Apr 13, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; New York Mets third baseman Mark Vientos (27) breaks his bat on a ground out in the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Meet the Mets
Dodgers’ starter Justin Wrobleski set down the first 13 Mets hitters and faced the minimum through seven, as New York lost their sixth straight by a 4-0 score to the Dodgers. Wrobleski ended up hurling eight shutout frames. The Mets managed just three hits as their scoreless streak extended to 20 innings, with the team continuing to struggle to score runs without their best bat in the lineup. David Peterson allowed four runs over five innings of work in the loss.
The Mets called up Tommy Pham and optioned Ronny Mauricio to Triple-A.
Laura Albanese believes Tommy Pham’s fire can help the team against the Dodgers, though it did not help them much last night.
Chelsea Janes explained why the Mets must prove that this slow start is just an aberration, even if much of the roster is different from the one that collapsed last season.
This series between the Mets and Dodgers is a showcase of big money in MLB as the teams with the two largest payrolls in the sport collide.
Katie Woo and Will Sammon examined how the Dodgers swooped in and stole Edwin Díaz from the Mets.
Los Angeles seems to be concerned about their closer’s velocity, and Díaz may not pitch against his old club this series.
Between Díaz this week and Jeff McNeil last weekend, GM David Stearns has been getting visits from the ghosts of Mets past, writes David Lennon.
Scouts seem to believe Bo Bichette is not fully healthy and believe it’s related to the PCL sprain in his left knee that he suffered last September.
On the Juan Soto injury front, the team is still saying he will return in the 2-3 week timeframe, but he has not yet begun a running program. He will undergo an MRI if things don’t advance.
Clay Holmes, meanwhile, is good to go for his Wednesday start after throwing a bullpen with no issues.
The Mets say a turnaround is coming, but Anthony DiComo wondered if they can make it happen.
Devin Williams and Luke Weaver are bullpen buddies, explains Laura Albanese.
Mike Vaccaro wrote about how Darryl Strawberry helped save Lenny Dykstra from a drug-fueled rock bottom.
Around the National League East
Alec Bohm has fired Scott Boras and is seeking money from his parents in the amount of over $500K amid a legal battle.
Behind a pair of Kyle Schwarber home runs, the Phillies beat up the Cubs 13-7.
The Marlins toppled the Braves 10-4.
The Nationals were embarrassed 16-5 by the the Pirates.
Will Leitch looked at some of the players who are most likely to win their first MVP award this year.
AJ Cassavell explained why Fernando Tatis Jr. at second base makes sense.
The Blue Jays acquired infielder Lenyn Sosa from the White Sox.
On Paul Skenes day, the Pirates put up a 10-run inning to give their ace some run support against Washington.
The slumping Astros have placed Jeremy Peña and Tatsuya Imai on the injured list and optioned Jayden Murray to Triple-A. J.P. France, Colton Gordon and Shay Whitcomb were recalled to take their place on the roster.
The Mariners handed the Astros their eighth straight loss with a 6-2 win. In the victory, Josh Naylor ended his home run draught as he hit dingers in back-to-back at-bats.
The Orioles rallied from down six to upend the Diamondbacks 9-7. Pete Alonso belted the go-ahead home run, his second as a member of the O’s. Baltimore’s skipper Craig Albernaz was hit in the head by a foul ball during the game. In defeat, Marte and Rojas led the way for Arizona’s offense with two home runs apiece.
The Yankees walked off the Angels 11-10 in a bonkers game that saw Judge and Grisham combined for four home runs and eight runs batted in.
The Twins beat up the Red Sox 13-6.
The Rangers did what neither New York team could do over the last five days, beating the A’s 8-1.
Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue
Brian Salvatore previewed the team’s series against the Dodgers.
Jerry Koosman made his major league debut on this date in 1967, two days after Tom Seaver’s big league debut. One year later, Nolan Ryan picked up his first career win as a member of the Mets.
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PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 07: Pittsburgh Penguins center Tommy Novak (18) goes to the net against Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar (80) during the overtime period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers on March 7, 2026, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
It seemed like another bad July 1st contract when the Philadelphia Flyers gave 27-year old goalie Dan Vladar a $6.7 million contract for two years ($3.35m AAV). Vladar had completely pedestrian career stats of a 49-34-16 record with a 3.00 GAA, .895 save percentage and four shutouts in 105 regular-season games split between five games with Boston and 100 with Calgary.
Vladar’s last two seasons with the Flames were particularly bad, posting a cumulative -24 Goals Saved Above Average that at one time had plummeted all the way down to -32, making the contract all the more confounding. Via hockeystats.com:
But goalies are confounding players were wisdom and logic doesn’t always apply for the past to line up for future performance. The Flyers are in the playoffs in no small part thanks to the positive contributions of Vladar, who put up career-highs this season in wins (29), GAA (2.42), save percentage (.906%). He got that GSAA moved in the right direction this season too at +11.42 as a consistently strong positive factor to help his team throughout the season.
Vladar and the Flyers are both peaking at the right time, the starting goalie is 5-1-0 with a .921 save% in the month of April. Go back to March 14th and Vladar has a 8-3-1 record with a .912 save% and 2.17 GAA.
Philadelphia didn’t make the playoffs because they have a good offense or a lot of skilled players, they have neither. Their 2.91 goals ranks 22nd in the NHL, the lowest among all playoff teams this year. The Flyers did make the playoffs (in addition to feasting on OT/SO wins) because their defense is designed to absorb punishment and their goaltenders keep the puck out of the net, their 2.93 goals/against per game ranks 9th in the NHL.
A lot of that is due to the decision from general manager Danny Briere and coach Rick Tocchet to go grab a goalie in Vladar who had been more of a 1B type player and give him the opportunity to be a starter. Philadelphia had a lot of choices (like backup Samuel Ersson and current minor leaguer Aleksei Kolosov and the now-traded Ivan Fedotov) but not a lot of quality. Despite not really showing it in Calgary, Vladar ended up being the piece that moved the needle and finally gave Philadelphia the anchor in net that they’ve been searching for since seemingly time immemorial.
Rick Tocchet's coaching staff told Danny Briere this past offseason they wanted to go get goaltender Dan Vladar – they saw something in him many teams didn't.
Vladar has carried this #Flyers team into the playoff conversation and given them an answer to a decade long question.… pic.twitter.com/GpVUEipNcP
Strong goalie play can take a mediocre team and make them into a playoff team, and in the most simplistic of terms that was on display to a large degree this season in Philadelphia. Vladar’s stats were far superior to that of the other goalie on the team Ersson (13-11-5, .867 save%, 3.15 GAA and a -13.75 GSAA). The Flyers’ season was almost sunk when Vladar missed two weeks in January with a lower body injury and Philadelphia endured one of the worst stretches of their season of a 2-7-2 stretch from Jan. 7-28 that overlapped Vladar’s Jan 14-28 injury.
