Happy Friday, everyone. We’re getting ever closer to the Cubs’ home opener, which is looking like it might be a typically chilly affair. In the meantime, things are heating up in Pittsburgh, and not just because of the popularity of The Pitt. The Pirates are calling up one of the hottest prospects in baseball, Konnor Griffin, perhaps after seeing how well Kevin McGonigle was doing with the Tigers. It’ll be exciting to see more young talent coming to the MLB stage.
We also saw a pretty scary injury with umpire CB Bucknor, and some crazy plays all around baseball in the first week of play. We’ve got plenty of little news bites to ease you into the weekend so let’s not waste time and get right to it.
Minnesota Twins second baseman Brian Dozier (2) bobbled the ball as Chicago White Sox third baseman Todd Frazier (21) stole second base in the eight inning at Target Field Thursday April 14, 2016 in Minneapolis, MN. ] The Chicago White Sox beat the Minnesota Twins 3-1. Jerry Holt Jerry.Holt@Startribune.com(Photo By Jerry Holt/Star Tribune via Getty Images) | Star Tribune via Getty Images
Within a week and a half, it had all imploded in inexplicable fashion. This is an oral history of the 0-9 start…
0-1: 3-2 L @ BAL
Keyed by Opening Day excitement and RBI from two Eds (Escobar & Rosario), Game 1 produced a taut 2-2 thriller at Camden Yards. But with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Twins reliever Kevin Jepsen went BB-1B-1B and saw Matt Wieters knock in Chris Davis for the Orioles winner.
0-2: 4-2 L @ BAL
Chris Davis & Trevor Plouffe traded home runs but Yovani Gallardo (5 IP, 1 ER) was better than Kyle Gibson (5 IP, 4 ER).
0-3: 4-2 L @ BAL
Despite jumping out to a 2-0 first inning lead thanks to a Joe Mauer homer, Phil Hughes & Trevor May coughed up four unanswered runs.
0-4: 4-3 L @ KCR
After a strong Ervin Santana (6 IP, 2 ER) start, the first Park-bang of the season, and a big Kurt Suzuki effort (2B & 3B), the Twins again handed Jepsen a 3-2 lead heading into B8. An Alex Gordon single, Salvador Perez triple, & Omar Infante sac fly erased it all and KC reliever Wade Davis locked down the save.
0-5: 7-0 L @ KCR
Two errors from Escobar at SS plus rough mound outings from Mommy Tilone Tommy Milone (4.2 IP, 4 R) and Casey Fien (1 IP, 3 ER) doomed attempt #5 at putting a 2016 win on the board.
0-6: 4-3 L @ KCR
Everything seemed to be lining up for victory on this day: 3 H from Mauer, HR from Dozier, 4 H from Eduardo Nunez. A rare gem from SP Ricky Nolasco (7 IP, 1 ER) and even a Jepsen HLD set up Glen Perkins with a 3-2 lead in B9. A quick single, triple, & sac fly and the Kauffman fountains flowed into extras. In B10, May had Terrance Gore (RIP) picked off—until a Park error at 1B allowed the speedster to scamper to 3B with zero outs. May recorded the next two outs keeping Gore stationed at the third sack—before promptly wild-pitching him home with the winning KC run.
0-7: 4-1 L vs CWS
The excitement of a Home Opener in front of 40,638 Twins faithful produced…6 H off Sox SP Jose Quintana and another lackluster loss.
0-8: 3-0 L vs CWS
The mound brigade of Hughes, Fernando Abad, Alex Pressly, & Michael Tonkin 1.0 (3 ER) kept this contest competitive. Just four hits (one for extra bases—a Mauer double) off Carlos Rodon & Co. kept it a loss.
0-9: 3-1 L vs CWS
Again, moundsmen Santana, Abad, May, & Taylor Rogers 1.0 (3 ER) gave the home squad a chance. Again, the offense sputtered: just 4 H off Mat Latos and the ChiSox bullpen.
It almost defied reality: three series into the 2016 season and the Twins had yet to make a mark in the left-hand column. The absolute personification of the “you can’t win a pennant in April—but you can lose one” maxim. Our boys of late-spring would post a victory in Game 10 of the campaign, but the tone of ‘16 had been irrevocably set.
PORTLAND, OREGON - MARCH 27: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks warms up before the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center on March 27, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. 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 Soobum Im/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to Part III of a four-part series taking a look at the proposed changes to the NBA Draft Lottery that are being put before the Board of Governors to prevent tanking. If you’d like to catch up, check out Part I and Part II. Before we take a look at the second proposal, it’s important to reiterate the current draft rules.
As it stands, the 14 teams that do not make the Playoffs are eligible for the lottery. Don’t confuse making the Play In Tournament with making the Playoffs – they are not the same. 16 teams make the Playoffs when all is said and done, with 14 heading to the lottery. Lottery odds are flat (14%) for the three worst teams, with the odds decreasing from there down to the 14th worst team (0.5%). The team with the worst record can receive no worse than the 5th pick, as the lottery only determines picks 1-4 with the rest of the draft order following inversely of a team’s record.
Option 2 – increase the number of lottery teams significantly, draft position based on record across two seasons
Key aspects of the proposal include:
22 teams in the draft lottery (10 that miss the Playoffs outright plus 8 that make the Play In Tournament plus 4 that lose in the 1st Round of the Playoffs).
Draft positioning is determined by a team’s record across the current season and the season prior (e.g. a team that goes 20-62 and 24-58 will have a record of 22-60 for purposes of draft order).
A minimum win total floor TBD will be implemented (e.g. if we assume a floor of 25 wins, any team with fewer than 25 wins in either of the two seasons will have their win total bumped to 25 in that season for purposes of draft order).
Top 4 draft positions determined by lottery drawing.
Thoughts on the proposal
If we thought the first proposal was a no-nonsense bid by the NBA, this proposal is truly next level. This scenario leaves only eight teams in the league outside the lottery. With the four first round losers entering the mix, there is plenty of room for insanity to ensue.
