Anthony Edwards was ruled out for the Minnesota Timberwolves ahead of their April 2 game against the Detroit Pistons, listed as having an illness and dealing with right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome.
As a result, he will be ineligible for NBA postseason awards as he's passed the threshold for possible games missed.
A player becomes ineligible if they miss 18 or more games. Edwards has missed 17 games, but one of the 59 games he did play does not count. That's because the four-time All-Star left a game in October after three minutes due to a hamstring strain; that's viewed as an additional game missed, according to reporter Chris Hine of the Minnesota Star Tribune.
Edwards had just returned from a six-game absence, playing in the Timberwolves' 124-94 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Monday.
He has averaged 29.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game in 59 games played this season. His scoring output is third-best in the league, and would have likely landed him on one of the All-NBA teams.
SAN FRANCISCO — Daniel Susac‘s life changed in a ballroom at the Signia by Hilton in Orlando on Dec. 10. But he didn’t realize it at first.
The young catcher was eligible for the Rule 5 Draft and got selected fourth by the Minnesota Twins and then immediately dealt to the Giants. As the dust settled, Andrew Susac, who was 3,000 miles away from that ballroom, saw a Tweet about the trade.
The Rule 5 Draft is a bit of a niche event, and it doesn’t exactly get wall-to-wall coverage. Andrew called his younger brother to ask if he had in fact been traded to the Giants.
“I don’t know,” Daniel responded. “Did I?”
Andrew found himself in a unique position, and he realized he could go straight to the source. Oh, and that source happened to be Buster Posey.
Taken in the second round of the 2011 draft, Andrew reached the big leagues for the Giants three years later and backed up Posey as the now-president of baseball operations led the Giants to a third title. He made 52 appearances for his hometown team in 2015 before bouncing around the big leagues for a few years. The two catchers kept in touch, and when Andrew wanted to bring his family to a game last season, Posey hooked him up with field passes.
Months later, when he saw that Tweet, he knew who to contact.
“I texted Buster and said, ‘Is it true?'” Andrew recalled Thursday night as he leaned against a wall outside the clubhouse at Oracle Park. “He said, ‘Pending medicals.’ I was geeked out, man. I was fired up. (Daniel) has grown up in these tunnels. It’s just cool for him.”
Daniel is the youngest of the three Susac boys, and he was only 13 when the oldest made his debut for the Giants. On Thursday, it was Daniel who got that first start, and he made sure it was a memorable one.
The backup catcher singled on the first pitch he saw in the big leagues and then did it again on the second pitch he saw. He finished with three hits and a walk in a 7-2 win over the New York Mets, becoming the first Giant to reach base four times in his first career start since Kevin Frandsen — another hometown kid — in 2006.
The large Susac contingent soaked up every moment, even going viral when Andrew and Daniel’s young nephew got caught up in one of the celebrations and loudly voiced his displeasure. As family members left their seats late in the game, they were hugged by Oracle Park ushers, some of whom were surely around back when Andrew played. Andrew paused for a few seconds when asked to sum up the whole night.
“It’s elation. It’s unreal,” he told NBC Sports Bay Area. “He’s 11 years younger than me so I just remember me and (our brother Matt) beating up on him and playing wiffle ball and it’s just a full circle moment for us. All the hard work has paid off. All the struggles and everything. It’s just a cool moment.”
Daniel Susac's third hit of the night was too much for some family members to handle 😂 pic.twitter.com/IowsSjcflS
It’s one that the family had to wait a few extra days for. Tony Vitello used the same nine position players over the first six games of the season, even starting Patrick Bailey on Wednesday when the Giants had a day game after a night game. The Susac parents and Daniel’s fiancée traveled to San Diego just in case he got a start, but the only action he saw was as a defensive replacement late in Wednesday’s loss.
The whole traveling party made the drive Thursday. Andrew backed up Posey long enough to know what was coming even before the lineup was officially announced. He saw lefty David Peterson set to start Thursday and figured his younger brother would finally get his shot.
