TORONTO, CANADA - MARCH 13: RJ Barrett #9 and Ja'Kobe Walter #14 of the Toronto Raptors high five during the game against the Phoenix Suns on March 13, 2026 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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 Vaughn Ridley/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Toronto Raptors continue their travels to Arizona, where they will go toe-to-toe tonight with the Phoenix Suns. These teams meet twice a year, with the first contest going in Toronto’s favour.
So far on this road-trip, the Raptors are 1-1. They beat Chicago effortlessly and followed that up with a close but frustrating loss to Denver. Now, they face the Phoenix Suns who are sitting 7th in the West, four games outside of guaranteed playoff contention. Toronto maintains only a one-game advantage on the Hawks who have won nine of their last ten games.
Phoenix is currently on a five-game losing streak, with the first in that slide being handed to them by Toronto last Friday. The next three were all top-10 teams, making them understandable, but then last night they dropped one to the Bucks who are 29-41 this season. It’s safe to say that the Suns will be looking to end this slump.
Devin Booker and Jalen Green have been Phoenix’s biggest offensive players. Booker is averaging almost 26-4-6 and Green has almost 18-4-3. The tandem each had 30 points the last time they took on Toronto, so it would be unsurprising if they are called on again to have big scoring nights, especially while they remained shorthanded. Dillon Brooks continues to recover from hand surgery, Mark Williams with a stress reaction in his foot, and Grayson Allen with a knee injury.
The depleted lineup should play in the Raptors’ favour, as well as their rest advantage. Pace and transition play, both big aspects of Toronto’s game can be factors tonight. With only CMB wavering on availability, their full-strength roster and fresh bodies should be able to outpace the Suns.
To improve on their last contest with the Suns, they should look to slow Booker and Green and force others to score.
Their ability to close will be more important than anything else. Against Denver, like many games this season, they could get buckets to stay within striking distance in the last couple minutes, but a few poor decisions or selfish plays cost them the game. No amount of frustration with the whistle or missed calls should suggest driving into three defenders in the paint and forcing a shot is a good idea, or that it would yield points. And yet, all too often plays like that become the undoing of Toronto in the final seconds of games.
With only a dozen games left after this one, the Raptors need to decide how they’re going to handle close games before the postseason starts. What better time to start than now?
Probable Starters
Toronto: Jakob Poeltl, Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley
Randy Arozarena and Cal Raleigh start their season with the Mariners on Thursday. Photograph: Alika Jenner/Getty Images
Randy Arozarena says he has apologized to his Seattle Mariners teammate Cal Raleigh after an incident at this month’s World Baseball Classic.
Arozarena was representing Mexico against Raleigh’s USA when the teams met at the WBC on 9 March. Raleigh ignored Arozarena’s offer of a handshake during an at-bat, a move that angered the outfielder. In a later interview, Arozarena said Raleigh could “fuck off” and “go to hell.” Raleigh downplayed the incident, saying “we’re good friends and we’ll continue to be good friends”.
On Saturday, Arozarena issued a statement through the Mariners saying he had made amends with Raleigh.
“I understand that with Opening Day a few days away, I don’t want it to be a distraction,” Arozarena said. “Cal and I have talked and I apologized for what I said after the game. Nothing in the WBC takes away from the fact that we are brothers and teammates.”
Raleigh hit 60 home runs last season, a record for a catcher, as the Mariners won the AL West and fell just short of a World Series appearance. Mariners manager Joe Wilson said he wasn’t surprised at Arozarena’s apology.
“It’s just a special group,” Wilson told MLB.com. “They love each other, and yeah, it’s time. I think we’re all ready to get back to Seattle and get this thing started.”
The Mariners play their first game of the season on Thursday, against the Cleveland Guardians.
The Columbus Blue Jackets are back on the road for the first of three games away from Nationwide Arena. This game features the New York Islanders and is huge.
New York Islanders - 39-26-5 - 83 Points - 5-5-0 in the last 10 - Lost 2 - 4th in the Metro
Columbus Blue Jackets - 37-21-11 - 85 Points - 7-0-3 in the last 10 - Won 4 - 3rd in the Metro
Team Notes Per CBJ PR
Columbus won for the four-straight contest and stretched its season-high points streak to 12 games (8-0-4) with a 5-2 win over Seattle last night. It's tied for the third-longest points streak in club history (third time) and the longest since a 12-game points streak from Dec. 9, 2019-Jan. 3, 2020 (8-0-4).
The club has earned points in 23 of its last 25 contests (19-2-4, 42 pts) to lead the league in points (tied) and points pct. (.840) since Jan. 11.
Since Dec. 22, CBJ are tied for the least regulation losses in the NHL with a 23-6-5 record (51 pts, .750 points pct.), and rank second in points and points pct., third in goals-against/game (2.65) as well as sixth in goals for/game (3.56).
