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Fantasy Baseball Closer Report: Emmanuel Clase leads Opening Day rankings, Tigers send down saves leader

Happy Opening Day and welcome to the first edition of the Fantasy Baseball Closer Report for the 2025 MLB season.

This column will feature weekly updated closer rankings with writeups breaking down the previous week in saves. To wrap things up, I'll highlight some relievers on the rise and try to get ahead of the game with potential stash candidates to speculate on for future saves.

MLB: Detroit Tigers at Kansas City Royals
2025 MLB Season Predictions: World Series champion, MVP and Cy Young Award winners, Rookie of the Year picks
The Rotoworld Baseball staff makes their predictions for the 2025 MLB season.

Fantasy Baseball Closer Rankings

Tier 1: At the Top

Emmanuel Clase - Cleveland Guardians
Mason Miller - Athletics
Devin Williams - New York Yankees
Josh Hader - Houston Astros

Clase takes the top spot in the closer rankings to start the season. Coming off his third straight 40-plus save campaign with a 0.61 ERA and 0.66 WHIP over 74 1/3 innings, he's been one of the game's top closers over the last several seasons. If not for a disappointing playoff performance, Clase may be alone in this top tier. Still, there's no better bet to lead the American League in saves once again.

Miller checks in at second to open the season. The 26-year-old right-hander was dominant in his first year in relief, converting 28 saves with a 2.49 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, and 104 strikeouts over 65 innings for a league-leading 41.8% strikeout rate. He has all the tools to be the best closer in the game. Durability and team context are the biggest questions surrounding Miller, but moving to relief has been a great way to preserve his health and get the most out of his 100-mph arm. And he still saw 31 save chances on an A's team that should improve on last season's 69-93 record.

There was no reliever better than Williams over the final two months. After returning from a back injury, he was as dominant as ever, posting a 1.25 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, and 38 strikeouts over 21 2/3 innings while converting 14 saves. Now, Williams takes his skills to New York where he'll be closing games for the Yankees. Rounding out the top tier is Hader. His susceptibility to homers has brought volatility to his ratios, but he remains among the most dominant ninth-inning relievers in baseball and should be near the top in both saves and strikeouts at the position.

Tier 2: The Elite

Ryan Helsley - St. Louis Cardinals
Edwin Díaz - New York Mets
Andrés Muñoz - Seattle Mariners
Raisel Iglesias - Atlanta Braves

Helsley bounced back from an injury-shortened 2023 to lead baseball with 49 saves in 2024. He posted an incredible 2.04 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 79 strikeouts across 66 1/3 innings. Durability concerns aside, he's one of the game's top closers. There is some speculation that Helsley could be traded by the Cardinals at some point this season before he hits the free-agent market this winter, but he'll likely remain in line for saves no matter the team.

Given his track record and strikeout ability, it would be no surprise to see Díaz join the top tier. But his diminished velocity this spring gives me pause. After missing the 2023 season with a knee injury, the 31-year-old right-hander returned with a mixed season, converting 20 saves with a 3.52 ERA across 53 2/3 innings. If he can get his velocity back in line with 2022 levels, he can once again be among the best. But there's some sneaky downside here if his reduced velocity sticks well into the regular season.

Muñoz could be in line for his best season yet as he appears ready to take on full-time save duties in Seattle. Last year, he converted 22 of the team's 34 saves. Six of the saves from other relievers came in June when Muñoz was nursing a back injury, though he never actually hit the injured list.

Iglesias posted the best ERA of his career in 2024 despite seeing a decline in his strikeout rate, down to 26.3%, his lowest since 2016. Still, the veteran 35-year-old right-hander remains one of the safest options for saves. The upside may just be capped now as it's difficult to see him repeat career-best ratios at his age without a rebound in his strikeout rate.

Tier 3: The Solid Options

Jhoan Duran - Minnesota Twins
Ryan Walker - San Francisco Giants
Félix Bautista - Baltimore Orioles
Tanner Scott - Los Angeles Dodgers
Jeff Hoffman - Toronto Blue Jays
Robert Suarez - San Diego Padres

Duran got off to a late start last season after suffering a spring oblique injury. Despite a down season on the surface, his skills and underlying numbers remained in line with his career norms. His 3.64 ERA appears to be more the product of some bad luck. The thing holding Duran back isn't necessarily anything in his control. The Twins are still managed by Rocco Baldelli, who seldom gives all the save chances to one reliever.

Rounding out the top ten closers is Walker, who broke out with the Giants last season, ending the year with the closer role and posting a 1.91 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, and 99 strikeouts over 80 innings. Manager Bob Melvin has given Walker his vote of confidence in naming him the team's full-time closer to start the season.

Bautista's 2023 was one of the most dominant seasons from a reliever we've seen in recent memory. The 29-year-old right-hander is ready to return to action after missing last season recovering from Tommy John surgery. There were questions surrounding his availability to open the year, but he will be included on the Opening Day roster. How much the team will lean on him, at least in the early going, remains to be seen. I wouldn't expect him to pitch many back-to-backs to start the season, opening the door for Seranthony Domínguez or Yennier Cano to pick up the occasional save.

