Apr 4, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Atlanta Braves outfielder Michael Harris II (23) taps his helmet to initiate an ABS challenge during the ninth inning of a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-Imagn Images | Allan Henry-Imagn Images
This season couldn’t have started much better for the Braves, at least to date. They are the only team that hasn’t yet lost a series (they did split one, though), they have baseball’s second-best record (behind the Dodgers, tied with the Padres), they’re top ten in both position player and pitching fWAR, and they’re top five in a bunch of other things like batting inputs and defensive value. Even though it’s early and a small sample could be responsible for pretty much anything, the only guy they’ll ultimately rely on that are struggling are Mike Yastrzemski. It’s baseball, and things can change on a dime at any time. But, right now, anyway, the Braves look pretty good. This recent series with the Guardians reminded me a lot of 2022-2023: broadly and wildly successful, but on the basis of smashing the ball rather than any kind of holistic, fundamental baseball excellence. In other words, booting balls and getting thrown out trying to stretch a single into a double doesn’t matter if you’re pummeling the opposing team at the plate.
I’ll be quick, but essentially, a few things jump out at me:
Yes, the Braves have been really bad so far.
However, the Braves have not been really bad at actually swinging strikeouts or walks as a result of challenges.
On top of that, where leverage is meaningful, the Braves are okay if not actually good at challenges, at least on a rate basis. They just don’t get these opportunities a lot… because they waste their challenges early on, where it doesn’t matter.
So, I’m not going to write out a long heuristic here (that’s your job), but I do think that whatever heuristic they implement, should they choose to do so, it should definitely include:
A) Only challenges that are relevant to a walk or strikeout, not other stuff futzing with the count; and
B) Only challenges in some semblance of leverage, i.e., tying or go-ahead run at the plate or on deck, and if a low-scoring game early, then not at all until the fourth inning or whatever.
There are of course more complicated and probably better heuristics, but these are also things the players need to remember in real-time. I’d love to say, “Only challenge in the first three innings if you’re 90 percent confident you’ll win” but the players are probably 90 percent confident every time they challenge, so that’s not helpful to anyone.
CHARLOTTE, NC - APRIL 2: Khaman Maluach #10 of the Phoenix Suns, Sion James #4 and Kon Knueppel #7 of the Charlotte Hornets pose for a photo after the game on April 2, 2026 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The regular season ended for the NBA on Sunday night, and for Duke rookies, it marked the end of a remarkable season.
Phoenix Sun Khaman Maluach finished on a high note, with 18 points, 14 rebounds, and two blocks.
Cleveland Cavalier Tyrese Proctor was close to a triple-double, with 22 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists.
In New York, Sion James wrapped up the regular season with 8 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists, while Kon Knueppel finished with 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. He also finished the season with 273 three-pointers, the first time a rookie has ever led the NBA, but just barely: Charlotte teammate LaMelo Ball finished with 272.
Meanwhile, for Dallas, Cooper Flagg’s spectacular first season came to a premature end. He played just 10 minutes before he sprained an ankle. However, he left the game with 10 points, 4 rebounds, and an assist.
Which brings us back to perhaps the most interesting story of the NBA season: the riveting battle for Rookie of the Year between Flagg and Knueppel.
It’s really too close to call, isn’t it? In this video, Doc Rivers argues that if you go by the numbers, Flagg should get it, but if you go by the impact on his team, Knueppel should.
We’ve suggested this too. His impact on the Hornets has been amazing.
So how do you resolve this? We don’t know, but we do know this: Flagg would give Knueppel the trophy in a heartbeat if the Mavericks were still playing like the Hornets will be.
There’s only one way for this to end: Co-Rookies of the Year. Nothing else would be fair.
Apr 12, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Ron Harper Jr (13) and Boston Celtics guard Baylor Scheierman (55) celebrate during the second half against the Orlando Magic at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images | Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images
BOSTON — Technically, John Tonje has played in many a high-profile game at TD Garden. In a way, he’s actually been doing so for years.
That’s because since he was a little kid in Nebraska, Tonje has set nearly all of his NBA 2K games at TD Garden, his favorite arena in the arena.
“I always play here [on 2k],“ Tonje told CelticsBlog on Sunday. ”I love playing here. Growing up, my favorite arena was always TD Garden. I just love it.”
Tonje made his official (non-video game) TD Garden debut in late February, playing five fourth-quarter minutes in a blowout Celtics win.
But after the Celtics secured the No. 2 seed on Friday, Tonje knew he might have a chance to live out that dream in full, to play rotation minutes, to make an NBA basket. The Celtics ruled out 8 players ahead of Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Orlando Magic. And, Tonje knew that he very well could have the chance to play in front of a crowd that had almost become mythical.
“I woke up today knowing that I’m gonna have an opportunity to come out here and play and do what I love to do,” Tonje said, “and play in an arena like this.”
That he did.
The 24-year-old played a whopping 30 minutes in the arena of his dreams, and tallied 13 points — and his first NBA bucket — en route to an improbable 113-108 win over the Orlando Magic. And, he did it with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Sam Hauser, Neemias Queta, Nikola Vucevic, Payton Pritchard, and Hugo Gonzalez all sidelined.
“Hitting my first field goal, that was huge,” Tonje said, noting that his only two NBA career points came at the free throw line. “To see that actual field goal go down, which was a three in the corner, it was great to see. And I was, like, ‘Okay, this is real.’”
Tonje was one of only eight Celtics available to play on Sunday. Of them, three (Amari Williams, Max Shulga, and Tonje) were late 2025 second-round draft picks. Three (Jordan Walsh, Dalano Banton, and Luka Garza) were second-round draft picks from years before. One (Ron Harper Jr.) was undrafted. Baylor Scheierman, the No. 30 pick in 2024, was the only former first-rounder available to play.
That didn’t stop the Celtics from pulling off what, on the outside, appeared to be one of the improbable wins of the NBA season.
“We expected to go out there and compete and win the game,” Scheierman said. “I know going into the game, that was our expectation.”
