BOSTON, MA - MARCH 25: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics celebrates during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 25, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It’s just one game. However, against a fully healthy version of the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, the Celtics proved that they are ready for any challenge.
Everyone played their roles in the Celtics 119-109 win on Wednesday night. Jaylen Brown was the engine of the offense, Jayson Tatum was great playing out of the high pick-and-roll and the role players did what was needed. It was a complete team win.
Baylor Scheierman was awesome, hitting 3 three pointers, playing excellent defense on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and having a huge put back dunk.
Payton Pritchard hit four threes, Neemias Queta made shots around the rim and defended the rim, and Derrick White was doing Derrick White things on the defensive end. Everyone chipped in and everyone had a hand in helping the Celtics win the game.
This was a big test for the Celtics against the best team in the league. The Thunder have dealt with a lot of injuries this year, but on Wednesday night, they had their whole team available.
Boston has risen to the occasion all season and it was time for another test and they passed it with flying colors. Offensively, it was one of the best games, if not the very best, the C’s have played all season. They scored 70 points in the 2nd half and were doing it in all sorts of different ways.
Sure, the three ball was great; Boston shot 18/41 (44%) from three-point range. Yet it wasn’t the only way they scored. They got to the line a ton shooting 29 free throws, Brown specifically shot 14 free throws (he made 12 of them). They found a slew of different ways to score against the best defense in the NBA.
They themselves were great defensively. As Joe Mazzulla said after the game, they committed to rebounding, only giving up 4 offensive rebounds in the game.
Those are the margins that Mazzulla has stressed all year. They had 13 turnovers in the game but not giving up 2nd chance opportunities is something that has been stressed all season. When you win in those margins, it is so much easier to win a basketball game.
Jayson Tatum was also fantastic in this game. Maybe people were overreacting to a shooting slump (tell me if you have heard that one before). He had 19 points, 12 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals and 1 awesome block in the game and was everywhere impacting it.
Yes, it was one game and we should not overreact, but this team is ready for any challenge that is presented to them, they have shown that all season. All season they have adapted and found ways to win games. As Mazzulla likes to say, ‘whatever it takes, however long it takes.’
INDIANAPOLIS — The narrative surrounding Bronny James, the oldest son of Lakers star LeBron James, even before the franchise drafted him in the second round of the 2024 draft was that he needed the Lakers to make his NBA dreams come to fruition.
But on Wednesday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, with the road-weary Lakers closing out a six-game, 11-day trip against an energetic and physical Pacers team, it was the team that needed the younger James to get over the hump in its 137-130 victory.
They needed his energy and fresh legs. His athleticism and burst during a night that was challenging for most of his teammates to sustain it — evident by the Pacers cutting the Lakers’ 29-point lead in the third to six with less than a minute in the game.
Lakers guard Bronny James gets a dunk against the Indiana Pacers during the game in Indianapolis, March 25. Getty ImagesThe confidence James played with against the Pacers was much higher to the last time he was in the rotation. AP
“To be honest, I was trying to calm myself down more than having adrenaline,” Bronny said. “Just trying to relax myself. I know what I can do as a player.”
The confidence James played with against the Pacers, a game he finished with four points on 2-of-4 shooting and a pair of steals, was much higher compared to Nov. 15, which was the last time he was in the rotation during a game the Lakers had a significant number of their normal rotation available.
Luka Dončić is all smiles after a basket against the Pacers. Getty Images
Bronny was more poised Wednesday. Calmer. More self-assured in his game and confident in his shot, even though he missed his lone 3-point attempt.
It helped him knock down a 17-foot pull-up jumper with 3:50 left in the game as the shot clock wound down to give the Lakers a 128-113 lead over the Pacers — a shot coach JJ Redick said was “big to kind of settle us” after the Pacers cut the Lakers’ lead from 29 in the third to 13 late in the fourth.
“That pull-up 2, it was a big bucket,” star guard Luka Dončić added. “It was one of the most important shots of the game. They were coming back, he hit that one. He did really great in those minutes.”
JJ Redick and Luka Doncic both mentioned this 17-foot pull-up jumper from Bronny James as a significant that that helped the Lakers in the win over the Pacers.
JJ: "I thought the Bronny's jumper was big to kind of settle us. And then we went to the Horns 3 with Luka, Austin and… pic.twitter.com/IC6JqaSYjj
Bronny credited the 18 games he’s played with the Lakers’ South Bay G League affiliate this season, where so far he’s averaged 13.3 points on 48.7% shooting in 28 minutes, for his development.
He acknowledged the importance of hitting that shot for his confidence.
“Does everything to see one go through the net, especially in that point of the game,” Bronny said. “It’s pretty big for me. I’ve hit a lot of those shots in the G, so just seeing that translate.”
Luka Doncic on Bronny James, who had 4 points and pair of steals in 13 minutes: "Definitely a big improvement from last year. I saw him in training camp, he was doing some stuff that I was really impressed with. He did a great job today. Big game for him, that pull-up 2, it was a… https://t.co/ZyLhm5Xyprpic.twitter.com/7nS6z0I1se
What also translated was Bronny’s defensive intensity, which was showcased when he stole the game and forced Pascal Siakam to turn the ball over on a post-up during the Pacers’ first possession of the second quarter.
“He’s gotten significantly better,” Redick said. “I know our staff has a lot of confidence in him. He had two really, really good defensive possessions [of] individual defense in the first half. The biggest thing with him is he’s got a lot of confidence right now. He’s having a fantastic season with South Bay. He’s been arguably the best player for like the last three or four weeks in our stay-ready games every single time.”
