ARLINGTON, TEXAS - APRIL 28: Josh Jung #6 of the Texas Rangers hits a runs scoring single against the New York Yankees during the ninth inning at Globe Life Field on April 28, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Texas Rangers are 31 games into the 2026 season, and having closed the book on the month of April,* I think it is a worthwhile time to take a look at how the Rangers hitters have fared so far.
* Idiomatically, when we discuss the month of April in regards to the MLB regular season, we also include the few days when games are played in March. Similarly, when we talk about September, we also mean any regular season games in October. Baseball language is weird sometimes.
Big picture-wise, there is once again a fair-sized split in our Fangraphs measures the team’s offense and how Baseball Reference does. Fangraphs has the Rangers, as a team, with a wRC+ of 95, which is tied for 21st in the majors. B-R has the Rangers’ team OPS+ at 105, which is 9th in the majors.* If you average the two out you’d end up at 100, which is, by definition, league average. So you can say that the Rangers’ offense has been above average, average, or below average so far this season, depending on how you want to measure things.
* As a reminder, the split between FG and B-R is mainly due to the difference in park factors they apply to the Shed. B-R’s park factors have the Shed has extremely pitcher-friendly for its 2026 calculations, while FG has the Shed as more neutral.
One thing to also keep in mind is that the Rangers have played a very difficult schedule in the early going. So far in 2026, the Rangers have, per Power Rankings Guru, played the most difficult schedule on MLB.* ESPN has the Rangers playing the third-toughest schedule so far this season. 25 of the team’s 31 games have come against teams with a 110 ERA+ this season or better, with the other six coming against Baltimore (101 ERA+) and the Phillies (91 ERA+).
* The flip side of the difficult early schedule is that they show the Rangers as having the second-easiest schedule the rest of the way.
Below is a chart with each player’s xwOBA, wOBA, and the difference between the two numbers. All data is from Statcast.
That is…not really surprising, for the most part? Brandon Nimmo and Josh Jung are raking. Jung appears to benefitting from a little bit of good fortune, though his xwOBA is still barely behind Nimmo for second on the team among those with significant playing time.
Corey Seager is not off to a great start, even considering his xwOBA is 20 points higher than his wOBA. His biggest issue right now is that his K rate has spiked — he’s striking out over 25% of the time, compared to an 18.1% career K rate. Evan Carter’s expected numbers are also about 20 points higher than his actual wOBA.
What really jumps out to me here is the dichotomy between Josh Smith and Ezequiel Duran. Smith has gotten off to an awful start to the season, while Duran has been putting up great numbers — Duran’s wOBA is almost 100 points higher than Smith’s so far this season.
In terms of xwOBA, however, Smith has actually out-performed Duran by 11 points. Smith’s wOBA is almost 50 points below his xwOBA, while Duran’s xwOBA trails his wOBA by almost 60 points.
Looking a little closer at their numbers, Duran is striking out more often than Smith (20% to 18.4%), while Smith has a 13.3% walk rate compared to Duran’s 9.2% walk rate. Fangraphs has their line drive rates as being almost identical, and has Smith with a hard hit rate higher than Duran.
Despite that, Duran has a .356 BABIP and .136 ISO, compared to a .242 BABIP and .024 ISO for Smith.
There’s been talk about Duran possibly eating into some of Smith’s playing time at second base, due to Duran’s hot start and Smith’s early struggles. When we drill down on their underlying metrics, though, Duran’s case for more playing time weakens.
The bottom two Rangers in terms of both wOBA and xwOBA are Andrew McCutchen and Sam Haggerty, two guys who are here as short-side platoon bats. This certainly helps explain why the Rangers have had so many issues against lefthanded starting pitchers this year.
TAMPA, FLORIDA - MARCH 21, 2026: Eric Hartman #64 of the Atlanta Braves hits a single during the second inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field on March 21, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
We are closing in on the end of the first full month of the season in the minor leagues, meaning some of the Atlanta Braves prospects have seen their stock change a bit since the end of spring training. This is a good chance to take a look at who has seen a change in their stock in April. You will notice that Didier Fuentes is not on this list, which is because I don’t think he has done anything to change his stock significantly either way since his outstanding spring training.
I did not include undrafted prep infielder Yamvier Carrero, due to playing just eight games so far in Augusta, but he is going to be a player to watch going into May. Dalton McIntyre is also a guy to note, after he struggled last year as well as in five games with Rome this year, but he has done very well in his first 10 games with Augusta and could be a guy to follow in May.
Stock Up
Ethan Bagwell, SP – Ethan Bagwell might be in Augusta for the third straight year, but coming into his second full professional season he had only made 11 starts there combined – 10 coming last year. Bagwell came into the year needing more innings after posting a 2.88 ERA, 0.98 WHP, and a 5.4 K/9 over exactly 50 innings here last year. So far so good, as he has already gone nearly half of last season’s innings total (22 IP) with a 3.27 ERA and 1.05 WHIP. Just as importantly he has been missing bats at a much higher rate, seeing last year’s 5.4 K/9 turn into a much nicer looking 8.6 this season – this is the second consecutive year where this has happened in Augusta, as Rayven Antonio made a similar jump last year with this coaching staff. Bagwell, who will only be age-20 all season, is looking like a more complete pitcher this year and a candidate to get bumped up to Rome at some point in the fairly near future.
Logan Braunschweig, OF – A ninth round senior sign out of UAB last year, Braunschweig has been consistently productive for Rome to open this year. He is hitting .300/.432/.417 with a homer and four doubles in 75 plate appearances, with 14 walks to 16 strikeouts. He’s an older player (already age-23) without a lot of power, but he makes great contact and has been regularly hitting the ball hard. He will need to keep proving himself as he moves up the ladder, but he could be playing himself into being a candidate for a future fourth outfielder type of prospect.
Conor Essenburg, OF – Although he has only played in eight games due to an injury that presently has him out, the Braves overslot fifth round pick from last year has looked great in the action he has seen. Essenburg has hit .207/.395/.414 with a double, triple, and homer in 38 plate appearances, to go with nine walks and 17 strikeouts. Beyond just the results, he had been taking good at bats and hitting the ball hard. That’s all you can ask for considering he is a kid out of high school making his professional debut, let alone that this is his first time focusing on just hitting after being a two-way star in high school. While the lack of games played will temper some of the excitement, it is still enough for a slight up arrow after the first month of play.
John Gil, SS – Gil finished last year with Augusta and a short stint in Columbus with a bit of a power spike, but it was a small sample size. We know he looked good there again this spring, and starred in the Spring Breakout Game, but he has continued his success in April. To date he is slashing .291/.388/.468 with three homers and a total of eight extra base hits. Gil is doing his part to prove the power gains that we saw over a short window last year are here to stay, and combined with his speed and on base ability, he is positioning himself to move up our next list of Braves prospects.