Vladar and the Flyers ended up surviving that period and re-finding his early season form to help earn a playoff spot. The Penguins will have a challenge to score on one of the better goalies in the league this season and seeing how their high-powered offense (3.52 goals/game, 3rd in the NHL) matches up against Vladar will be one of the glaringly major deciding factors for the first round.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 3: Aroldis Chapman #44 of the Boston Red Sox pitches during the ninth inning of the Opening Day game against the San Diego Padres on April 3, 2026 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Aroldis Chapman has been nearly perfect over his Red Sox tenure. He’s converted 35 of 37 save opportunities, registering a 1.22 ERA in that span. But Father Time is undefeated, Chapman has been prone to meltdowns, and I’m generally distrustful, so I’m waiting for the wheels to fall off.
Last week, against the Brewers, Chapman threw the slowest fastball of his Red Sox career at 90.8 mph. Since 2010, he’s thrown over 10,000 fastballs, earning a reputation as the premier flamethrower in baseball. The pitch last week was so much slower than his average fastball that it might have even functioned as a changeup, inducing a game-ending double play.
Chapman has been in the league since 2010. There aren’t many players left who debuted in 2010. At 38 years old, it’s fair to see 90 mph and wonder if he’s over the hill. I did some digging, some Excel work, consulted an oracle, and asked a Magic 8-Ball to determine what to look for to predict Chapman’s decline.
Pitcher’s arms are like weapons. Google “Aroldis Chapman gun” to learn more. In all seriousness, Chapman saves his bullets. Part of being healthy and effective for so long is knowing when to push it and when to take your foot off the gas. To use another metaphor, look at Lionel Messi. He spends a large portion of games walking, conserving energy, and surveying the field. When he needs to, he gets up to full speed in an instant and makes everyone else look like they’re playing a different game. While a pitcher can’t entirely take pitches off, they can pull back a bit when needed, especially early in the count.
Dating back to 2024, we saw a jump of about two miles per hour with his fastball when he gets to two strikes. He’s much more likely to see a swing with two strikes, and brings out his best stuff in those counts. That’s been the case throughout his career, but the magnitude of the effect has increased with age. Similarly, we can see his relative effort change with the score as well.
The effect here isn’t as significant, but it does exist. In a one-run game, Chapman throws his fastballs significantly harder than in a three-run game or when trailing. There isn’t much of a difference between tie games and two-run games, but if the winning or tying run is at least in the on-deck circle, Chapman brings it.
There’s more to it than just effort, as well. At least, it appears that way.
It typically takes Chapman about four pitches before he appears to be warm. When he throws a fastball for his first or second pitch of the outing, it averages about 97 mph. By the time he gets to his seventh pitch, the average velocity is up to 99 mph. As someone who owns a bachelor’s degree that includes a minor in applied math and statistics, I’ll admit this isn’t a 100% sound way to draw conclusions, but the correlation is there.
One potential issue is that the first and second pitches of an outing can never be a two-strike count, and we already saw that he turns it up with two strikes. By the time we’re five or so pitches into an at-bat, though, it could be virtually any count, given that the average plate appearance lasts about four pitches.
Regardless of how Chapman conserves his bullets, the velocity is going to fall off. Nobody can throw 100 mph forever. In actuality, if he does fall off a cliff, he’ll be very hurt. If his performance falls off a cliff, it’s likely due to his control.
There’s a pretty clear correlation here. When Chapman walks guys, things get ugly. When he’s in the zone, as he was last season when he posted a career low walk rate, he’s nearly unhittable.
Last season, he was in the zone about 54% of the time, his highest rate since 2016. In a small sample this season, he’s at a 52% zone rate. He allegedly got under control by learning to aim, which is such a hilarious revelation for a pitcher who’s been in the majors for 15 years that I have a hard time believing it. No matter what the reason for his improved control, a year and then some consistently is enough for me to believe it’s here to stay.
As I said, Father Time is undefeated, and nobody can throw 100 mph forever. Still, when looking at Chapman, pay more attention to the high-leverage, two-strike pitches to see if the top-end velocity is still there. If he needs an out and he’s only throwing 95 mph, it might be cause for concern. As for the 90 mph fastball, he said he was having trouble because of the cold. You probably already knew that, so if you’re still here, I appreciate you. Unless there’s an injury at play, and there doesn’t appear to be, the dip in velocity was likely just a blip. If you start to get worried about Chapman this season, make sure to give him a few pitches to warm up, and pay close attention to his control before you deem the sky falling.
Ontario, CA, Monday, September 15, 2025 - A merchandise store is stocked with caps, jerseys, shirts and toys for the Ontario Tower Buzzers, a single A minor league affiliate of the LA Dodgers. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) Images are embargoed until Thursday, September 18, 2025.
The Ontario Tower Buzzers have their first-ever award winner, as Dodgers minor league right-hander Marlon Nieves was named California League pitcher of the week for the week of April 6-12.
Nieves last Tuesday struck out six in six scoreless innings in a road win over the Inland Empire 66ers in San Bernardino, the longest outing of his professional career.
The Best in the Cal League ⚾️
Marlon Nieves has been named California League’s Pitcher of the Week by @MiLB 🐝 Nieves is your FIRST-EVER Tower Buzzer to earn the honors! pic.twitter.com/nCZKstFkDj
Nieves last Tuesday against Inland Empire retired his first six batters faced, then allowed a walk in the third inning that was erased by a double play. He allowed a leadoff double in the fourth inning, but retired the next three batters and his final nine batters faced to complete his gem.
The 20-year-old right-hander faced only one batter over the minimum in the victory.
Signed out of the Dominican Republic in May 2023, Nieves made his Class-A debut last season with Rancho Cucamonga, putting up a 2.21 ERA in eight starts, with 37 strikeouts and 19 walks in 36 2/3 innings, with only one home run allowed.
“Pitching is risky and there’s work to do ahead, both in terms of Nieves’ physical development and in the consistency of his execution. But there’s a pretty high ceiling here,” wrote Eric Longenhagen, Brendan Gawlowski, and James Fegan at FanGraphs. “Nieves has the physical traits and pitch shape characteristics to justify a mid-rotation future grade.”
Said Baseball America: “He has the upside of a rotation piece but will need to up his command and control in a big way to reach that ceiling.”
The Toronto Maple Leafs fell to the Dallas Stars 6-5 in regulation time in their final home game of the season on Monday. The result was beneficial for the Leafs in their bid to finish with the best possible odds of keeping their 2026 first-round draft pick. This remained true even though it briefly appeared that things were trending in a different direction.
