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Bo Bichette steps up with two RBI, Clay Holmes solid in Mets' 4-2 win over Cardinals

The Mets recorded 10 hits and the bullpen tossed 4.1 scoreless innings to beat the St. Louis Cardinals, 4-2, on Monday night.

Here are the takeaways...

--  Francisco Lindor tripled for the second straight day to leadoff the game against Kyle Leahy, coming up just short of his first home run of the season with a blast off of the right-center field wall. Following some drama Sunday, Lindor opted to not run home on Juan Soto's hard grounder to short, but scored on Bo Bichette's ground ball to second to go up 1-0 as JJ Wetherholt couldn't get the ball out in time and had to turn to first base.

Lindor tied Jose Reyes in Mets franchise history with two triples through four games. It's also the first time he's tripled in back-to-back games as he's already doubled his 2025 total (zero). 

-- Bichette stepped up again and gave the Mets a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth inning, ripping a two-out single to right field that scored Carson Benge from third. 

Bichette also looked more comfortable at third base on Monday night. He made a nice backhand stop and a perfect throw in the first-inning to get Iván Herrera out at first base. The former SS nearly did it again in the second inning, but Jordan Walker reached first safely.

-- Clay Holmes was solid in his first outing of the 2026 campaign, allowing two runs on four hits over 5.2 IP (90 pitches) with five strikeouts and three walks. The righty forced eight groundouts, including a double play, and two flyouts.

He issued a leadoff walk to Wetherholt in the first inning, as the rookie advanced to second on a ground out and reached third on a balk. The right-hander then let up an RBI-single to Alec Burleson that tied the game up at 1-1.

Holmes got back-to-back strikeouts to end the first inning and after getting his pitch count up, settled in after the third inning for the rest of the game. He retired seven straight Cardinals into the sixth inning before allowing a two-out home run to Brendan Gorman, ending his night with the Mets up 4-2.

-- Starting for the first time, Jared Young made it a 3-1 game in the sixth inning with an RBI double to the right-center gap, scoring Brett Baty (single) from first base. Defensively, Young had no issues at first base, including a clean flip on a slow-roller to Holmes covering first to end the third inning. He finished the day 1-for-4 with the RBI and a run scored.

After Lindor got hit in the foot by Matt Svanson to load the bases in the sixth inning, Juan Soto picked up an RBI on a walk, extending New York's lead to 4-1.

-- Benge got his first start in CF and went 2-for-4 with a run scored and two stolen bases. Carlos Mendoza decided to put Luis Robert Jr. in as a pinch-runner for Young in the seventh inning, moving Benge to right for Robert in the bottom half with Baty sliding to first base. DH-ing Monday night, Jorge Polanco went 2-for-5 with a ground-rule double.

-- Tobias Myers replaced Holmes and got a flyout to end the sixth inning. He then struck out the side in the seventh on 12 pitches. Brooks Raley pitched a scoreless eighth inning, topping out at 91.4 mph and allowing just a single. Devin Williams shut things down with a 1-2-3 ninth, earning his first save as a Met.

Game MVP: Bo Bichette

Bichette bounced back from a tough opening series, finishing the game 1-for-5 with two RBI. 

Highlights

Upcoming schedule

The Mets continue their series against the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday at 7:45 p.m. on SNY.

Kodai Senga will face right-hander Andre Pallante.

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Cody Ponce Injured in Blowout Loss, 14-5

Mar 30, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays Brendon Little (54) reacts after giving up a hit during the sixth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images | Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images

The big story tonight was Cody Ponce’s injury. He had to leave on the cart, and while we can hope it isn’t serious he had the look of a guy who’s resigning himself to something terrible as he rode off. It was a devastating turn for a guy who’s more than paid his dues to make it back to the major leagues.

Otherwise, it was all bad. Bad pitching, no offence, and some uncharacteristic errors. Just a grim evening all around.

Ponce’s MLB return started well before quickly turning into a disaster. He at the Rockies down in order in the first with the help of a nice running grab by Addison Barger in the right field alley. He gave up a double in the second when TJ Rumfield went down and got a fastball on the outside corner and lined it to left, but got out of it without conceding a score. He walked the lead-off hitter in the third, then bounced back with a strikeout of Edouard Julien. He fell delivering a pitch to Jake McCarthy. It looked like his cleat slipped coming down the mound. That was a balk, advancing the runner to third. McCarthy hit a dribbler up the first base line that Ponce tried to field but bobbled, allowing McCarthy to reach and the runner to score. A couple steps after missing the ball, Ponce landed awkwardly and appeared to twist his right knee before going down in a heap. He was clearly in a lot of pain, and ultimately had to be carted off. Louis Varland took over, striking out the next two batters.

