Angels batter Jorge Soler, left, fights Atlanta Braves pitcher Reynaldo López as the benches clear in the fifth inning at Angel Stadium on Tuesday night. (Ethan Swope / Associated Press)
Benches cleared between the Angels and Braves at Angel Stadium in the fifth inning Tuesday night after Jorge Soler took exception with a high pitch thrown by Atlanta starter Reynaldo López and charged the mound, with each player throwing punches.
After the pitch, the two players stared at one another briefly before Lopez gestured at Soler, and the Angels batter charged the mound. López was holding a baseball as he threw a punch and made direct contact to the side of Soler's face, with the ball partially hitting Soler's helmet.
Angels batter Jorge Soler, left, fights Atlanta Braves pitcher Reynaldo López in the fifth inning at Angel Stadium on Tuesday night. (Ethan Swope / Associated Press)
The benches quickly cleared and players separated Soler and López after a brief, but intense skirmish that pushed out toward the first-base side of the diamond.
Soler and López were ejected from the game. Major League Baseball likely will suspend both players.
Players on the Angels and Braves rush the field after Jorge Soler and Reynaldo López fight at Angel Stadium on Tuesday night. (Ethan Swope / Associated Press)
Angels batter Jorge Soler, left, fights Atlanta Braves pitcher Reynaldo López as the benches clear in the fifth inning at Angel Stadium on Tuesday night. (Ethan Swope / Associated Press)
Benches cleared between the Angels and Braves at Angel Stadium in the fifth inning Tuesday night after Jorge Soler took exception with a high pitch thrown by Atlanta starter Reynaldo López and charged the mound, with each player throwing punches.
After the pitch, the two players stared at one another briefly before Lopez gestured at Soler, and the Angels batter charged the mound. López was holding a baseball as he threw a punch and made direct contact to the side of Soler's face, with the ball partially hitting Soler's helmet.
Angels batter Jorge Soler, left, fights Atlanta Braves pitcher Reynaldo López in the fifth inning at Angel Stadium on Tuesday night. (Ethan Swope / Associated Press)
The benches quickly cleared and players separated Soler and López after a brief, but intense skirmish that pushed out toward the first-base side of the diamond.
Soler and López were ejected from the game. Major League Baseball likely will suspend both players.
Players on the Angels and Braves rush the field after Jorge Soler and Reynaldo López fight at Angel Stadium on Tuesday night. (Ethan Swope / Associated Press)
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 04: Christian Walker #8 of the Houston Astros bats against the Athletics in the top of the fourth inning of a major league baseball game at Sutter Health Park on April 04, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The league’s best offense decided to take the night off as Astros pitching, defense continue to struggle.
It was a night to forget for the Astros offense, who managed just 1 run on 3 hits with one walk against Rockies pitchers Kyle Freeland and Antonio Senzatela, as Houston loses its second straight game in Denver, 5-1 to the Rockies.
A second inning opposite field HR by Christian Walker was the only run the Astros could muster.
In fact, they would get only one runner to second base the rest of the game.
Astros starter Mike Burrows was felled by his defense tonight much in the same way Ryan Weiss was felled by his defense last night.
In the bottom of the second inning, Burrows got Willi Castro to fly to left, or so he thought. LF Brice Matthews didn’t get a good jump on the ball, charged in and slid to make the catch, but the ball bounced off the heel of his glove (which was somehow scored a hit) and allowed a run to score.
In the bottom of the fourth, Burrows allowed a 2-out single to T.J. Rumfield before hanging a slider over the heart of the plate that Castro blasted for a 2-run homer.
The Rockies got 2 more runs in the seventh. After Steven Okert allowed a one out walk, he was replaced by Kai-Wei Teng. Teng got Hunter Goodman to pop out for second out, but then surrendered a 426 foot HR to Mickey Moniak. That made the game 5-1, which would be the final score.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 04: Christian Walker #8 of the Houston Astros bats against the Athletics in the top of the fourth inning of a major league baseball game at Sutter Health Park on April 04, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The league’s best offense decided to take the night off as Astros pitching, defense continue to struggle.
It was a night to forget for the Astros offense, who managed just 1 run on 3 hits with one walk against Rockies pitchers Kyle Freeland and Antonio Senzatela, as Houston loses its second straight game in Denver, 5-1 to the Rockies.
A second inning opposite field HR by Christian Walker was the only run the Astros could muster.
In fact, they would get only one runner to second base the rest of the game.
Astros starter Mike Burrows was felled by his defense tonight much in the same way Ryan Weiss was felled by his defense last night.
In the bottom of the second inning, Burrows got Willi Castro to fly to left, or so he thought. LF Brice Matthews didn’t get a good jump on the ball, charged in and slid to make the catch, but the ball bounced off the heel of his glove (which was somehow scored a hit) and allowed a run to score.
In the bottom of the fourth, Burrows allowed a 2-out single to T.J. Rumfield before hanging a slider over the heart of the plate that Castro blasted for a 2-run homer.
