LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 19: Kay Hanley of Letters to Cleo performs at The Grove summer concert series at The Grove on July 19, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A.J. Russell made his second pro appearance for the Crawdads, using 34 pitches in one inning of work, striking out two, walking two, allowing two hits and giving up two runs. Louis Marinaro struck out four in 1.2 shutout innings.
Yolfran Castillo had a hit, two walks and a stolen base. Paulino Santana had a hit, a walk and a stolen base. Esteban Mejia had a hit and a walk. josh Spring had a hit and two walks. Dewar Tovar had a double and a walk. Marcos Torres had a hit and a walk.
Dylan MacLean started for Frisco and gave up five runs in 3.2 IP, striking out two and walking two. Eric Loomis struck out two and allowed a Zombie Runner to score in an inning of work.
Ian Moller homered. Dylan Dreiling was 3 for 4 with a walk and a stolen base.
For Round Rock, Dane Acker threw 2.2 shutout innings, striking out one and walking one. Robbie Ahlstrom gave up two runs in an inning, striking out one. Ryan Brasier allowed three runs in 0.2 IP. Josh Sborz struck out three and walked two in 1.1 IP. Michel Otanez gave up a walkoff two out, three run home run.
Justin Foscue was 2 for 6 with a double. Aaron Zavala had a single, a double and a walk.
Things continue to trend in the right direction for Mets starter Clay Holmes.
After exiting Friday’s game against the Athletics with hamstring tightness, it sounds like, barring anything unexpected, Holmes will be able to make his next scheduled start against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night.
“Talked to him earlier, he feels good,” manager Carlos Mendoza said on Sunday. “The plan is for him to go out there and do his normal throwing routine [today]. Scheduled to throw his bullpen tomorrow, and the goal is for him to make his next start in LA.”
"Feel like I’ll be able to make my next start," Holmes said at the time. "But until I wake up tomorrow, we don’t really know. Can’t rule anything out, but feel pretty good about it right now. I can still keep throwing. I didn’t feel it tighten up on a throw….I think we’ll be good, but we’ll have to see."
Holmes is scheduled to pitch on Wednesday, with David Peterson and Nolan McLean set for the first two games against the Dodgers.
The Edmonton Oilers are going back to the playoffs. For the seventh straight season, Oilers fans can experience playoff hockey in Edmonton. Somewhere, someone in the organization is probably popping champagne.
If so, they might want to wait until they've actually earned it.
Saturday's clinching moment arrived not in the visitors' dressing room at Crypto.com Arena, where the Oilers had just been shut out 1-0 by the Los Angeles Kings, but a few hours later, in a box score from Philadelphia. The Flyers beat the Winnipeg Jets 7-1, and just like that, Edmonton's playoff fate was sealed by a team they weren't playing, in a city they weren't in, on a night they couldn't even score a goal themselves.
That's not exactly how you draw it up.
The Oilers had their chance to do this themselves. A single point against the Kings would have clinched it outright. Instead, Artemi Panarin stole the puck from Evan Bouchard at the blue line, scored on a breakaway in the first period, and that was the game.
Anton Forsberg finished with a 27-save shutout. It was Edmonton's fourth shutout loss of the season.
"We just couldn't find a way to get one," center Adam Henrique said. "I thought we pushed hard throughout the entire game, had a lot of opportunities, but couldn't find a way to get that first one."
So they sat and waited. And the Flyers obliged.
Look, this six-year playoff streak, now seven, didn't come easy. There were stretches this season where it looked like this might be the year it all fell apart.
Leon Draisaitl went down with a lower-body injury on March 15. He'll miss the rest of the regular season after piling up 97 points in 65 games. Draisaitl had been directly involved in 41 percent of their goals. Zach Hyman went down not long after.
And then suddenly Edmonton's depth was being tested in ways it hadn't anticipated. They went 8-4-1 without their second-best player, who would be the player on almost any other team.
The Oilers have long been vocal about their singular goal—get in, and worry about everything else once you're in. Kris Knoblauch has said it, and McDavid and everybody have implied it.
The thinking is rooted in recent history: this is a team that has played deep into June on the road, in hostile buildings, and found ways to advance. Home ice isn't what it is for other franchises. They've played plenty of playoff hockey without it.
That's fair. And practically speaking, the division race is still alive. Edmonton fell one point behind the Vegas Golden Knights for first in the Pacific on Saturday, though they hold the regulation-wins tiebreaker. Two games remain. Seeding still matters.
But there's a difference between being indifferent to home ice and being indifferent to the performance that earns it. Getting bounced from your own clinching opportunity by a team that was trying to avenge a blowout that happened in February—the Kings referenced an 8-1 home loss from February 26 afterward—and needing a 7-1 win from the Flyers to push you across the finish line isn't a great look heading into the postseason.
The Oilers are a team that always seems to go farther than anyone else expected. McDavid is chasing his first Cup. Draisaitl might return sometime in the first round.
But two straight trips to the Stanley Cup Final, two straight losses, and now a clinch that came courtesy of Philadelphia's generosity—at some point, the bar has to be higher than just getting in.
