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JR Ritchie impresses in 1-0 victory over Philly

NORTH PORT, FL- FEBRUARY 22: JR Ritchie #92 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during a spring training game against the Minnesota Twins on February 22, 2026 at CoolToday Park in North Port, Florida. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Today’s recap is going to be a short and sweet, as this game was light on action and light on Braves’ roster candidates, as Jose Suarez got the start, to be followed by JR Ritchie.

Suarez looked pretty good by his standards, striking out 3, walking 2, and accruing 10 whiffs over 4.0+ scoreless innings and 61 pitches thrown. He allowed 4 batted balls over 95 MPH, two of which were ground balls. Overall a strong outing for Jose. Joel Payamps took over for Jose in the fifth after Jose gave up a leadoff single. After a bunt hit and a soft flyout, Payamps stuck out Marsh and Bohm to end the inning.

JR Ritchie entered the game in the sixth and hit Adolis Garcia to start his outing. Ritchie settled in after that, inducing a soft flyout and striking out two, ending the inning. He carried that momentum into the second inning, striking out the first two batters and ending the inning with a Trea Turner pop-out. It was more of the same for the last two innings, as Ritchie ended his outing with 4.0 no-hit innings with 6 strikeouts and just the one HBP as the lone baserunner, needing 52 pitches to get the job done. He worked with a large pitch mix, as is his norm and did so to devastating effect. That’s a really impressive outing for the Opening Day roster candidate and top prospect.

On the offensive side, the Braves’ quad-A lineup squandered a leadoff triple in the first and scattered a few baserunners but didn’t put up any runs against the Philly starter, Walker…or first reliever in Alvarado…or any other Philly pitcher until Tyler Tolve launched a solo homer in the ninth inning. Brett Wisely and Luke Williams each had two-hit days, which were also the only Braves hits outside of the Tolve homer. Luis Guanipa got a plate appearance in the ninth and struck out.

Join us again tomorrow as the Braves take on the Rays at 1:05 PM ET.

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Canadiens: Mister Saturday Night Sets New Career High

In the Montreal Canadiens’ defeat against the San Jose Sharks, Cole Caufield, who was back in the lineup after missing the previous game with an illness, scored his 38th goal of the season, a new personal best for the 25-year-old.

With 17 games to go in the season, it appears to be a foregone conclusion that he will be the Canadiens’ first 40-goal scorer since Vincent Damphousse achieved the feat in 1993-94. Back then, seasons had 84 games, a length that will return for the next campaign. If Caufield keeps scoring at the same pace, he should have 48 goals in 81 games (since he missed a game).

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Caufield is currently tied in second place for most goals in the league with Matt Boldy and Kirill Kaprisov, trailing Nathan MacKinnon, who currently has 44 lamplighters, on his way to a first Rocket Richard trophy win.

This is the Wisconsin native’s sixth season with the Canadiens, and he’s made tremendous progress under Martin St. Louis' tutelage. When he was drafted, he was seen as a sniper, but nowadays he plays a much more complete game. The five-foot-eight winger is now much more defensively responsible and has such an active stick that he can often create his own scoring chances by picking defensemen’s pockets.

Despite his small stature, he is not afraid to go into traffic to get the puck and to attack the net in close. In his earlier years, he would stay on the perimeter, taking one-timers from the faceoff spot in the offensive zone. He can still do that, but he has learned to mix things up, making him less predictable for the defence corps. Caufield now has 65 points on the season, only five away from his personal best, a number he should easily beat if he keeps the same pace.

While it raised a few eyebrows last season when St-Louis took him out of “his office” on the power play to give that spot to Patrik Laine, it ended up being a formative experience for the youngster, and it helped him diversify his game.

Still, it feels like Caufield has yet to reach his ceiling, and it will be interesting to see where he goes from here. With a $7.85 million cap hit for the next five seasons, he will soon be seen as a complete steal for the Canadiens, just like he was as a fifteen overall pick back in the 2019 draft.

Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.  

