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Spring Game #28: Athletics versus Cubs Game Thread

MESA, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 22: Luis Severino #40 of the Athletics takes the mound before a spring training game against the Cleveland Guardians at HoHoKam Stadium on February 22, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Justine Willard/Athletics/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Two evening games in a row? What is this, the regular season?

We got another nightcap for you guys as the Athletics play host yet again, this time to the Chicago Cubs. Both teams are just days away from the beginning of their regular season campaigns and are fine tuning their rosters and alignments. The Cubs tonight are actually split up, with half coming to Mesa to take on the A’s and the other half playing host to the Reds on the other side of town. These games still technically don’t matter, but they’re starting to have more weight to them the closer Opening Day comes, for both of these squads.

For the Athletics on the mound tonight they’ll be going with the newly-named Opening Night starter in Luis Severino. The right-hander is set to make his final exhibition appearance, which includes both spring with the A’s and his time playing in the World Baseball Classic with Team Dominican Republic. Sevy is looking to put the finishing touches on his ramp up for the regular season and we’ll be hoping to see some zeros on the scoreboard tonight.

Here’s your A’s lineup for Friday night’s contest:

The A’s are mixing up the lineup a little bit but not too much. We have a new leadoff man tonight in Lawrence Butler, who will be playing right field tonight. That’s a huge update as the final step in Butler’s rehab from patellar tendon surgery is manning the outfield grass. The club is also apparently anxious to get him as many plate appearances as possible after his abbreviated camp.

The rest of the top half of the lineup looks like how you’d expect, with Kurtz and Langeliers again batting back-to-back near the top of the order. The interesting part of tonight’s lineup is near the bottom half of the lineup card though. We’ll be getting to see Jeff McNeil log some time on the grass himself as he slides from second base to center field, displacing Denzel Clarke from the starting nine. And taking McNeil’s spot at the keystone is Andy Ibanez, who is likely to break camp with the club. Could this be an alignment that the A’s actually go to if Clarke’s bat isn’t up to snuff?

The Cubbies will send right-handed veteran Jameson Taillon to the mound themselves for what’ll be his own final spring tune up. The righty has had a tough camp so far but spring stats don’t matter. Still, it’d be nice to rough him up and get another win for our guys in Green & Gold.

The Chicago lineup tonight shakes out like this:

We’ll be seeing a mix of the Cubs’ regulars as well as backups. Shouldn’t be too difficult of an assignment for Severino but these guys are getting ready for the season themselves. Everyone wants to hit the ground running and that starts in these games over the final week.

Predictions? A win? A loss? A Nick Kurtz home run? Doens’t matter just yet but let’s still have fun with it on a great Friday night. Let’s go A’s!

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The superstars are sidelined for Warriors vs. Pistons

Steph Curry and Cade Cunningham embracing after a game.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - MARCH 08: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors and Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons hug after the game on March 8, 2025 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. 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 Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Golden State Warriors are in desperate need of a win tonight, when they visit the Detroit Pistons in the fourth stop on their six-game road trip. It certainly won’t be easy, as the Pistons boast an Eastern Conference-best 50-19 record. It is made easier by the fact that Detroit will be without their superstar point guard … but then again, so will the Warriors.

Here’s the full injury report for both teams for the 4:30 p.m. PT game.

Warriors

Out — Steph Curry (right patellofemoral pain syndrome)

The Warriors keep expressing optimism that we’ll see Curry before the season ends, but we’re running out of time. This is his 20th consecutive absence, and there are only 12 regular season games on the schedule after leaving the motor city.

Out — Jimmy Butler III (right ACL surgery)

Butler, on the other hand, has no chance of returning this year, but we all knew that. Hopefully his rehab and recovery are going well following January’s ACL tear.

Out — Moses Moody (right wrist sprain)

Moody’s injury initially didn’t appear serious, but it has really lingered. This will be his ninth straight game on the sidelines, which is a big bummer given how well he was playing before sustaining the injury.

Out — Al Horford (right soleus strain)

This isn’t the usual case of Horford resting because the Warriors have a back-to-back (they visit Jonathan Kuminga and the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night). No, Horford is straight up injured, and his status for the rest of the season is in doubt.

Out — Quinten Post (right foot injury management)

Thank goodness that Kristaps Porziņģis is healthy, since the Dubs are without their other two centers. Given that this is just an injury management day for Post, I would assume that he’ll be on the court on Saturday.

