HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 18: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots a jump shot against Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets during the game at Toyota Center on March 18, 2026 in Houston, Texas. 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 Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Lakers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
With just seven games remaining, the Lakers can finish as high as the No. 3 seed or as low as sixth. The good news is the Lakers have their destiny in their own hands as they currently sit in the three spot and have the tiebreakers over the opponents they’re competing with for a playoff spot.
While their seeding and whether they will have homecourt or not are unknown, the teams they could face are known. LA will play either Denver, Minnesota, or Houston in the postseason.
For our SB Nation Reacts survey this week, we ask which team you would most like them to play in the first round of the playoffs between the Wolves, Rockets and Nuggets.
The Lakers have beaten this trio in head-to-head matchups, so a case can be made for each being a desired opponent. The team with the current worst record among the three is Houston.
The Rockets haven’t been able to dominate this year, even with the acquisition of Kevin Durant. The Lakers recently beat the Rockets in back-to-back games in Houston, making a matchup against them in the postseason an enticing proposition.
Last season, the Wolves eliminated the Lakers in five games in the opening round. But this year, LA controlled all three contests against Minnesota and swept the season series.
Sure, they still have Anthony Edwards and a defensive titan in Rudy Gobert, but this iteration of the Lakers has proven they can handle them.
Perhaps facing them in the playoffs again can make advancing to the second round by beating them that much sweeter.
And last but certainly not least is the Nuggets. The Lakers won the season series 2-1, but all the games were close. In fact, Denver is the only team to have pushed Los Angeles into overtime this year.
The Lakers came out on top, but it certainly looked like things could have easily gone a different way.
Similar to Luka Dončić, Nikola Jokić is also an MVP candidate, and with a player that good on a team that’s beaten the Lakers a couple of times in the playoffs during this decade, maybe that’s not the first opponent you want to have as one begins a playoff run.
But what do you think? Who do you want the Lakers to face in the playoffs? Share your opinion by voting and letting us know down below!
All season — and especially the last month — the Utah Jazz have been playing G-league and overseas-level players in an effort to lose games. Some of them made their NBA debuts for the Jazz and some are trying to make their NBA comebacks. Without being too critical, there’s a reason that most of these players have not made a real impact on the world’s best basketball league.
Let’s take a look at every two-way or 10-day contract player to suit up for Utah this season, and see if I would like them to dawn the purple mountains in the future.
Mo Bamba
Games played: Two
Contract: Signed to multiple 10-days, but released before the last contract was up.
Would I like to see him play for Utah again?: No
I was always elated every time the Jazz signed Mo Bamba this past year, simply for how much of a pop culture icon he is. However, in the two games he played for Utah this season — and the seven years of previous NBA play — he did not inspire confidence that he could be a legitimate player for the Utah Jazz. But thanks for the song! I imagine I’ll show it to my future kids in 20 years, and explain why a former Jazz player is the title of one of the most popular hits of my generation.
Andersson Garcia
Games played: Five
Contract: One 10-day. Was not re-signed after.
Would I like to see him play for Utah again?: Yes
Andersson Garcia’s brief time in a Jazz uniform was very reminiscent of Jarred Vanderbilt’s. Both had tremendous hustle and grit, diving for loose balls, snagging boards and playing great defense. Vanderbilt’s play during the first part of the 2022-23 season was a stark contrast to the lackadaisical effort of the 2021-22 team, and Garcia’s drive felt the same exact way. Offensively, Garcia wasn’t great, only shooting 31.0% from the field, but the 8.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals were nothing to scoff at. As excited as I am about JJJ, Lauri Markkanen, Keyonte George and Walker Kessler next season, none of those players are known for their tenacity and hustle, so I’ll take as many players with those attributes as I can get.
The Jazz didn’t re-sign him after his 10-day was up, so the odds that he’ll play for the organization again are slim, but I would love it if somehow he wound up on the training camp roster next season. Plus, being one of the few Dominican NBA players ever was a wholesome story.
Kennedy Chandler
Games played: Six (and counting)
Contract: One 10-day
Would I like to see him play for Utah again?: No
Looking at Chandler’s counting stats, they aren’t terrible (14.2 ppg and 6.8 apg), but considering that the only two point guards on the roster are Keyonte George and Isaiah Collier, and there’s an abundance of intriguing guards in the lottery, if the Jazz were to add a non-draft point guard to the roster this summer, I would much rather it be a solid, proven player with a few years under his belt — just look at how great of an addition Ayo Dosunmu has been for Minnesota. Chandler also had nine turnovers in the last two games and stands at only 6-feet tall. The Jazz don’t need another one of those.
Bez Mbeng
Games played: 10 (and counting)
Contract: Multiple 10-days
Would I like to see him play for Utah again?: No
The former 3-time Ivy League defensive player of the year has seemed to have a tough time scoring in his opening stint against NBA competition. He’s failed to score five points in five of the 10 games that he’s played and has only shot 16.7% from deep. Not to compare him to another Yale Bulldog who played for the Jazz, but like Miye Oni, he can disappear at times on the court. Unfortunately for Mbeng, he’s not made a lasting impression for the Jazz front office.
Blake Hinson
Games played: 11 (and counting)
Contract: two-year, two-way contract signed on Feb. 9
Would I like to see him play for Utah again?: Yes
Long story short, Hinson shoots 50.1% from three on over 5.2 attempts per game. If you can shoot that well from long distance consistently, you’ll have an NBA job for years to come. He doesn’t do much besides shooting, only averaging 2.2 rebounds, 0.8 assists and totaling three stocks in 11 games, but man… that 50% 3-point shooting. I’m happy he’ll have a chance to compete for a roster spot next season with the contract he signed.
