BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MARCH 25: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics looks on during the second half of the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at TD Garden on March 25, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Celtics defeat the Thunder 119-109. 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 Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Nearly 11 months after tearing his right Achilles tendon at Madison Square Garden in the playoffs, Jayson Tatum is set to return for Thursday night’s Boston Celtics-New York Knicks matchup.
In a place he’s competed 14 times throughout his career, Tatum underwent his darkest NBA experience. So when asked after Tuesday night’s win over the Charlotte Hornets, whether or not he was looking forward to ripping the band-aid of returning to MSG, Tatum was straightforward.
“Nah, not really,” Tatum told reporters, per CLNS Media.
The last time Tatum took the floor at Madison Square Garden, he was assisted out of the building in a wheelchair in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. He clenched his face with both hands in the players’ tunnel and underwent surgery to repair his ruptured Achilles tendon the following day. From there, Tatum faced nearly a year away from basketball, recovering, regaining strength, and working toward a return to prevent missing an entire season with the Celtics.
Tatum set that goal long before Boston took the floor without him to begin the 2025-26 campaign. On March 6, he made his official return against the Dallas Mavericks. On March 29, against Charlotte, Tatum recorded his first 30-point game, and then three days later, he notched his first triple-double (the fifth of his career) versus the Miami Heat.
As he checked box after box, taking steps toward getting acclimated while also delivering impactful minutes, Tatum knew the time would come to re-take the floor at Madison Square Garden.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – APRIL 05: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics looks on prior to a game against the Toronto Raptors at TD Garden on April 05, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Admittedly, Tatum hasn’t been able to remove it from his mind entirely.
“Yeah, I’ve thought about it,” he said. “I’m not thrilled to go back and play there. The last time I played there, obviously, it was a traumatic experience for me. Obviously, I knew at some point I would have to get over that hurdle and play there again.”
Tatum added: “It’s part of it. I decided to come back and play.”
The long-awaited return hasn’t been flawless. Tatum missed a wide-open tomahawk dunk against the Mavericks in his first game back, and his field-goal (41.9) and 3-point (33.8) percentages, so far, are beneath his career averages of 45.8 and 36.9 percent. His 8-of-15 shooting against Charlotte on Tuesday night marked just the third time Tatum has managed to shoot over 50 percent in a game.
Still, it hasn’t negatively impacted the Celtics, who are 13-2 with Tatum this season.
If Boston defeats New York on Thursday night, the win would officially clinch the No. 2 seed for the Celtics. So there are stakes involved in what should be a playoff-like environment at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks have won their last five home games, including seven of their last 10. They’ve already beaten Boston twice in three previous meetings, meaning the Celtics could put their regular-season series with New York to rest with a 2-2 split in the finale.
Boston has gone 11-2 over its last 13 games, reinforcing its status as a threat to come out of the East and return to the NBA Finals for the third time in five seasons. It’s been 12 weeks since they overtook the Knicks for the No. 2 seed and held it. With three games left, Tatum and the Celtics understand the importance of maintaining that momentum entering the playoffs.
That’s what’s allowed them to keep their No. 2 seed for 12 straight weeks, and what’ll ultimately help them once they draw their first-round opponent officially.
“Just ramping up at the right time,” Tatum said. “Knowing that post All-Star break is pivotal for teams really trying to compete for a championship. And you want to be physically feeling your best as a unit, playing well together, clicking on all cylinders. And this year is no different. We’ve been playing extremely well going into the playoffs up to this point, and knowing that we’ve got a few games left to feel really good about ourselves and then find out who we’re going to play.”
Tatum could play a major role for the Celtics, who have ruled out Jaylen Brown (left Achilles tendinitis) and listed Derrick White and Neemias Queta as questionable for the marquee matchup.
He opened up during Thursday’s shootaround about the emotions of walking back into Madison Square Garden, now healthy and fresh off playing a season-high 39 minutes two days ago.
“Nervousness, anxiousness, all the things you probably would expect as a basketball player,” Tatum told reporters. “But it’s another game.”
CLEVELAND, OH - APRIL 06: Cleveland Guardians first baseman Kyle Manzardo (9) bunts during the first inning of the Major League Baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and Cleveland Guardians on April 6, 2026, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Guardians have managed an 8-5 record through their first 13 games, despite a strong slate of opponents. What is real and what is not as we look at this team’s performance so far?
Verdict – Real: Perhaps the most exciting Guardians’ player to follow so far this season has been Rocchio who has a very reasonable wRC+ about 10% above average and expected numbers that look even better. I’d expect Rocchio’s strikeout rate to probably double and bring his xwOBA back down more in line with his actual output, as his low BABIP of .219 averages out. He’s at 0 DRS and 0 OAA so far, but he looks like a good defender at short which should get him closer to his 2024 numbers of 11 DRS and 5 OAA if the team continues to start him there. A 115 wRC+ with 5 OAA would be a 4-5 win player. WOW.
Austin Hedges – 175 wRC+, .411 xwOBA, 20/0 K/BB%
Verdict – Not Real: I do not expect Hedges to run a .500 BABIP this season, nor do I expect him to manage a wRC+ approximately 4 times what he has been as a hitter for a while. HOWEVER, he will end up taking some walks and his quality of contact has dramatically improved. I think an 80 wRC+ is actually on the table. Is it likely? No, it’s probably more of a 60-70 wRC+ when it’s all said and done, but Hedges as an 80 wRC+ would be an insanely valuable player given his continued defensive excellence.
Verdict – Real(ish): I don’t think DeLauter is a 185 wRC+ player, but I do think there is potential for 150 wRC+ here. DeLauter will have to adjust to teams trying to get him to chase and relentlessly attacking him with high heat. But, I do think he will fall back on a strong plate discipline ethic and increase his walk rate while losing some slugging. This is a very exciting hitter and he has only a .231 BABIP right now.
Verdict – Not Real(BUT!): I do not think Angel is going to be a 168 wRC+, but I do think he has potential to outperform his .319 xwOBA which would put him closer to a 120 wRC+, which is insane to think about. The key for Angel is maintaining a lower strikeout rate and a walk-rate of 9-10%, as well as his current 33% pulled fly-ball rate. Additionally, he needs to tighten up his outfield defense. If that’s the case, given his increasing confidence against right-handed pitchers, you could see him as the team’s primary starting left-fielder. Angel will likely need to trim his 34% chase rate slightly because his .364 BABIP will not last when he begins making more weak contact on bad pitches. Pitchers will begin simply throwing him balls to see if he is patient enough to take his walks. That will determine if Angel becomes something more than an early season mirage. I wouldn’t bet against him, myself.
Rhys Hoskins – 151 wRC+, .262 xwOBA, 36.4/18.2 K/BB%
Verdict – Real(ish): Hoskins has not been hitting the ball hard that often, but he has shown tremendous plate discipline and timely contact. I’d expect him to get closer to his xwOBA of 2025 given what we have seen, which was .314. Given his refusal to chase (15%) and his being surrounded by hitters like Jose and DeLauter, I think he has potential to be a 120 wRC+, with a 130-140 wRC+ on the table against LHP.
Juan Brito – 270 wRC+, .544 xwOBA, 12.5/0 K/BB%
Verdict – Not Real(BUT!): Surprisingly, while I am a Brito-truther, I do not expect him to win AL MVP. The most exciting part of his debut is that he has had no walks yet and he is very capable of taking walks. He looks like a player who will see a lot of pitches, make consistent contact and pull fly balls. The question for him will be if he can avoid untimely errors at second base, because he will make mistakes there. It’s early but he definitely looks like a player who can manage a 120 wRC+, which might give Travis Bazzana some needed leash to try to figure himself out at Columbus.
