NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 27: Miles McBride #2 of the New York Knicks reacts during the first quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Madison Square Garden on January 27, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Even after Thursday night’s loss to the Charlotte Hornets, the Knicks have remained one of the hottest teams in the league over the last couple of months. Thankfully, that has helped distract some fans from focusing too much on the absence of backup guard Deuce McBride, who has been out since January with a sports hernia injury. Thanks in large part to Jose Alvarado, Mo Diawara, and the surprising resurgence of Jordan Clarkson, New York has managed sans McBride and has not missed him quite as much as expected.
Don’t get it twisted, though, if the Knicks want to reach their ultimate goal, McBride will play a pivotal role. And reports suggest that he is nearing a return.
Ian Begley of SNY reported Saturday that McBride “remains on track to return to the court during the current road trip” and added that we could even see him make an appearance Sunday.
Some good news for Knicks after bad loss in CHA: Miles McBride remains on track to return to the court during the current road trip, possibly as soon as Sunday. McBride was ruled out of CHA game on Friday a day before tipoff; Sunday’s game vs OKC has not yet been ruled out for…
“Some good news for Knicks after bad loss in CHA: Miles McBride remains on track to return to the court during the current road trip, possibly as soon as Sunday. McBride was ruled out of CHA game on Friday a day before tipoff; Sunday’s game vs OKC has not yet been ruled out for him, per SNY sources. McBride is rehabbing from surgery to repair a sports hernia and has been out since Jan. 28.” — SNY’s Ian Begley
As of Sunday morning, he remains listed as questionable for today’s clash against the Thunder, but considering there was a chance he’d be out until the playoffs, this is a great sign pointing towards him having more time to re-acclimate than previously believed.
The interesting piece to this puzzle becomes the rotation. With teams shrinking their rotations during the playoffs to eight or nine players, Clarkson, Diawara, Landry Shamet, and Alvarado won’t all be in the rotation.
Diawara provides some much-needed athleticism and size on the wings, Clarkson provides experience, ball-handling, and self-creation, Shamet provides some much-needed shooting and defense, and Alvarado provides toughness and ball-handling. All of them have clear lanes to earning minutes, but most of them also have weaknesses as well.
Playing Alvarado and McBride may leave the backcourt too small against certain teams. Clarkson’s defense has been much improved lately, but he can still have his limitations on that end of the floor. Shamet has been one of the unheralded and unexpected saviors of the 2025-26 season, but he had fallen into a bit of a shooting slump prior to his recent injury. And then there’s Diawara, who has quickly turned into a fan favorite but is still prone to making rookie mistakes.
Looking at Mike Brown’s tendencies throughout the year, I’d assume it’s Clarkson and Shamet who get the first nod, with Diawara maybe getting spot minutes depending on the matchup. Brown has not shied away from changing up his second unit, though, so expect it to be a very fluid situation during the playoffs, where things can always change on a whim.
The final 2026 Final Four spot will come down to the marquee Elite Eight matchup between Duke and UConn. The two have combined for 11 national championships since 1991.
"You have two of the biggest brands in college basketball going at it to make it to the Final Four. I think it's super special," UConn forward Alex Karaban said. "I think it's super exciting. I know we're excited as a team. You've seen Duke. You've seen UConn throughout your entire life when you watch college basketball growing up. To be another piece of that story of those two programs going at it, I think it's awesome."
Sunday will be the first meeting between the schools since the 2014-15 season. They last met in a NCAA Tournament in 2004, with UConn winning 79-78.
Expect a physical, back-and-forth game, but with Caleb Foster back in the rotation, Duke has just enough offensive balance to edge UConn and make its way back to the Final Four.
Austin Curtright: UConn
John Leuzzi: Duke
Jordan Mendoza: Duke
Ehsan Kassim: UConn
Moneyline: Duke (-220); UConn (+180)
Spread: Duke (-5.5)
Over/under total: 133.5
Duke will reach Final Four if...
John Leuzzi: It can keep UConn's offense out of rhythm.
Jordan Mendoza: Out-muscles Connecticut.
Ehsan Kassim: Cam Boozer takes over.
Austin Curtright: If contains Tarris Reed Jr.
UConn will reach Final Four if...
John Leuzzi: Tarris Reed Jr. continues to impact the paint.
Jordan Mendoza: It shoots lights out.
Ehsan Kassim: It can continue to get Duke to turn the ball over.
Austin Curtright: Its bench can keep up with Duke's deep rotation.
Caleb Foster injury update: Will Duke guard play vs UConn?
Twenty days after Foster fractured his right foot in a win against North Carolina, he returned to play Friday against St. John's.
He rolled out of the Duke locker room with his right foot wrapped in ice and his right knee perched atop a one-legged scooter, a bag of ice strapped and wrapped around his left calf for good measure.
"He's doing well. For us, he's not doing anything on the court (Saturday)," Scheyer said. "Even for these guys, it's been more of a walk-through day getting ready. First time playing in a few weeks, he's sore and recovering like you would expect, but nothing concerning."
Cameron Boozer NBA draft stock, mock draft predictions
Boozer is widely projected as a top-3 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Here’s a look at where various mock drafts from major outlets have the Duke freshman going:
Cameron Boozer and his twin brother, Cayden (also a freshman for Duke) are the sons of former NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer.
Before his 13-year career in the NBA, Carlos Boozer was a standout forward for the Blue Devils under Mike Krzyzewski from 1999-2002. A member of Duke's 2001 national championship team, Carlos Boozer finished his three-year career with the Blue Devils with more than 1,500 points scored and started 93 of the 101 games in which he appeared.
How old is Alex Karaban? How long has Alex Karaban been at UConn?
Karaban is 23 years old and enrolled at UConn in 2022. He was part of the Huskies' 2023 and 2024 national championship teams.
Braylon Mullins 2026 NBA Draft, mock draft prediction
No. 29 overall to Cleveland Cavaliers.
Kalbrosky's Analysis:
Braylon Mullins, a five-star recruit and former McDonald's All American, missed the start of the season due to an ankle injury. But he has returned to action for the Huskies and has shown what makes him such an appealing player. He is a useful off-ball threat, which gives him an immediately practical role at the next level. The Big East All-Freshman wing shot 40.7 percent on 3-pointers during his first 18 games in the starting lineup, but it may be tough for scouts to forget his 0-for-8 performance from beyond the arc during his first game in March Madness.
