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Mets Daily Prospect Report, 4/15/26: Staring into the Voit

PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA - MARCH 19, 2026: Mitch Voit #55 of the New York Mets bats during the second inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Clover Park on March 19, 2026 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images

Triple-A: Syracuse Mets (8-8)

SYRACUSE 8, SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE 6 (BOX)

The good? Jonah Tong struck out 10 batters. The bad? He allowed six runs over 4.2 innings, scattering five hits, walking 3, and allowing 2 home runs. Normally, your starter allowing six runs would put you behind the 8-ball, but not these Syracuse Mets. Despite Tong not having his best, Syracuse did not actually trail at any point in this one, with the 5 spot that the RailRiders put up in the fifth merely tying the game, as the offense already hammered starter Brendan Beck for six runs. The tie did not last long, as Jose Rojas hit a two-run homer to give Syracuse a two-run edge, which they would maintain for the remainder of the contest. Speaking of homers, Hayden Senger launched two more, tying his career high (5) set in 2021 and matched in 2022/2023/2025. If these trends continue, he is still on pace to challenge Joe Bauman’s minor league single-season record of 72 homers, so let’s hope these trends continue!

ROSTER ALERT: RHP Bryce Conley assigned to Syracuse Mets from Binghamton Rumble Ponies.

ROSTER ALERT: Syracuse Mets activated LHP Brandon Waddell from the 7-day injured list.

ROSTER ALERT: Syracuse Mets placed RHP Nick Burdi on the 7-day injured list.

ROSTER ALERT: New York Mets recalled RHP Austin Warren from Syracuse Mets.

Double-A: Binghamton Rumble Ponies (5-4)

AKRON 8, BINGHAMTON 7 (BOX)

Binghamton was competitive early on, but a four-run sixth and one more in the seventh doomed them. The team rallied late, plating three runs in the seventh, three more in the eighth, and putting the tying run on base in the ninth, but they couldn’t get it done. AJ Ewing logged three more hits, including another double, and Chris Suero walked three times, but none of the other prospects on the team, hitting or pitching, had particularly noteworthy days.

ROSTER ALERT: RHP Joander Suarez assigned to Binghamton Rumble Ponies from Syracuse Mets.

High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (3-6)

BROOKLYN 9, GREENSBORO 8 (BOX)

Brooklyn started the year off on the schneid, but with more games like this, maybe they’ll get into an early season groove. Of the eight games that the Cyclones have played prior to this contest, they scored one or fewer runs in five of them. While it isn’t great that their pitching allowed 8 runs in this one, it is nice to see the team pound out 9 runs on 11 hits and 7 walks. Mitch Voit logged a multi-hit effort, launching his first homer of the season, while Yohairo Cuevas and Daiverson Gutierrez both reached base four times, the former with a triple and three walks and the latter filling up the box score with two singles, a double, and a homer- Daiverson’s first of the year as well. Up by a run, Brett Banks allowed three runs in the top of the eighth, and things were looking grim, but Voit’s three-run homer made the difference and put the Cyclones back in the driver’s seat for the bottom of the inning, which Garrett Stratton threw without issue.

ROSTER ALERT: RHP Dakota Hawkins assigned to Brooklyn Cyclones from Binghamton Rumble Ponies.

Single-A: St. Lucie Mets (5-5)

ST. LUCIE 2, DAYTONA 0 (BOX)

Jose Chirinos, Christian Rodriguez, and Ryan Dollar combined to shutout the Tortugas, starting out this road trip on the right foot. Chirinos did most of the work, tossing five scoreless innings, but Rodriguez threw a decent amount himself, pitching three scoreless, and then Dollar locked it down in the ninth. St. Lucie’s first run came in the second on a AJ Salgado homer, and their second run came in seventh on an Elian Pena RBI single.

Rookie: FCL Mets (0-0)

NO GAME (SCHEDULE)

STAR OF THE NIGHT

Mitch Voit

GOAT OF THE NIGHT

Douglas Orellana

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Remembering some Penguins vs. Flyers playoff moments

PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 18: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates against Claude Giroux #28 of the Philadelphia Flyers on March 18, 2012 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images

With the Battle of Pennsylvania poised to resume in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade, what better time than now to take a trip down memory lane and revisit some of the highs and lows from when the Penguins and Flyers have squared off against one another in the postseason?

2018 – Jake Guentzel scores 4 goals to eliminate Philadelphia

The last time the Penguins and the Flyers met in the postseason was in 2018 as Pittsburgh was trying to become the first time to win three straight Stanley Cup titles in 35 years at the time.

The Penguins were the two-time defending champions and opened the series with a bang, defeating Philadelphia 7-0.

The series managed not to feature many close games as the Flyers won Game 2 by a score of 5-1 and the Penguins snatched a 3-1 series lead with 5-1 and 5-0 wins in Games 3 and 4.

Philadelphia stayed alive with a road win in Game 5, sending things back to Philadelphia for a pivotal Game 6.

In that sixth and final game of the series, Jake Guentzel put on a show, scoring a natural hat trick, including two goals in 10 seconds en route to an 8-5 win.

2012 – Chaos reigns in the Battle of Pennsylvania

It’s hard to believe it’s been 14 years since the Penguins and Flyers stole all of the headlines in the 2012 season.

The Penguins were Stanley Cup contenders and going into the postseason, the only thing people knew to expect was chaos following the late-regular season contest between the two cross-state rivals.

Pittsburgh Penguins v Philadelphia Flyers - Game Four

From teams unable to keep pucks out of their own nets to all-out brawls on the ice leading to fines and suspensions, it was must-watch television while being hard to watch at the same time.

We even got to see Sidney Crosby pass the baton to Claude Giroux, what would become a running joke for quite some time.

