This swashbuckling victory moved Manchester United to within two points of Champions League qualification and is prima facie evidence of the job Michael Carrick has executed since his appointment as interim manager.
The performance is also a fair calling card for the permanent role as United bettered a doughty Brentford by simply being better.
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It felt like the San Diego Padres’ game all day, in large part, because it was.
Michael King twirled six innings of two-run ball, sporting eight strikeouts and only one walk. He exited the game with a 7-2 lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks. It was over in a hurry.
The Padres’ bullpen (uncharacteristically) gave up the game in a loud way. David Morgan and Bradgley Rodriguez combined to give up six runs — including a Tim Tawa grand slam — in the bottom of the seventh before Ron Marinaccio and Wandy Peralta gave up four more runs in the eighth to give the D-backs a five-run cushion.
San Diego tried to come back multiple times but couldn’t answer once, ending in a disappointing loss after what had started off as a promising game. Three home runs, two from Manny Machado and the other from Luis Campusano, had buoyed the Friars for most of the game until the relief blowup.
On most days, if the Friars scored seven runs before turning it over to the bullpen, there’d be no worry of giving the game up. But yesterday that was not to be.
The hard truth for the Friar Faithful is there will be games like this. It’s not an indictment on the bullpen, it’s just a long, long, season and leads will be blown sometimes — no matter how good the club is.
That being said, San Diego will return home tonight hoping to best the similarly-hot Chicago Cubs. Their offense will be back in the pitcher-friendly confines of Petco Park so they’ll need to bet on a bounce back performance from the relief corps.
That being said, Boyd (although feared in the past) has not been pitching like himself lately. He gave up six runs in his first start of the season before being placed on the injured list for two weeks. He’s been better since returning but still sports a 5.79 ERA on the year.
Boyd has also yet to go a full six innings in a game (5 2/3 at most). That’s good news for the Friars, who will hope to get to the Chicago bullpen quickly. They’ve been mostly solid but have struggled to a 3.95 ERA to start the year, and are without closer Daniel Palencia.
Vásquez, on the other hand, has been San Diego’s ace to open the season. He’s tallied a 1.88 ERA and 1.08 WHIP to go with 30 strikeouts across 28 2/3 innings. He’s been a beast on the mound for the Padres and has only given up more than one run once.
Helping Vásquez significantly is his history facing Chicago. The righty owns a .194 opponent batting average against the Cubs’ lineup. If he can limit them similarly (like he’s done to opponents all season), Vásquez will have no problem tonight.
After some early tweaking by manager Craig Stammen, the lineup has been more or less set lately. It seems likely that continues tonight against Boyd, looking something like this:
I’m hoping that Song makes his debut at the plate tonight. It’s possible that he debuts in a pinch-hit opportunity or DH-ing) as opposed to starting the game at second. But it seems possible he takes the start over Jake Cronenworth after Cronenworth’s slow offensive start to the season.
Tatis is still searching for his first homer of the year. It has been — by far — his longest drought without one. Hopefully he’ll hit one while being cheered on by the Friar Faithful tonight.
Like I said, the San Diego bullpen looked rough yesterday. But that’s hardly an indication of a downhill turn for the group. They’ve been dominant this year, ranking third in the majors with a 3.03 ERA.
The high-leverage guys (Jason Adam, Adrian Morejon and Mason Miller) have continued to be dominant — showing no signs of stopping. Miller took the franchise record for scoreless innings pitched this weekend and will look to extend it tonight if San Diego has a lead in the ninth.
Behind those three is Kyle Hart, who will surely be first out of the ‘pen if Vásquez doesn’t perform as well as he typically does. Hart can cover several innings well for the Friars with his history as a starter, though he hopefully won’t need to so long as Vásquez pitches a gem.
The Detroit Pistons will try to even their first-round playoff series with the Orlando Magic in Game 4. The top-seeded Pistons have dropped two of the first three games to the Magic. Detroit is a 2.5-point favorite in Game 4. The over/under for the matchup is set at 213.5.
