PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 27: Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers drives to the basket as Ryan Rollins #13 of the Milwaukee Bucks plays defense during the game on January 27, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
We made it. There have been ups and downs, and not everyone has an appendix that started with one, but we have reached the final game of the 2025-26 NBA regular season. The entire Eastern Conference tips off at the same time this evening to allow for maximum suspense for different seeding permutations. If you’re reading a game preview for Game 82, I imagine you know the Sixers’ situation by now. Philadelphia needs to win and have both Orlando and Toronto lose to earn the sixth seed and avoid the Play-In. If the Sixers win and one of those two other teams wins, they’ll be the seventh seed and host the 7-vs-8 game. If they lose OR both of those other teams win, they’ll be the eighth seed and on the road for that game. Of course, with Orlando playing Boston, who is sitting everyone, and Toronto facing Brooklyn, who is Brooklyn, things aren’t looking great for our 76ers in the seeding race.
First things first, though, the Sixers need to take care of business against the Bucks, a prospect that isn’t as formidable as past years. Milwaukee sits at 32-49, currently with the 10th highest draft lottery odds. This Bucks season could serve as a reminder to Sixers fans that weird stuff happens with other franchises too. Giannis Antetokounmpo and management have been engaged in the most passive-aggressive NBA feud I can recall; he hasn’t played since March 15. Doc Rivers is using “look at my resume” as a locker room motivational speech and openly opining to reporters about spending more time with his grandkids.
Meanwhile, the Sixers’ vibes roller coaster is at another trough following Joel Embiid’s appendectomy surgery. The likeliest scenario is we have seen Embiid on the court for the last time until the fall. He and Johni Broome are both out tonight, the only members of the Sixers to appear on the injury report. However, Tyrese Maxey’s pinky still looks like it’s bothering him to some extent. Aside from all the obvious benefits of avoiding the Play-In Tournament, getting Maxey an extra half week of rest would seemingly be very helpful. But again, it’s Boston’s C squad and the Nets we are counting on, so let’s not get carried away.
It’s possible that the Sixers only have three games remaining this season. Even if you’re in the camp of not thinking this game will matter much, just remember how late June feels when you’re jonesing just to watch G Leaguers and future Euro league guys wear glorified pinnies with Sixers written on them out in Vegas. Tyrese Maxey is still capable of brilliance with nine healthy fingers, Paul George has turned back the clock at least a couple years since coming back from suspension, and VJ Edgecombe can put a stamp on what has been an outstanding rookie season. Enjoy this somewhat important, but probably ultimately not super critical game, before the stakes kick up quite a few notches this upcoming week.
Game Details
When: Sunday, April 12, 6:00 PM ET Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic Follow:@LibertyBallers
It shows Rogie Vachon, left hand tucked into a pocket of his bell-bottom jeans and a cigar wedged between two fingers of his right hand, which rests on the hood of a new Mercedes in an empty parking lot outside the Forum. His open V-neck shirt has huge lapels, his hair hangs down to his shoulders and a bushy mustache creases his smiling face, leaving Vachon looking more like the bassist for Spinal Tap than an NHL goaltender.
And that was the point.
Hockey was a bruising, inelegant sport played in the frozen tundra of Canada and the upper Midwest when Vachon was traded from the Montreal Canadiens to the Kings in the winter of 1971. The NHL had expanded to California four seasons earlier, yet even taken together the Kings and California Seals weren’t drawing enough fans to merit the word “crowd.”
“We were the punchline of a bad joke for a lot of years,” said Mike Murphy, who played with Vachon on those early Kings teams.
Rogie Vachon was the first player to have his jersey number retired by the Kings following his retirement. (Bruce Bennett Studios / Getty Images)
Hockey was wilting in the sun. If the sport was going to survive in the desert it needed stars, it needed personalities and it needed a cultural makeover — especially in Los Angeles, where the box-office draw was everything.
That’s where Vachon, a small-town farm boy from French-speaking Quebec, came in.
“It was really a culture shock,” he said. “In Montreal we won three [Stanley] Cups in four years. And then I come to L.A.; it’s sunny every time we go to practice or the game. Not a whole lot of people in the stands. Our team was pretty lousy too.
“So yeah it was a hell of a culture shock.”
Which brings up back to that 1975 photo, with the long-haired Vachon and his ferret-sized mustache looking fabulous in front of the Forum.
The clean shave and conservative haircut he had been forced to wear in Montreal were gone and Vachon was all Hollywood cool, as if Central Casting had created a West Coast hockey player — one with an unforgettable French-Canadian name full of soft vowels and voiced fricatives — and dressed him in a purple-and-gold No. 30 jersey.
And it worked.
“I think the fans really adopted me when I got there, probably because of my style,” said Vachon, who stretched out to 5-foot-8 if he stood on his tippy toes, but had a heart bigger than his body. “I was pretty quick. Small, but you know the style I was playing was very aggressive.
By the end of his third full season in L.A., Vachon had become Southern California’s first hockey star and the face of a franchise that badly needed one. He was not just a crowd favorite, NHL All-Star and the team’s first Vezina Trophy finalist, but he started the Kings on a streak that would see them qualify for the playoffs nine straight times, still a franchise record.
Not even Wayne Gretzky could match that.
“He was very popular,” said Hall of Fame broadcaster Bob Miller, who began calling Kings games in Vachon’s second season in L.A. “He was very approachable. He was so dynamic and friendly. He made people want to come out and see games.”
Vachon, 80, did more than help the Kings survive, he helped them thrive. As a player he led the team to its first winning record, then returned to become the general manager who traded for Gretzky and drafted Hall of Famers Luc Robitaille and Rob Blake. He also had a winning record in three stints as an interim coach, making him the only man in franchise history to serve as a player, assistant coach, head coach and general manager.
Kings goaltender Rogie Vachon tries to avoid a collision with Chicago's Stan Mikita and the Kings' Dave Hutchison during a game in March 1977. (Fred Jewell / Associated Press)
In his last five seasons as the Kings’ goaltender, Vachon ranked in the top five in wins four times. In 1974-75, he led the NHL in save percentage (.927), had a career-best 2.24 goals-against average and finished 14 points behind Bobby Clarke in voting for the Hart Memorial Trophy, the league’s MVP award.
