PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 19: A.J. Minter #33 of the New York Mets poses for a photo during the New York Mets Photo Day at Clover Park on February 19, 2026 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Mets signed 32-year-old lefty and career Atlanta Brave A.J. Minter to a two-year, $22 million contract in the 2024-2025 season with the intention of making him an essential late-inning piece in their bullpen. Things did not go according to plan. On April 26, Minter walked off the mound at Nationals Park in Washington DC having a suffered an injury, but he did not realize at the time how bad the injury was.
“I didn’t think it was going to be a season-ending injury,” Minter said this week. It turned out that he had completely torn the lat muscle from his bone and needed surgery, evoking horrible memories in the minds of Mets fans of Noah Syndergaard suffering a similar injury on the very same mound eight years earlier. Thus, Minter’s first season as a Met ended after just 13 appearances. For that very brief period last season, Minter was everything the Mets hoped for. He pitched to a 1.64 ERA and struck out 14 batters in his 11 innings of work.
As the Mets’ pitching staff faltered down the stretch last season, once again struggling to consistently build a bridge to Edwin Díaz, Minter’s absence was acutely felt. The bullpen as a collective pitched to an ERA over 4 in the second half of 2025. With Danny Young also having gone down early in the season with a season-ending UCL tear that required Tommy John surgery to repair, the Mets had a hard time finding consistent left-handed relief pitching. A group that included Genesis Cabrera, Jose Castillo, and Dicky Lovelady, among others cycled in and out of the bullpen to fill that void with mostly mediocre results. Such a problem was the Minter-shaped hole in the bullpen that the Mets had to address it at the deadline via trade, acquiring Gregory Soto from the Orioles, who pitched to an uninspiring 4.50 ERA as a Met.
“We felt it last year when he went down,” manager Carlos Mendoza recently said of Minter. “He’s a guy that’s going to pitch in high leverage. He’s been pretty successful. He’s elite. The biggest thing when you’ve got a lefty there that can get righties out, he’s a weapon there — a guy that we’re going to be counting on for those high-leverage [spots].”
Just a few days after Minter’s injury, the Mets brought back Brooks Raley, who was still rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, on a cheap deal with an option for 2026. That turned out to be an excellent move by David Stearns; Raley was a huge shot in the arm from the left side in the bullpen later in the season and will begin 2026 as the primary left-handed reliever in the bullpen. Unless the Mets decide to roster perpetual on-again, off-again Met Dicky Lovelady or Bryan Hudson for that final bullpen spot currently still up for grabs, Raley will be the only lefty in the pen until Minter returns. Regarding that roster battle, Carlos Mendoza emphasized that the Mets are not necessarily looking for a second lefty and will take the best group of pitchers north with the team, regardless of handedness.
Last Friday, everyone’s eyes were on Francisco Lindor as he took live batting practice for the first time this spring as he prepared to play in his first Grapefruit League game over the weekend. But that live BP was also A.J. Minter’s third session of the spring. He threw all three of his pitches in the session and touched 93 mph on the radar gun. He admitted that his velocity was slower than where he wants it to be, but is also cognizant that he and the Mets are taking his ramp-up slow to keep him healthy. “Honestly, it feels way better than I expected it was going to feel,” Minter said. At one point one of his cutters, which Lindor foul-tipped, even induced a “That was sick” remark from the Mets’ shortstop.
Minter is no stranger to rehabbing injuries. He had surgery to repair a torn labrum in 2024 and has also undergone Tommy John surgery and surgery to address thoracic outlet syndrome. “But this by far has been the easiest rehab process,” Minter said. “I’ve had it all, but this has been about getting the shoulder strong again.” With just a few games left in spring training, Minter is hoping to see Grapefruit League action before the team heads north for Opening Day and remains on track to return in late April or early May.
“I want to help this team out. I feel like I let them down last year,” Minter said. “But for me to help the team is for me to stay healthy and on the field. If I have to be a month behind, so be it, and just make sure I’m ready to go when I come back.”
Feb 23, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Seattle Mariners pitcher Logan Gilbert against the Los Angeles Dodgers during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Good morning and happy Friday, everyone!
The Mariners triumphed in yesterday’s spring training ballgame against the A’s by a 6-4 final.
We inch ever closer to Opening Day, with the Mariners kicking things off on Thursday against the Guardians. What are your plans for the opener? Will you be at the game, or will you be taking it in some other way?
Former Mariners utilityman Dylan Moore has opted out of his minor league deal with the Phillies. The organization now has 48 hours to add him to their big league roster or he will become a free agent.
Former Mariners lefty and current Angel Yusei Kikuchi revealed that he was so upset after Japan lost in the quarterfinal of the World Baseball Classic that he “couldn’t sleep all night,“ a notable departure from his usual 13-14 hours.
Kiri Oller at Fangraphs continued their Positional Power Rankings series by diving into center field, where the Mariners’ Julio Rodríguez reigns supreme.
PEORIA, ARIZONA - MARCH 14: Freddy Fermin #54 of the San Diego Padres throws a warm up toss during a Spring Training game against the Cleveland Guardians at Peoria Stadium on March 14, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Earlier this year, I tried to gauge how much the ABS (Automated Ball-Strike) Challenge System’s introduction into the game would affect the value of the catcher position for the San Diego Padres.
Eventually I concluded with the idea that those who were elite with the system would be given more leeway to challenge (thereby having a much greater ability to influence the game).
Enter Freddy Fermin
Among qualified hitters (more than three plate appearances), Fermin has the highest batting average on the Padres. Through 12 contests this spring, the backstop has hit .412 with two home runs and 11 RBI.
