Nothing says “crosstown rivalry” quite like A.J. Pierzynski slapping the plate and Michael Barrett throwing hands. | (Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
We’ve spent plenty of time talking ourselves into hope. Convincing ourselves that this rebuild will be different, that this time the plan will actually resemble a plan, that the next good White Sox team won’t just be a two-year window duct-taped together with waiver claims and good vibes.
But let’s be honest, hope is fragile on the South Side. And if there’s one thing this fan base knows better than anyone, it’s how quickly things turn from optimism to open disdain.
So, today’s question is simple: Who is the South Siders’ biggest rival — and which team do you hate the most?
Is it the Cubs, the natural crosstown foe, where every game feels less like baseball and more like a referendum on the city itself? Is it the Twins, who somehow always seem to have things figured out just enough to be annoying? Or maybe it’s a newer kind of resentment for a team that’s crossed the Sox one too many times recently, building a grudge that didn’t exist a decade ago.
And then there’s the second part, which isn’t necessarily the same answer. Rivalries are supposed to be competitive. Hate? That’s really personal.
Is it the team whose fans you can’t stand? The one that always seems to get the call, the bounce, the breakout season? The one that turns every series into a slow boil?
Or, and be honest, is it the White Sox themselves? Because sometimes the most exhausting rivalry is the one between expectation and reality.
Let it out. Your grievances, fresh wounds, all of it. Because if there’s one thing Sox fans know how to do, it’s hold onto a grudge like it’s a retired number.
So, who’s your biggest rival, and who do you truly hate?
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - APRIL 12: Jordan Walker #18 of the St. Louis Cardinals hits a solo home run against the Boston Red Sox at Busch Stadium on April 12, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Joe Puetz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As most of you know, I was lucky enough to be invited to attend Winter Warmup as a reporter. Last year, I used that experience to write several season previews. Due to the late start of the top 20 prospect series (caused by waiting for Brendan Donovan to be traded), my Winter Warmup stories have been pushed to now instead of at the beginning of spring training. Thus technically, these could also be called season previews, but there’s a good chance I write a couple of these after the season has already started. I’ll try to pick stories that are not outdated for the ones during the season.
Coming into the season, the infield looked fairly strong, the bullpen looked like it should be competent, and the starting rotation, well that took a bit more hoping, but each individual member was fully capable of being average or better and there’s a good amount of depth for when things went wrong. Average rotations have certainly been built on flimsier material.
Outfield though, that took some imagination. The kind of imagination that would get you labeled a homer who was incapable of looking at things objectively. Too much had to go right and nobody was a safe bet. There were only two sure starters and both gave you reason to doubt them. Victor Scott can’t hit and Jordan Walker can’t really do anything. As for that third spot, hope things don’t go too badly and pray Lars Nootbaar gets back quickly.
Two weeks into the season, the biggest homer in the world wouldn’t dare predict what Jordan Walker has done. It’s almost inconceivable, which is itself kind of a crazy thing to think for a man once considered a top 10 prospect in the game. Of course, he was capable of this. It just doesn’t usually happen after 1,000 plate appearances of failure. Obviously, that affected him.
“When you go into the MLB, you know there are gonna be struggles,” Walker said. “I knew that as a rookie coming up. I didn’t think everything was gonna go my way immediately and that it was always gonna go my way. But it’s still tough to deal with.”
Walker began his journey to this point by starting at Driveline. Interestingly, Driveline seems to be getting all the credit (as judged by an MLB Network clip, which also erroneously seemed to suggest he’s now successful because of more consistent playing time), but if I’m hearing his quote correctly, he instituted his changes at a different sports performance facility.
“At the beginning of the season, I went Driveline and did the whole body analysis thing, how I move and I brought that program over to Cressey,” Walker said. “We took that Driveline program and I incorporated it to the movement and workouts at Cressey.”
I’m pretty sure he meant offseason, but he definitely did say season. If I were an actual reporter, I would contact Walker to clarify, but I don’t have his number and I’m not going to change a quote based on an assumption. It’s not the point anyway. He gave a special shout-out to Shane Olive and Max Rios at Cressey as people he worked closely with. He didn’t mention their last names, but they do have a website, so it wasn’t hard to find.
But they didn’t start from the vantage point of let’s increase the launch angle.
“To be honest, it was really how forward I was coming when I was hitting and what we learned is that when I’m hitting off my backside, I’m driving the ball in the gaps way more consistently,” Walker said. “I’m not rolling over, I’m not getting that topspin on the ball. The focus is really how far back I’m onto my hip and how I’m hitting on my backside rather than me focusing on launch angle.”
Essentially, he doesn’t need to focus on launch angle. Launch angle is more of a consequence of smart, effective changes.
“If I’m moving correctly, then the launch angle and exit velo and driving it where I want to will come up with it,” Walker said.
That is certainly a sentiment that Nathan Church would agree with. Though in a different spot and with different expectations, his career did hang in the balance because of a concern about power. It’s just that his power was lacking in the minor leagues. He reached AA in 2024, but only managed a .106 ISO, which also happened to be his professional high at the time. After starting 2025 injured, he then suddenly had power en route to a surprise debut in the MLB.
“A lot of it is not really trying to put up power numbers to be honest,” Church said. “A lot of it is just trying to get stronger in the gym and knowing how my body moves correctly is kind of the main thing. The numbers kind of spoke for itself. Put all the work in the gym and the training room and the cage kind of shows out in the field.”
I realize that Walker went to outside sources to improve his hitting, but the verbiage both use suggest the Cardinals are also preaching this. Both reference that if their body moves correctly, the power will naturally come. That cannot be a coincidence. Joshua Baez, in the organization since he was drafted in 2021, thinks the coaching has improved since he got here.
