s the guy. For the Bears, it’s imperative that they establish themselves as legitimate contenders. If both happen, it’ll truly be a new era.

February 25, 2026 | Camelback Ranch, Glendale, AZ | 1:05 PM CT | MLB Network, NBC Sports Chicago

The Chicago White Sox (63–99 last year) face the Cincinnati Reds (73–89) today, and this is actually a fun matchup. Both teams are rebuilding. Both have exciting young talent. And both are trying to figure out if their prospects can actually turn into major leaguers.

The headliner? Colson Montgomery vs Elly De La Cruz at shortstop. Montgomery is our top prospect and the guy who’s supposed to save this franchise. De La Cruz is already a proven star—one of the most dynamic players in baseball with ridiculous speed and power.

Drew Thorpe gets the start against Hunter Greene, which is basically “young prospect with upside” vs “established flamethrower with 100 mph heat.” Luis Robert Jr. plays center against TJ Friedl, assuming Robert can stay healthy long enough to matter.

This is the kind of spring training game that tells us whether we’re headed in the right direction or if we’re still years away from competing.

Where the White Sox Stand (Still at the Bottom)

2025 Record: 63–99

Ninety-nine losses. We were terrible. Historically, embarrassingly bad. The pitching collapsed, the defense was a disaster, and offensively we couldn’t score if our lives depended on it.

But that was the plan—tear it down, stockpile prospects, and rebuild from scratch. It sucks watching losing baseball, but if Montgomery, Thorpe, and the rest of our young core develop into stars, it’ll be worth it.

Key Players:

• Luis Robert Jr. (CF): Elite talent when healthy—30-homer power, Gold Glove defense. The problem is staying healthy.
• Colson Montgomery (SS): Our top prospect, franchise cornerstone, the guy who’s supposed to change everything.
• Erick Fedde (SP): Veteran arm who mentors young pitchers and provides stability.

Top Prospects:

• Bryan Ramos (3B): Power bat trying to prove he’s ready for the majors
• Drew Thorpe (RHP): Gets the start today, has frontline starter potential
• Edgar Quero (C): Young catcher with offensive upside

Drew Thorpe vs Hunter Greene is a massive test. Greene throws 100 mph with elite breaking stuff. If Thorpe can compete with that lineup, it shows he’s closer to being major-league ready.

The Cincinnati Reds: Young, Exciting, and Ahead of Us

2025 Record: 73–89

The Reds were bad last year, but they’re further along in their rebuild than we are. Elly De La Cruz is already a bonafide star—30-30 potential with jaw-dropping athleticism. Matt McLain is a solid young infielder. Hunter Greene throws gas and leads the rotation.

Key Players:

• Elly De La Cruz (SS): Dynamic five-tool player, already one of the most exciting players in baseball
• Hunter Greene (RHP): Triple-digit fastball, elite strikeout stuff
• Matt McLain (INF): Solid bat and glove, complements De La Cruz well

Top Prospects:

• Noelvi Marte (INF): Fighting for playing time, has upside
• Cam Collier (3B): Developmental third baseman with power potential
• Rhett Lowder (RHP): Pitching prospect who could see innings today

The Reds are what we’re trying to become—a team with a franchise superstar (De La Cruz) surrounded by developing talent. They’re not contenders yet, but they’re closer than we are.

The Matchups That Actually Matter

Position	White Sox	Reds
Shortstop	Colson Montgomery	Elly De La Cruz
Starting Pitcher	Drew Thorpe	Hunter Greene
Center Field	Luis Robert Jr.	TJ Friedl

Colson Montgomery vs Elly De La Cruz at Shortstop
This is the story of the game. De La Cruz is already a star—he stole 67 bases last year with 25 homers. Montgomery is trying to prove he can eventually reach that level. This is a measuring-stick game for our top prospect.

Drew Thorpe vs Hunter Greene on the Mound
Greene throws 100+ mph with a wipeout slider. Thorpe has command and pitchability. The talent gap is obvious, but Thorpe needs to show he can at least compete against elite lineups. Three solid innings would be a win.

Luis Robert Jr. vs TJ Friedl in Center
When healthy, Robert is the better player—more power, more speed, better defense. Friedl is solid and consistent. But the key phrase is “when healthy,” and Robert’s never healthy.

