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NHL Playoff Race: Flyers, Capitals, Blue Jackets vie to play Penguins

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.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo opens up about frustrations, future with Bucks

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?

Not even he knows the answer.

"That's a very good question," Antetokounmpo said after a 126-106 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday, March 12. "I don't know. It's not up to me. We'll see."

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.

Report: Doc Rivers out as Milwaukee Bucks coach

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.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) looks on after the game against the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida, on March 12, 2026.

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.

"But I did what I was supposed to do."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Giannis Antetokounmpo says future with Bucks 'not up to me'

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Mets Morning News: The Fog is Coming

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.

Choose your recap: Amazin’ Avenue, MLB.com, Newsday, New York Daily News, New York Post

Before Sunday’s loss, the Mets designated reliever Luis Garcia for assignment and called up another reliver, Joey Gerber, in his place.

Following the loss, the Mets called up Old Friend Tommy Pham, who joined the organization in the final days of March. For now, the corresponding move is unknown.

The Mets have a lot of concerns, but perhaps the most surprising and confounding are Francisco Lindor’s mental lapses.

Around the National League East

As the Sunday nightcap on NBC, the Braves and Chris Sale bludgeoned the Cleveland Guardians 13-1 to go along with 19 hits.

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.

In a battle of former Cy Young Award winners, Sandy Alcantara and the Marlins lost to Tarik Skubal’s Tigers in an 8-2 contest.

After nine innings of back and forth battling, the Nationals finished their series with the Brewers by coming out ahead in an 8-6 slobberknocker.

Around Major League Baseball

Over the weekend, World Series winning second baseman and pennant-winning manager Phil Garner died at 76.

The Toronto Blue Jays placed George Springer on the injured list with a broken big toe and called up 2020 icon Eloy Jimenez in his place.

Jacob deGrom had an essentially flawless start on Sunday…except for Shohei Ohtani sending the first pitch he threw hundreds of feet away.

Tigers top prospect Kevin McGonigle hit the first home run of his major league career and it came against a former Cy Young in Sandy Alcantara.

The Brewers don’t know what the news on Christian Yelich’s injury status will be, but they do know for sure that it’s going to be bad.

Old Friend Max Kranick will be throwing for teams in Philadelphia this week in hopes of latching on with a team early enough in the season to make an impact.

This Date in Mets History

On this date 59 years ago, Tom Seaver made his big league debut in front of 5,005 fans.

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New York Yankees vs. Los Angeles Angels: Series Preview

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.

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MLB Player Props & Best Bets for Today, April 13

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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 PickOdds
Braves Ronald Acuna Jr.2+ total bases+100
Athletics Shea Langeliers2+ total bases+100
Phillies Kyle Schwarber1+ 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.

  • Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: RSN, NBC Sports California

Kyle Schwarber to hit a home run (+210)

Kyle Schwarber had a pair of hits in the Philadelphia Phillies' series finale against Arizona, giving him hits in seven of 10 April games.

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.
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This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

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Guardians News and Notes: First Series Loss

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.

Deborah has your recap here.

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

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Minor league update for 4/12/26

Autographed portrait of Blind Lemon Jefferson (1897-1930), American country bluesman, singer and guitarist. The dedication treads 'Cordially yours, Blind Lemon Jefferson'. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Jesus Lafalaise started for Frisco, throwing four shutout innings, walking three and striking out three.

Marcos Torres was 3 for 5 with a pair of triples and a homer. Yolfran Castillo was 2 for 5 with a double and a stolen base. Dewar Torres was 2 for 4 with a double and a stolen base. Daniel Flames was 2 for 4 with a double.

Hickory box score

Hub City starter D.J. McCarty walked three and struck out two while allowing two runs in 3.1 IP. Joey Danielson struck out one in a scoreless inning.

Paxton Kling was 1 for 3 with a double and two walks. Yeison Morrobel was 1 for 3 with a double and a walk. Rafe Perich was 2 for 4 with a triple. Gleider Figuereo had a hit.

Hub City box score

David Davalillo started for Frisco and went five innings, striking out seven, giving up a homer, and allowing three runs. Bryan Magdaleno walked one in 1.1 scoreless innings.

