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Early schedule provides opportunity for the Royals

KANSAS CITY, MO - AUG 16: Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr (7) celebrates as he leaves the field after winning a MLB game between the Chicago White Sox and the Kansas City Royals on August 16, 2025, at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Kansas City has a favorable April schedule and needs to take advantage

The schedule to begin 2026 is a bit of a gift for a Royals team that has not gotten off to the strongest starts historically. Last year’s team made it to the end of April at 16-15 and even stayed above .500 through May before having one of the most atrocious months I have ever seen in June, which ended up being too much to overcome in the end. This year, the MLB schedule makers have deigned to give the Royals an early season scheduling gift. Here are the series that they will play through April:

  • 3 games at Atlanta Braves
  • 3 games vs. Minnesota Twins
  • 3 games vs. Milwaukee Brewers
  • 3 games at Cleveland Guardians
  • 4 games vs. Chicago White Sox
  • 3 games at Detroit Tigers
  • 3 games at New York Yankees
  • 3 games vs. Baltimore Orioles
  • 3 games vs. Los Angeles Angels
  • 3 games at Athletics

Outside of the nine-game stretch at Detroit, at New York, and home for Baltimore, the other opponents are all fine-to-bad. Milwaukee has a habit of being quite good, but they are projected for a win total in the low 80s. Atlanta is currently missing Sean Murphy, Ha-Seong Kim, Spencer Strider, and several other players right now and is quite vulnerable. Minnesota was gutted last year and only has starting pitching to lean on. There are a lot of opportunities to pick up early wins, and maybe more importantly for this team, early confidence.

The Yankees, Brewers, Braves, Orioles, and Tigers are projected to have winning records, but the Braves are not at full strength. That means half of the teams faced are projected below five hundred and they are projected to be further below .500 than the first five are projected to be above. The projected weighted average win percentage for these 31 games is just .493 helped out by that bonus fourth game against the White Sox. Of the 31 games, 16 are at home and 15 on the road, giving the Royals a slight advantage in their ballpark with new dimensions to fit them.

Getting off to a good start can be huge for this team. They have a chance to get the momentum early in a winnable division. There is only the one short stretch of nine games against Detroit, New York, and Baltimore where the goal would be to win four out of nine, and you would be happy not to have dropped more. The rest of those are all series you should feel like you can win, and it is a matter of banking as many of those as possible. Something like an 18-13 start looks very possible, which would be a nice step toward a successful season.

That would not be enough to guarantee anything over a long season, but for a team like this, it could make a huge difference.

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All-Time Rangers Management Player Mistakes

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

1. ALLAN STANLEY: The big defenseman cost the Rangers the equivalent of four minor league players worth $40,000 right after World War II. Although fans wanted Allan to play a tougher game, that wasn't his style. The Rangers failed to give Stanley enough time to mature and foolishly traded him to Chicago on Thanksgiving Day eve, 1954. So good was Al that he's now in the Hall of Fame and winner of four Stanley Cup rings – as a Maple Leaf.

2. DAVE KERR: One of the NHL's best goalkeepers during the late 1930's, Davey was so good that he had the honor of being the first NHL player to have his picture on the cover of Time Magazine. After his Rangers won the Stanley Cup in 1940, Kerr asked boss Lester Patrick for a $500 raise. When Lester refused –still in his prime – Kerr quit hockey and never returned.

3. MIKE BOSSY: A four-time Cup-winner with the Islanders, Mike could have been a Ranger.  In the 1977 Draft, the Blueshirts had the eighth and thirteen picks. First they went for Lucien DeBlois and then Ron Duguay, The Isles happily snatched Bossy at Number 14. 

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Path to the World Series goes through the Los Angeles Dodgers

TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 24: Shohei Ohtani #17 and Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers joke on the field prior to Game One of the 2025 World Series presented by Capital One between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Friday, October 24, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

The Los Angeles Dodgers won a World Series title in the abbreviated 2020 season, doing so with the likes of Clayton Kershaw, Cody Bellinger, Walker Buehler, Justin Turner, Kenley Jansen, and Corey Seager as key parts of their core.

Every last one of those players is now gone, with all but Kershaw having skipped town long before the 2024 season (when the Dodgers also won a World Series). Kershaw stuck around through the end of the 2025 season before hanging up his spikes for good, and he managed to get a ring as part of the 2025 World Series champion Dodgers, too.