Here’s how they did it.
Luka Garza, Baylor Scheierman set the tone for Game 82
Luka Garza was the head of the snake when the Celtics took the parquet on Sunday evening, running onto the court first for warm-ups, with Scheierman, Walsh, Harper Jr, Shulga, Williams, and Banton all trailing behind him.
Garza had been awaiting this opportunity, too. The 27-year-old had plenty more NBA experience than a rookie like Tonje, but he did not take for granted the chance to have more extended minutes than he’s had all year. And, he took advantage, setting a career-high in scoring (27 points) and grabbing a game-high 12 rebounds in a season-high 38 minutes.
And, before tip-off, Garza made a point of instilling confidence in his teammates.
“Luka said it before the game, huddled up, ‘This is for all the times that we’re on the bench, all the times we want an opportunity, we have a chance to go out there and show it,’” said Harper Jr.
The message resonated. During layup lines, the available Celtics laughed as they realized just how short-handed they appeared.
“There was probably, on the outside, a lot of unknowns about what was going to happen looking at the lineup,” Scheierman said. “And we were even joking in the locker room, coming out in layup lines and looking at each other, like, ‘We got seven people out here?’”
But, the grittiness that has been on display all season was evident from the opening jump.
A mere eight seconds into the game, Scheierman drew an offensive foul. On the next possession, Garza hit his first three-pointer of the night. By the end of the first quarter, the Celtics trailed by 9 points — but it was clear they came ready for battle. Harper Jr., who poured in 12 of the team’s 20 first-quarter points, was particularly aggressive from the jump.
“We definitely didn’t go into this game thinking this is like David vs. Goliath, thinking we’re like ultimate underdogs,” Harper Jr. said. “We came into the game expecting to compete, and expecting to win.”
And, to onlookers, nothing on the Celtics’ side seemed to indicate they were overwhelmed or intimidated by the lineup on the other side, a group of proven Magic players that included Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane, and Jalen Suggs. To make things all the more wild, the Magic were vying for Play-In positioning, hoping to secure home-court advantage in Wednesday’s Play-In game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
But if someone were to turn on the game, they’d never guess that the Celtics were the ones with nothing substantive on the line.
“We said it all year, 1 to 15, whoever steps on the floor, there’s an expectation to put us in position with the opportunity to win,” said Joe Mazzulla. “Stick to the process of winning; today is no different than the other 81 games.”
The tides drastically turned in the third quarter, when the Celtics outscored the Magic 42-20 and built a double-digit lead. Scheierman hit stepback threes like he was James Harden en route to a 30-point, 7-assist, 7-rebound career night.
After each bucket, the TD Garden crowd exploded as though it were a playoff game.
“I thought the crowd was tremendous for us tonight,” Mazzulla said. “I think they helped us get our third-quarter run, and I think they kept us in it. The great thing about our fans is, 1) they’re smart – they know good basketball, 2) they care about winning. They care about playing the right way. That’s what they want to see.”
The game was tied with 35 seconds to go when Garza hit the go-ahead three-pointer with a hand in his face.
“I was like, ‘Yeet,’” Scheierman said, laughing. “We wanted to get him a three. That’s not necessarily how we had it drawn up to get there. But yeah, chicken.”
That improbable shot capped off an improbable night that capped off an improbable season.
“It was so awesome,” Garza said. “Seeing it go in, just feeling the crowd too. It was definitely a top moment for me.”
Nearly everyone on the Celtics’ bench jumped to their feet, rejoicing the clutch basket. Tonje said the presence of the sidelined Celtics was particularly energizing.
“It meant everything to see D-White, JT, all the older guys come up, and meet us at half court and dap us up and just give us energy,” he said. “It was so, so great.”
In the background was the reality that Sunday also doubled as the Celtics’ Fan Appreciation Day. Before the game, Jordan Walsh thanked Celtics fans for being the best fans in all of sports.
Jordan Walsh addresses Celtics fans on the last game of the season:
“On behalf of the organization, I want to thank you all for being the best fans in sports.” pic.twitter.com/OsV0CAwRyY
“That’s what makes Boston, in general, just super special — the support we get,” he said. “You could have seen the injury report last night that said a bunch of people were going to be out, and people could have just not shown up, knowing people weren’t going to play. But the Garden was packed, and it was rocking like it was a must-win game for us. And so I think that’s super special, and we got to give a lot of credit to our fans for coming through and creating that type of atmosphere.”
On Sunday night, Ron Harper Jr’s dreams were validated
Ron Harper Jr, who began the year with a training camp contract and not even the promise of a two-way, reflected on his journey after a 27-point, 4-rebound, 3-assist, and 3-steals night that just so happened to coincide with his 26th birthday.
Harper Jr. had been through it all.
He went undrafted in 2021.
He bounced around the league on four different two-way contracts.
He tore his labrum in 2023.
He was waived after the Celtics’ training camp in 2024.
But he opted to return to Boston for a second chance at Celtics training camp in 2025, a decision he hoped would pay off, and one he made in large part due to just how much he took away from his first training camp in Boston.
“It was a little bit of a gamble,” Harper Jr said. “But even last year, when I got waived off of the Exhibit-10, and I was in the G League, it was never any hard feelings. I felt like I learned a lot that training camp, being around a team that had just won a championship, those experiences, it’s unmatched. You see how those guys grind, see how they play the game. You see how they work out. You see how they approach the day-to-day. It’s just something I try to take with me throughout my journey.”
Asked Ron Harper how much he felt like taking the training camp deal in Boston was a gamble, and when he realized it was rewarding:
“It was a little bit of a gamble. But even last year, when I got waived off of the Exhibit-10 and I was in the gym, it was never any hard… pic.twitter.com/iK5m77OxDg
“The whole year has been rewarding,” Harper Jr. “I had a great stay in Maine when I was there, won Player of the Month, me and my teammates were able to compete in the showcase tournament in Orlando. That was a great experience.“
In February, Harper Jr. started his first-ever NBA game, and the Celtics blew out the Houston Rockets on the second night of a back-to-back. He was tasked with guarding Kevin Durant, and he, somehow, outplayed the Hall of Famer. It was that moment that reiterated to him that a second training camp with Boston was the right call.
