PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 23: Jeremiyah Love of Notre Dame arrives prior to the 2026 NFL Draft on April 23, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With two hours until the 2026 NFL Draft gets underway, there are a bevy of rumors flying around not just about your Arizona Cardinals, but about a number of teams heading into the draft.
Let’s check out the latest rumors and how that could impact the Cardinals.
The #AZCardinals will be staring at Jeremiyah Love vs. a trade back. Shades of 2023 when the #Texans came up to 3 for Will Anderson. Fascinating pivot point tonight. As for the #Titans, they feel good about a cluster of players so sliding back and still getting one is tempting. https://t.co/8sMipckoLd
The smoke on the Arizona Cardinals taking Jeremiyah Love continues to build, and the reality seems to be, if they do not get a deal they love, they will take the Notre Dame running back at three.
FWIW, I believe the Arizona Cardinals will trade pick #3 tonight, regardless of the pass rusher available.
I think there's a good chance the parameters of a deal are already done.
If they end up making the pick, I believe it will be Jeremiyah Love.
If they can't trade down, the Cardinals are right now who the league thinks for Jeremiyah Love."@PSchrags on the latest with Arizona at pick #3. pic.twitter.com/8SuJZx6fvA
This would probably be the best thing for the Cardinals. In DJ’s mock draft he has the Cardinals going down to eight and the Saints giving up their 2027 first round pick as well.
Brian Baldinger just said on NFL Network that he believes that the #Commanders will trade up for RB Jeremiyah Love 👀
Are the Cardinals doing a good enough job convincing people they will take Love that now teams are calling to check-in?
“Do the Cardinals feel like they need to leapfrog the Jets at pick #33?”@RapSheet with the very latest on QB Ty Simpson ahead of the NFL Draft. pic.twitter.com/H3ahygOU7Q
Are the Jets and others doing a good job of making the Cardinals feel like they need to overpay for a quarterback?
"There have been teams calling, trying to come up. If the Cardinals can get the right price, they would move out of three."@AdamSchefter on the #AZCardinals. 👀
SAN FRANCISCO — There’s no such thing as a “must-win” game in late April. Especially not for a team like the Dodgers, who entered Thursday with the second-best record in the majors at 16-8.
Still, after the Dodgers lost four of their previous five and faced a potential sweep at the hands of the Giants, LA manager Dave Roberts did his best to conjure some renewed urgency.
“We got to win today,” he said before the club’s series finale at Oracle Park.
Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow allowed one hit and struck out nine in eight innings Thursday against the Giants. AP
And in a 3-0 victory, that attitude was evident — both in the way Roberts managed and the way his team played.
On Thursday morning, Roberts shuffled his lineup, moving the slumping Kyle Tucker down the batting order. He also bypassed the temptation to give Shohei Ohtani a day off, despite his six-inning pitching start the night before. Roberts’ hope was that such moves would kick-start a recently scuffling season and salvage something from the end of a road trip in which the team had already clinched a losing overall record.
“I do think that it’ll turn,” Roberts said.
It did, just enough.
Though the Dodgers (17-8) didn’t exactly break out at the plate Thursday, Tyler Glasnow made sure they didn’t really need to, dominating over eight scoreless innings in one of his best starts with the team.
The lineup, meanwhile, manufactured offense when needed, tagging Giants ace Logan Webb with three runs over seven innings.
“Across the board,” Roberts said, “just a well-played baseball game.”
Dodgers reliever Tanner Scott handled the team’s first save opportunity since closer Edwin Diaz went on the injured list. AP
In both their rallies, the Dodgers relied on aggressive baserunning and improved situational at-bats.
In the second inning, Max Muncy walked, stayed out of a potential double play by running on a full-count pitch Andy Pages hit on the ground, then scored on Dalton Rushing’s RBI single.
In the fourth, Tucker snapped out of his slump by hitting a leadoff double. Muncy also doubled in the next at-bat to bring him home. Then Muncy scored on an aggressive send from third base coach Dino Ebel, who wisely tested Heliot Ramos’ weak arm in left field on an RBI single from Hyeseong Kim.
From there, Glasnow went into cruise control while protecting the 3-0 lead. After working around a walk in the first inning, he faced the minimum over the next seven frames, finishing with nine strikeouts and only one hit allowed (which was erased on a double-play ball) in what was the third scoreless eight-inning start in his MLB career.
And in the ninth, Tanner Scott handled the Dodgers’ first save opportunity since closer Edwin Díaz went on the injured list — ensuring that, on a day Roberts felt the Dodgers had to win, they did.
What it means
The Dodgers only went 3-4 on this Denver/San Francisco road trip but at least finished it with some confidence.
