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Golden State Warriors (33-35) at Boston Celtics (45-23) Game #69 3/18/26

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - FEBRUARY 19: Payton Pritchard #11 of the Boston Celtics dribbles the ball during the game against the Golden State Warriors on February 19, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Golden State Warriors (33-35) at Boston Celtics (45-23)
Wednesday, March 18, 2026
7:00 PM ET
Regular Season Game #69  Home Game #34
TV: ESPN, NBCSB, NBCSBA
Radio: 98.5 Sports Hub, 95.7 the Game, Sirius XM
TD Garden

The Celtics host the Golden State Warriors for the 2nd, and final, game between them this season. The Celtics won the first game 121-110 at Golden State on February 19. These two teams tied the series last season with each team winning on the road. The Celtics are 212-141 overall, all time against the Warriors and 118-40 in games played in Boston.

There are plenty of story lines surrounding this game. Warriors coach, Steve Kerr, coached the last Olympics team and he treated Jayson Tatum shabbily, not playing him in 2 games and limited minutes in others. We could also talk about the 2 former Celtics on the team. Al Horford left Boston expecting to have a better chance at another ring but it hasn’t turned out that way. Kristaps Porzingis joined the Warriors at the trade deadline and although he has played in just 22 games this season, he played in the Warriors’ 1st game against the Celtics and is expected to play in this game as well.

The Celtics are 2nd in the East, 4 games behind 1st place Detroit. They are 1 game ahead of 3rd place New York, 3.5 games ahead of 4th place Cleveland, 6.5 games ahead of 5th place Toronto, 7 games ahead of 6th place Orlando, and 7.5 games ahead of 7th place Miami. The Celtics are 16-9 against Western Conference opponents. They are 23-10 at home and 7-3 in their last 10 games. They have won their last 2 games.

The Warriors are 9th in the West, 20 games behind the 1st place Thunder, 8 games behind 6th place Minnesota, 6 games behind 7th place Phoenix, and 1 game behind the 8th place Clippers. They are half a game ahead of 10th place Portland and 9.5 games ahead of 11th place Memphis. They are 14-20 on the road and 3-7 in their last 10 games. They are 11-13 against Eastern Conference opponents and they are coming off a win in their last game.

After this game at home against Golden State, The Celtics will play one game at Memphis before a 3 game home stand against Minnesota, Oklahoma City and Atlanta. Then it’s back on the road for a 4 game trip through Charlotte, Atlanta, Miami and Milwaukee. They will then play two games at home against Toronto and Charlotte before one game on the road at New York. They will finish the season with 2 games at home against New Orleans and Orlando.

The Warriors are playing in the 3rd game of a 6 game road trip. They will finish it playing at Detroit, Atlanta and Dallas. They will return home for games against Brooklyn and Washington before one game on the road at Denver. They will then have a 5 game home stand where they will host San Antonio, Cleveland, Houston, Sacramento, and the Lakers. They will finish the season on the road against Sacramento and the Clippers.

The Celtics have just one player on the injury report at this time. Nikola Vucevic remains out after surgery to stabilize a fracture in his right ring finger. The Warriors have 5 players out and another 2 players questionable. Jimmy Butler (knee), Seth Curry (thigh), Stephen Curry (knee), Al Horford (calf), and Moses Moody (wrist) are all listed as out. LJ Cryer (hamstring) and Quinten Post (foot) are both questionable. Finally, Gary Payton II (tibia) is listed as probable.

Probable Celtics Starters
PG: Derrick White vs De’Anthony Melton

Derrick White | NBAE via Getty Images
De’Anthony Melton | NBAE via Getty Images

SG: Jaylen Brown vs Brandin Podziemski

Jaylen Brown | Getty Images
Brandin Podziemski | NBAE via Getty Images

SF: Sam Hauser vs Will Richard

Sam Hauser | NBAE via Getty Images
Will Richard | Getty Images

PF: Jayson Tatum vs Gui Santos

Jayson Tatum | Getty Images
Gui Santos | NBAE via Getty Images

C: Neemias Queta vs Draymond Green

Neemias Queta | NBAE via Getty Images
Draymond Green | Getty Images

Celtics Reserves
Payton Pritchard
Hugo Gonzalez
Luka Garza
Amare Williams
Jordan Walsh
Baylor Scheierman
Max Shulga
Charles Bassey (10-Day)

2-Way Players
Ron Harper, Jr

Injuries/Out
Nikola Vucevic (finger) out
John Tonje (G-League) out

Head Coach
Joe Mazzulla

Warriors Reserves
Pat Spencer
Gary Payton II
Kristaps Porzingis
Omer Yurtseven (10 Day)

2 Way Players
LJ Cryer
Malevy Leons
Nate Williams

Injuries/Out
Jimmy Butler (knee) out
Seth Curry (thigh) out
Stephen Curry (knee) out
Al Horford (calf) out
Moses Moody (wrist) out
Quinten Post (foot) questionable
LJ Cryer (hamstring) questonable
Gary Payton II  (tibia) probable

Head Coach
Steve Kerr

Key Matchups
Derrick White vs De’Anthony Melton
Melton is averaging 13.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game. He is shooting 42.5% from the field and 29.8% from beyond the arc. He is coming off a game where he finished with 27 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. In the first game against the Celtics, he finished with 18 points, 3 rebounds 1 assist and 1 steal while shooting 53.8% from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc.

Jaylen Brown vs Brandin Podziemski
Podziemski is averaging 13 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists.  He is shooting 44.7% from the field and 36.9% from beyond the arc.  In the first game against the Celtics, he finished with 11 points 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 block and 1 steal while shooting 62.5% from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc. 

Honorable Mention
Luka Garza vs Kristaps Porzingis
This is a battle of big men off the bench.  Porzingis has played in just 5 games for Golden State this season and in 17 games for the Hawks before being traded.  He is averaging 17.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists.  He is shooting 45.8% from the field and 34.5% from beyond the arc.  He is coming off his best game as a Warrior in which he finished with 30 points, , 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 blocks.  In the first game against the Celtics,he finished with 12 points, 1 rebound, and 1 assist while shooting 55.6% from the field and 40% from 3.

Keys to the Game 
Defense – Defense is always the key to winning.  The Celtics are 5th in the league with a defensive rating of 111.8.  The Warriors are 13th in the league, with a defensive rating of 113.4.  The Celtics are 2nd with an offensive rating of 119.7 while the Warriors are 14th and have an offensive rating of 114.3.    The Celtics need to play lock down defense consistently.  The Celtics need to especially defend the perimeter as the Warriors are 1st in the league making 16.2 threes per game.  They are 26th with 44.6 points in the paint per game. Of course, their biggest 3 point threat, Steph Curry is out for this game, but the Celtics can’t let up on defense because of it since other Warriors are capable of hitting shots as well. 

