The Toronto Blue Jays (7-10) and Milwaukee Brewers (9-8) meet in the decisive third game of their series. The teams split the first two games with the Brewers winning 9-7 on Tuesday and the Blue Jays winning 2-1 on Wednesday.
How to watch Toronto Blue Jays vs. Milwaukee Brewers
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 14: Mike Yastrzemski #18, Michael Harris II #23, Ozzie Albies #1 and Drake Baldwin #30 of the Atlanta Braves react after taking the lead during the eighth inning against the Miami Marlins at Truist Park on April 14, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The schedule keeps lining ‘em up and the Braves keep knocking ‘em down. Indeed, we’re just under 20 games into the season and the Braves are not just in first place at the moment, they’re the only team above .500 in the NL East and they still have yet to drop a series. This is a very, very pleasant departure from how the season got started last season and here’s hoping that this can keep going for as long as possible.
With that being said, Miami definitely didn’t make this easy for Atlanta! Despite this being a house of horrors for the Marlins, this crew appeared to be up for the task of coming into Cobb County and making sure that things went their way for once around here. The Fish were off to a relatively solid start of their own and were desperate to make sure that things kept going in the right direction for them and we ended up getting a very competitive series out of these two divisional foes. Let’s talk about it, shall we?
Heading into this series, the Marlins had scored a grand total of three (3) runs across three games in Detroit. Monday must’ve felt like a bonanza for them as they scored three runs each in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings. Grant Holmes was credited with three earned runs in the fourth, Aaron Bummer got credited for the trio of runs in the fifth and then Rolddy Muñoz got dinged for three runs over the two innings of work that he put in.
It seemed like there was going to be a slugfest coming based on what happened in that fourth inning as Atlanta responded to Miami’s flurry with a three-run rally of their own. They were unable to match the second three-run volley that Miami offered, as they could only muster up one more run in the fifth and that was it as far as the scoring was concerned for the Braves. Again, when you consider how both the Braves and the Marlins looked over their past three games before this one, respectively, this was just one of those nights that baseball loves to provide us all!
At first, it sure looked like we were heading towards a disappointing repeat of the events that took place on Monday night. The Marlins got to Reynaldo López early and plated four runs at his expense across the first two innings to get things going. The good news is that Reynaldo ended up fighting through those struggles to finish up with five innings under his belt — something that ended up being crucial as his stint ended up helping to keep the Braves right in it as they attempted to claw their way out of another hole.
Dominic Smith got things going for the Braves in this one with an RBI single in the second (you’ll be hearing more from him, later) and then Drake Baldwin and Matt Olson went back-to-back with two-out doubles in order to make it a one-run game. It stayed 4-3 all the way until the eighth inning, which is when this game got really interesting. It sure started inauspiciously for the Braves, as the Marlins got what looked like an insurance run after picking up three straight singles off of Robert Suarez.
Then it was Atlanta’s turn to respond and boy, did they ever respond. Drake Baldwin led off the frame with a single and then the two-run magic began shortly after that. Mike Yastrzemski and Ozzie Albies joined Baldwin on the basepaths with a single and HBP, respectively. That set the stage for another Big Dominic Smith Moment and the big guy delivered in dramatic fashion. Smith hit an opposite-field line drive into the gap in left-center for a bases-clearing double that turned a two-run deficit into a one-run lead. Raisel Iglesias entered in the ninth and promptly sat down all three Marlins batters in short order to ensure that the Braves came away from this one with a memorable win.
Folks, Bryce Elder just keeps making it happen. We really have to give it to the Guardians, apparently, because they’re the only team that’s figured out a way to even get a scratch on Elder so far. The Marlins certainly tried but they ended up failing as Elder sat down seven Miami batters on strikes and only gave up four hits and two walks. The Marlins just could not get a serious handle on what Elder was serving up. Elder now has an ERA of 0.77 through four starts — just like every single last one of us predicted coming into this season, right?
Thanks to some early runs and another big late-game flurry of offense, the Braves had a firm grasp on this game — for the most part. An Ozzie Albies long ball and another big RBI knock from Mauricio Dubón made it a 2-0 game in the second inning and then Atlanta added on four more runs across the sixth and the seventh innings. Austin Riley finally hit his first dinger of the season in the sixth inning, which was truly a sight for sore eyes. Drake Baldwin added on an RBI single in the seventh and then Matt Olson added another big fly to his tally to put the Braves ahead 6-0 at that point.
Remember when I said that the Braves had a firm grasp on this game for the most part? There was a slight wobble in the eighth inning when Osvaldo Bido ended up with three runs on his record. Fortunately, Robert Suarez was able to clean up the mess with a double play ball and then Raisel Iglesias finished things off to seal away another series win for the Braves.
