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Blackhawks Vs Sharks: Projected Lineup, How To Watch, & More Ahead Of Game 78

The Chicago Blackhawks are going to take on the San Jose Sharks to close out their three-game Western road trip. This will be Chicago’s final road game of the 2025-26 season. 

Of course, unless one is out of the lineup for whatever reason, Sharks vs Blackhawks will be headlined by the player matchup between Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini for a long time. Of course, they were back-to-back first overall picks in 2023 and 2024. 

Scouting San Jose 

The San Jose Sharks are in the thick of the playoff race in the Western Conference. Earning the second Wild Card spot is on the table for them, and they need every point they can get. With two head-to-head matchups between the two between now and season’s end, the Blackhawks will heavily influence the fate of the Sharks. 

Graf-Celebrini-Smith

Eklund-Wennberg-Sherwood

Chernyshov-Misa-Toffoli

Goodrow-Ostapchuk-Dellandrea

Orlov-Desharnais

Mukhamadullin-Ferraro

Dickinson-Leddy

Nedeljkovic

Macklin Celebrini was absent from the morning skate, but this is San Jose’s way of giving him a rest. He plays a lot of minutes, and it’s pivotal to the success of the team. 

Other young players with outstanding skill, like William Eklund, Will Smith, Michael Misa, Shakir Mukhamadullin, and Sam Dickinson, all play key roles in the success of the team, while veterans like Tyler Toffoli, Dmitry Orlov, and Alexander Wennberg contribute. 

Alex Nedeljkovic will start in goal for the San Jose Sharks. If they can find a way to score some goals, largely thanks to the play of Macklin Celebrini, Nedeljkovic is good enough to help them win. San Jose only has two wins in games that Celebrini doesn’t have a point, so containing him is the biggest key to victory for all of their opponents.  

Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago

The Blackhawks played a strong 60-minute game against the Kraken on Saturday, and repeating that effort is among their top priorities as their season winds down. Creating good habits and a winning culture could be beneficial to the 2026-27 season. 

Greene - Bedard - Lardis

Bertuzzi - Frondell - Mikheyev

Donato - Nazar - Mangiapane

Teravainen - Boisvert - Slaggert

Vlasic - Rinzel

Kaiser - Crevier

Korchinski - Del Mastro

Knight

Andrew Mangiapane is going to draw back into the lineup. It is likely going to be in place of Andre Burakovsky, who may be a scratch based on his late departure from the morning skate in San Jose. 

Jeff Blashill wouldn’t confirm or deny that thought process, so the true line combinations will have to wait until warmups. Spencer Knight will start in goal for the Blackhawks against the Sharks. 

This is likely to be another game with Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar, and Anton Frondell forming a three-headed monster down the middle. If so, that makes the Blackhawks a dangerous attacking team with those three coming in waves. 

Coming off a game in which he scored his first career NHL goal, Sacha Boisvert will likely round out the centers. With the wingers and defensemen committed to a certain defensive game, this team can skate with anyone. Against another young team like the Sharks, it will take a village to get it done, as it usually does in the NHL. 

For the Blackhawks, this is the last time that this team, as currently constructed, will be on the road together. After this game, they will return to Chicago for a four-game home-stand to finish the 2025-26 season. 

How To Watch

The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. To view this game, it is available on CHSN locally. Nationally, it is available to stream on ESPN+. The puck will drop shortly after 9:00 PM CT. 

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Takeaways: Martone's Electric OT Winner Propels Flyers Past Bruins

There are games that hinge on moments, and while this game certainly did at the end, it also validated a process.

The Philadelphia Flyers’ 2–1 overtime win over the Boston Bruins was a game that demanded patience, discipline, and emotional control against an opponent built to disrupt all three.

The result secured a 2–1 season series win over Boston. More importantly, it reinforced something more consequential: the Flyers are suddenly no longer chasing an unlikely postseason spot. With these two points, they're putting the Eastern Conference on notice that they control their own destiny, and they're comfortable in the driver's seat.

1. Porter Martone’s Breakthrough Was the Result of Process

For four games, Porter Martone had been building toward something.

Twenty shots. Consistent involvement. Visible confidence.

No goal.

That changed in the most emphatic way possible.

Martone’s overtime winner—his first NHL goal—was a milestone and a culmination. It made him the first player in franchise history to score his first NHL goal in overtime, and subsequently blew the roff of Xfinity Mobile Arena, but it was not just a fortunate bounce or an opportunistic finish.

Martone has approached the NHL game with an assertiveness that is difficult to manufacture, especially for a 19-year-old with about a week of NHL experience under his belt. He has not waited for space; he has created it. He has not deferred; he has engaged. And in doing so, he has consistently put himself in positions to influence outcomes.

“It’s awesome, especially for it to come that way in overtime,” Martone said. “An overtime winner as your first NHL goal is pretty special. I think just continue to playing my game; that’s who I am. My linemates have been setting me up great, and it’s nice to see that one go in.”

Philadelphia Flyers winger Porter Martone (94). (Megan DeRuchie-The Hockey News)
Philadelphia Flyers winger Porter Martone (94). (Megan DeRuchie-The Hockey News)

Martone understands what his game is, and more importantly, he is committed to playing it.

Head coach Rick Tocchet sees the same thing.

“You can just tell he’s a hockey player," Tocchet noted postgame. "He loves the game, even on the bench. He’s a very engaged kid. He’s not afraid to say something. He was talking about the power play, saying to some guys, ‘Hey, I’ll be here, you’ll be here.’ I like that.”

That level of engagement—tactically and emotionally—is rare for a player this early in his career.

The goal was the moment, but the process is the story.

2. Game Management Has Become a Defining Strength

In games like this, the difference is obviously in talent, but it is also in timing.

The Flyers managed the game extremely well, understanding when to push, when to absorb pressure, and when to simplify.

“I thought game management was better tonight,” Tocchet said. “There’s a lot of growth… a little bit of a rollercoaster sometimes, but, for the most part, this team has stuck together all year. I’m really proud of them.”

That growth was evident in subtle ways.

The Flyers limited unnecessary risks in transition and avoided overcommitting offensively. They maintained structure even when Boston increased physicality and tempo.

These are not exactly headline-grabbing elements, but they are the foundation of winning tight games.