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Mets make another round of spring training roster cuts

A.J. Ewing / | Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Mets have made another round of roster cuts in big league camp, as the following players have been sent to the minor league side:

  • Pitchers: Carl Edwards Jr., Joe Jacques, Ryan Lambert
  • Catcher: Kevin Parada
  • Infielders: Ryan Clifford, Jackson Cluff, Grae Kessinger, Jacob Reimer
  • Outfielders: Jihwan Bae, A.J. Ewing, Jose Ramos

The team notes that there are now 53 players in major league camp. With Opening Day set to take place just eleven days from now, more cuts are surely coming soon.

Of the ones that the Mets made today, none are particularly surprising. While A.J. Ewing has fared well in his time in major league spring training games, he figures to start the year in the upper minors, either by returning to Double-A Binghamton or starting the season with a promotion to Triple-A Syracuse.

Ryan Lambert was impressive in his brief stint in big league camp, too, but having struggled with walks in Binghamton last year—despite an outstanding 1.71 ERA in 42.0 innings there—it’s not shocking to see that the Mets might want him to get a bit more time in the upper minors before he makes his major league debut.

Even with players returning from the World Baseball Classic, some of the players who’ve been sent to minor league camp will get some appearances in the remainder of the Mets’ Grapefruit League games, as they’re all still eligible to do so.

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Predators vs Oilers Prediction, Picks & Odds for Tonight’s NHL Game

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A Western Conference clash between the Edmonton Oilers and Nashville Predators closes out tonight's NHL slate.

It's go time for Edmonton down the stretch, and it’s time for the captain to lead the charge. That's why Connor McDavid highlights my Predators vs. Oilers predictions and NHL picks below. 

Predators vs Oilers prediction

Predators vs Oilers best bet: Connor McDavid anytime goalscorer (+105)

Connor McDavid is revving up the engine as the stakes get higher down the final stretch run. 

The Edmonton Oilers captain has scored in two of his last three games and has a long history of tickling the twine against the Nashville Predators. 

He has 10 goals in his last 10 games against Nashville, including a hat trick in the January 6 meeting between the two clubs earlier this season.

Overall, Nashville has struggled in the defending and goaltending department all season long, sporting a 3.42 GAA this season to go with a lowly .896 team save percentage over their last five games.

Predators vs Oilers same-game parlay

Ill take Edmonton to go Over on their team total of 3.5. They’ve eclipsed that mark in six of nine games, and in four of the last six meetings against Nashville.

Lastly, I’ll add Over 0.5 assists for Evan Bouchard. The Oilers defenseman has an assist in seven of his last nine games, and leads all NHL blueliners with 74 points, 56 of which are assists.

Predators vs Oilers SGP

  • Connor McDavid anytime goalscorer
  • Evan Bouchard Over 0.5 assists
  • Oilers team total Over 3.5

Predators vs Oilers odds

  • Moneyline: Predators +150 | Oilers -175
  • Puck Line: Predators +1.5 (-150) | Oilers -1.5 (+140)
  • Over/Under: Over 6.5 | Under 6.5

Predators vs Oilers trend

The Oilers have won seven of their last 10 meetings against the Predators. Find more NHL betting trends for Predators vs. Oilers.

How to watch Predators vs Oilers

LocationRogers Place, Edmonton, Alberta
DateSunday, March 15, 2026
Puck drop8:00 p.m. ET
TVFDSN SO, SNW

Predators vs Oilers latest injuries

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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Spring Training GAME THREAD: Guardians vs. Athletics

TOKYO, JAPAN - MARCH 08: Stuart Fairchild #17 of Team Chinese Taipei celebrates after hitting a two run home run in the eighth inning during the 2026 World Baseball Classic Pool C game between Chinese Taipei and South Korea at Tokyo Dome on March 8, 2026 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images) | Getty Images

here’s the lineup:

Kwan LF

Arias SS

Jose 3B

DeLauter DH

Hoskins 1B

Fry C

Kayfus RF

Fairchild CF

Bazzana 2B

Bibee P

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Michael Lorenzen to start for Italy, Keider Montero for Venezuela in World Baseball Classic semifinals

MIAMI — Michael Lorenzen will start for Italy and Keider Montero for Venezuela when the teams meet Monday night in a World Baseball Classic semifinal.