Scott landed in one of the best situations, joining the Dodgers on a four-year, $72 million contract. Manager Dave Roberts stated Scott would be getting "the bulk" of the team's save chances. He got the first save opportunity against the Cubs in the two-game Tokyo Series, with Alex Vesia working the ninth inning the following day. Even if Scott isn't getting every save chance, there should be more than enough to go around to make him well worth his draft season price.

After two excellent seasons in relief with the Phillies, Hoffman is getting an opportunity to operate as a full-time closer with the Blue Jays. The 32-year-old right-hander was one of the best setup men in 2024, posting a 2.17 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and 89 strikeouts across 66 1/3 innings. Some durability questions were raised during Hoffman's free-agency process, but he's shown no reason for concern since moving to relief.

Suarez got off to an incredible start before struggling over the final two months. He posted a 1.67 ERA through the All-Star break before recording a 4.28 mark in the second half. That second-half slide and trade speculation have him lower in the rankings than his 2024 season total might warrant. And the Padres seem to have plenty of options ready to step in should Suarez falter.

Tier 4: Only Here for the Saves

Trevor Megill - Milwaukee Brewers
Pete Fairbanks - Tampa Bay Rays
Kenley Jansen - Los Angeles Angels
Jordan Romano - Philadelphia Phillies
Aroldis Chapman - Boston Red Sox
Justin Martinez/A.J. Puk - Arizona Diamondbacks
David Bednar - Pittsburgh Pirates
Kyle Finnegan - Washington Nationals
Ryan Pressly - Chicago Cubs
Carlos Estévez - Kansas City Royals

Megill led the Brewers in saves last season with 21 while posting a 2.72 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and 50 strikeouts across 46 1/3 innings, filling in nicely in Devin Williams' absence over the first four months. Now, Megill goes into the season as Milwaukee's unquestioned closer. Lack of track record and durability concerns hold him down, but he has more upside than most in this tier.

Much of the same can be said for Fairbanks, who saw a sharp decline in his strikeout rate last season. The 31-year-old right-hander has yet to prove he can hold up over a full season. And he may be running out of time to prove himself as a reliable closer in Tampa Bay. Fairbanks has a club option for 2026, his final year of team control, and could be a trade candidate.

Every year brings a little more risk and a little more volatility, but Jansen just continues to get it done even as he enters his 16th season in the majors. The 37-year-old right-hander will look to add to his 447 save total with the Angels.

After back-to-back dominant 36-save seasons, Romano was limited to just 13 2/3 innings with the Blue Jays last season, converting eight saves with a 6.59 ERA as he dealt with elbow issues. He'll look to return to form with the Phillies. José Alvarado and Orion Kerkering have impressed this spring and could step in to close if Romano struggles on the mound or misses time.

Like Jansen, Chapman's track record continues to give him closing opportunities, even if he becomes more volatile. He was much better over the second half with the Pirates last season, ending the year with 14 saves. The 37-year-old left-hander has impressed in camp with the Red Sox, striking out 14 batters over 7 1/3 innings in spring training. Manager Alex Cora stated Chapman will begin the season in the closer role, but could pitch earlier in the game if the situation calls for the southpaw.

If either Justin Martinez or A.J. Puk were named the team's full-time close, they'd be much higher on the list. As things stand, manager Torey Lovullo is likely to deploy them both in a matchup-based committee, with Martinez facing right-handed heavy lineups in the ninth inning and Puk getting the left-handers.

Bednar suffered a lat injury last spring and despite avoiding the injured list to start the year, stumbled out of the gate. He did land on the injured list in June with an oblique strain and never seemed to get right as he ended with a 5.77 ERA across 57 2/3 innings. This spring, manager Derek Shelton refused to name a closer after Aroldis Chapman finished 2024 in the role. Still, Bednar will likely get the first crack at saves for the Pirates as he looks to have a bounce-back season.

Finnegan returns to the Nationals, where he converted a career-high 38 saves last season. The numbers may not be pretty, but saves are saves. In Chicago, Pressly had operated as the Astros closer for four seasons before taking a step back in 2024 for Josh Hader. Now, he'll get a chance to close games again with the Cubs. The 36-year-old right-hander will need to halt the decline in his strikeout rate he's seen over the last two seasons to remain effective in the role, otherwise, Porter Hodge has shown he's capable of stepping in if needed.

It's a similar situation in Kansas City, where Carlos Estévez is set to take the higher share of save chances. Behind him, Lucas Erceg will get the occasional save chance while being used in the highest leverage situation late in games.

Tier 5: Bottom of the Barrel

Chris Martin/Luke Jackson - Texas Rangers
Beau Brieske/Tyler Holton/Tommy Kahnle - Detroit Tigers
Scott Barlow/Tony Santillan/Taylor Rogers - Cincinnati Reds
Tyler Kinley/Victor Vodnik/Seth Halvorsen - Colorado Rockies
Calvin Faucher/Jesus Tinoco - Miami Marlins
Mike Clevinger/Fraser Ellard/Jordan Leasure - Chicago White Sox

This bottom tier is full of underwhelming options and unclear situations, some of which you may not want a part of. The Rangers present the most upside. Manager Bruce Bochy stated the team could open the season mirroring a recent spring training outing in which Luke Jackson pitched in the closers' spot. Chris Martin is expected to be in the mix. Marc Church is another name Bochy has mentioned as a candidate.

