The Mets are adding to the depth in the organization, claiming infielder Eric Wagaman off waivers from the Twins.
Wagaman has been optioned to Triple-A.
The 28-year-old was shipped off to Minnesota this offseason in a deal with the Marlins, but he was sent to the minors after failing to make the team out of camp.
His struggles continued to begin the year, hitting just .159 with six RBI over 18 Triple-A games, and he ended up being DFA’d to clear a roster spot late last week.
Wagaman did enjoy some success in his lone consistent big-league opportunity, putting together 40 XBH’s in 140 games with Miami two years ago.
He’s also a career .267 hitter with a .731 OPS against left-handed pitching.
The majority of his experience is at first, but he’s also spent some time in the outfield.
If Wagaman can find his groove down with Syracuse, perhaps he’ll work his way into the Mets' first base mix.
Brett Baty and Mark Vientos have struggled while taking over the bulk of the playing time with Jorge Polanco on the IL.
Apr 26, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Brandon Lockridge (20) is greeted by first base coach Spencer Allen after driving in two runs with a single in the fourth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
The Milwaukee Brewers have been a model of success for the past decade, and it’s quite clear the rest of the league has taken notice. From the Mets’ long-known courtship of David Stearns, to Craig Counsell leaving for the Cubs, to Walker McKinven going to the White Sox, and so many others, teams have been trying to hire away some of the top brains in the Brewers organization.
The Brewers have still retained some of their most crucial coaches and execs, most notably Matt Arnold, Pat Murphy, and Chris Hook. However, some teams are already getting an early jump on the next hiring cycle for coaches. The Red Sox fired a large chunk of their major league coaching staff recently, which has gotten the industry talking.
The Athletic’s Tyler Kepner put together a list of notable names to watch when this next hiring cycle gets into full gear. One current Brewers assistant coach was listed among the names, but it’s probably not who you would have expected.
First base coach Spencer Allen.
The 48-year-old Allen is in his first season as the Brewers’ first base coach. He has been in the organization since 2022, starting as a field coordinator and then most recently serving as the team’s Director of Player Development before being moved to the on-field staff for 2026.
Prior to joining the Brewers, Allen was the head coach for Northwestern’s baseball team.
The Brewers moved Allen to the on-field staff to replace Julio Borbón because they wanted more aggression on the basepaths again. It’s worked so far as the Brewers have the most stolen bases in baseball with 36.
Allen clearly is highly regarded around the league. He’s been a head coach before at the college level, has experience in player development on the pro side, and now has on-field MLB coaching experience. That checks just about every box you could look for in terms of experience, and he’s still fairly young.
Still, Allen probably would not have been most people’s first guess for a Brewers assistant coach to be on the radar for managerial jobs, since this is his first year with the on-field staff, and his previous work in the organization has been more behind the scenes in player development.
It wouldn’t surprise me if third base coach Matt Erickson, offense and strategy coordinator Jason Lane, or field coordinator Nestor Corredor also get some looks at managerial jobs in the future. They weren’t listed by The Athletic for this cycle, however.
Also on the list of candidates was McKinven, the former Brewers strategy coordinator who became the White Sox bench coach prior to last season.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - APRIL 26: Yandy Díaz #2 of the Tampa Bay Rays reacts after hitting a two-run home run in the third inning against the Minnesota Twins at Tropicana Field on April 26, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Guardians will now play the AL East version of themselves, the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Rays are 16-11, 10th in wRC+ at 103, 8th in baserunning runs above average at 1.7, sixth in starting pitcher ERA at 3.67 (3.88) and 26th in bullpen ERA at 5.27.
The Guardians are 15-14, 16th in wRC+ at 98, 29th in baserunning runs above average at -2.4, ninth in starting pitcher ERA at 3.78 (4.25 FIP) and 21st in bullpen ERA at 4.55.
As you can see, the key to beating the Rays SHOULD be to get their starting pitchers out of the game as quickly as possible and then beat up on their bullpen. Of course, having just seen the Guardians fail to beat up on a pretty bad Blue Jays’ pen, I am a bit skeptical at the moment. Hopefully, they surprise us.
