CLEVELAND — Gabriel Arias was placed on the 10-day injured list by the Cleveland Guardians due to a strained left hamstring.
Juan Brito was called up from Triple-A Columbus and will make his big league debut during Tuesday afternoon’s game against Kansas City. Brito is batting sixth and playing second base.
“We’ve been excited about Juan for a really long time. And I feel like last year with his injuries, we would have seen him last year at some point, but we just couldn’t be more excited,” manager Stephen Vogt said. “Juan has historically been a good decision maker at the plate. He’s got the ability to make contact and he’s got the power to drive the ball out of the yard. So he’s a complete hitter from both sides.”
Brito — who played in only 31 games last season due to thumb and hamstring injuries — is in his seventh professional season and fourth in Cleveland’s organization. He was 11 for 35 with five doubles and four RBIs in nine games this season for Columbus.
Brito played mostly at third base for the Clippers, but Vogt said he would primarily be at second base while Arias is sidelined.
Arias suffered the injury during the fifth inning of Monday night’s game. The shortstop appeared to get hurt while running to second base on his double to right field.
The injury comes at an inopportune time for Arias, who was 5 for 14 with two home runs and four RBIs in his last five games.
Arias is expected to miss at least a month due to the injury, which has been classified as a moderate hamstring strain.
Brayan Rocchio and Daniel Schneemann will be the primary shortstops. Rocchio had been playing second base during the first two weeks of the season.
Despite the frigid temps, we've polled our baseball experts for their favorite MLB picks today — and thanks to prediction markets like Polymarket, bettors all over the country can join us on the action as well!
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Josh Inglis' expert pick: Dodgers/Blue Jays Under 7.5
Price: 47¢ (+113) at Polymarket
The Toronto Blue Jays' offense is in a tough stretch, scoring just 10 runs during their current five-game losing streak, and now they draw a difficult matchup against Yoshinobu Yamamoto. On the other side, Kevin Gausman, who has cashed the Under in both of his starts so far, should be given a long leash, with Toronto leaning on its A-bullpen behind him after burning the B arms yesterday. Yes, the Los Angeles Dodgers have a potent lineup, but Toronto’s high-leverage arms should be able to limit scoring late — and with the Dodgers also resting their top bullpen options last night, run production in the final innings should be limited.
Neil Parker's expert pick: Nationals moneyline
Price: 51¢ (-104) at Polymarket
There’s a screaming statistical correction coming for Cardinals lefty Matthew Liberatore, and the Nationals lineup is set to serve it. Liberatore’s 1.64 ERA through two starts is saddled with a 5.28 xFIP, and both his .216 BABIP and 100.0% strand rate are going to take hits tonight against a Washington lineup that paces the majors in on-base percentage and ranks third in wOBA against southpaws.
Joe Osborne's expert pick: Yankees -1.5
Price: 51¢ (-104) at Polymarket
Cam Schlittler couldn’t have asked for a better start to the season, allowing zero earned runs with just three total baserunners and 15 strikeouts across two road outings. He’s supported by a rested bullpen that ranks first in FIP, while the offense is rolling with 5+ runs scored in five straight games. They’ve also dominated A’s starter Aaron Civale, posting a 1.095 OPS in 59 combined at-bats — plus, all seven of the Yankees' wins have come by at least two runs.
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.
Man, if the Dodgers offense had been this hot the last time they were in Toronto, the series would not have gone seven games. But then I suppose we would’ve been robbed of all that amazing drama.
Coming into the middle game of the Blue Jays series, the Dodgers have scored eight or more runs in every game of this first road trip of the season.
On Tuesday, Yoshinobu Yamamoto returns to the mound where he last stood as a World Series champion. Dodger fans remember his heroics, going six innings in Game 6 and then pitching the Dodgers to the championship by handling extra innings duties just a day later. Overall, Yamamoto had an incredible 1.02 ERA against the Toronto Blue Jays in the World Series. The team is looking for both Yamamoto and the offense to continue their dominance.
Will Smith returns to the lineup after having two days in a row off to rest his legs. Dalton Rushing has filled in splendidly, going 5-for-7 with including three home runs.
That hot offense will face Kevin Gausman, who so far this season has a miniscule 0.75 ERA with 21 strikeouts over just 12 innings. Starter Max Scherzer lasted just two innings in Monday’s game, so the Blue Jays will be hoping for a lot of length out of Gausman. It will be interesting to see which one of these factions wins out. Yamamoto famously doesn’t get a lot of run support.
Yamamoto vs Gausman is a replay of Games 2 and 6 of the 2025 World Series.
In fairness to the Blue Jays, half of the team has been sidelined by the flu, and quite a few more are injured, so they are definitely not playing with a full tank of gas. Still, it is fun to watch this high powered and highly paid offense do what it is supposed to do.
So, apply all of the normal thoughts to this game – Dodgers have scored so many for the last four games they are due for no offense, especially since Yamamoto is pitching. Regardless hopefully it will be an impressive outing by both pitchers, as the last four Dodger games have been blowouts.
