MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE - MARCH 30: GG Jackson #45 of the Memphis Grizzlies goes to the basket against Royce O'Neale #00 of the Phoenix Suns during the second half at FedExForum on March 30, 2026 in Memphis, Tennessee. 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 Justin Ford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I’m not gonna lie, there was a little bit of anxiety creeping in on Monday night as the Phoenix Suns battled through the first three quarters against the Memphis Grizzlies. Devin Booker was cooking. He was hyper-efficient, dropping 36 points through three quarters without taking a single free throw. Jalen Green looked right there with him, adding 21. Together, they had 57 of the Suns’ 91 points.
Devin Booker scored 36 points tonight without 1 free throw attempt. How many times has SGA scored 30+ without a FTA? Never. pic.twitter.com/bgyIfmMDFx
So yeah, that is where the concern set in. Not about how they were playing, but about how it would be perceived. Because you know how it goes. People check the box score, see the scoring totals, see the narrow lead, and the first reaction becomes that the offense is the problem. Too much isolation, not enough ball movement, not enough guys involved. We have seen that narrative before when both Booker and Green go off and the team still comes up short.
But that was not the story here.
The offense was fine. It was flowing, it was producing, it was doing exactly what it needed to do. The issue was on the other end. Defense, or more specifically, what was happening in the paint.
With Oso Ighodaro at the five, you are going to give some of that up. He brings a lot to the table. Connectivity, playmaking, switching. But rim protection is not his calling card. That is part of the equation, and Memphis knew it. Their plan was simple, and it is one we have seen teams lean into against Phoenix. Beat the initial defender, get downhill, and attack the interior. Over and over again.
Through three quarters, it worked. The Grizzlies had 46 of their 89 points in the paint, living at the rim, forcing rotations, and keeping the game tight despite the offensive output from Booker and Green. That is what kept it close. Not the shot diet, not the scoring distribution. It was the inability to consistently deter what Memphis wanted to do inside.
The fourth quarter saved everyone from that conversation, at least for a moment. The Memphis Grizzlies showed their hand, drifted away from what was working, stopped living in the paint, and the game flipped. At the same time, Collin Gillespie found his stroke, the Phoenix Suns found their rhythm, and suddenly it was a 40–16 quarter that turned a tight game into a 26-point win.
It matters. Win number 42 locks in a winning season. No matter what comes next, another small milestone in a year built on progress.
But it circles back to the original concern. There are times when frustration with the offense is warranted. That is part of the deal. More often than not, though, when things tighten or slip away, it traces back to what is happening inside. Interior defense, rim protection, and the ability to deter those downhill attacks. That is the pressure point.
And as the postseason gets closer, that is where the focus will be. Because once the games matter a little more, teams will lean into that weakness until you prove you can stop it.
Bright Side Baller Season Standings
Jalen’s efficient night against the Jazz moves him up the standings.
Bright Side Baller Nominees
Game 75 against the Girzzlies. Here are your nominees:
The 36-game sprint of a regular season has officially come to an end. By now, you probably caught wind that the Iowa Wolves have ended their 11-year postseason drought! Huzza!
Let’s review the month of March, and preview what’s to come in this edition of Eyes on Iowa Wolves.
Record: 6-2
Player of the Month: Zyon Pullin (27.7p, 3.3r, 6a, .667/.545/.903)
Recap: Iowa was in prime position for a spot in Winter Showcase tournament spot behind the strong play of their backcourt. Pullin, Tristen Newton, and Jules Bernard, all averaged over 20 points each, spearheading a league-best offense.
Record: 5-6
Player of the Month: Tristen Newton (26.4p, 4.6r, 4.9a, .506/.374/.830)
Recap: Iowa stumbled as they lost previous POTM, Zyon Pullin, to a wrist injury. They missed out on the Winter Showcase playoff tournament, but found their form to end the month thanks to Tristen Newton’s outstanding play.
Timberwolves rookie Joan Beringer also made his debut this month with some impressive performances of his own.
Record: 8-5
Player of the Month: Jules Bernard (26p, 5.5r, 5.9a, .473/.394/.812)
Recap: Iowa lost their best player, Tristen Newton, to the Rockets to start 2026. They course corrected to win 7 of their next 11 games thanks to the outstanding play of Jules Bernard and Alize Johnson.
Rookie Rocco Zikarsky was selected for the G League Next Up game during All-Star Weekend.
Record: 3-4
Player of the Month: Jalen Crutcher (22.1p, 3.7r, 6.7a, .535/.548/.846)
Recap: Alize Johnson departed for China, though Enrique Freeman filled in admirably. It was a tough month, but vets Jalen Crutcher and Jules Bernard helped the Wolves stay alive in the playoff race.
Jules Bernard signed a two-way contract for a few days (pay bump) before being replaced by Zyon Pullin, who won POTW in his first week back from injury.
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March Overview
Overall Month Record: 7-4
Current Regular Season Record: 21-15 Final Standing: 6th in Western Conference
The story of the Iowa Wolves season has been about battling back from adversity.
They started off the season in November strong. They were among the elite teams, overwhelming opponents with their league-best offense. Zyon Pullin was the lightning rod of the team. An avatar of Iowa’s style — Breakneck pace by attacking the paint, and limited, but efficient, three-point shooting. Unfortunately, a wrist injury took him out of the lineup for over two months. Iowa was able to tread water despite various roster changes to until Pullin finally returned late February amidst a skid of four losses in five games to end the month.
It just took a little time for Pullin’s impact to reflect in the win column.
A pair of dominant victories against the Rip City Remix helped keep their playoff dreams alive. Pullin averaged 28 points in those games while scoring on 20 of his 26 field goal attempts, enough to earn the G League Player of the Week honors.
Iowa ran into a buzzsaw that was the South Bay Lakers though. The Lakers were on a double-digit game win streak before dispatching the Wolves twice. Timberwolves rookie Joan Beringer was active and ultra productive for Iowa during a three-game losing streak though, providing some silver lining to his third assignment in the G League.
Speaking of temporary assignments, newly acquired Julian Phillips suited up for a pair of games against the Salt Lake City Stars. The 22-year-old shined, posting a career-high in points at any level of collegiate or professional play. He helped get Iowa back on track as they headed towards their final four games of the season with the playoffs on the line.
They nearly punched their ticket in a set of games against the Texas Legends. Iowa performed a miracle 16-point fourth quarter comeback in the first game, but dramatically lost the second. The Wolves most clutch player of the regular season, Jalen “Clutch” Crutcher, uncharacteristically missed a pair of free throws and a clean step-back three-pointer.
Regardless, they had done enough that a loss by the Santa Cruz Warriors a few days later secured a postseason berth. With nothing but playoff seeding to play for, Pullin and his teammates torched the Oklahoma City Blue by an average of 21 points to end the season.
Their positive momentum will hopefully carry them far into the postseason tournament.
Playoff Preview
In prior G League seasons, only the top six (or less) teams of each conference made the postseason. This season, they’re reintroducing the 16-team playoff bracket. There’s no need for asterisks though, as the Iowa Wolves finished as the sixth seed and will face the third seed Stockton Kings in the first round.
Every playoff series will be a single-elimination format until the Finals, where the format changes to a best-of-three.
Who are the Stockton Kings?
The Stockton Kings, contrary to their NBA affiliate, are no joke.
Sure, Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé named his daughter, a wildlife activist and aspiring pop star with zero professional basketball experience at any level, the Assistant General Manager of the Stockton Kings (She has since stepped down from her role). Yes, it was around that same time where an off-the-court scandal featuring one of the their players was charged with the kidnapping and murder of a woman two years ago (Ranadivé’s daughter may or may not have been involved). And okay, Stockton’s leading scorer is the 28-year-old veteran DaQuan Jeffries, who has played with five different NBA teams across six seasons and is married to the daughter of current unqualified Sacramento Kings Head Coach, Doug Christie.
That said.
On the court, they have been the number one seed in the Western Conference for four of their last five seasons. They’ve made back-to-back G League Finals, and won their first championship a year ago. They are a good basketball team.