Elijah Harkless
Games played: 26 (and counting)
Contract: Second year of a two-year, two-way contract
Would I like to see him play for Utah again?: Yes
Elijah Harkless didn’t play for all of December and January, but I immediately noticed his impact when he rejoined the Jazz from the Stars in February. He is a defense-first player, and while his steals numbers aren’t other-worldly (1.2 spg), his on-ball pressure is elite. On March 2, 6-foot-3 Harkless guarded one of the greatest players ever in Nikola Jokic for over six minutes, and he actually bothered the 3-time MVP. Harkless is never going to be a scorer, but he is a good playmaker (2.9 apg) and I think is good enough for another two-way contract.
Oscar Tshiebwe
Games played: 21 (and counting)
Contract: One-year, two-way
Would I like to see him play for Utah again?: No
This is less about Tshiebwe’s performance, and more of a reality check about Utah’s roster construction. The Jazz’s front court rotation — when healthy — is not an easy one to crack. Tshiebwe would have to compete with Markkanen, JJJ, Kessler, Kyle Filipowski and maybe Nurkic if the Jazz and the Bosnian big man come to an agreement for next season. That’s not to mention the possibility of the Jazz ending up with Cam Boozer, or players who can play power forward like AJ Dybantsa and Caleb Wilson in the draft. Sorry to Tshiebwe, but if he does sign with Utah again, he’ll be lucky to see the floor even in garbage time.
SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners have agreed to an eight-year, $95 million deal with top prospect Colt Emerson, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press.
The contract, which starts this season and includes a team option for 2034, would be the largest ever for a player who has not made his major league debut.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal hasn’t been announced.
The Mariners selected the 20-year-old shortstop with the 22nd overall pick in the 2023 amateur draft. Emerson entered the season as Baseball America’s No. 7 prospect.
Emerson batted .357 with one home run and a double and a 1.000 on-base percentage plus slugging in three games for Triple-A Tacoma. He appeared in 18 spring training games for the Mariners and batted .268 with two homers and eight RBIs and an .828 OPS.
FRISCO, Texas (AP) — The Dallas Stars have extended the contract of general manager Jim Nill for two years, keeping in place the architect of the team headed to the playoffs again after advancing to the Western Conference final each of the past three seasons.
Nill has been the Stars GM since 2013, and his contract was only through this season until the announcement on Tuesday. His extension through the 2027-28 season was finalized less than 24 hours after a prominent job opened when the Toronto Maple Leafs fired GM Brad Treliving.
“Jim has established himself as one of the most respected general managers in the NHL,” Stars owner Tom Gaglardi said. “Through his roster management and talent evaluation, he has positioned our franchise to be amongst the best teams in our league in both the present and future. I’m thrilled that he will continue to guide the Stars.”
Going into a game Tuesday night at Boston, the Stars' 100 points rank second in the NHL behind Central Division foe Colorado. Dallas has already qualified for its fifth consecutive playoff appearance.
The 67-year-old Nill was selected as the NHL's top GM each of the past three seasons by a panel that includes all of the league's general managers. The only current GMs that have been with their teams longer are Kevin Cheveldayoff in Winnipeg and Doug Armstrong in St. Louis.
Since Nill began with the Stars before the 2013-14 season, their 63 postseason wins are the second most in the NHL. They've qualified for the playoffs nine times in that span, and made the Stanley Cup Final in 2020. He was previously in the front office of the Detroit Red Wings.
“I’m fortunate to work with incredibly talented and passionate individuals that have helped our franchise become one of the best in the NHL,” Nill said. “I’m extremely grateful to have the opportunity to continue as general manager of the Stars.”
Peoria, AZ - February 18: Jason Adam #40 of the San Diego Padres poses for a portrait on February 18, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images) | MLB
On Sept. 1, 2025, San Diego Padres reliever Jason Adam attempted to field a ground ball in a game against the Baltimore Orioles. After pivoting off his left leg, Adam fell to the ground in obvious pain. He was immediately carted off the field while holding his left thigh. The subsequent announcement from the team detailed a ruptured left quadriceps tendon that would require immediate surgery and end the season for Adam.
The injury normally requires a 6-9 month recovery time and Adam notably later stated he wanted to be ready for Opening Day of the 2026 season. March would be the best case scenario for a return, so it isn’t a surprise that the Padres opted to slow-play Adam in his return to the team. Keeping Adam healthy for the entire season is the real goal and rushing him back would not serve either party.
Adam made two appearances in Cactus League games before the Padres left Arizona. He pitched two innings over two games with two strikeouts and no hits or walks allowed. He began the season on the 15-day IL, retroactive to March 22. He is able to return April 6, if all goes well.
Adam pitched on March 28 for the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas, throwing 1.1 innings and allowing one hit with no walks and no runs. That was his first test of pitching an up/down during his recovery. He was also required to field his position over a that stretch.
Today, Adam with be with the Lake Elsinore Storm, pitching a simulated game where the conditions can be controlled by the staff and Adam can be stressed in particular ways to ensure that he is fully recovered.
That will be followed by a back-to-back appearance with the San Antonio Missions in Tulsa, Okla. Adam will pitch April 3 and April 4 for the Missions, the last significant test for the reliever before he is eligible to come off the IL and make his season debut with the Padres. (Update per Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune)
If all goes well, Adam will then be back with the Padres. If he comes off the IL on April 6, he will be available in Pittsburgh for the start of the series against the Pirates. When activated, the organization will need to send another member of the bullpen to the minors to make room for Adam.
Considering the status of the rotation, it is unlikely that pitcher will be lefty Kyle Hart. The other long-man, righty Ron Marinaccio, is out of options and can’t be sent down without being exposed to waivers. While having two long-relief options is a bonus, the ineffectiveness of the rotation so far indicates a definite need for both.