The Chicago Cubs seek a series victory this afternoon when they host the Washington Nationals at historic Wrigley Field.
Washington has already whiffed a ton during this series, and my Nationals vs. Cubs predictions and MLB picks expect Shota Imanaga to take full advantage of this today.
Nationals vs Cubs predictions
Nationals vs Cubs best bet: Shota Imanaga Over 4.5 strikeouts (-120)
Shota Imanaga owns a 24.6% whiff rate, showing he consistently misses bats and generates swings and misses. That gives him a strong edge in this matchup against the Washington Nationals.
Imanaga throws strikes, limits walks (1.53 per nine), and works efficiently enough to pitch into the middle innings. He doesn’t need a dominant outing to get there, just his typical steady execution.
With Washington already prone to strikeouts, the opportunities should be there throughout his outing. This sets up as a solid spot for Imanaga to reach five strikeouts.
COVERS INTEL: Shota Imanaga spun 7.28 strikeouts per nine frames in 2025 and followed this up this spring with 18 punchouts across 20 innings.
Nationals vs Cubs same-game parlay (SGP)
Jake Irvin allowed nearly two home runs per nine innings pitched in 2025, and with the wind blowing out to left, he could have trouble with this Chicago Cubs lineup. I like Imanaga to pitch well, and if he does, Chicago should have no issues winning.
Michael Busch drove in a run on Opening Day and has four hits and two RBI across 11 career at-bats against today's starter.
Nationals vs Cubs SGP
Shota Imanaga Over 4.5 strikeouts
Michael Busch Over 0.5 RBI
Cubs -1.5
Nationals vs Cubs home run pick: Michael Busch (+250)
Busch bashed 34 bombs in 2025. He’s already batting .500 on the season but hasn’t left the yard yet.
That could change today. Irvin coughed up nearly two home runs per nine frames in 2025, and left-handed bats slugged .500 with a .384 wOBA across 100 2/3 innings.
As previously mentioned, Busch has already tasted success against Irvin, and he’s lit up the Nats pitchers during this series.
2026 Transparency record
Best bets: 0-1, -1.0 units
SGPs: 0-1, -1.0 units
HR picks: 0-1, -1.0 units
Nationals vs Cubs odds
Moneyline: Washington +200 | Chicago -245
Run line: Washington +1.5 (+100) | Chicago -1.5 (-120)
Over/Under: Over 9.5 | Under 9.5
Nationals vs Cubs trend
The Cubs have cashed the moneyline in 42 of their last 64 home games for +9.55 units and a 9% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Nationals vs. Cubs.
How to watch Nationals vs Cubs and game info
Location
Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
Date
Sunday, March 29, 2026
First pitch
2:20 p.m. ET
TV
Nationals TV, Marquee
Nationals starting pitcher
Jake Irvin (2025: 9-13, 5.70 ERA)
Cubs starting pitcher
Shota Imanaga (2025: 9-8, 3.73 ERA)
Nationals vs Cubs latest injuries
Nationals vs Cubs weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
When Atlanta Braves designated hitter Dominic Smith stepped into the batter's box with the bases loaded and the game on the line Saturday night, he had someone else there alongside.
It marked the first time in MLB hsitory that a player hit a walk-off grand slam in his first game with a new team.
Smith, 30, had played for five different teams during his MLB career when he came to spring training as a non-roster invitee. He left the team for a little over a week at the start of camp when his mother, who was diagnosed with cancer last September, had what he called a "scare." However, he returned and eventually won a roster spot.
"This team is just so awesome," Smith said. "I'm so blessed because of the love they showed me, the support every day. They're asking about her, asking about her well-being, my well-being, and that's all they really cared about. They didn't care about baseball."
Smith validated his teammates' faith in him by capping off a six-run rally in the ninth with his home run into to the right field seats off Royals closer Carlos Estevez, the major league leader in saves last season with 42.
Although Smith wasn't with his mother when she died in California earlier this month, he said he was looking forward to the Braves' road trip next week to Anaheim, where he will see many of his family members.
"You know, I'm trying to hold back tears now," he said. "I feel her every day. I miss her dearly. It's not a moment I don't think about her. And like I said, I'm just so thankful because this team knows what I'm going through. So they really, you know, picked me up the last few weeks."
Mar 28, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; MLB umpire CB Bucknor (54) ejects Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora (13) during the game against the Cincinnati Reds in the eighth inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images
One of the running storylines through spring training was that J.T. Realmuto was going to be good at challenges with the ABS system coming into place for the 2026 MLB season. Saturday, he was two for two in the final frames.
JT Realmuto nailed another successful ABS challenge in the top of the first.
He's now 5 for 5 on challenges this spring, turning two balls into strikeouts and two walks into strikes.
Yesterday’s game wasn’t the only one that made some news with the ABS system. The Reds and Red Sox had the pleasure of having their game umpired by the enigmatic CB Bucknor, who made his presence felt. Thankfully, the eye in the sky had other ideas with Bucknor’s strike zone.
C.B. Bucknor tried to ring up Eugenio Suárez on back-to-back pitches.
There haven’t been many examples like this so far in the young season, but based on this and others during spring training, what are your impressions of the ABS system? I’m still an old school-ish fan that kind of wishes we had the human element of the umpires behind the plate, but where it is at now, with teams limited on the number of challenges they can have, it feels like the best kind of balance that the game can have.
Let’s just agree that Bucknor should not be a playoff umpire at all.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN. - MARCH 2026: Minnesota Timberwolves guard Ayo Dosunmu (13) reacts after scoring in the third quarter at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn., on Tuesday, March 17, 2026. Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Phoenix Suns. (Photo by Carlos Gonzalez/The Minnesota Star Tribune via Getty Images) | Star Tribune via Getty Images
The calendar says the playoffs are right around the corner. Normally, this part of the season is about tightening the rotation, leaning on your stars, and getting everyone ready for the games that actually matter. But for Minnesota, the past few weeks have turned into a live-fire evaluation of everything beyond Anthony Edwards.
Since going down with injury on March 13th, Edwards has been watching from the sideline while the rest of the roster has been forced to answer a question that tends to define playoff runs more than we like to admit: What do you actually have when your safety net disappears?
And to their credit, the Wolves didn’t just tread water. They made it interesting.
