Who Canucks Fans Should Cheer For During The 2024–25 Playoffs

Apr 12, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Nils Hoglander (21) and forward Jake DeBrusk (74) and forward Pius Suter (24) and forward Brock Boeser (6) celebrate Debrusk’s goal against the Minnesota Wild in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

The 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs have started, this time without an appearance from the Vancouver Canucks. Despite the Canucks not making the postseason, there are still many teams and individual players that fans can cheer for. Here’s a list of who Canucks fans should cheer for during this season’s playoffs. 

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Nate Schmidt and Jonah Gadjovich 

Two former Canucks now on the Florida Panthers, Nate Schmidt and Jonah Gadjovich are two players who Canucks fans could root for throughout the playoffs. Schmidt was traded to the Canucks during the 2020 off-season and played 54 games with Vancouver before requesting a trade elsewhere. He ended up with the Winnipeg Jets for three seasons before moving on to Florida. This season, he had five goals and 14 assists in 78 games played. 

Gadjovich was drafted by the Canucks in the second round of the 2017 NHL Draft and remained with the organization until 2021. He played one game for Vancouver. Last season, he won the Stanley Cup as a member of the Panthers organization. 

Anthony Beauvillier 

Another former Canuck with a limited sample size in Vancouver, Anthony Beauvillier and the Washington Capitals are on a quest to win the franchise their second Stanley Cup. Beauvillier was acquired by the Canucks in the 2023 Bo Horvat trade. He played 55 games with the team before being traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in November of the same year. In his time with Vancouver, he scored 11 goals and 17 assists. 

Jalen Chatfield and Spencer Martin 

The Carolina Hurricanes will also be entering the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs with two former Canucks. Jalen Chatfield, now a lineup regular with the Hurricanes, played 18 games with Vancouver and spent four seasons with the Canucks organization. In his time with Vancouver, he potted three assists. He had 18 points in 78 games played this season and averaged nearly 20 minutes a night with Carolina. 

Spencer Martin was a rock for the Canucks when they needed him to be. He faced 218 shots in his first six NHL games with the Canucks and didn’t let in more than two goals in each game. In his second NHL game, he faced 50 shots and carried his team to overtime. He left the Canucks organization after being claimed off waivers by the Columbus Blue Jackets in September 2023. Another interesting tidbit about him is that Martin and Gadjovich are in-laws. 

Jacob Markström

Most Canucks fans know of Jacob Markström and his time with Vancouver. Acquired as part of the trade that sent Roberto Luongo back to the Panthers, Markström spent seven seasons as a member of the Canucks before he signed with the Calgary Flames in 2020. He made his mark on the Canucks organization in the 2019–20 season, backstopping his team to multiple wins despite facing 1420 shots in 43 games played. Markström is now entering his third career playoff run, this time with the New Jersey Devils. 

The Ottawa Senators 

Who doesn’t love a feel-good postseason story? The Ottawa Senators will play in their first playoff game since their Conference Finals loss in 2017. Not only do they sport a talented crop of young players, their roster also features some former Canucks. Senators Head Coach Travis Green spent almost five seasons with Vancouver, helping the team to their Bubble Playoff run in 2020. Also behind the Senators’ bench are former Canucks Assistant Coaches Nolan Baumgartner (2017–2021) and Mike Yeo (2022–2024). 

Also on the Senators are former Canucks Adam Gaudette, Travis Hamonic, Matthew Highmore, and Zack MacEwen. Gaudette was drafted by the Canucks in 2015 and spent three full seasons with Vancouver. Hamonic, a two-year member of the Canucks, spent a good chunk of his playing time with current Canucks Captain Quinn Hughes. Highmore was with the Canucks organization from the 2020–21 season to the 2021–22 season, putting up 17 points in 64 games. Ironically enough, he and Gaudette were traded for one-another in 2021. MacEwen, who played 55 games for Vancouver, is most remembered for standing up for Nils Höglander after he was tossed around by current Canuck Derek Forbort in 2021. 

Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson 

This may be a polarizing take. An original member of the 2011 Stanley Cup-contending team, Chris Tanev should be an easy pick for who Canucks fans should cheer for in the playoffs. However, Tanev also plays for the Toronto Maple Leafs, a team that many fans are opposed to cheering for. The toothy veteran spent a decade with the Canucks before joining Markström and signing with the Flames in 2020. This is his first season with the Leafs, a team that he signed a six-year contract with in 2024. 

Oliver Ekman-Larsson is the other former Canuck on the Leafs that Canucks fans could cheer for. He wasn’t the most popular player during his tenure on the team, as most people will remember him for his contract that is still impacting Vancouver to this day. However, he did experience a rebound with the Panthers last season and has been a steady defender for his current price. 

The Winnipeg Jets 

Another Canadian team with ties to Vancouver, the Winnipeg Jets are a team Canucks fans could root for while feeling relatively safe in their choice. While Winnipeg has a history of not performing in the playoffs, they have one of the NHL’s best goaltenders in Connor Hellebuyck. They have been the strongest Canadian team during the regular season, finishing the season with 116 points and collecting the President’s Trophy (although, this in itself may be a bad omen). As well, the Jets recently acquired former Canuck fan-favourite Luke Schenn, who will be on the hunt for the third Stanley Cup of his career. Schenn joined the Canucks twice throughout his career — by trade in 2019 and by free-agency in 2021. 

The Montréal Canadiens 

The Montréal Canadiens are this season’s personification of an underdog team. Squeaking into the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, the Canadiens beat out a number of mid-tier teams to clinch their playoff spot. They are propelled by a youthful core that Canucks fans don’t see enough in one season to have a rivalry with. Another plus to cheering for them is that Canucks Ring of Honour member, Alex Burrows, is still part of their organization. A Canadiens Stanley Cup win would be Burrows’ first. 

Troy Stetcher 

Rooting for the man once known as Tony Stretcher is a double-edged sword. On one hand, the former four-year Canuck would win his first Stanley Cup — on the other hand, the Edmonton Oilers would also win. Given the fact that the Oilers knocked the Canucks out of the playoffs last season, it may not be as joyous to cheer for Stetcher as it would be for other teams. 

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Kings' DeMar DeRozan involved in altercation at restaurant, situation being investigated by authorities

Sacramento Kings forward DeMar DeRozan was filmed in an altercation at a Southern California restaurant on Friday night, and there is an ongoing investigation into the incident by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

The incident took place at the Yume Sushi restaurant in Calabasas, California. Video of the fight was posted to TMZ, where DeRozan can be seen going after a man's legs while this other man is on the ground, then when he gets up the man demands his phone back. Other people in the restaurant are trying to separate the two, with a woman telling DeRozan it's "not worth it."

From the TMZ report:

An eyewitness tells TMZ the altercation blew up after the man in the shorts shoved a phone with a bright light in DeMar's face ... which the basketball player then knocked out of his hand.

This is being investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. The man who approached DeRozan posted a video from his phone of the incident on social media, as described by Jason Alexander of the Sacramento Bee.

X user KISSMAYOO tweeted: “I just Get Attacked & Body Slapped By DeMar DeRozan.” The accompanying video shows the man filming himself with his phone as he approaches DeRozan from behind and then abruptly points the camera at DeRozan. DeRozan can be heard saying “Come on, man, don’t walk up on me,” before the scuffle ensues. The video then cuts to the man filming himself as he is transported to a hospital by ambulance after a paramedic asked, “Are you sure you don’t want to drive yourself?” The man ends the video with two images promoting a book.

DeRozan, 35, averaged 22.2 points and 4.4 assists a game in his first season with the Kings after a sign-and-trade brought him back to his native California.

POSTGAME: Mackenzie Blackwood Puts on Goaltending Clinic in Avalanche Win Over the Stars in Game One

Colorado Avalanche goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood (39) prepares to make the save of a shot by Dallas Stars center Wyatt Johnston (53) as center Parker Kelly (17) looks on during the second period in game one of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

To cap off the first day of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Colorado Avalanche put up five goals to the Dallas Stars' one to take Game 1 in their first-round series against the Dallas Stars.

