TORONTO (AP) — Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz left Wednesday’s loss to the Washington Capitals early in the first period with a lower-body injury.
The Toronto starter was hurt after stretching out his left leg to get a pad on Cole Hutson’s shot from distance.
Stolarz immediately collapsed to the ice and pulled off his mask before one of the referees blew the play dead.
The 32-year-old was attended to by a trainer and had to be helped off the ice by teammates before heading down the tunnel to the locker room.
Coach Craig Berube announced after the 4-0 loss that Artur Akhtyamov will be recalled from the American Hockey League and make his first NHL appearance Thursday when the Maple Leafs visit the New York Islanders.
“I’ve really liked him right from camp,” Berube said of the 24-year-old Russian selected 106th overall at the 2020 NHL draft. “Great personality. He’s played well down there. He’s a competitor and he’s really got fast reflexes."
The Maple Leafs also lost forward Dakota Joshua (upper body) and defenseman Brandon Carlo (lower body) to injuries later in the game against Washington.
Berube said Luke Haymes and William Villeneuve will join Akhtyamov as AHL call-ups. Haymes is also slated to make his NHL debut Thursday for the Maple Leafs, who are set to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
The NBA's annual play-in tournament is less than a week away. We know, we're shocked, too. However, despite the proximity to the end of the regular season, there are only two teams currently locked into their seeds in the Eastern and Western conferences.
Only the Golden State Warriors (locked into the Western Conference's No. 10 seed) and Detroit Pistons (locked into the Eastern Conference's No. 1 seed) know for sure where they'll rank by season's end.
Other than them, it's an absolute mish-mosh of what-ifs and maybes that could shape the NBA's postseason, with five teams in the Eastern Conference fighting it out to ensure they avoid the play-in.
Here are the current NBA standings and what the NBA postseason and play-in tournament would look like if the season ended today.
The Bucks, Bulls, Nets, Pacers and Wizards have been eliminated from postseason contention.
NBA Western Conference standings
d - Oklahoma City Thunder: 63-16
d - San Antonio Spurs: 60-19 (3 GB)
x - Denver Nuggets: 51-28 (12 GB)
d - Los Angeles Lakers: 50-29 (13 GB)
x - Houston Rockets: 50-29 (13 GB)
x - Minnesota Timberwolves: 47-32 (16 GB)
Phoenix Suns: 43-36 (20 GB)
Los Angeles Clippers: 41-38 (22 GB)
Portland Trail Blazers: 40-29 (23 GB)
Golden State Warriors: 37-42 (26 GB)
The Pelicans, Grizzlies, Mavericks, Kings and Jazz have been eliminated from postseason contention.
NBA playoffs bracket
(Through Tuesday, April 7)
Eastern Conference
(1) Detroit Pistons vs. (8) Play-In Winner
(4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks
(3) New York Knicks vs. (6) Toronto Raptors
(2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Play-In Winner
Western Conference
(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (8) Play-In Winner
(4) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (5) Houston Rockets
(3) Denver Nuggets vs. (6) Minnesota Timberwolves
(2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (7) Play-In Winner
NBA Play-In Tournament
(Through Tuesday, April 7)
Eastern Conference
(7) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (8) Orlando Magic
(9) Charlotte Hornets vs. (10) Miami Heat
Western Conference
(7) Phoenix Suns vs. (8) Los Angeles Clippers
(9) Portland Trail Blazers vs. (10) Golden State Warriors
When do the NBA playoffs begin?
The NBA Play-In Tournament begins Tuesday, April 14 and finishes Friday, April 17.
The NBA playoffs begin the very next day, Saturday, April 18, featuring eight teams in each conference after two teams from both the East and West are eliminated in the Play-In Tournament.
Game 1 of the NBA Finals will be on Wednesday, June 3.
Which upcoming games could impact the postseason standings?
With just five days left in the regular season, every game matters, but there are a few games that could have serious impact on the end-of-season standings.
Wednesday, April 8
Atlanta Hawks at Cleveland Cavaliers
Oklahoma City Thunder at LA Clippers
Thunder can clinch top seed with win or Spurs loss
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - MARCH 31: Zach Eflin #24 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches against the Texas Rangers at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on March 31, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Bill Streicher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The news on Zach Eflin’s injury came back on Wednesday evening and it was as bad as you could have guessed from the get-go. The Orioles announced that Eflin had Tommy John surgery to repair the torn ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow on Wednesday.
The only surprising thing about the announcement is that we skipped the step where we find out that Eflin has a torn UCL and soon will be getting Tommy John surgery. He was known to be flying to Dallas yesterday to have a second opinion consult with one of the current commonly-used surgeons for TJ. Although they didn’t announce it yesterday, it’s clear that second opinion resulted in, “Let’s just get you scheduled tomorrow.”
