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From the Pocket: Andrew Dillon needs authenticity and nuance, not AFL talking points

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In 2023, the late Sam Landsberger wrote a piece in the Herald Sun recalling how Andrew Dillon came to work at the AFL. Dillon was driving down Punt Road in the early 2000s after playing a game for amateur club Old Xaverians. Senior AFL administrator Ben Buckley, who was recruiting for an in-house counsel, was in the next lane and spotted his former Xavs teammate. “Hey Dills,” he shouted across traffic, “you’re a lawyer, aren’t you?”

A quarter of a century later, a line from North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson in an interview with Jay Clark jumped off the page on Sunday. “I spoke to Gil [McLachlan] on Tuesday night and he says: ‘This will all be resolved by the end of next week,’” Clarkson said. “This was the grand final week of 2022. Just talk to ‘Dills’ and this will all be resolved.”

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Walker Buehler dominates San Francisco, strikes out 7

TEMPE, ARIZONA - MARCH 10: Pitcher Walker Buehler #10 of the San Diego Padres throws against the Los Angeles Angels during the second inning of a spring training game at Tempe Diablo Stadium on March 10, 2026 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images

With the news that Joe Musgrove will start the season on the injured list, the San Diego Padres now have two rotation spots available instead of just one. 

Germán Márquez was lined up to take the fifth spot due to his big-league contract, but now there’s room for one more. One name has continued to come up this spring for San Diego: Walker Buehler

An inconsistent career

The Los Angeles Dodgers mainstay has struggled since having the best year of his career in 2021, with a 4.83 ERA from 2022-25. But in ‘21 he dominated the league with a 2.47 ERA and 0.97 WHIP.

Toward the end of the ‘22 season, Buehler underwent Tommy John surgery and was out for the entire 2023 season. Since then, he has been largely ineffective outside of a dominant postseason run in ‘24.

In 2025, Buehler put up a 5.45 ERA while on a prove-it deal with the Boston Red Sox to bolster their rotation depth. Suffice it to say, he did not prove it. He was released by the club in August before being picked up by the Philadelphia Phillies.

Through three games in Philly, Buehler dominated. It’s obviously a small sample size, but a 0.66 ERA down the stretch is nothing to sneeze at. It pointed to a possible return to the success that had eluded him the last few years.

Fighting for rotation spots in San Diego

The Padres’ rotation has been a thing of immense scrutiny this offseason. With Musgrove now out of the group due to injury, there are two spots remaining behind Nick Pivetta, Michael King and Randy Vásquez. 

Buehler has been fighting for his life in Cactus League play. He was signed by the Friars to a minor-league contract with an invite to Spring Training. Since joining the club, he’s put up a 3.09 ERA in 11 ⅔ innings. 

Monday’s dominant outing

Prior to Monday, Buehler had a 5.40 ERA this spring. He’s made two solid starts but nothing awe-inspiring, giving up four runs in 6 ⅔ innings. 

But against the San Francisco Giants, Buehler dominated. Pitching five full innings in a spring game and striking out seven, he allowed only three hits and two walks without allowing a run.

The even greater thing of note was his pitch count. Buehler only threw 77 pitches through five innings, meaning he could have likely gone deeper if this were a regular season game. But this has been a winning formula for San Diego: starter goes six innings, relievers pick up one apiece to close it out. 

Now don’t immediately go and say that he’s going to dominate every single game. He is far from the pitcher he was in 2021. But he’s beginning to lean into the stuff he now has after his fastball lost velocity. That has given him some new ways to get outs during Cactus League. 

How will it translate to real games?

If anything, Buehler has earned the starter spot head-and-shoulders above Márquez, who has struggled to a 9.26 ERA this spring. But with room in the pitching staff for both now, they’ll each get an opportunity to prove themselves for the big-league club.

If Buehler can continue to build on what he showed against San Francisco, it would go a long way to anchoring a shaky Padres rotation. The pitcher has long struggled with pain in his throwing arm but has said that it disappeared this offseason. 

It’ll be exciting to see what this new form of Buehler looks like in San Diego, and what he can do to add to the Friars’ World Series aspirations.

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San Antonio at Sacramento, Final Score: Spurs score at will in 132-104 win

SACRAMENTO, CA - MARCH 17: Victor Wembanyama #1, Stephon Castle #5 and De'Aaron Fox #4 of the San Antonio Spurs smiles during the game against the Sacramento Kings on March 17, 2026 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. 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 Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Short rest on the second game of a back-to-back is no issue when the game ends in the first half. The San Antonio Spurs rolled into Sacramento after a tough game with the Los Angeles Clippers the night prior. The Spurs thoroughly and utterly dominated the Kings in a blowout 132-104 victory.

San Antonio took a 78-47 lead in the first half, effectively ending the game after the second quarter. The Spurs were able to go deep into their bench against a Sacramento team that was without key players like Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, and Keegan Murray. The shorthanded Kings didn’t provide much defensive resistance against the Spurs, allowing them to get to the basket or take open looks all night long.

The Spurs were red hot from three, shooting 25-49 from deep. It was the most single-game three-pointers made in franchise history. Everyone got in on the fun, as ten different Spurs hit a three-pointer. San Antonio shot 52% from the field overall. The Kings had a solid offensive game despite their defensive woes, shooting 44% from the field and 38% from deep. Interestingly enough, the Kings actually outscored the Spurs in the paint 48-40.

Victor Wembanyama led the Spurs with 18 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block in the win. His French counterpart on the Kings, Maxime Raynaud, had a game-high 32 points and was one rebound shy of a double-double.

The Spurs improve to 51-18 with the win. Next, they’ll head back to San Antonio for a matchup with the Phoenix Suns on Thursday.

