SURPRISE, ARIZONA - MARCH 04: Pitcher Jacob deGrom #48 of the Texas Rangers throws against Team Brazil during the first inning of a World Baseball Classic exhibition game at Surprise Stadium on March 04, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Three years ago, the Texas Rangers stood atop the baseball world, as the won a Wild Card spot and took down the Tampa Bay Rays, Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros, and Arizona Diamondbacks en route to their first World Series championship in franchise history. Since then, it has become clear that, while they were not quite the flash-in-the-pan that the 2013 Boston Red Sox were, the 2023 Rangers ought to be considered evidence for the fact that, once you punch your ticket to the postseason, anything can happen. It stands as their only playoff appearance since 2016, but what an appearance it was.
Although they haven’t been quite as bad as the 68-win team they were in 2021 and 2022, the Rangers have been the definition of mediocre since their championship, winning just 78 games in 2024 and 81 in 2025. Because of this, they decided to part ways with future Hall of Fame manager Bruce Bochy, replacing him with Skip Schumaker, and retooling this winter. But, for 2026, will they be any better?
2025 record: 81-81 (3th, AL West) 2026 FanGraphs projection: 81-81 (5th, AL West)
The Rangers lineup will certainly look quite different than it did last season. Gone is playoff hero Adolis García, who was non-tendered in November and subsequently signed in Philadelphia. Gone is 2023 AL MVP finalist Marcus Semien, flipped to the Mets in the first blockbuster deal of the winter. Gone is 2023 Gold Glove catcher Jonah Heim, whose lackluster bat and mediocre defense over the last two seasons has turned him from an All-Star catcher into Sean Murphy’s backup in Atlanta. In are Brandon Nimmo (acquired in the Semien trade), Danny Jansen (signed to a two-year deal this past December), and Andrew McCutchen (signed as a non-roster invite this past week, although projected to make the team by FanGraphs).
These moves make the Rangers lineup different, but aside from Nimmo — projected by FanGraphs to have a 110 wRC+ this year — Texas in essence returns the same run producers as last year. Shortstop Corey Seager and left fielder Wyatt Langford look to be main drivers once more, Jake Burger and Joc Pederson are expected to be competent but unspectacular stopgaps, and Evan Carter and Josh Jung are kind of just there, albeit with lingering high expectations.
In truth, much like the 2024 Yankees with Aaron Judge and Juan Soto, the 2026 Rangers offense will carry them as far as Seager and Langford can. Fortunately for the Rangers, much like the 2024 Yankees, the real strength of their team is not their lineup, but the depth of their pitching staff. So long as they’re healthy, Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi give them one of the best 1-2 punches in baseball, while new trade acquisition MacKenzie Gore has been a breakout candidate in each of the last few seasons. Jack Leiter hasn’t quite lived up to his pre-draft hype, but looks to be at least competent middle-of-the-rotation depth serving at the bottom of the rotation. And, sometime this summer, 2023 World Series hero and former Yankee Jordan Montgomery expects to return to the mound, as he recovers from Tommy John surgery.
Because of this strong starting rotation, the Texas Rangers project as a dangerous opponent in a short postseason series. But will their so-so offense hit well enough, and their rather old and injury prone rotation stay healthy enough, to get them there in an AL West that boasts two true contenders in the Mariners and Astros, but no true runaway favorites? Only time will tell.
More Pinstripe Alley MLB team season previews can be found here.
We got our first ever walk-off home run in WBC history yesterday. Then we got our second ever walk-off home run a few hours later. Finally, we had our first real upset in Tokyo.
But Canada got that run back in the bottom of the third when former Red Sox minor leaguer Río Gómez walked Abraham Toro with the bases loaded. Gómez is a former Red Sox farmhand who pitched in Taiwan last year.
Panama’s upset efforts were spoiled after Athletics infielder Darell Hernaiz hit a walk-off solo home run in the bottom of the 10th.
Panamanian starter Ariel Jurado hadn’t pitched in the majors since throwing for the Mets in 2020 and has pitched in KBO since 2023. But he befuddled an all-current major league Puerto Rico lineup for five scoreless innings. Jurado allowed three hits. He struck out four and walked no one.
Panama broke through with two runs in the top of the fifth inning on back-to-back RBI doubles by the Cubs’ Christian Bethancourt and 36-year-old Luis Castillo, an international veteran who hasn’t played in the US since reaching Double-A with the Tigers in 2013. Both doubles came off former Cubs reliever Jorge López.
