TORONTO, ON - MAY 30: Jeffrey Springs #59 of the Athletics delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in their MLB game at the Rogers Centre on May 30, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Morning everyone and happy Tuesday!
We knew since Friday that Luis Severino would be taking the ball on Opening Day. It wasn’t a shock and was well-deserved considering how he’s been pitching over the past few weeks across both Spring Training and the World Baseball Classic. Sevy gets Game 1 but now we know how the rest of the first series will go.
It’s no shock to see left-hander Jeffrey Springs getting the nod for Game 2 on Saturday. The lefty was one of the team’s best pitchers for a majority of the season last year. Outside of a disastrous first month of the season Springs was the anchor in the middle of the rotation that the A’s thought they were getting when they acquired him from the Rays last offseason. We’ll all be hoping that Springs can avoid that rough start this year, though he’ll have a tough task in the Blue Jays. In 12 career appearances against Toronto (5 starts), Springs has a 4.46 ERA, including two starts last year. Springs will be opposed by right-hander Dylan Cease, the high-priced free agent signee who will be making his team debut when he gets the ball. A tough matchup to be sure but if we get mid-season Springs we should be okay.
Surprisingly the A’s will go with right-hander Luis Morales for Game 3 on Sunday. The 23-year-old is one of the prized pitching prospects in the organization and looked good in his big league debut at the end of last year, pitching to a 3.14 ERA in his first 10 games. Things have not been smooth for him this spring however as he’s struggled in most of his appearances. It’s important to remember it’s just spring but still, it’s been a growing concern for A’s fans and he didn’t do anything to assuage those anxieties in yesterday’s spring finale. Hopefully these worries are all for not, but the A’s will be asking a lot of Morales considering he’s so young, has little big league experience and reached his career-high in innings pitched last year at just 89. Morales may have a few short starts throughout the year, if he can keep his spot in the rotation. He’ll be opposed on Sunday in the series finale by left-hander Eric Lauer.
That sets up left-hander Jacob Lopez and right-hander Aaron Civale to take the first two games in the second series of the year when the A’s travel to take on the Atlanta Braves. We don’t know the order but it’d be fair to assume Civale gets Game 4 on account of his veteran status. Lopez was one of the better pitchers the A’s had last year but had an elbow injury hanging over his head all offseason. It seems he’s gotten through camp without any setbacks and so hopefully Lopez is a full-go. If it was based on last year’s results then Lopez would get Game 4 but we’ll have to wait and see how manager Mark Kotsay wants to order the rotation.
It’s getting closer! Enjoy the next few days without baseball guys because once games get going it’s six long months until the end of the season. Marathon, not a race.
Jump at Triple-A, Arnold at Double-A to start the year:
A’s No. 3 prospect Gage Jump will begin the regular season at Triple-A Las Vegas, while No. 2 prospect Jamie Arnold will start out at Double-A Midland. pic.twitter.com/7XhRgOfzgt
MOVES RHP Gunnar Hoglund to IL RHP Jack Perkins/OF Colby Thomas to LV LV 2B Cooper Bowman to TB for RHP Gerlin Rosario (unassigned) LHP Colton Johnson, RHPs Hunter Breault, Tom Reisinger, Drew Conover, Aidan Layton, Dairon DeJesus, OF Cesar Franco releasedhttps://t.co/joKXkyUAPy
— Bill Moriarity – A's Farm (@AthleticsFarm) March 23, 2026
Looking like Ginn got that last roster spot in the bullpen over Perkins. Good or bad?
Only surprise is that Ginn nabbed the final bullpen spot over Perkins, but A's apparently want to keep Perkins stretched out as a starter at Vegas in case he's needed to supplement the rotation… https://t.co/f5Shz8yWYX
— Bill Moriarity – A's Farm (@AthleticsFarm) March 23, 2026
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 15: Francisco Alvarez #4 of the New York Mets celebrates his three run home run against the Seattle Mariners at Citi Field on August 15, 2025 in New York City. The Mariners defeated the Mets 11-9. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Linda Surovich: Carson Benge wins ROTY
During the offseason, David Stearns announced that Carson Benge would be given a chance to compete for a spot on the major league roster during spring training. A spot cleared on the roster for him with Brandon Nimmo’s departure and Juan Soto moving to left field this season. The stars were aligning for Benge to seize a roster spot and, so far, he has done nothing to cast doubt in anyone’s mind that he belongs on this team. All he has done is hit and it is his elite hit tool that has earned him the status as the team’s top offensive prospect. Of course, the number one prospect in the organization is Nolan McLean who will also undoubtedly be in the running for Rookie of the Year, but I am predicting that all of Benge’s tools, both offensively and defensively, will be enough to take McLean down for the award.
Brian Salvatore: Kodai Senga posts an ERA below 2.50
One of the biggest follies in baseball prediction is presuming past performance will repeat despite recent examples to the contrary. 2023 Kodai Senga was a revelation for the Mets: 2nd place in the NL Rookie of the Year, some down ballot Cy Young votes, and an All-Star selection in his first MLB season.
But then came 2024, and injuries limited Senga to just one regular season appearance and three mostly ineffective postseason appearances. 2025 started off strong, but another injury caused by trying to cover first base led to missed time and, more importantly, Senga never looked the same once he returned. But before the injury, Senga made 13 starts, putting up a 1.74 ERA in 73.2 innings pitched. Yes, his FIP was more than a run higher, so maybe there was some luck present, but Senga looked much more like the rookie than he did in his frustrating late-2024 appearances.
With stronger up the middle defense, a potential six-man rotation, and a coaching staff more aligned with the front office, things seem like they may be working in Senga’s favor. Already this spring, Senga’s velocity is back up to the high 90s, and his ghost fork is diving out of the strike zone like it did in ‘23. If he can stay healthy, Senga is poised to have a monster season.
My initial bold prediction for Senga was a sub-3.00 ERA, but that’s not bold enough. In 2023, he did just that. In 2025, even with a month and a half of general ineffectiveness, his ERA only topped out at 3.02. So let’s be bolder: Kodai Senga’s ERA will be lower than 2.50 for 2026.
Michael Drago: The Mets will have the best OF in baseball by fWAR
Last year’s outfield – despite having added one of the best players in the game over the past winter – was somewhat frustrating. Juan Soto was every bit as good with the bat as advertised, but he did have some horribly unlucky clutch numbers, and was unsurprisingly terrible in right field. Brandon Nimmo, while not quite fully cooked, certainly showed signs of continued skill degradation. And the less said about the team’s production (or lack thereof) in center field, the better.
But of the many things that will hopefully go better for the 2026 Mets, I’m going to bet on the team’s overall outfield production to be one of the biggest improvements. Soto will have an MVP-caliber season (and might even win it if the voters get tired of giving it to Ohtani every year), as his numbers in clutch situations will revert back to the mean while his shift to left field will result in his defense not being TOO detrimental. Luis Robert Jr. will reclaim his offensive skills and be, at a bare minimum, a solid bat after freeing himself from the stink of the White Sox vibes/coaching staff, and that combined with his elite center field defense will make him a significant improvement over what the Mets got out of the position last year (and of course, the potential for him reaching his previous MVP candidate peak remains there). And in right field, Carson Benge – whether it be at the start of the season or shortly thereafter – will establish himself as a long-term piece for the Amazin’s, providing a well-rounded offensive game along with a strong glove in right field (and meanwhile, Mike Tauchman will either be a serviceable placeholder for Benge or a solid bench piece). It will all add up to being one of the stronger outfield units the Mets have had in recent memory, and it will be the envy of just about every other team in baseball.
Allison McCague: Tobias Myers will stick in the Mets’ rotation
One big difference between this current Mets team and the Mets of one year ago is that their starting pitching is remarkably healthy as we tick closer to Opening Day. I am knocking on all of the wood as I type this; as of this writing, Nolan McLean still has to pitch in the World Baseball Classic final and everyone else has a Grapefruit League appearance or two left before the regular season gets underway. But as of now, the Mets have a full six-man rotation’s worth of healthy major league caliber pitchers (Freddy Peralta, Nolan McLean, Kodai Senga, Sean Manaea, Clay Holmes, David Peterson).
That pushes Tobias Myers, also acquired from the Brewers in the Freddy Peralta trade, to the bullpen as the swingman. But I think it won’t be long before Myers finds himself in the rotation full-time and I predict that once he’s there, he’ll stick there. The obvious reason this prediction may not seem that bold on its face is that, well, pitchers break. Even though the rotation is healthy right now, it may not stay that way and we don’t need to look any further than last year’s team or at any other team around the majors to see how important pitching depth is to an organization. Last year, Griffin Canning was an excellent example of the Mets maximizing on a guy’s talent and transforming him into a cromulent fill-in guy when injuries took their toll until injury took him down as well.