They are now one win behind the Braves for the most victories in the majors. They also denied the Giants (11-14) what would have been their first sweep in this rivalry matchup since 2023.
The Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman (center) and teammates celebrate the victory Thursday in San Francisco. AP
Who’s hot
Glasnow, who has looked increasingly impressive with each start this season.
On Thursday, the right-hander relied heavily on a sinker he has slowly reincorporated into his arsenal since coming to Los Angeles three years ago. He used the pitch almost half the time. It accounted for six of his 16 total whiffs.
“Some days the four-seam works, some days the two-seam works,” Glasnow said. “It’s just having another option to go to … It just [gives opposing batters] so much to cover. And then I can play my slider and my curveball off of those. So it’s really helped me out a lot.”
Indeed, Glasnow also mixed in the rest of his arsenal to effect against the Giants, retiring the final 14 batters he faced while matching his season high for strikeouts.
His ERA is now 2.45, after allowing just one run in 17 innings over two starts on this trip.
His only real regret Thursday? Not pushing to go for a first career complete game with his pitch count only at 105.
“I feel like I should have fought a little harder,” he joked. “But, yeah, that’s fine. I know we have a good ‘pen.”
Who’s not
Tucker got himself out of this category by going 2-for-4. A couple guys hitting in front of him, however, did not.
Teoscar Hernández suffered an 0-for-4 performance Thursday, punctuating a dreadful 2-for-24 showing on this road trip. His batting average is now down to .244.
Ohtani also failed to get aboard for a second straight contest, following his 53-game on-base streak. He struck out twice in an 0-for-5 that dropped his season average to .245.
“He’s expanding down,” Roberts said of Ohtani. “It’s just really hard to slug on balls at the bottom of the zone, and that’s what he’s doing. If we can get him back at the belt and swing at those balls, you’ll see the production.”
Up next
There’s no off day for the Dodgers this week. They return home Friday to open a weekend series with the Cubs, continuing a stretch of 13 games in a row. Emmet Sheehan (2-0, 5.85 ERA) will start against right-hander Jameson Taillon (1-1, 3.97 ERA).
It's often said that in a best-of-seven series, you're never really in trouble until you lose a game at home. But it can also be said that if you're down 0-2, it forces you to go 4-1 in the final five games.
That second statement sounds a lot like trouble.
But if there's a team this season that's shown the resilience needed to pull that off, it's the Ottawa Senators.
The series shifts to Ottawa for Game 3 on Thursday night, where the crowd will be loud, and their All Heart, AllIn rally towels will be waving.
The Senators announced at their game day skate that they've swapped out a pair of their depth defensemen for Game 3.
Tyler Kleven is well enough to play after taking an early-April puck to the face in a game against the Buffalo Sabres. After skating for almost a week now, he'll take Dennis Gilbert's spot while Ottawa native Cam Crotty plays in his first NHL playoff game, subbing in for Lassi Thomson.
Here's the Senators' projected lineup:
Brady Tkachuk -- Tim Stutzle -- Drake Batherson
Ridly Greig -- Dylan Cozens -- Claude Giroux
Warren Foegele -- Shane Pinto -- Mike Amadio
Nick Cousins -- Lars Eller -- Fabian Zetterlund
Jake Sanderson -- Nikolas Matinpalo
Thomas Chabot -- Jordan Spence
Tyler Kleven -- Cameron Crotty
Linus Ullmark
James Reimer
If Ottawa gets a lead, this alignment probably won't change much. If Carolina gets the lead and the Sens are suddenly staring at the possibility of being down 0-3 in the series, then everything is on the table, including a very short bench.
Because a loss will all but end their season. NHL teams that take a 3-0 series lead have a tidy 209-4 record.
As a sidebar, if you're going to the game, there's a decent chance that Sens veteran Claude Giroux or one of his kids put the towel on your seat.
All hands on deck!
The Giroux’s and their teammates came out and helped fill the stands with #Sens@FullscriptHQ rally towels for tonight’s game!
Feb 28, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) dribbles upcourt against the Golden State Warriors in the first quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit:...
Austin Reaves could make his return to the court during the Lakers’ playoff series against the Rockets. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Reaves has been seen shooting after practices over the last week, including after Thursday’s practice at the team’s practice facility before the team left for Houston.
Thursday marked three weeks since Reaves suffered the oblique injury, which usually takes 4-6 weeks to heal.
When asked about Reaves’ progress Thursday, coach JJ Redick said: “The progression is going.”
Reaves averaged a career-high 23.3 points to go with 5.5 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.1 steals in a career-low 51 games after missing significant time in December and January because of a calf strain.