The pitcher sent down will most likely be either Bradgley Rodriquez or Jeremiah Estrada. Estrada has struggled with control so far this year, both in Spring Training and his appearance in the second game of the season against the Tigers. Rodriguez has been excellent and would be the better option to stay with the team.
Yuki Matsui status
Lefty reliever Yuki Matsui threw both bullpens and live BP in Peoria, Ariz. before the Padres broke camp and returned to San Diego. He was placed on the 15-day IL on March 25, retroactive to March 22, due to a left groin strain suffered early in camp. He missed pitching for Japan in the WBC as well as not appearing in any Cactus League games before the end of spring. After making the introductions on Opening Day, Matsui returned to Arizona for extended spring and has not made an appearance in a minor league game yet.
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 18: Former New York Yankees (from left) Bernie Williams, Darryl Strawberry and David Wells during a ceremony prior to a game between the Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium on August 18, 2018 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Yankees defeated the Blue Jays 11-6. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Back in August, I began a series here at Pinstripe Alley where I was going to put together an All-Star Yankee team of players who were born in a given month. Since then, we as a staff have started doing daily posts for the year 2026, highlighting a Yankee from history whose birthday happens to land on that day. I thought, what better way to put a cap on a month’s worth of birthday posts then by using the all-month teams as a way to look back on who we covered — and maybe some we didn’t cover who shared a birthday with someone else.
With that in mind, here are my choices for the All-March Birthday Yankee Team.
There are other pitchers who had better overall careers who happened to pitch for the Yankees, such as Hall of Famer Dazzy Vance, but the “Springfield Rifle” is probably the best starting pitcher to have a career as a Yankee (though we’ll always love Chien-Ming Wang). When he’s out, the March Yankees could bring in Dellin Betances from the bullpen.
It’s not his most natural position, but Waldo is flexible enough to play at first, and he’ll have to do with not a ton of good options in the rest of the month.
Second Base: Mariano Duncan
We didn’t get to profile Duncan, as he shares a March 13th birthday with another member of this team, but “We play today, we win today… das it!”
Shortstop: Isiah Kiner-Falefa
Shortstop is another bit of a weak spot on this team, so IKF will have to do.
Current manager Aaron Boone also has a March birthday, and you maybe could’ve put him on the team, just for one moment in particular, but Baker had a far more distinguished career, both in pinstripes and overall. Boone would also get beaten out for the manager position for this team by Miller Huggins.
The March Yankees have some solid outfield depth, and that includes Keeler, who was one of the first stars of the franchise, back when they were still the Highlanders.
Granderson was a personal favorite of mine back during his Yankees’ career, not only for his home runs and fourth-place MVP finish in 2011, but also because he always seemed like a cool and nice guy.
The Yankees’ 2006 trade for Bobby Abreu remains one of the all-time best midseason moves in franchise history. For not a whole lot, they got a very good middle of the order bat, who was a perfect fit for the Yankees’ lineup at that time.
The most famous part of his career will always be his time as a star for the 1980s Mets, but Strawberry later went to the other side of the city, picked up a few more rings, and became a beloved veteran member of the ’90s Yankees’ dynasty.
That’s my lineup, but if you would have a different combination, let’s keep the conversation going!
DETROIT, MI - MARCH 7: Michael Porter Jr. #17 of the Brooklyn Nets drives to the basket during the game against the Detroit Pistons on March 7, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Bobby Marks (no relation, as we occasionally note) has an analysis of key decisions lottery teams will have to make beyond the NBA Draft at the end of June.
After the celebratory press conferences after the draft, Starting at noon on July 6, teams will be able to sign their own free agents as well as other free agents. It, along with the Draft, is also when Sean Marks does his best work. Indeed, Marks has made a trade, often a big one, within 48 hours either side of the Draft in nine of the 10 years he’s been Nets GM.
Bobby Marks believes that the Nets big decision in that timeframe will be whether to extend Michael Porter Jr. beyond next season when he will earn $40.8 million and at what price.
Porter’s first season in Brooklyn — Denver sent the forward and a 2032 unprotected first-round pick to the Nets for Cameron Johnson this past July — has featured a career-high 24.2 points per game and a fourth straight season of better than 36% 3-point shooting.
And prior to a strained left hamstring suffered March 19, Porter had missed just 14 games since the 2023-24 season, a trend in the right direction after injuries hampered him early in his career.
His impact on the court, durability and age — Porter will turn 28 in June — should warrant discussions on a new contract. He will be eligible to sign a four-year, $234 million deal.
Those figures — both the total money and length of the contract — are the maximum the Nets can pay MPJ. It seems highly unlikely Brooklyn will him at that level, as Yossi Gozlan told us last month.
“In reality I think he’s looking at something in the 20-25% of the salary cap range.” Gozlan told ND, citing the lack of competition for him. “As great as he’s been, he’s not going to replicate this production elsewhere since any good team that acquires him probably makes him their second or third option. I could see him getting something closer to four years, $160 million, but it’s way too early to project his next contract.“
And in these times, his podcast misadventures aren’t going to help his cause. For the record, the projected salary cap for 2027-28 is going to be around $174 million, meaning a starting salary around $44 million.
If history is any judge, the contract talks are likely to be amicable. Twice in the last four years, the Nets had big decisions on two other key players – Nic Claxton and Cam Johnson – that got done early. In both cases, they got contracts that were front-loaded, giving Sean Marks & co. more cap space and leverage in the future.
There seems little doubt the two sides want to make a deal, at least as of now. The Nets had multiple opportunities to at least talk trade around Porter before the February 5 deadline but chose not to, letting other teams know they saw the 6’10” shot-maker as part of their master plan going forward. For his part, Porter has said all the right things about the organization, calling Jordi Fernandez a “genius” and praising the team’s professionalism.
Bobby Marks also lays out some draft strategy and lists of 2026 free agents beyond MPJ.