2009 – Max Talbot’s ‘shh’ moment and a Pens comeback for the ages

Seventeen years ago, the Penguins won the Stanley Cup and their first round opponent that year was none other than the Philadelphia Flyers.

During that opening series of the postseason, the Penguins had gotten out to a 2-0 lead and a 3-1 series lead before the Flyers sent things back to Philadelphia for a Game 6.

Things didn’t start out well for the Penguins that game.

Mike Knuble, Joffrey Lupul, and Danny Briere gave the Flyers a 3-0 lead before a Max Talbot fight against Dan Carcillo gave the Penguins a spark.

Five unanswered goals followed with Sidney Crosby tying the game, later scoring an empty-netter to put the game and series on ice.

2008 – Penguins blow past the Flyers en route to the Stanley Cup Final

When the Penguins returned to the playoffs with their new, young core in 2007, it was clearly evident they weren’t ready for what the postseason provides.

The team flipped that narrative in 2008, ripping through the first two rounds against the Senators and Rangers, only losing one game in two series.

Up next in the Eastern Conference Final were the Flyers and the Penguins got off to a hot start there, as well.

The Penguins won the first three games of the series, including in the opening game when Evgeni Malkin infamously ripped a slap shot past Martin Biron on a breakaway.

Philadelphia avoided a sweep with a win in Game 4, but the Penguins put the Flyers away with a 6-0 blowout in Game 6 at the Mellon Arena.

2000 – Philadelphia wins a marathon overtime game

When the Penguins and Flyers met in the 2000 playoffs, it was their third-ever postseason meeting.

Pittsburgh jumped out to a 2-0 series lead and things seemed to be going well. Little did anyone know they wouldn’t win another game.

The Penguins forced overtime with a late Jaromir Jagr goal in Game 3, but came up short and then in Game 4, the two teams made history.

Alexei Kovalev and John LeClair each scored goals for the teams, leaving things tied midway through the 2nd period.

The Penguins and Flyers would play a scoreless third period and four scoreless overtime periods, heading a fifth overtime frame before Keith Primeau scored a game-winner in the third-longest game in NHL history.

Philadelphia would win Game 5 and Game 6 to eliminate the Penguins.

1997 – Mario Lemieux gets standing ovation in Philadelphia as he retires

When the Battle of Pennsylvania was held in 1997, Mario Lemieux received a standing ovation in Philadelphia for the second time in his career after being eliminated by the Flyers.

Several years prior, Lemieux received an ovation from Flyers fans when he returned from Hodgkin’s lymphoma and it was the same story at the end of the 1997 playoffs.

The Flyers defeated the Penguins 4-1 in the series and Lemieux said goodbye to the NHL with the world not knowing he would make a comeback a few years later.

After the Penguins were eliminated, a Lemieux farewell message was posted on the scoreboard and the fans in the arena gave Lemieux a proper sendoff to retirement.

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The Bruins will face the Buffalo Sabres in the first round of the playoffs

BUFFALO, NY - APRIL 17: Michael Grier #25 of the Buffalo Sabres is stopped on a third period scoring chance by Tuukka Rask #40 and Matt Hunwick #48 of the Boston Bruins in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2010 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at HSBC Arena on April 17, 2010 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images

With Tuesday night’s win over the New Jersey Devils, the Bruins clinched the first wild card spot in the Eastern Conference and set up a first-round match-up with the Buffalo Sabres.

After missing the playoffs for 382 years, the Sabres won the Atlantic Division with either 108 or 110 points, depending on how their last game of the season shakes out.

Buffalo will close out their regular season tonight against the Dallas Stars in a game that means absolutely nothing to either side, so it should be a real barn-burner.

The match-up will be a meaningful won for some segments of the Sabres fanbase, as the Bruins were a boogeyman of sorts for Buffalo for the better part of a decade.

Some very wise, excellent, good person wrote a post for this site a while back about how the Bruins essentially broke the Buffalo organization back in 2011, sparking a downward spiral that continued until just about this season.

It’s kind of fitting, then, that Buffalo will have to go through the Bruins to continue what has been a pretty remarkable story to this point.

The Bruins and Sabres last squared off in the playoffs in 2010, a first-round series that the Bruins won, 4-2.

Buffalo was the higher seed in that series and took a 1-0 series lead, only for the Bruins to win three games in a row then hold off Buffalo in Game 6.

That series was notable for a variety of reasons, from Tuukka Rask’s Superman save on Mike Grier to Johnny Boychuk tomahawking Thomas Vanek to Miroslav Satan’s 2OT heroics.

(The best part of this is that while all of these occurred just yesterday to me, many of you will read that sentence like it’s from some ancient Sumerian papyrus.)

The best highlight from that series will be obvious to those of you who have been around here long enough:

Big Money Wides at his best.

If you want to tie that series to the present day, there are a couple of interesting threads with the current coaches of the Bruins and Sabres.

Lindy Ruff was the Sabres coach then, just like he is today. He had a few other gigs between then and now, but he’s back behind the Buffalo bench.

Marco Sturm was playing on Patrice Bergeron’s wing for the Bruins during that series, though he went pointless in six games, so it might not be his happiest memory.

This season, the Bruins took three out of four from Buffalo, with two of those games going beyond regulation.

It’s worth pointing out that two of those four games (two Bruins wins) came back in October, before the Sabres figured it out and went on their big run.

We’ll keep you posted as a schedule gets released, but I’d imagine this series won’t start until Saturday or Sunday.

Should be fun!

