BravesVision analyst Peter Moylan talks about coaching, ABS, pitching in Czechia and the big fight

ATLANTA, GA - MAY 05: Peter Moylan #30 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the game against the San Francisco Giants at SunTrust Park on May 5, 2018, in Atlanta, Georgia. The Giants won 9-4. (Photo by Cameron Hart/Beam Imagination/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Right before Wednesday’s series finale between the Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Angels, I got a chance to chat with former Braves reliever and current BravesVision TV analyst Peter Moylan. Moylan was gracious enough to share some of his time with us and so I got the chance to ask him some questions about the past and also about the future of the sport as well.

As Braves fans, we’re all familiar with the Australian hurler who became a bit of a cult legend no matter where he went. He’s been all over the place as well, as he even had a stint in the Czech Republic. There aren’t too many people who can say that they’ve played baseball in MLB, Australia and Czechia so when you get a chance to chat with someone who has, you absolutely have to take it.

Here’s our interview with Peter Moylan and I hope y’all enjoy it!


This interview has been edited for clarity when needed

Demetrius Bell: So, about [Tuesday] night! You were a teammate of [Jorge] Soler’s and you played under Walt Weiss when he was a coach here. What were your thoughts on the fight?

Peter Moylan: I don’t know what ticked Jorge off — obviously there’s a little bit of history there with Reynaldo. I think [the pitch] might’ve been a little too close for comfort for him and I think something sparked when there was a little break. Everybody was caught off guard and honestly, I’ve never seen Jorge look like that! He’s such a mild-mannered guy so something obviously ticked him off. But Walt was able to defuse the situation! They were not pushing and shoving, they were throwing haymakers! I think Walt’s thought process was ‘I just want to get Soler on the ground and hopefully everything can calm down after that.’ It kind of did but it was mad crazy!

DB: Yeah, it was absolutely crazy. It was also a good thing that there was somebody with Taekwondo knowledge in there to deal with the situation.

PM: Let me tell you something: No one’s going to mess with Walt. Everybody knows that Walt spends as much time as anybody in the weight room and he’s not just doing band work. He’s throwing some serious weight around and he definitely knows how to take someone down as we saw.

DB: Yeah, that was an absolutely crazy incident. But now that we can get to the actual questions for this interview: How does your preparation go for every game? What’s the process like for you when it comes to getting information ready to share out to the fans?

PM: I like to get to the studio or the field about three hours before the game. I’ll check the lineups if we have those. Then I’ll just run through a checklist: I’ll check out the starting pitchers, I’ll check out the opposing lineups, who’s hot, who’s not, potential base stealers, any little features that we want to work on. Anybody who’s been hot for us, we usually do some sort of story on. Recently it’s been Drake Baldwin and Mauricio Dubón for most of this year. It all depends on what’s happened in the couple of days before and where we’re at in the series.

For instance, this [the series finale vs. the Angels] is the last game of the series. We want to win this one today obviously to come home with a positive road trip and then they have the first day off of the year following that. So this is a big game today.

DB: Moving on, so you have experience as a coach in Australia. Has that changed your perspective on the game as both an analyst and a former player?

PM: Let me tell you: As a manager, the game speeds up on you so fast. You’re just worried about so many different things — the pitching changes, moving the infield, placing the outfield, do you put a bunt down, are you going to hit-and-run in a certain situation, do you pinch-hit for a guy? There’s just so much information getting fed to you so quickly. In close games and tight games, that’s where it gets really interest. I’ve got a whole different level of respect for managers and coaches in general, for sure.

DB: Right? I remember seeing of yours from the past where you said that you felt more nervous as a coach than you did as a player.

PM: Well, it’s because you can’t control anything. You just hope you’ve done enough to get these guys prepared so that when they get in a situation where they have to either perform or not that they can perform. Your hands are tied at that point once the game starts — you’re just sitting back and hoping that you can do what you taught them.

DB: Right, it’s a very different situation. Even though you have control of the tactics, it’s still different from being actually on the field to actually do it.

PM: I can have the perfect ‘pen night lined up but if one guy comes in and he doesn’t have his best stuff that day and he struggles then all your plans are gone and you’re going to have to try to figure it out after that.

DB: So, from your experience in Australia to playing in places like the Czech Republic, how did that time in the Czech Republic influence your thoughts on baseball? Have you carried anything with you from that experience?

PM: It’s interesting because growing up in Australia, baseball is not the number one sport. Obviously our facilities have never been the greatest. So when I went to the Czech Republic, it was very similar to what [I had when] I grew up playing so it was very comfortable for me. To go over there and experience that level of the sport like I did when I was growing up, I think the Czech Republic and a lot of European nations are really putting a lot of effort into improving their baseball teams and they’re very passionate about it.

Much like our Australian Baseball League, a lot of the guys that are on those teams [in the Czech Republic] have regular jobs. They’ll have a 9-to-5 and they’ll show up to training a couple of times a week. They played more games on the weekend and train a couple of times a week, so they’re really into it over there. It was just such an amazing experience.

I’d never been to Europe before! I’d pitch on a Friday night and then I’d travel Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday somewhere around Europe and then I’d come back and pitch again on the next Friday night and try to get a win for the guys. It was just incredible.

DB: Did you play with any of the players who were on the Czech team during this most recent World Baseball Classic?

PM: Oh yeah, definitely. The team I actually went and played for had about eight or nine representatives for the Czech National Team. The reason why I was over there was because one of my really good buddies from home is the pitching coach for the National Team and he was the pitching coach for the [club] team that I went and pitched for as well. So the connection was there and it was a really fun time.

DB: In terms of your experience in playing across all types of countries and continents, you’re really a unicorn in the baseball world, so that’s a really interesting thing to take with you.

PM: It’s a great game. It’s a great game at any level. The passion you see at those kind of local levels is just incredible to watch.

DB: Going back to yourself, if you could go back in time and commentate on yourself as a pitcher, what would the present-day version of you think about the pitcher version of you?

PM: I think I would’ve liked myself! That sounds funny to say that but I honestly think I would’ve enjoyed breaking down my appearances for sure. The Ryan Zimmerman home run that I gave up, I would’ve absolutely ripped myself for that! I think there’s been a few outings where I’ve had a bit of success where I would’ve loved to have broken it down. I would’ve said that I was a nice piece to a bullpen. Obviously often injured but when healthy, I was pretty good at my job.

