ARLINGTON, TX - APRIL 03: Jake Oettinger throws the ceremonial first pitch prior to the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on Friday, April 3, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - NOVEMBER 06: Cole Caufield #13 of the Montreal Canadiens competes for the puck against Nico Hischier #13 of the New Jersey Devils during the first period at Prudential Center on November 06, 2025 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Matchup: The New Jersey Devils (39-34-2) versus the Montreal Canadiens (44-21-10)
The Time: 7:00 PM EDT
The Broadcast: TV — MSG, NHLN; Radio — Devils Hockey Network
Halonen and McLaughlin Recalled
This morning, the New Jersey Devils announced that they recalled Brian Halonen and Marc McLaughlin from the Utica Comets. This will allow them to remove Evgenii Dadonov from the lineup. Not only was Dadonov on track to make another quarter-million dollars that would have been tacked onto next year’s cap hit as a bonus overage, Dadonov has been, by far, the least effective player on the ice in the few games he’s played for a team. Since March 1, Dadonov has had a shockingly low 26.35 expected goals percentage, which about half the average put up by the rest of the team.
#NEWS: We've recalled forwards Brian Halonen and Marc McLaughlin from Utica (AHL). They will join us for today’s morning skate.https://t.co/URc482J615
This season, Halonen has a goal in nine games for the Devils, as well as 19 goals and 13 assists in 48 games for the Comets. I would hope that he displaces Dadonov from the lineup, though I would have liked to see him get a chance on the third line. Now that Bjugstad has been promoted there, I doubt Halonen will get many minutes to show what he can do. McLaughlin, on the other hand, can play center and has six goals and seven assists in 21 games for Utica this season. I imagine he might come in for Maxim Tsyplakov if the Devils want to try both Comets out at the same time, or he might alternate with Halonen in Dadonov’s spot. Playing McLaughlin would allow Cotter to move back to wing.
End of the Line
The New Jersey Devils are winding their season down at this point. They are not mathematically eliminated, so it would still be good to go out and play their best hockey until the E is actually next to them in the standings. But this is it. For those playing for a contract extension, or to prove they should still be on the team next season, this is a time that will stick with people still watching the club play hockey. The Devils will have to downsize their defense, whether they bring in young guys in Anton Silayev or Seamus Casey or not. They will have to ask themselves if they want the same forward group in its entirety next season.
But for fans, the long wait is about to begin, too. Make sure you make the most of the remaining hockey to be played, even if the season has largely been hard to watch. Because, unless an absolute miracle happens over the next couple of weeks, the New Jersey Devils are going to have a five-month vacation. It won’t be long until I am waiting for the return of Devils hockey.
Can We Get Good Goaltending?
On the note of players who should be trying to justify their continual presence on the team, I would like to see better games from the goaltenders the rest of the way. Jacob Markstrom is back down to an .883 save percentage, and Jake Allen has slipped a bit to a .905 percentage. That’s a pretty good number for Allen, but it was better earlier in the season. Markstrom had almost climbed back to near league average, too, until a recent string of games dragged him down. In his last six games, the Devils are 3-3-0 with his .852 save percentage. He had a .916 save percentage in the eight games before that.
Personally, though, I think they should have called Nico Daws and Jakub Malek up at points this season to give them NHL games. If one of them can play in the big leagues next season, there is really no point for the team to bang its heads against the wall trying to make Markstrom’s extension work. There is only so long I can have patience for a guy who dips to having an .852 save percentage for extended stretches.
Your Thoughts
What do you think of tonight’s game? Will the Devils come out firing? Or will it be a slow game? Leave your thoughts in the comments below, and thanks for reading.
Sam Malinski is one of the most efficient point-producing defensemen in the NHL.
He’s walking into a bigger role with Cale Makar out of the lineup, which is why my Avalanche vs. Stars predictions see him finding the score sheet in this big divisional clash.
Let’s get into my NHL picks for Saturday, April 4.
Avalanche vs Stars prediction
Avalanche vs Stars best bet: Sam Malinski Over 0.5 points (+135)
Sam Malinski is scorching hot. He's piled up eight points over his last five games, headlined by a three-point performance in his last game — the first without superstar defenseman Cale Makar in the lineup.
He's more than capable of handling the added responsibility. Malinski ranks fifth among defensemen in points per 60 minutes of 5-on-5play, trailing names like Evan Bouchard, Lane Hutson, and Zach Werenski. The uptick in usage during that game state will serve him well.
Perhaps more importantly, Malinski finds himself quarterbacking the top power play in Makar’s role. Wheels up.
Avalanche vs Stars same-game parlay
Sticking with the theme of backing Colorado Avalanche blueliners sans Makar, Brent Burns is another prime target. He's generated multiple shots on target in nine of his last 10 games and attempted six shots in the first game without Makar.
On the Dallas Stars side, it’s all about Mikko Rantanen. He's assisted in nine of his past 10 following one day of rest and has picked up a helper in 75% of his appearances this season under those circumstances.
Oh, and the former Avalanche star has seven assists over his past four against Colorado. Talk about holding a grudge.
Brent Burns has cleared 1.5 shots in eight of his last nine games against Dallas. Find more NHL betting trends for Avalanche vs. Stars.
How to watch Avalanche vs Stars
Location
American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
Date
Saturday, April 4, 2026
Puck drop
3:00 p.m. ET
TV
ABC
Avalanche vs Stars 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.
TAMPA, FLORIDA - MARCH 21, 2026: Owen Murphy #91 of the Atlanta Braves throws a pitch during the first inning of a Spring Breakout game against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field on March 21, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Minor League Baseball is officially in full swing as Columbus and Augusta opened their seasons on Friday and the starting pitching for Atlanta’s farm affiliates absolutely dominated across the board.
(4-3) Gwinnett Stripers 8, (1-6) Round Rock Express 1
Simply put, Didier Fuentes look electric in his first start of the season for Gwinnett as he stretches back out to fill a much-needed rotation spot in Atlanta down the road.
Across 3.2 innings of work, the 20-year-old struck out seven batters while surrendering just one hit and one walk.
Fuentes’ velocity was top tier, as his fastball — which he threw 40 times — topped out at 99.5 miles per hour on the night while averaging a gaudy 97.3 miles per hour. The biggest thing in Fuentes’ performance, however, is the fact only two of his 72 pitches were hit “hard” into fair territory, according to Baseball Savant.
Across less than four innings of work, Fuentes managed to get a remarkable 12 swings and misses.
This will come as a shock to absolutely no one, but Didier Fuentes had himself a DAY in his 2026 debut 🔥
Offensively, things went swimmingly for the Stripers as Rowdt Tellez homered not once, but twice on the night including a 104.2 MPH, three-run shot in the top of the ninth.
Jim Jarvis continues to rake at the plate as he went 3-5 with an RBI and two runs scored in Gwinnett’s win.
Batting a cool .393 with an OPS of 1.036, Jarvis has gotten off to the hottest start among Atlanta’s positional prospects. What could be the biggest difference Jarvis — albeit the fact it’s still extremely early in the season — is that he is striking out at a much lower clip of 17% this year compared to seasons past.
Sure, it’s only a handful of games to start the year, but it’s an encouraging sign for a franchise in desperate need of solid positional prospects in the upper minors.