Their roster does look considerably different than last season. First and foremost, their Finals MVP and three-time All NBA G League selection Mason Jones is now playing overseas. Their entire starting frontcourt from the playoffs, Skal Labissière, Isaiah Crawford, and Terry Taylor are no longer on the team. In fact, Taylor is now coming off the bench for Iowa (Institutional knowledge?). Of the Kings postseason lineup from their championship run, the only rotation players who are returning are Jon “Temu Alex Caruso” Elmore, and Dexter Dennis.
The Kings two-way players are Patrick Baldwin Jr., Isaiah Stevens, and Daeqwuan Plowden. Due to tanking the laundry list of a injury report, Plowden has been called up to Sacramento and has been playing well over 30 minutes a night for nearly two months. Stockton’s best player has been the aforementioned DaQuan Jeffries recently signed a 10-day contract with Sacramento and hasn’t been available for Stockton either.
The Kings are ninth in offensive rating, and 16th in defensive rating. They’re dead last in pace, where they’ll grind out possessions, moving the ball until they get a good shot as evidenced by their 64.3 assist percentage (Fourth) and 55.6% effective field goal mark (11th). They take the third most amount of threes per game, yet they convert on the second most three-point makes per game. A stark contrast to Iowa’s style of play.
On the other end of the court, they hold their opponents to just 33.2 three-point attempts per game, and 31.9% from distance when they do get shots off. Both of these marks are second-best in the league.
Matchup vs Iowa
The Iowa Wolves and Stockton Kings split their season series 1-1, both occurring in February and in California. The Wolves were led by the hot shooting of Jalen Crutcher and a near triple-double by Alize Johnson in his final game before departing overseas. Despite being without Pullin’s services, Iowa still eked out a five-point win without Pullin.
In the second contest three weeks later, the Kings cruised to an easy triumph courtesy of a 16-0 run that bridged the two halves together. The Wolves never recovered from there, as Stockton was on fire from deep. Three different players scored 25 points or more for the Kings, including bench reserve Antoine Davis, who poured in surprising and season-best seven triples. Across both games, DaQuan Jeffries averaged a ridiculous 34 points in this series, but as mentioned earlier, he may not be available for Stockton on Wednesday as Sacramento has a game against the Raptors.
Here is the tale of the tape:
Iowa
Stockton
OFFRTG
124.1 (5th)
122.7 (9th)
DEFRTG
119.1 (12th)
119.4 (16th)
NETRTG
5.0 (6th)
3.3 (10th)
eFG%
56.3 (7th)
55.6 (11th)
ORB%
30.3 (3rd)
26.1 (23rd)
TOV%
14.0 (17th)
13.6 (12th)
FTr
17.6 (15th)
16.9 (19th)
Pace
97.5 (9th)
93.4 (31st)
AST%
59.6 (17th)
64.3 (4th)
%3P
35.0 (20th)
47.7 (2nd)
By the numbers, Iowa should have a sizeable advantage. They’re the stronger team in terms of offensive and defensive rating. They score better in three of the Four Factors. They hold a ginormous pace advantage. However, Stockton holds a big edge in the ultimate wild card factor: Three-pointers. Nearly half of their field goal attempts are from distance, and for a team that shoots 37.4% from distance, that could be a problem. Another outlier night from perimeter could doom the Wolves as it did a month ago.
Iowa will travel to Stockton to face the Kings on Wednesday, April 1 at 8:30pm CT on Prime Video.
Joan & Julian Assignments
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MARCH 25: Joan Beringer #19 of the Minnesota Timberwolves looks on before the game against the Houston Rockets on March 25, 2026 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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 Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Joan Beringer Full season stats: 11 GP | 29.5 MP | 14.6 PTS | 10.7 REB | 0.9 AST | 0.5 STL | 2.4 BLK | 1.3 TOV | 2.3 PF 62.7 FG% | 66.7 FT% Glass ceiling comp: Ultimate Giannis Antetokounmpo Boring mezzanine comp: Faster Jarrett Allen Dark basement comp: Taller Bismack Biyombo
Joan looked like prime Dwight Howard in his final four-game assignment with Iowa. He averaged:
20 points
15.3 rebounds
1 assist
1.8 blocks
68.6% field goal percentage
83.3% free throw percentage
Beringer was as dominant as the numbers looked despite having almost no plays called for him. His confidence as a play finisher has skyrocketed. He’s showing a much larger assortment of post moves, and deft touch around the rim. He’s even had a handful of dribble-drive finishes from outside the paint.
It’s likely that the Frenchman may have played his last game in Iowa considering his growth and opportunity moving forward for the Timberwolves.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - FEBRUARY 08: Julian Phillips #4 of the Minnesota Timberwolves looks on against the LA Clippers in the fourth quarter at Target Center on February 08, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Clippers defeated the Timberwolves 115-96. 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 David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Julian Phillips Full season stats: 2 GP | 34.7 MP | 29.0 PTS | 8.5 REB | 1.5 AST | 1.0 STL | 0.5 BLK | 3.0 TOV | 2.0 PF 54.2 FG% | 30.8 3P% | 16.7 FT% Glass ceiling comp: Ideal Jerami Grant Boring mezzanine comp: Young Derrick Jones Jr. Dark basement comp: Smaller Josh Minott
Julian was really aggressive in his two-game stint with Iowa, to say the least. He led Iowa in field goal attempts in both games, averaging 24 shots per game. What was clearly evident was his ability to slither into the lane and use his length, athleticism, and craftiness to score.
He got to the cup at will.
Phillips is a dangerous cutter and transition player as well, with tremendous top-end speed and the ability to play fly above the rim. He was excellent in contest-and-release situations, often taking advantage of careless defenses. Coach Abdelfattah also used Phillips in defensive lineups, as his near seven-foot wingspan caused problems for opponents.
It’s hard to be too critical about his less than ideal shot selection. Often times when non-two-way players are sent on G League assignments, they’re sent with the goal of getting in reps. That said, Phillips does have a considerably long journey ahead of him in terms of his jump shot. He has a bit of a wonky shot release that results in shots either swishing through the cylinder, or not being close at all. The consistency is not there, as was reflected in his one for six mark from the charity stripe.
Two-Way Wolves Update
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 13: RoccoZikarsky of Timberwolves warms up before the NBA game 34 between Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors in San Francisco at Chase Center on March 13, 2026 in San Francisco, California, United States. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images) | Anadolu via Getty Images
Rocco Zikarsky Full season stats: 42 GP | 25.1 MP | 14.8 PTS | 8.9 REB | 0.9 AST | 0.6 STL | 2.5 BLK | 1.9 TOV | 2.2 PF 53.3 FG% | 30.8 3P% | 75.6 FT% Glass ceiling comp: Healthy Kristaps Porziņģis Boring mezzanine comp: Less athletic Jay Huff Dark basement comp: Shorter Tacko Fall
Rocco has really come into his own throughout the G League season. For the first month all season, Zikarsky averaged over 30 minutes per game in March. As a result, we saw him post his best scoring, rebounding and shot blocking marks of any month. Averaging a 19.5 point and 11.8 rebound double-double is amazing, but swatting away a ridiculous 5.2 blocks per game is mind-boggling. The Aussie finished second in the league in total blocks (103). His 8.4% BLK% would’ve been second in the NBA behind Victor Wembanyama.
Unfortunately, his three-point shooting has been anything but reliable. He showed signs of promise at the beginning of the season, but then really tailed off in February. His 31.6% mark from distance in March might not be exciting, but consider the fact that he went zero for 15 in February and you’ll be relieved to know that he even has the ability to score from beyond the arc.
At 19-years-old (20 in July), this isn’t to say Zikarsky can’t keep developing. Jump shooting tend to trend upwards, not downwards, as players get older. He still has upside and that’s all anyone should ask for from a 45th overall pick.