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DitD & Open Post – 4/15/26: Disappointment Edition

Apr 14, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; New Jersey Devils goalie Nico Daws (50) looks on as defenseman Simon Nemec (17) and Boston Bruins forward James hagen (44) go after the puck during the first period at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

Here are your links for today:

Devils Links

The season, mercifully, is over. This mess of a campaign ends with a 4-0 loss to the Bruins. The Devils end the season with 87 points and a 42-37-3 record. [Devils NHL]

Nico reacting to this disappointing season: [Devils NHL]

“Fitzgerald wasn’t the worst GM you could have. There are worse; just look at the Vancouver Canucks or Rangers. Though he’s no longer the Devils’ GM, Fitzgerald did some good things in his time leading the front office. Unfortunately, the cons outweighed the pros. Let’s look back on his best and worst moves as Devils GM as the organization prepares to move into a new era.” [Devils on the Rush ($)]

“Examining what John Chayka may bring as a possible candidate to take over the New Jersey Devils’ now-vacant General Manager position.” [Devils’ Advocates]

Hockey Links

“‘The Great 8’ skated off into the great unknown Tuesday. Alex Ovechkin insisted again that he’s unsure what the future holds for him following the Washington Capitals’ 2-1 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets in their season finale at Nationwide Arena. But the 40-year-old left wing seemed to leave the door open that this wasn’t the end of his NHL career.” [NHL.com]

Jonathan Quick is retiring:

“Columbus Blue Jackets coach Rick Bowness questioned his players’ commitment to winning after an uninspired season-ending loss to the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night.” [ESPN]

“Before we turn the page to the playoffs for some teams and the offseason for others at the end of next week, The Athletic asked its NHL staff for the player who provided the very best on a nightly basis (our 2025-26 MVPs) and the player who emerged as most disappointing on each team this season. Here’s who our writers picked.” [The Athletic ($)]

Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.

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Maryland baseball destroys Towson, 15-7

Maryland baseball entered the bottom of the eighth inning of its midweek bout against Towson down by one run. 

That was when junior Brayden Martin notched his second RBI of the game, bringing in the tying run. Just two pitches later, sophomore Paul Jones II launched a two-run RBI double that came off the bat at 108 mph to extend Maryland’s lead.

After another batter was walked, Towson put in its second pitcher of the inning with the bases loaded and one out. Left-handed pitcher Ben Nugent proceeded to walk five Terps in a row — each brought in a run. 

It was a late demolition for the Terps as they strolled to a 15-7 victory over Towson Tuesday at the Bob. 

Right-handed pitcher Nic Morlang started the game for the Terps and recorded three total strikeouts. However, he allowed three hits, allowing the Tigers to take an early 2-0 lead. Morlang closed out the first inning by striking out Towson’s best hitter, Brian Heckelman.

Martin got on base and stole second in the bottom of the first, but he was ultimately stranded after freshman Ty Kaunas popped out to third and Jones II grounded out to second.

After Maryland’s defense recorded its 33rd double play of the season in the top of the second inning, the Terps got an RBI from Aden Hill to halve the deficit, but two runners were left on base.

Towson extended its lead in the third inning after following up a single with three consecutive doubles, bringing in three more runs. Right-handed pitcher Andrew Koshy stepped up to the mound for Morlang with one on and no outs. 

A throwing error by second baseman David Mendez brought in another run for the Tigers before the inning ended after a strikeout and two pop-ups. 

Mendez quickly redeemed himself, though, launching a breaking ball on the 2-1 count over the left center wall. His sixth home run of the season brought in three runs for Maryland, making the score 6-4 Towson.

“It was really helpful for me being able to pick up my guys,” Mendez said. “We knew we weren’t out of the game, so I knew that big swing was what we needed in that moment to take over the game.”

Maryland’s bullpen was able to hold the Tigers until the eighth inning, recording six more strikeouts and not walking a single batter. 

In the bottom of the fourth, Martin’s sacrifice fly brought in another run for the Terps. Kaunas brought in the tying run with a solo home run shortly after. 

Just one run was scored between the fifth and seventh innings — a sacrifice fly by Jones II in the bottom of the sixth gave Maryland a one-run lead.

In the top of the eighth, Towson’s catcher Coy Allman reached first on a throwing error by right-handed pitcher Jake Yeager, who had relieved Koshy two innings previously. The error allowed a run to score, tying the game once again. Sophomore right-hander Ryan Bailey entered the game and kept the Tigers scoreless for the remainder of the contest.

“We’re really going through it injury wise,” head coach Matt Swope said. “It was really good for those guys to try and stabilize that after not the best start.”

Maryland didn’t allow the tie to last for long, exploding for seven runs.

Towson went through three pitchers throughout the bottom of the eighth inning — Nugent was relieved by the Tigers’ third pitcher of the inning, who allowed a Martin sacrifice fly that brought in the Terps’ eighth run of the inning before recording the last out.

The Tigers only recorded one strikeout while throwing 58 pitches and walking eight Terps — five while bases were loaded — to give Maryland an eight-run lead.

“If you’re disciplined at the plate and you don’t swing at balls, you will be in college baseball games,” Swope said. “It’s my number one thing we’ve been good with all year.”

Bailey recorded one strikeout in the top of the ninth, while Martin and center fielder Nate Hawton-Henley claimed the remaining two to take the 15-7 victory.

Three things to know

1. Easy bases. Maryland recorded 15 RBIs on Tuesday — its third most this season and most since March 31 against Richmond. The Tigers out-hit the Terps 11-8, but it wasn’t enough, as two of Maryland’s hits were home runs and the remaining six brought in a run. Tuesday also marked the most walks the Terps have been dealt (12) since the Richmond contest, which also ended with 12 walks.

2. Base robber. Martin stole two bases Tuesday, bringing him to a season total of 16 stolen bases in 17 attempts — the most in the Big Ten. The junior also ranks first on the team and the Big Ten with the most walks (36), while Maryland ranks first in the Big Ten with 233 walks.

