Mar 14, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Justin Crawford (80) looks on against the New York Yankees in the fifth inning during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Alright, it’s time to make your official prediction for the season.
We have talked all offseason long about the Phillies and the moves they made and didn’t make. There has been gnashing of teeth, rending of garments, all the marks of people unhappy with what they have accomplished in the player acquisition department.
Now, we ask the big question:
It’s the question that is the ultimate judge of team success. There might be many versions of players ups and downs this season, but this is a team game, one where they are all judged on what sort of finish they have. Should someone like Cristopher Sanchez take another step forward in his career, that won’t matter to some without a certain threshold cleared. Should Bryce Harper channel his offseason annoyance at the POBO into an elite, MVP caliber season, it won’t matter unless the team wins.
What say you?
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Phillies fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
MONTREAL, CANADA - NOVEMBER 15: Viktor Arvidsson #71 of the Boston Bruins celebrates with teammate Pavel Zacha #18 after scoring a goal during the second period of the NHL regular season game at the Bell Centre on November 15, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Vitor Munhoz/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
It’s a little premature to call this the biggest game of the season for the Bruins, but I can’t remember the last time a regular season Bruins-Canadiens game had this much on the line.
While these teams have played some entertaining games in recent years, most of them have come when one team was down and the other was up.
This time, both the B’s and Canadiens have eyes on the playoffs, but both are pretty close to being left at home as well.
The B’s start the night in the second wild card spot, two points ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
However, the B’s are also just a point behind Montreal for third in the Atlantic (with Detroit in between), so…everything is happening, I guess.
If nothing else, it’s nice to see these teams play a meaningful game in March, right?
The Minnesota Timberwolves are jockeying for position in the NBA's Western Conference playoff race, and they'll have to do at least some of the heavy lifting down the stretch without their star player.
Anthony Edwards is likely to miss several games after the team's latest injury update revealed he's dealing with right knee soreness. It's a bit of a swerve with less than a month left in the regular season.
The Timberwolves enter Tuesday's game against the Phoenix Suns in sixth place in the packed Western Conference standings after losses in four of their past five games. They're just two games behind the third-place Los Angeles Lakers and two games ahead of the seventh-place Suns.
Here's the latest on Edwards' injury, including a potential timeline for his return to the Minnesota Timberwolves ahead of the start to the 2026 NBA playoffs:
No. Edwards is listed as out with right knee inflammation on the Timberwolves' injury report ahead of their game against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday, March 17.
Anthony Edwards injury update
The Timberwolves announced on Tuesday, March 17 that an MRI performed on Edwards had revealed right knee inflammation, and he will be re-evaluated in 1-2 weeks. Edwards can only miss seven more games this season and still be eligible for NBA postseason awards based on its 65-game rule. If he were to be out two weeks, he would miss exactly seven games.
Anthony Edwards stats
Edwards is averaging a career-best 29.5 points and on pace to set career highs in field goal percentage (49.2%) and 3-point shooting (40.2%) this season. He's also averaging 5.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.4 steals per game for the Timberwolves.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 26: Blade Tidwell #46 of the San Francisco Giants warms up during the first inning of the spring training game against the Colorado Rockies at Scottsdale Stadium on February 26, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Mike Christy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants waited longer than usual to announce their first round of camp cuts this Spring Training, which is perhaps partially due to a new coaching staff wanting to get familiar with everybody, but probably mostly due to the roster logistics required after losing players to the World Baseball Classic. But once they got the cuts started, they just kept coming.
On Tuesday — their final off-day before the season starts in eight days — the Giants announced their fourth wave of camp cuts, following their flurry of reassignments in the past few days. This time it’s just a pair of players: right-handed pitcher Blade Tidwell, who was optioned to AAA Sacramento, and first baseman Jake Holton, who was reassigned to Minor League camp. For anyone confused by the verbiage of those differing cuts, it’s simply because Tidwell is on the 40-man roster and Holton is not.
Tidwell, who was part of the Tyler Rogers trade at last year’s deadline, impressed in his first Spring Training with the organization, while also not looking ready for an MLB job. The small sample size did him in, as he got tattooed with a 9.45 ERA in 6.2 innings across five appearances, but he showed absolute gas with a fastball that tickled the periphery of triple digits, while striking out 13 batters in those 6.2 innings (he also walked six batters). In addition to those five Cactus League appearances, he pitched for the Giants in their exhibition game against Team USA, and while it didn’t go well — he ceded five earned runs in 2.2 innings — he had some impressive pitches, and struck out stars Roman Anthony and Gunnar Henderson.