Daniel planned to be aggressive, especially if he got a first-pitch fastball from Peterson. “I’m going to hammer it,” he told himself. Peterson instead threw a curve, but he roped it into right-center.
“I saw it mid-air and was like, ‘uh-oh.’ But I put a good swing on it,” Daniel said.
The history of the game is filled with nights like this, and often, it’s not the start of something long-lasting. The last Giant before Thursday to get hits in his first two at-bats was David Villar in 2022, and four years later, he’s playing in the Mexican League.
But this might be different. Susac was the 19th overall pick in the draft and was a well-regarded prospect before the A’s decided not to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft. They felt they had good catching depth and worried that Susac’s .832 OPS in Triple-A last year was heavily inflated by his home ballpark in Las Vegas.
Because he’s a Rule 5 pick, the Giants must keep Susac on the roster all year or else they must offer him back to the A’s. That seemed to give him a leg up on the competition this spring, but Vitello insisted over and over again that he put that out of mind. Susac won the job over veteran Eric Haase fair and square.
Vitello recalled Thursday how Heliot Ramos and Luis Arraez talked Susac up in the spring. The veterans felt he could help this team, and if this is for real, or even somewhat for real, he should see plenty of starts against left-handed pitchers instead of the switch-hitting Bailey.
The Giants could also at some point call up Jesus Rodriguez or Haase and use Susac as a pinch-hitter, something they’re sorely lacking right now. Thursday was a night to wonder what’s coming next.
“Chappy said he made it look easy,” Vitello said of the debut.
In addition to reaching four times, Susac had one of the bigger defensive plays of the night, challenging a close 3-2 pitch in the sixth that flipped a Ryan Walker walk into a strikeout. Walker emphatically pointed back to his catcher after a replay on the scoreboard showed how close it was. Susac said later that the call was what he might tell his grandkids about some day as he recounts his debut.
“I didn’t even think I won it,” he said. “I was like, ‘Eh, it’s close, I don’t really want this runner on base right now so let’s see.’ And then I won it and I was excited. That was awesome.”
There were no hard feelings from home plate umpire Nestor Ceja over that one. He asked Susac in the ninth if he wanted his lineup card and then handed it over after the final pitch. Susac also tucked the ball in his pocket and then handed it to Blade Tidwell, who picked up a three-inning save in his Giants debut. When he got back to the clubhouse, he got Vitello’s lineup card, and that will go to his father.
Daniel Susac collected a memento from the umpire after his first MLB start in the Giants' win 🙌 pic.twitter.com/NvBmNqUU7b
There were three Susac boys in all. Matt, the middle child — and now, the most viral of the bunch — went into commercial real estate. Andrew last played in 2021 and now is back home, raising his family and giving lessons. He’s looking for kids who remind him of his youngest brother.
“He’s always been very gifted, obviously,” Andrew said. “But he’s got that edge. I talk about that a lot. The best players in my opinion have some sort of edge where they have that killer instinct in them. I think he has that.”
Perhaps it’s always been there. Or maybe it’s the result of a couple of years spent in the hallways at Oracle Park, watching his older brother and Posey, and wondering if that would be him one day.
“I definitely always envisioned it as a little kid,” Daniel said. “To actually live it out is pretty awesome. I probably went through this exact scenario so many times in the backyard with my brothers. It was a pretty fun one to get out of the way.”
Alana King and Phoebe Litchfield starred as Australia capped off their dominant tour of the Caribbean with a commanding nine-wicket win in the third ODI at Warner Park in St Kitts.
DETROIT (AP) — Anthony Edwards is ineligible for NBA postseason awards because he can't reach the 65-game minimum after the Minnesota Timberwolves ruled out him out against the Detroit Pistons on Thursday night, listing his right knee injury and an illness.
He has played in 59 games, but just 58 count toward the league's record of games and Minnesota has six games left in the regular season.