Puerto Rico cut the lead in half in the bottom of the sixth on a Nolan Arenado sacrifice fly.
The score stayed 2-1 until the bottom of the ninth. Former Nationals reliever Alberto Baldonado got the last out of the eighth inning and came out for the ninth. After retiring the first batter, he walked Eddie Rosario and gave up a single to Mártin Maldonado. Panama was one out away from the upset when Baldonado retired Christian Vázquez on a fly to right. But then Maldonado walked both Matthew Lugo and Willi Castro to force in a run and send the game to extras.
In the bottom of the 10th, Puerto Rico had runners on the corners and no outs. They tied the game on a double play ball by Cortes. That brought up Hernaiz, who hit the second walk-off of the day. [VIDEO]
Italy made its debut in the 2026 WBC with an easy 8-0 win over Brazil.
The game was scoreless through five innings and Brazilian starter Enzo Sawayama (who pitches in the Japanese minors) and Italian starter Sam Aldegheri of the Angels traded zeros. But Italy broke through against the Brazilian bullpen when Astros infielder Zach Dezenzo hit an RBI single and then Jac Caglianone doubled in another run. Dazenzo got thrown out at the plate. [VIDEO]
Skubal was pretty good after than, allowing just two hits and striking out five over three innings.
The Great Britain starter, former Phillies farmhand Tyler Viza kept Team USA off the board for three innings. Viza pitched two years in Taiwan and two in Mexico since his last minor league game in 2022.
The game was pretty much over after that. Team USA scored four more runs and three of them came on sacrifice flies. Two were hit by Alex Bregman and one was by Will Smith. The other run came on an RBI single by Aaron Judge.
Bregman was 1 for 3 with a double and two sacrifice flies. Pete Crow-Armstrong went 1 for 4 with a double and a walk.
Chinese Taipei starter and NPB pitcher Ruei-Yang Gu Lin held Korea scoreless through four innings. But after Gu Lin allowed the first two batters of the fifth inning to reach via a walk and a single, he was pulled from the game. One of the runners he let on came around to score on a double play, which tied the game at 1-1.
In the top of the sixth inning, Chinese Taipei went back on top 2-1 on a solo home run by Tsung-Che Chen [VIDEO] who made his major league debut with the Pirates last year but is with Boston now.
The struggle between these two teams wasn’t over, as Korea tied the game back up in the bottom of the eighth on a double by Do Yeong Kim [VIDEO]. The 22-year-old Kim plays for Kia and is considered by some to be the top MLB prospect in KBO.
The game went to extra innings and Chinese Taipei got the automatic runner home from second with two sacrifice bunts. Korea tried to tie the game in the bottom of the inning with a sacrifice bunt which put a runner on third. But a ground ball to first by Hyeseong Kim wasn’t enough as Taiwan threw the runner out at the plate. After Do Yeong Kim flew out, Chinese Taipei completed the upset.
Chinese Taipei finishes pool play at 2-2. They still have a chance to advance to single-elimination play if Australia loses to both Japan and Korea and they get some help on tiebreakers.
The game was a scoreless tie for five innings, then the Australians pushed across a run in the top of the sixth on a throwing error by Japan’s catcher Kenya Wakatsuki after Australia’s Aaron Whitefield had stolen third base.
In the bottom of the seventh, Masataka Yoshida gave Japan the lead with a two-run homer. They extended their lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the eighth on a double by Teruaki Sato. Shohei Ohtani was the next hitter. Australia intentionally walked him, loading the bases.
That run turned out to be very, very important because Australia’s Alex Hall and Rixon Wingrove both hit solo homers in the ninth to make it a one-run game. But Japan’s Taisei Ota got Robbie Perkins to ground out to preserve a 4-3 win.
Japan’s victory clinched a spot for them in the quarterfinals. Australia can also advance if they defeat Korea on Monday.
Ozzie Albies hit the first ever walk-off home run in WBC history, as Nicaragua suffered heartbreak after being just one strike away from their first ever tournament win.
Starter Erasmo Ramírez gave Nicaragua five solid innings, giving up just one run on five hits. That one run came in the third inning when Ramírez hit Albies with the bases loaded.
Nicaragua tied the game 1-1 in the fifth inning when Rays reliever Kevin Kelly walked former Royal Cheslor Cuthbert with the bases loaded.
