MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - APRIL 26: Sung-Mun Song #24 of the San Diego Padres runs to third base during the eighth inning of the MLB Mexico City Series game between San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helú on April 26, 2026 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Sung-Mun Song was added to the San Diego Padres roster as the 27th-man for the Mexico City Series and made his debut with two outs in the top of the eighth inning of their 12-7 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks when he came in to run for Luis Campusano. He was able to advance to third base on a wild pitch, but he was unable to score as Jake Cronenworth grounded out to first base to end the inning. Song was then replaced in the order by Freddy Fermin who came in to catch the bottom of the eighth inning. Considering the Padres allowed 10 combined runs in the seventh and eighth inning, the debut for Song may not be as sweet as his expected it would be, but he should get opportunities to experience the winning feeling at some point as the season progresses. Perhaps that will come in a game where he gets his first start, plays the field for the first time or gets his first hit. San Diego will have roster decisions to make about Song before they return to Petco Park on Monday to face the Chicago Cubs. It is unknown if Song will return to his spot in the lineup with Triple-A El Paso or if he will remain in the MLB roster, but speculation will permeate through the fanbase as the Friar Faithful play general manager and coach prior to first pitch.
Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune provided some final news and notes about German Marquez and his start against the Diamondbacks that saw him allow four runs in the second and then work through the sixth inning to give the Padres a chance to comeback and win.
Baseball News:
The Boston Red Sox saw their manager Alex Cora fired on Saturday and came out on Sunday and beat the Baltimore Orioles.
PORTLAND, OREGON - APRIL 26: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs celebrates making a basket during the second half of Game Four of the Western Conference First Round Playoffs against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center on April 26, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I haven’t taken a breath since 12 minutes into Game 2 when Victor Wembanyama took a spill and had a concussion. I think I passed out myself, and I am not sure what happened since. But I woke up and saw the San Antonio Spurs were up 2 games to 1, and Game 4 started with the much anticipated return of Wembanyama because he had to sit out Game 3. Once the spry Portland Trail Blazers were up 19 in the first half in Game 4, I think I passed out again (hey, I am no where near conditioned for Spurs playoff basketball watching like the heydays of the 2000s and 2010s—you’ll have to excuse my being out of armchair point guarding shape).
Thankfully, the good guys came through behind De’Aaron Fox’s game-high 28 points to go with his 7 assists. Wembanyama, in his triumphant return, scored 27 points with 11 rebounds and 7 blocks.
You know all the talking heads who say the Spurs are too young and need “playoff scars” or to wait their turn? They might be right, but nothing is promised or guaranteed. Some players on this current team might not be on the roster next year. Unfortunately, injuries happen: some day-to-day, some seasoning ending, others career ending. Athletes know this so they play to win now.
Deep philosophical diatribes aside, I was just glad to see number one back on the court and doing moves like this in the (expletive)ing playoffs:
A “B+” for Harrison Barnes’s spot-on pass to a streaking Wembanyama for the jam. An “A” for Wembanyama’s statement dunk, and an “A+” for Dylan Harper’s timely screen that allowed Wembanyama to get free for the easy slam.
Before I hear it in the comments, I’m changing Barnes’s arbitrary grade to an A.
De’Aaron Fox was on a heater on Sunday afternoon, and the Spurs will definitely need it if they hope to advance deep in the playoffs. On a team of players as unique as Wembanyama, raw, hungry, and talented like Castle and Harper, Fox in this case is what you would call the Mariano Rivera of basketball games. Hopefully, the Spurs’ very own Sandman can continue to be the closer they need.
Is it me or were there a lot of Spurs fans in Portland? What do y’all know that I don’t. Do they have good tacos up in the Pacific Northwest? Do they have Whataburger? I have never been and would like to one day. If they don’t have Whataburger that’s OK. I guess. I can always ship it to myself. Oh, I’m crazy for saying such a thing? I’m not the one who’s depriving the great people of the Northwest from delicious, greasy burgers, pal.
Devin Vassell continues be as constant as the northern star in this series, scoring 11 points on 5 – 9 shooting.
Luke Kornet. Do the pose again. Trademark it, make more t-shirts out of it. This is your moment, make more plays like that and fire up your fans. I’m ready to stan for my man the crocodile from Argyle (Texas).
Harrison Barnes didn’t want to feel left out, so he joined the slamma jamma pajamma party. That sounded better in my head so I think I’ll leave it, and let the corniness marinate a bit.
Do y’all get the sense Wembanyama is getting angrier and angrier the more games he’s playing (and exponentially in the playoffs?). If that’s what it takes, I say we do all the things that might make him angry: bend the spine of a book, perform an unprovoked Dunst Opening move in chess, call a server “garçon,” or putting Nutella on plain white bread.
I only watched these back-to-back alley oops from Castle to Wembanyama twice. No more, no less. Once because we all deserve a sliver of pure joy and happiness in our lives, and a second time because if you watch it more than two times, it dilutes the sliver of pure joy and happiness that you would receive by allowing yourself to watch these beautiful back-to-back alley oops.