3. Support in the stands. The Bob was packed Tuesday, with the football, softball, field hockey, gymnastic, cheer, and women’s soccer teams coming out to show support. There were over 1300 fans in attendance for the midweek match.

“I love it. This is a lifestyle for me, it’s not a job,” Swope said. “I appreciate those guys coming out.”

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Rockets vs. Lakers 2026 NBA Playoff series preview

Mar 18, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) splits the defense of Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) and guard Reed Sheppard (15) in the second half at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

The NBA Playoffs are coming up quickly now that the regular season is over. The Rockets came in fifth, therefore they will play the Los Angeles Lakers, who came in fourth, in a best-of-seven series. The higher-seeded team (Los Angeles) will host the first two games, as usual. After that, the series will go to Houston for games three and four, then back to LA for game five, back to Houston for game six, and finally back to LA for game seven.

The Lakers won three games in a row to finish the season. The Timberwolves ended Houston’s eight-game winning streak, but the Rockets beat the Grizzlies on Sunday.

One main plot point of the series is the continuing battle between Kevin Durant and LeBron James. Even though their most famous battles happened years ago in the NBA Finals, there is a sense of nostalgia and excitement as they meet again, this time in the first round. At this point in their careers, both players may still dominate games, but they are under quite different kinds of strain. Durant plays for a Houston team that is deeper and more balanced. LeBron is now in his 40s and is supposed to be the Lakers’ main offensive player, especially with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves hurting.

If the Lakers don’t let their ailments get in the way too much before the series, they might have a better chance of making it further in the playoffs. Reaves, an important guard, and Luka Doncic, who was brought in to be LeBron’s co-superstar, are both up in the air for this series. When the game is mostly one-on-one, LeBron has to score a lot because the rest of Los Angeles can’t make baskets or set up plays for other players when they aren’t there. Without those parts, the Lakers can’t afford to make as many mistakes.

The Rockets, on the other hand, are in good shape and ready for the playoffs. Houston has quietly become one of the best teams in the conference because they emphasis on being tough and disciplined on defense. Alperen Şengün’s frontcourt gives them a reliable inside scoring threat, and their perimeter defenders enable them to alter up their defenses and mess with their opponents’ offenses. Durant can score in a variety of different ways, and Houston has numerous other players that can also score (Sengun, Thompson, Sheppard etc), so it will depend on how well Houston’s supporting cast does.

The Rockets play a slower, more organized game, employing their size and skill to rebound to keep the ball. The Lakers, on the other hand, perform best when they get ahead early and make the game go faster. It’s harder to do this when Doncic isn’t in charge of the half-court. If Houston can keep the game moving at their tempo, they can keep the Lakers from getting easy points and put them in tough situations at the end of the game.

One of the most important things in the series is whether or not Doncic will feel better and how much. The Lakers wouldn’t simply be a top-heavy team; with him on the roster, they would be a big offensive danger straight away. Los Angeles would have to rely on role players to step up, which would be risky against the Rockets’ at times well-organized defense. It will be a tough and close series, but Houston has the upper hand with the L.A. injuries unless the Lakers get well soon.

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Pirates Prospect Update: Seth Hernandez off to hot start

BRADENTON, FLORIDA - MARCH 20, 2026: Seth Hernandez #25 of the Pittsburgh Pirates throws a pitch during the first inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Detroit Tigers at LECOM Park on March 20, 2026 in Bradenton, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images

The Pittsburgh Pirates’ top pitching prospect, Seth Hernandez, is looking strong in his first season of professional baseball with the Bradenton Marauders

Hernandez was drafted sixth overall by the Pirates in 2025 as the top high school pitching prospect in the class. He was named the California Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year, The Los Angeles Times Player of the Year and the Enterprise Varsity Player of the Year. He decided to forgo his commitment to Vanderbilt and signed with the Pirates for $7.25 million. 

2025 only saw Hernandez get time with the Florida Coast League Pirates, so this is his first year of pitching in the minor leagues. With Low-A Bradenton the 19-year-old righty has made two starts so far this season, with both being very impressive. In his first career start against the Dunedin Blue Jays Hernandez largely dominated the opposing hitters. In just three innings pitched he accumulated eight strikeouts. He would give up one earned run and allow three hits, but for his first professional start, it doesn’t get much better.

Against the Palm Beach Cardinals on April 10, Hernandez was once again dictating the pace from the mound. In four innings Hernandez struck out seven batters, while not allowing any hits or earned runs while he was pitching. Bradenton would go on to lose the contest and the series to Palm Beach, but it certainly wasn’t because of Hernandez.

Hernandez was given a prospect rating of 55 overall, with a 70 graded fastball and a 60 graded curveball. At 6’4” he has an athletic build which will bode well for a power pitcher, but he also has incredible body control to repeat his delivery on the mound consistently. He has a lot of potential given his physical skills and the fact that he has great stuff, working with a solid four pitch mix. Hernandez is in line to be another great velocity focused starter in the Pirates rotation.

Seth Hernandez is ranked as the Pirates’ second overall prospect and is ranked 24th in the top 100.

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LA Dodgers plan special night for Jackie Robinson Day

April 15 is celebrated across Major League Baseball as a commemoration of the day that Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in 1947. And for the Los Angeles Dodgers — the team that Robinson debuted went onto play his entire 10-year career with — that day always carries a little more weight.

Every year on Jackie Robinson Day, a hold a pregame moment of reflection is held with both the Dodgers and the visiting team (in this year's case, the New York Mets) gathering at the eponymous player's statue in the centerfield plaza at Dodger Stadium.