Frainyer Chavez homered.

Frisco box score

Austin Gomber allowed eight runs and recorded four outs in his start for Round Rock. Pat Murphy struck out two and walked one in 2.2 IP, allowing one run. Emiliano Teodo walked one, struck out one and allowed a run in two innings. Marc Church went 1.2 IP, striking out two and allowing a pair of homers.

Justin Foscue was 2 for 5 with a walk. Michael Helman was 2 for 3 with two walks, a double and a homer. Aaron Zavala had a pair of hits.

Round Rock box score

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2026 NBA Awards: Full ballot, picks including Gilgeous-Alexander, Wembanyama race for MVP

For as long as the NBA has honored me by asking me to be one of the postseason award voters, each year there are a couple of awards that keep me up at night, trying to split hairs between players who all deserve recognition for monster years. For example, Third-Team All-NBA is always brutal. Some years it's the big ones, such as MVP. This year I struggled more with Most Improved Player than other award on the board.

What follows is my official ballot for the NBA's end-of-season awards. [Note, this ballot assumes that the league grants Luka Doncic's challenge and makes him eligible despite having played in 64 games, one short of the league threshold. It would be some frighteningly bad PR for the league to say Doncic is out because he chose to fly to Slovenia for the birth of his child and missed a couple of games — the league is very sensitive to those kinds of image issues.]

NBA Most Valuable Player

1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder)
2. Victor Wembanyama (Spurs)
3. Nikola Jokic (Nuggets)
4. Luka Doncic (Lakers)
5. Jaylen Brown (Celtics)

This is an incredibly deep MVP field, and it had the vibe of a real race for a while over the last month, with all four top players playing at their peak and making their case. However, it was never quite that close in my mind — this is a season-long award, and SGA was the most consistent of this group, both in terms of minutes and efficient production. Wemby returned from an injury earlier in the season in time to meet the 65-game threshold, but that same injury put him on a strict minutes limit and even had him coming off the bench in some games. Jokic dipped from his incredible standards for a stretch after his injury. Doncic was out for a critical final push of the season (and likely the first round of the playoffs) with his hamstring injury. Meanwhile, Gilgeous-Alexander just kept scoring, kept defending at a level that put him in All-Defense consideration, and was at his best in the clutch, which is why the Thunder have the best record in the NBA.

If the league does not make Doncic eligible, I will move Jaylen Brown up a spot and slide the Clippers' Kawhi Leonard into fifth. Also, if he had played enough games, Cade Cunningham would have been in my top five.

All-NBA Teams

First Team

1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder)
2. Victor Wembanyama (Spurs)
3. Nikola Jokic (Nuggets)
4. Luka Doncic (Lakers)
5. Jaylen Brown (Celtics)

Second Team

1. Kawhi Leonard (Clippers)
2. Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers)
3. Tyrese Maxey (76ers)
4. Kevin Durant (Rockets)
5. Jalen Brunson (Knicks)

Third Team

1. Jalen Johnson (Hawks)
2. Chet Holmgren (Thunder)
3. Jamal Murray (Nuggets)
4. Jalen Duren (Pistons)
5. Karl-Anthony Towns (Knicks)

It was painful for me to leave Toronto's Scottie Barnes and Portland's Deni Avdija off this list, both had strong seasons and were central to their team's success (and both teams exceeded expectations). Mr. 83 Bam Adebayo from Miami also merited a long look here.

NBA Rookie of the Year

1. Kon Knueppel (Hornets)
2. Cooper Flagg (Mavericks)
3. VJ Edgecombe (76ers)

The betting odds shifted in recent weeks as Cooper Flagg had some monster nights and some talking heads wanted to make this a race — and, to be fair, Flagg was brilliant, would have won the award most years. He will be the best player from this class in a few years. However, Knueppel had the most efficient rookie season in NBA history, played in 10 more games and nearly 200 more minutes, and most importantly, his play lifted his team to the postseason. Knueppel was essential to the Hornets' improvement this season.

I believe the Spurs' Dylan Harper will be the second-best player out of this class in five years, but the award is about this season, and Edgecombe was simply better and more important to his team.