The Winnipeg Jets scored 229 goals during the regular season, finishing 26th in the NHL, and a closer look at how those goals were generated shows a team with defined strengths but also clear offensive gaps.
At even strength, Winnipeg produced 163 of its 229 goals, with 155 coming at five on five, a mark that ranked 22nd league wide. Special teams did little to elevate that output with the Jets scoring 42 power play goals, tying for 24th in the NHL alongside the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Forward Gabe Vilardi led the team with 13 goals on the man advantage, tying him with several players, including Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers, for 12th most in the league.
The Jets added 24 goals in other situations, including 13 empty netters, five with the extra attacker, five while shorthanded at four on five, and one via a penalty shot.
A deeper dive into Winnipeg’s scoring methods highlights a mixed offensive identity. The team was fairly effective with wrist shots, scoring 103 goals in that category, ranking 15th in the NHL. That total placed them ahead of playoff contenders such as the Tampa Bay Lightning, Dallas Stars, Carolina Hurricanes and the Montreal Canadiens. Star forward Kyle Connor led the way with 19 wrist shot goals.
In contrast, Winnipeg struggled to generate offense from snap shots as they finished with just 41 goals, the third lowest total in the league. Connor again led the team with nine, but the gap compared to top teams was significant. Montreal led the NHL with 133 snap shot goals, more than three times Winnipeg’s output.
Despite becoming less common across the league, the slap shot proved to be a strength. Winnipeg recorded 30 goals off slap shots, tying for the fifth-highest total in the NHL alongside the Presidents’ Trophy winning Colorado Avalanche. Defenseman Josh Morrissey led the Jets with seven goals coming off clappers.
Backhand scoring was also a bright spot for the Jets, as they totaled 26 backhand goals, ranking ninth in the league and again matching Colorado’s production. Surprisingly, depth forward Morgan Barron led the team with five backhand goals.
Elsewhere, Winnipeg’s production was closer to league average with tip in goals at 21 on the season, tying for 16th-most. However, deflections were an area of concern as Winnipeg managed just four deflection goals, tying for 25th in the NHL, well behind the league leaders, the New York Rangers and Nashville Predators, who each had 13.
The Jets also registered a rare wraparound goal this season, with Cole Koepke among a small group of players league wide to score in that fashion. Winnipeg did not score on a poke check, a batted puck, or a through the legs attempt.
As the organization looks ahead, improving offensive variety will be a key objective. Increasing production from snap shots and generating more opportunities around the crease could help the Jets become a more balanced scoring team and strengthen their chances of returning to the playoffs.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
Director of cricket Rob Key keen to ‘work together better’
Arthur is former head coach of South Africa and Pakistan
Mickey Arthur, the former South Africa and Pakistan head coach, is one of four appointments to England’s new County Insight Group as the national team seeks to repair relations with the domestic game in the wake of last winter’s Ashes defeat.
Among the recommendations from the internal Ashes review that saw Rob Key and Brendon McCullum remain as director of cricket and men’s head coach respectively was improved dialogue with the county game, not least regarding selection.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 26: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics drives past Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half of game four of the Eastern Conference first round playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 26, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 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 Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
#1 – What Embiid changed in offense
With Joel Embiid back for the Sixers, the way Boston attacked was a little bit different, as the big man is the anchor of the defense. To start the game, they tried to stick to the hedge coverage they had used with Andre Drummond, but the lack of mobility (and conditioning?) from Joel turned this coverage into a problem for Philly.
The big man isn’t as quick as before, but the rim protection remains very efficient. That’s why Nurse tried to keep him in the paint as much as possible when the Celtics had the ball. Drop coverage was one way of doing it, but it opens pull-up opportunities. High risk, and sometimes high reward, like here with Jaylen Brown’s miss.
To keep Joel Embiid in a rim-protector position, the Sixers tried to reproduce what the Celtics do with a “roaming” role. They matched the big man with the least efficient shooter (here Jordan Walsh) so Embiid could roam in the paint and take away the rim from the Celtics.
However, Walsh’s shooting has improved enough that the Celtics trust him to punish that defensive game plan.
On the other side of the floor, Embiid being back brought something that was lacking in the Sixers offense: gravity.
His presence created more gaps in the Celtics defense, but the Sixers didn’t really take advantage of it, with only 30 attempts from deep and not many catch-and-shoot opportunities created from post-up situations with Embiid.
His presence also created a lot more pressure at the rim for the Sixers, and they generated far more free throws than usual. Before that game, they were generating 14 free throws per 100 shots attempted; that number rose to 26 last night, largely due to Embiid’s skills.
Yet, that wasn’t enough to break the Celtics’ defensive shell, which allowed only 0.97 points per possession when the former MVP was on the floor.
#3 – Tatum passing
While the 2023 MVP didn’t have the impact his team expected, Jayson Tatum played like one, with 30 points, 11 assists, 75% true shooting, and 1.46 points per possession when he was on the floor.
What stood out was his passing, showing great patience and accurate reads to break the Sixers’ pressure. Here, for example, he doesn’t get caught despite having two big bodies on him, remains patient, and finds Nikola Vucevic on the short roll for a little hook.