The Stars have had little luck in their seven past series openers, going 0-8 as of Saturday night. Even the end of their regular season looked bleak, with seven straight losses leading up to Saturday's game. Despite those statistics, Stars Head Coach Pete DeBoer said during his postgame availability that Saturday's loss was "probably the best game we've played in three or four weeks." This was evident, as through the first and most of the second period, the Stars looked like the better team. The Avalanche looked sluggish to start, capitalized by a lackluster 5-on-3 opportunity in the first period that only yielded three shots on goal.

It seems that killing off that opportunity sparked a hefty amount of motivation for the Stars, which started to slowly dwindle as the Avalanche got strange bounces from Artturi Lehkonen and Nathan MacKinnon that both resulted in goals to put them ahead 2-0 going into the third period.

Roope Hintz got the Stars on the board just under seven minutes into the third period, a late power-play goal scored as he tipped a shot ripped by Thomas Harley from the blue line.

From there, the floodgates opened for the Avalanche, and they managed to put three more past Dallas goaltender Jake Oettinger before the final buzzer sounded.

Devon Toews buried a back-door goal off a long pass from Josh Manson, #42's first point since returning from an injury that's kept him out of the lineup since March 14th. Oettinger was pulled, and MacKinnon capitalized with an empty-net goal with just over 3 minutes remaining in regulation. Charlie Coyle punctuated the 5-1 win with a snap right in front of Oettinger that started with Parker Kelly winning a board battle and finding Jack Drury, who eventually found Coyle in front of the net.

Goaltending Won Out

Mackenzie Blackwood has been in the NHL since the 2018-19 season when he debuted with the New Jersey Devils. Despite many years of experience, he has not played a single playoff game - that is, until Saturday night. 

With that said, he didn't miss a beat. 

Blackwood put on a Vezina Trophy-worthy performance on Saturday, the only goal allowed being a deflection that not many other goaltenders would have been able to stop even with a stick, which Blackwood was without when the puck got past him.

Coach Bednar reiterated on Altitude Sports Radio on Wednesday that, while he thinks goaltender Scott Wedgewood has played extremely well lately, Blackwood is their starter. With multiple chances created by Dallas in the first 40 minutes, the Thunder Bay, Ontario native proved exactly why he deserves the role. His performance earned him the player-chosen big hat in the locker room postgame.

With that said, and despite the three-goal onslaught in the third period, Oettinger also showed why he commands as much respect as he does in the league through the first 40 minutes of the game.

Both goaltenders forced their opposition to create more challenging opportunities, whether it was a greasy goal like Lehkonen's, a deflection like Hintz's, or making the right pass at the right time like Manson to Toews.

Ross Colton Left During the Third

The Colorado Avalanche went into Saturday's game with five healthy scratches - or five options, as Head Coach Jared Bednar alluded to following morning skate.

One of those options may be stepping up in Monday's Game 2 as forward Ross Colton left Saturday's game in the third period with a lower-body injury. Coach Bednar said further updates can be expected on Sunday.

Forward scratches include Jimmy Vesey, Miles Wood, and captain Gabriel Landeskog, who made his return to professional hockey on April 11th in a game with the Colorado Eagles (Avalanche AHL affiliate).

Matt Stienburg was also called up from the Eagles, per the playing roster posted on the NHL media site. Stienburg earned a 2-game suspension early in the regular season after a dangerous hit on Tampa Bay Lightning forward Erik Cernak. He served the first game on Saturday, so he will not be an option until after Game 2 on Monday.

What's Next?

The Avalanche look to continue their push in Dallas as they gear up for Game 2 on Monday, April 21st at 7:30 pm MT/8:30 pm CT.

Games 3 and 4 will be played at Ball Arena in Denver on Wednesday, April 23rd, and Saturday, April 26th.

2024-25 NBA award finalists revealed: MVP, Coach of the Year, more

2024-25 NBA award finalists revealed: MVP, Coach of the Year, more originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

It’s now reasonable to think that Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo finished third in this season’s balloting for the NBA MVP award.

The NBA released the three finalists for its major trophies on Sunday night, with Antetokounmpo on the MVP list alongside Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Denver’s Nikola Jokic, the runaway frontrunners for the award.

Jokic was last season’s MVP and is bidding for his fourth MVP award in the last five years. Gilgeous-Alexander, the NBA’s scoring champion this season and the leader of a Thunder team that won 68 games while setting a league record for scoring margin, is seeking his first MVP trophy.

They were considered such big favorites that BetMGM Sportsbook didn’t even offer realistic odds toward the end of the regular season on anyone else winning. Gilgeous-Alexander was the favorite, Jokic was the second choice and nobody else had odds shorter than 500-1.

Given that All-NBA voting now essentially mirrors MVP voting, being an MVP finalist basically guarantees an All-NBA first-team nod. It’ll be the ninth appearance on that team for Antetokounmpo, the seventh for Jokic and the third for Gilgeous-Alexander.

Last year’s MVP finalists were Jokic, Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic — then of Dallas, now of the Los Angeles Lakers.

A panel of writers and broadcasters who cover the NBA voted on the awards last week. The NBA will announce the winners of the various awards, along with the All-NBA and All-rookie teams, over the coming weeks.

Coach of the year

Finalists: Kenny Atkinson, Cleveland; J.B. Bickerstaff, Detroit; Ime Udoka, Houston.

This is how good a race this was: Mark Daigneault, who won last year, led Oklahoma City to a 68-win season and didn’t get into the top three.

Atkinson led the Cavaliers to a 64-win season, the best in the Eastern Conference. He was announced Saturday as the winner of the National Basketball Coaches Association’s coach of the year award, a separate trophy from the NBA honors.

Bickerstaff, in his first year with the Pistons, and Udoka took their teams to the playoffs, and the Rockets got the No. 2 seed in the West.

Last year: Daigneault won, with Minnesota’s Chris Finch and Orlando’s Jamahl Mosley the other finalists.

Rookie of the year

Finalists: Stephon Castle, San Antonio; Zaccharie Risacher, Atlanta; Jaylen Wells, Memphis.

Castle — the No. 4 pick in last year’s draft — could be the second consecutive NBA Rookie of the Year from San Antonio, after Victor Wembanyama was the unanimous winner last season.

Risacher and Wells were the No. 3 and No. 4 rookie scorers this season behind Castle. A notable omission: Washington’s Alex Sarr, who averaged 13 points this season.

Last year: Wembanyama won, with Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren and Charlotte’s Brandon Miller the other finalists.

Sixth man of the year

Finalists: Malik Beasley, Detroit; Ty Jerome, Cleveland; Payton Pritchard, Boston.

Pritchard is the overwhelming favorite, though voters clearly took note of what Beasley did off the Pistons’ bench — making more than 300 3-pointers — and Jerome was particularly steady for the Cavs all season.

Last year: Minnesota’s Naz Reid won, with Sacramento’s Malik Monk and Milwaukee’s Bobby Portis the other finalists.

Most Improved Player

Finalists: Cade Cunningham, Detroit; Dyson Daniels, Atlanta; Ivica Zubac, Los Angeles Clippers.

Cunningham led Detroit’s wild turnaround year — a 28-game losing streak last season, the No. 6 seed this season — and should be an All-NBA selection as well. Daniels and Zubac both had exceptionally good seasons, particularly on the defensive end.

Last year: Philadelphia’s Tyrese Maxey won, with Houston’s Alperen Sengun and Chicago’s Coby White the other finalists.

Defensive player of the year

Finalists: Dyson Daniels, Atlanta; Draymond Green, Golden State; Evan Mobley, Cleveland.

Daniels was a steals machine, Mobley has the gift of being able to defend the rim with physicality but not foul, and Green is seeking his second award after winning it in 2016-17.

Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert remains on four DPOY awards, tied with Basketball Hall of Fame inductees Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace as winners of the most. Wembanyama — who won the blocked-shots title this season — probably would have won this award in a runaway had he not been sidelined since the All-Star break with deep vein thrombosis in one of his shoulders.

Last year: Gobert won, with Miami’s Bam Adebayo and Wembanyama the other finalists.

Clutch player of the year

Finalists: Jalen Brunson, New York; Anthony Edwards, Minnesota; Nikola Jokic, Denver.

Can’t go wrong here. Edwards had 157 points in clutch time this season, Brunson had 150 and Jokic had 140.

Last year: Golden State’s Stephen Curry won, with DeMar DeRozan — then of Chicago, now of Sacramento — and Gilgeous-Alexander the other finalists.