That puts him with an OPS of 1.120. For reference, New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge had a 1.145 OPS last season.
I’m not saying that Fermin can keep up that level of production at the major league level and compete with Judge. But it’s a great sign of his bat having life in it.
For someone the Friars paid an arm and a leg for, it’s great to see him produce. The hope, obviously, is that it’ll carry over to the regular season, and to the next two years of his contract.
Additional value in ABS
But going back to the new implementation of ABS. It’s been a storyline all offseason and will continue to be for most of this regular season with its introduction into MLB.
Fermin has heralded its entrance quite well, leading the league in challenge win rate (among catchers to call for at least 10 challenges) with 86 percent.
The closest one behind him is San Francisco Giants two-time Gold Glover Patrick Bailey (83%).
Fermin is due for a breakout year. It will be his first full season as the primary catcher for a club after serving as the backup behind Salvador Perez in Kansas City to start his career.
His emergence as a hitter and elite defender would go a long, long way toward winning games in San Diego. If this translates into the regular season, the Friars will have gotten a bargain with Fermin behind the dish.
SEATTLE, WA - MARCH 27: Luis Severino #40 of the Athletics pitches during the game between the Athletics and the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on Thursday, March 27, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Rod Mar/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Morning everyone and welcome back to another beautiful Friday!
The A’s made the expected announcement late yesterday afternoon that staff leader Luis Severino will indeed get the ball for the Athletics on Opening Day in Toronto to take on the Blue Jays:
Luis Severino will start for the A’s in Toronto on Opening Day, per Mark Kotsay. This will be Severino’s second consecutive Opening Day start with the A’s and third overall.
This announcement comes as almost zero surprise. Severino is the unquestioned best option for the assignment and his salary matches that. The right-hander has only pitched in one spring contest for the A’s so far but he made three starts for the Dominican Republic recently, including two during the World Baseball Classic. In those contests he looked sharp, reaching 40, 60, and 68, with his final start coming against the United States in the semi-finals. The 32-year-old has pitched in tons of big games during his career and A’s fans are hoping he can be that guy for them soon.
Still, last year’s quick start on the first day of the long regular season did not portend to coming success. Instead Severino was a tale of two pitchers, struggling at home while thriving and looking every bit the part of the pitcher that the A’s gave a record-setting contract to. He definitely had his moments and hot streaks, but he also had some epic meltdowns as well. Severino ultimately made almost every start, save for a few near the end of the year when the season was already over. In his first year in the Green & Gold Severino finished with a 4.54 ERA across 29 starts, racking up a solid 2.5 WAR in the process.
This’ll be his second Opening Day start for the A’s in as many years, and third in his career after taking the ball for the New York Yankees back in 2018. In that start way back then, he pitched 5 2/3 innings of one-hit ball against…. the Toronto Blue Jays. And with the Athletics last year he also had a shutout appearance as he held down the Seattle Mariners to three hits over six strong innings of work. He’d end up not getting the well-deserved win that evening, and it wasn’t even a sign of things to come as Sevy had a roller coaster first year with the A’s.
The only other options the A’s could have been seriously considering were left-hander Jeffrey Springs (who is expected to get the ball for Game 2) or possibly Luis Morales. Springs on paper would seem like nearly as good a bet to get the Opening Day nod, but the lefty hasn’t had a good spring so far and notoriously got off to a horrible start to his season last year. Morales meanwhile is just barely not a rookie anymore after making 9 starts for the A’s down the final stretch last year. It wasn’t completely out of the realm of possibility after the A’s went with another inexperienced rookie in Kyle Muller just a couple of years ago, but with Morales’ lack of innings under his belt, not to mention experience, it would have been plain mean to send him into Toronto on Opening Day, against the defending American League Champions, no less.
Speaking of the Jays, Severino will have quite the challenge for him waiting north of the border. Though they lost star shortstop Bo Bichette this offseason this Jays offense is just as dangerous as the Athletics’ lineup. Anchored by likely future Hall-of-Famer Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the Blue Jays also have star hitters like George Springer and Alejando Kirk, not to mention quality bats like Daulton Varsho, Addison Barger and brief-Athletic Ernie Clement. Oh, add in the wild card in Kazuma Okamoto the slugging third baseman from overseas. On the plus side for Severino, he’s done well against Toronto in his career (3.86 ERA in 16 starts), and add in that Vlad Jr., Kirk, Okamoto and Clement are right-handed hitters. So there’s that small advantage.
Wasn’t really a surprise but now we have it official. Who else is ready to see Severino shut down the defending AL Champions on their home turf next Friday? Something to get excited about! Have a good weekend A’s fans!
Watching the Phillies vs. Twins Spring breakout game & there have been no less than 56 “dings” or text alerts in 2minutes & I now understand the fury of the chat from the Live stream we did the other night with @baseballisdead_ . #KingDing
DETROIT, MI - AUGUST 22: Bobby Witt Jr. #7 of the Kansas City Royals celebrates with Maikel Garcia #11 after they both scored against the Detroit Tigers on a double by Salvador Perez during the third inning at Comerica Park on August 22, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As the Red Sox approach Opening Day, it’s time to start taking at look at the other American League playoff contenders. Next up, a team that’s led by an MVP candidate.
What’s this team’s deal?
In 2024 the Royals bounced back from a 106-loss season to win 86 games and finish in second place in the AL Central. Those Royals would sweep their Wild Card series against the Baltimore Orioles before falling to the Yankees in the ALDS. It looked like a Kansas City miracle. 2025 would see a chunk of that progress fall back to earth. Regression to the mean comes for us all. But they still won 82 games last year.
