ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MARCH 31: Aaron Civale #45 of the Athletics pitches against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning at Truist Park on March 31, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This past weekend, the Athletics won their first series of the season, taking two of three at home. The A’s and Houston Astros traded blowout wins in the first two games of the weekend series before the hosts clinched the series with a win on Easter Sunday. Designated hitter Brent Rooker’s three-run, walk-off home run in the bottom of the tenth inning won a game in which his team twice gave up leads. The A’s offense had to consistently rise to the occasion to overcome their pitchers allowing an MLB-high 24 walks in those three games.
The A’s schedule does not get any easier. Following those three home games, the team heads to New York City for a weeklong trip. Tonight marks the first of three games against the New York Yankees followed by three at the New York Mets. Both of these teams are off to strong starts this season and carry payrolls double the A’s. It will be difficult, but the team has the chance to make some early noise should they win at least one of these series.
Right-hander Aaron Civale is set to make his second start of the season this evening. The veteran right-hander picked up the win in his A’s debut, only allowing two runs in five innings pitched in the A’s first victory of the season March 31 against the Atlanta Braves. Having successfully navigated the tough Braves lineup, he looks to win his second straight start. However, the Yankees lineup led by reigning American League MVP Aaron Judge presents a major challenge for Civale to overcome.
Here’s the Athletics lineup for the opener in the Bronx:
Today’s A’s lineup features all of the regular starters in their main spots in the batting order. Nick Kurtz, who is once again hitting leadoff, started to heat up in Sacramento, collecting two hits and three walks in Sunday’s game. It would be surprising if Kurtz does not hit his first home run this series as Yankee Stadium’s short porch in right field is incredibly appealing to left-handed power hitters.
The Athletics offense seeks to keep rolling tonight, yet runs may be harder to come by against Yankees starting pitcher Cam Schlittler. Last season, Schlittler recorded a 2.96 ERA in his first 14 MLB starts. He then threw eight shutout innings in game three of the Yankees wild card series against the Boston Red Sox. This season, Schlittler has raised his game to another level. The 25-year-old has won his first two starts, striking out 15 in 11 2/3 scoreless innings. The A’s will need to take advantage of the opportunities he gives them today. That means jumping on mistake pitches, not chasing pitches outside the strike zone and maybe playing some small ball rather than every batter swinging for the fences.
The Yankees starting lineup behind Schlittler shakes out like this:
Civale must be careful pitching to this lineup. Judge and first baseman Ben Rice already have three home runs off him in their careers. Those two plus Cody Bellinger and Giancarlo Stanton will be poised to take advantage of any mistakes Civale makes in his outing.
Can the A’s make it two wins in a row and capture the first game of this series between two historic American League franchises? Let’s go A’s!
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JANUARY 9: Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors handles the ball as Maxime Raynaud #42 of the Sacramento Kings plays defense during the game on January 9, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors look to snap their four-game losing streak as they host the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night. The game is scheduled for 7:00 PM PT in San Francisco and can be watched on NBC Sports Bay Area.
The Warriors lost another close one on Sunday night, falling 117–116 to the Houston Rockets. Despite the loss, the night was highlighted by the return of Steph Curry, who had missed the team’s previous 27 games. Curry logged 26 minutes in his return, finishing with a team-high 29 points on 11-of-21 shooting from the field.
Despite the loss, Steph was electric in his return!
On the other side, Golden State battled former Warrior Kevin Durant who led both teams in scoring with 31 points. He, along with Alperen Şengün (24 points), who knocked down the go-ahead basket late in regulation, powered Houston to their sixth win in a row. Meanwhile, the loss dropped the Warriors to 36–42, officially securing their first below-.500 finish since 2021.
With the emotions of Curry’s return now behind them, the Warriors look to build some rhythm heading into the postseason, beginning with Tuesday’s matchup against Sacramento. Curry is expected to suit up again, though he will likely remain on a minutes restriction, according to ESPN’s Anthony Slater. Golden State’s frontcourt depth, however, remains a concern as Kristaps Porzingis is listed as questionable, while Al Horford, Quinten Post, and Gui Santos have already been ruled out.