It looked like Nicaragua was headed to their first WBC win ever. Manager Dusty Baker summoned Ángel Orbando, who had a short career in the Yankees minor leagues in 2018 and 2019, to get the save in the ninth. Orbando struck out Drew Jones and got a fly out from Ray-Patrick Didder. Next, Orbando had Ceddanne Rafaela down 0-2 before Rafaela stuck out his bat and blooped a fastball outside of the zone into short right-center for a single. That kept the Netherlands alive.
Luis Arraez homered twice and Eugenio Suárez once as Venezuela had little difficulty disposing of Israel, 11-3.
Venezuela jumped all over Mets pitcher Ben Simon for four runs in the top of the first inning and they never looked back. Luis Arraez had an RBI double, Salvador Perez singled him home and then Suárez hit a two-run home run. [VIDEO]
Diamondbacks pitcher Michael Soroka (34) pitches against the Rangers during a spring training game in Surprise on Feb. 24, 2026. | Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Torey Lovullo Had Blunt Message on Poor Pitching after Loss to Giants
“We’ve got to start honing in on the pitching side of things, and we’re wanting to see guys commanding the baseball, commanding their secondary stuff, attacking the zone, filling up the zone,” Lovullo said. “It’s one of our first pillars, filling up the zone with strikes. I know that Drake is starting a game and still finding his way, what his strengths are. I want him to stick to his strengths, and I want him to pitch to his strengths, and go out there and dominate the zone, dominate the zone glove side.”
Sewald puts work in, sees ‘gigantic difference’ in velocity “I’m never going to be a hard thrower, but 92 versus 90 is a gigantic difference. I had been one of the best pitchers in baseball when I averaged 92.”
Ryan Thompson is focused on his faith, leadership in Diamondbacks’ clubhouse “One of the questions that I’ve found to be really fruitful is asking God, ‘What do you want me to know and what do you want me to do?’ Then you walk into the clubhouse and you’re just available. Your eyes are open, your ears are open, your hearts are open and you’re just feeling revelation all the time, like I need to talk to this guy today. I don’t know why. I’m going to go talk to this guy today and then see what’s going on.” https://arizonasports.com/mlb/arizona-diamondbacks/ryan-thompson-faith/3613815/
Other countries like Japan only produce 19% of goods that are shipped internationally. Most manufactured toys are made from materials such as traditional plastics to wooden toys.
Almost 50 pigs played Babe.
If you’ve seen the 1995 film Babe, you may think you’ve been emotionally invested in one pig. However, it actually took 48 different pigs to portray the lead character!
Since the end of WWI, over 1,000 people have died from leftover unexploded bombs. During the Great War, an estimated 200 pounds of explosives were fired per square foot of territory on the Western front. However, not all of these shells exploded. Since 1919, over 1,000 civilians and ordnance collectors have died from explosions caused by these in France and Belgium.
Despite some bumpy spells, the New York Knicks have all the ingredients to be the last team standing in the East, and today’s matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers is a chance to show their playoff pedigree.
My Knicks vs Lakers predictions expect New York’s superior depth to be the X-factor here against a L.A. side struggling with consistency.
Check out my NBA picks for this marquee March 8 showdown.
Knicks vs Lakers prediction
Knicks vs Lakers best bet: Knicks -3 (-110)
The New York Knicks are 16-5 straight up since January 19, and I’m buying into a hot streak that includes victories over the Spurs and Nuggets.
N.Y. has won six of its past seven road games with a balanced attack the Los Angeles Lakers can only dream about. The Lakers are 2-7 against the spread as home underdogs, and LeBron James is questionable.
No King James means OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges can share the Luka Doncic assignment.
The hosts have lost six of their past seven matchups against teams above. 500, and tonight will be more of the same.
Knicks vs Lakers same-game parlay
With the Lakers short on frontcourt help, the Knicks’ rebounding edge should be decisive here. Karl-Anthony Towns has had 12+ boards in five straight contests, and he grabbed 13 rebounds against L.A. earlier this season.
I like the Under today, too, with New York holding its last five opponents Under 105 points. It’s also been a winning ticket in seven of the Lakers’ past 10 games — and five of the last six meetings between these two.
Knicks vs Lakers SGP
Knicks moneyline
Karl-Anthony Towns Over 11.5 rebounds
Under 228
Our "from downtown" SGP: All-Stars assemble
A national TV game in L.A. is a perfect stage for All-Stars to shine, and this SGP banks on Jalen Brunson continuing his elite playmaking — 40 assists in his last three games — and KAT owning the boards.
Plus, I like Luka to nail his rebounds Over for a fourth straight contest.