Columbus, like Rome and Augusta, kicked off their season on Friday and while the final score may not have been where they had preferred, there were several individual performances to write home about.
Above all else is Owen Murphy who, despite giving up a two-run homer in the first inning, put up solid numbers in his first start.
Across 5.2 innings, Murphy settled down after that first inning snafu and bounced back to strike out 10 batters on the night while holding Chattanooga to just three hits and two runs.
Of his 85 pitches, 58 were for strikes and got 15 swings and misses on the night as well, which led all double-A pitchers on Friday.
At the plate, David McCabe — who returns to Columbus to start the year after a brief stint with Gwinnett to end 2025 — homered while newcomer Tristin English also knocked one over the fence as well.
Keeping with a trend on Friday, Cam Caminiti got the start on the mound for Rome and put up decent numbers as well.
Across 4.2 innings of work, the lefty gave up three runs, but also struck out six batters during the process as well — including a beautifully placed back foot breaking ball for his first strikeout of the night and a dot of a changeup in the fourth inning to get an Asheville batter looking.
While Caminiti dealt, his offense wasted no time in providing run support.
Isaiah Drake and Eric Hartman shouldered most of the load for Rome, as Drake launched a three-run homer after turning on an inside breaking ball and pulling it over the right field wall to extend the Emperors’ lead to 7-1 in the fourth inning. Drake also tallied a stolen base on the night, bringing his early season total to three swipes in two games.
Drake also made an impressive leaping catch in the top of the sixth to take away what would have likely been extra bases as well.
As for Hartman, it’s safe to say he put one of his best tools — his speed — to excellent use on Friday as he managed to rip an RBI-triple into the right field corner and tallied a double to the same spot.
Among the more under-the-radar performances on Friday was Ethan Bagwell who got the start in Augusta’s season opener against Fredericksburg.
Going up against names like Fuentes, Murphy and Caminiti means you probably won’t get top billing in any prospect reports on most nights — to no fault of his own, as Bagwell was simply dominant in his own right.
Not only did Bagwell toss six scoreless innings for the GreenJackets, he also held the Nationals hitless through those six innings of work before giving way to the bullpen. The only blemish on his record for the night was that he issued one walk.
— Augusta GreenJackets (@GreenJackets) April 4, 2026
Bagwell last season pitched to a 3.05 ERA in 59.1 innings of work as it was really the first time we got an extended look at the young righty. What he ended up showing us is a high-octane fastball that he’s able to throw and make it look effortless in the process, while also possessing solid command as well.
Again, he may not get the spotlight like other pitching prospects in Atlanta’s system, but that will almost certainly change by the end of this season for Bagwell who has as high a ceiling as any prospect.
While Bagwell was absolutely dominating, the GreenJackets got some encouraging performances at the dish as well, including from catcher Nick Montgomery who homered while also drawing two walks in the process. For a guy who struggled mightily at the plate a year ago, that’s hopefully a sign of better things to come for him.
— Augusta GreenJackets (@GreenJackets) April 3, 2026
Luis Guanipa got the start in right field while 2025 draftee Conor Essenburg made his professional debut in center field — which was a bit shocking as he profiles more as a corner outfielder. Nevertheless, Guanipa laced two doubles and scored a run on the night, while Essenburg went 1-4 with an RBI and a walk to his credit in his first game.
Apr 3, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Tyler Mahle (54) reacts after a second home run hit by New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (not pictured) during the fourth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images | Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images
Translation: Very bad, Trevor Mahle. Not good. Real dice-y right from the jump. First inning — uh oh.
Mahle has two cards tucked up his sleeve — a split-finger and four-seam fastball — and in his second start as a Giant, he couldn’t figure out a way to effectively sneak them out of his hand. His go-to splitter didn’t coax the chase he wanted from New York bats early on which led to a prolonged first frame.
Francisco Lindor set the tone with a 6-pitch AB that produced a single. Juan Soto followed with a mirror-image plate appearance, working the count full as Mahle attacked low-and-away until a splitter stayed elevated just enough for Soto to yank another single. Already gassed, desperate for some footing, Mahle floated a lazy, first-pitch split over the middle-of-the-plate, and Bo Bichette punched it right back up the middle for the Mets first run of the game.
Missed locations. All types of contact. The inning would continue kind-a like that. The game would continue kind-a like that too.
What was perhaps most frustrating is that despite the early pressure heaped-on by the Mets offense, off-ramps and exits offered opportunity to follow a different path. An alternate timeline presented itslef. A could’ve beenthat almost was in which Mahle closed out at-bats and avoided that laborious, tone-setting first.
Lindor and Soto both had 2-strikes on them, and Mahle played the cards he wanted to — but neither offering had the edge required to put ‘em away. Another full-count to Luis Robert Jr. and a four-seam fastball missed the bottom of the zone by a seam, costing San Francisco an early ABS challenge while loading the bases. And just when the inning was going belly-up, there was another life-line. A choice splitter from Mahle got a lunge-y swing out of Brett Baty, a come-backer that earned an A-B-C, 1-2-3 double play without sacrificing another run.
A glimmer of light — there was a way out of this bleakness…
And then things went dark again. Mahle reverted to pitch like he was trying to pin the tail on the donkey: eyes closed and arms stretched out in front of him, trying to survive on feel when clearly, there was no feel. Mark Vientos walked on four pitches, and another splitter ended up in the outfield to give the Mets a second run in the frame.
Two runs were scraps after New York had set the table for a feast, but it was enough. An early lead has proven intimidating to this toddling Giants offense, and 33 1st-inning pitches from Mahle was the initial quake whose after-shocks would be felt late on. Marcus Semien took on the center field wall in the 4th to double New York’s lead. Two batters later catcher Francisco Alvarez launched his first of two homers on a dead fish splitter flopped out over the plate.
Meanwhile, New York starter Nolan McClean (who started the WBC final for the USA) retired the first 15 Giants hitters he faced. A human saw mill — like he was frisbeeing circular saws from the mound, the type of movement he produced was that shocking. Though right-handed, his low-arm slot and cross body delivery makes him come off as southpaw. And the difference in induced break he gets from the arm-side run on his sinker compared to the glove-side sweeper feels comparable to the wingspan of a California condor.
While that’s an exaggeration — you know, for effect (a condor’s wings, tip to tip averages around 9 feet) — the point is that the Giants hitters had no idea what was about to come at them and where it was going to go. This showed. McLean cruised through 5 perfect frames, and when he dug himself into 3-ball counts, he climbed himself out of it just as easily, because no matter the supposed count leverage. 3-1 fastball down the middle — Jung Hoo Lee was cast under a spell, perplexed and beholden to the right-and-left turns McLean’s pitches made on their way to the plate.
The only one that could break the spell was McLean himself. He seemed to lose his bearings in the 6th. Harrison Bader and Patrick Bailey figured the best policy was just to stand back, watch, and hope for the best. Their walks gave San Francisco their first base-runners of the day, their first runner in scoring position, and set-up their first run, punched in by a lovely, opposite-field gapper by Willy Adames that skipped over the wall for a ground rule double. First hit knocked McLean from the game, and they’d plate one more on a passed ball by Alvarez. Two runs that at the time felt like massive leaps. Just three runs down, the Giants were back in it…
Until they weren’t. Alvarez made amends for his error for a lead-off homer in the 7th off JT Brubaker. Later, Luis Robert Jr. then singled Bo Bichette home after his double to immediately get back the pair of forfeited runs.
