Category: Sports News

Worldwide Sports News

Posted on

Temper your post-season expectations for the Cavaliers

CLEVELAND, OH - APRIL 5: Keon Ellis #14 and Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers high five during the game against the Indiana Pacers on April 5, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The final weeks of the regular season are when the top teams visibly turn their attention to the postseason. They know who they are and what their identity will be in the playoffs. Unless the team is vying for a higher seeding, you will see a visible dip in play for the final weeks.

The Cleveland Cavaliers were one of those teams that could not adopt this mentality. The team underwent a constant need for change due to injuries, transactions, and troubleshooting.

Now, this in itself isn’t the reason to discount this team from true championship contention. It takes a deeper look, looking past just wins and losses, and more so, the manner in which this team wins its games. Is there something that is a viable blueprint for the intensive style that the playoffs demand?

I know the comment section is going to be riddled with “the team won 50+ games despite all hurdles in their way.” I think this line of thinking is setting fans up to believe that there is another gear left in this team. The Cavaliers have shown us who they are, even without all personnel being healthy. I don’t think this team’s faults are going to be all fixed with a healthy roster.

The Cavaliers’ biggest issue is that their effort hasn’t been there all season. Now, in the regular season, they can coast by due to their massive talent advantage on most nights. Look closely at wins and how those came to be for the Cavaliers. Very rarely, if ever, did the Cavaliers rise to the challenge and shut off the opponent’s water. Instead, this team lives and dies by outscoring opponents, even as those opponents move the ball and score with relative ease.

How many times have we had the players, coaches, or even the media call out the effort, or lack thereof, from this team? More than any supposed championship caliber team should. The lack of meeting the call to action is another problem.

For all of the great work head coach Kenny Atkinson has done this year with putting together a puzzle with different pieces night after night, the one problem he hasn’t been able to solve is the Cavaliers’ willingness to compete on the defensive end.

Defense in the NBA is inseparable from effort because it requires constant physical and mental engagement on every possession. This is dialed up to an eleven in the postseason. Each possession feels almost like a game within itself. Unlike offense, where players can rely on skill or pick their moments, defense demands sustained intensity whether its staying in front of opponents, fighting through screens, rotating on time, and contesting shots all hinge on how hard a player is willing to work.

Since the beginning of March, the Cavaliers have gone 15-6. While that would lead one to the inclination that the team found some level of consistency on the defensive end. It becomes less reassuring that, in that stretch, only four of those teams were top-six playoff seeds (Celtics, Lakers, Hawks twice, and Pistons). Not only can you question the caliber of the opponent, but also whether defense was played at all. In those games, the Cavs surrendered 110 points or more regularly to the likes of the Memphis Grizzlies (126), Miami Heat (128 and 120), Orlando Magic (131 and 128), and the Dallas Mavericks (130).

Due to the areas in which the Toronto Raptors excel, fastbreaks and driving to the basket, it feels like the team will be a good stress test for the Cavaliers. The Raptors, if they were to give the Cavaliers a hard time, would be winning games from the extra effort they exert on every possession. The Cavaliers will have to match that energy with the pace of play the Raptors will try to instill. While the talent gap may be able to cover some effort deficiencies in round 1, the Pistons, Knicks, or Celtics will not grant those same luxuries. You would rather they buy into sustained effort early so they don’t get sucker punched in round 2 and onward.

This feels far from a flip-the-switch scenario. Effort isn’t something you can turn on and off; it’s a standard you establish, and the Cavaliers haven’t consistently shown that standard on defense. Their defensive inconsistencies aren’t just schematic; they stem from a recurring lack of effort, which has shown up too often to ignore.

When a team spends the regular season coasting defensively and relying on talent to outscore opponents, it’s difficult to suddenly manufacture the discipline, urgency, and cohesion required in a playoff environment. If the mentalities nurtured and ingrained from playing the Wizards and Grizzlies of the world seep into their postseason play, the Cavaliers’ season will be over sooner rather than later.

Posted on

NBA, NBPA rule Luka Doncic, Cade Cunningham are eligible for MVP, other awards

Luka Doncic and Cade Cunningham are about to be All-NBA players and land on a lot of MVP ballots.

The NBA and NBPA (the players' union) together agreed that "taking into account the totality of the circumstances for Cunningham and Dončić, each player qualified for awards under the extraordinary circumstances provision in the CBA." While both men were set to file an extraordinary circumstance challenge, neither had to because the league and union agreed they met the criteria.

That means both men will be postseason award-eligible despite falling short of the league's 65-game threshold to qualify for awards.

Doncic played in 64 games before an untimely hamstring injury prematurely ended his season (and likely has him out for the first round of the playoffs). His challenge was based on the fact that he missed two games in December for the birth of his daughter, and that qualified as an "extraordinary circumstance." The league and union agreed.
Cunningham played in 63 qualifying games this season (64 total), but missed a dozen games near the end of the season due to a collapsed lung (which happened on a flukey play diving for a loose ball). Again, the league agreed that this qualified as an extraordinary circumstance.

Minnesota's Anthony Edwards did file an extraordinary circumstances challenge, but an arbitrator denied it. Edwards played in 60 games this season, averaging 28.8 points, 5 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.

Cunningham, the focal point of the No. 1-seed Pistons' offense, averaged 23.9 points, 9.9 assists, and 5.5 rebounds per game and is the primary reason they are the No. 1 seed in the East. Doncic led the NBA in scoring at 33.5 points a game, adding 8.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds a night for the No. 4 seed Lakers.

Posted on

Luis Gil’s second outing of the season was a mixed bag

Apr 10, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Luis Gil (81) throws a pitch during the first inning against Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Pablo Robles-Imagn Images | Pablo Robles-Imagn Images

Last week, Yankees right-hander Luis Gil made his season debut against the Tampa Bay Rays, allowing three runs in four innings, with three hits, three walks, and just two strikeouts. He was undoubtedly shaky despite limiting the damage somewhat. On Wednesday, he made his second start, and even though there were some improvements, the results were similar in the run-prevention department.

Gil was able to pitch five innings, but conceded three home runs and four runs in total. The Angels had five hits and worked two walks against the 2024 AL Rookie of the Year Award winner, who struck out five.