Since 1984 when the Playoffs expanded to 16 teams, there have been six 1 seeds to lose to the 8 seed in the first round of the Playoffs. The Seattle Sonics (1994), Miami Heat (1999), Mavericks (2007), San Antonio Spurs (2011), Chicago Bulls (2012) and Milwaukee Bucks (2023) all hold the dubious distinction. It is rare, but happens. This proposal means the best team in the league could possibly secure the 1 pick in the NBA Draft. Imagine the Thunder adding a Darryn Peterson or Cam Boozer because of one flukey Playoff loss. Highly unlikely, but when it happens, all but a single fanbase is going to be grabbing their pitchforks and torches.
The two-season lookback also adds potential chaos. Let’s use the Indiana Pacers as an example. In 2024-25, they won 50 games and took a trip to the NBA Finals. In 2025-26, they are on pace to win 18 games, largely due to the season-long absence of Tyrese Haliburton. That would put them at an average of 34 wins under this proposal, greatly increasing their chances of a higher pick despite being an otherwise elite team. On the other hand, the Mavericks were a 50-win Finals team in 2023-24 before imploding their franchise with one of the most notorious trades in sports history. Both teams would have their draft odds skewed in the wrong direction based largely on anomalous occurrences.
What it could mean for the Mavericks
Chaos is difficult to predict, and this scenario at least invites chaos, however unlikely it may be. The two-season lookback doesn’t strike me as doing the Mavericks or any other team any real favors. I actually think the overall proposal could encourage tanking. Case in point: the Pacers are doing it right now and they don’t even have the incentive this proposal affords teams. If a good team gets some bad injury luck, they are highly incentivized to completely tank the following season to better their draft odds. Add in a win floor and teams will simply use that number of wins as their tank-target.
My best guess is that Dallas ought to hope this proposal isn’t the winner. The Mavs likely won’t have control of their own pick (after this offseason) until 2031. Following up a few years of no pick control with a much wider field of lottery teams could really send Dallas on a long walk of poor draft outcomes.
I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.
CHARLOTTE, NC - APRIL 2: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns looks on during the game against the Charlotte Hornets on April 2, 2026 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. 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 Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Some nights you have it, some nights you don’t. And for the Phoenix Suns, the nights where it is not there have started to show up a little too often. As the season winds down, that early joy, the feeling of watching a group outperform expectations, it has faded, and it has faded as quickly as their point of attack defense.
Thursday night in Charlotte felt familiar. The issues on the perimeter showed up again, and everything flows from that. When you cannot keep the ball in front, the defense bends, and then it breaks. The paint opens up, rotations get late, and without consistent rim protection, teams feast inside. That is how you end up asking why the Suns give up so many points in the paint. It starts on the outside.
Give credit where it is due: the Charlotte Hornets play hard, they are feisty, and they will make you earn it. But Phoenix did not help themselves. And that is the part that sticks.
Because the game opened with a different feel. The Suns dropped 41 in the first quarter, and with Mark Williams back and Dillon Brooks settling in during his second game back, it felt like maybe things were starting to line up. Like the timing was coming back, like the pieces were finding each other again.
And then it unraveled.
Phoenix scores 41 in the first quarter, then just 19 in the second. Offensive consistency remains the challenge
They lost every margin that matters. Second-chance points, points in the paint, bench production, points off turnovers, three-point efficiency; you run down the list, and Charlotte had the edge everywhere. The Phoenix Suns looked a step slow — sometimes two — reacting instead of dictating, chasing instead of controlling.
And yeah, nights like that happen. You can live with a bad night. The Charlotte Hornets are not a pushover. They play with energy, they play with pace, and when they get rolling it is tough to deal with. But the concern is not just one night. It is the pattern.
Over the last two months, the Suns are 12–15. That is the 11th-worst record in the league in that stretch, sitting right alongside teams that are not trying to win games. Injuries have played a role, no doubt. And now that guys are returning, there is an adjustment period, rotations shift, roles change, and timing gets thrown off.
Since February 2, the Phoenix Suns are 12–15. The only teams with the worse record? Bucks, Warriors, Kings, Grizzlies, Jazz, Bulls, Mavs, Pacers, Nets, Wizards.
But earlier in the season, they were navigating those same challenges and still finding ways to win. It did not always look clean, but it worked. Right now, it is not working the same way.
This team needs to be one that can beat you in multiple ways. That is how they are built, that is how they found success. Lately, they are losing in multiple ways instead. And that is the part that sticks as the season starts to slip toward its end.
Bright Side Baller Season Standings
Chalk up another Bright Side Baller for Devin Booker following the loss against the Magic. You can pin your blame in plenty of directions for the overall team performance that night. Booker was leaast at fault.
Bright Side Baller Nominees
Game 77 against the Hornets. Here are your nominees:
SUNRISE, FLORIDA - APRIL 2: Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky #72 of the Florida Panthers defends the net with the help of teammates against the Boston Bruins at the Amerant Bank Arena on April 2, 2026 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
There was bound to be a come-down at some point, what with a perfect weekend last weekend, a rousing comeback in Columbus, an impressive win over Dallas, etc.
Unsurprisingly, that come-down came down (?) at the hands of the Florida Panthers, who ended the Bruins’ winning streak at four games with a 2-1 win in Sunrise on Thursday night.
The B’s fell behind 2-0 eight minutes into the game, but managed to get one back via Fraser Minten late in the first, but after that, it was a vintage performance from Sergei Bobrovsky that kept the B’s from turning the tide.
Bobrovsky made 15 saves in the third period alone, holding off a pretty energetic Bruins charge and helping the Panthers avoid official playoff elimination again.
Overall, it wasn’t a terribly played game by the Bruins, but going down 2-0 and trying to furiously scramble back into the game isn’t necessarily a winning formula, even against a depleted Panthers team.
Your highlights from last night, if you’d like to review:
Unfortunately for the B’s, the loss came on a night where Ottawa, Montreal, and Detroit all won their games.
Those results put the B’s four points behind Montreal in the Atlantic, while bringing Ottawa and Detroit within six points of the Bruins, who are currently in the first wild card spot.
