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Kings Up 4-2 Against Seattle Kraken in Penultimate Showdown

© Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images

Los Angeles, CA - The Los Angeles Kings (47-24-9) face the Seattle Kraken (35-40-6)  in a season series winner-take-all match at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, WA on Tuesday, April 15. 

Both the Kraken and the Kings won two games apiece during the 2024-2025, and notably the last time the LA Kings played the Kraken on home ice, they were shocked with a 2-1 loss on Monday, April 7.  With the Las Vegas Golden Knights clinching the Pacific Division, though the Kings play these games with the intent to maintain their second place standing which affects seeding for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

Notably, many of the Kings' best stars including defenseman Drew Doughty, defenseman Mikey Anderson, center Anze Kopitar, right wing Quinton Byfield, and defenseman Joel Edmundson are out in order to rest them with the playoffs right around the corner. 

FIRST PERIOD

Los Angeles have deployed the B-squad to face the Kraken tonight, with goaltender David Rittich starting for the Kings. The first period begins with the Kings' B squad and the Kraken vying for control of the puck.

x - LA Kings (@LAKings) on Xx - LA Kings (@LAKings) on XGo time in the Emerald City! đŸ™ïž @SimonLawGroup | #GoKingsGo

LA commits the first penalty of the night - defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov with a hooking penalty. Seattle begin the first period with a free power play against the B-squad. The Kraken make no use of the power play, but neither team has much offensive momentum at the moment. 

As the former half of the first period comes around, both teams play relatively clean hockey and Seattle surprisingly has made an impressive amount of shots at the Los Angeles net -- 11 shots compared to the Kings' 3 shots. So far, neither team has broken through, despite some excellent stick play by both teams. 

AS I SPEAK, THE RINK HAS WOKEN UP AS KINGS CENTER SAMUEL HELENIUS, WITH THE ASSIST BY GAVRIKOV TO REDEEM HIMSELF, 1-0

Los Angeles has jolted their offensive momentum during this first period, even with many bench players getting to shine on the hockey rink tonight. Meanwhile, Seattle commits their first penalty --- tripping against LA King left wing Trevor Moore ---, granting the Kings their first power play.

AS I WRITE THAT, ALEX TURCOTTE TIPS IN ANOTHER GOAL FOR THE KINGS, WITH LEFT WING KEVIN FIALA AND RIGHT WING ADRIAN KEMPE SCORING A POWER PLAY GOAL, 2-0 

The Kings' B-squad so far during the first period has kept the same offensive prowess the team is known for, peaking at the right time as the Stanley Cup Playoffs round the corner. 

SECOND PERIOD

The second period starts and so far both teams vie for control of the puck. Kraken defenseman Vince Mann has been penalized orignally for slashing Kuzmenko, but now he has been docked another penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct against the Kings' B-squad players, granting LA a power play.

The Kings get nothing out of their second power play. 

As the period progresses, Seattle has gotten fairly aggressive in their shots. Kraken left wing Tye Kartye scores the first goal for his team with his own unassisted "I'm the man" shot into the LA net to keep the Kraken within one score, 2-1. 

Los Angeles defenseman Kyle Burroughs commits the second penalty -- high sticking ---, granting the Kraken another power play. Ultimately, the Kraken are unable to break through the Kings' defense, which burned time off the clock despite the Kraken's brazen amount of shots to the LA net. 

Now, the Kings are giving away power plays left and right, as center Phillip Danault get penalized for tripping. As a result, Seattle defenseman Brandon Montour scores another goal for the Kraken, tying the game2-2. 

So far in the second period, both goals made by Seattle were capitalized on through power plays and mistakes made by the Kings' B-squad. At the 7:00 minute mark, the Kraken have also outhit the Kings 21-8, despite the Kings not being afraid to put some hits onto the Seattle roster on ice. 

Adrian Kempe has now made history for himself, scoring 400 points throughout his National Hockey League career. 

AND WITH THAT IN MIND, KINGS LEFT WING WARREN FOEGELE SCORES ANOTHER GOAL FOR THE KINGS WITH A BACKHAND SHOT TO PUT THEM AHEAD AGAIN, 3-2

OH MY, NOW THE KINGS HAVE GONE BACK-TO-BACK WITH RIGHT WING ALEX LAFERRIERE HITTING A SNAP SHOT TO EXTEND THE KINGS' LEAD, 4-2

Los Angeles have redeemed themselves this second period with their offensive bounce back, but the penalties they have made which at one point kept the Kraken in the game linger.

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Dylan Strome's hat trick downs Islanders 3-1 to Capitals

NEW YORK (AP) — Dylan Strome scored three times, and the Washington Capitals beat the New York Islanders 3-1 on Tuesday night.