NBA All-Rookie Teams

First Team

1. Cooper Flagg (Mavericks)
2. Kon Knueppel (Hornets)
3. VJ Edgecombe (76ers)
4. Dylan Harper (Spurs)
5. Cedric Coward (Grizzlies)

Second Team

1. Ace Bailey (Kings)
2. Ryan Kalkbrenner (Hornets)
3. Jeremiah Fears (Pelicans)
4. Derik Queen (Pelicans)
5. Maxime Raynaud (Kings)

Ace Bailey almost played his way onto the first team for me, and good on the Kings (and Hornets, and Pelicans) for having two players making All-Rookie. Tre Johnson of the Wizards almost made the cut for me, but was just too inefficient. Also, Brooklyn took five guys in the first round and none of them made the cut... ouch.

Defensive Player of the Year

1. Victor Wembanyama (Spurs)
2. Chet Holmgren (Thunder)
3. Ausar Thompson (Pistons)

Not much debate here. Honestly, no real debate about the top two spots on this list in my mind. For the third slot, I went with the best on-ball hawk in the league and a representative of an elite Pistons defense, but Rudy Gobert or Bam Adebayo were also under consideration for that spot.

All-Defensive Teams

First Team

1. Victor Wembanyama (Spurs)
2. Rudy Gobert (Timberwolves)
3. Chet Holmgren (Thunder)
4. Bam Adebayo (Heat)
5. Ausar Thompson (Pistons)

Second Team

1. Scottie Barnes (Raptors)
2. OG Annunoby (Knicks)
3. Derek White (Celtics)
4. Cason Wallace (Thunder)
5. Dyson Daniels (Hawks)

More than many voters (at least I think), I lean more into guards and wings who defend well for this award rather than just listing seven or eight bigs, even though a good rim protector can change a defense (four of my first team selections are bigs). It was hard to leave off Amen Thompson. Also, it was strange not to vote for Draymond Green — and he has a legit case. The Warriors' defense was top five before the Jimmy Butler injury (and others) crushed their depth, and he was quarterbacking it. He also nearly made my list.

NBA Coach of the Year

1. Joe Mazzulla (Celtics)
2. J.B. Bickerstaff (Pistons)
3. Jordan Ott (Suns)

This, to me, is a two-man race, and there is a very good case for Bickerstaff, but I will lean into Mazzula. It's not just because this team was unexpectedly good (remember when this was a "gap" year in Boston?), but also because of the culture he has built and his ability to put in place a system that develops guys like Neemias Queta and turns them into quality rotation players. I think this season he did that better than Bickerstaff. That same logic has me putting in Phoenix's Joran Ott third, just ahead of San Antonio's Mitch Johnson.

NBA Sixth Man of the Year

1. Keldon Johnson (Spurs)
2. Jaime Jaquez (Heat)
3. Reed Sheppard (Rockets)

This was a very close two-man race for me between Johnson and Jaquez. To me, the difference ultimately was Johnson's locker room leadership in San Antonio, which was a foundational part of allowing this San Antonio team to blossom the way it did. It was a tough call giving Sheppard the third spot over Naz Ried or Tim Hardaway Jr.

NBA Most Improved Player

1. Jalen Duren (Pistons)
2. Nickeil Alexander-Walker (Hawks)
3. Neemias Queta (Celtics)

This was the hardest choice on the awards list for me this season. There is a tremendous case for Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who in his seventh season took on a new and larger role and thrived. Ultimately, I gave my vote to Duren because he showed significant improvement on both ends of the court, not because his situation changed but because he simply got better. His handle got better, his shot creation improved while his turnovers dropped, and he became a high-level paint protector. Then Duren showed real leadership when Cade Cunningham went out at the end of the season, he had the Pistons going 8-3.

NBA Clutch Player of the Year

1. Shai Gilgeous Alexander (Thunder)
2. Jamal Murray (Nuggets)
3. Tyrese Maxey (76ers)

This was a pretty straightforward call, SGA was brilliant in the clutch, which is also part of why I have him as MVP.