It’s important to note that Brooklyn has no incentive to tank next season, as Houston has the right to swap first-round picks in 2027. Brooklyn will enter free agency with a high lottery pick and could have between $45 million and $55 million in cap room heading into free agency.
Free agents: Ochai Agbaji (restricted), Josh Minott ($2.6 million team option), Day’Ron Sharpe ($6.3 million team option), Ziaire Williams ($6.3 million team option), Jalen Wilson (restricted), EJ Liddell (restricted), Tyson Etienne (restricted), Chaney Johnson (restricted)
Of course, things are subject to change and judging by Sean Marks’ calendar, we may not have to wait too long for things to change.
Mariners giving 20-year-old prospect record-breaking $95 million contract
Seattle is taking a big-league swing on its top prospect — before he takes one of his own.
The Mariners have signed wunderkind shortstop Colt Emerson to a historic eight-year, $95 million contract before even making his MLB debut, The Post’s Jon Heyman confirmed Tuesday morning.
The deal, pending a physical, would become the largest contract ever given to a player without any MLB service time — shattering the record set by Jackson Chourio’s $82 million over eight years that he fetched from the Brewers at the 2023 Winter Meetings.
Seattle Mariners top prospect Colt Emerson IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The historic pact also includes a full no-trade clause and a ninth-year club option, as well as “incentives and escalators” that could push the total upwards of $130 million, according to the Seattle Times.
Emerson, 20, was selected by the Mariners in the first round of the 2023 draft, and he currently sits as baseball’s No. 7 overall prospect on MLB Pipeline.
Labeled in his scouting report as “one of the best pure hitters in the minors,” he surged up to Triple-A Tacoma by the end of 2025, boasting a clean 1.000 OPS with five hits and home run across a six-game cameo with the Rainiers.
He posted an .828 OPS with a pair of bombs and eight RBIs for the Mariners in spring training.
Colt Emerson impressed for the Mariners during spring training. AP
He has also flashed strong defensive upside and has also taken some reps at third base, providing the Mariners roster flexibility.
Emerson will start the season in Triple-A Tacoma. He’ll eventually replace veteran J.P. Crawford — who hits the open market after this season — as the club’s franchise shortstop.
Investing early in emerging talent isn’t a foreign concept to the Mariners; In 2019, they inked former first-rounder Evan White to a six-year, $24 million extension before he even landed in Triple-A.
White went on to win the Gold Glove at first base in 2020 but was constantly hampered by injuries, and he was out of the majors two years later.
We reach the pinnacle of the system with three infielders and (huge spoiler alert) Trey Yesavage, who arguably has more value than the other three combined though is not long for the list.
It is an interesting conundrum that after years of being more skeptical on Kasevich’s batted ball quality and consequently hit tool projection than elsewhere, we end up with him higher than almost anywhere else. We are largely looking through a lost 2025 as a result of two injuries (the latter due to a fluke collision), and largely maintaining the previous projection.
The 60th overall pick of the 2022 MLB Draft from Oregon, prior to 2025 Kasevich was a model of consistency working his way up. At all levels, his propensity to make contact has resulted in very low strikeout rates under 10% and thus high averages, but with almost no power (under .100 ISO). The Jays have been working with him to unlock a little more power, and in Spring Training he did drive some balls. We’ll see if that carries over or comes at the expense of contact, and whether the tradeoff is beneficial. At shortstop, Kasevich is a solid if unspectacular defender who lacks standout tools but makes the routine plays and should be playable there at least early in his career.
It’s a prototypical high floor/probability, lower ceiling profile. If one is looking for future impact regulars, then Kasevich would rank lower. But in terms of the probability of being a materially positive major league contributor, few in the system are as high as Kasevich and while perhaps less alluring, it still matters. The reality is, very few prospects will hit even, say, 3 WAR. And we don’t entirely rule out the possibility he plays above the tools and grinds out some regular seasons.
3. JoJo Parker, SS, age 19 (DOB: 8/8/2006), grade: 45+, 2025: high school
The 8th overall pick in the 2025 Draft out of high school in Mississippi, Parker represents another big investment in a high upside prep bat. He raked on the showcase circuit against high end pitching thanks to plus bat speed from the left side, with good power projection in his 6’2” frame. It does project as off the charts power, but should be able to maximize it in games.
That size and lack of standout defensive tools mean he probably won’t stick at shortstop, with third base the strongest possibility on the infield. That’s not a big deal; if the bat works out, there will be a spot for him somewhere. He’s also on the older side of the draft class (just 10 months younger than Arjun Nimmala despite being drafted two years later). That used to be a pretty big yellow flag, but teams are better contextualizing age factors and some of the prep players who have clicked in recent years have been on the older side.
While they are not necessarily directly comparable in terms of profile, a lot of the things that were true two years ago of Nimmala apply to Parker as well. It’s a very risky demographic with a very significant failure rate even for very high picks. This holds down the expected value until we get some pro data to (hopefully) start chipping away at the left side of the distribution and redistribute it towards the higher upside and impact outcomes. In the very short run, he could move up fairly quickly if he comes out hitting at the low-A level.
By pure expected value, Kasevich actually ranks above Parker, which is where we initially had him. But the reality is, in a straight up trade, no one is taking Kasevich over Parker and that acid test must hold and be reflected. Ultimately, the utility of the 10-15% impact outcomes for Parker outweighs the utility of of Kasevich’s probability.
By late-May of last year, notwithstanding Trey Yesavage’s dominance, I would have had Nimmala as the #1 prospect in the system high a high confidence that by August he’d be in New Hampshire. He got off to an incredible start, with a high watermark on May 27th of .293/.372/.545 (almost 50% above average) as a 19 year old in high-A. In addition to nine home runs in a tough league for power, his strikeout rate came down to 18%.