He has a $14.9 million player option for 2026-27 that he’s expected to decline, making him an unrestricted free agent this offseason with the expectation of a significant pay raise.
The Lakers are up 2-0 in their playoff series against the Rockets.
Rockets star Kevin Durant is questionable for Game 3 because of a sprained left ankle. Durant missed Game 1 because of a right knee contusion.
Feb 11, 2026; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets pitcher Christian Scott (46) pitches during spring training. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
Mets lineup
Bo Bichette – 3B Juan Soto – DH Francisco Alvarez – C Luis Robert – CF Brett Baty – RF Mark Vientos – 1B Marcus Semien – 2B Ronny Mauricio – SS Carson Benge – LF
Christian Scott – RHP
Twins lineup
Byron Buxton – CF Trevor Larnach – LF Josh Bell – DH Ryan Jeffers – C Kody Clemens – 1B Austin Martin – RF Luke Keaschall – 2B Brooks Lee – SS Tristan Gray – 3B
Joe Ryan – RHP
Broadcast info
First pitch: 7:10 PM EDT TV: SNY Radio: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App, 92.3 HD2
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - MARCH 13: Thomas Haugh #10 of the Florida Gators celebrates a basket against the Kentucky Wildcats during the second half in the quarterfinal game of the 2026 SEC Men's Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 13, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Carly Mackler/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Haugh announced he’s returning to Florida for his senior season on Wednesday. It’s a stunning decision that positions the Gators as the likely preseason No. 1 in the polls and the favorite for the 2027 national championship. Highly-regarded teammate Alex Condon also announced he was returning to school, and fellow Gators big man Rueben Chinyelu is testing the draft process but did not enter the transfer portal. It feels more likely than not that Chinyelu will return to Gainesville alongside Haugh and Condon to reunite a key trio on Florida’s 2024 national championship team.
Haugh is expected to be among the highest earners in college basketball next season, with sources familiar with the decision projecting that he’s in line to make around what he’d earn in his first two NBA seasons combined if he’d been drafted in the top 20 in this year’s draft
To my knowledge, Dybantsa is the highest paid college basketball player ever, and it’s likely Haugh just surpassed him. CBS insider Matt Norlander speculated that Haugh will make at least $8 million at Florida next season based on Vecenie’s report.
Thomas Haugh might've been a top-15 pick. Instead, he agreed to an NIL deal that will pay "around" what he'd make in his first *two* NBA seasons, per @Sam_Vecenie. The means at least $8 million for one more year at Florida—making him one of the highest-paid college athletes ever. pic.twitter.com/kPXm1UTVG2
The 2027 NBA Draft is considered much weaker than the 2026 version. That means Haugh shouldn’t fall too far, right? I’m not quite sold yet. Haugh seems to have nothing to gain by returning to Florida, where he’s already won a national championship and proven himself as a decent 3-and-D wing. If NBA scouts already considered him a lottery pick, he probably should have gone to the NBA, because I think it’s highly possible his stock isn’t that high next year even in a worse class.
There were some red flags in Haugh’s draft profile this past season. He posted a 1.8 percent steal rate in back-to-back seasons, which is well below the 2.5 percent threshold scouts like to see as a baseline for athleticism. He wasn’t a particularly strong rebounder on either end, posting a seven percent offensive rebound rate, and a 12.3 percent defensive rebound rate, which are just average numbers. His outside shooting wasn’t that good either with a 32.6 percent stroke from three-point range on 178 attempts. His rim finishing was solid at 62.1 percent with 57.5 percent of those being assisted, but those numbers certainly aren’t spectacular.
Florida is probably going to be really, really good, and Haugh will probably do well in his role. But unless he shows something new in his game like Lendeborg did, it’s possible scouts get another look at his skill set and decide he never should have been a lottery pick in the first place.
Thomas Haugh’s biggest risk in returning is about his second NBA contract
The real money in the NBA is in your second contract. If a player is good enough, it makes any NIL money or rookie scale NBA deal look like chump change.
By returning to Florida, Haugh will now be 28 years old by the time he’s ready to sign a second contract after his four-year rookie deal expires. That contract will take Haugh into his early 30s. Compare that with projected top-3 pick Cameron Boozer, who is four years younger than Haugh, and will only be 24 years old when he signs his second deal and really cashes in with huge NBA money. Teams will always think a young player has more upside. By your early 30s, most players are already starting to decline.
Haugh’s decision could work out well. Maybe he shoots it better and improves his rebounding, and maintains his stock as a lottery pick as Florida marches through the bracket for the second time in his college career. Maybe the NBA is underwhelmed by the incoming class of freshmen and decides it is worth it to swing on older players higher in the draft.