The Rockies got 2 more runs in the seventh. After Steven Okert allowed a one out walk, he was replaced by Kai-Wei Teng. Teng got Hunter Goodman to pop out for second out, but then surrendered a 426 foot HR to Mickey Moniak. That made the game 5-1, which would be the final score.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 04: Christian Walker #8 of the Houston Astros bats against the Athletics in the top of the fourth inning of a major league baseball game at Sutter Health Park on April 04, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The league’s best offense decided to take the night off as Astros pitching, defense continue to struggle.
It was a night to forget for the Astros offense, who managed just 1 run on 3 hits with one walk against Rockies pitchers Kyle Freeland and Antonio Senzatela, as Houston loses its second straight game in Denver, 5-1 to the Rockies.
A second inning opposite field HR by Christian Walker was the only run the Astros could muster.
In fact, they would get only one runner to second base the rest of the game.
Astros starter Mike Burrows was felled by his defense tonight much in the same way Ryan Weiss was felled by his defense last night.
In the bottom of the second inning, Burrows got Willi Castro to fly to left, or so he thought. LF Brice Matthews didn’t get a good jump on the ball, charged in and slid to make the catch, but the ball bounced off the heel of his glove (which was somehow scored a hit) and allowed a run to score.
In the bottom of the fourth, Burrows allowed a 2-out single to T.J. Rumfield before hanging a slider over the heart of the plate that Castro blasted for a 2-run homer.
The Rockies got 2 more runs in the seventh. After Steven Okert allowed a one out walk, he was replaced by Kai-Wei Teng. Teng got Hunter Goodman to pop out for second out, but then surrendered a 426 foot HR to Mickey Moniak. That made the game 5-1, which would be the final score.
DENVER, CO - APRIL 7: Willi Castro #3 of the Colorado Rockies celebrates his two-run home run in the fourth inning against the Houston Astros at Coors Field on April 7, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In the series opening on Monday night, the Colorado Rockies managed to outlast the Houston Astros after a big fifth inning. Tonight in Game 2, they picked up where they left off, defeating the Astros 5-1.
It was a night of stellar pitching from starter Kyle Freeland and tonight’s closer Antonio Senzatela as well as consistent, timely hitting from Willi Castro and T.J. Rumfield with another Mickey Moniak home run.
The hits keep coming!
The Astros got on the board first with a Christian “Rockies Killer” Walker home run in the second inning. This is his fourth off Freeland and his 15th at Coors Field.
(Mickey, if you’re reading, you also look great in that purple coat.)
Castro finished the night 3-for-4 with three hits and three RBI.
Meanwhile, don’t overlook Rumfield who continues to be a consistent offensive contributor and also went 2-for-3 with a walk and a run.
The Rockies finished the evening with five runs on 10 hits with two walks and — are you sitting down? — just four (four!) strikeouts.
“This is a different team, a new team,” Schaeffer said. “We feel like we’re playing good baseball.”
Kyle Freeland deals
If you’re into commemorating anniversaries, nine years ago today, Freeland made his MLB debut against the Los Angeles Dodgers (6 IP, 1 ER, 6 K) — and tonight he was ready to celebrate in style.
Freeland went 6.1 innings on 81 pitches. He gave up one run on three hits, walked one, and struck out five. He did this on 10 ground-ball outs and a powerful pitch mix. Currently, he has a 2.30 ERA.
“He attacked the strike zone and was really efficient,” Schaeffer said after the game.
Freeland received a well-earned standing ovation when leaving the field.
Do pitchers get to wear the purple coat?
Because Kyle Freeland should absolutely get to wear it tonight.
Senzatela finishes the job
Schaeffer turned the game over to the bullpen in the seventh with Senzatela taking the mound.
He threw two pitches and got two outs, and he did not slow down.
In securing his first career save, Senzatela went 2.2 IP, giving up 0 hits and 0 walks while striking out three.
Schaeffer noted that Senzatela has made significant adjuments, which can be challenging for a veteran, “but he just looks like a different guy.”
It’s not hyperbole to say that he is unrecognizable from his 2025 pitching self.
Tune in tomorrow for Game 3 when Cristian Javier will take on Michael Lorenzen for the Rockies. See you at 1:10 pm.
DENVER, CO - APRIL 7: Willi Castro #3 of the Colorado Rockies celebrates his two-run home run in the fourth inning against the Houston Astros at Coors Field on April 7, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In the series opening on Monday night, the Colorado Rockies managed to outlast the Houston Astros after a big fifth inning. Tonight in Game 2, they picked up where they left off, defeating the Astros 5-1.
It was a night of stellar pitching from starter Kyle Freeland and tonight’s closer Antonio Senzatela as well as consistent, timely hitting from Willi Castro and T.J. Rumfield with another Mickey Moniak home run.
The hits keep coming!
The Astros got on the board first with a Christian “Rockies Killer” Walker home run in the second inning. This is his fourth off Freeland and his 15th at Coors Field.
