Tigers vs Diamondbacks best bet: Dillon Dingler 1+ RBI (+195)
Dillon Dingler was a key piece for the Detroit Tigers last season, hitting .278 across 126 games with 13 home runs and 57 RBI. He’s off to a red-hot start in this young 2026 campaign, batting .333 with five RBI already.
The catcher drove in a run in Monday’s loss and has recorded at least one RBI in three games.
When it comes to tonight’s matchup, the Tigers face Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Brandon Pfaadt, whose 5.25 ERA was the fifth-highest among all qualified starters last season.
COVERS INTEL: Thirty-nine of Dingler’s RBI last season came against right-handed hurlers, and four so far this year are against righties as well.
Tigers vs Diamondbacks same-game parlay (SGP)
The Tigers may have lost the opener, but they were a perfect 3-0 last season against Arizona, and as a lineup, Detroit is hitting .360 against Pfaadt across 25 at-bats. Three different players in this lineup have registered multiple hits vs. the righty in minimal ABs.
After a tough defeat in Game 1 of the series, Detroit should come out with some fire and jump on Pfaadt early, setting the tone for a victory.
Colt Keith is 6-for-14 with three doubles, and in just four games, the 24-year-old has collected 2+ hits in three of those contests.
He was 2-for-5 on Monday with a pair of doubles, and all of his damage has come against right-handed pitchers.
Tigers vs Diamondbacks SGP
Dillon Dingler 1+ RBI
Tigers moneyline
Colt Keith 1+ hits
Tigers vs Diamondbacks home run pick: Riley Greene (+330)
Greene is hitting just .176 this season, but he finally found a bit of an offensive rhythm on Monday, finishing 2-for-5 with a pair of singles.
Sometimes, all a hitter needs is some confidence to get them going, and Greene has homered against Pfaadt before, who gave up 26 bombs last season, 14 coming off left-handed bats.
Greene also had a career year in 2025, clubbing 36 bombs.
2026 Transparency record
Best bets: 2-0, +1.43 units
SGPs: 0-2, -2 units
HR picks: 0-2, -2 units
Tigers vs Diamondbacks odds
Moneyline: Detroit -108 | Arizona -108
Run line: Detroit -1.5 (+155) | Arizona +1.5 (-188)
Over/Under: Over 9.5 (+110) | Under 9.5 (-134)
Tigers vs Diamondbacks trend
The Detroit Tigers have hit the Game Total Over in 76 of their last 142 games (+10.40 Units / 7% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Tigers vs. Diamondbacks.
How to watch Tigers vs Diamondbacks and game info
Location
Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
Date
Tuesday, March 31, 2026
First pitch
9:40 p.m. ET
TV
DSN, ARID
Tigers starting pitcher
Casey Mize (2025: 14-6, 3.87 ERA)
Diamondbacks starting pitcher
Brandon Pfaadt (2025: 13-9, 5.25 ERA)
Tigers vs Diamondbacks latest injuries
Tigers vs Diamondbacks weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Rafael Devers is one of the most dangerous left-handed hitters in the majors.
A lot of his production comes against right-handed pitching, and my Giants vs. Padres predictions and MLB picks see him taking advantage of a gettable righty in German Marquez.
Giants vs Padres predictions
Giants vs Padres best bet: Rafael Devers Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI (-135)
The veteran pitcher struggled mightily with lefties last season, allowing a .311 average, .396 wOBA, and 1.71 homers per nine innings.
Devers is a prime candidate to take advantage. Isolating Marquez’s three most-used pitchers against left-handed bats, Devers posted a .355 OBP and 59.9% hard hit rate against righties last season. Focus on Marquez’s two go-to pitches, and that hard hit rate spikes to 63.4%.
Devers should generate good contact in this matchup, and good things tend to happen when he does.
COVERS INTEL: Rafael Devers has posted an average exit velocity of 94.5 miles per hour over the last 10 balls put in play against Marquez’s pitch mix.
Giants vs Padres same-game parlay (SGP)
Jung Hoo Lee is another lefty poised to cause Marquez problems. He hit .286 against Marquez’s three most prominent pitches last season while striking out only 7% of the time. He’s great at getting the bat on the ball and generating contact, while Marquez struggles to miss bats.
Ace Logan Webb will take the bump for the Giants, and he is already ramped up from the WBC and starting the MLB’s season opener. He is a quality start machine, and the Giants are poised to provide him run support against Marquez.
Giants vs Padres SGP
Rafael Devers Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI
Jung Hoo Lee Over 0.5 hits
Giants moneyline
Giants vs Padres home run pick: Matt Chapman (+360)
Matt Chapman has made a lot of powerful contact out of the gate. He's responsible for the three hardest hit balls the Giants have this season, indicating the production is not far off.
Chapman has enjoyed a lot of success against Marquez in his career. He is 6-for-15 with four hits going for extra bases, three of which left the park.
Giants vs Padres odds
Moneyline: San Francisco -135 | San Diego +115
Run line: San Francisco -1.5 (+125) | San Diego +1.5 (-145)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 | Under 7.5
Giants vs Padres trend
Rafael Devers has cleared 1.5 hits + runs + RBI in four consecutive games working on zero days of rest. Find more MLB betting trends for Giants vs. Padres.