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Box Grades: Spurs fight hard, but end season with predictable Loss

Apr 12, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) goes up to dunk during the second half against the Denver Nuggets at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

And so ends the regular season! I must admit, a big part of me was hoping that the Spurs would push hard to knock Denver down to the fourth seed; not only because San Antonio would thereby avoid potentially playing them in the second round, but also because it would likely make OKC’s path to the conference finals much harder. Barring a remarkable recovery in health for the Lakers or a sudden resurgence from Minnesota, it’s difficult to imagine the Thunder facing any resistance in making it out of the first two rounds.

Even so, pushing for the win tonight would have represented a serious risk for a Spurs team that has the opportunity to enter the playoffs fully healthy after an amazing overall regular season and a particular stunning post-Allstar run. In short, San Antonio has every reason to believe that their team is capable of beating anyone, so last night’s game was much more about mitigating injury risk than bracket engineering. Whatever the case may be, the Silver and Black did fight hard to end the season, though the outcome felt pretty inevitable throughout. Even so, the box score always has some interesting stories to tell, as I will outline below:

Factors that Decided the Game

  • One central but comparatively subtle issue in this game was Denver’s significant advantages on the glass, including DRB and ORB margins of +8 and +5, respectively. All else equal, these outcomes produced somewhat more offensive opportunity for the Nuggets
  • Some of that extra opportunity came at the free throw line (+4 FTA), aided by San Antonio having more (+2) and worse timed fouls. In addition, Denver had a mild but meaningful edge in FT% (+5.05 percentage points). Consequently, they ultimately outscored the Spurs by four from the charity stripe.
  • San Antonio’s relative shooting inefficiency extended beyond the free throw line to the field in general, as the Nuggets logged FG% and 3P% margins of +4.55 and +4.75 percentage points, respectively. As a result, Denver scored five more baskets. The Spurs countered with a huge edge in three-point attempts (+17), which did help San Antonio earn a 3PM differential of +4. This clawed back some of the lead that the Nuggets had built in other areas, but it wasn’t nearly enough.

Rare Box Score Stats

  • From a team perspective, nothing about this game stands out as being super unusual from the perspective of basic box score stats. The closest thing that comes to mind is Denver’s negative 3PA (-17) and 3PM(-4) margins. Over the last 13 regular seasons, this was just the 142nd contest in which a team won by 10+ with margins as bad or worse in both areas. Probabilistically, this combination happens about once every 120 games, or about 10 times per season (on average).
  • The most shocking stat to me was part of Jokic’s performance, as this game marked just the 22nd time in his 810 career regular season games that he played 18 minutes and logged no more than ONE assist. Almost all of the other cases were much earlier in his career; in fact, the last instance was in a game against Indiana on January 2, 2020.

What are Team Graded Box Scores?

Very briefly, these box scores grade winner-loser differentials for basic box score statistics, with the grade being based on the winning team’s differential relative to other NBA winners during a defined reference period. Think of it like a report card for understanding how a given winner performed relative to other winners. The reference period used runs from the start of the 2012-2013 season to the latest date of play, including only games in the same season category (i.e., regular season and playoff games are not compared to each other).

Data Source: The underlying data used to create these box scores was collected from Basketball Reference. In all cases, the data are collected the morning after the game is played. Although rare, postgame statistical revisions after data collection do occur and may affect the results after the fact.

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Justin Turner heads to Tijuana

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 13: Justin Turner #3 of the Chicago Cubs warms up prior to the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on April 13, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Old friend Justin Turner signed with the Toros de Tijuana in the Mexican League, the team announced on Friday. The longtime Dodgers third baseman took to Instagram to talk about his new team as well, in both English and Spanish.

Turner, 41, played last season with the Chicago Cubs, for whom he hit .219/.288/.314 with a 71 wRC+ and three home runs in 80 games and 191 plate appearances. That ended a string of 11 consecutive seasons with at least a 116 wRC+, the first nine of which were with the Dodgers.

In 17 major league seasons thus far, the two-time All-Star Turner has 354 doubles, 201 home runs in 1,758 games, hitting .283/.360/.454 with a 125 wRC+ for the Baltimore Orioles, New York Mets, Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners, and Cubs.

