Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Chad Patrick (39) drops the ball in fielding drills during spring training workouts Saturday, February 14, 2026, at American Family Fields of Phoenix in Phoenix, Arizona. | Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
And here we are! The last day of (conventional) spring training, as the Brewers will take on the Cubs this afternoon before heading to Milwaukee to take on the Reds for a pair of exhibition games on Monday and Tuesday. Then, it’s Opening Day this Thursday, as the White Sox visit Milwaukee for the opening weekend.
Chad Patrick will make his last start of the spring this afternoon, as he’s set to enter the season in the rotation. After a solid rookie season in 2025, he’ll look to repeat that performance in year two. As was the case with Robert Gasser yesterday, Patrick enters this one with some less-than-ideal numbers in the spring, pitching to a 9.72 ERA with nine runs allowed over 8 1/3 innings, striking out nine. Six of those nine runs came in his last appearance against the mighty Dodgers, when he lasted 3 1/3 innings, allowing five hits and four walks. Peter Strzelecki is also slated to pitch behind Patrick.
Opposite Patrick will be another pitcher coming off a solid rookie season in Cade Horton. Horton sports a 5.91 ERA with 14 strikeouts over 10 2/3 innings this spring. The Brewers’ lineup against Horton features a lot of minor leaguers as the major leaguers travel to Milwaukee. That includes Dylan O’Rae, Jeferson Quero, and Mike Boeve in the top-third of the order, followed by Marco Dinges, Eric Brown Jr., and Jacob Hurtubise. Dasan Brown, Juan Baez, and Luis Castillo round out the lineup.
First pitch in this one is at 2:05 p.m. CT. It’ll be available to watch on Brewers.TV and nationally on ESPN Unlimited.
The Vols did so with little contribution from their star freshman Nate Ament, who went scoreless in just 18 minutes, as he was rested dealing with soreness from a high ankle sprain he suffered in late February.
Nate Ament drains a 3-pointer from the corner on his first shot attempt of the game. He extends Tennessee's lead to 6-2 with 18:30 to go in the first half. Vols are 2-for-2 from beyond the arc to start.
Underway in Philly, Tennessee wins tip
The Volunteers win the opening tip-off with Ja'Kobi Gillespie getting the ball, and we are underway at Xfinity Mobile Arena. The Volunteers are wearing their Tennessee Orange road uniform, while the Cavaliers are wearing their home whites.
Tennessee scores quickly with a 3-pointer from Bishop Boswell. Thijs De Ridder responds with a second-chance layup inside the paint for Virginia. It's 3-2 Vols early.
He was named to the All-ACC first team and all-rookie teams, and entered the Men's NCAA Tournament as the Cavaliers' leading scorer at 15.5 points per game. Though De Ridder hails from Brasschaat, Belgium, he did know a little bit about March Madness before Virginia’s first-round win over Wright State. … Including the great tradition of filling out brackets.
"When I was 17 and younger, I thought it was another tournament like others. I did some brackets when I was younger, but that was just for fun," De Ridder told USA TODAY Sports on Thursday. "Every time (there was) an American guy on my team (overseas), they always talked about March Madness. Now that I'm here, it's such an organization, and it just made me really excited to play here. Hopefully, we can do some great stuff."
He finished in double figures with 10 points and six rebounds in addition to two assists in Virginia’s win vs. Wright State.
The Cavaliers held off a potential upset and defeated 14-seed Wright State in the first round of the Men’s NCAA Tournament on Friday, 83-72.
Jacari White led the way for Virginia with 26 points, while Sam Lewis added 12 and Malik Thomas added 11. De Ridder also finished in double figures with 10 points and six rebounds in addition to two assists.
Odds provided by BetMGM, as of 11:30 a.m., Sunday.
∎ Wynton Jackson, Knoxville News Sentinel: Virginia 71, Tennessee 66
Ament's questionable status swings our prediction towards Virginia. The Cavaliers had one of the best defenses in the ACC, and if Tennessee's star freshman isn't at his best, it's tough to see how the Vols continue their hot shooting. They shot 53% from the floor and 45% from 3-point range against the RedHawks. Tennessee's defense always keeps games close, but it may not have enough offensive juice to make a fourth straight Sweet 16.
