Minnesota's Anthony Edwards underwent an MRI, and it "revealed a left knee hyperextension injury and bone bruise. Edwards will be considered week-to-week," the Timberwolves announced. Edwards will miss the rest of Minnesota's first-round series with the Denver Nuggets — the Timberwolves lead that 3-1 — and could miss some or all of the team's second-round series as well.
Edwards injured his knee when he lept to contest a shot by Denver's Cameron Johnson and landed awkwardly, hyperextending his left knee. This is the opposite knee from the one with runner's knee that had bothered him through the end of the regular season and into these playoffs.
Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said that Edwards will push hard to return this postseason if the Timberwolves can stay alive for that long. He might well return in the next round, a matchup likely against the Spurs, if the Timberwolves advance.
These teams meet for the first time since the Cubs defeated the Padres in last year’s tightly-fought Wild Card Series. Both teams are off to good starts in 2026; perhaps they will meet again in October.
For more on the Padres, here’s Matt DeWalt, manager of our SB Nation Padres site Gaslamp Ball.
The San Diego Padres got off to a rough start to the season dropping the first two series at home against the Detroit Tigers and San Francisco Giants, leaving them with a 2-4 record. Since that time, the Padres have won six consecutive series heading into a road matchup with the Arizona Diamondbacks in Mexico City. Tons of runs were scored in that two-game set, which the teams split.
The story of the season has been the San Diego bullpen, which is anchored by Mason Miller. The right-hander has been dominant to this point and has thrown 34.2 consecutive innings (including the end of the 2025 season) without allowing a run, while giving up just seven hits with 69 strikeouts. Miller has converted all of his 10 save opportunities on the year.
The starting rotation has taken some hits with Yu Darvish out for the season, Joe Musgrove still not back after Tommy John surgery in 2024, and Nick Pivetta being placed on the IL with a flexor strain. Michael King leads the staff and is joined by Randy Vasquez, Walker Buehler and German Marquez. Matt Waldron was called up from Triple-A, but did not look good in his first two starts against the Los Angeles Angels and Colorado Rockies.
The San Diego offense has shown signs of life and appears to have discovered some of the slug that was missing during the 2025 season. The most surprising player without a home run for the Padres is Fernando Tatis Jr. He is still contributing with hits and driving in and scoring runs, but the goose egg in the HR column is a bit alarming to the Friar Faithful. Ramon Laureano has solidified the leadoff spot and has been one of the best offensive players for San Diego along with Xander Bogaerts.
New Padres manager Craig Stammen has shown a willingness to shakeup the lineup and has stressed his desire to make rest days a priority for players like Manny Machado, Jake Cronenworth and Bogaerts. He uses his bench depth to achieve that goal. Stammen seems to be pulling all the right levers as his team sits at 18-9 and is tied with the Los Angeles Dodgers for the NL West lead. We will have to see if Stammen and the San Diego roster can maintain this level of play as the season progresses.
Fun facts
San Diego is the only current National League city other than Chicago at which the Cubs have a winning record. They are 133-129, .508.
But they lost two of three each of the past two years, after having split four games in 2023. From 2018-22, the Cubs had gone 9-4 in San Diego.
(Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
Probable pitching matchups
Monday: Matthew Boyd, LHP (1-1, 5.79 ERA, 1.143 WHIP, 1.56 FIP) vs. Randy Vasquez, RHP (2-0, 1.88 ERA, 1.081 WHIP, 2.53 FIP)
Tuesday: 8:40 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network, MLB Network (outside the Cubs and Padres market territories)
Wednesday: 3:10 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Prediction
This will not be an easy series. The Padres are a very good team and are 9-4 at home this year. They’ve had to travel from Denver to Mexico City to San Diego over the last week, though. Maybe they’ll be tired from playing at altitude for a week. (Yes, I’m reaching.) I’m going to say the Cubs will get good outings from Boyd and Cabrera and win two of three.
Up next
The Cubs have Thursday off, then return to Wrigley Field for a three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks beginning Friday afternoon.
The Yankees ran out their longest win streak of the season this past week, getting eight in a row before dropping the final game of their set with Houston on Sunday. Thus far the team’s performance has come in three waves, with two stretches of dominant play sandwiching a terrible stretch where they couldn’t buy a run. The pitching has been fairly consistently the wing of the roster that’s been performing, but the offense has warmed up with the weather and found its footing of late.
All of this has the Yankees sitting atop the AL East as the month of April is nearly concluded, and the expected competition in the Red Sox and Blue Jays have been struggling out of the gate. Boston even made the surprising decision to fire their manager Alex Cora alongside several members of their coaching staff shortly after getting swept by New York. Has the landscape of the division changed with how these teams have performed, or will they remain thorns in the Yankees’ side? Will Jasson Domínguez find a consistent role on the team after getting called up in the wake of Luis Gil’s demotion? How will Anthony Volpe look when he returns to take over the shortstop gig? If you have questions like these, or anything else on your mind, send ‘em in for a chance to be featured in our Yankees mailbag.