Sunday Night Baseball greets us with an intriguing pitching matchup as the Atlanta Braves close a series with the Cleveland Guardians, featuring a duel between Chris Sale and Tanner Bibee.
Both of these pitchers have decent pedigrees, but neither has gotten off to a good start in 2026.
My Guardians vs. Braves predictions and MLB picks break down why the Over and underdog have some value on Sunday, April 12.
Who will win Guardians vs Braves today: Guardians +1.5 (-130)
Those waiting for Chris Sale to decline with age haven’t seen what they expected. He’s coming off back-to-back sub-3.00 ERA seasons for the first time since 2018, which is a real statement about where his stuff still is. But a big story of that? Early season struggles. He allowed four or more runs in half of his first five starts.
I’m still viewing him through the lens of the early-season struggle here. His last appearance against the Angels showcased that when he allowed six earned runs in four innings. That’s notable because that’s a lineup that doesn’t exactly have the best plate appearances.
In contrast, this matchup is different. The Cleveland Guardians are disciplined, with A bottom-10 chase and whiff rates. Sale still relies on the chase and will struggle to get it. They’ll make him work and force competitive pitches to be thrown. That profile makes him work, raises his pitch count, and creates value on this spread.
COVERS INTEL: Chris Sale is 7-8 with a 4.44 ERA in 23 career starts against Cleveland, his worst record against any AL Central opponent.
Guardians vs Braves Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 (+106)
I made this total 7.7, and getting a plus money price is enough to make me lean over. If we think the Guardians can plate a few runs, then we aren’t asking for much from Atlanta. And Tanner Bibee is an underdog for a reason.
While I think the 28% whiff rate will cause a perennial swing-free Braves team plenty of issues, there’s also a good chance for Atlanta to have a few big swings that do enough to push this over.
Bibee’s hard-contact numbers are among the worst in baseball through three starts, with a bottom 15th percentile barrel rate, bottom 7th percentile hard-hit rate, and one of the highest average exit velocities in the sport.
That’s enough for me to believe the Braves can do the minimum amount of damage required to get this over.
Chris Hatfield's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 5-3, +2.19 units
Over/Under bets: 5-4, +0.89 units
Guardians vs Braves odds
Moneyline: Guardians +159 | Braves -194
Run line: Guardians +1.5 (-135) | Braves -1.5 (+115)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 | Under 7.5
Guardians vs Braves trend
The Cleveland Guardians have hit the Moneyline in 19 of their last 30 games (+11.00 Units / 32% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Guardians vs. Braves.
How to watch Guardians vs Braves and game info
Location
Truist Park, Atlanta, GA
Date
Sunday, April 12, 2026
First pitch
7:20 p.m. ET
TV
Peacock
Guardians starting pitcher
Tanner Bibee (0-1, 3.29 ERA)
Braves starting pitcher
Chris Sale (2-1, 3.94 ERA)
Guardians vs Braves latest injuries
Guardians vs Braves 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.
The Cubs signed left-hander Charlie Barnes to a minor-league deal in January. Barnes did appear in two Spring Training games for the Cubs, throwing two scoreless innings with three strikeouts. He was assigned to Triple-A Iowa and has pitched in three games there, posting a 2.38 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 11.1 innings.
Today, the Cubs recalled Barnes from Iowa and placed Hunter Harvey on the 15-day injured list with right triceps inflammation.
Barnes has nine games of MLB experience (eight starts) with the Twins in 2021, where he posted a 5.92 ERA in 38 innings. He spent the last four years pitching for Lotte in KBO. Barnes is 30 and played college ball at Clemson. Interestingly, Barnes and Caleb Thielbar were teammates with the Twins in 2021.
Barnes was also added to the 40-man roster, which had an open spot due to the DFA of Dylan Carlson on Friday.
Sinner adds to his victories after Indian Wells and Miami
Jannik Sinner beat Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets to win the Monte Carlo Masters for the first time on Sunday and reclaim the world No 1 ranking from his Spanish rival.
Sinner downed Alcaraz 7-6 (5), 6-3 to capture his third ATP 1000 title of the year after completing the “Sunshine Double” last month with victories in Indian Wells and Miami.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 10: Scottie Barnes #4 of the Toronto Raptors drives to the basket against Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks during the second quarter at Madison Square Garden on April 10, 2026 in New York City. 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 Pamela Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images
And here we are, at the end of the road. This season had it’s highs, and then it had its lows …. a lot of them.
A lot of people will probably say that the lows outweighed the good, which is a fair thing to say. What I can say is that this year was a year of growth. We got to see a bunch of young guys figure out a grown man’s league in the NBA. The coach and his staff got better. With something like that, you are going to see a bunch of moments that will make you want to turn your head. But just remember, it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
And of course, the Nets did secure the third seed in the Lottery meaning they will have a 52.1% chance at a top four pick and a 14.0% chance at the overall No. 1.