Date: Monday, April 27
Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT
Where: Kia Center, Orlando, Florida
TV Channels: NBC, Peacock
Live Stream:NBA League Pass | Follow on Yahoo Sports
Spread: Orlando Magic +2.5
Moneyline: Orlando Magic +125 (42.2%) / Detroit Pistons -155 (57.8%)
Over/Under: 213.5
Game 1:Magic 112, Pistons 101
Game 2:Pistons 98, Magic 83
Game 3:Magic 113, Pistons 105
Game 4: Mon. April 27, at Orlando (8 p.m., NBC/Peacock)
Game 5: Wed., April 29, at Detroit (7 p.m., Amazon)
*Game 6: Fri., May 1, at Orlando (time and network TBD)
*Game 7: Sun., May 3, at Detroit (time and network TBD)
*if necessary
Who: Phoenix Suns vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
When: 6:30 pm Arizona Time
Where: Mortgage Matchup Center — Phoenix, Arizona
Watch: NBCSN/Peacock
Listen: KMVP 98.7
This very well could be the final game of the 2025-26 NBA season for the Phoenix Suns. If it is, what a ride it’s been.
No team in league history has ever come back from down 3-0. Phoenix is also the only team without a playoff win this year after the Rockets finally got one against the Lakers last night.
Phoenix made things slightly more interesting last game, but Shai had a performance for the ages, and the Suns just couldn’t hang despite an early 9-point lead in the first quarter. But, as we’ve seen all series long… the Thunder are just simply too good. They are the defending champs and won 64 games for a reason, after all.
The adjustments have been minimal from first-year head coach Jordan Ott. Will we see more of the same? If this team is who they’ve said they are all season long, they should go down swinging.
Jalen Williams is out again, and that means plenty more Alex Caruso, Ajay Mitchell, Cason Wallace, and Aaron Wiggins minutes. This team is deep. Shai’s firepower led the way in Game 3, with eight players contributing 6+ points.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been nearly unstoppable. He is hitting tough contested shots, he is getting downhill with ease, and drawing fouls when he needs to. Or kicking it to his open teammate if the Suns overcommit. Slowing him down has been virtually impossible. If they want any chance at an upset tonight, the defense on him has to improve. Easier said than done.
One person who could certainly help with that would be Jordan Goodwin. Goody’s status is in question again, as he has been sidelined since the first game of the series with a calf injury. There’s been a lot of chatter about how much the Suns have missed Mark Williams, and rightfully so due to the size disadvantage. But to me, Jordan Goodwin’s absence has been the most negatively impactful for this Suns squad. His presence changes everything defensively.
Outside of Dillon Brooks, he is the culture setter. The big momentum-shifting plays and the “little things” he does over the course of the game add up.
It’s simple, really. Take care of the ball. Rebound.
If they do those two things while playing their brand of hard-nosed basketball, they have a chance against anyone. If they continue to carelessly turn it over or allow second-chance points, they are toast. The margin for error against this Thunder team is microscopic.
The possessions where the Suns had an excellent defensive stand for 20-to-23 seconds that led to a miss, only for the Thunder to grab the offensive board and hit a triple are the backbreakers. Those momentum shifts are the difference between a transition opportunity for your offense and your defense getting overworked for another 10-13 seconds and a potential 5-point swing on a single possession.
Shooters need to shoot. We’re going to need Collin Gillespie and Grayson Allen to knock their shots down. Royce O’Neale as well. The “Big 3” of Booker, Brooks, and Green will draw the most defensive attention, so it sets up the role players for quality looks. They surprisingly had plenty of good looks from deep in the last game; the shots just weren’t falling at the rate they needed to.
The list of things that have to go right to win is pretty long. Do we have one last fight in us?
This thing is over. I expect the Thunder to aim to put one final bow on this thing and wrap it up so they can enter their next series well rested against the Lakers or Rockets. Prove me wrong one last time, Suns.
Suns 101, Thunder 119
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Luis Castillo will be handed the ball as the Seattle Mariners head to the North Star State to take on the Minnesota Twins.
My Mariners vs. Twins predictions explain why I expect Castillo to play a big part in the M's claiming the win.
Read more for my MLB picks for Monday, April 27.
The Seattle Mariners have captured four straight victories heading into tonight’s contest. Luis Castillo gets the ball tonight, and he’s found his form lately. The righty is also very familiar with this Minnesota Twins lineup.