(Mickey, if you’re reading, you also look great in that purple coat.)
Castro finished the night 3-for-4 with three hits and three RBI.
Meanwhile, don’t overlook Rumfield who continues to be a consistent offensive contributor and also went 2-for-3 with a walk and a run.
The Rockies finished the evening with five runs on 10 hits with two walks and — are you sitting down? — just four (four!) strikeouts.
“This is a different team, a new team,” Schaeffer said. “We feel like we’re playing good baseball.”
Kyle Freeland deals
If you’re into commemorating anniversaries, nine years ago today, Freeland made his MLB debut against the Los Angeles Dodgers (6 IP, 1 ER, 6 K) — and tonight he was ready to celebrate in style.
Freeland went 6.1 innings on 81 pitches. He gave up one run on three hits, walked one, and struck out five. He did this on 10 ground-ball outs and a powerful pitch mix. Currently, he has a 2.30 ERA.
“He attacked the strike zone and was really efficient,” Schaeffer said after the game.
Freeland received a well-earned standing ovation when leaving the field.
Do pitchers get to wear the purple coat?
Because Kyle Freeland should absolutely get to wear it tonight.
Senzatela finishes the job
Schaeffer turned the game over to the bullpen in the seventh with Senzatela taking the mound.
He threw two pitches and got two outs, and he did not slow down.
In securing his first career save, Senzatela went 2.2 IP, giving up 0 hits and 0 walks while striking out three.
Schaeffer noted that Senzatela has made significant adjuments, which can be challenging for a veteran, “but he just looks like a different guy.”
It’s not hyperbole to say that he is unrecognizable from his 2025 pitching self.
Tune in tomorrow for Game 3 when Cristian Javier will take on Michael Lorenzen for the Rockies. See you at 1:10 pm.
DENVER, CO - APRIL 7: Willi Castro #3 of the Colorado Rockies celebrates his two-run home run in the fourth inning against the Houston Astros at Coors Field on April 7, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In the series opening on Monday night, the Colorado Rockies managed to outlast the Houston Astros after a big fifth inning. Tonight in Game 2, they picked up where they left off, defeating the Astros 5-1.
It was a night of stellar pitching from starter Kyle Freeland and tonight’s closer Antonio Senzatela as well as consistent, timely hitting from Willi Castro and T.J. Rumfield with another Mickey Moniak home run.
The hits keep coming!
The Astros got on the board first with a Christian “Rockies Killer” Walker home run in the second inning. This is his fourth off Freeland and his 15th at Coors Field.
(Mickey, if you’re reading, you also look great in that purple coat.)
Castro finished the night 3-for-4 with three hits and three RBI.
Meanwhile, don’t overlook Rumfield who continues to be a consistent offensive contributor and also went 2-for-3 with a walk and a run.
The Rockies finished the evening with five runs on 10 hits with two walks and — are you sitting down? — just four (four!) strikeouts.
“This is a different team, a new team,” Schaeffer said. “We feel like we’re playing good baseball.”
Kyle Freeland deals
If you’re into commemorating anniversaries, nine years ago today, Freeland made his MLB debut against the Los Angeles Dodgers (6 IP, 1 ER, 6 K) — and tonight he was ready to celebrate in style.
Freeland went 6.1 innings on 81 pitches. He gave up one run on three hits, walked one, and struck out five. He did this on 10 ground-ball outs and a powerful pitch mix. Currently, he has a 2.30 ERA.
“He attacked the strike zone and was really efficient,” Schaeffer said after the game.
Freeland received a well-earned standing ovation when leaving the field.
Do pitchers get to wear the purple coat?
Because Kyle Freeland should absolutely get to wear it tonight.
Senzatela finishes the job
Schaeffer turned the game over to the bullpen in the seventh with Senzatela taking the mound.
He threw two pitches and got two outs, and he did not slow down.
In securing his first career save, Senzatela went 2.2 IP, giving up 0 hits and 0 walks while striking out three.
Schaeffer noted that Senzatela has made significant adjuments, which can be challenging for a veteran, “but he just looks like a different guy.”
It’s not hyperbole to say that he is unrecognizable from his 2025 pitching self.
Tune in tomorrow for Game 3 when Cristian Javier will take on Michael Lorenzen for the Rockies. See you at 1:10 pm.
Second baseman Jeff McNeil throws to first to complete a double play after orcing out Jazz Chisholm Jr. during the sixth inning of the Yankees' 5-3 win over the A's on April 7, 2026 at the Stadium.
Jeff McNeil returned for his first game in New York on Tuesday since his December trade to the A’s, but instead of this series against the Yankees, he’s got the next one circled on his calendar.
“When I got traded over to the A’s, I saw this [trip] pretty early on the schedule, it was pretty cool to get back to New York early in the season,’’ McNeil said before Tuesday night’s 5-3 loss to the Yankees in The Bronx. “These three games are kind of like normal road games for me, but when we go to Citi Field, it will be a little bit different. There will be a little bit more emotion there.”