Before our boys in Brooklyn cross the finish line, they will be taking on the Toronto Raptors in the final regular season game. The Raptors currently stand as the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference. The Raptors will need to get used to playing in the city, as it looks like the New York Knicks could be their potential matchup in the first round of the playoffs. What better way to get ready then with a team whose best interest is to lose?
Where to watch
Catch the action at 6:00 p.m. ET on the YES Network and NBA League Pass, as well as streaming on the Gotham Sports App.
Injury Report
A lot of the players will be sitting out for this one as they will get ready for the summer. Perfect time for the G League guys to get one last game in to play their hearts out.
For the Nets, Nolan Traore (illness) is questionable and another nine are just out: Terance Mann (knee), Josh Minott (ankle), Ziaire Williams (bursitis), Egor Demin (plantar fascia), Noah Clowney (ankle), Nic Claxton (finger), Danny Wolf (ankle), Porter (hamstring) and Sharpe (thumb).
For the Raptors, R.J. Barrett (knee), Collin Murray-Boyles (neck), and Trayce Jackson-Davis (illness) are all listed as questionable for the game.
AND THIS JUST IN: Sunday is the last day teams can sign a player and that’s just what the Nets, announcing just before noon that they have signed 10-day player Trevon Scott to a hardship contract, not further described. Scott’s 10-day, would’ve run out Sunday.
Scott appeared in 47 games this season for Long Island, averaging 12 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.1 steals in 27.9 minutes.
Undrafted out of Cincinnati in 2020, Scott has spent the vast majority of his career bouncing around the G League. He spent time with the affiliates of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Charlotte Hornets, Utah Jazz, Los Angeles Clippers, and Orlando Magic before joining the Nets. He also played internationally with the Calgary Surge, Leones de Ponce in Puerto Rico, and Fos Provence Basket in France.
At 29-years-old, Scott is the second oldest player on Brooklyn’s squad. He is just 38 days younger than the team’s oldest player, Terrance Mann.
The Game
When you think of the term underrated, it is a perfect way to describe who the Raptors are in the Eastern Conference. Of course, the heavy hitters that will be looked at closely in the East will be the Celtics, Pistons, and Knicks (who they have lost to 13 straight times), but the Raptors have a ton of talent on their own that can make them very interesting to see.
Brandon Ingram is a natural 20 point scorer, and this season he has done it very efficiently as he has shot almost 48% from the field this year. Scottie Barnes is a special two-way player than guard positions 1-5. Then you have a guard like Immanuel Quickly who is uber quick (get it) who can knock it down from deep as well.
With this level of talent, the Raptors will look to give a little more effort than usual for this Sunday evening matchup. If Toronto wants to lock in the sixth seed and, more importantly, have a chance to get into the fifth seed slot, they will have to beat Brooklyn and hope for Atlanta and Orlando to lose.
For the Nets sake, another loss is unlikely to matter. They have secured the top three seed in the May 10 Lottery. IF they lose again and the Indiana Pacers beat the Detroit Pistons, they would tie for second. However, the chances of that became limited Saturday night when the Pistons, who’ve already clinched the top seed in the East released their injury status. They’re not prioritizing rest. Most of their top players will be available.
Player to Watch
Scottie Barnes has to be one of the most underrated players in the NBA. The 6’8” 24-year-old can play multiple positions, even point guard. On the season, he’s averaging 18.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 5.8 assists. His only weakness is 3-point shooting, where he’s hitting only 30.4%. But bottom line, he is the leader of the Raptors, as Toronto Sun noted this week in one of its post-season lookaheads. Barnes noted that he hasn’t played in the post-season since 2021 and he is ready to go.
“I’m so excited. It’s been a long time coming,” Barnes told the Sun after Thursday’s win over Miami. “I’m ready to get back out there, but just have to focus on these next two games and then really take that moment, it will be a reality.”
“We’re all pretty excited. We want it,” Barnes told the Sun. “That was our goal. It’s coming through. Coming to the end of the season we’re just trying to accomplish that. Play in it, get that experience, try to win and just try to advance.”
So expect Barnes and the rest to give it all in the finale
Personal Note
I had fun with this team this season. The Flatbush Five definitely showed some promise, MPJ proved that he is definitely worthy to be a number one option, Ziaire Williams played some of the best basketball in his career, and the Long Island guys went OFF. And as all of that took place, you as the Brooklyn Nets fan base stayed strong despite the trials and tribulations. Things will get better, guys.
Our guys here at Netdaily, Bob, Brian, Lucas, Collin, Connor, Anthony, and Scott, did an amazing job as always this year. I’m really glad I am apart of this amazing team.
‘It’s everything to me … I stopped believing a lot of times’
Wout van Aert shattered a decade-old jinx to win Paris-Roubaix on Sunday, outduelling the world champion, Tadej Pogacar, in a brutal classic race across the cobbles.
