Sep 28, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Justin Wrobleski (70) reacts in the ninth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
The Dodgers finish off their long weekend series against the Colorado Rockies with one more game on Monday night at Coors Field, the only wraparound series of the season for Los Angeles.
Justin Wrobleski is coming off the best start of his career, on six days rest after throwing eight scoreless innings last Monday against the New York Mets. He’s done pretty well in his previous three appearances at Coors Field, with a 2.89 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 9 1/3 innings, but those were all in relief. This will be his first start in Denver.
Left-hander Jose Quintana starts the series finale for the Rockies.
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 08: Cole Henry #99 of the Washington Nationals is relieved by manager Blake Butera #10 in the ninth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Nationals Park on April 08, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As we all know, the Nationals pitching staff has been a major problem. The team ERA is nearing 6, and the Nats have a real shortage of reliable arms. Sometimes stats can get inflated one way or the other in April, but it does not feel like the Nats are suffering from bad luck. The Nats 5.92 team ERA does not seem very inflated.
One way to see if pitchers are getting unlucky is to look at the underlying numbers. Numbers like FIP and xERA are a good way to measure a pitcher’s true skill level. The Nats FIP of 5.75 and xERA of 5.52 are the worst in baseball. While the Astros have a worse team ERA, their FIP is 5.41 and xERA is 4.49. That suggests they should improve a bit. The Nats are not really in line for that improvement.
Another number that is really poor is their fWAR. Nats pitchers have combined for -2.2 fWAR, which is by far the worst in the league. Back in 2022, Nats pitchers had a 0 WAR for the season. That was the worst mark of this decade. Do not be surprised if this group is in the negatives.
When I said the Nationals had "quite possibly the worst pitching staff of the decade", I may have been too nice. They look worse than the Washington's pitching in 2022 that put up 0.0 fWAR
It is tough to blame too much of this on coaching either. The Nats are just at a real talent deficit on the mound. They just do not have many pitchers who are even average big leaguers. The Nats are filled with young guys trying to prove themselves, journeymen trying to find a home in the big leagues, and arms who are over the hill.
For me, the two biggest problems are walks and home runs. Lately, the walks have not been as bad, but the home runs are out of control. Nats pitchers have allowed 39 home runs, which is five more than the next closest team and 12 more than the team in third place. It is tough to be effective as a staff when you are allowing 1.85 home runs per 9 innings.
I don't know the exact number of relievers since 2022 who have either walked or given up a homer to their very first batter faced as a member of the Nationals, but it's high. Very high.
The bullpen has drawn most of the fans ire, but they have been showing more signs of life lately. I think the bullpen is a slightly easier problem to solve. Guys like Cionel Perez, Gus Varland and PJ Poulin have been throwing the ball better lately. We also saw good things from Richard Lovelady last night.
I have a little bit of faith that the Nats can cobble together a bullpen that is not as bad as last year still. In the past couple weeks, the unit has been better. Even though they blew a 5-2 lead, the unit was good besides Mitchell Parker. My bigger concerns are with the starting rotation.
A Nats starter has only gone 6 innings once this season. That was Cade Cavalli against the Phillies a few weeks ago. Length has been a real issue for this staff. They are struggling to even get through five innings. The quality is also poor with a starter ERA over 6.
Outside of Foster Griffin, the whole unit has been really disappointing. Miles Mikolas was supposed to be an innings eater, but he barely even goes three innings anymore. Zack Littell has just been too hittable so far. Jake Irvin’s stuff looks better, and I think he could improve, but his ERA is still over 6.
For me, Cade Cavalli has been the biggest disappointment. He was supposed to be the staff ace, but has only completed five innings once. The stuff is sharp, but his command and pitch selection leaves so much to be desired. He should get the season to try and figure things out, but eventually, he might have to be moved to the bullpen.
Unfortunately, help is not really on the way. Andrew Alvarez is decent, and just got called up. However, he is a 5 and dive guy who’s pure stuff is not great. Maybe he could be like Foster Griffin, but I am not as high on him as some. Riley Cornelio could be a solution, but he is not very proven. Luis Perales has a lot of pedigree, but I think he is a reliever.