The offence couldn’t figue Tomoyuki Sugano out. Jesus Sanchez lined a single in the bottom of the first, but that was all the Jays could manage. They went down in order in the second, including a swinging K by Sugano’s long time teammate Kazuma Okamoto. Finally, with two out in the third, George Springer got into one, firing a laser to left-centre to tie the game at one.

Varland came back for the fourth. He gave up a line single to Ezequiel Tovar, who stole second. Varland got the next two, but then Ernie Clement booted a very routine grounder. It was the kind of error he usually just doesn’t make, but it allowed Tovar to score and extended the inning. Kyle Karros followed with an infield single, pushing Varland to 30 pitches and forcing John Schneider to make a change earlier than he would have hoped. Spencer Miles punched out the next batter to end the inning, limiting the damage at least.

Sugano continued to roll in the fourth, striking out Vladimir Guerrero jr. and Addison Barger. Alejandro Kirk walked on a pitch clock violation, but they couldn’t capitalize.

Mile came back for the fifth. He got a pair of fly outs and had a soft line single erased when Kirk gunned down Hunter Goodman stealing second. Okamoto worked a leadoff walk in the bottom half. Sugano go the next two batters, but was then pulled for Jaden Hill rather than seeing the top of the order a third time. Hill got Springer to ground out to end the inning.

The wheels came completely off for the Jays in the sixth. Miles returned and struck out Tovar, but then he gave up a line single to Rumfield, then a homer to Troy Johnston that extended Colorado’s lead to 4-1. The next batter walked, and that was it for Miles. Brendon Little got his first batter swinging, but then a pair of singles, a walk, and a pop up down the first base line that Addison Barger misplayed into a double resulted in two more runs. Tovar followed with a real double to clear the runners and make it 9-1.

At that point it was pretty much over. Tyler Rogers handled the seventh, while Tyler Heineman was called on to mop up. He gave up four in the eighth and one more in the ninth. His 22.5 ERA is less than half Brendon Little’s.

The Jays at least gave the crowd a bit of a show in the eighth. Andres Gimenez hit a solo homer and, following a Jesus Sanchez single, pinch hitter Davis Scheider went yard as well. Okamoto chipped in a solo shot of his own in the ninth.

Jays of the Day: Nobody

Less so: Miles (-0.11) and Little (-0.12) qualify, and Little especially deserves it, but this one was a team effort.

We’ll be back tomorrow at 7:07pm ET. Ryan Feltner goes for the Rockies, while Max Scherzer makes his 2026 debut for the Jays. And hey, it almost has to go better!

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Islanders allow seven unanswered goals in 8-3 loss to Penguins

NEW YORK (AP) — Anthony Mantha had two goals and an assist, Rickard Rakell scored twice and the Pittsburgh Penguins rallied to defeat the New York Islanders 8-3 on Monday night in a crucial game in the competitive Eastern Conference playoff race.

The Penguins trailed 3-1 midway through the second period before scoring four times in less than 6 1/2 minutes to take over. Their seventh goal on their 28th shot eight minutes into the third chased Ilya Sorokin, who was done in by porous defense in front of him and relieved by backup David Rittich.

Pittsburgh with the regulation victory leapfrogged New York into second place in the Metropolitan Division, 90 points to 89. The Penguins have eight games left in the regular season compared to seven for the Islanders, who could find themselves outside a spot as early as Tuesday night depending on results of their next game and others in contention in the East.

Returning from a one-game injury absence, Sidney Crosby was one of 15 skaters on his team to register a point in a significant bounce back from losing at home to Dallas without him on Saturday. Longtime running mate Evgeni Malkin missed a fourth consecutive game and is considered day to day.

The Islanders are relatively healthy, but their details were sorely lacking in blowing a multigoal lead and doing so in stunning fashion. They had allowed seven goals in their previous four games combined, with Hall of Fame goaltender coach Patrick Roy preaching a 0-0 mindset and relying on Sorokin to make up for any mistakes.

Even Sorokin could not compensate against the Penguins, who got solid goaltending from Arturs Silovs.

Up next

Penguins: Stuart Skinner is expected to start Tuesday night at home against the Detroit Red Wings.

Islanders: Visit the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night, with Sorokin potentially in line to get the nod again.

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Leiter and Burger lead the Rangers to a 5-2 victory over the Orioles

BALTIMORE (AP) — Jack Leiter struck out eight in six strong innings and Jake Burger drove in two runs to lead the Texas Rangers to a 5-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Monday night.

Leiter (1-0) had a stretch of five straight strikeouts and appeared to have a sixth for the second out in the fifth, but Colton Cowser won an ABS challenge on a called third strike and turned it into a base hit. Blaze Alexander singled and Gunnar Henderson had a two-out single to cut it to 4-2 before Leiter struck out Pete Alonso to end the inning with runners at the corners.

Leiter allowed five hits and a walk in leading Texas to its third straight win. Jakob Junis and Jalen Beeks each pitched a scoreless inning before Tyler Alexander struck out two in the ninth for his second save.