Observations

  • Stephon Castle put up a stat line that Chris Paul would be proud of. He had 3 points, 12 assists, and 0 turnovers. His only made basket came on a spot-up three-pointer. Castle’s evolution this season has been fun to see. He’s distributing the ball at a high level, cutting down on turnovers, and shooting the ball better from deep.
  • Harrison Barnes stepped into the starting lineup in place of Devin Vassell, who is dealing with some ankle soreness. Barnes was on fire, going 4-5 from three on his way to 16 points. Getting him going before the playoffs would be extremely beneficial for their title chances.
  • We caught a glimpse of what Dylan Harper could become on Tuesday. He, of course, did damage around the basket like he usually does, but he also knocked down 3-5 three-pointers. He made some nice step-back moves that led to mid-range jumpers. He has all of the tools to become a good three-level scorer, and showed a lot of them against the Kings. Harper had 15 points and 5 assists in the win.
  • It was an “old-friend” game for both teams. DeMar DeRozan and Doug McDermott faced their former squad in the Spurs, and De’Aaron Fox and Barnes had significant stretches of their careers in Sacramento. McDermott looked just like he did when he was in San Antonio, flying off screens and hitting threes. He had 12 points on 4-8 shooting from three. Fox was great in limited minutes, scoring 15 points and tossing 6 assists.
  • Every single player on the Spurs roster who logged a minute scored a point. Bismack Biyombo knocked down a free throw late in the game to solidify the feat. Mason Plumlee was the only Spur not to play on Tuesday night.
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Watch Venezuela celebrate 2026 World Baseball Classic championship

Venezuela's Daniel Palencia stood on the mound in the bottom of the ninth inning and blew a 99.7 mph pitch past USA outfielder Roman Anthony, who whiffed for strike three to seal a 3-2 championship win for Venezuela. Palencia turned to face his teammates, threw his glove in the air and screamed as he stretched his arms out to the sky.

For the first time in the World Baseball Classic's 20-year history, "La Vinotinto" were crowned champions.

Tears streamed down the faces of several players as the celebration ensued.

"This team is awesome," Eugenio Suárez said to Ken Rosenthal on the field. "We're a family here. That's why we play with passion, with love, because we feel this jersey, we feel our country in front of us. That's why this is a lot for us as people, as players, as human beings and as Venezuelans. Now, we are champions."

Kansas City Royals breakout star Maikel García was named MVP of the World Baseball Classic after he hit .385 over the tournament with a home run and seven RBIs. He drove in the first run of the final on Tuesday on a sac fly that scored Salvador Perez.

Watch Venezuela's championship celebration from multiple angles below:

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Venezuela WBC celebrations: World Baseball Classic championship 2026

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Dodgers Shohei Ohtani is driving MLB’s boom in Japan

Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani isn’t just the best baseball player in the world. He’s also the driving force behind why Japanese fans are watching Major League Baseball.

In a country where baseball already pulses through the culture like oxygen, Ohtani has turned passion into obsession. According to a YouGov Sport survey, nearly 8 in 10 Japanese fans now say he’s one of their favorite MLB players, and more importantly, 79 percent admit he’s the reason their interest in Major League Baseball has grown. 

Shohei Ohtani smiles after he is intentionally walked during the third inning of a World Baseball Classic quarterfinal game against Venezuela. AP

Ohtani’s current team, the Dodgers, have now become Japan’s team. A commanding 59 percent of the nation said the Dodgers are their favorite MLB team. That’s no coincidence. Ohtani, alongside countrymen Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki, has turned Dodger Stadium into a second home for millions of fans watching from across the Pacific. 

When the Dodgers reached the 2025 World Series, more than half of Japanese sports fans tuned in—and 86 percent of them weren’t just watching. They were emotionally invested. 

This is the rarest kind of athlete, the kind who doesn’t just dominate a sport but redefines its geography. Ohtani hasn’t simply bridged Japan and America—he’s collapsed the distance between them. Every home run, every splitter, every moment under the lights pulls two baseball worlds closer together.

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Roki Sasaki continues his spring struggles

Mar 3, 2026; Goodyear, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Roki Sasaki (11) reacts against the Cleveland Guardians during the first inning at Goodyear Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

The Roki Sasaki experiment continued on Tuesday night, with a loss of command coming to be expected from the Dodgers right-hander despite this game taking place in Surprise. Sasaki got through parts of five innings in a 10-4 Kansas City Royals.

Sasaki’s first time through the Royals’ batting order was a pleasant stroll, with three strikeouts with only a double and walk allowed. But then he walked three straight batters in the third inning to load the bases with one out. Manager Dave Roberts removed him from the game to prevent a taxing inning, with the intent of bringing him back in to begin the next frame, which is allowed during spring.

Nick Robertson got the final two outs of the fourth inning, stranding all three of Sasaki’s runners.

In the fourth inning, Sasaki struck out a pair, but also allowed a single and a two-run home run. Then he ran a 3-0 count to Jonathan India, slipping on the delivery on one of the pitches, enough to warrant a mound visit from Roberts and a team trainer. Sasaki stayed in and induced an inning-ending groundout that he ran to first base himself, a rare 1u on the scorecard.

Sasaki was also allowed to start the fifth inning, but was pulled when his 71st pitch of the game was smacked by Starling Marte for a leadoff double off the wall. Sasaki is officially credited with 3 1/3 innings though he pitched in parts of five innings, with three runs allowed. He struck out five but walked four, throwing nearly as many balls (33) as strikes (38).

In three Cactus League games this spring, Sasaki has thrown 76 balls and 76 strikes in his 6 2/3 innings, with nine walks and 10 strikeouts.