CBJ conclude their 14th of 16 back-to-back sets of the season tonight at the NY Islanders. The club leads the NHL in wins and points pct. in back-to-back sets in 2025-26 (18-5-4, .741).
Player Notes Per CBJ PR
Charlie Coyle, who has tallied 7-18-25 in the last 19 contests, has tied his single-season career high in assists (2016-17 w/MIN) and has the third-most points of his 14-year career with 17-38-55 in 69 games in 2025-26.
Adam Fantilli has registered points in six consecutive games (3-5-8), one game shy of his career best (4-4-8 from Jan. 2-16, 2025). He also has points in 12 of the last 14 games (8-9-17) and has 9-13-22 in the past 19 contests since Jan. 24.
Jet Greaves has earned points in each of his last 13 starts since Jan. 11 (11-0-2, 2.34 GAA in 14 GP), while G Elvis Merzlikins has recorded points in 10 of his past 12 starts over that span (8-2-2, 2.50 GAA in 13 GP).
Mathieu Olivier has registered six multi-point outings in the last 18 games since Jan. 28 (10-4-14).
Cole Sillinger posted his second three-point effort of the season yesterday (1-2-3) and has assists in three-straight (1-5-6).
Zach Werenski has notched consecutive three-assist outings and is one multi-point effort shy of tying Artemi Panarin's single-season franchise record (25 in 2018-19). He has collected points in 27 of his past 32 games played since Dec. 11 (11-34-45, 14 multi-point efforts) and has 20-55-75 in 62 games in 2025-26.
Blue Jackets Stats
Power Play - 20.3% - 17th in the NHL
Penalty Kill - 77.5% - 25th in the NHL
Goals For - 222 - 12th in the NHL
Goals Against - 213 - 18th in the NHL
IslandersStats
Power Play - 16.8% - 26th in the NHL
Penalty Kill - 81.1% - 9th in the NHL
Goals For - 201 - 22nd in the NHL
Goals Against - 197 - 5th in the NHL
Series History vs. TheIslanders
Columbus is 28-23-1-8 all-time, and 9-16-0-3 on the road vs. New York.
CBJ have earned points in four of the last five meetings (3-1-1) and five of the past seven since Oct. 30, 2024 (4-2-1).
The home team has earned points in seven consecutive games in the series (5-0-2) and in 13 of the past 16 (11-3-2).
The winning team has won by multiple goals in seven of the last 10 meetings overall, but by a single goal in three of the five most recent contests (two after regulation).
Four of the last six games played at New York have been decided by a single goal.
The winning team has scored four-plus goals (including SO goals) in four of the past five meetings overall.
The Blue Jackets have killed off 9-of-10 Islanders power play attempts over the last five games (90.0 pct.).
The teams have averaged a combined 58.1 shots on goal in the past seven meetings of the series.
CBJ has recorded five shutouts in the all-time series (MR: Merzlikins, 26 saves in 2-0 W at CBJ on Oct. 30, 2024).
Who To Watch For TheIslanders
Bo Horvat leads NYI with 28 goals.
Mathew Barzal leads all Islanders with 46 assists and 64 points.
Goaltender Ilya Sorokin is 25-17-2 with a SV% of .911. He's 7-0-3 in his career against the CBJ.
CBJ Player Notes vs
Islanders
Charlie Coyle has 16 points in his career against the Islanders.
Zach Werenski has 17 career points in 26 games against the NYI.
Boone Jenner has 16 points in 35 games against the Isles.
Injured Reserve
Brendan Smith - Lower Body - Missed 31 Games IR - Out for the rest of the regular season.
TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 177
How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on FANDUEL SPORTS NETWORK. The radio broadcast will be on 97.1 The Fan, with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play.
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The Boston Celtics will look to extend their four-game win streak when they host the shorthanded Minnesota Timberwolves tonight at TD Garden.
Anthony Edwards is out, and my Timberwolves vs. Celtics predictions expect Ayo Dosunmu to fill his shoes admirably and keep things close on the road.
Here are my free NBA picks for this prime-time matchup on Sunday, March 22.
Timberwolves vs Celtics prediction
Timberwolves vs Celtics best bet: Ayo Dosunmu Over 26.5 points+rebounds+assists (-112)
Ayo Dosunmu has stepped up in a big way since Anthony Edwards went down, but he was starting to find his groove with Ant-Man on the court.
Across his last five, Dosunmu has averaged 29.6 PRA, hitting the Over on this line three times and finishing with 26 once more.
Over his last three as a starter, Dosunmu ranks second in points, rebounds, and assists, first in shot attempts, third in usage, and third in minutes.
The Minnesota Timberwolves' offense has been humming, and I expect Dosunmu to stay involved as a scorer, rebounder, and facilitator.