Out — Seth Curry (left adductor strain)

Still just four games played this year for the younger Curry brother. What a bummer of a year for him.

Available — LJ Cryer (left hamstring injury management)

After being sidelined for two games, Cryer returns. He’ll certainly see action tonight, given the number of names that aren’t available.

Join our March Madness conversation!

Drop in SB Nation’s March Madness open thread during Friday’s games where we’ll be talking about all the wild upsets, buzzer beaters, and Cinderella runs!

SB Nation’s cast of characters will be enjoying the game together, so join Chris Dobbertean, Mike Rutherford, Ricky O’Donnell, Mark Schofield, James Dator, and others for 12 hours of basketball chaos!

Pistons

Out — Cade Cunningham (left lung pneumothorax)

Cunningham was putting together quite an MVP campaign before suffering a collapsed lung. Thankfully that’s not quite as scary or serious as it sounds, and it’s still expected that the young superstar point guard will be ready to rejoin the Pistons before the playoffs.

Out — Isaiah Stewart (left calf strain)

Beef Stew is having a typical solid year, averaging 10.0 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game. He’s a menace in the paint, so his absence is a blessing for a Warriors team that is missing Horford and Post.

Out — Marcus Sasser (right hip soreness)

Sasser has struggled with injuries this season, including missing Detroit’s first 23 games. Now he’s back on the sideline after playing nine consecutive games.

Out — Bobi Klintman (G League assignment)

A second-round pick a year ago, Klintman remains very raw. He’s appeared in just 19 games over his two NBA seasons.

Questionable Available — Jalen Duren (right ankle soreness)

The first-time All-Star this year was listed as questionable, but was just announced as good to go. That’s bad news for the Warriors, and means the Dubs are going to need some serious defense and rebounding from Porziņģis and Draymond Green.

Questionable Out — Kevin Huerter (right shoulder contusion)

Similarly, Huerter was listed as questionable, but was ruled out shortly before tip.

Enjoy the game, Dub Nation!

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Spring Breakout gamethread: Tigers at Pirates

TAMPA, FLORIDA - MARCH 18, 2026: Max Clark #31 of the Detroit Tigers bats during a game against the New York Yankees at the Himes Complex on March 18, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images

Join us as the Detroit Tigers farm system matches up against Konnor Griffin and the Pittsburgh Pirates farm system in the annual Spring Breakout game. The Tigers will have Max Clark in center field and 2025 first rounder Jordan Yost at shortstop in the starting lineup, with Bryce Rainer in the DH slot and hard-throwing relief prospect Marco Jimenez starting things off on the mound. We should see Michael Oliveto at some point as well. Griffin, baseball’s consensus number one ranked prospect, will handle shortstop for the Bucs, with a good pitching prospect on the mound as the starter in RHP Seth Hernandez.

Manager Alan Trammell has managed the last two breakout games for the Tigers, winning them both.

First pitch is set for 7:35 p.m. ET on Peacock, MLB.tv, and ao MLB Network.

SB Nation Site: Bucs Dugout

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Miami (Ohio)'s March Madness run is over, but it won't be forgotten

For the better part of the past month, the most hyper-analyzed and breathlessly discussed team in men’s college basketball wasn’t in Lexington, Kentucky or Lawrence, Kansas or on North Carolina’s famed Tobacco Road.

It was a mid-sized state school in southwest Ohio that wasn’t even picked in the preseason to win its own (typically) one-bid conference and had gone nearly 20 years without an NCAA Tournament appearance.

When the 2025-26 season tipped off back in early November, few people outside of Oxford, Ohio could have imagined Miami (Ohio) would become one of the defining teams and storylines nationally by the time March Madness rolled around, yet there the RedHawks were, winning game after game and doing what only some of the most iconic squads in the sport’s modern history had been able to pull off.

March Madness scores: See the big shots, moments, highlights in today's first round

That inspired run ended Friday, March 20, with Miami suffering just its second loss of the season, a 78-56 blowout at the hands of Tennessee in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Philadelphia.

What happened across an ill-fated 40 minutes, though, did nothing to diminish the five months that preceded it.