Earlier in the season, this is the kind of game the Flyers might have lost—not because they were outplayed, but because they lost control of key moments. Against Boston, they stayed within themselves.

Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale (9) and forward Luke Glendening (41). (Megan DeRuchie-The Hockey News)
Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale (9) and forward Luke Glendening (41). (Megan DeRuchie-The Hockey News)

3. They Matched Boston’s Physical and Emotional Identity Without Losing Theirs

The Bruins' style is physical, emotionally charged, and designed to pull opponents out of structure. Against them, discipline is not optional—it is essential. The Flyers met that challenge directly.

They did not shy away from contact. Instead, they engaged physically, supported one another in scrums, and matched Boston’s intensity shift for shift. But crucially, they did not allow that intensity to dictate their decisions.

It requires a team to be both reactive and controlled—to respond physically without compromising positional structure. The Flyers managed it effectively, and in doing so, prevented the game from becoming chaotic.

4. Christian Dvorak and the Flyers’ Depth Continue to Stabilize the Lineup

While Martone’s goal will define the highlight, the foundation of the win was built earlier.

Christian Dvorak opened the scoring and added an assist, marking his 11th multi-point game of the season and continuing a strong recent stretch.

His impact all season has been less about flash and more about reliability.

Dvorak has become a stabilizing presence—connecting plays, supporting defensively, and contributing offensively without disrupting the team’s structure. In games that require patience and precision, those qualities become magnified.

This is what the Flyers have been building toward: a lineup where contributions are layered, not isolated. It allows them to withstand different types of games—whether high-scoring or tightly contested without needing to alter their identity.

5. Preparation, Not Pressure, Is Driving Their Late-Season Approach

The most revealing insight from this game came before it even began.

“I was a little nervous,” Tocchet admitted postgame. “[But] you don’t want to make people more nervous. I said before the game, you should be stressed if you’re not prepared… I think our team’s prepared to play. Whether we execute and all that stuff, who knows? But, for the most part, we’re prepared to play the game, so why get stressed?”

They are not ignoring the stakes. They understand the standings. They feel the urgency. But they are not allowing that urgency to dictate their approach.

Preparation, in this context, becomes a stabilizer. It allows the Flyers to enter high-pressure games with clarity rather than anxiety—to focus on execution rather than consequence. And in games like this, where one mistake can define the outcome, that mental framework is as important as any tactical adjustment.

They showed that they are learning—not just how to play, but how to win in the kind of playoff-esque, high-pressure games that define seasons.

Now, the challenge is simple.

Do it again.

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NHL Insider: Oilers "Betting Favorite" To Land European RW UFA

According to NHL insider Frank Seravalli, the Edmonton Oilers are among the frontrunners to land 21-year-old German unsigned UFA, Viet Oswald.

Seravalli writes:

Two undrafted free agents generating NHL interest:  RW Veit Oswald, 21, Red Bull Munich. The Oilers are the betting favorite, strong handful of teams interested." He adds that center Vitali Pinchuk is also getting interest, but didn't note if the Oilers were among the 15+ or so teams in on him. 

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What To Know About Oswald

Oswald is a German forward playing for EHC Red Bull München in the DEL. A product of Germany’s development system, he broke out in 2023–24, leading all U20 players in scoring and earning Rookie of the Year honors.

He has continued to produce steadily, posting solid numbers in recent seasons while contributing in the playoffs. This season, he's got 12 goals and 26 points in 38 games for  Munich EHC. 

Known for his skill, speed, and versatility, Oswald also plays a reliable two-way game. Undrafted in the NHL, he attended the Toronto Maple Leafs development camp in 2024.

Austin Kelly of Dobber Prospects writes, "In the 2024 NHL Draft, Veit Oswald was ranked 114th by Central Scouting for just Europeans. I ranked him 67th (and kept myself from ranking him top-64 because of it). "I may consider my entire ranking to be a failure if Veit Oswald does not play a game in the NHL", I had wrote."

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Panthers Forward Eetu Luostarinen Fined $5K For High-Sticking Pittsburgh's Rickard Rakell

It did not take long for the wheels of justice to turn in regard to a hit by a Florida Panthers player over the weekend.

The NHL Department of Player Safety announced on Monday that Panthers forward Eetu Luostarinen had been fined $5,000.

Their decision comes less than 24 hours after the play in question, which occurred during Sunday’s game between the Panthers and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

During the second period and with the puck in Florida’s zone, Penguins forward Rickard Rakell skated behind the Panthers’ net, closely followed by Luostarinen.

As Rakell turned to come back above the goal line from the other side of the net, Luostarinen caught Rakell with a high stick across the face while trying to deny his path back toward the front of the net.

Luostarinen was handed a four-minute double-minor penalty on the play.

While Rakell and the Penguins didn’t score on the ensuing power play, the veteran forward finished the game with a pair of goals, including the game-winner in a 5-2 victory over the Panthers.

The $5,000 represents the maximum allowable fine amount under the NHL and NHLPA’s collective bargaining agreement.

Luostarinen and the Panthers will be back in action on Tuesday when their road trip continues against the Canadiens in Montreal. 

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Photo caption: Jan 8, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Florida Panthers center Eetu Luostarinen (27) during warm-up before the game against the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre. (David Kirouac-Imagn Images)

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Championship roundup: Norwich deal blow to Millwall’s promotion push

  • Oscar Schwartau seals 2-1 comeback win for Norwich

  • Middlesbrough stay third after 2-2 draw at Swansea

Oscar Schwartau climbed off the bench to fire Norwich to a 2-1 win against Millwall – and do their fierce rivals Ipswich a big favour.

The Lions, who started Easter Monday in second, had taken the lead through substitute Mihailo Ivanovic shortly after half-time. But a long-range rocket from Pelle Mattsson and Schwartau’s winner condemned them to defeat to give the chasing pack – including Norwich’s East Anglian foes Ipswich – a major boost in the race for automatic promotion.

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MLB Power Rankings: Dodgers lead the way, Konnor Griffin and the Pirates are rolling

Welcome to the very first regular season edition of MLB Power Rankings for 2026. I’ll be here every Monday through the end of September to break down the top teams, moments, and storylines around MLB.

I posted a preseason edition of MLB Power Rankings a couple of weeks ago, and while I don’t want to be overly reactive, I do want to reward some impressive starts. For the most part, these rankings will be a combination of current performance and long-term outlook.