The 31-year-old suffered a puncture as did Pogacar and their great rival Mathieu van der Poel, who had two mechanicals and could not contest the final sprint, which went in Van Aert’s favour for his second title in one of the five Monument classics after his Milan-Sanremo victory in 2020.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - DECEMBER 03: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks reacts after an apparent injury against the Detroit Pistons during the first quarter at Fiserv Forum on December 03, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s latest attempt at saying he doesn’t want to play for the Milwaukee Bucks anymore — without actually saying it, so he doesn’t look bad — could be what finally, mercifully gets his long, ugly, ongoing divorce from the franchise over the finish line.
His fear of becoming the “bad guy” by requesting the trade he’s so clearly been longing for has only prolonged this inevitable split and convinced the Bucks to bleed assets in the process. Now, as their ship sinks, they’re realizing that they offloaded all of their lifeboats to cut weight because Antetokounmpo wanted to sail faster.
While Giannis is not solely to blame for this, it’s impossible to argue that his impatience and constant holding his team’s feet to the fire didn’t contribute. Let’s take a trip back to 2021.
Months after Milwaukee captured its first title in 50 years, Antetokounmpo publicly cast doubt on his future with the Bucks, for no discernible reason at all, during an interview with GQ Magazine’s Zach Baron.
“One challenge was to bring a championship here and we did,” he told Baron. “It was very hard, but we did. Very, very hard. I just love challenges. What’s the next challenge? The next challenge might not be here.”
Huh? Less than half a year after winning a title, you’re already thinking about leaving??
“Me and my family chose to stay in this city that we all love and has taken care of us—for now [with a five-year supermax extension through the 2025 season],” he added. “In two years, that might change. I’m being totally honest with you. I’m always honest.”
Giannis critics — and at this point, even Bucks fans — might argue that sometimes he’s a little too honest. After a second-round exit in 2022 and a devastating first-round upset at the hands of the Miami Heat in 2023 raised tensions further, Giannis memorably went on a long rant about how sports don’t ever feature failure, but it was his next public comments that were more notable: The star issued another public warning to the Bucks, once again hinting at an eventual departure during a September 2023 appearance on the 48 Minutes Podcast.
“So as I said, if the Milwaukee Bucks are on the same page for the rest of my career, great. If not, I have to win. I have to win. And I think the city and people will understand it… I have to do whatever it takes for me to win. And if there’s a better situation for me to win the Larry O’Brien, I have to take that better situation.”
“But at the end of the day, being a winner, it’s over that goal,” he said. “Winning a championship comes first. I don’t want to be 20 years on the same team and don’t win another championship.”
Just talking about wanting to win championships would be one thing, but his constant flirting with a trade request elsewhere to do so pushed Milwaukee into desperation mode.
General Manager Jon Horst and the rest of the front office, with their collective palms profusely sweating, made the following moves in response to appease their perpetually noncomittal star, despite injuries being the driving force behind the team’s previous playoff shortcomings:
January 27, 2024: Hired Rivers as head coach and went 17-19 for the rest of the season
February 6, 2025: Traded Khris Middleton, A.J. Johnson, and a 2028 first-round pick to the Wizards for Kyle Kuzma
July 6, 2025: Waived and stretched Damian Lillard to clear cap space used to sign Myles Turner
February 8, 2026: Signed Cam Thomas
March 23, 2026: Waived Cam Thomas
It’s not a player’s job to understand how roster construction works, even if they’re openly imploring the team to make moves. Milwaukee’s front office still did all of the above on purpose, and none of it worked. That means they deserve blame too, but now, after years of giving up assets to try and undo the mistakes they made while trying to fix previous mistakes, there isn’t anything left for them to do. They have no control over their own draft picks until 2030 (with no first-rounder at all in 2029) and will have to settle for the less-favorable in three consecutive pick swaps while also working with $20 million in dead cap for the next five seasons thanks to their rush to waive Lillard.
The only way to replenish those assets is by trading a star, like Giannis, for a plethora of picks and young players. It was always going to be the reality for Milwaukee. Now, in a multi-year attempt to avoid ruining his reputation with Bucks fans, Antetokounmpo has stranded them on a sinking ship… and ironically ended up with many fans sick of him anyway, the very thing his tortured will-he-or-wont-he PR strategy seemed intended to avoid.
His unwillingness to choose between loyalty and the pursuit of winning has motivated the Bucks to do anything and everything to prolong their championship window — a window that’s been closed for years due to Antetokounmpo’s unavailability come playoff time in 2023 and 2024, and now permanently shut due to their desperation to reopen it just a sliver, with the team responding like they forgot their keys at the office and decided to burn down their house in response.
Even this year, he tried to save face when he reiterated to the Bucks for a few months before the Feb. 5 trade deadline that he was prepared to be moved. According to NBA insider and personal enemy of Doc Rivers, Shams Charania, while Giannis declined to publicize a trade request, he made it clear to all parties involved behind the scenes that he felt both sides needed to move on immediately, as the franchise was not in position to compete.
“Giannis has wanted to handle this professionally by being very up front with the team,” one source with direct knowledge of the situation told Charania. “This could have been a happy resolution but instead might end up being a nasty breakup.”
