March Madness favorites: Ranking Final Four teams' odds to win national title

The 2026 Men's NCAA Tournament is down to the Final Four.

The initial 68-team field has dwindled to the semifinals, with a national champion to be crowned a week from today. After a bracket that featured four No. 1 seeds in the Final Four last season, this year's bracket has a couple of shockers.

No. 2 Connecticut knocked off No. 1 overall seed Duke on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Braylon Mullins. No. 3 Illinois advanced to the Final Four with a win over No. 9 Iowa, which had knocked out No. 1 seed and defending national champion Florida in the second round action.

That leaves Michigan and Arizona as the lone remaining No. 1 seeds left in the tournament. But are those two the favorites to cut down the nets? Both programs are seeking their second national title, while the Huskies are seeking their seventh. The Fighting Illini are seeking their first.

Here's a look at the Final Four teams with the best odds of winning the national championship:

March Madness favorites: Ranking Top 20 college basketball teams based on odds

Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of 6:30 p.m. ET on Monday, March 30

  1. Michigan: +165
  2. Arizona, +180
  3. Illinois, +475
  4. UConn, +550

Final Four schedule, game times

Saturday, April 4

  • Game 1: No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 2 UConn | 6:09 p.m. | TBS | Sling TV
  • Game 2: No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 1 Michigan | 8:49 p.m. | TBS | Sling TV

No. 3 Illinois and No. 2 UConn get the Final Four started at 6:09 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 4, from Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. No. 1 Arizona and No. 1 Michigan are scheduled for an 8:49 p.m. ET tip to set the stage for the national title game on Monday, April 6.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness power rankings: Michigan with best odds to win national title

NBA power rankings: Thunder, Spurs stay hot, but who took the No. 1 spot?

We’re down to the final stretch of the 2025-26 NBA season.

No team has more than eight remaining games, and the 10 teams – five from each conference – that will miss the playoffs and Play-In Tournament are already determined.

Still, there’s plenty at stake, where teams can mount late charges to improve their seeding. In the East, only one game separates the No. 5 team, the Toronto Raptors, from the No. 7 squad, the Philadelphia 76ers. The six-seed, an automatic playoff spot currently occupied by the Atlanta Hawks, is the prize everyone below is chasing.

Out West, the San Antonio Spurs suddenly have a very real shot to catch the Oklahoma City Thunder for the No. 1 seed. OKC has been rolling lately, but its remaining schedule is the toughest in the NBA, according to Tankathon.com.

Here are USA TODAY Sports’ NBA power rankings after Week 21 of the 2025-26 regular season:

USA TODAY Sports NBA power rankings

Note: Records and stats through March 29. Parentheses show movement from last week’s rankings.

NBA Week 22 power rankings: Top 10

1. San Antonio Spurs, 56-18 (+1)

2. Oklahoma City Thunder, 59-16 (-1)

3. Detroit Pistons, 54-20 (—)

4.Boston Celtics, 50-24 (—)

5. Los Angeles Lakers, 48-26 (+1)

6. Denver Nuggets, 48-28 (+1)

7. New York Knicks, 48-27 (-2)

8. Cleveland Cavaliers, 46-28 (+2) 

9. Minnesota Timberwolves, 45-29 (—)

10. Houston Rockets, 45-29 (-2)

It might not be fair, in practice, to drop the Thunder down one spot, even as they’ve won 14 of their last 15. But the Spurs have been even hotter, and, with their 4-1 record this season over Oklahoma City, they look every bit like a legitimate title contender. Over the last nine games, the Spurs have posted the NBA’s second-best offensive rating, scoring 123.9 points per 100 possessions.

The Lakers and Nuggets, who have been stellar recently, are each angling for the coveted No. 3 seed in the West and both have 48 wins.

The teams sliding here are the Knicks, who have been outperformed by Los Angeles and Denver, and the Rockets, who have lost five of their last 10.