Brandon Nimmo singled leading off the game against Chris Bassitt (0-1) — making his first start for the Orioles — before scoring on a fielder's choice by Burger for a 1-0 lead.

Henderson hit his first home run of the season to tie it in the first.

Kyle Higashioka walked following a leadoff double by Evan Carter in the second, and Nimmo singled for a 2-1 lead. Burger had an RBI single and Joc Pederson added a sacrifice fly to make it 4-1.

Burger doubled and scored on a one-out single by Josh Smith in the ninth off Tyler Wells.

The 37-year-old Bassitt needed 60 pitches to get through the first two innings. He was done after 4 1/3 innings and 100 pitches, allowing four runs on six hits and four walks.

Up next

Orioles RHP Zach Eflin will make his first start of the season Tuesday. The Rangers hadn't announced a scheduled starter.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

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Blue Jays pitcher Cody Ponce carted off field with injury in first MLB start since 2021

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Cody Ponce #66 of the Toronto Blue Jays falls to the ground with an injury, Image 2 shows Cody Ponce of the Toronto Blue Jays being carted off the field due to an injury

Cody Ponce’s debut with the Blue Jays and first MLB start in five years ended in nightmare fashion.

The 31-year-old, who last pitched for the Pirates in 2021 and last started a game in May of that season. 

Ponce suffered a leg injury running to field a bouncer between the mound and first base during the third inning of the Blue Jays’ game against the Rockies at Rogers Centre on Monday. 

He stayed down on the ground, wincing in pain before being attended to by the team’s training staff after his right leg appeared to buckle as it landed stiffly. He briefly grabbed for the back of his knee.

Ponce was able to stand and walk toward a cart before being driven off the field. The former Brewers second-round pick in 2015 was noticeably emotional, blowing kisses and lifting his cap to the Canadian crowd.

Cody Ponce #66 of the Toronto Blue Jays is carted off the field with an injury in a break in play against the Colorado Rockies during the third inning in their MLB game at the Rogers Centre on March 30, 2026. Getty Images

He was part of a retooling of the defending American League champion’s pitching staff that included signing Dylan Cease to a seven-year, $210 million contract and top reliever Tyler Rogers to a three-year, $37 million deal.

Ponce pitched two scoreless innings for the undefeated Blue Jays before a run scored on the play he was injured on. 

Cody Ponce of the Toronto Blue Jays falls to the ground with an injury during the third inning in their MLB game against the Colorado Rockies at the Rogers Centre on March 30, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Getty Images

He has been fighting to get another shot in the majors after his disastrous 2021, which saw him go 0-6 with a 7.04 ERA, mostly out of the bullpen. Ponce spent three seasons in Japan before pitching in Korea in 2025.  

It’s now unclear when he will be back on the mound for the Blue Jays.

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Knicks officially clinch Eastern Conference top-six seed in 2026 NBA Playoffs

The Knicks are officially the third Eastern Conference team to clinch a spot in the 2026 NBA Playoffs.

While Monday was an off day for New York, they were able to lock up their spot with the 76ers’ loss to the Heat. 

This marks the fourth consecutive year they are headed to the postseason. 

Regardless of how the final few games of the regular season play out, the Knicks can now finish no worse than the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference.

They currently sit in third, 2.0 games behind the Celtics and 1.5 up on the No. 4 seed Cavaliers with seven games left.

Both Boston and the top-seeded Pistons have also already locked up their spots in the postseason. 

New York has once again been led by captain Jalen Brunson in their first year under head coach Mike Brown. 

Brunson performed well enough to land his third consecutive All-Star appearance, averaging 26.7 points and 6.7 assists while shooting 46.3 percent from the field on the season.

He'll look to get the Knicks over the hump after their Eastern Conference Finals exit at the hands of the Pacers. 

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The Washington Nationals demolish the Phillies in a 13-2 beat down

PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 30: Washington Nationals second baseman Luis García Jr. #2 hits the ball during the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Washington Nationals on March 30th, 2026 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PA. (Photo by Terence Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

It was a beatdown at Citizens Bank Park, but for the first time in a while, the Nats were the ones delivering the beating. They destroyed the Phillies in a 13-2 blowout. The good guys had 17 hits and had the Phillies by the neck from the jump. It has been a while since the Nats have delivered a beating like that.

With this 13 run performance, the Nats have their second double digit run game. That offense that we were worried about this spring just flipped the switch and has looked awesome in the regular season. The bats have been hunting in packs so far this season.

This win has the Nats up to 3-1, making this the team’s best start in a long time. We know this balloon can pop at any time, but I am having so much fun watching the Nats to start the season. They are playing a fun and energetic style of baseball with a ton of hustling and great at bats. Some of the defensive miscues still need to be cleaned up, but this group’s effort cannot be questioned.

