Rudoni scores in added time to put leaders eight clear
Drop fears grow for Leicester with 2-0 loss to Norwich
Jack Rudoni’s goal four minutes into second-half stoppage time gave leaders Coventry their fourth win in a row with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Stoke.
Haji Wright headed them ahead before Ben Gibson equalised on the stroke of half-time with what proved to be Stoke’s only shot on target. Rudoni capitalised on an error from the onrushing Tommy Simkin in added time to put Coventry eight points clear of second-placed Middlesbrough, who travel to Birmingham on Monday. The last-gasp defeat meant Stoke, managed by former Coventry manager Mark Robins, have just one win in their last nine matches.
My Spring Training predictions for Saturday, February 28 are locked in on Cactus League action.
Find out why the San Francisco Giants top my MLB picks for today at juicy odds.
Spring Training predictions for February 28
Pick
Odds
LAA moneyline
-135
SF moneyline
+140
MIL moneyline
+100
Pick #1: Angels moneyline
Arizona Diamondbacks SP Mitch Bratt was shelled in his first Spring Training start to the tune of three runs (two earned) on three hits and a walk in just 1 1/3 innings. Considering he's never pitched above the Double-A level, I'm not optimistic he'll turn things around vs. the Los Angeles Angels.
The Angels are trotting out a lineup similar to the one they'll use on Opening Day, featuring Mike Trout batting second.
Alek Manoah gets the ball for L.A., and he tossed two scoreless innings for the Halos on Sunday.
Pick #2: Giants moneyline
I'll gladly fade the Athletics, who are off to a dreadful 1-5 start with just 17 runs scored in Cactus League play.
I don't have any knocks against A's starter Luis Morales, but San Francisco Giants SP Tyler Mahle is simply the more established arm on the hill in this one.
Mahle authored a sparkling 2.18 ERA last season and makes his 2026 Spring Training debut here behind a Giants team that's 5-2 so far with a +13 run differential.
Pick #3: Brewers moneyline
The Cincinnati Reds have the pitching matchup advantage on name value, but Hunter Greene's Spring Training numbers do not inspire confidence.
Greene owns a 5.83 ERA all-time in exhibition play over 63 1/3 combined innings. He's toeing the rubber against a Milwaukee Brewers club that's won four games in a row.
Rob Zastryzny gets the nod for the Brew Crew today, and while he's unlikely to see more than an inning, it should be a clean one, just like his first effort of 2026.
It's hard to knock Zastryzny's 2.12 ERA through 29 2/3 innings in a Milwaukee uniform.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Feb 26, 2026; Dunedin, Florida, USA; Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter George Springer (4) signs autographs before the game against the Florida Marlins during spring training at TD Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
We have two spring games today, so we get two GameThreads in one. That is our reward for making it to the end of February. Both games have some players I’d like to watch. More of the regulars are in the Phillies game. And we can watch Dylan Cease pitch in that one. Jose Berrios starts the Yankees game.
I’m going to miss the start of the games, I’m playing tennis this morning, but will see most of it all.
The Phillies/Jays game is at Dunedin and on Sportsnet. Lineups:
Today’s Lineups
PHILLIES
BLUE JAYS
Justin Crawford – CF
George Springer – DH
Kyle Schwarber – DH
Andres Gimenez – SS
Bryce Harper – 1B
Vladimir Guerrero – 1B
Edmundo Sosa – SS
Daulton Varsho – CF
Garrett Stubbs – C
Alejandro Kirk – C
Otto Kemp – LF
Ernie Clement – 2B
Bryan De La Cruz – RF
Jesus Sanchez – LF
Liover Peguero – 2B
Nathan Lukes – RF
Carson DeMartini – 3B
Ben Cowles – 3B
C. Sanchez – LHP
Dylan Cease – RHP
The Jays/Yankees game is in Tampa and is on the YES Network and will be on MLB.TV.
Fort Myers, FL - February 23: Northeastern outfielder Mike Sirota makes the turn at third base. (Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
The Dodgers play two games at the same time on Saturday afternoon. Here is their roster for the road game of that split-squad schedule, against the Texas Rangers in Surprise.
Lineup
Alex Call LF Kyle Tucker DH Santiago Espinal 3B Dalton Rushing C Andy Pages CF Alex Freeland SS Nick Senzel 2B Ryan Ward 1B Zach Ehrhard RF
Jackson Ferris gets his second start of the spring, both on the road. He threw 16 pitches in his one inning last Sunday against the Seattle Mariners in Peoria.
Other pitchers
Will Klein made the trip, as did non-roster invitees Cole Irvin, Carlos Duran, Antoine Kelly, and Garrett McDaniels.