Answers will run on Friday afternoon. All questions received by the night of April 30th will be considered. You can leave your submissions in the comment section below or by e-mail to pinstripealleyblog [at] gmail [dot] com.
Joel Embiid’s presence in the interior is undeniable, and my 76ers vs. Celtics predictions believe he will gorge himself on the glass tonight.
Read on for more in my NBA picks for Tuesday, April 28, and don't miss tip-off at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.
UPDATE: Added a prediction for who will win tonight.
76ers vs Celtics prediction
Who will win 76ers vs Celtics Game 5?
Celtics: The spread says it all. The Celtics are laying -11.5 at home in Game 5 after another dominant performance. The 76ers looked disjointed on both ends of the floor with Embiid back in play, especially compared to the seamless execution of Boston and its deep bench.
76ers vs Celtics best bet: Joel Embiid Over 8.5 rebounds (+110)
Heading into the series, the Philadelphia 76ers knew rebounding was going to be an issue, especially with Joel Embiid recovering from an appendectomy for the first three games.
The Boston Celtics are one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the NBA, with guards crashing the glass and snatching up long rebounds from the team’s surplus of outside shots.
Even with Embiid back for Game 4, Boston rounded up 14 offensive rebounds Sunday, which led to 19 second-chance points. Afterward, Philadelphia head coach Nick Nurse criticized his team’s lack of effort on the glass.
Embiid played 34 minutes in his first game since April 6, and while his conditioning was poor, he still finished with 10 rebounds. However, he was in position for 21 rebounding chances, which would normally fetch between 12 and 15 boards for most centers.
The 7-footer doesn’t stray too far from the rim, even when defending the Celtics' pick-and-roll. He’s opting for drop coverage, which keeps him in a prime position to get after it on the glass.
Before his surgery, Embiid was rebounding well despite coming in and out of the lineup with shin/ankle/oblique injuries in February and March. In his final eight games of regular-season action, he averaged 8.8 boards on 14.5 rebounding chances.
I expect him to be a bit livelier in Game 5, having shaken off the rust. With the 76ers' guards making a concerted effort to box out, that surge in rebounding chances converts into actual boards.
Player projections sit as high as 10.4 rebounds from Embiid on Tuesday.
76ers vs Celtics same-game parlay
Do I think the 76ers can stave off elimination? Not really. But I do see the 11.5-point spread as something the Sixers can manage? Yeah.
With Joel Embiid shaking off the rust, he can help the 76ers fight the Celtics off the offensive glass, which will cut down on second-chance points that buried them in Game 4.
Embiid returning to form also gives Philly an inside-out attack that was sorely lacking with Adem Bona and Andre Drummond down low.
Paul George plays fourth fiddle now that Embiid is back, but he benefits from the big man’s gravity in the paint and will get more space on the arc.
George finished 3-for-3 from 3-point land in Game 4 and made four triples in Game 3. Game script has Philly fighting from behind, prompting plenty of 3PAs from PG.
76ers vs Celtics SGP
76ers +11.5
Joel Embiid Over 8.5 rebounds
Paul George Over 2.5 threes
Our "from downtown" SGP: Back the big man
Embiid had an immediate impact on offense in his return to play and can beat up on a soft Boston interior. He’s forecasted for 25 points, 10+ rebounds, and has turned away at least one shot in nine of his last 10 games overall.
With Embiid putting in his best effort, the 76ers can manage a cover of this double-digit spread.
76ers vs Celtics SGP
76ers +11.5
Joel Embiid Over 24.5 points
Joel Embiid Over 8.5 rebounds
Joel Embiid Over 0.5 blocks
76ers vs Celtics odds for Game 5
Spread: 76ers +11 | Celtics -11
Moneyline: 76ers +400 | Celtics -550
Over/Under: Over 215.5 | Under 215.5
76ers vs Celtics betting trend to know
The Celtics have been double-digit favorites 22 times this season, and those games have produced a 7-15 Over/Under record (68% Unders). Find more NBA betting trends for 76ers vs. Celtics.
How to watch 76ers vs Celtics Game 5
Location
TD Garden, Boston, MA
Date
Tuesday, April 28, 2026
Tip-off
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN
76ers vs Celtics latest injuries
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The Boston Bruins face elimination as they take on the Buffalo Sabres in Game 5 at KeyBank Center on Tuesday, April 28.
My top Bruins vs. Sabres predictions & NHL picks back Buffalo to deliver at home and end Boston’s season.
UPDATE: Added prediction for who will win & goal scorer pick.
Bruins vs Sabres Game 5 prediction
Who will win Bruins vs Sabres Game 5?
Sabres: Home ice wasn’t kind to the Bruins, and this series has been a massive mismatch the past two games, with the Sabres winning both by a combined 9-2 score. The underlying numbers were just as telling, too.
Bruins vs Sabres best bet: Sabres moneyline (-155)
The gap in five-on-five play between the Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins at TD Garden the past two games has been astronomical, so I love the Sabres finishing the series off in Game 5.