The Dodgers franchise has become an absolute juggernaut, the latest iteration of an Evil Empire that Major League Baseball has so often featured during its glory days. With a trio of titles over the last six seasons, they have seized ownership of the league from the likes of the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and San Francisco Giants, staking claim as the behemoth on every single team’s schedule. And if they continue to have their way with the league this season, it’ll be a three-peat for them come October.

So, it’s not at all surprising that a significant plurality of MLB fans in the latest MLB Reacts poll think it’s the Dodgers who will win the 2026 World Series, too, putting together a three-peat on the backs of Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, & Co.

It only took two games for the Dodgers to dispatch the upstart Cincinnati Reds in the first round of last year’s playoffs, an amount of time that makes it hard to even remember the Reds participating on that grand stage. And while the Reds went out and acquired Eugenio Suárez to bolster their offense and can now lean into Sal Stewart for a full season, the Reds face a mountain to climb to even get the chance to take down the Dodgers again at the end of this season.

In fact, the Reds aren’t even on the shortlist of likeliest suitors to tackle the Dodger dynasty. That honor goes to the Toronto Blue Jays, who battled the Dodgers to a scintillating Game 7 just last fall before ultimately dropping the series on a dramatic Will Smith home run.

At least, that’s according to those who responded to the latest MLB Reacts survey.

The revamped New York Mets, a Philadelphia Phillies club reunited with Kyle Schwarber, and a Chicago Cubs club that splurged big to sign Alex Bregman stand as the top competition from the National League side, according to the survey.

The Cincinnati Reds were not among the top contenders to take down the Dodgers, per survey results.

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Astros News & Notes: Brown, Blubaugh, Paredes, Yordan 3/27/26

HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 26: Yordan Alvarez #44 of the Houston Astros bats in the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels on Opening Day at Daikin Park on March 26, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Hunter Brown was strong in his Opening Day start, but only lasted 4.2 IP due to his high pitch count following 4 walks and 9 strikeouts. A.J. Blubaugh then pitched 2.1 IP in relief, likely giving us a look at how the Astros intend to use their bullpen.

You can call the rule dumb. You can call the rule outdated. However, the rule was properly called on a play that cost Yordan Alvarez a first inning home run because his towering blast hit the roof scaffolding at Daikin Park.

They did walk 6 times, so there’s that. However the offensive slumber from spring continued to Opening Day.

Chandler Rome addresses what is still wrong with the Astros’ offense, and 9 prospects to watch this season:

Isaac Paredes got in the game at 1B yesterday:

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Shootouts, challenges and other assorted thoughts

OTTAWA, CANADA - MARCH 26: Ben Kindel #81 of the Pittsburgh Penguins scores the game-winning, shoot-out goal against Linus Ullmark #35 of the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on March 26, 2026 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Chris Tanouye/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Penguins have had their struggles this season with the shootout, though the worm has turned in the past week with two straight victories in the game deciding gimmick. The problem has been two-fold in that their goalies can’t keep the puck out of the net (opponents are scoring a dreadful 54.2% this season) and their shooters, as of a week ago were only scoring on 24.2% of their attempts. That’s a losing formula on both ends.

As we wrote before, it was as simple as expecting the shootout woes to continue until Pittsburgh found better shooters than they had. Sidney Crosby, Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust are a combined 5-for-19 on the year (26.3%) and that low rate of converting isn’t going to lead to results, regardless of the goaltending woes on the other side. The last week has been aces, the Pens have scored four times on six attempts and only allowed one goal on five opponent tries. Much of the success has been in shaking up the shooters, Ben Kindel took only his second shootout try of the season last night. Newcomer Egor Chinakhov is 3-for-7 on the year with the Pens (42.8%) about doubling up the rest of the team’s percentage. They’ve found better players to take the shots and are now starting to win shootouts (it’s only two in a row, but hey that’s a start compared to the 1-10 record in shootouts at the start).

Kindel is now 2-for-2 this season on shootouts. The TSN feed caught him smiling as he took his attempt last night. This is the type of loose confidence and swagger you need from a shootout player. Pittsburgh should be using Kindel as a shooter every game at this point. He won’t score on all his attempts forever but he’s a lot better of an option than the veterans who have been coming up empty recently.