NBA Week 22 power rankings: Nos. 11-20

11. Atlanta Hawks, 42-33 (+4)

12. Toronto Raptors, 42-32 (+2)

13. Phoenix Suns, 41-33 (—)

14. Los Angeles Clippers, 39-36 (+2)

15. Philadelphia 76ers, 41-33 (+2)

16. Orlando Magic, 39-35 (-5)

17. Miami Heat, 39-36 (-5)

18. Charlotte Hornets, 39-36 (—)

19. Portland Trail Blazers, 38-38 (+1)

20. Golden State Warriors, 36-39 (—)

There’s movement all over the middle of the pack. The Hawks have maximized new acquisitions, and no one has been better than point guard CJ McCollum. The Hawks don’t miss Trae Young, and his absence has allowed Jalen Johnson to fully take over as the star point-forward of the team. Headed into its game Monday against the Celtics, Atlanta has gone 12-2 in March, best of all teams in the East.

Though there’s probably too much ground for them to make up, the Clippers have won five consecutive and could be a lurking threat out West, especially after they struggled to start the season.

Two teams plummeting down the rankings are the Magic and the Heat, who have each gone 1-7 in their last eight games. Miami’s defense, which had been a strength most of the season, has been a recent liability. The Heat rank 27th in the league over the last eight games with a defensive rating of 125.5. A loss Sunday, March 29, against the Pacers – one in which Miami scored 11 points in the fourth quarter – at this point in the season, is inexcusable.

The Magic aren’t doing much better, with a defensive rating over that span of 125.4.

NBA Week 22 power rankings: Nos. 21-30

21. Milwaukee Bucks, 29-45 (—)

22. Chicago Bulls, 29-45 (—) 

23. Memphis Grizzlies, 25-49 (—)

24. Dallas Mavericks, 24-50 (-1)

25. New Orleans Pelicans, 25-51 (—)

26. Utah Jazz, 21-54 (—)

27. Sacramento Kings, 19-57 (—)

28. Brooklyn Nets, 18-57 (—)

29. Washington Wizards, 17-57 (—)

30. Indiana Pacers, 17-58 (—)

There are 10 teams currently eliminated from playoff and play-in contention. Each of them is in this bottom third. These teams have, by and large, shut down star players and are playing to lose. It’s a common tactic in the NBA and shouldn’t even carry some moral judgment. But it’s also not worth spending a lot of time dissecting the recent play of these teams, as they build for the future.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA power rankings: San Antonio Spurs, OKC Thunder battling for No. 1

Knicks listing Miles McBride as questionable for Tuesday's game after 'tough' exit vs. Thunder

Miles McBride's first game back since mid-February surgery for a sports hernia left the Knicks holding their collective breath.

McBride collided with Luguentz Dort going for a loose ball and did not return to the game, leaving the court for the locker room midway through the third quarter of Sunday's 111-100 loss at the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Now, New York is listing McBride as questionable for Tuesday's matchup with the Houston Rockets. Additionally, Landry Shamet (knee) will remain out.

"I haven't talked to medical yet, so I don't know how bad it is," Knicks coach Mike Brown said Sunday night, according to the New York Post's Stefan Bondy. "But it's tough. He's worked his tail off to be back.

"And I don't think he made a shot in the first half, but he gave us a lift. You felt his presence. It made us deeper. And because of the foul trouble we had, we were a little shorthanded in that second half, and it was part of the reason they were able to pull away, too."

McBride was scoreless on 0-of-3 shooting but grabbed a rebound, dished an assist and blocked a shot in 11 minutes off the bench against the NBA-best Thunder (59-16).

Prior to his Sunday return, he last played Jan. 27 in New York's 103-87 win over the Sacramento Kings.

McBride entered Sunday with averages of 12.9 points and 2.8 assists in 28 minutes through 35 games (14 starts).

Pistons vs Thunder Prediction, Picks & Best Bets for Tonight’s NBA Game

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The top teams in each conference face off tonight as the Oklahoma City Thunder host the Detroit Pistons at Paycom Center.

With defensive attention focused on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Detroit’s frontcourt decimated by injuries, my Pistons vs. Thunder predictions call for Chet Holmgren to have a monster night at home.

Here are my best free NBA picks for this powerhouse showdown on Monday, March 30.

Pistons vs Thunder prediction

Pistons vs Thunder best bet: Chet Holmgren Over 22.5 points+rebounds (-120)

Chet Holmgren is averaging 17.1 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, and he’s recorded 24-plus points+rebounds in 39 of 64 appearances. That includes five of his last eight games heading into tonight's tilt with the Detroit Pistons.