Once again, the Nats offense was led by cult hero Joey Wiemer. While Wiemer finally got out today, he still had a really nice day at the plate. His season averages may have dropped, but Wiemer still went 2/4 with a walk. He also tied Carlos Delgado for the most consecutive plate appearances to start a season without getting out. This was an all time heater from Wiemer and it was truly amazing to watch.

It was not just him though, there were contributions up and down the lineup. Every Nat got at least one hit and seven had multi-hit games. It is tough to pick out an offensive star because everyone was getting knocks. If I had to pick one, I would probably choose Jose Tena, who had the only three hit game for the Nats.

The Nats weren’t doing this with the long ball either. This was just a steady barrage of base hits that came from stringing together quality at bats. I have not seen anything like it from this group in a while. So many times in the past, the Nats would have a big first inning and then pull their punches. Today, they kept their foot on the gas and made it so bad the Phillies had to bring in a position player to lob in pitches at the end.

On the mound, Foster Griffin made his Nats debut and he was solid. He threw five innings of two run ball. The southpaw faded a bit in the fifth inning, but did a nice job limiting the damage and finishing the inning. He did enough to get his first Nats win. I like Griffin’s deep pitch mix and command. He could be a guy who has a lot of success.

Overall, this was an exhilarating night for Nats fans. For so many years, the Nats were on the other end of these kinds of beat downs. It feels nice to be the ones delivering the punishment for once. This team may not end up being good, but they will be much more fun.

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Celtics lose 112-102 battle against soaring Hawks

ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 30: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celticsdrives to the basket during the game against the Atlanta Hawks on March 30, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Atlanta Hawks tied the season series 2-2 in their final game against the Boston Celtics with a 112-102 Monday-night win at the State Farm Arena, continuing the team’s 13-game winning streak at home.

The Celtics beat the Hawks 109-102 without Jaylen Brown three nights ago in Boston, but struggled to score against or stop Atlanta — which has won 16 of its last 18 games — on Monday without Jayson Tatum and Neemias Queta, both of whom sat out the night.

After playing last night in the win over the Charlotte Hornets, Tatum sat out the second night of the back-to-back for right Achilles repair management. Queta was inactive due to a right thumb strain.

The Celtics were also missing Nikola Vučević, who continues to recover from a fracture in his right ring finger, and Ron Harper Jr., who suffered a right ankle sprain against the Hornets.

On the other hand, Brown and Derrick White returned to the lineup after missing last night’s game with left Achilles tendonitis and a right knee contusion, respectively.

Boston started White, Brown, Jordan Walsh, Baylor Scheierman, and Luka Garza.

Atlanta started CJ McCollum, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, Johnson, and Onyeka Okongwu.

The Hawks’ only inactive player was Jock Landale, who sat out with an illness.

The start of the first quarter was all about Luka Garza. Garza scored 8 of the Celtics’ first 12 points with a handful of impressive plays, including a spin move from the free throw line to get a finger roll layup at the rim.

However, when Coach Joe Mazzulla pulled Garza about six minutes in for Amari Williams at center, it then became the Payton Pritchard show. Pritchard hit 3-5 from the field, with two three-pointers, one of which bounced high off the rim and fell back in.

Jaylen Brown struggled to find his own shot in the first quarter. He had a few early feeds to his teammates, but shot 2-7 from the floor, finishing the quarter with 6 points.

On the other end of the court, the Hawks did what they do best and forced 7 turnovers off the Celtics, converting on most of those takes. Johnson finished the quarter with 7 points and Zaccharie Risacher hit a pair of 3s for 6 points.

By the time the quarter ended, the Celtics were up 30-29, with Garza and Pritchard tied for the scoring lead at 8 points apiece.

The Hawks started the second quarter with three quick buckets to go up 36-30, while the Celtics did not score for almost 2:30 minutes.

Pritchard broke the seal with a short pullup jumper at 9:32 and Garza, who started the quarter, hit a three-pointer from the top of the key to bring the game to 35-36.

With about 8 minutes left to go in the quarter, Mazzulla subbed in Charles Bassey, who immediately made an impact with his defense and energy. He tapped in a rebound for a couple points and got a couple blocks in a row, then bothered a third shot on the next play.

Brown’s struggles continued into the second quarter, and he appeared frustrated with a lack of calls from the referees. He finished the half with 6 points — 0 in the second quarter — on 2-9 shooting from the field and 4 turnovers. He still contributed with 5 rebounds and 6 assists, but his own scoring game was rough as he was blanketed by Daniels from the jump.

Derrick White also struggled offensively to start the game, shooting 3-9 from the field and 1-4 from three-point range, but also chipped in with 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 block.