“The most rewarding moment was probably when I started the first game,” he said. “That’s something that I dreamed of for a while. Thinking about where I came from and how the year was looking, I definitely didn’t think this would be the year where I start a game.”
Since that first start, Harper Jr. has had several standout moments. There was a 22-point outburrst against his brother, Dylan, in a game vs San Antonio. There was a big first quarter against the Charlotte Hornets last month.
And, there was Sunday’s career-night, a 27 point outing in which Harper Jr. was the guy spearheading the offense.
His two-way contract was converted to a standard deal earlier in April. It was a moment that was special for Joe Mazzulla, too.
“It really starts with him,” Mazzulla said. “He’s done a lot for us, especially this season — playing in Maine, playing in the Stay Ready games, playing in NBA games, being ready. He’s a competitive guy. It’s a testament to who he is, so I’m really happy for him.”
“I’m just really grateful to be in the situation,” Harper Jr said.
For John Tonje, the quiet work came to fruition
Before Sunday, Tonje had played a total of 12 NBA minutes in his rookie season. Joe Mazzulla said the behind-the-scenes work with the team’s player development staff is what prepared him.
“He hasn’t played in an NBA game — he’s played in Stay Ready games. He’s played in optional shoots,” Mazzulla said. “He’s gone through reads – it’s the exact same thing. All those things are just as important.”
Asked Joe Mazzulla about John Tonje, who had never played meaningful NBA minutes before tonight:
“He’s played in Stay Ready games. He’s played in options shoots.”
“The coaching staff does an amazing job just trying to get us better, put us in situations that we’ll see in the games,” Tonje said. “And I think those Stay Ready games are there to prepare us for moments like this, and just – hats off to the coaching staff.”
Tonje especially credited his player development coach, Nana Foulland, for preparing him mentally.
“He’s been great,” he said. “He’s tough on me, which is what I need. And, he doesn’t always have the sweetest things to say, which is great. He’s helping me get better.”
Still, there’s no way to truly emulate the environment of playing at a packed TD Garden.
“I’d be lying if I said it and didn’t feel different,” he said with a smile.
TD Garden was as loud as it’s been all year — as loud as it was in Tonje’s video games growing up.
“I know that a lot of those guys who haven’t got a lot of opportunity, they’re super grateful for that, that they got an opportunity to play in that type of environment,” Baylor Scheierman said.
Garza, Harper, and Scheierman led the way, but they didn’t do it alone. Dalano Banton, who was on a Ten-Day contract with the Celtics in February, was signed to the Celtics’ 15th roster spot on Saturday, and laced up a day later. He tallied 7 assists and 4 blocks in 36 minutes in the win.
Jordan Walsh posted 9 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, a block, and a steal. Max Shulga earned his first career NBA start, finishing with 3 points and 3 rebounds in 18 minutes. And, Amari Williams played 9 minutes off the bench.
None of it surprised Mazzulla, who has stressed all year that every single player on the roster could impact winning.
“It’s a validation of what we’ve been talking about,” Mazzulla said, crediting the team’s player development staff for putting players in this position. “And the most important thing is our guys, it’s very easy if you’re constantly in an optional shoot or playing in a Stay Ready game, you can see as if your job is meaningless, but they have to stay ready, because any moment, as soon as they step on the floor, you’re held to the same standard. And I think that’s what guys who are on the court today are looking for. And so it’s more of a validation to the staff, but really to the locker room. And they care about winning. They care about playing great.”
As the final buzzer sounded, the veterans rejoiced, dapping up nearly every player on the roster.
Jaylen Brown walked through the tunnel in disbelief, and almost immediately turned to social to media to Tweet: “I love this team.”
Players signed as many autographs as they could. A John Tonje signature had never held more weight at TD Garden.
The page will now turn. The Celtics will begin a week of practice ahead of Sunday’s playoff game, where the stakes will be higher than they’ve been all year. Players like Tonje, Williams, Shulga and Banton might not lace up for meaningful minutes all spring.
Regardless of what happens next, one thing is certain: Game 82 captured the magic of the 2025-2026 Celtics — a team that came into the year with minimal external expectations and turned into a championship contender.
Mar 30, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Rico Garcia (50) celebrates during the seventh inning against the Texas Rangers at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images
The Orioles entered the year with plenty of public pessimism around their bullpen. Their newly-signed closer was coming off of the worst stretch in his career, they were already dealing with injuries to key members of the group, and much of the unit was unproven at the major league level. While the 2026 season is only two weeks old, and questions remain, there is also a lot to like about the relief corps that Mike Elias has assembled.
Across the board, the O’s bullpen ranks in the top half of the league in most statistics. They are 11th in fWAR (0.5), 11th in ERA (3.45), seventh in xERA (3.55), sixth in K/9 (10.05), and 14th in BB/9 (4.08). These aren’t elite numbers, but they represent perfectly fine performance. That wasn’t a guarantee given the construction of the unit.
Ryan Helsley has done well in the closer’s role, though there is room for improvement. He is 4-for-4 on save opportunities and has an ERA of 3.38. That famous fastball of his has looked good, averaging 98.5 mph, while the splitter he was working on throughout the spring hasn’t shown up too much yet. He does need to cut down on walks (6.75 BB/9), and his hard-hit rate is real bad (68.8%), but he has managed to survive those numbers so far. We should expect them to normalize at some point. He (hopefully) won’t have a .438 BABIP all season.
If the O’s do need to take the pressure off of Helsley at any point, it seems like they have three or four alternative ninth-inning candidates ready to go.
Rico Garcia snagged his first major league save during the White Sox series last week. The diminutive righty is yet to allow an earned run across 6.2 innings while striking out 10.80 per nine. His numbers aren’t fluky either. Take a gander at his Baseball Savant page. He is getting a ridiculous number of whiffs while also avoiding hard contact at an elite rate. At this moment, you could make an argument that he is the best reliever on the team.
