LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 27: Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) pushes Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) away from the referee during the Brooklyn Nets vs Los Angeles Lakers game on March 27, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Lakers got a double dose of bad news over the weekend as both Luka Dončić (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique) are done for the regular season. Their status for the opening round of the playoff remains murky at best as well, although they’re both aiming to return as evidenced by Luka heading to Europe to attempt to expedite his recovery.
In the meantime, some Lakers fans have already begun to wonder whether reinforcements could be on the way until Dončić and Reaves are back. Chris Paul, Lonzo Ball and Cole Anthony are among the playoff-eligible guards on the free-agent market.
The good news is that if the Lakers want to go that route, money should not be an obstacle. Lakers fans shouldn’t start preordering their CP3 jerseys yet, though.
Who would the Lakers waive?
After signing Kobe Bufkin to a two-year, $3.3 million contract following the trade deadline, the Lakers now have 15 players on standard contracts. That means they’d have to waive someone before they sign anyone else to a standard deal.
The Lakers have a $2.5 million team option on Bufkin in 2026-27, so they could waive him without being left with a dead cap hit next season. He’s played only 97 minutes across 14 games with the Lakers this year, so he doesn’t seem likely to factor into their rotation regardless. (He played only three minutes in their Dončić- and Reaves-less loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday.)
If the Lakers want to keep Bufkin around in hopes of developing their youth pipeline, veteran big man Maxi Kleber would be the other most logical cut candidate. He’s on an $11 million expiring contract and is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
A back injury sidelined Kleber for all but four games in March, although he’s already played in both of the Lakers’ games in April to date. Still, he’s averaging a career-low 2.1 points and 1.9 rebounds in 10.7 minutes per game, so the Lakers wouldn’t exactly feel his loss from an on-court perspective. His biggest value to the team might be as a locker room leader, particularly given his relationship with Dončić dating back to their time in Dallas.
Beyond those two, the Lakers don’t have any obvious cut candidates. Jaxson Hayes is also set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, but he’s been the Lakers’ primary backup center behind Deandre Ayton all year. Only $1.25 million of Bronny James’ $2.3 million salary for 2026-27 is guaranteed, although cutting a franchise icon’s son right before the start of the playoffs probably wouldn’t engender much goodwill with him.
Why money isn’t an issue for the Lakers
After signing Bufkin, the Lakers are roughly $630,000 below their first-apron hard cap. That’s well below the full-season price tag of $2.3 million for a veteran-minimum contract.
Luckily, minimum deals begin to prorate downward by roughly $13,000 per day once the regular season begins. Since there’s less than a week left in the season, they’re basically a rounding error at this point of the year. Even if the Lakers signed someone Monday, it would cost them less than $100,000 for this season.
The Lakers technically have enough space under the first apron to sign multiple players to rest-of-season contracts. Again, the issue there is deciding which players to waive to create those roster spots.
If the Lakers do pursue outside help, they can only sign players who were free agents as of March 1. Anyone who got waived after that date — like Cam Thomas with the Bucks — cannot join another team’s playoff roster this season. So, no, the Lakers have no reason to beg the Washington Wizards to waive D’Angelo Russell this week.
In all likelihood, the Lakers will stand pat with their roster as is and pray that Europe has discovered the cure for hamstring strains. (Surely it’s just eating more protein… right?) But if they do want reinforcements until Dončić and/or Reaves return, they have the spending power to sign a free agent, as long as they’re willing to part ways with someone currently under contract.
Astros fans have gone from doom and gloom after two games to euphoria following the next five, and back to doom and gloom after a strange series in West Sacramento that saw the ace of their staff land on the IL. Still, they are 6-4 through 10 games—good enough for first place in the AL West, powered by a hot lineup despite some shaky pitching.
Let’s play a game of Stock Up, Stock Down based on what we’ve seen so far.
Stock up
Yordan Alvarez
Alvarez has been the best hitter in baseball so far this season. After hitting a homer Sunday in West Sacramento, Yordan Alvarez is slashing .400/.578/.900. He leads the league in on-base percentage and slugging percentage, and he’s tied with Jose Altuve for the league lead in walks. His 1.478 OPS is not only the best 10-game start of his career, it’s also the best 10-game start in Astros history. Just as important as the numbers is that he’s been able to play in all 10 games.
Because he missed so much time last season and performed well below his standard when healthy, it’s easy to forget just how much Alvarez, when firing on all cylinders, can carry an entire lineup. He’s not going to finish the season with a 316 OPS+, but this version of him is the kind of ceiling-raiser the Astros need after losing Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman following the 2024 season.
Jose Altuve’s swing decisions
Last season, Jose Altuve swung at 38.3% of the pitches he saw outside the strike zone, his highest chase rate since his rookie season in 2011. That number is down to 19.3% through the first 10 games this season. He hasn’t finished a season with a chase rate below 30% since 2012.