The Leafs jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the first period. Despite giving up that lead, they eventually regained control of the game to hold a 5-3 lead in the third period. However, Dallas responded with three quick goals, including the tying goal that was accidentally put in by Leafs defenseman Troy Stecher.
Regardless of how the Leafs lost the game, they were able to retain their current spot of fifth-worst in total points. This position would leave them at the No. 5 pick going into the NHL Draft lottery set for May 5. Consequently, they could still finish as low as sixth or seventh if one or two teams leap past them during the lottery draw.
The “bad” news for Toronto is that the highest they can now climb heading into the lottery is No. 4. Because the New York Rangers fell to the Florida Panthers 3-2 in regulation, they are left with one game remaining and 75 points, while Toronto sits at 78 points with one game to go. Toronto could still reach the No. 4 spot if the Flames gain three more points in their remaining two games than Toronto picks up in their season finale on the road against the Ottawa Senators.
— Sports on Prime Canada (@SportsOnPrimeCA) April 14, 2026
The Maple Leafs traded away their 2026 first-round draft pick, along with forward Fraser Minten, for veteran defenseman Brandon Carlo in March of 2025. Because the pick is top-five protected, the Leafs must land a pick in the top five after the lottery results are finalized to keep it for this year.
Post-game, players were not explicitly asked about the notion of “tanking,” as they maintained their professionalism and effort. However, John Tavares was asked if it was difficult to play in games where a portion of the fanbase might prefer to see the team lose.
https://www.nhl.com/standings/2026-04-13/league
“I approach each game the same, so there should be an extreme amount of pride to play in this league, to play this game, and to wear the crest that we’re wearing,” Tavares said. “I try to approach each game the same no matter the circumstances, the challenges, or the spot you’re in. You go out there to compete as best you can, play at the highest level I can, and help the team win. That’s always the focus no matter what”.
Following the loss, the Leafs are now guaranteed a spot no lower than sixth heading into the lottery.
The Vancouver Canucks (24-48-8) wrap up their 2025-26 home schedule on Tuesday with a matchup against the Los Angeles Kings (35-26-19). While the Kings have clinched a playoff spot, Tuesday is a must-win as Los Angeles is still fighting for home ice in the first round. As for the Canucks, they will be looking to pick up just their ninth win at Rogers Arena this season while also extending their win streak to three games.
Tuesday is Vancouver's annual Fan Appreciation Night. Based on everything that has happened this year, the fans deserve a lot of credit for sticking around and still attending games. During the game, the organization will also reveal the 2025-26 team awards, which were voted on by the fans earlier this month.
As for the game itself, special teams will be worth monitoring. When these two teams met on Friday, neither was given a power play. The question now is, will this be another clean game, or will the power play and penalty kill get a workout?
Players To Watch:
Teddy Blueger:
Teddy Blueger is showing why the organization should re-sign him. This past weekend, he scored his first career power play goal while also dropping the gloves to stand up for a teammate. Blueger is a culture-setter and a player who can help younger players as the organization enters its rebuild.
Anže Kopitar:
For the final time in his career, Anže Kopitar will battle the Canucks. After an over 1,500-game career, the Stanley Cup champion is retiring once his season comes to a close. Over his career, Kopitar has been a pain in Vancouver's neck, recording 62 points in 73 regular-season games against the Canucks.
Apr 9, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar (11) and Vancouver Canucks center Teddy Blueger (53) face off during the first period at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Vancouver Canucks (24–48–8):
Points:
Elias Pettersson: 15–34–49
Filip Hronek: 8–40–48
Brock Boeser: 22–25–47
Jake DeBrusk: 21–19–40
Linus Karlsson: 15–20–35
Goaltenders:
Kevin Lankinen: 10–26–5
Thatcher Demko: 8–10–1
Nikita Tolopilo: 5–11–2
Jiří Patera: 0–1–0
Los Angeles Kings(35–26–19):
Points:
Adrian Kempe: 35-37-72
Quinton Byfield: 22-24-46
Alex Laferriere: 20-21-41
Kevin Fiala: 18-22-40
Brandt Clarke: 8-32-40
Goaltenders:
Darcy Kuemper: 19-14-14
Anton Forsberg: 16-11-5
Pheonix Copley: 0-1-0
Game Information:
Start time: 7:00 pm PT
Venue: Rogers Arena
Television: Sportsnet
Radio: Sportsnet 650
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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Davis Martin turned in the South Siders’ lone quality start of the week, tossing seven sharp innings with no walks and just two runs allowed against the Royals. | (Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images)
The Chicago White Sox went 2–5 this week. In many ways, that alone could serve as the recap. But even in a rough stretch, there were a few bright spots worth noting, and a few areas that weren’t so encouraging. Those themes break down into two familiar buckets: hitting and pitching.
PITCHING
In the interest of your actually reading this article, let’s start with the bright spot that was pitching this week. In the last seven days, South Side pitching has a team ERA of 2.94. You might recall from last week that the hurlers weren’t good in the first three series. They came out of the gate with a team ERA of 6.00+. With this incredibly solid week of pitching, both from starters and the bullpen, it is now sitting at a more respectable 4.70. That is good enough to move from 29th in the league to 26th.
Big performances came specifically from the starting pitching.
Erik Fedde played in two games, started one, and gave up just three earned runs over 11 innings pitched. He also struck out eight batters and walked just two.
Davis Martin gave the White Sox their only quality start of the week in a loss to the Royals on Friday. In seven innings, he allowed two runs, walked no one, and struck out three.
Anthony Kay would have gotten a quality start if they had let him stay out for one more out. Instead, he pitched 5 2/3 innings of shutout baseball, striking out six and walking two along the way.
Sean Burke went five innings in a 5-3 loss to the Orioles on Wednesday. He only gave up two runs and was set to get the win until Sims came in and blew the lead.
Honorable mention goes to Shane Smith, who, manager Will Venable pulled in the fourth inning of Tuesday’s start after throwing 99 pitches in 3 2/3 innings. He struck out an astonishing eight batters, but also walked five in his short scoreless outing. It was not enough for him to avoid an option back to Triple-A. He now finds himself in Charlotte trying to get back on track after a rough start to the season.
While the starters stepped up in big ways, the bullpen has some work to do. The offense gave the bullpen a lead on both Tuesday and Wednesday, and they blew them both. Which, if they had won, would have given them a 4-3 record for the week rather than 2-5.
However, pitching cannot protect a lead if the offense doesn’t keep extending it. This brings us to the bummer part of the weekly recap. The one where I tell you the offense didn’t show up and cost the White Sox games they had in reach.
