Here are five things to watch and predictions as the Mets and Nationals play a three-game series at Citi Field starting on Tuesday night on SNY...
5 things to watch
How much worse can it get?
By getting swept by the Rockies in a three-game series over the weekend at Citi Field, the Mets fell to 9-19 and are tied with the Phillies for the worst record in MLB.
A team dismissing a manager this early in the season can certainly happen if the results relative to expectations are bad enough -- see Alex Cora and the Red Sox. And it's fair to wonder if Carlos Mendoza's job will be safe if the Mets don't win this series against Washington.
Beyond that, there is no magic elixir for the MLB-worst offense, no one coming to save the undermanned rotation right now, and no impact relievers in Triple-A Syracuse who are on the cusp of reaching the majors.
If the Mets win two or three of these games against Washington, perhaps things will start to normalize. If not, watch out.
Rotation shakeup coming?
The Kodai Senga situation is untenable, and it's close to impossible to envision him remaining in the rotation.
Complicating matters is that Christian Scott couldn't locate during his start last week, and is now back in Triple-A. Scott will very likely be back sooner rather than later, but he can't return until May 4 unless he replaces an injured player.
Against the Nats, the Mets can go with Clay Holmes and Freddy Peralta in the first two games, but they'll need a starter for the final game on Thursday (or a starter for Wednesday if they pitch Peralta on an extra day of rest). That's because Nolan McLean pitched Sunday and won't pitch again until this Friday at the earliest.
The Mets could theoretically use one of their four bulk relievers (David Peterson, Sean Manaea, Tobias Myers, or Carl Edwards Jr.) to start on Wednesday or Thursday and/or piggyback a few of them.
Still, a more permanent solution is necessary, which could mean Peterson or Manaea returning to the rotation in a regular capacity.
Since Benge was hitting .091 with a .392 OPS entering play on April 8, it's going to take a while for him to get his numbers to a respectable level.
But he's starting to look a lot more relaxed at the plate.
Apr 23, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets outfielder Carson Benge (3) runs the bases after hitting a solo home run during the fourth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Citi Field. / Vincent Carchietta - Imagn Images
Benge has five hits in his last 12 at-bats and has struck out just once over his last six games -- a span of 15 plate appearances.
He's also above average when it comes to six of 13 advanced stats tracked by Baseball Savant (average exit velocity, hard hit percentage, sweet-spot percentage, squared-up percentage, chase percentage, and whiff percentage).
Meanwhile, Benge is in the 94th percentile when it comes to OAA and 91st percentile in sprint speed.
Washington's putrid pitching
If there's any pitching staff that could help the Mets' offense wake up, it's the Nats' group.
Washington has surrendered a whopping 171 runs this season, which is the most in the NL and fewer than only the Astros, who have allowed 174.
Against the Mets, the Nats are set to trot out these three starting pitchers:
Zack Littell: 7.56 ERA and 1.68 WHIP in 25.0 IP this season. He has allowed 16 runs (14 earned) on 18 hits in 10.0 innings over his last two starts.
Cade Cavalli: 4.01 ERA and 1.66 WHIP in 24.2 IP. Cavalli has given up more hits (29) than innings.
Miles Mikolas: 8.49 ERA and 1.84 WHIP in 23.1 IP. Mikolas has surrendered seven home runs.
Beware of James Wood
Wood has been a force.
He has still been bedeviled by strikeouts (his 44 are the most in the majors after his 221 were the most in the sport last season).
But Wood is leading the NL in home runs (10) and walks (28) while posting a career-best .972 OPS.
Predictions
Who will the MVP of the series be?
Bo Bichette
Bichette is hitting .292 over his last six games.
Which Mets pitcher will have the best start?
Freddy Peralta
Peralta's average fastball velocity has been ticking up. It was 93.5 mph on April 12 against the Athletics, 94.0 on April 18 against the Cubs, and 94.5 this past Friday against the Rockies. Peralta averaged 94.8 mph with the offering last season.
Which Nationals player will be a thorn in the Mets' side?
CJ Abrams
Abrams is having a big year, with seven homers and an .896 OPS.
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 11: Seaver King #66 of the Washington Nationals at bat during a spring training game against the St. Louis Cardinals at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on March 11, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Last season, Seaver King swung at 53.1% of pitches in the minors. That is much more than the average big league rate, which hovers around 46%. This over aggression is part of what contributed to a rough first pro season for King. Now, the former first round pick is only swinging at 39.8% of pitches, but is doing much more damage.
In over 500 at bats last season, Seaver King hit just six home runs. Armed with a new approach, King already has four homers, a feat he did not accomplish until the middle of June last year. It is clear that King is hunting for his pitch and driving it when it comes. If he does not get his pitch, he is perfectly content to take it.
Seaver King is heating up 🔥
He already has four homers this year.
He didn’t hit his fourth homer until June 11 last year.
Seaver King has gone from an ultra-aggressive hitter to a patient one seemingly overnight. Plate discipline is usually one of those skills that is harder to teach. Guys like Juan Soto are just born with an ability to know the zone, while it is tougher for hitters like Javier Baez. King seemed to fall into that latter category, but so far the Leopard is changing its spots.
By swinging less, King is also inevitably walking more. After walking at a 5.8% clip last season, he is taking free passes over 17% of the time this year. While King is the most extreme example of this, we are seeing less swinging throughout the Nats organization.
Right now, the Nats have 11 minor league hitters who are walking over 15% of the time. Last season, they only had three, and all of them were either in the Dominican Summer League or the complex, where pitchers don’t throw many strikes. Even if that number drops to 7 or 8, it would be much higher than any season in recent memory.
But wait, there’s more Nats minor league hitters with a BB% over 15%: 2026: 11 (9 of 11 under 22 years old) 2025: 3 (All Dominican Summer League or complex, where no one can throw strikes) 2024: 1 (CPX) 2023: 5 (1 DSL, 3 24+ or older at low level affiliates) 2022: 4 (2 DSL)
You can search just about any prospect in the Nats system on Fangraphs, and almost all of them are swinging less. Yeremy Cabrera has cut his swing rate from 45% to 41%. Eli Willits has gone from 46.4% to 44.1%, while Luke Dickerson has gone from 46% to 40%. Devin Fitz-Gerald and Abimelec Ortiz are two other notable players who cut their swing rates down.
There are still some aggressive hitters thriving in the organization right now like Ronny Cruz and Cayden Wallace. However, it is clear that the new front office wants players to swing less and do more when they do swing. After years of watching the Nats ground ball heavy and free swinging offenses, this approach is a breath of fresh air.