For this week’s edition, we celebrate Konnor Griffin’s arrival to the majors, Jo Adell’s once-in-a-lifetime defensive performance, and José Ramirez on the brink of history.

Let’s get started!

Note: Rankings are from the morning of Monday, April 6.

Yordan Alvarez
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1) Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers have the best hitter on the planet right now. It’s just not fair. Wait, were you expecting Shohei Ohtani? He’s pretty good too, but Andy Pages is off to the best start in this Dodgers’ lineup, including three straight three-hit games last week. It’s nice to see given how much he struggled in the postseason last year. Pages’ progress takes on added importance with Mookie Betts on the injured list due to an oblique injury.

2) New York Yankees

With Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón sidelined to begin the year, it was understandable to be somewhat nervous about how the rotation would be to begin the year. Well, it’s safe to say they are getting by just fine. Even with a shaky outing from Ryan Weathers against his former team on Saturday, the Yankees’ rotation holds an MLB-best 1.81 ERA through nine games.

3) Milwaukee Brewers

I’m here to report that the Brewers are indeed inevitable. Even without Jackson Chourio, they’ve scored more runs than any team in the National League to begin the year. A pleasant surprise in the early going, Garrett Mitchell homered and put up a career-high five RBI in the first game of a doubleheader against the Royals on Saturday.

Tortoise power! The Brewers stumbled into merchandising gold with the introduction of “Bobby Jr.” over the weekend.

4) Seattle Mariners

It’s been a rough start to the season for Cal Raleigh. After Jo Adell robbed him of what have been his first home run of the season on Saturday, the slugging backstop struck out with the bases loaded in the 11th inning on Sunday as part of an eventual 8-7 loss to the Angels.

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  • Christopher Crawford
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5) Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies had their four-game winning streak snapped on Sunday in Colorado as their offense continues to experience fits. The club is awaiting Zack Wheeler’s return from thoracic outlet syndrome, but he averaged just 92.7 mph on his fastball in his most recent minor league rehab start. For now, the Phillies aren’t concerned.

6) Detroit Tigers

The Tigers might have lost to the Cardinals on Sunday Night Baseball on Peacock and NBCSN, but catcher Dillon Dingler continues to win ABS challenges. He was 4-for-4 on Sunday night and is now a perfect 8-for-8 to begin the year.

7) Atlanta Braves

Despite missing Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach, Hurston Waldrep and AJ Smith-Shawver, the Braves’ rotation has been carrying the load out of the gates. Their 2.26 ERA is the best mark in the National League.

8) Houston Astros

Losing Hunter Brown to a shoulder strain is a tough blow for this rotation, but Yordan Alvarez is reminding everyone that he’s one of the best hitters in the majors when healthy. The 28-year-old blasted his fourth homer of the season on Sunday and currently leads MLB with a 1.478 OPS.

9) Toronto Blue Jays

The start of the season isn’t treating the Blue Jays kindly. Amid injuries to Cody Ponce (knee) and Alejandro Kirk (thumb) in recent days, they lost two out of three to the Rockies before being swept by the White Sox over the weekend.

10) New York Mets

No Juan Soto, no problem. The Mets pounded out 24 runs while winning the final three games against the Giants in San Francisco, with guys like Mark Vientos, Jared Young, and Luis Torrens playing key roles. As for Soto, it was announced on Monday that he's expected to miss around two to three weeks with his calf strain.

11) Chicago Cubs

It's understandable to be alarmed right now, as Cade Horton is sidelined with right forearm discomfort and Matthew Boyd is headed to the IL with a biceps strain. One positive for Chicago is that Seiya Suzuki is nearing his return from a knee injury. He began a minor league rehab assignment on Friday and could be activated as soon as Friday.

12) Cleveland Guardians

After Monday night, José Ramírez will have played more games than any player in Cleveland franchise history. He surpassed Hall of Fame second baseman Nap Lajoie (1,614) last week and is currently tied with Terry Turner at 1,619 games played.

13) Texas Rangers

After winning four straight, the Rangers have lost four in a row while scoring a grand total of seven runs. New leadoff man Brandon Nimmo has at least done his part by reaching base safely in all nine games for the Rangers.

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14) Baltimore Orioles

An active offseason for the Orioles hasn’t translated to wins so far. They were swept by the Pirates over the weekend and have now lost five out of six. They've hit just six homers through nine games. Only the Padres and Giants have hit fewer.

15) Pittsburgh Pirates

Is the patience finally paying off for Pirates fans? They’ve won five straight and had the best moment of the week with No. 1 prospect Konnor Griffin hitting a double in his first MLB at-bat.

Gosh, do these fans deserve it.

16) San Diego Padres

There's untouchable and then there's Padres closer Mason Miller. He’s struck out 11 out of the 15 batters he’s faced so far this season.

17) Boston Red Sox

Wilyer Abreu is hitting, but that’s about it so far as the Red Sox have tied their worst start (2-7) through nine games in team history.

18) Miami Marlins

Now that’s the vintage Sandy Alcantara that we love to see. The former Cy Young Award-winner pulled of a Maddux (shutout in fewer than 100 pitches) against the White Sox last Wednesday for his 13th career complete game and fifth shutout. If he’s truly back to his ace form, the Marlins could take that next step this year.

19) Cincinnati Reds

With Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo sidelined, young hurlers Rhett Lowder and Chase Burns are stepping up to lead the Reds’ rotation. Burns struck out nine over six innings of one-run ball on Sunday as the Reds completed a sweep of the Rangers.

20) Kansas City Royals

This wasn’t necessarily a graceful play by Royals reliever Daniel Lynch IV, but it sure was effective.

21) Arizona Diamondbacks

Is it okay to say that the Diamondbacks have been snake bit so far this season? No? Okay, well I’m doing it anyway. In addition to all of the injuries (Jordan Lawlar being the latest), the offense has really scuffled, most notably from new arrivals Nolan Arenado and Carlos Santana. Corbin Carroll has done most of the damage for this lineup, but it was a good sign to see Ketel Marte walk things off on Sunday.

22) Los Angeles Angels

The best baseball picture of the year already exists. And it came from a fan.

If you haven’t seen Jo Adell’s three home run robberies on Saturday, make sure to remedy that quickly.