Buffalo drove possession with a 61.9 Corsi For percentage and generated an eye-poping 68.4% of the expected goals when adjusted for score and venue at 5-on-5, and most importantly, the Sabres solved Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman with six goals in Game 4.
Hats off to Boston for rallying to their Game 2 win after gifting away the series opener, but this has turned ugly for the Bruins with the Sabres outscoring them 9-2 over the past two games to take a commanding 3-1 lead back home to the KeyBank Center.
Bruins vs Sabres Game 5 same-game parlay
While the Buffalo moneyline is my preference as a standalone best bet, the puck line provides a nice odds boost for this same-game parlay.
Boston hasn’t had an answer for the Tage Thompson-Alex Tuch duo, and they’ve clicked with winger Peyton Krebs for a 55.8 CF% and 63.3 xGF% at 5-on-5 while combining for 10 points during the series.
Tuch has been particularly dangerous with 2.52 expected goals and five high-danger scoring chances, with Thompson just as effective with 1.94 ixG and five HDSC, and the Bruins have also allowed the second-most goals and expected goals per 60 minutes this postseason.
Bruins vs Sabres SGP
Sabres -1.5
Tage Thompson Over 0.5 points
Alex Tuch Over 0.5 points
Bruins vs Sabres Game 5 goal scorer pick
Jason Zucker (+270)
Sabres winger Jason Zucker has recorded an impressive 2.02 expected goals and seven high-danger scoring chances without finding the back of the net this series, and he’s also cemented into a middle-line role while jumping the boards with the No. 1 power-play unit.
The veteran has eight 20-goal seasons on his resume, and Zucker has also buried double-digit goals with the man advantage each of the past two years with Buffalo. He breaks through in Game 5.
The Buffalo Sabres have covered the puck line in seven of their last nine games (+7.00 Units / 48% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Bruins vs. Sabres.
How to watch Bruins vs Sabres Game 5
Location
KeyBank Center, Buffalo, NY
Date
Tuesday, April 28, 2026
Puck drop
7:30 p.m. ET
TV
TNT, Sportsnet
Bruins vs Sabres latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 26: Tarik Skubal #29 of the Detroit Tigers pitches during the third inning of a game against the San Diego Padres on Opening Day at Petco Park on March 26, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A recent report from The New York Post’s Jon Heyman suggested that the San Diego Padres might return to their former Seidler-spending ways this offseason, even getting into the bidding war for the services of Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal.
Skubal has long been sought after by other clubs, and teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Mets will factor in as well in the bidding. He’s likely to receive the largest free agent contract ever for a pitcher, with most analysts estimating his value to be somewhere around $50 million annually.
That number blows the previous record of $43.33 million (Max Scherzer, Mets), though that was only for three years. Skubal would likely be locked up for much longer than that, and under a no-trade clause.
The war for Skubal
Skubal will, without a doubt, break that record. The only question is by how much.
The sole way that number could be dampened is by injury. He’s never not dominating on the mound, it seems like a certainty in life: death, taxes, and Tarik Skubal going six quality innings. But if he were to require surgery, there would be a major question mark entering free agency. He would likely still garner a large salary, but it could cause the AAV to dip.
Here’s the thing, though. Of the three teams mentioned thus far in the bidding (Dodgers, Mets, Padres), San Diego has the best reason to sign Skubal.
The Dodgers are hardly short on starting pitching, with a rotation headlined by Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell, Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Even with their injuries they still manage to piece it together every year.
They don’t need the southpaw’s services nearly as much as others, but they’ll be bidders simply because they like to spend. They’ve now picked up a top free agent in three consecutive offseasons, and four of the last five (Freddie Freeman, 2022; Shohei Ohtani, 2023; Roki Sasaki, 2025; Kyle Tucker, 2026).
On the other hand, the Mets desperately need consistent starters. They have a rotation with huge upside, but they’ve largely missed the mark. The only one producing right now is Nolan McLean (who could win NL Rookie of the Year this season).
But — if GM David Stearns manages to keep his job amidst New York’s torrid start to the year — he’s shown a hesitancy to extend pitchers contracts longer than a couple years. Skubal will be looking to attain a bit more length than that.
San Diego has the most compelling case for a true ace like Skubal. Both Michael King and Nick Pivetta have opt-outs in their contracts after this season, and they each seem likely to test free agency. Bob Nightengale of USA Today even wrote that “As long as he’s breathing at the end of the season, [Pivetta will] opt out.”
The Friars, like they do every year, need certainty on the pitching front. They’ve got Vásquez for 2027, but that’s about it. It’s possible they retain Pivetta given the flexor strain that’s kept him off the mound for the foreseeable future. But King will likely walk given he’s pitched like an ace again after an injury-plagued 2025.
A return to the Seidler way
If San Diego is actually in on Skubal this upcoming offseason, it would mark a return to the spending ways of former owner Peter Seidler. He shelled out just about everything he had in order to field a winning team for the Padres. And, although Seidler accomplished his vision, he never got to see the club win a World Series before he passed away in 2023.