Timberwolves vs Celtics same-game parlay
The Timberwolves have covered the spread in 8 of 13 games without Edwards this season, including two of the last three.
The Boston Celtics have been average ATS at TD Garden, going 17-17 at home and 14-15 as the home favorite.
Minnesota’s offensive rating has climbed from 116.2 to 119.2 across its last three games. In that span, the team ranks third in points at a whopping 122.3.
Boston ranks 10th across the last three games at 119. Both defenses are elite, but offense has been the name of the game for both squads recently.
Timberwolves vs Celtics SGP
Ayo Dosunmu Over 26.5 points+rebounds+assists
Timberwolves +10
Over 220
Our "from downtown" SGP: Wolf pack
Julius Randle has averaged 25.8 points across 13 games without Anthony Edwards. Randle has scored 21+ in 10 of those 13, including two of his last three.
Bones Hyland has scored 12+ in seven of his last eight games and four straight. He's averaged 19 points over the last three games with Edwards on the sideline.
In 12 games played without Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert has averaged a healthy 13.8 rebounds, going for 12+ in 10 straight with Ant-Man out of action.
Ayo Dosunmu posted a 17/10/8 line in his last game out and went for 23/9/6 in the game prior. His odds to record a double-double are +1000, bringing this parlay to +4500.
For bettors looking for a little less risk, adding his o26.5 PRA line instead of the double-double brings this parlay to +1000.
Timberwolves vs Celtics SGP
Julius Randle Over 20.5 points
Bones Hyland Over 11.5 points
Rudy Gobert Over 11.5 rebounds
Ayo Dosunmu double-double
Timberwolves vs Celtics odds
Spread: Timberwolves +10 | Celtics -10
Moneyline: Timberwolves +325 | Celtics -425
Over/Under: Over 220 | Under 220
Timberwolves vs Celtics betting trend to know
The Minnesota Timberwolves have hit the game total Over in 16 of their last 24 away games (+7.20 Units / 27% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Timberwolves vs. Celtics.
How to watch Timberwolves vs Celtics
Location
TD Garden, Boston, MA
Date
Sunday, March 22, 2026
Tip-off
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
NBC
Timberwolves vs Celtics latest injuries
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The Ottawa Senators’ defensive depth is being tested once again.
Already without Jake Sanderson and Nick Jensen, the Senators lost Dennis Gilbert to an upper-body injury Saturday night in a 5–2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Gilbert was hit on a heavy forecheck by Leafs defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who skated with high speed through the neutral zone and eventually drove Gilbert hard into the end boards. Gilbert stayed down for about a minute before leaving the ice under his own power, favouring his shoulder.
After the game, head coach Travis Green said Gilbert could be out for a while.
THN's Steve Warne sings the praises of the injured Jake Sanderson and what he brings to the table for the Senators.
The Senators clearly value what Gilbert brings, having acquired him twice in the past year. They first picked him up from Buffalo in the Dylan Cozens–Josh Norris deal last March. Gilbert then signed with the Philadelphia Flyers in the offseason before being traded back to Ottawa in a deal for Max Guenette.
Now, the Sens have a decision to make on who will replace Gilbert, the right-shot defenceman who was slotted into the third pairing when Jensen went down.
Lassi Thomson is currently in Ottawa as the seventh defenceman, but that doesn’t automatically make him the next man up. Maybe it's Carter Yakemchuk. Maybe the Sens wanted him to keep playing, not sit in an NHL press box as the seventh man.
Both players have strong pedigrees. Though his NHL stock has slipped, Thomson was a 2019 first-round pick and still leads all AHL defensemen in goal scoring.
Yakemchuk was a much more recent pick, chosen seventh overall in 2024, and he's playing very well too, winning AHL Player of the Week honours last week.
Another option would be to recall a left-shot defenceman from Belleville and shift Nikolas Matinpalo back to his natural right side.
From that perspective, newcomer Samuel Bolduc might have been an intriguing choice. He has four points in his first five games with Belleville after being acquired from the Los Angeles Kings last week in exchange for Jan Jenik. But he was acquired after the trade deadline and can't play in the NHL this season.
So, the Senators' options probably come down to the two former first-rounders.
If they’re looking for the defenceman with the highest potential upside and ability to impact games, Yakemchuk stands out. And if they prefer a good skating, experienced AHL performer with a big shot, Thomson is right there, ready to step in, no gas money required.
It's not an easy decision, but we're guessing the Senators will continue to stay patient with Yakemchuk, continuing to shelter him, even though he may be the fans' choice.
If GM Steve Staios truly felt like it was the right thing to drop Yakemchuk into the eye of this playoff storm, where every mistake is so magnified, he likely would have inserted him into the lineup ahead of Gilbert many days ago.