Rebound –  Rebounding is always a key to winning as you need the ball to score and a good way to get it is to grab rebounds. It takes effort to grab rebounds and the Celtics must make an extra effort to crash the boards and beat the Warriors to rebounds.  If they put out extra effort on the boards, that usually carries through to the rest of their game.  More rebounds gives them extra possessions and limits the possessions for the Warriors.  The Warriors are 22nd with 42.9 rebounds per game while the Celtics are 4th with 46.2 rebounds per game. 

Three Pointers –  Both of these teams shoot a lot of 3 pointers.  The Celtics are 3rd in the league, shooting 42.5 threes a game.  The Warriors are 1st, shooting 45.2 threes a game.  The Celtics shoot 36.2% from beyond the arc while the Warriors shoot 35.7% on threes. With Steph Curry out, they don’t shoot quite as many 3’s or quite as well but they still are dangerous from the perimeter.  The Celtics are tough to beat when their 3’s are falling but they struggle when they aren’t   They need to stay focused on taking and making good shots and if the 3’s aren’t falling they should take a page from Jaylen Brown’s book and drive into the paint. 

Move the Ball Carefully – The Celtics play the best when they move the ball and find the open man.  They struggle more when players try to do too much and when the ball sticks with one player too long and when they take quick shots without looking for the best shot.  The Celtics are 30-2 when they have at least 25 assists and they are 16-0 when they have at least 29 assists.  They need to look to share the ball and not over dribble or try to take over at the expense of open teammates.  They have to be careful with their passes as the Warriors average 19.4 points off turnovers per game. 

Be Aggressive – The Celtics need to be the more aggressive team from start to finish.  They need to be aggressive in going to the hoop, in crashing the boards, in fighting for loose balls and in running the court.  They also have to be more aggressive on defense.  The Warriors are short handed and will be playing hard to make up for that.  The Celtics can’t slack off and expect an easy game because key Warriors are out.   Effort and being more aggressive will likely be the difference in this game.

X-Factors
Home Game vs Road Fatigue –   The Warriors have won 1 and lost 1 game on this road trip and have 3 more games to go on the trip after this one..   The Warriors are away from family and home and have the distractions of staying in a hotel and playing in an unfamiliar arena in front of a (very) hostile crowd.  Hopefully the Celtics crowd will be loud and rowdy and give the Celtics extra energy to avenge Kerr’s treatment of Tatum in the Olympics along with their loss in the 2022 Finals.

Officiating – Officiating always has the potential to be a factor in every game. Every officiating team calls the game differently. Some call it tight and others let them play. Some favor the home team while some call it evenly.   However the game is called, the Celtics must adjust to it and not allow the officiating to take away their focus on playing the game. They need to play well enough that a few bad calls won’t make a difference in the game. 

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Tuskegee basketball coach put in handcuffs will sue Morehouse, police

A Division II men's basketball coach removed from the court in handcuffs earlier this season is planning to file a lawsuit against Morehouse College and two of its campus police officers, according to the coach's attorneys.

Tuskegee University coach Benjy Taylor was never charged with a crime despite being escorted off the floor after a 77-69 loss at rival Morehouse and he will announce on Friday, March 20 in College Park, Georgia that he's seeking further legal ramifications from the incident. Taylor is being represented by well-known civil rights attorneys Harry Daniels, John Burris, Gerald Griggs and Gregory Reynald Williams.

Taylor's attorneys wrote in a news release announcing their intention to officially file a lawsuit this week that the treatment Taylor received "sparked national attention and outcry." In addition to Morehouse College, campus police officers "R. Clark and M. Roberson" were named by Taylor's legal team as defendants in the impending civil case. Daniels previously said Taylor had retained him to explore "all legal avenues."

INJURY UPDATE: Mikel Brown Jr. to miss Louisville's first March Madness game

The incident occurred as players from Tuskegee and Morehouse shook hands after a Jan. 31 game at Forbes Arena in Atlanta, with an HBCU Gameday video widely shared on social media showing Taylor initially confronting security.

According to Taylor and Tuskegee athletic director Reginald Ruffin, Taylor asked the security officer to follow conference rules and help remove a group of Morehouse football players — who Taylor said were yelling obscenities — from the handshake line. Instead, after a brief interaction, the security officer handcuffed Taylor and walked him off the court.

“I am at a loss for words and I am upset about how I was violated and treated today," Taylor said in a statement to multiple outlets in the immediate aftermath of the incident. "For my players, my family and people of Tuskegee to witness that is heartbreaking for me. I was simply trying to get the football team out of the handshake line as they were following right behind me and the team yelling obscenities! It was a very dangerous situation.”

The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC), of which both schools are members, subsequently fined Morehouse an undisclosed amount. An investigation by the conference into the situation determined Morehouse, "did not satisfy the required security standards for a host institution, specifically as it relates to crowd control and ensuring the safe entry and exit of visiting teams and game participants."

Tuskegee also lost to Morehouse, 66-56, in the SIAC championship game on March 7. The two teams played three times this season, including a 67-55 Tuskegee win on Dec. 1. Morehouse lost to Nova Southeastern in the first round of the NCAA Division II men's basketball tournament on March 14.

Taylor recently finished his seventh season at Tuskegee. He was previously the head coach at Chicago State and interim head coach at Hawaii, and served as an assistant coach at Tulane, CSU-Bakersfield and Missouri State during a career spanning 35 years.

Tuskegee president Dr. Mark A. Brown has stated Taylor has “our full, unequivocal, and unwavering support.”

“It would be bad for a police officer to treat anyone like this," Daniels said last month. "But to do it to a man like Coach Taylor, a highly respected professional and role model, to put him in handcuffs, humiliate him and treat him like a criminal in front of his team, his family and a gym full of fans is absolutely disgusting and they need to be held accountable.”

-USA TODAY Sports reporter Craig Meyer contributed to this story

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tuskegee basketball coach Benjy Taylor to file lawsuit vs. Morehouse

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Astros News & Notes: Paredes, Pena, Pitching, More. 3/18/2026

HOUSTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 20: Jeremy Peña #3 of the Houston Astros celebrates after hitting a home run in the seventh inning against the Seattle Mariners at Daikin Park on September 20, 2025 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images

SS Jeremy Pena has already resumed throwing, and will begin swinging a bat this weekend:

Pena has NOT been ruled out yet for Opening Day:

UT Zach Dezenzo will be limited to DH duties for a little while:

So far, there’s no structural issues with Dezenzo’s elbow:

Manager Joe Espada intended to give his starters some run in today’s game vs. St. Louis, but wet field conditions changed that plan:

SP J.P. France started for the Astros today, working 4 innings of one run ball. He allowed 3 hits, struck out 4, and did not walk a batter. He threw 38 of his 51 pitches for strikes. He primarily worked 91-92 MPH with his fastball/sinker, and hit exactly 93 MPH one time. He also threw his cutter, curve, and change.

