PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 04: Starter Bryce Elder #55 of the Atlanta Braves pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fifth inning at Chase Field on April 04, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hey, we saw a mix of Good Bryce Elder and Bad Bryce Elder last night. He was pretty decent outside of the home run through four innings. Then he was unable to muddle through the fifth inning. He left despite only throwing 76 pitches (huh, did we even see that last year).
I’m encouraged by the start of the year. Elder looks much more comfortable on the mound. He’s living up in the zone with fastballs, low with sliders, and pretty well on the corner he has too. I’m intrigued by the cutter, but I think he has more work to do with it.
So are you a Bryce Elder truther? Is he on a collision course with the All-Star Game again? I’ll have more about Bryce next week. But for now, I’ll paraphrase Michael Kelso: I think he is okay. There’s a fine line between like and love. But the line between league-average and 125 ERA-, that’s not fine at all.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 10: Clay Holmes #35 of the New York Mets leaves the game against the Athletics in the sixth inning at Citi Field on April 10, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Meet the Mets
The Mets were shut out again, losing to the A’s 4-0 in a game which saw the Mets’ scoreless streak extend to 17 innings and their losing streak extend to three games to put them at .500 for the season. Clay Holmes was excellent, but unfortunately was forced to leave the game early due to hamstring tightness with the Mets down 1-0 in the sixth. The Mets’ best chance to score was in the bottom of the sixth when they had first and third and nobody out, but Francisco Lindor ran into an out on the base paths and Luis Robert Jr. grounded into a double play to quash the rally. Tobias Myers relieved Holmes and was also good until the ninth inning, in which yielded three runs of insurance as he ran out of gas, which effectively ended the game, given the Mets’ ineptitude offensively.
Jorge Polanco says his Achilles is feeling a lot better and he won’t need a stint on the injured list after all.
When addressing the media yesterday, David Stearns said that there have been no discussions about sending Carson Benge down to Triple-A, despite his slow start.
He also covered a few other tidbits: Juan Soto won’t be out long with his calf injury, Criag Kimbrel is an option for the bullpen at some point, Sean Manaea is “going to make a bunch of starts for us this year,” and the Mets still have confidence in David Peterson, despite his recent struggles.
A.J. Minter made a rehab appearance for the St. Lucie Mets on Thursday night and pitched a scoreless inning with one strikeout. He is still on track for a late April or early May return.
Tommy Pham, who the Mets signed to a minor league deal recently, also played in that game for St. Lucie and should move up to Triple-A Syracuse soon as he ramps up.
It would be nice to see a retractable roof at Citi Field, but the price tag is very steep, writes Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
Around the National League East
A six-run sixth inning propelled the Braves—donning their new powder blue City Connects—to an 11-5 victory over the Guardians in which they hit three home runs.
The Phillies put up four runs in the first inning, but yielded five runs in the fifth in a 5-4 loss to the Diamondbacks. Michael Soroka had a shaky start, but ultimately struck out ten Phillies in 5 2/3 innings to earn the victory for the Diamondbacks.
The Marlins were blanked by the Tigers 2-0, as Keider Montero pitched six shutout innings for Detroit.
Is the Marlins’ hot start sustainable? Mark Feinsand of MLB.com takes a deep dive on the Marlins, as well as the Pirates and Rockies, who are both also off to unexpectedly good starts.
The Nationals piled on the insurance runs late en route to a 7-3 victory over the Brewers in Milwaukee.
Though James Wood is the Nationals’ most obvious extension candidate of their young players, outfielder Daylen Lile, who had a very impressive rookie campaign, may be easier and cheaper to extend. However, “the Nationals have yet to broach Lile with an extension offer,” reports Spencer Nusbaum of The Athletic.
Around Major League Baseball
The Denver Broncos owners have purchased a 40% ownership stake in the Colorado Rockies.
You may have heard that the White Sox are doing a pope hat promotional item as a tribute to Pope Leo XIV, a Chicago native and longtime White Sox fan. So great is the anticipation for this giveaway, which has become a viral internet sensation, that the White Sox have expanded the promotion to all fans attending the August 11th game, rather than just fans who purchased specialty theme night tickets.
The Mariners had a, uh, mishap at the Ichiro Suzuki honorary statue unveiling yesterday.
Max Muncy launched his third homer of the night to lift the Dodgers to an 8-7 walk-off win against the Rangers, overcoming a blown save by Edwin Díaz. That walk-off blast has elevated Muncy to sixth on the all-time Dodgers home run leaderboard and he has hit the third-most home runs of any Dodger since the team moved to Los Angeles. Also notable from last night’s game in LA: Shohei Ohtani passed Ichiro Suzuki for the longest on-base streak by a Japanese-born player when he reached base in his 44th straight game.
“This is not my standard. Results-wise, yeah, it’s unacceptable for me, and I will be better. I know that. But yeah, it’s not fun,” Pete Alonso, who is 3-for-32 over his past eight games since he took Jacob deGrom deep, said. “I know, for me, if I’m not producing in big spots with guys on base, it’s not good for the team. I will be better. I feel bad. A lot of people believe in me, and I believe in myself, but I’m not delivering results. I will. I just haven’t. But I will.”
Jeffrey Paternostro of Baseball Prospectus put the spotlight on Cardinals rookie JJ Wetherholt and how he has performed in the majors so far compared to his projections as a prospect.
Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue
Vasilis Drimalitis previewed this weekend series between the Mets and A’s.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - APRIL 10: Pete Alonso #25 of the Baltimore Orioles reacts after striking out to end the third inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 10, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning Birdland,
The Orioles debut of their new City Connect jerseys on Friday night did not go great, ending in a 6-3 loss to the visiting San Francisco Giants. That scoreline is kind to the Orioles. They were down 6-1 heading into the bottom of the ninth and were only saved by a Gunnar Henderson two-run homer. Make no mistake, it was an ugly game.
The middle of the Orioles lineup is killing them. Pete Alonso and Samuel Basallo went a combined 0-for-6 with two strikeouts and two walks. They both have a season OPS that starts with a “5”. It’s a problem without an easy solution. Basallo is young enough that you can move him down in the lineup for a while with little recourse. Alonso, on the other hand, is a proven veteran early into his tenure with the team. Craig Albernaz might need to take his temperature in order to determine the best approach. But something has to change.
At least Adley Rutschman had yet another impressive day at the plate. The catcher went 3-for-5 with two doubles. He is now batting .294 with an .856 OPS. Is he all the way back to his old self? It sure looks like it.