DETROIT, MI - MARCH 12: VJ Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers drives to the basket during the game against the Detroit Pistons on March 12, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. 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 Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Right back to work! The Philadelphia 76ers will close their 15th of 16 back-to-backs this season hosting the Detroit Pistons on Saturday night.
The Sixers are coming off a great win on Friday night, taking down the Minnesota Timberwolves 115-103. It was a crucial win, not only because it was one of the harder opponents left of the schedule but because every other relevant team in the Eastern Conference surrounding the Sixers won their games as well. They hold steady in the No. 6 seed, the final non-Play-In playoff spot, coming into Saturday.
This is one of the other tough ones that’s left on the regular season schedule for the Sixers, though. Coming in on the second leg of back-to-back, Philadelphia is facing an East-leading Detroit squad that is looking to keep the good times rolling, even if they’re without a few major players themselves. The Pistons are 3-0 against the Sixers so far this season.
With a victory over the 76ers tonight, the Pistons would officially clinch the No. 1 seed in the East, pulling out of reach of the Boston Celtics (currently four games back) in second.
The massive wrinkle that has been thrown in to the Pistons squad recently has been the loss of star guard Cade Cunningham to injury. The two-time NBA All-Star has missed the last nine contests for the Pistons, but the rest of the squad has been stepping up in his absence. More on that later.
Isaiah Stewart also remains out — he has been sidelined longer than initially expected with a calf injury and has not played since mid-March. Marcus Sasser is probable as of Saturday morning with a hip strain and former Sixer Tobias Harris is questionable after exiting the Pistons’ last contest early with a knee contusion.
Again, this is the second leg of a back-to-back for Philadelphia, so no official injury reports until this afternoon. That being said, even in this late season push, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Joel Embiid out for this one based on the fact that he has not played both legs of any back-to-back this season. Paul George has not played on zero days rest either this campaign, but it feels like his odds of playing are a bit higher than Embiid’s at this stage with him seemingly healthy and enjoying the restful effects of being suspended for 25 games mid-season. He’s been playing extremely well since his return, so it would certainly help to have him in the lineup for this one.
Either way, though, we will let you know for sure when we know!
Even without Cunningham (and Stewart), the Pistons have been firing, going 7-2 in the last nine games without their team’s leader. Jalen Duren has used the opportunity to continue his career-best, All-Star nod-worthy season. The 22-year-old big has been fantastic and efficient throughout the year, averaging 19.5 points on 64.5% field goal shooting with 10.7 rebounds (3.8 offensive) per game across 66 contests. He’s played in eight of these last nine games without Cunningham, averaging 23.1 points on 67.5% field goal shooting with 11.0 rebounds in that stint. He’s showing no signs of slowing down either, most recently posting a 22-point, 14-rebound double-double in the Pistons last game on Thursday (a win over the Timberwolves).
Not having the big fella would obviously make it all the more easy for the 6-foot-10 Duren to continue to dominate as well. Adem Bona and Andre Drummond would have their work cut out for them for sure when it comes to rim protection.
Another name that has come alive in the absence of Cade — one you might not recognize as well as Jalen Duren’s — is Daniss Jenkins. The 24-year-old guard is in his sophomore NBA season and has been starting in Cunningham’s place these last nine games, putting up impressive numbers even when being asked to do the impossible job of filling the star’s shoes. Jenkins is averaging 19.3 points and 7.0 assists per night in these recent starts, including a career-high 30-point night against the Los Angeles Lakers on March 23 and a 19-point, 10-assist double-double against the Atlanta Hawks two nights later.
Alas, even without Cunningham, the Pistons are looking to keep the success that has kept them leading the East going, especially being able to clinch the top seed tonight.
The Sixers, however, need to keep their winning ways going too as they continue to fight their own Eastern Conference battle. Philadelphia are currently No. 6 in the conference, with just the division record tiebreaker putting them atop the Toronto Raptors at No. 7. The No. 8 Charlotte Hornets and No. 9 Orlando Magic trail just behind as well, with the Miami Heat three games behind Philadelphia in the No. 10 spot.
Of those teams, only the Sixers and the Heat play tonight, with the Heat facing a much more favorable opponent in the tanking Washington Wizards.
The Pistons are still a powerhouse to be dealt with even without Cunningham it seems, but with the Sixers healthy (even factoring in Embiid being possibly sidelined for rest), this is probably the best opportunity Philadelphia could ask for to sneak their first win of the season over Detroit.
And there couldn’t be a more important time for them to make it happen.
Five games to go. The Sixers and Pistons tip off in South Philadelphia at 7 p.m. ET.
Game Details
When: Saturday, April 4, 7:00 PM ET Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic Follow:@LibertyBallers
William Nylander has been a shooting machine on this California road trip, combining for 17 shot attempts over the first two games for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
My Maple Leafs vs. Kings predictions expect Nylander to continue piling up the shots against a Los Angeles Kings team that hasn’t tightened up since the coaching change.
Let’s take a closer look at my NHL picks for Saturday, April 4.
Maple Leafs vs Kings prediction
Maple Leafs vs Kings best bet: William Nylander Over 2.5 shots (-115)
William Nylander’s shot volume is on the rise. Excluding Top-10 shot suppression teams, Nylander has averaged 4.0 shots on 7.2 attempts over his past five games for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
A lot of his volume comes from the slot, where the Los Angeles Kings have struggled to defend of late. They rank 28th in slot shots allowed, spanning their last 10 games.
They have a reputation as a buttoned-up defensive team, but that hasn’t necessarily been the case. The Kings have also allowed shots and goals at a higher rate since moving on from head coach Jim Hiller.
Maple Leafs vs Kings same-game parlay
The training wheels are off for rookie Easton Cowan. He is riding shotgun with Nylander and John Tavares on the top line and skating on the No. 1 power play and making the most of it, having tallied five points over his last six.
The trio of Cowan, Tavares, and Nylander has outscored opponents 12-5 over 150 minutes of 5-on-5 play. Factor in that they all correlate on the power play, and it’s easy to get excited about backing all three.
Maple Leafs vs Kings SGP
William Nylander Over 2.5 shots
Easton Cowan Over 0.5 points
John Tavares Over 0.5 points
Maple Leafs vs Kings odds
Moneyline: Maple Leafs +145 | Kings -170
Puck Line: Maple Leafs +1.5 (-170) | Kings -1.5 (+145)
Over/Under: Over 5.5 (-135) | Under 5.5 (+115)
Maple Leafs vs Kings trend
William Nylander has recorded 3+ shots in five of his last seven against Los Angeles. Find more NHL betting trends for Maple Leafs vs. Kings.
How to watch Maple Leafs vs Kings
Location
Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Date
Saturday, April 4, 2026
Puck drop
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
Sportsnet
Maple Leafs vs Kings 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.
No matter what you think of the NHL’s playoff qualification process, there’s no question it has set the table for some exciting hockey, well before the Stanley Cup Playoffs even begin.
As play resumes Saturday, the Senators are part of a four-way logjam for the final Eastern Conference wild card spot. They’re tied at 88 points with the Detroit Red Wings, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Philadelphia Flyers.