Altuve’s patience has also shown up on pitches inside the strike zone, where his swing rate has dropped to 50.7% from a career average of 65.7%. It’s unusual to see a great player make such a drastic change, but the results speak for themselves: Altuve is slashing .354/.523/.594, and his 12 walks are nearly double his seven strikeouts.
Christian Walker
Walker’s disappointing first season with the Houston Astros stemmed largely from an awful first 50 games, during which he posted an OPS below .600. From that point on, he slashed .258/.313/.465. His final 104 games were more in line with his production in Arizona, but still fell short of expectations given the price tag. Walker’s production has been through the roof so far this season.
Walker has a 1.053 OPS through 10 games this season, his best start over that span since becoming an everyday player seven years ago. He’s also striking out less and walking more, already compiling 0.5 bWAR after posting just 0.2 for the entire 2025 season.
Stock Down
Bryan Abreu
Abreu has appeared in four games and hasn’t looked good in any of them. He’s been scored on in each outing, marking the first time he’s allowed an earned run in four straight appearances, and three of the 16 batters he’s faced have taken him deep. He’s thrown 72 pitches and recorded just eight outs.
He’s still among the league leaders in swinging strikes and strikeouts, but his fastball velocity is down to 95 mph from 97.3 mph last season. Opponents are averaging 103 mph in exit velocity against him, and his chase rate has nearly been cut in half to 17%, per Baseball Savant, among the worst in baseball.
While Josh Hader’s return, possibly before the end of the month, will take some of the ninth-inning pressure off Abreu, the Houston Astros need the 28-year-old, who is scheduled to hit free agency after the season, to return to his dominant form. They don’t have anyone else with his ability to miss bats.
Yainer Diaz
Looking back, the Houston Astros should have kept Victor Caratini and traded Yainer Diaz while his value was higher. At this rate, Diaz could be a non-tender candidate this winter.
Diaz finished 2023 with an .846 OPS, but that number dropped to .766 and .701 over the past two seasons. Through his first eight games of 2026, he has a .570 OPS.
Diaz has improved his chase rate from 44.3% to 38.6%, but that still ranks in the bottom 20% of the league. His other metrics have plummeted, most notably his hard-hit rate (down from 42.2% to 21.4%) and average exit velocity (down from 89.9 mph to 84.4 mph).
Lance McCullers Jr. praised Diaz’s work behind the plate after his strong start against the Red Sox last week, but the metrics suggest Diaz has been one of baseball’s worst catchers over the past two seasons.
It did not take long for the wheels of justice to turn in regard to a hit by a Florida Panthers player over the weekend.
The NHL Department of Player Safety announced on Monday that Panthers forward Eetu Luostarinen had been fined $5,000.
Their decision comes less than 24 hours after the play in question, which occurred during Sunday’s game between the Panthers and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
During the second period and with the puck in Florida’s zone, Penguins forward Rickard Rakell skated behind the Panthers’ net, closely followed by Luostarinen.
As Rakell turned to come back above the goal line from the other side of the net, Luostarinen caught Rakell with a high stick across the face while trying to deny his path back toward the front of the net.
Luostarinen was handed a four-minute double-minor penalty on the play.
While Rakell and the Penguins didn’t score on the ensuing power play, the veteran forward finished the game with a pair of goals, including the game-winner in a 5-2 victory over the Panthers.
The $5,000 represents the maximum allowable fine amount under the NHL and NHLPA’s collective bargaining agreement.
Luostarinen and the Panthers will be back in action on Tuesday when their road trip continues against the Canadiens in Montreal.
Photo caption: Jan 8, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Florida Panthers center Eetu Luostarinen (27) during warm-up before the game against the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre. (David Kirouac-Imagn Images)
On Sunday, April 5, it was reported that Luka Doncic was heading to Europe to seek specialized treatment for his grade 2 left hamstring strain in an effort to expedite his return. Now, more details have come to light regarding what that treatment actually looks like.
ESPN's Shams Charania gave the latest update on the status of the injured Los Angeles Lakers star with a bit of new information. In a segment on NBA Today, Charania reported that Doncic is currently in Spain to receive "an injection procedure" in his hamstring area to "promote healing" and streamline his recovery process.
"We know a grade 2 hamstring typically falls between 4-6 weeks," Charania said on-air. "He's doing everything he can to see if he can push that timeline up just a little bit. ... That's what he's doing. He's in Spain."
Details on Lakers injured stars Luka Doncic treatment in Spain and Austin Reaves timeline for NBA Today: pic.twitter.com/q0aG2WQrf0
Charania added that there's still a lot of unknowns, such as how the treatment itself actually works, the effectiveness of it, and how much it can possibly speed things up.
Doncic strained his hamstring in the fourth quarter of Thursday's blowout loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder and has been ruled out for the remainder of the regular season and his status for the playoffs is currently uncertain, but a first-round appearance would be surprising given what we know about the usual timeline for grade 2 hamstring strains.
What is a Grade 2 hamstring strain?