Verlander's first Giants win spoiled in walk-off loss to Angels

Verlander's first Giants win spoiled in walk-off loss to Angels originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Justin Verlander nearly inched closer to the 300-win milestone he’s chasing in the twilight of his MLB career.

The 42-year-old was in line for his first Giants win on Sunday against the Angels before San Francisco closer Ryan Walker surrendered four earned runs in the bottom of the ninth inning, sealing Los Angeles’ 5-4 walk-off victory.

Verlander has a long way to go to reach the exclusive milestone and is trying to prove he still has Father Time on his side. Sunday’s impressive outing was a small piece of evidence that he just might.

The veteran righty tossed six innings of one-run ball with two walks and six strikeouts on 98 pitches. Outside of a 33-pitch bottom of the fourth inning, Verlander was excellent.

“I felt better about it,” Verlander told reporters after the game, which he left with a 3-1 lead. “I feel like I’ve been turning in the right direction, and it was nice to give us a better chance to win today.”

Sunday’s loss ended a 10-day, three-city road trip for the Giants, who posted a 5-5 record against the New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and the Angels. Manager Bob Melvin lauded Verlander for pitching well Sunday but acknowledged Walker experienced a rare bad outing, spoiling what could have sent San Francisco home on a happy flight after Sam Huff’s two-run homer and Willy Adames’ two-RBI day.

“Just a little off from the very beginning,” Melvin told reporters of Walker’s performance. “He gets the punch-out and now you feel pretty good about him getting out of the inning, but I think that’s the first runs he’s given up all year, so you’re going to have some bad days.

“Unfortunately it happened today.”

San Francisco (14-8) now heads back to Oracle Park for a seven-game homestand against the Milwaukee Brewers (12-10) and Texas Rangers (13-9).

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Warriors' Draymond Green named 2024-25 NBA Defensive Player of the Year finalist

Warriors' Draymond Green named 2024-25 NBA Defensive Player of the Year finalist originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Warriors forward Draymond Green is one of three finalists for the 2024-25 NBA Defensive Player of the Year.

Green is vying for his second career DPOY honor.

Atlanta Hawks wing Dyson Daniels and Cleveland Cavaliers center Evan Mobley join Green as DPOY finalists.

The announcement was made on TNT’s “Inside the NBA” pregame show on Sunday, ahead of the Cavaliers’ first-round playoff game against the Miami Heat.

Green averaged 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocks while finishing with a 108.8 defensive rating in 68 games this season.

But Daniels averaged an NBA-leading 3.0 steals in 76 games, establishing himself as a defensive game-changer.

Mobley had his breakout season as the Cavs secured the Eastern Conference’s No. 1 seed. The fourth-year big man averaged 1.6 blocks and 0.9 steals in 71 games.

Green is aching for a second DPOY Award, and he recently spoke to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Monte Poole and Kerith Burke about what winning it again would mean to him.

“It would mean the world to me; you know I pride myself on the defensive end,” Green told Poole and Burke on “Dubs Talk” in late March. “I think to be acknowledged as the best defender in this league is no small feat. It’s something that, I never pride myself on winning awards, but they never hurt the ego and they don’t hurt the pockets. But most importantly, even more so than that, I think all the hard work you put in to try and stay at an elite level, and to be recognized as the Defensive Player of the Year at 35, eight years after first doing it, it takes a lot of work and a lot of effort to have that type of longevity.”

At 35, Green knows he faces an uphill battle against the NBA’s younger talent, like Daniels and Mobley.

“To even be mentioned in that conversation, to me, is special,” Green told Poole and Burke. “Obviously, I want to win it, but it’s not something that’s totally in my control … When I started to see my name pop up in the conversation, I was like, ‘Wow, I really have a chance to do this.’

“And I came into this season, for the last couple years I’ve been kind of priding myself on that. Like, ‘I want to win another one. I want to win another one.’ But obviously you have to have success as a team and just to find that success, put myself in the conversation. At worst, I want to make [All-Defensive First Team] and if I can put myself in the conversation to be DPOY, I think that would be crazier than winning the first one.”

In addition to his one DPOY win, Green has seven top-10 finishes, and he’s hoping that number doesn’t climb to eight.

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Golden Knights Looking For Game 1 Victory Over Wild

Minnesota Wild right wing Mats Zuccarello (36) fights with Vegas Golden Knights center Ivan Barbashev (49) during the third period at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

The Vegas Golden Knights begin their quest for their second Stanley Cup with a first-round battle against the Minnesota Wild

The Golden Knights finished the season as the two seed in the Western Conference, while the Wild finished as the seventh seed. Despite that, the series is highly anticipated and will be increasingly difficult with the recent returns of Kirill Kaprizov, Joel Eriksson Ek, and Jared Spurgeon.

Like the Wild, the Golden Knights step into the playoffs at full health, with depth aplenty. Jack Eichel recently returned from an upper-body injury, Alex Pietrangelo was able to nurse a lingering ailment, and Adin Hill was given ample rest.

Although HC Bruce Cassidy hasn't confirmed what his lineup will look like, he mentioned recently that he'd like to continue to use what's been successful in the regular season. 

The Golden Knights projected lines:

Barbashev-Eichel-Stone
Saad-Hertl-Dorofeyev
Smith-Karlsson-Olofsson
Howden-Roy-Kolsear

Hanifin-Pietrangelo
McNabb-Theodore
Hague-Whitecloud

Hill
Samsonov

Extras: Pearson, Holtz, Schwindt, Rondbjerg, Korczak, Hutton and Schmid

The Golden Knights are statistically better offensively and defensively than the Wild and hold a large advantage on the power play. The Golden Knights ranked second on the power play during the regular season, and the Wild ranked 30th on the penalty kill. Special teams are important to playoff success and the Golden Knights hold the early advantage. 

Puck drop is set for 7:00 PM PST at T-Mobile Arena. 

Stay updated with the most interesting Golden Knights stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.

Golden Knights Sticking With Lines That Have WorkedGolden Knights Sticking With Lines That Have WorkedThe Vegas Golden Knights flamed out in the first round of the playoffs last year to the Dallas Stars in large part due to HC Bruce Cassidy’s inability to find the best lines. The blame can’t all be put on him as the Golden Knights were ravaged with injuries and did not have enough time to build chemistry among linemates.  "I think he is one of the most under appreciated defensemen in the league," Golden Knights Head Coach Hands Out High Praise For Defensive DefensemanVegas Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb finished the season with a +/- rating of +42, the second-best in the NHL, earning high praise from HC Bruce Cassidy.

Skjelmose stuns Pogacar and Evenepoel with sprint to Amstel Gold Race win

  • Danish rider pips favourite Tadej Pogacar at the line
  • Bredewold tops all-Dutch podium in women’s race

Mattias Skjelmose claimed a shock victory at the Amstel Gold Race as he won a sprint finish against favourite Tadej Pogacar and Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel on Sunday.

It was supposed to be a fight between world champion Pogacar and Evenepoel but Denmark’s Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek) had not read the script as he beat Pogacar by the width of a tyre. Evenepoel, who recently returned from serious injuries sustained in a crash, was third.

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Carlos Mendoza updates Mets' injuries: Mark Vientos 'feeling better' after leaving Saturday's game, Francisco Alvarez medically clear

Carlos Mendoza updated the injuries of four Mets players before Sunday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Here is the latest from New York's manager on the statuses of Mark Vientos, Francisco Alvarez, Jeff McNeil and Paul Blackburn.

Vientos 'feeling better'

Vientos left Saturday's 3-0 win with groin discomfort and was frustrated but "not concerned." Mendoza's Sunday update confirmed as much.

"Feeling better," Mendoza said of Vientos. "I just saw him before, when he was on his way to the training room, and he says he feels a lot better today.

"Again, I will check again after he gets checked out by our trainers and all that. But talking to him, he says, 'Definitely a lot better today.'"

Vientos, who batted fourth and started at third base before Saturday's fifth-inning exit, is out of Sunday's lineup. Brett Baty replaced Vientos at third base Saturday and remains there entering Sunday's game, batting seventh.

"We'll see," Mendoza said of Vientos' Sunday availability. "I'll wait till he goes through all the testing and all that to see if he's going to be able to do some baseball activity, and then hopefully he's a player for us. But if not, we'll continue to treat it day by day."