Shane Baz was…OK. Yet again, the starter made it through five innings, but he also allowed three runs on nine hits, two walks, and four strikeouts. He gave up a decent amount of hard contact too. His season ERA increased from 4.09 to 4.50. We are all waiting for the flamethrower to have a signature, dominant outing. It didn’t come on Friday night.
But that might have been alright if reliever Nick Raquet had been better in his Orioles debut. The 30-year-old allowed three runs on two hits, a walk, and a home run. Yennier Cano and Albert Suárez combined for three shutout innings in the other frames that the bullpen had to cover.
The O’s are back on national television tonight. This time it’s on Fox, a channel that everyone should be able to access. Maybe Chris Bassitt can finally have a major league-caliber outing in an Orioles uniform? They could use it. First pitch is 7:15.
Links
Frustrated by slow start to O’s career, Alonso vows to be better soon | MLB.com While there is more than one hole in the Orioles offense, it does feel like Alonso is THE guy that they really need more from. The top of the order is getting on base at a fine rate. They need the guys in the middle to drive them in, and right now Alonso is not getting it done.
O’s players react to new City Connect uniforms: ‘They rock’ | MLB.com Although not universal, it does seem like most outlets think that the Orioles’ new City Connects are the best of the new bunch. I have to say that I like certain elements. My biggest grip is with the “BMORE” script. I would have preferred “Charm City,” and maybe a different font. I also think the bird perched on the “R” doesn’t really fit the rest of the outfit. But it’s a solid effort overall.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
Alejandro De Aza turns 42 today. He was a late-season addition to the 2014 O’s, and stuck around for a bit in 2015 as well. In total he played in only 50 regular season games for Baltimore between the two seasons.
Steve Scarsone is 60 years old. The infielder played in 11 games for the 1992 Orioles.
The late Willie Royster (b. 1954, d. 2015) was born on this day. His only big league experience came on the 1981 O’s, playing in four games.
A posthumous celebration for Art Quirk (b. 1937, d. 2014), who was born on this day. The southpaw tossed 27.1 innings for the Orioles in 1962.
This day in O’s history
1961 – The Los Angeles Angels play their first game in franchise history, which happens to be a 7-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles.
2002 – The Orioles set a pair of single-inning team records, scoring 12 runs and collecting 11 hits in the sixth inning of a 15-6 win over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
2023 – Ryan Mountcastle ties an Orioles team record with nine RBI in a 12-8 win against the Athletics. Mountcastle ties Jim Gentile (1961) and Eddie Murray (1985) with his performance.
TAMPA, FL - APRIL 4: Nikita Kucherov #86 of the Tampa Bay Lightning splits the defense of Pavel Zacha #18 and Charlie McAvoy #73 of the Boston Bruins to reach for a loose puck during the first period at the Benchmark International Arena on April 4, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to this season’s very last Public Preview®, the combination preview/Public Skate you’ve come to know and love!
Tampa comes into this game with 102 points, good for third place in the Atlantic Division.
Like the Bruins, they have three games left, but find themselves two points behind Montreal for second and four points behind Buffalo for third.
(Montreal also has three games left, while Buffalo has two.)
These two teams last met a week ago in Tampa, a 3-1 win for the Lightning. Tampa has won all three of the season’s match-ups thus far, so the Bruins will be looking to avoid a season sweep.
As you likely know, the Bruins officially clinch a playoff spot with any kind of win today — regulation, OT, or shootout.
They can also clinch with a loss and a series of other results going their way, but it’d but much, much easier to just, you know…win.
James Hagens will not be making his NHL debut today, with Marco Sturm noting that he wants to give the kid more time to get acclimated to the Bruins’ system.
With another game tomorrow evening in Columbus, it may not be too long before we see Hagens, but time will tell.
Those back-to-back games also likely mean that we’ll see both goalies this weekend, so we’ll see who goes first. Jeremy Swayman has started two of the Tampa games this season, with Joonas Korpisalo getting the other start.
As a reminder, today’s other relevant games will be the New York Islanders vs. Ottawa Senators (1 PM) and New Jersey Devils vs. Detroit Red Wings (5 PM).
Depending on how those two games go, the Bruins may end up clinching regardless of their result today.
Tune in at 12:30! Or, since this is ABC, probably closer to 1 PM.
MINNEAPOLIS - APRIL 19: Kevin Garnett #21 and Mark Madsen #35 of the Minnesota Timberwolves congratulate each other after their last game of the season against the Memphis Grizzlies on April 19, 2006 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2006 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
On Thursday, April 9th, 2026, the NBA released an official statement regarding a bizarre situation in a recent Sacramento Kings versus Golden State Warriors game.
In case you missed it, Sacramento Head Coach Doug Christie instructed his own players to intentionally foul an above average free throw shooter, Seth Curry, despite holding a one-point lead in clutch time. The KANGZ Kings ultimately lost the game in regulation, and considering the tight battle to earn the top lottery odds in a stacked draft, it sparked yet another conversation about “tanking.”
By now, you must be sick of hearing about this. Adam Silver’s focus on punishing teams for losing instead of much more important matters (sports betting). Nonsensical and complicated draft lottery reforms. Fans criticizing talking heads for even talking about it.
Enough!
Alright, fine. But before we leave this all behind us, can I just give you one more quick story? Please?
Let’s turn back your clocks back to calendar year 2006.
Actually, almost exactly 20 years ago to the day. It’s April 18th, the last day of the regular season. The Minnesota Timberwolves were going to miss the playoffs for the second straight season. An inauspicious 33-48 record put them second to last in the West standings, but tied for the seventh-worst overall record. Not great. However, the silver lining was that they were in line to secure the seventh spot in the 2006 NBA draft lottery.
Here’s where it gets interesting.
There was one team just half a game behind Minnesota in the standings: the Boston Celtics. More importantly, three teams sat just one game ahead of the Wolves in the standings: Seattle SuperSonics, Golden State Warriors, and Houston Rockets. Why does this matter?
Just eight months prior, the Timberwolves traded away their first round pick (along with All-Star Sam Cassell) to the Los Angeles Clippers.
That pick was smartly (?) top 10 protected through 2011. That meant if the Wolves finished with the eighth-worst record or lower, they would not be at risk of losing said pick. With three teams on the Minnesota’s heels, there was potential for shenanigans tomorrow. Let’s game a look at the tip-off times for all of the aforementioned teams:
Heat @ Celtics – 6:30pm CT
Spurs @ Rockets – 7:00pm CT
Grizzlies @ Timberwolves – 7:00pm CT
Warriors @ Jazz – 8:00pm CT
Nuggets @ SuperSonics – 9:30pm CT
Unfortunately for Minnesota, the staggered start times made it impossible for them to know if they need should tank or not.