In many ways it remains the best regular season in franchise history, with the team earning a record 105 points and a .656 winning percentage in an 80-game season. It lost just 17 times, also a team record for a full season.
By the time Vachon left after seven seasons, the Kings were a perennial playoff contender. The Seals, who never found their star, went through four name changes and three ownership groups before moving to Cleveland.
Did Vachon save hockey in Southern California, and by extension open the NHL to a wave of expansion that has seen the league grow to 32 teams, some in warm-weather markets such as Miami, Tampa, Dallas, Anaheim and Las Vegas?
Well, he certainly didn’t hurt it.
“If it weren’t for him, maybe the Kings wouldn’t exist,” said Robitaille, the team’s all-time leading goal-scorer and its president since 2017. “He was a superstar. He brought people in, kept the Kings alive.
“It’s a pretty amazing record when you think about it.”
During his playing days, Vachon’s home was the 46 square feet directly in front of his team’s goal. Today his home is an eight-acre ranch in Montana’s Bitterroot Valley, about 45 miles south of Missoula.
“It’s nice and calm and we have mountains all over the place,” he said.
The nearest town, Hamilton, isn’t much bigger than the one where Vachon grew up in rural Quebec. Back then the farm he lived on had more than a dozen dairy cows, plus sheep, pigs and plow horses, since his family didn’t have a tractor. In retirement, he’s gone back to that childhood, mucking the stalls and helping care for a menagerie that includes two horses, 10 mini goats, two mini pigs, a pair of horses and a bunch of chickens and dogs and cats.
“The idea of coming out and getting a little bit of land and getting some animals, he liked that idea,” Vachon’s son, Nick, remembered. “But he said no cows. He might have been traumatized by the early mornings and milking twice a day.”
One of eight children — four boys and four girls — Vachon played his first hockey games at age 5 on a makeshift rink on the farm, and it wasn’t long before the neighborhood kids were taping department store catalogs to his legs for goalie pads and pushing him in front of the net — ostensibly for his safety since he was always the smallest kid on the ice.
He would never leave the crease, proving so comfortable there he was playing against grown men when he was just 12.
Montreal sent a regional scout named Scotty Bowman — who went on to become the winningest coach in NHL history — to scout him and he liked what he saw, so much so he convinced Vachon’s parents to let their teenage son sign with the Canadiens. Shortly after his 21st birthday, Vachon was in the NHL, making his debut without a mask and recording his first save on a breakaway by Hall of Famer Gordie Howe.
Montreal made the Stanley Cup Final in each of Vachon’s first three seasons, winning twice. But when he lost the starting job in goal to rookie Ken Dryden early in his sixth season, Vachon requested a trade and the Canadiens obliged, banishing him to L.A., then the NHL’s version of a warm-weather Siberia.
The Montana ranch where he lives now, surrounded by fir and pine trees, the shadows of the Bitterroots and silence, is the perfect retirement home, although it’s one Vachon found more by accident than design.
Vachon was still living by the beach in Southern California in 2016 when his wife, Nicole, whom he married less than a month after his trade to the Kings, died of brain cancer. Four years later, Vachon approached Nick, who was working as general manager of the L.A. Junior Kings/L.A. Lions, with the idea of uniting the family under one roof again.
Montreal goalie Rogie Vachon looks for the puck next to defenseman Serge Savard during a game against the St. Louis Blues in November 1969. (Fred Waters / Associated Press)
“I was living in a big house in Venice all by myself,” he said. “This sort of put into my mind that we should sell our houses in L.A. and move in together.”
So father and son rented a motor home, and along with Nick’s wife, Renee, and daughter Chloe, now 16, headed to Montana, where they found a home big enough for two horses, allowing Chloe, who grew up near the ocean in Redondo Beach, to train to become a barrel racer in the rodeo.
“We were definitely not horse people. Like what is a barrel racer? We had no idea,” said Nick Vachon, who followed his father into the NHL, playing one game with the New York Islanders — against the Kings — in 1996.
“She just loves animals. She’s kind of our resident vet. She helped deliver our baby goats and she does all the horse stuff.”
The elder Vachon hasn’t faced a puck in anger since his second and final season with the Boston Bruins in 1982. He says he’s just 15 pounds over his playing weight of 165 pounds, pretty fit for a guy limited by two knee replacements.
The once-famous dark mane has gone white and is neatly cropped and the bushy mustache is now just a brush of hair below his nose. But the cigars remain as do the memories, which are rekindled by the letters and autograph requests that still arrive regularly in the mailbox.
His Hall of Fame jacket, which Vachon says he hasn’t won since his induction a decade ago, sits on a hanger in a closet and just a few framed jerseys and photos hang on the walls of his five-bedroom farmhouse.
“He’s got some stuff,” Nick Vachon said. “But he’s pretty humble. He doesn’t like to put up too much.”
Vachon became one of the NHL’s top goaltenders in Los Angeles, so when he left as an unrestricted free agent after the 1977-78 season, he commanded what was then the top salary in history at his position, a five-year deal with the Detroit Red Wings worth $1.9 million. But he had two miserable seasons there, giving up more than 3½ goals a game, before being traded to Boston, where he did little better.
Still, when he retired in 1982, Vachon ranked among the top six all time in games and wins by a goalie. More than four decades later only Jonathan Quick has played or won more games for the Kings, who made Vachon’s No. 30 the first to be retired by the franchise.
However, there would be a second act for Vachon’s hockey career and naturally it would unfold in Los Angeles.
A year after his retirement, Vachon returned to the Kings as a goaltender coach, but before that first season was over he had been promoted to coach, then general manager, a position for which he had no experience, yet one he would hold for eight years, guiding the team to seven straight playoff berths and three trips to the division finals.
Those years proved consequential for other reasons as well since Vachon was the general manager who finalized the 1988 trade that brought Gretzky to L.A. Soon the Kings were the talk of the town, with President Reagan and wife Nancy even sitting rinkside.
The franchise had come a long way since Vachon’s early playing days, when those rinkside seats would sit empty.
Vachon was also the one who took Robitaille with the 171st pick, in the ninth round of the 12-round 1984 draft — and even then it was considered a gamble. But it was one that quickly paid off with Robitaille recording 191 points in his final junior season, then scoring 45 goals and winning the Calder Trophy in his first NHL campaign.