France projects as minor league depth for the Astros this season. Despite his low velocity since returning from shoulder capsule surgery, he has shown a willingness to battle and has worked hard to set up his pitches for efficiency and effectiveness. His best role is likely long relief, but it could give France another crack at the majors after undergoing an incredibly difficult surgery for pitchers that is known to decrease velocity.

Relievers Steven Okert, A.J. Blubaugh and Kai-Wei Teng all threw shutout innings today. Okert threw 16 of his 25 pitches for strikes, did not allow a hit, walked one and struck out 1. Blubaugh threw 5 of 9 pitches for strikes and started an inning-ending 1-4-3 double play. He did not allow a hit, walked one and struck out one. Teng threw 6 of his 9 pitches for strikes, did not allow a hit or a walk, and struck out one.

Okert is a lock to make the bullpen. Blubaugh and Teng are in the mix for a pen role and both should make the Opening Day roster as righthanded options in the pen.

UT Shay Whitcomb entered the game in the top of the 6th, pinch hitting for Yordan Alvarez, as Espada was unhappy with the wet fielding conditions and was removing starters early. Yordan was supposed to play LF today, but that plan was scrapped roughly two hours before the game.

Whitcomb went 0x2, but drove in the only Astros run of the day with a groundout. Whitcomb utilized situational awareness, and hit a ground ball to the right side, allowing James Nelson to score and Tommy Sacco to advance to 3rd with one out. Situational hitting was a major problem for the Astros in 2025, which is why it is being noted here.

Unfortunately the Astros would not further capitalize, as Riley Unroe flew out to shallow center and Sacco was thrown out at the plate trying to tag up and score.

Whitcomb is unlikely to make the Opening Day roster, but has shown improved defense at multiple positions, had a solid showing in the WBC and is currently hitting .267 for Houston this spring. He will be minor league depth and could be called up during the season as a injury replacement/bench player.

Nelson, Sacco and Unroe are not likely to see MLB time in Houston this season.

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Dodgers vs. Giants game chat

Feb 21, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani against the Los Angeles Angels during a spring training game at Tempe Diablo Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The best baseball player on the planet prepares for what will hopefully be another successful campaign with the Dodgers—Shohei Ohtani makes his first start this spring training, pitching against the Giants.

  • Teams: Dodgers vs. Giants
  • Stadium: Camelback Ranch, Glendale
  • Time: 1:05 p.m. PT
  • TV: SportsNet LA and MLB Network
  • Radio: Dodgers Radio AM 570 & KNBR 104.5 FM
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Mariners Spring Training Game #25 Game Thread

MESA, ARIZONA - MARCH 12: Pitcher Emerson Hancock #26 of the Seattle Mariners walks to the dugout before a spring training game against the Chicago Cubs at Sloan Park on March 12, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images

It’s a preview of the Spring Breakout game as the Mariners take on the Brewers in Peoria. Emerson Hancock gets the start as he continues to eye an Opening Day slot in place of the injured Bryce Miller.

Lineups:

Julio back! Julio back!

Injury news:

J.P. Crawford saw Dr. Kenneth Meister yesterday for his injured shoulder and received a cortisone injection. He should be able to resume baseball activity in a few days.

Roster move:

The Mariners optioned RHP Alex Hoppe to Triple-A Tacoma today.

Game information:

Game time: 1:10 PT

TV: Mariners.TV

Radio: 710 AM Seattle Sports 710

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Gerrit Cole returns to mound, Yankees eke out win over Red Sox

Mar 18, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole (45) throws a pitch against the Boston Red Sox in the first inning during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

This afternoon, the Yankees proved that one of the most integral parts of the sport, the baseball bat, is completely unnecessary to win a baseball game. In a contest where pitchers on both sides looked dominant—including Gerrit Cole, who pitched the top of the first inning—the only run came on a throwing error caused by a double steal following a pair of walks. That delightful order of operations, as well as great pitching from Cole, Carlos Lagrange, and others, gave the Yankees a 1-0 spring training victory over the Red Sox.

Cole’s return to MLB action post-Tommy John was of course brief, but plenty encouraging. He threw 10 pitches in a scoreless first inning, working around a leadoff bunt single to retire the side. Cole threw his fastball, slider, and knuckle curve—the fastball sat comfortably in the high-90s while the slider hit 91 mph on a delivery to Kristian Campbell. We’re still not likely to get a full day’s work from Cole on a big-league mound until May or June, but it was great to see the progress in a live environment in front of real competition.

View Link

But the show on the mound continued even after the Cole Train’s departure. After a scoreless second inning from Harrison Cohen, the hard-throwing prospect Lagrange took over for the Yanks and had his way with the Boston offense—lack of MLB-caliber talent in the lineup notwithstanding. While regularly hitting 100 mph on the heater and pulling the string on his wicked sweeper, he attacked the zone consistently and finished players off in early counts. He completed four scoreless innings for a second straight Grapefruit League outing, striking out four Red Sox and throwing just 60 pitches. Plenty of eyes will be on Lagrange as he begins the minor-league season.

Not to be outdone, Boston lefty Connelly Early looked very impressive against the Yankees’ lineup. Last year’s starter for Wild Card Game 3 sliced and posted five straight zeroes on the box score before allowing a leadoff walk to Amed Rosario to start the sixth and leaving the game. Early racked up seven strikeouts with just one hit allowed and two free passes. It seems quite likely we’ll be seeing more from this Virginian southpaw in 2026.

View Link

The pitching clinic continued as neither offense managed to do much of anything through seven. Fernando Cruz danced around some loud contact ahead of the seventh inning stretch, and Red Sox lefty Tyler Samaniego picked up where Early left off with four Ks in two perfect frames.

It looked like Boston would finally win the staring contest in the top of the eighth when they got two men in scoring position with nobody out against Brent Headrick. But try as they might, they couldn’t break through. Kristian Campbell lined a ball that looked ticketed for the left field corner, but a leaping catch by Owen Cobb made it a harmless out. Following a strikeout of catcher Ronald Rosario and a walk to DH Nathan Hickey to load the bases, Headrick managed to induce a soft chopper to short from outfielder Allan Castro, who couldn’t beat Max Schuemann’s throw to first as the Sox left ‘em loaded.

Naturally, the rally which finally brought in a run in this game involved not a single bit of contact from a bat. Reliever Tyler Uberstine issued a pair of one-out walks in the eighth to Kenedy Corona and Cole Gabrielson, who decided to force the issue with a double steal. Their aggressiveness was rewarded as the catcher Rosario’s throw sailed into center field. Corona came home to score the one and only run of this extraordinarily preseason-y contest.

Angel Chivilli got the final three outs without incident to stamp an unforgettably forgettable win. I love it! Beating the Red Sox in the process is the cherry on top.

