Worldwide Sports News
Today is the 79th anniversary of the day Jack Robinson made his debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers and broke MLB’s longstanding color barrier. To honor that feat and his legacy, all MLB players will don jerseys with #42 on them today.
In Cincinnati, the Reds will play host to the San Francisco Giants. Rhett Lowder and old friend Tyler Mahle will get the starting nods.
Lineups for the two clubs are listed below, with first pitch set for 6:40 PM ET.
In hindsight, Dave Roberts dropped the hint Tuesday night.
When asked about Shohei Ohtani’s plan for Wednesday’s series finale against the Mets, the manager said then that Ohtani is “going to be our starting pitcher tomorrow.”
What he neglected to mention: That pitching would be the only thing Ohtani does in the game.
For the first time since May 2021, Ohtani was in the lineup as a pitcher only for Wednesday’s contest, dropped from the batting order –– and his typical leadoff spot as the team’s designated hitter –– because of lingering soreness in the back of his right pitching shoulder after being hit by a pitch there earlier this week.
“If he wouldn’t have gotten hit, he would’ve DH’d today,” Roberts said. “So I just think in this one game, it just makes more sense to give him the best chance to kind of manage the shoulder and the back.”
The hit-by-pitch in question happened in Ohtani’s first at-bat Monday night, when David Peterson plunked him with a 94 mph sinker that sent the four-time MVP reeling in pain.
Ohtani stayed in that night’s game, and DH’d again Tuesday. But he’s gone 0-for-7 since, only reaching base once in that span via an intentional walk.
“There’s still some soreness in there,” Roberts said.
Thus, the Dodgers decided it’d be best to have him only pitch Wednesday, in what will be his third outing on the mound this season. Dalton Rushing will serve as DH in Ohtani’s place.
Shohei Ohtani is the Dodgers' starting pitcher only tonight
— Jack Harris (@ByJackHarris) April 15, 2026
He will not DH pic.twitter.com/O0NpDBi93e
“[It was] just feeling what gives him the best chance to stay loose during the outing, feel good,” Roberts said. “When he’s hitting, there’s a component that he’s in the cage getting ready to hit. And if we can take that off his plate and just focus on one thing tonight, we felt — training staff, pitching coaches, myself — we just felt it was the best thing for him.”
Roberts said he expects Ohtani to resume two-way duties the next time his spot in the rotation comes up.
He added that Ohtani “completely understood” the reasoning for Wednesday’s decision.
In case you were wondering, Ohtani will not be an option to pinch-hit later in Wednesday’s game, either. While, during his normal two-way starts, he is able to remain in the game as a hitter after his pitching start ends, the same flexibility does not apply if he is not in the starting lineup as the DH.
Because of that, Ohtani’s 48-game on-base streak also won’t be threatened. On-base streaks aren’t snapped if a player does not get a plate appearance in a game (even if they pitch, pinch-run or play defense).
With the NBA Draft Lottery about three weeks away, fans are talking about two big mysteries: where the team will pick on May 10 and who will rep Brooklyn on the dias in Chicago that night. Last year, when the Nets dropped from the sixth seed to the eighth, it was Jordi Fernandez, the head coach, looking ashen as the bad news was delivered.
Who will be sitting proudly in front of the Nets logo this season? The possibilities include Fernandez; the owners Joe or Clara Wu Tsai: last year’s lottery pick, Egor Demin: or a former star. Julius Erving for example. The 50th anniversary of the New York Nets final ABA championship is that week.
How about a fan, like Bruce Reznick, aka Mr. Whammy, the Nets 90-year-old superfan and grand master of the hex. It’s been true for a while that said hexes work. Opposing teams shoot worse at Barclays with the distraction of Mr. Whammy and the spirit of his late wife. There’s already a petition circulating to get Bruce to Chicago, although he notes that since he doesn’t fly anymore, he’d had to get their by train. The petition already has nearly 500 signatures as of 6:00 p.m. ET Wednesday.
Doug Bearak of the Brooklyn Brigade, a superfan in his own right, interviewed the retired Brooklyn lawyer this week about the petition. Bruce won’t deny interest, not at all. He in fact repeatedly noted how grateful he’d be if chosen, and when asked if he hex other team reps at the event, his response was simple, “Of course!” (Now there’s an image!)
He spoke as well about how his late wife, Judy, would join him on the dias in spirit if chosen, adding she still sends messages to him about the team.
There’s no public deadline for teams to select their representation for either the dias or the back room where the actual drawing takes place. Nets capologist Makar Gevorkian had that honor last year. Indeed, the choice may or may not be decided yet. Fernandez told the media back on April 25 of last year that he’d be in Chicago for the lottery which was no surprise since the NBA Draft Combine is the same week. But his role as team rep on the dias wasn’t revealed until three days before the ping pong balls began to rattle through the hopper at NBA Studios.