The Nats offense has really been carrying the load right now, yet the team is still 9-12. I worry about what could happen if the offense cools off. Things could get really ugly. This pitching staff has been very bad, and there are not many reasons to believe things will get better. Hopefully this staff can help improve guys, but they do not have a lot to work with.
DENVER , CO - APRIL 18: Nikola Jokic (15) of the Denver Nuggets handles as Rudy Gobert (27) of the Minnesota Timberwolves defends during the fourth quarter of the Nuggets' 116-105 win at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on Saturday, April 18, 2026. The Nuggets took a 1-0 lead in their best-of-seven series. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post) | Denver Post via Getty Images
The Minnesota Timberwolves lost Game 1 of their first-round NBA Playoff series to the Denver Nuggets, 116-105, in a game reminiscent of so many of the Wolves’ shortcomings.
There were gorgeous stretches of basketball, especially early in the game, but those pockets of solid play did not last. The Wolves consistently reverted back to the team that underachieved during the regular season. The phrase “flip the switch” had been used to describe the Wolves coming into the playoffs, and at least for one game, that did not occur.
With the game now in the rear-view mirror, let’s take a second look at what went right, and more often what went wrong for the Timberwolves in Game 1 against the Nuggets.
The Good: Rudy Gobert on Offense
The best aspect of the Timberwolves’ Game 1 came from Rudy Gobert on offense. Gobert struggled mightily on that side of the ball last postseason, but did exactly what the team needed him to do on Saturday afternoon in Denver.
The best offensive action the Timberwolves had all night was the pick-and-rolls with Gobert as the screener. Many ball handlers found Rudy rolling to the rim, with Anthony Edwards specifically finding Gobert early and often with the defense tilted to stop the Wolves’ superstar guard.
Gobert himself caught each pass thrown his way and either made the correct next pass or made a move to the rim for a bucket.
“Both ends he did a good job,” Jaden McDaniels said. “He keep doing that, we’re going to win.”
When asked if this performance is repeatable, Gobert answered, “I think we shall see.”
Rudy Gobert was outstanding on both ends in Game 1. The Offense specifically stood out and I think the Wolves are going to need multiple games like this from Rudy to win the series
Ant and others made the correct pass often and Gobert was great catching and making the next play pic.twitter.com/DQMEBtOPZR
The ball movement that drove the Timberwolves toward a double-digit lead in the first quarter dried up in the second and third quarters. As it so often has this season, the Wolves reverted to isolation basketball and took many ill-advised shots.
One of the main culprits was Edwards, who, after consistently finding Gobert and other teammates in the first quarter, settled for far too many bad shots the rest of the game.
“I don’t know,” Edwards said when asked about the lack of ball movement. “Yeah, I gotta go watch the film. I don’t know. I thought the ball was still kind of moving, but Finchy said the same thing. The ball stopped kind of moving, but I gotta go look at it.”
The ball movement dried up after the first quarter for the Wolves in Game 1. I thought was as big a reason as anyone as to why
The Wolves offense looked great when Ant was making the fight pass to Rudy and others while attacking the rim himself. I thought too often he settled pic.twitter.com/I09vLbWWUV
The player who suffers most due to the lack of ball movement is probably Jaden McDaniels.
In the first quarter and a half of Game 1, the Wolves used the defensive attention toward Edwards with the ball and Gobert rolling to the rim to generate open looks and driving lanes for McDaniels, which led to either open looks at the rim or free throw opportunities with Nikola Jokić guarding the rim.
All of that dried up later in the game as the ball got sticky, and isolation possessions were the primary action of the Wolves’ offense.
The Timberwolves need to get more looks for Jaden McDaniels in the flow of the offense
I think these three plays are a perfect example of how to do that. Use Gobert's roller gravity and the shifted defense toward Edwards to open up driving lanes pic.twitter.com/I1dnJhgPUv
The Timberwolves trailed by as many as 15 points in the third quarter but clawed back into the game. The Denver lead got as small as two points before the Wolves’ poor late-game execution prevented them from shrinking the deficit any further.