With officially one week left until the Yankees open the 2026 MLB season in San Francisco, only eight Grapefruit League contests (plus a Spring Breakout game on Saturday) remain on the horizon. Tomorrow is the final true split-squad day of the preseason, with one squad facing the Orioles at home and another hitting the road to Dunedin and facing the Blue Jays. Max Fried and Dean Kremer will be the pitching matchup for the former; Ryan Weathers will tango with Cody Ponce in the latter. Both games will start a little after 1 pm.

Box Score

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Lakers vs Rockets Computer Picks: Our Best Player Prop Projections for March 18

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The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Houston Rockets 100-92 on Monday, and now they're back for more at the Toyota Center on Wednesday, March 18.

Our computers have crunched the numbers to bring you NBA player prop projections for this quick rematch.

For more NBA picks, check out Zak Hanshew's Lakers vs. Rockets predictions ahead of tonight's 9:30 p.m. ET tip.

Lakers vs Rockets computer picks for March 18

Lakers LakersRockets Rockets
Ayton o9.5 points
-105		Sheppard o12.5 points
-120
Doncic u31.5 points 
-110		Eason o9.5 points
-115
Smart o2.5 rebounds 
+140		Sengun u8.5 rebounds
-135

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Lakers computer picks

Deandrea Ayton Over 9.5 points (-105)

Projection: 11.1 points

Deandre Ayton came up just short in Monday's contest, but we're going back to the well with the Los Angeles Lakers big man, who remains a steady presence in the paint.

The Lakers' superb 120.7 points per game rate sixth-strongest in the NBA over the last 10 games, and this is a low enough total that Ayton is appealing with his low ceiling but relatively high floor.

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Luka Doncic Under 31.5 points (-110)

Projection: 30.3 points

Yes, Luka Doncic scored 36 points on Monday, but this Houston Rockets defense is excellent and can't be expected to lay down again.

The matchup is a hard one; when the Rockets are playing at home, they have allowed the second-fewest points per game to the opposing team's starting PGs over the last 10 games.

The Lakers also rank as the second-worst offensive rebounding offense over the last 25 games (offensive rebounds maintain possession, and a lack of them can eliminate extra opportunities for scoring and assists).

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Marcus Smart Over 2.5 rebounds (+140)

Projection: 2.7 rebounds

Marcus Smart isn't your prototypical rebounder, but this is a low enough number that he's cleared in six of his last 10 games. 

The matchup isn't super favorable, but that's accounted for with the +140 line.

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Rockets computer picks

Reed Sheppard Over 12.5 points (-120)

Projection: 14.6 points

Even though Reed Sheppard has been relatively quiet, going Under this total in three of his last four games, he had cleared 12.5 points in six straight before that. 

The Rockets check in as the best offensive rebounding offense in the NBA this year (offensive rebounds maintain possession and can therefore provide added opportunities for scoring and assists).

Plus, Sheppard still played 31 minutes on Monday, so his floor time hasn't diminished.

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Tari Eason Over 9.5 points (-115)

Projection: 11.2 points

Don't fret the fact that Tari Eason has scored double-digit points just once in his last 10 games. Despite Monday's five-point dud on 2-for-11 shooting, including 0-for-3 from deep, this should generally be a positive matchup.

The Lakers are vulnerable from beyond the arc, and Eason put up 13 points against the Lakers when these squads met on Christmas Day.

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Alperen Sengun Under 8.5 rebounds (-135)

Projection: 7.9 rebounds

Alperen Sengun has sat out the Rockets' last two games with a lingering back issue and was limited to 24 minutes against the Nuggets when he last played.

While he's averaged 8.9 boards this season, that injury may keep his minutes low and prevent him from being at his best when he is on the floor. The Rockets also play at a sluggish pace, which will take away volume, especially if Sengun isn't playing his full share in his first game back.

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How to watch Lakers vs Rockets tonight

LocationToyota Center, Houston, TX
DateWednesday, March 18, 2026
Tip-off9:30 p.m. ET
TVESPN

Not intended for use in MA.
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Guardians Announce Roster for Spring Breakout Game

GOODYEAR, AZ - FEBRUARY 19: Ralphy Velazquez #87 of the Cleveland Guardians poses for a photo during the Cleveland Guardians photo day at Goodyear Ballpark on Thursday, February 19, 2026 in Goodyear, Arizona. (Photo by Nic Antaya/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

The Guardians have announced their roster for tomorrow’s spring breakout game. Here it is:

Pitchers:
Yorman Gomez, RHP
Josh Hartle, LHP
Braylon Doughty, RHP
Joey Oakie, RHP
Matt Wilkinson, LHP
Magnus Ellerts, RHP
Luis Flores, LHP
Jack Jasiak, RHP

Catchers:
Cooper Ingle, LHH
Jacob Cozart, LHH

Infielders:
Angel Genao, SH
Ralphy Velazquez, LHH
Jose Devers, RHH
Dauri Fernandez, SH
Dean Curley, RHH
Nolan Schubert, LHH
Gabriel Rodriguez, RHH
Milan Tolentino, LHH

Outfielders:
Kahlil Watson, LHH
Jaison Chourio, RHH
Alfonsin Rosario, RHH
Wuilfredo Antunez, LHH
Juneiker Caceres, LHH
Nick Mitchell, RHH
Jace LaViolette, LHH
Robert Arias, LHH

This is an exciting roster! Travis Bazzana will be still playing with the major league team, I’m assuming. I do find it curious that Kahl Stephen isn’t on the roster, but, other than that, it seems to be everyone I would expect to see. It will be exciting to see if folks like LaViolette, Arias, Rodriguez and Fernandez get some playing time.

Here’s what I’d expect to see as a starting lineup:
1. Watson, CF
2. Genao, SS
3. Velazquez, 1B
4. Rosario, RF
5. Ingle, C
6. Chourio, LF
7. Antunez, DH
8. Tolentino, 3B
9. Devers, 2B

And, maybe Doughty taking the start? In any case, tune in at 2PM ET on MLBTV to get a glimpse of a bright future for the Guardians! Let us know who you’re most excited to see in the comments below.

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Game Preview #70 – Timberwolves vs. Jazz

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - JANUARY 20: Julius Randle #30 of the Minnesota Timberwolves shoots a three-point shot over Kyle Filipowski #22 of the Utah Jazz during the first half of their game at the Delta Center on January 20, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Chris Gardner/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Utah Jazz
Date: March 18th, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM CDT
Location: Target Center
Television Coverage: FanDuel Sports Network – North
Radio Coverage: KFAN FM, Wolves App, iHeart Radio

For one night at least, the Minnesota Timberwolves managed to pull themselves back from the edge.