Here’s the transcript of the interview, edited for length and clarity.
Doug Bearak:
So, first off, how does it feel that fans wanted to have a petition created to have you be the representative for the NBA lottery in Chicago? How do you feel about fans wanting you to be the representative for the NBA lottery.
Bruce S. Reznick
I’m deeply full gratitude for all our friends, whether they get involved with this or not … the NBA fans are wonderful, and they treat Mr .and Mrs. Whammy, a wonderful, regardless of the jersey that they’re wearing, and the color of the jersey. A fan recognizes another fan. And he doesn’t have to have the same jersey.
DB:
So if you were at the Lottery, on the stand representing the stand that represents the team out of Chicago, what would be your, you know, your method behind the madness to ensure that the nets get a high pick in this lottery? If you were in the room with all the draftees?
BR:
I’d be very grateful, proud, I’d be very, I’d be very proud, if we got a, a, a, a great pick or pick. I will, I will do whatever I can. Just try to make that happen.
DB:
Well, as of now, we only own one lottery pick, meaning we have the possibility of just one slot within, I believe the top, seven, is our floor. But our goal, you know, we have flattened odds where we can get as high as No. 1, even though the Wizards, you know, landed ahead of us. So what would be your tactic to kind of bring that opportunity to fans to bring that, you know, potential franchise changing player to Brooklyn by giving us the opportunity to pick first, second, third, fourth, whatever it may be?
BR:
We would have somebody working for us. Two hands. Mrs. Whammy. We have Mrs. Whammy up in heaven, and she watches over the Nets families, all the players, all the fans, and her family and Mr. Whammy, so let’s see, what Mrs. Whammy can pull off.
DB:
So you won’t be hexing your peers on stage? The representatives of the other teams?!?
BR:
Oh, I’ll be. Of course, I only know to hex.
DB:
Okay, so while duty brings in the gold, You’ll be bringing in the hexing.
BR:
I just use my [powers] — and just to refresh everybody’s memory — when it was last year in Brooklyn. I had my wife and my picture hanging. I went to hit the number. The picture fell off the wall. So my wife spoke from heaven last year, and hopefully she’ll do the same this year, and bring more greatness to the beloved Nets. And whatever I should do. My pleasure, and I hope we’re successful.
DB:
Well, if you got to pitch this idea to anyone, what would be your pitch be? What would be your pitch to the people above us (ownership and the front office) to have that opportunity. Well, I’m talking about getting you on stage getting you to the draft lottery. What would be your message to them to make these fans’ dreams come true of having you be the representative this year?
BR:
If I could be of any help … That it would be my blessing.
DB:
Well, first, you know, hope to see you there. If not, hope to see you in Brooklyn with the other fans. Appreciate you taking the time. Hope to, you know, hope to celebrate with you soon.
BR:
Hey. Anything I should do to help my next, our next, I should say, our next. It’s, it’s, it’s my pleasure. To be there. I support. The commissioner, everybody involved with the NBA and all the players. Every time I need a player, I say to him. I wish a good luck and no injuries. And that’s a blessing that I get from upstairs, and hopefully, it works.
BR:
Oh, I don’t fly, so if I’m invited. I’m taking the train.
So, we wait the word.
Observations after Sixers earn tough play-in win, advance to series vs. Celtics originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The Sixers pulled out a tough play-in tournament victory Wednesday night and earned a trip back to the postseason in the process.
They notched a 109-97 victory over the Magic at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Next up for the Sixers is a first-round playoff series against the No. 2 seed Celtics. Game 1 is set for Sunday at 1 p.m. ET in Boston.
The Sixers had five double-figure scorers. Tyrese Maxey posted 31 points and six assists. VJ Edgecombe had a double-double in his first career postseason game with 19 points and 11 rebounds.
Desmond Bane starred for the Magic, scoring 34 points on 10-for-16 shooting. Paolo Banchero had 18 points.
Joel Embiid (appendectomy recovery) watched Wednesday’s game from the Sixers’ bench. He remains out indefinitely.
Here are observations on the Sixers’ playoff-clinching win:
Adem Bona got the start for the Sixers at center and knocked down a pair of free throws to kick off the scoring.
Kelly Oubre Jr. was in the middle of much of the early action. He drained two three-pointers in under two and a half minutes.
Oubre was also active defensively in his opening stint against Franz Wagner. He brought the necessary off-ball physicality and didn’t let the 6-foot-10 Wagner capitalize on his height advantage.