“It’s been going upwards every single year,” Baez said. “They’re really involved with the players, they want to know about them, what they’re doing, their routine, to help them prepare for spring training and the season.”
And yes, if you’re good at math, if he is indeed correct about it being better every year, it means things were improving before Chaim Bloom even got there. Probably a consequence of him getting better instruction as he rose through the system, but I thought I’d point that out. But he did get more specific in how things are different now.
“It was just a more personalized program for me,” Baez said. “They know me better now, it was more about me and not so much comparing or saying ‘maybe this could work for you.’ Going by experience and just try to find things that will continue to make me better.”
Baez could commiserate with Walker on struggles, albeit he got a lot less attention for them. Nonetheless, he was a high draft pick, a somewhat highly rated prospect, and the road has probably been bumpier than he thought it would be.
“Going through the down times, yeah it definitely questions you,” Baez said. “Being drafted high, having all these expectations, then just hitting that brick wall, it just builds character. I just found a way to get up and keep going every time.”
Is there a more character-building sport than baseball? My experience is on a far smaller scale and not specifically about baseball, but when I first came onto this blog, I spammed the fanpost section with recaps back when the fanpost was considered sacred and I got roasted here in the comments and I soon learned on Twitter and I was an 18-year-old trying to skip a few steps, so it wasn’t entirely unjustified, but it definitely hurt me.
But it was character-building. Didn’t matter who it was, I used to take criticism so personally. But after that, a random person on social media doesn’t affect me at all. So on the larger, more public scale that Baez and Walker had to deal with, I’m guessing it’s significantly easier to remain confident even when slumping after their struggles. And confidence is not seen in the advanced stats, but we’re all human and it’s going to affect play.
And to again relate to my own experience: that experience also made me a better writer and a better baseball fan. It’s why I bothered to learn about advanced analytics, which only made me love the sport more. Walker, who has previously been somewhat hesitant to change a swing he was comfortable with, became someone ready to make changes.
“He has had a better, more engaged and more communicative offseason than any than I think people can remember from him,” POBO Chaim Bloom said. “Obviously, the proof will be in the pudding. But I’m encouraged by where his head is at in terms of understanding what the adjustments need to be for him to have consistent success at this level.”
Bloom followed that up with a quote that may have been scoffed at in spring training, especially in the middle of it, but seems like the most obvious statement ever given how Walker has started his season.
“You don’t have to squint to see why the upside is worth staying with him,” Bloom said.
What’s funny is that at the time he said that, some may have argued that you do actually have to squint. But you really don’t have to squint now. It’s smacking you right in the face.
“I still have the same mentality,” Walker said. “I want to come here, I want to win a spot, and I want to have a crazy year.”
VANCOUVER, CANADA - NOVEMBER 9: Head coach Jared Bednar of the Colorado Avalanche looks on from the bench during their NHL game against the Vancouver Canucks. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Colorado Avalanche News
Head Coach Bednar will not travel with the team on this road trip due to a facial injury after taking a puck during a game. [TSN]
Top college free agent T.J. Hughes to sign with Colorado Avalanche. [The Athletic]
Can juggernaut Avalanche break Presidents’ Trophy curse? [The Score]
Masterton Trophy nominations announced and Landeskog, Ullmark among those up for award for perseverance, sportsmanship, dedication. [NHL]
Sam Malinski selected for Avalanche’s 2026 King Clancy Trophy Nominee. [The Hockey News]
With plenty of fresh blood, NHL will have new Stanley Cup champion after the back-to-back champs failed to make the playoffs. [CBC]
Avalanche say Nazem Kadri will miss a few games. [Sportsnet]
News Around the League
Suzuki becomes first Canadien in 40 years to record 100 points in a season. [TSN]
Do the Maple Leafs really play in a tough NHL market? It depends on who you ask. [The Star]
Ovechkin appreciates ‘nice’ tribute during possible last game in Pittsburgh. [ESPN]
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - APRIL 12: Jamaree Bouyea #17 of the Phoenix Suns brings the ball up court during the second half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center on April 12, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by William Purnell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Game 82 of the season, a game that generally means nothing. It meant something for plenty of teams in the Eastern Conference on Sunday, but everything was already decided for both the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns. So there isn’t much to take away from a game like this unless you’re a Suns sicko. That’s what I am. That’s what you are if you’re reading this.
While the second season begins on Tuesday for the Suns, there were still some interesting things to see as the regular season came to a close. Many of the young players who were part of that 25-point second-half debacle against the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday were given more opportunity on Sunday against the Thunder. And they took advantage of it.
You might not take much from that performance, but those players will. Their coaches will too. When the season ends and the offseason regimens begin, there are real takeaways from what they showed on Sunday.
On Friday, the youth movement looked disorganized and passive. On Sunday, they looked engaged and aggressive. That’s what I’m taking from the final game. The team, and especially the youth movement, showed some promise, even if it came against the Third Team Thunder. I’ll take 135 points to end the season every time.
Bright Side Baller Season Standings
It was a disgusting showing against the Lakers, but not by Oso!
Bright Side Baller Nominees
Game 82 against the Thunder. Here are your nominees:
Tucked beneath the baskets along both baselines at Crypto.com is a secret that soon everyone will know about.
The Los Angeles Lakers announced Thursday that they will be unveiling new Courtside Reserve seats for the upcoming NBA Playoffs on April 18.
The California Post was granted exclusive access to the location of the new seats ahead of the game between the Utah Jazz and LA Lakers on Sunday.
Jay-Z and his eldest daughter Blue Ivy Carter attend a Lakers game in LA. Getty ImagesIf you’re lucky enough to get that email, you’ll have the opportunity to watch LeBron alongside celebs like Adam Sandler. Getty Images
The new Courtside Reserve seats will be a second row of seats behind the existing courtside seats located along the baseline. They will give fans an up close and personal look at all the playoff action when the Lakers take on the Houston Rockets in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs.