Notes
  • Jack Suwinski has played in two games this spring for the Dodgers, all over the last three days, and he homered in each one. His ninth-inning shot on Tuesday cleared Surprise Stadium, and gave the Dodgers the lead for good in what became a six-run inning.
  • Dalton Rushing had an impressive opposite-field home run down the left field line on Tuesday, and caught seven innings before departing.
  • Hyeseong Kim played the entire game, playing eight innings at shortstop before finishing up in center field in the ninth. He singled, got hit by a pitch, stole a base, and scored two runs in his third game back from the World Baseball Classic.
Up next

For the first time in a game in 2026, we get to see Shohei Ohtani on the mound on Wednesday afternoon against the Giants (1:05 p.m.; SportsNet LA, MLB Network).

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Oilers rally past the Sharks 5-3 without Leon Draisaitl

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Max Jones and Zach Hyman scored third-period goals, Adam Henrique had a pair of assists, and the Edmonton Oilers rallied without star forward Leon Draisaitl for an important 5-3 win over the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Connor Murphy and Vasily Podkolzin also scored for the Oilers, who improved to 5-2-1 in March and moved into a tie with Anaheim atop the Pacific Division.

The Oilers were without Draisaitl, who is fourth in league scoring, after it was announced earlier in the day that he is expected to miss the remainder of the regular season with a lower-body injury.

Dmitry Orlov, Pavol Regenda and Kiefer Sherwood scored for the Sharks, who have lost five of their last seven.

Connor Ingram had 27 saves for Edmonton, while Alex Nedeljkovic made 32 stops for San Jose.

The game was tied 3-3 after two. The Oilers went up 5-3 with 11:48 to play in the third period as Hyman picked up a rebound in front and lifted a backhand shot into the net from his knees for his 29th goal in just 50 games this season.

San Jose's Macklin Celebrini had his nine-game point streak halted and was held without a point for the first time since the Olympic break. He had 14 points during the streak and remains five points from becoming the sixth teenager in NHL history to register 100 points.

Edmonton's Evan Bouchard picked up an assist to give him 26 points and a plus-22 rating in 18 career games against the Sharks. He has 32 points in his last 21 games overall.

Edmonton now has nine consecutive home wins over the Sharks.

Up next

Sharks: Host Buffalo on Thursday.

Oilers: Host Florida on Thursday.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

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Caufield scores in overtime as the Canadiens edge the Bruins 3-2

MONTREAL (AP) — Cole Caufield scored 4:38 into overtime as the Montreal Canadiens edged the Boston Bruins 3-2 in a rivalry matchup Tuesday night.

Caufield tapped a pass from Nick Suzuki into the back of the net for his 40th of the season, becoming the first Canadien to reach the mark since Vincent Damphousse in 1993-94.

Suzuki and Josh Anderson also scored while Jakub Dobes made 26 saves for Montreal, which snapped a two-game losing skid.

Brendan Gallagher picked up an assist in his 900th NHL game, all for Montreal.

Pavel Zacha had both goals for Boston, and Jeremy Swayman stopped 28 shots.

The Canadiens sat third in the Atlantic Division and one point ahead of the Bruins — with one game in hand — heading into Tuesday’s games.

BLUE JACKETS 5, HURRICANES 1

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Charlie Coyle had a goal and three assists, Danton Heinen scored his 100th career goal and Columbus beat Carolina.

Mason Marchment, Denton Mateychuk and Mathieu Olivier also scored for Columbus, which has gotten points in a season-high 10-straight games (6-0-4). Cole Sillinger and Adam Fantilli each added two assist, and Jet Greaves stopped 27 shots.

Andrei Svechnikov scored and Brandon Bussi made 25 saves for the Hurricanes.

Marchment scored on a power play 5:25 into the first period, and the Blue Jackets have scored in the opening 10 minutes in 13 of their last 20 games. Coyle added another power-play goal in the final minute of the first.

Svechnikov scored his 25th goal of the season with 5:55 left in the second period before Heinen and Mateychuk scored 34 seconds apart.

ISLANDERS 3, MAPLE LEAFS 1

TORONTO (AP) — Calum Ritchie had a goal and an assist on a pair of first-period power plays as New York beat Toronto.

Brayden Schenn scored his first goal since being acquired from St. Louis ahead of the trade deadline, and Emil Heineman also scored for the Islanders, who have won nine of 12.

Ilya Sorokin made 26 saves for New York, and Mathew Barzal had three assists.

Steven Lorentz scored for Toronto. Joseph Woll stopped 31 shots.

The Leafs fell to 2-1-1 since losing captain Auston Matthews for the season to a knee injury — a run on the heels of an ugly 0-6-2 slide that all but cratered their playoff hopes.

WILD 4, BLACKHAWKS 3, OT

CHICAGO (AP) — Mats Zuccarello scored 3:09 into overtime, and Minnesota stopped a three-game slide by topping Chicago.

Marcus Johansson had a goal and two assists as Minnesota improved to 3-0 against Chicago this season. Vladimir Tarasenko and Ryan Hartman also scored, and Brock Faber had three assists.

Filip Gustavsson made 21 saves for the Wild, and Jesper Wallstedt stopped two shots. Gustavsson departed for 3:27 in the third period because of an equipment issue.

The Wild had a long stint in their offensive zone before Johansson found Zuccarello for his 13th goal.

Minnesota forward Nick Foligno received a warm welcome in his first game against Chicago since he was acquired in a March 6 trade with the Blackhawks. Foligno held his stick in the air and waved to the cheering crowd after he was saluted with a tribute video during a timeout in the opening period.

Louis Crevier had a goal and an assist for last-place Chicago, which dropped its second straight game. Frank Nazar and Ryan Greene also scored.