Now that the confetti has been swept up and the nets have been cut down, there is one final piece of business to close the book on the men’s college basketball season.
Michigan takes its rightful place as No. 1 in the season-ending USA TODAY Sports coaches poll after claiming the program's second title with a defeat of Connecticut. The Wolverines, who held the top spot for a stretch during the regular season, finishes atop the rankings for the first time since USA TODAY began administration of the coaches poll. Their previous title in 1989. The runner-up Huskies finish at No. 2 overall, though the Huskies did not receive every second-place vote among the 31 panelists.
Arizona lands at No. 3 overall. Duke, which entered the tournament at No. 1 , finishes ahead of semifinalist Illinois for the No. 4 spot despite falling short of the Final Four thanks to UConn’s buzzer-beater.
Houston lands at No. 6 in the final rankings, followed by Purdue and Iowa State. Florida, the first top regional seed eliminated, topples to No. 9. St. John’s rounds out the top 10.
It’s an impressive final poll for the Big Ten. In addition to ending its championship drought while sending two representatives to the Final Four, the league ends up with seven ranked teams in all as Wisconsin narrowly edges Utah State for the No. 25 spot.
The SEC lands six thanks to No. 24 Texas’s surprising run from First Four to Sweet 16. The Big 12 is next with five teams in the top 25, and the ACC lands four.
Apr 6, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Kansas City Royals catcher Carter Jensen (22) runs the bases after hitting a solo home run off Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Peyton Pallette (41) during the sixth inning at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn Images | David Dermer-Imagn Images
It’s my first regular season gamethread of the year. We’ve made it! Last week’s Tuesday was an off day, so it’s the first Tuesday game of the year. Honored to be back.
Now, we will all be watching this one from the comfort of our homes and, let’s be honest, offices. But if you made the poor decision to go to Progressive Field in downtown Cleveland, you’re going to get temps in the 30s in what will be a very uncomfortable baseball game. I don’t know why you’d buy a ticket to see any Great Lakes sports team in early April, because whether it’s Detroit or Chicago or Cleveland this is what you might get.
Noah Cameron will take the mound for Kansas City, with Jensen getting catching duties. Gavin Williams will be taking the mound for Cleveland.
Also, side note—do you think the Guardians reached out to Marvel to see if they could snag the @Guardians username for the Guardians of the Galaxy Twitter account? They barely post. Kind of lame the Guardians had to grab the @CleGuardians username, but “kind of lame” is an apt description for the club, so. Maybe it matches up.
One of the most chaotic seasons in past memory is nearing a grand finale.
The Nashville Predators were the worst team in the NHL for the first two months of the season. Now, they are in a razor-thin race for the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.
Following Monday's shootout loss to the Los Angeles Kings, 3-2, the Predators are a point outside of the final Wild Card spot with 82 points and five games left. San Jose is a point back and Winnipeg is two points back.
In a race that has been heavily scrutinized for the quality of teams, the winner will more than likely face the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
It's truly make or break for the Predators in these final two weeks of play. Here are a few reasons for and against the Predators' post-season berth.
Should: Keep The Story Going
Apr 2, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Nashville Predators right wing Luke Evangelista (77) celebrates with Nashville Predators left wing Filip Forsberg (9) after winning the penalty shootout against the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Griffin Hooper-Imagn Images
This could end up being one of the most amazing stories in NHL history.
A team that was dead in the water in October and November, a superstar that looked like he was nearing retirement and a general manager heading out the door, a hard rebuild looked inevitable for Nashville.
However, a 10-4-0 record in December gave this team new life, propelled by Steven Stamkos getting his mojo back. The future Hall of Famer had four points through the first month of the season, with trade rumors beginning to swirl.
Now, he is pushing 40 goals and chasing down the Predators franchise record in power-play goals.
This Disney movie needs a happy ending, as the Predators look to be the second team to complete the "worst to first" storyline, alongside the 2019 St. Louis Blues, who won the Stanley Cup after being ranked the worst team in the NHL that season.
Shouldn't: Avoiding Sweep
Dec 14, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Ross Colton (20) celebrates his goal with right wing Valeri Nichushkin (13) as Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros (74) looks on in the second period at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
While playoff experience is great, how much are the Nashville Predators going to gain by getting swept by the Avalanche?
While the Predators have played the Avalanche well this season, holding a 2-2-0 record against the best team in the league, Colorado is going to be shifting into a completely different gear.
The Avalanche has a complete squad. Nathan Mackinnon and Martin Necas are charging the offense, Cale Makar on the backend, and Scott Wedgewood standing tall in the net. This is going to be a hard team to break.
The odds are also against the Predators, as the (likely) Presidents' Trophy winner has lost in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs just six times in the last 20 years.
The last time to pull off that upset was the 2023 Florida Panthers, who took out the top-seeded Boston Bruins in seven games in their run to the Stanley Cup Final.
It's a tall task and with how inconsistent the Predators have been, especially in this final stretch of the season, if they do get it, it'll be a short postseason stint.