According to a team source, there will be around 60 total seats, split evenly between each basket. The seats come with in-seat food and beverage service, access to the exclusive VIP club during halftime, and a seamless premium arrival from the moment you enter the arena. Think of it as a backstage pass to one of the most exclusive shows in all of sports.
More views from where the Lakers new “Courtside Reserve” seats will be located for the NBA Playoffs. pic.twitter.com/eavS2Tvsgi
For more than a half a century, courtside seats at Lakers games have been a cultural institution. From Jack Nicholson to Jay-Z, it’s almost a right of passage. From the Showtime era to the Kobe and Shaq era, from LeBron James to Luka Dončić, sitting courtside at Lakers games is a who’s who of Hollywood power brokers, music icons, athletes, actors and basketball purists.
The Lakers courtside seats have been sold out since the 1970s, but these new seats crack that door open ever so slightly.
Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner courtside at a Lakers game. Getty Images
A Lakers team source told The California Post that the price point is expected to land somewhere between $15,000 and $30,000 per seat for the playoffs. No doubt, this is an additional revenue stream discovered by new Lakers’ owner Mark Walter, who purchased the team at an evaluation price of $10 billion last November.
Fans interested in securing one of these 60 golden tickets can’t simply show up and buy them. The process begins by filling out an interest form. A filtering mechanism that reinforces the exclusivity before a single dollar is exchanged. After filling out the form, the Lakers will reach out via email about purchasing a ticket for the new seats.
If you’re lucky enough to get that email, then you’ll have the opportunity to watch LeBron James and the Lake Show alongside celebrities like Will Ferrell, Denzel Washington, Leonardo DiCaprio, Flea, Justin Bieber, Adam Sandler and Eddie Murphy.
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Wizards big man Alex Sarr protecting the rim with a block. | NBAE via Getty Images
With a 130-117 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Washington Wizards close out the 2025-26 season with 17 wins. This means they now go down in history as just the third team ever to win fewer than 20 wins in three consecutive seasons.
The first to do it was the expansion Vancouver Grizzlies, which didn’t crack 20 victories until their fifth season. From 1995-96 to 1997-98, the Grizzlies won 15, 14, and 19 games. They followed up that epic run of futility by going just 8-42 in their labor dispute-shortened fourth season. That’s a 13-win pace, by the way.
Hubie Brown was the first coach to have a winning record for the Grizzlies. | Getty Images
They moved to Memphis before season seven without surpassing 30 wins in a season. Their first winning record came in year nine during Hubie Brown’s first full season as coach. Brown was the sixth coach in Vancouver/Memphis history.
Team two was The Process Philadelphia 76ers, which from 2013-14 to 2015-16 won 19, 18, and 10 games. After three years of intentionally losing, Philadelphia won 28 and then topped 50 wins four times over the next decade. All that tanking got them to the playoffs in seven straight seasons — where they exited in the second round five times and the first round twice.
Washington has won 15, 18, and 17 the past three seasons. It’s been a brutal stretch, even for the masochists who comprise the long-time Wizards fan base. The 1-25 run — nearly a third of the season — has been an appalling exercise in strategic losing. To make sure they got the best lottery odds possible, they’ve been restricting minutes and sitting with “injuries” even the young players they hope will be part of their future.
Wizards head coach Brian Keefe. | Getty Images
It gets worse. Using strength-of-schedule adjusted scoring margin, this season culminates the worst three-year run in NBA history. Washington has been outscored by an average of 11.02 points per game (adjusted for strength of schedule). The second worst three-year span was by the expansion Grizzlies, which were still two points per game stronger than the Wizards. This season, Washington posted the sixth worst adjusted scoring margin in history. The 2024-25 was third worst. Ever.
The Wizards this season were 28th in offense and 30th in defense. On offense they were 21st in eFG%, 26th in turnover percentage, 27th in getting to the free throw line, and 21st in offensive rebounding. On defense: 27th in deFG%, 24th in forcing turnovers, 29th in sending opponents to the free throw line, and 30th defensive rebounding percentage.
The Wizards hope to resume competing next season. They traded for Trae Young and Anthony Davis, and they expect to add a talented rookie with a pick that can be no worse than fifth overall. History suggests the first foray into trying to win may not go as well as we’d hope. When hitting bottom this hard, it’s probably going to take some time to get good — if it happens at all.
The team acquired some veterans they think will help. The big challenge: the youngsters who have played in an environment where nothing really mattered will have to learn the effort, attention to detail, and execution required to be good in the NBA.
To close out the season, here’s a quick look at each player — a thought or two for each, a level set, and a PPA score. By “level set,” I mean that I’m giving my opinion of the player’s future NBA role based on currently available information. My opinion is formed with full understanding that many of these guys are young and have potential, and their futures are likely to be based more on the work they will do than how they’ve played so far.
PPA is short for “Player Production Average,” which is the overall production metric I developed. PPA is pace neutral, and includes accounting for role and defensive impact. In PPA, 100 is average and higher is better. Replacement level is 45.
A quick note: I use four positions — guards, wings, forwards, and centers — which better reflects the reality of how the game is played than the traditional point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward, center paradigm.
The list below is sorted by total minutes played for the team this season.
Wizards guard Bub Carrington played all 82 games for a second straight season. | Getty Images
Bub Carrington | G | 20 years old | PPA: 61 — Shot 40% from three-point range and still ended up with an offensive rating (points produced per 100 individual possessions) more than 10 points below average. He’s competitive and tough (played all 82 games for a second straight season) but is also an ineffective defender who plays smaller than his 6-4 frame. I didn’t like that his turnovers went up at a faster rate than his assists did. Level Set | 9th man.