PREDATORS 4, JETS 3, SO

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Ryan O’Reilly scored the lone goal in the shootout to lift Nashville to a victory over Winnipeg.

O’Reilly beat Connor Hellebuyck to the glove side in the first round of the shootout. Predators’ netminder Juuse Saros secured the win by stopping Gabriel Vilardi, Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor.

Matthew Wood, Filip Forsberg and Erik Haula scored in regulation for Nashville. Jonathan Marchessault chipped in with two assists. Saros made 36 saves.

Jonathan Toews forced overtime for Winnipeg, tying the game 3-3 with 1:01 left in the third period.

Josh Morrissey and Vilardi also scored in regulation for the Jets. Connor contributed three assists to extend his point streak to four games, while Scheifele assisted on the game-tying marker. Hellebuyck stopped 20 shots.

The contest was officiated by a single referee, Brandon Schrader, after Chris Lee was unable to attend due to travel issues.

OILERS 5, SHARKS 3

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Max Jones and Zach Hyman scored third-period goals, Adam Henrique had a pair of assists, and Edmonton rallied without star forward Leon Draisaitl for an important win over San Jose.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Connor Murphy and Vasily Podkolzin also scored for the Oilers, who improved to 5-2-1 in March and moved into a tie with Anaheim atop the Pacific Division.

The Oilers were without Draisaitl, who is fourth in league scoring, after it was announced earlier in the day that he is expected to miss the remainder of the regular season with a lower-body injury.

Dmitry Orlov, Pavol Regenda and Kiefer Sherwood scored for the Sharks, who have lost five of their last seven.

Connor Ingram had 27 saves for Edmonton, while Alex Nedeljkovic made 32 stops for San Jose.

CANUCKS 5, PANTHERS 2

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Elias Pettersson scored twice, including the 200th goal of his NHL career, and Vancouver held on for a win over Florida.

The Swedish center opened the scoring at the 3:49 mark of the first period, blasting a one-timer in from inside the faceoff circle during an early power play. It was his 14th tally of the season and his first goal in 21 games.

Marco Rossi also scored and contributed a pair of assists for the Canucks, who rebounded from a lopsided 5-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken on Saturday.

Vancouver center Aatu Raty and Drew O’Connor also scored and Brock Boeser added three assists. Kevin Lankinen — playing in his 200th NHL game — stopped 21 of the 23 shots he faced for his first win since Jan. 21.

The Panthers got a goal and an assist from Matthew Tkachuk. Sam Bennett also scored and Carter Verhaeghe had two assists.

Sergei Bobrovsky made 17 saves for the defending Stanley Cup champions, who lost their second straight game.

SABRES 2, GOLDEN KNIGHTS 0

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 27 saves to record his first shutout of the season and Buffalo defeated Vegas.

Josh Doan and Josh Norris scored for Buffalo, while Luukkonen registered the eighth shutout of his career.

The Sabres, who opened their four-game road trip with their 10th win in 11 games since the Olympic break, completed the regular-season sweep after they defeated the Golden Knights in Buffalo on March 3.

The Sabres have been the winningest team in the NHL since Dec. 9, sporting a 31-6-2 mark for 64 points.

The surge has Buffalo atop the Atlantic Division, ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Montreal Canadiens.

Vegas, meanwhile, had its two-game win streak snapped after opening its four-game homestand with wins over Pittsburgh and Chicago, outscoring the Penguins and Blackhawks by a combined final of 10-2.

The Golden Knights suffered just their third shutout of the season and first at home.

LIGHTNING 6, KRAKEN 2

SEATTLE (AP) — Nikita Kucherov scored three goals for his sixth career hat trick and added two assists as Tampa Bay beat Seattle.

Brandon Hagel had a goal and three assists for the Lightning, who remained four points behind first-place Buffalo in the Atlantic Division. Anthony Cirelli added a goal and two assists, and Gage Goncalves had a goal and an assist.

Bobby McMann and Jared McCann scored for the Kraken, tied with the Los Angeles Kings at 71 points for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

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Mets' Nolan McLean keeps Team USA in WBC Championship game with impressive start: 'He had unbelievable stuff tonight'

Mets rookie Nolan McLean took the mound for Team USA and against Venezuela in the 2026 World Baseball Classic championship on Tuesday night, and gave his team a chance.

It was an inauspicious start for the youngster, as he threw a 98 mph first-pitch fastball to Ronald Acuña Jr., and the former NL MVP laced the pitch up the middle for a leadoff hit. McLean would bounce back, though, getting Maikel Garcia to ground into a double play, erasing Acuña. Luis Arraez then followed up by flying out to center.

McLean's second inning started off great, with the young right-hander striking out Eugenio Suarez and Gleyber Torres.Ezequiel Tovar dumped an opposite-field single before Wilyer Abreu popped out to shortstop to get through two scoreless innings. 

Salvador Perez led off the top of the third with a single, but McLean struck out Jackson Chourio before walking Acuña with one out. The righty shanked a curveball that got past catcher Will Smith, allowing the runners to advance. 

Garcia capitalized by bringing home Perez with a sac fly, but that was the only damage in the inning as McLean induced an inning-ending Arraez groundout. 

Unfortunately for Team USA, that run mattered a lot as the offense just could not get going in the early going. Team Venezuela's starter, Eduardo Rodriguez, allowed just one hit and one walk in his 4.1 innings pitched as he blanked the high-powered US team.

"Nolan McLean pitched his tail off," Team USA manager Mark DeRosa said after the game. "We were not prepared for him to go five. We were thinking he’d give us three, he give us four and we would go right to the bullpen and see where the game is at. That’s a testament to him. He had unbelievable stuff tonight. He matched Eddie."

