ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - AUGUST 25: A general overall aerial view of Tropicana Field and stadium dome damage from Hurricane Milton on August 25, 2025 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Kirby Lee/Getty Images)
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A sellout crowd will welcome the Tampa Bay Rays back to renovated Tropicana Field on Monday for the first time in 18 1/2 months.
The quirky stadium with the tilted roof and unique catwalks underwent major repairs after Hurricane Milton swept through downtown St. Petersburg on Oct. 9, 2024, and caused extensive damage.
High wind ripped sections of the original roof, allowing rain to fall into the stadium bowl for months. Water caused mold and damage to electrical, sound and broadcast systems.
There was thought initially the Rays would never play another game at the only ballpark they had called home since the franchise’s debut in 1998. Instead, nearly $60 million was spent to replace the roof and rebuild the Trop.
While the Rays played their 2025 home games across the bay in Tampa at Steinbrenner Field — the spring training home of the New York Yankees — their stadium got a makeover.
The new roof was installed last August, and the final panel was put in place Nov. 21. Luxury suites and the stadium video board were upgraded. The stadium has new artificial turf, home-plate club seats, clubhouse carpet and lockers, and new flooring on the outfield deck.
“I think guys are excited, and rightfully so,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said about the team’s return home. “Our organization has worked incredibly hard and the city and the county, to get it back up to speed. I briefly walked through there, couldn’t be more impressed with the way it looks, and excited to see our fans. I think our guys are going to appreciate just having our fans in the building, cheering us on for our opening day.”
It’ll be the 20th consecutive season the Rays have sold out their home opener, excluding 2020 when fans weren’t allowed inside the stadium because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I’m just really excited to get back in the Trop,” said reliever Griffin Jax, who joined the team last July. “I always enjoy going there as a visitor. It’ll be cool to see all the new renovations and upgrades they made along the way. We’ve seen it a handful of times walking through and seeing pictures and stuff. It looks great. It’ll be good to be back in our home.”
After spending a season playing in a minor league ballpark, the Rays are looking forward to going back to big league amenities.
“It was difficult,” Jax said about playing at Steinbrenner Field. “I don’t think anybody expects to play in a situation like that. It’s just one of those things you have to make any adjustment you can and get ready to play because there is still baseball to be played that night. The situation isn’t great. The environment wasn’t awesome, but it’s still baseball. You just have to roll with it. I was only there for two months. Shout out to all these guys who were there for an entire year because it was not ideal.”
Tropicana Field may not be home for the Rays for much longer. The Rays are under lease to play there through at least the 2028 season, but the team’s new ownership group is pursuing a new ballpark that would be built in Tampa, in the shadows of the Yankees’ spring training complex and across the street from Raymond James Stadium, home to the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is showing signs of life with the bat, and I think he breaks through this afternoon in a plus-pitching matchup.
Find out why in my Blue Jays vs. White Sox predictions and MLB picks below.
Blue Jays vs White Sox predictions
Blue Jays vs White Sox best bet: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Over 1.5 total bases (+120)
Davis Martin was hit hard in his first outing, allowing three extra-base hits, culminating in a .937 opponent OPS, while ranking in the second percentile in hard-hit rate.
The Toronto Blue Jays slugger hits the ball as hard as anyone in the league. He ranked in the 90th percentile in hard-hit rate last season and is starting to show that same level of pop in his bat.
Guerrero finally hit his first home run of the season yesterday, and nearly had another with a long moon shot that was caught at the wall.
This tells me that he’s starting to see and hit the ball better, and I’ll bank on that bat continuing its breakout today with Martin on the mound.
COVERS INTEL: Davis Martin was hit hard in his first outing of the season, giving up a homer and two doubles, while ranking in the third percentile in average-exit velocity to go along with a .530 xSLG rate.
Blue Jays vs White Sox same-game parlay (SGP)
I’ll continue the trend of betting on Vladdy breaking out offensively and take him to go Over 0.5 RBI this afternoon.
Davis Martin had a 5.11 xERA last season and a 7.27 xERA in his last outing. Thus, the base paths could be busy tonight, and if Vladdy gets his hits with men on base, he’s in the right spot in the lineup to cash in a run or two.
For the final leg, I’ll take Eric Lauer to go Over his strikeout total. He had nine Ks in his first outing, and Chicago ranks 29th in Ks this season, already having struck out 18 times through the first two games of the series.
Blue Jays vs White Sox SGP
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Over 1.5 total bases
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Over 0.5 RBI
Eric Lauer Over 4.5 strikeouts
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Blue Jays vs White Sox home run pick: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (+400)
I’ll continue to back Vladdy and take him as my home run pick for tonight. Homers come in bunches for Guerrero Jr., and with the first one out of the way, he could erupt anytime now.
Additionally, the matchup favors Vladdy, who has terrific bat-to-ball skills, squaring the ball up, and hitting it with authority. This combination is dangerous for a pitcher like Martin, who gets hit hard and often.
2026 Transparency record
Best bets: 2-5, -2.65 units
SGPs: 1-6, -2.5 units
HR picks: 2-5, +1.3 units
Blue Jays vs White Sox odds
Moneyline: Toronto -165 | Chicago +140
Run line: Toronto -1.5 (+100) | Chicago +1.5 (-120)
Over/Under: Over 8 | Under 8
Blue Jays vs White Sox trend
The Blue Jays have covered the first-five run line in 16 of their last 21 games for +11.05 units and a 46% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Blue Jays vs. White Sox.