How to watch Giants vs Padres and game info
Location
Petco Park, San Diego, CA
Date
Tuesday, March 31, 2026
First pitch
9:40 p.m. ET
TV
NBCS-Bay Area, SDPA
Giants starting pitcher
Logan Webb (0-1, 10.80 ERA)
Padres starting pitcher
German Marquez (2025: 3-16, 6.70 ERA)
Giants vs Padres latest injuries
Giants vs Padres weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Jets vs Blackhawks best bet: Blackhawks team total Under 2.5 (+100)
The Chicago Blackhawks are a dismal 5-12 SU since the Olympic break ended, and their offense — or lack thereof — a big reason why.
Chicago is dead-last at 2.34 goals per game since February 24. They're also 23rd in goals allowed per game in this stretch because they're constantly chasing the puck.
The Blackhawks are second-worst in both shots for and shots against per game since the Olympics ended.
The Winnipeg Jets are 10th in goals allowed per game in March, getting their usual good goaltending from Connor Hellebuyck. This is playable down to -120.
Jets vs Blackhawks same-game parlay
The Blackhawks have been more than kind to opposing defensemen this season, which is why I'm backing both Josh Morrissey and Neal Pionk in this +700 SGP.
Morrissey has notched an assist in four straight games, and Chicago has served up the seventh-most points per game to the position.
Pionk has had multiple shots on goal in four of five games since returning to the lineup. The 'Hawks allow the third-most shots per game to blueliners.
Jets vs Blackhawks SGP
Blackhawks team total Under 2.5
Josh Morrissey Over 0.5 assists
Neal Pionk Over 1.5 shots on goal
Jets vs Blackhawks odds
Moneyline: Jets -152 | Blackhawks +126
Puck Line: Jets -1.5 | Blackhawks +1.5
Over/Under: Over 6 | Under 6
Jets vs Blackhawks trend
The Jets have hit the Under in 16 of their last 25 games (+8.45 Units / 31% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Jets vs. Blackhawks.
How to watch Jets vs Blackhawks
Location
United Center, Chicago, IL
Date
Tuesday, March 31, 2026
Puck drop
8:30 p.m. ET
TV
TSN3, CHSN
Jets vs Blackhawks 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.
It was, honestly, a much better opening week for the Guardians than many had anticipated, and there were plenty of positives to come out of it.
Chased History
Making his (technical) MLB debut on Thursday’s Opening Day, Chase DeLauter shocked the nation and made his name known. In his very first at bat, he launched an 85.3 mph slider from Logan Gilbert into right center field to give the Guardians a 1-0 lead. In the top of the ninth inning, he did it again on an 85.8 mph cutter from Cooper Criswell. On Friday, he decided he’d do it again and clobbered an 87.4 mph slider from George Kirby for another 1-0 lead for the Guards. On Saturday, he decided that wasn’t enough. He took Andrés Muñoz’ 96.6 mph offering 365 feet into left field. With one swing, he made Major League history by becoming one of only two players to hit four home runs in their first three career regular season games (Trevor Story 2016).
2-2 for 2
Facing a rotation of Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, and Bryan Woo, the Guardians’ odds were not in their favor. Many fans had come to terms with the fact that the team might start the season 0-4. I was one of them. However, we were pleasantly surprised with a 2-2 record that currently has the team in solo-second place in the American League Central. DeLauter’s superstar offensive showing and strong outings from multiple members of the bullpen gave the Seattle Mariners a run for their money and no guaranteed wins (well, except for Sunday). Vibes are great heading into the David vs. Goliath series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Good News for Bibee
It was a nerve-wracking scene on the mound in the sixth inning of Thursday’s opener as Tanner Bibee exited the game with the team’s trainer. It was later announced that he had left with right shoulder inflammation. While that was worrisome, Bibee shared that he was already feeling better after the game and was throwing weighted balls the following day. He threw a 25-pitch bullpen session on Saturday and said he felt good. He is still day-to-day, but hopes to be able to make his next start.
Social Media Spotlight
A lot of teams have their own home run celebrations that are always super fun to watch. Toronto has the home run jacket, the Mariners have the trident, and so on. The Guardians haven’t had a set celebration until now. After his first inning home run on Thursday, he donned a knight’s helmet (is that what you call it?) in the dugout.
Chase DeLauter, who homered in the first regular season at bat of his career, was the first to debut our "Knight Helmet" celebration.#GuardsBallpic.twitter.com/DcGFiQe8y7
TORONTO, CANADA - MARCH 30: Troy Johnston #20 of the Colorado Rockies tosses his bat on a two run home run against the Colorado Rockies during the sixth inning in their MLB game at the Rogers Centre on March 30, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was unfortunate to see the Yankees’ perfect 3-0 record go by the wayside. Obviously that was never going to last, but it was almost more annoying to lose a close game, even when the opponent is a tough one in Seattle. Ryan Weathers didn’t go very deep, the bullpen was exposed a bit with Paul Blackburn one of the few arms left by the ninth (though David Bednar and Tim Hill went unused), and the offense couldn’t do anything with multiple opportunities against Luis Castillo, held to a single sacrifice fly and an 0-for-6 showing with runners in scoring position.
Whatever. So it goes. If it’s any solace, the Dodgers, Marlins (lol), and Blue Jays entered Monday undefeated as well, and all of them now have losses on their ledgers as well. The two-time defending champions surprisingly got blanked at home over six by rookie Cleveland southpaw Parker Messick in a 4-2 loss, the Fish fell to the White Sox in Chicago’s first win of 2026, and the woebegone team that the Marlins just swept away over the weekend pulled off the upset of the night in the Great White North.