Should: The Future Is Now
Mar 17, 2026; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; Nashville Predators right wing Matthew Wood (71) celebrates a goal on Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) in the third period at Canada Life Centre. Mandatory Credit: James Carey Lauder-Imagn Images
The Predators' youth has been critical in keeping this team afloat, and there is no better test for them than facing the league's best team in the postseason.
Late in the season, Matthew Wood and Zach L'Heureux have proven just how valuable they are, centering top lines and finding ways to convert on the scoreboard. Fedor Svechkov has also had a nice return since the Olympic break.
Luke Evangelista has earned the name "The Dishin' Magician" this season, culminating in 41 assists and leading the team for the majority of the year.
On the backend, Ryan Ufko has filled a void left by Nick Blankenburg, and Adam Wilsby has given Nashville some solid minutes this season.
This is a great opportunity for the Predators' future to showcase what's ahead and work with veteran players to give this team a chance to make some noise.
In addition, have the team in a good place next season with a youthful group that has success in the postseason.
Shouldn't: The Future Is Later
Jun 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; A general view inside the venue prior to the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft at Peacock Theater. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
They narrowly missed the playoffs. There's no loss in that at all. It gives the Predators more material to build for tomorrow.
Similar to the Detroit Red Wings, the Predators miss out today, but could win the Division tomorrow. Rebuilds take time, and the playoffs aren't what this group needs right now.
Have the new general manager come in, make some picks and moves, and gear up this team to be not just a playoff contender next season, but a Stanley Cup contender.
An early start to the postseason allows the Predators to focus on bringing in new front office leadership sooner, discussing contracts and figuring out who to pick in the draft. By the time October comes around, this team will be flowing and ready to go.
It'll also give Nashville time to figure out whether Andrew Brunette is still the guy to lead this team. With options like Bruce Cassidy and Patrick Roy now on the market, the Predators could swap out for a more experienced head coach.
Missing out on the postseason will allow the Predators to focus more on the rebuild, or rather, a retooling after making a run at the Wild Card.
A reward today is great, but it could be so much better tomorrow.
Should: Aged In Adversity
Jun 12, 2019; Boston, MA, USA; St. Louis Blues center Ryan O'Reilly (90) kisses the Stanley Cup after defeating the Boston Bruins in game seven of the 2019 Stanley Cup Final at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images
The Nashville team has had its back against the wall all season.
Trade rumors have swirled about every star player on the team. Four depth players were traded off at the deadline for little to nothing. Brunette's stint as head coach has come under fire multiple times. The Predators struggle to start games or can't hold a lead.
And yet, this team is still in the running for the playoffs.
Nashville may be the most battle-tested team in the NHL and has found ways to stay afloat through it all. Even if the Predators don't make the playoffs, there's something to be said about a team that was able to climb out of the basement of the league like Nashville has.
In addition, many Predators players have been in the playoffs as underdogs before.
Ryan O'Reilly was on that Blues team that went from "worst to first."
Jonathan Marchessault played on a Vegas Golden Knights team that went all the way to the 2018 Stanley Cup Final in its first year of existence.
Even Brunette capped off one of the biggest upsets in NHL history as a player. He scored a Game 7 series-winning overtime goal in the 2003 Western Conference Quarterfinals, as the No. 6-seeded Minnesota Wild eliminated the No. 3 Colorado Avalanche.
The Wild went down 3-1 to a team that featured Patrick Roy, Rob Blake, Peter Forsberg and Joe Sakic. Minnesota made a run to the Western Conference Final that season, which remains its best postseason run in franchise history.
CHICAGO — The Chicago White Sox placed outfielder Austin Hays on the 10-day injured list with a right hamstring strain.
Hays got hurt during a 2-1 loss to Baltimore. He pulled up while pursuing Tyler O’Neill’s two-out flyball to left in the fourth inning. The ball landed near the line, and O’Neill was credited with an RBI single when Adley Rutschman scored from first on the play.
The 30-year-old Hays signed a one-year, $6 million contract with the White Sox in free agency. He is batting .219 with a homer and six RBIs in nine games this season.
The White Sox also brought up outfielder Dustin Harris from Triple-A Charlotte. Right-hander Mike Vasil, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery, was transferred to the 60-day injured list.
The 26-year-old Harris signed a minor league deal with the team in December. He is batting .217 (10 for 46) with two homers and five RBIs in 21 career major league games — all with Texas.
ARLINGTON, Texas — Two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom said he felt something in his right knee before Monday night’s start, which limited him to five innings and 78 pitches in the Texas Rangers’ 2-1 win over the Seattle Mariners.
The Rangers said deGrom had mild right knee discomfort, and manager Skip Schumaker said the staff didn’t want to push the 37-year-old too hard. DeGrom allowed only one hit — a first-inning home run to 2025 homer champ Cal Raleigh on a 12-pitch at-bat — walked one and struck out six.
“I feel OK,” deGrom said, “It’s a little tender, but I think we’ll be OK.
“I gave up the homer to Cal, and I was like: ‘I’d better lock this in. This might be a pretty close game.’”