They beat a desperate Phoenix Suns team that’s been breathing down their neck in the standings. They walked into TD Garden and knocked off the Boston Celtics, something this franchise hadn’t done since flip phones were still a thing. And then they survived one of the most chaotic, logic-defying overtime games of the season against the Houston Rockets.
Which is why this week’s SB Nation Reacts poll landed a little differently than usual.
If this team is going to make a real run, its third straight deep push into the postseason, who’s the guy that swings it? Who’s the piece that turns them from “tough matchup” into something nobody wants to see in a seven-game series?
And the answers from the Canis Hoopus faithful tell you exactly where the belief, and the uncertainty, still lives with this team.
No. 1: Ayo Dosunmu — The New Toy… or the Missing Piece?
Let’s start with the winner, because this is where things get interesting.
Dosunm”u topping the list feels like one part recency bias, one part “shiny new trade acquisition energy,” and one part we’ve been waiting for this exact type of player all season”. And honestly? All three can be true.
Since arriving from the Chicago Bulls at the deadline, he’s done something Minnesota desperately needed: he’s changed the tempo of their offense. He pushes in transition, he attacks seams, and most importantly, he’s been knocking down threes at a highly efficient clip.
Coming into the season, point guard was clearly one of Minnesota’s biggest question marks. Mike Conley Jr. aged himself out of the starting lineup, and Rob Dillingham didn’t developed quickly enough to solve the problem. Dosunmu doesn’t answer everything, but he answers enough to matter.
And in a playoff series? That’s all you need. One guy who flips a quarter. One guy who swings a Game 4. One guy who turns a 2–2 series into a 3–2 advantage.
That’s how role players become guys.
No. 2: Jaden McDaniels — The Swing Piece
McDaniels finishing second feels right and also somehow still underrated.
We already know what he is defensively. He’s the guy you throw at the other team’s best scorer and say, “good luck.” He did it during that 2024 Western Conference Finals run. He can absolutely put elite players in a straight jacket.
But the real question, the one that defines Minnesota’s ceiling, is what he does offensively.
When he’s just spacing the floor and hitting occasional threes, the Wolves are good. When he starts attacking, really attacking, by getting downhill, finishing at the rim, and becoming that third scorer behind Edwards and Julius Randle… that’s when things tilt. That’s when Minnesota becomes terrifying.
Suddenly it’s not a two-man show. It’s a three-headed problem.
The frustrating part? It’s not always there. It comes and goes. And that’s what makes McDaniels the ultimate X-factor. Because if they can unlock that version of him consistently, the entire equation changes.
No. 3: Rudy Gobert — The Floor, the Ceiling, and Everything in Between
Rudy was my personal answer to this poll.
If you’ve watched this team long enough, you already know the truth: everything they want to be defensively starts and ends with Gobert.
He’s not just an anchor. He’s the entire foundation. When he’s engaged, locked in, and active? The Wolves look like a top-tier defense that can strangle games. When he’s off, in foul trouble, or disengaged? Things unravel quickly.
That’s the Gobert paradox.
We’ve seen the absolute peak in Game 5 against the Lakers, where he basically snatched their souls and ended the series himself. And we’ve seen the opposite like a few weeks later in the Western Conference Finals against OKC where he disappeared, put up minimal numbers, and couldn’t impose himself.
Feast or famine.
But if Minnesota is going to make a serious run? They need feast Gobert. The version that controls the paint, dominates the glass, and quietly turns every possession into a grind. That’s the version that makes everything else work.
No. 4: Julius Randle — Can He Be Consistent?
Randle landing fourth might be the most revealing result on the list. Not because it’s wrong, but because it shows how expectations shape perception.
We’ve already seen what Randle can be in the playoffs. In 2025, during those first two rounds, there were stretches where he was the best player on the floor, even with Edwards out there. He bullied teams, created offense, and acted as both scorer and facilitator.
That version of Randle? That’s a problem for anyone. But then came OKC. The inconsistency. The drop-off.
Even this season, it’s been a bit of a roller coaster. Strong start. Post-All-Star dip. Then flashes again lately, especially with Edwards out, where he’s stepped back into that primary role and delivered big performances against teams like Phoenix and Houston.
So why fourth?
Because with Randle, it’s no longer about “can he do it?” It’s about “will he do it consistently?”
In a weird way, that’s a compliment. He’s expected to show up. He’s expected to be great. The question is whether he can stay at that level for two straight months. If he does? Everything changes.
No. 5: Naz Reid — The Flamethrower off the Bench
Reid finishing last feels fair… but also slightly dangerous to underestimate.
Yes, he’s a sixth man. Yes, his minutes are more limited. But he’s also the kind of player who can swing a game in eight minutes. When he’s hitting threes, spacing the floor, and finishing inside, he turns Minnesota’s second unit into something legitimately scary. When he’s off? It can get inconsistent fast.
We saw both versions in the 2025 postseason.
Every playoff run needs a guy like Reid. The unexpected punch. The bench explosion. The “where did that come from?” performance that flips a game you had no business winning.
He may not be the most impactful player overall. But in the right moment? He might be the most important one on the floor.
The Big Picture: This Isn’t About One Guy Anymore
Here’s the part that matters.
The Wolves are still long shots at+4000 to win the title. The West is brutal. The margins are razor thin. And this team has been anything but consistent.
But this recent stretch without Edwards has revealed something that might matter more than any odds number: They’re deeper than we thought.
They’ve beaten good teams. They’ve survived utter chaos. They’ve shown they can win ugly, win physical, and win connected.
If you’re looking for the blueprint for a playoff run, it’s not just “Ant goes supernova.” It’s this:
Edwards as the engine
Randle as the co-star
Gobert anchoring everything defensively
McDaniels as the swing piece
Dosunmu and Reid as the wild cards
That’s not just a roster. That’s a formula.
The question, the one that’s going to define the next two months, is whether all of those pieces show up at the same time.
Because if they do? This stops being a “fun team with potential” conversation… and starts becoming something a lot more serious.
And if you’re feeling a little frisky about it, yeah, you could do worse than taking a look at those +4000 odds over at FanDuel Sportsbook.
The Toledo Mud Hens never got going in a Saturday night 1-0 loss to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs.
A pair of rehabbing major leaguers set the tone on the mound for the IronPigs, and the Mud Hens couldn’t capitalize, failing to push across the equalizer.