I don’t often use the Game Score impact card due to how it can be misconceived or analyzed but the one from last night was telling due to how it matched what I saw and how it ties into some ongoing trends. Rickard Rakell has been awesome lately with 14 points in his last 11 games. Erik Karlsson is pulling the wagon to a huge degree. The “fourth” line (even though they’re not deployed or given typical fourth line ice time) is making positive impacts. Bryan Rust is a reliable performer. Stuart Skinner had a great game keeping the team afloat. Kris Letang is struggling, Sam Girard is too while trying to find his way coming back from injury and still relatively new to the team and system. Tommy Novak didn’t grade well last night but has been better recently. All of this was on display last night and has been going that way for a while, reflected nicely by

At this point the team has to seriously question Ville Koivunen’s place in the lineup for this important stretch of the season. Out of 441 forwards across the NHL who have played at least 250 minutes, Koivunen ranks 439th in points/60 with a dreadful 0.45 rate that is below Ryan Reaves and just about everyone else in the league. On the rink Koivunen looks tentative, slow, is muscled off pucks regularly and barely supports play, often hinders it. He does little good away from the puck and has not been able to generate virtually anything with it, which ought to be his strength. The Penguins are in a tough spot given the injuries to Evgeni Malkin, Blake Lizotte and now maybe Sidney Crosby but it’s probably time (or past time even) to consider other options than Koivunen, who just doesn’t look the part right now of an NHL caliber player for a team pushing to make the postseason.

This ties into the above, but dropping Koivunen might make the Pens faster too, which they could probably stand to gain some team speed. Koivunen only has 11 bursts of 20+ mph in his 35 games this season, per NHL Edge. He plays on a line with Justin Brazeau, who himself only has 33 bursts of 20+ in his 54 games. That makes for one of the less explosive lines a team could create. Being fast doesn’t always mean being good and lacking burst doesn’t necessarily tie into an ineffective player, just a matter of all the pieces coming together in the big picture that present opportunities for the team to improve, especially seeing the Pens on the same rink as speedy teams like Carolina, Colorado and Ottawa in recent games. (And Rutger McGroarty, if you were wondering, has 24 bursts in his 20 NHL games).

Now shifting gears to an even worse topic, the dreaded goalie interference drama.

Friedman attempts to explain about how the league thought Karlsson lost a battle with Morgan Barron, creating the goalie contact and why that goal stood. That’s one interpretation, though as always application of rulings is ever inconsistent — for the Penguins and across the NHL.

Personally, I think the bigger issue is Justin Brazeau’s recently disallowed goal against Colorado versus Claude Giroux’s non-interference in last night’s Ottawa game. Both were similar, and if anything Giroux had less of a case of obstructing the goalie than Brazeau (who was dealing with some contact from a defender). It’s difficult if not impossible to make sense of the NHL’s conclusions.

One area worth taking notice about is the frequency of coach Dan Muse’s challenges. The Penguins’ nine goalie interference challenges lead the league by a wide margin, no other team has challenged for GI more than five times.

Is Muse, as a rookie, over-eager to try and reverse a call? He obviously sees things he thinks is interference, yet the league hasn’t agreed a single time. Not sure if the correction is to limit challenges to the most ‘obvious’ of cases, with the caveat being that it’s a major issue to know what even is ‘obvious’ these days. Credit Muse for having the conviction to keep challenging when he disagrees even though at some point internal choices might have to be adjusted given how it’s been going. Just some food for thought, since basically no one can provide logical answers at this point.

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Report: Pair Of Blues Executives Leaving The Organization

St. Louis Blues pro scout and AHL GM Kevin Maxwell and VP of hockey operations Peter Chiarelli are leaving the club to pursue other opportunities, TSN’s Darren Dreger reports. 

According to Dreger, Maxwell is expected to return to the New York Rangers in a management role, while Chiarelli is one of the candidates to replace Barry Trotz as GM of the Nashville Predators.

Maxwell has been with the Blues organization since 2022. He’s worked as a pro scout and the GM of the Springfield Thunderbirds since his arrival. Prior to joining the Blues, Maxwell was the long-time director of professional scouting and a pro scout for the Rangers, spending 14 seasons with the club. 

The 65-year-old has worked in scouting departments with NHL teams since 1988. 