23) Tampa Bay Rays

Junior Caminero finally connected for his first home run of the season on Sunday against the Twins. And if you thought this pitch looked low to the ground, you are correct. Per Sarah Langs of MLB.com, it was the lowest pitch for a home run hit so far this season.

24) San Francisco Giants

The Giants have struggled in multiple phases to begin the year, but there was a feel-good moment on Thursday as Daniel Susac notched three hits and drew a walk in his first MLB start. Most of his family was ecstatic about the performance.

25) St. Louis Cardinals

With all of the hype and success of this year’s rookie class, it’s easy to forget about a player like Jordan Walker, who was all the rage when he came up in 2023. It has been a bumpy ride since then, including a .584 OPS in 111 games last season, but he’s swinging a hot bat so far this season.

The metrics back it up too, as Walker ranks in the 99th percentile in bat speed and hard-hit percentage. Not bad for a guy who doesn’t turn 24 years old until next month.

26) Minnesota Twins

Entering play on Monday, the Twins rank last in the majors with a .192 batting average. Byron Buxton, who celebrated 10 years of service time on Sunday, is 4-for-30 (.133) to start the year.

27) Athletics

Brent Rooker was hitting .133 with zero homers and one RBI through the first eight games of the season before exploding for two homers and six RBI against the Astros on Sunday, highlighted by a walk-off homer in extras.

Nick Kurtz also reached base in five out of his six plate appearances as he tries to break out of an early-season slump.

28) Chicago White Sox

So far, the gamble on Munetaka Murakami looks like a wise one for White Sox. With this three-run blast against the Blue Jays on Saturday, he became the first Japanese-born player to amass four homers over his first eight games in the majors.

29) Washington Nationals

After homering in three straight games last week, CJ Abrams is tied with Liam Hicks of the Marlins and Garrett Mitchell of the Brewers for the MLB lead with 12 RBI.

30) Colorado Rockies

The Rockies had lost each of their last nine games against the Phillies until Sunday, as Tomoyuki Sugano spun a gem and Mickey Moniak slugged a pair of homers against the team who drafted him.

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Mets expect Juan Soto to be sidelined 2 to 3 weeks by strained right calf

NEW YORK (AP) — New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto is projected to miss two to three weeks because of a strained right calf.

New York put the four-time All-Star on the 10-day injured list Monday, a move retroactive to Saturday. The Mets said the typical timeframe for a return to play for this type of injury is about two to three weeks.

Infielder Ronny Mauricio was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse.

Soto, 27, is in the second season of a record $765 million, 15-year contract. He is hitting .355 with one homer and five RBIs in eight games after batting .263 with 43 homers, 105 RBIs, 38 stolen bases, 127 walks and a .921 OPS in his first season with the Mets.

Soto was hurt Friday night trying to run from first to third during the Mets’ 10-3 win at San Francisco.

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Brewers place Jared Koenig on injured list, Shane Drohan recalled

Feb 27, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Shane Drohan against the Chicago White Sox during a spring training game at American Family Fields of Phoenix. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Brewers have placed left-handed pitcher Jared Koenig on the 15-day injured list with a left elbow sprain, recalling fellow lefty Shane Drohan from Triple-A Nashville to replace him on the 26-man roster.

Koenig, 32, is in his third season in Milwaukee as he’s developed into a valuable back-of-the-bullpen piece during his Brewer tenure. Over his three seasons, he has a 2.62 ERA and a 3.30 FIP with 135 strikeouts over 130 1/3 innings. He’s made three appearances so far this season, pitching 2 1/3 innings with two unearned runs allowed and four strikeouts.

Koenig’s injury is just the latest in a line of early-season injuries, including outfielder Jackson Chourio, first baseman Andrew Vaughn, and pitchers Quinn Priester, Craig Yoho, and Rob Zastryzny.

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Brewers place Jared Koenig on injured list, Shane Drohan recalled

Feb 27, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Shane Drohan against the Chicago White Sox during a spring training game at American Family Fields of Phoenix. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Brewers have placed left-handed pitcher Jared Koenig on the 15-day injured list with a left elbow sprain, recalling fellow lefty Shane Drohan from Triple-A Nashville to replace him on the 26-man roster.

Koenig, 32, is in his third season in Milwaukee as he’s developed into a valuable back-of-the-bullpen piece during his Brewer tenure. Over his three seasons, he has a 2.62 ERA and a 3.30 FIP with 135 strikeouts over 130 1/3 innings. He’s made three appearances so far this season, pitching 2 1/3 innings with two unearned runs allowed and four strikeouts.

Koenig’s injury is just the latest in a line of early-season injuries, including outfielder Jackson Chourio, first baseman Andrew Vaughn, and pitchers Quinn Priester, Craig Yoho, and Rob Zastryzny.

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Braves vs Angels Prediction, Picks & Odds for Today's MLB Game

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The Los Angeles Angels are going to need more than Jo Adell robbing home runs if they want to upset the Atlanta Braves tonight.

Atlanta hands the ball to ace Chris Sale, which will be an issue for a Halos team that has been anything but heavenly when it comes to getting punched out.

My Braves vs. Angels predictions and MLB picks like Sale to lead road team to a win by multiple runs in this interleague matchup set for first pitch at 9:38 pm ET at Angels Stadium in Anaheim, on Monday, April 6.

Who will win Braves vs Angels today: Braves -1.5 (+100)

The Los Angeles Angels needed Jo Adell’s miracle glove to literally rob a 1-0 win from the Mariners on Saturday night. 

Unfortunately, they’ll need their bats to step up in order to have any hope against Chris Sale and the Atlanta Braves. 

Sale has looked great in his first two starts, allowing just one run on four hits while striking out nine over 12 innings.

He faces an Angels team that has the fourth-highest strikeout rate this season and had the highest in 2025 when facing left-handed pitching.

Sale will lead the Braves to a decisive win on Monday night.

Covers COVERS INTEL: Current Angels hitters have combined for a career 32.4% strikeout rate when facing Sale.

Braves vs Angels Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (-105)

Outside of a 17-run outburst on April 2 against the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Braves' bats haven’t been as loud as you would expect and have plated four runs or fewer in four of their first seven games.