The part that is bold here is that I don’t think it will even necessarily take injuries for Myers to force his way up the depth chart. I think Myers is already the third or fourth best starting pitcher the Mets have and that will crystalize sooner rather than later. Sean Manaea’s velocity has been down this spring. Neither the Mets nor Manaea expressed concern about this and it could be nothing, but if he is ineffective in his first few starts, that is already reason enough to limit his innings and give Myers more of a shot. Holmes and McLean are both adjusting to full season workloads. If you put any stock in spring training performance, Myers has been excellent, posting a 1.08 ERA in 8 1/3 innings with nine strikeouts and an increased induced vertical break on his fastball. The Mets are making changes with his arm angle, grip, and pitch mix that make one optimistic we could see a huge performance spike from him this year, which is why I think he’s going to earn a spot in the rotation sooner rather than later and not relinquish it once he does.
Linus Lawrence: Brett Baty posts more than 4.5 WAR in 2026
I think Brett Baty is going to be very good. Not great. He’s not going to win an MVP or anything. But he’ll be really, pretty, very good. My evidence? Here are his WAR/162 rates from each of his four big league seasons thus far:
2022: -4.4 2023: -1.1 2024: 0.9 2025: 3.8
Now I’m no statistician, but that looks to me like a fairly reliable incline. If the pattern continues, he’d be due for ~6 WAR this season. That’s a starling number, and one he’s highly unlikely to reach, especially if his playing time comes more from first base and left field than third base this season. But he’s only 26 years old, a former first-round pick and top prospect, and nowhere near finished developing as a ballplayer. With the Mets’ previous homegrown core of Nimmo, Alonso, and McNeil a thing of the past, it’s time for the baby Mets — Baty, Alvarez, and Vientos — to become the new old guard. David Stearns believes in him. Billy Eppler believed in him. Heck, Brodie Van Wagenen believed in him. So should we.
Thomas Henderson: Jorge Polanco is more valuable than Pete Alonso in 2026 by WAR
One of the more controversial moves, according to a lot of the online fan base and the media at large, was the Mets’ decision to let Pete Alonso take his talents to Baltimore, Maryland, and the subsequent choice to replace him with longtime middle infielder Jorge Polanco. So, since it’s bold prediction season after all, what better way to really dive into that than to make a prediction about both of them?
So, my bold prediction is that Jorge Polanco will have a higher fWAR than Pete Alonso.
It sounds kind of outrageous on its front, as Alonso has a huge reputation and Polanco’s reputation is more of a secondary player. However, I think they are closer than one may think, especially with the impending move to first base for the latter.
Since the 2021 season began, Alonso has amassed a 15.8 fWAR, good for 44th in all of baseball, and Polanco comes in a fair bit lower, with 10 fWAR, making him the 92nd best player in baseball over that same stretch. However, I think the defense will be key for this bold prediction.
Even the most ardent Alonso fan will likely admit he’s never been a gold glove defender, but his Outs Above Average numbers paint a dire picture for the Polar Bear. His -9 OAA ranked as 14th worst in all of baseball last year, and I personally find it hard to believe that it will improve, considering his age and, frankly, his already middling defensive skillset.
On the other hand, Polanco has a much better chance to improve on his middling defensive numbers. He was never a truly excellent defender as a (mostly) middle infielder, but there is historical precedent for a player moving to first base and taking to it.
If you look at last year’s OAA first base leader board, there are plenty of first base converts on that list. Ty France, Willson Contreras, Jonathan Arranda and Bryce Harper are all players who moved to first base, and ended up in the top twelve of first basemen according to OAA. That doesn’t even mention Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who went from a truly awful third baseman—we’re talking like -19 OAA in 2019—to a mostly bang average first baseman. It stands to reason that Jorge Polanco, a below-average to bad middle infielder, can improve his defensive statistics enough to shorten the gap between him and Alonso, according to fWAR. As long as their bats remain similar, and over three of the last four seasons they roughly are, save for a brutal 2024 for Polanco, and it’ll be interesting to see how the defensive side of things comes along for Polanco.
Vasilis Drimalitis: Francisco Alvarez stays healthy and is an NL All-Star
I was initially planning to go intentionally vague with my prediction and say Alvarez will have an “All-Star caliber season”, but that feels like a cop out, so I’m going to go a little bolder than I initially intended. The main point here is that I believe Alvarez finally has the season that Mets fans and the organization have been waiting for. What that means may vary from person-to-person, but first and foremost he stays healthy, puts up elite offensive production for a catcher, and becomes an impact bat, which helps make the bottom half of the Mets’ lineup look considerably better. And let’s put the cherry on top and predict that he’s named to the NL All Star team, for good measure.
Since being ranked the top prospect in all of baseball in 2022, Alvarez has failed to live up to those sky-high expectations. He played 123 games and hit 25 games in 2023, which is the best the Mets have seen from him over the course of a full season. He posted a wRC+ of 96 in 2023, 101 in 2024, and 124 in 2025. Injuries, including many that really boil down to bad luck, have held him back—last year alone, he fractured his left hamate bone during spring training, suffered a UCL sprain in his thumb, and fractured his left pinky after being hit by a pitch during a rehab assignment. That all comes after he tore a ligament in his thumb, costing him two months in 2024. All of that sapped his power, resulting in just 22 home runs combined over the past two seasons.
The second half of his season last year is what really makes me think Alvarez is going to be one of *the guys* for the team. After his return from the minors in the second half of the season, he posted a 157 wRC+ and hit eight homers and nine doubles over 40 games. He slashed .276/.360/.561 and was one of the best hitters on the club. Among all National League catchers with a minimum 100 plate appearances in the second half of the 2025 season, Alvarez had the best wRC+ (157) and the fourth-best fWAR (1.5), proving that, at his best, he can be ranked among the best NL catchers. I expect that to carry over into the year. His luck is also bound to turn around at some point, and this is the year that will happen for Alvarez, keeping him on the field for 110-120 games.
Alvarez’s career-best fWAR is 3.0 in 2025, so I’m going to predict that he surpasses that and finishes top-5 among NL catchers. With the hand and arm injuries behind him, I’ll predict that he also eclipses the 20 home run mark for the second time in his career. Lastly, I’ll say that Alvarez sets a career best mark in wRC+, topping last season.
Lukas Vlahos: The Mets finish 2026 with at least seven top-101 prospects
Per Baseball Prospectus, the Mets currently have seven prospects in the top 101: Nolan McLean, Carson Benge, Jonah Tong, A.J. Ewing, Jacob Reimer, Ryan Clifford, and Will Watson. Three of these are near locks to graduate – McLean, Benge, and Tong – while Clifford has already seen Triple-A and the others are not far behind. It’s within the realm of possibility that five or more of these players graduate.
I’m betting that doesn’t come to pass, that the major league roster will be good enough to prevent all of Ewing, Reimer, Clifford, and Watson from cracking the big leagues for long enough to lose rookie eligibility. Tied to that, I’m also betting that none of them see a significant decline in their prospect stock, nor that any will be traded. The first half of that is born out of conviction in all of these players. The latter half is an estimation that no player worth trading one of these players for will become available at the trade deadline.
That’s only four names though, how do we get the Mets top-101 count back up to seven? Mitch Voit is the obvious addition, even if his post-draft debut was shaky. I’m betting that at least one player from the group of Elian Peña, Eli Serrano (my personal favorite), Jack Wenninger, Jonathan Santucci, and Zach Thornton are in this conversation as well. And beyond that, I’m making a broader bet on Mets development to continue drastically increasing the stock of prospects that are more off the public’s radar to add one final name here. Maybe it’s Antonio Jimenez. Maybe it’s Peter Kussow. It could be Carlos Guzman. Who knows.
There are so many potential paths here and I have such strong conviction in the Mets’ development apparatus at this stage that I am confident they will have at least seven top-101 names once again next offseason.
Oct 28, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman walks on the field before game three of the 2024 MLB World Series between the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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It’s crazy how time flies. I can remember pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training like it was yesterday, and now we’re on the eve of Opening Day! Furthermore, it feels like just last week that we asked the fanbase to evaluate general manager Brian Cashman and the offseason moves that he oversaw, when it fact it’s been a month-and-a-half since we ran our offseason grading poll.
Sitting on the doorstep of the 2026 season, we felt it was the perfect opportunity to take the fanbase’s temperature one last time before meaningful games get underway.
This was one of the busiest spring training periods in recent memory between the World Baseball Classic and normal Grapefruit League schedule. The tournament was a resounding success, with Venezuela narrowly defeating Team USA to secure their first ever WBC crown. Attendance and broadcast records were smashed, with several Yankees representing their nations, including Aaron Judge as captain of Team USA.
