Untidy: Cubs 10, Phillies 4

Apr 14, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Chicago Cubs infielder Alex Bregman (3) hits an RBI single against the Philadelphia Phillies in the fifth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

A night after the Phillies’ hitters had their way with the Cubs’ pitching staff, the Cubs returned the favor on Tuesday. Phillies pitchers couldn’t keep the Cubs off the bases, giving up 15 hits, six walks, and one hit batter. And once those runners got on board, the Phillies didn’t do much to stop them from scoring. The end result was an ugly 10-4 loss.

Early on, it looked like the Phillies might be due for another big offensive night. Edmundo Sosa crushed a home run in the second to stake the team to a 3-0 lead.

The Cubs answered immediately. Aaron Nola got the start for the Phillies, and he had an uneven night. He held the Cubs scoreless in the first two innings, but the Cubs used five hits to score two runs in the top of the third. The damage would have been worse if not for a tremendous throw by right fielder Adolis Garcia to get a runner out at third base.

One team continued to score with regularity, but it wasn’t the Phillies. After Sosa’s home run, they managed only one runner over the next five innings. Meanwhile, the Cubs took advantage of two Nola walks in the fifth, as Alex Bregman tied it up with an RBI single.

Tim Mayza entered the game in the sixth. He’s been a pleasant surprise thus far this season, but this was a bad night. He walked two batters, hit another, and gave up a single in one-third of an inning as the Cubs took the lead. Brad Keller came in to clean up the mess, but he gave up a two-run single to the heretofore slumping Bregman before getting out of the inning.

The Phillies had a chance to make a game of it in the eighth. Sosa led off with a double and scored on a Trea Turner single. A Kyle Schwarber single and walk to Garcia loaded the bases with two outs. With lefthander Caleb Thielbar in the game for the Cubs, Alec Bohm was sent to pinch hit for Brandon Marsh. Like Bregman, Bohm was slumping heading into this game. Unlike Bregman, that slump didn’t end, as he struck out to end the threat.

Tanner Banks gave up a three-run home run to Carson Kelly in the final inning to remove any sense of drama.

Now that both teams have traded ugly wins, they’ll have the rubber match on Wednesday. Jesus Luzardo and Shoto Imanaga will try to provide their teams with less ugly pitching than we’ve seen the past two nights.

Devils wrap up regular season with 4-0 loss to Bruins

BOSTON (AP) — Mark Kasetlic scored twice in the first period, Jeremy Swayman earned his second shutout of the season and the Boston Bruins clinched the top wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with a 4-0 win over the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night.

Boston needed a win to lock up the top wild-card position. The Bruins will face the Atlantic Division champion Buffalo Sabres in the first round of the NHL playoffs.

Ten Boston players recorded points in the game. Sean Kuraly had a pair of assists and David Pastrnak reached 100 points for the fourth straight season with an assist on one of the Bruins’ four goals in the first.

Morgan Geekie and Viktor Arvidsson also scored for Boston, which finished the regular season under first-year coach Marco Sturm at 45-27-10 and returned to the playoffs one year after tying for the worst record in the Eastern Conference at 33-39-10.

After congratulating Swayman, the Bruins gathered at center ice and raised their sticks to salute their fans.

New Jersey goalie Nico Daws allowed four goals on 12 shots in the opening period before getting some stronger defensive support the rest of the way. Daws finished with 23 saves.

Swayman stopped 21 shots for his first shutout since a 3-0 win over Detroit on Jan. 13 and the 18th of his career.

Boston got goals in the opening and closing minutes of the first and took firm command with a 4-0 lead after one period.

Geekie scored 53 seconds in and Arvidsson scored his 25th of the season with just 6.4 seconds left in the period. In between, Kastelic scored twice and the Bruins cruised the rest of the way against the lottery-bound Devils, who finished 42-37-3.

Pastrnak needed one more goal to reach 30 for the ninth time, which would have been a first in franchise history.

Up next

Devils: Done for the season.

Bruins: Visit Buffalo in the first round of the playoffs.

Dodgers vs. Mets game II chat

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 13: Andy Pages #44 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after hitting a home run during the game between the New York Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Monday, April 13, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Nicole Vasquez/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Dodgers and Mets in the middle game of three in Los Angeles.

