SACRAMENTO, CA - MARCH 22: Tyson Etienne #10, Channey Johnson #31, Malachi Smith #18, and E.J. Liddell #9 of the Brooklyn Nets talk during the game against the Sacramento Kings on March 22, 2026 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. 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 Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
We’re almost there! The Nets have just eight games remaining on their schedule in the regular season. This isn’t just the end of a season for the Nets…it’s the end of a two year “tank run” we knew wouldn’t be fun, but we had to go through. It’s the end of a jail sentence. The end of a depressing, laborious chore. Friend of the show Jordan Greene is here to help us get a few steps closer to the finish line.
In this episode of The Brooklyn with Pooch & Collin, we touch on:
San Diego, California - March 27: Jeremiah Estrada #56 of the San Diego Padres walks back to the dugout after being pulled from the game during the eighth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Petco Park on Friday, March 27, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)
San Diego Padres pitchers have allowed a combined 12 walks over the first two games of the season against the Detroit Tigers. In each game there was one inning in which a Padres pitcher allowed three walks and four runs scored in the inning. Nick Pivetta allowed three walks in the top of the first inning, which resulted in four runs for the Tigers who beat the Padres 8-2 in the season opener. Jeremiah Estrada allowed three walks in the top of the eighth inning, which resulted in four runs for Detroit which beat San Diego, 5-2. The back-to-back losses have led to an 0-2 start for new manager Craig Stammen and as charitable as the pitching staff has been, the offense has not provided much excitement either, although facing Tarik Skubal and Framber Valdez to start the season seems like an exercise in futility. The Padres have managed just four runs in two games and have 13 hits during that span. San Diego will try to salvage the series with a win today at Petco Park at 5:40 p.m.
Padres News:
Joe Musgrove has started throwing again and while there is no official timeline for his return, the fact that he is throwing for the first time since March 8 generates some buzz.
The San Diego farm system took a lot of arrows throughout the offseason with some ranking systems listing the Padres as the worst in baseball. The minor league players will have an opportunity to change some minds and their rankings with the minor leagues opening play this week.
Annie Heilbrunn of the San Diego Union-Tribunesat down with pitcher Michael King as he prepared for his season opening start against the Detroit Tigers.
Baseball News:
Chase DeLauter of the Cleveland Guardians celebrated his first MLB game with two home runs. He followed that up with another home run in the second game of the season.
Kevin Gausman took the mound as the Opening Day starter for the Toronto Blue Jays and proceeded to strikeout 11 batters in the game.
Iowa is known for its Field of Dreams. This Hawkeyes' improbable run to the Elite Eight is what dreams are made of.
“Every time someone asks how you’re feeling, like, ‘Man, it’s just super crazy,’” Iowa junior Cam Manyawu said. “To really think, ‘Yeah, I'm in the Elite Eight, and I have a chance to really make it to the Final Four and go on a run.’ I mean, this is literally the stuff that kids dream about.”
This is the Hawkeyes' first trip to the Elite Eight since 1987. "Walk Like An Egyptian" was the top song and gas cost $0.96 a gallon.
Iowa's coach has proven to be a March wizard. He won four Division II national titles at Northwest Missouri State, sprung a first round upset in his lone year at Drake, and now in Year 1 in Iowa City has the Hawkeyes on the cusp of their first Final Four since 1980.
The Illini are back in the Elite Eight for the second time in three years and have been among the most impressive teams in this NCAA Tournament. Illinois' wins have been comprehensive. It beat Penn by 25 in the first round, VCU by 21 in the second round and beat Houston — in a home game for the Cougars — by 10 in the Sweet 16.
The winner of today's game advances to next week's Final Four in Indianapolis. Here's what you need to know about the matchup:
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Iowa vs Illinois live score
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What time is Iowa vs Illinois in Elite 8?
Time: 6:09 p.m. ET, Saturday, March 28.
What channel is Iowa vs Illinois ? How to watch, streaming info
The game is airing on TBS/truTV, streaming via Sling TV.
Once the Hawkeyes took down Florida in the Round of 32, the path to the Elite Eight was pretty clear and not a far-fetched idea. But the path to the Final Four is a whole heck of a lot different with Illinois in the way.
The Illini took down the Hawkeyes, 75-69, back in January, and the game honestly wasn't as close as the score indicated. In the second half of that game, the Hawkeyes only had an 18.3% chance to win at their best moment, according to ESPN. Iowa did not lead for a single second in that meeting. With a trip to the Final Four on the line, Illinois won't be letting up either.
Look for Illinois guard Andrej Stojakovic to once again be a big factor off the bench. His offensive output in the last three tourney games as resulted in 14.3 points per game. But the Illinois defense stepped up big time, holding Houston to its lowest point total since 2024. Now, the Hawkeyes will try to dictate the tempo and play at its own pace. Iowa has won its three tournament games all by single digits and a combined 13 points. First-year coach Ben McCollum looks to put Iowa into the Final Four for the first time since 1980.
John Leuzzi: Iowa
Jordan Mendoza: Illinois
Ehsan Kassim: Illinois
Austin Curtright: Illinois
Moneyline: Illinois (-300), Iowa (+240)
Spread: Illinois (-6.5)
Over/under total: 137.5
Illinois will advance to Final Four if...
John Leuzzi: It replicates what it did defensively against Houston.
Jordan Mendoza: It controls the interior.
Ehsan Kassim: Wagler can win the matchup against Stirtz.
Austin Curtright: If its defense plays like it did against Houston.
Iowa will advance to Final Four if...
John Leuzzi: It limits Illinois on offensive rebounds, and second chance opportunities.
Jordan Mendoza: it's knocking down 3-pointers.