There were plenty of developments at the spring training complex as well. Much of the noise coming out of Tampa centered on a trio of exciting prospects. Spencer Jones continued his habit of demolishing spring training pitching, slashing .333/.429/.917 with four home runs, eight RBIs, three stolen bases, a 14.3-percent walk rate and encouraging 28.6-percent strikeout rate, and 227 wRC+ in 28 plate appearances spanning 11 games. Top pitching prospect Elmer Rodríguez affirmed that he is the most polished of the Yankees’ farm arms, making a pair of starts and allowing two runs in six innings without giving up a home run and showcasing his command of a deep arsenal.
However, it was electric pitching prospect Carlos Lagrange who stole headlines, emerging as one of if not the most exciting pitching prospects in all of baseball. He largely dominated opposing major league hitters with his high octane fastball that touched as high as 103 mph, displaying the improvements in command he’s made over the last year. Shelling at the hand of the Cubs notwithstanding, Lagrange’s performances caught the eye of the major league coaching staff, and it’s not out of the question that he could impact the big league club this year. All three prospects were optioned to minor league camp, but their strong springs have positioned each for a potential call-up should reinforcements be needed.
The last week has seen the team finalize the active roster. Jasson Domínguez and Oswaldo Cabrera were optioned to Triple-A while non-roster invitee Randal Grichuk was tendered a major league contract and Rule 5 draftee Cade Winquest still has a chance to break camp with the team. The Yankees acquired Angel Chivilli and Max Schuemann to provide depth in the bullpen and infield, respectively, but promptly optioned the pair to the minors as they give reps at shortstop to Ryan McMahon and are pondering the selection of Brent Headrick’s contract.
The biggest story in terms of roster construction in recent days, however, concerns the starting rotation. Aaron Boone hinted at the possibility of a four-man rotation for the first two turns with the Yankees having four offdays in the first two weeks, including reaffirming their commitment to offseason trade acquisition Ryan Weathers as a member of the rotation despite his rocky spring. This opens the door to the Yankees optioning Luis Gil to Triple-A to open the year, the 2024 AL Rookie of the Year hitting the lowest of lows and highest of highs in his final two spring starts.
Speaking of the rotation, there is plenty of reason to be encouraged. Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón are on time if not ahead of schedule with their throwing programs, the former even making a spring start and reaching as high as 99 mph with his fastball. Will Warren looks to have taken a massive step over the offseason following an up-and-down rookie campaign and was the Yankees’ most consistent starter in spring. Cam Schlittler emerged from an early spring injury scare to look like the pitcher who dominated after his second half call-up.
As for the offense, it’s the exact same group that finished last season. The Yankees kept their starting outfield intact in retaining Trent Grisham on the qualifying offer and bringing Cody Bellinger back into the fold for five years and $162.5 million. It’s fair to criticize the Yankees’ lack of ambition in running it back with the same starting nine, but this was the best offense in baseball last year by runs per game and wRC+ and projects to place in the top-five in terms of runs scored and offensive wins.
It is therefore no surprise that a pair of projection systems have the Yankees as one of the two or three best teams in the AL. FanGraphs projects that they will win the division with the second-most wins (87) in the AL behind the Mariners and the third best playoff odds (70.2-percent) behind the Mariners and Tigers. PECOTA predicts that they will finish second behind the Blue Jays, but still with the third-most wins (88) and third-best playoff odds (67.3-percent) behind Toronto and Seattle.
So now I would like to turn it over to you. How far do you think the Yankees will go in 2026? Can they make it back to the World Series after their early postseason exit last year? Will they miss out on the playoffs entirely? Additionally, we ask that you let us know whether you approve of the job Yankees GM Brian Cashman has done this spring in finalizing the roster. Vote in our polls below:
CLEVELAND, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 26: Cody Freeman #39 celebrates with Alejandro Osuna #19 of the Texas Rangers after Osuna hit a three-run homer during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on September 26, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Rangers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Okay folks…spring training is over, Opening Day is two days away, the season is about to kick off.
We are doing one last win total poll heading into the season.
How many regular season games will the 2026 Texas Rangers win?
TAMPA, FL - MARCH 21: Garrett Baumann #90 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Saturday, March 21, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
With the 2026 Spring Breakout Series coming to an end, MLB Pipeline released their All-Spring Breakout Teams, with a pair of Atlanta Braves prospects making the first team. John Gil made it as the third baseman, which is the position he played in the game, while Garrett Baumann was one of six pitchers selected to the first team.
Gil, who went one for three with a homer, walk, and hit by pitch, scored twice and batted in a pair of runs against the Yankees team. Baumann went three innings without allowing a hit or walk and struck out five on just 31 pitches on Saturday night.
This honor for Gil and Baumann comes after both players enjoyed strong springs that have given them a slight up arrow on their prospect status heading into their 2026 seasons. Both of these guys are candidates to open the season in Double-A, and with strong seasons could potentially earn the right to make their big league debuts in the near future.
Mar 23, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker (7) dribbles the ball against the Memphis Grizzlies during the second half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
The Atlanta Hawks returned to winning ways — and an 11th consecutive victory at home — with a lopsided 146-107 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night at State Farm Arena.
The Hawks — without Jalen Johnson — were led by Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s 28 points, while Onyeka Okongwu and Jonathan Kuminga both added 16 points. For the Grizzlies — who are injury hit/running for the lottery — GG Jackson scored 26 points with Tyler Burton adding 20 points.
We’re at a point in the season where teams who are gunning for the playoffs, jostling for playoff seeding, meet teams whose have a very different objective at this time of the year — and there’s more teams than usual who fit this criteria this season. As a result, some games are more so formalities than contests; box-ticking exercises.
In this case: did the Memphis Grizzlies show up to the game? Yes, yes they did. They took a 5-0 lead, hung around in the first quarter (trailing by just 10 points to end the first quarter), and that was their general team contribution to this game.
The Hawks — who by no means played a sexy first quarter (eight turnovers, forcing passes that were a bit too far out of reach) — were extremely comfortable in this game, and while this game was never really a contest (leading by double digits in the first quarter, running the lead to 26 points in the second quarter, 30 points — and quickly 40+ points — in the third quarter) the Hawks remained professional throughout, and their first quarter play was a microcosm for how the rest of the game essentially unfolded, so we’ll look at some of the plays from last night.
From the outset, the Hawks’ ball movement was excellent, this three-pointer finished by CJ McCollum one such example of the Hawks’ willingness to pass, move, relocate, and find the open man:
Even when the Hawks were absolutely blowing the Grizzlies out in the third quarter, they still committed to this style of play when the ball moved around to find Gabe Vincent for a three-pointer with 1:41 remaining.
The Hawks tallied 37 assists and would only register three more turnovers for the remainder of the game following their eight turnovers in the first quarter.
“That’s the possession game,” said Hawks head coach Quin Snyder of cleaning up the turnovers. “The fact that we did that to be able to clean that up against a team that was denying passes and trying to extend pressure up the floor. I thought our guys settled into that and were much more secure with the ball, and that takes more than just one player. You’ve gotta work to get open, sometimes you’ve got to ball fake, you got to be spaced if someone needs help. It was good to see.”
Alexander-Walker scored 13 points in the first, and with Memphis’ lack of size inside the paint Alexander-Walker was able to consistently get to the rim and finish.
The Grizzlies did their share to help the Hawks at times, and a breakdown on the switch with Taylor Hendricks allows Alexander-Walker to turn the corner, attack the paint where he takes the bump, adjusts, and finishes for the ‘and-1’ play:
Coming off the curl from the corner and off the dribble hand-off from Jock Landale, Alexander-Walker is able to burst into the paint where he is uncontested for the dunk:
And, of course, the pick of the bunch. Kuminga intercepts the pass, does well to twist and turn to get the ball to the streaking Alexander-Walker, who charges to the rim and finishes the left-handed poster dunk, plus the foul:
“From when I got the ball, I could see the defender was timing me,” said Alexander-Walker of the play. “So, I knew I had to go aggressively. If I tried to lay it up, I think like the more aggressive guy wins in that situation. For me, it was just like, ‘All right, let’s just go for it,‘ mentality. I wanted to battle that one. I was just surprised. It’s funny because the guys get on me to dunk all the time. I tell them, like, ‘That’s just not what I like to do,’ you know. For me to go get one in that fashion was pretty funny.”
This play — and the Kuminga three the possession prior to this — were a big swing to end the first quarter as the Hawks had allowed Memphis to creep back towards them after a sloppy first quarter. With these two plays, the Hawks never really looked back.
Memphis did their best to help the Hawks with their turnovers and shot selection, such as this turnover where DeJon Jarreau loses the handle for the turnover:
On the drive, Walton Clayton Jr. attempts to throw a lob for Hendricks, only for Hendricks to have already fanned out to the corner, resulting in a turnover:
Memphis’ shot selection, however, was their greater issue. The early recipe to try attain a foothold in this game was Ty Jerome, and from the early exchanges this did yield success.
