SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 04: Pitcher Landen Roupp #65 of the San Francisco Giants looks on from the dugout during the game against the New York Mets at Oracle Park on April 04, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
The San Francisco Giants may be off to a bit of a rocky start this season. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t silver linings in progress.
One of those would be starting pitcher Landen Roupp. Broadcaster Mike Krukow made an appearance on KNBR’s “Murph & Markus” show earlier this week and he sang the praises of the young right-hander.
Krukow highlights the development and growth that Roupp has shown in terms of his pitches and his drive to be on par with his rotation mate, Logan Webb. He goes on to add that he fully believes Roupp has what it takes to be an All-Star, noting that he’s been a fan of Roupp since he first saw him pitch.
I have to say that I have felt the same way about Roupp since his first season with the team, back in 2024, when he was primarily pitching in relief. In his three seasons at the professional level, he’s averaged a 3.68 ERA, 3.58 FIP and grown into a rotation staple for the organization.
Aside from a rough outing against the New York Mets earlier this month, both of Roupp’s other appearances so far this season have been quality starts and I look forward to seeing how his career progresses from here. I don’t know if he’ll be an All-Star this year, but I can absolutely see that in his future at some point.
What do you think?
What time do the Giants play today?
The Giants continue their road series against the Cincinnati Reds this afternoon at 3:40 p.m. PT.
(Original Caption) Jackie Robinson of the Dodgers slides home safely on his steal in the eighth inning of this series opener at Yankee Stadium. This was the play that touched off a heated hassle when Yankee catcher Yogi Berra put the tag on Robinson, before the latter's play to the plate. Umpire Ron Summers, who called the play, said his decision prevailed. The Yanks nevertheless won with 6-5.
The number 42 is prominently displayed in every stadium across MLB. On this date 29 years ago, acting commissioner Bud Selig casually informed some 57,000 fans at the old Shea Stadium that Jackie’s iconic number would be retired throughout baseball.
For many (me included) this proclamation carried more significance than playoff expansion, the advent of interleague play or construction of new ballparks. I asked a trio of diamond legends what Jackie Robinson meant to them on his special day.
Dave Stewart. 3x World Series Champion. World Series MVP. A.L. Wins Leaders in 1987.
“When I came into professional baseball in 1975, drafted by the Dodgers, I knew a little about Jackie Robinson before I arrived but then learned a lot about him from Don Newcombe and Roy Campanella.
Those guys opened my eyes to what he meant to us not only as a baseball player, but as a human being. Jackie set an example for them, and they set those examples unto me and guys like Dusty Baker, Reggie Smith, Davey Lopes, and Al Downing.
He was about strength, humility, and consistency. He set the standard for how I wanted to be, first as a human being, then as a baseball player. That in a nutshell is what Jackie meant to me.”
Steve Garvey. 10x All-Star. Former MVP. 1981 World Series Champion.
“In the spring of 1956, I’m growing up in Tampa Florida. My dad was a greyhound bus driver and had a chance to drive the Brooklyn Dodgers from the Tampa airport to St. Petersburg for an exhibition game against the Yankees.
My Dad was a Dodgers fan, and my mom was a Yankees fan. I had the opportunity to be bat boy that day. In the middle of the game, all of a sudden, I’m sitting next to Gil Hodges and Pee Wee Reese. Then, all of a sudden, Jackie Robinson goes and literally sits on my lap. I told that story at school the next day but no one believed me!
I’ve always thought that the two most iconic men in the 20th century that affected baseball were Jackie Robinson and Babe Ruth. Babe Ruth was the essence of power and Jackie, of course, broke the color barrier with grit and style.
He fought every moment not only for the game, but for his race. I think when we look back at the history of America, Jackie Robinson will always be the upper echelon of people who affected our history. It was an honor to be a bat boy for him and the Brooklyn Dodgers. He was a wonderful man who truly set an example for all of us.”
Andre Dawson. Hall Of Famer. Played 21 seasons. 8x All Star. ROY. MVP.
“Jackie Robinson paved the way for generations of ballplayers to have hope and a vision to pursue a dream.”
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 12: Kyle Karros #12 of the Colorado Rockies bats during the eighth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on April 12, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s easy to panic early in the regular season.
As the sample size of plate appearances continues to grow and success isn’t consistent, the temptation to pull the rip cord on certain young players grows ever more tempting. However, there is a difference between a player floundering and a player who just isn’t catching the breaks of success. A few weeks into the season, I find myself placing Kyle Karros in the latter category and asking this question: When can he break out?
Karros’ quick rise through the Colorado Rockies system since being drafted in the fifth round out of UCLA in 2023 has been remarkable. Quickly displaying his elite glove talent in the field from the get-go, Karros snagged MVP honors in the Northwest League in his first full season in 2024 with his bat for the High-A Spokane Indians. Despite some injuries, he found success in Double-A the following year, leading to an explosive stint in Triple-A for a few weeks before settling in as the Rockies’ primary third baseman to close out the 2025 season.
There was a question whether the son of former Dodger great Eric Karros would prove capable of handling the hot corner regularly in 2026 and produce at the plate as his father did. The Rockies hedged their bets by bringing in the versatile Willi Castro as well as picking up Edouard Julien at second base. Youngster Ryan Ritter is also capable of playing third, so there were plenty of options heading into spring training.
Luckily for the Rockies, Karros had a strong spring training at the plate while continuing his elite work in the field, winning the job on Opening Day and at least showing the signs that he could handle the rigors of everyday work in the big leagues.
Which brings us to this point in time.
A quick look at his slash line, and it’s easy to scoff at Karros’ production. Entering the Houston series on Tuesday, he has batted .182/.294/.205 in 51 plate appearances over 16 games. He is 8-for-44 with just one extra-base hit and one RBI to his name.
Looking at those numbers, it’s reasonable to jump to the conclusion that he “isn’t ready,” but a deeper look into his performance warrants some grace and inspires some optimism that he can figure things out.
Karros has always been a player with solid plate awareness, particularly in the walk department. In his 43-game stint last season, he drew 15 walks (9.6% walk rate), which happened to be the 10th-most by a Rockies hitter last season. This season, he appears right on track to be able to replicate something along those lines as he leads the team with seven walks (13.7% walk rate). What helps is that he has seen the second-most pitches per plate appearance on the team at 4.07 P/PA.
On the flip side, he has generally struck out around 20% in the minors while averaging a 26.1% strikeout rate in the big leagues. Obviously, that is higher than league average and will hopefully improve with more time and experience, but it is tempered by his ability to draw walks. His 13 strikeouts rank fifth on the team, just ahead of T.J. Rumfield (12), but a 2:1 walk-to-strikeout ratio isn’t too shabby all things considered. He is a player who doesn’t typically chase out of the zone (16%) and generally is good at making contact on pitches inside the strike zone. Also, of his 13 strikeouts, six have come from swinging, while seven have been caught looking.
Karros’ main struggles have come against the breaking ball, where he’s slashing .111/.215/.167 with a 51.5% whiff rate. He’s also continuing to pound the ball into the dirt with a 45.5% ground ball rate and has managed just a 9.7% fly ball rate. Which means, he is smoking plenty of line drives at a 35.5% clip with a 38% hard-hit rate, but it’s just not doing anything to find the holes or do damage.
So what is to be done, and can he break out?
A look at his chart on Baseball Savant indicates the areas where Karros can work to improve.
His expected stats show he should have more success than he is getting, but for the most part, he is plateauing around being a league-average hitter at the moment in most categories.
The number that stands out the most is the bat speed.
As we’ve discussed in the past about bat tracking, a slower bat speed, combined with a shorter swing, generally lends itself to being a high-average contact hitter (see: Luis Arráez). On the other side of the spectrum, a fast bat with a long swing generally lends itself to a high slugging power hitter (see: Giancarlo Stanton).
When you get some sort of amalgamation of a slower bat speed with a longer swing, like Karros, you get a player who doesn’t necessarily excel in either area at the big-league level. They can become split between two different types of players as they struggle to find a footing. We can see Karros is elite at finding the launch angle sweet-spot on the bat, but the lack of oomph behind it due to bat speed is what is turning his batted balls into quick line drive outs.
He certainly isn’t floundering at the plate, but finding an edge in one direction or the other could go a long way for him.
At 23 years old, Karros is the youngest player on the Rockies, just behind Chase Dollander and Ezequiel Tovar. His massive frame and physical potential point to a player who should be capable of doing damage at the plate and be good for 15-20 home runs over time. He is still maturing and growing as a player, and he has the mental aptitude and physical tools to be an elite player at the plate.
So, when it comes to Kyle Karros, patience must be exhibited because he may just be a few adjustments and multi-hit games away from finding his footing and becoming the player that the Rockies hope he can be in 2026.
A late-game surge wasn’t enough to overcome rough early pitching for the Isotopes in their loss in the series opener. Luis Peralta served as the “opener” for Albuquerque and was tagged for five runs on just one hit in 1.2 innings as he walked four batters and gave up a grand slam. Ryan Miller and Carson Skipper filled up the next few innings, combining to give up four runs in the next four innings. Luckily, the pen managed to keep things scoreless after that to give the offense a chance to respond finally. After managing just two runs through six, the Topes busted out a four-run seventh inning to close the gap. Cole Carrigg led the offense with a pair of hits and an RBI, while Adael Amador drove in a pair as part of his two-hit night. Unfortunately, the Isotopes went 3-for-11 with runners in scoring position and had just two extra-base hits, both of them doubles. They did draw nine walks against seven strikeouts, though.
