Knueppel averaged 14.4 points per game in his only season with the Blue Devils.
Canadiens And Blue Jackets Have Divergent Expectations With Playoff Spot On The Line
Anyone who suggested prior to the season that the Montreal Canadiens and Columbus Blue Jackets would be battling for the final playoff spot in the final days of the 2024-25 campaign might have been laughed out of the room.
Vying for the No. 1 spot in the NHL draft lottery? Maybe. But the playoffs? No way.
But here we are in the final two days of the season with these two very promising but very flawed teams fighting for the last spot. Montreal needs to get to overtime Wednesday night against Carolina to secure its ticket. Columbus needs Montreal to lose in regulation, and the Jackets need to beat the New York Islanders in regulation Thursday night.
Even though both teams have overachieved, the Blue Jackets' season will have been a success regardless of what happens. The Canadiens, on the other hand, face a lot of questions and a disastrous 2024-25 if they don't lock this down.
Today's video column has more.
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Mets option reliever Max Kranick; Griffin Canning to start Thursday vs. St. Louis
The Mets optioned right-hander Max Kranick to Triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday morning, a move necessitated by calling up Justin Hagenman to pitch against the Minnesota Twins.
While that move may be surprising on the surface, it makes sense considering that the 27-year-old Kranick still had options, so the Mets could send him down without having to try to sneak a player through waivers.
“This is something that we’ve talked to them [about],” Carlos Mendoza said. “Guys that have options, sometimes it has nothing to do with performance. It’s just things that happen through a major league season that are out of their control. It’s not their fault, but it’s just the nature of the business, so here we are.”
Kranick has been terrific in the early going for the Mets, pitching to a 1.54 ERA in seven appearances, combining to pitch 11.2 innings of relief.
And while Mendoza didn’t flat out say it, there’s a decent chance that Kranick is back in the very near future. The Mets have not yet placed outfielder Jose Siri on the IL, and when they do, they’d be able to bring Kranick back right away instead of having to wait 15 days before being able to call him back up, per MLB rules.
“We’ve got to get through today first,” Mendoza said. “Let’s win a series today and we’ll see what happens after the game.”
Hagenman, 28, will make his major league debut at some point during Wednesday’s rubber match against the Twins, with Huascar Brazoban getting the start as an opener. Hagenman was called up to make his debut because starter Griffin Canning had to be scratched because of an illness.
Prior to Wednesday's game, Mendoza said he was confident Canning would be able to pitch on Thursday or Friday, and that indeed will be the case, as the Mets confirmed after the loss to Minnesota that Canning will start on Thursday, with David Peterson pitching on Friday.
Mets at Twins prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for April 16
Its Wednesday, April 16 and the Mets (11-6) are in Minneapolis to take on the Twins (6-12).
Huascar Brazoban is slated to take the mound for New York against David Festa for Minnesota.
These teams have split the first two games of the series. The Twins won last night, 6-3. Former Met Harrison Bader went 3-4 and drove in a run to lead Minnesota's offense. Pete Alonso hit his fifth home run of the season in a losing effort for New York.
Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game details & how to watch Mets at Twins
- Date: Wednesday, April 16, 2025
- Time: 1:10PM EST
- Site: Target Field
- City: Minneapolis, MN
- Network/Streaming: SNY, MNNT
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Mets at the Twins
The latest odds as of Wednesday:
- Moneyline: Mets (+106), Twins (-126)
- Spread: Twins -1.5
- Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Mets at Twins
- Pitching matchup for April 16, 2025: Huascar Brazoban vs. David Festa
- Mets: Huascar Brazoban (0-0, 0.79 ERA)
Last outing: 4/14 at Minnesota - 2IP, 0ER, 0H, 1BB, 1K - Twins: David Festa (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
Last outing: 4/11 vs. Detroit - 4.2IP, 0ER, 3H, 1BB, 4Ks
- Mets: Huascar Brazoban (0-0, 0.79 ERA)
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Mets at Twins
- The Twins are 8-10 on the Run Line this season
- Mets' road games this season are 7-4 to the UNDER
- Juan Soto hit his 3rd HR of the season last night
- Francisco Lindor has committed 4 errors in 17 games this season
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for today’s game between the Mets and the Twins
Rotoworld Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Wednesday's game between the Mets and the Twins:
- Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
- Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the New York Mets at +1.5.
- Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.