“The scouts were not quite as high on him as my dad was,” Nick Vachon said. “Finally he forces the scout at the table; he’s like ‘we’re picking Luc this round. I don’t care what you guys say.'"
“I owe him a lot,” Robitaille said of Vachon.
Robitaille, who also spent more time as an executive with the Kings then he did as a player with the team, said the transition from the ice to the front office can be a difficult one. Yet it’s one Vachon mastered quickly.
Luc Robitaille shakes hands with Rogie Vachon as Kings greats Marcel Dionne and Dave Taylor look on before a pregame ceremony at the Forum in October 1998. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
“When you’re a player, you live the moment. All that matters is that day,” Robitaille said. “When you get into management, you’re trying to win tomorrow but at the same time you’ve got a plan for next season and sometimes two, three years ahead.”
In retirement, however, Vachon doesn’t have to think any further ahead than the next sunset.
“He’s such a nice man but at the same time he’s got a ton of character,” Robitaille said. “Every time I talk to him, he just sounds so happy. That’s what life is about, isn’t it?”
Vachon’s son agrees. Because while the long hair, the mustache and the Mercedes are all gone, a broad smile still creases the old goalie’s face.
“When we first moved out here, he’d go out every day and just take in the air,” Nick Vachon said. “He just sits outside and enjoys the fresh air and so yeah, he’s super happy.”
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 18: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals and Ryan Graves #27 of the Pittsburgh Penguins battle for position during a game at Capital One Arena on January 18, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by John McCreary/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Who:Pittsburgh Penguins (41-23-16, 98 points, 2nd place Metropolitan Division) @ Washington Capitals (41-30-9, 91 points, 5th place Metropolitan Division)
When: 3:00 p.m. ET
How to Watch: Nationally televised game on TNT, streaming on HBO Max
Pens’ Path Ahead: Only one more to go in the regular season after this! The Penguins jet over to St. Louis to play the Blues on Tuesday and then the real fun begins next weekend with Pittsburgh hosting a Game 1 on Saturday or Sunday.
Opponent Track: It’s about the end of the line for the Capitals, they finish up in Columbus on Tuesday and then start planning for next season, barring a collapse by the Flyers.
Season Series: There were only three PIT/WSH games this season, today being the third. Yesterday was the second, which kinda a bummer to only play Washington one time in the first 79 games. That ended up being a 5-3 Penguin win in Pittsburgh way back on November 6th. Next season the NHL will have an 84-game schedule that ensures all division opponents play four times per year.
Getting to know the Capitals
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Anthony Beauvillier – Dylan Strome – Alex Ovechkin
Connor McMichael – Pierre-Luc Dubois – Ryan Leonard
Aliaksei Protas – Ilya Protas – Tom Wilson
Brandon Duhaime – Justin Sourdif – Ivan Mirshinchenko
DEFENSEMEN
Martin Fehervary / Rasmus Sandin
Jacob Chychrun / Trevor van Riemsdyk
Cole Hutson / Matthew Roy
Goalies: Logan Thompson and Mitchell Gibson
Potential scratches: David Kampf, Hendrix Lapierre, Ethen Frank, Declan Chisholm, Dylan McIlrath, Charlie Lindgren
Injured Reserve: none
There’s a lot to like in the lineup with young players like Leonard and Sourdif taking steps forward this year and the emergence of Hutson, I. Protas and Mirshinchenko. The Caps won’t be playoff-bound this year but still have some nice young pieces starting to matriculate to the NHL.
The long-term injury to Dubois, who missed 55 games this year, ended up being a season killer. Dubois put up 66 points last season and helped both special teams units, it was an absence surely missed down the middle that a young player like Hendrix Lapierre just couldn’t fill.
A lotta beef on that third line that goes 6’6” 250, 6’6” 225 and 6’4” 225. Also has the rarity of two brothers playing on the same line, which is pretty cool and hasn’t happened professionally with Aliaksei being six years old than his ‘little’ brother. (Hard to call any 6’6”, 225 pound 19-year old ‘little’, isn’t it?)
The Caps might have to double dip and play Thompson for a second day in a row to keep their faint playoff hopes alive.
Season stats via hockeydb (not including yesterday’s game)
There’s a changing of the guard in Washington, John Carlson is out via a trade and Cole Hutson is in as the potential next top puck moving, point producing defenseman for the team. Hutson has looked the part, jumping straight into the NHL after his college season ended and already has five power play points in his first 11 career games. He’s still a teenager but it already looks clear that he will be a quality player for a long time to come.
Veteran center Nic Dowd was also traded for futures and there’s a spot for young Ilya Protas (62 points in 66 AHL games as a 19 year old!) to make a move up the depth chart at that position. Somehow I. Protas fell to 75th overall in the 2024 draft, he too looks like he will be a keeper and is way ahead of the development curve of where his big brother was at the same age.
Ovechkin leading the Caps in goals is nothing new or strange, but him being their top point getter this year is indicative of some of the problems. That team needed the supporting cast to step up and move past the aging star.
Chychrun has 45 goals since the start of 2024-25. Only Cale Makar (50) and Zach Werenski (45) are even in the same neighborhood across the NHL as being consistent and very real goal-scoring weapons from the blueline.
Charlie Lindgren went from secret weapon (appearing in 50 games with a .911 save% in 2023-24) to an outright liability this season. He’s locked in for the next two seasons at a $3.0 million cap hit, the Caps are going to have to hope for a bounce-back next season. Thompson can certainly handle things as the clear franchise goalie but the backup position and caliber of play was a big sore spot on the season.
And now for the Pens
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Egor Chinakhov – Rickard Rakell – Ville Koivunen
Anthony Mantha- Tommy Novak – Justin Brazeau
Rutger McGroarty – Kevin Hayes – Avery Hayes
Elmer Soderblom – Joona Koppanen – Noel Acciari
DEFENSEMEN
Ryan Shea / Connor Clifton
Sam Girard / Jack St Ivany
Ryan Graves / Ilya Solovyov
Goalies: Stuart Skinner and Arturs Silovs
Potential Scratches: Blake Lizotte (injured), Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Ben Kindel, Erik Karlsson, Parker Wotherspoon, Kris Letang, Bryan Rust
IR: Filip Hallander, Caleb Jones (season-ending shoulder surgery)
Since the Penguins pulled the plug on most of their top players yesterday at home, no reason to think any of them are going to come back for today’s game. Now that Mantha appeared in his 80th game and secured his last performance bonus, maybe he even joins them.
