Jaylen Brown throws down a dunk against the Warriors on Wednesday. | David Butler II-Imagn Images
In the first quarter Wednesday night, Celtics superstar Jaylen Brown looked like he was playing at the park, rather than in an NBA arena.
Brown got to his spot with ease over and over again, racking up 19 points to help Boston jump out to an early lead against the Warriors. He kept it rolling from there, finishing with 32 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists, moving into 10th place on the franchise’s all-time scoring list in the process.
Jayson Tatum added 24 points and 10 boards for the Celtics, who coasted to a 120-99 victory at TD Garden. The win is Boston’s third in a row and eighth in its last 11 games, with a matchup at Memphis on the horizon Friday night.
19 points in just the first quarter for Jaylen Brown 🔥
The Celtics (46-23) bolted out to a 36-23 edge through one quarter, leaning on a steady diet of Tatum and Brown to pull ahead. Tatum swished a 3 and found Sam Hauser in the corner for a triple of his own, and Brown shot 8 of 9 in the quarter without much difficulty. Together, Tatum and Brown scored or assisted on all 36 of Boston’s points.
Old friend Kristaps Porzingis (11 points, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks) kept the Warriors (33-36) afloat, swatting a shot on one end and draining a 3 on the other. He then peered up at the Jumbotron as the Celtics gave him a well-deserved tribute video between quarters.
The second quarter was even, as Gui Santos and Pat Spencer did their part for Golden State. Luka Garza (15 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals), Payton Pritchard (19 points, 7 assists) and Derrick White (11 points, 6 rebounds) all did their part as the Celtics took a 63-50 edge into halftime.
Boston held Golden State to 39 percent from the floor and 25 percent from 3 before the break, rotating and recovering well to prevent the Warriors from generating easy looks.
The Warriors sliced it to 63-56 early in the third, then Brown hit a jumper and Tatum swerved into the lane for two to push it back to 13. Pritchard and Garza worked in tandem to create some separation again, with Pritchard hunting mismatches and hitting his signature fallaways.
Boston extended the margin to 89-73 through three, despite Porzingis’ best efforts to keep Golden State afloat. Baylor Scheierman swished a transition 3 and White added an and-one early in the fourth, then Brown provided the exclamation point with an and-one in the final minutes to elicit another M-V-P chant.
On a night with Robert Parish in the house, the Celtics played stellar defense, holding the Warriors to 23-percent shooting from distance. They didn’t let an inferior opponent hang around and pulled away multiple times to leave no doubt.
The Warriors did all they could, but with Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler and other old friend Al Horford sidelined, the Celtics simply had too much firepower. It never got out of hand, but it also never felt like the Warriors would break through.
Tatum and Brown are back doing their thing, and the Celtics are playing like a team capable of making a deep playoff run.
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Britt Prince scored 22 points on 10-of-14 shooting, Nebraska opened the third quarter with a 17-0 run, and the Cornhuskers beat Richmond 75-56 on Wednesday night at the NCAA First Four.
No. 11 seed Nebraska (19-12) plays sixth-seeded Baylor on Friday in the Round of 64. Coach Amy Williams, in her ninth season with the program, has led the Cornhuskers to five of their 18 NCAA Tournament appearances and two of their 10 wins, which includes a 61-59 first-round win over Texas A&M in 2024.
Prince came around a screen, was fouled on a pull-up jumper from the free-throw line and converted the three-point play to open the second half. Her 3-pointer with 4:42 left in the third quarter capped a 17-0 run that made it 51-32.
Seventh-year coach Aaron Roussell has led Richmond (26-8) to 26-plus wins and an NCAA Tournament appearance in each of the past three seasons. The Spiders made their sixth tournament appearance and earned their second consecutive at-large bid.
Maggie Doogan — who was named Atlantic 10 player of the year for the second consecutive season — was 8-of-13 shooting and had 24 points and 10 rebounds for the Spiders. The 6-foot-2 senior averaged 28.5 points in two tournament games last season, which includes a 30-point, 15-rebound performance that helped Richmond beat Georgia Tech 74-49 in the Round of 64 — the program’s first win in the NCAA Tournament.
Richmond shot 40% overall and made just 4 of 23 (17%) from behind the arc. The Spiders went into the game ranked No. 2 nationally in 3-pointers per game (10.5), No. 9 in 3-point percentage (.370) and No. 24 in field-goal percentage (.458).
Up next
The Cornhuskers seek the program's 11th NCAA Tournament win Friday against Baylor.
ATLANTA (AP) — Virginia won the first two relays at the women’s swimming and diving championships Wednesday night to begin its quest for a sixth straight NCAA title.
The Cavaliers won two of the three events to take the team lead with 100 points. Texas is second with 89, and Louisville and Stanford are tied at 59.
Virginia won the 200-yard medley relay for the fifth consecutive championships — with Sara Curtis, Emma Weber and Bryn Greenwaldt getting their first career NCAA titles. The Cavaliers finished in a time of 1:31.67 as the program now owns the 10 fastest times in the event.
Virginia also took the 800-freestyle relay in a time of 6:45.21 to set a NCAA championship meet record.