Knicks vs Lakers SGP
Jalen Brunson Over 7.5 assists
Jalen Brunson Over 2.5 threes
Karl-Anthony Towns Over 11.5 rebounds
Luka Doncic Over 7.5 rebounds
Knicks vs Lakers odds
Spread: Knicks -3 | Lakers +3
Moneyline: Knicks -155 | Lakers +130
Over/Under: Over 228 | Under 228
Knicks vs Lakers betting trend to know
The Knicks are 14-9 ATS this season against Western Conference opponents. Find more NBA betting trends for Knicks vs. Lakers.
How to watch Knicks vs Lakers
Location
Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Date
Sunday, March 8, 2026
Tip-off
3:30 p.m. ET
TV
ABC
Knicks vs Lakers latest injuries
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The Chicago Blackhawks were defeated by the worst team in the National Hockey League, the Vancouver Canucks, on Friday. This capped off a tough trade deadline week for Chicago, so it’s a loss to throw in the garbage and move on from.
Next up is one of the hottest teams in the NHL. The Dallas Stars are 9-0-1 in their last ten games. That one loss came in the shootout against the Colorado Avalanche, the only team ahead of them in the NHL standings, on Friday night.
Scouting Dallas
The Dallas Stars win all of these games, but they can’t gain any ground because of how good the Central Division is at the top. The Colorado Avalanche are 7-3-0 in their last ten, including four straight wins, and the Minnesota Wild are 8-2-0 in their last ten. They make up three of the top four teams in the league.
A game against the Blackhawks is a big one for the Stars, because they come in expecting to get two points in the tight race. That is especially true knowing that the Wild and Avalanche play each other on the same day, presenting an opportunity to gain ground on one of them.
Dallas, more than any team in the NHL, has the best mix of older veterans, elite players in their prime, and young budding stars. They get contributions offensively and defensively from up and down their lineup.
Robertson-Hintz-Johnston
Steel-Duchene-Benn
Erne-Hryckowian-Bourque
Blackwell-Bäck-Bastian
Lindell-Heiskanen
Harley-Lundkvist
Bichsel-Lyubushkin
Oettinger
DeSmith
Mikko Rantanen, their best forward, is out for the Stars. He was injured while representing Team Finland in Milano Cortina. He will be back soon, but not against the Blackhawks on Sunday.
It is on Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz, Wyatt Johnston, Matt Duchene, and others to pick up the pace offensively. Rantanen is a superstar, but they have the firepower needed to win, as proven by their great play since the Olympics without Rantanen.
Their defense is incredibly notable, led by Olympians like Miro Heiskanen, Esa Lindell, and Thomas Harley. Whether it’s their star number one, Jake Oettinger (also an Olympian) in net, or their solid backup, Casey DeSmith in net, Dallas is hard to score goals against. This well-rounded game on both sides of the puck is why they are 38-14-10.
Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago
The Blackhawks are looking to bounce back from that tough defeat at the hands of the Canucks. They’ve played better against good teams for some reason, and this game against the Stars is a nice opportunity to get back in the win column in a big way.
The Blackhawks have won each of the two meetings between them, both by a score of 4-3. This will be their last match against one another in 2025-26, so it’s a chance for Chicago to sweep the three-game season series.
Greene-Bedard-Burakovsky
Bertuzzi-Nazar-Teravainen
Mangiapane-Moore-Mikheyev
Slaggert-Donato-Lardis
Vlasic-Crevier
Kaiser-Rinzel
Grzelcyk-Levshunov
Commesso
Soderblom
The Blackhawks appear to be running the Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar, and Oliver Moore trio down the middle again, but the wings have been switched up a bit. Ryan Donato looks to be the fourth-line center.
On Donato’s wing in practice were Landon Slaggert and Sam Lafferty. However, the Blackhawks called up Nick Lardis from the Rockford IceHogs after practice, so he’s sure to dress. Sam Lafferty has been scratched for most of the season, so that’s likely the guy to sit again.
Last time out, they went with an 11-forward, 7-defensemen strategy. Going in as the extra defenseman was Ethan Del Mastro. If they go that route again, it is fair to assume that Landon Slaggert would come out. They didn’t call up Lardis to sit him.
Spencer Knight fell ill on Friday afternoon, so an emergency backup goalie was used to back up Arvid Soderblom. On Saturday, before leaving for Dallas, they called up Drew Commesso, and Spencer Knight is staying home. Who starts in Dallas on Sunday and at home vs Utah on Monday remains to be seen
How To Watch
The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. To view this game, it can be found on CHSN locally. Nationally, it is available to stream on ESPN+. The puck will drop shortly after 5:00 PM CT.
