Apr 5, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Kyle Harrison (52) delivers a pitch against the Milwaukee Brewers during the first inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images
On Friday evening, the Brewers dropped an ugly one, maybe their most painful loss of the young season. After Jake Bauers hit a go-ahead three-run homer in the first inning to respond to two early Nationals runs, it felt like Milwaukee might cruise. But instead they were shut out for the next eight innings by the Nationals’ pitching staff — not exactly the ‘90s Braves over there — and fumbled the game away after a bit of a ninth-inning implosion.
They’ll look to bounce back tonight behind Kyle Harrison, one of the brighter spots in what has been a mostly encouraging start to the season. Harrison is making his third start, and each of the first two has been good. On March 30, Harrison allowed one run to the Rays on four hits and one walk while striking out eight in five innings, though Milwaukee lost that game when the bullpen couldn’t hold the lead that Harrison left with. On April 5, Harrison pitched 5 1/3 innings in Kansas City and allowed two runs on three hits and two walks while striking out six. He earned his first win of the season in that one, an 8-5 Brewers victory.
Washington counters with lefty Foster Griffin, who is back in the big leagues at age 30 after spending the last three seasons in Japan. Griffin came up through the Royals’ organization and made his brief major league debut in 2020, but he was unable to nail down a spot in the majors, and after just nine big-league appearances across three seasons, he made the move to Japan, where he was a star for the Yomiuri Giants — in three seasons that covered 348 innings, Griffin pitched to a 2.51 ERA and 4.50 K-to-BB ratio. That got him a job back in the US, where he signed with the Nationals. He’s been pretty good so far and is 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA in two starts. Foster does not throw hard (low-90s) but throws a whole bunch of different pitches, which keeps hitters off balance.
The Brewer lineup hasn’t looked great against left-handed pitching lately, but they’ll take another crack at it tonight. Luis Matos, however, continues to ride the pine despite being one of the few available right-handed bats; Brandon Lockridge will play left, with Blake Perkins in center and Sal Frelick in right. After a night off on Friday, Joey Ortiz is back in the lineup today, and Luis Rengifo, who hasn’t been able to buy a hit (though that’s certainly partially due to a .188 BABIP), bats second. Get well soon, Jackson.
A couple of injury notes from the organization: Quinn Priester had a good live batting practice session and is expected to get some game action soon in extended spring training. Tyler Black, who is playing at Triple-A Nashville, went on the seven-day injured list with a “shoulder impingement,” but is not expected to be out long. Cooper Pratt missed a couple of days with a sore shoulder but is back in the Nashville lineup tonight.
First pitch at 6:10 p.m. on Brewers TV and the Brewers Radio Network.
Rick Tocchet’s club has lost consecutive games just once since Feb. 26. The Flyers have gone 16-6-1 over that span and have allowed just 2.39 goals per game.
With two games to go (both at home), the Flyers have a chance to nail down their first playoff berth since the 2019-20 season (more on the race below).
The Flyers have won in their last four trips to Canada Life Centre while outscoring Winnipeg an astounding 14-2.
They split their two-game regular-season series with the Jets (35-32-12). Back in mid-October, they lost to Winnipeg, 5-2, at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
They hold the final playoff spot (third place) in the Metropolitan Division.
The Blue Jackets beat the Canadiens, 5-2, so the Flyers remained two points ahead of Columbus. The Flyers are three points up on both the Capitals and Islanders. They gained ground on New York, which was blanked by the Senators, 3-0. Washington kept pace by beating a stripped-down Penguins team, 6-3.
And get ready for some more scoreboard watching Sunday. The Blue Jackets, Capitals and Islanders are all in action.
If Columbus wins, the Flyers will have the tiebreaker for now because they’ll have played one fewer game. The Flyers, though, don’t want to finish even with any of the three teams chasing them because they’ll fall short in the tiebreaker of regulation wins.
• Dan Vladar put his previous start firmly in the past by denying 27 of 28 shots against the Jets.
He was pulled Thursday night in the second period after giving up four goals on eight shots. The Flyers didn’t help him much with penalties and allowing a shorthanded breakaway.
On Saturday night, Vladar looked so much more like himself and the Flyers played a cleaner game. The 28-year-old added to his career high in victories with No. 28. His career high coming into the season was 14.