He’ll start the season in Sacramento’s rotation, along with a few other high-profile arms for the Giants. It seems all but certain that, health permitting, we’ll see Tidwell in San Francisco at some point this year, perhaps filling in for the Giants rotation, or perhaps in a role as a heat-throwing high-leverage reliever.
Notably, while this is the fourth round of cuts, Tidwell was the first player that the Giants have optioned this spring. That speaks both to the unresolved camp battles at play, and the smattering of players on the 40-man roster who don’t have options.
As for Holton, he got a lot of playing time as an NRI, appearing in 19 games and getting 37 plate appearances. He didn’t hit very well, though, as he went 7-34 with two extra-base hits, seven strikeouts, and one walk, for a .680 OPS and a 71 wRC+, with fairly soft contact. Holton has spent the last three seasons (plus the end of 2022) in AA for the Detroit Tigers, but it seems likely that he’ll begin this year with his first taste of AAA, and will likely serve as emergency depth a la Trenton Brooks two years ago.
The Giants began camp with 19 NRIs, and are now down to 10 (they’ve assigned 10 to Minor League camp, while adding one in Joey Lucchesi). Add in Tidwell’s optioning, and the team has trimmed its roster to 49 players … which means they still need to make 23 cuts (or IL placements) before next Wednesday.
JUPITER, FL - MARCH 06: New York Mets pitcher Sean Manaea (59) throws the ball from the mound during a MLB spring training game against the Miami Marlins at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on March 6, 2026 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Mets settled for their second tie of the spring as nine innings were not enough to determine a winner in their game against the Marlins. The game ended 5-5, though the Mets at one point led 5-1 until the late innings.
Sean Manaea had his best start of the spring, hurling four perfect innings against Miami. It was a welcome sight for Manaea, who has struggled with a velocity dip and uneven performances so far as he tries to prove himself following an injury-plagued and ineffective 2025 campaign. He struck out four batters and threw 36 of his 52 pitches (69%) for strikes.
The Mets got all of their offense from Bo Bichette, who drove in all five runs. Facing Sandy Alcantara in the third inning, Bichette doubled home Tyrone Taylor and Marcus Semien to give the Mets a 2-0 lead. With the score 2-1 in the seventh, Bichette hit a three-run home run against Robby Snelling to extend New York’s lead.
Craig Kimbrel came in to relieve Manaea and allowed one run on one hit, with one walk and no strikeouts. The run came on an Esteury Ruiz single, which plated Owen Caissie.
Tobias Myers pitched a scoreless sixth but allowed a run on a Ruiz sacrifice fly in the seventh. Myers allowed just the one run on one hit, with two walks and three strikeouts in 1 1/3 innings.
Jacob Jenkins-Cowart hit a game-tying, three-run home run against Colton Cosper in the bottom of the eighth, and that was the end of the scoring on the afternoon.
Francisco Lindor got the start at short and played six innings in the field. He went one-for-four with two strikeouts and a run scored.
Semien got two hits in three at-bats and scored two of New York’s five runs. Taylor also had two hits for the Mets, while Brett Baty, starting in right field, also had a base hit. Catchers Luis Torrens and Ben Rortvedt each picked up one hit.
New York Post may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if you click or buy through our links. Featured pricing is subject to change.
It’s time for the grand finale of the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
The United States enters the title game looking to capture its second WBC crown after falling short in 2023, while Venezuela is chasing history with its first-ever championship appearance.
Team USA advanced with a 2-1 semifinal win over the Dominican Republic, leaning on strong pitching and just enough power to get through, even with some controversial calls. Solo home runs provided the offense, while the bullpen shut the door late against one of the tournament’s most dangerous lineups.
Venezuela, on the other hand, advanced with another comeback victory, topping Italy 4-2 thanks to a decisive three-run seventh inning. Big hits from stars like Ronald Acuña Jr. fueled the rally, continuing a trend of late-game heroics throughout the knockout rounds.
2026 world baseball classic: what to know
Who: Team USA vs. Team Dominican Republic
When: March 17, 8 p.m. ET
Where: loanDepot Park (Miami, Florida)
Channel: FOX
Streaming: DIRECTV (try it free)
With MLB stars on both lineups, this matchup promises fireworks from the very first pitch.