In a surprise move by the Tigers, Jason Foley was optioned to Triple-A to start the season. Beau Brieske is the first name to speculate on, though he's had some struggles this spring. In Cincinnati, Alexis Díaz will start the year on the 15-day injured list with a hamstring injury. Tony Santillan was mentioned as a possibility to step in, but manager Terry Francona may want to use his best reliever in high-leverage situations. Emilio Pagán, Taylor Rogers, and Scott Barlow all have some previous closing experience.

Relievers On The Rise/Stash Candidates

Starting with one of the most skilled setup men in baseball, Griffin Jax is worth rostering across most formats despite pitching behind Jhoan Duran in Minnesota. He broke out in a big way last season, posting a 2.03 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, and 95 strikeouts across 71 innings. Cleveland's Cade Smith is right there with Jax among the top setup men in the game and holds value regardless of format. Smith struck out 103 batters while recording a 1.91 ERA across 75 1/3 frames.

If you're looking to leverage against some of the more risky closers and stash a potential saves candidate, Orion Kerkering has top-ten closer upside if he's ever tasked with stepping in for Jordan Romano. The red flags in Robert Suarez's profile make Jason Adam a stash candidate in deeper leagues. And Edwin Uceta has some intriguing upside should Pete Fairbanks struggle or be sidelined at any point after Uceta ended the 2024 season closing out games in Tampa Bay.

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Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire: Tristian Vukcevic and Justin Champagnie flourish for the Wizards

For fantasy managers, seeking out low-rostered value at this point in the season can either be invigorating or painful. More often than that, teams focused on the draft lottery and developing their young players. The Wizards certainly qualify, and two players stood out during their win in Philadelphia on Wednesday.

Tristan Vukcevic (12%) played 23 minutes off the bench, finishing with 17 points, six rebounds, two assists, one steal and two blocks. Over the past two weeks, he has offered top-75 value in nine-cat formats, averaging 13.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.8 steals, 1.3 blocks and 1.7 three-pointers per game. The other low-rostered Wizard to play well on Wednesday was Justin Champagnie (11%), who started due to the absences of Khris Middleton and Kyshawn George.

Champagnie took advantage of his 22 minutes, finishing with 18 points, 10 rebounds, one assist, one steal and four three-pointers. Over the past two weeks, he has been a top-100 player in nine-cat formats. Like Vukcevic, Champagnie does not need to log heavy minutes to offer tangible fantasy value. Also, the Wizards are low enough in the standings that there should not be too much damage to their draft lottery chances if the team goes on a run.

Let's look at a few more of Wednesday's low-rostered standouts:

SF Justin Edwards (36%), Philadelphia 76ers

A fifth-round player in eight-cat formats over the past two weeks, Edwards continues to offer solid value. The rookie wing finished Wednesday's loss to the Wizards with 19 points, 10 rebounds, one assist, five steals and one three-pointer in 36 minutes. With Paul George done for the season and Kelly Oubre Jr. still out, now is an excellent time to add Edwards. And Philadelphia's upcoming schedule is solid, as they'll play two more games during Week 21. The lone concern would be the 76ers sitting Edwards for one of those contests, as the team has a Saturday/Sunday back-to-back. However, the rookie may be one of the players the team is willing to use for both games.

PF/C Al Horford (31%), Boston Celtics

The Celtics played Wednesday's game in Phoenix without Jayson Tatum, who was sidelined by a sprained ankle. That opened up a place in the starting lineup for Horford, who rose to the challenge in Boston's 30-point victory. Horford shot 5-of-10 from the field and 4-of-4 from the foul line, finishing with 16 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, one steal, two blocks and two three-pointers. Over the past two weeks, he has offered top-100 value in nine-cat formats. That isn't great, but it would be good enough if Tatum is not back for Saturday's game in San Antonio.

C Orlando Robinson (10%), Toronto Raptors

With Jakob Poeltl resting, Robinson made his first start since March 10 on Wednesday. And the Raptors center was outstanding in Brooklyn, finishing with 23 points, 12 rebounds, three assists, one block and one three-pointer in just 24 minutes. While it was effectively a timeshare between Robinson and Jonathan Mogbo (16/7/5/1/1 in 24 minutes), the former proved more valuable on Wednesday. That said, Mogbo (two percent rostered) should remain on the deep-league radar as the Raptors complete their season.

SF/PF Peyton Watson (7%), Denver Nuggets

While Aaron Gordon's return to the Nuggets' lineup consigned Watson to the bench on Wednesday, he still logged 34 minutes in a win over the Bucks. Shooting 6-of-8 from the field, he tallied 12 points, seven rebounds, two assists and three blocked shots. With Gordon only playing 19 minutes on Wednesday, Watson may pick up additional playing time, especially if the starter's lower body injuries remain problematic.