There are little details that say a lot about a player’s ability to manipulate a defense and create offense. Here, he attacks the mismatch and spins, anticipating that Tyrese Maxey will help from his right. He gathers and recognizes that Baylor Scheierman is open. But when he passes the ball, his eyes are on Walsh, so Kelly Oubre freezes for a second—and when he realizes the pass went to number 55, it’s already too late.
Another impressive night as a creator and offensive engine from Jayson Tatum in these playoffs.
#4 – Payton eruption
While Tatum built the offense for the team, Payton Pritchard just went crazy and took away all hope from the Sixers with another eruption. After a slow start in the series with 31 points in the first three games, the former Sixth Man of the Year scored 32 points and carried the offense when Tatum needed a rest.
He took advantage of less aggressive coverage to drop a bomb against Philly when he recognized that the big man was in drop coverage.
When they switched, he used the spacing to let his speed, handle, and footwork speak for themselves, allowing him to find his spots in the paint with a soft touch.
He was very smart in identifying when the defense made mistakes and making the most of them. Here, the Sixers were supposed to switch, but George is late, allowing PP to drive, use his shoulder to dislodge his matchup, and finish at the rim in a crowded paint. Lethal.
The Celtics committed four more turnovers than the Sixers, and yet they attempted seven more shots and four more free throws. How?
Well, they absolutely dominated the glass on both ends. The Sixers were only able to grab six offensive rebounds from their 47 missed shots, while the Celtics generated 14 extra chances from their 45 misses.
The Celtics aren’t just dominating because they are more efficient—they are also winning the possession battle, leaving no chance for the Sixers to compete.
#6 – Finding the corners
The Celtics were a little better than usual at finding great looks in the corner last night, with more than 11% of their shots coming from those spots. That came from very smart floor spacing and great reads from the Celtics. Look at that gorgeous pass from Jaylen Brown to find Scheierman open in the corner—amazing timing, vision, and understanding from JB.
The high volume of corner shots also came from the Sixers’ willingness to stunt at the ball from the strong side. So the Celtics made sure to exploit that to create better shot quality.
They didn’t fall at their usual rate, but it was nice to see the Celtics using three-pointers as catch-and-shoot opportunities rather than forcing pull-ups from deep.
#7 – Creating open looks at the rim
The Sixers tried drop coverage, tested the hedge over and over, and even went to a couple of zone possessions—yet the Celtics’ efficiency at the rim was still outstanding.
With 80% efficiency at the rim and 25 free throws attempted per 100 shot attempts, Joe Mazzulla’s team delivered one of their best rim-attacking performances of the season.
#8 – The bench delivered
At halftime, the Celtics bench had scored 32 points, while the entire Sixers team was stuck at 38. Led by Payton Pritchard, the reserves stayed solid and provided exactly what the Celtics needed in those first 24 minutes to put the Sixers away.
Following the lead of the starters, they took care of the ball and were extremely aggressive on the offensive glass, leading to a lot of extra chances when they (rarely) missed.
The center rotation was impressive, with none of them playing more than 20 minutes, yet all showing different skill sets to help the Celtics build a diverse but solid game plan on both ends of the floor.
#9 – 124 to 86 in first quarters
We often say that games are won in the final minutes—and while that can be true, a point remains just a point, regardless of when it is scored. The Celtics had struggled a bit this season in the clutch, so they decided that the most important quarter wouldn’t be the last, but the first.
Through the first four games of the series, the Celtics are creating a gap of 9.5 points on average. Efficient from the jump, avoiding being caught off guard. Because in the playoffs, a win is a win, regardless of the margin. So they might as well remove any suspense early and take control from the start.
#10 – Triple screen
A little bit of fun to finish things out with a triple-drag action from the Celtics to attack Maxey’s screen navigation and Embiid’s lack of mobility.
On this play, Hauser sets the first screen and the Sixers switch. Then the second screen comes from Tatum, and he knows the Sixers don’t want to switch to protect Maxey from him. So George and Maxey stay matched up with their assignments. Then comes the third screen, where Queta rolls to the rim behind Embiid’s drop coverage.
Maxey is late on the play, Embiid is stuck between protecting the drive or the pass, and that leads to yet another open shot at the rim for the Celtics.
Apr 26, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard (11) and forward Jayson Tatum (0) high five each other after a basket against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum arrived at the free-throw line with 10:39 left in the fourth quarter in Sunday night’s Game 4 against the Philadelphia 76ers. There, his seventh foul shot gave the C’s a 30-point lead and sparked a tide-turn at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
We want Boston! We want Boston!
Celtics fans who made the trip to Philadelphia followed the same script as in Game 1, co-opting the Sixers’ play-in tournament chant and using it as their own for the second time this series. For a moment, without looking into the stands or at the colors on the floor, it almost felt like Tatum and company weren’t in Philadelphia. Celtics fans had brought TD Garden to the City of Brotherly Love — something few fan bases in sports can do.