Someone else in that conversation is Grant Wolfram. The lefty leads the bullpen in fWAR (0.3), K/9 (15.00), BB/9 (0.00), and FIP (0.81). All of this while having a bit of bad luck on balls in play (.462 BABIP). You can more easily poke holes in Wolfram’s performance. He isn’t getting as much weak contact or inducing whiffs as often as Garcia, but it has still been quite impressive.
Yennier Cano seems to be back at his all-star level from a couple of seasons ago. His slider has been largely sidelined in favor of a split-finger fastball, particularly against left-handed hitters, and it is working. He is yet to issue a walk and is striking out 10.38 per nine. Opposing hitters are almost exclusively pounding the ball into the ground against Cano. His 72.7% ground ball rate is among the league leaders early on. That is a recipe for success for the 32-year-old.
And let us not forget about Anthony Nunez. It looks like the Orioles have struck gold here, folks. The 24-year-old may have been the 26th man on the roster coming into Opening Day, only making the team due to a late spring injury to Keegan Akin. Well, he’s not going anywhere for a while. He is in the top 10 percent (or better) of pitchers in xERA (1.23), xBA (.137), average exit velocity (80.1 mph), and whiff rate (37.3%). His four-pitch mix is a real weapon out of the Orioles bullpen this year, but he feels like a rotation candidate at some point in his career.
Now, bullpens are volatile. These immaculate ERAs will not remain. Tough stretches are going to come. Each of these guys will have ups and downs throughout the season. But if they can get through the trials and tribulations, that would mean the Orioles have five stellar relievers that they can count on in close games. Not many teams can say that, and it would bode well for the team’s postseason ambitions.
This is before we even consider the sort of improvement that could come from other parts of the bullpen.
The Orioles IL is full of relievers. Akin, Andrew Kittredge, Dietrich Enns, and Yaramil Hiraldo will all be healthy again at some point. The expected impact of each varies, but they are all at least big league quality. Kittredge, in particular, is someone the team will be excited to get back. He has nearly a decade of experience, including a solid 31-game stint with the O’s a year ago and three trips to the postseason. That sort of guidance could be a crucial for this group.
On top of that, the club clearly believes in Tyler Wells’ ability to be a high-leverage reliever. They entered the year with him in a set-up role, but after giving up three runs across his first 2.1 innings of work, they backed off. More recently, manager Craig Albernaz has turned to him as a multi-inning option in the middle frames. So far, so good. Wells has given up just one run over his last seven innings. That has lowered his season ERA from 10.13 at the end of March to just 3.72 now.
Between Wells and Albert Suárez, the Orioles are also in the enviable position of having multiple pitchers in their bullpen that can reliably go beyond one inning of work. Both of them have starter backgrounds and were stretched out as such during the spring. That potentially allows them to step in as spot starters on occasion, or simply absorb innings if one of the normal starters has a shorter outing. Those sorts of efforts help to keep a bullpen fresh throughout a 162-game season.
There are nits to pick with the Orioles bullpen. And they are an area of team that will likely get an upgrade if the team is in the postseason conversation come July. But through two weeks, they are exceeding expectations and have the potential to be an unforeseen weapon for this squad.
It would be difficult to assert that any road trip has gone worse for the Astros. It started with taking one of six games from two of the worst teams in baseball. It ended with a four game set against the division rival Mariners. It is not officially over even as you are reading this, but the damage has been done. The team has stumbled down the standings, three players have moved to the injured list, and one more was sent to Houston for tests on his arm and shoulder.
Three of those four injuries were pitching injuries. In that universe, the study belong takes on an entirely new context. All that being said, Joe Espada took on a ton of criticism last season with his willingness to send his relievers out there for multiple innings. In particular, some wondered if pitching Josh Hader in multiple innings multiple times played a direct impact in ending his season early. It may have been no coincidence that his very last outing was a two inning relief appearance.
If we were giving this a proper study then we would want to study all 30 teams or at least American League teams to determine how often this is happening. That kind of study might come later if this trend continues, but we are comparing the 2025 Astros with the 2026 Astros. In particular, we are looking at the number of multiple inning relief appearances and the numbers of those outings that wound up being scoreless outings. In other words, was it an effective strategy for Espada last season and has it been an effective strategy this season? For our purposes, we are looking at the top seven pitchers in games pitched from last season.
2025 Bullpen Usage
Games
Multiple
PCT
Scoreless
PCT
Josh Hader
48
7
14.6
3
42.9
Bryan Abreu
70
10
14.3
9
90.0
Bryan King
68
11
16.2
10
90.9
Steven Okert
68
18
26.5
16
88.9
Bennett Sousa
44
15
34.1
13
86.7
Kaleb Ort
49
6
12.2
4
66.7
Enyel de los Santos
65
15
23.1
12
80.0
Total
412
82
19.9
67
81.7
Obviously, any strategy has to be evaluated on two prongs. How effective is the strategy and does the strategy have any long-term lingering negative effects? The first question is an easier question to answer. If a team made it through more than 80 percent of their relief appearances (overall) with a no runs given up then that bullpen has probably done fairly well. People often have unrealistic expectations when it comes to the bullpen. If a pitcher pitches three games in a week and surrenders a run once then he has a 3.00 ERA if all of those are one inning outings. I think most people would take that from all of their relief pitchers and walk away happy.
So, if we are looking at relief pitching in that prism, then we would say that two out of every three outings should be a scoreless outing. That is in effect the break even point. So, as a team they were breaking even more than that on multiple inning outings. Of course, that can be defined as little as 1.1 innings pitched all the way through three or four innings.
This is why many Espada critics focus in on his handling of Hader. Beyond any physical problem, it wasn’t an effective strategy. For someone that was one of the most effective relievers through his injury, he was decidedly ineffective when asked to take the ball for a second inning. When we look at bullpen performance again (when we have more outings to level things out) we will primarily look at the number of scoreless outings a reliever has in comparison to the number out outings. Now, let’s take a look at the 2026 numbers.