From a neutral observer’s perspective, the Eastern Conference playoff race is wild: three teams have 88 points, one has 86, and another has 85.
The Bruins will play the 86-point team, the Philadelphia Flyers, on Sunday, in what could be a make-or-break game for Philly.
Prior to that, a visit to Tampa looms, with the Bruins playing the Lightning on Saturday evening.
That game will have a 5 PM start, with Sunday’s game against Philly at 3:30 PM.
Tampa remains in a back-and-forth tussle with Buffalo for first in the Atlantic, which still seems wild to say at this point in the season, but…times have changed!
Six games left for the Bruins, six points clear of the playoff line. Buckle up!
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 27: A general view of the New York Yankees playing against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on March 27, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
San Francisco Giants baseball is back in the bay this weekend, so it’s time to take a look at what Oracle Park has on deck for fans!
Friday
Friday night will be a special event night for San Jose State University! As always, special events require special event tickets, which fans can purchase here. Special event ticket holders will receive a San Jose State University themed Giants hat and can partake in pre-game festivities.
Saturday
Saturday night will be another Fiesta Gigantes event at Oracle Park, as all Saturday home games will be this season. It will also be Youth Baseball Day at the park, where the first 8,000 fans under the age of 14 will receive a reversible sleeve giveaway.
Sunday
Sunday afternoon will be Golden State Valkyries Day at Oracle Park, where the first 15,000 fans in attendance will receive a Giants jersey in the colors of the Valkyries, the Bay Area’s WNBA team! If you’re heading to that game, I’m extremely jealous because those jerseys look really cool!
If you’re heading out to the park this weekend, have fun! And make sure to share pictures in the comments!
What time do the Giants play today?
The Giants continue their series against the Mets tonight at 7:15 p.m. PT.
The Mud Hens crushed the 46th ranked prospect in the game, right-hander Jonah Tong, with a furious barrage on Thursday that knocked Tong out of the game in the second inning. They poured it on against the Mets bullpen, taking a 2-1 lead in the series.
Max Clark got the party started as his hot start at the Triple-A level continues. Clark dumped a ball into shallow left field that left fielder Ryan Clifford couldn’t corral, and burned it around to second base with a speed double. Tong walked Trei Cruz and Jace Jung, and after Eduardo Valencia struck out, Corey Julks doubled in all three runners for a quick 3-0 lead.
In the top of the second, Max Burt reached on an error with one out. Wenceel Pérez launched a towering two-run shot to right field at 111.6 mph off the bat. That’s his second of the season. 5-0 Hens. Clark kept things going by reaching on an error. Cruz grounded out to first, but Jace Jung walked and Valencia stepped up after a rough stretch to start the year and lined a two-run double to center field. 7-0 Hens.
Wenceel Perez destroys this Jonah Tong offering for a 2-run bomb. Left his bat at 111.6 MPH. It’s his 2nd home run of the season. pic.twitter.com/dYqfMUXfxa
Eduardo Valencia works an 8-pitch at-bat and then smokes a 2-run double to left center. It snaps a brutal 1-for-22 start for Valencia, and ends Jonah Tong’s day in the 2nd inning. pic.twitter.com/s2yFaC0P8g
That was it for Tong. Dan Hammer, and there couldn’t be many better pitcher names than Dan Hammer, took over and cleaned up the inning. Sadly, Hammer does not appear to throw a curveball. Gage Workman doubled in the third but was stranded. Meanwhile, Bryan Sammons leaked a run on a Ronny Mauricio double in the third, but smothered any further rallying.
RHP Ryan Lambert took over from Hammer in the fourth. He gave up a Valencia triple and a Workman RBI double to make it 8-1.
Gage Workman drives an RBI double deep to right center to put the Mud Hens up 8-1. pic.twitter.com/MEhMgF2SFa
The Mets got to Sammons for two runs in the fourth. Christian Arroyo led off with a single, and Vidal Brujan doubled Arroyo to third, where he scored on a wild pitch. Brujan scored from third on a Cristian Pache ground out. Sammons punched out Jackson Cluff and then gave way to right-hander Tanner Rainey who finished out the inning.
The Mets turned to Alex Carrillo in the fifth, and having seen him already in the series, the Hens were ready. Burt led off with a single and stole second. Pérez walked, and Clark ripped a hot ground ball to right for an RBI double. Cruz flew out, but Jung followed with a double to center, scoring Pérez and Clark. Valencia and Julks walked to load the bases, with Ofreidy Gomez taking over from Carillo. It didn’t help, as Workman singled in Jung, but Valencia was thrown out at home. 12-3 Hens. That didn’t stop the Hens, as Ben Malgeri and Burt singled in runs, and a wild pitch scored Malgeri. When Pérez struck out to end the inning and the smoke cleared, it was 15-3 Hens.
Max Clark sneaks an RBI double down the right field line to put Toledo up 9-3. It’s his 2nd double of the game, and his 5th already this season. pic.twitter.com/Hp3V8MGpuj
After a long rest in the Hens’ dugout, Tanner Rainey took the mound again and promptly gave up a single to Nick Morabito and then walked MJ Melendez. Mauricio lifted a sinking drive into the left center field gap, but Max Clark made his second diving catch of the season, and then fired into Cruz at third. Cruz gunned it to second and doubled off Melendez, while Morabito scored to make it 15-4.
There was a lot going on with this play, and a lot going on in this game. But what a catch by Mud Hens center fielder and Tigers No. 2 prospect Max Clark to start a double play. pic.twitter.com/9MKaqtrTOC
The Hens finally cooled in the top of the sixth, although Max Clark continued to show up his upgraded batspeed as he torched a 111.3 mph groundout to second. That’s his second ball already over 110 mph. Pretty impressive stuff from Clark all around so far. Jack Little took over in relief and allowed a two-run shot to Jackson Cluff that made it 15-6. Woo-Suk Go got into a little trouble in the seventh, but Pache flew out to end the inning.