The roots of this rebuild are developing at the minor league level, but you can see this philosophy taking hold at the big league level. Plate discipline and contact skills are a big reason why the Nats targeted Jorbit Vivas and Curtis Mead. We are also seeing players like CJ Abrams and Brady House walking more often.
Surprisingly, it feels like the hitting development improvements are having a quicker impact than the pitching development stuff. I figured it would be the other way around, but I am very happy to see Nats hitters having success at all levels of the organization. We are seeing plenty of breakout hitters in the minors like King, Ronny Cruz and Yeremy Cabrera.
I think the new front office is a big part of this success. They are not going to magically turn everyone around, but you want to see consistent success stories. We are seeing those success stories early in the season, and it helps you buy into the front office’s vision.
The Nats walking more often at all levels is no accident. Between the messaging and the new tools at players disposal, this is part of a master plan. Down in Fredericksburg, batters hit off a machine that throws harder and produces nastier stuff than any Low-A arm they will see.
Really good article from Spencer. This part really stuck out. Nats swing decisions have been awful at all levels in previous years. Glad there is an emphasis on swing decisions now. https://t.co/4pXLRKmmLRpic.twitter.com/qWyEHKwdHI
That should get them ready for the game and make those at bats easier. I remember going to a batting cage and hitting against the hardest level, then going back to a slower one. It was so much easier to hit, and the ball felt so big. That must be what it feels like for these guys during the games.
Nothing beats having a plan and seeing it come to fruition. That is what we are seeing from Paul Toboni and the Nationals. They wanted their guys to swing less, and they have. It has been something that has caused positive change as well. The newly patient Seaver King now has a .944 OPS in AA, far better than the .600 OPS he mustered last year.
We knew some prospects would benefit from the regime change, we just were not sure who. Now, we have a better idea of who the biggest beneficiaries are. The hyper athletes who needed refinement like Seaver King and Ronny Cruz are coming into their own now that they are being developed by this new regime. Sometimes less is more, and that is what Seaver King and other Nats prospects have learned this season.
The Sixers’ No. 3 pick finished third in the NBA’s Rookie of the Year voting.
In the results announced Monday night, VJ Edgecombe received one second-place vote and 93 third-place votes from the 100-person media panel. The Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg won the award with 412 total voting points and the Hornets’ Kon Knueppel came in second with 386 total points.
A global media panel of 100 voters selected the 2025-26 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year.
The 26-point gap between the top two finishers is the second smallest since the current voting format began in 2002-03, behind only a 15-point gap in 2021-22.
The No. 1 overall pick out of Duke, Flagg averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists. Knueppel was a constant for Charlotte, playing 81 games and posting 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists per contest.
Edgecombe logged 153 regular-season minutes in “clutch” situations, which the NBA defines as games within a five-point margin and under five minutes left. He was excellent on both ends of the floor in those spots. Edgecombe ranked second on the Sixers in clutch points (73), first in made clutch threes (12), first in clutch rebounds (31) and first in clutch steals (eight). The 20-year-old shot 58.7 percent from the field in the clutch and 54.5 percent from three-point range.
Edgecombe’s averaged 14.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.5 steals in his first four career playoff games. He’s shot 0 for 16 from three-point range in the Sixers’ first-round playoff series vs. the Celtics outside of Game 2, when he went 6 for 10 beyond the arc. Edgecombe was tremendous in that game, which is the Sixers’ one win so far of the series, tallying 30 points and 10 rebounds.
Facing a 3-1 series deficit, the Sixers will visit the Celtics on Tuesday night at TD Garden.
“Our backs are already against the wall,” Edgecombe said Sunday night. “It’s win or go home. That’s the mentality we’ve got to play with. If we lose, we’re done until October. … We’ve got to come out and play hard. We have to play like we have nothing to lose. I think that’s going to help us.”
Max Scherzer may have to consider another home remedy for his arm woes.
Scherzer, the Blue Jays' 41-year-old right-hander, was placed on the 15-day injured list by Toronto Monday, April 27 due to right forearm tendinitis and left ankle inflammation.
Scherzer, who credited playing the piano with an extended run of good health heading into the 2025 playoffs, was rocked for seven earned runs in 2⅔ innings of his April 24 start. He entered the outing needing one strikeout to become just the second pitcher in the past 24 years to reach 3,500 strikeouts.
But Scherzer failed to register a strikeout in the start, leaving him one shy of the milestone. He has posted a 9.64 ERA in five starts in his 19th major league season.
The Blue Jays recalled right-hander Chase Lee from Class AAA Buffalo to take Scherzer's roster spot.
His injury is just latest to strike the Blue Jays rotation. Jose Berríos (elbow fracture), Shane Bieber (elbow inflammation), Cody Ponce (ACL tear), Bowden Francis (Tommy John surgery) and rookie Trey Yesavage (shoulder impingement) are all on the IL and Ponce and Francis are out for the year.
Yesavage is expected to be activated and make his first start of the season Tuesday, April 28 against the Boston Red Sox.
Sunday night’s Game 4 between the Montreal Canadiens and the Tampa Bay Lightning sparked outrage from fans and the ire of both coaches at times because of the inconsistency in the referees’ calls. The same can be said about the Canadiens’ players, who were rather frustrated just after the game, which is hardly surprising given what’s at stake.
As always, the matter was discussed at length on social media with plenty of slow-motion versions of the Oliver Kapanen high-stick call. But the truth of the matter is, Game 4 is over, and there’s no going back. The Canadiens have to turn over a new leaf and focus on what’s ahead rather than what’s behind. After all, the series is still tied 2-2, and there’s plenty left to play for.
On Monday morning, former NHLer and Stanley Cup Champion in 2007 with the Anaheim Ducks, Chris Pronger took to X with an important piece of advice:
There are always going to be calls you don’t like, especially this time of the year. You can’t control the whistle. You can control your response. Stay disciplined. Stay locked in. Play your game. That’s how you win when it matters the most.
There are always going to be calls you don’t like especially this time of year.
You can’t control the whistle. You can control your response.
In a nutshell, that’s exactly what the Canadiens must do on Wednesday night: they have to move on and focus on not giving the referees an opportunity to make calls. Martin St-Louis said it; he believes the Bolts are very good at making the Habs take penalties, that’s a trap he has to make his men avoid.
At the same time, they would do well to keep a close eye on Nikita Kucherov, the star forward, who has shown quite a temper in the past and was getting frustrated at times on Sunday. Montreal’s physical players should do everything in their power to mess with his concentration, because when he gets worked up, he can lash out and put Montreal on the power play.