Tonight, they’ll face Angels’ ace, Jose Soriano. The right-hander has yet to allow a run on four hits over 12 innings pitched this season.

Meanwhile, the Angels rank 20th in OPS, 21st in wRC+, and it now sounds like they’ll be without Mike Trout for an extended period of time. That never helps an offense. Runs could be hard to come by tonight.

Andrew Caley's 2026 Transparency Record
  • ML/RL bets: 3-1, +1.8 units
  • Over/Under bets: 3-1, +1.9 units

Braves vs Angels odds

  • Moneyline: Atlanta -170 | Los Angeles +145
  • Run line: Atlanta -1.5 (+100) | Los Angeles +1.5 (-120)
  • Over/Under: Over 7.5 | Under 7.5

Braves vs Angels trend

The Angels have hit the Team Total Under in 31 of their last 41 games dating back to last season for +20.90 Units and a 43% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Braves vs. Angels.

How to watch Braves vs Angels and game info

LocationAngels Stadium, Anaheim, CA
DateMonday, April 6, 2026
First pitch9:38 p.m. ET
TVBravesVsn, FDSN West
Braves starting pitcherChris Sale
(2-0, 0.75 ERA)
Angels starting pitcherJose Soriano
(2-0, 0.00 ERA)

Braves vs Angels latest injuries

Braves vs Angels weather

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

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Braves vs Angels Prediction, Picks & Odds for Today's MLB Game

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The Los Angeles Angels are going to need more than Jo Adell robbing home runs if they want to upset the Atlanta Braves tonight.

Atlanta hands the ball to ace Chris Sale, which will be an issue for a Halos team that has been anything but heavenly when it comes to getting punched out.

My Braves vs. Angels predictions and MLB picks like Sale to lead road team to a win by multiple runs in this interleague matchup set for first pitch at 9:38 pm ET at Angels Stadium in Anaheim, on Monday, April 6.

Who will win Braves vs Angels today: Braves -1.5 (+100)

The Los Angeles Angels needed Jo Adell’s miracle glove to literally rob a 1-0 win from the Mariners on Saturday night. 

Unfortunately, they’ll need their bats to step up in order to have any hope against Chris Sale and the Atlanta Braves. 

Sale has looked great in his first two starts, allowing just one run on four hits while striking out nine over 12 innings.

He faces an Angels team that has the fourth-highest strikeout rate this season and had the highest in 2025 when facing left-handed pitching.

Sale will lead the Braves to a decisive win on Monday night.

Covers COVERS INTEL: Current Angels hitters have combined for a career 32.4% strikeout rate when facing Sale.

Braves vs Angels Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (-105)

Outside of a 17-run outburst on April 2 against the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Braves' bats haven’t been as loud as you would expect and have plated four runs or fewer in four of their first seven games.

Tonight, they’ll face Angels’ ace, Jose Soriano. The right-hander has yet to allow a run on four hits over 12 innings pitched this season.

Meanwhile, the Angels rank 20th in OPS, 21st in wRC+, and it now sounds like they’ll be without Mike Trout for an extended period of time. That never helps an offense. Runs could be hard to come by tonight.

Andrew Caley's 2026 Transparency Record
  • ML/RL bets: 3-1, +1.8 units
  • Over/Under bets: 3-1, +1.9 units

Braves vs Angels odds

  • Moneyline: Atlanta -170 | Los Angeles +145
  • Run line: Atlanta -1.5 (+100) | Los Angeles +1.5 (-120)
  • Over/Under: Over 7.5 | Under 7.5

Braves vs Angels trend

The Angels have hit the Team Total Under in 31 of their last 41 games dating back to last season for +20.90 Units and a 43% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Braves vs. Angels.

How to watch Braves vs Angels and game info

LocationAngels Stadium, Anaheim, CA
DateMonday, April 6, 2026
First pitch9:38 p.m. ET
TVBravesVsn, FDSN West
Braves starting pitcherChris Sale
(2-0, 0.75 ERA)
Angels starting pitcherJose Soriano
(2-0, 0.00 ERA)

Braves vs Angels latest injuries

Braves vs Angels weather

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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Chris Sale takes the mound for the Braves against the Angels

ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 01: Chris Sale #51 of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the second inning during the game against the Athletics at Truist Park on April 1, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Jack Casey/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Atlanta Braves are coming off a disappointing series against the Arizona Diamondbacks and will stay out west to face the Angels. Chris Sale will be taking the mound facing off against José Soriano, who has firmly cemented himself as the best pitcher in the Angels’ rotation.

Soriano has started the season of in incredible fashion. He has made two starts and pitched a total of 12.0 innings and has only given up four hits. He has yet to give up a single earned run this season. His only blemish is that he has walked four hitters to striking out eleven. Hitters so far have a .105 average against him, and he is inducing ground outs at twice the rate of outs in the air.

With Soriano spending his entire career so far with the Angels, the players on the Braves’ roster have not seen him much. Jonah Heim has twelve at-bats against him, but those were not in a Braves uniform. Outside of Heim, no other player on the roster has seen Soriano more than six at-bats.

Even though Heim has seen him the most, it has not helped. He has a .083 average in his limited action. Acuña, Albies, Farmer, and Harris are all hitless against Soriano, although it is hard to make any type of conclusion after only seeing him a few times.

The player with the most success against Soriano is Matt Olson with a .333 average and 1.000 OPS, but that is in only three at-bats. On paper the Braves’ offense does not have an upper hand in this matchup. The only area that sticks out in terms of hope for a fun night offensively is that there is a large gap in Soriano’s wOBA against him versus his xwOBA. His wOBA against of .175 is in the best 9.0 percent in MLB, but his xwOBA against is much higher at .266. An xwOBA against of .266 is still very good. For reference the league average over the past four seasons is .315.

Chris Sale is taking the mound with a pristine ERA of 0.75 after two starts and 12.0 innings pitched. His strikeout rate so far this season of 21.4 percent is well below his career average of 32.3, and his walk rate of 7.1 percent is the highest of his career, so both of those are concerning.

There is a bright spot to his metrics outside of the obvious ERA. He is inducing ground balls at a 48.3 percent clip. That number is 12.0 percent better than league average and is well above his career rate of 42.3 percent. We also need to consider that in his last game he was battling flu symptoms. If last game he was actually feeling poor and he is inducing a ton of grounders, it is a good sign of things to come this evening.