Matchups:
Game One: Parker Messick, LHP 1.76 ERA (2.54 FIP) vs. Steven Matz, LHP 4.81 ERA (3.06 FIP)
Game Two: Tanner Bibee, RHP 4.45 ERA (4.64 FIP) vs. Nick Martinez, RHP 2.10 ERA (3.89 FIP)
Game Three: Gavin Williams, RHP 3.28 ERA (4.44 FIP) vs. Drew Rasmussen, RHP 2.45 ERA (4.10 FIP)
The Guardians’ offense is led by Daniel Schneemann at 167 wRC+, Angel Martinez 137 wRC+, Jose Ramirez 124 wRC+, Chase DeLauter 122 wRC+, Brayan Rocchio 122 wRC+, David Fry 110 wRC+, and Rhys Hoskins 103 wRC+. Is this the series that Kyle Manzardo, Bo Naylor, George Valera and/or Steven Kwan emerge from April hibernations? One can only hope.
The Rays’ offense is led by familiar frenemies Yandy Diaz 157 wRC+, Junior Caminero 131 wRC+, and Richie Palacios 126 wRC+. But, watch out also for Johnny DeLuca 120 wRC+, Jonathan Aranda 120 wRC+ and Jake Fraley 113 wRC+. This is a great series for those who enjoy franchise angst as we are likely to see big hits from Diaz and Caminero, but a Palacios key moment would be a cherry on top.
The Guardians are home. Time to find a way to win a series against a good team and get things back on track.
Glossary:
wRC+ – Weighted Runs Created Plus – A measure of determining a player’s run production value while controlling for park effects. 100 is league average.
Baserunning Runs Above Average – A metric including stolen base value, double-play avoidance, and taking extra bases to determine how many runs above average a team is on the basepaths
Defense – This stat gives you how many runs above average a team’s defenders save their team, adjusted for positional value (i.e. a catcher has far more defensive value for a team than a first baseman).
FIP – Fielding Independent Pitching. Essentially, ERA weighted by factors a pitcher can control (strikeouts, walks and homers) while eliminating as much as possible the effects of a good or bad defense.
SIERA – A metric to determine a pitcher’s true ERA based on strikeout rate, walk rate, and quality of batted-balls given up. This number is similar to ERA (3 and under is excellent) in determining player performance.
First-half goals from Casemiro and Benjamin Sesko took United to the cusp of Champions League qualification
It seems like Benjamin Sesko is now installed as United’s first-choice centre-forward – though full confirmation will come next weekend, when Liverpool visit Old Trafford, as in previous big games, Carrick has deployed Mbeumo through the middle.
Ultimately, though, the club spent all that money on Sesko because the plan is for him to be a regular, so really, they need to build around him, which means better delivery from wide areas; I wonder if we’ll see whoever plays on the left whip balls for him to the front post, though I also think there’s hay to be made with Mbeumo coming inside to swing those in to the back stick.
NBA Draft lottery reform is coming, Adam Silver wants it and what the NBA Commissioner wants, he gets. The only question is what it will look like.
There is a growing momentum behind a formula that would expand the lottery to 18 teams and flatten the odds, reports Sam Amick at The Athletic.
Yet according to league and team sources, a heavy front-runner has emerged among the three proposed solutions... 18 teams would be part of the draft lottery (rather than the current 14) and the bottom 10 teams would all have an 8% chance of landing the No. 1 pick. The remaining odds — 20 percent in all — would be divided among the remaining eight teams.
There's a lot to unpack, and a lot of questions about this:
• Nothing can become official until the Board of Governors meets and votes on it next month. Meaning nothing is set in stone.
• Expanding to 18 teams means that not only are the four teams that lose in the play-in going to be in the lottery, but so are the four teams with the worst record that make the playoffs but lose in the first round. If it were in place this season, teams such as Toronto and maybe Phoenix would be in the lottery.
• While the odds are small, wait for the outcry the first year one of the playoff teams wins the lottery and gets the No. 1 pick, something Amick gets into at The Athletic:
As several general managers pointed out, there is a fear that implementing Option No. 1 might simply create new problems that will eventually need to be addressed. What might the league-wide reaction be, for example, when one of those two lottery teams that actually took part in the playoffs gets lucky by landing the No. 1 pick?