Other investors will join as minority owners. It seems likely that the Seidler family will retain some level of ownership. Drew Brees and Vuori’s Joe Kudla had been reported to desire joining ownership so they could be in on the club as well. Alfredo Harp Hélu also stated that he will retain his 15% stake in the organization.
But regardless of that, there’s a question of the Feliciano-Jones ownership’s commitment to spending. Feliciano, through his private equity firm Clearlake Capital, has owned Chelsea F.C. of the Premier League. Chelsea has had problems with their ownership in recent years, but they have been the biggest-spending club in the league.
Is Feliciano’s move to the Padres a desire to step out and create something of his own away from the ownership drama with Chelsea? Or was he the cause of Chelsea’s problems and ousted by the other owners to pursue something else?
It’s difficult to say until more is revealed about the two. San Diego has yet to formally announce the sale of the club, as the minority ownership still has to be sorted out. Once it is, the owners of MLB will convene and vote in Feliciano and Jones, though that process is mostly a formality.
But for the Friar Faithful the team being sold is great news. Each offseason, the Padres have felt like they were simply treading water instead of actually competing with other teams. They’ve managed to hold up until now, coming off of consecutive postseason appearances and 90-win seasons, but the Seidler family has pulled back the reins on Peter Seidler’s bodacious spending of the past.
If Feliciano and Jones return to that spending, the Friars might be unstoppable. With rockstar GM A.J. Preller in the manager’s chair for the club (with a bigger wallet to boot), San Diego could be even more of a championship-caliber team than they already are. That makes it easy to dream of Skubal in brown and gold.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 26: Paul George #8 of the Philadelphia 76ers shoots the ball during the game against the Boston Celtics during Round One Game Four of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 26, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It was always going to take a lot for the Sixers to pull off a first-round upset over the second-seeded Boston Celtics. They were going to have to make the rebounding battle look respectable, which they haven’t done. They were going to have to keep Boston’s role players in check, which they haven’t done. Their stars needed to take over games, which they haven’t done.
On top of all that, the Sixers were going to need some shooting luck. Clearly, one game of VJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey going nuclear wouldn’t be enough. They needed to have their role players shoot it well consistently all series.
After getting blown out in Game 1, having shot just 38% from the field and 17% from three, there was solace to be taken in the fact that the Sixers couldn’t possibly shoot that bad the rest of the way, especially given the fact that it was a lot of open looks they shot poorly on.
The Sixers on wide-open field goals (closest defender 6+ feet away) in Game 1, per NBA Stats:
Three games later, the Sixers have not been able to dig themselves out of the hole, and their inability to hit open shots is a huge reason for that. Through their four games the Sixers have the second-worst field goal percentage on open shots at 30.3%, just barely better than Denver’s 30%. They are 11th out of the 16 playoff teams in field goal percentage on open threes, making 33.3% of them.
The inability to finish good possessions has notably taken the wind out of their sails. After they were blown out again in Game 4, Nick Nurse detailed how he thought the Sixers got good looks on the first 10-12 possessions of the game, but they had only put eight points on the board.
Here are a couple of examples of that, with the ball swinging to Edgecombe and Kelly Oubre Jr. to what would qualify as wide-open threes.
As their wide-open field goal percentage would indicate, they’re shooting even worse on open twos than threes. Here’s a couple examples of shots the Sixers definitely want to generate from inside the arc just not falling.
This has been a bottom-10 outcome for the Sixers shooting in the playoffs, but there is more to it than shooting variance. The Sixers were not a good three-point shooting team in the regular season, ranking 23rd in the league. It’s hard for them to rely on getting good shooting luck because the best three-point shooters on the team are the highest usage players.
Along with Maxey and Paul George, the other three of the top five Sixers in three-point percentage this season were Justin Edwards, who’s on the fringes of the rotation, Andre Drummond, who shoots one a game, and Oubre, who’s had the best season from three of his career.
It sure is bad luck that Oubre has followed up the best three-point regular season of his career by shooting 17% in the playoffs, but it’s also bad roster construction that they are so dependent on shooters like him. The Sixers had a chance in this series to prove they’re closer to Boston than many may think, but they’re inability to put the ball in the hoop has prevented them from getting out of the gate.
As coach JJ Redick reminded reporters, the Rockets had been a top-10 defensive team the entire 2025-26 season, finishing at No. 6 in defensive rating for the regular season.
Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard, left, and Los Angeles Lakers forward Jake LaRavia try to grab a loose ball during the second half in Game 4 of a first-round NBA basketball playoffs series, Sunday, April 26, 2026, in Houston. AP
The Lakers were also due for shooting regression after making a playoff-best 46.1% of their 3-pointers through the first three games of the best-of-seven first round playoff series against the Rockets.
But it also wasn’t surprising because most of the Lakers’ offensive struggles from Sunday night carried over from Friday’s Game 3 win, in which the Lakers needed a miraculous comeback to pull off the victory.
The Lakers have averaged 22.3 points over the last six quarters of regulation against the Rockets after scoring a series-low 96 points in Game 4 and being held to a combined 38 points in the third and fourth quarters of Game 3.
