TORONTO (AP) — RJ Barrett scored 26 points, Scottie Barnes had 18 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists for his ninth career triple-double, and the Toronto Raptors clinched their first playoff berth in four seasons by beating the Brooklyn Nets 136-101 on Sunday in the regular-season finale for both teams.
Atlanta’s loss to Miami and Orlando’s loss at Boston gave Toronto the fifth seed in the East and a first-round matchup with fourth-seeded Cleveland.
The Raptors and Hawks both finished 46-36 but Toronto swept the season series 4-0.
Toronto went 3-0 against the Cavaliers this season but the teams haven’t played since Nov. 24.
Barnes shot 8 for 11 in his third triple-double of the season. He’s the first player in Raptors history to have three triple-doubles in multiple seasons.
Brandon Ingram scored 25 points, Ja’Kobe Walter and Jakob Poeltl each had 11 and AJ Lawson had 10 points as the Raptors posted their best record since going 48-34 and placing fifth in the East in 2021-22. That season also saw Toronto’s most recent playoff appearance, a six-game defeat to Philadelphia in the first round.
Tyson Etienne led the Nets with 20 points, E.J. Liddell scored 17 points, Chaney Johnson had 16 points and 13 rebounds and Ben Saraf scored 15 points.
Brooklyn (20-62) lost three straight to finish their worst season since posting the same record in 2016-17.
The Nets, who went 26-56 last season, have lost four consecutive season finales.
The Nets were without 10 players due to injury, a group that included Nic Claxton (sprained finger), Noah Clowney (left ankle), Egor Demin (left foot), Josh Minot (left ankle), Michael Porter Jr. (left hamstring) and Ziaire Williams (left foot).
Up next
Toronto will be on the road at Cleveland next weekend to begin the playoffs.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 12: Tyrese Proctor #24 of the Cleveland Cavaliers passes around Leaky Black #14 of the Washington Wizards during the fourth quarter at Rocket Arena on April 12, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: The Cavaliers defeated the Wizards 130-117. User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Nae’Qwan Tomlin scored 26 points, Tyrese Proctor added 22 off the bench, and the Cleveland Cavaliers wrapped up the regular season with a 130-117 victory over the visiting Washington Wizards. With nearly every starter sitting out the finale to prepare for the postseason, Cleveland’s bench and G League players paced the team to its 52nd win.
Jamir Watkins, Bub Carrington, and former Cleveland Charge guard Sharife Cooper all scored over 20 points for the Wizards, who end another pitiful season on a 10-game losing streak. They have the worst record in the NBA, securing yet another high lottery pick in the upcoming draft.
For the Cavs, who had already secured home court for at least the first round of the playoffs, the stakes were relatively low — but not completely zero. Jaylon Tyson, who figures to have a prominent role in the playoff rotation, had 18 points, six rebounds, and three assists on 6-16 shooting. The stat line wasn’t as important as what was seen on court, which was a confident player. Tyson had missed time with an injury, so to hit some threes and see the ball go through the net is important for a young player’s mentality.
Max Strus had 10 points in his final tune-up before the playoffs, where he too will be relied upon for wing minutes in the postseason. Strus has had big games and several clunkers since his return from a broken foot, and tonight’s effort would fall squarely in the middle tier. In 17 minutes, he had 10 points and five rebounds on 4-9 shooting (1-6 from deep).
The rest of this game can be chalked up to evaluating how the young talent looked in regular minutes. Tyrese Proctor did not disappoint with a near triple-double, pouring in 22 points, 11 rebounds (which led the team), and eight assists in 34 minutes of court time. He also drilled half of his three-point attempts, which is good to see, but he had seven turnovers, which is expected and part of being a young point guard. Overall, it was a good game for the former Duke Blue Devil, who has had flashes all season. Just not consistent minutes.
Riley Minix, Olivier Sarr (whose brother Alex plays for Washington), and Tristan Enaruna represent the G League guys, and they played with the typical intensity and effort that is expected of players trying to make it in the NBA. They all scored in double figures, combined for six steals, and were positives when on the court. The Cavs pride themselves on being a good pipeline of talent from the G League to The Association, and there was plenty of that on display tonight.