PG Ryan Rollins (1%), Milwaukee Bucks

Rollins was removed from the Bucks' starting lineup for Wednesday's game, with Kevin Porter Jr. (11 percent) stepping in. The change may have benefitted Rollins, as he finished the loss to Denver with 17 points, one rebound, three assists, two steals and two three-pointers in just 18 minutes. As much of a fantasy liability as Rollins has been this season, Damian Lillard's calf issue means there is still room for him to have an impact. And the Bucks still have two games on their schedule for Week 21, starting with the Knicks on Friday.

PG Tyler Kolek (0%), New York Knicks

Kolek has recorded 24 assists in his last three games with only one turnover. The rookie guard doesn't offer much value as a scorer, but Tom Thibodeau may be forced to play him more out of necessity. Jalen Brunson and Miles McBride are already out due to injury, and Cameron Payne sprained his ankle during the first half of Wednesday's loss to the Clippers. As a result, Kolek played 18 minutes off the bench. The Knicks still have games against the Bucks and Trail Blazers on their Week 21 schedule, so watch for the injury report.

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Knicks Notes: Injuries impacting playoff race, when Mitchell Robinson could potentially play in back-to-backs

Injuries are making things interesting in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

Let’s start with the Knicks.

New York played the second half of Wednesday’s loss with two healthy lead guards: Tyler Kolek and Delon Wright. The Clippers dominated the Knicks for much of the second half and walked out of The Garden with a win.

The Knicks will wake up Thursday morning in third place in the East, three games up on the Pacers with 10 games to play.

Can they maintain that three-game lead while dealing with injuries to their top three guards? Do they want to maintain the third seed – or is it better to drop to four?

These are all questions to ask over the next two weeks.

On the injury front, the Knicks will be without Jalen Brunson (ankle) for at least the next two games. (As an aside: if his rehab continues to go well, I think Brunson will be able to play in several regular season games before the postseason. This is important for New York because it gives Brunson some time to regain his rhythm/conditioning ahead of the postseason).

In addition to Brunson, the Knicks will probably be without Cam Payne for Friday’s game against Milwaukee. Payne sprained his ankle in the first half on Wednesday (while scoring 15 points). He wasn’t available in the second half.

Tom Thibodeau said it’s possible that Miles McBride returns on Friday, but he also said McBride has been limited in his court work as he rehabs a groin strain.

So it seems like the Knicks will be significantly short-handed on Friday in Milwaukee.  

They’ll face a Bucks team dealing with a serious injury to Damian Lillard. Lillard has a blood clot in his right calf and is out indefinitely.

You hate to see Lillard hurt; his injury will have a significant impact on the Eastern Conference playoff race and the postseason.

The Pacers, Pistons and Bucks are separated by two games in the standings. If the season finished today, the Knicks would play Milwaukee in the first round and, presumably, Boston in the second round.

If the Knicks fell to fourth place they would be lined up to play the Cavaliers in the second round. Is Cleveland a better matchup than Boston? That’s a matter of opinion. But you can make an argument that the Knicks have a better chance to advance in the second round if they finish fourth in the East than they would if they finish third.

They also have the seventh toughest remaining schedule in the NBA, per Tankathon.

ROBINSON BACK-TO-BACK

Mitchell Robinson has not yet been cleared by the Knicks medical staff to play in back-to-back games. He sat out of Tuesday’s win over Dallas and played 13 minutes on Wednesday against the Clippers.

The Knicks have three back-to-backs in their final eight games. Robinson told SNY that he’ll "probably" be cleared to play in back-to-backs before the end of the regular season.

“We’ll just see how it goes. Kind of still following doctors orders, making sure everything goes smoothly,” he said.

The Knicks’ final back-to-back is April 10-11.

Robinson doesn’t stay idle when he misses a game on a back-to-back. He said that he lifts, does conditioning work and does some game simulation while he’s out. If he can do that, it seems like he should be able to play in both games of a back-to-back soon.

HART ATTACK

Josh Hart had four assists in the first quarter on Wednesday but had to sit at the start of the second quarter due to foul trouble. Hart at times was being guarded by the Clippers’ big man. New York was able to take advantage of the scenario.

“We got good shots off of that, a stagger, back cut, those kind of things, dribble handoff, stuff like that,” Hart said.  Playing faster, that’s something that we want to do, especially with a five on me. I feel like we started to do that and the foul trouble threw us off.”

Hart’s play while guarded by a big is something to keep an eye on moving forward.

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Emma Raducanu’s Miami Open run ends in spirited defeat to Jessica Pegula

  • Briton loses first career WTA 1000 quarter-final 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-2
  • No 4 seed to face Alexandra Eala after her upset win over Iga Świątek

Emma Raducanu’s encouraging run at the Miami Open came to a difficult end in the quarter-finals on Wednesday night as she went toe-to-toe with Jessica Pegula for two-and-a-half hours before eventually being outlasted by one of the best players in the world. After three bruising, classy sets under the lights, the fourth seed sustained her excellent level in the decisive final stages as she closed out a 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-2 victory.