After dropping two straight games, the Knicks did what they needed to in Atlanta on Saturday night, winning Game 4 to even up their first round playoff series and regain homecourt advantage.
The series heads back to New York for a pivotal Game 5 on Tuesday night, and head coach Mike Brown believes his team is ready for the moment.
“This group is a relentless group, they’re an experienced group,” Brown said. “They perform best, it seems, when their backs are against the wall. So, I believe our guys are ready.”
After two straight one-point losses, the Knicks earned a convincing 114-98 win in Atlanta in Game 5, regaining some momentum as things come back to The Garden.
But the Knicks know they’re going to see the Hawks come out playing with some desperation on Tuesday night.
“We just have to have a higher level of desperation, because we know they’re not going to come in and ease into this game,” said Miles McBride.
“This is the playoffs. Nobody’s just going to hand you a win, hand you a game. Obviously, our two losses were very close games, but you don’t lose the games always at the end of the game. It’s a possession here or in the first half when you missed a box out, or somebody didn’t run to the lane and there wasn’t anybody to kick it out. So it’s little things like that that we’re more focused on and have to be focused on moving forward.”
Jalen Brunson, who has had an up-and-down series from a shooting perspective (41.6 FG percentage), told reporters that the Knicks must bring the same “focus and attention to detail” into Game 5, knowing the Hawks are going to throw their best counterpunch.
“Throughout a series, there’s always going to be adjustments,” said Brunson. “When a team loses, they’ve got to figure out what they did wrong and how they’re going to adjust. I think it’s constant adjustments and a constant chess game. You see what move they make and you come back with a different move.”
History tells us that teams who win Game 5 in a 2-2 series become overwhelming favorites to win a best-of-seven series.
But according to Brunson, the Knicks don’t need any extra motivation to come out and win.
“This is what we work all year for, what we work all summer for, to have an opportunity to play in the playoffs,” Brunson said. “There’s not a lot of motivation left that’s needed really. This is an opportunity for teams to go and put their names in history if they want it, so there’s no more motivation.”
Murakami Mania has not abated. | (Photo by Michael Hirschuber/Getty Images)
For the first time this year, the White Sox have had a week that did not end with a losing record. And the first half of the week brought the first back-to-back series wins of the season. Unfortunately, however, the second half saw a return to a lack of power and run support.
Going into this week, there were home run streaks abound. Munetaka Murakami entered Tuesday with three straight games with a home run, Colson Montgomery had two games, and Miguel Vargas was on the precipice of a streak with one home run. On Tuesday, Sam Antonacci hit his first MLB home run: After a rules check, the inside-the-park home run was confirmed, making for a unique first “long” ball:
By Wednesday, Mune tied the franchise record with five straight games with a home run, Montgomery recorded his fourth, and Vargas hit the trifecta. But even though Thursday brought a cool-down for the trio. Andrew Benintendi picked up the slack with a go-ahead blast in the Phoenix finale.
That win meant for first time since 2021, the White Sox won 10 games before May 1.
When the Pale Hose arrived home on Friday to begin a series with the Nationals, Murakami homered again, moving into a tie for the MLB home-run lead with his 11th of the season:
Then, the home runs stopped, and frankly so did the fun. The power outage resulted in back-to-back extra-innings losses to the Nationals to drop a weekend series in Chicago.
As the hitting peaked for the week, the pitching found a groove.
Davis Martin added another quality start to his season, pitching 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball on Thursday in Arizona. He walked only one batter and struck out seven. Martin is dominating the race for the title of ace for the 2026 season. If he continues like this for another month or two, he will find himself in Philadelphia for the All-Star Game.
In Friday’s win against Washington, Erik Fedde came in after Bryan Hudson’s open and threw 5 2/3 innings of three-run baseball. Even though only one of those would be an earned run, he would leave the game in a position to lose. That became a moot point when Antonacci hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth. Fedde’s ERA is less than 3.50 for the first time since April 11.
Noah Schultz continued to endear South Side fans, with a six-inning outing on Saturday that resulted in two runs for the Nationals against eight strikeouts. He ended up banking the first no-decision of his career.
On Sunday, Sean Burke was not only efficient but dominant, after Hudson received the honor of opening a second game of the weekend. Burke came on in the second inning and shut Washington down. He only struck out four in 7 1/3 innings, but he gave up no runs during that time to keep the game tied into the bottom of the ninth. He too would not get a decision in the game, as Seranthony Domínguez earned his third loss of the season after giving up two runs in the 10th.
This brings us to the not-so-great pitching moments of the week:
Jordan Leasure is first on this list. On Friday, the reliever gave up a game-tying home in the top of the eighth to Brady House. He would vulture the win in the game, thanks to Antonacci’s sac fly in the bottom of the inning. However, on Saturday Leasure allowed the Nationals to score four runs in the top of the 10th inning; had he held the inning scoreless, the South Siders could have won, 3-2.
Domínguez also gets a special shout-out for his poor performance this week due to Sunday’s game. He entered the closing game of the series with three consecutive saves; however, he entered this game with a tied score. Rather than shut the offense down to keep the home offense in the game, the “closer” gave up two runs, including a homer, to earn the loss.
Honorable mention goes to Anthony Kay, who balked in a run during Wednesday’s 11-7 loss.
Other random news and highlights from the week included:
A stellar diving play by Everson Pereira in Tuesday’s 11-5 win against the Diamondbacks. The catch saved at least one, if not two runs from scoring:
Speaking of Murakami, he and Montgomery became the first pair of teammates in MLB history to each hit homers in four consecutive team games. The first baseman is also the only player in baseball history to have 10+ home runs and 20+ walks in their first 25 career games. He may still be batting .232, but he is quickly becoming a fan favorite.
Reese McGuire was designated for assignment, making way for Drew Romo to make his White Sox debut. The White Sox are not out of all $1.2 million, as the veteran was released early enough in the season that he was owed nothing beyond what he has already been paid. Chris Getz sometimes does work smart.
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are making their way to Chicago to begin the week with a three-game set, and from there the White Sox will head to San Diego for the first weekend of May.
The Los Angeles Dodgers look for their fourth win in five games as they open a three-game set at home against the Miami Marlins.
My Marlins vs. Dodgers predictions and free MLB picks have the home team continuing its recent dominance of the visitors.