Let’s jump back to Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Memphis had nothing to play for, as they had all but locked in their spot as the number five seed in the Western Conference playoffs. In fact, a loss could’ve even benefitted them, pitting them against a 44-38 Nuggets team instead of a 60-22 Mavericks team. They rested or limited minutes to their key rotation players such as a young Pau Gasol, Mike Miller, Shane Battier, and Eddie Jones.
The Wolves weren’t to be outdone.
MARLIN LEVISON ¥ mlevison@startribune.com 04/19/06 РAssign#101406- Timberwolves vs. Memphis Рlast game of the season Рa look at a dismal season from players or fans perspective. IN THIS PHOTO:Wolves Marcus Banks, Rashad McCants and Mark Madsen look disinterested as they sit on the bench watching the game proceed without them. (Photo by MARLIN LEVISON/Star Tribune via Getty Images) (Photo by MARLIN LEVISON/Star Tribune via Getty Images) | Star Tribune via Getty Images
Since a loss would secure their lottery pick, they went all out. Kevin Garnett, who had been already been sitting out due to a “right quad injury,” would not be available. Ricky Davis, who had also been out for that same span, was also not active due to a “right knee injury.” They were the Wolves top two scorers by a mile. Not enough? Let’s take starting point guard, Marko Jarić off the table for no real reason.
Things didn’t start great for Minnesota though. Well, they did great if you’re talking about winning a basketball game. They stumbled into a 10-point lead right before halftime. That advantage shrunk to just six at the end of the third quarter, but there was still time.
Mark Madsen time, to be specific.
The 30-year-old, two-time NBA champion, knew what it took to win. And in this case, a win actually meant a loss. He subbed in for starting center Mark “Big Basic” Blount with 3:09 remaining in the third quarter, and never looked back. If you aren’t familiar with other Madsen’s game, he was a classic undersized, hustle-type, frenetic energy big. In today’s game, think Dwight Powell. Madsen only averaged about 10 minutes a game and less than two field goal attempts.
In this specific game, Madsen played 30 minutes and took 15 shots.
After missing his first three shots of the game, he finally made his first (and only) bucket of the game. Madsen’s layup put the Wolves up five with 7:35 remaining. Danger time. Minnesota was up three with 39 seconds left and possession of the ball. They could nearly run out the clock and simply secure a victory. Instead, with 12 ticks still on the shot clock, “Mad Dog” fired a 15-foot jumper that missed.
Why does that seem weird?
That was Madsen’s second shot from outside the paint.
All season.
MINNEAPOLIS – APRIL 19: Mark Madsen #35 of the Minnesota Timberwolves shoots against the Memphis Grizzlies on April 19, 2006 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Grizzlies won 102-92. NOTICE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2006 NBAE (Photo By Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
After essentially leading all game, the Grizzlies had somehow managed to drag this clown show into overtime thanks to a Brian Cardinal three-pointer on the following possession. What ensued in the two following five-minute overtime periods would make Adam Silver choke on a slice of tiramisu.
If you thought Mark taking his second ever jump shot of the season at the end of regulation was bad, you hadn’t seen anything yet. Throughout Madsen’s 502 NBA games, including both regular season and the postseason, he had only ever attempted 18 three-point shots. Five of those 18 were halfcourt heaves, so he’s really ever taken 13 honest to god shots from beyond the arc.
13 three-point attempts in 502 games. He made one of those.
He shot seven three-point attempts in 10 minutes of overtime play in this game alone.
He made none of those.
Many of these “shots” had no chance of going in. Airballs, backboard rockets, bricks off the side of the rim. You could hear fans in Target Center shouting out “Draft pick!” during this horrid display. Eventually, you see Madsen smiling, might I say winking, at fans during dead ball situations late in the game. The broadcast even cut to replays of both the Minnesota and Memphis benches bursting into laughter as Madsen ran around like Steph Curry, launching jumpers off the catch. The late, great Tom Hanneman and a young Jim Peterson were on the call and were cracking up, even encouraging Madsen to “Let it rain!” live during the game. It ended with Head Coach Dewane Casey drawing up an elevator doors play for Madsen to get off a three-ball despite being down 10.
I am not embellishing.
Feast your eyes on rare footage of this blatant, shameless, and absolutely hilarious tank job by the Timberwolves, commandeered by Mark Madsen:
Victor's coming! Tanking teams need guidance.
Remember the time Mark Madsen went 1-for-15 in the 82nd game? He missed 7 threes in 2 OT's as Minnesota scraped out an L to move up in the draft.
Fans yelling "DRAFT PICK!", visiting Grizzlies in disbelief. An unbelievable game. pic.twitter.com/PnNtE2qXAR
If you think this game came and passed as if no one paid attention, well then you would be wrong. Casey shared his thoughts with reporters after the game.
“The guys were having fun with it. For what we’ve been through this season, I thought the guys deserved it. I hope what we did didn’t make a mockery of the game”
Dewane Casey, 2006
Even Madsen himself recalled the game some eight years later. Like Casey, he laughed it off as harmless fun.
“Imagine being out there, catching the ball at the three-point line and the whole arena is yelling, ‘Shoot.’ It doesn’t make me feel good. So in my mind, I’m like, you know what, I’ve worked hard on my game. I’m going to go out there and knock these down. I think everyone in that building knew the situation. But I go out there and try to make every single shot always.”
Mark Madsen, 2014
You’d imagine that this Timberwolves organization, who just got harshly punished by the NBA for illegal contract negotiations six years ago, would’ve been discouraged from any potential funny business. But this was 2006, where things were still new. There wasn’t easy access to watching or streaming basketball games, nor was there social media to spit out clips and aggregate this travesty.
Glen Taylor’s Timberwolves walked away Scot-free.
SEACUCUS, NJ – MAY 22: Randy Foye of the Minnesota Timberwolves speaks with Brandon Roy of the Portland Trail Blazers prior to the 2007 NBA Draft Lottery on May 22, 2007 at the NBATV Studios in Secaucus, New Jersey. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2007 NBAE (Photo by Jennifer Pottheiser/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
General Manager, Kevin McHale, ended up with the number six pick in the 2006 NBA draft. He selected multi-time All-Star and All-NBA guard, Brandon Roy. However, on draft night, McHale swapped the draft rights to Roy for future career-journeyman, Randy Foye. So, yeah. The Timberwolves may have pulled off the most blatant greatest tank job ever without direct repercussion, but in some ways, they ultimately punished themselves.