Mud Hens can’t string anything together vs. Wheeler
Toledo faced 11-year MLB veteran Zach Wheeler, who is rehabbing from rib resection surgery he underwent last September to address venous thoracic outlet syndrome. Scheduled for three innings or 45-50 pitches, he only needed 38.
Wheeler struck out the side in the first, all three coming on the curveball. He froze Wenceel Perez on one that caught the outer edge of the zone, and Eduardo Valencia and Trei Cruz swung over balls below the zone. Max Clark drew a one-out, full-count walk, laying off an inside four-seamer, and Jace Jung ambushed a cutter left over the middle of the plate for a pair of baserunners in the inning.
Max Anderson led off the second with a base hit, jumping on a fastball just like Jung. It ricocheted off Carter Kieboom’s glove but would’ve taken a great play to get the out. Corey Julks nearly grounded into a double play, but he beat out the throw to first by less than half a step. Gage Workman grounded out to third, and Ben Malgeri lined out to second.
Wheeler got his lone 1-2-3 inning in the third, getting Perez to pop out to shortstop, Clark to ground out to first and Jung to ground out to short. Again, Toledo failed to hit anything hard. All three outs came off the bat at 75 mph or slower. Workman’s groundout in the second was the only hard-hit ball off Wheeler.
Sammons cruised through four, struggled in fifth
Bryan Sammons got the start for the Mud Hens and was mostly effective through 4 2/3 innings. He gave up one run on five hits and a walk, but most of the damage came in the fifth inning. He retired the side for a clean first inning. Sammons worked his four-seam and cutter in early before turning to the curveball with two strikes. All three outs in the first came on contact, but nothing came off the bat over 94 mph.
Kieboom jumped on a cutter for a 112.1-mph single into left field to open the second — the hardest-hit ball of the day — but Sammons recovered nicely. He got Rene Pinto on the ground to short, Liover Peguero popped out to second and Christian Cairo flied out to center.
It took until the third for Sammons to record a strikeout. He froze Oscar Mercado with a changeup and Sergio Alcantara on a high sweeper. Pedro Leon singled softly into right with two outs, but Sammons struck out the side, getting Felix Reyes to swing over a changeup.
Kieboom worked a four-pitch walk off Sammons in the fourth, but he got the other three batters out with relative ease.
The fifth is where things got out of hand, if only slightly. Cairo and Mercado led off with back-to-back singles, the latter coming on a push bunt into no-man’s-land on the right side. Sammons got two outs, but he gave up an RBI single into shallow center against Reyes. That ended Sammons’ day. Cole Waites came in for four pitches and one out to end the fifth.
Sammons’ velocity was down for most of the night, averaging 89.1 mph on the fastball. He averaged 91.5 the last time he was tracked by Statcast — in 2024. Low velocity is typical this early in the year, and he should ramp it up moving forward assuming there’s nothing wrong.
The cutter drew four whiffs (25%), and the changeup induced a pair of whiffs on as many swings — it also had a very low spin rate of 742 rpm, which is more than 400 below his average changeup a year ago. Sammons didn’t miss any bats with his curve, but he didn’t give up any hits on it either.
Toledo couldn’t hit Lehigh Valley’s bullpen
Toledo struggled to get hits after notching a pair in the first two innings. Lehigh Valley’s bullpen ended up allowing just two hits over the final six innings.
Orion Kerkering, who was also on a rehab assignment, retired the side in order. Valencia grounded out softly to short, Cruz watched a sinker that caught the inside of the buffer zone for strike three and Anderson grounded out to third. Cruz might have seen another pitch if he had challenged, but he opted not to.
Connor Gillespie was responsible for five of the six Toledo baserunners through the final six innings. Workman singled to center field, and a pitch hit Malgeri — both with one out. Perez killed the fifth-inning rally with a lineout to left field that Workman couldn’t get back to second base in time on. Bad baserunning from Workman there.
In the sixth, Clark walked for the second time, stole second base and moved to third on a flyout. Cruz also walked in the fifth, but Jung and Anderson struck out for the first and third outs of the inning. Another double play ended the seventh, this time nullifying a throwing error by Kieboom off the bat of Workman. Malgeri grounded into the 4-6-3 twin killing.
Genesis Cabrera went 1-2-3 in the eighth. Clark tried to sneak a bunt in for a base hit, but it went right back to the pitcher. Chase Shugart earned the save in the ninth, working around a leadoff single from Valencia through the left side — 99.4 mph off the bat. Cruz struck out, Anderson flied out to left and Julks ended the game on a flyout to right.
Mud Hens bullpen mostly matches Lehigh Valley
Toledo threw a different pitcher in each of the final three innings. Burch Smith, Drew Sommers and Tyler Mattison got the ball in that order.
Smith went 1-2-3 in the sixth, striking out Kieboom on a clock violation and Pinto on an eighth-pitch curveball. He was mostly fastball (94.4 mph average), but he drew two whiffs on the other nine pitches he threw. The curveball and sinker combined for four called strikes/whiffs on five tries.
Sommers had to work around a one-out single and walk, but he ended the seventh with a pair of strikeouts and a groundout to first from Reyes. The lefty stuck to his sinker-slider mix for 70% of his 20 pitches, throwing three four-seamers and three changeups for just one strike. The slider was solid, drawing three whiffs on six swings.
Mattison allowed the first three batters he faced to reach base. He walked De La Cruz to open the frame. Clark saved a run with a smart throw to third after Kieboom singled off Workman’s glove at second. Pinto’s walk wouldn’t have brought De La Cruz in, but Peguero’s flyout to right would have. Cairo struck out swinging to end the inning.
Tyler Mattison gives up a hit to Carter Kieboom, but Max Clark throws out Bryan De La Cruz at 3rd. pic.twitter.com/j2osdTD4BK
After last night’s epic ending against the Kansas City Royals, which clinched the Atlanta Braves’ first series win of the season, Grant Holmes will be taking the mound to start the early game off with hopes of holding down the defensive end and sweeping the series before facing the Athletics on Monday.
During his five games in spring training, Holmes had solid performances through his outings since returning from the 60-day IL in November.
In the first half of last year, Holmes stood out as a dominant starter who gained enough trust from his team and fans to look forward to his outings to keep the Braves in the game, even through a rough start to the 2025 season. This year, he’s hoping to pick up where he left off, but this time, staying healthier for much longer to keep improving the depth of the Braves’ pitching staff.