Who will win Marlins vs Dodgers today: Dodgers -1.5 (-140)
There’s been nowhere to hide for the Miami Marlins’ pitching staff against one of the best lineups in baseball.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have won seven of the last eight against Miami, and plenty of those have been blowouts. L.A. has scored at least seven runs in each of their wins on this run, cracking double digits four times.
That’s not a good sign for Marlins’ starter Chris Paddack, who’s 0-4 with an inflated 6.38 ERA.
The Dodgers' offense is second in the bigs, averaging 5.68 runs per game, so it’s all setting up for another beating on Monday.
COVERS INTEL: Max Muncy has picked up hits in eight of his last 11 games. He’s hit Paddack hard in 15 at-bats, with two doubles and two home runs.
Marlins vs Dodgers Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (-104)
The Dodgers and Marlins have combined to go Over the total in eight of the last nine meetings, and none of them have been cheapies.
In fact, the lowest total set between these teams during this stretch has been 8 runs, and it's gone as high as 10 runs twice, with both cashing the Over.
The only concern might be that the Dodgers will trot out ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto, but he wasn’t even that sharp last time out, surrendering a season-high three earned runs while taking the loss against the Giants.
Still, L.A. can do much of the heavy lifting on its own.
Eric Rosales' 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 2-6, -2.08 units
Over/Under bets: 3-5, -1.05 units
Marlins vs Dodgers odds
Moneyline: Marlins +245 | Dodgers -300
Run line: Marlins +1.5 | Dodgers -1.5
Over/Under: Over 8.5 | Under 8.5
Marlins vs Dodgers trend
Each of the Marlins' last 11 road games vs the NL West opponents have cashed the Over. Find more MLB betting trends for Marlins vs. Dodgers.
How to watch Marlins vs Dodgers and game info
Location
Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
Date
Monday, April 27, 2026
First pitch
10:10 p.m. ET
TV
Marlins.TV, SportsNet LA
Marlins starting pitcher
Chris Paddack (0-4, 6.38 ERA)
Dodgers starting pitcher
Yoshinobu Yamamoto (2-2, 2.48 ERA)
Marlins vs Dodgers latest injuries
Marlins vs Dodgers weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - APRIL 26: Reed Sheppard #15 of the Houston Rockets steals the ball from LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the second quarter in Game Four of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Toyota Center on April 26, 2026 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On the brink of advancing to the second round and pulling out a sweep for the first time since 2010, the Lakers fell to the Rockets in Game 4.
With Kevin Durant out once again, it set the stage for a young and athletic Houston squad to play with a sense of urgency and desperation. And just like that, LA’s broom is put back in the closet.
The Rockets ramped up the physicality without a let-up, forcing the Lakers to figuratively and literally give the game away with 23 turnovers that led to 30 points. The Rockets used a 34-18 third quarter to lead by as much as 28 against the reeling purple and gold, who had just one day off between the overtime win and Sunday’s matchup.
After the final buzzer, a minor scuffle broke out between the two squads. Thankfully, it was only words exchanged, but we’ve undoubtedly reached the point of extreme annoyance. Playing the same team this many times creates tension with familiarity. Pet plays and actions not run with precision are scouted out miles in advance.
Without Austin Reaves, who was also ruled out before game time, LeBron James remained the offense’s orbit. He came off playing 45 grueling minutes in Game 3, a ton of energy expenditure for anyone, let alone a 41-year-old.
The turnovers started early in the first quarter as the Lakers looked to hunt Reed Sheppard, as they’ve done in all games. LeBron looks for a hit-ahead pass in the clip below. Sheppard sees it coming and easily jumps it for the turnover.
Then, early in the second quarter, LeBron attempts to dribble through two defenders and gets stripped, leading to a dunk on the other end.
“We did a good job in the second quarter of cutting into the lead, and then we had a few turnovers, which was our kryptonite tonight,” LeBron said postgame. “Obviously, we know coming into the series we have to protect the ball against them, and not have too many pick-sixes, which we did all night and it started with me. Obviously, my turnovers were unacceptable, but we’ll do a better job on that on Wednesday.”
Among the Lakers’ 23 miscues, eight came from their lone healthy superstar. While it was honorable that he took on the blame, he wasn’t alone. Marcus Smart had three turnovers in the first quarter, telegraphing his passes like the lob below to Deandre Ayton.
Luke Kennard, after two explosive scoring outputs in Games 1 and 2, has clearly shot up the scouting report for Houston. No longer is he allowed to roam free above the arc and, instead, he’s given heavy attention even on closeout attacks.
Watch below as he attempts to get to his patented efficient mid-range, but Eason hounds him, forcing a mid-air pass that’s deflected into another run out below.
After a monster start to the series, the two unsung heroes Smart and Kennard combined for just 16 points, seven assists and six turnovers in Game 4. It’s a sign of possibly coming back to Earth for guards who stepped up in production and usage in their star back court’s absence.
With Reaves being a game-time decision in back-to-back games before being downgraded to out, the Lakers would get major reinforcements if he were able to return in Game 5.
He adds a multi-dimensional player on offense, with season averages of 23.3 points and 5.5 assists in the regular season, giving the team a much-needed downhill force against ball pressure that’s starting to wear on the available ball handlers.
With the chance to close it out at home and not have to fly back to Houston for Game 6, the Lakers may not just welcome Reaves back but may need him to close out against a feisty Rockets team hungry to keep their season alive.
Diamondbacks shortstop Geraldo Perdomo (2) records an out at second base against Brewers outfielder Sal Frelick before throwing to first for the double play during a spring training game at Salt River Fields on March 20, 2026. | Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Milwaukee Brewers are set to host the Arizona Diamondbacks for a three-game set beginning Tuesday evening to wrap up their homestand. Milwaukee is coming off a series loss to the Pirates to begin the homestand, though they did pick up their first shutout win on Sunday, taking that one 5-0 behind a strong 12-strikeout showing from Kyle Harrison.
On the other side, Arizona is returning from their series split with the Padres in Mexico City, as they dropped Saturday’s game 6-4 before a comeback win on Sunday. They sit at 15-12 on the season, one game better than the 14-13 Brewers.
Milwaukee’s injured list (luckily) hasn’t grown much, but it also hasn’t shrunk. First baseman Andrew Vaughn and outfielder Jackson Chourio are both on the verge of rehab assignments as they recover from hand injuries, while Quinn Priester made his second rehab outing with Nashville over the weekend. He’s hoping for an early to mid-May return. Relievers Jared Koenig and Rob Zastryzny are both hoping to return in May, too, while outfielder/DH Christian Yelich is still shelved with a groin strain.
