SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 25: A view of the stadium and a view of Kayakers arriving in McCovey Cove on Netflix branded kayaks are seen during the MLB Opening Night Game: Yankees vs. Giants, at Momo's on March 25, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thos Robinson/Getty Images for Netflix) | Getty Images for Netflix
Good morning, baseball fans!
Now that we’re back into the groove of the regular season for the San Francisco Giants, it’s time to start checking in weekly to see who everyone’s Player of the Week is!
This week is a bit tough, especially for me because I have to pre-write these. Which means the team has only played exactly one game as of the time I am writing this and that was their semi-disastrous loss to the New York Yankees on Wednesday.
So if I had to make a pick from just that game, I’m giving it to Aaron Judge! This might be a first in Player of the Week history (given that we only started doing these last season), since we usually try to give that out to a Giants player. But YOU try picking someone from the Giants in Wednesday’s game that made fans happier than Judge did when he struck out four times.
We may not remember the details of that game as time moves forward, but we’re going to remember Judge getting the league’s first golden sombrero of the year!
Who is your pick for Player of the Week?
What time do the Giants play today?
The Giants conclude their series against the Yankees this afternoon at 4:15 p.m. PT.
The Detroit Red Wings had not scored a first-period goal since their victory over the New Jersey Devils on March 8, but they were able to remedy that drought on Friday evening.
In fact, they did it three times.
First-period goals from Alex DeBrincat, Lucas Raymond, and Marco Kasper paced the Red Wings to a critical 5-2 road win over the Buffalo Sabres, enabling them to get back to within a point of the second and final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.
For the Red Wings, getting off to a big start was key.
"Everyone was asking me about the want or the need to score in the first period, so it was really big," head coach Todd McLellan said. "We caught them maybe a little bit flat, and you could see when they took it up in the second (period) and it was a different game. But the lead was something we needed."
As McLellan noted, the Sabres upped their game in the contest's middle frame, limiting the Red Wings to only three shots while also finally solving John Gibson with a Tage Thompson goal.
However, Detroit kept Buffalo at bay and secured an insurance tally from former Sabres defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker. Despite a Sabres goal from team captain Rasmus Dahlin soon afterward, Buffalo native and future Hall of Famer Patrick Kane sealed the victory with an empty net goal.
Kane made sure to not only emphasize the importance of the fast start but also credit Gibson, who made 28 saves.
“It was a great start, I think we were really focused on the start tonight, and that obviously put us in a great position. Second period wasn't great, obviously, but kind of held down the fort, only gave up one. Gibby made some huge saves."
Gibson returned to the form that made him one of the NHL's best goaltenders since the beginning of December, turning aside several prime chances for the Sabres.
"He was unbelievable for us tonight, and a lot of bending but not breaking in the right moments in the game, and obviously the fourth goal was huge to give us a cushion," Kane said. "So, big team win. Coming into Buffalo against a good team, we should feel good about that one, but got to get right back to it tomorrow.”
The Red Wings are back in action on Saturday evening against the visiting Philadelphia Flyers.
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BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MARCH 27: Payton Pritchard #11 of the Boston Celtics drives to the basket against Nickeil Alexander-Walker #7 of the Atlanta Hawks during the second half at the TD Garden on March 27, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) | Getty Images
#1 – Early game trouble
As it was highlighted by Gray Washburn in the press conference after the game, it’s rare for Joe Mazzulla to call multiple timeouts so early in the game. However, pretty quickly, the Celtics were falling behind, especially because of their offense. As the Celtics head coach said, there were too many “empty possessions.”
Looking back at the film, most of the shots prior to that second timeout were contested pull-up shots or floaters, but rarely open opportunities or layups at the rim. The Hawks did a great job of contracting the space without leaving too much gap to the shooters.
Right after the timeout, it was yet another missed pull-up from the mid-range, but this time the Celtics crashed the glass and extended the possession for a Hugo Gonzalez three-pointer.
To get back in the game, the Celtics needed to find a way to the rim. For that, they used the Hawks’ coverage against them. As the Hawks were willing to switch over screens, the Celtics multiplied the cuts and increased the movement while obtaining the matchup they wanted.
On the play below, the screens on the strong side of the court create a switch that gives Luka Garza a big size advantage on Gabe Vincent. This makes it easier for Derrick White to find him on the cut and finally get a shot at the rim for the Celtics.
The Celtics used that momentum against the Hawks bench to get going and make the most of the mistakes. Here, Jonathan Kuminga jumps on the fake and White drives right away for another layup. The Celtics were finally able to get deep into the paint.
The lack of good execution on switches was perfect for the Celtics offense, and showed how deep the Celtics can be. While the starters struggled a little at first, the bench rolled over the Hawks. Here, the switch is completely broken and Garza gets a free roll to the rim.
But he was just getting started, as the guard ended up with 36 points last night. Often, Joe Mazzulla talks about creating good looks early in the possession. Well, look at PP here going full speed on that handoff with Garza. The defense isn’t even set and he scores right at the rim. The early bird gets the worm, right?
Then, a little give-and-go early in the possession. As he passes to Jayson Tatum, PP uses the flare screen from Neemias Queta to get enough space for another bomb.
Here, the action starts a bit slow as he runs a first ball screen with Tatum. He sees space to attack, so he swings it to the side, but immediately cuts and gets the ball back for another layup.
And he kept attacking the Hawks like this all night until the final buzzer. Great game from PP with Jaylen Brown sitting out. But while the scoring is what stands out, he impacted the game in other ways.
