Padres to sign former Yankees, Dodgers .732 OPS slugger after career-… — and more

This is another cheap flyer for the Padres to take this season.

James Hagens Dishes On Life At Boston College After Getting Drafted By Bruins originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Boston Bruins have surprised many folks by remaining in the thick of the playoff hunt as the 2025-26 campaign begins to come down the homestretch. And while the team is overachieving expectations in the present, it also appears there's reason to be excited for the future.

Just take a quick look at the Boston College Eagles, which features six different Bruins prospects this season. That group includes James Hagens, who was selected with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. Hagens has been solidifying his status as one of the top prospects in the league, and he recently opened up on what it's been like playing for BC in the wake of getting drafted by Boston.

“Being able to have this setup here, being able to play for Boston College – it’s something that we take a lot of pride in,” Hagens said, per Belle Fraser of the team's official website. “The locker room is gorgeous, everything from top to bottom is super nice. It’s awesome, especially being here with these guys. We have a great time.”

Of course, Hagens played for the Eagles last season, too, but he didn't know he would be a part of the Bruins organization at the time. Beyond that, Hagens is also playing alongside several guys who could eventually make the jump to the pros with him in the near future.

Hagens looks like he could be a star in the making, and the B's will surely be keeping a close eye on his development, even with the team continuing its playoff push over the next few weeks. After suffering a tough loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, the Bruins will look to get back in the win column when they square off against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday night.

More NHL: Bruins Believe They 'Didn't Do Enough' In Loss To Flyers

A dominant afternoon session set Barry Hawkins on the way to winning his first Welsh Open title as he beat Jack Lisowski 9-5 in the final.

Hawkins won seven of the first eight frames at Venue Cymru in Llandudno to open up a seemingly unassailable lead.

Lisowski won the first three frames of the evening session to threaten an unlikely comeback.

But Lisowski's fightback hopes took a blow in the 12th frame as a fluke-plant on a red began a break of 68 which moved Hawkins within one frame of the title.

And two frames later, Hawkins ended his three-year wait for a rankings title, as the 46-year-old lifted the Ray Reardon trophy for the first time in his career.

"It means the world," said Hawkins.

"I've came close a couple times last season. I've been knocking on the door for a little while so I feel like I deserved one.

"Playing that man [Lisowski] is so scary - he pots balls from everywhere and you can't leave them safe on the table.

"It's never over until it is over, and I'm delighted to get over the line because I was feeling it."

Hawkins, who was beaten by John Higgins in the 2018 final, took control early on, winning the opening frame with a break of 105.

And although Lisowski drew level in the second frame, Hawkins would then go on to win six in a row.

Another century break in the fourth frame came in between three half-century breaks of 67, 76 and 88.

The afternoon ended with another Hawkins frame, as he led Lisowski 7-1 going into the tournament's final session.

Lisowski, who was playing in his first Welsh Open final, showed great fight when the game restarted, putting together back-to-back century breaks to remind his opponent there was still work to do.

The 34-year-old then came out on top of a 40-minute frame which swung both ways to reduce Hawkins' lead to 7-4.

But Lisowski's momentum was ended in the following frame, as a long safety shot from Hawkins resulted in a red ball finding the bottom left pocket of the table.

And Hawkins made the most of the opportunity, putting together a break of 68 to put him on the cusp of victory.

Lisowski managed to win one more frame, with a break of 53, before Hawkins clinched the Welsh Open title in the 14th frame of the final.

"I was very poor despite trying my best," said Lisowski.

"Barry was by far the better player today and he deserves his win.

"He's been great to me my whole career, even when I was very young. He's always given me the time of day so I'm very happy for him."

An MLB Insider is analyzing the recent contract extension awarded to St. Louis Cardinals manager Oli Marmol.