I mentioned the standings in the opener for this series recap and while it’s always a perilous exercise to look at the standings this early in the season, it makes for really beautiful viewing at the moment. It’s not just the NL East, either — it’s the entire NL as a whole. While the Dodgers are currently off to the races doing Dodgers stuff that we all expected the Dodgers to be busy doing, the Braves aren’t that far behind them at 12-7 at the moment. The run differential is also a very lovely +44 as well. When you compare that to the rest of the NL East, it is night and day — the Marlins have the next-best run differential in the NL East at +2, and Atlanta’s next opponents are currently sitting on a run differential of -25.
Those opponents, of course, are the Philadelphia Phillies. While it’s just about impossible to make any grand statements about series taking place in April, it sure would feel nice to see the Braves keep this run of series wins going by going up to Philly and making that run differential just a little bit worse and getting even more of a gap going in the early portion of the season. It’s certainly a whole lot easier of a task to talk about than to actually do but with the way that this team is currently going at the moment, it’s tough to bet against the form that the Braves are in.
The confidence in the Braves’ clubhouse following this series against the Marlins has to be pretty high as well. The Marlins gave them a very good shot and honestly had the Braves on the mat during the first half of this series. However, the furious comeback in the second game led to a cool, calm and composed series win in the finale. It’s a vibe that’s similar to things felt for this ballclub not all that long ago. With standout performances from Dominic Smith, Bryce Elder, Matt Olson and more, it sure seems like the contributions are coming from enough sources that things feel somewhat sustainable.
Either way, I think we’re all rooting for this series-winning streak to keep rolling indefinitely. Keep banking those wins and keep things rolling for as long as possible, please!
Reminder: I’m on vacation all this week and will be a little briefer than usual this week. Thanks for your patience.
The Cubs offense has showing some serious signs of life. It’s now 53 runs over eight and if we drop the high and the low, it’s 42 over six. Or if you prefer, it’s 62 over 10. Any one of those slices is a very good one. They’ve scored the sixth most runs in baseball now. But it bears repeating, the start of this season is a weird one. The Astros have slipped to second most runs scored and they have a bottom six record in baseball.
The key to this team is going to be finding a groove on run prevention. They have a deceptively large margin of error though. This defense can be special. They need guys that throw strikes and manage contact. I mean everyone looks for guys with really elite stuff. You should always be searching high and low for those. But an old fashioned Kyle Hendricks would be in heaven with this team. The old championship core was good, but I don’t think anyone could credibly argue this team isn’t better. Javy Báez, Anthony Rizzo and Jason Heyward were truly elite fielders. But this team flashes elite ability at five positions. The eye test says that Michael Busch is pretty good too.
On Wednesday night Shōta Imanaga was terrific again. If early metrics are any indication, he might be in store for his best year as a Cub. The strikeouts are up and the walks down. That is always going to be a great sign for a pitcher. He and Edward Cabrera look really good in the early going. If Colin Rea can be relatively dependable, the rotation is functional. Jameson Taillon and Javier Assad can fill out the rotation, mixing some good and bad starts with a lot of veteran experience. Hopefully, in the not super distant future, Justin Steele becomes an option and Matthew Boyd returns healthy.
Eighteen games in, the Cubs are two games out of first place, but only a half game behind the team that I think most of us think is their primary competition. Don’t play yourself out of contention in April. Half way there and on track to accomplish that one simple goal.
Three Positives:
It’s hard to find enough positive words for Nico Hoerner’s start to the season. Three more hits, one a homer, five runs driven in and two scored. He also stole a base. He was involved in six of the 11 runs scoring.
Imanaga threw six innings allowing just three hits and a walk against a very potent Phillies lineup. I know most of you only root for or pay significant attention to the Cubs, but imagine yourself a Phillies fan. You just allowed 21 runs over two very non-competitive losses. They have a 28-year-old starter with a 7.94 ERA over 22.2 IP.
Dansby Swanson also had three hits, one a homer. Two runs driven in and two scored.
Honorable mention to Matt Shaw pounding lefty pitching with three doubles.
Game 18, April 15: Cubs 11, Phillies 2 (9-9)
Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.
Hero: Shōta Imanaga (.163). 6 IP, 3 H, BB, ER, 11 K, WP (W 1-1)
Sidekick: Matt Shaw (.118). 3-4, 3 2B, 3R, 2 RBI
THREE GOATS:
Billy Goat: Ian Happ (-.081). 0-4
Goat: Michael Busch (-.044). 0-5
Kid: Pete Crow-Armstrong (-.028). 2-4
WPA Play of the Game: The game was tied in the third inning when a wild pitch scored Alex Bregman from third to give the Cubs a 2-1 lead. (.219)
*Phillies Play of the Game: Trea Turner led off the bottom of the first with a solo homer. (.097).