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Villa thriller shows PSG remain an antidote to sterile systems football | David Hytner
Luis Enrique’s fearlessness sets apart arguably the most watchable team in Europe after years of disappointment
Luis Enrique had one word to describe Gianluigi Donnarumma. “Sensationnel,” the Paris Saint-Germain manager said, switching briefly into French from his native Spanish; no translation required.
Donnarumma was the difference for PSG against Aston Villa on Tuesday night, the goalkeeper making five saves in the Champions League quarter-final second leg at Villa Park, three of them, well, sensational, as his team just about got the job done, losing 3-2 on the night having been 2-0 up but advancing 5-4 on aggregate.
Continue reading...Do Or Die: Blue Jackets Need Hurricanes To Beat Canadiens
The Columbus Blue Jackets have done it again.
Last night, they beat the Philadelphia Flyers and put all the pressure on the Montreal Canadiens to win against the Carolina Hurricanes tonight.
As of right now, the Blue Jackets sit just two points behind Montreal and have a game against the New York Islanders on Thursday night.
If the Canadiens lose tonight against the Hurricanes, they need to lose in regulation. If they manage to get a point, it puts an end to the Blue Jackets' season.
As it currently stands, the Hurricanes are slated to give their star players a night off as it is their final game. Based on what Hurricanes reporters are posting on social media, these are the players who aren't at the morning skate:
Here is who is NOT on the ice for the #Canes at morning skate in Montreal:
— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) April 16, 2025
• Sebastian Aho
• Jackson Blake
• Jalen Chatfield
• Seth Jarvis
• Jordan Martinook
• Jaccob Slavin
• Jordan Staal
It is worth noting, just because they aren't at morning skate doesn't mean they won’t be playing. However, if they don’t, it does give the advantage to the Canadiens. That said, they are winless in their last four games. Yes, they will be hungry, but with how they’ve played recently, the Hurricanes still have a good chance to win this game.
All eyes will be on this game tonight. There are a lot of Blue Jackets fans eager to find out what happens — and fans around the NHL as well. It’s a very exciting situation to witness: two teams fighting for the final playoff spot, and it all comes down to the wire.
It doesn't get better than that.
Butler defiantly responds to claim he should shoot more 3-pointers
Butler defiantly responds to claim he should shoot more 3-pointers originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Jimmy Butler shot 2-for-4 on 3-point shots en route to a 38-point outing in the Warriors’ 121-116 win over the Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA play-in tournament on Tuesday at Chase Center.
But the career 32.8-percent 3-point shooter made it clear that his game against Memphis was an anomaly shooting-wise, and that no one should expect the Golden State forward to be a routine deep-range shooter – at least like his teammate Steph Curry.
“I can shoot, I just choose not to shoot threes,” Butler told reporters after Tuesday’s win (h/t ClutchPoints’ Kenzo Fukuda). “I’d rather drive into the paint and get a layup or pass the ball to someone on my team who’s probably a better shooter than I am. I think you and everybody else want me to shoot more threes, but I like shooting layups.”
Butler shot 10-for-16 inside the arc and sank 12 of 18 free throws against the Grizzlies. Those stats are more Butler’s speed.
After all, the six-time NBA All-Star averaged just 0.6 triples per game during the 2024-25 NBA season, and his career-high is only 1.7, which he averaged in 2018-19 with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Butler is glad to play “Robin” to the greatest shooter ever in Curry, but their play styles remain vastly distinct.
“It’s always, ‘Play basketball the right way; shoot the ball when you’re open; attack into the paint, get to the free throw line and pass it to the open guy.’ I feel like I have the opportunity [in Golden State] to pick my spots incredibly well,” Butler said. “And they are always looking to get me the ball in my spots where I can be aggressive and put the ball in the basket, or make the right play for the next individual.
“We ran a couple of sets for me to do that [against Memphis], and Steph did all the other stuff.”
The Warriors have a first-round playoff date with the Houston Rockets largely because of Butler’s impact after he was traded to Golden State from the Miami Heat on Feb. 5. His approach to basketball often has rubbed people the wrong way throughout his 14-year career, but his prideful stubbornness has led to promising results in the Bay thus far.
Butler is a scorer, but not a shooter. The same as he has always been.
Golden Knights Set For First Round Matchup Against Wild
The Vegas Golden Knights will face the Minnesota Wild in the first round of the 2024-25 playoffs.
The Golden Knights have finished the season as the second seed in the Western Conference, giving them home-ice advantage against every team but the Winnipeg Jets.