#4 – Pritchard beyond the scoring
Asked Joe Mazzulla about Payton Pritchard, who was a +26 in a game the Celtics won by seven:
“The points are one thing, but I thought the ball handling, handling the pressure, the offensive rebounding… It’s just those big time plays for us. He's not defined by scoring.” pic.twitter.com/jTlPSfP8Ip
Joe Mazzulla was right, the 36 points will make the headlines, but some plays had an even bigger impact on the game. In the second half alone, he created four extra possessions with offensive rebounds.
This extra effort from one of the smallest guys on the court speaks loudly to the commitment to winning and doing what it takes to put the team in the best position possible, with or without the ball.
#5 – Roaming off Dyson Daniels
The other big factor in the game was the Celtics’ defensive plan against the Hawks — and once again, it was about how they mixed matchups. As expected, they put Neemias Queta on the Atlanta Hawks’ worst shooter, Dyson Daniels. This lack of shooting from the former Pelicans guard created an overload of players in the paint for the Hawks on offense, as Queta was playing the safety.
Yet, what was surprising was Sam Hauser being matched up with Onyeka Okongwu, and the Hawks weren’t going after him to punish the Celtics’ bet. Of course, the Celtics center isn’t known for his post-up moves and isn’t even that tall, but the Hawks could have tried to put pressure on the Celtics’ defensive shell with that size advantage.
The Hawks tried various things to help Daniels. They attacked the Celtics big men with drives, or asked for more movement from their non-shooting wing, but the flow seemed off when the actions involved him, and the paint was full of bodies anyway.
Overall, the Celtics were able to turn him into a non-impact offensive player, forcing others to make the difference from the outside.
#6 – Dealing with Jalen Johnson
A big wing with driving and shooting abilities like Jalen Johnson is tough to handle for any team, but the Celtics had a plan in mind to make sure they gave away the right thing. Early in the game, they were comfortable living with his shooting variance, even as he was making pull-up threes from deep.
On the action above, it is clear that the threat the Celtics identified was his drive, not his shot. The following play speaks even louder. Like against the Thunder, the Celtics sent a lot of help from the nail, closed the drives, and took away the pass to the corner. And if you take away the drives and the corner three from a team… well, there isn’t much hope left.
Against a team with a lot of ball pressure, drawing offense around Neemias Queta was smart and worked pretty well. Here, he gets the ball at the nail, and Sam Hauser sets a back screen for Jayson Tatum. The action isn’t well read and that creates a gap for JT’s cut.
A little later, Tatum returns the favor to Sam Hauser with a screen on the zoom action, and Queta is again the man holding the ball while the play unfolds, like a QB waiting to deliver a touchdown pass.
With 5 minutes left in the second quarter, the Celtics were up 3 points and then went for a small-ball unit to close the first half. While the score at the break indicates it didn’t go as expected, there are some encouraging flashes and lessons from that stretch.
First, the Celtics — and Jayson Tatum in particular — will need to be more disciplined in these situations where he is the rim protector. Here, he gets caught by Daniels behind him and that’s an easy layup for the Hawks.
At the same time, Jayson Tatum at the five is great for spacing and mismatch hunting. He can be the screener and, depending on the defensive coverage, it creates gaps in the defense. Here, the double comes and he finds Jordan Walsh on the cut.
On offense, it was simple and energetic. He made the right reads and took the shots he was supposed to. Most importantly, he showed presence on the offensive glass to generate much-needed extra possessions.
On defense, he was very active but remained disciplined. He had the second-most contested shots for the Celtics and did a great job against the Hawks guards, especially on CJ McCollum. On the play below, he stays connected, navigates the screen the right way, and baits McCollum into a shot that he can block.
Jordan stayed ready and delivered a strong performance with a real impact.
#10 – Another trip, another blast because of you
This three-week trip to Boston to cover the Celtics was, like last year, an immense honor. Every game, I have to pinch myself to make sure it is still real.
However, this experience wouldn’t be possible if all of you weren’t here to read, comment, and react to these articles. So I just wanted to thank you for taking the time to go through these lines.
The kid I was back in my French Alps wouldn’t have dared to dream about an opportunity like this, and you made it possible by reading my work on CelticsBlog. I hope I didn’t disappoint.
The Columbus Blue Jackets are back at home for the first of three straight games in the friendly confines of Nationwide Arena. This game features the San Jose Sharks.
San Jose Sharks - 32-21-7 - 71 Points - 2-6-2 in the last 10 - Lost 6 - 6th in the Pecific
Columbus Blue Jackets - 38-23-11 - 87 Points - 6-2-2 in the last 10 - Lost 1 - 3rd in the Metro
Team Notes Per CBJ PR
CBJ wrapped up a three-game road trip (1-2-0) with a 2-1 loss at Montreal on Thursday. Each contest was decided by a single goal.
The Blue Jackets, who begin a three-game homestand on Saturday, have earned points in 12-straight home games (9-0-3), tied for the longest home points streak in club history (12; 9-0-3 from Feb. 11-Mar. 31, 2013). The team has also collected points in 16-of-17 contests at Nationwide Arena in 2026 (12-1-4).
The club has earned points in 24 of its last 28 contests (20-4-4, 44 pts) to lead the league in wins (tied), points pct. (.786) and goals against per game (2.43) since Jan. 11.
Columbus has allowed two goals or less in eight of the last nine games since Mar. 10 (1.78 GA/GP, 3rd in NHL).
CBJ play their 15th of 16 back-to-back sets (18-6-4, .714 pts pct.) vs. San Jose (Saturday) and Boston (Sunday).
