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Kodai Senga's nine-strikeout start goes to waste as Mets shut out by Cardinals

Kodai Senga struck out nine batters while throwing a hard fastball, but the Mets managed just three hits in a 3-0 loss to the Cardinals on Tuesday night in St. Louis.

New York (3-2) batters did manage four walks, but left six men on base and went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position. St. Louis (3-2) faired slightly better with six hits and four walks but was held to 2-for-11 with RISP and left seven on base.

Here are the takeaways...

- Senga burned in 98 mph fastballs with his first two pitches of the game, a big jump from last season when his average heater clocked in at 94.7 mph. Senga got into some trouble with a leadoff single and walk sandwiching a strikeout on the "ghost" fork, but avoided any damage as he deftly fielded his position on MasynWinn’s bunt attempt and made a funky-but-on-target throw to third.

There were more heaters in the second, as Senga blew 99 mph fastballs past Jordan Walker and Nathan Church and a 98 mph one past Ramon Urias to strikeout the side on 13 pitches.

A couple of mistakes from Luis Robert Jr. put Senga in a pickle in the third. The centerfielder misjudged a liner for a double over his head, and on JJ Wetherholt’s sharp single, threw all the way home, and two were in scoring position. The extra base proved costly as Iván Herrera smoked a hanging slider (107.4 mph) for a two-run double off the wall in left.

After an eight-pitch 1-2-3 fourth with another strikeout, Senga issued back-to-back two-out walks, the first involved Herrera winning two challenges on balls well out of the zone that umpire Hunter Wendelstedt called strikes. Pinching coach Justin Willard's visit worked as he notched a scoreless, 26-pitch frame.

Senga closed his account by striking out the side, two swinging and one looking. His final line: 6.0 innings, two runs on four hits and three walks with nine strikeouts on 92 pitches (56 strikes). He got 16 whiffs on 46 swings and posted a 28.3 called strike plus whiff rate. For the night, he averaged 97.4 mph on his 36 fastballs (up 2.7 mph from last season), and that velocity stayed consistent through the night, with his last pitch being a 98 mph heater.

- Juan Soto ripped a 3-2 pitch into center for a single with one down in the first (110.8 mph off the bat), and started the sixth by smashing a low fastball off the wall in right for a double (109.3 mph) against Cards’ starter Andre Pallante. He went down swinging in the eighth to finish 2-for-4.

- Robert Jr., looking to atone for his defensive miscues, hit the ball hard with runners on first and second and nobody out in the sixth against reliever GordonGraceffo, but it went for a 374-foot out to center. He finished 0-for-3 with a walk.

- Jared Young had an RBI chance in his first at-bat with runners on first and second and two outs in the first, but he struck out swinging on three pitches. After singling up the middle with one out in the fourth, he got another RBI chance with runners on the corners in the sixth, but his soft liner turned into an inning-ending double play as Bo Bichette was cut down at first on a strong throw from Winn. He finished 1-for-4.

- Francisco Lindor worked his sixth walk of the young season with one out in the third but finished 0-for-3 with three groundouts.

- Bichette, with a runner on second, grounded out to third on a 3-0 hack to end the third. He went 0-for-3 with a walk and has started the year 2-for-22.

- Marcus Semien went down swinging on a slider in the dirt in his first at-bat. He finished 0-for-2 with a walk, as he’s struggled at the plate to start the year (2-for-16).

- Carson Benge, who had two hits on Monday, grounded out to short in each of his first two times and struck out swinging to finish 0-for-3.

- Luis Torrens made his first impact behind the plate with an apt challenge leading to a strikeout to start the bottom of the second. He went down swinging his first at-bat and drove one to the gap in left center, but Church ran it down. Torrens finished 0-for-2 as Francisco Alvarez pinch-hit for him in the seventh and flied out to the warning track in right-center to end the inning. Alvarez is now 0-for-27 as a pinch-hitter in his career.

- Mark Vientos made his first start of the season as the DH after getting just one at-bat in the first four games and went 0-for-2 before being lifted for a pinch-hitter to start the seventh, with Brett Baty grounding out to first in his spot against ex-Met Ryne Stanek. Baty bounced out to end the game, going 0-for-2.

- Richard Lovelady allowed a home run to Ramon Urias on a sweeper to start the seventh. A single and one-out intentional walk put two more on, but he escaped without any further damage, thanks to Young making a great diving stop on a smashed ball down the first base line that would've gone for extra bases. Lovelady, pitching for the third time in four days, added a 1-2-3 eighth with a second strikeout of the night.