Ehsan Kassim: Hawkeyes can make the game slower paced and Illinois misses shots.
Austin Curtright: Its bench contributors of Alvaro Folgueiras, Tate Sage and others continue their strong play.
What happened when Illinois, Iowa played in regular season?
Iowa and Illinois played just once this season, a top-20 matchup on Jan. 11 in Iowa City. Illinois led by 11 at halftime, but the Hawkeyes made a push before an eventual 75-69 Illinois win.
"I think Iowa's a team that's not going to go away," Illinois freshman Keaton Wagler said. "When we played 'em, we got up early on them, and then we let them back in the game. We can't get lackadaisical on that side of the ball on defense, just stick to our process throughout the whole game."
Wagler led the Illini with 19 points, while Bennett Stirtz struggled, going 5-of-17 from the field.
Is Andrej Stojakovic related to Peja Stojakovic?
Yes, Peja is his dad. Peja Stojakovic played 13 seasons in the NBA, primarily for the Sacramento Kings, and was a three-time All-Star.
Andrej played at Cal and Stanford before transferring to Illinois.
When was last time Iowa was in Final Four? How many times has Iowa been to Final Four?
Iowa has been to three Final Fours. Their last appearance in the Final Four is in 1980 under Lute Olsen. The Hawkeyes have never won a national championship.
When was last time Illinois was in Final Four? How many times has Illinois been to Final Four?
The Illini have been to the Final Four times. Their last appearance was in 2005 under Bruce Weber. Illinois has never won a national championship.
How many Europeans are on Illinois' team? Why does Illinois have so many Europeans on its roster?
David Mirkovic is from Montenegro
Andrej Stojakovic lists Thessaloniki, Greece as his hometown
Tomislav Ivisic is from Croatia
Zvonimir Ivisic is from Croatia
Mihailo Petrovic is from Serbia
Toni Bilic is from Croatia
"Geoff Alexander, Orlando Antigua deserve most all of the credit in terms of building the relationships in Europe," Illinois coach Brad Underwood said. "It's taken years. NIL has obviously helped enhance our abilities to attract some of the best players in Europe. But they're a great fit for us. It's not for everybody. I enjoy coaching 'em. They fit our university. We're a diverse university with a lot of international students, so it's a perfect fit for them.
"Basketball-wise it's a great fit for me, and I like coaching them. The way we're playing with positional size and shooting, it's just — it's a great marriage and a great fit. So we'll continue it. I would think others will continue to migrate over there and keep trying to recruit those guys."
Bennett Stirtz followed Ben McCollum from Northwest Missouri State to Drake to Iowa
The Hawkeyes' leading scorer Bennett Stirtz (19.7 ppg) has followed Ben McCollum from Northwest Missouri State to Drake, transferred from Drake to Iowa, following McCollum again. The two were key to the Bulldogs' first-round upset of Missouri in the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
"Yeah, the amount of trust I have in him, and that he never lies to anyone on this team, including me. He shoots it straight," Stirtz said on his relationship with McCollum. "Even when it's tough and even when it's hard. He pushes you past your limit and I think that's where the trust comes in and he cares about you a lot and wants to make you a better person. So, yeah, he just pushes everyone on this team and honestly you can see the benefit from that and even in the wins that he's all had throughout his career, he doesn't get complacent. So that's what we need to do and continue to do is even though we beat a 1 seed, we can't get complacent, we got to keep getting better every day and get ready for the game tomorrow."
Why does Alvaro Folgueiras point to sky after 3-pointers?
Folgueiras points up at the sky after every 3-pointer he makes in honor of his dad, who died when he was 9 years old. He pointed at the sky after hitting his eventual game-winner against Florida, although he waited for the Gators' timeout after running back on defense.
Folgueiras expressed what his family means to him after the game, and mentioned his mom being a rock throughout his childhood without his dad.
"He left us with my mom and my brother in my house," he said. "It was kind of hard. We didn't really feel it as much because my mom always made sure that we didn't need anything, absolutely nothing. So, I cannot say that I grew up in an environment where I needed some things. No, that's not the truth.
"Sometimes I can say that because I feel his absence. I was just going in the court and playing to get away of my house to be with something else. But I can say that I had a happy childhood. Something that we all said, and everyone has these kinds of things on their life.
"It's that we are not victims. I never let things like that make me a victim. Not to me and not to my brother, not to my mom. We are like that because my mom was showing out every single day. Yeah."
Keaton Wagler 2026 NBA Draft mock draft prediction
Atlanta Hawks, pick No. 7.
Kalbrosky's Analysis:
After trading away Trae Young, the Hawks could find their point guard of the future in Illinois standout Keaton Wagler using a first-round pick they received from the Pelicans. The 19-year-old guard scored 46 points while shooting 9-of-11 on 3-pointers against No. 12 Purdue on Jan. 24. He projects as one of the best 3-point shooters in this class, shooting 41.0 percent from beyond the arc as a freshman this year. The Big Ten Rookie of the Year is a cerebral basketball player who is also averaging 4.9 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game this season.
The New York Yankees (2-0) face the San Francisco Giants (0-2) are taking the first two games of the series. Aaron Judge hit his first home run of the season in New York’s victory on Friday. Will Warren, who had a 4.44 ERA last season, will be the starting pitcher for the Yankees. He’ll face the Giants’ Tyler Mahle (ERA: 2.18) in 2025. New York is favored again with a moneyline of -130 at BetMGM.
How to watch New York Yankees vs. San Francisco Giants
Mar 27, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (29), left, tags out Cleveland Guardians first baseman Rhys Hoskins (8) at home plate during the fifth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images | Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images
I had forgotten for a minute what losing felt like. There it is. Let’s get back to winning.