Steph Curry is listed as probable for tonight's Warriors game against the Kings @NBCSWarriors
Kristaps Porzingis (right knee soreness) is questionable, and Gui Santos (right pelvic contusion) is OUT
There were encouraging signs from Curry, who said after Sunday’s game that he “felt good” both physically and mentally. The next step will be reacclimating him within this current iteration of the Warriors—particularly alongside Porzingis—if the Warriors hope to generate any real momentum in their last four games before the play-in tournament.
CLEVELAND, OH - APRIL 07: Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Gavin Williams (32) delivers a pitch to the plate during the fourth inning of the Major League Baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and Cleveland Guardians on April 7, 2026, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Cleveland Guardians faced off in game 2 of the 3 game series against the Kansas City Royals. In what was meant to be a later game, the rescheduled day time affair saw great pitching and a walk off victory.
Gavin Williams continues to cement himself as the front runner for the role of Ace. Gavin threw 102 pitches, giving up the only Royals run and hit as a solo shot. In 5.2 innings of work, Williams allowed only one hit, five walks, and struck out eight.
Despite this all, the Guardians pitching staff did struggle with giving the Royals free bases. In total the Royals drew eight walks; 5 from Williams, 1 from Herrin, and 2 from Armstrong. Erik Sabrowski though, he continued to dominate with a clean 15 pitch seventh inning. He threw 10 strikes and faced 3 batters.
José had a nice defensive gem to nab the speedy Bobby Witt Jr. at first base.
Cleveland offense out hit the Royals 8-1 with the entire bench exhausted over the duration of the game. Steven Kwan went 1-for-4 with a two-out RBI single that scored a hustling Austin Hedges from second base.
Austin Hedges continued his version of a hot start, going 1-for-3 with a run and a single.
The two biggest hits of the game came in the second and the ninth innings. Juan Brito made his long awaited major league debut as Gabriel Arias was placed on the 10-day IL. Brito slapped a double in his first major league at bat.
In the bottom of the ninth, with the game tied, the Royals sent Nick Mears to the mound to face the 6-7-8 batters. CJ Kayfus started things with a one-out single to right field. Bo Naylor drew a walk, advancing Kayfus to scoring position. Brayan Rocchio, with an even count, knocked a low 80’s changeup to Lane Thomas in right field to walk it off for Cleveland.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 06: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks dunks against Dyson Daniels #5 and Gabe Vincent #4 of the Atlanta Hawks during the first quarter at State Farm Arena on April 06, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s been a whirlwind of a season for Karl-Anthony Towns.
In training camp, he turned heads by stating that he was trying to figure out his role in Mike Brown’s offense. Then, after an uneven start, he played genuinely bad basketball for several weeks. His touches decreased, he got frustrated with his offensive whistle, and just seemed to be pressing. There were games where his body language would’ve made any kinesiologist faint. I try not to write articles that just attack how a player is performing, but I got as close to being the irrational fan I hate after that loss to the Kings in January.
Towns was a relatively surprising all-star selection in early February, given how rough his play has been, but that seemed to wake him up. He’s played great basketball since, even if he isn’t the consistent 25-and-12 guy he was last season.
Mike Brown has never really had the services of a big man like KAT. He’s coached some great bigs: Shaq and Big Z when coaching the Cavs, Dwight Howard (very briefly) in LA, Domantas Sabonis with the Kings, etc. But overall, the center position has usually been reserved for non-all-stars who play a role. The closest thing he’s ever had to KAT is Tim Duncan when he was an assistant under Gregg Popovich, but Duncan played power forward and had a completely different playstyle.