Player Notes Per CBJ PR
Adam Fantilli has registered points in seven out of the last nine games (3-6-9) and in 13 of the last 17 contests (8-10-18). He is two points (21-32-53, 72 GP) from setting a single-season career high.
Jet Greaves has earned points in 14 of his last 16 starts since Jan. 11 (12-2-2, 2.23 GAA, .915 SV% in 16 GP), while G Elvis Merzlikins has recorded points in 10 of his past 12 starts over that span (8-2-2, 2.50 GAA in 13 GP).
Boone Jenner has registered 1-3-4 in the last five games and sits two contests shy of 800 for his NHL career (209-207-416, 798 GP).
Mason Marchment has totaled 13-10-23 in 30 contests with the Blue Jackets.
Mathieu Olivier has posted 3-1-4 in the past six games and ranks eighth-T in the NHL in goals since Jan. 28 (11 in 21 GP).
Zach Werenski has recorded multiple points in three of the last five games (1-7-8). He has notched 21-56-77 and 25 multi-point efforts in 65 games in 2025-26 to lead NHL blueliners in points-per-game (1.18), multi-point efforts, and shots on goal (226) and sit second in points and third in goals. He's also tied Artemi Panarin's single-season club record for multi-point games (2018-19).
Blue Jackets Stats
Power Play - 20.0% - 17th in the NHL
Penalty Kill - 78.2% - 21st in the NHL
Goals For - 226 - 17th in the NHL
Goals Against - 218 - 16th in the NHL
SharksStats
Power Play - 19.8% - 18th in the NHL
Penalty Kill - 79.0% - 16th in the NHL
Goals For - 210 - 19th in the NHL
Goals Against - 250 - 30th in the NHL
Series History vs. TheSharks
Columbus is 29-35-0-6 all-time, and 19-13-0-3 at home vs. San Jose.
Columbus had its six-game points streak in the series (5-0-1) in the 5-2 loss in the last meeting at San Jose.
The Blue Jackets have earned points in 10 of the last 14 games of the series since Mar. 4, 2018 (9-4-1).
CBJ have won four-straight home games against the Sharks and five of the past six at Nationwide Arena.
The home team has won four-straight and collected points in nine of the last 10 in the series (8-1-1).
Six of the last seven games played at Nationwide Arena have been decided by multiple goals.
The winning team has scored four-plus goals in 7 of the last nine matchups in the overall series.
The teams have each recorded six shutouts and three hat tricks in the series, with CBJ recording the most recent in each category (Bobrovsky, 26 saves in a 4-0 shutout win at CBJ on Feb. 23, 2019; Carter, three goals in a 6-3 W at CBJ on Feb. 21, 2012).
Who To Watch For TheSharks
Macklin Celebrini leads the team with 35 goals, 61 assists, and 96 points.
Alex Wennberg has 31 assists and 45 points.
Yaroslav Askarov is 19-17-3 with a SV% of .888
Ohioan Alex Nedeljkovic is 13-13-4 with an .893 SV%.
CBJ Player Notes vsSharks
Charlie Coyle has 6 goals and 12 points against San Jose.
Zach Werenski has 8 points in 14 career games.
Mason Marchment has 6 points vs. the Sharks.
Injured Reserve & Other Injuries
Brendan Smith - Lower Body - Missed 34 Games IR - Out for the rest of the regular season.
Damon Severson - Upper Body - Left the game early against the Montreal Canadiens.
TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 180
How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on FanDuel Sports Network. The radio broadcast will be on 97.1 The Fan, with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play.
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While the novelty of outdoor games might have worn off for those watching on TV, they remain an incredible experience for those in attendance, and Montreal is now the only Canadian team that has not hosted an outdoor game. In the latest edition of his written 32 Thoughts, Sportsnet's insider Elliotte Friedman reports that the Montreal Canadiens are working to fix that.
Furthering Renaud Lavoie’s report about the fact that the Habs are aiming to build a temporary outdoor stadium at Parc Jean Drapeau, Friedman reports that it would be able to seat 42,000 fans, and the organization aims to have that ready for the 2028-29 season. He also adds that a woman’s game would be part of the festivities. That would no doubt be a big success given how popular the Montreal Victoire have been since its inception.
The Canadiens have taken part in four outdoor games so far: the very first regular-season outdoor game in 2003, in which they battled the Edmonton Oilers, another Heritage Classic in 2011 against the Calgary Flames, a Winter Classic in Foxborough against the Boston Bruins, and the NHL Centennial game against the Ottawa Senators in December 2017. Montreal has a 2-2-0 record playing outside in the regular season. Next season, the Habs will feature in their fifth outdoor game, taking on the Winnipeg Jets on October 25 at the Princess Auto Stadium.
Having attended the game in Foxborough in 2016, I can attest to the special atmosphere, with 67,246 fans cheering on the archrivals. The Canadiens won that game 5-1, and the fans who had come down from Montreal for the event didn’t go home disappointed. The weekend would have been perfect had it not been for the life-altering injury Denna Laing sustained in the game between the Boston Pride and the Montreal Canadiennes the day before the Winter Classic. The forward suffered a spinal cord injury when she collided headfirst with the boards and has been in a wheelchair since. Last year, she was awarded the NHL Foundation Athlete Leadership Award for her leadership and advocacy for spinal cord injury awareness.
If and when the Canadiens manage to have a temporary stadium and the NHL schedules a game there, I highly recommend attending; you’ll have a wonderful time.