McLean's fourth inning of work was an easy 1-2-3 while throwing only 51 pitches. 

Abreu, who had arguably Venezuela's biggest home run earlier in the WBC, took McLean deep on a 0-1 fastball that he launched 414 feet over the centerfield wall. That leadoff homer gave Venezuela a 2-0 lead. 

"I could've executed a little bit better," McLean said. "But he's a really good player at the same time. I would love to go back and make a different pitch, obviously."

McLean got the next two batters out before he was pulled after pitching 4.2 innings (63 pitches/44 strikes), allowing two runs on four hits and one walk while striking out four.

After the game, McLean was asked about this game and rated it a seven out of 10, but was generally pleased with it.

"I felt good out there. Proud of the way I competed," McLean said of his outing. "Stuff felt great, filling up the zone, tried to control everything I could."

And although Bryce Harper's two-run shot in the eighth tied the game at 2-2, Venezuela would get the go-ahead run in the ninth to capture their first WBC Championship with a 3-2 win.

But without McLean's start, the game could have gotten away from Team USA.

"Whenever you go down two-nothing, it's tough, but I thought Mac threw the ball great," Harper said of McLean. "He’s a special talent; he’s going to be a special talent for a long time. We got a lot of great young guys in there who are going to play again on this team. Baseball’s in a really good spot." 

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Yankees news: Gerrit Cole returns to game action

TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 27: Gerrit Cole #45 of the New York Yankees works out during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 27, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images

New York Post | Joel Sherman: ($) Gerrit Cole will return to the field Wednesday, starting a spring training game against the Red Sox. The Yankees’ ace is scheduled to pitch one inning, marking his first appearance since spring training of last year, when he sustained a UCL injury that required Tommy John surgery. While this development is encouraging, Cole will still begin the year on the IL as he continues to build himself up to full strength, with late April his earliest plausible return window.

MLB Trade Rumors | Steve Adams: There’s encouraging news on New York’s other injured frontline starter as well. Carlos Rodón is expected to return “at some point in April,” Aaron Boone told the press Tuesday, confirming that the left-hander is still on the same schedule outlined at the start of spring. Boone did not rule out Rodón making a spring training appearance as well, though none are currently scheduled.

Boone also confirmed he would be comfortable with playing third baseman Ryan McMahon at shortstop, a development that has ramifications for several players hoping to make the team. With Anthony Volpe starting the season on the IL, McMahon’s ability to serve as a fill-in for starter Jose Caballero would allow the team to carry Randal Grichuk, a right-handed outfielder who fills an area of need, instead of utilityman Max Schuemann or one of the team’s non-roster invitee shortstops.

The Athletic | Brendan Kuty: ($) A story about the conspicuous lack of stories coming out of Yankees’ spring training camp. Luis Gil, the team’s projected fifth starter, struggling and Cam Schlittler dealing with minor back and lat discomfort have been the closest thing to drama permeating George M. Steinbrenner Field. Jasson Domínguez, the heralded former top prospect who played in 123 games last season, is slated to start the season at Triple-A, but he’s handled the demotion with aplomb, skirting a potential pain point. This type of calm is “very unique for spring,“ said Giancarlo Stanton.

NJ.com | Randy Miller: The Yankees reassigned non-roster invitee Bradley Hanner to minor-league camp Tuesday morning as the team continues to whittle down its roster. The right-hander had a 9.00 ERA in five appearances in big-league camp after signing a minor-league deal with the Yankees on the heels of a middling campaign last year with the Rockies’ Triple-A team. With this move, New York now needs to clear 20 more roster spots to get down to 26 for Opening Day.

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Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers game preview

Mar 16, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) defends against Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) during the fourth quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

After Monday night’s loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, tonight’s game will determine the winner of the season series between these two teams. Maybe now that the Houston Rockets lost the first game, they will lock in and play with more intensity and might actually, you know, make some shots.

I think Ime Udoka should have ripped into the officials after Monday’s loss. Maybe he could have made a big deal about the Kevin Durant flagrant foul or how the Lakers took more free throws than Houston while Durant was being held every time down the court. He didn’t need to mean it, but it would have made referees second guess themselves in tonight’s game. The Lakers have led the league in free throw differential basically every year of their existence, so harping on the discrepancies would have possibly helped Houston tonight.

Anyway, Alperen Sengun should be back for tonight’s game and needs to bully the smaller Lakers inside. If he can’t get going against this team, he really might be broken. I think he’s been playing injured, but if he’s good to play then he needs to give Houston everything.

Tip-off

8:30pm CT

How To Watch

Space City Home Network and ESPN

Injury Report

Rockets

Steven Adams: OUT

Fred VanVleet: OUT

Jae’Sean Tate: OUT

Lakers

Maxi Kleber: OUT

The Line (as of this post)

HOU -1.5

Check here for updates

Looking ahead because we can

Friday night at home against the Atlanta Hawks

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Player Grades: Cavs at Bucks – James Harden and Evan Mobley save Cavaliers from another bad loss

MILWAUKEE, WI - MARCH 17: James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks on March 17, 2026 at Fiserv Forum Center 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images). | NBAE via Getty Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers did just enough to outscore a bad Milwaukee Bucks team 123-116 that was without two of their best players, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Myles Turner. It’s difficult to be too positive about the overall effort after a game like this, even though it’s an improvement from Sunday’s disappointing loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents that player performing to our expectations for them.

James Harden

27 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 steals

This was a vintage, prime Harden game. He put up 27 points on just 10 shot attempts, got to the free-throw line at will, and made sure the offense got a quality shot every time he had the ball in his hands.