NHL.com
Ottawa and Detroit each have seven games remaining, while Columbus and Philadelphia have six. The Senators also hold the first tiebreaker with 33 regulation regulation wins, which is well ahead of all three teams behind them.
That means plenty of scoreboard watching this weekend, starting early on Saturday.
Red Wings at Rangers 12:30 pm
At 12:30 p.m., Sens fans will be pulling for the New York Rangers to pull off an upset at home against the Red Wings. But as the worst team in the east, six points behind even the Leafs, motivation may not be particularly high in the Big Apple.
Wild at Senators 1 pm
The Senators are also in action Saturday afternoon, hosting the Minnesota Wild at 1:00 p.m. As the Sens cling to the final wild card spot by virtue of a tiebreaker (regulations wins), their horribly banged up blue line may feature three players on Saturday who've played a combined total of 7 NHL games this season: Cam Crotty, Lassi Thomson and Jorian Donovan.
Already without Jake Sanderson, Thomas Chabot, Nick Jensen, Dennis Gilbert, and Carter Yakemchuk, the Sens have suffered another injury to their blue line, losing Tyler Kleven, who took a puck off the side of his head on Thursday in their 4-1 win over Buffalo. That forced Jordan Spence to play over 30 minutes in the game and he can probably expect more of the same on Saturday.
Sanderson is close to returning, but it's believed that Jorian Donovan will be called up Saturday morning after playing one shift for Belleville on Friday night in Rochester and leaving that game. Sanderson wore a red jersey at practice on Friday.
Jets at Blue Jackets 7 pm
The Blue Jackets will host the Winnipeg Jets at 7:00 p.m. The Jets still have a slight chance to make the playoffs in the West despite being just one game over .500. Like the Senators were, Columbus will be in a foul mood after getting worked over in their most recent game. They fell 5-1 to Carolina on Thursday.
Islanders at Hurricanes 7 pm
The New York Islanders are also very much part of this discussion. They cling to third in the Metro but the Blue Jackets and Flyers would both love to jump out of this wild card nightmare and grab third place.
After Philly beat them 4-1 on Friday, the Islanders sit just one point ahead of the wild card pack but with only five games lefts, they've played two games more than the Sens and Wings. The Isles will have their hands full Saturday night, visiting the Carolina Hurricanes, who have already clinched a playoff spot but are still pushing to lock down top spot in the East.
The Flyers are idle on Saturday but will host Boston on Sunday.
The Wild and Hurricanes can both heavily influence the race this weekend. After facing the Sens, the Wild get Detroit on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Carolina has a nasty turnaround, playing the Islanders on Saturday night, then hustling up to Ottawa to face the Sens at 5 on Sunday. It will be interesting to see if Linus Ullmark is available in a back to back situation.
Buckle up. It's going to be a bumpy ride.
Steve Warne The Hockey News
This article was first published at The Hockey News Ottawa. Check out more great Sens features from The Hockey News at the links below:
West Covina, CA - April 12: Starting pitcher Sterling Patick #9 of South Hills throws to the plate against Walnut in the third inning of a prep baseball game at South Hills High School in West Covina on Wednesday, April 12, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
After a low-scoring first game in High-A, the other three Dodgers affiliates all engaged in high-scoring affairs on the first day of all four affiliates playing in 2026.
Players of the day
For a second straight night, a Dodgers affiliate got a strong opening day start from a player drafted on the third day in 2023. One day after 17th-rounder Luke Fox shined for Double-A Tulsa, 18th-rounder Sterling Patick struck out seven in five scoreless frames for High-A Great Lakes.
Patick allowed lone singles in the first and fourth innings and walked nobody. Fort Wayne did not put a runner in scoring position off the left-hander until a two-out double in the fifth inning, but Patick got out of his only real jam with a lineout to right field to end his night. He turns 21 in June.
Jesus Tillero didn’t start, but he struck out eight in five scoreless innings, allowing only two singles in Class-A Ontario’s blowout win. An international signing out of Venezuela in 2023, the right-hander did well in his first taste of Class-A last year, posting a 3.09 ERA with Rancho Cucamonga, but with a 12.9-percent walk rate. On Friday night he walked nobody and retired 15 of his 17 batters faced. Tillero doesn’t turn 20 until May.
Triple-A Oklahoma City
The Comets scored seven runs in the first two innings, and it held up to beat the Las Vegas Aviators (Athletics).
Zach Ehrhard had a two-run triple. Ryan Ward had a two-run single in a three-RBI night, and scored two runs. Hyeseong Kim and Ryan Fitzgerald batted first and second, and each one reached base twice and scored two runs.
Ryder was the first of the Ryan brothers to start for the Comets this weekend, and struck out five in his five innings, allowing one run in the first inning and nothing else.
Double-A Tulsa
Drillers pitchers walked a whopping 15 batters and fell behind early in a loss to the San Antonio Missions (Padres).
Adam Serwinowski was wild in his season debut with six walks, including two of them to open the second inning before a double and home run. In all, the left-hander allowed five runs in his 3 2/3 innings, with three strikeouts.
Maddux Bruns made the first relief appearance of his professional career. The Dodgers’ first-round pick from 2021 started his first 77 minor league games before Friday, when he struck out four in his first two innings scoreless but, keeping with the theme of the night for Drillers pitchers, also walked three, then allowed three hits and three runs in his third inning of work, recording just one out.
Nick Nastrini reached the majors with the Chicago White Sox in 2024 but it’s in question whether he ever makes it back. The 26-year-old right-hander followed Bruns in the seventh inning on Friday and walked all three batters he faced, throwing just one strike. The former fourth-round pick of the Dodgers in 2021 who was sent to Chicago in the Lance Lynn and Joe Kelly trade in 2023, Nastrini last season in Triple-A walked more than he struck out, including 18 walks and 10 strikeouts in his final nine innings in Charlotte and then Jacksonville before re-joining the Dodgers last July on waivers. Nastrini last year with Oklahoma City walked seven of his 10 batters faced and threw three wild pitches.
Kendall George had three infield singles and stole second base after all three hits. Josue De Paula walked three times, singled home a run, and for the second straight night stole a base. Zyhir Hope doubled.
First baseman Joe Vetrano had two hits for Tulsa, including the Drillers’ first home run of the season, a three-run shot in the eighth inning. Once trailing 11-2, Tulsa scored three runs in the seventh, three more in the eighth, and had the tying runs on base in the ninth to make the final score closer.
The Loons exchanged runs with the Fort Wayne TinCaps (Padres) in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings, with Great Lakes riding the odd innings to a 2-1 victory.
First baseman Cameron Decker hit a solo home run for the Loons’ first run of the season.
— Great Lakes Loons (@greatlakesloons) April 3, 2026
Third baseman Logan Wagner led off the seventh with a double, then after an infield single and hit by pitch, catcher Victor Rodrigues walked for the game-winning RBI.
Jacob Frost had a wild ride in his professional debut, with the 2025 10th-round draft pick walking three and allowing a run in his two innings, with his two strikeouts. By the timing of the runs scored, Frost earned the win. Logan Tabeling retired six of his seven batters faced with two strikeouts, closing out the game with a two-inning save.
Class-A Ontario
The Tower Buzzers put up crooked numbers in five different innings in a rout of the Lake Elsinore Storm (Padres).