Cubs Player of the Game:
Game 17 Winner: Colin Rea 74-68 over Hoerner (197 votes)
Up Next: Off day Thursday. The Cubs host the 7-12 Mets this weekend. Edward Cabrera (1-0, 1.62, 16.2 IP) gets the start for the Cubs. Kodai Senga (0-2, 7.07, 14 IP) is off to a rough start right along with the Mets as a whole. This will be the first of 13 straight scheduled games for the Cubs before the next off day. That will take us to the end of April.
Let’s take at least two out of three and keep momentum.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - APRIL 08: Bryce Mayer #6 of the Corpus Christi Hooks warms up prior to the game between the Corpus Christi Hooks and the San Antonio Missions at Nelson Wolff Stadium on Wednesday, April 8, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Zach Del Bello/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below.
AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (10-7) lost 9-8 (BOX SCORE)
Sugar Land got on the board in the first inning on an Alexander solo home run. Fleury got the start and allowed one unearned run over 2.2 innings. He was relieved by McLoughlin who allowed 3 runs and then Maldonado who allowed 3 runs as well. The offense picked up 3 runs in the third inning on a Winkler RBI single and Alexander 2 run home run. Winkler added a solo home run in the 5th. Sugar Land battled back to tie it getting an Unroe RBI double in the 8th and Strahm RBI single in the 9th as the game went to extra innings. In the 12th, Strahm gave Sugar Land the lead but in the bottom of the inning, the Bees got a 2 run double from Moore as they walked it off.
Alimber Santa, RHP: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Roddery Munoz, RHP: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Jayden Murray, RHP: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
Logan VanWey, RHP: 0.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (6-5) won 10-5 (BOX SCORE)
The Hooks jumped out to an early lead scoring 2 runs on a Janek RBI double and a run on a wild pitch. They picked up 4 more runs in the 3rd inning on a Ferreras sac fly, Baez RBI single, Sacco RBI single and a run on a balk. In the 4th, Sullivan and Bush connected on solo home runs to extend the lead. Mayer got the start and pitched well tossing 4 scoreless innings while striking out 7. The pen allowed five runs but in the 8th, the offense got two more on a Sullivan RBI single and Spence sac fly. Chirinos closed it out with a scoreless 9th inning as the Hooks won 10-5.
Asheville jumped out to an early lead scoring 4 runs in the first on a Thomas solo HR, Schiavone 2 run HR and Hernandez RBI single. In the 4th, Batista added a 2 run double. The offense continued to add one in the 5th with Thomas driving in two more runs with a single. Santos started for Asheville and was solid allowing 2 runs over 5 innings of work. Serrano relieved Santos and allowed 5 runs, but the offense continued to pour it on getting a Frey RBI double in the 7th and 3 more in the 8th on a Hernandez 2 run triple and Thomas RBI groundout. The pitching held on for the 14-7 win.
A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (2-9) lost 6-5 (BOX SCORE)
The Woodpeckers jumped out to an early lead scoring a run in the first on a Wakefield RBI single and another in the 2nd inning on a Diaz solo home run. In the 4th, Diaz connected on a 2 run home run to extend the lead. Potter got the start and pitched well tossing 3 scoreless innings. He was relieved by Oakes who struggled allowing 3 runs while retiring just 2 batters. In the 6th, Huezo scored on a wild pitch for the 5th run for Fayetteville, but the GreenJackets responded with 3 in the bottom of the inning to take the lead. The Woodpeckers’ offense was unable to come back as they fell 6-5.
BALTIMORE - OCTOBER 1979: Pittsburgh Pirates' pitcher Grant Jackson #23 pitches against the Baltimore Orioles during the World Series at Memorial Stadium in October of 1979 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Focus on Sport/ Getty Images) | Focus on Sport via Getty Images
In honor of the Philadelphia Phillies playing host to the 2026 Major League Baseball All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park, we here at The Good Phight are launching a yearlong series that focuses on the history of the Phillies and the All-Star Game.Check back regularly for posts about the Phillies participation (or lack thereof) in the Midsummer Classic over its history.
It’s time once again for a look at some Phillies one-time All-Stars. However, unlike the rest of this series so far (which you cancatchup onhere) there is only one member of the 1960s Phillies who was a one-time All-Star as a member of the Phillies, and he was just under the decade threshold.
Grant Jackson, 1969
In 1942, Grant Jackson was born as one of nine children to Joseph and Luella Jackson in Fosteria, Ohio. He was a strong athlete from an early age, lettering in football, baseball, and track during his time in high school. Unfortunately, Jackson’s family was not very well off financially, and their situation worsened when his father passed away following a heart attack in 1960 at the age of 52. That forced Jackson’s older brother and biology teacher Carlos to assume the role of the father figure in his life and help support the family. Jackson finished high school in 1961 but did not have the grades to qualify for an athletic scholarship to Bowling Green University.