John Leuzzi: Tennessee
Jordan Mendoza: Virginia
Ehsan Kassim: Virginia
Blake Schuster: Tennessee
Moneyline: Tennessee (-115); Virginia (-105)
Spread: Tennessee (-1.5)
Over/under total: 137.5
Nate Ament injury update: Will Vols freshman star play today vs Virginia?
All-SEC freshman Nate Ament had his first scoreless game of the season in the 78-56 win against Miami (Ohio) in the first round.
Ament is still dealing with soreness from the high ankle sprain he suffered against Missouri on Feb. 24. He still expects to play against Virginia and throughout the rest of the NCAA Tournament.
"There's no chance I'd sit out a March Madness game," he said. "It's about what can we do to get back to 100%, or as close to it as we can."
Nate Ament 2026 NBA Draft, mock draft prediction
No. 11 overall to Portland Trail Blazers
Kalbrosky's Analysis:
After a relatively slow and inefficient start to the season, Tennessee freshman Nate Ament is starting to realize some of his lofty expectations. The freshman averaged 21.6 points per game while shooting 38.9 percent on 3-pointers during a 13-game stretch before an injury against Alabama on Feb. 28. The All-SEC forward then had 27 points (4-of-6 on 3-pointers) with eight rebounds, four assists, three blocks and a steal against Auburn on March 12. It will only take one team to fall in love with Ament and given so much of what he brings to the table cannot be taught, that team is probably picking fairly early in the lottery.
What channel is St John's vs Kansas ? How to watch, streaming info
The game is airing on CBS, streaming via Paramount+.
Kansas vs St. John's prediction, odds
Odds provided by BetMGM, as of 10:30 a.m. ET, Sunday.
John Leuzzi: St. John's
Jordan Mendoza: St. John's
Ehsan Kassim: St. John's
Blake Schuster: Kansas
Moneyline: St. John's (-170); Kansas (+140)
Spread: St. John's (-3.5)
Over/under total: 143.5
Why did Zuby Ejiofor transfer from Kansas to St John's
Zuby Ejiofor, a 6-9 forward, started his college career at Kansas in 2022, where he played for Hall of Fame coach Bill Self. Then he transferred to St. John’s in 2023 to play for Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino.
“We didn’t want him to leave,” Self said Saturday. “We’re really happy for his success. We just don’t … We just hope it doesn’t come against us.”
What happened at Kansas and why did he choose St. John’s?
“I had a fun time at Kansas,” Ejiofor said. “I wouldn’t lie: I didn’t really want to leave. But I knew that in order for my future to keep progressing the way I wanted to go, that I had to probably look elsewhere for a bigger opportunity.”
Darryn Peterson 2026 NBA Draft mock draft prediction
Pick No. 2 overall to Washington Wizards.
Kalbrosky's Analysis:
While he is no longer perceived as the near-certain No. 1 overall pick that he once was due to relative inconsistency and injury issues, many scouts and evaluators feel that Darryn Peterson is the most talented player in this class. The Wizards would put the All-Big 12 guard in a strong position to begin his career alongside Trae Young and Anthony Davis. It is incredibly rare to find a prospect who is able to score as efficiently as Peterson while holding a usage rate as high as his has been this season.
What Rick Pitino said about Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson
“He gets to the foul line, he’s got great size, got a beautiful looking jump shot with great arc,” Pitino said Saturday about Peterson. “His size presents a problem. When he uses the pick and roll, he’ll reject it, and his size getting to the rim’s great. He’s a great scorer. He’s going to be a great NBA player because he has an NBA game, and we’ve got our work cut out for him, trying to stop him. But, they have a well-rounded team.”
Rick Pitino NCAA Tournament history: When was Rick Pitino's last Sweet 16 appearance?
Rick Pitino has been to 13 Sweet 16s. His last trip to the Sweet 16 was in 2014-15 with Louisville.
Bill Self NCAA Tournament history: How many Sweet 16 appearances
Bill Self has been to 12 Sweet 16s in his coaching career.
WEST PALM BEACH, FL - MARCH 03: Cristian Javier #53 of the Houston Astros pitches during the game between the Team Venezuela and the Houston Astros at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on Tuesday, March 3, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Lawrence Brown/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Javier’s results in spring have been solid, but his peripherals don’t back it up.
Astros SP Cristian Javier just finished his final outing of the spring. His stat line was solid:
5 innings, 1 earned run, 4 hits, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts, 1 solo HR. Threw 40 of his 70 pitches for strikes.