Texas sophomore Jillian Cox defended her title in the 1650 freestyle with a pool-record time of 15:32.26 after chasing down California freshman Claire Weinstein, who came in at 15:36.52. Virginia sophomore Katie Grimes took bronze at 15:42.65.
There are five swimming finals and a diving final on Thursday at the McAuley Aquatic Center.
“I just want to play baseball,” Barnes said. “I’m gonna go out there and see what happens. I think I still have some ball left in me, so I just want to keep going.”
The 36-year-old’s time with the Dodgers ended last May, when he was released.
A month later, Barnes signed with the Giants and spent about a month with Triple-A Sacramento before being released again.
Now, he’s giving it another shot with the Mets, who signed Barnes to a minor league deal in January.
He’s unsure how much longer he wants to keep playing, or whether he’d be willing to play in the minors again, but with a week left until Opening Day, Barnes insisted he’s not done yet and hopes to get a shot in Queens.
“This is a really good group,” Barnes said recently. “They’ve got a chance to do something special.”
Barnes has a unique perspective, having been a key part of the Dodgers’ title in 2020 and then serving in a backup role in 2024, when Los Angeles knocked off the Yankees in five games.
“You never know how a team is gonna come together, but the talent is here,” Barnes said. “This roster is as talented as any team in the major leagues. It just has to come together organically.”
Veteran catcher Austin Barnes, hitting a single earlier in spring training, is hoping to land a spot with the Mets. Corey Sipkin for New York Post
And Barnes hopes he’s a part of it.
“I’m thankful for the opportunities I’ve had and I’m trying to make the most of them,” he said. “I came here because I like winning. I don’t like not being competitive, and they have aspirations of winning here.”
Whether that will include Barnes remains to be seen, and he’s not sure how much longer he’ll play.
“I have kids now and I always thought I’d play till they ripped the jersey off,” Barnes said. “But that decision gets a little harder now than when you’re young.”
His attitude, though, still hasn’t changed.
“I feel I can go do it, so why not?” Barnes said. “I love baseball. It hasn’t always been easy. I feel this is something I owe to myself to go out there. And I’d like my son to see me play more, too. He’s 5 now and been around, but he’s starting to understand more. So yeah, I’ll probably play till they rip the jersey off.”
But even if Barnes doesn’t get back to the majors with the Mets, the veteran backstop has had an impact this spring by working with the team’s other catchers.
“He’s very intelligent with knowing pitchers and running a team, really,” Hayden Senger said. “He’s been doing it so long. He knows how to approach at-bats [as a catcher] and that you have to know a pitcher’s strength for a Plan A, but that you always have to have a Plan B and C to navigate big league hitters. It’s great having him around.”
SURPRISE, ARIZONA - MARCH 14: Brandon Nimmo #24 of the Texas Rangers warms up on deck during the third inning of the spring training game against the San Diego Padres at Surprise Stadium on March 14, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Tonight the Texas Rangers are the home team in Surprise against the Kansas City Royals as the complex-mates square off under the lights.
RHP Kumar Rocker continues his quest to earn a spot in the rotation for Texas while veteran righty Michael Wacha will pitch for KC.
Today’s Lineups
ROYALS
RANGERS
Isaac Collins – DH
Brandon Nimmo – RF
Abraham Toro – 1B
Wyatt Langford – CF
Carter Jensen – C
Corey Seager – SS
Drew Waters – RF
Jake Burger – 1B
Kyle Isbel – CF
Josh Jung – 3B
Tyler Tolbert – 2B
Kyle Higashioka – C
Connor Kaiser – 3B
Sam Haggerty – LF
Peyton Wilson – LF
Andrew McCutchen – DH
Daniel Vazquez – SS
Josh Smith – 2B
Michael Wacha – RHP
Kumar Rocker – RHP
You can catch a telecast via CW33, listen to the game via 105.3 The Fan, or follow along on Gameday. First pitch from Surprise Stadium is scheduled for 8:05 pm CT.
In the 355th all-time face-off between the Missouri Tigers and Kansas Jayhawks, a rivalry that stands as Mizzou’s most played matchup, the Tigers could not find their footing. Kansas came out swinging early and never let up, cruising to a 10-0 run-rule victory.
It was a tough outing for Missouri, as Kansas jumped out on top and did not look back, securing a 9–0 score through six innings.
Kansas did all its damage in the first three innings, as it put up three runs in the first inning and broke things open with a five-run third inning. That early surge gave them a commanding lead they comfortably maintained.
Missouri’s offense struggled to get anything going, although they managed to get three hits across 19 at-bats in the first six innings. A few players, Cameron Benson, Pierre Seals, and Jase Woita, each had hits that anticipated Tiger fans, but none of them were timely enough to bring those runners home.
On the mound, Missouri’s freshman starter Luke Sullivan allowed eight runs, three of them earned on eight hits over 2.2 innings, including two home runs. Their defensive issues did not offer much help, with two errors from Sullivan and Keegan Knutson, which contributed to those big inning let downs.
The bullpen for the Tigers settled things down nicely, as Isaiah Salas, Eli Skidmore and Jackson Sobel combined for 2.2 scoreless innings and allowed just one hit which kept Kansas off the board after the third, until the sixth inning, when a run was scored through a one-out run after a sacrifice groundout.