It would’ve been a happy resolution for Giannis, who would’ve left to greener pastures, but not for the Bucks, whose lack of any future assets is a result of the long list of attempts to appease their disgruntled Finals MVP — who was playing games before even signing his first contract extension.
Both that, and the one inked in 2023 reportedly came with a handshake agreement that the Bucks would accommodate any desired trade destinations whenever Giannis would hypothetically decide to leave, according to an April 7 report from Charania. It was an early indication that Milwaukee was going to have earn his loyalty.
Man, did they try.
The Bucks were so deprived of picks and young players to use in trades because of their willingness to include half of them to bring in Holiday in 2020, who they later attached the remaining picks to trade for Lillard, who they then waived, stretched, and set their hypothetical home ablaze to enable their final offering to Antetokounmpo — Turner, who falls firmly in the “what does he even do?” category.
Milwaukee’s decision to cut Lillard and sign Turner out of sheer panic should tell you exactly how hamstrung they are in terms of assets. They have Antetokounmpo’s non-comital demeanor to thank for a lot of that.
That would all be bad enough, but even now, as the Bucks try and salvage something from this disaster of this injury-riddled, trade-drama-marred season, Giannis is standing in the way.
Antetokounmpo has wanted nothing more than to suit up and help them win games now that Milwaukee is eliminated from playoff contention and trying to shrink the window in which their lesser-pick-swap with the New Orleans Pelicans falls this spring. In doing so, he was willing to not only risk lessening the Bucks’ lottery odds, but also risk another injury, which could discourage trade suitors from offering the best possible return when the market for his services opens (presumably this summer).
“For somebody to come and tell me to not play or not to compete, it’s like a slap in my face,” Antetokounmpo told reporters ahead of the April 3 matchup against the Boston Celtics. “I’m available to play, but I’m not in the game. I’m available to play today. Right now. I’m available.
“So, I don’t know where the relationship goes from there.”
But it’s hard not to find all of this incredibly disingenuous, and poorly considered at that. Giannis clearly doesn’t care about where the relationship is going. He already knows. It’s over. It’s been over for a while. Giannis only cares if he looks good as he’s being flown away from the submerged S.S Fiserv. And in his years-long, hackneyed attempt to avoid looking like the bad guy, he made that perception unavoidable.
Apr 11, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Alex Vesia (51) reacts after striking out Texas Rangers catcher Danny Jansen (9) for the final out of the ninth inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Vesia, a longstanding member of Dave Roberts’ trust tree in the bullpen, has 15 career saves, 14 of them in the regular season and another in Game 2 of the 2024 World Series. Saturday night was notable for another reason, in that it was Vesia’s 30th birthday.
That got me to thinking, what other Dodgers recorded saves on their birthdays?
The first person I thought of was Kenley Jansen, the franchise leader in games pitched and saves. He was born on September 30, and has two such saves in his career. One of them was with the Dodgers, in 2017, on his 30th birthday, just like Vesia on Saturday.
At first I was going through the Dodgers’ all-time saves list, but ignoring folks with saves awarded retroactively before the statistic was officially added in 1969. There were many Dodgers closers born in the baseball offseason, and they never got a chance to record a save on their birthday. But this was a tedious effort, until I remembered I could use the Stathead play index, where I sorted every Dodgers save since 1969 by age.
Only five Dodgers pitchers in total saved games on their birthdays. Here are the three others besides Vesia and Jansen.
Lerrin LaGrow
The right-hander pitched for five teams in his career, mostly the Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox. In May 1979, the Dodgers acquired LaGrow for cash, and he had a 3.41 ERA in 31 games the rest of the season. He struck out 22 and walked 18 in 37 innings, which was a thing you could do at the time.
LaGrow saved four games for the Dodgers. On July 8, LaGrow’s 31st birthday, he was called in to clean up Terry Forster’s ninth inning, after Tony Pérez doubled home a run to get the Montreal Expos within 8-6. Gary Carter represented the tying run, but LaGrow got him to bounce back to the box for the final out of the game.
Tom Niedenfuer
Niedenfuer is notable in Dodgers lore, though for the wrong reasons, as his giving up game-winning home runs in Games 5 and 6 for the 1985 National League Championship Series overshadowed his half-decade of mostly excellent relief at the back end of the bullpen.
He’s the only two-time member of the birthday save club. Born on August 13, Niedenfuer earned saves on both his 26th and 27th birthdays.
On August 13, 1985, Mike Marshall hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning, giving the Dodgers a 2-1 lead over the Atlanta Braves. Carlos Diaz and Ken Howell faced the first three batters in the ninth inning but recorded only one out. In came Niedenfuer with the tying and go-ahead runs on base, and he induced a popout to second base and strikeout to finish out the win.
One year later the Dodgers were in Houston, and Orel Hershiser started the ninth inning going for a 5-0 shutout win. Things didn’t go quite has planned, with three hits and two walks bringing home three runs, after allowing only two singles in his first eight innings. Now in a 5-3 game, and with the tying runs on base, Niedenfuer was summoned from the bullpen, and he struck out Phil Garner to close out the win for his second straight birthday save.