Highlights

What's next

The Mets look to grab the series in Wednesday's matinee with Freddy Peralta making his second start against Cardinals left-hander Matthew Liberatore in the 1:15 p.m. start on SNY.

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Islanders fall to Sabres for second straight loss in tough blow in tight playoff race

An image collage containing 1 images, Image 1 shows Peyton Krebs celebrates after scoring a key goal on Ilya Sorokin during the third period of the Islanders' 4-3 loss to the Sabres on March 31, 2026 in Buffalo

BUFFALO — This was always going to be about the response. About how the Islanders rebounded less than 24 hours after allowing eight goals against the Penguins and dropping a critical game in the playoff race.

This was always going to be about Ilya Sorokin, when Patrick Roy — after leaving the door open for a David Rittich start Monday night — went back to his star goaltender and trusted him because, as he said pregame, it worked in the past.

And while Sorokin kept them in a game where they struggled to generate much offensively, they dropped a second consecutive match with a 4-3 defeat against the Sabres.

Peyton Krebs celebrates after scoring a key goal on Ilya Sorokin during the third period of the Islanders’ 4-3 loss to the Sabres on March 31, 2026 in Buffalo. NHLI via Getty Images

Cal Ritchie extended his point streak to a career-best five games with a goal, Anders Lee gave the Islanders life with a late goal to tie the game and Matthew Schaefer set the record for points by an Islanders rookie defenseman with an assist, but then they surrendered the decisive tally.

“Sorokin’s always at his best,” Schaefer said. “I mean, we gotta help him. He’s always the best, but we gotta help him — and a lot of those chances and a lot of those goals, we can’t let those pucks go through to the sweet spot down the middle. And he’s not gonna always be able to stand on his head for us. So we gotta help him.”

Still, the Islanders received some help in the playoff chase.

The Red Wings (86 points) lost. The Flyers (86 points) lost. The Blue Jackets (88 points) and Senators (86 points) dropped their matches, too.

So as the Islanders packed up at KeyBank Center and departed for Long Island, they occupied third place in the Metropolitan Division with 89 points.

Ilya Sorokin makes one of his 29 saves in the Islanders’ road loss to the Sabres. Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images

But in the one game the Islanders could control, everything shifted for good with 3:01 remaining, when Peyton Krebs deposited a pass from Alex Tuch past Sorokin for the game-winning goal.

Brayden Schenn brought the Islanders within one with a second remaining after Buffalo’s empty-net goal, but they didn’t have any time to generate an equalizer.

A chaotic few minutes earlier in the frame — Sam Carrick fought Lee for his hit on Josh Norris in the second and then exited with the help of a trainer, then Carson Soucy committed a hooking penalty — ended with Tage Thompson ripping a shot from the slot on the power play.

There wasn’t much Sorokin could do. The Islanders left the Sabres’ best player wide open with space. And Thompson made the unit pay.

Anders Lee celebrates with teammates after scoring a third period goal during the Islanders’ road loss to the Sabres. NHLI via Getty Images

That caused the Islanders to lose any momentum they had gained back with a power-play goal of their own in the second period.

Ritchie knocked in a pass from Schenn to tie game at 1 with 2:03 left, erasing an advantage that Buffalo had carried since Jack Quinn veered into the Islanders zone with the man advantage in the first period and sent a shot past Sorokin.

But really, the Islanders were only in that position to tie the game because of Sorokin.

They didn’t manage a high-danger chance in the opening 20 minutes and had just two through two frames, per Natural Stat Trick. Lee couldn’t capitalize on a penalty shot, as he couldn’t tuck his backhand shot past Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.

Cal Ritchie scores a goal on Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen during the Islanders’ road loss to the Sabres. NHLI via Getty Images

In a fitting end to the first period, Schaefer, long before his record-setting 57th point, had a chance to step into a shot from the point, but he whiffed on it.

“I mean, we played a playoff hockey-type game,” Roy said. “It was a hard-fought game, and I thought both teams had some good looks and both teams played well defensively.”

It all, by the end of an eventual third, added up to another disappointing loss, one that won’t crush the Islanders’ playoff hopes but one that certainly won’t boost them, either.

It only makes a back-to-back at the end of the week — against the Flyers and Hurricanes — even more important. That’s what happens when four key points are left on the table.

“It’s a game we need,” Schenn said of Friday, “and we know it.”