HITTING
Let’s play a game I like to call “How many games were in between the Pale Hose’s most recent home runs?” You get until the end of this sentence to guess. If you said seven, you would be correct. On Saturday, April 4, both Munetaka Murakami and Colson Montgomery homered in a 6-3 win against the Blue Jays. The next time the Good Guys hit a home run was on Sunday, April 12. Tanner Murray hit a two-run bomb to give the White Sox an early lead over the Royals. Props to the rookie for his first major league dinger.
Speaking of rookies, in the top of the seventh on Sunday, Dustin Harris entered the game for Derek Hill. The lefty took a 1-1 changeup nearly out of the ballpark. He would eventually come around to score the winning run on a wild pitch.
Harris also wanted to have himself a day and robbed a home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to keep the White Sox in front.
Exciting rookie accomplishments aside, the South Siders scored a total of 14 runs last week. That is an average of two runs a game. The Royals shut out the Sox on back-to-back nights in Kansas City; they averaged nine strikeouts a game, and only walked 24 times. To put it lightly, there is much work to be done.
I could throw more numbers at you about how low the White Sox rank in various categories or some decent plays on the defense, but truly, this is all you missed last week. The simple game of trying to get all three aspects of baseball (hitting, pitching, defense) clicking into gear at the same time is becoming a challenge for the Chicago club. A tale as old as time, but with many younger faces this time.
After an off-day on Monday, the club starts a three-game set with the Tampa Bay Rays at The Rate on Tuesday at 6:40 p.m. CST, and there are a few things worth highlighting.
Noah Schultz is getting the call! The wait is over, and the 22-year-old southpaw will make his major league debut on Tuesday. The Oswego East High School alum will face off against lefty veteran Shane McClanahan. It is the next step in the wave of bringing up players from this young farm system. The rookie is 3-0 in Charlotte and has struck out 19, walked two, and given up just two earned runs in 14 innings.
Also of note, Chicago traded Lenyn Sosa to the Blue Jays for minor league outfielder Jordan Rich and a player to be named later, or cash considerations. This appears to be a classic Reinsdorf trade. At this time, I have no opinion or clue on who Rich is, but I can only hope this pans out for Sosa in Toronto.
PORTLAND, OREGON - FEBRUARY 03: Mark Williams #15 of the Phoenix Suns goes to the basket against Donovan Clingan #23 of the Portland Trail Blazers during the second half at Moda Center on February 03, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. 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 Soobum Im/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Phoenix Suns now await the Portland Trail Blazers tonight in Downtown Phoenix.
This is who most Suns fans wanted in this game, but as the old saying goes: “Be careful what you wish for.” Avoiding Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers is great, but as we all know, getting what you wish for isn’t always a blessing in the NBA. The Portland Trail Blazers are a sneaky, deep, and athletic team. I do not expect the Suns to take them lightly.
Phoenix finished the regular season 45-37, good for the 7th seed. Portland finished a few games behind them at 42-40, which locked them into the 8th seed thanks to a tiebreaker over the Clippers.
1) Recent History: Means Nothing
The Suns won 2 of 3 games against Portland this season, with their lone loss coming in a game where they didn’t have Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks, and Grayson Allen. They scored 77 points in that game. Phoenix blew them out by 17 in the opening meeting and won by five in the 2nd contest.
Last 10 Games
Suns — 5-5 (W1)
Blazers — 7-3 (W3)
We can throw all of that out the window now. None of it matters. As we saw in the 2024 series against Minnesota, the Suns swept them in the regular season only to get swept in the playoffs. These regular-season matchups don’t mean much. By the time the playoffs roll around, teams are typically much different versions of themselves.
2) Injury Report: Positive News
We’ve all seen it by now, and the injury report looked like a never-ending CVS receipt. It’s common this time of year for “injuries” to occur out of thin air as teams prepare for the playoffs, especially in the final days of the season.
The updated report shows some GREAT news! Grayson Allen is the only one who appears on the injury report for Phoenix. That does not mean they’re out of the woods by any means, as this is the time of year players will often play through nagging injuries. Here’s to hoping they are all as close to 100% as they can be.
Grayson Allen (left hamstring soreness) is listed as questionable for the Suns tomorrow against the Blazers.
One key matchup that will not draw as many headlines will be the big man matchup between Mark Williams and Donovan Clingan. Phoenix also has Oso Ighodaro and Khaman Maluach (unlikely the rook gets burn in a playoff setting) to throw at Portland’s big man if they need bodies or Williams finds himself in foul trouble.
Apr 7, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns center Mark Williams (15) celebrates with Devin Booker (1) against the Houston Rockets in the first half at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Portland is a bottom-4 defense against centers this season. This is where I would love to see a “Book-Mark” duo thrive in the P&R, forcing the Blazers to make tough decisions in their defensive rotations. Phoenix must take advantage of and hunt mismatches in the halfcourt.
Donovan Clingan and Robert Williams vs. Mark Williams and Oso Ighodaro. Let’s get it.
4) Playoff Play-In Book
We’ve seen the levels that Devin Booker is capable of reaching in important games. They’re going to need that version of him in a single-game elimination environment.
He’s entering the contest healthy and playing some of his best basketball of the season. Phoenix’s offense hums when he is in rhythm without forcing it, which means his teammates are going to need to knock down shots to keep Portland’s defense honest. Portland will do everything it can to throw that rhythm off and disrupt him.
Jrue Holiday has experience guarding Booker in big moments (too soon), and the Blazers have size and athleticism across the board to make it tough for him. As long as Book plays under control and within the flow of the offense, I expect a big game out of him.
Whether it’s by dropping 30+ points (efficiently) or through his playmaking chops and gravity for everyone else… we need a vintage Booker performance in this one.
5) Role Players at home
This is what swings games. Which role players will rise to the occasion? Historically speaking, role players always tend to play better at home come playoff time. Could it be a Royce O’Neale game that propels Phoenix? Will Jordan Goodwin’s chaotic energy lift them when they need it most? Or will it be a Collin Gillespie masterclass? Oh, and PLEASE DO NOT BE AFRAID TO PLAY RASHEER FLEMING IN THIS ONE. Sorry for the Jae Crowder all-caps moment, just had to emphasize it.
We shall see. Either way, Phoenix will need everyone to pitch in. Portland has a deep team as well, so the bench units, even if they aren’t tapped into as much as the regular season, will be vital in this one. If Phoenix’s role guys get outplayed by Portland on their own floor, the margin for error for Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks, and Jalen Green shrinks dramatically offensively.
So, who will it be tonight? Shoot your shot in the comments.