That may ultimately hint at the direction Staios chooses, and we're guessing Thomson will be the next man up.
Steve Warne The Hockey News
*This story has been updated to clarify Bolduc's NHL eligibility this season.
This article was originally published at The Hockey News. For more Senators news, analysis, and features, visit the Ottawa Senators site at The Hockey News.
Purdue got close in 2024, reaching the national championship game with Zach Edey anchoring the post. Three starters on that team remain, including Smith.
The Boilers completely out-everythinged No. 15 seed Queens in the first round and get a second round matchup against No. 7 Miami.
The Hurricanes were almost equally impressive in their 80-66 first round win over No. 10 Missouri. Miami was led by a player all-too-familiar with the Boilermakers. Indiana transfer Malik Reneau scored 24 points in the Canes' win over the Tigers and has had plenty of battles with Purdue's Trey Kaufman-Renn. So that should be a fun matchup.
Miami have been a revelation in Jai Lucas' first year as coach. After going 7-24 last season, the Hurricanes are 26-8 and one win away from their first Sweet 16 since reaching the Final Four in 2023.
Here's more of what you need to know for today's game with a spot in the Sweet 16 on the line. The winner will face No. 11 seed Texas next week in San Jose.
Miami holds a 40-38 halftime lead following a jumper from Tre Donaldson before the intermission. C.J. Cox hit three straight 3-pointers for Purdue to even the game before Donaldson's last-second shot.
At halftime, Trey Renn-Kaufman leads Purdue with 12 points, while Fletcher Loyer has added 10 points and Cox has nine points. Shelton Henderson leads Miami with 10 points, while Dante Allen has eight and three others have at least six points.
Miami pulls ahead 31-29 with 3:59 left in the half on a dunk by Shelton Henderson, who is now up to 10 points for the game. Dante Allen also has eight points for the Hurricanes.
Trey Renn-Kaufman leads Purdue with 12 points, while Fletcher Loyer has added 10 points.
Purdue uses a 13-2 run to take a 19-12 lead over Miami with 12:17 left in the first half. The Boilermakers are shooting 7-of-11 from the field, with six assists already.
Fletcher Loyer already has 10 points, while Braden Smith continues to add to his assist total with two more early on.
Miami has jumped out to a 10-8 lead over Purdue following a pair of 3-pointers. The Hurricanes are 4-of-8 from the field and 2-for-3 from 3-point range. Meanwhile, the Boilermakers are 4-for-6 from the field.
Tre Donaldson hit Ernest Udeh Jr. for an alley-oop on the very first play of the game, eight seconds in.
Spero Dedes (play-by-play) and Jim Spanarkel (analyst) will have the call for the Purdue-Miami second-round matchup on Sunday, with Jon Rothstein serving as the sideline reporter.
What time is Purdue vs Miami?
Time: 12:10 p.m. ET, Sunday.
What channel is Purdue vs Miami? How to watch, streaming info
The game is airing on CBS, streaming via Paramount+.
"Malik Reneau and Tre Donaldson will be difficult matchups regardless of their Big Ten backgrounds. If the Boilers keep attacking inside out and controlling the boards, though, they're headed for San Jose."
"The much-improved defense from the last four games will have to carry over. If Purdue can get production from the post, where Miami thrived defensively against Missouri, packaged with solid enough defense, it'll win. Purdue's guards are good enough to expose the Hurricanes otherwise."
John Leuzzi: Purdue
Jordan Mendoza: Purdue
Ehsan Kassim: Purdue
Blake Schuster: Purdue
Moneyline: Purdue (-350); Miami (+275)
Spread: Purdue (-7.5)
Over/under total: 147.5
Braden Smith breaks Bobby Hurley NCAA assists record
Smith broke Hurley's record in the first round of the NCAA Tournament against Queens on Friday, March 20. The senior from Indiana got the record on a dish to Trey Kaufman-Renn in the first half.
Smith finished the game with 1,083 career assists in his four year career with the Boilermakers. Purdue fans at the game gave Smith a standing ovation for the achievement.
Smith told USA TODAY Sports ahead of the tournament he was "ready to just get it over with" so he could put all of the attention toward winning Purdue's first national championship. Now with that in hand, the decorated guard can go for the two goals he had for his senior season.
"That's one of the reasons I came back, was to win and to get the record," he said. "Obviously, wanted to do it at a place that I've been for the three years prior. For me, just to be around a great bunch of guys and obviously great coaching staff, and do it with them, I think it makes it more special."
Who is Jai Lucas? Miami FL coach leads remarkable turnaround
Lucas came to Coral Gables from a star-making turn as recruiting director and assistant coach at Duke. He replaced a legend in Jim Larrañaga, who led the 'Canes to the Final Four in 2023 but saw the program fall apart after that, leading him to resign amid a horrid 7-24 season in 2024-25.