It was a rough night for Hartford’s pitching as every arm allowed at least one run in the loss. Connor Staine started the game and allowed five runs over three innings, while the four other relievers combined for six runs. The offense was rather lifeless through most of the game, scoring just two runs through the first eight innings. They then put up five in the bottom of the ninth, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the deficit. Dyan Jorge went 2-for-5, as did Bryant Betancourt, who delivered a three-run homer in the ninth. Aidan Longwell also drove in a pair as part of a two-hit night. Jorge and Longwell both had a double while Benny Montgomery delivered a triple in the game.
Quality pitching and a couple of big flies helped propel the Indians to victory. Brody Brecht started on the bump for Spokane and was dominant with six strikeouts against one walk and allowed just one run on three hits, but he worked just three innings. Of the 57 pitches he threw, 37 were for strikes. He gave way to Stu Flesland III, who worked four solid innings, allowing just two runs on five hits with three strikeouts. Offensively, the Indians got home runs from Kelvin Hidalgo and Alan Espinal, both of whom produced most of the hits. Hidalgo went 3-for-4 with an RBI, while Espinal went 2-for-4 with three RBI.
Tanner Thach had a game to remember as he drove in about 10% of the Fresno Grizzlies’ runs in their victory over Ontario. Thach had four hits in the game, including a double and two home runs, a grand slam in the second and a two-run homer in the seventh, to drive in seven RBI on the night. The offense as a whole had 11 hits, with Derek Bernard producing three and Clayton Gray contributing two hits and two RBI. On the mound, Izeah Muniz allowed four runs, one earned, in 3.2 innings with six strikeouts. Brady Parker followed with 3.1 innings, allowing three runs on five hits with seven strikeouts. Yanzel Correra closed the game out with two scoreless innings.
This week, Evan Lang and I talk about the Penner Sports Group buying a 40% stake in the Rockies before talking about the previous week’s games and players we’ve been impressed by thus far, and those we are a little worried about.
Andrew Dill joins the calls of people clamoring for Charlie Condon to get the call from Albuquerque after the struggles of the Rockies’ offense and his own hot start in Triple-A.
Apr 14, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Kansas City Royals left fielder Starling Marte (0) hits a single in the second inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
The Royals have scored two or fewer runs in six of their last seven games, but managed a pair of wins when starters Kris Bubic and Michael Wacha blanked the White Sox on Friday and Saturday, with seven and eight scoreless innings, respectively.
Kansas City pitchers have almost no margin for error right now.
Ragans was asked about the frustrations he and the other starters could be feeling, but dismissed that, saying, “Ahh, yeah, I mean, we know what we’ve been doing well, and what we haven’t. We’ve been through stretches like this before, and tomorrow’s a new day. That’s the beauty of baseball.”
The question is both if and when the team will come out of it. I think we saw last year that they likely will come out of it. But the problem last season came that they dug themselves such a hole in the first three months that even being one of the 10 best offenses in baseball for the last three didn’t even get them to average. So they need to figure this out sooner than later because later likely means another season like last year. Nobody will complain about another winning season, but the goals are much loftier this year than that. But, maybe against better judgment, I think they’ll be okay.
The biggest reason why I think that is the easiest one to understand. There isn’t a lot of science or stats to back this one up, but the Royals simply currently aren’t getting anything out of Vinnie Pasquantino and Salvador Perez, their three and four hitters. Sometimes people say things like that and it’s hyperbolic, but the Royals are actually getting essentially nothing.
The underlying proposal would allow City Manager Mario Vasquez to negotiate a deal of up to $600 million for a $1.9 billion stadium project at Washington Square Park near Crown Center and Union Station. “We look very much forward to the continued process,” Sherman told reporters. “We’ll continue our work with Mario and his staff toward an agreement, as was put forth in the ordinance today.” He added that “this stuff isn’t easy,” an apparent reference to the team’s years-long search for a new stadium that has frustrated and exhausted political leaders and fans alike.
While the City Council is likely to approve the proposal on Thursday, that vote would not officially solidify the team’s move near downtown. The funding deal itself would have to go back before the council at a future date once the proposal is fleshed out, city staff told council members on Tuesday. Tuesday’s finance committee meeting offered members of the public their first chance to weigh in on the stadium proposal. One by one, opponents and supporters stepped up to a microphone to address the deal in front of council members. Local business advocates and organized labor groups touted the potential stadium as a major boost to the city’s downtown landscape and construction jobs. Meanwhile, members of some progressive groups framed the proposal as corporate welfare for rich team owners. More than one speaker referenced economic studies that have shown stadiums are not major engines for economic development.
Through the Royals’ first 16 games, Witt has 16 hits and 10 walks for an on-base percentage of .371. Additionally, he has stolen a league-leading eight bases, so while he’s not hitting for much power yet (only 3 XBH’s, all doubles), he’s still getting into scoring position.
And yet, he has scored precisely one run, back on March 29 against Atlanta.
Witt scored 99 of the Royals’ 651 runs last year. That’s 15.2 percent, a pace only exceeded by five other players: Shohei Ohtani (17.7, Dodgers), Aaron Judge (16.1, Yankees), José Ramírez (16.0, Guardians), Fernando Tatis Jr. (15.8, Padres) and Juan Soto (15.7, Mets).
The 651 runs ranked 26th out of 30 teams last year. This year, they’re tied for 26th. So it’s not like there’s been a drastic change in runs scored. It’s just not Witt scoring them, for some inexplicable reason.
Roccaforte has some solid upside, possessing a rare blend of speed and power, and has plus CF potential. His big gain this season has been in lifting the ball: he’s (probably unsustainably) reduced his GB% to 17.4%, which aligns well with his plus power. Because of his age/level combo (he just turned 24 and is in Double-A), our model has him as unlikely to make an impact in the show, especially with below-average strikeout and contact rates. The tools are intriguing, though, and his good glove gives him a floor that is higher than most older prospects.
SUNRISE, FLORIDA - JUNE 24: Sunny Mehta and Bryan McCabe of the Florida Panthers celebrate their Stanley Cup victory in Game Seven of the 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena on June 24, 2024 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The New Jersey Devils are searching for a new general manager.
They also may be looking for a separate, new President of Hockey Operations.
It remains to be seen whether or not the Devils hire one person to handle both roles or if they’ll have two people work together as they restructure their leadership in the hockey ops department. Either way, the Devils will likely cast a wide net as they try to determine who the best person or people are to lead them moving forward.
Presumably, other candidates will become known as the candidates interview and want to make it known that they’re interviewing for the Devils job. Once they do, we can discuss their merits, what they bring to the table, and whether or not the Devils should consider hiring them.
For now though, I think its worth taking a look at the candidates that we do know about, their strengths, and their potential flaws.
Brendan Shanahan
Shanahan has deep ties to the Devils organization, as he was their 2nd overall pick way back in 1987. He wound up playing five of the 21 seasons of his Hall of Fame playing career in New Jersey, won three Stanley Cups as a player with the Detroit Red Wings, and was named one of the NHL’s 100 greatest players in 2018.
Since retirement, he has carved out an impressive career as an executive. He’s worked for the league as a senior VP and oversaw the Department of Player Safety prior to joining the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2014 as their president, overseeing hockey operations.
Shanahan had a direct hand in Toronto’s last rebuild. After jettisoning the coaching staff and most of the front office, he brought in Mike Babcock as head coach, Lou Lamoriello as the GM, and Kyle Dubas as an assistant GM. It should also be noted that the Maple Leafs have one of the largest analytics departments in the NHL thanks in part to Shanahan. The Maple Leafs drafted Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews in 2015 and 2016, respectively. Both players would become key core members of the Maple Leafs, along with 2014 8th overall pick William Nylander, 2012 5th overall pick Morgan Rielly, and prized free agent signing John Tavares in 2018.
Toronto returned to the playoffs in 2016-17 and became a consistent playoff team under Shanahan’s leadership right up until his departure from the organization after the 2024-25 season. The problem with Shanahan, and Toronto in general, was their inability to get over the hump. Toronto only made it to the second round twice.
It’s tough to say where the blame for Toronto’s playoff failures ultimately lies, and I would understand if one wanted to pin that on Shanahan as he ultimately oversaw everything. But I do think its worth looking deeper into their losses.
Toronto got knocked out of the playoffs three times by Boston, twice by Florida, and once by Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay won the Stanley Cup that year. Florida reached the Cup Final both times and won once. Boston reached a Cup Final in 2019. Even in the other years, the Leafs ran into a Montreal team that also reached a Cup Final, a Capitals team where Braden Holtby posted a .925 save percentage, and a Columbus team where Joonas Korpisalo posted a .956. I’m not saying that Toronto’s losses weren’t deserved as there were plenty of questionable games here and there throughout that run, but between getting goalie’d and simply running into better teams, I do think there’s some aspect of bad luck involved as to why they failed to get over the hump.
Toronto would wind up changing just about everything other than the core. Sheldon Keefe replaced Babcock. Craig Berube would wind up replacing Keefe. Lamoriello would leave for the Islanders job, which saw Dubas promoted. Dubas would ultimately be dismissed and replaced by Brad Treliving. The supporting cast around the core was consistently shuffled in and out. Futures were constantly traded for the sake of winning now, except Toronto never won now. Marner eventually became the one core member who was the odd man out, leaving this past offseason in a sign-and-trade with Vegas. And for what its worth, in Toronto’s first year post-Shanahan, the bottom fell out. Toronto missed the playoffs, Treliving has been fired, and Craig Berube is likely to follow.