A Grade 2 hamstring strain is a “moderate injury that is typically a partial tear in the muscle; patients are likely to limp when walking and will have occasional twinges of pain during activity,” according to Mercy Health.
The injury could take close to a month to heal, but “returning to sports before the injury is fully healed can cause more severe injuries.”
Austin Reaves injury update
Doncic wasn't the only Lakers guard that Charania gave an update on. Austin Reaves -- who has also been ruled out for the final five games of the season with a Grade 2 left oblique muscle injury -- is rehabbing in LA and is still expected to miss 4-6 weeks, which would sideline him for most of if not all of the first round.
"The goal is for both of these players to be back," Charania said.
With the Lakers down two of their best players and possible first-round matchups against the Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets or Minnesota Timberwolves (or possibly the Phoenix Suns if the Lakers can lock up the No. 3 seed), they might need a vintage LeBron James run just to make it out to the second round.
Kolkata Knight Riders picked up their first point of the IPL following the first no-result of the 2026 tournament after their match against Punjab Kings was abandoned after just 22 deliveries on Monday.
The NBA's tanking issue has largely overshadowed the stretch run of the 2025-26 season and the race for seeding ahead of the postseason to this point. But the final week of the schedule has set the stage for some needed drama, with games every day that loom large as teams jockey for playoff position and try to avoid the play-in tournament.
Though the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs have locked up the top two spots in the Western Conference, and the Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics are comfortably positioned atop the Eastern Conference, there's plenty at stake for the rest of the postseason bracket and several key injuries that could impact the next few days and the start of the 2026 NBA playoffs.
Here's a breakdown at some key storylines as the NBA begins the final week of the 2025-26 regular season:
Perhaps the most compelling race entering the final week of the NBA regular season centers around the Western Conference teams that will hold home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. The Thunder and Spurs are locked into the top two seeds, but the Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets are in a logjam beneath them. The Lakers have the same record as the Nuggets (50-28) entering Monday, with the Rockets just one game behind after reeling off a sixth-straight win Sunday, April 5 against the Golden State Warriors.
Two games separate the No. 6 seed from the No. 10 seed in the Eastern Conference entering Monday's NBA slate as the Philadelphia 76ers try to fend off the Toronto Raptors, Charlotte Hornets, Orlando Magic and Miami Heat in a race to avoid the play-in tournament. The Raptors and Heat notably play one another in back-to-back games in Toronto this week. There's also some intrigue playing out ahead of the Western Conference play-in tournament, with the Los Angeles Clippers and Portland Trail Blazers tied in their pursuit of the No. 8 seed (and the luxury of only needing one win to make the playoffs).
The opponent awaiting the potential No. 6 seed in the East is also up in the air, with current No. 3 seed New York Knicks one game up on the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Atlanta Hawks, currently occupying the No. 5 seed, moved two games ahead of the Sixers ahead of a matchup against the Knicks on Monday night. The Hawks play the Cavaliers twice and the Knicks in the coming days.
The Golden State Warriors, meanwhile, welcomed back Stephen Curry on Sunday after a 27-game absence due to a knee injury. The Minnesota Timberwolves are also managing injury concerns, with both Anthony Edwards (knee) and Jaden McDaniels (knee) each missing games of late. McDaniels is considered "week-to-week," according to the Timberwolves.
In the Eastern Conference, Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham remains sidelined due to a collapsed lung, and the team announced he will be re-evaluated later this week. Cunningham hasn't played in a game since suffering the injury on March 17.
Who's hot?
Atlanta Hawks: 18-2 record over their past 20 games
Denver Nuggets: Won eight games in a row entering Monday
Houston Rockets: Currently on season-best six-game winning streak
Oklahoma City Thunder: 20-2 record since Feb. 20
San Antonio Spurs: 27-3 record since Feb. 1
Who's not?
Golden State Warriors: 9-19 record since Feb. 1 (9-18 without Curry)
Miami Heat: 3-8 record since March 14
Minnesota Timberwolves: 6-9 record over past 15 games
Phoenix Suns: 4-8 record since March 13
Toronto Raptors: 9-12 record in March and April
Potential spoilers
The Charlotte Hornets have won at close to a 70% clip since Jan. 1, with recent victories over Eastern Conference contenders like the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers. The trio of Kon Knueppel, LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller are the most dangerous team in the play-in tournament, with the best chance to win a first-round playoff series. Potential playoff previews against the Celtics, Pistons and Knicks are on the schedule this week.
Though the Warriors have struggled after Jimmy Butler's season-ending injury and Curry's two-month injury setback, their longtime superstar provided hope in his return Sunday when he led a Golden State comeback that came up just short against the playoff-bound Rockets. The defending NBA champion Thunder will be favored in any first-round series they face, but going against Curry, Draymond Green and the Warriors is probably the least desirable outcome.