Trying to turn Towns into Sabonis, the most skilled *center* that Brown had ever coached, has been a roller coaster. There are fewer plays run for him, less emphasis on his skills, and his coaching style is much more predicated on spraying to open shooters, rather than leaning on your two all-stars to create offense as Tom Thibodeau did. With Jalen Brunson being the team’s initiator and Towns as the center, you do the math.
And while he reiterated very recently that he’s still very unsure in his role, his play as of late seems to suggest he’s found a groove at the best possible time. Since February 3, he’s averaging a modest 20.5 points and 11.9 rebounds, which don’t seem like improvements, but his shooting splits are up to 56.6/39.6/85.6. His true shooting percentage was 59.2% through the beginning of February; it’s 66.3% since.
He’s embraced being a playmaking hub of his own when he has the ball at the top of the key. Of his seven games this season with at least six assists, five of them have come since March 1. He’s been playing clean, efficient, team basketball, even if he’s still committing some baffling offensive fouls.
There are several encouraging signs with Towns’ game as the playoffs approach, but the one that’s stood out the most to me is how he’s responded to mismatches. As we know, teams are electing to put their bigs on Josh Hart to frustrate Towns with lanky, defensively disciplined wings. Most games, KAT has mismatches that sometimes get exploited, but others lead to offensive stagnation.
A few times recently, though, Towns is attacking the mismatch. He’s especially aggressive when the team is in an offensive funk. Against the Thunder in OKC, the Knicks were fading fast against the defending champs when Towns began to bully Alex Caruso in the post to re-invigorate the offense. A few fouls later, OKC had to change strategies. The Knicks came up short, but the aggressiveness was notable.
Last night against Atlanta, Towns was being guarded by Onyeka Okongwu, who serves as Atlanta’s undersized center. When the Hawks went up 10 in the third quarter and threatened to break the game open, Towns went to work in the post and dragged the Knicks back into a game they eventually won. By the end of the game, the Hawks were having to account for the mismatch and elected to let Brunson go up against Nickeil Alexander-Walker and CJ McCollum one-on-one, which ended poorly for them.
Knicks continue to lean on Karl-Anthony Towns, getting the payoff of the Hawks keeping a 5 on him. Went with double P&R (almost stepups_, Hart and KAT as screeners
-Hawks go late switch vs. KAT's pop, drive + finish -Next time Okongwu at the level and recovers, drive + finish pic.twitter.com/OxIkZPRzAs
We saw it with the Rockets, which was one of Towns’ less efficient games of late. If nobody can step up and be enough of a threat outside of Brunson, teams will blitz him to get the ball out of his hands. If KAT is cooking, teams will have to adjust. If OG Anunoby looks as aggressive as he was last night as well, it changes the dynamic.
There are multiple potential playoff matchups where teams will rely on smaller players to guard Towns. The Raptors have Jakob Poeltl, but could elect to throw Scottie Barnes on him. It seems doubtful the Sixers will over-extend Embiid to KAT’s range, so the pesky Dominick Barlow could. Moussa Diabate is a very good defensive big man, but he’s two inches shorter and 35 pounds lighter. Wendell Carter Jr. is also a smaller big man. Even potential later-round matchups like Detroit, Boston, and Cleveland can. We’ve seen guys like Tobias Harris and Derrick White defend him in the past.
The Knicks need an efficient and confident Karl-Anthony Towns if they want to make the run that the city has been dreaming about. Anything less might not give the team enough to get over the hump.
Southampton continued their Championship charge as they thrashed Wrexham 5-1 to replace the Welsh side in the playoff places.
Fuelled by their stunning weekend FA Cup quarter-final triumph over Arsenal, Tonda Eckert’s in-form side flew out of the traps at Stōk Cae Ras with early goals from Kuryu Matsuki and Flynn Downes, having already hit the woodwork twice.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 29: Oneil Cruz #15 of the Pittsburgh Pirates shakes hands after winning the game against the New York Mets at Citi Field on March 29, 2026 in the Queens borough of New York City. The Pittsburgh Pirates won 4-3. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
San Diego Padres vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, April 7, 2026, 6:40 p.m. ET
Location: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, Sportsnet Pittsburgh
The Pittsburgh Pirates are at home hosting the San Diego Padres this evening at beautiful PNC Park for a three-game series in Pittsburgh.