It was Strome's third career hat trick. Charlie Lindgren made 33 saves for Washington, which had dropped two in a row.

Hudson Fasching scored in the third period for New York, and Ilya Sorokin stopped 33 shots.

The Islanders have dropped four of five going into their season finale at Columbus on Thursday night. They will miss the playoffs for the second time in four seasons.

The Capitals are preparing for the playoffs after winning the Metropolitan Division.

Strome completed the hat trick at 18:49 of the third period with an empty-net goal.

Takeaways

Capitals: Martin Fehervary left in the first period after blocking a Bo Horvat wrist shot with the inside of his left foot. He later returned — a positive sign for Washington, which can’t afford to lose another defenseman ahead of the playoffs.

Islanders: Veteran forward Matt Martin was an alternate captain for the first time in his career with New York. It was likely his final home game with the Islanders, after spending 14 of his 16 NHL seasons with the team.

Key moment

Lindgren made two critical stops on Pierre Engvall and Noah Dobson at 14:53 of the first period during an Islanders power play.

Key stat

Washington star Alex Ovechkin recorded his 28th assist this season and No. 726 for his career — part of a milestone season in which he surpassedWayne Gretzky atop the NHL’s career goals list.

Up next

The Capitals close out the regular season on Thursday at Pittsburgh.

The Islanders finish their season against the Blue Jackets.

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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has strong words for Dodgers on importance of Jackie Robinson Day

Former NBA basketball player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar speaks to members of the Los Angeles Dodgers to commemorate Jackie Robinson Day before a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium Tuesday, April 15, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar speaks to members of the Dodgers and Rockies to commemorate Jackie Robinson Day. (Damian Dovarganes / Associated Press)

To Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jackie Robinson’s legacy is as important now as it has ever been.

And on Tuesday, as the guest speaker at the Dodgers’ annual celebration of Jackie Robinson Day, he made the reason he believes so abundantly clear.

“Trump wants to get rid of DEI, and I think it’s just a ruse to discriminate,” Abdul-Jabbar said to a scrum of reporters, while sitting at the base of Robinson’s statue in the center field plaza of Dodger Stadium.

“You have to take that into consideration,” he added, “when we think about what’s going on today.”

Indeed, Tuesday was no typical Jackie Robinson Day — not for the Dodgers, or the rest of the baseball world at large.

Since President Trump returned to office in January, his campaign against diversity, equality and inclusion initiatives has had direct cross-overs with Robinson’s legacy, as well as Major League Baseball’s public communications.

Read more:HernĂĄndez: Dodgers' celebration of Jackie Robinson Day rings hollow in wake of White House visit

This spring, the Department of Defense removed an article from its website detailing Robinson’s history of military service, only to later restore it amid a wave of public criticism. In what appeared to be a capitulation to Trump’s anti-DEI stance, MLB’s league office has also struck all DEI-related references from its website, as The Athletic detailed last month.

The Dodgers’ decision to visit Trump’s White House last week, of course, also continues to be a point of consternation among many in the fan base who would have rather not seen the team celebrate its 2024 World Series title with such a polarizing political figure.

Against that backdrop, Abdul-Jabbar called it “absolutely important” to uphold Robinson’s trailblazing legacy.

That’s why, as part of the Dodgers annual celebration of Robinson breaking baseball’s color barrier on Tuesday, he highlighted Robinson’s historical significance in a speech to members of the Dodgers and Colorado Rockies (all of whom were wearing No. 42 jerseys) before the start of that night’s game.

“I’m glad that we do things like this,” he said, “to let everybody in the country know what’s important.”

Read more:Jackie Robinson's Army story restored to Defense Department site after removal in DEI purge

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts also fielded Robinson-related questions for almost the entirety of his pregame address with reporters, and agreed with Abdul-Jabbar’s comments about the importance of Robinson’s legacy amid the country’s current political climate.

“I'd like to think it's a continued wake-up call for everyone, to take a step back and appreciate what made our country, the people who shaped our country,” Roberts said, before later adding: “This is not a one-day situation. It's Jackie Robinson's day for breaking the color barrier. But this is like an everyday sort of mindset, appreciation.”

Roberts disputed the notion that the Dodgers’ commemoration of Robinson this year felt hypocritical, given their visit to Trump’s White House just the week before.

"I don't personally view it as talking out of both sides of our mouth,” he said. “I understand how people feel that way. But I do think that supporting our country, staying unified, aligned, is what I believe in personally.”