The Cavs would never say they have nothing to play for, but this game was as close to that label as possible. They have the four-seed locked up and will officially be playing the Toronto Raptors in the first round of the playoffs. The good news is they do maintain home court advantage. The bad news is they have not beaten the Raptors this season, but the postseason is a different ballgame. Oh, and the Cavs did not have James Harden in any of those games.
The Bucks went 32-50 this season, in large part due to Giannis Antetokounmpo playing in just 36 games because of an assortment of injuries. Beyond that, Rivers never connected with this roster and did not elevate it during his two-and-a-half seasons as coach, going 97-103 in the role.
Rivers had hinted at an exit before, and prior to Sunday's game, Rivers sounded like someone with one foot out the door. Here are some pregame quotes, via Eric Nehm of The Athletic.
"I'm not gonna announce anything. But I gotta go to grandparents day on the 21st. There's another grandparents day on the 24th. I have something on my schedule right now that I need to do and I'm looking forward to doing...
"I don't ever use that R-word (retirement) because you never know. I don't want to be Ali and keep coming back. But yeah, it is (an emotional day)."
Rivers had one year and about $8 million remaining on his contract with the Bucks, which the team is going to eat, according to Charania. There had been reports that the Bucks might slide him into a front office role rather than pay him to go away.
Rivers has been an NBA head coach every year since the 1999-2000 season when he was in Orlando — a season he was named Coach of the Year. In his more than a quarter of a century on the bench, Rovers has gone 1,194-866, a 58% winning percentage. He coached the 2008 Boston Celtics to the title.
Don't be surprised to see Rivers on your television next season, part of the broadcast team for NBA games with one of the league's network partners.
With Boston beating Orlando, Miami beating Atlanta, and Toronto beating Brooklyn on Sunday, New York is officially set to meet the Hawks in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs.
Atlanta played the Knicks tough during their regular season matchups.
While New York took the series 2-1, the two victories were three point games and the loss was by 12.
The latest meeting was earlier this week, when New York hung on to end the Hawks’ 13-game home winning streak.
This will be the fourth time that they face-off in the playoffs.
The most recent one was when Trae Young and the Hawks eliminated New York in five games in 2021.
Now with Young out of town and a much different roster, Jalen Brunson and the Knicks will look to flip the script.
The Knicks closed the regular season with a 110-96 loss to the Charolette Hornets on Sunday night.
Here are the takeaways...
- The Knicks opted to sit out their key contributors with their spot/seed in the playoffs already locked up. Mikal Bridges still received the start to keep the NBA's longest active consecutive games streak alive (now at 638), but he committed an intentional foul to be subbed out after just 23 seconds.
Bridges, Miles McBride, Jose Alvarado, Mohamed Diawara, and Ariel Hukporti was the starting five.
- McBride dressed as he works to find his footing heading into the playoffs, and he finally showed flashes of his old form in the early going. The backup guard was New York's most effective scorer all night, leading the team with 21 points on 8-of-15 shooting from the field and four threes.
- New York saw plenty of other positives from their depth filling out the starting lineup throughout the night. Alvarado was everywhere with a final line of 13-5-6, Hukporti dominated the boards with a season-high eight, and Diawara tied his career-high with five assists.
- Jeremy Sochan and Kevin McCullar Jr. also put together strong showings off the bench. Sochan provided a spark in the third quarter and finished with 10 points, five rebounds, and four assists. McCullar knocked down 6-of-11 attempts from the field to set a new career-high, 14 points.
- LaMelo Ball led the way for Charolette with five threes, seven rebounds, and six assists. Coby White had himself a night off the bench, chipping in 19 points off the bench, and Kon Knueppel finished his stellar rookie campaign with three threes and 19 points of his own.
- Despite being a bit overmatched, the Knicks' backups continued to show fight throughout the night. They were able to cut the deficit back down to eight points at one point early in the third quarter, but ultimately saw that stretched back out in the closing minutes of the final frame.
- New York finishes the regular season 53-29, good enough for third place in the Eastern Conference.
What's next
The Knicks kick off the postseason and the quest for their third NBA title.
Apr 12, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Tyrese Proctor (24) drives to the basket against Washington Wizards guard Sharife Cooper (13) during the first half at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
That’s a wrap. The Cleveland Cavaliers ended the 2025-26 regular season with a win over the Washington Wizards. Let’s get to the grades.