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Buffalo Sabres Forward Keeps Building On Career Year

The Buffalo Sabres picked up a hard-fought 4-3 win over the New York Islanders on Tuesday night. With this, the Sabres have improved to a 46-21-8 record and now have 100 points on the season. 

Peyton Krebs certainly played a role in Buffalo's win, as he scored a goal at the 16:59 mark of the third period to give the Sabres a 3-2 lead. Bowen Byram would then score an empty-net goal to give the Sabres a 4-2 lead before Brayden Schenn with one second left for the Islanders. 

With this goal, Krebs has now reached a new career high with 11 goals in 74 games this season. This comes after he already hit new career bests with 25 assists and 35 points this season with the Sabres. The 6-foot forward had 10 goals, 18 assists, and 28 points in 81 games during the 2024-25 season. 

When looking at the secondary offensive production that Krebs has been giving the Sabres this season, there is no question that he has been making a positive impact for the Sabres. This is especially so when noting that he has also been giving the Sabres plenty of grit, as evidenced by his 173 hits on the year.

Overall, it has been a very solid year for Krebs, and it will be interesting to see how he builds on it from here. 

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Iowa Cubs Wrap: I-Cubs blow it in the 9th in Louisville

Hayden Cantrelle
Hayden Cantrelle | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Cubs have released a ton of players over the weekend as they clear the rosters and we prepare for the start of the rest of the minor league season. I hope I’m getting all of them here.

RHP Tyler Beede

RHP Walker Powell

RHP Ben Heller

RHP Dominic Hambley

RHP Joel Sierra

RHP Ronny Lopez

RHP Sam Thoresen

RHP Nick Hull

RHP Edward Castillo

LHP Chase Watkins

OF Parker Chavers

SS Christopher Paciolla

SS Jaylen Palmer

3B Albert Gutierrez

There were also a few players released who never made it out of the Dominican Summer League, RHP Johansel Javier and LHP Darlin Ventura.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs were hit over the head by the Louisville Bats (Reds), 8-7.

For only the third time in his career, Riley Martin got the start tonight. Martin pitched well, allowing just one run on three hits over three innings. He struck out three and walked two. The one run came on a solo home run by JJ Bleday, as the ball was flying out of Louisville Slugger Field. Somewhat appropriately.

Vince Velazquez threw the next three innings and he got knocked around for four runs, three earned, on two hits over three innings. Velazquez walked three, struck out two and gave up a solo home run.

Collin Snider came in to get the final out of the eighth inning and he did that, striking out Garrett Hampson. But after the Cubs took a 7-5 lead in the top of the ninth, Snider got rocked in the bottom of the ninth. He allowed a two-run home run to Edwin Arroyo and a walk-off solo home run to Rece Hinds.

The final line on Snider was three runs on three hits over two-thirds of an inning. He struck out two

Third baseman Hayden Cantrelle hit a two-run home run in the top of the ninth to give Iowa a temporary lead. Cantrelle went 3 for 4 with a double, the home run and three total RBI. Cantrelle also stole two bases. He scored twice.

Left fielder Justin Dean led off the top of the first inning with a home run to put Iowa up early. Dean went 1 for 3 with two walks.

Later in the first inning, right fielder Kevin Alcántara hit a solo home run, his second on the young season. Alcántara went 2 for 4 with a double and the homer. He scored twice.

Center fielder Chas McCormick was 2 for 4 with a run batted in.

Catcher Christian Bethancourt went 2 for 4 with a double. He scored on Cantrelle’s home run in the top of the ninth.

Here’s Dean’s home run to lead off the game.

The Jaguar’s solo shot.

RBI double for Cantrelle.

Cantrelle’s go-ahead home run in the top of the ninth.

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Insider Update Brings Hope After Scary Cale Makar Injury Exit

Following a dominant 9–2 victory over the Calgary Flames, concern quickly shifted among Colorado Avalanche fans toward the status of star defenseman Cale Makar.

Makar recorded three assists in the win, including the primary helper on Nathan MacKinnon’s power-play goal late in the second period. However, the defenseman absorbed a hit from Flames forward Adam Klapka with 5:28 remaining in the frame and did not return for the third period, marking the end of his night.

Head coach Jared Bednar confirmed post-game that Makar is dealing with an upper-body injury but declined to provide a specific timeline for his return.

Medical insight from Dr. Harjas Grewal suggests the injury could involve a separated shoulder at worst. Encouragingly, NHL insider Pierre LeBrun reported that the injury is not believed to be serious, with the expectation that Makar may miss a handful of games to ensure full health ahead of the postseason. ESPN's Emily Kaplan also echoed the same sentiment.