Redick added: “He’s got a bounce to his step right now. That just comes from developing that confidence. We saw it last year, and we’re seeing it again this year; just his growth as a player.”
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DENVER, COLORADO - MARCH 25: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks drives past Bruce Brown #11 of the Denver Nuggets in the second quarter at Ball Arena on March 25, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Justin Tafoya/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks (23-50) dropped their fifth game in a row, losing to the Denver Nuggets (44-28) on Wednesday, 142-135.
It was a game that threatened to be close on a handful of occasions, mostly for those moments to be quickly erased by a red-hot Jamal Murray, who had 29 points at half and finished with 53. Nikola Jokic finished one assist shy of the ultra-rare triple-20, with 23 points, 21 rebounds and 19 dimes.
For Dallas, Naji Marshall continued with his dependable output, contributing 22 points on seven-of-16 shooting. Cooper Flagg put up 23 points to go along with seven assists and seven rebounds on another solid night for the rookie.
0: Dallas turnovers in the first half
Dallas kept this thing close nearly all night, and they stayed that way by keeping an extraordinarily clean turnover sheet for the game.
They finished with only 4 combined turnovers, a season low, and had zero during the first half; the first team in the league to play a first half without a turnover since these Nuggets pulled it off two months ago on January 25th.
It was Nemhard starting at the point, so for him and fellow rookie Cooper Flagg to handle much of the offensive initiation in a close game with a contending-caliber team like Denver (who, admittedly, is on the second night of a back-to-back), instills confidence. Nembhard entered Wednesday’s game with an absurd 48-7 assist-to-turnover ratio in the seven games prior to Wednesday night’s.
2: Guys being dudes
A big reason to tune into games at this point in the season is to try and catch a glimpse of someone interesting. A two-way guy or 10-day player who pops for a night, or looks like he maybe, just maybe, could stick in the league. So you can say, “You know, I was watching JJ Barea during his rookie season.”
Dallas has two guys like that now — the 21-year-old native Texan, Tyler Smith, and John Poulakidas, the 23-year-old Yale man. Pouliakidas has shown promise before — he got pulled after playing too good over 11 minutes against Golden State and making three of his five 3-point attempts.
Against the Nuggets, Smith took five beautiful shots in just eight minutes, went 2-of-4 from deep, and grabbed a rebound. Poulakidas came to play, too, if only for nine minutes. Still, he took four threes and made one.
This team needs shooters, especially shooters under the age of 25. Smith and Poulakidas keep showing just enough to keep fans interested and fantasizing about what could be.
15: season-high rebounds for PJ Washington
PJ Washington turned in a strong double-double performance, scoring 19 points and grabbing a season-high 15 rebounds.
His previous high was a 14-rebound mark back in December against Utah. He did most of his work tonight on the defensive glass, hauling in 11 of his 15 rebounds on the defensive end.
He did much of that work in the second half. 11 of his boards came after halftime and were a big part of Dallas clawing their way back into the game, getting within just one point after being down by 13 at one point, and notching yet another clutch game.
It was a great performance that was only slightly overshadowed by Nikola Jokic putting up his absurd 23/19/21 stat line.
The Hockey News revealed players 61-80 for their last top 100 NHL-affiliated prospects rankings. After Blackhawks prospect Vaclav Nestrasil landed the No. 83 spot, three more Chicago prospects have made the cut this time around: Sacha Boisvert, Marek Vanacker, and Kevin Korchinski.
Boisvert was given the No. 61 spot on THN's rankings. The 2024 first-round pick appeared in 26 games this season with Boston University, where he had three goals and 17 points. This is after he had 18 goals and 32 points in 37 games last season with the University of North Dakota. He signed his entry-level deal with the Blackhawks earlier this month, so the promising forward will soon be getting his professional career started.
Vanacker was given the No. 68 spot on THN's list, and like Boisvert, he certainly has good potential. The 2024 first-round pick has had a big season with the Brantford Bulldogs of the OHL, as he has 47 goals and 82 points in 60 games. With numbers like these, there is no question that the 6-foot-1 forward has good skill.
As for Korchinski, he was given the No. 80 spot. The left-shot defenseman is still looking to cement himself as a full-time NHL defenseman. While the 2022 seventh-overall pick has had some growing pains, he certainly has the potential to become a good blueliner in the NHL.
MEMPHIS, TN - MARCH 25: Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs dunks the ball during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies on March 25, 2026 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. 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 Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Out of all of the San Antonio Spurs’ blowout victories over the last month, Wednesday’s 123-98 win over the Memphis Grizzlies felt different. It wasn’t too long ago when the Spurs were on the other end of games like this – playing multiple players on 10-day contracts and two-ways. Those were brutal, demoralizing losses that left a large chunk of the fan base clamoring for trades and free agent signings. Going through that experience just a few years ago somehow makes the victory more satisfying.
San Antonio outmatched the undermanned Grizzlies in just about every meaningful aspect of the game. Early in the game, the Spurs had the ball on a string, whipping it around to find not a good shot, but a great one. It was reminiscent of the Big Three-era San Antonio teams. Granted, it was against an incredibly relaxed defense from the Grizzlies, but that is the kind of offense that crushes a team in a meaningless March matchup. San Antonio looked like a team on a mission. One that was having fun and not just going through the motions.