Edwards did not play in Detroit, one game after he scored 17 points in 23 minutes in a win over Dallas in his first game in two weeks. He returned against the Mavericks after missing six games due to his right knee ailment.
The four-time All-Star, and two-time all-league guard finished seventh in NBA MVP voting in each of the last two seasons.
Edwards is averaging a career high with 29.3 points per game, but won't play 70-plus games as he did in each of his first five seasons in the league.
CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. — Former Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer has signed with the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League and is scheduled to pitch opening night on April 21 for the minor league team.
The Ducks announced the signing Thursday for Bauer’s 15th professional season. Bauer will wear a mic for all games and practices, helping create content for both his and the team’s outlets.
Bauer has been trying to revive his big-league career after serving a 194-game suspension for violating MLB’s domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy. He was never charged with a crime in the matter, and civil claims against him were settled.
Bauer was released by the Los Angeles Dodgers in January 2023. The right-hander pitched in Japan in 2023 and ‘25, sandwiched around one season with Diablos Rojos in the Mexican Baseball League in ’24.
“I’m looking forward to competing in front of U.S. fans again this season,” Bauer said in a statement. “The Ducks have had some incredible players come through their organization, and I’m excited to be part of that tradition.”
Bauer was 4-10 with a 4.41 ERA with Yokohama last year. He was named the Mexican Baseball League’s pitcher of the year in 2024.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - MARCH 28: Tobias Harris #12 of the Detroit Pistons drives to the basket against Julius Randle #30 and Donte DiVincenzo #0 of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second quarter at Target Center on March 28, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Pistons defeated the Timberwolves 109-87. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Detroit Pistons will get to face an Anthony Edwards-less version of the Minnesota Timberwolves team tonight at Little Caesars Arena. Edwards was listed as questionable before ultimately being ruled out. The star guard can only miss one additional game before he hits the limit of games missed and ineligibility for postseason honors. Cade Cunningham will also miss tonight, and he needs to play in four of Detroit’s final six games to be eligible for awards. The Detroit Pistons announced earlier Thursday that Cunningham would be re-evaluated in a week as he looks to ramp back into playing shape as he recovers from a collapsed lung. Jaden McDaniels is also out for the Wolves, and Isaiah Stewart remains out for the Pistons, so both lineups will be missing their primary sources of offense and among the best defenders in the game.
The Pistons will, of course, still have Ausar Thompson, who was recently named Defensive Player of the Month in the Eastern Conference again. The Pistons have already won one Cunningham-less game against the Wolves, so why not make it two? In the previous game, Detroit used a balanced scoring attack, led by Tobias Harris, with six players scoring from 10 to 13 points. They also used an elite defense, with everyone on the Minnesota side struggle save for a couple deep threes from Donte DiVincenzo. While they don’t get Edwards back in the lineups, the Wolves will have Ayo Dosunmu, and that could go a long way toward unlocking more of their offense.
Game Vitals
When: 7:00 PM Where: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan Watch: Prime Video Odds: Pistons -5.5
Mar 2, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard (11) drives to the basket against Milwaukee Bucks forward Pete Nance (35) in the second half at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images | Michael McLoone-Imagn Images
The Celtics will once again be without Nikola Vucevic when they face the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night. Vucevic is continuing to recover from a fractured right ring finger suffered almost four weeks ago (on March 6th), but seems to be progressing in the right direction.
“He’s getting better, as you saw in the workout today,” Joe Mazzulla said on Wednesday night before Celtics-Heat. “The most important thing is that he feels 100%. When he’s ready, he’ll come back, and we just want him back when he’s ready to go. He’s going to help us — we obviously see the impact that he has on us as a player.”
The Celtics have an otherwise clear injury report; Jaylen Brown, who missed two games due to left Achilles tendinopathy, is fresh off a 43-point, 7-assist game vs the Heat and dismissed long-term concerns regarding the injury.