From the minor league side are Joseilyn Gonzalez (wearing number 88), Wyatt Crowell (89), Myles Caba (90), and Cam Day (91).
Other position players
Non-roster invitees Chris Newwell, Seby Zavala, and Nelson Quiroz each made the trip.
Others available from the minors are infielders Austin Gauthier (01), Jose Izarra (02), Jake Gelof (05), and Kyle Nevin (09), plus outfielder Damon Keith (08) and catcher Victor Rodrigues (07).
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 13: Edwin Diaz #3 of the Los Angeles Dodgers (R) participates with Tanner Scott #66 in a fielding drill during spring training workouts at Camelback Ranch on February 13, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers play two games at the same time on Saturday afternoon. Here is their roster for the home game of that split-squad schedule, against the Chicago Cubs at Camelback Ranch.
Lineup
Miguel Rojas 2B Freddie Freeman 1B Will Smith C Max Muncy 3B Teoscar Hernández LF James Tibbs RF Keston Hiura DH Noah Miller SS Michael Siani CF
Justin Wrobleski gets the start, vying for a potential spot on the opening day roster. The left-hander threw 12 pitches in one inning on Tuesday.
Other pitchers
Tanner Scott is set to make his 2026 Cactus League debut in this game, Edwin Díaz and Ronan Kopp are also listed to pitch, as are non-roster invitees Patrick Copen, Wyatt Mills and Jerming Rosario.
Active from the minor league side are Nick Nastrini (wearing number 91), Nick Robertson (97), Payton Martin (90), and Cody Morse (93).
Other position players
Non-roster invitees available for this game are outfielders Josue De Paula, Zyhir Hope, and Kendall George, and catchers Eliézer Alfonzo and Griffin Lockwood-Powell.
Outfielder Charles Davalan (88), last year’s 41st-overall draft pick, is up from minor league camp, as are outfielder Kole Myers (02) plus infielders Logan Wagner (96), Yeiner Fernandez (87), and Elijah Hainline (05), infielder/outfielder Mairoshendrick Martinus (01), and catcher Frank Rodriguez (06).
In his longest outing as a Missouri Tiger — a night that included two pickoffs, five straight scoreless innings, and the kind of tempo on the mound he hasn’t been able to have in nearly two years — left‑hander Javyn Pimental headlined Missouri’s 11–5 win over North Dakota State on Friday at Taylor Stadium.
The offense did its part with a four‑run fourth inning, but for Pimental, the night meant something different. It was his first win on this mound since April 20, 2024, after Tommy John surgery wiped out his entire 2025 season.
“I guess I don’t really say it was like a really big comeback story,” Pimental said. “Got the job done, I’m just pretty pumped about my outing.”
He opened the game with seven pitches, two strikeouts and a clean first inning, and he carried that rhythm through the next four frames. By the time Pimental reached the sixth, he had allowed just two hits and was sitting at only 58 pitches.
The trouble didn’t come until that sixth inning, when three walks loaded the bases and a shallow single finally pushed across North Dakota State’s first run. Even then, only one of the two runs charged to him was earned.
Still, the outing marked another step forward for a guy who hadn’t tried to work into the sixth inning in two years.
“I guess I’m out of shape,” Pimental joked. “But at the end of the day, I’m supposed to do that.”
Missouri didn’t have to wait long to give him support. Freshman Blaize Ward ripped a two‑run double into the right‑center gap in the first inning, scoring Jase Woita and Mateo Serna.
An errant throw in the third brought Woita home again, and the Tigers broke the game open in the fourth. Woita punched a two‑run single up the middle, and Tyler Macon followed with a two‑out triple down the right‑field line to make it 7–0.
Tigers coach Kerrick Jackson said the fourth inning was simply the Tigers’ lineup settling in.
“It was just a combination of going through the order multiple times and really understanding what [their starter] was doing,” Jackson said. “Then being able to lay off some of the pitches where he was getting us out early.”
Freshman right‑hander Eli Skidmore entered in the sixth with the bases loaded and one out. An infield error allowed another run to score, but he got a fielder’s‑choice groundout to escape the inning with a 7–2 lead. North Dakota State added one more in the seventh, but Missouri answered immediately with four runs of its own. A throwing error brought Ward home, and back‑to‑back singles from Isaiah Frost and Woita stretched the lead back to eight.
Missouri reliever Juan Villarreal handled the final two innings, striking out three and allowing only one hit. Both runs against him were unearned.
Ward finished 3‑for‑4 with a double, two RBI and two runs scored. Woita matched him with a 3‑for‑4 night of his own, driving in three and stealing his second base of the season. Cameron Benson added two hits and two runs, and Frost chipped in a pair of RBI.