Mar 26, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Justin Crawford (2) hits a single during the fifth inning against the Texas Rangers at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Now that we have baseball back today, we have to talk about this whole “day off after a game” Opening Day thing. I get it. MLB is scared of opening rainouts and wants a buffer day just in case. However, I am impatient and I want games all the time. Doubleheaders even!
Welcome back to minor league baseball! With Nolan McLean and Carson Benge both on the major league roster and all but guaranteed to accrue enough innings/at-bats to graduate from rookie status, Jonah Tong will soon be Mets’ number one prospect, and the right-hander picked up where he left off last season, throwing four scoreless innings en route to Syracuse’s first win of the 2026 season. In the top of the fourth, Jose Rojas slugged a two-run homer to give the Mets the lead, a lead that they would not relinquish. Anderson Severino and Austin Warren combined to throw three more scoreless innings after Tong left, while Nick Morabito added on an additional run in the seventh. Things got a little hairy in the bottom of the eighth, when Nick Burdi loaded up the bases without a single out, but he eventually navigated out of the inning allowing just a single run on a groundout. Joe Jaques had a much easier time in the bottom of the ninth, allowing a single but otherwise running into no issues for his first save of the season. One down, 149 more to go.
Two-way star Shohei Ohtani leaves the dugout after the Dodgers beat the Diamondbacks on opening day. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Very clever, Bill Plaschke. Knowing your track record, you write a column predicting the Dodgers will not win the World Series this year, thereby ensuring that they will, in fact, win the World Series this year. Well done!
Jim Lawson Santa Barbara
We should thank Bill Plaschke for predicting that the aging Dodgers will NOT three-peat this fall. If a number of his past prognostications (read from cloudy crystal balls) were inaccurate, we have a much better chance to win a third consecutive World Series championship. Let’s call this new branch of science “Reverse Plaschke-ology.” No offense, but he should be careful where he makes his predictions, especially in a barbershop where there are many sharp objects in aging hands. We hope Bill is wrong … again.
Ken Mok Diamond Bar
Money matters
The Dodgers want a three-peat, and have spent a lot of money on Edwin Díaz and Kyle Tucker. But why, oh why, do they hold on to Blake Treinen and Tanner Scott? I just cannot fathom it out.
Deborah R. Ishida Beverly Hills
Making sense of it
It's only fair that a Japanese company has naming rights for the Dodger Stadium field, since the best Dodger hitter, and best Dodger pitcher are both Japanese.
Vaughn Hardenberg Westwood
Three-peat blueprint
Mirjam Swanson’s column on a potential Dodger three-peat brought back great memories of the 2000-2002 Lakers’ championships. However any reference to a “three-peat” should note that Pat Riley — the latest Crypto statue honoree — first uttered the term and then copyrighted it in 1988 shortly after the Lakers won their second consecutive championship.
After sweeping the first three rounds of the playoffs, it appeared the 1989 Lakers would win their third title in a row, but then hamstring injuries to Byron Scott and Magic Johnson severely hurt the Lakers’ chances. Let’s hope a similar major injury bug doesn’t hit the 2026 Dodgers, so we have a better chance of seeing Kiké Hernández or Freddie Freeman do a championship parade dance à la Mark Madsen.
Ken Feldman Tarzana
Center of attention
Reading about the Angels upcoming season, I have one big concern. Mike Trout playing center field. He gets hurt so easily and he is playing a running position. He should be a full-time DH.
Mike Lorraine Simi Valley
Leaving home
Congratulations to all the young athletes and their teams on The Times All-Area high school basketball teams. I do wonder about the choices the seniors are making in their commitments to colleges and I look to The Times to explain why UCLA is seemingly not on the radar for these young players.
It used to be known that the Bruins' academic requirements were a significant barrier to many high school players. Is that still true? Are the local graduates not the cream of the crop that Southern California was known for in past years? Are NIL deals affecting the choices of these future freshmen? Is UCLA not making a strong outreach effort for the top local talent? Is L.A. so awful for these kids that it isn't even on their radar to stay close to home?
I am sure I am not alone in seeking clarity around the issue of the exodus of local talent to Missouri, Oregon State, Texas, North Carolina, Nevada, and even more confounding, USC.
David Gerne Echt Torrance
The Los Angeles Times welcomes expressions of all views. Letters should be brief and become the property of The Times. They may be edited and republished in any format. Each must include a valid mailing address and telephone number. Pseudonyms will not be used.
The Memphis Redbirds opened their season on Friday evening against the Gwinnett Stripers (Braves). Several hours earlier, the Redbirds finally announced their opening day roster.
Even with JJ Wetherholt moving up to St. Louis, there is plenty of prospect firepower on the Memphis squad led by Joshua Baez, Quinn Mathews, and Leonardo Bernal. Beyond the big-name prospects, there are a number of depth players that are likely to see St. Louis sooner rather than later. Today, I will break down the roster and highlight some things worth monitoring as the Triple-A season kicks off.
Starting Rotation
Richard Fitts, RHP (26)
Quinn Mathews, LHP (25)
Brycen Mautz, LHP (24)
Jared Shuster, LHP (27)
Bruce Zimmerman, LHP (31)
The Cardinals have real rotation depth stacking up at Memphis. Hunter Dobbins is not technically on the roster, but will, I assume, be making his rehab starts in Memphis. Fitts and Dobbins are expected to contribute at the major league level this year. Behind them in the depth chart, Mathews will look to prove that he has solved Triple-A. You can write Brycen Mautz’s name in pen as well. After that is a bit of guesswork, but Shuster and Zimmerman seem likely to get the first shot at the rotation.