“It’s obviously very challenging without your two leading scores to generate offense,” Redick said, referring to Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique) and the 55.8 points and 13.8 assists they averaged during the regular season being sidelined.
Redick added: “We’ll take a look at the process again on that end as well. And I know our points per shot and our expected points per shot were slightly below our season average. So to me, again, it goes back to the two keys: Take care of the ball, and we’ll look at that and how we can be better there.”
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James goes to the basket against Houston Rockets’ Reed Sheppard, left, and Alperen Sengun during the first half in Game 4 of a first-round NBA basketball playoffs series, Sunday, April 26, 2026, in Houston. AP
LeBron James took responsibility for the Lakers’ struggles with ball security on Sunday.
He finished with 8 of the Lakers’ 24 giveaways, marking back-to-back games in which James finished with that many turnovers after having 8 of the Lakers’ 21 giveaways in Game 3.
The Lakers won Game 1 and Game 3 despite struggling with turnovers.
That wasn’t the case in Game 4.
“We knew coming into the series, we have to protect the ball versus them and not have not have too many pick-sixes, which we did all [Sunday] night,” James said. “It started with me obviously. My turnovers were unacceptable. But we’ll do a better job with that on Wednesday.”
Marcus Smart, who had four turnovers in Game 4, said a majority of the Lakers’ were because of mental fatigue instead of physical fatigue, with Game 4 being the first matchup of the series that had a one-day break between games.
There’s another two-day break before Wednesday’s Game 5 at Crypto.com Arena before one-day breaks ahead of a potential Game 6 on Friday at the Toyota Center and Game 7 on Sunday in Los Angeles.
“We were dropping passes, myself included,” Smart said. “I was throwing passes to guys’ legs, you know, normal passes that we make on a regular basis, right? But it’s something we gotta clean up. We know it, we understand it. It’s not gonna get easier.”
Reed Sheppard of the Houston Rockets steals the ball from LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers during the second quarter in Game Four of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Toyota Center on April 26, 2026 in Houston, Texas. Getty Images
To the Rockets’ credit, their defensive pressure and tenacity played a part in the Lakers’ offensive struggles over the last six quarters.
Houston was already playing physically, but with their season on the line, the heightened desperation led to more possessions with intensified ball pressure and more focused off-ball defense.
The Lakers weren’t rattled after Game 4.
And understandably so, having a 3-1 lead in the series which will go back to Los Angeles with the Lakers having three more opportunities to close out the series.
Here are five things to watch and predictions as the Mets and Nationals play a three-game series at Citi Field starting on Tuesday night on SNY...
5 things to watch
How much worse can it get?
By getting swept by the Rockies in a three-game series over the weekend at Citi Field, the Mets fell to 9-19 and are tied with the Phillies for the worst record in MLB.
A team dismissing a manager this early in the season can certainly happen if the results relative to expectations are bad enough -- see Alex Cora and the Red Sox. And it's fair to wonder if Carlos Mendoza's job will be safe if the Mets don't win this series against Washington.
Beyond that, there is no magic elixir for the MLB-worst offense, no one coming to save the undermanned rotation right now, and no impact relievers in Triple-A Syracuse who are on the cusp of reaching the majors.
If the Mets win two or three of these games against Washington, perhaps things will start to normalize. If not, watch out.
Rotation shakeup coming?
The Kodai Senga situation is untenable, and it's close to impossible to envision him remaining in the rotation.
Complicating matters is that Christian Scott couldn't locate during his start last week, and is now back in Triple-A. Scott will very likely be back sooner rather than later, but he can't return until May 4 unless he replaces an injured player.
Against the Nats, the Mets can go with Clay Holmes and Freddy Peralta in the first two games, but they'll need a starter for the final game on Thursday (or a starter for Wednesday if they pitch Peralta on an extra day of rest). That's because Nolan McLean pitched Sunday and won't pitch again until this Friday at the earliest.
The Mets could theoretically use one of their four bulk relievers (David Peterson, Sean Manaea, Tobias Myers, or Carl Edwards Jr.) to start on Wednesday or Thursday and/or piggyback a few of them.
Still, a more permanent solution is necessary, which could mean Peterson or Manaea returning to the rotation in a regular capacity.
Since Benge was hitting .091 with a .392 OPS entering play on April 8, it's going to take a while for him to get his numbers to a respectable level.
But he's starting to look a lot more relaxed at the plate.
Apr 23, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets outfielder Carson Benge (3) runs the bases after hitting a solo home run during the fourth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Citi Field. / Vincent Carchietta - Imagn Images
Benge has five hits in his last 12 at-bats and has struck out just once over his last six games -- a span of 15 plate appearances.
He's also above average when it comes to six of 13 advanced stats tracked by Baseball Savant (average exit velocity, hard hit percentage, sweet-spot percentage, squared-up percentage, chase percentage, and whiff percentage).
Meanwhile, Benge is in the 94th percentile when it comes to OAA and 91st percentile in sprint speed.
Washington's putrid pitching
If there's any pitching staff that could help the Mets' offense wake up, it's the Nats' group.