• If Adam Silver and the owners vote to do nothing, just leave the system as is, there will be far less tanking next season because it is seen as a much weaker draft class. That said, you can be sure a year from now Silver and the NBA league office will take a victory lap about how great their tanking solution worked.
• Giving all 10 teams that miss the playoffs entirely an equal 8% chance to win the No. 1 pick does reduce the incentive to race all the way to the bottom and have the worst record in the league. It could mean that at the end of the season, struggling teams will play their young players and develop them a little more... so long as it doesn't get them into the play-in and hurt those lottery odds. And in the years there is a Victor Wembanyama or Cooper Flagg in the draft — or another crazy deep draft like this year — teams will tank to get into the bottom 10 if needed.
• This new system gets further away from the reason to have a draft in the first place. Teams tank — or are just bad and end up in the lottery — because they lack the high-level talent, they don't have a Cade Cunningham, Anthony Edwards, Luka Doncic or Victor Wembanyama, and the best way to get a franchise-changing player like that is through the draft. (For middle and small market teams, it can be the only way.) The more the odds are flattened, the harder it becomes for the worst teams to get those players, forcing them to be bad for longer and making the fan base suffer more.
The entire point of the draft is to help the worst teams get the best players — the Las Vegas Raiders are the worst team in the NFL, they get to draft Fernando Mendoza. Simple. Clean. The NBA continues to move away from that: Last season, 11 teams had worse records than the Dallas Mavericks, but the basketball gods smiled on them and their 1.8% chances, and they got the No. 1 pick and Cooper Flagg. How does that help struggling teams?
This swashbuckling victory moved Manchester United to within two points of Champions League qualification and is prima facie evidence of the job Michael Carrick has executed since his appointment as interim manager.
The performance is also a fair calling card for the permanent role as United bettered a doughty Brentford by simply being better.
The Detroit Pistons will try to even their first-round playoff series with the Orlando Magic in Game 4. The top-seeded Pistons have dropped two of the first three games to the Magic. Detroit is a 2.5-point favorite in Game 4. The over/under for the matchup is set at 213.5.
Moneyline: Orlando Magic +125 (42.2%) / Detroit Pistons -155 (57.8%)
Over/Under: 213.5
Series results, schedule (all times Eastern)
Game 1:Magic 112, Pistons 101 Game 2:Pistons 98, Magic 83 Game 3:Magic 113, Pistons 105 Game 4: Mon. April 27, at Orlando (8 p.m., NBC/Peacock) Game 5: Wed., April 29, at Detroit (7 p.m., Amazon) *Game 6: Fri., May 1, at Orlando (time and network TBD) *Game 7: Sun., May 3, at Detroit (time and network TBD)
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - APRIL 26: Manny Machado #13 of the San Diego Padres reacts with teammate Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 after hitting a three run home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fifth inning of the MLB Mexico City Series game between San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helú on April 26, 2026 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It felt like the San Diego Padres’ game all day, in large part, because it was.
Michael King twirled six innings of two-run ball, sporting eight strikeouts and only one walk. He exited the game with a 7-2 lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks. It was over in a hurry.
The Padres’ bullpen (uncharacteristically) gave up the game in a loud way. David Morgan and Bradgley Rodriguez combined to give up six runs — including a Tim Tawa grand slam — in the bottom of the seventh before Ron Marinaccio and Wandy Peralta gave up four more runs in the eighth to give the D-backs a five-run cushion.
San Diego tried to come back multiple times but couldn’t answer once, ending in a disappointing loss after what had started off as a promising game. Three home runs, two from Manny Machado and the other from Luis Campusano, had buoyed the Friars for most of the game until the relief blowup.
On most days, if the Friars scored seven runs before turning it over to the bullpen, there’d be no worry of giving the game up. But yesterday that was not to be.
The hard truth for the Friar Faithful is there will be games like this. It’s not an indictment on the bullpen, it’s just a long, long, season and leads will be blown sometimes — no matter how good the club is.
That being said, San Diego will return home tonight hoping to best the similarly-hot Chicago Cubs. Their offense will be back in the pitcher-friendly confines of Petco Park so they’ll need to bet on a bounce back performance from the relief corps.