A 34-year-old right-hander, Lorenzen pitched 4 2/3 scoreless innings in the group stage 8-6 upset of the United States on Tuesday.

“I faced him many times,” said Italy manager Francisco Cervelli, a former big league catcher. “This is the perfect guy.”

Italy is in the semifinals for the first time of a tournament that started in 2006. Venezuela lost its only semifinal appearance, 10-2 to South Korea in 2009.

Lorenzen, an All-Star in 2023, was 7-11 with a 4.64 ERA in 26 starts and one relief appearances for Kansas City last year, then became a free agent and signed a one-year, $8 million contract with Colorado.

If Italy wins, Aaron Nola would be lined up to start Tuesday night’s final against the U.S. or the Dominican Republic.

Montero, a 25-year-old right-hander, pitched three scoreless innings of relief on Monday in a 4-0 first-round win over Nicaragua.

He made his big league debut on May 29, 2024, and was 5-3 with a 4.37 ERA in 12 starts and eight relief appearances last year for Detroit during a season in which he was optioned to Triple-A Toledo six times. Monero was 4-4 with a 5.91 ERA in eight starts and two relief appearances for the Mud Hens.

Montero had three postseason appearances last year and got a save in the AL Division Series opener, an 11-inning win over Cleveland.

Italy made a pair of roster moves ahead of the semifinal: Left-hander Joe Jacques replaced Dylan DeLucia, who threw 58 pitches in Saturday’s quarterfinal win over Puerto Rico and under pitch-count rules is ineligible to take the mound on Monday. Infielder Brayan Rocchio took the roster spot of Miles Mastrobuoni, who got hurt in the game against the U.S.

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Cavs vs. Mavs open gamethread

CLEVELAND, OHIO - FEBRUARY 27: Max Strus #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots a half-court shot over Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks to defeat the Mavericks in the last second of the fourth quarter at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on February 27, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Mavericks 121-119. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers will look to make it two-straight wins over the Dallas Mavericks.

Share your thoughts as the game unfolds. If you aren’t a member of the community, sign up so you can talk to your fellow Cavalier fans and make your voice heard!

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Go Cavs!

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Why The Maple Leafs Extended Goaltending Prospect Artur Akhtyamov

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltending prospect Artur Akhtyamov is sticking around for three more years.

The 24-year-old goaltender signed a three-year extension with the Maple Leafs on Sunday afternoon, worth $2.7 million. The contract's annual average value is $900,000.

Akhtyamov's extension, which will begin next season, will start as a two-way contract in 2026-27 before converting into a one-way deal for the final two years (2027-28 and 2028-29).

The Kazan, Russia-born goaltender was a fourth-round (106th overall) pick from Toronto in the 2020 NHL Draft. He's playing in his second full season of pro hockey in North America, since coming over from Russia in 2024.

In his first season with the AHL's Toronto Marlies, Akhtyamov picked up 11 wins and a .901 save percentage through 26 games, playing mostly behind fellow goaltending prospect Dennis Hildeby.

Entering this season, Akhtyamov was focused on building off what was a successful first year in the AHL.

"I need to work, and we'll see. My work is to stop the puck," Akhtyamov said before the season last September. "I hope I will sign a new contract with the Maple Leafs."

Through 32 games this season, he's tallied 18 wins and a .904 save percentage, while also being named an AHL All-Star earlier this year. Akhtyamov hasn't had a regulation loss at home since Nov. 26, going 8-0-1 in that span.

'My Work Is To Stop The Puck': Maple Leafs Prospect Artur Akhtyamov Eager To Follow In The Footsteps Of Dennis Hildeby Last Season'My Work Is To Stop The Puck': Maple Leafs Prospect Artur Akhtyamov Eager To Follow In The Footsteps Of Dennis Hildeby Last Season<a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/hes-still-young-but-man-hes-not-afraid-of-the-moment-maple-leafs-prospect-artur-akhtyamov-is-stealing-the-show-with-the-marlies">Artur Akhtyamov</a> is excited for another year in Toronto despite being far from home.