The RedHawks became just the fifth Division I team since 1980 to start a season 30-0, joining the star-studded likes of 1990-91 UNLV and 2014-15 Kentucky. The fact those historical peers had significantly more next-level talent only added to Miami’s charm. A roster made up largely of once-overlooked recruits came together to play one of the more beautiful forms of basketball of any team in the country, an offensively explosive outfit that played at a frenetic pace, spread opponents out and knocked down shots at a dizzying rate.

In an age when mid- and low-major programs largely exist as feeder systems for college basketball’s biggest and richest schools, the RedHawks were a heat-warming anachronism, a group of players who came into the program, developed, improved and, perhaps most impressively, stayed. Of the 15 players who logged at least one minute for Miami this season, 12 began their careers at the school. Five of the top six scorers from a 25-win team the previous season came back, almost certainly spurning more lucrative opportunities elsewhere. And it was all coming under the direction of a coach in Travis Steele who, after stumbling as a head coach at the power-conference level, has made the most of a second chance.

At some point, an inspiring story became something decidedly more polarizing.

As the RedHawks inched closer to an unblemished regular season, debates began over their NCAA Tournament hopes. Their poorly rated nonconference schedule and subpar predictive metrics were nitpicked. Their series of tight wins drew skepticism. If they lost even just once and didn’t earn the Mid-American Conference’s automatic bid to the Big Dance, did they deserve a spot in the 68-team bracket? To some extraordinarily outspoken individuals, the answer was a firm “no.”

Despite Bruce Pearl’s best and most nakedly shameless efforts, and even after a loss to UMass in the MAC quarterfinals, Miami heard its name called on Selection Sunday, earning one of the final at-large spots and a trip to the First Four in Dayton that may as well have been a challenge from the NCAA tournament selection committee — if you really belong in this event, you’ll have the chance to prove it.

And, surely enough, they did.

Steele’s men of steel drained 16 3-pointers and knocked down 39% of their shots from beyond the arc to beat a high-scoring SMU team by double digits and pick up the program’s first NCAA tournament win since a Wally Szczerbiak-led run to the Sweet 16 in 1999.

“I think we do belong here,” Peter Suder, the team’s leading scorer, said Thursday heading into the first-round game. “I think we showed that last night especially, but just don't count us out.”

Two days later, they ran into a wall, taking on a bigger, more physical and more talented Tennessee squad that was as bad of a matchup on the court as it was on paper, outrebounding Miami by a 42-25 margin, limiting its effectiveness from 3 and holding it to a season-low 56 points.

For all but one team, the college basketball season ends in disappointment, but for some, success isn’t wholly defined by national championship or Final Four banners. For months, as Miami’s resume was relentlessly dissected, the RedHawks (and results of Freedom of Information Act requests) insisted that teams from the sport’s major conferences were unwilling to schedule them. They weren’t alone in that struggle. High Point, as coach Flynn Clayman made sure to note after his team upset No. 5 seed Wisconsin on Thursday, faced similar issues.

All that schools like them asked for was a chance in a sport that increasingly seems like it’s stacked against them and designed to kill stories like theirs before they even get the chance to begin. But in the NCAA Tournament, when there’s no hiding behind a cautious scheduling philosophy, those chasms between the haves and have-nots have a beautiful way of disappearing.

While Miami came up well short against Tennessee, it showed that it earned the right to be there. And, as its coach sees it, its hard-earned place in the sport has staying power.

"My goal is to get this thing to the second weekend of the NCAA tournament," Steele said after Friday's loss. "We will be back. I'm very very confident on that"

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Miami Ohio basketball's season is over, but it won't be forgotten

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Sungjae Im takes lead into the weekend on the firm and fast Copperhead course

PALM HARBOR, Fla. (AP) — Sungjae Im held onto the lead on a breezy Friday afternoon in the Valspar Championship, rallying on the back nine to edge ahead of David Lipsky in firm and fast conditions on the Copperhead course at Innisbrook.

After missing two straight cuts in his return from a wrist injury, Im shot a 2-under 69 to get to 9-under 133 — a stroke ahead of Lipsky. On Thursday morning, Im had two eagles in a 64 for a one-shot advantage over Brandt Snedeker.

“The important thing, well, the most important thing is that I can get my drives into the fairways,” the 27-year-old South Korean player said through a translator. “If I do that, then I will be able to give myself good chances. There’s just a lot of danger out there on the course.”