DES MOINES, IA - MARCH 28: Zyon Pullin #5 of the Iowa Wolves looks to pass the ball during the game against the Oklahoma City Blue on March 28, 2026 at Casey's Center in Des Moines, Iowa. 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 Jasey Bradwell/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Zyon Pullin Full season stats: 22 GP | 34.9 MP | 25.3 PTS | 4.2 REB | 6.2 AST | 0.9 STL | 0.2 BLK | 2.2 TOV | 2.3 PF 58.4 FG% | 53.4 3P% | 82.4 FT% Glass ceiling comp: Explosive Ajay Mitchell Boring mezzanine comp: Offensively skewed Tre Jones Dark basement comp: Devin Carter
What more can you say about Zyon that I haven’t already said about him at this point? I’ve been a Pullin truther since November and he’s only gotten better as the season progressed, despite a significant injury. Take a look at his month-by-month splits:
PTS
REB
AST
STL
3PM
3P%
NOV
27.7
3.3
6.0
0.7
1.7
54.5%
DEC (INJURY)
14.8
3.3
5.5
0.5
1.3
41.7%
FEB (RETURN)
26.7
4.0
5.7
0.7
1.7
42.9%
MAR
28.0
5.6
7.0
1.3
2.4
59.4%
With the loss of players like Tristen Newton and Alize Johnson, Pullin has shouldered even more of the workload in the past month. He’s picking up the playmaking hole left by the former, while attacking the glass to makeup for the loss of the latter. Most impressive has been his three-point shooting. Never known as a volume chucker from beyond the arc, Pullin has become an absolute sniper in recent games including a career-high six makes in his second to last game.
As mentioned in the February recap, Zyon isn’t a star on the defensive end of the court, but he has great court awareness and isn’t typically a defender that’s targeted by opponents. It’s clear that Iowa will only go as far as Zyon can pull them.
STOCKTON, CA - FEBRUARY 25: Enrique Freeman #25 of the Iowa Wolves drives to the basket during the game against the Stockton Kings on February 25, 2026 at Adventist Health Arena in Stockton, 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 Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jack Arent/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Enrique Freeman Full season stats: 39 GP | 33.2 MP | 16.5 PTS | 8.8 REB | 2.4 AST | 0.8 STL | 0.8 BLK | 1.8 TOV | 2.8 PF 54.6 FG% | 32.3 3P% | 73.8 FT% Glass ceiling comp: Poor man’s Paul Millsap Boring mezzanine comp: Trim Jared Sullinger Dark basement comp: Poor man’s Craig Smith
The oft-forgotten two-way player for the Wolves has steadily found his groove in recent months. He had a breakout February, averaging a 22.5 point, 10.5 rebound double-double while shooting 41.7% from distance. Though his 11-game March hasn’t been as good, he’s logged a repeatable and consistent 16.7 points and 9.2 rebounds per game averages while knocking down 36.6% of his triples.
Something that has stood out from Freeman has his been his increased playmaking skills. He’s averaged a career-best 3.5 assists this month while decreasing his turnovers down to just 1.5 per game. Enrique is a strong roll man who has made good decisions in the short roll, but also flashed some ability as an offensive hub at the top of the arc. The Puerto Rican has a dependable jump hook with either hand that Iowa can lean on in tough possessions.
Freeman will have a chance to prove himself on the defensive end in the postseason. He’s shown the ability to get deflections or go up for difficult rim contests, but he has to be more reliable on that end. I’d like to say that he is one of those players that acts before he thinks, often playing off instinct for better or worse. Sometimes he’ll wow you, but other times it’ll make some forehead slapping decisions.
Intriguing Prospects
DES MOINES, IA - MARCH 28: Jalen Crutcher #18 of the Iowa Wolves drives to the basket during the game against the Oklahoma City Blue on March 28, 2026 at Casey's Center in Des Moines, Iowa. 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 Jasey Bradwell/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Jalen Crutcher Full season stats: 34 GP | 35.3 MP | 18.4 PTS | 3.2 REB | 6.0 AST | 0.8 STL | 0.4 BLK | 2.0 TOV | 1.9 PF 46.9 FG% | 43.3 3P% | 83.6 FT% Glass ceiling comp: Better shooting Dennis Schröder Boring mezzanine comp: “We Have Cameron Payne at home” Dark basement comp: Ryan Nembhard in four years
Jalen Crutcher has slowly, but surely, become one of the most important players on the roster. Sure, Rocco gets a lot of fanfare as a seven-foot unicorn. Joan makes waves every time he’s violently throwing down a dunk or swatting a shot. Zyon’s emergence has become the story of the season for Iowa.
But Crutcher has become an invaluable engine to this team.
Ever since he took over as the full-time starting point guard after Tristen Newton signed with Houston, the 26-year-old has been the best ball handler, playmaker, and perimeter shooter for Iowa. In March, Crutcher was launching 9.5 three-point attempts per game and connecting on 41% of them. Many of those were of the dribble pull-up variety. When defenders play up on him, he beats them with his signature floater.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Crutcher is offered a lucrative contract elsewhere. This is his fifth year in the G League and he’s been a more than productive innings eater for multiple teams.
STOCKTON, CA - FEBRUARY 25: Jules Bernard #14 of the Iowa Wolves drives to the basket during the game against the Stockton Kings on February 25, 2026 at Adventist Health Arena in Stockton, 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 Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jack Arent/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Jules Bernard Full season stats: 45 GP | 34.0 MP | 22.1 PTS | 6.2 REB | 5.2 AST | 1.1 STL | 0.4 BLK | 3.4 TOV | 1.9 PF 42.0 FG% | 32.9 3P% | 79.3 FT% Glass ceiling comp: Norman Powell Boring mezzanine comp: Bigger Cole Anthony Dark basement comp: Discount Jaden Hardy
The return of Pullin and increased role for Crutcher has predictably limited Bernard’s role. He had a standout January, but has begun to regress back to his inefficient ways in the last two months. Jules has also dealt with some injuries and illnesses recently, perhaps impacting his play.
At his best, Bernard is an overqualified third option on offense. At his worst, he’s disrupting the offensive flow by calling his own number too often. His perimeter shooting has steadily declined from 38.3% in January, down to 25% in March. He’s still effective at getting to the paint and drawing contact, but he frequently gets caught in the paint with no second plan of attack if the whistle isn’t blown.
PHOENIX — OK, whoever wrote this Hollywood script has a merciless sense of humor.
Come on, this was supposed to be the first chapter of Justin Verlander’s glorious return, his first start in a Detroit Tigers uniform in 3,135 days, at the age of 43 years and 38 days.
Instead, it was a living nightmare Monday night for the future Hall of Famer and the oldest athlete in major North American team sports.
Verlander took the loss, and lasted just 3 ⅔ innings, giving up six hits, five earned runs and two walks with one strikeout.
It took Verlander 20 pitches to record his first out.
It was 2-0 after the first four batters.
It was 5-0 after the first 11 batters.
The Diamondbacks had a homer, triple, double and three singles by the third inning. All-Star outfielder Corbin Carroll had a triple, homer and four RBIs by the second inning, becoming only the second player to accomplish the feat in an entire game against Verlander, joining Denard Span.
The Diamondbacks scorched six balls over 100 mph the first two innings, and Verlander didn’t produce a single strikeout until the 15th batter he faced. He recorded only six swings and misses in his 80-pitch outing.
"It sucks, not the way I obviously wanted it to go," Verlander said, "which is disappointing for myself more than anybody else in the world. … You spend all spring training working on stuff, feel OK, and then the first game of the season felt like nothing was right. ...
"They had way too many good swings on most of my pitches. I need to be better."
It was a season debut that Verlander hopes to flush from his memory as quickly as possible, certainly before his next scheduled start Sunday, April 5, in a nationally televised game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Detroit’s Comerica Park.
Still, despite the ugliness, Verlander refused to give in. He finished his outing by retiring seven of the final nine batters he faced, leaving after 80 pitches. He stayed in the dugout for awhile after he was pulled from the game, standing next to Tigers manager A.J. Hinch, lamenting his performance.
"I got some outs, but I wouldn’t consider it progress," Verlander said. "I think it was much of the same, to be honest."
It’s premature, and perhaps foolish for anyone to start panicking over Verlander. It was just one start against one of the league’s finest hitting teams in Arizona. Verlander got off to a slow start last season for the San Francisco Giants, too, going 0-7 with a 4.70 ERA in the first half compared to 4-4 with a 2.99 ERA the second half.
"I don’t think what I did today is sustainable," he said. "If that’s the way hitters are going to react against me, I need to be sharper than that."