What the White Sox Need to See Today

Drew Thorpe Competes Against a Real Lineup
The Reds have legitimate hitters—De La Cruz, McLain, and others who can punish mistakes. Thorpe can’t just throw fastballs and hope. He needs command, confidence, and the ability to mix pitches. Three innings with minimal damage would be progress.

Colson Montgomery Handles Hunter Greene
Greene’s going to challenge Montgomery with 100 mph fastballs and nasty breaking stuff. Can Montgomery lay off tough pitches? Can he make hard contact when he gets something to hit? This at-bat tells us a lot about whether he’s ready.

Luis Robert Jr. Stays Healthy
I’m a broken record, but that’s all that matters with Robert. Just get through the game without tweaking something. If he can give us a full season, he’s a game-changer. If not, we’re stuck hoping someone else steps up.

Bryan Ramos Shows He’s Ready
Ramos has power, but can he handle velocity and spin from guys like Greene? Show bat-to-ball skills, take smart at-bats, and prove you’re more than just organizational depth.

Defense Doesn’t Fall Apart
We ranked near the bottom in fielding last year. Against a team like Cincinnati that runs aggressively and puts the ball in play, we can’t afford sloppy defense. Make routine plays and don’t beat ourselves.

What the Reds Will Bring (And Why They’re Probably Winning)

Elly De La Cruz will do something ridiculous—a stolen base, a laser throw from short, maybe a moonshot homer. That’s what generational talents do. Hunter Greene will pump 100 mph fastballs and make our hitters look overmatched for a few innings.

The Reds’ young core is more developed than ours. They’re closer to competing. And in a spring training game between two rebuilding teams, that experience and talent usually wins out.

White Sox Fan Prediction: Close Game, We Fall Short

Final Score: Reds 6, White Sox 4

Hunter Greene dominates for four innings with eight strikeouts, making our hitters look overmatched. Elly De La Cruz goes 2-for-3 with a stolen base and makes a highlight-reel defensive play.

Drew Thorpe battles but gives up three runs in four innings—not terrible against that lineup, but not dominant. Colson Montgomery goes 1-for-3 with a hard-hit single and looks competitive, if not quite ready. Luis Robert Jr. crushes a solo homer because that’s what he does when healthy, then exits early as a precaution (of course).

The Reds’ depth and star power take over late, and they pull away. We show flashes—maybe Bryan Ramos drives one deep, maybe Edgar Quero throws out a runner—but it’s clear they’re further along in their rebuild.

And that’s fine. That’s where we are. They have their franchise star in De La Cruz. We’re hoping Montgomery becomes ours.

Why This Game Matters (Even in Spring Training)

The scoreboard doesn’t matter. But seeing Colson Montgomery compete against Elly De La Cruz does. Watching Drew Thorpe face a playoff-caliber lineup does. Hoping Luis Robert Jr. stays healthy does.

The Reds represent what we’re trying to build—a team with a superstar surrounded by developing talent. They found their guy in De La Cruz. We’re hoping Montgomery becomes that for us.

If Montgomery can hold his own today, if Thorpe can compete with Greene’s lineup, if Robert stays on the field—those are wins, even if we lose the game.

Spring training is about development, not wins. But against a team like Cincinnati that’s ahead of us in the rebuild, we need to see signs that we’re closing the gap.

The Harsh Reality of Rebuilding

We lost 99 games last year. The Reds lost 89. That 10-game gap matters. They’re closer to contention than we are.

But spring training shows whether we’re moving in the right direction. Are our prospects developing? Is our pitching improving? Can we execute fundamentals?

If the answer is yes, then maybe we’re competitive in 2027 or 2028. If not, we’re stuck in perpetual rebuild mode while teams like Cincinnati pull ahead.

For now, we’re watching Colson Montgomery audition to be our Elly De La Cruz. And hoping he gets there sooner rather than later.

Go Sox!!! Trust the rebuild (even when it’s painful).

A cold night with temps plunging below zero in Chicago can’t stop Buddy Guy. A standing-room-only crowd packed into his Legends club on a frigid January night, waiting in anticipation for not just the master of the blues, but the genre’s protector and champion.

“I’m a lucky guy, because I got a chance to play with all of them [the blues legends] before they passed away, and they told me, ‘Buddy if you can do me a favor, just keep the blues alive,’ and that’s all I’m trying to do,” he told the crowd.

When Guy finally took the stage, silence fell over the audience. The next sound was not a musical note, but Guy being the color commentator of his own performance. He proceeded to weave in and out of musical master to master storyteller.