Games to watch
All times Eastern
Monday: New York Knicks at Atlanta Hawks, 7 p.m. on Peacock
Tuesday: Miami Heat at Toronto Raptors, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday: Houston Rockets at Phoenix Suns, 11 p.m. on Peacock
Wednesday: Atlanta Hawks at Cleveland Cavaliers, 7 p.m. on ESPN
Thursday: Miami Heat at Toronto Raptors, 7 p.m.
Thursday: Boston Celtics at New York Knicks, 7:30 p.m. on Amazon Prime Video
Friday: Detroit Pistons at Charlotte Hornets, 7 p.m.
Friday: Cleveland Cavaliers at Atlanta Hawks, 7 p.m. on Amazon Prime Video
Friday: Minnesota Timberwolves at Houston Rockets, 9:30 p.m. on Amazon Prime Video
Sunday: Atlanta Hawks at Miami Heat, 6 p.m.
Sunday: Denver Nuggets at San Antonio Spurs, 8:30 p.m.
TORONTO, ON - NOVEMBER 01: Members of the Los Angeles Dodgers pose for a photo after Game Seven of the 2025 World Series presented by Capital One between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Saturday, November 1, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Michael Chisholm/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Our counterparts at Bluebird Banter have a fun segment in which they reach out to the opposing team’s SB Nation page before an upcoming series. Accordingly, before the upcoming Toronto Blue Jays/Dodgers series, which is the second-fastest rematch in MLB history, Bryant Tefler asked me some more questions he had about the current state of the Dodgers.
The following is my conversation with Bryant Tefler, with light editing for clarity and brevity:
Last year, with context, I asked how you felt about the Blue Jays’2025 season. Knowing what you know now and how it ended, how do you feel about the 2025 Toronto Blue Jays with the benefit of hindsight? And what would you tell past-you, knowing what you know now?
I’d be pretty impressed with how many things did go right for this team. What really solidified during the second half of the season and into the postseason about this team wasn’t just fluke; rather it was a set of interlocking pieces that reinforced each other in unexpected ways and once it settled into place turned into a very good team that was tremendous fun to watch because of the excitement associated with all the things they did really well.
I would also preview that not only were the Jays going to face the Yankees, Mariners and Dodgers in the post season – three teams that are all arguably higher levels of true talent than the Jays – but they would they take it to extra innings in Game 7 but only missed walking it off three times on flukey situations that broke the Dodgers way instead of the Jays. It was one of the best seasons since 2015 as a fan just to enjoy the different ways they found to win every night.
The Blue Jays mostly brought the band back in 2026, after coming so close last year. What are the expectations for the fanbase from your perspective? Do folks expect another run at this point?
I think the Jays are well-positioned to contend in 2026. We lost Bichette and Bassitt from the core, but replaced them with Okamoto and Cease. And it was a different team in many small ways that ended 2025 from the one that started it. The Jays, quite smartly as it is now apparent, brought on plenty of starting pitching with Cease, Ponce, and bringing back Schzerer at significantly less cost. Neither Yesavage nor Berrios is expected to miss significant time, and Bieber is a bit of a question mark, but he is throwing. If they get one or two back soonish, that’s not only going to upgrade the rotation, but it will also help the bullpen as well.
The biggest questions to contend with are ‘are we going to get 2025 Springer or 2024 Springer?’, ‘how close will Okamoto’s numbers look to his NPB production?’, and, of course, ‘will they stay healthy?’. If the Jays continue to play their brand of baseball, which is low strike-out, lots of traffic on the bases with power, superiour defense, and durable starting pitching, they should have a very high floor to their production. However, we also play in the ALE, so the Yankees, Red Sox, improved Orioles, and even this slightly bizarre collection of the Rays can’t be counted out. If the Jays don’t make the postseason, something serious likely went wrong, but how deep that postseason goes is always a crapshoot.
The tandem of Bichette and Vlad Guerrero, Jr. was integral to this core. What does Bichette’s departure mean to you and to the fanbase from your perspective? Accordingly, what does the emergence of Vlad Guerrero, Jr. mean to you and to the fanbase from your perspective?
When Bo and Vladdy came up (and the sadly forgotten Cavan Biggio) there was a tendency to look at them as a unit. It was three potentially homegrown franchise cornerstones, the kind of potential dynasties that you don’t often get in the MLB these days. While Biggio struggled, both Vladdy and Bo seemed to build from success to success, even facing the usual ups and downs of all young players.
They were also always depicted as close friends, so there was a strong appetite for both of them to be career Jays. But by 2022, the FO clearly valued Guerrero more, and according to reports, the relationship with Bichette was significantly frostier. Obviously, I don’t have any insider knowledge or know what offers were made, but their inability to extend either before their final year set off alarm bells with the fans, and the bringing in of Giminez really set the rumour mill working overtime.