A little more than three months later, Lucas was brought in to get Miami back into the NCAA tournament. And that he did, using his recruiting acumen developed from his time at Texas through his tenure under Jon Scheyer to build an instant contender in the ACC, finishing third in the premiere basketball conference's regular-season standings. The Hurricanes went 25-8, by far the best single-season improvement in the country.
Matt Painter's March Madness record
Matt Painter has a 25-17 career record in the NCAA Tournament. This is his 18th trip to March Madness, 17th with Purdue (he led Southern Illinois to the NCAA Tournament before becoming Purdue's coach-in-waiting).
He's led the Boilermakers to eight Sweet 16s.
Dan Rorabaugh of the Palm Beach Post contributed to this story.
TEMPE, ARIZONA - MARCH 13: Travis Bazzana #72 of the Cleveland Guardians walks to home plate while adjusting his batting gloves during the Spring Training game against the Los Angeles Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium on March 13, 2026 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Tanner Bibee was throwing batting practice again yesterday, but Travis Bazzana homered twice and Jace Laviolette also homered for the Guardians:
What does it mean that Bibee is giving up double-digit hits every outing? I guess we will find out soon enough.
Logan Allen is headed to Columbus and Parker Messick is in the rotation. The Reds and Guardians play at 3:05PM ET. And, THIS THURSDAY BASEBALL IS REAL AGAIN GAAAAAH
Prop #1: Donovan Clingan to record a double-double
-135 at bet365
The Portland Trail Blazers are just barely clinging onto a play-in spot in the Western Conference, but Donovan Clingan is doing his best to bring his team to the promised land.
The sophomore center has logged 31 double-doubles this season — good for eighth-most in the NBA — and he enters Sunday with a double-double in each of his last six contests.
Clingan is averaging 15.5 points and 12.5 rebounds per game this month, so I don’t see him slowing down in a big game vs. the Denver Nuggets.
Time: 5:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: BlazerVision, Altitude
Prop #2: Jayson Tatum Under 2.5 threes
+105 at bet365
Jayson Tatum returned to the Boston Celtics lineup earlier this month following a 10-month rehab from an Achilles tendon rupture.
Unsurprisingly, the C’s star has not looked quite like himself since getting back on the court. He's shooting just 29.4% from 3-point range, well under his career average of 36.9%. He’s also made Under 2.5 threes in three of his last four games.
The Minnesota Timberwolves rank sixth in the league in threes allowed per game (12.5), so the treys won’t come easily for Tatum.
The rookie is averaging just 7.3 boards per game, so the line being set at 10.5 is a bit ambitious. Raynaud has also logged Under 10.5 rebounds in four of his last five contests.
The Brooklyn Nets are averaging just 84.6 field goal attempts per game — the third-fewest in the NBA. There won’t be many rebounds available, and Raynaud will hit the Under for a third straight game.
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PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Phillies have agreed to a new six-year contract with opening day starter Cristopher Sánchez.
The deal announced Sunday for last season's NL Cy Young Award runner-up begins in 2027 and will run through 2032 with a club option for 2033.
Terms were not immediately available.
Sánchez had been pitching under a $22.5 million, four-year contract that was through 2028.
He went 13-5 with a 2.50 ERA in 32 starts last season and struck out a career-high 212 batters. He's 30-21 overall in four full big league seasons.
Originally signed by the Tampa Bay Rays as an amateur free agent in 2013, Sánchez was acquired in a trade by the Phillies on Nov. 20, 2019, for infielder Curtis Mead.
Mead played in just 41 games for the Chicago White Sox last season while Sánchez has blossomed into one of the best pitchers in baseball and helped key the Phillies' run to consecutive NL East titles in 2024 and 2025.
The Phillies want to keep their postseason run going — four straight appearances headed into 2026 — and have locked up all veteran members of their staff to long-term deals.
MESA, AZ - MARCH 21: Lan-Hong Su #41 of the San Diego Padres pitches during the game between the San Diego Padres and the Chicago Cubs at Sloan Park on Saturday, March 21, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Aryanna Frank/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Ty France celebrated the news that he made the Opening Day roster for the San Diego Padres by getting the start at second base when the Padres took on the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Fields of Phoenix on Saturday. San Diego lost the contest 6-1, but France finished his outing with a 1-for-3 performance. Randy Vasquez started on the mound for the Padres and worked through the first three innings without allowing a run. Over the final 2.1 innings of his outing the Brewers scored four runs on five hits, three of which were home runs, en route to the win. Mason Miller also surrendered two runs, one of which was earned, on two hits over 2/3 of an inning. The lone run in the game for San Diego came on a solo home run by Francisco Acuna in the top of the ninth inning.
The Padres host the Arizona Diamondbacks at the Peoria Sports Complex on Sunday at 6:10 p.m.