Jackson said Ward’s consistency is already standing out. “He is the most consistent guy that we have,” Jackson said. “He owns the box. He’s comfortable in the box. And as he grows and gets stronger, he’s going to be a really, really good player in this league.”
The win pushed Missouri to 8–2 and marked its sixth straight victory — the program’s longest streak since early 2023. For Pimental, it was another sign that he’s finally back to being himself.
“I’ve never really been a guy to doubt,” Pimental said. “I knew as soon as I got back on that mound again… I was moving about my business.”
PHOENIX, AZ - JULY 12: National League All-Star Cliff Lee #33 of the Philadelphia Phillies throws a pitch in the third inning of the 82nd MLB All-Star Game at Chase Field on July 12, 2011 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We’ve reached the finals of the “Last Man In” free agent tournament! I took the last free agent signed before the season for the last 16 years and let the readers decide which was the best. And let’s face it, it was always going to come down to these two.
1.Cliff Lee, 2011
Accolades: Two All-Star teams, two top ten Cy Young Award finishes, 15th in MVP voting in 2011.
In his second stint with the Phillies, Lee made 106 starts and only walked 114 batters. The guy really did not like walking people.
2. Bryce Harper, 2019
Accolades: Two All-Star teams, three Silver Slugger awards, one MVP award, two top ten MVP finishes
After hitting into a career-high 18 double plays in 2024, Harper only hit five of them last year. What does this mean? I’m not sure.
RICHMOND, VA - JUNE 25: Griff McGarry #48 of the Reading Fightin Phils pitching during the game between the Reading Fightin Phils and the Richmond Flying Squirrels at The Diamond on Wednesday, June 25, 2025 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Matthew Mitrani/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
When the Nats selected Griff McGarry in the Rule 5 Draft, I was cautiously optimistic. He possesses some of the best stuff in the minor leagues, but has had trouble throwing strikes over the years. Last year, we saw a similar story with Evan Reifert. He had a nasty slider but was nowhere near the zone in Spring Training.
That meant the Nats returned Reifert to the Rays before he ever played a regular season game. There is a chance the same thing could happen with McGarry. However, McGarry had a dominant first outing of Spring Training where he pounded the zone and struck out two batters in a 1-2-3 inning.
In a wide open bullpen, McGarry probably has the best pure stuff. However, he walked almost 14% of hitters in AA last year as a starter. The crazy thing is that was a big improvement from 2024, when he walked an insane 24% of hitters. With not much to lose, the Nats took a shot on McGarry because his pure stuff grades out as some of the best in the minors.
Last night, we saw what happens when McGarry is throwing strikes. He has an upper 90’s fastball, but that served as a table setter for his insane breaking balls. McGarry has a natural feel for spin and he showed that last night.
He threw two separate breaking balls, a slider and a sweeper. Out of his 10 pitches, 8 of them were breaking balls. The sweeper has a ton of spin, averaging over 3,000 RPM’s last night. However, he threw his harder slider half the time and it got excellent results. McGarry was able to land the pitch in the zone and get whiffs.
Nasty first outing from Griff McGarry who struck out two. Breaking ball heavy attack from the Rule 5 pick
It is worth noting that McGarry faced non big leaguers, but if he is around the zone, he can get anyone out. McGarry’s biggest nemesis is his own control rather than the hitters at the plate. Out of all pitchers that threw last night, McGarry had the third highest Stuff+ rating. Stuff+ measures the velocity and movement of a pitch and puts a grade on it, with 100 being average.
Again, McGarry is still a high variance arm. I would not be surprised if he finds his way into a high leverage role, but I also would not be surprised if he was returned to the Phillies pretty quickly. It is all about finding the zone for McGarry.
Last year McGarry found the zone enough to have success. In 21 starts, he posted a 3.44 ERA despite shaky control. McGarry is similar to Clayton Beeter, with both only needing fringy control to have success.
When McGarry goes on heaters, he is totally unhittable. There was a time last season when he struck out 23 batters in two starts. Crucially, he only walked one batter in 11 innings in those two starts. It is so tantalizing to see what McGarry can do when he is throwing strikes.
One thing I have a minor question about is how he will transition to the bullpen. The Phillies moved him to the bullpen in 2024, and he had his worst year as a pro, with his walks getting out of control. When he went back to starting last year, the results got better. Was that due to mechanical tweaks or is McGarry more comfortable starting?
If he is more comfortable starting, that could be problematic. He profiles much better as a reliever due to his strike-throwing issues and breaking ball heavy approach. The Nats are going to have to help him learn to prepare as a reliever because that is the role he will be filling this year.
McGarry seemed comfortable in the bullpen last night, but this will be something worth monitoring. He turns 27 in June, so now is the time for Griff McGarry to be unleashed. As a Rule 5 pick, he is going to have to stick in the big leagues for the entire season if the Nats want to hold on to him. Given the Nats are not going to be a contender, there will be room for growing pains here.