Unfortunately for Bo, that injury he suffered against the Yankees gave the Jays weeks to essentially testrun an infield without Bichette and it was a significant improvement defensively. So there was always a bit of skepticism whether the Jays would get into a bidding war and whether Bo was willing to move off short. The Mets actually bailed the Jays out because the offer he accepted was wild enough that a lot of fans agreed the Jays shouldn’t match it. The infield will be significantly better defensively in 2026 and if Okamoto just has an offensively positive year, much less a star one, the team is likely better in the aggregate.
Personally, it’s a shame, and I’ll miss seeing Bichette every game. He was always one of my favourites, and I was hoping he’d make a move to second to make a long-term deal work. On the other hand, Bichette’s offense is a profile that relies heavily on bat speed, and his foot speed has slowed significantly, so I always saw his long-term risk being higher than Vladdy. If I had to predict, I would expect his bat to remain excellent in New York, but taking over the hot corner defensively is going to be a bit of a roller coaster for Mets fans to watch.
As for Vlad, this has been his team basically since he was called up. He’s had some growing pains along the way, but between his effortless charisma and the FO’s push in their marketing to make him the face of the franchise, it has always been him front and centre. The fanbase let out a collective breath when they announced his new contract, and by the time it is done, the expectation is that he’ll own a lot of the Jays’ career leaderboards by a wide margin.
Cody Ponce and his fluke injury is a blow, but I have seen the Blue Jays fans really attach themselves to him during his short tenure. What will the Blue Jays do to eat the innings with the ongoing injuries to Berrios et al?
Jays fans love a feel good story. They love roleplayers and the supposed ‘lunchbox’ players that aren’t stars but have a great story. Guys like Sal Fasano, John McDonald, Munenori Kawasaki , and Kevin Pillar are guys who maybe only did one or two things well on the field that fans loved. Ponce already fits that narrative; a guy who struggled in the Majors and then in the NPB, but unlocked something to make him a record holder in Korea. He’s a big, goofy seeming Star Wars fan who has finally earned his way back to the bigs. Now, since even the most optimistic view is the second half at the earliest and more likely a lost season, there’s a lot of disappointment and feeling for the guy.
Eating those innings is a good question. As mentioned, Berrios and Yesavage are already throwing off a mound and both are expected to be available at some point before the end of April. Bieber is a little more of an x-factor. Now, as of writing this, the Jays have signed Patrick Corbin’s corpse to a one year deal so he’ll likely get a few starts and there’s some AAA depth they can draw on if necessary. I think they’ll try and work between him and a few bullpen games to align with off days to keep as many starts on the front four.
I reviewed Rogers Centre based on my visit in 2024 and updated it with my visit in 2025. When exactly does the roof generally open, and how different is the ballpark between open and closed?
There is a metric for opening the roof. As I recall, the rule of thumb is something like five straight days without rain and temperatures above fifteen degrees. So it typically doesn’t open before May on a regular basis. Because of our location on the Great Lakes, we tend to have quite wet springs and because it takes time to open and close the roof, getting caught during a storm with it open causes all kinds of problems the stadium doesn’t want to risk if they don’t have to.
As for the atmosphere, I’m not necessarily the best person to talk to because I actually don’t really give a flip about the stadium in general. I go to the ballpark to watch the games first and foremost and the Rogers Centre is quite good for that. They have good unobstructed sightlines for most of the seats, concessions and bathrooms are never more than fiftish meters from your seat, every game starts on time which I can watch comfortably warm enough in just my jersey and I can get to it from my home in West Toronto in a half hour for $3.7 5CDN. [Author’s Note: About $2.70]. I don’t care about promotions, stadium specialty foods or special bars or activities at the ballpark that involve anything other than the game, so my perspective isn’t like the average fan.
So the biggest difference, I’d say, is that the dome does amplify the sound and light shows, so during a sellout games with it closed, Rogers Centre thunders in a way that other stadiums I’ve visited don’t. On the other hand, I remember many games in the 2000s on a weekday with the dome closed and an anemic crowd making the place echo like a mausoleum. When the fans are there, it’s a fun, dynamic atmosphere to watch baseball if that’s your priority, and I’ve heard from many people that the renovation areas creating unticketed bars and patios and watching spaces are very popular if you want more of a party experience.
Trey Yesavage: one-hit wonder or the real deal?
Rookie pitchers will always break your heart so I will never declare anyone a sure fire star. In fact, the two greatest pitchers in Jays history were a former corner outfielder and a guy busted from the majors all the way back to A ball before they turned into the immortals they were destined to be.
That said, Yesavage has the tools to succeed.
His four seamer sits middle 90s and touches 97. There’s ten-twelve MPH of separation between that and his splitter which is nightmarish for hitters and his unique arm angle makes him very hard to square up. The biggest challenge I expect him to face is that his splitter carries out of the zone a lot so at some point, hitters are going to start to lay off it more and wait for him to challenge them in the zone with the heater. So it will depend on his ability to adapt to that and to refine his control.