With word breaking Monday night that Anthony Edwards would miss the game against Phoenix and then the even more concerning follow-up that the absence could stretch one to two weeks, Tuesday night had all the makings of a game that could send a season spiraling. The Wolves entered it already walking the tightrope in the Western Conference standings, with the Suns lurking directly beneath them and the play-in line looming dangerously close. Lose that game, and suddenly Phoenix is right back in the mix, Minnesota’s margin for error is basically gone, and all of the bad vibes from the past week get amplified. Win it, and the team could buy itself some breathing room and a little bit of hope they can tread water until Ant returns.

Thankfully for the Wolves, they answered the bell.

Things did not start in particularly inspiring fashion. Minnesota came out in the first quarter and defended like a team that had not fully grasped the gravity of the moment. Phoenix was getting to the rim at will. The Wolves were coughing up turnovers. The effort level and the execution both looked shaky, and before long the Suns had pushed out to an 11-point lead. It had all the signs of one of those ugly nights where the Wolves spend the first half sleepwalking, then have to talk themselves into urgency after the damage is already done. By the end of the first quarter, Minnesota had at least stabilized enough offensively to climb back within 39-36, but let’s be honest, giving up 39 points was not exactly the kind of opening act that builds confidence.

But to the Wolves’ credit, they actually responded like a serious team. Over the final three quarters, Minnesota allowed just 65 points. That is an enormous course correction and, frankly, exactly the kind of defensive resilience this team needed to show if it wants to be taken seriously without Edwards in the lineup. The game flipped because the Wolves finally started acting like the bigger, more athletic, more defensively imposing team. The rim protection came alive. The rotations tightened. Phoenix stopped getting those easy runway looks that had fueled the first-quarter surge. Once the Wolves got the game onto their terms, the Suns simply did not have enough resistance to hold up over 48 minutes.

One of the biggest reasons Minnesota survived and then took control was Julius Randle, who once again stepped into the role of offensive centerpiece and delivered exactly what the Wolves needed. Randle finished with 32 points, building on the positive signs he had shown against Oklahoma City and looking much more like the early-season version of himself than the post-All-Star guy who had been drifting in and out of games. He attacked the paint, scored with force, and, most importantly, he looked like he understood that without Ant on the floor, this team was going to need him to be more than just a complementary scorer. It needed him to be the guy.

Next up was Bones Highland, who gave Minnesota exactly the kind of spark bench scorers are supposed to give but so rarely do on command. Bones poured in 22 points, injecting life into the second unit and helping keep the offense afloat during stretches where it might otherwise have bogged down. In a game where Minnesota desperately needed somebody other than Randle to create and convert, Bones stepped in as a microwave scorer.

The frontcourt also rediscovered its identity. Rudy Gobert, coming off a rough outing against the Thunder, reasserted himself around the basket and made the paint feel like a restricted government zone. Gobert finished with four blocks, and he wasn’t alone. Naz Reid also had four blocks, giving Minnesota a combined eight swats between its two most important interior defenders. More than the block totals themselves, it was the tone that mattered. The Wolves used their size, length, and rim protection to turn the game from a first-quarter track meet into a grind, and Phoenix never really recovered once that happened.

There’s not much time to savor it, though, because Utah is rolling into Target Center for the second night of a back-to-back. Under normal circumstances, a home game against a depleted Jazz team might feel like one you circle as a probable win and move on. But this Wolves team has spent the season proving that no game is actually easy if they decide to treat it like a formality. And with Edwards still sidelined, nothing gets to be taken for granted.

Utah, by all appearances, is actively angling for lottery position. They will be without Lauri Markkanen and Jusuf Nurkic. Keyonte George, who went on that scoring binge to steal the last game from Minnesota in Utah, is out as well. Ace Bailey is listed as questionable. On paper, it looks like a setup. On paper, the Wolves hold a clear talent edge even without their superstar. On paper, this should be a “take care of business and move on” type of night.

But Wolves fans have seen enough “on paper” games turn into disasters to know better.

So with that, here are the keys to the game.

#1 – The Wolves cannot play with their food.

This has to be the theme of the night. They cannot look at Utah’s injury report and mentally chalk up the win before the opening tip. That is how bad teams get confidence. That is how random role players start feeling dangerous. That is how you wake up midway through the fourth quarter in a one-possession game wondering how the hell this happened. Even a tanking team still has NBA players, and those players would absolutely love to walk into Target Center, get extra run, and prove they belong. The Wolves need to choke this thing out early. Strong team defense, good pace, and focused execution need to be present from the jump so this game does not become a fourth-quarter survival test on tired legs.

#2 – Dominate around the rim.

Phoenix came in shorthanded in the frontcourt and the Wolves eventually made them pay for it. Utah is bringing a similar setup. This should be a game where Gobert once again functions as a force field around the basket. He needs to rebound, block shots, and make every Jazz drive feel like a bad idea. Randle and Naz also have to carry over the physicality from the Suns game. If Minnesota’s big three in the frontcourt treats this like a paint war, Utah simply should not have enough size or interior talent to hold up over four quarters. This is one of those games where the Wolves need to look bigger, stronger, and more punishing than the other team, simply because they are.

#3 – The ball movement has to continue.

One of the more interesting byproducts of Edwards being out was how willing the Wolves were to move the ball and play team offense. That’s not meant as some shot at Ant, because everyone understands why he dominates the ball at times. He’s the star. He’s the bailout option. He’s the guy who can rescue possessions when everything else fails. But with him off the floor, the Wolves had no choice but to trust the pass, trust each other, and keep the offense from stagnating. That led to better involvement from Bones and Ayo Dosunmu, and it gave the offense a little more collective rhythm. That has to continue. Against Utah, the Wolves can absolutely survive without Edwards’ individual offense if they maximize possessions, create good looks, and stay unselfish.

#4 – Clean up the turnovers.

The Wolves were better against Phoenix than they had been against Oklahoma City, but only because it was nearly mathematically impossible to be worse. Sixteen turnovers is still too many. Without their best player, the Wolves cannot afford to hand away possessions and give the other team transition points. Against a Jazz team that shouldn’t be able to generate much easy offense on its own, the absolute worst thing Minnesota can do is gift-wrap opportunities. This is where professional basketball comes in. Take care of the ball. Finish defensive possessions. Hit your free throws. Don’t make life harder than it needs to be. If the Wolves handle the basic stuff, their talent advantage should take over.

#5 – Julius Randle has to keep being Big Julius.

This is probably the biggest swing factor during Edwards’ absence. Earlier in the season, when Ant missed time with his foot issues, Randle carried the scoring burden and looked like a true offensive hub. Then he hit that post-All-Star funk and became a shell of that guy. The signs against OKC were encouraging, and the performance against Phoenix was more than encouraging and exactly what Minnesota needed. Now comes the challenge of doing it again. Randle has to keep scoring efficiently, keep making the right play when help comes, and keep balancing his own offense with the playmaking element that makes him so dangerous. When he draws defenders and kicks to open teammates instead of stopping the offense, Minnesota becomes much harder to guard. Without Edwards, that version of Randle is not just useful, it’s essential.