Tuesday game info
  • Teams: Dodgers vs. Mets
  • Ballpark: Dodger Stadium
  • Time: 7:10 p.m.
  • TV: SportsNet LA
  • Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)

Join the conversation!

Sign up for a user account and get:

  • Fewer ads
  • Create community posts
  • Comment on articles, community posts
  • Rec comments, community posts
  • New, improved notifications system!

Cubs Minor League Wrap: The Jaguar strikes twice

GOODYEAR, ARIZONA - MARCH 16, 2026: Kevin Alcántara #13 of the Chicago Cubs runs out an RBI double during the fifth inning of a spring training game against the Cleveland Guardians at Goodyear Ballpark on March 16, 2026 in Goodyear, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images

South Bend right-hander Brooks Caple was named Midwest League Pitcher of the Week.

The Cubs signed left-hander Ty Blach and right-hander Paul Campbell assigned both to Triple-A Iowa.

Catcher Casey Opitz was activated by Iowa.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs sunk the Columbus Clippers (Guardians), 8-1.

Connor Noland gave up a run in the first base on a disengagement violation. Other than that, he was pretty strong. Noland gave up just one run on five hits over five innings. He struck out six and walked no one.

Corbin Martin tossed one scoreless inning, Yacksel Ríos threw two and Zac Leigh tossed a scoreless ninth to close out the game.

Center fielder Kevin Alcántara hit two home runs tonight. The first one came in the third inning with the bases empty. The second one was a three-run blast in the fifth. It was The Jaguar’s sixth and seventh home runs on the season. He went 2 for 5.

Third baseman Pedro Ramirez was 2 for 5 with a double and a two-run single in the fifth. He scored on Alcántara’s second home run.

One paw up for Alcántara. This one went 405 feet.

The Jaguar’s second home run went 387 feet.

Knoxville Smokies

The Knoxville Smokies were pulled into the water by the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (Marlins), 5-1.

Tyler Schlaffer started and took the loss. Schlaffer gave up four runs on two hits over just two innings. Both hits were home runs—a three-run blast in the first and a solo shot in the second. Schlaffer walked three and struck out two.

Left fielder Jordan Nwogu went 2 for 3 with an RBI single. He also stole two bases.

Knoxville had just four hits, all singles, in this game.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs speared the Beloit Sky Carp (Marlins), 5-1.

Brooks Caple picked up right where he left off as Midwest League Pitcher of the Week. Tonight he surrendered just one run on two hits over 5.2 innings. He struck out nine and walked no one.

Here are the nine strikeouts.

Alfredo Romero did not allow a run or a hit over the final three innings to pick up the save. Romero did walk two while striking out three.

Catcher Owen Ayers continues to rip the cover off the ball on this young season. Tonight Ayers was 2 for 4 with a double and a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning. Ayers scored twice.

Right fielder Kade Snell was 2 for 3 and was hit by a pitch. He scored once.

Center fielder Kane Kepley went o for 1 with two walks and was hit by a pitch.

Shortstop Christian Olivo was 2 for 4.

Ayers’ first home run of the year.

Snell scored a run the hard way.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans defused the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (White Sox), 4-0.

Starter Hayden Frank threw four innings and surrendered two hits. He struck out three and walked one.

Mason McGwire threw the middle three innings and got the win because Frank didn’t go five. McGwire had a terrific outing, giving up just one hit. McGwire struck out five and walked no one.

Jordan Henriquez pitched the final two innings in a non-save situation. He allowed three hits. Henriquez struck out three and walked no one.

First baseman Cole Mathis connected on a three-run home run in the third inning. It was his fourth of the season already. Mathis went 1 for 4.

Shortstop Ty Southisene was 2 for 4 with one run scored.

Catcher Logan Poteet was 2 for 4.

DH Jose Escobar was 2 for 3 with a walk.

The Mathis home run.

Michkov has a goal and 2 assists as the Flyers beat the Canadiens 4-2

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Matvei Michkov had a goal and two assists and Porter Martone had one goal to lead the playoff-bound Philadelphia Flyers to a 4-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night.

The Flyers rested most of their key veterans a night after they secured their first playoff berth since 2020 and first home playoff series since 2018.