DB: When it comes to your approach as a pitcher back then, do you feel like it would work in today’s game or would you have to adjust to what’s going on today?

PM: That’s a great question. I think, sure; I faced a lot of right-handed hitters and my strength was to face right-handers since we didn’t have the three-batter minimum when I was playing. We didn’t have the technology that they have available now but if we did, I would have probably added a couple of more pitches if I was playing today. I would’ve liked to have had something that cut and maybe something that stayed true to the top of the zone so I could work all four quadrants. I mainly worked down in the zone for most of my career.

I think if I was pitching now, I would learn how to elevate and I’d learn something else to get left-handed hitters off of my stuff. I think I would’ve adapted to it but it certainly would’ve been a lot different. I had a lot of one-pitch outings, a lot of one-out outings so you just don’t see them anymore unless it’s ending the inning.

DB: Like you mentioned with the three-batter rule, you’ve got to be out there for a little bit longer now.

PM: I called myself the original right-handed specialist, because there weren’t a lot of us! [Laughs]

DB: So again, coming from Australia, you probably didn’t see baseball a ton of TV. If you did, though, who was your inspiration as a broadcaster?

PM: When it comes to broadcasting, Vin Scully – you really can’t go past him. But, we did used to get some [coverage] on the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). They’d show us highlights of the World Series and I remember the VHS tapes that they used to send out of every single World Series. I would get ahold of those anytime that I could going back to the ‘89, ‘90 [World Series], right the way through the ‘90s with all of the Braves success. I would still try to keep up with it even from over there.

I remember specifically when [Mark] McGwire and [Sammy] Sosa were chasing down the home run record and that was everywhere. That even got to us in Australia. I went online once and bought one of the newspaper clippings from the St. Louis newspaper when McGwire finally broke that record. We were far enough away from it but because I was so interested in the game as it was, I tried to get my claws on it over here [in Australia] as well.

DB: That had to have been a pretty big task since there’s a pretty loaded sports environment out there in Australia with footy, rugby, etc.

PM: Big time. That’s why we don’t get the best athletes trying to play baseball in Australia because they’ve all had to funnel down from Australian Rules football, rugby, cricket, tennis, basketball and soccer. It’s a sporting capital where I grew up and everybody loves their sports.

DB: Going back to your current career, what made you realize that commentary was a viable path for you as a post-playing career option?

PM: When they called me once I announced my retirement and said ‘Hey, do you want to give television a go?’ I didn’t see myself doing this and I didn’t plan to do this right after I left. But when I got that call, I thought to myself ‘I’m going to have to do something and this is worth a try.’

I was totally uncomfortable the first couple of times doing it, obviously as most people would be. But as I got into the groove, I really enjoyed still being able to be around the guys and breaking down the game and honestly watching it evolve. It’s just evolved so much over the last few years with all of the rule changes that have been introduced and all of the different technologies that guys have now. I still really love the game! I love the game at its purest form but I also really appreciate the improvements that have been made to it.

DB: When it comes to the rule changes, which ones do you like the most so far?

PM: Obviously, the three-batter minimum would’ve affected my career the most out of all of them. I love the pitch clock and I especially love the [ABS] system now. I think being able to challenge balls and strikes has added a whole new element to the game. There’s still a level of frustration because we’re not getting 100 percent of the calls right but I think the fact that they have the ability to challenge in big situations and you have to figure out when you want to do that and when you want to risk it [adds a lot to the game].

We saw a game earlier where the Braves lost all of their challenges within four outs of the game. That was obviously huge [that they ended up] winning that game but that could come back to bite them. I think it’s a whole new element. I think every rule change that has been introduced, I was a little skeptical to start off with but since they’ve been implemented, I really enjoy them.

DB: It’s very interesting to talk about the strategy when it comes to challenging. Do you feel like you’d follow in Chris Sale’s footsteps to where you’ll let the catcher do all the work when it comes to challenging or would you get involved?

PM: I think I would want to challenge most of the pitches that I thought were close, so I would be on the Chris Sale program probably implemented by my coaches and managers where they say ‘Peter, you’re an emotional man. Let’s go ahead and hold the challenges to the catchers.’ If I was a batter, I’d probably have a little more confidence but as a pitcher, I’d feel like everything I’d throw is a strike.

DB: Yeah, that sounds about right for a pitcher! [Both laugh] So, winding down, what’s the most exciting or favorite event that you’ve gotten to call or work during your time as an analyst?

PM: Well, we got to cover the World Series. That was so out of the blue. We all know how the Braves were going that season. They were just trying to scrape into the playoffs in 2021. They ended up going on a run after the All-Star break and after the Trade Deadline that was just incredible. Just to be a part of that, you could just sense the energy change as the guys started to play better, as they started to look like they were going to make the playoffs. I guess the lack of expectations for them to do any damage in the playoffs just let them hide under the cover of night and run through the playoffs like they did.

The Battery at the time and the energy of Atlanta was just incredible. I just know that everybody involved here wants to get back to that.

DB: Jumping off of that, I don’t want to put you on the spot here since you’ve played in many spots but which one would you consider to be your favorite ballpark that you’ve played in or just visited?

PM: I got lucky enough to pitch in Truist Park after they built it. It’s a great stadium. The facilities are still just incredible. However, I like the old stadiums. I love Wrigley Field, I love Fenway Park. When it comes to success, I also enjoyed pitching in Miami. I had a lot of success down there even if the [old] stadium wasn’t the best. I can tell you where I didn’t like pitching and that’s Philly.

DB: Sounds about right [laughs]. So yeah, that’s about it. Can you tell everybody where they can find you and how they can get set up to watch the Braves on TV?

PM: Of course. You can sign up at Braves.TV. We’re obviously new with BravesVision. We are learning at the big league level but we are all excited to bring the product to as many faces as we can. I know it’s been a struggle for people to find Braves games in the past. I think we’ve done a really good job to partner up with a lot of the major cable companies and a lot of the smaller ones as well.

More eyes are on it and that’s been the goal from the start of this — to get as many eyes on Braves baseball and the Braves product as you can. We’re going to try to bring you an entertaining product and as the season goes on, I’m sure the team on the field and off the field is going to be just as good.

DB: Alright, thank you so much for your time!