The Spurs are clicking right now. They haven’t lost focus since the All-Star break. They are pushing full steam ahead for the playoffs in April. Games like this are a reminder of how far they have come in a few years. But it’s clear that the team isn’t satisfied with just blowing teams out in March. They are playing for something much bigger.
Takeaways:
Allow me to stand on a bit of a soapbox here. Today, the NBA voted to authorize the league to formally explore potential team expansion to Las Vegas and Seattle. That’s great. Seattle deserves a team. But does the NBA really have a surplus of talent so large it can afford two more teams? Did Memphis look like it was dealing with a surplus of talent? How about the Sacramento Kings? Or the Brooklyn Nets? There are so many teams resting players to tank for a better draft pick (I know the Spurs were here just a few years ago). Can we really afford two more? These blowouts are fun to an extent, but it’s much more enjoyable to watch two teams trying to win, rather than just one.
You get a poster! You get a poster! You get a poster! Stephon Castle annihilated Taylor Hendricks at the rim. GG Jackson put Victor Wembanyama on a poster, and then Wemby got him back the very next possession. Then Julian Champagnie caught a body on a dunk. The third quarter had better highlights than the Dunk Contest!
Wembanyama’s defensive game was MVP tape material. If someone ever doubted how much Wemby’s defense actually changes a game, show them the Grizzlies game. They couldn’t get anywhere near the rim with him in the game. Memphis had just 34 points in the paint on Wednesday. Wemby had 7 blocks. It was one of the best rim protection games of the entire season.
Oh, and to make it even more impressive, Wemby was 2 assists and 2 steals away from a 5×5 game.
Devin Vassell is such a luxury. When the ball swings to him on the perimeter, it feels like it is always going to go in. Plus, he can drive off the bounce and finish at the rim. Having him as the fourth option in the starting lineup makes the Spurs’ offense so deadly.
Dylan Harper continues to impress with his shooting touch. He hit 2 of his 5 three-pointers against the Grizzlies. It feels like we are just scratching the surface of what he can become.
The Chicago Blackhawks, who defeated the New York Islanders 4-3 on Tuesday, are back in action on Thursday night. They come in 4-3-3 in their last 10 as they continue to develop young players who will impact them in the future.
This will be a match against the Philadelphia Flyers, who come in 6-3-1 in their last 10. For Philly, they sit five points below the playoff line in the Eastern Conference. The Blackhawks have a chance to spoil any chance of a miracle run for them.
Scouting Philadelphia
The Philadelphia Flyers are having a better year than anyone would have expected before it began, but they have a lot of work to do. There are good young players on their roster, but more steps must be taken for the organization to get over the hump.
Barkey-Zegras-Tippett
Bump-Dvorak-Konecny
Grundström-Cates-Michkov
Glendening-Couturier-Hathaway
Sanheim-Ristolainen
York-Drysdale
Seeler-Juulsen
Ersson
Vladar
Trevor Zegras has had a healthy bounce-back season, his first with the Flyers after a big trade with the Anaheim Ducks. Playing in their top six has given him a boost.
Travis Konecny didn’t make Team Canada at the Olympics after being on the 4-Nations Face-Off team, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t deserving. He is a great player that Chicago’s defense must have an eye on when his line is out there.
Matvei Michkov is on the third line, and his season isn’t going the way he had hoped after a strong rookie year, but the skills are there for him to change a game at a moment’s notice.
Philadelphia’s defense is a big reason that they are even in the race at all. Travis Sanheim was a Team Canada guy in Milano Cortina, and he plays a key role on this team in the NHL.
Rasmus Ristolainen, Cam York, and Jamie Drysdale lead the depth on the blue line, as they all bring different strengths that Blackhawks forecheckers/back-checkers must pay attention to.
In goal, the Flyers have found success with either Samuel Ersson or Dan Vladar in the net. Vladar started on Tuesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets, so expect Ersson against the Blackhawks.
Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago
The Blackhawks are going to have Sacha Boisvert making his NHL debut. This comes one game after Anton Frondell made his debut. The Blackhawks are continuing to get younger by inserting more prospects that are ready to compete and make the team better.
Greene-Bedard-Frondell
Bertuzzi-Nazar-Lardis
Burakovsky-Donato-Mik
Teravainen-Boisvert-Slaggert
Vlasic-Levshyunov
Kaiser-Rinzel
Del Mastro-Crevier
Knight
Anton Frondell is on the first line, as he should be. His play in his first post-draft season earned him that opportunity before he ever even stepped onto an NHL sheet. He impressed in his NHL debut, a 4-3 win over the New York Islanders.
Sacha Boisvert isn’t at the same level as Frondell, but multiple tough two-way players like him are needed on every team. Playing on the fourth line to dip his toes into the NHL waters is perfect
It looked a little strange for Teuvo Teravainen to be on the fourth line in the last game with Landon Slaggert and Sam Lafferty, but it makes a lot more sense with Boisvert down the middle instead. This line has some skill and a little bit of toughness that should make waves in all three zones.
Arvid Soderblom was excellent in the win over the Islanders. Now, expect Spencer Knight to get the nod against the Flyers. Each goalie will be heavily relied on as the season comes to a close.