“I know y’all don’t want me to talk but I like to explain some s— that I’ve experienced by being a guitar player well enough to be invited around the world,” he said.

Guy opened with “Damn Right, I’ve Got the Blues,” hitting those chords like a pro and throwing in a few pelvic thrusts to remind us he’s still got it. From “Nine Below Zero” and the jazz-pop tune “Fever” to his original song “Skin Deep,” Guy was in top form.

It’s his approach to the blues that fills a room. Writer and director Ryan Coogler uses that to anchor the film “Sinners” and pay tribute to the music as well as the culture. The film, which has garnered a record-breaking 16 Oscar nominations, displays the journey of a young man in the South navigating all the obstacles life threw at him and just trying to survive it all. That’s a story very similar to Guy’s.

When asked about the parallels, Guy said, “Well, not only me, I think that happened to all of the blues players,” adding how the juke joint in the film was a true representation of the nightlife he experienced. “We learned from those great guys who just played for Saturday night fish fries — that was good enjoyment after picking and chopping cotton.”

Born in 1936 in Lettsworth, Louisiana, he moved to Chicago in the late 1950s, won a contract and after early struggles became one of the most sought-after studio musicians.

“When they needed somebody, if they couldn’t get B.B. King and needed some B.B. King lick, he was the guy they called,” bandmate Orlando Wright said.

Guy takes keeping the blues alive very seriously and continues to introduce the music to a new generation. He saw a resurgence in the 1980s and early 1990s, and has won several Grammys, including one this year for traditional blues album for “Ain’t Done with the Blues.”

That staying power is one of the reasons Coogler wanted Guy in his movie, and he personally visited Legends to ask him to join the film. “Buddy Guy was the last musician I remember my uncle James making an effort to go see live even at the end of his life. He meant a lot to me ‘cause he meant so much to my uncle so it was an honor to have him in the film,” Coogler told the Sun-Times.

In the movie, the blues was a connector and somewhat of a superpower, with Guy serving as a bridge as well as a beacon. The cast all credit him with being the glue and the master. Delroy Lindo, who was nominated for an Oscar for his role as musician Delta Slim, told the Sun-Times, “I felt really honored that he could be such an integral part of the story.” Fellow Oscar nominee Wunmi Mosaku added: “I think Buddy Guy is a living legend. I can’t believe I have the honor to share a screen with him. I am so grateful for his contribution to the blues and now my life. He’s amazing.”

It is not a coincidence that as the elder Sammie in the movie and elder statesman of the blues, Guy has built a legacy rooted in endurance and his musical excellence.

“Ryan had sent me an essential blues playlist that was full of Buddy Guy songs and that’s where I kind of began to grow and learn my knowledge for the blues,” adds Miles Caton, who plays the younger Sammie.

Lola Kirke, who plays one of the vampires in the film, also has a deep connection to Guy. Kirke inherited her musician father’s record collection and noticed some scribbles on an album. “I asked my dad what did he draw on this album? He said, ‘I didn’t draw anything. That’s Buddy Guy’s autograph.’ I’m really glad that I got to be in a movie with him even though I have never met him.”

Guy’s bandmate Orlando Wright said the scene where Sammie performs a song that summons past and present spirits, intertwining many musical styles of Black people, captures the story of the blues.

“The music has not stayed the same, which is the struggle of the blues … [But] a house built on sand cannot stand. That scene [in the movie] is the story right there,” said

Back in the packed room at Legends, Guy made his guitar cry a blues that was as educational as it was electrifying. From opening act Katie Kadan to Guy’s band members, they all paid homage to his journey and commitment to his craft.

“He’s the real deal. He’s the connection from Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf to the present times. The best way I like to put it is he’s the blues version of Miles Davis,” bandmate Mike Wheeler said.

In both our conversation and his comments on stage, instead of talking about his place in history, Guy continued to give credit to his contemporaries. “My mom told me, ’Gonna be the best in town. Just be the best ‘til the best come around.’”

The moment he stepped off the stage and began circling the venue, the energy shifted. The adoring crowd cheered, snapped photos and reached out to touch him as he passed, seeing up close-up the deep connection between artist and blues.

Rashana Guy brings a daughter’s perspective to it all: “I just love to see my father receiving his flowers while he could smell ‘em … and his story be told to a younger generation, so they’d be able to learn about the history of the blues and keep it alive.”