Pegula will next face Alexandra Eala, who pulled off one of the great upsets in recent years earlier on Wednesday by toppling Iga Świątek 6-2, 7-5. Eala, a 19 year-old ranked No 140 and the first Filipino player to reach the highest levels of the WTA tour, had already defeated Madison Keys, the reigning Australian Open champion, and former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko.

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With injuries mounting, Knicks rookie Tyler Kolek knows he must step up as a point guard

The Knicks had a tough night Wednesday, and it wasn't just their loss to the Clippers.

Despite dropping yet another game to a team with a record above .500 -- they sit at 11-18 this season against such teams -- Cam Payne missed the entire second half after spraining his ankle Wednesday night.

It's the latest injury to befell a Knicks point guard after Jalen Brunson's ankle sprain has knocked him out for weeks, and Miles McBride missing his third straight game due to a groin contusion. As was the case in Tuesday's win against the Mavericks, rookie Tyler Kolek was the backup point guard and played well. But the same could not be said against the Clippers.

"He’s capable. Just get in there and get it done," coach Tom Thibodeau said of Kolek's game. "Each game you learn. It tells you what you have to work on. It’s not just individual it’s collective how do we function as a team? We talked about not replacing Jalen individually we have to do it collectively."

Tuesday night, Kolek had one of his best professional performances, dishing nine assists in 19 minutes and change. But against the top-rated Clippers defense, the rookie had a bit more trouble.

In nearly 19 minutes on the court, Kolek did not score a point on 0-for-3 shooting and missed his two free-throw attempts. He did dish seven assists and came down with a rebound but made a turnover and was an overall minus-14 while on the floor. The Marquette product is still learning, and Wednesday's loss was eye-opening for him.

"My mindset is that I’m out there with four other guys who have asserted themselves in the NBA. They’re professionals. I’m just a rookie," Kolek explained. "I can’t come out there and have a mindset of just 'here, let these guys,' I’m the point guard, I still have to be assertive in leading the guys and getting them to where we want to get to. And following what coach needs me to do."

Thibodeau teams are built on defense, something Kolek struggled with in the third quarter when the Clippers turned the game around in their favor. Kolek was on the floor for 12 minutes and was a minus-11 in the frame, unable to defend the three-pointer.

"I have to be more organized. They kept coming out with that two-man game. I got to be better defending that," Kolek said. "Got split a couple of times, and they were getting loose for threes. I got to definitely be better on that end."

Kolek and the Knicks know those lessons are learned quicker while on the court, something the 24-year-old may see more of as the team waits for word on Payne's condition.

If Payne is unable to go in the team's next game, Friday at Milwaukee, Thibodeau feels the Knicks have "more than enough" with Kolek and veteran Delon Wright -- who played 12 minutes Wednesday -- playing the point. As the Knicks coach points out, with the injuries the team has to play cleaner and do things the right way.

"The points we gave up off the turnovers were [high]. When you’re shorthanded, that’s probably the difference in the game," Thibodeau said. "Our margin of error is small. We have to play extremely hard and smart but those hustle points are huge."

"It’s tough. Injuries are always tough and for some reason, they are smacking us in the same position," Josh Hart said after the game. "We just have to piece it together… It’s going to be tough but we just have to figure out ways to scratch out wins and hopefully, we get those guys back."

Until they do get their guards back, Kolek will be asked to do more something he wanted but wished happened under better circumstances. But he knows he has to stay ready, whether he's starting or sitting on the bench cheering. That's the mindset he's learning from Payne, who Kolek credits for getting him ready.

Payne has thrived in the league for so long being a capable bench guard and Kolek says he's constantly picking Payne's brain on how to prepare and make an impact when his number is called.

"I have to be more aggressive," Kolek reiterated. "I’m out there learning. Just have to lean on the other guys helping out 110 percent every time I'm out there." 

"[I'm seeing] Steady improvement. He’ll get better," Thibodeau assessed. "Like most rookies, you go through a learning curve as he understands players better, schemes better, it’s a different game. I like Tyler a lot."

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Watch LeBron James tip in game-winner at buzzer, give Lakers road win in Indiana

NBA: Los Angeles Lakers at Indiana Pacers

Mar 26, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) celebrates his game winning shot against the Indiana Pacers with teammates at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

It had not been LeBron James' night. He started the game shooting 0-of-6 from the floor and at the start of the fourth quarter his 18-year streak of scoring in double-digits was at serious risk.

But with the game on the line, it was LeBron who was in the right place for a buzzer-beating tip-in that gave the Lakers a 120-119 win in Indiana.

" I really couldn't have too much emotion because I was trying to see if I got the ball off in time," LeBron said of the tip-in postgame.

This was a wild back-and-forth ending where the Lakers — who led much of the game — were up six with less than two minutes to go but saw the Pacers take the lead as the teams kept exchanging runs and buckets.

The Lakers got 34 points from Luka Doncic and 24 from Austin Reaves, but there were a lot of players making clutch plays, like a couple of late 3-pointers from Rui Hachimura (the Lakers missed him, his return has been a boost). With the win, the Lakers are just half a game back of the Nuggets for the No. 3 seed in the West.