This is the kind of game that is easy to dismiss because it probably won’t be pretty and it certainly won’t feel gratifying. But these are the kinds of games that determine whether you stay well above the play-in line or spend the last two weeks of the season sweating every scoreboard update. Tuesday against Phoenix was a must-win, and the Wolves treated it like one after the first quarter. Wednesday against Utah needs to be approached the same way. Then comes Portland on Friday. These are the games Minnesota has to bank, especially while Edwards is sidelined, especially before the schedule stiffens again, and especially because they’ve already made this season harder on themselves than it needed to be.

Nobody is asking for art here. The expectation isn’t some beautiful, flowing masterpiece of offensive basketball. This team just has to be mature, focused, and professional. It needs to be one of those nights where the better team comes out, takes care of business, and moves on.

Given this team’s history, that still feels like a bigger ask than it should.

But if the Wolves are serious about holding their ground in the West while Ant is out, it’s exactly what they have to do.

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Venezuela wins their first World Baseball Classic championship

MIAMI, Florida — We’re going to need an entirely new lexicon to describe the celebration that unfolded at loanDepot Park as Cubs closer Daniel Palencia struck out one of Team USA’s hottest hitters, Roman Anthony to end a legendary final in the World Baseball Classic. The win resulted in the first World Baseball Championship for Venezuela and it sent the crowd of more than 36,000 fans into a frenzy. It sent millions of Venezuelans following the action at watch parties all over the country into raucous cheers. It sent Palencia’s glove higher in the air than any bat flip I’ve seen with the exception of one his teammate Willson Contreras sent soaring against the White Sox during the 2020 shortened pandemic season.

Nine innings before Palencia would put a capstone on a historic achievement for Venezuela the vibes were already elite. Even Yankees fans couldn’t resist joining the dance party:

Fans of both countries had every right to be fired up. From the time the teams entered to the moment Venezuela won a close game it was a historic night in Miami:

Venezuela jumped out to an early lead on this sacrifice fly from eventual Most Valuable Player of the World Baseball Classic, Maikel Garcia:

Wilyer Abreu, who also had an outstanding World Baseball Classic for Venezuela, padded that lead with this home run off Nolan McLean in the fifth:

It was a solid outing for McLean, much better than his start against the upstart team from Italy. But while 4.2 innings with four hits, four strikeouts, one walk and two runs, both earned, was better than last time it was not enough to best the outstanding work Eduardo Rodríguez did for Venezuela. E-Rod threw 4.1 innings of one hit, scoreless baseball for his country. The ovation was electric:

There were two innings late where the tension got the better of the vibes in the stands. As I walked through the concourse during the seventh inning stretch the dance party was a bit muted. When I returned to my seat you could almost feel 25,000 Venezuelan fans counting the outs and strikes until the end of the game. The two-run lead felt fraught. It didn’t seem possible that the capricious baseball gods would let Venezuela march to their first World Baseball Championship so easily. That feeling was ultimately correct as Bryce Harper tied the game with this no-doubt home run in the eighth:

And let’s be clear, Harper understood the assignment. The only item that traveled higher than his bat during this game was Palencia’s glove on the final out:

That home run ended an impressive scoreless run for Venezuela’s bullpen. They entered Monday night’s game against Italy with these stats:

It’s also worth pointing out that multiple sources reported that at least three organizations asked Venezuela not to use certain relievers on back-to-back nights. We have no word if one of those organizations was the Cubs, but we do know manager Omar Lopez lobbied to change their minds:

And of course he lobbied them to change their mind. This is an environment Aaron Judge described as better than the World Series. Venezuela is a baseball country. I don’t really know how to put this into words better than this post:

Whatever Lopez said to those organizations and whether they gave their blessing or not, Venezuela hasn’t given up at any point in this tournament. They did not give up when they were down against Japan or Italy. You could almost feel the crowd exhale as the eighth inning ended and the game was merely tied. Eugenio Suárez made sure the game wasn’t tied for long:

This set the stage for Daniel Palencia’s big moment. Even if the Cubs win a World Series while Daniel Palencia is closing for them, I imagine closing out this game will always mean more to him. You don’t have to believe me, just check out the watch party in his hometown and how they reacted to the final out:

I need to set the stage for this a bit. I was at a watch party the Cubs hosted at Gallagher Way during last year’s National League Championship Series against the Brewers. Admittedly, the Cubs got blown out in Milwaukee that day, but we had maybe 500 fans assembled to watch the game. Check out what last night looked like in Caracas:

This win was World Cup energy applied to baseball for a nation that eats, sleeps and breathes baseball. It was a moment of triumph for Venezuela at a point in time where it’s hard to imagine it mattering more. It was perfection.

The party continued long after the trophy presentation. We danced through the concourse. We chanted with fans from every nation represented at the World Baseball Classic. I saw fans in Japan jerseys, Dominican Republic jerseys and USA jerseys join in the festivities. I myself was in a Mexico jacket. It did not matter where we were from, the joy of the Venezuelans was contagious and all were welcome. This video is as my portion of the crowd began to exit an hour after the final official ceremonies:

At the risk of eliciting some ire in the comments, I’m not sure the United States could win any sport in any international competition that would generate the same level of national unity and pride. Our chanting tends towards the stoic and “USA! USA! USA!” just really doesn’t hit the same way as tens of thousands of people with drums who all know half a dozen common refrains. I was amused to see some United States fans in the lower bowl attempt to mimic the “ponche” (strikeout) chant every fan of Venezuela engaged in for every two strike count of every game I attended. It just didn’t hit quite the same.

I’ll leave you with this audio from Caracas. I imagine this what Wrigleyville must have sounded like after the Cubs won the World Series. Sometimes it takes a place built around baseball winning a championship to truly capture the vibes. Like this audio from Caricuao, Caracas:

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Braves pull off late win vs Phillies in final Spring Training division matchup

NORTH PORT, FL - MARCH 14: Michael Harris II #23 of the Atlanta Braves catches a flyball in the outfield during the spring training game between the Boston Red Sox and the Atlanta Braves on March 14, 2026 at CoolToday Park in North Port, FL. (Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

It won’t be until mid-April that the Atlanta Braves face the Philadelphia Phillies again.

What started as a pretty underwhelming showcase today with the Braves turned into a late win (3-2) as the lineup couldn’t manage a hit to get on the board until the bottom of the seventh inning where Michael Harris II hit an RBI single to drive in Dalton McIntyre.

In the same inning, he was able to tie the score (2-2) by gaining a run of his own through a sacrifice-fly from Luke Williams. The Braves were able to get ahead by a run after a fielding error by Phillies’ third baseman (much to Phillies’ fans dismay) Garret Grubs. Outfielder Ben Gamel would get a run off of this error to take the lead (3-2).

