Apr 9, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets players stand during the national anthem prior to the game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | Erik Williams-Imagn Images
What do the Lakers want? That’s not a question I like asking, but as the final day of the NBA 2025-26 regular season gets underway, it’s a question we must ask.
Here are the playoff scenarios, and what might happen.
First:
The Rockets have two possible opponents: Lakers, Nuggets
The Rockets can’t change anything about their seeding. They’re 5th. The loss to Minnesota’s B Team guaranteed it.
The Nuggets have a record of 53-28. The Lakers have a record of 52-29. Today the Nuggets play the Spurs, who will apparently rest everyone of note. The Lakers will play the Jazz, who are 22-59. I’m not sure if a loss changes much about their draft odds, as they can’t “catch” Washington, Indiana, or Brooklyn in the loss column. They’re going to finish with the 4th or 5th worst record in the NBA no matter what happens today. The Kings can “pass” the Jazz in the loss column if they win and the Jazz lose. The two teams both have 22 wins. Being 5th greatly increases the odds of getting a pick that falls down as far as seventh in the draft. You have to expect both teams want to lose.
The Lakers own the tiebreaker over the Nuggets, meaning if their records end up identical, that is, Laker win, Denver loss, the Lakers will move up to 3rd in the Western Conference and play the Timberwolves.
If Denver wins, everything stays the same, Rockets play Lakers. Denver holds on to 3rd place in the West due to a superior record. It won’t matter whether LA wins or loses, as the Lakers can’t catch Denver in the wins column if the Nuggets get a win over the Spurs.
Denver can’t really control anything, though, if the Lakers lose. They’ll still be ahead of LA in the win column, win or lose.
Then there’s the Spurs. Do the Spurs want to keep Denver where they are, on OKC’s side of the playoff bracket in future rounds? If San Antonio thinks Denver is a tougher opponent for OKC than a Laker team missing its two best players, then they definitely want to keep the Nuggets at 3rd. They can do that by losing to Denver.
So this is simply a brilliant situation in which every team playing with seeding at stake in the West has a good reason to lose.
Denver can’t get out of their 3rd seed, if they’d rather play the Rockets, unless LA wins and they lose. But the Spurs may well want to lose, too.
Do the Lakers want to play the Rockets or the Nuggets? Give that the Lakers beat down the Rockets twice in a row, albeit with their roster largely intact, they very well might. They might have reason to believe that if they can steal a win or two early in the series, on some sort of 41 year old Lebron James magic, then Luka and Reaves might be able to return to finish the series against the Rockets. Sure, that leaves them facing OKC, almost certainly, but it also means they advanced a round.
Going to 3rd place gets LA the Timberwolves, but they might think the same thing, steal a game early, hope for medical miracles, and avoid OKC in the second round.
But then the Jazz likely want to lose as well.
Who wants it less? This should be a night of puzzling player choices, baffling substitutions, dubious coaching decisions. So, just another Rockets game for the Rockets. But for the Lakers, Timberwolves, Spurs and Jazz, a night of something else. We’ll see what Denver and LA want, and who they play. Denver played no one in their previous game, and won anyway.
We’ll know by the end of the day. In any case it’s out of the Rockets hands. After losing last night, and LA winning, it doesn’t matter, in playoff terms, what they do. They’ll be in 5th, even if they tie the Lakers, due to those two losses to LA in the baseball series.
Sacramento went into this season with dreams of the playoffs and a return to how the team played in 2023. Instead, the 22-win, injury-riddled Kings are 15 games out of even the No. 10 seed and again looking to the NBA Draft Lottery for luck.
Coach Doug Christie is not going to pay the price for that. Multiple reports say Christie will be retained as the Kings' head coach, with Sam Amick of The Athletic being first.
There are a couple of reasons for this. One is that the Kings' struggles are far more about the roster construction than the coaching — more than one person around the league has told NBC Sports, "I don't know how good a coach Christie is" because of the talent he had to work with. Christie took over midseason in 2025, after Mike Brown was fired just after Christmas. Not long after he took over, a huge roster shift began after De'Aaron Fox demanded a trade. This season, the Kings dealt with injuries to key players and also looked to start trading veterans and rebuild.
