Category: Sports News

Worldwide Sports News

Posted on

NBA Awards Race Recap: SGA Expected to Win MVP, Flagg and Knueppel Too Close to Call

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

Time has run out for NBA players hoping to bolster their cases to win MVP, Rookie of the Year, and a variety of other awards now that the regular season has concluded.

While reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is expected to win the league’s highest individual honor for a second time, the Rookie of the Year race has become one of the most-followed stories in sports.

Key Takeaways

  • Gilgeous-Alexander is favored to win his second straight MVP after his team took the #1 seed in the West for the second consecutive season.

  • Victor Wembanyama for Defensive Player of the Year is the largest favorite in any market.

  • NBA players are not eligible for regular-season awards if they didn’t meet the 65-minimum game requirement (barring extreme circumstances).

Gilgeous-Alexander won the MVP last year while averaging 32.7 points, 6.4 assists, and 5.0 rebounds for the 68-14 Oklahoma City Thunder en route to a seven-game victory in the NBA Finals. He followed that up with 31.1 points, 6.6 assists, and 4.3 rebounds on a remarkable 55.3% shooting as his team finished atop the Western Conference for the second year running.

The 27-year-old’s excellence has given him a 95% chance to win the NBA MVP, according to users at the top prediction app Kalshi.

Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets) and Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs) are both listed with 3% chances despite having remarkable seasons of their own.

While Wembanyama does not appear to be much of a threat to take Derrick Rose’s title as the youngest NBA MVP in history, he is a near shoo-in to win the Defensive Player of the Year. Kalshi lists him at 99% and everyone else at less than 1% to win the award.

The Rookie of the Year leaves the most intrigue for fans and voters. First-overall pick Cooper Flagg (Dallas Mavericks) sits at a 53% chance, and his former roommate at Duke, Kon Knueppel (Charlotte Hornets), is at 42%. 

Flagg appeared to have lost his grip on the race when he was sidelined by an injury for nearly a month from early February into March. However, 51 and 45-point scoring nights at the start of April made him the favorite again. He finished the year averaging 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists. 

Knueppel, the fourth pick in the draft, was the favorite as recently as April 5. He finished the season with the most made threes in the NBA and a stat line of 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists. He also missed just one game and was a driving force in the revitalization of the Hornets franchise.

While no other player received more than 1% chance to win the award, Kalshi believes there is a 6% chance that the vote will end in a tie. That hasn’t happened since 1999-00 and only occurred three times in NBA history, and it would result in Flagg and Knueppel being declared co-winners.

More NBA awards battles

The NBA attempts to highlight players who showed the most growth during the season by offering them the Most Improved Player award. Atlanta Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker soared in the market over the last month, moving from a 3% chance on March 14 to his current mark of 86%. Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren is second at 13%, and Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija is third at 2%.

Gilgeous-Alexander, Alexander-Walker’s cousin, is favored to win Clutch Player of the Year along with the MVP. He does not currently have an opponent with even a 1% chance.

The Spurs are shaping up to be the only team to have different players win individual regular-season awards, as Keldon Johnson is the frontrunner for the Sixth Man of the Year at Kalshi. Like Alexander-Walker, his 90% chance to claim the honor represents an enormous growth from the 15.4% chance he was given exactly one month ago. Jaime Jaquez Jr. (Miami Heat) is his only real competition at 6%.

Boston Celtics boss Joe Mazzulla is making a late surge to win Coach of the Year, climbing from 24% just one week ago to his current mark of 77%. Meanwhile, the Detroit Pistons’ J.B. Bickerstaff is at 26% despite leading the market at 61% two days ago.

All-league team chances

The All-NBA and All-Defensive teams are difficult to parse since there is overlap between the possible teams, whereas individual awards only yield one winner and a field of losers.

At the time of writing, these are the players and probabilities for the All-NBA and All-Defensive teams:

All-NBA First Team

  • Nikola Jokic - 99%
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander - 99%
  • Victor Wembanyama - 99%
  • Jaylen Brown - 94%
  • Luka Doncic - 70%

All-NBA Second Team

  • Jalen Brunson - 96%
  • Jalen Johnson - 87%
  • Kawhi Leonard - 87%
  • Donovan Mitchell - 82%
  • Kevin Durant - 71%

All-NBA Third Team

  • Tyrese Maxey - 68%
  • Karl-Anthony Towns - 67%
  • Jalen Duren - 51%
  • Stephon Castle - 16%
  • Alperen Sengun - 15%

All-Defensive First Team

  • Victor Wembanyama - 99%
  • Chet Holmgren - 96%
  • Ausar Thompson - 76%
  • Rudy Gobert - 66%
  • Scottie Barnes - 66%

All-Defensive Second Team

  • Derrick White - 58%
  • Bam Adebayo - 42%
  • Dyson Daniels - 39%
  • OG Anunoby - 26%
  • Donovan Clingan/Evan Mobley - 20%

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.

Posted on

By The Numbers: The Most Telling Islanders Stats Post-Olympics

The New York Islanders season is coming to an end. The Islanders were eliminated from playoff contention after a 1-6-0 stretch that saw Patrick Roy dismissed as head coach and Peter DeBoer hired.

Since the NHL Olympic Break ended, the Islanders have gone 11-12-0 overall, having plummeted from second in the Metropolitan Division to sixth place and been eliminated before the puck drops for game No. 82.

So, what's the root cause of the issues? There are myriad factors, with the number one issue being the power play's inability to score, now ranked third-worst in the league.

Another factor could include Ilya Sorokin's dip in form after overuse. 

Perhaps most underrated is the Islanders' form at 5-on-5 hockey.

Since the Olympic Break ended (23 games), the Islanders have exactly one player who is a positive at 5-on-5 hockey (courtesy of NatStatTrick). 

That's Matthew Schaefer, of course. He's been on the ice for 24 goals for (GF), and 21 goals against (GA).

Carson Soucy: 9 GF, 19 GA. Scott Mayfield: 10 GF, 19 GA. Adam Pelech 8 GF, 15 GA. Tony DeAngelo 8 GF, 11 GA. Ryan Pulock 13 GF, 16 GA. Adam Boqvist, 2 GF, 7 GA.

The woes of Soucy and Mayfield shouldn't be overly shocking. As a pairing, they've been out for just four goals for and 12 goals against since the Olympics ended.

Pelech and DeAngelo, when healthy, didn't do so well either. They're at 3 GF and 7 GA at 5-on-5 hockey since the Olympics ended.

The other main Islanders' pairing of Schaefer and Pulock sits at 11 GF and 12 GA at 5-on-5 since the Olympics.

Schaefer's combined total from time played with Pelech, Soucy, DeAngelo, and Mayfield is 13 GF and 7 GA. In limited minutes with Boqvist, Schaefer finished with 0 GF and 2 GA. 

The pattern from all those numbers is clear.

Everyone struggled except Schaefer, who excelled. Schaefer helped raise other players' totals and overall performances during an otherwise bad run of form for all involved.

Starting first with the two acquisitions, Ondrej Palat has been on the ice for 10 GF and 16 GA since the Olympics ended in 5v5 action. In his total time with the Islanders, he has been on the ice for 13 GF and 18 GA in 5v5 action.

Brayden Schenn, acquired at the Trade Deadline, has been on the ice for 9 GF and 17 GA in 5v5 play. His most common linemate, Calum Ritchie, sits 7 GF and 15 GA.

When those two have played with Mathew Barzal, those numbers are 5 GF and 6 GA.

Schenn and Ritchie together without Barzal are at 2 GF and 5GA.

That pattern shows Barzal elevated the duo from defensive deficiencies, highlighting Schenn's better impact as a winger at this point in his career.

Ritchie and Schenn are tied for the worst 5-on-5 +/- on the team since the Olympics ended, sitting at -8.

Palat (-6) is third.

Amongst the entirety of the Islanders' forward group, Emil Heineman and Bo Horvat played well down the stretch.

Together, their line produced 9 GF and 6 GA at 5v5, even with Horvat's noted scoring dip.

Without each other as line mates, both saw huge negative swings: -3 at 5v5 for Heineman and -4 for Horvat.

Sometimes, raw numbers don't do the whole picture justice. That's where another fun stat, Expected Goals For/Goals Against (xGF/xGA) and the Expected Goals For Percentage (xGF%) come into play.