How To Watch
The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. To view this game, it can be found on CHSN locally. Nationally, it is available to stream on ESPN+. The puck will drop shortly after 6:00 PM CT.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
The Vancouver Canucks (21–41–8) have finally reached the end of their eight-game March home stand, with their final game taking place against the Los Angeles Kings (28–25–15) tonight. Vancouver has gone 2–5–0 so far through the home stretch, with their most recent match being a 5–3 loss to the Anaheim Ducks. The Kings, one of the handful of Pacific Division teams battling for a wild card spot in the playoffs, last played in a 3–2 shootout loss against the Calgary Flames.
Vancouver will be seeing lots of the Kings as they prepare to round out their 2025–26 season. Tonight’s game marks the first of three that they’ll play in against Los Angeles ahead of the season end, with their other matchups coming on April 9 in California and April 14 in their final game at Rogers Arena this year. The last time these two teams faced off was on November 29 in a 2–1 overtime loss for Vancouver.
With Los Angeles still looking for a playoff spot, and Vancouver officially eliminated from playoff contention earlier in the week, tonight’s game could be one of a few that the Canucks play spoiler for in the Kings’ post-season wishes. Los Angeles has lost their last four games, though they have picked up two overtime loss points during this stretch, while yet another defeat would put them in an even deeper point deficit than before. If Vancouver stays consistent to some of their efforts through the home stand, they may end up being a big factor into the Kings missing out on the playoffs.
Players To Watch:
Elias Pettersson
Fresh off a night that saw him score his 500th NHL point, Elias Pettersson will be a player to watch on the Canucks tonight. He had two power play helpers in his team’s loss to the Ducks, with his line also scoring his team’s third goal of the game. Including this effort, the forward is now up to five points in his past four games. Adding to that, he is two goals away from becoming ninth-all time in franchise goals scored — a milestone that would see him pass former Canucks captain Bo Horvat on the list.
Artemi Panarin
Prior to his team’s loss to Calgary, Artemi Panarin had scored a goal in six of his past 10 games. Since joining the Kings via trade, he’s scored six goals and 11 assists in 15 games played. His most recent run of play has been even more impressive, with the forward putting up a six-game point streak before the loss to the Flames. As Los Angeles’ leading scorer, he’ll be a player to watch come tonight.
Nov 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Kings left wing Kevin Fiala (22) and Vancouver Canucks right wing Brock Boeser (6) battle for the puck during the overtime period at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Vancouver Canucks (21–41–8):
Points:
Elias Pettersson: 15–28–43
Filip Hronek: 8–33–41
Brock Boeser: 17–20–37
Jake DeBrusk: 15–18–33
Linus Karlsson: 13–17–30
Goaltenders:
Thatcher Demko: 8–10–1
Kevin Lankinen: 8–24–5
Nikita Tolopilo: 5–6–2
Jiří Patera: 0–1–0
Los Angeles Kings (28–25–15):
Points:
Artemi Panarin: 25–49–74
Adrian Kempe: 26–33–59
Kevin Fiala: 18–22–40
Quinton Byfield: 17–23–40
Brandt Clarke: 8–30–38
Goaltenders:
Darcy Kuemper: 17–13–13
Anton Forsberg: 11–11–5
Pheonix Copley: 0–1–0
Game Information:
Start time: 7:00 pm PT
Venue: Rogers Arena
Television: Sportsnet
Radio: Sportsnet 650
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
Oct 6, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Fans cheer prior to game two of the NLDS round between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Los Angeles Dodgers for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Usually, this question of the day part is where we ask a niche question about the team. Maybe it’s about someone’s approach at the plate, their recent work at that craft, or what you think about a player’s recent play.
Today is simple. It being the Phillies’ home opener (and season opener), we’re looking for your predictions on how the season will go. You can be as specific as you wish, you can be as broad as you wish. But let’s talk about our prognostications together. Come back later today when we here at TGP give you our predictions for the season so you can all look down on us and ridicule us when we’re wrong.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 25: The Opening Week logos are painted on the field at Petco Park on March 25, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I’ll save the big kahuna question for the Braves’ Opening Day, which is tomorrow. Today is Opening Day for most other teams, so we’ll go with this no-stakes variant.
Normally, I’m pretty excited for Opening Day. Baseball season has a great rhythm, and I look forward to transitioning into it every year. That said, I indulged in a paragraph of how MLB is getting less interesting to me yesterday, and it follows from there that I’m less excited about this season. Maybe some of that is related to the Braves directly — it’s just less interesting to watch a sprinter try to navigate around banana peels than nearly any other story or framing device (other than a rebuilding entirely non-contender), and the self-inflicted season-ruining change they made offensively last year is like the ultimate excitement-excoriator for me.
So, I dunno. I think I’m less excited for this season than for any for 2018-onward. Yesterday’s snoozefest of an Opening Day contest between the Yankees and Giants didn’t help. Nor the fact that I usually take a day off on Opening Day, but the Braves have a night game so there’s no point in pushing it.
But, none of that has to apply to you. So, tell me, where’s your relative excitement meter at?
May 16, 2022; Oakland, California, USA; Minnesota Twins shortstop Royce Lewis (23) and Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton (25) celebrate after defeating the Oakland Athletics at RingCentral Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Ah, a fresh season. Unlimited potential. Anything is possible! Or at least, it feels that way until the moment your favorite team fails to score after having a runner on third base with no outs, or if the bullpen blows a five-run lead. That is when you remember that baseball, while beautiful, may be the most frustrating game of all.