Slight Hope for Missouri
Starting off the seventh inning strong for Mizzou, Kam Durnin smacked a double out to right field. Tyler Macon took a walk, which brought the Tigers to the corners of the diamond. Kansas brought out their fifth arm of the day, Carter Fink. However, the Jayhawks made a shocking double play to end the inning for the Tigers.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Tigers brought in Luke Fricker to the mound, although another run came home to end the game in a walk-off victory for the Jayhawks.
The Tigers will head to the University of Tennessee for a three-game SEC showdown beginning at 5:30 p.m., on Friday, March 20, in Knoxville, Tenn. This will be a quick turnaround, but it will also give Mizzou a chance to respond after their rivalry loss against the Tony Vitello-less Vols.
Tennessee currently holds the same 15-6 record as Mizzou, so it will be interesting to see which team will break that record with a victory.
Following a four-game road trip to face the NHL’s eastern-most Canadian teams, the Anaheim Ducks will briefly return to Orange County for a matchup against the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday.
The Ducks’ trip wasn’t short on storylines. Their 6-4 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday was the epicenter of controversy, as Ducks captain Radko Gudas received a five-game suspension for delivering a knee-on-knee hit to Leafs captain Auston Matthews, a knee that caused a grade-three MCL tear and a quad contusion, which will force the Leafs superstar out for the remainder of the 2025-26 season.
To end the trip, the Ducks won a high-octane matchup with the Montreal Canadiens 4-3, which saw the return of star forward Troy Terry and the debut of newly-acquired veteran defenseman John Carlson.
That game also saw the Ducks’ coaching staff healthy scratch fourth-year center Mason McTavish (23), whose struggles this season, and especially recently, have been understated due to the team’s relative success, as they make their final push toward their first playoff appearance in eight years.
"Sometimes you got to make hard decisions, and sometimes change might be healthy for the player individually,” Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville told the media following Sunday’s game. “You try different things along the way to give them an opportunity to go.
Hey, let's fight our way back into the lineup and push to get in there and be back to where you're expected to be. That's what we're looking for.”
After producing .54, .66, and .68 points per game in his first three seasons in the NHL, McTavish has only accounted for 32 points (13-19=32) through his first 61 games in 2025-26, a .52 points/game pace.
His struggles had reached a new low heading into Sunday’s scratch, as he’d only found the scoresheet for two assists in his last 12 games, including one in his last nine and having gone without a point in his last five games.
McTavish has always been a streaky player, but even when going through relative dry spells, he’s been able to impact games on forechecks and winning small-area puck battles along the walls. In the past, he’d done well to remain involved in plays, game-to-game, period-to-period, and shift-to-shift. Through this latest stretch, even those aspects have been neutralized, and pinpointing one specific area can prove a fruitless act.
“I think nothing seems to be connected right now. Not getting the puck with speed, not getting the puck much, not skating as much,” McTavish said after practice on Tuesday. “Just thinking a lot out there, I would say, is the biggest thing. I'm very confident, I'll be right, be right back with the guys, and playing a lot in a big role with this team. I have no doubt about that, and just a bump in the road.”
McTavish missed roughly half of Anaheim’s training camp this season due to contract negotiations. It’s possible that could have been a contributing factor. It’s also possible that head coach Joel Quenneville and his coaching staff have implemented a high-octane, puck possession-based system that hasn’t been easy for McTavish to adjust to or that isn’t particularly conducive to his play style.
“Yeah, I mean, who knows, right?” McTavish said when asked if missing part of camp had any effect on his play. “Obviously, we want to be at camp every time, but it’s just the way things worked out. Nobody really knows. Obviously, it’s a little trend, but it’s hard to put your finger on it, I guess.”
Lastly, it’s perceivable that this is a stall in McTavish’s development. He’s yet to round out his 200-foot game, as he’s been one of the NHL’s most negatively-impacful players on the defensive side of the puck this season.
His skating, in terms of foot speed, four-way mobility, and balance, isn’t optimal for top-six centers in the NHL. With his substandard skating, he will be forced to adapt and adjust his game to playing down the middle against the best players in the world. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a considerable weakness if a player can make up for it in other areas of their game.
“It's tough news for the player, and I think that he handled it well,” Quenneville said after Wednesday’s morning skate of McTavish’s reaction to being a healthy scratch. “We see him playing, so it's just a matter of time that we'll get him back in there and he'll be doing his thing.”
McTavish will serve his second straight game as a healthy scratch on Wednesday, as the Ducks host the Philadelphia Flyers. The Ducks remain in first place in the Pacific Division standings and will need McTavish to turn his performance around if he’s to assume an impact role for their upcoming (projected) playoff run.
The young center is in his first year of a newly signed six-year contract carrying an AAV of $7 million. The contract extension and his selection with the third-overall pick in the 2021 NHL draft represent considerable assets spent by the Ducks on McTavish, and as recently as October (if they don’t still), they considered him a significant part of their present and future.
In any regard, these healthy scratches have likely deflated a sizable percentage of any potential trade value. For the Ducks’ and McTavish’s sakes alike, the hope is that this stretch is simply a speed bump and not a sign of things to come moving forward.
This evening in Surprise, the Royals will face the Texas Rangers.