All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
Jaylon Tyson
18 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists
Tyson looked like the kid who decided to show up on Senior Skip Day. He overachieved all season, ending the year both as the biggest surprise and the most entertaining part of the year, in my opinion.
Sarr has a solid game. He showcased great agility and touch for his height, but at 27 years old, I’m not sure how much more development we should expect from him. His thinner frame makes him vulnerable against NBA-sized frontcourts. Still, he’s a fun player to watch and easy to root for.
Grade: B-
Craig Porter Jr.
7 points, 4 assists, 7 rebounds, 1 block
Porter capped off his season with another all-around performance. His weak-side block in the first half was a highlight.
I’m optimistic about Proctor’s future. He’s got all of the skills you want in a modern guard. A smooth jumper and good defensive instincts.
Six turnovers are the only thing stopping me from giving him the A+ for this near-triple-double performance.
Grade: A
Nae’Qwan Tomlin
26 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists
Tomlin, as we’ve come to expect, was shot out of a cannon tonight. He rebounded his own miss three times in one possession and took a borderline heat-check three-pointer after hitting back-to-back jumpers in the first half. For the record, Tomlin is shooting 20% from downtown this season. His unbridled enthusiasm is something I have no choice but to respect.
Grade: A+
Max Strus
10 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists
We don’t get many opportunities to watch Strus handle the ball with volume. Tonight, he had the ball in his hands a ton — and it was a nice reminder of how skilled NBA players are. Strus unleashed a few shifty moves, bringing the ball up the floor, and it’s always fun to see someone take on a slightly different role for a night.
Grade: C+
Tristan Enaruna
15 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals
Enaruna can impact games with his size and physcality. He was a positive presence on both sides of the ball as a result. However, his lack of an outside shot will put a ceiling on him for the foreseeable future.
Grade: B+
Larry Nance Jr.
10 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block
Nance got one final run this season with the youngings. He’s been playing more recently, and could be someone to watch as a ‘break glass’ option in the playoffs — even if it’s clear that he’s lost a step or two over the years.
Grade: B–
Rylie Minix
12 points, 1 rebound, 1 steal, 1 block
Minix nailed a one-legged jumper early in this game. He then proceeded to make hustle play after hustle play on defense. That’s enough for me, take your degree and have a great summer.
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Three-time MVP Nikola Jokic will start for the Denver Nuggets in their regular-season finale against San Antonio on Sunday night for his 65th game played to qualify for NBA awards.
Spurs All-Star Victor Wembanyama is sitting out the game after reaching eligibility in his previous game.
Jokic has played in 64 games and was listed as questionable with an injured right wrist.
Denver needs a victory over the Spurs on Sunday to secure the third seed in the Western Conference. A Nuggets loss, coupled with a win by the Los Angeles Lakers, would drop the Nuggets to fourth and move the Lakers to third.
The NBA requires players to participate in 65 games to be eligible for MVP, All-NBA and Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Jokic must play at least 15 minutes against San Antonio to be eligible.
The NBA allows two exemptions of 15 to 19:59 minutes played to count as an official game. Jokic has one exemption remaining.
“Yeah, he’ll play the first half,” Denver coach David Adelman said. “Then we’ll reconvene at halftime and see where he’s at, where the game’s at. It’s what the rules provide. So we’ll follow the rules.”
Jokic, who won MVP in 2021, 2022 and 2024, has been named to the All-NBA Team in seven of his 11 seasons.
Wembanyama competed in 64 regular-season games in addition to the NBA Cup Final, which does not count toward regular-season record or statistics, but does qualify as a game played.
Wembanyama suffered a left rib contusion and missed the second half of Monday's 115-102 victory against the Philadelphia 76ers. He returned Friday to post 40 points and 13 rebounds in 26:13 minutes against Dallas.
He was listed as questionable due to injury management and was ruled out after the Spurs' afternoon walkthrough.
“Yeah, he’s doing well, but just a little sore and felt it was the appropriate decision,” San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson said. “He was probably, to be honest, the closest call of the group, but just right in that kind of in between.”
Spurs guard Stephon Castle was upgraded to available after missing the past two games with a left foot soreness.