Apr 3, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) is greeted by his teammates as Flagg leaves the game against the Orlando Magic during the fourth quarter at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
The 2025–26 Mavericks season didn’t just fall short of expectations. It unraveled almost immediately, forcing everyone involved to confront how fragile the foundation really was. This was a team that entered the year expecting to compete right away, expecting to be playing meaningful basketball deep into April, and instead looked disjointed from the opening week. That early loss to Washington in Game 2 wasn’t just a bad night. It felt like the first real crack. From there, it didn’t take long for the fanbase, and honestly, the organization, to realize that what Nico Harrison had envisioned was not a bold retool but a complete miscalculation. The roster lacked cohesion, the identity wasn’t there, and the “plan” never materialized. By early November, ownership made the move they almost had to make, firing Harrison after a 3–8 start, not just to change direction, but to signal accountability. It was less about fixing the team overnight and more about admitting that the path they had taken after the Finals run had gone completely off course.
From that point on, the season was defined by instability. Injuries hit key players at multiple points, forcing constant lineup changes and eliminating any chance at continuity. At the same time, trade rumors swirled around several core pieces, casting a cloud that never really lifted. On the court, that instability showed up in the way Dallas played. Jason Kidd’s “free-flow” offense was supposed to provide flexibility, and in some ways it did. It allowed players to step in and out without a rigid system breaking down. But the downside became obvious. A roster filled with players who all needed similar touches and operated in similar areas of the floor struggled to define roles. Possessions often felt random. Some nights it clicked for stretches, but more often it resulted in stagnant offense, missed shots, and a team that never developed a consistent rhythm.
The trade deadline was the moment when everything finally shifted from confusion to clarity. The Mavericks pivoted hard. Moving off the Anthony Davis centerpiece of the original Doncic deal, prioritizing draft capital, and embracing a long-term view weren’t just roster adjustments. It was the organization fully acknowledging what this season had become. More importantly, it allowed them to center everything around Cooper Flagg. With that shift, roles began to make more sense. The offense, while still inconsistent, became more purposeful because it finally had a focal point. Instead of trying to spread responsibility across a flawed roster, the Mavericks leaned into their one undeniable strength. Flagg became the engine. And for the first time all season, the basketball started to look somewhat coherent.
And that’s ultimately what this season will be remembered for. Not the losses. Not the dysfunction. But the emergence of Cooper Flagg. As the youngest player in the NBA, he didn’t just show flashes. He developed in real time into a primary creator and offensive hub. By April, he was averaging over 21 points and 5 assists, handling point guard responsibilities, and showing a level of composure that is rare even among elite prospects. His growth as a playmaker stood out the most. Early in the year, he was reacting. By the end, he was dictating. He got more comfortable getting to his spots, reading defenses, and managing possessions under pressure. His ability to shift between forward and guard roles, play through contact, and maintain production against high-level defenses speaks to both his physical and mental development. Coaches trusted him more. Teammates relied on him more. And he responded every time. The combination of skill, feel, and mentality has already pushed him into legitimate Rookie of the Year territory, and more importantly, into the conversation as a future superstar.
That’s why, despite everything, there is still a clear sense of direction. Even ownership sees it. The organization openly acknowledged that this season was “really difficult,” but emphasized that having a generational talent like Flagg provides an extraordinary opportunity to reshape the franchise. That optimism is real, but it doesn’t hide the urgency. Dumont also made it clear that this is an extremely important offseason and that the Mavericks have “a lot of work to do.” And that might be the most important takeaway. The hard part isn’t identifying the centerpiece. It’s building everything else around him correctly.
That process starts at the top. Dallas still needs to hire a president of basketball operations, someone who can establish a real identity, build a functional roster, and create a culture that this team clearly lacked throughout the year. This hire is not just about basketball decisions. It’s about direction. It’s about finally aligning the front office, coaching staff, and roster around a single vision.
From there, the decisions only get more complicated. The Mavericks have to nail their draft pick. With where they are, there’s no room for error. That player has to complement Flagg, whether that means adding guard creation, perimeter defense, or shooting. Then there’s Kyrie Irving. His presence represents both opportunity and uncertainty. Does he fit the timeline of a team building around a 19-year-old? Can he elevate this group, or does his timeline conflict with where the franchise is headed? The same questions apply, in different ways, to veterans like Klay Thompson and P.J. Washington. These are productive players, but the Mavericks have to decide whether they are part of the next version of this team or assets that can be used to reshape it.
And beyond the roster, the scope of this offseason is even larger. Ownership is exploring major infrastructure decisions, including a new arena and entertainment district that could define the franchise’s future for decades. That matters because it reflects the scale of what’s happening. This is not just a rebuild on the court. It’s a full reset of the organization’s identity, from leadership to roster to long-term vision.
That’s what makes this season so strange to evaluate. It began with expectations of immediate contention and ended with one of the most disappointing records in recent franchise history. But buried inside all of that failure is something that changes everything. The Mavericks found their cornerstone.
DENVER, COLORADO - APRIL 09: Nathan MacKinnon #29 of the Colorado Avalanche skates against the Calgary Flames in the second period at Ball Arena on April 9, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Sure, anyone can win the Stanley Cup so long as they make the playoffs — but is that really true? At this point we know there are contenders and pretenders in every postseason, and while it’s really cool to see Sidney Crosby in playoff hockey again, nobody is giving the Penguins a legitimate chance to raise the cup.
Today we look at the seven teams best poised to actually take it all home when the dust settles, from the clear favorites to the long shots.
No. 1: Colorado Avalanche
The Avs have been the best team in hockey this year, and it’s not particularly close. Anchored by Nathan McKinnon and Cale Makar, Colorado found a new gear in 2025-26 with the addition of Martin Necas. While Necas arrived last season as part of the Mikko Rantanen trade with Carolina, he really found his footing this season and meshed with the team.
Boasting a ludicrous +94 goal differential this season, nobody can match Colorado when it comes to the strength of their top two lines. The only risk for this team making a run to the cup is the severity of Cale Makar’s upper body injury. We know he’s going to miss some playoff time, and if that lingers it could have a huge effect on this team’s chances.
Key strength: Superstar strength out of their first two skating lines, as well as top line defense Key weakness: Cale Makar is carrying an injury into the playoffs, and that could lead to a slow start
No. 2: Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes are more or less the same team that have been a playoff staple for the last eight years. Rod Brind’Amour’s brand of team-focused, no-superstar hockey does a phenomenal job of leading the Canes to amazing regular season results, but tends to falter in the playoffs where individual performance reigns supreme.
Carolina will hope that the free agent addition of Nikolaj Ehlers is the missing piece they needed, and after a slow start Ehlers became everything the team hoped for with 68 points this season. The 2025-26 iteration of the Hurricanes took another offensive step forward with Seth Jarvis taking the next step, and Jackson Blake emerging as a future star — but this team has the worst goaltending of anyone in the playoffs this year, which could be mammoth problem.