And Jayson Tatum, who made his return to the lineup on March 6th, continues to be available for the Celtics without significant restriction. Tatum has only missed two games since making his return, and is averaging 21.3 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game.
The Bucks, meanwhile, will be without Giannis Antetokounmpo (left knee hyperextension), Kevin Porter Jr (right knee synovitis), and Bobby Portis (left wrist sprain). Thanasis Antetokounmpo is questionable with a left calf strain.
Good sign: Nikola Vucevic is doing some on-court work here at shootaround in Miami
The Celtics are 51-25 and have the East’s second-best record, holding a 2.5 game lead over the New York Knicks. They’ve won 8 of their last 10 games, most recently an 18-point thrashing over the Miami Heat on Wednesday night.
The Bucks, meanwhile, have had an undeniably disappointing campaign. They’re 30-46 and officially out of play-in contention. Giannis Antetokounmpo is out for the season. And, they’ve dropped 7 of their last 10 games.
The Celtics are 2-1 against the Bucks this season; they dropped a December 11th game in Milwaukee when Kyle Kuzma exploded for 31 points. They went on to win their next two games against Milwaukee, both by almost 30 points.
Celtics-Bucks tips off at 8pm on Friday night in Milwaukee.
The 2026 Final Four for the men’s NCAA tournament is set. Illinois faces UConn at 5:09 p.m. ET Saturday, April 4, followed by Michigan against Arizona at 7:49 p.m.
Come Monday night, there will be a new national champion. The NCAA also will crown a Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four. Here’s a look at who has won the award every year of the tournament since 1939.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - OCTOBER 16: J.P. Crawford #3 of the Seattle Mariners looks on during the seventh inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in game four of the American League Championship Series at T-Mobile Park on October 16, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
J.P. Crawford is our shortstop… again… for now.
The Mariners activated Crawford from the injured list on Thursday. He will join the team in Anaheim as they begin their first road tip of 2026. Crawford missed the first week of the season with right shoulder inflammation, which bugged him throughout Spring Training.
It’s a precarious time for Crawford. The Mariners on Tuesday announced a record-breaking extension for shortstop prospect Colt Emerson. Jerry Dipoto said the team is in “no rush” to debut Emerson in the majors, but as Kate Preusser points out, his talent may be forcing the team’s hand. Emerson is clearly the Mariners’ long-term plan at shortstop, leaving Crawford somewhat in the way.
Crawford, 31, is the longest-tenured Mariner, having arrived in 2019. He’s had an eventful career, first appearing as an all-glove-no-bat shortstop before a swing change in 2023 made him one of the best players in the league. He battled injuries and poor luck in 2024 but turned it around in 2025, although inconsistency at the plate limited his season overall. Crawford in 2025 posted four months with a 115 wRC+ or better, and he posted two months with a wRC+ less than 100. This all worked out to a 113 wRC+, which ranked 10th among qualified shortstops.
The Mariners might be willing to accept that up-and-down performance, but Crawford struggles in every other aspect of the game. His -9 Fielding Run Value last year ranked second worst among shortstops, as part of a years-long slide in the field. He doesn’t have good range anymore, and he doesn’t have the arm strength to make up for it. He also struggles on the bases, as one of the slowest shortstops in the league. When he hits, as he did for two-thirds of 2025, he’s a more than solid option at a premium position. When he slumps, he’s a replacement level player.
And the Mariners now have their replacement. Exactly when and why they’ll make the call on Emerson is unclear, and it’s possible they slot him into the lineup at another position with Crawford still at short. It’s also possible Emerson struggles upon his debut, and I doubt the team would forgo contingency before giving him the full-time job. But the Mariners are in win-now mode, and they aren’t likely to give Crawford 600 plate appearances for the sake of loyalty if he’s struggling. For the first time as a Mariner, Crawford is no longer the future at shortstop, and he’ll have to earn his playing time to stick around.