Most players on the Angels have faced Sale before, but only two have faced him fourteen times or more. 2021 World Series hero Jorge Soler has fourteen at-bats against Sale but has struggled with a .143 average and .536 OPS. Mike Trout has twenty at-bats with a HR, .300 average, and .940 OPS. However, Trout is day-to-day, so we don’t know for sure if he will play or not.

We can hope that the Braves offense can kick it into gear again tonight, but Soriano has been on fire. It looks like we may be in store for a fun night filled with great pitching.

First pitch is at 9:38 PM EDT

Game Info

Game Time: Monday, April 6th, 9:38 pm EDT

Location: Angel Stadium, Anaheim, CA

Watch: BravesVision

Radio/Audio: 680 AM / 93.7 FM The Fan

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Chris Sale takes the mound for the Braves against the Angels

ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 01: Chris Sale #51 of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the second inning during the game against the Athletics at Truist Park on April 1, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Jack Casey/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Atlanta Braves are coming off a disappointing series against the Arizona Diamondbacks and will stay out west to face the Angels. Chris Sale will be taking the mound facing off against José Soriano, who has firmly cemented himself as the best pitcher in the Angels’ rotation.

Soriano has started the season of in incredible fashion. He has made two starts and pitched a total of 12.0 innings and has only given up four hits. He has yet to give up a single earned run this season. His only blemish is that he has walked four hitters to striking out eleven. Hitters so far have a .105 average against him, and he is inducing ground outs at twice the rate of outs in the air.

With Soriano spending his entire career so far with the Angels, the players on the Braves’ roster have not seen him much. Jonah Heim has twelve at-bats against him, but those were not in a Braves uniform. Outside of Heim, no other player on the roster has seen Soriano more than six at-bats.

Even though Heim has seen him the most, it has not helped. He has a .083 average in his limited action. Acuña, Albies, Farmer, and Harris are all hitless against Soriano, although it is hard to make any type of conclusion after only seeing him a few times.

The player with the most success against Soriano is Matt Olson with a .333 average and 1.000 OPS, but that is in only three at-bats. On paper the Braves’ offense does not have an upper hand in this matchup. The only area that sticks out in terms of hope for a fun night offensively is that there is a large gap in Soriano’s wOBA against him versus his xwOBA. His wOBA against of .175 is in the best 9.0 percent in MLB, but his xwOBA against is much higher at .266. An xwOBA against of .266 is still very good. For reference the league average over the past four seasons is .315.

Chris Sale is taking the mound with a pristine ERA of 0.75 after two starts and 12.0 innings pitched. His strikeout rate so far this season of 21.4 percent is well below his career average of 32.3, and his walk rate of 7.1 percent is the highest of his career, so both of those are concerning.

There is a bright spot to his metrics outside of the obvious ERA. He is inducing ground balls at a 48.3 percent clip. That number is 12.0 percent better than league average and is well above his career rate of 42.3 percent. We also need to consider that in his last game he was battling flu symptoms. If last game he was actually feeling poor and he is inducing a ton of grounders, it is a good sign of things to come this evening.

Most players on the Angels have faced Sale before, but only two have faced him fourteen times or more. 2021 World Series hero Jorge Soler has fourteen at-bats against Sale but has struggled with a .143 average and .536 OPS. Mike Trout has twenty at-bats with a HR, .300 average, and .940 OPS. However, Trout is day-to-day, so we don’t know for sure if he will play or not.

We can hope that the Braves offense can kick it into gear again tonight, but Soriano has been on fire. It looks like we may be in store for a fun night filled with great pitching.

First pitch is at 9:38 PM EDT

Game Info

Game Time: Monday, April 6th, 9:38 pm EDT

Location: Angel Stadium, Anaheim, CA

Watch: BravesVision

Radio/Audio: 680 AM / 93.7 FM The Fan

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The D-backs: 10 games in

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 05: Ketel Marte #4 of the Arizona Diamondbacks celebrates with teammates after hitting a walk off RBI double against the Atlanta Braves during the tenth inning at Chase Field on April 05, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. Diamondbacks won 6-5. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images

With an off-day today, it seems like a good time to take stock of the early going. We have now completed two turns around the rotation, and Arizona has gone 5-5 against a trio of teams Fangraphs currently has at better than sixty percent odds to make the postseason. Could certainly be worse. [Looks over at San Francisco, 3-7 and in last place in the division, their suckiest start since 2015] Of course, there’s still room for improvement. But given the toughness of the early schedule, keeping around .500, say through mid-May would by no means be a bad thing. However there’s still room for improvement. Let’s look at what has and hasn’t worked so far for Arizona

Hitting

  • Runs per game: 3.5 (25th in MLB)
  • OPS+: 80 (26th)
  • BA: .211 (22nd)
  • OBP: .271 (28th)
  • SLG: .367 (17th)

This is certainly the area where there has been the biggest drop-off. Last year through ten games, Arizona had scored 58 runs, with an OPS of .800. That’s 162 points better than the figure this year. Some of that may be bad luck. The team’s BABIP this season is .245: 47 points down on a year ago, and ranked 28th. Three regulars have posted an OPS+ of lower than 25 – Nolan Arenado (23), Alek Thomas (15) and Carlos Santana (-19). But let’s be honest: nobody really expected much from them at the plate. Almost as troubling has been three others who were expected to produce. Gabriel Moreno, Geraldo Perdomo and Ketel Marte all have OPSs in the sixties.

Some of this may rectify itself. Marte in particular is hammering the ball. Only two players have more balls classified by Baseball Savant as hard-hit (95+ mph) than Marte’s 18. The problem is, Marte’s average launch angle is 6.9 degrees. It doesn’t matter how hard you hit the ball if you are pounding it into the ground. Last year, Ketel’s launch angle was a much more productive 14.8 degrees. Thomas may simply be unlucky. More than half his balls in play have been hard-hit (52.4%) and the launch angle of 17.8 degrees is fine too. But his BABIP is all the way down at .190. I’d expect his results to improve going forward. Just keep doing what you’re doing, Alek.