That’s when he decided to take a long shot and reach out to the most famous resident of his hometown, Tony Lucadello, who also just so happened to be a scout for the Phillies. Lucadello would wind up being responsible for numerous players signing with the Phillies, including Mike Schmidt, Fergie Jenkins, and Mickey Morandini. But in 1961, Lucadello decided to give the 18-year-old Jackson a shot, as the Phillies signed the small 6-foot, 180-pound pitcher to a contract worth just $1,500. But Jackson needed the money to help his family, so he accepted. Shortly after, Jackson was introduced to the cruel realities of baseball in the time before high school players had agents, as he discovered just two days after signing with the Phillies that the Milwaukee Braves were prepared to offer him $35,000.
In any case, Jackson’s pro career started in 1962 when he was just 19 years old with the Bakersfield Bears of the California League. Jackson would spend the next two seasons there before eventually earning a promotion Triple-A in 1965 to Arkansas. Jackson, an African American, was walking into a very hostile environment in Little Rock as described by Arkansas teammate Fergie Jenkins. Jenkins described the racial climate by saying “things were tenser, more overt in Arkansas” and describing incidents where players would leave games to find their cars vandalized with racial epithets.
Jackson was not long for Arkansas though, as the Phillies made him a September call-up and he made his major league debut on September 3rd, 1965, on the road against the Cincinnati Reds. He entered in the bottom of the fifth with two on and no outs, relieving Phillies starter Ray Kulp who left with a 6-3 lead but traffic on the bases. Jackson struck out the first two hitters he faced in Tony Pérez and Deron Johnson, but he then allowed a three-run homer to Frank Robinson that tied the game at 6-6. Jackson would go on to pitch two innings and be charged with the loss as the Reds mounted a ferocious late offensive barrage to win 17-6.
The 22-year-old Jackson went on to appear in six total games his rookie year including two starts. He allowed 11 runs and four home runs in just 13.2 innings, but he also struck out 15 to flash his potential. Jackson began 1966 with the team but was demoted after just two relief appearances, except this time the Phillies Triple-A affiliate was in San Diego instead of Little Rock. That’s where he would stay for the rest of 1966, going 10-8 with a 3.96 ERA in 23 starts. Jackson made the MLB team in 1967 and stayed there all season, but only appeared in 43 games with four starts.
But then Phillies manager Gene Mauch was fired early into the 1968 season, paving the way for Bob Skinner to take control of the ballclub. Skinner was able to help Jackson correct a mechanical flaw in his delivery by speeding him up on the mound. The change worked, as Jackson had his best season in the majors to that point with a 2.95 ERA in 61 innings across 33 games and six starts. It was enough for Skinner to name Jackson the fifth starter in his rotation entering the 1969 season. Some in the media were incredulous about the idea that Jackson, who was still only 26-years-old, had finally figured it out. As Bill Conlin wrote in the Philadelphia Daily News, the Jackson story “was written every spring training about this time and is a story filled with hope,” calling Jackson “wild as a Filmore Auditorium Rock concert and as undisciplined as a Berkley student.” Jackson had remarked that “People ask me if this is a now or never year, I tell them it’s going to be a now year. I’ve had my last never year. This is going to be my year.”
Despite Conlin’s disbelief in Jackson’s talk, the lefty backed it up and then some. The 1969 Phillies finished with 99 losses, but Jackson excelled in his first real chance at being a major league starting pitcher. He was 9-10 with a 3.32 ERA in the first half of the season, earning him a nomination to the NL All-Star team for the contest to take place July 23rd at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. However, despite being the Phillies only representative at the midsummer classic, Jackson did not appear in the game as the NL went on to win 9-3 in large part thanks to two home runs from Willie McCovey of the Giants.
Jackson finished his All-Star season with a 14-18 record and a 3.34 ERA across 253 innings pitched with 180 strikeouts. It appeared he had finally proven himself as a pitcher, but he regressed mightily in 1970 and finished with a 5.29 ERA while having disputes with new manager Frank Lucchesi. The Phillies then finally gave up on Jackson, sending him to Baltimore in December 1970 in a package that included Sam Parilla and Jim Hutto in exchange for top outfield prospect Roger Freed who had just won MVP of the International League.