Will Riley | F | 20 | PPA: 57 — Riley got a lot of buzz for how he’s played the past couple months. While I see the potential, I think the excitement has gotten ahead of his actual performance. His offensive efficiency (both for the season and for his “good” stretch) have loitered 6-7 points per 100 possessions below average. He has much work to do to get stronger. Level Set | 7th man.
Bilal Coulibaly | W | 21 | PPA: 101 — Good defender who showed signs of a pulse on offense in the latter part of the season. Opposing defenders had a difficult time staying in front of him when he decided to drive. But, he also shot 31.9% from three, which is something he must improve. Level Set | Starter.
Tre Johnson | G | 20 | PPA: 61 — Last year’s tanking prize, Johnson flashed “lethal shooter” potential. He also shot just 28.9% from deep after Feb. 1, and below 50% on twos for the season. My pre-draft evaluation questioned his athleticism and all-around dimension to his game. After watching him play in 60 NBA games, I have the same questions. Level Set | Off the bench shooter.
Kyshawn George improved significantly in his second NBA season. | NBAE via Getty Images
Kyshawn George | F | 22 | PPA: 87 — George took significant steps forward in per possession, scoring, rebounds, assists, usage and overall offensive efficiency. He also committed more turnovers and fouls on a per possession basis than he did as a rookie. While his offensive rating improved 7 points per 100 possessions from last season, it was still almost 9 points below average. He’s gotta stop fouling so much — it undercuts his defensive value and hurts the team defense by putting them in the penalty sooner. Level Set | 6th man.
Justin Champagnie | F | 24 | PPA: 105 — Always looks like he just woke up, even when he’s dunking on an opposing seven-footer or crashing for yet another offensive board. He was the team’s leading rebounder (well, Julian Reese and Marvin Bagley III had more on a per possession basis in relatively scant playing time), and he was one of the few Wizards this season with above average offensive efficiency. I think he could be a starter on a good team, though he may need to wait until Anthony Davis ages out, if he stays in Washington. Level Set | 7th man.
Alex Sarr | C | 20 | PPA: 132— Sarr improved a bunch from his rookie season on both ends of the floor. On defense, he was one of the league’s busiest and most effective rim protectors (partly because his perimeter teammates did such a bad job). On offense, he shot better on twos, threes, and free throws, showcased burgeoning fluidity in the post and improved his offensive rating by 11 points per 100 possessions. That ortg was still about 6 points below average, and the quality of his play drooped as the season wore on, but he took giant steps for a second-yer player. Level Set | Franchise player.
Jamir Watkins | W | 24 | PPA: 63— Watkins’ defense is what will keep him in the league next season. He MUST improve his shooting to stay beyond that. Level Set | Deep bench.
Anthony Gill | F/C | 33 | PPA: 67 — After 5+ seasons as the team dad, Gill got a steady diet of playing time over the last 20 or so games, and…he wasn’t bad. Level Set | Deep bench and future assistant (and then head) coach.
Sharife Cooper | G | 24 | PPA: 58 — Cooper has some craft and was fun to watch at times, but ultimately was too small to hold up defensively, doesn’t shoot well enough to scare defenses, and commits too many turnovers for his level of playmaking. Level Set | G League or overseas.
Tristan Vukcevic | C | 23 | PPA: 73— The big man can shoot and pass with some flare. He also commits a ton of turnovers (more than four per 100 team possessions), his rebounding is subpar for a big, and his slow feet and lack of anticipation makes him a weak defender who fouls a ton. Level Set | 10th man.
Jaden Hardy | G | 23 | PPA: 39 — His role seems to be instant offense, or at least instant shot attempts. Aside from inefficient offense, he offers little — at least so far. I liked flashes of what I saw, and he could be a good NBA player if he puts in the serious work. Level Set | 12th man.
Leaky Black | W | 26 | PPA: 54 — Poor defender who also struggles offensively. Level Set | G League or overseas.
Julian Reese | C | 22 | PPA: 90 — I wrote a bit about Reese in a recent critique of the Monumental broadcast. Suffice to say I’m lower on Reese’s future prospects than others. I like his competitiveness and effort. I don’t think he can play forward with his skill set and agility. He was productive in the limited minutes he got, though his better games came against teams that didn’t have genuine bigs available. When he went against quality size, he seemed to vanish. He’s undersized and under-skilled for a modern NBA center. Drew Gooden said he sees Reese as a “traditional power forward,” which might have been meaningful 15-20 years ago. I think Reese needs to get much stronger and savvier and become a competent shooter to stick around. I think there’s probably too much work to think he’ll get there anytime soon. Also, are we sure he’s really left-handed? Level Set | Deep bench or G League.
Cam Whitmore has promise, but can he put it together and become a quality NBA player? | Getty Images
Cam Whitmore | F | 21 | PPA: 49— Whitmore’s career has had some twists. Expected to go in the top 10, he slid to 20th in the draft. The Houston Rockets gave him to the Wizards for essentially nothing after two seasons. His performance in Washington was up and down until he got benched for his attitude. While languishing, he suffered a deep vein thrombosis in his shoulder, which meant he had to miss the rest of the season for medical reasons. He has great athletic tools and some genuine skills, though he suffers from the worst case of tunnel vision I’ve ever seen. Level Set | Deep bench.
Apr 12, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) limps off the floor during the first half against the Chicago Bulls at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Mercifully for your Dallas Mavericks, the 82-game grind that is the NBA regular season has come and gone. Just about the only two bits of drama over the last two months of this disaster was whether or not they could lose enough games to earn some lottery balls, and if they could get Cooper Flagg the Rookie of the Year award.