This outcome was telegraphed when the Orioles placed Eflin on the 60-day injured list earlier this week, meaning it was clear to them he wouldn’t be back for a while. It was also telegraphed more or less from when he walked off the mound in his first start of the year. When a player throws a pitch, leaves with the trainer without doing any warm-up tosses, and the injury announcement is about his throwing elbow, that tends to end up here almost every time.
It’s a bummer of a development for Eflin and for the team. Eflin looked like he was back to a better version of himself with how he was pitching in spring training. It seemed like he might have been behind the back issues that caused him to miss a lot of time last season and pitch badly when he was not on the injured list. The Orioles re-signed Eflin for a $10 million contract for this season with a mutual option for 2027 because they were willing to bet on that comeback. It was working, at least until something entirely unrelated went wrong.
The mutual option for 2027 was set for $25 million. There’s no chance now that the Orioles exercise that option. Perhaps there’s a chance of renegotiating the contract, with Eflin getting a smaller guarantee for 2027 – let’s say in the $6-8 million range – and the Orioles getting a team option for 2028.
That depends on what Eflin wants and what the team wants also. There can be some benefit to the player to having continuity with one team for his rehab work. The Orioles may still want post-surgery Eflin to be around starting next June or July and if that’s the case, they may be willing to guarantee him a little money to get the first look after he’s back in action. On the other hand, maybe they don’t want to carry an injured guy on the 40-man roster through next offseason. There is no 60-day injured list outside of the season.
Another thing that’s not clear at this moment is how the Orioles intend to replace Eflin in the rotation over the long haul. Although many people, including me, long assumed that Dean Kremer would appear the first time there was an injury in the Orioles rotation, the O’s went out of their way to not call him back to the majors after Eflin went down.
A spot start went to Brandon Young on Monday and the next one will go to Cade Povich on Sunday. Young’s spot start went fine, as did Povich’s emergency long relief back on Sunday. We’ll see how he fares against a team that’s not the White Sox.
The White Sox are paying homage to their most famous fan during an August giveaway.
Chicago’s American League team will give fans who purchase special tickets to their Aug. 11 game against the Reds a White Sox-themed pope hat in honor of Chicago native and White Sox fan, Pope Leo XIV.
Fans looking to land one of the black and green hats with a White Sox logo in the middle will need to purchase a ticket in one of five designated sections at Rate Field, otherwise they’ll need to say a prayer to get their hands on one.
Pope Leo XIV (C) reacts wearing a Chicago White Sox baseball team cap as he meets newly wedded couples during the weekly general audience in St Peter’s Square at the Vatican on June 11, 2025. AFP via Getty Images
He is an avid sports fan, and his White Sox support even became a mini-controversy as both Chicago baseball teams attempted to claim his support after his election.
“He was never, ever a Cubs fan, so I don’t know where that came from. He was always a Sox fan. Our mother was a Cubs fan,” his brother John told WGN-TV in May 2025.
He wore a White Sox cap at the Vatican last summer and playfully ribbed a Cubs fan by yelling “they lost” when a Cubs fan yelled “Go Cubs” at him.
And just last month, a fan who yelled “God bless the White Sox” while he drove by received a thumbs-up from Leo.
While the pope has kept the faith in his White Sox, they’ve struggled out of the gate this season.
A fan dressed as the Pope claps during the first inning of the game between the Chicago White Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays at Rate Field. Matt Marton-Imagn Images
The White Sox opened the season with three straight losses and lost five of their first six games.
Apr 8, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher David Peterson (23) reacts during the second inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | John Jones-Imagn Images
Over the course of a 162 game season, the team you root for will have days where they definitionally and categorically do not have it, whether you root for the best team in the league or the worst.
Today was one of those days for the 2026 Mets, who dropped game two of their mid-week series to the Arizona Diamondbacks by a score of 7-2, snapping their four game win streak.
David Peterson got the ball to start and picked up right where he left off after his first start of the season, much to the chagrin of Peterson, the Mets, and likely everyone reading this. He surrendered a run in the first inning, but the wheels truly came off in the second.
Back to back singles to lead off the frame put the Mets in immediate danger. A sacrifice bunt put them in scoring position, and a walk loaded the bases with one away for Ketel Marte. Marte made Peterson pay with an RBI single, Corbin Carroll behind him doubled home a pair, and a well-struck Geraldo Perdomo sacrifice fly made it 5-0 in a flash. The game was basically over from there.