His slider isn’t consistent yet and I think if he can turn that into a plus pitch, he’s got the ceiling of a front of the rotation pitcher. It helps that he’s got Kevin Gausman’s brain to pick and help refine that splitter.
Lastly, fill in the blank. The 2026 Toronto Blue Jays will _________________________ mostly because of ______________________.
The 2026 Toronto Blue Jays will make the postseason mostly because of their starting rotation and a massive year by Guerrero at the plate.
Once again, a very kind thank you to Bryant Telfer for his time. I do not think I will ever be able to top my last visit to Toronto, but I am sure my travels will eventually take me that way again. It’s always fun to go to a game with friends, even if they are from the other side.
The first home series of the year is in the books, and the Yankees have continued to excel in the early going. New York owns the best record in the American League, tied for the best in baseball, and while it’s quite early to be scoreboard watching it is notable to point out that they’ve already built up a bit of a cushion for themselves with everyone else in the AL East sitting below .500 entering Monday. You may not be able to win the division in April, but you sure can put yourself in a hole that leads to you losing it, so the Yankees getting off to the sole strong start among their competitors makes it all feel even better.
There’s still plenty to go over, positively and negatively, with this year’s team. The offense has been good but not great, with the top half performing excellently while the bottom half has struggled to make any kind of impact. The bullpen has had several members struggle out of the gate, causing what could’ve been some easy wins to deliver a lot of stress in the process. How far can the team push their early lead in the standings? Is this Ben Rice’s superstar breakout after BABIP luck has held him down? Will we see a renaissance season from Giancarlo Stanton? If you have questions like these, or anything else on your mind, send ‘em in for a chance to be featured in our Yankees mailbag.
Answers will run on Friday afternoon. All questions received by the night of April 9th will be considered. You can leave your submissions in the comment section below or by e-mail to pinstripealleyblog [at] gmail [dot] com.
Leon Rose has once again orchestrated a 50-win Knicks season — but Mike Breen’s recent praise of the team president has been dubbed “blasphemous” by Stephen A. Smith.
With the Knicks blowing out the Bulls on Friday, Breen — a colleague of Smith’s at ESPN — suggested to viewers on the MSG broadcast that the expectations surrounding the Knicks had gotten out of hand.
“There are many Knick fans, and many in the media, and many within the organization, who feel that this season would be considered a disappointing one if the Knicks don’t make the NBA Finals,” Breen said during the fourth quarter of New York’s 136-96 demolition of Chicago.
Stephen A. Smith rips ESPN colleague Mike Breen for "blasphemous" comments about where the Knicks were before Leon Rose became president of the team pic.twitter.com/bWTiWnS0wa
“… Obviously a championship is what everyone wants and that’s the goal, but just remember where the franchise was before Leon Rose arrived.”
Even with the Knicks in third place of the Eastern Conference, Smith took issue with Breen’s defense of Rose.
Calling the play-by-play man a “Hall of Famer” and “one of the greatest voices in the history of sports,” he then proceed to gently rip into the legendary broadcaster.
“We know what he does for us, ESPN/ABC. But you can’t allow this to go unchallenged,” Smith said. “You’ve been there. We know that the New York Knicks have improved. … New York Knick fans have suffered, We haven’t won a championship since Richard Nixon left office. We haven’t won a championship since 1973.
ESPN/ABC basketball announcers Doris Burke and Mike Breen during the second quarter of the game between the Boston Celtics and the Denver Nuggets at TD Garden on March 2, 2025. Getty Images
“We appreciate Leon Rose and the job that he’s done. Does that mean that we’re supposed to be satisfied of every damn thing that falls short of a trip to the NBA Finals?”
Despite their 50-28 record, the Knicks’ Finals aspirations have become muddied in recent weeks and months, with Jayson Tatum returning for the Celtics and James Harden being traded to the Cavs in February, while the Pistons lead the conference at 57-21.
Still, to Breen’s point, the Knicks have failed to make the playoffs just once since the 2020-21 season — Rose’s first full season in charge of basketball operations. And that run was preceded by seven consecutive seasons without playoff basketball.
Smith also went on to criticize Rose’s blockbuster trade for Mikal Bridges — who has averaged just 11.6 points since the All-Star Break — before lovingly tearing into the 64-year-old Breen again.
“Damn it, Mike Breen, don’t do this. Don’t give passes,” Smith said. “We need a trip to the Finals. Because it’s not looking good in the future. Boston’s not going away, Detroit’s coming.’
“I want to be respectful to Mike Breen. But when I see you. And I will see you, we’re gonna talk about this Mike Breen. I love you.”
Knicks president Leon Rose watches the Knicks take on the Clippers on Jan. 7, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
With just four games left in the regular season, the Knicks are jostling for playoff positioning and hold a one-game lead over Cleveland for the No. 3 seed in the East.
They’ll face fellow postseason teams in the Hawks, Celtics, Raptors and Hornets to close out the regular season before embarking on another playoff gauntlet.