Prospect Watch
Mathews is a consensus top-5 prospect in the system, although he fell out of most national top-100 prospect lists after a wild 2025. If he can start filling up the zone, Quinn will be an absolute menace to deal with. He threw 42.5% of his pitches in the strike zone last season. The major league average is 52.4% with starting pitchers typically sitting in the 45% to 55% range. With the swing and miss stuff that Mathews possesses, he should be able to get plenty of swings outside the strike zone, but nudging his zone% up a few points will give him margin for error. Mautz turned some heads in spring training and will look to build on a breakout 2025 season in which he struck out 28.6% of the batters he faced in Double-A. Mautz could also be a candidate to help in the St. Louis bullpen this year if the options ahead of him falter.
Roster Considerations
Fitts, Dobbins, and Mautz are already on the 40-man roster, so there are not any artificial barriers keeping them from the majors once the need arises, and performance merits it. Mathews is Rule 5 eligible this December, but without a 40-man roster position, he may need to wait until some of the fringe guys on the roster get their shot. Zimmerman and Shuster both have over 100 major league innings in their careers apiece and provide fine emergency depth, but neither seem likely to force the Cardinals’ hand in any meaningful way.
The pitching picture will get even more crowded when the injured pitchers start making their way back to action.
The following players will start the season on the AAA Injured List.
LHP Alex Cornwell (7d) LHP Pete Hansen (7d) LHP Ixan Henderson (60d) RHP Sem Robberse (60d) RHP Tekoah Roby (60d) RHP Victor Sanots (60d) LHP Zack Thompson (60d)
— Cardinals Player Development (@CardsPlayerDev) March 27, 2026
Bullpen
Ian Bedell, RHP (26)
Scott Blewett, RHP (30)
Ryan Fernandez, RHP (28)
Luis Gastelum, RHP (24)
Gordan Graceffo, RHP (26)
Skylar Hales, RHP (24)
Tink Hence, RHP (23)
Gerson Moreno, RHP (30)
Packy Naughton, LHP (30)
Max Rajcic, RHP (24)
Nick Raquet, LHP (30)
Prospect Watch
Tink Hence is going to start out pitching in relief and is the biggest name prospect in the pen. Reports out of spring training were that his stuff has not fully returned from his 2024 prospect peak, but Hence is still just 23 years old and has some of the highest upside in the whole organization. It will be interesting to see if he is used as a multi-inning reliever and kept somewhat stretched out (the Leahy protocol), or if he is prepared for more of a high-leverage one-inning role. Luis Gastelum is about as good a relief-only prospect you can ask for. After getting plenty of attention in the WBC and Spring Training, he is no longer a sleeper prospect. His changeup is going to be fun to watch the next few years.
Skylar Hales is a solid prospect in his own right. Drafted in the fourth round by the Rangers in 2023, he made it all the way to Triple-A in his second full season. He struggled with the home run ball in his 27 Triple-A innings and put up an ugly stat line, but is noted for having a plus fastball that he ran up to 98.4 MPH in spring training. Max Rajcic was once a top-20-ish prospect in the organization but has fallen down the rankings after a rough introduction to Memphis. This spring, his fastball velocity was up about 2 MPH working out of the bullpen, so there could be a path forward for him if his stuff plays up in shorter stints.
Roster Considerations
Graceffo, Fernandez, Raquet, and Tink Hence are all already on the 40-man roster and primed to ride the Memphis shuttle this season as they all have options remaining. Both Hales and Gastelum will need to be added to the 40-man by the end of the year. If healthy, Naughton seems destined to be in the STL bullpen sooner rather than later. After three years lost to injury, he looked as good as ever in spring training and will provide insurance if Justin Bruihl falters as the second lefty in the pen.
Catchers
Leo Bernal (22)
Jimmy Crooks (24)
Andy Yerzy (27)
Prospect Watch
Both Crooks and Bernal are both top-100 prospects with strong reputations for their defense. Crooks struggled making contact last season in Triple-A (26.5% K rate), but still managed a 105 wRC+. He has shown solid exit velocity numbers and a knack for finding the barrel, so if he can improve his plate discipline a bit, he could still find his way to being above average offensively. His chase rate and contact rates were both below average in Triple-A but not egregious so. He actually improved both metrics in his 46 MLB plate appearances, which was encouraging despite the overall struggles in his cup of coffee. Bernal slumped badly in the second half of 2025 and finished with a wRC+ of just 103 in Double-A. His batting line was remarkably similar to Ivan Herrera’s age 21 season in Springfield. As happened with Herrera, prospect fatigue may be setting in a bit with Bernal because he has been on prospect lists since 2022, but he is my pick for a big offensive season.
Roster Considerations
The catching depth/logjam has been discussed sufficiently and both Bernal and Crooks are already on the 40-man roster. It will be interesting to see how playing time is divided up between them at Memphis. Poor Andy Yerzy is going to have a tough time getting into games.
Infielders
Blaze Jordan (23)
Ramon Mendoza (25)
Brody Moore (25)
Cesar Prieto (27)
Prospect Watch
The infield group at Memphis is easily the least exciting portion of the team. Blaze Jordan is still a bit of a project but has legitimate upside if he can find a way to improve his plate discipline and get the ball in the air. His profile as a hitter reminds me a bit of Alec Burleson from a few years ago but with more ground balls. He is a longshot to be a starting-caliber player, but his combination of contact ability and power is rare enough that he has to be considered a real prospect, in my opinion. Prieto had a nice season in 2025, but entering his age 27 season, looks like a backup infielder or up-and-down guy. Ramon Mendoza earned a promotion from Springfield after putting up a .275/.390/.452 line in 2025. I had never considered him a prospect, but the Cardinals gave him 42 spring training plate appearances, so they must like him a little.