The awards race will have to wait for a bit, although Cooper finds himself as a -160 favorite over Charlotte’s Kon Kneuppel (+125) for Rookie of the Year as the season comes to a close. As for the lottery odds, the Mavericks have done enough to secure the tied for seventh best odds in the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery. The full standings are as follows.
According to the FanDuel Sportsbook, your Mavs have a +1000 shot at landing the number one overall pick. As you can see above, Dallas has a 29% chance at landing in the top four of the draft. If the Mavericks lose the coin flip for seventh, they will have a 33% chance at picking eighth, 31% at picking ninth and 7% at picking tenth or worse. If they win it, they will have a 20% chance of picking seventh, 36% chance at picking eighth, and a 15% chance at picking ninth or worse.
The NBA Draft Lottery will take place on May 10th from Chicago, which overlaps with the NBA Combine (May 8th to the 17th).
Moving on from the losers bracket, there will still be an NBA Champion crowned this summer. The top six seeds in each conference have been set, while seeds seven through ten are set to duke it out in the play in tournament. Here’s how things stand.
According to the FanDuel Sportsbook, the Oklahoma City Thunder (-155) enter the playoffs as the overwhelming favorite to win the West. Next in line are the San Antonio Spurs (+310) and Denver Nuggets (+650).
Out East, the Boston Celtics (+155) enter the postseason as the favorites to represent the conference in the NBA Finals, once again per our good friends over at FanDuel. Not far behind are the Cleveland Cavaliers (+340) and both the Detroit Pistons (+500) and New York Knicks (+500).
Overall, the OKC Thunder (+125) remain heavy favorites to repeat as Champions, per FanDuel. The Spurs (+450) and the Celtics (+550) come in with the next best odds to bring home a title.
San Diego, CA - April 12: Jackson Merrill #3 of the San Diego Padres and Bryce Johnson #29 run off the field after a 7-2 win against the Colorado Rockies at Petco Park on April 12, 2026 in San Diego, CA. (Photo by K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)
Arizona was break-even after a week and a half, but last week won a pair of road series against postseason hopefuls, winning two of three against both the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies. But the Padres turned things up a notch with six wins in seven games, including the last five in a row.
Game of the week
Thursday night at Petco Park saw the Padres and Colorado Rockies in lockstep with each other all night. The each scored one run in the third inning, then nothing else through nine innings. Then they each scored single runs in both the 10th and 11th, and left a combined eight runners on base in those four half-innings.
After the Rockies left two more on in a scoreless top of the 12th, Colorado opted to intentionally walk both Jackson Merrill and Manny Machado to load the bases. Xander Bogaerts made them pay with a walk-off grand slam.
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 8: Roman Anthony #19 of the Boston Red Sox, lright, and Wilyer Abreu #52 are congratulated by teammates and manager Alex Cora #13, left, after their win over the Milwaukee Brewers at Fenway Park on April 8, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If there’s anything that I learned over the past week of watching the Red Sox, it’s that baseball can—believe it or not—be fun! God, remember what it was like to actually enjoy this team’s play?
After many in Red Sox Nation (myself included) started to worry about the trajectory of the 2026 season, Boston has won two straight sets against NL Central clubs. A series win against a very good Brewers team got things going, and a two-outta-three swing in St. Louis immediately afterwards helped get the club back on track (relatively). Just like that, guess who’s two games back of the Yankees (some other teams as well, sure, but I think that narrative more) while posting a positive run differential?
The bats have woken up (more on that in a few paragraphs), the defense looks far better, and starters are actually pitching into the fifth inning—or, hell, even later! By the time we sit here next week, we could be back north of .500 after some existential questions regarding this project were being asked. Granted, we could also be right behind the eight ball again if we fail to take care of business against the Twinkies and the Motor City Kitties in the coming days.
Weird game, baseball.
Regardless, I’m just happy to see some quality play at long last. So let’s talk about some of that while we still can.
It’s Monday Morning Brushback time, y’all.
Have to wake up bats
No way to sugar coat it: the Red Sox’s offensive output in the first few weeks of the season was subpar. After dropping the first game to the Cardinals on Friday, Boston ranked 25th in the league in total team OPS; not a great sign for a team that plays half of its game at a hitter-friendly park and has played at other yards that allow for more offense such as Cincy and Houston.
However, an interesting tweet from Thomas Nestico (great follow) crossed my desk this weekend—one that certainly caught me by surprise. That post pointed out that the Red Sox’s hard hit rate has actually been pretty good so far this season, ranking within the top 10 across MLB prior to the start of play on Friday.
Again: those hard hit numbers don’t account for the crooked numbers our guys put up on Saturday and Sunday to secure their second consecutive series win. Entering play Sunday, the Sox’s hard hit percentage went up by just over a percentage point to 42.7% per Savant. What it looks like after Sunday’s victory…….I’m not sure, since I don’t believe that the site has been updated, but the trends are positive for us!
That information did give me some relief from what we’ve seen in terms of the run output thus far. Yeah, the offense has looked anemic at points, but the offensive profiles I had been optimistic about before the season still remain. Prior to Sunday’s finale, a total of nine Red Sox hitters had a hard hit rate that ranked within the 50th percentile league-wide or better. A good cohort of those same guys rank within the top half of MLB in other under-the-hood metrics; xwOBA, expected slugging, barrel rate, all that fun stuff.
One name notably not towards the top of those metrics: Roman Anthony, who’s been slow out of the gates when compared to the expectations many had for him at the season’s start. To reemphasize the point about profiles, though, that’s not someone I worry about. I still think he’s gonna come around in 2026 and be a great bat at the top of the order. I still think Willson Contreras projects to be a key part of this lineup (and you’ve really seen that come to fruition over the last few games). While he won’t keep up with the incredible pace he’s had to start the year, I think Wilyer Abreu’s breakout is here in earnest.