NOTE: All numbers discussed below are calculated at 5v5, unless otherwise specified

This statistic measures the overall performance of players and their chances in a game, turning it into a mathematic formula based on the probability of goals being scored based on the quality of chances. 

A good xGF% is anything above 50%. The 50% line is equivalent to 0, anything below indicates you're allowing more quality chances than you're generating.

For example, if you watched any games down the stretch, the most consistent Islanders' line was unquestionably Kyle MacLean, Casey Cizikas, and Marc Gatcomb.

The numbers back that up. The trio leads the Islanders in xGF% since the Olympics, with Cizikas and Gatcomb sitting over 60% xGF%, while MacLean's at 57.75%.

Those are exceedingly strong numbers, and show how effective the trio is.

You'd also then think, if these numbers are effective, that Schaefer would be the Islanders' best defenseman.

The answer is yes, no doubt. Schaefer sits at a 56.54 xGF%. 

The next best defenseman is Pelech, with a 54.26 xGF%. No player on the Islanders got worse luck than Pelech. He played at an extremely high level, with the Islanders expecting around 22 goals with him on the ice at 5v5.

They only scored eight goals total, completely tanking his actual GF and GA, as shown above.

The worst Islanders at xGF% since the Olympics ended is Anthony Duclair, who had an xGF% of 29.28%, a rough number across eight total games.

Amongst guys who played in most or all games, Schenn sits at the bottom. In 18 games with the Islanders, Schenn's xGF% sits at 43.94%, a very low figure, well below the team's average.

Mayfield and Soucy are the two lowest defenders in this stat amongst the regulars, touting a 47.95% (Mayfield) and a 48.75% (Soucy) respectively.

It's worth noting that in just four games, Maxim Shabanov crushed it. He generated an xGF% of 62.29%, but just didn't get into enough games to see how he would've continued to perform.

Overall, the xGF% for the Islanders is not as bad as you might think it is.  

So, what's the biggest takeaway from these numbers? What can be learned about the Islanders' 5v5 play that doomed their season?

One big takeaway should be how badly they missed Kyle Palmieri. He's a strong finisher, adding another true finisher would've helped immensely at 5v5.

Another takeaway should be these numbers should be the numbers aren't perfect, but they can illustrate patterns.

It's no coincidence that the Soucy/Mayfield duo consistently showed up at the bottom, just as Schenn and Ritchie did.

Ritchie is severely hurt by these numbers. Some of his best came on the man advantage, where he totaled seven power-play points since the Olympics ended. Similarly, Schenn added three points on the power play.

You can't dismiss the poor defensive metrics at 5v5 for them together, though.

The numbers also don't show the sometimes-brutal defensive zone mistakes that were made, that often wound up in the back of the net.

Overall, the numbers point to the three big things:

1. At even strength, the Islanders were an above-average team, with weak spots defensively that caused a lot of issues.

2. They lack scorers who capitalize on good 5v5 play.

3. Games get decided in the margins. The margins are special teams. The Islanders' special teams failed in the biggest moments.

In their last 23 games, the Islanders went 13/68. Four of those goals came in two games against the lowly Toronto Maple Leafs.

In fact, of the 13 goals, they scored only 9 in the final 23 games. There were four games in which the Islanders scored twice on the man advantage, one of which came in a 7-3 loss to the Montreal Canadiens.

If you take out the multi-PPG games against Toronto (x2), Montreal, and one against the St. Louis Blues, the power play statistics plummet. 

Instead of reading 13/68, that drops to just 5/50, otherwise read as 10%.

In those same 19 games down the stretch, the Islanders allowed four shorthanded goals on those 50 power plays.

The opposition scored during New York's man advantage just as much as they did.  

Going down the stretch and having that type of performance overall is just about as bad it gets, and further shows just how bad the Islanders needed to clean up the special teams, but just couldn't.

It's the biggest statistical reason the Islanders won't be in the playoffs next week.

Posted on

Canadiens Young Forward Should Build Off Strong Game

The Montreal Canadiens picked up a 4-1 win against the New York Islanders on Sunday. Canadiens forward Zachary Bolduc played a role in the Canadiens' win over the Islanders, as he scored a goal and recorded an assist in the contest. 

This strong performance against the Islanders was certainly needed for Bolduc. Before it, the 22-year-old forward had gone seven straight appearances without a point. He was also healthy scratched for two games before this contest against the Islanders, so he undoubtedly had a strong bounce-back game. 

Now, Bolduc will be looking to build off this solid game against the Islanders from here. He has shown that he can be a difference-maker at times this season, and it would be huge for the Canadiens if he got hot with the playoffs right around the corner. 

Bolduc will certainly be a player to watch from here because of it. If he can contribute offensively like this more consistently, it would be huge for the Canadiens as they look to go on a real playoff run this spring. 

In 77 games with the Canadiens this season, Bolduc has 12 goals, 18 assists, 30 points, and 166 hits. This is after he had 19 goals, 36 points, and 108 hits in 72 games for the St. Louis Blues this past season. 

Posted on

MLB Home Run Predictions Today: Best HR Prop Bets, Picks, Parlay & Odds for Monday, April 13

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

Let's try to get the home run train moving this week by picking on some struggling pitchers in settings with good-to-great hitting conditions and spots to target MLB player props. 

Ryne Nelson, Yusei Kikuchi, and Nathan Eovaldi are solid pitching targets to find some dingers today, as they're struggling and their visiting parks are looking hitter-friendly. There are plenty of names on the Orioles, Yankees, and Athletics to target on Monday for four-baggers. 

These are my favorite home run props for Monday, April 13.

Best MLB home run props today

Player to hit a HROdds
Orioles Gunnar Henderson+440
Yankees Jose Caballero+1040
Athletics Shea Langeliers+470

Gunnar Henderson (+440)

The Baltimore Orioles draw one of the better hitting environments on the board today, ranking as the third-best park for home runs, and get a favorable matchup against Ryne Nelson.

The Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander carries one of the highest fly-ball rates in baseball, and when paired with a 42% hard-hit rate, it’s a strong setup for power. He’s already allowed multiple home runs in two of his three starts this season.

Gunnar Henderson is off to a strong power start with six home runs, among the league leaders. While the average is down, the quality of contact is there, with nine of his 15 hits going for extra bases.

He is riding a six-game hitting streak, which also includes four longballs. Covers projections, powered by THE BAT, price this home run closer to +380. 

There’s also some matchup history, with Henderson going 2-for-4 with a home run off Nelson, adding another layer of confidence to the play.

  • Time: 6:35 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: MASN, Dbacks.TV

Jose Caballero (+1040)

I'm taking a big shot at the Yankees' shortstop at the highest price I've hit in this article for a homer.

Jose Caballero might not have much time left with the club, as Anthony Volpe is beginning his rehab assignment tomorrow. Still, he has a great opportunity to showcase tonight at Yankee Stadium with 16-mph winds blowing out and a matchup vs. Yusei Kikuchi. 

The Angels' starter gives up a lot of flyballs, and only five other starters have given up hard-hit balls at a higher rate than the lefty at 48%. He has avoided giving up a lot of home runs this season (just one allowed), but the dingers are coming, and Caballero has already taken him deep in his career.

He also handles lefties better than righties. It's a giant price with a lot of checkmarks. 

  • Time: 7:05 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: YES, FanDuel Sports Network West

Shea Langeliers (+470)

The Athletics are back at their Minor League diamond, where pitchers seem to struggle at a high frequency.

Nathan Eovaldi has yet to have a game where he keeps the ball in the park, and Shea Langeliers is a hitter I’ve watched go deep five times this season without my money on him. That changes today.

The middle-of-the-order bat is +470 to go long, with a break-even price around +390/+400. He’s gone eight games without a homer but still owns an OPS north of .900 to start the year, and he has solid history against Eovaldi, going 4-for-12 with a home run.

It checks all the boxes — setting, matchup, and most importantly, price. The Texas Rangers also have four left-handers in the bullpen that Langeliers can take advantage of, as he crushes lefties.

  • Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: RSN, NBCS-California

Today’s HR parlay

Orioles Gunnar HendersonBet Now
+34,989
Yankees Jose Caballero
Athletics Shea Langeliers

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.

Josh Inglis' 2026 Transparency Record
  • HR picks: 2-22, -11.6 units

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.

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.

Posted on

(4-13-26) Wild-Blues Gameday Lineup

ST. LOUIS – The St. Louis Blues knew their fate during their 5-3 win against the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday.