Peterson managed to settle down after his second inning debacle, throwing scoreless frames in the third, fourth and fifth to keep the score respectable and the Mets theoretically in the game. It was nice to see, even though the ship had long sailed away by the time he was throwing up zeroes.
The Mets offense had an equally frustrating day. Ryne Nelson was on the hill opposite Peterson was was excellent, surrendering a single run over five and two thirds innings. He struck out five.
Ryne Nelson's (ARI) four-seamer was outstanding on Wednesday, helping him allow one earned run against the Mets over 5.2 innings with five strikeouts pic.twitter.com/1Z2dPSblUl
— Pitcher List Stats (@PitcherListPLV) April 8, 2026
As you can see above, his four-seamer was dominating, which is very typical for a Ryne Nelson start. He was very good.
The Mets threatened a few times over the course of the game, getting two on in the fourth to no avail. They scratched a run across in the sixth, with Bo Bichette leading off with a single, Luis Robert Jr. singling after, and Brett Baty driving Bichette home with a single of his own, but the rally could not extend beyond the one run.
Sean Manaea came into the game in the sixth inning, and did a thankless job; saving the bullpen for tomorrow. He threw the final four frames of the day, surrendering two runs on an eighth inning bases loaded double that clanked off of Robert’s glove in deep center (in any event, it should have been a 6-2 loss instead of a 7-2 loss). Manaea overall was just okay, though his velocity in the ninth inning was all the way down to the mid-80s per Statcast, which is not exactly what you want to see.
The Mets second and final run of the game came in the bottom of the eighth, when Mark Vientos hit a sacrifice fly that scored Robert.
Overall, it was just not the Mets day. The Mets will look to get back into the win column tomorrow, as a World Baseball Classic Final rematch will take place at Citi Field, with Nolan McLean facing off against Eduardo Rodriguez.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - APRIL 7: Malevy Leons #33 of the Golden State Warriors drives to the basket during the game against the Sacramento Kings on April 7, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, 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 Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors beat the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night by a score of 110-105. That was a slim enough margin that the game qualified as a close contest under the league’s rules, which doesn’t reflect very well on the Warriors, considering that the Kings were shamelessly trying to lose the game.
Still, because it was a close game, it was added to the pool for the NBA’s Last 2 Minute Report. In the L2M, the league combs over every play in the final two minutes of close games, and examines whether the calls that the officials made were correct or not. Just as crucially, it looks from multiple camera angles at the calls that weren’t made, and identifies which ones should have been.
In Sunday’s narrow loss to the Houston Rockets, the league determined that the Warriors were hurt by two non-calls that should have instead been whistles; the Warriors also benefitted from one such play.
But on Tuesday? No issues. After looking over the replay, the league determined that the officials handed the final two minutes of the game just as they should have. No calls were missed, and no calls were incorrectly made.
Of course, that doesn’t absolve the Kings, who purposely fouled Seth Curry with plenty of time left on the clock, raising the eyebrows of a league that is desperately trying to prevent tanking. But that’s a matter for a different day.
Part reflection, part therapy session, the conversation started with Davis’ new hit prank show on TBS, “Foul Play with Anthony Davis.” Green asked the big man why he chose him to prank in the opening episode.
Anthony Davis celebrates as he dunks over New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson. AP
Davis revealed the original idea was to prank Bronny James Jr. and that the plan made its way through through Rich Paul and LeBron James. Davis said it was LeBron’s idea to prank Green instead, believing that Green’s authentic reaction would be better for television.
The topic then turned to revisiting the 2020 championship run inside the Walt Disney World bubble, Davis’ voice shifted.
That title, he said, remains the hardest thing he’s ever done in basketball.
Isolation. Pressure. Silence. No fans to feed off. No escape from the grind.
And when it ended, there was no release.
No parade in Los Angeles. No confetti falling down Figueroa. No victory lap across late-night television circuits and L.A. sporting events.
“I wish I had that,” Davis admitted, the words carrying more weight than the ring itself. The absence of those things that typically come with a title still fuels Davis to this day.
Anthony Davis celebrates after a dunk. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
Davis also revisited his departure from the Pelicans.
He called it “a bad breakup.”
He said he was open to one day returning to New Orleans but that after the organization didn’t give him a tribute video when he returned for his first game as an opponent with the Lakers, that belief changed in him. For a player who gave years to a franchise, that silence cut deeper than boos.
“That was my final straw,” he said, almost matter-of-fact.
Then came the story that still doesn’t feel real.
Davis described the night that shocked the NBA world. When he was traded after midnight eastern time for Luka Doncic.