Thought it was funny that the team didn’t even bother to list temporary alternate captains for the day. Rakell, Kevin Hayes and Acciari would have made good ones as a little reward for playing.
One last time for Ovi vs the Pens?
Alex Ovechkin has punted an official decision on any playing next season until the summer. He got a nice ovation from the crowd in Pittsburgh yesterday and the Caps were sure to swoop up the puck from the officials after Ovechkin’s empty net goal yesterday. That might have been a “just in case” move, but it’s crazy to think that could have potentially been his final goal in the NHL.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - APRIL 10: New York Yankees Outfielder Aaron Judge (99), Infielder Ben Rice (22) and Outfielder Cody Bellinger (35) watch the action on the field during the regular season game between the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays on April 10, 2026, at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
We’re three weeks into the season, and officially in our first stretch of the doldrums. The Yankees’ bats have gone completely unreliable over the course of a four-game losing streak, backed up mainly by Ben Rice and Giancarlo Stanton swinging solid bats and the rest of the lineup noodling around. Their latest attempt to break out of their funk saw them waste a solid Max Fried start, rally late to take a lead as José Caballero managed to find a two-run double just to blow the lead in the same inning, and then repeat that in extras. They’ll look to salvage the series finale later today, but suffice to say things are not looking great for the pinstripes.
Today on the site, Estevão leads off with a look at how the concerns of the offseason have come to roost in the lineup’s early struggles, and then Matt gets a double-feature first covering the Rivalry Roundup and the results around the league from Saturday before getting into the history of Sammy Vick’s time as a Yankee on his birthday. Kento dives into Statcast to examine some key Yankees’ batting stance changes entering 2026, and after the game John will be around to deliver the weekly social media spotlight.
Today’s Matchup
New York Yankees at Tampa Bay Rays
Time: 1:40 p.m. EST
Video: YES Network, Rays.tv
Venue: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL
Questions/Prompts:
1. Are we going to see the first sweep go against the Yankees this year, or can they get a sliver of revenge in the Trop?
2. Of the batters under the Mendoza line, who do you think will be the first to get back above it?
Apr 3, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone (17) looks on during batting practice before the game against the Miami Marlins at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
NJ.com | Randy Miller: With the Yankees among the worst in baseball at ABS challenge successes, there have been a couple very significant liabilities in the season’s first two weeks. While Austin Wells has been quite good behind the plate, José Caballero has been dreadful at the review system while batting. After Cabby lost two challenges in two games, both times coming in non-vital moments, Aaron Boone himself had to pull his nominal shortstop aside and reaffirm the importance of the limited challenges. After a pretty liberal attitude to reviews, expect the Yankees to tighten up just who can ask for a challenge, and when.
New York Daily News | Bill Madden: There was a lot of concern that Brian Cashman didn’t do enough over the winter to improve the lineup, and so far that concern seems justified. The Yankees sport the worst 7-8-9 lineup spots in the sport, and even leadoff hitter Trent Grisham has been good at walking with very little punch. Ben Rice and Giancarlo Stanton have been excellent, but there’s too many easy ABs for opposing pitchers right now.
New York Post | Greg Joyce: Cade Winquest was DFA’d off the roster this week, ending his Rule 5 draft experiment with the Yankees. Brian Cashman was candid that that was the only possible move with the club finally starting to get some pitching reinforcements, but it was a pity the right-hander never got into game action with the club. Winquest will now be returned to the Cardinals unless the Yankees can work out a trade with the acquiring team taking on his Rule 5 requirements to stay on the 26 man roster.
Jeffcoat Trant Funeral Home: A melancholy happy trails to Billy Bryan, who spent two seasons catching for the Yankees in 1966 and ‘67, but made a name with the then-Kansas City Athletics. Bryan’s time with the Athletics is perhaps highlighted by being batterymates with no less than 59-year old Satchel Paige:
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 9: Jordan Walsh #27 of the Boston Celtics drives to the basket during the game against the New York Knicks on April 9, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. 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 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
One hallmark characteristic of this Celtics season has been that as soon as it appears Joe Mazzulla has a solidified rotation, things change.
That latest change?
Jordan Walsh is back.
Over the past 7 games, Walsh has re-established himself as a key member of the Celtics lineup, averaging 20.2 minutes per game.
And, in a Tuesday night win against the Charlotte Hornets, he was crucial, tallying 9 points (on 4-4 FG), 6 rebounds, and a steal in 18 minutes of action — while also guarding Hornets star LaMelo Ball for much of the second half.
“He just understands that when he’s at his best defensively, he’s impacting the team’s best players, creating turnovers,” said Mazzulla. “I thought he was big tonight.”
Whether it’s a recognition of the old adage that “defense wins championships” or Mazzulla just has a gut reaction, Walsh has seemingly locked in a role in the rotation in favor of teammates like Ron Harper Jr., Hugo Gonzalez, and at times, Baylor Scheierman.
It does not appear the Kings will need to search for a new coach this offseason.
Doug Christie will remain Sacramento’s coach after the 2025-26 NBA season, The Athletic’s Sam Amick reported Sunday, citing team sources.
After Sunday’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center, Christie will have completed his first full season as Kings coach after taking over as the interim coach for then-fired Mike Brown early in the 2024-25 season.
Christie’s combined record as interim and full-time coach heading into Sunday’s final game is 49-83.
The expectations for Sacramento heading into this season, at least externally, were not high, but not many expected the Kings to have the league’s worst record for the majority of the first half before playing slightly better as of late.
The Kings (22-59), currently are tied record-wise with the Utah Jazz (22-59) for the fourth-best NBA draft lottery odds entering the final game of the regular season.
Regardless of which pick Sacramento secures in next month’s lottery, it appears Christie will have another young player to develop next season in his second full season.
Winnipeg Jets (35-32-12, in the Central Division) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (37-26-17, in the Pacific Division)
Paradise, Nevada; Monday, 10 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: The Vegas Golden Knights host the Winnipeg Jets after the Golden Knights defeated the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 in overtime.
Vegas has gone 18-12-9 at home and 37-26-17 overall. The Golden Knights are 35-6-11 in games they score at least three goals.