Because sometimes you might think you’re tanking, when in reality, you’re really just a living, breathing, tank.
Let that be a lesson to those of you pissed off at Sacramento.
It became obvious early on that this Dallas Mavericks season wouldn’t be about wins and losses. There would be no playoff push, no late game heroics in the postseason. Not even a solid 41-41 season that might give you some hope for the next year.
So you start thinking about reasons to watch this team. You could settle on a lot of things, but one you could land on is the vibes. You want to have a good time, and maybe the Mavericks can help you with that.
For the most part, they have. Despite having an atrocious record, they’ve been competitive all season. Cooper Flagg has flashed promise of superstardom, having more than a few huge scoring nights, including a 50-point game recently. The two-way guys brought up from the G League have been fun. Inconsistent, but fun.
But mostly when you have a season like this, you just want to have a good hang with the team. You want an interesting and lively group that can find some joy in the long grind that is the NBA regular season.
That’s where Dwight Powell comes in.
A few weeks back, the Mavericks Instagram account posted a video where the players were asked about their favorite restaurants. They mostly name steakhouses near the American Airlines Center, which fine, whatever. I’m not a food critic, and they probably just want a nice meal where they won’t be bothered. NBA players are mostly very tall, and therefore can’t exactly blend in when out in public.
I’m not going to get upset that not one barbecue place was mentioned. And I understand it’s a drive to Arlington, but Smoke’N Ash is there. I’m not going to say they should try Jose on Lovers, a place featured in Netflix’s Taco Chronicles. I don’t know all the good restaurants.
But this isn’t about Dallas restaurants.
This is about Dwight Powell. His aura. The vibe glowing off this man. Look at him.
And of course he chose Uchi as his favorite restaurant. The man knows good food. He knows Dallas. He knows where the good vibes are.
Don’t talk to me about Powell’s plus/minus, or his points per game. I’m not interested in his shooting percentages. Don’t even think about bringing up his DARKO or RAPTOR rating, I don’t even know what that is. All I care about his is POWELL rating, and it’s off the charts.
Powell is here, creating and maintaining vibes you can’t even begin to consider. Whatever he contributes on the court is just extra for the Mavericks.
Toward the end of the video, Klay Thompson calls Powell the mayor of Dallas. It’s just a joke, of course, but Powell has been here in the Metroplex since 2015. He’s the longest tenured player on the Mavericks by far. He’s seen almost everything here in Dallas, except a championship. He got close in 2024.
The mayor in most cities does a lot of ceremonial duties. They cut ribbons, pose for pictures, shake hands. They set the tone, create the culture. That’s what Powell does for the Mavericks. Sure, he’s willing to step in and play some basketball when needed, but mostly, he is focused on his more important job—keeping the good vibes flowing.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - APRIL 10: A.J. Green #20 of the Milwaukee Bucks celebrates after making a three point basket against the Brooklyn Nets during the fourth quarter at Fiserv Forum on April 10, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Cormac Ryan electrified the crowd in the opening minutes of his first-ever start, and AJ Green later brought the house down with an all-time display of marksmanship, leading to an emphatic 125-108 win by the Milwaukee Bucks over the Brooklyn Nets. Read our full summary of the game here and catch a six-minute audio recap on the Bucks+ podcast, Bucks In Six Minutes, below.
Green closed a somewhat up-and-down season with a virtuoso sendoff. Yes, he made franchise history with 11 made triples, and moved into second all-time for three-pointers made in a season. Those things got everyone riled up, with the crowd chanting his name (and nickname). Even better, though, he played a complete game, complementing his shooting theatrics with solid playmaking, above-average rebounding, and alert D. Hard to find anything not to love about his statement game.
In his first-ever start, Ryan came out firing—and rarely missed in the first quarter. He looked like anything but a newbie, playing under control and never seeming out of sorts on offense or defense. His breakout game would be THE story on any other night. Alas, Dairy Bird outshone him, a tough task when Ryan was such an electrifying player all game long.
Prince showed out, displaying the big impact on both ends that the team missed out on during his extended absence due to neck surgery. A sequence in the third quarter—he made a high degree-of-difficulty corner triple, then stole the ball on D and raced down court to drain another three—was a crescendo moment that had fans going berserk, and wishing they’d seen more of Prince throughout the season.
Dieng played the kind of solid all-around game that has become his hallmark. On a night when so many teammates were on fire shooting, it was Dieng who most consistently found them for open looks. His own poor shooting was more than made up for by those dozen helpers and six boards.
Sims followed his career-first triple-double with a double-double in Friday’s tilt. What stood out was his rebounding, as he kept many possessions alive with five offensive boards. He scored at his usual hyper-efficient rate. The plus-minus number seems misleading, as the eye test showed Sims making winning plays on both ends.
Turner was a force of nature on both ends. He swatted away five Nets’ shots and altered plenty more. He started the game with a triple to get the crowd revved up, and kept bringing the cheers with thunder dunks and more long bombs in the second half. Those flourishes came between periods where he seemed quiet, but his +26 tells the story of an overwhelmingly positive impact.
Kuzma pulled his occasional disappearing act, not making many obviously winning plays—save the electrifying logo triple to close the first half—while playing too fast and coughing up the ball five times. Not a tragic Kuz game, but certainly not much to like here either.
On Redemption Night for many of his teammates, AJax just couldn’t get his act together enough to join the revival. His shot was off, and he didn’t do much else to help the team’s cause. His -11 “led” the team, and felt like an accurate reflection of his overall impact.
Grade: D
Doc Rivers
No Bobby, no Giannis, no KPJ. Yes, the Nets were also depleted and are a horrid team even at full strength. But the Bucks decisively won the battle of lottery squads, with huge performances from a cast of nobodies. The standout performances from Green, Ryan, Dieng, Sims, and Prince showed that the coaching staff did a better-than-average job coaxing development from those players and keeping them engaged in a season where not much went right, and players could be forgiven if they were checked out by now. Friday’s performance suggested they aren’t, and Rivers deserves heavy credit.
Grade: A
DNP-CD: Alex Antetokounmpo, Thanassis Antetokounmpo
Inactive: Bobby Portis, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Pete Nance, Gary Trent, Jr., Kevin Porter Jr., Gary Harris, Ryan Rollins
Bonus Bucks Bits
With 227 three-pointers this season, Green is second all-time in Bucks history. He has a great chance of surpassing Ray Allen, currently number one with 229 triples in the 2001-02 campaign.