As for Chiarelli, he’s been with the Blues since 2019, starting as a senior advisor for two years before shifting into his role as VP of hockey operations for the past five seasons.

Prior to joining the Blues organization, Chiarelli was the GM of the Edmonton Oilers, but his time there went south fairly quickly, as he was fired before the end of his fourth season.

Could Blues' Doug Armstrong Take Over As GM Of Another NHL Franchise?Could Blues' Doug Armstrong Take Over As GM Of Another NHL Franchise?Doug Armstrong is set to pass the baton to Alex Steen as GM of the St. Louis Blues on July 1st and become the full-time president of hockey operations, but is Armstrong ready to give up that role for good?

Before joining the Oilers, Chiarelli was the GM of the Boston Bruins, leading them to the Stanley Cup in 2011. 

The 61-year-old has worked in the NHL since 1999, starting with the Ottawa Senators. 

With Doug Armstrong becoming the full-time president of hockey operations and Alexander Steen as GM, moves within the front office were anticipated, but now the Blues will need to undergo plenty of housecleaning. 

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MLB Player Props & Best Bets for Today, March 27

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There are eight games on the diamond today, and I’ve got a trio of MLB player props to cover you through the night.

My top MLB picks start with Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Daulton Varsho, and Los Angeles Angels first baseman Nolan Schanuel rounds out the betting card for Friday, March 27.

Best MLB player props today

Player PickOdds
Blue Jays Daulton VarshoOver 1.5 hits + runs + RBI-135
Marlins Heriberto HernandezOver 1.5 hits + runs + RBI-125
Angels Nolan SchanuelOver 1.5 hits + runs + RBI-105

Daulton Varsho Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI (-130)

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Daulton Varsho posted a rock-solid .355 wOBA and .865 OPS against righties last season, and Athletics starter Luis Severino finished the year with a 4.80 xFIP against left-handed hitters.

Varsho has been on a heater during Spring Training, racking up 19 hits, 12 runs, and 14 RBI while posting a mammoth 1.246 OPS across 53 plate appearances.

  • Time: 7:07 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: MLBN, Sportsnet

Heriberto Hernandez Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI (-125)

Miami Marlins outfielder Heriberto Hernandez posted a .976 OPS this spring after recording a respectable .782 mark against lefties last season.

Hernandez is projected to hit in the middle of the lineup and also draws a favorable matchup against Colorado Rockies southpaw Kyle Freeland tonight.

Freeland has allowed a .361 wOBA to right-handed hitters, posting a 4.98 ERA and 4.78 xFIP over the past three years.

  • Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: MIAM, COLR

Nolan Schanuel Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI (-105)

Los Angeles Angels first baseman Nolan Schanuel went deep in the season opener yesterday, and the 2023 first-round pick projects to return to the middle of the lineup again in a neutral matchup against Houston Astros right-handed pitcher Mike Burrows (career 3.90 ERA and 3.95 xFIP across 99 1/3 MLB innings). 

In addition to being positioned to rack up counting stats, Schanuel has worked on adding bat speed during the offseason. Expect another big performance from the Halos’ youngster at Daikin Park. 

  • Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
  • Where to watch: Apple TV
2026 Transparency record
  • Prop picks: 3-1, +1.9 units

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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Where to watch Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Los Angeles Dodgers: Live stream, start time, TV channel, odds for Friday, March 27

The Los Angeles Dodgers (1-0) face the Arizona Diamondbacks (0-1) in the second game of their series, with the Dodgers favored by a 1.5-run spread and a moneyline of -250. Starting pitchers are Ryne Nelson for Arizona, who had a 3.39 ERA in 2025, and Emmet Sheehan for Los Angeles, whose 2025 ERA was 2.82.