Nick has your recap of last night’s loss. Need to get Manzardo, Kwan and Bo going.
After an impressive two-hit night to start off his 2026 campaign, I expect Clement to continue that momentum this afternoon, especially with a lefty on the mound for the A’s.
Read on for my full A's vs. Blue Jays predictions and free MLB picks for Saturday, March 28.
A's vs Blue Jays predictions
A's vs Blue Jays best bet: Ernie Clement Over 1.5 total bases (+135)
After a two-hit performance in the season/series opener, I’m anticipating another big game from Ernie Clement this afternoon by backing him to go Over his posted total of 1.5 bases.
Clement crushes lefties, and the Athletics are sending left-hander Jeffrey Springs to the mound this afternoon. Clement is no stranger to Springs, either. He is 2-for-7 against him throughout his career, while posting a 1.143 OPS.
Overall, Clement was one of the most dangerous hitters against lefties last season, posting a team-high .900 OPS with 26 extra-base hits.
COVERS INTEL: After a four-base night on Opening Day, Clement enters today’s contest hitting .405 with a 1.004 OPS, while averaging 2.5 bases per game, over his last 10 outings.
A's vs Blue Jays same-game parlay (SGP)
The Toronto Blue Jays have one of the most potent lineups in baseball, and handles the fastball pretty well. The A’s starter throws a hefty amount of fastballs, and ranked in the 33rd percentile in xBA last season.
I’m expecting a busy afternoon on the basepaths for the Blue Jays, so I’ll fade Springs and take the Over on his posted total of 4.5 hits allowed.
I’ll also back Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to have a productive day. He owns a .309 career batting average against the Athletics, and has seen Springs 16 times in his career, going 4-for-16 with a homer. I’ll take Over 1.5 bases for Vladdy.
A's vs Blue Jays SGP
Ernie Clement Over 1.5 total bases
Jeffrey Springs Over 4.5 hits
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Over 1.5 total bases
A's vs Blue Jays home run pick: George Springer (+305)
Springs allowed 28 home runs last season, fourth-most in all of baseball. He throws a healthy dose of fastballs, which is a pitch George Springer handled extremely well last season, sporting a 1.076 OPS against the pitch with a team-high 14 home runs.
He hit them hard too, with a .746 xSLG and a hard-hit rate of 55%.
A's vs Blue Jays odds
Moneyline: Athletics +155 | Toronto -190
Run line: Athletics +1.5 | Toronto -1.5
Over/Under: Over 8.5 | Under 8.5
A's vs Blue Jays trend
The Jays are 6-2 on the moneyline in the last eight meetings between these two clubs. Find more MLB betting trends for A's vs. Blue Jays.
How to watch A's vs Blue Jays and game info
Location
Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON
Date
Saturday, March 28, 2026
First pitch
3:07 p.m. ET
TV
NBCSCA, SN
A's starting pitcher
Jeffrey Springs (11-11, 4.11 ERA)
Blue Jays starting pitcher
Dylan Cease (8-12, 4.55 ERA)
A's vs Blue Jays latest injuries
A's vs Blue Jays 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.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MARCH 27: Drake Baldwin #30 of the Atlanta Braves reacts as he rounds first base after hitting a solo homer against the Kansas City Royals during the third inning of the home opener at Truist Park on March 27, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Winning Opening Day at home is fun. Hey, Opening Day at home is fun all by itself. First Opening Day win at home since 2018 and that Nick Markakis home run. The Braves needed to rally from down five runs that day. But they controlled last night from the jump. Chris Sale got double plays in the first two innings. Ozzie Albies’ home run just scraped by the left field pole. Drake Baldwin’s home run just got over the fence. Michael Harris basically called game with a no-doubt home run. Then Chris Sale and the bullpen cruised for the shutout.
How’s that for a palette cleanser? Last year, those double play ground balls versus Sale would have found a way through the infield. A pelican would have come out of nowhere to push Albies’ home run foul. The Braves had at least seven long fly balls like Baldwin’s hit the top of the wall and bounce back into play. And Michael Harris would have barely missed a home run. Is the nightmare of 2025 over? I think I need to see about 90 more of these games to be sure.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - JANUARY 15: Dylan Harper #2 of the San Antonio Spurs drives against the Milwaukee Bucks in the first half at Frost Bank Center on January 15, 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
The struggling Milwaukee Bucks face the white-hot San Antonio Spurs this afternoon at Fiserv, and there is potential for it to get really ugly, really fast; with Giannis already ruled out, Victor Wembanyama could run riot over the Bucks. A Spurs win today would mean they take the season series 2-0.
Where We’re At
The Bucks have lost 12 of their last 15 games. Yeah, it’s been rough. Most recently, they got pummeled by the Blazers, 130-99; watching that game was the embodiment of the “stop, he’s already dead” scene in The Simpsons. I mean, it got ugly early, and if it wasn’t for a Ryan Rollins career-high 36 points, there was absolutely the potential for a 50-point loss. That said, there have been some silver linings, such as Andre Jackson Jr., who has shown some good signs since getting back into the rotation. Jackson had four steals against the Blazers and showed flashes of a more composed offensive game. I assume this is last chance saloon for AJax, so it’s good that he’s put his best foot forward.
As for the Spurs, well, it’s the opposite situation. They have won seven straight and sit 2.5 games back of the Thunder for the one-seed in the West. Of course, it helps when you have a 7’4” destroyer that can score from anywhere and defend anyone. The season Wemby is having is truly crazy, and yes, worthy of MVP consideration: 24.2 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 3.9 APG, 1.2 SPG, and 3.6 BPG! Of course, this team got lucky and jumped from the bottom of the lottery to the top (because of course they did), drafting Dylan Harper, who looks to be a player himself. This team is good and will be good for a long time; I need to stop writing before I get depressed.