Holmes’ slider was used the most (36%) in his arsenal last year and had a 42.8% Whiff rate. If Holmes can pull off a strong season debut today to set the tone, the only thing we’ll have to cross our fingers for will be his health. We know he has the “stuff,” now we need him to carry it out.
On the Royals’ side, they’re looking to avoid a sweep. Seth Lugo will be taking the bump to put an end to a 0-3 start to the season. Coming off the 2025 season with a 4.15 ERA, and most recently a World Baseball Classic appearance with team Puerto Rico, it doesn’t give a full scope of how solid Lugo actually is for the Royals. Relying on 10 pitches in his arsenal, the one that needs to cause awareness is his curveball.
Now, though, Lugo is solid; he isn’t very consistent, and his 8-7 record last year puts him in a below-average percentile. However, it’s not to underestimate what he brings to the table. Let’s just say, if he shows up in his 2024 form today, the Braves might find trouble on offense.
This will be the game to close us out and check the box for series one. Already securing the series, will the Braves complete a sweep as well, or will the Royals successfully avoid a rocky 0-3 start to their season?
Mar 28, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals shortstop JJ Wetherholt (26) is doused with water by shortstop Masyn Winn (0) and left fielder Nathan Church (27) after hitting a walk-off two run single against the Tampa Bay Rays during the tenth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
What. A. Weekend! We craved meaningful baseball since late last summer and now that the games really count, we have permission to be excited about what we have seen from the St. Louis Cardinals so far. Before getting into it, I will say it is nice to not have to get veterans “off their feet” in the fifth inning of a blowout like we saw much of the past two seasons, giving the starting lineup a chance to dig out of a hole like we saw on Opening Day.
Is it fair to expect this type of competitiveness all season long?
I sort of answered my question with a subtle dig in the intro. But I also lobbed a softball by using the word “competitiveness” rather than performance or something else that would have me expect the team to go 162-0 with an MVP and Rookie of the Year candidate leading the charge. And on Overreaction Friday (a term I am borrowing from the NFL after arm chair GMs show up in full force after Week 1), the St. Louis Cardinals looked like a team that will surprise the rest of the league. Our very own Jake Wood, along with podfather Daniel Shoptaw (C70) and Rays’ contributor Roman Rodriguez, joined me for my first ever livestream to talk about Opening Day and what we should or should not believe.
Now, after a 2-0 start and more heroics from phenom JJ Wetherholt to back up gutsy starting pitching performances, I want to say I am encouraged, even if the games ended up in the loss column, like they each could have. Calling pitchers’ first starts of the year “gutsy” is kind of a bummer, as that terminology is typically used for grizzled veterans in late August of a playoff race. But both Matthew Liberatore and Michael McGreevy battled through their own issues and gave the team a chance to win. Libby fought through five strong and McGreevy said “here’s 90mph, go get no-hit for six innings” before the bullpen had issues in both games.
And with blown leads and come-from-behind victories in each of the first two games of the 2026 season, it may be too early, but I am going to take a victory lap on my “over 68.5 wins” preseason bet. Despite being on pace for an MLB-record 162 wins, I think the Cardinals will fall back into reality with plenty of longer stretches of pain, but the overall makeup of this team should remain the same for the entire season. And if they are going to play like this on day one of the year, you have to think they could only get better as the year progresses.
The offense is going to go through spurts and what they do is going to set the tone for the team. Though we have not even gone a half a turn through the rotation yet, anticipating four runs from the starter on average I think is a safe place to start. It also gives the offense a “goal” for each game. Another NFL reference from someone who really is not an NFL fan: team defense points per game average gives the offense their expected target to give the team a chance to win. That is how I see the pitching and hitting working in tandem this year.
Looking at the starting lineup, it is hard for me to pinpoint someone on the roster that could be fighting for playing time early on outside of Nathan Church or whoever is playing in left field. While Lars Nootbaar is on the injured list, I think the Cardinals could go with the hot hand approach in the outfield but even that will be with familiar names from Opening Day. To me, that is something worth being excited about in a rebuild. This shows that the team they are going to trot out every game is the one they plan to get through this rebuild with, and potentially even be the building block with which to compete.
Unfortunately, I think we also learned for real that this bullpen is going to be an action-packed group, and not in a good way. In a rebuild, the relief corps is lowest on the totem pole in terms of furnishing, and outside of trade deadline candidate Ryne Stanek and last lefty standing Justin Bruihl, the bullpen was mostly untouched. The rotation underwent reconstruction at the major and minor league levels, so the first half of most games should at least be watchable. In the later innings, though, is when fans like myself who still want them to win every game because tanking in the MLB makes little sense, will get frustrated that another few million was not dispersed on the open market. So far, expected firefighter Matt Svanson has struggled, but Riley O’Brien and JoJo Romero were solid on back-to-back days. Chris Roycroft still has an unreal sinker that moves too much, but he was part of the Miles Mikolas soft contact to death sixth inning on Opening Day.
The bullpen will undergo the most changes out of any position group, as is the case for contending teams as well as those tearing it down. The way that this rebuild differs from others we have witnessed, is the fact the starting lineup figures to be together for an extended period of time, rather than made up of veterans looking to be moved to contenders every deadline. While the starting pitching will undergo personnel shifts, those new arms figure to be pitchers already within the organization, so again we will at least have a sample size to pull from when they make their move to the big league rotation.
Touching on the lineup before I eat the majority of this words as the Cardinals sit 10 games under .500 at the break, I am impressed and hopeful with what I have seen. We have been and will be fooled again by rookie debuts, but Wetherholt is “different” and Alec Burleson is simply an effective major league hitter. Catcher Ivan Herrera can become a force if his offense continues, and Nolan Gorman showed a new approach that has translated so far. Masyn Winn is obviously not the four-hitter of the future, but what a fun way to help him bust out with the bat. The bottom of the lineup will have its questions, maybe moreso than the top half, as the left fielder of the moment, Jordan Walker, and Victor Scott II fight to prove their offensive worth for the future.
I don’t care that we are two games in and much of this Saturday night reaction article won’t hold weight in the future. I am ready for the excitement and roller coaster ride of the 2026 National League Central Champion St. Louis Cardinals.
SELF PROMO OF THE WEEK
Nice and short this week.
No Random Cardinal of the Week since my brother was sacrificing his time for high school softball Spring Break.