Michael Wacha takes the mound in front of a lineup that still looks a bit bareboned as Royals trickle back to the team after participating in the World Baseball Classic. None of those involved in that tournament’s semi-finals are in the lineup. Instead, Isaac Collins leads off while Rookie of the Year hopeful Carter Jensen starts behind the plate and bats third.
The Rangers, winners of six of their last eight, will start on the mound Kumar Rocker, who went 4-5 in 2025 with an ugly ERA near 6. The lineup features plenty of regulars, such as Corey Seager and Josh Jung, please one intriguing new name—Andrew McCutchen, the longtime Pittsburgh Pirate outfielder who signed a minor-league deal just about two weeks ago.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 18: Landen Roupp #65 of the San Francisco Giants throws a pitch in the third inning during a Spring Training game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Camelback Ranch on March 18, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants played the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday, in the hot, hot Arizona heat, and it didn’t go particularly well. It was a game with minimal moments of note for the Giants, who played the evil villains of the baseball universe for the final time before their first regular season matchup in late April.
All the Spring Training caveats apply. It was just one game. It was just one meaningless preseason game. It was just one meaningless preseason game where the stats have been proven time and time again to not really mean anything. It was just one meaningless preseason game where the stats have been proven time and time again to not really mean anything that didn’t even go nine innings anyway, as the teams decided together to limit exposure to the triple-digit heat, and cut off the game after eight innings, after which the Dodgers led 5-1.
So while I’d stop well short of calling it a concerning game with concerning performances, it was certainly a game devoid of reasons for optimism in the places where we’re looking for some optimism.
Let’s start with the pitching. Landen Roupp made his final Cactus League start, though I would assume that he’ll pitch one of the team’s exhibitions at Oracle Park on Monday and Tuesday. Facing a potent Dodgers offense playing a handful of regulars, Roupp was not at his sharpest.
He got into trouble immediately, ceding singles to the first three batters of the game, Miguel Rojas, Freddie Freeman, and Mookie Betts. After performing his civic duty by striking out Max Muncy, Roupp then gave up a fourth single to Teoscar Hernández. A double play ball followed, mercifully ending the inning before it became ugly, but still, LA had scored two runs, a total that the Giants wouldn’t match all day.
In Roupp’s defense, two of those singles were fairly soft contact: Rojas’ inning-opener was a mild-mannered 63.7-mph ground ball, while Hernández’s RBI was a looping 73.1-mph line drive. So it’s not like he was getting battered out there.
The second inning went much better, a featured a pair of strikeouts. The third inning did not go better, as the second pitch he threw blistered into the bleachers grass by Freeman. In all, Roupp went four innings and gave up five hits, three walks, and three runs. He did strike out five batters, but just 46 of his 81 pitches were strikes. He wasn’t sharp, but he wasn’t awful, either.
Later in the game, someone attempting to follow Roupp’s career path entered the game: Trevor McDonald. It’s been a great spring for McDonald, who looks to have pole position on earning a spot in what is suddenly a fairly crowded bullpen and, whether or not he accomplishes that particular goal, does seem to be first in line for a starting assignment when someone in the rotation invariably gets injured.
The Giants do seem to be prepping him for a bullpen role though, as he entered in the seventh inning of this game. Facing the replacement hitters, McDonald was done in by a pair of non-roster invitees: Ryan Fitzgerald, who drilled a one-out double (which put him on second base, where he got to mingle with Tyler Fitzgerald [no relation]), and Nick Senzel, who smoked a 108.4-mph dinger.
Despite that, McDonald needed just 16 pitches to get through the inning. Sometimes you just get got, and on this day, he — and Roupp — got got.
Offensively, it was mostly a mediocre day all around, but it was particularly mediocre for the players who are on the periphery of the roster, trying to earn Opening Day assignments. Jerar Encarnación started at first base, and hit 0-2; Bryce Eldridge replaced him, and went 0-1. Will Brennan started in center field and had an 0-2 game with a strikeout; Grant McCray replaced him and drew a walk, then promptly got caught in a rundown. Luis Matos went 0-1 as the designated hitter, though he was hit by a pitch and his out was a 105-mph liner. Tyler Fitzgerald meekly flew out in his lone at-bat as the backup second baseman.
Not really a good day for anyone in need of a good day to have a good day.
There were two hitters who shined, though. Heliot Ramos made his return following a run with Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic, and in his first at-bat, facing off against Shohei Ohtani, Ramos smoked a double into the corner, one-hopping the wall. Ramos would end the day 1-3, and he’s now 8-14 in Spring Training, with five extra-base hits … and all five home come against right-handed pitchers (and some extremely good right-handed pitchers, at that). He certainly doesn’t need a good spring to make the team — all he needs is to be halfway healthy on March 25 — but his performance is certainly inspiring optimism that another All-Star level performance could be around the corner. T
As for the other great day in the box? Well, it belonged to the breakout star of camp, Victor Bericoto.
Bericoto is, notably, still in camp as a non-roster invitee, even though the Giants have now made five rounds of cuts, including optioning a position player, Jesús Rodríguez. And his lone at-bat, subbing in for Jung Hoo Lee in right field, showed why.
Facing a former All-Star closer in Tanner Scott — who is putting his disastrous 2025 behind him with a sensational spring — Bericoto took on dead center and won easily.