  • Arizona Diamondbacks: 0-1 (#3 in NL West)

  • Los Angeles Dodgers: 1-0 (#1 in NL West)

  • Spread: Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5

  • Moneyline: Los Angeles Dodgers -250 / Arizona Diamondbacks +200

  • Over/Under: 8.5

  • Arizona Diamondbacks: Ryne Nelson (2025 stats: 7-3, ERA: 3.39, K: 132, WHIP: 1.07, BB: 41)

  • Los Angeles Dodgers: Emmet Sheehan (2025 stats: 6-3, ERA: 2.82, K: 89, WHIP: 0.97, BB: 22)

Weather: 72°F at first pitch

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Jason Heyward announces retirement

Baseball: Atlanta Braves Jason Heyward (22) in action, at bat vs Chicago Cubs. Atlanta, GA 4/5/2010 CREDIT: Bob Rosato (Photo by Bob Rosato /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (Set Number: X84007 TK1 R1 F20 )

Opening Day is often thought of as a beginning for, well, obvious reasons. But, sometimes, I guess it’s an ending as well. Jason Heyward has announced his retirement after a 16-season MLB career:

For many of us, Heyward’s career was a big part of Braves fandom. His hype, amazing first MLB game, and overall awesome rookie season dovetailed with me going from a guy who largely just watched all the games to being really interested in how everything in baseball worked. His Braves tenure overlapped with a resurgence in the team’s fortunes after a few years wandering in the wilderness after the division title streak ended, though he also had to endure the disappointing conclusions to the 2011 and 2014 seasons. And, of course, his trade to the Cardinals heralded the first (and perhaps only, if we’re lucky) demonstrative Atlanta Braves rebuild.

Heyward put up nearly 20 fWAR in his five seasons as a Brave, matching his rookie season’s 4.7 with another 4.7 in his final season pre-trade. His best season actually came immediately after he was dealt to the Cardinals — 5.6 fWAR. He he actually hit better as a rookie, which was his best offensive season overall (134 wRC+). However, his defense didn’t rate highly that year as compared to the next decade-plus of his career, hence the higher overall performace in 2015. His career included five Gold Gloves, an All-Star selection in his rookie season, and a World Series title in 2016 with the Cubs — despite his lackluster performance that year for his third team.

His career descended into more a role player/clubhouse guy vein from 2021-onward, though he did have a nice half-season while outhitting his xwOBA a bunch for the Dodgers in 2023. He’ll now put some of those experiences to work in mentoring the next generation of athletes at his eponymous academy.

Thanks for the memories, Jason Heyward. We’ll always have that amazing debut game against the Cubs in 2010. I know it’s a baseball moment I won’t ever forget.

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SB Nation Reacts: Jed Hoyer had a really good offseason

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cubs fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Earlier this week in the SB Nation Reacts survey, I asked you to grade Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer’s offseason.

Hoyer made two significant acquisitions, signing free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman and trading for starting pitcher Edward Cabrera. He also added some veteran relievers and upgraded the bench.

The overwhelming majority of voters gave Hoyer at least a “B” grade:

A slight majority, 51 percent, graded Hoyer “B” — but a full 38 percent (myself included) gave him an “A” grade. The rest were split between “C,” “D,” and “F.” Honestly, I don’t understand the failing grade, even if it’s only one percent of all respondents. I’ve never been a big fan of Hoyer but this offseason he clearly upgraded the team.

Yes, we did not see the results too well in Thursday’s opener. Of course, that’s just one of 162 games and every team’s going to have a few clunkers in a long season. The Cubs still can take two of three from the Nationals, and that’s what I called for in the series preview. Do that and they’ll be off to a good start. For one thing, the weather Saturday and Sunday is supposed to be better than Thursday’s windy, cold opener.

Here are the results of the two national survey questions asked this week.

The Dodgers certainly got off to a good start Thursday evening, thrashing the Diamondbacks 8-2. Former Cub Kyle Tucker had his first Dodgers hit and RBI.

The Blue Jays, of course, came within inches of unseating the Dodgers last fall. Toronto has returned a powerful team with strong pitching and they could easily make the World Series again. It’s good to see that at least some fans think the Cubs have a chance to win the World Series this year. That’s what I called for in my season predictions. I’ll stand by that call.

This edition of SB Nation Reacts is sponsored by FanDuel.

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Kristian Campbell hopes to spark Red Sox career revival in AAA

WORCESTER, Mass. – The Boston Red Sox paid Kristian Campbell early last April because the organization believed in the 2023 fourth-rounder after his meteoric minor league rise. 

His MLB experiment came crashing down after just 11 weeks in the show last season. Campbell struggled defensively at second base and hit just .223 in 67 games. The Red Sox sent him to Triple-A Worcester to reset his environment and allow the young talent to refine his offensive approach and find his defensive strengths.