Want more on that? I’m so glad you asked.
Toronto Blue Jays (3-1) 5, Colorado Rockies (1-3) 14
Every dog has its day, and that extends to the rebuilding Rockies. Remember, even though they lost an eye-popping 119 games a year ago, they also won 43. So roughly every four games, Colorado eked one out.
The Rockies didn’t leave this one to chance, either. They drew some fortune early on in a way that they honestly wouldn’t have wanted, as Blue Jays starter Cody Ponce—fresh off returning stateside after winning the 2025 KBO MVP with the Hanwha Eagles—suffered a knee injury while trying to field a comebacker in the third. He was carted off the field and Toronto had to gp to the ’pen early. Colorado scored its first run on that play, and though George Springer then promptly homered off Tomoyuki Sugano in his Rox debut, that was just a solo shot.
The Rockies regained the lead on small ball, Ezequiel Tovar leading off the fourth with a single, stealing second, and taking advantage of a bobble at second base from Ernie Clement to score their second run. Sugano departed two outs into the fifth with Springer due up next and a runner in scoring position, but the previous Springer dinger was one of only two knocks allowed. Jaden Hill got Springer to ground out to preserve the 2-1 lead.
Troy Johnston (??) got the party started in the sixth with a two-run shot off Spencer Miles, and Brendon Little was even worse for Toronto in relief of his bullpenmate. After fanning Kyle Karros, Braxton Fulford—see Matt Ferenchick on BlueSky for more on this amusing fella—singled in Jordan Beck, who had singled against Miles and stole second on Little. Defensive specialist Brenton Doyle got a knock of his own, 2025 All-Star Hunter Goodman walked to load the bases, and free-agent signing Willi Castro flared a two-run double to right. Tovar followed with a two-bagger of his own and the Rockies had a seven-run inning and a 9-1 lead.
The Jays went quietly in the sixth and seventh before effectively waving the white flag in the eighth by putting backup catcher Tyler Heineman on the mound. Doyle, Goodman, and Tovar all doubled as the lead increased to 13-1, and honestly, manager John Schneider might have regretted the surrender because former first-round pick Chase Dollander really faltered for Colorado in the Toronto half of the eighth. Andrés Giménez and Davis Schneider’s first long balls of the season cut into the lead, but 13-4 is far less interesting than 9-4 (Kazuma Okamoto also went yard an inning later against Dollander). Fulford tacked on with a homer off Heineman in the ninth, and that was all she wrote.
Houston Astros (3-2) 8, Boston Red Sox (1-3) 1
The date was September 21, 2022. Aaron Judge had already reached the 60-homer plateau with multiple weeks remaining in the season, Paul Skenes had only just transferred from the Air Force Academy to LSU, the cast-drama-riddledDon’t Worry Darling was No. 1 at the U.S. box office, and Twitter was blissfully not yet owned by That Particular Idiot. It was also the last time that injury-riddled Lance McCullers Jr. went seven innings in a ballgame. It’s a little weird to say that a 32-year-old turned back the clock, but that’s exactly what he did in his 2026 debut, firing seven brilliant frames of four-hit ball and striking out nine Red Sox in a smooth Houston victory.
If one of Boston’s prized signings had lived up to his end of the bargain, this might have been a pitchers’ duel. Alas for Red Sox Nation, Ranger Suarez’s debut was an absolute dud. He immediately loaded the bases in the first on three-straight singles and was fortunate to escape with just one run scoring on Carlos Correa’s double-play ball. Two innings later, Yordan Alvarez dropped the hammer with a two-run homer.
Suarez would be knocked out in the fifth, shortly after a solo shot from rookie Brice Matthews. Fellow offseason addition Johan Oviedo—previously a starter for the Pirates—piggybacked on Suarez and was slightly worse, Jose Altuve taking him yard twice. Suarez and Oviedo’s pitching lines were remarkably similar:
It’s not what you want. Well, it’s what we want, but it’s not what Alex Cora and Craig Breslow want.
Detroit Tigers (2-2) 6, Arizona Diamondbacks (1-3)9
The D-backs were one of the league’s last winless teams as they began their Monday night game against Detroit, and unlike the 0-4 A’s (who fell to Atlanta), they got off the schneid. However, they made life more complicated than it needed to be for their hometown fans, as they came close to squandering the 8-0 lead gifted to them by a decrepit-looking Justin Verlander in his return to a Tigers uniform.
Corbin Carroll was three years old on June 7th, 2004, the day the Detroit Tigers drafted Justin Verlander
It’s easy to underrate how young Corbin Carroll is, huh? He already has a nine-figure contract, two All-Star berths, a World Series run under his belt, and nearly 500 big-league games under his belt. Verlander is fading into memory, but we may still only be at Carroll’s ascent. He disrespected his elders by carving up JV, first with one of his patented triples (he’s led the NL in three consecutive seasons with 41 total from 2023-25) in the first to plate Ketel Marte, and then by clobbering a Verlander slider 403 feet for a three-run homer in the second.
Verlander was gone by the fifth, when Arizona tacked on three more to make it a blowout. And skipper Torey Lovullo got outstanding work from starter Michael Soroka in his D-backs debut. He fanned 10 in five scoreless frame, including an immaculate inning in the fifth — the first of 2026, the 119th in MLB history, and just the fourth by a D-backs pitcher.