PM: Of course, mate!

Seth Jones Suffers Foot Injury Against Canadiens; Out Tonight In Matchup With Senators

The Florida Panthers will be without Seth Jones tonight against the Ottawa Senators as the veteran defenseman suffered a break in his foot against the Montreal Canadiens.

The injuries truly won’t stop coming for the Panthers. On Tuesday, they witnessed Dmitry Kulikov, who was already playing with a broken nose, suffer a broken finger, ending his season.

Jones has now suffered a break in his foot, which will likely end his 2025-26 campaign. Jones missed 26 games earlier this season when he was hit in the face with a puck during the Winter Classic. In 52 games, the 31-year-old’s season finishes with seven goals and 32 points, averaging 23:42 of ice time, a full minute more than the next closest player. 

With Jones and Kulikov now out of the lineup, Ludvig Jansson and Marek Alscher will make their NHL debut. 

Jansson is a 22-year-old defenseman who the Panthers selected in the fourth round (125th overall) in the 2022 NHL draft. The six-foot, right-handed defenseman has notched three goals and 10 points in 29 AHL games in his rookie season.

Alscher is also a 22-year-old defenseman who the Panthers selected in the third round (93rd overall) in the 2022 NHL draft. The 6-foot-3, left-handed defenseman has posted three goals and 11 points in 51 games in his second AHL season. 

The Panthers take on the red-hot Senators tonight, and it will be a tough task for these young rookies to slow down the Sens offense. 


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New York Yankees vs. The Athletics: Ryan Weathers vs. Jeffrey Springs

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 07: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees takes the field to start the game against the Athletics at Yankee Stadium on April 07, 2026 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Yankees haven’t had many losses on the young season, but you could argue that Wednesday’s was the most frustrating so far. After starting the game with a couple hits and a couple runs in the first innings, they proceeded to not do much for the rest of the game. That allowed the Athletics to come back and eventually take the lead for good.

Thanks to that, the Yankees will now have to win Thursday’s matinee to avoid their first series loss of the season.

For this afternoon’s finale, the Yankees will send Ryan Weathers to the hill. While his regular season debut when well enough, Weathers struggled in his last time out, looking more like the pitcher we saw struggle in spring training. We’ll see if he can right the ship today.

With a lefty on the mound, the Yankees are giving starts not only at Amed Rosario but to Randal Grichuk, who has received just two at-bats thus far. Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Trent Grisham are the ones getting days off, with the lineup fairly normal besides that. It is worth noting that Ben Rice is starting against a lefty, affirming the Yankees’ commitment to him as very much the primary first baseman, with only occasional looks from Paul Goldschmidt behind him.

Said lefty for the A’s is Jeffrey Springs. The Yankees have seen Springs a decent amount over the years, back in his days with the Red Sox and Rays, and he has a career 2.03 ERA against the Bombers. He mostly stymied the Blue Jays’ and Astros’ lineups during his first two times out in 2026 and had a 105 ERA+ in 171 innings last year, so he could be a challenge.

We hope that you’ll come join us in the game thread for this afternoon’s action!

How to watch

Location: Yankee Stadium — New York, NY

First pitch: 1:35 pm ET

TV broadcast: YES Network (NYY) | NBCSCA (ATH)

Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 (NYY) | Talk 650 KSTE, A’s Cast (ATH)

Online stream: Gotham Sports App, MLB.tv (out-of-market only)

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Here are all the former Cubs around MLB

With the Cubs off today, let’s have a bit of fun by looking back at some players we used to root for when they were members of our favorite team.

These men are all the former Cubs on other MLB 26-man active rosters as of today (with one exception, noted below). Notes: This does not include players who played in the Cubs minor-league system but never for the MLB Cubs.

Further, there are currently just six players who played for the 2016 World Series Cubs still on active rosters as of now: Jeimer Candelario (yes, he played in five games for the Cubs in 2016, going 1-for-11), Aroldis Chapman, Willson Contreras, Kyle Schwarber, Jorge Soler and Javier Báez. Kris Bryant remains on the Rockies’ 60-day injured list and it’s unclear when, or whether, he will play again.

Here is the entire list — a total of 36 players on 23 of the other 29 MLB teams. Many of these players had very brief Cub careers, but all wore the blue pinstripes at one time.

NL Central

Brewers: Trevor Megill

Cardinals: No one

Pirates: No one

Reds: Pierce Johnson, P.J. Higgins

NL East

Braves: No one

Marlins: Owen Caissie

Mets: Richard Lovelady, Brooks Raley, Luis Torrens, Jared Young

Nationals: No one

Phillies: Brad Keller, Kyle Schwarber

NL West

Diamondbacks: Michael Soroka, Ildemaro Vargas

Dodgers: Kyle Tucker

Giants: Caleb Kilian

Padres: Nick Castellanos, Jeremiah Estrada

Rockies: Willi Castro

AL East

Blue Jays: Tommy Nance

Orioles: No one

Rays: Hunter Bigge

Red Sox: Aroldis Chapman, Willson Contreras

Yankees: Cody Bellinger

AL Central

Guardians: Shawn Armstrong

Royals: No one

Tigers: Javier Báez, Zach McKinstry

Twins: Victor Caratini

White Sox: Anthony Kay, Reese McGuire, Sean Newcomb

AL West

Angels: Jeimer Candelario, Drew Pomeranz, Jorge Soler

Astros: Isaac Paredes

Athletics: Aaron Civale, Mark Leiter Jr.

Mariners: No one (Miles Mastrobuoni on IL, currently on rehab assignment)

Rangers: Joc Pederson

Mariners Prospect Rankings #3, RHP Ryan Sloan

There are very few baseball players capable of doing the things that Ryan Sloan does on a daily basis. At just 20 years old, Sloan has ascended from high schooler to consensus top 100 prospect in just 82 innings, supplanting himself near the top of pitching ranks over players with far more professional experience. A tremendously gifted player with as much potential as any pitching prospect the Seattle system has seen in years, Sloan is on a rocket ship toward the big leagues and could be a major league contributor far sooner than anyone could have anticipated at the time of his drafting.

Physically, Sloan has an imposing 6’5 frame with plenty of strength to hold velocity deep into games. More impressively, however, is how he’s able to move given his size. Sloan is smooth down the mound and rarely looks like he’s overexerting himself, repeating his mechanics exceptionally well for someone as green as he is. His athleticism is an underrated aspect of his game and is foundational to what makes him so tantalizing as a prospect.