First, the good: Gil induced 12 swings and misses, improving the 16 percent whiff rate he achieved on his season debut to a much better 34 percent. This time, the Angels swung and missed on three four-seamers, five changeups, and four sliders.

The breaking and offspeed stuff looked better this time around, even if the fastball command doesn’t appear to be there yet. At least Gil was able to miss some bats, sparking some hope about a potential turnaround when the dust settles.

View Link

If you were wondering, Gil’s fastball averaged 95.6 mph on the night, slightly up from 95.1 in his season debut. It’s still far from the 96.6 mph he averaged in his award-winning 2024 campaign, but if he’s healthy and remains a part of the Yankees’ rotation, he could potentially get closer to that number.

Now, the bad: Gil didn’t appear to trust the sinker. He only threw the pitch five times according to Statcast data, all vs. right-handed hitters. He earned a called strike with it, but nothing more. It’s unclear if ditching the sinker will be a thing going forward or if it was part of the game plan against the Angels, but he didn’t really use the pitch much on this one.

Another red flag was the low first-pitch strike rate, 50 percent on Wednesday. It was significantly lower than his 56.1 percent career mark, and it’s certainly something to worry about. Falling behind in the count will force Gil to cede control of the at-bat to the hitter, and that’s, well, not ideal.

Lastly, the ugly: three home runs. Wow. Nobody will complain about Gil allowing a home run to Mike Trout, one of the best hitters ever to play the game. Surrendering a home run to Adam Frazier is bad, though. That middle-middle fastball was screaming “hit me”:

View Link

The Angels hit Gil hard all night. There were 15 batted ball events against him in the game, and 10 of them were classified as hard-hit balls, which means they traveled at least 95 mph off the bat. In the first inning alone, their exit velocities against the Yankees’ righty were 98.1 mph, 99.7 mph, 97.1 mph, and 104.4 mph. The Angels’ average exit velo was 96.1 mph. Rough.

Gil will need to find a way to increase his fastball velocity or at least sharpen the pitch’s command if he wants to return to 2024 form.

The mediocre outing leaves his ERA at 7.00 in the young season. Again, he still has some time to pull off a comeback and return to form, but Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón will eventually be ready to return from their injuries. Carlos Lagrange and Elmer Rodríguez will eventually put themselves in the MLB picture. And those who don’t keep the team in games won’t get too many chances.

Posted on

2026 NBA playoff simulation: Can the Celtics make another title run?

2026 NBA playoff simulation: Can the Celtics make another title run? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

So much for a “gap year.” The Boston Celtics are back in the NBA playoffs as the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them back in the Finals this June.

The Celtics’ playoff run begins Sunday with Game 1 of the first round against the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden. Boston is heavily favored to win the series, but if it does advance, it won’t be an easy road to Banner 19.

Last year, the C’s quest for a repeat ended with a loss to the New York Knicks in the conference semifinals. The archrivals would meet for a rematch if the No. 3 seed Knicks take care of business against the No. 6 Atlanta Hawks.

Will the C’s get over the hump this time, or should we expect another early exit? Our friends at Strat-O-Matic simulated the entire 2025-26 NBA playoff bracket.

Here are the results…

First Round: No. 2 Celtics defeat No. 7 Philadelphia 76ers, 4-2

window.addEventListener(“message”,function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(“iframe”);for(var t in a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data[“datawrapper-height”][t]+”px”;r.style.height=d}}});

The Sixers stun the C’s with back-to-back wins to start the series at TD Garden. Boston rebounds with a dominant Game 3 win in Philly, followed by three more victories to close out the first-round clash in six games.

East Semifinals: No. 2 Celtics defeat No. 3 New York Knicks, 4-3

window.addEventListener(“message”,function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(“iframe”);for(var t in a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data[“datawrapper-height”][t]+”px”;r.style.height=d}}});

Strat-O-Matic’s simulation predicts a rematch between the longtime archrivals. It takes all seven games, but the Celtics close out the thrilling series with a nail-biter victory at TD Garden. Five of the seven games are decided by five points or fewer.

East Finals: No. 1 Detroit Pistons defeat No. 2 Celtics, 4-2

window.addEventListener(“message”,function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(“iframe”);for(var t in a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data[“datawrapper-height”][t]+”px”;r.style.height=d}}});

The Celtics steal the first two games on the road to take a commanding 2-0 series lead back to TD Garden, but the Pistons respond by taking both games in Boston to even the series. Detroit stays hot with a win back home and again at TD Garden to win the series in six and advance to the NBA Finals.

Celtics’ top playoff performers

Jaylen Brown continued to lead the Celtics after a spectacular regular season, averaging 26.8 points per game over the three playoff series. Jayson Tatum averaged 22.6 points per game.

Western Conference Playoffs

First Round

  • No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder defeat No. 8 Golden State Warriors, 4-2
  • No. 5 Houston Rockets defeat No. 4 Los Angeles Lakers, 4-0
  • No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves defeat No. 3 Denver Nuggets, 4-3
  • No. 2 San Antonio Spurs defeat No. 7 Portland Trail Blazers, 4-2

West Semifinals

  • No. 1 Thunder defeat No. 5 Rockets, 4-3
  • No. 2 Spurs defeat No. 6 Timberwolves, 4-2

West Finals

  • No. 2 Spurs defeat No. 1 Thunder, 4-1

2025 NBA Finals: Spurs defeat Pistons, 4-2

In a rematch of the 2005 Finals, Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs take down the Pistons in six games for their first NBA title since 2014.

Posted on

Blue Jays vs Brewers Prediction, Odds & Home Run Pick for Today's MLB Game

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

Today’s pitching matchup of Patrick Corbin and Brandon Sproat features two players who’ve struggled early in the season.

I’m expecting those struggles to continue and we’ll see a lot of offense in this one.

Read on to see why the Over is the play in my free MLB picks and Blue Jays vs. Brewers predictions for Thursday, April 16.

Blue Jays vs Brewers predictions

Blue Jays vs Brewers best bet: Over 8.5 (-110)

We’ve seen some great pitching matchups this series, but today may not be one of them. 

I’m anticipating a lot of offense in this one with Patrick Corbin and Brandon Sproat on the mound this afternoon. 