The Wild and the St. Louis Blues have been going back and forth, each team taking and losing the first wild card spot. Both teams played their final games of the season last night and after the Wild defeated the Anaheim Ducks in overtime, they clinched the higher seed.
The Golden Knights and the Wild have played one another three times this season, with the Golden Knights claiming victory each time. The first meeting, dating back to Dec. 15, saw the Golden Knights defeat the Wild 3-2 thanks to a third-period goal by Victor Olofsson.
The next two contests were won in a more dominant fashion. Without Kirill Kaprizov, the Wild couldn't generate enough offence to keep up with the Golden Knights, resulting in 4-1 and 5-1 wins.
Kaprizov's return to the lineup will pose a difficult challenge for the Golden Knights. In the 3-2 win, Kaprizov scored both of the Wild's goals, and he finished the season with 25 goals and 56 points in 41 games, ranking fifth in points per game. Slowing him down will be challenging but vital to their success.
The playoff schedule has not been released the beginning of the playoffs are expected to start on Saturday, Apr. 19 or Sunday, Apr. 20.
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.
Tennessee turning to transfer portal to replace QB Nico Iamaleava. Oh, the irony.
Braves activate Spencer Strider off IL to start vs. Blue Jays
TORONTO — Atlanta Braves right-hander Spencer Strider will return to the mound against the Blue Jays, his first big league start since an April 2024 surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.
The Braves activated Strider off the injured list and optioned right-handed reliever Zach Thompson to Triple-A.
The Braves are off to a slow start, and the return of Strider could provide a big lift. He went 20-5 with a 3.86 ERA in 2023, finishing with a major league-best 281 strikeouts in 186 2/3 innings and placing fourth in NL Cy Young Award voting.
Strider struck out 13 in 5 1/3 innings in a dominant rehab start at Triple-A, allowing one run and three hits. He threw 90 pitches, 62 for strikes, and reached 97 mph with his fastball.
Strider, 26, last appeared in the majors on April 5, 2024, against the Diamondbacks in Atlanta.
Right-hander Chris Bassitt starts for the Blue Jays in the rubber match against the Braves.
Ivan Demidov's NHL Debut Unearthed Questions on Ducks Approach at the 2024 Draft
Montreal Canadiens prospect Ivan Demidov made his NHL debut, potentially the most highly anticipated debut in 2024-25, on Monday in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. He scored a goal and notched an assist in his first period of NHL hockey, causing many to question how he slipped to the Habs at five, similar to questions many had in June of 2024.
Konnor Smith Signs ELC With Anaheim, Will Report to Gulls
Demidov (19) was selected fifth overall in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft despite consensus suggesting he was the number two prospect behind San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini. Demidov scored 60 points (23-37=60) in 30 MHL (Russia’s top junior league) regular season games in the 2023-24 season and added 28 points (11-17=28) in 17 playoff games.
Demidov’s draft profile radiated talent but came with significant question marks, as did every draft-eligible player outside of Celebrini. He had creativity dripping from his pores while displaying elite puck skills, manipulation skills, and hockey IQ.
The downside was the perceived questionable translatability of his skating and production, as he had only ever played before Russian eyes, in Russia, and had played all but six games in the MHL, a league he was clearly too advanced for.
Following Celebrini’s selection at first overall and ahead of Demidov’s fifth, the Chicago Blackhawks selected Artyom Levshunov second, the Ducks selected Beckett Sennecke third, and the Blue Jackets selected Cayden Lindstrom fourth.
In 2024-25, Demidov played 65 regular season games for SKA St. Petersburg in the KHL, scoring 49 points (19-30=49) in limited minutes. He added five points (3-2=5) in six playoff games. His season quelled practically all concerns regarding his translatability as he was now producing and positively impacting games in one of the world’s top professional leagues.
Demidov’s NHL debut on Monday captured the attention of the hockey world. He instantly met and exceeded expectations, electrifying fans with a couple of highlight-reel plays, resulting in his two-point night.
He made one critical error on Chicago’s game-tying goal in the third period with a pitiful backchecking effort that ended up costing Montreal the extra point.
The good far outweighed the bad and the conversation within the Ducks sphere centered again around why and how the Ducks passed on who most considered the second-best prospect in the 2024 NHL Draft.
Ducks director of amateur scouting and assistant general manager Martin Madden met with local media ahead of the 2024 Draft to discuss his team’s approach.
“It’s not about what they look like today, it’s what they’re going to look like five years from now and the impact they’re going to have on our team five years from now,” Madden said when asked about his approach at the draft.
“We’re going to go with the old boring way and say that we’re going to go with the best player available according to our opinion and projection,” he continued.
It’s clear that translatability is a considerable factor for Madden and the Ducks at the draft. There’s also always the perceived “Russian Factor” when it comes to players under contract with KHL clubs. Teams don’t have access to the development of those players as they do with prospects in other leagues around the world.
Madden stated the Ducks did meet with Demidov at the Gold Star pre-draft combine, a camp put on by Demidov’s agency.
“Five years ago, I would have said not at all,” Madden said when asked if he was comfortable drafting a Russian player at the top of the draft. “By now, we are comfortable with the process (of assessing players strictly on video). We’ve had enough live viewings of these players through Konstantin Krylov, our Russian scout.
“For me, it’s nice to have been able to get a live look in terms of Ivan Demidov. He’s still hurt, so he didn’t get on the ice. But to talk to him and so on and so forth. To answer your question, we are comfortable. It’s not a big deal.”
The Ducks ended up selecting exceptionally skilled winger Beckett Sennecke with the third overall pick. He was the draft’s “late riser,” solidifying his draft profile with a spectacular final string of regular season and playoff games.
If Madden is to be taken at his word, at the time of the draft, the Ducks viewed Sennecke as the highest projectable player available to them with the number three pick.
Sennecke (19) has dazzled in the 2024-25 season, scoring 86 points (36-50=86) in 56 regular season games for the Oshawa Generals of the OHL, and has added 10 points (4-6=10) in six playoff games.
Sennecke remains a justifiable selection by Anaheim regardless of how Demidov arrived in the NHL. Like Madden had said nearly a year ago, “It’s not about what they look like today, it’s about what they’re going to look like five years from now.”
The Ducks' decisions at the 2024 draft shouldn’t be evaluated less than a year from conclusion, but several years down the road.
Radko Gudas Selected as Ducks’ King Clancy Memorial Trophy Nominee
Tim Washe Signs ELC With Anaheim, Will Make NHL Debut Against Minnesota
A terrible practice, then a message. Deion Sanders keeps building foundation at Colorado
Brewers call up Logan Henderson as they seek reinforcements for injury-riddled pitching staff
MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Brewers recalled Logan Henderson from Triple-A Nashville, bolstering a pitching staff dealing with multiple injuries.
Before its 5-0 victory over the Detroit Tigers, Milwaukee owned a 4.93 ERA that ranked 28th in the majors, ahead of only the Colorado Rockies (4.99) and Washington Nationals (5.50).
“We need help,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “We need all the help we can. All hands on deck. Whether or not he ends up staying for an extended period of time or not will depend on him and other people’s health and that type of thing. We’re excited to have him.”
The Brewers made room for Henderson by sending right-hander Elvin Rodríguez to Nashville. Rodríguez had an 0-2 record and a 7.53 ERA in four appearances, though he had allowed only one run over five innings of relief in a 9-1 loss to the Tigers.
Henderson was 2-1 with a 3.21 ERA in three games with Nashville this season while striking out 24 and walking 10 over 14 innings.
He gave up five runs in his first start of the season but has thrown 10 shutout innings since. In his last appearance, he struck out eight while allowing no hits and two walks in five innings.
“The first couple of starts, I had a hard time filling up the strike zone,” Henderson said. “The last start was really good for me, heading into the right direction. I like where I’m at right now.”
Henderson went a combined 7-6 with a 3.32 ERA and 104 strikeouts in 81 1/3 innings for four different minor league teams last season. The Brewers selected him out of McLennan Community College in Waco, Texas, in the fourth round of the 2021 amateur draft.
Murphy said he likes the variety in Henderson’s arsenal.
“In today’s game, there’s more chuckers and heavers than there are pitchers,” Murphy said. “I think this is a time when you’ve got to have kind of a combination of both in your repertoire. He’s starting to throw the ball really well, command it and have a variety, so we’re excited to have him.”
Henderson will try to boost a pitching staff that has been decimated by injuries. The list of Brewers pitchers on the injured list includes Aaron Ashby (right oblique), Aaron Civale (left hamstring), Nestor Cortes (left elbow), Robert Gasser (left elbow), DL Hall (left lat), Tobias Myers (left oblique), Connor Thomas (left elbow) and Brandon Woodruff (right shoulder).
Milwaukee would love for Henderson to make the same kind of impact that Quinn Priester has produced since he was acquired in a trade with Boston. Priester carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning and combined with four relievers on a one-hitter.
In two starts with the Brewers, Priester has allowed one run over 10 innings. He was pitching with Boston’s Triple-A affiliate before joining the Brewers.
It was the Brewers’ fourth shutout win of the season. But they also have allowed at least nine runs in four different games already.
Part of the problem is that all those injuries have taxed a bullpen that was one of Milwaukee’s greatest strengths last year, when the Brewers won a second straight NL Central title.
The Brewers have a bullpen ERA of 5.94 that ranked 28th in the majors, ahead of only the Los Angeles Angels (6.29) and Washington (6.91). Last year, Milwaukee’s 3.11 bullpen ERA ranked second, behind only the Cleveland Guardians’ 2.57.
That bullpen has shown signs of life lately, though. In the Brewers’ last two games, their relievers have allowed just one run over nine innings.
Draymond confident Kuminga will contribute in Warriors-Rockets series
Draymond confident Kuminga will contribute in Warriors-Rockets series originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Jonathan Kuminga didn’t play a second in the Warriors’ regular-season finale loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday, nor in Golden State’s 121-116 win over the Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA play-in tournament on Tuesday.
While coach Steve Kerr’s rotation changes often, not many expected the 22-year-old to register consecutive DNPs during the most crucial points of the 2024-25 NBA season.
So the question now is: Will Kuminga play during the Warriors’ first-round Western Conference playoff series against the No. 2-seeded Houston Rockets? Draymond Green certainly believes so.
“He’ll contribute,” Green told reporters postgame on Tuesday about Kuminga. “He’s getting his work in. That’s all you can do in that situation, get your work in. He’ll be meaningful for us in that series. I have zero doubt about that. I think the challenge for him is to stay mentally engaged, as is for anyone in that situation. But I have zero doubt in my mind that he’s going to help us in this series – he will, 1,000 percent.”
Kuminga, even through his growing pains, seemingly brings great value to Golden State on any given night and would appear to be a key piece against Houston.
He averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists during his fourth Warriors campaign, and in four games against the Rockets this season, Kuminga averaged an impressive 21.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists.
Kerr said Kuminga has been “pretty impactful” for the Warriors after the loss to the Clippers but proceeded to not play him Tuesday night. Green expects Kuminga to have a big role against the Rockets, but the rotation ultimately will be decided by Kerr.
Orioles GM says he doesn’t see panic but team has plenty of concerns amid slow start
BALTIMORE — The Baltimore Orioles and general manager Mike Elias could have used a fast start this year.
Instead, most of their biggest offseason questions are still pertinent.
The Orioles are 6-10 after a 6-3 loss to Cleveland. That’s after some second-half struggles in 2024 and a first-round loss to Kansas City in the playoffs. Baltimore still has plenty of talent, but also some real issues — perhaps more than seemed likely after the Orioles won 101 games in 2023 and had a farm system still churning out standout prospects.
“I certainly haven’t seen any signs of panic, and we’re continuing to retain the same approach on a night-to-night basis. I try not to get too high when things are going great, and try not to get down when we’re losing,” Elias said. “That’s how you have to approach baseball.”
The Orioles lost Corbin Burnes in free agency, and the three main starters they added were all older players on one-year contracts. So there was some skepticism about whether the rotation would hold up.
And that was before the injury bug went to work. Grayson Rodriguez hasn’t pitched at all this season, Zach Eflin went on the injured list, and Albert Suárez will miss significant time. Plus, neither Kyle Bradish nor Tyler Wells has returned from elbow surgery.
So the new arrivals — Tomoyuki Sugano and Charlie Morton — have needed to perform, and it hasn’t gone great. They were a combined 1-5 with a 6.68 ERA following Morton’s start against Cleveland.
“I feel like we’ve already tapped into, basically, the depth,” Elias said. “To say that on April 15 was not the plan. Obviously, we knew Bradish was going to be out. But to have Grayson and Eflin on the shelf simultaneously this quickly into the season, at no point were we forecasting that, or expecting that. And that’s just the truth.”
Kyle Gibson, the third significant starter added, signed in late March and is in the minors. He’s expected back with the Orioles by May. As for Baltimore’s brigade of injured pitchers, Elias said Eflin will start playing catch in a few days, Rodriguez has thrown a couple bullpens, and Bradish threw a bullpen recently. Wells is expected to start his mound progression in the next two weeks.