Verlander already has ideas swirling in his head before his next start, knowing he has three Cy Young awards and 266 victories for a reason. He wouldn’t have come back if he thought he’d be a detriment. He knows he can still be successful, and plans to prove it.
"Obviously, he’s thinking about some different things, pitch mechanics, or whatever it may be." Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler said. "He’s a perfectionist, and he’s one of the best to ever do it. So it’s kind of cool to see the constant drive that he has. It’s cool that each game he’s trying to get better and get better."
The Tigers’ confidence in Verlander refuses to wane, even after a spring in which he yielded a 6.75 ERA, giving up seven homers in 14 ⅔ innings. Tigers pitchers can’t stop raving about what he has meant to their staff, and are convinced vintage Verlander will surface again.
"It’s been a ton of fun to be with him," two-time Cy Young award winner Tarik Skubal tells USA TODAY Sports. "Just his eagerness to want to get better and his preparation, not that I didn't expect it, it's just like to a level that I didn't really know was possible.
"He's invested in everything going on. That's something I can easily pick up on and apply to my game the attention to detail he is on every single specific thing. It's really impressive. He’s 43 years old and still locked in. He's locked in for my bullpens. He's locked in for the other guys’ bullpens. He's locked in on days I pitch on what I'm doing.
"It's really cool."
The Tigers didn’t sign Verlander to a one-year, $13 million contract for sentimental purposes. They know he can be a solid No. 4 starter, replacing Reese Olson, who underwent labrum surgery. Yet, they also see the impact he makes behind the scenes, what he means to this passionate fanbase, and believe he can take them where they haven’t gone in 42 years:
The World Series championship.
"It definitely got me excited when I heard Justin was coming back here," said Tigers closer Kenley Jansen, who’s just 23 saves shy of 500 and a ticket to Cooperstown. "He’s definitely a Detroit legend, a first ballot Hall of Famer. I can only imagine what it does for the fans.
"But for us, guys like me, my first year in Detroit, it’s definitely fired me up."
Hinch vividly remembers Verlander walking through the Houston Astros clubhouse doors for the first time after being traded in 2017, in between games of a doubleheader, and just what his presence meant to the entire team.
Two months later, the Astros were celebrating their first World Series championship with Verlander going 5-0 with a 1.06 ERA in five regular-season starts, and 4-1 with a 2.21 ERA in the postseason.
"When he walked through the doors," Hinch said, "is when I first felt the magnitude of what it was like to have Justin Verlander on your team, and how he raises everyone's play around him. He’s been incredible ever since …
"He’s fit in extremely well with this club, the personality of this team and the preparation surrounding this team."
While Verlander’s parents and family were at the game Monday, it will be a whole different vibe in his next start in Detroit. It’s a day Tigers fans have been anticipating since he signed, with Scott Harris, Tigers president of baseball operations, receiving more positive feedback than any move he made since joining the team.
"He's been a huge boost," Harris said. "In addition to what he can do on the field, off the field, the leadership and the wisdom that he shares with this young group is incredible. There are players asking him questions all the time about how he would approach certain situations. But the thing that I was struck by is how many of our players take notice of his work and how he approaches things.
"When he throws a bullpen, he is obsessed with every detail on every single pitch. That's just a habit and a practice that has served him well in his career. He's going to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer because of the talent, but also like the way he approaches the game and how prepared he is. It’s already rubbing off on our young guys."
Verlander, who made 380 starts for the Tigers before being traded Aug. 31, 2017, to the Astros, joins Don Sutton of the Los Angeles Dodgers as the only pitchers in baseball history to make the first 380 starts of their career for one team, leave and start at least 175 games elsewhere, and then return to his original team.
It’s reminiscent of Hall of Famer Tom Seaver returning to the New York Mets after making 360 starts and leaving, and Hall of Famer Tom Glavine who returned to Atlanta after making 505 starts, departing as a free agent, and returning.
"I think the home start is really what will hit our guys because of the fan reaction," Hinch said, "the Old English D being on his chest will hit a little bit different."
Said Skubal: "That one Sunday is going to be pretty special. I know it’s scheduled to rain, but I expect 40,000. It’s going to be like a playoff environment."
Maybe, the emotional return will bring back a vintage Verlander, too.
The Buffalo Sabres have several pending free agents heading into the summer. Due to this, let's look at four specific players who the Sabres could end up signing to a contract extension.
Alex Tuch
The Sabres' biggest contract extension candidate to watch is Alex Tuch. The star winger is this year's best pending unrestricted free agent (UFA), but if the Sabres have it their way, they will get him locked up before he hits the market.
Tuch is due for a major raise, as he has been one of Buffalo's top forwards for several years now. In 71 games this season, he has recorded 29 goals, 30 assists, and 59 points.
Zach Benson
Zach Benson is a pending restricted free agent (RFA), as he is in the final year of his entry-level deal. The 20-year-old forward is having a nice third season in the NHL, as he has 10 goals and has set new career highs with 26 assists and 36 points.
With Benson being one of the Sabres' most exciting young players, he should land himself a nice new contract from the Atlantic Division club.
Peyton Krebs
The 2025-26 season has certainly treated Peyton Krebs now, as he is having the best year of his career. In 74 games, he has scored 10 goals and has set new career highs with 25 assists, 35 points, and 173 hits. With numbers like these, the Sabres should certainly be looking to keep the pending RFA around.
Logan Stanley
Logan Stanley is a pending UFA who the Sabres could look to keep around beyond this season. The 6-foot-7 defenseman has played in 10 games since being acquired by the Sabres, where he has recorded two assists, 10 hits, and 22 penalty minutes.
With playoff teams always valuing big defenseman who play with an edge, it could make sense for the Sabres to keep Stanley around at the right price. This is especially so when noting that he is right in his prime at 27 years old.
There are 13 days left in the NBA’s 2025-26 regular season, but the Eastern Conference playoff picture remains a chaotic blur with the six teams in spots 5-10 separated by just 3.5 games. Trying to predict who might emerge as the Boston Celtics’ first-round opponent remains a dart throw.
Here’s what we know: The Celtics hold a two-game lead on the Knicks in the race for the No. 2 seed, though New York holds the head-to-head tiebreaker (division record) if the teams finish with matching records. There’s a very good chance that the final head-to-head meeting on April 9 will dictate exactly who emerges with the No. 2 seed.
The finish line of the Celtics’ schedule feels a bit like a playoff appetizer platter. Seven of Boston’s final 10 games are against potential first-round opponents, or that cluster of six teams slotted in spots 5-10 in the East. The Knicks would be the Round 2 opponent if they stay at No. 3 and the higher seeds take care of business in Round 1.
Given the volatility in spots 5-10, we wondered if there are more agreeable opponents than others for the Celtics. If Boston finishes with the No. 2 seed, it would play the winner of the 7-8 play-in game in Round 1; if the Celtics finish with the No. 3 seed, they would play the No. 6 seed to start the playoffs.
Just how jumbled is the bottom of the playoff bracket? All six teams in spots 5-10 are alive for the No. 7 spot, with no team holding better than a 33.1 percent chance to finish there, per Basketball Reference’s daily playoff probabilities report. The Charlotte Hornets face the longest odds to shuffle beyond the 9-10 matchup of the play-in tournament, but five teams have at least a 12 percent chance at the No. 7 spot, per Basketball Reference’s simulations.
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If the season ended today, the Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic would meet in the 7-8 game to determine the No. 7 seed. The Atlanta Hawks, who snapped Boston’s three-game win streak on Monday, would be the No. 6 seed.
Who should Celtics fans want their team to face in Round 1? Is there truly a better matchup than another? Is there an opponent they might want to avoid more than another?
The Celtics own a 13-6 record against the teams at the bottom of the East bracket. That includes 3-0 marks against Miami and Toronto, though they’ll play both again over the next six days. Boston lost twice to Philadelphia, but played three games against the 76ers before November 11. The Celtics don’t look like quite the same team now, even beyond the obvious recent return of Jayson Tatum.
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To determine the most daunting opponent, we wondered how each of the teams in spots 5-10 fared against top-tier talent. So, we crunched each team’s numbers vs. opponents in the top 10 of point differential in the NBA. Here’s the data from the folks at Cleaning the Glass:
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It’s somewhat surprising that Miami has four more wins than any other team in that cluster. The Hornets — the only team in spots 5-10 that resides in the top 10 in point differential overall — have played fewer total games against top teams than their rivals.