Roster Considerations
Prieto is the only player in the group to have a 40-man spot. He could be in danger of losing his spot if the Cardinals need to free up room for the promotion of a non-rostered player. Blaze Jordan certainly has a lane to STL as the team has limited right-handed power on the major league club, but he would need to be added to the 40-man.
Outfielders
Mike Antico (28)
Joshua Baez (23)
Matt Koperniak (28)
Colton Ledbetter (24)
Bligh Madris (30)
Bryan Torres (28)
Nelson Velazquez (27)
Prospect Watch
Joshua Baez followed an offseason spent shooting up prospect lists with a spring training spent launching balls over the fence. Colton Ledbetter will be making his Triple-A debut after posting a solid, if unspectacular, batting line for the Rays Double-A squad. Ledbetter has the raw power and prospect pedigree (second round pick in 2023) to grab attention with a good showing in Memphis. It is noteworthy that he was given the promotion while Chase Davis will be asked to repeat Springfield.
Roster Considerations
Baez and Torres have 40-man spots, but Velazquez seems like he could be the first man up after his excellent showing in spring training.
This Memphis team looks pretty loaded to me. More importantly, there are ten-plus legitimate prospects that could be headed to St. Louis as reinforcement at any moment.
Kirill Kaprizov: 38G-42A-80PTS; Matt Boldy: 38G-38A-76PTS; Quinn Hughes: 6G-64A-70PTS
Filip Gustavsson: 26-12-6, 2.51 GAA, .911 save percentage; Jesper Wallstedt: 15-8-6, 2.73 GAA, .912 save percentage
Game notes
The Boston Bruins are set to face off against the Minnesota Wild this evening in the first of a back-to-back weekend. They’ll head to Columbus tomorrow to take on the Blue Jackets Friday.
It will also be the first of three games in four days for the Bruins as the season winds down with 10 games left.
It’s still a tight wild card race and again, every point matters. The B’s are holding onto the first wild card spot with 88 points, one point ahead from the New York Islanders. Ottawa trails a wild card spot by a point with 86.
The Bruins last saw the Wild on Dec. 14, 2025. The Bruins dropped that game, 6-2. In the game, the B’s allowed two power play goals and Kaprizov scored twice.
The Wild have the edge on special teams this evening and it’s something the Bruins need to clean up down this stretch.
Head Coach Marco Sturm said after practice they’ve switched positions “a little bit” on the power play to try to get it going. He said they’ve tried to let things ride out, saying maybe the units need another game and have taken things day by day. But he added the power play isn’t there yet and there’s been too many turnovers. “These guys, we need to be better. Hopefully we can get back on track here as soon as possible,” he said.
The Bruins are also looking to tune up their penalty kill as they’ve allowed five power play goals by their opponents in the last three games. “We have to find out ways to come out even,” Sturm said.
Recent point leaders: For the Bruins, David Pastrnak has nine points in his last five games with three goals and six assists. Pavel Zacha has four goals in that time. For the Wild, Brock Faber has six points with one goal and five assists in his last five games.
The Wild last played on Thursday when they beat the Florida Panthers, 3-2.
The Bruins had a visit from Patrice Bergeron yesterday skating with Morgan Geekie and Fraser Minton before yesterday’s practice.
Per the nhl.com, the Bruins are projected to look like this today:
Lines:
Marat Khusnutdinov — Fraser Minten — David Pastrnak
Casey Mittelstadt — Pavel Zacha — Viktor Arvidsson
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 15: Andre Iguodala poses for a photo during the NBA Legends Awards as part of NBA All-Star Weekend on Sunday, February 15, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
As the NBA appears focused on major reforms to get teams to stop tanking, the NBA Player’s Association (NBAPA) has made a proposal of their own for the league to consider. While the commissioner’s office unveiled a trio of reforms focused on the lottery, the player’s proposal included something massive: huge financial incentives. According to a report by Jake Fischer of The Steinline, the NBAPA’s proposal would allow the standings to impact each team’s share of national TV revenue.
Currently, all NBA teams evenly split national TV revenue. However, per Fischer, the NBAPA’s pitch emulates soccer’s English Premiere League, which would reward teams with an additional $10 million of revenue for each higher seed. It’s unclear whether the proposal is specific to conferences or if team would be stacked up from 1-30. Either way, entering the season expecting to tank would put potentially $50-$100 million of revenue at risk under this proposal, something that would be an extremely strong deterrent aimed at tanking owners.
The NBAPA also proposed an adjusted lottery. The proposal is similar to one of the three unveiled by the league office, expanding the lottery to 18 teams, giving the bottom 10 teams a 7% chance to move up in the draft with the remaining eight squads getting a 3.75% chance of landing the number one pick. The union is also supporting Silver in giving the commissioner more explicit powers to punish tanking teams by diminishing their lottery odds, moving their pick to the end of the lottery or the first round, or stripping them of a first-round pick all together.
It’s hard to imagine league owners ever agreeing to such a clear change to their revenue sharing, but if the league wants to actually disincentivize tanking, making losing hurt a team’s bottom line would be the easiest way to get owners to stop empowering front offices that always want to kick the can down the road.
CLEVELAND, OH - FEBRUARY 20: NBA Legend, George Gervin of the NBA 75th Anniversary team takes a photo during the 2022 NBA All-Star Game as part of 2022 NBA All Star Weekend on February 20, 2022 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 2022 NBAE (Photo by Jim Poorten/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
In strange-but-true news, Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams has filed to trademark the word “Iceman” for his merchandise line. If the name “Iceman” sounds familiar, it’s because San Antonio Spurs legend George Gervin has been using it for over half a century.