And then it was like a switch flipped. From June onward, Nimmala hit just .184/.277/.290, frequently looking lost at the plate for games at a time with very weak contact. Worse, the struggles followed him into the field as his fielding became more erratic with the marginal lapses seeming more mental than physical. If there was one positive, it was that his strikeout rate remained materially lower than before at 23%.
If everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face, it was disconcerting to see the extent to which Nimmala didn’t rebound after he struggled for really the first time in his career. How prospects fare as they go through a league or level multiple times and have to make adjustments is a significant factor for me, though the sheer magnitude seems beyond just the league adjusting to me and one wonders if there wasn’t something underlying rather than some of the hit tool related concerns suddenly and starkly being exposed.
One of the youngest players in the 2023 Draft, Nimmala slid to the Jays 20th overall due to questions about his swing and hit tool, despite offering some of the highest upside in the draft class. His performance until midseason last year had been quite promising, given his ability to get to power in-game despite aggrssive placements albeit while sometimes approaching the viability line on swing-and-miss. Defensively, he’s looked plenty capable of handling the position (notwithstanding the wobbles discussed above).
In large measure, we maintain the evaluation on Nimmala. High school infielders are a risky demographic, with high bust rates even at the top end of the draft, and NImmala especially so given the up-and-downs. At his best, he’s looked like a power-over-hit future regular with some impact potential. He could also conceivably stall out in the upper minors.
Surprise! Of course, the notion of a pitcher who has two World Series starts and frankly anchored the postseaosn run as a “prospect” in any meaningful sense is as absurd as NBP veterans being “rookies”. But the criteria are the criteria, and hence he’s first by a country mile.
Looking back, it is tempting to view last year as a massive underranking, and I admittedly I had the lower grading. But the reality is, about 25% of first round college pitcher picks don’t even make the majors, with the next 25% either being cups or coffee or essentially replacement and when the list was compiled we had yet to seen him pitch (the dynamic Spring Breakout performance would have modestly lifted this). His rampage through the minors to an almost unforeseeable extent eliminated that first bucket entirely and largely vitiated the second. Essentially the worst 40-50% of outcomes are gone, with more modest increases to the (reasonable) ceiling as well.
The fundamentals are well known at this point: extreme vertical release point that makes it hard for hitters to pick up the ball out if his hand, mid-90s straight four seam fastball with riding life, devastating splitter, and good slider.
If we want to pick some nits, I’ll be interested to see what happens as hitters make adjustments, particularly laying off his splitter rather than flailing as it dives below the zone. In both the minors and his major league run, there was a tendency for a fair number of splitters to hang up over the plate. It wasn’t surprising that the minor leaguer hitters couldn’t punish these mistakes, but I was surprised at how many he got away with against big league hitters. Will they eventually catch up? The fastball is pretty straight. Finally, there’s some evidence that vertical release points are correlated with (in particular) should injury risk.
But for the most part, this simply amounts to a question where on the spectrum of grade 50 (roughly 10-14 WAR over control years) and above he belongs. It’s a very attractive notion to ponder.
SCOTTSDALE, AZ - MARCH 19: Chase Petty #61 high-fives Alfredo Duno #6 of the Cincinnati Reds during the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium on Thursday, March 19, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
While the AAA Louisville Bats got their 2026 regular season underway last week just like the big league Cincinnati Reds, the lower minors affiliates will begin their campaigns later this week. With that on the docket, the rosters for the respective Opening Days for the High-A Dayton Dragons (Thursday evening against the Lansing Lugnuts) and AA Chattanooga Lookouts (Friday against the Columbus Clingstones) have been finalized.
The Lookouts will feature top prospects like Cam Collier, Leo Balcazar, and Carlos Jorge among their position player ranks as well as former 1st round picks like Austin Hendrick and Jay Allen II. The pitching staff will be spearheaded by Jose Acuna (who returns after firing 71.2 IP of 3.64 ERA ball there last year) as well as veteran Kevin Abel, while Jose Montero (3.93 ERA in 103.0 IP with High-A Dayton in 2025) will also make the jump up a level into the rotation.
The Lookouts revealed their entire roster this morning, which you can see below.
Meanwhile, top prospect and catcher of the future Alfredo Duno will headline the roster of the Dayton Dragons, as the Reds pointed out on Twitter earlier in the day.
Dayton’s roster is largely comprised of players who spent considerable time with the club last year, though Duno is clearly the exception to that rule. He destroyed Florida State League pitching as a 19 year old in 2025 (.287/.430/.518 with 18 HR and a 95/91 BB/K ratio) before heading off to the Peoria Javelinas of the Arizona Fall League and showing out there, too.
What’s similarly interesting about Dayton’s roster, though, is who isn’t on it. Top prospect Tyson Lewis will apparently not be making the jump up a level to begin 2026 after he hit .268/.347/.417 there in 144 PA to finish 2025, his strikeout problems (51 in that time) likely something he’ll be asked to work on a bit first. Similarly, former NCAA dinger champ Mason Neville will not begin with Dayton after hitting .247/.333/.442 in 90 PA with Daytona last year, his own K-rate (34.4%) also a pretty glaring issue, while Arnaldo Lantigua will also seemingly stick around Daytona after 129 PA with them in his age-19 season.
The same is apparently true for Sheng-En Lin, who threw 16.2 IP for Daytona last year and is still focusing on pitching only after having been a two-way player prior to 2025.
The Daytona Tortugas have not yet released their roster, so we’ll need to wait for confirmation from them at some point later this week. It’s also worth pointing out that a number of names we otherwise would have seen on these rosters will begin the year on the minor league 60-day IL, with notable pitchers like Luke Holman and Carson Spiers there alongside infielder Ricky Cabrera.
