Dramatic deals, playoff hopes, future plans: Catch up on four of Boston’s pro teams.

• A judge ordered the Trump administration to rehire thousands of federal workers it fired across 18 agencies.
• Stocks fell again after President Trump threatened a 200 percent duty on wine and other alcohol from the European Union if it doesn’t cancel retaliatory tariffs on the US. The S&P 500 closed 10 percent below its Feb. 19 peak.
• Boston leaders told St. Patrick’s Day parade-goers to behave on Sunday, warning of consequences for violence, public urination, and other debauchery that happened last year.

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The busiest stretch on the Boston sports calendar is upon us. There’s something happening with all four of Boston’s most popular teams — the Celtics are tuning up for another run at an NBA championship, the Bruins are trying to find their way forward, the Patriots have been spending a bunch of money on free agents, and the Red Sox are preparing for a season in which they hope to be contenders.

Add in March Madness (including first- and second-round men’s games in Providence), the World Figure Skating Championships at TD Garden, the Hockey East playoffs and NCAA Frozen Fours for both men and women, the Boston Marathon, and the NFL Draft, and we’re looking at non-stop sports action from now until late June.

To set the scene, we asked a reporter assigned to each of the four most popular beats at the Globe for an overview on where things stand with the team they cover. Read their evaluations, then send your thoughts on any of the teams to startingpoint@globe.com. We’ll print some of your comments in future issues.

- Matt Pepin, Sports editor

The look of a postseason contender | By Peter Abraham

The Red Sox are winding down spring training. Their last day in Florida is March 23, then the team will travel to Monterrey, Mexico, for two exhibition games before opening the season on March 27 at Texas.

The big question for the Sox was the status of Rafael Devers, who did not play in any of the first 18 Grapefruit League games. He instead worked on the side, building up at-bats on practice fields to prepare for the season. After weeks of unease, Devers also said he would play wherever the Sox asked.

Devers initially balked at the idea of ceding third base to Alex Bregman, who agreed to a three-year, $120 million contract in February. Now he’s prepared to be the designated hitter.

The spring training also has been marked by the presence of Roman Anthony, Kristian Campbell, and Marcelo Mayer. All three of the prospects are vying to make the team, and their journey has been followed closely.

Mayer, a 22-year-old shortstop, has been the best of the group. Cora has been impressed by his maturity on and off the field.

The additions of Bregman and starting pitchers Walker Buehler and Garrett Crochet were necessary after an 81-81 season in 2024. This team, for now, has the look of a postseason contender.

Building on the Vrabel momentum | By Nicole Yang

After back-to-back 4-13 seasons, the Patriots had no choice but to be aggressive in the free agent market. An example: They outbid multiple teams to sign defensive tackle Milton Williams to a four-year, $104 million deal, their richest contract in franchise history.

Their hope is the investment will reignite New England’s ongoing rebuild and capitalize on the momentum created from hiring coach Mike Vrabel.

Williams headlined New England’s defensive-focused free agent class that also included cornerback Carlton Davis, linebacker Robert Spillane, and pass rusher Harold Landry. The Patriots had the money to spend, entering the offseason with the most salary cap space in the NFL, so they wasted no time in attempting to lure players with lucrative contracts.

Questions remain on the offense. Who will start at left tackle? Will the Patriots finally acquire an elite wide receiver? How will they fill the leadership void left by newly released center David Andrews? But Vrabel expressed optimism that New England’s latest moves are the start to resurrecting a team that has solidified itself as a bottom-dweller in recent years.

“I’m confident that we got the right people,” he said. “Now it’s our job to put them in the right places as players to get the best out of them, and so I’m excited to start that process.”

Preparing for when the games truly matter | By Adam Himmelsbach

The Celtics have, by most standards, had a very successful regular season. But when you return every key piece from an NBA championship team, greatness can sometimes be expected at all times. The Celtics have not been great at all times, and they happen to be participating in a season in which two other teams are on historic runs.

The Cavaliers are on pace for 69 wins and lead Boston by 8½ games in the Eastern Conference standings. The Thunder completed a season sweep of the Celtics on Wednesday and are on pace to win 67. Both would be among the top 15 seasons in NBA history.

Of course, the Celtics are not here for regular-season accolades, and there have been some indications that they are simply sharpening their tools and preparing for when the games truly matter.

“Just kind of fine-tuning up,” Jayson Tatum said Wednesday night. “Getting ready for the fun part of all of this.”

The Celtics have been emphasizing health and rest, but they are still missing one key piece. Center Kristaps Porzingis has missed the last seven games due to an undisclosed virus, but he has been participating in team workouts and sitting on the bench during games. All indications are his return will come soon.