Miami’s biggest weapon might be on the sideline with head coach Erik Spoelstra, who is capable of putting his team in the best possible position to be successful. In fact, the 2023 Heat are basically the only team to emerge from a play-in position and create noise in the postseason (as Celtics fans know all too well). The Heat made the NBA Finals as the No. 8 seed that season.
The Celtics rank in the top 10 in both offensive and defensive rating this season, making a notable surge defensively in the second half of the season. So, how has the cluster of play-in potential teams fared against the top 10 squads in defensive rating this season?
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The Magic fare better than the pack against elite defenses, while Miami’s winning percentage dips compared to game against teams with the highest point differential.
The data suggests that Toronto might be the most ideal matchup for a top-tier opponent. Basketball Reference’s simulations give the Raptors a 79.5 percent chance to land outside the play-in.
The most likely 7-8 matchup per Basketball Reference’s simulations: Miami vs. Philadelphia. Those two teams just happened to meet on Monday night with the Heat, even while playing without Norm Powell, earning a double-digit win against a full-health Sixers squad.
Buckle up. There are still plenty of twists and turns before this playoff picture comes into focus.
The Columbus Blue Jackets are back at home for the final of three straight games in the friendly confines of Nationwide Arena. This game features the Carolina Hurricanes.
Carolina Hurricanes - 46-21-6 - 98 Points - 6-4-0 in the last 10 - Lost 1- 1st in the Metro
Columbus Blue Jackets - 38-24-12 - 88 Points - 5-3-2 in the last 10 - OTL 1 - 4th in the Metro
Team Notes Per CBJ PR
The Blue Jackets have earned points in 13 of their last 14 home games (9-1-4) as well as in 17-of-19 contests played at Nationwide Arena in 2026 (12-2-5, .763 points pct.). The club ranks in the top-10 at home in the calendar year in goals-for per game (2nd, 4.00), wins (3rd-T), points pct. (4th) and goals-against per game (7th, 2.74).
The club has earned points in 25 of its last 30 contests (20-5-5, 45 pts) to lead the league points pct. (.750), rank second in wins (tied), points and goals against per game (2.47) and eighth in goals-for per game (3.43) since Jan. 11.
Columbus has allowed two goals or less in eight of the last 11 games since Mar. 10 (2.00 GA/GP, 3rd in NHL].
The Jackets lead the NHL with a franchise-record 55 goals scored by defensemen in 2025-26 (55-132-187, 74 GP].
CBJ has collected points in 10 of the last 11 games against Metropolitan Division opponents since Jan. 4 (8-1-2).
Player Notes Per CBJ PR
Adam Fantilli, who leads the club in scoring in March with 6-9-15 in 16 games, has set a single-season career high in assists and points (tied) with 21-33-54 in 74 contests.
Jet Greaves has earned points in 15 of his last 17 starts since Jan. 11 (12-2-3, 2.26 GAA, .915 SV% in 18 GP), ranking fourth among NHL goaltenders in GAA and SV% (min. 6 GP].
Elvis Merzlikins has recorded points in 10 of his past 13 starts since Jan. 11 (8-3-2, 2.54 GAA in 14 GP].
Boone Jenner has registered 2-3-5 in the last seven games, including scoring a goal in his 800th career contest on Sunday vs. the Bruins (210-207-417, 800 GP].
Mason Marchment notched his sixth multi-point game as a Blue Jacket on Sunday (1-1-2). He ranks second on the team in goals since making his CBJ debut on Dec. 20, 2025 (14-11-25 in 32 GP].
Zach Werenski has notched 21-56-77 and 25 multi-point efforts in 66 games in 2025-26 to lead NHL blueliners in multi-point efforts and shots on goal (229) and sit second in points and points-per-game (1.15) and third in goals.
Blue Jackets Stats
Power Play - 20.2% - 17th in the NHL
Penalty Kill - 77.3% - 25th in the NHL
Goals For - 231 - 14th in the NHL
Goals Against - 224 - 20th in the NHL
HurricanesStats
Power Play - 23.7% - 9th in the NHL
Penalty Kill - 80.2% - 13th in the NHL
Goals For - 253 - 6th in the NHL
Goals Against - 213 - 7th in the NHL
Series History vs. TheHurricanes
Columbus is 30-31-0-5 all-time, and 17-14-0-2 at home vs. Carolina.
The home team has won eight-straight meetings and 12 of the last 14 games dating back to Feb. 25, 2022.
Columbus has won four consecutive games at Nationwide Arena and five of the past seven in Ohio since Jan. 7, 2023.
The winning team has scored four-plus goals in each of the past seven contests (including SO goals) and 15 of the past 17 since Oct. 23, 2021.
The winning team has also scored four or more goals in each of the last ten at Nationwide Arena (including SO goals).
The winning team has won by three-plus goals in six of the past eight meetings overall with Columbus earning two shootout victories in the other two.
CBJ have scored a power play goal in three-straight home games vs. the Canes (4-of-13; 30.8 pct.) and seven of the past ten meetings at Nationwide Arena (9-of-35; 25.7 pct.).
The Blue Jackets have registered four shutouts and hat tricks in the all-time series.
Who To Watch For TheHurricanes
Seth Jarvis leads the Canes with 30 goals.
Sebastian Aho leads the team with 49 assists and 74 points.
Goalie Brandon Bussi is 27-6-1 with a SV% of .896.
CBJ Player Notes vsHurricanes
Boone Jenner has 13 points in 25 career games against Carolina.
Zach Werenski has 16 points against the Hurricanes.
Mason Marchment has 8 points in 10 games vs. Carolina.
Injured Reserve & Other Injuries
Brendan Smith - Lower Body - Missed 36 Games IR - Out for the rest of the regular season.
Damon Severson - Missed 2 Games - Upper Body - Week-to-week
Dmitri Voronkov - Upper Body - Left game early against San Jose
TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 185
How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on ESPN+ & HULU featuring John Buccigross. The radio broadcast will be on 97.1 The Fan, with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play.
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SAN FRANCISCO, CA - MARCH 27: Brandin Podziemski #2 of the Golden State Warriors talks to the media after the game against the Washington Wizards on March 27, 2026 at Chase Center 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 Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Warriors are 36-39, three games under .500, and Brandin Podziemski has been on the floor for almost all of it.
However you want to slice it, whether it’s NBA.com, lineup data, or just watching the season unfold night after night, the same reality keeps surfacing. Podziemski is right there at the top of this roster in minutes and games played. I’m talking ahead of the names the offense is supposed to orbit around; the veterans who were meant to stabilize everything. And somewhere in that, this season quietly decided he wasn’t a supporting piece anymore.
Podz is a 23-year-old guard learning the job while doing it.
Warriors by minutes played this season:
1. Brandin Podziemski (2137) 2. Draymond Green (1706) 3. Moses Moody (1540) 4. Will Richard (1306) 5. Gui Santos (1289) pic.twitter.com/eUnv5Vw6JD
He’s out there running point, crashing the glass, AND getting ran over attempting to take charges. Trying to read the game at full speed while the structure around him kept shifting. That kind of workload isn’t something cosmetic that sits all pretty on a stat page. It sticks to you. It says you were here for this season in a way nothing else really can.
Through the stretches where the offense barely held together, and through nights where it looked like something had finally clicked before slipping away again, Podziemski kept showing up in the middle of it.
And the thing about showing up like that, in this particular moment of Warriors basketball, is that it doesn’t happen in a vacuum. This isn’t just a young guard getting reps. He’s openly talked about what those reps are building toward in terms of earning trust and potentially one day being the guy they hand this to when the current era finally lets go.
“When they leave this thing, they got to leave it with somebody,” Podziemski said. “How can I have their trust?”
That’s not a quiet ambition or “I’m just here to help.” That’s someone looking at a dynasty and thinking about what it means to be next. And once you say that out loud and put that idea in the air? Everything you do starts getting filtered through it.
Every pull-up that comes a beat too early or a missed read when a better option was sitting there can fall under the microscope. That’s where the tension comes from.