You’d think he had just shown he is ready for the regular season. However, there are a couple of issues with that line of thought:
He is still facing lineups with a lot of weak hitters.
His velocity on his fastball and sinker are not only below par, but fall as the game goes on.
Now, every pitcher will face a lot of lineups that have backups and minor leaguers in them, and that is the far lesser of the two concerns.
The main issue is that Javier, now nearly two years removed from Tommy John surgery, still has not recovered his velocity. To make matters worse, his velocity falls even further as the game goes on.
While he has gotten away with low velocities in spring, when the regular season starts and you have to face quality lineups every start, those velocities will not hold up.
Much as we saw last year with Lance McCullers Jr. as he struggled with his velocity last season, MLB caliber hitters will wait you out, sit on a pitch and punish you when they get it if they have no fear of your ability to beat them with a fastball.
Javier, like McCullers, has tremendous breaking stuff. The impact of that stuff will be negated if there is no fastball to get quick outs with.
While Javier’s stat line today was strong, his velos were not, and they progressively got worse.
Here’s a breakdown of the velocity of Javier’s four-seams/sinkers by inning today (per MLB.com):
For the whole game, he averaged 91.1 MPH. He gave up an absolute rocket HR on a pitch 91.6 upper middle zone to Jordan Walker, who blasted it at 111.3 MPH and 413 FT to CF. Javier loves to live high in the zone. When you get caught at those velos high in the zone, the ball is going to fly very far.
He had a high mark of 93.2 in the 1st, and a low mark of 88.9 in the 3rd.
His final 11 four-seamers & sinkers maxed at 91.4 MPH. Those are not velocities that are going to translate to long term success at the MLB level for a righthanded pitcher.
While dealing with low and inconsistent velocity last season, Javier posted a career high 4.62 ERA in 8 starts after returning from Tommy John surgery. An offseason to continue strengthening his arm and refining his mechanics was supposed to help him regenerate his prior velocity. So far, he looks very much the same as he did last season.
The Astros entered this season expecting to count on Javier to be one of their top three starters. Mike Burrows and Tatsuya Imai will now take those places behind Hunter Brown.
What can the Astros count on Javier for? Javier has always been a bulldog on the mound. He will battle and fight with every pitch.
Over 162 games, if he can’t regain his velocity and maintain it, is the bulldog in him going to be enough?
TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 19: Jorbit Vivas #90 of the New York Yankees looks on during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 19, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Washington Nationals made a late trade right before the season. Paul Toboni traded 21 year old pitching prospect Sean Paul Linan to the Yankees in exchange for infielder Jorbit Vivas. This move will bolster the Nationals infield depth. Vivas will be on the 40-man roster, so the Nats will have to make a corresponding move.
The Washington Nationals are acquiring INF Jorbit Vivas from the New York Yankees and sending pitching prospect Sean Paul Liñan back to New York, per sources.
Vivas debuted and played 29 games for New York last season.
This is an interesting little trade that came out of left field. Linan just joined the Nats organization in July in a deal that sent Alex Call to the Dodgers. However, Toboni must not have loved what he saw. I am a bit surprised they traded him for an infielder with no options, who has a lot of overlapping skills with Jose Tena.
I would not be surprised if this move could mark the end for Tena. Vivas is an infielder who mainly plays second and third base. He is also out of options, so he will have to be on the big league roster. Clearly, Toboni prefers Vivas over Tena or maybe even Nasim Nunez.
While Vivas struggled in his first taste of big league action in 2025, he did show some intriguing traits. He only went 9/56, but showed solid contact skills and a good approach. There is not much power in his game, but he can go deep every once in a while.
Nats have traded for Jorbit Vivas, Yankees get Sean Paul Linan in return
Vivas will have to hit a decent amount in the MLB because he is a fringy runner and an average defender. Honestly, I do not really know if he is a huge upgrade over Tena and I probably would have kept Linan. However, there is a reason Toboni has the job and not me.
Linan is an intriguing pitching prospect, but there are reasons to be bearish about him. He has a phenomenal changeup that is one of the best pitches in the minors. However, he is a bit of a one trick pony. His fastball is pretty ordinary and his breaking balls are fringy. Linan was able to dominate A ball with his changeup, but how far will that one weapon take him?