Alas, the Orioles will enter yet another brand new campaign anyway. This one does genuinely begin with lofty aspirations. They were one of the busiest clubs over the winter, and on paper they look like a team that could do some great things. At the very least, they should improve upon their 75 wins from a season ago
The Twins, on the other hand, seem like they could be headed in the opposite direction. They went 70-92 in 2025, which cost Rocco Baldelli his job as manager. Derek Shelton will take the reins. He was last the skipper of the Pittsburgh Pirates from 2020 through May of last year, when he was canned after a 12-26 start to the year. It’s not the most aspirational of hires, but Shelton is familiar with the organization, having served as bench coach back in 2018 and ‘19.
This past offseason was highlighted more by what the Twins did not do rather than what they did. Neither Joe Ryan nor Byron Buxton was traded. That would have made sense if the organization then went and made any sort of impact additions to their roster, but they largely sat on their hands. Josh Bell, Victor Caratini, and Taylor Rogers were the “marquee” free agents brought on. While each of them are fine major leaguers, they won’t elevate this team at all.
Instead, their hopes will be pinned on Buxton and Royce Lewis being the best versions of themselves. That is asking a lot of Buxton, entering his age-32 season, who always seems to miss some amount of time. The 126 games he played in 2025 was his most in a season since 2017. Lewis gets hurt a lot too. He played in 106 games last year, the most he has ever played as a big leaguer.
The rotation will be without Pablo López. He had Tommy John surgery in February and will miss the entire 2026 season. He only tossed 75.2 big league innings last year due to a right shoulder strain that became a forearm strain during rehab. But they were stellar innings as he had a 2.74 ERA and 1.11 WHIP prior to being shut down.
Who knows what will happen in the AL Central. Once again it looks like one of the league’s weaker divisions. So maybe the Twins could get some luck and sneak up on a few clubs. But the more likely outcome is that they deal with major injuries again and slump to be one of the worst team’s in the AL. That was the case in 2025, and they still managed to go 6-0 against the Orioles. That can’t happen again for an O’s team with postseason aspirations.
Game 1: Thursday, March 26th, 3:05 p.m., MASN
LHP Trevor Rogers (9-3, 1.81 ERA in 2025) vs. RHP Joe Ryan (13-10, 3.42 ERA in 2025)
Rogers threw just 109.2 innings last year, but he was so dominant that he earned some consideration for the AL Cy Young award anyway. OK, it was just one down-ballot vote, but it’s hard to argue the logic. The southpaw was spectacular, generating 5.4 bWAR, only 1.1 bWAR less than the award winner, Tarik Skubal, who threw nearly twice as many innings. He deserves the start here even if he is a strong candidate for some negative regression.
Ryan is likely to be one of the most sought after players at this year’s trade deadline if the season goes poorly for the Twins. The 29-year-old had a 3.42 ERA and struck out 194 over 171 innings last year, and he won’t hit free agency until after the 2027 season.
Game 2: Saturday, March 28th, 4:05 p.m., MASN
RHP Kyle Bradish (1-1, 2.53 ERA in 2025) vs. RHP Taj Bradley (6-8, 5.05 ERA in 2025)
The great X-factor of the 2026 Orioles could be Bradish. We know how good he can be. Over the last three seasons he has a 2.78 ERA and is striking out 10.1 batters per nine innings. Of course, he only has 240 total innings across those three seasons due to Tommy John surgery in mid-2025. So the big question will be how healthy he can remain. The O’s are likely to be conservative with him early, shortening starts, and skipping his turn occasionally. But when he does pitch it should be dynamite.
It’s not usually a good sign when the Rays trade away a pitcher. That’s an organization that tries to hoard pitching talent as much as possible, but they were OK with swapping Bradley for Griffin Jax last year. Bradley was even worse (6.61 ERA in 31.1 innings) for Twins than he was for the Rays (4.61 ERA in 111.1 innings). Minnesota is hard-pressed to find starting options, so Bradley will get plenty of chances to prove himself.
Game 3: Sunday, March 29th, 1:35 p.m., MASN
RHP Shane Baz (10-12, 4.87 ERA in 2025) vs. RHP Bailey Ober (6-9, 5.10 ERA in 2025)
The Orioles have talked about Baz as the rotation’s ceiling-raiser all offseason. In essence, they swap him into Grayson Rodriguez’s place in the rotation. Right now, that looks like a wise decision. Rodriguez is opening the season on the IL for the Angels while Baz looked quite good in his final spring tuneup against the Nationals. There is no denying the stuff. It’s great. Now he just needs to harness it.
Ober was a disappointment in 2025. After back-to-back seasons worth 3.0 bWAR and an ERA under 4 in 2023 and ’24, he flopped badly last year. His numbers this spring were rather ugly too. Across 13 spring innings he had a 1.769 WHIP and struck out just 4.2 batters per nine innings. You gotta take those stats with a grain of salt, but his trajectory is not what you want if you’re a Twins fan.
Good morning. Unless you’re manager Tony Vitello or on the Giants, in which case I just say I hope tomorrow is a better morning for you. Because the Yankees’ spanked the Giants 7-0 in the first game of the year.
There was one thing that happened last night that has never happened in an official MLB game before. The Yankees’ José Caballero made the first ever Automatic Ball-Strike (ABS) Challenge. The call was upheld, so we’re still waiting on that first overturn.
One thing the Giants did last night was break the weirdest streak in baseball. After 19 seasons of having a different left fielder start for San Francisco on Opening Day, Heliot Ramos made his second-straight Opening Day start for the Giants. This streak goes back to Barry Bonds’ final season in 2007.