The following players have been placed on the minor league 60-day IL: • RHP Carson Spiers • RHP Luke Holman • LHP Hunter Hollan • RHP Logan Tanner • SS Ricky Cabrera • C Connor Burns • RHP Owen Holt • LHP Christian Lopez • LHP Khristian Guevara •…
Joel Quenneville Postgame Press Conference 3/30/26
With eight games and two weeks left on the 2025-26 schedule, the Anaheim Ducks sit atop the Pacific Division standings and four points ahead of the second-place Oilers.
With the additions of roster players like Chris Kreider, Mikael Granlund, and Ryan Poehling, along with a brand new coaching staff, the Ducks were expected to build on their 21-point improvement from the 2023-24 season into the 2024-25 season.
This season has been one that many young teams crave as their franchise climbs out of the depths of an elongated rebuild. Young players entering their primes like Jackson LaCombe and Lukas Dostal continued to build on their breakout seasons from a year ago.
Meanwhile, core point producers like Cutter Gauthier and Leo Carlsson have established themselves as future elite players in the NHL and have shown they can be among the best at what they do at their positions.
Even players like Olen Zellweger and Pavel Mintyukov, though they have gone through several ups and downs this season, have greatly improved their 200-foot games and have shown they still possess the potential to be impactful offensive players in the NHL.
Perhaps the most pleasant surprise, and the one that’s been the most positively impactful, has been the emergence of rookie forward Beckett Sennecke. He’s currently tied with Montreal Canadiens forward Ivan Demidov for the rookie lead in points with 57 (22-35=57) in 74 games. His presence on the roster has rounded out the top six, and he’s found ways to translate what made him special at the junior level to the NHL on a nightly basis.
However, the coaching and system changes didn’t and haven’t meshed with every roster player. Former top-six players Ryan Strome and Frank Vatrano have had difficulties adjusting to the tempo and/or the required decision-making to carve out a depth role on the roster. Strome was traded at the March 6 deadline after a string of healthy scratches, and Vatrano is in the midst of his own cluster of healthy scratches.
Perhaps the greatest benefit to the young players on the Ducks roster this season has been head coach Joel Quenneville and his staff’s willingness to enable them to play freely while expanding and exploring the reaches of their offensive potential.
The youngest and most talented players projected to make up the core of the team when competitive have been placed in a system beneficial and conducive to their collective skillset, have been allowed to make mistakes, and have been given roles in which they can succeed.
However, as the season has progressed and the finish line is in sight, Quenneville’s perceived tolerance for critical errors has shrunk, as has the leash for those young mistake-prone players.
Griffin Hooper-Imagn Images
Mason McTavish (23) is having his worst statistical season in his four-year NHL career and has produced just 34 points (14-20=34) in 67 games, a .51 points-per-game average and a significant drop from last season’s .68 points/g pace.
McTavish’s output had dropped low enough to earn him back-to-back healthy scratches on March 15 against the Montreal Canadiens and on March 18 against the Philadelphia Flyers. In his six games since being reinserted into the lineup, he’s scored two points (1-1=2) while playing five of those six games as the fourth-line left winger.
“Be strong at the net, want the puck,” Quenneville said of what he’s expecting from McTavish when he returned to the lineup on March 20. “(Be) defensively responsible just like we want with everybody, basically, every night.
“Possession with the puck. He’s a centerman with good instincts, and he can make plays. He’s got a good shot. So we want to see some of that. At the same time, there’s the other side as well.”
In Monday’s 5-4 OT loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs, a game that saw multiple injuries to forwards and a slew of penalties, McTavish only saw 14:01 TOI, and he didn’t see the ice following the Leafs’ go-ahead goal with three minutes left in the third, where he may have given a less-than-spectacular backchecking effort.
For however great a season Beckett Sennecke (20) is having, as the season winds down, he’s becoming more mistake-prone in his end, making poor puck decisions that lead to odd-man breaks the other way.
Though he’s understandably a volatile, high-risk/high-reward young forward, that volatility is now costing the Ducks points on the scoreboard and points in the standings. In their March 18 game against the Flyers, in overtime, he attempted a between-the-legs, cross-ice pass on a 2v1 with backchecking pressure that was disrupted and that sparked a rush to win the game for the Flyers.
With 17:38 to go in the third period of the Ducks’ 5-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks, he attempted a drop pass to a trailing forward, the fourth player into the offensive zone on the rush, which missed its target and sent the Canucks on a 2v1 that they converted, tying that game at three. He didn’t see the ice for the remainder of that game.
During Monday’s loss to the Leafs, he attempted a slip pass to a teammate at the point, with the far defenseman activated, which was broken up and which sent William Nylander on a breakaway to tie that game at three with 9:46 remaining in the third period. Sennecke didn’t see the ice for the remainder of that game either.
“Every day is a new day, and every day we learn,” Quenneville said after Monday’s game. “Every day, we address. We give him the freedom to do a lot of things offensively. You don’t want to take away from him, but that’s sometimes where the trouble starts. So, I think we've got to find that balance.”
With still a relatively comfortable lead (for now) in the Pacific Division standings, Quenneville can afford to prioritize lessons over an extra standings point. If either (or both) McTavish or Sennecke had played in the overtime frame on Monday, it’s possible, or even likely, that the Ducks would have come away from that game with two points instead of one, as the Ducks are 17-5 in overtimes and shootouts.
McTavish’s poor season could be attributed, in part, to a lengthy contract negotiation that lasted well into Ducks’ training camp in late September. The details of his game haven’t improved enough (or at all) away from the puck to counterbalance his lack of production. If the Ducks are to realize their potential this season and in future seasons, they’ll need Mason McTavish to play a pivotal role in their middle six and have an impact on every shift.