Shanahan might have ultimately stuck with the Maple Leafs core too long, but part of me wonders how much of that was him personally being attached to them and how much of it was decision making coming from above him at MLSE. Part of me wonders how much being in the pressure cooker of the Toronto market and the subsequent dysfunction as a result impacted things with the team. It’s tough to say since its speculative, but between that and the lack of playoff success, its not a positive mark on his resume.
That said, I do think there’s a lot of good under Shanahan’s watch that can’t be ignored. The Leafs continued to hit on their fair share of draft picks over the years (whether or not they held on to said players is another story). Toronto went 408-214-78 between 2016-25, topping 100 points six times in nine seasons. The floor of what that team has been was high, and certainly higher than anything the Devils have done consistently since their run to the Cup Final in 2012. Shanahan has deep connections throughout the league between his time as a player and executive. I wouldn’t consider him personally to be analytically-driven, but I do think there’s something to the idea of knowing what you don’t know and hiring smart people. Kyle Dubas was one of Shanahan’s first hires and he’s gone on to help the Penguins return to the playoffs. I don’t know what the upside would ultimately be, but the Devils could certainly do a lot worse hiring a CEO-type than Shanahan, and I’ve yet to see a better alternative option in this cycle.
If the Devils hire Shanahan, they won’t have to build a core like he did in Toronto as the core is more or less already in place. He also won’t necessarily be as attached to the players as Fitzgerald might have been. I would suspect that Shanahan, the presumptive new President of Hockey Ops, would ultimately let whoever the GM is figure out what players to move on from and who they should keep to build around, but a lot of the legwork in terms of building the roster is already done.
Sunny Mehta
There probably isn’t a hotter candidate in this GM cycle than Panthers AGM Sunny Mehta.
Mehta, who was born in Michigan but grew up in Wyckoff, New Jersey, is a name that should be familiar to most Devils fans. He was hired in 2014 to as the Devils director of hockey analytics and created the first full-time analytics department in the NHL.
If you’re looking for a GM who can potentially find diamonds in the rough, maximize the draft, and win on the margins, Mehta is a strong choice.
While with the Devils in 2016, Mehta’s model had Jesper Bratt ranked as the #3 player in that year’s draft class. Fast forward a decade later and only four players from that class have had more points in the NHL than Bratt….#1 overall pick Auston Matthews, former lottery picks Matthew Tkachuk and Clayton Keller, and second rounder Alex DeBrincat.
Bratt went 162nd overall in the draft that season.
After leaving the Devils, he joined the Florida Panthers in 2020 and worked his way up through their organization to earn the title of AGM. Mehta, under Panthers GM Bill Zito, had a hand in them acquiring many of the players who ultimately became key contributors on the team that won back-to-back Stanley Cups. The key being most of those acquisitions being of the unheralded at the time variety. Gus Forsling? Waiver claim. Carter Verhaeghe? A pending RFA who was not tendered a contract. Sam Bennett? Acquired for a second-round pick and the rights to Emil Heineman. Sam Reinhart? A first round pick and Devon Levi. The Panthers have done a good job on buying low on players like Evan Rodrigues, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Nate Schmidt, Niko Mikkola, and Dmitry Kulikov where they just fit in and play well. Of course, people will point to the Matthew Tkachuk trade being the move that put Florida over the top, and they’re not wrong to do so, but Florida had a really good base off of which to work.
Bill Zito obviously deserves a ton of credit for what he has done in Florida, but it would be short-sighted to solely credit him. Mehta, along with the rest of the Florida braintrust, has had a big part in that as well. And everyone in Florida knows that. Paul Maurice has given Mehta his flowers, as has Zito. Mehta has earned the respect of that organization for his ability to present the data in a manner that is digestible for the players and coaching staff to understand. There’s a reason why he’s high on Toronto’s and Nashville’s lists as well to be their next potential GM.
Times were different back in the 2014-2018 window that Mehta was with the Devils, as they were transitioning from the end of the Lou Lamoriello era to the Ray Shero era, so its tough to say how much influence Mehta actually had with the Devils. I already mentioned the Jesper Bratt pick, but keep in mind, the Devils passed on him seven times in that draft. They took players like Brandon Gignac, Mikhail Maltsev, Evan Cormier, and Yegor Rykov over him. Knowing what we know now, that would never happen again. That said, hitting on late picks like that is what separates good teams from the great teams. The Devils did eventually take Mehta’s recommendation and make the pick, and Bratt is the last man standing from the Devils 2016 draft class that is still in the organization.
I don’t know how much I would read into the rumors that there was a ‘falling out’ with Mehta and the Devils and whether or not it even matters though. Ray Shero is no longer with us, Tom Fitzgerald is no longer with the organization, the Devils reportedly have a lot of front office staff on expiring deals, and Mehta would presumably bring in his own people that are more closely aligned with his vision.
The one potential knock I could see with Mehta is that he would be a first-time GM. Fitzgerald was a first-time GM and that really didn’t work out the way the Devils hoped. I think that matters to an extent but if it were a disqualifier, we’d run out of GM candidates really quickly as everybody is a ‘first timer’ at some point.
I’m not in the room, so its tough to say what exactly Mehta is doing when he’s not looking at his model or spreadsheets. But he strikes me as a sharp guy given his background and what we know about him. I’m sure he has built up some relationships around the league in his time as an AGM simply from working the phones and talking to people. I’m sure he knows who to call and what to do if he has to make a trade. I know I like to pretend I’m an expert but I wouldn’t know those things if I got hired as the GM tomorrow. Mehta has put in the time as an AGM and worked his way up for an opportunity like this.
I wouldn’t say the Devils should hire Mehta solely because he grew up in New Jersey as a Devils fan. I wouldn’t say they should hire him because he’s already worked here. I wouldn’t say they should hire him because he brought the Stanley Cup back to Jersey when he had his day with the Cup. But I do think he understands this market and this fanbase. He understands what the expectation is and he won’t be too attached to the pieces already in place to not make the changes he deems necessary.
Ideally, I’d prefer to pair him with an experienced President of Hockey Ops who has those relationships around the league, but that’s also not a dealbreaker…..you can accomplish the same thing with a good AGM hire. Either way, Mehta would be my #1 choice, barring an unforeseen candidate entering the fray.
Tyler Dellow
Of course, Mehta isn’t the only analytically-driven candidate with ties to the Devils that could be in the mix to be their next general manager.
Dellow was with the Devils for five seasons as their Senior VP of hockey strategy and analytics before leaving the organization two years ago to joins another data-driven executive in Eric Tulsky in Carolina as their AGM.
At least in the regular season, Carolina had been a successful organization over most of the last decade. The Hurricanes have reached the conference final three times since 2018-19 and have won a playoff round in seven of the last eight seasons. A lot of that predates Dellow, but seeing as the Devils have plucked from the Carolina tree a few times over the last few seasons in terms of players (Dougie Hamilton, Brett Pesce, Stefan Noesen), it wouldn’t be surprising if they did so again to “bring home one of their own”.
J.P Gambatese did a good breakdown on his Substack on Carolina’s transactions since Dellow has come aboard, and the two things that stand out to me are Carolina’s tendency to buy low on players and their track record of below market value contracts. Seeing as Dellow has been managing the salary cap for Carolina and we’re coming off of a Tom Fitzgerald regime where the cap was mismanaged, that actually matters a lot. Aside from Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who predates Dellow, I’m not sure there’s a bad contract on Carolina’s books.
Like with Mehta, it’s tough to say how much influence Dellow has had on transactions between his time in New Jersey and Carolina. Dellow was with the Devils when they pulled off trades like the acquisitions of Tyler Toffoli, Timo Meier, and John Marino. He was with Carolina when they acquired, and traded away, Mikko Rantanen.
I don’t view the Devils salary cap situation as dire, but I do think they need more flexibility in the coming years. Especially if they wind up extending Nico Hischier, if they intend on being players for Quinn Hughes, or both. They’ll get some cap flexibility organically after next season with seven players on the NHL roster slated for UFA, but those players will need to be replaced. In that respect, I appreciate Dellow’s work in getting some of Carolina’s key players to sign what will surely be below market value deals while simultaneously not overpaying their depth players.
Dellow would also be another first-time GM, so like with Mehta, I’d prefer to pair him with someone with a bit more experience if that were to be the direction that the Devils want to go in. I also think with Dellow, there’s a small added bonus of him being in Carolina. Given how the Hurricanes have owned the Devils the last few seasons, he probably has some insights as to why that’s the case, what Carolina (and other teams for that matter) is doing to slow the Devils down, and from a Devils perspective, what needs to be done to counter that.
Dellow isn’t my first choice, but I do think he’s a strong candidate and I would not be upset if that is the direction the Devils choose to go in.
John Chayka
Of all of the known candidates, the only one with actual experience as an NHL general manager is John Chayka.
Hired by the Arizona Coyotes back in 2016, the analytically-driven Chayka made the playoffs once in four seasons as their GM before abruptly resigning in 2020. His tenure was marred by the illegal draft workout scandal that saw Arizona docked a first round draft pick and Chayka suspended from the league.
I think when it comes to Chayka, its important to remember how bad the Arizona situation was in general. Arizona had the worst ownership in the league, the worst arena situation in the league, and a small but diehard fanbase. They did not have a long track record of success before he got there and haven’t had a ton of success since, although they’re doing much better under better ownership in Utah nowadays. But back then, Arizona was not a free agency destination for those reasons. That’s not to excuse Chayka for his transgressions with the draft workouts or any shortcomings as a GM, but its worth mentioning just to give additional context to what he was up against.
