The St. Louis Cardinals continue their Spring Training schedule with a matchup against the Houston Astros starting at 12:05pm Central. According to MLB.com, Matthew Liberatore will take the mound for St. Louis for his 2nd start of the Spring. The Astros starter was to be determined according to the last update I’ve seen.
Thursday notes…
Here are today’s particulars.
Cubs lineup:
Angels lineup:
Matthew Boyd will start for the Cubs. Other Cubs pitchers scheduled today: Riley Martin, Jaxon Wiggins, Corbin Martin and Connor Noland.
José Soriano will start for the Angels. Other Angels pitchers scheduled today: Sam Aldigheri, Mitch Farris, Jayvien Sandridge, Tayler Saucedo, Chase Silseth and Jose Gonzalez.
No TV today. There will be a radio broadcast via the Angels flagship station KLAA 830.
Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.
Please visit the Angels site Crashing The Pearly Gates. If you do go there to interact with Angels fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
As we have done in the past, we’ll have a first pitch thread at five minutes to game time and one overflow thread, 90 minutes after game time. For today, that will be 2:05 p.m. CT and 3:40 p.m. CT.
These threads will not post individually onto the front page; instead, you can find links to them in the box marked ”Chicago Cubs Game Threads” at the bottom of the front page. There will also be a StoryStream on the front page with all the game thread links, as well as the recap after the game is over. The pitcher photos and regular-season stats will return on Opening Day.
Discuss amongst yourselves.
The Orioles are 3-2-1 through their first six Grapefruit League games. They had a tie with the Tigers on the road back on Sunday. The two teams – with very different lineups, because it’s early in spring training and this one is in Sarasota instead – will be back at it again today.
This game is going to be televised on MASN, although the announcers will be back in Baltimore instead of where the game is happening. There is no local radio broadcast, although if you’re limited to audio only, you might be able to find a Tigers audio feed.
Dean Kremer is the starting pitcher for the game, though he’ll probably cap out at three innings. Other pitchers expected to get into the game are Trey Gibson and Jackson Kowar.
With one month to go until Opening Day, how close do you think this lineup is to the lineup that we’ll see on Opening Day? I think we’ve got six of the nine starting players, assuming there aren’t any injuries that happen over the next month. Taveras is a likely backup player. As things stand now, I think it’s a longshot for Kjerstad or Jackson to get in there, but either one could surprise me over the course of camp and force Mike Elias to make a different choice.
Time/Place: 1:05 p.m., Ed Smith Stadium – Sarasota, FL
SB Nation Site: Camden Chat
Media: Tigers Radio Network
The Philadelphia 76ers (32-26) host the Miami Heat (31-28) tonight in a critical Eastern Conference matchup with significant playoff seeding implications. In the Eastern Conference, Philly sits in the No. 6 position and the Heat are just 1.5 games behind in eighth. Philadelphia enters as a slight 2.5-point favorite and looks to build on a two-game winning streak, while Miami aims to bounce back from a loss Tuesday night in Milwaukee.
Statistically, the game features a clash of styles. All-Star Tyrese Maxey leads the 76ers' attack, averaging 29.1 points per game, and will be tasked with navigating a Miami defense anchored by Bam Adebayo, who is averaging nearly a double-double with 18.3 points and 9.8 rebounds.
That said, whenever Philly is involved, the availability of star power and specifically Joel Embiid is a defining factor in the game. Embiid is listed as probable despite managing right knee and shin soreness. The former MVP returned from a five-game absence on Tuesday to drop 27 points against Indiana. However, Philadelphia will remain without Paul George, who is currently serving 25-game suspension for the use of prohibited substances. The Heat have their own health concerns heading into this one. Key contributor Nikola Jovic is out with a back injury and point guard Davion Mitchell is questionable due to illness.
The Heat have historically performed well in this matchup, winning five straight head-to-head games since the start of the 2024-25 season.
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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The latest odds as of Thursday courtesy of DraftKings:
This game opened Philly -2.5 with the Total set at 237.5.