Jose Ramirez – 62 wRC+, .338 xwOBA, 12.7/10 K/BB%
Verdict – Not Real: Jose will be Jose, folks. His xwOBA is what it’s been for the past two years. He’s been pressing a bit and gotten robbed a few times (by defenders and umpires). Relax, he’ll be Jose.
Kyle Manzardo – 6 wRC+ .315 xwOBA, 34/9.8 K/BB%
Verdict – Not Real(BUT!): Manzardo has been widely publicized as the most unlucky hitter in baseball so far. True. However, he is swinging and missing way too much and chasing at a career-high rate (32%). He needs to take a cue from his teammates who have been very disciplined as a whole group or the team is going to be looking longingly at Ralphy Velazquez by July with Manzardo hanging around league average as a hitter.
David Fry – 101 wRC+, .280 xwOBA, 35.3/17.3 K/BB%
Verdict – Not Real: Folks, I don’t know if I believe in David Fry. His current value is reliant on his ability to continue to walk at a healthy rate, and I think pitchers are going to be daring him not to chase more and more. I think he might be a 90 wRC+ hitter overall, and 110 wRC+ vs. LHP. His spot on the roster won’t be secure if Hedges can somehow sustain competency at the plate, or if the team refuses to play him as a catcher (as they have so far).
Bo Naylor – 23 wRC+, .303 xwOBA, 24.2/12.1 K/BB%
Verdict – Not Real(BUT!): Bo will eventually be something more like his xwOBA… but that’s still a slightly below league average hitter. Bo isn’t going anywhere for 2026, but if Cooper Ingle continues to advance as a defender, I’d expect Ingle to be on the team in September with a chance to show himself as a contender for starting catcher in 2027 and putting Bo on the trade block. Bo needs to find a way to get to his power and continue to take walks, and I think he will, but there are some reasons to doubt.
C.J. Kayfus – 92 wRC+, .305 xwOBA, 32/8 K/BB%
Verdict – Real: Kayfus looks like a slightly below average hitter. I think he’s probably roughly 100 wRC+, which will make him an easy replacement when George Valera is ready. Hope he surprises me and proves me wrong.
What do you think? Whom do you believe in? Whom do you doubt? Let us know in the comments below
Chicago White Sox second base Chase Meidroth (10) makes an error against Detroit Tigers during the eighth inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Friday, September 5, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The White Sox seemed to bottom out in their rebuild in 2024 when they lost 121 games. They improved by 19 wins last year, and actually added some high-priced free agents this winter like closer Seranthony Dominguez and Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami. But it has been a tough slog for them already this year, with sweeps at the hands of the Brewers, and earlier this week, the Orioles. They’ve lost five of six on the road and have been outscored 52-21.
Chicago White Sox (4-8) vs. Kansas City Royals (5-7) at Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, MO
White Sox: 3.42 runs scored/game (26th in MLB), 5.83 runs allowed/game (28th)
White Sox hitters have the third highest-strikeout rate in baseball, and the third-lowest batting average. Murakami became the first Japanese player to hit four home runs in his first eight games, but he is just 1-for-11 in his last eight games. Andrew Benintendi was 10-for-29 (.345) against his old Royals club last year. Colson Montgomery tied for the most home runs (21) by any shortstop in baseball last year from July 1 until the end of the season. Catcher Edgar Quero is hitting just .1478/.233/.148 to start the year, while the other top catching prospect, Kyle Teel, is out with injury.
Miguel Vargas hits much better on the road in his career with a line of .224/.307/.414. In addition to Teel, the White Sox are without Austin Slater and Brooks Baldwin, who are out with injury.
*-All numbers from 2025+indicates numbers in Japan
The White Sox signed Anthony Kay after he led the NPB in Japan in groundball rate last year. Kay was a journeyman before going to Asia, pitching in parts of five seasons with the Blue Jays, Cubs, and Mets. He walked four hitters in 4.2 innings in his first start, but allowed just two runs. In his second outing, he was the “bulk reliever”, giving up two runs in 4.1 innings with two walks and no strikeouts.
Davis Martin won each of his first two starts with six strikeouts in each outing, and no runs allowed in his last game against the Blue Jays. He has a 2.67 ERA in five career starts against the Royals. He has a deep arsenal that includes a four-seamer, change, cutter, sinker, curve, and slider, that helped him put up a 45.9 percent ground ball rate last year.
Erick Fedde returns to the White Sox after pitching for three teams last year. He gave up just two runs in six innings in a loss to the Orioles his last time out. Vinnie Pasquantino is 3-for-7 (.429) with a home run in their career matchups. Lefties hit .310/.395/.527 against him last year.
Jonathan Cannon seems likely to get the call up to start the Sunday game after Opening Day starter Shane Smith was demoted. Cannon has a 5.09 ERA in 228 MLB innings over the past two seasons and gave up eight runs in 8.2 innings in Triple-A this year. The White Sox could also go with Duncan Davitt, who has yet to make his MLB debut, or go with a bullpen game.
*-All numbers from 2025+ indicates numbers in Japan
The White Sox overhauled their bullpen, but aside from Dominguez, much of the bullpen are castoffs from other organizations. So far, White Sox relievers have a 5.71 ERA, sixth-worst in baseball (but better than the Royals at 6.40!) Dominguez has converted one of his two save opportunities, but hasn’t pitched since last Saturday. Grant Taylor had the second-largest gap by any reliever with 30+ innings between ERA and FIP last year, and had the 12th-highest strikeout rate. He has been used as an opener to start games three times this year. Lefty Chris Murphy has given up seven runs in six innings and opponents are hitting .333/.438/.556 against him.
*-All numbers from 2025
I wrote last month the White Sox may be friskier than last season, but this is still far from a quality Major League roster. The pitching staff has a lot of holes, with unproven talent and veterans way past their prime. Royals bats have been quiet so far, but higher temps at home (with a chance of wet weather) and a White Sox pitching staff should be just what they need to wake up.
WAS BIN ICH? / ROBERT LEMBKE Quizmaster - mit Logo der Sendung, 1977. / Überschrift: WAS BIN ICH?. (Photo by kpa/United Archives via Getty Images) | United Archives via Getty Images
It is Thursday afternoon, the season is a week old, and the Texas Rangers are off.
So I decided to offer up a trivia question.
Once again, it is a Thursday afternoon and the Rangers are off. This time, though, the season is two weeks old, not one.
Still, seems like a good time to offer up a trivia question.
Once again, a couple of rules…
1 — Put a spoiler over your answer in the comments.
2 — Don’t go digging around on baseball sites to try to discover the answer. This is a trivia question, not a scavenger hunt.
Here is an alphabetical list of professional baseball players:
Eddie Bressoud
Eli Grba
Ruppert Jones
Roger Nelson
David Nied
Troy Saunders
These players all have something in common, and this is a complete list of every professional baseball player who has this commonality (so, for example, the answer can’t be “Players who have never been in my kitchen,” because Tris Speaker and Logan Forsythe and Roger Moret, among others, also haven’t been in your kitchen).
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 26: Zach Wheeler #45 of the Philadelphia Phillies takes the field during the pre-game ceremony prior to the game between the Texas Rangers and the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Thursday, March 26, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
One of their missing pieces to their roster, the Phillies saw Zack Wheeler make his third rehab start with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs Wednesday evening. The results were better this time around, if that’s something that you’re looking at closely.
The real thing to watch with Wheeler is how the stuff is coming out post surgery and the results there were a little more encouraging.