I do think Chayka deserves some credit though. Clayton Keller was a home run of a pick for them at 7th overall in 2016 and they added Jacob Chychrun nine picks later. Other notable draft hits under Chayka’s watch include Barrett Hayton, Kevin Bahl, Ty Emberson, and Matias Maccelli. He was there as the team oversaw the development of players like Lawson Crouse, Conor Garland and Adin Hill, among others. Chayka made the Dylan Strome for Nick Schmaltz trade. Arizona did go for it in 2020 with the acquisitions of Taylor Hall and Phil Kessel, but their ‘success’ in 2020 was short-lived and they wound up undergoing a multi-year scorched earth rebuild under his successor Bill Armstrong.
Of course, this isn’t the first time the Devils have tried to hire Chayka in some capacity.
There were reports a few years ago that Josh Harris and David Blitzer wanted to hire Chayka to oversee the analytics departments of all of the HBSE properties at the time, not just the Devils. Supposedly, Arizona didn’t want him to take his job and between that and the hammer coming down with the aforementioned draft workout violations, that was what led to Chayka stepping down as Coyotes GM.
Again, I don’t know that I necessarily hold it against Chayka that he was looking for an escape from Arizona. He knew the inner workings of that organization weren’t good, that they were operating as a floor team for much of his tenure, and that the deck was stacked against him succeeding. I can get looking for any competitive edge where he can find one, but I wouldn’t excuse the workout violations either. But he is a sharp mind and would certainly ‘fit’ what the Devils might be looking for when it comes to someone more data-driven. He has experience in knowing how the league operates. I also don’t think he should necessarily be blackballed for the draft workouts. Not in a league that is willing to welcome back Stan Bowman or Joel Quenneville with open arms for transgressions that are FAR worse.
I do think Chayka could be better the second time around as a general manager in an organization with a lot less ‘stuff’ going on in the background. For all of their critiques, the Devils have stable ownership that has shown a willingness to spend to the cap ceiling. They have a stable arena situation. They’re also not a barren cupboard in terms of win now players that one can build around and prospects coming down the road. He wouldn’t necessarily be my first choice for the Devils, and Gary Bettman would probably flip over a table the second a team tells him they want to hire John Chayka, but I could see him getting another shot again. I wouldn’t even rule out it being in New Jersey given how close HBSE might’ve been to hiring him in the past. That said, I prefer the other candidates in this article over him.
Jamie Langenbrunner
Another name with Devils ties that is in the mix is their one-time former captain turned Bruins assistant GM, Jamie Langenbrunner.
After retiring from the NHL in 2014, Langenbrunner joined the Bruins organization in 2015 and started working his way up the ranks on the management side. He worked as the head of player development and has since been promoted to AGM. He’s had a hand in helping develop prospects as long as identifying players who could help the Bruins if they were to get a larger role.
Those last few sentences are particularly notable as Langenbrunner has been in Boston for quite some time now. He got to work closely with David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy as they went from being former first round picks to players who ultimately reached their potential. Boston has been able to take guys such as Morgan Geekie off of the proverbial scrap heap and find another level to their game. They also identified players such as Marat Khusnutdinov and Fraser Minten who can thrive with a larger role. Obviously, Don Sweeney and new coach Marco Sturm deserve a lot of credit for Boston’s turnaround this year, but Boston has generally been one of the more successful teams in the league since 2015. They reached Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final in 2019, set an NHL record for points in a season with 135 in 2022-23, and have made the playoffs 8 of the last 9 years before returning to the playoffs this season. Langenbrunner has been a part of their success to some extent.
Some longtime Devils fans might take issue with Langenbrunner given the way he ultimately departed the organization as a player. They’ll remember him having problems with legendary coach Jacques Lemaire. They’ll remember the dip in his production in 2010-11. They’ll remember a bunch of lifeless, lethargic performances from that season while he wore the captain’s “C”. They’ll remember him being one of the leaders of the Devils in the post-Scott Stevens and post-Stanley Cup winning teams era in general. Teams that ultimately came up short in the playoffs and particularly, the team that blew it in Game 7 against Carolina in 2009.
It’s not my place to tell you how to you should feel about something that happened over 15 years ago at this point, but I at least understand if people don’t want to deal with Langenbrunner’s “baggage” after how things ended here. Fans have long memories and Langenbrunner, fairly or unfairly, probably won’t get nearly as much goodwill going in as some other candidates might. I also don’t think it helps matters that Darren Dreger has mentioned that Martin Brodeur’s history with Langenbrunner is the connection to him being a candidate. Given that Martin Brodeur’s two biggest contributions to the Devils in his post-playing career are Dave Rogalski and the “Jersey” jersey, that doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.
That said, just because Martin Brodeur has endorsed a bad goaltending coach and has shown to have terrible fashion sense with the third jerseys doesn’t necessarily mean he’s wrong when it comes to Langenbrunner. Langenbrunner is certainly as qualified as anyone interviewing for the position. He’s paid his dues on the player development side and worked his way up. He’s also a two-time Stanley Cup winning player who had a key role on two different championship teams by playing the game the right way. I’m generally not a fan of hiring your “team legends”, and using the term “legend” to describe Langenbrunner as it pertains to the Devils might be a bit of a stretch anyways. But he does know what it takes to win from his days as a player, and I don’t think that should be outright dismissed either.
If you could redo your 2025-26 fantasy hockey draft with the benefit of hindsight, who would have been the best picks? In some cases, the popular high-end picks during the preseason proved to be among the best fantasy options this campaign, but there were also some surprises. We'll see examples of both as we hand out the awards for the best fantasy performers of the 2025-26 campaign.
Each player's position is determined by their Yahoo eligibility. Their preseason average-draft position (ADP) is also based on Yahoo leagues.
Best Fantasy Center: Connor McDavid (Edmonton)
This was the toughest choice because a strong case can be made for both McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon. The 30-year-old MacKinnon did end up being the better player in terms of goals (53 to 48), shots (350 to 303) and plus/minus (plus-57 to plus-15), and the gap in those final two categories is considerable. Even still, McDavid did win when it came to points (134 to 127) and had a huge edge in power-play points (52 to 30), the latter of which is what ultimately led McDavid to claim this award by the narrowest of margins.
Either way, it's clear that you would have done well with either player. Whether a fantasy manager with the top pick took MacKinnon or McDavid, it wouldn't have significantly altered the course of that manager's season.
Cozens didn't come out of nowhere. After all, he had 31 goals and 68 points across 81 appearances with Buffalo in 2022-23. Still, he fell off the radar a bit after falling short of the 20-goal and 50-point marks during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 regular seasons, so it came as a pleasant surprise when he scored 27 goals and 58 points across 81 outings with Ottawa this season. He also had 201 shots and a career-high 29 power-play points this campaign, but there's another aspect that shouldn't be overlooked: his physicality.
Back when he recorded 68 points in 2022-23, he dished out just 55 hits, but he's become far more aggressive without the puck, to the point where the 25-year-old set a new personal best with 212 hits this season. If you were in a league that valued that category, then his versatility has been a huge help.
Best Fantasy Left Winger: Jason Robertson (Dallas)
Leon Draisaitl (lower body) likely would have won this award had he not gotten hurt. After all, he had an incredible 35 goals, 97 points, plus-13, 186 shots and 42 power-play points across just 65 appearances. Even still, Robertson deserves this recognition. His point total (96) and power-play points (41) might be just shy of Draisaitl's, but Robertson easily bested him in terms of goals (45), shots (293) and plus/minus (plus-23), which is enough to give him a clear edge overall in most fantasy formats.
Kirill Kaprizov also came close, but while he matched Robertson in goals, Kaprizov came up shy in points (89), power-play points (32), shots (269) and plus/minus (plus-10).
It was a fantastic campaign for Robertson, who looked like a superstar with his 109-point showing in the 2022-23 regular season but then took a noticeable step back in the subsequent two years. It's also perfect timing for Robertson, given that he needs a new contract or else he'll test the waters as a restricted free agent this summer.
Biggest Value Jump #2: Andrei Svechnikov (Carolina – Preseason ADP: 128.7)
Like Cozens, we've seen Svechnikov shine before — he surpassed the 60-point mark in 2019-20 and 2021-22 – but he had regressed in recent years, to the point where he had just 48 points in 72 regular-season outings in 2024-25. This campaign was his comeback story. He set new career highs with 31 goals, 70 points and 29 power-play points. He also offered some nice category coverage in PIM (66), shots (203) and hits (148).
Best Fantasy Right Winger: Nikita Kucherov (Tampa Bay)
There's no real question here. Kucherov has 75 goals and 130 points in 75 outings in 2025-26. The only players on his level are McDavid, MacKinnon and arguably Macklin Celebrini, but they're all centers.
Kucherov did do a bit worse than you'd expect from a player of his caliber in terms of power-play points (37) and shots (230), but the sheer amount of offense he generated more than made up for those mild deficiencies. It certainly doesn't hurt that he also recorded a plus-44 rating.
The 32-year-old has now exceeded the 110-point mark in four straight regular seasons and has generated more than 120 points four times in his career. McDavid is the only other player of the salary cap era (2005-06 to present) who has as many 120-point regular seasons.