Taking the mound
Matthew Boyd (CHC) v. Randy Vásquez (SD)
That being said, Boyd (although feared in the past) has not been pitching like himself lately. He gave up six runs in his first start of the season before being placed on the injured list for two weeks. He’s been better since returning but still sports a 5.79 ERA on the year.
Boyd has also yet to go a full six innings in a game (5 2/3 at most). That’s good news for the Friars, who will hope to get to the Chicago bullpen quickly. They’ve been mostly solid but have struggled to a 3.95 ERA to start the year, and are without closer Daniel Palencia.
Vásquez, on the other hand, has been San Diego’s ace to open the season. He’s tallied a 1.88 ERA and 1.08 WHIP to go with 30 strikeouts across 28 2/3 innings. He’s been a beast on the mound for the Padres and has only given up more than one run once.
Helping Vásquez significantly is his history facing Chicago. The righty owns a .194 opponent batting average against the Cubs’ lineup. If he can limit them similarly (like he’s done to opponents all season), Vásquez will have no problem tonight.
Batter up!
After some early tweaking by manager Craig Stammen, the lineup has been more or less set lately. It seems likely that continues tonight against Boyd, looking something like this:
Ramón Laureano, LF
Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
Jackson Merrill, CF
Manny Machado, 3B
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Gavin Sheets, DH
Nick Castellanos, 1B
Freddy Fermin, C
Sung-Mun Song, 2B
I’m hoping that Song makes his debut at the plate tonight. It’s possible that he debuts in a pinch-hit opportunity or DH-ing) as opposed to starting the game at second. But it seems possible he takes the start over Jake Cronenworth after Cronenworth’s slow offensive start to the season.
Tatis is still searching for his first homer of the year. It has been — by far — his longest drought without one. Hopefully he’ll hit one while being cheered on by the Friar Faithful tonight.
Relief corps
Like I said, the San Diego bullpen looked rough yesterday. But that’s hardly an indication of a downhill turn for the group. They’ve been dominant this year, ranking third in the majors with a 3.03 ERA.
The high-leverage guys (Jason Adam, Adrian Morejon and Mason Miller) have continued to be dominant — showing no signs of stopping. Miller took the franchise record for scoreless innings pitched this weekend and will look to extend it tonight if San Diego has a lead in the ninth.
Behind those three is Kyle Hart, who will surely be first out of the ‘pen if Vásquez doesn’t perform as well as he typically does. Hart can cover several innings well for the Friars with his history as a starter, though he hopefully won’t need to so long as Vásquez pitches a gem.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 25: Jalen Green #4 of the Phoenix Suns handles the ball as Oso Ighodaro #11 screens Ajay Mitchell #25 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first half in Game Three of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 25, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Who: Phoenix Suns vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
When: 6:30 pm Arizona Time
Where: Mortgage Matchup Center — Phoenix, Arizona
Watch: NBCSN/Peacock
Listen: KMVP 98.7
This very well could be the final game of the 2025-26 NBA season for the Phoenix Suns. If it is, what a ride it’s been.
No team in league history has ever come back from down 3-0. Phoenix is also the only team without a playoff win this year after the Rockets finally got one against the Lakers last night.
Phoenix made things slightly more interesting last game, but Shai had a performance for the ages, and the Suns just couldn’t hang despite an early 9-point lead in the first quarter. But, as we’ve seen all series long… the Thunder are just simply too good. They are the defending champs and won 64 games for a reason, after all.
The adjustments have been minimal from first-year head coach Jordan Ott. Will we see more of the same? If this team is who they’ve said they are all season long, they should go down swinging.
Probable Starters
Injury Report
Suns injury report vs. Thunder:
OUT: Mark Williams (left foot third metatarsal; stress reaction).
QUESTIONABLE: Jordan Goodwin (left calf strain). #Suns#ThunderUp
Jordan Goodwin — QUESTIONABLE (Left Calf Soreness)
Thunder
Thomas Sorber — OUT (Right ACL)
Jalen Williams — OUT (Left Hamstring Strain)
What to Watch For
Jalen Williams is out again, and that means plenty more Alex Caruso, Ajay Mitchell, Cason Wallace, and Aaron Wiggins minutes. This team is deep. Shai’s firepower led the way in Game 3, with eight players contributing 6+ points.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been nearly unstoppable. He is hitting tough contested shots, he is getting downhill with ease, and drawing fouls when he needs to. Or kicking it to his open teammate if the Suns overcommit. Slowing him down has been virtually impossible. If they want any chance at an upset tonight, the defense on him has to improve. Easier said than done.