“Just key mistakes,” Randle explained. “Just little things, we put them on the free throw line. A bunch of little things at certain moments. We’d get it to five, and they’d go on a 4-0 run, 6-0 run, stuff like that. We just gotta limit our mistakes down the stretch and try not to put ourselves in that position by having a better third quarter.”
Late in the game, Gobert and Julius Randle each had awful turnovers, there were a pair of missed defensive rebounds that led to second-chance points for the Nuggets, and a pair of fouls from Randle that gave Aaron Gordon three free throws before Denver even had to run a play.
“We’ve got to make smarter, more solid plays,” Finch said about the plays late in the game. “We had two turnovers right in the middle of one run back. One in the paint, which was a tough pass for Rudy to handle, and then Rudy does a wraparound DHO, they poke away, and then we get the away from the play foul, and it just wasn’t very smart. We’ve got to be more composed.”
The Wolves kept the game close late, but were unable to execute with a number of mistakes
Turnovers, missed rebounds, and bad fouls all played a role in the 11-point loss pic.twitter.com/18Fx69GPuy
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 4: Konnor Griffin #6 of the Pittsburgh Pirates looks on during batting practice before the game against the Baltimore Orioles at PNC Park on April 4, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates are at home today against the Pittsburgh Pirates looking to grab a win against the Tampa Bay Rays.
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We waited all year for this? The 76ers opened their 2026 postseason with one of the ugliest playoff losses in franchise history. The Celtics beat the 76ers 123-91 at TD Garden, a 32-point loss in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference 1st-round series.
In the last 30 years, there have only been two worse losses in Game 1 of an Eastern Conference 1st-round series – the Pistons lost by 35 to the Bucks in 2019 and the Knicks lost by 33 to the Heat in 2012.
The good news? Last time the 76ers lost a Game 1 in any playoff series by at least 30 points they came back to win the series.
Feeling optimistic now?
With a hat-tip to Stathead, here’s our five-best stats off the 76ers’ 2026 playoff opener.
HOW BAD WAS IT? The 32-point loss matched the 7th-worst playoff loss in 76ers history. They’ve lost nine postseason games by 30 or more points and five have been against the Celtics, including the last two. It was the 76ers’ worst Game 1 loss in any playoff series in 44 years, since a 121-81 loss to the Celtics at Boston Garden in 1982 – the so-called Mother’s Day Massacre – in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference Finals series. The 76ers came back to win that series before losing to the Lakers in the NBA Finals. The 32-point loss was the 76ers’ 5th-worst this year, including the regular season. The 32-point loss was also the 76ers’ worst ever in their first postseason game of any season. The previous worst was a 25-point loss to Oscar Robertson and the Cincinnati Royals in Game 1 of their 1964 Eastern Division Semifinal series, a 127-102 loss at Cincinnati Gardens. The win was the Celtics’ biggest in 41 years in a Game 1, since they beat the Lakers by 34 (148-114) in Game 1 of the 1985 NBA Finals at Boston Garden.
HEY, THEY JUST MISSED ANOTHER 3: The76ers shot just 4-for-23 from 3 for 17.4 percent. That’s their 2nd-worst ever in a playoff game in which they attempted at least 20 3’s. The only worst performance came in a 111-102 loss to the Nets in 1999 at the Wells Fargo Center, where they were 3-for-25 for 12 percent. This was the first time in 76ers postseason history they made four or fewer 3’s while allowing 16 or more. It’s only the eighth time in NBA history a team has allowed 16 3’s in a playoff game while making four or fewer. The last five teams that have done that have done it against the Celtics. The 76ers haven’t had a regular-season game with four or fewer 3’s while allowing 16 or more in 12 years, since a 114-93 loss to the Trail Blazers at Moda Center in 2014.