Biggest Value Jump #3: Mika Zibanejad (NY Rangers – Preseason ADP: 134.8)
Fantasy managers saw Zibanejad take a step back in 2024-25 with 20 goals and 62 points in 82 outings, and managers seemed to anticipate a further decline this campaign based on how far he slipped in preseason drafts. Instead, Zibanejad bounced back, supplying 33 goals and 76 points across 80 appearances this season. His minus-21 rating was a hindrance, but Zibanejad made up for it by helping in shots (212) and power-play points (34). He even dished out 105 hits, which is rare for him — he finished with under 50 in each of the prior two regular seasons.
While this was yet another disappointing campaign for the Rangers, the 32-year-old Zibanejad has shown it's far too early to anticipate his demise.
Best Fantasy Defenseman: Evan Bouchard (Edmonton)
This is another one where there's a clear divide between the best fantasy defenseman and the rest of the pack. Bouchard has 92 points, while the next best blueliner, Zach Werenski, is well behind with 81. Werenski did manage to beat Bouchard in goals (22 to 21) and shots (260 to 219), but that wasn't enough to close the gap when Bouchard also had the edge in plus/minus (plus-22 to plus-7) and power-play points (33 to 21).
This is Bouchard's best season to date and a nice rebound from his 2024-25 regular season (14 goals, 67 points). Bouchard is also another example of why you should never overvalue early-season results. It's a distant memory now, but Bouchard started 2025-26 with no points and a minus-5 rating across his first six outings.
Biggest Value Jump #4: Darren Raddysh (Tampa Bay – Preseason ADP: N/A)
The other players highlighted in the value jump category could be anticipated to one degree or another. It's doubtful anyone projected Raddysh would score 22 goals and 70 points in 72 outings in 2025-26. His success partially came because Victor Hedman missed most of the campaign, which led to Raddysh averaging 22:45 of ice time, including 3:44 with the man advantage. Still, it's one thing to get the opportunity, it's another to take advantage of it, and the 30-year-old defenseman did so while nearly doubling his previous career-best point total (37).
Raddysh also had a plus-22 rating, 62 PIM, 207 shots, 26 power-play points, 66 hits and 67 blocks over the course of his magical season.
Best Fantasy Goaltender: Andrei Vasilevskiy (Tampa Bay)
This season forced us to calibrate when it comes to what we think of as a "good" goaltender. A 2.88 GAA and an .896 save percentage aren't bad anymore; that's the average for 2025-26. In that light, Vasilevskiy's 2.31 GAA and .912 save percentage across 58 outings were especially good.
Among goaltenders who made at least 40 starts, only Scott Wedgewood bested Vasilevskiy in terms of GAA and save percentage at 2.07 and .920, respectively. However, Vasilevskiy is being named the top fantasy goaltender because he played in 58 games to Wedgewood's 44, which means you got more use out of the Tampa Bay netminder. More critically, Vasilevskiy also had a league-best 39 wins, which put him cleanly above Wedgewood's 30.
Vasilevskiy fell shy of the Vezina Trophy last year, but he might claim it in 2025-26, which would mark his second win after he previously claimed the trophy in 2018-19.
Greaves gave the Blue Jackets a taste of what he could do in 2024-25, posting a 7-2-2 record, 1.91 GAA and .938 save percentage in 11 appearances, and this season, he took the next step by establishing himself as the team's starting goaltender.
He didn't match his stunning 2024-25 numbers over the far larger sample size, but Greaves certainly did his part, providing a 26-19-9 record, 2.60 GAA and .908 save percentage in 55 outings this season.
Most Valuable Fantasy Player: Kucherov (Tampa Bay)
You could make a strong case that McDavid or MacKinnon had a better overall season, but Kucherov's RW eligibility gives him the edge. There were just so many elite forwards with center eligibility. On top of McDavid and MacKinnon, Celebrini, Nick Suzuki, Mark Scheifele and Martin Necas are all centers who finished with more than 100 points.
By contrast, the gap between Kucherov and the next-best wingers is 30 points. That's a tremendous step down.
What should have been Sawyer Gipson-Long’s first full start after returning from the injured list turned into an absolute beatdown as Louisville mauled the Hens’ starter and then just going through the bullpen like there was no tomorrow.
Gipson-Long’s velocity is still down in the 92 mph range, but it was his control that really betrayed him. The Bats scored one in the first, and then started the bottom of the second by getting a pair of absolute cookies to JJ Bleday and Michael Toglia, who launched them into the seats. Things did not improve in the third and fourth innings, and it was 8-1 by the time Gipson-Long was done for the night.
The Hens got on the board in the fourth when Eduardo Valencia drew a leadoff walk, and Jace Jung doubled him to third. Trei Cruz lifted a sacrifice fly to get the run home.
Brenan Hanifee came on to get the last out of the fourth, and in the fifth he was hit even harder than Gipson-Long, giving up five runs capped by a three-run shot from Michael Chavis.
Valencia singled and eventually scored on a Cruz single in the sixth. Valencia and Corey Julks would hit solo home runs late in the game, but they were pretty meaningless by that point. Outfielder Cal Stevenson took over in the eighth to wrap this up after Cole Waites was also knocked around. Konnor Pilkington was the only pitcher to throw a scoreless inning.
Max Clark just continued to rake with two more hits, while Valencia is really heating up after a slow start.
Eduardo Valencia with his second hit of the night, a solo home run, an absolute bomb, 435 feet pic.twitter.com/U51c0RSuxS
Pitching spoiled a good night for the offense as the Senators pounded the SeaWolves on Tuesday.
Eric Silva got the start. He leaked a run in the top of the first, but the SeaWolves came back to take the lead in the bottom half.
Seth Stephenson got them started with a leadoff double, and then a wild pitch and a passed ball allowed him to score. 1-1 game. Peyton Graham walked and stole second, and after Brett Callahan flew out, John Peck drew a walk and he and Graham pulled off a double steal. A throwing error on Harrisburg’s catcher scored Graham, and Izaac Pacheco doubled in Peck before the inning ended. 3-1 Erie.
That was the high water mark as Silva couldn’t record an out in the second inning, and the Senators dropped six runs on the SeaWolves. Colin Fields came on to clean up the mess, but then he allowed a pair of runs in the third. At that point it was already 9-1 Senators.
Fields handled the fourth without issue, and Woo-Suk Go spun two excellent frames with four strikeouts.
Finally in the seventh, the SeaWolves got it going at the plate. Justice Bigbie and E.J. Exposito singled to start the bottom half, and Bennett Lee walked to load the bases. Stephenson got hit by a pitch to force in one run, and Graham continued to hit the ball hard early on this year, drilling a two-run single back through the box to make it a 9-4 game. Callahan hammered a drive to center field for a double that scored Stephenson and Graham, but he was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple. Still it was 9-8 game, and a glorious comeback was now in sight.
Brett Callahan smokes a 2-run double to center, but he gets cut down trying to get to 3rd. Erie is back within one run. pic.twitter.com/DXYrjPEH2H
That vision didn’t last long. Tanner Kohlhepp threw a good seventh inning, but a walk and three doubles allowed in the eighth pushed four runs across. Moises Rodriguez walked one and struck out one in the top of the ninth, but there was no comeback in the offing.
Graham: 2-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB, K, 3 SB
Pacheco: 2-4, RBI, 2B
Callahan: 1-5, 2 RBI, 2B, 2 K
Stephenson: 1-4, 2 R, RBI, 2B
Silva (L, 0-1): 7 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 2 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:05 p.m. ET start on Wednesday at UPMC Park as the SeaWolves try to start reversing a 2-8 start.
West Michigan Whitecaps 8, Lansing Lugnuts 6 (box)
The pitching staff didn’t have a great night, but big games from catcher Ricardo Hurtado and first baseman Garrett Pennington, among others, did enough to pitch them up as the Whitecaps moved to 5-5 on the year.
The Whitecaps jumped on to an early lead as Woody Hadeen beat out an infield single to start the game. Unfortunately, Hadeen was injured on the play and Junior Tilien took over as a pinch runner. Jackson Strong struck out, but Roberto Campos hammered a triple to center, and Pennington doubled in Campos for a 2-0 lead. They got one more when Hurtado doubled in Pennington.
Right-hander Carlos Marcano gave up a two-run shot in the bottom half to make it a 3-2 game, but he locked it down to blank the Lugnuts the rest of the way through the fourth inning.
Hurtado mashed his first home of the season to leadoff the top of the fourth. Doubles from Tilien and then Jackson Strong scored another in the sixth. Donye Evans had leaked a run in the fifth, so it was 6-3 ’Caps at that point through six innings.
Ricardo Hurtado is having a good night. Drove in a run earlier with a double, now hits a HR to left. 4-2 Whitecaps pic.twitter.com/ge7h5AABi7
In the seventh, Campos led off with a single, and Pennington doubled. However, Campos was cut down at the plate trying to score on a passed ball. Samuel Gil came throught with a two-out RBI single to make it 7-3, and after Lansing went back to their pen, Patrick Lee greeted new pitcher Tucker Novotny by punishing an RBI double off the wall in center to make it 8-3.
Luke Stofel and Ethan Sloan weren’t very good in relief, allowing three runs combined, but the ‘Caps hung on to win.
Hurtado: 2-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2B, HR, BB, K
Campos: 2-4, R, RBI, 3B, K
Pennington: 2-5, 2 R, RBI, 2 2B, K
Strong: 2-5, RBI, 2B, 2 K
Marcano: 4.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 3 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:05 p.m. ET start in Lansing on Wednesday.
Lakeland Flying Tigers 3, Fort Myers Mighty Mussels 0 (box)
After finally losing two games, the Flying Tigers bounced back on the road, taking the first of six in Fort Myers.