He said he was half-asleep in bed alongside his wife watching a movie. Rob Pelinka called. He ignored it. By the time he walked downstairs to return Rich Paul’s call, the news had already reached his own kitchen. His chef told him he was being traded to the Mavericks.
At first, Davis thought he was going to join forces with Doncic, a player he always admired and believed would unlock parts of his game that nobody had ever seen before.
“I always told people I wanted to play with him,” said Davis. “He was the next player that could be the closest to LeBron, was Luka, he had the height, he could pass, he could score, all that.”
But then he spoke to Paul, his agent, and was told he was being traded for Luka Doncic.
“I thought it was a joke,” Davis said. “I thought I was on my own show.”
Anthony Davis began his NBA career with the New Orleans Pelicans. Getty Images
The irony wasn’t lost on him.
“I was in shock. I was generally in shock. I couldn’t understand why this was happening,” said Davis who still harbors disappointment that he wasn’t notified of the trade sooner. “I think I deserved more respect than that.”
The aftermath was surreal.
Davis shared that days later, his first night in a Dallas hotel room before his first game with the Mavericks, he received an anonymous note under his door with macarons on the side. A message that read like both a warning and a welcome.
“Dear AD, I hope you’re liking your time in Dallas. Here in Dallas we love Dirk [Nowitzki], BBQ, the Cowboys, and Luka [Doncic]. What we love more than all of that is championships. The boos you’re going to hear, are not for you.”
His time in Dallas never had a chance to breathe.
Injuries robbed him and Kyrie Irving of anything resembling what former Mavericks’ GM Nico Harrison saw when he made the trade. They only played one half together. Harrison was fired, Davis was traded and the vision never materialized.
His first reaction to landing in Washington?
“Damn, Washington?”
Washington Wizards forward Anthony Davis looks on during the first half against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
It was honest and real.
Now, Davis talks about his excitement to build something in the nation’s capital alongside Trae Young and a young core.
Before the conversation ended, Davis rattled off his MVP ballot for this season — Victor Wembanyama at the top, followed by Nikola Jokić, Jaylen Brown, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Doncic. A list that raised eyebrows.
Just like everything else he said.
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Apr 8, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays left fielder Davis Schneider (center) gets doused with ice water by center fielder Myles Straw (3) and first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) after a win over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Dodgers 3 at Blue Jays 4
158 days later, the Jays got the job done. With Shohei Ohtani starting the last game of the series, the Jays took a 4-3 lead to the 9th and finished out the job. Granted, the stakes were slightly smaller this time, but snapping a six game losing streak is no small feat either.
It almost went sideways from the very start. 13 pitches in, Dylan Cease had walked Ohtani and Kyle Tucker with the hear of the Dodger order up. He rebounded with a strikeout, and then a stroke of good fortune as Freeman ripped a low line drive right at Ernie Clement. Tucker was caught breaking and easily doubled off. That same drive on a slightly different vector, and this is potentially a very different game.
Cease was immaculate over the next couple innings, until a Will Smith tapped a soft ground ball on which Okamoto had little shot, but a rushed throw went down the line and put him in scoring position to score on an ensuing Freeman single. Dylan ceased to be as effective from that point, allowing a couple more runners in the 5th, before the 6th went off the rails with a pair of walks sandwiched around yet another Freeman single to load the bases with none out.
So it was Varland time, and he largely limited the damage allowing a sacrifice fly to Teoscar before a timely strikeout and ground out to limit the damage to one run. Alas, Mason Fluharty almost repeated the feat in the 7th with a pair of walk sandwiched around an Ohtani ground out. The Jays turned to Tyler Rogers, who did allow a single for another run, but set down the next five batters to hold the line.
It wasn’t clear at the point it would matter, as the bats were once again pretty quiet. They had some traffic early against Ohtani, but only managed a single run in the 3rd when Jesus Sanchez doubled with two out to drive in Daulton Varsho. Ohtani settled in with a couple clean innings.
Vladdy led off the 7th with a double, but but caught up indecisively ona ground ball to short and was TOOTBLAN’d. Ohtani navigated easily out of the inning, but it was the end of the line. Luckily, for the Dodger bullpen finally sprung a leak.
Davis Schneider worked a nice walk against Jack Dreyer, with Heineman singling to put two on for George Springer. He drove a ball off the wall in right centre to make it 3-2, and Varsho followed with a solid single to knot it. Springer had to hold on third, but with one out it was still a golden opportunity to take the lead. Alas, it was Blake Treinan time and after essentially pitching around Vladdy to load the bases, he too got out of the inning.
The go ahead run was again catalyzed by the Davis Schneider, who again walked with one out in the 8th. Andres Gimenez singled him to third, and finally it the turn of an opposing catcher to mess up a throw in a critical spot as Gimenez took second and the ball got away. Schneider scored, and now it was just a matter of closing out a one run lead in the 9th. And when has that ever been an issue?