As for veteran pitcher Martín Pérez, he was able to manage 3.2 innings and only allowing one run and six hits through switching out a few times with Jacob Kroeger.

Now, though Pérez didn’t show us a lot in today’s outing, one person that is fighting for an Opening Day roster spot—-with an impressive resume building as of now—-is Didier Fuentes. Watch the 20-year old’s improved command at the mound, along with his striking fastball amongst his arsenal that makes him a strong asset for the rotation.

The ABS system was used to his advantage in the top of the sixth and called a strike for the second out of the inning. With eight total strikeouts in today’s game, it’s safe to say that this might be a gem that the team needs to key in on for the long-run.

Could we be seeing another Braves’ Rookie of the Year this year?

The team is off tomorrow, but will be set to take on the Pirates on Friday.

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MLB’s Low Valuations May Make Teams Private Equity Targets

Major League Baseball is facing a turbulent moment right now. Local media rights are unsettled, labor issues are expected to cause a lockout in 2027, and the lack of a salary cap creates payroll disparities. But for private equity, all this volatility is building a perfect storm through which to swoop in.

MLB was one of the first of the major U.S. professional sports leagues to allow PE firms to invest. In 2019, baseball began allowing PE funds to buy up to 15% of a team, with no limit on the number of clubs a fund can invest in. It’s not clear if MLB imposes a minimum dollar amount that funds must spend. And no franchise can sell more than 30% of its equity to PE.

As one of the first to open its doors to PE, MLB has attracted more PE funds than many other sports leagues. (The NBA has more PE investments, but that includes firms like Arctos Partners that have multiple holdings.)

A handful of private equity firms have taken stakes in MLB teams. This includes Arctos, Sportsology Capital Partners and Sixth Street. RedBird Capital, the PE firm from Gerry Cardinale, backs Fenway Sports Group, which owns the Red Sox. Silver Lake owns Diamond Baseball Holdings, which has amassed a collection of 48 minor league teams. (Marc Lasry’s Avenue Capital is an investor in the Baltimore Orioles, but Avenue is a hedge fund and not private equity.)

Ares Management is an investor in Chelsea FC, Inter Miami CF and the Miami Dolphins but doesn’t own an MLB team. Ares did act as a lender to the San Diego Padres in 2021.

Buying a professional sports team is a complicated, capital-intensive and regulated process that can take lots of time. Sportsology spent one-and-a-half years in negotiations before completing their minority stake in the Texas Rangers in February.

Investing in sports teams is still relatively new, said Aaron Mulvihill, global alternatives strategist at J.P. Morgan Asset Management. “Sports investing is quite unique and interesting because it’s emotional and there’s a lot of fan loyalty,” he said. “It’s quite specialized. It’s a little more difficult to predict on an Excel model how a sports franchise will do.”

Private equity has recently hit some trouble. Some funds with exposure to the so-called SaaS-pocalypse are facing withdrawals as well as sharp stock declines. Particularly hard-hit is Blue Owl, which last month reportedly restricted investor withdrawals from one of its retail-focused funds. Blue Owl is the parent of the HomeCourt Partners fund which buys minority stakes in NBA franchises. Shares of Blue Owl are down 57% from their 52-week closing high of $21.65 that it reached in March 2025.

Still, there are many reasons to invest in professional sports teams, one being the scarcity of teams, with many leagues capped at around 30 clubs.

Soaring team valuations provide another reason to invest in sports. In 2001, Forbes valued the Dallas Cowboys at $743 million, a figure that rocketed to $13 billion in August’s Sportico valuations, making Dallas the world’s most valuable sports team.

While baseball lags the NFL, in part because MLB takes in far less money in national TV rights deals, its franchise values are growing, too, with the average team up 12% this year alone.

The New York Yankees again toppedSportico’s new list of most valuable MLB franchises at $9.4 billion, followed by the Los Angeles Dodgers at $9.05 billion and the Boston Red Sox placing at $6.65 billion.

How to Value

When it comes to valuing a club, many professional sports teams operate with negative cash flows, so traditional valuations metrics like EBITDA are useless, according to the Corporate Finance Institute. This is why MLB teams are often valued as a multiple of revenue. Using a revenue multiple allows clubs to capture revenue from local media and the intrinsic value of each team.

Valuing teams with an EBITDA multiple also doesn’t allow teams to include their scarcity value. “Sports team ownership, for an individual, in many ways is more analogous to the ownership of a valuable piece of art than it is to cold economic rationality,” said Stephen Amdur, a partner with law firm Fried Frank, who has advised on sports transactions such as the sale of Chelsea FC and the San Francisco Giants’ partnership with Sixth Street. “I don’t know how a person ultimately decides exactly what a Picasso should be worth, just as I don’t know how a person decides exactly what the Chicago Bears should be worth. It all depends on the team, the situation and your own personal enjoyment of the sport.”

The average MLB team is worth $3.17 billion, according to Sporticodata. This translates to an average multiple of about 7.2x revenue. This low valuation is mainly due to the league’s looming labor issues. The current collective bargaining agreement between MLB and the MLB Players Association is set to expire on Dec. 1, and many expect a work stoppage.

A major point of contention is the salary cap. The NFL, the NHL and the NBA each have salary caps, but MLB doesn’t, which has led to spending disparity and competitive imbalances. While MLB officials have discussed adding a salary cap and a salary floor, the players union has long been against pay limits.
“Leagues that have salary caps like NFL have more predicable costs, which is helpful for investors in long-term planning,” Mulvihill said.

There are also media rights issues. In November, the MLB signed off on a package of new, short-term media rights deals with NBC Universal, ESPN and Netflix. Local media rights for the league remain unsettled.

When asked for comment, an MLB spokesman referred to Baseball Commissioner Robert Manfred’s recent remarks. “We haven’t even started the process. Candid conversations around (seeing) things that need to be addressed doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to make this proposal or that proposal. I think we have to wait and see how things unfold at the table,” Manfred said during a WFAN radio interview in January.

Broken player economics, including the lack of a salary cap, is suppressing MLB multiples, according to one private equity executive, who declined to speak on the record.

A second PE exec, who also asked not to be named, thinks there will be a delay to the 2027 season with games likely starting in June.

Some bankers and PE executives believe all this volatility makes MLB a great place for private equity to invest right now. They say there are some longtime owners with majority stakes who are economically exposed to baseball’s volatility and would welcome taking money off the table.

Once MLB fixes its problems, including clinching a new CBA, team valuations are expected to jump. Until then, there is good value in the MLB, including for the San Diego Padres, which went on the market in November.

Conviction has helped private equity during broader economic troubles. Many PE funds that invested during the 2008 financial crisis did well. For example, Blackstone acquired Hilton Hotels in 2007 in a deal valued at $26 billion, right before the onset of the global financial crisis. When Hilton faced distress, Blackstone had to restructure the hotel’s debt in 2010. But by 2013, Blackstone took Hilton public and made a $14 billion profit, still considered one of the best PE returns in the industry.