On Friday, Im had three bogeys and two birdies in a front-nine 37, then birdied the par-5 11th and par-4 12th. He broke a tie for the lead with a 7-foot birdie putt on the par-3 17th.

“I want to really focus and be patient because I have a chance this weekend.” Im said. “This weekend, I think the winds are going to blow and the greens are going to get more firm.”

He has two PGA Tour victories, the 2020 Honda Classic and 2021 Shriners Children’s Open.

Lipsky had a 65, playing in the first group of the day off the first tee. Winless on PGA Tour, he birdied the first two holes and four of the the first six, added two more on 10 and 11 and parred the final seven.

“It was excellent. I did everything well,” Lipsky said. “Missed it in the right spots, holed the putts early on to get some momentum going. That finishing stretch is obviously tough, so able to save a couple pars down on 16 and 18 and really kept the round going.”

Chandler Blanchet and Doug Ghim were 7 under. Blanchet closed with a bogey for a 66. Ghim shot 67, making an eagle on the par-5 11th, then giving back the strokes with bogeys on 15 and 16.

“Obviously, I wish I would have finished a little bit better,” Ghim said. “Two bad holes doesn’t really necessarily kind of ruin a good day.”

Snedeker had a 72 to drop to 5 under. The 45-year-old U.S. Presidents Cup captain received a sponsor exemption.

“The good thing is it’s playing really tough and tricky this afternoon,” Snedeker said. “Try to take a positive from that. Hung in there when things weren’t going great.”

Jordan Smith (68) also was 5 under with Matt Fitzpatrick (69), Marco Penge (68) and Alex Smalley (69).

“I definitely hit it better yesterday and putted better today,” Spieth said. “So, just try to put them both together on the weekend.”

Fitzpatrick was second last week in The Players Championship.

Brooks Koepka was tied for 10th at 4 under after a 67 in his return to Innisbrook. He missed a 3-foot birdie putt on his final hole.

“Just keep doing what I’m doing,” Koepka said. “Playing well, like the way I’m striking it.”

Defending champion Viktor Hovland missed the cut with rounds of 70 and 75.

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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

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Yankees’ Jasson Dominguez gets sent to Triple-A despite strong spring

Jasson Dominguez is going to start the year in Triple-A.
Jasson Dominguez is going to start the year in Triple-A.

TAMPA — Jasson Domínguez came to camp with an uncertain role and put together one of the best springs of any Yankee. 

It still was not enough to win a spot on the Opening Day roster. 

The Yankees optioned Domínguez to Triple-A on Friday, two days before breaking camp with a full outfield that did not have room for the 23-year-old outfielder who had 429 plate appearances in the big leagues last season. 

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“[He took it] like a pro,” manager Aaron Boone said after a 3-1 win over the Orioles. “We had a good talk. Difficult conversation to have. One of the things that I told him is I’m proud of him, because he walked into this camp with all kinds of conversation around him and, ‘the option may be coming,’ if everything played out a certain way. It didn’t affect anything in the way he carried himself day in and day out, the way he worked. I think he continued to get better while he was here in this camp and he performed in this camp.” 

The writing was on the wall for this to happen since the opening days of camp, when GM Brian Cashman acknowledged that it would be in Domínguez’s best interest to be getting everyday at-bats, which was not going to happen in The Bronx (barring injury) with a starting outfield of Aaron Judge, Trent Grisham and Cody Bellinger. 

Jasson Dominguez is going to start the year in Triple-A. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

Domínguez’s chances became even slimmer when the Yankees brought veteran outfielder Randal Grichuk to camp on a minor league deal, with the right-handed hitter fitting the Yankees bench better than the switch-hitting (but better from the left side) Domínguez. 

Still, Domínguez did everything in his control to leave a strong impression this spring, batting .342 with a 1.013 OPS, three home runs and three steals in 13 games. 

Jasson Domínguez during spring training. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

“Just because it’s not here to start doesn’t mean he can’t continue to get better each and every day there,” Boone said. “As talented a player he is right now, there’s still so much more for him to get to. It’s a crazy game and he could be back before you know it. The one thing I do think is he’ll impact our club in a way this year.” 

It certainly sounds as if Rule 5 pick Cade Winquest will claim one of the final bullpen spots, with Boone offering a strong vote of confidence for the reliever. 