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JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Dan Bradbury of England hit the perfect chip at just the right time, saving par on the final hole Sunday for a 5-under 65 and a one-shot victory in the Joburg Open.
His clutch par on the 18th hole at Houghton Golf Club denied Casey Jarvis of South Africa a chance to join Nick Faldo and Seve Ballesteros as the only players in European tour history to win three consecutive tournaments.
Brandon Robinson Thompson was tied for the lead, playing one group ahead of Bradbury, when he three-putted the 18th green from about 45 feet for a bogey that gave him a 66.
Bradbury won the Joburg Open in the fall of 2022 for his first European tour victory. The Englishman, who finished his college career at Florida State, also won the French Open in 2024.
“I thought I'd lost it on the front nine. I had so many chances and didn't take them,” said Bradbury, who started the final round two shots behind Hennie Du Plessis. “It feels really good to put it together. I somehow managed to get it done at the end.”
Jarvis was coming off wins at the Kenya Open and the South African Open — the latter earned him spots in the Masters and British Open. He was one shot behind when he hit a superb approach on the par-4 18th that just cleared a ridge and rolled down to 7 feet.
But he pulled his birdie putt and knew it immediately, walking to the hole. He shot 66.
That left it to Bradbury, whose approach bounded over the green into the rough. He chipped it over a slight hill and it rolled with perfect pace toward the cup, stopping a few inches short for his par and the victory.
Du Plessis was in control after a 31 on the front nine, only to lose his way on the back nine with a pair of bogeys and a double bogey on the par-3 15th that took him out of contention. He closed with a 70 and finished fourth.
The tournament was co-sanctioned with the Sunshine Tour.
SURPRISE, ARIZONA - MARCH 6: Jacob Latz #67 of the Texas Rangers participates in a fielding drill prior to a Spring Training game against the Seattle Mariners at Surprise Stadium on March 6, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
MIAMI, FL - MARCH 07: Ezequiel Tovar #14 of Team Venezuela slides safely into home to score a run in the sixth inning during the 2026 World Baseball Classic Pool D game presented by Capital One between Team Israel and Team Venezuela at loanDepot park on Saturday, March 7, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Kelly Gavin/WBCI/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Game No. 1: Colombia (República de Colombia) at Cuba (República de Cuba)
Venue: Hiram Bithorn Stadium — San Juan, Puerto Rico
First Pitch: 10:00 AM MDT
TV: FS2
Radio: MLB Audio; Sirius XM
Lineups:
Game No. 2: The Netherlands (Nederland) at Dominican Republic (República Dominicana)
Venue: loanDepot Park — Miami, Florida, USA
First Pitch: 10:00 AM MDT
TV: Fox
Radio: MLB Audio; Sirius XM
Lineups:
Game No. 3: Great Britain at Italy (Repubblica Italiana)
Venue: Daikin Park — Houston, Texas, USA
First Pitch: 11:00 AM MDT
TV: Tubi
Radio: MLB Audio; Sirius XM
Lineups:
Game No. 4: Nicaragua (República de Nicaragua) at Israel (מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל)
Venue: loanDepot Park — Miami, Florida, USA
First Pitch: 5:00 PM MDT
TV: Tubi
Radio: MLB Audio; Sirius XM
Lineups:
Game No. 5: Panama (República de Panamá) at Canada
Venue: Hiram Bithorn Stadium — San Juan, Puerto Rico
First Pitch: 5:00 PM MDT
TV: FS2
Radio: MLB Audio; Sirius XM
Lineups:
Game No. 6: Brazil (República Federativa do Brasil) at Mexico (Estados Unidos Mexicanos)
Venue: Daikin Park — Houston, Texas, USA
First Pitch: 6:00 PM MDT
TV: FS1
Radio: MLB Audio; Sirius XM
Lineups:
Game No. 7: Korea (대한민국) at Australia (ɐı̣ןɐɹʇsnⱯ)
The Detroit Red Wings have recalled forward John Leonard from the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League, marking the third time this season the 27-year-old has been promoted to the NHL roster.
Leonard has been one of the AHL’s most productive forwards this season, posting 27 goals and 14 assists for 41 points in just 34 games with Grand Rapids. His scoring pace has made him a key contributor for the league-leading Griffins and one of the standout performers in the AHL.
During his previous stints with the Red Wings this season, Leonard has shown flashes of offensive ability with two goals and two assists for four points in nine games. While Leonard’s latest recall could be temporary depending on Larkin’s recovery, strong play could give the Red Wings reason to keep him in the lineup. His performance at the AHL level suggests a player continuing to grow into a reliable depth option capable of contributing offense when called upon.