This winter the Royals added outfielders Starling Marte and Lane Thomas. They’ll join top prospect Jac Caglianone in his sophomore season in the majors. Caglianone is fresh off a WBC run with Team Italy that saw him slash .286/.500/.571 with a home run and a K:BB of 4:5. Extreme sample and quality sizes abound with the WBC, but this is a guy who put up a OPS north of 1.000 in AAA. They’re expecting some runs like that mixed into a full season.
How good are they?
Bobby Witt Jr. was a superstar again and finished fourth in AL MVP voting. He was an All Star. He won a Silver Slugger and a Gold Glove. When you commit to essentially a forever deal with a player, that’s what you want to see.
KC also saw a breakout season for third baseman Maikel Garcia. He finished 14th in MVP voting, was an All Star, won a Silver Slugger, and earned himself an extension that runs at least through 2030. Oh yeah, he also won WBC MVP this week after Venezuela took the championship. From Opening Day 2025 to Opening Day 2026 he’s had a pretty good year.
Vinnie Pasquantino bounced back from an injury-shortened 2024 season to play in 160 games last year, hitting .264/.323/.475 with a personal best 32 home runs. “Where’s the f’ing wine?“ indeed. Pasquatch looks ready to be the solid contributor at first base they need. Especially when he’s beaned up.
The starting rotation features Cole Ragans, Michael Wacha, Seth Lugo, Noah Cameron, and Kris Bubic. The Royals had one of the better rotations in the game last season by ERA and are set to do so again with this crew. Lugo and Wacha are in their mid-30s, but the other three are all under 30.
They acquired former Red Sox pitcher and Matt Strahm to shore up the bullpen.
You may remember Aaron Sanchez from his time on the Blue Jays a decade ago. Well, he’s in camp as a non-roster invitee and is still just 33 years old. Old friend John Schreiber is still there, too.
There are a lot of questions in the rotation — even if it can be good. The lineup is Witt, Pasquantino, Garcia, and Perez with maybe Caglianone joining them. They need a bounce-back season from Jonathan India.
The WBC featured a number of Royals across the teams in the tournament and there is talent here, but is there enough? Bobby Witt Jr. is still just one person in the lineup.
Who’s their most likeable player?
Most likeable isn’t always synonymous with best, but in this instance there’s a strong case for it. Bobby Witt Jr. is always playing hard out there and looks like he’s loving every second of it. How can you not root for that?
Who’s their least likeable player?
I almost want to say Salvador Perez because it feels like he’s always hitting against the Red Sox. As it turns out though, .276/.308/.483 isn’t his best split against a team. And his 16 homers are just second to teams not in the AL Central (he has 17 against the Yankees). That’s not really enough to override his general status as a catching legend. He’s been around so long he feels like a familiar opponent but without real hard feelings.
Michael Wacha, has, if anything, been a little worse for the Royals than he was in Boston, as his health and performance continue to fluctuate wildly.
Matt Strahm’s hair is just…scary.
Maybe this space gets filled by Jac Caglianone. Did you know that the C in Jac stands for Caglianone? His name is Jeffrey Allen Caglianone, but he goes by Jac, like a PIN Number. What are we even doing here?
Schedule against the Red Sox
The Red Sox will be in Kansas City May 18-20 and the Royals visit Fenway Park from September 11-13.
Season Prediction
With some health and progress from their younger players like Caglianone and Garcia — and in an AL Central that’s probably weak after the Tigers — they could bounce right back up to 84-85 wins. They can maybe even sneak into the division lead if things go wrong in Detroit and they flip Tarik Skubal this summer.
PEORIA, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 24: Cal Raleigh #29 of the Seattle Mariners looks on during the fourth inning of a spring training game against the Chicago White Sox at Peoria Stadium on February 24, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Mike Christy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Six days remain until Opening Day. As things stand now, playoff odds at both FanGraphs and Baseball Prospectus give a pretty good chance that all three AL wild cards will come out of the AL East. There is also a decent chance that things go outside of this conventional wisdom and that the Orioles, if they find themselves in a wild card race, will be fighting for space with teams from one of the other divisions in the AL.
Essentially, every team except for the White Sox has at least a little bit of a chance, according to these models. The Angels have a modest 5% postseason chance on FG, though PECOTA puts them under 1%. Even the Athletics who play in Sacramento but do not officially use its name get an 11.8% at PECOTA and as high as 24.2% at FG. There have been a lot of seasons in my life where the Orioles having a one in four chance of making the postseason before it began would have seemed good. This is not one of those seasons.
When I wrote a version of this article one year ago, the wild card seemed like a fallback if the Orioles couldn’t compete for the division. As things played out, they didn’t even compete for the wild card. If things go better this year – but not radically better – here’s who the Orioles might be contending with to make it back into the postseason.
Detroit Tigers
Last season: 87-75, 2nd place, 1 GB in Central (Wild Card 3)
Projected wins: 87 (FanGraphs) / 83 (PECOTA)
Key subtractions: Pretty much nobody who was good last year
I wrote a year ago that the Tigers were largely trying to run it back from a disappointing 2024 and now they’re trying to run it back from a better 2025. That is, run it back plus adding Valdez to a rotation that includes the record-setting-salary two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal at the top of it. They even managed to hold on to guys who became free agents, since Gleyber Torres accepted the qualifying offer and they re-signed their midseason trade rental Kyle Finnegan. There’s even a Verlander reunion in here, though whether that proves to be good for the team is less certain.
One part of Detroit’s revival of fortunes in 2025 was an improved offense, with a number of guys who’d struggled, including the former 1-1 Spencer Torkelson, getting better to help get the Tigers to at least a league average offense. If your pitching staff is good enough, a league average offense will do. Other than Skubal, it wasn’t exactly, but now they’ve got Skubal and Valdez and whatever’s left of Verlander, so that could be another story this year.
