By MARIA SHERMAN, Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — They’re going to light up 2026 like dynamite: K-pop group BTS’ comeback has an official date.

According to a note shared to social media by the entertainment company BigHit Music, the mega popular group will return on March 20.

That’s after a nearly four-year hiatus, as all seven members of BTS — RM, Jin, Jimin, V, Suga, Jung Kook and j-hope — completed South Korea’s mandatory military service.

“March 20th comeback confirmed,” BigHit Music wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

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Rapper Suga was the last group member to be released — from his duties as a social service agent, an alternative to serving in the military that he reportedly chose due to a shoulder injury. That was in June 2025.

The six others, RM, V, Jimin, Jung Kook, Jin and j-hope, served in the army.

BTS tiered their enlistments, giving ample time for its members to focus on solo projects while the group was on a break.

Last summer, the group teased a world tour and announced that a new album would be released in the spring of 2026. At the time, they said they would begin working on the project in July 2025.

“Since it will be a group album, it will reflect each member’s thoughts and ideas,” they said in a statement. “We’re approaching the album with the same mindset we had when we first started.”

The 2026 album will mark their first since 2022’s anthology, “Proof,” their 2021 Japanese compilation album “BTS, the Best,” and their last studio album, “Be,” released in 2020.

The Twins completed a small trade on Friday, acquiring first baseman Eric Wagaman from the Miami Marlins for minor league pitcher Kade Bragg.

Wagaman, 28, played in 140 games last season for Miami, hitting .250 with a .674 OPS. He hit nine home runs and drove in 53 runs, while primarily playing first base. He also saw some time at third base, in left and right field and at DH last season. Though he was drafted by the New York Yankees in 2017, Wagaman debuted with the Los Angeles Angels in 2024 before seeing regular playing time with the Marlins last season.

The pickup comes after the Twins signed veteran first baseman Josh Bell to a one-year deal last month, their biggest move of the offseason to date.

Bragg is a left-handed pitcher whom the Twins selected in the 17th round of the 2023 draft. Last year, he posted a 2.94 ERA across 67 1/3 innings pitched — all in relief. He finished his season at Double-A Wichita. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Twins designated Ryan Fitzgerald for assignment. Fitzgerald debuted last season at age 30 after a long journey through the minor leagues and appeared in 24 games for the Twins.

The Gophers football program will not retain longtime receivers coach Matt Simon for next season and is in the process of replacing him with Isaac Fruechte, a source told the Pioneer Press on Friday.

Fruechte, who played wideout for the Gophers from 2012-14, has been the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for North Dakota since 2024. The Caledonia, Minn., native, who had a playing stint with the Vikings, has also coached at Winona State, Northern State, Northern Iowa and Wisconsin-La Crosse.

The Gophers are also planning to hire former record-setting tailback Mo Ibrahim to replace Jayden Everett as its running backs coach, a source said. Everett left for Wisconsin, while Ibrahim, who holds the U’s career rushing record of 4,668 yards, was the running backs coach at Kent State for one season.

Minnesota is also working to bring in Daniel Da Prato to be the next special teams coordinator after Bob Ligashesky was not retained after last season. Da Prato has been the special teams coordinator at New Mexico and one of his units returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown in Minnesota’s 20-17 overtime win over the Lobos in the Rate Bowl.

The U will also be bringing in Travis Moore to be an assistant defensive line coach. He has been the defensive ends coach at Northern Illinois since 2019. He played for the Huskies alongside Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck in the early 2000s.

The Gophers have one remaining coaching vacancy at outside linebackers/nickel backs.

Simon, a Farmington native, had been on Fleck’s staff for more than a decade, dating to Western Michigan in 2014. He has also served as co-offensive coordinator the last few seasons.

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After working through a hairline fracture in his right hand, quarterback J.J. McCarthy will officially get the start for the Vikings in the finale against the Green Bay Packers. The annoucement came from head coach Kevin O’Connell on Friday afternoon at TCO Performance Center.

Though the Vikings will likely be going up against mostly backups when the play the Packers on Sunday afternoon at U.S. Bank Stadium, the rivalry matchup offers a chance for McCarthy to close this season out on a high note.

It’s been a roller coster for McCarthy to this point as he’s only completed 57.3% of his passes for 1,450 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He’s also struggled to stay on the field consistently, missing games due to a high ankle sprain, a concussion, and a broken hand.

“If I did start writing a book, the first chapter would be good, that’s for sure,” McCarthy said in reference to the ups and down he’s already experienced. “It’s a beautiful story and I’m really starting to understand the meaning of it.”

There have been signs of growth from McCarthy as of late. He looked much more confident last month in wins over the Washington Commanders and Dallas Cowboys before being knocked out of the win over the New York Giants.

No matter what happens when the Vikings play the Packers this weekend, McCarthy said he can’t escape the feeling that he his teammates down this season with some of the growing pains he’s gone through in real time. He’s hellbent on making sure he doesn’t want to feel like that moving forward.

“We’ve got to get in the dance,” McCarthy said. “We’ve got to make sure that we don’t end up in this position again.”

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