With just six games remaining in the regular season, it appears increasingly likely the Avalanche will proceed cautiously, prioritizing Makar’s recovery in preparation for the playoffs, which begin April 18.

Makar's Impact Remains Significant

The potential absence of Makar, even in the short term, underscores his importance to Colorado’s success. Widely regarded as one of the NHL’s premier defensemen, Makar combines elite offensive production with strong two-way play.

Entering Monday’s contest, he had compiled 20 goals and 72 points in 71 games. On March 28, he became the fourth-fastest defenseman in league history to reach the 500-point milestone. His recent body of work includes back-to-back 90-point seasons and a 30-goal campaign in 2024–25, while 2025–26 marks his third consecutive 20-goal season and fourth overall.

Avalanche Eye Presidents’ Trophy

As of March 31, the Colorado Avalanche hold the NHL’s top record at 73-49-14, maintaining an eight-point cushion over the Dallas Stars.

With the regular season winding down and the Stanley Cup Playoffs on the horizon, Colorado remains firmly positioned to secure the Presidents’ Trophy, further solidifying its status as a leading contender for the Stanley Cup.

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Athletics defeat Braves 5-2 in Atlanta

Jacob Wilson
Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson knocked a two-run ground rule double against the Atlanta Braves in the second inning at Truist Park. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Athletics continued their interleague series with the Braves today at Truist Park in Atlanta. Making his first official start of the season for the A’s was 30-year-old righty Aaron Civale. He was 4-9 with a 4.85 ERA last season for three MLB ball clubs. Civale matched up against 28-year-old lefty José Suarez for the Braves. Suarez just pitched in nineteen innings for the Braves last season, going 2-0 with a 1.86 ERA.

After a quiet top of the first inning, the Braves got on the board first when reigning National League R-O-Y Drake Baldwin knocked his third homer of the year to give the Braves a 1-0 lead.

In the top of the second, Brent Rooker led off with a single but was erased on a double play ball by Soderstrom. Max Muncy walked and advanced to second on a balk and scored on a single by Andy Ibáñez. Lawrence Butler and Denzel Clarke each walked and Jacob Wislon hit a ground rule double to drive in two.

Max Muncy doubled to lead off the fourth inning. Andy Ibáñez drove in his second run of the game with a base hit. Headed to the bottom of the fourth, the A’s led 4-1.

Shea Langeliers knocked his fourth homer of the year against the team that drafted him to bring the score to 5-1 for the A’s.

In the bottom of the sixth, Hogan Harris replaced Aaron Civale. Civale’s final line:

  • 5.0 innings, two earned runs, four hits and one walk. He struck out three.

Harris flirted with disaster walking the first two Braves of the inning but buckled down and escaped unharmed.

Denzel Clarke ripped a single into right centerfield, and then Jacob Wilson shocked the stadium with a bunt single down the first base line. Shea Langeliers ground into a double play, erasing Wilson but moving Clarke to third with two outs. Kurtz flied out to left field to end the threat.

Justin Sterner replaced Harris in the bottom of the seventh, he walked Dominic Smith and then Mauricio Dubón reached on a throwing error by Max Muncy. That brought up Ronald Acuña Jr. who struck out swinging.

Scott Barlow replaced Sterner in the eighth. This was his third appearance in the kelly-green and gold. He tossed a 1-2-3 inning to get the A’s to the ninth.

Mark Leiter Jr. was brought in to shut the Braves down in the ninth. It would be his first save opportunity of the year. He didn’t make it easy on himself, but in the end, he struck out former MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. and got Drake Baldwin to pop out to end the game. The A’s first victory of the season came at the expense of the Atlanta Braves, 5-2.

The A’s go for the series win tomorrow at 9:15 AM PDT.

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Draymond Green is 11 rebounds away from Warriors’ franchise history

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 27: Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors looks on against the Washington Wizards in the fourth quarter at Chase Center on March 27, 2026 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Before Draymond Green was the defensive anchor of a dynasty, he was a scouting report outlier.

The 2012 draft profile reads like a eulogy for a young player trying to find his way into the league “Lacks the ideal size to play power forward. Lacks the quickness to play on the wing. Does not have a go-to move in the post.” The kindest thing the scout could offer was that his intangibles “might allow him to succeed as a role player in the NBA.” Thirty-five players went off the board before him.

That document is now a collector’s item of catastrophic misjudgment.