Alvarez, McNeil progress

Alvarez (hamate fracture) and McNeil (right oblique strain) will play for Double-A Binghamton in Sunday's game against the Reading Fightin Phils. Batting second and third in the Rumble Ponies' lineup, they make their latest rehab starts with Alvarez medically clear but working on timing.

"Alvy will DH today, Jeff is scheduled to play second base," Mendoza said Sunday after McNeil homered in Saturday's 6-1 Binghamton win over Reading. "They will both be here (Monday). We will check with them. Most likely, they will continue to get at-bats.

"I think, from Alvy, from the medical standpoint, he's clear. Now, he's just continuing to work on his timing and things like that. So maybe a couple of more games in Triple-A, and then we'll see where we're at -- and same thing with Jeff."

Blackburn's rehab start

Blackburn (right knee inflammation) came out of his first rehab start feeling good, Mendoza said. The right-hander allowed one run -- a solo homer -- on two hits while striking out one and walking two in two frames for High-A Brooklyn.

"Good," Mendoza said of how Blackburn emerged from Saturday's outing. "I haven't heard anything -- he'll be here today -- but threw his two innings, and the reports from yesterday after he came out (were) he felt good."

'He's A Guy We Really Count On': Maple Leafs' Oliver Ekman-Larsson Will Play In Game 1 Against Senators

Sep 26, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson (95) turns with the puck against the Montreal Canadiens in the second period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

After cheekily hinting on Saturday he'd be ready to go, Oliver Ekman-Larsson is officially in Toronto's Game 1 lineup against the Ottawa Senators.

Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube confirmed the news following the team's optional skate, which the 33-year-old defenseman attended. Ekman-Larsson missed the final four games of the regular season with an upper-body injury.

With the defenseman returning to the lineup, expect the Maple Leafs to go with this defense group in Game 1 against the Senators:

Morgan Rielly — Brandon Carlo
Jake McCabe — Chris Tanev
Simon Benoit — Oliver Ekman-Larsson

Ekman-Larsson joined the Maple Leafs on a four-year, $14 million contract this summer after winning the Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers last June. The defenseman played in all but five games for Toronto, averaging 21:04 of ice time, and scoring four goals and 25 assists.

'We'll See Tomorrow': Maple Leafs Reveal Lineup For Game 1 Against Senators, But Could It Change?'We'll See Tomorrow': Maple Leafs Reveal Lineup For Game 1 Against Senators, But Could It Change?The Toronto Maple Leafs aren't changing much ahead of Game 1 on Sunday against the Ottawa Senators.

"He's been a very good player in this league for a long time," Berube said on Sunday morning.

"He's been a really good all-around defenseman for us, in my opinion, all situations. He's the type of guy that's very versatile, moving around with different partners, playing the right side, power play, penalty kill. He's kind of a guy that we really count on in different situations and in different roles more than anything."

Toronto is entering the postseason with only one playoff rookie: Bobby McMann. Ottawa, however, has several players who have yet to make their playoff debut.

Ekman-Larsson has played 49 postseason games with Florida and the Arizona Coyotes. He played in all 24 of the Panthers' games last year when they won the cup, which will help in the long run with Toronto.

But how much does experience matter, especially in a series where it's so lopsided in Toronto's favor?

"I think it matters. I think it's good to know what you're getting yourself into. But so many different things that happen out there, so you've got to be able to kind of adapt," Ekman-Larsson said on Saturday.

'Got To Quiet The Noise': Craig Berube Reveals What He's Learned The Most Since Becoming Head Coach of the Maple Leafs 'Got To Quiet The Noise': Craig Berube Reveals What He's Learned The Most Since Becoming Head Coach of the Maple Leafs Craig Berube is set to embark on his first Stanley Cup Playoffs as head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs. One day before his team takes on the Ottawa Senators in a best-of-seven first-round series, Toronto's bench boss was asked what he's learned the most about coaching the club.

"It's going to be ups and downs in the series, and it's the team that kind of handles that the best that comes out of it usually, so I think it matters. But with that being said, I think we've got to focus on what we have to do there. Just come out and play like we've been playing all year."

Jake McCabe will also return to Toronto's lineup after missing the last seven games of the year: "Ready to rock."

Anthony Stolarz gets the start in Game 1 against Ottawa as the Maple Leafs look for their first series win since 2023 against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

"I'm excited for it for sure. That's what you play all year for is to get to this situation and have the opportunity to compete in the playoffs," Berube said. "I'm excited and just focused on what we need to do and trying to prepare our team the best way."


Stay updated with the most interesting Maple Leafs stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.

Pablo Sarabia stuns Manchester United to extend Wolves’ winning run

The fine tidings for Manchester United are that they are safe from relegation, the grim ones are that this came despite a 15th defeat of a dismal Premier League campaign.

Wolves’ winner was simple: on 77 minutes Pablo Sarabia, on as a substitute only 120 seconds before, placed a 20-yard free-kick sweetly to André Onana’s left, Christian Eriksen having been culpable for the foul.

Continue reading...

Penguins Grzelcyk Joins Elite Company With 40 Point-Season

Matt Grzelcyk - Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn

Little did anyone know that when the Pittsburgh Penguins signed free agent defenseman Matt Grzelcyk in the summer of 2024, the 31-year-old would go on to have a career season with his new team, finishing the campaign with 40 points.

During his eight seasons with his hometown Boston Bruins, Grzelyck never scored more than 26 points, setting a career-high in 2022-23. Before moving to Pittsburgh, he was a four-time 20-point player despite never playing a full 82-game schedule.

With the Penguins, Grzelyck was an assist machine, picking up 39 helpers, ranking behind Sidney Crosby (58) and Erik Karlsson (42). Moreover, he finished sixth in team scoring, following Crosby (91), Rickard Rakell (70), Bryan Rust (65), Karlsson (53), and Evgeni Malkin (50).

Inside The Numbers: Penguins' Record In Season FinalesInside The Numbers: Penguins' Record In Season FinalesThe Pittsburgh Penguins just finished their 57th season with a 34-36-12 record, missing the Stanley Cup playoffs for the third consecutive campaign.

Ultimately, Grzelyck outscored long-time defenseman Kris Letang by ten points and was only one of two players, besides Karlsson, to play all 82 games.  

Meanwhile, he was tied with Crosby for most assists on the power-play, picking up 15 on special teams.

However, those statistics only begin to tell the story of how special Grzelcyk's season was. In his first season with the Penguins, he became only the 20th defenseman to record 40 points in a season, joining a list featuring Hall of Famers and Norris Trophy winners.

  • Kris Letang (11)
  • Paul Coffey (5)
  • Sergei Gonchar (4)
  • Randy Carlyle (4)
  • Ron Stackhouse (4)
  • Larry Murphy (3)
  • Moe Mantha (3)
  • Erik Karlsson (2)
  • Ryan Whitney (2)
  • Dick Tärnström (2)
  • Kevin Hatcher (2)
  • Zarley Zalapski (2)
  • Dough Bodger (2)
  • Matt Grzelcyk (1)
  • Justin Schultz (1)
  • Matt Niskanen (1)
  • Sergei Zubov (1)
  • Paul Baxter (1)
  • Mario Faubert (1)
  • Tom Edur (1)

Additionally, Grzelcyk is one of only 12 skaters to achieve the feat in their first season with the Penguins. He follows in the footsteps of Coffey, Gonchar, Carlyle, Mantha, Karlsson, Tärnström, Hatcher, Zubov, and Edur.

Technically, Murphy and Schultz scored 40 points in their first full season in Pittsburgh, having played part of the previous campaign after a trade.

Grzelcyk is now a free agent, coming off a one-year deal worth $2.75 million signed on July 1, 2024. It turned out to be a bargain deal considering he made $3.687 million annually with the Bruins. 

As the 26th-highest scorer (tied) among defensemen in the NHL during the 2024-25 season, Grzelyck won't be a free agent for long when the opening bell rings on July 1. 

Which UFAs Should The Penguins Bring Back?Which UFAs Should The Penguins Bring Back?Although the Pittsburgh Penguins shipped out most of their unrestricted free agents before the NHL trade deadline on Mar. 7, there are still a few remaining on the roster.

Mets vs. Cardinals: How to watch on April 20, 2025

The Mets (14-7) go for a series sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals (9-12) Sunday at 1:40 p.m. on PIX11. Here's what to know about the game and how to watch...