“We feel like he’s going to be a good pitcher,” Boone said. “I think he’s shown enough to keep himself in that mix for us and to warrant us taking him. We’ll see in the end which way we go. But he’s taken to some of the minor adjustments we’ve had for him, the pitching group has had for him. That’s always a work in progress, but I think he’s got a chance to be good.” 

That, along with Kervin Castro being optioned to Triple-A on Friday, would appear to leave the final bullpen spot down to Brent Headrick or Jake Bird. 

Giancarlo Stanton got his first outfield game action of the spring on Friday, starting in right field and playing five innings, which was the latest positive indication of how he is feeling physically. 

“If we get into the season and we get into a spot where I have to use the DH from time to time for someone else and maybe he can go out there and spell us, I feel like right now, he’s in a position to do that,” Boone said. “I don’t think it’s going to be a lot necessarily, but want to be prepared for it without jeopardizing him physically.” 

Spencer Jones and Elmer Rodríguez were named the winners of the 2025 Kevin Lawn Awards, given annually to the Yankees’ minor league position player and pitcher of the year. … The Yankees optioned reliever Yerry De los Santos to Triple-A and reassigned catchers Ali Sánchez and Payton Henry and outfielder Kenedy Corona to minor league camp.

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Game Thread: Knicks at Nets, March 20, 2026

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 21: Ariel Hukporti #55 of the New York Knicks reacts as Day'ron Sharpe #20 of the Brooklyn Nets looks on during the second half at Madison Square Garden on January 21, 2026 in New York City. The Knicks won 120-66. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) | Getty Images

When they played in January, the Knicks (45*-25) held the Nets (17-52) to 66 points. Tonight in Brooklyn, New York aims to extend their win-streak over their neighbors to 14 straight and sweep the four-game season series.

Tip-off is 7:30 pm EST on MSG. This is your game thread. This is Nets Daily. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Be good humans. And go Knicks!

* Should be one more, but NBA Cup wins are made of mesh.

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Hawks at Rockets: start time, TV, streaming, radio, game thread

ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 16: Jock Landale #31 of the Atlanta Hawks three point basket against the Orlando Magic on March 16, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Atlanta Hawks (38-31) aim for a stunning twelve straight wins against the formidable Houston Rockets (41-27).

Starting lineup:

  • G CJ McCollum
  • G Nickeil Alexander-Walker
  • F Dyson Daniels
  • F Jalen Johnson
  • C Onyeka Okongwu

Please join in the comments below as you follow along.

Where, When, and How to Watch and Listen

Location: Toyota Center, Houston, TX

Start Time: 8:00 PM EDT

TV: FanDuel Sports Network Southeast (FDSNSE)

Radio: Sports Radio 92.9 the Game (WZGC-FM)

Streaming: ESPN+, FanDuel Sports Network app, Fubo (out of market), NBA League Pass (out of market), Youtube TV (NBA League Pass out of market)

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Cubs vs. Reds at Sloan Park and vs. A’s at Hohokam Stadium preview, Friday 3/20

MESA, Arizona — Today’s roster moves:

Friday notes…

  • FORMER CUBS IN REDS CAMP: Pierce Johnson, P.J. Higgins.
  • FORMER CUBS IN A’S CAMP: Aaron Civale, Mark Leiter Jr., Brooks Kriske.
  • SPLIT SQUAD: This is the only Cubs split squad game scheduled this spring. The home game begins at 8:05 p.m. CT and the away game at 8:10 p.m. CT.

Here are today’s particulars.

Cubs lineups at Sloan Park and Hohokam Stadium:

Reds lineup:

A’s lineup:

Matthew Boyd will start for the Cubs at Sloan Park. Other Cubs pitchers scheduled for the home game: Hunter Harvey, Phil Maton, Caleb Thielbar and Hoby Milner.

Brandon Williamson will start for the Reds. Other Reds pitchers scheduled tonight: Tony Santillan, Emilio Pagán, Zach Maxwell and Brock Burke.

Jameson Taillon will start for the Cubs at Hohokam Stadium. Other Cubs pitchers for the away game: Javier Assad.

Luis Severino will start for the A’s. Other A’s pitchers scheduled tonight: Mark Leiter Jr., Michael Kelly and Joel Kuhnel.