In Boston, Paul Toboni actually had a lot of success finding value in the Rule-5 Draft. Justin Slaten and Garrett Whitlock were both Rule 5 picks and are now key pieces to the Red Sox bullpen. Hopefully, McGarry can do the same thing in DC. He certainly has the raw stuff to be a big leaguer, which we saw last night. For McGarry, it will be all about finding the zone.
Detroit Tigers infielder Kevin McGonigle bats at live batting practice during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
By this time of year, we’re often a bit exhausted with prospect lists and rankings. Baseball America, Keith Law, Baseball Prospectus, MLB Pipeline, and our own re-ranking of the Detroit Tigers farm system are already a month or more in the books. But FanGraphs does a particularly detailed job for the most part, and often Eric Longenhagen and his staff have some contrary takes that are worth considering.
On Friday, they dropped a new set of rankings and reports for the top 47 prospects in the Tigers system. Longenhagen labels the system one of the best in baseball and very hitter heavy. That last bit has rarely been remotely the case for this system, even over the past decade of renewed emphasis on young, cost-controlled talent.
There are no real surprises at the top, as you’d expect. Basically the whole industry thinks Kevin McGonigle is the best pure hitter in the minor leagues, and one of the best in years. He and center fielder Max Clark draw 60 FV grades, while shortstop prospect Bryce Rainer gets a 55 FV grade, and the catcher-first base combination of Josue Briceño and Thayron Liranzo both get 50 FV grades. All five were on FanGraphs earlier release of their national top 110 prospects rankings.
We won’t both with much of a rundown of their reports. You can find the whole article available here for free and it is a comprehensive look at the system, with more emphasis on some of the teenaged international free agents than we’re able to produce. On the top five ranked prospects, we’ll just note that it’s good to see at least one national site didn’t completely panic over Thayron Liranzo’s tough 2025 season. The fact that Liranzo shook off the injuries and personal losses that marked his first tour with the Double-A Erie SeaWolves and got in outstanding condition over the offseason bodes well for a better 2026.
Where things get interesting is that FanGraphs only has the Tigers with two 45 FV caliber players in teenaged outfielder Cris Rodriguez and 2025 first round teenaged shortstop Jordan Yost. We agree on both, and suspect that like Kevin McGonigle, there’s a bit of underestimation going on in regard to Yost’s power potential. Everyone agrees he’s a very advanced defensive shortstop with good plate discipline and outstanding contact ability for his age. The question is offensive impact, and it will take a few years, perhaps, to see how that plays out.
Still, that’s only two 45 FV players. Most other sites have included some of Hao-Yu Lee, Max Anderson, Andrew Sears, and even teenaged pitcher Kelvis Salcedo and shortstop Franyerber Montilla in that 45 FV tier. We also have lefty Jake Miller up in that group, unlike basically anyone else. If he doesn’t turn into a good bullpen arm or backend starter over the next two years, you can roast Brandon for that one, but we’re pretty convinced he’s got the goods and just needs to get beyond the hip issues that plagued him last season and for which he had surgery in the offseason.
Notable on the rankings is the number of international free agents who haven’t yet come stateside (shoutout to Alysa Liu). We don’t rank and report on too many of those players unless they’re really known quantities with a lot of data available, because we won’t see them play much until they reach the Florida State League. FanGraphs has more resources, obviously.
Beyond Cris Rodriguez, the Tigers top IFA prospect, and right-hander Kelvis Salcedo, who impressed with advanced stuff and good strike throwing in Lakeland last year, FanGraphs has numerous other IFA prospects and reports that are interesting.
We loved the signing of center fielder Randy Santana in their 2026 signing class last month. His huge speed and power toolkit is exciting, and FanGraphs has him 14th in the system, right after 19-year-old shortstop prospect Angel De Los Santos. They both get 40+ FV grades, as do catcher Manuel Bolivar and shortstop Oscar Tineo, both top names from the 2026 class along with Santana. Those are all key names to watch for the longer term future of the Tigers’ system.
The Tigers IFA signing class last month is the most highly and widely regarded we’ve ever seen for the organization. They’re all years away, but hopefully that’s a good sign that Scott Harris and Jeff Greenberg’s adjustments to the Tigers international department will pay dividends in the years ahead.
Starting pitcher Jhonan Coba, still 19 and due to pitch in Single-A this summer, presumably, is another name worth watching from recent IFA classes, as are teenage shortstop Luis Aguilera, and center fielders Josueth Quinonez and Andy Mata. All get just 35+ grades at this point, but they’re just getting started.