Connor Hellebuyck, last season’s Hart Trophy winner as the league’s MVP, surrendered five goals on 20 shots.
The Flyers stunned the Winnipeg netminder with three goals in the first period. It was a 5-1 game at second intermission after Cates scored a shorthanded goal late in the middle stanza.
Eric Comrie took over for Hellebuyck at the start of the third period and made one save on three shots.
• The Flyers really took advantage of a weaker Western Conference this season.
They went 21-7-4 against teams in the West. But they didn’t just pick on the bottom-feeders. They recorded four wins over the conference’s top three teams. They beat the Avalanche on the road, the Stars at home and swept the Wild.
How about this? If the Flyers played in the Pacific Division, they’d be a first-place team.
• Sanheim has given the Flyers a bona-fide No. 1 defenseman down the stretch.
Over the last 17 games, Sanheim has recorded five goals, six assists and a plus-13 rating. Rasmus Ristolainen, Sanheim’s defensive partner, has eight assists and a plus-16 rating in that span.
Sanheim’s goal Saturday night was his career-high 11th.
• The Flyers return home to wrap up the regular season with a back-to-back set. They host the Hurricanes on Monday (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP) and Canadiens on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP).
Carolina is 52-22-6 and trying to clinch the Eastern Conference’s top seed. Montreal is 47-23-10 and in a battle for the Atlantic Division crown.
The defending American League champions are feeling a little more snakebit with every passing game.
The Toronto Blue Jays, already beset by a rotation's worth of pitching injuries, lost a crucial offensive performer Saturday, April 11 when leadoff hitter George Springer suffered a fractured big left toe in their 7-4 loss to the Minnesota Twins at Rogers Centre.
The designated hitter fouled a ball off his left toe in the third inning, initially waved off Toronto's training staff, but did not come to the plate for his next at-bat in the sixth. The Blue Jays dropped to 6-8 with their seventh loss in nine games.
George Springer had to leave the game with a left toe fracture after fouling a pitch off his foot in the third inning pic.twitter.com/esUbWUhMC5
And suddenly, the Blue Jays are down the equivalent of three everyday players, with Springer, All-Star catcher Alejandro Kirk (thumb surgery) and infielder/outfielder Addison Barger (ankles) all shelved.
The rash of everyday players going down comes during a spring in which Shane Bieber (forearm), Trey Yesavage (shoulder), Jose Berríos (elbow) and Cody Ponce (torn ACL) aren't able to go. Additionally, 41-year-old Max Scherzer underwent a recent MRI on his right elbow in the wake of his two-inning start April 6.
George Springer injury update
Springer is certainly a big loss. In the final year of a $150 million contract, Springer revived his career with a 32-homer, .959 OPS 2025 season, capped by the biggest homer for the Blue Jays this season, his three-run shot to clinch the pennant in ALCS Game 7. This year, he was off to a 10-for-54 start (.185) with two homers.
His bat may prove difficult to replace, given that the club let Bo Bichette walk in free agency, figuring Barger would take a step forward and newcomer Kazuma Okamoto would adjust quickly to the major leagues. Now, Barger and Springer are shelved and Okamoto is producing a .651 OPS in 13 games.
SAN JOSE – Depending on how things unfold over the next week, the Sharks almost certainly have played their final game of the 2025-26 NHL season at SAP Center.
A 4-3 shootout loss to the struggling Vancouver Canucks on Saturday was the final nail in San Jose’s season at the Tank, one that was noticeably better than a year ago but not enough to send the sold-out crowd home happy.
Star Macklin Celebrini added to his outstanding season with a shootout goal and two assists, giving him 110 points for the season — fourth overall in the NHL.
Igor Chernshov had two goals and Tyler Toffoli also scored for the Sharks, while Yaroslav Askarov had 38 saves before allowing the game-winner in the sixth round of the shootout.
There’s a chance, slim as it may be, that the Sharks could be back in town to host a playoff game, but that will be determined over the next few days.
It was a strange night in many ways.
Vancouver scored its first goal by Marco Rossi in the second period. As Rossi pushed the puck toward the net, Askarov pulled the entire goal setup down and over the puck. After a short discussion by referees, the goal was upheld.