That comes Friday, as the A’s spend nearly a full week in New York.
Second baseman Jeff McNeil throws to first to complete a double play after orcing out Jazz Chisholm Jr. during the sixth inning of the Yankees’ 5-3 win over the A’s on April 7, 2026 at the Stadium. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
And McNeil knows that while there will be plenty of familiar faces when he gets to Queens, there will be several that — like him — ended up elsewhere this offseason.
In addition to McNeil, the Mets also traded Brandon Nimmo to Texas in exchange for Marcus Semien and let Pete Alonso go to Baltimore in free agency after bringing him back a year ago.
Edwin Díaz being lost to the Dodgers as a free agent was another part of the Mets offseason makeover, although the Mets did try to retain the closer, who chose to go to Los Angeles instead.
“There’s a bunch of new faces over there,’’ McNeil said. “That’s the way the organization wanted to go. There’s a lot of us that were there a long time that are no longer there. It was a little crazy to see, but it is what it is. I’m happy to be an A now.”
“Just getting traded [after] spending seven years with the Mets,’’ McNeil said. “It took me by surprise a little bit. I think I’ve been in trade talks every year of my career. You’re not sure what’s gonna happen, but it finally happened … I enjoyed my time over there. I have nothing but great things to say about the organization. I got traded. I love it over here [with the A’s]. It’s a great group of guys and we’re having a lot of fun.”
Jeff McNeil hits a single during the third inning of the A’s loss to the Yankees. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
Not surprisingly, though, the A’s have gotten off to a rough start in their second season playing in a minor league ballpark in Sacramento while they wait for a planned move to Las Vegas.
McNeil and his new team lost their first four games of the season — and five of their first six — but then took a series against the Astros.
And McNeil started the season just 1-for-13 with six strikeouts, but had hits in four straight games after going 2-for-3 with a run scored, although he was still looking for his first extra-base hit after putting up 20-plus doubles and double-digit homers each of the previous three seasons.
There’s also one noticeable difference he’s experienced from having played in New York.
“It’s a minor league ballpark,” McNeil said of the biggest adjustment to his new home. “They did a tremendous job with the locker room and have great amenities. It just doesn’t quite seat as many people.”
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 07: Garrett Crochet #35 of the Boston Red Sox delivers a pitch during the second inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Fenway Park on April 07, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Paul Rutherford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For the third consecutive game, the Red Sox jumped out to at least a three run lead and then immediately began coughing it up. But this time, there were two key differences that allowed them to hang on and escape with a win.
First, Garrett Crochet started the game throwing up six scoreless frames, so when he ran into trouble in the seventh, he was much closer to the high leverage relievers who could milk the lead to the finish line.
After the game, Crochet even talked about how part of his goal as a starter is always to go deeper than the other starter, and tonight he not only did that, but it was kind of the key to the whole affair as the bridge to Whitlock and Chapman was (just barely) short enough to complete without totally collapsing.
I say this because the second key difference for the Sox tonight is they got some good bullpen work from an unexpected place. That occurred when Zack Kelly came into a 3-1 game with the bases loaded and just one out and managed to get both guys he faced despite falling behind each of them 2-0.
Here’s his final pitch to escape the mess with a groundout:
Now as some of you may be aware, I’m not the biggest Zack Kelly fan. He has excellent pure stuff, but the inconsistency from outing to outing and the tendency to melt down mentally when he faces adversity always leaves me on edge. So as far as tonight is concerned, the good news is Zack Kelly got out of it. The bad news is that means we’re probably going to get a lot more of Zack Kelly in high leverage spots, and it’s only a matter of time before the baseball gods come to collect on that debt.
Offensively, the Red Sox managed just three hits all game, but they also got three runs in a single inning when Jacob Misiorowski came unglued in the sixth and walked the bases loaded. It was the classic dominant outing by a starter who ran out of gas look, and because it happened one inning before Crochet cracked, it allowed Trevor Story to get a bases loaded at bat against a middle reliever in DL Hall. The result was an extremely well timed only extra base hit of the night for the Sox and only hit against a left handed pitcher for Story so far this season.
We’re gonna hand out five of these tonight since it was such a badly needed win.
Garrett Crochet: Obvious first choice! 6.1 innings of work, allowed just two runs, and even though he stumbled in the seventh, he kept the Brewers off the board long enough to outlast Misiorowski.
Garrett Whitlock: Strong bounce back outing after coughing up the winning run last night. He also had to go right through the heart of the Brewers’ order in his scoreless inning of work.
Zack Kelly: Credit where credit is due. The Sox probably don’t win this game if he gives up a missile into the gap somewhere.
Trevor Story: He had by far the biggest hit of the night, and his defense also got better as the game wore on.
Caleb Durbin: It’s very, very rare to give a stud out to a guy who went 0-1 as a pinch hitter, but do you know why he’s here? Situational baseball! Durbin came to the plate with runners on second and third and one out after Trevor Story’s two run double, and you know what he did? He put the ball in play and produced the winning run.