The Diamondbacks are missing a whole bunch of players, so let’s split them up into pitchers and position players. For the pitching staff, Blake Walston (midseason), Andrew Saalfrank (out for the season), Justin Martinez (second half), old friend Corbin Burnes (midseason), A.J. Puk (midseason), and Cristian Mena (TBD) are all out. Offensively, Arizona is without Pavin Smith (TBD), fellow former friend Carlos Santana (TBD), Jordan Lawlar (June), Tyler Locklear (mid-May/early June), and Gabriel Moreno, who is expected to rejoin the team for this series after missing the last couple of weeks with an oblique strain. Right-hander Zac Gallen and shortstop Geraldo Perdomo are also considered day to day with minor injuries, though Gallen is not lined up to pitch in this series.
Offensively, the Brewers haven’t homered in the last week, and they’ve struggled with inconsistency throughout the early going of the season. Brice Turang had a rough week but still led the team with four RBIs, as he’s now hitting .258/.391/.462 with four homers, 18 RBIs, 20 runs, and seven steals this season. Gary Sánchez and Jake Bauers lead the team with five homers. Garrett Mitchell has also shown flashes of his potential, and William Contreras remains a team leader. Beyond that, there isn’t much to say about the Brewer offense. As a team, Milwaukee is hitting .231/.329/.349 (.678 OPS ranks 26th), with 19 homers (tied for last), 132 runs (tied for ninth), and 36 steals (first).
Much as Perdomo did a season ago, Ildemaro Vargas has quietly turned into one of the best hitters in baseball this year with Arizona. Over 20 games, he’s hitting .367/.383/.722 with a team-high six homers, 20 RBIs, and 18 runs scored. Nolan Arenado and Ketel Marte each have four homers, while Corbin Carroll has three homers, four triples, and four steals. Jose Fernandez also has three homers and a .342 batting average thus far. Adrian Del Castillo, Aramis Garcia, James McCann, Tim Tawa, Jorge Barrosa, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., and Alek Thomas round out the roster (note: the team also added Jesus Valdez as the 27th man for the Mexico City Series). As a team, Arizona is hitting .255/.310/.426 (.736 OPS ranks seventh), with 27 homers (tied for 20th), 132 runs (tied for ninth), and 16 steals (tied for 21st).
Aaron Ashby and Grant Anderson still lead Milwaukee’s bullpen in appearances, with DL Hall turning in a solid 2.31 ERA over 11 outings. Abner Uribe has had some bumps this season, but he looked good over the weekend against Pittsburgh. After a hot start, Angel Zerpa has struggled in recent weeks, while Trevor Megill has had a reverse trajectory. Jake Woodford and Shane Drohan round out the current bullpen depth chart. As a staff, the Brewers have a 3.82 team ERA (eighth), including a 3.59 starter ERA (fifth) and a 4.09 bullpen ERA (15th). They’ve struck out 250 batters (ninth) over 240 1/3 innings.
The Arizona bullpen is led by Juan Morillo, who has a 1.98 ERA with 16 strikeouts over 13 2/3 innings. Closer Paul Sewald is a perfect 7-for-7 in save opportunities, but he has a 4.50 ERA and three losses. Former Brewer minor leaguer Taylor Clarke and Jonathan Loáisiga have matching 3.29 ERAs over 13 2/3 innings. Ryan Thompson, Kevin Ginkel, Andrew Hoffman, and swingman Brandon Pfaadt (five appearances, three starts) round out the bullpen. As a staff, the D-backs have a 4.53 team ERA (24th), including a 4.62 starter ERA (25th) and a 4.67 bullpen ERA (22nd). They’ve struck out 204 batters (29th) over 240 1/3 innings.
Probable Pitchers
Tuesday, April 28 @ 6:40 p.m.: RHP Chad Patrick (1-1, 2.35 ERA, 4.37 FIP) vs. RHP Merrill Kelly (1-1, 9.31 ERA, 9.02 FIP)
Patrick has had a solid season thus far, even if the underlying numbers don’t back that up. He has a 2.35 ERA, with six earned runs on 21 hits and eight walks over 23 innings, striking out just 11. After DL Hall opened for him on Wednesday night in Detroit, he went four innings, getting roughed up for four runs on six hits and a walk, striking out two. A fourth-round pick by these D-backs back in 2021, he made one start against them last season, spanning 4 1/3 innings with no runs allowed on five hits and two walks, striking out three in a no-decision.
Kelly, 37, is in his eighth MLB season. A former three-time draft pick (in 2007, 2009, and 2010), Kelly spent four seasons in Korea before breaking through with Arizona in 2019. He spent his first six full seasons with the D-backs before being traded at last year’s deadline to the Rangers. He returned to Arizona this offseason and, after starting the season on the IL, has made two starts this year. His first start against the Orioles resulted in a win as he allowed two runs over 5 1/3 innings with three strikeouts, but his last time out, he got roughed up by the White Sox, allowing eight runs and striking out five over 4 1/3 innings. For the season, he’s totaled 9 2/3 innings with 10 runs allowed on 15 hits (four homers) and seven walks with eight strikeouts. Kelly has made 10 career appearances against the Brewers, with a 5-2 record, a 2.95 ERA, and 60 strikeouts over 61 innings. His only start last season came while with Texas, when he picked up the win despite allowing three runs on 10 hits, striking out six over 5 2/3 innings.
Sproat, who got out to a horrid start in his first two outings, has looked much better in his last three appearances. He took a no-decision on Thursday in Detroit, as he went 5 1/3 innings with three runs allowed on four hits and two walks, striking out four on 76 pitches. The former second-round pick has never faced the D-backs before.
Rodríguez, 33, is in his third season with the D-backs after signing a four-year, $80 million contract that runs through 2027. While his ERA hovered just over 5.00 in each of his first two seasons in the desert, he’s had more statistical success this season. Even though his 4.98 FIP is near that 5.00 mark, he has a 2.89 ERA with 10 runs allowed (nine earned) and 18 strikeouts over 28 innings through five starts. He’s allowed four runs in each of his last two starts (against the Orioles and White Sox), spanning 10 innings with seven strikeouts. Rodríguez has made four career starts against Milwaukee, with an 0-3 record, a 4.58 ERA, and 16 strikeouts over 19 2/3 innings. That includes a pair of starts last season — both losses — in which he totaled 8 2/3 innings with eight runs allowed (seven earned) and four strikeouts.