The Mets turned to a position player pitching as Jose Rojas took over for the Mets in the eighth. Pérez greeted him with a double, and after Clark flew out, Cruz singled in Pérez. Another Jung double got Cruz to third, where he scored on a Valencia ground out. 17-6 Hens.
Cole Waites allowed a solo shot to Hayden Senger in the bottom of the eighth to make it 17-7, and that’s where it finally ended.
Workman: 3-5, R, 2 RBI, 2 2B, BB
Perez: 2-5, 3 R, 2 RBI, HR, 2B, 2 BB, K
Valencia: 2-4, R, 3 RBI, 2B, 3B, 2 BB, K
Jung: 2-4, 3 R, 2 RBI, 2 2B, 2 BB, K
Sammons: 3.2 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, BB, 3 K
Rainey (W, 1-0): 1.1 IP, ER, 2 H, BB, K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 4:05 p.m. ET start time on Friday.
West Michigan Whitecaps 1, Lake County Captains 0 (box)
Whitecaps’ pitching was really sharp in this one, while the offense pounded out eight hits and drew five walks, but could only push across one run in their season opener.
Shortstop Woody Hadeen opened the game with a single, and then stole second and took third on a throwing error. Jackson Strong, Roberto Campos, demoted down from Erie to start this season, and Garrett Pennington all struck out to strand Hadeen at third.
Right-hander Hayden Minton, our 33rd ranked prospect, was very good on Opening Day. He spun four no-hit innings with just a walk allowed against five strikeouts. He needed just 51 pitches, pumping 31 strikes and racking up nine whiffs.
The Whitecaps got a single from Stephen Hrustich in the second, and another single for Hadeen along with a walk to Strong in the third, but those baserunners went nowhere.
Hadeen continued his four-hit game with a leadoff single in the fifth, and this time the ‘Caps pushed across a run. Strong walked, and while Campos hit into a double play, Hadeen reached third and scored on a Pennington single. That made it 1-0, and that’s where this one would eventually end.
Luke Stofel threw two scoreless innings with three strikeouts in relief of Minton. Carlos Lequerica threw two scoreless without a hit, though he walked three and struck out five. Logan Berrier collected the first save of the season, issuing a walk in the ninth but striking out three.
Hadeen: 4-5, R, SB
Pennington: 1-4, RBI, 2 K
Santana: 1-3, BB
Minton: 4.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, BB, 5 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:35 p.m. ET start on Friday night.
Here is the Whitecaps roster to start the season. There seem to be a few last minute additions not announced here. The SeaWolves and Flying Tigers rosters are below.
Some notable young faces in Lakeland include RHP Malachi Witherspoon, last year’s second rounder, #3 overall prospect SS Bryce Rainer, returning from his shoulder injury, 2025 3rd rounder LHP Ben Jacobs, 2025 4th round pick LHP Caleb Leys, RHP Cale Wetwiska, and RHP Jatnk Diaz.
DENVER, CO - APRIL 2: Grounds crews use brooms to brush the Colorado Rockies' logo into the outfield grass on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at Coors Field in Denver, Colo. (Photo by Timothy Hurst/The Denver Post) | Denver Post via Getty Images
Today is the day: Baseball is back in Denver.
Despite losing 119 games last season, when the Home Opener comes to the Mile High City, hope springs eternal.
After starting the season on a six-game road trip in Miami and Toronto, the Rockies (2-4) are hosting the Philadelphia Phillies (3-3) today at 2:10 p.m.
As always, LoDo will be hopping with a baseball buzz. Whether you’re going or will be watching on a screen, here’s all you need to know about the Hope Opener.
Pregame Schedule
The festivities begin in earnest over five hours before the Rockies take the field against the Phillies. Here’s a glimpse of the official schedule:
7 a.m. — Gates open at McGregor Square
9 a.m. — Coors Field parking lots open; Opening Day games and activities for all ages begin at McGregor Square, including restaurants and bars opening
10:30 a.m. — Live DJ duo begins at McGregor Square
11:15 a.m. — Rockies batting practice
12 p.m. — Coors Field gates open.
12:20 p.m. — Phillies batting practice
1:15 p.m. — Pregame ceremonies begin, including three different ceremonial first pitches, team introductions, the presentation of the flag and the national anthem, flyover by F-16 Fighting Falcons and a presentation of Hunter Goodman’s 2025 Silver Slugger Award
2:08 p.m. — Rockies take the field, accompanied by fireworks
Getting to the Game
With traffic and a sold-out crowd expected, the Rockies recommend fans arrive at Coors Field at least one hour early and plan to be in their seats by 1:15 p.m. in order to take in all of the pregame ceremonies. There will be a heavy demand for parking downtown, whether it’s in Rockies lots or around LoDo. Be sure to plan and arrive early if you plan to watch from a seat at Coors Field or a bar stool. One perk of going early is that there are $3 beer specials on the Rooftop all the way up to first pitch.
In anticipation of high demand, RTD is increasing capacity to its D, E and W light rail lines through the weekend to support the Coors Field crowds, along with other events downtown (the Nuggets play at 1 p.m. on Saturday and the Avalanche play at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday).
All fans will receive a Rockies 2026 magnet upon entry. As a reminder, only single-pocket, medical and diaper bags that are no larger than 16”x16”x8” can be brought into the ballpark. For more on the policies, check out the Rockies website.
Going Downtown
Various Opening Day celebrations are on tap around downtown. There is an Opening Day Block Party at Union Station with games, stilt walkers, face painting, live music and more from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Larimer Square will be hosting its own Opening Day celebration with DJ sets, street art and family-friendly fun from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Dairy Block is offering Game Day on the Block festivities that include music, Rockies-themed food, including speciality cocktails and purple croissants, and even live music after the game. The Maven will be hosting Ember and Stitch, where fans can brand purple bandanas and baseball gloves. For more events, check out the Downtown Denver Partnership.
Sunny Weather
Earlier this week, the forecasts included the possibility of snow — just like the Rockies had on the Home Opener last year — but chances of moisture have since evaporated. It could still be chilly, especially with the big wind gusts, but the sun should be shining.