Apr 12, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles first baseman Pete Alonso (25) hits an RBI double during the fifth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images
Sunday afternoon in Baltimore. A pleasant breeze swirled around the baked brick of Camden Yards, carrying the warm tang of Old Bay seasoning. One would be forgiven if the pleasant atmosphere suggested a sedate affair, a leisurely stroll of a game.
The Giants had gone down in order at the top of the inning against Orioles starter Cade Povich, and after Pete Alonso swung heavily over a 1-1 change-up, their offense appeared about to do the same against Adrian Houser. And it’d carry on like that: quick at-bats, quick outs, quick innings… The two teams accumulating zeroes on the scoreboard with the competitive edge of an Easter egg hunt. One of those pleasant spring days in which nothing is expected, nothing needs to be fought for, or figured out quite yet. A day spent squinting up into the bright sun. A day in which a squirrel runs across the outfield. A day in which a leaf blower can be heard in the distance.
At least, it was supposed to be one of those days. Alonso whiffed at a 1-1 change-up, putting him in a 1-2 hole with two outs, and the inning felt over. One down. On to the next one.
Perhaps that sounds naive to say considering Alonso’ resume, but the slugger had moved down the coast for $155 million pocketed over 5 years and was off to the characteristically slow start for a player coming off free agency. He had been hitless in the first two games of the series, batting .167 with a .521 OPS so far on the season. He was getting settled, finding his footing, getting comfortable — he wasn’t yet a threat. Again, down in a 1-2 count, with the way Alonso has been struggling, the inning should’ve been over.
But then he took a pitch he wasn’t supposed to take.
Alonso had called time, found his breath and settled himself, and took a 1-2 sinker off the plate for a ball. No, the fastball wasn’t the most tantalizing offering, but the pitch’s location, paired with its back-door movement, was meant to tease. It was supposed to keep him in swing-mode, keep him defensive. Instead, Alonso let the pitch go, and it brought him back into the count. Maybe the players or fans weren’t completely cognizant of this the moment, but in retrospect, that was when the pastel-colored afternoon turned for the Giants.
Houser spun an excellent 2-2 curveball that dropped out of the zone, and Alonso just let it go. A great, disciplined take that brought the count full. He then fought off another breaking ball before spitting on another sinker that came ’round just off the plate. Ball 4.
Should catcher Daniel Susac have challenged that call? According to the MLB Gameday and Baseball Savant zone, the ball looks like it may be a hair’s width from the corner, but those might not line-up with the stadium’s ABS zone. Still those are not the kind of dicey decisions you want to have to make in the 1st inning…and on a Sunday no less!
Instead of a casual start to the game, Alonso’s walk made things stressful, and Houser didn’t handle it well. Two pitches later, Samuel Basallo (another scuffling big man) put the Orioles up for good.
Disciplined at-bats from Baltimore hitters and clutch contact extended innings when it mattered most. The third strike, the third out proved elusive for Giants arms. 5 of the Orioles’ 6 runs on the day came with San Francisco pitching an out away from shutting down a frame.
Another 2-run rally in the 5th against Houser similarly started with the bases empty and two outs already recorded. An innocuous single off the bat of Henderson kept the inning going. Down 0-2, Taylor Ward refused to bite at two pitches off the plate before flipping an inside fastball into right field for another single. And with runners on the corners, down 2-strikes again, Alonso dug out a curveball and pulled it into the left field corner for a two-run gut punch.
The Orioles offense refused to go with the casual flow seemingly promised. This was not a day of rest, but a day of work. Every at-bat became an opportunity to assert themself on their opponent. The line-up worked 5 walks to go along with their 11 hits and struck out only 7 times. Houser and subsequent relievers weren’t getting exposed on mistakes necessarily, either. Decent pitches were being spoiledby solid takes or contact-oriented swings.
(Synonyms for the verb spoil: thwart… ruin… upset… scupper… scotch… vitiate… muller… )
With a runner on second in the 6th, Coby Mayo thwarted a well-pocketed 2-2 slider from Ryan Walker. The spun bloop off a choked-up bat scored Baltimore’s fifth run, vitiating Walker’s chances of putting up a scoreless frame. In the 7th with two outs, Colton Cowser’s 2-out infield single off Erik Miller was hit just weakly enough to plate another run and scuppering the Giants chances of a comeback.