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The Philadelphia 76ers (32-26) host the Miami Heat (31-28) tonight in a critical Eastern Conference matchup with significant playoff seeding implications. In the Eastern Conference, Philly sits in the No. 6 position and the Heat are just 1.5 games behind in eighth. Philadelphia enters as a slight 2.5-point favorite and looks to build on a two-game winning streak, while Miami aims to bounce back from a loss Tuesday night in Milwaukee.
Statistically, the game features a clash of styles. All-Star Tyrese Maxey leads the 76ers' attack, averaging 29.1 points per game, and will be tasked with navigating a Miami defense anchored by Bam Adebayo, who is averaging nearly a double-double with 18.3 points and 9.8 rebounds.
That said, whenever Philly is involved, the availability of star power and specifically Joel Embiid is a defining factor in the game. Embiid is listed as probable despite managing right knee and shin soreness. The former MVP returned from a five-game absence on Tuesday to drop 27 points against Indiana. However, Philadelphia will remain without Paul George, who is currently serving 25-game suspension for the use of prohibited substances. The Heat have their own health concerns heading into this one. Key contributor Nikola Jovic is out with a back injury and point guard Davion Mitchell is questionable due to illness.
The Heat have historically performed well in this matchup, winning five straight head-to-head games since the start of the 2024-25 season.
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.
After 24 years, the NBA is back on NBC and Peacock, combining the nostalgia of an iconic era with the innovative future of basketball coverage. The NBA on NBC YouTube channel delivers fans must-see highlights, analysis, and exclusive and unique content.
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!
The latest odds as of Thursday courtesy of DraftKings:
This game opened Philly -2.5 with the Total set at 237.5.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
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.
Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Follow our experts on Socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
After the Celtics took a slim 67-66 lead with just under two minutes left in the third quarter against the Denver Nuggets Wednesday night, the wheels fell off.
The Nuggets ended the third on a 11-0 run, which bled into the fourth and helped them run away with a 103-84 win to break Boston’s four-game win streak.
The Celtics struggled to find the bottom of the net, shooting 35% from the field and 28% from the 3-point line, and combined with 14 turnovers, the Nuggets were able to get out in space with 14 points off said turnovers along with 14 off fast breaks.
“I think that’s how their best offense was, in transition, so we’ve got to do a better job offensively. It’d help if we made a couple shots,” Derrick White told reporters after the game.
Boston has committed more than their league-best 12 turnovers per game in both matchups with the Nuggets, losing the ball 14 times in both contests. Joe Mazzulla said on a given night, 10-15 possessions can be looked at as chances for better execution. Against Denver, it felt closer to 30.
“You have to give them credit, they were physical at the point of attack,” Mazzulla said.
Mazzulla emphasized misread rim-reads, live-ball turnovers and, simply, misses on open looks for creating that transition advantage for Denver. During their third quarter run, missed layups from Jaylen Brown and Nikola Vucevic sparked fast break opportunities. On Brown’s miss, only Vooch was left back to defend as Denver looked like a team practicing a three man weave.
When Vucevic couldn’t convert on a drive past Nikola Jokic, Denver’s pace created a two-on-one for Spencer Jones to take advantage of. And to close out the quarter, an errant Brown pass into the backcourt allowed KJ Simpson a free swing at an uncontested dunk.
“We had a tough time tonight converting,” Brown said. “I thought we had a lot of great looks, open catch-and-shoots, and we just didn’t convert.”
Boston made just five of their 19 3-point attempts in the second half, including four wide-open misses created by the team’s ball movement.
Ending their four-game west coast trip on a back-to-back, the Celtics return home for their next two games against Brooklyn and Philadelphia, where coach Mazzulla can get a sense of the team’s response from their first true off night since the All-Star Break.
“We’ll see how we approach our preparation for our next game, and that will dictate how well we’ve handled today,” Mazzulla said.
Mazzulla has remained even-keeled throughout the team’s recent highs of the road trip, and that remained constant even in a low point. How they respond against Brooklyn on Friday will tell the story of this group’s response to this 19-point loss.
“The story’s not done,” he said after their Lakers win on Sunday. “We are only a product of what we do tomorrow, what we do the next day, and that’s just the story.”
“And if we would have lost this game by 1, tomorrow’s film session has to be as detailed and as disciplined as it is going to be with the result that we had. And so that’s the story. It’s not done yet, and we haven’t done anything.”