Thursday, April 30 @ 12:40 p.m.: RHP Brandon Woodruff (2-1, 3.77 ERA, 4.09 FIP) vs. RHP Michael Soroka (4-0, 2.60 ERA, 2.69 FIP)
Woodruff just took his first loss of the season on Friday night against Pittsburgh, as he had the tall task of going head-to-head with Paul Skenes, who has his A-plus-plus stuff in a 6-0 Pirate win. Woodruff allowed three runs in that one, giving up five hits and two walks while striking out three. For the season, he’s totaled 28 2/3 innings with a 3.77 ERA, 4.09 FIP, and 23 strikeouts. Woodruff has made eight career appearances (seven starts) against Arizona, with a 3-1 record, a 4.81 ERA, and 49 strikeouts over 39 1/3 innings. One of those wins came in his lone appearance against them last August, when he allowed five runs over 5 2/3 innings but picked up eight strikeouts in a 7-5 Brewer win.
Soroka, 28, is in his seventh MLB season and with his fifth team. After agreeing to a one-year, $7.5 million deal this offseason, he’s been a bright spot for Arizona early this season. Through five starts, he’s a perfect 4-0 with a 2.60 ERA, 2.69 FIP, and 34 strikeouts in 27 2/3 innings. His last start was his lone no-decision of the year, though he still went five innings with one run allowed and six strikeouts in a game the D-backs ultimately lost late. Soroka has made two career appearances against Milwaukee, one with the Braves (2023) and one with the White Sox (2024). In those two appearances, he went 1-1 with seven runs allowed over seven innings, striking out six.
How to Watch & Listen
Tuesday, April 28: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Wednesday, April 29: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Thursday, April 30: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Prediction
I think I’m going to start writing these predictions with the caveat that it really just depends on which Brewer offense shows up. I’ll bet on the Crew, though, and predict they take two of three this week.
In the opener of a Monday night tripleheader of NBA playoff action, the top-seeded Detroit Pistons will be on the road against the eighth-seeded Orlando Magic on NBC and Peacock.
The Magic has a 2-1 series lead after winning 113-105 in Game 3 at Kia Center in Orlando, Florida.
In Game 3 of the best-of-seven series that have been tied 1-1, the winning teams have advanced at a rate of 73.7% (202-72). Orlando is 5-1 when leading 2-1 in the best-of-seven series with the lone series loss coming to Detroit in the first round of the 2023 NBA playoffs.
The Pistons are 6-13 when trailing 2-1 in a best-of-seven series. Detroit's most recent series victory after trailing 2-1 came in 2008 when the Pistons won the final three games to beat Philadelphia 4-2.
Orlando is aiming to become the seventh No. 8 team to topple the top seed and the first since Miami beat Milwaukee in 2023.
See below for additional information on the Pistons-Magic game and how to watch the 2026 NBA Playoffs on NBC and Peacock.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Phoenix Suns, 9:30 p.m. ET, Peacock, NBCSN
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets, 10:30 p.m. ET, NBC, Peacock
Detroit Pistons vs. Orlando Magic game preview:
In his return from a collapsed lung, Pistons All-Star guard Cade Cunningham has played well in the series (31.0 ppg, second most in the playoffs behind MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at 34.7). But Detroit center Jalen Duren has struggled and is off his season averages in points (9.0, down from 19.5) and rebounding (8.3 from 10.5)
“These last three games haven’t been what he wants or what we might want for him," Cunningham said. "I and the whole team have no doubt he’s going to figure it out and he knows he’s going to figure it out.”
As expected, physicality and defense have been major themes for the series. Detroit and Orlando had the lowest combined points total (612) through the first three games of all eight first-round playoff series. In each game, the winning team has the edge in rebounding marin.
Forward Paolo Banchero and guard Desmond Bane (tying Dennis Scott's franchise playoff record with seven 3-pointers) led the way for the Magic in Game 3 with 25 points apiece. After building a game-high 17-point lead to open the fourth quarter, the Magic had to rally after falling behind the Pistons 105-104 with 2:52 left. Orlando finished on a 9-0 run that Banchero punctuated on a 3-pointer with 38 seconds left.
“Once they tied it up, nobody was panicking," said Banchero, who added 12 rebounds, nine assists and three steals. "Everybody just understood the moment and what had to be done to finish the game off. The guys have enough experience to not panic in those moments and to just stay poised, and that’s what we did.’
In addition to Banchero and Bane, the Magic got double-figure efforts from Jalen Suggs (15 points), Franz Wagner (17) and Wendell Carter Jr. (14).
“I could go on and on about Desmond Bane because he’s such a professional, because he doesn’t rattle, because he stays the course and comes to work every single day,” Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley said.
Said Carter, who had a playoff career-high 17 rebounds (most by a Magic player in a playoff game since Dwight Howard (17) in 2011): "I just knew I had to be the most physical person out there, or they were going to punk me."
NBC Sports will present up to 23 games in the First Round and 11 games in the Conference Semifinals across either NBC and Peacock, or Peacock and NBCSN. Playoff programming concludes with exclusive coverage of the Western Conference Finals on NBC and Peacock.
Which playoff rounds will be available on Peacock?
Peacock’s NBA Playoffs coverage spans multiple rounds, including Round 1, the Conference Semifinals, and the Western Conference Finals, with coverage evolving as the postseason progresses.
Will Peacock show both Eastern and Western Conference playoff games?
Yes. During earlier rounds such as Round 1 and the Conference Semifinals, Peacock will carry a mix of Eastern and Western Conference playoff games.
How to sign up for Peacock:
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Apr 14, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) gets set on the mound in the fourth inning against the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
While Tyler Glasnow, Justin Wrobleski, Emmet Sheehan, and Shohei Ohtani combine for an 11-0 record, Yoshinobu Yamamoto sits at 2-2 heading into his sixth start of the season. The trend of Yamamoto not receiving adequate run support, particularly in contrast with the regular numbers that this offense puts up, was a major theme of his efforts last season. Early on in 2026, the outlook feels eerily similar, with the Dodgers failing to score more than two runs in the majority of Yamamoto’s outings—he last pitched against the Giants at Oracle Park, taking the loss while covering seven innings of three-run ball as the offense went 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position.
This matchup versus the surprisingly solid Miami Marlins will provide the ideal opportunity for the Dodgers to break this sequence of underwhelming performances for their ace. That’s the case since they’ll face Chris Paddack, who has lost every single one of his four starts in 2026, allowing an outrageous 31 hits in 24 innings of work.
