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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Intense Israeli airstrikes pounded the capitals of Iran and Lebanon early Friday as the U.S. apparently struck an Iranian drone carrier at sea, intensifying its campaign targeting the Islamic Republic's fleet of warships.

APTOPIX Iran US Israel

Iran launched new retaliatory attacks in the Middle East at the end of a full week of bombardment, which U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned was "about to surge dramatically."

Israel's military said Friday morning it had begun "a broad-scale wave of strikes" on Tehran, Iran's capital. Witnesses described the Israeli airstrikes as particularly intense, shaking homes in the area. Others reported explosions around the Iranian city of Kermanshah in an area that is home to multiple missile bases.

The Israeli military said strikes have already destroyed most of Iran's air defenses and missile launchers.

The war has escalated to affect countries across the Middle East and beyond. Early Friday, Iran fired missile and drone attacks into Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, all countries that host U.S. forces. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

In Lebanon, where the war has intensified fighting between Israel and Iran-allied Hezbollah militants, Israel launched a series of airstrikes late Thursday into Friday in the southern suburbs of Beirut and other areas. Motorists jammed roads trying to flee or seek shelter.

The U.S. and Israel have battered Iran with nationwide strikes,targeting their military capabilities, leadership and nuclear program.

Iran's attacks have targeted their Arab neighbors, disrupted oil supplies and snarled global air travel. The war has killed at least 1,230 people in Iran, more than 120 in Lebanon and around a dozen in Israel, according to officials in those countries.Six U.S. troopshave been killed.

U.S. says it struck an Iranian drone carrier

The U.S. military said early Friday that it struck an Iranian drone carrier, setting it ablaze.

The U.S. military's Central Command released black-and-white footage of the burning carrier. The Iranian military did not immediately acknowledge the attack.

The drone carrier, the IRIS Shahid Bagheri, is a converted container ship with a 180-meter-long (yard) runway for drones. The vessel can travel up to 22,000 nautical miles without needing to refuel in ports, reports said at the time of its 2005 inauguration.

Adm. Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command, described the carrier as "roughly the size of a World War II aircraft carrier."

"And as we speak, it's on fire," Cooper told reporters.

Speaking alongside Cooper, Hegseth gave few details Thursday when he promised an upcoming surge.

"It's more fighter squadrons, it's more capabilities, it's more defensive capabilities," Hegseth said. "And it's more bomber pulses more frequently."

Iran targets country's hosting U.S. forces

Qatar's Defense Ministry reported early Friday it intercepted a drone attack targeting Al Udeid Air Base, which hosts the forward headquarters of the U.S. Central Command.

Saudi Arabia intercepted and destroyed three ballistic missiles fired early Friday toward Prince Sultan Air Base south of Riyadh, which hosts U.S. forces, said a spokesperson for Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Defense.

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Air raid sirens sounded in Bahrain, where the Interior Ministry said Iranian strikes targeted two hotels and a residential building. It said there were no casualties. In Kuwait, where the six U.S. soldiers were killed Sunday, the Kuwaiti army said its air defenses were activated when missile and drone attacks breached Kuwait's airspace.

Trump again urges Iranians to "take back" their country

In brief remarks at the White House on Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump again urged the Iranian people to "help take back your country." This time he promised the U.S. would grant them "immunity" amid the war and ongoing dangers under the current Iranian regime.

"So you'll be perfectly safe with total immunity," Trump said, without giving any details about what that meant. "Or you'll face absolutely guaranteed death."

In an interview with the news website Axios, Trump said he should be involved in choosing Iran's new supreme leader to replaceAyatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the opening strikes of the war. Trump spoke dismissively of Khamenei's son,Mojtaba Khamenei, being a front-runner to replace his father, calling him "a lightweight."

"We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran," Trump said.

Iranian official says there's no trust to resume talks with U.S.

Iran has not requested talks with the U.S. to bring an end to the widening war, Iran's ambassador to Egypt told the Associated Press on Thursday. Ambassador Mojtaba Ferdousi Pour denied comments by Trump that Iran wants to negotiate.

He said a lack of trust makes such engagement impossible after talks for a possible nuclear deal twice failed and ended with war.

"There will be no trust in Trump," Ferdousi Pour said.

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused the U.S. Navy of committing "an atrocity at sea" for sinking the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean, killing at least 87 crew members.

The Iranian shipwas returning from an exercisehosted by the Indian navy that the U.S. also joined. Sri Lankan authorities said 32 crew members were rescued. Araghchi said it had been carrying "almost 130" crew.