Bericoto smashed a 1-1 pitch at 112.6 mph, and god knows how far. Statcast says the home run traveled 406 feet, but given that it easily cleared the tall batter’s eye in center field — and that center field is 410 feet at Camelback Ranch — I am deeply suspicious. The math, as the youths say, ain’t mathing.
Either way, it was majestic, and it gave Bericoto his team-leading third home run of the spring. He’s 16-37 with five extra-base hits, and while this is the part in the exercise where I normally remind you of all the great springs of the past — remember Ismael Munguia just two years ago? — I’m not going to do that. I’m just going to say that the Giants do not have a clear fourth outfielder, let alone fifth outfielder, and while Bericoto is still an exceedingly long shot to earn either of those roles this month, he won’t have to hit like this in Sacramento for long before the opportunity is given to him.
A few other highlights from a lowlight of a game:
Righty Keaton Winn, and southpaws Joey Lucchesi and Erik Miller each pitched scoreless frames. For Miller, whose inning was perfect, it marked his second appearance after a delayed start to Spring Training. It’s looking like he might be healthy enough to make the Opening Day roster after all, and that’s great. The Giants very much wanted to get a look at Miller, so much so that after the teams agreed to end the game after eight innings, they played the bottom of the eighth so that Miller could get some time, despite the Giants losing 5-1.
Patrick Bailey once again won an ABS challenge. He is very good at this, it seems.
The five hardest-hit balls of the day for the Giants: Bericoto’s home run (112.6 mph); a Brennan groundout (106.8); Matos’ lineout (105.0); a Ramos flyout (101.2); and an Encarnación lineout (96.9).
The Giants play two games tomorrow! Their prospects host the Cincinnati Reds’ prospects in the Spring Breakout game at 6:05 p.m. PT, on MLB Network. Five minutes later, their Cactus League squad hits the road to take on the Colorado Rockies. That game is radio only.
The lingering feeling that followed Jaroslav Chmelar from the Rangers back to AHL Hartford gnawed at him.
He tried not to think about it too much — he did have AHL games to play, after all, to try and earn another call-up — in the moment, but Chmelar wasn’t thrilled with how his four-game stint with the Blueshirts went in December.
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Before that, the Rangers’ fifth-round pick in 2021 had appeared in just two NHL games since signing out of Providence College. Those cameos were entirely different from anything he experienced with the Wolf Pack. So Chmelar reset his mindset.
He used his frustration — and the thinking that he could’ve given more — as fuel and motivation.
After a third chance arrived two weeks ago, right before the trade deadline, Chmelar became a piece that head coach Mike Sullivan publicly stated he didn’t want to take out of the Rangers’ lineup.
The 6-foot-4, 226-pound winger has carved out a physical role on the fourth line while flashing glimpses of a scoring touch, too. He tallied his first goal March 5. He added another one Friday and nearly a third Monday, missing a chance near the net that ultimately turned into a learning moment.
And most of all, Chmelar and Sullivan both said, the game has started to slow down for him.
“When I got this [call-up], I was like, I gotta put more on the line,” Chmelar told The Post after the Rangers’ morning skate Wednesday before their game against the Devils at the Garden. “Be everywhere. The one step ahead. Give a little more effort to be happy with my game, and I’m glad it’s showing.”
With Chmelar adjusting to the speed of the NHL level, that has allowed him to play with more pace, Sullivan said.
One layer of that revolves around anticipation. Another includes “physical foot speed,” Sullivan added.
Midway through the second period against the Wild on Friday, Chmelar finished his check along the boards as Minnesota cleared the puck, and moments later, following a turnover in the neutral zone, he ended up on a breakaway — shifting the puck to his backhand and flipping it into the net.
Chmelar’s ice time has still been limited, given his lack of a penalty-killing role. He only topped 10 minutes in a game once. But his role in Hartford — where he collected 25 points across 46 games, with both on pace to shatter his AHL-bests in a full season — paired with his recent Rangers impression has given Chmelar a foundation to build on during the offseason, with roster spots and roles available on a retooling team.
“When he finishes checks, he can create anxiety,” Sullivan said. “He can unnerve the opponent.”
Jaroslav Chmelar watches his shot go past the net during the Rangers’ 4-1 loss to the Kings on March 16, 2026 at the Garden. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
There are still plenty of areas for growth. Chmelar noticed that he’ll rush into trying to make a play on offense instead of taking a breath, making one more move and then attempting something with the puck. That happened again Monday, when he ended up with a bouncing puck near the post but watched as it hit his stick’s heel and went wide of an open net.
“I think I could’ve waited there for a little bit,” Chmelar said. “I thought I had more pressure on myself than I had, and yeah, I mean, to be honest, I was pissed. … That haunts me a little bit, but I gotta put it behind, and hopefully the next one can go in.”
Chmelar planned to dive into plenty of video this upcoming offseason, preparing for any situation he ends up in next year. He wants to seek out advice from NHL players. There’s more to develop with maximizing his size, too, he said.
That, always, will remain at the crux of his skill set. It’s what allowed that goal in Minnesota, placing him in the right place at the right juncture. It’s what allowed him to secure a place in Sullivan’s lineup. And if he can add strength, Chmelar knows that’ll only make it more difficult for opposing defensemen.