The Toros begin their Mexican League schedule Friday on the road against Saltillo.

Links

Fabian Ardaya at The Athletic broke down all four at-bats by Andy Pages on Friday night, showing how well the Dodgers center fielder has progressed at the plate this season.

“I’m just trying to find the pitch that I can do the most damage on,” Pages told Ardaya. “It’s continuing my plan, and not changing it in the middle of the at-bat, and trying to wait for my pitch.”

Longtime major league infielder and manager Phil Garner died on Saturday night at age 76. The Associated Press has more.

Garner played 16 major league seasons, including the final three and a half months of the 1987 season with the Dodgers, then later managed another 15 years, including leading the Houston Astros to their first pennant in 2005.

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Flyers Set Up For Win-And-In Scenario vs. Hurricanes

The Philadelphia Flyers got all the help they could have possibly asked for, and now it's up to them to seal the deal and book their place in the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs.

On Sunday night, with a brutal 4-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens, the New York Islanders were officially eliminated from playoff contention.

That leaves the Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Washington Capitals to vie for the last playoff spot--third place in the Metropolitan Division.

The Blue Jackets lost 3-2 to a Boston Bruins team resting some of its players on Sunday night, putting them on the precipice of elimination as well.

With a win over the Carolina Hurricanes at home at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Monday night, the Flyers can clinch themselves a playoff berth outright with no further strings attached.

Flyers Get Massive Playoff Help from Claude Giroux, SenatorsFlyers Get Massive Playoff Help from Claude Giroux, SenatorsEven though he isn't on the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> anymore, Claude Giroux, with the help of his Ottawa Senators teammates, lent his former club a helping hand in their playoff race Saturday afternoon.

Because they have two more points than the Blue Jackets with a game still in hand, just one point from an overtime or shootout loss will allow the Flyers to knock Columbus out of the running.

Then, it's down to Washington, who have 93 points in 81 games and can only reach a maximum of 95.

The Flyers are sitting at 94 in 80 games, so their magic number is, obviously, two. A win or two overtime losses seals the deal for Philadelphia.

In anticipation of Monday night's game against the Hurricanes, it's worth noting that Carolina was without Taylor Hall, Mark Jankowski, William Carrier, Jalen Chatfield, K'Andre Miller, Logan Stankoven, and Jackson Blake in their most recent game--a 4-1 win over the Utah Mammoth.

Flyers Call Up David Jiricek In Surprise MoveFlyers Call Up David Jiricek In Surprise MoveThe <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> have made a bit of a surprising transaction with their playoff push coming to its final few games, recalling top defense prospect David Jiricek from the AHL on Sunday afternoon.

The Hurricanes have already clinched first place in the Metropolitan Division and can clinch home-ice advantage and the Eastern Conference with one more point over their final two games, so they don't have all that much to play for while already resting some players.

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Which series are Giants fans most interested in this week?

CINCINNATI, OH - MARCH 26: A general view inside the stadium during the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on Thursday, March 26, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jeffrey Dean/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Good morning, baseball fans!

It’s a new week of San Francisco Giants baseball, so it’s time to take a look ahead at what’s on deck for this week.

First up, the Giants have an off-day today before heading to Cincinnati to begin a three-game series against the Reds. After that, they head to the nation’s capitol to start a three-game series against the Washington Nationals.

Honestly, I have a hard time picking which of these series I have more interest in. Considering I tend to forget that the Reds exist every year until this exact moment in the season.

Meanwhile the Nationals evoke bittersweet feelings from me. I got to cover their majestic 2019 World Series run, which is one of my favorite writing memories that doesn’t include a local team. But then they haven’t been particularly good since then, placing last in their division in five of the last six seasons since.

But I can’t ask y’all to pick one without doing the same, so I’m going to go with the Reds, who are the much more competent baseball team.

Which series are you most interested in this week?

What time do the Giants play today?

The Giants are off today, but they’ll be back at it in Cincinnati tomorrow afternoon.

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MLB News: Ichiro Suzuki statue, Mason Miller, Phil Garner, Jo Adell, White Sox Pope promo

It feels unbelievable to say, but we are already almost halfway through April, and what’s more, we are almost three weeks into this season. We’ve been seeing a lot of injuries, which is nothing new, and also still the case this week. We’re also seeing baseball teams having a very short leash with struggling players.