Mets Notes

  • The Mets are currently in a stretch of 13 consecutive days with games and are 6-3 since the slate started April 11, winning three straight after back-to-back losses.
  • New York has a 16-23 all-time record on Easter.
  • With Saturday's 3-0 clincher, he Mets have not lost a series at home since Aug. 13-15 against the Athletics. They have won their past nine Citi Field sets.
  • RHPClay Holmes makes his fifth start of the season for New York. He is 2-1 with a 3.66 ERA and 1.47 WHIP, striking out 28 and walking 11 in 19.2 IP. The Cardinals, on the other hand, start RHP Sonny Gray (3-0, 3.13 ERA).


METS
CARDINALS

Francisco Lindor, SS

Lars Nootbaar, LF

Juan Soto, RF

Thomas Saggese, SS

Pete Alonso, 1B

Brendan Donovan, 2B

Brandon Nimmo, LF

Willson Contreras, DH

Jesse Winker, DH

Alec Burleson, 1B

Luisangel Acuña, 2B

Jordan Walker, RF

Brett Baty, 3B

Nolan Gorman, 3B

Tyrone Taylor, CF

Pedro Pagés, C

Hayden Senger, C

Victor Scott II, CF


How can I watch Mets vs. Cardinals online?

To watch Mets games online via PIX11, you will need a subscription to a TV service provider and live in the New York City metro area. This will allow fans to watch the Mets on their computer, tablet or mobile phone browser.

To get started on your computer, go to the PIX11 live stream website and follow the site's steps. For more FAQs, you can go here.

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Prospect call-ups galore, Austin Hays off the IL

Welcome to Waiver Wire Watch, where I review my favorite waiver wire adds and drops for each week of the MLB season.

The premise is pretty straightforward. I’ll try to give you some recommended adds each week based on recent production or role changes. When I list a player, I’ll list the category where I think he’ll be helpful or the quick reason he’s listed. I hope that it will help you determine if the player is a fit for what your team needs or not.

For a player to qualify to be on this list, he needs to be UNDER 40% rostered in Yahoo! formats. I understand you may say, “These players aren’t available in my league,” and I can’t help you there. These players are available in over 60% of leagues and some in 98% of leagues, so they’re available in many places and that can hopefully satisfy readers in all league types.

Waiver Wire Hitters

Jonathan Aranda - 1B, TB: 54% rostered (38% when the article was first drafted)
(POWER UPSIDE, SECURE PLAYING TIME)

I'm not quite sure what people are waiting for with Aranda. Even the 54% mark here feels a bit low. Yes, I know Aranda sits against left-handed pitching, but he has been crushing it this season, slashing .367/.435/.700 with four home runs, 12 runs, and 13 RBI in 19 games. While his pull rates have dipped slightly, Aranda has seen a 12% jump in his fly ball rate, and he's driving the ball to right and right-center field. He's traded a bit of contact for power, but we're OK with that because he still makes a league-average amount of contact, and the ball should carry in Tampa Bay in the summer months. It's also worth noting that Aranda has played 14 games at 1B this year while Yandy Diaz has played just two. Diaz's name also came up in plenty of trade rumors this off-season, so if the Rays continue to struggle, he could be moved this summer, which even further cements Aranda's spot in the lineup. He needs to be added in more places.

Tyler Fitzgerald - 2B/SS/OF - SF: 45% rostered(28% rostered when this was drafted)
(HOT STRETCH, POWER/SPEED UPSIDE)

Tyler Fitzgerald is one of the hottest hitters in baseball, going 12-for-34 (.353) over his last 10 games with one home run, five RBI, and three steals. That's after a strong 2024 season where he hit .280 with 15 home runs and 17 steals in 96 games. There were some concerns with Fitzgerald's approach coming into the season with a 14% swinging strike rate and nearly 32% strikeout rate, and some of that swing-and-miss remains, with Fitzgerald sporting a 15% swinging strike rate this season. However, he has been more aggressive, swinging almost 8% more overall, which means even though he is swinging and missing, he's swinging more often, which gives him more chances to make contact. His 80% zone contact rate and 72% contact rate overall are not good, but also not horrible. At the end of the day, this is likely not an approach that will lead to consistent success for Fitzgerald, but it can lead to hot streaks when he's seeing the ball well, and that's happening now.

Dylan Moore - 1B/2B/3B/SS/OF, SEA: 44% rostered(33% rostered when this was drafted)
(SPEED UPSIDE, PLAYING TIME OPPORTUNITY)

Injuries to Victor Robles and Ryan Bliss have opened up the opportunity for everyday playing time for Moore, who can play second base, third base, or the outfield. He has seemed to settle in as the primary second baseman and is hitting .308 with four home runs and five steals in 18 games so far this season. We've also seen Dylan Moore do this before. He has great speed and plays almost every position on the diamond. However, we also know that he struggles with making consistent contact, and the cold streaks will always be there. I know that Wyatt Langford's return is going to cause some people to drop Josh Smith - 3B/SS/OF, TEX (16% rostered), and I get that in shallow formats, but Smith isn't going to start playing just once or twice a week. He was getting regular starts in left field with Wyatt Langford out and also started at third base when Josh Jung was out, so the Rangers have no problem plugging and playing him basically anywhere. He's hitting .341/.438/.512 with three steals to start the season, and is a great multi-position bench piece in deeper leagues because I still believe he can play four times a week by moving all over the field.

Rhys Hoskins - 1B, MIL: 31% rostered
(POWER UPSIDE, HOT STRETCH)

I bought in on Rhys Hoskins in spring training because he talked about being fully healthy after ACL surgery in 2023 and had also changed his stance to quiet his head and improve his contact. The results didn’t come right at the start of the season, but we're starting to see them now with Hoskins going 10-for-34 (.294) over his last 11 games with two home runs and six RBI. I like his ballpark, I like his lineup, and so I have no problem adding Hoskins anywhere he's available.

Chandler Simpson - OF, TB: 27% rostered
(CALL-UP, SPEED UPSIDE )

Chandler Simpson is very fast. You don’t need me to tell you that, but it’s the basis for why you’re trying to add him this weekend. Anybody who steals 100 bases in one season has tons of fantasy juice in one category. He’s also a .321 career hitter in the minors, so he should still get on base and run a lot, but he has no thump in his bat. You’re hoping for speed and runs scored atop a Rays lineup. If you don’t really need speed, then you may not need/want to pay what it’s gonna take to get him, and if you do need speed but you're not willing to pay what it will take to get Chandler then a pivot to Jake Meyers - OF, HOU (3% rostered) makes some sense. He's starting every day in center field for the Astros and has gone 16-for-55 (.291) with seven steals so far this season. He hits eighth in the order, so he's unlikely to help your counting stats too much, but an outfielder who can hit .270-.280 and swipe bases in a good offense certainly has value in deeper formats.

Sal Frelick (OF, MIL: 27% rostered
(EVERYDAY ROLE, SPEED UPSIDE)

Frelick is playing every day in Milwaukee and hitting .319 in his 21 games with five steals and 11 runs scored. He hits fifth or sixth in the Brewers' lineup, which should lead to decent counting stats as the season goes on, but he's unlikely to hit more than five home runs this season. This play is essentially about batting average and speed, but if you need those two things, Frelick is a solid option for you. Another similar "boring but useful" outfielder is Mike Yastrzemski - OF, SF (21% rostered), who is hitting .279/.405/.525 with three home runs, two steals, and 11 RBI so far this season. His contact profile doesn't look much different, except for a slight bump in pull rate, but he has just a 9.2% swinging strike rate, which has led to a 78.3% contact rate and a solid amount of barrels early in the year. He's not going to "break out," but the Giants are a solid lineup, and Yaz has been leading off against right-handed pitching, which is a great spot to be in.

Jorge Polanco - 2B/3B, SEA: 26% rostered
(EVERYDAY STARTER, COUNTING STATS UPSIDE)

Polanco has been off to a hot start to the season, but his surgically repaired knee has been giving him some problems, and he still hasn't been hitting right-handed since injuring his side a few weeks ago. Still, even with all those injuries, Polanco continues to produce, going 15-for-41 (.366) in 12 games with three home runs, 12 RBI, and one steal.I wrote him up as an undervalued hitter in spring training, so I would recommend taking some shares. If you're after a multi-position player in deeper formats, Ernie Clement - 3B/SS, TOR (1% rostered) is starting to do what we thought he would do in spring, going 9-for-31 (.290) over his last 11 games with four runs scored and a steal. Clement is still starting four or five times a week and hit 12 home runs while stealing 12 bases in 139 games last year, so there is some low-end across-the-board value in deeper formats.