You saw it again in Sunday’s loss to Denver. Podziemski forces a look, Kristaps Porzingis is standing open, and Steve Kerr’s voice cuts through the possession like he had a megaphone.
Porzingis was PISSED at Podz for not passing him the ball WIDE OPEN…
Because if you’re going to talk about holding the baton someday, people are going to watch how you handle it now. To his credit, he hasn’t backed away from that. He’s rebounded like someone who refuses to let position define effort, pushed the pace like he’s trying to solve problems before they fully form, and kept stepping into moments that don’t come with guarantees. He hasn’t answered the question perfectly. That was never really on the table. But he’s answered it in real time.
Night after night, in a season that has asked more questions than it’s answered, Podziemski kept taking on possessions that didn’t have easy solutions. These aren’t empty minutes or safe reps tucked inside a functioning system. These are decisions that live with you, that show up on film, that get talked about in ways young players don’t always get exposed to this early.
This is what the early part of 10,000 hours looks like when it’s happening in public.
It’s uneven. It can be frustrating. It doesn’t always reward you right away. But it builds something underneath the surface that box scores don’t fully capture. Availability is part of it, sure! But this goes deeper. It’s exposure to blinding levels of accountability. It’s a young guard being handed responsibility on a team that didn’t have the luxury of easing him into it.
So when this season settles into memory (and it will, because seasons like this always end up meaning more later than they do in the moment) it won’t really be about the record. It’ll be about who was out there when nothing felt settled. Podz is absolutely out there in the trenches. What matters now isn’t whether he’s ready, it’s that the season already decided he had to be.
“Yeah, I see it (what is said online). Like I said, a lot of the things I said, I probably shouldn’t have said… But all I can do is look forward and give it my all every night.”
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 30: Jarren Duran #16 of the Boston Red Sox looks on during the game against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on March 30, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Jarren Duran placed eighth in American League MVP voting in 2024, between Tarik Skubal and Yordan Alvarez. The following season, his 3.9 fWAR output was a disappointment. Offensively, his offensive output was most hampered by a .050 decrease in his slugging percentage, which includes 13 fewer extra-base hits. His strikeout rate also increased by about 2.5% from 2024 to 2025. Defensively, he recorded 23 defensive runs saved in 2024 and just nine in 2025. His outs above average fell from 10 to -2. Some positional adjustments are going on, and he played much more left field in 2025, but his DRS in center field alone fell from 17 to -2.
Looking at some under-the-hood numbers, Duran’s elite bat speed remained consistent, and he was pitched in a similar manner in terms of pitch types seen. Mechanically, he tinkered with his stance, but the changes were consistent with normal season-long fluctuations. While there are likely several factors at play in Duran’s decreased output, a major factor was the pitches that he chose to swing at.
In 2025, 26.5% of the pitches Duran saw were over the heart of the plate. That number is slightly below his 2024 rate, but it’s right around the league average. In his breakout campaign, he swung at 73.3% of those pitches. In his down year, he only swung at 68.2%. While that might seem like a small dropoff, his overall swing rate was only 1% lower, meaning he was swinging at other, worse pitches.
When you let pitches over the heart of the plate go, they’re called strikes. When you’re behind in the count, you don’t see as many good pitches to hit, unless the pitcher makes a mistake. The past two seasons, Jarren Duran has had a .453 weighted on-base average when he’s ahead in the count. Behind in the count, that number is .220. His chase rate is also nearly 10% higher when the pitcher is ahead.
Duran is also a good fastball hitter — he posted a .368 wOBA against fastballs in 2025, compared to a .265 against breaking balls. That’s in part because more breaking balls come when pitchers are ahead in the count, but the point remains.
Defensively, I remember a few occasions like this, where a miscommunication between Duran and Ceddanne Rafaela led to a fly ball turning into an out. I don’t have statistical support for this one, but I can’t remember these types of plays happening in 2024.
All of this might feel self-explanatory, but I think there can be pressure to work counts, take pitches, and hit with two strikes. Playing next to a Gold Glove winner who makes highlight reel plays on a nightly basis might also lead to a tendency to be passive in the field. While some level of patience is necessary to succeed in the majors, I don’t think that’s who Duran is. There’s a time and place to force the issue (not leading off first base in the eighth inning), but Duran should have a long leash. Swing at the first pitch if it’s there. Stretch singles into doubles, even if it means getting thrown out from time to time. Steal home!
I don’t know Jarren Duran personally. I only know him from watching him play baseball and seeing him in interviews. I don’t know what’s going on in his brain, but he looks like someone who is thinking too much and not letting his instincts take over. In 2023, Dustin Pedroia told Duran to “act like you’re going to hit the f—— s— out of the ball.” He improved defensively in the outfield on the advice of Jackie Bradley Jr., which boiled down to “practice playing outfield”, which led to him getting better jumps on the ball. Given non-baseball, but still on-the-field events that have occurred in Duran’s career, a reasonable person might tell Duran to slow down and think before he acts. While I have no World Series rings, zero career fWAR, and a CPA rather than a therapist’s license, my unqualified advice to Jarren Duran is when they give you a pitch to hit, let it rip.
PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 01: Kris Letang #58 of the Pittsburgh Penguins moves the puck in front of Michael Rasmussen #27 of the Detroit Red Wings at PPG PAINTS Arena on January 1, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Who:Detroit Red Wings (39-26-8, 86 points, 6th place Atlantic Division) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (37-21-16, 90 points, 2nd place Metropolitan Division)
When: 7:00 p.m. eastern
How to Watch: Locally broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh and FanDuel Sportsnet Detroit, streaming on ESPN+
Pens’ Path Ahead: The Pens are headed to Tampa Bay to pay the Lightning on Thursday before returning home for a back-to-back set against the Florida Panthers on Saturday and Sunday.
Opponent Track: The Red Wings most recently let the Philadelphia Flyers back into the playoff race on Saturday, when Detroit started out the matchup by giving up four straight goals to Philadelphia. A late comeback push of three goals in three minutes wasn’t enough to overcome the early deficit, and now the Flyers are officially part of the late-season race for a Wild Card spot.
Season Series: The Penguins are looking to sweep the season series after claiming back-to-back wins (a 4-3 OT win and a 4-1 victory padded by two empty-netters) in a home-and-home set on Jan. 1 and Jan. 3.
Hidden Stat: Monday’s win over the New York Islanders marked the first time the Penguins have had 15 different players record a point in a game since March 27, 2022, per NHL Stats. That game, coincidentally, took place against the Red Wings.
Getting to know the Red Wings
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Emmitt Finnie – Dylan Larkin – Lucas Raymond
Alex DeBrincat – Andrew Copp – Patrick Kane
David Perron – J.T. Compher – Carter Mazur
James Van Riemsdyk – Marco Kasper – Mason Appleton
DEFENSEMEN
Simon Edvinsson / Moritz Seider
Ben Chiarot / Justin Faulk
Albert Johansson / Jacob Bernard-Docker
Goalies: John Gibson (starting), Cam Talbot
Potential scratches: Michael Rasmussen (injured), Travis Hamonic, Michal Postava
Injured Reserve: None
The Red Wings are mixing things up after Saturday’s loss to the Flyers. Here’s what the lines looked like during that game. The changes could be an effort to mix up a bottom six that struggled during Saturday’s loss to the Flyers.
I don’t see James van Riemsdyk out there
DeBrincat Copp Kane Compher Larkin Raymond Finnie Kasper Mazur Perron Shine Appleton
John Gibson is slated to make his 12th straight start tonight against the Penguins. He’s seeking redemption, both after getting pulled for allowing four goals on 21 shots last Saturday against the Flyers and giving up two early goals in his last meeting with the Pens on Jan. 3.
The Red Wings had wildly different results in their most recent back-to-back set, following a 5-2 win over the usually-dominant Buffalo Sabres with their collapse against the Flyers. That game was a hugely disappointing swing for a team that traded a package including a first-round pick in order to acquire Justin Faulk ahead of a hopeful playoff push.
Slow starts
Detroit has overall had trouble building much momentum since returning from the Olympic break. This team hasn’t put together a three-game win streak since January.