Both starters have an ERA north of 10. Corbin has just one start, but gave up four runs in four innings, meanwhile Sproat’s given up 12 runs in just three starts this season

Additionally, we’ve seen the Over hit in four of the last five Toronto Blue Jays games with them batting .282 with 49 hits over that stretch, while the Milwaukee Brewers rank 6th averaging 5.2 runs per game this season.

Covers COVERS INTEL: Brandon Sproat has a 10.45 ERA, and ranks in the fifth percentile with an 8.10 xERA.  

Blue Jays vs Brewers same-game parlay (SGP)

The Blue Jays' bats seem to be coming around, sporting a .282 average over their last five games, averaging 9.8 hits per game. 

Sproat has struggled mightily this season, ranking in just the 14th percentile in expected batting average while allowing 4.6 hits per game and Daulton Varsho is well-positioned to capitalize.

Varsho comes in riding a six-game hitting streak, recording a hit in eight of his last nine games. Batting in the two-hole again, he’s in a prime spot to give Sproat serious trouble on the mound.

I’ll continue by fading the Brewers starter and take Sproat to go Over 1.5 walks. He’s walked at least three batters in each of his three starts this year, and takes on a Jays team who has an elite eye at the plate. 

Blue Jays vs Brewers SGP

  • Over 8.5
  • Daulton Varsho Over 0.5 hits
  • Brandon Sproat Over 1.5 walks
img loading="lazy" width="100%" height="null" src="https://img.covers.com/editorial/2026/jaysmlcbp.jpg" alt="Canada’s best price for Jays"
Get the best Jays ML odds at BET99 — every game.

Blue Jays vs Brewers home run pick: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (+475)

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hasn’t seen the ball fly the way he did last fall, but we’re starting to see the power shine through with multiple XBH over the last week of games. 

Sproat gives up a lot of hard contact, too, ranking in the 14th percentile in hard hit rate this season with six XBH allowed. 

Additionally, Guerrero Jr. has elite numbers against the sinker ball with a .467 batting average and last season had a .532 slug-rate against the pitch, which is Sproat’s go-to pitch with 37% usage.

2026 Transparency record
  • Best bets: 5-11, -3.25 units
  • SGPs: 2-14, -6.50 units
  • HR picks: 33-13, -0.10

Blue Jays vs Brewers odds

  • Moneyline: Toronto -102 | Milwaukee -116
  • Run line: Toronto -1.5 (+168) | Milwaukee +1.5 (-205)
  • Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-110) | Under 8.5 (-110)

Blue Jays vs Brewers trend

The Toronto Blue Jays have hit the Game Total Over in 10 of their last 15 away games (+5.75 Units / 35% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Blue Jays vs. Brewers.

How to watch Blue Jays vs Brewers and game info

LocationAmerican Family Field, Milwaukee, WI
DateThursday, April 16, 2026
First pitch1:40 p.m. ET
TVBrewers.TV, SN1
Blue Jays starting pitcherPatrick Corbin
(0-0, 9.00 ERA)
Brewers starting pitcherBrandon Sproat
(0-1, 10.45 ERA)

Blue Jays vs Brewers latest injuries

Blue Jays vs Brewers 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.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Posted on

Celtics vs. Sixers rivalry is one of the best in NBA playoff history

Celtics vs. Sixers rivalry is one of the best in NBA playoff history originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The NBA’s best rivalry is the Boston Celtics versus the Los Angeles Lakers. Those two teams have met in the NBA Finals an astounding 12 times.

But second place on the league’s rivalry rankings is probably the Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers.

These long-time Eastern Conference foes have produced so many amazing playoff moments, and a new chapter will be written over the next two weeks when the C’s and Sixers meet in the first round, beginning Sunday afternoon at TD Garden.

It will be the 23rd playoff series between the Celtics and 76ers. Boston has won 15 of the first 22, including six in a row. The last time the 76ers won a playoff series against the Celtics was the 1982 Eastern Conference Finals.

One of the early and most iconic playoff moments in league history came in Game 7 of the 1965 Eastern Conference Finals (known as the Division Finals at the time) when Celtics forward John Havlicek won the series vs. the 76ers with a steal on the final play. Johnny Most’s legendary radio call of “Havlicek stole the ball” only added to the mystique.

Celtics center and Hall of Famer Bill Russell went 7-1 against the 76ers in his playoff career, with the only defeat coming in the 1967 Eastern Conference Finals. Russell and the C’s got their revenge the following year by overcoming a 3-1 series deficit to beat the Sixers in the conference finals.

The 1981 Eastern Conference Finals was another all-time classic.

The C’s overcame a 3-1 series deficit and won Game 7 at the old Boston Garden. Larry Bird scored 23 points with 11 rebounds, including a go-ahead bank shot with just over a minute remaining, to help the C’s win 91-90. Boston won the final three games of the series by a combined five points. The C’s would go on to beat the Houston Rockets in the 1981 NBA Finals for the first of three titles with Bird.

Few people would have predicted after the Celtics beat the 76ers in the 1985 Eastern Conference Finals that these teams wouldn’t meet again in the playoffs until 2002. In fact, the 1990s is the only decade in which Boston and Philly didn’t square off in the postseason.

Both teams were not contenders for much of the 1990s, but by the early 2000s, each team had once again become a playoff-caliber group. The 76ers lost the 2001 NBA Finals to the Lakers, and their Eastern Conference title defense the following season started against the Celtics in Round 1. The C’s were making their first playoff appearance in seven years, and they took a 2-0 lead in the best-of-5 series. The 76ers stormed back to tie the series and force a deciding Game 5 in Boston, where Paul Pierce scored 46 points (8-for-10 on 3-pointers) in a 33-point Celtics win.

The new Big 3 of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen made five playoff appearances together but only once played against the 76ers. It was a 2012 Eastern Conference Semifinals matchup, and Boston prevailed with a Game 7 win.

The Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum era of Celtics basketball has seen three series against the 76ers. The last one featured a Game 7 in the 2023 Eastern Conference Semifinals. Tatum set a Game 7 record with 51 points in a 112-88 victory (highlights in the video below). He was the star in Game 6 on the road, too. The Celtics were facing elimination and trailed with four minutes left, and then Tatum dominated with 16 points in the quarter as the C’s forced a Game 7.