“I think they gotta know that I’m coming, pretty much,” Chmelar said.
Mar 1, 2026; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; New York Mets pitcher Jack Wenninger (92) pitches in the fifth inning against the Houston Astros at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
Ahead of tomorrow’s game, the Mets announced their Spring Breakout roster. In its third year, MLB’s Spring Breakout is a showcase for all 30 teams to highlight some of their top prospects. These games happen over four days across both the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues.
Below is the list of Mets’ prospects on the roster. If they are ranked on MLB’s Pipeline list for either the club or MLB overall, it is listed next to their name.
PITCHERS (9):
Juan Arnaud, RHP
Hoss Brewer, RHP
Nicolas Carreño, LHP
Saúl García, RHP
Cristofer Gómez, RHP
Douglas Orellana, RHP
Jonathan Santucci, LHP, No. 10
Ben Simon, RHP
Jack Wenninger, RHP, No. 7
CATCHERS (3):
Daiverson Gutierrez, C, No. 26
Chris Suero, C/OF, No. 16
Julio Zayas, C
INFIELDERS (10):
Yunior Amparo, UTIL
Ryan Clifford, 1B/OF, No. 5
Randy Guzman, 1B/OF, No. 25
Yonatan Henríquez, UTIL
Antonio Jimenez, SS, No. 17
Elian Peña, SS, No. 9
Jacob Reimer, 3B/1B, No. 6
D’Andre Smith, 2B
Marco Vargas, INF, No. 21
Mitch Voit, 2B, No. 8
OUTFIELDERS (3):
A.J. Ewing, OF/2B, No. 4/MLB No. 97
Nick Morabito, OF, No. 13
Eli Serrano III, OF, No. 14
The Mets play the Rays tomorrow evening at Clover Field at 7:10pm ET.
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani, of Japan, sits in the team dugout after his pitching outing during the fifth inning of a spring training baseball game against the...
Based on the way he pitched, it certainly didn’t look like it, either.
In 4 ⅓ scoreless innings against the Giants at Camelback Ranch, Ohtani checked almost every possible box in his first live game action of camp –– having previously been limited only to live batting practice sessions while he was away with Team Japan at the World Baseball Classic.
Ohtani delivers against the Giants on Wednesday at Camelback Ranch. Getty Images
The superstar right-hander was equal parts efficient, able to work past his pregame target of four innings by throwing only 61 pitches, and dominant, allowing one hit and striking out four batters.
His fastball was crisp, averaging 97.6 mph and topping out at 99.9 mph. His splitter, sweeper and curveball all generated awkward swings-and-misses against an overmatched Giants lineup. And while Ohtani walked two batters, hit another and bemoaned a few poorly executed putaway pitches with two strikes, the overall product had manager Dave Roberts shaking his head with a smile afterward.
“I’ve learned that you don’t ever underestimate or try to make predictions on what Shohei’s gonna do,” Roberts said, admitting he expected Ohtani to look more rusty in his first spring outing. “He’s always gonna deliver.”
Before Wednesday, questions remained about exactly how Ohtani’s compressed pitching build-up would go as he hurried to get ready for the regular season.
Prior to leaving for the WBC, he had thrown a couple live BP sessions on the backfields at Dodgers camp. During his time serving as Team Japan’s designated hitter, he threw a couple more against his WBC teammates, steadily building up to four innings of stamina.
Still, the initial expectation when he returned to Arizona was that he wouldn’t pitch until next week’s exhibition Freeway Series against the Angels in Los Angeles.
Instead, he showed up feeling good enough to pitch a bullpen session Tuesday, then turned right around to take the mound Wednesday.
“This is the first time he’s going to face competition since the World Series,” Roberts said pregame. “I would expect to see an intense performance focus from Shohei.”
Ohtani during the fifth inning against the Giants on Wednesday. Getty Images
Such intensity, of course, is likely to define Ohtani’s entire season this year, as he returns to two-way duties full time. Never before has he shouldered such a burden on a team with World Series aspirations. Not since his final season with the Angels in 2023 has he even been able to pitch and hit without restrictions on his schedule.
Last year, Ohtani logged 47 regular-season innings in his return from a second career Tommy John surgery, then threw 20 more during the team’s postseason run to a second consecutive World Series.
But now, his workload is largely unencumbered. His full arsenal can be deployed without the limitations that came with his Tommy John recovery last year.
Because of that, he returned to the clubhouse Wednesday and voiced several hopes for this season.
Among them: Making at least 25 starts. Posting every turn through the rotation on normal, for him, 5-6 days of rest (even though, he acknowledged, he will listen if the team suggests he take longer breaks between some outings). Potentially vying for a first Cy Young Award to go along with his four MVPs. And reaching the playoffs prepared for another World Series trek.
“He’s one of our best pitchers,” Roberts said. “And for him to have a foundation, being past the surgery, with what he did last year, knowing that he can take down starts in the mid-20s, it just makes us better. And I know that’s what he’s expecting from himself.”
Next up for Ohtani will be a second spring outing against the Angels in next week’s Freeway Series. That will line up his regular-season pitching debut for the second series of the Dodgers’ opening homestand against the Guardians at the end of the month, likely for at least five innings.