Part of the reason why could be a lingering issue with slow starts, which showed in Saturday’s loss to the Flyers. The Red Wings have overall been outscored 54-43 (and outshot 663-595) in first periods this season, per Hockey Reference.
Both of their recent losses that have weakened the team’s playoff position— a 3-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators last Tuesday and the Saturday defeat by the Flyers— involved the Red Wings giving up three straight goals to start the game.
The Penguins would love to put up some early goals against this team, which is 15-21-6 when their opponent scores first (5-10-4 on the road).
The Red Wings, who have lost three of their last four and know exactly what playoff implications are on the line here, will be similarly motivated to strike first. As Lucas Raymond said after his team’s loss to the Flyers, “we’ve got to play with a lot more desperation and jump if we want to win hockey games” (h/t The Athletic’s Max Bultman).
Playoff implications
Tonight is another game with major implications for the Eastern Conference playoff race, per MoneyPuck. The Pens could take another step toward clinching a playoff spot with a win, while the Red Wings’ postseason hopes would plummet with a loss.
Checking in on the East’s Wild Card race, via NHL.com. The Red Wings are two points back of the Wild Card line, the same position as the Ottawa Senators and Flyers. All three teams have a game in hand over the current WC2 Columbus Blue Jackets.
And now for the Pens
Projected lines (from Monday’s game)
FORWARDS
Egor Chinakhov – Sidney Crosby – Bryan Rust
Anthony Mantha – Rickard Rakell – Justin Brazeau
Tommy Novak – Ben Kindel – Avery Hayes
Elmer Soderblom – Connor Dewar – Noel Acciari
DEFENSEMEN
Parker Wotherspoon / Erik Karlsson
Sam Girard / Kris Letang
Ryan Shea / Connor Clifton
Goalies: Stuart Skinner (Arturs Silovs started yesterday)
Potential Scratches: Evgeni Malkin* (injured), Ilya Solovyov, Blake Lizotte (injured), Kevin Hayes, Ryan Graves, Ville Koivunen, Rutger McGroarty
IR: Filip Hallander, Jack St. Ivany
Dan Muse did some line-shuffling last night, including placing Chinakhov on the first line and shuffling Tommy Novak to the third. Mantha and Brazeau looked good together on the second line, but that could change if Evgeni Malkin is able to return.
Speaking of Malkin: He was a full participant in practice the day before Monday’s game, so it seems there is at least a possibility he returns for tonight’s home matchup. In that case it could be Avery Hayes drawing out of the lineup as Rickard Rakell slides back to wing.
Elmer Soderblom is reuniting with his former team after coming one assist short of a Gordie Howe hat trick last night in his best game as Penguin so far.
The Penguins seem to know the playoff implications of a win tonight, based on their reaction to last night’s victory:
No celebrating in the Penguins locker room. Not even many smiles.
"Time to get ready for the Red Wings," Bryan Rust said.
Sidney Crosby is the eighth player in NHL history to reach this mark, and just the second ever to record 1,100 assists with one franchise, after Ray Bourque with Boston. https://t.co/Nf6yIgsPx6
Minor League Baseball: View of First Horizon Park scoreboard in the shape of a guitar during anthem before Nashville Sounds vs Memphis Redbirds game. Nashville, TN 5/14/2021 CREDIT: David E. Klutho/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (Set Number: X163617 TK1)
Welcome back to the Minor League Roundup!
I’ll be releasing a weekly update this season covering everything you need to know about each of the Brewers’ minor league affiliates. This week’s edition is a bit brief, as only Triple-A Nashville has begun its season. Starting next week, this roundup will include coverage of each Brewers affiliate while highlighting notable stats and naming a Player and Play of the Week.
Triple-A Nashville(1-2)
Record this week: 1-2
First half record: 1-2
OF Eddys Leonard: 5-for-9, 2B, 3B, BB
OF Greg Jones: 5-for-11, 2B, 3 RBI
INF/OF Jett Williams: 3-for-11, 3 BB, 3 SB
LHP Robert Gasser: 1 GS, 5 2/3 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 11 K
RHP Coleman Crow: 1 GS, 4 2/3 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 6 K
LHP Tate Kuehner: 1 GS, 5 2/3 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 5 K
Nashville dropped two of three games this week to the Norfolk Tides, the Triple-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, despite solid performances from each of their starting pitchers. Robert Gasser had an incredibly impressive first start of the season, striking out 11 in 5 2/3 scoreless innings.
The Triple-A roster features a few of the Brewers’ top hitting prospects, including Williams (No. 3), Cooper Pratt (No. 4), Luis Lara (No. 12), Luke Adams (No. 13), and Brock Wilken (No. 22). Adams and Wilken failed to record hits this week, but Lara went 3-for-12 with a home run and Pratt went 4-for-15. The two hitters with the best stats this week were outfielders Eddys Leonard and Greg Jones, both unranked by MLB Pipeline.
Double-A Biloxi(0-0)
High-A Wisconsin (0-0)
Single-A Wilson (0-0)
Player of the Week
Gasser, who — as shown by his performance on Opening Day — doesn’t really have much to prove in Triple-A anymore. Kyle Harrison is currently the only left-hander in the Brewers’ rotation. If the Brewers decide that Brandon Sproat could use some more time to develop in Triple-A, Gasser would be the logical replacement, especially with Logan Henderson reportedly dealing with soreness in his pitching elbow.
Striking out 11 on Opening Day just runs in the @Brewers family it seems! Robert Gasser was dealing tonight! 💪🔥
TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 28: Brendan Beck #89 of the New York Yankees works out before the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 28, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Yankees minor league baseball is back! While the big league club worked on sweeping the San Francisco Giants out west, the first games of the minor league season took place over the weekend, with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre opening their season on Friday.
They only played three games, and the other three full-season affiliates don’t officially kick off until Friday, but we did get some notable performances and interesting storylines from the first few games of the year from the farm’s top affiliate.
Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders
Record: 2-1, 1 GB in International League East after a 2-1 week against the Buffalo Bison (Blue Jays)
Run differential: +5
Coming up: Away @ Rochester Red Wings (Nationals)
It was a choppy start to the season for the RailRiders, who opened the season on Friday before the cold Buffalo weather forced a Saturday postponement, leading to a Sunday doubleheader.
Debuting one of the best Triple-A rosters you can put together, they put on a show on Friday afternoon, riding five sharp innings from Brendan Beck to an 8-0 shutout victory. Eight of their nine starters got a hit, and the first seven batters all recorded an RBI, with Spencer Jones hitting a double and Yanquiel Fernandez mashing a home run.
The opener of Sunday’s doubleheader was a whirlwind. Scranton took an early lead and rode a solid start from Carlos Lagrange, but was dragged into a 3-3 tie heading into extras (minor league doubleheaders are only seven innings). RBI knocks from Jasson Domínguez and Max Schuemann were just enough to win the game in 10 innings, 5-4, with flamethrower Yovanny Cruz getting a win in his Triple-A debut and Danny Watson picking up his first Triple-A save.
The nightcap was a bit rougher. Jones and Fernandez both launched home runs to get the RailRiders out to an early lead, but Dom Hamel struggled badly with his command in his organizational debut, allowing a six-run fourth inning en route to a 7-3 loss.
It was a strong weekend for the two hitters we all have the most eyes on in Domínguez and Jones, with other notable performers including the veterans on minor league deals. Beck and Lagrange looked good in their season debuts, with Lagrange managing to still hit 101.3 on the radar gun on a frigid day in Buffalo. Much of the bullpen also thrived, with notable names like Cruz, Harrison Cohen, and Kervin Castro delivering scoreless relief along with two guys who we’ll see in the Bronx soon when the inevitable bullpen shakeup occurs (Yerry De los Santos, Angel Chivilli).
It was not a great defensive weekend, as Scranton committed six errors in three games. One of them was particularly bad from Domínguez in left field.
In a stacked rotation that includes a former Rookie of the Year and two Top 100 prospects, a name that may fall behind is Brendan Beck, a former third-round pick who’s battled injuries that cost him most of the first three seasons of his professional career before finally putting together a full season in 2025.