The stubborn Orioles order was in stark contrast to the Giants’ offensive exploits against southpaw starter Cade Povich. While the line-up has been somewhat decent against left-handed pitching (117 wRC+, 6th in MLB) their Kryptonite has been 4-seam fastballs. Their collective 88 wRC+ against the straight heater is the worst in the league — and unfortunately, it’s a pitch Povich, and frankly a lot of other pitchers — likes to throw. The optics didn’t look great from the outset, then the early hole from the Basallo homer really put the line-up on the back foot. Resilience would not be the word I’d use to describe the make-up of these hitters. A lead has proved definitive against these Giants so far. They’ve only won one game this season when scoring second and that was only because the Mets got to hit first in their 7-2 win back on April 2nd.
Povich retired the first 12 batters he faced in order, and he did it pretty fast. A lot of chased fastballs, flinched-at curves. A bushel of pop-ups. He fanned 5 with 0 walks over 6.2 innings pitched. 4 of the 5 knocks he allowed were singles. Heliot Ramos’s two out double in the 7th was the first extra base hit he allowed and ended up chasing him from the game.
Daniel Susac continued to be a bright spot in his third start of the season. He threw out Colton Cowser from his knees to complete a strike ‘em out, throw ‘em out double play in the 2nd. He’d record the only RBI against Povich with a 2-out punch up the middle in the 5th that at the time cut Baltimore’s lead in half. Batting clean-up and serving as the designated hitter for the fourth straight game, Casey Schmitt logged a 3-for-4 night of loud contact. His lead-off single in the 5th put Povich in the stretch for the first time and ultimately set-up the team’s first run, while his 9th inning solo shot gave him his fourth extra base hit of the series. Since the “catch the f***ing ball game” (7-1 loss to SD on 4/1), Schmitt has hit safely in each of his five starts, including three 3-hit games.
San Francisco had their chances to close-out at-bats, close-out innings, and ultimately, close out this Baltimore series but couldn’t find a way to firmly shut the door. Now they’re 6-10 with more road series coming this week in Cincinnati and Washington.
All the sport’s heavy hitters were in Adelaide this week – leaking, lurking and long lunching – before some excellent football broke out
Gather Round began with lavish lunches, intriguing matchups and a South Australian premier who lobbied for it, nurtured it and who very much now owns it. Politically, culturally and geographically, South Australia remains an excellent fit. But it always feels like the footy industry is on one big sell for the week, and this year’s version didn’t quite reach the heights of the previous three.
A lot of that was due to the weather, which was atrocious at times. With two mismatches earlier on Sunday, Gather Round was crying out for a decent match to close things out. Heading into half-time, the Port Adelaide-St Kilda game was trundling along, the rain was pissing down and it loomed as the sort of contest Ross Lyon would put to sleep and the rest of us would never speak of again.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JANUARY 10: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks looks on before a game against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center on January 10, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks (25-56) play their final game of the 2025-26 season at home on Sunday, facing off against the Chicago Bulls (31-50). Dallas got thumped by the San Antonio Spurs on Friday, but at least we were treated to a Wemby-Flagg dual. The Bulls are locked into their lottery odds and are sort of meandering to the end of the season, most recently losing to the Orlando Magic
WHO: Dallas Mavericks vs Chicago Bulls
WHAT: Game 82. We made it.
WHERE: American Airlines Cnter
WHEN: 7:30 pm CST
HOW: KFAA Channel 29, MavsTV streaming, NBA League Pass
The injury report is long and for Fan Appreciation Night, there’s some irony there, but there’s more than just this season to think about. Let’s start with who isn’t going to play: Marvin Bagley, Daniel Gafford, Naji Marshall, Caleb Martin, PJ Washington, Brandon Williams, and of course, Kyrie Irving and Dereck Lively. That means Cooper Flagg is suiting up as is Klay Thompson and everyone’s favorite group of two way players.
The Bulls are also sitting everyone it seems. Matas Buzelis, Zach Collins, Noa Essengue, Josh Giddey, Isaac Okoro, Nick Richards, Anfernee Simons, Jalen Smith, and Guerschon Yabusele are all not playing. So that makes it’s going to be the Collin Sexton and Patrick Williams show.