Age is the clearest defining line in sports, especially as it relates to upside. To me, Haugh should have turned pro if he was really going to be a top-15 pick. Yes, the NBA will always be there for him, but that doesn’t mean it will definitely value him the same way.
Either way, good for Haugh for following his heart and his bank account by deciding to stay in college. The NBA is an unforgiving league, and next season should feel like a joyride for the Gators based on their talent and experience … at least until the single-elimination postseason starts.
It’s wild to think Thomas Haugh will make $8+ million next year. That’s about what Tre Johnson made as a rookie after being the No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. NIL dollars are overpowering NBA money, at least in the short term. Haugh cashed in at a historic level.
The Utah Mammoth grabbed home-ice advantage with a Game 2 win and now welcome the Vegas Golden Knights to the Delta Center with a chance to seize the series lead on Friday, April 24.
My Golden Knights vs. Mammoth predictions and NHL picks, however, have Vegas spoiling the moment with a high-scoring win on the road.
Puck drop is set for 9:30 p.m. ET from the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, with the game airing on TBS and Sportsnet 360.
UPDATE: Added a prediction for who will win tonight.
Golden Knights vs Mammoth Game 3 prediction
Who will win Golden Knights vs Mammoth Game 3?
Vegas Golden Knights: This has the makings of a back-and-forth series, as the Mammoth can drive possession and generate more quality scoring chances than the Golden Knights for stretches.
Still, I’m anticipating Vegas rebounding with a road win after Utah scored three soft goals in their Game 2 victory.
Golden Knights vs Mammoth best bet: Over 5.5 (-125)
Both the Vegas Golden Knights and Utah Mammoth have mounted dangerous pushes in this series, with 11 goals and 12.39 expected goals through the first two games.
There’s ample scoring punch on both teams, and I’m not confident in the goaltending.
Vegas No. 1 Carter Hart allowed three goals on 29 shots in Game 2, and I’m anticipating him hovering around a .900 SV% through the remainder of the series following an unsustainable stretch where he posted a .932 mark across seven games after returning from injury.
Similarly, Utah starter Karel Vejmelka has allowed three goals or more in six of his past eight starts with an .880 SV% dating back to the regular season.
Golden Knights vs Mammoth Game 3 same-game parlay
While there’s a lot to like about Utah evening the series in Game 2, a look at the tape reveals all three goals the Mammoth scored probably shouldn’t have ended up in the back of the net.
Of course, Vegas has also been the better team at 5-on-5 with a 55.5% Corsi For percentage (CF%) and 52.8% expected goals percentage (xG).
Additionally, while I’m not all in on Hart, this is a low saves total after he stopped 57 of 62 shots through the first two games, and the Mammoth ranked fourth in CF% at 5-on-5 on home ice during the regular season.
Golden Knights vs Mammoth SGP
Golden Knights moneyline
Over 5.5
Carter Hart Over 23.5 saves
Golden Knights vs Mammoth Game 3 goal scorer pick
Jack Eichel (+220)
Golden Knights star Jack Eichel has only found the back of the net three times across his past 11 games, dating back to the regular season, despite racking up an impressive 54 shots, 17 high-danger scoring chances, and 5.97 individual expected goals.
He’s pacing Vegas forwards in ice time during the series, and his 5.6% shooting percentage during the highlighted stretch is miles below the 11.7% mark he posted across his previous 265 regular-season games.
Golden Knights vs Mammoth odds for Game 3
Moneyline: Golden Knights -110 | Mammoth -110
Puck Line: Golden Knights -1.5 (+220) | Mammoth +1.5 (-285)
Over/Under: Over 5.5 (-125) | Under 5.5 (+105)
Golden Knights vs Mammoth trend
The Utah Mammoth have hit the Over in 10 of their last 14 games (+5.60 Units / 35% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Golden Knights vs. Mammoth.
How to watch Golden Knights vs Mammoth Game 3
Location
Delta Center, Salt Lake City, UT
Date
Friday, April 24, 2026
Puck drop
9:30 p.m. ET
TV
TBS, Sportsnet 360
Golden Knights vs Mammoth latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Dodgers' Tyler Glasnow pitches to a San Francisco Giants batter during the sixth inning Thursday in San Francisco. (Godofredo A. Vásquez / Associated Press)
But the pitcher who delivered the best start of this series against the San Francisco Giants, and the one that stood tall between the Giants and what would have been a humiliating sweep, was Tyler Glasnow.
Glasnow stopped the Giants cold over eight innings, allowing one hit — a single — and facing one batter over the minimum.