The Kings also reportedly liked how young players such as Maxime Raynaud and Nique Clifford developed under Christie.
It's also worth noting that Christie, a former Kings player, is reportedly a favorite of team owner Vivek Ranadive and parts of the Sacramento front office. Christie also is popular with the fan base. Christie signed a three-year contract with the Kings last summer and next season is guaranteed, so if he were let go the Kings would be paying him anyway.
Whatever the Kings' roster looks like heading into next season, Christie will be coaching it.
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 10, 2026: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Edwin Díaz (3)sits in the dugout after blowing a save giving up three runs to the Texas Rangers in the ninth inning on April 10, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA.(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES — With a three-run lead in the ninth inning on Saturday night, the Dodgers opted not to use closer Edwin Díaz, whom they signed to a record-setting contract in December. His velocity is down, but Díaz says he’s not hurt, and the Dodgers say they don’t think it’s a mechanical issue. Díaz may or may not be available on Sunday.
“Just talking to the pitching guys, looking at the velocity and some of the things he’s dealt with in the past, it’s a day-to-day thing,” manager Dave Roberts said Sunday. “I’m going to see how he feels in catch play and talk to the trainers and pitching guys, see where we go and make a decision from there.
“I’m confident right now, because everything I hear is he feels fine. For me, you hear it, you want to completely trust it, but you’re also looking at the [radar] gun and making sure. We’re treading lightly, and giving him the benefit of the doubt, and still watching.”
On Saturday night, manager Roberts said Díaz was unavailable due to the previous night’s workload, which completely tracks with the team’s bullpen deployment in the first three weeks of the season. Thus far, there have been only eight instances of a pitcher throwing on back-to-back days, including Díaz on March 27-28. Only one of those outings on no days rest came the day after throwing more than 17 pitches — Edgardo Henríquez threw 25 pitches on April 3 in Washington D.C., then was used the next day in a very low-leverage situation, up by six runs to get the final three outs in the ninth inning.
Ten times this season a Dodgers reliever has thrown at least 20 pitches in an outing. Other than the Henriquez outing, all those pitchers have been given at least one day off before pitching next, and in most cases got two or more days off.
During that outing on Friday, Díaz averaged 95.5 mph on his nine four-seam fastballs, and on the season he’s averaged 95.8 mph. He’s averaged at least 97 mph on that pitch in every other season of his career, including 97.2 mph in 2025.
Starting slow has been the norm recently for Díaz, for whom April has seen his lowest velocity of the season dating back to 2022. He did not pitch at all in 2023 after suffering a torn patellar tendon in his knee.
Year
April
Season
2022
98.1 mph
99.1 mph
2024
96.9 mph
97.5 mph
2025
96.3 mph
97.2 mph
Díaz has pitched only six games, and struck out 10 of his 29 batters faced while allowing four runs in six innings. But his current 95.8 mph would be the lowest velocity month of his career.
“We’re still trying to dig in a little bit,” Roberts said, calling the 2-mph drop from Díaz’s usual average “significant.”
“A couple days ago there were a lot of throws in there, too. Like we’ve done many times is to play the long view with our guys,” Roberts added. “We’re still going to do what’s best for him and the organization. This is a day-to-day thing, it really is. It’s not an IL thing we’re talking about, it’s more day-to-day.”
San Diego, California - April 11: Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres attempts to tag out Edouard Julien #6 of the Colorado Rockies at second base during the first inning at Petco Park on Saturday, April 11, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)
Colorado Rockies (6-9) at San Diego Padres (9-6), April 12, 2026, 1:10 p.m. PST
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DENVER, CO - APRIL 07: Kyle Freeland #21 of the Colorado Rockies pitches during the game between the Houston Astros and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on Tuesday, April 7, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Casey Paul/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
While it’s disappointing to once again be facing a sweep at the end of a series, one must remember the Colorado Rockies are who we thought they were. They are a team at the ground floor of a rebuild and by their own admission are “here for the climb.”