Leonard’s rise has been steady over the past few seasons. Last year, he recorded 61 points in 72 games while helping the Charlotte Checkers reach the Calder Cup Finals. Originally selected by the San Jose Sharks in the sixth round of the 2018 NHL Draft, Leonard has gradually worked his way toward carving out a role at the NHL level.
If he can translate his AHL success during this latest opportunity in Detroit and continue his slow growth over time, he may be able to become an NHL regular in the near future.
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Sanju Samson and Jasprit Bumrah starred as an irresistible India crushed New Zealand to retain the T20 World Cup
3rd over: India 27-0 (Samson 14, Abhishek 12) Matt Henry is replaced by Jacob Duffy after only one over. The gamble doesn’t pay off, with Duffy’s first over costing 15.
Abhishek larruped two fours over the top before hitting another big shot just short of Phillips at deep square leg. Samson finished the over with an imperious drive over mid-off for four.
Mar 7, 2026; Jupiter, Florida, USA; New York Mets pitcher Kodai Senga (34) walks in from the outfield to start the game against West against the St. Louis Cardinals at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
Meet the Mets
Despite allowing two solo homers, Kodai Senga had a really good outing in his spring debut yesterday. “Really good signs,” manager Carlos Mendoza said of Senga’s performance. “We saw it from the very beginning when we’re watching live BPs on the backfield. It’s not something that I’ve seen the two years that I’ve been here. On the first day 94-95 [mph], and then Day One, when he’s playing in a real game, and you see 97-98 and just how sharp he was. He’s healthy, and we can see it now.”
Senga has also shown an upbeat demeanor this spring that is indicative of how good he feels.
Robert Stock, who experienced shoulder discomfort after throwing for Team Israel in the World Baseball Classic, has thoracic outlet syndrome and will need surgery. He hopes to be back by the end of the season, but was told he has the “bad” kind of TOS in which the artery is compressed.
Veteran reliever Craig Kimbrel is pulling out all of the stops and tinkering with his repertoire to try to make the Mets.
Around the National League East
Charlie Wright of MLB Trade Rumors checked in on the battle for the final spot on the Phillies’ roster.
Federal Baseball remarked upon the fact that Cionel Perez and (former Met) Drew Smith were late additions to the Nationals’ bullpen picture, but yet among the more impressive arms so far this spring.
Around Major League Baseball
Yesterday was a World Baseball Classic day for the ages. There had never been a walk-off home run in the history of the tournament, but yesterday there were two in one day. First, Ozzie Albies’ walk-off three-run shot helped the Netherlands stun Nicaragua and then Puerto Rico narrowly avoided an upset at the hands of Panama in extras thanks to Darell Hernaiz’s no-doubt walk-off homer.
Most of the other games yesterday were not as tight, but still filled with exciting moments. After falling behind early and being held scoreless for the first four frames, a huge fifth inning helped propel Team USA to a 9-1 win over Great Britain.
Italy was also dominant yesterday, slugging their way to a decisive 8-0 victory over Brazil.
Canada defeated Colombia 8-2 thanks to an Owen Caissie homer and a strong performance by Michael Soroka.
Earlier this morning, Japan, who had already advanced to the knockout stage with their thrilling victory over Korea yesterday, came from behind to beat Australia and secure the top seed out of Pool C.
The Chicago Bulls and Sacramento Kings rank in the Top 5 in pace, so this game should have plenty of possessions and scoring chances.
The Kings’ defense ranks in the Bottom 5 in defensive efficiency over the past five games. Chicago’s defense has been better, ranking 10th in that same stretch, but playing this fast with a seasonally Bottom 10 defense won’t work out well.
The pace and bad defense are why four of their last five contests have ended Over the total.
Bulls vs Kings same-game parlay
Chicago has covered the spread in three straight contests and should cover tonight against a bad Kings defense.
The Kings have allowed the second-most made threes per game across the last five games than any other team, and Josh Giddey has knocked down two or more triples in three straight.
Sacramento is only 1-4 against the spread in its last five, while the Bulls are better built defensively to get enough stops down the stretch to cover as short favorites.
Bulls vs Kings SGP
Over 234.5
Josh Giddey Over 1.5 threes
Bulls -2.5
Our "from downtown" SGP: In too deep
Let’s have some fun from downtown tonight.