This game was all but over. Then, it wasn’t. 2019 Nationals legend Joe Ross was abysmal in relief when he entered in the seventh. Dillon Dingler doubled in Kevin McGongile for Detroit’s first run after the rookie’s leadoff walk, Javy Báez singled him in, and following a Gleyber Torres knock, Colt Keith doubled to score both of them. A third out for Ross proved elusive, as Riley Greene singled to make it 8-5, sending Ross to the showers.
Ryan Thompson was no better, as he balked twice to move Greene to third and Spencer Torkelson shrank the lead to a measly two runs with a double to left. Eight consecutive pitchers out of the zone followed to McGonigle and Dingler, and Lovullo had to turn to the bullpen yet again. With the tying run at second and the go-ahead run at first, Juan Morillo restored sanity by getting Parker Meadows to ground out.
Ildemaro Vargas helped Arizona fans breathe a little easier with an insurance-run solo shot off Brant Hurter, and the one-two punch of Taylor Clarke and Paul Sewald slammed the door on the Tigers in order before they could get another shot.
ANTALYA, Turkey (AP) — Iran soccer players and officials posed with pictures of children allegedly killed by U.S. and Israeli airstrikes before their World Cup warmup against Costa Rica on Tuesday.
There were no spectators at the stadium in Antalya but FIFA President Gianni Infantino was present.
The Iran players were joined by coach Amir Ghalenoei, Iran Football Federation vice president Mehdi Mohammad Nabi and staff members, holding the photographs while singing the national anthem.
Iran won the match 5-0.
The players' gesture came after they held small backpacks on Friday before another warmup against Nigeria, to honor the victims of a deadly missile strike on an elementary school in southern Iran. More than 165 people were killed, most of them children, in the Feb. 28 strike likely launched by the U.S.
Neither the United States nor Israel has accepted responsibility for the attack which has been widely criticized by the United Nations and human rights groups. The U.S. military is investigating and has said it would never target civilians.
Iranian government and soccer officials have said they do not want to boycott the World Cup being co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico in June, but that it was not possible for the national team to go to the U.S. because of the war started by the U.S. and Israel.
The Islamic Republic’s team is to play three group stage matches in the U.S. The Iran ambassador in Mexico City has said the country asked FIFA to move those three games to Mexico after U.S. President Donald Trump discouraged the team from attending, citing safety concerns.
Infantino has dampened Iran attempts to move its matches, saying FIFA wants its tournament “to go ahead as scheduled.”
The Florida Panthers will welcome Sam Bennett back to their lineup tonight against the Ottawa Senators.
The 29-year-old missed both games over the weekend due to the birth of his first child. The Panthers fell to the New York Islanders on Saturday before being nearly shut out against the New York Rangers on Sunday.
At today’s practice, Bennett skated as the top line center with Carter Verhaeghe and Matthew Tkachuk on his wings.
Bennett’s season started slowly, as he struggled to produce offensively. But he turned the corner pretty quickly and has posted 25 goals and 54 points in 70 games. His 54 points are a career high, and his 25 goals are just three shy of his previous career high of 28, which he set in his first year as a Panther.
The Panthers have nine games remaining, giving Bennett some time to chase down his goal-scoring record.
Tonight’s fixture is of little meaning for the Panthers, but it means everything for the Senators. A win moves the Panthers from 27th place to 24th place in the NHL standings, and the Panthers would still sit 13 points out of a playoff spot.
For the Senators, a win puts them even with the Columbus Blue Jackets for the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. A loss, coupled with wins by the Detroit Red Wings, Philadelphia Flyers, and the Blue Jackets, would greatly affect their playoff hopes.
Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. EST at Amerant Bank Arena.
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March usually belongs to the college kids and their “madness,” but if you’ve ever tried tackling NBA player props in the waning days of the schedule, you know a thing or two about going mad.
With so many mixed motivations, along with injuries and changing rotations, the home stretch of the NBA season is loaded with pitfalls for prop bettors.
I search for simplicity in these complicated times and close out the month with my best NBA picks for Tuesday, March 31.
The Orlando Magic hit rock bottom in an embarrassing loss to the Toronto Raptors this past weekend.
But hey, you can only go up from there, right?
That’s true for Paolo Banchero, who finished 3-for-14 from the floor and scored just nine points in Toronto. His putrid performance kept Orlando on a 1-7 SU slide, pushing it back into the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament.
I like a bounce-back spot for a desperate Banchero, with the team returning home to face the Phoenix Suns. Before that blip north of the border, he was on a tear, posting 30, 36, and 39 points in his previous three games while averaging more than 25 points this month.
Sunday’s shooting slump has knocked Banchero's points prop down a few pegs. His scoring total was as high as 25.5 O/U during that hot streak, and tonight’s projections sit between 23 and 25 points, with most books leaning above 24.
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: FanDuel Sports Network Florida, KPHE
Prop #2: Karl-Anthony Towns Over 17.5 points
-105 at bet365
The New York Knicks continue to take three steps forward and two steps back, following a seven-game winning streak with back-to-back losses.
That stumble puts New York off the pace of the Celtics and Pistons atop the Eastern Conference standings and has fingers pointing at standout Karl-Anthony Towns, following an offensive power outage.