Zack Wheeler made another rehab start in AAA today, firing off 61 pitches with 6 K over 4.1 IP
Wheeler is making his way back from venous thoracic outlet syndrome that has kept him out since last August. The pitch count is encouraging, but the velocity is understandably down pic.twitter.com/FBohbdthBP
Postgame, Wheeler talked about still feeling a “little bit off” a bit with everything that is going on in the process, which is understandable.
Asked Zack Wheeler how close he feels to rejoining the staff:
“I’m still a little bit off, that’s why you take these starts so can tinker here and there but not too much … there’s nothing more I can do but get those reps in.” #Philliespic.twitter.com/kocNRMoUzr
As much as we want Wheeler to come back looking like the Zack Wheeler we know and love this season, those expectations need to be throttled back. It’s probably to expect that the days of his hitting in the upper tier of 90’s with his velocity won’t happen this season, living in the range of 93-95 with his fastball. That’s certainly doable for him considering how good a command he has of everything else in his arsenal, so the next question comes back when to expect him.
We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. For now, he’s healthy and making regular starts where he’s showing effectiveness. That’s awesome.
SAN ANTONIO, TX -APRIL 6: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers takes a foul shot during game against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center on April 6, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Update, 8:41 p.m.: The Sixers announced Joel Embiid has successfully underwent an appendectomy.
Update, 6:30 p.m.: We’ve learned Joel Embiid is currently in surgery.
According to a team spokesperson, Joel Embiid woke up to intense stomach pain. He went to get checked out and it was determined that he had appendicitis. He is currently in surgery…..the pain was intense enough that he was immediately ruled out for tonight
There are wide ranges for athletes missing time after appendicitis. The most recent NBA player to undergo surgery for it is OG Anunoby, then a member of the Toronto Raptors, back in 2019. The outlook doesn’t seem great for a return this season.
Joel Embiid Medical Update: Appendectomies are relatively uncommon in the NBA but have occurred with players like Grant Hill & OG Anunoby undergoing the procedure. The average time lost for in-season surgery is ~23 days (10.2 games). Median = 18 days
This probably rules Embiid out for play-in games next week, which the Sixers are likely to play in at this point. If they somehow manage to be in a first-round series and keep it competitive, maybe there’s a chance of an Embiid return, but would that even be worth it?
Just another brutal break for the big fella.
Update, 3:30 p.m.: Only the Sixers.
The team announced that Joel Embiid has been diagnosed with appendicitis and will undergo surgery in Houston this afternoon.
Here’s hoping everything turns out OK for Embiid and he can return for whatever the postseason looks like for the Sixers.
Of all the things the Sixers could least afford to happen ahead of their most important game of the season, Joel Embiid being ruled out is probably at the top.
The star center has officially been ruled out with an illness against the Houston Rockets, according to the 1:15 p.m. injury report.
Just last week, there was a great deal of drama as Embiid was dealing with an illness and missed shootaround in D.C. before the team took on the Wizards. The Sixers ruled him out while Embiid took to social media to claim the team was holding him out when he was ready to play. He also said after the team’s loss to the Heat in Miami last week that he played through an illness.
He came back for the Sixers’ win over the Minnesota Timberwolves that Friday and voiced his displeasure postgame with being made to sit out the win over Washington:
“I was pissed off. I wanted to play basketball. I wasn’t allowed to play basketball, so I think this is more of a question for Daryl Morey and whoever makes the decisions. Going into Miami, I was pretty sick, but I understood how important the game was and I still want to go out there and give us a chance to try to do something. … Felt a little better going into Washington. Definitely much better than I felt against Miami. Woke up [Wednesday], didn’t sleep until like 5 or 6 in the morning, with that, I couldn’t make it to shootaround. And then after that I found out online that I wasn’t playing that night. So, that kind of caught me off guard and that pissed me off. But then again, I guess they make the decisions, so it doesn’t matter what I think or not. I just got to follow. So, to answer your question, it’s more of a question for Daryl and them. I don’t know what’s going on. I just want to play basketball.”
We don’t have many details, but Tony Jones of The Athletic had this:
According to sources, Embiid reported feeling ill this morning. He is currently receiving medical treatment in Houston
With the Sixers vying for the sixth seed and final guaranteed playoff spot, the team really needed to be at full strength against a good Houston squad. Instead, they’ll have to figure out how to contain Rockets big man Alperen Sengun and the rest of the Rockets without Embiid.
A loss Thursday doesn’t guarantee the Sixers will be a play-in team, but things will not be looking good.
NBA general managers and scouts are heading home from the 2026 men's NCAA Tournament with plenty to think about after three weeks of incredible action on the court. Now they have to figure out which March Madness performances are indicators of future greatness and which are more of a mirage.
The 2026 NBA draft is expected to take place in late June. In USA TODAY's latest mock draft, Houston's Chris Cenac Jr. is expected to go in the first round after officially declaring on Thursday. Here's how USA TODAY currently projects the Forward-Center's draft night will play out.
Apr 8, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Milwaukee Brewers designated hitter Christian Yelich (22) hits a single against the Boston Red Sox during the third inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images
The Milwaukee Brewers return home this weekend, as they’ll take on the Washington Nationals for three games beginning Friday evening. After unveiling their new City Connect uniforms on Thursday, the Crew will wear the jerseys in all three games of this series.
The Brewers are coming off a 3-3 road trip that included a series win over the Royals before a series loss to the Red Sox. They sit at 8-4, tied atop the NL Central with the Reds, though Cincinnati is actively playing against the Marlins in Miami as of this writing. On the other side, the Nationals are at the bottom of the NL East at 4-8. After getting off to a 3-1 start, including a series win over the Cubs, Washington has lost seven of their last eight, including series losses to the Phillies, Dodgers, and Cardinals.
The Brewers are still without a few key players, as Andrew Vaughn and Jackson Chourio are both out for a few weeks with hand injuries. On the pitching front, Jared Koenig (May), Quinn Priester (May), Rob Zastryzny (late April or early May), and Craig Yoho (mid-April) are also on the IL. The latest injury is Brice Turang, who sat out the last two games in Boston with left ankle tendinitis. He isn’t expected to need an IL stint, meaning he should be back on the field for this series.
Washington’s injured list is exclusively pitchers, including Josiah Gray, DJ Herz, Trevor Williams, Jarlin Susana, and Travis Sykora. All five of those injuries are in the “severe” category, with the first three on the 60-day IL and the last two still in the minors as two of the Nats’ top four prospects. All of them with the exception of Sykora are expected to return to play at some point in 2026 (Sykora is out for the season, with a 2027 return).
The Brewers’ offense went stagnant without Turang in the final two games in Boston, but they’re still one of the better offensive teams in baseball overall. Turang, Christian Yelich, and Garrett Mitchell have led the team thus far. Turang is hitting .270/.413/.514 with a homer, four doubles, a triple, seven RBIs, 10 runs scored, and four steals; Yelich is hitting .372/.413/.535 with a homer, two doubles, a triple, 10 RBIs, 10 runs scored, and three steals; and Mitchell is hitting .310/.429/.517 with a homer, three doubles, 13 RBIs, four runs scored, and three steals. William Contreras, Jake Bauers, Gary Sánchez, Luis Rengifo, Sal Frelick, David Hamilton, Brandon Lockridge, and Joey Ortiz round out the other regulars, with Blake Perkins and Luis Matos generally coming off the bench. As a team, Milwaukee is hitting .253/.356/.395 (.751 OPS ranks fourth), with 10 homers (tied for 18th), 70 runs scored (fourth), and 23 steals (first).