Roberts did, however, express the personal responsibility he feels to ensure Robinson’s legacy endures in his current role as Dodgers manager — and later lamented the fact he is one of only two Black managers currently in the big leagues, along with Ron Washington of the Angels.

"I think he would say we need to do better,” Roberts said, when asked how Robinson might react to the league’s lack of managerial diversity. “It's important to get the best qualified people. 
 But I do think there's a lot of people of color that are qualified to do this job."

Read more:Dodgers celebrated at White House for 2024 World Series title by Trump

Then, like Abdul-Jabbar, Roberts emphasized the need to keep Robinson’s legacy relevant.

“There's more people from different countries than there ever has been in this game, which is great, and there's room for more,” he said. “I hope it's not getting lost on why we're celebrating this day, because somebody's got to break through.”

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Blackhawks End 2024-25 With Overtime Win Over Senators

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The Chicago Blackhawks took on the Ottawa Senators in Canada's capital on Tuesday night. That marks the final game of the 2024-25 season for Chicago. 

Connor Bedard kicked things off with his 22nd goal of the season to make it 1-0 Chicago. With this goal, Bedard matched his total from his Calder Trophy-winning season in 2023-24. 

Joe Veleno then gave the Blackhawks a 2-0 lead at the 6:13 mark of the opening frame. They weren't able to hold that two-goal lead for long, however, as Nick Cousins put Ottawa on the board at 6:56. 

Early in the second frame, Thomas Chabot scored a power play goal to tie the game up at 2. It looked like the Senators may take over from there as they were outshooting the Blackhawks badly, but the Hawks stayed in the game. 

Just over a minute later, Connor Bedard scored his second goal of the game to give Chicago the lead again. Now, Bedard has more goals and points than in his memorable rookie year. Being a teenager with 45 career goals is nothing to look past. 

Later in the middle frame, Drake Batherson tied the game right back up. Once again, it was easy to think the Senators were going to run away with it. After the second period was over, Chicago was being outshot by Ottawa 31-9. 

The third period was much more even as they tied in shots with six. Despite this, no goals were scored in the third. The game required overtime. 

Frank Nazar ended Chicago's season after Connor Bedard set him up for a beautiful shot. Nazar's third goal in as many games gave Chicago their final win of the season.

Nazar had five total points and a shootout winner in that span as well, which ends his season about as strong as he could want. 

With the assist on Nazar's goal, Bedard's three-point night ended his season on a high as well. He finishes with 23 goals and 44 assists for 67 points in 82 games. 

One other player who deserves extra praise in this game is Spencer Knight. He made 34 saves on 37 shots in the overtime win. His GAA for the game was 2.96, and his save percentage was .919. Knight was under duress all night, but he stayed composed. The Blackhawks won because of him. 

So that's it for Chicago. They will now move on to getting this roster into a more competitive state with free agency and the draft. At 25-46-11, Chicago has the second best odds of winning the lottery and a ton of cap space. 

Next time they play, they will be kicking off their centennial season, which is sure to come with tons of great celebrations. Expect the team to be better as well. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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Juan Soto, Pete Alonso homer but Mets fall to Twins, 6-3

Juan Soto and Pete Alonso homered but the rest of the Mets lineup was held in check by the Twins in their 6-3 loss in Minnesota on Tuesday night.

Here are the takeaways...

-A day after Soto's comments set the baseball world ablaze -- sarcasm -- both he and Alonso showed off their power. Alonso got the scoring started for the Mets, taking Bailey Ober deep in the first for his fifth longball of the season. With the Mets down 2-1 in the fourth, Soto launched a 351-foot blast off Ober to tie the game.

But after the Alonso homer, Ober settled in retiring seven straight Mets at one point and the Mets had just three hits entering the seventh inning but then began to get to the right-hander. Mark Vientos hit a one-out single before Luis Torres doubled. Carlos Mendoza pinch-hit Jesse Winker for Tyrone Taylor. The Twins countered with a lefty reliever and got Winker to fly out to right, plating Vientos on the sac fly. After Luisangel Acuña walked, Francisco Lindor grounded out to end the threat.

-The Mets had one last gasp in the ninth. The Twins' defense allowed Vientos to reach on an error and failed to complete a couple of double plays, allowing Acuña to single and get Lindor up as the tying run. Lindor had a 3-1 count but eventually struck out to end the game.

-The Mets had seven hits, with Alonso being the only one with multiple hits.

-Tylor Megill was solid in the early going, scattering hits until the third inning. With one out and runners on the corners, Megill got DaShawn Keirsey Jr. to pop out on a safety squeeze and Ty France hit a grounder to Lindor, but the Mets shortstop booted it, allowing the tying run. Carlos Correa followed up with an RBI single to put the Twins up 2-1.