DeGrom went 4 2/3 innings while throwing 78 pitches last Tuesday at Baltimore in an 8-5 Rangers win in his only previous outing this season. He was scheduled to make his first start March 28 at Philadelphia but was scratched with neck stiffness.
DeGrom made his 250th career start, ranking 18th among active pitchers. He was voted the AL Comeback Player of the Year last season, going 12-8 with a 2.97 ERA, after returning late in the 2024 season from a second major reconstruction surgery on his pitching elbow.
“Obviously any day you’re able to put this uniform on you’ve got to be thankful for that,” he said.
The Tony Vitello era careened off the tracks before it ever truly got started, leaving the San Francisco Giants with a 3-8 record and in desperate need of a win as they host the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday.
Christopher Sanchez takes the mound for the visitors, while Robbie Ray gets the nod for the home team.
My Phillies vs. Giants predictions and MLB picks for Tuesday, April 7 are targeting San Francisco to get back on track at a good price in a low-scoring contest.
Who will win Phillies vs Giants today: Giants (+132)
The Philadelphia Phillies have been anemic against left-handed pitching, posting a measly 59 wRC+ and .165 AVG in 112 at-bats.
Robbie Ray performed admirably at Oracle Park last year (3.50 FIP) and has had plenty of juice in his first two starts (108 Stuff+), so he forecasts for a strong outing.
Facing Cristopher Sanchez is never fun, but he’s down one mph on his fastball and has been unusually hittable (10th percentile average exit velocity, 14th percentile hard-hit rate).
For as bad as the San Francisco Giants have been against RHP, the lineup is close to league-average against southpaws.
COVERS INTEL: Ray has found success against Philadelphia’s lineup in the past, holding their projected lineup to 20-for-87 (.230) with 30 strikeouts.
Phillies vs Giants Over/Under pick: Under 7 (-105)
These are two quality starting pitchers, facing two lineups that have had their fair share of troubles — Philadelphia against lefties and San Francisco in general. The Giants have plated four or fewer runs in nine of their 11 games.
Although the surface-level statistics may not show it, these are two quality bullpens. The Phillies have the best SIERA in relief (2.69) but a 4.17 ERA, and the Giants have a quality 3.81 SIERA but a grotesque 4.93 ERA.
Both of those bullpen ERAs are due for positive regression, creating value in the Under in the meantime.
JD Yonke's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 2-2, -0.13 units
Over/Under bets: 2-3, -1.11 units
Phillies vs Giants odds
Moneyline: Philadelphia -156 | San Francisco +132
Run line: Philadelphia -1.5 | San Francisco +1.5
Over/Under: Over 7 | Under 7
Phillies vs Giants trend
Philadelphia has hit the Under in 44 of its last 79 away games. Find more MLB betting trends for Phillies vs. Giants.
How to watch Phillies vs Giants and game info
Location
Oracle Park, San Francisco, CA
Date
Tuesday, April 7, 2026
First pitch
9:45 p.m. ET
TV
NBC Sports Philadelphia+, NBC Sports Bay Area+
Phillies starting pitcher
Cristopher Sanchez (1-0, 0.79 ERA)
Giants starting pitcher
Robbie Ray (1-1, 3.38 ERA)
Phillies vs Giants latest injuries
Phillies 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.
Two teams whose seasons feel like they’ve been in extended garbage time clash on Tuesday, when the Chicago Bulls visit the Washington Wizards.
The Bulls come in riding a seven-game losing streak, while Washington has just a single win in its last 23 games, part of the reason they’re five-point home ‘dogs in the NBA odds.
Even though these are two of the worst scoring defenses in the NBA, my Bulls vs. Wizards predictions and free NBA picks has this coming in Under an exceptionally high total.
Bulls vs Wizards prediction
Bulls vs Wizards best bet: Under 251.5 points (-110)
Except for a one-point loss to Memphis, every other game in the Chicago Bulls’ seven-game slide has been a demolition, losing by double digits in each.
During this skid, they are allowing an NBA-worst 134.7 points per game, with teams shooting 51.4% from the field and 38.9% from 3-point range.
They are also limping into the US Capital, with Josh Giddey, the team’s leading scorer, rebounder and assist man down with a hamstring injury.
Barring an unforeseen four-game win streak (and help), the Washington Wizards will finish the year with the worst record in the NBA, and a legit shot at the top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
They’ve locked that in with a futile 1-22 run, where they’ve allowed a league-worst 129.3 points per game. That includes three games allowing 150+ points, and 10 at 130+.
But a little closer into the numbers, and these teams aren’t locks to combine for 249 points.
The Wiz have hit the Over seven of the last 10, but Overs that cashed at 249+ points (4) came against teams that were in the playoff picture.
The Bulls have actually gone Under the total in three of their last four, and the last 10 head-to-heads between these teams have produced just one Over at this hefty number – and they’ve cashed the Under in each of the last five.