The arsenal is immense. His fastball, arguably his “worst” pitch, is now sitting 98 mph, up a few ticks from last season. It doesn’t get much carry through the zone and isn’t spectacular metrically, but his velocity helps it play up and makes it a solid offering. His slider, a hellish breaker with bite and sweep, is a true strikeout offering that profiles as a plus-pitch long term. His changeup, a pitch he picked up at a high school event one day to combat a lefty heavy lineup, is equally as impressive, dropping off the table for hitters and getting some arm-side fade to boot. He’s added a cutter and sinker as well, giving him a five-pitch arsenal to deploy on opposing hitters. The stuff is not a concern whatsoever.

The command is typically where young pitchers falter, but for Sloan, it’s arguably better than his stuff. Sloan rarely walks batters and has commanded his pitches rather well, working a sub 2 BB/9 in his first professional season and landing his putaway pitches in good spots to induce chase. His aforementioned athleticism and repeatable mechanics corroborate the notion he’ll throw strikes, and he’s given little reason to believe adding new pitches to his arsenal impacts his overall control of the zone. It’s borderline anomalous talent.

At the risk of egging on the hype train even further, there is not an obvious critique of Sloan’s game. Sure, the fastball is generic in shape, but any heater that’s sitting 98 is going to play at any level, particularly one that’s well located. At 20 years old, Sloan has already ascended to Double-A and seems destined for the elite upper echelon of prospects leaguewide. He’s polished, he’s “stuffy”, and he’s got a great head on his shoulders that’s equally personable as it is competitive. It’s tough to poke holes in his game right now, and fans should get excited to watch Sloan pitch in a Mariner uniform for many years to come.

Cardinals’ Hidden Problem: McGreevy Is Playing With Fire Thus Far

DETROIT, MI - APRIL 03: Michael McGreevy #36 of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches during the game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on Friday, April 3, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Carl Jones II/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

It’s a long season that’s just getting underway, but the St. Louis Cardinals are performing in some surprising ways. Jordan Walker…might be a thing? (Crosses  fingers, avoids black cats, throws salt over shoulder. Let’s just do everything we can do to manifest it for this kid.) JJ Wetherholt looks to be the player advertised. Matt Svanson thinks he’s a Little League pitcher (that is not something I saw coming), and the bullpen at large seems as though it’ll be raising our blood pressure all year. Through two starts, Michael McGreevy’s baseball card numbers look really nice, but there are more warning signs than redacted portions of the Epstein files. To put it succinctly, he’s dancing on the edge of a knife.

Before we go diving into numbers to back up my claim, I think it’s important that we establish some groundwork. Michael McGreevy was never going to be a top of the rotation arm. He’s a quintessentially a Mozielak era draft and develop story as there ever has been. You’re familiar with the trope: a polished, college righty with pitch-to-contact stuff. Last year he had fans clamoring for more as he bumfuzzled major league lineups while he was riding the Zach Thompson Memorial Bullet Train back and forth to Memphis. He’s destined to be a back-of-the-rotation innings guy. There’s nothing wrong with that, that’s just the ceiling. Long term, I’m afraid McGreevy is going to be swamped by the tidal wave of K punch the organization is developing in the minors.

In fact, if you’re interested in audio/visual content, we talked more about Michael McGreevy with Kevin Wheeler (!) in the latest edition of Cardinals on My Time (™ Scott Plaza!). You can check it out here if that’s of interest to you, Apple and Spotify.

With that context established, let’s look at the data through three starts for Mr. McGreevy. As I mentioned, the baseball card stats are good. He’s averaging 5.1 innings per start with a 2.16 ERA and a 3.12 FIP. He’s been the most valuable pitcher in this young season thus far. On the surface, this is looking like the very best years of the Miles Mikolas experience. Ok, now while you’re recovering from that name drop, let’s be honest: McGreevy’s profile is quite similar to Mikolas’. Here’s the thing, Miles Mikolas had not one, but two, legitimately all-star caliber seasons for the Cardinals. I know that’s hard to remember through the mists of the hard contact, but it’s true. 

There are going to be stretches where Michael McGreevy looks…pretty good. If all things go well, I wouldn’t even rule out a fringe all-star season a la Mikolas. And, honestly, I’m rooting for his success, aren’t you?

This is where the Mike Schildt happy talk ends though. Because McGreevy scares the you know what out of me right now. Those ERA and FIP stats are nice and glittery, but the xERA is like the evil stepmother lurking in the shadows. Michael McGreevy’s expected ERA is 7.80. That is…catastrophic. Miles Mikolas this year is running an 7.85 expected ERA. I know I just kinda sorta praised Mikolas (I took a shower right after, don’t worry), but you do not want to be linked to Miles Mikolas’ pitching performance in 2026.

So, what gives? Expected ERA is one level smarter than ERA. ERA doesn’t care how you got there, xERA does. It factors in the quality of contact against a pitcher to give a better picture of how well they’re actually pitching. And, well, McGreevy is terrifying right now. While you’re reading these next stats, play the crescendo of a horror film in your mind. His barrel percentage is in the 26th percentile. His groundball percentage is below average. He’s not missing any bats at all with a whiff percentage in the fifth percentile and not fooling any batters with a chase percentage in the 28th percentile.

Translation: McGreevy is getting smoked. What’s worse is this damage is occurring in the air at levels we’ve never seen in his career before. Why is air contact worse? How many groundball homeruns and doubles have you ever seen? What’s keeping him afloat? He’s currently running a .204 BABIP – he’s getting crazy lucky. 

A deeper look at his arsenal and command reveals the conundrum that looks ready to plague him his whole career. He has a Location+ of 110. That’s amazing and in line with his career averages. McGreevy is one of the best pitchers alive when it comes to placing pitches where he wants them to go. The problem comes when you look at his Stuff+. Right now it’s checking in at an anemic 76. To put it bluntly, that’s not competitive in a major league setting. McGreevy must maintain elite command if he’s going to be a viable pitcher with a long MLB career.