Entering 2026, Campbell returns to Worcester with a settled field to convince the big league club that he can contribute again at a high level. 

“It’s really comfortable because this is my second time, second season being in that environment,” Campbell said at WooSox Media Day on Thursday. “My first season, I was kind of all over the place between three levels. Last year, I debuted with all new guys. This year I’m with the guys that I was with the very first year again. So I’m really in a comfortable spot to compete, get better, to work on things I need to work on.” 

“Everybody comes to Boston to win. Nobody really comes to Boston to mess around.”

Part of his growth will include more time in the outfield, an area he gained some minor league experience in before, and where he could excel given the way his Georgia Tech coaches raved about his athleticism. The 23-year-old must find his true home defensively, so he’s more than willing to move around in the best interests of the Red Sox. 

“I really love the outfield,” Campbell said. “Obviously, I don’t really have that much time out there considering I started out in the infield, but being able to play everything. Obviously, I would like to focus on the outfield right now because that’s what I’ve been working on the most. And I really like the outfield to be honest. You know, if they need me or want me to play the infield, I can always go back to it if they want me to. But I like the outfield. So that’s what I’ve been working on the most right now.”

Whether he eventually finds his way as an infielder or outfielder, he finds himself pretty far down the depth chart right now, fighting a roster logjam. With that in mind, Campbell might be a trade candidate. He spoke to the “scary” realities of moving organizations at the trade deadline in 2025. But he stuck around this offseason and can now shift his focus to performing at Polar Park. 

“You don’t really have to worry about anything right now,” Campbell added. “Just worry about competing every day, putting up good at bats, playing good defense, doing the little things right. Whenever the season keeps going, you gotta play all 162 games. You look back and if you do everything right in the beginning, you’re gonna have a good season to look back on.”

Offensively, Campbell ran into trouble when he strayed from his natural profile that ignited his fantastic 2024 run. In 2025, he chased too much. He didn’t pull the ball. He didn’t make enough hard contact. Now, restoring his roots at the plate and on the bases shapes his expectations for 2026. 

“Not trying to do too much, just going back to my hit and running game,” Campbell explained. “Kind of like a throwback to what I did in college and kind of what I did when I first got into the system a couple years ago. Just seeing the ball deep, hitting it, keeping the ball low, not really trying to force too many home runs or try to force too much in general. Just let it happen naturally. Don’t try to force it out or do anything crazy. So just be simple and let the accidents be home runs like I grew up.”

Campbell continued: “That’s pretty much my approach going into it. And I’ve been working on it and trying to get my head around it. But that’s what I want to do. I mean, obviously getting bigger and stronger. You want to show how much power we have sometimes, but sometimes it can play against you. And I feel like it plays against me sometimes when I try to force something to happen versus letting it happen naturally. You know, like three years ago, I wasn’t as big and I wasn’t even trying to hit a home run because I knew I probably couldn’t. So I was always just trying to keep the ball low, get my hits, get my singles and doubles. Really doubles, try to get a bunch of doubles and let the home runs happen if they happen. And I’m just trying to get back to that approach and not try to do too much too fast. That’s the main thing.”

Campbell knows the expectations and the pressure of winning in Boston that will meet him when he eventually finds his way back to the big leagues. He appreciated that aspect of the Red Sox clubhouse the last few weeks in Fort Myers and knows what’s at stake in 2026 and beyond. 

“People take it really serious,” Campbell shared. “Everybody comes to Boston to win. Nobody really comes to Boston to mess around. I feel like I really realized that last year and this year too, that all the guys that came in know what it’s like playing against Boston because they weren’t on the team before. And they take it really serious and they really enjoy being around and being in a new environment. So it’s really easy to connect with them and for them to jump in and be a part of the plan immediately is big. So it’s really exciting and the guys we’ve got, all the new guys we’ve got are really cool. So I’m excited to watch them start this season out strong and watch the team start off strong [on Opening Day]. So yeah, it’ll be fun.”

Campbell and the WooSox start the 2026 season Friday against the Syracuse Mets. 

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Line Combinations: Red Wings at Sabres

On a relatively quiet Friday night in the NHL, one matchup carries major weight in the Eastern Conference playoff race. The Detroit Red Wings travel to Buffalo to face the division-leading Sabres in a game with significant postseason implications.