By the half, both teams were tied 54-54, with Garza and Pritchard still leading the pack with 13 points apiece. On the Hawks side, Dyson Daniels had 11 points and 3 steals, Jalen Johnson had 10 points, and team had racked up 10 steals as a whole.

Maybe Brown got through to the refs over the halftime break because he got a couple fouls calls to go his way early in the third quarter. That may have boosted his confidence, as he then hit a slick midrange shot to put the Celtics up 59-58, but he continued to struggle against Daniels and was 4-18 from the field by the end of the period.

Garza’s contributions continued in the third. He hit his second three-pointer about 4 minutes into the quarter to get to 16 points on 6-6 shooting, then made an impressive effort play a play or two later, where he saved the ball and got it to Brown for a bucket.

Pritchard also chipped in with another three-pointer, but the Hawks went on a 16-5 run over about four minutes in the third quarter and took the game’s first double-digit lead, 79-68, near the end of the period on an easy under-the-rim basket by Jonathan Kuminga.

The Celtics battled back with a few buckets, including a nice Hugo Gonzalez three-pointer, but Daniels hit a second three-pointer (he went 2-2 through the third quarter despite shooting 15% from three-point range for the season) to put the Hawks up 90-76 by the end of the quarter.

Daniels finished the quarter with 18 points, leading all players in points on 8-9 shooting from the field.

The Hawks’ barrage continued with a CJ McCollum three-pointer and floater in the first couple minutes into the fourth quarter to put Atlanta up 95-77, and their defense did not let up.

With about 8 minutes to go in the game, the Hawks were up 101-80 and the Celtics could get nothing to fall. Brown was 5-21 from the field, White was 3-12, Jordan Walsh was 1-4 and Baylor Scheierman was 1-3. Garza even missed his first shot of the night, ruining his perfect evening.

When the Celtics broke through the Hawks defense with a Scheierman three-pointer and a putback layup by Garza, Atlanta called a timeout with 5:45 minutes to go in the game.

That failed to stop Boston’s mini-run, as Brown got a thunderous dunk shortly after to extend it to a 7-0 run. Garza then got a cutting layup on the next play to get to 20 points for the night and bring the Celtics back to within 12 of the Hawks, at 89-101.

Johnson hit a jumper, but Walsh hit a 26-footer on an assist from Brown, then Brown hit a pullup three-pointer to cut the lead to 8 points, 95-103.

Brown hit another three-pointer shortly after to keep the game interesting, but it was just about over by the time he missed his next attempt with 1:37 to go.

The game was sealed when Walsh fouled Alexander-Walker on a three-point attempt, allowing the Hawks to extend the lead back up to 11 points with less than a minute to go.

Over the course of the game, the Celtics turned the ball over 14 times and shot 41.2% from the field. The Hawks solidly outshot Boston, hitting 46.7% from the field and 39.5% from three-point range.

A late burst from Jaylen Brown got him to 29 points, 10 rebounds, 9 assists for the night on 9-29 shooting from the field and 8-14 shooting from the line. He also had 6 turnovers.

Garza was the team’s second-leading scorer with 20 points and 9 rebounds on 8-9 shooting from the field over 28 minutes.

Pritchard finished with 16 points on 4-6 shooting from three-point range, but posted Boston’s worst +/- of the night with -19 over his 25:33 minutes of play time.

White ended the game with 7 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal and 2 blocks on 3-12 shooting from the field and 1-6 shooting from three-point range.

On the Hawks side, Johnson finished with 20 points, 12 rebounds and 5 assists on 53.8% shooting from the floor. Okongwu also finished with 20 points, 10 rebounds, 3 rebounds, 3 steals and a block. Daniels finished with 18 points on 8-11 shooting from the field, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals.

The Celtics are 7-5 on the second night of back-to-back games following tonight’s loss.

Boston is now 50-25 and two games up on the New York Knicks for the 2nd seed in the Eastern Conference, with only seven games left to be played in the regular season.

The Celtics’ next game will be against the Miami Heat at 7:30 p.m. EST on Wednesday, April 1, at the Kaseya Center in Miami. ESPN will broadcast the game.

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MLB Rookie of the Year Predictions 2026: Early Picks and Weekend Overreactions

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Chase DeLauter is on pace for 162 home runs! Sal Stewart is batting a very sustainable .700! Surely, they are locks to take home the American League and National League Rookie of the Year honors this fall.

Slow your roll. As impressive as they are, there's a chance that we're jumping the gun here. 

Below, I identify how the MLB Rookie of the Year odds markets have overreacted to these performances — and make some MLB Rookie of the Year predictions for guys offering real value in the respective ROY markets.

Rookie of the Year overreactions and early picks for 2026

OverreactionEarly pick
Guardians Chase DeLauter
+350		Orioles Samuel Basallo
+2000
Reds Sal Stewart
+450		Marlins Owen Caissie
+1300

Early American League Rookie of the Year pick + overreaction

AL Rookie of the Year overreaction: Crown Chase DeLauter already!