The Tigers sixth rounder last summer, lefty Grayson Grinsell, was even more impressive in his second outing. He moved down the Mussels in no-hit fashion for four innings, striking out six to just one walk. His low wattage fourseamer sat at 20 inches of induced vertical break, and even at 90 mph that’s pretty effective. Grinsell’s changeup looked really good, and he collected 11 swings and misses in this one.
The Flying Tigers struggled with RHP Reed Moring as well. Jude Warwick opened the game with a single and Bryce Rainer torched a fastball at 114.3 mph off the bat to center field for a double. However, it was hit so hard that Warwick held at third, and Moring got out of the jam. He and Grinsell pretty well dominated from then on, though the Flying Tigers did manage several hits while the Mussels did nothing at the plate all game long against Tigers’ pitching.
Finally, Moring departed in the top of the sixth, giving way to Kolten Smith and the Flying Tigers jumped all over him. Beau Ankeney led off with a sharp single and took second and third on a wild pitch and a balk. Jesus Pinto dropped a single into left field to drive in the game’s first run. Smith left the game with an injury, and with two outs, Sergio Tapia singled to right and a throwing error by the right fielder allowed Pinto to score, making it 2-0.
In the seventh, Warwick led off with a walk and scored on a two-out Ankeney pop-up turned double by some shoddy defense to make it 3-0.
Eliseo Mota was perfect for two innings with three punchouts to earn his first save of the year.
Ankeney: 2-5, R, RBI, 2B, K
Warwick: 3-4, R, BB, K, SB
Rainer: 2-5, 2B, 2 K
Grinsell: 4.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, BB, 6 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 7:05 p.m. ET start on Wednesday.
The vibes are great with the Buffalo Sabres right now. They have officially landed the No. 1 spot in the Atlantic Division standings and are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2011 because of it.
Yet, as great as things have gone this season for the Sabres, they also have some promising youngsters in their system that have the potential to make them even better in the future.
Mrtka was given the No. 22 spot on Wheeler's rankings. The 2025 ninth-overall pick undoubtedly has a lot of potential and should be a key part of Buffalo's blueline in the near future because of it. In 43 games this season with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL, he had one goal and 34 points. He also has one assist in six AHL games for the Rochester Americans this season.
Helenius was given the No. 32 spot by Wheeler. The 5-foot-11 forward is undoubtedly one of Buffalo's most promising prospects and has taken a big step forward with his development this season. In 60 games with the Amerks this campaign, he has 20 goals and 61 points. He also had one goal and four points in nine games for Buffalo this season.
As for Ostlund, he was given the No. 38 spot. The 2022 first-round pick has had a strong rookie year with the Sabres, as he has recorded 11 goals, 27 points, and a plus-11 rating in 60 games. With this, he is cementing himself as a key part of Buffalo's roster, and at just 22 years old, he has plenty of time to get even better.
Both teams enter this do-or-die game battered and bruised after a long, 82-game season. The Warriors lost key players, Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody, both out for the season. Stephen Curry missed 27 consecutive games for Golden State with a nagging runner's knee injury, but he came back with a handful of games remaining in the regular season to help boost the Warriors' chances of advancing in the playoffs.
The Clippers started their season 6-21 and were written off by many, except themselves. They rallied to finish the season 42-40. Along the way, the Clippers were led by their All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard, who played 65 games and averaged 27.9 points on 50.5% from the field, 38% from 3 and 89% on free throws. The Clippers made a trade deadline acquisition, sending James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Darius Garland, a dynamic point guard who fits their future timeline.
It's a do-or-die situation in the NBA Play-in Tournament. Will it be the Clippers, a team that has rallied in the second part of the season to give their fans newfound hope and realistic shot at the postseason? Or will it be the Warriors, who have trended downward in the latter part of the regular season but have rested to get guys as healthy as possible for the postseason?
Here are storylines to follow during the game, and what each team needs to do to have a chance to secure a victory and advance to Friday's No. 8-seed play-in game:
Warriors-Clippers storylines
The Warriors and Clippers faced each other four times during the 2025-26 regular season. The Clippers got the best of the regular-season series having won three of the four meetings.
In their head-to-head matchups, the Clippers have averaged 102.75 points per game, while the Warriors averaged 98 points.
The Warriors have barely edged the Clippers in their all-time postseason meetings, Golden State has the slight advantage with a 7-6 all-time record.
Both teams could look drastically different at the end of the season. Kawhi Leonard has a contract that expires in 2027, but following an NBA investigation into an endorsement deal in which Leonard denied any wrongdoing, that situation will be something to monitor into the summer.
The Warriors are preparing for a huge offseason that includes a decision to make with Draymond Green and his expiring contract. But before they can focus on the summer transactions, there is meaningful basketball to be played. Here are some in-game storylines to consider.
Superstar matchup: Steph Curry vs Kawhi Leonard
There's something special about the postseason when superstar talent goes toe-to-toe with each other. When it's a pair of stars who dominated the previous decade and much of this one, and you're not sure when you'll see greatness go head-to-head again, it's a spectacle to view.
The Warriors and Clippers matchup is a highly anticipated one because it's a chance to see Stephen Curry and Kawhi Leonard face each other in the postseason for perhaps the final time. Leonard has the slightly better playoff win percentage against Curry, going 8-5 in their 13 matchups.
The last time these two saw each other in the postseason was the 2019 NBA Finals, when Leonard played for the Toronto Raptors. Leonard went to lead the Raptors to the championship in six games and was named Finals MVP after Warriors suffered key injuries to Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant.
Curry got the best of Leonard during the 2017 Western Conference Finals, however. Leonard was injured in Game 1 and missed the remainder of the series. The Warriors won the series and went on to win the NBA championship.
During the 2025-26 season, Curry averaged 23.3 points, 5.7 assists and four rebounds on 44%/31%/87% shooting splits in three games against the Clippers. Leonard averaged 21.7 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals in three games against the Warriors.
Only one will get the last laugh during the 2026 NBA Play-In Tournament game.
Which second unit will show up for stars?
As much of the attention will be focused on the marquee players, the second unit and bench production will be a key component to this game. Los Angeles has the better secondary unit, at least on paper. Its team consists of a number of dependable scoring options and shot makers such as Bennedict Mathurin, Kobe Sanders, John Collins and Jordan Miller. The Clippers have guys who aren't afraid to get scrappy, such as Kris Dunn, Derrick Jones Jr., Collins and Mathurin. The Clippers benched averaged 30 points per game.
But the Warriors have guys who aren't big names, but have stepped up when their numbers have been called. The Warriors' secondary unit has averaged 45 points per game. Key bench players for Golden State have been Pat Spencer, Gary Payton II, Gui Santos and Al Horford. When the Warriors' second unit is defensive minded, and play a balanced game of attacking and knocking down 3s, they are hard to beat.
Production from secondary scorers, options
The Warriors made a midseason trade for Kristaps Porzingis, who has averaged 16.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.1 blocks and 23.7 minutes in 15 games with Golden State.
Porzingis filled a much-needed void at the center position, adding size and shooting capability as one of his strong suits. The Warriors will need his offensive and defensive presence to give them a chance to win. He was brought to the team to add some championship experience. He was a part of the team that helped the 2024 Boston Celtics win the trophy, along with Horford. Golden State looks for Porzingis and Horford to channel that with the experience of Green, Curry and Kerr.
For the Clippers, they made a trade deadline move to bring in Garland. The Clippers were rolling after the 6-21 start and continued to trend in that direction after the trade that sent James Harden to the Cavaliers. Garland has been a bright spot for the Clippers and seems to be a piece for their future. He can showcase that he belongs in Los Angeles' future plans with a monster performance during the NBA Play-In Tournament and possibly playoffs.
Garland has averaged 19.9 points, 6.4 assists and 1.2 steals in 19 games with the Clippers. He's shooting splits are 46%/39%/86%.
Warriors vs. Clippers projected lineup
Here are the projected lineups for the No. 9/10 seed game between the Warriors and Clippers.
The Toronto Maple Leafs’ chances of retaining their first-round selection at the 2026 NHL Draft took another difficult turn on Tuesday night. The Colorado Avalanche defeated the Calgary Flames 3-1, eliminating any chance for the Maple Leafs to finish with fewer points than the Flames in the overall NHL standings.
As a result, the Leafs will finish with either the fifth or sixth worst record in 2025-26. That spot will determine their chances at the NHL Draft lottery coming up on May 5. The lottery will determine not only where the Leafs will pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, but whether they will have a selection at all.
The Maple Leafs dealt the pick to the Boston Bruins, along with forward prospect Fraser Minten, in exchange for veteran defenseman Brandon Carlo in March of 2025. However, the pick is top-5 protected. This ensures the Leafs keep the selection if it remains in that range following the lottery results.
The Maple Leafs visit the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on Wednesday for their final game of the season. They currently hold a 32-35-14 record with 78 points and one game remaining. Meanwhile, the Seattle Kraken have two games left with a 34-35-11 record and 79 points. With Seattle holding the first tiebreaker over the Leafs, Toronto has a high likelihood of staying in the No. 5 position heading into the lottery—provided they do not pick up a win in Ottawa. If Toronto wins, they will need Seattle to pick up at least one point in their remaining two games to maintain that position.
Under the current lottery format, a team entering with the No. 5 best chances has just a 41.9 percent chance of picking in the top-5. That number is reduced to 15.4 percent if the Leafs enter the lottery in the No. 6 spot.