It's Lindor's fourth error this season. He had just 12 all of last year.

The Twins threatened again in the fourth. After an HBP, Ryan Jeffers hit a double that was nearly a home run -- it was initially called one but overturned. Megill struck out Willi Castro, but Harrison Bader hit a hard grounder to Vientos that the third baseman could not get his bearings on and everyone was safe, and a run scored. A double play allowed Megill to escape with just one run scored.

Megill would allow one run in the fifth but it was an odd game for the big right-hander. He pitched five innings, throwing 95 pitches (60 strikes) while allowing four runs (two earned) on eight hits and striking out three batters. His ERA rose to 1.40, which is eighth-best in the majors among qualified pitchers.

-Max Kranick has been amazing this season, but the Twins got to the young right-hander. He allowed a leadoff double -- just the third hit allowed this season -- before Edouard Julien spoiled Kranick's perfect ERA, lining a two-out single into left field to extend the Twins' lead to 5-2.

Kranick would allow a solo shot in the seventh. He surrendered two runs on four hits in his 1.2 innings of work. Before Tuesday, Kranick allowed no runs over his previous 10.0 innings.

Game MVP: Ryan Jeffers

The catcher has been hampered with a thumb injury this season, but it didn't affect him Tuesday. He went 3-for-3 and reached base four times.

Highlights

What's next

The Mets finish their three-game series with the Twins with an afternoon showdown on Wednesday. First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m.

Griffin Canning was originally scheduled to start but came down with an illness that had him scratched. The Mets have yet to announce a starter. Minnesota will send David Festa to the mound.

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Meier & Dumoulin Lead Devils To 5-4 Overtime Victory Over Bruins

Timo Meier had one goal and two assists, and the New Jersey Devils jumped back into the win column with a 5-4 overtime win against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on Tuesday.

Apr 15, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; New Jersey Devils right wing Timo Meier (28) is congratulated after scoring a goal during the first period against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

Nico Hischier and Luke Hughes had two assists for the Devils. Jake Allen made 20 saves on 24 shots. 

Meier gave the Devils a 1-0 lead at 7:25 of the first period on a slap shot from the circle. Defensemen Brett Pesce and Hughes were credited with the assists. 

Morgan Geekie tied it 1-1 for Boston at 8:43. David Pastrnak gave the Bruins a 2-1 lead 29 seconds into the second period. 

Stefan Noesen tied the game while the Devils were on the power play at 4:07. The 32-year-old has a career-high 22 goals. Less than one minute later, defenseman Simon Nemec extended New Jersey's lead to 3-2. 

Dawson Mercer scored his 18th goal on the power play for a 4-2 Devils lead. It was the 23-year-old's first goal since Mar 26, 2025. 

Red Bank, New Jersey native John Farinacci scored his first career NHL goal late in the middle frame to bring the Bruins within one goal. Boston center Marat Khusnutdinov's snap shot beat Allen five minutes into the third period to tie the game at 4-4. 

Defenseman Brian Dumoulin scored the overtime winner 1:30 into overtime. It was his first goal as a Devil and was assisted by Mercer and Meier. 

The Devils will return to New Jersey and host the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday night to conclude the 2024-25 regular season. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.

The Mental Side of the Game: Devils Players & Mental Skills Coach Andy SwÀrd Take You Behind the Scenes

Hischier's Manager Patrick Fischer: 'He's Driven to Succeed, but Not Easily Satisfied'

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Brian Dumoulin scores OT winner to give Devils 5-4 win over Bruins

BOSTON (AP) — Brian Dumoulin scored 90 seconds into overtime to lead the New Jersey Devils past Boston 5-4 on Tuesday night and end the Bruins' first season without a playoff berth since 2016.

Timo Meier had a goal and two assists, and Jake Allen made 20 saves for the Devils, who had already clinched a postseason matchup with the Carolina Hurricanes. Dawson Mercer had a goal and an assist for New Jersey.

David Pastrnak had a goal and an assist for Boston and led the team with 106 points — his third straight 100-point season. Jeremy Swayman stopped 21 shots for the Bruins, who finished with the worst record in the Atlantic Division — and perhaps the Eastern Conference.

Former Harvard hockey captain John Farinacci made his NHL debut and scored his first career goal, cutting the Bruins deficit to 4-3 late in the second period.

Takeaways

The Devils snapped a three-game losing streak.

The Bruins look ahead to the draft lottery: They could finish anywhere between fourth and eighth from the bottom of the NHL standings.

Key moment

Stefan Noesen and Simon Nemec scored 30 seconds apart early in the second period for New Jersey to turn a one-goal deficit into a one-goal lead. The Devils never trailed again.