At the start of spring, such a target seemed uncertain, given the quick turnaround Ohtani faced coming back from the WBC.
Instead, once again, he has erased all doubt –– getting right back on schedule for the 2026 campaign.
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ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 10: Jalen Johnson #1, Onyeka Okongwu #17 and Dyson Daniels #5 of the Atlanta Hawks high five during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on March 10, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks (23-46) play host to the flaming-hot Atlanta Hawks (37-31) who have won 10 straight games. The Mavericks are coming off a road drubbing at the hands of the New Orleans Pelicans and just need a few days off. The Hawks have had a cupcake schedule and taken full advantage in terms of wins, but haven’t moved up the standings much at all.
Here are the main things you need to know:
WHO: Dallas Mavericks vs Atlanta Hawks
WHAT: Home again!
WHERE: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
WHEN: 7:30 pm CST
HOW: KFAA Channel 29, MavsTV streaming, NBA League Pass
The Mavericks’ injury report has a lot going on with the status of many players up in the air as of this writing. All three two-way players are questionable, which gives Jason Kidd up until game time to make a decision as to their status. Daniel Gafford and Caleb Martin are each questionable with nagging injuries. Brandon Williams is officially out after entering the concussion protocol.
The Hawks are, of course, very healthy. Jonathan Kuminga is questionable with a knee injury that seems to exist permanently in his case.
The 10 game streak from Atlanta is a bit of a mirage, but make no mistake they have things cooking right now. They have Jalen Johnson and Nickeil Alexander-Walker are putting up fantastic numbers as of late and Dallas will need to adhere to their defensive principles if they want to slow down this Hawks offense. For the Mavericks, I’d like to see the PJ Washington at five experiment again.
Be sure to chime in with your predictions in the comments!
Consider joining Josh and me on Pod Maverick live after the game on YouTube, we should start LATE. Thanks so much for spending time with us here at Mavs Moneyball. Let’s go Mavs!
Seattle SuperSonics fans Kris ""Sonics Guy"" Brannon, left, Kenneth Knutsen, center, and Jason Billingsley react to the Seattle City Council's 5-4 no vote against a ""street vacation"" vacating stretch of road where investor Chris Hansen hopes to eventually build an arena that could house an NBA and NHL team. (Genna Martin, seattlepi.com) (Photo by GENNA MARTIN/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
With the rumblings over the last two years, it has been clear that NBA expansion has been a highly discussed topic, especially with the latest update from Shams Charania this week.
Just in: The NBA will hold a vote at the Board of Governors meetings March 24-25 to explore adding expansion teams exclusively in Las Vegas and Seattle, with the two franchises targeted for the 2028-29 season, sources tell ESPN. There is momentum for stakeholders to approve… pic.twitter.com/H6AYVdhh7S
This has led many fanbases to discuss who they would keep from their respective teams. That is why in this article, we are going to explore who I would keep if I were in Brian Gregory’s shoes. Before we dive into that, though, we have to go over the rules for this expansion draft.
We have not seen one since the Charlotte Bobcats (now Hornets) joined in 2004. The rules we’re using are from that time so that they may change before this expansion draft. As of now, these are the parameters we know and will follow for this exercise. Those rules are
Every NBA team can protect up to eight players
Each expansion team can then select one unprotected player from each franchise to fill their roster
You can only lose one player from your team via the draft.
If you lose a player you do not get compensation for losing them, but you get a trade excpetion to the value of his salary
Given the expansion is most likely two franchises, it would make sense that each team would lose one player from its squad. This would then allow both teams to fill their rosters with 15 players, while each team loses at most one player.
This would then make it interesting for both expansion teams to see how they would build their team. Would some go young and for potential, or would some go to be competitive first season and build a foundation?
That would all matter on who would be available, and for the Suns, that becomes a difficult situation.
Let’s review the roster and provide our best analysis. Here is the depth chart and how they are paid for the foreseeable future.
As we can see from earlier in the article, this expansion draft would not take place until 2028-2029. Given that most of these players will be free agents or potentially on new teams, it’s not practical to evaluate the salary cap on that timeline.
Therefore, for the sake of this exercise, we will analyze this as if the expansion draft were happening next year! So, with that being said, let’s get into it.
Who would the Suns protect?
Guaranteed Locks
Devin Booker
Collin Gillespie
Dillon Brooks
Khaman Maluach
Rasheer Fleming
These five make sense for this team to keep, and they should prioritize them for the team’s future. Booker is the star and has remained confident in this team building around him as they push for a championship. He has not backed away from this team, so you do not back away from him.
Collin Gillespie has impressed with his play this year, proving to be the high-energy guard this team needs on the roster. Even with his recent slump, he has been way better than advertised in his short time in Phoenix, proving that hard work and effort overcome every obstacle if you put in the time.
Dillon Brooks has been the defensive x-factor, helping this team buy into its new identity and culture. One of the leaders and veterans on this team, his value is more than what he brings on the court every night as well.
Lastly, the two rookies, who definitely deserve the flowers and praise, too, with injuries coming in waves for the Suns, have been tasked with stepping up in roles and have exceeded in those instances. For Felming, he has shown he can be that 3&D wing this team has missed since trading away Mikal Bridges, and with Maluach, he continues to show strides in his development, too. Both continue to show that, over time, they will be valuable contributors to this new direction the Suns are taking.