The Celtics are heavy favorites in the upcoming series as the No. 2 seed.

Brown has played at an MVP level this season, and Tatum is starting to look like his old self about a month-and-a-half into his return from an Achilles injury. The Sixers also could be without star center Joel Embiid for some of this series after he underwent an emergency appendectomy last week.

But you never know how these rivalry series will play out.

The Celtics were underdogs against the 76ers in the 2018 Eastern Conference Semifinals with Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward both out due to injury. But led by a second-year Brown and rookie Tatum, the C’s won the series in just five games.

Here’s a look at every playoff series between the Celtics and 76ers. Note: The Sixers were the Syracuse Nationals from 1946 to 1963.

1953 East Division Semifinals

Celtics win series 2-0

1954 East Division Finals

Nationals win series 2-0

1955 East Division Finals

Nationals win series 3-1

1956 East Division Semifinals

Nationals win series 2-1

1957 East Division Finals

Celtics win series 3-0

1959 East Division Finals

Celtics win series 4-3

1961 East Division Finals

Celtics win series 4-1

1965 East Division Finals

Celtics win series 4-3

1966 East Division Finals

Celtics win series 4-1

1967 East Division Finals

76ers win series 4-1

1968 East Division Finals

Celtics win series 4-3

1969 East Division Semifinals

Celtics win series 4-1

1977 Eastern Conference Semifinals

76ers win series 4-3

1980 Eastern Conference Finals

76ers win series 4-1

1981 Eastern Conference Finals

Celtics win series 4-3

1982 Eastern Conference Finals

76ers win series 4-3

1985 Eastern Conference Finals

Celtics win series 4-1

2002 Eastern Conference First Round

Celtics win series 3-2

2012 Eastern Conference Semifinals

Celtics win series 4-3

2018 Eastern Conference Semifinals

Celtics win series 4-1

2020 Eastern Conference First Round

Celtics win series 4-0

2023 Eastern Conference Semifinals

Celtics win series 4-3

Posted on

Orioles vs. Guardians prediction: Odds, recent stats, trends, and best bets for April 16

The Baltimore Orioles (9-9) kick off a four-game series against the Cleveland Guardians (10-9) at Progressive Field tonight. Each team takes the field looking to snap a two-game losing streak.

 

Inconsistency has been a staple unfortunately for both clubs. The Orioles are 4-6 in their last 10, while the Guardians sit at 5-5 in their last 10 games.

Offensively, the Orioles are led by Gunnar Henderson who boasts a team-leading six home runs but who is hitting just .221 for the season. Pete Alonso was the big offseason free agent signing made by Baltimore this past offseason. The Polar Bear has yet to get on track hitting just .197 with two home runs. The Guardians are no longer overly reliant on Jose Ramirez. Angel Martinez is hitting .302 in his second full season in the majors. Rookie Chase Delauter has five home runs and 12 RBIs.

 
Tonight’s starters are Shane Baz for Baltimore and Parker Messick for the Guardians. Baz is making his fourth start of 2026. The 26-year-old will be looking to offer more than he has in his previous three starts as he has not pitched a full six innings yet this season. The southpaw Messick has gotten off to a hot start for Cleveland. The 25-year-old lefty has been dominant, limiting opponents to just one earned run and 11 hits over 17.2 innings.

 

Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.

 

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

 

Game Details and How to Watch: Orioles at Guardians

  • Date: Thursday, April 16, 2026
  • Time: 6:10PM EST
  • Site: Progressive Field
  • City: Cleveland, OH
  • Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, CLEGuardians.TV

 

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

The Latest Odds: Orioles vs. Guardians

The latest odds as of Thursday courtesy of DraftKings:

  • Moneyline: Baltimore Orioles (+100), Cleveland Guardians (-131)
  • Spread: Orioles -1.5 (+168), Guardians +1.5 (-206)
  • Total: 8.0 runs

 

Probable Starting Pitchers: Orioles vs. Guardians

Pitching matchup for April 16:

  • Orioles: Shane Baz
    Season Totals: 16.0 IP, 0-1, 4.50 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, 13K, 5 BB
  • Tigers: Keider Montero
    Season Totals: 17.2 IP, 2-0, 0.51 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 16K, 5 BB

Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Orioles vs. Guardians

  • Steven Kwam is 3-18 over his last 4 games
  • After hitting 4 HRs in March, Chase Delauter has hit just 1 in 11 games in April
  • Colton Cowser is hitting .185 (5-27) in April
  • Taylor Ward is 1-14 over his last 3 games
  • Pete Alonso has 6 extra base hits this season in 66 ABs

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

 

Top Betting Trends & Insights: Orioles vs. Guardians

  • The Orioles are 7-11 on the Run Line this season
  • The Guardians are 11-8 on the Run Line this season
  • The OVER has cashed 10 times in the Orioles’ 18 games this season (10-8)
  • The OVER has cashed 9 times in the Guardians’ 19 games this season (9-10)

 

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

 

Expert picks & predictions: Orioles vs. Guardians

Rotoworld Bet Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

 

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

 

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

 

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday’s game between the Orioles and the Guardians:

  • Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Guardians on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Guardians on the Run Line.
  • Total: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 8.0.

 

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Trysta Krick (@Trysta_Krick)
Posted on

Luka Doncic eligible for NBA's postseason awards after league, NBAPA rule in his favor

Los Angeles, CA - March 31: Lakers guard Luka Doncic, #77 celebrates his dunkl on a fast break against the Cavaliers during the second half at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles Tuesday, March 31, 2026. Doncic became the third-youngest player in NBA history to score 15,000 career points. The Lakers clinched a playoff berth before their win over Cleveland. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Lakers guard Luka Doncic celebrates a dunk on a fast break against the Cleveland Cavaliers during a game on March 31. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Lakers guard Luka Doncic will be eligible for postseason awards after the NBA and NBA Players Assn. announced Thursday they ruled in his favor on his extraordinary circumstances appeal of the 65-game rule.