This is not a sexy play, but tonight, that run proved to be the difference maker, and it was so much better than watching a guy with less than elite power strike out swinging for the fences.
Three Duds
Marcelo Mayer: 0-2 with an error before being pinch hit for by Durbin.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa: 0-3 and didn’t run out of the box on a ground out. The boo birds will come after him hard if things don’t improve.
Hitting David Hamilton: This is a situation and not a man, but it’s worth noting because this was almost the key play of the game in what would have been a hideous loss. To put it bluntly, David Hamilton stinks at hitting! The only way he can hurt you is with his legs, so when he came up with the bases loaded and one out in a 3-0 game, all Garrett Crochet had to do is be around the zone and Hamilton is probably carved up. Instead, Crochet plunked him on the first pitch and nearly let Milwaukee back in this one.
You could also say Alex Cora left Crochet in too long (107 pitches), and it would be a fair criticism. I just can’t use a dud on that here because the alternative was going to Zack Kelly even earlier, so it was an extremely sticky spot.
Play of the game:
Overall, the headline of the night is how good Crochet was for the first six frames. He did exactly what an ace needs to do for most of his outing. Here’s his seven strike outs:
Since the start of last season, Garrett Crochet leads all of baseball with 12 wins in games after his team lost. Oddly, the guy who is second on that list with 11 is Sonny Gray, and he starts the series finale tomorrow afternoon at 1:35pm.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 07: Garrett Crochet #35 of the Boston Red Sox delivers a pitch during the second inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Fenway Park on April 07, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Paul Rutherford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For the third consecutive game, the Red Sox jumped out to at least a three run lead and then immediately began coughing it up. But this time, there were two key differences that allowed them to hang on and escape with a win.
First, Garrett Crochet started the game throwing up six scoreless frames, so when he ran into trouble in the seventh, he was much closer to the high leverage relievers who could milk the lead to the finish line.
After the game, Crochet even talked about how part of his goal as a starter is always to go deeper than the other starter, and tonight he not only did that, but it was kind of the key to the whole affair as the bridge to Whitlock and Chapman was (just barely) short enough to complete without totally collapsing.
I say this because the second key difference for the Sox tonight is they got some good bullpen work from an unexpected place. That occurred when Zack Kelly came into a 3-1 game with the bases loaded and just one out and managed to get both guys he faced despite falling behind each of them 2-0.
Here’s his final pitch to escape the mess with a groundout:
Now as some of you may be aware, I’m not the biggest Zack Kelly fan. He has excellent pure stuff, but the inconsistency from outing to outing and the tendency to melt down mentally when he faces adversity always leaves me on edge. So as far as tonight is concerned, the good news is Zack Kelly got out of it. The bad news is that means we’re probably going to get a lot more of Zack Kelly in high leverage spots, and it’s only a matter of time before the baseball gods come to collect on that debt.
Offensively, the Red Sox managed just three hits all game, but they also got three runs in a single inning when Jacob Misiorowski came unglued in the sixth and walked the bases loaded. It was the classic dominant outing by a starter who ran out of gas look, and because it happened one inning before Crochet cracked, it allowed Trevor Story to get a bases loaded at bat against a middle reliever in DL Hall. The result was an extremely well timed only extra base hit of the night for the Sox and only hit against a left handed pitcher for Story so far this season.
We’re gonna hand out five of these tonight since it was such a badly needed win.
Garrett Crochet: Obvious first choice! 6.1 innings of work, allowed just two runs, and even though he stumbled in the seventh, he kept the Brewers off the board long enough to outlast Misiorowski.
Garrett Whitlock: Strong bounce back outing after coughing up the winning run last night. He also had to go right through the heart of the Brewers’ order in his scoreless inning of work.
Zack Kelly: Credit where credit is due. The Sox probably don’t win this game if he gives up a missile into the gap somewhere.
Trevor Story: He had by far the biggest hit of the night, and his defense also got better as the game wore on.
Caleb Durbin: It’s very, very rare to give a stud out to a guy who went 0-1 as a pinch hitter, but do you know why he’s here? Situational baseball! Durbin came to the plate with runners on second and third and one out after Trevor Story’s two run double, and you know what he did? He put the ball in play and produced the winning run.
This is not a sexy play, but tonight, that run proved to be the difference maker, and it was so much better than watching a guy with less than elite power strike out swinging for the fences.
Three Duds
Marcelo Mayer: 0-2 with an error before being pinch hit for by Durbin.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa: 0-3 and didn’t run out of the box on a ground out. The boo birds will come after him hard if things don’t improve.
Hitting David Hamilton: This is a situation and not a man, but it’s worth noting because this was almost the key play of the game in what would have been a hideous loss. To put it bluntly, David Hamilton stinks at hitting! The only way he can hurt you is with his legs, so when he came up with the bases loaded and one out in a 3-0 game, all Garrett Crochet had to do is be around the zone and Hamilton is probably carved up. Instead, Crochet plunked him on the first pitch and nearly let Milwaukee back in this one.