He has made 133 major league starts and 130 minor league starts, but he never has pitched a complete game. This could have been his chance, but the Dodgers decided a season-high 105 pitches from an oft-injured pitcher was enough for this afternoon.
Tanner Scott got the first save situation since the Dodgers lost closer Edwin Díaz to elbow surgery, and last year’s fallen closer redeemed himself for a day. He worked a perfect ninth inning for the first of what might be quite a few saves this season.
In 10 ⅔ innings this season, Scott has given up one run and one walk, with nine strikeouts. His earned-run average is 0.84.
The Dodgers concluded a 3-4 trip to Colorado and San Francisco, the teams projected to finish in the bottom two spots in the National League West. Up next: the Chicago Cubs, winners of nine consecutive games.
Ohtani went hitless again, but Dalton Rushing singled home one run in the second inning and Hyeseong Kim singled home another in the fourth. The Dodgers also scored on an error in the fourth.
Kyle Tucker, whose average had fallen to .233 entering play Thursday, ignited the two-run rally in the fourth with a double and delivered his first two-hit game in 17 days.
On the day after he said he had no answer to explain Tucker’s struggles, manager Dave Roberts tried a remedy. Roberts flipped Tucker with Freddie Freeman in the batting order, moving Freeman up to second and dropping Tucker to fourth and saying Freeman and Tucker would remain in those spots “for the foreseeable future.”
Said Roberts: “I definitely expect him to come out of it and hit, get on base and do what he's done for many years. I just wanted to change it up, and felt like it was time.”
The Dodgers did not leave town without a hint of bad blood between them and their traditional rivals. On Tuesday, cameras caught Rushing muttering something after looking back at the Giants’ Jung Hoo Lee, who was in discomfort after an awkward slide at home plate. Rushing had tagged out Lee and was headed back to the dugout when he turned back to see Lee on the ground, then kept going.
Rushing did not play Wednesday. On Thursday, in his third plate appearance, Rushing was hit by a pitch from San Francisco starter Logan Webb.
Rushing did not appear pleased. When the following batter, Kim, grounded to second base, Rushing threw up his hands and slid away from the base to try and prevent shortstop Willy Adames from completing the double play.
The second-base umpire pointed at Rushing and awarded the Giants with the double play. The first-base umpire ruled the Giants had completed the double play anyway, since Adames’ throw beat Kim to first base.
Apr 23, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow (31) pitches the ball against the San Francisco Giants during the sixth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images | Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images
It took three games for the Dodgers to find any semblance of offense in San Francisco, and they managed to beat the Giants best starter to do it, salvaging a game behind a dominant Tyler Glasnow on getaway day Thursday in a 3-0 win at Oracle Park.
Glasnow allowed only a single and a walk, and another batter reached on an error. Groundball double plays erased two of those runners, which meant Glasnow only faced one over the minimum in his eight scoreless innings. That matched the longest outing of his career, the fourth time he’s done it and first since April 21, 2024 against the New York Mets.
San Francisco only batted twice with a runner in scoring position, both in the first inning after Luis Arráez stole second base with one out. But Glasnow struck out both Matt Chapman and Rafael Devers to end the only real threat against him.
Glasnow, who allowed three hits to the Colorado Rockies and Giants in 15 innings in his two starts on the road trip, struck out nine batters batters on Thursday, lowering his ERA to 2.45 to go with his 31.7-percent strikeout rate and team-leading 38 strikeouts against only seven walks this season.
Max Muncy walked in the second inning against Logan Webb, and advanced to second on a groundout. Dalton Rushing, getting his second start behind the plate in the series in a day game following a night contest, singled home Muncy with two outs.
It was the Dodgers’ second run of the series, but their first run-scoring hit, and all it took was 20 innings and 77 plate appearances to get it.
A pair of doubles by Kyle Tucker and Muncy, on the first two pitches of the fourth inning, set the stage for the Dodgers’ first multi-run inning of the series. It was a bit comical though that it took a throwing error by center fielder Drew Gilbert for that second double to score the first. That’s because Muncy tattooed the ball 107.7 mph directly off the wall, and Tucker held up to see if it was caught. Perhaps it was the universe recognizing Muncy’s bizarre eight-homer, nine-RBI stat line this season, and simply wanting those vibes to continue, as Muncy did not get a run batted in on the play.
Glasnow has completed at least six innings in all five of his starts this year. Combined with Yoshinobu Yamamoto (five starts) and Shohei Ohtani (four), the Dodgers’ top three starters have lasted at least six innings in all 14 outings thus far in 2026. That’ll get it done.
The losing road trip now complete, the Dodgers return home to face the Chicago Cubs beginning Friday night (7:15 p.m., Apple TV). Emmet Sheehan starts the opener, with Jameson Taillon on the mound for Chicago.