In scoring 20+ points in three of his first 10 NBA games, Cormac Ryan joins elite company. Others in Bucks’ history who’ve achieved that feat: Kareem, Marques Johnson, Brandon Jennings, and Ray Allen.
Ryan said he and Green engaged in heated games of one-on-one on summer mornings at 5:00 a.m. last offseason: “I felt bad for our trainers; we had to drag them in. They just wanted to sleep.”
Up Next
The Bucks travel to Philly for a Sunday night tilt against the 76ers in the final game of the season. Catch it at 5:00 p.m. CDT on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin.
The New York Islanders woke up Saturday morning sitting one point behind the Philadelphia Flyers for third place in the Metropolitan Division and three points behind the Ottawa Senators for the final wild card spot.
Those are the only two realistic paths remaining for the Islanders into the postseason.
The math alone tells you catching Philadelphia is significantly easier and is preferable to the task of catching Ottawa.
If the Islanders win in regulation on Saturday against the Senators, they'll move one point back of Ottawa.
Still, the Detroit Red Wings could then leapfrog the Islanders again with a regulation win, based on the regulation wins tiebreaker.
It's not the most inspiring run of opponents to hope to beat Ottawa to even give the Islanders a chance to pass the Senators.
There's a reason the odds give Ottawa around a 92% chance to make the playoffs.
Meanwhile, the odds have the Islanders and Flyers within a few ticks of one another. Not only is this thanks to the Islanders being just one point back, but the Islanders also clinched the tiebreaker over the Flyers.
In the event of a tie in point, the Islanders finish above Philly, no matter what happens.
The Flyers also have a tougher schedule than Ottawa.
The Flyers go on the road Saturday to face the Winnipeg Jets in a game with huge playoff ramifications for both sides.
Ironically, that's also how the Islanders finish the year. The Islanders might need to win every game remaining, a very tall task for them and new head coach Peter DeBoer.
The odds of Philadelphia winning out are rather low, and compared to that of Ottawa, the window of opportunity for the Islanders to claim third place in the Metropolitan Division is significantly larger.
With just three games to go, it's almost the only path ahead. All the Islanders can do is win and drive up the pressure on the Flyers.
We have a busy Saturday across the majors, and that means lots of opportunities for long balls.
My MLB player props and home run analysis will highlight Pete Crow-Armstrong, Shea Langeliers, and Aaron Judge.
Read more in my MLB picks for April 11.
UPDATE: Added another HR pick + parlay.
Best MLB home run props today
Player to hit a HR
Odds
Pete Crow-Armstrong
+980
Shea Langeliers
+430
Aaron Judge
+225
💲Today's HR parlay
+18503
Pete Crow-Armstrong (+980)
Pete Crow-Armstrong is such a versatile weapon for the Chicago Cubs, and he showed last season that he has serious pop in his bat for a small guy, going deep 31 times.
Although he’s only clubbed one homer so far this season, it’s only a matter of time until he gets going, and today’s matchup could be the perfect matchup for him to find a rhythm.
The Cubbies take on the rival Pirates, who hand Braxton Ashcroft the baseball. Crow-Armstrong has swung it well against him, going 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles.
Time: 2:20 p.m. ET
Where to watch: SNP, MARQ
Shea Langeliers (+430)
Shea Langeliers has been one of the top power hitters in the big leagues so far.
The Athletics slugger has clubbed five home runs. While he’s failed to go deep in his last six games, there’s reason to believe No. 6 of the campaign could be coming today.
The 28-year-old has three hits across his last two games, and more importantly, he’s had a bit of success against New York Mets starter Kodai Senga.
In five at-bats, Langeliers has smacked one bomb. Also, the A’s are on the road, and all of his homers have been away from home.
Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBCSCA, SNY
Aaron Judge (+225)
Aaron Judge is the reigning MVP for a reason. He’s still one of the most feared hitters in the sport, and Judge is up to three home runs so far.
The Rays send Nick Martinez to the mound today, and Judge is 2-for-5 against him with a long ball.
The slugger has two homers on the road, and one of his three bombs has been against right-handed hurlers.
While Martinez has a solid 2.25 ERA through two outings, he’s already allowed two dingers.
Time: 6:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: YES, Rays.TV
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
HR picks: 4-14, +1.32 units
Today’s HR parlay
Crow-Armstrong
Bet Now +18503
Langeliers
Judge
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
LOS ANGELES — Max Muncy was in Dave Roberts’ ear in Toronto this week, telling the Los Angeles Dodgers manager that he was getting close to producing hits.
He delivered in a big way.
The 35-year-old third baseman hit three home runs in a game for the second time in his career, including a walk-off shot in the ninth inning, rallying the Dodgers past the Texas Rangers 8-7 Friday night.
“I still think about the first time I did it,” Muncy said. “To get the win on top of it, it’s great.”
Muncy’s power display came on a night when Shohei Ohtani’s bobblehead paid homage to the four-time MVP’s three-homer outing in Game 4 of last year’s NL Championship Series.
“He’s just playing the heck out of third base, he’s taking good at-bats and right now he’s had a good start,” Roberts said.
Muncy’s first homer in the second inning was his 211th as a Dodger. He overtook Steve Garvey for sole possession of third place on Los Angeles’ career list with his second shot in the fourth. He trails only Ron Cey (228) and Eric Karros (270).
“Garvey is kind of a Dodger icon, the way he carried himself, the way he played the game, just a model of consistency,” Muncy said. “He really embodied what being a Dodger was and so to pass him, it’s something that’s really, really special to me. Hopefully, I can keep climbing.”
Muncy is the first player with three home runs, including a walk-off, since Jack Suwinski on June 19, 2022, and the second Dodger since Don Demeter in 1959.
He finished 4-for-5 with five runs and three RBIs in his 20th career multihomer game. His walk-off homer was his sixth such hit and seventh walk-off RBI with the Dodgers. Now in his ninth season, he’s the longest-tenured current player on the roster.
The Dodgers gave Muncy a one-year contract extension in the offseason that keeps him under team control through 2028, which Roberts believes freed his mind and allowed him to focus on playing.
“He knows that we believe in him and we’ve showed that many times over, so I think there’s some peace with that,” Roberts said.
In 2021, Muncy suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament and a dislocated left elbow on the last day of the regular season in a collision at first base. It caused him to miss the entire postseason and required a slow rehab process into the start of 2022.