Another check of the Rockies home opener forecast tomorrow: jackets/hoodies needed, but dry!
In the home opener last year, the Rockies lost a heartbreaker, falling 6-3 to the Athletics in 11 innings. Despite snow, a temperature of 37 degrees at first pitch and a 13-mph wind coming in from right field, 48,015 were on hand for the 3-hour, 21-minute game. Trailing 3-2 after seven innings, the Rockies evened it up when Jordan Beck hit an RBI single to send the game to extra innings. Seth Halvorsen threw a scoreless 10th before the A’s took advantage of a leadoff walk from Angel Chivilli when Jacob Wilson singled and Gio Urshela followed with a two-out double in a three-run frame.
All-time, the Rockies are 17-16 during their Home Openers. Colorado had won two Home Openers in a row and three out of their last four before falling to the A’s in 2025.
What’s New at Coors Field?
Always an exciting unveiling, the Rockies will have new menu items around Coors Field, including the Glizzilla, Birdcall, a pizza donut, the award-winning Key Lime Pie in the Sky beer at the Sandlot Brewery, and more. For all the details, check out Purple Row’s rundown from Renee Dechert.
This weekend, the field will look pretty slick with artistic lawnmowing feats on display.
The Rockies made massive changes to the front office, coaching staff and roster this offseason. The 2026 climb at altitude starts today and comes on the heels of the Rockies winning a series 2-1 over the defending American League Champion Blue Jays on the road. While the turnaround might be slow and have its share of ups and downs, considering it took the Rockies over two months to win a series in 2025, the Rockies are making progress.
Are you going to the Home Opener? What’s your favorite part of this annual celebration? Any predictions for the game? Let us know in the comments.
Vimael Machín hit a two-run double in the eighth inning to help the Isotopes win their second game of the season. Zac Veen also added an RBI double for Albuquerque (2-4). Tanner Gordon put up a very impressive start, holding the Aces to one run on four hits with six strikeouts and no walks in six innings. Luis Peralta, Collin Baumgartner and Seth Halvorsen each contributed a scoreless inning in the victory.
The Baysox scored four runs in the top of the eighth to break up a 3-3 tie and spoil Hartford’s opening day on Thursday night. The Yard Goats struck first when Benny Montgomery hit an RBI single in the fourth. Jake Brooks gave Hartford a fighting chance by throwing five scoreless innings with nine strikeouts to start the game. After Chesapeake went up 3-1, Zach Kokoska hit a two-run homer to tie it up in the seventh. Braylen Wimmer hit a sac fly in the ninth, but Hartford’s last-ditch comeback fell short.
The Rockies made some changes leading up to today’s game, including a shift to the starting rotation and an opening for when Mickey Moniak comes off the IL today.
Patrick Saunders highlights the great annual vibes of the Home Opener, along with his top moments on the field. The list is a great trip down memory lane, and it’s especially fun to remember the good pitching performances.
Troy Renck talked with Rockies greats Larry Walker, Aaron Cook and Jason Jennings about the pain of watching the Rockies struggles and the excitement of the new vibe of 2026.
SARASOTA, FL - MARCH 20: Trey Gibson of the Baltimore Orioles pitches during the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium on Friday, March 20, 2026 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Vincent Mizzoni/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Trey Gibson was not particularly sharp over four innings last night. Gibson allowed four runs (three earned) on nine hits, including a home run, a walk and three strikeouts. Baltimore’s second ranked pitching prospect (MLB Pipeline) allowed a leadoff homer in the second before relinquishing two more on a walk, a pair of singles and a double. José Barrero allowed a base runner to reach on a throwing error in the fourth inning, and the runner eventually came into score on a sacrifice fly.
Chayce McDermott put together 1.2 scoreless innings but did issue a pair of walks. Alex Pham ran into some trouble in the seventh when Jordan—the Cardinals’ 26th ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline—ripped his second homer of the evening.
Creed Willems drove in Norfolk’s first run with a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning. Jhonkensy Noel delivered an RBI double later in the frame.
The game was delayed for rain in the bottom of the seventh inning. Neither team scored when play resumed.
Chesapeake took control of this one with a pair of crooked numbers. The Baysox trailed 1-0 after five innings before a three-run sixth. Ethan Anderson and Griff O’Ferrall both took one-out walks before Thomas Sosa slapped a go-ahead triple to left field. Carter Young followed with a run-scoring single that provided Chesapeake a two-run lead.
Hartford battled back to even the score at three, but the Baysox exploded for four runs in the eighth. O’Ferrall worked another walk before Sosa launched his first home run of the season. Young managed another base hit and came around to score when Aron Estrada walked with the bases loaded. Douglas Hodo III scored the team’s seventh run on a wild pitch.
Trace Bright looked the part of an Opening Day starter with 5.1 innings of one-run ball. Bright limited Hartford to one run on three hits. He did walk four batters, but he struck out nine during an impressive performance. Yaqui Rivera allowed the Yard Goats to tie things up on a two-run homer by Zach Kokoska.
Tyson Neighbors made things more interesting than it needed to be with three walks and one earned run in the ninth inning.
Anderson De Los Santos exited after being hit by a pitch. Young came off the bench for a 2-for-3 day.
Low-A: Salem RidgeYaks (Red Sox) 5, Delmarva Shorebirds 4
Delmarva battled back after falling behind by five, but the rally came up just short. Maikol Hernández trimmed the deficit to one with a two-out single in the ninth, but Félix Amparo lined out to end the game. Hernández finished 1-for-3 with a walk and run scored.
Cobb Hightower delivered a pair of RBI-singles during a 3-for-4 night. Hightower and Amparo combined for five of Delmarva’s eight hits. Right fielder Junior Aybar delivered Delmarva’s only extra-base hit with a double in the ninth.
Shorebirds starter Kiefer Lord allowed four runs over 4.1 frames. Salem jumped ahead early with a run in the first, but the majority of the damage came during a three-run third. Kailen Hamson allowed an unearned run in the fifth that ultimately proved to be the difference.