You could also say Alex Cora left Crochet in too long (107 pitches), and it would be a fair criticism. I just can’t use a dud on that here because the alternative was going to Zack Kelly even earlier, so it was an extremely sticky spot.
Play of the game:
Overall, the headline of the night is how good Crochet was for the first six frames. He did exactly what an ace needs to do for most of his outing. Here’s his seven strike outs:
Since the start of last season, Garrett Crochet leads all of baseball with 12 wins in games after his team lost. Oddly, the guy who is second on that list with 11 is Sonny Gray, and he starts the series finale tomorrow afternoon at 1:35pm.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 07: Garrett Crochet #35 of the Boston Red Sox delivers a pitch during the second inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Fenway Park on April 07, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Paul Rutherford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For the third consecutive game, the Red Sox jumped out to at least a three run lead and then immediately began coughing it up. But this time, there were two key differences that allowed them to hang on and escape with a win.
First, Garrett Crochet started the game throwing up six scoreless frames, so when he ran into trouble in the seventh, he was much closer to the high leverage relievers who could milk the lead to the finish line.
After the game, Crochet even talked about how part of his goal as a starter is always to go deeper than the other starter, and tonight he not only did that, but it was kind of the key to the whole affair as the bridge to Whitlock and Chapman was (just barely) short enough to complete without totally collapsing.
I say this because the second key difference for the Sox tonight is they got some good bullpen work from an unexpected place. That occurred when Zack Kelly came into a 3-1 game with the bases loaded and just one out and managed to get both guys he faced despite falling behind each of them 2-0.
Here’s his final pitch to escape the mess with a groundout:
Now as some of you may be aware, I’m not the biggest Zack Kelly fan. He has excellent pure stuff, but the inconsistency from outing to outing and the tendency to melt down mentally when he faces adversity always leaves me on edge. So as far as tonight is concerned, the good news is Zack Kelly got out of it. The bad news is that means we’re probably going to get a lot more of Zack Kelly in high leverage spots, and it’s only a matter of time before the baseball gods come to collect on that debt.
Offensively, the Red Sox managed just three hits all game, but they also got three runs in a single inning when Jacob Misiorowski came unglued in the sixth and walked the bases loaded. It was the classic dominant outing by a starter who ran out of gas look, and because it happened one inning before Crochet cracked, it allowed Trevor Story to get a bases loaded at bat against a middle reliever in DL Hall. The result was an extremely well timed only extra base hit of the night for the Sox and only hit against a left handed pitcher for Story so far this season.
We’re gonna hand out five of these tonight since it was such a badly needed win.
Garrett Crochet: Obvious first choice! 6.1 innings of work, allowed just two runs, and even though he stumbled in the seventh, he kept the Brewers off the board long enough to outlast Misiorowski.
Garrett Whitlock: Strong bounce back outing after coughing up the winning run last night. He also had to go right through the heart of the Brewers’ order in his scoreless inning of work.
Zack Kelly: Credit where credit is due. The Sox probably don’t win this game if he gives up a missile into the gap somewhere.
Trevor Story: He had by far the biggest hit of the night, and his defense also got better as the game wore on.
Caleb Durbin: It’s very, very rare to give a stud out to a guy who went 0-1 as a pinch hitter, but do you know why he’s here? Situational baseball! Durbin came to the plate with runners on second and third and one out after Trevor Story’s two run double, and you know what he did? He put the ball in play and produced the winning run.
This is not a sexy play, but tonight, that run proved to be the difference maker, and it was so much better than watching a guy with less than elite power strike out swinging for the fences.
Three Duds
Marcelo Mayer: 0-2 with an error before being pinch hit for by Durbin.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa: 0-3 and didn’t run out of the box on a ground out. The boo birds will come after him hard if things don’t improve.
Hitting David Hamilton: This is a situation and not a man, but it’s worth noting because this was almost the key play of the game in what would have been a hideous loss. To put it bluntly, David Hamilton stinks at hitting! The only way he can hurt you is with his legs, so when he came up with the bases loaded and one out in a 3-0 game, all Garrett Crochet had to do is be around the zone and Hamilton is probably carved up. Instead, Crochet plunked him on the first pitch and nearly let Milwaukee back in this one.
You could also say Alex Cora left Crochet in too long (107 pitches), and it would be a fair criticism. I just can’t use a dud on that here because the alternative was going to Zack Kelly even earlier, so it was an extremely sticky spot.
Play of the game:
Overall, the headline of the night is how good Crochet was for the first six frames. He did exactly what an ace needs to do for most of his outing. Here’s his seven strike outs:
Since the start of last season, Garrett Crochet leads all of baseball with 12 wins in games after his team lost. Oddly, the guy who is second on that list with 11 is Sonny Gray, and he starts the series finale tomorrow afternoon at 1:35pm.