WBC 2026: Venezuela vs. USA start time
Tonight’s (March 15) World Baseball Classic semifinal between USA and Dominican Republic is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. ET.
This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.
Ollie Pope believes the idea England “weren’t fussed” during their woeful Ashes tour of Australia was unfair on the squad, but understands why the “misperception” became lodged in the minds of many fans and pundits.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 14: Austin Reaves #15 congratulates Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers after his winning jumpshot defeated the Denver Nuggets 127-125 in overtime of a game at Crypto.com Arena on March 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the Western Conference a tight-knit race yet again this season, this series will look at the standings and games to watch across the league as the Lakers look to secure home court and move up the standings.
These are the good times. All the teams below the Lakers have lost games recently, and when you mix that with LA currently on a six-game winning streak, that’s how you end up with the purple and gold at the No. 3 spot in the Western Conference.
Here’s a look at the current playoff standings in the middle of the conference: 3. Lakers — 43-25, 10 GB 4. Rockets — 41-26, 11.5 GB 5. Nuggets — 41-27, 12 GB 6. Wolves — 41-27, 12 GB 7. Suns — 39-29, 14 GB
Despite the Lakers’ current top form, a bad week would be all it would take for them to drop back down again. So, they are far from out of the woods just yet.
Let’s take a look at the big games to watch around the league for the next couple of days and who Lakers fans should be rooting for.
Tuesday
Sixers at Nuggets — Can Quentin Grimes generate enough offense to give Denver some problems?
Probably not, but that’s the path toward a Sixers upset against the Nuggets. With Philadelphia fighting to rise in the Eastern Conference rankings, the good news is they also have plenty to play for, and this won’t be a tanking situation for them.
Perhaps the competitive fire and some Andre Drummond rebounds will be enough for the Sixers to come away with a victory.
Suns at Wolves — Who Lakers fans should root for in this one is tough since they need both teams to drop as many games as possible.
The Wolves are closer to the Lakers in the standings, but LA owns the tiebreaker over Minnesota. While the Suns are further back, they won the season series over the Lakers, so perhaps it’s best that they lose and stay in the play-in spot.
On the bright side, someone has to drop this game, and LA will benefit.
Wednesday
Nuggets at Grizzlies — Memphis is tanking so hard even Utah is blushing. Yes, it’s the second night of a back-to-back for Denver, but it’s hard to imagine that’s going to be enough of a reason for the Grizzlies to win a game.
Jazz at Wolves — With Minnesota recently struggling, facing the Jazz is just what they need to look good and earn a win. Lakers fans might just want to skip both of these Wednesday games.
Thursday
Suns at Spurs — San Antonio is the hottest team in the NBA right now, having won 18 of their last 20 games. Given that they’ll be at home on Thursday against the Suns, Phoenix isn’t likely to come out of this one with a win.
Catching the Spurs is virtually impossible for the Lakers. So, watching them beat the Suns will be a welcome sight for Lakers fans.
Anthony Edwards, the Timberwolves' leading scorer and driving force of their offense, has inflammation in his right knee and will miss at least 1-2 weeks to recover, the team announced Tuesday.
Edwards' knee reportedly had increasingly bothered him in recent weeks — and it was starting to show up in his scoring efficiency — so the team conducted an MRI and from there decided to sit their star for a week or two, at least.
Edwards has taken another step forward and is having the best season of his career, averaging 29.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game while shooting 40.2% from 3-point range (and playing quality defense). Edwards was named the 2026 All-Star Game MVP last month.
However, Edwards' knee issues have started to show a little on the court. In his last five games, he's still averaging 29 points per game, but his shooting efficiency has dropped slightly (44.9% overall, down from 49.2%) and his 3-point shooting percentage has fallen to 36.6% (from 40.2%).
Edwards' injury comes with sitting tied for the No. 5/6 seeds in the West with Denver, but just two games ahead of Phoenix for the No. 7 seed and falling into the play-in. It's also worth noting that Edwards has already missed 10 games this season (having played in 58), he has to play in at least seven more games to get to 65 and qualify for any postseason awards (he is a lock to make an All-NBA team).
Edwards is out tonight in a key West game when the Timberwolves host the Suns, and he also will be out for Sunday Night Basketball on NBC when Minnesota faces Boston.
On this episode of The Dodgers Post, Jack Harris and Dylan Hernández wrap up the latest news as Dodgers spring training winds up.
The begin with the team’s unsurprising decision to name Yoshinobu Yamamoto its opening day starter –– and how it sets up a potentially Cy Young-caliber season for the reigning World Series MVP.