By that metric, the Rockies have one major takeaway from the series so far: They’re keeping the San Diego Padres on their toes. Through the first three games, they have kept things close and competitive. The Padres had to walk-off the Rockies in the first two games, and the Rockies had the tying run at the plate last night in the top of the ninth inning.
This is not a post-season team. This is a team where progress is all that matters.
That being said, it sure would be nice to avoid getting swept out of San Diego to end this series. The man leading the Rockies into battle for that cause will be left-handed pitcher Kyle Freeland.
Freeland—despite a truncated spring training—is off to a strong start. Over his first three starts of the season he has a 2.30 ERA over 15.2 innings with 13 strikeouts and four walks. His last time out against the Houston Astros he pitched a 6.1 inning Quality Start, giving up just one earned run on three hits and one walk while striking out five batters.
On the bump for the Swingin’ Friars is right-handed veteran Nick Pivetta. Pivetta has his strikeout stuff working well to start the season with a 13.8 K/9 through 13 innings. However, he’s also had opposing batters get to him. Over his first three starts he has an ERA of 5.54 on 12 hits and six walks, but he’s also yet to allow a home run.
Historically Pivetta hasn’t had the best of luck against the Rockies. He holds a 9.64 career ERA against the boys in Purple over eight appearances—seven of which were starts—with seven home runs allowed over 32.2 innings of work. This season Pivetta is working primarily with four pitches: a four-seam fastball averaging 94.1 MPH, a curveball, a sweeper, and a cutter. He can also throw a sinker and slider if needed.
Apr 6, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jacob Degrom (48) comes off the field after he pitches against the Seattle Mariners during the fourth inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
The Mets designated Luis Garcia for assignment on Sunday.
One part of the Mets’ bullpen makeover is already gone, with Luis García designated for assignment prior to Sunday’s series-finale against the A’s.
After the 39-year-old right-hander was forced into Saturday’s loss, in part because of Luke Weaver’s ineffectiveness, Carlos Mendoza said the bullpen needed to be replenished for Sunday’s game at Citi Field.
So the Mets opted to recall right-hander Joey Gerber from Triple-A Syracuse and are set to lose García, who was signed to a one-year, $1.75 million deal in January.
The Mets designated Luis Garcia for assignment on Sunday. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
“We needed an arm, especially with the way we used the bullpen the past couple of nights,’’ Mendoza said. “We feel like we needed some protection there in case something bad happens again.”
Of the decision to DFA Garcia , Mendoza said it was “not an easy one. Luis had to pitch [Saturday] on a day we were staying away from him. [Weaver] got in trouble and we needed a fresh arm here.”
Gerber last played in the majors with the Rays last year, making two appearances, while spending most of the season with Triple-A Durham.
His contract was purchased by the Mets in November and he struggled in four outings in the minors this season.
It appears that the Abbotsford Canucks are dealing with yet another injury. As reported by Rick Dhaliwal of "Donnie and Dhali", forward Nils Åman, "broke his toe over the weekend, his season is over." Abbotsford has two games remaining this year, with both on the road.
Åman has spent the last four seasons with the Canucks organization. This year, he played two games in the NHL, while suiting up for 55 in the AHL. Åman leads Abbotsford with 41 points, while his 35 assists are tied for 22nd in the league.
This season was the second of a two-year deal Åman signed in 2023. He will enter the off-season as a restricted free agent with arbitration rights. In 132 career NHL games, Åman has scored eight goals while recording 29 points.
As for his time with Abbotsford, Åman has recorded 95 points in 123 games. He ranks in the top 10 for points and top five for assists. Åman was originally drafted by the Colorado Avalanche in 2020 and signed with the Canucks in 2022 as a free agent.