GRUESOME PLUS-MINUS NUMBERS: For only the second time in franchise history, the 76ers had eight players at minus-10 or worse in a playoff game: Tyrese Maxey (minus-29), V.J. Edgecombe (minus-26), Justin Edwards (minus-21), Kelly Oubre (minus-21), Andre Drummond (minus-19), Dominick Barlow (minus-15), Quentin Grimes (minus-13) and Paul George (minus-10). They also had eight at minus-10 or worse in that 2023 loss to the Celtics (Joel Embiid, Danny Green, James Harden, Tobias Harris, Matisse Thybulle and Maxey). Edwards somehow managed to be minus-21 despite playing just 17 minutes. Only four 76ers have had a worse plus-minus in a playoff game in which they played 17 or fewer minutes: Eric Snow was minus-21 in 13 minutes vs. the Bucks in 2001, Elton Brand was minus-23 in 15 minutes vs. the Celtics in 2012, DeAndre Jordan was minus-22 in 17 minutes vs. the Heat in 2022 and Paul Reed was minus-21 in just 11 minutes vs. the Knicks in 2024.
NOT ONE BUT TWO GUYS SHOOTING BLANKS: Kelly Oubre and V.J. Edgecombe were both 0-for-5 from 3, making this the first playoff game in 76ers history where two guys took five or more 3’s and didn’t make any. They both tied the 6th-most 3-point attempts in a playoff game without a make.
IT WAS NEVER CLOSE: The 76ers’ 15-point deficit through the first quarter was the 6th-largest in franchise postseason history and largest since an 18-point deficit against the Pistons in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference 1st-round series in 2008. The 18-point halftime deficit was 9th-largest in 76ers postseason history. And the 24-point deficit after the third quarter was 11th-largest.
IT’S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING: With their win yesterday, the Cubs now are exactly .500 — 9,199 wins, 9,199 losses and 81 ties — since Opening Day of 1908! (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
IT’S BEEN A WHILE (NOT AS LONG AS ABOVE, THOUGH): The Cubs have not won five consecutive games since March 31-April 5 of last year. Today’s game will be their 162nd, a full season, since then. They have won 96 and lost 65. Their current streak is their fifth of four wins since their last five-game streak. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
AND ABOUT TIME TO DO THIS AGAIN: The Cubs have not swept a series at home against the Mets since they won three games April 20-22, 2021. They had gone 5-8 in four series since then. They swept three at New York in 2022. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
BEAT THE METS: The Mets’ current 10-game losing streak is the longest April losing streak in their franchise history. (Previous record: They lost the first nine games they played as a franchise in April 1962.)
Javier Assad has made one really good start and one really bad one so far this year.
He has not faced the Mets since April 30, 2024 and a lot of those guys aren’t on the Mets anymore.
No current Met has more than seven career at-bats against Assad (Francisco Lindor, 3-for-7, a home run).
Hopefully, this afternoon is a good one for Javier.
Originally, David Peterson was going to make this start for the Mets, but since he’s posted an 8.79 ERA and 1.954 WHIP and allowed eight walks and 14 earned runs in his last 14.1 innings, the Mets decided to pivot to Tobias Myers.
We’re familiar with Myers from his time with the Brewers. In fact, he came to the Mets in the same deal that brought Freddy Peralta to New York.
Myers is not really stretched out to start and this article from The Athletic says the Mets hope to get around 30 pitches from him and once through the batting order. After that, the article says, Peterson might be available out of the bullpen.
Myers made two relief appearances against the Cubs last year, throwing three scoreless innings.
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The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.
You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.
The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MARCH 27: Cole Ragans #55 of the Kansas City Royals pitches against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning of the home opener at Truist Park on March 27, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Another afternoon tilt in New York for the Royals today as they try to salvage one win on what has been a truly demoralizing road trip. Two new faces have joined the team for today’s game. Elias Diaz will be catching; the veteran has been in the big leagues since 2015 but has never played for Kansas City. Joining him will be Mason Black in the bullpen as the team continues to cycle arms through there to see if anyone can stick.
Cole Ragans gets to try and play stopper and will hopefully end the losing streak at six. After the scary exit in the first inning at Cleveland, his start on Tuesday went well, but was uncharacteristic with very few strike outs and several walks. This is a situation for the ace of the staff to show why he gets that moniker.