Fantastic product the NBA has us watching yes? If Cooper Flagg scores 28 or more he’ll pass Luka Doncic for rookie year points per game, pretty wild right? I sort of expect Dallas to win. I wish they wouldn’t, we’ve dealt with too much losing for them to win now and worsen their lottery odds. But hey, not much we can do about it so might as well enjoy the game.
Be sure to chime in with your predictions in the comments!
Consider joining Josh and me on Pod Maverick live after the game on YouTube, we should start LATE. Thanks so much for spending time with us here at Mavs Moneyball. Let’s go Mavs!
With the Mets struggling to find their groove, they needed Freddy Peralta to step up and pitch like the ace he is in Sunday’s series finale against the Athletics.
Peralta did just that, delivering his longest and most encouraging outing of the season, but New York’s offense failed to back him up as the losing streak hit five.
The right-hander said postgame that he didn’t have his best stuff, but he was still good enough to hold the A’s to just one run on a Nick Kurtz homer in six innings of work.
“We made adjustments and got better as the game went on,” he said.
Peralta certainly did, as he retired six of the final seven batters he faced, working around a two out walk in the top of the fifth and then finishing his day with a scoreless sixth.
He walked three, gave up four hits, and struck out six.
“He was good,” Carlos Mendoza said. “They ran his pitch count up with foul balls and good at-bats, but still found a way to get us six innings -- except for the breaking ball on the homer, I thought he was very good.”
Sean Manaea was just as solid in relief of Peralta.
The lefty did a tremendous job keeping the team in the game, cruising through the final three innings.
Manaea’s velocity remained down from last season, averaging just 89.3 mph on his fastball, but he once again showed that he can still be effective.
He retired all nine hitters he faced and struck out four.
“Very good,” Mendoza said. “Attacked, threw strikes, fastball continues to have life. The delivery, the way he’s moving, I like the aggressiveness overall -- he not only gave us three innings, but he kept us there, he gave us a chance.”
The Mets will need more pitching performances like this as their offense looks to get back into a groove.
Apr 12, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki (11) stands on the mound during the third inning against the Texas Rangers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images | Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images
For the second straight series, the Dodgers were on the cusp of a sweep but dropped the finale again. This time it was the Texas Rangers avoiding a sweep, stealing the final game by a final score of 5-2.
It was another adventurous beginning for Roki Sasaki’s day on the mound, as he allowed a leadoff single to Brandon Nimmo and promptly walked Evan Carter to put two men on with nobody out. He got ahead in the count to Corey Seager, managing to strike him out on a fastball down the middle. He fooled Jake Burger on a high fastball to punch him out, and then got out of the jam by striking out Joc Pederson on a splitter outside.
Shohei Ohtani immediately helped Sasaki build some confidence by crushing the first pitch of the game from Jacob deGrom into the right field pavilion for his second consecutive leadoff home run against Texas. It was his 26th career leadoff home run, and it extends his league-leading on-base streak to 46 games.
Sasaki once again found himself in trouble with two men on base and less than two outs, but he kept the Rangers scoreless by striking out Ezequiel Durán and getting Nimmo to pop out in foul territory. Sasaki got bit by the home run bug immediately in the top of the third, as Evan Carter attacked a first pitch fastball around the heart of the zone for his second home run of the series, tying the game.
He was a strike away from allowing just the one run, but Pederson lined a two-out, two-strike single to right field, sparking a two-out rally from the Rangers where they put four straight men on base, with a single from Josh Smith giving Texas a one-run lead. Sasaki struck out Duran to retire the side, but only after throwing 32 pitches in the inning. The Dodgers responded by putting two men on base against deGrom, but with Andy Pages at the plate with two outs, the Dodgers tried to implement a double steal. Call hesitated going for third and was tagged out, allowing the Rangers to get out of the jam.
Sasaki bounced back with a scoreless fourth inning, including getting Burger to strike out for the third time, but he needed at least 20 pitches to complete each frame on Sunday, only lasting four innings while tossing 94 pitches.