Kansas City Royals
Last season: 82-80, 3rd place, 6 GB in Central
Projected wins: 81 (FG) / 85 (PECOTA)
Key subtractions: Mike Yastrzemski (free agent), Hunter Harvey (free agent), Adam Frazier (free agent), Angel Zerpa (traded to Brewers)
Key additions: Isaac Collins and Nick Mears (trade with Brewers), Matt Strahm (trade with Phillies), Starling Marte (free agent)
Kansas City may not be doing a “run it back” to the same degree that Detroit is, but there is a whole lot of continuity here, including five of the six starting pitchers who made at least 10 starts last year. The one guy they didn’t bring back is the guy who had the worst ERA out of those six. There was some bullpen shuffling for what was largely a disappointing group.
Among the position players, they’ve got to rely on continuing to get star-level performance from Bobby Witt Jr. The Royals bet big on infielder Maikel Garcia this offseason, giving him a five-year contract extension. What they really need to improve is a bad-hitting outfield. Collins, acquired from Milwaukee, is part of that. KC could also use better hitting from Kyle Isbel (.654 OPS) and, more crucially, recent #6 overall pick Jac Caglianone (.532 OPS in 62 games).
Minnesota Twins
Last season: 70-92, 4th place, 18 GB in Central
Projected wins: 78 (FG) / 79 (PECOTA)
Key subtractions: Pablo López (Tommy John surgery)
Key additions: Josh Bell (free agent), Victor Caratini (free agent), Taylor Rogers (free agent)
A lot of analyst commentary spent this offseason assuming that the Twins would be making salary-slashing trades that they never actually made. Perhaps, in the case of López, they ought to have done this, but they didn’t. They kept him, they kept Joe Ryan, they kept the oft-injured Byron Buxton. Minnesota did its salary cutting at last year’s trade deadline, notably getting rid of Carlos Correa, so they will be bringing something of a different look into 2026 compared to Opening Day 2025.
The Twins plan for 2026 contention probably involves Buxton staying healthy and getting a lot of improvement from the arms in their rotation behind Ryan. That includes their home-grown guy Bailey Ober (5.10 ERA in 2025) and July 2025 acquisitions Taj Bradley and Mick Abel. I will be interested to see as 2026 plays out whether the Orioles might have been better off trying to trade for Ryan than signing Zach Eflin and Chris Bassitt.
The most substantial move these Guardians did this offseason was reach another contract extension with their career-long star, José Ramírez. He also happens to be the only good hitter on this team. Cleveland won the division last year while getting a .670 OPS from its offense. They overperformed their Pythagorean expected record by eight wins last year and kept nearly everything the same. It is not a surprise to see the projection systems not being high on this strategy. It might work out anyway. Cleveland has won this division six times in the last ten years.
Key additions: Jose A. Ferrer (trade with Nationals), Brendan Donovan (three-way trade from Cardinals)
This was a pretty good offense last year, with Raleigh’s star breakout powering a lot along with a revival of fortunes for Julio Rodríguez. It was a good hitting group almost from top-to-bottom, though, with only two real weaknesses. One of those was third base, which they shored up substantially – at least on paper – with the acquisition of Donovan. The Mariners big offseason move was re-signing their own guy, Josh Naylor, who they’d acquired from the Diamondbacks in July.
Add in a starting rotation that should have three or four league average-or-better guys and an elite closer in Andrés Muñoz and that’s a good recipe to try to repeat a division title and maybe win Game 7 to go to the World Series rather than lose it.
Houston Astros
Last season: 87-75, 2nd place, 3 GB in West
Projected wins: 81 (FG) / 85 (PECOTA)
Key subtractions: Framber Valdez (free agent), Victor Caratini (free agent)
Key additions: Joey Loperfido (trade with Blue Jays), Tatsuya Imai (posted international free agent)
Houston had been on a run of making the postseason every year from 2017 until they missed out last year. They didn’t miss out by much, but still. That team lost Valdez to free agency, perhaps choosing not to retain their own player because he was looking for an ace payday while not even being the Astros ace in 2025.
Replacing Valdez in the rotation is Japanese pitcher Tatsuya Imai, whose profile ultimately left MLB teams uncertain about him. Imai secured a contract that will allow him to opt out for a bigger payday if he pitches as well as he believes he can. If that’s the case, the Astros will benefit for this year. If it doesn’t work out, $18 million per year is an expense they can absorb.
Texas Rangers
Last season: 81-81, 3rd place, 9 GB in West
Projected wins: 81 (FG) / 83 (PECOTA)
Key subtractions: Marcus Semien (trade with Mets)
Key additions: Brandon Nimmo (trade with Mets), Danny Jansen (free agent), MacKenzie Gore (trade with Nationals)
The 2023 World Series from Texas, following 60- and 68-win seasons and succeeded by 78- and 81-win seasons, looks more like a fluke the more time that passes. The flag will, as they say, fly forever. They’ve swapped old, expensive guys in the Semien-for-Nimmo deal, shored up a weakness at catcher with the Jansen free agent deal, and made a big swing on Gore by trading a prospect package as if he’s the top-end starting rotation that he’s never actually been yet.
The projection systems are not high on this all working out for them. That doesn’t mean that it can’t happen. As we know from past eras of Orioles success, if two or three things go right beyond what any projection system envisioned, it’s not that hard to go from that to blowing past your projected win total by ten or more. Texas’s upside relative to the projections is probably in its rotation: Gore finally blossoming, Jacob deGrom staying in good health, Nathan Eovaldi carrying forward his 1.73 ERA in 22 starts into a full season.