Askarov gets caught on the wrong side of the net, seemingly pulls it down, but the goal counts 😭🚨 pic.twitter.com/PTTYOjryZs
Shortly afterward, Toffoli put the Sharks back in front with his 19th goal of the season from just inside the left circle.
Vancouver didn’t go quietly, despite trailing three different times.
The Canucks made a surge and peppered Askarov with multiple shots before Jake DeBrusk fired the puck past San Jose’s goalie to tie it with 2:23 left in the second period.
Vancouver then forced overtime after scoring with one second left on the power play and three minutes remaining in the third period.
Here are the takeaways from Saturday:
So you’re saying there’s a chance
Despite their recent stumbles that pushed them to the brink of being eliminated from postseason contention, the Sharks head into their final three games still with a chance at getting into the Stanley Cup playoffs.
It certainly won’t be easy. The Los Angeles Kings currently hold the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference with 87 points, with the Nashville Predators (86) and Winnipeg Jets (82) next in line.
The Sharks have 82. San Jose would have to make a clean sweep of their three remaining games against Nashville, Chicago and Winnipeg, and hope the Kings lose out.
Better start sets the tone
In each of their last two games, the Sharks came out flat, fell behind and never recovered. The slow starts were critical in losses to the Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks.
Against a Canucks team that isn’t on the same level as the Oilers and Ducks, San Jose looked much more crisp offensively during the opening 20 minutes, although Celebrini missed a breakaway attempt midway through the period.
The Sharks missed a few other close scoring opportunities before Igor Chernyshov wrapped the puck around the right side of Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen to get the crowd inside SAP Center really vibing.
The Sharks may not make it to the postseason, but they’re not just rolling over, either.
Late in the first period after Celebrini absorbed a hard hit from the Canucks, Chernyshov and Vancouver defenseman Filip Hronek got into a heated tussle, although it didn’t appear that many punches were thrown.
Dmitry Orlov later got penalized for a hard hip check in the second period.
It’s not a huge deal in the grand scheme of things, but for a team that simply could have shut it down for the final week, it’s good to see there’s still some fight – and pride – left in Team Teal.
ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 10: Mauricio Dubón #14 of the Atlanta Braves stands in the dugout during the game against the Cleveland Guardians at Truist Park on April 10, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Kevin D. Liles/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Martín Pérez will lead the Braves against Parker Messick and the Guardians in the first City Connect Saturday of 2026.
Side note, this picture seems to be from the elaborate light show we now deploy when the opposing team makes a pitching change. They are definitely making use of those state-of-the-art lights and projections… thoughts?
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 31: Logan Webb #62 of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the San Diego Padres during the first inning at Petco Park on March 31, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After a spirited victory in the series opener, the San Francisco Giants will look to win their series against the Baltimore Orioles today, in the second game of their nine-game road trip.
The Giants are sending their ace to the mound, as right-hander Logan Webb will make his fourth start of the year. On the year, the 29-year old is 1-1 with a 5.00 ERA, a 2.65 FIP, and 15 strikeouts against just six walks in 18 innings. His last start was his best, as he held the New York Mets to one run in seven innings.
He’s up against the veteran right-hander Chris Bassitt, who makes his third start for the Orioles, his fifth MLB team. It’s been a tough start for the 37-year old, who is 0-2 with a 14.21 ERA, an 8.52 FIP, and just three strikeouts against six walks in 6.1 innings.
Apr 9, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards forward Leaky Black (14) shoots the ball as Chicago Bulls center Lachlan Olbrich (47) looks on in the first half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
The Washington Wizards are wrapping up their 2026 season in Cleveland tomorrow. Here is the preview:
Game info
When: 6 p.m. EST on Sunday, Apr. 12
Where: Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio
How to watch: Monumental Sports Network
Injuries
Wizards — Justin Champagnie (knee) is listed as DAY-TO-DAY
Cavs — Donovan Mitchell (ankle), Sam Merrill (hamstring) and Jarrett Allen (knee) are all listed as DAY-TO-DAY
Game notes and more
Game 82 of the NBA season is a who’s who of “who is that?” Huge props to anyone who sits down and watches this game.
The Wizards have won fewer than 20 games for a third consecutive season and failed to improve upon last season’s 18 wins. Next year it’s time to start stringing together some wins.