Holmgren has been more productive at Paycom Center, averaging 27.4 points+rebounds at home compared to just 24.8 on the road. He’s hit the Over on this combo line in 20 of 31 games in front of the home crowd, recording exactly 23 twice more. Holmgren has posted 24+ points+rebounds in four of his last five at home, finishing with 23 once more.

Star defender Ausar Thompson should be tasked with guarding superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tonight, which means Holmgren should see more open looks. In a game with a 218.5 implied point total, there may be additional rebounding opportunities if the teams are forced into tough, contested shots.

Isaiah Hartenstein will be sidelined for the second leg of the Oklahoma City Thunder's back-to-back set, allowing Holmgren to operate as the team’s unquestioned leader in the frontcourt. He’s averaged 25.3 points+rebounds while sharing the court with Hartenstein, compared to 27.2 with Hartenstein sidelined. Jalen Williams’ absence will also boost Holmgren’s statistical workload.

All-Star center Jalen Duren is out tonight, and backup Isaiah Stewart is still sidelined. Detroit will have to rely on undersized big man Paul Reed to pick up the slack and limit Holmgren in the paint and on the glass. That’s a mismatch opportunity, and Holmgren should feast.

This line has fluctuated between 22.5 and 24.5 throughout the day, but I’m more than willing to bet it up to 24.5.

Pistons vs Thunder same-game parlay

Detroit will be missing Cade Cunningham and Isaiah Stewart, and all of Duncan Robinson, Tobias Harris, and Jalen Duren are doubtful.

Despite Detroit’s deep bench and scrappy style of play, they’re simply outmanned by the first-place Thunder, who will cruise to their 60th win of the season.

The Thunder should put away the Pistons with ease, and starters on both sides may see less run late in the game. The short-handed Pistons will struggle to score against OKC’s dominant defense, so I’ll take the Under here.

Pistons vs Thunder SGP

  • Chet Holmgren Over 22.5 points+rebounds
  • Under 219
  • Thunder -12

Our "from downtown" SGP: Defense matters

SGA has seen his scoring dip from 31.4 points to 29.4 points per game across his last 12 outings, and he’s reached 30+ points only six times in that span.

Get the popcorn ready as one of the NBA’s best scorers takes on one of its best defenders. Thompson is one of the favorites for Defensive Player of the Year, and he should be tasked with guarding SGA tonight. 

Thompson’s 107 defensive rating ranks seventh among starters with at least 40 appearances and 25 minutes per game, and he can limit the reigning MVP in the scoring column.

He's also recorded multiple swipes in 36 of 65 games, including three straight. In his first tilt with OKC, Thompson recorded three steals.

Pistons vs Thunder SGP

  • Chet Holmgren Over 22.5 points+rebounds
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Under 29.5 points
  • Ausar Thompson Over 1.5 steals
  • Under 218.5

Pistons vs Thunder odds

  • Spread: Pistons +12 (-110) | Thunder -12 (-110)
  • Moneyline: Pistons +475 | Thunder -650
  • Over/Under: Over 218.5 (-110) | Under 218.5 (-110)

Pistons vs Thunder betting trend to know

The Oklahoma City Thunder have hit the Team Total Under in 15 of their last 20 games at home (+9.25 Units / 41% ROI) Find more NBA betting trends for Pistons vs. Thunder.

How to watch Pistons vs Thunder

LocationPaycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
DateMonday, March 30, 2026
Tip-off9:30 p.m. ET
TVPeacock

Pistons vs Thunder latest injuries

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Bulls waive Jaden Ivey after homophobic rant on social media

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 09: Jaden Ivey #31 of the Chicago Bulls reacts during the game against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on February 09, 2026 in New York City. 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. (Photo by Evan Bernstein/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Chicago Bulls acquired Jaden Ivey at the trade deadline from the Detroit Pistons in an attempt to cash in on the potential he once showed as a former top-five pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. Ivey only played four games with the Bulls before being shut down with knee soreness, which had been bothering him since the start of the season. Ivey was slated to become a restricted free agent this summer, but he’s no longer in the Bulls’ plans after some strange rants on social media over the weekend.