— Nationals Player Development (@Nats_PlayerDev) March 9, 2026
Clearly, Toboni was not a Linan believer given this return. After this move, I wonder if the Nats are done. I would not be surprised if they tried to see if they could get an arm for Jose Tena. The 24 year old should have at least a bit of value. Some team would probably want to give him a shot as a utility guy.
This is a bit of a weird move, but it is not a massive one by any means. Toboni must value Vivas’ contact and plate discipline a lot. Having worked for the Red Sox for many years, Toboni is likely to have seen a lot of this Yankees prospect. Vivas has a solid track record in the minors and is now likely to get some run in the big leagues with the Nats.
Any hopes for the chaos that makes this event so raucously entertaining are officially over, buried under a pile of chalk dust. For the third consecutive year, no seed 12 or higher will make the Sweet 16. For the fourth consecutive year, only one-double digit seed will survive the first weekend.
“I don’t think we ever want to sign up to be the Cinderella story because we are the University of Texas,” Miller said after his 11th-seeded team beat Gonzaga on Saturday, March 21. “We represent the SEC as well.”
The beauty of March Madness has always been, well, the Madness. Little schools no one’s heard of knocking off teams from the power conferences. Kids who won’t go further than the local rec center when their college careers are done knocking down shots that would be the envy of NBA players.
There was one glorious stretch from 2008 to 2014 when three or more double-digit seeds reached the Sweet 16 in all but one year. Four years ago, 15th-seeded Saint Peter’s crashed the party into the Elite Eight.
But whether it’s NIL, the great players getting even greater, or simply the cycle of things, March Madness has been more March Mildness of late.
Sure, an 11 seed made the Final Four in 2024, but it was NC State, a team from the mighty ACC. For the last time a true little guy made it to the Final Four, you have to go back to 11th-seeded Loyola of Chicago — and everyone's favorite nun — in 2018.
Things have gotten so chalky that all four No. 1 seeds made the Final Four last year for only the second time since the tournament began seeding teams in 1979. While it remains to be seen if that happens again this year, all the teams remaining are from power conferences (except Utah State, who plays No. 1 Arizona later Sunday). Where’s the fun in that?
There was, for about half a day, eagerness that this year’s tournament might be headed sideways. In the best way possible, of course.
High Point, a 12th seed making only its second appearance in the NCAA tournament, knocked off Wisconsin. VCU, an 11 seed, dug its way out of a 19-point hole to stun North Carolina in the largest comeback ever in the first round of the men’s tournament.
Siena even threatened to pull off the upset of all upsets against overall No. 1 seed Duke. But Duke hung on, and the tournament returned to its chalk-outlined form.
Boooorrrring.
That’s not to say there haven’t been good, and entertaining, games. Kentucky’s OT win over Santa Clara in the first round was a straight shot of adrenaline. Nebraska’s win over Vanderbilt in the second round was all kinds of fun.
Even Arkansas’ win over High Point in the second round was way more of a nail-biter than the score indicated.
“We competed with the SEC champs, lottery picks, guys who are the best of the best. Our university, our team showed out. We showed out,” High Point coach Flynn Clayman said. “We were expected to be good, but I don't think anybody expected to do what we did here, win 31 games, get to the Tournament, advance, push the SEC champs.
“We made history,” Clayman added. “And I just couldn't be more proud of these guys. What a ride.”
It’s just too bad it didn’t last longer.
Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.
As the Yankees rounded out their 2026 spring training schedule on Sunday afternoon against the Phillies, the Bombers also pulled off a trade.
The Yankees are trading infielder Jorbit Vivas to the Washington Nationals for right-handed pitcher Sean Paul Liñan, according to multiple reports.
Vivas, 25, was out of minor league options. Since he was not going to make the Opening Day roster, the Yankees elected to trade him.
Vivas appeared in 29 games with the Yankees last season, slashing .161/.266/.250 with one home run and five RBI.
Liñan, 21, was ranked by MLB Pipeline as the Nationals’ No. 27 overall prospect. Formerly an international free agent who was signed by the Dodgers, Liñan has worked as a starter and reliever. He spent the majority of his 2025 season in High-A ball, but he also made a pair of Triple-A starts.
By trading Vivas, the Yankees have also opened a spot on their 40-man roster.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 23: Alex Freeland #76 talks with Hyeseong Kim #6 of the Los Angeles Dodgers between innings of a spring training game against the Seattle Mariners at Camelback Ranch on February 23, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers on Sunday optioned Hyeseong Kim to Triple-A Oklahoma City, which decides the lone position-player battle still remaining in camp. This means Alex Freeland will make the opening day roster.