Despite their rough start to the season, the Nationals’ offense is not the issue. CJ Abrams and James Wood sit atop the team’s homer leaderboard with four each, with Abrams adding four steals. Former Brewer Joey Wiemer got off to a red-hot start but has cooled off quite a bit — even so, he’s hitting .440/.533/.760 with a pair of homers through eight games played. Brady House, Luis García, Daylen Lile, Jacob Young, Drew Millas, Nasim Nuñez, and Jorbit Vivas round out the regulars, with Keibert Ruiz, Curtis Mead, and José Tena serving as depth. As a team, Washington is hitting .266/.339/.431 (.770 OPS ranks third), with 16 homers (tied for third), 71 runs scored (third), and 14 steals (tied for third).
The Brewer bullpen is led in appearances (seven) by Grant Anderson and Aaron Ashby. Anderson has allowed two runs and struck out eight across eight frames, while Ashby has allowed three runs and struck out 14 over 9 2/3 innings. DL Hall hasn’t allowed a run in 7 1/3 innings of work, striking out 10. Trevor Megill is 3-for-3 in save opportunities, while Ángel Zerpa has allowed one run over 5 2/3 innings, picking up his first career save against the Red Sox on Monday. Abner Uribe is still one of the best relievers in the league, and Jake Woodford rounds out the bullpen, with one more addition expected on Friday to replace Koenig. As a staff, the Brewers have a 3.77 team ERA (13th), including a 4.80 starter ERA (25th) and a 2.66 reliever ERA (sixth). They’ve struck out 124 batters (tied for fourth) over 105 innings.
Just about nobody in Washington’s bullpen has gotten off to a good start — the only player of the eight currently on the roster with an ERA under 3.00 is Paxton Schultz, who’s made just one appearance spanning one scoreless frame. The team is just 1-for-5 in save opportunities, with Clayton Beeter claiming that one save (he has a 3.18 ERA with two runs allowed over 5 2/3 innings). Cole Henry has an 0-2 record, with five runs allowed (three earned) over seven innings, while PJ Poulin (5.40 ERA), Cionel Pérez (13.50 ERA), Brad Lord (4.35 ERA), former Brewer Gus Varland (6.75 ERA), and Ken Waldichuk (7.04 ERA) have all struggled. As a staff, the Nationals have a 6.06 team ERA (30th), including a 5.75 starter ERA (30th) and a 6.34 reliever ERA (27th). They’ve struck out 92 batters (tied for 24th) over 107 innings.
Probable Pitchers
Friday, April 10 @ 6:40 p.m.: RHP Chad Patrick (1-0, 0.96 ERA, 4.33 FIP) vs. RHP Jake Irvin (1-1, 8.00 ERA, 4.60 FIP)
Patrick was originally slated to start for the third time this season on Wednesday in Boston, but thanks to the doubleheader on Saturday, his turn through the rotation was pushed back to this weekend against the Nationals. While he’s allowed quite a bit of traffic through two starts, he’s done a good job keeping opponents off the scoreboard. Through 9 1/3 innings, he’s allowed just one run on nine hits and four walks with seven strikeouts. This will mark his first career start against Washington.
Irvin, 29, is in his fourth MLB season, all with the Nationals. He hasn’t had much success to this point, with a 4.99 ERA and a 5.07 FIP over nearly 500 career innings. In two starts this season, he’s had varied results. He started the year with five innings of two-run ball against the Cubs, picking up the win as he allowed three hits and a walk while striking out seven. In his last start against the Dodgers, he struggled across four innings, allowing six runs on eight hits and two walks with four strikeouts. Irvin has made six career starts against Milwaukee, with an 0-5 record, a 6.59 ERA, and 22 strikeouts over 28 2/3 innings. That includes a pair of starts last season, when he went 0-2 and allowed eight runs (five earned) over nine innings with seven strikeouts.
Sproat has not gotten off to a great start with the Brewers. Through two appearances (one start) spanning 6 2/3 innings against the White Sox and Royals, he’s allowed 11 earned runs on 10 hits — including four homers — and seven walks, striking out seven. This actually marks his second time pitching against Washington, as he made his third career start against them while with the Mets last season. He went four innings in that outing, allowing four runs on four hits and a pair of walks with five strikeouts in a no-decision.
Griffin, 30, is a former first-round pick who spent parts of two seasons with the Royals and Blue Jays back in 2020 and 2022, spanning eight innings in which he allowed nine runs (eight earned) and struck out five. He spent the last three seasons in Japan, where he made 54 appearances spanning 315 2/3 innings with a 2.57 ERA and 318 strikeouts. In two starts (against the Phillies and Dodgers) this season, he’s totaled 10 innings, allowing three runs on 10 hits and three walks while striking out 11. This marks his first career appearance against Milwaukee.
Sunday, April 12 @ 1:10 p.m.: LHP Kyle Harrison (1-0, 2.61 ERA, 4.12 FIP) vs. RHP Zack Littell (0-1, 3.60 ERA, 5.85 FIP)
Kyle Harrison has had a successful start to his Milwaukee tenure, with a 2.61 ERA across 10 1/3 innings in starts against the Rays and Royals. He’s struck out 14 in those outings, as he’s successfully deployed a new kick-change. Harrison has made three previous starts against the Nationals, all while with the Giants. In those outings, he has an 0-1 record with a 4.30 ERA and 15 strikeouts over 14 2/3 innings.
Littell, 30, is in his ninth MLB season and now with his sixth team. He spent 2025 between the Rays and Reds, with a 3.81 ERA, 4.88 FIP, and 130 strikeouts across 186 2/3 innings. He’s made two appearances (one start) against the Phillies and Cardinals this season, spanning 10 frames with four earned runs on 10 hits and five walks, striking out seven. A familiar opponent for Milwaukee, Littell has made 12 appearances (three starts) against the Crew, with an 0-1 record, 1.75 ERA, and 18 strikeouts over 25 2/3 innings. He made three starts against the Brewers last season (two with the Reds, one with the Rays), allowing four runs and striking out 11 over 16 2/3 innings.
How to Watch & Listen
Friday, April 10: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Saturday, April 11: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Sunday, April 12: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Prediction
The Brewers seem to have the advantage in just about every facet in this series, including the fact that the Nationals are ice-cold right now. I’ll take Milwaukee to pick up the sweep.
Time/Place: 1:40 p.m., Target Field SB Nation Site: Twinkie Town Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network Pitching Matchup: RHP Jack Flaherty (0-1, 7.56 ERA) vs. RHP Mick Abel (0-2, 11.05 ERA)
For those hoping to get an up close look at LeBron James — and hopefully Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves — during the NBA playoffs, the Lakers are offering a ‘new premium experience.’
Revealed on Thursday morning, the Lakers front office announced a second-row of courtside seating will be made available during the postseason.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James drives to the basket against the Orlando Magic in the first quarter at Kia Center. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
According to the press release, floor seats at games have been sold out for nearly 50 years.
“The new on-floor seating features premium hospitality, including in-seat food and beverage service, VIP club access and a seamless, elevated experience from the moment guests enter the arena.”
Courtside tickets for Lakers game typically cost between $4,000-$10,000 per seat depending on the day of the week and the matchup. For the postseason, that cost can range from $20,000-$40,000, again dependent on the game and matchup.
Beginning with the Showtime Lakers in 1979, courtside seats at The Forum and the famed and then-named Staples Center were some of the must-have tickets in all of sports entertainment. Courtside tickets at Crypto.com Arena are widely considered one of the best vantage points in all of the NBA considering the amount of star power who typically attend Lakers games.