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - APRIL 07: Rudy Gobert #27 of the Minnesota Timberwolves dribbles the ball while being guarded by Jay Huff #32 of the Indiana Pacers in the first quarter at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on April 07, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. 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 Dylan Buell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Some nights, you play one of the worst teams in the league, and you play down to their level. Other nights, you take care of business. Most nights, if you’re the Minnesota Timberwolves, that second option seems near impossible, but with just a few games left to go in the season and a sixth-seed spot on the horizon, the Wolves did what they had to.
Somehow, even a 20-point blowout does not encompass the entirety of how boring and not close that game was. Let’s be transparent here, both teams have every reason to hope for the exact outcome we got tonight, and the score was 102-77 before the final period. For Indiana, Taelon Peter was the only player with a positive on/off number. For Minnesota, only the five garbage-time players were in the negative.
To that end, the Wolves were led by Ayo Dosumnu (who could’ve guessed?), who had been injected into the three-guard starting lineup. The Fighting Illini product went for 24 points and three steals with a team best +22.
However, it truly was an all-around game from everyone. Julius Randle, for all his inefficiency problems, had 19 points. Bones Hyland had 19, 4, and 7 off the bench, while Naz Reid shot over 50% from three for the first time in what feels like ages en route to 17 points of his own.
There was a moment earlier this season where it felt like the team had turned around, largely through the graduation of Bones from end-of-the-bench reclamation project to real NBA contributor. With the injection of straight nitrous, which was the Ayo acquisition, it felt like everything was coming together. Instead, there was an Anthony Edwards injury that caused everything to spiral out.
Since then, it’s been a “sunken place” as described by Jon Krawczynski. It’s been pretty miserable, honestly. The Wolves have been 1-3 in their last four games since Ant got re-injured.
Still, the Wolves clinched a playoff spot with the Suns’ loss later Tuesday night.
There are worse places to be than the sixth seed. As things stand, that would lead to yet another matchup with the Denver Nuggets. However, Denver is only one game ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers. With the losses of Austin Reaves and Luka Dončić, the Lakers likely won’t catch up to the Nuggets, but whoever does will get a free pass to the second round.
For the Wolves, being able to control their own destiny in the seeding would probably have been better, and any team in the league would agree that you’d rather play against an ancient LeBron James than a prime Nikola Jokić, but there is a chance this could all work out.
Any of the middle four in the conference has its flaws. The Lakers are top-heavy and are now facing major injuries. The Nuggets have been unable to find any real consistency and have a 30 million dollar a year anchor by the name of Christian Braun. The Houston Rockets have a publicized mutiny and an imploding roster without any real ball handlers. The Timberwolves have well… they have a lot of problems.
The Wolves are relying on the playoff bump they’ve gotten the past two years to not just take them from good to great but from up and down to only up. That’s a lot to ask. The pair of stars leading the charge has been the subject of many think pieces, many of them about bad habits. The guard rotation, while it now claims a lot more juice, also doesn’t boast stability, as both Donte Divincenzo and Bones Hyland are certainly not strangers to bad shooting nights.
All that is to say, the top seeds are likely hoping to face someone, but I, for the life of me, cannot figure out which of those four teams is best set up to succeed in the playoffs.
Maybe the Wolves will ride a good matchup to another extended playoff run. Years ago, that would’ve been worth celebrating. Now, in the midst of the most successful era in Wolves history, it rings hollow. How can we be excited about lucking into a few extra weeks of basketball?
The standard has been raised. The expectations are for a championship. That’s it. Those hopes have already been dashed for this year, but if the Ant era ends without a title, we will call it a failure regardless.
That’s terrifying. It should be scary that the best we have ever had may still not be good enough. But, with Bones and Ayo and Ant and Jaden (and Joan Beringer on the back burner), there is a real idea that this may not be the only iteration of Wolves with Ant we get to see.
Tonight means nothing. But this season keeps crumbling to dust, limping along before a miraculous crutch comes along that fixes everything for a few games. Maybe that’s not sustainable. It probably isn’t.
So many fans want heads to roll this offseason, largely to start that second swell of this team. A first-round exit probably results in some changes, just as missing the playoffs would’ve resulted in bigger ones. The man on the line is Chris Finch. With three games left in the season, and then somewhere between four and fourteen in the playoffs, we will get to see what the lasting legacy of this version of this team.
Goodnight Wolves fans. You’ve got nothing to worry about tonight, at least.
The monster will wait for another night.
Up Next
The Timberwolves are right back at it tomorrow night on the road against the Orlando Magic for their final back-to-back of the season. The game begins at 6:00 PM CT. Fans can watch the game on FanDuel Sports Network.
NEWARK, N.J. -- Contrary to recent precedent, the Philadelphia Flyers are beginning to prove that teams can compete with a core of elite, talented young wingers. Look at the shell-shocked Prudential Center as proof.
The New Jersey Devils, one of the NHL's hottest teams since the Olympic break and packed with talent in their own right, were made to look downright listless by Rick Tocchet and the Flyers for large swathes of Tuesday night's 5-1 win.