Castillo has held their offense to a .195 average across 113 at-bats. Castillo has also allowed just three earned runs across his last two starts, and he’s only given up four earned runs on the road this year.
Seattle faces rookie Connor Prielipp this evening, who has held his own through three appearances. In his first start last week, Prielipp surrendered only two earned runs to the New York Mets.
However, he’s up against an M’s lineup which has scored 14 runs across its last two games.
I could see both guys throwing the ball well, but Castillo will be better, and Seattle will muster up enough offense to chase Prielipp relatively early.
COVERS INTEL: Minnesota’s bullpen has a horrid 4.85 ERA, and the Twins have also lost five straight games.While Seattle’s offense broke out a bit over the weekend, neither of these teams are scoring a ton of runs overall. The M’s are 22nd in runs scored, and they cashed the Under in two of the three games against the Cardinals.
The Twins also took part in a low-scoring series with the Tampa Bay Rays, with the Under hitting in all three matchups as well. They also scored just five runs in that series, and Minny comes up against a very good arm in Castillo.
The Mariners’ bullpen is also elite, compiling a 3.18 ERA. Most of the offense tonight will come from Seattle, but don’t expect a ton. Pitching will be the storyline of the first game of this series.
The Mariners have hit the Under in 10 of their last 13 away games (+6.80 Units / 48% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Mariners vs. Twins.
| Location | Target Field, Minneapolis, MN |
| Date | Monday, April 27, 2026 |
| First pitch | 7:40 p.m. ET |
| TV | Mariners.TV, Twins.TV |
| Mariners starting pitcher | Luis Castillo (0-1, 5.01 ERA) |
| Twins starting pitcher | Connor Prielipp (0-0, 4.50 ERA) |
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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The top of the Western Conference continues on its pace toward a Western Conference Finals matchup that we could see for many years to come.
The San Antonio Spurs suffered a brief hiccup against the Portland Trail Blazers, but my Trail Blazers vs. Spurs predictions and these NBA picks expect the series to end in five games on Tuesday, April 28.
Spurs: You had your chance, Portland. But you did not capitalize on Victor Wembanyama’s Game 3 absence, and that has cost you. This never would have been een a gentleman’s sweep if Wembanyama did not suffer that concussion, something that should be made clear tonight.
However far the San Antonio Spurs advance in these NBA playoffs, enjoy Stephon Castle’s further emergence in each round. The second-year guard is considered the third banana for the Spurs, behind Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox, but Castle may actually be the most fun player on the roster.
He makes everyone else better while also pushing the pace himself and is capable of hitting just about any shot.
Castle has cleared this points prop in only two of the four games in this series, but the two games in which he fell short still featured 17 and 16 points while San Antonio won so handily that Castle’s minutes were a bit shortened.
There should be no such cruise control in Game 5. The Spurs can dispatch the Portland Trail Blazers. They should play with that clinching mentality; Castle can rest this weekend. Furthermore, Portland should go down swinging; a 20-point lead will still require protecting in the fourth quarter.
Let’s put it this way: Castle has cleared this prop in every game he has played at least 34 minutes in this series. Per 34 minutes, he is averaging 21.8 points.With a chance to win a postseason for the first time in San Antonio since 2017, expect Castle to play at least 34 minutes.
First of all, Castle has hit 9-of-21 shots from beyond the arc in this series, 42.9%, and cleared this prop in three of the four games. He is very much a shooter, and that only raises his scoring ceiling.
Second of all, it may seem counterintuitive to bet on Castle’s props because he should play a full workload tonight to clinch the series and then still expect a blowout, but those are actually hand-in-hand thoughts. Portland should press until the very, very end. That does not mean the game will get closer.
The Spurs should want to put this series to bed more than a team normally would up 3-1. Victor Wembanyama may be back on the court, but rest will help him recover from his Game 2 concussion.
His shot did not look great in his Game 4 return, though he did find 12 rebounds in only 34 minutes.
Not only have three of the four games in this series gone Under their totals, but all three of the regular-season matchups between these two also went Under their totals. Find more NBA betting trends for Trail Blazers vs. Spurs.
| Location | Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, TX |
| Date | Tuesday, April 28, 2026 |
| Tip-off | 9:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN |
Not intended for use in MA.