The evaluate the rest of the Dodgers’ rotation, which remains somewhat in flux as camp enters its final days.
Then, they pick their biggest standouts –– and biggest disappointment –– from spring training this year.
TAMPA, FL - MARCH 3: Jasson Domínquez #24 of the New York Yankees high-fives teammates in the dugout during the game against Team Panama at George M. Steinbrenner Field on March 3, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Yankees fans got some good news on Tuesday morning, learning that rehabbing ace Gerrit Cole would grace our television screens on Wednesday against the Red Sox in a one-inning cameo. He’s still probably two months (or more) off from a regular-season appearance, but it’ll be a great sign. He and All-Star lefty Carlos Rodón will start the year on the injured list, so while we can dream of a potent rotation in the summer, the Yanks will have to survive April and May in the meantime.
One player who will have a lot to play for in those opening weeks will be Will Warren, coming off an up-and-down rookie season that did see him lead all rookies in innings pitched. Still, with all the talented arms on the roster, his rotation spot is hardly guaranteed when Rodón and Cole are healthy.
While spring training results never mean too much, a young starter making strides is still encouraging, and that’s what Warren has done. He’s allowed just three earned runs in 20.1 innings this spring, including a strong four-plus inning outing in Tuesday’s 3-2 win over the Rays. JC Escarra provided much of the offense through eight innings, but minor league infielder Coby Morales played hero after both teams emptied the benches in the ninth.
Trent Grisham got off to a good start in this one, lining a first-pitch single to right field off Ryan Pepiot. The Rays’ starter would rebound to retire the next three, all on flyouts, with Ben Rice narrowly missing out on a two-run homer after pummeling a ball foul. Warren got off to a strong start for the Yanks, striking out Yandy Diaz and inducing a pair of groundouts to get through a quick, 1-2-3 frame.
The second would be much shakier for Pepiot, who, after inducing a groundout from Paul DeJong, gave up a moonshot to JC Escarra, who’s making a tremendous case for the Opening Day roster as the backup catcher. 438 feet, 108.4 mph off the bat, and a 1-0 Yankees lead. Pepiot would allow another pair of baserunners, but the Escarra homer was the only real damage.
Warren walked Cedric Mullins to open the bottom half of the second on six pitches, but rebounded to retire the next three in order, dialing the fastball up to 95.6 mph to get Hunter Fedducia swinging to end the inning. Pepiot had a clean third, cutting through the heart of the order. Diaz would get the game’s first hit off of Warren with two outs in the third, but would be stranded after a filthy 1-2 changeup got Jonathan Aranda to chase.
The top of the Yankees’ order was jumping all over Pepiot once he got to the third time through, but the balls kept finding gloves. After a Grisham walk, Rice hit a 104.4 mph lineout, and Jasson Domínguez hammered a long flyball that died on the track thanks to swirling winds.
Warren’s outing took a bad turn in the fifth, where the good luck he got to start the game reversed itself with two sub-85 mph hits that put runners on the corners with nobody out, chasing the 26-year-old for Rule 5 pick Cade Winquest. He jumped ahead of Williamson, but yielded a run after a Baltimore chop forced the Yankees’ defense to settle for a forceout, allowing Gavin Lux to score. Winquest was able to get out of the jam from there, blowing a 96 mph fastball by Aranda to end the inning.
Jake Bird took over for Winquest in the sixth and put his filthy arsenal to work, striking out Caminero on a sweeper and Mullins on a curveball. While a third strikeout was overturned to a walk by ABS against Ryan Vilade, he powered a cutter past Lux to finish off the inning one batter later.
The Yankees offense largely went quiet as the day wore on. They threatened in the eighth, putting two baserunners on against Joe Boyle, but stranded them both. Escarra finished his day 2-for-4 with a home run and some loud outs, an impressive day for him. Yovanny Cruz got the ball in the eighth and lit up the radar gun, throwing six pitches in triple digits in an impressive inning that saw him strike out Diaz and Richie Palacios.
Jorbit Vivas replaced Grisham in the leadoff spot and drew a leadoff walk in the ninth before stealing second. Rice, the lone starter left in the game, roped a single to right to set up runners on the corners with nobody out and chase Boyle. Hunter Bigee was tasked with getting out of the jam, but he could only strike out Cole Gabrielson before allowing a two-run single to High-A infielder Coby Morales to make it 3-1 Yankees.