Jerome is well defended on the drive by Dyson Daniels, and forces him to take a turnaround jumpshot, which is short:
In transition, the Grizzlies find Clayton Jr. in the corner, but with 18 seconds remaining on the shotclock there’s likely a better shot than a fading three-point attempt in the corner:
The Hawks did their part to limit the Grizzlies, too, with some good Alexander-Walker defense preventing Clayton Jr. fro getting to the rim, and forcing a tough turnaround airball:
The Grizzlies would take many jumpshots in this game, indicative of both the Grizzlies’ lack of quality to create offense and the Hawks’ ability to limit penetration (and defend the rim when the Grizzlies got there) and keep Memphis in front of them.
Looking at some other team stats, the Hawks scored a whopping 39 points off of 23 Memphis turnovers, which also contributed to 26 fastbreak points. Nickeil Alexander-Walker pointed to the team’s defense in contributing to the Hawks’ fastbreak scoring, crediting Mo Gueye for his contributions (starting in place of Jalen Johnson).
“Just defense, active gaps,” said Alexander-Walker postgame of the fastbreak scoring. “Mo Gueye has been tremendous in terms of bringing activity for us, deflections. If you notice, he always racks them up whenever he’s playing. I think that’s just been big for us, what he has been able to do defensively. Dyson’s going to be him, he’s going to be disruptive, challenging passing lanes for everybody. I think it was a collective unit; we felt like we were on a string with rotations, with shifts, cycles, etc.”
The Hawks enjoyed a rare advantage on the offensive glass, grabbing 12 offensive rebounds leading to 19 second chance points; an efficient conversion. Efficient would be a good adjective to describe the Hawks in this game: 53% shooting from the field, 46% from three (making 25 in total), and shooting 23-of-25 from the free throw line.
The Hawks took care of business, which was the theme of the night in the postgame availability.
“I think it’s a collective thing where guys are just putting the team first,” said Snyder when asked about the maturity of his side taking care of business.“ When you say that, the things that those guys are doing right now demonstrate that. That’s got to be our focus, and when it is we’re crashing the offensive glass, we’re sharing the ball, getting in the lane, breaking the paint, and then sharing the ball. The focus on the defense is the most important thing when you see everybody bought into that, that says a lot about the guys in our locker room. Their maturity, but also just their focus. Whether you’re 22 or 32.”
Nickeil Alexander-Walker, as ever, summed up the matter very eloquently, saying the Hawks were very much aware of who they are playing, and who they should beat.
“I think as a group, we’ve been professional and that’s what it’s about, doing your job,” said Alexander-Walker. “It doesn’t matter who they put out in front of you. We were very conscious of who we were playing against tonight. We’ve seen the Boston game, we’ve seen the Denver game, and those are teams playing their full roster. Those are teams trying to get wins for seeding in the playoffs. Those guys, they’re winning games. One thing I learned is that if you lose to a team like that, it’s bad. If you beat a team like that, ‘Oh, you’re supposed to blah, blah, blah, blah’. You don’t really win in that situation. So, you kind of got to drown out the noise. You just got to be professional. It’s my job to play the game, it’s my job to play hard, it’s my job to try to win and do what I need to do for the team. Everyone showed up tonight to do that, and I think that’s been the one consistent thing that’s shown over time.”
“At the end of the day, these are the 450 best players in the world,” added Onyeka Okongwu. “Those guys over there, the Grizzlies, are dealing with a lot of injuries, a lot of guys in and out of the lineups. Those guys are just getting opportunities; you see guys like Prosper and Hendricks, they’re all just playing so hard and giving their all. Still got to respect it, but we still do what we do and take care of business at the end of the day.”
Aside from taking care of business, Snyder was pleased with the Hawks’ ball movement, crediting CJ McCollum’s contributions in the first quarter in setting the standard early, then Alexander-Walker’s efforts in the third quarter.
“It’s terrific. I thought CJ set the tone early, where he was just in the lane, had his eyes out finding people,” said Snyder of the Hawks’ unselfishness. “Then, Nickeil had a stretch, beginning the third quarter, where those guys playing that way, it raises everybody’s level, it sets a tone. It wasn’t just the two of them but, to me, they stood out because they’re both capable scorers and they get in there too. For them to be looking for their teammates, and they do. but it was noticeable tonight in those two situations, I thought, in a very obvious way. We were obviously unselfish, which I like to be able to say that.”
The nature of this game meant there was a lot of garbage time in the fourth quarter, and every player who checked into the game scored for the Hawks, including eight players in double-digit scoring. Alexander-Walker led the way with 26 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the field, and 4-of-6 from three, scoring 22 points in the first half. Jonathan Kuminga enjoyed a stronger game, also hitting four threes en route to 16 points off the bench, while Okongwu was an ever-present threat inside the paint on both ends of the floor.
Perhaps the most encouraging takeaway was a second consecutive game where Dyson Daniels hit multiple three-pointers in a game, shooting 2-of-3 from behind the arc.
“He’s done that before,” said Syder of Daniels’ shooting. “If you look, maybe not as much this year, but that’s who he is, and we don’t want him to not be aggressive in any situation. His aggressiveness offensively can manifest itself a lot of ways, just being prepared to shoot. I’ve talked to you guys before about just space, and then read, and if he’s got the shot, take the shot. He’s pretty good getting in the paint, too.”
As Snyder said, this is not new for Daniels overall — and those threes he took and hit last night looked like the threes he made last season — but for this season, it is an enormous boost. In 10 games in March so far, Daniels is shooting 31% from three; obviously not a high percentage but in the context of Daniels’ season it’s an enormous step forward.
All-in-all, a very professional game from the Atlanta Hawks, who won with ease in a spot where victory was expected. What was most impressive was the how the Hawks didn’t ease off the throttle in the third quarter, playing in a similar manner than in the first quarter with their ball and man movement when they could have easily began to ease up and play in a carefree manner. It speaks to a focus and a recognition of the seriousness of where the Hawks are in their season, now with a clear opportunity to make the top-6 in the East.
It was a very good night in that regard; Orlando inexplicably broke the Pacers’ 16 game losing streak, while Miami and Philadelphia suffered heavy home losses against the top two in the West. The Hawks need as much margin as they can get, as they have the fourth most difficult schedule remaining in the NBA.
The Hawks (40-32) are back in action on Wednesday, when they’ll take on the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena.
The Pistons will be without Cade Cunningham, and while it’s a great time to play the Pistons in that sense, they should not be underestimated having just snapped the Lakers’ nine game winning streak without Cunningham.
Zion Williamson is putting in work since the All-Star break, pushing the New Orleans Pelicans out of the Western Conference basement with 10 wins in their last 16 games.
With no first-round draft pick, New Orleans lacks an incentive to tank down the stretch, and Williamson is stacking the box score with points, rebounds, and assists.
Our Pelicans vs. Knicks predictions single out that latter stat — assists — with my NBA picks calling for Zion to pump up his playmaking at MSG tonight.
Pelicans vs Knicks prediction
Pelicans vs Knicks best bet: Zion Williamson Over 2.5 assists (-115)
Since coming off a minutes restriction in January, Zion Williamson has been a force, but he’s done so with the New Orleans Pelicans being selective about his usage, running the offense through him — not necessarily for him.
For all his sound and fury at the rim, Williamson is an underrated passer.
He generates 6.3 potential assists per game, trickling down to an average of 3.3 dimes. He’s dished out 3+ assists in 21 of his last 34 outings, including four helpers in the loss at Cleveland on Saturday.
Tonight’s player projections range between 3.4 and 4.4 assists for Zion.
Pelicans vs Knicks same-game parlay
The New York Knicks are in pursuit of the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, which would earn them home court if they run into Boston in the playoffs. Game models have the Knicks getting by the Pelicans tonight.
Mikal Bridges is one of the streakiest scorers in the NBA. New York's small forward seems to have snapped another cold shooting slump with a 6-for-11 night and 14 points in the win over Washington. He’s projected for a similar stat line tonight.
Pelicans vs Knicks SGP
Knicks moneyline
Zion Williamson Over 2.5 assists
Mikal Bridges Over 12.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: Zion’s Garden Party
Superstars tend to get up to play at MSG. Zion’s projections lean toward 21 points and three assists, and let’s not forget how explosive a shot blocker he is. The Pelicans have also been one of the better ATS bets over the past month and a half.