While he may no longer be the future of the Mariners, it’s worth noting he is still very much the past. Crawford needs just 16 more games to pass Jose Lopez for 10th most games played by a batter in team history. With 610 plate appearances, he’ll pass Raul Ibanez for ninth. With 2.8 WAR, he’ll pass Bret Boone and Mike Cameron for 11th, and with 3.6 WAR he’ll pass Robinson Canó for 10th. Crawford is surely one of the best players in the history of the franchise, and it would nice to see him, at the very least, hang on to be commemorated at the Mariners 50th Season Spectacular in August.
The Mariners in a corresponding move Thursday optioned infielder Ryan Bliss to Tacoma. Bliss got two plate appearances as a pinch hitter on Saturday and struck out in both of them. He spent most of last year on the injured list after tearing his biceps while swinging. Bliss remains interesting org depth and has demonstrated the ability to draw walks and put the ball in play in the minors. He will likely find his way back to the majors at some point this season, although there’s no clear path to playing time around the infield at the moment. He has four in-season options remaining, according to Darren Gossler’s payroll tracker.
Leo Rivas remains on the team as the backup infielder. Rivas has a tremendous eye, or at least a historically low swing rate, allowing him to draw walks and get on base. He’s a passable bench bat, and as a switch hitter, the only Mariners’ infielder capable of standing in the righty batter’s box. This handedness dilemma is another branch in the team’s shortstop log jam, potentially delaying Emerson’s debut and threatening Crawford’s use as a role player.
The Mariners also placed reliever Ryan Loutos on unconditional release waivers. Loutos was designated for assignment Monday, removing him from the Mariners’ 40-man roster. Every team will get a chance to claim Loutos. If he goes unclaimed, he will become a free agent.
TAMPA, FL - DECEMBER 4: Pontus Holmberg #29 of the Tampa Bay Lightning against Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins at Benchmark International Arena on December 4, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mark LoMoglio/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The Cardinals shortstop shared a photo of the wreck on his Instagram story Thursday, showing the mangled front bumper on his black sedan as first responders worked on the scene.
“For everyone wondering… I’m feeling great!” Wynn’s caption read. “Car is a little banged up but nothing that can’t be replaced! Big thanks to our security team and first responders for taking care of me! See yall on the field soon!”
St. Louis Cardinals players surround Masyn Winn after he notched the game-winning hit during the eleventh inning of against the New York Mets. AP
The Gold Glove winner was taken to a hospital for an evaluation after the crash, but did not sustain any serious injuries and was released shortly thereafter.
“We are grateful that he is OK, and thank the first responders in our community who helped Masyn tonight,” the Cardinals said in a statement.
A photo of Winn’s car after the crash. Instagram/masynwinn
Facing Mets reliever Tobias Myers, Winn blooped a hit to right that fell in front of a diving Carson Benge, giving St. Louis its fourth win of the season.
Diablos Rojos' Trevor Bauer pitches against New York Yankees during an exhibition game March 24, 2024, at Alfredo Harp Helu Stadium in Mexico City. (Fernando Llano / Associated Press)
Former Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer will pitch for a U.S. team for the first time since 2021 when he serves as the opening day starter for the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League later this month.
Since his last MLB start, on June 28, 2021, Bauer has been accused of sexual assault by four women. He denies all the allegations and has never been charged with a crime.
After Bauer served a 194-game suspension for violating the league's sexual assault and domestic violence policy, the Dodgers severed ties with the 2020 National League Cy Young Award winner on Jan. 6, 2023, less than two years after signing him to a three-year, $102-million contract.
"We are excited to welcome Trevor to Long Island,” Michael Pfaff, Ducks president and chief business officer, said in a Thursday news release announcing Bauer's signing. “His talent and knowledge will be important additions to our ballclub, and we are happy to offer him this opportunity to showcase his talents to MLB clubs while giving fans unprecedented access to Ducks baseball.”
According to the release, "Bauer will be 'Mic’d Up' for all games and practices for the purposes of content creation to be featured on his and the team’s social media and streaming outlets."