Kervin Castro, who’s turning heads as a dark horse to grab a bullpen spot, pitched the ninth and was greeted by a Chandler Simpson special: a Baltimore chop that goes over the third baseman’s head because he was playing for the bunt. The trouble didn’t stop there, with Castro plunking Vilade and allowing an RBI single to Raynel Delgado to cut it to 3-2.
Just when the walls seemed to be closing in on Castro, a humpback liner from Daniel Vellojin stayed in the air long enough for Morales to leap in the air and save a run with an outstanding catch before doubling off the tying run at second. Castro struck out the next batter, Logan Davidson, to end it.
The Yankees return to George M. Steinbrenner Field tomorrow for maybe the hottest ticket of the spring. We might not see Aaron Judge back in the lineup so quickly after the WBC Final, but we will see the 2026 debut of Gerrit Cole, who is scheduled to throw one inning against the rival Red Sox at 1:05 pm. Connelly Early will get the ball for Boston. Catch the game on YES or MLB Network.
LAKELAND, FL - MARCH 12: Justin Verlander #35 of the Detroit Tigers pitches during the spring training game against the New York Yankees at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium on March 12, 2026 in Lakeland, Florida. The Yankees defeated the Tigers 4-3. (Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
* cracks knuckles *
Well, here goes, the first recap of the 2026 season, even though these games don’t count for anything other than an intellectual exercise. On a windy St. Patrick’s Day, cool for central Florida in March — a laughable sentiment for those of us dealing with snow — a meaningless game ended with a meaningless score, 1-1.
Grizzled veteran Young right-hander Justin Verlander, just a kid at 43, took the mound for the third time this spring. It was a Tale of Two Halves for Verlander with the Giants last year: first half, .786 OPS-against, 10 home runs given up, .273 batting average-against. Second half, .685 OPS, 6 dingers, .247 batting. Does Verlander still have a good season left in the tank? Unlike earlier in his career, he doesn’t have to be Number One in the rotation; heck, if he’s a solid third-best starter on this team behind Tarik Skubal and Framber Valdez, that’ll be a fine return on the investment.
Chris Bassitt, the former Blue Jay, took the hill for the Orioles. He’s been ultra-dependable, making 30 or more starts for the past four years, and over that time he’s also achieved pretty respectable results, with an ERA of 3.77, a WHIP of 1.271, and roughly one home run surrendered per nine innings. He’ll be a welcome addition to an Orioles team who, last year, had trouble getting anybody out.
Verlander looked good early, occasionally touching 96 mph with his fastball. He also mixed in a slow curveball and a bit of the sweeper he developed last year, because apparently old dogs can learn new tricks. Kevin McGonigle, not at his traditional shortstop position, made a sensational, off-camera play on a grounder; since it wasn’t on TV, this is as good as we can get:
Kevin McGonigle, playing 3B today, went out of my camera range to make a diving backhand stop in foul territory on a Coby Mayo grounder, but you can see the throw across the infield from seemingly out of nowhere to complete the out. pic.twitter.com/XjZgBIW22c
A real pitchers’ duel unfolded as the game progressed, both teams only notching two hits apiece through four innings, and one of the Tigers’ hits was a bunt single by Jahmai Jones. The Orioles finally broke the seal in the fifth with a solo home run by Bryan Ramos into the wind to left field, ending Verlander’s day after 4 2/3 innings: three hits, one run and no walks. Jorger Petri, a 20-year-old who spent last year in Lakeland, got the final out of the fifth.
Kenley Jansen, possibly the Tigers’ new closer, pitched the sixth and gave up a walk and a hit but with no damage surrendered. Bassitt’s day ended with two outs in the bottom of the sixth and was relieved by Joe Glassey, and I immediately thought of “Glass Joe” from (Mike Tyson’s) Punch-Out!! for the NES, and if you did too, you’re also older than Justin Verlander, pal.
Burch Smith, one of the veterans on which the Tigers took a chance this offseason, pitched the seventh. He bounced between the majors and minors for a few years before spending 2022 in Japan and 2023 in South Korea; he spent this past offseason in the Dominican Winter League and had great results, so who knows? He gave up a couple of hits but squeezed himself out of a first-and-third jam with two outs by striking out Samuel Basallo on a fastball. Non-roster invitee Ricky Vanasco, who got into a pair of games with the Tigers in 2024, pitched an uneventful top of the eighth with a strikeout.