Former New York Islanders defenseman and current Montreal Canadiens blue-liner Noah Dobson was asked about rookie phenom Matthew Schaefer.
"I'm watching hockey every night. I check in to see how the guys are doing," Dobson said to begin his answer. "[Schaefer] has stepped into the league, and it's looked like a seamless transition from junior. It's been super impressive. As an 18-year-old defenseman, it's not an easy league to come into that young. Especially as a defenseman, to see what he's doing, it's been great. And obviously, he's given the team a big boost. So it's been cool to see for him."
“It was special to be an Islander, just the history they have there, being part of such a great group of guys. I’m thankful for them drafting me and believing in me. I’m extremely grateful for everything they’ve done for me.”#Isles@TheElmontershttps://t.co/bn5yqMJH1F
— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) February 26, 2026
Dobson broke into the NHL with the Islanders at the age of 19 after being selected 12th overall in 2018. He went through his ups and downs during his development.
After six seasons on Long Island, Dobson, a pending restricted free agent, was dealt to the Canadiens for the Habs' 16th and 17th selections in the 2025 NHL Draft, along with forward Emil Heineman.
The Islanders turned those picks into forward Victor Eklund and defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson.
Dobson signed an eight-year extension worth $9.5 million annually and has 38 points (10 goals, 28 assists) in 57 games this season. Heineman signed a two-year extension worth $1.1 million annually.
Heineman has set career highs in goals with 15 and points with 23, tying his career high with eight assists through 58 games on Long Island.
The high-octane offense that has defined the South Siders for most of this spring is packing its bags and heading across the complex today for a showdown at Camelback Ranch. The White Sox enter Thursday’s action still pacing the league in several hitting categories, proving that their aggressive, contact-first approach wasn’t just a weekend fluke. They’ve traded patience for production, and while it’s a complete 180 from the stagnant offenses of years past, today they’ll have their work cut out for them as they face a star-studded Dodgers squad.
This afternoon, we’ll get a glimpse of the “dual-threat” dynamic behind the plate. Both Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero are penciled into the lineup today, a configuration that manager Will Venable will often have to juggle with throughout the 2026 season. While Quero has been the statistical darling of the spring with that gaudy .667 average, he’s still going to have to answer questions about his glove. Seeing how he and Teel split the defensive and DH duties this spring will be a major subplot as the roster begins to take its final shape.
The youth movement doesn’t stop with the catchers, as Braden Montgomery finally gets his first start of Cactus League play. The switch-hitting outfielder has been an intriguing prospect since coming over in the Garrett Crochet swap. After a few late-inning spring cameos, today we’ll see how he fits into the outfield puzzle.
Munetaka Murakami, who is likely making his final appearance in a Sox uniform for a few weeks, gets one more afternoon in the desert sun. The Japanese superstar will soon head off for the World Baseball Classic, and fans are hoping for at least one Glendale moonshot before he represents his home country.
On the mound, the Good Guys turn to lefty Sean Newcomb. The veteran, who is effectively auditioning for a permanent rotation spot, will need to be sharp against a Dodgers lineup that rarely lets any pitcher off the hook. The former Round 1 pick (No. 15) of the Los Angeles Angels made the Red Sox big league squad out of camp on a minor league deal last season, only to be DFA’d and traded to the Athletics for cash in May despite a decent start. He reinvented himself with the A’s, turning in an impressive 1.75 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP over 51 1/3 innings out of the pen. Now, he’s looking to prove that late-season dominance was no fluke.
Los Angeles counters with Tyler Glasnow, who was highly effective when available last season, posting a 3.19 ERA and a 4-3 record despite being limited to 90 1/3 innings due to shoulder inflammation. He’s looking to prove he’s past the health hurdles and side soreness that cropped up late in their 2025 World Series run.
Here is how the managers line up their teams this afternoon.
Skipper Will Venable’s White Sox:
And for Dave Roberts’ Dodgers:
Once again, it’s not easy if you want to catch the action today. You’ll need an MLB.TV (out of market) or SNLA+ subscription to tune into the Dodgers’ broadcast at 2:05 p.m. CST. Let’s cross our fingers and see if the “Good Guys” can fire up the bats and bring another win.