Shortstop Emil Morales had four singles, with three runs scored and three RBI, and also stole a base. Leadoff man Jaron Elkins walked twice, singled, stole two bases, and scored four runs. Joendry Vargas was the designated hitter on Friday and hit an RBI double to go with two walks.
Ontario batters provided a lesson in patience early in facing Kruz Schoolcraft, the San Diego Padres’ first-round draft pick last year making his professional debut. The left-hander retired only three of his 11 batters faced, and was pulled after walking three batters and allowing a single to open the second inning. In all, four Tower Buzzers walked against Schoolcraft and plated six runs against him.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - APRIL 03: Ousmane Dieng #21 of the Milwaukee Bucks shoots the ball against Neemias Queta #88 of the Boston Celtics during the first quarter at Fiserv Forum on April 03, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When the Boston Celtics chose Neemias Queta as their starting center, they rolled the dice. They moved on from their three most-used bigs in Kristaps Porziņģis, Al Horford, and Luke Kornet, supplanting their depth by placing their faith in Queta, who had just six career starts across four seasons.
Queta, a non-shooting big unlike Porziņģis or Horford and less experienced than Kornet, was handed the keys to Boston’s frontcourt from the start. Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla even texted Queta during the offseason to tell him the job was his. Since then, he’s repaid the organization twofold — breaking out as a first-year starter and Boston’s leading rebounder (8.4) through 70 starts, with five games remaining in the regular season.
On Friday night against the Milwaukee Bucks, Queta scored 19 points with 10 rebounds and four blocks, recording his 16th double-double of the season on a milestone night.
“It’s becoming kind of like second nature for me,” Queta told NBC Sports Boston’s Abby Chin after Boston’s 133-101 win over Milwaukee. “Getting to understand my teammates, getting to understand how to get them open, how to figure out how to score down in the paint, and rebounding is something I’ve been doing for a long time. So I’m glad I got to 1,000. Let’s get to 10,000 or whatever more I can get.”
Before the season, Queta had only 396 career rebounds as a backup on Boston’s bench. He’s already grabbed 604 boards this season alone, emerging as a late-bloomer who’s reshaping how the league sees him. He’s playing the role of a traditional center without the bells and whistles of modern NBA bigs — and it’s paying off. Queta has found the sweet spot of not doing too much, but doing more than enough to push Boston to heights many considered unfeasible on Opening Night.
Queta is averaging a career-high 10.1 points while shooting 64.3 percent from the field. He ranks seventh in the league in both defensive rating (105.5) and net rating (11.9). The Celtics, meanwhile, average the fewest turnovers (12.2), rank second in offensive rating (119.9), and third in 3-pointers made (15.3), maintaining their No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference since Jan. 15.
“We’re getting good looks, and once we manipulate the defense, we’re able to knock down shots,” Queta said in Milwaukee.
Even at the February trade deadline, when the Celtics swapped Anfernee Simons for Nikola Vučević, Queta maintained his role as the go-to center. Vučević, a 15-year veteran and two-time All-Star, has come off the bench in 11 of his 12 appearances behind Queta, showing how far he’s come since Mazzulla entrusted him with the starting role.
“It’s unbelievable,” Jayson Tatum told reporters. “I couldn’t be more proud and happier for Neemi. You know, the way he’s seeing the game, the leap that he’s made as a screener, as a passer. Somebody you can trust when you throw the ball in the seams — finishing, protecting the rim. He is an NBA starting big man. That’s who he is now.”
Three years ago, the Sacramento Kings waived Queta, allowing him to sign a two-way contract with the Celtics a week later. He showed promising flashes during Boston’s 2023-24 championship season, making 28 appearances and earning a standard contract before the playoffs. Year after year, Queta continued to improve as a member of the “Stay-Ready Group.” When the biggest opportunity of his professional career finally arrived, he validated Boston’s offseason plan and player development program.
Now, there’s no telling where Queta’s ceiling is.
“He’s only going to continue to get better,” Tatum added.
Last season, Queta was a reserve stuck in the shadows of Porziņģis, Horford, and Kornet as the Celtics approached the playoffs. With Porziņģis sidelined by a mystery illness, Kornet emerged as the unung hero against the New York Knicks in Round 2. This time, the floor belongs to Queta. He’s the primary center and most reliable big, and rather than serving as a placeholder, he has become an integral piece. He’s helped make the Spain pick-and-roll a dependable tactic in their offense, creating space for teammates with simple, yet effective actions that go unnoticed in the boxscore.
In seven previous playoff appearances with the Celtics, Queta never played more than five minutes. In Game 4 of the 2024 NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks, he played 5 minutes.
However, Queta’s breakout has him feeling confident and locked in for Boston’s final stretch before the playoffs.
The Celtics return home after back-to-back blowout victories, scoring 280 points in Miami and Milwaukee to maintain a 2 1/2 game lead over the No. 3 seed New York Knicks.
“I feel like we’re trending in the right direction,” Queta said. “We’re playing great basketball. We’re looking great offensively. Our defense is picking up a lot, so we just want to keep on honing these skills and keep on getting better because we’ve got these last five games to finish strong and then head into the playoffs with the best momentum to go full steam ahead.”
Apr 3, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) shoots a technical foul against the Brooklyn Nets during the second half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
The Atlanta Hawks won by a comfortable margin as they handled the Brooklyn Nets in a 141-107 victory at Barclays Center on Friday night. CJ McCollum led the scoring with 25 points with Nickeil Alexander-Walker adding 21 points. For the Nets, Nic Claxton led with 16 points.
The final scoreline ultimately deceives the true nature of this game. You’d look at that final margin and think this was a comfortable victory for the Hawks, with the visitors able to cruise for the majority of the game.
It looked like this would be the case in the opening frame as the Hawks took a 35-17 point lead with a minute remaining in the first quarter — the Hawks punishing the Nets’ turnovers. However, the Nets finished the quarter on an 8-0 run, and an extended 14-0 run into the second quarter to reel the Hawks back to within three points and dash those early notions that this contest would be a wire-to-wire blowout.
The Hawks continued to press their advantage in transition and extended pressure to the Nets in those fastbreak situations, and behind this the Hawks were able to stabilize and push their lead back to double-digits. The Nets, however, kept the Hawks honest for most of what remained of the half, slipping late to a 16-point deficit as they entered the locker room at halftime.
The Hawks would have been expected to take care of business from this point forward, but the Nets kept the Hawks honest again in the third: the Atlanta lead never extended beyond 16 points in the third quarter, with the Nets reigning the Hawks’ lead to 10 points on multiple occasions in the third.
In the fourth quarter, Atlanta finally put distance between themselves and the Nets, pushing the lead out to 15 points, then 20 points, then 30 points as the bench was emptied, and finished at its highest of the night at 34 points to end the game. A 34 point final margin is probably what you would expect in a matchup like this, and while the Hawks were never threatened in this game (their lead never falling below 10 in the second half) but the Nets absolutely kept the Hawks honest — always one run away from bringing this game to single digits prior to the fourth quarter.
Postgame, Hawks head coach Quin Snyder was most pleased with how his side opened the game, beginning with a 10-0 run.
“I loved how we started the game,” said Snyder. “For the most part, over the course of the game, that was there. That’s who we are, and I think when we’re playing that way and looking for each other and helping each other on the offensive end — whether that’s a screen or a pass or running for somebody — that’s when we’re a more efficient offensive team. Our guys are really making an effort to execute in those situations.”