Injury Report
For the Bucks, Giannis (calf) and Kevin Porter Jr. (knee) are out. Kyle Kuzma (Achilles), Bobby Portis (wrist), Myles Turner (calf), and Gary Harris (groin) are all questionable. The Spurs have a clean bill of health.
Player to Watch
Coming off his career-high, and with multiple ball-handlers out, I’m watching for what Ryan Rollins can do against this Spurs lineup, which ranks third in defensive rating for the year. How does he navigate (or avoid) Wemby? How does he fare with Stephon Castle as his primary defender? This is an almighty test for Rylo, and I’m just keen to see how he goes.
Powered by Victor Wembanyama, the San Antonio Spurs are still chasing the No.1 seed in the West, and today they’ll see a Milwaukee Bucks team that’s surely coming to the end of the road with its own unicorn superstar.
With Giannis Antetokounmpo in street clothes, Milwaukee is coming off a pair of ugly losses, and my Spurs vs. Bucks predictions expect San Antonio to cruise in this one, extending its seven-game win streak.
Get the lowdown on this March 28 matchup with my NBA picks and betting tips.
Spurs vs Bucks prediction
Spurs vs Bucks best bet: Spurs -19 (-110)
The Milwaukee Bucks are way too late to the tanking party, but that hasn’t stopped Doc Rivers’ men from losing their last two games by a combined 64 points. After those beatdowns, just about the last thing Milwaukee needs is a visit from a ruthless San Antonio Spurs squad.
The Spurs are 16-8-1 ATS in their last 25 contests, and I’m siding with Victor Wembanyama and Co. here despite the massive spread. San Antonio has been reliable on the road all year, posting a 26-11 SU mark, and the early Saturday tip should only be a minor obstacle.
The visitors’ last two victories have both come by 25 points, and they beat the Bucks 119-101 in January, before Giannis Antetokounmpo's latest injury setbacks. In short, don’t expect any mercy this afternoon.
Meanwhile, Milwaukee has nowhere to turn for offense.
The Bucks are just 3-7 ATS in their past 10 outings, and the injury report doesn’t help their cause. Myles Turner, Kyle Kuzma, and Bobby Portis all missed Wednesday’s loss in Portland, and that could leave Milwaukee vulnerable in the frontcourt.
Ryan Rollins had a career-high 36 points earlier this week, but he’ll have a mountain to climb against Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper.
With one of the NBA’s deepest benches, the Spurs can pull away when their second unit is on the floor, and their offense sits third in the league in points per game (119.3). All the signs signal one-way traffic at Fiserv Forum.
Spurs vs Bucks same-game parlay
The San Antonio starters may not log their usual minutes today, yet I still like Wemby and Stephon Castle to steal the show. Wembanyama has had back-to-back outings with 15 rebounds, and he won’t get much resistance on the glass against the depleted Bucks.
Castle continues to be one of the Spurs’ main engines, and he’s nailed this assists Over in four of his past five contests, including 12 dimes in Sacramento earlier this month. His lob connection with Wemby grows stronger every week.
Spurs vs Bucks SGP
Spurs moneyline
Victor Wembanyama Over 11.5 rebounds
Stephon Castle Over 7.5 assists
Our "from downtown" SGP: Castle Hunts Bucks!
Castle is rarely far from the action, and this SGP embraces all the ways he impacts games. He had 19 points and 10 assists against the Bucks earlier this year, and he’s grabbed 7+ boards in five of his last seven outings.
Look for Castle’s nonstop effort to put San Antonio in control this afternoon.
Spurs vs Bucks SGP
Stephon Castle Over 15.5 points
Stephon Castle Over 1.5 made threes
Stephon Castle Over 7.5 assists
Stephon Castle Over 4.5 rebounds
Spurs vs Bucks odds
Spread: Spurs -19 | Bucks +19
Moneyline: Spurs -2250 | Bucks +1106
Over/Under: Over 226 | Under 226
Spurs vs Bucks betting trend to know
The Spurs are 17-10-1 ATS against the East this season. Find more NBA betting trends for Spurs vs. Bucks.
How to watch Spurs vs Bucks
Location
Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI
Date
Saturday, March 28, 2026
Tip-off
3:00 p.m. ET
TV
Prime Video
Spurs vs Bucks latest injuries
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.
WINNIPEG, CANADA - MARCH 26: Nathan MacKinnon #29 of the Colorado Avalanche taps in the puck on the goal line and scores in the third period against the Winnipeg Jets at Canada Life Centre on March 26, 2026 in Winnipeg, Canada. (Photo by Cameron Bartlett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Wins in Chicago, Washington, D.C., Pittsburgh, and Winnipeg have made flying the friendly skies a first class experience for the first place Colorado Avalanche after completing this most recent road trip.
Tonight, the NHL’s best team books a return fair against the recently-vanquished Winnipeg Jets as the Avs begin a three game home stand in pursuit of the top seed in the Stanley Cup Playoffs!