How to watch Blue Jays vs White Sox and game info
Location
Rate Field, Chicago, IL
Date
Sunday, April 5, 2026
First pitch
2:10 p.m. ET
TV
Sportsnet
Blue Jays starting pitcher
Eric Lauer (1-0, 3.38 ERA)
White Sox starting pitcher
Davis Martin (1-0, 5.40 ERA)
Blue Jays vs White Sox latest injuries
Blue Jays vs White Sox weather
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.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 21: AJ Griffin #14 of the Houston Rockets dribbles the ball during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers on July 21, 2024 at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 2024 NBAE (Photo by Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The 2023-24 Houston Rockets underwent a significant amount of change, as the team parted with Stephen Silas at the end of the prior season. The Rockets sought a defensive-first approach, which was sensical after Houston finished bottom-five in that category in each of Silas’s three seasons in the big chair.
The Rockets made a big jump in the standings, from 22-60 in 2022-23 to 41-41 in the 2023-24 season, with the league’s ninth-best defensive attack. However, their offense ranked 20th-best and they lacked a formidable outside shooting attack, ranking as the league’s 23rd-best outside shooting team at 35.2 percent from deep.
In the offseason that followed, the Rockets decided to address their shooting deficiencies, by trading for AJ Griffin, who they’d reportedly had interest in acquiring at the trade deadline. As a side note, Houston ultimately traded for Steven Adams at the trade deadline during that season.
Griffin made 39% of his triples from deep in his rookie 2022-23 campaign and fell out of favor with Atlanta Hawks coach Quin Snyder, resulting in a rather significant minutes reduction, from 19.8 minutes as a rookie to 8.6 minutes in his second season with the Hawks.
Naturally, there was a fit for both sides. The Rockets traded a second-round pick for Griffin, which ultimately was used on Pelle Larson. Following the trade, we’d never seen footage of Griffin training with the Rockets in the summer or offseason.
As it turns out, Griffin had been mulling retirement to focus on evangelism and ultimately decided to walk away from basketball at the age of 21 years old.
But it was an uneventful, non-public ordeal. The Rockets respected Griffin’s desires to move on from basketball and supported him, despite losing their draft capital in exchange for him.
By the same token, Griffin didn’t spread ill will about the Rockets. The story went away.
Well, it was never really a story to begin with. The situation pales in comparison to the situation that’s come full circle regarding the Chicago Bulls and Jaden Ivey, who was traded to the Bulls and released after just four games with the organization.
Ivey was viewed as a potential long-term asset for the Bulls. Until he began to concoct social media videos, many of which are aimed at targeting certain groups and/or population circles.
Ivey also began asking media members very personal questions about their lifestyle decisions and choices. Like Griffin, he also took up an interest in religion and spirituality, but in a significantly different manner. And it ended poorly for him.
Which should make Rockets fans feel much better about the Griffin fiasco. Sure, he never played for them, but that’s about the extent of the embarrassment faced by the Rockets.
That a player they spent a second-round pick on amounted to a lost second-round draft pick. For the Bulls, it’s resulted in daily mockery at the national level. And the more expressive Ivey has become, the more the Bulls’ front office has faced questions about how little research they’d conducted before making the deadline deal with the Detroit Pistons.
If you looked at the standings on Sunday morning, you might have wondered if someone got confused when typing them up. The Tampa Bay Lightning and the Buffalo Sabres both have clinched their playoff berth with 102 and 100 points, respectively. Meanwhile, the Montreal Canadiens, which are second in the Atlantic Division with 100 points ahead of the Sabres, haven’t.
Simply put, the Habs are ahead of the Sabres because they have a game in hand; if they didn’t, Montreal would be third based on regulation wins. Buffalo has 38 regulation wins while Montreal only has 32. That’s also the reason why Montreal hasn’t clinched yet. The Ottawa Senators, currently in the second wild card spot, have 88 points with six games left to play, meaning they can still reach 100 points. If they did and the Habs didn’t get another point until the end of the season, they would qualify because they have 33 regulation wins to Montreal’s 32.
Now, that won’t happen; it would take an unmitigated disaster for Montreal to go without another point by the end of the season. However, their low number of regulation wins may cost them home-ice advantage. Even if they win their six remaining games in regulation, they won’t have more regulation wins than the Sabres. If both teams ended up with 38 regulation wins, the next tie breaker would be the most wins, excluding shootout wins, reflected by the “ROW” column in the standings. As things stand, Montreal has the edge on Buffalo with 42 ROW to 41, but there’s still time for that to change.
In any case, there are three ways that the Canadiens can clinch a playoff birth on Easter Sunday: if the Detroit Red Wings lose to the Minnesota Wild in their 1:00 PM tilt, or if the Senators lose to the Carolina Hurricanes in their 5:00 PM duel, or if the Canadiens get at least one point against the New Jersey Devils.
With six games to play, the Canadiens have all but qualified, and it’s just a matter of mathematically qualifying. In other words, Montreal doesn’t have much to worry about, but they won’t be able to take it easy since they could still end up winning the division or even the conference. While getting home-ice advantage remains the goal, it’s interesting to note that Montreal has gotten 54 of its 100 points on the road and 46 at home. Still, having the last change and playing a game seven at home in the playoffs would be better than not having those advantages.
With a week to go in the season, Minnesota and Phoenix are essentially locked into the 6/7 seeds, but that play-in divide could become formal today. Here's what you need to know on Easter Sunday in the NBA.