**
Will I look stupid at season’s end for not including the Athletics, Angels, or White Sox in this article? It is up to them to do that to me. Sitting here in mid-March, I will not be bothered.
Which of these other teams concerns you the most as possible wild card contenders for the Orioles?
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MARCH 19: Marat Khusnutdinov #92, David Pastrnak #88, Charlie McAvoy #73 and Fraser Minten #93 of the Boston Bruins celebrate the first-period goal against the Winnipeg Jets at the TD Garden on March 19, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
With a big divisional game against Detroit looming on Saturday night, you could be forgiven for worrying that the Bruins might overlook a home game against a fading Winnipeg Jets team.
However, the B’s showed up and then some, jumping out to a 4-0 second period lead before eventually gliding to a 6-1 win at TD Garden.
The B’s got goals from six different players, including Lukas Reichel, who scored on a fortuitous bounce in his Bruins debut.
Jeremy Swayman made 23 saves in the win, earning himself a First Star for his efforts.
After a scoreless start to the first period, David Pastrnak got the scoring started when he collected a loose puck out of mid-air and beat Connor Hellebuyck to make it 1-0 Bruins.
Hellebuyck was in the spotlight for the next Bruins goal, when he failed to collect a wraparound that ended up on Reichel’s stick for a chip-in to make it 2-0 Bruins.
Viktor Arvidsson was the beneficiary of a puck that ramped off a stick and looped up and behind Hellebuyck to make it 3-0 Bruins late in the second period.
And that was that! Bruins win, 6-1, sweeping the season series with Winnipeg.
Game notes
While the final score makes the entire game seem like a blowout, it’s worth noting that this was a 2-0 game until the last two minutes of the second period. Swayman played well for the Bruins, making 16 saves in the first two periods, including a highlight-reel stop.
Those second and third goals by the Bruins are the kind of weird goals that feel like your team doesn’t get them when they’re struggling but does when things are going OK. I think back to weird moments like the stick-snap in the game against Florida that went against the B’s, or Charlie McAvoy blowing an edge in OT against the Devils. Tonight, the bounces went the Bruins’ way, but they also deserve credit for building on the lead after those bounces.
David Pastrnak is up to 4G-4A-8PTS totals in his last five games, as he had a goal and an assist tonight. Countryman Pavel Zacha is right on his heels in that same stretch, with 4G-2A-6PTS totals.
Lukas Reichel is so new to the B’s that he doesn’t even have a photo on the NHL website. SOMEONE GET THE KID A CAMERA. While he benefited from Hellebuyck’s misplay, he showed good speed and instincts to get himself into he right spot to make a play.
All six Bruins goals were scored at even strength, as they came up empty in one power play opportunity.
While we’re all tired of hearing about “this is a big game,” this was a pretty big win for the Bruins given other results. Ottawa, Detroit, Columbus, and Philadelphia all won on Thursday night, meaning the B’s didn’t really gain much ground. Both the Bruins and Red Wings are now tied on points with Montreal, while Columbus and the Islanders are a point behind. The Isles actually fell out of the playoff picture based on a games-played tiebreaker with Columbus, so…it’s getting tight!
The B’s will be back in action in Detroit on Saturday night, a primetime 8 PM Eastern start on ABC.
PITTSBURGH, PA - DECEMBER 30: Ben Kindel #81 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates against the Carolina Hurricanes at PPG PAINTS Arena on December 30, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Penguins have certainly changed the expectations for themselves this season. When the 2025-26 season began, most people were anticipating a bad team, going through a long season that was going to put them closer to the top of the NHL Draft Lottery than the top of the NHL standings. But as we enter the stretch run of the regular season, they remain in second-place in the Metropolitan Division with an excellent chance of making the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
At this point the playoffs are the expectation. As they should be given the way they have played and the position they have put themselves in with the standings. This is a good team, and the expectations should be treated as such. But whether they make the playoffs or not, and whether they do anything if and when they get there, this season is still part of a rebuild and the long-term outlook is still important. Very important. There have been some significant long-term developments that should be seen as highly encouraging.
The most significant of those developments remains the performance of 18-year-old rookie center Ben Kindel.
He scored another big goal for the Penguins on Wednesday night, helping them secure an important point on the road against the Carolina Hurricanes. It is his 17th goal of the season in just 65 games, putting him on a pace for around 20 goals for the season.
That would be a significant number to reach as an 18-year-old rookie going right to the NHL in his draft year. The list of players that have done that in the modern era is both pretty short, and also a significant who’s who list of stars.
Even 17 goals is a big number for somebody his age.
Going back over the past 30 years, only 15 players have scored at least 17 goals in their age 18 season. Most 18-year-olds are not even a serious option for the NHL, and the ones that do make the NHL do not hold their own enough to get more than a nine-game look in the league before being sent back to Juniors or taken out of the lineup.
Kindel not only proved himself enough to stay and become a regular part of the lineup, he has become a significant contributor. He is not a passenger on a good team. He is one of the reasons this is a good team.
It is also relatively uncharted territory for a player drafted where he was to be this good, this productive, and this important so soon.
Of the 15 players that have matched his goal total at this age, the overwhelming majority of them were players picked with a top-two pick in the draft.
The list and each player’s draft position:
No. 1: Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, Macklin Celebrini, Steven Stamkos, Ilya Kovalchuk, Connor Bedard, Matthew Schaefer, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Rick Nash
No. 2: Andrei Svechnikov, Patrik Laine, Jordan Staal
No. 3: Marian Gaborik
No. 4:
No. 5:
No. 6:
No. 7: Jeff Skinner
No. 8:
No. 9:
No. 10:
No. 11: Ben Kindel
No. 12:
No. 13:
No. 14:
No. 15:
Unless you are a top-two pick, you really do not step right into the NHL in your draft year and make this sort of impact. The fact the Penguins got Kindel where they did, and that he has been as good as he has, is a huge score for the team’s front office and perhaps even the type of good luck they needed to really accelerate any sort of a rebuild.