Fresh faces up and down the lineup | By Jim McBride

We have a pulse.

The Bruins have shown serious signs of life since general manager Don Sweeney’s surgical roster reset a week ago. After jettisoning captain Brad Marchand along with fellow veterans Brandon Carlo, Charlie Coyle, and Trent Frederic via trade, the Bruins started their post trade deadline playoff push with their two best — and most emotional — wins of the season.

With fresh faces up and down the lineup, even the most fervent fan needed a scorecard to follow their favorite team over the past week. Nevertheless, interim coach Joe Sacco found magic with three of his newly formed lines showing some instant chemistry despite being thrown together in less than 24 hours.

The Bruins newest additions — Casey Mittelstadt, Jakub Lauko, and Marat Khusnutdinov (that’s “Hoost-nuh-DEE-nov” for the Hooked-on-Phonics crowd) — as well as recent call ups Vinni Lettieri and Patrick Brown have injected new life into the lineup. It’s been particularly evident on the forecheck, which is vital to slowing down and wearing down high-powered offenses. The energy they can provide rubs off on teammates and can either get the crowd into the game or take the fans out of it depending on if it’s at home or on enemy ice.

Of course, it helps to have David Pastrnak driving the top line. The crafty Czech winger had a goal and assisted on the winner in the comeback stunner over Florida Tuesday and has points in 22 of his last 23 games, including a goal in Thursday’s loss to the Senators in Ottawa, a critical Eastern Conference test.

🧩 1 Across: Spoil | ☀️ 51º Weekend warmup

New England

• Voter ID: Some eligible NH voters were turned away from town elections because they didn’t have the correct paperwork under a new state law. (NHPR)
• 20 years: That’s how long a Connecticut woman is accused of holding her stepson captive until he started a fire to escape, police said.
• Fewer snowplows: New England cities are adjusting their budgets to deal with warmer and weirder winters.
• Church and state: The mayor of Quincy is using taxpayer money to erect two 10-foot-tall statues of Catholic saints outside a new public safety building. What does that mean for the Constitution? Yvonne Abraham asks.

Trump administration

• Rap his knuckles: Massachusetts and 19 other states sued to stop Trump from dismantling the Department of Education.
• Higher authorities: The administration asked the Supreme Court to let it enforce Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship. (SCOTUSBlog)
• Another one: Brown became the latest elite university to freeze hiring, blaming federal funding cuts. Johns Hopkins will lay off 2,000 people because of USAID cuts. (Baltimore Banner)
• Solidarity: Jewish protesters demonstrated inside Trump Tower against ICE’s arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder who led pro-Gaza protests at Columbia University. (Spectrum News)
• MAHA setback: The White House withdrew its nominee to run the CDC, fearing that his anti-vaccine views would prevent his confirmation. (STAT)
• So much for transparency: Reporters found errors in how much the Department of Government Efficiency claimed to have saved taxpayers, so DOGE obscured the details. But it’s still making mistakes. (NYT)
• For my friends, everything: To avoid DOGE cuts they don’t like, Republicans call Elon Musk. Democrats are out of luck.
• Shirt off his back: During a Dropkick Murphys concert, Ken Casey bet that a Trump fan’s MAGA attire wasn’t made in the US. He was right.

The Nation and the World

• About face: Senate Democrats seem poised to help pass a Republican spending bill, saying that shutting down the federal government would be worse. House Democrats, who voted almost uniformly against the bill, were furious. (Axios)
• Not a no: Russian President Vladimir Putin didn’t rule out a cease-fire with Ukraine, but demanded concessions that could delay or derail it. (NPR)
• Engine trouble: An American Airlines plane caught fire after landing in Denver, forcing passengers to evacuate onto the wing through billowing smoke. (Denver7)

🍸 Shaken, not stirred: Fans of James Bond aren’t thrilled that Amazon now has creative control over the franchise.

👨‍👧‍👦 Just kidding: Parents are debating whether it’s OK to bring children to an adult comedy show.

📺 Watch this: Skip the parade and stream “Beau Is Afraid,” “Yellowstone,” and more.

🏖️ Stretch your dollar: Here are a few budget-friendly travel tips and how to find great food for cheap.

📽️ Rave review: “On Becoming a Guinea Fowl,” one of the year’s best films, makes a valid argument for speaking ill of the dead, our critic writes.

Thanks for reading Starting Point. Today’s edition was written by the Globe Sports staff and Kaitlin Lewis, edited by Teresa Hanafin, and produced by Bill Geshwender.

Have a question for the team? Email us at startingpoint@globe.com.

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