Max Clark walked in the bottom of the eighth; so long he gets on base, he could be wearing Flavor Flav’s clock around his neck for all I care. He advanced to second on a Jace Jung goundout, to third on a wild pitch, and then scored on another wild pitch, tying the score at one. Hey, it’s Spring Training, we’re all figuring stuff out this time of year.
Konnor Pilkington gave up a double to Ramos with two outs in the top of the ninth but stuck out Luis Vázquez looking to send it to the bottom of the ninth. Would the minor-league Tigers walk it off and avoid the tie?
Well, with one out, Peyton Graham walked and Austin Slater singled, putting two runners on. Max Burt walked to load the bases, but Corey Julks hit a grounder to third for the ol’ 5-2-3 game-ending double play. So, no, there were no ninth-inning heroics — but we had some classic Verlander and a little bit of drama at the end, didn’t we?
The Tigers didn’t wear their traditional green uniforms on St. Patrick’s Day, but they did have a green Olde English D on their hat. Bring back the green, I say.
What we did have, though, was a stupid orange-on-orange battle. Springs-past have featured plenty of navy-on-navy, which is also stupid. Home teams should wear white and away teams should wear grey, and get off my lawn.
Today is the day which celebrates the death — to the best of anyone’s knowledge — of Saint Patrick, the main patron saint of Ireland. He was born in Roman Britain late in the 300s, and came to Ireland as a missionary early in the 5th century CE. Did he use a shamrock as a Christian symbol? Did he really rid Ireland of snakes? Did he enjoy a green beer now and then? To borrow a phrase from Nelson Muntz, “Records from that era are spotty at best.”
Defenseman Seth Jones will return to Florida’s lineup after missing about 10 weeks with a broken collarbone.
He suffered the injury during the NHL Winter Classic back on Jan. 2.
"We thought it was going to be about a 3-4 week injury, and it's been a couple months," said Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice. "He's excited to get back in. He's 100% healthy."
Also sliding into the Cats’ lineup are forwards Sam Bennett and Nolan Foote.
Bennett was hurt during Florida’s win over the Columbus Blue Jackets last week and sat out Sunday’s 6-2 defeat in Seattle.
Foote was called up by Florida from AHL Charlotte earlier this week and will make his Panthers debut against the Canucks, who are coached by his father, Adam Foote.
Florida signed Foote to a one-year, two-way deal back in July. He’s spent the season with Charlotte, accumulating 14 goals and 32 points in 54 games with the Checkers.
"He's a big man, he can get on the body and he's got some hands, so that's all we want to see," Maurice said of Foote. "Keep his game as simple as he possibly can so he can go as fast as he possibly can and his linemates can read off him, and then make a difference on the forecheck."
Coming out of the lineup are forwards Evan Rodrigues and Eetu Luostarinen, and defenseman Niko Mikkola.
According to Jameson Olive, who was at Florida’s morning skate, this is how their lines and pairings could look:
Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk
Jesper Boqvist – Anton Lundell – Mackie Samoskevich
A.J. Greer – Tomas Nosek – Cole Reinhardt
Nolan Foote – Luke Kunin – Vinnie Hinostroza
Gus Forsling – Aaron Ekblad
Dmitry Kulikov – Seth Jones
Donovan Sebrango – Mike Benning
Puck drop from Rogers Arena in Vancouver is set for 10 p.m. ET.
Photo caption: Dec 7, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers defenseman Seth Jones (3) celebrates with teammates after scoring against the New York Islanders during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
PEORIA, ARIZONA - MARCH 11: Luis Castillo #58 of the Seattle Mariners celebrates during a Spring Training game against the Colorado Rockies at Peoria Stadium on March 11, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s split squad action today in Peoria and at Salt River Fields. Both games are televised, so choose wisely.
Don’t get too attached to this Josh Naylor graphic; he was a late scratch. Luis Suisbel is now in the lineup, batting ninth and playing first base.
Also scheduled to pitch in this game: José A. Ferrer, Carlos Vargas, Casey Legumina, Andrés Muñoz
And in split-squad action:
Also scheduled to pitch in this one: Casey Lawrence, Yosver Zulueta, and probably some JIC-ys.
Injury updates:
J.P. Crawford is away from the team having his shoulder looked at by Dr. Meister. That sounds ominous, but Justin Hollander says the visit is evaluative not diagnostic, making sure everything is continuing to trend well for an Opening Day start.