In our news bites today, we look at some big stories from over the weekend. First, the unveiling of an Ichiro Suzuki statue in Seattle went terribly wrong. Then Shohei Ohtani continues to build his legacy, of course. And in an “it can only happen in baseball” story, the White Sox announced they would be honoring their most famous fan with a Pope-themed promo night.

All that and more below, so let’s get right into it!

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster. Make it so.

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Braves vs. Guardians series recap: A powerful powder-blue beatdown

ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 10: Michael Harris II #23 and Dominic Smith #8 of the Atlanta Braves celebrate in the sixth inning during the game against the Cleveland Guardians at Truist Park on April 10, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Well here we are, folks — our Atlanta Braves are 16 games deep into this season and they are in a pretty solid groove. They’ve dropped at least one game to every team that they’ve played this season but they’ve also taken two games off of every team that they’ve played so far. That was also the case for their opponents this past weekend in the form of the Cleveland Guardians. Something had to give, as these were the last two teams in baseball who had yet to drop a series.

Let me tell you, it would’ve been a crying shame if the Braves were the ones who ended up dropping this series. I’m not saying that based on any type of underlying data or anything like that but I’m saying that because the vibes have been impeccable at Truist Park and The Battery since the new City Connect uniforms were officially unveiled on Thursday morning. Friday was 80s Night, Dale Murphy got some shine, T.I. was in the building on Saturday and the team was on prime time network television on Sunday. There were a lot of eyes on this series and this was a chance for the Braves to really show off for their home crowd. It’s time to get into just how the Braves fared during what ended up being a very fun weekend series.

Friday, April 10

Braves 11, Guardians 5

Atlanta debuted their clean new City Connect uniforms in stylish fashion, as a huge sixth inning in in this game and two more run-scoring innings following that allowed the Braves to pull away in this contest. It took a while for the Atlanta lineup to figure Slade Cecconi but once they did, it led to some real fireworks before the post-game Friday Night Fireworks in Cobb County.

It all started with Ronald Acuña Jr. hitting an absolute bomb for his first dinger of the season. As it turned out, that was the first of three homers in this inning alone and the shortest one of them all. Matt Olson put Acuña’s shot to shame as he hit a two-run dinger that landed on top of the Chop House. Michael Harris II’s moonshot with two outs made sure that the Braves left the inning leading by five after they entered it trailing by one.

Ozzie Albies and Dominic Smith both delivered RBI singles in the eighth inning to extend the lead and then Drake Baldwin and Austin Riley (with help from an error) made sure that any hope that the Guardians had after a three-run eighth inning of their own was snuffed out immediately. The bats had a major impact in this game and it made for some fun viewing on a special night at the ballpark.

Saturday, April 11

Guardians 6, Braves 0

If Friday night was a peak for the Braves then Saturday night was certainly a valley in terms of performance. Credit is due to the now-DFA’d Martín Pérez, who recovered from a first-inning homer from José Ramírez to go five innings while only giving up one run in the process.

That was about it for highlights as far as this game is concerned. Ronald Acuña Jr. hit a triple but outside of that, the Braves had nothing to deal with Guardians starter Parker Messick and the rest of the Guardians pitching staff on this particular night. A disastrous ninth inning which saw the Guardians add on three runs was the icing on a poison-laced cake for the Braves in this one.

Sunday, April 12

Braves 13, Guardians 1

This was more like it from the Braves, as Atlanta’s first appearance on Sunday Night Baseball in 2026 felt like a bit of a statement game from the guys in powder blue. The pitching matchup was a strong one as Chris Sale was tasked with keeping Cleveland quiet while the Braves had to figure out a way to take down Tanner Bibee.

As you can tell by the gaudy scoreline above, the Braves ended up taking Bibee and the rest of the Guardians’ pitching staff out behind the woodshed. This was Atlanta’s night nearly from the words “Play Ball,” as the Braves plated three runs in the second inning thanks to RBI doubles from Mauricio Dubón and Ronald Acuña Jr. and a Jorge Mateo RBI single sandwiched in there as well. Mateo drove in Dubón to make it 2-0 — just like we all predicted back in February, right?