Bulls vs Wizards same-game parlay
Washington has been allowing teams to shoot 37% from three during this skid, and Leonard Miller has had the range of late, hitting at least two triples in three of his last four games.
I’m not sure how a 7-footer has just one game with 5+ rebounds in nine games, but that’s where we are with Tristan Vukcevic. However, he did pull down eight boards against the Bulls in their lone meeting this season.
Bulls vs Wizards SGP
Under 251.5 points
Leonard Miller Over 1.5 3-pointers made
Tristan Vukcevic Over 4.5 rebounds
Our "from downtown" SGP: Silver liners for Wizards
It's been a banner stretch for Washington rookie Will Riley, who's coming off back-to-back 30+ point games, and has actually cracked the 20-point plateau in four of his last six.
He's a far different player than the one that logged just three minutes and recorded one assist in his first game against Chicago on Nov 22.
Bub Carrington has just one game with at least three boards in his last eight, but he’s pulled down at least three rebounds in four of his last five games against the Bulls.
Bulls vs Wizards SGP
Under 251.5 points
Leonard Miller Over 1.5 3-pointers made
Tristan Vukcevic Over 4.5 rebounds
Will Riley Over 19.5 points
Bub Carrington Over 2.5 rebounds
Bulls vs Wizards odds
Spread: Chicago -6 (-110) | Washington +6 (-110)
Moneyline: Chicago -225 | Washington +185
Over/Under: Over 251.5 (-110) | Under 251.5 (-110)
Bulls vs Wizards betting trend to know
Chicago has covered the spread in 10 of their last 13 games following a loss. Find more NBA betting trends for Bulls vs. Wizards.
How to watch Bulls vs Wizards
Location
Capital One Arena, Washington, DC
Date
Tuesday, April 7, 2026
Tip-off
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
CHSN, MNMT
Bulls vs Wizards latest injuries
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Mar 26, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone in the second quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
Isaiah J. Downing/Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
North Carolina is working toward finalizing a deal with NBA championship-winning coach Michael Malone to lead the Tar Heels’ basketball program, according to a report.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the school hasn’t publicly discussed its search. Malone would replace Hubert Davis, who was fired March 24 after five seasons as the successor to retired Hall of Famer Roy Williams.
The 54-year-old Malone spent 12 seasons as a head coach in the NBA, including a 10-year run in Denver. He led the Nuggets to the 2023 championship behind three-time league MVP Nikola Jokic.
The Nuggets fired Malone last spring with less than a week left in that regular season. Almost a year to the day, in another surprise move, Malone is on the verge of taking over a blue-blood program with six national titles, a record 21 appearances in the Final Four and alums including Michael Jordan, James Worthy Vince Carter and Atlantic Coast Conference career scoring leader Tyler Hansbrough.
UNC now has big-name former pro coaches leading its two highest-profile programs. The Tar Heels hired six-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick as their football coach in December 2024. Belichick struggled to a 4-8 record in his debut season.
Davis’ firing opened one of the top jobs in college basketball for only the fourth time since the late Hall of Famer Dean Smith’s retirement after 36 seasons in October 1997.
The job had stayed in the “Carolina Family” ever since. Longtime assistant Bill Guthridge replaced Smith, followed by former UNC player Matt Doherty, former Smith assistant Williams and then Davis, who played under Smith and worked on Williams’ staff.
Names like Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd, Michigan’s Dusty May and Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan — who led Florida to the 2006 and 2007 NCAA titles — had been linked to the job since Davis’ firing. Lloyd announced at the Final Four that he would return to the Wildcats while praising UNC for “the way they’ve handled this.”
Three days later, the search had turned in an unexpected direction with Malone, who never has been a college head coach and has spent most of his career in the NBA. His primary connection to UNC athletics is the presence of daughter Bridget on the Tar Heels’ volleyball team.
During an October appearance on the UNC athletic department’s “Carolina Insider” podcast, Malone recalled hearing his late father, NBA coach Brendan Malone, talk often about Smith and UNC basketball. He also mentioned attending multiple recent practices and Davis asking him to speak to the team at least once.
“I’ve always been a Carolina fan,” Malone said. “And when (Bridget) decided to come here that made it even that much more special, because now I’m ‘Go Heels’ for everything. I root for all the teams, have fallen in love with Chapel Hill.”
Malone’s time in the NBA included a brief stint in Sacramento, where he was fired in December 2014, just 24 games into his second season. He also worked as an assistant with the New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, New Orleans Hornets and Golden State Warriors.
Malone had stints in college as an assistant at Oakland, Providence and Manhattan. He spent only one season in the Atlantic Coast Conference, working as director of men’s basketball administration at Virginia under Pete Gillen in 1998-99.
David Adelman, Malone’s successor in Denver, said he was happy for his friend, adding that Malone would be comfortable with players earning big money through name, image and likeness deals.
“It’s more of a professional environment now, especially at schools like that, where you have to look at it like these guys are under contract now,” Adelman said. “And I think a lot of NBA coaches understand what it means to coach somebody that’s making money.”