Cleveland Guardians outfielder Chase DeLauter hit two home runs on Opening Day against the Mariners and finished the four-game set by going 6-for-17 with four long balls.

It was a historic debut for the 24-year-old, who became just the third player in MLB history to homer in each of his first three games (funnily enough, fellow AL ROY contender Munetaka Murakami became the fourth shortly after).

DeLauter is not without pedigree, either, as the 24-year-old entered the season as Cleveland's No. 2 prospect and was ranked 44th overall by MLB Pipeline. Chances are, he'd have been even higher were it not for a history of injury concerns throughout his minor-league career.

In February, DeLauter was +2000 to win AL ROY. That number shrank to +1200 ahead of Opening Day. He's on a real upward trajectory, so hopefully you got in on the ground floor.

DeLauter odds to win ROY: +350 at FanDuel

AL Rookie of the Year pick: Don't forget about Samuel Basallo

As part of the "what have you done for me lately" crowd, Baltimore Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo seems like a forgotten man after baseball's first weekend. It's easy to see why, as he has just two hits (both singles) in 10 at-bats, but this is the perfect time to pump the brakes.

Basallo has prodigious power, as evidenced by the 23 home runs he hit in 76 games at Triple-A in 2025. The Orioles have also shown that they are not going to mess around with his playing time. Even when Adley Rutschman has been behind the plate, Basallo has served as designated hitter and first baseman.

The 21-year-old slugger was +1100 on Opening Day, so this movement is offering a ton of value.

Basallo odds to win ROY: +2000 at FanDuel

Current AL Rookie of the Year odds & favorites

PlayerOdds
Tigers Kevin McGonigle+300
Guardians Chase DeLauter+350
White Sox Munetaka Murakami+650
Blue Jays Kazuma Okamoto+700
Royals Carter Jensen+1600

Early National League Rookie of the Year pick + overreaction

NL Rookie of the Year overreaction: Sal Stewart is a hitter's name

Cincinnati Reds infielder Sal Stewart has seen his odds halved from +900 entering Opening Day to +450 after just three games.

Stewart went 7-for-10 with a home run, three doubles, and three walks while not striking out once while terrorizing Red Sox pitching over the weekend. Obviously, he won't hit .700 all season, but he showed why his bat has been so highly touted. And while he will certainly strike out eventually, he might not exhibit a ton of swing and miss, either, as he hovered around a 15% strikeout rate throughout his minor-league career.

Add in the fact that he plays his home games at hitter-friendly Great American Ballpark, and Stewart will become a Cincinnati folk hero by July, with an NL Rookie of the Year award soon following based on this pace.

Stewart odds to win ROY: +450 at FanDuel

NL Rookie of the Year pick: Owen Caissie isn't a platoon bat

I wanted sportsbooks to overreact to Konnor Griffin starting the season in Triple-A while his peers lit up the MLB scoreboard, but so far, that hasn't materialized, as he's still a robust +700. 

While I'm tempted to go with a pitcher that has yet to debut in either Bubba Chandler or Andrew Painter (both of whom I highlighted in our MLB Rookie of the Year odds), I want to single out Miami Marlins outfielder Owen Caissie, whose odds have only slightly shortened from +1800 to +1300 after an impressive weekend.

Caissie wasn't initially in Miami's Opening Day lineup against the Rockies because left-hander Kyle Freeland was on the mound, but was a late add due to a Christopher Morel scratch. He hit a double off Freeland. 

The lefty slugger followed that up by going 3-for-4 on Saturday, before being relegated to bench duties on Sunday (again with a lefty on the mound), but entered as a pinch-hitter, ultimately walking off the Rockies with a mammoth home run.

Caissie got his first taste of the majors last summer, and it didn't go so well, but it looks like the jitters are all the way gone, and this line won't last much longer either.

Caissie odds to win ROY: +1300 at FanDuel

Current NL Rookie of the Year odds & favorites

PlayerOdds
Cardinals JJ Wetherholt+450
Reds Sal Stewart+450
Mets Nolan McLean+550
Pirates Konnor Griffin+700
Marlins Owen Caissie+1300

More MLB odds and picks from Covers

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Islanders give away pair of two-goal leads to Penguins in embarrassing collapse

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Goaltender Ilya Sorokin #30 of the New York Islanders reacts after he gives up a goal during the second period at UBS Arena, Monday, March 30, 2026, in Elmont, NY. , Image 2 shows New York Islanders player Mathew Barzal attempting to score against Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Arturs Silovs

From comeback to collapse.

After scoring five second-period goals to overcome a two-goal deficit in Saturday’s win over the Panthers, the Islanders allowed the Penguins to do the same Monday, closing a crucial five-game homestand by surrendering seven unanswered goals in an 8-3 loss at UBS Arena. The embarrassing defensive effort — in which the Islanders allowed the most goals in a game this season — led to Ilya Sorokin being pulled for just the second time this season, as the team gave away a pair of two-goal advantages and a massive opportunity in the crowded Eastern Conference standings.