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The NBA playoffs on NBC continue Monday night with the Oklahoma City Thunder on the road against the Phoenix Suns in Game 4 of their first-round series on Peacock and NBCSN.
In winning the first three games by an average margin of at least 20 points, Oklahoma City (the top seed in the West) is on the verge of its third consecutive first-round sweep (after ousting New Orleans in 2024 and Memphis in 2025.
The Thunder's 11 consecutive victories in the first round are tied with the Heat (2012-16) for the fifth-longest streak in NBA history behind the Lakers (20 in 1984-90), the Cavaliers (14 in 1990-95) and the Bulls (14 in 1990-1995, 13 in 1995-05).
No. 8 seed Phoenix has lost nine consecutive playoff games, and a 10th in a row would move the Suns into a tie for the longest active playoff losing streak with Brooklyn (2021-23). Phoenix's most recent playoff win was at home on May 7, 2023 over Denver in Game of the Western Conference Semifinals.
See below for additional information on the Thunder-Suns game and how to watch the 2026 NBA Playoffs on NBC and Peacock.
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Reigning Thunder MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a career-high 42 points while shooting 15 of 18 (83.3%) from the field in Game 3. In breaking his previous mark of 40 (set last year against Minnesota, Gilgeous-Alexander became only the fifth player to score at least 40 points in a playoff game while shooting at least 80% from the field (joining Terry Porter, 41 pts on 85.7% in 1992; Elton Brand 40 pts on 81.8% in 2006; Dirk Nowitzki 48 pts on 80% in 2011; and Devin Booker (47 pts on 80% in 2023).
The rest of the OKC starters combined for 43 points with swingman Jalen Williams out for Game 3 with a left hamstring injury that will sideline him for at least a week. Ajay Mitchell got his first career playoff start and had 15 points and six rebounds.
“He’s obviously not shy," Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said of Mitchell. "Winners fail and losers hide. He wasn’t hiding.”
Dillon Brooks led the Suns in Game 3 with a playoff career-high 33 points. Devin Booker, Phoenix's five-time All-Star and 11-year veteran, went to the locker room in the third quarter of Game 3 with an apparent left ankle injury. He returned after missing only 3 minutes of the game and quickly scored five points before being held scoreless in the 4th quarter.
In his fifth playoff appearance, Booker is averaging postseason career lows in points per game (20.3), assists per game (4.3), and steals per game (0.3). He is down from averaging 26.1 points per game in the regular season.
NBC Sports will present up to 23 games in the First Round and 11 games in the Conference Semifinals across either NBC and Peacock, or Peacock and NBCSN. Playoff programming concludes with exclusive coverage of the Western Conference Finals on NBC and Peacock.
RELATED:Ludacris, NBC Sports team up for ‘It’s Time’ spot promoting NBA Playoffs return to NBC
Peacock’s NBA Playoffs coverage spans multiple rounds, including Round 1, the Conference Semifinals, and the Western Conference Finals, with coverage evolving as the postseason progresses.
Yes. During earlier rounds such as Round 1 and the Conference Semifinals, Peacock will carry a mix of Eastern and Western Conference playoff games.
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San Diego Padres Fernando Tatis Jr. is exiting the first month of the 2026 season with a disappointing .250/.333/.290 line, zero HR, 12 RBI, and 0.0 WAR. A very strange start for a player with a career WAR of 27.2. Nevertheless, not an area of concern, but certainly a step back in run production.
Tatis Jr. is an elite defender with two Gold Gloves and two Platinum Gloves for his effort. However, for a player to be a Most Valuable Player candidate, the honor is closely tied to an outstanding offensive season. Unfortunately, Tatis Jr.’s output is nothing to write home about.
Granted, we are still in April, but the Friar Faithful want to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The star outfielder seems to be willing to take pitches and be more patient at the plate. Tatis Jr. did not overhaul his swing mechanics but has concentrated on putting more of the bat’s barrel on the ball.
The adjustment has drawn 13 walks in 27 games, which could challenge his career-high 89 BB last season. His walk rate is at 10% for the first month, as he is swinging less and is more willing to take a walk that puts a runner on base for the heart of the batting order.