Playoff Scenarios
• Minnesota clinches a top-six playoff spot with a win and a Phoenix loss. Don't be so sure this happens today, the stumbling Timberwolves face a red-hot Charlotte team, while Phoenix isn't likely to lose to tanking Chicago. • Conversely, Phoenix becomes locked into the play-in if it loses and Minnesota wins. That's probably not happening today, but it's happening this week.
Games to Watch
Toronto Raptors at Boston Celtics (3:30 p.m. ET, NBA TV)
This is potentially a first-round matchup preview. Boston is playing well and is pretty locked into the No. 2 seed in the East (2.5 up on No. 3 seed New York). Toronto is the team that really needs this upset win. The Raptors sit as the No. 6 seed in the East, just half a game up on the 76ers at No. 7, a win can help create a little space and keep the Raptors out of the play-in. Toronto should play like a desperate team in this one.
Charlotte Hornets at Minnesota Timberwolves (7:30 p.m. ET, League Pass)
Charlotte needs every win it can get, as it is currently the No. 8 seed in the East, but Orlando is just half a game back and Miami is just one game. Charlotte is also just one game back of Philadelphia for the No. 7 seed. The Hornets have won three in a row and are 8-2 in their last 10. Minnesota is pretty locked into the No. 6 seed in the West (it will be tough to make up two games on No. 5 seed Houston in a week), but it needs a win to officially secure that No. 6 seed. Also, Minnesota just needs to get some wins and find a rhythm before the playoffs.
Houston Rockets at Golden State Warriors (10 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock)
Stephen Curry returns to the court for the Warriors, although it is the Rockets who need this win more. The Warriors are basically locked into the No. 10 seed and will need to win two play-in games on the road to get to the playoffs, but that is more likely with Curry back. Houston seems destined for the No. 5 seed, as making up the 1.5-game deficit to catch No. 4 Denver will be tough, but the Nuggets have the league's toughest remaining schedule, so the door is not closed. Catch Curry's return on Sunday Night Basketball on NBC and Peacock.
I had not remembered a traditional, non-split doubleheader on the road for the Cubs in recent years. The last such doubleheader at Wrigley Field was Thursday, Aug. 3, 2006 vs. the Diamondbacks.
So, naturally, I asked BCB’s JohnW53 if he knew. Of course he did! Here’s the answer.
The Cubs have played 15 doubleheaders on the road since the one at home vs. the Diamondbacks.
Fourteen of those were day/night split doubleheaders.
The exception was on Saturday, Sept. 8, 2019, at Washington, when they played a twi-night, single-admission doubleheader. The first game started at 5:15 and ended at 8:00. Then there was an hour before the second game because the Nationals were honoring Ryan Zimmerman. The second game ran 3:15 and did not end until 12:15 a.m.
The Cubs lost both games, 10-3 and 6-5. Then the Sunday game was rained out, forcing the Cubs to return for an afternoon game the following Thursday. Anthony Rizzo flew to the game in uniform, in protest. The Cubs won that game, 4-3, but Pedro Strop was injured trying to beat out an infield grounder and was lost for the season.
Here’s how our various threads are going to work for posts on both games this afternoon. There will be the “Live!” thread as usual, five minutes before the first pitch of Game 1. I will post a recap as soon as possible after Game 1, then another “Live!” thread will follow five minutes before Game 2. A recap of Game 2 will post in the early evening, after that one’s complete.
Get ready for six (or so) hours of Cubs baseball this afternoon!
Sunday doubleheader notes…
THE SUNDAY DOUBLEHEADER: The Cubs have played 52 doubleheaders — 31 at home and 21 on the road — since they last played a single-admission doubleheader on a Sunday: April 28, 2002, when they lost at home to the Dodgers, 5-4 and 4-1. The breakdown of those 52 by day and site: Monday: 4 (3 home/1 road). Tuesday 14 (10/4). Wednesday: 9 (6/3). Thursday: 3 (1/2). Friday: 6 (2/4). Saturday: 16 (9/7). The Cubs played a day/night doubleheader at home against the Cardinals on Sunday, July 12, 2009, in which they won, 7-3, then lost, 4-2. They have played 38 doubleheaders on other days of the week since then, 24 at home and 14 on the road. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
DOUBLEHEADER DOINGS: Over the last five seasons, the Cubs have played 13 doubleheaders, as follows… 2021: four (swept one, split one, were swept twice). All the games in the 2021 doubleheaders were scheduled as seven-inning games. One of those (a win in Game 2, May 4 vs. the Dodgers) went nine innings, as it was tied after seven. 2022: six (split two, were swept four times). 2023: none. 2024: two (split one, were swept once). 2025: one (swept the Brewers!).
THEY’D NEVER DO THIS NOW: In a four-day stretch in 1967, the Cubs played four doubleheaders. Then the next year they played four doubleheaders in an eight-day span. Randy Hundley started and caught every inning of seven of the eight 1967 games and played the last three innings of the other one, and in 1968 started and caught every inning of seven of the eight games. No wonder his knees gave out.
OR THIS, EITHER: The most doubleheaders the Cubs ever played in a season was 39, in 1944. The last time they played 30 doubleheaders in a season was 1957. They last played at least 20 in 1967 (21) and last played at least 10 in 1979 (11). (Thanks to John for the last two of those.) This article by Chris Jaffe on doubleheaders in the 20th Century is from 2010, but still contains some fascinating doubleheader history.