Apr 23, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs center fielder Matt Shaw (6) steals second base as Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Bryson Stott (5) stands nearby during the fifth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images
The Phillies finally showed some signs of life, but nevertheless they still couldn’t manage to finally break their losing streak, which has now extended to nine games. They erased a 6-2 deficit and tied it at 7-7 in the ninth, but ultimately, they couldn’t find a way to win in extras while Dansby Swanson walked it off for the Cubs to win 8-7. Brandon Marsh went 4-5 with two home runs and three RBIs in a losing effort.
Dansby Swanson wins a wild one in #WALKOFF fashion!
Marsh’s first homer gave the Phillies the lead in the second inning, but Cristopher Sánchez quickly surrendered the lead in what would become a recurring theme for Phillies pitchers all day. It took the Cubs just three batters to tie the game after a Carson Kelly double, a Michael Bush single, and a Swanson sacrifice fly. It only got worse for Sánchez from there, as the Cubs hammered him for 6 runs and an eye-popping 12 hits in just 5.1 innings, both tying his career worst. Two of those hits were home runs, with the biggest one being a three-run blast from Busch in the third that extended the deficit to 4-1.
Marsh once again came through and singled in a run in the fourth to cut that deficit in half, but Sánchez again immediately gave that run right back on a home run to Ian Happ as the second batter of the bottom of the fourth. Busch would add another RBI in the sixth, this time with a single off of Chase Shugart who was on in relief of Sánchez.
But instead of rolling over, the Phillies showed a spark for the first time in weeks in the seventh, starting when Marsh tallied his second homer to cut the score to 6-3. Bryson Stott and Alec Bohm followed with a single and a double to put two runners on with one out. That’s when Justin Crawford hit a weak grounder to third baseman Alex Bregman, but Bregman launched the throw past Busch at first, allowing Stott to score and Bohm to go to third. Garrett Stubbs then successfully drove in Bohm with a sacrifice fly to draw the Phillies within one before Trea Turner flew out on the first pitch he saw to end the inning.
The eighth inning brought another Phillies rally, this time started by an impressive nine pitch walk by Bryce Harper against Hoby Milner with one out. Felix Reyes then grounded into a force out and was substituted with Dylan Moore who successfully stole second to put the tying run in scoring position. It was now Marsh’s turn to work an impressive at bat against the “nasty” left-hander Milner, fouling off four pitches and heading to first after eight pitches. Right hander Jacob Webb entered to face the pinch-hitting Edmundo Sosa, who lined the first pitch back up the middle to tie the game at 6-6. Bohm picked up the third walk of the inning for the Phillies to load the bases, but Crawford struck out to end the threat.
Once again though, the Phillies pitching failed to get a shutdown inning, as Seiya Suzuki homered on just the second pitch thrown by Brad Keller, a center cut 95 MPH fastball. Keller was then able to retire the next three hitters, but the Phillies once again trailed by one. Except this time, they answered right back as well, as pinch-hitting Adolis Garcia homered to left field off of Cubs acting closer Caleb Thielbar in the ninth, once again tying the score at 7-7.
Turner and Kyle Schwarber followed with walks to put two on with still no outs. Harper hit a ball just off the end of the bat that went for a fly ball that moved Turner to third with one out, but Moore and Marsh were unable to bring the go-ahead run home.
José Alvarado worked around a one out double to Moisés Ballesteros in the bottom of the ninth to send the game to extras. With Marsh serving as the ghost runner, Sosa, Bohm, and Crawford failed to get the run home, leaving the game tied. Tanner Banks entered to pitch the bottom of the 10th and intentionally walked Suzuki before allowing a single to Kelly to load the bases. Banks was able to strike out Busch after a challenge but couldn’t finish off Swanson despite being in an 0-2 count, as the Cubs shortstop successfully got the ball to the outfield to win the game and finish off the four game sweep.
Tomorrow’s matchup
The Phillies will once again look to snap their losing streak when they send Andrew Painter (1-1, 4.42) to the mound in Atlanta to face Grant Holmes (1-1, 3.42). First pitch is scheduled for 7:15 pm.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 02: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Cam Schlittler #31 of the New York Yankees celebrates with his parents after defeating the Boston Red Sox in game three of the American League Wild Card Series at Yankee Stadium on October 02, 2025 in New York City. The Yankees defeated the Red Sox 4-0. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees have already locked up the series win, but Thursday evening presents a bigger opportunity. New York enters Fenway Park looking for its first three-game sweep there since September 2021, and a chance to keep momentum rolling against their longtime rivals.