Towns has shot the ball just 17 total times in those losses, hitting 10 of those attempts and finishing with outputs of 13 and 15 points. NBA analysts are calling for KAT to play a bigger role and demand touches in the Knicks’ offense, especially with the playoffs closing in.
His point totals are shrinking like they jumped in a cold swimming pool, down from 20.5 to 17.5 O/U. That presents a buyback spot at Houston tonight.
Towns already torched the Houston Rockets for 25 points on 10-of-15 shooting back in February, and his player projections all sit well above this 17.5-point mark, ranging from 19.4 to as high as 23.4.
Before going MIA the last two games, KAT has scored 21 or more points in seven of eight games.
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBC/Peacock, MSG
Prop #3: Scottie Barnes Under 7.5 assists
-140 at bet365
Scottie Barnes is doing his best John Stockton impersonation. The Toronto Raptors' small forward has stepped up as a primary ball handler, with the lineup missing key cogs in Immanuel Quickley and Brandon Ingram.
He’s dished out 10, 12, 12, and 15 dimes over his last four outings, generating 16.8 potential assists per game in that span.
Helping those helpers has been a slate of foes immune to playmaking, facing the likes of Utah, the L.A. Clippers, and New Orleans — all of which sit in the bottom half in opponent assist rate. Toronto has also shot a blistering 53% from the field in those outings.
Barnes, who was averaging 5.4 assists on 9.4 potential dimes before this stretch, will see his passing prowess come back to earth tonight. The Raptors visit the Detroit Pistons and their top-tier defense.
The Pistons’ drum-tight No. 2 defensive rating doesn’t let opponents pass gas, let alone the basketball. Detroit boasts the fifth-lowest defensive assist rate and the fewest assists allowed (23.4), tightening that belt to 22.5 assists allowed over the last dozen games.
Ingram could also return to action tonight after sitting out two of those previous four games. That will take the ball out of Barnes' hands more often.
Projections remain grounded while the prop market isn’t. Barnes' assist total is up to 7.5 O/U, but models barely breach six dimes, sitting as short as 5.3 assists. The Under is a juicy play, but worth it considering the contrast in forecasts and foe.
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: FanDuel Sports Detroit Extra, Rogers Sportsnet Toronto, WMYD
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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.
A couple of teams with ties to LeBron James — his first team in Cleveland and his current team in Los Angeles — face each other and can lock up playoff spots with a win in that showdown. Plus, a few games will have huge seeding implications. Here's what to look for.
Playoff Scenarios
• The Los Angeles Lakers will clinch both a playoff spot and the Pacific Division crown with a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, or a Phoenix Suns loss on the road in Orlando.
• Cleveland clinches a playoff spot in the East with a win over Los Angeles.
• Denver officially will clinch a playoff spot if Phoenix loses in Orlando.
• Detroit will officially win the Central Division title with a win over Toronto, but that will be no easy ask on the second night of a back-to-back.
• The Clippers appear headed to the play-in — which is still pretty impressive considering their horrid 6-21 start to the season — but LA will officially be locked into the play-in if it loses to Portland and Houston beats New York.
Games to Watch
New York Knicks at Houston Rockets (8 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock)
Both of these teams are headed to the playoffs, but both need this win for seeding. New York sits as the No. 3 seed in the East, two games back of Boston for the second but just one game up on Cleveland to hold on to that third spot. Houston is currently the No. 6 seed in the West but is just half a game behind Minnesota (and tied in the loss column) for the No. 5 spot (and two games back of Denver for fourth). Houston has been a pedestrian 5-5 in its last 10, but the Knicks come in on a two-game losing streak.
Cleveland Cavaliers at Los Angeles Lakers (10:30 p.m. ET, League Pass)
Another game between playoff teams — both with aspirations of a deep playoff run — fighting for seeding. Cleveland sits as the No. 4 seed in the East, just one game back of No. 3 seed New York, and is trying to chase them down. The Lakers are the No. 3 seed in the West, but Denver is just 1.5 games back (and on a hot streak, having won six in a row).
Portland Trail Blazers at LA Clippers (11 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock)
The Trail Blazers sit as the No. 9 seed in the West, 1.5 games back of the No. 8 seed Clippers — if Portland is going to climb into the top eight it needs this win.
There is a huge difference between being the No. 7/8 seed in the play-in and the 9/10 seeds. The 7/8 teams just need to win one of two games, at least one at home, to advance to the playoffs. However, 9/10 teams must win two games without a loss, at least one on the road. Both the Trail Blazers and Clippers are trying to avoid that harder path.
The New York Knicks (48-27) travel to Houston to face the Rockets (45-29) on NBC and Peacock. This is the second and final meeting between the two. New York won the only matchup, 108-106 on February 21st.
New York has dropped its last two games after winning seven straight prior. The Knicks clinched a playoff spot in the top six last night and are positioned in the third seed with a 1.0 game-lead over the Cavaliers. Over the last 10 games, the Knicks have the third-best rated offense in the NBA, but come in at 16th defensively.
Houston sits in the six-seed of the West and are a 0.5 game back of Minnesota and 2.0 games behind Denver. The Rockets have won its last two games, but have been inconsistent with a 5-5 record over the last 10 games. Houston has the 16th-rated offense in that 10-game span and 13th-ranked defense.