Pelicans vs Knicks SGP
Pelicans +8.5
Zion Williamson Over 20.5 points
Zion Williamson Over 2.5 assists
Zion Williamson Over 0.5 blocks
Pelicans vs Knicks odds
Spread: Pelicans +8.5 | Knicks -8.5
Moneyline: Pelicans +280 | Knicks -360
Over/Under: Over 231.5 | Under 231.5
Pelicans vs Knicks betting trend to know
The Pelicans have covered the spread in 20 of their last 30 games for +10.10 units and a 31% ROI. Find more NBA betting trends for Pelicans vs. Knicks.
How to watch Pelicans vs Knicks
Location
Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Date
Tuesday, March 24, 2026
Tip-off
7:30 p.m. ET
TV
GCSEN, MSG
Pelicans vs Knicks latest injuries
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DETROIT, MI – MARCH 23: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket as Daniss Jenkins #24 of the Detroit Pistons plays defense during the game...
Two clutch teams walk into a bar…
And instead of ordering drinks, they start trading daggers.
Not the loud, reckless kind that comes early in games when legs are fresh and defenses are polite. No, these are the quiet, suffocating possessions that define reputations — the kind that happen when the clock bleeds, the crowd leans, and every decision carries weight.
That’s who the Los Angeles Lakers and the Detroit Pistons have been all season. Not just good teams. Not just surprising teams. Clutch teams. Cold-blooded, mathematically undeniable closers.
Detroit’s Ronald Holland shoots against LA’s Luka Dončić at Little Caesars Arena, March 23 in Detroit, Michigan. Getty Images
Entering Monday night in Detroit, the Lakers owned the best winning percentage in clutch games in the NBA at 22–6 — a staggering .786 mark that isn’t just elite, it’s historic. We’re talking about the best clip in over two decades.
Across the floor stood a Pistons team with a different but equally dangerous profile. Detroit had 25 clutch wins — now 26, the most in the league — and a .676 winning percentage in those same moments.
Advanced metrics only reinforced the inevitability. The Lakers ranked No. 1 in clutch offensive rating and No. 1 in net rating. Detroit sat comfortably in the top tier at No. 7 and No. 5 respectively. Zoom out even further, and it gets almost absurd: Los Angeles was 24–6 in single-digit games; Detroit 27–7. In games decided by three points or less, the Lakers were 8–2, the Pistons 9–5.
So when these two collided inside Little Caesars Arena, there was no mystery. No guesswork. This wasn’t going to be a blowout. This wasn’t going to be decided by halftime, even though Detroit thought it would be.
This was always going to come down to one possession.
And it did.
Dončić is the very embodiment of why the Lakers have owned late-game situations all year. NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers, short-handed without Marcus Smart and Rui Hachimura, spent the first half looking like a team that forgot its identity somewhere over the Midwest. Down 16, disjointed, a step slow. But here’s the thing about teams that live for those clutch moments — they don’t panic. They bend but don’t break.
“We’ve been able to bend and not break, and tonight was another example of that,” head coach JJ Redick said. “We’re a good basketball team and we have to continue to play together.”
They bent all the way back into the game, erased the deficit, and with just over 30 seconds left, even stole a one-point lead.
Without Cade Cunningham — their All-NBA engine — the Pistons leaned on Daniss Jenkins, who authored the kind of night that turns role players into folk heroes. Thirty points. Four free throws in the final stretch. No hesitation. No fear.
And suddenly, the narrative tightened like a noose.
Because on the other side stood Luka Dončić, the very embodiment of why the Lakers have owned late-game situations all year. Western Conference Player of the Week. Ten straight games with 30-plus points. Forty-one such performances this season. The first player this season to eclipse 2,000 total points. A human avalanche who had just poured in 100 points across two nights like it was a casual inconvenience.
This is the part where the script usually is written by him.
Down one, 12 seconds left, ball in his hands — a 14-foot pull-up from the left wing. The kind of shot Dončić makes in empty gyms, crowded arenas, probably in his sleep.
Here’s the uncomfortable truth about clutch teams: Being clutch doesn’t mean you always win. It means you live on the edge so often that eventually, gravity wins one.
Even your best player misses from time to time. But on this night, it was the Pistons with the steadier hand — without their best player, no less.
“They’re the No. 1 team in the east, even without their All-NBA player being out,” LeBron James said. “We gave ourselves a chance, and that’s all you can ask for.”
Maybe that’s true. Maybe.
LeBron James and Dončić walk off the court after their loss to the Detroit Pistons. Getty Images
But for a Lakers team that has built its identity on finishing games, “a chance” feels like a consolation prize.
Because when you’re the best clutch team in basketball, expectations don’t stop at the opportunity. They demand the result.
And Monday night in Detroit, against a team cut from the same late-game cloth, the Lakers learned something brutal and simple:
Sometimes, the other guy is just as clutch.
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Here the Yankees are again, about to start a season that must only end one way, lest they let tradition down again.
Here they are, returning nearly every key piece from the 2025 offensive juggernaut that tied for most wins in the American League, wondering if they will regret not changing something. Here they are, as in so many years before, wondering what magic touch will finally turn a very good season into good enough.
Their full 26-man roster is not fully set yet, but the parts that are do look familiar. At least 21 of the 26 players set to make the Opening Day roster were also in the organization at the end of last season. Depending on how they decide to structure their bullpen between now and their opener Wednesday night, that number could go as high as 24.
To the extent that any unit has been overhauled, that bullpen comes closest to qualifying. Both Devin Williams and Luke Weaver signed with the Mets, leaving vacancies at the back end.
But David Bednar, Camilo Doval, Tim Hill, and Fernando Cruz will return to late-inning duties. Paul Blackburn and Ryan Yarbrough, also returners, will be the swing men. Brent Headrick, the lefty acquired from Minnesota midway through last season, remains with the major league team and therefore seems to be a finalist for one of the bullpen jobs remaining. So is righty Jake Bird, who struggled after the Yanks plucked him from Colorado at least year’s trade deadline, but has yet to be jettisoned from the MLB spring training roster.
The only potential outside addition to the Opening Day bullpen, therefore, would be Rule 5 pick Cade Winquest – New York’s first such pick in 15 years – who must make the active roster or be returned to the St. Louis Cardinals. Manager Aaron Boone said earlier this week that he has "shown enough to keep himself in the mix and warrant us taking him."
If they do, and they carry Bird and Headrick with him, they will need room for nine relievers – more than a five-man rotation normally allows when teams carry the usual 13 pitchers. But the Yankees will not be using a five-man rotation to start the season, Boone told reporters Sunday. Their schedule is such that they do not need a fifth starter for the first few weeks of the season, so the man projected to be that fifth starter – recent Rookie of the Year Luis Gil – is now in limbo.
Boone said Sunday that the Yankees have not yet decided what to do with Gil. They could use him in a piggyback role with another starter. They could also option him to the minors. Sending Gil to Triple-A could make sense on multiple levels: he could use a low-stakes start or two to ensure the adjustments that served him so well in his last outing can stick. And his spot on the active roster could allow the Yankees to keep all four relievers vying for the final three bullpen spots, allowing them to evaluate them against regular season competition before making any decisions.
That Gil is the odd man out means the Yankees are making room for one of their only big league newcomers, 26-year-old lefty Ryan Weathers. They acquired Weathers from the Marlins in a trade that brought them a high-end talent that multiple organizations have failed to turn into a consistent high-end performer. But Weathers’ stuff is explosive, and despite some rough spring training line scores, the Yankees will give him a chance to make that leap.
Otherwise, the rotation will be totally familiar – but this year, it should get deeper as the year goes on. Gerrit Cole remains on track for a June 1 return, and he will start Tuesday’s spring training finale against the Chicago Cubs in Mesa. Weathers will throw the bulk of the Yankees’ innings in that game, meaning that, for what it's worth, weeks before Cole’s return, Weathers is the one currently taking his turns.
Carlos Rodon entered this spring expected back from his offseason surgery before Cole, and neither he nor the Yankees have suggested anything happened in the last few weeks to alter that timeline. He has thrown multiple sessions of live batting practice, and he will stay in Tampa to continue throwing while the Yankees open their season on the West Coast. Max Fried will serve as the lone ace in the meantime, anchoring a rotation that will also include Weathers, postseason breakout Cam Schlittler, and steady Will Warren.
"The depth that we have pitching, I don’t think we have had that in quite a long time," Aaron Judge said. "If you count the guys that are injured and coming back: Rodon, [Clarke] Schmidt, and Cole. You add those guys, we’re 11, 12 starting pitchers deep. So that’ll be nice."
Also nice, as running things back go, is that three-time MVP Judge will once again be anchoring a familiar outfield so productive that if those in it hit like they did in 2025, "running it back" will leave the Yankees with three of the top 12 outfielders by weighted runs created plus.
One could envision a world in which their lineup gets even better than the one that led the majors in scoring last year. For example, imagine if Giancarlo Stanton could contribute at last year’s .944 OPS pace over more games than the 77 he was healthy enough for last year. Had he had enough at-bats to qualify, that OPS would have made Stanton fifth-best in baseball, trailing only Judge, Shohei Ohtani, George Springer, and Cal Raleigh.