The formula through the first two games has been simple and effective: dominant pitching paired with one right-handed bat carrying the offense each night. On Tuesday, Luis Gil led the charge and Giancarlo Stanton powered the attack in a 4-0 victory, going 2-for-4 with a home run, double, three RBIs, and scoring the Yankees’ other run. On Wednesday, Max Fried tossed a gem and Amed Rosario took the baton in a 4-1 win, going 1-for-1 with a homer, a walk, and a sacrifice fly, collectively accounting for all four RBIs.
Now it will be Cam Schlittler’s turn to try to keep the Red Sox run total drier than an unsoaked bean. The Walpole, Massachusetts native gets the start close to home after becoming a postseason breakout story last October with his Wild Card heroics against these very Red Sox. It is another spotlight moment for the young right-hander, this time in front of a friendly local crowd at Fenway.
Plenty has been said about how Boston fans have treated Schlittler and his family this week. Frankly, I am surprised any of them were willing to pipe up after his playoff performance last October. Some still have, though, so here is hoping Schlittler gives them another reason to go quiet tonight.
Schlittler will face a Boston lineup that is still struggling to start the season. The Red Sox rank 26th in runs scored and 23rd in batting average. Schlittler has dazzled through his first five starts of 2026, posting a 2-1 record with a 1.95 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 27.2 innings.
Boston had originally lined up Brayan Bello for this game, but his scheduled start was pushed back a day after Sonny Gray landed on the injured list. That move could open the door for top prospect Payton Tolle to get the ball. Tolle nearly made the rotation out of spring training before losing the final spot to Tuesday’s starter, Connelly Early.
Tolle is an imposing presence at 6-foot-6 and 250 pounds. The big left-hander was selected in the second round out of TCU in 2024. This will be his first MLB appearance of the season. Last year, Tolle got his first taste of the majors, making three starts and appearing in seven games overall as a September call-up.
Tolle was a two-way star in college but has focused solely on pitching as a professional. He features an upper-90s fastball and mixes in a slider, changeup, and cutter. He has overwhelmed minor-league hitters, ranking third in strikeout rate (37 percent) and fourth in strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.8) among pitchers with at least 90 innings.
The Yankees lineup card has a new look tonight. Cody Bellinger gets the evening off, and with his usual middle-of-the-order presence out of the mix, the batting order takes on a different flow.
Other than perhaps Tim Hill, no offseason addition has outperformed expectations quite like Rosario, and tonight he gets the leadoff assignment. He is followed by Aaron Judge, Ben Rice, Stanton, and Randal Grichuk, giving the Yankees a top half loaded with right-handed thunder while Rice’s left-handed bat breaks it up in the middle.
Call it the Righties and Rice configuration. With Boston turning to a left-hander, the Yankees are leaning into matchup advantages, and the hot hand of Rosario sits right at the top. Who will be the hero tonight?
A series at Fenway is never routine and sweeps there are never easy. If the Yankees can get one more sharp effort on the mound and another timely performance from someone at the plate, they will head to Houston atop the American League East and with a seven-game lead over last-place Boston in the standings.
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 23: Ozzie Albies #1 of the Atlanta Braves slide safely into home to score a run in the seventh inning during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Thursday, April 23, 2026 in Washington, District of Columbia. (Photo by Alyssa Piazza/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
For the Nats big name players, today was a productive game. However, it did not come in a winning effort, with the Nats dropping this one 7-2. In a surprise to absolutely nobody, the bullpen could not hold down the fort. Cionel Perez and Gus Varland did not have it in a damaging 7th inning for the Nats.
The Nats were facing JR Ritchie, who was making his MLB debut. James Wood gave him quite the rude introduction by sending Ritchie’s first ever MLB pitch over the wall. The wide eyed 22 year old managed to shake that off and cool off this red hot Nats offense though. Ritchie went 7 innings, only allowing two runs in an impressive performance.
This Nats offense has been elite so far, but even the best offenses have off nights. However, when the offense is not firing, they cannot lean on this pitching staff. So far this season, the Nats pitching staff has been disastrous, allowing the most runs in the league. Some games it is the starters, but today it was the bullpen.
The starting pitching was actually excellent today. Cade Cavalli had his best start of the young season, and arguably the best one of his career. While he only went five innings, he struck out a career high 10 hitters and did not walk anybody. It was a huge step forward for the 27 year old who has been up and down to start the season.
In this one it felt like Cavalli was going right after guys from the jump. He leaned heavily on his two fastballs and his curve in this one. It felt like Cavalli was getting back to the basics and pitching to his strengths. His velocity also looked really good, averaging over 97 on the four-seamer and touching 99.