They followed through and won the hockey game despite knowing their playoff fate had been sealed when they were eliminated for the third time in four seasons.

Now with three games remaining in the regular season, including Monday’s 7 p.m. game against the Minnesota Wild (45-23-12), who will be going to the playoffs, what’s left for them to accomplish?

Plenty, according to coach Jim Montgomery, who along with his coaching staff and management, will have a keen eye on who approaches these so-called meaningless, play-out-the-string games and how they take them.

“We’re just trying to see who’s going to compete in these games, because there’s a lot of games in the regular season that are like this that we were playing three in four and you need a gut-check and who’s going to have a gut check,” Montgomery said. “Today, that’s about personal pride, how you want to represent yourself and the St. Louis Blues organization. I said this after the first period in Chicago, you only have so many games in your career, and do you want to look back and you want to lay an egg in one of these games where you could have been good for your team? It’s not going to change. We all understand human nature, but the competitive fire that has been in you since you were an eight-year-old to play in this game, it’s either there at eight years old and it’s there when you’re 28. If it’s not there when you’re eight years old, it’s not going to be there when you’re 28.”

That means for those tank-a-thon fans that want to see the Blues (34-33-12) lose out to get the best possible draft lottery result, don’t count on losing in so-called on-purpose fashion.

When the Blues were as much as 14 points out of a wild card in the Western Conference at one point, and 12 back coming out of the Olympic break, all the talk was about tanking and getting as high a lottery pick as possible.

But they have gone 14-5-3 since and got to as close as three points of reaching the goal of playoffs. It was a good run, yes, but in the end, it all meant nothing because of the results that were troublesome earlier in the season.

But Montgomery has learned at least something out of this recent push.

“That there’s some young guys emerging that possibly can be really good players in this team in the future,” he said.

But there’s also that analogy of needing to figure out an 82-game season, and not a good stretch of the the season, like the last 22 games.

“I try not to get too excited about playing really well when you’re so far out of it,” Montgomery said. “There’s so many teams … you look at the NFL, I looked at one year, the Redskins were 0-8 and they finished 8-8 … this team’s set to go to the Super Bowl; they were 4-12 the next year. There’s a lot of people that make a livelihood of being really good when your team’s basically eliminated. We need to find more players that want to be really good right from the start of the year, and that’s something as an organization that we have to instill and something that we’re going to try and make sure we do from the start of the year next year.

“Sorry to not give you a great answer for your question, but it annoys me at times. Not the question, the performance.”

So with games against the Wild, Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday and Utah Mammoth to close out 2025-26 on Thursday, what will be evaluated?

“You see the guys that keep competing,” Montgomery said. ‘Who’s cheating for offense, who’s trying not to play the right way for the team but they do play the right way when it’s convenient for them. The guys that play the right way all the time, and that’s something that we’ve been harping on, something we talked about for the last 40 minutes in Chicago. We want to play the right way. In the end at the end of your career, you want to know that you do the reunion where you played with your teammates and they know that you gave them everything they had, that they can rely on you. That’s the sign of a great teammate.”

- - -

The Blues will play a version of the Wild that resembles more of a preseason lineup than the regular-season version.

Minnesota will not dress, among their top players, Matt Boldy, Joel Eriksson Ek, Mats Zuccarello, Ryan Hartman, Quinn Hughes and Kirill Kaprizov, due to rest purposes.

Minnesota is locked in as the No. 3 seed in the Central Division and will play No. 2 Dallas Stars in the first round.

“I think it’s two years in a row that it’s going to be in the Central Division that a Stanley Cup contender is going to be eliminated in the first round,” Montgomery said. “Do I think that’s fair? Life isn’t fair, that’s the rules, so they’ve got to play by them. The person that’s going to win the Stanley Cup has to go through the best teams at some point. Just the way it is.

“… They’ve used a different lineup the last three games, I think, since everybody’s been locked into their position. They’re heavy on the third and fourth lines, they’re skilled and talented and fiercely competitive on the first two. They’re deep on defense. This is a really good hockey team that is built for the playoffs, in my opinion.”

- - -

The Blues will make a couple changes to their forward lines, including inserting Jonathan Drouin and Jack Finley in against the wild, in place of Jonatan Berggren and Oskar Sundqvist.

Joel Hofer will start in goal, meaning Jordan Binnington will get the home finale -- and perhaps his final game in front of the home crowd (?) on Tuesday against the Penguins.

- - -

Blues Projected Lineup:

Dylan Holloway-Robert Thomas-Jimmy Snuggerud

Pavel Buchnevich-Pius Suter-Jordan Kyrou

Jake Neighbours-Dalibor Dvorsky-Jonathan Drouin

Alexey Toropchenko-Jack Finley-Otto Stenberg

Philip Broberg-Logan Mailloux

Theo Lindstein-Colton Parayko

Cam Fowler-Tyler Tucker

Joel Hofer will start in goal; Jordan Binnington will be the backup.

Healthy scratches include Justin Holl, Jonatan Berggren, Matthew Kessel, Oskar Sundqvist and Nathan Walker. The Blues report no injuries.

- - -

Wild Projected Lineup:

Yakov Trenin-Danila Yurov-Vladimir Tarasenko

Marcus Johansson-Hunter Haight-Bobby Brink

Nico Sturm-Michael McCarron-Nick Foligno

Robby Fabbri-Ben Jones-Nicolas Aube-Kubel

Jonas Brodin-Jared Spurgeon

Jake Middleton-Brock Faber

Daemon Hunt-Matt Kiersted

Filip Gustavsson will start in goal; Jesper Wallstedt will be the backup.

Healthy scratches include Mats Zuccarello, Joel Eriksson Ek, Zach Bogosian, Jeff Petry, Viking Gustafsson-Nyberg, Matt Boldy, Marcus Foligno, Ryan Hartman, Quinn Hughes, and Kirill Kaprozov. The Wild report no injuries.

Image

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

Posted on

The Reds owe it to themselves to play Rece Hinds everyday

CINCINNATI, OHIO - JULY 08: Rece Hinds #77 of the Cincinnati Reds celebrates a home run in the eighth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on July 08, 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Cincinnati Reds have every intention of trying to win as many games as possible in 2026. That was the plan when they first hired future Hall of Famer Terry Francona to be their manager before 2025. That was certainly the plan after the 2025 club snuck into the playoffs and gave fans the thrill of real postseason baseball for the first time in a decade.

It was the plan, though it seemed farfetched, when they tore things down in 2022. It’s been the plan as they sat patiently with a youthful core, watching it slowly but surely turn into the nucleus of a decently rostered baseball franchise.

Those plans don’t come without bumps in the road, however. The Reds were jettisoned from the playoffs by the Los Angeles Dodgers in just two (non-home) games last fall. The Reds waived goodbye to a number of good players in free agency, yet came to define themselves over the last nine months by a pair of deals that added a few square pegs to a roster full of otherwise round holes.

First, they committed big to Ke’Bryan Hayes in a deal with Pittsburgh. He came over with a long-term deal guaranteeing him a minimum of $36 million through the 2029 season, and was immediately established as the team’s 3B of the present and future. Despite 3B Sal Stewart knocking on the door, the Reds then swung big on AAV to reunite with 3B Eugenio Suárez this winter, doing so to bring in his much needed power even though he’d be forced to DH more than he’d ever done in his life.

In the process, they up and moved Noelvi Marte to RF – a position he’d literally never played before in his life. The former shortstop had his issues as the team’s 3B before the Hayes deal, but the thought was that his athleticism would translate well out there quickly despite the team, y’know, having every intention to win as many games as possible in 2025. For a hot minute it looked brilliant, and his home-run robbery in the season’s final week earned its own bobblehead giveaway, but Marte was abysmal at the plate over the final 25 games of the season (.186/.215/.275 in 107 PA).

He backed that up with a .138/.194/.138 start to the 2026 season across 31 PA, and the Reds officially sent him back to AAA on Monday because of it.

The expectation, per C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic, is that the Reds will call up Rece Hinds prior to Tuesday’s game to take Marte’s place. It’s the rational call as Hinds has mauled AAA pitching this year after he mauled Cactus League pitching this spring after he mauled AAA pitching all last year, too.