With 8:30 left in the first quarter, Oubre committed an obvious offensive foul when his screen knocked Wagner to the floor. The teams exchanged some unfriendly words after the whistle and both Oubre and Banchero were assessed technicals.
Oubre capped the first quarter in sweet fashion for the Sixers, swishing a corner three with 1.8 seconds left to give his team a 28-24 edge.
This season Oubre shot a career-best 36 percent beyond the arc, an improvement he credited largely to gaining flexibility in his left wrist and hand through offseason therapy following years of issues. He carried over that confidence in his jumper to the postseason. Oubre shot 5 for 10 from three-point Wednesday in his 19-point performance.
Maxey made a concerted effort in the first quarter to drive hard, reach the paint regularly and invite contact.
He drew the second foul on Banchero with 7:06 left in the first. Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley let Banchero play through his foul trouble and Orlando’s star forward avoided any more problems on that front.
Paul George was scoreless in the first quarter, but he hit a couple of jumpers in Maxey-less minutes to begin the second period. Quentin Grimes’ and-one layup put the Sixers up 39-33.
Grimes, Andre Drummond and Dominick Barlow were the only three bench players in the Sixers’ rotation. Drummond had a strong first half. He registered a highlight assist when he short rolled, took Maxey’s pocket pass and fired the ball to a cutting Barlow for a dunk. Drummond’s first quarter also included a put-back slam and two blocks.
While Maxey mostly kept his foot on the gas offensively, he also recognized when he’d attracted extra defenders and could find open teammates.
With the second quarter winding down, Maxey tossed a one-handed skip pass to Drummond in the corner. The veteran big man drilled his jumper and the Sixers entered halftime with a four-point lead.
Bane converted a mid-range, and-one jumper on Edgecombe 18 seconds into the third quarter. He made his free throw, which was already his 10th attempt of the game.
The Magic had a hard time building any serious momentum because of their poor outside shooting.
Orlando was fourth-worst in the NBA this season in three-point percentage (34.3 percent) and did not transform into a sharpshooting squad Wednesday. The team finished 7 for 27 (25.9 percent) from three-point range.
Bona stepped up for the Sixers in the third quarter, swatting three shots and providing ample energy. Edgecombe also picked up steam in the third. His fast-break layup extended the Sixers’ lead to 73-62.
There was an altercation under the basket after Edgecombe’s hoop. The home crowd enjoyed the chaotic scene and Oubre spurred them on, asking for more noise. However, the fans were not happy with the conclusion of the officials’ review. Edgecombe got a taunting technical foul for his dust-up with Jalen Suggs.
Maxey missed several open jumpers in the third quarter and the Sixers couldn’t grow their advantage. The Magic hung around and Orlando cut its deficit to 87-86 on an Anthony Black three early in the fourth quarter.
Maxey had a superstar’s stretch with the game up for grabs. He first made a driving layup. Edgecombe then ripped the ball from Banchero, leading to a Maxey triple on the other end. A Maxey floater built the Sixers’ lead back to eight points.
The game was destined to come down to the final few minutes.
The Sixers had a good night overall on the glass, but Wagner got a put-back layup to trim the Sixers’ lead to 99-95 with 3:25 left, prompting head coach Nick Nurse to call timeout.
Just as he did in the regular season, Edgecombe looked very comfortable in the clutch. He made a difficult layup and hit two foul shots to restore a seven-point lead.
Soon, “We want Boston!” chants rang out from the stands and a Drummond corner three was a joyous way for the Sixers to truly ice the game.
The Celtics series won’t be easy at all, but the Sixers deserve their chance to face the East’s No. 2 seed and try to spring an upset.
Folks, the vibes are bad. The Brewers, after a wonderful start, have lost six in a row. The bullpen, an expected strength, is hanging on by a thread, and there are urgent questions about the closer’s role. Three of the team’s five best hitters are on the shelf, with no returns expected for at least a couple of weeks. It’s not great! (Good vibes around Jackie Robinson, though—it’s Jackie Robinson day today, so raise your glass to one of the great heroes of 20th century America.)
There is one thing that would cure the panic that is beginning to seep into parts of the fanbase: a few wins. Milwaukee will look to end their brutal losing streak tonight (and to keep their record from going under .500), but it’s not going to be a cakewalk. In the second game of their three-game set with the reigning American League champs, the Brewers will send Chad Patrick to the mound to face off with one of the highest paid pitchers in the league, Dylan Cease.