Winnipeg has a 16-17-6 record in road games and a 35-32-12 record overall. The Jets have allowed 239 goals while scoring 223 for a -16 scoring differential.
Monday's game is the third time these teams square off this season. The Jets won the previous meeting 4-1.
TOP PERFORMERS: Pavel Dorofeyev has 36 goals and 27 assists for the Golden Knights. Mark Stone has six goals and two assists over the last 10 games.
Mark Scheifele has 34 goals and 65 assists for the Jets. Kyle Connor has scored seven goals and added four assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Golden Knights: 6-1-3, averaging 3.4 goals, 5.5 assists, 3.2 penalties and 7.5 penalty minutes while giving up 2.5 goals per game.
Jets: 7-3-0, averaging 2.8 goals, 4.9 assists, 3.2 penalties and 8.1 penalty minutes while giving up 2.6 goals per game.
INJURIES: Golden Knights: William Karlsson: out (lower body).
Jets: Gustav Nyquist: day to day (undisclosed), Morgan Barron: out (lower-body), Colin Miller: out (knee), Elias Salomonsson: out (concussion).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Buffalo Sabres (49-23-8, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Chicago Blackhawks (28-38-14, in the Central Division)
Chicago; Monday, 8:30 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: The Buffalo Sabres visit the Chicago Blackhawks after Josh Doan scored two goals in the Sabres' 5-0 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Chicago has a 13-18-8 record in home games and a 28-38-14 record overall. The Blackhawks have a 9-13-6 record in games they have more penalties than their opponent.
Buffalo is 49-23-8 overall and 23-13-4 in road games. The Sabres have a +39 scoring differential, with 275 total goals scored and 236 allowed.
The matchup Monday is the second time these teams play this season. The Sabres won 9-3 in the last meeting. Doan led the Sabres with two goals.
TOP PERFORMERS: Tyler Bertuzzi has 32 goals and 25 assists for the Blackhawks. Ilya Mikheyev has five goals and three assists over the last 10 games.
Tage Thompson has 38 goals and 41 assists for the Sabres. Jack Quinn has scored four goals with three assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Blackhawks: 2-7-1, averaging 2.4 goals, 4.1 assists, 2.4 penalties and 5.1 penalty minutes while giving up 4.1 goals per game.
Sabres: 5-3-2, averaging 3.3 goals, 5.4 assists, 4.5 penalties and 11.7 penalty minutes while giving up 3.2 goals per game.
INJURIES: Blackhawks: Shea Weber: out for season (ankle), Frank Nazar: day to day (face), Ethan Del Mastro: day to day (undisclosed), Artyom Levshunov: out for season (hand), Oliver Moore: out (lower body), Matt Grzelcyk: out for season (upper-body).
Sabres: Jiri Kulich: out for season (ear), Sam Carrick: out (arm), Alex Lyon: out (lower body), Justin Danforth: out (lower body), Noah Ostlund: out (upper-body).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — One week into the season, the Yankees looked like they were going to be the league’s best exploiting the automated ball-strike system.
A week later, their hitters have looked like the league’s worst challengers.
Aaron Boone chalked that up to the “ebb and flow” of the new ABS system, but the Yankees have not been particularly sharp at it of late, both in their actual success rates and some of when they have decided to tap their helmets.
“Being great at this is not, ‘We’re great at 80 percent,’ ” Boone said before the Yankees lost their fourth straight to the Rays in extras on Saturday at Tropicana Field. “It’s the right amount of volume, having that good sense of calls. So it’s nuanced and everyone’s a little bit different.”
Through their first five games of the season, Yankees hitters went 8-for-10 in successfully overturning strikes to balls. In nine games since, though, they were just 2-for-13 — the last few games of unsuccessful challenges standing out in particular because they coincided with the group’s overall offensive rut.
In Friday’s 5-3 loss to the Rays, they ran out of challenges by the top of the fifth inning. Jazz Chisholm Jr. had an unsuccessful tap on an 0-0 count with one out and no one on in the fourth inning of a 3-2 game and then an inning later, José Caballero challenged the first pitch of the frame and was proved wrong. Saturday, Yankees hitters didn’t challenge once.
“We’re told to be aggressive and use them,” catcher Austin Wells said. “I think you can always hindsight and look back and think, ‘Oh man, I should have maybe not used it there.’ But they tell us to be aggressive and use it when we think it’s a ball. There’s been some really, really close ones that haven’t gone our way. But I think that’s just the game.”
Boone has in fact preached being aggressive to his team, but he has also said he wants them to get to a place where understanding leverage becomes instinctual — which is where he seemed to disagree with Friday’s challenges.
Austin Wells celebrates after hitting a solo home run in the second inning of the Yankees’ 5-4, 10-inning loss to the Rays on April 11, 2026. Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
“We, just like the umpires, are going to be needing to make adjustments throughout the year,” said Ben Rice, who had a pair of bad challenges during the series against the Marlins. “Of course having understanding of situations, when to challenge and when not to. But at the end of the day, it’s just kind of a gut feeling.”
During spring training, Boone said he was direct with players in telling them they had either made a good or bad challenge. That has carried over into the regular season, as he indicated Saturday he had made his feelings known with Caballero (in a light way) after his rough one Friday night.
Overall, Yankees hitters entered Saturday 10-for-23 in ABS challenges — a success rate of 43.5 percent, which was the ninth lowest in the majors. Their 13 unsuccessful challenges were the most in the majors, but their 10 successful challenges were also the second most.
Chisholm and Caballero both had three unsuccessful challenges, though Caballero was 2-for-5 while Chisholm was 1-for-4.
Trent Grisham led the club with three successful challenges.
“I predicted all this coming out of [spring training] — there’s going to be noisy weeks where it’s like, ‘Ohh,’ ” Boone said. “The last thing I want is our guys to get gun-shy. I want us to be smart. I want us to continue to learn where it becomes reactionary, instinctive. There’s going to be weeks where you have not a great umpire, not a great receiver back there that you have a lot of opportunities to challenge. There’s going to be nights when you don’t. There’s going to be nights when you have a few and it doesn’t fall in a leverage spot. So there’s a lot of things that goes into the noise of the day to day.
“I think we’re going to be good at this. We’ve had a few this week that haven’t been great. But it also had nothing to do with us losing a game [Friday] night.”
