Feb 27, 2026; Jupiter, Florida, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Freddy Peralta (51) looks on against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Robert Stock has been impressing this spring as he has fought for a roster spot with the Mets, but the well-travelled righty has now been removed from Team Israel’s World Baseball Classic roster due to shoulder soreness and will undergo testing.
Mexico and Great Britain were tied after seven innings, but the former squad then put up seven runs in the final two innings en route to an 8-2 victory.
PHOENIX, AZ - MARCH 02: Bobby Witt Jr. #7 of Team USA poses for a photo the Team USA photo day at Papago Sports Complex on Monday, March 2, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Ken Griffey Jr./WBCI/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Thames said he maintains open communication with players. He said he asks questions and focuses on their given strengths. His goal is to not suggest changes, but rather to elevate a guy’s particular skill-set.
“For me, it’s all about players understanding who they are and dominating their strengths,” Thames said. “We’re going to work on our weaknesses, but sometimes we forget who we are. And so for me, it’s all about dominating that. After that, it’s just being aggressive in your (strike) zone. Knowing what zone you like to hit and dominate it.”
Previously relying on a five-pitch mix that leaned primarily on his four-seam fastball and sweeper, Black refined his repertoire this offseason. The adjustment, along with support from the Royals’ pitching staff, has helped him settle into his new organization.
Black worked with assistant pitching coach Mike McFerran on his curveball release point, especially when facing left-handed hitters.
“That’s been a big help just getting into this organization, having the support staff around us here,” Black said. “Just [to] take the ball whenever they ask me to, whether that be starting, mid relief, short relief. I’m good with whatever [I have to do] to go out there and try to throw zeros.”
In the process, he also hopes he can provide some translation.
Not so much in the sense that Hosmer, whose mother is Cuban, understands a good deal of Spanish — though that should again be helpful in the clubhouse. But more in the context of the lexicon of the game, which Hosmer felt changing around him late in his career as analytics-speak became more common.
For part of this exercise, I visited David Pinto’s Lineup Analysis tool. This has been around for almost two decades so it’s not as up to date as you’d like as far as incorporating data into an output, but hey…this exercise is hardly scientific. The tool asks for OBP and slugging percentages, so since I’m projecting, I initially used ZiPS. Except ZiPS doesn’t really like the Royals offense—only three players are projected to be above average. That’s not exactly fun. So I ran another lineup using Steamer, which is quite a bit more bullish on the Royals offense.
Using ZiPS, India is the runaway favorite as the leadoff man. With Steamer, it’s Collins. The difference? ZiPS projects a higher OBP for India while Steamer favors Collins. In other words, among the players in the lineup who lack a certain amount of power, who gets on base with greater frequency? That’s your leadoff man.
First, Perez has swung at just five of 30 pitches outside the zone. That will not last, so I’m not telling you this to say there’s a trend. There isn’t. But it’s interesting. The two who I think are worth watching and I wish were in camp for this reason still are Jac Caglianone and Witt. Caglianone has swung at 10 of 53 pitches outside the Gameday zone. That’s a chase rate of 18.9 percent. Fangraphs actually shows it as lower, which I don’t really know why, but either number is great, so I’m not going to spend much time worrying about that. And Witt has chased just 10 of 47 for a 21.3 percent chase rate that shows as 17.4 percent on Fangraphs.
Sakamoto and Wright give leaders victory at Bristol City
Lions close to within a point of Boro with 3-1 away win
First half goals from Tatsuhiro Sakamoto and Haji Wright strengthened Coventry’s position at the top of the Championship as they won 2-0 at Bristol City in a match that ended with both teams reduced to 10 men.
The visitors took a 37th minute lead when the former Robins player Jay Dasilva crossed from the left and Sakamoto outjumped his marker to net with a downward header. Coventry’s task was made more difficult when Joel Latibeaudiere was sent off in the 43rd minute for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity, pulling back Emil Riis. But in first-half added time the Sky Blues doubled their advantage when Wright eluded a weak challenge before beating Radek Vitek with a low right-footed drive.
LAKELAND, FL - FEBRUARY 22: Baltimore Orioles Infielder Coby Mayo (16) fields a ground ball and throws the runner out at first base during the Spring Training Game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Detroit Tigers on February 22, 2026 at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Tampa, FL. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
All offseason, Orioles fans were wondering what would happen with Coby Mayo. Seemingly blocked at his primary position, would the team trade him? When spring training arrived and we learned of the injuries to Jackson Holliday and Jordan Westburg, a path for playing time opened up for him as the starting third baseman. The team seems to be committed to this.
Still to be determined is whether this is a good idea. There have been scouting reports all along that were dubious about Mayo being able to remain at the position. In a survey this week, I polled Orioles fans about their feelings about the move:
I was surprised when I got these results. On Camden Chat, comments are seemingly overwhelming in the negative on Mayo as a third baseman. For myself, I am feeling anxious about it and about the team’s defensive potential in general. This already is a backup plan and there doesn’t seem to be another plan lined up behind it.
Apparently, there’s a silent plurality out there that’s excited to see this former top prospect get an extended run at the position he played most of the way up through the minors.
Opening Day is now 19 days away. Mayo’s play at third in spring games between now and then could shift people’s feelings. Or maybe they won’t, because nothing matters until the games start mattering.
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 20: Cade Cavalli #24 of the Washington Nationals poses for a photo during the Washington Nationals Photo Day at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on February 20, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Having seen a couple weeks of Spring Training, it is clear who the Washington Nationals best pitcher is. That would be Cade Cavalli, who is trending towards being Nats Opening Day starter. He dominated in his four innings against the Astros, and looks poised to have a breakout year now that he is finally fully healthy.
The fact a pitcher with 11 career starts is my pick to be the Nats Opening Day starter tells you a lot about where the team is right now. However, it is also a credit to how nasty Cavalli is. His fastball is sitting at 97 MPH and his breaking balls look sharp. The stuff models liked what Cavalli was throwing yesterday.
Cade Cavalli is a pitcher I need to talk about more!
After a myriad of injuries that kept him out effectively since 2022, Cavalli returned strong at the end of the last season and looks even better this Spring! He is sustaining his upper 90s velocity and producing well. pic.twitter.com/DtqoN4kufG
One thing this model did not pick up was that Cavalli threw two separate breaking balls. Baseball Savant listed nine of his breaking balls as sweepers. That is a new pitch for Cavalli, who needed to find a way to get right handed hitters out. He held lefties to a .221 average last year, but right handers hit a crazy .381 against him.
Cavalli did not have any pitch that moved away from righties last year, which is why he added the sweeper. Last year, his mix was predictable against right handers and they crushed him. The sweeper was actually the pitch he threw the most against right handed hitters yesterday, tossing it 41% of the time.
According to Grant Paulsen, that is not the only tweak the new regime has made with Cavalli. He is also experimenting with something called a one-seam sinker. It is a different sinker grip that uses seam orientation to get more movement. Teams are learning more about seam effects these days, and the Nats are now a part of that movement. Here is a cool video of an MLB pitcher being taught this one-seam sinker.
Cade Cavalli's stuff is exploding into elite territory. He added a sweeper; calls it a "turbo slurve." One-seam sinker as well. Has added 25 pounds since last year.
Former 1st-rounder using tech like spin axis balls and pulse bands for the first time. Chance for big break out. https://t.co/vcmcW5MSSJ
With Cavalli’s raw stuff, if one of these new pitches really catches on, he has front of the rotation upside. The other thing Cavalli will have to do to reach his upside is stay healthy. His Tommy John recovery was turbulent to say the least. He basically missed all of 2023 and 2024 due to the recovery process. Cavalli came back last year and threw 122.2 innings between the majors and the minors.
However, this is the year where he can really be unleashed. Last year was all about showing he still had the stuff that made him a top prospect. Now it is time for him to focus on dominating and leading a young rotation.
If you designed a pitcher in a lab, they would come out with a lot of the traits Cade Cavalli has. He throws very hard, has a feel for spin, can throw a good changeup and has a sturdy 6’4 225 pound frame. While he has not been an innings eater in his career, he just looks like a guy who could throw 200 frames.
Interestingly, Cavalli is on a five day schedule that would line him up to start on Opening Day. With his performance yesterday, where he went four innings without allowing an earned run and struck out 6, there should be no doubt who the Nats Opening Day starter is.
Cade Cavalli's total pitching line so far this spring: 6 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K. Fastball has averaged 97 mph. Still 3 weeks to go, but at this point he's on a 5-day schedule that lines up with Opening Day.
He may be inexperienced, but Cade Cavalli is easily the most talented pitcher in the Nats rotation. I still believe he has number two starter upside and can show that this season. His raw stuff is even better than the now departed MacKenzie Gore, and I would not be shocked if Cavalli out produces Gore this year. Cavalli’s combination of velocity, a special curveball and a new look sweeper gives him a high ceiling.
I would project Cavalli to toss about 165 innings this year and post an ERA around 3.60. Given his lack of experience, this is ambitious, but I really think his stuff plays. He is the guy who I think will benefit the most from the new pitching coaches because he has the most raw tools.
Out of anyone on the team, I think I am most excited to see Cavalli. This is a real breakout candidate. While he is already 27 years old, he is still brimming with untapped potential. I think this is the year where we see him put it all together. That breakout year should start on Opening Day at Wrigley Field.
DENVER, CO - MARCH 6: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks and Tyus Jones #5 of the Denver Nuggets shake hands after the game on March 6, 2026 at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It looked like New York was in for a tough and long one in Denver on Friday…
…until it was not, as the Knicks put on a show and trounced the Nuggets a few miles away from South Park.
Here’s a bunch of quotes from all of our folks.
Mike Brown: "This team's deep. It's really good. These guys are connected. They're all sacrificing…They believe. They believe in each other. Our bench is up all game. We've gotten delay of games bc our guys are cheering…We needed to take our lumps…all our guys stayed with it" pic.twitter.com/qiH36Y92ba
“We feel like we can still be better. I’ve said this all along, that’s what the season is about. You’re not going to have it all in one week or two months. You got to go through your lumps. Because when you go through your lumps, if you truly have a chance at the end of the day, you’re going to grow from your lumps. That’s what this group is doing — because we’re going to take a couple lumps still. But you hope you don’t [go through more highs and lows]. But this team, it’s deep, it’s really good. These guys are connected. They’re all sacrificing. The competitive spirit is there. They believe in each other. Our bench is up all game. We got delays of games because our bench was up for each other. And we’re holding each other accountable. I’m being held accountable, which is great.”
On OG Anunoby returning to his pre-injury form:
“Before his toe injury, he was playing like this. I felt he was playing high-level basketball. I mean, it’s just powerful. His decisions are quick, you know, he’s touching the paint, and if you don’t get to him, he’s knocking the shot down. And then defensively, he’s just on another level, man. If he keeps that up, that’s Defensive Player of the Year-type stuff for sure. He’s guarding point guards. I don’t know how many times Jokic won MVP, but he’s guarding him, and then he’s guarding everybody in between. And it’s just been phenomenal and fun to watch him because he can do a lot.”
On Anunoby’s all-around impact vs. Denver:
“OG had a whale of a game for us offensively. He was our [Defensive Player of the Game]. He was good.”
On the defensive play trending upward:
“Our guys are trying to be physical without fouling and they’re doing a pretty good job with it. We’re still gonna get better in that area, but it’s been a process. We made a switch defensively several months ago and that was a process, but the guys, they’re pretty comfortable with what we’re doing right now, and they know exactly what they should be doing out there. Again, it didn’t happen with one practice. It didn’t happen because a switch got turned on. It just gradually happened, and I’ve said it before: That’s what the regular season is about. You tinker with this, you tinker with that, you try to get a little bit better here and there and hopefully at the end of the season you’re fairly comfortable and you can start trending upwards.”
On growth happening over time:
“[It happened with] time. Just continuing to watch film, having practice, having shootaround, talking about it, walking through it, drilling it. It wasn’t one thing or one practice or a light being switched on. It’s what should happen over the course of a season. You should get better as you go along as everybody has embraced the process. And with our group, everybody in that locker room has embraced the process, and that’s what makes this team pretty special is they’re in it to try to win it and they know it’s not gonna happen like that. They know at the beginning of the year, they’ll probably [fluctuate between playing good and bad], and they know once the All-Star Break happens, hopefully you get to a point where there’s some comfort with everybody and everything that we’re doing. And we’re able to continue to find [that comfort].”
On Pacome Dadiet’s development and confidence:
“He’s been playing well in the G-League and shooting the mess out of it. And he’s got great size. He’s young. And we want him to keep growing and developing. Anytime young guys like that see the ball go in and do those things on the floor in an NBA game, it helps with the belief. It helps not only in them believing and their confidence level going up, but also their teammates, too.”
.@McNuttMonica: "Smile bro you had an outstanding game!"
“New coach. New systems, and just trying to continue to learn how we can maximize our talents in that system. I think these last 20 games has been us really having a good feel and making good calls out there as teammates. Sometimes, we see something out there and we call it out and make the adjustments needed. It’s been great to see our team on the court making adjustments on the fly ourselves, and it’s been working out really well for us on the defensive end. And we’ve been challenging ourselves to be a better defensive team because we know that’s what it’s gonna take to win a playoff series, which it did last year. It wasn’t the offense that won us the game. It was Mikal Bridges’ steal in Boston Game 1 and 2. It was big rebounds in Detroit. Those kinds of things won us the game. The offense gave us a chance to win. The defense won us the game, so we understand the importance, and we’ll continue to be better every day and continue to be more consistent.”
On whether facing Denver still feels different:
“Hell, yeah.”
On competing against Nikola Jokic:
“He’s really damn good. That’s pretty much it, pretty much all there is to it. You just go out there and compete at a high level against one of the best.”
On the league impact of Jayson Tatum’s return:
“You get a superstar back like that back, obviously it’s great for the league from a VP standpoint (Towns is vice president of the players union) and from a league standpoint. It’s great for the business of basketball.”
On focusing on what they can control:
“I mean, it doesn’t matter to me because at the end of the day, if we’re not executing and playing at a high level and being disciplined, it doesn’t matter who’s on the court. We’ll lose. We’ve got to be our best version. You can’t be worrying about anyone else. We need to worry what’s in-house first.”
On the team still being a work in progress:
“We’re still a work in progress, anyone can tell you that, we all will tell you that, but we’re getting closer to that time when we need to be the best version of ourselves, and I see us getting better. And that’s the most important thing right now.”
“It gives us a lot of confidence. It’s put us in a good trend. We’ve got to continue on that way. It’s what we work on, and it’s something we’ve been stressing, and it’s been showing when the lights are on, but obviously behind closed doors, we’re working at it. We’re talking through everything. We’ve just got to help that convert into wins.”
On wishing Jayson Tatum good health:
“You wish good health for everybody. Obviously, you want to beat everybody you play against. But you don’t wish any negative on anybody, no matter the rivalry. Or whoever you like or don’t like. It doesn’t matter. You want everyone healthy and going home in one piece.”
On competing regardless of who plays:
“Obviously, whoever is on the court, you play to win. And it doesn’t matter who is on the court. That’s the mindset. I’m just saying with a player of that magnitude, obviously you wish them a successful return and everything. Like I said, you just want them healthy.”
On welcoming Tatum back before facing Boston:
“Obviously, you want everyone back healthy, right? You want people to be healthy, be 100 percent. [Tatum’s] worked really hard. Obviously, people have seen the clips on social media with the work he’s put in and everything, coming out. It’s great to see. He’s great for his team, great for the league. Just wish him good health.”
On not getting too high in March:
“It’s a good stepping stone for us, but it’s nothing to get too high about. Obviously, the highs and lows of the season, you’ve got to continue to push forward. Short-term memory, even wins and losses.”
"We just continued to play our game. We got good shooters taking good shots so we knew they were gonna fall at some point. Try to continue to do what we do"
– Josh Hart on first half as Knicks shot 22% from three
“He likes Denver. He likes altitude. That’s what he can do. You know, defensively guard one through five, and then offensively get the response and knock down shots. Get in the paint and just be a force.”
On the Knicks’ defensive mindset fueling their offense:
“I think a lot of it is we’re playing more physical, being more aggressive defensively and dictating the offense and not letting the offense dictate what they want to do. It’s something that we’ve got to continue to do, something that we’re taking pride in. We know that when we do that, we’re getting stops, we’re able to play fast, play our brand of basketball. It’s a mindset that we all really dug in more defensively, and that’s the benefit of it.”
On his Yankees bobblehead night:
“I can’t wait for it. Obviously I love my Yanks. So being able to do that is super cool. I’m super excited when that opportunity came to us. And we really jumped on it.
“It’s my first bobblehead doll ever. So good vibes.”
On scoring a career-high in garbage time at Denver:
“It definitely feels good. Every time I go out there, I try to go out with confidence. Because I know I’m not going to get that much time. So I’ve been working with the G-League team to get some reps and it definitely feels good.”
PEORIA, ARIZONA - MARCH 06: Germán Márquez #33 of the San Diego Padres pitches during the second inning of the spring training game against the Chicago Cubs at Peoria Sports Complex on March 06, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Jeremy Chen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The players in competition for the final spot in the rotation are not going to make the decision easy on the San Diego Padres front office and manager Craig Stammen. German Marquez started the game against the Chicago Cubs for the Padres, who won the game 3-0, and he completed three innings without allowing a run. Marquez did allow two hits, but that was it. He also finished with three strikeouts. Marco Gonzales followed Marquez with three scoreless innings of his own. Gonzales allowed three hits and a walk, but he recorded five strikeouts. Both of these performances followed Walker Buehler the day before after he had a strong outing, and after the last two games all three pitchers along with JP Sears seem to have every intention of making things as difficult as possible for the San Diego decision makers.
Padres News:
The 2026 Spring Breakout is coming in the near future and the Padres, despite their abysmal preseason minor league rankings, will have plays such as Kruz Schoolcraft and Ethan Salas competing. Schoolcraft and Salas join other highly outed prospects from around MLB in the third annual prospect showcase.
Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Wandy Peralta all left the Peoria Sports Complex to join the Dominican Republic for the WBC. The Dominican Republic joins the US and Japan as the favorites to win the global competition and Thomas Conroy of Gaslamp Ball believes this may be the year the D.R. finishes at the top.
Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribuneprovided notes surrounding multiple Padres players. He learned Sung-Mun Song is considered day-to-day with an oblique injury and Nick Pivetta is also being given time off due to arm fatigue. On a positive injury note, Acee reported reliver Jason Adam continues his progression and has a chance to be on the roster on Opening Day.
Ramon Laureano came to the Padres at the 2025 trade deadline and part of the appeal for San Diego was the team option for 2026. Laureano solidified a position of need and if he can replicate what he did in the second half of last year he could have a career year.
WBC News:
Aaron Judge homered in his first WBC at-bat and helped the US dominate Brazil. Byron Buxton was hit on the elbow and left the game, but reports after the game were he will be “fine.”
Mar 4, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Utah Jazz forward Cody Williams (5) drives with the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers in the third quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
The Jazz came into the nation’s capital with their heart on their sleeve, and were only left with shattered dreams. They had lost the first of a 2-game regular season series against the Wizards with a heart-crushing loss, despite Trae Young making an appearance through two and a half quarters. All they can do now is hold their heads low and trudge through the city of Milwaukee, who are technically a basketball team as long as one of the Antetokounmpos are on the court — it doesn’t matter which one at this point of the season.
The foundation of the 2021 championship squad is still there, but a combination of age, regression and Doc Rivers has reeled them back all the way to the 10th spot on Tankathon. The franchise moved on from Damian Lillard’s remaining functioning leg and Brook Lopez to prioritise younger, more versatile players. Their last blowout loss against Atlanta was pretty much the final dagger at what hope fans had left in the season. They can now cruise through their tanking schedule, despite New Orleans owning the rights to swap picks.
Giannis has very clearly stated, “under no circumstances will I depart from the Milwaukee Bucks, unless I have the chance to leave, which I would obviously never do”. The Bucks have alleviated his concerns by holding a 26-35 record while dangling outside a play-in spot. He’s available tonight — only his third game back from a right calf strain — which could counterintuitively have the Jazz do the funniest thing ever and drop them off on their home floor.
This team serves as a cautionary tale for reigning NBA champions, warning them to beware of how to dismantle a dynasty. Don’t get me wrong, I own a small amount of land ownership on Ryan Rollins and AJ Green Islands. Ousmane Dieng and Pete Nance are starting to sway me. But this team is climbing a near-impossible hill in March. The Jazz are hoping to launch a Kickstarter for their campaign, starting tonight.
Utah’s now 5.5 games in front of the bottom spot after Thursday’s win, but a loss tonight (and maybe a cheeky Nets win over the Pistons) could make up some ground. The Jazz fire back by making Keyonte available to play despite breaking a 44-game losing streak stalemate across the bottom ten teams, but they lose Isaiah Collier due to ‘personal reasons’.
Utah’s bench has been the seventh-highest scoring unit in the league through the last 7 games. I unfortunately cannot explain the science behind Will Hardy’s sorcery and why Blake Hinson, Elijah Harkless, and 10-day contract Mo Bamba just kind of work.
In the game against Washington, four Jazzmen had at least two steals, led by John Konchar, who corralled five. Bamba did the heavy work, posting a total of 20 steals in his two games on the floor during the Jazz road trip. I was the lone spectator to Hinson launching a three from a range that normally isn’t permitted from a two-way contract guy. Yes, I know stats against the Wizards are pretty much up there in la-la land, but it’s becoming scarily credible how the Jazz can pretty much transform any role player into their most capable self.
But this game feels more like a watch before you judge. These teams are at polar ends of the spectrum regarding their current status and future, both of them fighting for completely different things. It can all start with a firm handshake and an agreement on what needs to happen to benefit both franchises.
Injury Report
Jazz:
OUT – Isaiah Collier (personal reasons), Lauri Markkanen (right hip impingement), Jusuf Nurkic (nose surgery), Jaren Jackson Jr. (left knee surgery), Vince Williams Jr. (torn left ACL), Walker Kessler (left shoulder surgery)
Bucks:
OUT– Kevin Porter Jr. (right knee swelling), Taurean Prince (neck surgery)
How to watch:
Who: Utah Jazz (19-44)) at Milwaukee Bucks (26-35)
With the trades of Bobby Brink and Nicolas Deslauriers, the Flyers called up one of their top prospects on AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley.
Alex Bump joined the Flyers for the team’s game Saturday against the Penguins in Pittsburgh (5:30 p.m. ET/NBCSP). The 22-year-old winger is expected to make his NHL debut.
Bump has put up 26 points (11 goals, 15 assists) in 36 games with the Phantoms. An injury had him miss extended time, including almost all of January, as outlined here by Madeline Campbell of Broad Street Hockey.
They’ve also been without Travis Konecny, who has missed the last two games because of an upper-body injury. Konecny practiced Friday in a non-contact jersey and his status is uncertain for Pittsburgh.
Needing some help down the middle, the Flyers claimed Luke Glendening off waivers Friday. The 36-year-old veteran has played 916 career NHL games and the Flyers are hoping he can give them a lift in the faceoff circle.
David Pastrnak is one of the best shot-generators in the NHL. He’s performed most efficiently at home soil following a day off, which is the situation he finds himself in this afternoon.
My Capitals vs. Bruins predictions expect Pastrnak to pile up the shots in an advantageous matchup against Washington.
Let’s break down my NHL picks for Saturday, March 7.
Capitals vs Bruins prediction
Capitals vs Bruins best bet: David Pastrnak Over 3.5 shots on goal (-105)
Death, taxes, and David Pastrnak at home after a day of rest. He has thrived under these circumstances, averaging 3.9 shots on 7.8 attempts over 14 games. Pastrnak went Over 3.5 shots in 10 of them (71%).
Eight of the 14 games were played against Bottom-16 shot suppression teams. The Boston Bruins star averaged 4.4 shots while clearing his 3.5 total in seven.
The Washington Capitals rank 17th in shot suppression and allow well over 29 shots per game on the road. Plenty of shooting opportunities should be coming Pastrnak’s way.
Capitals vs Bruins same-game parlay
Pastrnak hasn’t scored in seven consecutive games, tying his longest drought over the last two seasons. He had three prior seven-game droughts and scored in the eighth game each time. That trend should continue against a Capitals squad that has averaged 3.8 goals allowed over their last 10 on the road.
Alex Ovechkin has played four games against Bottom-20 shot suppression teams without John Carlson in the lineup. He recorded 4+ shots in each, averaging a whopping 8.8 attempts per game. That’s well above his season average of 6.5.
Capitals vs Bruins SGP
David Pastrnak Over 3.5 shots on goal
David Pastrnak anytime goal
Alex Ovechkin Over 3.5 shots on goal
Capitals vs Bruins odds
Moneyline: Washington +105 | Boston -125
Puck line: Washington +1.5 (-230) | Boston -1.5 (+190)
Over/Under: Over 5.5 (-135) | Under 5.5 (+115)
Capitals vs Bruins trend
David Pastrnak has recorded 4+ shots in seven of his last 10 home games after one day of rest. Find more NHL betting trends for Capitals vs. Bruins.
How to watch Capitals vs Bruins
Location
TD Garden, Boston, MA
Date
Saturday, March 7, 2026
Puck drop
12:30 p.m. ET
TV
ABC
Capitals vs Bruins latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Toronto Maple Leafs won't admit to using every avenue to fall further down the standings, but that's what's going to happen in their final 19 games of the season.
There's nothing left for Toronto and general manager Brad Treliving to learn about the players who've been around all season. It's time to see what their players with the AHL's Toronto Marlies have.
"I would anticipate that, yeah," Treliving said on Friday about using Marlies later in the year to see what they could do.
Jacob Quillan and Easton Cowan (even though he's been a Maple Leaf for the entire year, he deserves to be in this conversation) will get more looks in unique situations in the final stretch of the season — that's already been confirmed by Berube.
Do the Maple Leafs, though, stick their hand further down the prospect pot and bring other players up?
Luke Haymes, who Toronto signed to an NHL contract out of Dartmouth College last spring, might deserve a look. He's up to 14 goals and 24 points in 52 games — plus nine goals and 10 points in his last 12 games — at the time of writing on Friday night.
Maybe with Quillan up with the Maple Leafs, they move Haymes into a larger role with the Marlies as they battle for playoff seeding in the AHL's North Division, and call up someone like Bo Groulx?
He leads the Marlies with 50 points (27 goals and 23 assists) in 53 games this season. Groulx isn't a prospect per se, but he's deserving of a look at the NHL with his play in the AHL this year.
Because Haymes won't be as far along as someone like Quillan, it might just make sense to keep him with the Marlies.
It feels like most Maple Leafs fans want to see what the organization has in William Villeneuve, and maybe now is the right time. Drafted by Toronto in the fourth round of the 2020 NHL Draft, the 23-year-old has spent all of his pro career in the AHL.
He's gotten just about every opportunity with the Marlies, whether it's playing in the dying minutes of a close game or consistently being the quarterback of the team's number-one power play unit.
Villeneuve has tallied 12 goals and 110 points over four seasons (212 AHL games) at the time of writing. And while offense has never been the problem with Villeneuve, his defensive game has been a different story.
He's struggled with defensive reads at times. He could be more physical in front of his net. He could also be making better decisions under pressure.
"I think it's the thing we've been talking about for a couple of years now," said Villeneuve in December, about how he can improve. "I think there's a lot of ups and downs, and I just want to find a way to have a game, like a stable game, where I can be relied on every single night and ride with the good (games) and not let the bad ones get too bad."
There's a reason he hasn't been called up to the Maple Leafs yet, especially earlier this season when Toronto was dealing with several injuries to its defense.
Sometimes, though, players come up to the NHL and play better than they did in the AHL. The Maple Leafs need to see if they have that with Villeneuve, or if he's better off being in the AHL with the Marlies for the remainder of the year.
And being 22 points off last place (held by the Vancouver Canucks), it's the right thing to do, not only with Villeneuve, but several other players in the AHL.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 06: Aaron Judge #99 of Team United States stands for the national anthem with manager Mark DeRosa #9 (L) and teammates Bobby Witt Jr. #7, Bryce Harper #24, Kyle Schwarber #12, Alex Bregman #2 (R) before a game against Team Brazil during the 2026 World Baseball Classic at Daikin Park on March 06, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The World Baseball Classic ramped up into their pool play schedule yesterday, so let’s do a quick recap of what happened.
Japan 13, Chinese Taipei 0 (7 innings)
Listen, we’re all here for the Shohei Ohtani show in the WBC, so of course Shohei Ohtani crushed a grand slam in the second inning.
That was basically all she wrote for the game. I’m not sure if anyone in this pool can win a game against Samurai Japan.
Cuba 3, Panama 1
In a game that had some good pitching in it, Cuba was led by home runs from Yoelkis Guibert and Yoan Moncada to secure the victory over the Panamanian squad. I thought for sure that this was going to go Panama’s way considering the roster differences, but Cuba does just know how to win on an international stage.
Venezuela 6, Netherlands 2
Led by former Phillies pitcher Ranger Suarez, the Venezuelans picked up a pretty important win for them in a pool that has several teams that have a shot at moving on to the knockout stage. Suarez was good in only two innings of work, but it was the lineup that is pretty deep that did some damage. Luis Arraez picked up two RBI on a single and bases loaded walk while Willson Contreras delivered the big blow with a two-run single that basically ended the game.
Mexico 8, Great Britain 2
This was a fairly close game going into the eighth inning, where it was tied at one. That was until the pitching depth that the English lack showed when they surrendered seven runs in the final two innings to seal the deal. Gary Gill Hill, Tristan Beck and Graham Spraker – all affiliated with MLB clubs – just could not keep Mexico’s offense down for the entirety of the game.
Puerto Rico 5, Colombia 0
A game that showed the interesting pitching limits the WBC is played under, Puerto Rico rode a big fifth inning to take a game in their home stadium in San Juan.
Colombia had Jose Quintana on the mound to begin the game and he was very effective for three innings. However, he was removed after only 30 pitches, where the pitcher who succeeded him, Adrian Almeida, was charged with five runs allowed in that fifth inning that doomed Colombia. Why they pulled Quintana could have had something to do with his now being available after a single day’s rest, but that’s still a strange move to make that ended up costing them.
Dominican Republic 12, Nicaragua 3
You know, I watched a lot of this game next to the United States one (thank you, YouTube TV). I really thought Nicaragua was going to pull this one off once they had a lead and at least a share of a tie through five innings. But as we watched, I told my son, “it’s going to come down to pitching and Nicaragua just doesn’t have the octane to beat DR, I don’t think.”
Then Junior Caminero came up and hit a baseball that went about 200 miles per hour and about 20 feet off the ground for a backbreaker.
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 7, 2026
This Dominican team might be legit.
United States 15, Brazil 5
This shouldn’t have been this close.
Seventeen walks allowed by Brazil, to be expected of course, was just too much to overcome. Aaron Judge hit a titanic shot in the first inning to give the U.S. a lead they never gave back.
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 7, 2026
However, this game was 8-5 going into the ninth inning. That simply can’t happen if the U.S. wants to win anything in this tournament. Better clean it up.
Hey, Manny Ramirez’s kid hit two home runs. And Jose Contreras’ kid, a 17 year old kid still in high school, got Judge to ground into a double play. We’re all officially old!
Chinese Taipei 14, Czechia 0 (7 innings)
Taipei gets on the board with a win here, using a grand slam from Stuart Fairchild to power them to a mercy rule victory. I think the Czechia story is officially over.
How did the Phillies do?
Edmundo Sosa: 1-4, single Bryce Harper: 1-5, single, R, RBI, walk, strikeout Kyle Schwarber: 2-4, two singles, 2 R, 2 walks
As you know, Ballesteros has previously been known as a catcher who’s probably better off as a DH. It appears, to me at least, that being good at ABS challenges is a useful skill. So… maybe Ballesteros will see some catching time during the regular season. He’s getting opportunities now because Miguel Amaya is off at the World Baseball Classic.
I’ll get to the challenges shortly. Ben Brown, who started this game, struggled. He allowed three hits, walked three, hit two batters and was charged with all three Padres runs. That’s… not good. Brown will get more starting chances this spring. His future could be in the bullpen… or at Triple-A Iowa being stretched out to start. As always, we await developments.
Cubs relievers combined for 5.1 shutout innings in this game, allowing three hits, two walks and striking out five. The only one of those relievers likely to make the Opening Day roster was Jacob Webb. Also in this group were Collin Snider, Ethan Roberts, Ryan Rolison and minor leaguer Charlie Barnes.
The offense didn’t do much. Ballesteros had two hits, raising his spring BA to .372, and Matt Shaw also had a pair of hits. The Cubs also drew three walks and left nine on base, going 0-for-8 with RISP.
And that’s the tale of the first night game of the spring.
The Cubs will face the A’s at Sloan Park Saturday afternoon. Shōta Imanaga will start for the Cubs, and hopefully will keep the ball in the yard this time. Mason Barnett starts for the A’s. Game time is 2:05 p.m. CT. No TV today, but there will be a radio broadcast via WSCR/The Score.
MESA, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 26, 2026: Tyler Soderstrom #21 of the Athletics bats during the fourth inning of a spring training game against the Texas Rangers at Hohokam Stadium on February 26, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by David Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
That spring training results mean little, yes. That the A’s are having a terrific spring training so far because no one has gotten majorly hurt, yes. But there must be some significance in some of the play on the field, no? The answer to that is an emphatic and resounding maybe.
What we’ve seen so far that could be meaningful unless it isn’t:
Max Muncy
Two things stand out with regard to Muncy so far in spring training. One is that it really does appear that 3B is his job to lose. He is tied for the team lead with 21 at bats and has been frequently a starter at 3B.
The other is that true to his profile, the bat seems to be ahead of the glove. There are many aspects of Muncy’s hitting to like so far, from how hard he is hitting the ball to his 4 walks in 25 PAs, helping him to a .286/.400/.524 line so far. But he continues to throw erratically and to play 3B very much like someone still learning on the job — or someone for whom defense just doesn’t come naturally.
It looks like 3B is not a position where the A’s are going to emphasize defense first, most likely handing Muncy the keys and trusting that his bat will be good enough to overcome shakiness with the glove — and also hoping Nick Kurtz can save many of Muncy’s low and wide throws.
Luis Morales & Jack Perkins
Morales and Perkins have in common that their stuff plays and their upside is significant, but they are also wild cards with regard to how ready they are to be consistent at the big league level.
So far both have shown that up-and-down combo with Morales giving up a 6-spot in one start, then pitching great his last time out until he ran out of gas in the 4th and walked 2 before exiting, and Perkins flashing good stuff but having trouble throwing enough strikes.
It’s fair to say that the A’s fortunes in 2026 will rest largely on the shoulders — that is arms — of their young pitchers and so far the group has generally looked raw. These are also tiny samples early in spring training, so they barely count for anything other than reinforcing what we already know.
The exception has been Gage Jump, who has arguably been the best of the bunch and might have accelerated his ETA from mid-season to more like May. And we haven’t yet seen Jacob Lopez, whose continued success would be pivotal to enhancing the A’s rotation.
Tyler Soderstrom
Again, spring results are not terribly meaningful even if 9 for 20 with 2 HR is a mighty nice way to begin the year. What might be meaningful, though, is that these are Soderstrom’s first 20 at bats since signing an extension and if nothing else, it’s fair to say he has not come out pressing or trying to do too much as we may have seen with Lawrence Butler.
It’s great that the A’s scored 4 players in the top 100 recently suggested by MLB Rank, but how was Soderstrom not one of them? He is poised to make that list look silly.
Leo De Vries
Who knows how quickly the 19 year old wunderkid will reach the big leagues? Once thought to be positioned for a call up maybe late in 2026, De Vries is proving that he may be even closer than that. He has been anything but over matched by his elders, 7 for 19 to start the Cactus League.
Granted 6 of the 7 hits are singles but no one really questions his power or whether he can spray doubles from line to line. He has consistently been patient and gotten into hitter’s counts and just seems to have that natural feel for the pace of the game, the strike zone, you name it.
De Vries isn’t on the cusp of the big leagues as a teenager because his ST batting average is .368, but he is on the cusp based on how well matched he looks so far on both sides of the ball playing against big leaguers.
Overall Pitching
If spring training stats are meaningless in general then spring training team ERA is even more so. You have the desert air and wind playing tricks with fly balls, A ball scrubs tossing the last 3 innings, so many reasons why results just don’t tell you a whole lot, especially on a team level.
That being said, the A’s pitching was a weakness in 2025 and their team ERA so far in the Cactus League — whether it’s meaningful or not — stands at 6.51. You can take solace that one of the 4 teams worse in MLB happens to be Seattle (7.68), more proof that spring training team stats don’t mean squat. But what you can’t do is celebrate that A’s pitchers so far are having a ton of success.
So there are some observations about things that mostly don’t matter or are utterly misleading, which is what happens when fans are forced to write about the team they love at a time when the players are just getting stretched out physically and working on their craft without much concern about the results.
In other words, it’s time to fully panic and at the same time reserve your post-season tickets.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 9: Dominic Smith #7 of the San Francisco Giants catches for an out during the game at Oracle Park on September 9, 2025 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Suzanna Mitchell/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Dominic Smith is in the driver’s seat to make the Opening Day roster. The subtractions of Ha-Seong Kim and Jurickson Profar make it all but a certainty. Mark Bowman feels that Smith is your designated hitter versus right handed pitching coming out of the gate. It’s difficult to argue that point, so I’m going to get used to this idea and dig deeper to see what he can bring. I may have more of a deep dive soon, but the first thing that caught my eye were Dominic’s comps from Baseball Savant. The Braves’ former catcher’s 2019 season was listed there.
There are some parallels between the two. Travis had a .745 OPS in 2019 versus .750 for Smith’s 2025 season. Travis had 2.79 strikeouts per walk and Smith was at 2.65. Smith had a 111 wRC+ against Travis’s 100. So you don’t have to squint too hard on the overall numbers. But after that, the numbers diverge.
Dominic’s splits make the case for his contribution as a Braves. He had a 119 wRC+ versus righties last season and a 100 wRC+ for his career. So as long as that’s all the Braves are asking him to do, it will be fine. I think I would rather have 2019 Travis d’Arnaud to start this season. This would allow decent hitting from the catcher spot and allow Baldwin to play as a DH more. But for now, Dominic Smith with his similar numbers from the DH spot should be fine.