The skeleton of a solid (maybe not incredible, granted) offense is there, and the underlying metrics show it. During an entire season, those quality-of-contact traits should start to win out. This offense was never going to be as bad over the course of 162 games that we saw in the first 10. Perhaps this weekend was the shot in the arm this lineup needed to really get things cookin’. Or, maybe they’ll keep up with the backbreaking strikeouts and revert right back to their old ways. Who knows?
I’m willing to stick my neck out for the former, though. I’m not saying this is the ‘27 Yankees, and there are still fair questions to ask (Trevor Story and Caleb Durbin, let’s get some more consistent production with the lumber please) but I like enough of the pieces here in Boston and believe we’ll see a competitive lineup this season.
Suarez steps up
After a couple of false starts, let’s just go ahead and declare Saturday as the true start of the Ranger Suarez era! Best we just forget those first two appearances, right?
In all seriousness, nice job by the newest member of the rotation to bounce back following a pair of bad outings to start his tenure in Boston. Across six shutout innings in the Gateway City, Suarez struck out six Cards while surrendering just a trio of hits and a pair of walks. Things seemed like they were going to get hairy early on, but after a prolonged first inning he was able to lock in and efficiently work his way to a quality start.
It isn’t a secret as to how Ranger was able to produce a nice start in St. Louis, because it’s the thing that got him a nine-figure deal in the first place. He could make for a great real estate agent, because Suarez’s game comes down to three words: location, location, location.
And yet, we really didn’t get to see that bread and butter until Saturday. I’m glad we eventually saw the blueprint for what works for Suarez, though! After having Location+ figures of 97 and 102 in his first two starts, that mark jumped up to 107 in Ranger’s third—and so far, best—outing.
You can read more about Suarez by taking a look at the great Matthew Gross’ article that was posted onto OTM the other day, but Ranger’s charmed me with this most recent appearance. Once more, this is the profile of a pitcher that I’m not worried about long term. That’s the word of the day—profile—because I still trust in him to be a strong deputy to Garrett Crochet in the pitching staff considering his track record. Suarez isn’t the type of demon that can mow batters down like it’s nothing thanks to an incredible ability to miss bats, like Crochet, but he doesn’t have to.
Locate that junk and mix up the pitches. That’s how we win, Ranger.
For Whom The Bell Tolles
A quick word on southpaw prospect Payton Tolle to wrap things up, as all accounts show that he’s been cooking down in AAA and could be knocking on Boston’s door once again for a call up soon.
With the WooSox this weekend, Boston’s top prospect logged six punch outs across five innings and 75 pitches. He gave up three hits and issued only one free pass, while he initiated whiffs on 25% of his pitches. The piglet to Crochet’s pig, indeed.
LHP Payton Tolle (GG #1) with Triple-A Worcester today:
5 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 0 ER, 6 K • 9 whiffs (25%) • 27% CSW
Simply mowed down hitters with ease. Limited QoC well and pounded the zone with strikes. FF T99 mph. FA-trifecta led the charge in terms of usage. pic.twitter.com/OyuFl3w8Pc
What’s interesting about this stat, to me, is the amount of times he threw his cutter: 20 times, to be specific, so just over a quarter of the time. For reference, Tolle threw his cutter 42 total times (a rate of nearly 14%) in his 16.1 innings of MLB ball in 2025.
Payton Tolle was stellar in his AAA start today, striking out 6 over 5.0 IP
Tolle continues to flex a more refined arsenal as he patiently awaits for his return to Boston. Now this is the best LHP pitching prospect in baseball! pic.twitter.com/RabrXuBi7Z
I think we all knew that the secondary offerings had to come before Tolle could be fully entrenched within Boston’s pitching staff. The four-seamer is incredible, yes, but he was throwing it about two-thirds of the time during his cup of coffee. Something with glove-side movement and a change of pace like that cutter, along with the breaking curve and the arm-side bite of a sinker, can keep batters honest. It’s simple analysis, but it seems to be coming to fruition.
I forget what date for a call up would guarantee the Red Sox another year of team control for Tolle, but I think it’s approaching in a matter of weeks. I’m sure we’ll be seeing him soon enough.
And if the pitching thing doesn’t work out, at least Tolle can fall back on his history teaching as a career option.
Song of the Week: “Going Shopping” by The Strokes
The boys are back, baby.
Same time and same place next week, friends! Go Sox.
Midfielder has again been Napoli’s star but ageing squad has taken club backwards and Conte’s future is uncertain
Was this the end of the Serie A title race? On a weekend when the last two teams pursuing them both slipped up, Inter delivered another statement victory, recovering from two goals down to win 4-3 away to a Como side who had been playing some of the best football in the division.
When the final whistle went, manager Christian Chivu celebrated like a man who knew exactly what it meant, hugging an assistant so hard he lifted them off the floor. Inter were nine points clear now in first place, with six games to go. But when the cameras arrived for post-game interviews, he played coy.
Boston Bruins top prospect James Hagens made his much-anticipated NHL debut Sunday against the Columbus Blue Jackets, and the 19-year-old forward played very well.
It wasn’t a meaningless game, either. Yes, the Bruins had already clinched a playoff spot, but their final seed remains TBD despite beating the Blue Jackets 3-2 at Nationwide Arena. And Columbus really needed a win as it tries to earn the third and final playoff spot in the Metropolitan Division.
Against a desperate opponent, Hagens played a strong 200-foot game. The best example came on the Bruins’ second goal.