Feb 22, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Vancouver Canucks center Nils Aman (88) skates against the Vegas Golden Knights during the first period at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
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BOSTON, MA - NOVEMBER 23: Franz Wagner #22 of the Orlando Magic drives to the basket during the game against the Boston Celtics on November 23, 2025 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Orlando Magic (45-36) at Boston Celtics (55-26) Sunday, April 12, 2026 6:00 PM ET Regular Season Game #82 Home Game #41 TV: ESPN, NBCSB, FDSNFL Radio: 98.5 Sports Hub , WYGM 96.9, Sirius XM TD Garden
The Celtics host the Orlando Magic for the 4th, and final, meeting between these teams this season. They played twice in a row in Orlando with the Magic winning the first game 123-110 and the Celtics winning the second game 111-107. The Celtics won the 3rd game 138-129 in Boston. The Celtics won the series 2-1 last season. The Celtics are 78-58 overall all time against the Magic. They are 51-18 all time in games played in Boston.
This could be a preview of the Celtics most likely first round matchup. Orlando can move up to 6th if they beat the Celtics and Toronto loses to the Nets. If Toronto beats the Nets, Orlando will have to play Philadelphia in the play in to decide the 7th seed. The Celtics are 12-10 against the Magic in the playoffs, including a 4-1 win in the first round of last year’s playoffs.
The Celtics are 2nd in the East, 4 games behind 1st place Detroit. They are 2 games ahead of 3rd place New York, 4 games ahead of 4th place Cleveland, 9 games ahead of 5th place Atlanta and 10 games ahead of 6th place Toronto and 7th place Orlando. The Celtics are 35-16 against Eastern Conference opponents. They are 29-11 at home and 8-2 in their last 10 games. They are coming off a win in their last game.
The Magic are 7th in the East, 6 games behind 4th place Cleveland, 2 game behind 5th place Atlanta and tied with 6th place Toronto. They are 1 game ahead of 8th place Philadelphia, 2 games ahead of 9th place Charlotte and 3 games ahead of 10th place Miami. They are 26-25 against Eastern Conference opponents. They are 19-19 on the road and 7-3 in their last 10 games. They have won their last 5 games.
The Celtics have an extensive injury report for this game. Jaylen Brown (Achilles), Neemias Queta (toe), Jayson Tatum (injury management), and Derrick White (knee) are all listed as out. Sam Hauser (back), Payton Pritchard (plantar fasciitis), and Nikola Vucevic (finger) are all doubtful. Hugo Gonzalez was a late addition to the injury list as questionable with foot pain. I have just made a wild guess as to the Celtics starters for this game. For the Magic, Jett Howard (ankle) and Jonathan Isaac (knee) are both listed as questionable.
Probable Starting Matchups PG: Max Shulga vs Jalen Suggs
Hugo Gonzalez | NBAE via Getty ImagesFranz Wagner | NBAE via Getty Images
PF: Jordan Walsh vs Paolo Banchero
Jordan Walsh | Getty ImagesPaolo Banchero | NBAE via Getty Images
C: Luka Garza vs Wendell Carter, Jr
Luka Garza | Getty ImagesWendell Carter, Jr | NBAE via Getty Images
Celtics Reserves Amare Williams Ron Harper, Jr Delano Banton John Tonje
2-Way Players None Injuries/Out Derrick White (knee) out Neemias Queta (toe) out Sam Hauser (back) doubtful Jaylen Brown (Achilles) out Jayson Tatum (injury management) out Payton Pritchard (plantar fasciitis) doubtful Nikola Vucevic (finger) doubtful Hugo Gonzalez (foot) questionable
Head Coach Joe Mazzulla
Magic Reserves Goga Bitadze Anthony Black Jamal Cain Jevon Carter Tristan daSilva Noah Penda Jase Richardon Moritz Wagner
2-Way Players Colin Castleton Alex Morales Injuries/Out Jett Howard (ankle) questionable Jonathan Isaac (knee) questionable
Head Coach Jamahl Mosley
Key Matchups Jordan Walsh vs Paolo Banchero Banchero is averaging 22.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game. He is shooting 46.2% from the field and 31.1% from beyond the arc. In 2 games against the Celtics this season, he averaged 21.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game while shooting 50% from the field and 12.5% from beyond the arc.