The strikeout stuff was apparent, striking out the side in the first and totaling a season-high six on the day, but his command was still wildly inconsistent, as he walked five hitters and has now walked 10 over 13 innings of work. He was effective using his slider on his first pitch of the at-bat, landing the strike zone four out of six times, but could only get a 50 percent first pitch strike rate on the afternoon, a fall from his previous outing against Washington where he was ahead in the count 70 percent to begin. He now carries a slightly improved 6.23 ERA on the season and his WHIP stands at 1.846.
While the young Sasaki showed flashes of brilliance mixed with his repeated lack of command, Jacob deGrom was giving flashbacks of his days as a Cy Young award winner with the New York Mets, as the only blemish on his day was the leadoff home run against Ohtani. He held the Dodgers scoreless over his next 92 pitches, tossing a quality start by going six innings, allowing just four hits and three walks while striking out a season-high nine hitters.
Once deGrom departed, the Dodgers chipped into the deficit, as Kyle Tucker recorded his first hit of the series with an RBI single against left-hander Jacob Latz to trim the Texas lead to one run. It’s been a rough start to the season for Tucker, as he has only two extra-base hits on the year with a slugging percentage at .316. He has continued to work great counts at the plate as he carries a .343 on base percentage, but he has a 23.9 percent strikeout rate, a significant spike from the 14.7 percent clip he registered with the Chicago Cubs last year.
After Sasaki’s day was done after four, the bullpen struggled with their command as well, as Edgardo Henríquez, Ben Casparius and Will Klein combined for five walks of their own while allowing three runs, two of which being earned. The Dodgers’ 10 walks allowed on the day is the most they have allowed all season, and it’s the first time they have walked at least 10 hitters since Sept. 18 of last season against the San Francisco Giants.
Andy Pages continues to swing a hot bat, hitting safely in each of the three games against Texas while his average stands at a league-leading .429 clip. Pages now ranks second in baseball for multi-hit games, as Brandon Nimmo passed him on Sunday with another pair of hits against the Dodgers.
Sunday’s game saw the Dodgers run out of ABS challenges by the third inning, while Rangers catcher Danny Jansen singlehandedly had four successful challenges across five attempts.
For the second straight series (regardless of location), the Dodgers tally just seven runs over the two games following an offensive explosion in the opener. The Dodgers are now 6-3 at home, but they average just 4.33 runs per game at Dodger Stadium this season.
The Dodgers continue their homestand as they open up a three-game series with the New York Mets on Monday (7:10 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA). Justin Wrobleski makes his second start against left-hander David Peterson.
Apr 12, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Texas Rangers pitcher Jacob Degrom (48) throws a pitch during the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images | Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images
The Texas Rangers scored five runs while the Los Angeles Dodgers scored two runs.
In a game where it felt like the Rangers should have won by double-digits, they decided it would be more fun to keep you engaged all afternoon as they avoided a sweep at the hands of the defending champion Dodgers by a margin kept almost inexplicably close until late.
After today’s starter Jacob deGrom gave up his customary solo home run to Shohei Ohtani to give the Dodgers an early lead, the Rangers kept getting runners on base against LA’s wild young starter Roki Sasaki and then kept figuring out the perfect way to do anything but bring them in.
Overall, Texas turned seven hits, eight walks, and an LA error through the first seven innings into just three runs. The dam finally broke in the 8th, however, with two more walks, two more hits, and a wild pitch as Texas added a couple of insurance runs.
Those insurance runs came after deGrom had exited and Jacob Latz allowed his first non-Muncy run of the season as the game teetered on the brink of “how do you lose this one?” as the Dodgers were a potential swing away from taking the lead. Luckily Cole Winn came in and cleaned up and then a third Ja(c)kob on the day got the save with Jakob Junis tossing a scoreless 9th.
Despite not exactly making the most of their opportunities (10 hits, 10 walks, 2-14 with RISP, 12 LOB), the five runs proved to be plenty with deGrom tossing a gem and the bullpen making use of the 8th inning cushion to help Texas escape LA with a sweep avoided.
Player of the Game: Batters of note include Josh Jung who had two hits and two walks, Danny Jansen who walked three times (and used five ABS challenges behind the plate, four of them successful!), Josh Smith who had two hits and the go-ahead RBI, and Evan Carter who homered and reached two other times via base on balls.