Cease, who signed a seven-year, $210 million deal with the Blue Jays as a free agent this offseason, has had an enigmatic career. At his best, he’s been one of the very best pitchers alive, as evidenced by his 2022 season, when as a member of the White Sox he pitched to a 2.20 ERA, led the American League in bWAR, and finished second in Cy Young voting. But Cease has also had some clunkers; over the past four seasons, his ERA+ has been 180, 97, 118, and 94.
There is no question about Cease’s ability, though. He’s led his league in strikeouts per nine innings twice in the last five years, and at 11.0 per nine for his career, he is third among 47 active pitchers with at least 1,000 innings pitched in career K/9, behind only two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell and future Hall of Famer Chris Sale. Cease is off to an excellent star: in three appearances spanning 14 2/3 innings, he has a 2.45 ERA and 1.66 FIP, and while his walks are up, he’s also struck out 26 batters in 14.2 innings, a Mason-Miller-esque rate of 16 per nine innings.
The Brewers will counter with Chad Patrick. He’s got a shiny 0.73 ERA of his own, but he’s definitely been fortunate—the sequencing coach is earning his pay, you might say, as it relates to Patrick. Patrick’s strikeouts are way down (he has only seven in 12 1/3 innings) and his walks are up (3.6 per nine, compared to 3.0 last season), giving him a 1950s-esque 1.40 K:BB ratio. Brewers fans will be pleased as long as the results are there, but the difference between Patrick’s ERA and FIP is higher than Freddy Peralta’s career ERA, so it would be nice to see some encouraging signs under the hood, so to speak.
Milwaukee will field a similar lineup to last night, with the exception of Brandon Lockridge (who finished last night’s game but didn’t start it), who is in for Luis Matos in left field. Gary Sánchez will also do the catching tonight, swapping roles with William Contreras, who will be the DH.
First pitch is at 6:40 p.m. on Brewers TV and the Brewers Radio Network.
The San Francisco Giants continue their three-game road series against the Cincinnati Reds this afternoon.
Taking the mound for the Giants will be right-hander Tyler Mahle, who enters today’s game with a 4.30 ERA, 4.32 FIP, with 15 strikeouts to seven walks in 14.2 innings pitched. His last start was in the Giants’ 5-0 win over the Philadelphia Phillies last Wednesday, in which he allowed just three hits and four walks with six strikeouts in five and two thirds innings.
He’ll be facing off against Reds right-hander Rhett Lowder, who enters today’s game with a 3.31 ERA, 3.71 FIP, with 11 strikeouts to six walks in 16.1 innings pitched. His last start was in the Reds’ 8-1 loss to the Miami Marlins last Thursday, in which he allowed five runs (four earned) on eight hits with two strikeouts and two walks in five and a third innings.
Sign up for a user account and get:
Who: San Francisco Giants (6-11) vs. Cincinnati Reds (10-7)
Where: Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati, Ohio
When: 3:40 p.m. PT
Regional broadcast: NBC Sports Bay Area
National broadcast: n/a
Radio: KNBR 680 AM/104.5 FM, KSFN 1510 AM
Celtics vs. 76ers first-round playoff preview, odds and prediction originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
For the 24th time in NBA history and the sixth time this century, the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers will meet in the playoffs.
The storied rivals will face off in the first round, marking the first Boston-Philly playoff matchup since the 2023 Eastern Conference semifinals when the C’s defeated the Sixers in seven games. This year, the Celtics earned the No. 2 seed with a 56-26 record, while the Sixers secured the No. 7 seed with a 45-37 record and a win over the Orlando Magic in the No. 7 vs. No. 8 play-in tournament matchup on Wednesday night.
Boston and Philadelphia played four times in the regular season, splitting their series 2-2. The C’s were without Jayson Tatum for all four matchups due to his Achilles injury, but the superstar is healthy and looking like himself just in time for the postseason.
As for the Sixers, star big man Joel Embiid’s status remains up in the air after he underwent an emergency appendectomy. If he’s out, Philly will lean heavily on Tyrese Maxey and Paul George to carry the load.
The Celtics have won five of their last six first-round series in a sweep or just five games. The 76ers have their work cut out for them as they look to ruin that trend.
Check out our full Celtics-76ers preview below:
*If necessary
Oct. 22 at Boston: 76ers 117, Celtics 116
Oct. 31 at Philadelphia: Celtics 109, 76ers 108
Nov. 11 at Philadelphia: 76ers 102, Celtics 100
March 1 at Boston: Celtics 114, 76ers 98
Here’s a breakdown of Boston and Philadelphia’s season stats and NBA rankings from the 2025-26 season. The Celtics have the advantage in every category except points per game.
The Jays are the Jays.
It’s simple: If Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are themselves, the Celtics win this series handily.