"This is not a one-day situation," Roberts said at last year's ceremony. "It's Jackie Robinson's day for breaking the color barrier, but this is like an everyday sort of mindset, appreciation."

MORE: LA Dodgers are MLB's melting pot, with complex history to show

Members of the Robinson family and other invited guests usually attend as well; NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar spoke at the gathering in 2025. This year's scheduled guests include Jackie Robinson Foundation scholars and Robinson's granddaughters, Sonya Pankey and Ayo Robinson, along with Negro Leagues Baseball Museum president Bob Kendrick.

In addition to wearing Robinson's iconic No. 42 like all 29 other clubs, the Dodgers take it a step further by swapping out their interlocking LA for the Brooklyn B on their hats.

Among other plans for the game itself, the UCLA women's basketball team — fresh off their national championship and a record six players selected in the WNBA draft — will throw out the first pitch with their trophy in hand. A commemorative 42 jersey will also be given out to fans in attendance.

Even the Dodgers' opponent on Wednesday, the Mets, holds significance as they were created to fill a void left after two former New York teams — Dodgers and Giants — relocated to the West Coast in the 1950s.

MORE: How Dodgers continue to invest in Jackie Robinson legacy

How to watch the Dodgers vs. Mets on Jackie Robinson Day

The finale of the Dodgers' homestand vs. Mets will be televised nationally on ESPN on Wednesday, April 15 at 7:10 p.m. PT. In another cool wrinkle for Jackie Robinson Day, the game will be called by Joe Buck, who left FOX Sports to helm the "Monday Night Football" booth at ESPN in March 2022.

Here's how to watch the Dodgers play the Mets on Jackie Robinson Day:

  • Location: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, California
  • Time: 7:10 p.m. PT (10:10 p.m. ET)
  • TV channel: ESPN
  • Streaming: ESPN Unlimited, Fubo

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Los Angeles Dodgers' plans to celebrate Jackie Robinson Day

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How Dodgers continue to invest in Jackie Robinson legacy

Mark Walter and his ownership group bought the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2012. Not long after, he called Rachel Robinson, widow of Dodgers legend Jackie Robinson, said Della Britton, president and CEO of the Jackie Robinson Foundation.

“Literally Mark supported us from day one when he bought the Dodgers,’’ Britton told USA TODAY Sports. "One of the first meetings he had, he called Rachel and Rachel and I went out to Los Angeles (from New York) and he said, ‘I want you to know this is part of your legacy and I very much feel the importance of this legacy to the team's history. We're partners...''

MORE: LA Dodgers are MLB's melting pot, with complex history to show

Jackie Robinson Day (Wednesday, April 15) will help spotlight the partnership between the Dodgers' current ownership group and Robinson's legacy.

In December, Walter and Thomas Tull, director of the movie "42" about Jackie Robinson, announced a $20 million to the Jackie Robinson Foundation, which along with the Jackie Robinson Museum is in New York.

“I remember Mark calling me,’’ Britton said, “and saying, 'Della, what do you need? You’ve worked so hard on this museum. We're so proud. Can we be helpful?'"

The Jackie Robinson Museum opened in 2022. When Walter learned a bridge loan on the museum project needed to be paid off, he came through, according to Britton. She also said Walter believes in a key part of Jackie Robinson’s story – the power of sports.

“It's an amazing equalizer, but it can also be an amazing force for change, for good,’’ Britton said. “And that's another thing that Mark Walter talks about, how he realizes how important sports is to bringing people together and for implementing the whole notion of egalitarianism.’’

'A bigger celebration'

On Wednesday, Rachel Robinson plans to be at the Jackie Robinson Museum, where she celebrated Jackie Robinson Day last year, too.

Britton planned to be at Dodger Stadium for the league-wide commemoration Major League Baseball started in 2004.

Jackie Robinson died in 1972. But Rachel Robinson has been around for all of the league-wide Jackie Robinson Day tributes held in honor of her late husband and Rachel Robinson's work, too.

She is 103 and lives in New York, home of the Jackie Robinson Foundation and the Jackie Robinson Museum. Of the foundation, Britton said, "We're a 53-year-old college scholarship program that Rachel started the year after Jackie died.’’

The Dodgers Foundation has supported dozens of Jackie Robinson scholars, according to Britton, who also said Walter hired some “very smart Jackie Robinson scholars.’’

Major League Baseball also supports the scholarship program, and preparation for Jackie Robinson Day has been underway, according to Britton.

“So it would start with the 30 teams,’’ she said, noting that Major League Baseball also has donated “generously’’ to the museum. “Each team, thanks to Major League Baseball by the way, supports a Jackie Robinson scholar..."

Several teams will honor scholars at the ballpark on Wednesday. Then there are the Dodgers.

“First of all, they embrace the fact that they support 10 Jackie Robinson scholars and they invite them all to the game and they put them on the field at the beginning,’’ Britton said. “So they have a big celebration. But then throughout the game, the Jumbotron gives stats and figures about not just Jackie Robinson, but also the foundation, his living legacy, if you will. So it's a bigger celebration. … It's wonderful.’’

(Editor's note: In an earlier version of this story, the name of Thomas Tull was misspelled.)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How Dodgers continue to invest in the Jackie Robinson legacy

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Twitter Gold: Coby White’s Incredible Three

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - APRIL 14: LaMelo Ball #1 celebrates with Coby White #3 of the Charlotte Hornets in overtime against the Miami Heat during their game at Spectrum Center on April 14, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. 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 Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Charlotte Hornets are in the NBA Play-In Tournament and still alive, having beaten Miami in a thriller Tuesday night.

Kon Knueppel didn’t play especially well, shooting just 2-12 and 0-6 on his three-point attempts, and finishing with just 6. Sion James didn’t have a big game offensively either, scoring just 2 points.