This brings us to the final, and most worrying issue. That Stuff+ rating is directly tied to his fastball. And that fastball is currently dragging him down faster than an Old Testament millstone around the neck. In 2024 and 2025 he averaged exactly 93 mph with the heater. He’s only at 90.7 mph thus far. He’s been literally quoted as saying that the fastball velocity issue keeps him up at night. So, we know they haven’t solved it yet. Unfortunately, there’s only so much pinpoint control will do for you. His “stuff” is in danger of slipping off the earth and into the void where major league hitters are teeing off on him.

Is he injured? There’s no indication of that. Maybe it’s a cold April, early season thing? Perhaps a mechanical issue is at fault? Whatever it is, it’s going to have to be solved if McGreevy is going to survive in this rotation. He’s probably always going to be on the edge of competitiveness because of his stuff. It’s just that right now with the velocity decrease he’s dancing on the edge of a knife. Hopefully, they can solve it – I’ll be rooting for that outcome!

If you’d like #evenmorecoverage, feel free to follow me on twitter @mksmith86. I’m usually watching the game. Honestly, your best bet is to follow our podcast on twitter @redbirdrundown2 – we post a lot more there. 

Let me know how you’re feeling about McGreevy in the comments. Thanks for reading!

Who's in 2026 NHL playoffs? Bracket, standings and clinching scenarios

The NHL's playoff makeover continues on Thursday, April 9 with three teams possibly clinching after missing the postseason in 2024-25.

The Edmonton Oilers, who went to the Stanley Cup Final the past two seasons, could also clinch. They could be joined by the Pittsburgh Penguins, Boston Bruins and Utah Mammoth.

The Bruins last made the playoffs in 2024 and the Penguins have missed the last three seasons. The Mammoth technically are a second-year franchise but the players who came over from the Arizona Coyotes last made the playoffs in 2020.

The division, wild-card and Presidents' Trophy races also are in play on Thursday.

The Sabres (104 points), who took the Atlantic lead on Wednesday and have ended a record 14-season playoff drought, are in action. Their closest pursuers, the Tampa Bay Lightning and Montreal Canadiens (102 each), are facing each other.

The Vegas Golden Knights (88) and Anaheim Ducks (87) will look to narrow their gap against the idle Pacific-leading Oilers (90).

In the race for the Eastern Conference's second wild-card spot, the leading Ottawa Senators (92) are playing, as are the Columbus Blue Jackets (90), Detroit Red Wings (89) and New York Islanders (89). Peter DeBoer will make his debut as Islanders coach. The Blue Jackets could move into third place in the Metropolitan Division with a win and a Philadelphia Flyers regulation loss.

In the race for the West's second wild-card spot, the leading Nashville Predators (84), Los Angeles Kings (83), San Jose Sharks (82), Winnipeg Jets (80) and St. Louis Blues are playing. The Jets and Blues face each other.

Also, the Colorado Avalanche have another chance to clinch the Presidents' Trophy and home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs. The Minnesota Wild, two points behind second-place Dallas in the Central Division, visit the Stars on Thursday in a preview of their first-round series.

Here's what to know about the NHL standings, including the latest playoff bracket, clinching scenarios and the tiebreaker procedures for the 2025-26 season:

Who's in the 2026 NHL playoffs?

Eastern Conference: Carolina, Tampa Bay, Buffalo, Montreal

Western Conference: Colorado, Dallas, Minnesota

Who can clinch an NHL playoff berth today?

  • The Pittsburgh Penguins will clinch a playoff berth if they beat the Devils or if they get one point and the Blue Jackets lose or if the Islanders lose and the Blue Jackets lose in regulation.
  • The idle Boston Bruins will clinch a playoff berth if the Islanders, Red Wings and Blue Jackets lose in regulation.
  • The idle Edmonton Oilers will clinch a playoff berth if the Sharks lose, the Predators lose in regulation and the Jets fail to win in regulation.
  • The Utah Mammoth will clinch a playoff berth if they beat the Predators in regulation and the Sharks lose.
  • The Colorado Avalanche will clinch the Presidents' Trophy if they beat the Flames or if the Hurricanes lose in regulation. They'd also clinch if they get one point and the Hurricanes lose.

Today's NHL games (Thursday, April 9)

All times p.m. ET

  • Toronto at N.Y. Islanders, 6:45
  • Columbus at Buffalo, 7
  • Tampa Bay at Montreal, 7
  • Florida at Ottawa, 7
  • Philadelphia at Detroit, 7
  • Pittsburgh at New Jersey, 7
  • Winnipeg at St. Louis 8
  • Carolina at Chicago, 8:30
  • Minnesota at Dallas, 9
  • Calgary at Colorado, 9
  • Nashville at Utah, 9
  • San Jose at Anaheim, 10
  • Vegas at Seattle, 10
  • Vancouver at Los Angeles, 10:30

NHL playoff standings

NHL Eastern Conference standings 2025-26

After April 8 gamesx-clinched playoff spot. y-clinched division. z-eliminated.

Metropolitan Division

  • y-Carolina Hurricanes (106)
  • Pittsburgh Penguins (96)
  • Philadelphia Flyers (92)

Atlantic Division

  • x-Buffalo Sabres (104)
  • x-Tampa Bay Lightning (102)
  • x-Montreal Canadiens (102)

Wild card

  • Boston Bruins (96)
  • Ottawa Senators (92)

Sitting out of playoff position: Columbus Blue Jackets (90), Detroit Red Wings (89), New York Islanders (89), Washington Capitals (89), z-New Jersey Devils (83), z-Florida Panthers (78), z-Toronto Maple Leafs (78), z-New York Rangers (75)

NHL Western Conference standings 2025-26

After April 8 games. x-clinched playoff spot. y-clinched division. z-eliminated.

Central Division

  • y-Colorado Avalanche (112)
  • x-Dallas Stars (104)
  • x-Minnesota Wild (102)

Pacific Division

  • Edmonton Oilers (90)
  • Vegas Golden Knights (88)
  • Anaheim Ducks (87)

Wild card

  • Utah Mammoth (88)
  • Nashville Predators (84)

Sitting out of playoff position: Los Angeles Kings (83), San Jose Sharks (81), Winnipeg Jets (80), St. Louis Blues (78), Seattle Kraken (75), z-Calgary Flames (73), z-Chicago Blackhawks (70), z-Vancouver Canucks (52)

NHL playoffs if they started today

NHL Eastern Conference playoff bracket

Here is how the Eastern Conference playoff bracket would look if the season ended on April 8:

  • Carolina (M1) vs. Ottawa (WC2)
  • Pittsburgh (M2) vs. Philadelphia (M3)
  • Buffalo (A1) vs. Boston (WC1)
  • Tampa Bay (A2) vs. Montreal (A3)

The winner of the first series would play the winner of the second in the second round. The winner of the third series would play the winner of the fourth. Key: M - Metropolitan Division. A - Atlantic Division. WC - wild card

NHL Western Conference playoff bracket

Here is how the Western Conference playoff bracket would look if the season ended on April 8.