And let’s be honest, we are were all worried about some deja vu (in a few ways) with Hoffman coming in. And it was neither easy nor clean with a one single and walk, but he too bore down and got a strikeout and comeabcker to the mound to end it.
Jays of the Day: Schneider (+0.25 WPA), Springer (+0.22), Varsho (+0.18), Hoffman (+0.16), Varland (+0.12), Vlad (+0.11). Rogers (+0.05) falls short of the number, but was critical in holding the line until the bats broke through.
Boo Jays: Okamoto (-0.24) and Clement (-0.14)
It’s a good time for the third offday of the season (technically; the season formally started March 25th with two offdays fore the opener). Hopefully a much healthier team takes the field Friday in Minnesota.
PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 03: Konnor Griffin #6 of the Pittsburgh Pirates in action during his first at bat in his major league debut against the Baltimore Orioles at PNC Park on April 3, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Wednesday was a historic day in Pittsburgh Pirates and Pittsburgh sports history.
It’s a day that will be remembered for what could be the jumpstart of the new era of Pirates baseball.
The Pirates officially signed shortstop Konnor Griffin to a nine-year extension that will keep Griffin under contract through 2034.
ESPN’s Buster Olney initially reported the deal, worth $140 million, on Thursday, hours after it was announced that Griffin was being promoted. Speculation ran rampant when nothing was announced days later, until now.
OFFICIAL: We have signed INF Konnor Griffin to a nine-year contract extension that runs through the 2034 season. pic.twitter.com/eipHszMm6s
The deal has escalators that could reach $150 million and doesn’t include any options or opt outs.
Griffin’s deal is the highest contract ever signed by the Pirates in franchise history, shattering Bryan Reynolds’ eight-year, $106.75 million deal signed in April of 2023.
Only 19-years-old, Griffin signed the deal after only playing five full games in the Major Leagues.
“Konnor represents everything we value in a player — exceptional talent, strong character, a team-first mentality, and a maturity that stood out to all of us from the beginning,” Nutting said. “He is the right person, from the right family.”
Griffin’s mother Kim, father Kevin, younger brother Kaden, and other family members were in attendance as Griffin sat in between Nutting and GM Ben Cherington at the press conference room inside PNC Park to announce the deal.
“This is another important step in the work we have been doing to build a winning team for this year and going forward,” Nutting closed in the statement.
The Pirates are 7-5 and the energy around the team is different. The vibe is different. There is a sense of belief inside and out of the clubhouse that the 2026 Pittsburgh Pirates are bound for something special.
Nutting and the Pirates believed less than a week in Triple-A was enough for Griffin to make his debut and the pieces are in place to contend this season.
“I think there’s a real sense and a belief in what we’ve seen in a small sample size,” Nutting said, sitting next to Griffin. “Konnor, having you with the team now makes a real difference in a year where we not only need to be better, are being better, and have full commitment to a team that’s taken a long time to put the foundation in place.”
Baseball’s top prospect, the Pirates drafted Griffin 9th overall in 2024. He only played 127 games in the minor leagues before receiving the call and becoming the first teen since Aramis Ramirez in 1998 to play for the Bucs.
The Pirates added 69 home runs in Brandon Lowe, Ryan O’Hearn, and Marcell Ozuna this offseason. Griffin hit 21 homers between three levels of the minor leagues.
Nutting made it that he is focused on building a sustainable winner in Pittsburgh.
“The commitment from this organization not only to the team, but to the city of Pittsburgh, to the fans, to reflect how serious I am, and we are, about building and sustaining a winning team here in Pittsburgh,” Nutting said. “The fans deserve it, the fans want it, and we saw on Opening Day and in the ballpark already the level of energy, excitement, passion, and commitment that our fans have to this team.”
The Pirates will pay their shortstop, at minimum, $33 million more than Reynolds over the course of the deal.
Nutting said the contract is, “reflecting the absolute sense of urgency for 2026 to make this team better, now.”
Griffin doubled in his first-career at-bat, driving in the Pirates first run of the season at PNC Park. He displayed his speed one batter later as the Pirates increased the lead on a base hit by Jared Triolo.
In 18 at-bats over six games, Griffin is hitting .167 with four RBIs, two walks, five strikeouts, a .273 on-base percentage.
It’s going to take time for the undisputed No. 1 prospect in the sport to get adjusted to the majors, but Griffin has shown signs of his immense ability and potential in a short sample.