Friday’s Scheduled Games
Norfolk: at Memphis, 2:05 p.m. Starter: Dean Kremer (season debut)
Chesapeake: at Hartford (Rockies), 7:10 p.m. Starter: Christian Herberholz (season debut)
Frederick: at Hub City (Rangers), 7:05 p.m. Starter: Joseph Dzierwa (season debut)
Delmarva: at Salem (Red Sox), 6:35 p.m. Starter: Denton Biller (season debut)
Marcus Semien | (Photo: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images)
Meet the Mets
The Mets have now lost three in a row, as David Peterson simply didn’t have it in the team’s series opener in San Francisco last night. The Mets’ lineup continued to disappoint, too, in what wound up being a 7-2 loss.
Former Mets prospect Blade Tidwell, who was part of the package the Mets sent to the Giants for Tyler Rogers at the deadline last year, was called up for the game and earned a save as he threw three scoreless innings to finish it.
The Braves were the only other National League East team in action yesterday, and they scored a walloping 17 runs in a win over the Diamondbacks.
Around Major League Baseball
Royals catcher Carter Jensen overslept, arrived late, and found himself scratched in a game that he was supposed to catch. The Royals lost that game to the Twins by a 5-1 score.
The White Sox and Blue Jays were postponed in what would have been Chicago’s home opener.
With the season in its infancy and without enough data to grapple with yet, I’m going to look forward for a bit. Forward to the end of 2026. I’m not a good predictor, so I won’t go there, but I have formulated an outline of what I think success might be for the 2026 Cardinal edition. What might success look like? I mean, baseball is about hope, right?
By now, I’m sure you have read the various prognostications about how the Cardinals will fare in 2026. At the low-end, some folks see team with 90 or more losses. The high side, led by Dr. Howl, seems to be around 85 wins. That is some range.
But who really knows? I can imagine this season being a tale of two (or even three) different seasons and how they add up to a final win-loss tally is anyone’s guess. My interest is … within that wide range, what constitutes success?
Key questions
What does it have to look like for this team to finish at the higher end of the projections?
Could we see Dustin May pitching like a dominant TOR pitcher?
Will we see a full season from Mathew Liberatore more like the first-half of 2025
Could a full season of Michael McGreevy be worth double what last year’s half-season churned out?
Could Masyn Winn prove that last year’s defensive gem of a season was not a high side outlier, and maybe add a tick to his offensive output and cross 4 fWAR?
Will Alec Burleson continue his steady offensive climb and perhaps find a stable defensive platform now that he is playing one position?
Could JJ Wetherholt effectively replace Donovan’s 2.9 WAR at second?
Can Ivan Herrera be healthy and extend his .837 OPS hitting?
Can the rest of the rotation provide reliable quality day-in and day-out?
Can the bullpen lock down the leads that are present?
Will any of Scott II, Gorman, or Walker establish themselves as a line-up presence?
Will Nootbaar come back hale and hearty? An OBP machine with a bit of pop?
Is there enough depth at AAA to fill the inevitable holes created by injury and non-performance?
I think one could look individually at each of the questions and think that a YES answer to any one of them is entirely possible. Not guaranteed, maybe not even most likely, but within a reasonable range where YES wouldn’t be a huge surprise. All of them becoming YES is a bit of a stretch, though.
Timing is everything
The definition of the season could well come down to how many of these answers become YES, and how soon. The how soon part could help begin to define several distinct sections of the season.
Might we see a hale and healthy Nootbaar in late April/early May, or will it drag on until the ASB?
Could it take several different iterations of the rotation to find the right combination of starters? How long will it take to swap out a struggling starter?
How long will it take for Wetherholt to adjust to the league, and them to him?
How long might it take to find the right bullpen combinations and roles?
Will the AAA depth be ready to ascend when needs arise?
What happens at the trade deadline with Noot, Romero, May and perhaps one or two others?
How long will Gorman or Walker get runway if they continue to struggle?
A tale of two (or even three) seasons
April-May … A lot of teams take the approach of coming out of Spring TrBaining with their roster and giving it until Flag Day to assess what they have and adjust. I could see a lot of mixing and matching line-ups, movement of pitchers up and down to Memphis and such during this early phase. Not sure they will wait til Flag Day, either.
June-July … Here is where I’d anticipate an influx of prospects to fill holes. Baez, Mathews, Dobbins, Fitts, Crooks. The past few years, this is where things have fallen apart, as the injury toll has exposed a lack of depth. Is this year different in that way?
August-September … I can imagine this part of the season being defined by what happens at the trade deadline. If the club moves Nootbaar, Romero, May and others, the last two months will become a tryout for the second tier depth, particularly the many pitchers behind Dobbins and Fitts.
The pathway via Starz
It seems to me like success will come (or not) based on how effective the rotation is day-in, day-out. There is enough talent there where I could see a more stable output than we’ve seen in years. I don’t know enough to project any individual’s success or failure, but it is easy to see that there are alternatives available if someone gets hurt or struggles (Fitts, Dobbins and Mathews being the first wave). In that sense, the manager won’t have to stick with a seriously struggling starter as long as in years past. Depth matters. In the end, if I apply the Starz model published late last year, success will be if they find 4 pitchers who can reliably project to > 1.8 fWAR in the rotation and two of those who can reliable project to more than 2.5 fWAR, and still retain some depth. Can you see this possibility by 2026 season’s end?
Perhaps an under-stated element will be how stable the defense becomes. Given that the offense is unlikely to be a juggernaut, defense seems to be a key for leveraging the pitching. Can a guy like Church provide enough offense to allow frequent deployment in the outfield? Can Wetherholt lock down second base defensively, giving the Cardinals the proverbial “strong up the middle” backbone? Can Saggese become a plus defender somewhere?