Speaking of Bonds, on the broadcast last night he revealed how he almost became a Yankee, only to hang up on George Steinbrenner when the “Boss” wanted an answer immediately. There’s been some question of the accuracy of the story, as Steinbrenner was officially banned from baseball during the time Bonds described.
Jordan Schusterman has a preview of the Tony Vitello era in San Francisco. For someone with no professional experience before showing up to camp, he has certainly won over a lot of grizzled MLB veterans.
The Red Sox will be serving "Lobstah Poutine" at Fenway Park this year! This ballpark food features crispy fries, lobster meat, clam chowder and crispy bacon all served in a custom lobster boat 🤤
I never thought I say that the Marlins did something right that the Red Sox messed up. But this looks delicious.
The Marlins' new "Machete" menu item is served in a custom carrying case 😳
This TWO-FOOT homemade flour tortilla is griddled on the flat top with melted mozzarella and Oaxaca cheeses, house-marinated carne asada, smoky guajillo pepper sauce, salsa verde and cilantro 👀
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - SEPTEMBER 13: Ronald Acuna Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves and Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies speak during the first inning at Citizens Bank Park on September 13, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Last year’s National League East race ended with the Phillies (96-66) winning their second consecutive division crown, while the Mets (83-79) and Braves (76-86) both underperformed expectations and missed the playoffs entirely. The Marlins (79-83), meanwhile, came close to .500 as they showed promise and play a key role in ending the Mets’ postseason dreams on the final day of the regular season, and the Nationals (66-96) showcased their potential with their young, up-and-coming talent, despite finishing in the cellar.
Heading into Opening Day, the NL East race promises to be one of the most exciting ones to watch around the league. The Mets are projected to bounce back and contend for their first division title since 2015, while the Braves are expected to rebound and the Phillies once again have a roster built for a run at the postseason. So let’s review where things stand at the start of the 2026 season, and what Mets fans might expect from the team’s division rivals.
Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies are coming off back-to-back NL East crowds and four consecutive playoff appearances, though they have failed to make it beyond the Division series in either of the previous two seasons after going to the World Series in 2022 and reaching the NLCS in 2023.
In many ways, the Phillies are “running it back”, as they enter 2026 with a very similar roster to the one they showcased last year. Their key offseason moves were re-signing Kyle Schwarber to a 5-year, $150 deal—Mets fans will recall that the club was also reportedly in on the Schwarber sweepstakes—and catcher J.T. Realmuto to a three-year deal. The Phillies also, very recently, extended two cornerstones of their rotation in left-handers Cristopher Sánchez and Jesús Luzardo, which should offer them rotation stability for years to come. In terms of new faces, the club added slugging outfielder Adolis Garcia and reliever Mitch Keller. On the departure side, Philadelphia parted ways with Nick Castellanos, Harrison Bader, and Matt Strahm. The team will start the year without ace Zack Wheeler as he recovers from thoracic outlet surgery, but after a “successful spring,” he is set to begin a rehab assignment and could be back in April.
Both ZiPS and PECOTA have the Phillies taking a step back in 2026 and relinquishing their NL East crown, and that’s to be expected for a team that’s a year older and not necessarily better. Fangraphs projects the Phillies to win 87 games, which is actually down from their projection of 91 wins and an NL East crown from late January. This update lands them squarely in third place in the NL East but would secure them the second Wild Card in the National League. Baseball Prospectus is a little more bullish, projecting them to finish at 84.9 wins in their up-to-date model on March 25. The Phillies will once again go as far as Trea Turner, Bryce Harper, and Kyle Schwarber can carry them, as their veteran core remains strong but, again, one year older. Their rotation remains a strength, even as they wait for Wheeler’s return, and they have the benefit of a full season with closer Jhoan Duran, whom they acquired ahead of last year’s trade deadline.
Atlanta Braves
The Mets’ collapse stole the headlines around the league and took a lot of heat off the Braves, who unexpectedly fell flat on their faces and finished in fourth place after seven straight postseason appearances. The Braves, who won six straight division crowns from 2018-2023, fell below the .500 mark for the first time since 2017.
Atlanta enters the year with a new skipper at the helm, as Walt Weiss is set to succeed Brian Snitker, who held the position for ten years but chose to step down into an advisory role. Weiss previously served as Snitker’s bench coach. On the field, the team added reliever José Suarez and outfielder Mike Yastrzemski. They also claimed Osvaldo Bido from the Yankees, inked Rowdy Tellez on a minor league deal, and brought in old friend Dom Smith, who is in position to potentially make the roster out of spring. Atlanta will be managing some injuries heading into this year, specifically to Spencer Strider, who begins the year on the injured list with a left oblique strain. Joey Wentz (torn ACL) and Spencer Schwellenbach (elbow inflammation) both begin the year on the 60-day IL.
Their roster is still loaded with talent, and the project models seem to agree that they will get back on the horse in 2026. Both ZiPS and PECOTA have them narrowly missing a division crown, falling just behind the Mets but handily securing the top Wild Card spot in the NL. Fangraphs sees them winning 88 games (matching the Mets) but falling short in the end. Baseball Prospectus, meanwhile, has them at 88.7 wins, just shy of the Mets’ simulated projection of 89.4.