The lone negative to his start, Tatis Jr. is still striking out at an alarming rate with runners in scoring position. Currently, his walk-to-strikeout rate is nearly 1-2.5, with Tatis Jr.’s strikeout rate at 24.6%. It has led to some missed scoring opportunities, as he has been having trouble putting the ball in the air.
Tatis Jr. has an 18.7% fly ball rate, which is the lowest of his seven-year major league career. Surprisingly, he is hitting a career-high 49.3% groundball rate in 100 at-bats. This combination likely explains his 27-game homerless streak.
Let’s not get too restless, as the newfound plate discipline will result in better quality contact at-bats. The three-time All-Star’s OPS (.623) is decent, but nowhere near his career average of .859. Tatis Jr.’s best mark was .975 in 2021. He wants to put himself into favorable count situations. But Tatis Jr. is failing to lift the ball for extra base hits.
Despite the slow offensive production, Tatis Jr. is too talented a home run hitter to remain silent much longer. If he goes on a mini spree, his walk rate will likely decline.
He is scorching the ball when making solid contact, but it is right at the waiting glove of a fielder. Tatis Jr. is sporting a robust 66.7% hard-hit rate, well above the league average of 38.6%. He has an exit velocity of 93.3 mph this month. Tatis Jr. is trying to use the whole field and not pull every pitch. Still, you would expect better production than the results have shown.
His newfound plate discipline should provide more hittable situations. At some point, Tatis Jr. will do damage against opposing pitching.
The Vegas Golden Knights are looking to bounce back after falling behind 2-1 in their series against the Utah Mammoth. They’ll get their chance in Game 4 on Monday at the Delta Center.
Game 3 was last on Friday at the Delta Center. The Golden Knights started strong, outshooting the Mammoth 12-2 through the first 12 minutes. However, the Mammoth made the most of their limited scoring chances and jumped out to a crushing 4-0 lead in the second period. The Golden Knights pushed, but couldn’t mount a comeback and lost 4-2.
Puck drop for Game 4 is scheduled for 6:50 p.m. PST.
Carter Hart will start in goal for the Golden Knights. Hart has a 1-2 record and a .892 average save percentage in three games this postseason.
Karel Vejmelka will start in goal for the Mammoth. Vejmelka has a 2-1 record and a .916 average save percentage in three games this postseason.
Ivan Barbashev — Jack Eichel — Pavel Dorofeyev
Reilly Smith — Mitch Marner — Mark Stone
Brett Howden — Tomáš Hertl — Keegan Kolesar
Cole Smith — Nic Dowd — Colton Sissons
Brayden McNabb — Shea Theodore
Noah Hanifin — Rasmus Andersson
Jeremy Lauzon — Kaedan Korczak
Goaltenders: Carter Hart / Adin Hill
Clayton Keller — Nick Schmaltz — Lawson Crouse
Kailer Yamamoto — Logan Cooley — Dylan Guenther
JJ Peterka — Alex Kerfoot — Michael Carcone
Liam O’Brien — Kevin Stenlund — Brandon Tanev
Mikhail Sergachev — MacKenzie Weegar
Nate Schmidt — John Marino
Ian Cole — Sean Durzi
Goaltenders: Karel Vejmelka / Vitek Vaněček
VGK power play: 22.2%, 5th
VGK penalty kill: 83.3%, 8th
Mammoth power play: 16.7%, 9th
Mammoth penalty kill: 77.8%, 12th
Tonight’s game could very well decide the fate of the Golden Knights’ season. Historically, teams that go up 3-1 go on to win the series 91.0% of the time.
The Golden Knights are 10-8in Game 4s in franchise history.
With an assist in Game 3, Mark Stone recorded his 75th playoff point (38-37-75) with the Golden Knights. He’s tied with Jonathan Marchessault for the most in franchise history.
After going 0-fer their last five power play opportunities, the Golden Knights are changing up their units.
Despite a shaky performance from Carter Hart in Game 3, Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella remains fully confident in his starting goaltender.
TV: Vegas 34, ESPN
Streaming: KnightTime+
Radio: FOX Sports Las Vegas 94.7/1340, Deportes Vegas 1460
While a clear feature of the 2026 Rockies is Warren Schaeffer changing up lineups depending on the opposing pitcher and analytics, one trend is emerging as a fairly regular trend: Edouard Julien in the leadoff spot.