Beck got off to a fantastic start in Double-A Somerset that year and earned a summer promotion to Triple-A, where he struggled with inconsistency. His low-90s fastball wasn’t playing as well and, despite his positioning in the organization, he was left unprotected in the Rule 5 draft. After going undrafted, he came to camp as a non-roster invite while also getting the chance to pitch with his brother, Tristan, for Great Britain in the World Baseball Classic.
With that experience behind him, he’s opened 2026 with a bang, dominating Buffalo with one of the better outings of his professional career. While that low-90s fastball was his most-utilized pitch, he located it well and earned a called strike + whiff rate (CSW%) of 43 percent. His best pitch was his slider, and it wasn’t close, wiping out several hitters by generating nine whiffs on just 15 swings. He also mixed in a splitter and curveball, both generating positive readings. The splitter, especially, seems revamped from 2025.
Brendan Beck (NYY) looks like he's levelled up his splitter. Not a high upside guy given the age and velocity, but may have unlocked his huge 9K 5IP night. The slider is slightly different too, not sure what to make of it. pic.twitter.com/AXtmKgBHUq
Beck profiles as a back-end starter or long reliever when he reaches the majors, and the more starts like these that the 27-year-old gets under his belt, the quicker that day will come, whether it’s for the Yankees or for someone else.
BALTIMORE, MD - MARCH 30: Pitcher Chris Bassitt #40 of the Baltimore Orioles walks to the dugout after being replaced in the fifth inning against the Texas Rangers at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on March 30, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hello, friends.
As the now-old movie quote goes, “Oh no, we suck again!” The Orioles were back at it last night, not convincing anybody that anything is going to be different this year no matter how many slogans they put out. They dropped a 5-2 game to the Texas Rangers to start off their three-game set, falling to 2-2 on the year. Check out Alex Church’s recap of the game for more of the not-so-lovely totals.
The offense getting worked again is an ongoing early story, though for me it’s got to be the clunker of a first outing for Chris Bassitt that’s the most disappointing. He was supposed to not end up in Charlie Morton territory; he’s younger and the Orioles paid him even more money. He had the narrative around him of his postseason success last year and all of that. It was worth nothing in the 2026 season, at least to begin. He will get many more starts to prove he’s better than that, but for now, it’s a bad ERA number.
Alright, fine, I’m also disappointed about the offense. There are no bonus partial wins for silver linings, of course. Even so, it was nice to see Gunnar Henderson connect for his first homer of the season last night, and add a second hit later in the game. Good things will be needed from him this year, and from Taylor Ward and Pete Alonso. This is doubly true as long as these guys are the top three hitters in the lineup. They aren’t doing it yet.
It’s only been four games. Many, many more games remain. Still, I understand the early frustration. The team needs to go out in the month of April and convince people that things are really going to be different this year. They’re 2-2 through four games and honestly, even one of their two wins still had some nervousness underneath it that maybe the offense isn’t fixed. Until they blast this narrative away, it will linger because it’s been lingering since July of two years ago.
Perhaps they can start to author a different story in tonight’s game. The series with Texas is scheduled to continue at 6:35 tonight. As of this writing, the Rangers still don’t have an announced starting pitcher. It’ll be Zach Eflin getting the start for the Orioles. There’s one more guy who needs to quickly show that he’s put a rough 2025 behind him, or else sunny assumptions about the 2026 squad will have to be revisited in the aftermath of a dose of cruel reality.
The Orioles were most recently victorious on today’s date just a year ago, when they beat the Red Sox, 8-5, thanks to scoring four first-inning runs and four eighth-inning runs. Just four of the 17 players who appeared for the O’s in that game are active on the roster to begin this season.
There are a pair of former Orioles who were born on this day. They are: 2025 one-game pitcher Elvin Rodríguez, and 1954 three-game pitcher Dave Koslo.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: mathematician/philosopher René Descartes (1596), composer Johann Sebastian Bach (1685), composer Joseph Haydn (1732), baseball Hall of Famer Mule Suttles (1901), actor Christopher Walken (1943), and actress Rhea Perlman (1948).
On this day in history…
In 1774, in a retaliation for the Boston Tea Party, the port of Boston was ordered closed by Great Britain.
In 1814, the army of the Sixth Coalition (against Napoleon) occupied Paris after two days of fighting. This led to Bonaparte’s surrender and temporary exile.
In 1906, the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States – today known as the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) – was established.
In 1995, Tejano singer-songwriter Selena was shot and killed by the woman who was the president of her fan club. The murderer had been embezzling thousands of dollars from the fan club.
A random Orioles trivia question
I received a random book of Orioles trivia questions for Christmas. I’ll ask a question in this space each time it’s my turn until I run out of questions. Last time, I asked who was the ERA leader for the 1970 Orioles. The answer was elusive for some, but if you knew it was Pete Richert with his 1.98 ERA in 54.2 IP, good job. Here’s today’s question:
Who was the first Orioles player to hit for the cycle in franchise history?
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And that’s the way it is in Birdland on March 31. Have a safe Tuesday.
ST. LOUIS, MO - MARCH 26: Jordan Walker #18 of the St. Louis Cardinals reacts to a play during the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on Thursday, March 26, 2026 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Last year, we attempted to do a “monthly” reader mailbag series to give fans the chance to guide the discussion. That seemed to be a bit over the top. So, this season, we’re going to try every OTHER month instead. This way, enough time builds up between iterations that fans can develop new curiosities about the team, the minor leagues, the organization, or its philosophies.
We are going to make a run at our first of the season this week! So, get those questions in and the fellas will answer them on the next episode of the Viva El Birdos Podcast!
“Early Season Samples”
A tradition that goes back to Doubleday himself, overreacting to early-season performances or lack thereof, is something every fan of every fan base willfully participates in, and at a certain point, the realization around game 10-15 that this is a marathon and you have to try your best not to ride the rollercoaster too much. That’s not telling you how to fan; that’s me trying to work hand in hand with your cardiologist to keep you from “taking the dive” from a managerial decision or poor performance in April that likely the team wouldnt be as patient with in August or September. That being said, here are some early-season trends through the first 4 games that should have some fans optimistic:
Jordan Walker leads the team in OPS with a 1.269 through his first 16 PA and has 3 BB to his 1 K. Jordan seems to be controlling the strike zone, taking his walks, and impacting the baseball when he gets good pitches to hit. I’m not calling for a statue to be built for Walker, but he seems to be stacking wins at the plate in both results and process, and that will only further confidence and internal belief as he dials in on what could be his last real chance in St. Louis as the everyday RF.
Ho-HUM, Alec Burleson leads the team in Hits and RBI’s and is posting an OPS of 1.111. For an offense starved for production, one player Cardinals fans can count on watching produce all season long will be Burly.
JJ Wetherholt looks the part immediately, and we had heard about his poise and maturity, and I’m personally happy that Manager Oliver Marmol decided to insert JJ in that spot. My hope, if nothing else, is that even when Nootbaar returns, JJ continues to lead off. “When faced with a decision between the short term and long term, we will choose the long term every time.” If there were any player on this team I would want taking the most PA’s in 2026 its Wetherholt. He will be someone who gains the most from seeing the most opportunities and gets him to his ceiling quicker.
On the pitching side, Michael McGreevy pitched 6 no-hit innings against the Rays, with diminished velo on his fastball. I was highly skeptical that McGreevy was going to be effective early this season. To his credit, he mixed his pitches well and kept the Rays offense off balance all game long. I will be eager to see how he handles a more potent offense like Detroit in his 2nd start of the season.
George Soriano, at the time of his acquisition, was a bit curious. Cardinals fans seemed to be really excited about Andre Granillo, but Chaim Bloom and his staff seemed to have identified a potential diamond in the rough. 9 scoreless innings in spring and has pitched 3 more scoreless to begin the year. The FB velo is up from 95.7 to 96.6 on average this year, and he is throwing his Changeup as his primary offering, which produces a whacky 7.6 inches above average in drop compared to league-average measured changeups. I expect by the end of April, Soriano will find himself in setup duty and high-leverage opportunities frequently.
Who have you been most impressed by early in the season? Let me know in the comments below, and don’t forget to submit your questions as well! We want to make sure we are covering content that you care about most, and this is your opportunity to guide the discussion!