Flyers fans dressed in orange waved “Let's Go Flyers” rally towels and were in a joyous mood for most of the festive night.

There are more good times ahead. The Flyers are set to travel to Pittsburgh for the first two games of an Eastern Conference first-round playoff series.

Michkov and Martone helped spoil Montreal's shot at hosting the East first-round series against Tampa Bay.

The 19-year-old Martone, who starred for Michigan State only weeks ago, scored his fourth goal of the season when he deflected in Michkov's point shot early in the first period for the 1-0 lead.

Oliver Bonk scored his first career NHL goal later in the period for a 2-0 lead. Michkov assisted.

Brendan Gallagher scored for Montreal to make it 2-1 in the second.

Michkov scored unassisted (his 20th overall) for a 3-1 lead in the second period as one fan raised a “We Want More!” sign.

Jake Evans cut it to 3-2 in the final seconds of the second period.

Alex Bump sealed the win in the third with his fifth goal of the season that made it 4-2. Samuel Ersson made 27 saves foe the Flyers and Jakub Dobes had 21 for Montreal.

The Flyers ended the season on an 18-6-1 tear that propelled them into third place in the Metropolitan Division.

Up next

The Flyers and Montreal hit the road to open the NHL playoffs.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Rogers has off night, offense stumbles in Orioles loss to D-Backs

Apr 14, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Geraldo Perdomo (2) steals second base during the fifth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images | Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images

Well, it was bound to happen. Trevor Rogers was bound to have a bad night. Unfortunately, it happened in a game where the Orioles’ offense was unable to make the most of its opportunities. It was really only one bad inning of pitching. But it was too much for the Orioles to overcome, leading to a 4-3 loss.

The Orioles took an early lead off of starter Merrill Kelly. Kelly was making his season debut and was far from perfect. He walked four, for one thing. The Orioles left runs on the table against him, which is frustrating to watch on any night. But on this night, when Rogers could have used a pick-me-up from his offense, it was especially glaring.

The prettiest hit of the day came off the bat of Samuel Basallo to lead off the second inning. He absolutely crushed a fastball. It left his bat at 109.2 mph and landed 431 feet away in the Eutaw Street seats. It felt like a good omen at the time. It was not.

In the third, the Orioles had the chance at a big inning but could not make it happen. After Taylor Ward singled with one out, Pete Alonso and Basallo walked to load the bases. Kelly was struggling with control. All Dylan Beavers had to do was keep the bat on his shoulder and he would have walked with the bases loaded. Instead, he chased three pitches in the dirt for a strikeout.

Leody Taveras was watching, however, and learned what to do. He took a four-pitch walk. Ward scored the second run. Colton Cowser got a fastball down Broadway for his first pitch, and he let it rip. He smoked it at 105 mph, but it was caught in centerfield for the last out. It was a good pitch to hit and Cowser got a good swing on it, but it was also frustrating when Kelly was having such a hard time finding the plate.

Kelly was in trouble again in the fourth inning, but again the O’s offense bailed him out. Jeremiah Jackson led off with a double and Blaze Alexander…bunted? Why? Jackson was already in scoring position. It was the fourth inning. But that’s what he did. Jackson got to third base with Gunnar Henderson coming up and then Jackson GOT HIMSELF PICKED OFF for the second out. Just terrible decisions all around. Henderson struck out to end the inning.

Though Rogers got through the first four innings without allowing a run, he did run into some trouble in each frame. It wasn’t all his fault. The defense left something to be desired, even if no errors were called. In the fifth inning, he was unable to escape again.

James McCann singled to start the inning and Jorge Barrosa walked. Ildemaro Vargas, who replaced Ketel Marte in the lineup not long before the first pitch, got his chance. He made the most of it. His three-run homer put the Diamondbacks up, 3-2. But that wasn’t the last of it. Geraldo Perdomo singled and stole second base, then came in to score on a double by Jose Fernandez. That was it for Rogers. His final pitching line: 4.2 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 6 K, 1 HR. He threw two wild pitches.

One thing that went right on this night was the bullpen. Craig Albernaz turned to Rico Garcia after Rogers, which I really liked. There was a runner on second and the need to keep the game from getting out of hand, so Alby went to the high-leverage guy who normally comes in late.