Colorado Avalanche (48-13-10)
The Opponent: Winnipeg Jets (30-30-12)
Time: 5:00 P.M. MDT/7:00 P.M. EDT
Watch: ALT, ALT+ (Avalanche Local Broadcast Area), ESPN+, NHL Center Ice (Outside Regional Broadcast Areas – US), SN+, NHL Centre Ice (Canadian Broadcast Areas)
Listen: Altitude Sports Radio KKSE-FM 92.5 FM
Colorado Avalanche
As mentioned previously, the Avalanche come into today’s game fresh off a 3-2 victory over these same Winnipeg Jets on Thursday evening at Canada Life Center. Despite trailing early after a goal by Jets franchise center Mark Scheifele, the Avs would turn the tables with three unanswered goals—two courtesy of Nathan MacKinnon—en route to their first regular season victory in Manitoba since February 24, 2023. This game saw the return of Artturi Lehkonen, who had missed the previous eleven games due to injury. He factored in on the eventual game-winning goal with a great seeing-eye pass that MacKinnon deflected past Winnipeg goaltender Connor Hellebuyck early in the third period. Winnipeg would unsuccessfully challenge the goal for goaltender interference, but the call on the ice withstood the challenge. A late goal by Scheifele made things interesting, but the Avalanche were able to stave off a Winnipeg push to complete the road trip sweep.
With this latest victory, the Avalanche increased their point lead over the Dallas Stars—who suffered a 2-1 regulation loss to the New York Islanders earlier Thursday evening—to nine points in the Central Division, and still hold a game in hand in their possession. They remain the undisputed leader across the Central Division, Western Conference, and League standings. Dallas will be in action against Pittsburgh today, and the Minnesota Wild, who have pulled within three points of Dallas, will face Boston. Dallas has a game in hand over Minnesota, but another regulation loss—a possible fourth loss in a row for Dallas—would open the door for Minnesota to pull within a single point of second place in the Central should they defeat the Bruins today.
The stakes in the standings are getting higher and higher, and the margin for error is growing thinner and thinner. The Avs control their own destiny, and completing the home and home series with Winnipeg with another victory will only tighten their grip on what’s been a near wire-to-wire run at the top of the standings.
Coach Jared Bednar said after Thursday’s game, “It was a good effort from our guys. We gave up a couple of goals on turnovers on the D-zone walls, so there’s a couple of things we want to improve on, but for the most part, I think, [at the] end of the road trip, we played hard; we were competitive. Special teams did a really nice job tonight, and from the goaltender out, I think we had everybody involved and were able to carve out a win against a really good team, a desperate hockey team.”
Bednar made it clear to say that, even with the Avs in control of their destiny as the regular season winds down, the remaining games still mean something. “We’re still fighting for first place,” he said, “so every win’s important until they put the mark beside our [name in the] standings, so we’ve had something to play for down the stretch run here. I think we’ve had a good year, but we’re not comfortable. We’re still just kind of fine-tuning our game before going into the playoffs […] but you’re playing hungry teams every night that are jockeying for position, trying to fight [their way] into the playoffs, trying to move up the standings, so there’s still lots to play for in the season, and lots of hockey, and we certainly don’t want [our] game deteriorating over the last month of the season before we get into the playoffs, so that’s our main focus.”
Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 22 of 24 shots for the victory in Winnipeg for his third straight win. Should Bednar turn to him again today, Blackwood could tie his single season career high in wins (22) with another stellar performance. However, if Bednar continues to alternate between starting him and Scott Wedgewood, then look for Wedgewood to return to the crease. Both goalies have victories over Winnipeg this season, so Bednar won’t be lacking in confidence in either option as the four game series comes to an end today.
Bednar said this of Blackwood’s recent play and his goaltending tandem as a whole: “[Blackwood] came out of the [Olympic] break playing really good, then he had a dip in a handful of his starts, and he’s gone to work, and I feel like his last handful of games here, he’s given us a great chance to win. He’s coming up with big saves when we need him, he’s been exceptional on the penalty kill, which always helps, so [I’m] pretty happy with the way both of those guys are playing in net right now.”
MacKinnon remains the NHL’s goal scoring leader (48), but remains four points behind both Edmonton’s Connor McDavid and Tampa’s Nikita Kucherov (both forwards have 114 points apiece at the time of this writing). Nečas now ranks second in team goal scoring (34), while Brock Nelson remains a close third (32). Cale Makar, who scored his 20th goal of the season against Dallas on March 18, needs only one point to reach 500 career points. It is currently unknown whether Nicolas Roy, who has not played since March 22 at Washington, will return to the lineup for today’s game.
Today’s game marks the first of a three game home stand at Ball Arena, the last extended stretch on home ice for the Avs this regular season.
Projected Lineup
Forwards: Gabriel Landeskog – Nathan MacKinnon – Martin Nečas Ross Colton – Brock Nelson – Valeri Nichushkin Artturi Lehkonen – Nazem Kadri – Logan O’Connor Parker Kelly – Jack Drury – Joel Kiviranta
Defense: Brett Kulak – Cale Makar Devon Toews – Sam Malinski Josh Manson – Brent Burns
Between the Pipes: Scott Wedgewood Mackenzie Blackwood
Winnipeg Jets
When Winnipeg hosted Colorado at Canada Life Center two weeks ago, their playoff hopes were hanging in the balance. As mentioned in this space back then, a successful back to back weekend could prove to be the turning point in their bid to secure a postseason berth on the heels of last season’s historic run that saw them secure the top seed in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and the Presidents Trophy as the best team in the NHL. Although Winnipeg did defeat both Colorado and St. Louis in those back to back games, Winnipeg then proceeded to lose four of its next six games—including their most recent loss to Colorado on Thursday evening—and now remain five points outside the last wild card spot in the Western Conference, currently occupied (somehow) by the Nashville Predators.
With ten games remaining on their regular season schedule, Winnipeg has a lot of work ahead of them. Four of those games are against teams also chasing a wild card berth: Seattle (one point ahead of Winnipeg), San Jose and St. Louis (both one point behind Winnipeg), and Utah (currently eight points ahead of Winnipeg and holding the first wild card position in the Western Conference). While the term, “must-win” is thrown around a lot in sports, these four games are games that Winnipeg absolutely cannot afford to lose. A win today against Colorado would certainly help their cause, but games against Dallas, Vegas, and the surging Columbus Blue Jackets are also monumental hurdles for Winnipeg to clear in their desperate push to sneak into the postseason. It’s not an impossible task, but the odds are growing longer and longer, and as much as Winnipeg must focus on their own performance, they’ll also need to get some help to keep the teams they’re chasing close enough to pass.