Ronald Acuña Jr. remains their key player, and a healthy and elite season from their star outfielder could make all the difference (emphasis on ‘healthy’). There’s also Matt Olson, who played 162 games for the fourth straight season and finished with a 136 wRC+ and a 4.7 fWAR. Atlanta also desperately need a bounce back year from Austin Riley, who struggled last season and has not come close to his All-Star self from 2022 and 2023. The biggest bright spot for Atlanta last year was catcher Drake Baldwin, who earned Rookie of the Year honors after a stellar debut season, and he will now be thrust into a more prominent role going forward.
Miami Marlins
The Marlins surprised some folks last year when they came close to .500 and hung around the NL Wild Card picture until the late stages of the season—some of this is certainly due to the subpar competition, no doubt. They also flirted with trading ace Sandy Alcántara, who missed all of 2024 and struggled to regain his form in 2025 until well after the All-Star break. You can be sure that the team will again explore a trade this year, if they are not realistically in a playoff spot—Alcántara’s contract expires at the end of the 2026 season.
The Marlins did what they do best, which is trade their talented players for prospect capital. They made two headline moves in this vein: trading right-hander Edward Cabrera to the Cubs in a package centered around outfielder Owen Caissie, and trading left-hander Ryan Weathers to the Yankees for four prospects. It’s worth noting that Cabrera is under team control through 2028, and Weathers through 2029, which brought in a bigger return. To fortify their roster, the club signed utility player Christopher Morel and acquired Esteury Ruiz from the Dodgers. They also acquired right-hander Bradley Blalock from the Rockies and left-hander Kade Bragg from the Twins.
Unsurprisingly, their season last year has done little to sway perception of their team or inspire much from the projection models. They are, pretty much across the board, viewed as the fourth team in this division, as ZiPS sees them finishing 75-87 and PECOTA has them basically right around that with a sim W total of 74.7. In both scenarios, they fall well short of the third Wild Card spot, failing to earn a postseason spot for the third straight yea after their Wild Card appearance in 2023. They still have some bright young players to watch, including Xavier Edwards and 2025 All-Star Kyle Stowers. At the very least, Mets fans should take comfort in the fact that New York does not play Miami during the final week of the season—their final games against the pesky Marlins are September 7-9 at loanDepot Park.
Washington Nationals
Despite some promising young talent, the Nationals still came close to 100 losses and seem to be nowhere close to contention in the division. They confirmed those thoughts by trading one of their best veterans, pitcher MacKenzie Gore, to the Rangers for a package of five minor leaguers. On the major league side, they made some minor moves, adding Zack Littell, Foster Griffin, and Miles Mikolas, all on relatively affordable one-year deals. The rest of their roster was filled in by waiver claims.
The Nationals are projected to finish right near the bottom of the league yet again. ZiPS sees them finishing the year 69-93, a three-game improvement from their 2025 results. This would give them more wins than just the Colorado Rockies, and would tie them with the projected win total of the Chicago White Sox. PECOTA, meanwhile, is a bit more pessimistic, simulating a total of 67.1 wins for Washington, ahead of just the Rockies (59.4) and Angels (65.5) in their model. This year will be all about the growth of rising stars James Wood and CJ Abrams, and their continued growth will be the main point of concern for Washington in what is ultimately another rebuilding year.
Projections and Predictions
The Mets have been a popular pick to win the 2026 NL East title, and not just from ZiPS and PECOTA (see standings below) but also from several seasoned baseball journalists at MLB, ESPN, SNY, Newsday, the NY Post and more. However, as we have learned far too many times, projections and predictions are a far way off from reality. With that said, the Mets find themselves in a good position and should be able to size up well against the Phillies and Braves as they look to capture their first division crown in over a decade.
Well, here we are at the earliest-ever home opener for the Cubs. You already know how I feel about March baseball in Chicago (they generally shouldn’t, ever). And the forecast for the opener Thursday has temps falling from an early high of near 60 into the 40s. There’s a chance of rain that hopefully will hold off until the game is over.
For more on the Nationals, here’s Sam Sallick, manager of our SB Nation Nationals site Federal Baseball.
There is a lot of “new” for the Washington Nationals this year. They have a new front office, a new manager and a brand new coaching staff. It is a lot of change for an organization that had the same GM/manager combo for nearly a decade before this.
Paul Toboni and Blake Butera want to modernize the Nationals process. They have also provided an infusion of youth. Toboni is just 35 and Butera is the youngest manager in the league at just 33. The roster is also very young, especially on the position player side of things.
The Nats star players at the plate are James Wood and CJ Abrams. Wood had a tough spring after tailing off in the second half last year. However, he has some of the most impressive raw power in the game. Abrams saw his name in trade rumors, but unlike fellow Juan Soto trade piece MacKenzie Gore, he stayed in DC.
Speaking of Gore, the Nats pitching staff has looked very solid this spring. They are short on big names, but they’ve been throwing the ball well. Opening Day starter Cade Cavalli has been throwing the ball as well as anyone. He threw 14 scoreless innings this spring, which helped get him the Opening Day nod despite just 11 career starts.
Cavalli has an impressive arsenal. His mid to upper 90’s fastball and his power curve provide a strong foundation. However, he added a sweeper to give him a better weapon against right handed hitters, who he struggled against last year. I am bullish on Cavalli and think this will be a breakout year for him.
Behind him, the Nats actually have a few veterans in the rotation. Cubs fans know Miles Mikolas very well, and he is in DC now. They also picked up Zack Littell and Foster Griffin. I am intrigued by Griffin, who dominated in Japan the last few years before coming back to the States this offseason.
The Nats probably won’t be good, but hopefully they are better to watch this season. This new regime is rebuilding the rebuild in a lot of ways. However, I trust these new guys to get it right eventually.