Hugo Gonzalez vs Franz Wagner Wagner is averaging 20.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game. He is shooting 48.5% from the field and 34.8% from beyond the arc. In 3 games against the Celtics this season, he averaged 20.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game while shooting 42.2% from the field and 25.0% from beyond the arc. Since Hugo is now questionable, if he can’t play I would guess that Ron Harper, Jr starts here. Honorable Mention Baylor Scheierman vs Desmond Bane Bane is averaging 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game. He is shooting 48.5% from the field and 39.2% from beyond the arc. In 3 games against the Celtics this season he averaged 16.3 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists while shooting 48.6% from the field and 37.5% from beyond the arc.
Keys to the Game Defense – Defense is always the key to winning games. The Celtics are now 4th in the league with a defensive rating of 111.8. The Magic are 14th with a defensive rating of 113.7 In their last loss, the Celtics allowed the Knicks to shoot 53.8% from the field and 42.9% from beyond the arc. They were lax on defense and that cost them the game. The Celtics are going to have to work harder on defense than the Magic and lock down the Magic’s shooters.
Rebound – Rebounding is also a big key to winning The Magic are 19th with 43.3 rebounds per game while the Celtics are 3rd with 46.4 rebounds per game. They simply have to fight harder to grab rebounds than the Magic. Every Celtic has got to crash the boards and fight for every rebound. The Celtics can’t score without the ball and a good way to get the ball is to crash the boards.
Effort and Energy for 48 Minutesc- The Celtics have to play with extra effort overall for all 4 quarters. The Celtics are missing a lot of firepower on the injury list and so the best way to make up for that is to play harder than the Magic. The Celtics need to make playing with more effort and energy their identity for the upcoming playoffs and it needs to start with this game.
Move the Ball Carefully – The Celtics play best when they share the ball and keep it moving. They can’t try to do too much individually or the offense gets bogged down. They need to move the ball to find the best shots instead of taking quick shots or over dribbling. They have to move the ball carefully, however, and not turn the ball over. The Magic score 18.6 points off turnovers per game. If the Celtics get sloppy again, the Magic will make them pay.
X-Factors Celtics Pride at Home – The Celtics will have the home crowd behind them and that should give them a boost. The Magic will have all the distractions of playing on the road such as travel, hotel stay, and playing on an unfamiliar court in front of a hostile crowd. The Celtics need to be ready for a team that plays very hard for 48 minutes. The Celtics need to match the Magic’s effort especially on the defensive end. The Celtics have to show pride and play harder than the Magic to protect their home court and get a win against this motivated Magic team.
Next Man Up – The Celtics will be missing at least 4 and possibly as many as 7 players for this game. The stay ready group will get a chance to show that they are ready for playoff minutes and need to take advantage of that opportunity. They need to hit their shots and defend at a high level in order to beat the motivated and healthy Magic.
Officiating – The officiating is always an x-factor. Some referees call the game tight and others let them play. Some favor the home team and others call it evenly. Some refs just seem to have an agenda that doesn’t fit the events on the court. At times they miss important calls that change the momentum of the game. The Celtics need to play well enough not to leave the game in the hands of the officials at the end and they can’t let bad calls take away from their focus.
The NBA regular season concludes on Sunday night with a Nuggets vs. Spurs matchup that offers more betting value in the player prop market than the spread or total.
Our NBA player prop projections break down the expected production on both sides, highlighting where the numbers create betting value.
Alongside our Nuggets vs. Spurs predictions and top NBA picks, here are the best player props to target for April 12.
Nuggets vs Spurs computer picks for April 12
Nuggets
Spurs
Jokic o0.5 threes -150
Fox u6.5 assists -105
Jones u5.5 assists -112
Champagnie u12.5 points -110
Strawther u2.5 threes -135
Fox o1.5 threes -110
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Nuggets computer picks
Nikola Jokic Over 0.5 threes (-150)
Projection: 1.5 threes
Nikola Jokic clearing one three is about as low a bar as it gets, especially in a game Denver actually cares about. With the Nuggets still pushing for seeding, expect full minutes and a normal offensive role.
San Antonio’s defense gives up clean looks to bigs on the perimeter, and Jokic has been more willing to fire.
He's hit at least one 3-pointer in two of his last three games.
span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Jokic Now at bet365!/span
Tyus Jones Under 5.5 assists (-112)
Projection: 4.1 assists
Tyus Jones’ role is the issue here, not his talent. With Denver playing for seeding, the ball is going to live in Nikola Jokic’s hands, not Jones’.
He’s more of a secondary initiator in this offense, and his assist upside is capped unless minutes spike. In a tighter rotation game, that’s unlikely.
Jones has gone Under this total in 14 straight games.
span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Jones Now at bet365!/span
Julian Strawther Under 2.5 threes (-135)
Projection: 2.0 threes
Julian Strawther’s role is always fragile, and that’s amplified in a high-leverage game for Denver. The Nuggets will tighten the rotation, leaning more on trusted options, which limits Strawther’s volume and minutes.
Even if he gets on the floor, he’s a streaky shooter who needs attempts to get there.
He's gone Under this number in 16 of his last 17 games.
span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Strawther Now at bet365!/span
Spurs computer picks
De'Aaron Fox Under 6.5 assists (-120)
Projection: 5.6 assists
De'Aaron Fox’s role is score-first, and that becomes even more pronounced in a meaningless end-of-season spot.
With the Spurs not playing for anything, offensive structure tends to break down, leading to fewer clean assist opportunities. He’s more likely to hunt his own shot than facilitate, and the projection reflects that.
At 5.6 assists, this line is simply a bit too aggressive for his expected usage and game environment.
span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Fox Now at bet365!/span
Julian Champagnie Under 12.5 points (-110)
Projection: 10.9 points
Julian Champagnie is a decent role player, but 12.5 is a touch too high for someone whose production can disappear fast if the shot volume is not there.
With a projection of 10.9, there is enough cushion to back the Under, especially if his minutes or usage dip even slightly.
span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Champagnie Now at bet365!/span
De'Aaron Fox Over 1.5 threes (-110)
Projection: 1.7 threes
De’Aaron Fox isn’t known as a high-volume 3-point shooter, but he’s quietly cleared this number with more consistency when his usage spikes.
With a 1.7 projection, you’re not getting a massive edge, but you don’t need one at this line.
span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Fox Now at bet365!/span
How to watch Nuggets vs Spurs tonight
Location
Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, TX
Date
Sunday, April 12, 2026
Tip-off
8:30 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN
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PITTSBURGH, PA - CIRCA 1977: Phil Garner #3 of the Pittsburgh Pirates in action during an Major League Baseball game circa 1977 at Three River Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Garner played for the Pirates from 1977-81. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Phil Garner, longtime major league infielder and longtime major league manager, has passed away, it was announced. He was 76.
Garner originally came up with the Oakland A’s, and in 1975 and 1976 solidified what had been an unsettled situation at second base for the A’s, including getting an All Star nod in 1976. During spring training, 1977, Garner was dealt, along with Chris Batton and Tommy Helms, to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for Tony Armas (the Elder), Doug Bair, Rick Langford, Mitchell Page, Doc Medich and Dave Giusti.
Garner had a four-plus year run as a key part of the Pirates’ infield, highlighted by his slashing .472/.537/.722 in 10 playoff games in 1979 as the We Are Family Pirates won the World Series.
Garner was dealt at the end of August, 1981, to the Houston Astros for prospect Johnny Ray, with the Pirates giving up their second baseman of the present for their second baseman of the future. Garner played with the Astros until the 1987 trade deadline, when he was dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers. His final season came in 1988 with the San Francisco Giants.
For his career, Garner put up a 29.7 bWAR in 1860 games over 16 seasons, with a .260/.323/.389 slash line an 99 OPS+. He is 68th all time in career bWAR for second basemen.
Garner was named the manager of the Milwaukee Brewers following the 1991 season. He spent seven-plus years as the Brewers’ manager, being let go during the 1999 season with the team sporting a 52-60 record. Garner was hired by the Detroit Tigers in the 1999-2000 offseason — Rangers fans may recall that that was the offseason when Texas traded Juan Gonzalez to the Tigers. The Tigers were not successful during Garner’s time there, however, and he lasted two seasons and six games, being fired in 2002 after the team got off to a 0-6 start.
Garner’s final stop was with the Houston Astros. When the Astros fired Jimy Williams at the 2004 All Star Break, with the club at 44-44, Garner was brought in to take over. The Astros went 48-26 the rest of the way, then beat the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS before falling to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games in the NLCS.
Garner led the Astros to the World Series the following year, beating the Braves again in the NLDS and exacting their revenge against the Cardinals in the NLCS. In the World Series, however, the Chicago White Sox proved to be too much, with the ChiSox sweeping the Astros.
The Astros missed the playoffs in 2006, finishing 82-80, and in 2007, with a much different roster than the ones that had had so much success in 2004 and 2005, Garner was fired mid-season when the team’s record was 58-73.
Garner ended his career having managed 2040 games, with a career 985-1054-1 record.
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 18: Alex Ovechkin #8 and John Carlson #74 of the Washington Capitals talk to the referees along side Sidney Crosby #87 and Kris Letang #58 of the Pittsburgh Penguins during a game at Capital One Arena on January 18, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by John McCreary/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
BALTIMORE — Zach Eflin is looking forward to 2027, less than a week after having Tommy John surgery on his 32nd birthday.
He left his March 31 season debut after striking out seven and allowing one run in 3 2/3 innings against Texas. He had elbow reconstruction surgery Wednesday.
“I’m in a lot better spot than I was a week, a week and a half ago,” Eflin said Sunday. “I knew something happened on the field. Really felt like my heart was ripped out of my chest. I was going through so much this offseason to come back on time and I honestly never felt better in my career before.”
Eflin was 6-5 with a 5.93 ERA in 14 starts while making three trips to the injured list last season. Back trouble ended his season after a July 28 start.
Baltimore re-signed Eflin to a $10 million, one-year deal in December that includes a $25 million mutual option for 2027 with a $2 million buyout.
Baltimore hoped the 11-year veteran would be a steady rotation presence, and his 7 1/3 scoreless innings in two spring training starts offered promise.
“I had felt amazing for three games, and there in the fourth inning it took one pitch,” Eflin said. “It was an up-and-away heater or cutter and it just felt like a hamstring cramp in my elbow. Literally out of nowhere. I’d never felt anything in elbow before.”
Eflin, 68-67 with a 4.28 ERA in 201 big league appearances with Philadelphia, Tampa Bay and Baltimore, hopes to spend as much time as possible around the Orioles this summer as he works to recover and make it back to the majors next year.
“I think that’s why I got it done so early,” Eflin said. “I want to be back as quickly as possible. I’ve been through too much in my life to let this affect me and let this be the thing that brings me down. I’m going to absolutely crush rehab and be back better than ever.”
Also Sunday, the Orioles placed outfielder Tyler O’Neill on the seven-day concussion injured list retroactive to Thursday and recalled outfielder Johnathan Rodríguez from Triple-A Norfolk. O’Neill is hitting .241 with a homer and four RBIs in 10 games a year after injuries limited him to 54 games in his first season with Baltimore.
TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays put designated hitter George Springer on the 10-day injured list Sunday because of a fractured left big toe and selected Eloy Jiménez from Triple-A Buffalo.
Springer fouled a ball off his foot in the third inning of Saturday’s 7-4 loss to Minnesota. He finished the at-bat, but was replaced by Myles Straw in the sixth.
Springer went 0 for 1 with a walk and scored a run Saturday. He’s batting .185 with two homers and six RBIs in 14 games.
Springer was a big part of Toronto’s run to the 2025 World Series, hitting .309 with 32 homers and 89 RBIs in the regular season. He also hit the decisive homer in Game 7 of the ALCS against Seattle.
The MVP of the 2017 World Series with Houston, Springer is in the final season of a six-year, $150 million deal with the Blue Jays.
A Silver Slugger with the White Sox in 2020, Jiménez joined the Blue Jays organization on a minor league contract last August but has yet to play for Toronto. An outfielder and first baseman, he hit .257 with one homer and five RBIs in 11 games at Buffalo this season.
DENVER, COLORADO - APRIL 11: Head coach Jared Bednar of the Colorado Avalanche watches as his team plays the Vegas Golden Knights in the first period at Ball Arena on April 11, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Colorado Avalanche have suffered a litany of injuries this season, but I didn’t expect that trend to strike the coaching staff. Here we are, though, as the Avalanche made a concerned comeback effort that fell short in a game where a stray puck caught their lead bench boss up-high.
Following the game, the Avalanche informed the public that Bednar was “fully alert and conscious” but was heading for a CT scan. Now we know the loose puck resulted in an orbital abrasion and facial fractures that will not require surgery, but will keep him from traveling with the team on their upcoming two-game road trip.
Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar will not accompany the team on their upcoming two-game road trip due to facial fractures and a corneal abrasion. He will not require surgery at this time and is expected to make a full recovery.
As far as the rest of the game went, Vegas clinched a playoff birth on the back of a Jack Eichel OT winner in what played out as a back-and-forth slugfest.
The Game
Establishing a lead has been a common goal for the Avalanche this season, and last night’s game started with a goal from none other than Devon Toews.
His tally at the 9:17 mark was the result of a point wrister that was screened beautifully by Gabe Landeskog and went right through the seven-hole. 1-0 good guys.
The Golden Knights would only need four and a half minutes to log an equalizer.
Mark Stone scored on the power play on an odd-bounce play where Mitch Marner threw the puck toward the net. It bounced off two players (including Mark Stone himself), fell to Stone’s feet, and he was able to tuck it past Blackwood, and we were tied at one a side after one period of play.
Pavel Dorofeyev scored his 36th goal of the season by picking the top corner over Blackwood’s right shoulder just two minutes and nine seconds into the second period, and the Knights took the 2-1 lead.
It was Nicolas Roy and Nick Blankenburg combining on a tying goal, Colorado style, as Blankenburg’s shot from the blue line hit the post, went off of Carter Hart, and into the net.
That was Nick Blankenburg’s 7th of the season, and although I’ve been critical of his defensive play in the past, I do see him making strides inside this system. His first goal as an Avalanche should propel that even further.
The third period would come and go all knotted at two a side, and this contest would require OT.
Jack Eichel would prove the OT hero for the Vegas Golden Knights after Martin Necas and Devon Toews nearly combined on a game-winner. The puck fluttered off of Toews’ stick on a grade A chance, which resulted in an odd man rush the other way.
With Mark Stone on his left, Jack Eichel broke in and decided he’d go with the shot rather than the pass and beat Blackwood for the win.
Takeaways
I think it’s safe to say most fans are cool with not seeing the Avalanche in those Nordiques jerseys. They haven’t had much success in them, and now they’ve seen their Head Coach leave the game during a Nords night. It might seem silly, but humans are superstitious, and hockey fans and players take that to a whole other level.
As previously mentioned, it’s nice to see Blankenburg taking steps in the right direction, and moreover, Devon Toews play in the absence of Cale Makar has noticeably improved.
Obviously, not having Makar is less than ideal, but the added pressure has fallen on the remaining defense, and it’s brought out the best in Toewser. Sure, he’d likely want that two-on-one potential game-winner back, but we know about bounces here in Colorado.
Not sure what is happening on home ice for the Avalanche of late, but I’m not going to get too worked up about it. When playoff hockey comes around, having the crowd on your side will go a long way, and if the Avalanche can establish early leads at home, it will prove tough for any opposition to stage a comeback.
One last thing, Erik Johnson is quickly becoming my favorite hockey media personality. Obviously, I have my bias, but putting that aside, he’s been really good at his job and appears more than capable of providing answers we might not get if the questioner were different.
Nuggets
Spurs