The Bulls waived Ivey on Monday after he made homophobic comments on social media during a speech about his religion views, according to ESPN insider Shams Charania. The Bulls put out a statement saying Ivey was released for “conduct detrimental to the team.”

Ivey went on Instagram live and discussed his Christian faith as it relates to topics like gay rights and abortion.

“They proclaim Pride Month in the NBA,” Ivey said in the video. “They say come join us for Pride Month to celebrate unrighteousness. They proclaim it”

Ivey also made these comments about how two women can’t have a baby.

Ivey said he was struggling with drinking and pornography addiction before finding Jesus.

Ivey was also responding to fans on Instagram comments. When asked if he goes to confession, Ivey called Catholicism a “false religion” and said it “does not lead to salvation in Jesus Christ.”

Ivey drew headlines earlier this season when he said “the old JI is dead.” Here’s the full quote:

“I’ve been dealing with knee soreness in my knee,” Ivey said. “I’m sure people can call it out that I’m not the same player I used to be. That’s why. I’m not the J.I. I used to be. But the old J.I. is dead. I’m alive in Christ no matter what the basketball setting is.”

Ivey suffered a horrific leg injury when he broke his fibula during a terrifying play on New Years Day 2025. He was out through Nov. of that year, and then experienced knee soreness when he tried to come back, which ultimately ended his short run with the Bulls.

When Detroit fans commented on Ivey’s social media videos, he said “the Pistons aren’t going to matter on judgement day.”

Ivey had a $30 million cap hold this summer if the Bulls would have extended him the qualifying offer as a restricted free agent. Essentially, the Bulls would not have been able to access their cap space unless they came to a quick free agent agreement with Ivey. That’s not a problem anymore with the team deciding to move on.

Ivey had a reputation as a “preacher” in the locker room before he got to the Bulls, and there were rumblings he liked to talk to teammates about their faith. Chicago Sun-Times reporter Joe Cowley first reported that the Bulls planned to move on from the guard.

Read our old scouting report on Ivey ahead of the 2022 NBA Draft. His explosiveness was taken away by the ugly leg injury. Maybe the 24-year-old can get his career back on track if he gets healthy. It just won’t be with the Bulls.

Dodgers on Deck: Tuesday, March 31 vs. Guardians

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 24: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani (17) throws a pitch during the MLB Spring Training game between the Los Angeles Angels and the Los Angeles Dodgers on March 24, 2026 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The middle game of the Dodgers’ game against the Guardians on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium features the 2026 pitching debut of Shohei Ohtani at Dodger Stadium.

This is expected to be a full two-way season for Ohtani, who had his second Tommy John surgery in 2023, did not pitch in 2024, and last year didn’t pitch in a game until June. In all, Ohtani in 2025 had a 3.34 ERA in 67 1/3 innings between the regular season and postseason, with 90 strikeouts (a 33.2-percent rate) and 16 walks.

Right-hander Tanner Bibee starts on the mound for Cleveland, making his second start of the season. He allowed three runs, all on solo home runs, in five innings in a no-decision last Thursday, with seven strikeouts.

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

Game #4: Athletics at Braves Game Thread

A new week means a fresh start, something the Athletics badly need after losing all three games of the season-opening series against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Entering the season, the team’s pitching was considered its biggest weakness as the A’s did not do much to improve that part of its roster this offseason. It did not take long for that to come back to hurt the team. They lost their initial two games in walk-off fashion. On Friday, reliever Justin Sterner allowed the Blue Jays to score the winning run in the bottom of the ninth immediately after A’s catcher Shea Langeliers hit his second home run of the game to tie the score in the top of that inning. The next day, Langeliers bashed a grand slam to give the A’s a four-run lead in the seventh inning. Only nine outs away from a victory, the A’s bullpen just needed to protect that sizable lead to get the team its first win of the season. Alas, that was too much for them to handle as multiple relievers let the Blue Jays come back and eventually win in 11 innings.

On the other hand, the A’s offense was seen as its biggest strength, the likes of Brent Rooker, Tyler Soderstrom and Nick Kurtz bringing enough firepower to help the team overcome any pitching struggles. Through three games, that has not been the case.