It is not just the goal numbers that are significant, either. It is also the fact he is simply legitimately a good player that has taken on so many roles and been such a major contributor outside of the offense.
Of the 16 Penguins skaters that have played at least 500 minutes of 5-on-5 hockey he ranks third in shot attempt share, seventh in expected goal share, seventh in scoring chance share and fourth in high-danger scoring chance share.
Since the start of the 2007-08 season when such data started to be tracked, he is one of just two 18-year-olds that have scored at least 17 goals and had a shot-attempt share of more than 52 percent (Andrei Svechnikov is the other).
He has taken on more of a penalty killing role as the season has gone on, and entering play on Friday ranks first on the team in goals against per 60 minutes and expected goals against per 60 minutes when he is on the ice in shorthanded situations.
In most years he would be a serious contender for the Calder Trophy as the league’s Rookie of the Year, but I feel like Matthew Schaefer has such a lock on that award that it is not even worth discussing. But Kindel should still get significant votes and at least be worthy of a top-five finish.
I am still not sure what his long-term upside and ceiling is, but the company he is keeping right now in his first year is impressive. He may not be a franchise-changing player on the level of a Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon or Macklin Celebrini, but he at least looks like a long-term, cornerstone player that can be a foundational piece for a contending team. That is the most important development of this season. Perhaps even more than anything the team as a whole does.
Tommy Reffell has been with Leicester Tigers since he was a teenager playing at academy level [Getty Images]
Leicester Tigers flanker Tommy Reffell has been ruled out for about eight weeks after suffering a throat injury in training.
Reffell was hurt when hit in the neck by "a stray boot" during a session in the days after leading Tigers to Prem Cup final success against Exeter Chiefs.
The injury could see the 26-year-old Wales international miss at least seven matches, not including further knockout ties in the European Champions Cup if they get past Bordeaux Begles in the round of 16 in April.
"We're gutted to lose Tommy to a very unfortunate injury where a stray boot has hit his throat," Tigers head coach Geoff Parling told the club website.
"He has been a real pest to the opposition, and we'll use this time to firstly get him fit and healthy and secondly get him ready and firing for the end of the season."
Reffell's injury means loanee Hamish Watson will come in for his Tigers debut against Bristol Bears on Sunday.
Watson rejoined Tigers, a club he played for at academy level, on a short-term deal from Scottish side Edinburgh earlier in March.
"This also presents an opportunity for Hamish to start and show his quality in a Tigers shirt in a full circle moment after leaving our academy 16 years ago," Parling said.
After a promising stretch of wins and a tightly contested loss to the Buffalo Sabres, the Vegas Golden Knights suffered a heavy setback on Thursday night, falling 4-0 to the Utah Mammoth. The defeat marked Vegas’ second consecutive shutout loss and the third this month, highlighting ongoing challenges both offensively and defensively.
Three unanswered goals in the first period from Utah runs Adin Hill out of the net 🫣 pic.twitter.com/fKAX10deWs
— Sports on Prime Canada (@SportsOnPrimeCA) March 20, 2026
Adin Hill Needs Help
Vegas goaltender Adin Hill was given a sixth consecutive start by head coach Bruce Cassidy, adding to a heavy workload accumulated over the past week. The decision, aimed at maintaining consistency in net, proved costly. Utah struck early, scoring three goals on three shots within the first eight minutes, putting the Golden Knights in a significant deficit that persisted for most of the game.
The first two goals were partly the result of defensive lapses, including leaving Clayton Keller unmarked, while the third highlighted Hill’s positioning, as he was unable to react quickly enough to a high-percentage scoring chance.
Hill was replaced following the third goal, with backup Akira Schmid stepping in. The early concession of goals underscored the need for a reliable goaltending tandem in Vegas. With Carter Hart reportedly nearing a return from injury, competition for the starting role could intensify in the coming weeks, though Hart’s injury history raises questions about his long-term availability.
Offensive Struggles Persist
Offensively, the Golden Knights were unable to generate consistent pressure against Utah. While expected goals models, such as Moneypuck, suggested over four scoring chances, the team struggled to convert zone entries into meaningful opportunities. Many shot attempts were blocked or misfired, and high-danger scoring chances were rare.
The power play, limited to just two opportunities, failed to make an impact, while the penalty kill remained a positive element, successfully neutralizing all Utah advantages with disciplined execution. Vegas also registered a few unlucky bounces, including shots off the post, further limiting offensive production.
Implications
The loss extends Vegas’ recent record to seven wins in the last 22 games, highlighting the team’s inconsistency. Since January 19, the Golden Knights are 0-12-1 when allowing the first goal, emphasizing the importance of strong starts and reliable goaltending. With playoff positioning still in contention, the team must address the defensive lapses and offensive inefficiencies exposed against Utah while managing the workload for Hill and Hart moving forward.
TORONTO, CANADA - DECEMBER 31: Scottie Barnes #4 of the Toronto Raptors handles the ball during the game against the Denver Nuggets on December 31, 2025 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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 Mark Blinch/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Toronto Raptors continue their five-game road trip in the mile-high city tonight, facing the Denver Nuggets. This is their second and final matchup of the season, with the first ending in a called-off successful 3-pointer by Ingram as the clock expired that would’ve send the game to overtime on New Year’s Eve:
The last time they met, Denver’s roster looked very different. They were missing four of their five starters due to injury, but still managed to overtake Toronto. This will be the Raptors’ opportunity for redemption, but they will have to do it against a Nuggets team at full strength.