2026 Bullpen Usage
Games
Multiple
PCT
Scoreless
PCT
Bryan Abreu
5
0
0.0
0
—-
Steven Okert
6
2
33.3
2
100.0
Bryan King
5
1
20.0
1
100.0
Kai-Wei Teng
5
3
60.0
3
100.0
A.J. Blubaugh
5
3
60.0
1
33.3
Ryan Weiss
5
4
80.0
2
50.0
Cody Bolton
1
1
100.0
0
0.0
Christian Roa
5
1
20.0
0
0.0
Enyel de los Santos
3
1
33.3
0
0.0
Roddery Munoz
3
2
66.7
0
0.0
J.P. France
1
1
100.0
0
0.0
Total
44
19
43.2
9
47.3
I know what everyone is going to say. “But the lack of good starting pitching has put the Astros in a position to use more multiple inning relievers.” There is no denying that. In back to back games the starters made it through one inning and then one third of an inning. That is brutal and both of those pitchers might have come away with lengthy injuries. There is very little getting around that. The Astros may have the fewest quality starts in the league at this point of the season.
Still, the lab has always been a place where we can take our feelings and throw them into an empirical test. It feels like Espada frequently tries to get one more inning than he should from his relief pitchers. We’ve seen multiple outings where a reliever throws a clean inning or two clean innings, but that next inning is where things go awry. Of course, feelings don’t cash checks around these parts.
What does cash those checks are the actual numbers. Those multiple inning relief outings have been far less successful than they were last season. That is also probably because there have been too many of them and they are going on too long. Some of that can be helped and some of it can’t be. In our commentary on Friday, we talked about the staff stabilizing itself. Simply being able to go out there and throw five or six innings in a start would go a long way to do that.
General managers are made based on what percentage of their decisions that turn out favorably, Managers are made based on how they handle their pitching staff. Yes, decisions of who to sit and when are important. Yet, it is when to pitch certain guys and how long to pitch them that make most of the difference from day to day. The early going has been rough for both guys as both see their contracts run out. The season is long. Hope springs eternal. Throw in your euphemism here. As always, this will be something we track again as the season goes on.
Apr 12, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard AJ Green (20) shoots the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers in the first quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
As Kyle wrote in the preview, this game had legitimate stakes—a win for the Philadelphia 76ers (and other results) could have them move up to sixth place and avoid the play-in game(s), but a loss could have them in the 9-10 game against the Miami Heat. For the first half, the Bucks handled this well, taking a four-point lead into the main break. But a dismal third quarter put the game beyond reach, and the Bucks closed out their 2025-26 season, fittingly, with a loss. Read our full summary of the game here and catch a six-minute audio recap on the Bucks+ podcast, Bucks In Six Minutes, below.
The improved Sims continued to show confidence in his new skillset, especially when creating for others. He found AJ Green with an absolute dime on a backdoor cut in the first half. Then, on the next possession, found Taurean Prince for a kick-out corner three. He also continued his ascension catching and finishing in traffic, especially as the game wore on.
Dieng’s been thrown into the fire as the Bucks’ primary (only?) ball handler to end the season. Last night, it led to some ugly turnovers but, generally, he looked comfortable in the role. As Wes Matthews noted, he’s a “real complete player and [has] so much room to get better.” Next year, where he can be used as a more natural secondary ball handler, he certainly will be.
The quest was clear from the start—get the Bucks’ three-point record—but Green didn’t take any bad shots getting there. If anything, it spoke to what should’ve been all season, especially after all the talk preseason about the Bucks upping their three-point volume. However, after a long campaign, Green’s legs failed him in the second half, with many of his attempts falling short. Still, it was a night to remember.
Ryan again looked more than comfortable in NBA action, playing freely and purposefully. He showed he’s got hops too, with a come-from-nowhere put-back dunk off a missed Andre Jackson Jr. free throw that had the bench hyped. Perhaps most impressive, however, was Ryan’s ability to find points in the paint via crafty finishes at the rim, floaters, or short turnarounds. He also hit the boards well, leading to a career-first double-double. Ryan’s got game and will get a chance to showcase it again next season.
A-Jax had a monster jam in transition in the first quarter and generally played like a wound-up Energizer bunny. But, as is often the case with A-Jax, there’s a lot of action for little difference. I’d be surprised to see him back in Milwaukee next season.
Thanasis was active—as always—early, recording a stat in each of the major categories in the first quarter. In the second, he showed off a sneaky floater and had a filthy spin off a fake handoff that almost ended in a poster dunk. The six assists were a nice surprise too.
Grade: C+
Doc Rivers
In his final game as coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, Rivers led the team to a halftime lead against a 76ers team with stakes on the line. The third quarter was ugly, but with so few players at his disposal, there’s not much he could have done about that. Whether by choice or lack of options, Rivers continued to put the ball in Dieng’s hands, expand Sims’ game, and provide opportunities to Ryan, all moves that could (and should) help the Bucks moving forward. For those, he gets credit.
Grade: B
Garbage Time: Alex Antetokounmpo
Inactive: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Porter Jr., Ryan Rollins, Myles Turner, Bobby Portis, Kyle Kuzma, Gary Trent Jr., Pete Nance, Gary Harris.
Bonus Bucks Bits
Prior to the game, Rivers couldn’t help but take a jab at ex-player Joel Embiid: “It’s that time of year, right? Appendicitis. I mean, you can’t make it up. You really can’t.”
Green’s third three of the first quarter put him ahead of Ray Allen as the Bucks’ all-time record holder for three-pointers made in a single season (230). What an achievement for the Iowa native who went from being undrafted in 2022, to landing a two-way contract, and then signing long-term prior to the season.
The Bucks’ ball movement continued to impress early—nine assists on 11 made field goals in the first quarter. At the half, they had 17 on 22, while at three-quarter time, they had 20 on 28. They ended the game with 26 helpers on 39 made field goals.
Green had double-digit three-point attempts just 13 times across the Bucks’ first 75 games. Over the final seven, he had four.