Kim had 11 hits in 27 at-bats with a home run this spring, hitting .407/.448/.519 with a team-leading five stolen bases without getting caught. He had one hit, a home run, in 12 at-bats for Korea in the World Baseball Classic.
So this obviously wasn’t a decision based solely on spring training stats, at least not of the traditional variety. The concern with Kim, who signed a three-year contract with the Dodgers last January after eight years in the Korean Baseball Organization, was how he would fare against high-velocity pitching in the major leagues.
“It’s one of those things that you could argue both sides of either decision, as far as Alex or Hyeseong. And so I just don’t think it’s clear cut,” he said. “We still haven’t seen Hyeseong a bunch. Alex, I think he’s taken great at-bats, the numbers, the surface line certainly isn’t there, but it’s still spring training. There’s just deeper conversations that are going to be had.”
Randy Arozarena has apologized to Seattle Mariners teammate Cal Raleigh after Arozarena cursed out the catcher for not returning a handshake at the World Baseball Classic.
“I understand that with Opening Day a few days away, I don’t want it to be a distraction. Cal and I have talked and I apologized for what I said after the game," Arozarena said in a statement issued by the Mariners. “Nothing in the WBC takes away from the fact that we are brothers and teammates. He’s family, and we are both focused on helping the Mariners win the World Series.”
The incident between the two took place on March 9 when Arozarena reached down to greet Raleigh in his catcher’s squat at home plate, and Raleigh declined to offer his hand back in a game in which the Americans beat Mexico 5-3.
Arozarena, speaking to Mexican journalist Luis Gilbert in Spanish, said Raleigh “has to thank God that he has nice parents, well educated,” and added he recently hugged them during a friendly greeting at the team hotel.
He then used profane Cuban and Mexican slang to insult Raleigh before pivoting to English and saying Raleigh could shove his “good to see you” in his rear. Arozarena was born in Cuba but defected to Mexico to pursue an MLB career.
“I love Randy, I do,” Raleigh said. “I hate that this is a thing. There’s no beef when we get back to Seattle. He’s my brother. We’re family.”
On Saturday night after their spring training game, Raleigh reiterated his feelings.
“We talked it out, and everything went great,” Raleigh said, according to MLB.com. “Randy knows that I love him, and he’s a brother, and it’s in the past and none of us are carrying this forward. We’re in a good spot.”
The Mariners open the season Thursday against the Cleveland Guardians.
Seattle is coming off a season in which it won the franchise’s first AL West title since 2001. Raleigh helped lead the way by becoming the seventh different player in major league history to hit 60 homers in a season.
The sophomore guard drove for a layup early in the second half, was fouled on the attempt, and quickly went down grabbing his knee. Replays appeared to show Cox's knee buckling as he went up for the layup, before he was fouled.
Cox was down for a couple of moments, uttering expletives heard on CBS mics. He was helped off the court by the Purdue trainers, but was able to walk off on his under his own power to the locker room.
According to CBS sideline reporter Jon Rothstein, Cox is questionable to return to the game. He was reported to be running lightly in the locker room to determine whether he could return. Cox was able to return to the Boilermakers' bench, per the CBS broadcast.
Cox had 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting at the time of his injury. He hit three 3-pointers in three possessions for the Boilermakers to end the first half, to keep them within two points of Miami at halftime.
On the season, Cox is averaging 8.4 points per game on 44.8% shooting from the field and 37.4% from 3-point range. He is third on the team with 58 3-pointers entering play on Saturday.
BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 23: Exterior view of the home plate entrance to Oriole Park at Camden Yards before a baseball game between the Houston Astros and the Baltimore Orioles on August 23, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s Opening Day! …Well, not for the Orioles, but for Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
Today the O’s will unveil the many upgrades to their home ballpark to fans for the first time, as they host the Nationals for the opener of a two-game exhibition set (to be followed by tomorrow’s spring finale in D.C.). Most noticeably, the Orioles have a huge, new, center field video screen and an upgraded sound system throughout the park. They’ve also added some new social areas, including an “exclusive” club behind home plate, shifting the press box over toward the third base side.