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PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 6: Nick Castellanos #21 of the San Diego Padres celebrates after hitting an RBI double during the fourth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on April 6, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) | Getty Images
San Diego Padres (5-5) at Pittsburgh Pirates (6-4), April 7, 2026, 3:40 p.m. PST
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As the Ottawa Senators get ready to take on the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night at Canadian Tire Centrer, the Atlantic Division leaders have run into late-season injury issues.
The Lightning are on a back-to-back after a loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Monday night. So fatigue, along with some key injuries and absences, may begin to take its toll in Ottawa.
Tampa will again be with star defenseman Victor Hedman. On Thursday, he was placed on long-term injured reserve following a March 25 announcement that he would be taking a temporary leave of absence for personal reasons.
Forwards Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli, who were both named to Canada's Olympic roster in February, are listed as day-to-day and not expected to play on Tuesday night. Both were out of the lineup on Monday night vs Buffalo.
Pontus Holmberg, Hedman's Olympic teammate, is also out after colliding headfirst into an unlatched penalty box door as a Sabres player was about to leave the sin bin.
“I don't know who's working the penalty box over there," head coach Jon Cooper told the media after the game. "But I don't know if they should keep their job after what happened there. Like... leaving the door open.”
The Lightning have responded by calling up Syracuse forwards Conor Geekie, Jakob Pelletier and Dylan Duke to the active roster. They also reassigned Mitchell Chaffee to Syracuse. Geekie and Pelletier are both expected to play in Ottawa.
Another Olympian, Brayden Point, is probably feeling a bit sore after slamming hard into the Buffalo goal post on Monday night. But he finished the game and had a full media session afterward, so there's no reason to think he won't play.
Both Nikita Kucherov and Nick Paul, who didn't play against the Senators in Tampa on March 28, are now back in the Tampa lineup, so that offsets things quite a bit. The Lightning won that game over the Senators, 4-2.
The last time the Sens faced a tired team in a back-to-back that was this banged up was exactly one week ago against the Florida Panthers. Not only did the Senators fail to take advantage of their opponent's troubles, but they were also destroyed by the Panthers, falling behind 5-0 in the first period.
So even though the Bolts won't have Hedman, Hagel, Cirelli, or Holmberg (they'll also trot out their backup goalie, Jonas Johansson), the Sens' recent history serves as a reminder that every NHL team, no matter what state they're in, has a chance to be a big problem for them.
NEWARK, N.J. — The Flyers had no problem keeping their foot on the gas Tuesday night in their quest to end a five-year playoff drought.
They took care of the Devils, 5-1, at Prudential Center.
Trevor Zegras stunned New Jersey with two goals in the first 3:38 minutes of the game. Tyson Foerster then added two goals during the second period, giving him three in his four games back from an arm injury that cost him four months.
“We’ve missed him all year,” Owen Tippett said. “He has put in the hard work to get back in time. I think part of that kind of relied on us, too. It’s great to see him back out there smiling and having a good time.”
Nick Seeler buried an empty-netter from long range to close things out.
“These are the games that you want to play with each other and for each other,” Seeler said. “It has been a blast. I think this group has come together since the Olympic break more than ever.”
Zegras finished with a three-point night. Matvei Michkov assisted both of Foerster’s goals. The Flyers improved to 9-0-0 this season when Michkov records a multi-point game.
Just two days after moving into playoff position, the Flyers (40-26-12) didn’t squander the momentum. They built on it, winning their third straight and for the 15th time in the last 21 games (15-5-1).
The Flyers swept the Devils (40-35-3) in their three-game regular-season series, outscoring New Jersey 16-7.
• Rick Tocchet’s club stayed in the driver’s seat Tuesday night.
With four games remaining, the Flyers still hold the final playoff spot (third place) in the Metropolitan Division.