Where the Hawks looked at their most impressive was in transition, whether it was coming off of misses or off the many Brooklyn turnovers in the first half. For the game, the Hawks scored 35 points off of turnovers and 26 fastbreak points. Brooklyn’s turnovers also contributed to the Hawks attempting 11 more field goal attempts. Let’s take a look at some of these instances.
Good help by Gabe Vincent on the drive helps cough the ball up and the Hawks set off in transition. Atlanta moves the ball, and when it finds Alexander-Walker on the perimeter he drives inside and finishes with his left-hand at the rim:
Dyson Daniels pokes the ball away from Nolan Traore and finds Jalen Johnson in transition, who steps through the lane to finish at the rim for another fastbreak/points off of turnover basket:
Former Hawk Terance Mann loses control of his dribble, and CJ McCollum picks up the loose ball, carries it up the floor and rises into a three-pointer as Mann backs off:
On the dig on the drive, Daniels procures another steal and sets off in transition off the ball. McCollum outlets to Alexander-Walker, who finds Daniels to his right and finishes at the rim, adjusting well to avoid the Nets’ attempts to block the shot:
Off of a rebound from Noah Clowney, Daniels sneaks from behind to knock the ball loose for another steal. Daniels finds Johnson, who goes behind his back to find Daniels, who finds McCollum in the lane, who hits the floater:
The Hawks secured 11 steals on the game, with Daniels accounting for five by himself, but it was more than just Daniels who Snyder was impressed by defensively.
“Obviously Dyson and Nickeil are the head of the snake, so to speak, the two-headed snake,” said Snyder. “It raises other guys’ level when you see someone working like that. We’ve got Gabe comes in and picks up, and I thought Jonathan (Kuminga) tonight was terrific defensively. We’ve just got to make sure we have good offensive possessions and don’t turn it over, so we get a chance to set our defense.”
Kuminga’s effort in this game was notable; diving on the floor on a couple of occasions to try secure the ball or complete a steal. Offensively, Kuminga scored 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting and 3-of-3 from behind the arc, with Snyder praising his offense and how easy Kuminga is to play with.
“I think when you watch the game you see a late clock, get into the paint, pull up, some of those things, but to me, the thing that he’s doing really well is he’s easy to play with,” said Snyder of Kuminga. “You can tell that he’s internalized that. I’ve talked to him about trying to be more aggressive in transition in particular. He’s locked in defensively, and he’s capable of making some plays for us offensively with a couple of timely buckets that he’s able to get.”
While Kuminga led the bench scoring effort, it was McCollum who led the Hawks in scoring with 25 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field, 4-of-7 from three, and 5-of-6 from the free throw line to go along with seven assists. It was a diet of the usual blend of inside and outside scoring for McCollum, whose life was not made difficult by the Nets’ defense. His four three-pointers tied Alexander-Walker’s four threes for most in this game as the Hawks hit 20 threes, shooting 51% from behind the arc. This was another element where the Hawks really distanced themselves from the Nets, who only hit 12 threes, outscoring Brooklyn 60-36 in that regard.
McCollum also led the Hawks in assists, registering seven assists on the game as the Hawks received contributions from across the board moving the ball, tallying 36 assists for the game. Snyder discussed how the Hawks have become as connected as they have despite this current Atlanta group assembled mid-season.
“I think the fact that our group is connected the way they have in a short period of time really speaks to those guys in the locker room,” said Snyder postgame. “I think there’s been a foundation that we felt like we’ve tried to lay and been consistent with some of those things. They’ve embraced one another as much as anything. As we’ve talked about it a lot, the roles are going to evolve, you’re going to have different things that are available to you at different times. As long as we stay connected and play with the pass, good things can happen. When you get a group that feels that way and wants to play that way and is able to put the team in front of themselves individually, I think it’s a rare thing. Not just in the NBA, but just in general.”
The Hawks now lead the NBA in assists per game with over 30 assists per game, and it’s accomplished by committee. The Hawks’ leading assist-man on the season, Jalen Johnson, had an understated by effective game, scoring 18 points on 6-of-12 shooting to go with 11 assists and five assists. Particularly in the first half, Johnson’s outlet passing was fantastic, and while he wasn’t credited with the assist on some of these outlets (following an extra pass) Johnson was a great connector in transition where the Hawks excelled last night.
All in all, the Hawks took care of business, but the Nets kept them honest for three quarters before Atlanta finally pulled away behind a 43-22 fourth quarter, allowing for the Hawks to clear their bench with four minutes to spare. Looking across the league, no changes occurred in the Eastern Conference around the Hawks — Toronto picked up a victory over the Memphis Grizzlies. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia 76ers (currently in the 6-seed) have a daunting matchup in San Antonio on Saturday night, who have won 11 straight games.
Next up for the Hawks (45-33) is, by no means, an easy matchup as the New York Knicks (50-28) will arrive in Atlanta ahead of a Monday night matchup. Should be a rowdy atmosphere as always, and an important game for the Hawks as they continue to chase an automatic playoff berth.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - APRIL 03: The Kauffman Stadium video scoreboard displays that the game between the Milwaukee Brewers and Kansas City Royals is postponed due to weather on April 03, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Friday’s game was rained out, to be made up as a doubleheader on Saturday. Anne Rogers has details.
Saturday’s originally scheduled game will be moved up to 1:10 p.m. CT, with Friday’s makeup game scheduled for 6:10 p.m. CT.
Friday’s tickets will be honored for the rescheduled game Saturday at 6:10 p.m. CT. Fans do not have to exchange their original tickets if they elect to attend the rescheduled game.
First, it happens. Second, while it does happen, it’s not a great look, especially at this point in the season. It has an impact on the team. After catching a marathon game on Wednesday, Salvador Perez was due for a day off behind the plate and was in the initial lineup as the DH. Those plans were scuttled when the Royals decided to remove Jensen from the starting lineup. Then, once Perez was out of the DH spot, the Royals moved Jac Caglianone there from his spot in right to DH and inserted Lane Thomas into the lineup. That’s not the kind of matchup you want against the right-hander Taj Bradley. Thomas went 0-4.
In 18 plate appearances, Jensen is hitting .125 with a .480 OPS. He has a home run, but he is also striking out 44.4% of the time and only walking 5.6% of the time. Furthermore, his wOBA is only .207, and his xwOBA is even worse at .188. For context, the Royals rookie catcher posted a .403 wOBA and .447 xwOBA in 69 plate appearances last season.
A microcosm of Jensen’s struggles this year can be seen in this plate appearance against Minnesota reliever Kody Funderburk on Opening Day at Kauffman Stadium on March 30th. On a 3-2 count, Funderburk serves him up a fastball right down the middle. It’s a pitch Jensen would’ve mashed a season ago. Unfortunately, Jensen, obviously pressing, watches it for strike three.
The Royals will play the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night and the game will only be available to watch on Apple TV. It’s one of four games this season that will be shown exclusively on Apple TV. Four more will be on Peacock. Ten Royals games that will be simulcast on KCTV (Ch. 5) or KSMO (Ch. 62) this season.
It begs the question: Why can’t (or won’t) Major League Baseball and the Royals simulcast those Peacock and Apple TV games on local TV, whether it’s KCTV or another channel?