As noted, the long-term question in the system is whether they’re going to develop enough pitching. Adding McGonigle, Clark, Briceño, and hopefully Bryce Rainer and Thayron Liranzo in the years ahead should give the Tigers a really strong positional group to work with for a long time. They have a lot of very young talent already that could form the next wave. What they need is some of their litany of talented but banged up arms drafted over the last three years to get beyond the injuries and start developing as hoped.
Right now, we have Miller, Salcedo, Andrew Sears, and right-handers Lucas Elissalt and Jaden Hamm as the best of the bunch. Obviously Hamm’s stock has taken a real hit over the past two seasons as he was scraping the end of top 100 lists not too long ago. Elissalt was the low key breakout pitching prospect of 2025, and needs only to get stronger and refine his command a little more to leap toward the top of the Tigers’ system.
The Tigers appear pretty well stocked with bats for the long haul. Hopefully the pitchers take a turn for the better. Only time will tell on that front.
We are now a bit over a week into Spring Training games and at last, Friday’s game featured just about everyone who will be in the Opening Day lineup March 26 (except Seiya Suzuki, who’s already back in Japan for the start of the World Baseball Classic).
There aren’t many question marks about the Cubs this spring, but here are a few things yet unsettled.
Matt Shaw as an outfielder
Shaw hasn’t actually made very many plays in his few games in the outfield so far this spring. He did make a misplay the other day at Sloan Park. So I can’t really tell you how he’s looked; there just isn’t enough of a sample size.
I will note that Shaw has played only right field so far — no left field, and I suspect he won’t be tried in center. Mostly, I would expect him to play second base and third base to give Nico Hoerner, Alex Bregman and Dansby Swanson a break. The team could also use him as a right-handed hitting DH from time to time.
Porter Hodge, yikes
Hodge was injured much of 2025 after having a strong 2024 and finishing that year as the Cubs closer.
So many were willing to give Hodge a mulligan for last year due to the injuries, and hoped that his natural talent would get him a middle-inning or setup spot behind Daniel Palencia, who’s already been named the closer to start the 2026 season.
Hodge has not pitched well. Again, we are talking about a very small sample size, just three games and two total innings. But he has faced 17 batters and walked seven and allowed four hits, which… is not good. He’s thrown 70 total pitches to those 17 batters, and only 33 of those 70 were strikes.
I suspect Hodge will get another outing or two, but if this keeps up he’ll be starting the season at Triple-A Iowa.
Gavin Hollowell looks good
Hodge was a likely member of the Opening Day roster, but now that’s almost certainly changed.
Hollowell has stepped up and could take that place. Once again, the sample size is only three games, but in three innings Hollowell has allowed one run and struck out eight of the 11 batters he’s faced.
As we all know, relievers are fungible and Jed Hoyer’s front office has done a pretty good job of identifying guys from the scrap heap that have become useful. Hollowell could be one of those guys. He’s 28, so maybe the Cubs could get a couple of decent years out of him.
Dylan Carlson appears to have taken the lead in the fourth-outfielder mix
Carlson went 1-for-2 with a walk in Friday’s win over the Guardians and overall is 5-for-10 this spring with a double and four walks. The usual small sample size caveats are in place here, but it’s notable to me that Carlson was given the DH nod Friday instead of Chas McCormick, who is 4-for-14 so far this spring.
Michael Conforto, who was just signed, should get some playing time soon.
With Tyler Austin now out for “months” (as noted by Craig Counsell) after knee surgery, it appears to me that of the trio of Carlson, McCormick and Conforto, two of them will make the Opening Day roster.
The Carson Kelly/Miguel Amaya tandem continues to hit
Cubs catchers batted .250/.307/.442 with 29 home runs in 2025 in 641 PA. Of those PA, 501 belonged to Kelly and Amaya (with the rest to Reese McGuire).
Kelly and Amaya have combined to go 6-for-17 (.353) this spring with a double and a home run. Spring numbers, yes, small sample size, but I think these two can hit as well as they did last year. Perhaps a bit of a dip from Kelly, who had a career year in 2025, but Amaya looks like he can finally put everything together, as long as he stays healthy.
Those are a few of the things I’ve seen so far this spring. What have you noticed?
SURPRISE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 17: MacKenzie Gore #1 of the Texas Rangers poses for a portrait during photo day at Surprise Stadium on February 17, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, LSB.
Shawn McFarland has three observations from another Rangers spring training game, one in which MacKenzie Gore left the beats impressed.
The Carolina Hurricanes will look to extend their point streak to 12 games on Saturday night as they welcome the Detroit Red Wings to the Lenovo Center.
Two of the top five teams in the Eastern Conference by points percentage square off, as both clubs come in having won their first game back from the Olympic break.