With Draymond sitting just 10 rebounds away from tying Larry Smith’s 6440 boards for third on the Warriors’ all-time rebounding list, it’s worth stopping and actually saying that out loud. Third in franchise history is CRAZY.

Good Lord willing, soon Green will only be behind Nate Thurmond at 12,771 and Wilt Chamberlain at 10,768. Wilt freakin’ Chamberlain, who once averaged 27 rebounds per game for an entire season. Green, the tweener from Saginaw who wasn’t supposed to guard small forwards or power forwards at the next level, is 11 pulls from the glass away from passing Larry Smith and sitting alone behind two of the most physically dominant players the sport has ever produced.

The beautiful irony is that Draymond got there by being exactly what the scouts said he wasn’t. Not through length nor vertical pop. He did it through positioning, anticipation, timing, and a refusal to let a basketball hit the floor without a fight. Every rebound feels like a closing argument against every front office that thought he had no true position, no clean fit, and no obvious future. You can’t measure his tremendous work ethic, superb positioning after the shot is released, and feel for the game that only got sharper once the stakes got higher.

And that is what made him so indispensable. Draymond didn’t just complement the dynasty, he was the unlock mechanism. The Splash Brothers needed someone who could defend every position, push the break, organize the chaos, and make the next read before the defense knew the question. He is the connective tissue, the player who took all the hard, unglamorous work and turned it into structural advantage. The Warriors don’t win four titles without Stephen Curry bending the geometry of the sport. They also don’t win them without Draymond Green solving the puzzle of how to build around that kind of genius.

Wait, speaking of Curry…wait Unanimous sits eighth on this same list at 4,957 rebounds?!

In case anyone needed a reminder, the greatest point guard in basketball history has been quietly pulling down boards for over a decade and a half while we were all watching him break our brains from 35 feet. The man shows up everywhere in the Warriors record book and still somehow manages to surprise you.

But this particular moment belongs to Draymond. Ten rebounds from tying history, eleven from owning it outright. The scouting report said he does several things well but nothing great.

Funny. The franchise record book disagrees.

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Cavs at Lakers open gamethread

CLEVELAND, OH - JANUARY 28: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers handles the ball as Jarrett Allen #31 of the Cleveland Cavaliers plays defense during the game on January 28, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

We’ll all try to stay awake as the Cleveland Cavaliers take on the Los Angeles Lakers for a late-night weekday matchup.

Share your thoughts as the game unfolds. If you aren’t a member of the community, sign up so you can talk to your fellow Cavalier fans and make your voice heard!

Dealing with a busted bracket?

The Sweet 16 is almost here – who’s still alive? We’re reviewing the week that was in the first week of the NCAA tournament and turning our focus to remaining teams. How bad (or good!) is your bracket? Join us in the SB Nation March Madness Feed and let’s talk about who’s most likely to make a run to glory.

Go Cavs!

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GAME THREAD: Guardians at Dodgers, game 6 of 162

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 30: Chase DeLauter #24 and Steven Kwan #38 of the Cleveland Guardians embrace after defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on March 30, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Let’s see if Jose can get back on track tonight, huh?

Here’s the Guardians’ lineup:

Here’s the Dodgers’ lineup:

Let’s go, Guardians!

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Conine hits a 2-run homer, Marlins score 4 runs in 4th inning in 9-2 win over White Sox

MIAMI (AP) — Griffin Conine hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning, and the Miami Marlins scored four runs in the fourth in a 9-2 win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night.

The Marlins, who were hitless in the first three innings, got their first hit in the fourth when Xavier Edwards singled off starter Erick Fedde (0-1). Agustín Ramírez doubled, then Liam Hicks sent them both home with a hit deep down the first baseline. Hicks leads MLB with eight RBIs this season.

Center fielder Luisangel Acuña committed two errors moments apart on throws to home. The first came on Owen Caissie’s single that drove in Hicks, and then on Heriberto Hernández’s single that sent Caissie home and gave Miami a 4-2 lead.

Fedde threw 80 pitches over five innings, earned four strikeouts, three runs and a walk.

With Hernández on third, Graham Pauley bunted. Relief pitcher Bryan Hudson overthrew the throw to home, giving the Marlins their fifth run. Conine and Hicks scored on sacrifice flies in the seventh and eighth.

Munetaka Murakami singled to drive in Edgar Quero, and Andrew Benintendi hit a line drive to right field to bring Acuña home and give the White Sox a 2-0 lead in the second.

Anthony Bender (1-0) pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings with a strikeout and a walk. Marlins starter Janson Junk allowed two runs and five hits with five strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings.