The Ducks did not immediately respond to further questions from The Times regarding Bauer's signing.
Bauer is expected to start when the team opens the season at home April 21 against the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars.
“I’m looking forward to competing in front of U.S. fans again this season,” Bauer said in a statement released by his new team. “The Ducks have had some incredible players come through their organization, and I’m excited to be part of that tradition.”
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 01: Jose Butto #70 of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the San Diego Padres during the eighth inning at Petco Park on April 01, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After Wednesday’s loss to the San Diego Padres, it seemed all but certain that the San Francisco Giants would place right-handed reliever José Buttó on the Injured List at some point today. And indeed, on Thursday afternoon, a few hours before starting a series against the New York Mets, the Giants announced that Buttó was headed to the 15-Day IL with right arm fatigue. Replacing him on the roster is fellow right-handed pitcher Blade Tidwell, who has been called up from AAA Sacramento.
The news felt inevitable for Buttó, and now we just cross our fingers and hope it’s nothing serious. He entered in the eighth inning of Wednesday’s matinee, in what was at the time a 3-1 deficit, with the team trying to stay close ahead of the ninth inning. But something was off from the get-go, as Buttó retired just one of the eight batters he faced, while issuing four walks, and allowing a single, a double, and a home run. Just eight of his 28 pitches found the strike zone and, in a large warning sign, his velocity was significantly down.
As his appearance came to an end, he appeared in discomfort, and had a long talk on the mound with head athletic trainer Anthony Reyes, before leaving the game. It’s very rare that you see a pitcher leave a game with a trainer and not end up on the Injured List, and unfortunately Buttó is no exception.
So up comes Tidwell, with a chance to make his Giants debut against the team that drafted him. The 24-year old, who was a second-round pick by the Mets in 2022, came over to the Giants along with Buttó and Drew Gilbert in last summer’s Tyler Rogers trade. He was sensational in four games with Sacramento, and was primed to make his Giants debut late in the season (his MLB debut came earlier in the year for the Mets), but a mild injury kept him from making it to San Francisco.
While still being developed in the Minors as a starter, Tidwell showed off some serious heat while primarily working out of the bullpen in Spring Training, and struck out 13 batters in just 6.2 innings (though he also walked six and allowed seven earned runs). He made one AAA appearance this year before the call-up, pitching 2.2 no-hit innings, in which he walked one and struck out three. Giants manager Tony Vitello has a lot of familiarity with Tidwell, as he coached him in college at Tennessee.
I had assumed that the Giants would replace Buttó with Spencer Bivens, a somewhat similar pitcher. Perhaps they’re just higher on Tidwell right now, or perhaps they wanted someone who could eat larger chunks of innings, especially since they’re still in the first half of a stretch of 10 games in 10 days.
When the Vegas Golden Knights parted with Zach Whitecloud in a deal to acquire Rasmus Andersson from the Calgary Flames, they didn’t just lose a good player– they also lost a man with deep roots in the Las Vegas community.
On Thursday, Whitecloud will take the ice at T-Mobile Arena wearing road whites. After playing 368 games in a Golden Knights uniform, he had one word to describe how it feels coming to Las Vegas as a visitor: weird.
“It’s a little weird,” he admitted. “It’s just weird, right? I spent seven or eight years here, created a lot of lifelong relationships here, not just with the team but in the community. I’m mainly excited to get back, see everyone, play in front of that building, and have some fun with it.
“It’s going to be weird going through the gameday routine and being on the other side of it,” continued Whitecloud. “Yeah, it’ll be different, and it’ll be weird. But it’ll be exciting for my friends and family, and exciting [for me] to play against those guys.”
The trade caught Whitecloud by surprise, but he’s thriving in Calgary. He has been a rock and a pillar of stability for a young Flames team in the midst of a rebuild. He has six assists through 23 games and plays over 24 minutes on most nights.