Luis Guanipa, OF – While Guanipa is starting out in Augusta for the third consecutive season, that’s mostly because injuries have ruined his last two years. He has been red hot to open the year, slashing .314/.351/.523 with four doubles, a triple, and four homers to go with a perfect 16 for 16 in stolen bases and five walks to 10 strikeouts in 97 plate appearances. Most importantly is the four homers in 21 games, which come after hitting just three homers in 87 combined games over the last two seasons – and matching his total in 46 games played in the DSL back in 2023. If the power spike can continue going forward, Guanipa could find himself moving significantly up the Top 30 list at midseason, as the lack of power in the last two seasons was as much of an issue with him dropping as his lack of health and production.
Eric Hartman, OF – A 20th round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, Hartman spent pretty much all of last year in full season ball – though did miss a little time injured, and was able to slash .248/.344/.374 with five homers and 26 extra base hits in 83 games. He got promoted to High-A to open this year, and has been on a month long tear, slashing .299/.378/.644 with eight homers and 13 extra base hits through 22 games played. Hartman not only has seen a spike in his power, but with a full year of pro coaching under his belt just looks more comfortable at the plate, and the results are showing that. Hartman, who is still just age-19 until mid-June, might end up forcing his way to Double-A before his 20th birthday if he can keep hitting like this.
Jim Jarvis, INF – Following a strong showing in spring training, Jim Jarvis has been a machine for the Gwinnett offense, slashing .324/.444/.477 with five doubles and four homers through 29 games. Add in nearly as many walks (22) as strikeouts (24) and the fact that he’s 14 out of 16 in stolen base attempts, and he’s just been filling up boxscores. This was a guy with a .652 OPS in Double-A with the Tigers before coming over for Rafael Montero at the deadline last year as a bit of an afterthought. Fast forward to not even a year later, and he’s now going to get a shot to earn a shot at the big leagues any time a spot opens considering his production and versatility.
David McCabe, 1B – McCabe seemed to be on the right track after the 2023 season, before Tommy John surgery essentially robbed him of his 2024 season. That meant he needed a bit of a bounce back last year, and he got it in Columbus, slashing .286/.379/.434 with 10 homers in 105 games – though that comes with a bit of an asterisk, as the power still wasn’t what you would like for a first base/DH. Fast forward to this season, and while he is back in Columbus, the power has started to emerge. He is slashing .273/.385/.610 with eight homers through his first 20 games played. It is important to remember that since he is already 26-years-old, a promotion back to Triple-A could be in the cards fairly soon for him. If McCabe can continue to bring the power to go with his quality on base ability, he could still end up as a potential future Braves roster option.
Nick Montgomery, C – An overslot fifth round pick out of high school in 2024, Montgomery was an exciting power hitting catcher that many had high hopes for last year. Unfortunately last year was abysmal, as he spent the entire year in Augusta and slashed .170/.272/.252 with five homers and 42 walks to 119 strikeouts in 356 plate appearances. He has rebounded in a big way so far, slashing .268/.415/.537 with three homers and 11 walks to 13 strikeouts in his first 53 plate appearances. With how poorly last year went, it would have been easy for Montgomery to lose all of his confidence – but he put in the work and seems to be turning things around. He dropped out of the Preseason Top 30 Braves prospects, but if he keeps this up he will comfortably find his name on the midseason list.
Rolddy Munoz, RP – While it might feel like Munoz or his brother Roddery have been in the Braves system forever, he is still just 26-years-old and in the midst of a breakout in Gwinnett. Rolddy has appeared in nine games, going 11.1 innings, and pitching to a 0.00 ERA, 0.71 WHIP, and 10.3 K/9. His dominance has also helped to limit base hits, as he has allowed only four all season. Munoz did pitch two innings in a game for the Braves this year as well, though those results were a bit more mixed. Munoz might be establishing himself as one of the first options should the Braves need to add a reliever.
JR Ritchie, SP – The now 22-year-old has finally been promoted to the big leagues and held his own in a pair of starts there. He was dominant in five starts with Gwinnett, posting a 0.99 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and 9.2 K/9 with just a 4.9 H/9 across 27.1 innings there. In his starts against the Nats and Tigers he has pitched to a 2.92 ERA and 1.30 WHIP with 10 hits, six walks, and 11 strikeouts over 12.1 innings of work. Though he has been a bit prone to the home run, allowing two in his big league debut, and one more in his next outing, Ritchie is already proving himself as a competent big league pitcher as a rookie. The only real question for him is how he will be able to handle left handed hitters, who are slashing .294/.385/.588 with all three homers, while he has held righties to a slash of .000/.083/.000 – though only had 12 plate appearances against them.
Tate Southisene, INF – Last year’s first rounder has been excellent to open his first full professional season. He is presently hitting .271/.442/.494 with three doubles, two triples, four homers, 19 steals, and 20 walks to 27 strikeouts in 113 plate appearances. Southisene is doing everything, and has made great strides from the .219/.242/.297 slash line he put up in 15 games here last year. He is performing like a guy who could earn his way up to Rome at some point this year.
Dixon Williams, OF/INF – When I made this list initially, I wasn’t going to include Williams – just due to the fact that injury has limited him to only nine games so far. However with three hits, including a homer, in the final two days of the month, plus a recent game in center field, Williams earned a spot. He’s slashing .250/.368/.531 with three homers, and with the power and versatility on display, he is making himself someone to watch in this Braves system.
Stock Down:
Nacho Alvarez, INF – Coming into the year Alvarez had a pretty consistent track record. He may have struggled to hit in the big leagues, but he had hit at every stop in his minor league career – until this past month. To date he is hitting just .224/.299/.294, and his only extra base hits are six doubles. This is a guy who has never had an OBP lower than .381 at any stop in his minor league career, who is almost 100 full points below the lowest mark of his career to go with the fact he hasn’t been hitting for power. It might be reaching the point where if the Braves needed to bring someone up, Jim Jarvis may get the call over Nacho.
Landon Beidelschies, SP – The Braves sixth round pick out of Arkansas last year, Beidelschies has had a tougher year adjusting to Low-A competition than you’d expect out of a guy coming from the SEC. He has pitched to a 10.22 ERA, 2.43 WHIP, and 12.4 K/9 in 12.1 innings of work. Add to that the fact his stuff hasn’t been looking like what the Braves were hoping for when they invested in him during last year’s draft, and there is definitely cause for concern. There is still time, considering he is still just 22 and in his first year of professional baseball, but it’s a stock down for the first month.