The Cavs might look very different next season if they’re not able to put together a strong playoff run. They are the team to watch in the offseason if they bow out of the postseason early.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - APRIL 10: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs dunks against the Dallas Mavericks in the first half at Frost Bank Center on April 10, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Victor Wembanyama needed to play one more game to qualify for end-of-season awards. After a rib injury, many people suggested he could do 20 minutes of cardio to meet the minimum requirements. Doing the minimum is not in Wembanyama’s nature. He exploded for 40 points in 26 minutes as the Spurs handled the Dallas Mavericks 139-120.
Wembanyama will lead the player grades for the second-to-last regular-season game. As a quick reminder, these grades are based on each player’s on-court performance, going beyond just the stat sheet. A “B” grade represents the average performance for an individual. If a player logs fewer than 5 minutes or plays only in garbage time, their grade will be incomplete.
It wasn’t just the stats Wembanyama put up, but the way he achieved them. He looked smooth on the perimeter, handling the ball and knocking down two three-pointers. He took bumps inside and still finished over the top of opposing defenders. It didn’t look like the rib injury was holding him back at all.
With 65 games in the can, Wembanyama is a lock to take home multiple awards. The Spurs’ big man is -20000 to win Defensive Player of the Year on FanDuel.
San Antonio needed a 40-28 third-quarter run to pull away from Dallas. That effort was led mostly by Fox, who had 14 of his 18 points in the third frame. Fox was a maestro with the rock while having an efficient shooting night. He also had some of the most explosive dunks we’ve seen from him in his time with the Spurs. It was a fun performance to watch, and without him, the Spurs may not have come away with the win.
Harper got exposed by Cooper Flagg a bit. Flagg went to work whenever Harper was guarding him on the perimeter. The rookie didn’t let it get to him. He fought back on the other end by getting to the basket, scoring at an efficient rate. This was one of Harper’s better passing games with six assists.
I’ve been loving Champagnie’s attacking mentality lately. As teams close out hard on him, respecting his jump shot, he’s been going right around them to get to the basket. His finishing around the basket has improved greatly from last season. He’s a real threat to score at the rim now. He’s been playing some solid off-ball defense lately, too, which will be important for the Spurs as teams try to find ways to score around Wembanyama in the playoffs.
Kornet went from dominating the Trail Blazers to playing a more subdued role against Dallas. He was still solid defensively in 18 minutes, walling up in the paint and breaking up passes near the rim. Seven boards in just 18 minutes is nothing to sniff at, either. Kornet’s performance against the Mavs was pretty typical: solid.
Vassell didn’t make much of an impact in his 27 minutes. He was cold when shooting the ball from deep, missing some open shots. He didn’t actively hurt the Spurs either. His defense remains solid, as he’s been able to accumulate some steals on the wing. He and Champagnie have been getting better and better at taking advantage of the defensive opportunities presented to them as teams look to avoid Wembanyama.
Unc was cooking on Friday! Barnes had 15 points, giving the Spurs an edge off the bench. Now Barnes needs to score 17 points or more in his final game of the season to give the Spurs their eighth player averaging double-digit points.
Johnson did what he does best against Dallas, getting to the rim and fighting on the boards. KJ grabbed 2 offensive boards on Friday. His impact on all aspects of the game has made him the leading candidate for Sixth Man of the Year.
Bryant continues to play great down the stretch. He’s been a sharpshooter from three in the last two games, as he’s starting to shoot them with a lot of confidence. On the other end, he continues to compete. He had an awesome block on Flagg that showed why so many believe he can develop into a real defensive stopper on the wing.
Apr 11, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Minnesota Twins left fielder Trevor Larnach (9) celebrates hitting a three run home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the third inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images | Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
The Twins bounced back in decisive fashion on Saturday afternoon, riding a wonderful start from Joe Ryan and an early crooked number to best the Toronto Blue Jays by a 7-4 final, and even the series at a game apiece.
Early momentum was not in Minnesota’s favor; after allowing 10 unanswered runs in the series opener, the Jays jumped on Joe Ryan early, with a two-run homer off the bat of Daulton Varsho making it a 2-0 Toronto lead before Ryan had recorded an out.
But from that point on, Ryan was nails. The Varsho homer was one of only two hits Ryan would surrender in a robust seven-inning start, the other a fourth-inning Vladdy Jr. single. Minnesota’s number-one starter retired the final 12 hitters he faced from then on, providing the bullpen with a much-needed respite in the midst of a remarkably long early-season stretch of games without a day off.