It was a great response from someone who struggled on both ends of the floor in the loss to the Mavs.

Grade: A

Donovan Mitchell

19 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists

This was about as rough a game as you’re going to see from Mitchell, even though the box score numbers above wouldn’t suggest that.

He wasn’t inefficient from the floor, going 4-14, and struggled defensively against a team that doesn’t have many players who should be able to easily take opposing guards off the dribble. This led to Mitchell being a team-worst -15 in the minutes he was on the floor. That means the Cavs won the 14 minutes he was on the bench by 22 points.

This was just rough all the way around.

Grade: F

Evan Mobley

27 points, 15 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 blocks

The box score numbers are great, but it’s how he achieved them that’s most impressive.

Mobley was excellent at attacking in the pick-and-roll as the roller. He was forceful when diving to the basket, which is something he’s struggled with throughout his career. That aggression was rewarded as he took a team-high 21 shots.

Additionally, he did a great job of taking advantage of the Bucks’ thin frontcourt. He completely dominated his matchup with Jericho Sims to the point that he only played 16 minutes.

This was exactly what you want to see from Mobley.

Grade: A

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Max Strus

6 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists

Strus struggled to find his shot, going 2-6 from beyond the arc. He did, however, do all of the dirty work that makes him so valuable and was a useful second-side playmaker.

This was a solid second game back from injury.

Grade: B-

Keon Ellis

8 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 0 blocks

This was a rare game where Ellis didn’t record a block or a steal. He did, however, nail both of his three-point looks.

Grade: B-

Jaylon Tyson

2 points, 0 rebounds, 2 assists

Tyson has struggled to establish any momentum after putting up 22 points against the Detroit Pistons at the beginning of the month. He’s dealt with injuries to his neck and ankle recently. Maybe that plays a part in it. But his play on the court was once again rough.

Atkinson limited Tyson to just 13 minutes in this game, and understandably so. He wasn’t good defensively (he lost Pete Nance numerous times), had no impact on the glass, and was mostly out of place on offense.

Grade: F

Dennis Schroder

3 points, 5 assists, 1 rebound

Schroder didn’t make an impact scoring, but he set up his teammates, as he finished with five helpers in just 16 minutes of play.

Grade: C+

Dean Wade

9 points, 2 assists, 2 rebounds

Wade attacked the basket offensively, took four outside shots, and did his job defensively. This led to him having the third-best plus/minus on the team at +13. What more can you ask for from Wade?

Grade: B

Thomas Bryant

5 points, 0 rebounds, 0 assists

This wasn’t a good showing from Bryant. He was picked on defensively and didn’t provide enough on the glass or offensively to make up for it.

Grade: D-

Sam Merrill

17 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists

Merrill provided a spark to the offense. He did a great job of reading how the defense was playing him and attacking the weaknesses off ball. This led to him going 3-4 in his shots in the paint.

Additionally, he knocked down timely triples and competed defensively. It isn’t surprising that the Cavs played their best basketball with him on the court, as he led the team in plus/minus by being a +22 in the 28 minutes he played.

Grade: A

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Penguins Road Trip Is Already A Success Regardless Of Wednesday's Result

The Pittsburgh Penguins are set to wrap up their toughest road trip of the season on Wednesday in Raleigh against the Carolina Hurricanes.

The road trip started there last Tuesday, resulting in a 5-4 shootout loss for the Penguins. It looked like the Penguins weren't going to get a point out of that game until they scored two goals in the final three minutes of regulation to send it to overtime. They stole a point, even though they had chances to win the game in overtime. 

Since that loss, the Penguins have won two of their last three games on the trip, including Monday's 7-2 thrashing of the Colorado Avalanche. They're 2-1-1 and have earned five points heading back to Raleigh, with a chance to reach seven on Wednesday.

Going into the trip, five points seemed reasonable given several players were missing. Sidney Crosby and Sam Girard have missed all four games, while Malkin and Brazeau each missed three before returning on Monday. 

Despite the injuries and the suspension of Malkin, the Penguins have stayed in a playoff spot and have a lot of players to thank, especially defenseman Erik Karlsson. Karlsson has been excellent all season, but has gone nuclear since the NHL players returned from the Olympics.

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson (65) celebrates his goal in the second period against the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson (65) celebrates his goal in the second period against the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

In 11 games since the end of the Olympic break, Karlsson has recorded three goals and 14 points. He finished Monday's game in Denver with a goal and two assists, and was a menace all over the ice. He was a one-man breakout and also made some simple, yet very effective plays along the boards in his own zone. He finished the game with 21:43 at all situations and controlled 54.7% of the expected goals. He's been the Penguins' best player since Crosby went down.

Anthony Mantha has also been on another level during this road trip, racking up three goals and five points in four games. He has 26 goals and 52 points this season, both of which are career highs. He's been an unbelievable free agent signing by Penguins president/general manager Kyle Dubas and is shaping up to get a big payday this offseason. 

Both goaltenders (Arturs Silovs and Stuart Skinner) have continued to push one another. The Penguins feel confident with either goaltender in the crease, and will have a tough decision to make in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs if they make it. 

Takeaways: Malkin Leads Pens To Statement 7-2 Win Over Avalanche In Return GameTakeaways: Malkin Leads Pens To Statement 7-2 Win Over Avalanche In Return GameIn his first game back from a five-game suspension, Evgeni Malkin took the reins and led the Pittsburgh Penguins to a decisive and crucial 7-2 victory over the NHL's best team in the Colorado Avalanche.

Bryan Rust continues to be a big game player for the Penguins and now has 25 goals and 53 points in 60 games this season. Four of those goals and seven points have come via this road trip so far. 