Kyle Manzardo - 1B, CLE: 24% rostered
(POWER UPSIDE, HOT STREAK COMING)

I understand that Manzardo hasn't produced the way people wanted this season with a .194/.316/.500 slash line, but I like so much of what he's doing process-wise. For starters, he has 19 strikeouts and 11 walks in 19 games with a sub-10% swinging strike rate, so we're not concerned about his contact quality. If he's anything, he's maybe being a bit too passive on fringe strikes, but a 76% contact rate overall is fine. He has also raised his pull rate and his fly ball rate, and has a 20% barrel rate in 45 batted ball events. Now, we know it's too early for those stats to stabilize, and I think some calibration needs to be done where Manzardo doesn't need to lift the ball AS MUCH as he currently is. However, we have a young hitter who is not swinging and missing, understands the strike zone, and is getting to his barrel more often than in years past. That's something I want to buy into, and I think Manzardo will likely end up having a better season than Matt Mervis - 1B, MIA (9% rostered), who has been on fire from a power standpoint of late with four home runs in his last 10 games. There has never been any doubt about Mervis' power, and he was a fantasy darling back when he was on the Cubs a couple of years ago, but his minor league numbers didn't carry over to the big leagues. He now has an everyday role in Miami, but also has a 40% strikeout rate and a 19.8% swinging strike rate, so the batting average is not going to be good even if his power and playing time remain.

Nick Kurtz - 1B, ATH: 24% rostered
(PROSPECT STASH, POWER UPSIDE)

I've had Kurtz in here for a couple of weeks, and his roster rate has climbed from 5% over those two weeks, so you may have missed the window on stashing him, but if you can, you should now. Kurtz was the fourth overall pick in last year's draft and got an aggressive assignment to Triple-A after a strong spring training. Well, he's hitting .348/.395/.738 in his first 16 Triple-A games with seven home runs and 22 RBI. The Athletics have been playing Brent Rooker in the outfield more often this past week, which tells me that a Kurtz call-up is brewing. Roman Anthony - OF, BOS (28% rostered) is another top prospect who may not be long for the minors. The Red Sox will need to clear up some space in the outfield for him, but he's off to a strong start in Triple-A and should be up soon, especially if Ceddanne Rafaela continues to struggle to make good on his strong spring training. Rafaela could move into a super utility role with Jarren Duran in CF and Anthony in LF.

Pavin Smith - 1B/OF, ARI: 24% rostered
(COUNTING STAT UPSIDE, EVERY DAY JOB)

It's tough to roster players like Smith, who sit every time a left-hander is on the mound, but if you're playing in a daily moves league or a league that lets you change hitters mid-week, you should at least put him on your radar. Smithis somebody that I’m in onafter he hit .270/.348/.547 with nine home runs and a .896 OPS in 158 plate appearances in a part-time role last year. This season, he's gone 20-for-51 (.392) with three home runs and 10 runs scored. It's early days, but he's pulling the ball way more than he has before, which has led to more swing and miss but also more authoritative contact. If he starts lifting the ball more, then he should see the hot stretch continue. If you were looking for a first baseman who is going to play more often, then Nolan Schanuel - 1B, LAA (12% rostered) could be your guy. I had Schanuel on a few teams last year. He has good speed for a first baseman and a 91% zone contact rate, which highlights his overall batting average upside. So far in 2025, Schanuel has posted much better bat speed numbers and has hit the two hardest balls of his MLB career. Remember that he's only 23 years old and debuted in the same season he was drafted. There is still some potential growth here, and it wouldn't surprise me if Schanuel hit .275 with 15 home runs and 10 steals. That's not bad for a deeper league corner infield target.

Kameron Misner - OF, TB (18% rostered)
(POWER/SPEED UPSIDE, CONSISTENT PLAYING TIME)

Misner found himself with a shot at a starting job thanks to an oblique injury that could keep Josh Lowe out for multiple months, and he has delivered, going .360/.404/.660 with three home runs and 10 RBI in 15 games. I know that there is a tendency to write this off as a fluke that will flame out soon, but a few interesting things are happening here. For starters, he’s added 2.8 mph to his bat speed, which is among the tops in baseball in the early going. Misner is pulling the ball less and also chasing far less, waiting for pitches he can drive to all parts of the field. That has led to a huge improvement in swinging strike rate and a really impressive 95.2% zone contact rate. Misner struggles to make contact on anything out of the zone when he does chase, but his chase rate has been cut to just 27%, so that might not hurt him as much as it used to. Remember that Misner was a former first-round pick, who hit .248/.360/.442 with 17 home runs and 30 steals in Triple-A for the Rays last season, and these new approach changes make me feel confident that at least some of this is real. Misner's teammate Jake Mangum - OF, TB (11% rostered) is another option, especially if you're in a deep league and looking for speed. Mangum makes more contact than Misner does, but is a far more aggressive hitter, so he won't draw walks or hit for much power at all. He's a good bet for a better average and more steals, so if those are the two categories you're after, Mangum could be your guy.

Gabriel Arias - 2B/3B/SS, CLE: 16% rostered
(STARTING JOB, POWER UPSIDE)

It might be time to start taking note of what Arias is doing. The 25-year-old won the starting second base job for the Guardians and has gone 17-for-61 (.279) with four home runs and 10 RBI to start the season. Arias added 1.3 mph to his swing as welland now has an average bat speed of 75.7 mph, which is 15th-best in all of baseball, right around Elly De La Cruz, James Wood, and many other high-upside power hitters. Guardians manager Stephen Vogt talked up Arias in spring training and has used him at 2B, 3B, and SS already this season. He could be a solid bench add in deeper formats, but we need to acknowledge that his 22% swinging strike rate is an issue. Some aggressive hitters can sustain a certain level of success even when they swing and miss more than normal, but 22% is super high. It's a bit of an issue.

Austin Hays - OF, CIN: 12% rostered
(EVERYDAY ROLE, COUTING STAT UPSIDE)

Last week, we talked about Austin Hays as a stash while he was nearing his activation off the IL. He has come off the IL and started as the clean-up hitter in every game while going 8-for-22 with three home runs and seven RBI. We know who Hays is as a hitter, and he's not going to set the world on fire. However, he's a .262 career hitter, who has shown 20+ home run power in Baltimore and could run into 20-25 home runs in Cincinnati. Hitting every day behind Elly De La Cruz and Matt McLain should help his counting stats too. If you're looking for an outfielder in deeper leagues, I think it's time to roll the dice on Alek Thomas - OF, ARI: 2% rostered, who was once a top prospect in the Diamondbacks organization but battled injuries and could never seem to transition his minor league ability into MLB success. Thomas has also started four of the last five games in center field and seems to have wrestled away the starting job from Jake McCarthy pretty firmly for now. Thomas is just 24 years old and is a former top prospect, so it makes sense for Arizona to continue to give him a chance to play full-time. So far, he’s hitting .292/.364/.438 in 55 plate appearances with 10 RBI and two steals. He seems to have a slightly more aggressive approach this season, pulling and barreling the ball more often, which could make him an intriguing fantasy asset for batting average and steals.

Caleb Durbin - 2B/SS/3B, MIL: 9% rostered
(CALL-UP, EVERY DAY JOB SPEED UPSIDE)

Caleb Durbin is yet another rookie getting a starting job this week. The Brewers have said Durbin is their 3B for the foreseeable future, so you’ve got a bit of job security here. Durbin had emerged as an intriguing prospect for the Yankees over the last two years and was the central piece in the offseason trade for Devin Williams. So far this season, Durbin was hitting .278/.316/.482 at Triple- with two home runs and three steals. He’s never shown much power in the minors, but he has 30 stolen base upside and has rarely ever had a strikeout rate over 10%. He’s gonna make a ton of contact and reminds me a bit of his teammate Sal Frelick with slightly more power. He’s an option if you, like me, lost Matt Shaw in some leagues. A less exciting third base option would be Eric Wagaman - 1B/3B, MIA (1% rostered). Wagaman came up for me on a random search of players who are making solid swing decisions, making a lot of contact, and making authoritative contact. He’s always made a fair amount of contact and doesn’t lift the ball a lot, which will limit his home run upside, but his strong understanding of the strike zone means he gets his pitch often and has the chance to run a decent batting average with 15 HR power. He’ll just need to hit to keep getting at-bats. With Jonah Bride now gone and Griffin Conine injured, Wagaman has a chance to carve out some playing time at 1B/3B/DH. I’d only take gambles in deep leagues, but it might be worth a shot.