After going for 63 points against the Nets, Green and Ryan combined for 34 in the first half. The burden clearly took its toll, though, as they combined for only seven points in the second half.
The Bucks struggled in the third quarter, going 1-15 from three, while the 76ers shot 6/11 and turned a four-point half time deficit into an 18-point lead.
Ex-Buck MarJon Beauchamp got fourth-quarter minutes, finishing with a free throw and a dunk off an offensive rebound.
The 76ers tried everything they could to get Kyle Lowry a basket—including a past-half-court heave—in what might have been his final NBA game. While he couldn’t hit any of his five attempts, he’s had a stellar career. All the best, Kyle.
With news that he’s departing as head coach, Rivers finishes up sixth all-time with 1,194 career wins. While his Bucks tenure didn’t go as planned, he’s given a heck of a lot to basketball and the NBA. Thanks, Doc.
Up Next
That’s a wrap on the season, folks. The Bucks will be back in action during Summer League in July and then for preseason play sometime in October. In the meantime, we’ll keep you posted with plenty of offseason coverage.
Apr 11, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Taijuan Walker (99) reacts after allowing a home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
The team has seen Taijuan Walker struggle in first innings this season and is trying to find a solution to the issue. It could be simulating that first inning in the bullpen, it could be having him throw longer bullpens to begin the day. One solution seems to be the best one if they are indeed going to be trying something different.
Should the Phillies consider using an opener for Walker’s starts so long as he’s in the rotation? We know that the return of Zack Wheeler feels imminent, meaning Walker’s time in the rotation is probably short as it is. However, injuries happen and the team will want to keep him close by in case they need someone to jump into a rotation spot quickly. But they cannot continue to just let those starts get away so early, relying on an offense that thus far has been inconsistent at best. Maybe this more modern approach to beginning games is something the team should be considering.
Columbus Clippers Travis Bazzana (12) throws the ball to first base during home opener at Huntington Park on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Columbus, Ohio. | Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
It was a rough game for Akron both offensively and with pitching.
Alfonso Rosario was a bright spot, going 2-for-3 with a home run. Joe Lampe had the lone multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with a double and a stolen base and Ralphy Velazquez reached base safely twice, going 1-for=3 with a walk, something Jose Devers also did.
Starting pitcher Dylan DeLucia again had a horrific outing, allowing four runs on three hits with two walks and one strikeouts without getting out of the first inning.
Zane Morehouse was the only pitcher who didn’t give up a run or allow an inherited runner to score.
Top Guardians 2025 MLB Draft Pick Jace LaViolette finally had his first big moment as a pro, blasting off for a three-run home run in the first inning, the first of hopefully many in his young career.
LaViolette still is a work in progress, as the bomb was his only hit of the day, going 1-for-4 with a walk and two more strikeouts. He’s batting .160 to begin his pro career with a grotesque 53.6% strikeout rate. He is going to have to get that under control before he makes any other progress.
Eight different Lake County players had hits in this game. Bennett Thompson also homered and walked as his extremely strong start to the 2026 season continues. Jaison Chourio went 1-for-3 with a double, a walk and a sacrifice fly.
Starting pitcher Franklin Gomez had another strong outing, allowing one run on two hits in 4.0 innings while striking out four and walking one. Michael Kennedy followed with 4.0 innings of piggyback relief, allowing three runs on three hits with five strikeouts and a walk. Two of his three hits allowed were home runs.
Izaak Martinez finished off the game with a 1-2-3 ninth inning to earn his first save of the season.
The story of this game was the tremendous bounceback performance from Chase Mobley. After failing to get more than one out in his 2026 debut, he pitched 2.1 scoreless, hitless innings, striking out three and walking three on 49 pitches. Hopefully this is a sign of brighter things to come from him.
Miguel Flores followed with 2.2 scoreless innings of relief and Luke Fernandez closed out the win with 2.0 scoreless innings of one-hit ball with four strikeouts to earn the save.
Offensively, Anthony Martinez hit his first home run of the season, going 1-for-3 with a walk. Luis De La Cruz stayed hot, going 2-for-3 with a walk and two stolen bases while Dauri Fernandez singled and walked, although he got caught stealing twice. Yelferth Castillo also went 2-for-3 with a walk.
Juneiker Caceres and Robert Arias both reached base twice with a pair of walks apiece.
Apr 12, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Texas Rangers center fielder Evan Carter (32) makes a catch against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the sixth inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images | Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images
Good morning.
Shawn McFarland writes that Skip Schumaker was satisfied to see the Texas Rangers reach base early and often in their win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday.
Jacob Gurvis writes that Jacob deGrom continued his career-long mastery of the Dodgers while earning his first win of the season in Sunday’s finale.
McFarland writes that in a tussle between living legends, Shohei Ohtani won a battle with a leadoff home run but deGrom won the war with a superlative outing in the victory.
Gurvis notes that deGrom and the rest of the Texas arms got an assist from catcher Danny Jansen with four successful ABS challenges in five challenges overall on Sunday.
McFarland writes that the struggles for reliever Chris Martin has thrown a wrench into the bullpen plans during the season’s first few weeks.
PHILADELPHIA , PA - DECEMBER 01: Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby #87 scores a goal during the game between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Pittsburg Penguins on December 1st, 2025 at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, PA. (Photo by Terence Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
A few days ago, we had Saturday circled as the ‘make or break’ day as far as finding out who the Penguins would likely be playing in the first round of the playoffs. Philadelphia was one point up on the NY Islanders and Saturday would see the Flyers play the Winnipeg Jets and NYI take on the Ottawa Senators. The results were conclusive — the Flyers romped to a 7-1 win, the Islanders got shutout and lost 3-0. Then, yesterday the Islanders made their elimination official by losing to Montreal.
As a result, via Hockeystats.com, the Battle of Pennsylvania is coming into further focus for the first round of the playoffs. Here are the odds of opponent for the Penguins.