One person who could certainly help with that would be Jordan Goodwin. Goody’s status is in question again, as he has been sidelined since the first game of the series with a calf injury. There’s been a lot of chatter about how much the Suns have missed Mark Williams, and rightfully so due to the size disadvantage. But to me, Jordan Goodwin’s absence has been the most negatively impactful for this Suns squad. His presence changes everything defensively.
Outside of Dillon Brooks, he is the culture setter. The big momentum-shifting plays and the “little things” he does over the course of the game add up.
Key to a Suns Win
It’s simple, really. Take care of the ball. Rebound.
If they do those two things while playing their brand of hard-nosed basketball, they have a chance against anyone. If they continue to carelessly turn it over or allow second-chance points, they are toast. The margin for error against this Thunder team is microscopic.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA – APRIL 25: Alex Caruso #9 of the Oklahoma City Thunder steals the ball from Oso Ighodaro #11 of the Phoenix Suns during the second half in Game Three of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 25, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Thunder defeated the Suns 121-109. 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 Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The possessions where the Suns had an excellent defensive stand for 20-to-23 seconds that led to a miss, only for the Thunder to grab the offensive board and hit a triple are the backbreakers. Those momentum shifts are the difference between a transition opportunity for your offense and your defense getting overworked for another 10-13 seconds and a potential 5-point swing on a single possession.
Shooters need to shoot. We’re going to need Collin Gillespie and Grayson Allen to knock their shots down. Royce O’Neale as well. The “Big 3” of Booker, Brooks, and Green will draw the most defensive attention, so it sets up the role players for quality looks. They surprisingly had plenty of good looks from deep in the last game; the shots just weren’t falling at the rate they needed to.
The list of things that have to go right to win is pretty long. Do we have one last fight in us?
Prediction
This thing is over. I expect the Thunder to aim to put one final bow on this thing and wrap it up so they can enter their next series well rested against the Lakers or Rockets. Prove me wrong one last time, Suns.
Who will win Mariners vs Twins today: Mariners moneyline (-135)
The Seattle Mariners have captured four straight victories heading into tonight’s contest. Luis Castillo gets the ball tonight, and he’s found his form lately. The righty is also very familiar with this Minnesota Twins lineup.
Castillo has held their offense to a .195 average across 113 at-bats. Castillo has also allowed just three earned runs across his last two starts, and he’s only given up four earned runs on the road this year.
Seattle faces rookie Connor Prielipp this evening, who has held his own through three appearances. In his first start last week, Prielipp surrendered only two earned runs to the New York Mets.
However, he’s up against an M’s lineup which has scored 14 runs across its last two games.
I could see both guys throwing the ball well, but Castillo will be better, and Seattle will muster up enough offense to chase Prielipp relatively early.
COVERS INTEL: Minnesota’s bullpen has a horrid 4.85 ERA, and the Twins have also lost five straight games.
Mariners vs Twins Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (+100)
While Seattle’s offense broke out a bit over the weekend, neither of these teams are scoring a ton of runs overall. The M’s are 22nd in runs scored, and they cashed the Under in two of the three games against the Cardinals.
The Twins also took part in a low-scoring series with the Tampa Bay Rays, with the Under hitting in all three matchups as well. They also scored just five runs in that series, and Minny comes up against a very good arm in Castillo.
The Mariners’ bullpen is also elite, compiling a 3.18 ERA. Most of the offense tonight will come from Seattle, but don’t expect a ton. Pitching will be the storyline of the first game of this series.
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 7-6, -2.94 units
Over/Under bets: 7-6, +0.19 units
Mariners vs Twins odds
Moneyline: Mariners -134 | Twins +114
Run line: Mariners -1.5 | Twins +1.5
Over/Under: Over 8.5 | Under 8.5
Mariners vs Twins trend
The Mariners have hit the Under in 10 of their last 13 away games (+6.80 Units / 48% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Mariners vs. Twins.