Jack Nicholson is the most famous Lakers fan, consistently seen courtside since the 1970s, although his appearances lately have dropped off. Denzel Washington, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ice Cube, Will Ferrell, Kevin Hart, Justin Bieber, Eddie Murphy and Dustin Hoffman are other celebrities who are consistently seen courtside at games.
Leonardo DiCaprio and Todd Graves attend a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the San Antonio Spurs at Crypto.com Arena on November 05, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images)
Getty Images Denzel Washington and Kyle Lowry of the Philadelphia 76ers pose for a picture during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on February 5, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jim Poorten/NBAE via Getty Images)NBAE via Getty Images Justin Herbert and Madison Beer attend a game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Lakers in the first half at Crypto.com Arena on March 31, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)Getty Images Adam Sandler attends the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Los Angeles Lakers on March 10, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jim Poorten/NBAE via Getty Images)NBAE via Getty Images LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers greets Justin Bieber before the game against the Orlando Magic on February 24, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jim Poorten/NBAE via Getty Images)NBAE via Getty Images David Beckham attends a game between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers on February 22, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)NBAE via Getty Images Will Ferrell attends a game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Brooklyn Nets on March 27, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California.(Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)NBAE via Getty Images Maria Sharapova attends the game between the Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Lakers on March 14, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jim Poorten/NBAE via Getty Images)NBAE via Getty Images Eddie Murphy attends the basketball game between the Phoenix Suns and the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena on December 01, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images)
Getty Images Chloe Kim and Myles Garrett attends a game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Lakers on March 10, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California.(Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images)NBAE via Getty Images
Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar led that ‘Showtime” era, which was followed by Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal winning three straight titles from 2000-2002. Bryant then became the main attraction before retiring in 2016 — which led to the next generation of stars. James and Anthony Davis combined with a title in 2020, before the team’s current iteration and its new Big 3 of James, Doncic and Reaves.
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The Chicago Blackhawks are back at the United Center for a four-game homestand to close out their 2025-26 season. They will not be going to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but there is still plenty to play for over the final handful of games.
The Hurricanes clinched the Metropolitan Division last time out against the Boston Bruins, and now they have their eyes on winning the top seed in the Eastern Conference.
Scouting Carolina
The Hurricanes brought up a few players from the Chicago Wolves, including Skyler Brind'Amour, Bradly Nadeau, Josiah Slavin, and Charles Alexis Legault.
Are they going to rest players to stay fresh for their pending trip to the Stanley Cup Playoffs? Maybe, but they still have something to play for with the seeding. Matching up against whoever sneaks into the 8th seed may be more favorable than playing the Boston Bruins in Round 1.
Svechnikov-Aho-Jarvis
Hall-Stankoven-Blake
Ehlers-Staal-Martinook
Carrier-Jankowski-Deslauriers
Slavin-Gostisbehere
Miller-Chatfield
Nikishin-Walker
Bussi
Andersen
This was their lineup from the overtime win over the Bruins before inserting any of their AHL players, which won't be known until closer to the game.
If he plays, Sebastian Aho is the one who drives this Hurricanes offense. He doesn't change games the way that some of the highest-tier players do in the league, but he is one tick below. With star wingers right beside him in Seth Jarvis and Andrei Svechnikov, they form an A+ top line.
Logan Stankoven and Taylor Hall play together on the second line with Jackson Blake. Stankoven and Hall were both involved in trades that included Mikko Rantanen during the 2024-25 season.
Carolina's third line with Jordan Staal, Nikolaj Ehlers, and Jordan Martinook is one of the best shutdown lines in the NHL. Staal has never won the Selke Trophy, but he is in the mix year after year. It is a trip that could also put the puck in the net when they get opportunities.
On defense, the Hurricanes are loaded. It starts and ends with Jaccob Slavin, who is the best pure defender in the NHL on the back-end. His lack of offense, although he scored the overtime winning goal against Boston earlier this week (his first goal of the season), keeps him from being known as a true number one in the NHL, but he is an elite player nonetheless.
Shayne Gostisbehere does cheat for offense from time to time, which is okay, playing on the top pair with Slavin. With K'Andre Miller and Alexander Nikishin on the middle and bottom pairs, they get plenty of offense from their defense.
In goal, whether it's Brandon Bussi or Frederik Anderson, the Hurricanes play a style that gives them a chance to win regardless of who is in net. It is the most physically demanding system in the NHL, led by head coach Rod Brind'Amour, but it works for them. It is a group that's in shape, which is a must for systems like this.
Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago
The Blackhawks will need their skating legs in a matchup like this. If they don't have them, they might be run out of their own building by the Hurricanes.
Teravainen-Bedard-Lardis
Bertuzzi-Frondell-Mikheyev
Donato-Nazar-Burakovsky
Mangiapane-Greene-Slaggert
Vlasic-Crevier
Kaiser-Rinzel
Korchinski-Del Mastro
Knight
Soderblom
There is more experimenting going on with Jeff Blashill and his lineup, especially with the forwards. It is likely to be another game with Connor Bedard, Anton Frondell, and Frank Nazar down the middle in the top nine, while Ryan Greene will be the fourth line center.
Andre Burakovsky will be back in the lineup after being a healthy scratch in the last game. Andrew Mangiapane, who was inserted for Burakovsky, will also play, likely meaning that Sacha Boisvert will be the healthy scratch.
Boisvert has yet to play a home game since signing with the Blackhawks, but that is likely just how the schedule works out with the Blackhawks wanting him to take one game off after every one or two played. With every game remaining being at home, he'll have his chance to skate in front of a United Center crowd.
Spencer Knight did not attend the optional skate for the Blackhawks on Thursday, and Arvid Soderblom did. That means that Knight is going to get the nod in goal against the Hurricanes. Coming off his Masterton Trophy nomination, he is ready to have a strong finish to a great year.
How To Watch
The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. To view this game, it is available locally on CHSN. Nationally, it is available to stream on ESPN+. The puck will drop shortly after 7:30 PM CT.
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BALTIMORE, MD - MARCH 26: A general view of Oriole Park at Camden Yards o before the game between the Minnesota Twins and the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday, March 26, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The apparel company with the big swoosh logo has deemed that it’s time for a number of MLB teams to change up their City Connect jerseys so they can sell people a new round of jerseys. The Orioles are in this year’s wave for updated uniforms, so the black ones with the boring block lettering are out and a new set of jerseys are in. The new jerseys will debut tomorrow night. No one will have to wait too long to see them in action.
The team released some promo photos of players in the new uniforms to go along with this rollout. Here are the jerseys on some players:
For me, these are a substantial improvement over the previous City Connect jerseys. That’s not to say that I think they are good, or that I would ever wear them. They are not, and I would not. I am confused by the people who spend their money on these jerseys. You’ll only get this jersey on my body if I’m in a coma or dead. If you put this on my corpse, my spirit will haunt you to the fullest extent it is able.
As you may have guessed from my opening paragraph of this article, I take a cynical view of the whole City Connect endeavor. This whole thing is there to rope people in with feeling like they are getting something limited edition and special. Now that the pattern is established that the jerseys change every few years, the thought will be that you’d better get it before it’s gone. Buy, buy, buy. This is never far from your sports fandom, people wanting to make money off of it. I feel it is uncommonly out in the open with the City Connects.
The most interesting jerseys since the start of this whole project have been the ones that were different and unafraid of being bad. You may remember those yellow and blue Red Sox ones that are meant to evoke Boston Marathon race numbers. Terrible jerseys. They are, at least, distinct from the usual Red Sox fare and that makes them interesting. A small handful of designs have ended up being truly cool and interesting, such as the original Nationals design that had the cherry blossoms. There was more personality in those jerseys than that franchise has ever had in the entirety of its existence.