DENVER, CO - APRIL 4: Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets looks to drive against Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs during the first quarter at Ball Arena on April 4, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. 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 Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Antonio Spurs come into Game 82 of the 2025-2026 regular season with the power to influence the final standings and potential 2nd round match-ups. Though they’re locked into the #2 seed and one side of the West bracket, their opponent tonight, the Denver Nuggets, come into tonight’s game as the 3rd seed, but with their final placement in the standings very much up in the air. The scenario that’s being floated the most amongst pundits and Twitter timelines: A Nuggets loss and Los Angeles Lakers win (they play at the same time at home against the Utah Jazz) would drop Denver to the #4 spot. That sounds like a dream scenario for the young Spurs, who would have to face just one of either Denver or the Oklahoma City Thunder on a potential path to the NBA Finals. There’s no telling what Mitch Johnson and the Spurs’ brain trust is thinking or if they have a preference or if it’s something they’re even thinking about. Based on the history of this franchise, even with Denver sitting basically everyone and leaving their fate in San Antonio’s hands, it really wouldn’t be a shock to see them ultimately hold at least Victor Wembanyama out, give the rest of the top 6 guys a bit of burn, and let the chips fall where they may, completely unconcerned with what path other teams have to take. These Spurs think they can beat anyone and the real test is just around the corner.
San Antonio Spurs (62-19) vs Denver Nuggets (53-28) April 12 2026 | 7:30 PM CT Watch: ESPN | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)
Spurs Injuries: Victor Wembanyama, questionable, Devin Vassell, questionable, Stephon Castle, questionable, Luke Kornet, shoulder (OUT), David Jones-Garcia, OUT
Nuggets Injuries: Nikola Jokic, questionable, Jamal Murray, OUT, Aaron Gordon, OUT, Tim Hardaway Jr, OUT, Christian Braun, OUT, Peyton Watson, OUT, Spencer Jones, OUT, Cam Johnson, OUT
What to watch for
With 3 starters questionable coming into this one including Wemby, Mitch Johnson’s line of thinking sadly won’t be revealed until gametime. Regardless of Johnson’s final approach to this game, expect to see Nikola Jokic on the court for the Nuggets. Jokic comes into Sunday’s game sitting at 64 games played, 1 shy of the 65-game minimum that players must hit to be considered for regular season awards. Injured for part of the year, Jokic has nonetheless was spectacular yet again this season, leading the league in both rebounding (12.7) and assists (10.9) on his way to averaging a triple double for the second consecutive season.
Pretty much everyone else is out for Denver though, which should tell you all you need to know about David Adelman’s approach to tonight’s game. Having already won a championship with their current core (though Michael Malone was the head coach at the time), it seems pretty apparent by their decision to sit their starters these last two games that the Nuggets aren’t particularily concerned with which side of the bracket they end up on. Having a player the caliber of Jokic, a highly decorated veteran who is capable of carrying a team throughout multiple playoff series, affords them that luxury.
If you’d like to, you may follow along with the game on our Twitter profile (@poundingtherock) or visit our Game Thread!
Apr 11, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford (3) celebrates with teammates after a game against the Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images | Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images
The game looked lost for the Mariners early on Saturday. It was not.
The Astros were all over Luis Castillo from the jump. They lead 7-2 when they chased him in the fourth inning. Things felt final. But Cal Raleigh homered, Julio Rodríguez homered, and the Mariners offense roared back, with a J.P. Crawford walkoff single in the ninth to cap a six-run comeback.
“This is one of those feel-good wins,” Dan Wilson said after the game.
“I can’t say enough about the effort to come back. Being down five runs is a big deal, and these guys, they scratched and clawed their way back. … It’s a confidence builder. And again, the crowd, the ballpark, being here at home, all that plays into it, too. Just a great, great night at the ballpark.”
Things actually started pretty well for the Mariners. Castillo was sharp in the first. He got two quick outs before ending an eight-pitch battle against Isaac Paredes with a strikeout. His velocity was fine, his pitches looked sharp, and he was locating in the zone but away from the heart of the plate.
The Mariners’ lineup gave him quick support, too. Crawford drew a leadoff walk and Cal Raleigh yanked a first-pitch hanging curveball 364 feet to right for a 2-0 lead.
Julio Rodríguez followed with a rocket double just fair down the left field line, flashing a big smile after recording his first extra base hit of the season. It was just about the perfect start to a game.
But things quickly derailed. Josh Naylor popped out. And Randy Arozarena lined a 102-mph comebacker that just so happened to fly right into the glove of Lance McCullers Jr., who doubled-off Julio at second.
Castillo didn’t look as sharp when he came back out for the second inning. He loaded the bases with a single, a walk and another single — Julio prevented a run with a strong throw home that forced the runner to stay at third. Castillo initially looked like he might escape. He worked a full count to Yainer Diaz and then threw a called ball four, but a successful challenge from Cal turned the bases loaded walk into a strikeout.
With two outs, however, Castillo threw a first pitch fastball right down the middle and Taylor Trammell lasered a double off the wall in left center, clearing the bases and giving the Astros a 3-2 lead.
They would make it 4-2 on a Yordan Àlvarez home run to lead off the third. And they would make it 5-2 after stringing together three consecutive hits later in the inning. After three more singles and two more runs in the fourth, Dan Wilson turned to the bullpen down 7-2.
Again, this score felt pretty final there. The Astros’ lineup was scorching. They picked up 17 hits on the day, including six doubles and a homer, to go with four walks. The Mariners’ lineup, on the other hand, went nine-up and nine-down after the first inning, allowing McCullers to settle in. With the general malaise at the plate over the first few weeks of the season, it was hard to see them suddenly figuring it out.
Slowly but surely they did. Cole Young picked up a single in the bottom of the fifth. Dominic Canzone doubled him to third. Leo Rivas loaded the bases with a walk, bringing up Crawford, who plopped a two-run single into right center.
Cal followed with a sac fly, bringing Julio to the plate with two outs and a runner first, down 7-5. After falling behind 1-2, he got a hanging slider below the zone and scorched it out to straightaway center field at 108 mph — his first homer of the season to tie the game at 7-7.
The Astros threatened to take back the lead in each of the next three innings but couldn’t quite pick up the go-ahead knock.