Edward Cabrera was the originally scheduled starter for Sunday’s single game. Instead, he’ll throw the first game of the doubleheader today.
Cabrera was nails in his first 2026 start last Monday against the Angels, allowing just one hit and one walk, striking out five.
Last year while with the Marlins he made one start vs. the Guardians, Aug. 14 in Cleveland, and got hit pretty hard — seven hits, five runs in 5.1 innings. Let’s hope this one goes better.
Slade Cecconi was supposed to start the Saturday game that was rained out. Instead, he’ll go in the first game of the doubleheader this afternoon.
Cecconi got torched by the Mariners in his first 2026 start last Sunday in Seattle — 4.1 innings, six runs allowed. He threw 93 pitches and, as noted, did not finish the fifth inning.
He has never faced the Cubs. Only two Cubs — Alex Bregman (0-for-4) and Michael Conforto (0-for-3) have ever faced him.
Here are the pitchers scheduled to start Game 2 of this doubleheader.
Shōta Imanaga, LHP vs. Parker Messick, LHP
Shōta Imanaga’s first 2026 start wasn’t terrible… but it wasn’t all that good, either. He allowed one home run, unfortunately that came with two men on base. Hopefully he can keep the ball in the ballpark this evening. He did strike out seven Nationals in that first outing.
His outing last year against the Guardians, July 2, 2025 at Wrigley Field, was a similar game to his first start this year, except with more home runs (three solo homers). So, again, keeping the ball in the yard would be the key to his success, I’d think.
You’ll note in the graphic below that he averaged 92.1 miles per hour on his fastball in his first start this year. That’s up significantly from last year’s 90.8 miles per hour. If he can maintain that, this should be a good year for Shōta.
Parker Messick was the Guardians’ second-round pick out of Florida State in 2022. He made his MLB debut last year with seven pretty good starts, and threw six shutout innings against the Dodgers last Monday in Los Angeles, so that’s also pretty good.
He’s obviously never faced the Cubs. He did face Alex Bregman last year; Bregman went 1-for-3 (a double).
Also, “Parker Messick” sounds like a comic-book superhero’s alter ego name.
Please visit our SB Nation Guardians site Covering The Corner. If you do go there to interact with Guardians 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. See the top of this post for some posting differences from those below for this doubleheader day.
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.
ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 31: Martín Perez #33 of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the seventh inning during the game against the Athletics at Truist Park on March 31, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Though the Atlanta Braves came up a few runs short for the third win against the Arizona Diamondbacks yesterday, at least we’ve seen consistent quality starts from Bryce Elder to propel us to today’s series ending before the Braves head to Anaheim to face the Angels.
Let’s look at today’s pitchers.
Martín Pérez has gotten the start, making this his second appearance and first official start with the team this season. His last game with the Athletics resulted in three strikeouts, only two hits, and no earned runs across 4.1 innings out of the bullpen.
The nod was going to either Jose Suarez or Pérez, and with the struggles Suarez displayed in his last appearance, having Pérez enter in for the start will be a nice way to get a feel for his command and approach, as we’ve seen bits and pieces during spring training.
He had mentioned how healthy he felt for the first time since 2024 in the post-game presser for that game, remarking in his words how he had confidence in feeling well the following day without any worries. This was especially great to hear, noting how he was held to 11 games last year with the Chicago White Sox due to injury, but still maintained a 3.54 ERA and 1.11 WHIP (4.24 FIP) across his appearances.
Relying on four main pitches (change-up, sinker, cutter, and curveball) in his arsenal, we can expect to see the change-up and sinker taking the front seat as his targeted weapons against the Diamondbacks’ offense.
Looking over to the Diamondbacks, they’re going for the split with Brandon Pfaadt (7.50 ERA) taking the hill. So far, with the start of the season rolling with their five-man rotation, he’s only had one starting appearance with the team. Though allowing five runs across his six innings pitched just five days ago against the Detroit Tigers, don’t let the numbers fool you.
His consistency and overall command haven’t been the strongest and have hurt his chances for effectiveness on the mound, especially last season, where he was placed fifth in the worst ERA with a 5.25. However, during the second half of the season, he added a cutter to his arsenal that produced him with better results and kept his pitches better located in the zone, which led to weaker contact for batters he’s faced. This change dropped his FIP from 4.64 to 3.68 almost instantly.
If he can work on control during this outing and stay ahead of his counts, he could have a pretty solid showing, but if the Braves can take advantage of his weakest areas of location and command, they just might be able to pull off the win, making this a third straight series win to start the season.
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 19, 2026: Kevin Alvarez #11 of the Houston Astros bats during the fifth inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Miami Marlins at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on March 19, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below.
AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (6-2) lost 4-1 (BOX SCORE)
Sugar Land jumped out to an early lead on a lead-off home run from Trammell. Lambert started for Sugar Land and was solid allowing 1 run over 5 innings. Knorr allowed 3 runs as the Jumbo Shrimp took the lead. The Sugar Land offense was quiet the rest of the way as they fell 4-1.
Note: France has a 0.00 ERA over 5.1 innings this season.
AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (0-3) lost 1-0 (BOX SCORE)
The Hooks got on the board first getting a run on a Sullivan RBI single in the 3rd. McPherson got the start and was pitching well but allowed 3 runs in the 5th before being pulled. He was relieved by David who really struggled allowing 6 runs while retiring just two batters. The offense got one run back in the 6th scoring on an error. The rest of the pen was solid with scoreless outings but the offense struggled as the Hooks fell 10-2.