A third part could be the baserunning. Can Church and Scott II get on base enough to utilize their speed effectively? Can guys like Church, Saggese, Wetherholt infuse enough speed and athleticism to materially improve the team BsR and allow for the manufacture of more runs? I will miss Arenado and Contreras, but let’s face it, they weren’t great baserunners. Along with Pages and Burleson, there was a tendency for the bases to get clogged and a power deficient team became station-to-station, which is not a great combination. There is opportunity here with the new people.
It is difficult to look at this offense and imagine it being part of the pathway to success. Herrera, Wetherholt, Winn, Burleson are likely to be solid, but things fall off after that and four hitters is not enough. Nootbaar coming back strong would add a positive element. Baez and Crooks may get shots at adding offensive punch before the season gets too far along. If it works out, they could have seven guys that would feature 95 wRC+ or better in the line-up. That is an average line-up. With good pitching and good defense, that might be enough. Using the Starz model again, success would be finding five position players who can reliably project to top 2.7 fWAR, with 2 or 3 of them up and over 3.8 fWAR. Same question, can you see this potential by end of 2026?
A step forward from Scott II, Walker and/or Gorman would add needed depth to the line-up, also. After years of struggles, this is hard to count on. Maybe be mid-season the Cardinals end up with a cromulent offensive outfield of Baez, Church and Nootbaar. The final piece of the Starz model is … Zero, absolutely zero, below replacement level outcomes. Here is the support for that rule of thumb. Will this be the year that under-performing players are moved out?
A fallback
If 4 pitchers > 1.8 fWAR and five players > 2.7 fWAR seems like a bridge too far for this organization in 2026, perhaps a slightly lower bar of success could be … if they fall one or two players short of this target, knowing where they fall short (and not having too many holes) might propel them to begin acquiring MLB talent via trade or Free Agency next off-season to fill that last gap or two and be able to have a roster built to win 90 games.
The NCAA's system designates every game as a unit. The units then are divided into six shares teams earn for every game in which they appear in the tournament.
This year, according to a sitting NCAA Division I athletic director and a power conference representative who spoke to USA TODAY Sports, as well as several projections, slot the per-game value for teams in the men's tournament at approximately $2.1 million per game.
Simple, right? Not really.
The funds are distributed directly to the member conferences of the various teams, and payouts for this year's tournament will not begin until next year.
The payments then are broken down into the six-slice pie. Distributions right now on the men's side for the six-year window actually are comprised of just five total NCAA tournaments because the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the men's and women's 2020 championships. Women's basketball units are distributed over a three-year timeframe.
In this year's men's tournament, Texas, for example, earned four games or units worth 24 shares for the league.
That's approximately $8.4 million the Longhorns have positioned themselves to earn for the SEC. A year ago, when Todd Golden's Florida Gators won the national championship, the SEC paced all leagues with a record 35 NCAA Tournament games/units that resulted in $70 million in earnings for the league.
However, that number would grow this year because of a change the NCAA voted to adopt on Jan. 14 in its Division I Business Session.
The NCAA and its affiliate members voted to increase unit allocations into the Final Four, adding a total of three units to this year's 68-team field. Florida would have netted the SEC an additional $4 million for its championship.
"(This) vote emphasizes the importance of rewarding schools who invest in the development of their basketball programs and reach not just the Final Four," Dan Gavitt, the NCAA's senior vice president of basketball, said at the time in a release, "but ultimately achieve the pinnacle of success in this sport by competing for and winning the national championship.
"The expansion of these funds also continues to increase financial support to members during this pivotal time in college sports in which student-athletes are receiving unprecedented benefits from their schools."
Many leagues choose to use the funds earned in March Madness — such as the SEC's $70 million haul a year ago — as part of its equal revenue-distribution amongst its members.
The ACC, however, shifted its longstanding revenue-sharing policy in June 2025 to reward its March Madness and College Football Playoff participants with a greater revenue share.
For its participating team, whether it be for one game or multiple contests, the Sun Belt Conference provides a "50% threshold" off additional revenue for the year that team advanced into the NCAA Tournament.
Furman earned an extra share for the Southern Conference three years ago when it ousted Virginia from the tournament; that additional revenue will continue being distributed by the conference for the next four years after it received corresponding shares in 2024-25.
The NCAA also covers participating teams' travel costs — with exceptions. The athletic director told USA TODAY Sports the NCAA sets fixed amounts for the average cost a commercial airfare ticket, daily hotel rate, daily travel rate and per diem.
Schools can, however, choose to charter a jet rather than fly commercially and incur the expected cost-differential.
Columbus Clippers Travis Bazzana (12) throws the ball to first base during home opener at Huntington Park on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Columbus, Ohio. | Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
This game was a back and forth battle, featuring several clutch moments for Guardians prospects and some established veterans.
Nolan Jones had one of the biggest hits of the day, a clutch two-run home run in the sixth inning to put the Clippers on the board. Jones finished 1-for-2 with the home run, two walks and a hit by pitch. The home run was his third of the young season and he’s off to a hot start with a 1.318 OPS through six games.
Milan Tolentino also had a big day, going 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and a walk. Petey Halpin didn’t exactly have a great day, but his one contribution was a major one, blasting a three-run home run in the eighth inning to tie the game 8-8.
This set the stage for Travis Bazzana. After Kody Huff walked and Cooper Ingle singled, Bazzana stepped up to the plate with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, and he came through by smacking a ball off the base of the wall to score Huff. Bazzana finished 2-for-6 with the walk-off RBI.
Huff had a great game as well, going 1-for-2 with three walks and three runs scored while Juan Brito walked twice.
It wasn’t a great day for Clippers pitching. Pedro Avila got the start and allowed three runs in 3.0 innings. Will Dion had a good outing with a pair of scoreless innings. Jake Miller was tattooed for four runs in just 1.1 innings and Jack Leftwich gave up a run in 1.2 innings.
Cody Heuer earned the win with a scoreless top of the ninth inning.
Akron got all the offense it needed for the game in the third inning as top hitting prospect Ralphy Velazquez blasted a ball over the batters eye in dead center field for a two-run bomb.