Key strength: Four line skating depth with little drop off between lines Key weakness: Both Freddie Anderson and Brandon Bussi are very shaky in net
No. 3: Dallas Stars
The Stars are a very, very good hockey team that too often masquerades as an elite one. That might seem unfair, but it’s tough to deny that the Stars failed to live up to expectations this season despite finishing with over 100 points on the year.
This was a team who were a preseason favorite to win the west, but Mikko Rantanen isn’t nearly as potent a scorer without McKinnon to set him up, and the Stars’ core weakness is a lack of playmaking centers. There’s an undeniable amount of firepower in Dallas, but running the game through the wings hasn’t traditionally been a recipe for success in the postseason.
Key strength: Streaky team who can dominate games when everything clicks Key weakness: Things don’t click often enough for this team to be consistent
No. 4: Montreal Canadiens
Love ‘em or hate ‘em, the NHL is a better place when the Montreal Canadiens are in the playoffs. This new generation of the Habs are brimming with young talent poised to take the next step forward. When you look at this roster you see a team that’s already over-performing expectations, and none of their key players have hit their prime yet.
Entering the playoffs Montreal has one of the strongest home ice advantages in the playoffs, with the Bell Centre being one of the most formidable places to play at the best of times. That edge isn’t likely to be quite enough to mitigate the defensive issues the Candiens are yet to resolve, or make it through with mid-tier goaltending.
Key strength: Goal-scoring potential of Cole Caulfield and Juraj Slafkovsky Key weakness: Too much youth without enough veteran leadership to make a deep run
No. 5: Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild understood the assignment in 2025-26. After signing Kirill Kaprizov to a mammoth extension they had to pour more gas on the fire, and did just that by being the biggest in-season buyers by adding one of the NHL’s best defenseman in Quinn Hughes, then bolstering their depth with numerous smaller deals at the deadline.
Hughes has helped transform this team from a back-end playoff hopeful to a legitimate contender. The core issue is that when it comes to scoring Minnesota is wholly reliant on Kaprizov and Matt Boldy to find the net, with the rest of the team lagging far, far behind.
Key strength: Three brilliant playmakers in Kaprizov, Boldy, and Hughes Key weakness: They’re in the west, which is dominated by the Avs
No. 6: Tampa Bay Lightning
When you have Andrei Vasilevskiy in net there’s always going to be a chance to win games, and the Lightning showed that in 2025-26 by allowing just 222 goals on the year. The problem comes at the other end, where regression from both Brayden Point and Brandon Hagel has put even more pressure on Nikita Kucherov to carry the load for Tampa Bay.
This version of the Lightning is really good, but hasn’t changed dramatically enough to see where they succeed where they’ve failed in the past. Corey Perry is too old to be a difference maker at this point, and the team overpaid to get him at the deadline. As such it feels like the Lightning are headed back to hit the same brick wall. Still, there’s always a chance they can get hot and make a deep run as they have in the past.
Key strength: Nikita Kucherov and Jake Guentzel are two of the best scoring forwards in the playoffs Key weakness: This looks too much like the same Lightning team that lost in the first round of 2024-25
No. 7: Buffalo Sabres
I hate putting the best feel-good story in hockey so low on the list, but it’s a credit to Buffalo that they make the contenders list at all. The Sabres went from finishing 7th in the Atlantic Conference to 1st this season, as they went from a team who seemed poised pre-season to be sellers and rebuilders at the deadline, to now being a legitimate force.
This team has solid depth, but lacks the high-end talent to really compete just quite yet. The power play unit for Buffalo isn’s fully developed, and once you get past Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch the forwards fall off a cliff.
Key strength: Devil-may-care freedom belief they can beat anyone Key weakness: Not enough depth to compete just yet
Apr 12, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals pitcher Noah Cameron (65) pitches during the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
Seems like a slow news day.
Vahe Gregorian writes about the Royals start to the season.
The Royals’ starting rotation entered the game with a 2.56 ERA — second in MLB only to the Yankees (2.50). Meanwhile, its offense with 54 runs through Sunday is tied for second-worst in baseball. So there is many a mixed message with not a lot of statistically significant data — at least in terms of sample size. You could just as easily say the Royals have frittered away a good deal of that great starting pitching as that they’ve been fortunate to cobble together three wins with three or fewer runs. Most of all, the point here is that absolutely nothing defining has happened yet. This season still is too much in the embryonic phase to draw any conclusions despite an uninspiring start.
Anne Rogers takes stock of where the Royals are after the series against the White Sox.
Rotation still in good shape Royals starters entered Sunday having recorded 15 consecutive scoreless innings over the last two games, but Noah Cameron had more difficulty, allowing five earned runs in 5 1/3 innings. He allowed two two-out, two-run home runs and issued the walk that would eventually come around to score the tying run in the sixth inning.
But all in all, the Royals’ rotation is still in good shape. Through 16 games, starters have allowed zero earned runs in five starts, one run or fewer in 10 starts and two or fewer in 11 starts. Starting pitching wins games, and the Royals feel like their rotation is going to keep them in games no matter what.
Javier Assad took the ball to Citizens Bank Park and attempted to throw it past the Phillies. Cristopher Sánchez tried to continue his skein of really good pitching. Both teams stood at 7-8 at the outset, the onset, the preface as it were.
The Phillies look like they are holding a Jayson Werth lookalike contest.
Javier Assad has an ERA now. Kyle Schwarber did what he does, his fifth and sixth, driving in three runs. Cubs should have kept that guy. But you know that.
But the Phillies continued to pull away. The Cubs did hold a late rally, so there’s something silver in the cloud for today.
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Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series. Thanks for reading. À bientôt. Good luck, Jeff!
SARASOTA, FL - MARCH 20: Joseph Dzierwa #67 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches during the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium on Friday, March 20, 2026 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Vincent Mizzoni/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Welcome to the second installment of Camden Chat’s minor league weekly recap. All four of the Orioles’ full-season affiliates are up and running with their usual six-game weeks, and there have been quite a few early standout performances. Let’s jump right into it.
Triple-A Norfolk Tides
Last week: 2-4 vs. Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (Marlins)
Coming week: at Durham Bulls (Rays)
Season record: 5-10, tied for last place (6.0 GB) in International League East
Tides hitters struggled to get, you know…hits. They had only 25 hits in 179 at-bats in this series, a wretched .140 batting average that was worst in the International League by far. They slugged just .218, also a distant last place in the IL this week. No Tides hitter had more than three hits the entire week. In Creed Willems’ case, at least, two of those were dingers, and he now has a .918 OPS in 12 games this year. Willems didn’t quite make the cut for Camden Chat’s composite top 20 prospect rankings, but he was an honorable mention. At 22 years old and in his first experience at Triple-A, Willems probably isn’t a candidate for a big-league call-up immediately, but he’ll put himself on the radar if he keeps hitting like this.