In the seventh, Eduard Bazardo gave up a leadoff double to Carlos Correa. Joey Loperfido followed with a single to put runners on the corners with nobody out. Bazardo got Cam Smith to watch three strikes for the first out. Then he got Diaz to pop out. Then he froze Trammell with a front-door, 94-mph sinker at the top of the zone to escape the jam.
In the eighth, Matt Brash gave up a one-out double to Yordan Alvarez that bounced off the top of the wall in right field at 111.3 mph. Brash eventually escaped three batters later.
Andrés Muñoz loaded the bases with the game still tied in the ninth. He gave up a screaming double to Smith that went off (or maybe through?) Leo Rivas’ glove at third. Then he walked two consecutive batters to load the bases with two outs. Muñoz was struggling to find the strike zone and things looked dicey when he fell behind Alvarez 2-0. But he got Alvarez to a chase a slider below the zone and ended the inning with a pop out.
That brought the Mariners to the plate with a chance to win in the bottom of the ninth. Luke Raley struck out to leadoff. Then Bryan Abreu completely lost the zone, loading the bases with three straight walks to Young, Brendan Donovan (who started the game on the bench with an illness), and Rivas.
Crawford stepped in. He watched a fastball right down the middle for strike one. He just missed on another fastball right down the middle, fouling it back for strike two. Then he got a third-straight fastball right down the middle, and this time sliced a firm line drive the other way to walkoff the Astros 8-7.
Crawford was the ideal person to have at the plate in that moment. He entered the game with a career 196 wRC+ with the bases loaded (ninth best since tracking began in 2002) and a 145 wRC+ in high-leverage plate appearances for his career (tied for 10th best).
He said he’s been able to consistently come through in big spots because of he’s confident in his approach.
“Get the job done — do your job, handle business, don’t try to think so much, put a good swing on it, and find a hole,” he said on his mindset in the ninth. “I just go up there with the same game plan. He’s got bases loaded, less than two outs, so all the pressure’s on him. He has to make his pitches, and I knew he was going to be aggressive right there. So just trying to be on time for a fastball.”
Crawford’s season didn’t get off to a good start. He began the year on the injured list with a sore shoulder that bugged him throughout Spring Training. He was activated just days after the Mariners signed Colt Emerson, likely his future replacement at shortstop, to a historic extension for a prospect. After a sleepy second half in 2025, there was some question about what Crawford might be able to provide in 2026, and how soon the Mariners might seek change.
But after reaching base four times Sunday, Crawford has a 129 wRC+ in his first 31 plate appearances of the new season. If he keeps hitting, he’ll keep finding himself in big spots like Saturday’s. And is history is any indicator, he’ll keep coming through.
“It means everything. You know, it’s one of those moments you dream of as a kid in the batting cages, and honestly it’s a dream come true. You have a chance to be the hero. You gotta capitalize.
“It never gets old. Hearing the crowd chant my name is honestly a dream come true. There’s no better feeling than that.”
The San Jose Sharks hosted their final regular season home game on Saturday night against the Vancouver Canucks.
The Sharks looked competitive right out of the gate, with some big hits and some quality scoring chances in the opening minutes. Macklin Celebrini had a breakaway attempt denied by Kevin Lankinen roughly seven minutes into the game. After Lankinen made the save, Vancouver launched an attack of their own and forced Yaroslav Askarov to make a save at the other end of the ice.
Askarov had a bit of an issue with one of his pads as it came completely off his leg following the save, causing a short delay in action.
Igor Chernyshov opened the scoring with 3:41 remaining in the first period after he beat Lankinen from close range to make it a 1-0 game. The Sharks carried that lead into the first intermission.
As time expired though, Chernyshov showed his value to the Sharks in another form. Celebrini was hit hard by Victor Mancini as the period came to an end.
Zack Ostapchuk drew the first penalty of the game just over three minutes into the second period, as Zeev Buium sat for hooking. Shortly after the penalty expired, the Canucks evened things up with a strange goal.
Askarov attempted to play the puck, and as he rushed back to his crease, he pulled the net along with him. Although he pulled the net to the ice, the puck crossed the goal line before he did so, making it a 1-1 game with the goal credited to Marco Rossi, his 11th of the season.
Chernyshov nearly restored the Sharks’ lead eight minutes into the middle frame, but his shot from point-blank range went wide of the goal. Tyler Toffoli would be the one to give the Sharks their next lead, breaking an 11-game goal drought in the process to make it 2-1.
Dmitry Orlov would take the Sharks’ first penalty of the night with just over four minutes left in the second period after he tripped up Drew O’Connor. Jake DeBrusk would even things up off a rebound right before the penalty expired.
The Sharks challenged the goal for goaltender interference, but the call stood. As a result, Will Smith went to the penalty box, and the Sharks were back on the penalty kill right after giving up a power play goal. San Jose killed off the penalty, and the game went into the third period tied at two goals apiece.
William Eklund nearly put the Sharks back in front early in the third period, but his shot deflected off the post and went behind Lankinen, then through the crease. Chernyshov had a chance on an open net just over five minutes into the period, but fanned on the shot. He got a follow-up shot off, but it was saved by Lankinen.
Chernyshov scored his third of the night with 7:16 left in regulation, giving the Sharks a 3-2 lead with limited time remaining.
Vincent Desharnais went to the penalty box with just under five minutes remaining for a hook on Nils Hoglander, giving the Canucks a key opportunity to tie things up. Teddy Blueger did just that, as he scored Vancouver’s third goal of the night with just one second remaining on the Desharnais penalty.
60 minutes wouldn't be enough to decide a winner, as the game went into overtime. Alex Wennberg drew a tripping penalty which saw DeBrusk heading to the penalty box with just 2:17 remaining in overtime.
Smith had the winner on his stick with just 40 seconds remaining and a wide-open net in front of him, but his shot deflected out of play.
Eklund was called for interference with 28 seconds remaining, as expected, the call was not well-received in the SAP Center. The Sharks were able to kill of the Canucks' very abbreviated power play though, sending the game to a shootout.
After a lengthy shootout, Linus Karlsson eventually won it for the Canucks.