Meanwhile, the lineup consolidated all their momentum into a single inning. Facing an oft-troubling lefty, this time in the personage of Eric Lauer, the Twins were held off the board in every single frame of the game except the third. In that third, Brooks Lee kept his turnaround narrative hot with a leadoff blast to left to cut the Jays’ lead in half. Call-up Ryan Kreidler would ground out, but then it was off to the races.
Back-to-back singles from Byron Buxton and Austin Martin put set up a walk of Luke Keaschall to load the bases, and then a walk to tie the game when Ryan Jeffers drew a free pass on four straight out of the zone. Varsho’s name would come up again when a questionable read on a towering fly to center wound up going as a Josh Bell two-run single. With a 4-2 Twins lead and two outs later in the inning, Trevor Larnach homered against a left-handed pitcher, a three-run jack into right field that marked his jusf fifth career bomb off any southpaw.
Unfortunately, that was almost literally it for the Twins offense. Brooks Lee singled in the visiting sixth, the only remaining hit for Minnesota.
And while Ryan was great, Kody Funderburk had to tiptoe out of danger in the eighth inning, letting his first two assignments reach base and only just managing to record a shutout inning. Cole Sands was not so lucky; tasked again with the ninth, he gave Toronto two back when Jesus Sanchez launched a two-run shot for his second homer of the year.
The loss wasn’t the worst news of the night for the Jays, either; already absolutely beleaguered by injuries, George Springer suffered a toe fracture after fouling a pitch off his foot. He finished his at-bat, but was pulled for the rest of the game in the DH slot.
And so, with the highlights consolidated into one starting pitcher and one offensive inning, and the usual weaknesses (streaky offense + poor bullpen performance) rearing their heads, it is a somewhat incomplete victory that evens this series, but a victory nevertheless.
The rubber match is tomorrow, and the Twins have a lot to play for — a four-game sweep of the Detroit Tigers followed by a road victory against the reigning American League champions would do a lot to alter perceptions of this team in the early goings.
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - APRIL 10: Trevor Story #10 of the Boston Red Sox bats in a run against the St. Louis Cardinals in the fourth inning at Busch Stadium on April 10, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A Saturday national game, is this the pressure the Red Sox need right now? We at least see a little more normal of a lineup with Roman back in—maybe being the DH will let him focus on one thing at a time and his bat is more important right now. Can the Red Sox stop seeing red and pull out a victory or will Ranger Suárez keep getting pecked by the Redbirds?
⚾️ First Pitch: 7:15pm ET — Busch Stadium, St Louis, MO
They’re ravaged by injuries and playing without their top two scorers. They’re weak and vulnerable as they limp toward the finish line of the regular season.
And now, the rest of the Western Conference smells blood in the water.
When Lakers coach JJ Redick told reporters that “everybody wants to play us,” he wasn’t posturing or trying to light a fire under his team.
When Lakers coach JJ Redick told reporters that “everybody wants to play us,” he wasn’t posturing. Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
He was stating out loud what everyone from the outside could clearly see. The Lakers, a rising force in the standings just a few weeks ago, have now become an exposed nerve.
“Let’s get that out there, like, everybody wants to play us,” Redick said Friday. “There’s probably teams in positions that can start looking forward to potential second-round matchups as well. You’ve seen some of those teams rest their entire lineups basically. We can’t be concerned with all that.”
After a dominant March, the Lakers looked like the team in the West that nobody wanted to face. Led by Luka Doncic playing at an MVP level, and Austin Reaves thriving as the secondary scoring option, the Lakers were firing on all cylinders.
They had rhythm, balance and multiple ways to beat you. They weren’t just beating teams, they were dictating everything.
Now, they’re asking LeBron James, at 41 years old, to rewind time and become the engine, the initiator and the closer for the Lakers Getty Images
Then everything unraveled.
During a blowout loss in Oklahoma City, Doncic suffered a Grade 2 hamstring strain and Reaves a Grade 2 oblique tear. With the snap of Thanos’ fingers, nearly 60 points per night disappeared from the Lakers’ rotation.
Now, they’re asking LeBron James, at 41 years old, to rewind time and become the engine, the initiator and the closer for the Lakers. To carry the team on his back as they drag toward the checkered flag.