Garcia got that last out of the fifth, then pitched a perfect sixth. Grant Wolfram followed with a perfect 1.1 innings. Yennier Cano replaced Wolfram and retired all three batters he faced. Together, the three pitches struck out seven batters in 3.2 innings. Is this bullpen actually good?

The offense made some noise in the bottom of the inning but once again were unable to capitalize. Pete Alonso started a one-out rally by challenging a called strike three. He was correct; it was ball four. Basallo followed with a single. Beavers had another chance, but grounded out. Taveras came through again, this time with an RBI single to cut the deficit to one.

Colton Cowser walked to load the bases for Jackson, but he did not have another grand slam in him. He grounded out to end the rally.

With one out in the top of the ninth, Albernaz made the puzzling choice to go to Nick Raquet. Raquet allowed two baserunners but was bailed out on a sliding catch by Cowser to end the inning. It could have been a lot worse. I would like to request that this guy not pitch in high-leverage situations for awhile.

Diamondbacks closer Paul Sewald came in for the ninth and made short work of Alexander, Henderson, and Ward. Thus the Orioles lost what felt like a winnable game, even with Trevor Rogers having an off night.

Merrill The Mainstay is Back and The Dbacks Even the Series: Dbacks 4, Orioles 3

Apr 14, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ildemaro Vargas (6) greeted by catcher James McCann (8) after hitting a three-run home run during the fifth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images | Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images

The Diamondbacks evened the series at a game apiece with a win over the Baltimore Orioles tonight. The victory was powered by a strong 2026 debut from Merrill Kelly and timely offensive contributions from the team’s hottest hitters, Ildemaro Vargas and Jose Fernandez.

Merrill Kelly’s return was a welcome sight after the D-backs brought him back this offseason. His season debut was delayed a couple of turns through the rotation due to a nerve issue that surfaced early in spring training, so it was great to see him back on the mound. Kelly delivered a solid outing, tossing 5.1 innings while allowing just two earned runs. He did struggle with control at times, issuing four walks—including a bases-loaded free pass—which was uncharacteristic for the veteran right-hander. Still, he threw 86 pitches, kept the D-backs in the game, and picked up the win in what was overall a very encouraging performance.

Ildemaro Vargas continued his torrid start to the season, delivering a big three-run homer in the fifth inning. According to the D-backs TV broadcast, Vargas set a franchise record by recording hits in his first 11 games to open the season. It’s worth noting that he was a late addition to the leadoff spot and second base after Ketel Marte was scratched pregame with back tightness. Jose Fernandez kept up his own impressive start, collecting two hits—including a rocket of an RBI double to dead center that missed a home run by just two feet. The ball came off the bat at 102.8 mph and traveled 399 feet. What a dynamic duo these two have been early on!

Geraldo Perdomo showed signs of life at the plate with three hits, but he committed a costly error in the bottom of the eighth. He dropped the ball on the transfer, which would have been an inning-ending double play. That miscue allowed the Orioles to push across a run a couple of batters later and forced Juan Morillo to throw more pitches than ideal. It was the kind of fundamental mistake that runs counter to the brand of baseball manager Torey Lovullo has been emphasizing this season. The error nearly cost the D-backs the game, but Ryan Thompson came in and calmly escaped a bases-loaded jam on just one pitch.

Paul Sewald then closed it out for the save. At this point in the season, it’s remarkable to note that Sewald is a perfect 6-for-6 in save opportunities and leads all of Major League Baseball in saves. With how many one-run games the D-backs have played early on, it’s hard to imagine where the team would be without him.

Tonight was a good one for D-backs fans—especially with Kelly’s return and bouncing back from yesterday’s heartbreaker to even the series. Arizona will look to clinch its third straight series victory tomorrow afternoon, with Eduardo Rodriguez toeing the rubber. Giddy up!

Islanders prospect Victor Eklund records first NHL point in 2-1 loss to Hurricanes to end regular season

NEW YORK (AP) — Mark Jankowski scored the go-ahead goal in the third period, and the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the New York Islanders 2-1 on Tuesday night.