Sennecke has a special ability to manufacture instant offense out of thin air. However, that style will inherently be tied to taking risks with the puck. Becoming more selective with when and how to unleash or rein in those abilities will come in time. He’s a rookie, and rookie mistakes are to be expected. However, they’re beginning to cost the team vital points at a crucial time in the season. The Ducks can’t afford to allow him to make those mistakes when they matter the most: the playoffs.
The Ducks are on the precipice of achieving something they’ve been starved for for eight years. By extending a long leash early in the year and shortening it down the stretch upon lack of improvement in certain areas, Quenneville and the coaching staff are taking both a long-term and short-term approach to get the most out of important young pieces on their roster.
George Springer has been doing damage at the top of the Toronto Blue Jays lineup, and I’m expecting that trend to continue with Ryan Feltner on the mound for the Colorado Rockies.
I explain why Springer matches up well in my free Toronto Blue Jays vs. Rockies predictions and MLB picks for Tuesday, March 31.
Rockies vs Blue Jays predictions
Rockies vs Blue Jays best bet: George Springer Over 0.5 RBI (+145)
It’s been a bit of a slower start to the year for George Springer, but he’s still finding ways to drive in runs with an RBI in three-straight games.
Springer has also had a lot of career success against the Colorado Rockies, with a 1.012 OPS and eight RBI in 45 at-bats. He can add to that tally against Ryan Feltner, who has a career strikeout rate of 19.5% and struggles to limit damage.
The confidence in his pick is coupled with the belief that the bottom of the order will reach base for Springer to drive them in. The Jays’ 7-9 hitters have been the most productive to start the season, combining for 18 hits and six walks through the first four games this season.
COVERS INTEL: Feltner has a 33% usage rate on his four-seamer, a pitch that Springer handled well with a .307 batting average last season and an xSLG rate of .746.
Rockies vs Blue Jays same-game parlay (SGP)
Jesus Sanchez has faced Feltner more than any other Blue Jays batter, going 4-for-11 with two homers against him.
Max Scherzer takes the bump for Toronto, and I’m expecting the Jays’ high strikeout trend to continue with him on the mound. He racked up 10 strikeouts against this lineup last season in 20 at-bats, and he may be asked to work deeper into the game after Cody Ponce was forced to leave Monday's game with an injury.
Rockies vs Blue Jays SGP
George Springer Over 0.5 RBI
Jesus Sanchez Over 0.5 hits
Max Scherzer Over 5.5 strikeouts
Rockies vs Blue Jays home run pick: Jesus Sanchez (+510)
In addition to owning Feltner with a 1.273 OPS, he has done the bulk of his damage against right-handed pitching. Sixty-five of his 74 career home runs have come against righties.
2026 Transparency record
Best bets: 1-2, -0.65 units
SGPs: 1-2, +1.5 units
HR picks: 1-2, +1.05 units
Rockies vs Blue Jays odds
Moneyline: Colorado +225 | Toronto -280
Run line: Colorado +1.5 (-145) | Toronto -1.5 (+125)
Over/Under: Over 9 (-120) | Under 9 (+100)
Rockies vs Blue Jays trend
The Toronto Blue Jays have hit the Game Total Over in 85 of their last 148 games (+23.75 Units / 15% ROI) Find more MLB betting trends for Rockies vs. Blue Jays.
How to watch Rockies vs Blue Jays and game info
Location
Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON
Date
Tuesday, March 31, 2026
First pitch
7:07 p.m. ET
TV
COLR, Sportsnet
Rockies starting pitcher
Ryan Feltner (2025: 0-2, 4.75 ERA)
Blue Jays starting pitcher
Max Scherzer (2025: 5-5, 5.19 ERA)
Rockies vs Blue Jays latest injuries
Rockies vs Blue Jays weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 13: Al Horford #20 of the Golden State Warriors shoots a three-point shot against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first half at Chase Center on March 13, 2026 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 the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The NBA announced the six finalists for the 2025-26 NBA Sportsmanship Award on Tuesday. The award is given to the player who “exemplifies the ideals of sportsmanship on the court with ethical behavior, fair play, and integrity.” The league names one finalist from each division. Golden State Warriors big man Al Horford was among the finalists, representing the Pacific Division. Horford has not previously won the award. He would be the first Warrior to win the award since Steph Curry won following the 2010-11 season.
Boston Celtics guard Derrick White, Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell, Miami Heat big Bam Adebayo, Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes comprise the other five nominees for the award. The award has historically gone to All-Star caliber players or popular veterans late in their careers. While Horford fits the latter category, Adebayo and White seem like stronger potential candidates.
In his first season with the Warriors, Horford has appeared in 43 games (12 starts), averaging 8.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.2 blocks in 21.7 minutes per game. The 39-year old has shot 42.4% from the field (53.5% from two and 36.0% from three) and 84.6% from the free-throw line.
The middle game of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ series against the Cleveland Guardians will be the first pitching start for Shohei Ohtani, who coincidentally is the second in a series of Japanese pitchers.
Roki Sasaki pitched in Monday night’s game, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto will pitch in Wednesday afternoon’s finale.
Because of the World Baseball Classic, Ohtani only pitched in two games in Spring Training. He went 1-1 with a 3.24 ERA, striking out 15 batters across 8.1 innings of work. 11 of those K’s came in his last outing a week ago against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. After that outing, both Ohtani and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts felt good about where Ohtani was in his preparation for the regular season.
This will be the first in what Ohtani and the Dodgers organization hope will be a fully healthy season for Shohei that will see him take the mound 25 times. Ohtani called every Dodger pitcher making 25 starts “ideal” after his first outing in Arizona.
For how long this first outing will last, Roberts said the plan was about six innings.
“Honestly, with Shohei, you’ve got to be willing to adapt,” Roberts said. “Because if he’s really efficient, then you’re still trying to win the game. And if it makes sense, I’m not going to just pull the plug just because of a certain number.”