“Since joining the organization, Konnor has consistently demonstrated the traits we want in a Pirate: a daily commitment to improvement, a team-first mindset, and a strong desire to win,” Cherington said in a statement.
Now that the emotions of making his debut have had time to simmer and the deal is done, Griffin can go and play.
He will be depended on as the cornerstone face of the Pirates franchise for the next decade, and has what it takes to be an all-time great player in Pittsburgh.
“He has met every challenge in front of him, and we are excited to watch him continue that growth alongside his teammates in Pittsburgh,” Cherington said. “We are thrilled he will be a Pirate for a long time.”
Apr 6, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Detroit Tigers third baseman Colt Keith (33) looks on after challenging a called strike against the Minnesota Twins in the fifth inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
Detroit Tigers (4-7) vs. Minnesota Twins (5-6)
Time/Place: 7:40 p.m., Target Field SB Nation Site: Twinkie Town Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network Pitching Matchup: LHP Framber Valdez (1-0, 0.75 ERA) vs. RHP Bailey Ober (0-0, 6.75 ERA)
Apr 7, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Jordan Walker (18) hits the ball into play against the Washington Nationals during the fifth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images | Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images
At what point do we switch from saying “it is still early?” to “this is legit”? That is what we tried to figure out with Kevin Wheeler from KMOX on Cardinals on My Time this week with the Redbird Rundown crew.
Wheeler is one of our all-time favorites and oh man, did he have a bunch to say about the progression we are seeing from multiple Cardinals’ players so far in the 2026 season. The main talking point, of course, was outfielder Jordan Walker. Now in his fourth big league season, what we are seeing from Walker is one of the most incredible bounce back stories for a guy who was written off by a large amount of the fanbase. Amazing what a little patience can do, right Mo?
Beyond Walker, we talked Ivan Herrera and Pedro Pages behind the dish, Michael McGreevy’s velocity, Victor Scott’s outfield matched with his inability to hit, and much more! This was a super fun one and we are excited to hear what you think. What is real and what is a mirage thus far in the 2026 season?
DALLAS, TX - APRIL 9: Anthony Davis #3 of the Dallas Mavericks greetes Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers before the game on April 9, 2025 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
While this deal is far from ancient history, enough time has passed that more people are willing to talk about one of the biggest trades to ever happen in sports.
In a recent episode of “The Draymond Green Show,” Davis shared his side of the story, going into detail on the call he had with his agent, Rich Paul, regarding his trade from LA to Dallas.
“So when he [Rich Paul] said ‘traded to Dallas’, I was like, ‘Get the f—out of here.’ And I said, ‘Who the f— they going to trade me for Luka?’ Who else can you trade me for on that team? Mind you, they just went to the Finals.
“And there was never no discussion about ‘man we might get AD out of here’, it was nothing. He was like, ‘They traded you for Luka.’ I’m like, ‘Rich, shut the h–l up. Like what do you want?’ I’m really thinking he’s playing. I’m really thinking he’s just playing. And he was like, ‘Man, I swear.'”
As AD explained, what made the Luka trade so shocking is that the Mavs would even do it. Dončić was coming off an NBA Finals appearance and while they lost that series, most people left that season feeling pretty good about Dallas’ future.
Trading away a generational talent entering their prime without them asking to be moved is essentially unheard of. So, when AD received this news, even the credibility of his own agent wasn’t enough to convince him. Like most basketball aficionados, Davis turned to Shams Charania of ESPN for confirmation.
“I go on X, go straight to Shams’ [Charania] page. Nothing. Go up the stairs, Joel Embiid calls me. Somebody else called me, another player and I’m like wait, hold on. So I go back to Shams’ page and then there it is.”
It took his agent, other players, Pelinka and Shams telling Davis he was no longer a Laker and had been dealt to the Mavs for him to believe it was real.
This trade and all the details about how it came to be will be told for years to come, and thanks to AD sharing his side of the story, another piece to this shocking tale has been told.
Now, AD is a Wizard, Mavs general manager Nico Harrison has been relieved of his duties, Luka will be a Laker for years to come and the course of both franchises has been changed forever.
On a chilly afternoon at Citi Field — even with first pitch moved up three hours for a second straight day because of the numbing forecast — Peterson’s performance quickly transformed the ballpark from refrigerator to freezer.
Buried in a five-run hole early, the Mets never recovered in a 7-2 loss to the Diamondbacks that snapped their four-game winning streak.
Mr. Freeze, whether played by Otto Preminger, George Sanders or Eli Wallach, was Peterson’s equal on this day.
The only redeeming quality of the left-hander’s second straight clunker was he persevered and lasted through the fifth. Overall, he allowed five earned runs on six hits with six strikeouts and two walks.