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To his credit, James has been brilliant the last two games, but brilliance from just one man won’t be enough once the postseason starts.
Not in a loaded Western Conference with the Thunder and Spurs separating themselves from the rest of the league. Not against the Nuggets, who casually rested most of their starters including Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray on Friday like they were already thinking a round ahead.
The Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic sat out Friday night to rest for the NBA playoffs. NBAE via Getty Images
Around the league, other teams see the same thing. A team missing its top two scorers. A roster asking role players to stretch into something they’re not comfortable or familiar with. A system that is trying to find “nine players to be fully all in.”
One of those players is Luke Kennard. For most of his nine-year career, he’s been a 3-point specialist off the bench. Now he’s trying to be one of the Lakers’ primary ball handlers and playmakers.
“You understand why teams want to play us. We’re missing 60 points a game,” said Kennard when asked about Redick’s comments on Friday and if it can be a rallying cry for the team. “But we also have him [James] and the way he’s playing and leading us. We’re going to need him to continue to do that.”
James can’t do it by himself, but to Kennard’s point, there is something dangerous about dismissing a team completely with one of the greatest players of all time still on it.
Even undermanned, the Lakers have won two straight games against teams that will be in the play-in tournament. That’s a faint pulse, not a flatline. It speaks to this team’s resilience and ability to overcome adversity all season.
James can’t do it by himself, but to Kennard’s point, there is something dangerous about dismissing a team completely with one of the greatest players of all time still on it. NBAE via Getty Images
“None of you guys had us in the top four to start the season. Most people had us as a play-in team or even worse,” said Redick of preseason predictions for the Lakers. “We’ve had to manage the expectations of the Lakers and the negativity that surrounds every loss, and I think our group has managed that well.”
By virtue of the Lakers’ victory over the Suns on Friday night, they secured a top-four seed and homecourt advantage in the first round. With a win in the final regular-season game Sunday against the Jazz and a Nuggets loss to the Spurs, they will finish third and face the Timberwolves for the second straight postseason. With a loss or Denver win, they will host the Rockets in the first round.
Regardless of their first-round opponent, without Doncic and Reaves, the Lakers will be underdogs. Both teams will try to stop James by throwing double- and triple-teams at him, forcing the Lakers’ secondary players to make decisions and beat them. And now, there’s not enough evidence to prove they can.
Unfortunately, this is the reality in Los Angeles now. The Lakers are vulnerable. Capable but compromised. They will have to punch above their weight to win a playoff series without two of their stars.
So, yes — everybody wants to play them and rightfully so.
PJ Haggerty is heading to Texas A&M and Isaiah Johnson is joining Texas as the Lone Star state’s two Southeastern Conference programs have landed former Big 12 stars in the transfer portal.
Each player announced his decision in an Instagram post.
Haggerty scored 23.4 points per game for Kansas State this season to rank fourth among all Division I players. Johnson is coming off a freshman season in which he averaged 16.9 points for Colorado.
Haggerty will be playing for his fifth different school. The 6-foot-4 guard was at TCU in 2022-23, Tulsa in 2023-24 and Memphis in 2024-25.
Haggerty has averaged at least 21.2 points each of his last three seasons. He was an Associated Press All-America second-team pick with Memphis last season and received honorable mention on this year’s AP All-America team. Haggerty also was an AP second-team all-Big 12 selection this season.
Johnson is a 6-1 guard who had three assists and 2.9 rebounds per game this season to go along with his 16.9 points per game.
Linus Ullmark made 23 saves for his 15th career shutout as the Ottawa Senators defeated the New York Islanders 3-0 at UBS Arena on Saturday afternoon. Ridly Greig and Michael Amadio led the way offensively, each putting up a goal and an assist for the Senators. Despite managing only 16 shots in the game, the Sens are now one point away from punching their ticket to the playoffs.
While leading 1-0 in the third period, the Senators capitalized on some good fortune when the Islanders took back-to-back tripping penalties. Jake Sanderson provided some breathing room, whacking home a rebound on the ensuing 5 on 3 to give the Sens a 2-0 advantage.
But the news wasn't all good.