It was the best thing for Jackson’s career, as he never again had a losing record and totaled a 3.09 ERA in 538 appearances over his next 12 seasons of his career, including the 1979 season when he won the World Series as a member of the “We Are Family” Pittsburgh Pirates. Jackson had a pivotal impact in Game 7, entering a 1-0 game in the fifth inning and delivering 2.2 hitless innings of relief and earning the win to collect his first championship in three tries over the last decade. Freed meanwhile would play two seasons in Philadelphia and hit .222 in 191 games.
Apr 15, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart (79) celebrates with right wing Reilly Smith (19) and defenseman Shea Theodore (27) after the Golden Knights defeated the Seattle Kraken 4-1 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Stephen R. Sylvanie/Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
LAS VEGAS — Mitch Marner broke a third-period tie and the Vegas Golden Knights won the Pacific Division for the fifth time in their nine-year history, beating the Seattle Kraken 4-1 to close the regular season.
Two points ahead of Edmonton entering the night, Vegas only needed a point to win the Pacific and set up a first-round series against Utah. Edmonton will finish play at home against Vancouver.
Reilly Smith had two late goals, Shea Theodore also scored and Carter Hart made 22 saves to help Vegas win its third straight. The Golden Knights finished 39-26-17, going 7-0-1 since John Tortorella took over as coach for the fired Bruce Cassidy.
Shane Wright scored for Seattle, and Nikke Kokko stopped 22 shots. The Kraken have lost two straight to fall to 34-36-11 with a game left at Colorado.
Marner gave Vegas a 2-1 lead at 1:23 of the third. Off a faceoff, defenseman Brayden McNabb took a long, straightaway shot that Marner tipped in for his 24th goal of the season.
Theodore tied it with 2:25 left in the second. The defenseman got the puck at the right point off a faceoff, moved to the top of the circle and fired a wrist shot past Kokko’s glove.
Wright opened the scoring at 2:24 of the second after missing the previous eight games because of an upper-body injury.
Golden Knights captain Mark Stone played his 400th game for the franchise.
Up next
Kraken: At Colorado.
Golden Knights: Host Utah in the first round of the playoffs.
The Cincinnati Reds (11-7) will try to complete a three-game sweep of the San Francisco Giants (6-12). The Giants have lost four overall, including the first two games of their series with the Reds. Starting pitchers are Landen Roupp for San Francisco and Chase Burns for Cincinnati.
How to watch San Francisco Giants vs. Cincinnati Reds
Jun 28, 2023; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Chicago Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson makes the nineteenth pick in round one of the 2023 NHL Draft at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Christopher Hanewinckel/Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
CHICAGO — The Chicago Blackhawks extended general manager Kyle Davidson’s contract without providing the length of the deal.
“We are committing to Kyle to continue the plan he has put in place,” chairman and owner Danny Wirtz said before the team’s season-ending game against San Jose. “We feel confident in that. We feel he has the right insight, the right team around him, and the belief he can continue to build a championship team.”
The Blackhawks are locked into 31st place in the 32-team NHL and haven’t made the Stanley Cup playoffs since the expanded COVID playoffs of 2020.
The 37-year-old Davidson took over as interim general manager when Stan Bowman was fired in October 2021. The interim tag was removed in March 2022.
DETROIT, MI - AUGUST 2: Vinnie Pasquantino #9 of the Kansas City Royals is called out on strikes against the Detroit Tigers during the first inning at Comerica Park on August 2, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Royals are averaging just 3.11 runs-per-game, second-fewest in baseball. They have scored three runs or less in 12 of their 18 matchups so far.
But for long-time Royals fans, this is just business as usual. If the calendar reads April, that means taxes are due, Midwestern showers are common, and the Royals are leaving goose eggs on the scoreboard.
The Royals have scored fewer runs-per-game than the American League average in all but four seasons since 2007. But that shouldn’t be too surprising – the Royals have typically had a below-average offense. So I wanted to look at how the Royals performed in all months compared to the league average. Below is a chart that shows how much better or worse the Royals fared in runs-per-game compared to the AL average – 10% means they scored ten percent more runs than the average AL team, -10% means they score ten percent fewer runs than the average AL team. I also color-coded things to make it easier to scan – light blue means the Royals did 0-10% better than league average, and dark blue means they did over 10% better. Light red means they did 0-10% worse than league average, and dark red means they did over 10% worse.
If you think April is a bad month for the Royals, wait until May and June, it typically gets worse! The Royals have had some epic slumps in May. In 2014, they collectively hit .246/.300/.339 as a team, dropping 17 of 29 games. The team demoted Mike Moustakas and reassigned hitting coach Pedro Grifol in May. It was the second consecutive year the Royals had fired their hitting coach before the month of June, having reassigned Jack Maloof in May of 2013 after he suggested the team wasn’t hitting because of Kauffman Stadium.