He threw too many pitches over the heart of the plate in the fourth inning, which the Braves punished. Besides that, Cavalli was outstanding. He still needs to give the Nats more length, but a 4.01 ERA is not too shabby. If he throws the ball like he did today on a consistent basis, he will have a lot of success.
Speaking of success, CJ Abrams finally showed up again after a quiet homestand. In the bottom of the 4th, Abrams took young JR Ritchie yard to tie the game. He was in a 2/27 drought, but he responded in a big way today. Abrams can be prone to slumping, but I think this skid has more to do with bad luck than anything else.
CJ Abrams just snapped out of a 2-for-27 skid by belting his 7th HR. The ball traveled 426-feet. pic.twitter.com/HkKw8oY2U3
Those two homers were all the offense the Nats could muster today though. It was an off game for this usually electric unit. They only had five hits, with four of them coming from Wood, Abrams and Daylen Lile. The supporting cast just did not get anything going today.
That theme also extended to the mound. It was a good start for the bullpen, with Richard Lovelady firing a scoreless inning. However, Cionel Perez and Gus Varland were off their game today for two different reasons.
Perez was not throwing enough strikes, while Varland was throwing pitches over the heart of the plate too often. That combination led to a four run inning for the Braves, which proved decisive. The Nats dropped to 11-15 and 3-10 at home.
They will hit the road to face a rebuilding White Sox team. This will be a good measuring stick series. If they can avoid throwing meatballs to Munetaka Murakami, I like our chances. However, Murakami has been on a roll lately and is a star rookie. The road has treated the Nats well so far this year and hopefully that continues.
The Philadelphia 76ers have stolen home court advantage from the Boston Celtics as this Round 1 series swings to the City of Brotherly Love for Game 3.
Despite that, Boston is a sizable road favorite, and my Celtics vs. 76ers predictions expect the road team to return serve and get their groove back from beyond the arc.
The Boston Celtics are one of the best bounce-back teams in the Association, boasting a 20-6 SU record when coming off a loss this season and a long-term 59-13 SU mark following a defeat over the past three years. That includes a 6-1 SU record after a loss in the NBA Playoffs.
A big part of Boston’s troubles in Game 2 was missed 3-pointers. Derrick White has been chilly from beyond the arc to start this series, shooting just 4-for-17 from distance. However, he’s getting plenty of open looks, and projections lean toward three triples from White in Game 3.
Jaylen Brown dished out six assists in Game 1 but managed only four in Game 2, despite generating 13 potential dimes. With the Celtics shaking off their poor shooting performance, Brown’s passes won’t get wasted, and he’s projected for 5+ assists in Game 3.
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A solid B, and it's not higher partially for reasons out of Jenkins' control.
Not only is Jenkins perhaps the best available coaching candidate with experience after leading the Grizzlies to the NBA playoffs three times and becoming the franchise's all-time leader in wins during his six-season tenure in Memphis, he's also uniquely positioned to serve the Bucks as they confront their Antetokounmpo-related crossroads.
If Antetokounmpo is playing for the Bucks again next season, Jenkins has experience working with him under Budenholzer during the 2018-19 NBA campaign when Antetokounmpo won his first MVP award and the Bucks lost in the Eastern Conference Finals to the Toronto Raptors. If Antetokounmpo gets traded elsewhere and the Bucks go into rebuilding mode, Jenkins has a strong reputation setting a culture and developing young players from his time with the Grizzlies.
Jenkins, however, struggled to get the Grizzlies over the hump as contenders with the core of Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane succumbing to bad injury luck, immaturity and poor half-court offense in the postseason. Jenkins still must prove he's a championship-caliber coach in Milwaukee.
But like with so many things related to the Bucks at the moment, the trajectory of this hire will depend on the immediate decision facing the front office and Antetokounmpo.
Grizzlies General Manager Zach Kleiman stunned the NBA when he fired Jenkins on March 28, 2025 with just nine games remaining in the regular season. Memphis struggled to a 9-13 record over his final 22 games, a stretch in which it did not defeat a team with a record above .500. It came on the heels of Jenkins instituting a staff overhaul the previous offseason at the behest of the Grizzlies' front office.
Jenkins, 41, compiled a 250-214 overall record over six seasons as the Grizzlies coach. He made the NBA playoffs three times and advanced to the conference semifinals once in 2022, when he also finished second in NBA coach of the year voting.
He was previously an assistant for Budenholzer with the Atlanta Hawks for five seasons and got his start within the San Antonio Spurs organization, including one season as the head coach of its NBA Development League team (2012-13).
Opener Sanju Samson struck his second IPL century of the season to set up a thumping 103-run win for Chennai Super Kings in a battle of heavyweights against Mumbai Indians on Thursday.