I already mentioned my Cardinals on My Time postgame livestream. Make sure you follow/subscribe because I plan to do those a handful of times during the season.
We were guestless on Redbird Rundown this week, but holy cow this weekend gave us plenty to talk about. Check in tonight at 6pm, drop in the chat during the premiere, and let us know your reactions to the 2-0 Cardinals.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 28: Jake Burger #21 of the Texas Rangers rounds the bases after hitting a two run home run during the third inning of the game against the Philadelphia Phillies on March 28, 2026 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Rangers 5, Phillies 4
I would have preferred that the Rangers first win of the season be a little less exciting.
The pitching was a plus.
Jacob Latz was tapped to make the start on a cold and blustery day due to Jacob deGrom’s neck stiffness sidelining him. An ominous beginning to the day.
Latz exceeded all expectations with his performance in the spot start, allowing only one baserunner through the first four innings, when Adolis Garcia reached on an E3 due to Jake Burger dropping a wind-blown infield pop fly. He started the fifth against lefty Bryson Scott, who worked a walk, and then was replaced by Cole Winn.
Winn retired the first two batters he faced before a J.T. Realmuto infield single gave the Phillies their first hit of the game. A 3-2 walk to Justin Crawford loaded the bases, but Winn struck out Trea Turner on three pitches to end the inning.
That fifth inning was the closest thing to a rally the Phillies were able to generate until the ninth, as Jalen Beeks retired all three batters he faced and Jakob Junis all six batters he faced. Texas took a one hitter into the ninth, and I was wanting the official scorer to change Realmuto’s infield single to an E4.
Robert Garcia came in in the ninth to finish things out, and after fanning Kyle Schwarber and getting Bryce Harper on a weak grounder, a weakly hit bloop into center by Alec Bohm kept Philly alive. An eight pitch battle against pinch hitter Edmundo Sosa resulted in a walk, and Skip Schumaker brought in Chris Martin to get the final out.
Martin got Adolis to pop up behind first base, and it looked like the game was over. For the second time in the game, however, Burger was flummoxed by the wind. He couldn’t make the catch and picked up his second E3 of the game.
Adolis then got sawed off by Martin, but managed to loft a softly hit fly down the left field line that fell in for a double, making it 3-1. Brandon Marsh then followed with the only hard hit ball of the inning, a two run single, to tie the game. Martin got Realmuto on a 3 pitch K after that, but the damage had been done, and extra innings ensued.
Texas had taken the three run lead early on, with Corey Seager homering in the first inning and Jake Burger hitting a two run shot in the third. That third inning also featured a tremendous blast to center by Wyatt Langford that looked like a sure homer — however, the wind knocked it down, and Justin Crawford made a tremendous leaping catch to rob Langford of extra bases.
Texas got baserunners here and there after that, but didn’t make serious noise again until the tenth. Langford fought off a difficult Jhoan Duran pitch for an opposite field single, sending Zombie Runner Brandon Nimmo to third, and then Nimmo scored and Langford went to second on a wild pitch. After Seager and Burger fanned, Andrew McCutchen’s line drive single made it a two run game.
It turned out the Rangers needed that insurance run, as Tyler Alexander allowed a two out single to Harper, scoring the Zombie Runner and sending Otto Kemp, who had reached on an HBP, to third. An Alex Bohm pop fly — which was caught — ended the game, and we could all be happy.
There was some discussion about the Rangers doing nothing against Cristopher Sanchez on Thursday, and to what extent that was an indication of the offense repeating its haplessness do, last year. The Phillies got shut down through eight innings by Jacob Latz and a collection of middling relievers, would have been shut out if Burger hadn’t botched the ninth inning pop up, and only had one hard hit ball in the final two innings when they finally scored some runs.
It’s a reminder that good teams get shut down sometimes.
Jacob Latz topped out at 95.1 mph with his fastball, averaging 92.4 mph. Cole Winn’s fastball hit 95.1 mph. Jalen Beeks reached 92.7 mph with his fastball. Jakob Junis’s fastball reached 92.6 mph. Robert Garcia topped out at 95.5 mph with his fastball. Chris Martin’s fastball touched 95.0 mph. Tyler Alexander maxed out at 90.3 mph.
Joc Pederson had a 109.7 mph ground out. Wyatt Langford’s blast to the wall was 107.0 mph. Evan Carter had a 106.0 mph single. Jake Burger had a 104.1 mph home run. Corey Seager’s home run was 103.2 mph. Brandon Nimmo had a 103.0 mph single and a 101.1 mph single. Andrew McCutchen’s single was 101.7 mph.
The Rangers won’t be swept, which is good. Sunday afternoon they try to take the series.
NEWARK, NJ - DECEMBER 14: Frank Nazar #91 of the Chicago Blackhawks takes a faceoff against Jack Hughes #86 of the New Jersey Devils in the second period of the game at the Prudential Center on December 14, 2024 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Graessle/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The Matchup: The New Jersey Devils (37-33-2) at the Chicago Blackhawks (27-33-13)
The Time: 7:00 PM EDT
The Broadcast: TV — MSGSN, NHLN; Radio — Devils Hockey Network
Effectively Eliminated
The New Jersey Devils were keeping their playoff hopes at least somewhat alive over the past couple weeks, winning most of their games. However, key losses to the Washington Capitals and last night’s collapse to the Carolina Hurricanes all but eliminated them from playoff contention. It is not quite a mathematical truth yet, as only the New York Rangers have been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, but it is too much of a hill to climb at this point. The most points the Devils can now finish with is 96 if they won each of their final 10 games, and there are currently four teams, spanning from seventh place (Penguins) to 10th place (Senators) with 86 to 88 points at this current moment. All of those teams can still hit 100 points, and only two of them will make the playoffs. Even the 11th and 12th place Flyers and Capitals can still reach the playoffs if three of those teams have a terrible end to the season. But the New Jersey Devils? They made their bed and now will have to lie in it.
I will have more to say in a future post-mortem article on this season, but it got me thinking last night: never let anyone tell you that a loss in November or December won’t make or break the season. And while this is a pervasive attitude among fans, that games late matter more than games early in the season (they don’t), it’s also terrible to see similar attitudes among players. And frankly, I think there were too many players on the Devils who were too comfortable with giving up a loss in the first half of the season with the mind that it doesn’t determine the whole season. Losing a game is fine, but losing efforts are not, and I think we all know that too many players gave losing efforts throughout the season until about a month ago.