Nikolaj Ehlers also scored for Carolina, and Brandon Bussi made 28 saves. The Hurricanes closed the regular season with four wins in their final five games and finished atop the Eastern Conference.

Bo Horvat scored for New York, David Rittich stopped 19 shots and the Islanders lost for the seventh time in eight games.

Ehlers opened the scoring at 3:05 of the first period and finished his first season in Carolina with a career-high 71 points (26 goals, 45 assists). Felix Unger Sorum assisted on the goal in his NHL debut.

Horvat tied it 1-all late in the second period, finishing a feed from Mathew Barzal with less than seven minutes remaining. Victor Eklund, also making his NHL debut, had an assist.

Pyotr Kochetkov was slated to start and took warmups but was unavailable due to a roster technicality. He has been activated from injured reserve and will be eligible for the playoffs, according to the team. Emergency backup goaltender Thomas Sullivan served as Carolina’s backup.

Up next

Hurricanes: Host Ottawa Senators in first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Islanders: Done for the season.

Carolina Hurricanes To Face Ottawa Senators In First Round Of 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs

The Carolina Hurricanes finally know their opponent for the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, as the team is set to face the Ottawa Senators.

The Hurricanes locked up the top spot in the Eastern Conference on Monday and with the Boston Bruins' win on Tuesday, it locked the Senators into WC2.

Carolina has never faced Ottawa in the playoffs before, but the two clubs have met 122 times in the regular season.

Over that span, the Hurricanes have a 67-42-13 edge. This year, they went 2-1-0.

Carolina outscored the Senators 11-10 across those three games and had quite a bit of power play success too (37.5%).

In terms of league standings, the Canes have a 53-22-7 record, the fifth ranked power play (25%) and the 11th ranked penalty kill (80.3%)

Ottawa has a 43-27-11 record with the eighth best power play (23.5%) and the 29th best penalty kill (75.5%).

Both teams also rank in the top-10 for goals per game, shots per game and shots against per game.

The Hurricanes are led offensively by Sebastian Aho (80pts) and have three 70+ points scorers and seven different 20-goal scorers on their roster.

For their careers, Sebastian Aho (9g, 26pts in 25gp) and Nikolaj Ehlers (12g, 30pts in 26gp) are point-per-game players against the Senators.

Ottawa is led of offense by Tim Stutzle (83pts). They have two players who have eclipsed 70 points and five 20+ goal scorers. 

Claude Giroux is just below a point-per-game for his career against Carolina, notching 17 goals and 54 points in 60 games.

While both teams are great at 5v5 play, where both struggle is in net.

The Hurricanes have the 26th ranked team save percentage (0.879), while the Senators have the 30th (0877).

In goal, Frederik Andersen has a career record of 11-9-4 against Ottawa with a 0.886 save percentage, Brandon Bussi is 2-0-0 (0.937) and Pyotr Kochetkov is 1-1-0 (0.943).

On the flipside, Linus Ullmark is 3-4-1 against Carolina with a 0.892 save percentage. 

Ullmark has faced Carolina in the postseason before, starting two games for the Bruins in 2022. He went 0-2-0 in those games, giving up eight goals on 57 shots (0.860).

If not for league worst goaltending in the middle of the year, the Senators wouldn't be anywhere close to WC2, so it's a bit unfortunate that this is who the Canes wound up matched with now that they've started to stabilize a bit more.

Carolina has the edge in experience though, as this is their eighth straight postseason appearance, while this will be just Ottawa's second consecutive year in the playoffs.

Overall, it looks to be a pretty even matchup between two solid teams and should be a fun series.

Stay tuned for a more detailed breakdown of the first round matchup.


Recent Articles

Pyotr Kochetkov Close To NHL Return?

Rod Brind'Amour's Case For The Jack Adams

Jaccob Slavin Nominated For King Clancy

Jordan Staal Selected As Steve Chiasson Award Winner

Image

Stay updated with the most interesting Carolina Hurricanes stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.


For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum. 

Dodgers being cautious with Mookie Betts’ return from oblique injury

TORONTO, ON - APRIL 08: Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers warms up prior to the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Wednesday, April 8, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Michael Chisholm/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

LOS ANGELES — Technically, Wednesday’s series finale against the New York Mets is the first day Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts is eligible to return from the injured list. But he won’t be returning any time soon from his oblique strain, taking a more deliberate approach in his rehab.