“I just feel healthy, that’s kind of the most important thing right now,” he said. “I feel like I’m moving really well, I feel like I’m getting good reads on the ball. Most important, my feet are moving on every ground ball and that’s something I’ve always struggled with in the past. I just get stuck a little bit and that puts me in bad position on certain hops.”
Muncy came into spring training 17 pounds lighter after watching his diet in the offseason. His biggest sacrifice was cutting back on bread.
“That’s a hard thing in our family,” he said. “We really love bread.”
Instead of focusing on strength training, he emphasized mobility and running to improve his range.
“I’ve always said when I can drive the ball to left-center, that’s when my swing is at my best,” he said. “That’s telling me what I’m doing is in a really good spot.”
Editor’s note: We just wrote about Teixeira a couple months ago as part of our “50 Most Notable Yankees Free Agent Signings in 50 Years” series. Seeing no need to reinvent the wheel and with no better Yankees candidates for April 11th (apologies to Pete Kozma and Wally Whitehurst), this is an oh-so-slightly edited rerun.
The 2009 season marked a transitional year for the Yankees, coming off the final season in the original Yankee Stadium and the team’s first season without a postseason appearance since 1995. The team’s aging core was still producing, but veteran slugger Jason Giambi’s contract expired after the season, leaving a hole at the cold corner.
Thankfully, there was a marquee first baseman available on the market: Mark Teixeira. The switch-hitting slugger and Gold Glover was coming off an MVP-caliber season — he had been traded from the Braves to the Angels at the trade deadline, which wiped out his vote share because of the change in leagues. Several teams attempted to woo Teixeira, but the Yankees were ultimately successful, inking him to an eight-year pact. Tex would be one of the most important contributors to the 2009 team which baptized the new Yankee Stadium with the franchise’s 27th championship. While he struggled with injuries on the back half of the deal, he was a fearsome presence in the heart of the Yankee lineup for most of those eight years.
Mark Charles Teixeira Born: April 11, 1980 (Annapolis, MD) Yankees Tenure: 2009-16
Teixeira was born 46 years ago today in Annapolis and attended Mount St. Joseph High School in Baltimore. He excelled enough there for the Red Sox to take a flyer on him with a ninth-round pick in the 1998 Draft, but he chose to honor his commitment to Georgia Tech, where he became one of the top college hitters in the country.
Now a consensus first-round talent, Teixeira was selected fifth overall in 2001 by the rebuilding Texas Rangers. It wouldn’t take long for him to blossom in the bigs. He made the Rangers’ roster out of spring training in 2003 and from that point forward was a lock to slug at least 25 home runs a season. By 2005, he had already exceeded 100 career homers, reached the All-Star Game, and taken home a pair of Silver Sluggers as well as a Gold Glove. But he wouldn’t reach the postseason until 2008, at which point Teixeira had been traded at the deadline twice in as many seasons; first from the Rangers to the Braves for a king’s ransom, then from Atlanta to the Angels.
That offseason, Teixeira entered free agency as the best hitter on the market. The Angels were interested in bringing him back, but several other teams made big offers. The Red Sox, who had drafted him back in high school, were in the mix — though Teixeira had vocally criticized Boston in the past for their pre-draft negotiations with him. The Nationals and Orioles both tried for the Marylander who grew up close to both Baltimore and DC.
Eventually, the Angels and Red Sox got cold feet, providing an opening for the Yankees. Teixeira, who idolized Don Mattingly growing up, ultimately chose the Bronx as the place to continue his career. The eight-year, $180 million agreement, announced right before the holidays, was made official on January 6th. Teixeira joined starting pitchers CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett as part of a gargantuan free agent haul as the team awaited the grand opening of the brand new Yankee Stadium.
Teixeira proved a perfect fit in the Bronx, providing a strong baseline of production at the plate with sterling first-base defense, but also capable of entering incendiary stretches in which he was impossible to pitch to. Like the rest of the team, Teixiera took a bit to get going in April, but was the AL’s best hitter in May, smashing 13 home runs with a .330/.391/.748 slash line. He made the All-Star Game and then was an even better hitter in the second half, finishing the year with 39 homers and 122 RBI. He finished second in MVP voting behind Minnesota’s Joe Mauer.
Mauer and the Twins, of course, would meet Teixeira and the Bombers in the ALDS. The Yankees took Game 1, but Game 2 would be a battle requiring extra innings. In the bottom of the 11th, Teixeira smashed a line drive down the left field line and over the wall for a walk-off home run to put New York in the driver’s seat.
Teixeira struggled in the playoffs despite the early highlight, but the Yankees took down his former team, the Angels, in the ALCS, and hosted the Phillies in the World Series. After Philadelphia snatched the series lead in Game 1, a homer from Teixeira off Pedro Martinez tied Game 2 and lit the spark for an eventual Yankee win. Finally in Game 6, Tex provided an RBI single in the fifth to help bring the Commissioner’s Trophy back to the Bronx.
The Yankees would not return to the Fall Classic again during Teixeira’s tenure, but his presence at the heart of the order helped extend a window which appeared to be closing before his arrival. In 2010, he registered another strong season, with an .856 OPS, 33 home runs, and his second Gold Glove in as many seasons at first base. Unfortunately, Teixeira struggled again in the playoffs before a hamstring injury put him on the shelf. The Rangers, the franchise which had drafted him nine years before and was now a powerhouse, kicked the Yankees out in the ALCS in six games.
In 2012, Teixeira began to struggle with injuries. He suffered from a persistent cough that plagued him throughout the early part of the season, then endured a pair of DL stints for calf injuries late in the season. He returned in time for the postseason and hit well, but with no home runs, and the Yankees were swept by the Tigers in a demoralizing ALCS.
That marked the final postseason run of Teixeira’s career. The Yankees entered a somnambulant period after 2012, overloaded with veterans who couldn’t stay on the field. Teixeira was one of them, only playing 15 games in 2013 after injuring his wrist during the World Baseball Classic. In 2014, Teixeira’s production dropped as he again dealt with hamstring and wrist injuries. New York missed the postseason both years.
Entering the 2015 season, it appeared Tex’s halcyon days had come to an end. But in his age-35 campaign, the embattled first baseman authored a terrific comeback campaign, returning to the All-Star Game for the first time since ‘09. He finished the year with 31 home runs, a total which would have been even higher had it not been for August 17th. That night, with the Twins in town, Teixeira fouled a ball off his leg and staggered out of the box. He left the game and was diagnosed with a bone bruise, but after several weeks of tests and negative X-rays, was finally found to have suffered a shin fracture. That would spell the end of what had been a stirring resurgence.