Doncic, a leading candidate for most valuable player and a lock for his sixth All-NBA team, played in only 64 games before he suffered a regular-season ending left hamstring injury on April 2. The league's latest collective bargaining agreement requires players to appear in at least 65 games to be eligible for postseason awards, but Doncic and Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham both won appeals under the CBA’s extraordinary circumstances provision.

Doncic missed two games in December to attend the birth of his daughter in Slovenia and Cunningham, whose career season led the Pistons to the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, missed 12 games because of a collapsed lung suffered on March 17.

“I am grateful to the NBPA for advocating on my behalf and to the NBA for their fair decision,” Doncic wrote in a statement on social media. “It was so important to me to be present for the birth of my daughter in December and I appreciate Mark [Walter], Jeanie [Buss], Rob [Pelinka], JJ [Redick], and the entire Lakers organization for fully supporting me and allowing me to travel to be there."

Doncic earned his second league scoring title this season with 33.5 points per game. He surged back into the most valuable player race with a magical March when he was just the second player to score 600 points in March, joining Michael Jordan. He had four consecutive games of 40 or more points and 12 of 30 or more before injuring his hamstring on April 2. He and guard Austin Reaves (oblique) are out indefinitely as the Lakers begin the playoffs Saturday against the Houston Rockets.

Read more:Deandre Ayton knows the Lakers need him to be his best in the playoffs

Sign up for our weekly newsletter on all things Lakers.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Posted on

2 Blackhawks Who Might Not Be Back Next Season

The Chicago Blackhawks' 2025-26 season came to an end on Friday with their 5-2 win over the San Jose Sharks. The Blackhawks finished the campaign with a 29-39-14 record and at the bottom of the Central Division standings. With this, they did not qualify for the playoffs, and their offseason is now here.

This will be an interesting offseason for the Blackhawks as they continue their rebuild. They have some decisions to make when it comes to their roster, and there is a chance that two of their veteran players won't be back in 2026-27. Let's discuss each of them now.

Sam Lafferty

The Blackhawks reunited with Sam Lafferty this past offseason when they acquired him from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick. However, the 31-year-old was barely used by the Blackhawks this campaign, as he played in just 29 games and was scratched far more often than not. 

In his 29 appearances with Chicago this season, Lafferty had one goal, one assist, and 35 hits. Given how little the Blackhawks used him this season, it would not be surprising if they decided to let Lafferty leave through free agency this summer.

Matt Grzelcyk 

Grzelcyk is another pending UFA who the Blackhawks could decide to move on from this summer. The Blackhawks have plenty of promising young defensemen in their system, and there simply may not be a fit for Grzelcyk on the Blackhawks' roster next season because of it. 

Grzelcyk was a decent pickup for the Blackhawks this season. In 69 games this season, the 32-year-old had zero goals and 12 assists. However, given the Blackhawks' defensive depth, the Massachusetts native might not be back next season. 

Posted on

Alex Ovechkin says he’ll determine his future based on health, family and the Capitals’ outlook

Alex Ovechkin

Apr 12, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin speaks with the media after the Capitals’ game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Geoff Burke/Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

ARLINGTON, Va. — Alex Ovechkin said he wants a new two-year contract from the Washington Capitals.

He probably was joking.

Then again, nothing about Ovechkin’s future is all that clear right now after the NHL’s career goal-scoring leader finished his 21st season. Fans — and even opponents — treated the past few games like they could be his last, but Ovechkin hasn’t yet closed the door on returning.

This was the final season of his current contract with the Capitals. When he noted — in a longer-than-usual session with reporters — that he still needs to speak with coach Spencer Carbery and general manager Chris Patrick, he was asked what he wanted to hear from Patrick about the team’s future.

“Two more years,” he said, drawing a laugh. “This is the contract. Sign it.”

It certainly would be a surprise if the 40-year-old Ovechkin received that kind of deal. The bigger question is whether he’ll keep playing in the NHL at all. He said he’ll make that decision based on health, family and the team’s outlook for next season.

The Capitals wrapped up their season with a win at Columbus. They had 95 points, which would have tied for the lead in the Pacific Division but left them three points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Young players like Ryan Leonard and Cole Hutson have emerged for Washington, and despite a disappointing season, the team seems decently positioned whether Ovechkin retires or comes back.

If he does return, the price would be intriguing after he carried a cap hit of $9.5 million a year on his previous deal. He scored a team-high 32 goals and played all 82 games this season, remarkable numbers for a player his age. But his famous shot from the left circle wasn’t the weapon it used to be — he had only five goals on 86 shots on the power play — and his age shows in his two-way game.

Ovechkin was asked if playing elsewhere in the NHL was a possibility.

“I’m a free agent,” he said.

When pressed on whether he could see himself somewhere else in the league after spending his whole career so far with the Capitals, he said: “Probably not, no.”

There’s been speculation about Ovechkin going back at some point to play in his native Russia, but he said he needs to decide his NHL future first.

“I’m pretty sure it’s not my last game — I hope it’s not my last game, against Columbus. I have to make a decision to see where we’re at — the team, family,” Ovechkin said. “Obviously, family are going to support me, like my wife and kids. Kids are already asking, ‘Dad, are you staying or not?’”

And what’s his response?

“I tell them, ‘We’ll see,’” he said. ”They want me to come back because they love the city, they love the team, they love the boys.”

Posted on

What NBA playoff coaches are on the hot seat? These five can't afford early exit

The end for an NBA coach can be brutal and sudden, even for teams that make the playoffs. Last year, twoplayoff teams even got rid of their coach right before the postseason began. It's not the profession for those seeking job security.

No such turmoil occurred to close the 2025-26 NBA regular season, but there is nonetheless a group of coaches still coaching as of Thursday, April 16 that could be fired soon if the high-stakes games of the 2026 NBA playoffs don't go their way.

A team's playoff ledger relative to expectations often supersedes the number of wins accrued over the months-long slog preceding the postseason. Those that fall short under these bright lights are eventually discarded, and NBA coaches have traditionally been among the most dispensable.