How to watch Mariners vs Twins and game info
Location
Target Field, Minneapolis, MN
Date
Monday, April 27, 2026
First pitch
7:40 p.m. ET
TV
Mariners.TV, Twins.TV
Mariners starting pitcher
Luis Castillo (0-1, 5.01 ERA)
Twins starting pitcher
Connor Prielipp (0-0, 4.50 ERA)
Mariners vs Twins latest injuries
Mariners vs Twins 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.
The top of the Western Conference continues on its pace toward a Western Conference Finals matchup that we could see for many years to come.
The San Antonio Spurs suffered a brief hiccup against the Portland Trail Blazers, but my Trail Blazers vs. Spurs predictions and these NBA picks expect the series to end in five games on Tuesday, April 28.
UPDATE: Added a prediction for who will win tonight.
Trail Blazers vs Spurs prediction
Who will win Trail Blazers vs Spurs Game 5
Spurs: You had your chance, Portland. But you did not capitalize on Victor Wembanyama’s Game 3 absence, and that has cost you. This never would have been een a gentleman’s sweep if Wembanyama did not suffer that concussion, something that should be made clear tonight.
Trail Blazers vs Spurs best bet: Stephon Castle Over 17.5 points (-110)
However far the San Antonio Spurs advance in these NBA playoffs, enjoy Stephon Castle’s further emergence in each round. The second-year guard is considered the third banana for the Spurs, behind Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox, but Castle may actually be the most fun player on the roster.
He makes everyone else better while also pushing the pace himself and is capable of hitting just about any shot.
Castle has cleared this points prop in only two of the four games in this series, but the two games in which he fell short still featured 17 and 16 points while San Antonio won so handily that Castle’s minutes were a bit shortened.
There should be no such cruise control in Game 5. The Spurs can dispatch the Portland Trail Blazers. They should play with that clinching mentality; Castle can rest this weekend. Furthermore, Portland should go down swinging; a 20-point lead will still require protecting in the fourth quarter.
Let’s put it this way: Castle has cleared this prop in every game he has played at least 34 minutes in this series. Per 34 minutes, he is averaging 21.8 points.With a chance to win a postseason for the first time in San Antonio since 2017, expect Castle to play at least 34 minutes.
Trail Blazers vs Spurs same-game parlay
First of all, Castle has hit 9-of-21 shots from beyond the arc in this series, 42.9%, and cleared this prop in three of the four games. He is very much a shooter, and that only raises his scoring ceiling.
Second of all, it may seem counterintuitive to bet on Castle’s props because he should play a full workload tonight to clinch the series and then still expect a blowout, but those are actually hand-in-hand thoughts. Portland should press until the very, very end. That does not mean the game will get closer.
Trail Blazers vs Spurs SGP
Stephon Castle Over 17.5 points
Stephon Castle Over 1.5 threes
Spurs -12
Our "from downtown" SGP: Quickly, Spurs
The Spurs should want to put this series to bed more than a team normally would up 3-1. Victor Wembanyama may be back on the court, but rest will help him recover from his Game 2 concussion.
His shot did not look great in his Game 4 return, though he did find 12 rebounds in only 34 minutes.
Trail Blazers vs Spurs SGP
Stephon Castle Over 17.5points
Stephon Castle Over 1.5 threes
Victor Wembanyama Over 12.5 rebounds
Spurs -7.5 — 1H
Spurs -12
Trail Blazers vs Spurs odds for Game 5
Spread: Trail Blazers +12 | Spurs -12
Moneyline: Trail Blazers +500 | Spurs -700
Over/Under: Over 215.5 | Under 215.5
Trail Blazers vs Spurs betting trend to know
Not only have three of the four games in this series gone Under their totals, but all three of the regular-season matchups between these two also went Under their totals. Find more NBA betting trends for Trail Blazers vs. Spurs.
How to watch Trail Blazers vs Spurs Game 5
Location
Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, TX
Date
Tuesday, April 28, 2026
Tip-off
9:30 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN
Trail Blazers vs Spurs latest injuries
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.