They’ve also promised additional TV screens throughout the concourse so that fans who aren’t in their seats can still watch the broadcast of the game. That had been one of my biggest complaints — that if you’re walking the concourse, there are large stretches where you have no idea what’s going on in the game that you paid to attend — so I’m glad they seem to have addressed it.
Hopefully the Orioles’ 2026 season will be as much of an improvement over last year as their ballpark is. Their batting order today looks almost like an Opening Day lineup, with only Taylor Ward and Samuel Basallo missing (and Dylan Beavers still sidelined by a knee injury). Kyle Bradish is on the mound, lining him up to start the second game of the season on Saturday. Today’s game will air on MASN.
In just four days, the Orioles will host the Twins for the first game that counts. In the meantime, enjoy the preview this afternoon.
Orioles lineup:
SS Gunnar Henderson C Adley Rutschman DH Pete Alonso RF Tyler O’Neill 1B Ryan Mountcastle 3B Coby Mayo LF Colton Cowser CF Leody Taveras 2B Blaze Alexander
The No. 2 seed Cyclones will take on No. 7 Kentucky on Sunday, March 22, and all eyes are on whether star forward Joshua Jefferson will be available against the Wildcats after suffering an injury in the first round. Jefferson hurt his left ankle early into the contest against Tennessee State, and wasn't able to return to the game.
It will be a key storyline with Iowa State trying to reach the Sweet 16 for the second time in three years. Here is the latest on Jefferson's status:
It's a tough break for the Cyclones as they hoped he would be able to suit up. A day prior, coach T.J. Otzelberger said it appeared unlikely he would be able to play. On Saturday, Jefferson in a boot and using a knee scooter.
"We've got so much confidence in this group and guys that can step up on a given night. Obviously when you have a guy like Joshua out, it's going to be imperative that other guys step in," he said.
What happened to Joshua Jefferson?
Jefferson was injured less than three minutes into the first round game contest, appearing to twist his ankle as he landed after going for a layup. He was helped off the floor by support staff as he was unable to put any weight on his left foot.
He was later seen on crutches and didn't return to the game.
Jefferson is a major contributor for the Cyclones, averaging 16.6 points, 7.4 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game. He also has two triple doubles on the season.
The Portland Trail Blazers finish a five-game road trip at Ball Arena against the Denver Nuggets, looking to continue their hot streak.
Portland has won four of five, including the last three on the road. The Blazers have moved into eighth place and are looking to improve their seeding for the postseason Play-In tournament.
My Trail Blazers at Nuggets predictions and NBA picks look for the Blazers to cover as a road dog on Sunday, March 22.
Trail Blazers vs Nuggets prediction
Trail Blazers vs Nuggets best bet: Trail Blazers +9 (-110)
In addition to winning three straight, the Portland Trail Blazers have covered their last two as underdogs.
The Blazers can get back to .500, highlighting their improvement since the calendar flipped to 2026. They started the year six games below .500, but have been revived by Donovan Clingan, who leads the NBA in rebounds and is second in blocks since January 1.
While the Denver Nuggets could have their lineup intact for the first time since Nov. 12, Peyton Watson might not be at 100%, and Nikola Jokic has struggled with turnovers and poor shooting with the constantly changing cast around him.
Denver may win, but it'll hardly be a blowout.
Trail Blazers vs Nuggets same-game parlay
Portland has the No. 8 pace in the league, but things have slowed down on this trip. Three of the Blazers’ four games have had totals of 212 or less, and Portland has gone Under in three of them. Denver is 22nd in pace, so it won’t be pushing the tempo.
Deni Avdija is averaging 7.0 rebounds and has 19 in the last two games. He hasn’t had fewer than six boards in the last five. The odds for his rebounding prop seem unusually generous, so we’ll jump on that low-hanging fruit.
Trail Blazers vs Nuggets SGP
Trail Blazers +9
Under 239.5
Deni Avdija Over 6.5 rebounds
Our "from downtown" SGP: Joker's Wild
With the starting five finally intact again, look for Jokic to be more comfortable on the floor. Before the injuries started in November, he was averaging 13.1 rebounds, 10.9 assists, and had scored 30 or more in five of six games.
Since then, he’s down half an assist and more than half a rebound per night, and he’s topped 30 just 17 times in 30 games. Getting the gang back should help him find his old form.
His turnovers, up to 4.7 a game in March, should come down, and he’ll be more productive. His 3-point shooting didn’t fall off as much as his 2-point accuracy, and he’s had three games with multiple threes in the last five.