As good as Tyrese Maxey is, the Sixers don’t have the firepower to keep up when the Jays are on their game. Philly’s two wins against Boston came by one and two points, and Tatum missed both matchups. With him back in the lineup and looking like his superstar self, the Sixers will need Maxey, Paul George and rookie V.J. Edgecombe to play to their ceilings to have a chance (assuming Embiid misses most or all of the series).
Maxey could take over a game or two and make things interesting, but vintage performances from Brown and Tatum will be almost impossible to overcome for a team that’s middle-of-the-road on both ends of the floor.
They keep it close.
The Celtics should dominate this series. They’re superior in virtually every category (except points per game, oddly enough), and they’ll have Jayson Tatum back after missing him for all four matchups against the Sixers during the regular season.
But if their usually stout defense allows the Maxey/George/Edgecombe trio to get hot and Philadelphia finds a way to keep it close in the fourth quarter, they could be in trouble.
As our Chris Forsberg noted, the Sixers owned the best clutch-time defense in the NBA, holding opponents to a defensive rating of 98.6 in 174 minutes of clutch play. Both of their regular-season wins against the Celtics were clutch-time wins decided by one or two points.
The C’s must keep their foot on the gas and prevent the 76ers from hanging around late in games. If they can accomplish that, they should cruise into the East semifinals.
The Celtics are heavy favorites vs. the 76ers and have opened as 10.5-point favorites to win Game 1 on Sunday. Here are the full series odds (via DraftKings).
Celtics in five.
We’ll give the Sixers one game in Philly, because Tyrese Maxey or Paul George will take over on an off night for Boston, or perhaps Edgecombe will catch fire like when he dropped 30 against the Celtics on Opening Night. Otherwise, it’ll be another thorough first-round beatdown by the C’s.
We mentioned the Jays as an obvious advantage for Boston, but big man Neemias Queta is a sneaky X-factor. He has been a revelation all season, and he could give the Celtics another advantage at the rim, especially if Embiid is out. Even if Embiid is active, Queta has shown in previous matchups that he can hang with the seven-time All-Star.
There’s no need to complicate this. The Celtics are the better team in almost every metric, and that will be evident in this first-round clash.
After getting blown out on Monday, the Nats responded nicely, grinding out a 5-4 victory yesterday. That evened the series and put the Nationals one game below .500. They will look to get to .500 tonight against the Pirates in the third game of a four game set. This also a special day around the league, as MLB celebrates Jackie Robinson Day.
The Nats have a bit of a unique lineup tonight, and it is designed to counter the Pirates pitching strategy. Pittsburgh has a lefty opener, so Curtis Mead will hit second and play first base. To avoid the lefty, the Nats have Luis Garcia Jr. in the 9 spot. Joey Wiemer is also in the lineup, and he will hit sixth. Brady House is back at third base, which means Jorbit Vivas will slide over to second and Nasim Nunez will get the day off. Jake Irvin will be on the bump for the Nats.
The Pirates made some changes to the bottom of their order. Teenaged sensation Konnor Griffin will get the night off. That means Nick Gonzales will play shortstop and Nick Yorke will play third. Henry Davis will be back behind the plate as the Pirates alternate catchers. The Bucs will open with flame throwing lefty Mason Montgomery. Right hander Carmen Mlodzinski will follow him and pitch in a bulk role.
Sign up for a user account and get:
Game Info:
Stadium: PNC Park
Time: 6:40 PM EST
TV: Nationals.TV
Radio: 106.7 The Fan
The Nats have already secured a winning road trip, but they are looking for more. Splitting this four game set would satisfy me, but imagine if they can win the next two. That would really give the Nats momentum. The offense is red hot and makes this group very fun to watch. Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats.
If you read the little text under this article, I dubbed this a must win game for the Royals. While this is just game 18 on the season, this game tonight is huge for the vibes and direction of the team.
The Royals are 7-10 on the season, mostly because of inept offense, they’ve scored 2 runs or less in 10 of their first 17 games and in 6 of their last 7 games. When they hold a lead late, like last night, it’s a lot of pressure on the bullpen to be perfect, with no cushion, and it’s a blown lead late again, similar to Sunday.
If the Royals go out there and lose another game scoring 2 runs or less, it starts to build even more frustration offensively and then the pitching can’t continue to be as excellent as they have been, because they are under constant stress to be perfect, because of the poor offense.
Outside of the team, fans, especially the casual ones will keep losing interest in the ballclub, and April isn’t even over yet. The NFL Draft is next week, and we live in Chiefs country, so you know the casual fan will be tuned out quickly if things don’t turn around soon.