Padres News:
Walker Buehler had the opportunity to sign with other teams on major league deals this offseason, but he chose to sign a minor league deal with the Padres and earn his way onto the team. He did just that with it being announced on Saturday that he made the Opening Day roster. Buehler is now one part of the rotation group that has the Friar Faithful concerned about the upcoming season.
The San Diego Padres prospects lost their Spring Breakout game to the Chicago Cubs prospects, 7-5, but the story of the game for the San Diego organization was catcher Ethan Salas. The No. 2 prospect for the Padres went 2-for-3 and that included a monster home run to right field.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 09: Kyle Schwarber #12 of the Philadelphia Phillies runs during the 11th inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game four of the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium on October 09, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This current Phillies era of being October regulars began in 2022, when they got in as the final NL Wild Card and then went on a run to the World Series before falling to the Astros. In the three years since, they’ve made the postseason every time and won the NL East in the last two seasons. However, they haven’t been able to match that postseason run in the years since, having lost in the NLDS in both of the last two seasons.
This season, they’ll go in on the shortlist of NL favorites again, although questions still remain. Can this be the year they return to the Fall Classic and even win it, or will the season end in frustration again?
Philadelphia Phillies 2025 Record: 96-66 (1st in NL East) 2026 FanGraphs Projection: 87-75 (3rd in NL East, 2nd NL Wild Card)
On the offensive side of things, the Phillies will run out a fairly similar lineup to last year. There are some differences, and there could’ve been even more, but they ended up re-signing Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto, meaning the core of what their lineup has been in recent years in still intact.
The biggest difference on that front is in right field. After a turbulent end to his Phillies’ career, Nick Castellanos was released by the team back before spring training got going. Earlier in the offseason, they signed former Rangers All-Star and 2023 World Series winner Adolis García, and he’ll likely handle most of the duties in right. Offensively, that change may be a bit of a wash, at least based on what he and Castellanos did last year. Defensively, though, it should be a big improvement. While he’s won a Gold Glove in right in the past, García doesn’t grade out as one of the best at that spot anymore, but Castellanos was one of the worst defensive right fielders around in recent years. It shouldn’t be hard to better that.
The main worry around their offense is just that everyone is a year older with another year of wear and tear on their bodies. Bryce Harper is still an excellent hitter, but not at the 170 wRC+ level that he was in his early years in Philly. Trea Turner is coming off the second best season of his career according to fWAR and there’s no guarantees that he can be good to that extent again. J.T. Realmuto still rates very good defensively, but was below average last year and is projected to be again this year. Odds are that not everyone will regress enough to make them miss the playoffs or anything, but if one or two do, they could fall behind in the NL East race.
The Phillies’ actual biggest loss of the offseason came in the rotation. Pitcher Ranger Suarez left in free agency, signing with the Red Sox. Even taking him out of it, the Phillies’ rotation was very good last year, but Suarez has consistently been a solid to very good pitcher since he became a full-time member of Philly’s rotation in 2022.
Some of their hopes in replace him land on prospect Andrew Painter. Since 2022, Painter has been pretty consistently rated in top 100 prospect lists, ranking has high as the top ten at points. The 2025 MiLB season was his first full one after missing most of 2023 and ‘24 after undergoing Tommy John surgery. He didn’t post the best numbers in his 22 starts at Triple-A, but they’re hoping another year back from the surgery and his prospect pedigree will improve things. Even besides him, led by Cristopher Sánchez and the recently-extended Jesús Luzardo, the Phillies should have a strong rotation, which will also be bolstered by the return of Zack Wheeler, who missed time due to blood clots last year, at some point.
The bullpen will also be key for the Phillies this year. While several members of their 2025 bullpen put up good numbers, it was occasionally a turbulent year in that area for them. That led to them making a deal for Jhoan Duran at the trade deadline last year, and further adding to the mix by signing Brad Keller, on top of making a couple minor deals for backend guys. There’s certainly hope that the ‘pen will be a strength for them in ‘26.
The projections expect them to fall back to the pack in the division, but a lot of that is because they all seem to expect bounce back seasons from the Mets and especially the Braves. However, it wouldn’t remotely be a surprise to see the Phillies take the NL East again. For their sake though, they probably need another deep October run.
More Pinstripe Alley MLB team season previews can be found here.
CLEARWATER, Fla. – The Phillies opening day roster has come into focus, with little surprise.
President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski announced Sunday that rookies Justin Crawford and Andrew Painter had both made the club.
Crawford, 22, will start in center field when the Phillies open the season Thursday against the Texas Rangers at Citizens Bank Park.
Painter, who will turn 23 on April 10, is slated to start the fifth game of the season March 31 against Washington.
Both Crawford and Painter were expected to make the club. They both firmed up their status with strong spring-training performances.