They remained two points up on the Blue Jackets, who rallied for a 4-3 shootout win Tuesday night over the Red Wings. The Islanders were idle, so the Flyers padded their lead on New York to three points.
The Flyers also extended their lead on the Capitals to five points.
“We believed all year that we could be in this position,” Tippett said. “The job’s not done yet, we’ve got to continue going. We’re having a lot of fun as a group in here.”
The Flyers entered Tuesday with a 57.4 percent chance to make the playoffs, according to Hockey-Reference.com’s probabilities report. That should increase come Wednesday morning.
“It feels like almost for a month now we’ve been playing must-win games,” Zegras said. “We’re definitely getting more comfortable and definitely settling in a little bit, for sure.”
• Dan Vladar continued to play like the Flyers’ backbone.
“Vladdy was outstanding,” Seeler said.
He converted 23 saves on 24 shots. The 28-year-old has given up just three goals over the Flyers’ three-game win streak.
With New Jersey on a second-period power play and trying to get back into the game, Vladar made four saves in the span of 31 seconds. That kept the Flyers ahead 4-1 at second intermission.
“Vladar made an unreal couple of saves on the PK,” Tocchet said. “Who knows if it goes in there, so I’ve got to give him a lot of credit.”
The Devils woke up after their bad start and Vladar had to deny nine shots in the first period. New Jersey scored when a shot ricocheted off Cody Glass in front, but the Flyers still led 2-1.
They restored order in the first five minutes of the second period.
Devils netminder Jacob Markstrom stopped 14 of 18 shots.
Tippett made a nifty stop-and-go move to record a secondary assist on the Flyers’ game-opening goal. Porter Martone assisted the second goal, which came on the power play. It was the 19-year-old’s fourth point in five games since he signed his entry-level deal.
“He’s a moose,” Zegras said. “For a young kid, he plays a very mature game. I’ve had a lot of fun playing with him and he has been a great addition to the power play.”
Travis Sanheim and Jamie Drysdale each had an assist on the night, as well.
• Zegras’ first goal gave him a new career high and the second added to it.
He now has 25 goals and he’s just one point away from passing his career high of 65 set with the Ducks in 2022-23.
“He wants to make the playoffs, he hasn’t played a playoff game,” Tocchet said. “I think he wants to prove a lot of people wrong. He has played with a chip on his shoulder this year and I love that he has played with a chip on his shoulder. He pushes the pace and he’s a real good locker room guy.”
• The Flyers had a rookie on three of their four lines.
Martone was on the second line, Alex Bump on the third and Denver Barkey on the fourth.
“Love seeing the young guys in these spots, how they’re dealing with it,” Tocchet said before the game. “They’re having fun, that’s the whole part of it. Don’t be scared of it; go attack it.”
• The Flyers are back in action Thursday when they visit the Red Wings (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP+).
Teddy Blueger wandered back to the Vancouver Canucks’ locker room around an hour after practice concluded on Monday afternoon. The rest of the stalls around his were draped with used gear.
The forward stayed out late to get some faceoff work under his belt, among other things, despite winning 70% of his draws in the previous game and averaging a win rate of 54.69% through the past five. It’s something that speaks to the forward’s desire to improve — something that mirrors his desire to remain in Vancouver, regardless of the position the team currently occupies in the NHL’s standings.
Ahead of the 2025–26 NHL Trade Deadline, Blueger spoke to Sportsnet on how he’d “love to stay” in Vancouver if things work out that way. When the deadline passed, Blueger remained a Canuck. This doesn’t mean things are completely settled when it comes to his future. Decisions will need to be made once the off-season hits, as Blueger’s contract will expire if not renewed by the Canucks by July 1.
If you look at all of the noise surrounding the Canucks — past locker room intrigue, 32nd place, and many other things — it’s likely players approaching in free agency may be tempted to turn and run the other way. But if you ask Blueger about his thoughts on staying, you’ll hear the exact opposite.