Key stat

The Bruins were 25-30-7 for interim coach Joe Sacco, who took over on Nov. 19 when Jim Montgomery was fired. Montgomery, who led the Bruins to the greatest regular season in NHL history two years ago, was hired five days later by the St. Louis Blues.

Up next

The Devils finish the regular season on Wednesday night at home against the Red Wings.

The Bruins are done for the season; they missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

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Mets' Francisco Alvarez homers in rehab game with Double-A Binghamton

Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez played his first rehab game with Binghamton, the team's Double-A affiliate, on Tuesday night and showed off the power.

Alvarez grounded out in his first at-bat but launched a home run in his second plate appearance. The backstop singled in his third at-bat and then had a scary moment in his fourth time up. In the sixth, Alvarez was hit in the same hand he fractured by the first pitch thrown by Eiberson Castellano. The Binghamton training staff took a look at Alvarez and he was seemingly ok, running the bases and catching the next inning.

Overall, Alvarez went 2-for-3 and caught six innings.

Jeff McNeil continued his rehab down in Single-A St. Lucie and reached base three times. He singled and walked twice in his five at-bats.

Mendoza said McNeil will continue to play down in St. Lucie before eventually going to Triple-A to get more at-bats. It's possible McNeil will stop off at Binghamton, but the utility infielder/outfielder should be back soon.

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Panthers end regular season with 5-1 defeat in Tampa Bay

Apr 15, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov (86) is congratulated by center Yanni Gourde (37), center Brayden Point (21) and defenseman Darren Raddysh (43) after he scored a goal against the Florida Panthers during the second period at Amalie Arena. (Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images)

The Florida Panthers wrapped up their regular season schedule on Tuesday night in Tampa Bay.

Locked into third place in the Atlantic Division, Florida rested several of their key players in preparation for the battles to come in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Tampa Bay, on the other hand, still had a shot at the division title, so they were going all out, and that led to a lopsided 5-1 final score.

It didn’t take long for the Lightning to strike first.

Yanni Gourde sent a cross-ice pass to Brayden Point as he crossed into Florida’s zone, and Point fired a quick shot that beat Vitek Vanecek glove side and put the Bolts up 1-0 just 92 seconds into the game.

A Conor Geekie one-timer and a shorthanded goal by Jake Guentzel less than three minutes apart sent Tampa into the first intermission riding high and leading 3-0.

Things got worse for Florida early in the second period when Nikita Kucherov was the recipient of a pretty passing play.

A failed zone clear by Seth Jones led to Point finding Yanni Gourde who quickly fed Kucherov at the side of the net.

His 37th goal and 120th point extended Tampa’s lead to 4-0.

Florida finally got on the board thanks to newcomer Brad Marchand.

Taking a neutral zone pass from Carter Verhaeghe, Marchand wired a shot past Andrei Vasilevskiy’s glove to get the Cats going.

Kucherov picked up point 121 when he assisted on a 5-on-3 power play goal by Darren Raddysh late in the third after a round of penalties that started with an illegal check to the head by Jesse Puljujarvi.

These teams will meet again, soon and often.

On to the playoffs.

QUICK THOUGHTS

Florida and Tampa will meet in the first round of the playoffs for the fourth time in five years.

Marchand played in his 1,100th NHL game on Tuesday.

He’s now got two goals and three points over his past four games.

Verhaeghe closed out the regular season on a five-game point streak, racking up three goals and six points during the run.

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Jasson Dominguez's three-run double powers Yankees past Royals, 4-2

Jasson Dominguez notched a go-ahead three-run double in the sixth inning in a 3-for-3 performance and Max Fried delivered a quality start as the Yankees took down the Kansas City Royals, 4-2, on Tuesday night in The Bronx.

New York improved to 10-7 on the year. Kansas City fell to 8-9.

Here are the takeaways...

- Fried needed just 11 pitches in the first and 16 in the second for a perfect start, tallying two strikeouts on the four-seam fastball in the process. 

The second pitch of the third innings was a bad one for the lefty as MJ Melendez clobbered a 94 mph four-seamer to the Yankee bullpen in center (107.2 mph, 429 feet). With two down, a slow dribbler to third wasn't barehanded by Oswald Peraza, and that infield hit came around to score when Bobby Witt Jr. smacked a first-pitch fastball off the wall in right-center for a double.

Fried’s first-pitch curveball to start the fourth went right into the leftfield gap for a double off Salvador Pùrez’s bat, but three balls on the infield stranded the runner. The first-year Yank allowed the leadoff man to reach for the third-straight inning with an infield single to first in the fifth. But Fried escaped without further damage, adding his fifth strikeout of the night in the process.