No word on Josh Naylor’s absence, but a quick look at the weather in Peoria – 91 en route to 95 degrees – might suggest why Naylor, who’s been away at the WBC for several weeks, is being granted an off-day.
Roster updates:
The Mariners re-assigned LHP Kade Anderson to minor-league camp after his start on Friday; yesterday they re-assigned INF Michael Arroyo, RHP Charlie Beilenson, OF Jonny Farmelo, C Jakson Reetz, RHP Michael Rucker and RHP Ryan Sloan to minor-league camp. That doesn’t mean you’ve seen the last of them – Beilenson in particular will likely pop up in a few more big-league appearances this spring – but it is a signal that the Mariners are getting their main players back from the WBC and things are getting closer to Opening Day and the 26 players they’ll be bringing to T-Mobile Park.
Game information:
Home game:
TV: Mariners TV
Radio: 710 AM Seattle Sports (delayed? It doesn’t say so in the game notes but they were talking about basketball when I checked my radio. Anyway, live on Gameday or the Seattle Sports app.)
After playing five games without their two best players, the Pittsburgh Penguins were finally set to have one of them back in the lineup when they took on the league's best team in the Colorado Avalanche on Monday.
Evgeni Malkin made his return to the lineup after serving a five-game suspension. And he made an impression early and often in this one.
The Penguins stomped the Avalanche, 7-2, to hand Colorado only its sixth regulation loss on home ice this season, and Malkin was a huge reason why. The 39-year-old forward registered the first goal of the game a tick more than three minutes into the contest, added another tally 10 minutes later, and notched a helper to give him three points on the night.
The Penguins are now 34-18-15 with 83 points, which puts them two ahead of the New York Islanders and just seven points behind the Carolina Hurricanes, who have a game in hand. Pittsburgh plays Carolina two more times this month.
Suffice to say, this was a big win. The Penguins have been holding their own without Malkin and Sidney Crosby, but having 71 back in the fold made things a whole lot easier on the rest of the group.
And a dominant effort against the league's best team is certainly something that will boost morale even more.
"It's a good confidence booster for our team," Anthony Mantha said. "Obviously, we know we're able to play with every team, and the way we played [Monday], it just shows how resilient our team is and how special we are in here."
Pittsburgh wasted no time setting the tone in this one - and neither did Malkin. On his first shift back from suspension, Malkin took a tripping penalty and went to the box. The Penguins' penalty kill - ranked second in the NHL - managed to kill off the two-minute penalty, and Malkin and Rust found themselves in a give-and-go entering the offensive zone.
Rust got it to Malkin in the low slot area, and he performed a no-look spin-o-rama move and buried the puck behind Avs goaltender Scott Wedgewood on the backhand to give Pittsburgh the early 1-0 lead. However, just over a minute later, star forward Nathan MacKinnon registered his 45th goal of the season with a snipe from the slot to tie the game.
But- as they've done all year - the Penguins responded so quickly it's as if the tying goal never happened. Mantha was sprung on a breakaway on a gorgeous stretch pass from Erik Karlsson, and he slid a backhand through the five-hole to score his career-best 26th goal of the season in what has become a deja vu kind of thing for him to restore the one-goal lead.
Then, with seven minutes remaining in the first, Malkin and Egor Chinakhov - playing on the wing opposite Malkin with Tommy Novak sandwiched in between - gained the zone. Breaking down the right wing, Chinakhov threaded a nice seam pass to Malkin breaking down the left, and he put it home to register his second of the game and 15th of the season to make it 3-1 and prompt a goaltending change by the Avs.
And again, less than than a minute later - Karlsson got the puck to the net, where newest Penguin Elmer Soderblom was waiting at the net front. He tapped the puck in behind new Colorado goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood to earn his first with his new team and make it 4-1.
The Penguins did give up a goal less than a minute later to veteran blueliner Brent Burns, which cut their lead to 4-2. After a somewhat sloppy first period, however, the Penguins had goaltender Arturs Silovs to thank for carrying the 4-2 lead into the second, as he stopped 16 of 18 first-period shots by the Avalanche to preserve his team's lead despite Pittsburgh only amassing nine shots on goal.
From there, however, the Penguins went on cruise control.
Pittsburgh put on a clinic in the final 40, limiting Colorado to just a few high-danger chances and outscoring them the rest of the way, 3-0. It started with a floating wrister by Karlsson from the right point that found its way home midway through the second to make it 5-2, and the Penguins just kept coming.