“A lot of it comes down to leaving balls up and away,” Peterson said.
Manager Carlos Mendoza said he isn’t concerned about Peterson, who struggled against the Giants last week.
“If he’s healthy, which he is, there is no concern,” Mendoza said. “He’s too good of a pitcher, he’s been our guy. We have just got to make a couple of adjustments.”
Sean Manaea, who before the game Mendoza said would remain in the bullpen rather than pitch as part of a six-man rotation, was utilized for an extended relief appearance in a second straight Peterson start.
Manaea threw 70 pitches over four innings on this day to not only save the bullpen for the second time in less than a week, but remain stretched out should the need eventually arise for him to enter the rotation.
David Peterson wears a frustrated expression on the mound during the second inning of the Mets’ 7-2 loss to the Diamondbacks on April 8, 2026 at Citi Field. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Offensively, the Mets mustered only a 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position, in their first loss since Juan Soto departed last Friday’s game.
Soto has since been placed on the injured list with a right calf strain.
Corbin Carroll’s double in the first inning led to the D’backs initial run. Geraldo Perdomo singled and Gabriel Moreno’s sacrifice fly brought in Carroll.
Ketel Marte stroked a bases-loaded RBI single in the second that extended the Mets’ deficit to 2-0.
Mark Vientos walks back to the dugout after striking out during the sixth inning of the Mets’ loss to the Diamondbacks. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Carroll’s ensuing two-run double further buried Peterson, and before the inning was complete, Perdomo’s sacrifice fly gave the D’backs a 5-0 lead. Peterson’s trouble in the inning started with the successive singles he allowed to Ildemaro Vargas and Jose Fernandez.
“Not only are teams super aggressive against him, especially early in counts, but [Peterson] is having a hard time executing pitches glove side, meaning inside to righties and there’s a lot of pitches out over the plate and there’s hard contact there,” Mendoza said. “I thought he made some good adjustments after they got him there in the second inning, but I think it’s just the execution part, for the last couple of turns you have seen that.”
In a moment of levity Mark Vientos signaled the crowd to increase the applause after a mock cheer as he caught Vargas’ pop-up in the third inning. Moments earlier Vientos had misplayed a Vargas pop up in foul territory, extending the at-bat.
Brett Baty’s RBI single in the sixth pulled the Mets to within 5-1. Bo Bichette and Luis Robert Jr. each singled in the inning before Baty delivered his sixth RBI of the season, tying him for the team lead.
Jorge Barrosa’s two-run double (a ball that should have been caught) off Robert’s glove in the eighth inning widened the Mets’ deficit to 7-1. Manaea loaded the bases in the inning by allowing two singles and a walk.
Vientos’ sacrifice fly in the eighth recovered a run after Robert and Baty reached on a single and double, respectively.
Peterson could take a measure of satisfaction in his performance after his rocky two-inning stretch at the start.
“I think the third through the fifth [innings] we did a lot better job,” Peterson said. “I felt a little off mechanically the first two innings. I was able to clean that up and get to where I wanted to be.”
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - APRIL 7: De'Anthony Melton #8 of the Golden State Warriors dribbles the ball during the game against the Sacramento Kings on April 7, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, 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 Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors beat the Sacramento Kings 110-105 on Tuesday night, in a battle between deeply injured teams. Only one team was actively trying to win, though, and that team did, indeed, win.
It wasn’t pretty, though it was for a little while. The Warriors blew a 16-point lead, but recovered to pull off a win, and put a halt to their four-game losing skid.
So let’s grade the players who handled business on Tuesday. As always, grades are based on my expectations for each player, with a “B” grade representing the average performance for that player.
Note: True-shooting percentage (TS) is a scoring efficiency metric that accounts for threes and free throws. League-average TS is 58.1%.
Spencer didn’t have a particularly good game, but there’s still so much value that he provides. The Warriors only used nine players, which included a player on a two-way contract who is fighting through an injury, a player who was healthy for just the eighth time this season, and a player being carefully worked back into the fold after two months on the sidelines.
So while it wasn’t great basketball that Spencer played, it was extremely valuable for Steve Kerr to know he could trust the guard to play 40+ minutes and not make any huge mistakes along the way. And that’s exactly what happened. Spencer ran the offense well, competed on defense, and made a few buckets. His efficiency wasn’t quite as bad as it looks, since he had a few bail-out attempts.
Leons didn’t play well. There’s no sugarcoating that. He’s also been gutting his way through a nasty wrist injury because the Warriors are shy on bodies, and he deserves a whole lot of credit for that.