With his pair of goals against Colorado on Thursday, Scheifele continues leading all Winnipeg skaters in goals (34), assists (54), and points (88). Kyle Connor is second in all three categories (32G/50A/82PTS). Defenseman Josh Morrissey still leads all Winnipeg defensemen in all three categories (12G/37A/49PTS). After missing the previous game against Colorado two weeks ago, defenseman Neal Pionk played in his fourth game on Thursday night since his return from injury on March 21. Former Avalanche forward Vladislav Namestnikov will remain out of the lineup due to injury. With so much riding on the line for Winnipeg, it’s almost a given that Hellebuyck will make his third consecutive start—his 50th of the season—today.
Today marks the first of a four game road trip for Winnipeg, its final extended road trip of the season. By the time this road trip is over, they may know if they’re cleared for a postseason takeoff, or if they’ve been grounded on the runway.
Projected Lineup
Forwards: Kyle Connor – Mark Scheifele – Alex Iafallo Cole Perfetti – Adam Lowry – Gabe Vilardi Isak Rosén – Morgan Barron – Brad Lambert Cole Koepke – Jonathan Toews – Gustav Nyquist
Bubblegum card (by the Bowman Gum Company) features baseball player Vic Raschi, of the New York Yankees, 1953. (Photo by Transcendental Graphics/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Vic Raschi did not have a long enough or fruitful enough career to warrant anything like a Hall of Fame induction or a number retirement from the Yankees. However, for several years, he was a very good pitcher for the Yankees in what was arguably their most dynastic era.
Today just so happens to be “The Springfield Rifle’s” birthday, so let’s take a look back at his life and career.
Victor John Angelo “Vic” Raschi Born: March 28, 1919 (West Springfield, MA) Died: October 14, 1988 (Groveland, NY) Yankees Tenure: 1946-53
Born in Massachusetts, Raschi excelled at several sports in his youth including baseball, football, basketball, and even marbles, winning a state-wide tournament as a 10-year old. Baseball was the one he was best at, as he had a cannon for an arm. That ability along with the famous Springfield Armory in his home town got him his future nickname of “The Springfield Rifle.”
As a 16-year old, Raschi was spotted by Yankees’ scout Gene McCann. With the pitcher still in high school, the Yankees came to an agreement with him and his family. The team would pay for Raschi to attend college, with the Yankees getting the first chance to sign him upon him joining the professional ranks. Raschi decided he couldn’t pass up that opportunity and went to the College of William & Mary thanks to the Yankees before eventually signing a pro deal with them in 1941.
After two solid years in the minors, Raschi had to put his career on hold. He ended up missing the entirety of the 1943-45 seasons as he served in the military during World War II. Upon returning to baseball in 1946, he very quickly worked his way through the rest of the minors. Raschi pitched across Double-A and Triple-A that season, and was good enough to get called up by the Yankees that September. He made his MLB debut on September 23rd, allowing six runs in a complete game victory over the Athletics.
Following his 1946 debut, Raschi was hoping to make the team out of spring training in ‘47, but the team ended up demoting him back to the minors. Initially, he refused to report to his assignment with the Portland Beavers before relenting after cajoling from his wife and threats of banishment from the Yankees. As it would turn out, the demotion ended up being a godsend for the pitcher. Portland’s manager was Jim Turner, who in Portland and later as the Yankees’ pitching coach, helped unlock the speedy pitcher.
Raschi put up a very impressive start to the 1947 season in Portland, eventually earning that recall to the majors that he desired. Upon his recall, he hit the ground running in New York, putting up a 2.98 ERA over his first eight games, which included a couple complete game victories. He fell back to earth a bit down the stretch that season, but he did make two appearances out of the bullpen as the Yankees beat the Dodgers for the ‘47 World Series title.
While the Yankees as a team fell back to the pack in 1948, Raschi locked down his spot in the rotation, making 31 starts, and even getting down-ballot MVP votes. In 1949, he then put up what was, by some metrics, the best season of his career. His 121 ERA+ was the best of his career in ‘49, as he also won 21 games, cracking the 20 mark for the first time, which he would match the following two years. He was on the mound in the final game of the regular season, throwing a complete game win over the Red Sox to clinch the AL by just one game over Boston. He was then the winning pitcher in the series-clinching Game 5 win in the World Series against the Dodgers.
Over the next three years, Raschi remained a very good middle rotation arm. Over the course of 1948-52, he was named an All-Star four times and got MVP votes in all five seasons. He posted a 98-42 record over that time. The Yankees won the World Series in all of 1949-53, making Raschi a six-time champion. In 1950, he set the tone in that series by throwing a complete game shutout in Game 1 against the Phillies, with the Yankees narrowly winning 1-0. He probably wouldn’t have been named series MVP just for that game as it ended in a Yankees’ sweep, but you could certainly make the argument that his contribution was the most important. Across the 1950-53 triumphs in particular, he went 4-2 with a 1.42 ERA.
While he put up a season in 1953 that wasn’t unlike some of his previous ones, some of the Yankees’ brass decided he had taken a step back. As the team attempted to cut his pay, Raschi held out. Upon finally reporting to spring training, the team up and sold him to the Cardinals ahead of the 1954 season.
Whether or not his 1953 season was a down one, the rest of his career would definitely see him take a step back from his prime. Across the 1954-55 seasons, Raschi posted an ERA over five with the Cardinals and then the A’s. The 1955 season would be the final one of his playing career.