And Royals fans have become familiar with the June swoon. The team dropped 20 of 26 in June of 2023, on their way to 106 losses. Last year’s June probably cost them a playoff spot – they lost 18 of 26 including series sweeps at the hands of the Athletics and Rays, and were shut out five times that month.
When do Royals hitters typically perform? They have fared well in August, particularly in 2013-15, when they made runs at a playoff spot. But often they also perform well in September, often when the team has been eliminated from contention.
Why do the Royals always seem to get off to a slow start offensively, only to get going as the summer warms up? I had a few theories.
The weather
Spring weather in the Midwest can be temperamental. It can be 80s degrees one day, and 40 degrees the next. Plus the Royals often make early season visits to chilly burbs like Minneapolis, Cleveland, Chicago, and Detroit.
According to Baseball Reference, the Royals have had 101 games since 2007 played with a first-pitch temperature of 50 degrees or less. They average 3.84 runs in those games, a bit lower than their average of 4.20 in all games over that time. That’s about five games per season, so not nothing, but not likely to make a large impact. According to a 2013 study published by Weather, Climate, and Society found that Kauffman Stadium actually has fewer overall “cold” games than Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.
The wind could be a different story. But according to Baseball Reference, the Royals have only had 36 games since 2007 where the wind was greater than 15 mph and blowing in – interestingly only five were at home.
Spring training hangover
We are very familiar with Royals hitters raking in the warm, dry air of Arizona, then having the bats go completely limp once the regular season begins. While weather may not be a direct culprit, moving from the desert climate of Arizona to a much more damp spring Midwestern climate could be a difficult adjustment for hitters. Pitchers are said to be ahead of hitters to begin the year, although the Royals seem to struggle more than other teams early in the year.
Roster construction
The Royals are a small market team that commonly has to rely on a few proven stars, with some question marks to fill out the lineup. Some years that may mean hoping a young hitter like MJ Melendez figures it out, or it may mean banking on a career rebound from a veteran like Lane Thomas. Sometimes it works, but more often it does not, and the lineup has precious little depth. The Royals are typically able to make mid-season adjustments – a callup from the minors, a trade to bring in more depth. Last summer, the Royals were able to significantly improve the lineup by simply jettisoning dead weight like Melendez and Hunter Renfroe, and adding solid, but unspectacular veterans like Adam Frazier, Mike Yastrzemski, and Randal Grichuk.
Coaching
Coaching does matter, although its direct impacts can be difficult to ascertain, particularly now when so many players seek counsel outside the organization. If hitters are unprepared to begin the year, they may struggle. By late summer, a good hitting coach has identified mechanical flaws, opponents have tipped tendencies, and experienced hitters have settled into routines.
In 2014, the Royals hit .253/.308/.352, averaging 3.86 runs-per-game when they fired hitting coach Pedro Grifol. They hit .267/.316/.388 afterward, averaging 4.09 runs-per-game. It is impossible to say whether replacement hitting coach Dale Sveum made the impact, or if the personnel change was the shakeup the hitters needed to wake them out of their funk.
Of course, the simplest explanation is often the right one. The Royals have finished in the upper half of the American League in runs scored just three times since 2007. It may be that the Royals just haven’t been a very good offensive team. April doesn’t make them worse. It just makes them exactly who they are, before the calendar has had enough time to obscure it. Moving in the fences hasn’t changed things yet. The Royals still have a flawed offense that is mired in yet another spring slump.
The Kansas City Royals (7-11) and Detroit Tigers (9-9) close out their three-game series. The Tigers have won the first two games, each by a score of 2-1. Kansas City has scored more than two runs only once in its past eight games. Starting pitchers are Kris Bubic for Kansas City and Keider Montero for Detroit.
How to watch Kansas City Royals vs. Detroit Tigers
Apr 15, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Adrian Del Castillo watches his two run home run against the Baltimore Orioles during the tenth inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
Team News
Del Castillo punctuates D-backs’ strong trip with go-ahead HR in 10th “They’re winning players with a winning attitude,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “There’s good leadership on this team. There’s a good culture. The leaders carry the torch here and they don’t want to let bad things happen, and they address it right on the spot.”
The first papermaking process was documented during the 25-220 CE (Eastern Han period). At some point during the 8th century, Chinese papermaking spread to the Islamic world which later on was used as a method of making paper currency.
Abraham Lincoln was a wrestling champion.
Before taking a seat at the office, Abraham Lincoln was once known as a great wrestler and has won many awards from his time in the ring. One of his most famous matches was with his rival Jack Armstrong.
A shrimp’s heart is in its head.
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you can’t choose between following your head or your heart? Well, it seems shrimp have an evolutionary advantage when it comes to tough decisions. Kidding aside, one of the fun facts about shrimps is that their hearts are literally in their heads. Specifically, it is found in the thorax just behind the head – but they are covered in the same shell segment.