The Blackhawks Are Worse…Much Worse
The Devils are not a bad team, though. The Blackhawks are a bad team. They are very likely to win the first overall pick for Gavin McKenna this summer. And if you are watching the standings for that, you might actually want the Devils to win tonight, hurting their own draft position. They are tied with the New York Rangers at 67 points through 73 games for the second-worst point totals in the league, ahead of only the truly rotten Vancouver Canucks. But what makes the Rangers more respectable than the Blackhawks is that the Rangers play in the Eastern Conference. In case you have not noticed by now, the league parity appears very well and good. But the conference parity has been flushed down the toilet and is now clogging the sewers under league headquarters. I might expect a team with 67 points in the West to have more like 55 points in the East. In total, there are 11 teams in the East with true winning records (i.e. not “NHL .500”) and 11 teams that have a winning record in regulation. In the West, the Edmonton Oilers just won their 28th game in regulation to become the fourth team to at least be breakeven in the first 60 minutes, with only three teams (Colorado, Dallas, Minnesota) having a winning record in regulation.
I will have more to say about conference parity in a future article, but it is important to note that the Blackhawks are a terrible team in one of the worst conferences I can ever remember staining an NHL season.
The Blackhawks have two scorers with more than 40 points in Tyler Bertuzzi (53 in 70) and Connor Bedard (67 in 60). If those two do not score, the Blackhawks are all but certain to lose their games. They lost 6-1 to the Rangers two nights ago and 5-1 to the Flyers in their matchup the night before. They have the 30th-ranked offense in all situations (2.51 goals per 60) and the 25th-ranked all situations defense (3.16 goals against per 60).
That’s actually an overperformance of their expected numbers.
Their 2.58 expected goals for per 60 ranks 32nd in the league: dead last. Their 3.46 expected goals against per 60 ranks 27th in the league. Reducing the situations to five-on-five only makes things worse, with their total offense improving to 26th in the league while their defense slips to 28th in the league, with their expected rates sitting still at 32nd for offense (2.22 xGF/60) and their expected five-on-five defense sitting dead-last at 32nd with a flat 3.0 expected five-on-five goals against per 60. The Devils, by comparison, are sitting at 2.58 xGF and 2.65 xGA per 60 at five-on-five. It’s a true chasm between a Devils team we are frustrated with and a truly bad team.
But this is the NHL, and truly bad teams are still full of (mostly) NHL players. If the Devils are wallowing too much from yesterday evening, the Blackhawks can catch them sleeping and take a victory, giving the Rangers second-position for the Draft Lottery. This is especially true since the solid young goaltender Spencer Knight will be in net for Chicago, with his .908 save percentage and three shutouts in 48 games this season. That trade, getting Knight with a first-round pick in exchange for Seth Jones, was really great work by Blackhawks General Manager Kyle Davidson. Now that these games really don’t matter to the Devils’ playoff hopes, it might be fun to see how a young, talented goaltender performs in net.
Your Thoughts
What do you think of tonight’s game? How do you think the Devils will respond to their collapse in Carolina last night? What do you think of the Chicago Blackhawks? Can the Devils learn anything from a team that is truly in the basement? Leave your thoughts in the comments below, and thanks for reading.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 26: Gary Trent Jr. #5 of the Milwaukee Bucks looks on from the bench during the second quarter against the Miami Heat in the Emirates NBA Cup at Kaseya Center on November 26, 2024 in Miami, Florida. 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 Megan Briggs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If you think the Milwaukee Bucks are playing against the Los Angeles Clippers today (after getting walloped by them on Monday), you are mistaken.
Where We’re At
The Bucks have but one opponent, and it is the Chicago Bulls. It’s simple: finish below the Bulls and get rewarded with a modicum of higher probability at snagging a good pick come June. The Clippers are merely the next hurdle to crash into. With all due respect to my esteemed colleague Jack Trehearne, the Bucks most certainly are tanking: look no further than here. With that said, I want to maximize the runtime for the folks who (along with the draft pick) are the future of this team, with or without Giannis. Check out what that means below.
Hopefully the Clippers will again be a willing hurdle. They sit in the Western Play-In, and although unlikely to escape that purgatory, I’m sure they would rather be in the 7/8 game and ideally host it. Shoutout to Old Friend Brook Lopez reclaiming a starting spot in Zubac’s absence. And when is the hammer going to come down on Kawhi?
Injury Report
UPDATE: Deep breath… Thanasis (left calf soreness), Kyle Kuzma (right achilles tendonopathy), Ryan Rollins (left hip flexor soreness), and Myles Turner (right patella tendonopathy) are questionable, and Giannis (left knee hyperextension and bone bruise), Gary Harris (personal reasons), Kevin Porter Jr. (right knee synovitis), and Bobby Portis (left wrist sprain) are out.
For the Clippers, Isaiah Jackson is questionable with a right ankle sprain, while Bradley Beal (left hip fracture) and Yanic Konan Niederhauser (right lisfranc ligament tear) are out.
Player To Watch
Gary Trent Jr. obviously hasn’t spent much time at the rim in recent games, as he notched team-highs in points in two of the last three games. I’ll be watching to see if he continues to eat up minutes that could be spent on younger Bucks.
How To Watch
FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin at 2:30 p.m. CDT.
Mar 28, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants center fielder Harrison Bader (9) reacts next to New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells (28) after striking out in the ninth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
A crucial first step has been made for our 2026 San Francisco Giants. After barely even being able to stand up in the box over the first two games of the season, suddenly the offensive started to find their legs. They looked steady against right-hander Will Warren in the 1st. Back-to-back hits from Luis Arraez and Rafael Devers got them making consecutive strides out of the box, around the bases. Arraez actually reached the distant region of third base, a world a 2026 Giant had only dared venture to twice before. Home plate, that mythic El Dorado, was real, it was there, in their sights, tantalizingly close — but alas, the journey came up short again. While Heliot Ramos forced 10 pitches out of Warren, he ultimately went down swinging to end the inning with the runners stranded.