After retiring, he settled in his wife’s hometown in upstate New York. There, he ran a liquor store, did some baseball coaching, and spent time teaching elementary school. He eventually passed away in 1988 at the age of 69.
The Yankees’ various dynasties from the 1920s through the early 1960s were usually defined by the star hitters that often dotted their lineups. However, you still need good pitching to get over the hump, and Raschi was that on several very good Yankees’ teams.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
Mar 12, 2026; Clearwater, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Zach Pop (56) throws a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays in the sixth inning during spring training at BayCare Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
The Phillies opened the season with three pitchers on the injured list – Zack Wheeler, Orion Kerkering and Max Lazar. We kind of have an idea that at least Wheeler and Kerkering are going to be back sooner rather than later since they have already begun rehab assignments in Lehigh Valley. Lazar’s status is a bit more hazy, so we can’t really know when he’ll come back.
These impending returns of Wheeler and Kerkering mean that there will be roster shuffling about to occur. Two of the assumed three bottom pitchers on staff will have to get removed, so the question is which ones and when. Of the three – Backhus, Pop and Mayza – which ones should be gone and when? Should Backhus be the first to go, his funk not funky enough to get hitters out consistently? Might Pop’s roster bubble get….popped? Maybe it’s none of these three. Give your best guess.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - AUGUST 09: General Manager Mike Elias of the Baltimore Orioles watches the Orioles Hall of Fame ceremony before the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Athletics at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 09, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning Birdland,
Could the vibes be any more immaculate? The Orioles followed up their 2-1 win on Opening Day Thursday with the news on Friday that they are signing Shane Baz to a five-year, $68 million contract extension. For the first time with Mike Elias leading the front office, the Orioles have made a long-term commitment to a pitcher.
Now, Baz is probably not the pitcher that most fans expected (or even wanted) the Orioles to lock up. He certainly doesn’t have the track record of Trevor Rogers or Kyle Bradish. But that could be exactly why he was the one they set their sights on.
Baz is extremely talented. The Orioles have reminded us of that quite frequently ever since they traded for him back in December. He’s also young, not turning 27 until mid-June, and already had three years of team control remaining. On top of that, he has had some injury problems. That’s enough uncertainty to make him open to an extension, but far enough behind him that the Orioles were OK with the commitment. That combination of factors seems to have made him an ideal candidate for an extension in Elias’ eyes.
That averages out to $13.6 million per season with most of it coming in ‘29 and ‘30, the two years of free agency that Baz will now be forgoing. It’s a lot of money for someone that is yet to even throw a pitch in your uniform and has just one full healthy season under his belt, but it’s not bad if Baz ends up being everything that they hope he can be.
It’s a gamble. The Orioles are betting on Baz staying healthy, and on the ability of the organization to help him hit his ceiling. You would have to assume that whatever they saw this spring convinced them that he is the guy to pin their hopes to moving forward.
So what does this mean for other Orioles pitchers hoping for a big deal? Rogers has been/is still likely to bet on himself. He’s a free agent after the year. If he can even come close to duplicating what he did in 2025, he is going to be the most sought after free agent next winter. Bradish, on the other hand, could be open to something. He is still rather fresh off of Tommy John surgery and won’t hit free agency until after the 2028 season. The question could be whether the Orioles are interested. Bradish is already 29 years old. Do they want buy out his age 32, 33, or 34 seasons? That doesn’t sound like an Elias move.
For 2026 anyway, the Orioles have assembled a very fun staff. Baz is part of that. Hopefully things go well, because we will be watching it for a long time to come.
A healthy Kyle Bradish? The Orioles can hardly wait. | The Baltimore Banner To me, Bradish is the best pitcher on this Orioles team. The only thing holding him back this year will be the kid gloves with which the Orioles are likely to handle him to make sure he gets to October unscathed. That could mean a lot of four- or five-inning starts where he leaves after 80 pitches early in the season. If that’s what it takes, and the Orioles are winning games, I’m cool with it.
Orioles extension candidates: After Baz, Basallo, who could be next? | The Capital Gazette Gunnar Henderson needs to be the answer here. It sounds like the Orioles are laying the ground work there, but nothing has come together yet. Scott Boras is Henderson’s agent, and he does not like for his big clients to sign ahead of free agency. That doesn’t mean it’s impossible, but the Orioles will need to knock his socks off with an offer.
Christian Walker turns 35 today. Drafted by the Orioles back in 2012, he would play in just 13 games for them between 2014 and ‘15 before he was DFA’d and eventually claimed by the Diamondbacks, where he became one of the more consistent first basemen in the game.
Shawn Boskie is 59 years old. He spent the 1997 season as a swingman on the Orioles pitching staff.
Glenn Davis turns 65. He played parts of three seasons in Baltimore from 1991 through ‘93, accumulating just 0.7 bWAR total in that time. What did it cost the Orioles to get him from the Astros? Three players: Steve Finley, Pete Harnisch, and Curt Schilling. Yikes.
This day in O’s history
1999 – The Orioles become the first major leaguers to visit Cuba since 1959. In an exhibition against the Cuban national team, the O’s win 3-2 in 11 innings. Charles Johnson hits a two-run homer, and Harold Baines drives in the winning run. The two teams will play a rematch at Camden Yards on May 3.
ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 27: Newly appointed manager Walt Weiss #4 of the Atlanta Braves looks on during the MLB game between the Atlanta Braves and the Kansas City Royals on March 27, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Opening Day in Cobb County couldn’t have gone any better for the Atlanta Braves if they had scripted it themselves. I’d imagine that every team in baseball would absolutely take a 6-0 win to start the season — especially if that win saw the team succeed in nearly all facets of the game.