The Knicks reached the Eastern Conference Finals last season -— their first trip to that stage since 2000 – before falling to the Pacers in six games.
MILWAUKEE, WI - APRIL 3: The sneakers worn by Sam Hauser #30 of the Boston Celtics during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks on April 3, 2026 at Fiserv Forum Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images). | NBAE via Getty Images
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff (53) throws during the first inning of their game against the Arizona Diamondbacks Monday, August 25, 2025 at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. | Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Brewers are headed east to begin the week and wrap up the road trip, as they’ll face their fourth consecutive interleague opponent in the Boston Red Sox.
Boston has had a rough go of it early, as they’re sitting at just 2-7 this season, putting them at the bottom of a deep AL East. Milwaukee has the reverse record at 7-2, sitting atop the NL Central just ahead of the Reds and Pirates.
Brandon Woodruff will get the ball in the series opener Monday night. Woodruff made his season debut last Tuesday against the Rays, picking up the win as he went five innings and allowed two runs (both solo homers) on four hits and no walks. He also struck out six despite being limited to just 67 pitches. Expect to see him get closer to the 75-80 pitch threshold tonight.
Opposing Woodruff is right-hander Brayan Bello, in his fifth MLB season with the Sox. Still only 26, Bello hasn’t had much success in the majors to this point, pitching to a 4.14 ERA over 101 career appearances (98 starts). He made his season debut against the Astros on Tuesday, allowing six runs (five earned) on eight hits and three walks, striking out two as he fought threw 4 2/3 innings.
Brice Turang leads off tonight for Milwaukee, followed by William Contreras and Christian Yelich at DH. Garrett Mitchell, Jake Bauers, and Luis Rengifo fill in the middle of the order, while Sal Frelick bats seventh as he returns from some side tightness that kept him out of yesterday’s lineup. Former Red Sox David Hamilton and Blake Perkins round out the bottom of the order. One of Hamilton’s trade counterparts, Caleb Durbin, bats seventh for Boston.
In transaction news, Milwaukee placed left-handed reliever Jared Koenig on the IL earlier today with a left elbow sprain. Lefty Shane Drohan (acquired in that same Durbin-Hamilton-Kyle Harrison trade) was recalled to replace him and, upon making an appearance, will make his MLB debut. The Red Sox have also reinstated right-handed reliever Garrett Whitlock from the paternity list, optioning Tyler Uberstine to Triple-A Worcester.
Today’s first pitch is scheduled for 5:45 p.m. CT. You can catch the game on Brewers.TV and the Brewers Radio Network, including WTMJ 620 in Milwaukee.
North Carolina has plucked both its football and men's basketball coaches from the professional ranks in the last two years, hiring New England Patriots legend Bill Belichick prior to the 2025 season and former Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone on Monday, April 6, sources confirmed to USA TODAY Sports.
Former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, one of the sport's legendary coaches who has been a part of numerous rivalry games against in-state enemy North Carolina, said it hasn't done the Tar Heels any good yet, though.
"Well, they had an NFL champion hired as the coach and Duke beat North Carolina in football this year," he said on ESPN's "Pat McAfee Show" shortly after the Malone news dropped. "That doesn't mean Coach Belichick isn't a great coach, but there is time for adjustment."
Malone, whose daughter plays volleyball at North Carolina, was fired by the Denver Nuggets prior to the playoffs in 2025, although he won the NBA Finals with the organization in 2023. He has 510 career NBA wins in stints with the Nuggets and Sacramento Kings, and coached 3-time MVP Nikola Jokic with Denver.
While Krzyzewski said Malone is a great coach, he said there's a learning curve when moving from NBA to college, but also noted North Carolina could be shifting its philosophy to more of a professional model with coaching hires.
"It takes longer, if you ever get adjusted from the pros to college," he said. "(Malone) is a terrific coach and a terrific guy. There's a learning curve. ... Whatever the reasoning is, maybe they're changing. (North Carolina) now have two pro coaches coaching in college.
"The infrastructure their athletic department (has), is it now going to become more of a pro organization? Which. I think if that's true, everybody should be doing that. And the fact that he knows how to do that, and so does Coach Belichick, maybe that's a sign that they're moving in that direction."
"They had an NFL champion hired as the coach and Duke beat Carolina in football this year." 🤣
Malone has his work cut out for him, as North Carolina basketball has struggled in recent years to live up to its standard as one of the best programs in college basketball. The Tar Heels haven't won a first-round NCAA Tournament game since 2023-24.
The former Nuggets coach hasn't been in college sports since 2001, when he was an assistant at Manhattan. He'll look to revive the Duke-North Carolina against coach Jon Scheyer, Krzyzewski's former assistant and player.
And maybe Malone will even earn some brownie points with UNC fans if he claps back at Krzyzewski if North Carolina beats Duke in football this year.