Matas Buzelis has cleared this number in three of his last four games, Guerschon Yabusele has hit two or more in six of his last seven, and Russell Westbrook has made at least two threes in three of his past five games.
Bulls vs Kings SGP
Matas Buzelis Over 2.5 threes
Josh Giddey Over 1.5 threes
Guerschon Yabusele Over 1.5 threes
Russell Westbrook Over 1.5 threes
Bulls vs Kings odds
Spread: Bulls -3 (-115) | Kings +3 (-105)
Moneyline: Bulls -155 | Kings +130
Over/Under: Over 235.5 | Under 235.5
Bulls vs Kings betting trend to know
Chicago is 4-1 ATS in its last five meetings with Sacramento. Find more NBA betting trends for Bulls vs. Kings.
How to watch Bulls vs Kings
Location
Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
Date
Sunday, March 8, 2026
Tip-off
9:00 p.m. ET
TV
CHSN, NBCS California
Bulls vs Kings latest injuries
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.
WEST PALM BEACH, FL - MARCH 07: Washington Nationals pitcher Josiah Gray (40) throws the ball from the mound during a MLB spring training game against the New York Yankees at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on March 7, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Washington Nationals have made sweeping changes in the last year. After nearly two decades with the organization, Mike Rizzo was let go in July and the Nationals decided to go in a new direction. That new direction led by Paul Toboni aims to be on the cutting edge, which is a stark contrast to the old school nature of the previous regime.
Fans and people like myself have been speculating all offseason about who will benefit the most from these changes. After a couple weeks of Spring Training, I think the pitching staff will be the biggest beneficiaries in the short term. The hitting development could be a longer term process.
This makes sense because it is easier to make changes as a pitcher. With all the technology out there, it is easy to learn a new pitch or make a mechanical tweak. Those minor changes can transform a pitcher overnight. For example, Cade Cavalli has already added multiple new pitches and looks better against right handed hitters so far. It is tougher for a hitter to make those overnight changes.
Cade Cavalli's stuff is exploding into elite territory. He added a sweeper; calls it a "turbo slurve." One-seam sinker as well. Has added 25 pounds since last year.
Former 1st-rounder using tech like spin axis balls and pulse bands for the first time. Chance for big break out. https://t.co/vcmcW5MSSJ
The Nats are going to need to see these changes produce quick results because the pitching staff was a disaster in 2025. Their 5.35 staff ERA was the second worst in baseball, only behind the Rockies. The Nats also traded away their de facto ace MacKenzie Gore this offseason. Despite that, I think the Nats will see major improvements.
One of the big reasons for that is an overhaul in pitch usage. The Nats have made it clear this spring that they will be cutting fastball usage. In Spring Training, the Nats are throwing fewer fastballs than just about anyone. This comes after a season where the Nats were near the top of the league in fastball usage.
Lowest combined four-seam and sinker usage through the first couple games of Spring Training…
I think this change will pay off in a big way. Nats pitchers were simply throwing their fastballs way too much. It would be understandable if the Nats pitching staff was full of guys with elite heaters, but that was not the case. A lot of Nats pitchers with mediocre fastballs were throwing the pitch at a very high rate.
That led to a lot of loud contact and inflated ERA’s. This spring Nats pitchers have held hitters to a .175 average and have 132 strikeouts in 123 innings. Obviously, that is not sustainable, but I do think Nats pitchers are not giving in as much. One side effect of this is an inflated walk rate, which I think could be an issue for the Nats. However, I think the benefits of this new approach will outweigh the potential downsides.
Nats pitchers have been raving about the new technology and the work that new pitching coach Simon Mathews has put in. In their interviews, Nationals pitchers have been wide-eyed talking about things like horizontal movement or seam shift effects. It is a very different tune from previous years.
Nats reliever Cole Henry gets into the changes with the Nats new regime, getting into the new resources under Paul Toboni and Blake Butera. pic.twitter.com/Rkmp6wYtG3
I am not going to sit here and say the Nats will have an elite, or even average pitching staff. They do not have that kind of talent yet. However, I would be stunned if they are as bad as last year. The Nats should not have a team ERA that starts with a 5 in 2026.
The improvement is going to come from a new approach rather than flashy new signings. I think guys like Cade Cavalli, Cole Henry and Orlando Ribalta are ready to step up and take on bigger roles. All of these guys throw hard, but their success will come from their secondary pitches, not their power fastballs.