The previous Orioles ones were primarily black when the team already had a primarily black weekend home game jersey top. That’s boring. The little splashes of color on the edges of the jerseys just weren’t enough to change that. It was a complete waste of an opportunity. I blame John Angelos even if it was probably someone else’s fault.
Now, you’ve got these new ones. They’re terrible, just in a more interesting way. From a distance, they look like minor league gimmick jerseys, not all that far removed from SpongeBob SquarePants jersey night. Up close, there are some cool details. The orange trim on the sleeves is patterned in a way that evokes the brick of the B&O Warehouse. That’s good. The sleeve that isn’t being taken up by the investment company sponsorship has one of the Eutaw Street home run plaques on it. Instantly iconic.
The white with mostly green and then a little bit of orange is a distinct color pattern compared to the existing array of Orioles jerseys. That’s a plus. They should just wear the jerseys they already have. But if they must exist, then at least they might as well exist while being something like this. I would go so far as to say this is one of the better ones that was unveiled today:
These new jerseys are coming tomorrow night. I hope that the Orioles win the game so I don’t have to spend multiple years again hearing about how the jerseys are cursed.
Have you ever seen a sudden sequel to a so-so movie pop up and thought, “Who the hell thought that was a good idea?”
Well, that’s tonight’s tilt between the Washington Wizards and Chicago Bulls. It’s the “Grown Ups 2” of bad basketball games.
These Eastern Conference flops play for the second time in three days, following Chicago’s 31-point blasting of Washington on Tuesday.
And just like so many of these “straight to video” sequels, the cast is loaded with unknown talents. Both rosters are running thin with several starters shut down or sitting out Thursday.
That brings us to Guerschon Yabusele.
Our Bulls vs. Wizards predictions go deep into Chicago’s depth chart and like the journeyman forward to make the most of this mess. My NBA picks take Guerschon to top his rebounding total tonight.
Bulls vs Wizards prediction
Bulls vs Wizards best bet: Guerschon Yabusele Over 6.5 rebounds (-140)
If you don’t know who Guerschon Yabusele is, don’t sweat it. Most folks don’t.
The 6-foot-7 forward has been around the world – literally – playing hoops since being drafted by Boston in 2016. He finally cracked the NBA with Philadelphia last year and was barely getting minutes with New York this season before being traded to the Chicago Bulls in February.
Since then, he’s been mainstay of a bad Bulls team. Yabusele has played the role of reserve center, averaging around 25 minutes for the past two months. But with Chicago’s rotation in shambles, the 30-year-old Frenchman is getting increased action.
He’s averaging almost 28 minutes and putting up 11.4 points and six rebounds in his past five outings. Yabusele’s rebounding chances jumped to 13.6 per game in that stretch, up from 11.0 in his first 19 games with Chicago.
Yabusele snatched six rebounds against the Washington Wizards on Tuesday and his projections for this rematch sit between 6.2 and 9.0 boards with most models above the rebounding total of 6.5 O/U.
What’s more, Yabusele has added motivation to pack the stats in these final games. He declined a player option from the Bulls last week to chase a new contract in free agency.
A couple matchups with the Wizards will go a long way in securing that bag, at least for his rebounding output. Washington is the worst team at cleaning the glass, giving up a league-high 56.7 rebounds per game, and their current lineup doesn’t go bigger than 6-foot-9.
Bulls vs Wizards same-game parlay
The Bulls bounced the Wizards by 31 points earlier this week and have at least shown some fight down the stretch of the schedule, going 6-4 ATS in their last 10 games.
Tre Jones dished out nine dimes in the win over Washington and with Josh Giddey out, he’s become the primary playmaker for Chicago. His projections sit at 7+ assists against a Wizards defense allowing a 74% assist-to-FGM rate the past three games.
Bulls vs Wizards SGP
Bulls -6.5
Guerschon Yabusele Over 6.5 rebounds
Tre Jones Over 6.5 assists
Our "from downtown" SGP: The French Connection
Guerschon Yabusele is betting on himself during these closing games, trying to score a new deal in free agency this offseason and avoid going back to Europe. Projections sit as high as 13.8 points and nine rebounds for the Frenchman.
Bulls vs Wizards SGP
Bulls -6.5
Over 248.5
Guerschon Yabusele Over 9.5 points
Guerschon Yabusele Over 6.5 rebounds
Bulls vs Wizards odds
Spread: Chicago -6.5 | Washington +6.5
Moneyline: Chicago -260 | Washington +210
Over/Under: Over 248.5 | Under 248.5
Bulls vs Wizards betting trend to know
The Washington Wizards have gone Over the total in 26 of their last 40 games (+10.60 Units/24% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Bulls vs. Wizards.
How to watch Bulls vs Wizards
Location
Capital One Arena, Washington, DC
Date
Thursday, April 9, 2026
Tip-off
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
CHSN, MNMT
Bulls vs Wizards latest injuries
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ATLANTA, GA - MAY 05: Peter Moylan #30 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the game against the San Francisco Giants at SunTrust Park on May 5, 2018, in Atlanta, Georgia. The Giants won 9-4. (Photo by Cameron Hart/Beam Imagination/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Right before Wednesday’s series finale between the Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Angels, I got a chance to chat with former Braves reliever and current BravesVision TV analyst Peter Moylan. Moylan was gracious enough to share some of his time with us and so I got the chance to ask him some questions about the past and also about the future of the sport as well.
As Braves fans, we’re all familiar with the Australian hurler who became a bit of a cult legend no matter where he went. He’s been all over the place as well, as he even had a stint in the Czech Republic. There aren’t too many people who can say that they’ve played baseball in MLB, Australia and Czechia so when you get a chance to chat with someone who has, you absolutely have to take it.
Here’s our interview with Peter Moylan and I hope y’all enjoy it!
This interview has been edited for clarity when needed
Demetrius Bell: So, about [Tuesday] night! You were a teammate of [Jorge] Soler’s and you played under Walt Weiss when he was a coach here. What were your thoughts on the fight?
Peter Moylan: I don’t know what ticked Jorge off — obviously there’s a little bit of history there with Reynaldo. I think [the pitch] might’ve been a little too close for comfort for him and I think something sparked when there was a little break. Everybody was caught off guard and honestly, I’ve never seen Jorge look like that! He’s such a mild-mannered guy so something obviously ticked him off. But Walt was able to defuse the situation! They were not pushing and shoving, they were throwing haymakers! I think Walt’s thought process was ‘I just want to get Soler on the ground and hopefully everything can calm down after that.’ It kind of did but it was mad crazy!
DB: Yeah, it was absolutely crazy. It was also a good thing that there was somebody with Taekwondo knowledge in there to deal with the situation.
PM: Let me tell you something: No one’s going to mess with Walt. Everybody knows that Walt spends as much time as anybody in the weight room and he’s not just doing band work. He’s throwing some serious weight around and he definitely knows how to take someone down as we saw.
DB: Yeah, that was an absolutely crazy incident. But now that we can get to the actual questions for this interview: How does your preparation go for every game? What’s the process like for you when it comes to getting information ready to share out to the fans?
PM: I like to get to the studio or the field about three hours before the game. I’ll check the lineups if we have those. Then I’ll just run through a checklist: I’ll check out the starting pitchers, I’ll check out the opposing lineups, who’s hot, who’s not, potential base stealers, any little features that we want to work on. Anybody who’s been hot for us, we usually do some sort of story on. Recently it’s been Drake Baldwin and Mauricio Dubón for most of this year. It all depends on what’s happened in the couple of days before and where we’re at in the series.