Here are five coaches currently in the NBA's postseason who are on the hot seat, especially if their team were to suffer an early exit from the playoffs:

NBA PLAY IN WINNERS, LOSERS: Steph Curry shows he's still great

1. Jamahl Mosley, Orlando Magic

The fifth-year coach could be coaching for his job when the Magic face the Charlotte Hornets to close out the Eastern Conference play-in tournament. Even a first-round exit to the top-seeded Detroit Pistons might lead to Mosley's firing after a disjointed season in which the trio of Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Desmond Bane struggled to gel together offensively. Orlando spent four first-round draft picks on Bane last offseason to be a contender, not relegated to play-in fodder, and Mosley might pay the price in the days ahead.

2. Tiago Splitter, Portland Trail Blazers

The interim Blazers coach isn't on this list because of his performance. He just led Portland to its first playoff appearance since 2021 after starting the season with coach Chauncey Billups arrested following the first game as part of federal indictments related to illegal gambling. But new owner Tom Dundon has not committed to hiring Splitter, nor officially parted ways with Billups, and it will make for a complicated situation whenever the Blazers' season ends.

Houston Rockets Head Coach Ime Udoka talks with forward Kevin Durant (7) during the first half against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Toyota Center on April 10, 2026.

3. Ime Udoka, Houston Rockets

Among NBA teams to qualify for the postseason, only the Charlotte Hornets had a worse crunch time NET rating during the regular season than the Rockets. Despite the addition of Kevin Durant last offseason, their halfcourt offense has devolved at key moments and Udoka has thus far not adjusted well to the flaws or the absence of injured point guard Fred Van Vleet. Losing in the first round to the injury-riddled Los Angeles Lakers would mean Houston dropped a series in which it almost certainly got out-coached given the personnel discrepancies.

4. Mike Brown, New York Knicks

Brown is only in his first season with the Knicks and the team finished with two more regular-season wins than it did a year ago under former coach Tom Thibodeau. But the expectations are high in New York. A first-round exit against the Atlanta Hawks, combined with the reality that Brown was not the top choice for Knicks' brass to begin with last offseason, could lead to a quick change on the bench.

5. Nick Nurse, Philadelphia 76ers

Nurse hasn't succeeded with the Sixers like he once did with the Toronto Raptors, in large part because of injuries and roster construction. Getting out of the play-in tournament after a bounce-back regular season might be enough to give Nurse another year, particularly since Paul George and Joel Embiid again missed large chunks of the season. But Nurse would probably be wise to not get swept by the Celtics in the first round, just to be safe.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA playoff coach hot seat rankings: Why these coaches can't lose quick

Posted on

Fantasy baseball hitter add/drops: Time to move on from Yainer Diaz, add Moises Ballesteros?

We're only three weeks into the MLB season, so it's not time to panic about a slow start to your fantasy baseball season. However, we also don't want to wait too long to pick up players who are starting to emerge, so we can't just sit idly by and do nothing. For me, that means not looking at surface-level stats but looking at stats I believe are indicators of continued production and seeing who is thriving or struggling.

I conducted that exercise for myself and then decided to publish it as an article, so this is not going to be a major deep dive. However, I created a custom leaderboard on FanGraphs that looked at hard-hit rate, chase rate, swinging strike rate, zone contact, and EV90 (a metric measuring a batter's top-end power by calculating the speed of their batted ball hit better than 90% of their other batted balls). I pulled the league average numbers and then made a list of players who were below league-average in essentially all those criteria and above average in all those criteria. That gets us our rough lists for adds and drops.

Obviously, it's not as simple as cutting the players on the bad list and adding the players on the good list, but I think this is an interesting starting point for decisions at the bottom of your fantasy rosters, so let's dive into it.

⚾️ Baseball is back on NBC: MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason, and much more.

MLB: Spring Training-Chicago White Sox at Milwaukee Brewers
2026 Fantasy Baseball Top 300: Jackson Chourio tumbles in final preseason update
Cleanup man Sal Stewart climbs further and Mets rookie Carson Benge debuts.

Fantasy Baseball Hitters to Drop

NameRoster RateHardHit%Z-Contact%SwStr%O-Swing%
League Average104.84085.911
Yainer Diaz71%0.27101450.939540.1301520.4163209
José Caballero60%0.2820510.8153850.1270490.351351
Colson Montgomery83%0.28219010.76319010.1784190.2910429
Willi Castro17%0.3548390.8142860.1795920.39726
Heliot Ramos46%0.4016170.8561390.14018920.347419
Salvador Perez91%0.4038460.7971010.1349210.459627
Jarren Duran97%0.4102560.8333330.1788990.37594
Samuel Basallo26%0.43750.8181820.1675390.35
Ezequiel Tovar69%0.4782610.8352940.1679390.496855
Rafael Devers98%0.4782610.739130.1354170.347561

Now, we should get it out of the way right from the start that MY RECOMMENDATION IS NOT TO DROP ALL OF THESE PLAYERS. However, they all qualified for this list and are worth mentioning a bit here.

For starters, I would go ahead and cut WilliCastro if you still have him on your team, and I would also cut Jose Caballero if you are going well in stolen bases. The only reason he's really rostered in 60% of leagues is his speed, but he could lose his job when Anthony Volpe is back in 3-ish weeks. Maybe you grabbed a David Hamilton-type player off waivers, or could, and you can move on from Caballero.

I'd also probably cut Heliot Ramos. He slumped really hard in the second half of last year, and there were some comments he made that suggested the slump was mental and was connected to some defensive issues. However, he has not looked good at all to begin this season, and I don't believe he's so good when he's on that you need to hold him and miss out on a solid hitter on the waiver wire.

I've also never been big on Colson Montgomery, so I don't feel the need to hold him. I know that he had a big power surge when he was called up last year, but his swing decisions are not good, and his contact has always been a major question mark. Plus, he's on one of the worst offenses in baseball, which will limit his counting stats.

I'm MAYBE still holding Ezequiel Tovar, but it's close. He has always swung far too much out of the zone and swung-and-missed too often, but he had good zone contact rates and played in Coors Field. Now, pitchers just aren't throwing him strikes, and he keeps swinging. I don't see him ever hitting above .250-ish again with this approach, and he doesn't really steal bases, so that's tough to take from your middle infielder.