Caleb Ferguson
Drafted out of high school in 2014, Ferguson debuted with the Dodgers on June 6, 2018, and his first four major league appearances were three starts and a four-inning relief affair. Then came soaking up two innings to close out a loss. But in his sixth major league game, the Dodgers were drubbing the Pirates 17-1, so they handed the ball to Ferguson on his 22nd birthday to finish things out.
NBA general managers and scouts are heading home from the 2026 men's NCAA Tournament with plenty to think about after three weeks of incredible action on the court. Now they have to figure out which March Madness performances are indicators of future greatness and which are more of a mirage.
The 2026 NBA draft is expected to take place in late June. In USA TODAY's latest mock draft, Illinois's Keaton Wagler is expected to go in the first round after declaring on Saturday night. Here's how USA TODAY currently projects the Guard's draft night will play out.
Our draft order is based on ESPN's projected records and factors in trades, including swaps and protections.
The Mavericks have the worst offensive rating in the Western Conference and could benefit from a player like Illinois standout Keaton Wagler. The 19-year-old guard played a crucial role to earn a spot in the Final Four, where he recorded 20 points and 8 rebounds against UConn. The freshman also dropped 25 points in the Elite Eight. He projects as one of the best 3-point shooters in this class, shooting 39.7 percent from beyond the arc as a freshman while connecting on as many as nine 3-pointers in a game. The Big Ten Rookie of the Year has athletic limitations but is a cerebral basketball player who is also averaging 5.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game this season.
The Dodgers may be a super team, but many of them will be getting their first look at Jacob de Grom, and the ones that have seen him before probably don’t have fond memories.
In other Sunday games, Yordan Alvarez and Mickey Moniak are on early tears and will be looking to continue them with favorable matchups against the opposing starting pitchers.
Several key members of the Dodgers lineup will be facing the former Cy Young Award winner for the first time, including Shohei Ohtani and Kyle Tucker. Of the eight Dodgers familiar with Jacob de Grom, none has an OPS higher than .703. That would be Freddie Freeman, who has also struck out 21 times in 69 at-bats against him.
Through two starts, de Grom is striking out 12.1 batters per nine innings, his highest rate since 2023. He struck out 15 per nine in spring training, which is why he gets the nod in my MLB picks for today.
Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: RSN, SNLA
Yordan Alvarez Over 0.5 RBI (+160)
Yordan Alvarez leads the league in OPS, OPS+, slugging, and home runs. He is 5-for-9 in the first two games of the Seattle series, driving in four of Houston’s 13 runs and homering in both games. He also has four extra base hits, five RBIs, and an .887 OPS in 26 lifetime at-bats against Mariners starter Logan Gilbert.
Through two starts, Gilbert is posting the highest hits per nine innings rate of his career, and his strikeouts per nine are down more than two from last season. His offspeed stuff has been more hittable than last season — batters are hitting over .300 against his split finger, slider, and cutter.
Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: SCHN, Mariners.TV
Mickey Moniak Over 1.5 Hits/Runs/RBI (+105)
Mickey Moniak may not have a steady starting spot, but he leads Colorado in OPS, OPS+, RBIs, and home runs, and has played every day for the past week. He’s spent time at all three outfield spots in the first three games in San Diego and has three hits, two homers, and four RBIs.
Moniak actually is hitting better on the road (.333/.333/1.000) than at Coors Field (.286/.304/.714) this year. He’s also hitting .429 with .857 OPS in two lifetime games against Padres’ starter Nick Pivetta.
Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Rockies.TV, Padres.TV
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.
DENVER — It was a bittersweet night for Nick Blankenburg, who notched his first goal as a member of the Colorado Avalanche in a 3–2 overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights at Ball Arena.
With 9:04 remaining in the second period, Blankenburg cashed in on a gritty, hard-earned sequence. After Nic Roy won a battle along the boards and worked the puck free from behind the net, he sent it up the wall to Blankenburg. The defenseman didn’t hesitate, snapping a wrist shot through traffic that rang off the post and in, tying the game at two.
Nick Blankenburg's post-game media availability.
It was a moment that felt earned. Since arriving in Colorado via trade from the Nashville Predators, Blankenburg has been searching for his footing, working to find consistency and confidence in a new system. Lately, though, there have been signs—quicker reads, sharper decisions, and a little more bite to his game. On this play, it all clicked, even if only for a moment.
From there, the night took a turn that had little to do with the score. Despite locking up the Presidents’ Trophy and home-ice advantage throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Avalanche looked worn down by the final horn. Already without Cale Makar and Nazem Kadri, they absorbed more blows as Josh Manson exited with an upper-body injury. Not long after, head coach Jared Bednar was struck in the face by a deflected puck on the bench and had to be helped off the ice.
With assistant coach Nolan Pratt stepping in, Colorado tried to steady itself, but the feel of the game had shifted. Vegas seized control when it mattered most, and the Avalanche were left chasing a result that suddenly felt secondary to everything else unfolding.