Washington has surrendered a whopping 171 runs this season, which is the most in the NL and fewer than only the Astros, who have allowed 174.
Against the Mets, the Nats are set to trot out these three starting pitchers:
Zack Littell: 7.56 ERA and 1.68 WHIP in 25.0 IP this season. He has allowed 16 runs (14 earned) on 18 hits in 10.0 innings over his last two starts.
Cade Cavalli: 4.01 ERA and 1.66 WHIP in 24.2 IP. Cavalli has given up more hits (29) than innings.
Miles Mikolas: 8.49 ERA and 1.84 WHIP in 23.1 IP. Mikolas has surrendered seven home runs.
Beware of James Wood
Wood has been a force.
He has still been bedeviled by strikeouts (his 44 are the most in the majors after his 221 were the most in the sport last season).
But Wood is leading the NL in home runs (10) and walks (28) while posting a career-best .972 OPS.
Predictions
Who will the MVP of the series be?
Bo Bichette
Bichette is hitting .292 over his last six games.
Which Mets pitcher will have the best start?
Freddy Peralta
Peralta's average fastball velocity has been ticking up. It was 93.5 mph on April 12 against the Athletics, 94.0 on April 18 against the Cubs, and 94.5 this past Friday against the Rockies. Peralta averaged 94.8 mph with the offering last season.
Which Nationals player will be a thorn in the Mets' side?
CJ Abrams
Abrams is having a big year, with seven homers and an .896 OPS.
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 11: Seaver King #66 of the Washington Nationals at bat during a spring training game against the St. Louis Cardinals at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on March 11, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Last season, Seaver King swung at 53.1% of pitches in the minors. That is much more than the average big league rate, which hovers around 46%. This over aggression is part of what contributed to a rough first pro season for King. Now, the former first round pick is only swinging at 39.8% of pitches, but is doing much more damage.
In over 500 at bats last season, Seaver King hit just six home runs. Armed with a new approach, King already has four homers, a feat he did not accomplish until the middle of June last year. It is clear that King is hunting for his pitch and driving it when it comes. If he does not get his pitch, he is perfectly content to take it.
Seaver King is heating up 🔥
He already has four homers this year.
He didn’t hit his fourth homer until June 11 last year.
Seaver King has gone from an ultra-aggressive hitter to a patient one seemingly overnight. Plate discipline is usually one of those skills that is harder to teach. Guys like Juan Soto are just born with an ability to know the zone, while it is tougher for hitters like Javier Baez. King seemed to fall into that latter category, but so far the Leopard is changing its spots.
By swinging less, King is also inevitably walking more. After walking at a 5.8% clip last season, he is taking free passes over 17% of the time this year. While King is the most extreme example of this, we are seeing less swinging throughout the Nats organization.
Right now, the Nats have 11 minor league hitters who are walking over 15% of the time. Last season, they only had three, and all of them were either in the Dominican Summer League or the complex, where pitchers don’t throw many strikes. Even if that number drops to 7 or 8, it would be much higher than any season in recent memory.
But wait, there’s more Nats minor league hitters with a BB% over 15%: 2026: 11 (9 of 11 under 22 years old) 2025: 3 (All Dominican Summer League or complex, where no one can throw strikes) 2024: 1 (CPX) 2023: 5 (1 DSL, 3 24+ or older at low level affiliates) 2022: 4 (2 DSL)
You can search just about any prospect in the Nats system on Fangraphs, and almost all of them are swinging less. Yeremy Cabrera has cut his swing rate from 45% to 41%. Eli Willits has gone from 46.4% to 44.1%, while Luke Dickerson has gone from 46% to 40%. Devin Fitz-Gerald and Abimelec Ortiz are two other notable players who cut their swing rates down.
There are still some aggressive hitters thriving in the organization right now like Ronny Cruz and Cayden Wallace. However, it is clear that the new front office wants players to swing less and do more when they do swing. After years of watching the Nats ground ball heavy and free swinging offenses, this approach is a breath of fresh air.
The roots of this rebuild are developing at the minor league level, but you can see this philosophy taking hold at the big league level. Plate discipline and contact skills are a big reason why the Nats targeted Jorbit Vivas and Curtis Mead. We are also seeing players like CJ Abrams and Brady House walking more often.
Surprisingly, it feels like the hitting development improvements are having a quicker impact than the pitching development stuff. I figured it would be the other way around, but I am very happy to see Nats hitters having success at all levels of the organization. We are seeing plenty of breakout hitters in the minors like King, Ronny Cruz and Yeremy Cabrera.
I think the new front office is a big part of this success. They are not going to magically turn everyone around, but you want to see consistent success stories. We are seeing those success stories early in the season, and it helps you buy into the front office’s vision.
The Nats walking more often at all levels is no accident. Between the messaging and the new tools at players disposal, this is part of a master plan. Down in Fredericksburg, batters hit off a machine that throws harder and produces nastier stuff than any Low-A arm they will see.