Then, at last, came 2016, the final year of Teixeira’s deal. His final ride was an unproductive slog, in which his average hovered around .200 and his formerly prodigious power wilted, even as he slugged his 400th career homer on July 4th in San Diego. In August, he announced in a press conference that he would retire at the end of the season. But he did have one last magical moment in him: a walk-off grand slam against the Red Sox in one of the final games of his career.
The main objective for Teixeira in coming to New York was to win. He did, right away, playing an instrumental role on a championship team. Despite failing to return to the mountaintop in his successive years in the Bronx, Teixeira provided high-quality play on offense and defense for as long as his body would allow him to do so. He retired as an accomplished and dedicated 14-year major leaguer with nothing left to prove.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
The Hens lost an early lead in the middle innings, and a late push fell short on Friday night.
After a quiet start to this one, Ben Malgeri singled with one out in the bottom of the third, and Max Clark followed by drawing a walk. Hao-Yu Lee banged a single up the middle to plate Malgeri, and Jace Jung smoked a drive to the wall in right field for an RBI double, scoring Clark. 2-0 Hens.
Unfortunately, that lead didn’t hold up in the middle innings as starter RHP Dylan File and RHP Cole Waites each allowed a pair of runs in the fourth and fifth innings. It could have been worse for Waites, but Max Clark cut down Alan Roden at home plate to save that run and get the second out before Waites escaped the inning.
Eric Wagaman hits an RBI single to center but Max Clark throws Alan Roden out at home. It’s Clark’s 5th outfield assist of the season. pic.twitter.com/0ZCaQnaCrk
RHP Tanner Rainey and LHP Konnor Pilkington each gave the Hens two good innings of work to set up a comeback. They got runners on base in the sixth, but Malgeri flew out to end the inning. In the seventh, the Loons bid to prevent Max Clark from getting a hit failed as he led off with a single. Lee took a called strike three, but Clark stole second for his sixth steal of the season. Unfortunately, Jung popped out and Eduardo Valencia struck out.
The Loons got the first two outs of the ninth, but Clark got a 1-0 curveball down and smoked it to right center field for a triple. The relay went awry, and Clark scored on the play to make it 4-3, but Lee flew out to end it.
Max Clark rips a triple into the right-center gap and then comes home on the errant throw to pull the Mud Hens within one run with 2 outs in the 9th. pic.twitter.com/zCnUUyjU1d
Kenny Serwa took another beating in this one, and the bats were pretty quiet as the Baysox took a 3-1 lead in the series.
Serwa gave up a leadoff homer in the second, and that led into a five run inning for Chesapeake against the knuckleballer.
Joe Campagna walked to lead off the third, and he would eventually score on a John Peck groundout to make it 5-1 early in this one, but Serwa allowed another run in the third before finishing his outing with a clean fourth.
In the fifth, Campagna doubled and eventually scored on a Seth Stephenson grounder that went from an error as they desperately tried to rush to get the lightning fast outfielder at first.
In the sixth, Andrew Jenkins and Izaac Pacheco walked before scoring on a Justice Bigbie double to make it 6-4 Baysox.
John Stankiewicz took over in the seventh, but he got in trouble with a wild pitch and a Peck error before giving up a three-run blast in a four-run inning for the Baysox that made it 10-4.
Tanner Kohlhepp allowed a run in the eighth. In the ninth, Campagna hit a two-run shot to make the score a little more respectable. The 29-year-old shortstop bounced around Indy ball for years, occasionally playing in the minor leagues before the Tigers signed him for some depth this offseason.
Congratulations to Joe Campagna on his first home run in affiliated ball. It’s a 2-run shot that pulls Erie back within five. pic.twitter.com/0EIg0Gifnb
Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:35 p.m. ET start on Saturday, with the Baysox leading the series 3-1.
Great Lakes Loons 3, West Michigan Whitecaps 2 (box)
Lucas Ellisalt wasn’t particularly sharp on Friday night, and the Whitecaps bats were very quiet as the Loons took a 3-1 series lead.
Both offenses were quiet out of the gate, but in the third, a one-out single from the Loons’ Jose Izarra got them started. Elissalt got a fly out, but four straight singles made it 3-0 before he got out of the inning.
Woody Hadeen got a run back in the bottom half as he walked with one out and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Jackson Strong struck out, but Garrett Pennington walked as well, and Richardo Hurtado singled in Hadeen to make it 3-1.
Elissalt spun a 1-2-3 fourth, and Patrick Lee immediately crushed a solo shot to dead center to make it 3-2. Patrick Lee has 70 speed, a 70 arm, and at least 60 power. Please, oh baseball gods, let this man hit. Unlikely, as Lee had to find a path through Indy Ball just to reach the minor leagues, but it would sure be fun.
Lefty Ethan Sloan, along with Carlos Lequerica and Logan Berrier, shut down the Tortugas offense entirely the rest of the way, but the Whitecaps weren’t not swinging a hot bat either. They never threatened again.
Lee: 1-4, R, RBI, HR, K
Hadeen: 1-3, R, BB, K
Elissalt (L, 0-1): 4.0 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, BB, 5 K
Coming Up Next: The Whitecaps and Loons play at 2:00 p.m. ET on Saturday and Sunday. No respect for the Masters at all, smdh.
The Flying Tigers cannot be contained right now. They moved to 7-0 on the young season behind another strong outing from 2025 second rounder, Malachi Witherspoon, and the longest home run I can ever remember a Tigers prospect hitting off the bat of shortstop Bryce Rainer.
Witherspoon have come right out throwing gas as hoped, and he was an easy 96 mph in the first inning, carving up two Tortugas swinging with some good cutters in the mix. He was up over 97 mph in a quick 1-2-3 second inning. In the third, he got the first out but walked Ichiro Cano and hit Drew Davies to push a runner into scoring position. He got a one-hopper back to himself and recorded the second out, but a single followed for a 1-0 Daytona lead. That was the only blemish on Witherspoon’s card as he breezed through the fourth and the Tigers called it a day as they slowly build up his pitch count.
Here’s a little Zach MacDonald highlight along the way.
After Witherspoon departed, the Tigers third ranked prospect, Bryce Rainer stepped in looking for his first home run of the young season. Rainer has been fine, but after missing the best part of a year to shoulder surgery, he’s been working his way back into things slowly and drawing a ton of walks. He didn’t walk this time, destroying a 96.7 mph fastball and hitting it 477 feet beyond the center field wall. That ball left the bat at 116.2 mph, which few even in the majors can match. With the Artemis II crew splashing down off the coast of Florida at around the same time, the jokes wrote themselves.