Julien has hit in the No. 1 spot in 17 of the Rockies 29 games with all of them coming in the last 20. Jake McCarthy served as the leadoff hitter for the first five games of the season, Troy Johnston has done it three times, Tyler Freeman has done it twice and Jordan Beck and Mickey Moniak have each hit No. 1 once.
Overall, Julien is hitting .284/.369/.392 with 12 runs scored, 10 RBI, three doubles, one homer, 10 walks, 21 strikeouts and two stolen bases in 74 at-bats over 25 games. His .369 OBP is the second-best on the team for players with at least 40 at-bats.
Julien’s numbers are even better as the leadoff hitter. He’s hitting .317/.403/.429 with 20 hits, 10 RBI, one homer, two doubles, nine walks and 15 strikeouts in 63 at-bats. His production, along with patient at-bats, which are pretty rare for the Rockies, has made him the clear choice for the Rockies No. 1 hitter.
In spring training, Julien explained that he knows who he is as a hitter and takes pride in having long at-bats and not chasing.
In the first five games of the season, McCarthy had a .158 OBP as the leadoff hitter. The lack of production likely cost him the spot and relegated him to the bench. Johnston and Moniak have proved to be outstanding regardless of their place in the lineup. Unfortunately, Beck is off to a slow start in 2026 and is not getting as much time either.
Freeman was the Rockies most frequent leadoff hitter last year with 72 games in the role. Freeman is a solid choice for his low strikeout rate of 13.5% compared to the MLB average of 22.5%. A true utilityman, he’s hit in every spot in the lineup in his career and the No. 1 spot accounts for the most at the 10.3% of his games. He’s hit .260/.336/.332 with 47 runs, 30 RBI, 22 doubles, one homer, 16 stolen bases, 33 walks and 53 strikeouts in 377 at-bats over 101 games.
Freeman has struggled with some minor health issues to start the season. He started the season on the 10-day IL with lower back inflammation and tightness and was also pulled from the April 20 game with dizziness. Bloodwork came back fine, but playing in only 16 games this far, his vacancy may have opened up a spot for Julien.
Julien, who is in his fourth MLB season and first with the Rockies, is no stranger to the leadoff role. He played the majority of his time there in his first two of three seasons with Minnesota. Including his time with the Rockies, he’s now spent 43.8% of his career as a leadoff man. In his career, he’s hitting .214/.322/.356 with 72 runs scored, 41 RBI, 17 doubles, 15 homers, eight stolen bases and 72 walks with 165 strikeouts in the role in 449 at-bats in 128 games.
After a strong series against the Dodgers, Julien explained his philosophy of putting together quality at-bats.
At least for the foreseeable future, the leadoff spot appears to be Julien’s. With the Rockies off to a 13-16 start, and Colorado going 9-8 with Julien hitting first, it should be.
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The Philadelphia 76ers are “shipping up to Boston” but could be shipping out to Cancun if they can’t survive Game 5.
The Boston Celtics hold a 3-1 series edge, but my 76ers vs. Celtics SGP expects Philly to go down swinging on April 28.
Be sure to also read my full 76ers vs. Celtics predictions for more NBA picks.
Do I think the Philadelphia 76ers can stave off elimination? Not really. But I do see the 11.5-point spread as something they can manage? Yeah.
With Joel Embiid shaking off the rust, he can help the 76ers fight the Boston Celtics off the offensive glass, which will cut down on second-chance points that buried them in Game 4.
Embiid returning to form also gives Philly an inside-out attack that was sorely lacking with Adem Bona and Andre Drummond down low.
Speaking of the big man, he grabbed 10 rebounds on 21 rebounding chances in his Game 4 return. With the Sixers putting in an extra effort to box out Boston, I like Philadelphia's center to snatch up nine or more rebounds, and so do game projections.
Current models are hovering around 10.4 rebounds for Embiid, which is more than enough for him to cash this leg of the SGP.
Paul George has taken a step back in this offense, especially with Embiid returning. He does still pose a threat from distance, and with Embiid packing the paint, PG finds extra space on his 3-pointers.