A leadoff walk and a two-out walk in the seventh ended Fried's night. Luke Weaver needed just two pitches to end the threat. Fried's final line: 6.2 innings, five hits, two runs, two walks, seven strikeouts on 94 pitches (60 strikes).

- Two runners reached against Michael Wacha in the first, but he cruised to five scoreless innings, needing just 58 pitches. The wheels came off in the sixth. After a leadoff infield single, Wacha got the next two batters before back-to-back walks saw the Royals summon Angel Zerpa, but the lefty promptly walked Austin Wells on four pitches to score a run.

That brought Dominguez to the plate, and the young left fielder got a 96 mph fastball on the inside corner and didn’t miss it, yanking the 1-2 pitch over the third baseman for a bases-clearing double to give the Yanks a 4-2 lead.

It was Dominguez’s third hit in three at-bats after he stayed on a breaking ball for a first-pitch single through the right side in the second and laced a single (106.4 mph) to the right of second base in the fifth.

He exited the game for the top of the seventh – manager Aaron Boone said after the game Dominguez "lost his contacts" when he was running the bases – and Trent Grisham came in to play defense. And it didn’t take long for Grisham’s defense to pay dividends as he tracked down a hard-hit ball for the first out in the inning, robbing Melendez of extra bases.

- Weaver needed just nine pitches for a 1-2-3 eighth inning with a strikeout. Devin Williams needed just 16 for a perfect ninth (with a strikeout) to earn his third save of the year.

- Aaron Judge, 1-for-21 with no extra-base hits against Wacha, rocketed a single (108.6 mph off the bat) that one-hopped the wall in right-center. Judge notched a second hit off Wacha, an infield single to start the sixth when Perez at first mishandled a throw from shallow center. He finished the day 2-for-3 with a walk.

- Cody Bellinger went 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout swinging. The outfielder is now 5-for-40 (.125) with one extra-base hit and two RBI in the month of April

- Paul Goldschmidt reached on catcher’s interference in the first but finished the day 0-for-3 with a strikeout.

- Jazz Chisholm Jr., wearing high socks and baggy pants in honor of Jackie Robinson, had a big chance in the first with two on and two out, but popped out in foul ground down the line in right. Went 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout looking. He is now stuck in a 2-for-28 stretch.

- Wells made a bid for extra bases his first time up, but Hunter Renfroe tracked down the 369-foot flyout to the warning track in right-center. Finished 0-for-2 with a strikeout and RBI walk.

- Ben Rice, who has been swinging a mighty bat, hit just one ball hard as he finished 0-for-5 with a strikeout.

- Anthony Volpe had just one hit in his last 22 at-bats before cracking a leadoff single (100 mph) in the eighth. He finished 1-for-3 with a strikeout and a walk.

- Members of both teams – and across all of baseball – wore No. 42 for Jackie Robinson Day in honor of his April 15, 1947 debut for the Brooklyn Dodgers, which ended segregation in the modern era of MLB. After Robinson’s debut, it would be another eight years – 1,233 regular season games – before the Yanks became the 13th team out of 16 to integrate when Elston Howard appeared in pinstripes for the first time on April 14, 1955.

Game MVP: Dominguez

When Kansas City presented the Yanks with the opportunity to win the game, it was Dominguez – in his first at-bat from the right side – who seized the moment.

Highlights

What's next

The Yankees look to complete the three-game sweep of the Royals on Wednesday, first pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.

Right-hander Clarke Schmidt will make his season debut and face off against Kansas City left-hander Kris Bubic (0.96 ERA, 0.964 WHIP in 18.2 innings).

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Mavericks' GM Nico Harrison, 'There's no regrets on the trade'

Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison met with a very limited, hand-selected number of Dallas media on Tuesday (much to the surprise of a lot of media members who regularly cover the team). Harrison repeatedly defended his shocking February decision to trade Luka Doncic to the Lakers, using the phrase "defense wins championships" repeatedly during the session, according to multiple reports. Here are some quotes from the meeting, via Tim MacMahon at ESPN, Christian Clark at The Athletic, and Tim Cato.

"There's no regrets on the trade," said Harrison... "Part of my job is to do the best thing for the Mavericks, not only today, but also in the future, and some of the decisions I'm going to make are going to be unpopular. That's my job, and I have to stand by it."

“When you look at this trade, we targeted A.D. with our philosophy of defense wins championships," Harrison said. "We wanted a two-way player to lead our team, and that was Anthony Davis. Everybody's going to have their critics. 
 But we got what we wanted... The team post-trade that was intended to be on the floor 
 that's a championship-caliber team. You guys were able to see it for 2 1/2 quarters. Unfortunately, that's a small sample size."