Good thing is, like me, most of you are diehard fans and we are in it until game 162 concludes or further beyond that. Tonight the Royals are sending Seth Lugo to the mound, he has been phenomenal all season long. The veteran right-hander has churned out good start after good start this season. If he does that again tonight, the Royals are in business to even this series up.
Here is the starting lineup behind Lugo.
As for the Tigers, they got off to an abysmal start, 4-9, including being swept in a four-game series by the Twins, who are winning the division… what??? Since then, they’ve won four straight games after sweeping the Marlins at home and rallying last night to beat Kansas City. They are 6-1 at home this season.
Right hander Jack Flaherty starts for Detroit. After two rough starts, his last outing in Minnesota was a good one, allowing just one run over 5.2 innings.
Here is the starting lineup behind Flaherty.
Also, today is Jackie Robinson Day, so everyone will be donned with 42 as their number. It’s a very special and historic day in baseball history, hopefully the Royals can break out tonight. First pitch is scheduled for 5:40 p.m. CT, the game can be streamed on Royals.TV.
The San Diego Padres are on a roll, as they have won nine of their last 11 games. They sit comfortably in second place in the National League West. But the momentum may turn for the worse after Nick Pivetta left his last start with right elbow stiffness. The injury has forced the Padres to place the right-hander on the injured list.
The Friars cannot afford another significant blow to their starting rotation. Joe Musgrove is still recovering from elbow surgery, and losing another key contributor like Pivetta has placed the rotation in a period of uncertainty.
Add the poor showing from German Marquez in his first three starts with the Padres. Suddenly, the team’s starting pitching depth has been challenged. Marquez has a 5.54 ERA with a 1.69 WHIP over 13 innings pitched. With the recent rash of injuries and bad outings at the beginning of the season, the Friars need to identify reliable starters who can throw quality innings.
Matt Waldron has been trying to perfect the knuckleball, so it becomes the main weapon in his pitching arsenal. He aims to throw his knuckleball at least 75% of the pitches thrown in every start. It would be a significant increase from previous seasons, which were approximately 38%.
He is looking to rebound from a disappointing 2025 season. An oblique injury hampered Waldron and limited him to one start last summer. It was a late June start against the Philadelphia Phillies, as the right-hander struggled with his control. He walked six batters in a 4-0 defeat.
Give Waldron credit for trying to reinvent himself on the mound. He needed to learn to trust the knuckleball. Waldron came to Peoria with newfound confidence, as he threw the knuckleball in the 75-80 MPH range this spring. The velocity will remind older baseball fans of former major leaguer Tom Candiotti.
The hope is to combine the knuckler with his fastball to keep opposing hitters baffled inside the batter’s box. Waldron wants to disrupt their timing with the knuckler’s movement toward home plate.
Kyle Hart opened the 2026 campaign as the long man in the bullpen. In six appearances, Hart has pitched 11 innings, allowing six runs on eight hits. His control has been up and down with five walks and only six strikeouts this season.
Part of Hart’s struggles stems from lowering his arm slot during his delivery toward home plate. It has been a struggle to maximize movement on his sweeper and sinker. When he has been successful in games, he induces batters to hit groundballs at a 57.6% rate. His delivery forces hitters to begin their swing early and make weak contact.
The left-hander has 30 major league appearances, including nine career starts. It would be tough to transition back into being a starting pitcher, as Hart needs to stretch his arm out to go more than a couple of innings of work.
Having an experienced pitcher filling the long man’s role in the bullpen is a luxury. Hart might be a better asset to keep a game close after a poor start than to replace Marquez in the starting rotation.
The Friars will have Waldron take over Pivetta’s spot in the starting rotation. He is ready for the challenge.
Waldron may not be the ideal foundation piece for the rotation, but he is ready to change the Friar Faithful’s opinion of him on the mound.
The Golden State Warriors will play with their season on the line Wednesday night in a first-round Play-In Tournament matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers. Tip-off is set for 7:00 PM PT in Los Angeles and can be watched on Prime Video.
The Warriors closed out the regular season with a 115-110 loss to the Clippers on Sunday night. With Golden State locked into the No. 10 seed and Los Angeles essentially secured as the No. 9 seed, both teams entered knowing a Play-In Tournament rematch was likely. As a result, neither side showed much strategically as the Warriors held out Draymond Green, while the Clippers opted to rest All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard.
Steph Curry, however, did play as he continues to ramp up for the postseason. He led all scorers with 24 points in 29 minutes, and more importantly, said afterward that he’s in a decent spot physically ahead of Wednesday’s matchup.