Although his sophomore season was largely considered a lost cause just weeks ago, Philadelphia Flyers starlet Matvei Michkov has completely changed the tune on his year, and the Flyers' turnaround and playoff berth has coincided with that.
By now, we've probably heard it all. Coming into training camp out of shape, the left wing vs. right wing debates, the quality of linemates, and the lackluster skating.
Despite all the noise, Michkov, 21, has played his best hockey for the Flyers at the apex of the playoff push, and that is ultimately what matters most.
Since the Flyers returned from the Olympic break in late February, the Russian phenom was Philadelphia's most prolific player, scoring seven goals and 22 points over the final 26 games of the regular season despite ranking sixth in total ice time amongst Flyers forwards, per Natural Stat Trick.
Excluding the power play and 4-on-4, Michkov is still king, having produced four goals and 14 points to pace the Flyers down that same stretch.
Penalties are and have been an issue for the youngster, yes, but Trevor Zegras actually took 14 minor penalties over the Flyers' last 26 games while being less productive offensively than his Russian counterpart.
For as much noise as there was around Michkov and the way he was being treated and utilized by Tocchet--which culminated in an impromptu media availability from GM Danny Briere--the kid wasn't fazed at all.
Michkov put his head down, worked with the tools he was given, and dragged his team to the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in six years.
If we go back to the NHL standings from Feb. 22, the Flyers were 25-20-11, sitting 13th in the Eastern Conference with a 3-4-3 record in their last 10 games.
At that point, only the New York Rangers (151) and New Jersey Devils (146) had found the back of the net less than the Flyers (167) did among teams in the East.
Fast forward to today, and the Flyers wrapped up their season on a 7-3-0 run and are a more modest 10th in the East in scoring.
The late addition of Porter Martone helped, to be fair, but the rest was Michkov and his center, Noah Cates, strapping on their work boots and going for the gusto.
And with that, the debate is settled: 2025 training camp is a thing of the past, and Michkov is a star right winger in the making for the long haul.
Martin St-Louis and his Montreal Canadiens were wrapping up their regular season with an away game against the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night. While the Habs could still improve their chances of securing home-ice advantage, they chose to rest some players. Josh Anderson, Phillip Danault, and Mike Matheson all got the night off, allowing Brendan Gallagher, Joe Veleno, and Adam Engstrom to re-enter the lineup. For the alternate captain, it was his first game since April 5.
Meanwhile, there was nothing on the line for the host aside from two points. Rick Tocchet opted to rest a lot of his key players: Trevor Zegras, Dan Vladar, Owen Tippett, Travis Konecny, Sean Couturier, Travis Sanheim, Jamie Drysdale, and Cam York all had the night off. It meant that rookies Hunter McDonald and Oliver Bonk got to play their first NHL games, that Porter Martone kept up his tremendous start, and that former Noah Juulsen got to play for the first time since April 3.
Despite not seeing a lot of ice-time, he had spent 8:38 on the ice after 40 minutes, and Gallagher made the most of his few opportunities. He opened the score for the Habs in the second frame, completing a good passing play from Alexandre Texier and Kaiden Guhle, cutting the Flyers’ lead in half. Then, later in the same period, he went to the front of the net as Arber Xhekaj was unleashing one of his booming shots. While he didn’t tip it, his simple presence created a diversion that led Samuel Ersson to let the puck escape his equipment, allowing Jake Evans to score thanks to his best Superman impression.
While there’s no denying that at times the game is too fast for the veteran, when he’s in the lineup, you know that he’s going to give you everything he still has at all times. Meanwhile, his linemate on the night, Joe Veleno, got an assist on Evans’ goal, his first point in 21 games. However, as he’s done very well in the last part of the season, he dished out five hits in the first 40 minutes.
As the Canadiens get ready to enter the playoffs, one has to wonder what role Dach actually plays on this team. His play since coming back from injury hasn’t been good enough to warrant him staying on the top-six, and he doesn’t play the kind of game that is suited to the bottom six.
Granted, at times, he can have some nice offensive flashes, but too often, he’s not noticeable at all in games. He may be a former third-overall pick and have the right pedigree, but the results are just not there. He’s six-foot-four and 221 pounds, but he doesn’t play like he is, and in the playoffs, you need to use your size and your weight. He spent 11:08 on the ice on Tuesday night and had no shots, no blocked shots, and no hits.
On The Road Again
The Canadiens will come back to Montreal before the start of the playoffs, but they’ll need to hit the road to start the first round in Florida against the Tampa Bay Lightning. That 4-2 defeat sealed the deal for the Bolts, who will finish in 2nd place in the Atlantic Division.
While much has been made about how important home-ice advantage can be in the playoffs, this is not a disaster for the Habs; they had the league’s second-best record on the road (24-7-8) and got 56 of their 106 points on the road and had a plus-19 differential away from the Bell Centre. Defenseman Lane Hutson was plus-35 away from home and only plus-one in Montreal.
Speaking about Hutson, he was held off the scoresheet on Thursday night. He was therefore unable to beat Larry Robinson’s record for most assists in a season by a Canadiens’ blueliner. Still, he put his name alongside Big Bird’s in the record book, and that’s still an amazing feat for such a young rear guard. In any case, it feels like it’s only a matter of time until he does it. As for Cole Caufield, he didn’t find the back of the net and therefore couldn’t catch Nathan MacKinnon in the race to the Rocket Richard Trophy.
Despite the 4-2 defeat against what could be described as the Flyers’ B or C team, the Canadiens end the season with a 48-24-10 record, and 106 points, eight more wins and 15 more points than last season. Furthermore, several players had career years, and numerous milestones were reached. Overall, the regular season was a resounding success. It remains to be seen if they’ll improve as much in the playoffs, given their limited experience, but Canadiens fans can’t be blamed for being optimistic.
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - DECEMBER 29: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on during the game against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center on December 29, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s not a stretch to say this was maybe the best individual season of Mitchell’s career. He scored more points than ever (1,952 total) and the 10th most in a single season by a Cavalier ever. All on an efficient 56.3% effective field goal percentage (82nd percentile).
Mitchell carried the Cavs throughout the season. He had 15 games of 35+ points, in which the Cavaliers went 14-1. Just two of those performances came after the All-Star break, a testament to how vital Mitchell was to Cleveland staying afloat during their slow start to the season.
Some factors hold him back from the A+. This was the highest usage that Mitchell’s recorded since being in Cleveland. That’s because the Cavs needed him to carry a heavier load. Still, it’s not the idealized version of Mitchell. Things have always looked smoother when he’s paired with another lead ball-handler. We didn’t see that for most of the season — not that Mitchell had any control over that.
Partnered with his higher usage, I’d argue this was the worst defensive season Mitchell has had in Cleveland. The Cavs fell out of the top-10 defensively for the first time since 2021. Mitchell’s inconsistent effort on that end of the floor played a role.
Nevertheless, this was a special offensive season from Mitchell and one of the best in franchise history. I shudder to think of where this team would have finished without him.
Grade: A
James Harden
20.5 points, 7.7 assists, 4.8 rebounds
Trading for Harden was the shock of the season. We won’t re-litigate the trade today, as only the playoffs can tell us whether or not it was worth it. But as of typing — I find it hard to believe there’s anyone in Cleveland who isn’t bought in right now.
Harden won us over almost immediately. Clutch shot making and some of the best pick-and-rolls the league has ever seen will do that. It became obvious how Harden can help raise this team’s ceiling. His instant chemistry with the bigs, along with not taking anything away from Mitchell’s scoring, is about as exciting as it gets.
Concerns remain. Can Harden play defense at a championship level? Will his turnovers be backbreakers in the playoffs? Or, can Harden step-back his way into leading a deep playoff run? That remains to be seen. Either way, I think he’s earned a little bit of faith. I’m willing to go down swinging with Harden at the helm.
Grade: A-
Jarrett Allen
15.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists
For years, Allen has been considered an unsung hero. I’m not sure that’s the case anymore. His heroic efforts in the back half of the season were as important as any other member of the team.
Allen averaged 22.3 points and 11.5 rebounds in February as the Cavs relied entirely on him to steady the ship. After multiple injuries and seismic changes at the deadline, it was Allen who kept everything running smoothly. His consistency made him an anchor on both ends of the floor, and it led to the best stretch of Allen’s career.
The only thing holding him back from an A+ or even an A+++ is the first month of the season. He suffered injuries to both hands and as a result, struggled to catch the ball or finish with his usual efficiency.
Grade: A–
Darius Garland
18 points, 6.9 assists, 2.4 rebounds
I think I speak for every Cavs fan when I say my heart sank during Garland’s first game back from the toe injury. The realization that a full summer of recovery wasn’t enough to overcome this setback was worrying.
Garland delivered a number of great games before being traded this year. The issue, of course, is each step forward came with an aggravation that felt like three steps backwards. The Cavs were left with no choice but to cut their losses and pivot to Harden in an attempt to save their season.
Mobley entered the season with dark-horse MVP written all over him. Fans expected another leap. Instead, they got more of the same — with some minor improvements on the margins.
It’s natural to feel disappointed by that outcome. Though, I do believe this was a strong season for Mobley if you can remove those preseason expectations and instead view this year for what it was.
An efficient 18 points per game as the third option on a 52-win team is pretty sweet. Especially considering he stayed at an All-Defensive level throughout the season. His finishing around the rim, as always, was a highlight. And Mobley ended the regular season with an elite stretch, averaging 20.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game in his final 20 games.