MIAMI, FL - APRIL 1: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics handles the ball during the game against the Miami Heat on April 1, 2026 at Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. 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 Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Jaylen Brown has been named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the third time this season after leading the Celtics to a 3-1 week. The Celtics tallied wins over the Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, and Toronto Raptors, while averaging 31 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game.
The Celtics’ only loss came in Atlanta, when Brown posted 29 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists, but shot just 9-29 from the field and turned the ball over 6 times.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Boston Celtics forward-guard Jaylen Brown have been named the NBA Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for Week 24 of the 2025-26 season (March 30 – April 5). pic.twitter.com/7vB4jsDjMw
In the Western Conference, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was named Player of the Week after leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 3-0 week, and averaging 31.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game.
The award is Brown’s 7th career selection, and third selection this season. Last week, Jayson Tatum was named Player of the Year after averaging 25.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game en route to a 3-0 week for the Celtics.
Brown’s best game came on Wednesday, when he exploded for 43 points on 17-29 shooting alongside 7 assists in a blowout win over the Miami Heat.
The Player of the Week award is the latest in a season of accolades for Jaylen Brown. He earned his first-ever Player of the Month selection for games played in January and was named an All-Star starter for the first time.
The Celtics are 53-25 on the season, owners of the East’s second-best record. Brown has been the team’s leading scorer, averaging 28.7 points per game. He’s also tallying 7 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 1 steal.
Brown and the Celtics will be back in action on Tuesday night against the Hornets.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 03: Francisco Alvarez #4 and Tyrone Taylor #15 of the New York Mets celebrate after Alvarez hit a solo home run against the San Francisco Giants in the top of the fourth inning at Oracle Park on April 03, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome back to Monday Stat Party, a weekly series showcasing the most curious and nostalgia-inducing statistical developments from the past week of Mets baseball. What unites each entry is the sense of intrigue which they aim to spark, and the unbridled love of the game’s anomalies from which they arise. Without further ado, let the stat party begin…
MONDAY
Carson Benge became the eighth Met to steal two bases in their first four career games, and the first to do so since Ronny Mauricio in 2023.
TUESDAY
Kodai Senga averaged 97.4 mph on his four-seam fastball, the highest of any start in his major league career. Senga also notched five swinging strikeouts on the four-seamer; since pitch tracking began in 2008, the only Mets right-handers to register more swinging strikeouts on a four-seamer in a single game are Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer, and Matt Harvey.
Jared Young recorded a hit with an exit velocity of over 111 mph in a second consecutive game. In 2025, Pete Alonso and Juan Soto were the only Mets to accomplish that feat.
WEDNESDAY
The Mets played extra innings for the third time in their first six games for the second time in franchise history, joining 1991. (credit: MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo)
The Mets scored one run or fewer through nine innings for the third time in their first six games. It’s only the seventh time that’s happened in franchise history, but the third time in the past four years (along with 2023 and 2024).
THURSDAY
Blade Tidwell became the first former Mets major leaguer to get a save against his old team since Paul Sewald on June 2, 2024.
FRIDAY
The Mets scored double-digit runs for the second time in their first eight games. It’s the first time they’ve accomplished that feat since 2007.
Juan Soto became the tenth Met to record a hit in each of the team’s first eight games in a season, and the first since Jeff Francoeur in 2010.
Francisco Alvarez recorded the sixth multi-homer game of his career, and the third where both homers were hit over 400 feet at 105+ mph. The only other Mets with three such multi-homer games in the statcast era (since 2015) are Pete Alonso and Yoenis Cespedes.
Mark Vientos reached base four times for the third time in his career. He had previously done so on April 28, 2025, and June 3, 2024 — both games at Nationals Park.
Through his first ten career games, Nolan McLean has recorded 58.1 innings pitched, 69 strikeouts, and a 2.16 ERA. The only other pitcher with that many IP and strikeouts with that low of an ERA through their first ten outings is Paul Skenes.
SATURDAY
The Mets earned their first shutout win while scoring 9+ runs since September 18, 2024, when they beat the Nationals 10-0 at Citi Field.
Clay Holmes completed seven innings for only the second time in his career, having previously done so on June 1, 2025 against the Rockies at Citi Field.
Tyrone Taylor has only hit ten homers as a Met, but he has now homered at Oracle Park twice, having previously done so on April 24, 2024.
SUNDAY
The Mets have won three games in a row for the first time since August 25-27, 2025, when they swept the Phillies at Citi Field (think parabolic microphones).
The Mets have recorded 12 hits in three straight games for the fourth time this decade.
Luis Robert Jr. has reached base 18 times in his first nine games as a Met. Only 14 Mets have done that to begin their stint with the team, with the first being Willie Mays in 1972 and the most recent being Ángel Pagán in 2008. Other notable names include John Olerud, Rickey Henderson, and Carlos Delgado.
Miscellaneous Mets stat of the week:
Ron Swoboda is the Mets’ all-time leader in home runs against the Giants with 16. Swoboda only hit 69 homers total with the Mets, and 23.2% of those came against San Francisco.