Walt Weiss spoke with the media following his winning debut as manager of the Braves and the very first thing he did (unprompted, mind you) was to shower praise upon Chris Sale for getting things started on the right foot — both in this game and the season as a whole. “That last inning out there, he can still go and get 98 (mph) when he wants it. This is a special guy,” said Weiss about Sale. “The manager’s dream is to have a guy like that on Opening Night to set the tone.”
Weiss went on to talk about the total team effort that helped push the Braves to victory in this one. “We played outstanding defense,” said Weiss. “That game probably could’ve turned if we don’t make a few of those plays. Eli [White], Austin [Riley], [Ronald] Acuña. Jr., [Matt] Olson made a great play down the line. Turned two double plays early when Chris’s pitches were starting to mount a little bit in the first two innings.”
Chris Sale spoke with the media before Weiss did and he confirmed that he was pretty happy with the defense that was behind him on Friday night as well. “Unbelievable defensive plays,” said Sale. “I mean, half the [SportsCenter] Top 10 is going to be from when I was out there. I mean, half the texts I’m getting [after the game] is like ‘You better do something for your defense!”
The manager continued to heap praise upon his team for their effort with the gloves on Friday night. “Great defense. It was just a really well-played game,” continued Weiss. “We hit the ball into the seats. We ran the bases well…we made some good reads on some balls on the bases so it was just a really good game.”
Speaking of the base running, that’s certainly been a point of emphasis for Walt Weiss and his staff once they took over coaching duties here in Atlanta. I asked Weiss how he felt about the aggressiveness that was shown on the base paths on Friday night and he certainly seemed pleased with what he witnessed. “[Aggressive base running] is going to be part of our identity moving forward. That’s the plan,” stated Weiss. “We had a caught stealing and that’s okay — I’m willing to trade a few outs here and there on the bases to create an identity. We want to put heat on people, whether it’s in the box or on the bases and we have the personnel to do that.”
Weiss then brought up new first base coach Antoan Richardson and how he’s already having an impact on stressing the importance of strong base running. “I talked about Antoan making base running really important to our guys,” emphasized Weiss. “That’s what he did this Spring and yeah, we hit the ball into the seats tonight but I think on the nights that we don’t, we’ll have a better chance to score some runs this year.”
The manager also went on to explain his reasoning behind placing Ozzie Albies in the third spot in the lineup. That was a decision that certainly raised some eyebrows when it was announced but it ended up paying off based on his performance at the plate and Weiss was pretty happy about that as well.
“I love seeing Ozzie in the box right-handed, I just do,” explained Weiss. “I thought that was the perfect spot for him in the lineup. [Cole Ragans] is a left-handed starter but even later in the game, they’ll go to the bullpen and they’re going to target [Drake] Baldwin and Olson with their left-handed relievers and they’ve got to pay the price. You’re going through Ozzie with the three-batter rule. I’ve always loved Ozzie from the right-hand side. [The lineup] will look a little different against right-handed starters but he made me look good tonight. Thanks, Ozzie.”
Finally, the Braves players did make a note of celebrating Weiss’s first win as Braves manager by letting him partake in the Player of the Game celebration that they have going in the clubhouse. Chris Sale spoke to the media before Weiss did and while he was tight-lipped about whatever the ceremony was, Weiss was willing to talk about it with us. “They got this thing when you’re Player of the Game — I wasn’t Player of the Game, of course, that was Chris Sale. They did let me take a putt. I guess it’s probably about a 30, 40-footer and there’s a lot of hooting and hollering and a lot of stuff on the line. I got to do the Player of the Game putt and they gave me a nice little gift for my first win, so it’s a great night.”
Naturally the follow-up question was whether or not he made the putt. “I missed the putt,” said Weiss, sadly and faceitiously. “You weren’t supposed to ask that. You know I would’ve said ‘I made it’ if I did, you wouldn’t have had to ask!”
Despite the missed putt, the new manager was clearly in high spirits. It might just be one game in a long marathon of a season but everybody will take starting 1-0 over 0-1. The Braves now have their first win under their belts, Walt Weiss has his first win as manager of the Braves and now the team will be looking to pick up their first series win with a victory tomorrow night as Reynaldo López gets the start against the Royals.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 27: Edwin Díaz #3 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium on March 27, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When the Los Angeles Dodgers added closer Edwin Díaz this offseason, they locked down the back end of their bullpen, which was an issue for them at times during the 2025 season.
They also set the stage for one of baseball’s most dramatic entrances shifting to the West Coast.
Díaz made his Dodgers debut on Friday night, entering in the ninth inning to close out a 5-4 game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, and his entrance was as electric as ever. Not only did he come out of the bullpen to Timmy Trumpet’s “Narco,” the song Díaz used while closing games for the Mets at Citi Field, but he was accompanied by a live trumpet player, Los Angeles artist Tatiana Tate:
After the game, both Díaz and manager Dave Roberts talked about the entrance, and the save.
“I was surprised a little bit,” said Díaz about Tate’s performance. “I heard a trumpet sounding before I was coming out. I said, ‘No way, they got a live trumpet.’ It was pretty fun. I enjoyed it, and I know fans enjoyed, too.”
“I got word that there might be a trumpet player,” said Roberts. “That was great. I was hoping to get him in there, and it worked out, and he performed. I think the fans got what they were hoping for.”
Friday night, Dodgers fans got exactly what they were hoping for, and more.
COVERS INTEL: After a four-base night on Opening Day, Clement enters today’s contest hitting .405 with a 1.004 OPS, while averaging 2.5 bases per game, over his last 10 outings.