Lucas Braun, SP – Lucas Braun has made a total of five starts, with four coming in Gwinnett and one with Columbus, totaling 24.2 innings. His 4.38 ERA and 1.42 WHIP are a bit inflated by one tough start with Columbus, but they aren’t awful numbers either way. The reason he is finding himself here is the fact he simply isn’t missing enough bats this season, particularly against Triple-A hitters. His K/9 is 6.2, but drops to just 5.9 in his four Gwinnett starts. Although this is a small sample size, it is in line with the 5.2 rate he posted in 19 innings across three starts for the Stripers last year, giving him a combined 5.5 K/9 in 39 Triple-A innings. For a pitcher who is going to need to survive on his pitchability more than his raw stuff, his strikeouts were never going to be huge at the big league level – but that is still a massive drop off from his Double-A 9.4 rate.
Hayden Harris, RP – Last year was a great year for Harris, who posted a 0.52 ERA and 0.75 WHIP with 13.7 K/9 between Double-A and Triple-A. That was enough to get him to the big leagues to make his debut late last season, though it was a short run in Atlanta. He followed that up with five solid outings in spring training this year, though was sent down surprisingly early before the cut down to the Opening Day roster. Things haven’t gone as well for him so far this year, as he is pitching to a 6.75 ERA, 2.08 WHIP, and 13.5 K/9 through his first 12 innings. Relievers are notoriously inconsistent from year to year, but for a guy who is already age-27, Harris needs to get the ship righted quickly considering he is on the 40-man roster.
Cade Kuehler, SP – A second round pick in 2023, Kuehler is coming off of missing last year injured. The results have not been pretty, as he has a 7.45 ERA, 2.02 WHIP, and 7.0 K/9 in 19.1 innings – and that’s after five and a third scoreless innings on the final day of the month. Making things even tougher for him is the fact that his stuff hasn’t been the same stuff we saw out of him in 2024 with Augusta – and that stuff was already below the stuff he had shown in college. It’s too soon to write off a guy in his first year back from surgery, but Kuehler is now firmly outside of the Braves Top 30 prospects based on the results and stuff.
Jhancarlos Lara, RP – This spring had to be disappointing for Lara, who many were projecting to help the Braves at some point this year. That would be because after spending the last few months in Gwinnett last season, he was sent back to Double-A to open his season. The disappointment has continued there, as he is currently pitching to a 13.50 ERA, 3.00 WHIP, and 13.5 K/9 through 6.2 innings. Command really hasn’t been his friend this year, as he has already walked 16 hitters in those 6.2 innings. Lara’s stuff is still elite, but he isn’t presently looking like a guy who could help the Braves this season.
Alex Lodise, INF – The overall results haven’t been ugly for the Braves second round pick from last year, but it’s more about what I’m seeing out of him than his stat line. He’s slashing an acceptable .260/.336/.410 with three home runs, even if it’s only in Augusta – despite 25 games with Rome after signing last year. However the cause for concern is with the swing and miss and the way he will chase pitches out of the zone, leading to 31 strikeouts in 113 plate appearances. If Lodise is chasing and racking up a 27.4% strikeout rate in Low-A, it’s hard to see how he will be able to hit enough against better, and more advanced pitchers as he moves up the ladder. Luckily for hm the Augusta staff is excellent at working with hitters with this issue, so all hope isn’t lost – it’s just that he is presently seeming less likely to reach his ceiling than he was before.
Cody Miller, INF – An underslot third round pick by the Braves last year, Miller posted a .905 OPS in 10 games with Augusta and .779 OPS in 16 games with Rome after signing last year. He was headed back to Rome to open this year, and with his proven hit tool he was seen as a guy who could potentially move quickly. That has not happened, as he is currently slashing just .169/.253/.289 with two homers and four doubles. Miller is striking out a lot (32 in 118 PA) while only walking a limited amount (8), and he isn’t having great results when he puts the ball in play either. There is plenty of speed and there is some pop in the bat, but he is going to need more work with his hit tool than initially anticipated.
Owen Murphy, SP – Expectations were high for Murphy coming into the year, considering it was his second year back from Tommy John surgery. Getting his first taste of the upper minors in Double-A, he has pitched to a 6.10 ERA and 1.79 WHIP, though has 11.8 K/9 in 20.2 innings. His stat line however isn’t the only reason he’s here, as his stuff just hasn’t taken the step forward that many were hoping for this year. Murphy is still going to be 22-years-old all season, but it is concerning to see his stuff play this way at the Double-A level.
Jose Perdomo, SS – Perdomo isn’t on this list because of what he has done on the field, rather for the fact that this is the third straight year where injuries have ruined his season. He was limited to just eight games in the DSL back in 2024, got 54 injury effected games in the FCL last year, with a .544 OPS, and has just two games played for Augusta this year – and isn’t expected to return soon. It’s a disappointing blow for the former high profile international free agent who came into spring training in the best shape of his life. I guess if you are looking for a positive, it would be that he will spend all of next season at just age-20 – but it’s hard to bank on him being healthy with his track record.
ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 30: Spike Lee celebrates during the game between the New York Knicks against the Atlanta Hawks during Round One Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 30, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
I don’t even know why we make any other prediction than Knicks in Six anymore.
“His versatility is huge whether it’s offensively or defensively. Offensively, he pushes the basketball. He helps us play faster. Defensively, he gives us versatility. You can move him around because of how strong he is and the feel he has on that end of the floor. And then because of his ability to rebound, if you want to cross match and put a smaller guy on him, he can impact the game by hitting the glass.”
On Hart’s physical profile:
“It’s what you look for to have guys that are all 6-8, 6-9, tough and can all bring a lot of things to the table for you. Josh might disagree with his size so he might not be 6-8 or 6-9 but with his strength and toughness, he’s talented physically and he plays the right way, so he gives you those things, even though he is 6-foot-5.”
On OG Anunoby’s consistency:
“It’s huge. Again, he had a double-double (in Game 5), but he impacted the game at such a high level. He impacted it in ways that you can’t even really tell, because it doesn’t show up in the stat sheet. We need him, and he’s definitely been about as consistent as you’d hope and expect. And we need every ounce of his consistency at the highest level.”
On Quin Snyder and the Hawks making the Knicks better:
“I’ve got to give [Hawks head coach] Quin Snyder and his staff a lot of credit. They forced us — when I say us I mean not just our players, our coaches — they forced us to find ways to help the team be better. Sometimes when you win you make adjustments. Sometimes when you lose you make adjustments. You’re always trying to figure out how can we put our team in a better position to help them succeed on the floor. Not to say we have it figured out, but every single time that we step on the floor we’re trying to do that. We’re watching film, going through a million different hypotheticals, which you don’t do during the regular season.”