Obviously, a new year also means the Yankees could find themselves with an even less healthy Stanton. They could also find themselves with a healthy, but less productive version of the 36-year-old slugger -- though his four homers and several near-misses in 26 spring training at-bats suggest he is at least entering the season in top form.
Center fielder Trent Grisham does not have the track record of year-over-year production to make a repeat of his 2025 breakout feel like a sure thing. But if for some reason his production dips too far, Jasson Dominguez will be a short drive away in Scranton ready to prove his standout spring training deserved a big league roster spot. And if injuries test their depth, Spencer Jones will be towering behind him, politely waiting his turn.
The only newcomer offensively is Randal Grichuk, the veteran outfielder the Yankees signed in late February as a right-handed platoon option who can spell starters in the corner outfield spots and owns an .819 career OPS against lefties. He will join Amed Rosario, who proved a trustworthy at-bat as a utilityman down the stretch, on the bench with fellow returners Paul Goldschmidt and J.C. Escarra. Goldschmidt will spell Ben Rice, though how much will likely depend on Rice’s production. Like catcher Austin Wells, Rice is still new enough to regular big league duty that he does not qualify as a lock for the same level of production that he provided last year.
Still, either could be even better this year. Perhaps when Anthony Volpe returns from shoulder surgery around May, he will produce better than he did last year, too. Familiarity can occasionally lead to evolution. If it doesn’t, they will have options at the trade deadline.
And of course, things can change quickly in the final days and hours before Opening Day rosters are due. For example, a few innings into their Grapefruit League finale, the Yankees announced they had traded Jorbit Vivas to the Washington Nationals for minor league pitcher Sean Paul Liñan. Vivas was acquired in the deal that sent Trey Sweeney to the Dodgers. The move clears a spot on the Yankees’ 40-man roster. As of late Sunday night, it was not clear how they plan to use it.
A Spectrum store in New York, US, on Friday, May 16, 2025. Charter Communications Inc. has agreed to combine with privately held Cox Communications in a deal that would unite two of the biggest US cable providers. Photographer: Yuki Iwamura/Bloomberg via Getty Images | Bloomberg via Getty Images
I don’t know how to make this post any longer, because for whatever reason, Charter/Spectrum decided to announce this news with a weird tweet-of-an-image with no details. Now, you have to gaze at it too.
There are no details, whatsoever. This was probably going to happen at some point this week given that Opening Day happens in just a few days, and I guess today was the day.
So, if you still have cable, and that cable is Spectrum, then I guess now you have access to most Braves games through your cable carrier. If you don’t, and are still at sea about this whole thing, I guess ask in the comments and we’ll try to get you sorted.
Despite this news, we haven’t received word on whether any other Braves have suffered a debilitating injury today.
Whatever happens to the Mets in 2026, this year will be different.
If the season goes well, it will be for different reasons than the last time things went well forSteve Cohen and David Stearns, in 2024. So many emotional engineers of that magical pennant push are gone now. On the field, this team will have different strengths.
If this season goes poorly, it will be for different reasons than those that undermined Cohen and Stearns' plans last year. So many emotional engineers of that…well, whatever it was…are gone now, too. Off the field, this team will be supported by a new collection of clubhouse pillars.
The Mets' season-opening roster is not yet official. Carlos Mendoza said Tuesday that the Mets are still weighing their options for final spots on the bench and in the bullpen and acknowledged that he expects the front office is looking at outside options for both. But as of Tuesday morning – or roughly two baseball business days before their roster will be due – their Opening Day roster amounts to a convincing statement of October intent.
No, relying on an inexperienced first baseman and third baseman (Jorge Polanco and Bo Bichette, respectively) does not necessarily scream defense the way one might have expected after Stearns stated "run prevention" as a priority this winter. One could argue that effectively replacing Edwin Diaz with two back-end relievers who struggled at times last year, Devin Williams and Luke Weaver, will leave the bullpen in worse shape.
But Tobias Myers will provide a much-needed reliable innings eater. Huascar Brazoban is versatile, if occasionally volatile. Brooks Raley and Luis Garcia have track records of consistency. And whether the Mets choose to give the last spot in that bullpen to lefty Richard Lovelady or bounce back candidate Bryan Hudson, they have veteran lefty A.J. Minter on track to return early in the season.
And after watching a banged-up starting rotation underperform for most of the second half in 2025, this year’s Mets have unmistakable depth.
Trading for Freddy Peralta gave them an ace to pair atop the rotation with Nolan McLean, who was neither as proven nor as ready this time last year. Kodai Senga looks revived, with good health and the velocity that comes with it, so much so that Juan Soto called him the Mets' "ace" just days before camp ended. Clay Holmes looked downright nasty at times in camp and should be better equipped to maintain consistency through a full year in the rotation than he was in his first year back to starting in 2025.
Their depth is so solid that Sean Manaea and his salary of $25 million has been pushed into a piggyback/reliever role after a rough spring in which his velocity dipped to confounding levels. Both he and Myers could provide regular starts should the Mets need them, but they might not: former highly touted prospect Christian Scott, back from Tommy John surgery, might very well be the Mets' first call after an impressive spring. And while beloved savant Jonah Tong looked at times this spring like he could benefit from some more minor league tinkering, he has now been in the majors before, too.
New York Mets pitcher Christian Scott (46) pitches during spring training / Jim Rassol - Imagn Images
If fragile pitching depth was the Mets' biggest issue in 2025, their second-biggest issue was lineup inconsistencies – that feeling that they could not string together hits when they needed them, despite the third-best OPS in baseball with runners in scoring position.
At worst this lineup will be different, and sometimes shakeups help on their own.
At best, this lineup should be more dynamic, a little less boom or bust thanks to the arrival of Bichette, one of the game’s best contact hitters who has a knack for hitting with runners in scoring position. He should get plenty of chances while hitting behind Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto. And the switch-hitting Polanco had one of the 30 lowest strikeout rates in baseball last year. It is no knock on Pete Alonso or Brandon Nimmo to note their strikeout rates were much higher. Even Marcus Semien, who is coming off one of the worst offensive years of his career and might be seeing his hit tool weathered somewhat by age, is far less prone to strikeouts than those veterans he is replacing.
New center fielder Luis Robert Jr., on the other hand, is a boom-or-bust type. But if he is healthy, he could also be the most explosive offensive threat the Mets have played in center field in quite some time. Their decision to name rookie Carson Benge the Opening Day right fielder provides cover to Robert or Francisco Alvarez should both swing and miss regularly, too: Benge said he hates striking out, and he plays like it. His bat-to-ball skills should ensure the Mets never go more than a batter or two without a real threat to put the ball in play.
And speaking of Alvarez, the Mets might just have a different version of him this year, too: the 24-year-old responded to his up-and-down 2025 with a potent spring. If he unlocks the 30 home run power visible in every spring with the consistency to use it for a full season, this Mets lineup has a chance to be one of the sport’s most formidable.
Their bench, as currently constructed, looks sturdy. Luis Torrens is as reliable a backup catcher as can be. Tyrone Taylor is an elite defensive center fielder who took promising at-bats all spring. Brett Baty looks ready to continue his late 2025 offensive breakout, and his newly honed ability to play around the infield and in the outfield will give him a chance to find regular at-bats. Whether his fellow young infielder Mark Vientos can find them too remains to be seen.
As for the final spot on the bench, the Mets are still making decisions. Mendoza said they will bring infielder Vidal Brujan, the versatile Jared Young, and veteran catcher Ben Rortvedt back to Flushing as they weigh their final options. None are as inspiring an option as outfielder Mike Tauchman had become this spring before tearing his meniscus last week. Perhaps the Mets will look to find a similar veteran bat with power on the always active end-of-spring market.
Regardless of who they choose, the Mets have already made their choice: when a beloved core was not working, Stearns made the moves to remodel it. When the starting rotation fell apart before their eyes, the Mets made a big move for Peralta and what might be the smartest one by holding onto Senga. Perhaps they will find they need more frontline starting pitching as the year goes on. If they do, they have money and prospects to acquire it at the trade deadline.
Either way, the Mets who take the field against Paul Skenes and the Pirates Thursday will represent a new era for the annual World Series hopefuls. The old core wasn’t working. Whether the new faces are the right ones, only time will tell.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 20: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers smiles on deck in the second inning during a Spring Training game against the San Diego Padres at Camelback Ranch on March 20, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Opening Day is upon us.
The march to the World Series begins tonight, when the New York Yankees take on the San Francisco Giants. More teams join the action on Thursday, and by this weekend all 30 MLB teams will have begun the long journey to October.