The team is off to an extremely slow start at the plate with the exception of Langeliers. The A’s struck out an MLB record 50 times in their inaugural series. Even contact-king Jacob Wilson, who only struck out 39 times in 486 at-bats last year, has already struck out five times in 13 at-bats. Part of the credit goes to Toronto’s stellar rotation fronted by right-handers Kevin Gausman and Dylan Cease. Yet, the A’s have been pressing, chasing pitches and just having bad approaches at the plate.

Hopefully, things will change now that the team is back on U.S. soil. This evening, the A’s begin a three-game series against the Atlanta Braves. Like the A’s, the Braves have several talented hitters but pitching question marks due to key starters Spencer Strider and Spencer Schwellenbach beginning the season on the injured list.

Left-hander Jacob Lopez will make his first start of the season today. Lopez has a high ceiling as evidenced by how well he was pitching last summer before his injury. If he can return to that level of performance, that would alleviate some questions surrounding the A’s starting rotation.

The A’s starting lineup:

Despite the team’s putrid performance this past weekend, Kurtz remains in the leadoff spot with Wilson batting fifth. Playing in his hometown, look for Lawrence Butler to put forth a strong showing in front of family and friends. He gets the start in center field with Carlos Cortes in right as the A’s give offensively-challenged Denzel Clarke the night off.

The Braves starting pitcher is right-hander Bryce Elder, who went 8-11 with a 5.30 ERA in 28 starts last year. If the A’s offense struggles against Elder, that would further raise alarm bells.

Here’s how Atlanta lines up behind Elder:

The top of their lineup features a formidable trio of superstar right fielder Ronald Acuña Jr, reigning National League Rookie of the Year Drake Baldwin and former A’s player Matt Olson. Atlanta’s catcher Jonah Heim also used to play for the Athletics before he was traded to the Texas Rangers.

Let’s go A’s! Time for that first win!


Game #4: Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Cincinnati Reds

CINCINNATI, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 24: Sal Stewart #43 of the Cincinnati Reds reacts after striking out during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park on September 24, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jeff Dean/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Cincinnati Reds, March 30, 2026, 6:40 p.m. ET

Location: Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati, OH

Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, FS1, SportsNet Pittsburgh+


The Pittsburgh Pirates are on the road today against the Cincinnati Reds looking to grab a win at Great American Ball Park.


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BD community, this is your thread for today’s game. Enjoy!

Game 4 Game Day Thread – Texas Rangers @ Baltimore Orioles

Feb 23, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Texas Rangers pitcher Jack Leiter (22) looks on prior to a spring training game against the Los Angeles Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images | Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

Texas Rangers @ Baltimore Orioles

Monday, March 30, 2026, 5:35 PM CDT (105.3 The Fan / RSN, Victory+)

Camden Yards

RHP Jack Leiter vs. RHP Chris Bassitt

Today’s Lineups

RANGERSORIOLES
Brandon Nimmo – RFTaylor Ward – LF
Wyatt Langford – LFGunnar Henderson – SS
Corey Seager – SSPete Alonso – 1B
Jake Burger – 1BAdley Rutschman – C
Joc Pederson – DHTyler O’Neill – DH
Josh Smith – 2BDylan Beavers – RF
Josh Jung – 3BCoby Mayo – 3B
Evan Carter – CFColton Cowser – CF
Kyle Higashioka – CBlaze Alexander – 2B
Jack Leiter – RHPChris Bassitt – RHP

Go Rangers!