But with the current road trip long and without respite, and with the bullpen soaking up a lot of innings in the season’s first few weeks, the Rangers really needed deGrom to be at his most deGromy for as long as possible. deGrom answered with six innings of one-run ball against baseball’s modern juggernaut.
Following Ohtani’s 1st inning homer, deGrom allowed just three more hits. The Rangers’ elder ace did walk three (including an intentional walk to Ohtani) but he also struck out nine as he picked up his first win of the year.
Up Next: The Rangers are forced to trudge to West Sacramento for a series against the formerly Oakland Athletics in their first look at their AL West rivals in 2026. RHP Nathan Eovaldi will make the start for Texas in the opener against RHP Luis Severino for the Northern Californians.
The Monday night first pitch from Sutter Health Park is set for 8:40 pm CT and will be aired on the Rangers Sports Network.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 12: Ezequiel Tovar #14 of the Colorado Rockies is hit by a pitch during the fifth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on April 12, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s hard to describe this game as anything other than… deflating. While the Rockies entered the day on the verge of being swept, they had also kept the Padres on their toes for three games coming off of a sweep of the Houston Astros at home.
Today is where nothing really went right for the Rockies. I would argue one of only a few occasions that’s happened so far this season. It was certainly one of the harder-to-watch games of the young campaign as the Rockies were swept by the San Diego Padres for the first time in a four-game series since June, 1999.
Johnny Wholestaff
Both the Rockies and the Padres had to turn to their bullpens early this afternoon. Kyle Freeland was warming up in the bullpen for his start today but left with training staff before taking the mound. Freeland was later stated to be dealing with left shoulder soreness.
Right-handed reliever Jimmy Herget was forced into short-notice opening duty and struggled somewhat. He hit leadoff batter Ramón Laureano and gave up a single to Fernando Tatís Jr. Back-back-sacrifices then pushed a run home.
Chase Dollander—after throwing 81 pitches on Thursday—took over for Herget in a single inning of relief. He yielded a leadoff double in the second inning to Ty France, who was driven in by another pair of sacrifices by Padres hitters.
It was Valente Bellozo who was then called in to eat as many innings as he could in the series finale. Bellozo had pitched just once since his heroic efforts in the Rockies’ home opener: being on the receiving end of a walk-off home run earlier in this series. The former Miami Marlin made it through 4.1 difficult innings that put the game out of reach for the Rockies. He gave up eight earned runs on four walks and five hits—three of which were home runs—and recorded just a single strikeout. Bellozo was pulled after 90 pitches and left the bases loaded for lefty Brennan Bernardino, who induced an inning-ending 5-3 double play.
The Padres also leaned heavily on their bullpen after starting pitcher Nick Pivetta left the game in the fourth inning due to elbow tightness.
The offense left San Diego early
The Rockies turned in what was one of their worst performances of the season so far as they were held to just two hit against the combined efforts of the Padres pitching staff with only five baserunners. The Rockies struck out 12 times with two walks and a hit batter.
Miraculously, they were not shut out. The Rockies have actually yet to be shut out this season when at this point last season they were in the middle of being shut out for three straight games by these same Padres.
In the top of the fifth inning, Padres reliever Kyle Hart plunked Ezequiel Tovar square in the back and walked Brenton Doyle to give the Rockies their first baserunners of the game. Backup catcher Brett Sullivan then laced a line drive double to right field to score both runners.
The Rockies wouldn’t have another hit until the top of the ninth inning, when Hunter Goodman wedged a single by third baseman Manny Machado with two outs.
Coming Up Next
Thankfully, the Rockies have a much-needed day off tomorrow before heading to Texas on Tuesday for a rematch against the Houston Astros. Neither team has announced a starting pitcher at this time, but first pitch is scheduled for 6:10 PM MDT.
Apr 12, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners left fielder Randy Arozarena (56) runs the bases and later scores a run against the Houston Astros during the sixth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
Mariners 6, Astros 1
Tiffany’s! Cole Young, +0.10 WPA Cartier! Luke Raley, +0.10 WPA Black Starr Frost Gorham! Randy Arozarena, +0.12 WPA Talke to me Harry Winston, tell me all about it! Logan Gilbert, +0.21 WPA