After taking the series opener in a hard-fought 8–6 victory on Monday, the Milwaukee Brewers (8–2) look to continue their dominant start to the 2026 season tonight as they take the field at Fenway Park tonight for Game 2 of their three-game series against the struggling Boston Red Sox (2–8).
Tonight looks on paper to be a classic pitchers’ duel with the Brewers sending right-hander Jacob Misiorowski to the mound and the Red Sox summoning their ace, Garrett Crochet.
Last night, Christian Yelich led the Brewers with three hits and Garrett Mitchell drove in a pair as Milwaukee rallied late for their fifth win in their last six games. Willson Contreras picked up three hits for the Sox in the loss. Offense has been the issue to start the 2026 campaign for Boston but with the club scoring 12 runs over the past two games, the hope is the bats are waking up in Beantown.
The Brewers lead the National League’s Central Division by one game over Cincinnati and two over Pittsburgh while Boston sits in the cellar in the American League East already 5.5 games behind the first-place Yankees.
Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and the opener of this three-game series and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game Details and How to Watch: Brewers vs. Red Sox
Date: Tuesday, April 7, 2026
Time: 6:45PM EST
Site: Fenway Park
City: Boston, MA
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, Brewers.TV, NESN
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
The Latest Odds: Brewers vs. Red Sox
The latest odds as of Tuesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Brewers (+129), Red Sox (-149)
Spread: Brewers +1.5 (-171) / Red Sox -1.5 (+141)
Total: 7.0 runs
Probable Starting Pitchers: Brewers vs. Red Sox
Pitching matchup for April 7:
Brewers: Jacob Misiorowski Season Totals: 11.0 IP, 1-0, 2.45 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 18K, 5 BB
Red Sox: Garrett Crochet Season Totals: 11.0 IP, 1-1, 3.27 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 15K, 2 BB
Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Brewers vs. Red Sox
Christian Yelich is hitting .375 for the season
Garrett Mitchell is 9-27 on the season (.333) but has struck out 13 times
Trevor Story is 2-22 (.091) in April
Roman Anthony is 6-18 (.333) in April
Prior to his 3 hits last night, Willson Contreras was 5-31 on the season
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Top Betting Trends & Insights: Brewers vs. Red Sox
The Brewers are an MLB-best 8-2 on the Run Line this season
The Red Sox are 2-8 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 7 times in the Brewers’ 10 games this season (7-3)
The OVER has cashed 6 times in Boston’s first 10 games (6-4)
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions: Brewers vs. Red Sox
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday’s game between the Brewers and the Red Sox:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the Red Sox on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Run Line.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total UNDER 7.0.
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SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 04: Jose Altuve #27 of the Houston Astros hits an rbi single scoring Jeremy Peña #3 against the Athletics in the top of the first inning at Sutter Health Park on April 04, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The latest news on your Houston Astros and from around MLB:
The Astros had a plan for yesterday’s game, a game that would have been started by Hunter Brown had he not been injured. The plan didn’t seem like a good one, and it was executed even worse:
Coors Field is no place to conduct pitching auditions, but Monday felt like that for an Astros staff staggered by injuries and an inability to throw strikes. The team hoped to use two pitchers to cover 27 outs — and how they were deployed told a lot – https://t.co/uGU3ytERvf
The most damning information in this article would be these:
Houston’s coaching staff intended to deploy two pitchers against the Colorado Rockies: Weiss and a 27-year-old right-hander named Cody Bolton. Neither right-hander is stretched out beyond 65 or so pitches, but the team hoped piggybacking them could cover 27 outs and conserve an overworked group of relievers.
Weiss is still learning the nuances of relieving and being ready at any moment of a game. Before this season, he had not made a professional relief appearance since 2023. Weiss sported a 3.16 ERA across 46 starts during the past two KBO seasons.
If Weiss was going to pitch Monday regardless of his role, logic suggested starting him for no other reason than allowing him to maintain his routine. That Espada and pitching coach Josh Miller tabbed Bolton, and not Weiss, to start the game seemed curious. Bolton had never started a major-league game, but had made 35 relief appearances. He finished Houston’s sixth game of the season with three scoreless innings.
With a 3×5 performance, Jose Altuve picked up career hit 2400. (and 2401 and 2402).
Jose Altuve recorded his 2,400th major-league hit with a double in his first at-bat.
Cam Smith’s 462-foot HR was the ninth longest in Astros history. Here are the Top 8:
Cam Smith's 462-foot home run is the longest one hit in MLB this season. It is the ninth-longest home run hit by an Astros player since Statcast began tracking in 2008. Here are the eight longer ones. Jake Marisnick! pic.twitter.com/z6bXY9aKTG
From 2023-25, just three batted balls with at least a 103.5 mph exit velocity, a 27 degree launch angle and at least 413 feet of distance resulted in outs, per Baseball Savant. Yordan Alvarez and Carlos Correa had two such flyouts in a three-batter span in the third inning.
Willson Contreras after tonights game…“They always say, ‘I’m not trying to hit you.’ That gets old. So next time they hit me again, I’m going to take one of them out. That’s a message.”