The vibes continue to be through the roof with this team going into the final 15 games of the regular season, and no matter what happens on Wednesday, the Penguins will be in second place in the Metropolitan Division at the end of the trip. They have put themselves in a good position heading into a stretch in which they will play four of five games at home, starting on Saturday against the Winnipeg Jets. They control their own destiny to make the playoffs, which is all you can ask for during a playoff race. 

What was originally seen as a fearful road trip has only fueled this Penguins team further. 

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!   

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Mets’ Sean Manaea still ‘not concerned’ about lack of velocity

An image collage containing 1 images, Image 1 shows Sean Manaea, pitching earlier in spring training, threw four no-hit innings in the Mets' 5-5 tie against the Marlins on March 17, 2026

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JUPITER, Fla. — Sean Manaea tossed four no-hit innings against the Marlins on Tuesday.

Still, the number that many observers paid attention to was the speed of his four-seam fastball, which remained in the 86-88 mph range, down about 3 mph from a year ago.

“It’s low, but I feel good,” the lefty said after his outing in a 5-5 tie at Roger Dean Stadium. “I’m not concerned about it whatsoever. I’ll get to Citi Field, get the adrenaline going and it will shoot back up.”

Perhaps, but there’s no guarantee of that happening for the 34-year-old who went through a miserable, injury-plagued 2025.

And if his fastball doesn’t get to the 90s, Manaea said he is confident he can get batters out.

“I’ve pitched with 86-87 [mph],’’ Manaea said. “I don’t want to be there, but I still think I’m effective. I’ll fill up the strike zone and mix and match.”

He also believes the cutter he’s working on could help offset a potential loss of velocity.

But with the regular season quickly approaching, a tick up in velocity would be positive and Carlos Mendoza said he’s not sure that will happen.

“We don’t know,’’ the manager said. “I would say yes, especially with what he went through [physically] last year. It might take some time.”

Sean Manaea, pitching earlier in spring training, threw four no-hit innings in the Mets’ 5-5 tie against the Marlins on March 17, 2026. Corey Sipkin for New York Post

Mendoza remained pleased that Manaea was able to get swings and misses without his best fastball and that the cutter was effective.

But both he and Manaea would like to see some low-90s on the scoreboard.

“I think it’s in there,’’ Mendoza said. “I think the velo will come.”

Carson Benge’s hot spring has put him in a spot to win a job out of spring training and now MJ Melendez is off to minor league camp.

Melendez, signed to a minor league deal in the offseason, got off to a hot start in Mets camp, but the outfielder’s lack of playing time once he left to play for Team Puerto Rico in the WBC likely ended his chances of making the Opening Day roster.

Mendoza said Tuesday after Melendez was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse — along with right-hander Christian Scott — that the outfielder needed to get more reps at the plate.

“He’s got to get at-bats,’’ the manager said of Melendez, who went 4-for-11 with two homers with the Mets, but then got just six plate appearances in the WBC before Puerto Rico was eliminated.

In Tuesday’s game against the Marlins, Tyrone Taylor got the start in left, with Luis Robert Jr. in center and Brett Baty in right.

Both Benge and Mike Tauchman, another left-handed hitter, have impressed this spring.

Scott was optioned after a fairly encouraging spring, as the 26-year-old right-hander is coming back from 2024 Tommy John surgery.

“He came in in a really good spot,’’ Mendoza said. “He worked hard in his rehab process, especially after getting a taste [of the majors] in 2024.”

He will serve as more rotation depth for the Mets, who have six viable starting pitchers with Opening Day little more than a week away.

In other roster moves Tuesday, right-handers Adbert Alzolay, Nick Burdi and Daniel Duarte and infielders Christian Arroyo and Jose Rojas were reassigned to minor league camp.

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Thunder win 10th straight behind Gilgeous-Alexander's 40 points

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 40 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Orlando Magic 113-108 Tuesday night for their 10th straight win.

Chet Holmgren added 20 points and 12 rebounds for the Thunder and Ajay Mitchell had 16 points, five of them during a mid-fourth quarter run that put the Thunder ahead to stay.

Paolo Banchero had 32 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for Orlando. Jalen Suggs added 14 points for the Magic, who lost on a second straight night after a seven-game win streak of their own.

Gilgeous-Alexander’s record 129th game scoring 20 or more points was accomplished on 14 for 27 shooting and 9 of 11 free throws. He hit 3 of 5 3-point shots, the final one giving the Thunder a 102-96 lead with 3:11 remaining.

His streak of 20-plus point road games, also an NBA record, reached 61 games.

PISTONS 130, WIZARDS 117

WASHINGTON (AP) — Jalen Duren had 36 points and 12 rebounds for Eastern Conference-leading Detroit, who lost fellow All-Star Cade Cunningham to back spasms in the first half of a victory over Washington.

Cunningham was hurt early in the first quarter while diving for a loose ball. He played for a few more minutes before being taken out at the 6:40 mark, and the team said during the second quarter he would not return.

Reserve Daniss Jenkins added 15 points for the Pistons, who have won four of five and sent the Wizards to their 13th straight loss. The teams meet again on Thursday; should Detroit prevail, Washington would equal its 14-game skid from early this season that sent it to a 1-15 start.

Bub Carrington scored a season-high 30 points for the injury-depleted Wizards, who had little-used veteran Anthony Gill in the starting lineup. Rookie Will Riley added 21 points and Justin Champagnie scored 18.

KNICKS 136, PACERS 110

NEW YORK (AP) — Josh Hart scored a season-high 33 points on 12-of-13 shooting including 5 of 5 from 3-point range to lead New York over Indiana.

OG Anunoby scored 26 points and Karl Anthony Towns added 22 points and 11 rebounds in the Knicks’ fourth straight win.