“We were just awful defensively,” defenseman Ryan Pulock said. “We know what we did. We know what went wrong. We know what we need to do to play the right way … That’s not us.”

In a potential playoff preview, the Penguins (37-21-16, 90 points) earned their first regulation win in two weeks and jumped ahead of the Islanders (42-28-5, 89 points) for second place in the Metropolitan Division. The Islanders remain one point ahead of Columbus for the final wild-card spot, while Ottawa — the next closest playoff contender — is three points behind the Islanders, with two games in hand.

Goaltender Ilya Sorokin #30 of the New York Islanders reacts after he gives up a goal during the second period at UBS Arena, Monday, March 30, 2026, in Elmont, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST

Seven games remain — including Tuesday at Buffalo — in the regular season. Five more will come at home. Ultimately, this loss may not impact the Islanders’ playoff hopes. But conveying that to the packed house in Elmont was impossible, as the collective mood segued from elation to silence in barely three and a half minutes.

For 23 minutes, Ilya Sorokin was impenetrable. Anders Lee was opportunistic, burying a backhand off the boards for the game’s first goal in the opening minutes of the second period. Mathew Barzal was a magician, setting up scoring chances virtually every time he touched the puck. He put the Islanders up 2-0 with a wrist shot 2:56 into the second period, then later fired a shot that rebounded off Pittsburgh’s Arturs Silovs, which allowed Brayden Schenn to score for the second straight game, putting the Islanders up 3-1 with 10:43 remaining in the second period and halfway to a three-point lead over the Penguins.

Then, the defense disappeared, repeatedly putting Sorokin on an island, leading to three Pittsburgh goals in the span of 3:34, beginning with Rickard Rakell’s short-handed goal.

Rickard Rakell #67 of the Pittsburgh Penguins scores a goal pass goaltender Ilya Sorokin #30 of the New York Islanders during the second period at UBS Arena, Monday, March 30, 2026, in Elmont, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST

“It was definitely a turning point in that game, but after that we had a chance to get back in the game and we didn’t match [them],” coach Patrick Roy said. “The momentum shifted and we just couldn’t get it back … It stings that we’ve been doing so well lately and we just had a bad one in the system.

“You don’t like to be embarrassed like this in front of your fans, so we need to regroup and be ready for [Buffalo]. … We can’t give that many chances and think we’re gonna win hockey games.”

Just 2:29 after the short-handed goal, Ryan Shea tied it with a one-timer. Then, Anthony Mantha broke free, beating Sorokin five-hole to put the Penguins ahead with 6:25 left in the second period. Mantha closed the period with another goal, taking advantage of a defensive breakdown to beat Sorokin with a backhand.

Arturs Silovs #37 of the Pittsburgh Penguins defends the net against center Mathew Barzal #13 of the New York Islanders during the first period at UBS Arena, Monday, March 30, 2026, in Elmont, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST

After the Penguins scored two more to start the third period, Isles backup goalie David Rittich replaced Sorokin, who allowed seven goals on 28 shots. Sorokin had allowed a total of four goals in the previous four games.

“We let him down,” Kyle MacLean said. “He’s been so good for us and we can’t play like that in front of him. He deserves better.”

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Miguel Vargas hits grand slam, White Sox beat Marlins 9-4 for first win of the season

MIAMI (AP) — Miguel Vargas hit a grand slam and drove in a career-high six runs, Austin Hays hammered a three-run shot and the Chicago White Sox beat the Miami Marlins 9-4 on Monday night for their first win this season.

Batting leadoff, Vargas drove in Everson Pereira with a single in the third inning. Hays' homer to right field quickly made it 4-0.

Vargas' slam in the fourth gave the White Sox an 8-0 cushion. Luisangel Acuña scored in the sixth on Vargas' sacrifice fly.

Tristan Peters and Pereira each had two hits for Chicago. Munetaka Murakami went 1 for 5 with a single, ending his home run streak at three games.

Davis Martin (1-0) allowed three runs and five hits in five innings with six strikeouts and two walks. Sean Newcomb fanned five in 2 2/3 innings of relief, and Jordan Hicks got four outs for his first save with Chicago.

Liam Hicks homered and knocked in three runs for Miami. He got the Marlins (3-1) on the board with a two-run shot in the fourth and added an RBI single in the eighth. Jakob Marsee had a run-scoring single in the fifth.

Miami starter Chris Paddack (0-1) pitched four innings, giving up eight runs and eight hits on 79 pitches. He struck out six and walked none.