An Iranian cleric later called on state television for the shedding of both Israeli and "Trump's blood."

Israel hits Lebanon with multiple airstrikes around Beirut

Israel carried out at least 11 airstrikes late Thursday and early Friday, targeting the southern suburbs of Beirut. Fires broke out near a gas station.

The Israeli army issued a warning Thursday evening, urging residents to "save your lives and evacuate your homes immediately." Two hospitals evacuated patients and staff. No casualties were immediately reported.

The Lebanese health ministry said the death toll has risen to 123 since the resurgence of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, which struck Israel in the opening days of the war.

A spokesperson for the U.N. peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon, Tilak Pokharel, said Thursday that peacekeepers had seen and heard clashes, including ground combat, in southern Lebanon as more Israeli forces have moved across the border.

Bynum reported from Savannah, Georgia, and Abou AlJoud from Beirut, Lebanon. AP journalists around the world contributed.

WAUKESHA, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin teemager who killed his parents and stole their money to fund his plan to kill President Donald Trump with a bomb dropped from a drone was sentenced to life in prison on Thursday.

Nikita Casap, 18, pleaded guilty in January to two counts of first-degree intentional homicide in Waukesha County Circuit Court in connection with the shooting deaths of his mother, Tatiana Casap, and stepfather, Donald Mayer, in 2025. Prosecutors dropped seven other charges in a plea deal, including two counts of hiding a corpse and theft.

Judge: Casap may never change after 'horrific' crimes

First-degree intentional homicide carries a mandatory life sentence. The only question as Judge Ralph Ramirez began the sentencing hearing Thursday afternoon was whether he would make Casap eligible for parole at some point.

Calling Casap's offenses "horrific" and "inexplicable," Ramirez ultimately handed down two life sentences with no chance at extended supervision, the term the Wisconsin criminal justice system uses for parole. The judge said he didn't have a "crystal ball" that would tell him when Casap would change, if ever.

"I choose to find he's not eligible for extended release because I do not know ... when and if and whether a profound and significant change can occur," Ramirez said.

Mother, stepfather killed in their home

According to a criminal complaint, investigators believe Casap shot his stepfather and mother at their home in the village of Waukesha on or around Feb. 11, 2025.

He lived with the decomposing bodies for two weeks before fleeing across the country in his stepfather's SUV with $14,000 in cash, jewelry, passports, his stepfather's gun and the family dog, according to the complaint. He was eventually arrested during a traffic stop in Kansas on Feb. 28 after four days on the run.

Federal authorities have accused Casap of planning his parents' murders, buying a drone and explosives and sharing his plans with others, including a Russian speaker. They said in a federal search warrant that he wrote a manifesto calling for Trump's assassination and was in touch with others about his plot to overthrow the U.S. government

"The killing of his parents appeared to be an effort to obtain the financial means and autonomy necessary to carrying out his plan," that warrant said.

Detectives found several messages on Casap's cellphone from January 2025 in which Casap asks how long he will have to hide before he is relocated to Ukraine. An unknown individual responded in Russian, the complaint said, but the document doesn't say what that person told Casap. In another message Casap asks: "So while in Ukraine, I'll be able to live a normal life? Even if it's found out I did it?"

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Prosecutors insist Casap too dangerous to ever be released

District Attorney Lesli Boese told the judge Thursday that Casap was too dangerous to ever be released from prison.

Pulling from an interview Casap gave to the FBI, Boese said that Casap and his mother moved to the United States from the Republic of Moldova when Casap was a grade-schooler but he became increasingly addicted to what she called "disturbing websites" as he grew older. She didn't elaborate, but at one point said he had been researching serial killers and school shootings.

Boese said Casap developed a plan in late 2024 to target Trump with an AK-47 rifle attached to a drone. The teen later decided he wanted to drop explosives on Trump from a drone and then flee by ship to Ukraine, where he planned to hide for a decade, according to the district attorney. Casap told agents he wouldn't have cared how many people around Trump got hurt during the assassination attempt.

He started talking with two people online who offered to sell him the drone and the explosives. He sent one of them $8,700 inbitcoinfrom his stepfather Mayer's account without realizing they were scamming him and there was never a drone or any explosives, Boese said.

"He walked right into it," she said.

Defense attorney asks for mercy

Casap's attorney, Paul Rifelj, asked Ramirez to make Casap eligible for parole after 20 years. He said that news of a doctor whodrove his car into a Christmas marketin Magdeburg, Germany, in December 2024 sent Casap into a rage. The teen decided then that he wanted to change the world by killing a politician, Rifelj said.