Lets take a closer look at tonight’s matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
After 24 years, the NBA is back on NBC and Peacock, combining the nostalgia of an iconic era with the innovative future of basketball coverage. The NBA on NBC YouTube channel delivers fans must-see highlights, analysis, and exclusive and unique content.
Game Details and How to Watch Live: Knicks at Rockets
Date: Tuesday, March 31, 2026
Time: 8:00 PM EST
Site: Toyota Center
City: Houston, TX
Network/Streaming: Peacock/NBC Sports
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Game Odds: Knicks at Rockets
The latest odds as of Tuesday, courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Houston Rockets (-112), New York Knicks (-108)
Spread: Houston -1.5
Total: O/U 217.5 points
This game opened New York -1.5 with the Total set at 218.5.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!
Expected Starting Lineups: Knicks at Rockets
New York Knicks
PG Jalen Brunson
SG Josh Hart
SF Mikal Bridges
PF OG Anunoby
C Karl-Anthony Towns
Houston Rockets
PG Amen Thompson
SG Reed Sheppard
SF Kevin Durant
PF Jabari Smith
C Alperen Sengun
Injury Report: Knicks at Rockets
New York Knicks
Landry Shamet (knee) is OUT for tonight's game
Miles McBride (pelvis) is QUESTIONABLE for tonight's game
Houston Rockets
None
Important stats, trends and insights: Knicks at Rockets
Houston is 31-43 ATS, ranking 3rd-worst
Houston is 13-22 ATS at home, ranking 2nd-worst
Houston is 40-33-1 to the Under, ranking 10th-best
Houston is 22-12-1 to the Under at home, ranking 4th-best
New York is 39-37 ATS this season
New York is 14-24 ATS on the road, ranking 2nd-worst
New York is 40-36 to the Under and 22-16 to the Under on the road
Rotoworld Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
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Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s Knicks and Rockets’ game:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Knicks’ Moneyline
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Knicks +1.5 ATS
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 217.5
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St. Louis Cardinals starter Andre Pallante struggled mightily in 2025, and he doesn't get a soft landing to open his 2026 campaign against the New York Mets tonight.
The right-hander's lack of swing-and-miss stuff headlines my Mets vs. Cardinals predictions.
See why the Mets can run up the score in St. Louis with my MLB picks on Tuesday, March 31.
Mets vs Cardinals predictions
Mets vs Cardinals best bet: Mets team total Over 4.5 (-113)
Among qualified starters, St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Andre Pallante had the fourth-highest ERA in 2025 (5.36). His peripherals weren't much better, either, as he ranked in the 25th percentile in whiff rate, the 17th in chase percentage, and all the way down in the fourth in strikeout rate.
Simply put, he doesn't miss bats, and teams tend to plate runs when he's on the mound.
This bodes well for a New York Mets offense that boasts a ton of typically strong contact hitters. Ignore Bo Bichette's 40% strikeout rate in his first four games; he has a career K% of just 19.5. Likewise, sluggers Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto have K-rates below 18% for their careers.
Expect heavy traffic on the basepaths early and often as the Mets clear this total with ease.
COVERS INTEL: Cardinals relievers have posted a 7.94 ERA with a 13.6% K-rate and 12.5% BB-rate, so the damage might not stop even after Pallante is yanked.
Mets vs Cardinals same-game parlay (SGP)
Fading Pallante is the name of the game, and I'm targeting the top of the Mets' lineup to do the bulk of the heavy lifting.
Pallante had similar numbers against right-handed and left-handed bats, so we can trust the historic numbers of this trio to make contact on his offerings.
Lindor has batted leadoff in all four games, and he's scored in three of them, including the last two. Soto only has one extra-base hit so far, but he's batting .353, and the matchup is extremely favorable.
Bichette may seem like the wild card, given how Mets fans booed him out of Citi Field, but he's going to get to the dish with traffic on the bases, and his longstanding contact numbers mean more than one series of struggles.
Mets vs Cardinals SGP
Francisco Lindor 1+ runs
Juan Soto 2+ total bases
Bo Bichette 2+ hits + runs + RBI
Mets vs Cardinals home run pick: Carson Benge (+870)
I'm not taking rookie Carson Benge to hit a home run because he's one of only two Mets to go deep this season, but because he's hitting the tar out of the ball, with an average exit velocity ranking in the Top 3 per cent.
That's a small sample, but it aligns with his minor-league track record, where Benge hit 15 homers across three levels last season while posting a 150 wRC+. The +870 price tag pushes us over the top in a matchup against a pitching staff that struggles to limit contact.
Mets vs Cardinals odds
Moneyline: New York -158 | St. Louis +134
Run line: New York -1.5 (+106) | St. Louis +1.5 (-128)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-110) | Under 8.5 (-110)
Mets vs Cardinals trend
New York has hit the F5 team total Over in 63 of its last 111 games (+9.35 Units / 7% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Mets vs. Cardinals.
How to watch Mets vs Cardinals and game info
Location
Busch Stadium, St. Louis, MO
Date
Tuesday, March 31, 2026
First pitch
7:45 p.m. ET
TV
SNY, CARD
Mets starting pitcher
Kodai Senga (2025: 7-6, 3.02 ERA)
Cardinals starting pitcher
Andre Pallante (2025: 6-15, 5.31 ERA)
Mets vs Cardinals latest injuries
Mets vs Cardinals weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The New York Knicks just clinched a playoff berth while the Houston Rockets are trying to improve their own seeding in the Western Conference. New York is slightly favored with a moneyline of -118.0, compared to Houston's -102.0.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MARCH 29: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies reacts after lining out in the first inning during a game against the Texas Rangers at Citizens Bank Park on March 29, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s really difficult to make any concrete assertions about a baseball team after only four games. Sure, these games make the term “lethargic” look positively energetic, but even in the most negative point of view, there isn’t really much we can tell about this team yet. The only thing these games have done is reinforced preconceived notions that clouded judgement in the first place.