The NBA playoffs on NBC continue Monday night with the Oklahoma City Thunder on the road against the Phoenix Suns in Game 4 of their first-round series on Peacock and NBCSN.
In winning the first three games by an average margin of at least 20 points, Oklahoma City (the top seed in the West) is on the verge of its third consecutive first-round sweep (after ousting New Orleans in 2024 and Memphis in 2025.
The Thunder's 11 consecutive victories in the first round are tied with the Heat (2012-16) for the fifth-longest streak in NBA history behind the Lakers (20 in 1984-90), the Cavaliers (14 in 1990-95) and the Bulls (14 in 1990-1995, 13 in 1995-05).
No. 8 seed Phoenix has lost nine consecutive playoff games, and a 10th in a row would move the Suns into a tie for the longest active playoff losing streak with Brooklyn (2021-23). Phoenix's most recent playoff win was at home on May 7, 2023 over Denver in Game of the Western Conference Semifinals.
See below for additional information on the Thunder-Suns game and how to watch the 2026 NBA Playoffs on NBC and Peacock.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Phoenix Suns game preview:
Reigning Thunder MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a career-high 42 points while shooting 15 of 18 (83.3%) from the field in Game 3. In breaking his previous mark of 40 (set last year against Minnesota, Gilgeous-Alexander became only the fifth player to score at least 40 points in a playoff game while shooting at least 80% from the field (joining Terry Porter, 41 pts on 85.7% in 1992; Elton Brand 40 pts on 81.8% in 2006; Dirk Nowitzki 48 pts on 80% in 2011; and Devin Booker (47 pts on 80% in 2023).
The rest of the OKC starters combined for 43 points with swingman Jalen Williams out for Game 3 with a left hamstring injury that will sideline him for at least a week. Ajay Mitchell got his first career playoff start and had 15 points and six rebounds.
“He’s obviously not shy," Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said of Mitchell. "Winners fail and losers hide. He wasn’t hiding.”
Dillon Brooks led the Suns in Game 3 with a playoff career-high 33 points. Devin Booker, Phoenix's five-time All-Star and 11-year veteran, went to the locker room in the third quarter of Game 3 with an apparent left ankle injury. He returned after missing only 3 minutes of the game and quickly scored five points before being held scoreless in the 4th quarter.
In his fifth playoff appearance, Booker is averaging postseason career lows in points per game (20.3), assists per game (4.3), and steals per game (0.3). He is down from averaging 26.1 points per game in the regular season.
NBC Sports will present up to 23 games in the First Round and 11 games in the Conference Semifinals across either NBC and Peacock, or Peacock and NBCSN. Playoff programming concludes with exclusive coverage of the Western Conference Finals on NBC and Peacock.
Which playoff rounds will be available on Peacock?
Peacock’s NBA Playoffs coverage spans multiple rounds, including Round 1, the Conference Semifinals, and the Western Conference Finals, with coverage evolving as the postseason progresses.
Will Peacock show both Eastern and Western Conference playoff games?
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PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 24: The sneakers worn by Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics before the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round One Game Three of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 24, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Vegas Golden Knights are looking to bounce back after falling behind 2-1 in their series against the Utah Mammoth. They’ll get their chance in Game 4 on Monday at the Delta Center.
Game 3 was last on Friday at the Delta Center. The Golden Knights started strong, outshooting the Mammoth 12-2 through the first 12 minutes. However, the Mammoth made the most of their limited scoring chances and jumped out to a crushing 4-0 lead in the second period. The Golden Knights pushed, but couldn’t mount a comeback and lost 4-2.
Puck drop for Game 4 is scheduled for 6:50 p.m. PST.
Carter Hart will start in goal for the Golden Knights. Hart has a 1-2 record and a .892 average save percentage in three games this postseason.
Karel Vejmelka will start in goal for the Mammoth. Vejmelka has a 2-1 record and a .916 average save percentage in three games this postseason.