On the offensive changes after Game 3:
“We had to change (the offense), because every possession was a grind those first three games, especially down the stretch. And so we had to find more ways to put our guys in their strengths while getting to it quickly, while still having options. I’m not a guy that likes to call every play. I want our guys to be able to read where the advantage is quickly throughout the course of the action. And Atlanta forced us to find a way to do that and feel pretty good about where we’re at right now.”
On OG Anunoby’s Game 6:
“OG was phenomenal. He played 27 minutes, had 29 points on 14 field-goal attempts and rebounded his behind off.”
On Mikal Bridges’ Game 6:
“It was great. He just did what he’s capable of doing. Now, is he going to go 10-for-12 every night? No. But he was aggressive and took great shots. And it shouldn’t go unnoticed that his defense was phenomenal. … A big night on both ends of the floor by Mikal.”
On the team connectedness and clicking at the exact best time:
“Our guys, their connectedness right now is off the charts. When you lock into the detail and you’re connected like that, with a group that’s as talented and versatile as that group, you got a chance to do that.”
On the midseason and series adjustments:
“We changed the way we played offensively and defensively about halfway through the season and we changed again after Game 3. [The Hawks] forced us to put our thinking caps on and forced us to play different. Find ways to make the game easier while putting [the players] in their strengths, while trying not to hinder them. We changed what we done offensively, but again that’s because we were pushed to do it. We feel pretty good about what we fell into.”
On the Robinson-Daniels scuffle:
“I haven’t seen the film, and it’s tough because when you’re up that big, stuff happens. And it’s hard. If somebody feels like something that shouldn’t happen happens, it’s hard to keep your composure in that moment. But at the end of the day, that’s what we talked about, and our guys did a good job of that the rest of the game.”
Shaq was trying to revive the Atlanta Hawks 😭
They're down 83-36 in Game 6, the largest halftime deficit in NBA playoffs history 😅
“I’m always questionable depending on how my body feels. It was the back kind of locked up and then it went down to my hip, so that kind of happened the first quarter [of Game 5]. And then I tried to play through it the second quarter, and then at halftime it got a little tighter. I couldn’t really move too much.”
On guarding CJ McCollum:
“I think I had good physicality. I was able to force him into some tough shots. I was just trying to make life hard for him. Obviously, that’s a guy that’s got a lot of buckets in this league. That was something I thought, after Game 1 and Game 2 he kind of went off and kind of took over the game, that’s the matchup that I wanted going into Game 3 and after. I’ve had some conversations with the coaches about not taking me off him and those kinds of things.”
On Karl-Anthony Towns in Game 6:
“I thought KAT was amazing. To start the game blitzing, protecting the rim, he had some big blocks, his energy was huge for us. I just think the physicality, the attention to detail, focus on the gameplan, I think all those are at a very high level.”
On setting the tone in Game 6:
“It was huge for us because, like I said, we feel like we gave two games away. We wanted to come out with a great attention to detail and focus from the jump. I feel like our starts have been pretty good this series, and we wanted to set a tone from the beginning.”
On the blowout win:
“That’s something where it shows what we can do. And now we gotta continue to build off of it. Now we can’t sit there and not do it because we know we have what it takes to do it. It just reinforced the kind of team that we have, the players that we have, the coaches that we have.”
On the meaning of the Game 6 blowout heading into the second round:
“I don’t think it boosts confidence. It just reinforced the kind of team that we have, the players that we have, the coaches that we have. It was huge for us just because we feel like we gave two games away and we wanted to come out here with a great attention to detail, great focus from the jump. I feel like our starts to the game have been pretty good this series. That’s something that we wanted to set the tone with from the beginning.”
“I don’t know. I work very hard. We have a great team and the team has been finding me and I’m playing with force or whatever.”
On the Knicks’ start to Game 6:
“We just came out with intensity. We were ready to play from the very jump … We know what we’re capable of. We know we’re a great team. We just need to continue to do it.”
On the last time he was part of such a humongous blowout:
“That just shows the love that our fans got. They support us around the world. In a playoff series to make us feel at home, in another team’s city, speaks volumes about our fanbase. They’re the best fans in the world.”
On the Knicks’ Game 6 performance:
“We knew we needed to be at our best tonight, and we came close to doing that tonight.”
On not having a preference between Boston and Philly:
“I don’t think it should matter who we play as long as the Knicks play our best version of ourselves. When we do that, we can win every night.”
On adjusting to a new role under Brown and sacrificing for the team:
“I never doubted my ability. I never doubted the work I put in. It’s just – you gotta adjust, you gotta adjust. Especially (with) a lot of new things being thrown at you, you’re being asked to do a lot more things – some things that (haven’t) consistently been asked of me in my career so. It’s one thing anyone who knows me, who’s followed my career, I’m willing to sacrifice and do whatever it takes for the team to win. And I think this year I’ve shown that again. Whatever the team needs me to do, the player the team needs me to be, I’ll step up to the plate, step up to the challenge.”
On answering the call offensively in Game 6:
“I just wanted to answer the call. You ask for the opportunities and they obliged and I got to repay that trust and that opportunity. I just want to impact winning. I got more opportunities to do that and I wanted to make sure not take advantage of the opportunity that I was given. I’m proud that I’ve been able to help us win.”
“I think, most importantly, (a performance like this) shows us what we’re capable of defensively. That’s really important. We still have a long road to travel, so staying locked in and knowing what we’re capable of is really important.
“Feel good about it tonight. Tomorrow, we turn the page.”
On the team’s ceiling:
“It’s good to see what we’re capable of when we play like that.”
On the Game 6 defensive dominance:
“We were able to get stops, run in transition, get layups. It really came down to our defense. It allowed us to play fast. Allowed us to play in transition. And we made shots. Most importantly, it shows us what we’re capable of defensively. I think that’s really important.”
On Karl-Anthony Towns’ first-round series:
“He’s played phenomenal. The way we’ve been able to trust each other, all of us obviously including him, it’s been great.”
On OG Anunoby:
“I think he’s one of a kind and getting to see OG, see his work ethic and see the person he is and what he’s just been able to do with his time as a Knick has been great. I’m so happy to have him and happy I don’t have to see him on that side of the ball. He just creates havoc and I think his game is growing. That’s what happens when you work hard and he’s been doing that day in and day out.”
“He was just doing everything — scoring, defense, rebounding, making plays. He’s doing everything out there and that’s what we need. And I think he’s gonna continue to do that for us.”
On staying confidence amid endless criticism:
“I feel like I’m always confident. Just happy to go out there and get the win. Just doing whatever it takes to win. That’s pretty much it. Just go do it for those guys.”