George finished 3-for-3 from 3-point land in Game 4 and made four triples in Game 3. Game script has Philly fighting from behind, prompting plenty of 3PAs from PG.
Get Jason Logan's full breakdown of this game, including his best bet, plus the latest NBA odds, injuries, and betting trends, in his 76ers vs Celtics predictions for Game 5.
Stay up-to-date with the latest NBA Championship odds for each remaining team, as well as NBA title splits, betting trends, and the previous list of teams that have won the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
See what the current line movement and updates are in the NBA Finals MVP odds race, along with Finals MVP betting trends, favorite analysis, and recent superstars to receive this award.
Never lose track of where each series sits with our live NBA Playoff bracket, as well as the updated prices for each team to win their respective series — round by round.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
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The latest news on the Houston Astros and from around MLB:
Astros GM Dana Brown says Manager Joe Espada is NOT in jeopardy of losing his job:
Chandler Rome on where he sees fault lying with the Astros current state and slow start on the Gallant Says podcast with Sportsradio 610’s Paul Gallant:
Tyler Stafford also doesn’t think Espada is to blame for the Astros early season woes – from the Crush City Territory podcast he hosts with Chandler Rome:
Rome also questions if Brown has the authority to fore Espada if he wanted to (and that he currently does NOT want to) on his Crush City Territory podcast:
The Astros will send Kai-Wei Teng to the mound for his first start of the season tomorrow in Baltimore vs. the Orioles:
Teng has been a different pitcher this season for the Astros than he was last year for the Giants:
Teng will now replace the TBD:
Spencer Arrighetti didn’t make the Opening Day roster, but was always expected to be the 6th starter. Things haven’t gone according to play for the Astros, but Arrighetti is currently their best healthy starter:
Christian Walker proving his first half last season was the fluke, not the second half:
After a slow start to the season, Isaac Paredes is finding his groove. Over his last 7 games, he has raised his AVG from .186 to .233, SLG from .254 to .384, OPS from .569 to .710. In that span he is 9×27, 3 HR, 8 RBI:
SP Tatsuya Imai will make his first rehab start Tuesday for Double-A Corpus Christi:
Is Imai getting more comfortable in Houston, in America?
SP Cody Bolton made his first rehab start at Sugar Land Sunday. He pitched 2 innings, allowed 1 run on 2 hits and a walk. He threw 20 pitches, including 13 for strikes:
Yordan Alvarez, Ruler of Worlds:
Chandler Rome with an interesting take on the internet-based rumors of the Astros potentially dealing Yordan Alvarez on the Gallant Says podcast with Sportsradio 610’s Paul Gallant:
When Carlos Correa returned to Houston at the trade deadline last season, he was excited about the opportunity to play 3B and how it would take stress off his body no longer being an everyday SS. Due to multiple injuries to SS Jeremy Pena, Correa has had to primarily play SS. He’s been pretty good his first full season back in Houston:
Is this Astros team just not built to withstand injuries? Chandler Rome on the Crush City Territory Podcast:
Christian Vazquez has been a total steal for the Astros so far:
The Boston Red Sox fired Alex Cora and a bunch of his coaches over the weekend in what looks like a power play by Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow. Players are perturbed, media is perplexed, management is not on the same page and the owner is silent, as usual:
Red Sox SP Garrett Crochet has had how many managers now?
Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer are the two oldest active players in MLB. They are both now on the IL after tough starts to the season:
Pretty incredible testament to his longevity and ability to overcome adversity throughout his career:
Bacon got cooked:
Former Phillies closer Ricky Bottalico lets loose on the team in it’s own postgame show:
Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar wreaked havoc as defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru skittled out Delhi Capitals for 75 before romping to a nine-wicket victory in the IPL on Monday.
Texas Rangers lineup for April 27, 2026 against the New York Yankees: starting pitchers are Jack Leiter for the Rangers and Max Fried for the Yankees.
The Rangers take on the Yankees in a game that will determine whether the Rangers will be above or below .500 tomorrow.
The lineup:
Nimmo — RF
Jung — 3B
Seager — SS
Burger — 1B
McCutchen — DH
Higashioka — C
Haggerty — LF
Carter — CF
Duran — 2B
7:05 p.m. Central start time. Rangers are +140 underdogs.
Kurt Helin