No TV for the home game. The away game will be on Marquee Sports Network and NBC Sports California. There will be a radio broadcast of the home game on the Reds flagship station, WLW 700. The away game will be with the A’s broadcasters on ATH Audio.

MLB.com Gameday for Cubs vs. Reds

MLB.com Gameday for Cubs vs. A’s

Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.

Please visit our SB Nation Reds site Red Reporter and A’s site Athletics Nation. If you do go there to interact with Reds or A’s fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.

As we have done in the past, we’ll have a first pitch thread at five minutes to game time and one overflow thread, 90 minutes after game time. For today, that will be 8 p.m. CT and 9:35 p.m. CT.

These threads will not post individually onto the front page; instead, you can find links to them in the box marked ”Chicago Cubs Game Threads” at the bottom of the front page. There will also be a StoryStream on the front page with all the game thread links, as well as the recap after the game is over. The pitcher photos and regular-season stats will return on Opening Day.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

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Yankees option Jasson Domínguez to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre

LAKELAND, FL - MARCH 12: Jasson Dominguez #24 of the New York Yankees bats during the spring training game against the Detroit Tigers at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium on March 12, 2026 in Lakeland, Florida. The Yankees defeated the Tigers 4-3. (Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

It was honestly only a matter of time.

Late Friday afternoon, the Yankees optioned former super-prospect Jasson Domínguez to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, among a flurry of roster moves. Once the Yankees signed Randal Grichuk as their fourth outfielder this move seemed inevitable. Even before that, it seemed unlikely El Marciano would start the season in the majors, given the Yanks’ need for a right-handed hitting outfielder and Jasson’s struggles from that side of the plate.

He’s not the only player being moved out as Opening Day nears. Kenedy Corona, who had himself a nice camp with a couple home runs and a keen eye at the plate, is headed to minor league camp, along with a couple other folks, and a couple others join Domínguez heading to Triple-A.

But the story here is obviously The Martian. To his credit, this is no indictment of his spring. He’s been a monster at the plate and, given the lack of Discourse About His Defense on social media, my impression is he hasn’t been a disaster in left field.

This comes down to a roster crunch and, honestly, the move to Triple-A might be best for Jasson. The Yanks needed a fourth outfielder who could hit right-handed pitching, which he’s been unable to do. And even if he made the team to start the season, it doesn’t do a single thing for his development to play sporadically for the Yankees.

This is still only his age-23 season and he’s lost basically two full seasons of development and reps. First, COVID-19 wiped out the 2020 minor league season, then he missed most of 2024 after undergoing Tommy John surgery with an internal bracing on his right elbow in September 2023.

Factoring all that in, Domínguez, despite seemingly having been around forever, has a grand total of 759 plate appearances above Double-A. Sitting on the Yankee bench seems highly unlikely to help him And, given the way injuries always rear their ugly heads, it’s still very probable we’ll see Jasson in the Bronx at some point in 2026.

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Dodgers on Deck: Saturday, March 21 vs. Athletics

Mar 15, 2026; Mesa, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Emmet Sheehan (80) throws against the Chicago Cubs in the first inning at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

The Dodgers reach the end of their Arizona residency on Saturday morning, with an early start time against the Athletics at Camelback Ranch. This game was originally set for a noon start, but was bumped up an hour earlier due to extreme heat.

Emmet Sheehan gets the start on Saturday, which would seemingly line him up to start next weekend against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the season-opening series, though nothing has been finalized yet regarding the Dodgers rotation order following Yoshinobu Yamamoto on opening day.

Left-hander Jacob Lopez starts for the A’s.

Saturday game info
  • Teams: Dodgers vs. Athletics
  • Ballpark: Camelback Ranch
  • Time: 11:05 a.m. PT
  • TV: SportsNet LA
  • Radio: A’s Cast
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Villarreal overruns Real Sociedad to move into third place in La Liga

VILLARREAL, Spain (AP) — Villarreal beat Real Sociedad 3-1 and completed its first La Liga double over the Basque side since 2016-17 on Friday.

All of Villarreal’s goals came in a busy first half.

Gerard Moreno got the opener with a header after seven minutes, and eight minutes later Georges Mikautadze tapped in a second following good work from midfield by Alberto Moleiro.

Nicolas Pépé made it 3-0 midway through the first half when he strode forward and his deflected shot crept past goalkeeper Alex Remiro.