“It’s just another luxury,” Tatum told reporters after Boston’s 128-96 Game 4 win over Philadelphia, per CLNS Media. “Being a part of the most winningest franchise in NBA history, the amount of fans that we have, and how well they travel, is just something I’ve been fortunate enough to experience my entire career. You understand it’s not like that everywhere else. So it’s great to be a part of.”
The same way the Celtics seized their moment to take a commanding 3-1 series lead, Boston fans surrounded by Philadelphia’s rowdiest, relished their chance to taunt the Sixers right back. Seats previously occupied by fans sporting blue and red Sixers gear quickly became empty chairs, allowing those proudly wearing Celtics green to stand out. Nearly eight minutes after Tatum’s charity stripe trip that sparked the earlier roar, Boston fans did it again with 2:48 left in regulation.
We want Boston! We want Boston!
The chants returned for a second and final time, as the starters took a seat and the reserves took the floor. It was as if the Celtics barged through the Sixers’ door, kicked their feet up, and made themselves at home with little to no resistance.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – APRIL 26: Payton Pritchard #11 of the Boston Celtics celebrates a basket with head coach Joe Mazzulla during the first half of game four of the Eastern Conference first round playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 26, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 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 Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Philadelphia threw in the towel, and Boston’s traveling crowd took notice. They made sure to remind the Sixers of what awaits them Tuesday night back at TD Garden.
Jaylen Brown credited the fan base as an off-court contributor to the team’s performance.
“It’s great for us,” Brown told reporters, per CLNS Media. “I think momentum and energy all add up to be able to sway things into your favor or not. So just being able to have a Celtics fan base that’s great, that travels well, that gives us that energy even when we’re on the road, is very helpful.”
Brown pushed for urgency in Boston’s locker room, revealing that the Celtics held a brief discussion before Game 3 after losing home-court advantage in Game 2. The message — to treat Game 3 like Game 7 — was simple, but it resonated. From that point on, the Celtics didn’t succumb to comfort. They didn’t play with their food. They made adjustments, flipped the script on Philadelphia, and took back control of the series. On Sunday, that energy shift carried from the court to the stands and helped Boston rob Philadelphia of its home-court advantage.
In the first quarter, the Celtics made it clear they weren’t going back to Boston without a 3-1 lead.
Payton Pritchard set the tone, scoring 13 points off the bench in the opening frame. Then in the second quarter, while continuing to power Boston’s second unit, the Celtics’ reserves matched Philadelphia’s total output with 32 points of their own. In the final seconds of the first half, the Sixers double-teamed and fouled Pritchard before he could get a shot off, and right before the clock hit zero.
Instead, the buzzer-beating maestro finished with a game-high 32 points, leaving him just four shy of breaking Kevin McHale’s franchise playoff record for most points scored by a Celtics reserve in a game (35).
“It’s a pride thing, representing the city of Boston,” Pritchard told reporters, per CLNS Media. “So we play with that pride, and it’s a hard-nosed city, so we want to carry that.”
The Celtics were so locked in that they broke a franchise playoff record by knocking down 24 threes — falling only two shy of the NBA record set by the Cleveland Cavaliers (25) in 2016.
A total of 10 different Celtics contributed at least one 3-pointer as the team shot 45.3 percent from deep for the night. Finding the hot hand from beyond the arc and playing Mazzulla-ball helped separate Boston from Philadelphia. It allowed the Celtics to build multiple double-digit leads that stretched beyond 20 points several times from the second quarter on, before reaching 32 at the final buzzer.
Boston understood that with Joel Embiid back on the floor for Philadelphia, it was time to up the intensity and make the contest as difficult for the Sixers as possible.
“That was huge,” Tatum said. “Especially that three, four-minute spurt in the first quarter. (Nikola) Vooch, Baylor (Scheierman) and J. Walsh, when those guys came in, that run that we went on at the end of the first was huge. And we just continued to carry that throughout. Obviously, the game is easier when you hit shots, but it was just how we got those shots: second and third-chance opportunities. It’s just a big boost for your team when you get those opportunities.”
By the time the Celtics had grabbed their eighth offensive rebound, the Sixers hadn’t recorded their first. By the time the Celtics reached 10 second-chance points, the Sixers were still scoreless in that category. Boston attacked those margins the best way they’ve known how since the start of the season back in October: through a collective team effort.
“That’s Celtic basketball: to play harder, play with more effort, play together, more togetherness, trust each other, and that’s what we did tonight,” Brown said.
Boston became the first team in the Eastern Conference to take a 3-1 series lead and can become the first to punch their ticket and advance to the semifinals. After leaving TD Garden with the series split through the first two games, the Celtics return home for a potential Game 5 clincher Tuesday night, having made up for their Game 2 hiccup with a successful two-game road trip.
There was a little optimism to close out the week with a winning Friday, but there's still a lot of home-run work to do, and this is a big week to crush some MLB player props.
Nobody is popping off more on the projections than Trent Grisham today, indoors vs. Jack Leiter, while Victor Caratini looks to do some damage against Luis Castillo.