After starting the rush up ice with a clean breakout pass in the defensive zone, Hagens aggressively forechecked, pinned a Blue Jackets player to the boards and allowed the Bruins to regain puck possession. Sean Kuraly then fed the puck to Henri Jokiharju, who beat Blue Jackets goalie Jet Greaves to give Boston the lead.
Hagens earned a secondary assist for his first career point as a Bruin.
The play was an example of the defensive details and all-around jump that Hagens made at Boston College as a sophomore this past season.
“His offensive game was always there, and he still continues to develop it,” BC head coach Greg Brown told NBC Sports Boston last week. “He’s only 19 years old now, but I think he took huge steps in the rest of his game, becoming a 200-foot player, defensive awareness, defensive detail — all those things that you’re going to need to play in the NHL, James really improved on this year, so it’s great to see.”
Hagens, who skated on a line with Fraser Minten and Marat Khusnutdinov, finished with one assist, one shot on net, and three shot attempts in 13:08 of ice time. He also took a hooking penalty in the first period. The one area where we didn’t see Hagens was the power play because the Blue Jackets didn’t take a single penalty.
“It was super cool,” Hagens told reporters postgame. “Really cool building to be able to get that win. It was special. Maybe stay out of the box. But it was a really cool game.”
"It was super cool…to be able to get that win, it was special." — James Hagens reacts after his NHL debut
His line produced more shots, more shot attempts, more scoring chances and more high-danger chances than it gave up. There weren’t any major mistakes from Hagens. He didn’t dominate, but he very much looked like he belonged at the NHL level.
“I thought he was good. I thought the whole line was great,” Bruins head coach Marco Sturm told reporters postgame. “They used their speed. They were not afraid to make plays. They made a lot of good decisions. They never really got into trouble. Coming into Columbus, it’s a tough building. I was curious how James would handle it, and I thought he did a good job.”
Sturm even had enough confidence to put Hagens out on the ice when the Bruins were protecting a one-goal lead in the third period with less than two minutes left on the clock.
What went into that decision?
“It’s because he gave me a reason for it,” Sturm said. “So it’s not just because of his name and he’s a high pick. No, I put him out there because I trusted him and the whole line did a great job, so they deserved to be out there.”
Hagens obviously has the least amount of experience among the forwards in the mix for bottom-six roles, but he has the best combination of speed and offensive skill in that group. He also isn’t going to be pushed around, either. He’s not the biggest player at 5-foot-11 and 177 pounds, but he’s sneaky strong and knows how to play defensively at a level higher than a lot of forwards his age.
Hagens’ next opportunity to display his skills will come Tuesday when the Bruins wrap up their regular season schedule against the New Jersey Devils at TD Garden. After that, Boston’s next matchup will be Game 1 of the first round.
Keeping Hagens in the lineup for the playoffs — at least for the first two games in Round 1 — would be the best decision for the Bruins. You never know how a rookie is going to handle the intensity of the playoffs, but it’s not like Hagens hasn’t played in big games at other points in his hockey career. And he has the maturity and even-keeled mindset that you need to play well in those pressure-packed environments.
All four of the Bruins’ potential first-round opponents have good goaltending and/or defend well, so the B’s are going to need players who can create offense for themselves and others. Hagens fits that description well, whether it’s at even strength or the power play. And until Sunday’s win over the Blue Jackets, the Bruins’ third and fourth lines hadn’t produced much offense since the Olympic break.
If the Bruins were a veteran team and a top contender (like 2023, for example), then maybe it wouldn’t make sense to throw a 19-year-old prospect into the postseason fire.
But this Bruins team wasn’t expected to compete for a playoff spot, let alone get into the tournament. They will be underdogs in every series they play, so why not give Hagens some valuable experience at the highest level?
ELMONT, NY -- The New York Islanders will be playing for pride on Tuesday night when they host the Carolina Hurricanes after being eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday.
Head coach Pete DeBoer was asked about his game plan for Tuesday.
"I'll talk to Mathieu [Darche], and we'll come up with a plan," DeBoer said. "I would like to see as many guys as possible. We took Palat out tonight and put Duclair in. I wanted to give him an opportunity. I haven't seen him yet, so I'll have to talk to Mathieu [Darche] about the roster. But for me, the more guys I can see in game action that are potentially part of this going forward, I think that's important."
The Bridgeport Islanders clinched a playoff spot on Sunday night and don't play again until Wednesday, Apr. 15, so the Islanders' season finale doesn't get in the way of their push for a higher seed.
So, who could we see in Tuesday's lineup based on what DeBoer said?
There is a strong chance that 2026 No. 16 overall pick, forward Victor Eklund, gets to make his NHL debut. The 19-year-old has been dominating AHL ice since coming over following the conclusion of his SHL season. He has nine points (two goals, seven assists) through his first seven games.
Adam Beckman (28 goals, 21 assists), Matt Luff (18 goals, 33 assists), and Liam Foudy (25 goals, 21 assists) deserve a crack given how well they've played this season.
Matthew Maggio, albeit a healthy scratch for nine games before entering the lineup on Sunday night, has had a career season with 32 points (11 goals, 21 assists) through 60 games.
On the blue line, DeBoer may want to see what Long Island native Marshall Warren, who got eight games with the Islanders this season under head coach Patrick Roy, can do, given his mobility.
The same can be said for Isaiah George, who has been up as the seventh defenseman since March 24, getting into one game, a loss to Carolina on April 4.
One of the biggest reasons why Bridgeport is heading to the playoffs is because of the play of goaltender Henrik Tikkanen (17-8-1, 2.60 GAA, .899 SV%, 1 SO).
Could the 2020 seventh-round pick (No. 214) get a chance to face NHL shots, especially with backup goaltender David Rittich a pending unrestricted agent, and Semyon Varlamov's status (two knee replacements) going forward is anything but certain?