Up next

Chicago RHP Erick Fedde (4-13, 5.49 ERA) starts Tuesday night against RHP Janson Junk (6-4, 4.17) in the middle game of the series.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

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GameThread: Tigers vs. Diamondbacks, 10:10 p.m.

Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander practices during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Detroit Tigers vs. Arizona Diamondbacks

Time/Place: 10:10 p.m., Chase Field
SB Nation Site: AZ Snake Pit
Media: Detroit Sportsnet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Pitching Matchup: RHP Justin Verlander (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. RHP Michael Soroka (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

* Note: Stats in the table below are Fangraphs’ 2026 projections

PlayerGIPK%BB%ERAFIPfWAR
Verlander26140.019.7%7.6%4.494.531.5
Soroka52101.023.5%8.7%4.034.040.7

Lineups

TIGERSDIAMONDBACKS
Kerry Carpenter – RFKetel Marte – 2B
Gleyber Torres – 2BCorbin Carroll – RF
Colt Keith – DHGeraldo Perdomo – SS
Riley Greene – LFGabriel Moreno – C
Spencer Torkelson – 1BNolan Arenado – 3B
Kevin McGonigle – 3BAlek Thomas – CF
Dillon Dingler – CCarlos Santana – 1B
Parker Meadows – CFIldemaro Vargas – DH
Javier Baez – SSJordan Lawlar – LF

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Hawks hold on to defeat Celtics 112-102 for 13th straight home win

ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 30: Dyson Daniels #5 of the Atlanta Hawks dribbles the ball during the game against the Boston Celtics on March 30, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Atlanta Hawks were in action on Monday evening to face the Boston Celtics. It was just two games ago that these two saw each other, with the Celtics walking away with the victory. The Hawks came into this one with a rest advantage as the Celtics just faced the Charlotte Hornets yesterday.

Jayson Tatum and Neemias Queta were ruled out for this matchup, and Jock Landale was out for the Hawks due to illness.

The Hawks were active on defense early, which led to an easy bucket in transition for Onyeka Okongwu.

Dyson Daniels got two feet in the paint on this bucket.

The Celtics made a little separation as the quarter progressed, but the Hawks were right there. Mouhamed Gueye came in and made his presence felt in the paint.

The defense continued to make plays, and this time it was Jonathan Kuminga with a big block on Jaylen Brown.

Zaccharie Risacher knocked down two three-pointers during his stint in the quarter, which were big in keeping the Hawks in the game. They trailed 30-29 going into the second.

Kuminga cut his way through the basket for this easy layup.

Daniels got in rhythm on this three-pointer to extend the Hawks’ lead.

Brown exposed the ball with his left hand on this one, and Daniels came to in to steal it and score on the other end.

It was a competitive half, and both teams went into the locker room tied at 54.

It was a good start to the quarter for the Hawks, and Okongwu was able to knock down back-to-back three-pointers to give them the lead. Later on, Johnson found Daniels for an alley-oop.

Okongwu continued to light it up in the third.

The Hawks kept their lead throughout the quarter, and it was what they did on defense that helped them. On offense, they continued to get good looks at the rim.

Kuminga’s physicality led him to this and-one.

Daniels knocked down another three-pointer.

The Hawks went into the fourth leading 90-76.

McCollum got it going for the Hawks to start the quarter.

Okongwu knocked down another three-pointer.

The Hawks built a 21-point lead in the fourth, but the Celtics started to chip away at their deficit. The Hawks were able to weather the storm just a bit, but the Celtics continued to knock down shots, and got their deficit down to single digits.

Luckily for the Hawks, there just wasn’t enough time left for the Celtics to keep making their comeback.

Johnson finished with 20 points and 12 rebounds, Okongwu finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds, Daniels finished with 18 points, and Alexander-Walker finished with 17 points.

The Hawks will be back in action on Wednesday against the Orlando Magic.

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Dodgers vs. Guardians game I chat

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 27: Roki Sasaki #11 of the Los Angeles Dodgers takes the field during the 2025 Back-to-Back World Champions Ring Ceremony prior to the game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Los Angeles Dodgers at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Friday, March 27, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jessie Alcheh/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

The Dodgers are back after Sunday’s off day as they open up a three-game series against the Cleveland Guardians at home on Monday. Roki Sasaki makes his season debut against left-hander Parker Messick.

MONDAY GAME INFO
  • Teams: Dodgers vs. Guardians
  • Stadium: Dodger Stadium
  • Time: 7:10 p.m. PT
  • TV: SportsNet LA
  • Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 (Spanish)

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GAME THREAD: Guardians at Dodgers, game 5 of 162

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - MARCH 27: Kyle Manzardo #9 of the Cleveland Guardians walks on the field before a game against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on March 27, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. The Seattle Mariners won 5-1. (Photo by Maddy Grassy/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Here is the Guardians’ lineup:

Here is the Dodgers’ lineup:

Let’s go, Guardians!