Indiana had a far more balanced attack with Bennedict Mathurin leading the way with 23 points and seven players in double digits. The loss was a blown opportunity for the Pacers, who could have gone up two full games on the Bucks for the No. 4 seed in the East.

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Clay Holmes to take ‘uncharted’ new role slow, beginning with Mets’ 2025 Opening Day start

Clay Holmes’ last 300 big league appearances have been out of the bullpen. On Thursday afternoon in Houston on Opening Day, the right-hander will climb the hill for the Mets as a starter for the first time in 2,370 days.  

“Definitely try and enjoy the moment, just soak it in for a second,” Holmes said on Wednesday. “Then it’s time to get to work.”

On the eve of making a big shift from closer to starter, the 32-year-old was asked what the biggest question he has about his season. “It’s a good question,” Holmes said, pausing and looking toward the sky from the Mets’ dugout in Houston.

“Personally, I’m keeping this thing kinda short-sighted,” Holmes said. “For me, it’s like, ‘Hey, let’s get through five starts and evaluate where we’re at.’ And you get through that one start at a time.

“It sure is fun to set big season goals, long goals. But, especially this being so new, and it’s been a while since I’ve done this, it’s a little bit uncharted [territory] for me. There’s been a few guys who’ve done this the past few years, but for me, it’s like, get through the starts, see where we’re at, see how we’re feeling, see how things are testing, and put a plan for the next week and tackle the next start.”

Holmes said early on this is something that will require a lot of monitoring.

“Monitor where we’re at, see where the trends are going and correct course when we need to,” he continued. “And hopefully be out there for every start.”

Holmes said he has been in contact with two pitchers who have made the switch – Michael King and Garrett Crochet, both of whom are, coincidentally enough, also Opening Day starters Thursday – to pick their brains on that, but every pitcher is “a bit different.”

“Everybody has their own set of challenges and things they need to accomplish, but just to hear their perspective and how the overall experience went for them,” he said. “It’s just good to have that perspective when you do run into things, have questions, it’s nice to have that.”

But, Holmes isn’t shying away from the expectations of the ballclub, which come from an NLCS trip last year, and the other former Yankee who made the jump from The Bronx to Queens this offseason.

“You can feel the excitement, there’s definitely expectations,” he said. “Everybody knows the payroll and the players we have here and the talent we have here and there are things that come with that.

“... there’s expectations, sure, but there’s a lot of accountability in the locker room, too. And I think that’s what makes this group great.”

Entering his eighth big league season, the righty said there’s a standard that’s being set here, and the “responsibility” of World Series expectations is one the players are “all excited to have.”

Now, all that’s left is the next 162 games.

“I think we had a great spring training, I think we’re in a great position to do what we set out to do,” Holmes said.  “Time to just go compete now.”

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Islanders Stumble, Fall To Canucks 5-2

ELMONT, NY- The New York Islanders fell to the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday at UBS Arena, losing 5-2. With the loss the Islanders squandered an opportunity to move into a playoff spot for the first time since November 16.

Thatcher Demko picked up the win for the Canucks, stopping 26 of 28 Islander shots.

Image

© Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images

Meanwhile, Isles goalie, Ilya Sorokin was pulled early in the third period after making just 15 saves on 19 shots. Marcus Hogberg came in relief to save all five Canuck shots he faced.

Neither team scored in the first period, with the Islanders getting the better of the chances. Demko stood on his head making many incredible stops, including two on Bo Horvat.

After the one period, the Islanders lead 10-5 shots, but neither team could score.

Kiefer Sherwood opened the scoring early in the second period. He tipped a long shot taken by Quinn Hughes into the back of the net with 2:39 off the clock. Filip Hronek tapped the puck to Hughes, earning the secondary assist.

A few minutes later with the Canucks on the power play, J.G. Pageau and Casey Cizikas connected to score shorthanded for the Islanders 5:35 into period two to tie the game at one:

Then, exactly nine minutes into the middle frame Tony DeAngelo outwaited Demko after the puck popped free to give the Islanders a 2-1 lead. Cizikas earned his second assist of the night, with Pierre Engvall being credited with the secondary assist:

4:59 later, the game was knotted up once again. Former Islander Aatu Raty, who was dealt in the trade that brought Horvat to the Islanders, scored his third of the season to even the score at 2-2. Marcus Pettersson and Sherwood assisted.

Then, Derek Forbort scored his second goal of the season for the Canucks with 22.9 seconds left to go in the second period. Jake DeBrusk and Pius Suter assisted and the Canucks entered the third period with a 3-2 lead.

To start period three, Conor Garland stole the puck and Teddy Blueger wristed a shot past Sorokin only 1:05 in, consequently ending Sorokin’s night.

Hogberg entered the game in relief of Sorokin.

The Islanders had a power play attempt with 13:40 remaining but couldn’t get anything going. Then another with 4:41 left with the net empty - - and an extra attacker.

New York failed to score and Sherwood scored his second of the game into the empty net with 1:52 to go. The ENG made it 5-2 and was assisted by Suter and Drew O’Connor.

Losing 5-2, the Islanders are still one-point out of a playoff spot. They are back in action on Saturday in Tampa Bay at 2 pm against the Lightning.