We may see bumps along the way, but I am bought into the Nationals new forward thinking vision. There should be some improvements across the board, but the pitchers will find better results faster. There is a lot of low hanging fruit for the new development team on the pitching side. A few easy changes could help a lot of these Nationals arms. I cannot wait to see their plan come together. While the Nats probably won’t be a good team, I think we will see a lot of developmental wins this season.
The Charlotte Hornets’ six-game win streak was snapped on Friday, but the visiting team will look to keep another win streak intact when it takes on the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center.
The Hornets have won 10 straight road games, and my Hornets vs. Suns predictions and NBA picks expect Charlotte to cover the spread as a small favorite.
Hornets vs Suns prediction
Hornets vs Suns best bet: Hornets -4.5 (-110)
The Charlotte Hornets are a league-best 40-24 ATS this season. They’re 7-3 as the road favorite and a league-best 22-11 on the road, and they can get back on track against the shorthanded Phoenix Suns.
Phoenix is 3-6-1 ATS across its last 10 games overall and 2-5-1 across its last eight at home. Conversely, Charlotte has covered six straight and nine of its last 10 on the road.
The Hornets are playing at full strength, while the absences of Dillon Brooks and Mark Williams will have a significantly negative impact on the Suns.
Hornets vs Suns same-game parlay
Moussa Diabate has averaged 11.1 points and 11.1 rebounds per game across his last seven road games. He's recorded 16 double-doubles on the season, including six across his last 15 appearances. Over the last three games, the Suns have allowed the sixth-most points in the paint and the eighth-most offensive rebounds.
Brandon Miller has averaged 7.6 rebounds across his last five outings, grabbing 6+ three times and at least five in every game. Without Mark Williams and Dillon Brooks, Miller is set up with a favorable matchup to cash the Over on this modest rebound line.
Hornets vs Suns SGP
Hornets -4.5
Moussa Diabate to record a double-double
Brandon Miller Over 5.5 rebounds
Our "from downtown" SGP: Booker the Board Man
Devin Booker is grabbing four rebounds per game, and he's reached that mark in 24 of 47 games, including 12 of 23 at home. He's recorded 4+ rebounds in three straight games, and without Mark Williams and Dillon Brooks, more rebounding boards will be available.
Hornets vs Suns SGP
Hornets -4.5
Moussa Diabate to record a double-double
Brandon Miller Over 5.5 rebounds
Devin Booker Over 3.5 rebounds
Hornets vs Suns odds
Spread: Hornets -4.5 | Suns +4.5
Moneyline: Hornets -185 | Suns +155
Over/Under: Over 219 | Under 219
Hornets vs Suns betting trend to know
The Hornets have covered the spread in 32 of their last 45 games for +18.8 units and a 38% ROI. Find more NBA betting trends for Hornets vs. Suns.
How to watch Hornets vs Suns
Location
Mortgage Matchup Center, Phoenix, AZ
Date
Sunday, March 8, 2026
Tip-off
10:00 p.m. ET
TV
NBC Sports Network
Hornets vs Suns latest injuries
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After losing a handful of forwards at the NHL trade deadline, the Philadelphia Flyers organization suffered another loss at the position through injury.
On Saturday night, Lehigh Valley Phantoms communications director Bob Rotruck shared that Flyers forward prospect Devin Kaplan had undergone surgery to address an upper-body injury, sidelining him for seven to 10 weeks.
Kaplan, 22, had produced five goals, eight assists, and 13 points in 49 games for the Phantoms in his first year playing pro this season.
The former third-round pick also made his NHL debut for the Flyers last season, playing 12:12 in a 5-4 loss to the Buffalo Sabres in Game 82.
Kaplan hasn't played for the Phantoms since a 5-4 shootout loss to the Hartford Wolf Pack on Feb. 28; he scored in the game and recorded 12 penalty minutes for roughing and abuse of officials penalties.
The injury is bad news for the Phantoms, who just lost Alex Bump to an NHL call-up, have been without Denver Barkey for quite some time now, and saw Alexis Gendron get traded to Boston at the NHL trade deadline.
Aside from Karsen Dorwart, and perhaps Phil Tomasino, the Phantoms are now completely devoid of young forward talent coming up through the NHL pipeline.
They'll get some reinforcements from the Flyers at the end of their season when Bump and Denver Barkey return, but until then, surviving is looking like an increasingly difficult task for Lehigh Valley.
The Phantoms are currently 24-25-6 on the season, sitting sixth in the Atlantic Division with 54 points. A meager three-point buffer separates them from the Springfield Thunderbirds and missing the postseason, so they'll have to hold onto their playoff spot without Kaplan.