Jarace Walker led the Pacers with 16 points as Indiana’s losing streak reached 14 games.

Indiana led 12-11 when Anunoby scored the next eight points and the Knicks went ahead 38-34 after the first quarter.

New York stayed in front until Jalen Slawson’s 3-pointer gave the Pacers a 44-43 lead.

Indiana increased its lead to 57-51, but the Knicks ended the quarter on a 21-7 streak and took a 72-64 halftime advantage.

After the Pacers cut the deficit to six, the Knicks went on a 19-8 run to open a 94-77 lead.

Indiana pulled within 99-89, but New York opened its lead to 105-91 entering the final quarter.

HORNETS 136, HEAT 106

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — LaMelo Ball had 30 points and 13 assists, and Charlotte pulled away in a huge fourth quarter to beat short-handed Miami.

Coby White scored 24 points off the bench and rookie Kon Knueppel added 22 as Charlotte (35-34) won for the ninth time in 12 games. Brandon Miller scored 16 for the Hornets, who are 10th in the Eastern Conference.

Tyler Herro had 20 points and eight rebounds to lead the Heat (38-31), who dropped their second straight following a season-best seven-game winning streak. They played without star forward Bam Adebayo, who sat out with right calf tightness after being listed as questionable before the game.

Adebayo hadn’t missed a game since Dec. 27. He scored 83 points last Tuesday in a 150-129 win over Washington, second-most in NBA history behind Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game in 1962.

Andrew Wiggins missed his sixth consecutive game with a toe injury, and Miami forward Nikola Jovic (back) did not play for the 12th game in a row. He was listed as probable before the game and was expected to return.

Miami remained seventh in the East, a half-game behind Orlando.

TIMBERWOLVES 116, SUNS 104

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Julius Randle scored 32 points and Bones Hyland had 22 points off the bench to help Minnesota offset absence of All-Star Anthony Edwards and beat Phoenix.

Ayo Dosunmu added 19 points and Rudy Gobert had 19 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who are 7-4 without Edwards this season. The NBA ’s third-leading scorer will miss the next week or two with knee inflammation.

Devin Booker scored 34 points despite shooting 1 for 7 from 3-point range for the Suns, who finished a five-game road trip with their third straight loss.

After losing 120-112 in Boston the night before, the Suns played without three of their top five scorers as Grayson Allen (knee soreness) joined the previously sidelined Dillon Brooks and Mark Williams.

The Timberwolves (42-27), who entered the evening tied with Denver for fifth place in the Western Conference, used a 16-2 run that started late in the third quarter to take control as Randle posted his second straight 32-point game.

The seventh-place Suns (39-30) were within one game of the Timberwolves just five days ago, trying to move above the cut for avoiding the play-in tournament. Phoenix still won the season series with Minnesota 2-1.

CAVALIERS 123, BUCKS 116

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Evan Mobley had 27 points and a season-high 15 rebounds, and James Harden also scored 27 as Cleveland opened a three-game trip by beating short-handed Milwaukee.

Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo sat out with a left knee hyperextension and bone bruise. This was the career-high 32nd game the two-time MVP has missed this season, and the Bucks fell to 11-21 without him.

The Bucks also didn’t have Myles Turner because of a right calf strain. Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen missed a sixth straight game because of tendinitis in his right knee.

In a game featuring 11 ties and 16 lead changes, Cleveland pulled ahead for good 103-100 on Sam Merrill’s 3-pointer with 6:55 remaining, which started an 8-0 run.

Milwaukee cut the lead to 110-106 on an Ousmane Dieng’s 3-pointer with 3:39 left, but Cleveland responded with seven straight points. The Cavs stayed in front by at least five the rest of the way.

Milwaukee’s Kevin Porter Jr. had 25 points and 10 assists. Dieng, Bobby Portis and Ryan Rollins added 19 points each.

SPURS 132, KINGS 104

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Victor Wembanyama had 18 points and eight rebounds, and San Antonio beat Sacramento.

Wembanyama shot 7 of 14 with a pair of 3-pointers and three assists to help the Spurs to their first win in Sacramento in more than two years.

Former Kings star De’Aaron Fox added 15, five rebounds and six assists for San Antonio. Keldon Johnson scored 18 points and Dylan Harper had 15.

The Spurs (51-18) have won eight of nine. They also improved to 11-3 on the second half of back-to-backs.

Maxime Raynaud had 32 points and nine rebounds for the Kings (18-52). Doug McDermott added 12 points.

Russell Westbrook had 10 assists to move past Mark Jackson and Steve Nash into fifth place on the NBA all-time list.

The Spurs led by 41 in the third quarter, made 25 of 49 3-point attempts and cruised to their 25th road win of the season.

NUGGETS 124, 76ERS 96

DENVER (AP) — Christian Braun had 22 points, Nikola Jokic finished with 14 assists, and Denver routed injury-plagued Philadelphia.

Denver kept pace with Minnesota, which beat Phoenix on Tuesday night, in a tight Western Conference race. There are 1 1/2 games separating the third-place Los Angeles Lakers and the Timberwolves in sixth.

Philadelphia played without Joel Embiid (right oblique strain), Tyrese Maxey (sprained finger) and Kelly Oubre Jr. (left elbow strain). Paul George is serving a 25-game suspension.

The sold-out crowd booed Embiid when he came to the bench for the first time in the third quarter. Embiid has missed the last six Sixers games in Denver, denying Nuggets fans an MVP matchup between the Philadelphia big man and Jokic.

Jokic scored eight points on 4 of 7 shooting but reached 10 assists in less than 12 minutes. He picked up two quick fouls and a technical in the first quarter after dishing out eight assists.