We have another three playoff games on the schedule tonight, with the Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens, and Vegas Golden Knights all looking to close things out.
My NHL player props analysis will highlight Alex Tuch, Nick Suzuki, and Pavel Dorofeyev.
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Our best NHL player props for Friday, May 1
Take a look at our best bets and expert analysis below.
Prop #1: Alex Tuch Over 0.5 points
-145 at BET99
Alex Tuch has led the Buffalo Sabres in points in the playoffs, registering six. He has three goals and three assists across five games against the Boston Bruins.
Tuch has hit the Over in points in four of his last five, and he’ll be poised to respond after Buffalo’s 2-1 Game 5 loss.
Tuch finished the regular season with 66 points, and he’s collected three points in two road games in this series as the Sabres visit the Bruins tonight. He’s also had nine SOG across the last two games, signaling Tuch’s heavy involvement in the offense.
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Where to watch: ESPN
Prop #2: Nick Suzuki Over 0.5 assists
-160 at BET99
Nick Suzuki and the Montreal Canadiens are one win away from moving on, and the captain is producing at a high level in this first round.
Suzuki, who was fifth in the NHL during the regular season with 72 assists, has notched five helpers in the series. He’s cashed the Over in all but one game.
Suzuki has an assist in back-to-back appearances, and he is the Canadiens’ top playmaker. Playing on the top line with Cole Caufield (51 goals this year) and the PP1 with all of Montreal’s top stars, he’ll have lots of chances to grab another apple tonight.
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: ESPN2
Prop #3: Pavel Dorofeyev anytime goal
+170 at BET99
Pavel Dorofeyev is a huge reason why the Vegas Golden Knights are on the brink of advancing.
The 25-year-old scored once in Game 4 before bagging a hat-trick in Game 3 as Vegas won 5-4. He’s playing with a ton of confidence at the moment, and the opportunities are there.
He has nine SOG across the last two contests, and Dorofeyev was one of the Golden Knights’ top scorers during the regular season, scoring 37 times.
Given how hot he is over these last two games, you'd best believe Vegas will be getting him involved a ton. Another goal in Game 6 is very realistic.
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It's been almost a month since the transfer portal opened in college basketball, and most — if not all — of the big names in the pool of available players have been locked up by new teams.
Several Power Five conference programs — like Louisville, Indiana, Texas and Tennessee — pushed all their chips and resources into the transfer portals to address notable glaring needs on their roster with the hope that their finds — perhaps ones that are seen as "under the radar" — are the missing pieces to go on a deep run in March Madness next season.
That doesn't mean teams are done looking to fill holes in their roster, nor does it mean the pool of talent is all dried up. Teams are still very much active.
But with the dust starting to settle and teams starting to prepare for summer practices, it's gotten to the point of the transfer portal cycle where the review of teams' transfer classes picks up to see how well they did (or are doing), and where some of the best player fits are.
Here's a look at some of the best transfer pickups who ranked near or just outside of the top 50 rankings by Power Five conference programs:
Shaka Smart, coming off his first losing season at Marquette, needed to turn to the transfer portal to patch several notable roster gaps after years of relying solely on high‑school player development. The Golden Eagles coach — perhaps to some surprise — used the portal rather effectively, with one of his pickups being St. Thomas guard and Summit League Player of the Year Nolan Minessale.
Minessale hails from nearby Brookfield, Wisconsin and was a standout player at Marquette High School in Milwaukee. He provides depth in the backcourt for the Golden Eagles, who are bringing back building blocks Nigel James Jr., the Big East Freshman of the Year, and Adrian Stevens as well.
Granted he'll be facing better competition in the Big East than the Summit League, his shooting ability should be a nice welcome to the Golden Eagles, as he shot 56.2% from the field and 31.5% from beyond the arc last season. Marquette finished second-to-last in the Big East with a 31.8% 3-point shooting percentage last season.
Devin Royal, Villanova
Villanova struggled with size and athleticism in its front court last season. The Wildcats resolved that weakness in the portal by landing Ohio State forward Devin Royal — in addition to Kwame Evans Jr., who also transferred to Villanova from a Big Ten program (Oregon) this offseason.
On top of bringing Big Ten starting experience to the Wildcats, Royal will bring a physical presence around the basket with his 6-foot-6, 220-pound frame and the ability to knock down 3-pointers. He boosted his 3‑point accuracy to 31.6% last season, which was up from 27.6% the year before.
He averaged 13.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game last season, and a rather efficient 80.2% mark at the free-throw line.
There weren't many bigger transfer portal winners than Texas this cycle. One basket short of extending their impressive March Madness run into the Elite Eight, Sean Miller and the Longhorns landed four players in the portal, one being Elyjah Freeman.
Freeman played a key role in Auburn's NIT championship, averaging 10.0 points and 7.6 rebounds in five NIT games. He finished double figures in five of his final 10 games. It's worth noting — and considering — that the 2025-26 season was Freeman's first at the Division I level after starting his career at the Division II level, so he could be in line for a breakout season in Year 2 in the SEC after averaging just 9.2 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.
He'll provide size and length to the Longhorns at the wing position and will look to find that more consistent success and production than he saw with the Tigers last season. He'll likely fill the role of Dailyn Swain, who declared for the 2026 NBA Draft, in Texas' lineup as well.
With Dame Sarr, Cayden Boozer, Caleb Foster and Patrick Ngnonba II all returning to Duke next season — in addition to landing Wisconsin guard John Blackwell — the Blue Devils looked to have eyed in on adding some depth off the bench with their other portal acquisition. They were able to get that with Drew Scharnowski.
Scharnowski, a 6-foot-9, 230-pound forward, was one of the top mid-major players this past season in the Missouri Valley Conference at Belmont. He averaged 10.7 points and 6.0 rebounds, which was good enough to earn All-Missouri Valley Conference First Team, All-Defensive Team and Most Improved Player of the Year honors.
At Duke, Scharnowski will be tasked with providing depth to the Blue Devils front court to go with Ngongba.
If there was a player made in a lab to play for Kelvin Sampson, Delrecco Gillespie would be right up there.
Gillespie's stats jump out on paper, as he averaged 17.7 points and 11.3 rebounds last season at Kent State while shooting 50.8% from the field, but so does his size and length at 6-foot-8 and 230 pounds. He also fills some roster needs for the Cougars with freshman forward Chris Cenac Jr. declaring for the NBA draft, as did team-leading scorer Kingston Flemings.