Craig Berube wants — and expects — to be back as Toronto Maple Leafs head coach next season.
It was no doubt a difficult season for everybody around the organization, from management to players, to even the fans who spent their hard-earned money in hopes the team would win.
But there were countless speed bumps the Maple Leafs hit, causing them to veer off into the bottom of the NHL standings.
When asked during his end-of-season media availability on Thursday about how this team went from top of the Atlantic Division last season to the basement this year, Berube stated, "Goals against."
Toronto finished second-last in the NHL in that category with 295, only behind last-place Vancouver Canucks, who allowed 308 goals this season.
Despite all of the problems Toronto faced this season, Berube believes this version (or core) of the Maple Leafs can return to the playoffs next season.
"We have some good players here, and we have to make some adjustments," he said on Thursday. "We have to make some moves to bring in maybe some different players or different people, but there's a good core here and good players and good people, so I do believe we can bounce back."
Why, though, does Berube, whose coaching future hangs in the balance, believe he'll be back next season, especially when a new head of hockey operations hasn't been put in place yet?
Truth is, despite believing he'll be back, Berube is also unsure about his future in Toronto.
"No, I haven't heard anything about [being back]," he said. "Same as you guys heard. A new GM gets hired and people there, and they'll make a decision."
In what's now two seasons under Berube, the Maple Leafs have an 84-62-18 record, the 14th-best in the NHL. They reached the second round of the playoffs last year before getting ousted by the Florida Panthers in seven games.
Time will tell if they can get back to that level.
"I'm not going to sit here and talk about every little thing today about the on-ice performance and individuals' performance on the ice," Berube continued, "but those are things we've got to look at and assess and going forward here in what we're going to do."
The Calgary Flames wrap up their season with a matchup against the Los Angeles Kings tonight at Scotiabank Saddledome.
My Kings vs. Flames predictions are targeting Blake Coleman to stay hot in the season finale at home.
Read more in my NHL picks for Thursday, April 16, with puck drop set for 9:00 p.m. ET.
Kings vs Flames prediction
Kings vs Flames best bet: Blake Coleman Over 0.5 points (-110)
Calgary Flames forward Blake Coleman has 20 goals and 15 assists, and has picked up the pace of late. He’s notched points in back-to-back contests, tallying an assist on Sunday against Utah before scoring Calgary’s lone goal in Tuesday’s loss to Colorado.
The 34-year-old has now cashed the Over in points in four of his last six home appearances. The opportunities tend to be there when he faces the Los Angeles Kings as well, notching eight SOG in the three matchups.
Much of his production has come at the Saddledome, where he has registered 22 points in 32 outings.
Kings vs Flames same-game parlay
Morgan Frost has cashed the Over in SOG in three of his last five contests. He had two shots on target against the Avalanche and five against the Mammoth over his last two games.
The Kings are allowing 10.1 SOG per game to centers, which ranks toward the bottom of the league. Frost is averaging 1.85 shots on net at the Saddledome in 2025-26 as well.
Calgary won 3-2 against the Kings last month, and it's actually 2-1 against them this season, with all of those games being decided by two goals or fewer.
The Flames are also 22-13-5 at home, while L.A. has lost three of its last five on the road.
Kings vs Flames SGP
Blake Coleman Over 0.5 points
Morgan Frost Over 1.5 shots on goal
Flames moneyline
Kings vs Flames odds
Moneyline: Kings -140 | Flames +120
Puck Line: Kings -1.5 (+165) | Flames +1.5 (-200)
Over/Under: Over 5.5 (-130) | Under 5.5 (+110)
Kings vs Flames trend
The Calgary Flames have hit the Moneyline in 7 of their last 9 games at home (+7.05 Units / 72% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Kings vs. Flames.
How to watch Kings vs Flames
Location
Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, AB
Date
Thursday, April 16, 2026
Puck drop
9:00 p.m. ET
TV
Sportsnet One
Kings vs Flames latest injuries
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Philly fans can clear their calendars for Saturday night.
That’s when the Flyers will open their best-of-seven first-round playoff series against the Penguins. Puck drop is scheduled for around 8 p.m. ET at PPG Paints Arena.
NBC Sports Philadelphia will have the local broadcast. Flyers Pregame Live will start at 7:30 p.m. ET.
The schedule for the remainder of the series will be announced later Thursday night when the NHL regular season wraps up.
Rick Tocchet’s club heads into the postseason with 18 wins over its final 25 games. The Flyers finished with 98 points at 43-27-12. The Penguins (41-25-16) also had 98 points, but they earned home ice via the tiebreaker of more regulation wins.
The Flyers split their four-game regular-season series with Pittsburgh (2-2-0).