The Hurricanes are more or less in cruise control toward their first regular season division championship since the 2022-23 season with an eight-point lead over the Pittsburgh Penguins with 24 games to the finish line.
Detroit, on the other hand, is working through a gauntlet of an Atlantic Division. The Tampa Bay Lightning lead the way, but the Wings, Montreal Canadiens, Boston Bruins and Buffalo Sabres are all looking like quality playoff teams.
While all of those squads look like safe bets to make the playoffs, the jockeying for positioning down the stretch will be one of the most compelling stories in the league.
These two teams played an entertaining game in the Motor City on January 12 when the Hurricanes forced overtime with a late goal before the Wings took the win in overtime on a goal that featured a controversial no-call on a possible interference infraction right in front of the Carolina net.
If this game is anywhere near as compelling as that one, the fans are in for a treat.
Here’s how to check out the action…
Time: 7:00 PM
TV: FanDuel Sports Network. Mike Maniscalco will handle play-by-play alongside Tripp Tracy doing color. Hanna Yates will provide off-ice reports as well as host pregame starting at 6:00 and postgame that will run for about 30 minutes after the conclusion.
Streaming:FanDuel Sports Network App for fans in the Carolinas. Outside of the area, the ESPN app has you covered as they have every out-of-market hockey game available to watch.
Radio: The pregame on 99.9 The Fan starts at 6:30. At 7:00 PM the Hurricanes Radio Nework (consisting of 99.9, 730 The Game in Charlotte, ESPN New Bern 107.5/1490, and ESPN Greenville 107.5/1570) picks up the FDSN feed. You can also stream the call on the Hurricanes app.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JANUARY 29: Pavel Zacha #18 of the Boston Bruins celebrates his first period goal with David Pastrnak #88, Jonathan Aspirot #45, and Morgan Geekie #39 against the Philadelphia Flyers at TD Garden on January 29, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by China Wong/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
With a 3 PM start, you’re getting the rare “Preview/Public Skate” combo!
Hold onto this post, it may be worth money someday.
I say “3ish” for the start time, as these ABC national games always seem to kind of just start whenever they want. 3:01, 3:12, 3:99…you decide.
The Flyers beat the Rangers in OT last time out, a 3-2 road win on Thursday.
With that win, the Flyers are still hanging around the very fringes of the Eastern Conference playoff race: they’re eight points behind the Bruins for the second wild card spot, with three teams between them and the B’s.
Similar to Thursday night’s game, the Bruins fill be facing a team attempting to chase them down in the standings, so it goes without saying that this is a pretty big game for both sides.
(I should probably stop saying that in general, as that will be the case for every game unless a team is completely out of contention. Cliches are fun though.)
One of the reasons the Flyers have been hanging around: the play of former Bruin Dan Vladar, who has been a great signing for Philly.
Vladar is 17-9-6 on the season with a 2.46 GAA and .905 save percentage. He has stumbled a bit lately though, posting a 1-3-3 record in his last seven starts.
These two teams met at TD Garden back in late January, a 6-3 win for the Bruins that saw the home team get goals from six different scorers.
Spreading the wealth, etc.
It remains to be seen if Jeremy Swayman will draw back in for the Bruins today. You could make a pretty convincing argument that Joonas Korpisalo deserves another start after Thursday’s performance, but I guess we’ll see.
Michael DiPietro was sent back to Providence on Friday, an indication that Swayman will at least be available to dress.
Other than that, not much has changed since Thursday for the black and gold.
Nov 23, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Blackhawks center Jason Dickinson (16) tries to score against the Colorado Avalanche during the third period at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
With two of five games in a seven day stretch now behind them, it’s safe to assume that the Colorado Avalanche were looking forward to the weekend.
This afternoon, the visiting Chicago Blackhawks will make their only regular season appearance in Denver, as the Avs face their third consecutive Central Division opponent in four days.
Colorado Avalanche (38-10-9)
The Opponent: Chicago Blackhawks (22-27-9)
Time: 4:00 P.M. MST/6:00 P.M. EST
Watch: ALT, ALT+ (Avalanche Broadcast Area), CHSN (Blackhawks Broadcast Area), ESPN+, NHL Center Ice (Outside Regional Broadcast Areas – US), SN+, NHL Centre Ice (Canadian Broadcast Areas)
Listen: Altitude Sports Radio KKSE-FM 92.5 FM
Colorado Avalanche
The Avalanche currently sport a .500 record for the month of February, going 2-2 in that time frame. This would sound a lot more alarming if it weren’t for the extended Olympic pause that led to playing only four games through the month. A victory today would keep them from posting their second consecutive sub-500 month of hockey, and would certainly provide a lift after losing 5-2 to the visiting Minnesota Wild this past Thursday. Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 31 of 34 shots in a contest that featured an impressive goalie duel between him and Filip Gustavsson—who stopped 45 of 47 shots in his own right—only to be overshadowed by questionable judgement (see Brent Burns launching the puck into the crowd during an Avalanche penalty kill that was already down not one, but two skaters) and officiating (poke checks are penalties now?).