His rebounding also didn’t fall off. He’s had eight games with a dozen or more in his 11 March contests, and he’s averaging 13 over the last five games.
Over/Under: Over 239.5 (-110) | Under 239.5 (-110)
Trail Blazers vs Nuggets betting trend to know
The Portland Trail Blazers have hit the Game Total Under in 16 of their last 21 away games. Find more NBA betting trends for Trail Blazers vs. Nuggets.
How to watch Trail Blazers vs Nuggets
Location
Ball Arena, Denver, CO
Date
Sunday, March 22, 2026
Tip-off
5:00 p.m. ET
TV
BlazerVision, Altitude
Trail Blazers vs Nuggets latest injuries
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After signing a modest $22.5 million extension in June 2024, it didn't take long for star southpaw Cristopher Sanchez to prove he was severely underpaid.
After signing a modest $22.5 million extension in the summer of 2024, it didn’t take long for star southpaw Cristopher Sanchez to prove he was severely underpaid.
It took even less time for Philadelphia brass to do something about it.
The Phillies and Sanchez have agreed to a new contract extension — a six-year deal with $107 million guaranteed, rewarding their ace for a breakout campaign in 2025, The Post’s Jon Heyman confirmed Sunday morning.
Phillies ace Cristopher Sanchez agreed to a new extension with the team. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Sanchez, 29, was already signed through 2028 with team options for 2029 and 2030. Now, he’s inked through 2032, with a club option for 2033.
The lefty’s agent, Gene Mato, credited Phillies owner John Middleton and president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski for taking care of their ace, when they certainly didn’t have to.
“John and Dave stepped up and decided to reward Cristopher with a deal more than commensurate with his abilities even though the club still had five years of control at minimal dollars,” Mato said, via The Athletic.
“It’s really unprecedented.”
Cristopher Sanchez played for the Dominican Republic national team during the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
Sanchez’s amended deal comes hot on the heels of a torrid 2025, when he finished second in the National League Cy Young race behind Paul Skenes.
The sinkerballer with a filthy changeup boasted a 2.50 ERA with 212 strikeouts across 32 starts (202 innings) before hurling a pair of dominant October outings in the NLCS against the eventual champion Dodgers.
He later made World Baseball Classic history as the first pitcher to strike out four batters in a single inning in the tournament’s history, doing so while representing the Dominican Republic.
Sanchez’s 8.0 bWAR last season was greater than that of Skenes (7.7), Tarik Skubal (6.5), and Garret Crochet (6.3) — along with every other pitcher on the planet, for that matter.
He’s now set to start Opening Day for the first time in his career at home against the Texas Rangers on Thursday.
JUPITER, FL - MARCH 20: From left, Washington Nationals infielder Jose Tena (8), outfielder Christian Franklin (33) and infielder Andres Chaparro (87) smile as they pose in the dugout before a MLB spring training game against the Miami Marlins at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on March 20, 2026 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Grapefruit League is done and the Washington Nationals are headed up north. However, the regular season is not here just yet. The Nats have a pair of exhibition games with the Orioles, with the first one being this afternoon. As a final tune-up, the local rivals are playing at Camden Yards.
As you would expect with the season just a few days away, the Nats have a strong lineup. James Wood will be leading off and in left field. Interestingly, Drew Millas will be hitting second. CJ Abrams is hitting 6th, lower in the order than we are used to. Luis Garcia Jr. will be playing first base, a position he should see more action at this season. While Mitchell Parker has already been optioned, he is on the mound today. It will be a good chance for him to leave a good impression before heading to Rochester.
The O’s also have a strong lineup, headlined by their new big money star Pete Alonso. Nats fans are very familiar with Alonso after his years with the Mets and now he will be just up the road. Familiar O’s stars like Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman are also in the lineup. Kyle Bradish, who is one of the O’s better starters will be on the mound.
Here’s how we’re lining up today for our exhibition against the Nationals!
SS – Henderson C – Rutschman DH – Alonso RF – O’Neill 1B – Mountcastle 3B – Mayo LF – Cowser CF – Taveras 2B – Alexander
These next couple days will be a fun chance to see the Nats one more time before they start the season in Chicago. It is also fun to play a rival like the O’s. Hopefully these games are fun and the Nats come out on top. Follow along in the comments below and let’s go Nats!