San Francisco’s historic run of scoreless frames would swell to 20 frames before a run was scored. Jung Hoo Lee, batting lead-off instead of Arraez, led off the 3rd with a double. Two pitches later, Matt Chapman rolled a fastball through the middle plating Lee. A straightforward combination of balls-in-play to produce a run. The Giants were on the board. Had it always been that simple? A somewhat sarcastic roar rose from the fans as Jung Hoo Lee bowed his head slightly as his foot touched the plate. Joe Davis, from the Fox broadcast booth: “Boy it’s time for a Gatorade bath, huh?” And as annoying as that is to hear coming from a Dodgers play-by-play announcer, he was absolutely right. That took way too long.
The irony was that while that first run scored, it still had the Giants coming up short. Down two thanks to a 2-out, double by Ben Rice off starter Tyler Mahle in the top of the frame meant San Francisco’s offensive “renaissance” was far from enough.
That point became painfully obvious as the inning and game progressed. The Giants had planted their first stride but that didn’t mean they could walk. One step forward was met by two steps back. When spirits were high after Chapman’s RBI, singles-whiz Arraez, with an opportunity to help build a rally, fanned on three pitches. Devers went down after four.
The Giants line-up actually out-hit the Yankees 9 to 7. A positive development considering they managed a historically skint four hits over the previous two games. But on Saturday, we saw better plate approaches, better at-bats. Forward progress was made, but its momentum couldn’t sustain itself over two or three batters before it all came crashing down.
Harrison Bader’s first hit as a Giant in the 4th was promptly erased by Patrick Bailey grounding into a double play to end the inning. In the 5th, down 3-1 now after Aaron Judge launched a solo homer off reliever Ryan Borucki, Jung Hoo Lee worked a one-out walk, followed promptly by Chapman being called out on strikes.
In the 6th, Devers led off the frame with a double. Against tough-right hander Jake Bird, Heliot Ramos fought off an inside fastball and rolled it through the 5.5 hole to set up runners at the corners with no outs. Two solid steps…then they started to toddle. They hesitated. They looked down, realized how far off the ground they were, and freaked out. With an opportunity to cut the lead in half with a fly out, even a double play ball, Adames threw his bat at a 1-2 sweeper half-a-foot off the plate. Two pitches later, Harrison Bader rolled into an inning-ending, rally-killing, vibe-strangling, double-play. The Giants had face-planted.
They’d do it again in the bottom of the 9th.
Six bullpen arms, orchestrated by Tony Vitello, held the powerful Yankee line-up in check. Their lead held at just two runs. Leading off the 9th against David Bednar, Heliot Ramos worked a 7-pitch walk, with a dramatic strike-3 call overturned that turned the plate-appearance in his favor.
Comebacks were in the air. The early spring mood, dramatic. Across the league, five games would eventually be decided in extra-innings on Saturday night, and four ended in walk-offs (including a grand slam for #forevergiant Dom Smith in Atlanta). After Ramos revived his at-bat and turned into a walk, the Giants had the tying run at the plate with nobody out. Out of nowhere, Adames straightened up and singled. Now the winning run was in the box. Two men on, nobody out. A ball in play most likely scored a run. The energy in the stadium ratcheted up…then Bader chased two ridiculously high fastballs to put him an 0-2 hole. There it was: the hesitation, the nerves, the “try-hard.” The legs started to shake. The knees doubted. That familiar wobble. Three pitches later, Bader was on his butt in the box, unable to put an elevated splitter in play. Two pitches after that, game over. Another double-play ball off the bat of Bailey sealed it: swept at home.
The run was nice. It’s an essential step, yes — just, you know, a little behind schedule coming three games into the season and clearly not enough to make up much ground. Come Monday in San Diego, leaps and bounds would be greatly appreciated.
It’s the rubber match of a three-game set between the Texas Rangers and Philadelphia Phillies.
A pair of lefties make their 2026 debut for the win, as Philadelphia’s Jesus Luzardo is looking to pick up where he left off from his best season as a pro, while MacKenzie Gore will try to bounce back from his worst season in the bigs.
My Rangers vs Phillies predictions and MLB picks have Luzardo and the top of Philadelphia’s order leading the Phillies to a series win.
Rangers vs Phillies predictions
Rangers vs Phillies best bet: Phillies moneyline (-148)
Jesus Luzardo went 4-1 with a 5.11 ERA against the American League last season. He pitched against the Texas Rangers and threw six strong, giving up seven hits, one earned run, and striking out four in a 3-2 win.
Luzardo should be supported by Trea Turner and Kyle Schwarber, who combined to go 0-for-10 in Saturday’s 5-4 loss. Turner is hitting a wicked .440 against Mackenzie Gore, with three doubles, a couple of walks, and two runs driven in.
Meanwhile, Schwarber has five hits and eight walks in 21 at-bats vs Gore.
COVERS INTEL:Mackenzie Gore made three starts against the Phillies last season, giving up 10 hits and five earned runs across 18 innings. All three games ended in losses.
Rangers vs Phillies same-game parlay (SGP)
Gore finished inside the Top 25 in strikeouts last season, but his 6.5-strikeout line might be just slightly off, as he threw 7+ strikeouts in just three of 17 starts to end 2025.
Brandon Nimmo is hitting .300 vs. Luzardo in 20 career at-bats, with four RBI, the most of any Ranger against Luzardo.
Rangers vs Phillies SGP
Phillies moneyline
Mackenzie Gore Under 6.5 strikeouts
Brandon Nimmo Over 0.5 RBI
Rangers vs Phillies home run pick: Kyle Schwarber (+240)
Kyle Schwarber has gone deep in each of his last four games against the Rangers, and he already has a home run against Gore in his career.
Rangers vs Phillies odds
Moneyline: Texas +125 | Philadelphia -150
Run line: Texas +1.5 (-165) | Philadelphia -1.5 (+140)
Over/Under: Over 8 | Under 8
Rangers vs Phillies trend
The Phillies have won 55 of their last 83 home games for +12.35 units and a 9% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Rangers vs. Phillies.
How to watch Rangers vs Phillies and game info
Location
Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA
Date
Sunday, March 29, 2026
First pitch
1:35 p.m. ET
TV
Rangers Sports Network, NBCS-Philadelphia
Rangers starting pitcher
MacKenzie Gore (2025: 5-15, 4.17 ERA)
Phillies starting pitcher
Jesus Luzardo (2025: 15-7, 3.92 ERA)
Rangers vs Phillies latest injuries
Rangers vs Phillies weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
COVERS INTEL: Shota Imanaga spun 7.28 strikeouts per nine frames in 2025 and followed this up this spring with 18 punchouts across 20 innings.