Currently in the league, their are 10 teams above the Raptors, with Denver a single spot ahead. So far this year, Toronto has struggled greatly when facing the League’s elite, with a record of 5-18 against those teams. Three of those wins came against the Cavs, one against Detroit and one against the Thunder.
Including this game, there are 14 left in the season. Only four of those are against top 10 teams. Now, more than ever, Toronto needs to see what they are capable as the postseason looms. Only four games separate Toronto in 5th from Charlotte in 10th in the East. They will need to view every game as must-win until they secure their spot and avoid the play-in.
It also couldn’t hurt for them to see what they can do when they go toe-to-toe with tougher competition. Luckily for Toronto, they’re coming into this matchup with momentum. On Wednesday, the Raptors steam-rolled the Bulls in a 30-point victory that showed what Toronto is capable of. They did everything right. Passing. Shooting. Defence. Now, if they can channel that energy again, they should have a chance against Denver too.
The biggest challenge in overcoming the Nuggets is Jokic. Not just because of his ability to score and take over games, but also the way he facilitates for his teammates. He is often doubled by defences, leaving someone open. Jokic capitalizes and finds the open man for the easy basket. Even without him in their last matchup, that’s the system Denver ran. Cutting, driving, and kick-outs for open shooters to pick apart defences.
The Raptors know this, so they will have to be fully engaged tip to buzzer. Help defence will need to be active and mobile. Players will need to do a better job following their man to prevent back-cuts. They may even need to utilize a single coverage on Jokic, which they have options for. Poeltl is back, Mamu has good size as a backup, and should-be DPOY candidate Scottie Barnes will likely end up with some coverage against him too.
Canadian Jamal Murray will also draw some attention as he is able to find his shot from all over the floor. His long-range shooting is one of his best assets that often help him run up the score. Keeping the ball out of his hands helped the last time out, but will be a bit more of a challenge now that he doesn’t need to be their primary ball handler. Even still, the less he touches the ball tonight, the better for the Raptors.
While the rosters are different than the last matchup, the script is the same. Let’s just hope for a different outcome.
Probable Starters
Toronto: Immanuel Quickley, Scottie Barnes, Jakob Poeltl, Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett
Denver: Cam Johnson, Aaron Gordon, Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Christian Braun
Injury Report
Toronto: Chucky Hepburn (Out: G-League), A.J. Lawson (Out: G-League), Alijah Martin (Out: G-League), Collin Murray-Boyles (Doubtful: Thumb sprain).
Denver: DaRon Holmes II (Out: G-League), Curtis Jones (Out: G-League), KJ Simpson (Out: G-League), Peyton Watson (Out: Hamstring strain)
It could have been a night to forget. Goal after goal after goal was called back on coaches’ challenges—a series of gut-punches that might have rattled even the most seasoned competitors.
Yet the Calgary Flames stayed composed. They stuck to the game plan, and in the end, they walked away with two points from their homestand opener against St. Louis two nights ago.
Tonight, the team hopes to reproduce that success, though anyone in the locker room would likely prefer a cleaner 60-minute performance.
A beautiful goal from Morgan Frost.
“We do have good character, we have good people in our room,” Flames Head Coach Ryan Huska said after the St. Louis game when asked about his team’s resilience. “I thought we stayed with it, even though the three (goals) were taken back.
“And I thought we stood up for each other as well, which was maybe the most important thing for me, was the way they kept connected on that side of the game.”
Zary Continues to Impress
Forward Connor Zary was a bright spot Wednesday against the Blues. The Saskatoon native not only scored the game’s first goal, but his slick stick handling also set up a Yegor Sharangovich goal that was later overturned by video review.
Huska noted that Zary has steadily improved throughout the season, particularly after battling injury setbacks in the second half of 2024-25.
Zary is precisely the type of player who could cement a bigger role as the regular season winds down, and that’s exactly what Huska wants to identify: players who can elevate their performance and help the team move forward.
Panthers On Winning Streak
Florida comes to Calgary following a 4-0 shutout of the Edmonton Oilers Thursday night at Rogers Place. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped all 21 shots for the win, while Cole Reinhardt, former Flame A.J. Greer, Anton Lundell, and Carter Verhaeghe supplied the offense.
The victory marked the 454th of Bobrovsky’s NHL career, tying him with Curtis Joseph for seventh-most wins by a goaltender in league history.
Despite being three games over .500, the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions remain 13 points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Injuries have plagued the roster all season: Captain Aleksander Barkov has not played since last June’s Stanley Cup Final, and key forwards Brad Marchand and Sam Reinhart did not make the trip west.
Reinhart leads the team with 61 points this season, while among the players on Thursday’s ice in Edmonton, former Flame Sam Bennett tops the lineup with 53 points. Florida’s win marked their first on a four-game Pacific Division road swing, which concludes in Calgary tonight.
Flames Seek Series Sweep
Although the Panthers carry some momentum into tonight’s game, Calgary will look to complete a season-series sweep after a 5-3 victory at Amerant Bank Arena in late November. That Black Friday matchup saw five different Flames find the scoresheet—including Yan Kuznetsov, who recorded his first NHL goal—helping the team erase an early 2-0 deficit.
The Flames have now won six consecutive home games against Florida, a streak that dates back to the 2018-19 season.