UPDATE: Added another HR pick + parlay.
Best MLB home run props today
Player to hit a HR
Odds
Trent Grisham
+490
Victor Caratini
+920
Trevor Story
+880
💲Today's HR parlay
+44078
Trent Grisham (+490)
No player is showing more expected value today at Covers than Trent Grisham at +490. He projects for 0.23 home runs, with the price implying 0.19.
He could see five at-bats hitting leadoff and has gone deep twice over the last seven days. The matchup is favorable against Jack Leiter, a fly-ball arm who allows some of the best launch angles in baseball.
Grisham is also elite at squaring the ball up, leading the New York Yankees in that metric while ranking second in Blast Contact%. Only two players in baseball currently have a higher square-up rate.
On a small slate with poor weather expected on the East Coast, an indoor environment stands out as the best place to target home runs on Monday.
Time: 8:05 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Rangers Sports Network, YES
Victor Caratini (+920)
Let’s take a bigger swing with the projected cleanup hitter for the Minnesota Twins in a strong matchup. The Covers projections like the Over in this game, and suggest the Minnesota offense is being undervalued.
Victor Caratini is a switch-hitter who is better from the left side, and the Seattle Mariners bullpen may be without both of its left-handed arms. He’s also very familiar with Luis Castillo, with 23 career at-bats against him.
Castillo may be on the back end of his prime. He’s been inefficient this year, allowing 31 hits in just 23 innings, and projects as a pitcher who could give up 25-30 home runs over the full season.
The fair price for a Caratini home run sits around +770, and double-digit winds blowing out only add to the appeal. Kody Clemens (+520) and Josh Bell (+590) also project as +EV in this game.
Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Twins.TV, Mariners.TV
Trevor Story (+880)
Trevor Story is set to return to the lineup after sitting out yesterday, and he’s been in the spotlight after calling out the organization for firing multiple coaches. Now he needs to produce, and projections like his chances to go deep at +880.
He gets an indoor setting in Toronto, which ranks as a Top-3 park for right-handed power, with the closed roof keeping conditions stable. The Boston Red Sox offense just scored 22 runs over the weekend, and while the matchup vs. Dylan Cease looks tough, Story has already taken him deep in 10 career at-bats.
The Toronto Blue Jays bullpen also ranks near the bottom of the league in HR/9. It’s a big number, with a fair price closer to +750.
Time: 7:07 p.m. ET
Where to watch: SN1, NESN
Jinglis' 2026 Transparency Record
HR picks: 6-45, -12.2 units
Today’s HR parlay
Trent Grisham
Bet Now +44078
Victor Caratini
Trevor Story
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.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 24: Will Smith #16 of the Los Angeles Dodgers taps his helmet to initiate an ABS challenge and is successful against the Chicago Cubs during the sixth inning at Dodger Stadium on April 24, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
LOS ANGELES — Dodgers catcher Will Smith did not start either of the final two games of the weekend series against the Chicago Cubs, while dealing with back tightness.
“He could play if he needed to, but we felt it was smart to give him an extra day, and I guess put him into the day-to-day category,” manager Dave Roberts said Sunday, while adding that he didn’t think Smith would require an injured list stint. “Even talking to the training staff, it’s something that he could have played last night, he probably could have played today. But we didn’t want to push it.”
Roberts first mentioned the back tightness for Smith on Saturday, noting that the original plan was for Smith to start two of the three games against the Cubs, and it was just a matter of when to fit in the Dalton Rushing start this series.
Smith hit a three-run home run on Friday night, and the three-time All-Star is hitting .266/.337/.392 with three home runs and a 106 wRC+. The Dodgers plan to keep monitoring Smith, but it doesn’t hurt having Rushing in reserve. Rushing in his second major league campaign is off to a blazing start, hitting .385/.455/.974 with a 284 wRC+ and seven home runs in only 44 plate appearances. Rushing has hit so well, he’s even started a game each at designated hitter and first base when the need arose.
“My hope is that he’s in there [Monday],” Roberts said of Smith, ”But to have Dalton Rushing going how he’s going, it just seems like only downside to push him right now.“
He wanted to throw his splitter harder, he told pitching coaches Mark Prior and Connor McGuiness, similar to how he threw the pitch in Japan. After months of inconsistency, Sasaki finally felt his delivery was in a good enough place to make the change. McGuiness made a couple of tweaks — the biggest one being a slight grip adjustment— and the two coaches gave Sasaki the all clear to try the pitch in his bullpen session in San Francisco.
“The first one was disgusting,” Prior said. “So we were like, yeah, let’s do that.”
“I think that my No. 1 problem hasn’t been my fastball but rather the percentage of forkballs I’ve been able to throw over the plate,” Sasaki said in Japanese.
By reducing the vertical break of the pitch, Sasaki made it easier to control — but also not as lethal.
Apr 26, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers pitcher Kumar Rocker (80) is visited on the mound by pitching coach Jordan Tiegs (83) and catcher Danny Jansen (9) during the fifth inning against the Athletics at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images
Good morning.