Instead, we can try and see if there are any trends beginning to take shape. Ideas maybe we had before the season even began that maybe there is a shred of data that can be looked at to see if something is there. Here are a few to maybe keep an eye on as the season progresses, particularly in these early weeks.
Otto Kemp: left fielder?
Sunday’s game was a demonstration that maybe the team’s belief in Kemp as a viable option as one of the platoon partners for the outfield was a bit ambitious in the first place. 2025 showed several examples of why this idea was misguided in the first place, yet the team continued to assert that Kemp would be fine.
There is the likelihood that the team will continue to put him out in left field in a lefthanded pitcher is on the mound. They want to have the platoon advantage there and they believe their best option is to have Kemp, which is odd considering they have Dylan Moore on the roster, a player that has actually played left field in the past. If he cannot play the position, one has to wonder about Kemp’s place on the roster.
Bryce Harper
There is no reason to belabor the point about elite/not elite that was beaten in the offseason. It’s tiresome and boring. Instead, let’s re-shape the question. What would make Dave Dombrowski even say that?
Pitchers are going to try and see what Harper still has. One might think that they’ll try and get him to chase since that was one of his issues with his season last year. We only have a sample of 71 pitches thrown to him, so as you can imagine, the heat map is all over the place.
This doesn’t really tell us much about anything, so instead, how are pitchers trying to approach him? We’ve seen a steady decline in pitchers throwing him fastballs since that is where he does a lot of damage. The rise in breaking ball usage is continuing, even if it, again, is just 71 pitches in total.
Yet this is worth watching as the season progresses. Harper’s bat speed so far suggests that there hasn’t been a falloff there, but the steady diet of breaking pitches that are going out of the zone are going continue from the looks of it. How he fares will likely determine the next chapter of his career.
Rob Thomson’s decision making
The Opening Day usage of Kyle Backhus was fine in theory. The team was up five runs, they only needed three outs and Backhus’ funk was probably something that the Rangers hadn’t seen much of. He wasn’t good, thus forcing Jhoan Duran into the game to give the Phillies their only win of the season thus far. In game two, Jacob deGrom was scratched from the lineup, a left handed reliever taking his place, yet Thomson left in his usual platoon players in Bryson Stott and Brandon Marsh. The team was no-hit through several innings afterwards. Getting Stott and Marsh plate appearances against southpaws is fine, particularly if one hopes for their improvement against them, yet it was another curious decision.
Justin Crawford sitting on Monday evening was interesting as well, giving fodder to something else to watch as the season goes on: what goes behind the decisions Thomson regularly makes? Early in the season, he has shown a willingness to sit players often coming out of spring training as the baseball version of load management. That would help explain some of the lineup decisions made early on, but as the season keeps going, when do the lefties (Stott, Marsh and Crawford) sit? What about the bullpen usage patterns? With a trip to Colorado looming, it made some sense to let Taijuan Walker eat some innings Monday, preserving as many arms as possible, but again, what about the situational usage patterns? What will end up being the bullpen pecking order?
As stated before, it’s still only four games. There is plenty of baseball to go, likely most of it good baseball. These are only a few things to watch as the season goes forward, but they are still rather significant things to track.
It’s safe to say we are on the roller coaster ride that is the baseball season. This early season has been filled with ups and downs. It’s fun that no matter how baseball changes, how many ways we can analyze it, it’s still a lot the same game. Oh sure, if this were 50 or 60 years ago, Cubs starter Edward Cabrera would probably have thrown (at least) another inning or two. After all, when your starter has allowed just one hit and one walk over six, you keep running him out there.
Just for kicks, I went all of the way back to 1969 to see what Ferguson Jenkins did on Opening Day. It was a perfect compare and contrast to the modern game. Fergie threw only eight innings on Opening Day that year. Was it great restraint by the famed Leo Durocher? Well, not really. Fergie allowed five runs in eight innings of work (he didn’t walk anyone, though). Also, let’s be clear. Fergie started the ninth, pitching with a three-run lead. He allowed two singles and a three-run homer. That finished Fergie’s day after throwing 109 pitches. The Cubs did score two in the bottom of the 11th (after allowing one in the top) to walk it off.
The game changes. Teams don’t rely on starters anywhere near as much as we used to. They hope that more pitches can be thrown at or near max effort. They hope that more pitchers, when effective, can pitch much longer into their careers. We know that first thing is happening more and more. We think maybe that second thing is happening. Less is being asked of starters. And yet, little is more valuable than a strong start from your starter. The Cubs have had two quality starts in the young season and they’ve won both games. They lost the other two.
Eleven teams came through the first weekend of the season without a quality start. Those teams combined for a record of 12-24. That record is buoyed by the Brewers who, annoyingly, swept their opening series without a single QS. Of course, the White Sox didn’t have one either in that series. So I guess that was a wash, at least for starting pitching. The Nationals didn’t have one over the weekend either, but did beat the Phillies in Philadelphia, 13-2. Clearly, no one has told the Nationals that they are supposed to be God-awful. For that matter, no one has told Joey Wiemer that he’s not going to be the MVP. Who doesn’t love an early season line of .800/.846/1.600? I think that’s maybe some kind of record pace.