A Milestone Overshadowed
And for Blankenburg, that was what stuck. Scoring your first goal with a new team is something you want to enjoy, but it didn’t feel like that kind of night. Not with teammates going down and the bench thinning out. By the end, the milestone faded into the background, replaced by concern and the reality of how quickly things can change.
“Obviously nice to see that one go in,” Blankenburg said. “Kind of a frustrating (game). Tough to see Manson go down and obviously (Bednar), too. Hopefully they’re both alright. At the end of the day, (Vegas) just buried the last chance in overtime. So just learn from it, move on, and big one in Edmonton up next.”
Faith, Perspective, and Fit
Blankenburg might not be the flashiest name on the roster, but his impact tends to show up in quieter, more meaningful ways. Wherever he’s gone, he’s earned respect quickly—and that was no different in Nashville. After being brought in last season and inserted into the lineup following a late-November call-up, he made a strong enough impression in just a few months to be nominated for the Bill Masterson Memorial Trophy by the Nashville chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association.
Blankenburg earlier this season with the Nashville Predators.
That recognition says a lot about the kind of player—and person—he is. It’s less about stats and more about presence: the way he approaches the game, the way he carries himself, and how quickly he connects with a room.
That same presence is beginning to surface in Colorado, and Blankenburg credits his faith for helping him navigate the transition.
"That's been the biggest thing that's been grounding me," Blankenburg said of getting adjusted to the team. "I've just been telling myself that God has me here for a reason; he has me here for a purpose.
"What a blessing it is to get traded to the number one team in the league. What an opportunity. Just relying on him and relying on his strength and not on my own. It's a lot easier said than done, but it's been good, and it's definitely revealed some things in my heart and in my life over these last months. Definitely thankful for that."
He’s also found common ground in the locker room, pointing to teammates who share that same foundation.
"Manson's a big believer in his faith and some other guys, too. (Brent Burns). God has me here for a reason."
Settling In and Letting Go
Those connections—and that mindset—have started to translate onto the ice. Early on, there were moments where Blankenburg looked caught between playing his game and trying to do too much, whether it was getting too aggressive up ice or forcing plays that weren’t there. Lately, though, there’s been a noticeable shift.
Part of that comes from a simple message he’s taken to heart.
"I've been having conversations with multiple people about it," he said. "Try not to overthink. Try not to think too much on the ice. Just go out and play my game. Be assertive and compete and the rest will take care of itself."
It’s not groundbreaking advice—but for Blankenburg, it’s been a turning point. And over these last few games, it’s starting to show. There’s a calmness to his game now, a confidence that wasn’t always there earlier on. If the playoffs call his number, the Avalanche won’t be guessing what they have—they’ll know he’s ready.
Mar 29, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jesús Luzardo (44) follows through on pitch against the Texas Rangers during the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
There was a lot of talk about running it back this offseason. After a frustratingly brief trip to the Elysian Fields of the playoffs, the fans, writ broadly, wanted change. Few, if any, would’ve wanted a change in Jesús Luzardo, though. His first season in red pinstripes (and blue/black gradient thing; not to fear, City Connect skeptics, the Phillies are scheduled to get a new one next season) was excellent, with the bespectacled baseballer bedeviling batters with his new sweeper. His ERA of 3.92 was solid, and the underlying numbers suggested his performance was better than that. When the Phaithful insisted that there be no running it back, they didn’t mean Luzardo. They would’ve been fine with him keeping his approach the same.
He didn’t, though.
His approach in the still-young 2026 campaign might look like running it back at first. He’s presenting the same pitch mix as last year: sweeper, 4-seamer, changeup, sinker, slider. For the moment, the sweeper has swapped places with the 4-seamer as the most used pitch, but that doesn’t seem to represent a sea change. Certainly nothing like the change Luzardo made at the start of last season, when he introduced said sweeper. Names, though, can be deceiving (as someone who has a surname that sounds like a first name, I know this very well). Just because he’s throwing five pitches with the same names as last season doesn’t mean he’s throwing the same five pitches.
That’s a chart showing the vertical movement of Luzardo’s pitches vs. the average for pitches of the same type, by season. What’s that green line, rising up from the dirt like the first shoots of spring? It’s Luzardo’s changeup. In 2025, it dropped 3.2 inches less than the average cambio. In 2026, it’s dropping 3.2 inches more than other pitches of its type. Year over year, it’s a change of 8.3 inches. That’s a changeup in a changeup, alright.
Why make that change, though? Luzardo’s changeup was a good pitch last season. It induced whiffs 36.2% of the time, placing in the top ten among changeups league-wide for that measure, and just behind Devin Williams’ feared Airbender. Luzardo accrued a run value of 6 with it; only nine hurlers got more value from their changeups. Pitchers may change their approach even when things are going well, in an attempt to keep ahead of batters (Zack Wheeler, in particular, is constantly tinkering and tweaking, even when he’s producing some of the best results in baseball). But it’s worth asking why it was the changeup, in particular, that changed.