The two contacts who promised to help him kill Trump convinced him that he was part of a larger military strategy, offering him direction and purpose at a time when he was becoming isolated at school, according to Rifelj.

"Children are more than their worst deeds," he said.

Casap: 'I thought I was part of a revolution'

Casap appeared to tremble as he listened to both sides make their cases. He gave a tearful speech, saying that he loved his mother and he was worried about her all the time, even when she was reaching for something on a high shelf. He said he wasn't as close with Mayer, but Mayer still treated him like a son.

But he became obsessed with hateful thoughts.

"I thought I was part of a revolution," he said. "I thought I was part of a war. I told myself bad things had to happen."

Kansas, Nevada, Ohio and Wyoming have joined18 other statesin implementing restrictions on what food assistance recipients can purchase using their taxpayer-funded benefits.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollinssigned new waiversallowing restrictions on spending of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits on March 4.

The waivers are tailored to each state. Most ban the purchase of soda and candy.

The latest:

• Kansas will ban SNAP users from purchasing candy and soft drinks;

• Nevada will ban them from buying candy and sugar sweetened beverages;

• Ohio will also ban sugar sweetened beverages;

• and Wyoming will ban purchasing sugar sweetened carbonated beverages.

"As I have said before Wyoming taxpayers expect their dollars to support food assistance that helps families put healthy food on the table," Wyoming Republican Gov. Mark Gordon saidin a statement. "This waiver is about supporting healthier communities in Wyoming and is a reasonable, commonsense step that aligns the program with its original purpose."

Free food as SNAP benefits halted

For 60 years, the Department of Agriculture under presidents of both parties has denied state requests to restrict SNAP-eligible foods, saying it could not waive the definition of "food" for purchase with SNAP benefits that Congress set in law, Professor Tyson-Lord Gray, who teaches at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, told USA TODAY. SNAP recipients could buy anything except alcohol, tobacco, hot and prepared foods, and personal care products.

PresidentDonald Trump's administration began granting waivers in 2025, despite no change in the law. The USDA says these waivers are permitted under its pilot project authority to test the impact of excluding some foods on health and nutrition.

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"The Trump Administration is unified in improving the health of our nation. America's governors have proudly answered the call to innovate by improving nutrition programs, ensuring better choices while respecting the generosity of the American taxpayer. Each waiver submitted by the states and signed is yet another step closer to fulfilling President Trump's promise to Make America Healthy Again," Rollins said when she signed the first waivers in June 2025.

Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia and West Virginia have been granted waivers. Many focus on candy and sugary drinks, some specifically talk about energy drinks or juice. Each has a different definition of what items are banned.

Gray said he's surprised that no lawsuits have been filed yet. In 2007, the USDA issued a memo stating that the pilot project authority the Trump administration is acting under could not be used to restrict food choices.

Gray said businesses that have locations across many states are facing "compliance chaos" and would have the greatest standing to sue because the varied standards will require changes including point of sale software and employee training.

"Every state has their own definition of what is candy, what is a sugary beverage. So now you have businesses that have locations across the country that have to literally update their (point of sale) systems in every state to adhere to specific restrictions for that state," he said.

Though Congress did not change the legal definition of what recipients can purchase, it incentivized states to apply for waivers in the GOP tax and spending bill signed into law last summer. The law created a$50 billion Rural Health Transformation Programthat scores states on whether they submit SNAP restriction waivers.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:SNAP benefits restricted in more states. See the list.

Pittsburgh Penguinsstar forward Evgeni Malkin was ejected from Thursday's game against theBuffalo Sabresfor a retaliatory slash.

Malkin had been cross-checked by Sabres star Rasmus Dahlin 38 seconds into the second period by the Sabres net. Malkin responded with an attempted slash then connected with another slash to the side of the defenseman's face. He grabbed Dahlin by the helmet and dropped his gloves as Dahlin bent over.

The Penguins center received two minutes for cross-checking and also five minutes and a game misconduct for slashing. Dahlin got two minutes for cross-checking.

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Buffalo got one goal on the five-minute power play to take a 2-1 lead.

The Penguins were already playing without Sidney Crosby, who wasinjured at the Olympicsand isexpected to miss four weeks. Heskated on Thursdaybefore Pittsburgh's morning skate.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Evgeni Malkin game misconduct in Sabres-Penguins: Why he was ejected

Cooper Flagg returned to the Dallas Mavericks' lineup for Thursday night's game against the Orlando Magic and quickly reached a milestone in his very young NBA career.