Shawn McFarland writes about what we learned regarding the Texas Rangers as they went 3-3 at home over the last week.
Kennedi Landry writes that Kumar Rocker recorded a second consecutive quality start in a unfortunate losing effort.
For the fifth consecutive season, the Los Angeles Kings have been eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the first round. While their past four matchups have all been against the Edmonton Oilers, this time around, it was the Colorado Avalanche who dealt the final blow to Los Angeles, eliminating former Vancouver Canucks forward Andrei Kuzmenko.
The Kings kept things tight towards the start of the series, playing their heavy-forecheck style well and keeping Game 1 and 2’s scores separated by only one goal. In Game 3, Colorado managed to break through Kings goaltender Anton Forsberg by putting four past him compared to Los Angeles’ two goals. Colorado got off to an early lead, doubling-up by the end of the second period and then scoring three in the third to put the game out of reach for Los Angeles.
Kuzmenko missed the final couple of months of the regular season due to a knee injury, but made his 2026 Stanley Cup Playoff debut on April 23. In his previous post-season with the Kings, Kuzmenko scored three goals and three assists in six games for Los Angeles.
While not a player, another former Canuck has seen his 2025–26 playoff campaign end with Los Angeles’ elimination. Once an Assistant Coach for the Canucks on two separate occasions — from 2010 to 2013 and 2017 to 2021 — Kings Assistant Coach Newell Brown has also lost in the first-round for his second-consecutive season. Brown has been with Los Angeles since the 2024–25 season but has also previously worked in the same role for the Anaheim Ducks, Arizona Coyotes, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Chicago Blackhawks.
Having eliminated the Kings, Colorado will now advance to the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, where they will face the winner of the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild’s series. Regardless of which team wins, the Avalanche will face yet another former Canuck, with Tyler Myers and Casey DeSmith on the Stars and Quinn Hughes on the Wild.
Apr 23, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) is defended by Los Angeles Kings defenseman Brian Dumoulin (2) and left wing Andrei Kuzmenko (96) during the third period of game three of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 7: Reynaldo López #40 of the Atlanta Braves reacts after hitting Jorge Soler (12) of the Los Angeles Angels with a pitch at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on April 7, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Reynaldo Lopez mechanics saga is, well, a saga.
First, we had his diminished velocity in Spring Training due to “mechanics” rather than injury or something else that persisted, as he was throwing in the high 90s in this 2026 debut. That debut went well without Lopez pitching all that well, but he looked and pitched much better in starts three and four, until essentially a career-worst outing in Washington upended the nascent trend of effectiveness and threw everything into question.
Since then, Lopez has been on a rotation hiatus, but really, a pitching hiatus. He was warming up in the bullpen in Sunday’s win over the Phillies, but didn’t make it into the game. The explanation? It involves “mechanics” again.
So, because I have no idea and am hoping someone else will do the work for me: what mechanical issues are we talking about, exactly? Mechanics have now been attributed to Lopez’ wide variance in fastball velocity from pitch to pitch and game to game, but also his overall effectiveness. I can’t tell whether it’s meant to be a vague catchall for everything under the sun, i.e., he’s not effective and we’re not sure why but he doesn’t want to go to on the Injured List, or whether there really is something that he’s unable to fix in a side session. Anyone have any ideas?
By all accounts, Alex Cora is a good manager as far as these things go. Dan is correct in that you really can’t predict or even properly judge a manager’s contributions except in obvious outlier situations, but the buzz around Cora has always been positive. His strongest claim to fame is winning a World Series with one of greatest teams of all time, credit for which can go whichever way one is inclined. Did the manager inspire or ride the team to greatness?
Cora landed on the positive side of that unknowable gulf, having come out of the 2018 season with an incredible reputation that persists to this day even if it doesn’t necessarily stand up to scrutiny. Unfortunately, that was followed by a yearlong suspension by MLB for his role in the Astros’ cheating fuckery, leading him to being fired by the Sox, which honestly was probably a blessing given that the “season” he ended up missing was 2020, which was a fake idea (the playoffs were good tho). But let’s assume for purposes of this column it wasn’t and say getting fired for cheating was generally bad for his career.
So when Cora returned as the Red Sox manager in November 2020, several months and a “full” MLB season later during which the Mookie Betts-led Dodgers won it all, it was understandable from both sides. The Sox had been terrible and Cora needed to rebuild his reputation. But the last time Cora had suited up for the Sox, Betts was on the team. Cora knew the environment into which he was walking. He was returning to Dysfunction Junction.
Fast-forward to second Instagram post following his shock dismissal on Saturday, a reel of Mookie Betts talking about the business of baseball in Boston. I wasn’t moved. He came back into the fold with eyes wide open with respect to John Henry and Sam Kennedy — a Massachusetts Milhouse crossed with Walnut St. Wormtongue — and has been kicked to the curb like so many before him, including Betts and Rafael Devers. He didn’t appear to be too upset or surprised about it in the first post, that’s for sure:
It was, as I wrote on Saturday, probably just time for him to move on, but the Red Sox, in their inimitable way, botched it completely. And let me tell you something: the nostalgia dopamine blast for this nonsense I had for this was amazing. It wasn’t just a throwback to the more recent FSG fuckery. I’m 48 years old, which is older than most of you, and pre-FSG this was the norm. It’s sort of unreal that the Sox won 5 titles between 1900 and 1918 and 4 between 2000 and 2018 and decided, exactly 100 years apart, to aggressively self-sabotage. Billy Shakes would be proud; Claude could never. Even in the misery, life is beautiful, in its way.