Detroit enters the contest trailing the Ottawa Senators by two points and the New York Islanders by three points for the second wild card spot in the East. This makes Friday’s game critical if the Red Wings hope to remain in the playoff hunt.

While Kevin McGonigle is dazzling on the diamond, the Red Wings have given their fans little to cheer about with a brutal 6-9-3 record over their last 18 games. That slump has caused their playoff chances to drop sharply and puts added pressure on their final 11 games of the season.

This will be the third and final meeting between Detroit and Buffalo, with the Sabres winning both previous matchups. Since their last meeting in mid-November, Buffalo has only improved. Over their past 15 games, the Sabres have gone 12-1-2, the best record in the league during that span. They have combined explosive offense with one of the league’s top defensive performances, pushing them to first place in the Atlantic Division and establishing them as a serious Stanley Cup contender.

Buffalo will face a Detroit team that is desperate for a turnaround as the Red Wings are overdue for a momentum shift and will look to finally break through against the Sabres. Much will depend on their returning players, who have started to make an impact.

Andrew Copp has four points in his last five games, while captain Dylan Larkin scored in his return and will aim to lead by example again. Detroit is also hoping for more production from David Perron, who has yet to register a point in five games since rejoining the team at the trade deadline.

Buffalo’s recent dominance has been fueled by the standout play of Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin. Both performed well internationally at the Olympics and have carried that momentum back to the NHL. Dahlin has been especially impressive, recording 29 points in his last 22 games, while Thompson has maintained a point-per-game pace over his last 19 contests.

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

Detroit Red Wings’ Expected Line Combinations vs Buffalo (Friday)

Finnie – Larkin – Raymond

DeBrincat – Compher – Kane

Kasper – Copp – Appleton

Perron - Dries - van Riemsdyk

Edvinsson – Seider

Chiarot – Faulk

Johansson - Benard-Docker

Gibson

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Red Wings vs Sabres Prediction, Picks & Odds for Tonight’s NHL Game

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The Detroit Red Wings visit the Buffalo Sabres in a pivotal game for the Eastern Conference standings at the Keybank Center on Friday, March 27.

My top Red Wings vs. Sabres predictions and NHL picks expect a low-scoring battle tonight.

Red Wings vs Sabres prediction

Red Wings vs Sabres best bet: Under 6.5 (-130)

The math simply doesn’t add up for this Over between the Detroit Red Wings and Buffalo Sabres.

Detroit is averaging the sixth-fewest goals per game (2.54) out of the Olympic break, and Buffalo has allowed the third fewest (2.33).

Additionally, goaltending has been a strength for both teams during the stretch.

Detroit No. 1 John Gibson sports a high-end .914 save percentage with 8.61 goals saved above expected across his past 11 appearances, and Buffalo starter Alex Lyon checks in with respective .904 and 6.96 marks across his past seven games.

Red Wings vs Sabres same-game parlay

The Sabres have won 18 of their past 25 games (+9.60 Units / 29% ROI) with a plus-33 goal differential and the third-fewest goals again per game (2.52). Meanwhile, the Red Wings have lost seven of their past 10 with a minus-3 goal differential.

Detroit defenseman Moritz Seider has recorded three or more shots in eight of his past 10 games to pace the Red Wings with 38 total, and he also leads the way in attempts with 72. Seider has logged a massive 25:36 of ice time (4:20 with the man advantage) during the stretch, too.

Red Wings vs Sabres SGP

  • Buffalo moneyline
  • Under 6.5
  • Moritz Seider Over 2.5 shots

Red Wings vs Sabres odds

  • Moneyline: Red Wings +130 | Sabres -160
  • Puck Line: Red Wings +1.5 (-200) | Sabres -1.5 (+165)
  • Over/Under: Over 6.5 (+110) | Under 6.5 (-130)

Red Wings vs Sabres trend

The Buffalo Sabres have won 18 of their last 25 games (+9.60 Units / 29% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Red Wings vs. Sabres.

How to watch Red Wings vs Sabres

LocationKeyBank Center, Buffalo, NY
DateFriday, March 27, 2026
Puck drop7:00 p.m. ET
TVDetroit SportsNet, MSG Sportsnet

Red Wings vs Sabres latest injuries

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

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Yankees sign former Astros RHP Luis Garcia to minor league deal

The Yankees are taking a shot on a veteran arm, bringing in Luis Garcia on a minor league deal.