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Colorado State tabs top assistant Ali Farokhmanesh to replace Niko Medved

Colorado State hired Niko Medved's top assistant to replace him as basketball coach following a quick 24-hour search. Ali Farokhmanesh, 36, was promoted Wednesday evening after Medved left Fort Collins earlier this week to coach at his alma mater, Minnesota. The hire provides some continuity for a program that was 143-85 under Medved and posted three 25-win seasons in the last four years.

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Blackhawks Unable To Win Consecutive Games; Lose To Devils 5-3

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CHICAGO - The Chicago Blackhawks took on the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday night at the United Center. After winning big over the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday afternoon, Chicago was looking for their second straight win. 

New Jersey came in floundering despite their comfortable playoff position. This was the right time for the Hawks to get a win over the Devils. 

The Blackhawks did not have an ideal start to the game. New Jersey took a 2-0 lead before the first period was halfway done. It looked like it would be an ugly one early on for Chicago. 

The Devils eventually took a first-period penalty, which allowed the Blackhawks to gain some momentum. Tyler Bertuzzi scored his standard power-play goal by camping out in front of the net. This 2-1 score carried into the first intermission. 

In the second period, both sides had up and down moments. Just over three minutes into the period, the Blackhawks saw their next power play go completely different from their first one. 

The Hawks turned the puck over a handful of times, and eventually, Jesper Bratt made a play that allowed Ondrej Palat to shoot one in. Just over two minutes later, however, Ilya Mikheyev brought the Blackhawks back within one to keep Chicago in the game.

It looked like the Blackhawks tied it when Ryan Donato redirected an Artyom Levshunov shot, but a review determined that it wouldn’t count because of a high stick redirection. 

Later in the middle frame, the Devils were awarded a controversial power-play chance. Simon Nemec was on top of Connor Bedard pushing him into the ice, and Landon Slaggert came to his rescue.

Slaggert was the only one who was given a penalty on the play, and New Jersey scored a power-play goal to make it 4-2. That score went into the second intermission. As you can imagine, the home crowd was not a fan of how that played out.  

The third period was mostly uneventful. Things did get a little bit interesting at the end, however, when the Blackhawks pulled Spencer Knight for the extra attacker with over four minutes left. Frank Nazar scored to get the Blackhawks within one. 

Although the Blackhawks looked like they might be able to get it tied up late, the Devils sealed it by throwing one into the empty net and walked away with a 5-3 victory. The comeback effort came up short. 

One player who deserves some individual praise is Artyom Levshunov. He was the third star of the game in a loss thanks to his two assists. There are some things to work on when it comes to his defensive game and overall positioning, but his skating and offensive skills allow him to find the scoresheet often. 

Chicago was unable to win two in a row for the first time in about a month. They fall to 2-7-1 in their last ten games and 21-42-9 overall. 

Now, they will face an even tougher test as the Vegas Golden Knights will be in the building on Friday night. Chicago has played okay at times against elite teams, but they will need their very best to have a chance in this one. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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Devils fend off late push to snap three-game losing streak with 5-3 win over Blackhawks

CHICAGO (AP) — Luke Hughes had three assists, Jesper Bratt chipped in with two and the New Jersey Devils ended their three-game losing streak with a 5-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night.

Nathan Bastian, Timo Meier, Ondrej Palat, Dawson Mercer and Stefan Noesen scored for the Devils. Bratt has four assists in his last three games and a career-high 84 points this season. Jacob Markstrom made 21 saves.

Nico Hischier extended his point streak to eight games with an assist on Noesen’s empty-net goal. Hischier has four goals and five assists since March 11.

Tyler Bertuzzi, Ilya Mikheyev and Frank Nazar scored for Chicago, which has lost eight of the last 10 games. Spencer Knight stopped 15 shots.

Takeaways

Devils: New Jersey won both games against the Blackhawks this season, including a 4-1 win in their previous matchup on Dec. 14.

Blackhawks: Chicago outshot the Devils 24-20, including 13 shots in the third period, but struggled to get past Markstrom.

Key moment

The Devils scored two goals within 27 seconds of each other to take a 2-0 lead over the Blackhawks. Bastian scored at 6:23 of the first period and Mercer at 6:50. Mercer’s came on a power play just five seconds into the penalty.

Key stat

The last time the Devils scored at even strength, on the power play, short-handed and into an empty net was Nov. 14 against the Panthers. They had three power-play goals, two at even strength and one short-handed empty-netter in the 6-2 win.

Up next

The Devils visit the Jets on Friday, and the Blackhawks host the Golden Knights the same night.

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Islanders pull Ilya Sorokin in 5-2 loss to Canucks

NEW YORK (AP) — Kiefer Sherwood had two goals and one assist, Thatcher Demko finished with 26 saves and the Vancouver Canucks beat the New York Islanders 5-2 on Wednesday night.

Aatu Raty, Derek Forbort and Teddy Blueger also scored for Vancouver.

Casey Cizikas and Tony DeAngelo scored for New York and Ilya Sorokin made 15 saves before getting pulled early in the third period. Marcus Hogberg had five saves in relief.