But I don’t feel bad for Cora. He came back because they gave him money and power because they were chasing their tail, which they continue to do. Live by the disinterested billionaire and his quietly power-mad protege, die by them. Henry is cooked. Kennedy’s job is obscuring that, and he’s running out of other people to blame. Breslow is a patsy, one who’s supremely aloof but better at his job than his predecessor. But on the subject of Chaim Bloom I can firmly now say that I might have been too hard on you, given how absurd your bosses were.
PORT ST. LUCIE, FL - MARCH 19: Jacob Melton #29 of the Tampa Bay Rays looks on in the dugout prior to the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Mets at Clover Park on Thursday, March 19, 2026 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Scott Audette/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
This was the 3rd week of full minor league play (stats are entering play on Sunday, April 26th).
According to FanGraphs (which factors in age and proximity to the big leagues), 22-year old backstop Caden Bodine continues to be the top hitter in the Rays system; the Rays acquired the former 1st round pick in the Shane Baz deal. Bodine is currently hitting .408/.457/.662 with 3 HR over 83 PA; notably, he has only struck out twice (2.4%).
Meanwhile, Aidan Cremarosa is still the team’s top minor league pitcher. The 22-year old was taken by the Rays in the 8th round of the 2025 draft out of Fresno State. Thus far over four starts, Cremarosa has a 3.60 ERA | 1.76 FIP with a 39.5 K% & 3.7 BB% over 20 IP.
RUMBLINGS
SO MANY INJURIES
Jacob Melton looked awkward rounding third base and had to be assisted off the field. The injury would be disclosed as a sprained ankle and he is expected to miss 4-6 weeks.
Daniel Pierce was placed on the 7-day Injured List
Brendan Summerhill was placed the 7-day Injured List.
Other players placed on the IL (Some of these were last week):
RHP Jacob Kisting, RHP Nate Knowles, C Brady Donay, OF James Quinn-Irons, RHP Luke Jackson, & LHP Drew Dowd.
Baseball America’s top ten prospects are featured below each team they’re currently assigned to.
(minimum of 30 TBF for pitchers)
Tampa Bay Rays
Top 10 Prospects
None currently on active roster
Durham Bulls
Team Offensive Leaders: AVG: .323, Victor Mesa Jr OBP: .417, Victor Mesa Jr SLG: .565, Victor Mesa Jr HR: 4,Justyn-Henry Malloy and Dom Keegan wRC+: 157, Victor Mesa Jr SB: 17, Jacob Melton
Team Pitching Leaders: ERA: 0.00, Trevor Martin FIP: 2.93, Andrew Wantz K%: 35.3%, Logan Workman BB%: 9.0%, Chase Solesky WHIP: 1.12, Kodi Whitley AVG: .171, Trevor Martin WHIFF%: 16.0%, Alex Cook
4/23: Suffered sprained ankle. Expected to miss 4-6 weeks.
Montgomery Biscuits
Team Offensive Leaders: AVG: .306, Cooper Kinney OBP: .431, Xavier Isaac SLG: .571, Xavier Isaac HR: 4, Will Simpson & Xavier Isaac wRC+: 159, Xavier Isaac SB: 18, Austin Overn
Team Pitching Leaders: ERA: 1.80, Michael Forret FIP: 2.79, Derrick Edington K%: 29.7%, Santiago Suarez BB%: 2.4%, Tommy McCollum WHIP 0.73, Garrett Edwards AVG: .130, Garrett Edwards WHIFF%: 14.2%, Santiago Suarez
Team Offensive Leaders: AVG: .364, Nathan Flewelling OBP: .464, Tony Santa Maria SLG: .867, Theo Gillen HR: 6, Theo Gillen & Connor Hujsak wRC+: 213, Theo Gillen SB: 9, Tony Santa Maria
Team Pitching Leaders: ERA: 0.93, Andres Galan FIP: 2.05, Anderson Brito K%: 32.8%, Anderson Brito BB%: 6.3%, Anderson Brito WHIP: 1.2, Andres Galan AVG: .216, Trevor Harrison & Andres Galan WHIFF%: 14.7%, Anderson Brito
Apr 26, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson (49) in the dugout during the game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
The Boston Red Sox pulled the trigger on a major coaching staff change this weekend when they fired manager Alex Cora and several assistant coaches. There is a brewing player revolt happening because of it, but the Red Sox made the decision to move in a different direction. They’re not playing particularly well and since you can’t fire the players, the “next best thing” was the option the front office chose.
Should the Phillies be considering a similar move?