Really good article from Spencer. This part really stuck out. Nats swing decisions have been awful at all levels in previous years. Glad there is an emphasis on swing decisions now. https://t.co/4pXLRKmmLRpic.twitter.com/qWyEHKwdHI
That should get them ready for the game and make those at bats easier. I remember going to a batting cage and hitting against the hardest level, then going back to a slower one. It was so much easier to hit, and the ball felt so big. That must be what it feels like for these guys during the games.
Nothing beats having a plan and seeing it come to fruition. That is what we are seeing from Paul Toboni and the Nationals. They wanted their guys to swing less, and they have. It has been something that has caused positive change as well. The newly patient Seaver King now has a .944 OPS in AA, far better than the .600 OPS he mustered last year.
We knew some prospects would benefit from the regime change, we just were not sure who. Now, we have a better idea of who the biggest beneficiaries are. The hyper athletes who needed refinement like Seaver King and Ronny Cruz are coming into their own now that they are being developed by this new regime. Sometimes less is more, and that is what Seaver King and other Nats prospects have learned this season.
The Sixers’ No. 3 pick finished third in the NBA’s Rookie of the Year voting.
In the results announced Monday night, VJ Edgecombe received one second-place vote and 93 third-place votes from the 100-person media panel. The Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg won the award with 412 total voting points and the Hornets’ Kon Knueppel came in second with 386 total points.
A global media panel of 100 voters selected the 2025-26 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year.
The 26-point gap between the top two finishers is the second smallest since the current voting format began in 2002-03, behind only a 15-point gap in 2021-22.
The No. 1 overall pick out of Duke, Flagg averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists. Knueppel was a constant for Charlotte, playing 81 games and posting 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists per contest.
Edgecombe logged 153 regular-season minutes in “clutch” situations, which the NBA defines as games within a five-point margin and under five minutes left. He was excellent on both ends of the floor in those spots. Edgecombe ranked second on the Sixers in clutch points (73), first in made clutch threes (12), first in clutch rebounds (31) and first in clutch steals (eight). The 20-year-old shot 58.7 percent from the field in the clutch and 54.5 percent from three-point range.
Edgecombe’s averaged 14.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.5 steals in his first four career playoff games. He’s shot 0 for 16 from three-point range in the Sixers’ first-round playoff series vs. the Celtics outside of Game 2, when he went 6 for 10 beyond the arc. Edgecombe was tremendous in that game, which is the Sixers’ one win so far of the series, tallying 30 points and 10 rebounds.
Facing a 3-1 series deficit, the Sixers will visit the Celtics on Tuesday night at TD Garden.
“Our backs are already against the wall,” Edgecombe said Sunday night. “It’s win or go home. That’s the mentality we’ve got to play with. If we lose, we’re done until October. … We’ve got to come out and play hard. We have to play like we have nothing to lose. I think that’s going to help us.”
Max Scherzer may have to consider another home remedy for his arm woes.
Scherzer, the Blue Jays' 41-year-old right-hander, was placed on the 15-day injured list by Toronto Monday, April 27 due to right forearm tendinitis and left ankle inflammation.
Scherzer, who credited playing the piano with an extended run of good health heading into the 2025 playoffs, was rocked for seven earned runs in 2⅔ innings of his April 24 start. He entered the outing needing one strikeout to become just the second pitcher in the past 24 years to reach 3,500 strikeouts.
But Scherzer failed to register a strikeout in the start, leaving him one shy of the milestone. He has posted a 9.64 ERA in five starts in his 19th major league season.
The Blue Jays recalled right-hander Chase Lee from Class AAA Buffalo to take Scherzer's roster spot.
His injury is just latest to strike the Blue Jays rotation. Jose Berríos (elbow fracture), Shane Bieber (elbow inflammation), Cody Ponce (ACL tear), Bowden Francis (Tommy John surgery) and rookie Trey Yesavage (shoulder impingement) are all on the IL and Ponce and Francis are out for the year.
Yesavage is expected to be activated and make his first start of the season Tuesday, April 28 against the Boston Red Sox.
Sunday night’s Game 4 between the Montreal Canadiens and the Tampa Bay Lightning sparked outrage from fans and the ire of both coaches at times because of the inconsistency in the referees’ calls. The same can be said about the Canadiens’ players, who were rather frustrated just after the game, which is hardly surprising given what’s at stake.
As always, the matter was discussed at length on social media with plenty of slow-motion versions of the Oliver Kapanen high-stick call. But the truth of the matter is, Game 4 is over, and there’s no going back. The Canadiens have to turn over a new leaf and focus on what’s ahead rather than what’s behind. After all, the series is still tied 2-2, and there’s plenty left to play for.
On Monday morning, former NHLer and Stanley Cup Champion in 2007 with the Anaheim Ducks, Chris Pronger took to X with an important piece of advice:
There are always going to be calls you don’t like, especially this time of the year. You can’t control the whistle. You can control your response. Stay disciplined. Stay locked in. Play your game. That’s how you win when it matters the most.
There are always going to be calls you don’t like especially this time of year.
You can’t control the whistle. You can control your response.