Akhtyamov also made his NHL debut on Dec. 13 against the Edmonton Oilers, coming in for the relief of Hildeby. Akhtyamov stopped all five shots he faced in the game, despite the 6-3 loss. He dressed as a backup for the Maple Leafs in five games this season.

In 58 career games with the Marlies, the goaltender has a 29-18-8 record, four shutouts, and a .903 save percentage.

It appears the Maple Leafs think very highly of both Hildeby and Akhtyamov. Hildeby signed a similar deal to Akhtyamov's last September. What's different about Hildeby's contract is that it's a two-way deal for the first two years, turning into a one-way contract in the final year.

"It's really good. He's a really good partner," Akhtyamov said of Hildeby in September. "I'm happy he's staying here, and we work together again."

Both appear to be almost ready to challenge for a roster spot with the Maple Leafs, and likely will in training camp next fall.

Toronto now has four goaltenders — Joseph Woll, Anthony Stolarz, Hildeby, and Akhtyamov — under NHL contract until 2028. Woll will be an unrestricted free agent in 2028, while Hildeby will be a restricted free agent.

Stolarz and Akhtaymov's deals run until 2029. Both goaltenders will be UFAs when their contracts expire.

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Colorado Rockies spring training game no. 24 thread: Tanner Gordon vs. Austin Gordon

DENVER, COLORADO - MAY 23: Tanner Gordon #29 of the Colorado Rockies prepares to deliver a pitch during the second inning against the New York Yankees at Coors Field on May 23, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Andrew Wevers/Getty Images) | Getty Images

On Saturday the Rockies lost… but they also won. In split squad action they were beat by the Milwaukee Brewers primarily due to a rough four run appearance from Victor Vodnik. At the same time, they bested the Cubs 4-3 after a scoreless three inning start from Kyle Freeland and a walk-off two run homer by Braxton Fulford.

Today the Rockies will come back together as a single full squad to take on the Los Angeles Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium.

On the mound for the Halos is twenty two year old righthander Austin Gordon. Drafted in the fourth round of the 2024 draft, Gordon struggled to limit runs (5.44 ERA over 84.1 innings) in his first year at High-A with the Tri City Dust Devils.

His 10.14 k/9 and 2.88 bb/9 paint a bit of a rosier picture of his first season as a professional, and he has only allowed two runs in six innings so far this spring. Still, Gordon currently projects as a potential back of the rotation starter with solid command and will need to start displaying a true put-away pitch to surpass that.

The Rockies will be countering with a Gordon of their own. Tanner Gordon (no relation) has been working this spring to add a two seam fastball to his repertoire but you wouldn’t know he was workshopping something new and unfinished just by looking at his results. So far this spring the Rockies’ Gordon has pitched seven innings of one run ball over three appearances while striking out eight and only allowing one walk.

That strong performance means that Gordon is still very much in the mix for a spot in the opening day rotation so todays results, alongside seeing how his new pitch progresses, have potential implications for the start of the season.

First Pitch: 2:10 pm MDT

TV: None

Radio: 850 KOA

MLB Gameday: Live Box Score

Lineups:

Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!

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ST Game 24: San Diego Padres at Arizona Diamondbacks

San Diego Padres Xander Bogaerts (Photo by Mike Christy/Getty Images) | Getty Images

San Diego Padres at Arizona Diamondbacks, March 15, 2026, 1:10 p.m. PST

Watch: Padres.TV

Location: Salt River Fields at Talking Stick – Scottsdale, AZ

Listen: 97.3 The Fan

Please remember our Game Day thread guidelines.

  • Don’t troll in your comments; create conversation rather than destroying it
  • Remember Gaslamp Ball is basically a non-profanity site
  • Out of respect to broadcast partners who have paid to carry the game, no mentions of “alternative” (read: illegal) viewing methods are allowed in our threads

GB community, this is your thread for today’s game. Enjoy!