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams recently filed four trademark applications to legally claim the "Iceman" nickname for his own clothing and merchandise line, but Spurs legend George "The Iceman" Gervin is officially fighting back. Just days after Williams submitted his… pic.twitter.com/gzacHRA3OJ
The Hall of Fame baller has taken action by filing trademark requests for “Iceman and ”Iceman 44.“ This came four days after Williams initially filed his clothing line trademark request.
There has been much discussion on social media. Young fans unaware of Gervin believe he should have trademarked the nickname by now. Meanwhile, fans of the ABA/NBA crossover star have pointed out his merits as reason enough for Williams to change his path.
In their professional careers:
Gervin — Williams — 4x Scoring Champ 12x All-Star 1x ASG MVP 9x All-NBA/ABA ABA All-Rookie
Skip Baylessn spoke out in defense of George Gervin….
I’m a Caleb Williams fan. But I was a much bigger Iceman Gervin fan, and I’m offended Caleb and Co. are trying to steal George’s all-time great nickname. I unleash on today’s Arena Gridiron 2:30 E.
Turns out both could be fighting for table scraps as former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell may have trademarked the term prior to either Williams or Gervin.
This story is ongoing and will be updated.
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Put it over the radio: New York’s Bravest and Finest will light the lamps on the ice this weekend.
The annual NYPD and FDNY hockey game — a grudge match filled with flying fists, punishing hits and high-octane play from the departments’ heroes — is a day circled on every first responder’s calendar.
“This is basically our Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final,” firefighter and goalie Nick Battaglia told The Post.
“The first two minutes of that game, everyone wants to kill each other. Nobody’s worried about the puck,” added NYPD general manager and former captain Charlie Venticinque. “If you have the puck, you’re getting tanked.”
The game sells out NHL arenas year after year, and this time at UBS Arena at 1:30 p.m. Sunday will be no different. Fans and family come ready to roar and even bring banners and signs for their kin to make it feel like the real deal.
Months on end, teammates in their mid-20s to late-40s have been doing whatever it takes to be in game, or rather fighting, shape.
They want to put on a show in the 52nd annual head-to-head meeting.
“Guys are missing work, missing overtime, missing things with their family, switching their tours around,” said newly anointed NYPD captain and defenseman George Antzoulis. “Guys are staying at work for three days straight, going from hockey back to work, sleeping in the office, sleeping in chairs, sleeping in their cars in the parking lot.”
It’s a labor of love, pride, and brotherhood, as tugging on that jersey — Antzoulis knows stepping on the ice with the “C” on his chest will be an emotional moment — represents something much larger than the individual athlete.
They’re always reminded of that in the locker room on game day.
DNY goalie Nick Battaglia says the annual game against the NYPD is “basically our Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final.” Heather Khalifa for New York Post
Families of members lost in the line of duty have come in to inspire the players, as have the brass of both departments.
“You get chills,” said NYPD center and alternate captain Dan O’Donoghue, who was in Islanders rookie camp in 2010.
“Seeing the stands fill up, then you do the 9/11 remembrance, the bagpipes, and the national anthem … you try to take it all in. It goes really fast.”
Extra motivation to play through each whistle is hardly necessary — especially when the archrivals start chirping one another with cop and firefighter jokes.
When bone-crushing, open-ice hits mix in — O’Donoghue added that he’s “usually limping around the house a week or so after” — the gloves “organically” come off, said FDNY right wing Stephen Kelly.
Dan O’Donoghue of the NYPD played several AHL seasons and attended Islanders rookie camp in 2010 NYPD hockey team
“That passion runs through you. … We stand up for each other, we look out for each other,” he added, recalling a few past brawls that went viral online in the wild game for charity. “It’s just like your family at home. You’re going to defend them … whether you’re at work or on the hockey rink. That’s the fire department brotherhood.”
The temporary adversaries, many of whom grew up playing with or against one another, remember they’re all on the same team where it counts after the final buzzer.
“At the end of the day, everybody knows it’s a hockey game,” Kelly said.
The teams are now celebrities in the hockey world from their remarkable style of lambasting physical play — it gets the rowdy crowd going like an Islanders-Rangers game — as they travel across the country to face other teams and organizations.
The NYPD recently took on the Boston PD, and the FDNY typically lands in an Ontario firefighter hockey tournament, where the opposition is in a league of its own.
“Those departments, they recruit hockey players to be firemen,” firefighter forward Derek Kern said of the Canadians. “They have draft picks, they have guys that played in the NHL.”
FDNY’s high level of competition has paid off, as red hasn’t lost to blue in a decade.
They also hold a 31-18-2 all-time record against the NYPD, dating back to the first game at Madison Square Garden in 1974.
But the cops want to read ’em their rights this time around.
“We’re due. Man, we need one … it’s something I’m dying for,” Antzoulis said.
But if not, the captain is content having an unforgettable day with his brothers.
“There are 33,000 cops in the NYPD, and there are only 30 of us,” he said. “We’re the luckiest 30 in the world.”
Mar 27, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies (1) celebrates after a home run against the Kansas City Royals in the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The Atlanta Braves began the 2026 season on a high note after Friday’s 6-0 win over the Kansas City Royals. Ozzie Albies, Drake Baldwin, and Michael Harris II joined in on the fun and each homered. Together, the Braves recorded 11 hits and capitalized on the Royals’ weak spots.