The first runs of the season for the @AkronRubberDuck courtesy of Ralphy Velazquez🤩
Velazquez finished the day 1-for-3 with the home run and a walk. The only other players to reach base safely twice for Akron were Jacob Cozart, who went 2-for-4 with a double, and Angel Genao, who went 1-for-3 with a single.
Akron’s pitching was stellar, led by top pitching prospect Khal Stephen, who tossed 4.0 shutout innings with four strikeouts, four walks and two hits allowed.
He was followed by two scoreless frames from Matt Jachec, a scoreless inning from Alaska Abney and Hunter Stanley earned the save with a scoreless ninth inning. Only Jack Jasiak allowed a run in the game in his lone inning of work.
As great as all the other Guardians affiliates looked in nearly every aspect on Thursday, Lake County’s offense — which featured a significant amount of top position player draft picks from last year — was the opposite.
The much anticipated debut of 2025 first round pick Jace LaViolette was a complete thud. He had a golden sombrero, going 0-for-4 with four strikeouts. The Captains struck out an immense 16 times. Second round competitive balance pick Aaron Walton went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.
Third round pick Nolan Schubart had the lone extra base hit, going 1-for-4 with a double and a pair of strikeouts. Fourth round pick Luke Hill went 0-for-3 with a walk. Second round pick Dean Curley was the lone Captain to reach base twice, going 0-for-2 with a pair of walks.
Jaison Chourio went 0-for-3 with a walk and Ryan Cesarini had the team’s other lone hit, going 1-for-4.
The putrid offense ruined what had been a sensational pitching day for Lake County.
In his pro debut, Justin Campbell was flat out incredible, striking out four batters in 2.0 scoreless innings while allowing a pair of hits. He struck out all three batters he faced in his first career inning, which was a great sign.
Justin Campbell in his professional debut with the @LCCaptains:
Several teenage prospects made their full-season debuts, with the rebranded Howlers having five different players pick up multi-hit games. Robert Arias went 2-for-5, Anthony Martinez went 2-for-4 with a double, Gabriel Rodriguez went 2-for-4 with a stolen base, Luis De La Cruz went 2-for-4 with a double and a stolen base and Yaikel Mijares went 2-for-4.
Starting pitcher Joey Oakie was good, not great. He allowed one run on two hits in 3.0 innings with four strikeouts and three walks.
Zane Petty added a scoreless inning and the real workhorse of the game was Jervis Alfaro, who allowed two runs on five hits in 4.2 innings, but impressive struck out nine batters and walked one.
Alfaro ran out of steam just in time for the final batter of the game, who was retired by Angel Perez, who earned a one-pitch save.
Apr 2, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Atlanta Braves designated hitter Dominic Smith (8) celebrates a home run during the third inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images | Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images
The Atlanta Braves opened their West Coast road trip with a bang after Thursday night’s 17-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Atlanta lineup racked up 16 hits, and for the first time since 2001, every member of the starting lineup recorded an RBI.
The @Braves: – Get an RBI from EVERY member of their starting lineup for the first time since 2001 🤯 – Score the most runs in a game this season 😤 pic.twitter.com/dil5DRxAsB
It was a successful night for the pitchers, too, who allowed a combined six hits. Reynaldo López got the start, lasted five innings, and required two relievers to finish the game.
The series continues with another late night matchup Friday at 9:45 ET behind Grant Holmes.
BRADENTON, FL - MARCH 20: Konnor Griffin #75 of the Pittsburgh Pirates smiles after receiving the 2025 Minor League Baseball Rawlings Gold Glove Award prior to the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Pittsburgh Pirates at LECOM Park on Friday, March 20, 2026 in Bradenton, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates have announced that Konnor Griffin will be on their big league roster for the home opener against the Baltimore Orioles. There are also reports that Griffin and the organization are finalizing what will be a record breaking contract extension for the 19-year-old superstar.
News of the extension was broke by ESPN’s Buster Olney on X, stating that Griffin and the Pirates were working on signing a nine-year $140 million extension. This contract would make Griffin the highest paid player in franchise history, breaking the record previously held by All-Star Bryan Reynolds who received an eight-year $106.75 million extension in 2023. Griffin’s deal would have him making roughly $15.5 million a year.
Konnor Griffin's deal with the Pirates: nine years, $140 million. They're still working on finalizing.
Not only does it shatter any contract records from previous Pirates, it also breaks new ground for extensions given to a player with no service time in Major League Baseball. The previous record was held by the Seattle Mariners’ top prospect, Colt Emerson, who signed a deal for eight-years $95 million just days before the news broke of Griffin’s deal. The timing of this signing plays into future endeavors for the Pirates as well. Through the Prospect Promotions Incentive the organization could gain future draft capital if Griffin finishes as the Rookie of the Year or has a year where he finishes as a top MVP candidate before his arbitration period.
A contract of this size is unprecedented and uncharted territory for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Griffin’s contract extension to reiterate is the largest in franchise history, but this also could be a sign of things changing within the organization. In the Bob Nutting era the Pirates have been notoriously cheap. It took ten years between 2016 and 2026 for the organization to sign a free-agent to a multi-year contract. Now though the Pirates have shown that they are willing to make splash signings, be aggressive in the trade market and commit serious money to their young stars. Griffin could be just the first star for the Pirates to be tied down with a contract of this size. One would think that players like Paul Skenes, Bubba Chandler and Brandon Lowe could be in line for extensions as well.
Griffin is the top prospect in baseball and although many were shocked that he got sent down to Triple-A following spring training, everyone knew it was only going to be a matter of time before he got promoted to Pittsburgh. While in Indianapolis he had a slash line of .438/.571/.625 with three steals and seven hits in 16 at bats.
The Konnor Griffin era in Pittsburgh is officially upon us. The Pirates made an incredible move to lock down a player like Griffin who shows promise to be a franchise cornerstone. Griffin is already in rarefied air, as he joins a small elite group of former top prospects to debut in the majors as a teenager. The likes of Barry Bonds, Ken Griffey Jr., and Bryce Harper all blazed their paths in baseball as teenagers and now Griffin is set to do the same as Pittsburgh’s big league shortstop of the future.