Unfortunately for some teams, that journey may end quicker than hoped.
Ahead of the start to the 2026 MLB season, let’s take a look at each team’s chances of winning a World Series, by stacking the teams in tiers and ranking their chances from the Colorado Rockies to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Humphrey Bogart tier
30. Colorado Rockies 29. Chicago White Sox 28. Washington Nationals 27. Los Angeles Angels 26. Miami Marlins 25. St. Louis Cardinals
Baseball’s rich history offers many memorable quotes.
We begin our look at all 30 teams with one from Humphrey Bogart, the legendary actor who had this to say about the game. Or, at least attending a game.
“A hotdog at the ballgame beats roast beef at the Ritz.”
It might be a long season for these six teams, but still, their fans will get to sit in the sun and enjoy those dogs, at least a few times this season.
The true longshots
24. Minnesota Twins 23. Tampa Bay Rays 22. Athletics 21. Arizona Diamondbacks
Each team in this tier could make a run at the playoffs if things break their way. For the Twins, if they can get a healthy Byron Buxton for 162 games, the lineup builds from there. The Rays get to move back home and could put up some impressive numbers in that park, particularly Junior Caminero. The young talent on the Athletics roster could surprise this season, particularly since they get to play their home games in Sutter Health Park again this year, which could lead to massive numbers for Nick Kurtz.
The Diamondbacks need pitching help, but Corbin Carroll, Ketel Marte, and Geraldo Perdomo form a rather potent trio.
The Pittsburgh Pirates
20. Pittsburgh Pirates
That’s right, we are putting the Pittsburgh Pirates into a tier of their own.
The Pirates might be the most fascinating team in baseball. In Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh has a bonafide ace. While the Pirates had arguably — or inarguably — the worst offense in baseball a season ago, they added Brandon Lowe, Marcell Ozuna, and Ryan O’Hearn in the offseason which should bolster production. And waiting in the wings? Two rising stars in Jhostynxon Garcia and Konnor Griffin.
That kind of improvement in production could see the Pirates finish with a winning record for the first time in a decade, and reach the playoffs as well. In fact, FanGraphs has Pittsburgh finishing at 82-80, making a playoff berth still a longshot, but a possibility.
Something Pirates fans have not seen in a long time.
Playoffs?
19. Cleveland Guardians 18. San Francisco Giants 17. Kansas City Royals 16. Cincinnati Reds 15. San Diego Padres 14. Texas Rangers 13. Houston Astros 12. Baltimore Orioles 11. Detroit Tigers 10. Milwaukee Brewers
These are all teams that should make a playoff push this season, and at least be in the list of “buyers” come MLB trade deadline time.
Leading the way are the Detroit Tigers, led by ace Tarik Skubal, who is seeking his third-straight Cy Young Award. Detroit also added workhorse Framber Valdez, and they sport a bullpen that should earn them some wins over the course of the season. The Orioles are another fun team to watch in this tier, as Baltimore loaded up in the offseason with names such as Pete Alonso, Taylor Ward, Ryan Helsley, Shane Baz, and Andrew Kittredge. There is still a sense around the Inner Harbor that the Orioles need to add a true ace at the deadline, but a sense of urgency has finally settled in around this organization.
Then there are the Brewers, who finished with the best record in baseball a year ago.
National League Contenders
9. Atlanta Braves 8. Chicago Cubs 7. Philadelphia Phillies
Here are three teams that should not be satisfied with getting in, but should be thinking about winning the league.
The Atlanta Braves are poised for a full year with a healthy Ronald Acuña Jr., on a roster with talent beyond the star outfielder. The Chicago Cubs have a roster filled with young talent and added Alex Bregman in the offseason. Then there are the Philadelphia Phillies, who have won 90 games in each of the past four seasons, look to have a rotation built to win in the fall and into the playoffs, and could have their next big star in Justin Crawford, who made the Opening Day roster.
American League Contenders
6. Boston Red Sox 5. Toronto Blue Jays 4. Seattle Mariners
Red Sox fans frustrated by the organization missing out on both Kyle Schwarber and Pete Alonso — and seeing Alex Bregman leave town for Chicago — soothed their nerves by watching Roman Anthony belt bombs in the World Baseball Classic. But can this offense hit enough to make a deep run in the fall?
Toronto also saw a key departure, with homegrown star Bo Bichette leaving for the New York Mets. But the Blue Jays brought in Dylan Cease, Kazuma Okamoto, Cody Ponce, and Tyler Rogers, adding those players to a team that was just a few feet away from perhaps winning a World Series. Of course, the news that. Trey Yesavage is starting the year on the IL (with no timetable on Shane Bieber as well) is not the best way to begin a season.
As for the Mariners, who pushed the Blue Jays to Game 7 in the ALCS, Cal Raleigh, Josh Naylor, and Julio Rodriguez are back. And it is just a matter of time until top prospect Colt Emerson joins them.
In a New York Minute
3. New York Mets 2. New York Yankees
Now we get to talk about the two teams in New York.
The Mets made the big splash ahead of 2025, inking Juan Soto to a record-breaking deal in December of 2024. While his slow start changed the narrative a bit, Soto still finished the year with 43 home runs and a slash line of .263/.396/.525.
But when the playoffs began, that expensive roster was watching from home.
That led to even more additions, as the Mets added Bichette, Freddy Peralta, Marcus Semien, and Devin Williams. While Pete Alonso is now in Baltimore, this is a potent lineup given the additions around Soto and Francisco Lindor. And with Kodai Senga looking strong so far this spring, expectations should be high in Queens.
As for the Yankees, this was a rather unconventional offseason for Brian Cashman and company. Rather than make big moves of his own, Cashman tinkered only marginally with a roster that won 93 games a year ago. Getting both. Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon back should help as well, and given the talent already in the building, you can understand Cashman’s approach.
The Los Angeles Dodgers
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
Two consecutive titles, a drive for a third, the best player on the planet, and the highest payroll in the game?
Yes, until we see reason to stop believing, the Los Angeles Dodgers are your favorites for another World Series.
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Tiger Woods has put himself into the lineup Tuesday night for his Jupiter Links team in the TGL final, waiting until the last day to make his first appearance in the tech-infused indoor league.
Woods has been at every match as a captain and a cheerleader while recovering from a seventh back surgery last October. He has gone more than a year since competing anywhere because of a ruptured Achilles tendon in March 2025.
Jupiter Links lost the opening match Monday night in the best-of-3 final against Los Angeles and now has to win two matches at the SoFi Center.
Wood said last week after Jupiter won to reach the finals he has been trying to play the matches.
“I’ve been trying to come back. But it just hasn’t worked out that way,” he said. “I’ve had a bad run of injuries last year. I think it’s been a year and a few days since I blew out my Achilles. And so then I’ve had two back operations. So it’s been a little rough go. But the guys here, this team, we have so much fun, I really don’t want to screw up the lineup, I just want these guys to keep playing.”
Woods will be replacing Kevin Kisner, who was on the losing end of the decisive hole in singles. Jupiter had a 5-4 lead when Los Angeles threw the hammer — meaning the hole was worth two points — for the par-5 closing hole.
Sahith Theegala had the length to easily reach the green in two and set up a two-putt birdie. Kisner, who has spent most of March in the booth for NBC's coverage of the PGA Tour, drove into the rough, laid up in the rough and hit wedge that didn't quite reach the green. His birdie chip from 20 feet to tie the hole — and win the match — narrowly missed to the left.
Woods joins Tom Kim and Max Homa for Jupiter Links. Akshay Bhatia had been filling in as an alternate, but he is in New Delhi this week on a sponsor invitation to play the Hero Indian Open.
Just when the Ottawa Senators have clawed their way back within striking distance of a playoff spot, injuries have completely ravaged their blue line.
Already down three defensemen due to injury (Jake Sanderson, Nick Jensen, and Dennis Gilbert), the Senators lost both Thomas Chabot and Lassi Thomson on Monday night, which took almost all the shine off the club's 2-1 road win over the New York Rangers.
But ironically, despite finishing the game with just four defensemen, it was one of the great defensive performances in Senators' history.
Ottawa allowed just nine shots in the game, the fewest they've allowed in a game in their 34-year history. As for the Rangers, an original six team that's been around for 100 years, they've never had fewer shots in a game than they did on Monday versus Ottawa. Never.
That says a lot about the state of the Rangers and the complete team buy-in from the Senators.
James Reimer, who was probably able to catch up on some reading and answer a few texts during the game, got his fourth win in as many starts.
Shane Pinto, the Senators' lone New Yorker in their lineup, got the Sens on the board with a power play goal. In the second, Warren Foegele got his fifth goal in nine games as a Senator and it turned out to be his third game-winning goal for his new club.