The Warriors are expected to have a full roster available after dealing with a wave of injuries to end the regular season, although, head coach Steve Kerr did mention multiple players could still be on a minutes restriction. That includes Curry, who Kerr indicated will likely not exceed 40 minutes in this win-or-go-home matchup.
Entering tonight’s game in Los Angeles, the Warriors have lost nine of their last 10 against the Clippers, including a 1-3 record against them this season. That said, tonight’s game will likely come down to two key matchups: Golden State’s defense on Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers’ defense on Stephen Curry.
Leonard remains one of the most dangerous postseason scorers in the league, so Golden State will likely lean on Green as the primary defender on him. In their March 2nd matchup, Green was able to hold Leonard to 23 points — slightly below his season average of 27.9, which was the sixth-highest in the NBA.
On the other end, the Warriors’ offense will inevitably run through Curry. Clippers head coach Ty Lue has a long history of throwing different defensive looks at him, and in Sunday’s matchup, they used Kris Dunn and Derrick Jones Jr. as the primary defenders. Expect a similar approach on Wednesday with potential double teams to force the ball out of Curry’s hands.
One thing is for certain: Getting to the playoffs won’t be easy. To keep their season alive, the Warriors must win this game and then defeat the Phoenix Suns just to secure the No. 8 seed and a first-round matchup with the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder. It’s a challenging path, but one that is led by a superstar like Curry, a roster with playoff-tested veterans, and a plethora of championship experience.
Enjoy the game Dub Nation. GO WARRIORS!!!
Warriors: Steph Curry, Brandin Podziemski, De’Anthony Melton, Draymond Green, Kristaps Porzingis
Clippers: Darius Garland, Kris Dunn, Kawhi Leonard, Derrick Jones Jr., Brook Lopez
Who: Golden State Warriors (37 – 45) vs. Los Angeles Clippers (42 – 40)
When: Wednesday, April 15th, at 7:00 p.m. PT
Where: Intuit Dome — Los Angeles, California
TV and Streaming: Prime Video (available on fuboTV)
New York Post may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if you click or buy through our links. Featured pricing is subject to change.
The second day of the NBA Play-In Tournament wraps up with an all-California matchup.
The No. 9 Los Angeles Clippers and No. 10 Golden State Warriors will face off in a win-or-go-home game that will eventually determine the Western Conference’s No. 8 seed.
Whichever team wins tonight still has one hurdle to clear before officially punching its playoff ticket — the final play-in game on Friday against Phoenix — while the losing team’s season ends tonight.
This season, the Clippers won three of four total matchups with the Warriors; the most recent was a 115-110 victory just three days ago on the final day of the regular season.
The Warriors vs. Clippers play-in game tips off at 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET tonight, April 15.
The NBA Play-In Tournament, including tonight’s Warriors vs. Clippers matchup, is streaming exclusively on Prime Video, so you’ll need an Amazon Prime subscription to watch the game.
PRIME VIDEO PRIME FOR YOUNG ADULTSWhy Trust Post Wanted by the New York Post
This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.
The Lakers have a tough task ahead of them.
Without Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique), they’re going to face Kevin Durant and the Rockets.
Here’s what you need to know about LA’s first-round NBA Playoffs opponent:
The Rockets struggled with injuries and chemistry throughout the season, but they found their groove during the stretch run, winning eight straight games and nine of their last 10 to close the season.
The Lakers similarly found themselves at the end of the season, going on a 15-2 run in March. But then they lost Doncic and Reaves against the Thunder on April 2. Without the 60 points that those stars provide, the team has been turned upside down.
The Rockets are surely going to try to take advantage of the Lakers’ chaos. They’ve had a lot of time to work out their kinks after losing point guard Fred VanVleet to a torn ACL in September and center Steven Adams to a left ankle surgery in January.
Without VanVleet, turnovers were a huge issue for the Rockets — as well as blown leads and inefficiency. But lately, they’ve tightened things up. Durant has been playing MVP-caliber basketball. Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson have made leaps this season. And when Tari Eason shines, he helps open the court for everyone else.
The Rockets are organized, deliberate and have the size and skill to dominate this series. The Lakers are best when they’re moving the ball and running, but without their top two stars, they’re going to have to play a completely different brand of basketball.
There are two reasons this will be fun: LeBron James and Durant.
James, in Season 23, and Durant, in Season 18, are two of the top players of this generation, and they’re still superstars at ages 41 and 37, respectively. They’re both tasked with carrying their teams’ offenses.
They’ve met three times in the NBA Finals. James and the Heat won their first battle in 2012. Durant led the Warriors to win their other two matchups in 2017 and 2018.
California Post News: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedIn
California Post SportsFacebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X
California Post Opinion
California Post Newsletters: Sign up here!