What that move underscores, though, is the lack of rationality the Reds used to get themselves here in the first place. In shoveling so many square pegs into their infield mix heading into 2026, they pooled almost all of their minuscule resources into that part of their project, and it left them with an outfield mix that was mis-matched at best. Marte’d never played RF for 95% of his life. TJ Friedl, who’s struggling almost as badly right now, is being used in LF more after being exclusively a CF for more than two years. Spencer Steer, a Gold Glove finalist at 1B, is now being tasked with LF more often than not.

The outfield, which the Reds chose to patch instead of truly fix, simply hasn’t worked.

That brings us to Hinds, who hit just .116/.136/.279 in 44 PA at the big league level last year. I’m saying that the Reds owe it to themselves to let that guy play almost every single game in RF going forward.

One big part of that is that Hinds, a former 2nd round pick who has a superstar grade in terms of power and plus speed and arm grades, is a supremely talented individual. He’s still just 25 years old, an age where plenty of players who have struggled before can still very much have a breakout year (see: Will Benson in 2023, among many others). He’s also shaved off over 10% of his once atmospheric strikeout rate at the AAA level dating back to early 2025, and his walk rate so far this year has spiked accordingly, too.

He’s been maturing slowly, but surely. He’s also a guy who hit right-handed pitching much better last year (.914 OPS) than left-handed pitching (.769) at the AAA level, something that has continued in a much smaller sample there in 2026.

Most importantly, though, is that he’s been a corner outfielder for over five years since moving off the diamond as a 20 year old, with the overwhelming amount of that work coming as a RF. He’s a guy you put out there and know that while he may not be Roberto Clemente, he’s experienced with reads, with where his throws will go, and how to read the spin of the ball off the bat. He’s consistency in an area where there’s been turmoil, and provides that with pretty much the same type of star-caliber upside offensively that we’ve heaped on Marte for years, too.

If the Reds aren’t truly going to go out and address their outfield situation appropriately – which they didn’t do last summer or last winter – the least they should do to try to fix it now is roll out something there that they can at least count on in one aspect. No more counting on just throwing someone out there and assuming it will work out despite red flags waving wildly, no more daily rotation in hopes that miraculously kicks all players into gear despite choppy reps. Give Hinds his glove and tell him to go be the RF going forward, and see if just a little bit of well-earned stability there helps the rest of the jumble fall into place.

On top of everything else, Hinds deserves it. He went right back to AAA after his electric first week in the bigs two years ago and kept working, kept refining his game so that his best assets can more adequately shine. The Reds slow-played him and did a poor job trying to render him redundant, and now he’s more than ready at a time when the club needs him now more than ever.

Posted on

MLB games are lasting a little longer this season. One reason could be the new ABS system

It could be argued that the Automated Ball-Strike system has been the MVP of Major League Baseball through the season’s first 2 1/2 weeks, creating a game-within-the-game that’s producing winners, losers and some dramatic moments.

There appears to be at least one tradeoff.

The robot umpires could be one of the factors making games a little longer this spring, with the time of a nine-inning game creeping upward to 2 hours, 42 minutes, according to baseball-reference.com. That’s up from 2:38 last season and 2:36 in 2024.

The slightly longer games make sense. Even though an ABS challenge usually takes less than 15 seconds, the mini delays in the game can add up if several pitches are contested.

One of MLB’s big wins over the past decade is a rules package that debuted in 2023, which included a pitch clock that dramatically shortened games by roughly 25 minutes. Though there were scattered complaints about the changes, they’ve been widely viewed as a success.

The ABS system might be making a small dent in that progress, but game times still are considerable shorter than they were in the pre-pitch clock era. A nine-inning game lasted an average of 3:10 in 2021 — an all-time high.

Triple threat

Two-time All-Star Corbin Carroll is off to a good start again this season with a .327 batting average and 1.067 OPS, and the young star has developed a signature play that’s increasingly rare in today’s game.

The triple.

The 25-year-old speedster leads the majors with three triples in just 14 games. He’s paced the big leagues in triples over the past two seasons with 17 of in 2025 and 14 in 2024.

The D-backs’ home of Chase Field has a been a perfect fit for Carroll, featuring a deep power alley in right-center that forces outfielders to cover a lot of ground while he motors around the bases.

Carroll is already sixth among active MLB players with 46 triples.

Phillies bullpen looks strong

Manager Rob Thomson realizes how fortunate the Philadelphia Phillies are to already have their bullpen lining up so smoothly in April, with depth and matchups and shutdown pitching, too.

That includes reliable closer Jhoan Duran handling ninth-inning duties. He already has five saves and a 1.35 ERA

The Philadelphia relievers surrendered only one earned run during the club’s recent six-game trip, spanning 18 innings by the bullpen for a 0.50 ERA and .129 opponent batting average (8 for 62).

Rookie top prospect Andrew Painter appreciates all of the relievers backing him. Painter gave up four runs in four innings in a game against the Giants, but the bullpen pitched five scoreless innings that gave the Phillies time to rally for a 6-4 win.

“They stepped up, to go out there and throw up five more zeros after that,” Painter said. “Offense stepped up, I’m super happy that everyone could pick me up.”

Trivia time

Carroll is sixth among active MLB players in triples. Who are the top five?

Who’s hot?

After a disappointing 2025 season, St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker is showing why he’s considered one of the game’s top young players. The 23-year-old already has hit seven homers this season, including six over the past eight games.

Walker is batting .327 with a 1.138 OPS through 15 games, leading a Cardinals team that’s off to a solid 8-7 start.

Trivia answer

Mike Trout 55, Starling Marte 55, Andrew McCutchen 50, Trea Turner 48, Amed Rosario 47.

Posted on

2026 Bluebird Banter Top 40 Prospects: Matt’s Pref List

The last instalment in the Top 40 series on this off-day is my list of prospects I was somewhat higher on and would have either had on or in the mix for the back of my list alone. As Tom noted on his list, these are deep(er) sleepers, generally low probability, but usually they’re be a name or two who pops up the list the next year (like Gage Stanifer had I got around to publishing a list last year, alas).

Nolan Perry was the Jays’ 12th rounder in 2022 out of high school in New Mexico, signed for a $200,000 (of which just $75,000 counted against the pool). I’m always intrigued by this type of draftee (player strongly motivated to pro ball over college, upside at a modest opportunity cost), so he’s been a name to follow for me. He had an uneven 2023 on the complex (7.28 ERA but 51 strikeouts in 38.1 innings), and got the bump to Dunedin early in 2024 to backfill the rotation spot when Landon Maroudis was injured and there was a chance to see him.

His 14 starts would best be characterized as effectively wild, with a 2.93 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 46 innings, but 39 free passes. Many outings he’d had dominant stretches and then an inning would suddenly go sideways. The stuff was quite promising, his fastball up to the mid-90s and the ability to spin two breaking balls that drew swings-and-misses. He mixed in a odd show-me changeup, but it and the command/control lagged as Perry largely “out-stuffed” low-A hitters. Then he too required Tommy John, missing 2025.

In two starts so far in 2026, the stuff is clearly back and that alone would likely have put him on the main list. Barring major steps forward in the control, he probably ends up short reliever, but with some higher end possibility.

Daniel Guerra was an 18 year old international free agent out of Venezuela in 2022, and slowly moving rung-by-ring to reach high-A in now his 5th season. He’s a big guy at a listed 6’6” and 230 pounds, and his fastball touches the mid-90s (sitting low-90s in longer outings) with a decent slider. There’s no viable third pitch, and command/control can be iffy, so this would be purely a relief projection. But if the velo ticks up in short outings, he could be viable as a middle reliver.

If there’s a guy I can’t quit, it’s 2022 2nd rounder Cade Doughty. It’s been an interesting progression for what was considered a power-over-hit, bat-first infielder out of LSU. To that end, in 2023 he slugged 18 homeruns in Vancouver but struck out 30% of the time. Then he was on-and-off the IL in 2024 in what largely ended up a lost season. In 2025 at AA, e cut the strikeout rate back to 22% but the power evaporated (4 HR and .085 ISO). He was also pressed into service at shortstop and while certainly not gifted was surprisingly decent. It’s probably time to move on, but if he can get some of the power back….