In Kevin Lankinen’s return to the lineup, the Vancouver Canucks put together a strong 4–3 shootout win effort against the San Jose Sharks. Jake DeBrusk scored his 20th goal of the season, while Marco Rossi and Teddy Blueger also found the back of the net. While Linus Karlsson scored the shootout winner, it was Lankinen who showed up most by stopping 28 of 31 shots faced as well as five of six shootout attempts.
In his first game since April 1, having missed the past week due to an upper-body injury, Lankinen put together a strong outing. He faced a handful of high-danger chances for San Jose in the first period, standing tall on chances from both Sharks stars Will Smith and Macklin Celebrini. Lankinen continued his strong play throughout the game, stopping two massive chances in-tight from Celebrini and Tyler Toffoli in the third period.
Celebrini continued his dominance over his hometown team, first by putting in the extended effort to get the puck to Igor Chernyshov on the Sharks’ first goal. He also assisted on Chernyshov’s second goal of the game and scored in the shootout. The forward is now up to three goals and 10 assists in six games against his hometown team as well as a five-game point streak against the Canucks. Tonight also marked his fifth-career multi-point game against Vancouver.
Tonight’s game featured an unexpected play in net. Victor Mancini rimmed the puck along the boards in his own zone, though nobody was able to collect it before it slid behind San Jose’s net. Sharks goaltender Yaroslav Askarov went out to play it, though the puck bounced off the boards and into the possession of Rossi. Making a quick decision knowing he wouldn’t be able to get back into the crease in time, Askarov pulled the net down to try and negate the goal, though Rossi shot the puck and appeared to have gotten it in the tipping net. Regardless, the goal counted for the centre.
Vancouver’s power play remained hot in tonight’s game, scoring on their first opportunity thanks to DeBrusk. While they did have some issues breaking in on their first man-advantage, once they were able to set up, the Canucks had an easier time connecting their passes and getting the shot on net for DeBrusk to tip-in. While they didn’t score on their second opportunity, Blueger’s goal on the third man-advantage tied things up for Vancouver late in the third period. The Canucks are now up to 11 power play goals in the past 10 games that they’ve had at least one power play in.
By far the Canucks’ hero past regulation was Lankinen, who ended up facing a 4-on-3 power play for the Sharks during overtime. During this sequence of chances for San Jose, Lankinen stopped a massive near open-net chance for Smith, helping send Vancouver to the shootout. While Lankinen managed to stop Chernyshov to extend his shootout save streak to 18, it was Celebrini who managed to find the back of the net. Tonight’s shootout went six rounds, with the results increasing Lankinen’s numbers to 22 saves on 23 shootout chances faced.
With the win, the Canucks have snapped a four-game losing streak and made a substantial dent in the Sharks’ playoff chances. They also very nearly avoided being swept by the Sharks in a season series for the first time since 2016–17, as Vancouver previously dropped their three other games against San Jose earlier this year.
Apr 11, 2026; San Jose, California, USA; Vancouver Canucks goaltender Kevin Lankinen (32) defends against San Jose Sharks left wing Igor Chernyshov (92) during the second period at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images
Stats and Facts:
Jake DeBrusk becomes the second Canuck to score 20 goals this season
Vancouver records 40+ shots on goal for the second time in 2025–26
Teddy Blueger is now up to three goals and three assists in his past six games
Scoring Summary:
1st Period:
16:19 - SJS: Igor Chernyshov (6) from Macklin Celebrini
2nd Period:
5:56 - VAN: Marco Rossi (11) from Victor Mancini
9:02 - SJS: Tyler Toffoli (19) from Sam Dickinson and Michael Misa
17:37 - VAN: Jake DeBrusk (20) from Filip Hronek and Elias Pettersson (PPG)
3rd Period:
12:44 - SJS: Igor Chernyshov (7) from Macklin Celebrini and Dmitry Orlov
17:01 - VAN: Teddy Blueger (9) from Linus Karlsson (PPG)
Overtime:
No Scoring.
Shootout Winner:
VAN - Linus Karlsson
Up Next:
Vancouver is back at it right away with a matchup against the Anaheim Ducks tomorrow at 5:00 pm PT. This game will mark the end of their current road trip, with this being their last multi-game road trip of the 2025–26 season. The Canucks currently lead the season series 2–1, but dropped their most recent game by a score of 5–3 on March 24.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
It’s not missing most of spring training due to a hamate bone injury. It’s not the absence of Juan Soto, adding pressure on the shortstop.
“I’m not sure. I feel like I’m locked in,” he said after the Mets’ 11-6 loss to the A’s at Citi Field Saturday, their fourth straight. “It just happens. I’ve got to be better.”
The defeat highlighted Lindor’s latest mental mistake. In the second inning, he failed to cover second on a potential double-play ball, allowing the A’s to tack on a run. Rather than cover the bag, Lindor pursued the ball up the middle. Second baseman Marcus Semien fielded it, and with nobody to throw to, stepped on second for the force.
“I went after the ball and Marcus was there,” said Lindor, batting just .167 on the season without an RBI. “I didn’t make it to second base. We didn’t turn the double play. Senga could’ve gotten out of the inning right there and I didn’t help him.
Francisco Lindor throws to first base after forcing out Max Muncy at second base during the fifth inning of the Mets’ 11-6 loss to the A’s on April 11, 2026 at Citi Field. AP
“No miscommunication. He’s one of the best second basemen in the game, and I should expect he’s gonna be there. There was no miscommunication at all.”
This wasn’t an isolated incident. In an April 1 game against the Cardinals, Lindor forgot how many outs there were on a double-play ball, which wound up forcing starter Freddy Peralta to throw extra pitches to get out of the inning. Later in the game, Lindor was picked off first while adjusting his sliding mitt.
There was another miscue Friday. With runners on first and third and no outs and the Mets trailing by a run, Lindor only went halfway on a ground ball to first. He was thrown out trying to get back to third. Afterward, Lindor said he should’ve forced a rundown to advance the other runners. The next hitter, Luis Robert Jr., grounded into an inning-ending double play.
“It’s weird, because that’s not him,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “It’s hard to explain, and he’ll tell you he has to be better. Never seen so many plays, he’s out of position at times.”
Lindor dismissed the notion his spring training injury contributed to his poor start. He also said any extra responsibility to produce isn’t weighing on him differently than in past seasons.
“There’s always been pressure and I’ve always put a lot of pressure on myself, because I expect a lot of myself,” Lindor said. “It’s the same every single year.”