Arizona ranks much nearer the middle of the pack in these peripheral offensive metrics. Their hard-hit percentage of 41.1% is twelfth, with a launch angle of 13.5 degrees which is 14th. What is odd is, the offensive struggles have not been due to a team-wide lack of clutch hitting. With runners in scoring position, Arizona has an OPS of .793. That’s eighth-best in the majors. Though it is hugely variable. Marte, Perdomo, Moreno and Santana are a collective 1-for-26 with RISP. Ketel’s walk-off hit yesterday afternoon was that quartet’s first clutch hit of the season. But generally, it has been struggling to get runner on base. With nobody aboard, Arizona has an OPS of just .579.

Starting pitching

  • ERA: 3.29 (11th)
  • FIP: 4.37 (24th)
  • fWAR: 0.5 (24th)
  • K:BB: 2.06 (23rd)
  • K%: 17.4% (29th)
  • BB%: 8.5% (15th)

It’s less the overall performance of the rotation which has been a surprise, than who has been delivering it. After two starts apiece, Eduardo Rodriguez and Michael Soroka have combined to throw 22 innings while allowing just a single earned run. Anybody see that coming? Zac Gallen has been okay: one meh start, one good one. But it’s the in-house products of Ryne Nelson and Brandon Pfaadt who have struggled, with a combined ERA there of 6.30. All told, the overall numbers have been good. That ERA is exactly one run better than the Arizona rotation delivered in 2025. But there’s cause to wonder if that is sustainable.

In particular, look at the FIP, which gives back all that improvement, and a little more. It’s worse than the equivalent figure last season (4.21). You don’t have to look far to see why. Arizona’s starters are not missing enough bats. Starters generally this year are basically at 9.0 Ks per nine innings. Arizona are second-worst, all the way down at 6.4. Soroka, who has 13 strikeouts in ten innings, is the only one even at 7.0. Everybody else has combined for 24 Ks over 42 IP. Gallen has fanned only four of the forty batters he has faced. The performance has been very reliant on a .238 BABIP, fourth-lowest in baseball. That may well regress, and it probably won’t be pretty when it does.

Relief pitching

  • ERA: 6.50 (29th)
  • FIP: 5.03 (21st)
  • fWAR: -0.3 (21st)
  • WP: +26% (12th)
  • Shutdowns: 16 (3rd)
  • Meltdowns: 9 (3rd)

The situation here is likely the reverse, in that things aren’t bad as they seem. As noted in yesterday’s recaps, half of the 26 runs allowed by the bullpen belong to the junkball arms of the DFA’d Joe Ross and backup catcher James McCann, who gave up 13 ER in 4.2 IP. Take them out, and Arizona’s relief ERA plummets to a much more respectable 3.73. That would actually be ranked in the top half by overall bullpen ERA, a position the D-backs have not occupied for a very long time. Of course, any other team would improve if you took out their two worst arms as well, but likely not to such a dramatic degree.

It has felt to me like the bullpen has been feast or famine, and you can see that in the shutdowns and meltdowns, where Arizona ranks close to the top in both categories. It seems like almost every game, one reliever or another will have a sticky outing, but everyone else is solid. Consequently, almost two-thirds of D-backs’ relief appearances (25 of 38) have been classed as a shutdown or a meltdown, a far higher ratio than last year’s 41.6%. I think we are still figuring out who can be trusted. But things haven’t been too bad thus far, despite the absence of left-handed options. Hopefully, we can keep improvising until reinforcements arrive, in the shapes of A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez.

Defense and base-running

  • DRS: +15 (1st)
  • Def: +3.2 (4th)
  • Errors: 5 (=10th)
  • SB/CS/OOB: 6/2/3
  • BSR: -1.4 (27th)

Torey Lovullo made defense a priority after a “disgusting” campaign with the glove in 2025. That was a key factor in the signings of Arenado and Santana, and going by the metrics so far, that seems to have paid off. While these are still very small samples, Arizona have been among the best teams on defense so far. Particularly outstanding has been Thomas, who certainly has not let his struggles at the plate carry over into the field. By DRS (Defensive Runs Saved), Alek’s +4 leads all major-leaguers, with Marte just behind him at +3. Fangraphs’ Def also has Thomas as the best fielder in the majors. Early days, but a Gold Glove could be in Thomas’s future.

The base-running got off to a rough start, with multiple TOOTBLANs over the opening series in Los Angeles. Things have calmed down, with no outs on the basepaths since. Indeed, the team might now be skewing too conservative. Looking at the percentage of times they take an extra base, e.g. scoring from second base on a single, Arizona’s figure of 31% is the third-lowest in the majors. In particular, the D-backs have had a runner on first 22 times when a single was hit. Only twice has that runner reached third safely. Last year, that happened around 33% of the time for Arizona. We might want to pick that up.

Conclusions

As you would perhaps expect from a team with a 5-5 record, it has very much been a mixed bag for the Diamondbacks. That’s in line with the emotional roller-coaster we’ve gone through. From being swept by the Dodgers, to sweeping the Tigers, to being clubbed mercilessly by the Braves, to walking them off yesterday. It is still only ten games, and I expect more or less everything to normalize as the sample size increases. That overall win record may be the most accurate reflection of where the team is heading, rather than particular areas or individual performances.

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The D-backs: 10 games in

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 05: Ketel Marte #4 of the Arizona Diamondbacks celebrates with teammates after hitting a walk off RBI double against the Atlanta Braves during the tenth inning at Chase Field on April 05, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. Diamondbacks won 6-5. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images

With an off-day today, it seems like a good time to take stock of the early going. We have now completed two turns around the rotation, and Arizona has gone 5-5 against a trio of teams Fangraphs currently has at better than sixty percent odds to make the postseason. Could certainly be worse. [Looks over at San Francisco, 3-7 and in last place in the division, their suckiest start since 2015] Of course, there’s still room for improvement. But given the toughness of the early schedule, keeping around .500, say through mid-May would by no means be a bad thing. However there’s still room for improvement. Let’s look at what has and hasn’t worked so far for Arizona

Hitting

  • Runs per game: 3.5 (25th in MLB)
  • OPS+: 80 (26th)
  • BA: .211 (22nd)
  • OBP: .271 (28th)
  • SLG: .367 (17th)

This is certainly the area where there has been the biggest drop-off. Last year through ten games, Arizona had scored 58 runs, with an OPS of .800. That’s 162 points better than the figure this year. Some of that may be bad luck. The team’s BABIP this season is .245: 47 points down on a year ago, and ranked 28th. Three regulars have posted an OPS+ of lower than 25 – Nolan Arenado (23), Alek Thomas (15) and Carlos Santana (-19). But let’s be honest: nobody really expected much from them at the plate. Almost as troubling has been three others who were expected to produce. Gabriel Moreno, Geraldo Perdomo and Ketel Marte all have OPSs in the sixties.