It’s been a while since a former Tar Heel had a major impact on the post-season. Can you remember the last one? It’s tough, isn’t it?

To put it in a different perspective, the last player out of UNC to be an All-Star was Vince Carter.

Well, that changed Tuesday night as former Tar Heel Coby White hit an improbable jumper to tie the game at 114-114 and ultimately put it into overtime.

LaMelo Ball hit the game-winner in overtime, but this play against Bam Adebayo may see him suspended for Charlotte’s final play-in game against the Phoenix Suns.

With Mark Williams, Grayson Allen, and Khaman Maluach, that will be a bit of a Brotherhood reunion.

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Why are MLB players wearing 42 today? Jackie Robinson Day, explained

Jackie Robinson made history when he took the field at Ebbets Field in his debut for the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947.

His is a legacy that continues in perpetuity, 79 years later, as MLB commemorates the anniversary of the day Robinson broke baseball's color barrier.

The tradition itself, in an official sense, is more recent than you might think; Jackie Robinson Day was first celebrated on April 15, 2004 and the practice of all on-field personnel — every player, manager, umpire and bat and ball boy — wearing Robinson's No. 42 didn't become firmly established for another five years after that.

MORE: LA Dodgers are MLB's melting pot, with complex history to show

But according to the Jackie Robinson Museum website, it was tap dancer Bill “Bojangles” Robinson who inaugurated it almost 80 years ago.

At the end of Robinson's rookie season, on Sept. 23, 1947, Bojangles led an on-field ceremony at Ebbets Field as a way for New York's Black communities to show their appreciation for Robinson and support for desegregation in the big leagues. Robinson was gifted a new car, TV set, gold watch and a fur coat for his wife, Rachel, through donations solicited by the New York Amsterdam News, a local Black newspaper.

Fifty years later, MLB rang in the 50th anniversary of Robinson's debut by unilaterally retiring No. 42 across the league. Ken Griffey Jr. temporarily switched his number from 24 to 42 on that day to honor Robinson and a decade later, he asked Rachel Robinson and then-MLB commissioner Bud Selig if they could temporarily unretire the number so he could wear it once again in tribute to Jackie Robinson.

The idea took off around the majors and on April 15, 2007, over 100 players — including four entire teams — took the field with No. 42 on their backs.

That number tripled for 2008, according to the Jackie Robinson Museum, and by 2009, every player, manager and umpire wore the number.

"To have everybody do it, I didn't think it was going to go that far," Griffey said in an interview with MLB Network's Harold Reynolds. "I wasn't thinking that big, but it's been an unbelievable thing since day one."

In 2022, the tradition took another step when MLB decided to have 42 on every jersey in a block Dodger blue font, with blue socks, regardless of the team's colors or number style.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why MLB players are wearing No. 42 for Jackie Robinson Day

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L.A.'s Blue Era: How popular are the Dodgers? Even the Lakers look up at them. Way up

Los Angeles, CA - October 25: Dodgers fans celebrate Enrique Hernandez's run in the sixth inning while watching Game 1 of the World Series against the Yankees at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles Friday, Oct. 25, 2024. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Dodgers fans celebrate during the fifth inning of Game 1 of the 2024 World Series at Dodger Stadium. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

The Dodgers are too good, and too rich. If the owners of other major league teams ultimately deem that combination so objectionable that they shut down the sport this winter because of it, they will risk a rupture in one of the greatest fan bases in American sports history.

The four million tickets the Dodgers sold last season tells one part of the story. Here is an arguably better one: For decades, the Dodgers and Lakers have dominated Los Angeles sports and left every other team far behind in popularity.

For now, after back-to-back World Series championships, the Dodgers have left even the Lakers far behind in popularity, and every other team in town even further behind.

In a Loyola Marymount survey asking Los Angeles County residents to identify their favorite among the 12 pro sports teams within the local media market, nearly half picked the Dodgers.

Read more:Whatever happened to Julio Urías? 'Teams ask me about him all the time,' agent says

The Dodgers’ lead over the Lakers — 43% to 28% — represented the largest gap between the teams in the nine editions of the survey, first conducted in 2014 by the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Center for the Study of Los Angeles.

The Rams ranked third, at 7%, followed by the Kings at 5% and the Angels at 4%.

The two women’s teams — Angel City FC and the Sparks — tied for last, each with less than 1% of the vote. Even when the study separated votes by gender, the two women’s teams each got less than 1% of the vote from women.

As recently as 2018, five teams beyond the Dodgers and Lakers — the Angels, Clippers, Galaxy, Kings and Rams — attracted at least 4% of the vote. In this year’s survey, only the Rams did.

“I’m a big Rams fan,” said Fernando Guerra, the center’s director, “and I still put the Dodgers first.

“I love all these teams. But, when you have to choose one, it’s the Dodgers.”

Dodgers president Stan Kasten pointed to the popularity and excellence of the players, the cherished ballpark and the generational fan support as factors contributing to the top ranking.

“If you have a lot of good elements but you don’t win, you’re not going to be as high,” Kasten said. “And, if you win but you don’t have the other elements, you’re not going to be as high.

“I think, right now, we’re as close as you can be to clicking on all cylinders.”

Beyond the winning, Guerra cited Shohei Ohtani as a driving force behind the Dodgers’ popularity, and not just as a tourist attraction, merchandise driver, and the foremost product endorser in sports.

In 2018, Ohtani’s debut season with the Angels, 8% of fans that identified themselves as Asian picked the Angels as their favorite team and 34% picked the Dodgers — a terrific showing for the Angels, since the study polls residents in L.A. County, not Orange County.