The Flyers have two games left – one tonight against a Carolina team that has first place sewed up. The Hurricanes have won three straight, they haven’t employed a ‘pack it in and wait for the playoffs’ strategy by any means so it might be a tough game. Then Philadelphia plays tomorrow night against the Canadiens, who have incentive to win to strengthen their chances of winning the Atlantic Division. Should Philadelphia win either game or pickup overtime/shootout losses in both games, then their ticket to the playoffs is punched.
The playoff race only gets interesting if the Flyers suffer a regulation loss tonight against the Hurricanes. That would throw at least some hope to Washington and Columbus — who play each other on Tuesday. Here’s the standings.
While Philadelphia gets their chance to win and get in, the situation would get a lot more interesting if the Flyers lose tonight. The Capitals (36 regulation wins) hold the first tiebreaker over the Flyers, so a Washington win tomorrow against CBJ would put pressure on the Flyers to have a must-win game on Tuesday – assuming a PHI regulation loss tonight.
Columbus, at this point, needs a lot of help. They would need the Flyers to lose both of their games in regulation AND do their part by defeating Washington in regulation tomorrow night. Then CBJ, by virtue of regulation wins, would surpass Philadelphia if both ended up with 94 points (and Washington sat tight at 93). The math and odds are relatively more favorable for the Caps, since they would pass either CBJ/PHI if all ended up with 94 points and would pass PHI if WSH/PHI ended with 95. The trick for the Caps will be relying on the Flyers to only get zero or one point in the standings over the Flyers’ next two games, along with of course needing to get a result against the Blue Jackets to bolster their case.
The Red Wings latest end-of-season meltdown as them eliminated after being in first place in the conference as late as January, meaning Detroit now possesses the longest playoff drought in the NHL at 10 seasons, being as Buffalo has had a great season.
In the end, the drama didn’t go down to Game 82 for the Wild Cards – Ottawa won four-straight games last week and has a 5-1-1 April record to salvage their season and advance to the playoffs. Boston wasn’t hot in April (0-3-2 prior to yesterday’s win against Columbus) but managed to do enough in the second half of March (8-4-4 from March 14th on) to glide into a spot above the rest of the Metropolitan Division, courtesy of teams like the Blue Jackets and Islanders running out of steam in a major way over the last 10-12 games.
The Penguins sit in a fortunate spot, whether it’s the Flyers, Capitals or Blue Jackets the Pittsburgh first round opponent will likely have the fewest points of any Eastern playoff qualifier and certainly the lowest goal differential. The Flyers and Capitals have both been in good form winning seven of their last 10 games, though several of those opponents have had nothing to play for down the stretch.
The Penguins themselves are one win away on Tuesday in St. Louis from achieving their first 100-point season since 2021-22. That mark doesn’t look like any sort of priority for the team as they prepare for the start of the playoffs but would be a nice ending point for their season.
For now, the focus is over to the Flyers tonight to see if they can take care of their business against Carolina or will open the door to make Tuesday a very interesting night when it comes to determining which team will be meeting the Pens in the playoffs.
Now that the NBA regular season has come to a close, the big question in Milwaukee is: Has Giannis Antentokounmpo played his last game in a Bucks uniform?
In a 10-minute session with reporters, the two-time league MVP repeated his frequently expressed frustrations with the state of the Bucks franchise, but he also didn't rule out the possibility of signing an extension with the team either.
If they don't trade him this offseason, the Bucks do have the option of signing Antetokounmpo to an extension this fall, something owner Wes Edens did tell ESPN was a possibility last month.
However Antetokounmpo said there's been no movement on that front.
"We'll see when we get there," he said. "But somebody has to offer you that, for you to sign. I haven't been offered an extension. So, if that is on the table, then I will try to make the best decision for me and my family."
Antetokounmpo can be an unrestricted free agent next summer.
The 10-time All-Star also expressed frustration with the team not clearing him to play after he suffered a hyperextension of his knee and a bone bruise last month − even though he says he's healthy.
"I don't have control," he said. "(M)y understanding was I had to play 3-on-3 to be able to be available to play. I did that multiple times ...
"I don't know who said that, who came up with that, but that's disrespectful towards what I've done for this team and the way I carry myself my whole career, pretty much.
Apr 12, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz (16) beats New York Mets first baseman Mark Vientos (27) to the bag in the ninth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Meet the Mets
This place is a message… and part of a system of messages… pay attention to it! Sending this message was important to us. We considered ourselves to be a powerful culture. This place is not a place of honor… no highly esteemed deed is commemorated here… nothing valued is here. What is here was dangerous and repulsive to us. This message is a warning about danger. Mets lost to the A’s, 1-0.
Jose Alvarado gave up a pair of runs to the Diamondbacks in the eighth inning and took the short side of the decision in the Phillies 4-3 loss to Arizona.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 28: Will Warren #29 of the New York Yankees pitches in the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on March 28, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Brandon Vallance/Getty Images) | Getty Images
All is not well in Yankee-land. After taking their first three series on the strength of a stifling rotation, they’ve scuttled, dropping two of three to the Athletics before getting swept by the Rays. They’ll get the chance to rebound this week against an Angels squad that finished worst in the AL West last year but has gotten off to a respectable 8-8 start. Let’s take a look at the likely pitching matchups for this mid-week set in the Bronx.
Monday: Will Warren vs. Yusei Kikuchi(7:05 pm ET)
After an encouraging rookie season last year, Will Warren has gotten off to a strong start. He’s yet to allow more than two runs through three outings, doing a better job of limiting free passes and hard contact. The right-hander has not surpassed 85 pitches in any of his starts, though, limiting him to more of a “five-and-dive” role than a workhorse. Last season, Warren posted a 3.31 ERA outside of his four worst starts, meaning it will be key to see if he’s able to sustain his early success over a longer sample size.
He’s lined up to face Yusei Kikuchi. The veteran was an All-Star in his first season with LA last year, making 33 starts while performing slightly above league-average. He’s gotten off to a rough start this year, allowing 11 runs through 14.2 innings. The southpaw’s metrics suggest he’s been unlucky, though, with an expected ERA of 3.77 which would be an improvement over last year. That’s because he’s inducing weaker contact while issuing fewer walks, a time-honored formula for success. Kikuchi threw 97 pitches his last time out, so expect him to shoulder a full starter’s workload as long as he’s effective.