Chicago Cubs vs. Los Angeles Angels preview, Monday 3/30, 6:40 CT

Monday notes…

  • THE ANGELS ARE EARLY: Today, March 30, is the earliest date on which the Cubs ever have played the Angels. This will be the 27th game between the teams. The previous earliest meeting was on April 4, Opening Day of 2016, at Anaheim. The earliest at Wrigley Field was April 12, in 2019. The Cubs have played two games earlier than March 30 against other American League teams, both on March 28, Opening Day, at Texas, in 2019 and 2024. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
  • MARCHING ALONG: The Cubs are 1-4 all-tiime on March 30. They lost to the D-backs in 2025, to the Rangers in 2024 and 2019, and to the Marlins in 2018. Their only March 30 win was in 2023, a 4-0 win over the Brewers.
  • NOT YET: Five of the 26 Cubs on the Opening Day roster have not appeared in a game yet. They are starting pitchers Edward Cabrera (who goes tonight) and Jameson Taillon, bench players Dylan Carlson and Scott Kingery, and swingman Colin Rea.
  • PCA NOTE: Pete Crow-Armstrong has recorded eight multi-steal games since the start of the 2025 season, the most in the NL and second-most in the majors behind José Caballero (10).

Cubs lineup:

Angels lineup:

Edward Cabrera, RHP vs. Ryan Johnson, RHP

Edward Cabrera makes his Cubs debut this evening.

This is also his first career start against the Angels. Current members of the Angels are a small sample size 5-for-28 (.179) against Cabrera with 11 strikeouts. Keep that up and tonight will be a good night.

The “changeup” noted below is really more a different version of his fastball. Here’s more on that pitch. If it’s effective, he usually pitches really well.

Ryan Johnson was the Angels’ second round pick in 2023 out of Dallas Baptist University, the same school where former Cubs draft pick Burl Carraway (remember him?) pitched.

Johnson made his MLB debut last year and made 14 relief appearances with a 7.36 ERA and four home runs allowed in 14.2 innings. Thus this is his first MLB start. He’s never faced the Cubs or anyone on their active roster. As you can see below, he doesn’t throw particularly hard, though he does have a pretty good pitch mix.

Here is the weather forecast for the area around Wrigley Field.

Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network.

Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Please visit the Angels site Crashing The Pearly Gates. If you do go there to interact with Angels fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.

The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.

You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).

At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.

The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.

You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.

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Padres add veteran reliever to elite bullpen depth

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 31: José Leclerc #25 of the Texas Rangers pitches in the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks during Game Four of the World Series at Chase Field on October 31, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images

About a week ago, it was reported that the San Diego Padres were nearing a deal with a key player from the Texas Rangers’ 2023 World Series run. According to Mike Rodriguez, the Friars were targeting a deal with José Leclerc as a depth piece in their ‘pen.

That deal has now been made official, per MLB.com’s transactions page.

A former closer for the Rangers, Leclerc dominated on the mound when he was healthy. But he wasn’t always that way.

Injury worries before a dominant resurgence

When he was first named the closer by Texas in 2019, Leclerc struggled. He ended the year with a 4.33 ERA across 70 innings for a Rangers squad that finished third in the AL West.

Then, in early 2021, he underwent Tommy John surgery that kept him out for the season, leading many to question if he could ever return to the flashes of dominance he displayed in 2018 (1.56 ERA, 57.2 IP).

He put those worries to rest in 2022.

From 2022-23, Leclerc recorded a 2.75 ERA with Texas, capping it off with a World Series ring to boot. He was a key piece out of the relief corps for the Rangers, and helped bring the club its first ever Fall Classic win after falling short in 2010 (San Francisco Giants) and 2011 (St. Louis Cardinals).

Has Father Time caught up?

That being said, Leclerc struggled mightily in his last two seasons. From 2024-25, between the Rangers and Athletics, he posted a 4.64 ERA across 74 games.

That figure includes a ballooned 2025 ERA (6.00) after he only saw nine innings of action with the A’s, giving up six runs in that time frame. His season in Sacramento ended early due to a right shoulder injury that saw him undergo surgery last July.

He’s certainly had an up-and-down career in terms of results, but the stuff is there. He obviously has a desire to compete after throwing a bullpen session for interested clubs earlier this offseason.

Leclerc is still rehabbing after his season-ending surgery, targeting a return sometime around July. If that’s the case, it will mark an opportunity for San Diego to bolster its relief corps amidst the dog days of summer.

Until then, it is a low-risk, high-reward move for the Padres. If Leclerc can touch his previous heights and offer some serviceable innings, then San Diego will have made a worthwhile pickup.

That’s the beauty of a minor-league pickup. There are no real strings attached. If Leclerc comes back at the Triple-A level and struggles, then he’ll likely not get an opportunity to affect the big-league club.