The Jays’ Mr. Irrelevant (20th rounder) in the 2023 Draft, Kai Peterson’s strikeout rate proved to be anything but. Using almost exclusively low-90s fastballs from a very low sidearm slot (he should be nicknamed SLingshot for the way he literally would sling fastball after fastball after fastball), Peterson ate up low-A hitters in posting comical peripherals (18 K/9 with almost a walk and inning; 60% of batters striking out or walking). He kept up a ~30% strikeout rate in high-A and AA but struggles to throw enough strikes for basic viability and more experienced hitters had had (more) success laying out to let him beat him himself. He’s increasingly mixed in a sweeping slider, but controlling it is even more of an issue. It’s probably too much to overcome, especially in a post-LOOGY world, but he’s enough of a funky lefty that it wouldn’t surprise me if made the majors at some point.

Carson Pierce was an undrafted FA in 2023 from Oklahoma. While most of the stuff is just okay and unremarkable, he’s got a heck of an offspeed weapon in his change-up that just dives down to the arm side. With a ton of vertical break, it piles up swings and misses and moved him quickly up to Vancouver where he had a very effective run as a bulk/piggyback reliever before leaving a start with an obviously significant arm injury that caused him to miss 2023. Pierce is effectively a one trick pony. but a heck of a trick representing a potential carrying tool.

In the same vein of one-trick offspeed pitch, I’ll at least mention Nate Garkow, 5’11” 28 year old signed two years ago who tops out in the high-80s on his fastball. What makes him effective (1.22 ERA for New Hampshire last year) is this super low-spin screwball that almost knuckles. It’s so befuddling that it vexed not just hitters, but flummoxed tracking systems into labelling it a slider for most of last year. Is it enough to get him the majors? Probably not, but worth keeping an eye on and it’s not out of the realm of possibility.

Jackson Hornung was drafted as a catcher in 2023’s 16th round out of D-III Skidmore College in upstate New York. His work behind the plate could charitably de described as very rough, and by the beginning of last year he was moved out to a first base/outfield/DH mix. Frankly, his best position by far is at the plate, where he has a god feel for squaring balls up and driving them for some power (.287/.367/.452 split in Vancouver and NH). There’s a fair bit of swing-and-miss and given the heavy pressure on the bat that’s probably too much to overcome, but if more power comes through there’s potentially something in the bat.

Posted on

MLB Power Rankings: Yankees tumble after rough week, the Padres are streaking

As I said on Bluesky yesterday (you can follow me on Bluesky here), doing an MLB Power Rankings article in April is not recommended. Almost everything you thought last week is irrelevant the next. We’re prisoners to the moment, but April is a reminder not to get too far out over your skis.

These wild swings or slumps feel more meaningful right now, but they really aren’t within the context of a full season. The cream should rise to the top over time, which is why I want to reiterate that this article is a combination of current performance and long-term outlook.

This week, the Yankees and Brewers are headed in the wrong direction while the Padres, Pirates, and Athletics continue to climb. Let’s get started!

Corbin Carroll
2026 Fantasy Baseball Top 300: Corbin Carroll joins top 10, David Bednar and Trevor Megill tumble
This week’s update includes a lot of closer movement and 11 newcomers in the Top 300.

Note: Rankings are from the morning of Monday, April 13

1) Los Angeles Dodgers

There’s no easy outs in this Dodgers lineup, even with Mookie Betts sidelined. Max Muncy delivered the second three-homer game of his career in Friday’s win over the Rangers, which was capped off with this walk-off blast.

Shohei Ohtani keeps getting on base (while not giving up earned runs on the mound), and the bottom-third of the lineup continues to be crazy productive. One thing to monitor: Edwin Díaz’s velocity has been down so far this season and the Dodgers figure to be careful with him in the short-term.

2) Atlanta Braves

With a decisive 13-1 victory over the Guardians on Sunday Night Baseball on NBC and Peacock, the Braves now hold the best run differential (+46) in the majors. Only the Dodgers have scored more runs, and only the Dodgers have a better record.

The Braves also have the best City Connect jerseys by far among the new arrivals this season.

3) San Diego Padres

Wanna get weird? Craig Stammen certainly did this weekend, as he put Fernando Tatís Jr. at second base in back-to-back games despite him never starting a game there in the majors. Of course, Tatís is a special athlete, so he handled the assignment with aplomb.

The Padres should be riding high after sweeping the Rockies this weekend, but all eyes will be on Nick Pivetta’s elbow in the days ahead.

4) New York Yankees

The Yankees have lost five straight, including a sweep at the hands of the Rays this weekend. The lineup is struggling — their .206 average is third-lowest in the majors right now — but it’s hard to push them down too far after just one bad week.

5) Detroit Tigers

After dropping five straight, the Tigers swept the Marlins over the weekend, including a strong start from Tarik Skubal and Kevin McGonigle’s first major league homer. This team is going to be in the middle of it all summer.

6) Cleveland Guardians

The Guardians got hit hard against the Braves this weekend, but their pitching is likely to keep them in contention once again in the AL Central. Parker Messick (0.51 ERA through three starts) and Joey Cantillo (2.45 ERA in three starts) have been especially impressive so far.

7) Seattle Mariners

I’m literally repeating myself from my Tigers write-up earlier. The Mariners scored 23 runs in a sweep against the Astros over the weekend after losing five straight games coming in. We know that pitching is great, but look out if that offense starts kicking in consistently.

8) Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies have lost four of five, but it probably won’t be long before they rise up this list again. One great sign? Bryce Harper is hitting .526 (10-for-19) with a homer, four doubles, six RBI, and a .640 (!) OBP over his past six games.

9) Milwaukee Brewers

Losers of five straight, the Brewers were swept by the Nationals over the weekend. Christian Yelich was forced to exit Sunday’s finale with hamstring tightness and manager Pat Murphy said he wasn’t expecting it to be good.

10) Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pirates blew a chance at a sweep of the Cubs on Sunday, but things are still trending in the right direction for these up-and-comers. Oneil Cruz endured a rough opening series against the Mets, but he’s now hit safely in 11 straight games while putting up five homers, 13 RBI, and six stolen bases.

11) Baltimore Orioles

The Orioles have won five out of six during which Gunnar Henderson has slugged four home runs. Henderson took a step back last year while dealing with a left shoulder impingement and inflammation, so the power is nice to see. He’s really selling out for pull power so far this season, with a pull air percentage of 35.7 percent, a massive increase from his 15.7 percent career average.

12) Texas Rangers

Brandon Nimmo is enjoying life in the leadoff spot with his new team. After slugging a pair of homers on Saturday, he knocked in two more runs on Saturday as the Rangers salvaged the finale against the Dodgers. Nimmo is hitting .367 through 15 games so far, including nine multi-hit games.

13) Oakland Athletics

If things fall through in Las Vegas, the Athletics could consider relocating to New York. They seem to like it there. After taking two out of three from the Yankees, the A’s swept the Mets over weekend. We also got a glimpse of their home run celebration, which consists of a gaudy gold chain and an elephant mask which is, of course, a nod to their franchise history. A clever and slightly troubling tribute.

14) Tampa Bay Rays

The Rays swept the Yankees for the first time since 2021 this past weekend and speedster Chandler Simpson notched three more hits on Sunday. He’s now hitting .411 (23-for-56) with a .441 on-base percentage to begin the season.

15) New York Mets

We’ve seen hitters have their power sapped after hamate bone surgery, but can it also impact your baseball IQ? While Francisco Lindor had a two-hit day against the A’s on Sunday, he’s been involved in a number of strange mental lapses in the early part of the season. The track record suggests he’ll be just fine, but the Mets need the best version of him with Juan Soto sidelined. Like, ASAP. The Mets are headed to Los Angeles to take on the Dodgers to begin the week.

16) Chicago Cubs

In the depths of an 0-for-30 slump, Michael Busch began Sunday’s game on the bench. He ended up being one of the heroes, as he delivered a pinch-hit RBI single in the eighth which resulted in the tying run scoring on a bad throw from the outfield. Carson Kelly then walked it off in the bottom of the ninth.

The Cubs need all the good news they can get right now, so having Busch find it at the plate would be huge.

17) Minnesota Twins

The Twins have won six out of seven as Taj Bradley continues to come up big early on. Believe it or not, the Twins are actually tied with the Guardians for the best record in the American League. Forgive me if I’m a bit skeptical. Still, a nice start for them.

Cool moment from Sunday’s win against Toronto was the reaction of Andrew Morris’ mom as he made his MLB debut.