For instance, this [the series finale vs. the Angels] is the last game of the series. We want to win this one today obviously to come home with a positive road trip and then they have the first day off of the year following that. So this is a big game today.
DB: Moving on, so you have experience as a coach in Australia. Has that changed your perspective on the game as both an analyst and a former player?
PM: Let me tell you: As a manager, the game speeds up on you so fast. You’re just worried about so many different things — the pitching changes, moving the infield, placing the outfield, do you put a bunt down, are you going to hit-and-run in a certain situation, do you pinch-hit for a guy? There’s just so much information getting fed to you so quickly. In close games and tight games, that’s where it gets really interest. I’ve got a whole different level of respect for managers and coaches in general, for sure.
DB: Right? I remember seeing of yours from the past where you said that you felt more nervous as a coach than you did as a player.
PM: Well, it’s because you can’t control anything. You just hope you’ve done enough to get these guys prepared so that when they get in a situation where they have to either perform or not that they can perform. Your hands are tied at that point once the game starts — you’re just sitting back and hoping that you can do what you taught them.
DB: Right, it’s a very different situation. Even though you have control of the tactics, it’s still different from being actually on the field to actually do it.
PM: I can have the perfect ‘pen night lined up but if one guy comes in and he doesn’t have his best stuff that day and he struggles then all your plans are gone and you’re going to have to try to figure it out after that.
DB: So, from your experience in Australia to playing in places like the Czech Republic, how did that time in the Czech Republic influence your thoughts on baseball? Have you carried anything with you from that experience?
PM: It’s interesting because growing up in Australia, baseball is not the number one sport. Obviously our facilities have never been the greatest. So when I went to the Czech Republic, it was very similar to what [I had when] I grew up playing so it was very comfortable for me. To go over there and experience that level of the sport like I did when I was growing up, I think the Czech Republic and a lot of European nations are really putting a lot of effort into improving their baseball teams and they’re very passionate about it.
Much like our Australian Baseball League, a lot of the guys that are on those teams [in the Czech Republic] have regular jobs. They’ll have a 9-to-5 and they’ll show up to training a couple of times a week. They played more games on the weekend and train a couple of times a week, so they’re really into it over there. It was just such an amazing experience.
I’d never been to Europe before! I’d pitch on a Friday night and then I’d travel Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday somewhere around Europe and then I’d come back and pitch again on the next Friday night and try to get a win for the guys. It was just incredible.
DB: Did you play with any of the players who were on the Czech team during this most recent World Baseball Classic?
PM: Oh yeah, definitely. The team I actually went and played for had about eight or nine representatives for the Czech National Team. The reason why I was over there was because one of my really good buddies from home is the pitching coach for the National Team and he was the pitching coach for the [club] team that I went and pitched for as well. So the connection was there and it was a really fun time.
DB: In terms of your experience in playing across all types of countries and continents, you’re really a unicorn in the baseball world, so that’s a really interesting thing to take with you.
PM: It’s a great game. It’s a great game at any level. The passion you see at those kind of local levels is just incredible to watch.
DB: Going back to yourself, if you could go back in time and commentate on yourself as a pitcher, what would the present-day version of you think about the pitcher version of you?
PM: I think I would’ve liked myself! That sounds funny to say that but I honestly think I would’ve enjoyed breaking down my appearances for sure. The Ryan Zimmerman home run that I gave up, I would’ve absolutely ripped myself for that! I think there’s been a few outings where I’ve had a bit of success where I would’ve loved to have broken it down. I would’ve said that I was a nice piece to a bullpen. Obviously often injured but when healthy, I was pretty good at my job.
DB: When it comes to your approach as a pitcher back then, do you feel like it would work in today’s game or would you have to adjust to what’s going on today?
PM: That’s a great question. I think, sure; I faced a lot of right-handed hitters and my strength was to face right-handers since we didn’t have the three-batter minimum when I was playing. We didn’t have the technology that they have available now but if we did, I would have probably added a couple of more pitches if I was playing today. I would’ve liked to have had something that cut and maybe something that stayed true to the top of the zone so I could work all four quadrants. I mainly worked down in the zone for most of my career.
I think if I was pitching now, I would learn how to elevate and I’d learn something else to get left-handed hitters off of my stuff. I think I would’ve adapted to it but it certainly would’ve been a lot different. I had a lot of one-pitch outings, a lot of one-out outings so you just don’t see them anymore unless it’s ending the inning.
DB: Like you mentioned with the three-batter rule, you’ve got to be out there for a little bit longer now.
PM: I called myself the original right-handed specialist, because there weren’t a lot of us! [Laughs]
DB: So again, coming from Australia, you probably didn’t see baseball a ton of TV. If you did, though, who was your inspiration as a broadcaster?
PM: When it comes to broadcasting, Vin Scully – you really can’t go past him. But, we did used to get some [coverage] on the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). They’d show us highlights of the World Series and I remember the VHS tapes that they used to send out of every single World Series. I would get ahold of those anytime that I could going back to the ‘89, ‘90 [World Series], right the way through the ‘90s with all of the Braves success. I would still try to keep up with it even from over there.
I remember specifically when [Mark] McGwire and [Sammy] Sosa were chasing down the home run record and that was everywhere. That even got to us in Australia. I went online once and bought one of the newspaper clippings from the St. Louis newspaper when McGwire finally broke that record. We were far enough away from it but because I was so interested in the game as it was, I tried to get my claws on it over here [in Australia] as well.
DB: That had to have been a pretty big task since there’s a pretty loaded sports environment out there in Australia with footy, rugby, etc.
PM: Big time. That’s why we don’t get the best athletes trying to play baseball in Australia because they’ve all had to funnel down from Australian Rules football, rugby, cricket, tennis, basketball and soccer. It’s a sporting capital where I grew up and everybody loves their sports.
DB: Going back to your current career, what made you realize that commentary was a viable path for you as a post-playing career option?
PM: When they called me once I announced my retirement and said ‘Hey, do you want to give television a go?’ I didn’t see myself doing this and I didn’t plan to do this right after I left. But when I got that call, I thought to myself ‘I’m going to have to do something and this is worth a try.’
I was totally uncomfortable the first couple of times doing it, obviously as most people would be. But as I got into the groove, I really enjoyed still being able to be around the guys and breaking down the game and honestly watching it evolve. It’s just evolved so much over the last few years with all of the rule changes that have been introduced and all of the different technologies that guys have now. I still really love the game! I love the game at its purest form but I also really appreciate the improvements that have been made to it.
DB: When it comes to the rule changes, which ones do you like the most so far?
PM: Obviously, the three-batter minimum would’ve affected my career the most out of all of them. I love the pitch clock and I especially love the [ABS] system now. I think being able to challenge balls and strikes has added a whole new element to the game. There’s still a level of frustration because we’re not getting 100 percent of the calls right but I think the fact that they have the ability to challenge in big situations and you have to figure out when you want to do that and when you want to risk it [adds a lot to the game].
We saw a game earlier where the Braves lost all of their challenges within four outs of the game. That was obviously huge [that they ended up] winning that game but that could come back to bite them. I think it’s a whole new element. I think every rule change that has been introduced, I was a little skeptical to start off with but since they’ve been implemented, I really enjoy them.
DB: It’s very interesting to talk about the strategy when it comes to challenging. Do you feel like you’d follow in Chris Sale’s footsteps to where you’ll let the catcher do all the work when it comes to challenging or would you get involved?