On the other hand, if he can be dominant again, Leclerc could figure to be a valuable piece of a bullpen already crowded with shutout relievers.

Gamethread 3/30: Nationals at Phillies

CLEARWATER, FL - MARCH 15: Philadelphia Phillies Pitcher Taijuan Walker (99) delivers a pitch to the plate during spring training game between the Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies on March 15, 2026 at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Here are the lineups. For the Phillies:

For the Nationals:

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The beginning of a second chance for Roki Sasaki

Mar 27, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki (11) checks out his World Series before the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Going out of their way to provide Roki Sasaki with the opportunity to find himself as a starting pitcher, the Dodgers offer him a spot in the Opening Day rotation. The reigning champs do that even if his spring training showing did little to lower the volume on those concerns. Part of why that’s feasible is that, to no one’s surprise, the Dodgers already start the year with starters on the shelf, as Blake Snell is currently on the injured list. Even so, if going by performance alone, Dave Roberts had better candidates for that fifth rotation spot and chose to hand Sasaki this opportunity.

It’s under this outlook that Sasaki makes his season debut, dealing with the pressure of someone who probably has more to prove than any other player on this roster. The young Japanese starter was supposed to be the next big thing coming out of the NPB, and so far, all of his better moments have come as a reliever. Intent on making it as a starter, Sasaki needs to get off to a hot start in order to gain some confidence and then take things from there.

The Guardians at home aren’t exactly a cakewalk, but he could hardly ask for a much better matchup, squaring off against a team that averaged 3.25 runs per game in their first four appearances. Although that probably had a lot to do with facing an outstanding Seattle Mariners pitching staff, and not just the reflection of a mediocre effort from Cleveland. Don’t let Chase DeLauter beat you. Sure, José Ramírez is the big star, but what the rookie DeLauter did against the M’s was magnificent, hitting four home runs in as many games.

Monday’s game info

  • Teams: Dodgers vs. Guardians
  • Ballpark: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles
  • Start time: 7:10 p.m. PT
  • TV: SportsNet LA
  • Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)

The Mets’ bullpen is already a problem

Mar 29, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Richard Lovelady (55) reacts during the tenth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Mets are (probably) one better third-base coach decision away from being 3-0 on the young season, but there’s an issue that has already reared its head in all three games of 2026 thus far: the bullpen. 

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but the Mets are coming off a season where their bullpen was less than spectacular, and so a stated goal of the offseason was to rebuild the relief corps. On the higher end of the free agent pool, the Mets did just that, bringing in both Devin Williams and Luke Williams and retaining both Brooks Raley and A.J. Minter through options. Tobias Myers was part of the Freddy Garcia trade, and Huascar Brazobán is also back, and those six pitchers are making up the core of the bullpen. And, although Minter hasn’t played yet and Brazobán has had an up and down Mets career thus far, those players aren’t the issue. 

But it’s the other three pitchers currently in the Mets’ bullpen that are the issue. Our Chris McShane already spoke about Sean Manaea’s velocity dip and how that is likely unsustainable at the big league level. The other two arms are Luis García and Richard Lovelady, both of whom have appeared in multiple games and surrendered multiple runs. 

There has been discussion about how the Mets are leaving a few spots in the bullpen for the waiver wire/upward mobility pool. To translate that a bit, he means guys who are fungible enough to call up for a few games and then send down and/or designate for assignment when they’ve been used too many days in a row. It’s an approach that makes sense when you consider how many more bullpen innings are needed in the modern game and you don’t want to destroy your main guys’ arms. 

However, this weekend was a prime example of why that methodology may be logical but unsound. On Opening Day, the Mets had a big lead going into the ninth inning, and so when García gave up two runs on three hits without a strikeout, it wasn’t such a big deal. But the Mets had to get Williams up and throwing in what should’ve been a laugher of a game. Again, the schedule helped here with the off day on Friday, but that’s not going to be the norm throughout the season. When you can’t close the door on a big lead against a second division club with a fully rested bullpen, that’s an issue. 