Up next

Chicago's Sandy Alcantara (1-0, 0.00 ERA) starts against Shane Smith (0-1, 16.20) in the series finale Wednesday.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

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Lakers clinch playoff berth, Pacific Division title with Suns loss

For the second consecutive year, the Los Angeles Lakers will finish the regular season atop the Pacific Division.

The Lakers (49-26) clinched a playoff spot and the division title before their game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night even tipped off, thanks to the Phoenix Suns' 115-111 loss to the Orlando Magic earlier.

While the Lakers have historically dominated the Pacific with 26 titles since the division was established in 1970-71, their current run of two straight since the arrival of head coach JJ Redick snapped a dry spell that began after their NBA championship run in 2019-20.

The red-hot Lakers — winners of 11 of their last 17 — currently sit as the third seed in the West after Monday, one game ahead of the fourth-place Denver Nuggets and three games ahead of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Houston Rockets. And with their postseason spot now in hand, LA could have a chance to cement their claim at the third spot with wins over the Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Suns and Utah Jazz.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Los Angeles Lakers clinch playoff spot, Pacific Division title

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Dodgers vs. Guardians game II chat

Los Angeles, CA - March 30: Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) smiles while standing next to teammate Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Kyle Tucker (23) as they receive Silver Slugger awards prior to the start of a MLB game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Cleveland Guardians at Dodger Stadium on Monday, March 30, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Ronaldo Bolaños/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Shohei Ohtani has his first two-way day of 2026.

Tuesday game info
  • Teams: Dodgers vs. Guardians
  • Ballpark: Dodger Stadium
  • Time: 7:10 p.m.
  • TV: SportsNet LA
  • Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)

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Bullpen struggles after Zach Eflin leaves early in 8-5 loss to Rangers

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - MARCH 31: Ezequiel Duran #20 of the Texas Rangers celebrates his solo home with Brandon Nimmo #24 in the third inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on March 31, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Bill Streicher/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Orioles were forced to turn to their bullpen early Tuesday night, which ended in disaster as the Rangers scored seven runs against the pen to down the O’s 8-5.

After starter Zach Eflin left with two outs in the 4th, the Orioles’ pen began a rollercoaster ride that had way more downs than ups. Lefty Grant Wolfram kicked off the 5th by allowing an opposite-field single to Brandon Nimmo. Outfielder Wyatt Langford then turned on a sinker left over the plate, lacing it into the left-center gap. After the ball wedged under the outfield wall padding, Langford ended up on third and Nimmo raced home to score, giving Texas a 2-1 lead.

In a left-on-left matchup against Corey Seager, the two-time World Series MVP slashed a Wolfram sinker into center, with the single just evading the sliding catch attempt of Colton Cowser, allowing Langford to scamper home. The left-handed reliever would avoid any other damage that inning, but his efforts set the unfortunate tone for the bullpen.

The Baltimore bats did their best to try to keep the Orioles in the game. Trailing 1-0 in the 4th, Pete Alonso launched his first home run as an Oriole, turning on the fastball of former teammate Jacob deGrom and depositing the baseball in the Orioles’ bullpen.

Down 3-1 in the 5th, the offense again came through, using a two-out rally to tie the game at three. Blaze Alexander kicked off the rally by flipping a deGrom slider into right field for a single. Taylor Ward then extended the inning by hitting a high chop to deep shortstop for an infield.

After homering on Monday night, Gunnar Henderson came through with another big hit to tie the game. The star shortstop attacked a fastball up and away, sending a towering fly over the head of Langford in left, ricocheting off the wall for a two-run double that tied things at three.

Those efforts proved futile as the relievers couldn’t keep the Rangers off the scoreboard. With the game tied 3-3, Yennier Cano entered in the 6th. The former All-Star gave up a one-out double to Evan Carter, who then moved to third on a groundout. Cano looked to end the threat unscathed against Nimmo, but the Texas leadoff man smacked a broken-bat single into center field to give the Rangers a 4-3 lead.

Things only got worse when Yaramil Hiraldo entered in the 7th. The already much-maligned Hiraldo didn’t help his popularity in Birdland when he gave up a leadoff walk to Seager and a flair single to Jake Burger. His popularity cratered three batters later when he gave up a two-out, three-run homer to Texas catcher Danny Jansen. The longball finally crushed the Orioles’ hopes Tuesday, putting them down 7-3.