Mavericks fans are not going to get to see that team for most or all of next season as Kyrie Irving recovers from a torn ACL. Any debate about whether this is really a championship-caliber team is on hold for the foreseeable future.

Harrison is correct that a GM should trust his instincts and convictions, and not hesitate to make what he sees as a move that betters the franchise. However, when others are waving red flags about the trade, a smart GM puts aside his ego and thinks from outside his perspective. In this trade, one red flag is that, as highly as one might think of Anthony Davis (and he had an All-NBA season before injuries limited his game), he is six years older than Doncic — trading stars to get that much older is not wise. The other major red flag is this: If you're keeping this trade under wraps because you know there will be massive fan backlash to the idea, maybe enough to kill the trade, is this really a wise trade? Not just from a basketball sense but from a fan sense — the NBA is an entertainment business, angering the people who are fans and pay for your product is just not smart.

Harrison is convinced he will be vindicated with this trade in time. At least he doesn't have to worry about people forgetting this trade and not wanting to talk about it. For now, he can watch Anthony Davis and the Mavericks in the play-in Wednesday night while Luka Doncic and the No. 3 seed Lakers rest, waiting for their first game of the playoffs on Saturday evening.

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Are you a believer? Assessing the surprising hot starts of the 2025 MLB season

(This article was written with the assistance of Castmagic, an AI tool, and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy. Please reach out to us if you notice any mistakes.)

On the latest episode of "Baseball Bar-B-Cast," hosts Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman engaged in a fun discussion about breakout performances so far this season by creating a unique belief scale to rate their faith in players.

The concept was inspired by Kyren Paris and his impressive early-season performance, with both hosts pondering whether they believe Paris and others can maintain their current pace.

Here are the five levels of belief:

  • Atheist: Total disbelief, firm conviction that the player's early success is fleeting and won't hold up in the long run

  • Skeptic: Doubtful but open, acknowledging that the player might continue their performance but unconvinced until more proof is presented

  • Agnostic: Neutral territory, neither believing nor disbelieving in the player's potential to sustain their performance

  • Believer: Optimistic belief, confident that the player's performance is meaningful and will continue

  • Evangelist: True conviction, so certain about a player's success that they're willing to proclaim it loudly and widely

Now let's run through some of the players highlighted and how much Mintz and Shusterman believe in them.

Shusterman: Skeptic

"For how bad he was last year and for what his struggles, for what his limitations were as a hitter before, I need to see so much more to believe that he is an above-average hitter now."

Mintz: Skeptic

"I might be a little closer to agnostic just because the physical changes are so drastic, but I'm not someone who ever prefers to opt out of a conversation ... so I will say skeptic."

Shusterman: Believer

At this point, I think he's probably a little too flawed to become a top-five first baseman in baseball. But I'm a believer that he can be a very important, good part of this Tigers lineup."

Mintz: Believer

"I think next spring we enter the season being like, that dude's the first baseman for the Detroit Tigers. He's a good player. He hits fifth, and everyone's happy."

Mintz: Skeptic

"I remain a skeptic because I need to see him fail and rebound again. I need to see him get cold. I need to see pitchers adjust to his new approach, as they will, as they always do. And I need to see him readjust before I become a believer."

Shusterman: Believer

"Here's a very simple way to put it: I think he will absolutely be a top-three hitter on this team by the end of the season, maybe even top."

Shusterman: Evangelist

"Everybody was overthinking Pete to a ridiculous degree. ... We know what Pete is going to be at the floor. And if he is now reminding us of the ceiling, which we have seen at other points in his career, that should make a lot of teams, who should have paid this extremely low price for a very good first baseman, feel extremely foolish."

Mintz: Believer

"I'm just a believer, and partially that's because I want to give you space to evangelize."

Mintz: Evangelist

"All in, all in. Scream it from the mountaintops. Tell your friends, and tell their friends, even if they don't want to hear it. Hunter Green looks so freaking good."

Shusterman: Believer

"What he's looking like right now, it's like, yeah, of course. This is like what he's supposed to be. He's been working toward this, and he looks awesome."

Mintz: Believer

"I now think that Ben Rice is a big-league DH, for sure. His bat is going to play in the big leagues. Is he a star? I don't know. I don't know if I'm ready to call him a star."

Shusterman: Agnostic

"I do not want to say that this guy is a fraud. But it's so over the top right now that I also do not want to catch myself falling for it almost again."