On the other side of the ball, leather was flashed and the pitching staff showed up big. Chris Sale earned the start, and though a bit shaky in the beginning, he finished the night allowing just three hits through six innings. He walked three and struck out six. The bullpen came to play, too, and allowed just two more hits after Sale’s exit.
The Braves go for the series win tonight at 7:15 ET.
More Braves News:
Additional television deals continue to be announced, as Fubo and DIRECTV are now carrying BravesVision.
The Gwinnett Stripers have announced their Opening Day roster, and it does not include Jhancarlos Lara.
MLB News:
Jason Heyward has announced his retirement after a 16 year career.
Mar 27, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) reacts after a play during the second half against the Atlanta Hawks at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
In his 10th game back with the Boston Celtics on Friday night, Jayson Tatum delivered his best performance of the season by dominating the second half against the Atlanta Hawks. It wasn’t particularly efficient, at least not by his standards, and afterward, he admitted the process of building himself back up has brought a mix of emotions.
Jayson Tatum’s return to basketball hasn’t been seamless, but he’s grateful for how far he’s come and for those who have been by his side.
“Playing through it,” Tatum told reporters, per CLNS Media. “I feel rusty, obviously. You can probably see in moments when it doesn’t look the same, or it looks rusty. But I think the mindset of onto the next play (helps). I’m thankful that I got teammates and the coaching staff that are patient with me in this moment as I’m trying to figure it out.”
Tatum missed five layups in Boston’s 109-102 win over Atlanta at TD Garden. He had just five points at the end of the first quarter and remained there by halftime after going scoreless in the second, missing all seven of his attempts. Five of those shots came within 13 feet of the basket, making it even tougher to watch as teammate Payton Pritchard kept the Celtics within striking distance while Tatum struggled to find his rhythm and contribute to the cause.
When dissecting the rust itself, Tatum couldn’t pinpoint anything specific.
“It’s all over the place sometimes,” Tatum explained. “I’ll be dribbling the f—ing ball, and I just mishandle it. Sometimes I still have the ball, but it’s just like, ‘Damn.’ It is frustrating. Obviously, some of the shots and layups at the rim — just kind of moving too fast a little bit. It’s frustrating to me.”
Since rejoining Boston after nearly 10 months away from basketball, Tatum has contributed. His 9.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals through 10 games lead all Celtics. The issue is that Tatum’s recovery didn’t end after he suited back up against the Dallas Mavericks three weeks ago. It’s ongoing, and each game is another step in the process of returning to his old form.
BOSTON, MA – MARCH 27: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics celebrates during the game against the Atlanta Hawks on March 27, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
That requires a level of patience that Tatum hasn’t had to demonstrate before in his career. So every turnover, every missed layup, every jumper that doesn’t fall is difficult to take in stride at times, knowing it’s a reminder that there’s still work to do.
Tatum overcame his five-point first quarter and scoreless second against Atlanta by turning it up in the second half. He absorbed contact from C.J. McCollum after cutting to the basket and finishing the layup, converting the and-1. He then knocked down a 12-foot fadeaway jumper, helping spark a 21-point surge across the third and fourth quarters before finishing with a season-best 26 points in an impressive turnaround.
But Tatum’s scoring wasn’t what Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla felt helped Boston in the absence of Jaylen Brown.
“I saw his defensive rebounding; I thought that was the most important thing,” Mazzulla told reporters, per CLNS Media. “I thought offensively, he got into the paint and was able to get to the free-throw line — shot 10 free throws — just continuing to chip away and give the game what it needs. He was aggressive in his drives. He missed some easy layups there, but as long as he stays aggressive, makes the right reads, and continues to rebound, he’s continuing to get better and better.”
Even if his scoring isn’t flashy, it’s just one of several ways Tatum has pitched in. He has not only rebounded as well as he did before suffering his ruptured right Achilles last May, but he’s also been an elite playmaker, setting teammates up to keep the offense active and flowing.
There’s always the pressure to immediately return to the superstar version Tatum was in his first eight seasons with the Celtics, but that will take time. For now, it helps that Boston’s coaching staff remains by his side through the ups and downs.
Mazzulla played Tatum a team-high 36:36 on Friday night, including the entire fourth quarter. It’s unclear what that will mean going forward, as Mazzulla continues to manage Tatum’s minutes based on his on-court response rather than a fixed plan.
“There isn’t a specific number,” Mazzulla clarified. “It’s more about what looks best for us, where we’re at, what we need, and we continue to go from there. He played the whole (fourth) quarter a couple of games in a row, and he’s handling it well, and we continue to assess that and go from there.”
The Celtics worked their way into a strong position, holding the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference since Jan. 15 and sitting four games behind the top-seeded Detroit Pistons. They earned that spot without Tatum, building an identity to withstand the production lost in his absence. Now, with him back, Boston’s chances of returning to the NBA Finals for a third time in five seasons are more legit than ever. Tatum and Brown’s 50-point combined effort against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday proved the Celtics aren’t just poised for a feel-good, Cinderella run — they’re back and ready to make a serious push for it all.
Tatum will be a key piece of that journey, as he was two years ago.
In the meantime, whenever Tatum needs a break from the basketball court, he looks to those closest to him as a father of two.
“I think right now, when I’m frustrated or really want to be better, just going home and my kids,” Tatum told reporters. “Now I’ve got two boys, and it just kind of puts things in perspective and helps me forget about what just happened or transpired in the game.
“I talk about it all the time: being a father is second to none. And now, having two boys and seeing their relationship develop, it was just one kid running to me when I walked in the house. Now it’s two, so that’s a cool feeling.”