Luke Keaschall - 1B/2B/OF, MIN: 7% rostered
(CALL-UP, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE)

Luke Keaschall came onto our redraft radars this spring when he showed up to spring training healthy enough to swing a bat and with Twins beat writers suggesting he could push for the 2B job by summer. It seems that summer has come early. Keaschall is a 2023 second-round pick who hit .303/.420/.483 in 102 games between high-A and Double-A before undergoing Tommy John surgery last year. He’s a smart hitter who doesn’t get himself out and will take advantage of a pitcher’s mistakes and has the speed to swipe some bags when he gets on. He’s not gonna hit for tons of power, and the Twins infield could get crowded with Keaschall, Brooks Lee, Edouard Julien, Willi Castro, and Carlos Correa when everybody is healthy. He has a bit of a similar profile to Chase Meidroth - 2B/3B/SS, CWS (4% rostered), who is another multi-position option in deeper leagues. Chase Meidroth was one of the central components that came over to the White Sox in the Garrett Crochet deal. Despite the batting average not being great in spring training, he showed elite plate discipline and then went down to Triple-A and hit .267/.450/.600 with three home runs, two steals, and 11 runs scored in nine games. Now, he's getting a shot with the White Sox and will most likely be an everyday starter now that he's up. He's unlikely to hit double-digit home runs, but he can steal 10+ bags and hit .250-.260 while producing a solid on-base percentage. That may not have much shallow league value because of the poor lineup around him, but he's firmly on deep league radars.

Brooks Lee - 2B/SS/3B - MIN: 4% rostered
(PLAYING TIME OPPORTUNITY , BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE )

Lee has gone just 2-for-15 with a home run and two RBI since coming off the IL. But with Willi Castro banged up, Lee could see regular playing time. He was sidelined by a back strain late in spring training, but figured to play every day for the Twins. He didn't have a great spring and is not much of a power/speed threat, so I think he's a better real-life player than a fantasy player. Another player who would benefit from a playing time boost is Thomas Saggese - 2B, STL (1% rostered). He hit .253/.313/.438 with 20 home runs and nine steals in 125 games at Triple-A last year, and is off to a strong start in 2025, going 13-for-30 (.433) with one home run and five RBI. Even with Masyn Winn hurt, the Cardinals seem intent on not playing Saggese every day and continuing to run Nolan Gorman out there. In deeper formats, I'm OK adding Saggese and seeing if the performance leads to more at-bats.

Edgar Quero - C, CWS (1% rostered)
(BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE, STARTING JOB)

It's catcher's corner over here. The 22-year-old Quero is the 62nd-ranked prospect in baseball and the 6th-ranked prospect in the WHite Sox organization, so him getting the call is something to keep an eye on. Quero was off to a strong start in Triple-A, going 17-for-51 with one home run in 15 games. Quero has always been a high contact rate hitter in the minors and has never posted high fly ball rates, which tends to limit his power upside. He should hit for a decent average, but he won’t steal bases and is unlikely to hit for much power right away, which makes him more of a target in two-catcher formats for right now. As will Dillon Dingler - C, DET (8% rostered) in Detroit with Jake Rogers hurt. Dingler has gotten off to the best start of the group, going 16-for-53 (.302) with two home runs and nine RBI, and he was a top prospect in the Detroit system, so he's worth a shot as well in case any of these early gains stick.

Tirso Ornelas - OF, SD (0% rostered)
(CALL UP, STARTING JOB)

The last prospect to get called up is probably the most under-the-radar, but Ornelas figures to be the everyday left fielder (at minimum against right-handed pitchers) with Jason Heyward on the 10-day IL with knee inflammation. Ornelas became a favorite in the fantasy community after a strong spring training and started the year in Triple-A by hitting 281/.418/.359 with three steals, 17 runs scored, one home run, and seven RBI in 79 plate appearances. He's definitely more of a deep-league option, but he hit 23 homers in the minors last season, has a good feel for the strike zone, and makes a fair amount of contact, so he could be worth a gamble.

Waiver Wire Pitchers

Emilio Pagan - RP, CIN: 36% rostered
Despite my initial doubts that he could hold this job down, Pagan is clearly "the guy" for saves in Cincinnati right now, and his velocity is up, but we've kind of seen this from him in the past. We know Pagan can go through hot stretches, but he can also give up lots of hard contact and home runs, as he did on Thursday. That makes me a little nervous, even if he has Terry Francona's trust right now. I honestly have more confidence in Tommy Kahnle - RP, DET (28% rostered) since he's looked good so far and Detroit has no problem running out a closer who doesn't have elite strikeout upside or a big fastball. Kahnle has four saves and a 1.17 ERA in seven appearances so far this year, so I'm scooping if he's available.

Hayden Wesneski - SP, HOU: 37% rostered
I covered Wesneski in my Starting Pitcher News column a few weeks ago, so I'd encourage you to check that out to see how Houston is changing his pitch mix and what my expectations are for Wesneski this season.

Grant Holmes - SP, ATL: 37% rostered
I was in on Grant Holmes at the start of the season thanks to Eno Sarris and Nick Pollack, who talked him up, but the weather threw his schedule into chaos, and he was really hard to roster in shallow formats early on. Now that he’s gotten a few starts under his belt, it’s easy to see why we were in on him to begin with.

David Bednar - RP, PIT: 36% rostered
Now, may be the time to stash Bednar if you need saves. The veteran has only allowed one hit in five innings at Triple-A while striking out seven and walking nobody. If the Pirates wanted a reset, it’s happened. There’s no reason for Bednar to remain in Triple-A any longer. Perhaps I'm biased because I have Bednar in a few places, but I watched those first few outings, and I think his defense let him down on several occasions, which helped make those outings seem worse than they truly were. Nobody in Pittsburgh has really staked a claim to the closer's role, so I expect Bednar to get it back soon. BEDNAR WAS CALLED UP ON SATURDAY, SO IT MIGHT ONLY BE A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE HE'S CLOSING GAMES AGAIN.

Andrew Heaney - SP, PIT: 25% rostered
We’ve seen Andrew Heaney do this before, but you’ve also wanted him on your team when he’s running hot like this. There’s nothing he’s doing that makes him seem different from the Heaney we’ve come to now, but he’s throwing strikes, the slider looks good, and he gets the Angels next time out. Just roll with this until the wheels start to wobble.

Andrew Abbott - SP, CIN: 24% rostered
Abbott had a tremendous last start, striking out 11 Orioles. In some ways, he’s a little different in 2025, leaning into his changeup more and adding a little more arm-side run. He’s also shortened up the break on his curve to have it tunnel better with his slider. I still hate the home ballpark, and I don’t love that his fastball velocity is down, so I wouldn’t say I’m “in” on Abbott, but I can see taking a chance in deeper leagues.

Eduardo Rodriguez - SP, ARI: 22% rostered
E-Rod is an interesting case because a 4.09 ERA and 1.36 WHIP through four starts doesn't seem all that great; however, he also has 29 strikeouts to just six walks in 22 innings and is among the league leaders in K-BB%. Early in the season, I like using K-BB% to identify pitchers because it tells me who's missing bats and also has command of the strike zone. That's usually a good indicator of who could have longer-term success. He'll also get a weak Rays offense at home next week, so I like that start.

Zebby Matthews - SP, MIN: 19% rostered
Matthews wasone of my favorite late-round picks early in spring training, and he has been cruising in Triple-A, pitching to a 1.80 ERA, 0.73 WHIP, and 20 strikeouts in 15 innings in his first three starts. We thought Matthews would get a chance when Pablo Lopez went down, but that doesn't appear to be the case. However, Simeon Woods-Richardson now appears to be hurt, David Festa has struggled to pitch deep into games, and Chris Paddack has been underwhelming, so there are a few options for the Twins to give Matthews a shot if they wanted to.