Luka Sučić pulled a goal back for Sociedad in the first minute of the second half but the visitor could not mount a comeback. It remained in seventh place after missing a chance to go equal on points with the team above it, Celta Vigo.

Villarreal, meanwhile, moved into third, a point above Atletico Madrid. Atletico's game in hand is on Sunday at archrival Real Madrid.

The win was Villarreal's 12th in 15 games at Estadio de la Ceramica this season, with the only defeats coming at the hands of Real Madrid and Barcelona.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

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Dodgers vs. Padres spring training game roster

Feb 13, 2026; Glendale, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani (17) talks to catcher Will Smith (16) during spring training camp. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

After their final Cactus League off day, the Dodgers host the San Diego Padres on Friday night at Camelback Ranch. Yoshinobu Yamamoto makes his final spring tuneup before his second straight opening day start.

Lineup

Shohei Ohtani DH
Kyle Tucker RF
Mookie Betts SS
Freddie Freeman 1B
Will Smith C
Teoscar Hernández LF
Max Muncy 3B
Andy Pages CF
Miguel Rojas 2B

First time back in the lineup for Shohei Ohtani and Will Smith since returning from the World Baseball Classic, the Dodgers’ closest to their opening day lineup all spring.

Other pitchers

Edwin Díaz is scheduled to pitch in his first game since returning from the World Baseball Classic. Also slated to throw are Jack Dreyer and the last two non-roster invitees in camp — Antoine Kelly and Chris Campos.

Up from minor league camp are Evan Shaw (wearing uniform number 90), Kelvin Ramirez (91), Myles Caba (92), and Nicolas Cruz (93).

Other position players

Non-roster catchers Eliézer Alfonzo and Seby Zavala are active on Friday night.

A slew of minor leaguers are active in this one, including outfielders Eduardo Quintero (07), Mike Sirota (08), Charles Davalan (88), and Kole Myers (); infielders Jake Gelof (06), Sean McLain (87), Jose Izarra (00), Kyle Nevin (05), John Rhodes (95), and Logan Wagner (94).

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Victor Bericoto and Gregory Santos reassigned to Minor League camp

Victor Bericoto in the batter’s box.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 27: Victor Bericoto #83 of the San Francisco Giants bats during the fifth inning of the spring training game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Scottsdale Stadium on February 27, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Jeremy Chen/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Opening Day is just five days away for the San Francisco Giants, and the camp cuts are coming as fast and furious as my favorite modern movie franchise. The big news came on Thursday, when the Giants optioned top prospect Bryce Eldridge to AAA Sacramento, along with Grant McCray and Tyler Fitzgerald. That ended the camp-long question of whether or not Eldridge would make the roster for March 25’s Netflix special.

But more news came on Friday, when the Giants made their seventh round of camp cuts. This time, rather than optioning a trio of rostered players, the Giants reassigned a trio of non-roster invitees to Minor League camp: outfielder Victor Bericoto, right-hander Gregory Santos, and infielder Osleivis Basabe.

The biggest name here is Bericoto, who had an absolute breakout of a performance in his first Spring Training, which resulted in being named the 2026 Barney Nugent Award winner shortly before being reassigned. Bittersweet day!

Bericoto, a right-handed hitter who signed with the Giants in the same international period as Luis Matos and Marco Luciano (and who re-signed on a Minor League contract this past offseason after reaching free agency), was positively dynamic in Cactus League play, while manning both left and right field. In 19 games he hit a blistering 18-38 with a team-best three home runs as well as three doubles, while sporting a 1.264 OPS and a 221 wRC+. He also posted some of the most impressive exit velocities on the team, while striking out just seven times.

To the naked eye, then, it might seem like the Giants are making an error by reassigning him instead of giving him a spot on the Opening Day roster, especially since the players in the running for the fourth outfield spot — Matos, Will Brennan, Drew Gilbert, and Jared Oliva — aren’t exactly tearing holes in the box scores. But Bericoto, who recently turned 24, was never seriously in play for an Opening Day assignment. Spring Training numbers should always be taken with a grain of salt, and as exceptional as his were, it bears noting that he drew just one walk, rocked a hilariously unsustainable .517 BABIP, and did the bulk of his damage against fellow Minor Leaguers and NRIs. Most importantly, Bericoto has just 11 games in AAA to his name (during which time he hit just .196/.196/.283) so, despite his performance, he’s in need of some further development.