Fun facts
The Cubs have a .486 winning percentage against the Nationals franchise since it began play in 1969 as the Montreal Expos. But they are .519 (69-64) since the team moved to Washington after 2004.
They are .526 overall at home vs. the Expos/Nationals, including .523 since 2005.
From 2021-24, the Cubs were 9-4 when hosting the Nationals. Last year, they won the series opener, then lost the next two games.
NOTE: The Cubs do not have starters officially listed for Saturday or Sunday as of the time of this post. Horton and Imanaga are listed here because that’s the order they last pitched in Spring Training games after Boyd. The Cubs are one of only three teams (also Angels and Rockies) that don’t have a starter listed for Saturday. Those three and the Braves are the only teams that don’t have a starter listed for Sunday.
Times & TV channels
Thursday: 1:20 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Saturday: 1:20 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Sunday: 1:20 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Prediction
I don’t see any reason the Cubs shouldn’t take at least two of three here.
Up next
The Cubs host the Los Angeles Angels at Wrigley Field in a three-game series beginning Monday evening.
GOODYEAR, AZ - FEBRUARY 19: Kyle Manzardo #9 of the Cleveland Guardians poses for a photo during the Cleveland Guardians photo day at Goodyear Ballpark on Thursday, February 19, 2026 in Goodyear, Arizona. (Photo by Nic Antaya/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Get to know the 2026 Cleveland Guardians’ Opening Day Roster with the cheat sheets introducing you to the players you need to know below:
First, our hitters. You can save and paste on to a Word Document and print.
Now, the Guardians pitchers:
For friends, family and co-workers who want a brief refresher on which players will be part of this year’s unfolding Guardians’ story, please feel free to share the above images. Can’t wait to root for our guys!
The Chicago White Sox and Milwaukee Brewers begin their 2026 campaign this afternoon with the series opener of a three-game set at American Family Field.
Jacob Misiorowski gets the baseball for the hosts, and my White Sox vs. Brewers predictions are eyeing him to be lights out on Opening Day.
Read more for my MLB picks for Thursday, March 25.
White Sox vs Brewers predictions
White Sox vs Brewers best bet: Jacob Misioroski Over 5.5 strikeouts (-152)
Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Jacob Misiorowski was solid in a brief 15 appearances in his rookie season in 2025, pitching to a 5-3 record and 4.36 ERA. The youngster has serious swing and miss stuff, and that was clear from his 87 strikeouts in just 66 innings of work.
While the righty has never faced the Chicago White Sox, they were 15th in the majors last season in team strikeouts with nearly nine per game.
Misiorowski cashed the Over in Ks in two of his three starts in spring training, and the adrenaline will be at an all-time high for his first career Opening Day start.
He’ll miss numerous bats in the series opener.
COVERS INTEL: Misiorowski struck out a lot more hitters in Milwaukee last year, racking up 53 Ks in 36 2/3 innings of work compared to just 34 strikeouts in 29 1/3 frames on the road.
White Sox vs Brewers same-game parlay (SGP)
William Contreras is a perfect 2-for-2 lifetime vs. White Sox starter Shane Smith with a pair of singles. That's a small sample size, but he also swung it relatively well in spring training, collecting at least one hit in seven of his eight appearances.
Sal Frelick has faced Smith three times, and his lone hit was a double. He also had a double in two of his final three Cactus League contests. The outfielder also ranked in the 87th percentile in sprint speed, making it easier for him to stretch a single into a double or to ensure he gets into second on a hard-hit ball in the gap.
The Brew Crew is 8-1 in its last nine meetings with Chicago, and the last time the White Sox came to American Family Field, Milwaukee swept them. Misiorowski will throw a gem and set the tone.
White Sox vs Brewers SGP
William Contreras to hit a single
Sal Frelick to hit a double
Brewers moneyline
White Sox vs Brewers home run pick: Christian Yelich (+540)
Christian Yelich had a bounce-back campaign in ‘25, smacking 29 home runs. That was his highest total since 2019, when he went deep 44 times. Twenty-five of his bombs last year were off right-handed pitchers, and Smith surrendered 17 long balls in 2025, with 13 coming off the bat of lefties.
Yelich also went yard 14 times at home. He got some confidence back last year, and I like him to start the campaign with a bang.
White Sox vs Brewers odds
Moneyline: Chicago +154 | Milwaukee -184
Run line: Chicago +1.5 (-138) | Milwaukee -1.5 (+116)
Over/Under: Over 8 (-105) | Under 8 (-115)
White Sox vs Brewers trend
The Milwaukee Brewers have hit the Moneyline in 86 of their last 142 games (+21.35 Units / 11% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for White Sox vs. Brewers.
How to watch White Sox vs Brewers and game info
Location
American Family Field, Milwaukee, WI
Date
Thursday, March 26, 2026
First pitch
2:10 p.m. ET
TV
Chicago Sports Network, Brewers TV
White Sox starting pitcher
Shane Smith (2025: 7-8, 3.81 ERA)
Brewers starting pitcher
Jacob Misiorowski (2025: 5-3, 4.36 ERA)
White Sox vs Brewers latest injuries
White Sox vs Brewers weather
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.
COVERS INTEL: Misiorowski struck out a lot more hitters in Milwaukee last year, racking up 53 Ks in 36 2/3 innings of work compared to just 34 strikeouts in 29 1/3 frames on the road.