It’s too early to simply assume that this trend when Yamamoto is on the mound, will follow the same path as last season, especially when the offense has been as productive as it has up to this point—as a whole, the Dodgers have an OPS of .828 entering this series against Miami. Now they must go out and prove it in about as favorable a matchup as you’re going to get this whole year.
From April 20-25, the four-time MVP had the worst six-game stretch of his Dodgers career, batting 3-for-23 with no extra-base hits and nine strikeouts. Dating back to April 12, he had gone 59 plate appearances without a home run, the longest such drought of his tenure with the club.
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani reacts after striking out against the Chicago Cubs during the fifth inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
During his slump, he was struggling to lay off low pitches or keep from pulling the ball harmlessly to the right side of the infield.
For at least a little while, baseball’s two-way superhero seemed to be fighting some rarely-seen kryptonite, grinding through the kind of stretch to which he’s typically immune.
“You don’t hear the word ‘slump’ correlated with Shohei on the hitting side ever,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts quipped over the weekend.
“We’re all human, we all have our stretches,” added first baseman Freddie Freeman. “But (to see it from Ohtani), it’s definitely weird.”
Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani celebrates with first baseman Freddie Freeman after hitting a solo home run against the Chicago Cubs in the seventh inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Indeed, while it’s easy to forget when he’s mashing 450-foot home runs, or blowing 100 mph fastballs past hitters from the mound, or accomplishing statistical feats once thought impossible in baseball’s modern era, even Ohtani has his physical limitations.
And this year, in his return to full-time pitching following a second career Tommy John surgery, he’s getting a renewed –– and potentially telling –– early-season test.
Last week, both Roberts and several teammates noted an inevitable shift in the 31-year-old superstar so far this season. He’s had to put more focus on pitching. He’s had to factor in more between-starts recovery. He’s had to manage his overwhelming workload more delicately than ever before.
“You always feel like it’s gonna be sustainable with him, because he’s a great player, he knows how to prepare,” veteran infielder Miguel Rojas said. “But these kind of moments make you realize that baseball is hard. Especially when he does it the way that he’s doing it.”
“When he’s pitching in the normal rotation every week,” Freeman echoed, “it’s a whole different dynamic.”
Different, of course, does not necessarily equate to worse.
Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches against the San Francisco Giants in the first inning at Oracle Park on April 22, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) Getty Images
On Saturday, Freeman predicted that Ohtani’s recent skid “just means the hot streak (that will follow it) is going to be something we’ve never seen before.”
Right on cue, the slugger collected three hits a day later, belting a 109 mph double and a 110 mph opposite-field home run on Sunday after making a tweak to his batting stance that got him better aligned with his swing.
“Starting yesterday, it started feeling a little better,” Ohtani said in Japanese during a postgame television interview. “I think my stance is the most important thing. Everything starts from there, and if I fix that, I think I can take better at-bats.”
Still, even Ohtani seemed to caution about immediately bouncing back to his typical production levels.
While he’s been known as a somewhat slow opening-month performer (at least relative to his atmospheric norms), his current .262 batting average and .876 OPS would still be the second-worst March/April marks of his nine-year MLB career.
“I just have to be patient a little longer,” he said, “and continue to make improvements.”
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani hits a home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Sunday, April 26, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman) AP
It’s a battle that figures to rage on for the duration of this year.
Exactly how much Ohtani himself feels like his pitching is complicating his hitting process remains an unknown (he declined to speak to any other reporters after Sunday’s game).
But over the weekend, Roberts identified that dynamic as a “common sense” factor in Ohtani’s sluggish start.
“There’s gotta be some cuts into some of the bandwidth, the production on the offensive side,” Roberts said Saturday. “What it translates to (regarding) how he’s been swinging the bat the last week, how much of that is the pitching? I don’t have an answer for that. But that’s to be understood, that there’s some kind of cut into production given how much he’s pitching.”
So far, that plan has paid dividends in each of his turns through the rotation. Entering his Tuesday night outing against the Marlins, Ohtani has a 0.38 ERA in four starts, having racked up 25 strikeouts in 24 total innings.
“He is a horse on that mound right now,” Freeman said.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani throws to a San Francisco Giants batter during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 22, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) AP
The challenge moving forward will be maintaining such pitching dominance while rediscovering more consistent hitting form.
It’s not a task Freeman envies, noting how even he experiences “some days you walk into that box and you’re just like, ‘Whoa, it feels like I haven’t been in this thing in a while.’”
And that’s without the added burden of making 100-pitch outings on a regular basis.
“When you throw 100 pitches and you throw with that kind of effort,” Roberts said of Ohtani, “there needs to be more recovery (time behind the scenes).”
None of this means Ohtani is lowering his personal goals. During his scuffle last week, Roberts noticed his frustration through his more stoic facial expressions.
“He has high expectations for himself and his performance,” Roberts said. “So (this is) certainly not up to his standard.”
Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers slides into second after hitting a double during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs at Dodger Stadium on April 26, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ryan Sirius Sun/Getty Images) Getty Images
And while Sunday might’ve marked the start to a widely-expected turnaround, simply one week of mortality was a reminder of the hurdles he’ll face this year.
“He’s gotta navigate a whole ‘nother thing, where the last two years all he had to do was hit,” Freeman said. “Baseball is hard, very hard. Even the greatest players, they can it make it look easy a lot of the time. But there’s a lot of time that it’s not.”
There won't be any more 3-on-3 play. It is 5-on-5 instead, just like in regulation play. There won't be any more shootouts after five minutes of scoreless overtime play. There is sudden death, and it could last a very long time.
This postseason, there have been eight overtime games, including two double-overtime games.
Here's what to know about playoff hockey overtime, including the format, longest games and 2026 results.
How does OT work in NHL playoffs?
If the score is tied after three periods, the teams go to the dressing rooms for 15 minutes while the ice is resurfaced. Overtime periods last 20 minutes or until someone scores. It's 5-on-5 play (barring penalties). If no one scores in the first overtime, the process repeats and continues until someone scores. The teams change sides for each overtime period. The first overtime is the long change to get back to the bench.
The NHL Situation Room reviews all goals to make sure they are legally scored, such as the goal that ended Game 4 of the Anaheim-Edmonton series.
2026 NHL playoff overtime games
April 26:Ducks 4, Oilers 3. Ryan Poehling 2:29 into the first overtime to give Anaheim a 3-1 series lead.
RYAN POEHLING IS YOUR @ENERGIZER OVERTIME HERO! 🦸♂️
April 25:Wild 3, Stars 2. Matt Boldy scored at 19:31 of the first overtime as the Wild tie the series 2-2.