The fun was nowhere near over after that second inning outburst. There were still a few more outbursts to come — Dominic Smith cracked a dinger to make it 5-0 in the fourth inning and then Atlanta pushed four more runs across the plate in the fifth inning with two runs on the board.

Bibee ended up with eight runs conceded off 11 hits and one walk allowed and things didn’t get much better for our old friend Kolby Allard, either. The Braves tagged him for five runs, with four of those coming in the eighth inning. Things really got out of hand at that point, as Atlanta loaded up the bases with nobody out to start the inning and took full advantage of it in order to bring them to their final tally of 13 runs on the night.

While the Braves were busy battering Bibee, Chris Sale went cruising as he eventually finished with six innings (including his 2,600th career strikeout) and just one run allowed. The Guardians put some traffic on the baepaths with eight hits against Sale but any time that they came close to getting something going, Sale would put the clamps down on Cleveland in order to keep the door shut. Cleveland went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and also left five runnings in scoring position throughout. The only breakthrough for the Guardians was a solo homer for Rhys Hoskins but all that did was make it a 9-1 game for the Braves at that point. outside of that, this was a dominant display from the Braves in front of a national audience on network television. Boom.

That’s about as comprehensive of a series win as you can get without it being a sweep. The Braves were clearly the better team across the course of three games and that’s even including the loss where the offense got completely blanked. Parker Messick’s brilliant start was essentially the exception rather than the rule for Cleveland in this series, as the Braves were otherwise locked in at the plate. Ronald Acuña Jr. racked up six hits across the three games with three of them being of the extra-base variety, no less. Austin Riley collected four hits in this series as well — those are two players who the Braves need to get rolling and if they both end up going on a tear in the near future, this could be the point in time that you could look at as being the genesis of it all.

The offense coming alive was huge since this wasn’t a completely pristine performance from the pitching staff. Chris Sale did a great job of limiting the damage that the Guardians threatened to do on Sunday night and Martín Pérez did well to cover five innings on Saturday evening. Outside of that, it was a bit of a shaky weekend for the pitching. Bryce Elder was lifted up by his lineup as he only made it through 4.2 innings on Friday night and the bullpen had a lot of work to do during the first two games of this series. It was mostly good work though and for what it’s worth, this staff as a whole has earned the benefit of the doubt to be less-than-perfect for a series after getting off to a fantastic start to begin the season. I’m not complaining too much since it’s not like the Braves had a disasterclass during this series on the mound but it’s also something to keep a close eye on going forward in terms of quality.

Outside of what feels like nitpicking, this was a fantastic series for the Braves. They’re now one of only three teams with 10 wins so far this season with the other two being the Dodgers (because, duh) and the Padres (who got off to flying start last season as well). Atlanta’s rough start to the 2025 season is a thing of the distant past as this Braves team. appears determined to make sure that whatever momentum they have lasts for as long as possible. They still have yet to drop a series but this upcoming week could be another tricky one. Atlanta will be hosting the Marlins up next and while they’ve slowed down and gone 3-7 over their last 10, this squad would love nothing more than to trip up the Braves early on. Once the Braves get done with Miami, they’ll be traveling to Philadelphia for the weekend and that’s always a tough trip in any given season.

The Braves will certainly have their work cut out for them when it comes to maintain this series winning streak but with the way this team has looked to start the season, would you wager against them keeping it going through this next week? We’ll have to see what happens but right now, this is a team that looks like it means business going forward. The uniforms look clean as well. Everything’s looking really spiffy right now, folks.

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Kansas City Royals news: Michael Wacha is dealing

KANSAS CITY, MO - APRIL 11: Michael Wacha (52) of the Kansas City Royals delivers a pitch during an MLB game against the Chicago White Sox on April 11, 2026 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Michael Wacha was in control all night in a win on Saturday, writes Anne Rogers.

Since joining the Royals in 2024, Wacha has recorded a quality start in all seven outings against the White Sox. He’s pitched to a 1.31 ERA in that stretch, and has tossed seven scoreless frames in four of those seven starts.