On Saturday, García was back at it in the tenth inning and surrendered the free runner on second while allowing two hits and one walk. One inning later, after the Mets had scored to tie the game, Loveady entered the game and surrendered the Manfred Man again. Thankfully, Luis Robert Jr. sent the Mets home happy and the bullpen ineffectiveness is a footnote rather than a headline. 

But on Sunday, the Mets’ luck would run out. After Manaea somehow tap-danced through seven batters with limited stuff, Weaver sat the Pirates down in the ninth. But Lovelady was back for the tenth, and on the first batter of extras, the game was untied by Ryan O’Hearn. Dicky got a ground ball double play to almost escape the inning but couldn’t put it away. Two straight walks and a single put Pittsburgh up by two. 

Like I said at the top, if Francisco Lindor was held at third base, the Mets might’ve come back to win that game and this would all seem a little less pressing. I’m really not trying to pick on Garcia or Lovelady, two journeymen relievers trying to put food on their families’ tables and keep their careers going. I’m questioning the construction of the roster and the deployment of the relief pitchers. 

The answer seems fairly simple, which is that if you want fungible relievers, you’ve got a number of relievers in your minor league system with minor league options: Austin Warren, Ryan Lambert, Dylan Ross, Jonathan Pintaro, Alex Carrillo, and Joey Gerber. I’m not sure any of them are the answer long term, but I can’t imagine that they would be appreciably worse than García or Lovelady were in their first two appearances each. Using those players also helps you see what you have in terms of potential long-term pieces instead of getting the expected results from a guy who your team has already DFA’d four times. 

The Manaea of it all is the hardest part of this, because if either Lovelady or Garcia were DFA’d ahead of today’s game, no one would blink an eye. But if we’re stashing Manaea in the bullpen, we’re not talking about a third fungible spot. We’re talking about a veteran who was expected to be a big part of this team whose stuff is simply not up to snuff. This won’t be an easy cut in any way, and this seems like the type of player who will linger on the roster long past their possible usefulness. 

This is the least Stearnsian piece of the Mets’ current roster, and one that I fear won’t be addressed for some time. However, this would be less of an issue if there weren’t two other (at best) replacement-level players in the ‘pen. 

Personally, I would advocate for the Mets to take a more proactive approach and add at least one reliever who isn’t intended to be here today and gone later today. It may hurt some of the churn, but it would also likely prevent some of the issues that cropped up over the weekend. If one roster spot was dedicated to the churn guy, and the pool for that spot was minor league relievers who need some big league appearances to evaluate, sign me up. But to have three borderline poor performers on the roster at once is a bad place to be, even just three games into a season.

Deniz Undav makes his World Cup case for Germany with winning goal in Ghana friendly

STUTTGART, Germany (AP) — Deniz Undav turned up the pressure on Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann to select him for the World Cup after he scored the 2-1 winner against Ghana on Monday to back up strong club form.

Undav hadn't played for Germany since June but seven goals in his last six Bundesliga games helped him earn a recall. Germany was playing the friendly at the home stadium of his club Stuttgart and fans chanted for Undav long before he came off the bench.

The game seemed to be fizzling out to a draw when he flicked the ball over Ghana's goalkeeper in the 88th minute to give Germany a seventh successive win.

Ghana's Abdul Fatuwu earlier scored on the counter to cancel out Kai Havertz's penalty for Germany.

After Florian Wirtz's spectacular attacking display in Germany's 4-3 win against Switzerland, Germany was expected to score high against an opponent coming off a 5-1 loss to Austria. It ended up being a subdued win in constant driving rain.

Nick Woltemade started in one of four German changes but his main impact was heading against the bar in the second half.

Havertz put Germany ahead with his penalty just before halftime after Jonas Adjetey blocked a shot with his arm. Ghana leveled on the counter in the 70th when Germany-born Derrick Köhn surged down the left flank, beat defender Josha Vagnoman and crossed low for Fatawu to score.

Ghana defender Kojo Peprah Oppong of Nice had to be helped off the field after injuring his left leg challenging Woltemade.

Germany has further pre-World Cup friendlies against Finland in May and co-host the United States in June before facing Curacao, the Ivory Coast and Ecuador in Group E of the tournament.

Ghana has lost four friendlies in a row. It's in Group L with Panama, England and Croatia.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer