NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 21: New York Mets boo in the ninth inning in the game between the New York Mets and the Minnesota Twins at Citi Field on April 21, 2026 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. The Minnesota Twins defeated the New York Mets 5-3. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Meet the Mets
The Mets lost their twelfth-straight game 5-3 to the Twins, despite a three-run home run from Francisco Lindor and a strong start by Nolan McLean.
Plenty has been said about who or what may be at fault for the Mets’ losing ways, but the Mets offense has been the worst in the league during their eleven game skid.
It’s only April, but questions have already been being raised about whether or not the 2026 Mets can be salvaged.
Kodai Senga’s start will be pushed back, with Christian Scott being called up to start Thursday instead, and David Peterson will remain in the bullpen.
Juan Soto will be activated for today’s game, but his workload will be managed in his return.
Soto may have more than just the Mets record on his back in his return—he could be responsible for his manager’s job security as well.
The Mets are breaking new ground for early season disappointment, at least when it comes to hyper-specific records.
Around the National League East
MLB and the Phillies revealed the festivities for All-Star Week, which coincides with the celebration of America’s semiquincentennial.
The Braves made a bevy of moves, with pitcher Raisel Iglesias landing on the injured list and Sean Murphy and Spencer Strider having their rehab assignments moved.
Zack Wheeler will be making his much anticipated (and needed) return to the Phillies rotation on Saturday against the Braves.
The Marlins fell to the Cardinals 5-3, with Chris Paddack giving up all five runs in 4.2 innings, with eight hits and seven strikeouts.
The division leading Braves were smacked around in an 11-4 loss to the Nationals. Reynaldo López lasted just one inning, giving up four runs on five hits and three walks.
The Cubs continued their hot streak against National League East teams, beating the Phillies 7-4. Jesús Luzardo pitched well for the Phillies, giving up just one run in 4.2 innings.
Around Major League Baseball
Craig Counsell criticized the two-way hitter designation with regards to Shohei Ohtani, and Dave Roberts responded.
MLB has no plans to have the ABS call every ball or strike…yet.
Recently released Met Luis Garcia found a new home, signing with the Mets current opponent, the Minnesota Twins.
Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue
It’s been about a month of minor league baseball, and as such Steve Sypa delivered the fourth 2026 group of Mets Minor League Players of the Week.
Linus Lawrence looked back on the worst losing streak in Mets history, which was unsurprisingly in 1962, losing 17 straight from late May to early June. We’re getting closer!
This Date in Mets History
56 years ago, Tom Seaver received his 1969 Cy Young Award plaque and proceeded to strike out 19 batters in a 2-1 win over the San Diego Padres.
Apr 21, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) shoots over Portland Trail Blazers guard Matisse Thybulle (4) in an attempt to tie the game at the end of the fourth quarter of game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
This game started off bad when Portland jumped to a 15-4 lead, became terrible when Wemby went down with a concussion, softened somewhat when the Spurs led by double digits in the fourth, and then landed like bad egg salad when they squandered that lead in the final minutes. Let’s be blunt: the Spurs are better than the Blazers even in the absence of Victor, as they proved earlier this year and for a big chunk of playing time in this game. However, this iteration of San Antonio is sorely lacking in playoff experience, and that absolutely showed down the stretch. Having said all of this, last night’s game did produce some interesting (albeit often disappointing) box score stats, and I hope you all will take solace in reviewing the highlights:
Note: Now that we’ve moved into the postseason, the reference period used for grading changes from the set of regular season games since 2012-2013 to the set of postseason games since 2012-2013. Unless otherwise noted below, this set DOES include play-in games. As of the end of April 21, 2026, this group include 1,135 games.
Factors that decided the game
Portland held minor edges in offensive boards (+3) and turnovers (-2), but these advantages had a minimal effect on offensive opportunity. In fact, while the Blazers did have three more field goal attempts, they also fouled the Spurs more often and at worse times, resulting in a FTA margin of +5 for San Antonio.
Unfortunately, the Silver and Black logged a disappointing free throw percentage of 71.43%, leaving eight crucial points on the table.
Given that San Antonio did outscore Portland by three at the charity stripe, the game ultimately was decided from the field. Interestingly, both teams made exactly 38 shots, meaning that the Spurs actually held a small edge in FG% (+1.49 percentage points).
However, the Blazers leaned much more heavily into shooting from distance, with a 3PA margin of +14. The Spurs’ terrible efficiency from three also gave Portland a +5.04 percentage-point edge in 3P%. Taken together, these forces generated a +6 3PM differential for the Blazers, resulting in Portland outscoring San Antonio by six from the field.
Rare Box Score Stats
There were quite a lot of steals and blocks in this game, and they were really unevenly distributed. In fact, this was just the eighth playoff games since 2012-2013 in which the winning team had a block differential of +6 or more while having a steal differential of -5 or less (that’s a frequency of once in every 142 games).
In the 1,135 playoff games since 2012-2013, this was just the 11th time that a team won while notching FGM and FTM differentials as bad or worse than +0 and -3, respectively.
Even though he finished with just 18 points, Castle was the Spurs’ leading scorer. This is not a great recipe for success, as there have only been 74 playoff games dating all the way back to 1996-1997 in which the winning team’s leading scorer register a point total at least this low. Furthermore, this event has become increasingly rare over time, with the last occurrence prior to last night being in 2021.
What are Team Graded Box Scores?
Very briefly, these box scores grade winner-loser differentials for basic box score statistics, with the grade being based on the winning team’s differential relative to other NBA winners during a defined reference period. Think of it like a report card for understanding how a given winner performed relative to other winners. The reference period used runs from the start of the 2012-2013 season to the latest date of play, including only games in the same season category (i.e., regular season and playoff games are not compared to each other).
Data Source: The underlying data used to create these box scores was collected from Basketball Reference. In all cases, the data are collected the morning after the game is played. Although rare, postgame statistical revisions after data collection do occur and may affect the results after the fact.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - APRIL 21: Kumar Rocker #80 of the Texas Rangers delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Globe Life Field on April 21, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Rangers 5, Pirates 1
Hey, that was fun!
Texas got down two batters into the game. Oneil Cruz had a leadoff single, stole second and ended up on third when Danny Jansen’s throw ended up in center field, and scored on a Ryan O’Hearn single.
Oh no!, we all thought, Kumar Rocker doesn’t have it today! We are going to have to use Cal Quantrill for multiple innings!
Kumar Rocker did have it, though. As you can infer by the final score, no more Pirate runs scored the rest of the way. And after those first two leadoff singles, Rocker allowed just two hits and one walk. Rocker logged a Quality Start, striking out five. Way to go, Kumar!
There is, however, a huge asterisk on that final line. An Evan Carter shaped asterisk.
After the O’Hearn single, Rocker faced thirteen straight batters and got thirteen outs, with the one single he allowed erased on a double play ball. With one out in the fifth, Rocker was cruising.
Jake Mangum then hit a first pitch single. Konnor Griffin hit a grounder in the hole at shortstop. Corey Seager was only going to have one play, at first, but he ended up bobbling the ball, resulting in two on, one out. A Henry Davis (hey, remember him?) tapper in front of the plate moved the runners to second and third with two outs, bringing up Oneil Cruz with the Rangers up 2-1.
Evan Carter made a spectacular leaping catch at the wall, stealing a go-ahead homer from Cruz.
When Carter was going back to the wall, I was sure the ball was gone. I just knew that Carter would get there, leap, and the ball would be five feet over his glove. The Pirates had taken the lead.
But no…Carter got there, timed it perfectly, and made the catch of the year for the Rangers.
The Rangers added onto their lead in the bottom of the fifth, and things never felt in doubt after that. The Pirates didn’t get a runner past first base over the final four innings, with Cole Winn, Jacob Latz and Jakob Junis all responsible for an inning apiece.
I thought Latz would be asked to finish things out when he came into the game for the eighth inning, though with Robert Garcia day-to-day with a sore left shoulder, Latz appears to be late inning lefty #1 right now, and thus limited to shorter outings.
The bats put up crooked numbers in the second and the fifth. A Joc Pederson single, Josh Jung double, and Evan Carter single tied the game, with Josh Smith hitting a sacrifice fly to give the Rangers a lead that they would never surrender.
If Game Winning RBIs were still a thing, Josh Smith would have gotten one for that.
The other three runs came in the fifth when, energized by Evan Carter’s catch, the Rangers chased Pittsburgh starter Carmen Mlodzinski thanks to a Smith double, an Ezequiel Duran double, and a Corey Seager single. A Jake Burger single and a Joc Pederson walk loaded the bases up, and we all hoped the suddenly super-hot doubles machine that is Josh Jung would blow things open. We settled for an RBI groundout.
Duran, incidentally, was in the game in place of Wyatt Langford, who walked and stole a base, but left the game due to forearm soreness he felt swinging the bat in his second plate appearance. Langford is getting an MRI on Wednesday, and hopefully, he is fine. If not, well, I guess it is Alejandro Osuna Time.
Kumar Rocker’s sinker topped out at 95.5 mph, averaging 93.9 mph. Cole Winn hit 96.2 mph with his fastball. Jacob Latz reached 96.1 mph with his fastball. Jakob Junis topped out at 91.7 mph with his sinker.
Joc Pederson had a 109.4 mph single. Corey Seager had a 109.0 mph groundout. Josh Smith had a 108.1 mph double. Brandon Nimmo had a 106.8 mph fly out. Jake Burger had a 104.9 mph single. Josh Jung had a 103.5 mph double and a 101.0 mph groundout. Evan Carter had a 103.3 mph single and a 100.6 mph groundout.
Texas started the homestand off on a good foot. Let’s keep it going.
The positive spin: Boston dropped early round Game 2s against both Miami and Cleveland in 2024, then finished both series in five games en route to Banner 18.
The harsh reality: The Celtics shot themselves in the foot throughout Tuesday’s loss and activated a Sixers team that ought to feel confident as the series shifts back to Philadelphia.
The Celtics have some obvious defensive issues to shore up after watching “VJ Maxx” get way too comfortable on the parquet. But here are five more things the Celtics might need to tidy up ahead of Game 3 in Philly on Friday night:
The one that sticks in our mind was late first quarter, with the 76ers already walking down an early double-digit deficit, when Payton Pritchard got trapped above the 3-point line.
Maxey looked like a cornerback jumping a comeback route when he peeled off from Derrick White and jumped in front of Pritchard’s haphazard pitch intended for Nikola Vucevic. Maxey waltzed in for a dunk that made it a one-possession game.
The Celtics finished with six live-ball turnovers leading to nine points. They had 13 turnovers overall leading to 15 points. None of those numbers are egregiously bad, but when the offense is sputtering and every possession feels important, the Celtics certainly complicated their lives.
The other turnover that’s hard to forget came after the Celtics crawled within two with 6:25 to play in the fourth. The Garden got playoff loud only for Maxey to get free for consecutive pull-up 3-pointers.
Coming out of a timeout with a chance to steady themselves, Tatum threw another haphazard pass to a cutting Neemias Queta that Edgecombe easily picked off.
2. Eliminate backbreaking second-chance points
Despite Tatum’s late-game giveaway, the Celtics got back and set in the aftermath … only for Maxey to accelerate past Pritchard and Queta to elevate for a leaning layup while Tatum and Jaylen Brown watched.
The ball kissed off the glass too hard, but despite three green jerseys under the basket, it was Andre Drummond who swooped in with the tip-in that pushed Philly’s lead to 10 with 4:36 to play.
The 76ers turned 11 offensive rebounds into 19 second-chance points. Yet again, that’s not an egregious number, and the Celtics actually won the second-chance battle (18 offensive rebounds for 22 points).
But those second-chance points felt like momentum-sappers each time the Celtics couldn’t limit the Sixers to one shot. And all the attention that Maxey drew allowed Drummond and Edgecombe (seven combined offensive rebounds) to feast on the offensive glass.
3. Stay attached to shooters
The Sixers shot 32.2 percent on pull-up 3s during the regular season, so the Celtics will live with some of the shots that Maxey and Edgecombe knocked down off the dribble. (That number jumped to 42.9 percent for Game 2). It’s the 3-pointers where Boston defenders strayed a bit too far that Boston needs to clean up.
Quentin Grimes got a quality look when Pritchard wandered to help on Maxey in the first quarter, then got another wide-open catch-and-shoot opportunity when Sam Hauser went to help Pritchard in isolation against Paul George.
Baylor Scheierman got caught flat-footed when Drummond zipped a cross-court pass to Edgecombe for a corner 3 midway through the second quarter.
Too many times the Sixers got a great look when the Celtics were scrambling an extra defender in Maxey’s direction, and Boston has to be more disciplined in those moments.
During the regular season, Payton Pritchard ranked second on the Celtics with 11.9 drives per game. White was fourth at 7.5 per game. In Game 2, the duo combined for seven drives total, per NBA tracking.
Yes, both players have to be better knocking down shots. White has been in a season-long shooting funk, and it’d be nice to get that 3-point percentage back at previous playoff levels.
Things undeniably get tougher when White, Pritchard, and Hauser combine to go 4 for 22 on triples like they did in Game 2. The Celtics as a whole went 9-for-40 (22.5 percent) on open or better 3-pointers (4+ feet of space) in Game 2, per NBA tracking.
But good things happen when White and Pritchard attack the basket. Queta, who was a beast in the teams’ final regular-season meeting while largely subsisting on offensive rebounds and alley-oops, gets activated too when Boston’s guards commit to driving the ball.
Boston’s offense felt bogged down for much of Game 2 as the team settled for perimeter shots. Even when Pritchard did drive, he felt oddly hesitant instead of muscling room to finish like he normally does.
The Celtics logged just 14 total minutes of center-less play after Tatum’s return in March. Lineup combinations with Tatum/Brown/White/Pritchard + any wing were outscored by seven points in that limited sample.
The question lingers: Could the Celtics go small with Tatum at the five and sustain against a team like Philadelphia?
The Celtics went small for a whopping one possession in Game 1 (and a got a bucket out of it). Going small might put a tremendous amount of stress on Tatum to joust with the likes of Drummond and Adem Bona, but it’s an intriguing curveball that Boston might need to explore at times in non-Queta minutes.
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 21: Los Angeles Lakers guard Luke Kennard (10) and Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) battle for the loose ball as Houston calls a time out during the fourth quarter of game two in an NBA playoff game at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday, April 21, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
In Tuesday’s Brotherhood Playoff Action, Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics lost to the Philadelphia 76ers 111-97; Mason Plumlee and the San Antonio Spurs fell to the Portland Trail Blazers 106-103, while Luke Kennard helped lead JJ Redick’s Los Angeles Lakers to a 101-94 win over the Houston Rockets.
Tatum just missed a triple-double with 19 points, 14 rebounds, and 9 assists in Boston’s loss.
For his part, Kennard had another outstanding game filling in for Luka Doncic with 23 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists.
Plumlee, however, got a DNP.
On Wednesday, Paolo Banchero and Wendell Carter will lead Orlando against Trajan Langdon’s Pistons, while Jared McCain and OKC face off against Mark Williams, Grayson Allen, and Khaman Maluach.
393323 03: Boston Red Sox Executive Vice President and General Manager Dan Duquette (L) smiles as newly named manager Joe Kerrigan speaks at a press conference August 16, 2001 in Boston, Massachusetts after being appointed to replace fired manager Jimy Williams. (Photo by Darren McCollester/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s bad enough that the Red Sox are struggling out of the gate. But we are also constantly hearing complaints from fellow fans that the 2026 Red Sox are no fun to watch. It’s hard to blame them. They only managed to score four runs in three games over the weekend! They are nearly being out-homered by Yordan Alvarez alone! They were just brought to heel by the Yankees’ worst pitcher!
So, yes, the 2026 Red Sox are no fun so far. No argument from me. But what would it take for them to become the least enjoyable team of your lifetime?
For me, I’m not sure I’ll ever hate a team more than the 2001 Red Sox. That team, unlike this one, started great, sitting at 17-9 on May 1, after an offseason in which we spent dreaming about finally breaking the curse. But this was the year that we began to see cracks in Nomar’s armor (he didn’t even play his first game until the end of July after the aggravated his wrist in February). This was the year that the team was briefly led by the worst manager of my lifetime (yes, even worse than Bobby Valentine): Joe Kerrigan, who took over for a tired Jimy Williams and was clearly in way over his head. This was the year they lost 13 of 14 games at the end of August and start of September.
Use this space to talk about teams you’ve hated and whatever else you want and, as always, be good to one another.
Apr 21, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians designated hitter Chase DeLauter (24) hits an RBI triple during the eighth inning against the Houston Astros at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
By beating the Houston Astros, the Guardians are now 14-11 and hold a 1-game lead over the 12-11 Twins.
For a while, it looked like the Guardians were going to blow their chance to face Houston’s terrible pitching, but a 6-run 8th inning saved the day. Chase DeLauter came up with the bases loaded and tripled home all three runners. Deborah has your recap here.
Franco Aleman has yet to give up a hit or a run in Columbus. Just in case Chris Antonetti was thinking we might need some bullpen help.
Houston fell to 9-16, banging into the floor of the trash AL West division. The A’s are now in first at 13-11.
Around baseball
The Mets are trying to rebound from a losing streak like the 2025 Guardians once did. Theirs is at 12 after the Twins came back to beat them yesterday.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 21: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers walks out to bat against the San Francisco Giants in the fifth inning at Oracle Park on April 21, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
These five words will never cease to amuse me: Shohei Ohtani made history, again.
Although the Dodgers suffered their third defeat on this current road trip— dropping Tuesday’s contest to the San Francisco Giants 3-1— Shohei Ohtani was able to extend his on-base streak to 53 games, tying Shawn Green for the longest such streak in Los Angeles Dodgers history. Ohtani is still five games off from tying Duke Snider for the longest in franchise history.
Ohtani is slated to pitch against the Giants for Wednesday’s game, and the Dodgers intend to have Ohtani resume his two-way duties after opting to only pitch in his previous start, notes Sonja Chen of MLB.com.
“I think that it makes a lot of sense that if you’re … hitting while pitching, it takes a little bit of a toll,” Roberts said. “He certainly has managed it really well, but if it makes sense, I’ll have that conversation with him.”
Now that the Dodgers are in the midst of their first season with Shohei Ohtani performing his two-way prowess for a full season, Mike Petriello of MLB.com writes about Ohtani potentially unlocking a new gear that the baseball world has yet to see.
Links
The Dodgers had their new bona-fide star closer for all of three weeks before landing on the injured list.
Edwin Díaz will miss the next three months after being diagnosed with loose bodies in his right elbow, which now raises a question about which Dodger reliever will take over as the team’s de facto closer. As for what Dave Roberts forecasts, per Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register, the initial candidate is Tanner Scott but the decision will vary day-to-day.
“If I had to guess … I would say probably Tanner,” Roberts said. “And that could change. I honestly don’t know. I mean, Tanner can pitch in the seventh tonight, and Blake can get the save. So honestly, it’s kind of day to day. It really is.”
The Dodgers will shoot down trade talks involving the red-hot Dalton Rushing unless the return haul lands them something huge in return, reported Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic during his latest appearance on the Foul Territory podcast.
“At the deadline, anything is possible, but I can’t see the Dodgers entertaining this unless it was a major deal— unless they were getting something huge in return— and I’m not sure what that would be at this point.”
The Dodgers likely won't entertain a trade involving Dalton Rushing unless they're getting something huge in return, says @Ken_Rosenthal. pic.twitter.com/9WqS46ToyM
In just under two weeks, the NHL will conduct the 2026 draft lottery. May 5, 2026, will be a significant day in franchise history as the Vancouver Canucks enter the draft lottery with the best odds at landing first overall. With potential franchise-altering players at the top of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, the Canucks hope that, for the first time, the lottery balls bounce their way and Vancouver leaves the lottery with a victory.
One of the big questions leading into the draft lottery is whether the Canucks will name their new General Manager before May 5. After firing Patrik Allvin less than a week ago, the Canucks have reportedly already started the search for the next GM. Many names have already been connected to the job, including Ryan Johnson, who is currently one of Vancouver's Assistant GMs.
According to a new report by TSN's Darren Dreger, the Canucks goal is to have a GM in place before the draft lottery. Dreger revealed the potential timeline while making an appearance on Sekeres and Price. In his report, Dreger revealed why Vancouver wants to get this hiring done sooner rather than later.
"Well, the hope is that they get something done around the draft lottery," said Dreger. "And there's reason behind that. You're talking about a relatively small window of influence and impact here on an organization. Especially one like the Vancouver Canucks, given their position in the draft and all of that. So how good would it be if your new head of hockey operations, or in this case, the General Manager, can participate in all scouting conversations leading up to the draft. And then he can quickly go through that crash course with the amateur scouts and everyone involved in that process with the Canucks. So that he is educated and feels part of very important days of decision making on the draft floor. It's a decentralized draft, so you're not going to have all of your hockey operations crew assembled in Buffalo, but the hope, the expectation, the target is to have that GM in place as early as the draft."
The Canucks enter the draft lottery with an 18.5% chance at first overall. According to the NHL, that equals 185 combinations out of a possible 1,000. The draft lottery broadcast will feature a live drawing and will be available to view on Sportsnet.
NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly (Photo Credit: @Canucks on "X")
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 18: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins moves the puck against the Philadelphia Flyers in Game One of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PPG PAINTS Arena on April 18, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Who:Pittsburgh Penguins (0-2) @ Philadelphia Flyers (2-0) in Game 3 of the best of seven series
When: 7:00 p.m. ET
How to Watch: Locally broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh and NBC Sports Philadelphia, nationally on TNT and TruTV, streaming on HBO Max
Pens’ Path Ahead: Game 4 won’t be until Saturday (8:00pm start). If necessary, Game 5 would be back in Pittsburgh on Monday 4/27.
Opponent Track: The Flyers are up 2-0 in the series and now back at home for the next two games.
Hidden Stat: The Penguins went 21-12-8 on the road in 2025-26. Their 50 road points were tied for eighth in the NHL, per Pens PR. The Flyers and Penguins both tied for the fewest home wins in the regular season among Eastern Conference playoff teams (20).
Getting to know the Flyers
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Tyson Foerster – Trevor Zegras – Owen Tippett
Travis Konecny – Christian Dvorak – Porter Martone
Denver Barkey – Noah Cates – Matvei Michkov
Luke Glendening – Sean Couturier – Garnet Hathaway
DEFENSEMEN
Travis Sanheim / Rasmus Ristolainen
Cam York / Jamie Drysdale
Nick Seeler / Noah Juulsen
Goalies: Dan Vladar and Samuel Ersson
Potential scratches: Garrett Wilson, Carl Grundstrom, Alex Bump, Emil Andrae
Game 2 was the first shutout of the season for the Flyers, but going back to the Olympic break Philadelphia only allowed 2.38 goals against per game in the regular season (third best in NHL) and now have only given up two goals in the first two games of this series.
Now at home with the benefit of the last change, expect the Flyers to get lots of matchups for Sidney Crosby against the Couturier and Dvorak lines.
And now for the Pens
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Rickard Rakell – Sidney Crosby – Bryan Rust
Egor Chinakhov – Tommy Novak – Evgeni Malkin
Elmer Soderblom – Ben Kindel – Anthony Mantha
Connor Dewar – Blake Lizotte – Noel Acciari
DEFENSEMEN
Parker Wotherspoon / Erik Karlsson
Sam Girard / Kris Letang
Ryan Shea / Connor Clifton
Goalies: Stuart Skinner and Arturs Silovs
Potential Scratches: Ilya Solovyov, Justin Brazeau, Kevin Hayes, Ryan Graves, Jack St. Ivany
IR: Filip Hallander, Caleb Jones (season-ending shoulder surgery)
The Penguins did not have practice yesterday while traveling to the other side of the state, we’ll have to wait for the morning skate today to see any clues about changes in lines or personnel as they look to get off the mat in Game 3.
“Tomorrow we’re going to have to make a decision: Are we going to stay with it? Stay with what we want to do and get to our game, which we haven’t gotten to in two games? Or are we going to let frustration boil over into the next one? That’s going to be the choice we, together, all of us, including myself, are going to have to make here in the next 24 hours.”
That’s about what it boils down to. Are the Penguins going to show up and play hard, play smart and show a commitment and dedication to playing a playoff-style of hockey? If they all buy in and actually do the work, then this just might be a series.
Or is it going to go the other way and the team keeps on the same path from the first two games? If so, seven months of work to get to this point will be squandered away in a hurry. By this point there are no secrets – the Flyers are a good team that are committed to shutting the Penguins down, and now they’re growing in confidence since it’s been working. They’ve bought in and have earned it. Pittsburgh either decides to match that in Game 3, or it’s going to be more or less curtains on their season. Pretty simple in that regard.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 23: General view during a game between Bay FC and Washington Spirit square off before a record-setting crowd at Oracle Park on August 23, 2025 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Karen Hickey/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images) | ISI Photos via Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
The San Francisco Giants are back in action at Oracle Park this week. I’m actually going to be attending a game this weekend, too. And I will be taking one of my best friends to her very first game at Oracle Park. So that got me thinking about what the most important things to see and do at the ballpark are if you’ve never been there.
As someone who has been going to the ballpark regularly since it opened in April of 2000, I think I’ve started to take it for granted a little bit. Of course it’s a stunningly gorgeous ballpark with a ton of things to do and see. But I’ve seen and done most of the things more times than I can count. I’ve seen every inch of that ballpark, sat in nearly every section, visited the clubhouse, dugout, press booth, suites, eaten all of the must-eat foods.
So it’s kind of fun to view it in this light. What would a first-time park-goer absolutely need to see?
What are your favorite places to visit at the ballpark? What would you show a fan attending their first game? Sound off in the comments!
What time do the Giants play today?
The Giants continue their series against the Los Angeles Dodgers tonight at 6:45 p.m. PT.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 09: TJ Rumfield #7 of the Colorado Rockies bats during the fourth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on April 09, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After all, a strong campaign in spring training earned him the starting job at first base on Opening Day, and he’s been a staple in the lineup since. While the sample size is still small, it’s worthwhile to check in on the early returns on Rumfield to see what’s going well and what needs adjustment as he continues his development at the big-league level.
What’s Going Well
A glance at his stat line paints a quality picture for Rumfield. In 23 games entering Tuesday, he is slashing .253/.310/.405 with a double, a triple, three home runs, 11 RBI, and seven runs scored. Additionally, he has 15 strikeouts and seven walks in 87 plate appearances.
It’s the plate discipline that immediately stands out for Rumfield upon further inspection and is the proof of the pudding as to why Paul DePodesta and Josh Byrnes pulled the trigger on bringing him in. Sporting a 17.2% strikeout rate, Rumfield ranks with the second-lowest on the team, just behind Tyler Freeman (15.0%). On the flip side, he has slotted in at a league average 8.0% walk rate, which is a massive positive considering his seven walks rank third on the team behind Kyle Karros (14) and Edouard Julien (8).
The zone awareness has also been highlighted and helped Rumfield maintain some consistency at the plate. Per Baseball Savant, Rumfield’s 92.7% zone contact rate tops the Rockies, which correlates with his 22.3% whiff rate that ranks third-lowest on the team. Add in the fact that he doesn’t chase excessively and you’ve got a player with a veteran approach that can adjust to big league hitting.
Equally impressive is that Rumfield is showing a capability of handling the fastball, something that can’t always be said about young hitters, especially for the Rockies over the last few seasons. Rumfield is batting .294/.317/.559 against heaters with two home runs and just three strikeouts. Seeing a fastball 41.7% of the time, Rumfield has just a 6.7% whiff rate. Eliminating the fastball’s deadly tendencies, Rumfield is forcing pitchers to utilize other tools in their arsenal to attack him rather than binge on heaters.
Quality at-bats, due to awareness of the zone, have reminded me of the start of a former Rockies first baseman, you may recall, who is in the Hall of Fame.
Rumfield is nipping at the heels of Todd Helton’s first 35 career games, and still has a whole season ahead of him, something Helton didn’t have back in 1997. His approach at the plate is quite reminiscent of Helton’s, and his ability to handle his position defensively also echoes “The ToddFather.”
There is a lot to like about Rumfield so far, but like any player, there is always work to be done to take the next step.
What Needs Work
Perhaps the biggest thing that Rumfield will need to continue working on is adjusting to secondary pitches. Because of his ability to hit the fastball, pitchers have begun throwing more pitches low and out of the zone.
Breaking balls generally haven’t given him too many fits as he is slashing .265/.260/.353 while seeing breaking balls at a 39.3% clip. Still, he has a 35.9% whiff rate against breaking pitches, specifically sliders (48%). Rumfield has a 50% strikeout rate against the slider with a .231 AVG against it. Offspeed pitches have also been a bothersome pitch, although he doesn’t see them as often since the change in speed isn’t as effective against his contact abilities as a severe breaking pitch is.
Learning to adjust to and combat those secondary pitches will be Rumfield’s greatest challenge. He certainly can make that adjustment, and a greater sample size will give a clearer idea of what he can do over the next month of games.
Another of the great challenges facing Rumfield is something plaguing all left-handed batters: left-handed pitching. In just 14 plate appearances against southpaws, Rumfield is slashing .143/.143/.143 with two hits. Again, it’s a small sample size, but the fact that he puts the ball in play is something since he has just one strikeout against left-handed pitching.
The fact of the matter is that the things Rumfield needs to work on are getting into nitpicking territory, which is a good problem to have. The well-rounded nature of his bat gives him a good base that can translate to success and growth in multiple areas, and the chance to develop against big league pitching is what is best for him.
As time rolls on and the at-bats stack up, Rumfield will be put to the test. The early signs show a promising end result, and once he can string together a couple of multi-hit games consistently, it’s going to be hard to deny that Rumfield is a legitimate big-league bat that can help the Rockies in the climb back to relevance.
On the Farm
Triple-A: Albuquerque Isotopes @ Sacramento River Cats (POSTPONED)
The rain picked up in California, moving the series opener to Wednesday. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Saturday, April 25.
The Hartford Yard Goats rebounded from an early deficit and held the lead, staving off a rally in the bottom of the ninth to win the series opener. Jake Brooks made the start, working four innings and allowing four runs on six hits. The middle relievers allowed just one run, while Sam Weatherly escaped the ninth with two runs allowed to secure the victory. The Yard Goats managed nine hits in the game, matching Portland. Bryant Betancourt had a three-hit night with a pair of doubles, while Jose Torres belted a solo shot in the second inning. Roc Riggio also drove in a pair of runs in the game.
Runs were hard to come by in the game until the AquaSox broke the seal in the bottom of the sixth. Yujanyer Herrera tossed three scoreless innings to start the game for Spokane, followed by Bryson Hammer, who performed admirably, allowing just one run in four innings of work, but had to take the loss. Things got out of hand in the bottom of the eighth when Hunter Mann was tagged for four runs on three hits. The Indians managed two runs in the top of the ninth courtesy of a two-run home run from Jacob Humphrey. The offense managed just three hits in the game while striking out 14 times with two walks.
After allowing five runs in the first two innings, the Fresno Grizzlies had to play catch-up and couldn’t overtake the Quakes. Marcos Herrera started on the mound and took the loss after giving up all five runs in 1.2 innings alongside four walks. The bullpen, led by Austin Emener’s 3.1 innings, performed well the rest of the way, allowing just two hits the rest of the way. Tanner Thach continued his hot stretch, contributing a pair of hits while Roldy Brito had a triple and drove in a pair of runs in the game.
This week, Evan Lang and I talk about the early struggles of Willi Castro before moving on to talk about the home and road splits for the club. Also, is there something fishy about the Rockies’ swinging aggression?
Apr 18, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Garrett Mitchell (5) celebrates after scoring against the Miami Marlins during the sixth inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
The Milwaukee Brewers’ offense is hanging on by a thread at the moment. Brice Turang and William Contreras are doing what they can, and Jake Bauers and Gary Sánchez have offered some early season boom-or-bust help. But without any of Jackson Chourio, Christian Yelich, or Andrew Vaughn in the lineup, the lineup is struggling. Sal Frelick hasn’t hit well. Joey Ortiz is still, unfortunately, a zero. Milwaukee has gotten very little from any of Brandon Lockridge, Blake Perkins, Greg Jones, or David Hamilton. Luis Rengifo can be added to that group, too, even if he’s come around a bit in the past week.
But there is one other player who has been helping to keep the offense afloat during this tough stretch: Garrett Mitchell. He’s already had some big moments. An extremely concerning spring raised a lot of questions around whether Mitchell was any sort of answer at all in the outfield, much less a long-term one. Many of those questions still remain, but Mitchell has also quietly raked this season; as of the start of play Wednesday, he has a 148 OPS+, leads the Brewers (along with Brice Turang) with 18 RBIs, and—I’m not making this up—leads the National League with a .437 on-base percentage.
But what can we learn from Mitchell’s odd start to the season?
When it’s hit, it stays hit
Mitchell’s Statcast page currently lights up like a Christmas tree. He ranks 90th percentile or better in average exit velocity, barrel percentage, hard-hit percentage, launch-angle sweet-spot percentage, bat speed, chase percentage, and walk rate. We should be extremely encouraged by all of this. Mitchell is being very selective, he is swinging hard, and he is crushing the ball when he makes contact. These are major harbingers of success.
But that Statcast page also lights up in a bad way. Mitchell is in the bottom-three percentile in squared-up percentage and is crucially in the very bottom percentile leaguewide in whiff percentage and strikeout percentage. As encouraging as the good stuff is, the bad stuff is perhaps even more worrisome. Mitchell swings and misses a ton. His strikeout percentage sits at 38.8%; last year, the worst K-rate among qualified hitters was Ryan McMahon at 32.3%. Mitchell is way beyond that, to a point that probably isn’t sustainable; the highest single-season K-rate in the last five years was when Joey Gallo struck out 34.6% of the time in 2021, and the all-time record for a hitter in a full season (that wasn’t 2020) was Chris Davis at 37.2% in 2017. At 38.8%, Mitchell is approaching Keston Hiura levels — Hiura struck out in 40.6% of his plate appearances during his last two seasons in Milwaukee.
Given that data, it’s fair to ask whether Mitchell is even a viable major leaguer if he continues to strike out that much. He is doing damage when he hits the ball, and the Statcast data in that regard is good. But Mitchell is also rocking a BABIP of .522 right now; the highest BABIP ever recorded (since the dawn of the American League in 1901), according to FanGraphs, was 99 points lower than that. It was in 1923, and the guy’s name was Babe Ruth. The highest BABIP in a full season in the last 50 years was Rod Carew at .408 in 1977. Just one of the greatest pure hitters of all time in a season in which he hit .388, had 9.7 WAR, and won the MVP.
Mitchell has always been a high-strikeout player; in the 141 games he’d played prior to 2026, he held a career 33.9% strikeout rate. Even that would be too high, but Mitchell has always managed to be relatively productive despite a large number of strikeouts. When you add his other skills to that, it helps too — Mitchell is very fast and he’s a very good fielder. As for decreasing the strikeouts, a glance at the “Zones” page on his Statcast profile tells you what you need to know: he can’t hit pitches up in the zone. Pitchers are spamming fastballs in the top third of the zone, and Mitchell is missing them. Until he fixes that, they’ll keep doing it. It’s not a mystery what needs to be done here, but that’s extremely easy for me to say.
An everyday option?
If Mitchell can work on the strikeout issue, though, he could offer the Brewers something that they need: an outfielder who can play every day, no matter who is pitching for the opposition.
The Brewers have protected Mitchell a bit versus left-handed pitching this season, and he’s only got 16 plate appearances, but he’s hitting .300 with five walks in those 16 plate appearances, good for a .533 OBP and .833 OPS. He’s doing damage against righties — all of his extra-base hits this year are against right-handed pitching — but Mitchell is using his patience as a strength against lefties.
This isn’t a one-year blip, either. Mitchell is certainly a better hitter against right-handed pitching in his career (.792 OPS in 422 PA), but he’s not bad against lefties. Mitchell has a higher batting average and a higher OBP in his career against lefties (.264 versus .253 and .349 versus .346). His career OPS versus lefties is lower (.697 in 88 plate appearances), but that split between lefties and righties isn’t nearly as dramatic as some other players on the Brewers, and that .697 OPS versus lefties is certainly playable.
If Mitchell can find a way to cut down his strikeouts and get some of the power he shows against right-handed pitchers into his profile against lefties, he could become a downright offensive weapon. Again, that’s easy for me to say, and of course we all know the dangers of putting too much faith in Mitchell and his health.
But there’s a good player here, one who is already helping to prop up a struggling Brewer offense. Remember, before the 2025 season there were those who were predicting an All-Star appearance for Mitchell. (Me, I was one of those.) There are some major issues with his game right now, and his career is sort of teetering in a place that could go either direction. But the goal is clear, and if Mitchell can put it all together, the Brewers could really have something.
Apr 18, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami (5) hits a solo home run during the seventh inning against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images | Scott Marshall-Imagn Images
Happy Wednesday, everyone! Did you know the Cubs are in the most interesting division in baseball? Of course, we always knew that, but it seems like the NL Central is getting a lot of attention this week. Other things on people’s minds? The Phillies, Mets, and Astros are the talk of the town, and it’s largely because of how bad they’ve been. Not bad? Astros’ slugger Yordan Alvarez. Likewise, Japanese star Munetaka Murakami might be striking out a lot, but he’s still exactly what the White Sox hoped for.
We’ve got all that and more—including goats—in today’s news brief, so let’s just jump right into it.
LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 22: A clown mask worn by actor Heath Ledger in the 2008 film The Dark Knight is on display at the DC Comics Exhibition: Dawn Of Super Heroes at the O2 Arena on February 22, 2018 in London, England. The exhibition, which opens on February 23rd, features 45 original costumes, models and props used in DC Comics productions including the Batman, Wonder Woman and Superman films. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Well, that was a brutal Game 1 in the Thunder/Suns series! I could make excuses like how the Suns were without starting center Mark Williams, and Grayson Allen is still too hurt to trust. I could point out that the Thunder are healthy and have been resting for over a week. The Suns beat the Warriors, hopped on a plane, flew to Oklahoma City, and then had about a day to mentally and physically prepare to take on the defending champs.
He described this Suns team as the monster under the bed. There was more to it than just having players who scare others. A theme was that players like Brooks were doubted, and they used that motivation to instill fear in the league. That’s what they need to re-capture. Let’s consider what a lot of the Suns players have no doubt heard about themselves, a villain origin story, if you will.
Dillon Brooks
Let’s start with the inspiration behind the article!
Narrative: He is just a just a defender. He will be out of the league and playing in China. He can’t control himself. He poked the bear. His mouth writes checks his game can’t cash. The most “punchable face in the league”. He is a “negative to every team he has been on…”.
What the Suns NEED to do this offseason
1) Fire Jordan Ott. Self explanatory. He kills players confidence and doesn’t know how to build a rotation
2) Trade Dillon Brooks for a wing or a good point guard. Bro is a negative to every team he’s been on and ISOs his teams to…
Truth: Brooks brought a hustle and confidence this Suns team has not had since Chris Paul helped guide them to the NBA finals. He set a career-high in scoring and can channel his energy into the game to help his teammates. The Suns needed this pitbull of a player who knows how to fight.
Devin Booker
Narrative: Empty stats player. Can’t hit three’s unless it is in the All-Star game. A weak defender. Not a leader. Often injured. Can’t handle the double team. Point Book doesn’t work. He is too tentative and won’t take over a game.
Truth: Devin Booker is the leader of the Suns. He has averaged over 21 points per game for 10 straight seasons. He doesn’t force shots and will dish to open teammates to the tune of 6 assists a game. He is one of the top players in the game. Oh, he is totally homegrown as well. The #13 overall pick in the 2015 Draft, he has spent 11 seasons and counting with the Phoenix Suns. If you need a basket to win the game, you go to Book.
Jalen Green
Narrative: A bust! He is too streaky. He can’t hit the 3 consistently. Worst defender in the league. Can’t stay healthy. Fails in the playoffs
“Core 7” Update:
1. Jalen Green, 2021 (#2): Bust and total sunk cost. No improvement in four years. Rightfully dumped, but he had enough trade value to get KD.
2. Alperen Sengun, 2021 (#16): The gem of the rebuild. Extended. All-NBA. The team’s backbone. Former backup to Bruno…
Truth: Jalen did have terrible luck with injuries this year, but he is finally healthy now. He had huge games in the Play-In tournament, nearly sealing the win against the Blazers and then pummeling the Warriors to make the playoffs. He is averaging a career-high in steals per game and has turned his athleticism into a major asset on the defensive end.
Mark Williams
Narrative: Dude is made of glass. Poor defender. Only a rim runner. The Lakers actually got cold feet and rescinded a trade for him, leading them later to believe DeAndre Ayton is better.
Truth: Mark has played a career-high 60 games this season. His defense has been much improved as well. His motor is far better than Ayton’s, and he doesn’t play nearly as soft with fadeaway jumpers that Ayton seemed to love.
Grayson Allen
Narrative: Dirty player. All he can do is shoot 3’s. Overpaid. Trade him!
I'll ask again for those not listening:
How in the world do you send a guy like Jordan Goodwin & Gillespie to the bench in favor of Jalen Green and Grayson Allen?
Trick question, you don't and trade Grayson Allen for a TRUE power forward while he has value.
Truth: No player had more Twitter fans calling for a trade than Grayson. In response, he sets a franchise game record for most three’s made in a game and sets career highs in assists per game and steals per game. Grayson can do a little bit of everything and torch the net while doing it.
Royce O’Neale
Narrative: He is undrafted for a reason. Too small to play forward and too slow to play anything else. A streaky shooter. Only brought in because he is friends with Durant from the Brooklyn days. Trade him!
Royce O’Neale: NO DUMB PASSES LEADING TO TURNOVERS IN TRANSITION. Take spot ups with his normal confidence. Try to make some impact defensively while not fouling too much. pic.twitter.com/TSKcJlF9iz
Truth: “Big Meal” O’Neale is a Swiss army knife for the Suns. He agitates bigger players and is long enough to stay in front of most guards. He set career highs in three-point shooting percentage and steals per game.
Collin Gillespie
Narrative: Who?? This guy is a cast-off, minimum contract hustle guy. Couldn’t stay with the Nuggets, and they didn’t even have a true point guard. Undrafted for a reason.
Truth: Collin is the Villain Jr. to Brooks. He has career highs in points, steals, and assists this season. He now holds the Suns franchise record for most three-pointers made in a single season.
Jordan Goodwin
Narrative: Not this guy again! He couldn’t hang with the Suns last time. He can’t hit a three-point shot. All he does is play defense. Undrafted for a reason! Should have kept Jared Butler.
Jordan Goodwin u are staying in China unfortunately u and Jared butler
Truth: Goodwin has continued his three-point shooting success from last year with the Lakers. He is one of the top rebounding guards in the game and has matched a career high in 1.5 steals per game while doing that in 7 fewer minutes per game. Goodwin has become a massive fan favorite, and his energy is infectious.
Oso Ighodaro
Narrative: Who?? This guy isn’t on anyone’s draft boards. He is blocking Maluach’s playing time. He is getting owned inside, and he can’t shoot outside. Terrible push shot.
Truth: There might be no player that Suns Planet Podcast fan KingNacho says we should get rid of more than Oso. However, what if I told you he is having a career year in points, shooting %, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks? Oh, he stayed healthy and played all 82 games. For a 2nd round pick, Oso has been phenomenal as a backup big!
Jordan Ott
Narrative: Who?? This man has no head coaching experience. He runs bad rotations. Too in love with the small ball. Not another Michigan State guy…
Truth: Ott would have been a coach of the year candidate had the Suns stayed healthy. He helped put the team in a position to play aggressive and grinding defense. A major upgrade over Bud and Vogel.
So, what Jake? So, some people doubted these guys.
That, my friends, is the essence of this Sun’s magical season. A lot of these players have been given second chances of sorts. We had some tremendous excitement with this team earlier in the season. We were defying all expectations and succeeding.
Then injuries piled up. Key players didn’t have time to gel. Now they face some adversity, and they are afraid of blowing it.
They need to share the fear with each other, become friends with it, and put that fear into the Thunder.
Steal a game in OKC, win another in Phoenix. We could see the OKC foundation crack a little. I am not predicting we win the series. However, I want to see these villains show they belong. They need to play hard, play smart, and be near perfect. That’s what will change the mood of the series.
It reminds me of that scene in Rocky IV when Rocky cuts the Russian. The Suns need to prove they are the monster under the bed to themselves again. That’s how they show they each deserved this second chance.