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Mariners Spring Training Game #23

Feb 12, 2026; Peoria, AZ, USA; Former Seattle Mariners player Ichiro Suzuki looks on during a Spring Training workout at Peoria Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images | Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

If you’re interested in a little amuse bouche before tonight’s semi-final WBC game between the DR and US, the Mariners are playing an exhibition game against the Cincinnati reds this afternoon. George Kirby gets his third Cactus League start, where he’ll hope to round into cleaner form. Keep an eye on him between pitches to see how often he’s calling the game for himself, an innovation Kate dug into last week.

Facing off against him will be old friend Brandon Williamson, who was the headliner in the Mariners’ 2022 trade for Eugenio Suárez and Jesse Winker. Things haven’t gone great for him since the trade. He struggled with command problems, then sacrificed his whiffs to compensate. Then he got a bad case of the injury bug, with shoulder soreness and then TJ limiting him to just 30.2 total innings in 2024 and a goose egg in 2025. He’s looking to bounce back with a move to the bullpen, and his first seven innings this spring have been spectacular.

Lineups

Randy Arozarena makes his first appearance since his totally uneventful with no news around him whatsoever turn in the WBC. Refsnyder gets another start, and Luke Raley will get a chance to face a southpaw. “Taylor” at first base is Carson Taylor, who the Mariners picked up in the minor-league portion of the Rule 5 Draft.

Quite a few regulars in Cincinnati’s lineup today, including Noelvi Marte, the centerpiece of the trade that brought Luis Castillo to Seattle. I also forgot Ke’Bryan Hayes had been traded to the Reds, which forced Marte to the outfield.

News From Camp

Michael Arroyo, Michael Rucker, and Ryan Sloan have been reassigned to minor league camp.

Game Info

First pitch: 1:10 PT
TV: No television broadcast today.
Radio: Old Reliable

Build Your Winning Bracket!

SB Nation’s CBB expert Mike Rutherford and resident bracketologist Chris Dobbertean will answer all your questions this week and help guide you to bracket glory! Drop in SB Nation’s March Madness Feed all week long and we’ll have both on hand! (All times ET)

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Paris paradox: did Borthwick liberate England or was it down to player power? | Gerard Meagher

Despite a huge upswing in performance against France, the head coach still has a case to answer for what went wrong in the Six Nations

Did England play like that because of Steve Borthwick or in spite of him? For all that the Rugby Football Union will deep dive, look under the bonnet, get into the weeds – pick your own favourite bit of corporate speak – it is the fundamental question that Bill Sweeney and his review panel must ask in the coming weeks. Did Borthwick liberate his players against France, or did they take matters into their own hands?

As usual, the panel will include input from Sweeney and Conor O’Shea as well as those from outside the building who insist on anonymity. It is said that despite the huge upswing in performance in defeat against France, the RFU is still determined to establish what went wrong during this Six Nations. That is a positive sign because when the dust settles, this still goes down as their worst-ever championship. The noises coming from the RFU suggest that they will not be blinded by the razzle-dazzle in Paris, that Borthwick still has a case to answer.

Continue reading...
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Celebrini Comes To Town As Senators Continue Playoff Push

With the NHL playoff races tightening, the Ottawa Senators host Macklin Celebrini and the San Jose Sharks on Sunday afternoon (5 pm, TSN 5, TVAS) in a game with significant implications for both teams.

The Senators (33-23-9) begin play on Sunday five points behind both Boston (WC1) and Detroit (WC2). Ottawa has a game in hand on the Bruins and two on the Wings, a team they'll meet head-to-head a week from Tuesday in Detroit.

This weekend's visits from Western teams are a reminder of how much easier life would be for the Senators if they played in the other conference. Only three teams in the entire Western Conference (Colorado, Dallas, and Minnesota) have a better record than the Senators (.577).

San Jose (32-22-6) holds WC2 out west, just one point up on Seattle and Los Angeles.