Yainer Diaz is concerning me. He had a pretty mediocre season last year and is off to a really bad start to this year. He makes tons of contact in the zone, but he also expands the zone too much, swings and misses a lot, and also makes weak contact because he swings at so much out of the zone. There are at least three catchers on the list below I'd rather have than Diaz right now.

I'm not yet ready to move on from Salvador Perez, but we do have to acknowledge that he's 36 and has a lot of mileage on his legs. We could be at the cliff. The hard-hit and barrel rates are still good enough that I'm not going to panic yet, but the exit velocities haven't been the same as we've seen before, and the bat speed is down. Perez has always been somebody who chased, and if he's now no longer able to handle a lot of the pitches he used to be able to, that could be an issue.

Jarren Duran is not somebody you can just cut, but I think we're still living in 2024, which looks more and more like an outlier season. Duran has good hard-hit and barrel rates, and he has plenty of speed, so there is potential here still. However, he expands the zone a bit too much and swings and misses far too often for a non-power hitter. Perhaps he's looking to pull the ball too much this year and is getting out in front, but I think he needs to be on your bench right now, and I would not buy low.

I might also sell low on Rafael Devers. His hard-hit and barrel rates are solid, and likely always will be, but they're not quite at levels we're used to seeing from Devers. As was pointed out on Twitter, Devers has fallen from the 68th to the 33rd percentile in bat speed from 2023 to 2026, and his hard-hit rates have decreased as well. I maintain that playing in San Francisco has not been good for him. Devers hit .236/.347/.460 with 20 home runs in 90 games with the Giants last season, striking out 29.4% of the time and pulling the ball 45% of the time, which is 8% higher than his career average. This year, his attack direction is even farther towards the pull side than he's had in his career, and I think he's struggling to adjust to not being able to slam line drives off the Green Monster. He's not going to be this bad, but if you could trade Devers for, say, Sal Stewart and maybe get an intriguing pitcher with some upside added to that as well, I would likely do that deal.

Fantasy Baseball Hitters to Add

NameTeamEV90HardHit%Z-Contact%SwStr%O-Swing%
Gary SánchezMIL1070.5294120.8888890.1118420.26
Ryan JeffersMIN108.20.5161290.8679250.0857140.303279
Francisco AlvarezNYM108.50.4736840.8867920.1074770.310078
Carlos CortesATH103.40.4347830.8823530.0458720.16129
Moisés BallesterosCHC105.70.60.9250.1125830.329787
Kyle IsbelKCR103.60.40.9230770.0813950.31068
Ryan O'HearnPIT103.80.440.8717950.0759080.287356
Colt KeithDET104.80.5609760.845070.0985920.203704
Jake BauersMIL107.10.5641030.8783780.1127450.245283
Ramón UríasSTL106.10.50.8809520.0888890.246753
Miguel AndujarSDP104.60.4827590.9148940.0920250.322222
Edouard JulienCOL102.90.4615380.8636360.0779220.202381
Nick YorkePIT106.30.50.9591840.0631580.282051
Curtis MeadWSN1060.440.9767440.0479450.240506
Xander BogaertsSDP104.90.4035090.8873240.0646390.28481
Victor CaratiniMIN103.30.40.9607840.0572690.289855
Jonathan ArandaTBR105.20.4897960.9294120.0869570.316667
Trent GrishamNYY1050.6410260.9344260.0620440.2
Iván HerreraSTL1060.5098040.9558820.0511180.275
Miguel VargasCHW104.50.4146340.8518520.0559440.190476
Jac CaglianoneKCR110.30.5161290.8305080.1162790.29661
Wyatt LangfordTEX106.80.4047620.8909090.095890.296875
Ryan McMahonNYY104.20.5416670.936170.1105530.315789

Both Wyatt Langford nd Jac Caglianone are rostered in too many leagues to "add," as in a waiver claim, but they are players I would be targeting in trades. Based on comments I'm getting on Twitter, a lot of people are looking to cut or trade them, and I think that's too rash. They're both making hard and consistent contact and showing good swing decisions. I think strong stretches are coming.

On Monday, I tweeted about Trent Grisham right before he had a two-home run game. That feels like a nice bit of validation for this list.

Gary Sanchez, Francisco Alvarez, and Ryan Jeffers are the key adds at catcher right now. Sanchez should be the near every day designated hitter in Milwaukee with Christian Yelich out, so that's going to give him about a month of playing time. Alvarez was somebody I loved coming into this season based on his success in the second half last year after he changed his swing in Triple-A. Jeffers has been a bit of an underrated hitter in recent years, but he is no longer splitting time as much as he has in the past, and he's crushing the ball right now.

Moises Ballesteros is a tougher add because he has no real position, which makes his playing time and fantasy roster construction tough. That being said, he is the Cubs' DH against all right-handed pitchers, and his quality of contact is off the charts. I had thought there might be a chance that Matt Shaw pushes Ballesteros to the bench, but that doesn't seem likely now. Ivan Herrera is in a similar boat, as he's catcher-eligible in Yahoo formats but nowhere else yet. Herrera is not off to as hot a start as Ballesteros is, but his underlying quality of contact and swing decisions are good. I think the production is coming.

Carlos Cortes is an interesting name to appear on here because he has stepped into Brent Rooker's spot in the Athletics' lineup. We don't have a huge MLB sample size for Cortes, but he was good in Triple-A last year, and his quality of contact has been great this season. He also seems to have a really good sense of the strike zone and makes a ton of contact in the zone. If you pair that with his great home park, it's hard not to get a little excited about this.

Both Nick Yorke and Ryan O'Hearn have emerged as near-every-day players for the Pirates. It's obviously easier to believe in O'Hearn because he has a better track record and better current production, but Yorke has a better-than-league-average hard-hit rate and EV90 numbers while making an elite level of contact. This could turn into something in deeper formats.

Most of you have likely rostered Eduoard Julien or Curtis Mead before. They both now find themselves in new situations and have started the season with intriguing batted ball metrics and good plate discipline. Julien didn't really qualify for this list based on his EV90, but his hard-hit rates are good, and playing his home games in Coors Field is going to help him. Mead is not yet a full-time player in Washington, so he doesn't need to be added right now, but I do believe there's a strong chance it happens in the next few weeks.