Meanwhile, for the four D that remained, Jordan Spence, Tyler Kleven, Artem Zub and Nikolas Matinpalo, it was a simply a fantastic performance.
The Senators are now just two points behind the Red Wings for the second Wild Card with a game in hand. The two clubs go head to head in Detroit on Tuesday, but with all the injuries, their best four remaining defensemen exhausted, and the idle Red Wings being home and fully rested, the Sens wish they were meeting under better circumstances.
Now let's retreat to the Senators' black and blueline, which has been clobbered at exactly the wrong time.
Since Sanderson went down, Chabot has been back to logging heavy minutes, playing nearly half the game every night. But at the end of the first, he left this game in obvious pain on Monday night after taking a cross-check to the right wrist area from Rangers forward J.T. Miller, who's as nasty with lumber as anyone in the league.
While Miller's stickwork in this case was the kind you see a few times every game, it's hard to imagine why the cross-checking penalty exists if not for ones that potentially end an opponent's season.
That's only speculation, of course, but when TV cameras caught Chabot with a splint and a sling on his right arm afterward, it's fair to say that his season is in jeopardy.
Image credit: @TSNSteveLloyd
Chabot has had injuries with that same wrist for parts of three seasons before he finally went under the knife. We're not in Josh Norris shoulder territory yet, but it's getting there.
As for Thomson's apparent lower-body injury, you have to feel for the former Sens first-rounder. He waited two and a half to years to get back to the NHL, at a time when there's finally all kinds of opportunity to play.
Now Thomson will need someone to fill in for him, as will Chabot.
“They’ll both be out for a while,” head coach Travis Green told the media after the game. “That’s about all I can say about it right now.”
Meanwhile, the Senators have done all they can in sheltering 2024 first-rounder Carter Yakemchuk. It's not their plan A, by any means, but they have no choice but to bring him up on Tuesday morning to make his NHL debut on Tuesday night in Detroit.
The other callup is anyone's guess.
In the AHL, Ottawa natives and righties Cam Crotty & Jorian Donovan are both injured, although Donovan, who hasn't played since March 7, is nearing a return. Left shots Samuel Bolduc and Ryan O' Rourke were both acquired after the NHL trade deadline so they're ineligible.
The good news is that Jake Sanderson might be back in the next week. But time is running out on the season, and as far as healthy players on NHL contracts go, that leaves only Yakemchuk, Tomas Hamara, and Djibril Toure left.
They also have Scott Harrington, who has over 200 games of NHL experience and has also been Yakemchuk's D partner for a lot of the season. However, he's on an AHL contract. If the Sens signed him to an NHL deal, it's believed he could play, but not in the playoffs if they get there.
And thanks to this overload of injuries on D, that's now a big if. If Travis Green can still steer this team into the playoffs under these miserable circumstances, he deserves the next two Jack Adams Trophies.
On a mission: Julio Rodríguez looks to build on the excellent start to his career by bringing Seattle its first World Series. | (David Durochik/Getty Images)
This time of year is always a good time. Even when expectations for the White Sox are low, the weather is much better, baseball is returning, and we can have fun predicting how the season will pan out.
We will start with catcher Kyle Teel, 24, whose MLB career got off to a fast start in 2025 (.273/.375/.411, 125 wRC+, 1.9 fWAR in 78 games). Teel provided an unexpectedly large spark last season, as his bat was quite reliable even though he plays a premium position. Unfortunately, Teel suffered a Grade 2 right hamstring strain that will keep him out for the first few weeks of the regular season. However, Teel gives White Sox fans plenty to look forward to. Before the injury, Teel contributed to Team Italy’s surprising success during the World Baseball Classic. Teel was excellent in a small sample size, finishing 4-for-6 with a homer and a double. Both of his extra-base hits came against Team USA pitchers, as he took Nolan McLean deep before doubling against Ryan Yarbrough. Teel looks poised to build on the strong start to his career, and he will barely miss out on leading the White Sox in WAR. If not for his injury, I would have picked him to lead the team.
Speaking of the team leader in WAR, that will be shortstop Colson Montgomery, 24, who also kicked off his career with a bang in 2025 (.239/.311/.529, 129 wRC+, 2.7 fWAR in 71 games). Prior to Montgomery’s promotion, he was not exactly crushing it in Triple-A Charlotte, but he turned up the volume immediately at the highest level. Despite playing in less than half a season’s worth of games, Montgomery launched 21 homers, narrowly finishing behind Lenyn Sosa (22) for the team lead.
Munetaka Murakami, 26, will also provide a lot of pop with his bat. Murakami has made a joke of NPB pitching. By season, his wRC+ marks were as follows from 2021 through 2025: 166, 225, 154, 156, and 211. He played only 56 games in 2025 due to an oblique injury. The White Sox signed Murakami to a two-year, $34 million contract over the offseason, which was a lower price than most expected him to command. The primary concerns about his game are that many are bearish on his ability to hit high velocity, avoid strikeouts, and provide decent defense. Murakami will also primarily play first base, a less premium position than third base, where he mainly played in NPB. However, he will launch plenty of homers and get on base enough to be a valuable part of the White Sox lineup.
On the pitching side, Shane Smith, 25, will lead the way in the starting rotation. Smith, a Rule 5 draft pick, posted a 3.81 ERA and a 4.10 FIP in 146 1/3 innings in 2025, resulting in 2.2 fWAR. That total was enough to lead the 2025 White Sox pitching staff, and he will repeat that feat in 2026.
As for the bullpen, Grant Taylor, 23, will take a large step forward. Taylor had an unusual line in 2025 (4.91 ERA, 1.42 FIP in 36 2/3 innings), resulting in 1.7 fWAR, which is based heavily on FIP. Taylor averaged 13.25 strikeouts per nine innings, a sky-high total. At the same time, he fell victim to some tough luck, as opposing hitters had a .420 BABIP. Although Taylor generated many whiffs, when he was not doing that, hitters often found ways to reach base. In 2026, Taylor will allow less sharp contact, have better luck on balls in play, and maintain a high strikeout rate to assert himself as one of MLB’s top relievers.
In terms of the overall team, the White Sox will improve by 10 games, which would normally be fantastic, but in this case, it only gets them to 70-92. The South Siders will get off to a decent start, taking advantage of a soft April schedule to finish the month 15-16. With nobody in the AL Central racing out of the starting blocks, some fans will fantasize about postseason possibilities. However, reality will set in, and May will open with a rough trip to San Diego, which will cause the White Sox to fall out of contention quickly.
In the second half of the season, although playoff hopes will be long gone, pitchers Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith will make positive impressions at the start of their MLB careers. In addition, Braden Montgomery will earn a September call-up and post a 110 wRC+ during his first month against MLB pitching.
Around the league, the Mariners broke their 23-season streak without winning the AL West when they won the division in 2025. This year, they will make it back-to-back division titles, and Julio Rodríguez will emerge as a dark-horse MVP contender.
In a highly competitive AL East race, the Yankees will emerge from the pack, holding off strong Red Sox and Blue Jays squads to earn the top seed.
Last year, the Tigers blew a 99.9% chance of winning the AL Central as their cold September coincided with a Cleveland hot streak. This time, the Tigers will avoid blowing a late lead and will win their first division title since 2014. The Royals will sneak in as the final Wild Card team, right behind Boston and Toronto.
In the NL, spearheaded by the offseason pickup of catcher Seby Zavala, the Dodgers will win the West again. Elsewhere in the division, the Giants will exceed expectations and make the postseason for the first time since their excellent 2021 season.
In the East, the Mets will slay some demons by winning their first division title since 2015. Meanwhile, after being baseball’s most disappointing team in 2025, the Braves will earn a Wild Card spot, and they will be joined by the rival Phillies.
Finally, the North Siders will take the Central’s only playoff spot by taking full advantage of an unremarkable division.
The Dodgers will handily defeat the Mets in the NLCS to advance to the World Series and earn an opportunity to pull off a three-peat. On the other side, the ALCS will be highly competitive, with the Mariners repeatedly trading blows with the Yankees. However, Bryan Woo will lead a pitching staff that proves to be too much for the Yankees’ lineup to overcome.
That will set up an epic battle between two teams with very different histories. On one hand, the Dodgers have won 12 of the last 13 NL West titles, with the one “loss” occurring during a 106-56 season in which San Francisco went 107-55. On top of that, the Dodgers will be looking to win their third consecutive World Series and their fourth in the last seven years. By contrast, the Mariners have won only four division titles ever, and they have never advanced to the World Series. Of course, the Dodgers will be favored, and nearly everyone will expect them to win. In a twist of fate, however, the Mariners will come out on top. Seattle’s pitching staff will continue its run of dominance, and with Rodríguez, Josh Naylor, and Cal Raleigh leading the way, the Mariners will outpace the powerhouse Dodgers to win their first World Series.