Opposite Ragans will be Ryan Weathers who is 0-2 with a 4.29 ERA through his first four starts. He has allowed a decent number of base runners so far this season, so the Royals will attempt to take advantage of lefty. Here are the lineups for today:
KANSAS CITY, MO - APRIL 09: Dustin Harris #37 of the Chicago White Sox hits a single in the second inning during the game between the Chicago White Sox and the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on Thursday, April 9, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Sydney Schneider/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Houston Astros claimed OF Dustin Harris off waivers from the Chicago White Sox.
He has appeared in six major league games for Chicago this season, hitting .250 (3×12) with a .438 OBP.
He has joined the Astros and will wear 37.
The Astros also recalled RHP Jayden Murray from Triple-A Sugar Land and have placed OF Joey Loperfido on the 10-day IL with a right quad strain (retro to April 18).
Houston has also acquired IF Braden Shewmake from the New York Yankees in exchange for minor leaguer RHP Wilmy Sanchez.
Shewmake has played his entire 2026 season at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in the Yankees minor league system.
"That's probably the craziest thing that's ever happened to me in my career."
When one considers the length and breadth of LeBron James' GOAT-level career, that statement says a lot. LeBron has been clear the past couple of years that playing with his son Bronny has been one of the — if not THE — greatest joys of his career.
On Saturday, that duo made history again as LeBron and Bronny became the first-ever father/son duo to play in an NBA game. You could see the joy in LeBron's eyes when he talked about it postgame.
LEBRON JAMES: "I was on the floor with my son. In a playoff game. That's probably the craziest thing that's ever happened to me in my career.
LeBron had a special day beyond playing with his son. With Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves out, the Lakers needed 41-year-old LeBron to shoulder the burden of being the team's primary shot creator — and he thrived. In seeming constant motion all night, he finished with 19 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds. He was drawing defenders and setting up teammates such as Luke Kennard, who had a team-high 27. The Lakers have a 1-0 series lead heading into Game 2 on Tuesday in Los Angeles, but Houston is expected to have Kevin Durant back for that game.
The Yankees announced a trade prior to Sunday's game against the Kansas City Royals.
The club has acquired minor league right-handed pitcher Wilmy Sanchez from the Houston Astros in exchange for minor league infielder Braden Shewmake.
Sanchez, 22, began the season in Double-A ball, pitching to a 1.29 ERA in five games. He has a career 3.80 ERA across five minor league seasons.
Shewmake, 28, was claimed off waivers by the Yankees from the Royals in February. He hit .176 for the Yankees during spring training, but showed off a decent glove.
He slashed .250/.314/.313 with five runs, two doubles, one RBI and one stolen base in 10 games with Triple-A Scranton/Wilke-Barre this season.
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The time has arrived as the Buffalo Sabres get set to play in their first playoff games in 15 years. You can immediately feel the vibe as an outsider when you cross the border into the Queen City and see the 'GO SABRES' signs with makeshift Stanley Cups, as the fanbase gets ready to scratch a long-standing playoff itch.
For Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff, the priority is managing emotions for the many players on his roster who have no experience with playoff hockey. While he doesn’t want his players doing something reckless that will lead to penalty trouble, he wants them to feed off the local energy.
“I'm hoping that we are amped up because it will be electric,” Ruff said. “It will be a totally different feeling for sure. I'm looking forward to how our guys are going to react to it. We've talked about the energy we need to bring and how we need to play. I anticipate them being ready to do it”.
There’s immense excitement throughout the city. When the Sabres last went to the postseason, the KeyBank Center was known as the HSBC Arena. Back then, the facility stood among many vacant parking lots that have since been developed. LECOM Harborcenter, the team’s official practice facility, had not yet been built.