Timely goals from Trevor Zegras and Tyson Foerster, as well as timely assists from Matvei Michkov and Owen Tippett and saves from Dan Vladar, drained the life from the Devils seemingly every time they threatened to build momentum.
Zegras, with his two tallies, established a new career-high of 25, surpassing his previous marks of 23 from 2021-22 and 2022-23. The 25-year-old has now tied his previous single-season best of 65 points with plenty of hockey left to play this season.
According to NHL PR, Zegras, having scored twice in just 3:38, is the fastest Flyer to score two goals to start a game since Flyers legend Brian Propp had two in 1:58 back on Feb. 27, 1982.
Having played left wing alongside Christian Dvorak for much of the 2025-26 season, Zegras has enjoyed newfound success back at center, lining up between Foerster and Tippett.
In 35 minutes of 5-on-5 ice time together, the Foerster, Zegras, and Tippett unit has a 64.95% xGF%, according to Natural Stat Trick, while out-scoring opponents 3-2.
It's early and the returns have been small, but each player has pulled their weight equally.
"It's amazing," Zegras said after the game. "It's been a long time since I've felt this, like, the rush of winning."
Zegras could very well be on his way to playing in his first career playoff games, so long as he and the Flyers can maintain their torrid post-Olympics pace.
The same is true of youngsters like Michkov, Denver Barkey, and Alex Bump, who also led by example in the eyes of Tocchet.
Michkov, with assists on both Foerster goals, has now quietly reached 45 points on what was considered to be a lost sophomore season. The 21-year-old is three goals away from 20 and five points away from 50.
"A guy like Bumper, he had a couple of tough shifts, and all of a sudden, after that, he played great. Barks, he throws one out in the stands, he's mad. But after that, he played great," Tocchet remarked.
"Mich, he served the [delay of game] penalty, comes out of the box, wins a battle on the wall, we get a 2-on-1. They know that these are big things. They're not small things when you can do those things."
The 2-on-1 Tocchet was referring to was Foerster's first of two goals, when the 24-year-old picked up Michkov's touch along the wall, raced down the ice, and beat Devils goalie Jacob Markstrom low.
That goal put the Flyers back ahead two goals at 3-1 after New Jersey dominated the last 15 minutes of the first period and found the scoresheet via Cody Glass. Michkov's subtle play killed the momentum and ultimately spurred the Flyers on to a significant win for playoff purposes.
The Flyers have been as good as any team in the NHL over the last month and a half, even without the fabled No. 1 center.
We'll soon find out if that's sustainable, and they should probably plan on upgrading the position anyway, but the core of the team certainly appears to be in place.
NEW ORLEANS, LA - APRIL 7: John Konchar #55 of the Utah Jazz drives to the basket during the game against the New Orleans Pelicans on April 7, 2026 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. 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 Layne Murdoch Jr./NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
In a game the Utah Jazz had to lose, they got the job done in a big way against the New Orleans Pelicans, losing 156-137.
Defense was absolutely optional in this one, but it was exceptionally bad for the Utah Jazz, who somehow gave up 156 points. But this is not something to be shamed or mocked, this is the best form of tankmogging. With the Brooklyn Nets winning again and the Jazz tied with the Kings, this is exactly what the Jazz needed to do. Utah is on a mission to land another top pick in the draft and, if successful, could become one of the league’s elite teams. To lose big like this is the biggest expression of competitiveness.
For example, which of these two teams would you rather be? Utah owns their pick in the upcoming draft if it stays bottom-8. Utah has over a 99% chance to keep their pick and will add that player to a core that should compete for playoff positioning next season. It’s also decent odds that they jump into the top of an elite draft that has a great group of players to choose from. On the other hand, you have the Pelicans, who traded the rights to their pick in the upcoming draft to pick Derik Queen and are sitting in the 8th spot in the lottery. They get to watch the Hawks pick someone who would have been added to their core. Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen have had some nice moments this season, but they’ve led the Pelicans to the 8th spot in the lottery standings. It’s a pretty easy answer.
It’s also a sign that the Jazz understand the assignment. This is how the Jazz can maximize their chances at a championship. If Utah somehow lucks into a top three to four pick, they become an absolute monster, overloaded with talent at every position.
And that’s just the benefits of losing. Utah is also finding out what they have with their young players. Cody Williams, Ace Bailey, Brice Sensabaugh, and Kyle Filipowski have all shown real signs during this tank, something they couldn’t have done if they were pushing for wins. They’ve also found a nice player in Blake Hinson, who has been almost too good since he joined the team. Oh, and they also might have a guy in John Konchar, who had a triple-double tonight. Which, by the way, is the fourth triple-double of the season for the Jazz.
All in all, it’s a highly successful night for the Jazz, who are now on their way to a potential three-way tie with the Nets and Kings for the third pick. If Utah gets lucky, lottery night could be even more interesting than it looked a month ago.