Coach Jared Bednar lamented his team’s inability to widen the gap on both Minnesota and the idle Dallas Stars. “It’s the standings at the end of the year is what matters, right? So, that [game] was a missed opportunity; that’s what that was. Nine points if we win, two games in hand, that’s a long road to try and catch you, and now it’s tight. Five [points] with two [games] in hand, and there’s lots of hockey to be played. We’ve just got to take care of our business.”
The loss allowed Minnesota—playing in a first game of a back to back pair of their own—to leapfrog over Dallas to second place in the Central Division, closing to within five points of the Avs. However, just like the Avs, Minnesota failed to seize the moment in their second half of back to back games, as they lost to the Utah Mammoth by a score of 5-2 at Delta Center on Friday evening. The loss prevented them from closing to within three points of the Avalanche, who can now restore their seven point cushion with a win this afternoon.
Hockey giveth, and hockey taketh away.
Nathan MacKinnon returned to the lineup against Minnesota for the first time since returning from the Olympics, and while he did not add to his NHL goal scoring total—he remains at a League best 40 goals—he did reach the 95 point plateau (Edmonton’s Connor McDavid leads all skaters with 100 points). Martin Nečas, who scored his 24th and 25th goals of the season on Thursday evening, trails Brock Nelson (30) for third place in team scoring, and is three goals shy of tying his career high (28). While the loss to Minnesota may look lopsided by box score alone, Blackwood’s play to keep his team close for the majority of the contest ought to merit a return to the crease today.
The Avs still remain the undisputed leader across the Central Division, Western Conference, and League standings. Coming into this afternoon’s game, they have a game in hand on Dallas (who will be in action at American Airlines Center tonight against the Nashville Predators), and three games in hand on Minnesota.
Today’s game is the second in the three game series with Chicago. The Avs won the previous matchup on November 23, a 1-0 decision.
Projected Lineup
Forwards: Gabe Landeskog – Nathan MacKinnon – Martin Nečas Artturi Lehkonen – Brock Nelson – Valeri Nichushkin Ross Colton – Jack Drury – Victor Olofsson Joel Kiviranta* – Parker Kelly – Gavin Brindley
Defense: Devon Toews – Cale Makar Josh Manson – Brent Burns Brett Kulak – Sam Malinski
Between the Pipes: Mackenzie Blackwood Scott Wedgewood
Kiviranta, who was injured during the second period after taking a hit from Minnesota’s Zach Bogosian, is uncertain for today’s game at the time of this writing.
Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago had a great start to 2026, winning five of their first six games in January. However, they followed up that effort by losing nine of their next twelve games prior to the Olympic break. Currently occupying seventh place in the Central Division standings with 53 points, they remain two points ahead of last place St. Louis (51). They kicked off a five game road trip prior to the Olympics, with their most recent effort being a 4-2 loss to the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena on Thursday evening.
Like Colorado, Chicago also representation in Italy at the Olympics, but to a significantly smaller scale. Center Teuvo Teravainen won the bronze medal alongside Kiviranta as a member of Finland’s roster. The notable absence is center Connor Bedard, who was not invited to participate as a member of Canada’s Olympic roster. Bedard, who scored his twenty-fourth goal of the season against Nashville on Thursday night, currently leads all Chicago skaters in assists (30) and points (54), and ranks second to left wing Tyler Bertuzzi in goals (26).
While Bedard’s solid sophomore campaign led many to believe that he was on the short list to be selected to the Olympics by Hockey Canada, he was ultimately left off the roster once the final selections were announced. Bedard missed twelve games with an upper body injury sustained in a literal last second face-off sequence against St. Louis Blues captain Brayden Schenn back in December, leading many to speculate if the injury was a key factor in leaving Bedard off the Canadian Olympic roster.
Goaltender Spencer Knight is three wins away from tying his career high (19) in his first full season with Chicago. He will likely start today against Colorado. Despite leading all Chicago goaltenders in wins (Arvid Soderblom has five wins on the season and Drew Commesso has one), Chicago has given up more than two goals in fourteen of ninteen games played in since the start of the New Year. That has contributed to the third worst goal differential (-33) in the NHL; only St. Louis (-52) and Vancouver (-62) rank lower.
Today’s match-up against Colorado marks their only regular season visit to Denver, and marks the first game of a back to back weekend. They will finish the weekend in—where else?—Salt Lake City against the Mammoth on Sunday afternoon. The season series against Colorado will conclude on home ice at United Center on March 20.