Current owner Terry Pegula had only recently purchased the team at that time, and much of the modern development around the Sabres’ home did not exist. This includes the Canalside area around the building, which is expected to be packed with fans watching the game from outside the arena. The demand for entry is historic; as of Sunday morning, the lowest-priced ticket for Game 1 was $450 USD—by far the most expensive "get-in" price of any opening home game in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
While Ruff was the coach the last time the club made the playoffs, the management structure around him has changed significantly. A mid-season change at general manager from Kevyn Adams to Jarmo Kekäläinen seemingly sparked the club’s fortune. The team transformed from a struggling 14-14-5 squad tied for last in the Eastern Conference into the winners of the Atlantic Division.
Simply getting to the "dance" is a milestone, but expectations remain high. The Sabres haven’t won a playoff round since 2007, and rolling over for their opponent, the Boston Bruins, won’t be accepted by a rabid fanbase eager for a return to glory.
The 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs have officially begun. The Carolina Hurricanes, Minnesota Wild, and Philadelphia Flyers have already won Game 1 of their respective series’ so far, with the Colorado Avalanche and Los Angeles Kings, Tampa Bay Lightning and Montréal Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins, and Utah Mammoth and Vegas Golden Knights set to begin their series’ today. The Hockey News - Vancouver Canucks Site Editors have put together their predictions for the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs: here are our picks.
Which Goaltender Will Have The Strongest Post-Season?
AK: Frederik Andersen
IC: Frederik Andersen
Which Former Canuck Will Have The Best Performance?
AK: Jalen Chatfield
IC: Vasily Podkolzin
Jan 3, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes right wing Andrei Svechnikov (37) gets the shot away past Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) during the second period at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 30: The sneakers worn by Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics against the Atlanta Hawks on March 30, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Angels outfielder Garret Anderson watches the ball after hitting a two-run homer against the Toronto Blue Jays on July 4, 2008. (Mark Avery / Associated Press)
Garret Anderson was a Hall of Fame-caliber major league baseball player who never made the Hall of Fame. Baseball is a numbers game, and GA didn’t have enough of them.
When he finished his career and was eligible for the vote in 2016, he got just one vote. That represented 0.2% of the total. It also meant that he wasn’t even on the ballot the next year.
So, when he died Friday, way too soon at age 53, it presented an interesting twist. Had he lived into his 80s or 90s, there would have been few still around to remember anything about him but statistics. Now, the memory of his underrated greatness remains. What he did and how he did it is still in the frontal lobe of those who watched and those who wrote and broadcast about him.
He was the quiet man who played for various versions of the Angels for 15 seasons — the California Angels, the Anaheim Angels and the Los Angeles Angels. Right there, you have a Hall of Fame problem. A team struggling so hard to find its own identity does not attract the deep and passionate interest of the bulk of the writers/voters who live in time zones whose bed time is the same as game time in Anaheim.
It should have mattered that GA delivered the most important hit in Angels’ history, the game-winner in the 2002 World Series. It was Game 7, it was at Angel Stadium and the opponent was the San Francisco Giants, who had superstar slugger Barry Bonds and his line drives that created dents in outfield fences, except when they flew over them, which was often.
Anderson came to the plate in the third inning. The bases were loaded and Anderson took a shoulder-high fastball, slapped it down the right-field line and three runs came home. The Angels won 4-1 and haven’t come close to a World Series title, much less a World Series, since then. That at least got Anderson into the Angels Hall of Fame in 2016.
Mike Scioscia was the manager then and the most effective the team has had. He is the one who, Saturday, called Anderson’s Game 7 hit the greatest in team history.
“I remember looking out there when he went to the plate with the bases loaded,” Scioscia said, “and thinking he is exactly the guy I want there right now.”
Scioscia called Anderson’s death “a punch in the gut.” He said the player everybody called GA, didn’t have to be managed. “He was a resource for me,” Scioscia said. “He had an incredible inner drive. He was one of the most talented players I have been around. I’d call him a superstar.”
Scioscia, reminded that his “superstar” didn’t make baseball’s Hall of Fame, said, “Sometimes, great players slip through the cracks.”
Anderson’s not-quite-Hall-of-Fame performances included three All-Star game appearances. He was the game’s MVP in 2003 and also won the home run derby that year. He beat out Albert Pujols, then of the Cardinals. His career batting average was .293, he hit 287 home runs and had 1,365 runs batted in. He went to the plate to hit, not to watch. He never drew more than 38 walks in a season and never struck out more than 100 times.