“[Staying] for however long I want, that’d be nice,” he joked during an interview with The Hockey News after practice on Monday. “Obviously, it’d mean a lot. I think we’ve been through a lot [...] and to continue to be part of this journey, and get an opportunity to have this down period, and to have an opportunity to see it through and come out on the other side, on top, and be able to compete for something and be a part of a playoff run here again, would be very, very special.”
There’s an irony to Blueger’s words on this particular topic, given the fact that when he said this, only a room or two away was the team that he once won the Stanley Cup with — the Vegas Golden Knights — back in 2022–23. Blueger has found success in this league before, with a team much, much stronger than the Canucks. But when reflecting on why he would want to stay with Vancouver long-term, it’s the thought of blue and white orca flags waving through the city or a packed building with white towels waving that first comes to mind.
“That playoff run we had a couple years ago, it was an incredible time. I think throughout the city, you just felt the energy and felt the people behind you. That’s something I think you don’t get everywhere. To be able to get to experience that again would be something special. Obviously, when you look at a group like this, you just see so much potential and so many good things that could happen here. Nothing’s guaranteed, and there’s a lot of work that needs to be put in. It’s not going to be a steady increase, like a steady climb. There’s going to be ups and downs still, but along the way. To have the opportunity to be a part of success here would be really special.”
Jan 23, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Teddy Blueger (53) and forward Drew O'Connor (18) celebrate Blueger’s goal against the New Jersey Devils in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
In some ways, gutting it out through a tough period to emerge successful makes victory taste even sweeter. The best possible example comes just down the highway where, a little less than a year ago, a gutsy Abbotsford Canucks team battled their way to the 2025 Calder Cup. If you want to win, you have to work for it, and that’s something Blueger acknowledges will be the case as the team settles into rebuild-mode.
“I think it takes some time for the group to kind of mold a new identity, a new kind of dynamic in the locker room. And I think there’s some leadership holes that have kind of gotten filled. [Filip Hronek], Marcus [Pettersson], and Brock [Boeser] have done a great job of that, and kind of trying to get everyone on the same page. I think there’s kind of a period of time where we have to develop some camaraderie, develop some unity, get to know each other better, a lot of new faces, a lot of change. So I think it’s taking time, but I think it’s gotten better. I think guys are getting along really well. We’re in that transition period of trying to build on something here.”
The Canucks have undergone so much change through the past couple of seasons that it becomes slightly shocking to realize that Blueger has only been with the team for three years now. Boeser (225), Hronek (218), Elias Pettersson (214), and Nils Höglander (184) are the only active Canucks to have played in more games than Blueger through the past three seasons. Having said that, these past three years, Blueger says, haven’t come without their lessons.
“I think especially this year, the past couple months since, guys like Myesy and Gar have gotten traded. I think it’s a lot. You really take a different perspective on the team, like all of a sudden, you look around and I’m the second oldest on the team, and I think you take into account team dynamics more. Just making sure we’re all on the same page, making sure everyone feels a part of it, and addressing the things that we feel like we need to improve as a group, some details, accountability, things like that, and trying to build on a certain set of values by which we all abide by. So I think you take a wider angle view, I guess, of not just taking care of yourself, but I think you have to involve everyone in team activities, make sure guys are being heard when something’s going on, and trying to mesh everyone together a little bit.”
For a player who, depending on how things go in the coming months, may not even be with the team by the time they finally find the success that so many hope for them to, Blueger certainly speaks with the commitment level of a long-tenured leader. He may not wear a letter on his chest, but as evidenced in his appearance on the leadership panel during Evander Kane’s 1000th NHL game celebration, the team clearly thinks of him as a leader. As the forward says, nothing is guaranteed — and that includes his role with the team moving ahead.
But maybe some things should be.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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CHICAGO, IL - NOVEMBER 22: Alexandre Sarr #20 of the Washington Wizards dunks the ball during the game against the Chicago Bulls on November 22, 2025 at United Center in Chicago, Illinois. 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Washington Wizards play the Chicago Bulls at 7 p.m. today. Watch the game on Monumental Sports Network.