Mintz: Evangelist

"I'm, like, beyond evangelizing like for him. I'm a zealot for him. I'm willing to shed blood. I'm willing to put my life on the line. ... He's going to get Cy Young votes."

Shusterman: Believer

"He is just the perfect story of everything you would bet on for that late-blooming superstar."

To listen to the full episode and hear more from the hot start belief scale, tune in to "Baseball-Bar-B-Cast" on Apple, Spotify or YouTube.

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Warriors set to unleash ‘different' Playoff Jimmy Butler against Rockets

Warriors set to unleash ‘different' Playoff Jimmy Butler against Rockets originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – The world around us begs for stress, anxiety and far too many worries. Smiles and laughs feel secondary at the moment. A basketball exercise that’s sure to bring both takes almost no time and is meant for all ages. 

Fire up Basketball Reference and type in your favorite player. Below their complete name – first, middle and last – are nicknames for players. Some are known worldwide, others have never even been heard by the player. 

Threezus. Yeah, that’s apparently Steph Curry. The Dancing Bear. Don’t call Draymond Green that, but it’s included in his list of nicknames as well. 

Ever since the Warriors acquired Jimmy Butler, two words have been brought up over and over again for a team eyeing their fifth championship during this dynastic run, and a player looking for his first ring after two trips to the NBA Finals that fell short with his previous team. 

Playoff Jimmy.

“He different, that guy,” Green said, his eyes lighting up at the sound of Butler’s nickname. “He’s different. You can just see a whole different intensity level and focus. I’m a basketball fan, you know, so I’ve watched it on TV for years. To see it up close and personal, like it’s a real thing. Sometimes you get in the NBA and these guys get these nicknames and you’re like, man, stop it. There’s some other nicknames out there, they not real. 

“That one’s real. And I’m happy he’s on our side.” 

Butler’s game is built on consistently making the right plays, often deferring to teammates. He isn’t going to force shots or toss up heat checks. Golden State was given another star alongside Curry upon Butler’s arrival, but that didn’t mean scoring barrages came in bunches. 

Until the right time came. 

The Warriors needed Game 83 to punch their ticket to the NBA playoffs, beating the Memphis Grizzlies in a fight to the very end, 121-116, Tuesday night at Chase Center in a play-in tournament matchup that decided the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference. When reminded of Butler’s Playoff Jimmy moniker, Gary Payton II pulled out something else from his Basketball Reference page. 

“Jimmy Buckets,” Payton said. “Give him the ball. Go where he tells you to go, and sit and wait until Jimmy needs help, or he’s going to score or get fouled.”

Knowing the importance of fast starts and having the ultimate closer at his disposal in Curry, Butler scored 10 points in the first quarter for the second straight game. With a 7-foot-4 rookie center Zach Edey sagging off him, Butler hit two threes in the first quarter and calculated in real time how to either take advantage of extra space or maneuver his way closer to the basket, pressing all the right buttons of the computer that buzzes inside his head. That also led to his second straight game of 20 shot attempts.

And it also resulted in his second straight 30-point game. 

Butler had scored 30 points just once since joining the Warriors, which happened to be Sunday’s regular-season finale – an overtime loss against the LA Clippers. He was up to 21 points at halftime Tuesday, which turned to 34 through three quarters and a season-high 38 on 12-of-20 shooting when it was all said and done. 

The 35-year-old scored twice behind the 3-point line, climbed the ladder for multiple dunks and a tip shot, delivered a 15-foot jumper for his only made shot in the fourth quarter, and, of course, racked up frequent flyer miles at the free-throw line. Butler attempted a season-high 18 free throws and made 12, a number far too low for his standards. 

“At the end of the day, you need somebody that can put the ball in the basket, and he knows how to do that,” Curry said. “We have to keep doing all of our parts, and you know, Playoff Jimmy will hopefully be a big unlock for us.” 

Beating the Grizzlies means a series with the young, long, athletic and ultra-physical Houston Rockets. Butler, in his final three games to end the regular season, plus Tuesday’s play-in game, scored 28, 24, 30 and 38 points. He dropped just 13 in a loss to the Rockets a week and a half ago. 

There won’t be a lumbering rookie guarding him, but doses of Amen Thompson, Dillon Brooks and others trying to play in the rough-and-rowdy image of coach Ime Udoka. Butler’s message to his first opponent in the way of him and the Warriors’ path towards a championship? Bring it on, all of it.

“We’ll go back to the drawing board and see how I can be effective on the offensive side of the ball,” Butler said. “But I really believe I can score with the best of them. I don’t care who I’m lined up against.”

That loss is long gone to the mind of a winner. The calendar has turned its pages to Playoff Jimmy time.

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