Meanwhile, Kansas City leaders for almost a year have publicly floated available stadium incentives worth hundreds of millions of dollars using tools such as tax increment financing, a sales tax exemption on construction materials and tax-free bonds.
Officials also have suggested that Washington Square Park would be simple in terms of land assembly, at least when it comes to the two main properties containing a stadium. But the Royals also aim to build a mixed-use ballpark district, and it’s not clear whether the team or potential partners have locked down any nearby parcels.
TAMPA, FL - MARCH 19: Dean Kremer #64 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches during the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Thursday, March 19, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Izzy Rincon/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Triple-A: Memphis (Cardinals) 5, Norfolk Tides 4
One notable thing that happened here is that the Tides stuck with their original plan of having erstwhile Oriole Dean Kremer make the start for this game. That rules him out as an option for when Zach Eflin’s turn next comes up in the MLB rotation. Prior to this, a callup would have taken some roster juggling to manage. If the Orioles wanted to do it, they could have done it. They didn’t.
Kremer did not pitch in such a way that he was demanding an immediate promotion back to MLB. He allowed three runs over a 4.2 inning outing and seems to have been yanked for effectiveness reasons rather than pitch count: He’d only thrown 62 pitches when his day ended. He should have been better than these guys and he wasn’t. Will we see him in a week? Will it be longer? We won’t know til we know. This is one point in the favor of those who thought “let Kremer’s bad April happen in the minors” was a strategy worth following.
The Tides offense was unfortunately putrid against former Oriole Bruce Zimmermann. Two solo home runs were the only damage they could muster in the six innings that he was in the game. Rehabbing Oriole Jackson Holliday had one hit in five at-bats, and also drove in two runs. Other than Holliday, it’s a sad lineup down here to start their season. Norfolk had its share of chances but with 0-6 with RISP they could never get the big hit to really break the game in their favor.
Baysox pitchers issued 11 walks and gave up 12 hits in the game. That’s a tough way to win unless your offense absolutely explodes – as we’ll see for Delmarva in a later section today. Chesapeake, though, did not score until the eighth inning of the game and had just six hits in the game.
Not much consolation for the Baysox, but at least the three most interesting hitting prospects all avoided taking an 0-for in the game. Griff O’Ferrall had a hit and walk out of the leadoff spot. My guy Aron Estrada went 1-4, as did outfielder Thomas Sosa, whose lone hit was an RBI double. Estrada and Sosa are each 21 as they start the year at this level. Interesting guys to follow, and they’ll be more interesting if they’re able to put together some strong results as the season goes along.
Those who watched the prospect-oriented Spring Breakout game last month may have remembered the relief appearance of pitching prospect Joseph Dzierwa. The Orioles second round pick from last year didn’t pitch after the draft last year and was assigned straight to High-A this year. He had an absolutely dominant outing, mowing down the Spartanburgers (really) inning after inning.
Dzierwa ultimately struck out nine batters over six innings while allowing just one hit and one walk, and he’d only thrown 78 pitches, so he might well have been pushed deeper if the team was so inclined. That’s a heck of a pro debut. I hope he’s able to keep up something like it in his subsequent outings.
Plenty to like about the offense here too, where fellow high 2025 draftees Ike Irish and Wehiwa Aloy made good things happen. Irish hit a pair of doubles across five at-bats, while Aloy had a triple in three at-bats and also drew a pair of walks. In the leadoff spot, Nate George had a hit, walk, and stolen base, and scored two runs. Pretty good stuff. Not everyone shared in this bounty; spring training fun story Vance Honeycutt went hitless, drawing a walk over four plate appearances.
We’ve got a donnybrook on our hands! The two teams combined for 22 hits, 18 walks, and five errors. The South Atlantic League is a long way from MLB and some games remind one of this much more than others. Many of the players on both teams are making their full-season affiliate debuts as the 2026 campaign begins and, well, it shows.
Let’s focus on the good. Five players in Delmarva’s starting lineup had multi-hit games, led by the three-hit effort by 19-year-old outfielder Junior Aybar. Have I ever in my life thought of this player before right now? No. Now I’ll be paying attention to him for the rest of the year because he drove in five runs the first time I did a minor league recap in 2026. 2024 sixth round pick DJ Layton, also 19, was also making things happen, with two hits and two walks across five plate appearances.
This is a very young team. Not much good has come from young Delmarva teams in the past few years. It’ll be nice if some players in this group can turn that around.
CHICAGO, IL - APRIL 03: Derek Hill #25 of the Chicago White Sox slides safely into home with the winning run in the 10th inning during the game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on Friday, April 3, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Yankees’ hot start to 2026 hummed along yesterday in their home opener. Aaron Judge and Ben Rice brought the lumber as Will Warren outpitched talented young Marlins righty Eury Pérez, and the Yankees woon, 8-6. At 6-1, the Yankees have the best record in baseball. So call the season there! It’s over!
No? Whatever, Manfred. We’ll roll on tonight as the Yankees take on the Marlins again. In the meantime, we’ll catch up on tbe other notable American League action from yesterday.
Toronto Blue Jays (4-3) 4, Chicago White Sox (2-5) 5 (10 innings)
The defending AL champions got to start off 2026 with a cushy nine-game slate before their April 6-8 rematch with the Dodgers, and they seemeed on track to take care of business by sweeping the A’s in their Opening Day series. Since then, though? They inexplicably dropped two of three to the rebuilding Rockies at Rogers Centre, where they rarely lost in 2025, and now they’ve begun their first road series of the year by falling to the White Sox, who have lost 324 games across the last three seasons. Yikes.
The afternoon both began and ended with sloppy plays from Toronto that proved costly. Chicago grabbed an early 1-0 lead when Dylan Cease dropped a throw from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at first base, allowing Chase Meidroth to score. Addison Barger and Alejandro Kirk responded with back-to-back doubles in the second to tie it up, but from there, bulk guy Sean Burke stymied Toronto on two hits, no walks, and seven strikeouts while tossing six innings.
On the strength of a two-run double off Cease from newcomer Austin Hays, the White Sox carried a 3-1 lead into the eighth. But one of Toronto’s lightest hitters, Andrés Giménez, silenced the excited South Side crowd:
Both sides had a chance to push across the go-ahead run to break the tie in the ninth. But after Daulton Varsho’s two-out double, White Sox skipper Will Venable called upon free-agent signing Seranthony Domínguez to strand him, and he did by fanning Kazuma Okamoto. The Pale Hose missed their first shot at walking off despite having the winning run at second with one down in the ninth. Tyler Rogers got Meidroth to fly out, intentionally walked Munetaka Murakami, and then got Miguel Vargas to ground out.
Vargas would compound his problems in the top of the 10th, as his two-out throw from third on a grounder ever-so-slightly pulled Murakami off the bag, bringing home the zombie runner. So Toronto handed a 4-3 lead to closer Jeff Hoffman, and it seemed like a done deal when Colson Montgomery grounded out and Hays went down swinging. During the Hays at-bat, however, a foul ball might’ve changed the course of the final result, as it went straight off Kirk’s thumb behind the plate. He was immediately in pain and had to leave (X-rays were still pending as of the time I write /this), forcing Toronto to put in backup Tyler Heineman.