Over the past month, as they’ve battled for NHL playoff positioning, the Ottawa Senators have had almost historically bad luck in the injury department.
Because of that, 12 different defencemen have suited up for the club during that stretch, but lately, the news has started to turn.
Steve Warne and Gregg Kennedy discuss Toim Stutzle's incredible goal on Sunday evening.
After the return of their number-one defenseman, Jake Sanderson, last week, there was another encouraging development on Tuesday. Thomas Chabot was back on the ice, skating with the team at its morning skate ahead of a massive game at Canadian Tire Centre against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Chabot underwent surgery after taking a cross-check to the forearm from J.T. Miller of the New York Rangers on March 23. At the time, Chabot was expected to miss four to eight weeks, so seeing him on the ice barely two weeks later comes as something of a surprise.
"Nice to see him on the ice," head coach Travis Green said. "Anytime a guy gets out there in a morning skate, you know he's not far off. And hopefully he's back soon."
But will he back back sooner than Green anticipates?
"It's definitely going to be sooner, whenever it is," Green said.
Chabot isn’t known as a particularly physical player, and he’s certainly not a fighter, but that doesn’t mean he lacks toughness. Getting back on the ice this quickly says plenty about his willingness to push through for his team at a critical time.
"He's one of the toughest players that I've coached or played with when it comes to playing through injuries," Green said. "It's quite amazing to be honest."
Chabot has certainly had practice, playing through a wrist injury for two seasons and change before finally getting it fixed surgically once and for all.
Sens defenseman Dennis Gilbert, who would also represent an upgrade in the Sens' bottom pairing, returned to practice Monday, and Green said he's getting close to returning as well. But then there's this...
TSN 1200 on Twitter
Despite that end-of-practice note, Green didn't mention any change in Gilbert's return-to-play status.
One other player to watch will be Tim Stutzle, who was in obvious pain and having his left shoulder worked on during Sunday's game.
With just five games remaining in the regular season, the Senators are clinging to the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with 90 points. They sit one point ahead of the New York Islanders, with a game in hand, while both the Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets are just two points back.
Steve Warne The Hockey News
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The Chicago Cubs, already off to an uneven start this season, will lose right-handed starter Cade Horton for the rest of the season due to elbow surgery, manager Craig Counsell announced on Tuesday, April 7.
Horton, 24, finished runner-up in 2025 Rookie of the Year voting after posting a 2.67 ERA over 22 starts, and likely has the most dominant repertoire of Cubs starters. He pitched into the seventh inning in defeating the Washington Nationals in his season debut March 31, but exited his second start against Cleveland after just one inning.
Now, a rotation that seemed plenty deep after the acquisition of Edward Cabrera from Miami in the off-season will be stretched to the limit.
Horton was preceded to the IL by lefty Matthew Boyd, a 2025 All-Star who suffered a biceps strain. Veteran right-hander Javier Assad was already recalled to take his roster spot.
Now, the club is counting significantly on the return of lefty Justin Steele from Tommy John surgery performed almost exactly a year ago. Steele eyed a May return, but the Cubs placed him on the 60-day IL to begin the year, making that goal a tad ambitious.
And it also puts a greater onus on lefty Shota Imanaga to return to his 2024 form. The Cubs acquired Cabrera in the hopes it would take some heat off Imanaga, who has faded badly each of the past two second halves.
Minus Horton, that margin for error has narrowed for the Cubs, who have lost six of their first 10 games this season.
As the remodeled Mets lineup coalesced during the first week and a half of the regular season, Juan Soto was the constant. He hit when others didn’t. He needed no adjustment or warm-up period. He provided identity for a lineup still discovering one. So being without him and his .355 average and .928 OPS for two to three weeks as he recovers from a calf strain will obviously test them.