In a nutshell, that’s exactly what the Canadiens must do on Wednesday night: they have to move on and focus on not giving the referees an opportunity to make calls. Martin St-Louis said it; he believes the Bolts are very good at making the Habs take penalties, that’s a trap he has to make his men avoid.
At the same time, they would do well to keep a close eye on Nikita Kucherov, the star forward, who has shown quite a temper in the past and was getting frustrated at times on Sunday. Montreal’s physical players should do everything in their power to mess with his concentration, because when he gets worked up, he can lash out and put Montreal on the power play.
After dropping two straight games, the Knicks did what they needed to in Atlanta on Saturday night, winning Game 4 to even up their first round playoff series and regain homecourt advantage.
The series heads back to New York for a pivotal Game 5 on Tuesday night, and head coach Mike Brown believes his team is ready for the moment.
“This group is a relentless group, they’re an experienced group,” Brown said. “They perform best, it seems, when their backs are against the wall. So, I believe our guys are ready.”
After two straight one-point losses, the Knicks earned a convincing 114-98 win in Atlanta in Game 5, regaining some momentum as things come back to The Garden.
But the Knicks know they’re going to see the Hawks come out playing with some desperation on Tuesday night.
“We just have to have a higher level of desperation, because we know they’re not going to come in and ease into this game,” said Miles McBride.
“This is the playoffs. Nobody’s just going to hand you a win, hand you a game. Obviously, our two losses were very close games, but you don’t lose the games always at the end of the game. It’s a possession here or in the first half when you missed a box out, or somebody didn’t run to the lane and there wasn’t anybody to kick it out. So it’s little things like that that we’re more focused on and have to be focused on moving forward.”
Jalen Brunson, who has had an up-and-down series from a shooting perspective (41.6 FG percentage), told reporters that the Knicks must bring the same “focus and attention to detail” into Game 5, knowing the Hawks are going to throw their best counterpunch.
“Throughout a series, there’s always going to be adjustments,” said Brunson. “When a team loses, they’ve got to figure out what they did wrong and how they’re going to adjust. I think it’s constant adjustments and a constant chess game. You see what move they make and you come back with a different move.”
History tells us that teams who win Game 5 in a 2-2 series become overwhelming favorites to win a best-of-seven series.
But according to Brunson, the Knicks don’t need any extra motivation to come out and win.
“This is what we work all year for, what we work all summer for, to have an opportunity to play in the playoffs,” Brunson said. “There’s not a lot of motivation left that’s needed really. This is an opportunity for teams to go and put their names in history if they want it, so there’s no more motivation.”
The Los Angeles Dodgers look for their fourth win in five games as they open a three-game set at home against the Miami Marlins.
My Marlins vs. Dodgers predictions and free MLB picks have the home team continuing its recent dominance of the visitors.
Who will win Marlins vs Dodgers today: Dodgers -1.5 (-140)
There’s been nowhere to hide for the Miami Marlins’ pitching staff against one of the best lineups in baseball.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have won seven of the last eight against Miami, and plenty of those have been blowouts. L.A. has scored at least seven runs in each of their wins on this run, cracking double digits four times.
That’s not a good sign for Marlins’ starter Chris Paddack, who’s 0-4 with an inflated 6.38 ERA.
The Dodgers' offense is second in the bigs, averaging 5.68 runs per game, so it’s all setting up for another beating on Monday.
COVERS INTEL: Max Muncy has picked up hits in eight of his last 11 games. He’s hit Paddack hard in 15 at-bats, with two doubles and two home runs.
Marlins vs Dodgers Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (-104)
The Dodgers and Marlins have combined to go Over the total in eight of the last nine meetings, and none of them have been cheapies.
In fact, the lowest total set between these teams during this stretch has been 8 runs, and it's gone as high as 10 runs twice, with both cashing the Over.
The only concern might be that the Dodgers will trot out ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto, but he wasn’t even that sharp last time out, surrendering a season-high three earned runs while taking the loss against the Giants.
Still, L.A. can do much of the heavy lifting on its own.
Eric Rosales' 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 2-6, -2.08 units
Over/Under bets: 3-5, -1.05 units
Marlins vs Dodgers odds
Moneyline: Marlins +245 | Dodgers -300
Run line: Marlins +1.5 | Dodgers -1.5
Over/Under: Over 8.5 | Under 8.5
Marlins vs Dodgers trend
Each of the Marlins' last 11 road games vs the NL West opponents have cashed the Over. Find more MLB betting trends for Marlins vs. Dodgers.
How to watch Marlins vs Dodgers and game info
Location
Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
Date
Monday, April 27, 2026
First pitch
10:10 p.m. ET
TV
Marlins.TV, SportsNet LA
Marlins starting pitcher
Chris Paddack (0-4, 6.38 ERA)
Dodgers starting pitcher
Yoshinobu Yamamoto (2-2, 2.48 ERA)
Marlins vs Dodgers latest injuries
Marlins vs Dodgers 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.
COVERS INTEL: Max Muncy has picked up hits in eight of his last 11 games. He’s hit Paddack hard in 15 at-bats, with two doubles and two home runs.