Some of this may rectify itself. Marte in particular is hammering the ball. Only two players have more balls classified by Baseball Savant as hard-hit (95+ mph) than Marte’s 18. The problem is, Marte’s average launch angle is 6.9 degrees. It doesn’t matter how hard you hit the ball if you are pounding it into the ground. Last year, Ketel’s launch angle was a much more productive 14.8 degrees. Thomas may simply be unlucky. More than half his balls in play have been hard-hit (52.4%) and the launch angle of 17.8 degrees is fine too. But his BABIP is all the way down at .190. I’d expect his results to improve going forward. Just keep doing what you’re doing, Alek.

Arizona ranks much nearer the middle of the pack in these peripheral offensive metrics. Their hard-hit percentage of 41.1% is twelfth, with a launch angle of 13.5 degrees which is 14th. What is odd is, the offensive struggles have not been due to a team-wide lack of clutch hitting. With runners in scoring position, Arizona has an OPS of .793. That’s eighth-best in the majors. Though it is hugely variable. Marte, Perdomo, Moreno and Santana are a collective 1-for-26 with RISP. Ketel’s walk-off hit yesterday afternoon was that quartet’s first clutch hit of the season. But generally, it has been struggling to get runner on base. With nobody aboard, Arizona has an OPS of just .579.

Starting pitching

  • ERA: 3.29 (11th)
  • FIP: 4.37 (24th)
  • fWAR: 0.5 (24th)
  • K:BB: 2.06 (23rd)
  • K%: 17.4% (29th)
  • BB%: 8.5% (15th)

It’s less the overall performance of the rotation which has been a surprise, than who has been delivering it. After two starts apiece, Eduardo Rodriguez and Michael Soroka have combined to throw 22 innings while allowing just a single earned run. Anybody see that coming? Zac Gallen has been okay: one meh start, one good one. But it’s the in-house products of Ryne Nelson and Brandon Pfaadt who have struggled, with a combined ERA there of 6.30. All told, the overall numbers have been good. That ERA is exactly one run better than the Arizona rotation delivered in 2025. But there’s cause to wonder if that is sustainable.

In particular, look at the FIP, which gives back all that improvement, and a little more. It’s worse than the equivalent figure last season (4.21). You don’t have to look far to see why. Arizona’s starters are not missing enough bats. Starters generally this year are basically at 9.0 Ks per nine innings. Arizona are second-worst, all the way down at 6.4. Soroka, who has 13 strikeouts in ten innings, is the only one even at 7.0. Everybody else has combined for 24 Ks over 42 IP. Gallen has fanned only four of the forty batters he has faced. The performance has been very reliant on a .238 BABIP, fourth-lowest in baseball. That may well regress, and it probably won’t be pretty when it does.

Relief pitching

  • ERA: 6.50 (29th)
  • FIP: 5.03 (21st)
  • fWAR: -0.3 (21st)
  • WP: +26% (12th)
  • Shutdowns: 16 (3rd)
  • Meltdowns: 9 (3rd)

The situation here is likely the reverse, in that things aren’t bad as they seem. As noted in yesterday’s recaps, half of the 26 runs allowed by the bullpen belong to the junkball arms of the DFA’d Joe Ross and backup catcher James McCann, who gave up 13 ER in 4.2 IP. Take them out, and Arizona’s relief ERA plummets to a much more respectable 3.73. That would actually be ranked in the top half by overall bullpen ERA, a position the D-backs have not occupied for a very long time. Of course, any other team would improve if you took out their two worst arms as well, but likely not to such a dramatic degree.

It has felt to me like the bullpen has been feast or famine, and you can see that in the shutdowns and meltdowns, where Arizona ranks close to the top in both categories. It seems like almost every game, one reliever or another will have a sticky outing, but everyone else is solid. Consequently, almost two-thirds of D-backs’ relief appearances (25 of 38) have been classed as a shutdown or a meltdown, a far higher ratio than last year’s 41.6%. I think we are still figuring out who can be trusted. But things haven’t been too bad thus far, despite the absence of left-handed options. Hopefully, we can keep improvising until reinforcements arrive, in the shapes of A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez.

Defense and base-running

  • DRS: +15 (1st)
  • Def: +3.2 (4th)
  • Errors: 5 (=10th)
  • SB/CS/OOB: 6/2/3
  • BSR: -1.4 (27th)

Torey Lovullo made defense a priority after a “disgusting” campaign with the glove in 2025. That was a key factor in the signings of Arenado and Santana, and going by the metrics so far, that seems to have paid off. While these are still very small samples, Arizona have been among the best teams on defense so far. Particularly outstanding has been Thomas, who certainly has not let his struggles at the plate carry over into the field. By DRS (Defensive Runs Saved), Alek’s +4 leads all major-leaguers, with Marte just behind him at +3. Fangraphs’ Def also has Thomas as the best fielder in the majors. Early days, but a Gold Glove could be in Thomas’s future.

The base-running got off to a rough start, with multiple TOOTBLANs over the opening series in Los Angeles. Things have calmed down, with no outs on the basepaths since. Indeed, the team might now be skewing too conservative. Looking at the percentage of times they take an extra base, e.g. scoring from second base on a single, Arizona’s figure of 31% is the third-lowest in the majors. In particular, the D-backs have had a runner on first 22 times when a single was hit. Only twice has that runner reached third safely. Last year, that happened around 33% of the time for Arizona. We might want to pick that up.

Conclusions

As you would perhaps expect from a team with a 5-5 record, it has very much been a mixed bag for the Diamondbacks. That’s in line with the emotional roller-coaster we’ve gone through. From being swept by the Dodgers, to sweeping the Tigers, to being clubbed mercilessly by the Braves, to walking them off yesterday. It is still only ten games, and I expect more or less everything to normalize as the sample size increases. That overall win record may be the most accurate reflection of where the team is heading, rather than particular areas or individual performances.