It will test them, in part, because to the extent that there is ever a good time to be without Soto, this is not that time. After hosting the Diamondbacks and Athletics this week – neither of whom are built to be pushovers, whatever their early-season showings might suggest – the Mets will fly to Los Angeles to face the mighty Dodgers and Chicago to face the Cubs.
Plus, early in the season is one time of year when the Mets’ other superstar, Francisco Lindor, is often at his worst. He entered Tuesday’s game 2 for his last 20, swinging earlier and often than his manager would like in what Carlos Mendoza characterized as an attempt to swing out of his slump. Bo Bichette is not fully clicking yet, either.
Still, there are reasons to believe the Mets can tread water offensively while Soto heals.
Luis Robert Jr. has already shown flashes of his superstar potential with the Mets. He is hitting .333 with a .907 OPS and demonstrating improved patience, currently looking capable of realizing his potential as a lineup keystone.
Francisco Alvarez, too, looks more like the best version of himself early this year than he did early in 2025. He has a hit in each of his last three games, homered twice Friday in San Francisco, and looks confident at the plate. Production similar to what he sustained after returning from the minors last year (.276 average with a .921 OPS) would help offset the loss of Soto significantly – not to mention what it would do for the Mets when he returns.
More imminently, the Mets will also cross their fingers that Mark Vientos can extend his current torrid stretch into the next week or two. The man who seemed in danger of falling out of the Mets’ plans entirely when spring training ended has hit his way back into relevance. He has a hit in all but one game he has played this year, including seven in his last three games.
Vientos will not sustain a .476 average and 1.236 OPS all season, in part because when healthy, the Mets do not have an obvious position at which he could get regular at-bats. But with Soto injured and Jorge Polanco battling an Achilles issue, they have plenty of room for him now.
As a righty, Vientos also offers help replacing Soto when the Mets face left-handed starters, against whom Soto has a career .843 OPS. Vientos will be a natural fit for all Mendoza’s lineups against lefty starters, though he likely would have found his way into them even without Soto’s injury, too.
Tuesday, against right-hander Zac Gallen, rookie Carson Benge replaced Soto in left field defensively with Vientos at first base and Brett Baty starting in right. With Soto out, Baty will likely get more chances against left-handed starters than the three plate appearances he has taken against lefties this season. Baty is a career .202 hitter against lefties with a .553 OPS, but he took major steps forward against left-handed pitching last year when he hit .247 with a .678 OPS. He is 1 for 3 against lefties this season, and the one was an RBI double.
Against righties, Jared Young will likely continue to see more opportunities than the Mets anticipated when they named him to their Opening Day roster. Young, who went 3 for 3 playing in place of Soto in Sunday’s game in San Francisco, has a 1.005 OPS in 13 at-bats this year.
Even with reasons for optimism around hitters in the bottom of their lineup, the easiest way for the Mets to build sustainable offense without him is for Lindor and Bichette to carry them through it. And the Mets building sustainable offense without Soto is important so that neither he nor his team feels pressured to hurry and turn a small problem into a big one: After all, the best way to survive games without Soto is to avoid them as much as possible.
Apr 6, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Adolis Garcia (53) is hit by a pitch during the seventh inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images | Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images
We’re ten games into the 2026 season, which is not nearly enough to look for things that are concrete. A new approach by one player may only be just a blip on their season long radar. Drawing a conclusion from a ten game sample isn’t really going to give us a lot of information, but it’s worth a try.
Out of all of the things that are happening with the team so far, which one feels the most “real” when it comes to something that might hold all season long?
Much of this offseason centered around the team’s signing of Adolis Garcia to replace Nick Castellanos in right field, a lot of that discussion not really understanding the move. Early on, Garcia has at the very least hit the ball hard, putting himself in the top 25 in average exit velocity, in the top 50 in barrels per plate appearance. He’s started to run into a little more batted ball luck, so it’s nice to see results go with the work.
Several other players are having a decent start to the season, so let’s figure out which one is the most “real”?
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