That demographic this year: 4% picked the Angels, 47% picked the Dodgers.

In their 10 years since returning to Los Angeles, the Rams have made seven playoff appearances and two Super Bowl appearances, winning one. All that, and a half-century in their previous run in L.A., and their membership in the most popular sports league in America, and the best they could do was 7%.

“It’s just tough to break the Lakers’ and Dodgers’ hold,” Guerra said. “It’s not like we don’t love the Rams or the others. It’s just not your top priority.”

The Lakers and Dodgers have combined to win 20 championships in Los Angeles. The other 10 teams that call this market home have combined to win 16.

In the 13 seasons since Mark Walter and Co. bought the Dodgers, the team has won 12 division titles, made five World Series appearances, and won three championships. In the same time, the Lakers have won three division titles, advanced past the first round of the playoffs twice, and won one championship.

Walter bought a controlling interest in the Lakers last year. He has installed Lon Rosen, formerly the Dodgers’ executive vice president and chief marketing officer, as the Lakers’ president of business operations.

“When the Lakers are winning a lot of championships, they’re No. 1,” Rosen said. “When the Dodgers are, they’re No. 1.

“It’s a good position to be in, since we control both teams, and both teams are highly successful.”

Read more:Luka Doncic rejoining Lakers after getting injury treatment in Europe

In this moment, the Dodgers are highly successful.

“The Lakers and Dodgers are going to be neck and neck very soon,” Rosen said. “The Lakers will 100% be champions again soon.”

The Dodgers do not concede the days of neck and neck will return. Kasten, remember, said the Dodgers were as close as they could be to clicking on all cylinders.

“We don’t take that for granted,” he said. “We know we can do even better.”

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Pens Points: The second season begins now

ST. LOUIS, MO - APRIL 14: St. Louis Blues left wing Dylan Holloway (81) and Pittsburgh Penguins center Ben Kindel (81) battle for the puck during an NHL game where the St. Louis Blues hosted the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday April 14th, 2026, at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis MO (Photo by Rick Ulreich/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Here are your Pens Points for this Wednesday morning…

The Pittsburgh Penguins closed the regular season on Tuesday night with a wild 7-5 loss to the St. Louis Blues. It was more or less an exhibition game for the Penguins, who iced a lineup of primarily depth players and had nothing to gain or lose in the result. However, it still provided an opportunity for participants to showcase their skills to the coaching staff as the grind of the Stanley Cup playoffs approaches. [Recap]

Penguins rookie defenseman Jake Livanavage, who was just signed to an entry-level contract on April 10, made his NHL debut with the team on Tuesday night, creating a full-circle moment after growing up as a fan and once holding a sign hoping to meet captain Sidney Crosby. [Penguins]

The Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers are set to renew their longstanding cross-state feud in the first round of the playoffs, with players embracing the bad blood and intensity that comes with one of the league’s best rivalries. [Trib Live]

As the Penguins start to turn their attention to key players on the Flyers’ roster, you can, too. Take a closer look at Philly goaltender Dan Vladar and his journey from inconsistent backup to key starter, becoming one of the team’s most important offseason additions. [PensBurgh]

News and notes from around the NHL…

NHL save percentages have dropped to their lowest level in roughly 30 years, driven by smarter, more skilled shooters, leading to higher-quality scoring chances. The growing belief is that modern offenses are outpacing goaltending systems that have become more predictable and position-based. [Sportsnet]

Dallas Stars forward Roope Hintz will be out for the first two games of his team’s playoff series against the Minnesota Wild with a lower-body injury. [Sportsnet]

Alex Ovechkin recorded an assist in what could have been his last NHL game, helping his Washington Capitals defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-1 on Tuesday. The Capitals say they will continue to support Ovechkin as he weighs his future heading into the summer. [NHL]

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MLB ABS system stats are coming in: What players are best at challenges?

Ten percent of the season is in the books. Does Major League Baseball play any differently after three weeks of the automatic ball-strike challenge system?

Perhaps. Certainly, it is a nascent and evolving niche within the game, filled with trial and error, hot hands and teachable moments all in the name of trying to gain an edge – 0.1% of an edge, even – on the corners of the strike zone.

While things will certainly change, and something resembling normalization will occur over the rest of the season, there are a few hard and fast maxims about ABS that we feel comfortable rolling with. A look at six truths the so-called “robot umps” have yielded so far:

Games are longer

It’s true: The average nine-inning game is averaging 2 hours, 42 minutes, longest in the four years of the pitch-clock era. (The first three seasons produced nine-inning averages of 2:39, 2:36 and 2:38).

Certainly, there are plenty of factors that contribute to game time beyond the 30 or so seconds every ABS challenge takes. Teams are using 4.34 pitchers per game, the highest mark since 2021 and possibly a function of the early-season glut of off days enabling managers to more liberally deploy relievers.

Pitchers are also issuing 3.8 walks per game, the highest mark since 2000 and perhaps one that will normalize as the year proceeds and time is shaved off of games. So is it all the challenge system spiking game times?

Nope. But it’s certainly a contributing factor.

Catchers are king

As one might have anticipated.

Nobody has the vantage point of a catcher, able to see exactly where a ball crossed the plate and, like machine learning, eventually figure out, most importantly, what the Hawk-Eye tracking system believes is a strike.

Accordingly, catchers are successfully challenging at a rate of 62% entering games of Tuesday, April 14. They account for 501 of the 522 attempts by fielders, though pitchers, emotional beings that they are, aren’t faring too poorly – they’re 10-for-21 so far.

As for hitters?

Consider them the foolishly aggrieved party. Helmet-tappers are successfully challenging at a rate of just 47%, with Ronald Acuña Jr. (2 for 6), Nolan Schanuel and Hunter Goodman (each 1 for 5) the most erratic.