  • Colorado (C1) vs. Nashville (WC2)
  • Dallas (C2) vs. Minnesota (C3)
  • Edmonton (P1) vs. Utah (WC1)
  • Vegas (P2) vs. Anaheim (P3)

The winner of the first series would play the winner of the second in the second round. The winner of the third series would play the winner of the fourth. Key: C - Central Division P - Pacific Division. WC - wild card

NHL tiebreakers: What is the first tiebreaker in NHL standings?

If two teams are tied in points at the end of the regular season, here are the tiebreakers:

  1. Regulation wins
  2. Regulation and overtime wins (ROW)
  3. Total wins
  4. Most points earned in head-to-head competition: If teams had an uneven number of meetings, the first game played in the city that has the extra game is excluded. When more than two clubs are tied, the percentage of available points earned in games among each other (and not including any odd games) shall be used to determine standings.
  5. Goal differential
  6. Total goals

When does the NHL regular season end?

The NHL regular season is scheduled to end on Thursday, April 16, with six games.

When do the NHL playoffs start?

The NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs are scheduled to begin on April 18.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NHL playoff bracket, latest 2026 standings and clinching scenarios

Paul Skenes makes cryptic comments after Konnor Griffin’s $140 million Pirates extension

Paul Skenes is the undisputed face of the Pirates’ franchise, right? To many fans, that’s the case.

But Skenes thinks it’s Konnor Griffin.

After Griffin inked a nine-year, $140 million extension with the Pirates on Wednesday, Skenes was asked of the deal.

“He’s gonna be the face of the Pirates for a long time,” Skenes said of Griffin.

Paul Skenes led the league in ERA in 2025, leading to his Cy Young win. Archie Carpenter/UPI/Shutterstock

Of course, that distinction undoubtedly falls on Skenes right now.

The 2023 No. 1 overall pick won the National League Cy Young Award last season in just his second year in the league.

He also captured Rookie of the Year honors the campaign prior after posting a 1.96 ERA and 170 strikeouts over 23 games.

Last year, Skenes was even better, leading the league with a 1.97 ERA in 187 2/3 innings, while also punching out 216 batters. That is what you call the face of a franchise.

But for Skenes, he thinks that should be Griffin.

In 2025, he split time between three levels, eventually finishing the year in Double-A. Before the season, Griffin was ranked as the No. 1 prospect in baseball at just 19 years old.

He started this season in Triple-A, where he batted .438 in just 21 plate appearances before being called up to the majors.

Konnor Griffin has played six games at the MLB level since being called up. Getty Images

Griffin has played in six MLB games thus far, racking up three hits and four RBIs but hitting .167.

His extension marks the largest contract in Pirates history, surpassing Bryan Reynolds’ $106.75 million deal in 2023.

“I see a winning organization here,” Griffin said after inking the deal. “We’re gonna do a lot of great things with the players that we have. I wanna be a part of it for nine years. I wanna continue to be a part of the build of winning playoff baseball. This is a great place for me, a great place for my family. I couldn’t be more proud.”

Now, Skenes hasn’t exactly agreed with that sentiment recently. After Pittsburgh fired Derek Shelton midway through last season, Skenes blasted the team for its poor play.

“Unfortunately, I wasn’t shocked,” Skenes said. “At the end of the day, we’re (12-26). Someone’s gotta be held accountable. Right now, it’s him. That’s just kind of how it goes. I don’t know if it fixes the root of the issue, which is that we need to play better.”

In contrast to Griffin, Skenes has yet to sign an extension with the Pirates, and he would currently become a free agent after the 2029 season.

Oklahoma City Thunder lock up No. 1 seed for third straight season

For the third straight season, the Oklahoma City Thunder will finish as the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.

For the second straight season, the Oklahoma City Thunder will finish with the best record in the NBA and have home court advantage for as long as they are playing.

All that came after the Thunder easily handled the Clippers on Wednesday night at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, 128-110. And those two stats above just begin to touch on what the Thunder have done:

• Oklahoma City is the first team with back-to-back best records in the NBA since the 2019-20 Milwaukee Bucks.
• OKC is trying to become the first team with back-to-back best records in the NBA and to win the NBA title since Michael Jordan's Bulls in 1996-97.
• Only five other teams have had three or more consecutive seasons with a No. 1 seed — most recently the 2015-17 Golden State Warriors — and those five teams all won multiple NBA titles in that stretch.
• This was the Thunder's 64th win. If they win one of their remaining two games, they will become only the third team with back-to-back 65+ win seasons, joining the peak Jordan Bulls and the Curry/Durant-era Warriors (again, teams that won multiple titles).

OKC didn't coast into this, it has won 19-of-20 down the stretch. It also has reached these records despite its second-best player, Jalen Williams, only playing in 33 games this season due to injury (plus the team has faced a lot of other injuries, having guys in and out of the lineup). Part of why the Thunder have pulled this off is that, to a man, they have bought into what coach Mark Daigneault is selling: focusing on yourself, on short-term improvement, and if you do that the big picture will take care of itself.

"I think the first thing for us is just making sure that we're taking care of our stuff," Daigneault said the night before, when the Thunder beat the Lakers. "It starts with how we're playing, the habits we're trying to sharpen what we're trying to get done. You go through the regular season, there's different opponents every night that present different challenges, but it always starts between you and yourself."

Oklahoma City will open the playoffs at home the weekend of April 18 against one of the teams that have fought their way out of the play-in (Phoenix, the LA Clippers, Portland or Golden State).