Popular rookie Anthony Nunes pitched the last two innings, picking up two strikeouts but allowing his first run in the majors on a solo HR off the bat of Seager. Across four relievers, the bullpen combined line of 5.1 IP, 9 H, 7 ER, 1 BB and 4 K.

A desperate, 9th-inning comeback attempt fell short but made the scoreline look more acceptable. Against the oldest active MLB reliever, Chris Martin, Tyler O’Neill started the inning with an HBP and moved to second on a Colton Cowser Single. After two quick outs from Jeremiah Jackson and Alexander, Ward doubled into the left-center gap to clear the bases and give the O’s some consolation runs. With the tying run on deck in the form of Pete Alonso, Gunnar Henderson grounded out to second to seal the loss.

Adding injury to insult was the injury to the O’s No.5 starter, Eflin. Making his first start of 2026, the 31-year-old right-hander looked really sharp early in the game. After giving up a flyout to the warning track to lead off the 1st, Eflin punched out Wyatt Langford on a sinker at the knees and struck out Corey Seager on an excellent changeup away.

Normally known as a control guy who pitches to contact, Eflin had swing-and-miss stuff throughout the first three innings. He started out the 2nd by striking out Jake Burger on a changeup down and away before getting the second out on a perfectly thrown back-foot sweeper.

After working out of a two-on, two-out jam in the 2nd, Eflin gave up his only run of the evening in the 3rd. Against Rangers No.9 Ezequiel Durán, an 0-1 sweeper caught too much of the plate, and the Texas infielder launched the ball over the left field wall for a solo HR. The blemish didn’t bother Eflin, however, as he bounced back by punching out Brandon Nimmo on a sinker on the inside corner. He then punctuated the 3rd with a backwards K of Burger, dropping a CB right over the outside corner.

The veteran right-hander started off the 4th with his seventh punchout of the night, getting Joc Pederson to swing through a 3-2 changeup away. From there, things started to go downhill for Eflin. With two outs, Jansen hooked a ground ball down the left field line for a double. Eflin then walked Carter to give the Rangers a two-on, two-out opportunity.

The Orioles righty threw one pitch to Duran, a curveball that didn’t come close to the zone, and then signaled for the trainer to take him out of the game. After Grant Wolfram came in and finished the inning, Eflin’s line closed at 3.2 IP on 74 pitches, with 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB and 7 K. Later in Tuesday night’s broadcast, Kevin Brown reported that Eflin left with “right elbow discomfort.”

Despite the frustration that comes with the loss, it was a great day at the plate for some of the newest Orioles. Alonso had the home run and a single off fellow former Met deGrom. The ninth-inning double from Ward was his fourth base knock of the game, giving him the first four-hit game of his MLB career.

Ace Trevor Rogers will return to the mound tomorrow to try and salvage the final game of the series against the Rangers. First pitch is scheduled for 12:35pm ET.

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Matthew Tkachuk Logs 4 Points, Helping Panthers Defeat Ottawa 6-3

It was a fun night in Sunrise for the Florida Panthers and their fans as the Cats continue counting down on their regular season.

Florida put on one of their best offensive performances seen by their fans in what probably felt like a while, taking down the Ottawa Senators 6-3 Tuesday at Amerant Bank Arena.

The Panthers got off to a fast start thanks to a miscommunication between Senators defenseman Jordan Spence and goaltender Linus Ullmark.

Almost immediately after the game’s opening faceoff, the puck was shot into Ottawa’s zone and it bounced off the boards in the corner and came back toward the slot.

The two Senators appeared to think the other was going to play the puck, and instead it went through them and right to a cutting Noah Gregor, who one-timed the puck past the out of position Ullmark just eight seconds into the game

Less than a minute later, Mackie Samoskevich finished off a pretty passing play that saw the puck go from Sam Bennett to Matthew Tkachuk to Seth Jones before finding its way back down to Mackie for a quick goal at the side of the net.

Just 66 seconds into the game and Florida found itself with a 2-0 lead.

Florida wasn’t done there.

About midway through the period, Carter Verhaeghe picked up a Jones rebound at the side of the net and wired the puck through Ullmark to make it 3-0 Cats just 9:09 into the game.

After about a five-minute break, the Panthers got back to the offense.

Goals by Verhaeghe and A.J. Greer just 34 seconds apart gave Florida an eye-popping 5-0 lead on Ottawa with 5:24 still left on the first period clock.

As one might expect, the Senators came out after the first intermission appearing to have had a fire lit under their backsides.