Highly Considerable
6. Jalen Green
7. Grayson Allen
8. Oso Ighodaro
9. Ryan Dunn
10. Royce O’Neale
11. Jordan Goodwin
12. Mark Williams
If you told me a year ago the Suns would have this many players to choose from who would actually help, I’d laugh, but here we are. Crazy how one year can switch your opinion and direction on a topic, and the Suns did that with most of the NBA fans out there. That being said, there are positives to keeping each player, but one little hiccup that could keep you from deciding to.
Jalen Green may be the most surprising to be this low, since he is the second-highest player. That being said, though there have been some highs and lows with Green in this lineup to start, and even though it’s just the start of his tenure here, it is something you cannot ignore. The problems that have kept us efficient have carried over to Phoenix this year. Some could say you might want to lose that contract and be rewarded with a trade exception, but then the Suns would have to find someone willing to take on their trade exception for free. Therefore, I’d rather keep Green and see what he can be and what value he can bring, rather than bank on a trade exception to get that value.
Grayson Allen is an interesting one as well since he has provided so much for this team on both ends of the ball. I recommend keeping him in this direction for the team, and because of his contract as well. It is a very tradable one at around 16-18 million a year, allowing the Suns to use that if necessary. I’d rather keep a guy who fits and maybe use him as a trade piece down the line if guys don’t pan out, than give him up for nothing just because he is a veteran.
A similar thing could be said as well for Royce O’Neale, who has been another great veteran for this team. Personally, I thought this team would move off these veterans to play the younger guys, but they continue to prove that they still be effective in big roles. Therefore, my tune has changed on O’Neale and Allen, embracing the three-point shooting and hustle they bring every night. The only difference is that Royce is two years older than Grayson, and the Suns have some young wings they may rather prioritize. Therefore, he falls lower on the list but could still be seen as a valuable piece for this squad.
The sophomores Oso Ighodaro and Ryan Dunn are also in this category and deserve it so. Both have shown that they were solid in their rookie year and have had flashes in their second year. The only thing holding them back is that they do not seem to be as consistent as many would like. With Ighodaro, he has been great as a backup and filling in for Mark Williams with injury as of late. That said, he hasn’t done anything that screams he can be the starter for the foreseeable future or on a championship team. I think he is more suited as a top-tier backup, which is not bad but ultimately makes him a bit expendable depending on the Suns’ vision.
The same can be said for Ryan Dunn, who, in this wing room, has seen his opportunities shrink. With the omission of Haywood Highsmith and Amir Coffey, he has now lost his spot in the rotation and is looking at a way back in. That said, he is still 20 and has shown promise on defense and as a pest. I do not think the Suns would want to give up on a piece so young with such great intangibles that you cannot teach. Therefore, the debate on which wing would come into play depends on what you value, experience, or youth.
Mark Williams is another interesting story, as he has had both great highs and lows during his short tenure. With a player like him, he finds himself in this tier for the right reasons. If the big man search does not work with Mlauch or Ighodaro, then keeping him makes sense, but if one of them soars through the roof, a true discussion does come into play. His ability to stay healthy this season, though, has been a big x-factor in his success.
Last in this tier is Jordan Goodwin, who has been fantastic in his return to the Valley. His scrappiness has been embraced as a key factor in the defense. Added to his ability to shoot threes now, especially in this offense, which is heavily focused on it, makes him shine. That being said, he is a great player, but a true role player. Once the suns would be in some trouble without, but once they could find it on the market if they looked hard enough, I think he would be worth it, but only if the sun’s feel his presence cannot be replicated.
Long Shots to Keep
12. Jamaree Bouyea
13. Amir Coffey
14. Haywood Highsmith
Even though everyone on this roster could make sense to keep, there are some outliers. Unfortunately, that is where I think these players fall.
For Bouyea, it is simply the fact that he was the last one added to this roster. The former two-way player has shown he deserves an NBA contract, but a player to be kept is a different story. In a half-season in the NBA, I do not think he has shown enough, but look at the former two-way player who is kept above, Collin Gillespie. Anything is possible, and if Bouyea had another stellar season, he could be in that convo.
Similar to Bouyea, Coffey, and Highsmith find themselves here for the same reasons. Since they were the most recent additions, it would not make much sense for the Suns to keep them. Their roles could also be replaced if the Suns struck at the right time. Coffey was viewed outside the Bucks’ rotation before he got here; now he has a role.
With Highsmith, it is a bit different, since he was injured to start the year, but he still brings the hustle and effort this team appreciates. Similar to Bouyea, if he were to see another full year here (which he is signed for) and remain healthy the whole time, he could move up as well.
No player on this list deserves to be cut, and that’s a credit to the front office. They found an opportunity to get 15 players on this team who all play hard, work on both ends, and never give up. Something you could not say about past teams that would have fans rip their hair out is not happening with this team, which is just a pleasure to see.
With all that being known, here is my eight I’d keep:
Devin Booker
Collin Gillespie
Dillon Brooks
Rasheer Fleming
Khaman Maluach
Jalen Green
Grayson Allen
Oso Ighodaro
Who would you keep if you could? Let us know down below.