“The efficiency was what was most impressive,” Quatraro said. “He was in control the whole game. Curve, changeup, putting the fastball where he wanted. That was a masterclass right there.”

Jaylon Thompson also writes about Wacha.

“I knew kind of going into it the stuff was moving good,” Wacha said. “I had some good command. Had a good game plan going into hit, me and Sal (catcher Salvador Perez). He was pressing the right buttons.”

He also writes about how Maikel Garcia is brimming with confidence these days.

“Maikel has been aggressive early in the count starting games …” Quatraro said. “If you are going to be ready to go and you get a good pitch to hit, let it rip.”

Garcia could be on his way to another All-Star nomination. And the big moments don’t faze him. He takes it all in stride — in large part due to his routine.

It works for him. Just as the Royals hoped it would. “I’m doing my routine and having confidence,” Garcia said. “I think that’s the key.”

He also talked to White Sox pitching coach Zach Bove about coming back to Kansas City, where he once coached.

Preston Farr takes a closer look at the offense.

The Royals are essentially in the same place as they were a year ago in runs scored, but there is some promise here in the underlying offensive metrics. The walk rate is the clear standout here. Only once (1973) have the Royals finished a season with a walk rate north of ten percent. 2002 was the last time the team even finished with a walk rate over 8%. Will it last all season? Only time will tell, but the Royals’ 15-game mark last season only finished 0.2% better than the team’s full-season mark (7.2%).

The barrel rate was highlighted as a concern early last season, but Kansas City has done well there thus far. The Royals rank fourth in that regard, behind only the Dodgers, Yankees, and Braves. 

Vahe Gregorian writes that the focus of the stadium search is on downtown, as it should be.

Plenty more pieces still need to be put in place to frame this one properly, of course.

Most of all, a clearer picture of the funding and just how the Royals would create more tangible benefits to the community.

Those would be essentials for both the city and Royals to prioritize and communicate, especially because a significant construction project there will mean years of inconvenience to nearby institutions before it comes to fruition. And just because the city and the Royals have sought to avoid a public vote doesn’t mean they don’t have a duty to be transparent and accountable. In fact, that seems all the more critical in this context if they want buy-in.

But at least the downtown-site part of the original premise is back in focus, and that’s where it should stay.

Thomas Friestad at the KC Business Journal writes that Mayor Quinton Lucas wants an aggressive timeline.

Mayor Quinton Lucas set a “very” aggressive goal to get a Kansas City Royals ballpark open at Washington Square Park by Opening Day 2030….

“There is time pressure,” he said. “This is the right way to get a deal done, looking at basically incentive tools, economic activity redirections, that sort of work to do it. And I think that’s why we’re saying now is the right time to make sure we can get this done. Fortunately, this gets us started on this before the World Cup kicks off.”

Charlie Keegan at KSHB has a bit more on potential transportation upgrades for a new ballpark.

Lexy French at Fox 4 has fan reactions to the idea.

Former Royals pitcher Hunter Harvey is back on the Injured List.

The Tigers sign former Royals outfielder Tyler Gentry.

Christian Yelich exits with a hamstring injury.

George Springer lands on the Injured List and the Blue Jays add Eloy Jimenez to the roster.

41-year-old Justin Turner signs with a team in the Mexican League.

What young stars are next to get a long-term contract extension.

Shohei Ohtani breaks Ichiro’s record for Japanese players with a 44-game on-base streak.

Zach Eflin looks to 2027 after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

Astros pitcher Tatsuya Imai has arm fatigue.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. admits he didn’t understand baseball rules why trying to turn a double play.

Former MLB infielder and manager Phil Garner dies at the age of 76.

The Kansas Jayhawks baseball team wins their tenth in a row to take over first place in the Big 12.

The Indiana Fever re-sign Sophie Cunningham and Kelsey Plum is returning to the Sparks in a flurry of WNBA moves.

Why do we always remember how to ride a bike?

How Kodak is trying to turn things around after teetering on bankruptcy.

The New York Times looks at whether memes have already nuked our culture. [$]

Your song of the day is Mr. Big with Wild World.