Game 13: Twins vs Tigers

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 08: Byron Buxton #25 of the Minnesota Twins is congratulated after scoring a run by Victor Caratini #37 during the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Minnesota Twins at Target Field on Wednesday, April 8, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Michael Turner/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

First Pitch (CT):12:40 PM
TV: Twins.TV
Radio: TIBN/830 WCCO/102.9 The Wolf /Audacy App
Know Yo’ Foe: Bless You Boys

The Twins have already secured their first series win of the season and they’ll go for their first sweep of the season as they try to take game four against Jack Flaherty and the Tigers. Both Flaherty and Twins starting pitcher Mick Abel have great stuff, but have struggled in their first few starts of the young season. With both bullpens pretty taxed after short starts and bullpen struggles, whichever starter can last the longest will likely emerge victorious.

One way or another, expect a heavy dose of new Twin Garrett Acton this afternoon.

Meanwhile, Luke Keaschall gets his first day off of the season amid this stretch of 15 straight days with a game. He is likely available off the bench to pinch hit against a lefty, but I would expect Austin Martin up first as they try to get him completely off his feet for the day. As talented as he is, it’s important to remember he’s never played over 103 games in a season due to his various arm injuries and it does no one any favors to wear him down in April.

Let’s sweep this series up and head to Toronto!

Lineups

TwinsOpponent
SP: Mick AbelSP: Jack Flaherty
1. Byron Buxton, CF1. Colt Keith, 3B
2. Trevor Larnach, DH2. Gleyber Torres, DH
3. Josh Bell, 1B3. Riley Greene, LF
4. Matt Wallner, RF4. Kerry Carpenter, RF
5. Victor Caratini, C5. Spencer Torkelson, 1B
6. Kody Clemens, 2B6. Zach McKinstry, 2B
7. Royce Lewis, 3B7. Javier Baez, SS
8. Tristan Gray, SS8. Parker Meadows, CF
9. James Outman, LF9. Jake Rogers, C

Noa-Lynn van Leuven banned from women-only darts events by PDC transgender ruling

  • Van Leuven can no longer play in PDC Women’s Series

  • DRA report determines darts is ‘gender-affected sport’

Noa-Lynn van Leuven will be banned from competing in any of the Professional Darts Corporation’s women-only events with immediate effect after a ruling from the sport’s regulatory body stated only biological females can now compete in women’s tournaments.

The Darts Regulation Authority (DRA) has ruled that transgender women will no longer be permitted to compete in women’s events. Van Leuven can therefore no longer participate in the PDC Women’s Series, where she has won six titles, and will be prevented from also competing in the Women’s World Matchplay, which she was on course to qualify for this summer.

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New MLB City Connect jerseys, ranked: See the 2026 alternate uniforms

In its never-ending quest to separate the hardball superfan from more of their hard-earned money, Major League Baseball, its apparel and merchandising partners and eight teams have rolled out a second generation of “City Connect” jerseys and hats.

Coming just three years after dropping alternate togs for the Braves, Brewers, Orioles, Padres, Pirates, Rangers, Reds and Royals, fans of that octet of teams will now have the right drop $200 on a new jersey, or $53 on a cap.

Yet is it all worth it?

Whether these Connects 2.0 are an improvement on the OGs is of course a matter of taste. Yet the first pass through these eight mid-market clubs produced both iconic jerseys and also some mail-it-in efforts that made it an easier bar to clear.

Ranking the eight new City Connect jerseys – and whether they represent an improvement on the original:

1. Pittsburgh Pirates

Daunting and haunting, from font to cap. Pirates are supposed to be a little scary and this kit fills that bill, thanks to a heaping spoonful of what outfielder Jake Mangum calls “mustard gold” accenting the jersey and cap. The Jolly Roger on the sleeve is downright horrifying. While the league wants to siphon more cash out of the consumer, you might be in a plundering mood yourself when donning this gear.

An improvement?

Yes. Both the Pirates and Reds seemed to draw the short straw the first time around, with unimaginative “PGH” and “CIN” slapped across the jerseys. The Pirates, at least, got better treatment this time around.

2. San Diego Padres

Just a gorgeous callback to their orange and blue color scheme of the 1990s. While the Padres have wisely and successfully leaned into Brown over the years, this color scheme is regionally evocative and recalls an era that was quietly successful, including a surprise 1998 World Series run.

An improvement?

No. You wanna talk retro regionally evocative? There’s just no improving upon the fluorescent aerobics-class gear of the original City Connects, an apparel set that makes you want to grab a Walkman and rollerblade through Mission Bay Park. This version's La Catrina Dia de los Muertos patch, while a nice touch, seems to make the kit want to split the difference between "active lifestyle" and "cultural history."

3. Texas Rangers

The Rangers opened their airplane hangar of a ballpark with an accompanying everyday uniform set that was appropriately bland. Their ’23 City Connects were an improvement on that. Yet this version steers hard into the red that was a staple of their franchise for most of their first six decades. And the “TEJAS” script across the chest is “also in homage to the Tejano culture as we know it,” Daisy Rincón, the Rangers manager of multicultural marketing tells MLB.com. “There’s a large mix of Mexican-Americans here in Texas. It’s in the spirit of celebrating Texas culture.”

An improvement?

Yes. The originals that paid homage to the long history of baseball in Texas were pretty cool, even if they had a “Will I really wear this in public?” vibe. Acknowledging the multicultural makeup of the club’s fans is a nice touch, though it loses some steam when you take into account some, um, other actions of the franchise.

4. Baltimore Orioles

Aiming to connect the city’s “big stoop energy” with its jewel of a gathering place, Camden Yards, the Orioles’ new entry features accents of “Camden Green” (who knew?) and patches celebrating the Eutaw Street home-run plaques and the iconic clock tower. Hey, why be less when you can BMORE?

An improvement?

Yes. If only because the previous version’s special touches were so subtle they often escaped the naked eye. The green and orange does evoke a Miami Hurricanes intrasquad scrimmage, but it’s a pretty combo.

5. Milwaukee Brewers

The “Wisco” in script letters across the chest immediately signal an aggressive rebrand: “Even though the official branding is City Connect, we call it ‘State Connect’ internally,” Brewers president of business operations Rick Schlesinger tells MLB.com. So, shoutout Kewaunee County, we guess. It is a pretty color scheme, for sure, with its Base Blue intended to reflect the state’s endless shorelines and waterways.

An improvement?