Luzardo’s changeup was a good pitch last season, but his 4-seamer wasn’t. It wasn’t a bad pitch, exactly. Just not great, either. His 19.8% whiff rate with it ranked 128th. Batters slugged .421 against it. He accrued a run value of 0 with it. His so-so heater didn’t stop him from producing very good results last season, but it wasn’t a huge boon to his arsenal. The same is true of his sinker, which accrued a run value of -1. Overall, his fastballs just weren’t very good: he ranked in the 35th percentile for fastball run value. If there was some sort of tweak that Luzardo could make to his fastballs to turn them into plus pitches, it would be a major benefit. And while he doesn’t necessarily need a great fastballs to be a great pitcher when he’s got that sweeper, there’s no such thing as gilding the lily with a pitch arsenal: every advantage you can get in the endless arms race between hurler and hitter is worth pursuing.
There doesn’t seem to be too much change in Luzardo’s 4-seamer from last season. The vertical and horizontal movement are just about the same. He’s throwing it a half-tick harder (97 MPH vs. 96.5), but that doesn’t seem too meaningful. The sinker looks a bit different, dropping more and getting more arm-side movement, but the difference is much slighter than the changes in his changeup. He hasn’t really changed his fastballs much. That being said, you can change the results of a pitch without necessarily changing the pitch itself. Pitches do not exist in a vacuum; a change you make to one may impact the rest of your arsenal, too. Or rather, impact the way batters react to it. Luzardo may not have changed his fastballs, but the change to his changeup may be benefitting them anyway.
The whole point of a changeup is to baffle a batter who was expecting the fastball. The more distinct his changeup is from his 4-seamer and sinker, the more batters will be punished for guessing wrong. The slower the changeup is compared to the fastballs, the more the batter’s timing suffers for thinking he was getting the other pitch. The more the changeup moves compared to the fastballs, the more likely it is that the hitter will just flat-out whiff. So changes to the changeup ought to benefit not just that pitch, but the other fastballs as well. This is something that’s easier to understand visually. Fortunately, FanGraphs has introduced a new Paired Pitches tool that presents just that.
Here’s Luzardo’s pitches in 2025, using the sinker as the reference pitch:
And here’s his pitches in 2026:
Luzardo’s changeup was always pretty distinct from the 4-seamer by location, though now it’s even more distinct from it in terms of speed. But the real difference comes in the comparison with the sinker. The location his sinkers end up in is now much different than the location his changeups end up in. Lower, and slightly less to the arm side. In particular, that difference in vertical location ought to induce more whiffs. In 2025, guessing wrong in everyone’s favorite game show of Is It A Sinker or a Changeup meant you were still swinging in roughly the right area. In 2026, guessing wrong means swinging way above or below the pitch, and just missing entirely. Cue Price is Right Sad Horns.
So, is that what we’re seeing with Luzardo’s results this year?
Pitch
Whiff %, 2025
Whiff %, 2026
4-Seamer
19.80%
28.20%
Sinker
18.20%
16%
Changeup
36.20%
50%
We can get a little bit more precise here: Luzardo almost exclusively deploys the changeup against right-handed hitters (which is what you’d expect; the typical use case for a changeup is against opposite-handed batters). How do those numbers look when we take only righty batters into account?
Pitch
Whiff %, 2025
Whiff, 2026%
4-Seamer
18.40%
27.80%
Sinker
11.60%
7.70%
Changeup
35.10%
48.40%
Firstly, the standard caveat about early-season small sample size applies. We’ll need to see a lot more of these pitches before we can really draw any conclusions about what’s changed. But for the moment, let’s tread through the treacherous territory of saying things about small samples: for batters who really do have to worry about all three pitches, Luzardo’s 4-seamer and changeup are now more of a struggle. The sinker, though, appears to be less of one, at least by Whiff rate. Then again, Whiff rate may not be the right metric to look at for a sinker: the pitch is meant to generate weak contact, rather than misses. So improvement in that pitch would probably be better measured by how batters perform when they do make contact with it. And so far, the sinker has been more of a success this season: year-over-year, Luzardo’s sinker now has a lower hard hit rate, a lower barrel rate, a lower wOBA.
This is all early stuff. But for the moment, it looks like Luzardo may have improved two of his lesser pitches by tweaking one of his better ones.
Apr 11, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez (11) walks against the Atlanta Braves in the ninth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The Guardians and Braves will tangle on Peacock tonight to see which will be the last MLB team in 2026 to have not lost a series.
Zach has your recap from last night’s dominant win. Hopefully, it’s a sign that Jose Ramirez’s luck has turned.
Matt Seese, Tommy Pecoraro and Zach F. had another Guardians’ prospect podcast release last night.
Guardians Weekly focused on Brayan Rocchio and on Akron with Guardians’ farm director.
AROUND MLB:
The Tigers, Twins and Royals won (Kansas City beating the White Sox).
COVERS INTEL: Chris Sale is 7-8 with a 4.44 ERA in 23 career starts against Cleveland, his worst record against any AL Central opponent.
Jacob deGrom
Yordan Alvarez
Mickey Moniak