Grade: A for the toughness Post-game bonus: Worst plus/minus on the team
A lot of good, and a lot of bad for Draymond. The primary takeaway is that it was a strong reminder as to how well he plays with Steph Curry. Steve Kerr synced their minutes up, and it’s just stunning how much chemistry and intelligence they have. It’s just a joy to watch.
But Green also did a lot of things that were not a joy to watch. Some of the turnovers really made you shake your head, and he was a complete non-factor scoring the ball. I also thought his defense wasn’t particularly good, at least by his standards (it’s always good relative to league average).
Grade: C Post-game bonus: Led the team in assists.
Melton had been in a bit of a rut for a while, but he broke out in a massive way in this game. In a game featuring not one, but two players with the surname “Curry” (curname? surryname?), Melton was the best perimeter scorer. His jump shot was buttery, and he was able to get whatever he wanted across the court. And when Sacramento tightened up on him? He found the open teammate for an easy bucket.
Not to be outdone, Podziemski was every bit as valuable a part of Golden State’s starting backcourt as Melton was. This was an exceptionally crafty game for the third-year guard, who not only repeatedly got good looks — either from the field, or by forcing his way to the line — but seemed to do so at the biggest moments. He’s really developing a reputation for stepping up when the team needs him the most, and making shots that shift the momentum in Golden State’s favor.
I especially enjoyed watching Podz use his patented deceleration in this game. Against a Sacramento team that is young, inexperienced, and highly athletic, he was able to get over-eager defenders in the air all night long. It was quite crafty.
No Al Horford? No problem. No Kristaps Porziņģis? No problem. No Quinten Post? No problem.
Bassey played in his second game since joining the organization, and was everything the Dubs needed at the center position. Against a Kings team that was athletic but not very refined, he was able to feast in the paint, rejecting defenders left and right, and hauling in crafty boards. And against a Sacramento squad that is rangy but not strong, he was a downright bully, pushing bodies aside for boards and buckets.
If he can repeat this performance, I’m going to have a lot of crow to eat as I pushed back a bit when fans were clamoring to add him to the roster while he was performing well in Santa Cruz. Hopefully that’s the case,because the Warriors don’t win this game without him.
Grade: A+ Post-game bonus: Led the team in rebounds.
Steve Kerr had the Curry brothers share the court for most of Seth’s minutes, and it was more than a feel-good story. It was a reminder that the Warriors system works so much better when there are two dead-eye shooters in it. A system designed for Steph Curry and Klay Thompson isn’t quite the same when you swap out Mychal Thompson’s son for Dell Curry’s youngest, but it certainly was beautiful.
Seth got a lot of open looks thanks to Steph, and he’s going to make them at a high clip. Don’t let the constant injuries or bench role fool you: he’s still one of the game’s elite shooters.
Grade: A Post-game bonus: Best plus/minus on the team.
A very solid GPII game. His offense has really been so good lately — the timing on his cuts is impeccable, and he’s greatly improved his finishing at the rim, as well as his passing. It wasn’t a good defensive game for the Warriors, but Payton was the exception there, as he had a very strong game.
Curry wasn’t quite as dynamic in this game as he was in his return to action on Sunday. Perhaps that was due to a little soreness after his first game in two months, or maybe it was just because Golden State didn’t need him to play as big of a hero role to win the game. He mostly lived on the perimeter, and didn’t attack the rim very much at all, with just one shot inside the arc, and no free throws earned inside it (his three trips to the charity line were a couple of four-point plays and a technical free throw).
Still, his shooting was dynamic, he got in on the action rebounding, and he had a few nice defensive plays. Given that he’s still playing his way back into shape, it was a strong game.
Grade: B
Doug Christie
The Kings are eliminated, and to attempt to work around the league’s new anti-tanking rules, Kings coach Doug Christie tried something new: intentionally fouling Seth Curry late in the game, sending a career 86.4% free throw shooter to the line under the guise of trying to win.
I get that draft picks are more valuable than winning meaningless April games, and I understand that coaches are under pressure from front offices to find creative ways to lose, and sure, it helped the Warriors. But please, have a little respect for the game. That was just pathetic.
Grade: F
Tuesday’s incatives: Jimmy Butler III, LJ Cryer, Al Horford, Moses Moody, Kristaps Porziņģis, Quinten Post, Will Richard, Gui Santos, Nate Williams
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - NOVEMBER 28: Nickeil Alexander-Walker #7 of the Atlanta Hawks moves the ball as Dean Wade #32 and Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers attempt to steal in the first quarter during the 2025-26 Emirates Cup at State Farm Arena on November 28, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Paras Griffin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers are starting their preferred starting five of James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen. This should be a good test against the Atlanta Hawks.
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