Howard got the start for Asheville and went 3 innings allowing 2 runs. The offense got on the board in the 3rd inning with Nunez connecting on a 2 run HR. The bullpen was solid with Guedez and Ogando tossing scoreless innings. DeVos went 3 innings in relief allowing 1 run but the offense was quiet the rest of the way as Asheville fell 3-2.
Dylan Howard, RHP: 3.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
Jose Guedez, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
Joan Ogando, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
Nolan DeVos, RHP: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 6 K
A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (1-1) won 6-5 (BOX SCORE)
Pecko made a rehab start for the Woodpeckers and looked good striking out 4 over 2 scoreless innings. The offense got on the board scoring a run in the 4th on an error and getting another run in the 5th on a Monistere RBI single. Carrera relieved Pecko and pitched well tossing 4 no-hit innings with 4 strikeouts. Wilson took the lead scoring 3 runs off Weber but in the bottom of the 7th, Neyens connected on a 2 run double to take the lead. After Wilson tied it again in the 8th, another big time prospect came through with Alvarez connecting on a 2 run double to go up 6-4. Wells allowed a run in the 9th but held on as the Woodpeckers won 6-5.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - MARCH 31: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees reacts after a strike during the sixth inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on March 31, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees’ road to the postseason is clear. They either get a full, healthy, good season from Aaron Judge, in which case they should skate in, or they don’t, in which case things get a lot darker. It isn’t just local radio hosts saying that the Yankees are relying heavily on Judge; in his writeup of the Yankees’ 2026 ZiPS projections, FanGraphs’ Dan Szymborski also claimed, “The offense, of course, starts, ends, and runs through Aaron Judge.” This isn’t to say that the Yankees aren’t a good team as currently constructed—they are—but it is concerning that so much of their hopes are tied to just a single player.
Well, leave it to baseball to make prognosticators look like fools. The Yankees received very little contributions from Judge in the first six games of the season, with the gargantuan slugger only able to muster a .125/.160/.375 slash line across 25 plate appearances. And yet, they ended the first road trip of the year with a 5-1 record. So much for “As Judge goes, so do the Yanks.”
Granted, it’s only six games, so we shouldn’t be drawing any sweeping conclusions from this sample about this team. If Judge’s OPS still begins with a 5 six weeks later from now, the Yankees’ record probably will look a whole lot worse. But the Yankees winning two series despite their captain largely being a non-factor is a good reminder of the quality of this team. Sure, Judge is far and away the best player on this squad. But don’t mistake these Yankees for the prime Mike Trout-era Angels. This is a good team from top to bottom, and they have the tools to withstand cold spells from their franchise player.
First, let’s talk about the offense. Over the first six games of the season, the Yankees collectively hit .227/.287/.359, good for a team wRC+ of 89. That sounds awful, but when you account for the fact that Judge’s 50 wRC+ is dragging that down, it looks somewhat better. Leading the charge were regulars Giancarlo Stanton (266 wRC+), Ben Rice (264 wRC+), and Cody Bellinger (135 wRC+), with Paul Goldschmidt also making the most of his two starts (148 wRC+). Now, none of them are going to maintain that level of production for the whole year, but these are all good hitters, and in the case of Stanton and Rice, both have enough slug in their bat to carry an offense for a series or two at a time.
And the Yankees don’t need to ride on their backs for the entire season. Even outside of Judge, several bats went cold during the Yanks’ first two series. Austin Wells and Jazz Chisholm Jr., two lineup mainstays, both recorded wRC+ marks below 30. It hardly needs saying that this isn’t reflective of their true talent. Chisholm has been an above-average bat for the past four seasons, and he has enough pop to go berserk in any given series. Wells has yet to live up to the offensive potential that evaluators saw in him as a prospect, but he still owns a career wRC+ of 99, far from a black hole. If these two can provide something closer to their career norms going forward, which isn’t an unreasonable thing to bank on, the Yankees’ lineup will be plenty deep even when Judge is slumping.
If you still have reservations about this offense, then may I offer my second point: The Yankees don’t need to score five runs every game, because the pitching is more than capable of holding up its end of the bargain. Andrés already provided an excellent summary of the Bombers’ superlative pitching in his reaction to the first road trip of the year, but the numbers are so gaudy they bear repeating: the starting corps owned a 0.53 ERA, 0.68 WHIP, and 35 punchouts in 33.2 innings. The bullpen was quietly elite too, with the exception of one bad inning from Paul Blackburn in the Yanks’ only road trip loss: a 1.83 ERA and 2.07 FIP over 19.2 innings. Yes, they’re pitching out of their minds at the moment, but it’s not like this is a ragtag group that’s randomly overperforming. FanGraphs’ Depth Charts projections had the Yankees’ starters at 10th-best in MLB, and ranked the bullpen even higher at No. 7. This is a strong collection of arms that’s having a fantastic start to the year, and the returns of Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, and Clarke Schmidt should offset any regression coming for the current staff.