Ramon Urias is another player who is not in a full-time job right now, but I wanted to keep his name on this list because it would not be crazy to see him take Nolan Gorman's job.

I've already written up Colt Keith and Jake Bauers a few times this year, so their presence on this list shouldn't surprise you too much. However, Ryan McMahon being on here shocked me. I'm not even sure if I believe it, and it casts a cloud on this list. That being said, he has a 54% hard-hit rate, an 8% barrel rate, really strong zone contact rates, and league-average chase and swinging strike rates. I'm not saying he's going to turn things around to such an extent that he carries your fantasy team, but that also doesn't seem like the profile of a player who is struggling this much.

Padres teammates Xander Bogaerts and Miguel Andujar are often afterthoughts in fantasy these days, but both of them made this list in all criteria and are also off to decent starts. I know the counting stats aren't ideal, and that may limit them to 15-team leagues, but they deserve a little more love.

Miguel Vargas is another player whose stats don't suggest a ton of success, but he makes really good swing decisions and has above-average batted ball quality with a 42% hard-hit rate and 9% barrel rate. He hit .267/.354/.436 in 45 games in the second half last year, and maybe he just needs some time to fully heat up.

Posted on

Red Sox Minor Lines: Gage Ziehl saves the day

CORAL GABLES, FL - JUNE 02: Miami right-handed pitcher Gage Ziehl (31) pitches in the third inning as the Miami Hurricanes faced the Maine Black Bears in the Coral Gables Regional on June 2, 2023, at Mark Light Field at Alex Rodriguez Park in Coral Gables, Florida. (Photo by Samuel Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Worcester: L, 3-5 (BOX SCORE)

This game may have had a totally different outcome if the WooSox simply left fewer men on base, especially later on. A total of 14 were left stranded in the midst of 11 walks by Sounds (Brewers AAA) pitchers. It also didn’t help that the WooSox found themselves quickly down 5-1 due to ineffective starting pitching. To Worcester’s credit, Nashville was equally as abysmal with runners in scoring position; the Sound were held to 3 for 17 in that stat and stranded a dozen. So, in the end, the result was the result due to some early productivity by the home team, as well as some key extra-base hits when the leverage wasn’t quite so high. The team as a whole, though, looks uninspired at the plate after most started the season mashing. When at least one member is an injury list stint away from playing at Fenway, that’s not a great thing.

Portland: W, 8-6 (BOX SCORE)

Gage Ziehl, the return for getting Jordan Hicks out of here, had some sweet redemption from his last start. He went five strong and scoreless and struck out six. This was enough for the Sea Dogs to get out to a 5-0 lead in the third inning, as they took Altoona (Pirates AA) pitching for a ride via a lead-off home run by Franklin Arias (his second in as many games) and outfielder Will Turner hitting a triple with two on. The Sea Dogs stranded nine and eventually the bullpen let the lead shrink, but early offense and a great start by Ziehl was enough for Portland to stand alone as the only winners on the farm Wednesday.

On Ziehl, whose five innings actually LOWERED his ERA to 6.14: the former Miami Hurricane is still just 22 years of age and is a former Yankees draft pick, which is somehow even sweeter that he’s making moves in the Sox organization. His fastball lacks some velocity (it tops out at 92) but that gives it plenty of room to get tinkered with. Maybe more to come?

Greenville: L, 4-6 (BOX SCORE)

I want to acknowledge that the Drive played spotless defense, not committing any errors, while the Hot Rods (Rays High-A). This is usually the other way around, and while an errorless baseball game should be the norm, it’s good when it happens. The starting pitching by Luis Cohen wasn’t as spotless, and so the Drive found themselves at an early disadvantage. The good news is that Greenville hit four home runs on the night, but the bad news is that they were all solo shots, and the potential damage was minimized. If not for Greenville going hitless in seven attempts with runners in scoring position, those four home runs may have spawned a totally different conversation.

Salem: L, 4-5 (BOX SCORE)

The RidgeYaks were subject to a late blown lead despite an otherwise solid 4 2/3 innings of relief by former Texas A&M Aggie Myles Patton, who’s looked really good in the early going. Salem entered the 8th up 4-3 thanks in part to a very early home run by their nine-slot in the lineup shortstop, Ilan Hernandez, but the lead couldn’t be held. That inning got Salem up to a 3-0 lead over the Crawdads (Rangers A) but the lead was given right back via a Hickory double with the bases loaded, which effectively ended starter Jacob Mayers’ day. The game was quiet sans those few high-adrenaline moments, but in the end Hickory simply had more of them.

Have a solid Thursday!

Posted on

Washington Nationals vs Pittsburgh Pirates Game Thread

PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 15: CJ Abrams #5 of the Washington Nationals looks on against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on April 15, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. All players are wearing the number 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) | Getty Images

After the offense got shut out for the first time this season, they boys will look to bounce back and secure a split in Pittsburgh. It has been a long and mostly successful road trip, but getting this win would be a great way to close things out. The Nats are playing some early afternoon baseball on getaway day.

With a righty on the mound, the Nats are loading the lineup with lefties. Luis Garcia Jr. will be back in the 2 spot after hitting 9th last night. Jorbit Vivas will actually be the DH today as well. Jacob Young returns to center field after Joey Wiemer got the start yesterday. Drew Millas and Nasim Nunez will be at the bottom of the order. Foster Griffin will look to stay hot this afternoon.

With a lefty on the mound, the Pirates have a very different looking lineup. Ryan O’Hearn and Spencer Horowitz will not be in there. Billy Cook and Jake Mangum will be getting starts this afternoon. Nick Yorke will be at first base in this one. With a lefty on the bump, Brandon Lowe will be lower in the lineup. Braxton Ashcraft is one of the most underrated arms in the league, and he will face the Nats today. 

Join the conversation!

Sign up for a user account and get:

  • Fewer ads
  • Create community posts
  • Comment on articles, community posts
  • Rec comments, community posts
  • New, improved notifications system!

Game Info:

Stadium: PNC Park

Time: 12:35 PM EST

TV: Nationals.TV

Radio: 106.7 The Fan

Getting a win here would be an awesome way to close out a fun road trip. The offense was shut down for the first time last night, so hopefully they are coming to the park angry. Follow along down below and let’s go Nats!