Almost a full week into Spring Training, the biggest story coming out of the Yankees’ camp has been starting pitching. Each of the first six games of the Grapefruit League schedule have seen impressive performances from a starter—from Elmer Rodríguez posting three scoreless frames on the first game of the spring last Friday to Ryan Weathers lighting up radar guns last night. This afternoon, Rodríguez will get his second turn with the ball and try to keep the good times on the bump rolling against the Braves.
Don’t forget: Elmer is on the roster for Team Puerto Rico in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. It’s not entirely clear how big of a role he’ll play for manager Yadier Molina’s squad, but his confidence must be very high after his first spring start, in which he faced an Opening Day-caliber Orioles lineup and shut them down over three innings. The Atlanta lineup he’ll face today is … not quite that, as it doesn’t seem like manager Walt Weiss brought a single likely starter on the road to Tampa. The only player on the Braves’ projected Opening Day bench is utilityman Brett Wiseley. Shout-out to long-ago Baby Bomber Ben Gamel though, still getting after it as an NRI and batting cleanup.
If we make comparisons to last year’s rookie starters, Elmer is closer in terms of profile to Will Warren, as opposed to fellow hotshot prospect Carlos Lagrange with his more Cam Schlittler-esque wipeout stuff. Rodríguez has already shown a knack for sequencing, allowing him to stay a few steps ahead of his opponents and allowing his stuff to play up. Still, it’s not like he can’t throw hard: his sinker reached 97 mph last Friday.
The Braves will send veteran and recent Yankee Carlos Carrasco to the hill today. Carrasco struggled in eight appearances with the Bombers last year, pitching to a 5.91 ERA before being cut loose. He joined Atlanta later in the year and was hit even harder, surrendering 15 runs in three games. Still, while he hasn’t registered a positive WAR figure since 2022, that’s not really the point with Carrasco. He’s a highly experienced, well-regarded clubhouse figure who clearly still has the competitive fire. The soon-to-be 39-year old righty pitched well in his first spring start, with two scoreless frames against the Rays.
Cookie will face a plethora of his former Yankee teammates this afternoon. The first eight lineup spots are essentially the full regular season order. Trent Grisham, Aaron Judge, and Cody Bellinger, all playing in the outfield, will get us started. Jazz Chisholm Jr. will man the keystone, Paul Goldschmidt anchors first, and Austin Wells will don the tools of ignorance. Ryan McMahon and José Caballero are your left-side infielders with former A’s power bat Seth Brown pulling up the rear at DH.
How to watch
Location: George M. Steinbrenner Field — Tampa, FL
First pitch: 1:05 pm ET
TV broadcast: YES Network, Gray TV (ATL), MLB Network (out-of-market)
Radio broadcast: ESPN 103.7 WIFN 1340 (ATL)
Online stream: Gotham Sports App, MLB.tv
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The Charlotte Hornets will try to run their road trip winning streak to three games as they visit the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night.
Indiana hasn’t come close to covering in any of its last four games, so I’m taking a surging Charlotte squad to win big in my Hornets vs. Pacers predictions for tonight.
Let’s take a deeper look at this Eastern Conference matchup in my free NBA picks for Thursday, February 26.
Hornets vs Pacers best bet: Hornets -13 (-110)
The Indiana Pacers have lost four straight games and have failed to cover in any of them, losing by 21 as an 11.5-point underdog to the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday. Indiana is allowing 119.2 ppg on the year and has allowed more than 130 points to each of its last three opponents.
The Charlotte Hornets have covered in nine of their last 10 games, including its last five games as a favorite. The Hornets are averaging 130.0 ppg on their current road trip and have too many weapons for the Pacers to handle. I’m taking Charlotte to cover as a big favorite tonight.
Both teams have played to totals of 230+ points in each of their last three games, and they’re averaging a total of 235.5 in their first two meetings this year, so I’m confident in including the Over in my SGP.
I’ll also take Hornets rookie Kon Kuneppel to score Over 17.5 points, something he’s done in each of his last three games.