So, the conclusion is clear: the 2026 Yankees are far from being a one-man show. Aaron Judge remains the centerpiece of the squad, but that’s more a testament to his otherworldly talent rather than an indictment of his teammates. Yes, I’d like to see Judge post a third consecutive 10 WAR, 200 wRC+ season and have a postseason for the ages. But even if Judge doesn’t quite live up to those standards, his surrounding cast is well-equipped to pick up the slack. Judge doesn’t need to carry this team. It can stand on its own.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 29: A picture of JBL headphones used by Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks while working out before the game against the Atlanta Hawks at Fiserv Forum on October 29, 2023 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Following news that the NBA has opened a probe into the Bucks’ and Giannis’ contradicting claims on his health status, ESPN’s Shams Charania yesterday revealed more details about the ongoing dispute, reporting the following:
“The Bucks have told NBA investigators that Giannis Antetokounmpo declined the opportunity to play 3-on-3 scrimmages as part of return protocol from a mid-March knee injury, per ESPN sources. Antetokounmpo told the league he is healthy enough to resume action.”
Subsequently, an NBA spokesperson released the statement below via Charania, giving more details into the situation:
“The NBA’s Player Participation Policy investigation into the Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo is ongoing and certain facts remain in dispute. The investigation has found that the Bucks scheduled Giannis to work out last week in three-on-three scrimmages as part of his return-to-play process, but he declined to participate. There is a disagreement as to whether the team requested that Giannis participate in a group workout earlier this week, and the league is continuing to monitor the situation.”
So, it does seem like the Bucks are being truthful (at least in some part) about their assertion that Antetokounmpo is not yet ready to return; he was asked to participate in three-on-three scrimmages and declined, which is notable. If he is to return in one of these games, I think it’s entirely fair for the Bucks to want him to check every box before he does. Now, might they have further motivations for their assertion that he is not ready to play? I am sure they do, but those motivations are very reasonable.
I also want to note that there would be a heap of players (and notably, stars) across the NBA being held out by their teams for not-wholly-truthful reasons, but that it feels like the Bucks are being investigated because Giannis has brought this to the attention of the NBA and, in my opinion, made it a way bigger deal than it is. I totally understand GA is a competitor who wants to play whenever healthy—and that’s a key part of what’s made him the player he’s become—but for him not to see where the Bucks are coming from is frustrating, to say the least.
Does this new information change how you see the situation? Let us know in the comments.
RALEIGH, N.C. — The Islanders have four days now to figure this thing out, four days they must take advantage of before getting back into action Thursday at home against the Maple Leafs.
The extended break is something of a makeup after a schedule that has been condensed all year, and will allow other teams to make up games in hand. That means by Thursday, there is a very good chance the Islanders — currently third in the Metro despite their 4-3 loss to Carolina on Saturday night — will be out of a playoff spot.
After losing four straight games, a season high, and looking completely overwhelmed by the Hurricanes on Saturday, the break is at least coming at a decent time.
The Hurricanes’ Sebastian Aho (20) scores against the Islanders on April 4, 2026. NHLI via Getty Images
A mental reset certainly seems to be something this team needs right now. So does some practice time.
“We have some time off, the holiday. See family, spend some time,” Scott Mayfield said. “We’ll think about this one on the way home, wash it. It’s all about the next game. We gotta start getting some points to stay in our position.
“I don’t know what the other scores are but you can’t drop games like this. We haven’t done four in a row I think all season. It’s not a good week to do that but you can’t change that now.”
Matthew Schaefer’s late assist on Anders Lee’s goal gave him the record for most points ever by an 18-year-old defenseman, passing Phil Housley’s 57.
Roy’s move to insert Max Shabanov into the lineup for just his third game since the Olympic break paid off when Shabanov scored for the first time since Dec. 27.
Isaiah George also drew in for the Islanders, with Adam Boqvist and Kyle MacLean coming out as healthy scratches.
Perhaps the only good news for the Islanders on Saturday came on the out-of-town scoreboard. The Red Wings, Senators and Blue Jackets all lost, though the Capitals did climb into the outer fringe of the playoff race with a win and the Penguins now seem out of reach after their victory over Florida.
The bad news is that the Islanders still do not control their own destiny, leading Detroit, Columbus, Ottawa and Philadelphia all by a point with one extra game played.
ORLANDO, FL - MARCH 3: Julian Reese #15 of the Washington Wizards and Angel Reese pose for a photo after the game against the Orlando Magic on March 3, 2026 at Kia Center in Orlando, Florida. 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 Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Time keeps on ticking, ticking, into the future. The Brooklyn Nets are speeding towards the end of the season and the start of their real season. With that in mind, they opened the month of April with a 34-point loss to the Atlanta Hawks.
The opponent tonight is focusing on the Draft as well. The Washington Wizards are winding their season down and were in Florida to face the Miami Heat yesterday. As expected, the Wizards lost.
At the moment, the Wizards hold the top lottery odds, a half-game ahead of the Nets and Pacers who are tied for second. Brooklyn has a growing if not yet comfortable lead over fourth place Utah. The Jazz are 2.5 games back of the Nets with five to go. Should teams tie, the lottery odds would be divided equally between or among the bottom teams.
Where to follow the game
YES Network on TV. Gotham Sports on streaming. WFAN on radio.
Injuries
The following are out:
Michael Porter Jr
Egor Demin
Ziaire Williams
Day’ron Sharpe
Danny Wolf
Nic Claxton
Noah Clowney is questionable and Terance Mann is probable. Malachi Smith will be celebrating his new, two year (non-guaranteed) deal and the three two-ways will be available from here on out, with the Long Island Nets season over.
The following are out:
Trae Young
Anthony Davis
Cam Whitmore
Tristan Vukcevic
Alex Sarr
D’Angelo Russell
Kyshawn George
This is night two of a back-to-back for the Capital city crew so don’t be surprised if we see some more additions prior to gametime.