California Post App: Download here!
Home delivery: Sign up here!Page Six Hollywood: Sign up here!
James is arguably the greatest player of all time. Durant is arguably the greatest scorer ever.
While the league’s young stars are taking over (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama and Doncic), this matchup will pit two of the vintage greats against each other. It could be the last time they meet in the postseason. James is going to try to keep the Lakers alive until help returns. Durant is going to try to reach the second round of the playoffs after missing the postseason the last two years with the Suns.
It’s The King versus the Scoring Maestro.
Should be thrilling.
The Rockets have had their share of drama this season. In February, Durant was accused of using a burner account to take shots at his teammates over X. When questioned about the allegations, Durant told reporters, “I’m not here to get into Twitter nonsense.” It wasn’t a denial, and it led to speculation that there was dissension in the locker room.
But over the last month, a lot of that noise quieted. The Rockets have shown discipline on defense, and their offense has been running much more smoothly.
As for the Lakers, their main question now is whether Doncic and Reaves will return. Players are typically sidelined four to six weeks with their injuries, and Lakers coach JJ Redick said there’s no timeline for their return. But it helps that the Lakers’ first-round series is spread out, with two off days in between Games 1 and 2, as well as between Games 2 and 3 and Games 4 and 5.
The Lakers ran over the Rockets in their last two matchups in March, when Doncic was at the peak of his scoring explosion. But without Doncic and Reaves, James just doesn’t have enough help to carry the Lakers past the Rockets, who are deeper, bigger and more physical. Now, if Doncic and Reaves return, everything changes.
But as things stand, my guess is James is going to prove that he’s still a superstar at age 41, shattering all narratives that Father Time has even taken a swing at him over the last two decades. But ultimately, Durant and Co. will advance to the second round.
Steph Curry erupts late as Warriors stun Clippers in NBA play-in, will face Suns originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Warriors’ 2025-26 season somehow still is alive.
Steph Curry erupted in the second half as Golden State rallied to stun the Los Angeles Clippers 126-121 in the NBA play-in game on Wednesday night at Intuit Dome.
The Warriors will travel to Phoenix to take on the Suns in a do-or-die 8th-seed game, with the winner advancing to take on the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
Curry, on a minutes restriction as he ramps back up after returning from a right knee injury, struggled in the first half but turned it on in the second half and finished with 35 points on 12-of-23 shooting from the field.
Curry scored just eight first-half points, but poured in 27 second-half points to fuel the comeback win.
Curry’s 3-pointer with 50.4 seconds remaining gave the Warriors a late lead they didn’t relinquish.
Kristaps Porziņģis had a spring in his step and finished with 20 points, while Gui Santos scored 20 points and Brandin Podziemski added 17 points. Al Horford added 14 off the bench.
The Warriors trailed for most of the second half until Horford drained a 3-pointer with just over two minutes left in regulation.
Now the Warriors turn their attention to the Suns. Golden State won three of the four regular-season matchups, including the final matchup in Phoenix on Feb. 5.
One more win on Friday night and the Warriors will achieve their goal of getting into the playoffs.
The Red Sox broke out the bats in need of a response from Tuesday’s shutout loss.
A big day for Trevor Story (5 RBIs) helped Boston earn a 9-5 win over the Minnesota Twins. The Red Sox avoided the sweep against the best team in the American League so far.
Here are three takeaways from Boston’s series finale.
The Red Sox put six runs on the board after Garrett Crochet’s implosion Monday night. The lineup followed that with its first shutout loss of the season Tuesday.
How would this remarkably inconsistent group respond Wednesday?
Surprisingly well.
Boston put together good at-bats from the jump and took advantage of extra opportunities. The Red Sox scored a pair on a dual-error from Twins infielder Luke Keaschall. Moments later, Trevor Story lifted a three-run home run to left field for another rare Boston homer. As referenced by The Boston Globe’s Tim Healey, that marked the team’s first three-run blast of the season.
Boston added four more runs to put the game away.
Connelly Early posted a 2.63 ERA to start the season, though the young lefty struggled to get deeper into his starts.
He did a much better job keeping his pitch count down in this start and kept a red-hot Twins lineup in check. Early settled in after he allowed a first-inning solo shot to Austin Martin.
Early finished six strong innings of one-run ball with just two hits allowed and five strikeouts.
The best in-game story came around on NESN this afternoon when Will Middlebrooks shared his recollection of a productive night with the late Jerry Remy.
The former Red Sox third baseman shared that on a road trip when he struggled as a rookie, Remy came to his room with a bottle of wine and worked on the rookie’s timing with rolled up socks to simulate baseballs.
You can catch the full story here.