I’ll be a broken record here early. Because it’s early. Very little of this matters much. It would definitely matter a lot if Cade Horton and Edward Cabrera were elite. We have reason to believe one is and hope that the other can be. It would definitely matter a lot if Matthew Boyd and Shōta Imanaga were bad. I think we fear that one is and expect the other to be at least decent, coming off of an All-Star season. Drawing conclusions in April is a fool’s errand. Doing so in March is a waste of time.
The Cubs got a good pitching performance and the bats shined. More of both, please. And hey, even when one has an off night, there isn’t any particular rule that says both have to be off. I like to think of baseball having four quadrants. These two wins are in the best quadrant which is good pitching/good hitting. So let’s hope that those other two quadrants (good hitting/poor pitching, and poor hitting/good pitching) eke out some wins too. The best teams can win games in all three of the better quadrants (it’s an unusual scenario to win a game with poor/poor performance). And let’s hope the Cubs spend an awful lot of time in that best quadrant. They’ve got a lot of winning to do and a lot of working out who the best 26 are. And there are only 158 games left to get all of that done.
Three Stars:
Edward Cabrera. Six innings, five strikeouts and just one walk. No runs and only a single hit. I only had one eye on it at the time, but I didn’t think the one hit looked particularly crushed.
Ian Happ had a solo homer and a walk. This is the third straight game he’s homered in, matching a career high. It very well could have been four had the wind not knocked down a crushed ball in the opener.
On the third game in three days, with two more to follow, Colin Rea got nine outs with a huge lead. In the modern game, you use a ton of pen. In early games, that’s particularly exacerbated. With Jameson Taillon and Matthew Boyd to follow, who knows what you get? Giving everyone else a night off allows you to go much more aggressively at the next two. The Cubs high-leverage relievers have seen no leverage at all yet.
Honorable mention to the whole offense. Nine hits, seven walks. Angels starter Ryan Johnson was really shaky and the Cubs had a very patient approach to that. Happ only stands out for the homer. Otherwise, the Cubs offense just showed a steady, relentless approach and wore the Angels down. And their troubles were complicated by the early conditions at Wrigley Field on a pop fly that almost certainly should have been caught and led to two runs.
Game 4, March 30: Cubs 7, Angels 2 (2-2)
Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.
THREE HEROES:
Superhero: Edward Cabrera (.174). 6 IP, 19 BF, H, BB, 0 ER, 5 K (W 1-0)
Hero: Carson Kelly (.122). 1-4, 2 RBI
Sidekick: Ian Happ (.075). 1-4, BB, HR, RBI, 2 R
THREE GOATS:
Billy Goat: Alex Bregman (-.039). 1-4, BB
Goat: Michael Conforto (-.014). 0-2
Kid: Matt Shaw (.001). 1-2
WPA Play of the Game: Carson Kelly batted with runners on first and second and two outs in the first, the Cubs up one. He skied one into shallow center. The Angels failed to make a play on the ball and Pete Crow-Armstrong motored around from first to make this into a two-run single. (.155)
*Angels Play of the Game: Ryan Johnson faced Alex Bregman with a runner on first and no outs in the first inning, the game scoreless. He got Bregman to pop out for the first out. (.035)
Cubs Player of the Game:
Yesterday’s Winner: Alex Bregman received 124 of 148 votes.
Up Next: Game two of the three-game set with the Angels. Jameson Taillon makes his season debut. Last year he was 11-7 with a 3.68 ERA in 23 starts. Taillon’s numbers as a Cub do not in any way justify the negative perception of his value. In his age-34 season last year, he dealt with some injuries but was pretty effective when healthy. At this point in his career, it’s hard to imagine he can’t be a fifth starter who produces more good starts than bad and provides value to this team.
The Angels start 27-year-old José Soriano. Soriano started Opening Day this year for the Angels. He threw six scoreless and struck out seven in Houston. He’s pitched in parts of three seasons for the Angels previously, having an 18-21 record and a 3.82 ERA across 92 appearances (52 starts). Could the 27-year-old Dominican product be finding himself? We shall see. He didn’t face the Cubs last year. He threw five unremarkable innings against them in July 2024. Michael Busch took him deep and Miguel Amaya had a pair of hits. Plan to see Miguel back in the lineup to try to continue his hot start at the plate.
How about the first back-to-back wins of the season?
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 19, 2026: Kemp Alderman #41 of the Miami Marlins celebrates hitting a single during the third inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Houston Astros at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on March 19, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Opening Day of Major League Baseball is one of the best days on the sports calendar. Its even more sweet when you can turn it on to take your eyes away from the brutal sweep that was happening in Oxford this past weekend.
Nonetheless, when you have a program that has succeeded at the level coach Mike Bianco’s has over the years, you are likely to have some MLB talent come through (or skip by — looking at you Roman Anthony). So let’s see where our former Rebels landed at the start of the 2026 MLB season.
COVERS INTEL: Thirty-nine of Dingler’s RBI last season came against right-handed hurlers, and four so far this year are against righties as well.
Paolo Banchero
Karl-Anthony Towns
Scottie Barnes