Flagg reached 1,000 career points on his first basket of the game, laying in a shot after rebounding a miss by Khris Middleton. That made him the second-youngest player to achieve quadruple figures in his NBA career, following LeBron James.

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James was 19 years and 41 days old when he reached 1,000 points during his rookie season of 2004. Flagg scored his milestone basket at the age of 19 years and 74 days.

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Thenext youngest playersto score 1,000 points were Kobe Bryant (19 years, 127 days), Kevin Durant (19 years, 146 days) and Devin Booker (19 years, 162 days).

Flagg, the 2025 No. 1 overall draft pick has missed the Mavericks' previous eight games with a left mid-foot sprain.

The rookie star was upgraded to doubtful for Dallas' loss Tuesday to the Charlotte Hornets and was listedas questionable for the Magic gamebefore the Mavericks confirmed he would play. Head coach Jason Kidd told reporters that Flagg willplay 20 to 25 minutesversus Orlando before seeing an uptick in minutes Friday at the Boston Celtics, his favorite childhood team.

The Mavericks won only two of the eight games they played without Flagg during this most recent injury. He also missed time this seasonwith a sprained ankleand an illness.

Through 49 games this season, Flagg is averaging 20.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.2 steals per game. With 21 games remaining in the regular season, Dallas is 21-40.

To borrow a line from Bob Dylan, in the AL West, the times they are a-changin'. After winning four straight division titles and seven over eight seasons, the Astros regressed last summer and surrendered divisional supremacy to the Mariners. Seattle had long possessed the pitching staff to emerge from this group, and a magical season from Cal Raleigh keyed an improved lineup that finally gave the team the offense it needed. The Mariners' magical run got them one win away from playing in the World Series for the first time in franchise history.

Looking ahead, this is still Seattle's division to lose. The Astros retooled over the winter but didn't necessarily improve. The Rangers took steps to repair a disappointing offense and will hope their surprisingly effective pitching staff can exceed expectations for a second straight year. The Angels are far off the pace, and while the Athletics are trending in the right direction, they still have a long way to go.

Read more:AL East division preview|AL Central division preview

Seattle Mariners

Projected record (per FanGraphs, as of March 5):88-74, 79.3% odds to make the playoffs, 61.5% odds to win the division

What happened last season?The Mariners plodded along, a few games over .500, for most of the season before a furious finish (17-8 in September) pushed them past the Astros to the top of the AL West. They rode their hot streak into the postseason, where they survived a memorable series against Tigers ace Tarik Skubal to squeak past Detroit in the ALDS. They followed that win with a thrilling ALCS vs. Toronto, and they were on the verge of reaching the World Series before George Springer sunk their hopes with a three-run homer. All told, this was the closest Seattle had ever come to going all the way in the American League.

The magical ride was keyed by Cal Raleigh,who had arguably the greatest season ever by a catcher, producing 60 homers, 125 RBI and 110 runs. The Big Dumper was well supported by franchise cornerstone Julio Rodríguez, who overcame his typical slow start to post a 30-30 season. Randy Arozarena also had a good year, and Josh Naylor gave the lineup a spark after arriving at the trade deadline. Seattle's talented pitching staff was slightly underwhelming overall, but there were some outstanding individual performances, especially from starter Bryan Woo and closer Andres Muñoz.

What happened in the offseason?Typically one of the most aggressive and unpredictable franchises, the Mariners were purposeful but controlled over the winter. Their major move came early in free agency, when president Jerry Dipoto retained Naylor on a five-year contract. In December, Dipoto solidified the bullpen by trading catching prospect Harry Ford, who was blocked by the presence of Raleigh, to the Nationals for lefty Jose A. Ferrer. And in early February,a three-way trade brought in Brendan Donovan from St. Louis. He's expected to play third base but is also an option at second.

Best-case scenario for 2026:The Mariners have enough talent to finally reach the World Series. Raleigh's booming bat and solid defensive skills at a premium position make him as valuable as anyone in baseball. Rodríguez is already a star and could still take his game to another level. The rest of the lineup is just good enough to support their two centerpieces, and it could be even better if top prospect Colt Emerson soon arrives in the majors and Donovan continues to show elite contact skills. The pitching staff has enough talent to carry the club. Woo, Logan Gilbert, Luis Castillo and George Kirby can match the top four arms on any team, and Bryce Miller should bounce back from a disappointing 2025. Muñoz is a terrific closer, and the setup crew is deep and diverse.

Worst-case scenario:The pitching staff is so deep that the floor for Seattle is pretty high. If the club were to fall short of a postseason berth, it would be due to a lack of run production. Raleigh should be excellent again, but a repeat of his magical season seems virtually impossible. Also, the bottom four spots in Seattle's lineup look nothing like that of a contender, and there could be too many holes for Dipoto to plug at the deadline if Emerson struggles as a rookie and no one emerges from the current cast of characters. It's worth noting that even with Raleigh's heroics, Seattle was a fringe postseason team when the calendar flipped to September last year.

Make-or-break player:Dominic Canzone. This lineup needs more length, and Canzone is the man who has the best chance to make that happen. Unable to log a .700 OPS over his initial two seasons, Canzone was terrific last year (.840 OPS), albeit over just 82 games. Most notably, the left-handed hitter was good enough against southpaws to remain in the lineup. If Canzone can provide protection behind the stars in the top five lineup spots and Emerson can emerge as a viable infield option, Dipoto can zero in on a couple of holes at the trade deadline and build a lineup that can go toe-to-toe with anyone in October.

Season prediction:With the Astros taking a small step backward, the Mariners clearly have the best roster in this division. Seattle shouldn't need a September surge to put away the AL West competition this year, and the Mariners can produce a win total that gets them another bye through the wild-card round. If the rotation stays healthy, Seattle has as good a chance as any team to represent the American League in the World Series.

Read more:AL West offseason grades

Houston Astros

Projected record:80-82, 33.7% odds to make the playoffs, 13.6% odds to win the division

What happened last season?A summer collapsesnapped a streak of eight consecutive postseason appearances. The Astros led the AL West by six games at the beginning of July before posting a sub-.500 record in each of the final three months of the season. The team had no answers when the Mariners caught fire in September and lost the final AL wild-card spot on a tiebreaker with the Tigers. The Astros' offense slipped from 11th in runs scored in 2024 to 21st last season. The pitching staff regressed as well, falling from sixth to 11th in ERA.

Still, there were some positives. Hunter Brown emerged as an ace, and Josh Hader was a terrific closer until a shoulder injury sidelined him in mid-August. Offensively, Jeremy Peña took a notable step forward. But the disappointments were substantial, especially from Yordan Alvarez, who was limited by injuries to 48 games and posted a .797 OPS that was more than 150 points lower than his career mark. Slugger Christian Walker was also a major letdown in his first season with the club.

What happened in the offseason?Although it's hard to say this team improved, the front office tinkered with the roster by making a few transactions. The winter session started with a minor deal that sent Mauricio Dubón to the Braves for Nick Allen in a swap of players with similar skill sets. Mike Burrows was acquired from the Pirates to fill the rotation spot vacated by free agent Framber Valdez. Japanese pitcherTatsuya Imai surprised many by choosing the Astrosbefore his posting window expired. And Ryan Weiss was signed after two seasons in the KBO. He could grab a rotation spot or join the relief corps. In February, Houston jettisoned Jesús Sánchez in order to reclaim former Astros outfield prospect Joey Loperfido. The offseason ended on a sour note, as Hader announced that he wasbehind on his spring training program due to biceps inflammation.

Best-case scenario for 2026:After nearly a decade of dominance, the Astros could hang on for a couple more winning campaigns. Getting at least 140 games and a .900 OPS from Alvarez would transform the lineup. And a trio of 30-somethings — Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa and Walker — can still be impact players. With those veterans and an improved Peña, the top half of Houston's lineup can be better than most teams. The pitching staff will miss Valdez, but Imai could lessen the blow by having a solid rookie season. If Hader's arm is sound, he and Bryan Abreu will form one of the best late-innings duos in the American League.

Worst-case scenario:Things could go south quickly in Houston if a few of the veterans hit the wall. Walker already reached that stage last year, and there's no guarantee he'll rebound. The same fate could soon come for Altuve and Correa, who logged an OPS under .750 in two of the past three seasons. The veterans need to hang on for another year, as youngsters Cam Smith and Zach Cole are still complementary players, rather than centerpieces. And Peña is to miss the WBCdue to a broken finger that could put his readiness for Opening Day in jeopardy. The five candidates to fill the four spots behind Brown in Houston's rotation made a combined 40 major-league starts last year, which gives this group an extremely low floor. And the bullpen will be in serious trouble if Hader experiences more injury issues. Dynasties sometimes fall off quickly, and the Astros could spend the season in the mix with the Athletics and Angels, rather than the Mariners and Rangers.

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Make-or-break player:Tatsuya Imai. The Astros desperately need Imai to have a dazzling rookie season. The 27-year-old certainly has an impressive résumé, as he produced an ERA under 2.50 in each of the past four seasons. And the cat-and-mouse game between batters and pitchers can sometimes favor a new hurler while hitters get used to his delivery and arsenal. Houston needs Imai to make use of every advantage, as he is the team's most likely No. 2 starter. If Imai falters, the pitching-rich Mariners will lap the Astros in terms of rotation quality and depth.

Season prediction:The guess here is that the dynasty is over. The Astros had a terrific run, but they're now going through the inevitable cycle that comes from annually trading away prospects for veterans. To surpass the Mariners or grab a wild-card spot in 2026, they'll need several things to break their way. And even if they squeak in, their October stay will likely be brief. The lack of offseason spending was a clear sign that the front office is starting to go in a different direction, and a slow start to the season could see more veterans sent packing by the summer.

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Texas Rangers

Projected record:80-82, 34.5% odds to make the playoffs, 14.2% odds to win the division

What happened last season?The Rangers wasted a terrific season of pitching en route to finishing with a .500 record. Texas' rotation led the majors with a 3.47 ERA, thanks to outstanding seasons from Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi, and solid campaigns from Jack Leiter and Patrick Corbin. And despite not having a full-time closer, the bullpen was effective. Unfortunately, the offense underachieved and finished 22nd in baseball in runs scored. Corey Seager missed 60 games, while Marcus Semien and Adolis García fared so poorly that they're no longer on the roster. Joc Pederson and Jake Burger were massive disappointments in their first year with the team, and Evan Carter was limited by injuries to 63 games.

What happened in the offseason?The front office began the winter in controversial fashion when it non-tendered longtime Rangers Jonah Heim and García. Both players were key contributors in the team's 2023 World Series title but had fallen off since then. A few weeks later, Danny Jansen was signed to replace Heim as Kyle Higashioka's counterpart. One of baseball's most intriguing offseason deals wasa one-for-one trade of Marcus Semien for Brandon Nimmo. Semien is one of the most respected players in baseball, but this deal seems like a win for Texas. After all, Nimmo is three years younger than Semien and was the better hitter the past two seasons. In January, Texas made a major splash when ittraded five prospects to the Nationals in exchange for left-hander MacKenzie Gore.

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Best-case scenario for 2026:Although they're underdogs, the Rangers have a path to the postseason. It starts with pitching, where deGrom needs to log another 30-start season, Eovaldi must maintain his step forward from last year, and Gore needs to rediscover the form that led to a 3.02 ERA in the first half of 2025. Leiter is still young enough to take a step forward, and Kumar Rocker hasn't come close to reaching his ceiling. If everything breaks right, the Rangers could have an outstanding rotation. Offensively, the key will be for several 2025 disappointments to have bounce-back seasons. That list includes Pederson, Burger, Carter and Josh Jung. There's also a chance that Wyatt Langford goes from good to great, and getting a healthy season from Seager would make a big difference. If most of those things happen, Texas will find itself in the race for the top spot in the AL West.

Worst-case scenario:In all likelihood, there's too much uncertainty for this roster to break through. Due to age and injury history, deGrom and Eovaldi are major regression candidates. And the bullpen is unlikely to pull off another magic act in which they turn a group of no-name relievers into an effective group. The most likely scenario is for what was a league-leading pitching staff to fall back closer to the pack. It's also wishful thinking to expect more than half of the lineup to fare better than last season. A more likely scenario is that a couple of hitters improve, which gives Texas a respectable lineup but nothing more than that.

Make-or-break player:Nathan Eovaldi. The Rangers lack rotation depth and will be in big trouble if either Eovaldi or deGrom spends time on the IL. Eovaldi is arguably the bigger injury risk of the two, given that he finished last season with a rotator cuff strain. There's also uncertainty with Eovaldi in terms of his per-inning effectiveness. The right-hander was an effective starter for many years before taking his game to another level in 2025. While he's unlikely to repeat his 1.73 ERA, achieving a mark in the low 3.00s will make him a terrific co-star alongside deGrom.