Brayan Bello - SP, BOS: 16% rostered
It's finally time. Last week, I mentioned Bello if you needed an IL stash, and now it seems that he's going to make his season debut for the Red Sox next week against the Mariners. I understand his overall stats in the minors haven't looked great, but his velocity has been good, and he's getting tons of swinging strikes. When veterans are in the minors on rehab assignments, they're just working on different things with their mechanics and trying to stretch out and remain healthy, so I urge against looking too much into surface-level stats for guys on rehab assignments.

Tyler Anderson - SP, LAA: 9% rostered
Tyler Anderson is in a similar situation to Heaney. We’ve seen him be a solid fantasy starter in the past when he’s changeup is working, and it’s certainly working right now as the veteran has started the year with a 2.08 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and 21 strikeouts in 21.2 innings. Anderson also gets the Pirates in his next start, so I’m happy to roll with this here.

Robert Garcia - RP, TEX: 9% rostered
This is just a bet on my continued lack of faith in Luke Jackson. I know Jackson is the closer in Texas and has been good, but I just don’t buy it. Garcia is a solid reliever who will pick up the odd save here and there as a left-hander, which will make him valuable even if Jackson continues to pitch well. But it Jackson struggles, Garcia will likely enter a clear closer committee, so why not roll the dice now? Justin Slaten - RP, BOS (10% rostered) is in the same boat. Slaten got the first save of the season for Boston, and people scooped him everywhere, but then he had one bad outing, and he was dropped in most places. Yet, he has looked legit since then and notched a save on Wednesday night in a dominant innings. Aroldis Chapman is the main closer in Boston, but Slaten will mix in when Chapman needs a rest or is needed against tough lefties in the 8th inning. That's worth a roster spot in a lot of formats. You could also add Luke Wever - RP, NYY (30% rostered) since Devin Williams simply doesn't look right in New York right now.

Abner Uribe (5% rostered) or Nick Mears (1% rostered) - RP, MIL
I know Trevor Megill is still pitching through his knee injury, but anybody who needs to get a second opinion on a knee injury is somebody I’m worried about. Pair that with declining fastball velocity, and I’m willing to add some other relievers in Milwaukee and see what happens. Both Mears and Uribe have earned a save, but they have also both repeatedly entered a game in the 6th inning. I have no idea how Pat Murphy is running his bullpen, but these are the two names I think would be in the saves mix if this Megill injury becomes relevant.

Quinn Priester - SP, MIL: 4% rostered
The Quinn Priester trade returned lots of value for Boston, but they revamped his arsenal and then shipped him off to succeed elsewhere. Since getting Priester from Pittsburgh, the Red Sox added a cutter, tightened up his slider, and narrowed the wide movement gaps in his pitch mix, which creates better tunneling and deception in the zone. So far, he's allowed one run in 10 innings for the Brewers while striking out eight. This has a real Tobias Myers feel for Milwaukee.

STREAMING STARTER PITCHERS

(ranked in loose order)

Week of 4/21

Strong Preference

PitcherRoster%Opponent
Eduardo Rodriguez22%vs TB
Jose Soriano45%vs PIT, at MIN
Andrew Heaney25%at LAA
Nick Martinez16%at MIA
Hayden Wesneski33%at KC
Tyler Anderson9%vs PIT

Fairly Confident

Brayan Bello16%vs SEA, at CLE
Michael Lorenzen6%vs COL
Shane Smith13%at MIN
David Festa8%vs CWS
Cade Povich3%at WAS
Landen Roupp26vs MIL
Matthew Liberatore15%vs MIL
Osvaldo Bido7%vs TEX, vs CWS
Kumar Rocker22%at ATH
Grant Holmes33%at ARI
Edward Cabrera4%vs CIN
Quinn Priester4%at STL

Some Hesitation

Jose Quintana1%at STL
Sean Burke6%at ATH
Lance McCullers5%at KC
Will Warren8%at CLE
Tomoyuki Sugano8%at WAS
Patrick Corbin1%at ATH
Dean Kremer4%at WAS, at DET
Chase Dollander16%at KC
Randy Vasquez4%at DET, vs TB

Columbus Blue Jackets Stat Leaders for 24-25

Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images

The 2024-25 Columbus Blue Jackets season has ended, so let's take a final look at the stats, leaders, and other numbers.

Goals

  1. Adam Fantilli - 31
  2. Kirill Marchenko - 31
  3. Kent Johnson - 24

Assists

  1. Zach Werenski - 59 - 4th among all NHL defensemen
  2. Kirill Marchenko - 43
  3. Sean Monahan - 38

Points

  1. Zach Werenski - 82 - 2nd among all NHL defensemen
  2. Kirill Marchenko - 74
  3. Sean Monahan - 57
  4. Kent Johnson - 57

Plus/Minus

  1. Kirill Marchenko - +29
  2. Dante Fabbro - +20
  3. Sean Monahan - +19

Power Play Goals

  1. Dmitri Voronkov - 8
  2. Sean Monahan - 7

Game Winning Goals

  1. Zach Werenski - 5
  2. Mathieu Olivier - 5

Shots

  1. Zach Werenski - 298 - 3rd in the NHL

PIM

  1. Mathieu Olivier - 139 - 2nd in NHL

Fights

  1. Mathieu Olivier - 15 of the NHL's 297

Hits

  1. Mathieu Olivier - 306 - 2nd in NHL

Blocks 

  1. Dante Fabbro - 136
  2. Zach Werenski - 131

Time On Ice

  1. Zach Werenski - 2166:22 - 26:45 per Game - 1st in NHL

Goalie Wins 

  1. Elvis Merzlikins - 26 - 21st in NHL
  2. Jet Greaves - 7
  3. Daniil Tarasov - 7

Save %

  1. Jet Greaves - .938
  2. Elvis Merzlikins - .892 - Outside top-50
  3. Daniil Tarasov - .881

Goals Against Average

  1. Jet Greaves - 1.91
  2. Elvis Merzlikins - 3.18
  3. Daniil Tarasov - 3.54

Total Goals Scored 

  1. 267 - T-7th in NHL - Franchise Record
  2. 3.26 goals per game - T-7th in NHL

Total Goals Against

  1. 267 - 25th Worst in NHL
  2. 3.26 goals per game - 25th Worst in NHL

Power Play & Penalty Kill

  1. 19.5% - 22nd in NHL
  2. 77.0% - 22nd in NHL

Corsi & Fenwick per MoneyPuck.com

  1. Corsi - 48.53% - 22nd in NHL
  2. Fenwick - 48.63% - 24th in NHL

Penalties Minutes Taken per 60 per MoneyPuck.com

  • 7.52 - 20th in NHL

Penalties Drawn per 60 per MoneyPuck.com

  • 6.69 - 6th Fewest in NHL

The Columbus Blue Jackets enter the offseason and will undoubtedly formulate a plan to build on the success of the 2024-25 season. GM Don Waddell has many important decisions to make this summer and a lot of money to spend. 

Let us know what you think below.

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Zach Werenski Declines Offer To Play At World ChampionshipsZach Werenski Declines Offer To Play At World ChampionshipsColumbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski has declined the offer to play for Team USA at the 2025 World Championships in May. Thank You From The Hockey News Columbus TeamThank You From The Hockey News Columbus TeamThank You, Columbus! Prediction Results For the 24-25 Columbus Blue JacketsPrediction Results For the 24-25 Columbus Blue JacketsBefore the season started, I made some predictions for the 24-25 season. Although none of them were earth-shattering by any means, no one knew what to expect from a team hit with the ultimate tragedy just over a month before training camp.  Elvis Merzlikins Gives An Update On The Injury That Ended his SeasonElvis Merzlikins Gives An Update On The Injury That Ended his SeasonThe Columbus Blue Jackets held their end-of-season exit interviews on Friday with GM Don Waddell, HC Dean Evason, and select players.  Report: Former Blue Jacket Accused Of Sexual AssaultReport: Former Blue Jacket Accused Of Sexual AssaultAccording to a report from The Athletic’s Katie Strang, former Columbus Blue Jacket and current New York Ranger Artemi Panarin has settled on an alleged sexual assault incident from December of 2023. You can read Strang's full report in the above link.