The St. Louis Blues have been playing much better hockey as of late, posting a 4-1-1 record in their last six games.
While most of their success can be attributed to Robert Thomas and Dylan Holloway’s return to both the lineup and their form, rookie Jimmy Snuggerud deserves his flowers for his play as of late.
On the season, Snuggerud has scored 13 goals and 32 points in 52 games. His 82-game pace would see him score 21 goals and 51 points. The 21-year-old is back to playing his game, firing pucks on goal at will and getting to high-danger areas of the ice.
Following the trades of Brayden Schenn and Justin Faulk, the Blues are entering a new era, led by their youth. Currently, the Blues’ roster features eight players under 25. Those players are Snuggerud, Holloway, Dalibor Dvorsky, Otto Stenberg, Jake Neighbours, Philip Broberg, Logan Mailloux, and Theo Lindstein. At this point next season, the Blues’ lineup could also feature first-round picks Adam Jiricek and Justin Carbonneau.
Jimmy Snuggerud (Jeff Curry-Imagn Images)
While the positional value of Broberg and Dvorsky may make them more valuable, there may not be a more important piece to their young core than Snuggerud.
Snuggerud possesses a shot rivalled by few players around the NHL, and at 21, he’s already piecing together how to utilize it to the best of his abilities.
With 18 games remaining, coach Jim Montgomery will keep Snuggerud on the top line with Holloway and Thomas, and Snuggerud will continue to improve.
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As the Winnipeg Jets push to keep their playoff hopes alive, the organization may already have another reason for optimism brewing in the pipeline.
Winnipeg sits just five points behind the Western Conference’s second wild-card spot, leaving the door open for what could become one of the NHL’s more surprising late-season turnarounds. But even if the club ultimately falls short of a postseason berth, Jets fans have a promising prospect to watch in the coming years with 19-year-old forward Kevin He.
The young winger has enjoyed a breakout season in the Ontario Hockey League, emerging as one of junior hockey’s most productive players. He began the campaign with the Niagara IceDogs before being traded to the Flint Firebirds, continuing his offensive surge after the move.
Through 55 games this season, He has recorded 35 goals and 35 assists for 70 points, firmly establishing himself among the OHL’s elite scorers. The Chinese-Canadian forward has been particularly dominant down the stretch. Over his last 24 games, He has tallied 20 goals and 16 assists for 36 points, putting him on pace for what could become a career-best season with a projected 76 points.
Two primary assists for Jets prospect Kevin He (2024 4th) who was named 1st Star of the Game in Flint’s win.
Beyond his scoring totals, he’s also making history in the sport. Born in Beijing, He first discovered hockey by skating and rollerblading with his father before eventually relocating to North America. He developed his game in minor hockey programs in North York, where his skill set steadily evolved into that of a top junior prospect.
When the Jets selected He in the fourth round of the 2024 NHL Draft, he became just the second Chinese-born player ever drafted into the NHL, following Andong Song, who was selected by the New York Islanders in 2015. He later made history again by becoming the first Chinese-born player to sign an NHL contract.
The list of Chinese-born NHL draftees has since grown. Defenseman Haoxi Wang became the third when he was selected 33rd overall by the San Jose Sharks at the 2025 NHL Entry Draft.
While Winnipeg’s immediate focus remains on chasing a playoff spot, the organization’s future appears bright as well. If the Jets’ postseason push falls short, the emergence of a rising prospect like He could still give the fanbase plenty of reason for excitement in the years ahead.
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The Golden State Warriors have lost three consecutive games and 10 of 15 since All-Star guard Stephen Curry went down with a right knee injury.
The team, for at least the short term, will continue to be without the 37 year old.
Golden State issued an update indicating that Curry was reevaluated Wednesday, March 11 for patella-femoral pain syndrome/bone bruising in the injured knee. The Warriors said Curry continues to “make good progress” and that he has been going through individual on-court workouts, which will intensify over the coming days as he improves. Golden State added that Curry will be reevaluated in 10 days.
Curry suffered the injury Jan. 30 in a contest against the Pistons and has missed the following 15 games.
What does Stephen Curry’s injury mean for the Warriors?
It’s a continued blow for the Warriors, who are in danger of falling outside of the play-in picture. Golden State is currently 32-33 and in ninth place in the Western Conference.
The team, and the offense in particular, has struggled significantly in Curry’s 15-game absence. Over that span, the Warriors rank 21st in offensive rating, generating 111.7 points per 100 possessions.
Curry’s injury compounds what has been a tough season for Golden State. The Warriors have also been without forward Jimmy Butler (torn anterior cruciate ligament) since Jan. 19, and new addition Kristaps Porziņģis has made just three appearances for the team.
The Warriors only have 17 games remaining in the 2025-26 regular season, but the good news is that the No. 11 seed in the West, the Grizzlies, are well behind the play-in picture, currently 8 ½ games back of Golden State. Four teams, the ones finishing from seeds No. 7 through 10, are the ones that qualify for the Play-In Tournament.
For Golden State to have any chance to make some noise in the play-in — and the playoffs, if they qualify — it will need Curry to be fully healthy, so taking a measured approach with his health makes perfect sense.
Curry, though, thrives on off-ball movement and is one of the hardest-working players in the NBA who travels a significant distance in an average game, so his playing style is not without its toll.
Stephen Cury stats
In 39 appearances this season, Curry is averaging a team-high 27.2 points per game on 46.8% shooting. Curry has also recorded 4.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game.
Tarik Skubal’s plan was always to leave Team USA after one World Baseball Classic start. He wavered but ultimately never changed course. His responsibility to the Tigers meant more to him.
What wasn’t in the blueprint were social media comparisons to Benedict Arnold, the infamous military officer that swapped from the Americans to the British during the Revolutionary War.
Skubal doesn’t think the comparison is fair — he didn’t defect to another team, he was simply prioritizing his other duties.
Tarik Skubal allowed just one run in his only start with Team USA. Getty Images
“It’s just not fair,” Skubal said of the claims, per The Athletic. “But that’s part of the business. It’s part of the game. If they know me, though, on a personal level, and they know what my peers think of me, I don’t think it’s fair to say those things.
“This was always the plan, and as emotional or how much I wanted to (stay), it just didn’t make sense, given the timing,” he added about the reasoning behind his decision.
Skubal added that the criticism he received online didn’t affect his choice, citing they’re “created by people that don’t know me.”
His teammates, though, made a major impact. He mentioned that he talked to many of them to help make his decision, though he ultimately realized it wasn’t feasible to return.
“I was just trying to navigate all that information and then trying to create a plan,” Skubal said. “I just felt like I was trying to do too much. So I just kind of was, like, ‘OK, as bad as I want to do this, as bad as I want to get there and play, this was the plan from the jump.’”
Tarik Skubal has posted an ERA under 2.40 in both of the last two seasons. Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
In his lone WBC start versus Great Britain, Skubal pitched three innings and allowed just one run, which came on a Nate Eaton leadoff homer. He struck out five and allowed just one more hit, paving the way for an easy 9-1 U.S. win.
But his ultimate responsibility is to the Tigers, who are vying to make a deep playoff run with one of the best rotations in baseball.
Besides Skubal, who’s won the last two American League Cy Young Awards, Detroit added Framber Valdez and Justin Verlander in the offseason and retained Casey Mize and Jack Flaherty.
If Skubal had decided to stay with Team USA through the WBC final — if it makes it — he would’ve only had nine days between then and his Opening Day start. He did say, however, that if the U.S. does advance that far, he’d try to come back to cheer on his teammates from the bench.
Does that really make him Benedict Arnold? Skubal sure doesn’t think so.
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 11: Cade Cavalli #24 of the Washington Nationals throws a pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning of a spring training game at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on March 11, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After being named the Opening Day starter this morning, Cade Cavalli took the ball for the Nats in their Grapefruit League showdown with the Cardinals. He only went three innings in this one, but he looked impressive. Cavalli did not allow a hit and struck out two Cardinals, setting the tone for a strong afternoon for Nats pitchers.
Opening day starter Cade Cavalli getting ready to go for his start against the Cardinals this afternoon pic.twitter.com/8sS0uRooSq
Following his start, I actually got the chance to talk to Cade in the clubhouse. Cavalli said he was “Super honored” to be named the Opening Day starter. After missing two seasons due to injury, this was clearly a big moment for the 27 year old right hander. He told Jessica Camerato of MLB.com that the first person he called was his wife, before quickly texting the rest of his family.
Finding out he was the Opening Day starter was probably the highlight of Cavalli’s day, but he still had to go out and execute in the game. A big part of the success he had today was the sweeper, which he used 25% of the time, and half the time against right handed hitters.
Cavalli told me that he thinks the pitch will be “really good to righties and we can sprinkle it in to lefties to show them a different shape off of the curveball”. Last season, right handed hitters batted over .380 against Cavalli, and he is looking to change that. He said that, “Most hitters know I have a north to south curveball. If I can show something horizontal to them, I think it can help”.
Overall, it was a great day for Cavalli, who has faced a lot of trials and tribulations over the past few years. Now he is on the other side of that, and ready to be the high end starting pitcher the Nats envisioned when they drafted him in the first round.
Another pitcher who threw the ball well today was Brad Lord. He went three innings, allowing only one run. Lord was getting a ton of ground balls with his sinker. His changeup also looked great against left handed pitchers. Yesterday, he mentioned that he tweaked his grip on that pitch, and it looked nasty, particularly against Nolan Gorman, who swung through two of them.
Brad Lord was telling me about how he tweaked his changeup grip when he talked yesterday. He made Nolan Gorman look silly on back to back changeups to get a strikeout
Despite the solid outing, Lord was still not satisfied with himself. Manager Blake Butera said Lord was “Frustrated because in that last inning he has two outs with nobody on, and then he walks a guy who ends up scoring”. Lord is typically an even-keeled guy, who Butera described as quiet, but he could tell that the end to his outing bothered him.
On the offensive side of things, the Nats did not light up the score board, but did enough to win. One guy who is starting to heat up is Daylen Lile. At the beginning of the spring, he looked a bit rusty, but he has been finding his swing over the past week.
Daylen Lile started this spring slow but he is heating up as we close in on Opening Day
Butera figured this is what would happen, adding that “sometimes we get too caught up in stats during Spring Training”. Given the fact that the games do not count, and the whole point of this process is to get ready for the season, this is a take I agree with, though I can be guilty of falling into that trap at times. One thing that Butera does value is hitters finding their timing. He told me that, “sometimes it takes hitters a couple weeks to get their timing down. I think Daylen is just getting going now and he looks like Daylen”.
I think his point about timing is something to really consider. These guys can train as much as they want in the offseason, but there is no substitute for in-game reps. Sometimes pure hitters like Lile just need time to find that perfect swing. It seems like Lile has found it, and that is great for the Nats. He was such a spark for them in the second half.
The Nats got a lot of production from their first basemen as well in this game. Andres Chaparro got a hit, and hit the ball hard a couple times. Also, Abimelec Ortiz ripped a 110 MPH RBI double to give the Nats the lead. Ortiz started the spring slowly, but looks like he may be finding his footing.
Manager Blake Butera admitted the club has not settled on a starter at first base. He said that “At first base in general, we are pretty open minded on how this is going to work”. It also sounds like the Nats will experiment with a few different options throughout the season. He made sure to emphasize that the situation will be fluid and just because a guy starts the season at first base, it does not mean he will be the guy for all 162.
Overall, it was a nice and clean performance for the Nats. It has also been awesome to get all this access and get thoughts from the players and coaches. The Nats have been winning a lot this spring, but as we know, these games do not count. However, it seems like there is a good vibe to this group and we are seeing that manifest on the field.
Buffalo Sabres goalie prospect Devon Levi is currently blocked from the NHL roster. This is because the Sabres have Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Alex Lyon, and Colten Ellis all ahead of him on their depth chart.
Now, there is a chance that Levi could be made expendable because of it.
"The Buffalo Sabres were shopping goalie Devon Levi and are expected to keep those talks going this summer," Pagnotta wrote.
With the Sabres having multiple goalies ahead of Levi on their depth chart, he could be a good trade chip for Buffalo to dangle this off-season to try to upgrade their roster elsewhere. It is likely that teams out there would be interested in adding Levi to their system, as he has the potential to become a good NHL goalie in the future.
Levi has spent all of this season in the AHL with the Rochester Americans, where he has a 17-14-8 record, a .905 save percentage, and a 2.75 goals-against average. In 39 career NHL games with the Sabres, he has a 17-17-2 record and a .894 save percentage.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - JUNE 27: A view of an Apple TV microphone during the ninth inning between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on June 27, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Earlier today, we received some massive news regarding the Atlanta Braves and the new Braves.TV platform. Shortly after that news broke, we got some more important news on where to watch the Braves during the upcoming season. While the lion’s share of games will be on BravesVision, they also have to make room for nationally televised contests — and nationally streamed contests as well.
Apple TV is doing Friday Night Baseball for another season and they’ve announced their schedule through the month of June and the Braves are now set for three games that will be streaming-exclusive for that particular platform. We won’t have to wait long for the first game, as Atlanta’s road game against the Diamondbacks on April 3at 9:45 p.m. ET will be on Apple TV. Their only scheduled home game on Apple TV (as of right now) will take place on April 24 at 7:15 p.m. ET against the Phillies. After that, it’ll be a long wait between that game and the next Apple TV appearance for the Braves, as they’ll be playing a road game against the Mets on June 12at 7:15 p.m. ET.
Friday Night Baseball returns to @AppleTV this season!
Again as a reminder, you’ll have to sign up for Apple TV in order to have access to these games. To sum up the state of watching the Braves during the 2026 season, you’ll have to make sure you have access to the following platforms if you want to make sure you’ll have the ability to catch all 162 games:
BravesVision (or Braves.TV)
Fox Sports 1
TBS
ESPN (solely for the Little League Classic on August 23)
Peacock
Apple TV
I didn’t list NBC or FOX since technically you can have access to those broadcast networks for free. Good luck keeping up with all of that!
The Oklahoma City Thunder finally arrived as an NBA powerhouse with a championship run in 2025, defeating the Indiana Pacers in seven games in the NBA Finals. This year, they look equally dominant – and they are gaining plenty of respect from sportsbooks as a result.
FanDuel Sportsbook has the Thunder as +130 to win their second consecutive title, -135 to win the Western Conference, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as +135 to be NBA Finals MVP.
But is the market respect deserving?
Using FTN’s NBA StatsHub, we can take a deeper look at Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder, and whether the Spurs, Nuggets, or another team out west has a chance to dethrone them.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has put up strong numbers since coming back from an oblique injury that sidelined him through the All-Star break – averaging 30.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 8.4 assists.
That said, the underlying metrics suggest that his recent production has been more volume-driven, rather than efficient.
Overall, this season, Gilgeous-Alexander has a 7.3% Field Goal Percentage Over Expectation, which ranks third among players averaging 30-plus minutes per game. His +3.0 Points Over Expectation trails only Nikola Jokić, Kevin Durant and Luka Dončić.
Since returning from injury, Gilgeous-Alexander has a -2.5% FGOE and -1.4 PTOE.
The scary thing? Oklahoma City is 5-0 during that span, with wins over the Nuggets (twice) and the Knicks – both of which are widely regarded as teams that could make a deep playoff run.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Through the close of play Tuesday, Oklahoma City (+9.5) leads the NBA in FTN’s Model Team Ratings. They are 3.2 points better than the next-best team in the Western Conference – the San Antonio Spurs.
Similar to last year, their dominance has been driven primarily by a defense that is significantly better than any other team in the NBA.
During the 2024-2025 campaign, the Thunder finished the regular season with a 106.6 defensive rating. The next-best team was the Orlando Magic, a distant second with a 109.1 defensive rating.
This season, Oklahoma City once again leads the league in defensive rating (106.2), despite having to navigate injuries to some of their best defensive players. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein are four of the team’s top defenders, per our FTN Player Ratings – they have all missed 10-plus games.
Put another away, the Thunder have decisively been the best team in the NBA this season by most advanced metrics, despite not having their core contributors available for a considerable portion of their games.
Thunder, or the field?
All of that said, is there any realistic probability that another team – perhaps the Spurs or Nuggets, could dethrone the Thunder in the Western Conference?
San Antonio is the only non-Thunder team in the Western Conference that ranks in the top-five in our FTN’s Model Team Ratings. They are also the only team that has proven capable of causing matchup issues for the Thunder this year.
The Spurs have played the Thunder four times this year, winning three times – twice by convincing margins:
Dec. 13: Spurs defeated Thunder 111-109
Dec. 23: Spurs defeated Thunder 130-110
Dec. 25: Spurs defeated Thunder 117-102
Jan. 13: Thunder defeated Spurs 119-98
The Nuggets have struggled in their head-to-head meetings this season:
Feb. 1: Thunder defeated Nuggets 121-111
Feb. 27: Thunder defeated Nuggets 127-121
March 9: Thunder defeated Nuggets 129-126
Denver has struggled in general lately, too, which isn’t a great sign as the postseason draws near. Since Nikola Jokić returned from injury Jan. 30, the Nuggets are 7-10 overall, ranking 15th in Net Rating.
They have suffered losses against the Clippers and Warriors in that span – fringe playoff teams. They have also struggled against the Jazz and Grizzlies, a pair of teams that are aggressively participating in this year’s NBA tankathon.
The Takeaway
If ranking the top teams in the NBA with a month remaining in the regular season, there is an overwhelming amount of evidence that the Thunder are in their own tier at the top of the league.
In the Western Conference, in particular, Oklahoma City has a sizable lead over San Antonio and Denver in FTN’s Model Team Ratings – and that’s with the Thunder missing a number of their core pieces for significant periods of time.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hasn’t looked as good post-injury, in terms of (FGOE) and (PTOE), as he did pre-injury, but the Thunder have still been dominant with a slightly less efficient version of their best player. Right now, it’s the Thunder, followed by a big gap, then everybody else.
The Minnesota Timberwolves head to Inglewood tonight as they take on the surging Los Angeles Clippers.
My Timberwolves vs Clippers predictions target another big outing on the boards for Julius Randle, who remains a key contributor to Minnesota's title chances.
Get the lowdown with my free NBA picks for Wednesday, March 11.
Timberwolves vs Clippers prediction
Timberwolves vs Clippers best bet: Julius Randle Over 6.5 rebounds (-120)
Although Rudy Gobert is always going to be the prime candidate to rack up boards for the visitors, Randle is a worthy sidekick — and he’s nailed this prop in five straight games.
The Los Angeles Clippers were outrebounded 51-36 in Monday’s victory over the Knicks, and that’s a weakness that Minnesota can attack tonight.
Timberwolves vs Clippers same-game parlay
The new-look Clippers are rolling, and they’re 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games. With Minnesota on the second night of a back-to-back set, I’ll take the L.A. moneyline and pair it with standout efforts from Darius Garland and Derrick Jones Jr.
Garland is finding his feet with the hosts, dishing 21 dimes in his last three games, while Jones Jr. has had consecutive 16-point performances.
Timberwolves vs Clippers SGP
Clippers moneyline
Darius Garland Over 6.5 assists
Derrick Jones Jr. Over 12.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: Counting on the Klaw
The Kawhi Leonard vs. Anthony Edwards showdown should be spectacular, and I’m banking on The Klaw to continue his steady scoring after sinking the Knicks with 29 points earlier this week.
A turnover-prone T-Wolves team should also be easy prey for Leonard on the defensive end.
Over/Under: Over 226.5 (-110) | Under 226.5 (-110)
Timberwolves vs Clippers betting trend to know
The Timberwolves are 2-7 ATS in their past nine games. Find more NBA betting trends for Timberwolves vs. Clippers.
How to watch Timberwolves vs Clippers
Location
Intuit Dome, Inglewood, CA
Date
Wednesday, March 11, 2026
Tip-off
10:30 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN North, FDSN SoCal
Timberwolves vs Clippers latest injuries
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Australia’s gun wicketkeeper batter Beth Mooney was the most sought after commodity at the inaugural auction for English cricket’s women’s Hundred on Wednesday, receiving a £210,000 ($394,054) payday.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 18: Pitcher Zac Gallen #23 of the Arizona Diamondbacks poses for a portrait during photo day at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on February 18, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Insert GIF of The Rock yelling, “It doesn’t matter who you want to start Opening Day!”. Because, despite fans on the SnakePit being behind Ryne Nelson, by almost a 3-1 margin, we will instead be getting Zac Gallen on Opening Day, against the Dodgers in Los Angeles on March 26. This will be the fourth time in a row for Gallen, albeit this year, only because Merrill Kelly is unable to accept the honor initially given to him by Torey Lovullo. That ties Gallen with Brandon Webb for second on the franchise list of Opening Day starts by a pitcher, behind the six times Randy Johnson took the mound.
Though the results for Zac previously have been less than whelming: Gallen is 1-2, with a 6.59 ERA on previous Opening Days. That includes taking the loss in Dodger Stadium on Opening Day 2023: he allowed five runs over 4.2 innings, in an 8-2 loss. Mind you, Opening Days against the Dodgers have not historically gone very well for the D-backs. They have only one win in six attempts, and that came 25 years ago in 2001. Randy Johnson tossed seven innings of two-run ball in Los Angeles, and a two-run homer in the seventh by Luis Gonzalez proved the margin of victory in a 3-2 win for Arizona.
The Big Unit was actually only 3-2 on Opening Day, but he gave the team a quality start each and every one of the six games. The best record probably belongs to Ian Kennedy, who never started an Opening Day game the D-backs didn’t win. He got the W in two of his three, with the third going to extras before Arizona prevailed 7-6 in Denver. Webb was just 1-0 over his four starts, but the team ended up winning three of them. That included his final major-league outing in 2009, where he allowed six runs over four innings, but the D-backs still won, 9-8. In the end, I’d take that for Gallen in a couple of weeks: the team win is the thing.
Should auld acquaintance be forget and something something the Cardinals have released quarterback Kyler Murray.
At precisely 4:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday — the official start of the 2026 league year to the minute — the Cardinals announced that they have parted ways with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft.
"With today's start of the new league year and transactions now official, we want to thank Kyler for everything he has done for this organization over the last seven years," Cardinals G.M. Monti Ossenfort said in a statement. "We are extremely grateful for his contributions both on the field and off and we wish him nothing but the absolute best moving forward."
The Cardinals owe Murray $36.8 million for 2026. This allows him to sign a one-year deal for $1.3 million, with the Cardinals paying the $35.5 million balance.
As explained earlier, the Vikings making the most sense. Most of the other teams that were looking for a starter have addressed their needs.
Barring a major upset, the Vikings will add Murray to the depth chart, at a very low cost.
CLEVELAND, OH - FEBRUARY 27: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins left wing Rutger McGroarty (2) plays the puck as Cleveland Monsters left wing Zach Aston-Reese (21) defends during the third period of the American Hockey League game between the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Cleveland Monsters on February 27, 2026, at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
It was a mostly forgettable week for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, going 0-1-1 in a pair of games where they mostly trailed. From WBSPenguins.com:
Wednesday, Mar. 4 – PENGUINS 4 vs. Springfield 5 A spirited third-period comeback fell short in a razor-thin, month-opening loss for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Aidan McDonough scored twice on the power play and set up Tanner Howe for a four-on-four goal in between. McDonough’s three points helped tie the game, 3-3, but a man-advantage marker and subsequent empty netter gave Springfield enough insurance to survive another late surge by Rafaël Harvey-Pinard.
Friday, Mar. 6 – PENGUINS 2 at Syracuse 3 (OT) The Penguins came back from down 2-0 to force overtime, but lost on a power-play goal in extra time. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s rally started with Rutger McGroarty tallying 90 seconds into the second period. Melvin Fernström notched the tying goal with 23.6 seconds left in regulation.
Slow starts and playing from behind was the theme of the week, Springfield was up 3-1 on WBS after two periods and Syracuse was up 2-0 after the first period. That put WBS on the chase for much of those games and while they made some spirited comebacks within, they weren’t able to dig all the way out of the early holes that were dug in either contest.
That didn’t make much of a dent in the standings, the Penguins remain solidly in second place in the Atlantic Division. They figure to formally clinch a playoff spot (top six teams in each division qualify) as soon as this week. As always, the more important race will be to secure second place and receive a bye from the first round of the playoffs. The AHL season is only 72 games long, Charlotte is running out of time to catch WBS, though a 3-0-1 record in their last four has them back in the picture, overall Charlotte has only gained one point in the standings over the last 10 games each team has played.
Here was the lineup used in the last game. WBS is in a tough spot lately with Ville Koivunen and Avery Hayes up in the NHL and Tristan Broz is back on the shelf with an undisclosed week-to-week injury, with Matt Dumba also in and out of the lineup recently. Broz’s injury at center might be the biggest hole of all considering it leaves just one forward under NHL contract (Joona Koppanen) in the lineup. They’ll get some temporary help on the blueline now that Jack St. Ivany has been assigned to the AHL on a conditioning loan.
— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) March 6, 2026
The lineup has become a strange brew of NHL developmental prospects, AHL veteran hands and other younger players on AHL contracts chasing the dream of getting on the radar. Overall the first group has performed well, Tanner Howe has eight points (3G+5A) in 12 games to start his pro career coming off an AHL rehab. Rutger McGroarty has produced three points (1G+2A) in his last two games, Melvin Fernstrom has made the most of a mid-season move to the AHL with six points (2G+4A) in eight games when he’s been in the lineup.
The third group is perhaps becoming the backbone of the team with players like 23-year old Atley Calvert, 26-year old Aiden McDonaugh (4G+2A in the last five games) and 22-year old Gabe Klassen (10G+7A in his last 23 games) all showcasing well in increasing roles as the season has gone along.
It’s a big weekend ahead for the AHL Pens, who play all weekend on Friday (Hershey), Saturday (Lehigh Valley and Sunday (@Lehigh Valley).
SCOTTSDALE, AZ - OCTOBER 20: A general view of Salt River Fields prior to the game between the Surprise Saguaros and the Salt River Rafters at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on Wednesday, October 20, 2021 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Jill Weisleder/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The big news in today’s line-up sits right at the top, where Corbin Carroll is back in the line-up. It’s an amazingly quick return, just one month and a day after he suffered the injury on a swing during live batting practice on February 10. Given that when we looked at previous hamate-afflicted players, the average amount of time missed was almost twice as much, at 61 days, this is remarkably quick. In fact, it’s quicker than any of the players in our (admittedly fairly small) sample from the past five years. It being spring training may be a factor: this could be the equivalent of a rehab assignment. It’s good to see him, regardless; let’s just hope he is not being rushed back.
Ryne Nelson gets the start, and after him we can expect to see RHP Thomas Hatch, RHP Kevin Ginkel, RHP Ryan Thompson and LHP Philip Abner. It will be Nelson’s third start of spring: the other two lasted for a total of 4.2 innings, allowing two runs on three hits, with an impressive 6:0 K:BB ratio so far. With the news that Zac Gallen is going to be the Opening Day starter (I’ll be writing that up next), the next question is where Nelson is going to slot into the rotation. My instinct is it’ll be just behind Gallen, but we’ll see. Out of the bullpen, Ginkel and Thompson are the names to watch, as they look to establish dominance among our relief corps.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 05: A detail view of a Cleveland Guardians batting helmet during a spring training game against the Chicago White Sox at Camelback Ranch on March 05, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Despite fielding one of the worst offenses in baseball last season, the Cleveland Guardians still finished atop the American League Central when the dust settled. How an organization that was almost anemic offensively managed to win its division can be puzzling at first glance.
The ballclub by the lake does one thing as well as anyone in baseball. They manufacture the one thing every team needs and no team ever has enough of: pitching. For more than a decade, Cleveland has been one of baseball’s most reliable pitching development pipelines, consistently turning highly ranked prospects, mid-round draft picks, and overlooked arms into major league contributors. That model has kept the Guardians competitive despite operating with a payroll far smaller than many American League rivals.
Last season that formula paid off again. Cleveland stormed back late to claim its second straight AL Central title. Whether it holds again in 2026 will depend on two familiar questions: whether the pitching machine keeps humming and whether the offense around José Ramírez can provide enough support.
2025 record: 88-74 (1st, AL Central) 2026 FanGraphs projection: 76–86 (4th, AL Central)
Cleveland’s identity begins on the mound. Even as recognizable names cycle off the roster, the Guardians continue to produce quality pitchers at a rate few organizations can match. Tanner Bibee and Gavin Williams represent the latest examples of Cleveland turning young arms into frontline starters.
The numbers explain why the organization is viewed as one of baseball’s most effective pitching development systems. Over the past three seasons, Guardians pitchers have ranked near the top of the American League in run prevention metrics. Cleveland finished 2025 among league leaders in ERA, fourth overall with a 3.70 team ERA while also ranking near the top in strikeout-to-walk ratio. The staff’s ability to limit free passes has been particularly impressive, as Cleveland routinely posts one of the lowest walk rates in baseball.
Underlying pitch metrics tell the same story. Statcast and FanGraphs data regularly show Cleveland pitchers near the top of the league in chase rate and weak contact allowed, two indicators strongly tied to sustainable run prevention. Pitching coach Carl Willis has emphasized pitch design, mechanical adjustments, and a clear organizational philosophy that helps the Guardians extract value from arms throughout their system.
Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake spent time in Cleveland’s organization earlier in his career, and since his arrival in New York it’s easy to see similarities between the two teams’ pitching philosophies. Both organizations emphasize data-driven adjustments and maximizing the strengths of each arm.
While Cleveland’s identity remains tied to the mound, the offense revolves around one of the most quietly dominant players of this generation. José Ramírez remains the centerpiece of the lineup and one of baseball’s most complete players, combining power, plate discipline, baserunning, and good defensive. Last season J-Ram posted 5.8 WAR with 30 home runs and 44 stolen bases, good for an .863 OPS and a third-place finish in the MVP race behind the first loser Cal Raleigh and, of course, The Captain himself, Aaron Judge.
He must also really believe Cleveland rocks. Ramírez signed a seven-year, $175 million extension that will keep him with the Guardians through his age-39 season, a rare commitment between a star player and a small-market franchise.
Alongside Ramírez, Steven Kwan provides a completely different but valuable offensive profile. His contact ability and disciplined approach make him one of the hardest hitters in the league to strike out and a natural table-setter at the top of the lineup. Cleveland needs that skill set, because offense has often been hard to come by. The Guardians scored more runs than only the Pirates and Rockies in all of baseball last season.
Beyond those two anchors, Cleveland once again hopes several young hitters can take the next step. Bo Naylor and Kyle Manzardo represent the next wave of offensive hope, while top prospects Chase DeLauter and George Valera should also factor into the lineup this season.
That reliance on internal development reflects Cleveland’s long-standing roster philosophy. This offseason, their most notable addition was first baseman/designated hitter Rhys Hoskins on a minor league deal. Hoskins is expected to make the big league club and projects as a regular splitting time between first base and designated hitter with Manzardo. Even after losing their star closer and a starting pitcher to betting allegations last July, the Guardians made no real additions to reinforce the bullpen or the rotation.
Rather than chasing free agents, Cleveland continues trusting its development pipeline to supply the next wave of contributors. In some seasons that approach works beautifully. In others, it leaves the lineup searching for consistent production behind Ramírez. That volatility is why Cleveland remains one of the harder teams in baseball to project. Their pitching depth keeps them competitive most seasons, but the offense often determines whether they hover around .500 or push toward the top of the division.
A team built on development rarely views its roster as static. If Cleveland struggles early this summer, the front office could again explore selling pieces for additional young talent.
That flexibility is part of why the Guardians feel like a team that simply refuses to go away. Some seasons they’re the belle of the trade deadline ball, making just enough moves to stay competitive without committing to a full rebuild. Then later that same year, they’re a team you see in October with grown men dancing to the SpongeBob theme song.
For the Yankees, Cleveland remains one of the more intriguing matchups on the schedule. The Guardians may not always feature the most intimidating lineup, but their pitching development consistently produces staffs capable of neutralizing even elite offenses. Games between these two clubs often turn into battles of pitching depth, discipline at the plate, and occasionally get a little chippy.
As long as Cleveland continues producing pitchers the way it has for the last decade — and as long as José Ramírez stays healthy — the Guardians will remain one of baseball’s quietest but most persistent threats.
More Pinstripe Alley MLB team season previews can be found here.