Season prediction:The Rangers seem set to fall a few games short of a postseason berth. Winning the AL West is unlikely, as the Mariners have a deeper roster, especially on the mound. And the wild-card spots will be hotly contested by the Astros and several AL East teams. Texas will likely stay in the postseason race until late September but ultimately fall short due to a lack of depth in the bullpen and lineup.

Athletics

Projected record:79-83, 25.3% odds to make the playoffs, 9.1% odds to win the division

What happened last season?After a lengthy rebuild and an unceremonious departure from Oakland, things started to look up for the Athletics. The club posted its highest win total (76) since 2021, which was primarily the result of an offense that finished 12th in runs scored. And the A's improved throughout the season, with a 41-34 record after July 1. Nick Kurtz debuted in late April andinstantly became one of baseball's most feared sluggersen route to being named AL Rookie of the Year. His 1.002 OPS would've ranked third in baseball if he had enough plate appearances to qualify. Fellow rookie Jacob Wilson was just as dominant in the batting average department, as his .311 mark placed third among qualified hitters. There were also productive veterans, as Brent Rooker had another excellent season, Tyler Soderstrom showed notable improvement, and Shea Langeliers was one of baseball's top hitters in the second half.

What happened in the offseason?As a team that is still rebuilding and has not yet moved into its permanent home, the Athletics were predictably quiet over the winter. They managed to swing one notable tradewhen they picked up Jeff McNeil from the Mets. McNeil will play second base and should be helped by the switch to a hitter-friendly home park. The rest of the roster mostly remained status quo. JJ Bleday was the most notable departure, as he was designated for assignment before joining the Reds.

Best-case scenario for 2026:Although reaching the postseason is a stretch, there's a scenario in which this team slugs its way into September contention. The offense is still scratching the surface of its immense potential, especially with an offense-inducing home park on its side. Kurtz and Wilson should each appear in 25-30 more games than last year. Langeliers will be the second coming of Cal Raleigh if he can build on his second-half performance, and Lawrence Butler still has the breakout potential that he failed to deliver on last year. The team's Achilles' heel is the pitching staff, but getting 30 respectable starts from Luis Severino, Jeffrey Springs, Jacob Lopez and Luis Morales would give the offense a chance to win more games.

Worst-case scenario:While it's a near-certainty that the 2026 Athletics will score runs, a pitching staff that finished 27th in ERA last year will likely be their undoing. Severino has been vocal about the fact that he isn't happy with his current situation, and Lopez and Springs are the only members of the rotation who had more than a few effective starts last year. Even avid baseball fans would be hard-pressed to name anyone in the A's bullpen, which makes sense given the lack of track record for most members. While the organization has a few pitching prospects who will debut this year, none has the skill set to make an impact right away. Aside from blind optimism, there's no reason to expect significant improvement from this group.

Make-or-break player:Jacob Lopez. For the Athletics to reach the next level, someone needs to emerge as a true ace in the rotation. While there are no obvious candidates on the roster, Lopez has the best shot. The left-hander has significant swing-and-miss skills (11.0 K/9 rate in 2025) and in seven of his 17 starts last year, Lopez threw at least six innings while giving up two or fewer earned runs. He can be prone to homers, and his control skills fluctuated wildly from one start to the next last year. But the potential is there, with consistency being the key next step.

Season prediction:The Athletics are going to be the most exciting non-contender in baseball in 2026. Their offense will crack the top 10 in runs scored, making the team a regular headline-grabber. But the pitching staff will be their undoing, as the club probably isn't ready to climb much higher than 25th in runs allowed. In a best-case scenario, the Athletics rise to third in the AL West and give their front office reasons to invest in pitching staff additions next winter.

Los Angeles Angels

Projected record:73-89, 5.3% odds to make the playoffs, 1.6% odds to win the division

What happened last season?The Angels endured another disappointing season, finishing last in the AL West for a second straight year and running their streak of losing records to 10 campaigns. A poor start (9-16 in April) and finish (8-18 in September) doomed their season, but they were only two games under .500 when they took the field on July 30. The offense flashed plenty of power, finishing fourth in the majors in homers, as Jo Adell and Taylor Ward hit more than 35 each, and Mike Trout and Zach Neto each went deep 26 times. But any offensive success was more than offset by a pitching staff that ranked 28th in ERA. Injuries were not the issue, as five pitchers made at least 23 starts. None logged an ERA under 3.99 or a WHIP below 1.28. Last winter, the front office made moves designed to produce a winning team, which made it even more embarrassing for the Angels to finish behind the rebuilding A's for a second straight year.