Still, I have to significantly ding his grade for not living up to expectations. Never fret, there’s more than enough time for him to make up for this in the playoffs.
Grade: C+
De’Andre Hunter
14 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists
I still don’t know what happened to Hunter. He checks all of the hypothetical boxes. Great size, good shooter, strong athlete. But none of that translates to the court. He struggled to shoot this season, played some of the worst defense I’ve seen, and overall felt as out of place as you can possibly get.
Grade: F
Jaylon Tyson
13.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists
Tyson might be the Valedictorian this year. Seriously, I can’t think of a Cavalier that has exceeded expectations more than Tyson.
I entered this season unconvinced that Tyson would be in the rotation, let alone a core piece of the team. I just didn’t think he’d be able to put so many things together in such quick fashion. But Tyson’s sophomore season felt like a launching point for an elite career.
The most impressive part of Tyson’s game is how effortlessly he adapted to whatever the Cavs asked of him. He played without the ball, shooting 44.6% from downtown and finishing as one of the best catch-and-shoot players in the NBA. That’s a role he wasn’t super comfortable playing before this season.
That expands to other aspects of the game. Tyson admitted he never played as the roller in pick-and-rolls before this season. Yet, he was a seamless fit as a screening partner with Mitchell and Harden. His below-the-rim finishing and processing speed as a playmaker allowed him to dominate in those actions.
The same goes for his defensive effort. Tyson wasn’t known as a defensive engine in college. But in the NBA? Being a scrappy, hustle player is what he needed to do to earn minutes. That was the initial bar he had to clear before breaking into Cleveland’s rotation and showing the rest of his skills. Check and check.
Most of all, Tyson proved one thing: he’s a winner. This is a dude who wants nothing more than to help his team get to the finish line. That’s going to keep him in the NBA for a long, long time.
Grade: A+++
Sam Merrill
12.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists
We all knew that Merrill could bury triples. Still, I wouldn’t take a career-high 158 three-pointers in just 52 games for granted. If he had been more available, Merrill would have easily become just the fourth Cavalier to hit 200+ three-pointers in a season. JR Smith, Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell are the others.
More impressively, Merrill proved that he isn’t just a three-point shooter this season. He began attacking the basket at a career-high rate, nearly doubling his previous high for two-pointers in roughly 20 fewer games. He also threw in a personal-best 125 assists, using his gravity to backdoor cut opponents and then kick the ball out to his teammates.
All the while, Merrill fought like hell defensively to hold his own more often than not. Effort goes a long way towards juicing your grade.
Grade: A-
Lonzo Ball
4.6 points, 4 rebounds, 3.9 assists
I’m not going to pile on Ball, whose career was totally derailed by injuries. We all saw how much he struggled to be imapctful this season. Whether it be clanking open jumpers or missing transition layups — let’s just acknowledge that this went sideways and move on.
Grade: F
Dean Wade
5.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists
This was the most Dean Wade season I’ve seen from Dean Wade. That’s to say, I don’t think we learned anything new from Wade this year.
The Cavs need Wade. They play well when he’s healthy and shooting three-pointers with confidence. Neither of those things happens as often as you’d like, but they’re just common enough to hold onto the dream.
Grade: C
Thomas Bryant
6.2 points, 3.4 rebounds
Bryant was the best addition of the offseason. It turns out the bar wasn’t very high, after Lonzo Ball played his way to a podcasting career and Larry Nance Jr. became an end-of-bench veteran. But hey, Bryant earned this one.
Seriously, though. Bryant was super helpful off the bench as a backup big. The Cavs relied on him to bring energy, toughness and even some three-point shooting throughout the year. He isn’t mobile enough to hang in certain matchups — and he gave diminishing returns as his minutes grew higher. But for a last-second addition, this is as good as it gets.
Grade: A-
Larry Nance Jr.
3.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1 assist
I’ll admit, I was bummed that Nance wound up being out of the rotation entirely this season. I fully expected him to be an X-Factor for this team. He had all of the tools to be a glue guy. Instead, it’s clear that Nance isn’t the same player he used to be. His mobility has declined significantly and he doesn’t have the size or fine-skills to make up for it.
It’s still fun to have Nance on the roster. He’s a great locker room guy and fully accepted his role on the bench. Maybe he’ll surprise us in the postseason, should the Cavs elect to break glass and put him on the floor.
Grade: D+
Keon Ellis
8.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.3 steals
Ellis was a sweet pickup at the trade deadline. A springy, 6’5” guard who can generate turnovers and play without the ball offensively. He’s an efficient catch-and-shoot player who has shown he can do more than stand in the corner. Ellis took strides as a pick-and-roller this season while also finding success as a cutter.
His defensive impact is shakier than we thought it would be. He isn’t an elite one-on-one defender or the type of guy who is going to suppress shot attempts. Ellis is, however, capable of making some incredible defensive plays by recovering and blocking shots, or using his active hands to pick up steals.
Grade: B
Craig Porter Jr.
4.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists
Porter showed that he has more defensive tenacity than previously known. He turned himself into an energizer, darting into passing lanes and embracing the challenge of ruffling his opponent’s feathers. I’m still not sure he has the foot speed to be an elite defender, but this was a strong step in the right direction.
His lack of a jumper holds him back. Porter doesn’t even attempt enough three-pointers to keep a defense honest. That will have to change if his blocks, steals, rebounds and assists are ever going to be properly utilized.
Grade: B-
Dennis Schroder
8.2 points, 4.3 assists, 2.3 rebounds
Schroder was an add-on to the Hunter trade. He doesn’t fit particularly well next to either Mitchell or Harden. That’s because he’s not adept at playing without the ball, and some of his defensive impact has faded as he gets older.
To his credit, Schroder can still muck up a game and make things interesting. He also has a knack for getting to the rim and creating in the pick-and-roll that makes him worth a spot in the playoff rotation. At least he’ll get a chance to play serious minutes depending on the matchup.
Overall, some of the poor shooting and defense hold him back from a strong grade in the regular season.
Grade: C-
Tyrese Proctor
5.4 points, 1.5 assists, 1.3 rebounds
There’s not much to take from Proctor’s rookie season. His minutes were limited and mostly restricted to garbage time.
I’d happily take any stock moving forward. He’s a guard with good size and defensive instincts. Package that with his natural gift for shooting and I can’t see how this doesn’t pan out for him at some point in the future.
Grade: B
Nae’Qwan Tomlin
5.8 points, 2.8 rebounds
Tomlin went from a two-way to a standard contract this season. That’s enough for an A on its own.
Sure, his impact fell off a cliff in the second half of the year. We saw some warts emerge, such as his poor defensive awareness or his total lack of a three-point shot. But he eventually got the wheels back on track to end the season, again using his athleticism to impact games.
Tomlin, at his best, is a frenetic player who crashes the glass and runs forcefully in transition. That’s a lot of fun to watch, even if we understand that can only take a player so far.
Grade: A-
Max Strus
11.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists
Listen, no one wanted to wait until March to finally see Max Strus play basketball again. Even Strus himself was frustrated with the process. But once he returned, it was obvious that Strus still had the juice.
Strus played just 12 games in the regular season. In those games, he hit 6+ three-pointers three separate times. He shot above 40% from downtown and nailed some clutch shots along the way. It was all the evidence you needed to know that Strus can still swing games with his prolific shooting.
It wasn’t all pretty, of course. Coming back from a months long injury takes time. Strus’ foot-speed looks slower than before and his defense is a slight concern. He also reminded us of how streaky he can be, shooting 1-9 and 1-10 in two games before the season ended.
Free of charge for the discerning reader.Happy birthday toKing Cole and a mighty host of others, plus more baseball stories, like the Babe turning into THE Babe, Jackie Robinson debut, Hank’s first hit, and California baseball.
Today in baseball history:
1911 – At the age of 24, Grover Cleveland Alexander makes his major league debut, losing a 5-4 decision to the Rustlers on an unearned run in the tenth inning at Boston’s South End Grounds.
2009 – Ian Kinsler of the Texas Rangers goes 6 for 6 and hits for the cycle in a 19 – 6 win over the Baltimore Orioles. It had been 119 years since Farmer Weaver had been the last big leaguer to go 6 for 6 and hit for the cycle in a nine-inning game.
1493 –Christopher Columbus is received by the Spanish monarchs Isabella I and Ferdinand II in Barcelona upon his return from the New World. Columbus presents kidnapped Taínos indigenous people, plants and items collected from the Caribbean.
1862 – American poet Emily Dickinson first corresponds with author and future literary mentor Thomas Wentworth Higginson, a relationship that lasts the rest of her life.
1877 – World’s first home telephone is installed in Somerville, Massachusetts at the house of Charles Williams Jr.
1892 – General Electric Company formed by merger of Thomas Edison‘s General Electric Company with Thomson-Houston Electric Company, arranged by J. P. Morgan and incorporated in NY.
1948 – F. H. Thornton observes a flash of light in crater Plato on the Moon.
1955 – Ray Kroc opens the first McDonald’s Inc. fast food restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois.
2010 -Volcanic ash from the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland leads to the closure of airspace over most of Europe.
Apr 14, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies infielder Bryson Stott (5) turns a double play against the Chicago Cubs in the second inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
Interesting decision last night by the official scorer when he assigned an error to Bryson Stott instead of Tim Mayza in the sixth inning. A low throw by Mayza was probably supposed to be caught by Stott, which is likely why they charged it to Stott in the first place, but that felt a little tough. I’d bet we see that changed in the coming days.