Golden Knights Lines
Ivan Barbashev — Jack Eichel — Pavel Dorofeyev
Reilly Smith — Mitch Marner — Mark Stone
Brett Howden — Tomáš Hertl — Keegan Kolesar
Cole Smith — Nic Dowd — Colton Sissons
Defense
Brayden McNabb — Shea Theodore
Noah Hanifin — Rasmus Andersson
Jeremy Lauzon — Kaedan Korczak
Goaltenders: Carter Hart / Adin Hill
Mammoth Lines
Clayton Keller — Nick Schmaltz — Lawson Crouse
Kailer Yamamoto — Logan Cooley — Dylan Guenther
JJ Peterka — Alex Kerfoot — Michael Carcone
Liam O’Brien — Kevin Stenlund — Brandon Tanev
Defense
Mikhail Sergachev — MacKenzie Weegar
Nate Schmidt — John Marino
Ian Cole — Sean Durzi
Goaltenders: Karel Vejmelka / Vitek Vaněček
Special Teams
VGK power play: 22.2%, 5th
VGK penalty kill: 83.3%, 8th
Mammoth power play: 16.7%, 9th
Mammoth penalty kill: 77.8%, 12th
Game Notes
Tonight’s game could very well decide the fate of the Golden Knights’ season. Historically, teams that go up 3-1 go on to win the series 91.0% of the time.
The Golden Knights are 10-8in Game 4s in franchise history.
With an assist in Game 3, Mark Stone recorded his 75th playoff point (38-37-75) with the Golden Knights. He’s tied with Jonathan Marchessault for the most in franchise history.
After going 0-fer their last five power play opportunities, the Golden Knights are changing up their units.
San Diego Padres Fernando Tatis Jr.(Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images) | Getty Images
San Diego Padres Fernando Tatis Jr. is exiting the first month of the 2026 season with a disappointing .250/.333/.290 line, zero HR, 12 RBI, and 0.0 WAR. A very strange start for a player with a career WAR of 27.2. Nevertheless, not an area of concern, but certainly a step back in run production.
Tatis Jr. is an elite defender with two Gold Gloves and two Platinum Gloves for his effort. However, for a player to be a Most Valuable Player candidate, the honor is closely tied to an outstanding offensive season. Unfortunately, Tatis Jr.’s output is nothing to write home about.
Tatis Jr. has become a more patient hitter
Granted, we are still in April, but the Friar Faithful want to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The star outfielder seems to be willing to take pitches and be more patient at the plate. Tatis Jr. did not overhaul his swing mechanics but has concentrated on putting more of the bat’s barrel on the ball.
The adjustment has drawn 13 walks in 27 games, which could challenge his career-high 89 BB last season. His walk rate is at 10% for the first month, as he is swinging less and is more willing to take a walk that puts a runner on base for the heart of the batting order.
The lone negative to his start, Tatis Jr. is still striking out at an alarming rate with runners in scoring position. Currently, his walk-to-strikeout rate is nearly 1-2.5, with Tatis Jr.’s strikeout rate at 24.6%. It has led to some missed scoring opportunities, as he has been having trouble putting the ball in the air.
To become a better run-producer, Tatis Jr. must drive the ball
Tatis Jr. has an 18.7% fly ball rate, which is the lowest of his seven-year major league career. Surprisingly, he is hitting a career-high 49.3% groundball rate in 100 at-bats. This combination likely explains his 27-game homerless streak.
Let’s not get too restless, as the newfound plate discipline will result in better quality contact at-bats. The three-time All-Star’s OPS (.623) is decent, but nowhere near his career average of .859. Tatis Jr.’s best mark was .975 in 2021. He wants to put himself into favorable count situations. But Tatis Jr. is failing to lift the ball for extra base hits.
Despite the slow offensive production, Tatis Jr. is too talented a home run hitter to remain silent much longer. If he goes on a mini spree, his walk rate will likely decline.
He is scorching the ball when making solid contact, but it is right at the waiting glove of a fielder. Tatis Jr. is sporting a robust 66.7% hard-hit rate, well above the league average of 38.6%. He has an exit velocity of 93.3 mph this month. Tatis Jr. is trying to use the whole field and not pull every pitch. Still, you would expect better production than the results have shown.
His newfound plate discipline should provide more hittable situations. At some point, Tatis Jr. will do damage against opposing pitching.
COVERS INTEL: Minnesota’s bullpen has a horrid 4.85 ERA, and the Twins have also lost five straight games.
Kurt Helin