What happened in the offseason?As per usual, the Angels made several offseason moves but might not have improved their roster. They started with a significant trade,shipping Ward to Baltimore for starting pitcher Grayson Rodriguez, who missed all of 2025 due to an elbow injury. It was a risky move to get a discounted pitcher who was once expected to be an ace and is still just 26 years old. Their second trade was a smaller one,acquiring Vaughn Grissom from the Red Soxfor outfielder Isaiah Jackson. Like Rodriguez, Grissom was once expected to be an impact player; he could become the Angels' starting second baseman. In January, the Angels replaced Wardby acquiring Josh Lowe from the Rays. Lowe flashed an exciting skill set when he hit .292 with 20 homers and 32 steals in 2023, but he experienced a steep decline while dealing with injuries the past two years. The Angels' only notable free-agent signings were veteran reliever Kirby Yates, who was one of baseball's best closers two years ago before struggling with injuries and ineffectiveness in his lone season with the Dodgers, and Yoan Moncada, who posted a solid .783 OPS in 84 games with the Angels last year.

Best-case scenario for 2026:You really have to squint to find a path to the postseason, but here goes nothing. The lineup could be better than the one that ranked 25th in runs scored last year, if Lowe effectively replaces Ward and Grissom hits for average. After all, Adell and Neto are on the upswing, and Trout is a generational talent who could have some kind of late-career resurgence. Catcher Logan O'Hoppe is also much better than he showed when he logged a .629 OPS last season. For the pitching staff to make significant progress, Rodriguez and Yates will have to pitch as well as they did in 2024. They'll also get Robert Stephenson back from injury, and he could combine with Yates and Drew Pomeranz to form an effective late-inning trio.

Worst-case scenario:This could be the year the rebuilding Athletics pull away from the Angels. Unless Lowe turns around a two-year slump, the lineup will really miss Ward. As things stand, the bottom-four hitters in the regular lineup either posted an OPS below .700 last season or didn't appear in the majors at all. And if the gamble on Rodriguez doesn't pay off, the Angels' pitching staff will be much worse than the lineup. There's no one to eat innings behind Yusei Kikuchi and José Soriano, who are subpar staff leaders. And the bullpen is depending on Yates in his age-39 season, Pomeranz in his age-37 campaign and Stephenson, who threw 10 innings last year. The Angels could post the worst ERA in the American League.

Make-or-break player:Grayson Rodriguez. It would be hard to give this title to anyone other than the 26-year-old, who was tabbed one of baseball's best prospects in 2022. He fared well in his initial two seasons with the Orioles and was ascending toward ace status when he logged a 3.59 FIP and a 10.0 K/9 rate in his 2024 sophomore campaign. Then injuries caused him to miss all of 2025. If Rodriguez is healthy, the Angels will finally have a leader for their staff. But it's an ominous sign that a Baltimore team that was looking for starting pitching this offseason chose to trade away one of the most talented arms on the roster. Make no mistake: The acquisition of Rodriguez was a huge gamble for an Angels organization that lacked the prospect capital to trade for a skilled, healthy starter.

Season prediction:In 2026, the Angels will finally succumb to the need for a full rebuild. They have tried to put Band-Aids on their problems for several years, all while wasting Trout's prime years and watching his body slowly break down. This will be the year they finally give up and trade multiple veterans for younger players. There are some pieces in place for the future; Neto, Adell, Nolan Schanuel and Rodriguez are all under 27 and have considerable skills. The Angels will get off to a slow start, and if they're smart, they'll follow the lead of the 2025 Twins and trade away everything that isn't nailed to the floor at the deadline, which will finally start them on the road toward sustainable success. The Angels haven't reached the postseason since 2014, which makes it obvious that their current course isn't working.

WASHINGTON, March 5 (Reuters) - The Federal Aviation Administration ‌told airlines it wants ‌to potentially cut a few ​hundred additional flights at Chicago O'Hare airport this summer over what it initially ‌outlined last ⁠week, sources told Reuters on Thursday.

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Last week, ⁠the FAA proposed a 2,800 per day limit, ​down from ​the ​3,080 daily operations ‌announced for the summer, but above last summer's 2,680 daily flights, citing concerns about delays and airline ‌over scheduling. The ​FAA told ​airlines this ​week it wants ‌to limit flights ​to around ​2,500 per day, but that number remains under ​discussion, ‌the sources added.

(Reporting by ​David Shepardson; Editing by ​Chris Reese)