“It’s been good,” said Whitecloud. “First and foremost, the guys and everyone in the organization did a fantastic job of making me feel at home pretty quickly… The coaches and players made me feel pretty comfortable coming in, made me feel part of the family.
“It’s a business on the other side of it, too, and we all get that,” Whitecloud continued. “I’m excited for my opportunity in Calgary. I’ve made a good adjustment here, met a lot of new guys, and the new fanbase has been great too.”
In 2017, the Golden Knights signed Whitecloud as an undrafted free agent out of Bemidji State University. He went on to spend the next nine years of his life as a part of the organization. In 2023, Whitecloud helped the Golden Knights win the Stanley Cup, playing in all 22 games and scoring a game-winning goal in the Final.
“I’m obviously grateful for my time here,” Whitecloud began. “There’s not one bad thing to say about Las Vegas, its people, its community, the fans, the organization, everyone that helped me get to the NHL and be a regular here and try to help the team win.
“Every time I come back here in the future will be exciting for me,” finished Whitecloud. “This will always be home in my heart. It’s the place I first broke into the NHL and learned how to win, and eventually won with this group.”
Because the trade happened so suddenly, Whitecloud didn’t have the chance to say a proper goodbye to all of the people in his day-to-day life. Now, he has that opportunity.
“It was pretty quick when the day came,” said Whitecloud. “Being Canadian, I was able to get on a plane and jump right out [to Calgary]... I didn’t really get to say goodbye to a lot of the staff and the people behind the scenes who really make all these things go around and keep us playing. Being able to see a lot of them today was pretty emotional, to be honest with you. [There are] a lot of guys that take care of the players and make sure that we can be ourselves and be the pros that we are, and people don’t really see that… Just being able to give them a hug and see them was really great.”
Whitecloud went to dinner with a group of his former teammates on Wednesday night.
“All the guys have been great,” said Whitecloud. “They were all excited to see me, and me likewise. I got to catch up and see how everyone’s families are doing, how all the kids are doing, and make sure everyone’s good.”
As is tradition, Whitecloud knows that there’s an emotional tribute video in store for him, and he’s ready for it. But he’s also ready to continue processing the emotions stemming from the trade.
“I think, once this game goes by, I can kind of let everything go a little bit,” he said. “Not that I’ll forget everything… I spent a lot of time here and built a lot of roots here. Everything’s weird, everything’s exciting. There are a lot of emotions. Happy, sad, grateful, appreciative– a lot of words come to mind.”
MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 29: Jose Quintana #62 of the Colorado Rockies throws a pitch during a game against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park on March 29, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On Thursday afternoon, the Colorado Rockies announced that left-handed pitcher José Quintana has been placed on the 15-day injured list with a right hamstring strain, retroactive to March 30th.
Quintana, 37, was scheduled to make his second start of the season during the Rockies’ first homestand against the Philadelphia Phillies this Saturday. The journeyman veteran had previously started against the Miami Marlins over Opening Weekend, where he gave up two earned runs on four walks and four hits over 4.1 innings. He struck out two batters.
In a corresponding roster move, the Rockies have recalled right-handed pitcher Valente Bellozo from the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes.
Bellozo, 26, signed a minor league deal with the Rockies this off-season after previously working with Rockies pitching coach Alon Leichman in Miami. While he started the season in Triple-A, he was added to the 40-man roster on March 26th. He is capable of working both in the rotation and out of the bullpen, and made a start for the Isotopes last week in their season-opening series against the Oklahoma City Comets.
The Rockies have additionally optioned utility-man Ryan Ritter to Triple-A Albuquerque. Ritter started his season 1-for-7 with three strikeouts in a variety of different roles—from starter to pinch runner—and has appeared in all six of the Rockies’ games thus far.
Optioning Ritter likely clears the way for the Rockies to activate outfielder and designated hitter Mickey Moniak from the 10-day injured list on Friday. Moniak started the season on the injured list with a finger sprain after an awkward slide during his final spring training appearance.