Brewers’ Christian Yelich essentially called Contreras act tired (start 2:22):
Christian Yelich on emotions running high once again between the Brewers and Willson Contreras: “We’ve seen this skit for the last 10 years. It’s nothing new.” pic.twitter.com/cwNwZJDd6g
Brandon Woodruff shares his in-game perspective of the HBP incident: "He's trying to play a game and he's trying to get his side fired up, which is fine. Once I knew what was going on, I wasn't going to let it affect me on the mound."
This is terrific accidental comedy. The word anos without the tilde above the “n” doesn’t mean years, it means something very, very different. Something dead center of where you sit down. But Happy Birthday!
This Marlins fan celebrated his 100th birthday at the ballpark. 🎉
The Milwaukee Brewers and Boston Red Sox face off in the second game of a three-game set at Fenway Park on Tuesday night.
Milwaukee took the series opener, and my Brewers vs. Red Sox predictions are backing the visitors to win again behind a strong effort from Jacob Misiorowski.
Here are my best free MLB picks for this interleague showdown on April 7.
Who will win Brewers vs Red Sox today: Brewers moneyline (+136)
The 2-8 Boston Red Sox are favored because ace Garrett Crochet is on the mound, but the difference in the starters isn't as big as you might think.
Milwaukee Brewers righty Jacob Misiorowski has allowed three runs on six hits with 18 strikeouts through 11 innings. The analytics indicate those numbers are sustainable with the hard-throwing 24-year-old allowing an xBA of .167.
Milwaukee has a big edge with its lineup ranked third in the majors in OPS (.813) and second in runs per game (6.80).
With the Brewers boasting an 8-2 record, they have value as road dogs.
COVERS INTEL: Misiorowski is in the 94th percentile in strikeout rate (40%) and whiff rate (42.2%). Boston ranks 26th in strikeout rate (27.8%) and dead-last in whiff rate (33.3%).
Brewers vs Red Sox Over/Under pick: Under 7 (-110)
Crochet pitched to a sparkling 2.59 ERA in 32 starts last year. He's coming off an ugly start, but that was against a Houston team that usually crushes lefties.
The 2025 AL Cy Young runner-up should bounce back with a better performance at home.
Misiorowski and a strong Milwaukee bullpen will also shut down a Boston lineup that averages just 3.60 runs per game with an OPS of .682.
Misiorowski struggles with control at times, but the Red Sox are just 26th in walk rate and will chase pitches outside the strike zone.
Rohit's 2026 MLB Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 3-2, +0.3 units
Over/Under bets: 1-0, +1 units
Brewers vs Red Sox odds
Moneyline: Milwaukee +138 | Boston -144
Run line: Milwaukee +1.5 (-163) | Boston -1.5 (+156)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (+133) | Under 7.5 (-138)
Brewers vs Red Sox trend
The Red Sox have gone Under their team total in 48 of their last 78 games at home (+13.55 Units / 15% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Brewers vs. Red Sox.
How to watch Brewers vs Red Sox and game info
Location
Fenway Park, Boston, MA
Date
Tuesday, April 7, 2026
First pitch
6:45 p.m. ET
TV
BREW, NESN
Brewers starting pitcher
Jacob Misiorowski (1-0, 2.45 ERA)
Red Sox starting pitcher
Garrett Crochet (1-1, 3.27 ERA)
Brewers vs Red Sox latest injuries
Brewers vs Red 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.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 6: Willson Contreras #40 of the Boston Red Sox reacts after being hit by a pitch during the third inning of a game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Fenway Park on April 6, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Monday night’s game between the Brewers and Red Sox got chippy out of nowhere.
With two runners on and no outs, Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras stepped to the plate against veteran starter Brandon Woodruff. Woodruff’s first pitch was a high-and-tight sinker just a couple of inches inside. Contreras, known for crowding the strike zone, couldn’t get his hands away in time.
It wasn’t immediately clear whether Contreras was actually hit by the pitch, so Milwaukee elected to challenge the ruling on the field. Replay evidence wasn’t strong enough to overturn the call, so Contreras was awarded first base.
MLB.com reporter Adam McCalvy later asked Brewers catcher William Contreras, Willson’s younger brother, whether or not he thought the pitch actually hit the elder Contreras:
Wm. Contreras:“They said it hit him, so it’s a hit-by-pitch.”
McCalvy:From (your) crouch at home plate, did (you) hear anything?
Wm. Contreras:“No.”
Take a look for yourself:
Willson Contreras didn't like being hit by Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff
Contreras was irate, slowly walking down the first base line while shouting at Woodruff. He didn’t stop upon reaching the bag, with two Red Sox coaches and first base umpire John Tumpane getting in front of Contreras to try and calm him down.
The next batter was cleanup hitter Wilyer Abreu, who hit a grounder to second baseman Brice Turang for a potential double play ball. Turang flipped the ball to shortstop David Hamilton, who was covering second. As Hamilton tried to turn the double play, Contreras came in with his spikes up, ripping up his pant leg and leaving him doubled over in pain.
This was Willson Contreras’ slide into second base on David Hamilton 👀
Contreras explained his reaction in a postgame interview.
“It’s the 24th time (the Brewers) have hit me in my career. It’s the sixth time that (Brandon Woodruff) has hit me, and they always say, ‘I’m not trying to hit you.’ That gets old. So next time they hit me again, I’m going to take one of them out. That’s a message.”
It’s pretty clear what Contreras is getting at. He thinks the Brewers are doing this on purpose. That’s… a pretty serious claim, one that naturally leads to a question:
Contreras has played 1,089 career Major League Baseball games, totaling 4,318 plate appearances. He’s been hit by 131 pitches. In other words, Contreras has been hit by a pitch in about 12% of the games he’s played in.
Since 2018, hit-by-pitch rates have been rising. The average batter now gets plunked 10 times per 1,000 plate appearances, or 1%. Contreras has been plunked 131 times in 4,318 plate appearances, or roughly 3%.
So yes, he gets hit by pitches a lot — three times as much as the average player.
Contreras is also widely considered to be a player who “crowds the plate.” He stands very close to the plate, so pitches that might not hit someone with a more open stance are more likely to hit him.
Does Woodruff hit a lot of batters?
Brandon Woodruff has hit 33 batters over 755 2/3 career innings pitched. Per Baseball Reference, pitchers average about 0.04 hit batters per inning. 33 divided by 755 2/3 works out to 0.044 hit batters per inning, or just slightly more than average.
It’s worth noting that four of the six Woodruff v. Contreras hit-by-pitches have come on sinkers, while the other two have come on fastballs. Both pitches are characterized by arm-side run, which means they break in on right-handed batters. If Woodruff misses with a sinker a couple of inches off the plate, he’s more likely to hit Contreras than he is the average batter. As you can see on the scatter plot of all six hit-by-pitches, only one of them is an egregious miss.
To quote Bob Uecker, these all look like he tried the corner and missed.
Does Contreras get hit by pitches more when facing the Brewers?
Contreras has been hit 24 times in 468 career plate appearances against the Brewers, which works out to 5.1% of the time. So, also yes. Here’s the pitch chart of every Contreras hit-by-pitch against Milwaukee:
The vast majority of these pitches are sinkers or four-seam fastballs, which isn’t a coincidence. The Brewers are a smart organization. The conventional approach against a hitter who crowds the plate is to establish the inner half early by throwing hard pitches that run in on the hands, forcing the hitter to back off the plate while creating weak contact — jam shots, broken bats, etc. When you’re consistently attacking inside with pitches that have arm-side run, misses tend to come further in than intended.
I also want to point out that none of these pitches are at the head (dirty, potentially intentional) or feet (more respectful, but still potentially intentional). All of these pitches — save for that Devin Williams changeup, which just looks like a miss — follow the pattern that you would expect when a pitcher is attacking Contreras. Tried the corner and missed.
So, are these hit-by-pitches intentional, as Contreras implies?
Probably not, no. But I did just say the Brewers are a smart organization, and it would be very smart of the Brewers to disguise their malicious beanings of Contreras to avoid repercussions.
I don’t get paid enough to break down every career Contreras vs. Brewers hit-by-pitch, so let’s look at every Contreras vs. Woodruff hit by pitch:
Contreras v. Woodruff: A Brief Beef History
Twitter has everything, including a video of every time Woodruff has drilled Contreras:
HBP #1: The catcher sets up on the inside corner, Woodruff misses his spot by a few inches, Contreras is in on the plate and gets hit in the elbow. Verdict: Unintentional.
HBP #2: Contreras is off the plate a bit more; it looks like the ball just gets away from Woody. The catcher sets up low and inside, but he misses high and inside. If the Brewers were trying to bean Contreras, they probably would have set up high and inside to provide more plausible deniability. Verdict: Unintentional.
HPB #3: Contreras is in on the plate, the catcher sets up high and inside, Woodruff’s pitch comes in at the height of the catcher’s glove but misses the plate by a couple of inches, Contreras stands there and takes it off the elbow guard. If Contreras had tried to get out of the way at all, it wouldn’t have hit him. That’s not a bad thing; the smart thing to do as a baseball player is to take the free base, but it also provides more evidence that this hit-by-pitch was, in fact, unintentional.
HBP #4: Contreras’ elbow is basically on the plate, and the pitch is close enough that he swings at it. Verdict: Unintentional.
HBP #5: It’s a little hard to tell because of the angle this was filmed at, but it doesn’t appear that Contreras is egregiously close to the plate. However, thanks to Statcast, you can tell that the ball looks to be right off the edge of the batter’s box when it hit him. Verdict: Unintentional.
Conclusion
The Brewers do not have a vendetta against Willson Contreras. They are not trying to intentionally injure the older brother of their All-Star catcher. They are trying to win baseball games.
COVERS INTEL: Ray has found success against Philadelphia’s lineup in the past, holding their projected lineup to 20-for-87 (.230) with 30 strikeouts.