“It is always incredibly hard to time investments whether it’s buying stocks or buying sports teams,” Mulvihill said. “It’s really about being comfortable with that investment in the long term.”

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Tigers set their Spring Breakout roster for Friday’s exhibition

VENICE, FLORIDA - MARCH 16, 2025: Bryce Rainer #28 of the Detroit Tigers bats during the second inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Atlanta Braves at CoolToday Park on March 16, 2025 in Venice, Florida. (Photo by George Kubas/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images

The Spring Breakout series has been a pretty big hit with fans since its implementation back in 2024. For Detroit Tigers fans, the farm system vs. farm system exhibition have has offered first looks at the Tigers’ top picks from the previous summer’s draft the past two years, often with eye-popping results. Kevin McGonigle and Max Clark played well in the first one, and last year Bryce Rainer announced his presence with a 114 mph laser the opposite way in his first professional at-bat since being drafted out of the high school ranks. This year’s matchup is set for Friday, March 20 at 7:35 p.m. ET between the Tigers and the Pittsburgh Pirates in Bradenton. Let’s take a quick look at who will, and who won’t, be joining manager Alan Trammell’s team of Tigers farmhands.

The most notable part of the announcement of the Tigers’ roster, is that Kevin McGonigle isn’t on it. Does that mean the Tigers are taking him north? I expect that decision has already been made either way, but it sure feels like a good sign on his behalf. On the other side, the game’s top prospect, Konnor Griffin, will be on hand to lead the Pirates’ youngsters.

The Tigers will be led by Max Clark, their second ranked prospect and a national top 10 prospect in most sites’ opinion. Clark’s stint in major league camp was marred by a couple of dropped fly balls in the sun and then a truly ridiculous amount of ragebait from various influencers trying to cash in on Clark’s online presence and notoriety. No doubt that was a learning experience for the hard-working and thoughtful young center fielder, or at least some practice in terms of blocking out the noise that grows louder the closer a prospect gets to their major league debut.

Clark will be joined by shortstop prospect Bryce Rainer, who will make his first public appearance since separating his shoulder and undergoing surgery last May. Rainer was off to a pretty scorching start prior to the injury, so it’s great to see that he’s healed up and ready for action. The Tigers’ third ranked prospect showed outrageous raw power and a huge throwing arm in his short Single-A debut, but did have some trouble handling better breaking stuff and offspeed than he’s seen before.

The two new faces we’ll be most focused on are 2025 first round pick, shortstop Jordan Yost, and the Tigers’ top international free agent signing last year, 18-year-old outfielder Cris Rodriguez. Yost already announced himself with a grand slam in his first at-bat in major league camp over the weekend, illustrating that concerns about his raw power development on draft day were overblown. Rodriguez just turned 18 in January but did so well in the DSL last year that the Tigers deemed him ready to come stateside and work in the Complex League this season. The Spring Breakout game will be our first good look at him, probably in right field.

We’ll also get a look at 2025 first round competitive balance selection, Michael Oliveto. We’ll assume he’ll be in the DH slot, but it would be great to see him behind the plate after eight months of working on his defense with the Tigers’ coaching staff. Other notable position players listed includes catcher Eduardo Valencia, outfielders Brett Callahan and Jackson Strong, and third baseman Carson Rucker.

The Tigers won’t have any of their top pitching prospects on hand, going with right-hander Hayden Minton and a few veteran minor league starters, and some of their relief prospects, including Dylan Smith, Moises Rodriguez, Johan Simon, Marco Jimenez, Tanner Kohlhepp, and Yosber Sanchez.

Next year, MLB plans to develop the Spring Breakout games into an ongoing short tournament between farm systems. That will be fun, but either way, the Spring Breakout games have been a cool way to acclimate young prospects to bigger crowds and some national attention, while giving fans a look at their teams’ players of tomorrow. It will be broadcast on MLB Network, and we’ll be following along.

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Kenny Atkinson is still evaluating who will be in the Cavs’ playoff rotation

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MARCH 17: Head coach Kenny Atkinson of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on during the third quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum on March 17, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers are a much different team now than they were at the beginning of the season.

They came into this year with Darius Garland, Lonzo Ball, and De’Andre Hunter as integral parts of the team. Those three were shipped out at the deadline in exchange for James Harden, Dennis Schroder, and Keon Ellis. In addition to that, Max Strus is working his way back into the lineup after making his season debut on Sunday.

Those are pretty drastic changes to the lineup. With a month to go before the playoffs, head coach Kenny Atkinson still doesn’t know who’s going to be in their postseason rotation.

In Tuesday’s win over the Milwaukee Bucks, Atkinson chose to go with a 10-man rotation, even while missing starting center Jarrett Allen. Atkinson knows that some of the players who saw minutes in Milwaukee won’t be in the playoff rotation.

“I probably have to get to nine [men in the rotation],” Atkinson said when asked afterward if he can play 10 in the playoffs. “I’m still evaluating who fits and who’s going to take the lead in terms of getting into that rotation. We haven’t made a clear decision on who those nine are.”

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Atkinson mentioned that you can play 10 in the first round, but you would eventually need to get down to nine or even eight as you advance in the playoffs.

One of the logjams is at the wing. Atkinson mentioned that’s a position he’s still evaluating. Even though he didn’t name any names, it seems like minutes at that spot could come down to Keon Ellis or Jaylon Tyson. Although limiting Schroder’s minutes could make room for both.

Strus will presumably be in the rotation. Atkinson said that he isn’t quite sure if Strus is going to enter the starting lineup once his minutes increase or if he’s going to be in a sixth-man role.

Additionally, he needs to figure out the closing lineups as well. The final spot on Tuesday was between Ellis and Strus. Atkinson opted for Strus, but mentioned that Ellis’s fourth-quarter three almost made him reconsider.

Regardless of whether Atkinson chose to close with Ellis or Strus on Tuesday, it’s fair to point out that Atkinson is opting to go with smaller groups with Allen sidelined. Atkinson closed with four players 6’5” or shorter, in Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Strus, and Sam Merrill sharing the floor, with the lone true forward being Evan Mobley.

“I felt like we needed grit and shotmaking, that’s what [Merrill and Strus] bring to the table,” Atkinson said about choosing to go with that lineup. “I obviously have a comfort level with them from last season.”

The Cavaliers have arguably 11 playable options in the postseason — depending on how you feel about Thomas Bryant. That’s a good problem to have. However, many of them have similar skillsets, and there aren’t many great options for matching up with bigger wings outside of Dean Wade. That could present challenges in certain matchups if they advance past the first round.

We’ll see how this all shakes out in the final month of the season. As of now, nothing is set in stone with the rotations.

“You’re going to have to earn it,” Atkinson said.