Flames to Keep an Eye
After 23 games this season, Zayne Parekh has tallied just two assists, highlighting the growing pains of adapting to the NHL. While his offensive instincts show flashes of potential, his overall game is still developing, and he has yet to find the consistency needed to make a sustained impact at the professional level. Despite the obvious struggles, he has been steadily increasing his ice time in recent weeks, so we'll see if the additional playing time improves his game. If not, it might be time to send him down to the AHL.
It's been a rough go for Zayne Parekh. Credit: Sergei Belski
Mikael Backlund and Blake Coleman have been key contributors for Calgary against the Panthers in recent matchups. Backlund has tallied one goal and two assists over his last three games versus Florida, while Coleman has added a goal and an assist during the same stretch. Florida has dropped two of their last three meetings with Calgary, though in the second-to-last contest on March 1, 2025, the Panthers earned a 3-0 shutout victory.
The No. 15-seeded Royals are set to take on No. 2 Purdue in the first round of March Madness on Friday, March 20, from Enterprise Center in St Louis. Queens won the ASUN Conference Tournament for the first time in program history to qualify for the tournament.
While just appearing in Friday's game will be a historic moment for the school, which is just in its fourth-year competing at the Division I level, you can imagine that the Royals enter the game with a bigger goal: an upset of the Boilermakers.
For those tuning in to see Queens making history, here's what to know about Queens before it takes on Purdue heading into the NCAA Tournament:
Where is Queens located?
No, your first guess of "on the western end of Long Island in New York" is not correct.
Queens is a private school located in Charlotte, North Carolina. The school has an approximate undergraduate figure of 1,900 and it was founded in 1857 as the Charlotte Female Institute.
In 2025, Queens and Elon University (located in Elon, North Carolina) announced the two universities would be merging, which is expected to be completed in August 2026.
Queens NCAA Tournament history
Friday's matchup against Purdue will be the NCAA Tournament debut for the Royals. The program first fielded a men's basketball team in the 1989-90 season.
Queens has been a Division I team since July 1, 2022.
What conference does Queens play in?
Queens competes in the Atlantic Sun (ASUN) Conference, a member since July 1, 2022. The ASUN has members in Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, North Carolina and Georgia.
The Royals competed in the Conference Carolinas from 1995 to 2013, then joined the South Atlantic Conference in 2013, before moving up to Division I in 2022.
Queens won its first ASUN Conference tournament championship this past season, qualifying them for the NCAA Tournament for the first time as a Division I school. The Royals also won the Conference Carolinas three times (1996, 1998, 1999) and the South Atlantic Conference twice (2017, 2022).
PEORIA, ARIZONA - MARCH 14: Jake Cronenworth #9 of the San Diego Padres runs towards first base on a single during a Spring Training game against the Cleveland Guardians at Peoria Stadium on March 14, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Michael King, like his last time out, was hurt by the long ball when he and the San Diego Padres played the Chicago White Sox at the Peoria Sports Complex on Thursday. Fortunately for King, the Padres had their full compliment of All-Star players in their lineup, and they were able to overcome the White Sox and earn a 13-6 win.
King allowed three runs in the first inning, two of which came on a two-run home run by Lamonte Wade Jr., a run in the second inning on a sacrifice fly and two runs in the fifth inning which came on back-to-back home runs by Curtis Mead and Wade Jr., and left the game after five innings of work with the score tied 6-6.
San Diego exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Jake Cronenworth hit a bases clearing double after three consecutive walks to start the inning and Jackson Merrill followed two batters later with a ground-rule double to put the Padres up 10-6. Ty France followed Merrill and with two runners on, he again cleared the bases with a three-run home run to give San Diego a 13-6 lead en route to the win.
The Padres return to action today with a meeting against the Los Angeles Dodgers at 6:05 p.m.
Padres News:
With Fernando Tatis Jr. and Mason Miller back at the Peoria Sports Complex after their time with their World Baseball Classic teams, both players were asked about the matchup that could have happened when the Domincan Republic faced the US in the semi-final. Miller got the third and final out of the game while Tatis stood in the on-deck circle leaving everyone to wonder, “What would have happened?”
Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune focused his report on Padres reliever Jeremiah Estrada and the motivation he has to be successful with San Diego after his departure from the Chicago Cubs.
Padres.TV color analyst Mark Grant signed and extension with the San Diego organization that will ensure he and play-by-play announcer Don Orsillo remain in the booth, together, for years to come.
Baseball News:
The Spring Breakout Series started Thursday and several games were played, giving top prospects a chance to showcase their abilities. One of those players delivered a 101-mph fastball, at 18 years old, to the No. 5 MLB prospect.
After falling 3-2 to the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night, the Islanders find themselves out of a playoff spot, giving every game going forward that must-win feeling.
Islanders head coach Patrick Roy, in tandem with goaltending coach Sergei Naumovs, has a major decision to make about who starts each game.
Now, there are a few different mindsets.
With the Blue Jackets now the team the Islanders are trying to catch in the standings, giving Sorokin that game feels automatic.
So that would mean backup David Rittich should get Montreal, right?
Not exactly.
With the way Roy works — most NHL teams, really — the focus is always on the next game on the schedule, nothing else.
The Islanders aren't focused on Columbus. All their focus is on beating Montreal.
So, Sorokin should get that game and go from there.
There is a world where Sorokin gets both games of the back-to-back.
It's not a decision that will be made prior to Saturday's result. But the reality is, Sorokin gives the Islanders the best chance to win, even on short rest.
Sorokin has not played both games of a back-to-back this season, while Rittich did so on Dec. 27 and Dec. 28, when Sorokin was out injured.
However, Sorokin has played both games of a back-to-back before. Last season, Sorokin played both games of a back-to-back four times, going 2-2-0 on the front ends and 3-1-0 on the second ends.