So both teams are highly motivated, fighting for their playoff lives, and both may face a little fatigue at some point. The Sharks played last night, defeating the Montreal Canadiens 4-2. The Senators also played earlier in the day, blanking the Anaheim Ducks, 2-0, on a 23-save shutout by Linus Ullmark.

As is often the case in part two of a back-to-back, it was expected that both teams would go to their backup goalies. On his 38th birthday, James Reimer will not get the call against his former team. On Linus Ullmark bobblehead day, the Sens will go to the big Swede once again, hoping he can keep the magic up from Saturday's performance.

Having seen the preview, it would have been nice if they didn't give the Ullmark figurine a wobbly trapper.

Meanwhile, for a third straight game, the Senators will face a goalie who was recently in the American Hockey League. The Sharks will go Laurent Brossoit, who will play in his first NHL game since April of 2024. The former Winnipeg Jet was recalled from San Jose's AHL club on Friday and was the backup against Montreal on Saturday.

After Canadiens callup Jacob Fowler and Anaheim's Ville Husso absolutely stood on their heads in the past two games in Ottawa, the Senators shouldn't expect Brossoit to be anything less than Vezina-level on Sunday.

The game does mark the return of former Senators Adam Gaudette and Zack Ostapchuk. Gaudette had 19 goals for the Sens last season but signed as a free agent with the Sharks over the summer. He has 14 goals and 7 assists in 51 games.

Ostapchuk was part of last year's Fabian Zetterlund trade. The Senators thought it was a clear upgrade for them, and paid a stiff salary cap price for it, but they're both fourth-liners, getting 9-11 minutes per night.

The Senators continue to be without Jake Sanderson and while his absence leaves a big void, the rest of the group has done a fine job of stepping up in his absence. Out of the three games since Sanderson was hurt in Seattle, the Senators have posted a pair of shutout victories.

Jordan Spence has probably elevated his game the most, logging more ice time (22:55) against the Ducks than any Senator not named Thomas Chabot (27:24). He was excellent versus Anaheim on Saturday afternoon.

Clearly, the Sens' big task on Sunday will be to shut down Celebrini, whose 94 points in 64 games as a teenager is all kind of ridiculous.

But they won't face Igor Chernyshov, another promising youngster for San Jose. Cherynshov has 11 points in his first 16 NHL games, but was caught with his head down by Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson on Saturday.

The neutral zone collision wasn't that hard, but Chernyshov's skates seemed to get caught up with Matheson's stick, tripping him up and sending him airborne. He appeared to be knocked unconscious after he fell hard to the ice. Disturbingly, with wobbling legs, the rookie tried twice to get up before linesmen came to his aid.

Projected lineups (NHL.com)

San Jose Sharks

Collin Graf -- Macklin Celebrini -- Will Smith

Adam Gaudette -- Alexander Wennberg -- Kiefer Sherwood

William Eklund -- Michael Misa -- Tyler Toffoli

Barclay Goodrow -- Zack Ostapchuk -- Ryan Reaves

Dmitry Orlov -- John Klingberg

Mario Ferraro -- Shakir Mukhamadullin

Sam Dickinson -- Vincent Desharnais

Laurent Brossoit

Alex Nedeljkovic

Scratched: Pavol Regenda, Nick Leddy, Philipp Kurashev

Injured: Ty Dellandrea (lower body), Yaroslav Askarov (lower body), Igor Chernyshov (undisclosed)

Ottawa Senators

Drake Batherson -- Tim Stutzle -- Claude Giroux

Brady Tkachuk -- Dylan Cozens -- Ridly Greig

Nick Cousins -- Shane Pinto -- Michael Amadio

Warren Foegele -- Lars Eller -- Fabian Zetterlund

Thomas Chabot -- Artem Zub

Tyler Kleven -- Jordan Spence

Dennis Gilbert -- Nikolas Matinpalo

James Reimer

Linus Ullmark

Scratched: Stephen Halliday, Kurtis MacDermid

Injured: Jake Sanderson (upper body), Nick Jensen (lower body)

Steve Warne
The Hockey News

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Dominican Republic WBC roster: USA opponent is loaded with MLB superstars

One of only three countries to win the World Baseball Classic – along with Japan (three times) and Team USA (one) – the Dominican Republic has a stacked roster for the 2026 tournament including one of the greatest lineups ever assembled.