“He’s moving well. I see him throwing, stretching out a little bit. I’m not sure when he’s going to start swinging the bat,” manager Dave Roberts said Tuesday. “But in talking to him, he doesn’t feel any symptoms.”

Betts injured the oblique during the Dodgers’ game on April 4 in Washington D.C., likely while running the bases in the first inning. On Tuesday, Betts told David Vassegh of Dodger Talk that the oblique strain doesn’t bother him with everyday activities, but he feels it while doing sport-specific exercises.

“It’s not that it hurts. It’s just you feel it and — you don’t want to feel it, because the more that you feel it, that means it’s still healing, and any quick movements from there could just re-injure it,” Betts said. “Then we’re in a much worse spot.”

Betts was on the field at Dodger Stadium before Tuesday’s game, throwing and going through various pregame activities. He’s done rotational work while in the weight room, but hasn’t yet swung a bat.

“I’m able to throw. Running, I feel it, but it’s not that bad. I haven’t started hitting yet, but we’re doing med ball throws,” Betts told Vassegh. “We want to get fully comfortable with throwing the med ball, and not having really any hesitation with that before we start swinging, just because I don’t want to start developing bad habits because I’m scared to swing.”

Because Betts hasn’t yet started swinging a bit, there’s no specific timetable yet for his return, nor when he might start a minor league rehab assignment, if he even plays in the minors at all before returning. Betts didn’t play in any rehab games after missing 11 weeks with a broken hand in 2024, for instance.

“We don’t really know how long he’s going to be out for, but I do know there are sim-game opportunities, and he’s not one who loves going on a rehab assignment,” Roberts said. “So we’ll put a pin in that one.”

Betts missed 15 days on the injured list in 2018 with an oblique injury while with the Boston Red Sox. But now, at age 33 instead of 25, Betts and the Dodgers are taking the older, wiser approach.

“I think the oblique is something that is good until it’s not,” Roberts said. “You want to make sure that you’re really mindful of the process to get back and build up.”

“Things are going great,” Betts told Vassegh. “It’s just an oblique and things are going to take time.”

Mariners Game #18 Preview and Discussion: SEA at SDP

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 04: Bryan Woo #22 of the Seattle Mariners stands in the dugout during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on April 04, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Ryan Sun/Getty Images) | Getty Images

It’s rainy and gray in Seattle but the Mariners are enjoying sunny skies in San Diego for the next three games. After mopping up the Astros this weekend in a weird wraparound series, the Mariners will hope to keep their offensive improvements going against a San Diego team that isn’t quite as battered as the Astros.

Lineups:

Look at the Padres social team trolling Mariners fans with our old first baseman:

Roster updates:

Rob Refsnyder is headed to the paternity list; Patrick Wisdom is up from Tacoma to fill in. Find out more here.

For the Padres, they announced pregame they have placed RHP Nick Pivetta on the IL with right elbow inflammation and recalled RHP Alek Jacob.

Game information:

Game time: 6:40 PT

TV: Mariners.TV with Aaron Goldsmith and Angie Mentink

Radio: 710 AM Seattle Sports, with Rick Rizzs and Gary Hill Jr.

As a reminder, we’ll be watching Thursday’s game at the Rebel in Wallingford – come through if you can! 21+, food and drink specials, and prizes.

If you’re looking for MiLB games to watch tonight, the Rainiers game has been postponed because of rain; it will be made up as a doubleheader on Thursday the 16th.

Join the conversation!

Sign up for a user account and get:

  • Fewer ads
  • Create community posts
  • Comment on articles, community posts
  • Rec comments, community posts
  • New, improved notifications system!

Royals offense overpowered as bullpen blows lead in 2-1 loss to Tigers

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - APRIL 14: Jonathan India #6 of the Kansas City Royals throws the ball to first base as Kevin McGonigle #7 of the Detroit Tigers collides with him during the bottom of the first inning at Comerica Park on April 14, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. McGonigle was out at second base and Dillon Dingler #13 of the Detroit Tigers was thrown out at first base to complete the double play. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images) | Getty Images

In what is becoming a theme in this short season, the Kansas City offense no-showed and the bullpen again blew a slim lead as the Tigers beat the Royals 2-1 in Detroit. 