18) Cincinnati Reds

Rookie slugger Sal Stewart has hit the ground running this season, but the rest of the offense is struggling to find consistency. The Reds rank 29th in the majors in OPS (.623) and only three teams have a lower batting average (.205) and on-base percentage (.298). Remember how hot Matt McLain was in spring training? He’s hitting .215 with zero homers and a .595 OPS through 16 games. The club decided to shake things up Monday morning by demoting Noelvi Marte to Triple-A after he’s scuffled in sporadic playing time to begin the year.

19) Toronto Blue Jays

It just keeps getting worse for the defending AL champs. After already losing Alejandro Kirk and Addison Barger in recent days, the Blue Jays had to place George Springer on the IL on Sunday due to a fractured big toe. As of the now, the Jays are hopeful that Springer could return around when he’s first eligible.

20) Arizona Diamondbacks

Great news for the Diamondbacks, as Merrill Kelly is expected to make his season debut against the Orioles on Tuesday in Baltimore. Now if only they could get that offense going. Arizona ranks second-to-last in the majors with nine home runs.

21) Houston Astros

Where does “Freefalling” fit in your pantheon of Tom Petty classics? I think “American Girl” has to be No. 1, then a sleeper pick, “Room at the Top.” That last one actually feels like a lot like the state of MLB after the first couple of weeks.

The Astros have lost seven straight and eight out of nine while their starting rotation is in shambles.

22) Kansas City Royals

Sunday’s loss to the White Sox notwithstanding, the Royals’ starting rotation has been a strength in the early going. Their 2.92 ERA ranks fourth-best in the majors and they’ve allowed two earned runs or fewer in 11 out of 16 games. Veteran stalwart Michael Wacha has allowed just one run across his first three starts. Did you know Wacha is tied for seventh among active starters with 113 wins?

23) Miami Marlins

The Marlins got swept by the Tigers over the weekend while scoring just three runs across the three games. Detroit’s ace Tarik Skubal was as advertised in Sunday’s game while former Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara was pummeled for seven runs on 10 hits, including three homers. Worth watching for the Marlins this week is the progress of Kyle Stowers, who is on a minor league rehab assignment after missing the start of the season with a hamstring injury.

24) Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox have won four out of five after getting off to a brutal start. They should climb this list in the weeks ahead.

25) St. Louis Cardinals

I only have one question: Is this good?

Jordan Walker has already hit more homers than he did though 111 games last season.

26) Los Angeles Angels

Is José Soriano the best pitcher that most people don’t know about? If he keeps this up, it shouldn’t be much longer.

27) Washington Nationals

Blame the Home Run Derby if you want, but James Wood had a brutal second half last season. He’s rediscovered his power stroke to begin this season, with four homers in his last seven games.

28) San Francisco Giants

Staff ace Logan Webb has a 5.25 ERA to begin the year and the Giants’ offense has lacked much in the way of punch, but don’t blame Willy Adames. He put up four straight multi-hit games last week and ranks second in the majors with nine doubles.

29) Colorado Rockies

The Rockies started their week with a sweep of the Astros (the club’s first since last June) before getting swept in four by the Padres. At least Jordan Beck provided one of the best catches of the season so far.

This time, a deep drive by Castellanos wasn’t meant to be.

30) Chicago White Sox

The White Sox are dead last in the majors in batting average and runs scored, yet there’s still reason for excitement this week. Top prospect Noah Schultz is expected to make his major league debut on Tuesday against the Rays. We also learned in recent days that the White Sox plan to give "Pope Hats" to all fans on August 11. Best giveaway ever?

Posted on

Tyrese Haliburton reveals why he’s gained weight and lost part of his eyebrow

The cruelness of social media knows no bounds, so when the Pacers posted a photo of Tyrese Haliburton on Friday night seemingly everyone was there to make jokes about his weight.

From Nutty Professor jokes, to quips about how he had been “eating good,” there was no shortage of people noticing that Haliburton bulked up while being sidelined with the ruptured achilles that took the Pacers’ point guard of Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals, and has kept him from playing this entire season.

Haliburton revealed on Monday why he’s gained weight, and it’s a lesson in why you shouldn’t get Twitter fingers too quickly and blast someone without knowing the whole story.

Shingles is a ludicrously painful illness caused by a reactivation of the dormant chickenpox virus. It leads to incredibly painful rashes, complete with blisters. Shingles which appear on the face are considered to be both the most serious, and the most painful due to the amount of facial nerves which are affected.

The best treatment is to receive the shingles vaccine, but if that is not possible, a regimen of antiviral medications is often prescribed, as is corticosteroid therapy. These topical steroids are designed to reduce inflammation, but can also cause swelling. As for why he lost part of his eyebrow, that could be caused due to the rashes and blistering.

Here’s hoping Tyrese feels better soon, because this is an awful.

Posted on

Trail Blazers vs Suns Prediction, Picks & Odds for Tonight's NBA Play-In Tournament Game

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

Adam Silver has gotten two things undeniably right during his tenure as commissioner — calling out Donald Sterling for his racism and introducing the Play-In Tournament.

This week’s six-game slate has been pure entertainment, even if fans of the Portland Trail Blazers and Phoenix Suns might describe tonight as nothing short of agony.

My Trail Blazers vs. Suns predictions and NBA picks bet on one of the NBA’s most irrationally confident players on April 14.

  • UPDATE: Added prediction for who will win.

Trail Blazers vs Suns prediction

Who will win Trail Blazers vs Suns?

Suns: Personally, I expect Phoenix to win this game by multiple buckets, but suppose it comes down to the final minute. Who are you going to side with, the team leaning on Scoot Henderson initiating an offense to feature either Jrue Holiday or Deni Adija for a needed bucket or the team with Devin Booker?

Trail Blazers vs Suns best bet: Dillon Brooks Over 19.5 points (+102)

Kevin Durant was right. His worst year is better than Dillon Brooks’s best year, but that does not mean the Phoenix Suns’ biggest acquisition for trading away Durant is going to shy away from this moment. Frankly, Dillon Brooks’s delusional confidence is his most redeeming trait, though also and obviously his most infuriating one.

The Portland Trail Blazers should devote Jrue Holiday to slowing Devin Booker as much as possible. That will move the ball into Brooks’s hands more often.

Phoenix needs either Brooks or Jalen Green to complement Booker to pull off this upset and avoid the Oklahoma City Thunder. Portland is more likely to let Brooks get an advantage than Green.

That is to effectively say, betting on Phoenix’s third option is both the best bet and the Suns’ best approach to winning this game.

In a few respects, the greatest concern with Brooks may be foul trouble. And if Phoenix advances, Brooks’s worst habit will undoubtedly rear its ugly head, but that usually comes once well into a series, as tensions run highest. A one-game format lessens that concern.

Trail Blazers vs Suns same-game parlay

Devin Booker is too pure a scorer not to pour in some buckets in a game of this import, hence Portland presumably needing to devote Jrue Holiday to the Suns’ franchise cornerstone. And that is part of why Brooks should score, though partly at Green’s expense. In a very real way, every leg of this one-sided same-game parlay is correlated.

Trail Blazers vs Suns SGP

  • Dillon Brooks Over 19.5 points
  • Jalen Green Under 18.5 points
  • Devin Booker Over 26.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: Suns don't set

To put this simply, if the Suns’ point distribution breaks down like this, then Phoenix is in a great position to win this Play-In game with ease. Adding the -4 to this same-game parlay should not raise it 73%.

This is what makes the Suns just dangerous enough. They may be devoid of stars aside from Booker, a year after having too many stars to function, but Phoenix still has an array of backcourt scoring to worry just about anybody in the NBA, particularly for one game.

Trail Blazers vs Suns SGP

  • Dillon Brooks Over 19.5 points
  • Jalen Green Under 18.5 points
  • Devin Booker Over 26.5 points
  • Suns -4

Trail Blazers vs Suns odds

  • Spread: Trail Blazers +4 | Suns -4
  • Moneyline: Trail Blazers +145 | Suns -170
  • Over/Under: Over 218 | Under 218

Trail Blazers vs Suns betting trend to know

Phoenix went 23-17-1 against the spread at home this season. Find more NBA betting trends for Trail Blazers vs. Suns.

How to watch Trail Blazers vs Suns

LocationMortgage Matchup Center, Phoenix, AZ
DateTuesday, April 14, 2026
Tip-off10:00 p.m. ET
TVPrime Video

Trail Blazers vs Suns 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.

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.

Posted on

Jonathan Quick Set To Retire At The End Of 2025-26 Season

 Danny Wild-Imagn Images
 Danny Wild-Imagn Images

Jonathan Quick will officially retire at the end of the 2025-26 season. 