Steve Warne, Gregg Kennedy and Brad Fritsch discuss the rise of Jordan Spence in Ottawa
Sens captain Brady Tkachuk left the game under mysterious circumstances. While standing in the neutral zone near the Islanders' bench, without seeming to take any contact at all, he appeared woozy as he left the ice surface.
Sens head coach Travis Green didn't have any update on what happened to Tkachuk and could only report that he didn't feel good.
So that leaves us to speculate.
For the second straight meeting, Tkachuk had squared off with Anders Lee at the opening faceoff, leading to speculation that maybe Tkachuk had been playing while concussed after the fight.
Some have suggested that Pulock struck him on the neck with his stick, which, after multiple views, I'm not seeing at all.
Cervical vertigo might also be a possibility. It can be triggered suddenly by certain neck movements, and you can see Tkachuk do a hard shoulder check, turning his head to his left. He then flinched when he was immediately surprised by Ryan Pulock jumping off the Islanders' bench to his right.
That's when Tkachuk retreated to the bench, suddenly going from looking sharp to wobbly.
Ryan Pulock seems to make no contact whatsoever. My best guess is maybe vertigo. That quick head turn, combined with the flinch from being surprised by Pulock in his blind spot could certainly trigger something like that. https://t.co/vislXLNf52
Whatever happened here, the Sens hope to wrap up a playoff spot quickly and give Tkachuk and the rest of their banged-up crew some time off if they need it.
The club has now won four in a row, moving past Boston and into the first Wild Card playoff spot in the East. The two teams have the same record after the Bruins lost in regulation on Saturday, but the Sens are now ahead because they have more regulation wins.
The Detroit Red Wings are now the only team behind the Senators in the standings that can still catch them, but a lot would have to go right. The Wings would have to win their next three games, starting today against New Jersey, while the Senators would have to lose their last two.
Ottawa visits those same Devils on Sunday.
Steve Warne The Hockey News
This article was first published at The Hockey News Ottawa. Check out more great Sens features from The Hockey News at the links below:
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 5: Nick Martinez #28 of the Tampa Bay Rays gestures towards Ben Williamson #15 during the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field on April 5, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Matt Krohn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 05: Max Fried #54 of the New York Yankees pitches during the first inning against the Miami Marlins at Yankee Stadium on April 05, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Suddenly, the Yankees have dropped three-straight contests after losing two games at home against the Athletics then going down to defeat last night in St. Pete for the series opener. The good news is New York sends its ace to the mound tonight. The bad news is said ace cannot hit.* The worse news is neither can the rest of team, with a couple of exceptions.
This will be Max Fried’s fourth start of the season. The southpaw is coming off his worst outing thus far, one that was still perfectly cromulent, as Fried allowed three runs over 6.2 innings against Miami in an eventual 7-6 loss. Through 20 innings, Fried is varying his pitches with the effect of minimizing hard contact. He’s thrown each of his four-seamer, sinker, cutter, curve, change, and sweeper between 10 percent and 23 percent of the time. Good luck sitting on any one pitch. Unsurprisingly, opponents’ average exit velocity, barrel percentage, and hard-hit percentage all rest comfortably in the red on Statcast.
Veteran right-hander Nick Martinez gets the start for the Rays, his third this season. Like Fried, he’s thrown six different pitches at least somewhat frequently this season. Also, like Fried, the results have been good. Through 12 innings, Martinez has a 2.25 ERA and his Statcast has a bunch of red. One thing that jumps out: Yankee hitters will need to earn their way on base. Martinez has only issued one free pass so far, though he’s also only struck out seven. We should see balls in play tonight.
It might not matter how well Fried pitches if the Yankee lineup doesn’t figure it out. The bottom of the order has been a wasteland in the opening weeks. Tonight, Jazz Chisholm Jr. boasts the best OPS among the hitters in those slots, with a putrid .469 mark. Exacerbating the issue is that the top of the lineup is not hitting to the back of their baseball cards either, except for Ben Rice and Giancarlo Stanton, though the latter’s power is absent in the opening weeks of the year. Cody Bellinger, for example, has four hits in his last seven games. Aaron Judge has a singular home run in that stretch. And Trent Grisham has a .237 SLG this season. All told, the Yankees enter tonight with a .199 team batting average through 13 games, and five runs scored in their last three.
Let’s get this turned around. A couple of crooked numbers in the run column tonight for the Yankees would be the bee’s knees.