Where his impact will be greatly felt, however, is his rebounding and ability to dominate the glass, which makes him a perfect fit for Sampson and Houston. He finished fourth in the country in rebounds per game last year. Houston has finished in the top 10 in the Big 12 for rebounding each of the last three seasons, and has had a top 5 unit on KenPom in adjusted defensive efficiency in four of the last five seasons.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 25: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Max Kranick #32 of the New York Mets in action against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citi Field on May 25, 2025 in New York City. The Mets defeated the Dodgers 3-1. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We may have just written about how the Nats bullpen was turning things around, but Paul Toboni is always on the lookout for new arms. The Nats have reportedly signed Max Kranick to a deal that is pending a physical. Before going down with an injury, Kranick was a solid arm in the Mets bullpen, posting a 3.65 ERA in 37 innings.
Right-hander Max Kranick and the Washington Nationals are in agreement on a deal, pending physical, league sources tell The Athletic.
After making the Mets out of camp last season, Kranick was a valuable multi-inning reliever for them. He showed off a solid combination of good stuff and great control. Kranick only walked 5 batters in 37 innings last year. He also averaged 95.6 MPH on his fastball.
However, the 28 year old went down with an elbow injury in mid June. He ended up undergoing Flexor Tendon surgery in July of 2025. Kranick missed the remainder of the 2025 season, and went unsigned after being non-tendered by the Mets this offseason.
Kranick has been throwing for teams though. It seems like he was throwing the ball well enough to catch the Nats eye. We are still not totally sure when Kranick will be ready to pitch in big league games, but presumably it will be at some point this season.
Free agent right-hander Max Kranick is set to throw for teams on Friday afternoon at Ascent Athlete in Philadelphia, The Athletic has learned.
I would assume this is a minor league deal for Kranick where he will get a shot at the big leagues if he looks good in AAA. If Kranick can return to his pre-injury form, he would be a solid piece for this Nats bullpen.
Kranick has a really good fastball that generated whiffs over 25% of the time last season. He can also spin several breaking balls. Kranick used a slider, a curveball and a sweeper last year, with the slider being his go to breaking pitch.
While Kranick did not strike a ton of guys out last year, he can be pretty electric when he is on his game. The breaking ball is not as good, but the plus fastball does remind me a bit of Gus Varland. Both Varland and Kranick have good, but not elite velocity. However, their heaters play up due to the shape of the pitch.
I am excited to follow Kranick as he builds back up and gets ready for big league action. He is likely to have a ramp up period and then pitch in the minors for a while. However, I think Kranick will have a role to play in this bullpen in the second half of the season. He has some intriguing pitch traits and has the ability to go multiple innings.
Last season, Kranick threw 37 innings in 24 outings. He has the ability to be a one inning guy or a multi-inning arm. The Nats new regime clearly values guys like that, which is why they are picking up Kranick. This could end up being a solid little signing.
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR - APRIL 22: Will Bush #13 of the Corpus Christi Hooks bats during the game between the Corpus Christi Hooks and the Arkansas Travelers at Dickey-Stephens Park on Wednesday, April 22, 2026 in North Little Rock, Arkansas. (Photo by Braeden Botts/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below.
AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (16-14) lost 3-2 (BOX SCORE)
Sugar Land got on the board in the first inning on a Nelson solo HR. France got the start and went 4 innings allowing 3 runs. In the 6th inning, Nelson added another solo home run. The pen was solid tossing 4 scoreless innings but the offense was quiet the rest of the way as Sugar Land fell 3-2.
Logan VanWey, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (11-13) won 7-6 (BOX SCORE)
Hicks got the start but struggled a bit allowing 5 runs early. The Hooks offense responded though scoring 4 runs in the first inning on a Sullivan solo home run, Whitaker 2 run double and Guillemette RBI single. In the 6th, Lytle gave the Hooks the lead with a 2 run double. Swanson relieved Hicks and allowed 1 run over 3.2 innings while striking out 4. The game went into the 9th tied and in the bottom of the inning, Bush walked it off with a solo HR as the Hooks won 7-6.
Asheville got on the board in the 2nd inning on a Schiavone solo HR and a run scoring on a steal of home. They picked up another run in the third inning on Brutcher RBI groundout. Hertzler got the start and pitched well striking out 6 over 5 scoreless innings. In the 6th, Asheville got a run on a Brutcher RBI double. Rodriguez relieved Hertzler and tossed 3 scoreless innings. The offense added some insurance in the 9th on a Thomas hit by pitch, wild pitch and Schiavone 3 run home run. Guedez allowed a few runs in the 9th but held on for the 9-3 win.
Jose Guedez, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (10-14) lost 8-5 (BOX SCORE)
The Woodpeckers got on the board in the third inning on an Ochoa 2 run double. They picked up another run in the 5th inning on a wild pitch. Perez got the start and was pitching well but ran into some trouble in the 5th allowing 2 runs to score, and then another 2 runs after he was pulled, though only one was earned. Weber continued to struggle in relief allowing another 4 runs. The offense got 2 runs in the 8th on a balk and a groundout but that was it as the Woodpeckers fell 8-5.
The Vegas Golden Knights, ranked first in the Pacific Division with a 39-26 record, face the Utah Mammoth, who are fourth in the Central Division with a 43-33 record. The game is essentially a pick'em, with Utah at -105 and Vegas at -115. Vegas has gone 40-6-11 when scoring at least three goals.
How to watch Vegas Golden Knights vs. Utah Mammoth
The Tampa Bay Lightning, ranked second in the Atlantic Division with a 50-26 record, face the Montreal Canadiens, who are third in the Atlantic Division with a 48-24 record. The game is essentially a pick'em, with Tampa Bay at -115 and Montreal at -105.
How to watch Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Montreal Canadiens
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - SEPTEMBER 20, 2025: Hunter Stratton #65 of the Atlanta Braves prepares to pitch during the sixth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on September 20, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by George Kubas/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
The Atlanta Braves lost the series finale yesterday against the Tigers, and although the offense was to blame for only scoring two runs, Joel Payamps was partly to blame as well as he came in and blew a one run lead in the eighth inning, and then to add insult to injury José Suarez came in the game and also gave up two runs.
The Braves’ bullpen has been one of the best in MLB in terms of ERA, but the writing was on the wall for both Payamps and Saurez who were the two odd men out that have struggled more than anyone else. After Payamps’ blown save yesterday, his ERA rose to 8.22 on the season. Suarez is not too far behind him with is ERA raising to 6.61.
It now becomes clear that yesterday was their last chance to prove that they earned another chance to stay on the roster after today the Braves announced that they will both be DFA’d and replaced with Hunter Stratton and Anthony Molina.
The #Braves today recalled RHP Hunter Stratton to Atlanta and selected RHP Anthony Molina to the major league roster. The club designated RHP Joel Payamps and LHP José Suarez for assignment.