After keeping Florida hemmed in their zone from the start, Drake Batherson scored right off an offensive zone draw, beating Daniil Tarasov over the glove, exactly 100 seconds into the second period.

The goal didn’t spark a Senators comeback attempt, though.

Later in the period, Matthew Tkachuk got in on the fun, taking a nice pass from Sam Bennett and beating James Reimer to make it 6-1 Florida with 7:19 left in the middle frame. It was Tkachuk’s fourth point on the evening.

Spence then decided it was time to make up for his opening-shift blunder, picking up the game’s next goal on a shot that deflected off Verhaeghe on its way past Tarasov, cutting Florida’s lead back down to four with under five minutes to go until the intermission.

Michael Amadio picked up the game’s next goal, one-timing a pass from Ridly Greig past a sliding Tarasov at the 4:29 mark of the third period to cut further into the Cats’ lead.

Ottawa spent a large chunk of the third period on the power play after Noah Gregor was handed a match penalty for a hit to the head of Carter Yakemchuk, who needed help to the locker room by a couple of his teammates.

Despite spending five straight minutes up a man, including a lengthy two-man advantage in the middle of the power play, the Senators failed to get one past Tarasov and the Panthers.

On to the Bruins.

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Photo caption: Mar 31, 2026; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) scores a goal past Ottawa Senators goaltender James Reimer (47) during the second period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Jim Rassol-Imagn Images)

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Game Recap: Suns offense goes cold late, lose 115-111 to Magic

Mar 31, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) shoots against Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. (34) during the first quarter at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

The Phoenix Suns lost to the Orlando Magic 115-111 on Tuesday. Devin Booker led the Suns with 34 points, but Collin Gillespie was the only other Suns starter to score in double digits. The Suns struggled to shoot from both the field and from three. While the Magic had 25 turnovers, the Suns had 20. The team’s two-game losing streak has been snapped.

Phoenix trailed for the majority of the contest, not taking their first lead until early in the fourth quarter. However, on the second night of a back-to-back, the Suns’ offense went cold down the stretch, going more than five minutes without hitting a field goal late. To start and end the game, Phoenix had trouble executing offensively.

Now 42-34 on the year, it’s looking more and more likely the Suns will be in the play-in. The question is will be it as the 8th or 7th seed. Their lead over the Clippers is now just 2.5 games.

Game Flow

First Half

It was a tepid start for the Suns. Technical fouls were flying for both teams and the Suns had just two made field goals in the first 5;35 of the game. Orlando was up 20-8 about halfway through the first. Phoenix was able to cut the lead down to single digits, going on an 8-0 run to end the quarter. It was 28-21 Orlando after the first quarter.

The Magic pushed the lead back to double digits early in the second with a 5-0 run. Phoenix started to creep back around the midway point of the quarter. Jordan Goodwin had an impactful four-point play that cut the deficit to five.

Want to know how Dillon brooks is back? He picked up four fouls in the first half and had to be subbed out less midway through the second because of his foul troubles.

When the Suns cut the lead down to a one-possession score, Orlando responded with a 9-0 run. For the rest of the half, Orlando had a sizable lead Phoenix just couldn’t crack too deeply into. At the half, the Suns trailed the Magic 70-56.

Second Half

To start the third quarter, Phoenix quickly cut their second half lead in half and more some. An 11-2 run prompted an early Orlando timeout, and the Suns pushed the game into a one-score contest at 80-77. Jordan Goodwin was flying all over the court. With Brooks in foul trouble, Goodwin anchored Phoenix’s defense.

The Orlando lead hovered around five points. Phoenix struggled to retake the lead. When Phoenix cut it to two with less than two minutes left in the third, Desmond Bane hit a straightaway triple. It was the perfect depiction of how the final six minutes of the third went until the end. A quick 8-0 run by the Suns to end the third tied the game up at 94 heading into the fourth.

Phoenix’s first lead of the game came early in the fourth quarter, with a Rasheer Fleming slam. The game went back and forth. Neither team was able to build more than a possession lead. Both offenses started to slow down their paces. Grayson Allen started to find a bit of a rhythm after a rough start to the game.

Down 109-107 with 4:08 left, Jordan Ott and company called a timeout. Both team’s offenses remained static and couldn’t generate baskets or good looks. Down the stretch, Phoenix’s offense especially struggled. They went over five minutes without making a field goal which ended up being their kryptonite and ending their two-game win streak.

Up Next

The Suns will face the Hornets on Thursday for their third game in four nights and their third game of their four-game road trip. Phoenix beat Charlotte 111-99 last month back in Arizona.