“They’ve had good camps, both of them,” Dombrowski said. “Crawford has done very well for himself. He’s played well in center field. He’s contributed from an offensive perspective. Again, he’ll hit ninth most of the time. You’ll have to suffer the ups and the downs, which happens with young guys, but we like him a lot. He’s meshed well. I think he brings a youthful enthusiasm, which is always great for a team, as does Painter. He can fly. He brings another dimension to our club with a legitimate base stealer. He’s earned his spot.
“Painter has also had a good camp. He just keeps building on what he has. His velocity has been good, very good actually, but more impressive has been his breaking stuff. We’re very happy with him. He’s earned it.”
Most of the roster intrigue coming into camp centered around the bullpen and the bench. There figured to be two openings in the bullpen. That grew to three when it was announced that Orion Kerkering would begin the season on the injured list as he continues to build arm strength after being slowed early in camp by a hamstring strain. Kerkering, who will pitch in a minor-league game Monday, could be ready to go in a couple of weeks. He will not be with the club for opening day.
Right-hander Zach Pop and lefties Kyle Backhus and Tim Mayza claimed the final three bullpen spots. Mayza came to camp on a minor-league deal. The veteran has recorded at least 50 appearances five times in his career, most of which was spent with Toronto. Pop was signed in the offseason as a free agent and the side-arming Backhus came over in a December trade with Arizona.
Reliever Zach McCambley, a Rule 5 pick, did not make the club. He will have a chance to return to the Miami Marlins.
Otto Kemp and Dylan Moore both won spots on the bench. The right-handed hitting Kemp could platoon in left field with Brandon Marsh. Edmundo Sosa remains the Phillies’ top player off the bench. He could platoon at second base with Bryson Stott.
Moore essentially gets the final spot on the bench because he can play all over the diamond. Outfielder Bryan De La Cruz, in camp on a minor-league deal, opened eyes, but the Phillies want him to play regularly and keep his bat sharp at Triple A.
Rafael Marchan will be the backup catcher for the second year in a row. He beat out Garrett Stubbs, who could end up with another big-league club in a trade or go back to Triple A as insurance. Stubbs’ situation could take several days to clear up.
If Stubbs does not remain in the organization, the Phillies’ catching depth will take a hit. Rene Pinto, who has 82 games of big-league experience, and Caleb Ricketts, who has not played above Double A, are next on the depth chart, Dombrowski said.
Ace pitcher Zack Wheeler will open on the injured list. He could be ready to go in a month. Wheeler will pitch in a minor-league game Monday. The Phillies’ Triple A pitching depth will include veteran Bryse Wilson, Jean Cabrera and Alan Rangel.
Barring something unforeseen, here is the 26-man roster the Phillies will file with Major League Baseball on Wednesday.
STARTING PITCHERS – Cristopher Sanchez (L), Aaron Nola, Jesus Luzardo (L), Taijuan Walker, Andrew Painter
BULLPEN – Jhoan Duran, Jose Alvarado (L), Brad Keller, Tanner Banks (L), Jonathan Bowlan, Kyle Backhus (L), Zach Pop, Tim Mayza (L)
KVITFJELL, Norway (AP) — Dominik Paris won his second race in two days Sunday as Italy went a perfect four-from-four at the World Cup finals.
A day after winning the downhill, Paris also was the fastest in the super-G, beating Austrians Vincent Kriechmayr by 0.07 and Raphael Haaser by 0.38 seconds.
“It's a surprise for me,” Paris said. “When I saw the green light at the finish line, I had to look twice because I couldn't believe it.”
Paris also won two World Cup races in one weekend in the Norwegian resort a year ago.
On the women’s side, Sofia Goggia and Laura Pirovano triumphed in the super-G and downhill races, respectively, and both secured the discipline title this weekend.
That, though, didn’t apply to Paris, as Swiss star Marco Odermatt had already been confirmed as the World Cup super-G and downhill champion a week ago, when he also locked up his fifth overall title.
Odermatt had a disappointing run in the last super-G of the season when he finished 1.97 seconds behind Paris in 19th, meaning he didn’t even score World Cup points.
“It’s always much cooler if you can collect another globe after a good performance, but today was my worst performance in many years,” he said.
Odermatt is the only skier with multiple super-G wins this season, and he singled out his triumph in Kitzbühel in January as his best one.
“It’s for me the biggest super-G we have on the World Cup tour, and to win there the second time now in a row was a really cool race for me, a lot of emotions,” said Odermatt, who added Olympic bronze a few weeks later.
The next men’s race at the finals is Tuesday’s giant slalom, where Odermatt can secure his fourth globe of the season. He leads the GS standings by 48 points over second-placed Lucas Pinheiro Braathen.