Quick confirmed that the New York Rangers’ Monday night matchup against the Florida Panthers will be his last NHL game. 

“Obviously, the past few years, very lucky to be part of this organization and wear this jersey, but tonight will be my last game in the league,” Quick said. “You know, I'm looking forward to it. Very fortunate. Wife flew down with the kids. So they'll be here in attendance tonight. My parents will be here. So looking forward to this last one and try to get one more win here.”

For 16 of his 19 NHL seasons, Quick spent with the Los Angeles Kings, where he won two Stanley Cups as the starting goaltender and earned the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2012. 

After winning the Stanley Cup with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023, Quick signed with the Rangers, and he has spent his last three seasons in New York, serving as Igor Shesterkin’s backup.

In 75 games for the Blueshirts and 69 starts, the 40-year-old goaltender has recorded a 35-29-6 record, .911 save percentage, and 2.46 goals against average. 

Quick revealed that he had made up his mind about retirement quite a while ago and had informed both Chris Drury and Mike Sullivan.

Mike Sullivan Explains Reasoning Behind Drew Fortescue Scratching Mike Sullivan Explains Reasoning Behind Drew Fortescue Scratching On Saturday, for the New York <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers">Rangers</a>' matchup against the Dallas Stars, Mike Sullivan decided to scratch Drew Fortescue from the lineup, replacing him with Urho Vaakanainen.&nbsp;

“With the ups and downs the season, you don't really want to admit it to yourself, you know? So as we kind of got towards the end of the season here, I let Chris [Drury] know and Sully know,” Quick said. “Just so they can plan accordingly. I'm grateful for them. They've helped me out through this process. And let me know games I'm going to start so I can make sure to get the family there and stuff like that.”

Dylan Garand, a potential candidate to take over the backup goaltending role behind Shesterkin next season, has been with the Rangers since being called up on Mar. 20. 

During Quick’s seven-game absence due to an upper-body injury, Garand started in two games, posting a 1-0-1 record, 1.44 goals against average, and .954 save percentage.

Posted on

Rays Minor League Roundup: Week 1

PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA - MARCH 19, 2026: Theo Gillen #24 of the Tampa Bay Rays looks on during the first inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the New York Mets at Clover Park on March 19, 2026 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images

This week’s minor league roundup will only feature the numbers accumulated prior to the start of play on Monday.

This was the 1st a week of full minor league play.

According to FanGraphs (which factors in age and proximity to the big leagues), newcomer Austin Overn the top hitter in the Rays system; the Rays acquired the 22-year old outfielder from Baltimore for Shane Baz this past offseason.

Meanwhile, Santiago Suarez is the team’s top minor league pitcher.

RUMBLINGS

  • Tre’ Morgan has been placed on the Injured List. Watching video of his last game, it appears he may have injured his ankle while after hitting a double.
  • T.J. Nichols has also been placed on the Injured List for a thus far non-disclosed reason
  • Ty Johnson is dealing with a lower back strain
  • Minor league signing Edward Olivares has been granted his release.
  • Theo Gillen ranked 2nd on Baseball America’s hot sheet, he has four homeruns over a five at-bat stretch last weekend; Daniel Pierece ranked 4th on that list

TEAM LEADERS

  • Must currently be assigned to that team
  • Baseball America’s top ten prospects are featured below each team they’re currently assigned to.
  • (minimum of 20 TBF for pitchers)

Tampa Bay Rays

Top 10 Prospects

  • None currently on active roster

Durham Bulls

Team Offensive Leaders:
AVG: .340, Victor Mesa Jr
OBP: .435, Victor Mesa Jr
SLG: .585, Victor Mesa Jr
HR: 2, four tied
wRC+: 173, Victor Mesa Jr
SB: 10, Jacob Melton

Team Pitching Leaders:
ERA: 0.00, Evan Reifert
FIP: 1.23, Andrew Wantz
K%: 30.0%, Cam Booser
BB%: 3.4%, Andrew Wantz
WHIP: 1.17, Kodi Whitley and Evan Reifert
AVG: .105, Evan Reifert
WHIFF%: 19.8%, Kodi Whitley

Top 10 Prospects

  • #1 Brody Hopkins
    • AAA: 1.93 ERA | 5.04 FIP | 22.0 K% | 20.3 BB% | .191 AVG | 11.5 WHIFF% | 14 IP
  • #3 Jacob Melton
    • AAA: .175/.320/.325 | 42.0 K% | 18.0 BB% | 1 HR | 10 SB | 79 wRC+ | 50 PA

Montgomery Biscuits

Team Offensive Leaders:
AVG: .379, Austin Overn
OBP: .471, Austin Over
SLG: .563, Kenny Piper
HR: 1, six tied
wRC+: 165, Austin Overn
SB: 12, Austin Overn

Team Pitching Leaders:
ERA: 1.80, TJ Nichols
FIP: 2.12, TJ Nichols
K%: 32.6%, Santiago Suarez
BB%: 0.0%, TJ Nichols
WHIP: 1.00, Santiago Suarez
AVG: .205, Santiago Suarez
WHIFF%: 16.7%, Santiago Suarez

Top 10 Prospects

  • #4 T.J. Nichols
    • AA: 1.80 ERA | 2.12 FIP | 25.0 K% | 0.0 BB% | .300 AVG | 12.3 WHIFF% | 5 IP
      • 4/7: Placed on Injured List
  • #6 Santiago Suarez
    • AA: 4.09 ERA | 4.31 FIP | 32.6 K% | 4.3 BB% | .205 AVG | 16.7 WHIFF% | 11 IP
  • #8 Michael Forret
    • AA: 4.50 ERA | 11.62 FIP | 23.5 K% | 23.5 BB% | .231 AVG | 12.3 WHIFF% | 4 IP

Bowling Green Hot Rods

Team Offensive Leaders:
AVG: .333, Theo Gillen
OBP: .419, Theo Gillen
SLG: .889, Theo Gillen
HR: 4, Theo Gillen
wRC+: 251, Theo Gillen
SB: 3, Theo Gillen

Team Pitching Leaders:
ERA: 0.00, Andres Galan
FIP: 1.44, Jacob Kisting
K%: 36.4%, Jacob Kisting
BB%: 4.5%, Jacob Kisting
WHIP: 0.67, Jacob Kisting
AVG: .105, Andres Galan
WHIFF%: 14.1%, Jacob Kisting

Top 10 Prospects

  • #2 Theo Gillen
    • A+: .333/.419/.889 | 22.6 K% | 6.5 BB% | 4 HR | 3 SB | 251 wRC+ | 31 PA
  • #5 Anderson Brito
    • A+: 6.00 ERA | 0.60 FIP | 35.3 K% | 5.9 BB% | .375 AVG | 19.4 WHIFF% | 3 IP
  • #10 Aidan Smith
    • A+: Hasn’t played in 2026
      • 4/2: Placed on the Injured List

Charleston River Dogs

Team Offensive Leaders:
AVG: .370, Taitn Gray
OBP: .500, Brody Donay
SLG: .704, Taitn Gray
HR: 3, Brendan Summerhill and Daniel Pierce
wRC+: 204, Daniel Pierce
SB: 2, Brailer Guerrero and Daniel Pierce

Team Pitching Leaders:
ERA: 1.50, Trey Pooser
FIP: 2.25, Dominic Niman
K%: 36.4%, Ethan Storm
BB%: 2.6%, Aidan Haugh
WHIP: 1.15, Ethan Storm
AVG: .179, Ethan Storm
WHIFF%: 21.6%, Dominic Niman

Top 10 Prospects

  • #7 Daniel Pierce
    • A: .355/.459/.677 | 29.7 K% | 10.8 BB% | 3 HR | 2 SB | 204 wRC+ | 37 PA
  • #9 Brendan Summerhill
    • A: .176/.222/.441 | 25.0 K% | 2.8 BB% | 3 HR | 0 SB | 74 wRC+ | 36 PA
Posted on

Diamondbacks vs. Orioles prediction: Odds, recent stats, trends, and best bets for April 13

The Arizona Diamondbacks (9-7) look to continue their successful East Coast road trip when they take the field tonight against the Baltimore Orioles (8-7) at Camden Yards. The Diamondbacks have won five in a row after sweeping the Phillies over the weekend and are now 5-1 on this none-game trip. The O’s have also won five of their last six including two of three over the weekend against the Giants.