Tuesday: Ryan Weathers vs. Reid Detmers(7:05 pm ET)
After two brief and uneven outings to begin his Yankees career, Ryan Weathers made a statement his last time out. Against a potent Athletics lineup, the former Marlin allowed just one run in eight innings, pitching around seven hits in a performance that showed the potential the Yankees saw when they acquired him this offseason. The biggest tweak the team made to Weathers’ profile was transforming his sinker, which he threw just 20 times last year, into his top secondary pitch. The results have not followed, as opponents have hit .421 against the pitch.
Weathers will oppose Reid Detmers. A former top prospect, Detmers struggled as a starter before finding success last year as a reliever. In a controversial move, the Angels transitioned him back to the rotation this season and the results have been mixed. A 6.2-inning scoreless outing against the Mariners was followed by a six-run drubbing at the hand of the A’s in which he only got one out in the fifth. Detmers has largely been a two-pitch pitcher so far this year, featuring a four-seamer which has gotten torched and a slider which has held opponents to a .167 batting average.
Wednesday: Luis Gil vs. Jack Kochanowicz(7:05 pm ET)
Luis Gil is the elephant in the Yankees’ room. After he took home Rookie of the Year honors in 2024, the team looked to have a rotation mainstay for years to come. But, after missing most of last year to injury, he wasn’t the same pitcher upon his return, with a fastball down more than a tick leading to plummeting strikeout and whiff rates. After failing to show enough to overtake Warren or Weathers in the spring, he was optioned to Triple-A out of camp, with the plan to utilize a four-man rotation until a fifth starter was needed. That need arose last Friday, and Gil did little to change the narrative around his decline, allowing three runs, three hits, and three walks in four innings while taking the loss against Tampa Bay.
While LA is yet to announce their starter for Wednesday, Jack Kochanowicz would be up next in their rotation. After serving as a black hole in the Angels’ rotation last year, posting a 6.81 ERA, he’s been much improved through three starts this season. The right-hander allowed a single run in 12.2 innings over his last two starts against the Mariners and Reds, both playoff teams from last year. Still, his 5.96 expected ERA indicates this may be a blip, as the 25-year-old is still allowing far more walks and recording far fewer punchouts than league average.
Thursday: Max Fried vs. TBD (1:35 pm ET)
After finishing fourth in AL Cy Young voting last year, Max Fried has been every bit as dominant through his first four starts in 2026. He allowed three runs his last time out against Tampa Bay but went eight innings while throwing just 94 pitches. The sinkerballer is yet to allow a home run and, as the only healthy one out of the team’s three aces, has been an anchor in the Yankees’ rotation once again.
After sending down George Klassen, the team’s number-four prospect who allowed seven runs in 4.2 innings through his first two MLB starts, it’s unclear who the Angels will send to the bump for Thursday’s series closer. Sam Aldegheri has big-league experience and is already on the 40-man, but his 10.80 ERA through three starts at Triple-A does not inspire confidence. LA may end up going with an opener approach this time through as they consider their long-term options.
Major League Baseball Monday has 10 games on tap, and plenty of options to set your betting card.
That includes Ronald Acuna Jr., who is heating up after a slow start to the year, and that should continue as the Atlanta Braves host the Miami Marlins.
Read below for my favorite MLB player props for Monday, April 13.
Best MLB player props today
Player
Pick
Odds
Ronald Acuna Jr.
2+ total bases
+100
Shea Langeliers
2+ total bases
+100
Kyle Schwarber
1+ home runs
+210
Ronald Acuna Jr. 2+ total bases (+100)
Atlanta Braves star outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. has picked up hits in four straight games, and he’s showing serious pop.
Acuna has gone 6-for-18 (.333) in the last four, picking up his first homer of the season, along with a pair of doubles and a triple.
He’ll be facing Miami Marlins righty Eury Perez, who has an inflated 5.06 ERA out of the gate. Acuna has only faced him three times, but he’s gotten his money’s worth, reaching base all three times, with a home run, a double, and two runs batted in.
Time: 7:15 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Marlins.TV, BravesVsn
Shea Langeliers 2+ total bases (+100)
Shea Langeliers is swinging a hot bat for the Athletics, with hits in four of his last five games, including three multi-hit games.
He hasn’t homered in seven games, but he’s hitting the ball well (sitting in the Top 20% in expected slugging, average exit velocity, and barrel rate), with a couple of doubles during this hot stretch.
Langeliers will step in against Nahan Eovaldi, who has struggled to start the year for the Texas Rangers, sporting a robust 7.98 ERA. He’s allowed a long ball in each of his three starts.
It’s a nice matchup for him on Monday when the Chicago Cubs come to town. Chicago right-hander Javier Assad has faced Schwarber five times and has yet to retire him, surrendering two hits and three walks.
Against righties, Schwarber is tied for seventh in the majors with a .688 slugging percentage and sixth with a 1.130 OPS, and he leads the majors in barrel rate while ranking among the elite in nearly every batted-ball metric. It’s a good spot for him to launch off Assad for the first time in his career.
Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: FS1
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.
Apr 6, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Kansas City Royals second baseman Jonathan India (6) runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run off Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Kolby Allard (49) during the eighth inning at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn Images | David Dermer-Imagn Images
The Guardians dropped their first series of 2026 in impressive fashion, losing by 12 runs.
I guess we will see if Tanner Bibee can figure things out. All the regression his metrics pointed to this season hit last night. I also wonder if Kolby Allard will be replaced by Hunter Gaddis today. Not ideal to be on Sunday Night Baseball and fall flat, but today is another day as the Guardians head to St. Louis.
AROUND MLB:
The Twins and Tigers won, and the White Sox beat the Royals
Ronald Acuna Jr.
Shea Langeliers
Kyle Schwarber