No. Hey, the Great Lakes are freaking awesome, and the club is wise to tap into the state’s greatest natural resources. Yet the grill-out theme of the originals also captured the Milwaukee baseball experience and the winterlong pining for warmer times so wonderfully.

6. Atlanta Braves

The most powdery blue you’ve ever seen, the Braves have scrawled an audacious “Atlanta” across the chest with font choices aimed to evoke the team’s TBS glory days of the 1980s and ‘90s (the ATL sleeve patch is essentially the old TBS logo). Sartorially pleasing.

An improvement?

No. The 2023 originals were so clean, with “The A” scrawled in such gorgeous type. It provided a nice roadmap should the club ever want to move on from its nickname. Also, it was released “to honor the legacy of Hank Aaron,” which one would think might have a shelf life greater than three years.

7. Cincinnati Reds

They are the Reds, and the uniforms are very red – seven shades of it, according to the team. For the first time since that odd swath of franchise history when the club commuted from Riverfront Stadium/Cinergy Field to Great American Ball Park, the kits will feature pinstripes, though they’re less pronounced set against the, well, redness of it all.

An improvement?

Yes. Like the Pirates, the Reds’ first Connects seemed bereft of creativity, relative to their major league brethren. These pop a little more and feature more interesting design elements, though the “C” logo is, well, interesting.

8. Kansas City Royals

They’ve gone from a fountain theme to a… fountain theme. At first glance, the scheme looks like way too much is going on, though the subtleties pop a little more once you slow everything down. Most notably: Two blue stripes on the armbands surrounding a swath of white, symbolizing the city’s position with one foot in Missouri and another in Kansas.

An improvement?

No, but it’s close. The Kauffman Stadium fountains have given way to a more regional look, appropriate given the club’s desire to join the Chiefs in greener pastures elsewhere in the surrounding area.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB City Connect 2026 new jerseys ranked, from Padres to Braves

Lightning vs Canadiens Prediction, Picks & Odds for Tonight’s NHL Game

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The Montreal Canadiens host the Tampa Bay Lightning in an Atlantic Division heavyweight bout on Thursday, April 9.

This potential playoff matchup is perhaps the most important game of the season for both teams, with the division title up for grabs.

My Lightning vs. Canadiens predictions and NHL picks suggest that Cole Caufield, laden with the ever-looming 50-goal plateau, will find other ways to hit the scoresheet in front of the Bell Centre faithful.

Lightning vs Canadiens prediction

Lightning vs Canadiens best bet: Cole Caufield Over 0.5 assists (+100)

The elephant in the room regarding Cole Caufield has overshadowed a particularly generous stretch for the Montreal Canadiens' 25-year-old.

He's racked up three assists in three games since his latest tally, and 10 over his last 12 games. This plus-odds pricing is perhaps as egregious as his Olympic omission.

Caufield's natural goal-scoring ability outshines his playmaking, but he’s tied his career-high assist total and has been playing at a 68-assist pace since mid-March.

Lightning vs Canadiens same-game parlay

Rookie sensation Ivan Demidov is quickly becoming a focal point of the Canadiens' stacked offense, only one year removed from his contract signing late last season.

The 20-year-old has a point in seven of his last eight games, notably racking up a power-play point (+215) in four of them. He leads all rookies with 61 points.

On the topic of red-hot Habs rookies, Jakub Dobes has been the best goaltender in the league over the last month. He's won six straight games and boasts an astounding 28-8-4 record.

Dobes has allowed three goals or fewer in 11 consecutive starts, holding Tampa to a lone goal as he stopped 36 of 37 shots on March 31.

Lightning vs Canadiens SGP

  • Cole Caufield Over 0.5 assists
  • Ivan Demidov Over 0.5 points
  • Tampa Bay Under 3.5 goals

Lightning vs Canadiens odds

  • Moneyline: Lightning -115 | Canadiens -105
  • Puck Line: Lightning -1.5 (+200) | Canadiens +1.5 (-245)
  • Over/Under: Over 6.5 (-105) | Under 6.5 (-115)

Lightning vs Canadiens trend

The Over has hit in three of the last four head-to-head meetings. Find more NHL betting trends for Lightning vs. Canadiens.

How to watch Lightning vs Canadiens

LocationBell Centre, Montreal, QC
DateThursday, April 9, 2026
Puck drop7:00 p.m. ET
TVThe Spot, TSN2

Lightning vs Canadiens latest injuries

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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Giants Reacts Survey: What part of the roster is to blame?

Matt Chapman taking his hat off.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - APRIL 08: Matt Chapman #26 of the San Francisco Giants puts on his cap during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies on April 8, 2026 at Oracle Park in San Francisco, CA. (Photo by Matthew Huang/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Giants fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.


It hasn’t been the start to the season that the San Francisco Giants wanted. And unfortunately, it’s been a struggle across the board.

The offense, which on paper should arguably be the strength of the the team, is 28th in the Majors in runs per game. The defense, something Buster Posey openly wants to win with, has graded out as fairly poor, with plenty of mistakes. The pitching looks significantly better after back-to-back shutout wins over the Philadelphia Phillies, but even so, the rotation is 15th in ERA, and the bullpen 19th … despite playing 10 of their 13 games at Oracle Park.

So which of those four do you assign the most blame to when assessing the poor start to the 2026 season?

Game # 12, Athletics vs. Yankees Game Thread

Jeffrey Springs will take the mound today in the rubber match of the 3-game series with the New York Yankees. | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Fresh off a come from behind, ninth inning victory over the New York Yankees last night, the two teams are back at it this morning in the Bronx. Yankee Stadium will host the rubber match of this three-game series with the 4-7 A’s going up against the 8-3 Yankees.

Jeffrey Springs will get the start for the Athletics today. Springs is 1-0 in his two starts this season with a 2.38 ERA and nine strikeouts in 11.1 innings.  He’ll go up against 26-year-old lefty Ryan Weathers who came to the Yankees vis trade from Miami in the off-season.  Weathers is the son of former MLB (and Yankees) hurler David Weathers. He has no record in his two starts for the Yankees this season with a 4.50 ERA and eleven strikeouts.

Weathers will face off against this lineup for the A’s:

Springs will go up against this batting order for Aaron Boone’s first place Yankees:

Follow the Game:

Watch:
Athletics – NBCSCA

Listen:
Athletics – Talk 650 KSTE, A’s Cast