The pact is for two years, and is worth a base salary of $2.25M in 2027, according to ESPN's Jorge Castillo.

New York likely won't see Garcia until then, as he is set to miss this entire season working his way back from the second Tommy John surgery of his career.

The 29-year-old completed the long road to recovery for the first time last year, but he was limited to just two Sept. starts with the Astros before returning to the IL with elbow discomfort.

He found himself landing back on the surgery table just two months later.

It's unknown exactly where Garcia is in his recovery at this point.

The right-hander has been a relatively steady middle of the rotation arm when healthy, but he's been limited to just eight big-league games over the past three seasons.

Garcia has pitched to a 3.60 ERA and 1.14 WHIP over his career.

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A's vs Blue Jays Prediction, Odds & Home Run Pick for Today's MLB Game

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The Toronto Blue Jays return to the field for the first time since coming as close as a team can to winning the World Series without doing it.

Tonight, they begin their quest for unfinished business when they open the 2026 MLB season at home against the Athletics.

My Blue Jays vs. Athletics predictions and MLB picks are backing the Toronto sticks to pick up right where they left off last season by jumping all over starter Luis Severino. 

A's vs Blue Jays predictions

A's vs Blue Jays best bet: Luis Severino Over 5.5 hits allowed (-110)

The Toronto Blue Jays' lineup became famous during their World Series run for their relentless ability to make contact and frustrate opposing pitchers, and that won’t change on Opening Night.

The Blue Jays led the majors in batting average and were fifth in wRC+ vs. right-handed pitchers last season, with the only big change being Kazuma Okamoto replacing Bo Bichette.

The Athletics hand the ball to right-hander Luis Severino on Friday night. Despite looking good in the WBC, Severino ranked in the 14th percentile in expected batting average. 

The Jays will rack up the hits on Opening Day.

Covers COVERS INTEL: Severino allowed seven hits in just 4 2/3 innings in his lone start against the Blue Jays last season.

A's vs Blue Jays same-game parlay (SGP)

The Blue Jays batter who’s arguably had the most success against Severino is catcher Alejandro Kirk. 

Kirk just sees the ball extremely well out of Severino’s hand. He’s 4-for-6 with six walks in 12 career plate appearances against Severino. That’s good for a .341 expected batting average.

Then let’s look at the newest Blue Jay in Okamoto. The Japanese star was a production monster in the NBP, racking up 827 RBIs. 

He’s projected to be hitting in the six spot in the Jays lineup and should have plenty of opportunities to drive in runs tonight, meaning this price on his RBI is a steal.

A's vs Blue Jays SGP

  • Luis Severino Over 5.5 hits allowed
  • Alejandro Kirk Over 1.5 total bases
  • Kazuma Okamoto Over 0.5 RBIs

A's vs Blue Jays home run pick: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (+425)

While people were wondering about his power during the regular season, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. made everyone forget about that with one of the great postseason runs of all time. 

Vladdy hit eight home runs during the Blue Jays' run to the World Series with a 1.289 OPS.

Guerrero is also a solid 5-for-14 in his career vs. Severino with one home run, good for a .437 expected slugging. So, while it may seem a little on the nose to take Vladdy to go deep in Game 1, I love the value with him in this spot.

2026 Transparency record
  • Best bets: 1-0, +1.36 units
  • SGPs: 0-1, -1 units
  • HR picks: 0-1, -1 units

A's vs Blue Jays odds

  • Moneyline: A's +150 | Toronto -175
  • Run line: A's +1.5 (-135) | Toronto -1.5 (+115)
  • Over/Under: Over 8.5 | Under 8.5

A's vs Blue Jays trend

The Blue Jays have hit the Team Total Over in 76 of their last 125 games for +21.35 Units and a 15% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for A's vs. Blue Jays.

How to watch A's vs Blue Jays and game info

LocationRogers Centre, Toronto, ON
DateFriday, March 27, 2026
First pitch7:07 p.m. ET
TVNBC Sports California, Sportsnet
A's starting pitcherLuis Severino
(2025: 8-11, 4.54 ERA)
Blue Jays starting pitcherKevin Gausman
(2025: 10-11, 3.59 ERA)

A's vs Blue Jays latest injuries

A's vs Blue Jays weather

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.