Ohtani would also like to see the Dodgers offense give him some run support. The team has yet to have the first lead of the game in the four they have played so far. The first three saw them able to mount a comeback, but in Monday night’s game they could only muster two runs in the bottom of the ninth, which were not enough to beat the Guardians.
Miguel Rojas and Andy Pages are the only two Dodgers so far that are hitting with any great consistency. The Dodgers will be facing right hander Tanner Bibee, who pitched the first game of the Guardian’s season against the Seattle Mariners, going 5.0 innings and allowing three earned runs while striking out seven.
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 04: Jordan Poole #13 of the Washington Wizards and Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors interact after the game at Capital One Arena on November 04, 2024 in Washington, DC. 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 Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Before we get into this one, a quick reset on what this bracket actually is. This isn’t about who was better, or who disappointed you more. It’s about which version of belief stayed with you longer; the player you kept holding onto, even when it stopped being easy.
Jordan Poole — The Chosen Son
This isn’t a question about Jordan Poole’s career. You already know how it went. It’s whether you can put yourself back in the moment before all of it, back when the belief was clean and the ceiling felt limitless, and feel what that was like.The Poole era, before the complications set in, was one of the most alive things Dub Nation felt in the two-timelines stretch. He wasn’t a project you were squinting at through the fog of hope. You could already see it.
I was in Las Vegas for Summer League 2019 when he first suited up as a Warrior. KD had just left. The dynasty that everyone outside the Bay had been praying would end had finally started to wobble. And right in the middle of all that noise, this 19-year-old kid from Michigan was out there attacking closeouts, drawing fouls, playing like the moment owed him something.
The G League bubble in 2021 is where it clicked for everyone. Pre-bubble, he was averaging 5.5 points on 42.6% shooting in under 10 minutes a game. Post-bubble: 14.7 points on 43.3% in 23.5 minutes. Same player, just more rope. Give him space to operate and he’d make you look like a genius for believing in him.
Then 2022 happened. Four 20-point games off the bench in the playoffs at 22 years old, on a team that went on to win a championship. He was serving up Poole Parties on the biggest stages in the sport and doing it without hesitation. The shimmy was fully loaded. The free throw line had become a personal ATM. And Dub Nation didn’t just decide he was good, we saw him as the answer to the question nobody was ready to ask yet: what happens to all of this after Steph?
It wasn’t in the stat lines. It was in the feeling that the dynasty didn’t have to die when Steph’s career eventually wound down, because the kid right next to him could keep it breathing.
Then Draymond Green punched him in practice, and the whole thing started to shift.
The season that followed was genuinely complicated to watch and even harder to write about. He showed moments of Steph-like brilliance. And turnovers that made your eyes water and a 2023 playoff shot chart against the Lakers that looked like a crime scene. Steph threw his mouthguard in frustration at a Poole decision in a must-win game. That image said more than anything I could put in a season review.
That summer, he was traded to Washington for Chris Paul. He was 23 years old.
That’s the Poole story. The bracket seeded him first because the peak belief was the highest of anyone in this field, and the fall from that peak was the sharpest. It wasn’t that he failed. It was that we watched him arrive, watched him ascend, watched him win a ring, watched it come apart from the inside, and then watched him leave at 23 with the best basketball of his life allegedly still ahead of him somewhere else.
That unresolved feeling is why he’s still here.
Trayce Jackson-Davis — The Quiet Revelation
Trayce Jackson-Davis was the 57th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. He was a four-year college big man whom the conventional wisdom had already written a clean, tidy obituary for: too slow, too limited, too old-school for the modern NBA.
He showed up to Chase Center and immediately looked like he’d been running pick-and-rolls with Stephen Curry his entire career.The screen timing was perfect. The roll angles were textbook. The finishing around the rim, with either hand, in traffic, on the short roll, was seamless. Warriors fans started falling for TJD without consciously deciding to. One game he was the guy you were cautiously pleased about. A few weeks later, you were actually upset when he didn’t play.
That’s the quieter version of basketball love. No single moment where the fanbase collectively lost its mind. Just a gradual accumulation of evidence until one day you realized you were already fully invested.
The fit wasn’t something you had to project forward or hope would develop. It was already functional. Already real. You could watch him in the second quarter of a random regular season game in January and feel good about things.
Then they traded him to Toronto.
No incident. No drama. No complicated feelings about turnovers or locker room dynamics or shot selection. Just a clean, sharp loss of something that was had legs, packaged into a deal and shipped out before it ever got to breathe. Warriors fans processed it mostly in silence because the grief was too specific to be loud. This wasn’t a projection that didn’t work out. This was a fit that did work, and they let it go anyway.
That’s the TJD story. Not heartbreak in the traditional sense. More like reaching for something on the shelf and realizing someone already moved it.
The Matchup
This one isn’t about who gave you more. They gave you different things entirely.
Poole made the post-KD era feel like it could be spectacular. The belief he generated wasn’t cautious or qualified, it was the full version, the kind where you’re already writing the next chapter in your head before the current one is finished. There’s something irreplaceable about that feeling, even knowing how it ended. Maybe especially knowing how it ended.
TJD made the present tense feel survivable. Not spectacular, not dynasty-level, but real and functioning and worth showing up for. The fit was so clean it hurt when it was gone. There was no what-could-have-been with him because you could already see exactly what it was. That clarity is its own kind of grief.
One version of believing in a player is screaming at the TV in 2022 because this kid is built different. Another version is quietly updating your expectations upward game by game until one day you realize you’d be pretty upset if he wasn’t here. Both are real and legitimate.
The question isn’t which player was better. Instead, it’s which version of hope you hold onto longer.
COVERS INTEL: Feltner has a 33% usage rate on his four-seamer, a pitch that Springer handled well with a .307 batting average last season and an xSLG rate of .746.