Reminder: While there's no limit on how many players can be on a roster, teams must be cap-compliant. The Islanders only have $2.682 million in available cap space, but could create more if any players need to be placed on long-term injured reserve, if you catch my drift.
Puck drop against the Carolina Hurricanes at 7 PM ET.
Hello and happy Monday, folks. Hope your weekend went well; I was able to wear a t-shirt for the first time outside since, like, 2011.
The Red Sox will be going for their first three-game winning streak of the season tonight in the land of 10,000 lakes, as the Minnesota Twins will be hosting us at 7:40 p.m. EST.
Taking the bump for Boston will be a guy by the name of Garrett Crochet. One stinky start from him in 2026 has been sandwiched between two good-to-great appearances.
So, the question of the day is simple: What will he do tonight? Is another masterclass in the cards? Do the somehow solid Twins get to him tonight? Let me know in the comments below.
ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 10: Matt Olson #28 of the Atlanta Braves flips his bat after hitting a home run in the sixth inningduring the game against the Cleveland Guardians at Truist Park on April 10, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Sundays have not been the most successful days in recent years for the Braves, but last night provided one of the more satisfying Sunday performances in recent memory. The Braves defeated the Guardians 13-1, thanks mainly to the bottom of the order and an awesome performance from Chris Sale.
It also was the most impressive win for the Braves this season. They are now the only team in baseball to not lose a series so far this year, and the offense remains a big reason for their success. With plenty of division games coming up over the next few weeks, Atlanta could really create a favorable position as it enters a tougher stretch of the schedule.
Braves News
The Braves designated Martin Perez for assignment and called up Dylan Dodd before Sunday’s game. It proved to be an astute move, as Dodd finished the game for the Braves and gave much needed rest to the other relievers.
Bowman also looks at Matt Olson becoming the “Iron Man” of active MLB players. Further details on just how historic Olson’s consecutive games streak has become are below.
Mason Marchment (19) and Adam Fantilli (24) scored the only goals in a 3-2 loss to the Boston Bruins on Sunday night. Jet Greaves made 19 saves in the loss.
The Columbus Blue Jackets' Stanley Cup Playoff hopes are officially on life support. For the second year in a row, the CBJ will go down to the wire and will most likely be eliminated. It's not officially over, but it's close.
The Philadelphia Flyers now need to lose both of their remaining games, and the Jackets need to beat the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night to clinch a playoff berth. The Flyers play back-to-back on Monday and Tuesday against the Carolina Hurricanes and Montreal Canadiens.
Last season, in a game that the CBJ needed the Habs to lose, the Hurricanes played a mostly AHL lineup and got beat by Montreal, to knock the Blue Jackets out of contention.
In a strange bit of irony, it will again be up to the Carolina Hurricanes to help the Blue Jackets out by beating the Flyers, to give Columbus one last sliver of hope come Tuesday night.
Quotes
Rick Bowness - "We're all very, very disappointed in how it went tonight. We are. The guys are heartbroken. We're heartbroken. Now we've lost total control of what's going to happen. There's nothing we can do now. We'll just have to sit back and see what happens tomorrow night in Philly."
Adam Fantilli - "This one, it's a gut shot. We understand and understood everything going into this game, and we didn't get it done. The level of disappointment is pretty high right now."
Zach Werenski - "Yeah, especially when they take the lead, we really
didn’t give him too much in the 3rd until that goal. I felt like Mo has a big goal to tie it up, we’re playing well, and you know, a good
shot by him, and ends up being 3-2, and then after that we have to step up a little
bit more. I mean, after that we had, like I said, a couple of grade A's from the
slot, we got to find a way to score and tie it up. I mean, that could be our season."
Team Notes Per CBJ PR
Columbus (0-2-1) and Boston (3-0-0) completed their season series tonight.
The Blue Jackets finished the 2025-26 season with a 13-6-5 record against the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference following tonight’s action.
The Jackets scored the first goal of the game for the 49th time this season (32-10-7) and for the 28th time at Nationwide Arena (18-7-3).
Columbus has scored first 24 times since Jan. 13 (17-4-3), tying Buffalo for the most instances in the league since then.
The Blue Jackets skated in front of their sixth-straight and 15th sellout crowd of the season tonight.
Final Stats
cbj app
Player Stats & Notes
Mason Marchment scored his 19th goal, and 15th goal as a Blue Jacket, and has points in six of his past seven games played (2-6-8). His goal also gives him 4-6-10 in 11 career matchups against Boston, with points in four of his past five (3-6-9) and 4-2-6 in six career home games vs. the club.
Adam Fantilli scored his 24th goal of the year and won 55.6% of his faceoffs. He has points in consecutive contests (1-2-3) and in three of his past four games (2-2-4). He improved to 3-2-5 in nine career games against Boston with all points in his past six matchups.
Dante Fabbro picked up his 6th assist.
Boone Jenner recorded his 25th assist and won 50% of his faceoffs. He now has notched 10-5-15 in 25 career contests against the Bruins, with 3-4-7 in his past nine overall and has points in four of his last five at home (1-4-5).
Danten Heinen got his 5th assist and was a plus-2. He has points in 3 of his last 4 games.
Zach Werenski had 8 shots on goal and played 30:27.
Charlie Coyle won 66.7% of his faceoffs.
Team Stats
The Jackets went 0/3 on the power play.
The Columbus PK didn't have to work, as the Jackets didn't take a penalty.
Columbus won 54.4% of the faceoffs - 31/57
The Blue Jackets had 20 hits and 4 blocks.
Next Up For Columbus: The Blue Jackets welcome the Washington Capitals into Nationwide Arena in what could be the final game of the season.
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