After a nice play by Rickard Rakell in the defensive zone to pick a pass on a Penguins' power play, he got it to Malkin, who sprung Bryan Rust for a breakaway with about three and a half minutes to go in the middle frame. Rust beat Blackwood to make it 6-2, and the score remained that way until Noel Acciari potted his ninth of the season approaching the midway point of the third period to seal the 7-2 victory.
Here are a few quick thoughts and takeaways:
- This was a brilliant all-around effort from the Penguins. It was much different than the brand of hockey they have played over the last handful of games where they've come back in them and earned at least a point.
No, not this time. This time, they ragdolled the best team in the NHL on home ice, and they're still without the services of their best player. Getting Malkin back was only part of the puzzle, but he made a significant impact on the Penguins' ability to comfortably roll four lines again like they have been for much of the season.
This one was a statement, and boy, the Penguins delivered. This is a very good hockey team, folks.
- Speaking of "very good," I can't say enough about how otherwordly Erik Karlsson has been playing for the Penguins since the Olympic break.
He notched another three points in this one, giving him 14 points in his last 10 games. He has stepped up in a massive way this entire season, but his play down the stretch without Crosby and, for five games, Malkin has been nothing short of phenomenal.
This is the Erik Karlsson Kyle Dubas and the Penguins were hoping to acquire back in the summer of 2023. This is the Erik Karlsson that was, bar-none, the best NHL player in the 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs for the Ottawa Senators. This is the Erik Karlsson that the Penguins desperately needed to see, and as an added bonus, he has pretty drastically improved his defense and is a mainstay on a successful PK unit this season.
It has been all-hands-on-deck for the Penguins all season long. But, if I'm picking a team MVP at the end of the season - and Pittsburgh ends up making the playoffs - Karlsson is that guy for me.
He's not just been their best player lately. He's been their best player for a good chunk of the 2025-26 season. And Penguins' fans are certainly in for a treat if we get to see the playoff version of Karlsson unlocked this time around.
- Silovs was magnificent in this game, especially early on. There was nothing he could do on either goal by the Avs, and he quite literally was responsible for the Penguins carrying the two-goal lead into the second period.
Something both Silovs and Stuart Skinner have been doing for the Penguins is coming up with big saves in big moments. One of those moments occurred in the third period of Monday's game, when Silovs made a nice glove save to rob Nazem Kadri of a goal that would have made it 6-3 early in the third period.
Silovs is a gamer, and he shows up in big moments. That has always been his track record. If the Penguins can continue to get this kind of goaltending from both guys, they shouldn't have much issue making the playoffs.
- One of the highlight moments of this game actually came courtesy of defenseman Connor Clifton.
During the third period, Colorado's Jack Drury has repeatedly cross-checking Malkin on the back, and Malkin began to retliate a bit. But before things could escalate, Clifton stepped in and challenged Drury to a fight, sticking up for his star teammate.
This is something we just haven't seen much of from the Penguins over the last several seasons, and it was kind of nice to see. It speaks to not only the kind of teammate Clifton is, but also to the chemistry of this particular locker room that guys are stepping up in this way.
Good stuff. Oh, and he won the fight pretty decisively, if you ask me.
- This was, by far, Soderblom's best game as a Penguin up to this point. He was bumped down to fourth-line duties in the absence of Blake Lizotte, who will miss four weeks with an upper-body injury. He earned two points and used his size well in this one at the net front, creating space and opportunity for himself and his linemates in Acciari and Connor Dewar.
The more I see from this guy, the more I like him. And the more I think he'll be a nice guy to have going into a potential playoff run.
- Mantha set a new career-high in goals with his 26th in there in the first period.
Won't spend time on this because I've already written about him at length. But what a remarkable season he's having. It's truly a marvel to watch.
- I mentioned this before, but this next game against the Canes on Wednesday looms large.
Some say the division is probably out of reach. I disagree. Carolina will lose its game in hand on Pittsburgh with a Tuesday night matchup against the Columbus Blue Jackets, who are currently four points behind the Penguins in the standings.
It's easy to root for Carolina in this one, but if they lose - and the Penguins manage to win Wednesday - that will put them just five points behind them with another head-to-head set for Sunday in Pittsburgh.
Either way, this win set the Penguins up pretty nicely. It's probably best to keep some separation from Columbus. However, if the Canes do lose, it will present the Penguins with a massive opportunity to chase their first division title since 2014.
Buckle up, folks. This is going to be a fun final 15 games of the regular season. And this sure is a fun hockey team to watch.