The Dominicans won the 2013 WBC and have romped through the first five games of this tournament, going undefeated with 51 runs and 14 home runs in the process. Fernando Tatis Jr. (7-for-16, 2 HR, 11 RBIs) and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (7-for-14, 2 HR, 8 RBI) have led the DR's power surge with Juan Soto, Austin Wells and Oneil Cruz also slugging two homers so far.

Team USA starter Paul Skenes will have his hands full in Sunday's semifinal with the Dominican lineup that also includes All-Stars in Ketel Marte, Julio Rodriguez and Manny Machado.

Here's a look at the full Dominican Republic roster:

Dominican Republic roster for 2026 WBC

Infielders

  • Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (1B)
  • Manny Machado (3B)
  • Ketel Marte (2B)
  • Geraldo Perdomo (SS)
  • Erik González (SS/UTIL) — Injury replacement for Jeremy Peña
  • Junior Caminero (3B/DH)
  • Carlos Santana (1B)
  • Amed Rosario (UTIL)

Outfielders

  • Juan Soto (LF/RF)
  • Julio Rodríguez (CF)
  • Fernando Tatis Jr. (RF)
  • Oneil Cruz (CF/UTIL)
  • Johan Rojas (CF)

Pitchers

  • Sandy Alcántara (RHP)
  • Cristopher Sánchez (LHP)
  • Luis Severino (RHP)
  • Brayan Bello (RHP)
  • Carlos Estévez (RHP)
  • Camilo Doval (RHP)
  • Abner Uribe (RHP)
  • Seranthony Domínguez (RHP)
  • Gregory Soto (LHP)
  • Wandy Peralta (LHP)
  • Albert Abreu (RHP)
  • Elvis Alvarado (RHP)
  • Huascar Brazobán (RHP)
  • Dennis Santana (RHP)
  • Edwin Uceta (RHP)

Catchers

  • Austin Wells
  • Agustín Ramírez

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dominican Republic WBC roster 2026: Juan Soto, Vlad Jr. headline team

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Diaz outrighted, MacIver, Corniell optioned

SURPRISE, AZ - MARCH 12: Willie MacIver #47 of the Texas Rangers celebrates in the dugout during the game between the Athletics and the Texas Rangers at Surprise Stadium on Thursday, March 12, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Sydni Griffin/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Texas Rangers relief pitcher Alexis Diaz has cleared waivers and been outrighted to AAA Round Rock, the team announced today. The team also announced that catcher Willie MacIver has been optioned to AAA Round Rock and pitcher Jose Corniell has been optioned to AA Frisco. In addition, Jonah Bride, Cam Cauley and Gavin Collyer have all been re-assigned to the minor league camp.

Not really anything terribly surprising from this sequence of moves. Diaz, who was signed this offseason as a free agent, was designated for assignment two days ago when the Rangers needed a roster spot for Jalen Beeks. Diaz was very bad this spring after being very bad in 2025, and no team was apparently interested in devoting a 40 man roster spot to him. He will try to get things back on track at Round Rock once the AAA season starts.

Neither Corniell nor MacIver were candidates to be on the Opening Day roster, barring injury. Corniell, who returned from Tommy John surgery in the second half of 2025, is looking to pick up where he left off after a strong finish to the 2025 campaign, and show that he’s a viable option during the 2026 season should the Rangers need to call someone up to help out in the rotation. MacIver is the third catcher on the 40 man roster for a team that is only carrying two catchers on the active roster.

None of Bride, Cauley and Collyer were expected to be in the mix for a spot on the Opening Day roster when camp began. Collyer, who was re-signed by the Rangers after becoming a minor league free agent this past offseason, got good reviews this spring, to the point he was being mentioned as a possible bullpen candidate. Cauley, meanwhile, turned heads and impressed manager Skip Schumaker.