SAN ANTONIO, TX -APRIL 8: Dylan Harper #2 of the San Antonio Spurs drives on Scott Henderson #00 of the Portland Trailblazers in the second half at Frost Bank Center on April 8, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the Spurs vs. Blazers series officially set, it’s time for us to go through what each team brings to the table. Today, we’ll start with a quick overview of some stylistic quirks to monitor, before releasing a full preview in the coming days.
First up: the turnover battle.
Turnovers
These teams are polar opposites in the turnover game. San Antonio is great at protecting the ball on offense (12.9% turnover rate, 4th best) but struggles to steal the rock on defense (forces turnovers on 12.8% of defensive possessions, 28th), while Portland loves coughing up the ball (16.8% turnover rate, 30th) but is also very good at taking it away from opponents (forces turnovers on 15.3% of defensive possessions, 7th). In other words, it’ll be a battle of weaknesses on the Spurs end, but also a clash of strengths on the Blazers’ side.
With that said, individual matchups will also matter, and Steph Castle could be an X-factor on both ends of the court. Castle averages over a steal per game and will likely spend lots of time guarding Avdija, who has both the highest usage and turnover rate (15.1%) on the Blazers. On the other hand, Castle himself is very turnover-prone (15.9%), which would play into the hands of Portland’s trifecta of elite perimeter defenders in Holiday, Camara, and Thybulle.
Portland’s rim frequency
Portland prioritizes shots near the rim, as 35.2% of their attempts come within four feet of the basket (5th highest league-wide). Thankfully, the Spurs have perhaps the greatest rim protector in league history in Wemby, whose presence alone deters opponents from shooting. In fact, only 26.2% of opposing shots come at the basket when he plays, and it’ll be interesting to see if the Blazers see a similar drop in rim frequency.
Even if they decide to keep shooting, don’t expect many to go in. The Blazers are only making 66.3% of their shots in that area (18th league-wide), and with Wemby on the court, the Spurs are letting in just 60.8% of those attempts. If Portland struggles down low, they could pivot to shooting more threes, as they’re already top 5 in three-point frequency (43.2%) while San Antonio gives up an average number of attempts (37.8%, 14th league-wide).
Portland’s pick & roll frequency
One way of pulling Wemby away from the rim would be putting him in as many high pick-and-rolls as possible, and Portland’s 17.1% P&R frequency ranks in the league’s top 10. However, the Alien is such a physical freak that he’s fast and long enough to contain both the ballhandler before recovering to the roll man. As a result, the Spurs actually welcome P&Rs, allowing 16.9% of defensive possessions to involve such a play from opposing teams, while conceding just 0.83 points per possession — the third-lowest number league-wide, and also the same scoring average for Portland on offense. In other words, the Blazers will have an extremely difficult time going against Wemby in P&Rs, and it’ll be interesting to see how they adjust.
Rebounding
Another way for Portland to generate offense is to crash the offensive glass. The Blazers’ 34.3% ORB percentage was 4th league-wide, but that’s going up against the #1-ranked defensive rebounding Spurs team that grabbed 74.1% of its own boards. Expect Clingan and Robert Williams III to get physical with Wemby and cause as much havoc around the Spurs’ rim as possible, especially if they have trouble generating other forms of offense.
However, San Antonio could also counter by doing the same on the other end. The Spurs are also a good offensive rebounding team, grabbing 29.5% of their misses (9th highest). Interestingly, Portland actually struggles on their own glass, conceding 70.2% of rebounds to their opponents (21st). If the Blazers don’t manage to clean up on their own end, then any offensive rebounds they grab will be rendered moot.
San Antonio’s corner three-point volume
The Spurs’ 38.8% three-point volume is average (14th league-wide), but they’re tied for first with New York in corner three volume at 12.9%. This is mostly attributed to Wemby’s insane roll gravity, as San Antonio generates 13.8% of their shots from the corners when he plays, which is the highest in league history. The Blazers allow 10.2% of opponent shots to come from those spots, (right around the league average), but if they prioritize defending the corners, then it’ll open up Wemby’s rolls and drives from the Spurs’ guards. San Antonio is also shooting 71.3% at the rim (90th percentile) on 36.4% frequency (87th), so Portland is stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Transition opportunities
16.5% of Spurs plays come in transition (6th league-wide), and their offensive rating on such plays is 128.5 (8th). The Blazers allow almost the same amount of transition opportunities on defense (16.4%, 26th) with a defensive rating of 126.8 (19th). San Antonio should dominate in fast-break points, especially since they’re also elite at preventing opposing transition opportunities, while Portland is bottom five in transition frequency. This could be a short series if the Blazers turn the ball over at their usual rate.