Until the late innings, the first inning and half contained all the action, and it started very quickly. With one out in the bottom of the first inning, Kevin McGonigle poked a fly ball to left field. As Isaac Collins tracked the ball, it drifted foul, into the seats just around a sneaky corner. Collins didn’t see the seats coming and went head over heels.

Collins did not come down with the ball, and to make batters worse he banged up his knee in the process. Tyler Tolbert came in to replace him, and Cole Ragans even walked McGonigle with the next pitch. It was not a good few minutes, but fortunately the Royals escaped without the Tigers doing any damage. 

In the second inning, the Royals got some good fortune. Salvador Perez blooped a bouncing single through the right side of the infield, and Tigers starter Framber Valdez mishandled a Vinnie Pasquantino dribbler and barely got Salvy out at second base. Starling Marte singled on a grounder up the middle and Jonathan India walked to load the bases. Carter Jensen–or should I say Young Carter, Eric Hosmer’s nickname for him–made weak contact. But the weak contact prevented a double play and resulted in one (1) run.

Anytime I watch Valdez, I just wonder how anyone scores off him. For his career, Valdez has struck out batters at a healthy 23.4% clip, and when he does allow contact, he induces ground balls 60% of the time. It’s infuriating to watch; when he’s on, like he was tonight, he looks unstoppable. He threw strikes. He got an endless supply of ground balls. Kansas City’s offense was absolutely and completely overwhelmed, in other words. 

Fortunately for the Royals, Cole Ragans was very good. Ragans wasn’t quite at his occasional “world-destroying monster” level, and he only had one strikeout against four walks (two leadoff). But Ragans had the Tigers constantly guessing, and Detroit only managed a single hit against the imposing lefty across six innings in part thanks to some solid defense, like this over-the-shoulder catch from Bobby Witt Jr. 

Ragans left with a 1-0 lead. But with such a slim margin for error and Kansas City’s, shall we say, suspect bullpen, Royals fans could smell what was inevitable to happen next. It seemed like that would be immediate, as Matt Strahm stepped into the seventh inning and surrendered a leadoff single to Dillon Dingler and walked Spencer Torkelson a few batters later. 

But while Strahm got out of it, that feared result happened in the eighth. Nick Mears also started off the eighth inning by surrendering a leadoff hit–but this one was of the extra base variety, a Zach McKinstry double. A Gleyber Torres groundout moved McKinstry to third base, and Mears uncorked a wild pitch to allow McKinstry to score. After a McGonigle walk, Dingler doubled to third base on a ball that Maikel Garcia probably should have gotten. It allowed McGonigle to score from first. 

The Royals made it interesting in the ninth inning, with Lane Thomas singling off Kenley Jansen and stealing second base to put a runner in scoring position with no outs. But Jansen overpowered Salvy and Vinnie to get meek back-to-back ground outs, and Marte popped up to center field on what should have been a walk–but Marte didn’t challenge a clear miscall by the ump even though the Royals had both challenges and were about to lose the game.  

Kansas City is now 7-10, and 17 games into the season you and I have combined for as many home runs as Witt, Pasquantino, and Caglianone have, so that’s fun. Should the Chicago White Sox win later tonight, the Royals will be back to their comfortable resting ground of last place (or tied for it, as it were).

Mets at Dodgers: Lineups, broadcast info, and open thread, 4/14/26

Aug 22, 2025; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; New York Mets pitcher Nolan McLean (26) pitches the ball against the Atlanta Braves during the sixth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images | Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images

Mets lineup

  1. Francisco Lindor – SS
  2. Luis Robert – CF
  3. Jorge Polanco – DH
  4. Bo Bichette – 3B
  5. Francisco Alvarez – C
  6. Brett Baty – RF
  7. Mark Vientos – 1B
  8. Marcus Semien – 2B
  9. Carson Benge – LF

SP: Nolan McLean – RHP

Dodgers lineup

  1. Shohei Ohtani – DH
  2. Kyle Tucker – RF
  3. Will Smith – C
  4. Freddie Freeman – 1B
  5. Teoscar Hernandez – LF
  6. Max Muncy – 3B
  7. Andy Pages – CF
  8. Hyeseong Kim – SS
  9. Alex Freeland – 2B

SP: Y. Yamamoto – RHP

Broadcast info

First pitch: 10:10pm EDT
TV: SNY
Radio: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App, 92.3 HD2

Join the conversation!