Dillon Dingler is the ABS whisperer

So, who’s the best at this thing?

We’ll give an early nod to the Detroit Tigers’ Dillon Dingler. He’s currently 9-for-10 in getting balls overturned for his pitcher, the best rate for a catcher with more than five challenges. Victor Caratini (8-for-10) is right on his tail, while veteran J.T. Realmuto is perfect in five challenges so far.

Managers are working harder to get thrown out

Yep, arguing balls and strikes – traditionally the surest ticket to an early shower – is much harder to do with a pair of replay challenges in a manager’s back pocket.

Yet are skippers still getting tossed? You bet.

Eight managers have been ejected so far, and the intent hasn’t changed much in the ABS era: Six of the eight got the heave-ho when their teams were trailing and, maybe, the manager saw fit to light a fire under the lads. Alas, none of the six clubs came back to win after their manager was ejected, though perhaps the histrionics proved whatever point the manager hoped.

One ejection did occur in an ABS situation: Derek Shelton, tossed with one out in the top of the ninth inning  after an overturned ball, just as the Minnesota Twins were about to lose to the Baltimore Orioles. Runner’s interference resulted in two ejections, while a balk call, a disputed quick-pitch, a pair of check swings and an overturned out call at first accounted for the others.

The Twins are winning both sides of the ball

OK, so we won’t correlate ABS challenge success with on-field record just yet. Still, it’s hard to ignore that the Twins – consensus picks to finish last in the AL Central – are 10-7 and tied with Cleveland for the AL’s best record.

And they’ve won more batter’s challenges – 14 – than any team in the majors and lead the AL with 19 successful defensive challenges.

Sure, maybe the games have simply played out that the Twins have had a ton of chances to air a grievance. Either way, they’ve clearly chosen a path of aggression, as they lead in batter challenges (29) and are second to the Marlins with 28 defensive challenges.

Their percentages aren’t elite – they rank 15th among batters with a 48% success rate and 10th defensively at 68%.

But shooters shoot, as they say, and nobody’s gotten more calls overturned.

Umpires have gotten … worse?

So this is a tricky one.

There’s plenty of ways now to measure umpire aptitude, and we tend to lean on the very means-tested Umpire Scorecards as our metric of choice. Within that, we can look at correct ball-strike percentage or other methods of accuracy.

For this exercise, we’ve chosen to highlight how many umpires rank in the positive for what they call “accuracy above expected,” or the difference between actual accuracy and expected accuracy given the web site’s “machine learning approach to estimating an umpire’s performance relative to their peers.”

Fair enough.

For what it’s worth, 76 of 91 umpires – or 83.5% - finished above 0 in accuracy above expected in 2025. This year? Just 54 of 83 – or 65% - rank in the positive.

Keep in mind: This is an extremely small sample size. A vast majority of umpires have had three or fewer plate assignments so far. Perhaps the accurate calls heat up with the weather, etc.

And maybe the umps’ confidence will level up when they realize ABS confirms that they were right a lot of times, too.

Perhaps that’s the ultimate truism: That humans can go toe-to-toe with robots just fine.  

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB ABS system stats: Challenge results, 2026 robo ump takeaways

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Yankees news: The AL East is all squared up

Apr 13, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) jogs to the dugout after the top of the second inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | John Jones-Imagn Images

FanGraphs | Dan Szymborski: An 8-2 start had the Yankees in the driver’s seat early in the AL East, but a 1-5 run after that has helped settle down the division odds. Now, while the Yanks still boast the best odds of any team in the East to make the playoffs, they’re smack dab in the middle of the division projections with the Orioles and Blue Jays. The silver lining may be that these adjusted ZiPS projections don’t seem to favor the Red Sox at all, which may take the division down from a four-way knife fight to merely a three-sided knife fight.

Yankees PR: Hopefully, none of you were too invested in the return of Yerry De los Santos to the Yankees’ bullpen. Called up yesterday to replace the struggling Jake Bird, De los Santos is already heading back to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in exchange for a to-be-named fresh arm. The Yankees had him soak up a couple innings of the ugly 7-1 loss to the Angels, allowing one run on three hits. As his pitch count rose to 44, it became clear that his stay in the Bronx would be short. Angel Chivilli and Kervin Castro are both 40-man roster candidates to tag in for Yerry, though Chivilli is more likely since Castro pitched for Scranton last night and the former last appeared for the RailRiders on Sunday.

CBS Sports | Matt Synder: Jazz Chisholm Jr. has taken his share of criticism early in the 2026 season, from this author included. While his onfield play does merit some of those critiques, Synder makes a fair point about how we wish athletes were more open about their play and how they feel about their play, when someone like Jazz expresses his challenges playing in cold weather, we jump on him for his honesty. This doubles down when you do the modicum of analysis to see that Jazz really does better as the weather warms, and as we turn toward summer, hopefully that performance starts to tick up.

New York Daily News | Gary Phillips: For one night, Trent Grisham got some validation. The Yankee center fielder has experienced a bit of a power outage so far this season, but got it back on Monday with a dynamite two-homer game, including the game-tying dinger in the ninth. Grisham had been hitting the ball hard and in the air, but to the big part of the field where outfielders run those balls down. It shouldn’t be a surprise that the key for Grisham’s power is pulling the ball, exactly what he did in game one of the Angels series.

New York Post | Dan Martin: Aaron Judge continues to carve himself into Yankee history, with another multi-home-run game on Monday night. With his fifth and sixth home runs of the year, Judge notched his 47th career multi-dinger performance, passing Mickey Mantle for second on the Yankee all-time list. Only Babe Ruth, with 68, is now above Judge.