Still and all, he opened eyes, and certainly impressed his teammates, coaches, and front office. Given how unproven that aforementioned quartet is — plus McCray and Jerar Encarnación — there will almost certainly be a roster spot for Bericoto in a few months if he hits well with AAA Sacramento.

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While Bericoto was the most notable name given his spring, the most surprising of the three cuts was Santos. I’ve spent the offseason telling anyone who will listen that I think Santos — who was signed and developed by the Giants before being cut three years ago, and re-signed to a Minor League deal this past offseason — will end up being the team’s best reliever this year. I’m sticking with that, though it will take him a little while to get there, apparently.

Santos struggled with command this spring, walking five batters — while striking out just two — in 3.1 innings, leading to a 5.40 ERA and a 7.87 FIP. That shouldn’t be incredibly surprising, given that there’s rust to wash off: injuries have limited him to just 26.2 innings between both the Majors and the Minors over the last two seasons combined. The bright side is, when he finds his rhythm, command shouldn’t be a big concern: the 26-year old walked just 2.3 batters per nine innings during his breakout season with the Chicago White Sox in 2023, which is an astonishingly low number for a player who regularly clips triple digits with his fastball.

Given the lack of heat that the Giants have in the bullpen after trading Camilo Doval and seeing Randy Rodríguez suffer an injury — and given that fastball velocity is the primary barrier for entry in MLB bullpens these days — it feels like a matter of when, not if Santos will be a high-leverage reliever for this team.

As for Basabe, he had a great camp, but never really had a chance of making the team. The 25-year old right-handed hitter played his usual excellent defense across the infield, while really showing out with the bat, as he hit 12-31 with two triples, four doubles, and one walk, for a 1.051 OPS and a 167 wRC+. With Casey Schmitt and Christian Koss entrenched as the backup infielders — and Fitzgerald on the 40-man roster — the usually light-hitting Basabe (who is Matos’ cousin) was always ticketed for depth in Sacramento. But he played well enough that the organization will likely be quite comfortable bringing him up should injuries create a need.

The Giants are now down to 39 players in Major League camp: 34 rostered players, and five non-roster invitees (pitchers Michael Fulmer, Caleb Kilian, and Joey Lucchesi; catcher Eric Haase; and outfielder Oliva). They’ll have to trim 13 more names between now and Wednesday.

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March Madness games tomorrow: NCAA Tournament second round schedule Saturday

Be sure to follow USA TODAY Sports' live updates keeping track of all of NCAA Tournament's Friday first round games.

The road to Indianapolis and the Final Four continues Saturday as the first eight teams will book their tickets to the Sweet 16.

Will High Point and VCU's magic continue? Top-seed Duke struggled against Siena, how will Blue Devils respond against No. 9 seed TCU? Saint Louis scores in bunches, can Michigan slow the Billikens down?

Otega Oweh saved UK's season Friday: He might have done more than that

'Nobody would play us': High Point coach gives fiery interview after Wisconsin upset

It should be a great feast of March Madness. Below is Saturday's schedule and TV listings. Here is the rest of Friday night's slate of games.

March Madness games tomorrow: Second round game times, schedule for Saturday, March 21

All times Eastern

  • 12:10 p.m.: No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 9 Saint Louis, CBS
  • 2:45 p.m.: No. 3 Michigan State vs. No. 6 Louisville, CBS (prediction)
  • 5:15 p.m.: No. 1 Duke vs. No. 9 TCU, CBS (prediction)
  • 6:10 p.m.: No. 2 Houston vs. No. 10 Texas A&M, TNT (prediction)
  • 7:10 p.m.: No. 3 Gonzaga vs. No. 11 Texas, TBS/truTV (prediction)
  • 7:50 p.m.: No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 11 VCU, CBS (prediction)
  • 8:45 p.m.: No. 4 Nebraska vs. No. 5 Vanderbilt, TNT (prediction)
  • 9:45 p.m.: No. 4 Arkansas vs. No. 12 High Point, TBS/truTV (prediction)

2026 Men's March Madness remaining full schedule

  • March 21-22: Second Round
  • March 26-27: Sweet 16
  • March 28-29: Elite 8
  • April 4: Final Four
  • April 6: National Championship

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness 2026 schedule: Who plays tomorrow, when in second round