Down to their last out, Derek Hill made the bold call to surprise the defense by dropping down a bunt, and Heineman was quickly tested. His throw to Guerrero went down the right-field line to score their zombie runner and give 26-year-old rookie Tristan Peters—purchased from the Rays in December—a chance to win the game. Peters did just that, roping a single to right to make the White Sox winners in their home opener.
Both San Diego and Boston were off to shaky starts to 2026, but since they squared off against each other on Friday, someone had to get back on the right track. It would be the Red Sox, as the fans at Fenway for their home opener went home happy. It was a pitching matchup of former Yankees, with Michael King squaring off against Sonny Gray (who only overlapped in 2018 spring training), and the latter trade acquisition had the edge early with four scoreless while King allowed RBI hits to Ceddanne Rafaela and Caleb Durbin.
The erstwhile Baby Bomber Durbin had been 0-for-18 to start the season after coming over from Milwaukee and got booed early on, but his single scored Jarren Duran to make it 2-0, Red Sox.
The parade of old friends making an impact on this game continued in the fifth, when Miguel Andujar tripled off his former teammate Gray on a ball that Rafaela seemingly lost in the sun. He scored on a Gavin Sheets single, and Sheets came around himself on a Luis Campusano double.
The 2-2 tie held until the home half of the sixth, when Boston knocked King out of the game and took the lead for good. Willson Contreras delivered his first homer in a Red Sox uniform, a 423-foot blast to put Boston up, and after Wandy Peralta (hey, another former Yankee) relieved King, 2021 fourth-overall pick Marcelo Mayer went yard for a decisive two-run blow.
Although Ron Marinaccio (another!) pitched a scoreless frame after Peralta left, the Padres never chipped away. With Carlos Narváez (another!!) behind the plate, the Boston bullpen trio of Greg Weissert (another!!!), Justin Slaten, and Aroldis Chapman (one more for the road) closed it out with three hitless innings.
Seattle Mariners (4-4) 3, Los Angeles Angels (3-5) 1 (10 innings)
Offense was hard to come by during the first game of 2026 from “The Big A,” as Bryan Woo and Reid Detmers engaged in a pitchers’ duel. On paper, it was no contest. The 2025 M’s ace was nearly perfect, permitting just three baserunners across his seven innings of work with the lone hit coming on a measly infield single from Oswald Peraza (bonus!) in the third. Mike Trout was the only Angels to reach twice against Woo, via a plunking in a walk. Peraza and Trout reached in separate innings, and the Halos went down on five strikeouts across a perfect eighth and ninth from Matt Brash and Andrés Muñoz.
However, the Angels’ own surprisingly good pitching also shut out Seattle through nine. Detmers walked four and allowed three hits, but he did match Woo in zeroes across 6.2 innings because the Mariners just couldn’t push a run across. They stranded at least one baserunner in almost every frame — most egregiously in the fourth, when Brendan Donovan grounded out with two on and one out before Detmers fanned J.P. Crawford—and the eighth, when another two-on, one-out jam went by the wayside at the hands of veteran reliever Drew Pomeranz. Cal Raleigh had walked and Julio Rodríguez singled to set it up for Josh Naylor and Randy Arozarena who … popped up and hit a comebacker, respectively.
Mercifully for Mariners fans, the trend came to a halt once Seattle inherited its zombie runner in the 10th. Cole Young led off with a triple into the right-field corner off Brent Suter.
That was nice, but since Rob Refsnyder and Cal Raleigh followed with unproductive outs, there was a chance that Seattle would have to settle for one and hold on for dear life in the home half of the 10th. However, Suter intentionally walked J-Rod and he moved to second on a ball in the dirt. Naylor came through this time with a two-run single and Seattle had a more comfortable 3-0 lead.
Gabe Speier entered to close it out in the Halos’ half of the 10th, and Naylor’s insurance proved to be valuable. The zombie runner Trout scored on a groundout and a sacrifice fly, but at that point, Seattle was happy to trade him for outs. Yoán Moncada struck out to end it, completing a combined extra-inning one-hitter for the Mariners.
Houston Astros (5-3) 4, Athletics (2-5)11
The A’s second home opener as West Sacramento tenants turned into a whooping of the Astros in a hurry. Cristian Javier quite plainly didn’t have it for Houston, as he got waxed for six runs on six hits and five (!) walks while recording just 11 outs. The A’s scored three in the third to go ahead 4-1 and then doubled that inning’s output in the fourth, knocking out Javier and beating up reliever Roddery Muñoz for six more runs.
Lawrence Butler and Max Muncy the Younger were the stars of those two frames, with both contributing RBIknocks in the former, then muscling up in the latter for homers on back-to-back offerings from Muñoz.
Jeffrey Springs was superb on the A’s pitching side, firing six innings of two-hit ball with seven K’s, a third-inning sacrifice fly the only damage on his record. By the time Muncy’s homer landed, this one felt all but over since the A’s were into double digits, and the Astros—who had long since pulled Yordan Alvarez, Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, and Christian Walker—merely mustered a few garbage-time runs at the end to make the final score at least a smidge closer.
Detroit Tigers (3-4) 4, St. Louis Cardinals (4-3) 0
The Tigers began their 2026 slate at Comerica Park with an efficient 4-0 shutout of St. Louis. Big free-agent signing Framber Valdez got to make his first start in the Old English D, and he turned away the Cards with six shutout innings, allowing three hits and two walks while fanning five to earn his first win with Detroit.
Batterymate Dillon Dingler helped out his pitcher too, getting the scoring started in Detroit with a 433-foot shot for a two-run homer against Michael McGreevy. The Tigers tacked on insurance runs in the fifth and sixth via RBI knocks from 2025 All-Stars Riley Greene and Javy Báez, and three scoreless from the ’pen locked in the shutout.
ANAHEIM, CA - APRIL 03: Leo Rivas #76 of the Seattle Mariners makes a throw to first during the game between the Seattle Mariners and the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on Friday, April 3, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jessie Alcheh/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Good morning everyone and welcome to the weekend!
The Mariners notched their first extra-innings win of the season yesterday in a 3-1 victory over the Angels thanks to strong pitching performances from Bryan Woo, Matt Brash, Andrés Muñoz, and Gabe Speier.
It really is incredible to watch this M’s bullpen in action. Do you have a favorite member of that bunch? We all know that fellow Lookout Landing author Zach Mason is the president of the Speier Choir, and I’m personally partial to Muñoz.
In Mariners news…
Farah Jordan at King 5 interviewed Leo Rivas to help fans get to know him a bit better.
Thursday’s Tacoma Rainiers game included some fun history, with both starting pitchers in the contest being primary knuckleballers.
Around the league…
We’ve got a scare in Queens as Mets outfielder Juan Soto was pulled from yesterday’s game with a right calf issue. He will undergo an MRI.
The White Sox will retire the jersey No. 13 in honor of longtime player, manager, and broadcaster Ozzie Guillen.
Thomas Nestico broke down some pitchers he has been impressed with since Opening Day, highlighting Emerson Hancock as a standout.
Some teams are off to unexpectedly rough starts to the season. Dan Szymborski put their poor performances into context and looked at how a team’s playoff odds can change after one bad April.
Baseball America published its first in-season update to it’s top 100 prospects list. Mariners starter Ryan Sloan made the biggest jump in the sport, going from No. 60 to No. 22.
Don’t look now, but Cole Young has been the most valuable defender in baseball so far.