The Canucks scored three times in a 7:06 stretch to take a 4-2 lead after the Islanders took a 2-1 lead midway through the second period.

Blueger scored 65 seconds into the third period to chase Sorokin. Sherwood added an empty-net goal with 1:52 remaining.

The Islanders remain on the outside of the Eastern Conference playoff picture after losing three of four on a four-game homestand.

Takeaways

Canucks: Demko started his second straight game since returning to the lineup after sustaining a lower-body injury against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Feb. 8. The 2024 Vezina candidate also missed the first 24 games of the regular season while recovering from a knee injury sustained during the first game of the 2024 playoffs.

Islanders: DeAngelo gave the Islanders a short-lived one-goal lead in the second period and extended his point streak to four games (one goal, four assists).

Key Moment

Demko made two stellar saves on Bo Horvat in the first period, which allowed Vancouver to weather an early barrage from the Islanders and eventually score the first goal when Sherwood redirected a shot from Quinn Hughes.

Key Stat

Raty scored his third of the season to even the score at 2-2 in his first game back at UBS arena since the Islanders traded him and additional assets for Horvat in January 2023.

Up Next

The Canucks visit the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday while the Islanders play at the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday.

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LeBron James' tap-in at the buzzer snaps Lakers' three-game losing streak

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) shoots in front of Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Indianapolis, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Lakers guard Luka Doncic, right, pulls up for a short-range jumper against Pacers forward Pascal Siakam during the first half Wednesday night in Indianapolis. (AJ Mast / Associated Press)

All it took was 70 seconds to lose focus, to stop playing with the right intention, the right mindset, the right spirit.

All it took was 70 seconds for the Lakers to see a six-point lead turn all the way to a one-point deficit, a stretch coming in the final moments of the fourth quarter that it seemed likely, if not certain, that they’d lose for the fourth consecutive time.

Yet all it took was one-tenth of one second, a blink, for LeBron James to tip in a missed Luka Doncic floater to give the Lakers a dramatic 120-119 win against the Pacers.

James struggled to score, failing to make a field goal through three quarters for the first time in his career, not counting a game in which he didn’t play the entire second half because of an injury.

Early in the fourth quarter, James got hot and extended his streak of games with at least 10 points to 1,283 games thanks to quick work in transition and some deft shot-making, but it was far from his night. James finished with 13 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists.

He had help, Doncic and Austin Reaves each carrying the offense for long stretches until James got right. Late in the game, both Doncic and Reaves struggled as the Pacers pushed — Reaves missing a pair of open threes and committing a key turnover and Doncic getting attacked on three consecutive possessions to turn into those seven huge Pacers points and a one-point lead.

Lakers forward Dorian Finney-Smith, right, blocks the shot of Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin during the first half Wednesday
Lakers forward Dorian Finney-Smith, right, blocks the shot of Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin during the first half Wednesday (AJ Mast / Associated Press)

But the Lakers got the stop they needed and gave themselves a chance, creating a great look for Doncic’s potential first game-winner as a Laker. The ball bounced softly off the rim only for James to finish the play just as the horn sounded.

After a video review, the basket was confirmed, the Lakers’ three-game losing streak over.

Doncic finished with 34 points, seven rebounds and seven assists while Reaves had 24 points and five assists.

The Lakers' recent struggles have been significant enough that the team took what’s become a seemingly drastic step — holding a pregame shoot-around. It’s something the Lakers haven’t done in an official sense since Jan. 30 in Washington.

“First time in a long time we've been on the court together, so it was great," coach JJ Redick said before the game. "Cleaned up some stuff offensively. Got our defensive breakdowns in, got some offensive breakdowns in, did some script. It was wonderful.

"Spent yesterday talking about our [switching] offense. We, it's funny, we put together an edit. Had a couple [after timeout] stuff. We wanted to clean up and put together an edit of 11 plays of our [switching] attacks. And if you just watch those plays, you're like, 'Oh man, they're really good. That's good basketball.' Unfortunately, it was the only 11 plays from the Orlando game, so … We'll be better.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Nets' offense stagnant in 116-86 loss to Raptors

NEW YORK (AP) — Orlando Robinson had 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting and added 12 rebounds to help the Toronto Raptors rout the Brooklyn Nets 116-86 on Wednesday night.

Eleventh in the Eastern Conference, the Raptors won their second straight game and handed the 12th-place Nets their fifth straight loss.

Jonathan Mogbo added 15 points and RJ Barrett and Scottie Barnes each had 15. The Raptors won at Washington on Monday night to snap a four-game losing streak.

Nic Claxton led Brooklyn with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Ziaire Williams added 13 points.

Takeaways

Raptors: Toronto is 18-16 in its last 34 games.

Nets: Brooklyn is 1-8 in its last nine and 2-15 in its last 17.

Key moment

Toronto took control early, leading 32-18 after the first quarter.

Key stat

Robinson had 10 first-quarter points, making four attempts from the field and two free throws without a miss.

Up next

Both teams play Friday night. The Raptors host Charlotte, and the Nets host the Los Angeles Clippers.