Troy Terry is enjoying the most productive season of his career, averaging a point per game for the first time in Year 1 under Joel Quenneville.
Riding shotgun with budding star Leo Carlsson, he's well-positioned to build on his strong totals against the Buffalo Sabres. Terry headlines my three NHL player props and NHL picks for Sunday, March 22.
Best NHL player prop bets today
Player
Ehlers Over 0.5 points
-140
Harley Over 1.5 blocked shots
-135
Terry Over 0.5 points
-135
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Our best NHL player props for Sunday, March 22
Take a look at our best bets and expert analysis below.
Prop #1: Nikolaj Ehlers Over 0.5 points
-140 at BET99
Nikolaj Ehlers is playing his best hockey since joining the Carolina Hurricanes. He has hit the scoresheet in 12 of his last 18 games, tallying 17 points along the way.
He’s in a good spot to continue producing against the Pittsburgh Penguins, who rank Bottom-6 in shots, expected goals, and goals allowed at 5-on-5 over their last 10 games.
They've also struggled to keep the puck out in back-to-backs this season. The Penguins have conceded an average of 3.40 goals over the last 10 second legs they have played.
Expect the red-hot Ehlers to take advantage.
Time: 3:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: FDSN-South, SportsNet-Pittsburgh
Prop #2: Thomas Harley Over 1.5 blocked shots
-135 at BET99
Death, taxes, and Thomas Harley blocking shots against the Vegas Golden Knights. He's picked up at least two in six straight head-to-head meetings and 12 of the last 13.
There should be plenty of volume to step in front of again tonight. The Golden Knights sit 10th in total attempts this season and have scored once during their three-game losing streak.
They don’t have a lot of wiggle room in the playoff race and will be desperate to jumpstart the offense and distance themselves from the teams trying to hunt them down.
Look for Harley to be active in the defensive zone.
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: SCRIPPS, Victory+
Prop #3: Troy Terry Over 0.5 points
-135 at BET99
Troy Terry has averaged 2.59 points per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 play while riding shotgun with No. 1 center Leo Carlsson. That is high-end first-line efficiency for the Anaheim Ducks.
Given as much, it should be no surprise Terry has points in eight of 11 home games in which he has skated with Carlsson.
The Buffalo Sabres are a good team, but they rank 22nd in expected goals against at 5-on-5 over their last 10. They also play a high-event brand of hockey and have conceded more than 30 shots on average spanning the past 10 road dates.
Terry and the Ducks’ offense should cause the Sabres problems.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
FORT MYERS, FLORIDA - MARCH 7: Marcelo Mayer #11 of the Boston Red Sox patrols the infield during a spring training game against the Tampa Bay Rays at JetBlue Park at Fenway South on March 7, 2026 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Yesterday, manager Alex Cora announced that Marcelo Mayer would be the starting second baseman for the 2026 Red Sox. Thus concludes one of the sillier spring training storylines we’ve seen in a long time. There was never really any baseball reason to suggest that either Isiah Kiner-Falefa or Andruw Monasterio would make more sense for the big league team than Mayer, even considering Mayer’s struggles at the plate in his first taste of the majors last year. But Cora says he “wanted to push him.” (Alex Speier, Boston Globe)
As a domino move that corresponded with Mayer making the big league team, Krisitian Campbell was officially sent down to AAA. This isn’t surprising, though Cora did sound surprised by some of the things he saw from Campbell in Fort Myers. “The strikeouts were going up and the walks going down, and that’s not him. He’s a guy who controls the strike zone and doesn’t swing and miss. That didn’t happen during camp.” (Chris Cotillo, MassLive)
I’m all for making Marcelo earn his spot in theory. But the problem with putting that theory into practice is that no serious and intelligent front office would ever base any meaningful decisions on spring training performances, marked as they are by small sample sizes and variable competition. Case in point: Garrett Crochet had another rough start yesterday to close out a pretty rough spring overall. But no one seems concerned, nor should they. To quote Crochet: “Whatever.” (Peter Abraham, Boston Globe)
Willson Contreras’s spring didn’t go exactly to plan either, as he ended up on the bench for Venezuela’s run to the World Baseball Classic championship. But it doesn’t sound like he minds one bit: “I think it’s the best experience of my life. I played in the World Series in ‘16, and it was big, but playing in the WBC for your country, for 37 million people, means a lot more to me. And I enjoyed every single second, every single part of it. I soaked that in, and it was the best.” (Hayden Bird, Boston.com)
Someone who did have a good spring, even if it won’t result in making a big league team, is D’Angelo Ortiz. Little Papi got his first spring hit. “Hopefully he was watching,” he said of his legendary father. “If he wasn’t watching, we’ve got a problem.” (Ian Browne, MLB.com)
Donovan Clingan
Jayson Tatum
Maxime Raynaud
Ehlers Over 0.5 points