Projected Lineup
Forwards: Ryan Greene – Connor Bedard – Andre Burakovsky Oliver Moore – Frank Nazar – Tyler Bertuzzi Ryan Donato – Jason Dickinson – Ilya Mikheyev Teuvo Teravainen – Nick Foligno – Landon Slaggert
Defense: Alex Vlasic – Louis Crevier Connor Murphy – Sam Rinzel Matt Grzelcyk – Artyom Levshunov
GOODYEAR, AZ - FEBRUARY 19: Joey Cantillo #54 of the Cleveland Guardians poses for a photo during the Cleveland Guardians photo day at Goodyear Ballpark on Thursday, February 19, 2026 in Goodyear, Arizona. (Photo by Nic Antaya/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
We are finally back. Now a week into Spring Training, quite a few pitchers are showcasing a lot of intriguing tweaks and adjustments to their arsenals, starting with Gavin Williams.
First off, a quick shoutout to TJStats for chart images and more! A more than worthwhile site that you should use throughout baseball season.
Secondly, I *WILL NOT* be looking into a pitcher’s velocity unless it is substantially up or down. We will call this the Doug Nikhazy rule.
Gavin showcased a sinker at times in 2025, going to it less than 7% of the time, but in his first Spring start, it was heavily featured and likely lends to the belief that he will lean on it more in 2026. It was mislabeled at times on Statcast on Tuesday against LA and only tracked four sinkers, labeling three others fastballs, but thanks to the TJStats daily ‘Pitch Editor’, I was able to switch over the fastballs that matched the sinker profile, and came out with a quality breakdown of where Gavin’s sinker is at heading into the season.
Gavin’s sinker last season averaged 9.7 inches of induced vertical break and 15.1 inches of arm-side run. He went to it almost exclusively against right-handed hitters. In his first outing of the Spring, he turned to it against just righties, and it profiled with better shape, generating 11.7 inches of induced vertical break and 16.4 inches arm-side. Similar to his cutter last season, I expect his sinker to take a step forward in usage this season as he continues to round out his arsenal.
Now we’ll take a look at another Guardians starting pitcher, Slade Cecconi, who showcased more aggressive changes in arsenal in his first outing, and I am very excited about it.
Above shows the difference in movement patterns between Cecconi’s slider and cutter from 2025 to his first outing in the Spring. Cecconi’s cutter got him into quite a bit of trouble when he used it last season. It often turned into a cement mixer and hovered in the middle of the plate far too often, getting barreled at a 20% rate. In his outing on Wednesday, Cecconi’s cutter worked along an axis identical to his 4-seam (1:15), finding a more stable horizontal axis. His slider also generated nearly three inches more glove-side break with less induced vertical break.
He slider went through a more pronounced change. It works along a better horizontal axis, and in doing so, it’s become more sweeper-like. Cecconi generated more horizontal separation between his cutter and slider during his outing where it was more of a diagonal drop last season. This is a much needed change for Cecconi, whose struggles to work across the zone with his breaking pitches got him hit hard throughout 2025. He will need to utilize his slider more consistently to do this (3.1% usage in ‘25), and with a far better shape (106 TJStuff+ on 2/25, 98 TJStuff+ in 2025).
BULLPEN NAMES TO WATCH
Shawn Armstrong showcased his good cutter/sweeper combo in his first outing on Wednesday
Expect Armstrong to be a strong help along the back-end of the ‘pen. Gaddis will need him.
Cody Heuer has struggled substantially early in his first couple outings this Spring.
31.4% overall zone-rate and 30% walk rate across 10 batters faced…not great!
Franco Aleman’s two appearances have been split results
First outing saw better command with swing and miss on slider
control woes continued in second outing; allowed a home run and walked two batters, struggling to locate his secondaries still
SPOT START SQUAD WATCH
Will Dion: 2 IP // 3 K // 0 ER // 4 whiffs // 28.6% whiff rate // .225 xwOBACON
Showcased great command, quality low 90s fastball with good VAA traits; slider looks to be improved; likely this year’s Nikhazy
Austin Peterson: 1.1 IP // 1 K // 1 BB // 3 whiffs // 4 ER // .565 xwOBACON
Lived in the heart of the plate; does not have the stuff to venture inside the shadow; doesn’t have the stuff to get deep in counts to nibble
Doug Nikhazy: 2 IP // 1 K // 1 BB // 0 ER // 3 whiffs // .663 xwOBACON
Breaking stuff continues to be impressive
fastball continued to look fringy; both induced whiffs and got smoked
LAA moneyline
SF moneyline
MIL moneyline