PM: I think I would want to challenge most of the pitches that I thought were close, so I would be on the Chris Sale program probably implemented by my coaches and managers where they say ‘Peter, you’re an emotional man. Let’s go ahead and hold the challenges to the catchers.’ If I was a batter, I’d probably have a little more confidence but as a pitcher, I’d feel like everything I’d throw is a strike.
DB: Yeah, that sounds about right for a pitcher! [Both laugh] So, winding down, what’s the most exciting or favorite event that you’ve gotten to call or work during your time as an analyst?
PM: Well, we got to cover the World Series. That was so out of the blue. We all know how the Braves were going that season. They were just trying to scrape into the playoffs in 2021. They ended up going on a run after the All-Star break and after the Trade Deadline that was just incredible. Just to be a part of that, you could just sense the energy change as the guys started to play better, as they started to look like they were going to make the playoffs. I guess the lack of expectations for them to do any damage in the playoffs just let them hide under the cover of night and run through the playoffs like they did.
The Battery at the time and the energy of Atlanta was just incredible. I just know that everybody involved here wants to get back to that.
DB: Jumping off of that, I don’t want to put you on the spot here since you’ve played in many spots but which one would you consider to be your favorite ballpark that you’ve played in or just visited?
PM: I got lucky enough to pitch in Truist Park after they built it. It’s a great stadium. The facilities are still just incredible. However, I like the old stadiums. I love Wrigley Field, I love Fenway Park. When it comes to success, I also enjoyed pitching in Miami. I had a lot of success down there even if the [old] stadium wasn’t the best. I can tell you where I didn’t like pitching and that’s Philly.
DB: Sounds about right [laughs]. So yeah, that’s about it. Can you tell everybody where they can find you and how they can get set up to watch the Braves on TV?
PM: Of course. You can sign up at Braves.TV. We’re obviously new with BravesVision. We are learning at the big league level but we are all excited to bring the product to as many faces as we can. I know it’s been a struggle for people to find Braves games in the past. I think we’ve done a really good job to partner up with a lot of the major cable companies and a lot of the smaller ones as well.
More eyes are on it and that’s been the goal from the start of this — to get as many eyes on Braves baseball and the Braves product as you can. We’re going to try to bring you an entertaining product and as the season goes on, I’m sure the team on the field and off the field is going to be just as good.
SAN ANTONIO, TX -APRIL 8: Keldon Johnson #3 and De'Aaron Fox #4 of the San Antonio Spurs celebrate a 112-101 win over the Portland Trailblazers at Frost Bank Center on April 8, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Social media can be a toxic place, even if you stick to sports like me. Facebook doesn’t police propaganda or fake news, and I can’t tell you how many people in the Spurs Facebook group fall for these fake posts. Twitter X is a tad bit better at rooting that stuff out, but the attitude can be worse, especially if you’re on the “For You” timeline instead of “Following”, and you get a bunch of extra stuff. For me, if I stray away from “Following”, my timeline gets flooded with Longhorn, Thunder and Canadian (?) fans who are just out to troll. I’m also willing to bet 60% of the Thunder accounts are bots. So many of them use anime as their profile photos, strange font and usernames that make zero sense, and they post similar or identical stuff, especially hating on Victor Wembanyama.
However, even if I stick to just my “Following” timeline, which is primarily Spurs and Texas A&M stuff, it’s not always sunshine and roses, even during these happy times. One characteristic of the Spurs fanbase (and every other, to be fair) is there always needs to be a fall guy when things aren’t perfect, and this season, that has largely been De’Aaron Fox. Of course, I knew this would be the case the instant he signed a max contract extension this offseason, which to be sure will make fans expect the best from you each and every night and bring more scrutiny.
That being said, sometimes I’m not sure fans consider the role he’s playing. Despite being their highest paid player (for now), he’s not the Spurs’ number one option, and yet some fans still seem to expect him to put up numbers like he is. I see posts of his Sacramento days asking, “what happened to this version of Fox?” The answer is simple: NOTHING! He’s right here, doing exactly what he did there, just in a smaller sample size because he’s usually playing next to a certain generational talent that has GOAT potential, as well as two other young guards with ceilings at least as high as his. Wouldn’t you be mad if he was hogging the ball from Wemby, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper? Of course, you would, so you can’t have it both ways.
When Wemby is playing or someone else is hot, Fox rightfully plays the role of facilitator while picking his spots within the flow of the offense, as well as stepping up in crunch time. He has been perfect in that role for the Spurs, filling the gap of play-making point guard and clutch time player they had been missing in recent years. When Wemby doesn’t play is when Sacramento Fox shows up, averaging about 7 more points per game and carrying the team on his back, just like he did last night against the Portland Trail Blazers, where the Spurs were also missing Castle, and Harper wasn’t having his finest night.
Fox finished with 25 points on 10-20 shooting, including 3-6 from three, as well as 7 assists and 5 rebounds. Sure, he had a case of butter fingers with 4 turnovers, but so did seemingly everyone else on both teams, who combined for 31 of them. It was just one of those nights in the turnover department, but tell me honestly, did you have a great feeling coming into this game? The Spurs with nothing to play for and down two of their three best players against a Blazers team with everything on the line that had already beaten them once without Wemby this season felt iffy. I knew a win was certainly possible, but it ended up being easier than expected, and that was in no small part thanks to Fox stepping up into that role when called upon. There’s a reason he’s a nominee for Teammate of the Year: he has not only filled his role perfectly, but has also been an amazing mentor to the Spurs young guards while sacrificing stats and status in the process.
I didn’t exactly come in here expecting to write a Fox Appreciation post, but this is the beauty of What we Learned: you just start writing what the game made you think about, and it becomes something entirely unique from the normal game coverage I’m used to writing.
Takeaways
On one hand, I’m thrilled the Spurs are no longer beholden to small ball when Wemby either sits or is out due to the lack of a back-up center. That being said, they have been treating it that way lately when Kornet is either out or starting, and to be honest, it hasn’t been bad in no small part thanks to the physicality of Carter Bryant. His strength and athleticism allows him to guard the post and grab rebounds without being pushed around, but the added bonus is when you get offense out of him. Last night, he reminded us that he can also be their long-term answer at power forward with a career high 17 points on 5-6 shooting from three. You could point out that he was simply hot and the Blazers made the decision to leave him open, but what a leap he has had from the beginning of the season to now. Folks were saying he would be raw to to start the season but give him until January or February, and they couldn’t have been more right.
How good is Harper that it feels like he had a “meh” game while putting up 16 points on 6-14 shooting, 1-2 from three, along with 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks? Maybe it felt worse than it was because it was his least impressive game as a starter and, like Fox, he had a case of the butter fingers with an uncharacteristic four turnovers, but regardless, you know you’re reaching a high tier when this type of performance is merely okay.
I’ve said this multiple times this season, but I’m just so happy for Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson. ESPN made sure to give them their flowers during the broadcast last night, and I’m going to do the same. While not on the same level as Fox as a player, they too have accepted a reduced role for the betterment of the team, and they fill it perfectly. While it wasn’t Vassell’s most efficient shooting night last night, with 14 points just 2-7 from three, he made up for it by being a rebound machine. He grabbed some insane boards against one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the league and continues to be a steadying presence, never getting too high or low. As for KJ, while I don’t know what has recently changed that suddenly shot him to the favorite for 6th Man of the Year (at least according to Vegas, I’m skeptical of the voters), he still showed why he’s had a case all season with 20 points on 8-15 shooting and joined Vassell to lead the team in rebounds with 8, 4 of which were on offense. They aren’t the stars of this team, but they’re the heart and soul, and the Spurs wouldn’t be where they are without them.