Charlotte has no shortage of players who can fire away from deep, and I’m going to bet on three of them to hit their targets for my longshot parlay tonight. LaMelo Ball, Knueppel, and Brandon Miller have all hit this target in at least two of their last three games, and they’ve had plenty of nights where all three have done so at the same time, making this a realistic scenario in a high-scoring Hornets win.
The Hornets are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games overall. Find more NBA betting trends for Hornets vs. Pacers.
| Location | Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN |
| Date | Thursday, February 26, 2026 |
| Tip-off | 7:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | FDSN SE Charlotte, FDSN Indiana |
Not intended for use in MA.
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First Pitch (CT):12:05
TV: Twins.TV
Radio: NA
Know Yo’ Foe: Bucs Dugout
What to watch: The backup SS/utility battle continues. Orlando Arcia gets his first start at 2B while Tristan Gray sees his first action at short.
| Twins | Pirates |
| SP: Simeon Woods Richardson | SP: Jose Urquidy |
| 1. James Outman, CF | 1. Jake Mangum, RF |
| 2. Josh Bell, 1B | 2. Spencer Horwitz, 1B |
| 3. Royce Lewis, 3B | 3. Bryan Reynolds, LF |
| 4. Matt Wallner, DH | 4. Marcell Ozuna, DH |
| 5. Victor Caratini, C | 5. Oneil Cruz, CF |
| 6. Alan Roden, RF | 6. Nick Gonzales, SS |
| 7. Emmanuel Rodriguez, LF | 7. Joey Bart, C |
| 8. Orlando Arcia, 2B | 8. Nick Yorke, 2B |
| 9. Tristan Gray, SS | 9. Jared Triolo, 3B |
After a dominant 2025 season across two separate levels, Tyler Cleveland joins our Mariner prospect ranks at #15 this season. Given a boost thanks to recent departures from the system, Cleveland represents the last of the true relief types on our list and carries some of the highest floor of any prospect in the back half of these rankings, though naturally comes with a somewhat limited ceiling. A consistent performer through pure funk, Cleveland should be one of the more interesting arms to monitor in Tacoma’s bullpen this season.
Destroying both High-A Everett and Double-A Arkansas last season, the 26 year old submariner out of Central Arkansas worked to a season ERA of 0.87 over 51.2 IP, an obviously outstanding mark that is perhaps buoyed slightly due to his advanced age considering his level. Though his strikeout numbers aren’t out of this world, his 25.5% K% and 8.7% walk rate reflect a more than capable pitcher, especially given his submarine, soft-contact oriented approach on the mound.
The arsenal metrics don’t jump off the page, but everything with Cleveland requires context given how unique he is in his operation. Primarily using a three-pitch mix, the sinker typically tops out around 90 mph (I’ve seen the stadium scoreboard clock it as low as 86 at times), but the pitch gets good two-plane run and pairs well with his slow, sweeping slider that gets massive break gloveside. His final offering, a changeup, mirrors the fastball movement profile well and serves as a more than acceptable third offering he can use against lefties.
Cleveland is clearly not the flashiest prospect in the system and is likely limited to a middle-relief ceiling if everything works for him at the major league level, but it’s impossible to argue with his production as a professional thus far. In an age of 100 mph fastballs and sliders in the mid 90’s, perhaps Tyler Cleveland can be the change of pace the Mariner bullpen needs. Should he break through and debut in the big leagues this season, he’ll likely throw the best (only?) 87 mph heater you’ll see all season.
It’s Spring Training Game Thread time again. Double wooooo.
It’s kind of weird that Carlos Carrasco is “starting” again, but I guess we’ve had enough games now, and every other actual rotation-member other than Spencer Strider has made their 2026 Grapefruit League debut. The Braves are clearly not sending any of their regulars on the 90-minute bus ride to Tampa.
This game is broadcast everywhere. That’s kind of wild to think about: remember when Spring Training games were essentially not televised? It wasn’t even that long ago.
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Texas Rangers split squad lineup for February 26, 2026 against the Athletics:
Hey, we have a split squad lineup for today! Cal Quantrill is getting the start.
The lineup:
Wade — RF
Pederson — 1B
Osuna — CF
Cauley — SS
Bride — DH
Martin — 3B
Herrera — C
Zavala — LF
Velazquez — 2B
2:05 p.m. Central start time.