Enrique Bradfield Jr. (#7 prospect) returned from a six-day absence after he ran into a wall on April 2. He was hitless in two of his three starts this week but was great in the other, hitting a homer and driving in all four Tides runs in a comeback win on Friday.
I don’t mean to alarm anyone, but a rehabbing Jackson Holliday, after going 2-for-19 this week, is hitting .167 with a .453 OPS in 11 games. At what point does, “Ah, he’s just rusty,” turn into, “Wait, something is really wrong here”? Holliday’s maximum 20-day rehab stint is almost over, and you have to wonder if the O’s will consider just optioning him to the minors once he comes off the IL. He hasn’t shown he’s ready to hit Triple-A pitching, let alone big league pitching. Hamate injuries are complicated.
The starting rotation is where this Norfolk club is really intriguing, and the Big Three — prospects Trey Gibson (#5), Nestor German (#11), and Levi Wells (#16) — each pitched well this week. They combined for a 1.20 ERA, allowing only two earned runs in 15 innings. Wells was the most impressive of the bunch, racking up six strikeouts in 5.1 innings, and the two runs he gave up were both unearned. But the best starting performance for Norfolk came from Brandon Young, who followed up his five shutout innings with the Orioles last week by throwing six shutout, one-hit innings for the Tides on Sunday. I have a feeling he’ll be back in Baltimore sometime soon.
Coming week: at New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Blue Jays)
Season record: 6-3, third place (2.0 GB) in Eastern League Southwest
The first full week of Chesapeake’s season was a resounding success, as the club was a win shy of a six-game sweep. The Baysox have been led by their pitching staff, which has a lot of guys who strike out a lot of dudes. The 112 Ks by Chesapeake pitchers this season are tops in the Eastern League. This week, left-hander Sebastian Gongora, an 11th-round pick in 2024, had 13 of them — and no walks — in his two starts, giving up only two runs in 9.1 innings. Gongora, who last year struggled to a 5.53 ERA for two affiliates, is starting things off on a better note in 2026.
The most notable pitcher on this roster is lefty prospect Luis De León (#9). His second start of the year was a workmanlike five-inning, three-run performance. Lefty Micah Ashman and righty Tyson Neighbors, two relievers acquired at last year’s trade deadline who are dark-horse O’s bullpen candidates later this year, combined for six innings, no earned runs, and 12 strikeouts this week.
At the plate, 2024 second-round pick Ethan Anderson was the star this week with nine hits, four more than any of his teammates. Seven games into the season, Anderson is slashing .429/.600/.571 with more walks (eight) than strikeouts (five). He’s aiming to put a disappointing 2025 season behind him. Anderson was one of six Baysox batters to homer this week, along with infielder Aron Estrada (#13), among others. Shortstop Griff O’Ferrall homered but was otherwise 0-for-17 in the series.
Coming week: vs. Hudson Valley Renegades (Yankees)
Season record: 4-4, fourth place (2.5 GB) in South Atlantic League North
The Keys’ lineup is loaded with top prospects — Nate George (#3), Ike Irish (#4), and Wehiwa Aloy (#6) — but the hitter who stole the show this week was first baseman Victor Figueroa, acquired in last year’s six-player trade package for Ryan O’Hearn and Ramón Laureano. The 22-year-old bashed his second and third home runs of the season. Figueroa is probably not a real prospect, but dingers are dingers.
As for those big-name guys, Irish fared the best this week with a 5-for-16 showing, including a homer. Aloy was 5-for-21 with a roundtripper of his own, while George posted a 4-for-17 week. Irish, last year’s first round pick, has a .988 OPS through his first five games at the High-A level. The O’s drafted him as a catcher but he has yet to play behind the plate this season. He’s made three starts at first base and two in right field.
It’s not just hitters who are opening eyes at Frederick. The Keys’ staff is led by a dynamic 1-2 punch of Joseph Dzierwa (#14) and JT Quinn (#19). Dzierwa, a lefty with pinpoint control, has been garnering attention since his Spring Breakout performance and continues to shove for the Keys. He threw seven innings of two-run ball this week, following six shutout frames in his pro debut the previous week. The Orioles normally limit the innings of their prospects early in the season, but Dzierwa has been so efficient with his pitches — 80 or fewer each time — that they haven’t needed to cut him short.
Meanwhile, the righty Quinn — selected 11 picks after Dzierwa in last year’s draft, at #69 — blew away the Dash with 10 strikeouts in 4.2 scoreless frames this week. He too is off to a sensational start to his pro career, with a 1.00 ERA and 16 Ks in his first nine innings. Another pitching prospect, Juaron Watts-Brown (#15) is also at this level and made his season debut with 3.2 scoreless, hitless innings. That trio has upstaged the 6-foot-8 Boston Bateman (#10), the prize of the Padres trade last summer. Bateman bombed this week, coughing up seven runs in 5.2 innings over two outings.
After playing their first eight games of the season on the road, the Keys have their home opener tonight. It’s their first time playing in Frederick as an O’s affiliate since 2019. Shake those keys!
Season record: 3-6, tied for fourth place (4.0 GB) in Carolina League North
We’ll move from the Orioles’ most interesting affiliate, the Keys, to their least interesting one (sorry, Shorebirds). There’s just not a lot of big-name O’s prospect talent at the Low-A level. Only two players from the Camden Chat top 20 are currently with Delmarva, led by right-hander Esteban Mejia (#8). He suffered a terrible start this week, giving up three runs and four hits without getting out of the first inning.
If we’re looking for standout pitching performances, could I interest you in Braeden Sloan? The lefty reliever, a 17th-round pick last year, retired 10 of the 11 batters he faced, striking out eight of them. Low-A veteran Kiefer Lord also was K-happy this week, notching 10 of his 11 outs on strikeouts.
The lone ranked hitting prospect on this team is outfielder Jordan Sanchez (#17), who homered this week. This week’s best hitter was infielder Joshua Liranzo, who homered, drove in five, and drew a team-leading seven walks. Liranzo, a Dominican native, was part of the Orioles’ 2023 international signing class.
As Mark noted last week, changes to the SBNation publishing platform have left us unable to post polls, so we’ll no longer get to vote on a minor league player of the week. But you can always leave a comment below and tell us who your pick would be. Does Ethan Anderson’s nine-hit week or Creed Willems’ two dingers stand out to you? Do you prefer Joseph Dzierwa’s latest quality start? Or someone else entirely? Let us know.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 09: Troy Johnston #20 of the Colorado Rockies looks on during the seventh inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on April 09, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Back on November 5, 2025, when the Colorado Rockies claimed INF/OF Troy Johnston off waivers, the move seemed fairly insignificant.