 

The pitching matchup features a battle between Arizona's right-hander Ryne Nelson (1-1, 4.20 ERA) and Baltimore's left-hander Trevor Rogers (2-0, 1.89 ERA). Offensively, the Orioles are looking for continued production from Gunnar Henderson, who is tied for second in baseball with six home runs, and catcher Samuel Basallo, who delivered a key two-run homer Sunday. Basallo will be behind the plate again tonight as the O’s Adley Rutschman remains out injured. The Diamondbacks bring a potent offense to Baltimore led by Corbin Carroll’s .327 average. Carroll is 9-21 over his last five games.

 

Baltimore sits tied atop the American League East with the Rays and the Yankees while the Diamondbacks sit third in the National League West, 2.5 games behind the Dodgers.

 

Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.

 

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

 

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

 

Game Details and How to Watch: Diamondbacks vs. Orioles

 

  • Date: Monday, April 13, 2026
  • Time: 6:35PM EST
  • Site: Camden Yards
  • City: Baltimore, MD
  • Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, DBacks.TV, MASN

 

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

 

The Latest Odds: Diamondbacks vs. Orioles

The latest odds as of Monday courtesy of DraftKings:

  • Moneyline: Diamondbacks (+109), Orioles (-131)
  • Spread: Diamondbacks +1.5 (-194), Orioles -1.5 (+159)
  • Total: 8.5 runs

 

Probable Starting Pitchers: Diamondbacks vs. Orioles

Pitching matchup for April 13:

  • Diamondbacks: Ryne Nelson
    Season Totals: 15.0 IP, 1-1, 4.20 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 12K, 6 BB
  • Orioles: Trevor Rogers
    Season Totals: 19.0 IP, 3-0, 1.89 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 14K, 5 BB

Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Diamondbacks vs. Orioles

  • Gunnar Henderson has hit in 6 straight games (7-25) and in 8 of last 9 (11-33)
  • Pete Alonso was 2-4 Sunday but is just 5-39 in April (.128)
  • Ketel Marte is 2-8 in his last 3 games with 3 RBIs
  • Nolan Arenado is 1 for his last 15
  • Geraldo Perdomo is 3-32 (.094) in April

 
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

 

Top Betting Trends & Insights: Diamondbacks vs. Orioles

 

  • The Diamondbacks are an MLB-best 13-3 on the Run Line this season
  • The Orioles are 6-9 on the Run Line this season
  • The OVER has cashed 9 times in the Diamondbacks’ 16 games this season (9-6-1)
  • The OVER has cashed 8 times in Baltimore’s 15 games (8-7)

 

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

 

Expert picks & predictions: Diamondbacks vs. Orioles

 

Rotoworld Bet Best Bet

 

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

 

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

 

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

 

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday’s game between the Diamondbacks and the Orioles:

 

  • Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on Baltimore on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Orioles on the Run Line.
  • Total: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 8.5.

 

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Trysta Krick (@Trysta_Krick)
Posted on

The Week Ahead for Atlanta: The NL East gauntlet begins

PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 11: Philadelphia Phillies left fielder Kyle Schwarber #12 runs after hitting a home run during the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Arizona Diamondbacks on April 11th, 2026 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PA.(Photo by Terence Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

In case you may have enjoyed seeing the Atlanta Braves take a sojourn into the American League by taking on four AL opponents across their first 16 games, I regret to inform you that the interleague tour is coming to an end. As a matter of fact, the next 13 games will not only be nothing but National League games for the Braves — they’ll be NL East games as well. This week will see the Braves take on the Marlins and the Phillies for a pair of three-game series and that’ll be a prelude to Atlanta visiting D.C. for four games next week and then returning home to face the Phillies for the second weekend in a row.

Atlanta’s divisional rivals may be annoying in their own unique and various ways but where some may see annoyance, others may see oportunity. This week (and this 13-game NL East gauntlet) serves as a golden opportunity for the Braves to make some early hay in the division. If they can keep their series-winning streak going against their closest foes in baseball then that could send an early statement to the rest of the division that this Braves team is not to be trifled with in the least bit.

It’s not going to be easy, though — it rarely is when it comes to this particular division. Now it’s time to see just what’s in store for Atlanta for the next six games.

April 13-15: Miami Marlins

Current Record: 8-8 Projected Record (via FanGraphs): 76-86

You can only play who’s on your schedule and as far as the first six games of the season go, the Marlins couldn’t have asked for a better pair of foes to deal with to get the season going. They swept the Rockies out of Miami in exciting fashion and then wrapped up their season-opening homestand with a series win over the White Sox. A win over the Rockies counts just as much in the standings as a win over the Dodgers so the Marlins deserve credit for taking care of business to get the season started.

Ever since then, it’s been tough sailing for Miami. They dropped a series against the Yankees in the Bronx, split a four-game home series against the Reds and then got swept out of Detroit on their way to the Atlanta metro area to face the Braves. During this 3-7 10-game stretch, the Marlins have been the third-worst hitting team in the National League with a team wRC+ of 83 and they’ve struggled on the mound as well with a bottom-five rating in ERA- in the NL and bottom-three rating in FIP- on the Senior Circuit as well.

So yeah, the Marlins are coming into this series limping and this is likely a bad time for them to be limping into Cobb County in particular. Over the past two seasons, the Braves are 16-4 at home against the Marlins and are 53-22 against Miami at Truist Park across the 75 games that these two teams have played against each other at the friendly confines within The Battery. The Marlins also won’t be able to trot out Sandy Alcantara out for this series, either. Meanwhile, starter Eury Pérez has had nearly nothing but bad times against the Braves, Chris Paddack has been inconsistent to start the season and that means that Max Meyer is looking like their best option during this series.

Meanwhile, the trio of Grant Holmes, Reynaldo López and Bryce Elder will be tasked with making sure that the Marlins continue to collectively scuffle at the plate. Otto Lopez, Xavier Edwards, Owen Caissie and Liam Hicks have each been swinging the bat pretty well to start off but again, they’ve collectively fallen into a bit of a funk as of late and hopefully Atlanta’s pitching staff will make sure that this funk lasts for at least the next few days.

April 17-19: Philadelphia Phillies

Current Record: 7-8 Projected Record: 87-74

Once the Braves get done with the Marlins, it’s time for a trip to Peter Moylan’s f a v o r i t e ballpark: Citzens Bank Park in Philadelphia! That’s right, it’s time to renew hostilities with the ever-present Phillies and their totally-calm-and-reasonable fans. If there’s anything to look forward to, it’s that this seems like a decent enough time for the Braves to be running into the Phillies. Depending on how their midweek series against the Cubs goes, they could be entering the weekend series with Atlanta either bereft of confidence and desperate to get the season on track or feeling like they could be in position to make a statement of their own against the Braves.

If the Phillies are going to be a real threat then their lineup will have to get going. They’re 2-5 in their last seven games and this includes three losses where they scored one or fewer runs. In fact, they got shut out twice in a row by the Giants and that was wild considering that San Francisco has struggled to keep everybody else they’ve played quiet at the plate. Of course, the usual suspects like J.T Realmuto, Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper are going to show up for this series and Justin Crawford is smacking the ball around as well. However, they haven’t gotten a lot from guys like Adolis Garcia, Brandon Marsh, Alec Bohm and Trea Turner. It would be huge if those guys continued to remain cold at the plate once the Braves get a hold of them.

The one thing that’s been keeping the Phillies afloat so far is their pitching staff. Cristopher Sánchez has been lights-out for Philadelphia so far and the Braves will likely have to figure out a way to deal with him in the series finale on Sunday Night Baseball. Atlanta will get to avoid Aaron Nola and Jesús Luzardo, though as I’d imagine that they’d much rather take their chances against Taijuan Walker and Andrew Painter — though Painter has also been on a bit of a roll to start this season.

The Phillies could also be due for some type of regression or progression to the mean when it comes to their ERA-/FIP- split. Philadelphia’s pitching staff has an ERA- of 105 but a FIP- of 66. The Braves can actually relate to this in the opposite direction, as their pitching staff has a collective ERA- of 61 with a FIP- of 90. It’ll be very interesting to see which of these numbers offers the true vision of what these two pitching staffs are but for now, I wouldn’t be shocked if this series in Philadelphia came down to whoever can come up with the biggest hits in the high-leverage moments that are sure to come between these two divisional foes.