Sign up for a user account and get:

  • Fewer ads
  • Create community posts
  • Comment on articles, community posts
  • Rec comments, community posts
  • New, improved notifications system!

Patrick Kane Leaves Door Wide Open For Playing Next Season

Follow Michael Whitaker On X

What does the future hold for Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane? 

He hit multiple career milestones this season, including scoring his 500th career goal, becoming the highest-scoring U.S.-born player in NHL history, and, on Monday evening, picking up the 1,400th point of his Hall of Fame career. 

He's also a pending unrestricted free agent. 

Following Monday's game, Kane made it sound as though he absolutely plans on playing next season.

"I haven’t really thought about it too much. I’ll definitely be playing," Kane said. "I think there’s more in the tank, and excited to see what level that can be at."

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest newsgame-day coverage, and player features

Image

Detroit would be hard-pressed to replace the offense that Kane has provided to them this season. While he missed chunks of the season with injury, Kane has still scored 16 goals while adding 41 assists. He's also currently sporting a plus-two rating. 

The chances of the Red Wings re-signing Kane are likely good, considering his friendship with forward Alex DeBrincat and the friendship of their young sons with one another. 

Kane has spoken glowingly of playing for the organization and living in the Metro-Detroit area, and it would be difficult to see him opting to move his family elsewhere for what could potentially be his final NHL season. 

While the Red Wings ultimately finished on the outside looking in at the postseason race, Kane's efforts down the stretch were especially noticeable, having scored at over a point-per-game pace during the last 24 games. 

Red Wings’ Late-Season Collapse Matches Rare Mark Not Seen Since 1970Red Wings’ Late-Season Collapse Matches Rare Mark Not Seen Since 1970The Detroit Red Wings became just the second team in NHL history and the first since 1970 to achieve a dismal mark.

"Happy with the way I finished, especially after the Olympic break," Kane said. "Felt really good. Definitely feel like there’s more gas still in the tank."

In each of the last two offseasons, Kane has signed a one-year extension to remain with Detroit. Don't be surprised to see history repeat itself for a third time this summer. 

Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!

Image

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

Nick Pivetta on IL; Alek Jacob, Matt Waldron called up

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 12: Nick Pivetta #27 of the San Diego Padres pitches against the Colorado Rockies during the first inning at Petco Park on April 12, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The San Diego Padres officially announced that starter Nick Pivetta, who suffered an injury while pitching on Sunday, is being placed on the 15-day injured list. It will be retroactive to April 13. The diagnosis is right elbow inflammation. Pivetta was in the fourth inning of a perfect start against the Colorado Rockies when his velocity dropped and manager Craig Stammen walked out and took the ball.

Starter Matt Waldron and reliever Alek Jacob have been brought up from Triple-A El Paso with Waldron saying (per Padres media) that he will be starting on Friday in Anaheim against the Angels. Waldron has had starts for the Chihuahuas with 12 innings pitched and has allowed seven hits and no runs with 12 strikeouts.

His last start was April 9, going five innings with two hits and no runs with three strikeouts. Friday would normally be the spot for Germán Márquez, following Walker Buehler on Thursday, but the starting pitchers past today’s game against the Mariners have not been announced by the Padres.

Jacob can be activated and used out of the bullpen until Waldron is needed to start. That would give the bullpen a fresher arm to relieve some stress on the current pitchers. Jacob last pitched 1.2 innings on Sunday for El Paso. He has pitched 7.1 innings over five games with a 0.00 ERA. He has six strikeouts and three walks.

Pivetta was placed on the injured list by the Boston Red Sox, his team in 2024, with a right elbow flexor strain and he was activated after a month on the IL. He also experienced what was described as arm fatigue during Spring Training this year and was shut down for a start before resuming his build up.

There was no announcement regarding elbow imaging done or if that is in the plan for Pivetta.