The game
Brooklyn won the first and third meetings while the Wizards took the second.
The Hall of Fame class of 2026, and Washington Mystics legend Elena Delle Donne is one of this year’s inductees! Salute to her.
This one has a lot of stakes attached to it. These teams are at the top of the Tankathon standings and a win for the Wizards would tie the season series and tie their records at 18-60.
Even in a lost season, young players have plenty to play for. They’re playing for their current jobs, next destinations, and professional pride. There’s always something to play for when you’re trying to prove yourself, and every game is an opportunity to get better. For the Wizards, Jamir Watkins might be someone they think about keeping on the team next season. From Harrison Hamm at Bullets Forever:
Like most rookies, he has areas where his feel will improve and he can match his boundless athleticism with technique. He has an inclination toward gambling. Sometimes, he relies a little too much on his own athleticism — letting guys drive, then trusting himself to make an unlikely recovery. His off-ball recognition will get better with experience.
I’m most intrigued by his rim protection upside. As good as he is at blowing plays up and forcing turnovers, he can get better at understanding when guys like to get their shots off, and how he can generate a quality contest.
Gotta keep making the most of your time.
Speaking of making the most of your time, Malachi Smith shined in his 17 minutes. The rookie guard scored 15 points off the bench and has likely earned himself a bigger role over the next few games. He’s got a new contract and some much needed security going forward. When you push yourself and work hard, good things happen.
This one could get a bit sloppy. Both of these teams are in the bottom third of the league in turnover rate and with the Wizards on night two of a back-to-back and playing a day game, they won’t be at full strength. It won’t be a pretty watch so hopefully these teams exceed everyone’s minimal expectations.
Player to watch: Julian Reese
Like we mentioned earlier, the end of the season can be an opportunity for a young player to find themselves. Similar to his sister Angel, Julian Reese has been a rebounding machine since joining the Wizards. He’s impressed teammates and given the fans something fun to watch as we wind down the season. Reese’s friendships with members of the team go back some years and there’s a belief in him and what he can do.
“We already kind of click well — I think it’s just the single fact, no one else on this team kind of knew Ju’s strengths like I did because I’ve seen it before,” Bub Carrington said. “He’s been showing that he’s a league big. He’s proof that it don’t matter how long you played in college. If you’re good at basketball, you prove it every night.”
Whoever controls the boards will likely win this one. Both of these teams are bottom of the league in rebounds so whoever completes possessions will be in position to walk away with the win. With the Nets frontcourt as decimated as it is, it’s going to take a team effort on the boards to compete.
We had a great day Saturday with our MLB player props, as we climbed a strikeout ladder with Jesus Luzardo for a hefty profit.
The Easter Sunday slate brings even more opportunities, and we turn back to Yordan Alvarez after he also came through for us yesterday.
Here are my favorite MLB picks for Sunday, April 5.
Best MLB player props today
Player
Pick
Odds
Yordan Alvarez
Over 0.5 RBI
+125
Kyle Schwarber
Over 0.5 RBI
-120
Cody Bellinger
Over 0.5 runs
-105
Yordan Alvarez Over 0.5 RBI
Yes, it’s a repeat from yesterday. Except it’s at even better odds, and I’m not turning that down.
Not against a pitcher in Jacob Lopez, who ranked in the Bottom 5th percentile last season in chase rate, whiff rate, strikeout rate, and walk rate. In his first start this season, he walked five batters in four innings, which set up Atlanta’s hitters with run-scoring opportunities.
He’s now facing a Houston Astros team that has already drawn 50 walks this season. Alvarez drew four of them himself yesterday — and still managed to drive in a run in his only registered at-bat.
Alvarez is fourth in the bigs with a .462 ISO in the early season. Split against LHP, that number jumps to .571 in 18 plate appearances.
Plus-odds for an RBI from the guy sitting second in wRC+ and leading the league with a .604 xwOBA is a gift, and one I’ll happily accept.
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Space City Home Network, NBCS-California
Kyle Schwarber Over 0.5 RBI
In just 20 plate appearances vs. RHP this season, Kyle Schwarber’s already crushed three bombs, driven in five runs, and drawn five walks.
He’s expected to have a strong day — so much so that three H/R/R carries -145 juice. That’s why I love getting his RBI prop at -120, especially in the thin air at Coors Field.
Against RHP so far this season, Schwarber is rocking a whopping .714 ISOand a 288 wRC+. His counterpart on Sunday, Tomoyuki Sugano, often pitches to contact and allowed 1.93 HR/9 last season.
While he looked decent in his opening start, he couldn’t get through five innings and still coughed up a dinger. He also posted an ERA that was half of his xERA and xFIP metrics.
This matchup sets up very well for Schwarber to drive in a run for the fifth straight game.
Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBCS-Philadelphia, Rockies.TV
Cody Bellinger Over 0.5 runs
Cody Bellinger has crossed the plate in six of his eight games this season, in large part because he’s drawing walks at a rate of over 17% and posting a .361 xwOBA. Getting on base in front of Ben Rice and Giancarlo Stanton just raises the odds of coming around the bases.
The New York Yankees are facing RHP Chris Paddack, who primarily throws only a fastball and changeup to LHB. He got rocked in his first start this season, allowing eight earned and two HR in just 4 IP.
That won’t get the job done against the likes of Rice, whose ISO of .476 vs. RHP this season sits fifth in the majors. He and Stanton both rank in the Top 15 this season in wRC+ vs. RHP as well.
If Bellinger gets on base, one of them will bring him home—if he doesn’t go deep himself.
Time: 1:35 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Marlins. TV, YES
Jason Ence's 2026 Transparency Record
Prop picks: 3-3, -0.27 units
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.
The Tony Vitello era is off to an inauspicious start as the San Francisco Giants are 3-6 with a National League-worst -22 run differential.
Logan Webb takes the bump on Sunday, however, and the ace hopes to turn the tide against the New York Mets.
See why I’m backing the home team with my Mets vs. Giants predictions and MLB picks for the series finale on Sunday, April 5.
Who will win Mets vs Giants today: Giants (-113)
Logan Webb is a beast at Oracle Park, sporting a career 2.92 ERA and 2.71 FIP across a massive sample size of 552 ⅓ IP.
The New York Mets have the better lineup, but the gap closes with Juan Soto likely out of the lineup after receiving an MRI on Saturday.
It’s been a slow start offensively for the San Francisco Giants, but things will pick up sooner or later, as 1–7 in the lineup is certainly league-caliber.
Kodai Senga has never figured out his walk problem (11.1% career walk rate) and is a beatable opponent.
COVERS INTEL:Senga’s issues have been exacerbated on the road, where he has a career 1.33 WHIP and 4.17 FIP. His K-BB% drops down to 11.6%.
Mets vs Giants Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (-117)
Webb’s strong performance at home, combined with a likely Soto-less Mets lineup, means New York likely won’t have another offensive outburst after plating 19 runs in the last two games.
San Francisco has been the worst team in the league against RHP (44 wRC+) and has scored three or fewer runs in seven of their nine contests this season.
Each of the first three games of this series cashed the Over 7.5, but here’s betting on an Under in the finale. The Mets have hit the Under in 28 of their last 45 away games, and Oracle’s Park is a pitcher’s best friend.
JD Yonke's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 2-0, +2.0 units
Over/Under bets: 1-2, -1.09 units
Mets vs Giants odds
Moneyline: New York +113 | San Francisco -124
Run line: New York +1.5 (-215) | San Francisco -1.5 (+183)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-105) | Under 7.5 (-115)
Mets vs Giants trend
Logan Webb has had a winning record at home in each of the last five seasons. Find more MLB betting trends for Mets vs. Giants.
How to watch Mets vs Giants and game info
Location
Oracle Park, San Francisco, CA
Date
Sunday, April 5, 2026
First pitch
4:05 p.m. ET
TV
SNY, NBC Sports Bay Area
Mets starting pitcher
Kodai Senga (0-1, 3.00 ERA)
Giants starting pitcher
Logan Webb (1-1, 7.36 ERA)
Mets vs Giants latest injuries
Mets vs Giants weather
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.
Happy Easter! Happy Spring! Corona Easter Eggs Bunnies Kjc | Kelly-Jane Cotter, Asbury Park Press via Imagn Content Services, LLC
Team News
Michael Soroka gives Diamondbacks another strong impression in win over Braves
“I think we fell behind a little more than we would have liked, but (catcher Gabriel Moreno) and I made some good decisions with some pitches late in counts, good pitches with guys in scoring position, let the defense work and got the win,” Soroka said. “I’ve competed as well as I could have hoped. I think that’s the big thing. You’re not going to have everything working on every day, and obviously the finish on pitches was a little bit better last time out.”
Sewald flushes loss with dinner and a movie, then earns clutch save for Soroka
“I went in the training room and did the exact same stuff,” Sewald said. “If I had struck out the side, I would have done the same thing. And so, you just go home and I had dinner and watched a movie, and then we came back today, and, like I said, the easiest way to flush it is just to pitch right away.” https://www.mlb.com/dbacks/news/michael-soroka-throwing-error-help-d-backs-beat-braves
Torey Lovullo says Diamondbacks need to stop chasing pitches out of strike zone
“Our chase rate is extremely high right now,” Lovullo said. “If we zone in, try not to do too much, wait for our pitch, it‘s the art of hitting and the beauty of baseball. When you do it, it’s sweet music. When you chase, you get yourself into bad counts. Pitchers have nasty stuff. You’ve got to slow the game down, swing at strikes, see the baseball, understand what the at-bat is asking for. That’s the simplicity of hitting for me. We’re a little bit anxious trying to do too much, in my opinion.”
D-backs’ Lawlar expected to miss 6-8 weeks with fractured wrist “It’s frustrating,” Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen said. “I’m sure he’s frustrated more than we are. He looked great. He was doing a really good job in the outfield, and he was having great at-bats. We’re going to miss him, but we’ll keep the train going until he comes back.”
The 22 stars represent the twenty-two actors and actresses that were originally contracted to work for the studio in the year 1916. However, 24 actors were contracted, but only 22 were honored.
Only 2 animals enjoy spicy food.
Humans and tree shrews are the only known species to seek out spice. Next time you chicken out of those extra hot wings, you can be assured there’s nothing wrong with you.
Originally, tennis was played with bare hands.
During the 12th century, Tennis was first played in France. The game was played by using your palm to hit the ball back to your opponent.
COVERS INTEL: Davis Martin was hit hard in his first outing of the season, giving up a homer and two doubles, while ranking in the third percentile in average-exit velocity to go along with a .530 xSLG rate. 
Yordan Alvarez
Kyle Schwarber
Cody Bellinger