April 24:Canadiens 3, Lightning 2. Lane Hutson scored at 2:09 of the first overtime, giving Montreal a 2-1 series lead.
April 22:Stars 4, Wild 3. Wyatt Johnston scored at 12:10 of the second overtime, giving Dallas a 2-1 series lead.
April 21:Avalanche 2, Kings 1: Nicolas Roy scored the winning goal at the 12:16 mark of the first overtime, giving Colorado a 2-0 series lead.
April 21:Lightning 3, Canadiens 2: J.J. Moser scored at 7:12 in the first overtime to tie up the series at a game apiece. It was Moser's first career NHL playoff goal.
April 20:Hurricanes 3, Senators 2: Jordan Martinook scored at 13:53 of the second overtime. He was stopped on a penalty shot in the first overtime.
April 19:Canadiens 4, Lightning 3: Juraj Slafkovsky scored at 1:22 of the first overtime, completing a hat trick.
What are the longest NHL playoff overtime games?
1 - Six overtimes (116 minutes, 30 seconds of overtime) in the 1936 semifinals. March 24, 1935. Detroit 1, Montreal Maroons 0. Mud Bruneteau scored the winner.
2 - Six overtimes (104 minutes, 46 seconds of overtime) in the 1933 semifinals. April 3, 1933. Toronto 1, Boston 0. Ken Doraty scored the winner.
3 - Five overtimes (92 minutes, 1 second of overtime) in the 2000 conference semifinals. May 4, 2000. Philadelphia 2, Pittsburgh 1. Keith Primeau scored the winner.
4 - Five overtimes (90 minutes, 27 seconds of overtime) in the 2020 first round. Aug. 11, 2020. Tampa Bay 3, Columbus 2. Brayden Point scored the winner.
5 - Five overtimes (80 minutes, 48 seconds of overtime) in the 2003 conference semifinals. April 24, 2003. Anaheim 4, Dallas 3. Petr Sykora scored the winner.
6 - Four overtimes (79 minutes, 47 seconds of overtime) in the 2023 conference finals. May 18, 2023. Florida 3, Carolina 2. Matthew Tkachuk scored the winner.
Longest Stanley Cup Final games
Eight Stanley Cup Final games have gone to the third overtime. The Edmonton Oilers were part of the longest game when Petr Klima scored at 15:13 of the third overtime for a 3-2 win against the Boston Bruins in the 1990 Final.
Which players in 2026 postseason have the most playoff overtime goals?
5 - Corey Perry, Lightning
4 - Leon Draisaitl, Oilers (all in 2025 playoffs, an NHL record for one postseason)
3 - Brayden Point, Lightning; Jordan Staal, Hurricanes; Anze Kopitar, Kings; Artemi Panarin, Kings; Matt Duchene, Stars
The Colorado Avalanche have swept the Los Angeles Kings, and it was a complete team effort. It wasn’t the prettiest series, with a bunch of goals and high-flying offense on display. It was gritty, scrappy, goals banking off defenders and teammates. While it was a team effort that showed just how promising this team can be, one factor really stood out: the trade-deadline additions.
While Scott Wedgewood was near-perfect, the top players like Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and Martin Necas accounted for a large share of the goals. The players brought in at this past trade deadline really stood out and made a significant impact in this series, and show that they will need to be as important as they head towards the Stanley Cup finals.
Nicolas Roy Coming Up Clutch
When acquiring Roy, he is a player who can fill out the bottom-six but can also contribute effectively, as shown by his three goals and eight assists for 11 points in the 22 games of the 2022-23 Vegas Golden Knights post-season. The start of this postseason could be another sign of how important he will be to the Avalanche and the third line with Nazem Kadri and Gabriel Landeskog.
In four games, he finished with two goals and an assist for three points, all coming from even-strength play. His first point in the postseason was the game-winning goal in overtime in Game 2, rebounding a shot from Josh Manson on the blueline and backhanding it in to give the Avalanche a 2-0 lead heading into Los Angeles.
He continued his production in Game 3, helping with the scoring by setting up Landeskog, whose shot bounced off the end boards and off Anton Forsberg and in to make it 1-0. His point streak continued into Game 4 as he once again crashed the net for a loose puck rebound goal to make it 3-1 for the Avalanche in the third period.
The Landeskog-Kadri-Roy line through 26 minutes of ice time together has one of the best xGoals Against stats in the playoffs so far, to be exact, the fourth best at 0.7, while having a 53.3% xGoals%, which is higher than the Lehkonen-MacKinnon-Necas line, which sits at 52.8%
Nazem Kadri Could Heat Up In Round 2
Kadri wasn’t really “cold” in his first playoff round back with the Avalanche, but his chances just couldn’t be capitalized on. Though the stats still backed up his offensive and defensive production with Roy and Landeskog, and how important they were to the Avalanche in the first round. In the four games he played, he finished with only two assists, none on the power play (but that's another story for another day).
His first assist came in Game 3 when he set up Manson, whose shot was rebounded by Roy in overtime to secure the win. His second point came in Game 4, where he set up MacKinnon for a one-time blast to open the scoring and secure the team's first power play goal in the series.
Though just like in their run in 2022, Kadri had a decent Round 1, finishing with three points in four games isnt nothing to scoff at but compared to his impact in Round 2, which saw him finish with seven points in six games, including a hat-trick to give the Avalanche a 3-1 lead after Game 4, we could see a similar display which will be needed if they go up against either the Dallas Stars or Minnesota Wild.
Brett Kulak Continues To Be As Reliable As Ever
Kulak's time with the Avalanche so far has been nothing but impressive. He fits a role this team can utilize so well, and he's been doing that ever since he joined the team. He continued it in the playoffs. Despite just one point in the four games, his reliability in making smart defensive plays and doing the right things offensively is what he does best, and it helps the team win.
He notched his first point of the playoffs in Game 4, assisting MacKinnon when he scored on the empty net to make it 5-1 late in the third period. He leads the team in blocks with 14, and his advanced numbers really help back up his defensive play. His pairing with Sam Malinski ranks second in xGoals Against at 1.2 and third in xGoals Against Per 60 Minutes at 1.45.
The Avalanche will have some time to rest and recover before facing their next opponent in Round 2. Still, if there is anything to take away from Round 1, it is that the acquisitions made by General Manager Chris McFarland and Joe Sakic have already made a strong impact and are likely to continue doing so in later rounds.
COVERS INTEL: Max Muncy has picked up hits in eight of his last 11 games. He’s hit Paddack hard in 15 at-bats, with two doubles and two home runs.