We have not seen Anthony Molina yet this season for the Braves. He pitched 94.1 innings for the Rockies over the past two seasons and struggled to a 6.96 ERA, but if we know anything about the Braves’ front office, they love to take struggling relievers from the Rockies and turn their careers around. Molina has pitched 14.0 innings in at Gwinnett this year of 4.50 ERA ball but has had the best WHIP of any minors season of his career of 1.357. He also pitched 2.0 innings for Venezuela in the WBC.
Hunter Stratton was very good in his limited 16.1 innings so far at the MLB level for the Braves last season with a 2.20 ERA and 1.102 WHIP. It was honestly a bit puzzling when he was not part of the plan for the season to begin with.
With this move, the Braves have undoubtably improved their bullpen.
The Pistons won Game 5 in Detroit, 116-109, as they continue to climb back in the series. Orlando leads the series 3-2 and has the chance to close out in Game 6 at home Friday night.
The stars were out on Wednesday night. Paolo Banchero and Cade Cunningham each scored 45 points, while Tobias Harris (23 points) was the only other player to score more than 20 points. Banchero also led the game in assists with seven and Ausar Thompson led everyone with 15 rebounds.
The Magic went 16-of-30 (53%) from the free throw line in the loss and turned the ball over 16 times in the Game 5 loss. Detroit turned the ball over 17 times and held a significant edge from the free throw line going 28-of-35 (80%).
Lets take a closer look at tonight’s matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game Details and How to Watch Live: Magic vs. Pistons
Date: Friday, May 1, 2026
Time: 7:10 PM EST
Site: Kia Center
City: Orlando, FL
Network/Streaming: Amazon Prime Video
Rotoworld has you covered with all the latest NBA 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!
Game Odds: Magic vs. Pistons
The latest odds as of Friday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Detroit Pistons (-170), Orlando Magic (+142)
Spread: Pistons -3.5
Total: 210.5 points
This game opened Pistons -3.5 with the Total set at 211.5.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!
Expected Starting Lineups: Magic vs. Pistons
Orlando Magic
PG Jalen Suggs
SG Desmond Bane
SF Franz Wagner
PF Paolo Banchero
C Wendell Carter Jr.
Detroit Pistons
PG Cade Cunningham
SG Duncan Robinson
SF Ausar Thompson
PF Tobias Harris (questionable)
C Jalen Duren
Injury Report: Pistons vs. Magic
Orlando Magic
Jonathan Issac (knee) is listed as DOUBTFUL for Game 6
Detroit Pistons
Kevin Huerter (hip) is listed as QUESTIONABLE for Game 6
Tobias Harris (ankle) is listed as QUESTIONABLE for Game 6
Important stats, trends and insights: Pistons vs. Magic
Detroit is 45-42 ATS
Detroit is 47-39-1 to the Under
Detroit is 23-19-1 to the Under as the road team
Detroit is 15-18 ATS as a road favorite
Orlando is 43-46 ATS and 22-21 ATS at home
Orlando is 9-4 ATS as a home underdog
Orlando is 7-6 on the ML as a home underdog
Orlando is 47-42 to the Over and 23-20 to the Over at home
Orlando is 7-6 to the Under as a home underdog
Rotoworld Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections 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 Friday’s Magic and Pistons’ game:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Pistons’ Moneyline
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Pistons -3.5 ATS
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total UNDER 210.5
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PEORIA, ARIZONA - MARCH 14: Petey Halpin #0 of the Cleveland Guardians takes the field during a Spring Training game against the San Diego Padres at Peoria Stadium on March 14, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Guardians demoted George Valera to Columbus yesterday, without announcing a corresponding move. However, Petey Halpin was not in the Clippers’ lineup in Columbus last night and Stuart Fairchild was, so internet sleuths suspect that Halpin will join the Guardians in Sacramento today to play the A’s.
Valera was given the chance to earn a starting spot in left field, but was lapped by Angel Martinez and Daniel Schneemann. He will get a chance to get his bearings in Triple-A while Angel and Schnee try to show their work is sustainable.
Speaking of Columbus, I am not sure how long the Guardians can leave Franco Aleman there. He has a 0.00 ERA, a 1.62 FIP and a 13.5/2.7 K/BB/9. Daniel Espino is striking out 10.38 per 9, but his 6 per 9 walk rate is at least justification for leaving him down there, as is his need to get used to a reliever’s schedule. I was told Codi Heuer is doing well, but his 6.55/4.09 K/BB/9 doesn’t inspire. He’s limiting hard contact, but I don’t see anything that makes me think Heuer is a “can’t lose” guy if the team needs a 40-man spot in the future.
Barring any last-minute snags in finalizing contracts, it appears as though the Toronto Maple Leafs management is set with Hockey Hall of Famer Mats Sundin taking on a Vice President of Hockey Operations-type role and John Chayka serving as General Manager. However, it looks like the Leafs were aiming to speak with another currently employed GM with another franchise.
On the latest episode of the ’32 Thoughts’ podcast, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman revealed who he believes the Leafs tried to speak to. “I believe that was Julien Brisebois of the Tampa Bay Lightning,” Friedman said. “I don’t think anyone is shocked here the Lightning would say no.”
A look at his resume makes it clear to see why the Leafs would be interested in Brisebois. He started with the Lightning in 2010 when he was hired by Steve Yzerman as an Assistant GM and oversaw the AHL team’s hiring of Jon Cooper and subsequent Calder Cup championships. When Yzerman departed to run the Detroit Red Wings, Brisebois was promoted to GM, and the club won back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2020 and 2021.
Brisebois is known for his ability to weaponize the salary cap while being aggressive in making deals to compete in a championship window. An example of that was acquiring David Savard and Barclay Goodrow for first-round picks during that period. He has also been able to effectively sign players to cap-friendly deals, securing stars like Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point to long-term contracts with salary cap hits of $9.5 million. While these were seen as possibly below market value, the take-home pay remains high given Florida is a state with no
In Toronto, Brisebois wouldn’t necessarily have that specific tax luxury, but he would have had the full resources of MLSE at his disposal. He certainly fits MLSE CEO Keith Pelley’s desire for a data-driven GM, making it easy to see why the Lightning were quick to decline the request.
The Leafs appear to be in no rush to make a formal announcement on their new management structure as all the i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed. Beyond the front office shuffle, the team's immediate future hinges on the NHL Draft lottery this Tuesday, May 5. The Leafs currently have the fifth-best chance of moving to the No. 1 spot, but they also face a 58.9 percent chance of losing their pick if they move down in the order. The Leafs lose their pick to the Boston Bruins if it does not land in the top five—a condition of the March 2025 trade that brought veteran defenseman Brandon Carlo to Toronto.