At the time, the Rockies rebuild was in its early stages with key front office positions remaining unfilled, so their thinking on claiming Johnston was unclear.
In spring training, however, Johnston’s potential became clear:
He’s a lefty batter in a lineup dominated by righties
He plays both first base and the outfield
He had a good showing early on that got him one of the last open spots on the Rockies roster as they left Scottsdale
It’s too early to have much meaningful data on the 2026 season, but Johnston’s initial numbers are promising. In 50 plate appearances, he’s slashed .283/.327/.478 with a 114 wRC+. His time between first and the outfield has been roughly equal.
For Johnston, it’s all in a day’s work. In a recent interview, he discussed joining the Rockies and adjusting to elevation, playing multiple positions, and that walk-up song everyone’s talking about.
Making adjustments
A native of Washington State, Johnston knows his way around the West Coast, but it’s been a minute given that the Marlins drafted him in 2019. Still, Johnston is finding his way around the Mountain West.
“Getting used to the weather, getting used to the travel, getting used to playing teams that I’ve never played before is all very new to me,” Johnston said.
But he’s not worried.
“It’s still baseball. You’ve still got to hit the ball, still got to have a good approach, still got to be athletic, still got to scout and do all this kind of stuff,” he said. “Every day is not the same. You have to prepare differently. You have to train differently for whatever you’re trying to accomplish that day. But I’m trying to adjust and have fun and be the best teammate that I can.”
Wherever he’s playing, Johnston has learned to relax.
“I’ve been playing baseball professionally a long time. I know it hasn’t been in the big leagues, but when you try to put the ball in play, and you just try to make things happen and don’t press too much, sometimes good things happen.”
Then there’s the matter of elevation, which Johnston said he first noticed in his sleep habits.
“I feel like I have not been sleeping very well,” he said, “because I’ve been up in Washington [where] I’m at sea level. I’m up in Seattle and over in Florida, you’re at sea level. I’ve got the humidity, all that kind of stuff. Here, the air is very thin, and it’s very cold, and so that’s very different than what I’m used to. So I’ve been trying to find different techniques, different things that can kind of cope with that.”
Then again, there may be more than elevation at work.
“But I also do have an 11-month-old who’s teething,” Johnston added with a smile. “So as much as I am trying to do my best, she’s also keeping me awake a bit. But we love her, and we’ll keep her around.”
He’s aware, too, of the on-field effects of playing at 5280, something he first noticed at the end of last season when the Marlins visited Coors Field. Although Johnston noted the change in pitch movement, he was especially struck by how the ball flew, setting up a situation that requires vigilance on the part of defenders.
“I do understand in the outfield, the ball will travel and it’ll kind of carry on you. As long as you’re thinking about that while you’re tracking the baseball, things happen a little bit better,” he said. “But if you’re not prepared for it, that’s where it’ll sneak up on you.”
Johnston added, “I feel like the pop-ups in the infield are fairly normal, but I think those, those deep, mid-level drives out to the outfield in the gaps down the lines, those are where you see the big difference.”
Being versatile
The Rockies’ new front office has emphasized the need for versatility. It’s another part of Johnston’s game that requires his attention, most notably in terms of preparation.
“A lot of it is just mental preparedness and making sure I get my reps, preparing for what I need to do that day, whether it’s playing in the infield, playing in the outfield,” Johnston said. “I feel like I’m comfortable at any position.”
He recognizes, though, that versatility is a key part of his game.
“That was the big thing of why the Rockies claimed me off waivers from Miami was that I can play multiple positions.”
Since he was drafted as an outfielder, first base has been a position added to his toolkit, but he doesn’t have a positional preference.
“There’s no actual theory behind this,” he said, “but for me, being an outfielder is just a glorified DH. That’s all it is. You’re just out there. You’re hanging out, kicking grass, doing whatever.”
But that changes in an instant.
“When the ball does come to you in the outfield, there’s a really, really high pressure. You need to catch the ball. You need to get it into the right guy,” Johnston said, adding, “When we’re in the infield, you’re locked in pretty much all nine innings. Maybe in the outfield, you can get away with taking one pitch off.”
He’s just ready to do what’s asked of him.
“I’ve told [manager Warren Schaeffer] this a lot. I will do anything he needs me to do. If he asked me to play shortstop in the ninth, if he asked me to play third base and bat first, it does not matter. I will do anything, whatever they need.”
“She picked it,” Johnston explained, “and she thought it was so funny.”
Here’s how it happened.
“We were going up in January,” he said, ‘and I was like, ‘You know, I need a walk up song. Spring training is coming around. I need something. What do you think?’ And she goes, ‘“Mambo No. 5.’ And I go, ‘That’s the worst walk-up song I’ve ever heard my entire life.’ And she goes, ‘I promise you: It’ll bring its good vibes. The fans will like it. They’ll get interactive.’ And she did this whole little dance routine with it. And I thought it was so funny. I didn’t really have a lot of other options in my mind. So I was like, ‘You know, I’ll try it, and see what works.’
As it turns out, it did.
“But it was funny,” he said, smiling. “There was somebody that tweeted something out and said, ‘Troy Johnston’s walk up song is just so fitting for him,’ and I hated it so much, because, of course, my wife is usually right.”
Appreciating what the Rockies are building
Johnston also draws contrasts between his current situation and where he was in Miami.
“A lot of people are talking about the Rockies and how things have been in the past, but this is a new team,” Johnston said.
“We’re hungry. We want to win. It’s kind of our motto.”
Plus, there’s a Rockies fandom eager for winning.
“Coming from the Miami Marlins, when I walked around Miami, I never saw a Miami Marlins jersey. I never saw a Marlins hat. I saw nothing,” Johnston said.
“When I’m walking around downtown Denver, they’re really excited about the Rockies. They want the Rockies to be good. This is a sports town. We are trying to put a good product on the field. Paul [DePodesta] has done a great job of that. I’ve never seen so many supporters of one team that I’ve actually been a part of and that I’ve been on. So this city and this team wants to win, we’re going to try to put the best product every night and do our best to win.”
Continuing our look at Troy Johnston on is Tuesday is Eli Whitney over at Blake Street Banter. Here he provides another perspective on the utility player.
Carlos Collazo has the Rockies selecting AJ Gracia, an outfielder from the University of Virginia. As Collazo writes, “How the Rockies and their new front office draft this year will be one of the most interesting storylines to watch. It sounds like they’ve spent a lot of time on college players this spring and, at least for some teams, Gracia is closer to Strosnider in the college outfield pecking order than the others. He has a patient and selective approach that leads to lots of walks. His career walk rate is right around 18-19%, and he has the bat-to-ball skills that limit his strikeouts.”