Tyler Owens took over from Witherspoon to continue his rehab work, and he collected the next five outs, allowing just one hit. Eliseo Mota did better, spinning 2 1/3 perfect innings with four strikeouts.
The score was knotted at 1-1 until the bottom of the 8th, when Nolan McCarthy drew a walk. He promptly stole second base and took third as the throw sailed into center field. Anibal Salas struck out, and Jack Goodman waked and stole second as Rainer was called out on strikes. The run was then balked in anyway to give Lakeland a 2-1 lead.
Xiomer Guacache, what a great name btw, came on in the top of the ninth and quickly racked up three outs, the last a swinging strike three, to end it and earn his first save of the season.
Rainer: 1-4, R, RBI, HR, 2 SO
McCarthy: 0-1, R, 2 BB, SB
Witherspoon: 4.0 IPO, ER, H, BB, 4 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:00 p.m. ET start in Lakeland on Saturday as the Flying Tigers look to make it 8-0.
— Podziemski’s Gravity (@currysnotafraud) April 11, 2026
The viral social media account @currysnotafraud has been inactive since Nov. 24, 2024, due to Podziemski’s inability to score 30 points. That all changed Friday night.
— Podziemski’s Gravity (@currysnotafraud) April 11, 2026
Social media has been giving Podziemski a hard time all season, and it snowballed to seemingly being booed at Oracle Park in early April.
Fans have been reluctant to appreciate the efforts Podziemski has contributed this season, having played in all 81 games so far.
The third-year guard out of Santa Clara reached his career-high during garbage time of a 124-118 loss to the Kings, but Podziemski has been close to the 30-point mark on several occasions.
Reaching 25 or more points eight times this season, Podziemski picked up the slack with superstar Steph Curry out for a chunk of the season.
Curry was sidelined with runner’s knee for 27 consecutive games, but is now back just in time for the NBA play-in.
In order for the Warriors to make some noise in the playoffs, Podziemski is going to have to continue posting quality numbers with another 30-point game possibly on the horizon.
Apr 10, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Clay Holmes (35) delivers a pitch against the Athletics during the first inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
En route to a 4-0 loss to the City-less Athletics, Mets’ starter Clay Holmes left the game in the sixth inning with ‘left hamstring tightness.’ Holmes expressed optimism after the game that he could make his next scheduled start, calling the injury “nothing major.” Manager Carlos Mendoza said that how Holmes feels today will determine their course of action going forward.
Even with last night’s abbreviated start, Holmes has looked quite good in his second year as a starer. Over 18 innings thrown, he’s allowed just three earned runs on 12 hits striking out 12 and walking eight. While his 3.87 FIP is showing that his 1.50 ERA might be a bit of a fluke, Holmes has been the third most effective Mets’ starter thus far after Nolan McLean and Kodai Senga.
The only blemish against Holmes in last night’s start was a Shea Langeliers RBI single in the third inning. Holmes was pulled in the top of the sixth with one out after 81 pitches.
The Mets have been bit by the injury bug already this season, with Juan Soto currently on the Injured List with a calf injury and Jorge Polanco missing time with a hamstring injury.
If Holmes does go on the IL, the Mets will have an interesting decision to make. With Sean Manaea and last night’s goat Tobias Myers both acting as long men right now, one of them would likely be called upon to start. However, Manaea’s diminished velocity and walk rate are huge red flags, and the Mets may not want to put him in that role. Christian Scott and Jonah Tong are both available from Triple-A, but the Mets likely wouldn’t want to disrupt their progress for a spot start or two. Hopefully, this is a moot point and Holmes makes his next scheduled start.
Senga takes the hill for the Mets this afternoon against Jacob Lopez for the A’s.
24 September 2014: Dodgers third base coach Davey Lopes consoles with Los Angeles Dodgers Second base Dee Gordon (9) [7422] after being pulled from the game during a Major League Baseball game between the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Chris Williams/Icon Sportswire/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Davey Lopes, the Dodgers infield fixture who spent over 50 years in baseball, died on Wednesday at age 80. Here are a few more remembrances of his life and career.
Lopes’ former teammates and fellow members of The Infield that played together for 8 1/2 seasons Ron Cey and Steve Garvey talked with Jack Harris at the California Post: “He controlled the game at times with his base-stealing capabilities,” Cey said. “He wreaked havoc on defenses … His contributions were immense.”
From former Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti, who hired Lopes to coach first base in Los Angeles: “Davey was a winner in life & on the field. After an outstanding playing career, he became a coach – the best 1st base coach I ever saw: secondary leads, pitch tips, cutting your steps 1st to 3rd…he looked and taught players to look for every advantage. 1 of 1.”
From former Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner: “Such a straight shooter and a great baseball mind. I’ll never forget being on 1st base for 3 or 4 pitches and him looking right at me and saying, ‘What the hell are you waiting for? Go!’”
From former Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp: “Thank you Davey for being one of the best mentors ever. I can still hear him saying ‘If you don’t steal this base right now, I’m gonna kick your ass!!’ Rest easy.”
From Tim Kurkjian’s article on baserunning at ESPN: “[Johnny] Bench said the best baserunner he ever saw was ex-Dodger Davey Lopes, who was adept at getting a good lead and reading the pitcher.”
Of the 82 major league players born in Rhode Island, Lopes has the fourth-highest Baseball Reference WAR (42.4), behind only Hall of Famers Nap Lajoie, Gabby Hartnett, and Hugh Duffy. Stephen Rosa for the Boston Globe wrote, “For many of us, Davey Lopes was more than a great athlete. He was an example. He was an inspiration. And for a lot of us, he was one of the first people who made success feel real.”
When it comes to Lopes, his impact on the team’s running game was undeniable. During his tenure with the team, the Phillies were the best baserunning team in baseball. It showed up in the traditional stats like stolen bases, where Lopes’ expertise in analyzing the opposing pitchers made them the most efficient team around (84% success rate). It also showed up in the other things that make baserunners good. Fangraphs tracks different advanced baserunning stats with their publicly available information. The Phillies of 2007-2010 were the best in several of these categories, including wSB (stolen bases and caught stealing runs above average – 43.8), speed score (5.3) and baserunning runs (77.5).
Pete Crow-Armstrong
Shea Langeliers
Aaron Judge