If this was something they were truly going to think about, the time is probably right to do so. They have had a dreadful road trip that saw them end it with a 9-19 record, the entire operation feels stagnant at this time and there are actual reasons to do something. Maybe that involves Rob Thomson’s job being on the line, maybe it involves Kevin Long looking for his next place of employment. Maybe even Caleb Cotham should start sweating a little more than usual.
Would they actually do it? I’m not so sure about that.
BALTIMORE, MD - APRIL 25: Colton Cowser #17 of the Baltimore Orioles at bat against the Boston Red Sox during the seventh inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 25, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Elias was pretty clear that Cowser isn’t going anywhere. “He’s frustrated,” Elias said “We know the talent level is there, he’s frustrated. Right now, he’s helping us, and we need him on the team.”
It is obvious to everyone that Cowser has not played up to his expectations or, as Elias said, his talent level. One month into the season, that has forced the Orioles to upend their planned outfield rotation, and it has Cowser’s future with the club in doubt, at least externally.
For the first two weeks of the season, Cowser was the team’s everyday center fielder. Since April 10, he has been used exclusively in the corner outfield spots. And even more recently, he has been treated like a fourth outfielder rather than a starter at all. Over the Orioles’ last 11 games, Cowser has started just four of them. He didn’t start any of the games against the Red Sox this weekend, not even the one against a right-handed starter coming out of an off day.
It’s hard to make an argument for Cowser to play any more than he is. The numbers just aren’t good enough. He owns a .200/.274/.236 batting line with two doubles, zero home runs, six walks, and 20 strikeouts.
Strikeouts have always been a problem for Cowser. His 31.7% K-rate this year is actually better than his career number (32.2%), though both are awful. And, as usual, he is pairing it with a fine walk rate (9.5%). The bigger problem is that he has shown no power in 2026. As a rookie, Cowser popped 24 home runs and had a .447 slugging percentage. Last year he hit 16 homers and had a .385 slug despite a myriad of injuries. This year his slugging percentage is the dumps at .236 and he is yet to go deep.
What has saved the Orioles center field position from being an offensive black hole yet again is the presence of Leody Taveras. Signed for $2 million this past offseason, the expectation was for Taveras to be a depth option across the outfield. Instead, he has earned the everyday spot in center with his .288/.400/.441 batting line that includes two home runs, 15 RBI, 11 walks, and 14 strikeouts.
This version of Taveras is much different than the one that found success with the World Series-winning Rangers in 2023. That year saw him post a 101 wRC+ while playing Gold Glove-caliber defense in center. This year, he has a 141 wRC+ and is just passable in the field.
How long can Taveras keep this offensive production up? That’s where things get tricky. His 15.5% walk rate is more than double his career rate (6.9%), and he has a .349 BABIP. Negative regression is probably coming for both of those numbers. He also has below average exit velocities, barrel rates, and hard hit rates.
We may be seeing the numbers start to slip already. Taveras is hitting .143/.217/.286 over his last 23 plate appearances. That has brought his season OPS from 1.016 on April 18 to .841 today. One bad week isn’t enough to take Taveras out of the lineup, especially with Cowser still scuffling. But it could be a warning sign that the Orioles need to figure something out in center field.
Dylan Beavers and Blaze Alexander are the other two Orioles that have played in center this year. Neither looks like a natural fit at the position, and should probably only be used there in emergency situations. But it could be an avenue to go down when one of them is hot at the plate and manager Craig Albernaz is looking to juice his lineup. That seemed to be the logic for Beavers to start there on Sunday.
Down in Triple-A Norfolk, there are two center field options that are at least somewhat intriguing.
Enrique Bradfield Jr. was the team’s top draft pick in 2023. He came out of Vanderbilt as an old school lead-off type. It’s good bat control, limited power, but elite speed and a great glove. The Orioles probably hoped for better batting averages out of Bradfield—he hit .242 last year and is at .224 so far this year—but he still walks a lot and can steal a base at any time. If you need a sparkplug type, he could be the answer. It just might be more a of bottom-of-the-order type of bat than a lead-off man.
Jud Fabian is another name to watch, though probably not an everyday solution. The Orioles coveted Fabian in the 2021 draft, but the Red Sox swooped in and took him instead. He declined to sign with them, returning to Florida for a year, which allowed the Orioles to get their man the following year. The guy is lauded for his physical skills, but has always been killed for his lack of a hit tool. That hasn’t changed this year. He is striking out 29.6% of the time, but he is also walking a ton (21.4%) and has shown tremendous power (five home runs, .440 SLG). The glove and arm are good too. He feels like a fourth outfielder type, but could plug and play with the O’s pretty soon.
Elias didn’t pursue any other center field upgrades this offseason beyond Taveras. He seemingly assumed that Cowser would be fine, and when he needed a breather the club had suitable fill-ins. All the while Bradfield could further develop and prove worthy of being the heir-apparent at the position. For now, that has been a reasonable solution. But if Taveras’ production dries up, which it may already be doing, it will exploit a hole in the Orioles roster than many pointed out all winter long.
Trent Grisham
Victor Caratini
Trevor Story