Michigan Wolverines center Aday Mara (15) and forward Yaxel Lendeborg (23) celebrate a made basket Saturday, April 4, 2026, during a Final Four game against the Arizona Wildcats at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Dusty May already started preparing for next season even before the confetti was cleaned off the Lucas Oil Stadium floor following Michigan’s win over UConn in the National Championship last month. May hit a home run in the portal last offseason, directly leading to the Wolverines’ success this past season, and he is hoping to do the same thing this offseason in order to replace the talent departing for the NBA.
Big Ten Player of the Year and All-American Yaxel Lendeborg was the best player on this team, and replacing him is going to be incredibly difficult, if not impossible. Replacing Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr. will be hard as well, as both of them have declared for the draft as well.
Even though both Mara and Johnson kept the door open for a return, it is highly likely they will both stay in the draft. Assuming that is the case, let’s take a look at the best landing spots for all three of these Michigan stars.
Yaxel Lendeborg
Toronto Raptors
One team that might be a good fit for Lendeborg is the Toronto Raptors. Given Lendeborg’s current draft stock, he likely isn’t going to be taken early enough to end up with a true rebuilding team. The Raptors are a playoff team this year that lacks consistent scoring. Lendeborg is someone who not only score in every type of way, but he also is an outstanding defender with high-level basketball maturity (TikTok maturity is still getting there).
Indiana Pacers
This one might not work out in terms of draft position, as the Pacers are currently the second-worst team in the NBA, but if they get a bit unlucky in the lottery, they could be in a good spot to draft Lendeborg. We knew Indiana was going to have a rough season without Tyrese Haliburton, but this team should return to contending status once he is healthy. Adding a high-level rookie in the draft could take them to the next level.
Miami Heat
The team with perhaps the most buzz surrounding Lendeborg is the Heat. They had some surprise runs in the playoffs not long ago, but they have been stuck in an awkward middle-ground area lately. Lendeborg isn’t jumping off the charts as a top-five pick, but he has the potential to be a star at the next level. He could be that major win in the draft that Miami needs.
Morez Johnson Jr.
Miami Heat
Like Lendeborg, the Heat might be a good fit for Johnson as well, and Miami should end up in a good spot to land him. He has shown the ability to score in a number of ways, though getting down in the paint is certainly his strong suit. His defense will be something that stands out in the NBA, and if he can continue to improve his three-point shooting, he can have a long and successful career. His defensive prowess would fit in nicely with the Heat.
Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers are another team who should end up in the right area to draft Johnson. Philly has struggled the past few years, but the team is finally starting to trend in the right direction. Perhaps a player like Johnson who actually consistently plays (*cough* Joel Embiid *cough*) could help elevate this team.
Los Angeles Lakers
Personally, I think the Lakers would be the best fit for Johnson. L.A. has already expressed interest in him, and this should line up well with where it is picking in the first round. The Lakers are one of the better teams in the NBA, and with good size and scoring abilities, Johnson would be a good fit for what the Lakers have going on.
Aday Mara
Philadelphia 76ers
Mara is another Wolverine who could fit in nicely in Philly. We saw how good the duo of Johnson and Mara was; perhaps we end up seeing something with him and Embiid on the 76ers. The NBA isn’t quite as paint-focused as college basketball, but that would still be a scary duo to go up against.
Chicago Bulls
The Bulls desperately need to strike gold in the draft. Mara might be a risk, as it’s hard to tell how he will fare at the next level, but this has potential to be a great bang for your buck pick.
San Antonio Spurs
How fun would it be to watch Mara and Victor Wembanyama on the court together? The Spurs’ length already overwhelms every team they go up against, and adding another giant would add to that quite a bit.
Apr 30, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers (27) is congratulated by teammates after scoring against the Toronto Blue Jays in the eighth inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images | Matt Blewett-Imagn Images
The Bombers enjoyed a day off on Thursday, before kicking off a set with the Orioles at home this weekend. With an early slate of games taking up much of Thursday, there wasn’t much positive movement for the American League’s top teams. Between a split double header, grand slams and a tough Jays loss to the Twins, let’s take a look at what happened on Thursday.
Minnesota Twins (13-19) 7, Toronto Blue Jays (14-17) 1
After two much-needed wins against the Red Sox, the Blue Jays dropped a dud against the Twins on Thursday. Despite an early lead and a strong start to the game for Toronto, the middling Minnesota squad took control of this game in the second half.
Kevin Gausman was on the hill for the Jays, who has had a terrific start to the 2026 season. He looked good to begin his outing, as the veteran righty fired three scoreless innings out of the gate, though it was matched by Bailey Ober for the Twins. Toronto broke out first with the bats, when Daulton Varsho belted his fourth homer of the season in the fourth inning, a solo shot to open the scoring.
The lead was short-lived, however, as Ryan Jeffers tagged Gausman with a two-run blast in the following half inning, which turned Minnesota’s deficit into a lead with one swing of the bat.
Two innings later, the Twins tacked on two more runs, fueled in part by Byron Buxton’s eighth home run of the season. In the eighth, they added some additional insurance thanks to RBIs from Josh Bell and Luke Keaschall against the Toronto ‘pen. With a six-run lead in tow, the Twins were able to cruise to victory in the series opener, as the Jays fall to fourth in the AL East, two games ahead of the Red Sox, who had the day off on Thursday.
Other Games
Detroit Tigers (16-16) 5, Atlanta Braves (22-10) 2: Despite a shaky start in the outing, Framber Valdez turned in a good start for the Tigers. Two early runs were the only marks on his day, as he finished striking out eight across his six solid innings of work. Detroit overcame a 2-0 deficit thanks in part to four runs in their final two innings, with doubles from Matt Vierling and Dillon Dingler leading the charge for the rally.
Baltimore Orioles (15-15) 10, Houston Astros (11-20) 3 (Game 1): The Orioles hosted the Astros for a back-to-back double header on Thursday, making up a rain out from Wednesday. In the first, The Orioles took command in the middle innings, and never trailed on their way to a win. A pair of grand slams usually does the trick, and the O’s got just that from Adley Rutschman in the fifth and Jeremiah Jackson in the seventh. Chris Bassitt also turned in a very good start, tossing 6.2 innings of one-run ball, striking out seven.
Houston Astros (12-20) 11, Baltimore Orioles (15-16) 5 (Game 2): The Astros flipped the script in the second game, jumping out to an early lead and putting up a double-digit run total of their own. After five runs in the first, Yordan Alvarez padded Houston’s lead in the second with his 12th home run of the season. Lance McCullers Jr. struck out nine in his six frames for the ‘Stros.
Tuch Over 0.5 points
Suzuki Over 0.5 assists 
Dorofeyev anytime goal 