Yet the statistic he felt gave him the best chance for the Hall of Fame was number of hits. Getting 3,000 hits would make him almost an automatic choice. He ended with 2,529, and near the end of his career with the Angels, he sat down with a reporter to discuss just that, plus one other thing.
Garret Anderson, left, talks with Jackie Autry, widow of Angels team owner Gene Autry, as he is inducted into the Angels Hall of Fame on Aug. 20, 2016. (Reed Saxon / Associated Press)
It was uncharacteristic for Anderson to have this sort of conversation with anybody outside of his teammates, or maybe his family. It was lunch at Zov’s in Tustin and the question was how this voting system works and could maybe 200 more hits get him in. Could 2,750 do it? He wasn’t a big ego guy by any stretch of the imagination, but the Hall of Fame seemed to be dangling there and any baseball player who could see that for himself in the distance had to be intrigued.
There was no discussion of the intangibles, no consideration of the Angels being the Angels and what effect that will always have. Do voters even look much at other stats, such as his 24 walks and 35 home runs in the same season? The reporter wasn’t a great help. He wasn’t even a voter. Anderson wasn’t really stressed out over the Hall of Fame premise, just kind of fascinated. The reporter was probably more encouraging than realistic. Zov’s food was good, the company great.
Eventually, Anderson got to the second issue that had prompted the lunch: How to deal with Times columnist TJ Simers. He asked because the reporter was once Simers’ boss. Simers tended to probe and kid and seek to stir up things, but Anderson also recognized that he could be highly accurate, perceptive and even fun. Anderson, as a team star, was bracing for frequent visits. How should he handle it?
The answer was simple: Don’t lie to him. Don’t hide from him. If he is being a jerk, tell him so. He will accept that. If he is wrong, tell him that and tell him how. If he insults you, insult him back. He loves that.
Tim Mead, former director of public relations, when asked for his thoughts on Anderson, said that his perspective or quotes would not be as telling or as meaningful as simply watching the tape of Anderson’s three-run double that won the 2002 World Series for the Angels.
“Just watch it, just watch his reaction when he gets to second base,” Mead said Saturday.
And so we did. Anderson slaps his hit down the right field line, just fair. Angel Stadium goes crazy. Anderson stops at second base, claps his hands four times, then stands there quietly. Little emotion. Little hoopla. No contortions for "SportsCenter." He has done his job. He has done what was expected of him. There are six more innings left. Let’s celebrate when it is truly over.
That was Garret Anderson, GA to his friends, a Hall of Fame player in all the ways that numbers don’t show.
MIAMI, FL - APRIL 08: Brady Singer #51 of the Cincinnati Reds pitches during the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park on Wednesday, April 8, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Lucas Casel/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Cincinnati Reds have leaned in to winning games by the thinnest of margins so far this season, their threadbare offense somehow coming up with particularly good timing while their bullpen pulls out all the stops to hold on. The results, so far, have been impeccable, with the Reds sporting a 13-8 record that has them atop the National League Central division.
It’s been precisely that recipe this weekend in Minneapolis, too. The Reds squeezed out a 2-1 win on Friday in lefty Brandon Williamson’s homecoming, and they backed it up with an inch-by-inch comeback win in 5-4 fashion. Now, they head to Target Field on Sunday with a chance to sweep aside the Twins.
Brady Singer will get the start, and he’ll do so fresh off his best outing of the year so far. He fired 6.0 IP of 1 ER ball against the San Francisco Giants last time out, even though his peripherals (just a lone K) didn’t exactly jump off the page the way he’d prefer. Perhaps he’s still dealing with the residual effects of that blister issue – velocity, pitch selection, etc. – but another five-days removed will hopefully see him progress even more back to the guy he was in 2025.
The Reds will be up against righty Bailey Ober. First pitch is set for 2:10 PM ET.
Here’s how the Reds will line up to begin this one:
